Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Are you a "Real" Christian?

This was our message tonight at Midweek at FBCPville....It is so true...Thanks Matt!

Vivid:Real or Fake?
"James 2:14-26"

-What good is it to have faith with no deeds?

If someone takes on the name of Christ, they have to live like they have Him in them.

Faith is not real if there is no....

1. Transformation
-Transformation: to undergo a change

-If we have Jesus inside of us, we should be bearing fruits [of the Spirit]

2. Compassion

"1 John 3:17"
-If we see someone in need and don't reach out to them, how can we say the love of God is in us?
"Matthew 25:34-35"
-When you reach out to those who I've nothing, you are reaching out to God.

3. Demonstration

-It's impossible to demonstrate what you don't have. (Christ in your life)

"Matthew 5:16"
-Let your light shine! People will see your light, and praise God because of your light.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Show The Lord's Light While We Are In The World

"John 9:1-7"

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

-So, This guy was blind, and the disciples thought that it was his parent's fault, or even his fault that he was born blind. It turns out, the man was only blind because God wanted to show His work in the man's life. Jesus then healed the man, so that He could see. Even though we may not be blind, God uses our weaknesses to grow us stronger, and to show His work though us.
We are to do His work as long as it is day (or as long as we live on this earth), Jesus goes on to say "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
Well....The Holy Spirit lives in us, so we are to show the Lord's light while we are in the world!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

For WHEN You Sin.....

In Teen CBS this year, we are studying Genesis.
Although at first I thought, Genesis? Really? I've read Genesis countless times, I already know it all! But then, I thought, God will show me something in Genesis that I've never realized.
Guess what! It already happened in the 2nd chapter.

Genesis 2: 16-17
And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

Ummm...WOW. God knew we would sin, obviously...but He is telling us that He knows, and that WHEN we eat of it, we'll surely die, not IF.

Genesis 3:8-10

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."

Okay, So now...the Lord was walking in the garden with them (as he is always walking with us, whether we like it or not...He always knows what we are up to.) Then, they thought they could hide from God (as we think a lot). The Lord then called to Adam, even though it could have just walked over there, He wanted Adam to come to Him, and confess. Adam was afraid and hid, as we so often are, too.

Remember, no matter how much we want to, we can't hide from God..He's always watching you, and other people are watching you as a Christian.

-K

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Thoughts on drinking alcohol

In Biblical times, people drank water with a little feremented grape juice in it, because straight water was not safe to drink. Today, people drink alcoholic beverages:
1. to be artificially stimulated (to get high) or
2. to be artificially relaxed (calmed down) or
3. to have artificial joy (pleasureable sensations) or
4. to be accepted by others who drink alcohol.

God wants His people:
1. to get their joy (high) in their relationship with Him
2. to get their peace (calmness) in their relationship with Him
3. to get their true pleasure (not artificial pleasure) from Him
4. to get their acceptance from God and His people.

A Christian who drinks any kind of alcohol cannot be an effective witness for Christ. God calls His people to separate from the world, and judges our motives as well as our actions (1 Corinthians 3:13)

-"The Gospels: Jesus and His Followers" -ABeka

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Don't Store Up Treasures On Earth.....

— Matthew 6:19-21 —
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."


Hmmm....Don't store up your treasures only here, but store up things in Heaven...Because when you store your treasures in Heaven, your heart will be there also...
I need to work on that...iPhone, Laptop, my car...vs Showing Jesus' love, Telling people about Jesus, and just being joyful...


-K

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

The 7 "I Am's"

John gives the 7 "I Am's" of Jesus in the book of John..
I am the bread of life (John 6:35)
I am the light of the world. (John 8:12,9:5)
I am the door (to heaven) (John 10:7)
I am the good shepherd (John 10:11)
I am the ressurection, and the life. (John 11:25)
I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6)
I am the true vine (John 15:1)

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

"Jesus Told The Wind To Be Quiet.."

So, We had a 'Back to School Bash' Tonight at FBC Pville, and it was really awesome.
A lot of people came, and a lot of people accepted Christ...Now, onto WHY they accepted Christ!
The message was by Kacy Benson and it was about storms that happen in our lives.
Mark 4: 35-40
Jesus had taught parables earlier in the day, and then decided to go to the other side of the river with His disciples.
Jesus got on the boat and fell fast asleep, meanwhile, a storm was brewing...The waves were coming up over the boat, and the boat was about to go under (Like the whale watching tour in San Fran ;D...Long story..). The disciples go over to Jesus and wake Him up...They're freaking out because they are about to die, this storm is about to overtake them and their boat.
Jesus got up and TOLD the wind to be quiet, and everything became still. WOW....That is crazy! I probably would have just sat there with my mouth wide open. Imagine what the disciples were thinking!

Jesus turned to them and said "Why are you so afraid? Do you STILL have no faith?"

This is like the little 'storms' we have in our own lives, we get so caught up in everything sometimes, that everything feels like it's crashing down, and sometimes, it really is. But, if you ask God for help, He will come in and tell the 'wind' to be quiet, and everything will become still.

Wow.

-K