JOY SUCKERS. THIS TERM WAS USED BY DR. CHARLES SWINDOLL MANY YEARS AGO. IT'S A TERM THAT DESCRIBES PEOPLE IN A CHURCH WHOSE AGENDA IS TO CRITICIZE THE WORK OF A MINISTRY-WITHOUT KNOWING THE WHOLE STORY OF A PARTICULAR DECISION OF LEADERSHIP. IT ALSO DESCRIBES A PERSON WITH JUST A PLAIN OLD CRITICAL SPIRIT WHO SOURS A ROOM-KINDA LIKE A BAD ODOR-THUS REVEALING THE STINKY ATTITUDE LEAKING OUT FROM THE SAME PERSON.

PASTOR STEVE PRICE LISTS WAYS TO DEAL WITH THESE PEOPLE THE RIGHT WAY.

MANY CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN LIVING A RELIGIOUS LIFE ACCORDING TO TRADITION OR MAN'S RULES. GOD, IN HIS GRACE CAME IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST TO FREE US FROM SIN'S PENALTY AND BRING US INTO HIS REALM OF WALKING IN GRACE. GOD TELLS US TO “GROW IN THE GRACE AND IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.” EITHER WE ARE WALKING, BY FAITH, IN HIS GRACE OR WE ARE STILL BLIND, WALKING AFTER THE TRADITIONS OF MAN. WHEN WE ARE WALKING IN THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE WE SEE THINGS (AND PEOPLE) AS JESUS DOES.

IN THIS BIT OF SCRIPTURE FROM LUKE, PASTOR STEVE PRICE TEACHES ON JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH DEALING WITH HEALTH ISSUES WITH THE LOCAL PEOPLE. WE READ OF A MAN DESTROYED BY LEPROSY AND OF A MAN WITH PALSY. THE MAN WITH PALSY, BECAUSE OF HIS FRIENDS-THE MEN WHO BROUGHT HIM TO JESUS IN SPITE OF THE ODDS-IS OUR FOCUS OF STUDY HERE-WE WORK TOGETHER AS A BODY.

PASTOR STEVE PRICE WILL BE GOING TO THIS TOPIC ON THE LAST SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH. THIS TOPIC MANY CHRISTIANS DO NOT UNDERSTAND. HERE PASTOR STEVE EXPLAINS HOW WE, AS CHILDREN OF GOD ONCE SAVED, HAVE THE ABILITY TO LIVE ON A DIFFERENT PLANE THAN WHERE WE ONCE LIVED. THIS IS NOT A LOFTY GOAL OR IDEAL-IT IS A LIFE GIVEN TO US OF CHRIST LIVING OUT HIS LIFE IN US. NO LONGER CAN WE EXCUSE OURSELVES FROM THE ON-GOING DEFEAT THIS WORLD, THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL ONCE CONTROLLED. JESUS, AS A MAN, LIVED IT BY FAITH AND SO CAN WE. IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO LISTEN TO THIS A FEW TIMES BEFORE IT SINKS IN.

PASTOR STEVE PRICE DRAMATIZES THE ROLE OF JOSEPH, THE HUSBAND OF MARY AND PARENT OF JESUS, THE CHRIST.

IN THIS THIS NARRATION OF THE JOURNEY OF MARY AND JOSEPH, PASTOR STEVE BRINGS TO LIFE THE REALITY OF THIS LONG TREK TO BETHLEHEM FROM NARARETH TAKING PLACE WAY BACK 2,000 YEARS AGO-A TIME WITHOUT ANYTHING WE HAVE IN OUR WORLD TODAY.