The Way To Stay Free

Today’s Bible readings are Deuteronomy 33:1-29, Luke 13:1-21, Psalm 78:65-72, & Proverbs 12:25

Luke 13:1-5

About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. ² “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? ³ Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. ⁴ And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? ⁵ No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”

Why is it that we like to compare the sin in our lives to somebody who we think has greater sin? I believe the answer is so that then we don’t feel the condemnation that comes with sin. We all know what it is to experience condemnation.

When we do wrong there is always that heavy conviction that follows. Many times, if we continue in the things that we are convicted about, that conviction can turn into a heavy sense of condemnation. We can become so enslaved to the things that we are now condemned about that we find ourselves in a very vicious cycle of sinning, followed by great condemnation.

Other times, we may enjoy the things that we know are wrong. That was the case for me when I use to use drugs. I knew it was wrong. I was often convicted about the way I was living, but I wanted to still live that way. I still found pleasure in my sin. It was very easy for me to find temporary relief from the guilt. I just looked for somebody who was worse than me & convince myself that I was ok because I wasn’t as bad as them.

What I found to be true in my life was that I could find temporary relief from shame this way, but it always came back. I always ended up feeling very ashamed of my life. I found myself so trapped & depressed. It was all I knew so I just kept on sinning & trying not to be as bad a sinner as some others. This was such a miserable way to live.

This is what many of the people did during the time of Christ. They thought that because they observed a few of the religious laws that it made up for the areas that they were missing it in. They convinced themselves that they weren’t as bad as others. The problem being is that at the end of the day they still went to bed with the same shame & condemnation that they woke up with.

No matter how hard they tried to be good, or to be better than others in an attempted to lighten the shame, it NEVER TOKE AWAY THE GUILT & CONDEMNATION. It stilled remained & they were still in bondage.

Jesus came this day & spoke the greatest truth on this matter. He said that repentance was the answer. This was a new concept that would lead into a new way of doing things. Instead of dealing with external stuff; the sin, Jesus was making the way to deal with the real issue; the heart.

Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of action. It is truly a work of the Holy Spirit. He brings us to a place where we see the option of repentance. When we surrender & repent, we are saved. Then the most remarkable thing happens. God’s Spirit comes into us & brings with Him all the grace of heaven so that we can live free from the sin that once held us captive.

We live free from sin by staying in a state of repentance. What I mean by that is this: once you turn from sin to God; NEVER LOOK BACK AT THE SIN!!! This is the part of repentance that is not taught. We tell people to turn but that is it. People need to know that once they have turned, don’t turn back.

1.      Don’t look back to the sin.

2.      Keep your eyes of Jesus.

3.      The way to stay free from the sin is to stay focused on Jesus.

A lot of time we want to talk about our sin. We want to talk about our struggle against it. There is never a struggle when our eyes are on Jesus. When we are facing Him we are free from the struggle. The struggle comes when we start to look back at the sin. We start to turn back the other direction. Now we are torn. The sin begins to pull at us. The same is true if we stay turned toward God; He will continue to pull at us. This is the path to victory.

I want to remind you what Jesus said:

 

John 8:36

³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.

You are as free as you will ever need to be the moment you turn to Christ. Stay facing Him. We lose when we turn away & start looking back. Don’t focus on the sin. Focus on the One who saved you & freed you from it. That is where freedom is found & that is how freedom is maintained.

Pastor Richard Schlotter

HOW TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE PREPARED

Today’s Bible readings are Deuteronomy 32:28-52, Luke 12:35-59, Psalm 78:56-64, & Proverbs 12:24

 

Peter asked a question that many people need to consider. He wanted to know who this teaching about the return of Christ applied to. Jesus gave an answer that should stir all of our hearts. It is an answer that should be as an alarm for some of us. Jesus made it clear that teaching was for any who would be a faithful follower of His.

A lot of people put off the truth of preparedness because they think that it doesn’t apply to them. They try to convince themselves that Jesus is not going to come during their life. Many fall into the thinking that it doesn’t matter how you live as long as you believe. I want to say that neither of these are truth. They are lies that deceive many.

Let me ask you a quick question. If preparedness doesn’t matter then why did Jesus speak to us about it so often? If it doesn’t matter, then why does He caution us about it so many times? The fact is that it does matter. We must be ready for His return each & every day.

As I become more aware of the things going on around the globe today, I get an ever increasing feeling that He is coming very soon. He will soon gather up the church. I also get an ever increasing heaviness inside because I know that many in the church ARE NOT READY.

There are so many who have fallen asleep. They are full of bitterness. They pay attention to the world & not the things of the kingdom of God. I am asking each person reading this to consider the reality that Jesus is coming soon.

I want to share with you 3 things that will help keep you in a prepared state of mind.

1.      Continue in prayer.

Prayer really is the key to being prepared. As we pray we hear from the heart of God. Anybody who is listening can hear Jesus saying that He is soon coming. As we hear Him speak t our spirit it also motivates us to do what He His asking.

There may be sin in our lives that He is asking us to walk away from. There may be ministry that He is asking us to do. There may be forgiveness that He is asking us to extend. As you hear Him through prayer be quick to follow Him, even in the smallest of things.

Make no mistake about it; we are in a war with darkness. Prayer is the main arena in which we do our battle. The enemy has caused a great many in the church to fall asleep. As a result, we are losing the battle in many areas. As we wake up to the reality of His return it will push us into a place of great passionate prayer. This is when we will start to take ground.

Prayer is to the spirit what coffee is to the body. It is a stimulate. It causes us to be energized & focused. It keeps us awake when others are asleep. It makes us come alive when others are lethargic.

2.      Be a person of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is important because it keeps our heart right. I have seen a great many people lose their focus by losing their thankfulness. They soon become bitter & mean. The love that they once had waxes cold. They no longer care about serving in the kingdom. They no longer care about reaching out to the hurting. They begin to find fault in everything. They constantly complain & pick at everything around them. They have no respect for their leaders. They become filled with anger & resentment. DON”T MAKE THIS MISTAKE!!!

Thankfulness is a choice. We chose each day to be a person of thanksgiving. There are many opportunities each day for us to practice thankfulness. We have to be intentional about this. Make it your aim to refuse to be a person who complains & finds fault. These are the 2 quickest things that will take us out of thanksgiving & into a critical spirit.

3.      Be a soul winner.

Nothing keeps us more focused on eternity & His return like soul winning. Be passionate about the lost keeps us sensitive to the His return. It is knowing that He will return that motivates us to share Him with others. It is keeping His return in perspective that will keep us reaching out when others stop.

These things really feed on each other. The more we stay focused on His return the more motivated we are to share Him & the more we share Him the more we will stay focused on His return. They work together as complimentary pieces.

I believe that the one things that really proves how focused we are on His return is this:  how focused are we on reaching the lost?  This one thing is the dividing line between those who are really watching & waiting & those who just say they are.

I hope that today will be a day that you consider these things that we are discussing. There are so many signs that speak in agreement with what I am saying. My prayer today is that the church will open it’s eyes to the nearness of His return. It is time for us to stable our weak stance in these 3 areas. It is time to put our hand back to the plow.

You have an opportunity to choose a new direction today. Choose wisely in Jesus name.

Pastor Richard Schlotter

Does God Really Want To Help Me?

Today’s Bible readings are Deuteronomy 31:1-32:27, Luke 12:8-34, Psalm 78:32-55, & Proverbs 12:21-23

Luke 12:32

³² “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.

Of all the things that people have an opportunity to be worried about, material things seem to be the one that comes up most often. We all have needs that we can stress over. Whether it is clothes for our kids, food for our families, bills that need paid, debts that we have acquired; we all know what it is to be concerned about trivial things.

I know that it never seems trivial when the need is before us. In fact, if you have ever had somebody tell you it is trivial, you probably didn’t appreciate it. But in the light of everything that God has promised us, it is all pretty trivial. Listen to what Jesus said about this matter:

Luke 12:22-23

²² Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. ²³ For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing.

Jesus is making a distinct point between what people in the world think like & what He desires His disciples to think like. Jesus doesn’t want us to be consumed & worried about these things. When we are worried about these things they keep us from being effective for Him in the kingdom. We become so absorbed by our needs that we can be of no service to others. He wants more for us than that. He wants us to have the blessings that come from being generous to others. He desires for us to have the joy that comes from giving.

We don’t need to worry about tomorrow. We never have to fear what is before us. We absolutely know that whatever happens, HE WILL MAKE A WAY FOR US! He will never abandon us. He will never leave us begging for bread in the streets.

I love the encouragement that Jesus gives to us.

Luke 12:32

³² “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.

This is such a wonderful aspect of who our Father is. He finds joy in giving us His kingdom. My wife & I were recently on vacation. We had such a wonderful time. One of the things that we found such pleasure in was getting gifts for our kids & family members. We spent a whole day walking & searching the markets & places of business looking for the perfect gift for our loved ones. It was such a joy to search for the things that would bring joy to them.

This is how our heavenly Father is toward us. He delights in giving us His kingdom. We need to get an image of that in our spirit. God wants to share His kingdom with us. He is more than willing to give us what is in His kingdom. Just as Kelly & I were overjoyed as we gave gifts to our loved one, our Father takes pleasure in the prosperity of His people. Let me just tell you today that God is not selfish. He wants to share with you. He is never bothered by you coming to Him for His help.

Let us look at a few things that are part of His kingdom that He delights in giving us.

1.      Health

2.      Wealth

3.      Soundness of mind

4.      Peace

5.      Joy

6.      Power

7.      Strength

8.      Hope

9.      A bright future

10.   Wisdom

I want to challenge you today. Instead of worrying about things, why not pray instead? Maybe instead of complaining about what you don’t have, try thanking God for what you do have. Instead of rehearsing the problem over & over in your mind, why not start to speak God’s promise of provision? I ask you to do your best to remember that it gives your Father pleasure to bless you & extend His kingdom to you. Open your heart & receive.

Pastor Richard Schlotter

Making the inside clean

Readings today are Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20, Luke 11:37-12:7, Psalm 78:1-31 and Proverbs 12:19-20

Making the inside clean.

Luke 11:37-41

³⁷ As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table.³⁸ His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom. ³⁹ Then the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and wickedness! ⁴⁰ Fools! Didn’t God make the inside as well as the outside? ⁴¹ So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over

 

Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees when he made this statement, but it also pertains to us.  Sometimes we can let the wickedness of this world into our hearts.  It happens a little at a time.  Gradually at first like maybe we miss a Wednesday night, then maybe a Sunday morning, or maybe work shifts changes and you can’t make it to church like usual and instead of making it a different time you justify not going.  Maybe it’s children schedules. Maybe we don’t read our bible and stop spending time in God’s presence and pretty soon we are right back to the place we started,  angry, full of greed and wickedness.   The list can go on and on and be very different for each person, but if we are not in God's presence we will wind up lost in the darkness. 

Today take the time to love God, spend time in his presence and ask him to forgive you.  He will take you back.  He will restore your heart and give you peace.  We went to watch our young people from Chosen perform at the Fine arts Festival Saturday, and the song they performed spoke of a young girl who was pulled away from Jesus by the cares of this world, and how Jesus stood waiting for her to return.  The young girl found her way back to Jesus protection and love it was so awesome. Jesus is waiting for us to come back to him.  Come back to him today.

Kelly Schlotter