Sermons by Archbishop Foley Beach

Turkeys and Eagles, Part 5: Following Jesus Changes Everything in Our Families

Turkeys and Eagles, Part 5: Following Jesus Changes Everything in Our Families

MESSAGE SUMMARY:   

Series Overview: This Series has been looking at Paul’s letter to the Ephesians to point out “Turkeyisms” – those things of our culture and some worldviews by which we may have been duped into beliefs inconsistent with the Gospel of Jesus or behaving in a manner that is not what Christianity is all about. This Series has pointed out some changes in our thinking needed to be like “Eagles” so that we can be the people that God wants and expects us to be.

Today’s Sermon: A look into Ephesians 5 provides a perspective on many “Turkeyisms”; however, the focus today is just on one: Turkey Thinking – “My Christianity has no effect on my family relationships, but my upbringing does”; but Eagle Thinking – My Christianity places me in the Kingdom of God with a radically different view of family relationships”. Being in the Kingdom of God Changes everything for those that follow Jesus.

Marriage in America is having a rough time, and we can’t say that Christian marriage is different. Too many of us, who say that we follow Jesus today, don’t let Christianity follow us through the front door as we live our secular lives. In the First Century of the Ephesians, both Jewish and Greek laws greatly diminished the roles, respect for, and value of women. In the Roman world, of the same period, women and children were just passed around – women had many husbands. It was into this world of Judaism and Greco Roman culture that Jesus walked in; and we found Jesus respecting and honoring women. Jesus raised the status of women – Jesus brought a whole new way of thinking about family, marriage, children, and divorce into First Century culture that has provided an ethical context for two thousand years.

In the same period and culture, Paul came along; and he set up churches. He wrote letters, which were written in the culture of this period, to the Christians in churches like the church in Ephesus. These early Christians were a part of the Kingdom of God – the blessed followers of Jesus – they were called to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to be imitators of Jesus. Therefore, followers of Jesus were to be vessels of His light to the world. Followers of Jesus were to be different from this culture of the period. By being different in their families, followers of Jesus would transform the culture (which, eventually, they did!!!).

From Ephesians 5:21, we are to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ”. “Submitting” is treating others like you wish to be treated. In Ephesians 5, Paul applies this principle of Christianity to the family (i.e. wives, husbands, and children) and to the workplace (i.e. employees). The Kingdom of God calls us to loving family relationships; therefore we, as followers of Jesus, are called to be different and not a part of the culture.

 

TODAY’S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus’ name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, 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):  Ephesians 5:21-33, 6:1-4; John 4:25-28; Mark 10:6-10; Proverbs 31:10-31; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.; Psalms 73a:1-14.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/

WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Are Given the Incredible Gift of the Holy Spirit - “your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way’””: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/

A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.

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Turkeys and Eagles, Part 3: A Child of God’s Light

Turkeys and Eagles, Part 3: A Child of God’s Light

 MESSAGE SUMMARY:   

Introduction – When God looks at us, our actions and the situations in our lives, God sees us as if we had never sinned – we are Justified through the blood of Jesus. While we are forgiven of our sins, we are instructed to confess our sins (1 John 1:9) because this “confession” is for us – it is so that we might be healed and renewed in the Holy Spirit. Also, this “confession” is for us to forgive as Christ forgives -- we are to unconditionally release those we believe have offended us just as Christ released us. Also, by our forgiving others, we are released. We were created to be like Jesus – to soar like the eagle and not to be “Turkeyized”!

Message – God has made us to be “Eagle Christians”, but so many times we are “Turkeyized”. Often, we have been taught things that are not in line with the Christian faith. In Proverbs 23:7: “As a man thinks within himself, so he is.”. As a Christian, our behavior follows our thinking. – If we think right, the presence of the Lord will be with us.  

In Ephesians 5:1-14, Paul explicitly defines for us how we are to be “imitators of God” as God’s beloved children (i.e. God is our father). From Ephesians, we can differentiate between “Turkeyisms” vs. “Eagle Thinking “: 1) My circumstances are such there is no way God could be honored in my life Vs. God gives me the ability to represent Him in my life and the world; 2) Sex is dirty and is not appropriate for Christians Vs. Sex is a gift from God, and it is beautiful within the context of marriage; and 3) My life doesn’t make much of a difference Vs. I am a vessel of God’s light – when we are not living for Jesus as our Lord, we are living in darkness. We, as followers of Jesus, are the light of the world – we need to live as we were created to be; and then we will be blessed and soar like eagles.

 

TODAY’S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus’ name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

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):  Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:1-14; Proverbs 23:7; Philippians 4:8; 1 Corinthians 6:9; John 8:12; Psalms 70a:1-12.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/

WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Are the Enemy’s {devil’s} Target to Mess You Up and To Destroy Your Relationship with God”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/

A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.

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Turkeys and Eagles, Part 2: Created to Be Like God

Turkeys and Eagles, Part 2: Created to Be Like God

MESSAGE SUMMARY:   

Introduction – In Part 1 of this series, “Called as an ‘Eagle’ But Saved as a ‘Turkey’” we learned, from the story about “Bubba the Eagle” and from relating this story to Ephesians 4, that many of us Christians have been “Turkeyized”. We learned that, rather than practicing New Testament Christianity, we have been practicing, in too many places, “Churchianity”. Now, we are looking at Paul’s letter to the Ephesians to help break us out of this “Churchianity”. Rather than soaring with the eagles, too many of us are gobbling with the turkeys.

Message – In this teaching today, we will look at “Created to Be Like God”. We live in a world that has many people with no desire to soar, and they will never reach the heights that God intended for us. Too many Christians are grounded because we have not been taught how to soar like an eagle. Now, “turkey thinking” posits that “living as a Christian is no different than living like everyone else”. However, “eagle thinking” posits that “as a Christian, I think different from everyone else” In Ephesians 4:17-18, “Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.”. Analogous for us today, we can substitute “nonbeliever” for “Gentile” in this passage. The key to how we live is how we think. This behavior is, also, illustrated in Romans 1:21 where Paul describes where he cannot tell if a group is really Christian because their thinking is so messed up.

“Turkey thinking” says “I am a sinner always in need”, but “eagle thinking” says “I am created to be like God”. When becoming a follower of Jesus, we become a new creation, and the Spirit of God indwells us; therefore, God is in our lives as we live our lives. In this context, “turkey thinking” would say “I’m just a sinner and I’m stuck”; but “eagle thinking” says “I’m created in the image of God”. We should be different from those nonbelievers living in today’s culture because we have Jesus living in us. However, many of us have been “Turkeyized”; but with Jesus in our lives, we can soar with the Eagles!

 

TODAY’S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus’ name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

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):  Ephesians 4:17-32; Romans 1:21-23; Genesis 2:5; Colossians 1:15-20; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Psalms 67:1-7.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/

A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.

WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Letting God Be Lord Over Your Finances, which Are His but He Entrusted to You, Will Liberate Your Life!”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/

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Turkeys and Eagles, Part 1: Called as an “Eagle” But Saved as a “Turkey”

Turkeys and Eagles, Part 1: Called as an “Eagle” But Saved as a “Turkey”

MESSAGE SUMMARY:

From the Gospel of Luke (7:36-50): "Compassion Unpacked"

Introduction – Today’s teaching begins with a story that tells us how “Bubba the Eagle”, born an “Eagle”, learned to be a “Turkey” when he was “saved by the turkeys”; but the “turkeys”, ultimately, convinced him that he was a “buzzard”. However, the wise owl tells Bubba that he is neither a “turkey” or a “buzzard” – the owl tells Bubba the he was born and is called to be an “Eagle” and that he is an “Eagle”. Also, we learn that any question answered “true” in the “True-False” test, presented in today’s teaching, means that one has been “Turkeyized” by the church.

Message – The study compares our call as “Christians” to being like “Eagles” as expressed by Paul in Ephesians 4:1-6: “Therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6†one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”. However, the same attributes can be easily twisted in a way that leads us to being “Turkeyized”. If our perspective of being a Christian is as “our duty” rather than as “our call” by Jesus as defined by Paul in Ephesians 4. 1-6, then it is time for us to be who Jesus has called us to be – men and women who know and serve Jesus out of His call to us; not just out of duty. Remember, God calls us to be “Eagles” not “turkeys”.

 

TODAY’S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus’ name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, IAM 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):  Ephesians 4:1-16; Romans 12:1-16; 1 Peter 4:10-11; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Psalms 61:1-8.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/

A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.

WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers’ Righteousness Will Flow, with the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit, from Their Heart Through Their Personal Relationship with Jesus”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/

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Remembering “he who is forgiven little, loves little”, Is You Focus Outward in the Love and Service of Others?

Remembering “he who is forgiven little, loves little”, Is Your Focus Outward in the Love and Service of Others?

MESSAGE SUMMARY:

From the Gospel of Luke (7:36-50): "Compassion Unpacked"

Luke 7:36-50 describes the compassion of God revealed to those who come to Him in humility and faith. In unpacking Luke’s Gospel reference, Luke is relating a dinner party taking place in the home of a Pharisee. The Pharisees’ thought that their attempts at righteousness would earn them more favor with God, but their focus was outward not inward and in their hearts. The Pharisees were always in Jesus face attacking Jesus and trying to dismiss His teachings.

In the Scripture references from Luke and Matthew below, Jesus gave strong words of description and condemnation regarding the Pharisees’ hearts and behaviors. However, there were many Pharisees that were Godly and spiritual men. We need to be careful that we do not become twenty-first century Pharisees like the Pharisees identified by Jesus in Luke 7. Like the Pharisees, many of us know the Word of God; but we need to be careful that we do not become judgmental and self-surviving, thereby, missing the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit and forgetting to apply the love and Justice of God in our lives and relationships.

Jesus is at this dinner party, in Luke 7, given by a Pharisee, and we are told that a sinful woman comes into the party. The woman comes up behind Jesus and weeps with such intensity that her tears fall on Jesus’ feet. The woman, after her earlier conversion, is probably overcome with the conviction of her sinful life and remorse, thereby, becoming a servant to her Lord. In these actions of conviction and love toward Jesus, Jesus explains, to Simon the Pharisee in Luke 7:47, that: “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”.

Simon the Pharisee represents many modern day “church people”. We can get caught up in our personal righteousness. We get used to the presence of God and His peace in our lives, but then we encounter a new follower of Jesus. They, before their conversion, were living in the ways of the world without God’s peace. Now, these new believers are so excited with their new life; and their outward manifestation of their conversion may not “fit” with our personal Christian behavioral norms. Sadly, too many modern Christians judge and condemn these new believers rather than loving, encouraging, and embracing these new believers. After all, none of us deserve the forgiveness of God: “I am who I am by the Grace of God through Jesus.“.

God wants to have a heart-to-heart talk with us. Therefore, if there is anything in our lives blocking our talk with God, we must remove it – we need to open ourselves to what God will do for us if we will just let go of our life impediments. We must pray for God’s guidance to keep us from becoming judgmental, self-righteous, self-centered Christians like the Pharisees in Luke 7.

 

TODAY’S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus’ name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

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):  Luke 7:36-50; Matthew 5:20; Luke 11:37-44; Luke 15:1-7: Matthew 23:13-19; Matthew 23:23-36; Psalms 55b:13-23.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/

A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.

WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Have a Personal Relationship with the Creator of the Universe So Pray, Listen, and Be Patient for God’s Call”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/

DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

As a Follower of Jesus, You Should “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name” Every Day - Do You?

As a Follower of Jesus, You Should “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name” Every Day - Do You?

MESSAGE SUMMARY:

From the Gospel of Luke (17:11-19): “Giving Thanks to the Lord”

Introduction from “Living the Bible”: Rev. William Tyndall, in the 1500s, translated the entire Bible, by hand, from Latin into English so that the ordinary people could have the Word from the Lord. Tyndall was burned at the stake, in 1537, by the Church because of his courage and gift of the translated Bible to the human race. In 1611, Tyndall’s translation was used to develop the King James version of the English Bible. People have died in the translation, printing, and distribution of the Bible so that we can have our Bible to read and understand. If we would just take ten minutes a day to read the Bible, our Spiritual lives would be greater than we could imagine. By the way, it is OK to mark in the Bible – you can underline key points or make notes to increase your knowledge and understanding of the Lord’s Word. As we systematically read the Bible we need to learn and understand God’s Word – through study and memorization. Also, we need to meditate on God’s Word from the Bible: “but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." (Psalms 1:2). The five fingers for getting a grasp of the Bible’s scriptures are: 1) hear; 2) read; 3) mark; 4) learn; and 5) inwardly digest the scriptures. Remember, “The Bible is the inspired Word of God, and it contains all that is needed for our Salvation.”.

Today’s Message – “Giving Thanks to the Lord”: In Isaiah 12:4, we are instructed: “And you will say in that day: ‘Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.’”. If we compare all our lives’ conveniences and facilitators today with the life situation of a twenty-five-year-old person in 1900, we will realize how truly blessed and privileged, in terms of things that make our lives easier, we are to live today. Also, we are blessed to live where we live today. When is the last time we gave thanks to God for living in this time period and living in America? “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name.”

We have so many things, including our health, job, home facilities, and family, for which we should “give thanks to the Lord”. However, we get focused on ourselves; and we forget how blessed our lives are. Therefore, we forget to “give thanks to the Lord”.

In Luke 17:11-19, Luke tells us the story of Jesus healing the ten lepers: “On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.’ When he saw them he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, ‘Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ And he said to him, ‘Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.’". Of the ten lepers that Jesus healed, only one leper, the “foreigner”, gave “thanks to the LORD, call upon his name”. It seems that Jesus is disappointed that not one of His fellow Jews gave thanks for being healed. We can only hope that we don’t take God’s blessings for grated and fail to “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name.”. As followers of Jesus, we should not need our country’s upcoming legally designated Thanksgiving Day to, during every day of our lives: “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name.”.

 

TODAY’S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus’ name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

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 SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/

A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.

WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “To Be a Jesus Follower, You Must First Enter the Only Door to God’s Kingdom and that Door is Jesus – the Door to Eternal Life”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/

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Some Christians Easily Walk Away from God, But God Rejoices When They Return

Some Christians Easily Walk Away from God, But God Rejoices When They Return

MESSAGE SUMMARY:

From the Gospel of Luke (Luke 15:11-32): Rejoicing in Heaven

As Christians, we tend to easily walk away from Jesus, but He rejoices when we return.

Jesus’ Parable of the Prodigal Son – As Viewed through the Eyes of the Young Son: The younger son, firstly, took his inheritance, for which he was not yet entitled, and abandoned his father and family to move to a “distant country”. These were the actions of someone who abandoned his responsibilities, disrespected his father, broke off his relationship with his father, and then treated his father as being dead. In the “distant country”, the younger son quickly squandered his inheritance through sinful living. Being destitute in the “distant country” that was experiencing a severe famine, the younger son hired himself out to tend pigs (NOTE: For a Jewish person of that period, it was an abomination to work with pigs.). Also, he was starving; therefore, the son ate the food rejected by the pigs.

However, in the desperate situation in the “distant country”, the young son “came to his senses” – he had an inner awakening. As a part of coming to his senses, the son, as described in Luke 15:17-20a, remembered and returned to his father: “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.’ And he arose and came to his father.”.

Jesus’ Parable of the Prodigal Son – As Viewed through the Eyes of the Father: As requested by the younger son, the father gave the younger son his unentitled inheritance; and, without resistance, the father let his young son leave. When the young son “came to his senses” and returned to his father from a “distant country”, the father saw his son returning; and the father ran, thereby disgracing himself, to meet the young son while the son was still a great distance away. The father’s heart was filled with compassion and love upon the return of the young son – the father was expressing unmerited and unsolicited love for his returning son. The young son had disgraced and disrespected his father, and the young son deserved to be punished. However, the father took all the hurt, disrespect, and punishment merited by his young son on himself. The father expressed this punishment merited by the young son when the father ran to his son; accepted and restored the son back into his family without question; and celebrated the return of the young son.

The father, in this parable, demonstrates God’s love that God gives to us when we return to Him from a “distant country” of sin and broken fellowship. When we return to God, we see His love for us, but not for our sins and our actions that broke our personal relationship with Him. We and the young son must face the consequences of our sin when we walk away from God: but through Jesus’ acceptance of the cost of our sins on the cross and through our repentance, we can return to the love and fellowship offered by God.

Summary: When we return from walking away from God, He rejoices; and there is rejoicing in heaven. God’s perspective, regarding someone who has walked away from Him, is expressed, in Luke 15:31-32, when the father is explaining to his older son why he is accepting and celebrating the return of his young son from a “distant country”: “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”. This parable clearly reflects that God wants intimacy and a personal relationship with us, and it hurts God when we walk away from His relationship with us. However, God and Heaven rejoice when we repent and return!

As we consider those around us who have rejected and walked away from God, what should we do for them? We should: 1) pray, asking God to invade their life and circumstances to the point they will want to return to Him; 2) love them where they are – we can’t rescue them; 3) “let them go” – they have intentionally rejected God (as the young son rejected his father), and our chasing after them may harden their heart to God; and 4) like the father in the parable, “be looking and expecting” their return – when they return, we need to embrace the one returning, with the love of God, like the father embracing and accepting his young son in the parable.

 

TODAY’S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus’ name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

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):  Luke 15:11-32; Luke 15:7; Luke 15:10; Psalms 45:1-17.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/

A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.

WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “God Sees Jesus Followers as “In Christ”: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus””: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/

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Is What You “SAY” About Your Priorities In Alignment with What You “DO”?

Is What You “SAY” About Your Priorities In Alignment with What You “DO”?

MESSAGE SUMMARY:

From the Gospel of Luke (Luke 12:32-48): Our Life’s Priorities

A Priority is a preference or a precedence established by order or urgency. Your priorities are reflected in your actual behavior and actions not by what you say are your priorities. In other words, is your “say” in alignment with your “do”? In Luke 12:32-48, Jesus is speaking to His priorities for us. Jesus begins this passage in Luke 12 by telling those in attendance, followers of Jesus like us, that He has given them His Kingdom. Also, Jesus defined our priorities for being in His Kingdom. We are created to become like Jesus – we were made for a mission. We need to be in a personal relationship with God so that we know what His priorities and His will are for us.

Luke 12:32-48 speaks to two priorities of the Kingdom: 1) Luke 12:33-40 – “being a ready follower of Jesus”; and 2) Luke 12:41-48 – “being a responsible steward of the Kingdom”. Are we ready to follow Jesus, and do we make ourselves available to follow Jesus – is being ready for Jesus our priority? Are we afraid to be ready for Jesus when He has given us the Kingdom? In this passage from Luke 12:32-48, Jesus gives us three things that provide a context for following Him: 1) be ready to give; 2) be ready to go; and 3) be ready to greet the Master.

To be a “responsible steward”, is not so much “what we have been given as our charge: rather, the focus of our “stewardship responsibility” should be what we do with our charge. It is a deep privilege to know what God wants us to do, but if we are not ready to follow God’s will for us while being a good steward, our priorities are not in alignment with God’s priorities. God’s justice is based on our knowledge and obedience, and we are accountable for what we know. God wants to bless us; but when we refuse to follow His will, we miss out on His blessings for us.

 

TODAY’S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus’ name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, 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 12:32-48; Romans 14:7-9; 1 John 3:17; Psalms 39:1-13.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/

A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.

WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Our Relationship with God Is Based Solely on Our Relationship with God, and He Desires to Have a Relationship with Each of Us”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/

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Are You Committed to Spending Personal Relationship Time with God Through Prayer? (Video Sunday Sermon)

Are You Committed to Spending Personal Relationship Time with God Through Prayer? (Video Sunday Sermon)

MESSAGE SUMMARY:

Praying with Perseverance (Fowery Parish; Cornwall, UK)

INTRODUCTIOIN -- Prayer is: 1) spending time with God – acknowledging God’s presence in all our lives’ activities; and 2) conversation with God – listening to and talking with God. Prayer reflects on our relationship with God. Why don’t we pray. The Apostle James, in James 4:2-3, provides a perspective regarding Prayer Life: “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."

In praying, we should know the difference between prayers of "petition" (praying for one's own needs) and prayers of "intercession" (praying for the needs of others). God wants prayers of "petition" from us -- all our needs and concerns should be brought to Him in prayer because He loves and cares for us. However, God want us to, also, focus on others and their needs (intercession) -- physical and spiritual. "Intercessory prayer” is fundamental to deepening our prayer life and our personal relationship with God.

SUNDAY MESSAGE – Jesus’ parable, in Luke 18:1-8, is about both faith and prayer. In this text from Luke, Jesus speaks about the power of persistent prayer. In Luke 18:1, Jesus tells us: “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.". In Luke 18:2-3, Jesus is speaking about an “unrighteous judge” who is constantly appealed to, for justice, by a widow. For a while, this judge refused to hear the plea of this widow. However, because the widow was so persistent in her appeal, the judge the Judge hears the widow’s appeal for justice: “For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” (Luke 18:4-5).

In further comment regarding the message of His parable in Luke 18:6-8, Jesus tells us that persistence in both our faith and prayer matters greatly: “And the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’".

Additional lessons, that we can learn from this parable, include: 1) God is more ready to answer prayer than we are ready to pray; and 2) we must be persistent in our prayers until we have an answer.

Pray specific prayers, in the Holy Spirit and in Scripture, for ourselves and for others -- be persistent.

 

TODAY’S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus’ name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, 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): Luke 18:1-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; James 1:5; 1 Peter 5:7; Psalms 55:22; Philippians 4:6; Matthew 5:25-34; Luke 11:5-8; Luke 11:10-12; 1 Timothy 2:1,3-4; Psalms 37b:11-20.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/

WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – As a Jesus Follower, the Greatest Witness for the Gospel that You Can Give Is for Others to See Jesus IN You: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/

DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Is Your Life’s Focus on Jesus the Narrow Door and the Only Door to Your Eternal Life?

Is Your Life’s Focus on Jesus the Narrow Door and the Only Door to Your Eternal Life?

MESSAGE SUMMARY:

From the Gospel of Luke (12:49-56): “Jesus the Narrow Door”

Introduction from “Jesus the Divider”:  While Jesus does bring us “Peace”, Jesus tells us that His ways are not always our ways; and Jesus does not always bring us “Peace”. In the world, we have tribulation; but Jesus has overcome the world. In Jesus, we do have “Peace”; but when we do stand with and for Jesus, “division” and conflict are created. In this passage from Luke 12, Jesus wants His followers to know that following Him will have a cost in terms of conflict and worldly tribulation. Many in and of the world will not tolerate our communication of the Gospel. Jesus is not saying that “division” is good. Rather, Jesus, in John 17:22-23, expresses His desire, to the Father, for His followers to all be at one with Him and the Father. However, Jesus is warning us that “division” is inevitable because we are human and sinners.

Jesus ends His message to those assembled, in Luke 12:54-56, with: “He also said to the crowds, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?’". In this passage, Jesus was pointing toward His purpose on earth and the cross; but no one understood His message at the time period of His teaching in Luke – they could not read God’s signs. Do we see and follow God’s signs, or do we miss them and become party to creating “divisions”?

Today’s Message -- Jesus the Narrow Door: In our Gospel focus from Luke 13:22-30, Jesus was pointing His earthly ministry toward Jerusalem, the Cross, Resurrection, and His Ascension. Jesus was asked, in Luke 13:23-25, a pivotal question; and He responded: “And someone said to him, ‘Lord, will those who are saved be few?’ And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’”". It’s not that Jesus doesn’t want all to be saved, it’s just that the “gate”, to our Salvation, is “narrow” and difficult to enter. As Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 2:3-4, that Jesus wants all people to be saved: “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.". However, all people will not be saved because some will not come to Jesus – they don’t want to be saved.

In Luke 13:26-30, those rejected by the master of the house argue for admission: “” Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you; I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”".

Jesus is the “narrow door” and the “gate” by which we enter the Kingdom of God and our Salvation. Jesus Himself tells us in John 10:9-10: “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”. We have been given the job, by Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20, to help others find the “narrow door”.

As believers in the Gospel and followers of Jesus, we are invited, in Revelation 19:9-10, to the “Marriage Super of the Lamb”: ““And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he said to me, ‘These are the true words of God.’ Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, ‘You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.’ For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”". Is your focus on Jesus, the ”Narrow Door”, that is the only way to the Kingdom of God and your Eternal Life?

 

TODAY’S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus’ name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

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): Luke 12:49-56; John 16:36; John 17:22-23; John 14:27; Luke 13:22-30; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; Matthew 7:13-14; Hebrews 11:1-40; John 10:9-10; Matthew 28:18-20; Revelation 19:9-10; Psalms 33a:1-11.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/

WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – Is Your Faith Yours, or Is Your Faith a Faith Derivative of the Faith of Others?: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/

A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org

DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB