Mid-Week Sermon for WolfPoet Ministries This week, due to physical and other problems, we are unable to perform services on the radio as we would normally manage. It has been an especially trying week for several of our members as well. And so, with this we will share a prayer at the beginning and a link to a song or poem in a few places for your benefit. Dear Lord in Heaven, we thank you for bringing us the ability to share Your word in a church without walls or ceilings. We thank you for having so many others who enjoy sharing the word in this way. We pray that you watch over (see mass prayer request and add list of people here that we don’t know of in your lives), please wrap those of us in physical pain in your comforting embrace. We ask these prayers in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen and so it shall be. http://thesimsonstage.ea.com/textAudioPlay.html?performanceId=xyGuGOtrnv4%3D&categoryId=128&play=Y
James 5:19-20
My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth, and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.
Among the Christian population today, there seems to be a great amount of focus on evangelism and outreach and quite a bit of neglect in regards to accountability and discipleship. In my high school youth group, I remember outreach nights during which we would watch 30 people come to know the Lord. About 10 of them would come to church in the following weeks and we were lucky if one or two became regular attendees. I also watched as my classmates, who had attended church most of their lives, decided to rebel against the Lord and their upbringing and chose the world. I remember a feeling of helplessness as these people, whom I had been close to, drifted away from the truth.
The Prodigal Son Parable – There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, "Father, give me my share of the estate." So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, "How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men." So he got up and went to his father.
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son." But the father said to his servants, "Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." So they began to celebrate.
Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. "Your brother has come," he replied, "and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound." The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, "Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!" "My son," the father said, "you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." (Luke 15:11-32)
Insert song here (Any song you wish)
Looking back on those years, I am ashamed that I didn't claim the power God promises in this verse. I don't know if it was fear of humiliation or a desire to let them make their own decisions, but I just stood by and watched as several friends slipped into sin and defiance toward God. As a child of God, my primary responsibility is to Him, not to my own popularity or status. God has given us the opportunity to not only bring people to Christ, but also to show them how to "work out" their salvation. He has given us the body of believers to support each other and to learn from each other. The body has also been established to reprimand and train believers who wander from the faith. While doing the work of God, He promises to go with us and to be our words so we need not fear the encounter or the outcome when feeling the responsibility to confront someone.
I heard someone say once that no one chooses atheism; it is just a gradual drifting away from God that causes people to eventually deny God. It is quite possible that little decisions here and there have caused them to take a giant step back and they have not even realized it. Your words of spiritual reprimand may be all they need to turn back to Christ. Today, I challenge you to consider the people in your life. Is there a Christian that has turned from the truth? Do you know someone who needs to get his or her life back on track? Don't be afraid to speak the truth to them and point out their movement away from God. Be obedient to God's direction in your life even if it may create an uncomfortable situation; their spiritual health is more important than a comfortable friendship.
God, show me today if there is anyone you need me to speak with. Please give me the opportunity to disciple and share with other believers in order to protect their faith.
Psalm 40: 1-3
I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.
I am so grateful that I serve a God who hears my cry. Not only that, I am thankful that He is willing to reach down and lift me out of the "slimy pit." In the Bible, there are numerous stories of the redemptive nature of our God, but even today He is still involved in transforming lives. Some would argue that the higher power of the universe merely created the earth and set it in motion and that He has nothing to do with our daily lives. I must disagree! I have seen too many lives dramatically transformed and have experienced too many times being lifted from the "mud and mire" and placed on a rock, to agree with the idea of a removed God.
The Bible has been described to me as the greatest love story of time, each of its pages detailing God's work in the life of humanity. The same God who brought down the walls of a city with the blowing of a few faithful trumpets, is at work in our lives today bringing people to salvation and establishing Himself in their hearts. He is restoring us to Him so that we may share eternity with him and so that "many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord."
Has God redeemed you? If you are in need of redemption, I challenge you to wait patiently for the Lord to come and rescue you. If you have been redeemed, I challenge you to belt out the "new song" He has put in your mouth (the "hymn of praise to our God") so that those you meet will know the power of the Savior of your soul.
I praise You, Lord, for Your everlasting love. I thank You that you are the God who redeems and restores. The works of Your hand are unmatched! I will sing your praise forever! Insert song here (Again insert song of your choice) We ask if anyone here is not saved that you take this time to bow your head and ask Jesus to come into your life. For he Lord and Master and we desire everything he has for us! Bow heads please: Our Father in Heaven, We come to you at this time. We turn our eyes to you Lord and seek strength to trust in your faithfulness. You are a God of comfort and caring and we ask you Father to help us to patiently wait on you and not despair and wait for your salvation. We suffer but we know you will not abandon us. Show us your compassion Lord for we believe in your Word to send us fresh Mercy each day.
Heavenly Father I ask you to render harmless and nullify, destroy and cancel any power of any evil trying to enter into our lives right now. Release us of all troubles, worries and cares and may we give them to you. Fill us with mercy from the top of our heads to the bottoms of our feet
Heavenly Father our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit and I ask you to take away these fires within us of the flesh and heal us from our afflictions. Jesus carried our pain therefore We give no place to pain and give our bodies to you for healing. This in the name of your Son Jesus Christ we ask. Amen and so shall it be. God Bless Each Of You!
Rev. Teresa Piercey-Gates |
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