Enoch And His Message

Recently I have been teaching through Genesis and the Gospel of Luke. While exploring the life of Enoch and his message in Genesis 5:24, I was amazed with the statment that he "walked with God" and also in Hebrews 11:5 that Enoch "pleased God". Elsewhere in Scripture we understand that "Walk" is a metaphor for lifestyle and actions. So Enoch had a lifestyle that was all about God. Well, I began to realize that Enoch had an intimate fellowship with God and began to know the heart of God in the midst of "wicked, evil, and violent" times (Genesis 5:5,11). Well, that is when Jude 14-15 made sense to me. You see when Enoch knew the heart of God he followed the will of God for his life. And God's will was for him warn the world of impending judgement for sin. So Enoch had a prophetic ministry proclaiming the judgement of God during the times before Noah's life. Even though Enoch (according to Jude 14-15) was prophecying about the return of Christ or the event we call the 2nd Coming of Christ, the warning was still the same. Get right with God before His judgement for sin comes. Because Enoch believed this message he preached, he named his son Methuselah, which means "death then judgement." We can assume his name more fully meant "when Methuselah dies God's Judgement will come" because upon Methuselah's death God judged the world with a great world-wide flood. Well while this topic may not be one of those "WOW" things to read, I would like to make two points that I found were a "WOW" during my study. First, Methuselah was the oldest man to ever live. He lived 969 years. That demonstrates God's abundant mercy and longsuffing toward those living in sin. Second, in Luke's gospel we read that Jesus will come again when the times and culture get as bad as it was during Noah's time. Well, if you ask me we are not far from the return of Christ and the Judgment of the world...

Spiritual Discipline

Recently our men's fellowship group has been reading the book "Disciplines Of A Godly Man" by R. Kent Hughes. While this has been an old favorite of mine, each time I pick it back up I am challenged by the topic all over again. While many see the spiritual disciples as a "as I have time" kinda thing, I am of the opinion that God's Word instructs us to have a directed spiritual life. Jesus calls us to follow Him and the primary path of discipleship is to be directed with a goal in mind. The goal is to experience all that we have been given in Christ and to be used in the lives of others. I am reminded of how when I would go surfing my lifestyle would either help or hinder my performance upon the waves. I could always surf when the size was three to four feet. But if I had been staying too long at the dinner table and sitting around watching too much TV then when the waves were six to ten feet I would not be ready and barley make it out past the impact zone (beyond where the waves break). I learned some hard lessons when the surf was big. One of them was that you need a life of preparation to be ready for strenuous situations. In following Christ, spiritual disciplines will prepare us for challenging situations where God is needing a prepared servant. I always wished I had been in better shape when the surf was pumping and that motivated me to prepare even when I wasn't in the water... Spiritually I know discipline in following Christ will change my everyday life, and when the waves of life get a bit bigger....

How God Measures Success

I have been reading a book called "Experiencing Leadershift" by Don Cousins. In chapter 3 called "The Success Heresy" he asks and answers the question "How God Measures Success? I thought I would share some of what ministered to me. Don asks four questions every believer should be asking themselves; Question 1: Are you being faithful? In the parable of the Talents in Matthew Chapter 25 each servant was given Talents from the Master and were held accountable to what they did with what they were given. So, the first dimension of faithfulness is knowing what has God given you. This could be in the form of natural talents, material assets, educational training, relationships, passions, and anything else. This list also includes spiritual gifts that He has given you. Once you understand what God has given you (natural and spiritual talents and gifts), they are then to be invested into The Kingdom. Question 2: Are you bearing Fruit? Jesus said, "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so be My disciples" (John 15:8). He also told us that God prunes every fruit-bearing branch "that is my bear more fruit" (John 15:2). God is into fruit... But often times (as Don Cousins points out) we see fruit as represented by numbers (how much and how many). In church we see nickels and noses (budgets and people). But if we understand fruit as coming from the Holy Spirit then we are drawn to Galatians 5:22-23 to find our answer to Question 2. So read this list and ask yourself the Question 2 again; "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. " Question 3: Are you fulfilled? Is your life, is your ministry, making you full? Full of what? Joy! Jesus continued in John 15:11 to tell His disciples "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. Is your life full of Joy? If not remember that is what God has and wants for you as you serve Him. Question 4: Are you making God famous? This is the bottom line, the ultimate measure of your life and ministry. Is God becoming famous through you? "f anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. " 1 Peter 4:11 While numbers in our culture is the benchmark of success I agree with Don Cousins that God has other more important ways to evaluate our lives. If you want more details on these four questions I suggest you get Don Cousins book "Experiencing Leadershift."

Christopher Laurie In His Presence

July 24, 2008

I just found out that Christopher Laurie was killed in a car accident this morning.
Below is the information from http://www.harvest.org/

Christopher Laurie, son of Pastor Greg Laurie and Cathe Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, died this morning in a car accident in Riverside. A resident of Huntington Beach, Laurie, 33, served as the art director at Harvest Christian Fellowship for the past three years.

In addition to his parents, Christopher is survived by his wife, Brittany, and daughter, Stella, as well as his brother Jonathan. Christopher and his wife are expecting another daughter in November.

Memorial plans for Christopher are pending. More information will be posted to the Harvest website at www.harvest.org as details become available.

A Joyful Life With Christ

Enjoy your relationship with Jesus Christ each and every day! While we all struggle with our time spent with Him (not enough), the normal response is to feel guilty, discouraged, and defeated. But if we understand His love for us, and how He is for us and not against us it will change our motivation to spend more time with Him. Romans 8:31-35 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 delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For example: When you think of your favorite activity (or something you really enjoy) you don’t need to feel guilty or discouraged when you don’t do it. You just need to remember how good it is to motivate you to do it again. When you are enjoying The Lord, you want more! So how do we enjoy The Lord? Well, first we need to remember Romans 8:1 (He does not condemn us) when we are struggling. And then remember How much He loves us (Romans 8:35). This is what opens the door to real joy (that is, reflecting upon His love and concern for us). Then, when we do spend time with Him we have a real commitment of love and devotion for Him…Thus causing real Joy! Really this is moving from a heart that is motivated by guilt or shame to one of love and joy… Hope that ministers to you in your busy schedule this week!