When God wants to Drill a Man

“When God wants to drill a man,

And thrill a man,

And skill a man

To play the noblest part;

When He yearns with all His heart

To create so great and bold a man

That all the world shall be amazed,

Watch His methods, watch His ways!

How He ruthlessly perfects

Whom He royally elects!

How He hammers him and hurts him,

And with mighty blows converts him

Into trial shapes of clay which

Only God understands;

While his tortured heart is crying

And he lifts beseeching hands!

How He bends but never breaks

When his good He undertakes;

How He uses whom He chooses,

And with every purpose fuses him;

By every act induces him

To try His splendor out

God knows what He’s about.”

~ Anonymous

How to Live a Blessed Life

According to Psalm 1, we can live a happy life! And the way to do so is simple and straight forward:

• WE MUST BE SEPARATED FROM THE WORLD, v 1

watch where we step, stand, and sit

• WE MUST BE SATURATED WITH THE WORD, v 2

• WE MUST BE SITUATED BY THE WATER, v 3

water is a symbol for the Spirit of God

Source: Jack May

The Face of Jesus

No one has ever seen God, but people have seen Jesus and Jesus shows us the nature of God. According the prophetic foresight of Isaiah we know something of what Jesus looks like.

1. JESUS HAS A STRONG FACE, Isaiah 50:7

2. JESUS HAS A SYMPATHETIC FACE, 53:3-4

3. JESUS HAS A SCARRED FACE, 52:14

4. JESUS HAS A STOIC FACE, 53:14

5. JESUS HAS A SAVING FACE, 45:22.

10 Truths about False Teachers

According to 2 Peter, false teachers do the following:

1. They invade the church, 2:1, 13

2. They deceive many, 2:3

3. They deny the deity of Jesus, 2:1

4. They twist scripture, 3:15; (1:20)

5. They are greedy for gain, 2:14-15

6. They are immoral, 2:3, 10, 14, 18

7. They speak evil, 2:10, 12, 18; 3:3-4

8. They are rebellious, 2:10

9. They make false promises, 2;17, 19

10. They will be destroyed, 2:1, 3, 9, 12.

The Divine Human Partnership

Saint Augustine said, “God provides the wind, man must raise the sail.”

Shofar

In scripture the sounding of the ram’s horn, the shofar, was associated with two events. Every Hebrew knew when they heard the trumpet blast it was important. One of two things were about to happen.

1. A going forth in war

2. A gathering for worship

When Jesus returns there will be a trumpet blast signaling two events, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and the Heavenly Angels bringing judgment on the wicked.

Three Steps to Being Restored to Active Ministry

Psalm 51 tells of David’s restoration to ministry. He gives us a roadmap for us to get back in the game.

1. There must be honesty about personal sin. This is so unusual because the normal thing is to blame others. We’ve got to own up to our sin and David does that. Notice how many times David says “me” and “my.” Will you and I do the same or will continue to make excuses and scapegoat others?

2. There must be confidence in God’s cleansing power. Notice the many cleansing verbs in this Psalm, blot, cleanse, wash, restore, purge, renew. Based on the perfect shed blood of Jesus, God alone has the power to remove guilt and shame regardless of how heinous our sins may be.

3. There must be an emphasis on inner purity. David’s real problem was not dirty hands or feet, bu inner corruption and that’s where we struggle too. Jesus is more concerned about our inner life than our outer show. God desires “truth in the inward parts.” This includes the heart and the spirit of a person. Outwardly we may appear clean and decent, but God is probing deep into our thoughts and affections. He wants these to be cleaned up.

David was able to come back after his moral fall. The Psalm ends with him singing, teaching, and worshiping. You and I also can come back after we have fallen. Be honest about your sin, believe that God can cleanse you, and invite the Holy Spirit to probe deep within your being.

Stepping into your Destiny

God told Abram He would give him the land of Canaan. What a moment that must have been! A promise from God, and a destiny awaiting!

What about you, has God ever given you a glimpse into your preferred future? Do you have a sense that God wants to do something bigger and better in your life? If so, how should you respond? Notice how Abram responded and learn.

1. WHEN GOD REVEALS YOUR DESTINY, THANK HIM. The first thing Abram did was worship. He built an altar and expressed his love and reverence for the great God that had led him thus far. By faith he adored the Lord and thanked him for the promises given. But them, he moved to the particulars.

2. WHEN GOD REVEALS YOUR DESTINY, ASK HIM. The Bible says after his worship Abram called upon the Lord. No doubt questions filled his mind, “How Lord can I assume possession of this land since there are peope living here? What is my course of action?!”

   The above convesation between God and Abram is based on Genesis 12:6-8. And here’s the big take-away.

Normal humans ask questions, then gain confidence. But God’s people express faith and then ask quesions. In other words, we are to advance by faith, not by knowledge. We thank God in advance then we get the answers for next steps.

The Narcissitic Preacher

A good questrion every preacher should ask is, “Who is the hero of my sermon, Jesus or me?” Far too often preachers boast about their family, their vacation, their heroics, their courage, their generosity, their cleverness, etc. “Me, me, me.” This type of preaching leaves hearers empty. It is totally uninspiring.

Consider the following;

“But when [Uzziah] was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction” (2 Ch 26:16).

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (Jas 4:6).

“I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another” (Is 42:8).

Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” (Jn 12:32).

Make much of Jesus, not yourself. True Christian preachng is all about exalting and magnifying the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is never to be self-indulgent or self-serving!

Maybe we need to get back to praying the way the old preachers used to pray, “God, hide me behind the cross.”

The Root and Offspring of David

David is a type and shadow of Jesus in many ways. From 1 Samuel 16-17, observe the following truths about both Jesus and David.

1. Born in Bethlehem in an atmospbere of fear

2. A most unlikely hero, He is sent by His Father

3. Annointed by God

4. He leaves home, initally to comfort, later for conquest

5. Favored by the people and giving gifts from the Father

6. Rejected by his own

7. Demonstrates unflappable courage and faith

8. He represents the people

9. Fights the evil forces with unconventional weapons

10. By winning a tremendous victory, He inspires God’s people