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Sunday 9/5/10 Pastor Alex sermon- Becoming One, Unity Gen 2;24, Deut 6;6-7, II Cor 6;14, Titus 2;4-9, John 17;25 Eccle 4;12

1) Unity is Power- Being together as One is Power. The world knows Jesus was sent by God thru Unity. So many churches are struggling with division. Folks hate authority and satan uses this to divide the church. We should not team up with  any unbelievers. Don’t be unequally yoked. Don’t get into a legal contract with any unbelievers that don’t believe in Jesus. There will be no unification about the basic principles of Jesus with unbelievers.
We need to do things God’s way by discovering what scripture says about an issue and do what He said. We should not resist coming before God to ask for help with our issues and not be double minded about it.

2)You are Going to Reflect Something. We see ourselves in our children and they reflect our ways. If we are doing the Christ thing then they will show this Gal 5;16-25. If we walk in the Spirit then we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. The battle is between the Spirit and the flesh. The flesh works fornication, adultery, witchcraft, idolatry, anger etc.
vs. 25 If we live by the Spirit then we should walk in the Spirit. Walking in the Spirit means we know the Spirit dwells in us and the Spirit is 100% God. We don’t need to pray for patience cause the Spirit has 100% of God’s patience. When we need patience and temperance, its because we are walking in the flesh.
II Cor13;4-7 Love is patient, kind. God is Love. Love is not jealous, boastful, or demanding its own way. Love doesn’t hold grudges. We must confess ourselves daily, confess our flesh daily. We need to ask God to change us.

3)Be Creative, Not Boring-  Live life as a Christian creatively, not boringly. Let our children and others see us living life God’s way with joy and happiness. We can do this by living thru the Word of God. Deut 6;-7,Titus 2;4, II Timothy 2;12 We should be excited about Jesus, church and going to Heaven to be with God Forever- Eternally!!

Amen

Why Do We Suffer?
Psalm 89-90; Romans 14

Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Isaiah 53:10-11

We struggle when we think that we will have to experience "trials of various kinds." Various kinds of trials invariably come with suffering. It does not take much effort to see that there is so much suffering, but we wonder why do Christians have to experience it when Jesus came to give us life abundantly? We frequently forget that the abundant life starts here, amidst all the suffering. We all know that there are more ways to suffer than just physically. Mental, emotional and circumstantial events can all bring aspects of suffering. At any given time, we could be faced with a serious trial by any one of these means. Why would God allow that to happen?
 
The word Christian means "little Christ." As Christians, we are not greater than our Master and His call on earth was to suffer. The NIV says that He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3) Jesus was filled with all the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace) while suffering and in sorrow. That is the goal of the Christian's life. Despite all the emotional, mental, physical, circumstantial torment, we have love, joy, peace, patience--through it all.

The rain falls on the just and unjust alike. It fall on the saved and the unsaved. We are not spared from trials because we are Christians. But it is through the everyday issues of life that we are changed into Christ-likeness because of them. Jesus is our example as well as our intercessor who knows and understands whatever we are facing. Turn to face Him, knowing that the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

I want to share a bible study that a guest in our church brought to us... it was OUTSTANDING!!   

I'm going to post the pictures now and then add the comments later. 

Busy weekend, I am picking up Matthew West and group at the airport on Sunday morning.  Driving them to a concert in Schaumburg, IL for Phil's Friends Walkfest2010.

http://www.philsfriends.org/10260/event/event_id/206280/Walkfest_2010

I will also be meeting the other bands, Superchick, John Reuben, Bread of Stone, Luminate and more.  philsfriends.org is a great organization, and truly brings a sense of ease into one’s life is by delivering God’s Word.

thank you 4 sharing this!!  i have studied hebrew briefly but i never knew about the word pictures.   AMAZING!!  God is so good

 FINISH THE RACE

saul of tarsus

roman empire

35 A.D.

ananias!

the voice was clear. yes lord, ananias answered.

go over to straight street, to the house of judas. when you arrive, ask for a man from tarsus. his name is saul. he has just had a vision in which he saw a man named ananias come and lay hands on him so he could see again.

but lord, ananias exclaimed, everybodys been talking about this man and the terrible things he has done to believers in jerusalem. and now he's shown up here in damascus with papers from the chieff priest, authorizing him to arrest every believer in town!

but jesus said, go! ive picked saul as my personal representative to take my message to the gentiles, to kings, and to the people of israel. i am about to show him what he must suffer for my name.

ananias obeyed jesus and found saul. he laid his hands on him and said, brother saul, the lord jesus, whom you saw on your way here, sent me so you can see again and be filled with the holy spirit. instantly, something like scales fell from sauls eyes, and he could see again. he got up, was baptised, and then sat down and ate a hearty meal.

saul stayed with the believers in damascus for a few days. then he went right o work, preaching in the meeting places, saying jesus really is the son of god.

everyone who heard him was amazed. isnt this the same man who persecuted jesus' followers so badly in jerusalem? didnt he come here to drag even more christians off to jail?

every day, sauls preaching got more powerful. soon the jews in demascus couldnt argue with him or refute his proofs that jesus was the messiah. after a while, they decided to kill saul, but he found out there plot. he escaped the city by being lowered over the city wall in a basket.

back in jerusalem, saul tried to join the disciples, but they didnt trust him yet. then barnabas, a trusted friend of theres spoke on his behalf, the lord dramatically revealed himself to saul on the road to damascus. since then, saul has laid his life on the line, boldly preaching in the synagogues in jesus' name. after that the disciples accepted saul as one of them.

saul preached boldly in the name of the lord all over jerusalem. when the jews there attempted to kill him, the other believers got him safely out of town, took him to caesarea, and then to his home town of tarsus.

it was gods plan for saul to write the bible, not to die as a zealous new convert.

in the years that followed saul, who had changed his name to paul, escaped death repeatedly. an angry mob in iconium tried to stone him along with his friend barnabas, but they escaped to lystra. another time, the jews from iconium who were chasing paul and barnabas were able to turn a murderous mob against them. they stoned paul and dragged him out of the city, leaving him for dead. but when the disciples stood around him, paul was able to get up and walk back into the city. the next morning saul and barnabas left for darbe.

time and again, paul was caught, and time and again, he escaped. he was thrown in prison in philippi, but in the night god sent an earthquake. the prison doors were opened and pauls left chain fell off. later, he was imprisoned in jerusalem until 40 men swore to neither eat or drink until they saw paul dead. when the romans found out, they moved him to caesarea. he was jailed there for 2 years, and then sent to rome to be tried before caesar. on the way he survived a shipwreck only to be bittin by a deadly, poisonous snake. paul shook off the snake into the fire, preached the gospel and many were saved.

in a letter to the church in corinth, paul gives a brief account of all his sufferings. i have worked harder, been put in jail more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. five different times the jews gave me thirty lashes. three times i had been beaten with rods. once i was stoned. three times i was shipwrecked. once i spent the whole night and day adrift at sea.

i have traveled many weary miles. i have faced danger from flooded rivers and from robbers. i have faced danger from my own people, jews, as well as some gentiles. i have faced danger in the citys, the deserts, and on the stormy seas. and i have faced danger from men who claim to be christians and are not. i have lived with weariness and pain and sleepless nights. often i have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food. often i have shivered with cold, without enough cloth to keep me warm.

paul survived this and finally reached rome around 55A.D. there he was put under house arrest intill his trail before ceasar. most ancient writers agree that, although nearly all his friends left him, he defended himself before ceasar so cleverly that he was set free for a time. after more missionary journeys, he was again arrested, and by this time, being a follower of jesus carried a death penalty.

as pauls execution drew near, god prepared his heart. he wrote his spiritual son timothy, now the time has come for me to die, my life is like a drink offering being poured out on the altar. i have faught well, i have finished the race, and i have been faithful so a crown will be givin to me for pleasing the lord.

finally paul was sentanced to death. because he was a roman citizen, he was not tortured like so many of the believers were during nero's reign, but was beheaded outside the city. he was approximately 64 years old.

isnt this story so amazing boardies i love reading about paul the acts is one of my favorite books along with the gospel of john  i love them all but these tend to show the power of jesus and his power on how he works through people aman

i hope you all had a blessed day today boardies i love you all and to that note.

jesus freaks know god well enough to know his will for there lives and when that will is accomplished. paul knew he had finished his race and it was allright for him to go home to be with the lord. until he knew that, he always kept his eyes of faith looking for god's grace to either deliver him, help him endure, and even raise him from the dead he refused to quit uuntil he had won

here is your song

Steven Curtis Chapman - The Great Adventure (Concept Video)	Small | Large

 
god bless you and jesus loves you all aman

your friend and brother with wife

john and darlene
 

 PREACHING FROM THE ROOFTOPS!!!:)

james, the just

jerusalem, israel

63 A.D.

james looked down from where he stood, balanced carefully at the highest point of the temple in jerusalem. far below, he could see that the streets were filled with people. it was passover, and the jews from all over the known world had come to the holy city.

a hand grabed his arm, pulling him of balance. get on with it! a voiced threatened. behind him, a safe distance from the dangerous ledge stood the chief preist, scribes, and pharisees. deny that jesus of nazareth is the messiah! before all these people, deny that jesus was the son of god and that he was resurrected from the dead, they demanded.

james the just was one of jesus' younger brothers, as was jude. it appears that james was skeptical of jesus' claims during his ministry as was the rest of jesus' family, until he saw jesus alive again after his crucifixion and resurrection. james never backed away from following jesus after that.

james risked another glance at the street below. many of the people down there knew him. for 30 years, he had been the bishop of the church in jerusalem. during that time, he wrote a book in the bible, the epistle of james. he had openly preached jesus as the messiah and the resurrected son of god on almost every street corner. how could he deny what he had seen with his own eyes, heard with his own ears, and touched with his own hands. his risin lord?

through his preaching, his prayers, and his example, james converted many people to christ. he was on his bare knees so often, whorshiping god and praying for forgiveness for the sins of the people, that his knees became numb and calloused, like the knees of a camel. this also earned him the nickname james the just. he was respected by everyone, even many who opposed what he taught and believed.

feeling threatened by the rapid growth of the church, the chief priest, scribs, and pharisees came up with a plan. they would force this well known church leader to deny his faith before the multitude. but james refused to cooperate.

from his place at the top of the temple, he preached with more boldness than ever. every person in the crowd below looked up as he proclaimed jesus is the promised messiah!!

he is sitting at the right hand of god, and shall come again in the clouds of heaven, to judge the quick and the dead.

when the crowd below saw his courage and heard his bold words, they loudly praised god and magnified the name of jesus. enraged, two or more of the religious leaders jumped forward and pushed james of the temple roof.

miraculously, james was not killed by the fall, only his legs were broken. then the priests, scribes, and pharisees said, lets stone the just man james. they picked up rocks to stone him to death. james, kneeling on his broken legs, prayed, lord forgive them for thay know what not they are doing. one of the priests, when heard james praying begged the others to stop, saying, what are we doing? the just is praying for us. stop stoning! stop the stoning!!

while he was shouting this another man ran up with a big, heavy stick in his hand and struck james in the head. james died instantly from the blow, still in prayer.

god bless you boardies i love you all so much he is another blessed story of a brother in christ that was very close to our lord jeus christ yoiu are all a blessing and a joy to me aman. i got plenty more for you

martyr (mar' ter) n.[< from the greek word witness]

1) one who chooses to suffer death rather than to deny jesus christ or his work.

2) one who bears testimony to the truth of what he has seen or heard or knows, as in witness in a court of justice.

3) one who sacrifices something important to further the kingdom of god.

4) one who endures severe or constant suffering for there christian witness.

5) JESUS FREAK!!!!!

 

i like that  i thought it was cool aman

here is your song boardies

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK8QqNpx5WE
 
god bless you boardies jesus loves you aman

your friend and brother with wife

john and darlene
 

 NOT SO BLIND CHANG!!!!


   
chang shen

mainland china

1890

chang shen was known to the villages in the surrounding areas as( wu so pu wei te), meaning one without a particle of good in him. he was a gambler and a theif, a womanizer who had driven his wife and daughter from there home. the towns people said it was the judgement of the gods for his evildoings when he was stricken with blindness.

as always, though, chang cared little what the towns people said. when he had heard there was a hospital run by missionaries in another province and that these missionary doctors could operate on a person and their sight would be restored, he had to go and find out. though he was completely blind at the time, he traveled houndreds of miles to the hospital in the hope of regaining his sight. yet when he arrived, he was turned away, being told every bed in the hospital was full.

however, the hospital evangelist was so moved by changs determination to get to the hospital that he gave chang his own bed. after treatment chang's natural eye sight was partially restored, but what he had heard in the hospital opened eyes that chang didnt know he had. spiritual eyes. this man who had not a particle of good in him" heard the gospel and accepted jesus as his lord and savior. one doctor reported, never had we seen a patient recieve the gospel with such joy.

chang asked missionary james webster to baptize him, but webster, who had seen some fall away after such an emotional convertion, told him, go home and tell your neighbors that you have changed. i will visit you later and if you are still following jesus, then i will baptize you. webster wasnt able to visit changs village until 5 months later. when he arrived, there were more than just one seeking to be baptism, there were more than 400. chang had obviously not only told everyone that he could that he had changed, he had also told everyone he could that they could change too.

eventually chang lost his physical sight again at the hands of an unskilled native doctor, but he did not care so much since he had his spiritual sight. he could quote practically the entire new testament by heart, and many chapters from the old testament as well. this was enough sight for him. thus he took the road again, much as he had when he first sought to be healed, but now he was going out to do the healing himself. he won houndreds to the lord and only rejoiced when he was cursed and spat on by those that rejected his message. missionaries had more than a full time job following after him to baptize the new believers and orgainize churches to teach and nurture there new faith.

when the boxer rebellion broke out, many felt like chang would be the first of there targets. believers took him and hid him in mountains and caves.

the first village the boxers reached in the area was Ch'oay nagshan. they immediately rounded up 50 christians to be executed. but a resident told them, you are fools to kill all these. for everyone you kill 10 more will spring up while that chang shen lives. the only way to crush this foriegn religion is to kill him.

so the boxers said they would let them go if someone would lead them to chang.

changs response? i'll gladly die for them. again, through his supernatural sight, chang saw salvation when everyone else saw only death.

when chang arrived, local authorities took him to the temple of the god of war and demanded that he worship.

i can only worship the one true and living god, chang replied.

then repent they said!!!

i repented years ago, he told them

then believe in buddha they responded!!

i believe in the one true buddha, jesus christ!!!!

you must atleast bow to the gods!!!!

no, he said, i'll turn my face toward the sun. he knew at that time of day he was standing between the temple and the sun, so when he was turned, his back was to there gods. he knelt and lifted up a praise song to jesus. three days later chang was beheaded.

the boxers then heard a rumor that chang would rise from the dead because of the power of his god, so they had his body burned. still they feared what changs spirit would do to them if they stayed in the area, so in the end they left peacefully and quickly. because of this, all the other christians in local churches was spared.

----------------------------------------- ---------------------------
jesus loves me! he who died.

heavens gate to open wide.

he will wash away my sin,

let his little child come in.

jesus loves me he will stay,

close beside me all the way.

if i love him when i die,

he will take me home on high.

this was the praise song chang was singing on his way to be beheaded.

god bless you boardies i love you all so much and it is so nice to start writing you all storys again i pray you all had a blessed day and smile because you are all a blessing to me

here is your song for today

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKJj51C7BYA
 

 

god bless you jesus loves you aman

your a blessing and a joy

your friend and brother and his wife darlene

john