2024- Year in Review

 2024 in Review

December 31, 2024

What is a good word to summarize 2024? “Tumultuous” would be one. Certainly the political situation was tumultuous with wars, rumors of wars, scandals and law fare contributing to an election year full of issues. There were also lots of public scandals in the church with many prominent leaders having issues exposed. In the terminology of the internet, these were issues that “red pilled” people, waking them up to the evil in our world. The good news is that there is good news, that is the gospel, which gives us hope in the midst of a dying world. Even in the political world, we can see hope where Trump was saved from assassination attempts and then won the election. This brings the promise of hope for America, but we need to keep praying. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for the peace of America and for many people to wake up the the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is only through a true spiritual revival that there can be a true restoration of the greatness of America. As De Tocqueville said, “America is great because she is good. If she ceases to to good, she will cease to be great.” So keep praying for revival in America and the world, and keep your faith in Jesus and the hope of his return.

For 2025, we are looking forward to healing and restoration. We are working with our church to build up a ministry of healing and are trusting the Lord to bring healing, deliverance and restoration to many people this year. After the tumultuous 2024, there are many hurting people in our community, so we are looking forward to the opportunity to teach them about forgiveness and pray for healing. So pray for us that we will have the wisdom and courage to proclaim liberty to the captives and healing to the sick. Perhaps that will be our small part in bringing revival to our land once again.

So, as we bid adieu to a tumultuous 2024, we wish you a happy and prosperous new year, with peace on earth and goodwill to all men.

Days of Nehemiah

 Days of Nehemiah 

December 20, 2024

Nehemiah 1:2-4 (ESV) 

2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who hadsurvived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” 4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Nehemiah 2:5 (ESV) 

And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.”

In the days of Nehemiah, the nation of Israel was going through very difficult times. They had been in exile in Persia (Iran) and Jerusalem was a pile of ruins. Daniel had prophesied that Israel would be restored and the temple rebuilt, and it was time to begin the restoration. Nehemiah got permission from the king to return to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding. When he arrived in Jerusalem, he not only found that the walls were torn down and the stones burned by fire, but the current governors of the land were not at all pleased to see Jerusalem being rebuilt.

There are some similarities to the situation today. America is in moral ruin and the economy is in near shambles, but when the people turn back to the Lord and begin to rebuild, they will encounter many strong enemies that will oppose the effort. Nehemiah had a plan and he encouraged the people to rebuild, each in front of their own house. And because of the opposition, they worked with a trowel in one hand and a spear in the other. That is to say they were prepared to either build or fight at any moment. It was important that Nehemiah provided the leadership and vision, but it was the people that did the work. It was also significant that they each started rebuilding each by their own house. Likewise today, we need to begin the process of rebuilding of the righteous foundations of America, and we need to start in our own house and community. No one of us can restore the nation, but we can each one do his part in restoring his household and community. We need to seek the Lord and restore righteousness to our own church and spread the gospel to our own neighborhood.

Once the people stared to work together, it took them a surprisingly short time to rebuild the wall, and when they were finished, they rediscovered the book of the law. After a public reading of the Word, they celebrated the feast of tabernacles and began to restore worship of the one true God to Jerusalem. Likewise, we need to rededicate ourselves to the study of the Word and the application to our own lives. When true worship is restored, the enemy will flee.

James 4:7-8

7Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Nehemiah rebuilt with stones and timbers, but we are to restore the house of God which is made up of living stones. So let us encourage each other in these days. Yes, there are enemies all around. There are wars and rumors of wars and scary drones, but the Lord is on His throne and He is still able to save. So seek Him and pray for your place on the wall that you may help rebuild your little part of it.

Love of God, Through it All

 Love of God, Through it All

December 14, 2024

Romans 8:31-39 (ESV) 

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up forus all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Yesterday, we were talking about the brokenhearted. In the letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul lists several things that could cause us to be brokenhearted: “Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? … regarded as sheep to be slaughtered“ That’s quite a list of problems, but his conclusion is that even these hardships cannot separate us from the Love of Christ. All of us have seen hard times, though probably to as severe as the things that Paul went through. Still, though having survived ship wrecks and prisons, he kept his faith in the Lord and an awareness that God was with him through it all. Andre Crouch used to sing a song called “Through it All”. This song conveys the same message, that no matter what the problem, God’s love is with you through it all.

Through it all through it all 

I've learned to trust in Jesus 

I've learned to trust in God 

Through it all through it all 

I've learned to depend upon His word

(Chorus of “Through it all” by Andre Crouch)

One of the hardest things in life is the death of a loved one. We recently had death in our extended family and I remember this passage from Romans 8. When my own father passed away, I was encouraged by this passage. 

38For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

For us, death is a finality, and is a finality for our time on earth. But for the Lord, death is only a transition from one life to another, and even death can not separate us from from the love of God. How great a love is this then that transcends life and death and is greater than angels and principalities! So be encouraged. Whatever problem you have that could try to make you brokenhearted, take heart and know that the Lord is with you and nothing can separate you from the Love of Christ.

Brokenhearted

 Brokenhearted

December 13, 2024

Psalms 34:15-18

15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous

and his ears toward their cry.

16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil,

to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears

and delivers them out of all their troubles.

18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted

and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalms 51:17

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,

A broken and a contrite heart—

These, O God, You will not despise.

Isaiah 57:15

15 For thus says the High and Lofty One

Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

“I dwell in the high and holy place,

With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,

To revive the spirit of the humble,

Andto revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Isaiah 61:1

1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,

Because the LORD has anointed Me

To preach good tidings to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives,

And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

(Luke 4:18)

Healing of the body is something that is not that hard to understand. If you break your leg, treated properly, in 6 or 8 weeks it will heal and you will be no worse for wear, other than you may have inherited a new barometer to predict inclement weather. But I digress. Why is healing a broken heart so much more difficult? They say “Time heals all wounds”, but that does not apply to wounds of the heart. Time only makes those worse if they are not dealt with. Fortunately for us, he Lord looks kindly on the brokenhearted and wants to heal them also.

In Psalm 51, it says that a broken spirit can actually be a sacrifice to the Lord. Some times (or most times) we have to pursue our sin to the point where it breaks us. It’s like touching a hot stove; if you are wise, you only do it once. It’s the same with sin. In Romans, Paul tells us that the wages of sin is death.

Romans 6:23

23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

But if we stop upon the first injury and change our ways, we can avoid death. That is what repentance is all about; changing your course so you pursue life instead of death. So in this sense, a broken heart can lead us to repentance and then to healing and salvation.

But sometimes the injury is not due to your own sin, but someone else who sins against you. This is more difficult to heal. You can’t repent from someone else’s sin. You can be healed from the hurt though and healing starts with forgiveness. When you forgive the offender, even when they don’t deserve it, you can start the healing of your broken heart. In Luke 4, Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah saying that He is the one who has come to heal the brokenhearted. What good news!  Unlike a broken leg, a broken heart will not heal itself. You need the love and care of the Father, through Jesus, to heal a broken heart.

In Psalm 34, we see how the Lord loves the broke hearted and is close to those whose spirit is broken. Someone with a broken spirit is open to asking for help. As long as we are hard hearted and unwilling to forgive or ask for help, we can not be healed. But when we allow the pain of our broken heart to turn our focus to Jesus, then he is compassionate and will heal us.

I can’t promise that the healing process will be quick, I can only promise that if you turn to Jesus, He will heal your broken heart. It’s a process and the closer you come to Jesus, the more He is able to touch your heart and heal it. So today, if you are broken hearted, allow the pain to turn your heart to Jesus. Allow Him to touch your heart, for He has come to heal the brokenhearted.

On the Lord’s Side

 On the Lord’s Side

December 11, 2024

Joshua 5:13-15 (NASB95) 

13 Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” 14 He said, “No; rather I indeedcome now as captain of the host of the LORD.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” 15 The captain of the LORD’S host said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

When you turn on the news, it seems like there is a new war somewhere every day. And from time immemorial, nations have gone to war and always asking their gods to be on their side. Even Joshua initially asked “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” But the Lord’s messenger quickly straightened him out, saying “No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD.” Joshua’s response was correct in that he bowed down, removed his shoes and worshiped the Lord.

Abraham Lincoln said something similar at the height of the Civil War. I may not remember the details exactly correctly, but it seems that someone asked him if the Lord was on our side. Lincoln answered the the effect, that we need to pray that we are on the Lord’s side. Oh that all the national and military leaders today would ask the same question and listen to the Lord of peace.

In our own personal lives, do we ask the same? Do we ask the Lord to be on our side, or do we seek His will and strive to be on His side? A lot of personal strife could be avoided if people would ask to be on the Lord’s side. The Lord is on the side of peace, forgiveness and reconciliation. When there are irreconcilable differences, it is because one side is not willing to forgive and make peace.

But back to Joshua. What was the result of Joshua deciding to be on the Lord’s side. Well the very next battle was the battle of Jericho and you all remember what a great victory that was. The walls came down, not with siege ramps and battering ramps, but with a blast of the trumpet and a great shout from all the people. The Lord had a better battle plan than anything that Joshua could have imagined himself. So in your own life, when things seem impossible, seek to be on the Lord’s side and worship HIm. His battle plan is better than our own and will win the victory in ways that we can not even imagine.

When You Pray- 3

 When You Pray- 3

December 6, 2024

James 5:13-18 (NASB95) 

13Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

James offers some practical teaching on prayer that cover most every situation. Are you felling down? Then pray. Are you feeling up? Then pray and praise. Are you sick? Then pray. Is someone else sick? Then pray for them. Is there any sin? Then pray for forgiveness. Did anyone sin against you? Then forgive them and pray for them. Do you need rain? Pray. Too much rain? Pray…. Basically, no matter what is happening… pray! That’s the same thing that Paul said when he said to “pray without ceasing”. But James lays it out in more practical situations so you have no excuse but to pray, no matter what is happening.

When You Pray- Part 2

 When You Pray- 2

December 5, 2024

Matthew 6:5-15 (NASB95)

5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 “So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.   

9 “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread. 12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]  

14 “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 “But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

Matthew gives a fuller account of Jesus instructions on prayer. He starts out with instructions on the attitude of prayer. He goes after the hypocritical attitude of those who love to pray in public so that they can be seen. We still see this today but not so much in the synagogue as on social media. How loudly do people protest about the perceived evils of others, but really raise a fuss if anyone looks at their own life. Why they may even get a presidential pardon to try to keep anyone from looking too deeply into the crimes they have committed!

Jesus emphasizes that the Father hears what we pray in the closet and knows what we need without making a public spectacle of it. But even though the Father knows what you need before you ask, He still wants you to ask.

The first point in the model prayer is to honor God. “Hallowed be Your name.” The proper attitude of prayer must be focused on the Father, and His goodness, and not on our need or need for public recognition. He is all sufficient. We start with acknowledging who God is and give reverence to His name.

“Thy kingdom come… on earth…” The second point is to pray that the perfect rule of God will come to earth, just as it is in heaven. There is a long standing war between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light. We need to start on the side of the kingdom of light and pray to bring more and more light into the world. This has implications for both our personal and public life. Wouldn’t it be refreshing to have national leaders who exemplified the attributes of the kingdom of light. No more lying, cheating, stealing and taking of bribes and injustice. Pray for the kingdom come to earth. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem… and Washington D.C.

“Give us this day our daily bread…” In the introduction, Jesus said that the Father knows what we need before we ask, but here he emphasizes that we need to ask. And not only ask, but ask daily. There is an attitude of dependence that is a prerequisite for the humble attitude that the Lord desires for us. By asking for our daily break, we acknowledge that we depend on the Lord for everything, and are thankful and joyful when He provides.

“And forgive our debts…” Healing starts with forgiveness. Jesus also closes out this discourse with a teaching on the importance of forgiveness. (see verses 14-15). We could talk for a long time about the importance of forgiveness and the requirement that it has to start in your own heart. You cannot be forgiven when you refuse to forgive. A lot of human suffering hinges on peoples unwillingness to forgive.

 

“Lead us not into temptation…” And finally, we are to pray for strength in the spiritual battle that rages around us. We are to confront evil without giving in to the temptations that it offers. In the world, there are all sorts of temptations. The airwaves and internet constantly bombard us with all the “good” things that “you deserve”. I’m so sick of commercials that advertise the things that “You deserve”. No we don’t! We deserve to be punished for our sins but it is the grace of God that saves us. So resist temptation, and be grateful for the victory in Jesus.

This discourse ends with a final warning about forgiveness. That’s an essential attitude that we need when we pray, is an attitude of forgiveness. In another verse, Jesus tells us not to bring an offering to the alter until we have forgiven our brother. A clear conscious is required to enter into God’s presence. So forgive others so that you may be forgiven.

When You Pray

 When you pray

December 3, 2024

Luke 11:1-4

The Lord’s Prayer

1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say:

“Father, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come.

3 Give us each day our daily bread,

4 and forgive us our sins,

for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

And lead us not into temptation.”

Jesus said “When you pray…” and “Give us each day…”. The understanding here is that we pray every day. Of could this is a minimum. The Apostle Paul adds this:

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

This verse gets to the heart of the matter which is that prayer is a life style. Do you walk with Him and talk with Him daily, like in the old hymn “In The Garden”?

Chorus

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

Verse 1

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

Verse 2

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

Verse 3

I'd stay in the garden with Him 

Tho' the night around me be falling 

But He bids me go thro' the voice of woe 

His voice to me is calling

We sang this quite often when I was young. I really didn’t understand it then, but as I get older I can appreciate the image of spending time alone with the Lord in a quiet garden. Visualizing a beautiful garden is one way to meditate and get into the proper attitude to listen to the Lord. When we are busy, we may offer up a quick prayer asking for help in whatever circumstance we find ourself, but to really hear God, we need to calm our soul, get into a quiet place, and actively listen for His voice. Years ago, we were on a prayer retreat where we were encouraged to imagine being in a garden with the Lord. It was amazing the things you could see and hear when you enter into a quiet meditation and walk in the garden with the Lord. I recommend trying that. The Lord will walk with you and talk with you if you make time for Him.