Sermons By A Word From The Lord with Archbishop Foley Beach
Episodes
Sunday Feb 09, 2020
Sunday Feb 09, 2020
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Introduction – “Who Is Jesus?”: C.S. Lewis tells us that we are confronted with a decision regarding Jesus’ deity – Jesus is either the Son of God or a mad man. Jesus did not leave us any options like: “Jesus was good man and a great teacher.”. You must make your own decision, for both your earthly life and your Eternal Life. Jesus was and is either the Son of God and the Creator of the Universe or He is not, Answering the question: “Who is Jesus?” is the toughest and most important decision that you will ever make; and your answer will determine everything regarding you for eternity.
Message – “Jesus The Messiah!”: Up until the time of Jesus, the Spirit (i.e. the indwelling of God in a human) had not been given to mankind. However, our access to God through the Holy Spirit changed with the advent of Jesus, as Jesus tells us in John 7:38-39: “’Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’’ Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.".
In John 4, Jesus talks to the Samaritan Woman by Jacob’s Well regarding the “Living Water”, the Holy Spirit, that He would bring to all mankind. After a series of questions and statements, Jesus tells the Samaritan Woman, in John 4:24-26, that He, Jesus, is the Messiah: “’God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’ The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am he.’”.
The “living water”, the Holy Spirit, is quenched by sin; therefore, Jesus points out, to the Samaritan Woman, her sin of adultery that must be addressed by her confession and repentance and by Jesus’ blood sacrifice for her sins and all of mankind’s sins.
Like the Samaritan Woman, we must hear, believe, and confess for ourselves. No one can become a follower of Jesus on the coat tails of someone else – God does not have grandchildren. Each of us must and will stand alone before God, the Creator of the Universe, at our judgment and speak of our life of sin for ourselves. However, Jesus will be with us at our Judgement. Also, the Samaritan Woman did one other action that is required of a follower of Jesus – she told others of the good news of Jesus the Messiah, as Jesus subsequently commanded and commissioned of His Disciples and us in His “Great Commission” (Matthew 28:18-20).
Like the Samaritan Woman, we must answer the question for ourselves: “Is Jesus really the Messiah?”. If we answer “yes”, then what are our next steps? Again, like the Samaritan Woman, we must hear, believe, and confess for ourselves and then “worship him {Jesus} . . . in spirit and truth”. Additionally, we must “go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:18-20) – you see, again like the Samaritan Woman learned, the “next steps” to follow Jesus do not lead to a life of passivity. Are you, like the Samaritan Woman, ready to follow Jesus?
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 4:3-10; Jerimiah 2:13; Jerimiah 17:13; Isiah 44:3; John 7:38; Genesis 33:18; Matthew 28:18-20.
WEBSITE LINK: www.AWordFromTheLord.org/.
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Sunday Feb 02, 2020
Sunday Feb 02, 2020
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Following Jesus brings peace into our lives even though we may face great trials and tribulations. In John 16:33, Jesus tells us: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”. However, when observing the lives of modern-day Christians, we don’t find many of their lives saturated with peace.
God has given each of us a capacity for our lives with His expectations for living as Jesus described in John 10:10: “. . . I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.". The difference between what would be considered our lives’ capacity and our lives being filled to overflowing is our lives’ margin. God desires to bless us and to have our lives filled with His presence through the Holy Spirit.
Often, technology and the other worthwhile benefits of this age bring the stresses of time, making wimps of us in the management of time in our lives. In Ecclesiastes 3:1, God tells us: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.". As we manage the elements and demands of time in our lives, we must manage time for ourselves and our kids. Kids spell love as “time” – be present in their lives, mentally and emotionally. Indifference can be interpreted as a lack of genuine affection and esteem by children and others. Also, we need “God time”, a time to nurture and deepen our relationship with Jesus.
Without margin, we have built our life-foundations on sand and not on the rock of Jesus’ teachings. Ways we can build time margin back into our lives is by: 1) having a weekly Sabbath; building back into our lives a time alone with God every day; 2) expecting that the unexpected will happen; 3) learning to say “no”; 4) using technology wisely; 5) pruning our activity branches; 6) prioritizing our calendars; and 9) giving thanks to God.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:12f).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; Exodus 20:8-11; Mark 1:35; John15:1-11; 1 Theologians 5:16-17.
Website Link: www.AWordFromTheLord.org/.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO: https://awordfromthelord.org/video-archives/
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Sunday Jan 26, 2020
Sunday Jan 26, 2020
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Following Jesus brings peace into our lives even though we may face great trials and tribulations. In John 16:33, Jesus tells us: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”. However, when observing the lives of modern-day Christians, we don’t find many of their lives saturated with peace.
God has given each of us a capacity for our lives with His expectations for our living as Jesus described in John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.". The difference between what would be considered our lives’ capacity and our lives being filled to overflowing is our lives’ margin. God’s desire is to pour life into us – life to the fullest; He desires to bless us and to have our lives filled with His presence through the Holy Spirit.
Technology has brought us many blessings. Often, however, technology has pushed us beyond our limits. God made us for Sabbath, but the place of margin in our lives is dissipating making us unavailable for the purposes of God – leading to a diminished Spiritual life. We need to get this Godly space back into our lives starting with the rebuilding of our emotional reserves. The amount of emotional energy we have is finite. Today, many have found that the “good life” is only tolerable under sedation. To retain our emotional energy, and our margin, we need to: 1) confess our sins regularly; 2) be reconciled with others; 3) cultivate important relationships; 4) rest; and 5) serve others.
It’s about time for us to take a serious look at our lives in the mirror and to examine our lives’ priorities. We are overloading our lives with things like stress and using up our margin in ways not intended by God and in ways that do not permit us to represent Christianity as God intended. When the trials and tribulations occur in our lives, because they are a part of living, the absence of margin means that we have no life reserves. Without margin, we have built our life-foundations on sand and not on the rock of Jesus’ teachings.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 16:33; John 10:10; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 John 1:9; Philippians 4:13.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO: https://awordfromthelord.org/video-archives/
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Sunday Jan 19, 2020
Sunday Jan 19, 2020
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Life will never settle down until we chose to settle down in living our lives. Life is a choice more than we realize. We are given twenty-four hours in a day, and if God had wanted us to have thirty-six hours in our day, He would have given us a thirty-six-hour day. Therefore, if we don’t have enough clock in our day, we are doing some things we should not be doing. We can determine some of the time traps that keep us from serving the Lord and how we can address the traps to better serve ourselves and the Lord. Is the clock our dictator; do we allocate time to serve the Lord, our families, and our work? How do we delegate?
Life will never settle down until we choose to settle down; life is a choice. To manage our time as God would have us manage our lives, we need to consider: 1) Work is important and necessary, but working is not living; 2) Time is life first and then money; 3) More life productivity means more time; 4) How we use our time significantly effects our self-esteem, identity, and our fulfillment; and 5) We cannot control time, but we can control how we use time.
We must get control of the time issues in our lives. The simple formula for managing our time: Pray, Prioritize, and Plan. Managing our time better is a fundamental question as we end a year and begin a new year. We must learn to honor the Lord by "honoring our time".
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:13).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; Ecclesiastes 9:11-17; 1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Corinthians 6:2; Romans 8:18.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO: https://awordfromthelord.org/video-archives/
A WORDFROM THE LORD WEBSITE LINK: www.awordfromthelord.org
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Sunday Jan 12, 2020
Sunday Jan 12, 2020
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MESSAGE SUMMARY:
In 2019, have you accomplished God’s will for your life? The will of God to us humans is both “active” and “passive” at the same time. God’s will to us is “passive” because God is going to accomplish His will on earth – God’s Sovereignty is universal. However, God’s will to us can be very “active”. We can know God’s will for us, but knowing His will requires our willingness and participation. The will of God is a choice for us. In John 7:17, the Apostille John quotes Jesus regarding God’s will: “If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.". Therefore, we can choose whether we will do God’s will. Too many of us make and execute our own plans from our own will and then we ask God to bless our actions.
What is God’s will for your life in 2020? God has several things that “He wills” for our lives, but we must cooperate: 1) to have a growing personal relationship with Him; 2) to be a disciple of Jesus the Christ; 3) to be an ambassador and vessel of God’s love; 4) to have minds that are constantly renewed so that we are transformed – we renew our minds by the Word of God, “we are what we think”; 5) not to be controlled by anything other than the Spirit of God; and 6) to become Sanctified – becoming God-centered in our lives.
Why “specific things in our lives” constitute God’s will for us? To answer this question regarding the specifics of God’s will in our lives, we: 1) should ask if we even should know the answer to this question regarding our knowing the specifics of God’s will in our lives – based on Romans 13, the answer is “yes”, we should ask; 2) can discern God’s will for us through praying, meditating, and fasting on the Word of God; 3) seek and obtain the Lord’s will as He speaks His will to us through our dreams, visions, and words of knowledge and wisdom; 4) can discern His will as God speaks His will to us by putting “desires” in our hearts; and 5) can know His will for us as God makes His will known to us by our personal reflections.
Questions we should ask and reflect upon in discerning God’s will for our lives include: 1) What have been my prevailing feelings in the past and what are these feelings now -- have my feelings been mostly of sadness or of joy? 2) What have been the blessings of God in my life – can I express praise and appreciation for these blessings? 3) Have things happened for which I need to accept responsibility and why did they happen? 4) Is there a possibility that I am living in denial of certain realities? 5) Is there ill will or resentments that remain unaddressed or unforgiven? 6) In the company of others, am I a pleasant person? 7) What is God trying to say into my life today? 8) What can I do or say in my life that will make others feel more loved and appreciated? 9) Am I mindful of the socially awkward, poor, and suffering – how do I respond to current events through a Biblical world view? 10) How am I spending my time and money – do I see them as God’s time and money that has been loaned to me? 11) How is my prayer life? 12) Am I growing and maturing as a follower of Jesus? and 13) Am I prepared to meet Jesus face-to-face today?
In the words of the Psalmist in Psalms 143:10: “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!”.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 7:21; Matthew 6:7-15; John 7:17; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; Matthew 28:19; John 13:31; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 5:17; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; Matthew 2:13-15; 1 Corinthians 12:7-8; Psalms 37:4; Psalms 139:23-24; Psalms 143:10-11.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “Today, the World Needs to be Renewed With an Outpouring of the Holy Spirit - a Global Spiritual Awakening”: www.AWFTL.org/watch.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Sunday Jan 05, 2020
Sunday Jan 05, 2020
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
We celebrate the life of Jesus the Christ because of what He did 2000 years ago, and what He does in our lives today -- the lives of people that turn from their Godless ways and follow Him. We celebrate Christmas, in the midst of our lives’ tumult, because we have found Jesus to be the Lord of the universe and the Lord of our lives. We know that He has given us eternal life – that’s why we really celebrate Christmas.
In years past, our celebration of Christmas began, with anticipation, on Christmas Eve and ended twelve days later on Epiphany – the historical arrival of the three Magi {Wise Men} (Mathew 2:1-12). Now days, we can see Christmas decorations marketed on Halloween, with ensuing greetings of “Happy Holidays” and a declining use of “Merry Christmas” as a greeting. However, we are gathered, as a part of a long line of believers, to celebrate the birth of a Savior, the Messiah – Jesus the Christ. This baby would grow up to change the course of humanity for eternity like no other man because Jesus was both God and man – the Incarnate Son of God, who because of God’s love of us, became human without sin and sacrificed Himself for our sins so that, if we believe and follow Jesus, would have eternal life. Jesus’ birth and death were the only way that God could give us a path to have our sins forgiven and to have a personal relationship with Him. Have you taken the time to consider the true message of Christmas and to examine the words of Jesus?
As we consider the message of Christmas consider its profound implications for us: 1) Jesus is our Savior, and because of our sins we really do need a savior – sooner or later we realize that we have a void that can only be filled by God; 2) the Messiah is for us to and not just for the Jews, as prophesied; and 3) this baby, this Messiah, was and is the Lord – Devine and God’s Son – God Himself was entering the human race, the Incarnation.
It is hard for some of you to believe in the miraculous birth of Jesus that we celebrate on this Christmas day today. Ok, just start where you are in what you believe. Can you believe that you are a sinner? Can you believe that you are not perfect? Can you believe that you have violated God’s laws? Despite this life background, can you believe that God loves you just as you are now? Can you believe that God sent His only Son, Jesus, to save all that believe in Him so that we would not perish but have eternal life? Maybe this is where you start in believing in the miraculous birth of Jesus; you need to start where you are. You’ve got to believe; but until you get your thinking right, your life will not change – you’ve got to believe.
Today’s Affirmation: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:12f).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Isaiah 7:2-14; Mathew 1:18-25; Mathew 2:1-12; Luke 1:30-35; John 1:1-18; John 3:16.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “Today, the World Needs to be Renewed With an Outpouring of the Holy Spirit - a Global Spiritual Awakening”: www.AWFTL.org/watch.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Saturday Dec 28, 2019
Saturday Dec 28, 2019
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
The real meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus the Christ – the Messiah, who is the Savior of the World. Christians emphasize Christmas and Jesus’ birth because His birth: 1) fulfills many Biblical prophesies, especially in terms of the time and location of Jesus’ birth; 2) points the fact that Jesus was more than just a man; 3) and in His life. we saw Jesus claim the right to forgive sins; 4) led Jesus to call God His “Father”, which indicated that Jesus was God; 5) resulted in Jesus’ Resurrection”, which validated Jesus’ claims and made Him different; and 6) was God, through Jesus’ birth, still trying to get our attention.
God, through His Grace and through the birth of Jesus, did for us what we could not do for ourselves – save ourselves from our sins and our death that would result from our sins. God, through the birth of Jesus -- the God-Man, entered into our earthly mess to save us because, after God’s Grace and Jesus’ birth, all our sin now resides on Jesus. God’s Grace through the birth of Jesus, demonstrates God’s love for us.
God wants us to know that Jesus was born for us out of His love for us. Therefore, we need to consider that God, the Creator of the Universe, entered the world, through the baby Jesus for us so that we might have a personal relationship with Him.
Have you yielded to God so that your mind’s consideration of God’s Grace, love, and Jesus’ birth can move from your mind into a commitment of both your mind and your heart to your faith in Jesus as your Savior and into God’s service? Until we yield to God’s lordship over our lives, we are saying to God that “we don’t need your love”.
Is Jesus your Lord and, therefore, your Savior? God has given you the greatest Christmas gift that you will ever receive. Have you accepted His Gift and opened His gift into your life? If not, then why not? With your hands open, you can accept God’s Christmas gift by saying: “I am sorry; thank you; and please”!
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 2:9-11; Matthew 1:21; Isaiah 53:4-6; Colossians 1:15-19; Hebrews 1-3; John 1:4; John10:30; John 14:8-11; John 3:16-17; Psalms 70a:1-12.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “Today, the World Needs to be Renewed With an Outpouring of the Holy Spirit - a Global Spiritual Awakening”: www.AWFTL.org/watch.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Monday Dec 23, 2019
Monday Dec 23, 2019
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Whether looking at last year or this year, recent news often leaves us overwhelmed and fearful; but anxieties fade away when we consider that Jesus, the Creator of the Universe and the Light, came into the world. We celebrate Christmas, in the midst of our lives’ tumult, because we have found Jesus to be the Lord of the universe and the Lord of our lives. The Apostle John tells us, in John 1:1-5, about Jesus coming to earth as both a man and as God, the Creator of the Universe: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.". As John says, there has been “darkness” in the world attempting to overcome the light of His Gospel; but “the darkness has not overcome it”. On this Christmas day, we celebrate the “light” first coming into our world; and, on the last day of Advent, we anticipate and wait for Jesus’ return. We know that He has given us eternal life– that’s why we really celebrate Christmas!
In Luke 2:6-12, the Apostle Luke describes the events of the first Christmas: “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’”.
Like Simeon said, in Luke 2:30-31, this Christmas: “. . . my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,". The baby Jesus, born on Christmas about two thousand years ago, was no ordinary baby. This baby was “the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”; this baby “was life, and the life was the light of men”. Our “Salvation”, that Simeon saw in the baby Jesus, was paid for on the cross by Jesus; and our Salvation was delivered to us through Jesus Resurrection. This baby Jesus was no ordinary baby that was born on Christmas!
We celebrate the birth of Jesus this Christmas because He was the Incarnate God-Man, in whom God humbled Himself to be born as a human baby, to be our “Salvation”, as His very name expresses – Jesus: “Yahweh is Salvation” (Matthew 1:21).
This baby Jesus, born on Christmas, has given us the opportunity for the forgiveness of our sins and for eternal life; and He is still with us in a personal relationship if we will only confess our sins to Him and have our faith in Him as the Son of God and the Creator and Savior of the Universe.
The real meaning of Christmas was summarized by the Apostle John in John 3:16-17: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.".
This baby Jesus was no ordinary baby that was born on Christmas! Merry Christmas!!
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, I can do what He asks of me. (Philippians 4:13). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 1:1-18; Luke 2:1-52; Micah 5:1-6; John 10:30-39; Matthew 1:21.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “Today, the World Needs to be Renewed With an Outpouring of the Holy Spirit - a Global Spiritual Awakening”: www.AWFTL.org/watch.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Sunday Dec 22, 2019
Sunday Dec 22, 2019
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
From the Gospel of Matthew (1:18-25): “Advent, Part 4: Prelude to Jesus’ Birth”
In Matthew 1:1-17, the Apostle Matthew presents Jesus’ genealogy from the lineage of Joseph even though Joseph was not Jesus’ natural father. Whereas, Luke’s Gospel presents Jesus’ genealogy from Mary’s lineage. As was prophesied by Isaiah more than five hundred years before the birth of Jesus, both Joseph and Mary were of the lineage of King David.
This fourth Sunday in Advent points us to the first coming of Jesus and His birth as a human child. Jesus birth was His Incarnation as both God and human. The coming of Jesus was a real event in the history of mankind. Often, things and events. in our lives, take unanticipated courses; and God intervenes in our lives just as God intervened in Joseph’s life, through the Angel, when Joseph found out about Mary’s Devine pregnancy: “Do not be afraid because this {pregnancy} is of the Holy Spirit.”
The message, in Matthew 1:21-23, from God’s intervening Angel, in Joseph’s dream, was simple; however, it changed the world for eternity: “’She {Mary}will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet {Isaiah 7:14}: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us).".
In Matthew 1:24-25, Joseph responds without question and with faith and obedience to God’s intervention: “When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.".
Therefore, God intervened in both the lives of Joseph and Mary, to fulfill His promise of more than five hundred years previously -- to enter the world as the vulnerable baby. Jesus, who was the Incarnate God and man, would save the world from its sins. We know that we can be saved from our sins and the effect of our sins. Through God’s Grace, we are saved by coming to God in repentance of our sins and in true faith that Jesus is God and by walking with Jesus, in our lives, as our Savior. Also, God has given us the Holy Spirit to facilitate our walk and to provide a personal relationship with Him.
In this time of Advent, why do we have such a difficult time of sharing this good news that was given to Joseph and to us in God’s intervention: “and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us)”? We can break out of this reluctance, to share the good news of Jesus, by bringing someone to church during Christmas and by living our lives to reflect God’s Grace when: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." (John 3:16-17).
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:12f).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 1:18-25; Isaiah 7:11-25; Romans 5:8; John 3:16-17; Psalms 70a:1-12.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “Today, the World Needs to be Renewed With an Outpouring of the Holy Spirit - a Global Spiritual Awakening”: www.AWFTL.org/watch.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Sunday Dec 15, 2019
Sunday Dec 15, 2019
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
From the Gospel of Luke (21:25-36): “Advent, Part 3: A Time of Expectation and Preparation”
Introduction -- Generosity: An appropriate prayer for you in this season of Advent would include: “Lord, give me a spirit of generosity in this season of Advent and Christmas just as Jesus instructed us in Luke 6:38: ‘{You}give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.’. Lord, help me to live into this model of generosity that you have given us.”.
Today’s Message -- A Time of Expectation and Preparation: Advent reminds us that Jesus is coming back! The season of Advent focuses on our preparation for Jesus coming -- Jesus second coming. Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13, alerts us to Jesus’ second coming and our need to prepare our hearts: “Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.".
Jesus, in Luke 21:25-26, describes His second coming into a world situation very much like our world of today: “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.". Jesus’ second coming is defined by: 1) violence all over the world; 2) climatic and weather uncertainty; 3) disruptions of food supplies; 4) periods of significant economic uncertainty; and 5) end-of-times rumors and speculations.
Given Jesus’ second coming, we are told of some signs of Jesus’ second coming. However, the Bible’s focus is on having us to always be ready for Jesus’ return. Jesus, in Luke 21:34-36, gives us instructions for being prepared for His return: “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”. To this end, watch your hearts, pay attention and pray in your preparation and always be ready. Also, keep on working and doing those things God has asked you to do. God confirms that we are to prepare for Jesus’ second coming while continuing to work to fulfill his will for us in our lives. Prior to Jesus’ second coming, God will walk with us and support us – don’t stop and give up in the face of an uncertain world and issues in our lives.
Advent is here!
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:12f).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 6:38; John 16:33; 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13; Luke 21:25-36; Matthew 25:1-30; John16:33; Psalms 70a:1-12.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “Today, the World Needs to be Renewed With an Outpouring of the Holy Spirit - a Global Spiritual Awakening”: www.AWFTL.org/watch.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
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