Sunday Summary 10.2.11

God's Spirit was certainly moving this morning at Emmanuel! People were tired from Judgement House and that is often a recipe for problems; but this morning was awesome. We had several families visiting, the spirit was sweet, and the altar was full.

Our choir did an arrangement that powerfully listed the names of God and brought people to a spontaneous standing ovation. Rob shared a testimony of how EBC included and embraced his family, as no other church they've ever been part of. Justin gave a report of the decisions from Judgement House. People were honest in their response and many tears were shed.

This morning's message was entitled, "Learning to Trust, Brings Peace to Life's Storms." I've really been moved lately with the number of people in our congregation that have been affected by cancer, other health issues, death of a spouse, job loss, wayward children, poor decision making, etc. My heart is breaking for them and God brought Psalm 22 to my mind this week. The Psalmist felt that God had forsaken him in those difficult days, only to realize that God had revealed Himself in those dark times as He never could have without them.

Two thirds of our congregation was honest enough to say they had felt that God was distant during their difficulties, but the sermon reminded them that God is faithful. He is our Shelter, our Deliverer, our Protector, our Provider, our Strength, and so much more! In our darkest days, we must keep your eyes on Jesus. In addition, remember the old cliche; "It's always darkest before the dawn."

Studying Bible Doctrine is Essential

I am amazed by how many Christians (pastors and church members) don't understand even basic Bible doctrines. It is no wonder today's churches are shallow and struggling! Well, I'm excited to tell you that we've had to "cap" our Bible Doctrine 101 class at Emmanuel. We now have over 40 adults enrolled in the class, which meets every Sunday morning for one year. Over the past three weeks, I've been teaching on how we got the Bible, who wrote it, where it was written, in what languages, how it was translated, which version is the best, whether our copies are reliable, why only 66 books were included, how to understand the Bible and find things in it, and more. Future weeks will include the doctrines of God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Salvation, Angels, Heaven/Hell, Last things, etc.

Common sense tells you that not every denominational interpretation of doctrine can be right, and so many people don't know what to believe today. Just consider a few common discrepancies:

· Bible (Is the Word of God vs. Contains the Word of God)

· Eternal security (Can’t lose salvation vs. Can lose salvation)

· Hell (Is literal vs. Is not literal)

· Baptism (Symbolic vs. Washes away original sin)

· Lord’s Supper (Symbolic vs. Literally becomes the body & blood of Christ)

· Creation (Intelligent design vs. Evolution / Literal days vs. figurative days)

· Salvation (Faith vs. Works)

· Holy Spirit (Fully indwelled at salvation vs. Saved then later filled with the Spirit)

A common practice in too many pulpits today is to read the Scriptures and explain what we "think" a passage means. The problem is that we don't have that right or liberty. Our responsibility is to study the passage, do our research, and then interpret what the passage meant in the original context. Doctrine must be studied in the context of the writer's intent, not the reader's interpretation. I encourage you to follow the instructions of Matt 28:19-20 as you study, teach, and make disciples who are fully devoted followers of Christ and rightly divide the Word of Truth.

Real Cost of Discipleship

I've been reading the book "Radical" by David Platt and it has really challenged my thinking. It has made me ask some deep questions and to wonder what God thinks when He looks at modern Christianity. Does today's religious scene make God want to vomit when he hears televangelists selling miracle water... when preachers are hyping the think and grow rich mentality... when terms like "fun" and "exciting" are used to describe the church for which Christ died... when people argue over worship styles... when preachers use gimmicks to draw crowds... when programs like TBN (The Big hair Network) cause unsaved people to poke fun and Christianity... and the list goes on.

I wonder if it breaks God's heart to hear people make comments like, "I'll participate in worship, if... it doesn't interfere with my tee time, my child's softball tournament, dance recital, work schedule, or any other personal conflict. Rather than putting Jesus first and following Him, we seem to want a Jesus Who doesn't expect too much... One who accepts us where we are, will understand when we choose things before Him, is okay with our pursuit of materialism, is okay with casual commitment... you get the picture.

Modern Christianity seems so different from what Jesus described. In Luke 9, Jesus said that if you want to be my disciple you must deny yourself (not indulge yourself), and take up your cross. He said that you may end up homeless, that He expects you to love Him more than family, and that He expects you to be willing to give up everything for Him. He wants full and exclusive commitment. When Jesus said "Follow Me," those chosen got up, left it all, and followed Him.

In all honesty, I guess the religious scene hasn't changed much since Jesus' day. The multitudes back then gathered when there was "excitement" or something in if for them, but then scattered when Jesus preached on commitment. He ended up with twelve that were sold out, committed followers (actually only 11). Jesus didn't sugar coat the gospel for fear of offending anyone, instead He explained the cost of discipleship and let people decide. The expectation hasn't changed and the question remains, ARE YOU WILLING TO FULLY COMMIT TO FOLLOWING CHRIST?

Favorite e-mail I read after 9.11

I am extremely patriotic and appreciate my American freedoms, and this great nation in which I have the privilege to live. Following is my favorite read after the 9/11 attacks. We all know how e-mails change and often conveniently leave off the credit information; but to the best of my understanding, this was an editorial by Mark Meehan and published on July 12, 2002. (If this credit is incorrect, please forgive me.) I want to give proper credit to the writer for a GREAT article! Here it is...

"I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture, here in the USA. Since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Americans. However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the "politically correct" crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to America. Our population is almost entirely comprised of descendants of immigrants. However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand!

This idea of America, being a multi-cultural community, has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. As Americans, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle. This culture has been developed over centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom.

We speak ENGLISH, not Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the language - ENGLISH. "In God We Trust" is our national motto. This is not some Christian, right wing, political slogan. We adopted this motto because Christian men and women, of Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is and always will be part of our culture!

If the Stars and Stripes offend you, or you don't like Uncle Sam, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. Remember, "Delta is ready when you are and they can have you there by nightfall."

This is OUR COUNTRY, our land, and our lifestyle. Our First Amendment gives every citizen the right to express his opinion and we will allow you every opportunity to do so. But, once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about our flag, our pledge, our national motto, or our way of life, I highly encourage you to take advantage of one other great American freedom, THE RIGHT TO LEAVE."

Remembering 9.11.01

Since 9/11, our church has remembered the victims, honored the heroes, and recognized our local heroes annually. This past Sunday, on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, we did the same during our 10:30am service. Volunteers prepared and served breakfast to nearly 90 first responders, plus many family members, then honored them in our service. Following Jeffrey's baptism, Paige opened the service with "God Bless America." Comments were given by Mayor Pennington, Senator Malloy, and Representative Lucas. Music, multi-media, and all aspects of the service focused on remembering 9/11.

I preached on three spiritual comparisons to 9/11: 1) The fire at the WTC were temporary - the fires of hell are eternal. 2) Heroes gave their lives to rescue those perishing in the WTC - Jesus is the Hero Who gave His life to rescue people from hell, and give them eternal life. 3) Those perishing had to decide which way to go - We too must decide whether we will follow Jesus and be saved. Nearly 700 people heard that message and God blessed with 3 first responders and 1 college student choosing to follow Jesus. PRAISE THE LORD!

Emmanuel Baptist Church remembers the attacks of 9/11 and we continue to pray for the families of the victims. We also pray daily for our local first responders and appreciate the service you provide to our community! THANK YOU!

Praise the Lord Report

In the past few weeks, we've seen 4 saved, 3 baptized, and 4 new members added to our church family. In a small town with no population growth and 142 churches... that's a God-thing and we realize it! So, to God be the glory for the great things He is doing at EBC. Lord, help us stay focused on the MAIN THINGS!

Is Your Spiritual Vision 20/20?

Comedian Dennis Swanberg tells the story of his trip to the Super Bowl with his teenage son, Dusty. Their favorite team made it to the Super Bowl, so they planned a father-son road trip. They made the hotel reservations, mapped out the directions, packed the car and left; but they had a problem…they forgot to purchase tickets. Upon arriving, they found the game was sold-out. Dennis saw only one option; he had to purchase tickets from a scalper. The scalper sold Dennis two tickets for $800 and they entered the stadium. Finding their section, they climbed higher and higher… all the way to the very top! By the time they got to their seats, Dennis’ blood was boiling to think he paid $800 to sit on the top row of the stadium. Dusty, on the other hand, has ADD and was already getting into the pre-game festivities and cheering loudly. Dennis’ blood pressure continued to rise, until Dusty spoke something to this effect: Dad, these are great seats! We can see everything the blimp sees!” At that very moment, Dennis realized the depth of Dusty’s statement and began to look at things in a whole new way.

A “blimp-size” vision! That’s what Christians need… the ability to see the big picture, and to gain a new perspective on life’s challenges. So, what would keep a believer from seeing life this way? Some have blurred-vision and they’ve lost focus of what is really important. Some have double vision and want to live for Christ while enjoying the pleasures of sin. Some are nearsighted and they can’t see beyond themselves. Some are farsighted missing the importance of doctrine. Some have sin cataracts blocking their spiritual vision. Some have Glaucoma and the pressure of bitterness is building inside them, because they refuse to reconcile. But, others have experienced corrective surgery, and their spiritual eyes are fixed on Jesus! He restored their sight and they clearly see His love, forgiveness, acceptance, and grace.

During an eye exam, the optometrist measures our vision against the standard of 20/20. We measure spiritual vision against the standard of God’s Word. Since the two great commandments are to love God and to love people, it would seem that those with healthy spiritual vision should be exhibiting love for both. Other diagnostic tools might include looking for the presence of spiritual fruit as described in Gal. 5:22, examining the way a person views the church, treats his family, and shares his faith. These tools and others can help us to determine the health of one’s spiritual vision.

No doubt, that during your eye exam, the optometrist asked you, “Which is better, A or B?” The spiritual diagnostician might ask, “Are you looking backward or forward?” Looking in the rearview mirror focuses on the past mistakes and failures, instead of future possibilities. The Apostle Paul states in Phil. 3:13, “…Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” Accept God’s forgiveness and believe the cliché, “The best is yet to come!"

Finally, the size of the vision is also very important. The Bible states in Phil 2:4 that “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” If we are going to have a God-size vision, we must look beyond ourselves. One songwriter said it this way, "Let me see this world, dear Lord, as though I were looking through Your eyes." Think about it, if Dusty Swanberg got excited about seeing what the blimp saw, Christ-followers should get even more excited abut seeing things from a heavenly perspective! Let’s try to see this world through the eyes of Christ and reach it with the love of Christ. Now that’s a God-size vision!

Sunday Summary 8.7.11

God continues to bless at EBC. We started this morning's service with two baptisms! Kim and her daughter, Haley followed the Lord in believer's baptism. Pastor David shared that in talking to Haley, she praised her Sunday School teacher for talking to her and helping her to understand salvation clearly. Thank God for people who invest their lives in others!

It was good to have Heather leading this morning. The band and most of the choir were back from vacation, and our attendance was beginning to climb back up. God blessed us with many guests and we look forward to getting to know them and sharing the vision and blessings of what God is doing at EBC.

Today, I continued the "Peacemaker" series with the topic of Church Discipline. So many churches are afraid to intervene when a friend and family member engages in sin. They fear the fallout and don't trust God to bless "His" plan. Church discipline is God's plan for loving the wanderers back to Himself. Consider these Scriptures:
Heb. 12:6a NIV - … the Lord disciplines those He loves…
Ps 94:12a NIV - Blessed is the man you discipline, O LORD…
Rev 3:19a NIV - Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline…

Church discipline is about love... forgiveness... restoration... and reconciliation! It is a wonderful thing and would make a difference if more churches practiced it. It flies in the face of the "crowd" mentality, but it is a required part of the true "church" mentality. It calls sinners to repentance and deters discord and division in the church.

Churches, families, work places, teams, and more; would be different if God's people would just implement God's plan for conflict resolution. Consider the steps of Matthew 18:15.
1) Correct if a person is in sin --- get over issues of preference or policy.
2) God to the person individually.
3) Take 2-3 witnesses (Friends who also care about this person.)
4) Take it to the church (Only if necessary.)

If at any time during the process a person humbly admits their fault and repents, they are to be reconciled to the individual and to the church. I'll write more about this in the coming days, as it is a topic that is rarely taught and/or implemented.

Congratulations President Obama on another first

Congratulations on so many "firsts" Mr. President! Just to name a few, you are the first mixed race president (1.20.09), the first President to skip the Salute to Heroes Ball, honoring Medal of Honor recipients (1.21.09), the first President to bow to a Saudi King (4.2.2009), the first President to brew beer in the White House (2.6.11), first President to host "transgender" meeting at White House (5.5.11), first President to fail so miserably in providing economic leadership that the US Credit Rating has been downgraded for the first time in our history from AAA (8.5.11).

Among the reasons cited by S&P were our political instability and increasing debt. If the US Treasury Note is not a AAA value, then what is? But, even the world is watching our lack of leadership and growing debt! I'm no National Debt expert, but according to my personal calculations, the National Debt can be broken down approximately as follows: per taxpayer is $1,026,138; per citizen is $176,281; and per family is $669,103. When President Bush left office, the National Debt was approx. $10 trillion, and in just three years under President Obama, we are now over $14 trillion and climbing! Just to pay the interest on the National Debt would cost every US citizen approximately $11,644 annually -- that's just to service the interest on the debt! At what point will we stop the insanity and think about the future? Again, I am not a National Debt expert, so you may want to do your own calculations; but these numbers are astounding.

So, again, congratulations Mr. President on leading the United States of America to another first. God help us!

Church Unity Results in God's Presence & Blessing

You've probably heard the old story about the little boy who was sick and stayed home from church on the Sunday of the annual Easter program. Upon returning from the service, his brother stated," You should have been there... Jesus showed up today." The little boy was so disappointed and proclaimed loudly, "I had to miss the one Sunday that Jesus showed up at our church." Well, let me ask you, when was the last time God showed up at your church?

Emmanuel is so blessed to see people being saved, baptized, and added to our church on a regular basis; but that wasn't always the case. Just as Aachan's sin spoiled the blessing for an entire nation, sin among our staff stifled our growth at one point. Just as division between Jews and Gentiles split divided the early church, we, too, have experienced division and discord. Just as Judas refused to buy into Jesus, we've had some refuse to buy into our efforts to share Christ. Some of the difficulties have moved out of town, some now bless other churches, and some continue to bless us; but others have selected to put aside the conflict and reconcile with God and others. PRAISE THE LORD!

I personally believe that God desires to work in every church, but He can't; because of the lack of unity! This Peacemaker series has helped us to celebrate our differences, agree to disagree (agreeably), focus on Christ, and renew our vision. It has taught us how to resolve conflict. It's brought a sweet, sweet spirit into our church family and we know that it's the Spirit of the Lord! Our prayer is that God will help us continue in unity, strive to live peaceably, and unite in our passion to share Christ, and reach a lost world.

Thank you, Lord, for the wonderful work you are doing at Emmanuel! Please dwell among us and use us to impact eternity!