Think Tank

"Do you Understand What I Have done to You"

2011-07-13T11:48:00.000-07:00

"When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you?" - John 13:12

Do we understand what he has done for us? This verse in scripture asks an important question. In fact I think it is probably the most important question you can ever ask.

Jesus was asking his disciples, after he washed their feet, "do you understand the deeper meaning of this. What I have done, and will do, is much more than just clean your feet."

In John 13:14 Jesus commissions, "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet."

Jesus' willingness to wash his disciples feet represents His willingness to forgive our transgressions. He committed himself to a "whatever it takes plan" for your life. He revealed that no service is to "low" for us to participate in for our brothers and sisters. If our creator was willing to do this for us we should be willing to do it for each other. We need to be willing to forgive the daily irritations and transgressions that threaten the unity of love Jesus has called us to have.

So, do you understand what Jesus has done for you? If so, serving our community is the most exciting thing we can do. It won't be a duty, but a privilege.

If it's Broke...Fix It

2011-04-27T16:10:00.000-07:00

C.S. Lewis made a profound statement. He said "The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ." If this is true could it be that many churches have ceased being…well, churches? I think this quote reminds us of the importance of evaluating how we "do church." This is the litmus test of church legitimacy. In order to gauge whether our church is truly representing the Body of Christ is answering the question: Are we drawing people to Jesus?

Jesus said, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." John 12:32

Paul said, "For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:2

So if drawing people to Jesus is the sole purpose of the church. I believe it would do us some good to analyze how we do church. Jesus said in Matthew 7:20, "…you will recognize them by their fruits." What kind of fruit are we producing? What kind of fruit are our ministries and programs producing? Often we put programs & ministries on life-support, even after it's obvious they are not producing fruit, (their better days have long since been gone). Sadly, then we begin serving our programs rather than serving the people. The church needs to be about serving the people & leading them to Jesus? We are all certainly called to serve God, but something is wrong when the institution stops serving the people. That is what happened during the Dark Ages. A Lutheran theologian once said, "The institution has stopped serving the people, & the people have started serving the institution"

How sad our programs can sometime become the very thing that is obstructing the Gospel from being spread on a much greater scale. If money, time, and resources are being poured into a certain program, church, or ministry that isn't bearing much fruit it is time to ask the question, "Am I drawing people to Jesus?" or "Am I placing my desires, hopes, fears, in front of Jesus.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 7:21

Kicking Ourselves While We're Down

2010-09-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

No one kicks us when we are down like ourselves. After David had committed adultery with Bathsheba he felt the sure consequence of sin. He cried out in Psalms 51, "For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night." Have you ever felt that way? Sin causes pain, shame, ultimately leading to death. The results of acting out in sin is the true consequence. It is a much greater penalty than any surface consequence.

What was David's greatest pain? Was it embarrassment or loss of trust? None of these really. David's greatest pain came from disappointing His heavenly Father, the separation he experienced because of his sin. He cried out in verse 9 of chapter 5, "Don't keep looking at my sins…do not banish me from your presence"

The Bible tells us in Luke 17:3 "Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins rebuke him and if he repents forgive him." This verse is really about how our failure to forgive others is one way of provoking them to rashness and sin. As the verse says, "Pay attention to yourselves…" We cannot help but pay attention to ourselves when we sin…because it hurts! So why do we feel it so necessary to point out others sins? When we sin we are most certainly aware of our sins.

That is why Christ continues to commission us to forgive, forgive, and forgive some more. Because it is through an attitude of forgiveness that people experience the love and character of Christ. And it is through the love and character of Christ that people change.

Next time you know a brother is struggling with a particular sin. Rather than pointing out that person's sin, which they most certainly are aware of, spend time with them. Let the Holy Spirit continue working on that individuals heart. Allow your love and kindness be the catalyst that will plant the seed for true change!

Hey, you've been with Jesus.

2010-06-11T14:39:00.000-07:00

In IN ACTS 4:13 WE READ THIS POWERFUL VERSE:

“NOW WHEN THEY SAW THE BOLDNESS OF PETER AND JOHN, AND PERCEIVED THAT THEY WERE UNEDUCATED, COMMON MEN, THEY WERE ASTONISHED. AND THEY RECOGNIZED THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS."

Out of all the things to be said about a person the greatest is that, "he or she has been with Jesus." Would that be the worlds response if they met you? Unfortunitly our peculiarities are what people often identify us with. "That's the group that doesn't eat pork" or "aren't those the people that go to church on Saturday" yet the greatest thing to be identified with is Jesus!

Take down my degrees and awards from my wall.
Crumple all of my letters of recommendation into a tiny ball,
I would forsake it all just to hear the call,
"he has been with Jesus"

Who can you trust?

2010-05-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

Who can you trust?

In Psalms 20:6-7 we read, "Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand. 7. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God."

Isn't it reassuring to know that God saves his anointed? Right now, regardless of where you find yourself, no matter what dark places you find yourself in, our Lord answers with the saving might of His right hand. He can pick you out of the depths, the miry mess we sometimes create. We do not need to go to the fabricated emotions of this world, the chemical concoctions of hopelessness. When we think we can turn to no one, we can turn our eyes to the Author and Finisher! We can remember the name of the Lord and find hope!

Translating verse 7 to a modern language and time one might say, "some trust in their cars, in their bank accounts…" People are still looking to "things" for security. However, just as the psalmist said, "we will remember the name of the Lord our God." When life deals unfairly with us, (which it most certainly will) we can look to our true refuge, Christ Jesus!

In summation I would like to borrow a few words from an article written in 1888. "by beholding we are to become changed, and as we meditate upon the perfections of our divine Model, we shall desire to become wholly transformed…there will be a hungering a thirsting of soul to be made more like Him who we adore," (R&H, June 12 1888).

So my friends we can have faith that though we are sin-sick and perplexed we can look to Jesus and have hope. Remember, God saves his anointed, he answers with the might of His right hand. Do not put your trust in the material things of this world. Do not look to society for security and hope…look to Jesus, someone you can always trust!

What is Prayer?

2010-03-16T18:01:00.000-07:00

What is prayer anyway?

I think we will all agree that prayer is something that we experience and not something that is easily defined. Prayer is so powerful it blends into everything that we do. Prayer’s affects can be seen and yet often left unseen. However, just because the affect cannot always be seen does not mean our prayers do not work, or that God does not hear them. In fact, the prayers that yields the most powerful influence in our lives deals with the unseen.

Ultimately, prayer is about plugging into the Life-source. It is much more essential to our happiness, prosperity, and contentment than most people realize. We see a world all around us that is starving for prayer. So many problems and blunders could be avoided if we were more persistent in prayer, and patiently wait for a response. How often we go to God with our grocery list of desires and wants and when finished we get up and go do whatever we planned on doing before we began praying. Why is it that we then say, “God doesn’t answer prayer?” God does answer prayer…we just have a hard time listening.

What is prayer?

Prayer is our greatest weapon in the ongoing war of good vs. evil.
Prayer connects us to the Almighty.
Prayer enables victory.
Prayer defeats Satan’s attacks.
Prayer is a balm that heals the wounds from this world.
Prayer evokes change.
Prayer is talking with God and listening for His response.

My friends, that is only the tip of the iceberg. A mighty experience of prayer can be yours…why not start today!

The Ultimate Prayer Warrior

2010-03-07T21:50:00.001-08:00

Prayer Warriors,

We have the greatest of all prayer partners, Jesus Christ. Isn't it reassuring to know that the Creator of the universe is your prayer partner. When we pray we do not have to be concerned with the potency of our prayers. Rather we should dwell on the potency of His. Dr. Philip Samaan, in his book Christ's Way to Pray, makes this great illustration, "Whenever I pray Christ wants me to anchor my mustard-seed faith in His giant faith, and to join my trickle of prayers with the mighty flow of the Niagara Falls of His prevailing prayers." What an awesome pictures this paints in our minds eye. When it seems our prayers falter Jesus presents them before the Father, flawless.

Jesus did for us what we could not do for ourselves. He lived a life of perfection. He took upon himself all of our sins and died the second death. His righteous blood makes us clean. However, Christ's work did not end at Calvary. He is our mighty mediator, our awesome intercessor who is ever interceding on our behalf. He intercedes for each of us right now. He works with the Holy Spirt and the Father to see each one of us succeed for eternity.

The greatest tool a prayer warrior has is not something within them…It is the righteous name of Jesus, the prevalent power of the Holy Spirit, the sovereign Father. The three persons of the Godhead, "all three are united harmoniously in their work for us," (Ibid). In every battle God is working through and for us. In this long, drawn-out war, we have One that will never leave us nor forsake us!

Next time you are on the battlefield of prayer do not back down. You have the infinite I AM fighting in your corner…and He is greater than he that is of this world.

Prayer Warriors Attack!

Battlefield Earth

2010-02-24T09:20:00.001-08:00

No I'm not talking about that terrible book by Hubbard, (or one of the worst movies ever made). I'm talking about a real war that is being waged upon our planet. Evil forces are attacking our children, our friends, our church, etc. It is time for prayer warriors to mount an attack and reclaim lost territory. Reclaiming lost territory in the lives of our loved ones, in the neighborhoods we grew up in, in our life.

When God created us he gave us dominion over this world, (Genesis 1:26-29). Since the very beginning of time God has called humankind to be co-workers with Him. What a privilege to be a part of God's plan for this world. The introduction of sin to the perfect creation of God's earth changed it, polluting it and it's original purpose. However, the earth and heavens still "declare the glory of God."

We can see victories on the battlefield of earth! We can reclaim territory through the precious blood of Jesus and the working of the Holy Spirit. Just as a soldier crawls to the side of a fellow injured soldier, dragging him to safety, we are to actively reclaim souls for the Kingdom of God through intercessory prayer.

My friends prayer works! I have seen lost territory taken back, I have seen battered and bruised brothers and sisters brought back to the safety of Jesus' loving arms! Don't let go of the Master's arm too soon...

Pray right now for that person you haven't seen at church recently. Pray right now for that daughter or son whose faith in Christ was once so alive and firm, but has fallen away. Pray for God's Spirit to rain down upon friends, family, churches, homes, workplaces, boardrooms, and operating rooms. Pray that God will work miracles in the lives of His children. Pray that we will be the generation that finishes the work and are able to see our Lord and Savior returning in the clouds of glory to take us home!

Prayer Warriors Attack!

Prayer Warriors

2009-12-07T07:41:00.000-08:00

There is a battle going on my friends. A battle of good vs. evil. We cannot sit on the sidelines as innocent bystanders. We cannot choose neutrality. According to Luke 11:23, we are either combatant for Christ or a combatant for Satan.

We are going to begin a new series for prayer meeting, Prayer Warriors. We discovered over the past several months the need for prayer and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This book is going to continue us down that path. If we want to be victorious over the sin in our lives and to be used in God's militant ranks, we need to become prayer warriors.

• It is through prayer that we can have the baptism of His Spirit.
• It is through prayer that we can gain victory over the sin in our lives.
• It is through prayer that we can see radical change in our church.
• It is through prayer that we can see radical change in our family and friends.
• It through prayer that we can become mighty prayer warriors for Him!

We Let Go of The Arm of the Lord Too Soon!

2009-10-27T07:45:00.000-07:00

"We let go of the arm of the Lord too soon!" is taken from Early Writings page 73. This message was given to Ellen White after she had asked God of the spiritual weakness of her day. I would say that our spiritual condition today has deteriorated even more since she made the comment. The message given to Ellen White is very relevant for us today! We do not persevere in prayer like we should.

In an age of instant communication, (text messaging, email, cell phones, etc.) we have a hard time with delayed responses. Often times when we do not get the answer we are looking for, when we are looking for it, we abandon it all together. How many souls might be won to God's kingdom if only we would persevere in prayer.

In Luke 18 Christ spoke a parable stressing the need for us to persevere in prayer. "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not faint;" When we place a greater emphasis on prayer in our lives and in our church, praying unceasingly, God will heed our prayers and bless our efforts. Through prayer we are better able to align our will with His will.

At prayer meeting we have begun an exciting series called 40 Days of Prayer. This program is based on Dennis Smith's book, 40 Days: Prayers and Devotions to Prepare for the Second Coming. This has series has been a revelation. We need prayer in our homes, church, and lives if we want to be used in God's service. If you want to join us on this awesome journey visit us at Montgomery First Seventh-Day Adventist Church on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM.

Please feel free to add comments and share how God has impacted your prayer life since beginning this journey!