Children of God

"I can do it myself."  

How many times has that gotten you into trouble?

Pastor related that his father was very handy and quite knowledgeable, and very willing to be of help.

 "Father is just a call away."

The scripture lesson is from Romans chapter eight.  [Reading of Romans 8]

Verse 2:  We are free from the law of sin and death. 

Living in the flesh the mind is set on the flesh.

Life in the Spirit is life and peace.

Verse 3:  God sent His own Son to stand in our stead, offering freedom from the law of sin.

Verse 15:  We receive the Spirit of adoption whereby we are children of God and joint-heirs with our elder brother, Jesus Christ.  God is our Father and we may call on Him:  Abba (Daddy).

 I John 3:1  Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. And we are! (HCSB)  We can know who our Father is!

Being children of God we have obligations.  We must grow:  We cannot be in the family of God and remain a child.

God is not our last resort.  He is the first, the ONLY resort.

Why do we suffer?  Why does God allow pain and grief?  It is part of growing.

Slaves live in fear.  God's children live in love, security, and warmth.

Call on Him.

  Pastor Joe Deckard

 Sunday morrning

Zero to Hero: Abraham

I have three 5 x 8 sheets filled with sermon notes.  Too much debris in the yard today.  we are worn out.  Blessed, though, to have good neighbors who pitched in and did the heavy lifting and a bunch of raking and carting.  Nevertheless,  I think I have to abbreviate this.  Too bad, because it was an excellent sermon.

• It is human nature to ask "why?"
• Abraham with Isaac and his servants traveling to the Mount of sacrifice, Abraham was surely asking, "How could God bless, then take away the blessing?"
• Isaac questions what is going on, Abraham starts to explain that God will provide.
• Abraham binds his son, raises the blade to spill the blood.  God speaks after three days of silence, "Abraham."
• "Here am I."
• "Because you have not withheld, I will bless.  (Genesis 22)

Abraham did not hold anything back.

Few seem to understand what it is God wants us to learn from this lesson.  We need to get to the point where we can answer the question "Why?"  Why do you serve God?  Why do you believe?

This is the "why."  Isaac was the "why," the promise of God, and now God says, I want it back.

==If God took away every "why" I had for serving Him, would I still serve Him?

==Abraham acknowledged that God could rewrite the contract anytime He wants.

Abraham did everything required of him.  He was a hero of the faith (Hebrews 11:17-18) because he gave everything back to God.

==If there were no promise of heaven still having God in my life is worth it all.

==He is God and I am not.

If you are the god of your own life, God does not meet your expectations.

==It is one thing to offer God to your children; it is another thing to offer your children to God.

God has already laid down His life for you; you must lay down your life for Him.

==What you offer in worship matters.  You must give of yourself fully.  That that brought pain, that that brought joy, should be turned into praise.

Offer God the best of what you have, not the last of what you have.

The "why" matters, the heart matters.

Pastor Johnnie Blair

Sunday morning