We often think that the world is different today than in biblical times. That is not necessary the case. Our text was written while Paul was in prison. He was writing to a church that was in a culture of wickedness and immorality. The world at that time was ruled by Nero. As corrupt and vile as our world is, it pales in comparison to what was found at that time. Paul writes to a church that lived in a culture like ours; where truth, morality, respect and purity did not have much significance. From his prison cell, Paul encourages the church at Philippa to do right not for the fear of being caught, but rather because doing right is what God wants of us. The things Paul mentions mattered then, and still matter today. Paul was not looking for a retreat from an evil word, but for sanity in an evil word. One translation of our finally as used in our text, is "This still needs to be said." The concepts stated in Philippians 4:8-9, were relevant in 100 AD, and they are relevant today. One commentator said of our text, that this is a paragraph of mental health. These concepts will help us lead a healthy life. When Bro. Hughes considers this verse, he is reminded of the power of human thought. Thoughts cannot be seen or measured, however there is nothing more in life that affects us than our thoughts. our thoughts determine weather we succeed or fail. They determine if we live in joy or sorrow. Restoration begins with thoughts. If we can turn it around in our mind, we can turn our life around. The human ind is the battle ground of the soul. That is why the devil fights our mind, because that is where the victory is won or lost. Paul gives us the ingredients of a power filled life. Paul's words are not there to "just keep in mind". The Greek indicates that he meant to FILL our mind with these things. He is saying "You will do best when you fill your mind with these.” These things still matter: Truth, Honesty, Justice, Purity, Loving Kindness and reputation.

We often think that the world is different today than in biblical times. That is not necessary the case. Our text was written while Paul was in prison. He was writing to a church that was in a culture of wickedness and immorality. The world at that time was ruled by Nero. As corrupt and vile as our world is, it pales in comparison to what was found at that time. Paul writes to a church that lived in a culture like ours; where truth, morality, respect and purity did not have much significance. From his prison cell, Paul encourages the church at Philippa to do right not for the fear of being caught, but rather because doing right is what God wants of us. The things Paul mentions mattered then, and still matter today. Paul was not looking for a retreat from an evil word, but for sanity in an evil word. One translation of our finally as used in our text, is "This still needs to be said." The concepts stated in Philippians 4:8-9, were relevant in 100 AD, and they are relevant today. One commentator said of our text, that this is a paragraph of mental health. These concepts will help us lead a healthy life. When Bro. Hughes considers this verse, he is reminded of the power of human thought. Thoughts cannot be seen or measured, however there is nothing more in life that affects us than our thoughts. our thoughts determine weather we succeed or fail. They determine if we live in joy or sorrow. Restoration begins with thoughts. If we can turn it around in our mind, we can turn our life around. The human ind is the battle ground of the soul. That is why the devil fights our mind, because that is where the victory is won or lost. Paul gives us the ingredients of a power filled life. Paul's words are not there to "just keep in mind". The Greek indicates that he meant to FILL our mind with these things. He is saying "You will do best when you fill your mind with these.” These things still matter: Truth, Honesty, Justice, Purity, Loving Kindness and reputation.

Greater Life Church

Greater Life Church

Our text is one of the most interesting miracles recorded in scripture. Most of the miracles recorded were ones of compassion and healing. This miracle is difficult to understand until we understand why it was done. All of the men involved in this story would eventually play a great part in the future church. When Jesus spoke to them, they had failed at their effort of fishing. These were men who were professional fishermen, and they had failed at that job. This miracle demonstrates to us what can happen by simple obedience. Simon did not try to understand what Jesus was doing or why He ask what He did, he simply obeyed. This was early in the ministry before Simon or any of the others had been called. Jesus ask Simon to launch out a little. Simon obeyed and received a miracle because he had obeyed the simple thing. He gave God an opportunity. If he had not pushed out a little, there would have been no launching out into the deep. God will ask a little thing of us to set up a great work. He is asking a little thing: open our heart to Him. A small thing: worship Him. Miracles begin with the simplest things. Failure is not final with God. If we will launch out a little, He will put us in a place to receive a great drought of blessing. Launching out into the deep begins with pushing out a little. Even though they had toiled all night and failed, Simon Peter subjugated himself to Jesus and obeyed. Nevertheless at thy word.

Our text is one of the most interesting miracles recorded in scripture. Most of the miracles recorded were ones of compassion and healing. This miracle is difficult to understand until we understand why it was done. All of the men involved in this story would eventually play a great part in the future church. When Jesus spoke to them, they had failed at their effort of fishing. These were men who were professional fishermen, and they had failed at that job. This miracle demonstrates to us what can happen by simple obedience. Simon did not try to understand what Jesus was doing or why He ask what He did, he simply obeyed. This was early in the ministry before Simon or any of the others had been called. Jesus ask Simon to launch out a little. Simon obeyed and received a miracle because he had obeyed the simple thing. He gave God an opportunity. If he had not pushed out a little, there would have been no launching out into the deep. God will ask a little thing of us to set up a great work. He is asking a little thing: open our heart to Him. A small thing: worship Him. Miracles begin with the simplest things. Failure is not final with God. If we will launch out a little, He will put us in a place to receive a great drought of blessing. Launching out into the deep begins with pushing out a little. Even though they had toiled all night and failed, Simon Peter subjugated himself to Jesus and obeyed. Nevertheless at thy word.

Living for God does not exempt us from trouble or human problems. Neither does it exempt us from many other disastrous things that happen in life. It rains on the just and the unjust alike. In our text says evil tidings. This phrase conjures up all sorts of frighting and bad things. When faced with the news of the day, it is easy to become overwhelmed. The best of men have to endure evil tidings. In such times, some men run to many things: drugs, alcohol and panic. Many doubt God in such times. Our text speaks of one who is not phased by evil tidings. No matter how dark or foreboding the times, the man in our text is undeterred. We see a man that despite the forces against him, he remains faithful, prayerful and trusting in the Lord. The man described in Psalm 112 is one to pattern ourselves after. This man has found a secret to troubled times. Bro. Hughes offers the answer to dealing with evil tidings and dark times. He said said "He shall not fear evil tidings, because his heart is fixed." Translators have offered different interpretations for the word fixed; settled, prepared, suited for the times, unalterable, set in his mind. All of these are good traits. Psalm 112 describes a man who is in control when the enemy comes at him from every direction. He was fixed in his heart. Courage is the byproduct of a fixed heart. People who are not fixed in their heart are unstable. Many people in the world have great blessing and talent, but they are unstable because their heart is not fixed.

What are some areas of life where we need to be fixed? We are a child of God, so we have a duty to act like a child of God. When we wake up in the morning, we should not have to question if we will be nice. We don't have to ask if we will be fair. We should not have to ask if we will compromise our principles to get along. That is all fixed. We do not lay aside who we are when the times are tough. The second area in which we need to be fixed is our knowledge. What we know is not up for discussion. The truth is the truth, and the situation of the world does not change the truth. We must not question in the dark what God showed us in the light. In times of stress and turmoil, we must not question what God told us while we were in our right mind. We must be fixed in what we know. We know that God is faithful. We know that God is merciful. We know than God will not put more on us than we can bear. Finally we must be fixed in our resignation. I have resigned myself to God. We must surrender all to God. When God told Abraham to offer Issac as a sacrifice, we do not read where he tried to negotiate with God. He simply obeyed. Abraham was resigned to God, and he did not pull back from that commitment. It is important that when we face trouble that we not try to negotiate with God or forget our promise to Him. We must not take back what we have committed to Him. Many have made promises to God during times of trouble, that when the trouble was over, they tried to re-negotiate with God. We must have a fixed heart when it comes to being resigned to Him.

Living for God does not exempt us from trouble or human problems. Neither does it exempt us from many other disastrous things that happen in life. It rains on the just and the unjust alike. In our text says evil tidings. This phrase conjures up all sorts of frighting and bad things. When faced with the news of the day, it is easy to become overwhelmed. The best of men have to endure evil tidings. In such times, some men run to many things: drugs, alcohol and panic. Many doubt God in such times. Our text speaks of one who is not phased by evil tidings. No matter how dark or foreboding the times, the man in our text is undeterred. We see a man that despite the forces against him, he remains faithful, prayerful and trusting in the Lord. The man described in Psalm 112 is one to pattern ourselves after. This man has found a secret to troubled times. Bro. Hughes offers the answer to dealing with evil tidings and dark times. He said said "He shall not fear evil tidings, because his heart is fixed." Translators have offered different interpretations for the word fixed; settled, prepared, suited for the times, unalterable, set in his mind. All of these are good traits. Psalm 112 describes a man who is in control when the enemy comes at him from every direction. He was fixed in his heart. Courage is the byproduct of a fixed heart. People who are not fixed in their heart are unstable. Many people in the world have great blessing and talent, but they are unstable because their heart is not fixed.

What are some areas of life where we need to be fixed? We are a child of God, so we have a duty to act like a child of God. When we wake up in the morning, we should not have to question if we will be nice. We don't have to ask if we will be fair. We should not have to ask if we will compromise our principles to get along. That is all fixed. We do not lay aside who we are when the times are tough. The second area in which we need to be fixed is our knowledge. What we know is not up for discussion. The truth is the truth, and the situation of the world does not change the truth. We must not question in the dark what God showed us in the light. In times of stress and turmoil, we must not question what God told us while we were in our right mind. We must be fixed in what we know. We know that God is faithful. We know that God is merciful. We know than God will not put more on us than we can bear. Finally we must be fixed in our resignation. I have resigned myself to God. We must surrender all to God. When God told Abraham to offer Issac as a sacrifice, we do not read where he tried to negotiate with God. He simply obeyed. Abraham was resigned to God, and he did not pull back from that commitment. It is important that when we face trouble that we not try to negotiate with God or forget our promise to Him. We must not take back what we have committed to Him. Many have made promises to God during times of trouble, that when the trouble was over, they tried to re-negotiate with God. We must have a fixed heart when it comes to being resigned to Him.

None of us are here by accident. God has a purpose in every life. God has a divine plan, and a divine purpose for each of us. There are challenging situations in life. How we react to these situations can have eternal implications. In our text, the men that were sent to scout out the land, their observations had a great impact on them and future generations. The land was everything that God said it would be. There were however, somethings about it that He did not tell them. The inhabitants of that land were large and well fortified. The scout's perspective of what they saw effaced their lives and the lives of those around them and generations to come after them. Their report had a great impact in the nation of Israel. Two of them said "we are well able" The other 10 saw defeat. These men left a legacy. The two who were optimistic were allowed to enter the promised land. The other 10 doomed themselves and their generation to die in the wilderness. Their outlook affected many. The two knew that if God would bring them to it, He would deliver it to them. The two were remembered for their faith. The others for their doubt. Each of us is writing a legacy. What legacy are we leaving? Is it one of faith or one of doubt? Are we believing God's word, or are we doubting. Are we fulfilling God's plan, or are we frustrating it? What will be your legacy?

None of us are here by accident. God has a purpose in every life. God has a divine plan, and a divine purpose for each of us. There are challenging situations in life. How we react to these situations can have eternal implications. In our text, the men that were sent to scout out the land, their observations had a great impact on them and future generations. The land was everything that God said it would be. There were however, somethings about it that He did not tell them. The inhabitants of that land were large and well fortified. The scout's perspective of what they saw effaced their lives and the lives of those around them and generations to come after them. Their report had a great impact in the nation of Israel. Two of them said "we are well able" The other 10 saw defeat. These men left a legacy. The two who were optimistic were allowed to enter the promised land. The other 10 doomed themselves and their generation to die in the wilderness. Their outlook affected many. The two knew that if God would bring them to it, He would deliver it to them. The two were remembered for their faith. The others for their doubt. Each of us is writing a legacy. What legacy are we leaving? Is it one of faith or one of doubt? Are we believing God's word, or are we doubting. Are we fulfilling God's plan, or are we frustrating it? What will be your legacy?