Courage and Corruption

Today's sermon will come from John 2:13-25, and the theme is going to be "corruption".   It can be a challenging topic.  Often we apply this word to those in positions of power, sayings like "power corrupts & absolute power corrupts absolutely", are common in our modern culture.  Yet I believe the Truth is far closer to home and far deeper in perspective.

Corruption starts with our sinful selfish state.  Acts of sin are an outflow of our self centered nature we all receive as humans, passed on through our fathers because of the curse of the fall in Genesis.  This sin and its outcomes will cause corruption if it is left unchecked.  If no one brings correction and there is no repentance, the act of remorse and change from our sinful direction, then corruption will seep in.  Corruption will eventually take power and authority and much damage will be done.  Common examples we hear about have to do with money, lies and sex.  But corruption can often fly beneath the radar for a long time.

Lets consider that people often do not like change.  So instead of listening, praying and responding to God and the voice of the Holy Spirit.  They make decisions based on what is "normal" or what is comfortable or easy.  Yet if we are seeking to make decisions on our own, then we are sinning.  If we have allowed such sinful practices to take control then corruption has set in and we are headed for trouble.

Anytime we are allowing our sin nature to be in a position of control we are in danger of corrupt behavior and decision making.  Even things that seem harmless and acceptable can have deep consequences because we are not seeking to live under the Lordship of Christ.  I am not saying that this is easy to avoid.  It is hard.

We must be courageous, we must make the hard decisions to follow God and seek His voice, regardless of what "we want".  Our own selves should not be the barometer for our decision making.  Our likes, dislikes, emotions and traditions can not be trusted.  God can be trusted.  So please join with me in a stand to be courageous.  Let us be Honest about our fears, hopes, dreams, challenges, etc.. yet let us walk with Integrity, not allowing such things to have a hold on us.  May we be Transparent, not hiding our weakness and failures, but having a true spirit of humility so that God is glorified in us.

As we take on the path of courage, in following Jesus fully.  Part of the path is for us to show great amounts of grace to our brothers and sisters who are struggling with their own selfishness and weakness.  We are to walk with them and help them, not slaughter them like enemies.  Such a negative attitude is from our prideful selves, please do not hold up righteousness in order to damage your brothers and sisters.  True courage to follow Christ sets His glory first and follows the Biblical model for how we are to grow together.

Walk with humble courage!

Pastor Bruce

Rest

Rest ....  A difficult theme for most of us in our culture today.  I find myself often feeling guilty about taking a break.  For some reason I have a negative view of rest.  Maybe it has to do with the work ethic I have that was instilled in me by my parents?  Maybe it has to do with the attitude our society has towards the topic?  Or maybe it is even deeper?

As I pondered rest, I thought about the "rest principle" God gives us in Genesis.  He creates the 7th day (or Sabbath Day) and calls for it to be a day of rest.  We were created to work 6 days and rest one.  This can sound a like a little much in a society that views rest as time off work.  Many take the idea that they work 5 and are off 2 days to mean that they follow the rest principle really well.  But I don't think most of us do.

I am pretty sure that most people with their multiple days off in a row, still do not rest very well.  Most of us believe that by doing projects around the house or yard, working on our car, going shopping, etc... we are getting our break from work.  Yet we really fail to rest.  We are sometimes busier when we are not at work, we are just busy with other things.  Even when we would say we are not busy, in the back of our minds we think that someone may think less of us if we really did "NOTHING" for a few hours or even (GASP) a day.  Yet I believe God made us to function better if we rest properly.

I am not really good at this yet, I am growing and God is working in me.  I find my family struggles with this as well.  Often a time of really resting leave them feeling like they wasted a day.  The challenge for me and I hope also for you, is for us to "redeem" our time.  Sometimes we need rest, rest from thinking as well as doing.  But sometimes we need the rest and refreshment only God can give us.  We need to remember that God is our true place of "sabbath".  He is the one who gives us True Rest and Refreshment.

Anyway I should get some sleep.   Hmmmm ... Conviction setting in?

Good night

Pastor Bruce

Let us Pray

When things change I have come to understand that the most important thing we can do is pray.  Lets look at Acts 1 today, Jesus has just given his final instruction to His followers and ascended to Heaven.

Acts 1:12-14 (ESV)

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.  And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying,Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.  All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

So we have the community of Jesus followers coming together to pray.  They pray as they wait for what He has next for them.  It should challenge us as we recognize that they came together, plural, a group, a community.  This was not singular in nature, but group prayer.  So often we set a focus on "personal prayer time" and not enough on community prayer time.  I find that part of the reason is a lack of proper instruction and training on how to pray as a community.  So I find myself pressed to not only teach on prayer but to live a life of prayer.

I am glad to be here at Faith Fellowship Baptist Church in Brandon, Manitoba.  And it would be easy to just get really busy and start new things.  But I believe it is more important for me as a leader and for our Church family that we be a people of prayer.  So that we will be ready when God gives us a new direction.   Then we should continue in prayer as we move forward, ensuring we stay on the path He has chosen for us.

Blessings

Pastor Bruce