Sunday Service
Great Is Thy Faithfulness. Oh God, my father.
And appease.
Amen.
Can I have to come forward for the offering please? Let's pray. Our Father in Heaven, how we thank you again for your love and goodness your faithfulness to our lives and may we be faithful in return giving to you all that you deserve in Jesus name. Amen.
Bravo. Thank you.
A reading this morning is taken from Ephesians chapter 4 verses 22 to 24. Our new series that we're starting is growing in our walk. And we're looking at this morning at seek change in our life particular Are Spiritual, Lotso thinking that regard as we read this you were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires to made me do in the attitude of your minds and to put on the new self-created to be like God and true righteousness and holiness
A few of prayer requests Kathy my has been getting healthier, but all of a sudden, she got a bladder infection. So we're going to be praying for her and death then for the healing of those who were going through a trials right now just in general, let's pray.
Are Mighty father, yeah, you who are the king, who is above all things, and understand the circumstances that are happening in our lives and the lives of those who we bring before you, you know, the path that each must take for you to understand the present the past and the future and you know where you desire to lead each life and may we trust in that because part of praying, for all of these things that we pray for is the understanding that, you know, the best choice. And we need to trust you for that even though our hearts and our desires. Go as the way help us to trust that your way is always the best. Bless us in this. Oh Lord, as we go forward. We know that one of the things that you do desire is that the lives of the people of this world be turned to you and we can pray that with assurance that you desire to change the hearts and lives of people to trust you as their lord and savior. And so father we pray that you would make us instruments of that change that you would help us to be faithful to Proclaim Jesus Christ to the lost and help them see the truth and follow you. We do want to remember the needs that are mentioned, we think of Kathy and the struggle she's having with her bladder and we pray for your healing touch upon her. We also think of many who are going through struggles right now in the process of healing and finding registration and restoration of strength for their bodies and we pray for your touch on each of those lives that they would see your hand truly involved in each of the steps that they take, we think of travelers to Father. There are many who are not here today because of traveling from two different places and we pray for your protection as they are on the roads. And as they are enjoying Fellowship in other places, may you guide their hearts. Father, we also think of the unspoken request that others have and we do want to remember the needs that are on the hearts of people, even though they haven't been expressed open late, we pray that your Mighty hand would be there to give comfort and peace and guidance and wisdom in their lives. We do pray for your hand on us as we continue to Worship You, may you bless our time together and we ask this in the name of our Mighty Savior. Jesus Christ. Amen.
You said?
Guardian tokens. Through me cuz I miss the quiet. Are you awake? Surround me with the rush of angel's wings.
I need. Can you?
Let's go.
You said, sign.
Human divine. Heaven is listening.
That's all.
The greatest.
he has, he has
There, I was on death row. Guilty in the first-degree. Son of God hanging on a 2. Hell was my destiny. The crowd was shouting crucified. Kudos come from these lips of mine. The Dirty Shame was killing me. It would take a miracle to wash me clean.
Play the previous song.
Felt like lightning hit my vein. Big and tall. Breath of God, filled my lungs and the only goes to wake and be Holy Ghost.
Navigate me.
I am a free man.
Well, I think it's super church time.
They departed quickly father and how we thank you, that we can come before the Mighty God and fellowship here with you. As we look at your word as we sing praises. As we pray, we are continually in fellowship with the Mighty God, who loves us and cares so much about our lives and the directions we go. May your spirit be here in power. Now as we worship you through the observance of your word and what it has to say for our lives for you desire to make a difference in us so that we can make a difference in the world that we live in. May you guide me. May your spirit fill me with your presence so that the, as I speak, I would speak your words and your words alone because it is only your words that change hearts. And that's what we desire. Change Hearts this day. We ask this in the Jesus's name, our Lord and savior. Amen, Well, we are starting a new series. Once again, we're going to the Book of James and we're going to look at growing in our walk and the, the message today is seek. Change seek change in our lives. And it's not in the physical sense or in, you know, your work area or in any of those things is change in our lives so that we are drawn closer to the image of Jesus Christ. And that's what God calls us to. It's the Great call for our lives as we come to know. Jesus Christ as Lord and savior, he wants change to happen and it needs to be happening in our lives in a continual sense of any of you all arrived at Perfection yet. I haven't and I definitely need to see change in my life and I believe that you do as well. You know, and changes happened in my life as I've moved along. There were was a time in my life. I sense that God was calling me to, give up certain things in my life and to take on other things that were a more positive sense. You know, we were talking to my grandson David the other day and he was, you know, he's at Oregon State University and doing a number of things in. And he says, I'm trying to do those things that allow me to function well in what God has called me to do. And give up those things that are not. In other words, he was getting the same sense that he needed to focus on that schooling that he had, he needed to focus on the work, he was doing and his relationship with God. Cut out those other things that interfered with those things. And that's what you went. I are called to do another time. As I was fellowshipping with God, I felt a great sense to build my prayer life up. And so I began a process that is continued on for the rest of my life so far where I would get up early. And the first thing I would do would be to go before the Lord and a prep and sometimes those prayers will last a very long time because I need that relationship with him so that he can influence and continually change my life. And then another sense that I felt God's wanting to change. My life, was a sense of my understanding of his desire for me is found in the word of God. That's our God. And so I began to focus more and more on Understanding God's word and knowing what he has to say, not in just a few scriptures. But in the whole volume of God's word, this whole thing coming to me, and each of those are two change us so that we are more like Christ. Why is that? So much of a difference for our lives because he grows more powerful. In each of us, we have the ability to then spread out and change other people's lives. That's why you're still here. I didn't take you home. When you came to know him as Lord and savior, he left you here. So that you could be an instrument of change in other people's lives. That's what he's called is to This next summer, we're going to get to go back to Greece and we're going to meet a young lady that I came to know, our in our experience as missionaries and Grace her name is Rita. She's actually a finish gal who married to a great man and we were at a party. And we were just having Fellowship there and all of a sudden this little gal walks up to me and looks me Square in the face and says, what do you believe? What how was that? Great? What she'd heard about me and heard what I was? And she wanted to know where I stood as far as the Lord. And so I had an opportunity to talk with that young gal for an hour or more at that at that party. And then after the party, when Mary and I went home, she and her husband me, Holly's came home with us and we spent the evening talking with him for three or four hours about what we believe in Jesus Christ,
As we went on and ministered there for several more years, she followed us in. She learned more about walking with God and following him. She believed before she came to see us, but she grew in her strength and their understanding. When we were ready to leave. I I said, you know, Mary and I are going away because God has called us to but he doesn't change that idea that you need to carry on the ministry that we began here. And she took that up and that when we go back to Greece, this time, we will go and fellowship in her house with other believers who come every week to Fellowship in her house. Because she carried on the ministry. I call her and my daughter and she calls me father
And the reason is because she's a daughter in the Lord and I'm a father in the Lord to her. And so will have an opportunity to minister and their house. And I say this because she's one person. That we had to help. We we work to help chip in her direction of her life in this world. Okay. And she is going on to help others change their Direction. Imagine that it is not just one person, we reach out and change but it's where that rolls on from there. The changes others. God wants to change your life and he wants you to seek that change with all your hearts and that's what we're going to look at today. The idea that God wants to take our lives and continually mold us into the image of Christ so that we have the strength and power to do Mighty things. Imagine what Christ did in this life.
It was because the spirit of God lived in hurt him and he was able to do that because he knew God, he was God and he trusted that God could do amazing things. Well you and I just need that Faith to trust that God can do amazing things through us because we have the same power in us that lived in him. And we need to take advantage of that to seek after God, to grow and him in multiple ways. Well, let's take a look at the passage from James chapter 1, will look at the first few verses 19 to 21, And the first emphasis in this is not to boldly go forward. But to become humble people. Humble people that are willing to See that there is a need in our lives and need to change the pattern of our lives. So that we can become more powerful and more influential in the lives of others. So hear it. Dear brothers and sisters, take note of this, everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil. That is so proud. That is so prevalent and humbly accept word planted in you which can save you. Okay. Change your life, the word planet to change your life. Now there's a lot of things that go on here that are powerful and instrumental but essentially what he saying is be humble and recognize that you need to change. How do you need to change? How can you find that out and here are ways to do that, interesting.
Psalm 25:9 says he guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his ways. In other words, God wants to touch your life. Is already touch your life. If you come to know, Jesus Christ as your lord and savior but he wants to go further in your life, he wants you to become more and more like him so that you can have an influence on the lights around you, many of you have children and grandchildren and God wants you to influence their lives. So that they draw closer to him. You have friends that you meet each day, you God wants you to be able to influence. Those will have to change them. How do you do that? Well, the first step is really humble ourselves so that we become submissive to what God has for our lives so that we can move forward. And part of that interesting Lee is that we open our ears more and shut her mouth more. Okay, sometimes we want to have such influence and talk when we should be listening. One of the things that I have been trying to do it to listen to what happened. People have to say before I open my mouth and try to speak. What I think is like now. That's a pastor saying this but he's gets up every week and speaks in church. Well I have done a lot of listening over the week to figure out what God wants me to say but I also listen to people and listen to how they want a guide when we gather together with a group of men or women, I want to listen to what they have to say because it also influences and touches my heart to understand where they are in their walk with Christ and how I might be influential to them. I can't influence somebody. If I am not recognizing. What there? Might be so open my ears and close my mouth. And listen Proverbs 19, 10 says, sin is not ended by multiplying words, but The Prudent hold their tongues. In other words, listen more talk. Less because when we listen, we truly begin to understand where God wants to not only touch our lives, but to move those words in a way that they do have an influence on people's lives if we're just talkin to talk. That's all we're going to get is a lot of words that don't make any difference to the lives of those around us. We want our words to make a difference to what they need. So it starts humility starts with being humble, being humble. The second thing it says it's that we shouldn't be angry, you know, get rid of that anger. Think about this, I've we all have those moments when we get a little bit angry. Mary will tell you one of those moments was and maybe continues is when I drive, you know, some Cuts me off or something like this. I don't want to talk about what they ought to be doing and and that sort of thing. Do you ever get there? That's one of those issues that I struggle with. You know, every one of us has areas where we get angry about certain things and God wants us to stop being angry. He wants us to have peace. We are instruments of Peace, why? Because that's what Jesus called us. To remember the very first words, he said the disciples peace be with you. God wants peace to come from our lives. Not anger. He wants us to be people of peace.
Proverbs back to Proverbs again. 2911 it says food fools, give full vent to their age but the wise bring calm in the end. In other words, that's where our lives need to lead us to come this and peace because when we are calm and peaceful, we have an ability to change the heart of somebody who comes to us and anger and despair and frustration. You know, if we made it with any challenge, we're not making a difference in their lives. It's only as we bring peace to the life of that person. Through our behavior that we can actually lead to change in that person's life. And then finally it comes to that whole desire to to listen because one of the things that we need to listen to is God and God's word. Jesus says, in John 10:27, my sheep, listen to my voice, I know them and they follow me. So, the question for you and that for me, is that I am, I really listening to his voice. Am I looking at his word and realizing? These are words from God, that's all she has. This book is the book of God. Videos made for you, and I to know him. Okay, that's what it's for do. You spend any time reading the word of God? He wants you to read it. Why? Because he has words for you and for me so that we can listen and begin the change in our lives. And begin to change in our lives. God's desire is for you and for me to become more like him and everything we are and he does that by ministering to us in the power of Prayer in the reading of his word. And the understanding of developing the habits that lead us to Christ rather than habits that have no difference or lead us away from Christ. With all that. Go. Let's go to that word because that word is in trouble, a powerful for us. And it makes a difference and that's where James takes us at this point, okay? We start to do those things that are right. Then, what do we do? Full focus on this word? Harry says James 1:22. 24 do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves do what it says.
Do you ever read the word of God and walk away? And And it doesn't make any difference in your life because you don't even think about what you just read. Sometimes it's tough. Do what it says anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says. Is like someone who looks at his face in the mirror and after look at himself goes away immediately forgets what he looks like
In other words, when God wants you to read the word, he doesn't want you to just go through and didn't. Okay, I got that done and move on. There is something in the word for you. Every time you open it up.
I was reading the word this morning, I've been reading through the Bible and I'm in 2nd Chronicles right now and reading through the lives of Zion of Asa and Jehoshaphat. And looking at when they were successful, when were they were successful in life? And they were successful, when they look to God and trusted in his word, And they found success in life. And then there are others who were Kings They chose not to listen to God. And there lies were a failure.
Answer the question for each and every one of us has. Am I listening to God? Am I seeking after him by reading his word and studying it? And going to answer this Paul writing to Timothy in 2nd Timothy. This is his final book and he sending it and he's getting down towards the end of it and he wants to challenge Timothy. Now, Timothy is risen in the church and he's become essentially, a pretty big guy and yet, Paul has simple truth is that he wants to give him. And here's one of them found the 2nd, Timothy, 3:16 and 17. He says all scripture, all scripture is god-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuke correcting and training in righteousness. So the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Are you a servant of God? Are you in his word? You know, you'd questions. Am I truly following God, am I truly in his word so he can teach me, he can rebuke me, he can correct me. He can lead me in righteousness. Am I doing those things?
Or am I just simply going from one Sunday to the next Sunday and fellowshipping in his house? But not really seeking after him, God wants us to hunger for him and his word.
Taste it and see that it is. Good. Taste it and seek. Well. what are the great books of the Bible is Psalms and in the middle of songs are towards the second half of it, but really the center of the Bible is found a huge chapter chapter 119 and the entire chapter 166 verses talks about. The word of God and how important it is for our lives. Imagine the biggest book in the Bible talking about how important the Bible is for your life. The very first verse that says, blessed are those whose ways are blameless who walk according to the law of the Lord. If we're walking according to God's word, we are people who are blessed. Imagine that if I read the word of God and I say always talking about this and what I need to add to my life and I want to do that. I am blessed because of it because God, blesses, those who look at his word, It's also a guide for our lives and helps us make wise decisions and follow truths. In verse 105, your word is a lamp and a light to my path. Okay, if I want to walk wisely, if I want to walk in the truth of what is right? I need to know God's word. Because it guides me in the ways. I ought to go some 119, 105, the way I go. It allows God to make a difference in my life. As I am involved in the word, it ought to change me. That's what it's all about. It's all about changing our lives. So An important aspect is focusing on his word, focusing on his word and letting it make a difference in our lives. It frees us to do what's right in life verse 32 of one night. Psalm 119, I run in the path of your commands for you have broadened my understanding. In other words, as I read the word, my understanding of God and life itself becomes more clear, more evident, that's what God wants for my life. He wants me free to make good choices in my life. Because as the word is powerful to me so is God because God works in and through his word to change our lives. And that's what he seeks to do for you and for me So we have these things are humbleness. I given over to God, what we are and then at then the power of the word to change our lives. So what happens from here on here on is that we live at word because that's becomes the difference. In our lives, and hopefully the difference in others lives. As we move along. James 1:25, what whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom. In other words, you're looking and seeing clearly what God has for you.
And continues in it, not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it. They will be blessed in what they do. You see, it's not just knowing the word, but it's making it a part of our lives and doing it because it's that way that we have influence in the world around us. You know, there's a lot of things. I mean you can be the greatest at the job that you have in your life. You can be a wonderful parent, you can be a famous person, or a great athlete or any of these things. But you know what? It doesn't make a difference in your life if it doesn't influence others to know. Jesus Christ.
That's the key. If it doesn't change other ideas of who Christ is it isn't making any difference in our lives.
And that's what God wants. He wants to meet made clear in our lives. Some 19 verse 7 says, the law of the Lord is perfect refreshing, the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy making wise, the simple.
You know, when we are humble, we become simple. And then can understand what God wants for our lives. We see where God reveals those areas of change. He wants to have in our lives. And he makes a difference. And when he makes a difference in our lives, our lives, then can make a difference in the lives of so many others.
These teachers that teach Sunday school to these young kids and what they put into their lives. if that changes that life, that they've ministered to, and they go out and they begin to minister to others every person they touch Have been influenced by that teacher who taught that Sunday school class.
It's amazing. The difference that we can make if we truly represent God in every aspect of Our Lives, if you make a difference in your work area, in terms of your relationship to God in their understanding of your relationship and what it means to them. You may change somebody's life that will influence many others. And that's what God wants from us to be a instrument of change in our own lives and then in the lives of others, making a difference. God wants us to remember, as Moses was finishing up his work on this Earth, and he was talking to the whole group of Israelites, some two million people before they entered into the land, he's ready to go up on Mount Pisgah, see Canaan and died, but he has these last words to speak to the people in within their constancy says, that they are these Commandments that I give you today, are to be on your hearts. In other words, it needs to sink deeply into the heart. So it is expressed in their lives. That everything they learned comes out and is known to them. Deuteronomy 6:6, know it. And then James comes back and remember, James is a really practical guy if you ever decide to focus on that book for your study, always practical in what he wants from your life and he says you see that you see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by their faith alone. Which is essentially what Moses was going to people. He said, Hey, listen to the word and and get out and do it. Make it a part of your life, but part of your heart. Well, if it's part of your heart, it should be expressed in your life. Is Owen and James says, hey you you say you walk by faith. But I say if you live by faith, you'll make a difference in this world. Live by faith, do it?
and Jesus says, if you truly listen to me, I will be a blessing to you. I will be a blessing. And don't we want to receive a blessing from the God? You know, that's what we receive when we seek after him, when we spend time in prayer, with him, when we spend time around his word, God bless us those times and makes a difference in our lives. So that, that blessing flows out, and it influences the lives of others. Jesus says to the disciples in the upper room, John 13-17 now that you know, these things You will be blessed if you do them. You see don't just know what I have for you. Do what I have for you? Because it'll make a huge change in your life, okay? So the lesson today is be humble be ready to listen, be ready to learn because that's what God wants from your life and you can't do that unless you're looking to him and trusting in Him. And reading his word. So the second part is to seek out the word of God, so that you can identify the change that God wants to make in your life. And God always wants to change your life, you can never come in and say, hey, I've I've reached a Time perfected now.
Because you're not. We all need to be working towards that change. And when he shows you what you need to do, take a step, make that step and change your life. Because we all need to be making that change in our lives. You know, I don't keep a text on, everyone that comes to me and says God's working on this and change his life and everything that's between you and God. but I hope that you take the time this week to recognize, You need to change your life in some aspect and you may not know the aspect, you know, you're not know where God wants to change your life. but it begins with you being humble enough to seek after God in prayer and the reading of his word, because it will make a difference in your life because he'll show you where you need to change. And then you can, then you can work hard to develop that change in your life because when your life begins to change and you start expressing that in the activities of your life, you begin to influence others. And that's a huge thing. Remember, there's two things that you can take to heaven. Two things. One is yourself because you believed in Jesus Christ as your lord and savior because when you do that, the spirit of the Living God comes upon you and that's your ticket. In the glory, the spirit of God living in your life is your ticket to heaven. Okay, the second thing that you can take to heaven with you, is the influence that you have on the lives of people in this world. Those the only two things that you take the heaven with you, there is no substance there. Is just influence in your life and the lives of others.
Because us to change and we need to seek it out. Let's pray.
Our Father in heaven. Now, we thank you that you're The God, Who desires to influence our lives in a way that we make a difference in our world. We found the pearl of great price if we know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. But are we allowing that great?
Pearl that we received to change our lives. I hope so. Father, I pray that to you would be ministering to each of us this day and throughout the week. Change us, ever more into the image of our Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ. Amen. Show me stand.
and may your troubles show that you're bad.
Me your hole.
and may your is that God is good.