Psalm 7 of Psalms of Steel

Psalm 7 of Psalms of Steel

Proper View of Discipline

The Raising of Lazarus – John 11:1-44

The Raising of Lazarus – John 11:1-44

Over the next five days we will look at this powerful and wonderful story and the life lessons we can learn from it.  This is one of Jesus’ most heart felt accounts.  Jesus was out ministering when a note from Martha the sister of Lazarus came to Him.  It informed Him that Lazarus was very sick.  Jesus told His disciples that this sickness would not end in death and at God’s glory would come through the Son.  He loved this family but chose to stay where He was for two more days.  God’s timing is not always understood but it is always perfect .  Jesus went back Judea even though He knew the Jews there were trying to kill Him.  The will of God always has courage to face whatever challenge if presented too it.

Jesus on the way told His disciples that a person must walk while there is still light or they will stumble.  Jesus knew His time was limited.  Jesus is the Light of the world and so He must do work while there is still time and light and we must do the same.  Jesus told His disciples that Lazarus had died after they misinterpreted what Jesus said.  Jesus had told them that Lazarus had fallen asleep and Jesus was going to wake him up.  Jesus it the resurrection and the life,  Jesus told them that He was going to raise Lazarus up from the dead so that would know He is the resurrection and the life and that through this miracle they would believe.

Sin, faith and duty – Luke 17:1-10

Sin, faith and duty – Luke 17:1-10

Jesus in these verses teaches us four truths which we will look at for a moment.  People who cause sin especially little ones shall be judged harshly.  If your brother sins rebuke him.  This however must be done with the motives of love, acceptance, forgiveness and restoration.  If he repents forgive him no matter how many times he has sinned.  If a person has the faith the size of a mustard seed they can say to a tree or as Mark points out a mountain and these objects will move.  Faith moved objects and the hand of God.  We must be willing to do our duty because we are servants of the Most High God.  A soldier does not question the orders of their superior in turn we are to serve our master with faith and trust.

Dad honor your spouse

Jesus reveals the hearts of the Pharisees. – Luke 16:14-18

Jesus reveals the hearts of the Pharisees. – Luke 16:14-18

The Pharisees who loved money sneered at Jesus.  He replied, “You know that you try to justify yourself to men but God knows your heart.  He told them that the things that ate highly esteemed among men are an abomination to God.

Jesus then taught that the law and prophets were waiting for Jesus.  He stated that right now the Kingdom of God is being preached and every man is being pressed by it.  The Lord is looking for decisions right now.  The day you hear about Jesus Christ is your day of decision.  You become responsible the very moment you hear about Jesus Christ.   You are in the valley of decision.  Jesus also said that when the Kingdom of God is being preach many will try to for force their way but they will not succeed.

Jesus then stated that heaven and earth will passed away before one letter of the law will pass away.  Jesus never came to do away with the law but to fulfill it and then institute a new covenant created in and through His blood.  As one the writer of Hebrews puts it, “He gave us a new and living way.”  Today in your time of decision make sure you choose Jesus and not the law.  Choose life and not death.

A gentleman is interested in family

The Shrewd Manager - Luke 16:1-13

The Shrewd Manager - Luke 16:1-13

Jesus told His disciples a story about a manager who was caught of wasting resources.  The master brought him before himself and asked him about it.  The master then fired him so he started to think about what he could do.  He wasn’t strong enough for manual work.  So he called each one of the master’s debtors.  He then reduced their bills by 20%.  The master commended his servant for being so shrewd.  

Jesus went on to say that people are more wise and shrewd than people of the light.  Whoever can be trusted with little can be trusted with much.  If a person cannot be trust with worldly wealth they certainly cannot be trusted with true riches.  

Jesus then goes on to say that they will not be given true wealth for their own.  He closes off this parable with the point that a person cannot serve  two masters.  You cannot serve God and mammon.

How to be a gentleman

Motorcycle Maniac

Motorcycle Maniac

Sin, faith and duty – Luke 17:1-10

Sin, faith and duty – Luke 17:1-10

Jesus in these verses teaches us four truths which we will look at for a moment.  People who cause sin especially little ones shall be judged harshly.  If your brother sins rebuke him.  This however must be done with the motives of love, acceptance, forgiveness and restoration.  If he repents forgive him no matter how many times he has sinned.  If a person has the faith the size of a mustard seed they can say to a tree or as Mark points out a mountain and these objects will move.  Faith moved objects and the hand of God.  We must be willing to do our duty because we are servants of the Most High God.  A soldier does not question the orders of their superior in turn we are to serve our master with faith and trust.

Walking in God

Psalm 4 Psalms of Steel

Jesus is the Bread of Life – John 6:22-7:1

Jesus is the Bread of Life – John 6:22-7:1

Jesus had been giving some hard and difficult teaching to people.  Up to this point He has been popular but His audience cannot accept His teaching and they begin to leave Him.

1. If we are not willing to die with Christ and partake of His suffering we will not last to the end,
2. The Spirit gives life and the flesh amounts to nothing.  Jesus gives words that are spirit and life.
3. Jesus knows from the very beginning who will believe in Him and those who will betray Him.  No one can come to the Son unless the Father brings them.
4. There is no other place to go to get the words of eternal life except Jesus.  Jesus is the Holy One of God.
5. Jesus even knew which one of the twelve would betray Him.

Psalm 3 of Psalms of Steel

Peak of popularity – John 6:22-7:1

Peak of popularity – John 6:22-7:1

We will spend the next two days talking about what happened here.  Jesus was at the peak of His popularity.  Then He began to teach things that many people could not accept.   Many in fact let Him grumbling and complaining.

1. To do the works of God one must believe in the Son who God has sent.  People are looking for signs but Jesus came to be the Bread of Life and He gives true bread of the Spirit that silences sign seekers and fills the soul.
2. As the Bread, all who feed on this bread will never hunger or thirst again.  Jesus reveals that the people of His day could see but they could not see.
3. Jesus came to do the will of Father.  He will lose none of those that the Father gives Him.  It will be the Father who will keep us to the end.  We must believe in the Son to have life and endure to the end,
4. People don’t always understand but no one can come to the Son unless the Father draws them.  This is the work of the Father’s grace.
5. People are taught by the Father and we must listen.  The bread that Jesus gives is His body broken on the cross.  He is the living bread and all who partake of Him will never hunger.  He gives life to the world.

Baal Perazim

Psalm 2 of Psalms of Steel

Sick at Genneseret – Matt 14:34-36

ick at Genneseret – Matt 14:34-36 and Mark 6:53-56

    When Jesus came off the boat the people recognized Him and they brought the sick and beg Jesus to heal them.  Even those that touched the edge if His cloak were made well.  Jesus came to heal all disease and it is God will to heal.  This is a powerful truth that we need to apply to our lives today.  

Jesus walks on water

Jesus walks on water – Matt 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52 and John 6:16-21

Jesus sent His disciples ahead of Him and then he went to a lonely place to pray.  Later on that night the disciples saw what they thought was a ghost but it was Jesus walking on the water.  When Peter saw that, He asked Jesus if He could that also.  Jesus told him to come and he walked out on the water but when he saw the wind and the waves he lost his nerve and he began to sink.  He cried out to Jesus and Jesus saved him.  The disciples were amazed,

1. Jesus was a man that had to get away from the crowds from time to time to pray.  He was a real man of prayer It was because of these prayer times that Jesus could do the miracles He could.  Jesus in this instant walked on water.

 .     2. In the storms of life Jesus is saying to us, be still and not be afraid, I am here.

3. It takes faith to walk on the water in the storms of life but with Jesus we can do all things.  It is important to not look at the winds and the waves but only upon Jesus.
4. We must have faith and don’t doubt.  We are to worship the Lord.  

5. People recognize that Jesus is the power and they have to come to Him and even the smallest touch can bring victory.

Jesus’ power and glory

Jesus’ power and glory

This is a gospel of Jesus Christ showing his power and glory.  The good news of salvation comes through His atoning death.  Mark records 19 miracles and 4 parables.  The book is condensed but these miracles are very dramatic.  Jesus also responded to needs quickly and efficiently.  The word Immediately is repeated over and over again.,  Mark gives a vivid, straight forward description of the final hours of Christ.  He then closes with a powerful account of the Death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.   Mark at the end of his book then gives the believer what the resurrection has accomplished.  The Christian has the same resurrection power available and a Mandate from Jesus Himself to carry on His work.  The wonderful thing is that we have the same Holy Spirit Jesus had and He lives inside of us to accomplish God`s work in our lives today.  So let Him

Mark Emphasizes

Mark Emphasizes

The deity of Jesus Christ is constantly shown.  He is the Son of Man the Messiah and he gave his life for a ransom.  Like John, Mark opens his book with a declaration of the divinity of Jesus Christ but unlike John he does not explain it.  It is apparent that Mark’s aim here is to allow the reader to make up his own mind by the wonderful deeds Jesus does to show His divinity.  Jesus for example in Northern Galilee heals a man of being deaf and dumb in Mark 7:30-37.  Jesus also proved this when he fed the 5000 and 4000.  In this cased He was Jesus the

provider and the one who can meet any physical need.  Jesus in the book of Mark met the needs of people immediately.  There is a lesson to learn here.  Jesus will meet your need a soon as you need it.  God is never slow or fast.  His timing is perfect.  The issue on our part is trust and obey.  Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.

More Lessons From Mark

More Lessons From Mark

Mark wrote his gospel to a Roman audience so it is fast pace and active.  Jesus is portrayed as the mighty God, the worker of miracles. Mark writes an account that moves from one event to another.  It is a moving picture of Jesus’ ministry.  Mark takes time to explain Jewish customs but omits Jesus’ Genealogy and childhood.   Description is one feature and action is the other.  Mark gives considerable attention to Jesus’ looks and gestures.  Mark is a master story teller.  You feel that you are right there as part of the audience.  You can see yourself as part of the story.  The Romans were more interested in power so we find in Mark’s gospel Jesus as the Conqueror of everything.  He is first the conquering servant but He is also the Triumphant servant in His resurrection.    Let Jesus conquer anything you face in your life.  

Wait upon the Lord

A Life of failure can become a life of victory

A Life of failure can become a life of victory

Today I will share the life story of John Mark.  He is a story of failure and restoration.  John Mark was given a chance to go on a missionary journey with Paul and Barnabus but midway through the journey he left.  Later Barnabus wanted to take John Mark with them again and Paul did not.  An argument followed and the results were that Paul and Barnabus parted ways.  Later however we see Paul and John Mark reconciling and John Mark even became a valued member of Paul`s team.  His is a life of failure but eventually becoming a story of victory.  That is how we must look at our failures.  They are stepping stones to future victory.  The secret is learning from our mistakes and growing from them.  Asking the Lord to help us and then becoming the person God always intended us to be.  

Wait for the Power

The lesson of Mark

The Lesson of Mark

 

This morning we are looking at the book of Mark and the lessons we can learn from it.  I love the book of Mark because it is quick in movement, active and impulsive in its main characteristics.  The book of Mark was written by Mark who was the cousin of Barnabus and an associate of Paul and Peter.  Most say that Peter was his mentor.  It was written somewhere between 50 and 70 A.D.  Most scholars believe it was the first gospel written.  It is a book written to challenge the reader with immediate action and change.  Jesus was a man of action.  He did not wait for people to come to Him.  He went to the people.  His work was immediate and effective.  God has called us to live each day as if this was the last day on the planet.  Live your life so well that of Jesus called you right at this moment you would be ready.  The reality is that He could.  Immediate obedience Is what we must be ready to do.  Some opportunities will never come again and to think that you missed one is a great loss.

God of all

God of all – Rom 3:29-31

Vs 29 – Paul then presents two questions that are also statements.  Is God the God of the Jews only?  Is He not the God of the Gentiles as well?  Then He answers the questions.  “Yes, He is the God of the Gentiles.”  He is the universal God.

Vs 30 – He is the only universal God.  Both Jew and Gentile are justified through the same means and method, through faith.

Vs 31 – Paul closes this chapter off with another question?  Do we nullify or discount the law by walking in faith?  “Not at all,” Paul says.  The law is upheld by faith.  Faith is the foundation of the law.  It is also the fulfillment of the law through Jesus Christ.  Jesus said He did not come to do away with the law but to fulfill it.  Let Him fulfill it in your life today

Finished work of Christ

Finished Work of Christ – Rom 3:27-28

Vs 27 – Paul says if you are going to boast about being excluded from judgment.  The principle you should boast of is not found in law but in faith.  Faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, His burial and ultimately in His resurrection.

Vs 28 – Paul puts His argument in a nutshell here.  A person is justified by faith and not by observing the law.  This was quite a statement especially for His readers who were Jews.  When you know that nothing but the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation for salvation you quit striving.  No amount of works will secure you salvation.  It is grace and faith alone that are the elements of the reception of eternal life.  Share this message with the people who strive and see them set free in Christ.

The battle is the Lord

The Lord will restore His Kingdom

When will you restore the Kingdom – Acts 1:6-7

    The disciple gathered around Jesus and they asked Him a very important question to them.  Interesting what seems important to us does not always seem as important with God.  They asked Him if He was going to restore the Kingdom at this time.  Right up to the end they did not fully comprehend that Jesus’ kingdom was not a political one.  At this moment they still saw Jesus as a conquering Messiah not a suffering servant.  Jesus answers bluntly and simply.  It is not for them to know the times or seasons which the Father has Himself put into His power.  John 21:20-23 comes into play.  There are some things that we do not need to know.  We are to simply follow God and do His will.  We can read the signs but to predict or name the date of the coming of the Kingdom is not for us to know.  We are call to live ready.  If some maniac or false prophet comes along and tells you they know when Christ is coming back call them what they are a liar.  Jesus states here this is the Father’s realm and His alone.  You are I are call to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.  That is enough to keep us busy until Jesus comes.