Of Duty and Devotion

      If a man is simply dutiful, he can be dutiful without devotion. If a man is devoted, he will be dutiful in life, not for the sake of the task that has to be done, or for recognition, but because the object of his devotion is the very heartbeat which carries him through that life. If a man has been registered to vote, he may very well be called upon for the task of jury duty. The summons to serve is usually followed by exasperation. The tragedy is that many who label themselves followers of Jesus Christ, who claim that they have a real relationship with him, who assert that he, alone, is their Lord, have begun to treat his commandments like being called to the task of jury duty. There is little enthusiasm for the Lord’s work. There is rarely genuine love shown to people. People work simply because there is a task to be done. However, this is not what real faith in Jesus Christ looks like. If you truly have faith in Jesus Christ, you are not simply dutiful, but devoted. Casual faith is a falsehood—a lie from the mouth of Satan that seeps into the hearts of sinful men. For many, Jesus has become an aspect of their life. The problem is, he never settles in the role of an aspect. He desires to be your life. Many will let Jesus influence their lives, but he does not desire to be an influence—but the transformer of your life. When the Holy Spirit poured out and filled the hearts of the people at Pentecost, do you suppose that one man said to the other, “Well, I guess we should probably start speaking in tongues…if not, I won’t hear the end of it. Let’s get this over with?” After Pentecost, when the believers were gathered together, do you think that they protested that the apostles’ teaching took over an hour? Did they grumble about the staleness of the bread? Did they fall asleep in the middle of the prayer? No! It says that awe came upon every soul! Awe is a reverent fear of something extremely powerful. They were filled with awe at the coming of the Spirit, and at the witnessing of his work. This drove them to fellowship. Today, the word fellowship has become hijacked as the word used to describe potluck dinners and casseroles. Fellowship is a devotion to one another and genuine like-mindedness. They became so devoted to the work of the kingdom that they sold their possessions and belongings and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day after day, they attended temple together. They broke bread in their homes and received the food with generous and glad hearts. They praised God for everything. What’s amazing to me is to live within a culture that feels that they must program something to see men come to Christ. These believers saw numbers added daily. Not through programming or mindless duty—but because they were devoted to Christ and to one another. So, the question must be raised in your own life—are you devoted or simply dutiful (if even that)? I believe one must be radical to be a follower of Christ. Not in the sense of violence or political takeover. But rather, that one must be utterly and completely sold out to Christ and His purpose.

Don't Panic.

     Take a moment to read the news reports from the past few weeks. What will you see? You will see a blanket of persecution for our beliefs slowly being pulled over our nation. This may take 50 years or it could swiftly cover us in 5 days...or 5 hours...we do not know. In either case, I urge you...Don't Panic. When Paul was imprisoned, he wrote letters to various churches. In his letter to the Church at Philippi, he wrote of his imprisonment, "Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body whether by life or by death. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart [die] and be with Christ, for that is far better. But, to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him, but also suffer for His sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have." The gospel is not a call to arms [in the sense of actual weapons and warfare] in the face of persecution, but rather it is a call to remain steadfast in the Word and in the Spirit. It is a call to not lose heart...to persevere in faith knowing that to "live is Christ and to die is gain." There is a song that I have been listening to a lot lately that says, "What are they going do? Murder us? What murder does is send a surge of us to go put churches up!" This should be our manner of living! When persecution comes, it should increase our urgency to proclaim the Greatness of our God to the world around us! We are not violent, and it pleases God that we live peaceably. We are to be submissive to our government. However, if they ever proclaim that we cannot worship our God, then we must respectfully disobey. It should never be the intent of the believer to be a rebel, but nothing should stop the believers from joining in fellowship to worship the God who saves and sanctifies them. If you are imprisoned, rejoice! This gives a unique opportunity to spread the good news of Christ to men who, although criminal and imprisoned, are loved by God as well. If you are killed, teach your families to not seek revenge, but rather increase in the spreading of the Gospel. The advancement of the Kingdom of Heaven [The Kingdom of God] is our purpose. Let us not relent! Don't Panic! God is sovereign over all! Kings and rulers are Kings and rulers because God ordained them to be Kings and rulers! So, we do not cower...we do not cringe in fear, but rather we boldly (by the power of the Spirit) proclaim the good news to all who will hear.
     We love to declare, "God is in control." Recently, however, I have noticed that the same ones who declare "God is in control," are also in a frantic state over the state of our nation in relation to our faith. Matthew 10:28 says, "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." Isaiah 41:10 says, "fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Romans 8:31 says, "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Deut. 31:6 says, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Isaiah 40:29 says, "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak." Isaiah 41:13 says, "For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." Isaiah 50:9 declares, "It is the Sovereign LORD who helps me. Who will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up." Romans 8:38-39 declares, "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,  nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
     In uncertain times, God is certain. When we cannot see what lies ahead, God sees. When we lose all control, God is still in control. When we are persecuted, God comforts us with His Word. When hope for our nation is gone, continue to hope in God, for He is greater. Don't Panic.

A picture from my house

 

 

It amazes me how God can receive glory from the things that seem so normal to us.

(This was taken in my back yard today)



Grace, Grace....God's Grace!



I am reading, "The Cost of Discipleship," by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and I have stumbled upon some quotes that we all need to ponder. He is talking about cheap grace and costly grace. Cheap grace is "is the grace that we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate." Then he describes costly grace. "Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out they eye which causes him to stumble; it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him." Grace is free, but it is costly. It was freely given, and it is freely received. You cannot purchase grace, but grace will cost you your life. Have you repented of your sin? Have you laid down your life before the living God and proclaimed, "This life is yours! I was bought with a price?" Have you believed in the words of God so much that you would lay down life and possessions for the sake of knowing God?

Just some questions to ponder...

Simple Faith

simple faith

matthew 9: 18-26

            We are in the midst of a transitional time in our church (Sargent Baptist, Newnan, Ga.) and it would seem that we are at a very vulnerable place in our walk. It would seem that at any moment the enemy could charge in and break us apart. Let me be honest, this is exactly what he aims to do. Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy. If he steals our faith, he kills our joy, and destroys our church. I am bound and determined, however, to not let the enemy steal my faith. I am bound and determined to not allow the enemy to kill my joy. I am bound and determined, by the power of God through the Holy Spirit, and in the name of Jesus Christ, to not allow the enemy to destroy Sargent Baptist Church. I would hope and pray that this is the same with you.

            I think it is a bit ironic that somehow vulnerability has become unacceptable within the confines of a faith family. I believe whole heartedly that it is unbiblical to discourage people to bring their weaknesses to church for others in their faith family to pray over them. I believe it is biblical (previously I had typed "un-" before this...this is what I believe...prefixes are important) for the faith family as a whole to bring their weaknesses before the Lord…in simple faith. Faith is not a complex thing. There is no secret step-by-step method to gaining great faith. There is no secret words that somehow conjure up faith. There is only one thing—surrender. Faith is simple. It is surrendering everything and saying, “God lead. We will follow.” How are we to defend from the piercing arrows of the enemy in our vulnerability? What does Ephesians 6:16 say? It says, “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.” It does not say take up the shield of reasoning. It does not say take up the shield of planning. It says take up the shield of faith.

            I have said on many occasions that you will never impress Jesus enough to save you. This is true. However, it is possible to impress Jesus…it may not be the saving grace, but it is possible. However, throughout the New Testament, you don’t see Jesus impressed by the great crowds. You do not Jesus impressed by a fantastic financial report. You do not Jesus impressed by flashy lights, or music, or ministries…what is Jesus astonished at? Jesus is impressed with the greatness of the people’s faith. I don’t know about you, but I want to be a part of a faith family that if Jesus stood among us, he would be impressed with our faith. If I am granted the opportunity to keep on preaching, which is solely up to God and the deacons who are honestly seeking after His face—if given the opportunity, I would love to keep preaching on this topic, which is tonight’s sermon title, “Simple faith.” However, I see through a mirror dimly [meaning I do not know what God has planned for tomorrow], so I will go ahead and preach on simple faith.  Here is my aim…look at Romans 1:8-12.

            My aim is to encourage you in and to be encouraged by your faith. Tonight’s message is going to come from Matthew 9: 18-26.

[Read and Pray]

            Let’s go ahead a break these verses down. I find this to be one of the most amazing stories in the New Testament regarding faith. I simply marvel at the faith these people had…so much so that it encourages me to be more faithful! Do you see how thousands of years later, we can still be encouraged (as in Romans 1) by our brothers and sisters in faith? I pray that the legacy I leave in life is one where someone can look back and say, “I want faith like that.” I pray our church leaves a legacy that many generations down the road, people look at our legacy and say, “I want faith like that.” I talked in a prior message about how faith is not being double-minded when it comes to God’s power. We cannot say, “These things I believe God can do, but this list over here…this is the impossibility list.” That’s NOT faith! In fact, that is the OPPOSITE of faith and it denies the power of God! It is boldly declaring, “Lord, You cannot do these things.” Notice the faith of the ruler. [Read Matthew 9: 18]. Death is pretty much the end of it, right? If we are at a funeral, we are saying “goodbye,” not “Hey! Wake up!” This man had so great a faith that he believed 100% that Jesus Christ could raise the dead. He says, “She’s dead. However, if you come see her, she will live again.” Wow! What faith! So, Jesus rose and began to follow the ruler. We read in Luke that this ruler’s name was Jairus. Jairus’ daughter was only twelve years old! What faith! When any typical person would say all is lost, this man says, “No!” In the midst of his anguish, he had faith!

Now as Jesus was following, we also read in Luke, that there was a great crowd. So much so that people began to press against Jesus. There were so many people that it was difficult to move. While trying to traverse through this crowd, someone reached up and touch the robe of Jesus. Jesus stops and says, “Hey! Who touched my robe?” The disciples, always quick to speak and slow to think, said, “Lord! How are we supposed to know who touched your robe? There are people everywhere!” Jesus however knew that great power had gone out from Him, which meant that someone—whoever had touched Him—was filled with faith. See, great power from God is poured out on those who have simple faith. So, he inquires.

Then a woman came forward trembling and fell down on her face before Him. She had a discharge of blood for twelve years! That is twelve years of non-stop bleeding! She had probably had enough at this point! She was probably at the end of her rope, but in faith, she believed, “If I touch his garment, I will be healed.” Jesus turns to her and says, “Take heart daughter…your faith has made you well.” Instantly, the woman was made well! Twelve years she suffered! Twelve years she endured pain! She spent every dime she had to her name for twelve years searching diligently for a cure! None of these earthly things worked, it was only through divine intervention! Because of her faith, in an INSTANT she was healed. Her faith made her well! Simple faith. She had no doubt that if she touched the garment, she would be healed. Notice, Jesus did not say, “Wow! Look at how many people are here! That’s 1…2…3…350 more people than last time!” No. Jesus was not looking for crowds, he was looking for faith.

After this, Jesus continues on to Jairus’ house. Someone comes outside and says, “Don’t worry about bothering the teacher anymore…your daughter is dead.” Jairus continued to remain faithful. Though people and circumstances on the outside said, “Give up! It’s over!” Jairus remained filled with faith. Jesus said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead, but sleeping.” People began to mock Jesus. “How foolish!” they thought. “How ridiculous!” “How absurd!” Let me go ahead and say that those who lack faith always find the faithful to look foolish. I pray that I look foolish to the world around me because I faith in God. I pray that we, as a church, look foolish because we have great faith. It is in this kind of faith that God humbles the proud by showing His mighty power.

The world is going to tell you it’s over. The world is going to laugh at you. Let them doubt. Let them mock. Because when Christ said, “Child arise,” she got up. When Christ extended His hand to her, she stood, completely well. He told the parents to tell no one what had happened as we see in Luke…but what is funny to me is that even though they told no one, we see in Matthew that news of this went all over the district! The word of God’s power went all over! So what does all this mean for our church? We need to have simple faith.  Let me encourage you for a few moments with the Word of God. We like to use the verse that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” for simply evangelism. I think that evangelism is part of the meaning for that verse…I believe there is a word for discipleship…for growth in there. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. We can be strengthened in our faith through the Word of God.

Scripture to encourage you:

1 Corinthians 16:13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

2 Corinthians 5:6-7 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.

Matthew 8:26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

Matthew 17:20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Jesus Speaking)

Luke 12:27-28 “Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! (Jesus speaking)

Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Matthew 21:21-22 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Mark 10:52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

2 Corinthians 4:13-14 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.

 

Ephesians 6

VIDEO BIBLE STUDY:

EPHESIANS 6

 

 

 

[Children and Parents]
 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

[Bondservants and Masters]
 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

[The Whole Armor of God]
 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

[Final Greetings]
 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts.
 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.

(Ephesians 6 ESV)



The Terms for Peace [Sermon from Palm Sunday]

The terms for peace

Luke 19:42

Palm Sunday is one of the most important days in the Christian calendar after Christmas and Easter. Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter, and marks the beginning of Holy Week, the week of events leading up to Jesus' death. Palm Sunday commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. The gospels record the arrival of Jesus riding into the city on a donkey, while the crowds spread their cloaks and palm branches on the street and shouted "Hosanna to the Son of David" and "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord" to honor him as their long-awaited Messiah and King. The significance of Jesus riding a donkey and having his way paved with palm branches is a fulfillment of a prophecy spoken by the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 9:9).

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
    Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
    righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey

(or some translations…a beast of burden).

[LUKE 19: 28-44]

The Triumphal Entry

²⁸ And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹ When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, ³⁰ saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” ³² So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. ³³ And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” ³⁴ And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” ³⁵ And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. ³⁶ And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. ³⁷ As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, ³⁸ saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” ³⁹ And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” ⁴⁰ He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem

⁴¹ And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, ⁴² saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side ⁴⁴ and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

 

        The typical Palm Sunday sermon places the focus upon the entry, the loud “hosannas,” or the significance of Jesus riding in on a donkey. This morning, however, I believe the Lord has led me to a different verse. As I read through this, one particular verse stood out to me. Luke 19:41-42 says, “And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on the day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” Jesus is weeping over Jerusalem because he knows the terms for peace. He knows that in a few short days, these shouts of “Hosanna! Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord,” turn to shouts of, “Crucify Him!” He knows the terms of peace, but as for Jerusalem, it has been hidden from their eyes. Why had the terms of peace now been hidden from their eyes? Before we get into that, let’s first address the need for peace.

Romans 5:10
^"10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life."

We were enemies of God! If you read the Bible, and meditate on the words, you find that prior to Christ we are enemies of God. In our sinful condition, we are enemies of God! But God, being rich in mercy, grace, and love made a way for peace. If you have not surrendered your life to Christ…If you have not repented of your sin…if you have not believed in and followed Christ…you are still an enemy of God. The good news of the gospel is that God has provided the terms for peace. The only thing is…you cannot settle the terms yourself. There is no amount you can pay…there is no amount of good work you can do that covers the terms for peace. This is a debt that is only paid by the blood of a spotless lamb…and there is only one…and you are not it. O that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace. Apart from Christ, we are enemies of God…and this has now been hidden from Jerusalem. Was God being unjust in hiding this from the Jews? Was this fair? If we look at Romans 1:28- 32, we can see what had happened.

Romans 1:28-32

²⁸ And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. ²⁹ They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, ³⁰ slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, ³¹ foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. ³² Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

        Look at the end of Luke 19:44…”you did not know the time of your visitation.” Let’s go Old Testament for a minute…when you saw the word “visitation” in the Old Testament…it usually meant one of two things. That God is bringing salvation or that God is bringing judgment. In Isaiah 29:5, the prophet says to the rebellious people, “The multitude of your foes shall be like small dust…and in an instant suddenly; you will be visited by the Lord of hosts with thunder and with earthquake and with a great noise.” In another instance, in Genesis 50:24, Joseph prophecies to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham.” This is a prophetic word from Joseph of the Exodus from Egypt. This was a great moment of salvation and deliverance. Today, I believe that each one of us is here for a purpose. Please, understand that the gospel is good news to those who hear and understand, but is also news of great judgment to those who hear and ignore. Jerusalem had ignored the words of the prophets for centuries. They would kill the prophets or at least beat them up and run them out of the city. They did not heed the words of Christ time and time again. Many had come proclaiming that the Messiah was in their midst, but they ignored. Instead, they lived for the flesh…so God gave them up to their debased minds. This is why, in Luke 19:41, we see Jesus weeping over the city. Over and over and over again the Israelites had been shows the goodness and mercy of God. Over and over and over they replaced God with an idol and turned from Him. Jesus is weeping because God’s chosen people do not know what they are doing. He also knows that the complete wrath of God is going to be poured out upon Him for their sake and for our sake.

            Please, hear the words of the Lord. You, if you have never surrendered your life, still have the opportunity for peace.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we^[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. -ROMANS 5:1

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ² in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— ³ among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body^[a] and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.^{[b] 4} But^[c] God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.-Ephesians 2: 1-10

            These are the terms for peace. First and foremost, that Christ had to drink the cup of the wrath of God! That Christ had to face a trial. That Christ was beaten for hours on end. That Christ had to carry his cross to the top of the hill called Golgotha. That Christ was nailed to a cross suffering pain and agony for yours and my sake. That Christ…get this…GAVE UP his life for our sins. No one takes the life of Christ away…he knew what had to be done! That Christ was buried in a tomb. That Christ rose again on the third day and now we can gladly sing in our churches that we have Victory in Jesus! Christ has defeated the grave! Sin has lost its power. Death no longer has its painful sting. We are now, in Christ, co-heirs…Children of God! Since Christ has risen, the gap between God and man has been bridged. Christ says that He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Him. The Gospel is that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. The Gospel is that for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in CHRIST JESUS, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance (or patience) he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has FAITH IN JESUS. These are the terms for peace! So what is hindering you from making peace with God today? What is hindering you from repenting of your sin and believing (which includes following) Christ Jesus today? Next week is the greatest holiday that a Christian celebrates. Christmas is great. Easter, however, is the very hinge of our faith. If Christ did not rise, then this is all in vain, as Paul says. We believe…we have faith….we place our very hope in the fact that Christ Jesus did die and rose again. There is a quote that I want you, who have never followed Christ, to think upon… “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, but if true, is on infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be in moderately important.” There is no middle road to heaven. There is a narrow road which leads to life and only a few find it. Then there is a wide road which leads to destruction. Christ is the door. No one comes to the Father…no one stands in the eternal presence of the Father without first repenting of sin and placing their faith and hope in Jesus Christ. So, today, think again…”What is hindering you from following Christ?” Friend, I tell you…it is the greatest thing in the world to serve our God and to follow Jesus Christ.

In Love, I Stand for Truth.

It is a dark day when the created begin to tell the Creator, "We know better than you." I am not political. I do not boycott secular companies who do not stand for Biblical principle. I do not, quite frankly, care for Republican or Democrat leaders. My job, as a pastor, is not to spread conservative political agenda, but rather to preach the truth in love. Today is a crucial day in our country as the leaders gather to define marriage. Then they will go to a vote to solidify what they define as marriage. The problem is that marriage is not something that is up for a vote. Marriage is not something that was instituted by a government. In Genesis, GOD instituted marriage. God is the one that spoke and said, "a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife." It was God who defined marriage. It was God who labeled sexual immorality a sin. That is not merely homosexuals, but anyone engaged in sexual immorality outside of the confines of God-defined marriage. When someone stands for truth, it does not mean that they are a bigot or a hater. True, there are times that people are filled with rage and hate for people for no reason, but as a Christian--if we are true followers--we should not be filled with rage and hate, but rather, filled with love and peace, and we should proclaim the truth of Scripture in all gentleness and love. Gentleness, however, does not mean coddling. Gentleness is applying the right amount of force to one's words at the proper time. Hear me again, "IT IS A DARK DAY WHEN THE CREATED BEGIN TO REMOVE THE CREATOR AND STAND IN HIS PLACE." It is out of love and concern that I write these things...still some will lash out and call me a bigot. I am not a bigot. I just know what Scripture says and I believe it. No one should be surprised when a Christian stands for Biblical truth. If they stand for things opposed to truth, then they need to investigate what they are calling their faith. For those who are enraged by this, I would be very open to talking and discussing the truths on which I stand. Here is my personal email: pastorheathwalton@gmail.com . I love you all...there is no hate in my heart. In love, I stand for truth.

The Church: What Have We Become? What Are We To Be?

    

     I was reading Scripture this morning, and I was reflecting on what it means to be the Church. Then I began reading another book by Jim Cymbala [I just finished 'Fresh Faith'] entitled, "Fresh Power," and he began to talk about how people in the church are today. This brought to the point of blogging on what we, the Church, have become and, Biblically, what we are to be.

     Here is what we have become:
1.) The Hiding Church
2.) The Judgmental Church
3.) The Conforming Church

NONE of these please the Lord!
     The 'Hiding' Church is the one that has it's doors closed to any outsiders that are different than them. For example, I have grown up Southern Baptist, and I remain Southern Baptist. Let's be honest, however, historically speaking, we have a bad reputation for not accepting people who look different or are, in a few cases, a different race than the predominant race within the four walls. Sadly, in many churches, if a man came in with tattoos and piercings...people would, possibly unintentionally, avoid him because he looks different. So, how does the hiding church react to things that are not comfortable to them? They shut people out. There is no outreach (except of course for VBS...gotta suffer for Jesus). That was sarcastic, by the way. No one in Scripture are we told to shut people out or hide in cliche' 'holy huddles.'  What should we be? Instead of being a hiding church, we should be a seeking church! The Bible says that the "gates of hell" will not prevail against the Gospel and the Church. No one screams, "CHARGE!" and then closes their gates! That means that we are on the offensive. We are to seek he lost and lead them to the one who saves! Jesus Christ came to seek and save the lost! Don't hide your light under a basket! [Matthew 5:14-16]
     The Judgmental Church is your typical legalist churches. They see nonbelievers and, rather than addressing their heart issues, they try to clean them up so that they look good enough to come to Jesus. Problem is...this is totally ludicrous and unbiblical. Legalists live as if they are God. The Church was never called to judge nonbelievers. They are called to rebuke and encourage those in the faith, but not outside of the faith. That means we should quit preaching "Get right," and start preaching the Gospel that Christ died and rose again to seek and save the lost...not the righteous. There is no room for judgmental churches in the body of Christ. [1 Corinthians 5:12] So what should we be? The GRACIOUS Church! Our God is overflowing with grace toward us...so we should be. It was by grace we were saved through faith! People's sin problems will be addressed if Christ captivates their hearts...stop trying to be God, and start serving the Lord His way.
    The third type of church is the conforming church. These are those that live like there is no God. They think Jesus died simply to be an example of how we should tolerate everything within the Church. They scream, "Don't Judge!" They take this as an immunity for not living up to standards that GOD HAS SET for His children. They walk by the flesh while claiming they walk in the Spirit. [Galatians 5 & 6] These are those that often say things like, "I worship at home--just me and Jesus." This really means, "I do what I want and I do not want anyone holding me accountable." They will also say, "I am saved by grace...so I can do what I want." I must respond with, "Should we continue in sin so that grace may abound? BY NO MEANS!" The Apostle Paul said this. These are the ones that if you stood them next to a drunk and a sexually promiscuous person--you couldn't tell a difference. Romans 12:2 tells us to no longer conform to the patterns of this world, but to be transformed by the renewal of our minds. We have to stop letting Jesus simply influence us and let Him transform us. So what should we be? The Identifiable Church. We should be IN the world not OF the world. That means we are on the move in the world seeking the lost, but we live contrary to the world, so that our actions back up our words.
    The churches that please God are Seeking the Lost, Gracious to the Nonbelievers, and Set Apart from the ways of the world.
-Heath
    

Words of Encouragement Pt. 2

     I have been really struggling to write something of value to our faith family. I have typed so many opening sentences in the hope that I had finally stumbled upon something to say, only to have these hopes dashed with each click of the backspace button. Then I realized...I don't have to say anything. Why not let the Word speak for itself?

     The LORD is my light and my salvation;
  whom shall I fear?
 The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
  of whom shall I be afraid?
 When evildoers assail me
  to eat up my flesh,
 my adversaries and foes,
  it is they who stumble and fall.
 Though an army encamp against me,
  my heart shall not fear;
 though war arise against me,
  yet I will be confident.
 One thing have I asked of the LORD,
  that will I seek after:
 that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
  all the days of my life,
 to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
  and to inquire in his temple.
 For he will hide me in his shelter
  in the day of trouble;
 he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
  he will lift me high upon a rock.
 And now my head shall be lifted up
  above my enemies all around me,
 and I will offer in his tent
  sacrifices with shouts of joy;
 I will sing and make melody to the LORD.
 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
  be gracious to me and answer me!
 You have said, “Seek my face.”
 My heart says to you,
  “Your face, LORD, do I seek.”
  Hide not your face from me.
 Turn not your servant away in anger,
  O you who have been my help.
 Cast me not off; forsake me not,
  O God of my salvation!
 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
  but the LORD will take me in.
 Teach me your way, O LORD,
  and lead me on a level path
  because of my enemies.
 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
  for false witnesses have risen against me,
  and they breathe out violence.
 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD
  in the land of the living!
 Wait for the LORD;
  be strong, and let your heart take courage;
  wait for the LORD!
(Psalm 27 ESV)

A Disciple of Christ

    

 The trend in the American Church is to boast in our respective churches, worship centers, pastors, financial stability, numerical growth, etc...the problem is that this is not Biblical. We are not to boast in our strengths, but our weaknesses. We are not to boast in ourselves, but in Christ. Christ is the only one worthy of praise and adoration. We, the Church, are called to be Disciples of Christ. We are not called to be disciples of our pastor. We are not called to be disciples of our faith families, but of Christ. Christ said, "Follow ME." My prayer for our particular faith family is that we abandon our faith in anything other than Christ. Pastors come and go. Buildings eventually crumble. Finances are fleeting. Scores of people go from church to church as the wave of trends carry them. The grass withers, and the flowers fall away, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.  Let's follow HIM.

Here is My God



I saw a post on twitter that made me think about our church. We should not say, "God, here are my problems." We should say, "Problems, here is my God." Likewise, we should not ask, "God, have you seen my fears...my insecurities..my trials...my tribulations?" We should ask, "Fears...insecurities...trials....tribulations....have you seen my God?" Our faith should be without doubt. What do I mean by doubt? In concept, it's like you have two lists...a "Things God can do" list and a "Impossibilities" list. To summarize an idea out of scripture, God basically says, "Crumble up and throw out the 'impossibilities' list...nothing is impossible with me." This is why I am not fearful of our future. In the words of Chris Tomlin, "I know who goes before me. I know who stands behind. The God of angel armies is always by my side. The one who reigns forever--he is a friend of mine. The God of angel armies is always by my side."



After mourning comes the morning

Within scripture, 'the morning' is symbolically used in significant ways. The morning represents newness, refreshment, revival, renewed zeal, and a renewed sense of joy. Yet, often times, morning is mentioned after the night. The Night or Darkness is often representative of trial, tribulation, sorrow, or a time of mourning. In my life, the morning has come. The past few days, I have felt (figuratively and literally) like an insomniac who waits impatiently for sleep. I felt like I have been stumbling about in the dark. In my head, I feel like--a few times-- that I walked outside and gazed at the night sky, and screamed at the heavens, "Hurry up already!" Yesterday-- in a spiritual, emotional, and physical way-- God finally gave me rest. Better yet, the rest was probably always there...I just decided to finally go to the one who gives us rest. I was awakened to his mercies that are new every morning. I saw His glory revealed as visible as a sun rising above the trees. I felt a divine peace cover me. The joy came with the morning. Psalm 30 says,

 "I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up
  and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
 O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,
  and you have healed me.
 O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
  you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.
 Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints,
  and give thanks to his holy name.
 For his anger is but for a moment,
  and his favor is for a lifetime.
 Weeping may tarry for the night,
  but joy comes with the morning.
 As for me, I said in my prosperity,
  “I shall never be moved.”
 By your favor, O LORD,
  you made my mountain stand strong;
 you hid your face;
  I was dismayed.
 To you, O LORD, I cry,
  and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
 “What profit is there in my death,
  if I go down to the pit?
 Will the dust praise you?
  Will it tell of your faithfulness?
 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me!
  O LORD, be my helper!”
 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
  you have loosed my sackcloth
  and clothed me with gladness,
 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
  O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!"

I hope that this becomes a source of comfort and encouragement for you...to know that after mourning comes the morning.

The Source of Revival

Contrary to what some may think...the revival that we have seen in our faith family does not leave with the pastor. Countless churches see decline and separation after a pastor leaves. Maybe it is the lack of the normal leadership. Maybe it is because of the wound that is caused when a pastor leaves. Honestly, I think it may be because our hope is placed in the pastor, rather than the one calls and sends the pastor. At our church, we have been experiencing the awesome power of a natural revival that is born of God. Therein lies the truth that I want to point out and encourage our family to remember...revival is BORN OF GOD not Man. A pastor can't cause revival. Only God initiates revival. Our pastor was used in our particular church as an instrument of the Lord that sounded the call to repent of selfish ways and to seek the face of God through prayer and Bible study. Now, I believe, God is saying, "He's done what he was called to do...let's see if you place your trust in him or in Me."
     For those who are angry--who has known the mind of the Lord, and who has been His counsel? I trust that God has called our pastor to a new endeavor for the advancement of His kingdom.

     For those who (understandably) upset--Deuteronomy 31:8- "It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

    For those who are fearful of our future--Isaiah 41:10- fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Let us continue seeking the face of God. Let us continue crying out to Him in prayer. Let us not lose heart.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Read Slowly and Pray for Wisdom.

FAMILY--Meditate upon this...read it, ask God for clarity and revelation through His word. This is 1 Peter 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

To my faith family.

To my faith family, "For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken...For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us." These segments of Psalm 62 have come alive for me today, because now--more than ever before that I can recall in 25 years--my faith is being refined. As seen in Malachi 3:3, for something like silver or gold--things of "worth"--to be refined, they must be put through the fire. I want my faith to be found to be something of "worth" to God. I want it to be found genuine. I want it to be found pleasing. When I draw my last breath, I want my faith to be found spot and blemish free, not because of what I have done, but because of what Christ has done. I want Christ to perfect my faith. I have prayed to God, "Lord, make me rely on you." What a prayer to pray! Many will say do not pray for patience...because God will test you. If that be the case, the ABSOLUTELY pray for patience! Ask God to put you through fire! I absolutely encourage you to pray, "Lord, make me rely on you." There is a false statement that says, "The Lord will never put you through anything you can't handle." The correct statement, "The Lord will never allow you to be tempted beyond what you can handle." This statement means that Christ always provides a way out of temptation; but as for allowing to go through things we can't handle--HE ABSOLUTELY WILL ALLOW IT. God delights, not in our sufferings, but in our faithfulness. God will put you through trials you can't handle so that you may be refined and find it completely necessary to rely solely on Him. Many know what I am writing in reference to...some do not. That's ok. That's how it should be. Just know this...for God alone, my soul waits in silence. My salvation comes from him! This includes justification, sanctification, and glorification. He alone is the rock of my salvation. He alone is my rock, my strength, my stronghold. I will not be shaken. I am striving to trust in Him at all times. My prayer is that the people in my faith family will continue to pour out your heart before Him. That we will continue to trust in Him at ALL times. He is our refuge. I am so glad that God has brought me to Sargent Baptist. Here's to many years more. -Your brother, Heath

It's time for Men of the faith.

The Gospel is perhaps the most controversial message of all time. It is not because Christians hate anyone. It is not because Christians are bigots. In fact, if a Christian I truly a Christian, they will speak out against hatred and bigotry. The Gospel is offensive because it puts people at odds with themselves. It shows people that they are helpless to save themselves. When people are placed in this position of facing their own state of helplessness, they react one of two ways- surrender to Christ or try to kill the messenger. A Christian must stand for Biblical truth despite public opinion. That is why I respect the pastor of FBC Dallas. He has stood on the teachings of sound doctrine. It should be no secret that, as a Christian, I believe in God's design for marriage--not this "marriage 2.0" that the world tries to persuade me is right. I do not hate homosexuals, live-in unmarried couples, or no-cause divorcees...I simply stand upon the Biblical truth of God's design. After all, HE designed marriage. I must admit that I am a little disheartened by the pragmatism that Tim Tebow displayed in choosing to bow out of speaking at FBC Dallas. Let me make this bold claim--the Word of God is the WORD OF GOD. This means that God inspired as he wanted it written. We must be bold in proclaiming it with love and not be overcome with fear of what the world may say about us. Watch this...

Church Business

The facebook status read something like this, “My Church family is better than yours.” The person’s heart was not in the wrong place. The person was simply saying that they loved their church family, and that is great. I love seeing enthusiasm for church family. However, if you have ever read my blog posts before, you know that if I see or hear a statement, my mind immediately begins chasing rabbit trails. So, I read, “My Church family is better than yours,” and I thought to myself, “You know…Churches really don’t work together that often. In fact, it is like we are rivals or competition to one another.” This then ushered in thoughts of how Churches begin to reflect business. We rarely call the people in our church 'family' anymore (which I loved about the particular post). What do we call them? Church members. What do we call people who want to potentially become a part of our church families? Prospective Members. Funny, that’s what country clubs call them too. Think about how the church is set up. At many churches, mostly Baptist, there are committees for EVERYTHING. I am, quite frankly, surprised that there is a not a ‘restroom committee’ that monitors the frequency of members bathroom usage during the service. There is even a Committee on Committees that is a committee that oversees all of the other committees. Then, with all these positions of ‘power’ available, people begin to search for means of promotion within the church. Not only is this business mind-set ruining relationships within our respective churches, it is ruining our relationships with our brothers and sisters at other churches. Just like in business, our churches have developed mindsets and strategies aimed at destroying the competition through flashy promotion, the latest trends, and of course, dousing the competition with underhanded comments and gossip. So, here’s the truth. According to scripture, we are not a business but a family. That, by the way, is not limited to your particular church, but every Scripture-affirming, Bible-believing, Christ honoring, and disciple making church in your area and around the world. This means that we should love each other as family.  We should care for each other as family. How is the world to know that we follow Christ? By how we love each other! So, let’s silence the nonsense of church rivalry. Let’s not let the fear of losing a church family member to another church stop us from working together. Let’s stop church hopping to find a church to fit our needs. Let’s get back to basics. Our job is to spread the message of the Gospel and the love of Christ to our neighbors (within and outside the church) so that they can glorify our Father. This is our purpose. We are family. Yes. That did get that song stuck in my head.

-Heath

We Are Telescopes

WE ARE TELESCOPES

To the world, God is merely a minute abstract entity—perhaps a sheer array of ideals. For God to become the axis upon which all of life is hinged, to them, is acting in pure absurdity and imprudence. In their mind, for any person to see God as more than a mythical being is damning evidence of their gullibility. In condemnatory pity, they gaze upon the devout as a congregation of the naïve. They inquire, with arrogance, “Where is your God?” To them, at the minimum, God is seen as a particle of light that is hardly perceptible in the night sky. We, who are in Christ, should understand through the studying of the Word of God, that our purpose is to enjoy the grace that He has bestowed upon us and extend His glory to the ends of the earth. In John Piper’s Don’t Waste Your Life, the reader collides with the simple, yet not uncomplicated, question, “What does it mean to glorify God?” The world’s view of God is greatly skewed. Sadly, not only the world’s view of God is off-center, but many in the Church have a minimal view of the Almighty God. Our God is perfectly holy, perfectly just, perfect in love, and exceedingly glorious! Our job is not to magnify God in a way that manipulates people into believing that He does things that He never promises. Our job is to reveal His infinite greatness with His truth. We are not, as John Piper notes, to magnify God in the sense of “making something tiny look bigger than it is,” as with a microscope. Rather, we are to reveal that tiny particle of light that the world sees for what it truly is! The object that, to the naked eye, looks like fragments of light are actually billions of stars gathered into a vast galaxy. The world perceives God as being small and insignificant; we are to be the telescopes that reveal that our God is so much more! This is what it means to glorify—or magnify—God. Not only should we take on the task of glorifying God, but we should enjoy it! People have this misconstrued idea that one either glorifies God with their lives or they pursue their own joy. In actuality, they are the same path. If you want immeasurable joy in your life, then live to the glory of God. If you want to glorify God with your life, then delight in Him! Be a telescope that reveals the greatness of God.