Remember the Stepfathers

This is a sermon I gave two weeks ago, it meant a lot to me. God Bless.

     This time of year, when speaking of Jesus’s birth, we concentrate not only on the babe, but on Mary. She was the one who was visited by Gabriel foretelling the Christ’s Birth. She was the one who would be called blessed throughout the ages. She was the one who would have to carry the child and face the false charges and gossip about her pregnancy. And she was the one who would have to go through the pain and unsanitary conditions of giving birth where the animals are kept. 

     But we tend to overlook the other participant in this story.  I am speaking of a man who we are not told a lot about, but in whom God placed so MUCH trust, confidence and love that he gave him one of the highest honors to be bestowed upon any in the bible. I’m speaking of Jesus’s Step-father, Joseph. 

     I was raised by a step-father. A very stern and strict Army Drill Sergeant. It took me years to understand what it meant to be in his shoes. He was not perfect, was not given to lovey-dovey talk. He was shaped by experiences in war that I could not know, because he didn’t share them. But he provided a roof over my head, food on the table and clothes on my body. And he taught me how to hunt, fish and provide for myself. He taught me many things that did not appear in my character until I was older and out of my teenage and young adult life of self-centeredness. I realize now how he taught me me honor and love of country that is now a part of my psyche as a middle-aged man.   

   Was there baggage from being raised as I was? The old saying the rottenest kids are Cop’s kids and Preacher’s kids holds true for Drill Sergeant’s kids also. I rebelled from the authority as a teen, but also became the Cop and then the Preacher in that old saying. 

    But, knowing through the Gospel that we all are sinners and have faults (that’s why we needed a Savior) I have come to appreciate and love him like I never did before. He is gone now, but some of him lives on in me. 

     See, step-dad’s are special. Where biological fathers have a bodily and blood connection with a child, step-fathers must have a love for the mother and in turn, for her child to provide the same care. We see in that story of Joseph a man full of love, not only for Mary, but for God. Let’s look at scripture and read the first mention of Joseph’s story in Matthew Chapter 1:Mat 1:18  Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Mat 1:19  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. Mat 1:20  But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. Mat 1:21  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Mat 1:22  Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Mat 1:23  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Mat 1:24  Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: Mat 1:25  And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.        Why did God choose Joseph to be the earthly father of Jesus? Was there something special about him that made him God’s choice? I think we can answer that question by taking a look at Joseph who was only betrothed to Mary when he found out his betrothed was pregnant.   

     Let’s try to look through the eyes of Joseph at all that was happening during the birth of Jesus. To me, Joseph is a prime biblical example of what it takes to be a godly father to a child who is not your flesh and blood.

Why Is Joseph A Good Example Of Being An Earthly Father?     Many people do not realize that Joseph was a step parent. Somehow it slips through our filtering system when looking at this story but Jesus was not Joseph’s biological child and as such, he is a step father to Jesus.I believe in this passage and from what we can infer from another passage, Joseph was a great example of what a godly step parent should be like.So let’s take a look and find out what we can learn about Joseph’s heart towards Jesus and how we can apply that to our own lives.

#1 Joseph wanted to do what was right but with a spirit of compassion.In verse 19 we see that Joseph was a good man and was just going to break off the engagement quietly and not put Mary to shame. It was Joseph’s right under Old Testament law to have her stoned. However this was not his heart. He was a compassionate man. He didn’t want to condone what had happened but he also did not want to punish her. Here we see the fine balance between justice and mercy.     He was doing what was right with the information that he had, but he also was not using  Mary’s perceived failure as an opportunity to exact vengeance.Why do I say vengeance?Think about how hurt and betrayed Joseph must have felt? This was, in his eyes, proof of infidelity and unfaithfulness. It was a broken promise, and un-kept vow.

#2 Joseph was obedient to the Lord even if it brought personal sacrifice and humiliation.     In verse 24 we see that Joseph was obedient to the instructions he received by an angel in a dream.Now we need to remember that this was going to make him look like he was willing to marry a sinful woman. He was marrying a perceived fornicator. This was going to cost him with public humiliation. He was going to “lose face” so to say.     Secondly he was going to have to wait to consummate the marriage until after Jesus was born in order for Mary to stay a virgin until the birth of Jesus. Not only was he asked to be chaste prior to marriage, but he was asked to be chaste even after marriage! How many men are willing to do that?His obedience to God cost him both public humiliation and a huge exercise in self-control and discipline.

#3 Joseph treated Jesus as one of his own.     Take a look at how the public viewed Jesus and his relationship with Joseph.

Mat 13:55  Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 

      The public viewed Jesus as the son of Joseph. They didn’t view him as the stepson,  or illegitimate son but as Joseph’s son. This was a man who took on the responsibility of raising a child who was not his own out of his love for the child’s mother and in obedience to God.  Now, this does not apply just to Step-fathers. Joseph’s lesson applies also to step-moms, grandparents, uncles, aunts or anyone who is an influence to a child. God has put YOU in that place for them as an example they will always remember. Joseph needs to be remembered at Christmas also, after all, Jesus does through His Holy Word!

God Winks

Winter has arrived! Right now on the farm it is 19 degrees and the furnace is doing it's thing. But we knew it was coming and getting ready for it has been a priority. Every year for my 58 years of life, the season's have come and gone. They will continue to do so until the Lord returns.

As I walked out on my front porch this evening to let Toby the Goldie out for some exercise, the Lord granted me another beautiful sunset. For a moment I forgot about the cold and just stared in wonder at God's ever-changing paintings He creates. He is a Master-Artist and we are fortunate to get glimpses of what Eden must have been like, if only for a moment. I count these as gifts from a Father to His child, a "God Wink" if you will, a secret moment shared between us. Keep your eyes open, I'm sure He winks at you also!

God Bless,
Pastor Terry

That Still Small Voice

I am a deer hunter, as was my father before me. But it is not so much the deer as the prize, but the time I spend with God's natural wonders. This cold, crisp morning the sun rose bright in a cloudless, clear blue sky as I sat in my blind. During the day, I enjoyed squirrels, birds and a few late season insects flitting about. But the icing on the cake was at 5:10 ET, 4:10 CT when in broad daylight, the super moon rose over the cornfield on my farm. I was in total awe of God's wonder and I felt a still small voice whisper to me, "I'm still here and in control."

I left the blind without seeing a deer all day, but I was eternally blessed for just a solitary moment alone with my Creator, who spoke to my soul as He has to so many throughout the ages. And He will to you also, if you just admire His handiwork.

Reading the Highlights

                 I picked up my Bible this morning to do a little studying, but just couldn’t seem to concentrate on any particular book or chapter. I was attributing it to waking up with a small sinus headache, but I soon found out I was wrong.

                With my wife at work, my dog asleep at my feet, soft rain falling on the roof and quiet in the house, I believe God took the opportunity to speak to me in a way He hasn’t for a while.

                How many of you have studied your bibles throughout the years and have highlighted, underlined and wrote notes in the columns? I have also written things on the blank pages in the front and back of mine; reminding me of important passages or points I’ve learned. If you have been a faithful seeker of God’s word, I’m sure your Bible is marked to some extent.

                But today I ended up in Proverbs, and my eyes kept going only to the highlighted or underlined verses. I thought, “Well, I’ll start at the beginning and read all the way through on the highlighted verses then.”

                By the time I was through, God had given me a lesson I will not forget. It’s amazing how He can speak to my heart, and how He comes to me when I least expect it.

                See, most of the highlights in Proverbs came when I was a new Christian, with a new big bible to study, and spent hours at the kitchen table reading, marking and writing notes on what I thought God meant. Besides the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs were my first studied books back then.

                As I read, I began to see a pattern in those highlights, scribbles and lines. I saw an understanding of faults and sins I knew needed correcting or forgiveness. I saw my concern in trying to please God, and the seeking of answers to questions on what it means to be His. I saw myself several years ago and at the same time saw myself today. It was like looking back in time, a glimpse through spiritual eyes I cannot explain.

                As I read, I saw areas where I have grown in understanding and have shed many of the things that are not pleasing to God. I saw how God has worked in the past and continues to work today, sifting me and forging with fire and love. But I also saw areas where there has not been as much improvement as there should be. Have I been lax and is my Lord telling me a new phase is starting and these need to be prayed and fasted over? Either way, I believe they must be addressed.

                My point is, God is never done working on you and with you. He will use ways to speak to you that may be totally different than someone else. Today, He used the highlights. He used the underlined sentences. He used me to reflect on my progress with Him. Introspection is tough love!

                Why don’t you try it for yourself, maybe you’ll find a new way to get closer to Him. In the mean time, you know what I’m going to do? Tomorrow I’m going to begin reading all my highlights, starting with Genesis! God Bless!

               

What We Need Is A Mature Church

     Sunday is the fifteenth anniversary of the 9/11 attack on our country. There will be remembrances all over TV this week, so I will not add to or try to give you an analogy sermon on this day’s significance to America, only to say I believe it was the beginning of a lifting of protection of God’s hand over our nation, because we choose to abandon Him, and we as a nation have learned nothing about returning to Him. 

     In fact, our leaders have rapidly increased their desire to turn their backs on God, and turn towards unGodly, hedonistic, paganist and morally corrupt decisions that are being forced down the throats of Christian men and women. 9/11 was a turning point, and we as a nation have been falling headlong into the violence and anarchy that has been evident in EVERY nation that turns it’s back or denies the Creator. 

     Today, more than ever in our history, the United States needs strong, biblical churches, strong prayer warriors, and much fasting and turning our eyes to Jesus. We need MATURE Church congregations and MATURE Christians to stand up, no matter the cost, and say enough is enough. 

     We serve a Living God and Risen Savior and we will not back down nor bow down to this new wave of Humanism. The Bible tells us “God is no respecter of persons.” The Declaration of Independence says “ We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights….” And the The First Amendment to the United States Constitution “prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech…..” Nowhere does it say freedom FROM religion, it says freedom TO EXERCISE RELIGION. 

     You don't like or agree with the Christian message? That's fine, God gave you the free will to reject it. But who gives you the right to tell me I can't speak about what He has done in MY life, publicly and without censorship?

     Jesus said that the world will hate the Christian, because the world hated Him first. Hum, once again He is proven right. Wonder what else He was right about?

     Christians, pray, pray, pray for our Country, but Foremost, pray the Lord stays his hand of judgement before all the leaders are turned over to a reprobate mind. They say we Christians are no longer important; we believe in a fairy tale. C. S. Lewis once wrote “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”

     Be mature in your walk, not babes. Be a mature church, seeking the will of Christ, not the worlds ways to draw a crowd, JUST BE A CHRISTIAN!

Are you a Just in Time Christian?

Bible Verse: 2 Corinthians 6

King James Version (KJV)

6 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

² (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

When I left Colorado and returned to Kentucky, it had been too long to return to police work here without going through their academy again. Frankly, my body at that time was already worn out. Working night shifts for most of my life, a busted up back, a bad knee, results from injuries on the job and so on just did not lend itself to passing the physical aspect of the academy again. So I took a job my friend offered me at a factory in New Albany.

During this time, I wasn’t going to allow myself to stay on an assembly line, so I made some choices that got me into management and finally an office job.

While in management, I took some of the new fangled manufacturing ideas that came and went. One was called J. I. T., or Just In Time manufacturing. The idea was not to keep a storeroom full of raw material and a warehouse full of stock waiting to move, there by tying up capital, but to make it just as the order was ready and ship it out the door. As usual, this is all well and good in theory, but practicing it is another story. Your vendors, those who supply you with the parts or raw material necessary must also be in a working program of JIT, not getting your material on time will result in you being late manufacturing and shipping.

Then we have employees involved. They get sick, come in late or leave early. They quit and new ones have a training curve. Machinery breaks down or goes offline for maintenance. Inspection or Quality Control finds defects that were missed in the line and now there aren’t enough parts for the shipment. If anything can go wrong, it will. But the inventors and engineers will always say that it is a wonderful production plan, the employees just aren’t smart enough to do it right.

But see, they don’t live in the real world of manufacturing. They come up with these wonderful processes for a perfect industrial world were nothing throws a wrench in the plans. It’s funny, but the poor guy on the assembly line, if he or she stays there long enough, will see many such “ideas” and new miracle innovations come and go. 

Sighing and shaking their head at each one, because no one asked them if it will always be possible to have a perfect timing on the production process.

In the real human world, there is no such thing as “Perfect” timing, or even just in time.

Remember, the bible teaches there are two worlds, the world we see with our human eyes, and the spiritual world, which we can on occasion catch a shadowy glimpse as if we are looking through a frosted up window.

God the father operates in the spiritual world, but Jesus and the Holy Spirit operate in both worlds. Jesus was born to Mary in our world, but returned to the Father in Heaven, but he returned to talk to others before his final assent, as seen in the gospels. Then He sent the Holy Spirit to us, and He abides in all true believers. Jesus did all his works in God’s time, not just in time. The Holy Spirit came in God’s time, not just in time. Calvary happened in God’s time, and Jesus will return in God’s time, not just in time.

See the devil will fight us every inch of the way to keep us from being saved JUST IN TIME. Many will walk out of a church service convinced they will have until next week to come to the altar. But death will find them before that next Sunday.

Romans 13:10-12

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁰ Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
¹¹ And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

You are not promised next Sunday, nor tomorrow nor even another minute. The Lord says cast off the works of darkness, cast off your sins, and put on the armor of light, that is Jesus Christ, for the time is closer than you think.

Today I’m giving out tough love. If I didn’t love each and every one of you I would just shrug my shoulders and let you not hear the word of God concerning your state of salvation. See, you either have salvation through Jesus Christ, or you don’t. You either know Jesus as your personal savior and King, or you don’t. There is no middle ground. The middle ground will get you to Hell just as fast as the wide path.

My friends, there is not just in time salvation. If you are waiting for a specific time then it isn’t going to happen. But you say, Bro. Terry, how can you say that; look how old you were before you came to Christ. And I say yes, by the grace of God he allowed me to live long enough to come to my senses, but do you know the things I’ve seen I wish I never had? Do you know the hurt and anguish I’ve been through? Do you know the loves I’ve lost, the regrets I have, the hurt I did to others, all because I refused to come to an alter, when He spoke to me at practically every church I walked into, saying “Come to me”? I’m telling you young person, there may come a time when he may withdraw His calling. He will no longer tug at your heart, he will turn you over to a reprobate mind and harden your heart.

He did it to King Saul in 1 Samuel Chapter 15 verses:

²⁴ And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
²⁵ Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord.
²⁶ And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel

God turned away from Saul, and not long after, King Saul was dead upon his own sword.

If God is calling you, today is the day to answer. Sin has dragged your soul to hell already and Jesus is the only one who can restore you. You cannot leave here today, and expect God to hear your prayers if you are living a sinful, Godless life. Until you repent of your sins and ask Jesus for forgiveness, your prayers are bouncing off the floor of Heaven. The only prayer God will hear from an unforgiven sinner is a heartfelt prayer for forgiveness and acceptance of Jesus. Then the Heavens and God’s ears will be open to you.

Are you a Just in Time Christian? Thinking you will give in when you are done doing whatever it is you are doing? Maybe when you get older, or if your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife does it? You think you can make it just in time? You are playing with literal fire and eternity to think that my beloved. When you’re young, you think your invincible and life will go on forever. In one sense you’re correct, life will go on forever, but where, heaven or hell?

See, Jesus loves you, that’s why He came. He knows there is no such thing as Just In Time. That’s your time, your idea, not His. I tell you a truth, playing games with your soul and Salvation like that is mocking God, and soon the door could be closed.

Don’t think so?

When the Trumpet for your life blows, when death comes for you, or if Our Lord returns tomorrow, will your words be the words from Jeremiah 8: ²⁰ The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.?

Today is the day of salvation, today is the day of the Lord, today is the day to decide for all eternity which path you choose, for there are no tomorrows, no Just in Time, but NOW IS THE TIME>

Sons and Daughters of Liberty

TEXT: Gal 5:13  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 
Gal 5:14  For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 


Many in this country will celebrate our declaration of liberty from tyranny that was proclaimed on July 4, 1776. Many brave people signed this declaration knowing that if they did not win, then not only their lands and titles would be taken, but also their lives. But they believed it was worth the dangers and the struggle because living under unjust laws, being taxed  without having any representation and having the goods and resources produced here  taken to England without benefiting those who supplied those resources was bondage in and of itself. It is a history of this country that is not being taught in our schools anymore, unless it is rewritten to the point it would be unrecognizable to the founding fathers and to those who fought for that liberty. I can speak of it, as I am the descendant of a veteran of that struggle and have seen the letters of service and the places he served. There are untold numbers of sons and daughters of liberty in this country, if only they would take the time to check their family history.

But the liberty I speak of today isn't about our forefathers struggle for a free country, but our individual struggle for a freedom from sin, from oppression of the flesh and the yearning to be restored to our God. A desire to be made whole.

Everyone has an inherent knowledge placed inside them that something isn't quite right. Humans are either making idols for themselves, worshipping animals or nature as gods, sacrificing to appease some diety to change or assure an outcome, or turn inward with meditation seeking to establish a connection or "conciousness" with a higher being. Others claim they have no belief in a god, but that in itself makes them continue to seek, in the form of self help books, yoga (which is an eastern religion), humanist seminars and on and on.

The core reason for all this searching, for all the books written, for all the positive thinking gurus that make big bucks, is the fact that we know there is something wrong that is holding us hostage, something that just isn't right about our life. We have too many broken relationships. We have too many flaws either in our character or morality, or both. We jump from bed to bed, or marriage to marriage. We drink to be happy, or forget. We lie instead of admitting failure. We get jealous when we think someone else has it better than us. We steal, just because we can. We murder in the name of anything. The core problem is a word the secular world cannot stand and will fight against at every mention. The word is "SIN".

Sin is man's tyrant. Sin is what keeps us in bondage. Sin in your life is what causes that search to fix whatever seems wrong in your life. But sin won't let go of you just because you try something different. You can't wash it away with a shower if you feel dirty, you can't offer a sacrifice to appease it and clear your conscious. You can't try to tip the scale by doing more "good" than "bad". And you can't ignore it by just saying sin doesn't exist and it is all just relevant. Only seeking the core problem will lead you to the core answer. And the core problem is....get ready for it...a transgression against a divine law, or God's law. It's simply called SIN.

Sin will take you farther than you would ever think you'd go. Sin will hold you down and keep you down. Sin will make you sick, destroy your health, destroy your family, destroy your finances and destroy your life. Sin may seem pleasurable for a while, but always requires a great price in the end. Sin will make you the aggressor and the victim. Sin is what keeps you from what your soul truly longs for, to be one with the Creator again. To be able to walk and talk freely with the one who really understands your problems and will help. Sin is what we are born in, but do not have to stay in. There is freedom from it, but you must know what declaration to make, and who to make it to.

God did not make you to be a sinner, but God did make you with free will. He did not create, nor want robots, programmed in a certain way. That is why we are all individuals we look different, act different, speak different than others. Even in the same family, kids can be vastly different in their likes and dislikes. That is where free will comes in, to be free to choose what pleases us. But in that free will, our character flaws appear.

God started man and woman in a beautiful garden, with all the blessings associated with His love for them. But he also gave them one rule, or law to obey. Only one. Not to eat of a certain tree or there would be severe consequences. Everything was going fine, until a tempter came along and began using double speak and half truths to confuse and deceive the woman. By her own free will, she chose to disobey God and ate of the tree. In turn the man, also willingly disobeying God, (stop blaming the woman!), also ate of the tree. They were banished, but not forever. The sin was disobedience, NOT the fruit. Sin entered the world as disobedience, and has been disobedience every since. Sin is not the item, BUT THE ACT.

God says NOT to do someting. He has HIS  reasons and knows best. But the human disobeys and does it. That is the sin. God says stop getting drunk. There are health isues, family issues, money ssues and addiction issues related to continually getting drunk. But we disobey and have bad results. We suddenly can't understand how we got this far. It is the SIN from disobedience.
But there is good news! We can have freedom from this tyrant called sin. We can be restored to our relationship with a God who knows everything about us, knows every sin, and loves us anyway. He requires only one thing, a declaration of independance. He requires you to spiritually sign your name to His Book of Life. How? By believeing who His Son Jesus Christ is, why He came, and why He died, and why He rose again.

God has divine laws that must not be broken. They are for our good, but we rebel against them. For our entire lives we have been lied to and told that disobedience is enjoyable or ignorance is bliss. These are the same lies told since the beginning. Nothing is new under the sun. We are told repeatedly in today's world that there is no God, or that Christianity is now evil. The truth is turned upside down. But God is sill the same.

Accepting Christ as your savior from the punishment of that sin in your life IS liberty. Understanding  the reason God became flesh was to give you the option of accepting His Gift of Grace from a judgement for your sin. It is what gives you freedom to restore your relationship with Him. Christ broke the back of tyranical oppression called sin and gave us the door to repent of it and be restored to what we were meant to be, free and loved children of God. We must declare it through our faith in Jesus Christ, hold on to it with our hearts and fight the devil with God's Word.

See, Christ did the work before us. Just as our founding fathers fought for freedom long before we were born to establish the United Sates of America, Christ fought and died for our freedom from condemnation of sin and eternal death. He took our place, because justice demanded punishment for disobedience. He bore our sins, every sin, because he loved us enough to be in our place. He rose on the third day as promised to complete that work of salvation, and there is NOTHING we can add to it. That is why trying to work off sins is fruitless, you can do no more than Christ did. He did enough. YOU just have to accept Him, and repent of those sins and follow Him.

See freedom never comes without a price. And the price of your freedom is Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Your freedom from your constant seeking for answers to your failings and sins is Jesus.

Galatians 5:1 tells us to Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 

See, freedom to choose NOT to sin is freedom in itself. Freedom in Christ will show you love for your neighbor, and you don't hurt those you love. Liberty, my friends really begins with God, freedom is through Christ and joy comes from this freedom. Will you be free today?