I See Jesus In You

     Earlier this week, I was told that I would be speaking in our Christian school chapel service. I immediately began thinking about what to preach. I spent time in prayer later that evening and asked God to direct me to what He would want for me to preach. Later that evening, I went to my bedroom and began working on my sermon. Before I began studying, I went online and noticed that Pastor Chappell posted another video in his "Growing Points" web series (these have been a blessing to me). What captured my attention was the title of the video - "Keeping It Real." He spoke briefly on how important it is for us to be REAL and Genuine Christians. I then also read the article, but my mind could not get away from the truth from God's Word.

Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus

     If there is anything this world needs most today, they need to be able to see true, genuine, and real Christianity. The world does not need a cheap imitation of itself. It needs to see the power of Christ flowing from a Christian. It needs to see what Christ can do for a person. It needs to see in a Christian what is lacking in their own life. The question I asked myself and the question I ask you, "Can the world look at me and say, 'I See Jesus in You'?" 

     For these religious people in Acts 4 to say of Peter and John that they had been with Jesus, there must have been some outward demonstration in their lives of what Jesus did in His life. They must have practiced in their lives what Jesus practiced in His. What are these actions Peter and John took that caused others to make this statement about them? These actions must be placed in our lives if we want the lost world to say to us "I See Jesus in YOU."

1. They fervently brought people to Christ (Acts 2:31, 4:4)

2. They possessed a filling of the Holy Spirit of God (Acts 1:8, 4:8, Ephesians 5:18) - A lost person can preach a message, a lost person can give in an offering, a lost person can work a bus route, a lost person can clean a church, a lost person can say Amen, a lost person can teach a Sunday school class, a lost person can share the Gospel; however a lost person can never be filled with the Holy Spirit of God. May God help us Christians tap into the source of power and strength to live the Christian life and make a difference

3. They reached out and helped other people (Acts 3:1-11, 4:9, 

Galatians 6:20) - they did this with no thought of what they could get in return

4. They proclaimed Christ and not themselves (Acts 4:10-12, 

Galatians 2:20, Philippians 3:8)

5. They were bold for their Saviour (Acts 4:13)

    a. Bold to proclaim God's Word (Acts 4:31)

    b. Bold to have an outward testimony of Christ (Philippians 1:20)

    c. Bold to pray (Hebrews 10:19)

6. They did not use their weaknesses or faults as excuses on why they could not be used of God (Acts 4:13, 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, 

Amos 7:14-15) - where God calls, God enables

     May God help us all implement these truths in His Word to our lives so we can hear people say about us, "I See Jesus In You."

I Love My Church!

     This time of the year is a very exciting time of the year. It is the time of the year where many people go out and spend time, money, and effort to shower the one the love with gifts and dinner and flowers and chocolates. It is the time of the year where Love is in the air. Cupid shoots his proverbial arrow and hits several people. I love this time of the year because I get to do a little extra to show my wife how much I love and appreciate her. The sad thing about the Valentine season is that there is Someone Who always get forgotten about. Several people do not go to His house during this season. Several people do not tell this Person, "I Love You." People are guilty of robbing this Person by not giving to Him what they are commanded to give. I am speaking about a lack of demonstrating to God how much we love Him. One of the biggest ways you can show love to someone is by being around them or being with them. Of course God is everywhere; but there is a special place we can go to meet with God face-to-face. It is a place where we can go to get our burdens lifted, our hearts encouraged, our spirits edified, and our life right. This Valentine season, may we not forget about the house of God. 

"I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord." (Psalm 122:1)

"How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God." (Psalm 84:1-2)

     These two verses are powerful parts of Scripture because they show what our attitude and mindset should be about going to the house of God. I believe one of the reasons why people do not love church as much as people used to love church is because we have watered-down church so much today. Churches today are pushing the "come as you are and leave as you came philosophy." They are getting rid of the old hymns of Zion. They are casting away the Bible and they are casting away TRUE Bible preaching. Music videos have replaced the invitation; expository sermons have been replaced with Bible nuggets; follow the bouncing ball has replaced the hymnbook, contemporary "Christian" music have replaced the good ol' hymns of Zion; coming to church half-naked and immodest has replaced looking your best when coming to church; and any version of the Bible has replaced the true Word of God in the King James Version. A genuine love and longing for the house of God is becoming more and more hard to find. Church is not a place where you go to feel good even though there are times you feel good in church. Church is not a place to just come sit in a pew and leave unchanged. Church is not a place to come watch Bible films. Church is not a place to catch up on the latest gossip in the world. Church is a place where we go to meet with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords; it is where we come in dirty from the world and come out clean by the power of the Word of God; it is a place where we gather with God's people and gather around the preaching of the Word of God. If we change the way our churches operate or we change the way church is "becoming," I believe we can recapture a love for the house of God.

     The question remains, "How can I show God I love His church?"
1. Get to the house of God
2. Go to a church that teaches and preaches the Bible from a KJV Bible
3. Sit up front in church
4. Listen with open ears and an open heart during the preaching of the Bible
5. Don't talk during church
6. Sing your best to the Lord in church
7. Spend time alone with God before church and ask Him to prepare your heart for the church service
8. Go to a church that teaches Biblical holiness and godly living.
9. Have a notebook to write down sermon notes or areas God speaks to your heart about
10. Say AMEN during church
11. Bring your KJV Bible to church and follow the speaker
12. Look your very best for church