What you do = What you really believe...

Augustine said “Where Scripture speaks, God speaks.”

It’s easy to draw huge crowds by preaching soft topics… Preaching (if you call it that) fun and exciting or trending topics….  Jumping from one thing to another talking about the things that make us feel better about ourselves we might eventually get around to a few important doctrines here or there…

But when we do that, when we find ourselves focusing on the parts of the Bible that we like, tailoring it to what we want to hear…  we begin to ignore the passages that are difficult to understand, likewise the passages which confront our sinfulness begin to be left out that or we twist them to fit the context of our lifestyle… The result is we create a Christianity that appeals to us…

This is why we must commit ourselves to the teaching the entirety of God’s Word. Just because we don’t like what a verse says doesn’t mean we get to remove it from God’s Word…

There is true value found in God’s word and there is a great need for the competent and complete teaching of the Holy Scriptures. Not simply to tickle the ears of the people but to lead them to repentance and to eternal life.

James is one of those tough books. There will be times as we go through this series in which you are going to feel uncomfortable. And to that I say GOOD! Don’t shirk from that discomfort, embrace it. Embrace the message which God is whispering in your ears through His words and don’t look back!

So a little context of the author, audience, and purpose as we get started –

Who is James?

James was a Pastor in the early church (Acts 15 & 21). He is most likely the half-brother to Jesus…

Who is James writing to?

We see this in verse 1:  James is writing predominately to the Jewish Christians who had been a part of the church in Jerusalem. We know that according to Acts 8 following Stephen’s martyrdom the believers from Jerusalem had been scattered due to intense persecution.

What is James all about?

The book of James focuses heavily on the central theme obedience. James’ premise is that the way we live, the things we do, our responses to trials, all is a direct result of our faith.

What we do = What we really believe…

The book is comprised of 108 verses and out of those we find 59 different commands. Obedience is cover to cover…

In today’s culture no one wants to hear about obedience, following Biblical commands and laws are ridiculed as outmoded archaic practices… Start talking about living Biblical principles and people start to whine and cry about legalism and run away…. 

In James 1 we are looking at facing trials in life. How do you face your trials? Do you face them under your own strength and understanding? Living in that constant state of anxiety and frustration?

Or do you allow the Sovereign God of the Universe to guide you in His wisdom, trusting in his resources and his reward, drawing closer to him, growing more Christ-like until you reach the finish line and are crowned with eternal life? 

Living a James Life requires a radical commitment to a God centered life. 

Join us over the next 12 weeks as we explore the commands for Christian living found in the book of James and apply them to our lives.

If you miss a week be sure to log on to the church website and listen to that week’s message!

http://www.fbcislamorada.org

See you Sunday! 

Don't Be Tobiah

As we wrap up our study of Nehemiah this week we are going to look at 3 men who are named as enemies of the work which God is doing among his people.

God had such a magnificent plan and work in store for Nehemiah but as I am sure you are well aware God’s work is never finished without interference form the enemy.

Three men stood opposed Nehemiah, and as we look at who they are they stand representative of the present-day enemies of the gospel.

Who are these conspirators?

Sanballat the Horonite. His name means ''hate in disguise.''

Sanballat represents the wisdom of this world and its opposition to Christ and His gospel. Most organized religion hates Jesus Christ. Paul spoke of it as being a form of deception when he said, ''And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works'' (2Cor 11:14-15).

Tobiah the Ammonite His name means ''the servant,'' or possibly, ''the Lord is good.''

He is a representative of those who make a formal profession of faith.

They have a good name but a bad heart.

While this man, Tobiah was a sort of puppet for his master Sanballat. We see that Tobiah had the ear of many of the leaders in the area and even in Jerusalem. And due to his connections he was able to work often behind the scenes to manipulate what was taking place in the temple and behind the city walls.

Finally, we see Geshem the Arab. This man's name means ''a violent shower.''

In the case of Nehemiah and his workers, he brought a shower of ridicule and criticism. Constantly mocking the work God was doing. We see men like this today who openly mock the things of God! 

As we look at these three men it would be easy to point fingers and say well this person is Tobiah and this person is Geshem or Sanballat but rather than pointing fingers at others I would challenge each of us to look at our own hearts and pray – God, am I Sanballat? Am I Tobiah? Am I Geshem?

Knowing where we truly stand in our relationship with God is essential to our obedience!

Everyone knew Sanballat and Geshem were enemies of God there was no secret there but Tobiah… Tobiah had everyone fooled – except Nehemiah (and God!)

Don’t be Tobiah today!

See ya Sunday!

What do you want to be remembered for?

 Nehemiah was truly a man of prayer, the book opens in chapter 1 with him humbling himself before the Lord in prayer, every time Nehemiah faces a challenge where does he turn to the Lord in prayer, and at the close of the book we see Nehemiah go to the Lord one final time in prayer.

It’s amazing though as you read Nehemiah’s final prayer (chapter 13) there is one thing that is strangely missing. Not once does he refer to what most men would consider his greatest accomplishment… the reconstruction of Jerusalem.

If we were writing this today, we would be singing the praises of Nehemiah not for purifying his people from sin but for the beauty of the walls and the strength of the people inside them… This was true in that day as well and rather seeking out praise of men, or even the praise of God for the very evident physical achievements he is seeking out the favor of God not for these things but for the work of purification in the lives of the people.

If only more people today would be less concerned about receiving a pat on the back and more about the souls of their fellow man we would not live in such a mess of a world…

Just my 2 cents for the morning… 

May we all be delivered...

This week in the midst of the gun violence dominating our news the upper keys lost a familiar face. I don’t normally write things such as this in my blog but I thought it was needed to provide this face a voice as he had long lost his.

Archie “Boyd” Bagwell Jr passed away on Thursday at Plantation Key Nursing Center having battled for some time with terminal cancer. Boyd wasn’t much to most who saw him, but to those who took the time to get to know him he was a kindhearted individual who did not seek to be a drain or an inconvenience on anyone. 

Boyd’s brother Bruce was exceedingly grateful to those who went out of their way to care for Boyd in his final days. He was amazed at the level of care his brother received not just in medical attention but in love and expressions of friendship from our church and from those associated with us. 

We don’t know where Boyd’s spirit has gone which makes his passing while expected, tragic. I do believe however that regardless of where he is now, his desire would be for the rest of us to embrace the forgiveness offered by God through Christ.

As far has his earthly shell, Boyd’s remains will be cremated with the plan to put them in the ocean. 

We will plan a Celebration of Life service for Boyd this fall once our winter visitors have returned with the hope that some of Boyd’s family from North Carolina will be able to join us then as well.

In closing I am reminded of Matthew Henry’s prayer for the grace needed to die well a prayer that each of us should pray daily!

“I must pray for grace to deliver me from death and to carry me well through my dying moments:

Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know and consider how fleeting I am, that my days are as a few handbreadths and all mankind stands as a mere breath! My days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding.

Lord, so teach me to number my days, that I may get a heart of wisdom, and make me to discern my latter end!

Lord, make me always ready, dressed for action with my lamp burning, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour I do not expect.

Keep me all the days of my service, waiting till my renewal comes; and then shall you call, and I will answer.

Bring me to my grave like a sheaf gathered up in its season; satisfy me with life, whether it be long or short, and show me your salvation.

And when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, be with me, that I may fear no evil; let your rod and your staff comfort me.

Let goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life, and let me dwell in the house of the LORD forever. May steadfast love and faithfulness be with me.

Ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, and receive me; guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me into glory. “

Psalm 39:4-5, 1 Chronicles 29:15, Psalm 90:12, Deuteronomy 32:29, Luke 12:35, Luke 12:40, Job 14:14-15, Job 5:26, Psalm 91:16, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 23:62, Samuel 15:20, Psalm 49:15, Psalm 73:24

In America --

As I prepared this week to finish Nehemiah 9 I found this silly illustration, I decided not to use it on Sunday but thought it was worth sharing none the less. You may have seen it or heard parts of it before as it's not new but it is unlikely you have seen the commentary included at the end so read and enjoy!  

Yakof Smirnof, a Ukrainian comic from the 80’s & 90’s was famous for his word play associated with American and Russian culture… For instance - he was amazed by the products available in our stores. He saw powdered milk – just add water. He saw powdered eggs – just add water. He saw baby powder – wow, what a country.  -- some of his other attributed colloquialism's are: 

• In America, we park on the driveway and drive on the parkway.
• In America, we put Braille dots on the keyboards at drive up ATMs and have handicapped parking at the front door of the skating rink.
• In America, our feet smell and our noses run.
• In America, when we transport something by car we call it a shipment and when we transport something in a ship we call it cargo.
• In America, we park $20,000 cars on the street so that we can store $200 worth of junk in our garages.
• In America, the #2 pencil is the most popular, but it is still #2.
• In America, we chop trees down so that we can chop them up.
• In America, we have interstate highways in Hawaii.
• In America, when everyone is driving slow, we call it rush hour….

This weekend in churches across our great country people are going to be crying out in prayer that God would bring healing to the brokenness and justice to the sinfulness across the country. 

Many will turn to 2 Chronicles 7:14 which says “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

However, if we truly desire the healing that we claim to come upon our nation, we need to be repentant instead of blaming other people…

This is addressed to the believers, not the pagan leaders. 

I’m reminded of a story - about a man who goes to a doctor and says “You have to help me, I hurt everywhere. If I touch my arm, it hurts, if I touch my leg it hurts, if I touch my head it hurts, and if I touch my chest it hurts.” The doctor does some tests and comes back with the answer. “You have a broken finger.” 

Friends don’t blame the oval office, supreme court, or congress, the blame lies with us as Christians.

This scripture tells us to “humble ourselves” admit we need help, “and pray” ask God for forgiveness of our sins, “turn from our wicked ways” don’t cheat on your taxes, don’t patronize improper movies, quit worshiping other things. “I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 

It’s up to us as believers. The ball is in our court.

Look at what Ezra prayed in the book of Nehemiah 9:32-38

So now, our God—the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant do not view lightly all the hardships that have afflicted us, our kings and leaders, our priests and prophets, our ancestors and all Your people, from the days of the Assyrian kings until today. You are righteous concerning all that has come on us, because You have acted faithfully, while we have acted wickedly. 

Our kings, leaders, priests, and ancestors did not obey Your law or listen to Your commands and warnings You gave them. When they were in their kingdom, with Your abundant goodness that You gave them, and in the spacious and fertile land You set before them, they would not serve You or turn from their wicked ways.

Here we are today, slaves in the land You gave our ancestors so that they could enjoy its fruit and its goodness. Here we are—slaves in it!

Its abundant harvest goes to the kings You have set over us, because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and our livestock as they please.

We are in great distress.

In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement in writing on a sealed document containing the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.

Friends, we do not come to this moment in our own strength. We do not come sufficient in ourselves. We do not come because of the beauty of covenant community. We come mainly—like Ezra—because God is a great, mighty, awesome, covenant-keeping, loving God, who will help us, and who will show his love for us through the covenant.

Will you truly humble yourself today and seek God’s face in prayer? Repenting of your hidden wrongs and asking him to first heal your heart and then heal your land? Much as the people in that day we too are in great distress in this world today – maybe we need to look at where we’ve come from a little harder and remember God’s mercies anew… 

Have a great weekend hope to see you Sunday! 

Pulling the Weeds

As I was studying this week’s passage I found an interesting illustration which I think everyone can relate to... “Pulling the Weeds.”

Think about this with me...  In the heat of the summer have you ever noticed that nothing grows well but the weeds? Unlike your garden or your flowers or your manicured lawns weeds are tolerant. They don't really care if they get refreshed. Weeds aren't concerned about their future, they just go crazy in every condition...hot, cool, wet, dry. Especially, dry! So during summer heat the weeds seem to overtake everything else, making it difficult for anything to flourish, except the weeds. 

Yards and gardens lack in luster and start losing their potential to be beautiful or productive.

The same is true with us. When we are not getting the correct nourishment or the right amount of water, we become unhealthy. We begin to wilt, if you will, and soon the "weeds" start taking over in our bodies and in our lives. 

The worst type of weeds are the spiritual weeds. These weeds can not only damage our spirits but they can also end up chocking out our faith our motivation and our focus on the spiritual things of God. 

This week we are looking at the need for personal confession of sin, how and personal repentance precedes national repentance... Confession of our sins is essential to enjoy God's favor and spiritual blessings. 

Unfortunately, we live in a day when it’s not popular to admit wrong, seek forgiveness or even ask for help... We elevate self, self-esteem and individuality such that they are valued higher than a relationship with God. 

We are urged to think the best of ourselves in order to achieve our full potential. If there is a problem we can solve it, if there is a hurdle we can clear it… Self-help books, life coaches, and other counselors abound helping clients to overcome a poor self-image and to believe in themselves and their worth.

But our worth and our image are not to be found in ourselves. It is to be found in Christ.  

When the heat waves come or the dry spells hit and the weeds start to get thick, there is only One Way to regain the luster, the life, the power, the control in your life. It comes from the Water that never dries up. It comes from the never ending source. It comes from the Well that never fails. Jesus Christ and Him crucified, resurrected and ascended to the Right Hand of the Father. 

Don’t let the heat keep you down get out there, pull those weeds that have popped up in your life and start again with the refreshing water of life. Jesus, the thirst quencher!

Have a great weekend and a great week.

The Result of Obedience

Nehemiah 8:13-18 is about far more than some obscure festival found in the book of Deuteronomy (Deut 31:9-13). As we study this passage this week see a deeper message in the story. The result of obedience.

For so many the term obedience carry’s a negative connotation. We hear the term and we think of rules and obligations. However, as we see illustrated so clearly in this week’s passage obedience to God even in the little things brings a specific result. Look at what it says in verse 17:

The glorious promise that we see here is that when we follow God in full obedience there is tremendous joy.

Joy comes as the result of obedience. Does that mean all obedience is pain free and joyful in that moment? No, but what it does mean that the more we walk in obedience the more we can understand and find joy in the sorrow and in the pain.

Rather than seeking joy, rather than seeking personal fulfilment we should be seeking obedience to source of our joy and fulfilment. Obedience to God and to His Word.

What are you seeking today?

See ya Sunday! 

God's People Love God's Word

This week as we dive into Nehemiah 8. The walls are up, the city’s restoration and re-population is under way and now all the people gathered together and they plead for Ezra to bring out the scrolls and read the law to them. 

Ezra has been faithfully preaching and teaching the Law to the people for the past 13 years, the walls are rebuilt and the people want the Law, the want the Word!

God’s people love God’s Word!

Now that the city was safe they were turning their attention to the Word and what follows?

In verse 9 we see the people’s response to their understanding the Word that has been read: The understanding of the Word provokes weeping, which is the right response, suggesting repentance.

Paradoxically, the right response of weeping opened the way to freedom to rejoice (vs 10) and the result we see as Ezra reads the Law before the people revival begins to breakout, the people repent and turn their hearts back to God.

Do you love God’s Word? Do you rejoice because you have understood what you have read in God’s Word?

See you Sunday! 

Sign Me Up!

Over the last two months, we have watched Nehemiah go through obstacle after obstacle as he worked with the Israelites to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. First he had to get the king’s permission to leave his position of cupbearer and head off to Jerusalem; keeping in mind that this same king, years before, had put a stop to the rebuilding of the walls. 

Once he was in Jerusalem and the building began, he faced ridicule from surrounding nations that wouldn’t go away. The amount of people opposing them grew and the form of opposition went from ridicule to physical threats of attack and others. Then, if that wasn’t enough, the rich Jews began to exploit their poorer neighbors and caused more problems. 

But despite all of the obstacles that Nehemiah and the Israelite people had to face, they completed the task with the help of God.

As we pick up the story in chapter 7, it tells us that Nehemiah had the doors and gates set up properly, he appointed guards, and assigned the people who would take care of the Temple. He also appointed a governor and a commander over the city. 

Now after all that Nehemiah had accomplished, one would think it’s time for a vacation… perfect time to sit back and admire what the Israelite's had accomplished.

But this is not what happened. 

There was still more to be done. 7:4 tells us that “the city was large and spacious, but the population was small, and none of the houses had been rebuilt.”

So Nehemiah gathers all the people together for registration, which is what we find in the bulk of chapter 7.

This list in Nehemiah, is an amazing list of people who have taken a stand for Christ. It is a list of people who have committed to living their lives to grow, serve, worship and share. These people have stood up, unashamed, and decided to make a difference in the lives of the people around them.

Their names are registered, and recorded… Are yours? 

Are you willing to stand up and be counted for the King of Kings? 

Are you on that list????? 

Do’s and Don’ts of Grief and Loss

Grief is a natural part of the human existence, unfortunately for us handling grief is hard. Even those who are supposed to have it all figured out such as pastors and other Christian leaders sometimes need a guiding hand when walking down the road of grief and loss...

We want to help we try our best to be there but so often it seems that every time we go to open our mouths we insert our foot often whether we realize it or not when we try to help we make the situation worse… We end up isolating those who are grieving because they feel judged, or alone. And while we know that grief is personal it isn’t meant to be experienced alone…

The truth is most all of us have no idea how to handle grief…

So what can we do?

There are lots of resources out there and it would be easy to become overwhelmed but in reality there are a handful of simple easy to remember things to offer.

Let’s look at 3 common DON’Ts: what you could say are common misconceptions about grief and loss…  Each of these are lessons I’ve had to learn the hard way…  

1.     First we DON'T always need to say “something”.  Honestly, when someone has just experienced a major loss, there is usually nothing that can or needs to be said. Walking up and asking someone who is experiencing loss how they are doing while well-meant will not come across the way you intend… Your presence is enough…

2.     Second, hackneyed reassurances DON'T help in fact more often than not they hurt.... Sayings such as “They’re in a better place,” “At least they’re no longer suffering,” or “Time heals all wounds,” though well-meant, are better left unsaid. "A hug is worth a thousand words..." (Charles Colton) 

3.     Third, DON'T talk about your own loss experiences it is not as helpful as you might think… Sharing our experiences with loss–saying “I know exactly how you feel,” or “I understand completely”– usually causes the individual feel as if you are minimizing their experience or pain. Here your silence is golden... No matter what experiences you’ve been though in your life it truly is impossible for you to know exactly how a person is feeling…

Silence is golden, hugs are worth a thousand words, and your presence is enough!

So what should we DO then if we can’t talk to them? Here are three simple steps that I have found useful in counseling situations…

1.     Just be there. Listen... Listen… and Listen some more… Listening is hard I get it… It can be uncomfortable… It may not seem like much but remember God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason – we should be listening at least twice as much as we are speaking… Let them talk and cry and talk and cry without putting a time limit on it and without judging. Don’t get tired of hearing their “story…” Rather encourage them to express the facts, details and emotions related to the loss; it is a simple but profound method of healing.

2.     Check in on them regularly. It is so easy in today’s society to shoot a quick text message saying, “I’m just checking on you wanted to see how you were doing today…”  No pressure or expectations, simply a friend checking in. If they want to engage in conversation they can but this allows the individual or family to know that you truly do care and that they are not alone, that they are not isolated…

3.     Finally hold your tongue. When you feel the urge to say something trite, like, “This too shall pass,” don’t. Instead, just say, “I’m so sorry,” let them cry, and cry with them. The Bible gives a lot of direction when it comes to taming our tongues (Proverbs 21:23; Proverbs 12:18; James 3:2-10; Psalm 34:13; Psalm 141:3; James 1:26; 1 Peter 3:10…)

Don’t be scared to allow God to use you in helping someone work through their grief but know that if you step into that processes with them it will likely but a long difficult hike not a short leisurely stroll through the park… and remember silence is golden, hugs are worth a thousand words, and your presence is enough!

See ya Sunday! 

Money not well spent...

Nehemiah 5 deals with a pretty uncomfortable topic for most people… Money…

The passage starts out proclaiming that there was “a widespread outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish countrymen.” The following verses explain what taking place – what it boiled down to was those who had the money had the power and they took every advantage they could get away with over their countrymen…

In 5:6-13 Nehemiah’s response ensues, his righteous indignation which was on display in chapter 4 is back in full force, and after serious consideration and investigation he levels accusations against those in power, the nobles and officials calling them to repentance which amazingly we see in 5:12 that they responded favorably and agreed that they were wrong and needed to make restitution.

Nehemiah’s response continues in 5:14-19 and we again see his character on full display as he refused to be a burden on the people as his predecessors had been.  In fact we see that neither he nor his associates, more than 150 Jews, officials, and guests from surrounding nations who sat at his table ate from the allotted food for the governors.

Why? What was Nehemiah’s reasoning behind living on less than what all the other governors had lived off of? It’s all in where his focus was… The previous leaders, the nobles, and officials were all focused on caring for themselves (we see this theme return in Chapter 13). Nehemiah’s focus was on the wall – 5:16 says that he was devoted to the construction of the wall…

Nehemiah’s eyes were focused where they were needed… on God. Hebrews 12:1-2 gives us good instruction as to the importance of this…

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.

What are you doing to keep the name of the Lord from falling to shame? 

Facing Opposition

Much as the builders of the wall in Nehemiah’s day faced intense persecution, Christians today face opposition to their obedience. How we respond to that opposition speaks to our character. Do we run away? Do we lash out? Do we stand firm?

Nehemiah prays in the face of persecution, but his prayer is one we should take notice of. Nehemiah 4:4-5 says “Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. Do not cover their guilt or let their sin be erased from Your sight, because they have provoked the builders.”

Now I am sure that there have been times in which you have wanted to pray a prayer like this… I know that there have been times I have wanted to do so as well…

But Nehemiah demonstrates his humanity in these verses. As Spurgeon puts it Nehemiah was not only stern in his words but he seems to mingle in a measure of bitterness in his prayer that we must not imitate.

It is one thing to have a righteous indignation when we see someone working to stop us in our endeavors to build up the church of God, but rather responding in bitterness we should bow our heads and hit our knees and look to Christ’s example on the cross as he cried out “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

See ya Sunday! 

What's with the name calling?

Nehemiah 3 is a chapter of names… Many would just look at this chapter and pass over it… But all these names are recorded for a purpose. In fact, the Hebrew names were nearly all significant… Sometimes commemoration was in a name. Sometimes it uttered a testimony. Sometimes a prophecy stirred in it.

But even more than the significance of the names in this particular passage is the way each name is paired with a task… “Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests began rebuilding the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and installed its doors. After building the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel, they dedicated it. The men of Jericho built next to Eliashib, and next to them Zaccur son of Imri built. The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They built it with beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. Next to them Meremoth son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, made repairs. Beside them Meshullam son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel, made repairs. Next to them Zadok son of Baana made repairs Beside them the Tekoites made repairs, but their nobles did not lift a finger to help their supervisors...” (Nehemiah 3:1-5)

More than just a list of names this passage shows how people working together can accomplish more than if just one person tried to do all the work.

If you were to underline in your Bible every time you see the phrases: "next to him," "next to them," "after him," and "after them" you would find them recorded 28 times in this chapter!

The biblical principle is this: every person is to be involved in ministry because everyone has a job to do…

Don’t be just another name on the roll – you are valued by God and you are valued by your church! Figure out where God is calling you to become involved and don’t be as the nobles of Tekoa in vs 5 and not lift a finger rather be willing to make yourself vulnerable, be willing to seek out change for God’s glory, be willing to take a stand for the Lord, and be willing to commit to the rebuilding of his church so that the name of the Lord would no longer be in disgrace.

See you Sunday!