Thoughts Nov.19 2010
THOUGHTS FROM JACK AND GLAD
THANKSGIVING: A GREAT OPPPORTUNITY TO GLORFY GOD
LUKE 17:11-19
There are many reasons for giving glory and thanks to God. It should be obvious to everyone that God meets our needs. HE created us and He loves us very much. We are His children. Therefore, we should express our thanks and praise to Him. In this chapter in Luke, we have an example of ten lepers, who came to Jesus and asked for mercy because of their terrible disease. Jesus healed all ten of them and told them to go, as an act of faith, and show themselves to the priests. As they were going all were healed. Jesus healed them all. Now think of this, only one of the ten returned. Nine of these lepers did not return to give glory to God. As Christians we must see that God the Father, through HIS Son and Holy Spirit, infinitely blesses us just as he blessed these poor lepers. So Jesus asked the question, "Where are the other nine?" Did they not see any reason for going back to Jesus to thank Him?
Jesus was not lamenting that the nine didn't return to glorify God. He was surprised that they did not see the need to thank God. God doesn't need our praise nor thanksgiving for Himself, but we desperately need to praise and thank the Lord because when we do, we ourselves have a wonderful opportunity to increase our relationship with Him. We experience His presence when we praise and thank Him. We need to be thankful! We need to give praise!
Thanksgiving is not just a holiday, but it can be a time of year when we emphasize our thankfulness to God with our families and friends. It was reported last year on internet that Thanksgiving was the least important holiday in America. It has been suggested that we should not have a special day of thanks anymore. Why have we become less thankful?!
There is a very good lesson that we miss if we do not read and understand the whole story of the ten lepers. Jesus said to the 10th leper, go your way, your faith has made you whole. The Greek word used here for whole is 'sozo.' It literally means "Your faith has saved you." Jesus was saying, "You recognize me as Lord and you not only are healed but saved as well." All ten lepers received healing for their leprosy, but only one came back to give glory to God. Only one gave praise and thanksgiving to God. And only one received complete spiritual healing from God. God does a deep spiritual work in each of us as we give Him praise and thanks! Let's all take every opportunity to give thanks and praise and glory to God, not only at this holiday time, but every day that we live. It is the only way to experience deep spiritual renewal in our lives.
Give thanks to the Lord for He alone is good!
Brother Jack and Glad
THANKSGIVING: A GREAT OPPPORTUNITY TO GLORFY GOD
LUKE 17:11-19
There are many reasons for giving glory and thanks to God. It should be obvious to everyone that God meets our needs. HE created us and He loves us very much. We are His children. Therefore, we should express our thanks and praise to Him. In this chapter in Luke, we have an example of ten lepers, who came to Jesus and asked for mercy because of their terrible disease. Jesus healed all ten of them and told them to go, as an act of faith, and show themselves to the priests. As they were going all were healed. Jesus healed them all. Now think of this, only one of the ten returned. Nine of these lepers did not return to give glory to God. As Christians we must see that God the Father, through HIS Son and Holy Spirit, infinitely blesses us just as he blessed these poor lepers. So Jesus asked the question, "Where are the other nine?" Did they not see any reason for going back to Jesus to thank Him?
Jesus was not lamenting that the nine didn't return to glorify God. He was surprised that they did not see the need to thank God. God doesn't need our praise nor thanksgiving for Himself, but we desperately need to praise and thank the Lord because when we do, we ourselves have a wonderful opportunity to increase our relationship with Him. We experience His presence when we praise and thank Him. We need to be thankful! We need to give praise!
Thanksgiving is not just a holiday, but it can be a time of year when we emphasize our thankfulness to God with our families and friends. It was reported last year on internet that Thanksgiving was the least important holiday in America. It has been suggested that we should not have a special day of thanks anymore. Why have we become less thankful?!
There is a very good lesson that we miss if we do not read and understand the whole story of the ten lepers. Jesus said to the 10th leper, go your way, your faith has made you whole. The Greek word used here for whole is 'sozo.' It literally means "Your faith has saved you." Jesus was saying, "You recognize me as Lord and you not only are healed but saved as well." All ten lepers received healing for their leprosy, but only one came back to give glory to God. Only one gave praise and thanksgiving to God. And only one received complete spiritual healing from God. God does a deep spiritual work in each of us as we give Him praise and thanks! Let's all take every opportunity to give thanks and praise and glory to God, not only at this holiday time, but every day that we live. It is the only way to experience deep spiritual renewal in our lives.
Give thanks to the Lord for He alone is good!
Brother Jack and Glad
Pastor's thoughts 11 11 2010
GOD'S GIFT OF GLORY: DON'T MISS IT
Part ONE
2 CORINTHIANS 3:16-18; 4:1, 6.
INTRODUCTION: I was praying about this weeks thoughts when a portion verse of
the Bible came to me. It was a portion of 2 Cor. 3:18, which said, we all … are
changed into the same image from glory to glory. I didn't even know where the
verse was found and I had to look it up. At that point I was sure that this was special.
I. SEEK THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S GLORY. We need to seek this knowledge it
for ourselves. We see it like looking in a mirror, with Our Lord is standing behind
us. We see ourselves and then we behold the image of the glory of the Lord
standing behind us. No sinful man can look into God's face and see the totality
of HIS GLORY.
If you will read 2 Cor. 3rd AND 4th chapters you will understand, why it is so
important for us to understand God's special gift of glory to us. "For God who
commanded the light to shine out in the darkness, hath shined in our hearts,
to give light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
(2 Cor.4:6),
II. SEE GOD'S GLORY IN JESUS IN EVERYDAY LIFE. (2 Cor. 3:18).
This verse says that we are constantly being transfigured into His very own
image … and we are going from glory to glory (for this comes from the Lord
Who is the Spirit." Amplified version.
What the scripture says is that we can be assured God will let us experience
the glory of God in our lives. We can experience His presence through face
of Jesus Christ.
III. SHARE GOD'S GLORY THROUGH OUR MINISTRY. (2 Cor. 4: 1,4-6).
We need to see and read this whole chapter. Paul is telling one of the most
sinful churches of that day, that they can serve Christ. That people can see
through us the light of the gospel of Christ. Paul is so excited and says, "We
don't preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your
servants for Jesus' sake. He says, For God said Jesus made his light shine
in our hearts to give us light of the knowledge of the glory of God in face of
Christ. (2Cor. 4:5-6).
CONCLUSION: My prayer is that you and I do not miss the glory of God and all
that God has for us. My desire is to wet your appetite for more. Next week we will
share about thanksgiving, praise and ways to give glory to God.
THOUGHTS FROM JACK AND GLAD NOVEMBER 2, 2010
THOUGH HE SLAY ME, YET WILL I TRUST HIM
For several weeks I have thought of the verse from Job "Though He slay me yet will I trust Him." Job 13:15 and then another 'though' emerged in my Bible study over the past few weeks. The other 'though,' was in Philippians 2:6-7 "Though being in the form of God He thought it not robbery being equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant and coming in the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of man." I thought first of Job's statement. Job suffered every possible way that a man can suffer. His wife told him when all the calamities hit Job, to curse God and die. Then after this he was sorely afflicted over his whole body. His friends came to him with skewed theology and told him to confess his secret sins. He tried to maintain his integrity. Finally, Job made his great statement of faith in God when he said, "Though He slay me yet will I trust HIM."
This was such an encouragement to me. I told the Lord that I want to let this be a scripture that will guide my life, because Glad and I went through so much frustration, and difficulty in our move here to Richmond. God did bless at every step, but it was so hard. We left what we had know as 'home' for the past 11 years. We left a church family at VBCG who loved us and gave us a wonderful opportunity to serve the Lord and others. But through it all God has given us a new opportunity for service here with family. We trust Him for the future!!
Then I read the other 'though' concerning Jesus in Philippians. Though He was God, He became man in order to suffer and die for me and you. Folks, He did it for us!! He gave us hope, salvation and a future!! There were many other 'thoughs' in the Life of Jesus. However,this 'though' was the most important because it concerned the cross. This also put Job's comment in perspective too. Glad and I sometimes felt like Job during this move. Through all of the things that have transpired over the last couple months,we sometimes failed to see the hand of God in it. So, we have been brought to that wonderful statement, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.' It has greater meaning in our lives that it had even just months ago. My prayer for each of you is that whatever you are going through now, you will look at your problems and say, though this is happening to me, yet will I trust Him. Then you will look to the Cross and see the Resurrection and praise the Lord that Satan cannot take away your trust in Christ and His redemption life from you.
Trusting Him in All Things,
Jack and Glad
For several weeks I have thought of the verse from Job "Though He slay me yet will I trust Him." Job 13:15 and then another 'though' emerged in my Bible study over the past few weeks. The other 'though,' was in Philippians 2:6-7 "Though being in the form of God He thought it not robbery being equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant and coming in the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of man." I thought first of Job's statement. Job suffered every possible way that a man can suffer. His wife told him when all the calamities hit Job, to curse God and die. Then after this he was sorely afflicted over his whole body. His friends came to him with skewed theology and told him to confess his secret sins. He tried to maintain his integrity. Finally, Job made his great statement of faith in God when he said, "Though He slay me yet will I trust HIM."
This was such an encouragement to me. I told the Lord that I want to let this be a scripture that will guide my life, because Glad and I went through so much frustration, and difficulty in our move here to Richmond. God did bless at every step, but it was so hard. We left what we had know as 'home' for the past 11 years. We left a church family at VBCG who loved us and gave us a wonderful opportunity to serve the Lord and others. But through it all God has given us a new opportunity for service here with family. We trust Him for the future!!
Then I read the other 'though' concerning Jesus in Philippians. Though He was God, He became man in order to suffer and die for me and you. Folks, He did it for us!! He gave us hope, salvation and a future!! There were many other 'thoughs' in the Life of Jesus. However,this 'though' was the most important because it concerned the cross. This also put Job's comment in perspective too. Glad and I sometimes felt like Job during this move. Through all of the things that have transpired over the last couple months,we sometimes failed to see the hand of God in it. So, we have been brought to that wonderful statement, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.' It has greater meaning in our lives that it had even just months ago. My prayer for each of you is that whatever you are going through now, you will look at your problems and say, though this is happening to me, yet will I trust Him. Then you will look to the Cross and see the Resurrection and praise the Lord that Satan cannot take away your trust in Christ and His redemption life from you.
Trusting Him in All Things,
Jack and Glad
Pastor Jack's Thoughts Sept.10, 2010
PASTOR JACK'S THOUGHTS
SEPTEMBER 10, 2010
COMBATING THE STRESSORS OF LIFE
All of us go through some major life stressors. Depending on who does the list, some of the top ones are the loss of a loved one or friend, loss of a job, and moving!! One at the very top of one list that I read was moving to a different location. You are leaving friends and family and your brothers and sisters in Christ. This is especially true if you are a senior citizens. Well guess what?! Glad and I wholeheartedly agree. Even our trip half way around the world (1966) with four young children in tow doesn't compare to this move that we are making.
So this occasion has given us time to think about how to deal with stress. What can Christians do about stress? Well I believe the scripture gives us the answer. "In everything give praise (thanks) because this is the will of God for your life (concerning you.)" I Thess. 5:18
Psalm 103 is so special to us. Praise is very precious to God, because it blesses Him and us too. In our worship services we have praise teams to lead us in singing, because corporate praise and worship go together. This Psalm gives us reasons to praise. It changes our focus and helps us look to the Lord. So why praise? Listen to Psalm 103. Read it and mediate on it and let God flood your soul with praise in the situation. It may not change the situation, but it takes You to the Lord who can lift you up and above the current situation in your life.
WE MUST PRAISE HIM BECAUSE OF WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US. (103:2) Look carefully at that verse and don't forget any of His 'benefits' (blessings) that are yours through His love for you.
The first benefit we see here is that the Lord forgives all our sins. Ps.103:3 This is huge. Yesterday, I received a letter from the mission field where a young woman was in total bondage to moneylenders. She was going to commit suicide, because she believed she was so sinful for getting into this debt. The leaders of the church there shared Christ with her. She accepted HIM and began rejoicing. The burden of sin was lifted. She is rejoicing that she now has help with her problem. Did the problem disappear? No, but now she can find solutions to the problem because of her new life in Jesus and in the way that He gives her answers to solving the problem.
Another benefit that we see in this Psalm is that God heals all our diseases. (Ps.103:3). This is not a name it and claim it philosophy. But our Lord does heal our minds, attitudes, our spirits and our illnesses. Sometimes, HE heals us by taking us to heaven and sometime he heals us through modern medicine but you can be sure that the Healer is God! So we praise HIM for eternal life and for healing.
There is so much to say on this subject that I want to continue this next week. Please think about this and read carefully Psalm 103. It will bless you as it has blessed me!!
Leaning on Him,
Pastor Jack
SEPTEMBER 10, 2010
COMBATING THE STRESSORS OF LIFE
All of us go through some major life stressors. Depending on who does the list, some of the top ones are the loss of a loved one or friend, loss of a job, and moving!! One at the very top of one list that I read was moving to a different location. You are leaving friends and family and your brothers and sisters in Christ. This is especially true if you are a senior citizens. Well guess what?! Glad and I wholeheartedly agree. Even our trip half way around the world (1966) with four young children in tow doesn't compare to this move that we are making.
So this occasion has given us time to think about how to deal with stress. What can Christians do about stress? Well I believe the scripture gives us the answer. "In everything give praise (thanks) because this is the will of God for your life (concerning you.)" I Thess. 5:18
Psalm 103 is so special to us. Praise is very precious to God, because it blesses Him and us too. In our worship services we have praise teams to lead us in singing, because corporate praise and worship go together. This Psalm gives us reasons to praise. It changes our focus and helps us look to the Lord. So why praise? Listen to Psalm 103. Read it and mediate on it and let God flood your soul with praise in the situation. It may not change the situation, but it takes You to the Lord who can lift you up and above the current situation in your life.
WE MUST PRAISE HIM BECAUSE OF WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US. (103:2) Look carefully at that verse and don't forget any of His 'benefits' (blessings) that are yours through His love for you.
The first benefit we see here is that the Lord forgives all our sins. Ps.103:3 This is huge. Yesterday, I received a letter from the mission field where a young woman was in total bondage to moneylenders. She was going to commit suicide, because she believed she was so sinful for getting into this debt. The leaders of the church there shared Christ with her. She accepted HIM and began rejoicing. The burden of sin was lifted. She is rejoicing that she now has help with her problem. Did the problem disappear? No, but now she can find solutions to the problem because of her new life in Jesus and in the way that He gives her answers to solving the problem.
Another benefit that we see in this Psalm is that God heals all our diseases. (Ps.103:3). This is not a name it and claim it philosophy. But our Lord does heal our minds, attitudes, our spirits and our illnesses. Sometimes, HE heals us by taking us to heaven and sometime he heals us through modern medicine but you can be sure that the Healer is God! So we praise HIM for eternal life and for healing.
There is so much to say on this subject that I want to continue this next week. Please think about this and read carefully Psalm 103. It will bless you as it has blessed me!!
Leaning on Him,
Pastor Jack
Pastor thoughts June 15 2010
PASTOR JACK THOUGHTS JUNE 15, 2010
BE ENCOURAGED! ENCOURAGE OTHERS!
Both the Old Testament and the New Testament have many references about encouragement. We often overlook that word and fail to put it into action in our lives. Actually, many of the scriptures that emphasize courage and encouragement link it with its opposite word, FEAR!! Over and over in the OT, God said to His people, "Do not fear! Be of good courage!" Then right before Jesus gave His life for us on the cross, He spoke these words of encouragement, "These things have I spoken unto you, that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer (be encouraged), I have overcome the world." In John 14 He also said that He was going away, but that He would return to take us with Him to a new heavenly home. What a wonderful word of encouragement to each of us.
The words, "Be of good courage" are mentioned more than 7 times in the N.T. And those words mean "Cheer up!!" Jesus used "Cheer up!" in reference to the fact that He pardons our sins.(Matt. 9:1-8). He says that we are to cheer up when we see His power that is in us. (Matt. 9:18:22). Then in Matthew 13:22-27, Jesus says that He will cheer us up with His precious presence. Jesus longs for us to be a happy and cheerful people. Satan is a discourager, but Jesus says that He gives peace, comfort and encouragement to those who trust in Him (John 16:33.)
Then in many of the books at the end of the NT, Paul, Peter and others often included the words, "Be encouraged and encourage others!" Once a person is encouraged by God and His presence through prayer and Bible study, then he must go out into the world to share that encouragement with those around him. What a better world we would live in if we made this practice a rule in our everyday relationships. Try it and see what happens! Make an honest effort to be an encourager. Change your world to the glory of God.
Do this: Try to encourage at least five people during your day and note the reaction that each person had toward your words or actions of encouragement. Then share your findings with a family member or with a fellow believer. Rejoice together that God used YOU to His glory that day!!
Encouraged By His Spirit,
Pastor Jack
BE ENCOURAGED! ENCOURAGE OTHERS!
Both the Old Testament and the New Testament have many references about encouragement. We often overlook that word and fail to put it into action in our lives. Actually, many of the scriptures that emphasize courage and encouragement link it with its opposite word, FEAR!! Over and over in the OT, God said to His people, "Do not fear! Be of good courage!" Then right before Jesus gave His life for us on the cross, He spoke these words of encouragement, "These things have I spoken unto you, that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer (be encouraged), I have overcome the world." In John 14 He also said that He was going away, but that He would return to take us with Him to a new heavenly home. What a wonderful word of encouragement to each of us.
The words, "Be of good courage" are mentioned more than 7 times in the N.T. And those words mean "Cheer up!!" Jesus used "Cheer up!" in reference to the fact that He pardons our sins.(Matt. 9:1-8). He says that we are to cheer up when we see His power that is in us. (Matt. 9:18:22). Then in Matthew 13:22-27, Jesus says that He will cheer us up with His precious presence. Jesus longs for us to be a happy and cheerful people. Satan is a discourager, but Jesus says that He gives peace, comfort and encouragement to those who trust in Him (John 16:33.)
Then in many of the books at the end of the NT, Paul, Peter and others often included the words, "Be encouraged and encourage others!" Once a person is encouraged by God and His presence through prayer and Bible study, then he must go out into the world to share that encouragement with those around him. What a better world we would live in if we made this practice a rule in our everyday relationships. Try it and see what happens! Make an honest effort to be an encourager. Change your world to the glory of God.
Do this: Try to encourage at least five people during your day and note the reaction that each person had toward your words or actions of encouragement. Then share your findings with a family member or with a fellow believer. Rejoice together that God used YOU to His glory that day!!
Encouraged By His Spirit,
Pastor Jack
Pastor's thoughts Stewardship June 7,2010
PASTOR JACK'S THOUGHTS JUNE 7, 2010
GOD'S REQUIREMENTS FOR MAN'S STEWARDSHIP
This is 'Stewardship Month' at VBCG and a very important month it is! God has not left us ignorant about His requirements for our lives. Throughout the Old Testament and in the New Testament He spoke of His requirements on how to live life, trust Him and follow Him. When we, as Christians, hear the word 'stewardship' we think immediately of money. We turn away because we don't like for the church to talk about 'our/my money' but alas, it isn't our money. The money is a gift from God (from the very beginning!) Everything in life is a gift from God and we have the responsibility to be faithful in the way we use the time, abilities, money and everything else that God has so graciously provided for us. Without His provision, we have nothing.
This week, take a little time and think about Micah 6:8. It says, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." How do we please God? It is very plain.
1. This verse says that God is pleased when our actions in life are just! In other words, we must be honest in the ways that we interact with other people and with God. We must be honest in the way we use our time, our money and our abilities in dealing with God. But not only that but we must be honest in all of our actions toward other people!
2. God requires that we love mercy. We pay a lot of attention to people and things that we love, don't we?! God requires that we focus our attention and be intense with our love of mercy! This means that we live our lives being kind and forgiving toward others. We have a merciful God and we must take our example from Him.
3. The third statement is the most important: walk humbly with God! It seems that God's Word saves the most important instruction in this verse for last.....walk humbly with God. When you walk with someone you usually do so in unity and in peace and oneness with that person. We don't walk with enemies....we run from them. We don't usually walk with strangers because we don't know them. We walk with a friend or someone we love dearly. To walk with God means to be in unity with Him as a child walks with his mother or father, hand in hand or side by side, trusting and and in perfect peace and submission.
Think about this and adjust the areas of your life that you need to adjust in order to follow God's requirements. As I said yesterday in worship, then you will enter into His joy each day! Be obedient and follow His requirements. You are blessed when you do.
"Help us to be faithful stewards, Lord."
Pastor Jack
GOD'S REQUIREMENTS FOR MAN'S STEWARDSHIP
This is 'Stewardship Month' at VBCG and a very important month it is! God has not left us ignorant about His requirements for our lives. Throughout the Old Testament and in the New Testament He spoke of His requirements on how to live life, trust Him and follow Him. When we, as Christians, hear the word 'stewardship' we think immediately of money. We turn away because we don't like for the church to talk about 'our/my money' but alas, it isn't our money. The money is a gift from God (from the very beginning!) Everything in life is a gift from God and we have the responsibility to be faithful in the way we use the time, abilities, money and everything else that God has so graciously provided for us. Without His provision, we have nothing.
This week, take a little time and think about Micah 6:8. It says, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." How do we please God? It is very plain.
1. This verse says that God is pleased when our actions in life are just! In other words, we must be honest in the ways that we interact with other people and with God. We must be honest in the way we use our time, our money and our abilities in dealing with God. But not only that but we must be honest in all of our actions toward other people!
2. God requires that we love mercy. We pay a lot of attention to people and things that we love, don't we?! God requires that we focus our attention and be intense with our love of mercy! This means that we live our lives being kind and forgiving toward others. We have a merciful God and we must take our example from Him.
3. The third statement is the most important: walk humbly with God! It seems that God's Word saves the most important instruction in this verse for last.....walk humbly with God. When you walk with someone you usually do so in unity and in peace and oneness with that person. We don't walk with enemies....we run from them. We don't usually walk with strangers because we don't know them. We walk with a friend or someone we love dearly. To walk with God means to be in unity with Him as a child walks with his mother or father, hand in hand or side by side, trusting and and in perfect peace and submission.
Think about this and adjust the areas of your life that you need to adjust in order to follow God's requirements. As I said yesterday in worship, then you will enter into His joy each day! Be obedient and follow His requirements. You are blessed when you do.
"Help us to be faithful stewards, Lord."
Pastor Jack
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