Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Isaiah 26:3 

Duke University did a study on “peace of mind.” Factors found to contribute greatly to emotional and mental stability are:

· The absence of suspicion and resentment. Nursing a grudge was a major factor in unhappiness.

· Not living in the past. An unwholesome preoccupation with old mistakes and failures leads to depression.

· Not wasting time and energy fighting conditions you cannot change. Cooperate with life, instead of trying to run away from it.

· Force yourself to stay involved with the living world. Resist the temptation to withdraw and become reclusive during periods of emotional stress.

· Refuse to indulge in self-pity when life hands you a raw deal. Accept the fact that nobody gets through life without some sorrow and misfortune.

· Cultivate the old-fashioned virtues—love, humor, compassion and loyalty

· Do not expect too much of yourself. When there is too wide a gap between self-expectation and your ability to meet the goals you have set, feelings of inadequacy are inevitable.

· Find something bigger than yourself to believe in. Self-centered egotistical people score lowest in any test for measuring happiness.

(http://www.bible.org.)

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I love it when secular psychological studies like the one conducted by Duke discovers truth that was already in the Bible.

Isaiah 26:3

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 

We are literally living in troubling times. Crisis calls to mental health hotlines have increased 5000 % since COVID started. Living in this sin cursed world is hard enough, but 2020 has raised the challenge and difficulty level. Today we are going to discover some principles that will help reduce our anxiety and increase our inner tranquility. This morning we will talk about peace of mind and tonight we will learn how to put our brains on a diet.

Perfect peace is possible.

Isaiah 26:3 KJV

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on thee: Because he trusteth in thee.

A. Perfect = Hebrew construction shows this to be an emphatic phrase: you can have peace, peace.

B. Peace = a sense of completeness, free from harm, absent from war in one’s inner being.

C. This peace does not need to be temporary.

Peace comes when we are reconciled with God through saving faith.

Romans 5:9–11 KJV

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 

And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

– This peace brings healing.

Isaiah 57:19 KJV

I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; And I will heal him.

– This peace transcends worldly, temporal peace.

John 14:27 KJV

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Perfect peace depends upon one’s state of mind. 

  “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,Whose mind is stayed on thee:Because he trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3, KJV)  

Stayed = take hold of

A. Peace comes through God’s Word.

Psalm 119:165 KJV

Great peace have they which love thy law: And nothing shall offend them.

John 16:33 KJV

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

 B. Peace comes through the renewal on one’s mind.

Romans 12:2 KJV

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

2 Corinthians 10:4–5 KJV

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Perfect peace depends upon the object of your trust.

A. No Jesus, no peace – Know Jesus, know peace.

Isaiah 31:1 KJV

Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; And stay on horses, And trust in chariots, because they are many; And in horsemen, because they are very strong; But they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, Neither seek the LORD!

B. Peace comes when you trust God.

Psalm 28:7 KJV

The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in him, and I am helped: Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; And with my song will I praise him.

C. Trust is demonstrated through prayer.

Philippians 4:6–7 KJV

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Jaden our son woke up one morning at 3 am. Screaming. It wasn’t a scream of “my diaper is wet” or “I am hungry.” It was a scream of despair and panic. That night he slept with us.

The next night as I was getting ready to lay him down in the crib, he latched on to me and I couldn’t get him off. I finally gave up and brought him to bed again. After about an hour I was able to put him in his crib.

The 3rd night started the same. Instead of fighting, we brought our 2 year to the living and prayed that God would give him peace of mind, comfort, God would touch Him, and that God had given us Jaden…Jaden is His child. Five minutes later, Jaden was asleep. God had given Jaden, a peace…only true peace comes from God.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 10:21 AM August 21, 2020.

The Devil You Know

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

2 Corinthians 2:11

 A woodpecker is a very interesting bird. The loud rat-a-tat-tat noise he makes as he drills into trees in search of bugs to eat always attracts attention. The secret of his success is simple. When a woodpecker finds a suitable tree, he begins to drill a hole. If the wood is too hard or no bugs are found, he simply moves over a bit and starts again. Over and over he continues, until he meets with success.

Satan uses temptation in much the same way. He will try one temptation on us and then if not successful will move over a bit and try another. And so he will continue, over and over again, until he finds a soft spot in us that he can use to his advantage.1368

Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 371.

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Satan and his demonic minions are not simply fictional subjects fit only for Halloween stories, but rather are real beings with a desire to steal, kill, and destroy. We are in spiritual battle involving the forces of light and the forces of darkness.

In our text we find some wise words by a veteran in this fight, the apostle Paul. He tells the church at Corinth that he is not ignorant, or without knowledge, about Satan’s devices. The term “devices” here refers to the strategies employed by the forces of darkness that are designed to render a believer ineffective in the battle. This morning we will briefly identify these strategies so that you, too, can know your enemy.

You Know Satan will try to deceive you

A. Satan is a liar

John 8:44 KJV

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

B. Satan is subtle

Genesis 3:1 KJV

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2 Corinthians 11:3 KJV

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

C. Satan blinds people to the truth

2 Corinthians 4:4 KJV

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Satan will try to discourage you

A. Satan is the accuser

Revelation 12:9–10 KJV

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

B. Satan promotes unforgiveness

2 Corinthians 2:5-11 – 5 But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. 6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. 7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. 9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. 10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; 11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 

Satan will try to distract you

A. From a God-given task

Nehemiah 6:1–3 KJV

Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) 

That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. 

And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

B. From a God-given responsibility

John 4:31-35 – 31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. 32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

Satan will try to discredit you

1 Corinthians 9:27 KJV

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Temptation, Resisting

A little girl once said in response to a question about how to deal with temptation: “When Satan comes knocking at the door of my heart, I send Jesus to answer the door. When Satan sees Jesus, he says, ‘Oops, I am sorry, I must have the wrong house.’ 

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 11:39 AM August 13, 2020.

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Holy Spirit; Power / Zechariah 4:6; Ephesians 5:18

Zechariah 4:6 KJV

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, Saith the LORD of hosts.

Ephesians 5:18 KJV

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Hurricane Isaias has caused quite a bit of trouble here in the North East. Tuesday over 700,000 people were without power. Cell towers did not have power so cell function was limited. Internet providers did not have power, so even if one did have power, you could not have contact with the outside world.

It was ironic… many of us own nice equipment. We have big screen TVs, smart phones, cooking appliances, lights, and all kinds of gadgets… yet without power, or without enough power, these things are useless.

Today many believers are like our gadgets have been this week. We have everything in place, but we are not empowered by a fresh flow of energy that comes from the filling of the Holy Spirit.  

There is a lot of confusion as to what the Bible teaches about the Baptism of Filling of the Holy Spirit. Too often the filling ministry and the indwelling ministry are blended together, causing doctrinal error. Let us address that first before we continue.

Every Born Again Believer This Side of Calvary is Indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

John 20:20–22 KJV

And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

1 Corinthians 3:17 KJV

If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 KJV

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Romans 8:9 KJV

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Therefore the Indwelling Ministry is Constant.

Ephesians 4:30 KJV

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Philippians 1:6 KJV

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

The Filling of the Spirit is the Bestowing of Power with a Purpose

Luke 24:49 KJV

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Now that we have the basic academic theology down, we must ask the question: “If we are commanded to be filled with the Spirit, how do we obey this command?” This morning we will see the biblical guidelines for Christians to experience this supernatural enduement with Holy Spirit soul winning power.

Complete obedience is a prerequisite to Holy Ghost filling

Acts 5:30–32 KJV

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 

Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 

And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

Obey the Great Commission

Matthew 28:19–20 KJV

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Baptism: the believer’s first step of obedience

Mark 16:15–16 KJV

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Keep your heart clean

Ephesians 4:30 KJV

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

We are to pray for Holy Spirit filling

God promises to answer this specific prayer

Luke 11:11–13 KJV

If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 

Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Christians were filled after prayer

1. The disciples from the upper room

Acts 1:14 KJV

These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

Acts 2:4 KJV

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

2. The apostle Paul

Acts 9:11 KJV

And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

Acts 9:17 KJV

And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

3. The first missionaries sent from Antioch

Acts 13:3 KJV

And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Acts 13:9 KJV

Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,

We Are To Need The Power for a Purpose.

Acts 1:8 KJV

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Conclusion:

Ephesians 5:18 – And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 

God has commanded us as born-again believers to be filled with the Spirit. Obviously, this cannot mean indwelling, because that is His department. Peter tells us in Acts 5 that the Holy Ghost endues those who obey God. The purpose for the enduement according to Acts 1:8 is to win souls. Therefore, in order to be filled with the Spirit, we must be obedient to Jesus’ command that we preach the Gospel to every creature.

God has also told us that He will pour out His Spirit power to anyone who pleads for a fresh enduement. Let us, by the grace of God, seek to be endued with power from the

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 12:08 PM August 7, 2020.

Don’t Waste 2020

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

A Witness; Evangelism; Testimony; Reputation / Colossians 4:5–6

Notes
First AM Message in person since COVID 19

2020 has been an awful year in many respects. The COVID fiasco, Black Lives Matter, and lost of personal drama and problems have sent many of us reeling. I have heard folks muse… they wish they could hit a fast forward button and skip the rest of 2020 and move on to better times.

I am glad that God does not allow us to literally travel in time. You see, in spite of all the problems, God has you right here, right now, in the middle of all this mess by His perfect design.

It is tempting to just check out waiting for better times. We can’t soul win like we always did, why bother. Church is just not the same… I will wait until we get back to real normal.

Our text this morning serves as a warning that we are stewards of everything we are given… even now. On this first Sunday morning back in Church since COVID drove us to the parking lot, don’t let change ruin your heart. Don’t waste 2020!

Don’t Waste Your Relationships

Colossians 4:5 KJV
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

Guard your reputation

Ephesians 5:15–16 KJV
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

“Circumspectly” is akrib?s (???????), “exactly, accurately, carefully.” “Walk” is peripate? (?????????), “to order one’s behavior, to conduct one’s self.”

Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 4, p. 126). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Romans 14:16 KJV
Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV
Abstain from all appearance of evil.

• Be wise in order to win others to Jesus

Proverbs 11:30 KJV
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; And he that winneth souls is wise.

Bud Villers was a good man. Bud was my neighbor. I grew up beside him until he died when I was in college. Bud helped my dad put a roof on our house, he assisted my dad when they poured concrete sidewalks and porches. My dad helped him put a roof on his patio. When Bud got older he would hire me to cut his grass occasionally. He usually invited me in for a glass of Coke and a piece of pie. He was always generous. I also delivered his newspaper for a couple of years. He tipped well. He was kind. He didn’t get upset if our baseball, wiffle ball or football went into his yard.

Mr. Villers was an avid fisherman. He often brought us some of his trout catch.

I don’t remember Bud talking a lot about religion when I was a kid, but it struck me that EVERY Sunday morning I saw Bud walking up the street with his Bible in hand-—rain or shine Bud walked to church with a Bible in his hand every week.

Every year he invited my younger brother and me to attend VBS at the Nutter Fort Baptist Church. Most years we didn’t go, but some years when some of my friends were going I did go. Then when I was 15 Bud invited us to church on a Sunday. I didn’t go, but my younger brother did. And the next weekend he invited us again. Again, I didn’t go but my little brother went. The same thing happened the next Sunday and the Sunday after that. My brother started going to church two or three times a week. I caught him reading the Bible a couple of times.

Months later Bud was still inviting me and I was still not interested. Then a singing group attended my school. They were college students and the girls were really pretty. They performed several songs and they told us that they were going to be at a church that evening and they wanted us to come. When I got home from school that day, Bud came over and invited my little brother and me to come to church that evening. The singers from the school were going to be there, so I went. That night I became a Christian and my life has never been the same since.

To my knowledge, Bud Villers never taught a Sunday School class, never preached a sermon, never held a position of leadership in the church. He was an usher, a faithful usher. He simply lived a life of integrity and love for God and his family and friends. And occasionally invited people to church.

If Bud was an ice cream flavor, he would be vanilla. But he would be HÄAGEN-DAZS vanilla.

(From a sermon by Quint Pitts, Uncommonly Average, 10/17/2009)

Don’t Waste Your Time

Colossians 4:5 KJV
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

Know your opportunities are temporary.

Psalm 90:12 KJV
So teach us to number our days, That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Know that the lost have an even more urgent time clock

1 Thessalonians 4:12 KJV
That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

The author is unknown.

The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it’s the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it’s the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.

A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the basement shack with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning, turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time. Let me tell you about it.

I turned the dial up into the phone portion of the band on my ham radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning swap net. Along the way, I came across an older sounding chap, with a tremendous signal and a golden voice. You know the kind, he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business. He was telling whoever he was talking with something about “a thousand marbles”.

I was intrigued and stopped to listen to what he had to say. “Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you’re busy with your job. I’m sure they pay you well but it’s a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. Too bad you missed your daughter’s dance recital.”

He continued, “Let me tell you something Tom, something that has helped me keep a good perspective on my own priorities.”

And that’s when he began to explain his theory of a “thousand marbles.”

“You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years.”

“Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900 which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime. Now stick with me Tom, I’m getting to the important part.”

“It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail”, he went on, “and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays. I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy.”

“So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to round-up 1000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside of a large, clear plastic container right here in the shack next to my gear. Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away.”

“I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life. There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight.”

“Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure if I make it until next Saturday, then I have been given a little extra time. And the one thing we can all use is a little more time.”

“It was nice to meet you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your family, and I hope to meet you again here on the band. 73 Old Man, this is K9NZQ, clear and going QRT, good morning!”

You could have heard a pin drop on the band when this fellow signed off. I guess he gave us all a lot to think about. I had planned to work on the antenna that morning, and then I was going to meet up with a few hams to work on the next club newsletter. Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. “C’mon honey, I’m taking you and the kids to breakfast.”

“What brought this on?” she asked with a smile. “Oh, nothing special, it’s just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids.

Hey, can we stop at a toy store while we’re out? I need to buy some marbles.”

Don’t Waste Your Words

Colossians 4:6 KJV
Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Psalm 40:10 KJV
I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

• Full of Grace – unmerited favor

Psalm 66:16 KJV
Come and hear, all ye that fear God, And I will declare what he hath done for my soul.

Ephesians 4:29 KJV
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

“Watch your speech. A mans command of the language is most important. Next to kissing, its the most exciting form of communication mankind has evolved.”

• Salty – make those without thirsty for Jesus

1 Peter 3:15 KJV
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

• Wise

Colossians 3:16 KJV
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Deuteronomy 6:6 KJV
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 12:07 PM July 24, 2020.

Anywhere With Jesus

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Fear; Trust; Close; Affection / Matthew 14:22–33

A dying man was fearful, even though he was a born-again Christian. He expressed his feelings to his Christian doctor. The physician was silent, not knowing what to say. Just then a whining and scratching was heard at the door. When the doctor opened it, in bounded his big beautiful dog, who often went with him as he made house calls. The dog was glad to see his master. Sensing an opportunity to comfort his troubled patient, the doctor said, “My dog has never been in your room before, so he didn’t know what it was like in here. But he knew I was in here, and that was enough. In the same way, I’m looking forward to heaven. I don’t know much about it, but I know my Savior is there. And that’s all I need to know!”2971

1 Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 94.

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It seems like 2020 is the Storm that just won’t go away. The COVID fiasco, socio/economic collapse, civil unrest, and political ineptitude invade our news feed, our conversations, and even our thoughts. On top of all that, several of our folks have lost work, lost health, and buried loved ones. During storms like this it is natural to fear. We can fear the clouds we see. We can fear the possibilities of what may come next. This natural fear can paralyze us so that we freeze in place and make no move whatsoever.  

2020 has brought no shortage of things to be afraid of. We can fear the ‘Rona. We can fear getting it, or passing it on. We can fear displeasing a government official who is spewing out random rules faster than snot slinging from a sneeze. We fear the police. We fear the protesters. We fear murder hornets. And now, in case you are starting to feel better, we are supposed to fear the Black Death, bubonic plague.  

As a response, some believers have quit doing what believers are supposed to do. We have quit fellowship all together. If we do venture out we arm ourselves with every precautionary tool known to man… hand sanitizer, bleach, masks, toilet paper and fire arms.

Our passage this morning is about a storm and about two very different mindsets during the storm. On one hand we have the huddled disciples hoping the boat and their collective sailing skills will get them through. On the other hand we have a wild eyed zealot named Peter that will do anything to be with Jesus, even if it means to leave the boat. Peter could have said…

“Jesus if it is really you calm the Storm!”

But instead he asked for Jesus to ask Peter to come to Him. Peter was learning the lesson of seeking the presence of Christ. No matter the victory or the trial, no matter the prosperity or peril, no matter the calm or the storm it is always better to be anywhere with Jesus.

Storms Are Terrifying When Jesus Seems Afar Off.

This is happening right after the death of John the Baptist and the feeding of the 5000.

As soon as they were fed, Jesus hustled the disciples off into a boat while he went apart to pray. The Boat and the storm was all part of His plan. They were right were they were supposed to be even though they were in the middle of a storm.

The boat was in the midst of the sea tossed with the waves… the wind was contrary. It had to be a terrifying experience.

They had already been rescued by Jesus in a storm

Matthew 14:24–27 KJV

But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 

And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 

And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

 In the fourth watch ( 3:00 am ) they saw a figure through the lightening flashes, walking on the sea… hair and clothes blowing… but the body walking or perhaps appearing to float on top of the water… looks like a ghost

 But soon they were in a storm. Somewhere between 3 and 6 in the morning (the fourth watch of the night), Jesus joined them, walking on the lake to their boat—a distance of “three or three and a half miles” (John 6:19). His power over the elements was obvious, but there was also a lesson in faith for the disciples in this experience.1

1 Louis A. Barbieri, Jr., “Matthew,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 54.

WHEN YOU COWER IN FEAR IT IS HARD TO SEE JESUS

 • Disciples saw Jesus

 • Didn’t recognize Him

 • Jumped to worst case conclusion

 • Jesus told them not to be afraid… it was Him.

 • We have no indication that they were relieved yet.

 • If your devotion life, prayer life, and church life is slacking, Jesus will seem afar off during these storms.  

 • It will be natural to cower in the boat .

 • If you do see Jesus coming to make His way to be with you, because your heart has become distanced, you may not recognize Him right away.

 • In the absence of truth, your imagination will come up with a scary possibility rather than a sober truth.

2 Timothy 1:7 KJV

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Closeness is Better Than Calm.

Matthew 14:28 KJV

And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

 • Peter Saw and heard Jesus, but wanted confirmation it was Jesus not a demon

 • Peter said if it is you bid me come with you.

 That Jesus has authority to share with someone else his miraculous ability to walk on the water adds a further dimension to the supernatural power he has already displayed. But the focus of this story is on Peter, who displays a characteristic mixture of attitudes: he will not attempt the walk without Jesus’ direct instruction, but given that instruction he is unable to carry it through because he lacks the necessary faith. Desire to emulate Jesus’ miracle conflicts with the experienced fisherman’s realistic assessment of the risk (“when he saw the strong wind”).1

1 R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publication Co., 2007), 570.

 • Standing for Christ is tougher during these stormy days.  

 • It is natural to cower, quake and complain.

 • Jesus may be prompting you do share the Gospel, do a ministry, increase your church commitment or some other thing. To get closer to Him may require you getting out of the boat.

Closeness Involves Risk and Reward.

Matthew 14:29 KJV

And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

WHEN YOU DESIRE TO BE WITH JESUS< YOU ARE BOLD ENOUGH TO GET OUT OF THE BOAT

 • Peter already had an established relationship with Jesus during storms

 • Peter knew if it was Jesus, he was safest with Him, even if he had to get out of the boat to be with him.

 • Peter had the faith to take the risk because the risk would bring him closer to Jesus.

 • Peter could have said if it is you, calm the storm, but instead he said, bid me come to you.  

 • Being with Jesus in the midst of the storm is better than being apart from Jesus when the storm ends.

 • Peter came out in order to be closer to Jesus, but he got his eyes off Jesus and onto the storm and began to sink.

 • He cried out and Jesus Saved Him… 

 • But he was the only one who walked on water

 • He was the only one who drew closer to Jesus during the storm

 • He was the only one to take the risk

 • He was the only one to be personally rescued

 • He was the only one to have his faith expanded by that experience.

 • Jesus could have calmed the 2020 storms.

 • He has not done so yet.

 • He is trying to show you that He not only the one that can calm the storm, He is the one that walks on water.

 • He is not only the one that walks on water, but also the One that bids you to walk on water with Him!

Closeness May Involve an Occasional Rescue.

Matthew 14:30–31 KJV

But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

 • Jesus is all about helping you grow in your faith.

 • Every storm has God’s perfect design behind it.

Romans 8:28–29 KJV

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

2 Corinthians 12:7–9 KJV

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Closeness Results in Calm

Matthew 14:32–33 KJV

And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 

Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

Matthew 11:28–30 KJV

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

John 14:27 KJV

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

 • Jesus and Peter reached the ship.

 • Jesus had been heading for the ship all along

 • Jesus was planning to teach them something during the storm.

 • Once Jesus made it all the way to the ship it was calm

 • Once Jesus made it to the ship, the lesson was over

 • The lesson was not only that Jesus can calm the storm, but that Jesus doesn’t need a boat or any other human means to rescue you.

 • The lesson is that it is better to get out of the boat and take a risk with shaky faith (little faith) than to stay huddled in darkness seeing ghosts and having no faith.

 • The lesson is truly this is the Son of God

A dying man was fearful, even though he was a born-again Christian. He expressed his feelings to his Christian doctor. The physician was silent, not knowing what to say. Just then a whining and scratching was heard at the door. When the doctor opened it, in bounded his big beautiful dog, who often went with him as he made house calls. The dog was glad to see his master. Sensing an opportunity to comfort his troubled patient, the doctor said, “My dog has never been in your room before, so he didn’t know what it was like in here. But he knew I was in here, and that was enough. In the same way, I’m looking forward to heaven. I don’t know much about it, but I know my Savior is there. And that’s all I need to know!”2971

1 Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 94.

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No matter the storms that are or that are yet to come it is always safest to be anywhere with Jesus.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 11:18 AM July 10, 2020.

Finding The Needle of Truth in a Haystack of Lies

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Faith; Means of Grace; Salvation; Atonement / Hebrews 11:1–4; Genesis 4:1–5

What religion are you? This question often generates thoughts of confusion and anxiety. There are so many choices. How in the world can I know which one is right. Some folks just ignore it all together, but there remains a nagging feeling that maybe they are missing something vital.

Some folks push aside the question and foolishly imagine that metaphysical truth somehow becomes relative. Find the truth that works for you. If you want to be a Muslim… great … others can choose Catholicism, others can follow paganism… whatever makes you feel best is your personal truth. Then again, there is that nagging feeling that must be suppressed… “what if I’m wrong?

In our passage this morning, the writer of Hebrews shows us that there was an ancient religious debate between the sons of Adam. Cain believed that he could connect with God by offering up the fruit of his works in the field. Able on the other hand did something that was rare and repulsive in that early post Eden period. Able offered a blood sacrifice… took the life of an innocent lamb. Remember, they did not eat animals yet. Why would Able do such a barbaric thing? Why would his religion be so cruel? And why on earth would God accept that and not Cain’s?

Hebrews 11:4 KJV

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

This morning we are going to discover that only through faith can you find the needle of truth in a haystack full of lies.

Mankind Has a Natural Hunger For God

Because He was Created in God’s Image

Genesis 1:27 KJV

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Because Sin Separated Man From God.

Genesis 2:15–17 KJV

And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Genesis 3:6–7 KJV

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Because Sin Brought Death

Romans 5:12 KJV

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Romans 6:23 KJV

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Hebrews 9:27 KJV

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Revelation 21:8 KJV

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Therefore it was natural for man to try to get right with God again.

 If we look through a piece of red glass, everything is red. If we look through a piece of blue glass, everything is blue. If we look through a piece of yellow glass, everything is yellow, and so on.

When we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior, God looks at us through the Lord Jesus Christ. He sees us in all the white holiness of his Son. Our sins are imputed to the account of Christ and his righteousness to our account

1 Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 307.

Not All Sacrifice is Acceptable to God.

Genesis 4:1–5 KJV

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 

And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. 

And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 

But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

God explained that there would be a promised deliverer.

Genesis 3:15 KJV

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

God demonstrated that this deliverance would be through shed blood of the innocent.

Genesis 3:21 KJV

Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

Job 19:23–25 KJV

Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were printed in a book! 

That they were graven with an iron pen and lead In the rock for ever! 

For I know that my redeemer liveth, And that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

Able Followed God’s Revelation of Redemption By Faith.

Hebrews 11:4 KJV

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

 The Chinese character for “righteousness” is most interesting. It is composed of two separate characters—one standing for a lamb, the other for me. When “lamb” is placed directly above “me,” a new character—“righteousness” is formed.

This is a helpful picture of the grace of God. Between me, the sinner, and God, the Holy One, there is interposed by faith the Lamb of God. By virtue of his sacrifice, he has received me on the ground of faith, and I have become righteous in his sight.11471

1 Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 307.

Cain Followed His Own Path of Works to Impress God.

Genesis 4:5–7 KJV

But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 

And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 

If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

God did not accept it.

Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Hebrews 9:14 KJV

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

God still rejects any human effort to attain Grace.

Romans 11:6 KJV

And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

James 2:10–11 KJV

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 

For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

Faith Alone in the Acceptable Sacrifice is the Needle of Truth.

Hebrews 11:1 KJV

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:4 KJV

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

Hebrews 11:6 KJV

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Romans 5:1 KJV

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

John 3:16 KJV

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Romans 10:13 KJV

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Acts 16:30–31 KJV

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

At a recent prayer meeting, I was told of a young pianist who is working on a doctor’s degree in performance. According to his professor, the young man has abilities that leave his peers far behind. To the casual listener, his mastery of the piano is both enjoyable and amazing, but to the informed listener, his mastery is nothing short of incredible. Personally, I believe his mastery of the piano is a beautiful illustration of what Biblical faith is all about.

You see, this pianist has limited hearing. He is able to hear and enjoy the notes in the lower register of the piano, but as the notes get higher, they become dimmer to his ear. There are sections of the keyboard which he never hears. Had this young pianist simply chosen to play those pieces which he can fully appreciate, he would still be outstanding. Yet this pianist has chosen to play notes that he will never hear. Those notes are validated to him by other sources: by the printed score, by the directives of his teacher and coach, by the touch of his fingertips and the sense of vibration from the instrument. By faith, he strikes each note per instruction. He does not personally sense the consequence of his actions, but his actions leave a hearing audience in awe.

Pride often prevents us from accepting and acting upon truth that we do not personally or immediately experience. Our President, in his inaugural address declared that he would like to restore science to its rightful place. I am not sure what he means, but I know that there are others in positions of authority who would like to rid science and higher learning of the reality of faith. If something cannot be demonstrated in a laboratory, it must be dismissed as harmful superstition. Anything that cannot be validated by taste, touch, smell, hearing, or sight, must not be real. Such reasoning assumes that skepticism, not faith, is the true companion of true science. This is wrong.

What exactly is faith? When one compares the contemporary Webster’s dictionary with the original, it is clear that contemporary American thinking has gutted faith of its vital organs. In Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (11th edition, 2003), faith is the “firm belief in something for which there is no proof,” or “something that is believed especially with strong conviction.” Thus faith is both anti-scientific and unreasonable.

In contrast, Noah Webster’s original dictionary (1828) declares faith to be: “Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting on his authority and veracity, without other evidence; the judgment that what another states or testifies is the truth.” Faith is not a baseless belief that you are right and everyone else is wrong; it is the ability to take someone at his word and act upon it in confidence. Faith rests in the character of the one who says, “Trust me.” If the one trusted is faithful and true, the listener can respond in confidence, like sheep following the good shepherd.

The modern concept of faith contradicts the Biblical statement: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1.” Make no mistake, the reason faith is treated in a patronizing manner today is not because science makes it irrelevant. The reason contemporary faith is weak is because we have educated ourselves away from the Person of Faith, believing that only what we immediately sense or prove is real. Some call it “societal evolution” or “progressive thinking”; the Bible calls it foolishness and reprobation (Romans 1:22-23, 28).

As with the remarkable pianist, the disciple who places his faith in the God of the Bible discovers the evidences which transcend the five senses. We have the written word of our Master, which the Apostle Peter called it a “more sure word of prophecy” that surpasses what we sense naturally. His written word says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” People who responded in belief to His word serve as examples of faith in Scriptures, American history, and even today. These modern disciples instruct us in the way of practical, contemporary faith.

According to the Bible, one of the greatest evidences of our faith today is answered prayer. It is easy for those who have been disappointed with their prayer life to reject prayer. But when God repeatedly answers in inexplicable ways, it is like the pianist sensing the sound through the vibrations from the piano.

Those who have no concept of Biblical faith reject it as nonsense and reap the consequence of their unbelief.

Biblical faith believes both in God’s existence and in His charity. He rewards those who diligently seek Him. However, few today want to accept God at His word. What about you? Do you have faith to believe in the notes which God says exist, but you cannot hear? If you do, reach out by faith today, and play the Master’s Etude of Life. It is written plainly in His Book.

John 3:16 KJV

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

That is how to find the needle of truth in a haystack of lies.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 1:07 PM June 25, 2020.

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Father’s Day 2020 / Love; Father of Prodigal Son / Luke 15:11–24

Dr. Burns Jenkins was a popular preacher and writer of a generation ago. When his son went to college, Jenkins admonished him not to join a certain fraternity. This, of course, was the very fraternity young Jenkins joined. For months he lived with the secret. Then, as he spoke to a church youth group one night, he was smitten by a sense of unworthiness. Returning to his room, he wrote his father in detail of his disobedience. Two days later he received this wire: “It’s all right. I forgive you. I knew it two days after you did it. Love, Father.”1

1 G. Curtis Jones, 1000 Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1986), 34.

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Father’s Day is an interesting day for which to prepare a sermon. Of course those of you who have been under my preaching for a while know I grew up with a wise man who loved the Lord and taught me a lot. Some of you however either never knew your dad, or he was not someone who brings warm memories to mind. So how can I preach a Father’s Day message that will help everyone?  

One thing is for sure, although our earthly fathers will fall short, our Heavenly Father does not! in our passage this morning Jesus tells a story about an earthly father who exhibits the love of the Heavenly Father. As we study how deep a father’s love runs, let us honor and respect both our earthly and our heavenly Fathers… because powerful things happen When Daddy Loves.

When Daddy Loves, You Are A Part of the Family

Not everyone is God’s Child

John 8:44 KJV

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Believers are Adopted Upon Salvation

John 1:12 KJV

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Romans 8:15–17 KJV

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

When Daddy Loves He Allows You To Walk Away (though it breaks his heart)

Luke 15:11–14 KJV

And he said, A certain man had two sons: 

And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 

And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 

And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

 A. Demanding an early inheritance

  1. Implied freedom

  2. Both sons were given the money

 B. Riotous living

  1. The son left almost immediately 

  2. Traveled away from parental supervision

  3. Wasted his substance

   · His money

   · His potential

· His body

   · His prime years

  4. In a far country

   · Promiscuity

   · Drugs and alcohol

   · All kinds of vices

  5. He spent everything that his father worked to give him

   · In want

   · In famine

     • Yet in all of this, he was still his father’s son

Daddy Loves When No One Else Will

 The humiliation of a broken life

Luke 15:15 KJV

And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

  1. Because of slave labour

  2. A Jewish man forced to tend pigs

 B. The desperation of a broken life

 Luke 15:16 KJV

 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

  1. No one wanted anything to do with him

  2. Hog slop became his main meal

Daddy’s Love Leads to Forgiveness and Restoration

A. He came to himself

Luke 15:17 KJV

And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

Galatians 6:7–9 KJV

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

B. He never dreamed he could come home as a son, but perhaps as a slave

Luke 15:18–19 KJV

I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 

And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

  1. Recognize his sin

  2. Come in broken humility

 C. He was restored

  1. Daddy was watching

Luke 15:20 KJV

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 

Zechariah 1:3 KJV

Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, And I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

2. Confession

Luke 15:21 KJV

And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

3. His father stopped Him in Mid Sentence and fully restored his position with him.

Luke 15:22 KJV

But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

The best robe in the house would belong to the father himself. The ring would probably be a family signet ring—a symbol of reinstatement to sonship in a well-to-do house. Slaves did not normally wear sandals, though they carried and tied a master’s sandals. The father is saying, “No, I won’t receive you back as a servant. I’ll receive you only as a son.”1

1 Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Lk 15:21–22.

put a ring on his finger Indicative of sonship and the ability to approve transactions on behalf of his father.1

1 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Lk 15:22.

4. Celebration

Luke 15:23-24

23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 

The calf would be enough to feed the whole village; this would be a big party! Aristocratic families often invited the whole town to a banquet when a son attained adulthood (about thirteen years old) or a child married.1

1 Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Lk 15:23.

Conclusion:

A man who was commissioned to paint a picture of the Prodigal Son. He went into his work fervently, laboring to produce a picture worthy of telling the story. Finally, the day came when the picture was complete, and he unveiled the finished painting. The scene was set outside the father’s house, and showed the open arms of each as they were just about to meet and embrace. The man who commissioned the work was well pleased, and was prepared to pay the painter for his work, when he suddenly noticed a detail that he had missed.

Standing out in the painting above everything else in the scene, was the starkly apparent fact that the father was wearing one red shoe and one blue shoe. He was incredulous. How could this be, that the painter could make such an error? He asked the painter, and the man simply smiled and nodded, assuring the man, “Yes, this is a beautiful representation of the love of God for His children.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, puzzled.

“The father in this picture was not interested in being color-coordinated or fashion-conscious when he went out to meet his son. In fact, he was in such a hurry to show his love to his son, he simply reached and grabbed the nearest two shoes that he could find.

“He is the God of the Unmatched Shoes.” 2

When you receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are adopted into the family of God, and God is your Heavenly Father. There is no limit to the Father’s love. Our Daddy’s Love Allows You to walk away even when it breaks His heart. Out Daddy loves you when no one else will.  He is looking down the road, waiting to see you heading home. He will come to meet you and celebrate your return. That’s what happens when Daddy Loves!

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 11:22 AM June 19, 2020.

The Golden Solution

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Understanding; Forgiveness; Love; Social Justice / Matthew 7:12

 We are living in disturbing times.  Not only is the COVID scare unsettling, but also the deep division among countrymen. We have talking to and listening to each other. Instead, we are shouting past each other. We no longer listen to the other side, we just let them talk, ignoring them while we think how to make our next point. In our mind any opposing view is not even worth considering. This division has split families, friends, and sadly even churches.

Our passage today is widely known and seldom followed. Now more than ever we need to meditate on and follow the Golden Rule.

Matthew 7:12 KJV

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Think about this. If police officers would treat folks in the BLM movement they way they would want to be treated… things would be different. If the BLM protesters would treat officers they way they want to be treated, things would be different. The Bible is not an old dusty, and irrelevant book.  Jesus’ words are the pathway for America to Heal. This morning may God grant us the spiritual eyes to see the Golden Solution. Treat others the way you want to be treated.

We All Want to be Loved

Matthew 22:36–39 KJV

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 

This is the first and great commandment. 

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 KJV

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Romans 13:8–10 KJV

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 

For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Galatians 5:14 KJV

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Philippians 2:3 KJV

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

We All Want to be Forgiven.

Ephesians 4:32 KJV

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Albert Tomei is a justice of the New York State Supreme Court. A young defendant was convicted in his court for gunning down another person, execution style. The murderer had a bad record, was no stranger to the system, and only stared in anger as the jury returned its guilty verdict.

The victim’s family had attended every day of the 2-week trial. On the day of sentencing, the victim’s mother and grandmother addressed the court. When they spoke, neither addressed the jury. Both spoke directly to the murderer. They both forgave him.

“You broke the Golden Rule—loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind. You broke the law——loving your neighbor as yourself. I am your neighbor,” the older of the two women told him, “so you have my address. If you want to write, I’ll write you back. I sat in this trial for two weeks, and for the last sixteen months I tried to hate you. But you know what? I could not hate you. I feel sorry for you because you made a wrong choice.”

Judge Tomei writes: “For the first time since the trial began, the defendant’s eyes lost their laser force and appeared to surrender to a life force that only a mother can generate: nurturing, unconditional love. After the grandmother finished, I looked at the defendant. His head was hanging low. There was no more swagger, no more stare. The destructive and evil forces within him collapsed helplessly before this remarkable display of humaneness.” [source: www.preachingtoday.com]

We all Want to be Heard

Isaiah 1:17–18 KJV

Learn to do well; Seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, Judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. 

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

We All Want to be Treated Fairly

Micah 6:8 KJV

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; And what doth the LORD require of thee, But to do justly, and to love mercy, And to walk humbly with thy God?

Paid What is Owed

Romans 13:8 KJV

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Treated Justly

Proverbs 18:13 KJV

He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, It is folly and shame unto him.

Shown Mercy

Matthew 5:7 KJV

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Treated With Humility

Matthew 5:3 KJV

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

I don’t like peanut butter. Some people get very upset when I tell them that. It’s nothing personal. It’s not a character flaw. I just don’t like it. I don’t even like the smell of it. My mother told me I ate a lot of peanut butter when I was young, so maybe I just reached my limit. My two daughters, however, do like peanut butter and that caused a bit of a problem.

When they were elementary school age I would on occasion make their lunches and one of their favorites was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I dutifully made their sandwiches making sure that I would use the knife first in the jelly, which I like, so that there would be no peanut butter residue in the jelly jar. I abhorred (that may be a little strong, but you know the feeling) when I would put jelly on my toast and detect that faint but distinct taste of peanut butter that was a result of some careless peanut butter lover contaminating my jelly with a peanut-butter-infected knife. I was not going to let that happen on my watch! Anyway, I would make their sandwiches and send the little darlings off to school knowing that come lunch time they would enjoy their sandwiches and give thanks to God above for their devoted father who so lovingly prepared their lunch.

One day one of my daughters said she needed to talk to me about their lunches, in particular about their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I was prepared to hear my praises sung as the world’s greatest PB&J maker when I was shocked to hear her complaint. Apparently I had been going a bit overboard with the jelly and skimping on the peanut butter. Jelly was oozing out the sandwich drowning out the taste of the peanut butter. That, of course, was my intention! My rationale was the more jelly the better. I loved jelly and shouldn’t everyone else. I was thinking that in order to offset the nastiness of peanut butter one needed as much jelly as two pieces of bread could possibly hold. I was giving her what I liked, not what she liked. I was being influenced by my preferences and oblivious to hers. Her simple and reasonable request was less jelly and more peanut butter.

At the end of my freshman year in college I began dating a girl. During the summer we exchanged letters and it was her custom to end each letter with a scripture, not the whole scripture but just the reference. One of her letters ended with Philippians 2:3, 4. I eagerly opened my Bible anticipating that this was some verse in the Bible extolling some virtue she had seen in me (by this time you probably see I suffer from delusions of grandeur, both as a father and a boyfriend) only to find these words: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

It hit me that day that I often, if not always, look out for my interests above the interests of others. The same feeling hit me that day when my daughter asked me for more peanut butter and less jelly. So often I impose on others my likes, my preferences, my desires rather than consider their likes, their preference, their desires.

I don’t understand how anyone can like peanut butter, but this little encounter with my school-aged daughter taught me that in order to be a good PB&J maker, or for that matter in order to be a good father or a good husband or a good friend, I need to sometimes get past that terrible smell and spread on the peanut butter good and thick!

So let us endeavor to see things through the eyes of others, and strive to achieve the Golden Solution.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 3:22 PM June 13, 2020.

The Hiding Place

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Refuge; Safety; Hide; God: Providence / Psalm 46:1–3; Psalm 142:4–5; Hebrews 6:17–20

The story has been told of a believer, Frederick Nolan, who was fleeing from his enemies during a time of persecution in North Africa. Pursued by them over hill and valley with no place to hide, he fell exhausted into a wayside cave, expecting his enemies to find him soon.

Awaiting his death, he saw a spider weaving a web. Within minutes, the little bug had woven a beautiful web across the mouth of the cave. The pursuers arrived and wondered if Nolan was hiding there, but on seeing the unbroken and unmangled piece of art, thought it impossible for him to have entered the cave without dismantling the web. And so they went on. Having escaped, Nolan burst out and exclaimed:

     “Where God is, a spider’s web is like a wall,

     Where God is not, a wall is like a spider’s web.”1108

Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 295.

______

We are living in unsettling times. There is a pandemic ramping up fear and destruction all over the world. There are despotic leaders trashing major portions of the constitution with little resistance from the masses. There is prejudice, police brutality, and mob rule that threaten the safety and security of innocent folks. As we peruse the headlines, Facebook posts, and Twitter feeds, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and surrounded with trouble… there seems to be no place to hide.

I praise God that the truth of Scripture still rings true. The words of comfort cut through the noise of the day.

“God is our refuge and strength,”

 Ps 46:1.

 Refuge (Heb. nouns ma?seh, m?nôs, m??ôz, verb ??sâ).† Shelter or protection from danger or distress. The main thought underlying the Hebrew terms translatable as “refuge” is security. 

This morning we are going to see that God is ever present, especially when we need Him most. Wen the world crashes in.. He is our Hiding Place!

A Place to Hide From Trouble

Psalm 46:1–3 KJV

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 

Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 

Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

Trouble:

??râ 1, n.c., need, distress, anxiety; enmity. 70×

Roots: ??? 1?; ??? 1. Cognates: ??????; ??? 1?; ?????? 11

1 The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2017).

 • When we experience great need… we have a hiding place

 • When we have great distress… we have a hiding place

 • When we have great anxiety… we have a hiding place.

Psalm 59:16 KJV

But I will sing of thy power; Yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: For thou hast been my defence And refuge in the day of my trouble.

A Hiding Place From Lonliness

Psalm 142:4–5 KJV

I looked on my right hand, and beheld, But there was no man that would know me: Refuge failed me; No man cared for my soul. 

I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge And my portion in the land of the living.

Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations & Quotes Bill Gothard on Loneliness

In one of his “birthday card” mailings some years back, Bill Gothard made three observations about loneliness:

  1.   Loneliness is the anguish I feel when I sense that I am being cut off from the spirit of others. (“I am full of heaviness: and I looked for someone to lament with me; but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none.”—Psalm 69:20)

  2.   Loneliness is the evidence that I was expecting others to meet my needs as only God can. (“My soul wait thou only upon God. For my expectation is from Him.”—Psalm 62:5)

  3.   Loneliness means that at that very moment, God feels the same anguish toward me because my basic delight is not in Him. (“I will delight myself in the Lord and He shall give me the desires of my heart.”—Psalm 37:4)

A Hiding Place From Violence

Deuteronomy 33:27 KJV

The eternal God is thy refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms: And he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; And shall say, Destroy them.

2 Samuel 22:3 KJV

The God of my rock; in him will I trust: He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, My saviour; thou savest me from violence.

A Hiding Place From the Sorrows of Death.

Psalm 18:1–6 KJV

I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. 

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 

I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: So shall I be saved from mine enemies. 

The sorrows of death compassed me, And the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. 

The sorrows of hell compassed me about: The snares of death prevented me. 

In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried unto my God: He heard my voice out of his temple, And my cry came before him, even into his ears.

Psalm 23:4 KJV

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

A Hiding Place From the Storms of Life.

Isaiah 32:2 KJV

And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, And a covert from the tempest; As rivers of water in a dry place, As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

Hebrews 6:17–20 KJV

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: 

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; 

Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

 • God does not change

 • God cannot lie

 • God is our consolation/ comfort

 • God is our anchor in the storm

 • God is our refuge!

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 12:30 PM May 30, 2020.

If My People Pray

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Memorial Day / Freedom; Prayer; Oppression / 2 Chronicles 7:13–14

Please join me for the singing of the National Anthem:

Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,

O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

___

What did we just sing? The land of the free?

Free… yet in the state of Illinois as they move to phase three, stores, restaurants, and bars can reopen… but churches are still limited to gatherings of 10. Sam’s club is allowing 300 at a time, but the local Bible preaching church is limited to 10! Thank God that in Connecticut it is 50!  

In other states officials want the names and addresses of all who attend religious services in order to track them “for possible infection”

Neighbors are being asked to report other neighbors if they are violating these new anti constitutional, anti American rules.

Land of the free?

First Pentecostal Church in Holy Springs Mississippi refused to shut down. So it was burned to the ground with the message “Bet you stay home now Hypocrites”.

___

Defiant New Jersey pastors plan to reopen churches: Gov. Murphy’s order ‘doesn’t trump … Constitution’

?By Caleb Parke | Fox NewsFacebookTwitterFlipboardCommentsPrintEmail

Chicago fining churches for defying statewide stay-at-home order:

Three Chicago churches will receive fines for holding services with more than 10 people, authorities tell Fox News; Matt Finn reports.

A handful of New Jersey pastors say they are reopening in defiance of Gov. Phil Murphy’s stay-at-home orders to stop the spread of the coronavirus, because of their religious convictions and constitutional rights.

Charles Clark Jr., co-pastor of Solid Rock Baptist Church in Berlin who has been preaching for 45 years, made the announcement Wednesday at the South Jersey house of worship.

BALTIMORE PASTOR RIPS UP CEASE-AND-DESIST LETTER MID-SERMON: ‘WE’RE GONNA DO IT GOD’S WAY!’

“We’re not breaking the law by going to church,” Clark Jr. said. “The people telling us we can’t go to church are breaking the Constitution of the United States. It’s illegal…It’s just ridiculous in this country.”

His son, Charles Clark III, doubled down on his father’s comments.

“The liquor store has been open the entire time. The grocery store has been open. Walmart is open, the pet store is open, the bicycle repair shop is open, and all are considered essential, but the church has been closed,” Clark III said at the press conference. “And the church has been considered non-essential. We strongly disagree with that.”

CHICAGO FINES CHURCHES FOR HOLDING SERVICES IN VIOLATION OF STATEWIDE LOCKDOWN ORDER

Clark’s attorney sent a letter to the Democratic governor demanding the status of churches in the Garden State be switched to essential given the First Amendment.

“Governor Murphy’s executive order does not control the rights of the church,” he said, “We understand the executive order has the power that it does for the time period necessary but it doesn’t trump the power of the Constitution and it cannot go on indefinitely.”

The pastor said they will take all health and safety precautions above and beyond what businesses already open are doing, including social distancing, deep cleaning, and temperature checks at the door.

NEW YORK PASTOR THREATENED WITH $1,000 FINE FOR HOLDING DRIVE-IN CHURCH SERVICE

Andy Reese, pastor of Bible Baptist Church in Clementon, already reopened last Sunday and said he realizes he may face legal backlash holding a service Wednesday night as well.

“We’re prepared to stand for what is right, for what is true, and we’re prepared to face whatever consequences these are,” Reese said. “If necessary, go to court.”

Murphy has made it clear that until there’s a vaccine or a treatment, mass gatherings, including worship services, will remain restricted, ABC 6 reports.

“Inside, no ventilation, close contact, it’s a hard nut to crack,” Murphy said. “We’re just not there yet.”

A month after issuing the original order, Murphy amended it to allow drive-in services after being sued by a North Caldwell Catholic priest in federal court. The pastors are asking for another change in the order.

“I ain’t afraid to go to jail. I don’t want to go to jail, but I ain’t backing down, our church ain’t backing down, and there’s churches all over this country that aren’t backing down,” Clark Jr. said.

It is unclear if the churches will face any push back from law enforcement or fines as churches have in Chicago and elsewhere.

Land of the free? But THANK GOD in some places believers are showing that it is still the home of the brave!

____

This kind of oppression is not new. Evil has existed since the beginning. God however, has existed since before the beginning! In our text this morning we read where king Solomon had consecrated the Temple as the central place of worship for the people of Israel. In his opening prayer, the King asked that when the people of Israel were faced with a national crisis, that they could come to this place and petition the God of Heaven for deliverance form that crisis. God heard the King’s prayer and answered with a promise not only to the people of Israel, but to believers of all nations, anyone who is called by His name. Here was God’s response:

2 Chronicles 7:13–14 KJV

If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

God has a solution that is dependent upon the actions of His people. He can and will deliver from all kinds of threats to a nation. He has a simple condition…

IF MY PEOPLE PRAY

If My People Pray I Will Deliver From Economic Disaster.

2 Chronicles 7:13 KJV

If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

If My People Pray I Will Deliver From Diseases and Plagues

2 Chronicles 7:13 KJV

If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

If My People Pray I Will Deliver From Opression

Psalm 119:134 KJV

Deliver me from the oppression of man: So will I keep thy precepts.

Psalm 74:20–23 KJV

Have respect unto the covenant: For the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. 

O let not the oppressed return ashamed: Let the poor and needy praise thy name. 

Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: Remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily. 

Forget not the voice of thine enemies: The tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.

Psalm 12:5 KJV

For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, Now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.

Psalm 103:6 KJV

The LORD executeth righteousness And judgment for all that are oppressed.

If My People Pray I Will Empower My People to Stand.

Esther 4:16 KJV

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

Esther 8:11–12 KJV

Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey, 

Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

The deliverance was not the death of the enemy or the cessation of the problem, but the ability to stand up for themselves and liberate themselves from powerlessness.

If My People Pray I Will Deliver Them From Religious Persecution.

Acts 12:4–11 KJV

And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. 

Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. 

And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. 

And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. 

And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. 

And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. 

When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. 

And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

Thank God we have not yet been called to risk jail to go to church, but some brothers and sisters in this country are facing that very thing. We must pray! Pray the prison doors open. Pray the wicked mouths be shut. Pray the evil leaders be stopped. God promised that power against religious oppression is unleashed IF MY PEOPLE PRAY!

If My People Pray, I will Protect From Governmental Overreach.

1 Timothy 2:1–3 KJV

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 

For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

Here is the ultimate Libertarian prayer…  that the authorities leave us alone to just live a godly life.

God is still on the Throne! He still hears prayers. Those who have trusted Jesus as Savior are His people called my His name.  

If we humble ourselves and pray, seek His face, turn from our wicked ways…

• God will deliver us from economic collapse
• If God’s people pray – He will deliver from disease
• If God’s people pray – He will deliver from oppression
• If God’s people pray – He will deliver us from powerlessness and allow us to stand for what is right.
• If God’s people pray – He will deliver from religious oppression.
• If God’s people pray – He will protect us from governmental overreach so that we can be left alone to live a quiet, peaceable, and Godly life.

• God tells us that these things can happen IF MY PEOPLE PRAY