How much is God asking for?

How do you measure your faith?

Faith is the capacity to trust God with everything you are, everything you have. 

Do you trust God with all your weight?  Are you leaning on God?

How much is God asking for?
 
The scripture lesson is from I Kings 17 wherein we find Elijah as a guest in the house of a woman who was destitute due to famine, who had virtually nothing.

We must remember that God will always provide.

 When Elijah initially asked for water, the woman immediately "was going to get it."
Basic Hope:  When you do the little things with a sense of hope.
The woman perhaps was thinking, This is a man of God.  Maybe something good will happen.  This is a hope more than trust.

When Elijah asked for a "piece of bread" She didn't know how, but she trusted that God would come through as Elijah promised.
Obedient Trust:  When you do the right things that require trust.
Her basic hope was turned to obedient trust. She fed not only Elijah, but herself and her family.

When her son ceased breathing (v.17) the woman no doubt thought, What do you have against me, God? (v.18)  Elijah responded, Give me your son.
Sacrificial Faith:  When you do the hard things that require strong faith.
How much have you surrendered to God?  Would you be able to give as much as the widow gave?

Have you surrendered your whole life to God?  Is there something you are holding back?

Pray and ask God to forgive you, and help you trust and surrender to his will.

When God takes something from you He always wants to give you something better.
 God wants your all, your hopes; your dreams; your ambitions; your cars; your home; your land; your spouse; your children, just so He can have you. 


"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." -- Romans 12:1,2 (ESV)
   

Pastor Johnnie Blair

Sunday morning

 

You Don't Belong Here

"This world is not my home."

Who are we called to be?  We are God's people.

I Peter 2: 9-10

"You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession."

 Our identity is in Christ alone.

Where are we from?  We are ambassadors of Christ's kingdom.

I Peter 2:11-12

" Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

We are here to be examples.

How are we to live?  Live good lives as free people.

I Peter 2:13-17

"Live as free people but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God's slaves."

17 "Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers,  fear God, and honor the emperor."

We do good not because we have to do good, but because God has given us the freedom to do good.

To dishonor those in authority is to discredit the sovereignty of God.

Political freedom can affect your religious freedom; but your political freedom should never affect the liberty we have in Christ.

"My prayer is that in a world where freedom and liberty is at times questioned, you will find you truest and purest form of freedo0m in Christ, and in Christ alone.  --J.B.  

Pastor Johnnie Blair

Sunday morning

Your court

Herk:  I saw you out here trimming the hedge during the news hour.  You should have been in watching the news.

Bob:  You are the news junkie.  I pay little attention to that sort of thing.

Herk:  But how can you be prepared if you don't know what is going on?

Bob:  And what is it you can do about it if you do know what is going on?  Look, isn't it the case that good news is no news, hence the news is a presentation of bad news?  And what good can come of listening to bad news?  Much of it is tailored to scare the living daylights out of you, right?  The scarier the thrillier, right?

Herk:  You're weird, you know that, Bob?

Bob:  Okay, but when the apocalypse comes, or whatever disaster it may be, it will "get" me, unprepared as I am.  And it will get you as well.  The difference?  I have lived with peace of mind, not worrying about what might be.  You, on the other hand, have consumed much mental and emotional energy worrying about stuff you can do nothing about.  Game, set, match.

Engage Faith

Spiritual growth is a must.
I Peter 2

We must grow beyond adolescent problems.
 I Corinthians 2:1-3

We learn to live obediently as children of God.
I Corinthians 13:11; I Peter 1:13-14

As we grow in grace we become like Christ.
 Romans 8:29-30; I Peter 1:15-18

• Everything in life should point forward.
• In spiritual life it is imperative that we learn how to grow.
• We like the freedom of adulthood but not the responsibility:  not going to happen.
• "Grow up in salvation."  I Peter 2
• Spiritual growth should be normal.  I Peter 1

If we are to grow we must rid ourselves of malice, slander, deceit, hypocrisy, envy.  These are spiritual immaturity. 

• Adjust life to live obediently to the will of God.
• Christ commands love God, love people.
• As we walk with Christ we are destined to become like Him.
• It is God's will that we grow up in our salvation.

If you follow Christ taking steps toward Him, His will for you will be revealed.

Make Christ the center of all you do and you will find yourself in the center of His will.

Seek the face of God so that when others see you they will see the face of Jesus.

God expects big things of everyone.  He desires and wills that we grow up in our salvation. 

Pastor Johnnie Blair

Sunday morning

Family Impressions

We teach our children either by accident or on purpose. 

1.  Parenting by accident involves things we did not mean to teach them.
2.  Ask yourself, "What am I doing on purpose?"





Parenting on purpose.

Teach your children to
1.  Fear God.  " Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear."  I Peter 1:17 (NIV)

     God is Holy.  First fear God; see not only the love of God but also the wrath of God.

"Until you fear God you will not understand grace and the depths of His love."

2.  Seek God.  Search for Him with all your heart and soul.  "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near."  Isaiah 55:6  (NIV)

"It is the parents' job to help their children find God." 

3.  Love God.  "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."  Matthew 22:37  (NIV)
 
Jesus taught that this is the first and great commandment.

4.  Serve God.  "Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always."  Deuteronomy 11:1

"As a parent, it starts with me.  I have to get my heart right if I am going to positively impact  my kid's heart for Jesus."

Help the kids to serve by creating an environment where they can figure out what God has placed in their hearts.

"As a parent I must model the things I would have the children do."

 Pastor Johnnie Blair

Sunday morning

Puzzled

Primary election day which is pretty meaningless regardless of the ticket one pulls.  However the local elections make it mandatory to go to the polls.

On the national level there is one thing above all others that has me puzzled.  Why did the Trump person choose to destroy the Republican party rather than the other one?  That may ultimately make for some curious historical footnotes.

Engage Summer

I went to church this morning, honest I did.  I took notes.  But the eye hurts too badly to attempt to transcribe the message.  Check the Scriptures and put it together.

Be blessed this week.

Pastor Johnnie Blair

Sunday Morning, May 1