Wrestlemania

OK so I’m reading through the Bible and in my daily reading I’m in I John and run across this passage:

¹⁶If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. ¹⁷All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. -I John 5:16-17

What is this verse talking about? What sin doesn’t lead to death? Is it litteral a physical death or a spiritual? What is the sin that leads to death? The unpardonable sin? Why shouldn’t we pray for it? What kind of sin doesn’t lead to death?

I’m just beginning my wrestle with this. So any thoughts would help.

BUSY! BUSY! BUSY!

this blog has gone to the bottom of my to-do list and hasn’t been updated in a long time. I have been extremely busy with family, work, and just life in general. I have been thinking about the stress and overwhelmingness you can suffer doing ministry. I carry many peoples problems and pain as I try to deal with my own. I have to be questioned about decisions and not be able to tell some private stuff that has lead to decisions. I am just glad that I have a great group of guys in leadership with me who help carry the stress and struggles of ministry.

I need to figure out how to make work, work and not carry it around with me all the time. I find myself wrestling with with work stuff constantly and it takes away from me enjoying my family. Example, @ the beach the other day I was rolling over situations, work issues, etc. and my kids are dying for my time. I had to really check it and get it out my mind so I could spend a couple hours with my children in the ocean.

For any ministers who read this I could use some suggestion on how you do it. Or from anyone else. How do you leave work at work and not carry it with you all the time?

Thanks and I’m strong and happy just overburdened at times.

Serving Him,

Levi

Podcast!?!

Ok so I’m trying this podcast thing of my sermon and I’ve had some say they can’t download it. I’ve been able to play it from the site and get it to connect through itunes but not download it. So I’ll keep trying until then listen to my sermon and tell me what you think.

http://oldfordcofc.podbean.com/

Gotta Have Faith

Romans 4:1-25

So This weeks sermon follows up on last weeks conclusion of,  righteousness is given through faith. Paul hits the Christians with a very familiar story the story of Abraham. (everyone is picturing the story in their mind as Paul speaks) So Paul tells them that is wasn’t the law keeping of Abraham that was said to be righteousness but his faith in God. Remember he had to trust God that he was going to give Him and Sarah’s old worn out bodies a son to bring many nations through and then as the boy grew to have faith to take Isaac the boy up on a mountain and to get ready to sacrifice him.

So, I’ve been thinking my faith is not even close to Abraham’s. But does it have to be? I say NO! But what it has to be is growing and completely placed in God and His promises. There really is no certain level we obtain that we can go, Wow I’m here I have arrived. So I challenge you and encourage you, Like myself, to continue to grow and strive to place your faith more and more in God and His son Jesus.

Serving Him,

Levi

Hurt

Well it’s been awhile since I wrote anything and a lot has been going on. I am in a low place at the moment and have been wrestling with some tough times. I am trying to place my faith in God and pray He answers my cries for mercy. But my faith waivers at times. I keep wondering if I have got myself where I am and if so will God pull me out of the mud? I turn to the Bible and read of men like David who went through tough times and God walked with Him through it and on the other side of it David was stronger. Men like Job, Moses, Noah, the list goes on and on. I want to be like them but I find myself coming up short in the turning it over and letting it be what it will be.

I have many questions. Liek how much do I do and how much do i wait and let God do? Is this a test? Is God waiting for me to do something before he will respond?

I am praying hard and searching for God’s will and path through this low period. So pray for me and my wife and kids.

I’ll see you on the other side and we can rejoice!

Confidence!

¹⁴Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,^[a] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. ¹⁶Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. – Hebrews 4:14-16

I really find comfort in this verse. How about you? I know the first thing people see is that it’s a relief that Jesus understands our temptations and can sympathize with us, but this isn’t what gives me comfort and truly that kind of convicts me, He was tempted and didn’t sin, so i need to step up and stop sinning. What truly gives me comfort is the fact we have a High Priest and no longer do we have to go through anyone else to reach God as Christ is God. He was tempted in every way and yet was without sin, we are with sin so it is only through Him can we find redemption. we can’t earn it, inherit it, or work for it, our salvation is a gift and we can only accept it. Because we are sinners we have to hold fast to Him for the grace and mercy of God. Man this verse has so much meaning and lessons wrapped up in it. I read this verse and my heart is lifted to know I can be confident because I hold firm to the faith I profess and will receive  mercy and grace Because of what Christ our sinless sacrifice did for the world.

Are you holding firm to Him? Are you even aware of Him? Are you covered by His sacrifice? Do you have His grace and Mercy?  Are you confident?

Day Of Tough Questions

I have been faced with two questions.Maybe some of my readers can help.

Yesterday I preached on Romans 1:18-32 and got into the fact everyone is without excuse and the question of those who haven’t heard the gospel, what will happen to them? After my sermon I was pointed by two wonderful women who were trying to help me to Matthew 24:14 and Mark 13:10 which says basicly that Christ won’t return until the message has been preached to all nations. Which I lovingly pointed out that these passages say to every nation not to every individual.  So,this doesn’t answer the question about those who die before they hear or those who are born into a post gospel message country that never hear. What happens to them? Are they held to a different standard? My thought was I’m really not sure, and that God will do the right thing, but we need to be motivated because I am sure that anyone who has heard, and placed their life in God’s hands through Jesus will be saved. Give me your thoughts.

Also, Had a lengthy conversation (I may have exagerated a little on my twitter/facebook status) with a Grandfather and Father about their 3 year old daughter who has terminal cancer. Their question which is one we are all faced with daily is Why do innocent people sufffer? And Why is God allowing this? I admitted I didn’t know and then I gave them my best comforting words, I talked to them about the sinful world we live in and how it wasn’t the life God wanted for us, I told them how the rain falls on the just and the unjust, I told them about the day coming when Christ will return and death will be no more, I told them that their girl is going to be done with the pain and suffering of this world and that the seperation is hard and she can’t come back to us but we can go to her through a faithful relationship with Christ, I talked for over an hour and a half, but you know I’m not sure why God is allowing it to happen to them or to their little girl. The grandfather told me he had been asking God why, since she was diagnosed and God had never answered him, he had never heard his voice. So, I told them both to continue asking the questions they have and that God speak through His people and His word. Maybe you guys can help me out with this.

Sinner!!!!!

Romans 1:18-32

OK so as some of you may know I have begun a sermon series preaching through the book of Romans. And this week’s verses are a big slap in the face to the sinner. He says, “No one has an excuse, everyone knows about God”. We are all guilty of sin (rebelling against God).

I am convicted and don’t want to see anyone continue in their error. To continue to walk outside of a saving relationship with God. If you are reading this I want to encourage you to step up and tell others about Jesus.

Reading Paul I think this is why in Vs. 1-17 he talks so strongly about the Gospel. I see Paul’s heart breaking for the lost and the unrepentant. I see his anger welling up against the religious who are watching those people continue in their sin and doing nothing to try and reach them.

I am sitting in my office wondering what it would be like if we got off our butts and told people about Jesus. I appreciate the live a life for God and that is a great message but we need to also be telling people about Jesus. Telling the gospel message. What would it look like if Old Ford did that? If Beaufort county did that? If the Christians of the Us did that? It would radically change the world.

I’ve been guilty of telling people to just live for Jesus and that is evangelism. I now am corrected and think we need to tell people about the gospel and live as if we mean it. Live a life that reflects what we are telling them. That God loved us enough to give up heaven and come into theis sin sick world. That he loved the world enough to die for the world’s sin and He rose again and defeated death so that we can have eternal life. Then prove we mean it by living our lives as if we believe it. Sold out and devoted, enslaved to Him.

Lord, I am sorry that I was comfortable being comfortable. God I want to be your slave. I want to do what you command. Lord I want to tell the world about your love for them. I no longer will let someone live their life in sin. I will share you with them and Lord I pray that they whoever they are will change their ways and begin a relationship with you. Lord, I am yours use me to further your kingdom and don’t let me get comfortable with being comfortable. Amen.

The Power of the Gospel

Romans 1:16 – “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

I love this verse. I love it because it is so plain and so clear. The gospel brings the power of God. Many times I get frustrated with the “bullhorn” guy that stands and yells at the lost to turn or burn. I always see them yelling about the sin that someone is in. Think about it most of these guys are outside bars, abortion clinics, gay pride rallies, soldiers funerals, or in teh middle of a busy section of town.Almost always they can’t be approached and talked to or reasoned with about the message they are giving off about God, Jesus, and Christians as a whole.

I know this isn’t new to many people who are going to read this but I am certain that this isn’t what God intended us to do. I think it is the gospel (The stroy of Jesus) that we are to carry to the lost. A story of love, mercy, and grace. A story that draws people. A story of acceptance of everyone. A story of forgiveness. A story of sacrifice.

I think when the gospel is preached, as the verse says, the power of God is revealed. The power in the story, forgiveness, grace, mercy, wrath that was poured out on Jesus who took our place, and the power of death itself. Also, the power of the story, I think when the gospel is preached the Holy Spirit begins it’s work of tearing down the walls tht are in place on the unbelievers heart and mind. As they are exposed more and more to Jesus the walls crumble and they have to make a decision to accept or walk away.

I want to encourage everyone who reads this message to Preach, teach and carry the gospel to the world.

Father God, I pray I and Christians never become ashamed of the gospel. I pray that we carry it to the world. I pray that it drives us every day to be better servants of you. That it reminds of of your love, mercy and grace and it motivated us to show the same to others. I pray that more will come to know you through your soon Jesus and It’s in His name I pray. Amen

God moments

Ok, so I had one of those God moments yesterday. Not one of those I just had a deer run in front of my car and it was only by the grace of God I survived moments, but one of those God stpped in and did the work things.

A little background. My wife volunteered to go with the teens to the Carolina Christian Youth Conference months ago and well this weekend was the convention. I have 4 kids and 2 dogs. 2 of my children, the youngest two, the boys, got a cold, the youngest really bad. My oldest daughters love there brothers but sleep like logs. So needless to say I was the one up till 4 am with the boys and the puppy we got a couple months ago when it was just 6 weeks old. On top of this my worship guy had something come up and had to be out of town for this past sunday. No problem I’ll just ask the Andy the 16 year old guy who can sing amazingly and play guitar better then Dave Mathews. O wait he is gone to CCYC conference. OK, I’ll ask our youth min… O, yeah right gone too! Hmmm… Well I have a great guy who can do it. He sounds like Johnny Cash and it will be a good switch up from the usual.

So now to the God moment. I get to church Sunday morning, been up of and on all night anticipating my boys waking up which they really never did. I’m beat out my skull but I think I can make it. Then I remember I forgot to take my Mucinex so the elephant that has been sitting on my chest is there and I’m coughing like a mad man. I go into our Family Life Center (or as us retro guys call it the gym) to set up for the service. Well let’s just say I don’t know who usually does it but someone usually beats me in there and has it looking nice, well they forgot to spring forward. The place was still ripped apart from the youth meeting on Wednesday night. Nothing major just the balls weren’t put away, the bibles where moved all over, the stage had stuff on it, and just more to do for me. I get it semi-clean and my good friend shows up who does communion and helps me finish up. I load the presentation for the morning and realize I don’t have words for the songs, my sermon slides are no where to be found and the 2 guys who run the slides for me are on the trip with the teens. Hold on it gets better! My friend, the Johnny Cash guy shows up and says I’m doing some songs that I’m sure aren’t in Media Shout is there any way we can get them in there because he has to teach a Sunday School class. Well so do I so that was not going to happen. I finished getting what I could set and hurried down to my class. Day light savings time must have caught people or I need to evaluate my teaching but less then usual made it out. I got through my lesson went to the service and I felt like I stumbled through preaching on What’s The Deal With Holy Living.

Here is the God moment, more people then ever told me how great the service was. They said my sermon was exactly what they needed to hear and that it was on point. I am dumbfounded and if I didn’t know that God can step in I wouldn’t know what had just taken place. God spoke through my rambling, unsure, broken, message and moved people to evaluate their life and live stronger for God.

Father, Thank you for being strong when I am weak. Continue to speak through this broken vessel and Lord thank you for the wonderful work you are doing here at Old Ford.