Nehemiah-The Plan

As Nehemiah sets out, he already knows that he will need at least two things-protection and building materials. Because God has given him the mercy of the king already, he is bold enough to ask for both. And he receives them!

Once we have been given the burden, God will give us the plan and we need to be bold enough to ask for things to get it done.

As Nehemiah scoped out the town; a plan was formulating in his head which he was going to present to the people present and those that God had drawn in.

But don’t think this is a small, insignificant part of the vision! People need to be inspired by the vision God has given you. You need to have a clear, vivid picture; in which you present the capabilities of God and of them-the people.

And don’t stop there. Too many plans have been left on the napkins at restaurants and never followed through on because that’s all they were-just plans without a burden.

Combine the burden with the plan and God will provide the means, as He allows us to inspire like-minded people.

Pastor Brent

Rebuilding-The Burden

In Nehemiah 2, Nehemiah was serving the king and was sad in his presence.  Trouble is, you could be executed for being sad in the king’s presence.  So Nehemiah was terrified when the king noticed.

But as he answered the king he let out all of the burden the Lord had placed upon him and left it in the hand of the king.

And, with the leading of God, the king was moved to help and supply and rebuild the city and the walls around it.

So Nehemiah went to inspect the city.  He went to see the disrepair and wreckage he had heard about.

And he did so by night.  I believe for two reasons.  One, so he could look without being seen and two, so no other voices and crowds of people would distract and fill his head with their opinions.

And then, with the boldness he received from God after not being killed, he revealed his plan (God’s plan) to the people.

What in your life needs a rebuild?  What has lain in ruin and fallen into disrepair?

It’s going to take an act of faith and boldness, but God has a plan for you to rebuild.  Travel this journey with me as God starts His plan.

Pastor Brent

Jude Part 4

“In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.
Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.
These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.”

— Jude 1:7-13 NIV

When we read Jude 1:7-13, we see a certain type of person. Leaning to their own understanding and giving themselves over to gossip and malicious talk, as well as ungratefulness, and just plain meanness.

Contrast this with how we should be living and who we should be watching for. If there is no thought about the Lord returning, or our own mortality as a time for us to face Jesus, then we have no fear or respect of God.

We simply live our lives as though there is no recompense for our actions and the future life God has for us.

Jude reminds of what the apostles said. He reminds us that they said in the last days there would be scoffers whose whole purpose is to satisfy their own desires.

They are the people creating divisions and causing us to question each other.

But we, as contrast, build each other up, praying in the power of the Holy Spirit, and longing for the return of the Lord Jesus to come and get us and bring His kingdom with Him.

It’s always sobering to know we have been left a job to do that has a time limit. Whether it’s our own death or His return, our job has a due date. How do you want to be remembered? As a faithful servant praying for the saints or a selfish hireling, only thinking of the wantonness of your desires?

Jude lays it out. The contrast is obvious.

Pastor Brent

Jude Part 3

A big thanks to our brother, Rick Barber for filling in and bringing a message from the Lord.

We are in a volatile season, to say the least and as we continue to work our way through Jude; we need to know that he has valuable information for us to chew on.

 We are saved, we are secure, but we are not left to our own to do what we want.  God has plans for us.  Plus that includes a future together with Him and millions upon millions of saints and angels.

And so we get set free to choose.  And there’s the rub.  The Choosing!

Before we were saved we were not free to choose, not really.  But now we are and we are held accountable for our choosing.  What is the biggest struggle in your life?  Is it because of choices made?

I’ll bet it is a big part of it.  Because of our choices other things come into play that Jesus has literally already paid for and gotten mastery over.

Set free to choose!

Choose Christ!

Don’t sink back into looking for other things than Christ.  He is always the answer.

Listen to Jude and his examples and warnings and we will be the much better for it.  Remember, it’s all about Him!

Pastor Brent

Jude Part 2

In verse 3 Jude talks about our common salvation.  He is agonizing over the fact that the faith, once delivered, has been adulterated and lost the impact it should have.

Once we get saved and have received this salvation, we understandably could become complacent; thinking we have climbed the highest hill and everything else will be easier.

But, as you may have noticed, our faith becomes a point of contention in our lives because faith proceeds to grow in magnitude.

We have managed to believe for things in our young Christian life that challenge us in our older Christian life.

The very same thing we once believed and were rock solid on, now is a point of worry or doubt because we are not as intensely in tuned to the Lord, and as grateful as we once were.

And many times this turns into a backlash against other Christians.

What do I wish for those that have other thoughts than myself?  Do all Christians have to think the same, dress the same, and vote the same?  Are there unbreakable thoughts or opinions that causes me to have a terrible opinion about another Christian?

Paul got to the place that he said this, “I will preach Christ Jesus, and Him crucified.:”  I understand now why.  Common salvation.  We need it.  Don’t destroy or weaken those who have found faith in Christ because they don’t measure up to YOUR standard.

Believe that we all need to measure up to God.

Pastor Brent

Jude-Patron Saint of Hopeless Cases

Sounds like the perfect Saint for my golf game.

But, really, as we take the next few weeks to study this tiny book of the Bible; we will see that he takes on many of the discussions of this age.

We learn that he warns of how we live and what we listen to and the fact that we all need to stay aware of the teachings that come our way.

He reminds us that we have an obligation, no, responsibility to be mindful and vigilant of our walk.

We can be our own worst enemy as we meander through our life, not seeking God, but wanting the next new thing that catches our eye or ear.

Normally we would have just gotten back from men’s retreat and been given some new inspiration for moving forward; also, many school activities, i.e., sports, band, and other things would be in play.  But now is a different and unique time bringing new challenges and other things that could cause us to lose heart or vision.

But let us endeavor to push forward as Jude encourages, embracing our position in Christ as He leads us to better things.

Moving forward,

Pastor Brent

What Do I Do?

We have just studied the book of Daniel and our last message was on prayer and how to enter in and believe God.

We have learned how to be accused for believing in God and how to stand up to the consequences, while watching God take over and deliver His people from harm.

Canyon Strong

But what do we do now?  Last week our amazing church body came together and served breakfast to people who came in,  we continued the laundry ministry, we sent the extra food to the guys on the front line fighting the fires and guarding the canyon.  Hopefully you donated something elsewhere to lessen the burden on those who have lost everything.

And we, for our part are helping people with gas cards as they travel back and forth to Salem or wherever they have been evacuated to, and also to the volunteers that helped move the animals out for people that couldn’t.

You will run into a number of people who will have that look on their face like, “I don’t know what to do next!” and let me say this, “you don’t need to know the answer.”  You simply are there for them to have someone to fall apart with, or cry with, or get some information about who to call or where to turn.

This is the best time to be a Christian because we have the Holy Spirit to answer for us.  And one thing to leave out of your vocabulary for this time, “Well, all things work together for good. And God won’t give you more than you can handle.”

Leave those on the shelf for now and truly be quick to listen, slow to speak, and excellent at comfort.

Learning these things too,

Pastor Brent

Daniel - Part 7

 In this week’s message we are looking at a dream Daniel had in the first year of Belshazzar.  It closely resembles the dream Nebuchadnezzar had that Daniel interpreted for him. 

But Daniel’s dream is darker, and more ominous.  Also included is a more specific call for the establishment of an everlasting kingdom with the ruler being the Ancient of Days.

Many, many, many people have interpreted this dream and put former kingdoms, and present kingdoms, and even future kingdoms in the place of the horns and the rams and the goats. 

But may I caution you to simply be satisfied with what scripture says and leave speculation out of the discussion?

There is enough in this dream without trying to fill in the voids with our own ideas of what God might have meant.

Daniel is alarmed at the interpretation of his own dream, and yet, he is also comforted because God not only entrusted the dream to him but has given him a conclusion which allows the people of God to possess the kingdom forever.

If we, as a people can forgo getting caught up in the symbols and trust in the outcome and the fact that God will keep His saints informed; we can live a peaceable life with the expectation of a life we can share with those who God has called.

Pastor Brent

Daniel - Part 6

When the new ruler took over the kingdom, God protected His children and gave them favor immediately. However, this did not go over so well with the people used to being in charge of the king’s ear.

So, jealousy set in, and since they could not find a corrupt bone in Daniel’s body, they set about to bring his faith to the test. For either he will reject his God, or he will disobey the order of the king and be thrown to the den of lions. Either way, rid of Daniel. Or, so little people think.

For God knows the plans and hearts of men before they do, and He thwarts them before they have ever been born. But still, I believe God enjoys the suspense that we get from seeing how easily God can turn the table on even the most dire of situations.

Dare to be a Daniel!

Do you have a routine that your enemies could pick on and say, “They always pray at this time, or they are reading their Bible at this time, or Sundays are a no go til church is over, because they set that time aside for God”? Or not.

People are always going to be jealous of the people of God because we enjoy His favor. And all of the blessings that go along with the inheritance that is in Christ. But can we be swayed because of the promises the world might make if we change our priorities? People want to know that you are as committed to your devotions as you are to God and they will know when they ask you for something, you will be as committed to their needs.

Dare to be a Daniel! Throw open your windows and pray, not as a show, but as a shower of praise and thanksgiving highlighting the glory and goodness of God.

Pastor Brent

If Jesus Can Do Nothing Of Himself...

 In John 5:19 Jesus states, "The Son can do nothing of Himself" So if we extrapolate  this on out we can do nothing of ourselves…and yet we do. I read continually that God is saying this or God is saying that, or God is for this person or God is for that person. God is not. You are not hearing from God. God cannot support both things.

   That's because I am right, no, I am right. I'm sorry to have tell you this but, God is right. And He is not saying any of the things I hear you saying. For He so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever would believe in him would not perish but have everlasting life.

   As important as this election might be for our country, we are not the world. In fact, we are so small a percentage of it that we kid ourselves if we think God thinks more about us than the bulk of the world He is saving.

   So don't tell me God hates this person or prefers that person, because He loves us all. He loved Paul as He was killing His people. Yes, He did. He loved those who were slavers as well as the slaves. He loved them because He made them. Will He withhold judgement from them in the end for their (or our) deeds if we do not repent and believe in His name? No! But if even Jesus said it wasn't His job to judge, it certainly isn't ours.

“The Son can do nothing of Himself”

— Jesus -- John 5:19

   I go back to  the premise of this writing. Jesus said He could do nothing of Himself, so why would we want to? Jesus is setting the precedent for us to follow, but are we humble enough to do that? I submit that we need to hear from God before we commit to words that WE think. I believe, unless there is scripture to back up our words, they should remain just that, our words. And even if there is scripture, have we handled it correctly, and been given the green light to share what we are about to?

   Jesus told Pilate, "You would have no authority if it had not been given you from above." So, where will our next leader come from? God. Jesus certainly could have answered many of the questions asked Him during His trial, but he only answered those things He had been given the authority to answer. Will I be able to say the same thing of myself? I prayerfully hope so and encourage us all to do the same.

Only what He wants,

Pastor Brent