9 I, John, both[e] your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,”[f] and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia:[g] to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me,[h] “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. 19 Write[i] the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. 20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw[j] are the seven churches." Revelation 1:9-20.
In this passage God is revealing himself to John. John is the writer of Revelation and he recieved a vision to predict the end times. One of the cool things that I heard in yesterday's sermon was in verse 11 Christ is telling John who He is. The Alpha and the Omega, beginning and the end. Christ is saying this is me and this is what I am and what I will become in the future. My God is awesome.
Fear is something that we must have in order to encounter God. Not really fearing, just knowing about who He is. It helps us know about his glory and that we need a savior. Verse's 17-18 taught me alot. God states in verse 17 that we are not to be afraid. We rest in that truth because God knows our hearts and nothing can hide from him. He also says that He was the first and the last. Letting us know He is God. Gods prescence is avaliable 24/7. He clearly states that He is Alive. He also said He was fully human by saying He was dead. He knows what were going through. Above all He knows the seperation because He felt it on the cross.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Criminal turned to Preacher
1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”
Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.[a] It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”
Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Acts 9:1-10.
Saul was a man during those the equal to Bin Laden of today. He was convicted in the death of Stephan. While the men stoned him he held their coats. He hated Christians and therefore picked and was crucial towards them. His job was to go get people who followed this so called God according to him. He would go and dig them out and then bring them back to Jersuelem to be killed. He was going out to find more people when He was blinded on the road. He then heard the voice of God calling him out. Saul wondered who called him. The Lord answered I am the one you pick on. Saul was a very stubborn person that would not be moved. Saul was in the prescence of the Lord, man I would not want to be in his situation but being in the prescence of the Lord is amazing. He had a fresh encounter with God. It was a fresh encounter because he realized his wrongs and then started living for the Lord.
Thats something we need to realize. Christ has given us everything and were nothing without the grace of Him. We need to act upon what He has bestoed.
One Love
Matt
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”
Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.[a] It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”
Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Acts 9:1-10.
Saul was a man during those the equal to Bin Laden of today. He was convicted in the death of Stephan. While the men stoned him he held their coats. He hated Christians and therefore picked and was crucial towards them. His job was to go get people who followed this so called God according to him. He would go and dig them out and then bring them back to Jersuelem to be killed. He was going out to find more people when He was blinded on the road. He then heard the voice of God calling him out. Saul wondered who called him. The Lord answered I am the one you pick on. Saul was a very stubborn person that would not be moved. Saul was in the prescence of the Lord, man I would not want to be in his situation but being in the prescence of the Lord is amazing. He had a fresh encounter with God. It was a fresh encounter because he realized his wrongs and then started living for the Lord.
Thats something we need to realize. Christ has given us everything and were nothing without the grace of Him. We need to act upon what He has bestoed.
One Love
Matt
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
A debt we cant pay
Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. Matthew 18: 21-27.
Peter was asking about how many times it would be needed to forgive his neighbors. So Jesus told him this parable. This really hit home yesterday when Michelle talked about it at Crusade. This man owed a debt that He could not pay, He knew that the king would sell him along with his wife and kids. He went back to the king to tell him. He owed about 6 million dollars. He fell on his face before the king and the king forgave him of his debts.
It really hit hard last night. We are like that man, we have a debt that we cannot afford to pay back. Our debt is sin. We couldnt pay for it so Christ in His glory sttod in for us and died and took penality for us so that we could walk free. What really hit home was the We Can Never Repay back part. I can never give or pay God back for what He has done in my life. I can give him my heart and live for him. Thats the only thing He ask's of us. He calls us to share in that faith as well. It is my hope that you do that
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. Matthew 18: 21-27.
Peter was asking about how many times it would be needed to forgive his neighbors. So Jesus told him this parable. This really hit home yesterday when Michelle talked about it at Crusade. This man owed a debt that He could not pay, He knew that the king would sell him along with his wife and kids. He went back to the king to tell him. He owed about 6 million dollars. He fell on his face before the king and the king forgave him of his debts.
It really hit hard last night. We are like that man, we have a debt that we cannot afford to pay back. Our debt is sin. We couldnt pay for it so Christ in His glory sttod in for us and died and took penality for us so that we could walk free. What really hit home was the We Can Never Repay back part. I can never give or pay God back for what He has done in my life. I can give him my heart and live for him. Thats the only thing He ask's of us. He calls us to share in that faith as well. It is my hope that you do that
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Thoughts on Caleb.
Caleb is a person that we dont talk about alot in church. I believe the less talked characters in the Bible are some of the ones we can relate our lives to. Caleb was one of the Spies that Moses sent out to explore the promise land. They climbed a mountain and looked and saw the land that was promised. They also chopped a branch down because thats what God asked them to do. They brought back a whole thing full of grapes. They spied for over forty days. They reported what they saw. They spoke of the people who lived there. They became afraid and Caleb quieted the people and told them to go and together they would be able to overtake it. See Caleb had faith. He knew that God was on their side all along. He knew that God would not put them in a situation or place that would end up harming the group. I admire Caleb for his faith and in the end only he and Joshua were able to go into the promised land. Later on the Bible mentions Caleb going into war and Conqering Cannan. With God on our side nothing can stop us
Monday, October 4, 2010
New beginnings
I have been on blogger for a while and this idea came up in my head. Create a blog all about what I believe. I will still post on my other one as well. Blogger u won't get rid of me that easy. I hope this blog brings about renewing of your thoughts. Enjoy
Matt
Matt
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