Daily Archives: May 10, 2020

Keep The Music Alive

Sunday Evening Sermons

Keep the Music Alive!

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Music; Heart

 As I have had a chance to reflect on the first Mother’s Day that my mother was not on this side of eternity with me, I have been thinking about the legacy that she has left me. What can I remember about mom? Mom found joy in simple things. She loved to talk about dad, she loved to watch, listen to and draw birds, and she loved old fashioned Christian Music. WCRF, a Moody Bible Institute Radio station, was always on in our house during the day. I grew up listening to George Beverly Shea, Christine Wyrtzen, Dr. James T. Jeremiah and the comforting words of announcer Bob Divine.

Music is a reflection of the condition of the hidden parts of a human being. In our culture, we are wedded to a constant expression of who we are and what we feel through music.

I believe as Christians, our music reflects the condition of our inner man more than we realize.

When I was traveling from church to church several years ago, I could tell the spiritual temperature of the church by listening to the first two hymns. There is a Holy Ghost-wrought excitement flowing from the inner core of a Christian, and it comes out in music.

Some time ago, our family went to see three dynamic Christian groups performing in Kennewick, WA. They were all professional, yet a few individuals stood out… It reflected not talent, but inner relationship and work of God. As we grow cold toward God, the Spirit grows silent… and the flow from inside is dried up… The music dies!

The music starts when you get saved

A Spirit witness

Romans 8:15-17 – 15 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. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 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. 

1. Adoption

2. Assurance

3. Joint-heirs

B. A new song

Psalm 40:2–3 KJV

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 

And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

1. Up out of a pit! – punishment

2. Up out of the mire – sin

3. Feet on a rock – Jesus!

4. Established my goings – sanctification

5. New song – praise for it all… different than the world’s tune!

C. Song of victory

Psalm 98:1–2 KJV

O sing unto the LORD a new song; For he hath done marvellous things: His right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. 

The LORD hath made known his salvation: His righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.

D. Song of praise

Psalm 144:9 – I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee. 

Psalm 149:1 – Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. – In the congregation

Music dies when you grieve the Spirit

Ephesians 4:30 KJV

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

B. Bad fellowship

Ephesians 5:11-12 – 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 

1. Unfruitful works of darkness – vs 11

2. Making secrets public – vs 12

C. Foolish walk

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

1. Partakers of disobedience

Ephesians 5:6-7 – 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them

2. Foolish, filthy jesting

Ephesians 5:3-4 – 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 

D. Wasting time

Ephesians 5:16 – Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 

Music dies when you quench the Spirit

1 Thessalonians 5:18–19 KJV

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 

Quench not the Spirit.

A. Wake up!

Ephesians 5:14 KJV

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

B. Don’t let something else control you

Ephesians 5:18 KJV

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

C. Quenching the Spirit will silence your:

1. Witness

Acts 1:8 – 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. 

2. Assurance

Romans 8:16 – The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 

3. Song

Ephesians 5:19 – Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 

Conclusion:

The power of God does not rest while we hang onto sin. If we have no song from within, it is a sign that we have silenced Him. Repent – seek God and He will be found. Be filled with the Spirit and be restored to where you were before the music died!

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 9:56 AM May 10, 2020.

Mother’s Day 2020 Hymn Lyrics

Announcements

“Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” (2 Timothy 1:4–5, KJV)

  1. Encamped along the hills of light,
    Ye Christian soldiers, rise,
    And press the battle ere the night
    Shall veil the glowing skies.
    Against the foe in vales below
    Let all our strength be hurled;
    Faith is the victory, we know,
    That overcomes the world.
    • Refrain:
      Faith is the victory!
      Faith is the victory!
      Oh, glorious victory,
      That overcomes the world.
  2. His banner over us is love,
    Our sword the Word of God;
    We tread the road the saints above
    With shouts of triumph trod.
    By faith, they like a whirlwind’s breath,
    Swept on o’er every field;
    The faith by which they conquered death
    Is still our shining shield.
  3. On every hand the foe we find
    Drawn up in dread array;
    Let tents of ease be left behind,
    And onward to the fray.
    Salvation’s helmet on each head,
    With truth all girt about,
    The earth shall tremble ’neath our tread,
    And echo with our shout.
  4. To him that overcomes the foe,
    White raiment shall be giv’n;
    Before the angels he shall know
    His name confessed in heav’n.
    Then onward from the hills of light,
    Our hearts with love aflame,
    We’ll vanquish all the hosts of night,
    In Jesus’ conqu’ring name.
Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

"Let not your heart be troubled," His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

Refrain:
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

I’d stay in the garden with Him,
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.

Got any rivers you think are uncrossable?
Got any mountains, you cannot tunnel through?
God specializes in things thought impossible
And He can do what no other power can do

Closing Hymn

  1. My faith looks up to Thee,
    Thou Lamb of Calvary,
    Savior divine!
    Now hear me while I pray,
    Take all my guilt away,
    Oh, let me from this day
    Be wholly Thine!
  2. May Thy rich grace impart
    Strength to my fainting heart,
    My zeal inspire!
    As Thou hast died for me,
    Oh, may my love to Thee
    Pure, warm, and changeless be,
    A living fire!
  3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
    And griefs around me spread,
    Be Thou my guide;
    Bid darkness turn to day,
    Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
    Nor let me ever stray
    From Thee aside.
  4. When ends life’s transient dream,
    When death’s cold, sullen stream
    Shall o’er me roll;
    Blest Savior, then in love,
    Fear and distrust remove;
    Oh, bear me safe above,
    A ransomed soul!

Mamma’s Genuine Faith

Sunday Morning Sermons

Momma’s Genuine Faith

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

2 Timothy 1:1–5

The Heritage Tree, Cape Perpetua, Central Oregon coast. This giant spruce is called The Heritage Tree because it stands almost 200 feet tall and because it started to grow as a seedling about the same time Martin Luther was pounding his theses on the church door at Wittenberg. What’s really fascinating about this tree, however, is that there’s this tunnel about 3 feet in diameter that runs through its base, making it appear that the tree is standing, or rooted into the ground on a tripod. This tunnel, this empty space running through the root “fingers” or buttresses is the space where a nurse log once was located. This giant Sitka spruce began its life as a seedling on a nurse log.

Nurse logs were once great, giant trees themselves. Then they died and fell to the earth. The log became a nursery for an entirely new ecosystem of life. With the nurse log down on the forest floor, light, as well as rain, now streams through the canopy. In such a high-moisture environment, the nurse log decays rapidly, and soon the seeds of mighty trees, caught in the mossy layer that now grows on its surface, sprout and take root. As they grow larger, their roots will surround the girth of the nurse log, and the tree will shoot up to take its place in the forest, and soon, strong and viable on its own, the tree stands alone, and the nurse log, utterly decomposed, has disappeared. Such has been the case with the 500-year-old Heritage Tree on Cape Perpetua.

This sermon this morning is about being a person, or a church, that nurtures and trains others who will follow, passing on our teachings and traditions, stepping aside so that others may grow in our place, making use of what we have learned.

___

We have all heard the cliché: “The Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” Many men and women grow up and develop much of their faith and world view based upon what their mothers have taught them. Sometimes wayward children do not share the faith of their mother. It has been said that some good wombs carry bad children. This evening, while we acknowledge that faith is ultimately a personal choice, we will see what mothers can do to help their faith to be contagious and to be caught by their children.

Our passage this morning is probably one of the greatest praises for Godly mothering in the Bible. Young Timothy was a great joy to the Apostle Paul because of his fervent spirit and deep convictions. Upon reflection, the Apostle Paul realizes that Timothy’s grandmother, Lois had that unfeigned faith. Lois passed that unfeigned faith to her daughter Eunice, Timothy’s mother. Eunice then passed that unfeigned faith to her son Timothy. How can that faith cross over generations? The faith like that is contagious is a special kind of faith. Contagious faith is unfeigned faith. Let us study this truth together and discover the incredible blessings that occur when a mother’s faith becomes contagious. 

Genuine Faith is Contagious

 A. Definition of unfeigned 

  1. Anupokritos= without hypocrisy sincere 

  2. Hupokrisis= Hypocrisy, “play acting”

 B. Faith that is pure and without play acting will leave a lasting impression.

  1. Because faith produces the evidence of actions

Hebrews 11:1 KJV

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

  2. This faith is seen by children and grand children

2 Timothy 1:5 KJV

When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

  3. This faith is seen by an unsaved spouse

1 Corinthians 7:14 KJV

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

1 Corinthians 7:16 KJV

For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

Genuine Faith Produces Genuine Love

1 Timothy 1:5 KJV

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

  A. Selfless love

 Romans 12:9-10

 9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 

  1. Without dissimulation= anaupokritos= without hypocrisy 

  2. Preferring the other over self

  Philippians 2:3-4

  3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 

 B. Obedient love

  1 Peter 1:22

 22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 

  1. Purifies the soul

  2. Strengthens your personal assurance of Salvation

 1 John 3:18-21

 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 

Genuine Love Produces Genuine Wisdom

James 3:17

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 

 A. Pure= not contaminated 

 B. Peaceable

 C. Gentle= “Expresses that considerateness that looks humanly and reasonably at the facts of the case.”

 D. Easy to be intreated= “To be persuaded, compliant”

 E. Full of mercy= “An outward manifestation of pith”

 F. Full of good fruits

 G. Without partiality= not to be parted, without intercession

 H. Without hypocrisy= anupokristos 

__________________

 “So God Made a Mother”

He needed someone tender enough to cherish the thrill of a baby growing within her body & yet someone strong enough to survive the pain of childbirth, so God made a Mother.

He needed someone to take care of that precious baby throughout the night & still take care of her home & the rest of her family throughout the day, on minimal sleep, so God made a Mother.

He needed someone hard enough to say no to her children when she needed to & soft enough to breaks the rules at times & treat her kids to what they want, so God made a Mother.

He needed someone who could be in two places at one time & with eyes in the back of their head, so God made a Mother.

He needed someone stern enough to paddle a little behind when it was called for & yet someone tender enough to heal a skinned leg with a Band-Aid & a hug & kiss, so God made a Mother.

He needed someone with calloused knees, calloused from the hours spent there in prayer for her family, so God made a Mother.

He needed a theologian to share the gospel, a psychologist to deal with teens, an entomologist for those insect collections, a botanist for those leaf collections, a professor for those late night homework sessions, & a physician to always know what’s wrong, so God made a Mother.

He needed someone with a tough enough heart to show her child tough love & yet someone with the patience of Job & a soft heart to show trust to that child, so God made a Mother.

He needed someone with a heart that would always hold a place for that child & yet have hands that would eventually open up & let that child go to find their place in this world, so God made a Mother.

He needed someone who would have the grace to welcome that child that had made a mistake back into the fold, so God made a Mother.

He knew He needed someone to watch over us as we made our way through this life, so God made a Mother.

Kenny Richardson

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 6:43 AM 10 May, 2020.