Ave G CoC: Recent Episodes
Christopher Stephens
This podcast is everything Ave G CoC! Sermons, Interviews, Devotionals, Bible Classes, & Singing! If it's happening at the Avenue G Church of Christ then you can find it here!
This show was disgusting to watch but necessary.
You ever watch Mike Rowe’s show, Dirty Jobs? It aired on the Discovery Channel and featured folks doing the kinds of work that most people wouldn’t dare touch—jobs that are tough, unpleasant, but absolutely necessary to keep everything running smoothly. From septic tank cleaners to bridge painters, these folks were doing the work that nobody wants to do, but everyone relies on.
As I read through the text for this week’s sermon, I couldn’t help but think about the parallels in the life of the Church. There are some jobs in the Body of Christ that aren’t for the faint of heart. It’s not for the squeamish, not for those who live in fear, or those who would rather settle for a false sense of peace than deal with the integrity of God’s Church. Too often, we see folks turning a blind eye to things they know shouldn’t be happening, but it's easier to just let it slide.
In our churches, we ignore:
- Political ties that lead to profane language and lifestyles just to keep the peace
- Homosexual choir directors because we don't want to "rock the boat"
- Adulterous church leaders and wealthy members whose pockets keep the lights on and staff paid
- Slanderous gossips causing division in the congregation
- People who would rather uplift and hold to Stone, Campbell, and Walter Scott instead of the inspiration of the Father, Spirit, and Son
And then the most dangerous part—people in the church will just throw out the phrase, “That’s just __________.” It’s like a TV catchphrase that we use to dismiss what’s happening in the house of God. But what if I told you that God isn’t pleased with our willful ignorance? What if I told you that God is tired of the skeletons we keep hidden in our church baptismal closets?
Here’s the truth. The responsibility doesn’t fall on just the leadership to deal with this. It’s not just the preacher’s job to keep the integrity of the church. I believe this is why so many today hate “organized religion” because of the accountability. Every single member of the congregation has a part to play in this. It’s about all of us taking responsibility for our own actions, and for holding each other accountable. That means we’ve got to be ready to challenge our own lifestyles, but also be willing to challenge the lifestyles of others, especially when it threatens the health of the church.
It’s a dirty job, but the people of God must do it.
In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is crystal clear: It’s the responsibility of the church to maintain its integrity. The devil would have us believe that as long as we can hide our skeletons from the outside world, we’re good. But that’s a lie. The church cannot thrive in indifference to internal sin. God has called us to more than that. The church must be self-aware, constantly looking at itself, and doing what’s necessary to address sin quickly. Repentance and reconciliation must be our priority! It’s on us—every one of us—to keep the Church pure, to deal with the hard stuff, and to make sure that we are living lives worthy of the call.
Let’s be real about it. We can’t keep living in willful ignorance. The health of the church depends on the integrity of the people in the church. That means we’ve got to be ready to do the dirty work, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. God’s mission is too important, and the salvation of souls is too valuable, for us to settle for a peace that is anything less than the peace of God.
I remember a quote from the movie A Thin Line Between Love and Hate with Martin Lawrence and Lynn Whitfield that said:
“You know, a man just comes along and he buys us off a shelf. Then he plays. Plays with us until he thinks we're no longer fun. Or until he gets us all dirty, right? Then he just wants to throw us away.”
This was at the forefront of my mind as I sought to answer the submitted question this week:
When does submission become domination/abuse? And if a woman decides to leave, biblically can she go?
I may have an oversimplified view, but as I reflected on this question—particularly during the sermon series addressing marital roles—I felt it best to return to Scripture. The text that most clearly outlines marital roles and the relationship between the Church and Christ is found in Paul's letter to the Church at Ephesus.
In this letter, Paul writes to a congregation living in a Greek culture in a seaport town. This culture was rampant with polytheism and hostile to YHWH God. Paul explains that although they once lived outside of God's will, there is new life in Christ, bringing unity, purity, and joy. He begins the epistle by emphasizing the blessings they have in Christ and their privilege to belong to Him. Paul then transitions to their response: they should live in a manner worthy of their calling. Their lives, as heavenly citizens, must reflect their identity, even in a city where many may not acknowledge God.
Fast-forwarding to a key point in the letter, we arrive at Ephesians 5:21:
“Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
(Ephesians 5:21, ESV)
At the beginning of chapter 5, Paul calls believers to walk in love by imitating God. Within the Godhead, there is mutual submission—a theological concept known as Perichoresis. This term describes the mutual indwelling and fellowship of the Father, Son, and Spirit. The Father does not dominate or infringe on the Son; the Son does not impose on the Spirit; and so forth. There is a harmonious submission within the Trinity. Should this not also characterize the Body of Christ—and, by extension, marriage?
Paul states in verse 21 that Christians should embody Christ's “new” philosophy of life. What does this look like in marriage?
WivesPaul succinctly addresses the role of the wife in three verses. He instructs wives to willingly place themselves under the headship of their husbands. The Greek word for "submit" is ὑποτάσσω (hypotasso), meaning "to submit to the orders or directives of someone." (Louw & Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the NT). Wives are called to submit to their husbands in everything.
This is a simple statement, but a difficult command. Submission requires self-denial, self-control, and trust, which can leave one vulnerable to potential hurt. Yet, this relationship mirrors the Church's submission to Christ. The Church lowers itself in humble submission to Christ, denies fleshly desires in obedience, exercises daily self-control, and trusts that Christ is on a mission from the Father.
HusbandsPaul devotes nine verses to the role of the husband. If husbands are to submit to their wives, their submission must emulate Christ's submission to the Church—a submission willing to die for her sanctification and elevation.
Consider Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, overwhelmed to the point of sweating blood (a condition known as hematohidrosis). Despite His flesh desiring to avoid the cross, His Spirit submitted to the Father’s will for our redemption (Matthew 26:39). Similarly, husbands must be willing to sacrifice themselves for their wives' well-being.
Submission is not about providing material extravagance but ensuring the wife is spiritually and physically nourished, so she can be presented in splendor to God. A husband cannot verbally or physically abuse his wife and still fulfill this role. Being the head means leading sacrificially to benefit the wife.
Covenant vs. Contractual MarriageIn a covenant marriage, both spouses live in mutual submission and self-giving love. Domination and subjugation arise when the marriage becomes contractual: “I will be a husband/wife as long as you __________.”
A covenant marriage says: “I will submit and offer unconditional love, no matter what.” Abuse begins when one spouse stops giving and starts demanding. Within a Christian marriage, we are led by the Spirit of God—not by human demands—to reflect our heavenly citizenship.
Abuse and LeavingAbuse occurs when a spouse deviates from their God-given role. But what happens when a spouse decides to leave? Can they do so biblically?
Jesus did not end His submission to humanity despite our disobedience. He remained faithful, pursuing salvation and redemption. As Christians, our mission should align with Christ's: reclaiming people and relationships.
However, Scripture permits divorce in cases of sexual immorality (Matthew 5:31-32, 19:8; Mark 10:3-5). Regarding abuse, Paul addresses a different scenario: when a believer is married to an unbeliever. In such cases, separation is allowed, though reconciliation is encouraged if possible, to lead the unbelieving spouse to salvation.
ConclusionWhen does submission become domination/abuse? Submission becomes abuse when a spouse stops giving and starts demanding.
Can a woman leave? Biblically, a wife may leave if the covenant is broken through infidelity. Otherwise, she may separate but must remain single unless reconciliation occurs.
Ultimately, God desires the redemption of relationships and the preservation of marriage as a testimony to the Gospel.
If you have more questions, feel free to submit them. I will do my best to answer.
Be blessed,
C.W. Stephens
🚨 New Sermon Series Alert! 🚨
We’re kicking off our series, What Must I Do to Be Saved?, with an important message titled Sin: The Great Divide. This first sermon will explore how sin separates us from God, but also the hope we find in Christ! 🙌 Don’t miss out on this life-changing lesson. Join us next Sunday at 9:30 AM at Avenue G Church of Christ as we dive deeper into God's Word together ✨
Click the link afterward for small group questions to help you apply the message. Let’s grow together! 🙏
Small Group Questions
Daily🍞 #PeopleofMore #LED
Our adult class during Youth Day was incredible—so much so that most participants didn't want it to end! I promised to share some resources, and I’m delivering them here in one place. I pray that you all had safe travels back home, and we can’t wait to support your youth events in the future. We’re also looking forward to seeing you again at next year's Youth Day!
Spiritual Disciplines: Pathways to TransformationSpiritual disciplines were first introduced to me by BB Gatson and were further strengthened through my time at Lipscomb. These disciplines are vital in drawing us closer to God and enabling transformation in our lives. I highly recommend incorporating spiritual disciplines such as sabbaticals, the examen, and silence and solitude into your routine.
Here are some recommended resources to help guide you on this journey:Palms Up, Palms Down Practice: Watch this helpful video for a powerful spiritual exercise on centering prayer HERE.
Books:Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us by Adele Calhoun Link.
Sacred Rhythms Bible Study Participant's Guide: Spiritual Practices that Nourish Your Soul and Transform Your Life by Ruth Haley Barton Link.
One of the key aspects of spiritual health today is the elimination of hurry. The adversary now uses time as a distraction, keeping us from being effective in the Kingdom. For further reading, I highly recommend The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer. You can find it HERE.
Parental Resources for Managing Smart DevicesWith the increasing use of smart devices among our youth, it's important to take steps to manage and monitor their usage. Here are some tools that can help:
For Android Users: Android devices are relatively easy to manage. The Family Link app allows you to monitor your child’s screen time and app usage. It also lets you set restrictions based on age for content in the app store. FAMILY LINK APP
For Apple Users: iPhones take a few more steps to set up, but once configured, it’s easy to manage. This video HERE does a great job of walking through the process. Be mindful that tech-savvy kids might find ways around restrictions by jailbreaking their devices, but if they don’t know what jailbreaking is, you’re in the clear.
Bark (for Both Android and iPhones): Bark is an amazing app that helps you monitor your child’s mental health by analyzing their text messages and social media. It’s a paid app, but it costs less than most video streaming services. You can check it out and start a free trial HERE.
Photos from Youth DayAs promised, here are the links to photos from Ave G Youth Day '24! Feel free to add your own favorite pictures from the day: Youth Day Photos.
We’re grateful for everyone who made this event special, and we can’t wait to see you next year!
This week of my sabbatical I was invited to share a word with our dear friends at the Western Hills Church of Christ. Scott Myer was in preparation for a new series that he is beginning that will cover the whole Bible in chronological order and he was afforded the opportunity to invite others to speak while preparing. As I inch closer and closer to my return to Avenue G I knew that I wanted to be more engaged in preaching the word. So I preached first to them the message that I have prepared for Avenue G my first Sunday back.
I do not want to get into spoilers but at this point in my sabbatical time and culture seem to be airing reruns. In the last presidential election cycle I was exposed to who people saw as their world changers and ultimate power. Unfortunately I saw Christians living in fear, choosing culture over Christ, and spreading a Constantinian Christianity. I am seeing a rerun and I wish that I could change the channel. But I am thankful that I am a proclaimer of the word of God. As ministers I believe that we are called to BOTH proclaim and challenge the people of God to obey Him. Too often ministers are strong armed into preaching messages that does not rock the boat or challenge the best givers or power groups/families. Thankfully, I was given the opportunity at Western Hills to speak freely and candidly.
I chose to come from one scripture and I challenged every believer there to BE THE CHURCH. The Church or Ekklesia in Greek, was a political term in the ancient near eastern culture. And when someone was a part of an Ekklesia, or called out group of people, they were charged with carrying the influence and changes that needed to happen in the larger polis (city). Jesus could have used any word for what He would establish as being the catalyst for His Father’s mission but He chose Church(Ekklesia). We are called out to transform not assimilate, we are called out to live in hope not in fear, we are called out to bring others into the family of God not into political parties that only know Him when it is convenient for their platform. Come to Avenue G Church of Christ @ 9:30 AM on September 29th for the full version of this message! Invite all Christ believers that you know!
My takeaway from Western Hills was this. There needs to be ministers who are not afraid to rock the boat, stir the pot, and cause friction. God’s people do not usually do well among people who are unwilling to do such things. If you have a minister that seems unwilling to challenge the church perhaps writing an email with a vote of confidence would help. As ministers, we often only hear about negative things presented. Let your minister know that you have his back and want to be challenged by the word of God! Let him know that you desire to be poured into MORE!
My Prayer:Most Sovereign God, Ruler of the Universe and Authority of Authorities. I trust you. Whoever is voted into office will be the candidate that you have allowed in this land. I know that Christians have existed in every type of government, society, and culture throughout. You do NOT change and I pray that you will bless us as your people to not change either. We know the talking points of our favorite candidates and our rival ones but we also know that when you SPEAK there is life! You do not need eloquent words to persuade or fear tactics, we know that if you say “Let there be…”, it is! Let there be love, let there be unity, let your mission go forth as the Godhead would have it to, let the Spirit transform hearts, let the fear dissipate, let our confidence be in You, let our HOPE look forward in anticipation of Jesus’ return, and let your Church BE THE CHURCH!
In Jesus Name, AMEN!
Living in a hurry steals love, joy, and peace. If we're abiding in the Father's love and following the greatest command to love God and neighbor, don't rush. Paul says love is patient. Are you doing too much? Is it necessary? Or just another distraction? Be still and know God! #Daily🍞
During my sabbatical, I had the opportunity to visit Central Union Church of Christ in Nolanville, TX, where Bro. Keir Brady serves. It was an enriching experience to find myself in a familiar environment, as the church is a small, tightly-knit community, much like the Ave G Church of Christ. Interestingly, both churches are located on Ave G! What particularly stood out to me about Central Union was their meticulous organization. Every detail, from the technology to the decorations, was carefully thought out. This level of intentionality is crucial, especially for those walking through the doors for the first time. It creates an atmosphere of welcome and belonging, which is essential in any church setting.
From the sermon, I gathered valuable insights about the importance of being rooted in our relationships with one another, as outlined in Galatians 6:1-10. The sermon emphasized three key responsibilities we have as believers:
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Personal Responsibility: We must first examine ourselves, as stated in 2 Corinthians 13:5, 1 Corinthians 11:28, and 1 Thessalonians 5:21. Self-reflection and personal accountability are foundational to our spiritual growth.
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Mutual Responsibility: As believers, we are responsible for and to each other. Galatians 6:1 reminds us of the importance of supporting one another, particularly when someone stumbles.
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Responsibility to Do Good: Our righteousness should not be confined to Sunday services. We are called to live out Christ’s purpose by offering both spiritual and physical support to one another throughout the week.
These teachings serve as a reminder of the vital role that intentional, Christ-centered relationships play in the life of the church.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for the lessons I learned during my visit to Central Union Church of Christ. I pray that You continue to bless their congregation, allowing them to grow in their intentionality and love for one another. May the insights I’ve gained about rooted relationships deepen my connection with others and guide my steps in fostering a supportive and Christ-centered community. I also lift up the Ave G Church of Christ, asking that You strengthen our bonds and help us to be intentional in our actions, always seeking to honor You in all that we do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Put it all on the altar of sacrifice if you love God!
During my sabbatical, I had the privilege of visiting the Church of Christ at Austin Eastside. The decision to attend was driven by my friendship with Bro. George Williams, a pioneer preacher, cohort classmate, and someone I deeply respect. Bro. Williams is an outstanding preacher, but more importantly, he is an exemplary Christian, husband, and father. Despite all that he knows and has experienced, Bro. Williams continues to seek more knowledge of God, as evidenced by his pursuit of an a DMindegree from Lipscomb. His thirst for divine wisdom is truly inspiring.
Before we arrived, I sent Bro. Williams a text to let him know we were coming. It's something one of my other mentors in the Gospel, BB Gatson, always advised me to do. Although I generally prefer to arrive late and quietly to blend in with the congregation, I’m grateful I reached out. Bro. Williams mentioned that he would have had me preach if there weren’t already plans in place for that Sunday. Honestly, I was relieved—I cherish hearing him exegete the word of God, so the opportunity to listen was a blessing.
Lessons from the VisitOne of the most impactful messages I took away from that Sunday centered on the importance of giving and preparing oneself for God before worship. The idea that giving is not just a physical act but a form of worship itself resonated deeply with me.
How is Giving Worship?The scriptures remind us that giving is a significant part of worship. Proverbs 3:9 tells us to "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops." This teaches us that true worship comes from the heart—giving to God should be done with the same reverence as any other act of worship.
Isaiah 29:13 warns us that worship without the heart is meaningless, and yet, in Isaiah 1:10-20, we see God's incredible willingness to still sit at the table with us, despite our flaws. Jesus also emphasized in John 4:23-24 that true worshipers must worship in Spirit and truth, which involves both our intellect and alignment with God’s word.
The New Testament is filled with examples of worship, appearing 59 times with connotations of bowing down and adoring God. Worship acknowledges what God has done, who He is, and what He will do. Psalms such as 98:1-7, 96:1-9, and 86:8-15 capture this beautifully.
Preparing for WorshipPreparing for worship is not just about physical readiness but about spiritual readiness as well. Practical steps include setting out clothes the night before, eating beforehand, praying for focus, listening to music that centers the soul, and avoiding arguments or contentious discussions on Sundays. Fixing broken relationships beforehand is also crucial, ensuring our hearts are right before we enter God’s presence.
How is What I Give Worship?Giving, whether it be our time, money, or ourselves, is a tangible way to honor God. Proverbs 3:9 emphasizes that giving should be from our first fruits, signifying the weight and importance we place on God. The story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac in Genesis 22:1-13 illustrates the depth of our worship through sacrifice—if God holds weight in our lives, we are willing to sacrifice for Him.
Even if we are not in a position to give much, as 2 Corinthians 8:12 assures us, God is comfortable with us where we are. It’s not about the amount but about the heart behind the gift. Giving is also a test of our love, as noted in 2 Corinthians 8:8-9.
A Prayer for Myself and Avenue G Church of ChrisT Heavenly Father, the one who showed us how to give sacrificially through His own example of unselfishness,
I lift up myself and the Avenue G Church of Christ to You today. I understand that I do not always give in the manner that you gave. I fully understand that my giving can become rote and not sacrifice. I ask God that you help me to always present a sweet smelling aroma to you. A sacrifice that is mindful, prepared, and helpful to the Kingdom and your mission. Teach us all how to give to You in ways that honor You—not just in money, but in our time, our energy, and our hearts and family. May our worship be sincere, stemming from a place of deep reverence and love for You. Help us to prepare ourselves each day for the work and worship we offer, so that it is pleasing in Your sight. I am thankful that you allow us to exist on this earth in spite of our selfishness at time. I am thankful that you allow us the opportunity to spread this message to others. Guide us to live as examples of Your grace, continuously seeking to know You MORE.
In Jesus name, Amen!
This week’s journey took us to Rogers, TX! We worshiped with Bro. Kendall Washington and the family there. It was an easy drive for our family, which I was grateful for due to the rain that morning. I didn’t know what to expect as we headed to this building for the first time. We’ve known the Washington family for quite a while, but this was our first time being with the body since they combined with another church in Rogers. There’s something to be said about the simplicity of small-town churches. For one, they are usually BIG on love. But walking into this church, the amenities were outstanding. I’m always leery about bringing my tablet to other places of worship, but this church didn’t mind sharing their Wi-Fi password! 🤣
When we got out of the car and began to see familiar faces, it put me at ease. Some of these people I hadn’t seen in almost a decade! Bro. Washington presented a message on baptism that Sunday. His title was “Is One Baptism as Good as Another?” His lesson text was taken from Acts 19:1-7. It’s a text I’ve heard many times before, but on my sabbatical journey, I’ve tried my best to hear something new from God that will benefit both myself and others. There was something in Acts 19:3 that gave me pause:
“And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ So they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’”
I have to admit I had gone into my spiritual discipline of Lectio Divina. The five steps of this discipline include the following:
- Preparation
- Reading
- Meditation
- Prayer
- Contemplation
I won’t go into the details of all the steps, but I will recommend two books that have been very helpful in growing and maturing my spiritual disciplines:
- Spiritual Disciplines Handbook
- Sacred Rhythms
After worship, there was a baptism… Check out the young lady below making an amazing decision! 👇🏿
But throughout the day, I continued to chew on the question, “Into what then were you baptized?” While in worship, I appreciated the call back to the simplicity of the Gospel and the need to talk about salvation and the means for it. But I couldn’t let go of the question. My translation came out similarly: it read, “And he said, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ And they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’” My translation didn’t lead me into much, but as I began to ponder more on the question at hand, I realized something as I came out of my Lectio Divina and finished the pericope. I found the need for good questions and engaging Bible study.
Brother Washington, no doubt, is not just now stumbling upon this text and has probably preached it many times. But he has not lost the zeal to continue to TEACH. In this text, there is an open-ended question that prompts the person to ponder an essential matter. This led me to think about how I can be transformed by this in ministry. Am I only proclaiming the Gospel and not revealing it?
I am blessed to be a Bible teacher at a private Christian school in South Temple. One of the highlights of being there is presenting the truth of God in little breadcrumbs across the day, week, quarter, and year. As I go along, I see students’ light bulbs begin to shine brightly! Seeing someone come to know the truth of God through gentle guidance and nudging is fulfilling to me. Are we asking thought-provoking questions and allowing for a response within the hearts of our church members? They already know that you know and have studied. To give space for the Spirit to reveal what was previously concealed is not of this world. Jesus does much the same when He asks, “Who do men say that I am?” Jesus allows them to state many answers without calling each wrong answer wrong. He leaves room for everyone else to ponder the statements of their fellow disciples. But when God reveals the answer to Peter, it opens the door for God’s Spirit to be poured out! I want to thank Bro. Washington for reminding me of this truth on my journey. We often strive to do calculus and forget there are some who need to learn how to form numbers.
Another thing that I appreciate about this Church is its diversity. I have said often and consistently with the surge of postmodernism in America at this time that it is going to take the coming together of our racial divides to fight back against the wiles of the Devil. This body in Rogers is a racially diverse Church that has the BEST of both worlds. Go see for yourselves!
**My Prayer:**
Heavenly Father, I want to take time to acknowledge that You are my Teacher. I thank You for giving me room to grow, re-learn, and for being patient while I stumble upon what is eternally simple for You. I often worry about presenting something new and inspirational, but God, bless me to understand the need for Your necessary fundamental revelations. Help me to see that the Kingdom of God is made up of disciples of Christ on various spectrums who desire to hear what is both old and new. Help me to hear and incorporate Your entire counsel for those You speak through me to. I thank You for challenging me with questions and the prompting to dig deeper into Your Word to reveal Yourself to us. Help me to share with others Your life-saving and transforming means of salvation as many times as needed. I pray that You would be with the Rogers Church of Christ to help the new babe in Christ grow into You and continue to be change agents in their city. In Jesus' name, I pray, AMEN!
This is an AI generated image, forgive the computer for misspelled words.
Holy Spirit, how can I describe You? Let me count the ways…
- You are an Advocate (John 14:26)
- You are Truth (John 16:13)
- You are Wisdom and Understanding (Isaiah 11:2)
- You are Power, Love, and a Provider of a Sound Mind (2 Timothy 1:7)
- You are Life (Romans 8:2)
- You are an Adoptive Parent (Romans 8:15)
- You are the Seal of Redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14)
The Holy Spirit is so much more, but seven seems good. There aren’t many places where you can walk in and immediately feel the presence of the Holy Spirit! Eastpointe Church of Christ in Ft. Worth is one of those places. It was a long drive, but as soon as we walked into the building, our family was greeted with smiling faces and a well-put-together bulletin with pertinent information. But when we walked into the sanctuary, the singing had already begun! Check out the video below…
I’ve been wanting to get down here to worship with Kris DarDar, but I’m usually in the pulpit or tied up with other things, so I missed out in the past. Being blessed with the opportunity to worship with him and his flock was on my list. I messaged him to make sure he’d be in town, and when he saw me, he greeted me with love. From the door to the sanctuary, from the pews to the pulpit, there was love! The members were so full of love as well! There was a segment after worship began where the whole church was encouraged to get up from their seats and love on each other! I loved this, and the members were not shy about it either. Even though I’m a minister, I’m a bit of an introvert, and new places can be overwhelming, but so many people came and made my family feel so welcome. There was even a section for first-time visitors where we were asked to awkwardly stand, then rewarded with a bag of necessities for the Spirit and the body.
As we continued worship, I felt the Spirit continue to move, and I looked over at my family. One of my daughters was moved to tears during worship. This was too real. It gave me flashbacks to my childhood church, where the parishioners and preacher were allowed to be moved by the Spirit. The praise team was led by the Spirit, the ushers were moved by the Spirit, and God’s man was most definitely moved by the Spirit. I’ve known of Bro. DarDar since before I was in ministry. I remember when he came to 10th & M to preach at our Youth Days and showed out! It was astonishing to hear a teenager preach as though he were a seasoned preacher of 50 years! He has not lost any of that zeal and, as a matter of fact, he has transformed. The prodigy young boy preacher has now transformed into a “Whooping” Preacher Theologian Professor. His sermon was titled “I Know I’ve Been Changed,” and his sermon text was 1 Corinthians 3:16-17. It was the best introduction to a sermon that I have ever heard! 🤣😂 He didn’t quite make it out of the introduction, but he did reveal his three points for those visitors like myself. There was so much meat being presented that I could have sat there for hours as God spoke through him. The message challenged me to examine whether or not I had a dwelling place that was fit for God’s Spirit. It also opened my eyes to some things about the Temple and my temple that I had not yet put together. I’ll put a picture below. 👇🏿
When he spoke about the sacrifice, the laver (water), and the Holy of Holies, and correlated them to what Jesus did, I felt like I was in school again, getting a refresher course. It was filling! The reminder of the Ark of the Covenant was amazing too! It taught me some things about God. Within it, you had manna (Providence), a rod (Protection), and the 10 Commandments (Prescription/Law). God has revealed what we need to know about Him! All in all, Eastpointe is a Holy Spirit-filled, educated, and loving church. If you are in the Ft. Worth area, go visit.
**Some takeaways…****The Spirit…**
- Convicts
- Collaborates
- Connects
“The Spirit will always do its job.”
I wasn’t going to share this, but we met an elderly lady there who was the first to greet us when the time came for everyone to get up and greet each other. I connected with her as she had observed and mentioned how well-behaved my 3-year-old was during the service. She told me about her grandchild, and I gave her some tech tips on how to keep them occupied with things on their level on smart devices while in worship, without them calling 911. She also connected with my wife. After worship, we told her that we had also come to let our girls go clothes shopping. As we were leaving in our car, she flagged us down in the parking lot. I began to look in the back seat because it wouldn’t be the first time I almost forgot a child somewhere. 🤣 But everyone was accounted for. She came and gave us money to help get clothes for our children. It was truly a touching moment for my wife and me. At this moment, my wife is furthering her education, and I am tri-vocational. While on sabbatical, I have continued to speak in places to cover extra costs like clothes for my giant children, and God worked through this woman and blessed us. This church models the character of God. I’ll leave it at that.
My Prayer:
Jehovah Jireh, my Provider who constantly looks out for myself and my family, I thank You for this experience at the Eastpointe Church of Christ. You showed me that You not only provide for my physical needs but continue by providing Your Spirit and the means through which I could be transformed into an inhabitable place through Your Son Jesus for You to dwell. I know that there are times in which I forget who You are. I forget that You are a Provider, a Protector, and a Counselor King. I ask, God, that You forgive me and bless me to continually be a dwelling place where Your Spirit has room to spread and grow. I pray, Lord, that the outcome of Your holiness will be love and not death for/to me. I thank You for allowing my family to experience the kind of worship that I grew up receiving on a weekly basis. I thank You for the body at Avenue G Church of Christ in Temple, TX. I pray that Your Spirit be allowed to move there and in every Body that exists. I pray that Your Spirit not be hindered in any place because of time, decorum, or culture. Let Your Spirit continue to be poured out in all places on all people! In Jesus' name, I pray, AMEN!
I remember the mix of joy, hope, angst, and overwhelm I felt when I walked into the mall, and my parents let me enter my favorite store—KB Toys. The flipping dogs, trains, Stretch Armstrong, Wolverine, Silver Surfer action figures, and more were all too much to handle. I knew going in that I wouldn’t be able to get everything I wanted, and sometimes, it was just an allowance for browsing. But the experience was worth creating a core memory. This same feeling came over me as I began my sabbatical. The opportunity to come into a place of worship to receive from God is a refreshing gift. I want to share with you what I’ve discovered on this journey, just in case you’ve been wondering what I’ve been up to.
In the first or second week of July, I began my first-ever sabbatical. It was an odd beginning, as I already had many speaking engagements lined up. I was blessed to speak at Salado Church of Christ, Impact Church, Northside Church of Christ (Temple), and Welch St. Church of Christ. So, initially, my sabbatical didn’t feel much different from before it began. I knew I needed rest and reprieve, but I also wanted to honor my commitments and continue practicing my craft. Then, I finally had the chance to fully immerse myself—starting at Western Hills Church of Christ.
That morning, my family and I woke up, and I felt something strange: no responsibilities. I didn’t have to be “on.” It felt odd just to be with my family, walking into the church building with nothing but them and my Bible (tablet). But once inside, I truly felt it. I was more in tune with what was happening with my family. I made sure they had communion cups, I could actually sit with them and read scripture together, and I could nudge one of my kids awake instead of watching them sleep while I preached! 🤣🤣😂😂
While there, my friend and fellow preacher, Scott Meyer, allowed God to use him, and God spoke to me that day. Scott’s sermon was titled “Interrupted: Embracing the Unexpected Like Jesus.” I heard many things from God during that sermon, but one statement stood out the most: “We are created in His image, yet we try to create God in our image. This is what Peter is trying to do.” Now, I may not have said it as eloquently as Scott did, but it gave me pause as I reflected on whether I was truly allowing God’s will to shape my own. We often get so bothered when God does not move and act as we want Him to, often not considering if it is our standard that is not being met instead of God’s. Jairus and Jesus were interrupted, yet God’s will was still accomplished without complaint from Jesus. In ministry, we are sometimes called to be visionaries. I believe it’s crucial to take time to examine our visions, whether successful or not, to see if God is still in them.
The takeaways from this message are below:
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You take up your cross when you choose the difficult right over the easy wrong.
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You take up your cross when you serve others.
This made me think of a C.S. Lewis quote:
“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice, there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. Those who knock, it is opened.”
―C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce
I want to be the kind of person who, in the end, has chosen the will of God. Can I die to myself and allow God to be seen through the hard task of cross-bearing? We often make excuses and give ourselves permission to be “Burger King Christians,” wanting to have it our way, thinking it’s the best and only way.
My Prayer:
Creator God, Architect of all things, and sustainer of the universe and my minute life, see me as I am. I do not always let You be You. There are times when I try to fit You into my will instead of being molded and shaped by You. Lord, I ask You to be patient with me in those moments. Give me the endurance and strength to bear up crosses in places I do not always want to and do as You will. Let my words be Yours, let my actions be pleasing to You, let my heart be one with You. I am thankful for Your perfect character that guides me to true life. Protect me from my flesh and give me zeal to obey the nudging of the Spirit! In Your son Jesus’ name, AMEN.
I have heard someone say that “We are human beings and not human doings,” yet so many of us believe that life is about what we accomplish and achieve. In our culture and busy world, so many people are addicted to busyness, and I have to admit, Church, that I was one of them. The adversary is indeed crafty and will have you believe that there is necessity in busyness so that you'll be so lost that you miss the fact that it's God's love that holds it all together. I want to talk with you about what a sabbatical is, my history with busyness, and what I've found so far.
When looking at the etymology of the word, sabbatical comes from the Hebrew word Shabbat (Sabbaton in Greek), which quite literally means “to stop.” It is a word that is used around 111 times in the Hebrew Bible. We see in Genesis 2:2-3 NKJV:
“[2] And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. [3] Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”
From creation, God instituted this concept and even commanded it of His people. Some will say that this was one of the Ten Commandments and that we should no longer keep it. That's fine if you hold that view, though it be a misguided one. I'll briefly explain why. Look at the Ten Commandments below 👇🏿. Which one do we no longer observe?
None of them! Remember, Jesus came to fulfill the Law, not abolish it. Jesus set the standard higher! Now, the boundary is no longer just not to murder; I won’t even think evil of my fellow image bearer. The boundary is no longer simply adultery; I will not even look upon someone to dishonor them as not being human within my heart. And the same goes for the Sabbath. If not more now than then, we must understand that there needs to be a time when we stop our regular doings. When we stop, we set aside time for intimacy with God and others we love, we rest in God, we have the opportunity to let go of things that stress us out, and we recognize that it is not us that does anything, and that God keeps the world going around. In the Hebrew Bible, they recognized the Shabbat on the seventh day, and many Jewish people still recognize this. In our culture today, many professors and clergy have taken on a sabbatical practice within their areas of study. They have a period of seven years dedicated to their work, and then they are allowed a year of revitalization. They spend that year as a reset for the purpose of returning with renewed vitality. The leadership at Avenue G has decided to grant me a sabbatical for a period of one quarter, which began in the first week of July.
Our first worship service @ Ave G
If some of you can remember, I came back to serve God in the Temple area around the fall of 2016. At that time, I was only filling in to preach to a body of about a dozen people. I would eventually be asked to be the full-time minister, and it was during that time that my bout with busyness would begin. I was not only preaching but developing Bible classes and small groups, a mission statement (People of More), going to school in Austin, working a full-time job, while also having a family. In the Spring of 2017, we would get a building, and then the busyness was amplified. I was now the preacher, youth minister, janitor, IT guy, etc. And on top of all that, I was working multiple jobs. I felt as though doing this was my service to the Kingdom. I believed the lie from the adversary in the back of my mind that my busyness was my worth. I had somehow been deceived into believing that what I did and the amount I was doing was tantamount to my righteousness. Fast forward to 2023, and I am dealing with anxiety attacks, have worked multiple jobs for about six or seven years, and the COVID year did me no favors. But I learned through my MDiv coursework about Spiritual Disciplines and saw that I had a problem. I did not have enough faith to allow God to be God, and I had a skewed view of what being a servant meant. I learned that God was not solely concerned with my soul, but our God was concerned with holistic salvation! He cares about my whole being, and that includes my body.
I began considering asking about a sabbatical in 2024 (7 years in the Ave G Building), as I was just about to break down. I did not think that it would be considered, but I asked, and God moved hearts to allow it. Since this time for revitalization, I have found many things that I will share with you at another time in the future. But one has been the ability to be poured into. So far on sabbatical, I have reclaimed the ability to “BE.” I have been poured into by different ministers like Scott Meyer and Kris DarDar. My most recent experience came at the East Pointe Church of Christ, where Kris DarDar is minister. When I walked into that place, I found that the people were moved by the Spirit! There were no clock watchers and order keepers; the service was honestly moved by the Spirit. From the songs, Communion, collection, sermon, and even the greeting within the sanctuary, there was room allowed for the Spirit to guide the leaders to minister to the whole congregation. While there, I heard a word from God about the Spirit that dwelt within me. I heard from God that if I am a Temple of God and He dwells in me, there is nothing more that I must DO. My doing does not equate to my holiness. God told me to value my Temple, keep it holy, and do not destroy it. Rest assured, I will practice my craft and gift (Teaching & Preaching) while away but rest assured that God is doing a great work at this moment within me and my family. I will share more findings along the way as I better form my writings and thoughts. Lord willing, I will be back with you all on September 29th, 2024!
In Brotherly Love,
C.W. Stephens
Amazon has already proven to be one of the most successful, creative, and productive companies in history. Yet they still continue to innovate. There is a drive that exists within them that is not content with being who they were the day before. They seek to become better and find more ways to deliver to more people in more efficient ways. Check out what they are up to in this short video.
This made me think of the way in which Christians are called to be like salt and light. I know that we are the salt and light on this earth but are we effective, efficient, and innovative with how we open the world's eyes to God? Door knocking, Gospel tracts, and a sit and wait attitude are no longer as effective if at all in reaching the world. You need proof? Go look at any Church who rely on those things solely as their mission, most of those churches are literally dying and there won't be members in the building in 15-20 years. I believe that as people of the Stone Campbell tradition we should look to the word for how to reach the lost. Discipleship is built within small communities with people interacting with each other “as they go”. Why be a Church that has settled? Why not start a lunch time Bible study at your place of employment? Why not start a simple prayer chain among your friend group? Why not disciple people through an online game chat while playing COD? The Church is a living organism that grows and should shift with the culture without compromising truth. Come join us this morning as we look into ways in which we can Do More!
Welcome to the Minister’s Desk!
Greetings, dear readers, and welcome to this sacred space where we explore the depths of faith, seek the truth, and meditate on the profound teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Today, we delve into a question that has long captivated the hearts and minds of believers: What did Jesus mean when He uttered those poignant words on the cross, recorded in Matthew 27:46? In this blog post, we will embark on a journey of theological reflection and Scriptural exegesis, drawing from the rich tapestry of biblical wisdom to unveil the true meaning behind Jesus’ haunting cry. So, join me as we unravel the layers of this profound passage and discover its timeless significance for our lives today in the briefest way possible! (I understand you only have so long on your breaks.) ;-)
In the question, the person asks why did Jesus say “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mt. 27:46) Anyone who has ever been in a Bible class with me whether it be in the classroom at Central Texas Christian School or Bible classes at the Ave. G Church of Christ know I love getting to talk about this question. We know that Jesus is quoting the often famous Psalm 22, a lament.
Jesus is quoting the popular lament found in Psalm 22. The form of the laments is beautiful in that they usually follow a pattern where you see a believer lamenting/complaining to God about a problem. You see them confirm that God is mighty and he has delivered them or others before. There is then a transition that challenges God to do it again. The lament will usually end with the lamenter announcing their problems as over even though they are still in the midst of the trouble. They know that God is going to make everything OK again. What I love most about this Psalm is that the last portion in Hebrew speaks about how God will reverse the fortune of those on the margins and in trouble. And the last words in the Psalm are...
"they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it." ESV
In Hebrew, it can be roughly translated as "It is finished!". So, Jesus is not sad are woeful in the end, He is triumphant in that God's mission is successful and the Gospel plan is about to be carried out. All people can proclaim with a loud shout, HE HAS DONE IT! or IT IS FINISHED!
What are your thoughts? Share them with us. Let us reason together.
Mission Perplexing: Trusting God's Perfect Plan
Have you ever found yourself confused by God's mission for your life? It's not uncommon to feel perplexed when we focus on the immediate instead of the bigger picture. That's why it's crucial for us to simply obey and trust in God's perfect plan.
In our latest podcast episode, we explore how God's mission may ask us to make difficult decisions. Sometimes, it means being okay with the loss of a loved one or turning down a job that offers more money. It may require sacrificing sports practices and games for a greater purpose. In some cases, God's mission might even call us to let go of family and friends.
But as perplexing as His mission can be, we come to understand that it is always perfect. The story of Joshua in the Bible provides us with valuable insights into the challenges of following God's mission.
Joshua witnessed the fear that God's work instilled in the hearts of their enemies when they heard of the Lord's miraculous acts. And right before a crucial battle, God asked Joshua to perform an odd request: circumcise the sons of Israel a second time. This demand seemed inconsequential, but it carried symbolic importance and highlighted the need for consecration and obedience.
Furthermore, we explore how a lost generation cannot effectively influence the next generation. We must be willing to let go of our old ways and embrace a new day, just like the Israelites did when they experienced a new menu after crossing the Jordan.
To dive deeper into this topic and gain a better understanding of God's mission for our lives, be sure to listen to and subscribe to our podcast. Trusting God's perfect plan may not always make sense, but it will undoubtedly lead us to greater blessings and fulfillment.
Dear fellow seeker of truth,
Today, I stumbled upon an intriguing question about Matthew 19:24 within my social media notifications. Recognizing the need for a quick response, I felt compelled to share my thoughts on this matter, albeit with the acknowledgment that my response is far from an in-depth study.
Matthew 19:24 is a verse that raises an important theological question, often subject to varying interpretations. Jesus states, "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." This metaphorical statement has perplexed many, prompting discussions and debate among scholars and believers alike.I know that this passage is very deep but I try to stick to the user’s question of the impossibility of rich people being saved. Join the conversation and let me know what you see in this passage.
My Response:
This one was a passage that used to give me trouble as well. I used to believe that everyone must be poor and give all away in order to be pleasing to God. But in context, Jesus is talking to a man who trusts more in his earthly riches than in YHWH. Please take a look at the passage below...
Matthew 19:23-26 - Christian Standard Bible
23 Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were utterly astonished and asked, “Then who can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
On the surface and reading through our Western eyes we think of a sewing needle and clearly see in our exegesis of this passage that Warren Buffett won't make it to heaven. That is not the case here. Apparently, there are scholars who hold to the idea that Jesus is referring to the gate to the city which would have been hard for a fully loaded camel to get through. So, the camel would have to unload some things in order to fit through it. There are others who profess that Jesus was describing an actual sewing needle. I do not come here to argue either case because I believe the key to this pericope is in verse 26. The baffled crowd responds to Jesus and asks "Then who can be saved?". Then in verse 26 Jesus says "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." He drops the mic and the crowd erupts in cheers! Not really, This rich man's account with Jesus is being used in a larger context to describe this upside-down Kingdom that Jesus has come to establish. It matters not if you are the richest, the strongest, or male. In the Kingdom of God "...the first will be last, and the last first.". That rich man did not prove that rich people could not get into heaven, he proved that there are some things on this earth that can become new gods to us, even supplanting YHWH. We would do well to know that even with that scary reality YHWH is still sovereign enough to save and He gives us the ability to choose Him first over everything else in this world.
C.W. Stephens
I hope that this sermon blesses you and that you will come and worship with us at the Avenue G Church of Christ!
In this second sermon of our series titled "Strong: Courage Over Fear," Bro. C.W. Stephens passionately preaches about the limitless power of God to work through any person. Exploring the theme of courage triumphing over fear, he inspires us to step out of our comfort zones and trust in God's ability to do the impossible. Testifying to the transformative power of faith, Bro. C.W. Stephens encourages us to share this message with others, so that they too may be uplifted and strengthened. We invite you to listen, subscribe, and join us in worship at the Avenue G Church of Christ, where we seek to grow together in faith and courage.
🗣️ Sermon Spotlight: The Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John 🎙️
Don't miss out on a powerful sermon by esteemed preacher, Bro. HK Ballard, titled "The Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John." In this intriguing message, Bro. Ballard delves into the profound role of the Holy Spirit as revealed in the book of John. Get ready to be captivated by his insightful teaching and deep understanding of Scripture. This sermon is a divine invitation for us to deepen our relationship with the Holy Spirit and experience His transformative presence in our lives. I encourage you to listen to this sermon, share it with your loved ones, and subscribe to our podcast to stay connected with the uplifting messages from Ave. G Church of Christ. Don't miss this opportunity to grow in your faith and knowledge of the Holy Spirit. Tune in, be blessed, and let the Holy Spirit lead you into a deeper walk with Christ. 🙏🔥🎧
New Sermon Series: "Strong: Courage Over Fear"
We are thrilled to announce our new sermon series titled "Strong: Courage Over Fear" from the book of Joshua, starting this Sunday. Led by Bro. C.W. Stephens, this insightful series will delve deep into the challenges faced by God's people when encountering new, unpredictable, and uncharted waters. In a world filled with uncertainties, this series aims to provide wisdom and guidance on what God requires from His children in times of transition and fear. Bro. C.W. Stephens will skillfully outline practical ways to cultivate courage and trust in the Lord throughout these spiritual journeys. We encourage everyone to join us, engage in meaningful discussions, and share the profound insights from this series. Be sure to listen, share, and subscribe to our podcast. Be prepared to be inspired, encouraged, and empowered as we embark on this faith-building adventure together!
J.K. Hamilton delivered the final sermon in our One Word Series ‘23, titled "Holy Spirit: Not Just Any Spirit", and it was truly a blessing to hear. Despite the technical challenges some encountered on the YouTube live stream, I encourage everyone to listen to the sermon on the Avenue G CoC podcast. In his sermon, J.K. highlighted the unique role and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives as believers. He reminded us that the Holy Spirit is not just any spirit but rather the third person of the Trinity who guides, equips, and empowers us in our walk of faith. It was a powerful and eye-opening message that left us refreshed and eager to deepen our relationship with the Holy Spirit. Let us all take the time to listen, share, and subscribe to the Avenue G CoC podcast so that we can continue to grow in our understanding and experience of the Holy Spirit's work in our lives.
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Who remembers the character Velma from the old TV show Scooby Doo? I remember as a kid seeing her lose her glasses at very inopportune times. Then she would crawl around on the floors with her hand sweeping back and forth frantically searching for them. I thought to myself “How foolish is this? Her world fell apart and she cannot function due to her glasses coming off?” Now, as an adult every morning when I wake up my world is out of focus. I look over at the window and see light, my children come to the door and they are blurry blobs, and worst of all if my glasses fall off the nightstand I am now Velma! Seeking and searching, unable to continue my day until they are found! I believe that is what our lives are like without God. We lack the focus and clarity to fully understand what His will is for us individually and collectively. We all have different types of vision issues. Some of us have myopic conditions (nearsightedness) and cannot see things that are far away and so we live our lives as though God does not have victory and win in the end. We have no hope because we cannot see what lies ahead. Some have a problem with seeing things up close (hyperopia) and lack the ability to see things up close. We cannot see that we are not truly alone in this world with brothers and sisters in Christ to be a support, we lose the ability to see blessings that we possess and covet others blessings, or we miss the present moments and opportunities for discipleship of self and others. Then there are some who suffer from astigmatism, they have blurry vision and when they see the light it is very distorted. When they see the light that God shows they are intrigued by it but it is distorted. These are those who believe that God has a racial or gender preference, those who extort people for money in the name of the Lord, or those who engage in syncretism and believe that God is Republican or Democrat. Then there are the blind who believe that they can see but have never seen the world that God would have exist because they do not know Him. I could go on and on all day about vision problems but I would rather point you towards the very practical brother in Christ James.
Through God’s lens
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.“ - James 1:5
The good news is that we do not need top-notch insurance for the spiritual vision connection that God presents to us. Ask God for wisdom today! I promise there is no copay! Wisdom allows you to see the world as God intended!
Our second sermon in this series of lessons titled “Before You Give Up”. We are glad that you are listening today but invite you to worship with us in person at 9:30 AM every Sunday!
This is the first sermon in a new series titled “Before You Give Up”. We invite you not only to listen but to join us in worship this Sunday at 9:30 AM!
When it comes to Reddit I am a veteran, I have over a decade as a user. I am a Reddit hipster in that I was on before it was cool to be on. I have frequented the site for various reasons over the years but I now find myself hanging out in the Christianity forum where many people ask genuine questions, seek dialogue, and need help. I saw a question this evening that is right in line with a book I'm currently reading from Christopher Yuan. The question is below and my response that I wrote follows. Feel free to chime in… if you would like to HELP (IN LOVE) this person with a comment click HERE
God has not banned people with same sex attraction from love. But he has mandated guidelines for sexuality. The Greek word that is used in the NT is "porneia" and it covers all sexual sin outside of the confines of a marriage (as God defines it between a man and a woman). I believe same sex attraction to be real and genuine but I do not believe it to be something you are born with or a sin that you cannot overcome. If God has truly created you with same sex attraction and then condemn you for it He ceases to be a good Good. Why would you want to even worship a Good like that? Same sex attraction and same sex "porneia" are sin. And in our society it is the only sin in which the sinner defines themselves based on their sin. I struggle/ed with the sin of gluttony and watching pornography in my life. I do not identify as a glutton or porn watcher. We as human beings are grester than our sexuality, we are made in the image of God. I will tell you this and I pray thaty you receive this in love. God is calling you to something greater than heterosexuality. He is calling you to be HOLY. When we are holy, we deny ourselves and we seek to reorient our lives according to the will of God. I'm praying for you and I hope this was helpful.
The text chosen to dwell this week is Isaiah 52:7-12.
READ THE TEXT BY CLICKING HERE
Looking at this the beginning of the text was a bit odd. To me it was saying that those who bring good news are beautiful. For some reason my heart began to dwell on what happens when I have to deliver bad news. I thought about how I was then perceived. But I got back on track. This text made me feel protected as I thought about the God I serve and how He is described in this text. He comforts His people, redeems his people, shows his power so that all the earth can see, and He is about salvation! The descriptive nature of verses 7-10 were only a setup for what came next. If God is all of these things to me and His people, my response should be what comes after. I cannot make myself unclean. I thought about how this applies today. There were many ways to become unclean then but what makes one unclean now? It is not dead bodies or sick people. My heart defiles. My heart must be in the process of continually transforming into what Jesus Christ was. To bear the vessel of the Lord stood out to me in this text as well. I have the privilege of having the Holy Spirit within me. But how do I bear? Is it a burden or privilege? Verse 12 was a bit perplexing to me. Is it saying that I won’t have to rush out because God has my back? Or is it telling me to take my time? In either case God is still who He is defined as being in verses 7-10. I believe it is closer to the first with a similar thing being stated in the next line. The last part of verse 12 is shouting ground for me though. God not only has my back but He has my front too! He has my past covered and my future, He is present today and yesterday and tomorrow, He walks with me in the storm and prepares for me a dwelling place in the storm to come! I like this passage. I have probably read it before but it is not familiar. I only pulled up the verses present on Bible Gateway. I pray God that I will forever keep it present in my heart of who you are for your people and that I may be bold in everything I do within the Kingdom. In Jesus name, Amen!
This week I chose Genesis 12:1-3 as my text for Dwelling in the word.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE PASSAGE
I have to be honest in saying that I envy the clear direction from God that Abraham was given. It is challenging but Abram knows where he stands. I tried switching versions so that maybe I could get something else but even in The Message version of the passage the message was unchanged. If Abram does this odd and random thing in obedience to God, God will bless him, curse his enemies, and bless the world. I prayed for the type of clarity that Abraham got from God. I thought about all the uncertainty that now exists and then I closed my eyes in silence to wait for God. In examining the blessings I see great Nation, personal blessing, great name, a blessing for others, blessing for others who bless, curse for those who curse, blessing to the world. There are four blessings that point outward and three that point inward. I may be reaching but there are seven blessings for Abraham. Obedience to God ensures that God stays in the plan and the outcome is his will. In the end I am still a bit envious. Upon refocusing, I see that being obedient to God is not always as simple. It would be very difficult to abandon what is normal and comfortable. There is also a lot of uncertainty involved as well. God asks him to abandon everything so that he and others could have what would be everything. I will be honest my brain is clouded at the moment and I am trying to make sense of it all.
This week I chose to dwell on Luke 4:14-30. I jumped into the section and was a bit thrown off by the word usage of Dr. Luke.
READ THE PASSAGE BY CLICKING HERE
I could not understand why he stated that Jesus was returning in the power of the Spirit. I like to get my pericopes tight but I had to jump to the previous one in order to put myself at ease. Jesus had just been tempted by the adversary and remained faithful! It would seem as though this interaction gave Him confidence. But as he does as he normally does and heads to synagogue. My imagination takes off in verse 16. I can see Jesus in the synagogue unrolling the scroll that has the writings of Isaiah smoothing it out gently but with intent. I see him looking down at the scroll with a pregnant pause and then reading with a confident yet gentle voice. As he completes the reading he rolls up the scroll with the same care, ignores the glares and whispers and sits down. Then he proclaims with an unmatched confidence "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.". The folks in attendance are astonished! Some wag their finger, others roll their eyes, but some believe. But as He continues to speak the mood changes. They seemed to miss God in Jesus because they were stuck on His humanity. Here Jesus was ready to give them a heavenly blessing and they missed it because they were concerned with what tied him to this earth. As I am dwelling on this text I am reminded that I need not be too attached to the things of this world. I do not want to miss God because I was too focused on a house, a retirement savings, or a church building. Jesus describes who Elijah was able to help and it was folks who were not “of the family”. It would seem to me that being blessed of God and living in those blessings can cause Christians to miss him in the future. I do not believe that is God’s intent or a faulty plan of God. I just believe that is the propensity of humanity to lose the purpose of blessings. They are not meant to be held onto but to continue to freely flow so that others can see how special God truly is. It seems they missed the creator because they were too consumed with His creation.
Today, June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. According to AP News Roe V Wade provided “…constitutional protections for abortion…” [1]
I had a moment with my dwelling this week! I am existing in turmoil and chaos right now. I am dealing with REDACTED AS IT CONCERNS THE PRIVATE MATTERS OF MEMBERS. One of our members passed away three days ago. The text that happens to fall next is John 20:19-23. In this text the disciples are existing in chaos and fear. Their leader is gone! They are afraid of what they should not have to be afraid of, their religious leaders. And this is happening on the literal resurrection day of Jesus.
READ PASSAGE HERE
A day that we see as a day to celebrate! Jesus decides to just appear among them, and His words are not used to explain away what is happening, it is real! He does not give them a plan to escape what is happening. But he still calls on them to be at peace. I find it humorous that his method of bringing peace is to show them gnarled flesh. But this spoke to me, especially when their response to this is gladness! They are reminded at that moment, that He spoke about this. He is victorious. He then says something else that would not seem to be what you would say to comfort someone basically telling them “You should be at peace. Because the same way my Father sent me, which led to death and mangled flesh, I am now sending you.” But one who is glad about Jesus sees beyond mangled flesh and the permanence of death. They see life! Life with God. And when Jesus decides to breathe on them and it is representative of the Holy Spirit, I see that the life which flows from God is not one that one must wait until death for but comes now. There is chaos in my life now, but I get to participate in the kingdom of God, and I am not alone!
I chose John 17:1-19 as my dwelling text. I chose to read from two versions, both the ESV and the Message.
READ PASSAGE IN BOTH VERSIONS BY CLICKING HERE
My first major thought is how Jesus took time to pray even after his mission is going to be accomplished. It lets me know that his sacrifice was not just a check list of to-do things for Him but there was a relationship built in the process of being obedient to God. I love how Jesus prays to be glorified so that God can be glorified. I know that I am supposed to be dwelling for my purposes but I keep coming back to my sermon text for this week in regard to the husband loving the wife as Christ loves the Church. Having this heart as a husband is important to me as my endeavors should be wrapped around the fact that God is seen through them. Jesus is careful not to speak out of turn, for He says “For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you”. This brought me back to my home and whether or not the words that I speak to my wife let her know that I am connected to God. Every time I read this I imagine and know that Jesus is praying for me. I am always thankful when reading it and question whether or not I am living up to what Jesus prayed for.
This week I chose Acts 1:1-8. I used the message translation this time around based on the recommendation for the last dwelling scripture I did. As I do every time I read Acts 1 I got stuck thinking about whether or not Theophilus was an actual person's name or if it was written to all lovers of God. Once moving on from that I was caught by something in verse one “...I wrote on everything that Jesus began to do and teach…” I began to dwell on the actions and words of Jesus and how important and relational they were for us. I decided to see if it were something I could see throughout the passage. I started marking down the actions of Jesus and the words He spoke in the passage.
Actions* “The ones he had chosen” * “He presented himself alive” * “Face to face meetings” * “Met and ate meals together
Words* “Taught” * “Said good-bye” * “He talked to them about things concerning the kingdom of God.” * “Told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem…
After thinking on these, I thought to myself “How easy it would have been to force everyone to believe?” Jesus did not have to speak words or do anything, I am certain he could have command obedience and it would have happened. But His actions and words, to me, shows an intent to create relationship, prepare for more blessings, and comfort.
In addition to that in verse 6 I see that Jesus is beginning to ask them and me to “Trust the process” or have faith. He asks them to stay and tells them the rest is up to the Father. In the last verse I had to question my ability and willingness to witness in this period of my life. I felt a bit of guilt knowing that I passed up opportunities to witness due to the business of my life. I prayed for forgiveness with that and for a heart to see it as an opportunity and not someone else’s.
While scrolling through Facebook today I came across a video that I had completely forgotten about. I forgot that I even did the interview honestly. That caused me to wonder if I had forgotten because of an improvement of the situation or because it was not the hot topic of news outlets. In 2020 the world was slowed down to a halt due to the pandemic and people were forced to pay attention to things that often went unnoticed because of the busyness that exists in our lives. Have we made improvements in this area? Have we made an attempt to listen and seek to understand? Has the Church made strides in responding to the problem of racism? Check out the video below and I will let you decide.
If the embedded video does not display correctly you can watch the video by clicking HERE.
Matt. 10:1-19
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Matt. 10:1-19
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Matt. 10:1-19 〰️
I am introducing a new article series called “Dwelling in Scripture”. This is my process of a devotional of sorts. I will invite you into my heart as I read scripture, not to prepare a sermon or lesson. But to hear from God. If you would like to join me I am selecting the passages given, reading and meditating on them for 30 minutes, and then writing what I hear from God. This is a very raw form of writing so forgive grammatical errors. I am writing what I feel and hear from God. Share what you hear from God in the comments.
I chose the passage of Matthew 10:1-19 for this week. I chose the Christian Standard Bible as a translation so that I might see something new. I was very easily distracted when beginning this passage because I wanted to start doing exegetical work on the passage but once calm I noticed what I believe I was supposed to notice from God on this reading of this passage at this time. My first thoughts were focused on the authority given by Jesus to the twelve over unclean spirits. I thought deeply about what it means to be given something that you did not previously have, especially over something that was so debilitating for many common people in this time. The next thing that caught my attention was the specificity in which Jesus has in His instructions. He tells them don’t take the road to the Gentiles, stay away from Samaritan towns, and instead go to the house of Israel. From this I feel a sense of comfort in knowing that God stays true to His promise made to Abraham and His people. Jesus has come to take care of the house of Israel first before extending the invitation, I am happy for that. I am next moved by the fact that Jesus does not send them out blindly. That is comforting for me. I have what I need to know in order to be sent. He tells them how to behave, what frame of mind to be in, and how to handle failure. I pause for a moment when they are told in verse 11 “...find out who is worthy…”. I allow the negative self-talk in my heart. I say within myself and write in my notes, “This would be hard to decipher because I often feel unworthy. But based on verses 13-14, it seems as though worthiness is based on hearing and obeying. I am worthy and those that listen and obey are too!” Jesus gives the outcome of the unworthy, due to self-inflicted wounds, and it lets me know that he does not want us to dwell on our mission on things out of our control. The last portion of the passage causes me to feel great relief. He does not allow them to enlist for service without laying it out plainly to see. I think to myself that Jesus would not have been a great military recruiter but He was great at this. He prepares their heart once more before the physical actions or any words are spoken to those who would be sought out.
What day should I release this? Let me know in the comments…
Last week I had the opportunity to spend time with five other men pursuing their MDiv. On Friday we had the opportunity to visit a Greek Orthodox Church in Austin. Now, I have been in other environments and observed worship from different perspectives. I have been in a Mosque and observed their dedication, friendliness, and consumed their amazing coffee and sweets. I have observed the worship of a Buddhist Temple and had their amazing healthy food! But when we were taken to this church I was not ready for what was there.
Don’t fall asleep here!
As we came near the door I smelled this smell or aroma that was pleasing and kind of made me perk up at 8 AM in the morning. It was incense. As I walked in I immediately noticed the pictures and icons along with the candles all over the place. But then I walked into what I would call the sanctuary. I looked up and I was stuck! My class kept walking but I was standing in the aisle looking up at the ceiling It was Jesus! Not really Him but a depiction of Him. Can you imagine falling asleep in worship as a kid in this place? Your head goes back, you drool, and when your neck snaps you awake you see JESUS!
But seriously, I was taken in by these images. I was able to recognize some of the people because I remembered some of their names in Greek. We had the opportunity to get an explanation of the church and it was explained that the distorted images of the apostles and Jesus was intentional. We were told that what they actually looked like did not matter as much and that art style was done to point that out. I also learned that Jesus’ hand signal was intentional by the artists as well. I will let you look it up but here is a picture to help your search.
Next, we had the opportunity to experience the prayer for their holiday, the Annunciation of the Theotokos. It is the day, 9 months before December 25th, in which they celebrate the giving of news to Mary from the angel Gabriel. I really enjoyed the prayer. They read scripture and prayed but the sung the whole time! It was cool. I am rambling at this point but if you are interested in knowing more, let me know.
Devotion to God is not like a gumbo where you throw variety into a pot and pray for the best.
(From 2/28/13)
As we all know February is black history month. We've just completed another successful Black History Program at our congregation. We learned about our history both good and bad things and we try to let our youth know where they come from. While watching BET this month I had the opportunity to finally watch Roots in its entirety by Alex Haley. This mini-series traced back Alex Haley's family all the way back to his African ancestor. But while watching this it brought back a bitter memory that I had.
Photo by Felix Mittermeier from Pexels
While at work talking to another co-worker he explained to me how he had traced his lineage back to William Wallace. He spoke of how he found his family's crest and learned where he was TRULY from. Well this was exciting news to me! I quickly went home and signed up on ancestry.com. I worked tirelessly asking all the older people in my family where we came from and who was who in our history. Well my history didn't end with any famous leaders or family crests. It ended with a sale. My history went as far back on my mother’s side as a sale. It was devastating to find out that my history was cut off. I wondered to myself who I was and where I was from. This brought up feelings of anger and bitterness to the hateful people who had enslaved my ancestors. It was very hurtful not knowing who I was.
Photo by Kindel Media from Pexels
But then I realized that I've been adopted into a family of children whose father is God. I’m thankful to father Abraham for having faith. I’m thankful that through the seed of Abraham the son of God was born to a virgin. I realize now that my family was not cut off! It’s actually one of the most well documented accounts of history in the world! I’m a child of God! I’m somebody in Jesus! I belong to a family of people of EXTREME faith! Those ROOTS run the deepest and are eternal!
For the month of February we will be examining the importance of the Christian family to the world. In our introduction to the sermon series on Wednesday I touched on the family history in the word of God. Just in case you were unable to attend I wanted to provide you with a brief rundown of what you can expect this month, every Sunday at 9:30 AM.
In Ephesians Paul points out the privileged position that Christians have. God chose them before the foundation of the world. He brought "Holy" people and "Sinners" together and made them one through Jesus in order to reclaim them. God's creation is important and He intends to have it back. Now as a part of the mission of God Paul speaks to what we must do. He touches on briefly what the life of a Christian should look like in chapters 4 and 5. He asks that we, as Christians, walk in a manner "worthy of our calling". That is to say that we ought to live like saved and missional people. The Gospel saves and the way in which we live is missional. Please don't miss the fact that the way in which we live teaches the Gospel. Every family should join in on God's mission to reclaim the world. Will you?
Article from 5/29/13
It's dark, your vision is impaired, stability is in question, and you're unsure of when it will end. Many of us have experience driving in heavy rain on the highway. I travel back and forth to school from Temple to Austin Graduate School of Theology and a couple of months back I was truly terrified! On my way back one evening I drove into a thunderstorm. Everything became black as night and the roads began to change as if I were driving on top of a body of water. The car was moving side to side because of the wind and no matter how high the windshield wipers were turned up my vision was impaired. The only thing that I could make out were the hazard lights of those in front of me and the strips on the road. Those strips illuminated the path that I had to stay on. I prayed and I asked God to bless me to make it through. Now that I had prayed it was time for me to do my part. I slowed down so that I could maneuver the car in case I lost track to regain it, I turned on my high beams in order to see the strips on the road so that I could stay in my lane, and I slowly proceeded with caution. Usually on a clear day I would zip back to Temple now that the speed limit is 75 but today I had to be content that I was safe and take my time going through the storm until I made it through. Well guess what?!! I made it through! And what seemed like an hour was only about 15 minutes! I learned something that day when I faced the toughest storm I had ever driven through. I couldn't simply speed through the storm because I could kill myself. I couldn't pray the storm away either. I had to endure through the storm. I had to adapt to the storm. I had to learn to drive and progress, no matter how slowly, through it. I learned to be patient through the storm because it would eventually be over.
Our lives are just like the highway I mentioned above. Unexpected things are thrown our ways at different times and if you haven't yet one day you will go through a storm. What we must realize is that storms shouldn't always be looked at as a hassle. It shouldn't be looked at as something that we cannot overcome or learn something from. Sometimes in life we speed through not paying attention to the road signs of life or to the path we're on. We may go too fast and end up getting into trouble. We may get distracted by other passengers or cars on the highway and end up in the lane we aren't supposed to be in. We may even do foolish things that put our lives in danger like texting while driving. But then God will allow us to go through a storm! Proverbs 16:9
Proverbs 16:9New King James Version9 A man’s heart plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.
The storms in life will make us slow down and be patient because we have no other choice but too! If we drive too fast in a storm we lose traction and could hydroplane. When we try to speed through a storm we find that in most cases we end up crashing, in worst shape than we were to begin with. Sometimes we think we know when we need what we need and we have to realize that we do not know it all. I remember a preacher who was traveling to a gospel meeting and had just enough time to make it to the city he had to be in. Well when the preacher got ready to go his son asked to go with much hesitation he decided to allow him to go. Well the preacher was now thirty minutes late getting angrier by the minute on the highway as the traffic slowed down. He thought "If I had left sooner by myself I could have made it!" Well the preacher and son made it to the end of the backup of traffic and seen two cars mangled and wrecked to the point of where it looked like no one could have survived. It was then that the preacher realized that if he had not been delayed that could have been him. We have to learn to be patient as we travel down highway of life. We never know, God may be keeping us from encountering some danger or preparing us for something bigger along the way. We have to slow down so that we can safely trek our way to the goodness that is to come after this life, which is heaven. Isaiah 40:31
Isaiah 40:31New King James Version
31 But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
The storms in life will make us pay closer attention to the markers that let you know that you're staying on the right path. God's word is like the markers when things are so dark that you can't see 20 feet in front of you. His word tells you not to engage in violent retaliation even though it's fulfilling to you. His word tells you not to commit adultery even though you feel as though you've not been treated with the love and respect promised to you in your vows. His word tells you not to engage in fornication and alcoholism even when it means being a social outcast. His word tells you to lovingly correct that younger sister instead of gossiping about her behind her back. His word tells you to be the head of your house even when your wife and children present you with opposition. His word keeps us on the safe path when we can't see clearly and our vision is impaired. Psalms 37:23-24
Psalm 37:23-24New King James Version
23 The steps of a good man are [a]ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the Lord upholds him with His hand.
The storms in life will cause you to be content. If we want to make it to the other side of the storm we must be content. We have to be content with the fact that we can't go as fast as we want to. We must be content that the lane that we're in is the lane that we have to stick to in order to avoid the reckless drivers in the fast lane. Sometimes when we go through our storms in lives we try to fix them ourselves instead of relying on God. We have money problems and we take loans with insane interest rates that we can't possibly pay back, instead of being content with what God has already blessed us with. We feel alone and we settle for the man/woman that has no intention of living for God, instead of waiting on the ONE that God has prepared for you. We have a nice rental duplex but we want a bigger house and we take out a mortgage that we can't possibly keep up with. We have $20 Skull Candy headphones, but we want to hear every sound that's made in our music and we guilt our parents into buy $400 headphones. 1 Tim. 6:6-8
1 Timothy 6:6-8New King James Version
6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, [a]and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
Once you learn that when faced with a storm you must slow down, pay attention, learn contentment then you can have the peace that is found after the storm. The peace that passes all understanding. This peace will allow you to continue through your next storm because you can look in that rear view mirror knowing what you did to get through the last one. You can take the storm head on knowing how to drive safely through the same type of storm. And even if you come up in front of a storm that you haven't faced you know that God will guide you through the next one while you learn how its done all over again. These storms in life are not only beneficial to us making us stronger but they can benefit others as well. When you see someone coming up on the same storm you can throw on your hazard lights and say "hold on bro/sis!! This is how you handle..." Then when you both make it through you can look back and say "See! Heavy rain ain't so heavy!"
Proverbs 3:5-6English Standard Version (ESV)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
It now marks two straight years that we have not had a Watch Night service due to the capital acronym everyone loves to hate. What is watch night service? I'll tell you my experiences first and then share with you a very good article about it.
As a young boy my first memories of New Year's Eve involved going to my great aunt’s house to what seemed like a family reunion! There would be food, fireworks, and fermented drinks. I'm sorry I couldn't think of a “f“ word for wine or beer. Folks would come with their families, friends, amd forever partners. I failed again! I remember it was exciting and when we all counted down it was always cool to see folks tell my dad happy birthday! At this point in our lives we were what some would have considered to be CME Christians. We frequented church on Christmas, Mother's Day, and Easter. But as our family’s faith grew we began to attend services at our Church. It was different.
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels
I remember all the f's being present at the Watch Night service except for the fermented drinks. But folks were having a blast! The kitchen would be full of food! I remember all the smells! Yes, we were a Church of Christ with a kitchen! There would be all the New Year African American delicacies! Black eyed peas, greens, cabbage, but I don't remember there being chitterlings. It may have been but I remember we didn't eat those until we got home. If you know, you know. But there was more to this than just the food. We would go to the sanctuary and folks would read poetry, sing songs, do skits, etc. Both my parents were in the adult choir and I loved hearing them sing! I couldn't wait until I had the courage to share. I would in fact one day do that, I even was the MC one year! Several memories were made! I remember one year someone even wrote their own song! You had to be there… But what I did not understand as a kid was that were engaging in an American tradition that dates back to my enslaved ancestors!! Did you know? Tell the truth?
Watch Night services date back to at least 1862!! I looked all over the place for a decent article about this to share the facts. Check out this article and then I want you to think back to what they did and what you have seen at Watch Night services. It's crazy how in some ways we repeat things we don't understand. Traditions are bad when we don't understand the belief systems behind them. So I want you all reading to check out this article and pray that we can come together next year to end the streak of not having a Watch Night service! Click HERE to read. Come back after you read.
Over the years the fun and excitement died down down. Mostly due to the younger generation not understanding the significance of the service and because of City Lights. That second part is a bit of a halfway joke. But it was a real deterrent if I'm being honest. And that was for the young twenty-somethings and the forty year olds who thought they were twenty. But this type of service continues to die down because we fail to explain it's significance and we don't show up to “church“ other than Sunday morning. We are blessed at Ave G to have a congregation that has more than one ethnicity, a far cry from that which I grew up in. And we are blessed to have that. But Lord willing at the end of ‘22 we can celebrate in our multicultural church. We can celebrate the freedom of an enslaved people in this country and all of our freedom from sin through Christ! I hope to take Watch Night to another level in ‘22.
Let's continue to pray for all those exposed to and suffering through the big C at this time.
(From 2/28/13)
Hydouken! How many of you remember the old Street Fighter games from the 90’s? I remember playing with my friends and I would get angry when someone would pick the same person as me. I would think “That isn't even realistic to have a person fighting himself! I don’t care if the costume is a different color!” Well you guys I had a moment this morning where I was living out this scenario in real life! I was fighting against myself!
It started about two hours ago when I received a phone call from my wife. For those who know my wife she’s a strong woman who isn't shaken by a lot of things. But when I got her voice-mail and called her back I heard something in her voice. Her voice was shaky and it sounded as if she was scared. She began to explain to me what had happened. She told me that when she rounded the corner at the gas station that her car had bumped the holder and damaged it. She explained that the store attendant ran outside and accosted her in an irate manner! Aww Man! Why did she tell me that! I was furious! She gave me his number and I called him and thank God he didn't answer right away because I had time to think about who I was. I’m a child of God and this man obviously had been put in our path for a reason. Although this realization didn't stop my heart from jumping out of my chest it did allow me to speak with him in a loving manner. When I told him who I was and that he’d be dealing with me now regarding the issue he tried to get an attitude with me! Hydouken! I’m at war with myself again! I’m throwing fireballs at myself thinking “man I could say some or do some mean things to this man!” and the Christ in me is saying “Harsh words stir up anger! Love your enemies!” I then tell him I’m on my way to come and give him my information and call the police and my insurance company. He tells me he’s leaving and won’t be back for another hour. Hydouken! Luckily I blocked that one! I calmly asked him to not do that and I told him I was on my way. I get to the store and his mother is there running the counter. She doesn't speak English very well. But she showed me love asking if I wanted a free drink, taking me to the pump to take pictures, and allowing me to sit in the store while he was gone. He came back after I’d called and filed a claim with my insurance company and I gave him the information. I gave him the information from my insurance company claim and I got back the unnecessary information he had gotten from my wife. I calmly explained to the man that we were not crooks or criminals. I told him that my wife frequents his store on a consistent basis and I know she’s always kind to strangers. He told me something that made me understand him better, he says “well usually when something like this happens people usually drive off or give me fake numbers. Or deny the fact that anything happened.” I thought to myself “What if I had acted ignorantly or became irate like he did with my wife? What if I had acted like all those other people?” It was then I realized that this man needed to see Jesus. It was not possible for him to get into a time machine and go back in time. I had to show him Jesus through my actions. And that’s exactly what I did! KO! At this particular moment I overcame the sin that was in me. I showed him love and assured this man that I would take care of the damages to his property.
There’s an old story about an Indian chief who was talking to some young warriors about the battle within. He told them “There are two dogs fighting within you. One dog wants you to do good and the other wants you to do evil. These dogs will continue to fight within you for the rest of your life.” One young warrior raised his hand and asked a question “Which dog wins?” The chief answered “The one that you feed!” If it had not been for the God that I put in me on a daily basis Chris “The Man” would have KO’d Chris “The Christian”. I don’t claim perfection nor do I claim to be an example to follow. I’ll quickly tell you to follow Christ and put your trust in him. I just wanted to share a real life example that I’m sure many of us will face even this very same day! Feed yourself the word of God on a consistent basis so that when it’s time for you to battle yourself, you’ll have a fighting chance!
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels
(From 1/30/13)
Are you preparing your child for the future? When thinking about this as a parent you may ask yourself some questions. “Can my child read at or above their grade’s reading level?” “Is my child’s GPA high enough for the school they want to attend?” “Has my child worked hard enough this week at practice to ensure that scholarship?” “Is my child involved in the right type of social programs that will be with him throughout their life?” But too many people’s surprise, the future that I speak of is the future that is a surety for all of us.
This future that I’m referring to is judgment day. We all must go the route of being judged on whether or not we will enter the gates of heaven. There was a time when the only thing pushed on a child was the word of God. You would hear parents saying things like “spare the rod spoil the child” and “raise a child up in the way he should go and he will not depart from it”. But it seems as though we’ve been caught up in preparing our children for earthly success in the future and not for the eternal. We are in an age where we have our children awake and dressed when it’s dark outside for the bus stops, S.A.T. tests, and sports events. And then we let them sleep in for 9:30 AM Sunday school.
The Bible states in Proverbs 22:6 (ESV) “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” In the same chapter in verse 15 it also says that “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.” Children will learn to do wrong on their own so parents are needed to train them to act right. Some may think it’s too hard to train your child for success in this world AND for the next (Eternal Life). But we must ask which future lasts the longest and is more important. And if you think about it the Bible teaches the same quality characteristics that sports teams, organizations, and education degrees teach. The Bible teaches and instills in you and your children the same tools for success here on earth and in order to make heaven your eternal home. Do you want your children to take God seriously well into their adulthood? It’s time to take the focus off of preparing our children for temporary success here on earth. If our children take care of God’s business then he’ll surely take care of theirs. As parents let’s take our focus Back to the Future that involves God.
(From 1/28/13)
I recently heard a song on a new radio station I began to listen to. I had grown tired of listening to the nonsense that I was hearing on another National morning radio show so I searched for a Christian station. I came across a station called K-Love. And although I don't agree with everything the DJ's say it's refreshing to hear no negativity in the shows and news that they air. And the lyrics to the songs they play keep my mind on Christ throughout the day. Back to the song I heard, it was title Who You Are by Unspoken. You can click the link to check out the video.
This song took me back to when I was 19 years old living in Phoenix AZ. I was in college, away from home for the first time and living a life that was not pleasing to God. I was so disoriented and caught up in sin it was as if I was addicted to the things that I was doing. I thought me going just being in a Church building would help but I was never totally committed. I was wanting God to make me whole while only giving him half my heart. It was a constant battle within me fighting against the desires of my flesh. I hated myself and I was convinced that God hated me as well. Here I was living a life of sin and I had been baptized since I was in the 5th grade! I felt like a disgrace to God and after a horrible series of events including an car accident that almost took my life I was convinced God didn't care about me any more. But then a family decided to pull me back to God. Their names were the Burton's and I thank God so much for them. They made sure that I came to Church and was involved in the Church of Christ in Phoenix AZ. That was when I realized that God had never given up on me, I had only given up on myself. Read the verse below and check out the link to the songs video below with the lyrics.
[17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. [18] All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; [19] that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. [20] Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
(2 Corinthians 5:17-20 ESV)
Who You Are By Unspoken
You can never fall too hard,
So fast, so far That you can't get backWhen you're lost
Where you are is never too late, So bad, so much That you can't change Who you are, ooo-oooh You can change who you are, ooo-oooh
IF YOU FEEL AS THOUGH THAT YOU'RE TOO BAD FOR GOD AND THAT YOU'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR GOD IT'S NOTHING BUT THE DEVILS LIE! DON'T MISS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN! BECOME A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST BEING BAPTIZED FOR THE REMISSION OF YOUR SINS. IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN ALREADY IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO REDEDICATE YOUR LIFE TO CHRIST. REPENT OF YOUR SINS AND TURN AWAY FROM THE THINGS YOU'RE DOING THAT'S CAUSING YOU TO FALL. GOD LOVES YOU AND WHILE YOU'RE STILL BREATHING IT'S NEVER TOO LATE, SO BAD, THAT YOU CAN'T CHANGE WHO YOU ARE.
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A question that many of us ask ourselves on a consistent basis. Why does God allow evil things to happen? Why did God allow Hurricane Katrina? Why does God allow church shootings? Why did God allow my Christian mother to suffer and die? Why did God allow my heart to be broken? Why did God allow a stray bullet to kill a child? Why did he allow me to go through divorce? Is God good if He allows for bad things to occur? Is God real if everything is so bad?
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In Genesis we see very clearly stated by God that everything is “Good”. And I believe that to be the truth. When God created ex nihilo (from nothing), His creation was good. The earth was organized neatly with waters separated above and below, the landforms existed among the lower waters, and God placed created things in their proper ecosystem. As a matter of fact, there did not even seem to be a need for irrigation according to Genesis 2:6 as God had created the earth the water the whole surface. God then forms man and woman. Nothing is unbalanced or lacking. But something went wrong. Sin happened. I know that it does not just happen, but the repercussions of sin caused not only changes for humanity but for the whole world! Suddenly, the existence of labor pains come into effect (Gen. 3:15), the ground is cursed (Gen. 3:17), and death enters the world!
The problems and questions above are not new and Christians have struggled with them for centuries! When you wonder about the issues stated above it is called Theodicy. It begs to ask the question “How can there be a good God when there is evil in existence?”. Rest assured that God is still good. He does exist, but so does our existence and creation in its fallen state. Sin not only altered our humanity but also the world. The creation was affected. We are living in an unbalanced and chaotic state and sin was the catalyst. We have been studying theodicy and the problem of sin in my pursuit of a MDiv and they shared with me some amazing explanations of this topic.
“Suffering, pain, and death are not natural and to reckon them as “part of God’s plan” is anathema to genuine Christian thinking. These are the workings of chaos, disorder, and the Enemy, and the world is in bondage to those things until Christ becomes All in All.” -Andrew Gass
“We must understand that the world actually did fall, and they are principalities and powers that we are dealing with that are anti-God. So that is Hart’s conclusion. We must recognize that the world is in bondage to sin and darkness.” -George Williams
We must understand that tying God to evil or as a participant in the fall of the world is problematic. Let us never utter the words to a person who has lost a loved one, “God needed another angel!” People die not because God wants more angels but because sin brought death to humanity, chaos to the world, and a barrier between us and God before Jesus’ sacrifice. God is still a good God. In His allowance of free will He showed His goodness. Would we not be robots if we HAD to obey with no other option? What is even better is the fact that once we sullied things God had a path for our salvation that predated the world! Let’s dialogue a bit on this. Leave a comment with your thoughts below.
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So, what is the church to do? I believe that we must first understand that Patriotism and Christianity are not the same. One must come before the other. For the church, our allegiance to God comes first. When America sees a brown-skinned animal, immigrant criminals, and immigrant rapists the church should see a creation of God. Remember at one point in time it was illegal to help runaway slaves. Would your home have been a part of the underground railroad? Law of the land should never supersede the will of God. The church must be a place in which the minister challenges their congregations to seek God before party and country. To listen and watch the news through God’s eyes. To throw out the normality of never speaking of politics from the pulpit. We may be preaching to the next president of this country!
I believe the next thing that the church should focus on is not choosing which poor to help and love. There are times when it becomes easy for the church to help those less fortunate who are more “easy on the eyes”. We do not mind helping children, homeless women/mothers, or poor people in their native lands who look like us. The Church must seek justice and equity for all people everywhere. The neglected people of this world are suffering a great deal. It is a terrible thing when your unchangeable skin color puts you at the bottom of a caste system. Let our love be as consistent as God’s!
Finally, I believe that the church must return to God. We must be willing to be uncomfortable for the sake of others. Maybe that means that our churches may not need a gym if we can instead homeless person back into a functioning member of society. Maybe it means that the preacher does not need to have yearly raises but instead every single mother in a congregation is blessed with holiday meals, so they do not have to cook. Maybe it means that use one of our weekend days to sacrifice our time in serving people who have nothing to give us back. Maybe it means speaking up on issues that make the highest giving members squirm in their seat. If the Church is the image of what God would have the whole of creation people ought to be able to do as we say and do.
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One of the most interesting of the minor prophets is Hosea. I find his ability to love to be envy-worthy and his obedience to God legendary. A prophet asked to marry a woman who would not be faithful is an amazing show of obedience. But it depicts God’s love towards His people who are committing spiritual adultery. I believe the greatest thing seen in this specific minor prophet is that of syncretism. Syncretism is the amalgamation or attempted amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought. God’s people had a dilemma on their hands. In terms that may be more understandable for millennials is that God’s people wanted to both be in relationship to God and have a “side piece” as well. What happens in this is that the lines that use to exist between spouse and “side piece” begin to be blurred. Now you have a people that is not committed wholeheartedly to anything. But God desires something greater. In Hosea 6:6 “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” Our allegiance may be divided as Americans. Could it be that we have pledged our allegiance to the flag of this country so long that we have forgotten the pledge made to God when became the God of our salvation? God does not say to do away with the processes of liturgy which were sacrifices at that time, but he lets them know that liturgy alone is not OK. It was not OK for them to come to the altar to offer a sacrifice and be in communion with God if He was not their only God. Would you desire the kiss of your spouse who had shared their lips with a stranger outside of your covenant? Yes, the kiss may feel sincere and feel good but the heart behind it is distorted. The care of and the steadfast love of the committed partner would be betrayed. What seems to really matter to God is that their love is steadfast and that they know Him. I often speak about knowing God in terms of my fanatical attitude towards Michael Jackson or Michelle Obama. I have read books about them, investigated their backgrounds, admired their work, and even know some personal stories about them. But I do not actually know them. If at some point, I was to have spoken to them in their lifetime they would not have actually known me. I have never been in close contact with them, shared stories, or poured into them. To know God takes more than being able to state facts about who He is. We must ask ourselves if we respect God enough to put Him above all. It is my belief that we have, as a majority, mixed Patriotism and Christianity. It has become our way and a bit of God sprinkled on top. It is as if we have made a salad using the healthy option of spinach (God) and then layered on bacon soaked with Ranch dressing (Our way). Do we see those of lesser status or diverse backgrounds or races as he does? Do we care when there are others existing who have less than us. Amos speaks to such questions and concerns for the powerless and disenfranchised. Here we see God’s people as an affluent nation who only has concern for themselves and their own well-being. I have often heard these words used by Martin Luther King Jr and never realized that it was a direct quotation. Maybe that is due to the fact that minor profits are often treated as minor in sermon rotations. But in Amos 5:24 the Bible says, “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Again, it is important to note that engaging in the rituals of liturgy are vain if the heart is as well. What is the point of sending people to do mission work in other countries to teach the poor if the poor down the street are neglected? Multiple times in Amos we see Amos talk of God’s people mistreating or having an indifferent attitude when it comes to the poor. When pointing out the fault of God’s people it is stated in the same chapter of Amos that “Therefore because you trample on the poor…” (Amos 5:11a) and “…you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and push aside the needy in the gate.” (Amos 5:12b). It is obvious in Amos that God shows concern for those who very few are concerned about. Some could say “The damage is done.” Or “There is no going back.” But I am thankful that we see in all the minor prophets that I speak about today, that it is possible to return to the Lord. When reading of the prophet Joel we get a sort of tutorial on how to do so. And when reading Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, James Limburg uses a verse from Isa. 58:6-7 (GNB) to illustrate the how-to. It says “The kind of fasting I want is this: remove the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go free. Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives.” Could this be a type of fasting as mentioned in Joel that will help us in returning to the Lord? I believe that in order for us to return to the Lord it is going to cost us. I believe that we will have to give until it hurts. Giving of what we do not have to give but cheerfully doing so will touch our hearts in a mighty way. Do we have to allow immigrants asylum? No, we do not. Could we possibly pay more taxes if they are allowed into the country? That very well could be the case. But this country is great, flawed, yet great. We must return to God by changing how we look at those outside of this country. God does not see immigrants or non-citizens of America, and neither should we.
Have you ever heard the phrase “Do as I say, not as I do.”? It implies that one has knowledge of the moral way, but their actions are diametrically opposed. There is a problem with immigration in the United States of America. I know that this is an often spoken-about issue, but I want to examine it from a different angle. We live in a country originally inhabited by Native Americans. There was a time in history when a people group was being harshly treated primarily based on religious reasons. So, they sought asylum, religious freedom, and freedom from a tyrannical government. Those people built a great nation by any means necessary. This nation that we now live in is said to have been built on a foundation of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Beautiful words and ideals considering it was also built on the backs of forced immigration of African people and land taken from the Native Americans. But if you squint your eyes enough you could see what we now know as “The American Dream”! Centuries of immigrants who looked like the first colonizers continued to be welcomed into this great nation. They were given the same as those before them, land, asylum, religious freedom, and opportunity. I will skip forward a bit through the ugliness of the history that came afterwards but this country slowly morphed from a country of seeking immigrants to now meeting its quota. Land, asylum, religious unity, and opportunity are now “scarce.” My heart was torn on my topic of what to write about for this paper. I knew that there was a problem with both immigration and the treatment of African American women in the healthcare system. But I believe the Holy Spirit through me an ally-oop in the form of a news article that I ran across. I heard that at the border of the state I lived in there were brown skinned people like me being turned away. People from one of the poorest places in the world, with a tyrannical government, and maybe even some seeking religious freedom. It would seem as though America has traded in its caste system or harmful racial slurs for a more palatable word, noncitizen. I am not a government official so I cannot tell you how it would affect the economy, I cannot tell you how it would affect the unused land in this country, but I can tell you how this problem effects the heart of God’s people. This great nation that we live in, built on Christian principle now has a higher standard. We send Americans to other countries to minister to them and teach them of God’s love. We as God’s people pray collectively that they may all come to know God and one day be citizens of Heaven but not citizens of America. I do not believe that the church can sit idly by and continue to allow our hearts to become neutral in the care of God’s people. I know that it is easy to believe false narratives like immigrants being labeled as animals, rapists, and bad people. But Christians should try to see as God sees. Why are Christian brothers and sisters from other countries good enough for heavenly citizenship but not American citizenship? In our study of the minor prophets, there is a message from God to the church on this very issue.
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A question that many of us ask ourselves on a consistent basis. Why does God allow evil things to happen? Why did God allow Hurricane Katrina? Why does God allow church shootings? Why did God allow my Christian mother to suffer and die? Why did God allow my heart to be broken? Why did God allow a stray bullet to kill a child? Why did he allow me to go through divorce? Is God good if He allows for bad things to occur? Is God real if everything is so bad?
Photo by Brett Jordan from Pexels
In Genesis we see very clearly stated by God that everything is “Good”. And I believe that to be the truth. When God created ex nihilo (from nothing), His creation was good. The earth was organized neatly with waters separated above and below, the landforms existed among the lower waters, and God placed created things in their proper ecosystem. As a matter of fact, there did not even seem to be a need for irrigation according to Genesis 2:6 as God had created the earth the water the whole surface. God then forms man and woman. Nothing is unbalanced or lacking. But something went wrong. Sin happened. I know that it does not just happen, but the repercussions of sin caused not only changes for humanity but for the whole world! Suddenly, the existence of labor pains come into effect (Gen. 3:15), the ground is cursed (Gen. 3:17), and death enters the world!
The problems and questions above are not new and Christians have struggled with them for centuries! When you wonder about the issues stated above it is called Theodicy. It begs to ask the question “How can there be a good God when there is evil in existence?”. Rest assured that God is still good. He does exist, but so does our existence and creation in its fallen state. Sin not only altered our humanity but also the world. The creation was affected. We are living in an unbalanced and chaotic state and sin was the catalyst. We have been studying theodicy and the problem of sin in my pursuit of a MDiv and they shared with me some amazing explanations of this topic.
“Suffering, pain, and death are not natural and to reckon them as “part of God’s plan” is anathema to genuine Christian thinking. These are the workings of chaos, disorder, and the Enemy, and the world is in bondage to those things until Christ becomes All in All.” -Andrew Gass
“We must understand that the world actually did fall, and they are principalities and powers that we are dealing with that are anti-God. So that is Hart’s conclusion. We must recognize that the world is in bondage to sin and darkness.” -George Williams
We must understand that tying God to evil or as a participant in the fall of the world is problematic. Let us never utter the words to a person who has lost a loved one, “God needed another angel!” People die not because God wants more angels but because sin brought death to humanity, chaos to the world, and a barrier between us and God before Jesus’ sacrifice. God is still a good God. In His allowance of free will He showed His goodness. Would we not be robots if we HAD to obey with no other option? What is even better is the fact that once we sullied things God had a path for our salvation that predated the world! Let’s dialogue a bit on this. Leave a comment with your thoughts below.
One inspired me to preach grace and easily understood messages, another guided me towards my education path and kept me sane through most challenging portion of my Christian faith, and another mentors me as I try to play catch up. Three ministers of inspiration to/for me.
The purpose of "Virtual Victory" is not to just gather you for the sake of an event, but remind Christians everywhere of the joy we have in the Lord.
No matter the season Jesus Christ, will always be our personal Savior, the Victorious One. And because he is the victorious One, we have a helper for us to overcome and triumph in victory!
It is time for a new sermon series! Check out the video below for more details about “Woke”!
Satire Example
This recurring parody has been hilarious in every installment, but it reached its peak of brilliance with guest host Tom Hanks played Doug, a MAGA hat-wearing Trump supporter who proved that there's more that unites us than divides us -- up to a point.
So here's my rambling encouraging video of the day for today. I'm going to try to remember to do these daily. And you can find it only here on our website!
So here's my rambling encouraging video of the day for today. I'm going to try to remember to do these daily. And you can find it only here on our website!
So here's my rambling encouraging video of the day for today. I'm going to try to remember to do these daily. And you can find it only here on our website!
So here's my rambling encouraging video of the day for today. I'm going to try to remember to do these daily. And you can find it only here on our website!
Our annual One Word Series had the theme of God’s Summer Playlist ‘21, we asked our speakers to choose a song of their choice and share a message with us. They had ONE opportunity to help someone, save a soul, encourage, repair, etc. Our speakers have not yet disappointed. Check out this message!
Our annual One Word Series had the theme of God’s Summer Playlist ‘21, we asked our speakers to choose a song of their choice and share a message with us. They had ONE opportunity to help someone, save a soul, encourage, repair, etc. Our speakers have not yet disappointed. Check out this message!
In the fourth lesson in our sermon series, we finally make it to the how-to of the entire series. We started with the problem of sin, we uncovered that faith was the key to fix that problem, it was then unveiled that God had a plan to save mankind, and finally, in this sermon, we see that Christianity is the way to salvation!
I pray that this sermon series has both been informative and a means of apologetics for those who needed a reminder. Today we will close out the series by explaining how to become a Christian. We began by highlighting the problem of sin. Sin separates us from God, puts a strain on our relationship with God, and makes our death a surety. That first sermon should have left a bad taste in your mouth, I hope. This is because we have no way of responding to sin by ourselves. The next sermon spoke about the key, which is faith. It unlocks the door back to our being in a relationship with God. We examined father Abraham and how God works overtime through faith. But faith alone would prove to not be enough either! But have no fear! Yahweh God is a God who PLANS! In the third sermon series, we examined it as though it were a multifaceted diamond, the plan of God. This plan is called the Gospel. God had a plan for our salvation before we even needed salvation. And finally in our fourth week today, we examine how to take advantage of that plan by obeying the Gospel!
Many of us who grew up in the church are very familiar with the verse Acts 2:38 but how exactly does this all work? I will make this very plain. Are you ready? God does all the work we just receive the benefits. We first must understand the Gospel. If you do not get a teacher, one who understands what it is that God is/was doing. Then I need you to do what Peter told the great multitude on the day of Pentecost “repent and be baptized”. To be a recipient of God is that simple! What are you waiting for? Obey the Gospel now!
Check out our whole sermon series below…
We began a new sermon series in the month of June titled “Christianity 101”. Its aim was to simplify and remind the listener of what Christianity is and why it is needed today! Please listen and ask questions by emailing churchofchristtempletx@gmail.com .
We began a new sermon series in the month of June titled “Christianity 101”. Its aim was to simplify and remind the listener of what Christianity is and why it is needed today! Please listen and ask questions by emailing churchofchristtempletx@gmail.com .
We began a new sermon series in the month of June titled “Christianity 101”. Its aim was to simplify and remind the listener of what Christianity is and why it is needed today! Please listen and ask questions by emailing churchofchristtempletx@gmail.com .
This is the third sermon in our Church Hurt sermon series. This week we take a look at the topic of judgment. Many people have left the church because of the feeling of judgement. In this sermon it is my desire to speak to what not to do as the church and to invite the unchurched back into the fold. What does it mean to judge? Is it a sin to judge? When is the right time? When is the wrong time? We will examine these questions and more.
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It was four years ago on March 19th 2017 in which we worshipped for the first time in this building on the corner of Avenue G! The Sunday prior to this we had worshipped for the last time in the small room at the Knights of Columbus. I was new to preaching every week but I thanks to Thom Rainer and B.B. Gatson I had a mission statement and a willing group of people with open hearts.
I remember the morning of going over my sermon over and over again in my office and someone coming in to snap the picture you see here. I soon learned that the lock on the office door would quickly become my friend. Looking at this picture I also noticed the statue that I bought in Israel of David and Goliath. It was a representation of who we were! The little guy ready to do great things! In the kingdom you must be a servant and we have a congregation full of these type of people! There was no doubt in my mind that we would serve Midtown Temple in a great way.
Four years later and the same still applies! Everyone is welcome at the Avenue G Church of Christ! When you come here you will meet a church who has a hunger to learn of God, serve others, love on each other, and meet the needs of their community. I tried to research ways that people celebrate their 4 year anniversaries and fruit was the gift. This made me think about those “Goodie bags” we used to get back in the day at church. It would be something like walnuts, fruit, a stick of spear mint gum, and maybe a bookmark! It is cool to take a look back when you can. That is usually when we will have the opportunity to understand it better by and by!
Immediately after worship Bro. Arnold, Bro. Voice, and myself headed to Starbucks to sign the paperwork that would finalize the acquisition. They of course did not let me know about the cowboys theme ahead of time but I was not distracted by that. I was already making plans to have our first Wednesday night Bible class before we even had a Sunday worship service. I figured we only needed water and electricity to make it happen.
When the day came it was amazing to see the support. We most definitely had more folks there than we did at the Knights of Columbus. It was a site to see! We had no real sound system really just a projector, a screen, and willing hearts.
I had a friend email me about slavery and the Bible and so I wanted to share what we have spoken about so far. This has too been an issue for me in the past. This is not an exhaustive explanation of a complicated conversation but I believe that it is a start. Please note that what you see below is a combination of an email, a homework assignment, and some sources that I did not cite. So please be gentle with criticism in that regard. I believe this is a conversation that should be had about the slavery that existed in America and that of an ancient near eastern culture.
I had issue with this same topic while taking a class on the book of Exodus. I had a professor who was born and raised in Israel and I believed that he was insensitive to slavery by telling us that American slavery was not the same as the slavery in the Bible. But after looking closely at the text and historical context I had to admit that there was a difference between the two. Also the Bible mentions other sinful actions like incest, rape, murder, etc. but it does not mean that God condones it. I look at it like this as well. Rappers rap about the reality of their environment, most times. They are reporting the reality of what they see. Most of them however do not condone. Most of them will not pick up a gun and kill someone, call their mothers derogatory names. I believe that the biblical writers in both the OT and NT are both reporting what they see while God is meeting the people where they are. He was willing to work within their culture to meet them, as they were spiritually children, in order to help them towards maturity.
I would say that American slavery was on the cusp of being genocide more than anything. It is a marvel that they survived! American slavery was based on race. American slavery was violent, masters were allowed to rape their slaves, and the slaves had no rights as they were seen as property and not people. Looking at the Bible and the ancient near eastern culture that was not the case. Most people were not born slaves. And it was not based on race. Slavery was a common part of their culture. Also most people would enter into slavery in order to pay a debt or make money. From beginning to the end God has affirmed that man is made in his image (Gen 1:26-28) and through Paul God affirms that in Christ there is “neither slave nor free” (Gal 3:28). But in the OT and NT you have slaves being mentioned. First one must understand that a slave mentioned in this ancient near eastern context should be understood as being an indentured servant or bond servant. Indenture means a legal agreement, contract, or document. A bondservant was one who worked without wages. There were these two types of servants. But they were never for life, although they could choose that if they wanted.
In order to understand how God sees these two type of slaves forced into this lifestyle to survive or for their wellbeing we look to the scripture. We see in Exodus and Leviticus 25:39-40 they are described as hired servants. Slavery was a well-known practice and rather than abolishing it, which would have been impossible, God taught them how to be godly within it. There were laws that God put into place that his people had to pay their debts as well so this slavery system helped with that as well. But the laws given within the Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible) are there to make having slaves an uneasy process. Here are some scriptures below to show how God protected slaves. I had a homework assignment that I did when studying it that showed some of these.
Exod. 21:2- After six years, servants were allowed to go free
Exod. 21:6- Slave given opportunity to join himself to the master’s household
Exod. 21:7-11- Daughter sold into slavery by family; this is a type of concubine marriage relationship, in which the family is unable to support the daughter and she is unable to find another husband and may have been a necessary measure for the survival of the family and daughter’s welfare; the law protects the rights of the daughter against abuse.
Exod. 21:26-27- I must admit that this one seems cruel because your means of income are limited without an eye. But this protects the slave from harsh masters and makes sure that the masters treat slaves right. If slaves are not treated right they are allowed to be both free and debt free.
Exod. 22:25-27- I love this one the most and wish it were still a practice. This offers a way of protection for the person who has taken a loan that they never be taken advantage of and it seems to make sure that loans do not last forever. I believe this also protects the heart of the lender in that they understand that money is not everything and relationship is more important.
Exod. 23:10-12- This allows for slaves to be able to rest giving them a physical refuel.
Lev. 25:35-37- This protects family from family who better off. No one in this society should ever lose it all.
Lev. 25:39-40- This allows for those who are related and not doing well to be taken care of by family in a role that is beneath the family member but not demeaning.
Deut. 15:7-11- This seems to take care of those who are in need. And prepares the heart of those who have, to not focus on the return but the need.
Deut. 15:12-18- This made sure that slavery was not a permanent way of life.
Deut. 23:15-16- I promise I never noticed this or either skimmed over it my entire life! How was this not used for the Underground Railroad? This seems to have protected slaves who were being treated badly enough to want to run away. Since the slavery of the Bible seems to be different than what I am familiar with in the history of America, it must have been bad for one to want to escape. God gives an avenue for escape and protection.
Remember, slavery was a part of their ancient near eastern culture and not God’s way. God found a way to protect people and free them without destroying their economy and means of living. Deut. 23:15-17 was one that I had not really taken notice of and one that really shows how different slavery was among God’s people. If a servant was being mistreated and decided to run away, God made cities of refuge where they would actually now be free! These things motivated masters to treat servants well, not rely on slaves for their living, and continue to see them as people.
Now unfortunately what happened was that these same passages of scripture were also dissected and used to control a kidnapped people in America. There is not much we can do to change that. But just because the Bible was used to control and deceive does not make it nor Christianity useless or unjust. Bleach is one of the greatest cleaning agents in the world! It can even be used in small portions for drinking water. But if you pour a bottle down a human beings throat it will certainly kill them. I am sure that it has been done before. But do you see people outlawing and stopping the use of bleach just because it can be used in a harmful manner? Most certainly not! God never taught his people to uphold oppressive systems. There are many issues that are presented in the Bible that do not fit our current culture like women’s rights, violent punishment, polygamy, etc. But that is where the science of exegesis comes into play. We must treat God’s word as it is, the word of God. We take the word, examine the author, context, history, literary genre, and bring out the meaning that God has intended. We then apply it to our time and culture today. I am going to stop here because I feel like I am rambling and want to make sure that you understand or leave room for questions.
I encourage everyone to check out this video speaking about race relations. It is very powerful and insightful. There is a very hateful sermon mentioned in this article by a Church of Christ. I want you to know that we wholeheartedly disagree with the stance of the sermon. It is both mentioned in this panel and here at this LINK.
Jesus proves to be the strongest force in the face of the demon possessed man and societal influence. He can do the same for the black community today.
God asks his prophet if it is OK for Him to be God. He then shows the difference in judgment of humanity and that of God.
On account of our first quarantined Mother's Day I send a bit of encouragement through the fictional Mother's Day Card from Jesus to his mother Mary.
God has called us to more than just mere existence. We have a purpose right now according to the plan of God. His will, will be done with or without you.
When the end of our trouble(s) seems to far to even consider or be real and our heart is causing our faith to waiver, we are dared to be consistent in our trust of God and His salvation.
In the face of adversity it is important to face the facts with God, remember who God is, and remember God is in control.
There is an avenue in which you can express your why's to God in protest and suffering. We must remember to have double vision, our reality is very real but so is his heavenly reign. Seeing with double vision allows us to exist in the WHY.
Suffering is inevitable and when it comes we should not suppress it but internalize and trust God with it.
This is the first sermon in our 2020 quarterly sermon series “Christians First”. In this sermon we examine why Christianity is valuable, not only eternally but today!
This is our singles sermon that is a part of our family series. As a single person you may often look at your life as being “less than” but I have news for you! You’re doing better than you think! But before you go looking to be in a relationship make sure you are an Eligible Candidate before becoming a Presiding Man or First Lady!
In our 2020 family series "First Family" we take a look at the Presiding Man & the First Lady. What are the roles of the husband and wife? What should their union look like?
In today’s sermon we take a look at Psalm 119 and ask ourselves the question… Do we want to be happy? There’s a happiness that is far from what our definitions are and God has defined it a long time ago. Find out how you can be happy and what it takes to have real happiness!
Here are a few sermons that came out clearly from my mobile recordings at the 45th annual Texas State Lectureship.
Here are a few sermons that came out clearly from my mobile recordings at the 45th annual Texas State Lectureship.
Here are a few sermons that came out clearly from my mobile recordings at the 45th annual Texas State Lectureship.
Here are a few sermons that came out clearly from my mobile recordings at the 45th annual Texas State Lectureship.
Here are a few sermons that came out clearly from my mobile recordings at the 45th annual Texas State Lectureship.
What does it take to “Do”? In this portion of our mission statement we challenge every member of the Ave. G Church of Christ to become active outside of this building. In a world pressed for time for all the wrong reasons that takes effort! I would go even further to emphasize that it takes intentional effort. To Do More is not something that will just happen as many suppose with the Big Bang Theory, it takes effort, intent, and design. God has the design we MUST apply intent and effort. So what does this look like today? Let’s delve in deeper
Here is the second sermon in the “People of More” sermon series, where the Avenue G Church gets a reminder of our duty within our community as a church. This second sermon reminds us that we are to harbor excellent love and fellowship with each other if we want to have a chance to change the world! Take a listen!
This is the first sermon of 2020 as we take a look at who we are taking a look at the Avenue G mission statement of People of More. Our first sermon is focused on the first of four “Learn More”. Let us start out the year with a bang!
When thinking about love it is one of the most talked about commands and ideas of the Bible. If a minister has little time to prepare for a sermon, he will more than likely prepare a sermon on love. But what about the church and love among them? At the Ave G. CoC we have the mission statement of People of More. The second phase of it involves the love of brothers and sisters in Christ. This love focuses on the horizontal and vertical love, that is the love shown towards God and each other within the church. It is pointless to try to show a love toward the lost if we cannot show it towards each other. So this week while looking at this concept the word fellowship made an appearance. It is a multifaceted word in that it is used to describe a lot of different things in God’s word. It is used to describe contribution by Paul in the second epistle to Corinth, it is used to describe sharing as in our text in Acts, and it is used to describe a community with commonality. Let’s take a closer look at these.
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Here is the last sermon of our 2019 theme of Forgiven. In this sermon we examine the possibility and the importance of letting go of the past to become exactly what God would have you to be.
If traditions were a sword they would be a double edged sword. In the church they can cut in two ways. There are those ways in which they can hurt and those ways in which they help. I always recall the story of the white table cloth. I was told a boot a church that had an issue. When they would have communion there was a white table cloth on top, until there was a't. When the church came together on this day for communion people lost their minds! I know it sounds foolish but let's look at both sides.
You may be thinking that a tablecloth being removed shouldn't be a big issue but it was. And it hurt people! Something that they believed to be right was changed without their permission! No one explained they just changed things. Anger of course is a natural response along with confusion. This tradition ended up hurting the body and causing unity to disappear.
But when you look on the other side of this tradition it cuts in a much different way. I recently had someone explain church traditions to me in this way. They explained that traditions are a means of passing on or continuing our beliefs. This table. cloth represented how sacred, holy, special, and important Communion was. This tablecloth reminded folks of the importance of what was about to take place.
Today we are engaging in a lot of traditional methods of our past From the bell telling the church that worship is about to begin to the use of song books and actually reading scripture from our Bibles instead of a screen! These things aren't always a cause for pain and strife but pass on important aspects of faith. Let us continue to remember the traditions of the past for the right reasons and find ways to pass on our beliefs.
I remember hearing as a young person the adult class Sunday school teacher always proclaim “There’s a different devil for every level!” or something similar to that. Over the course of many years I would internalize that and it was very helpful in my life especially in the realm of education. I know that the saying was used to speak about how as we grow things don’t get easier they get harder but it has really been useful to me in terms of career. Every time I have planned and mapped out my life there, took the steps to get to where I was going, and then have God give it to me, I have faced a another devil.
Kanye West isn’t the only one with a new fire gospel album! Our brother up north Gerald M Burnett Sr. released a gospel album recently and I can honestly say that it is the best one that I have heard in a long time!
Bro. Rowe preaching his second sermon titled “The Eyes”. Enjoy and encourage more sermons from our brother in Christ.
It is the refrain of every lower grade teacher in every school with linoleum floors, “Walk don’t run!” I remember the energy and desire in elementary to HAVE to tag someone before it was too late! To hear the words “You’re it!” was unbearable so often times in order not to be “it” I had to chase someone, touch them, and then run away so as to not ever “it” again. And in doing so the authority figures in the school did not understand that I HAD to run!
Simone Biles at the age of 22 years old is the most decorated gymnast in the history of the sport! This young woman can do things that would hurt most people to even think about! But there is a reason as to why she can do what she can do. She is a hard-working athlete that probably eats nasty yet healthy food! She does this because she wants to take care of her body! I remember a very intense game of Guesstures where I pulled the word flip and I turned a cartwheel! My ankles screamed silently within my body.
In this first sermon series we begin a new 7 week sermon series in partnership with the Western Hills Church of Christ. We see in this first sermon that we are all runners and that we don’t run alone!
How to Run
Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! The Message: the Bible in contemporary language (Heb 12:1–3).
Things to Consider
The Hebrew writer states in Hebrews 12:1 “...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us…”. It is important to understand that with running the race of life one must let go of some weight. This means that there may be some itching. There may be a desire to go back to doing the same things that once distracted our attention away from our race. Do not quit! One method that I have found to work wonders are spiritual disciplines. There are several ways to engage in this activity. There are several options available to choose from including; Prayer, Fasting, Journaling, Learning, Silence and Solitude, etc. A great resource to learn more about spiritual disciplines can be found in the book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney. You can purchase online by clicking here! Do not be discouraged, the itching is only temporary and with intentional righteousness that itch will soon disappear.
Training PlanWeekly WorkoutMonday* What does it mean to be a witness? * In what way can you be a witness today?
Tuesday* What is impeding you from running your best race? * Make a list of weights that you hope to get rid of over the course of the next 7 weeks! * Bonus: Find a trusted person to hold you accountable!
Wednesday* Find the time to pray to at least 10 times today. Have several conversations with God about sins you know easily trip you up.
Thursday* List 10 ways to keep an extreme focus on Jesus. (Feel the burn!)
Friday* Be courageous! If provided the opportunity today face adversity with courage and joy
Saturday* Go outside for at least 20 minutes today and look for evidence of God’s creating power that you did not witness firsthand. * Read Genesis 4:1-16
The Hebrew writer states in Hebrews 12:1 “...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us…”. It is important to understand that with running the race of life one must let go of some weight. This means that there may be some itching.
I purposely avoided the case. I wanted to be free from the emotions that I knew would come. I didn't want my mind clouded by what others had to say. Yes another young African American had been killed. Yes he was a member of the Church of Christ. But I did not want to be controlled by the posts of other folks. I did a good job too! I dodged questions and comments about the case but someone sent me a text that she was found guilty. Shock overcame me! It was the same feeling that I felt when Obama won the election. I was too scared to feel good about it. I, being pessimistic, knew that something was going to go wrong.
This was our third sermon in the thematic sermon series based on our 2019 theme “Forgiven”.
No truer words have been spoken than those found in Proverbs 18:22 “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord.” A wife is an important and influential piece to the puzzle that is a family. As we have found from reading the word of God a prudent wife is from the Lord (Pr. 19:14). A wife from God will not only lead to a husband being a godly leader but will also be a support system for him.
In this sermon series we take a look at the office of a deacon. I hope that you came back for PM worship to get the second half of this sermon!
Good, better, best… You may have heard of a quote that is sometimes falsely attributed to St. Jerome. When looking at this in several different scenarios you can start to get a feeling for what is being discussed here. Pork chops are good, T-bone steaks are better, but filet mignon is the best! For the basketball lovers you may say Charles Barkley was good, Hakeem Olajuwon was better, but Jordan was the best! Or if you’re looking at purses you may say Guess is good, Michael Kors is better, but Fendi is the best! I have no idea, I just did a Google search on purses and Fendi had a purse that was well over $5k! No lie! Now think about this thought for a moment. When given a choice of good, better, and best… Which would you choose? Unless you are a consistent contrarian or angry because I didn’t say Lebron was the best you are going to choose for yourself THE BEST! Upon reading a passage of scripture from Luke this week I found that there may be times when we choose good and better when God has offered THE BEST! Check out the text below.
Every 1st Wednesday we have a singing and praying service in which we sing some favorites, learn some new ones, read Psalms, and pray to God! It was recorded this past week and I thought I would share. This week was so good that we kept singing well after the dismissal prayer! All songs are not included but here are some of what you missed if you were not here on this past Wednesday!
Some words make us very nervous. Among the world’s most nerve-racking words are the simple little words, “all” and “every.” Whenever someone dares use such words, objectors are quick to offer possible exceptions, so as to take the edge off these words. So if someone says, “Every church needs elders,” there are bound to be people who object. That’s why I pray you’ll not object too quickly and you’ll let me explain why every church needs elders.
In this sermon we take a look at ourselves and see what God sees. Have our lives caused us to be in a distraught and destitute position? Do we have a way to salvation after this life? Are we in a situation that we cannot get ourselves out of? Or are we overly focused on things that don’t matter and miss what is really important? Jesus can fix all of that and more! We have become slaves to the conditions we have created, only God through Jesus can set us free!
We can try as hard as we may but we do NOT have the power to grant immediate freedom! But God does! God through Jesus grants a woman IMMEDIATE freedom upon the proclamation of Jesus in Luke 13:10-17!
This week we ask the question “What if we were known for what Snapchat was known for?”. How would we be looked upon by our brothers and sisters? How would those who don’t believe in Christ look at us? How would we view ourselves? And most importantly how would God see us? How bad is sexual immorality?
So you clicked the link with the forbidden word huh? Come here to see what interesting things are said about the word that must not be uttered in company?! Here for the tea? Well you are in luck because the article is speaking about what it says. There are many types of immoral actions but the topic of this week deals in the arena of sexual immorality. The word Immoral is defined as not conforming to accepted standards of morality. And if we must go further morals are concerned with what is right or wrong in human behavior. So in 2019 we must ask ourselves the question “When is sex right?”. I see many views about this. Some believe sex to be a disgusting act to never be discussed. There are others who rate it as the worst sin of all. And then there are others who see it as a complex topic that changes depending on context. I tend to go with the latter.
Don’t get me wrong I as a Christian strongly believe that sex outside of the confines of marriage is sin. But I also do not have memory problems and forget that I too was guilty of the same sin that I am strongly against. But I have to decide in what way I will speak about and treat others who are guilty of the same sin I have engaged in. There is a culture that exists that shames those who have committed these sins and ignores others. And I believe that type of thought has created a great divide. There are those who have taken sexual immorality and have formed hardened hearts that often say “I may as well keep on doing what I am doing because I am going to hell anyway”. And there are those who are silently committing the sin and cannot fix it because of fear of shame imposed upon them by others. And yes there are those who read two scriptures and make silly arguments that we also shouldn’t be eating shellfish and wearing clothing with mixed materials but those folks don’t take Bible study seriously and often ignore context so we’ll keep them out of this. But I believe that I was destined to write this post as I have experienced both sides of this great divide. I have been in the camp of Y.O.L.O and I have also been in the camp of “too ashamed to do anything about it”. And here’s what I have found.
Too Ashamed: This was the first camp that I arrived in. I had literally stumbled upon sexual immorality, experienced it, felt shamed, but was now hooked. I knew that I was wrong I wanted to fix it but I did not want to talk about it with others who were not as dirty as I felt. I had a great church family but that was it, they were great and I was not. And in addition to that I grew up in an era that at times was very heavy on damnation and light on grace and salvation. There was no way I was going to seek help and be found to be a heathen. I would simply fix the issue on my own. And that is when I matured enough to be welcomed into the Y.O.L.O camp.
Y.O.L.O: You Only Live Once is the meaning… Living in this camp was very appealing to me as a human being because it meant that I could do as I desired. If I desired to engage in sexual sin with a woman or go to strip clubs that is exactly what I would do. In my mind people had already written me off and I might as well do what I enjoyed. The outcome of this was extreme yet very brief fun. There was an enjoyment in living this way but it never lasted. And it seemed the more and more I engaged in these sinful acts the more extreme things I had to do in order to experience the level of enjoyment I had from the first time. This type of living did not end well. I eventually had an alarming wake up call where God showed me how much control I actually had over my life. Spoiler Alert: I had none, He had all!
I recall 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 often being quoted and it dug in to my soul! I just knew I was going to hell! I knew God was going to do some serious damage to me! Check it out for yourselves!
I was terrified even more because I was usually presented this scripture from people who wore H.T.T Glasses. You’ve never heard of these? Their designer and can only be worn by a select group of people they are Holier Than Thou Glasses. And when people with these glasses look at scripture they often read God’s word a bit different and present it differently. I have found a scientific way to show you all what they see when they read the same passage above.
Amazing right?!! Certain words are highlighted, others are too small to read, and some are even crossed out or made into unintelligible characters to ignore what is being said to the individual. In addition to that with the H.T.T. Glasses 1 Corinthians 6 only had two verses! OK I’m only joking about the glasses. But what I found over time, bumping my head, and maturing a bit was this.
We have to be careful with how we deal with others and sin. No matter who we are we must remember that we do NOT rank sin. It is not our place to rank sin. Yes we do judge righteously, we don’t allow our Christian brothers and sisters to kill themselves. But we do so in a loving way. We cannot pick and choose portions of God’s word to live by and ignore. It is either all good and useful or we begin to put on our second face. Also we must be diligent students of scripture. While in the letter written by Paul he does in fact speak about sexual immorality (sex before marriage, cheating spouses, homosexuality) as being wrong it also speaks of other sins as being just as wrong. He also speaks of idolaters, theives, greedy folks, those who get tipsy/drunk, slanderers/gossipers, and robbers (those taking things by force) in the same category. And if we continue reading the letter written to a group of Christians in the very next verse there is hope for ALL! Even the sexual immoral condemned by those who rank sin.
1 Corinthians 6:11 (NKJV)
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
Paul reminds them that they use to engage in some of those things and were heading in the same direction. Sexual immorality was not too nasty to talk about in a letter to a church. It was a real issue that real people dealt with! I am not ashamed of what God has done for me through Jesus! Because what I found was that I could not do it by myself. The more I tried, the more I messed up until my mind was inoperable! Any sane person when they are doing wrong feel guilt. And that guilt that I felt I could not do anything with it. I tried many different ways. I tried to ignore it but it would creep up on me at the most inopportune times. I tried to cover it with other things but it was strong and would rise up! It was not until I allowed God to relieve me of it that it was finally gone. I was holding onto this idea of other holy people not accepting me and missed the big picture. God is the one who has a heaven to put me in. God is the one who I serve. He is the one who can wash me, sanctify, and justify me! And He did! He can do the same for you!
JOIN US THIS SUNDAY AS WE DISCUSS SEXUAL IMMORALITY. IF YOU MISS US LISTEN TO THE SERMON ON OUR PODCAST “AVE G COC”
What if you were your favorite social media platform? What if you portrayed the characteristics it was most known for or what it causes? How then would God see you?
In the month of June I was invited by the Crestview Church of Christ in Temple and their minister Carlos Davis to speak at their annual Homecoming and Gospel Meeting. The theme was “Freedom in Christ” and I was given the topic of “In God We Trust”. Please enjoy the message from the word of God.
In our 6th week the sermon series continued at the Western Hills Church of Christ. Lane Luttrell brought a message from God inspired by the Marvin Gaye Classic "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". Take a listen and enjoy!
On the 5th week of this sermon series Bro. J.K. Hamilton of the Mountain View Church of Christ blessed us with his message inspired by the Bee Gee’s song “How Deep Is Your Love”. It challenges us as Christians to take an inward look at our love and how it is shown.
In our culture today as Christians we could all use a little FOCUS! We exist in a culture enamored by distractions. We cannot see that we are citizens of heaven because priority belongs to being citizens of the U.S.A. We cannot hear wisdom because the chimes of our texts and emails. We cannot understand the word of God because we are in a frenzy caused by fear of current events! If we’re being honest with ourselves our focus is a off!
On this week we take the theme from camp and mix it with our July sermon series "At The Movies". We have taken movie titles and pulled a theme or message from the movie and have used it to present a message from God. Today the movie selected was "A Beautiful Mind". We take a look at the second chapter of Philippians where Paul explains the mind of Christ. We also had a wonderful song service on this week and I was asked by Bro. Joshua Williams to share those songs. The mic doesn't always pick up the sound of the audience collectively but everyone was spirit filled on this week and it showed.
On the second week of our At The Movies sermon series we take a look at a very familiar movie, The Lion King. In this sermon we take a look at Daniel in the Lion’s den facing certain death! But because of his courage and faithfulness as a child of God he has nothing to worry about as the king of lion’s keeps their mouths shut! What has God protected you from?
Do you know Jesus? We will undoubtedly read this and answer yes immediately to the question. But do we absolutely, positively, undoubtedly, know Jesus? Our youth who attended the 2019 Leadership Camp were familiarized with him for all of last week! They got to know about His power, love, struggle, mind, and salvation! To know all is to know Jesus! Paul writes in the Philippian hymn about all of these things and how they personify and help us to know Jesus even in 2019! Coming to The Leadership Camp for two years I have seen Jesus from the staff to the campers! It was an amazing week that flew by fast! And God even blessed us to see 60 degree weather in July! This week was full of highlights that I tried to capture in photos and videos but you’ll have to ask and have conversations with myself, Josh, and the campers who attended. Ask them what stood out to them. Ask them what they know now that they did not know before. Ask them if they got to know Jesus a bit better this weekend! I encourage you to help your child by sending them to this camp next year!
It's dark, your vision is impaired, stability is in question, and you're unsure of when it will end. Many of us have experience driving in heavy rain on the highway. I travel back and forth to school from Temple to A.G.S.T and a couple of months back I was truly terrified! On my way back one evening I drove into a thunderstorm. Everything became black as night and the roads began to change as if I were driving on top of a body of water. The car was moving side to side because of the wind and no matter how high the windshield wipers were turned up my vision was impaired. The only thing that I could make out were the hazard lights of those in front of me and the strips on the road. Those strips illuminated the path that I had to stay on. I prayed and I asked God to bless me to make it through. Now that I had prayed it was time for me to do my part. I slowed down so that I could maneuver the car in case I lost track to regain it, I turned on my high beams in order to see the strips on the road so that I could stay in my lane, and I slowly proceeded with caution. Usually on a clear day I would zip back to Temple now that the speed limit is 75 but today I had to be content that I was safe and take my time going through the storm until I made it through. Well guess what?!! I made it through! And what seemed like an hour was only about 15 minutes! I learned something that day when I faced the toughest storm I had ever driven through. I couldn't simply speed through the storm because I could kill myself. I couldn't pray the storm away either. I had to endure through the storm. I had to adapt to the storm. I had to learn to drive and progress, no matter how slowly, through it. I learned to be patient through the storm because it would eventually be over.
The singing was so good on the 4th week we went ahead and included it before the sermon. Enjoy the singing and the message of Bro. Walter Williams!
The forgiveness present among humanity is much larger than what we see. We are a part of a larger scheme designed by God.
We have here our fourth sermon in the sermon series titled The Gospel: According to Michael Jackson. In this lesson we use the song by Michael Jackson called “I Want You Back” in order to teach what to do when we decide that we want to be back in relationship with God. God has not left you or forsaken you, it is usually us that leave God and when we are ready to come back God is willing to take us back. Listen up as we finish up our sermon series.
I am guilty of being a YouTube binge watcher and one of the most interesting channels that I subscribe to is Odd Tinkering. I love this channel with a passion because it shows someone taking what would be garbage to one person and making it of use again. One of my most favorite episodes I watched from this channel showed the creator take an old Super Nintendo video game system that had yogurt spilled on the inside, it was discolored, and not working properly. The man took this unit and with much care and detail took it apart, cleaned what seemed to be every piece, fixed the plastic pieces that had been discolored by age, and made new what was broken! I’ve slotted the video to pickup at the point in which he shows the damage before and shortly after shows what is restored and better than its previous state! Check it out below.
Click HERE to see the before and after!
What we see here is the type of process that we can offer to others. In our first sermon for our 2019 sermon series we took a very close look at the forgiveness of God and this Sunday, June 30th we take a look at the Forgiveness of Others. There is no doubt that there have been people in your life who have wronged you in major ways. Some people may look at your situation and tell you that it is nothing based on what they went through but it is still very real nonetheless. When we are betrayed, persecuted, mentally/physically abused, and sometimes even left for dead it destroys relationships. It is bad enough to have someone do you wrong but when we allow the offense to destroy our relationship it is worse! In the life of a Christian relationships are important. Christianity is not the way of life for someone who enjoys being a hermit. Christians encourage each other to continue when we feel like giving up, we lift each other up when we are down, we lovingly correct when our heads don’t fit through the door. We are family! But when we fail to forgive relationships begin to break down. They become discolored and don’t resemble what God originally intended for them to be! Then all of a sudden what used to be a beautiful creation by God for the world to see has become nothing to mimic let alone look at! If we don’t have loving relationships with each other then why would anyone want to be a part of the family of God? If God’s family is the same as any other dysfunctional family then why would someone choose God’s family over their own?
I am sure that a lot of you reading are like me and have played a part in not always forgiving. Let me give you the best definition of forgiveness that I have found taken from The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary “Forgiveness is the wiping out of an offense from memory; it can be effected only by the one affronted. Once eradicated, the offense no longer conditions the relationship between the offender and the one affronted, and harmony is restored between the two.” When relationships are destroyed they become like the old yogurt filled Super Nintendo, useless to no one and lacking purpose. But when the person who was offended chooses to allow the love of God to run through them and extend towards the offender… Watch God work! It is not an easy process! You may have to take apart the situation just like the man in the video took apart the Nintendo to see how bad the damage was. You may have to ask yourself some tough questions like “Why was I so offended by the offender and the offense?” “What was God’s purpose in allowing the offense?” “How can a mended relationship between me and the offender work for the purpose of the kingdom?” And once we go through the process of looking into that situation we, the offended must make a choice to no allow the offense to alter relationship ever again! That’s heavy lifting for someone who was the victim right? That is hard work for someone who was innocent! Just remember what Jesus did and it’ll come together. Just as Jesus was successful we can be too! God gives us the tools to not only restore but improve the relationship that existed before. Come out Sunday and let us take a look at what God has revealed to us in his word! Let us turn these nasty dying/dead relationships into something the world can look at for hope!
“Trying to live without your love
Is one long sleepless night
Let me show you girl
That I know wrong from rightEvery street you walk on
I leave tear stains on the ground
Following the girl
I didn't even want around
(Let me show you now)Oh, baby, give me one more chance
(To show you that I love you)
Won't you please let me
Back in your heart
Oh, darling, I was blind to let you go
(Let you go baby)
But now since I see you in his arms
(Ohh) (bum, bum, bum, bum-buh-bum, bum)”
Who remembers the 11 year old Michael Jackson singing about lost love? The song titled I Want You Back is a classic! It will never die as it has been sampled so many times in so many genre’s of music. This song speaks about someone taking for advantage the love of another and once the reality of life without that love exists, it hits like a ton of bricks! This song is much like our relationship with God. We have all at one point in time sinned and gone against the command of God intentionally. Knowing full well that He loved us enough to send his son to die on a cross for us! But once we shun Him and live in sin we soon will realize that life on the other side is not all it’s cracked up to be! I want to talk about that eye opening moment and what we need to do today to get BACK with God! Because He most definitely wants YOU back!
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