After your sermon on tithing we decided to tithe that very day. To be honest, we didn’t have it but wanted to take God at His word. We wrote a check for our tithes and put it in the offering plate and decided to trust God. That was on Sunday.

By Thursday we were completely out of money – and we started looking back on the tithe.

We thought about doing various things to get some cash – but decided we would just trust God. He had said He would bless us so we decided to wait. We were having that conversation and my husband said something like, “No Honey. We tithed. We trusted. We will wait and see what God does.” Those words were not out of his mouth for 30 seconds when our phone rang! I could tell the conversation was about money. When my husband hung up the phone he was so excited. Someone was giving us a check for 10 times the amount of money we had tithed – as a gift!! God came through. We were in tears.

His promises can be trusted!!

This Sunday we are challenging everyone to take God at His promise on “Prove the Tithe” Sunday. Lets all trust God and know for ourselves that His promises can be trusted!!

If you lived life claiming every promise that God had about:

• Family
• Finances
• Fear
• Witnessing
• Church
• Life’s Purpose
• Priorities

…what would your life look like?

The #1 factor that is keeping you or me from doing it is FAITH!! We want to trust God but sometimes just don’t seem to have the faith. FEAR wins out!! And, those are really the only two choices we have when it comes to the promises of God – Fear or Faith!

Are you afraid to trust God? Are we afraid of the outcome? Are you afraid you will mess up your life? The answer to all of those is “Yes”! But, there is a solution. 1 John 4:18 says, “Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.” The key to getting the fear out of our lives and filling it with Faith is the love of God!!

If you want to have faith to claim the promises of God, fall in love with Jesus!

So, why don’t you do it? Why don’t you just pick a promise of God and by faith say to Jesus, “God I’m not sure I understand all of this but I’m going to believe it and act on it!” If you would, you would change your life for the good forever.

Walk with Jesus – Throw out Fear – Take Hold of the promises of God by Faith!!

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world…” 2 Peter 1:4

So, before we move onto another week, there are at least 5 things you shouldn’t forget about this past Sunday:

1. An infatuation on Worry, Wealth, and Worldliness will mess your priorities up. They are weeds in the garden of your Christian life. Get rid of them. Don’t make stressing about the future, the pursuit of wealth, or the pursuit of pleasure the top priorities of your life.

2. Jesus shares top priority with no one or nothing! ‘Nuff said!!

3. Trying to juggle a bunch of top priorities will cause you to drop the ball of your relationship with God.

4. The Christian life is not “neat”. Weeds spring up every day in your life from nowhere. Recognize them and get rid of them and just know it is going to happen. Elsewhere in the Bible it would be called Spiritual Warfare.

5. It’s all not just “preacher talk”. Sunday night you heard from a businessman, mom, and business owner about how they do/have struggled to keep God their top priority and how blessed their lives have been because of it. If they can do it – you can do it!!

Keep living 4 Jesus!!!

Below is an article from Lifeway about growing Spiritually.

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A fellow was raised in the back hills of West Virginia—I mean, so far out in the sticks, never in his life had he even seen a big city, to say nothing of modern inventions and neon lights. He married a gal just like himself and they spent all their married years in the backwoods. They had one son, whom they creatively named Junior. Around the time Junior reached his sixteenth birthday, his dad began to realize it wouldn’t be too many years before their son would become a man and would strike out on his own. It troubled him that his boy could reach manhood and wind up getting a job in the city, not prepared to face the real world. He felt responsible and decided to do something about it.

He and his wife started saving for a trip the three of them would take to the city. About three years later the big day arrived. They tossed their belongings in the ol’ pickup and started the long journey over winding, rough roads to the city. Their plan was to spend several days at a swanky hotel and take in all the sights. As they approached the outskirts of the metropolis, Papa began to get a little jumpy: “Mama, when we pull up at the hotel, you stay in the truck while Junior and I go in and look around. We’ll come back and git ya, okay?” She agreed.

Bright lights and uniformed doormen greeted them as they pulled up. Mama stayed put as Papa and Junior walked wide-eyed toward the lobby. Neither could believe his eyes! When they stepped on a mat, the door opened automatically. Inside, they stood like statues, staring at the first chandelier either of them had ever seen. It hung from a ceiling three stories high. Off to the left was an enormous waterfall, rippling over inlaid stones and rocks. “Junior, look!” Down below was an ice skating rink—inside.

While both stood silent, eying one breathtaking sight after another, they kept hearing this clicking sound behind them. Finally, Papa turned around and saw this amazing little room with doors that slid open from the center. “What in the world?” People would walk up, push a button and wait. Lights would flicker above the doors and then, “click,” the doors slid shut. By now, dad and son stood totally transfixed.

At that moment a wrinkled old lady shuffled up to the doors all by herself. She pushed the button and waited only a few seconds. “Click,” the doors opened with a swish and she hobbled into the little room. No one else stepped in with her, so “click,” the doors slid shut. Not more than twenty seconds later the doors opened again—and there stood before them this fabulously attractive young woman in her twenties—high heels, shapely body, beautiful face—a real knockout! As she stepped out, smiled, and turned to walk away, Papa nudged his boy and mumbled, “Hey, Junior . . . go get Mama!”

Seems that everybody these days is looking for a little room like what Papa thought he had found. A place where if they push the right button, wait momentarily for the door of opportunity to slide open, then like magic, in only a matter of seconds they would be instantly transformed. Think of all the money people would save from cosmetic surgery and all the time they would save from exercise and all the guilt they would save from dieting.

I think believers would even like a room like this in their spiritual life. In the twinkling of an eye they could go from spiritual infants to spiritual adults. Physically the maturation process does not occur this way and neither does it spiritually. Spiritual growth like physical fitness requires work, time, and a willingness to grow. No shortcuts exist for spiritual maturity.

Spiritual growth is not an option for believers. God intends for every believer to grow to spiritual maturity. His word commands us: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). That’s our obligation—and our privilege. The primary goal of spiritual life is human transformation.

But, many people have a mistaken idea about what spiritual growth involves.

I. The Misconceptions of Maturity

A. Spiritual maturity comes with age.
Granted age provides us with more experiences and the chances of growth are greater as one increases in years, but age does not guarantee growth. Not everyone who grows old, grows up. There is a vast difference between age and maturity.

B. Spiritual maturity is instantaneous.
This myth stands in direct opposition of the first misconception. Just because one has given his or her life to Christ does not mean instant maturity. As in physical life, spiritually one grows from infancy to adulthood. The thrust of Biblical teaching emphasizes the long-term, patient, undramatic growth of Christian character through unspectacular means. Growth takes time.

C. Spiritual maturity involves activity.
Some folks think that the mature Christians are the busy ones. But busyness doesn’t result in maturity nor can it be substituted for it. It may, in fact, be a hindrance to what really is vital and important to spiritual growth.

D. Spiritual maturity is knowledge.
A person may have a lot of facts, a lot of information, but that can’t be equated with spiritual maturity. Unless one’s knowledge transforms his life it is doing nothing more than informing his life.

II. The Meaning of Maturity

What do we mean by spiritual growth?

Spiritual maturity is Christlikeness.
The Bible says, “Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, [growing] into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness” (Eph. 4:13). Maturity equals a life that resembles Christ’s life. No other meaning may be allowed to substitute. All other meanings will be lesser, man-made alternatives that disguise the all-demanding standard God sets before us in the Scriptures. Granted, age, knowledge, activity, and zeal would be easier standards by far. But God’s standard, his meaning of maturity is none of these things. The only measurement that counts, according to Ephesians 4:13 is being like Jesus.

Are we growing more and more like him? Do we love God as God loves us? Do we love others as God loves people?

On a wall near the main entrance to the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, is a portrait with the following inscription: James Butler Bonham—no picture of him exists. This portrait is of his nephew, Major James Bonham, deceased, who greatly resembled his uncle. It is placed here by his family that people may know the appearance of the man who died for freedom.

No portrait of Jesus exists either. But his likeness is to be seen in us, his followers, as we grow to maturity.

III. The Steps to Maturity

If the goal of the Christian life is to resemble Christ, then there must be some steps that we can take in our journey to reach our destination. These steps are not difficult. We cannot be spectators in spiritual growth. By consistently practicing certain mechanics GROWTH will occur.

A. Get accountable.
“Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). Maturity flourishes with accountability. Granted, no one wants to be accountable much less to be held accountable. Yet nothing like accountability will take us to maturity.

B. Read the Bible daily.
“The people here were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, since they welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). The Bible is food for the believer. It becomes the source of spiritual nourishment and sustaining strength.

C. Offer yourself in worship.
“Not staying away from our meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Heb. 10:25). Every member of the human race was created to worship. Our lives begin to resemble what it worships. Therefore, if we want to resemble Christ we must worship him. And it must be an all the time thing not a sometime thing. Unless we are prepared to worship God with all of our lives, we will find it nearly impossible to worship God for one hour on Sunday.

D. Witness for Christ.
Jesus said, “My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples” (John 15:8). If Jesus is alive and growing in us then a natural outgrowth is to share him with others. Witnessing brings all the other disciplines of spiritual growth into practice.

E. Take time to pray.
Again Jesus said, “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). Prayer is dialogue with God. It is not like beeping God or sending him a fax. Prayer comes out of a relationship with God. It is a personal conversation with God.

F. Honor God by giving financially to a local church.
“’Bring the full 10 percent into the storehouse so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this way,’ says the LORD of Hosts. ‘See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure’” (Mal. 3:10). There can be no significant Christian growth without the money we have at our disposal being placed in the Lord’s hands for his use. Financial giving to God’s work is not a debt I owe but a seed I sow for growth to continue in my life. To take the other steps and leave off tithing is like going to the fitness center, exercising on the equipment, without working up a sweat. We are not giving all of ourselves if we aren’t giving our money to God’s house.

These steps to GROWTH are the non-negotiables of spiritual maturity.

IV. The Examination of Maturity
Based on the following words—Infancy, Childhood, Adolescence, Adulthood—answer two questions.

First, where are you spiritually?
In other words, where would you place your spiritual growth to date? Which word would you circle to best describe your spiritual maturity?

The word you circle is not the most important aspect of this exercise. For example if you have recently said Yes to Jesus then it stands to reason that you would be at the infancy stage. If you have been a Christian for a short time then you might circle Childhood or Adolescence.

The second question is the critical one.

Are you spiritually maturing in your walk with Christ?
If yes, from your circle draw an arrow pointed to the right. If no, draw an arrow pointed to the left.

Remember life results in growth. If we are not growing we are dying. Spiritual growth is not found in a little room where quick changes occur. It is found in a daily obedience to practice the necessary disciplines so we become more like Jesus Christ.
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Rick Ezell is the pastor of First Baptist Greer, South Carolina. He has served churches in Naperville, IL, Scottsburg, IN and Overland Park, KS for the past twenty-three years.

What is stopping you from giving your all?

What is stopping you from growing to be the best Christian you can be?

Jesus told us exactly what would keep you from living the Christian life to the fullest . . . and you’ll be shocked to find out.

I’m going to tell you over the next several weeks what’s stopping you from being the Christian that deep down inside you long to be so don’t miss out beginning August 15th!

I’m not talking about your crazy uncle or cousin that everyone is ashamed of at the family reunion. {if you don’t know of a crazy uncle or cousin you’re probably it }I’m talking about how crazy our family and home situations can be at times.

The days of the perfect family seem to be over. Where did ‘Father Knows Best’ and ‘Leave it to Beaver’ families go? Fact is, our family lives don’t resemble that well ordered life anymore.

So what does that mean? Can God still do something with your family? Can God still use your family? Can some “sense” come out of your crazy family?

Believe it or not – He can do great things with your Crazy Family! There are a lot of crazy families in the bible and there is help and hope for yours!

Join us beginning on Mother’s Day and find out how. Invite someone to be with you. Almost all of us know a family that is hurting and needs help. You can really make a difference in their lives by just inviting them to church.

PS. If you click on the picture you can watch a video where I talk about the upcoming series even more.

As a matter of fact, this time of year many people make resolutions that revolve around molding them into the person they want to BECOME. Sadly, most people drop their resolutions within weeks.

According to A Marist University Poll,

Keeping Their Word?

33% of Americans recall making a New Year’s resolution last year, but how successful were they?  Of those residents, 65% said they kept their promise for at least part of the year while 35% did not.  Men were more steadfast than were women.  70% of men kept their resolution for at least part of 2009.  This compares with 59% of women.

Dedication has grown among Americans who have previously made a resolution.  While 65% of residents kept their resolution for 2009, 60% did so in 2008.

Why do we fail in our New Years Resolutions? Because we don’t know how to change. The Bible gives us clear instructions on how to BECOME the person we would like to be.

Starting this Sunday, I will share with you how you can BECOME all God intended for you to be. I will examine change in general, and then over the next few weeks we will look at some of the New Years Resolutions everyone makes and what the Bible says about them.

If you want to improve your family, finances, organizational skills, and many other things – don’t miss a service.

Check us out at www.libertybaptistchurch.ws

See you Sunday – prepare to leave changed!!

1. Life comes at you Fast!

The thing about the allergic reaction was it didn’t happen over much time. It starts with the palms of my hands itching. Within minutes, my face was swelling, I couldn’t breath, I broke out in a rash and hives, and I was getting faint. . . all in about a 10 minute time span!!  I went from well to a “near-death” feeling in a matter of seconds.

The point is – It is a great reminder that life often happens that way. Often we can have things change in our lives in just the span of a moment and we have to learn to be prepared for it. When the reaction started, I didn’t have time to “get right with God”. I was what I was in that moment.

Walk with God so you are close and clean to Him and ready for whatever sudden changes might happen in your life.

James 4:13-17

¹³ Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” ¹⁴ How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. ¹⁵ What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.

2. Sometimes you need Intervention from others.

OK – you would think with all that going on I would have ran to the ER – but not so. Even though I could barely breathe, I insisted on treating myself at home constantly saying, “I’m OK”! It was until my daughters and my wife said – “Get in the car you are going to the hospital” in a tone I couldn’t refuse that I came to my senses and realized I needed help.

The point is - sometimes we all need intervention from those that love us. We can get stuck in unhealthy spiritual, emotional, relationship, or physical ruts in our lives that we don’t even see the need to dig our way out of. Listen to those around you whom God has placed there to speak truth into your life. It is not always pleasant, but normally it is for the best.

Proverbs 17:17

¹⁷ A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

3. The right ministry from the right person can make such a difference

I can’t say enough good things about the way the hospital ministered to me. When I got there, the ER waiting room was packed. I couldn’t breathe and I told my wife that if we had to wait our turn I’d probably die! Well, I didn’t have too – within 2 minutes of walking in the door I was in a room. Then my nurse, Krista, was awesome. My wife and I both thought she was nice, informative, patient, and caring. Her ministry made such a big difference in our lives that night.

The point is - You never know what your life can mean to another person who is going through a difficult time. What you may view as your normal “job” can make a big difference to someone else if you do it with the joy of Christ in your heart. Wherever you are today and whatever you do, do it with the joy of Jesus and you’ll really impact those around you having a hard time.

Galatians 6:10

¹⁰Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

4. Things can go from bad to better quickly

When I walked in the ER I thought I would be there all night or longer. They put me in a room -asked me some questions – ran some tests  -and then started an IV with several medicines. I was a mess – swollen, hives, rash, etc….but, within a couple of hours of treatment I was much much better. I walked out of the hospital very sleepy [Benadryl via IV will do that] but feeling much better.

The point is - If things are difficult for you now, don’t despair. They can turn around faster than you think. Just trust the Lord through your situation and you might be surprised at how much better things will get. You may not get all of your questions answered right away, but be thankful for the favor of God when it shines in your life.

Lamentations 3:17-24

¹⁷ My soul has been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is. ¹⁸ Then I thought: My future  is lost, as well as my hope from the LORD. ¹⁹ Remember  my affliction and my homelessness, the wormwood and the poison. ²⁰ I continually remember [them] and have become depressed. ²¹ Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope:

²² [Because of] the LORD‘s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. ²³ They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! ²⁴ I say: The LORD is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him.

An ER visit is no fun, but it did reinforce some Biblical truths in my life.