Scripture: (2 Corinthians
5:17 KJV) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things
are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
As we enter
into this holiday season God has been showing me in His word more and more what
it means to be a “Born again Christian.” The mystery of God revealed in the
eternal life of Christ present in the body of believers. We too often take it
for granted when we proclaim ourselves as being a Christian. One of the things I
praise God for is the diversity of denominations that are reading these
messages. I know there are Lutherans and Methodists and Catholics and
Pentecostals and Baptists and even a Pagan or two. This is not about religion it
is about the love of God shed abroad in the hearts of men through His Son Jesus
Christ. Now I know that the Pagans that read these words, read them with
skepticism. But my hope is that more pagans would read these messages. So if you
know anyone who is not a Christian and feel that they may benefit from any of
these messages please forward them on. The Bible teaches us that the Word of God
will not come back void. So lets cast our bread upon the water and watch God
bring us the return.
That almost
brings me to the point of today’ message. The idea of casting our bread upon the
water. Do you know where that expression came from? King Solomon wrote it in the
book of Ecclesiastes; (Eccl 11:1 KJV) Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou
shalt find it after many days. I have heard it said of this passage that it is
concerning the farmers that shipped out their grain. They never knew if anything
would return. It takes faith to rise above the ashes. It takes faith to stand up
for what you believe in. it takes faith to become the man or woman that God has
called you to be.
Change is hard
for all of us. Sometimes we can become discouraged with ourselves because we
have not changed. Other times we do not like the people we have changed into.
Right now I want you to stop looking at all the things that are wrong with you
and just thank God for loving you. We all know that the Bible teaches us that we
are to love our neighbor, as we love ourselves. Well, that’s not real hard if
you do not love yourself. We need to look at ourselves through God’s eyes. I
want you to read this passage of scripture from Psalm 139:
(Psa 139:14-18 NIV) I praise you because I am
fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was
woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All
the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to
be. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I
am still with you.
God does have a
perfect plan for your life. He knows all of those dark secrets and painful
memories that continue to haunt you. But that is not the life that God has
chosen for you. He does not want you to live in condemnation and fear. Perfect
loves casts out fear and God is Love. It was God Himself that reconciled us to
Him. Even though it was us that committed the offense, He was the one that paid
our fine and opened the door that we can freely enter into His presence. I have
taught before from the 17th chapter of John, but I think it is
important for us to look again at Jesus’ prayer for us. (John 17:20-23 KJV)
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me
through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I
in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou
hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they
may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made
perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast
loved them, as thou hast loved me.
The bottom
line is that God loves you with a never-ending unconditional love that nothing
can destroy. His prayer is that He would dwell within your heart and in that way
you can experience His glory. Yes we all make mistakes but it is time that you
stop looking at everything that is wrong with you and start concentrating on the
power that is alive within you to overcome all trials and temptations.
Sometimes we
forget the extent of the awesome power and authority and majesty of God that
enters into us when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. My fear is
that there may be even one reader of this message that has not as yet came to
the realization of the truth which is in Jesus. If you are reading these words
today and you have never before confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord and you now
believe in your heart that God raised Him from the grave, God wants you to know
that He is ready to enter in and change your life. That passage of scripture at
the top of this message is true. We are new creations in Christ Jesus. Not
perfect but forgiven, sanctified, justified and welcomed into the eternal family
of God. All it takes is for you to say “OK.”
Now for those
of you who for years have professed the name of Jesus. God wants to strengthen
you today. He wants to rekindle the flames of that first love. You have been
reconciled to Him and now it is time for you to stop putting yourself down and
recognize your place at the table. Even King David felt like a worm at times. We
can read in the 22nd Psalm how he calls himself a worm and not a man.
You know satan loves to keep us down. He knows that he can not separate us from
the love of God nor can he snatch us out of God’s hands but if he can get us
looking at our own failures we will not have our eyes on God’s strength.
I am going to
close this message with a passage of scripture from the book of Titus but before
I do I want you to check out 3 things in your life. 1st I want you to
be sure of your salvation. I know that most every one of my readers are born
again believers. I want you then 1st of all today to reaffirm to
yourself the security of your salvation. As you do that look again at that
familiar verse of scripture above. “Therefore, if any man (that’s you) be in
Christ, (you have accepted Jesus as your Lord) He is a new creation; old things
are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Satan does not want you to
believe this. He wants you to blame yourself and kick yourself and if you let
him he will remind you of every little thing you have ever done wrong until you
resist him. And when you do, when you stand up to him with the word of God in
your heart and on your lips I am telling you it is so true there is no weapon
that is formed against you that will prosper. I do not care what situation you
are in. I do not care how low you have gone or how high and mighty you may have
grown God is able to take you higher. But it all starts with you getting
straight in your mind the truth of the change that Jesus is making in you. Jesus
on the inside working on the outside, oh what a change in my life.
2nd
stop looking at your own limitations and start looking at the almighty power
that is in God. The same God that created the heavens and the earth is now
working within you His perfect plan for your life. Stop looking at your failures
and concentrate on the victory that is in Jesus. Start reading biographies of
great men and woman whose lives have been drastically changed by the presence of
Christ in their lives. Dig deeper into the Bible and let the Holy Spirit reveal
the very mysteries of God to your spirit.
Then thirdly
go and make a difference for someone else. If you really want to experience the
glory of God. If you want to stand under the spout where the glory comes out
then go and give to someone else even the slightest bit of love and compassion.
You may never know what the outcome of your good deed will be but you can bet
that as you cast your bread of love upon the waters of humanity you will reap
eternal and abundant rewards now, and in the world to come, amen.
Now lets read
from the book of Titus:
(Titus 2:11-14 KJV) For
the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us
that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope,
and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who
gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto
himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Longfellow
put it this way; “Let us be up and doing with a heart for any fate, still
achieving, Still pursuing, learn to labor and to wait.
God wants you
to walk in His blessing. He wants you to know that when you accepted Jesus
Christ as your savior all the power and authority in the heavens and the earth
are at your disposal to overcome the enemy. Never let satan lie to you again.
You are a child of God and you have a great work ahead of you so stand tall and
know that God is with you.
Let’s pray;
Heavenly Father I thank you today for the work that you are continuing to do in
and through me. I surrender to you my life with all thanksgiving inviting Jesus
to sit upon the throne of my heart. Thank you Jesus for paying the price of my
failures and sins and I pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to come upon me
that I may continue to be drawn closer to you and be that good and faithful
servant that you have called me to be. From this moment on I put the past behind
me and I press on to that High calling which is in Christ Jesus Our Lord. For it
is in His wonderful name I pray Amen
Feel free to write me or drop me a line. I look forward to hearing
from you. God Bless;
Pastor Bob
Pastor Bob Richardson
700 N. Garden Ave.
Clearwater, Fl. 33755
(727) 365-6290
Revboo@aol.com