Our Timeless Creator

  This Sunday night message is an explanation of what Jesus was saying when He told his disciples in Matthew chapter eight, “become as little children”.  What did that mean?  Most take it for granted that Jesus was referring to the second birth but in the context Jesus continues with humbling yourselves.  This connects back into the disciple’s question of who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

  People have a natural desire to feel good about themselves to feel a sense of accomplishment or a sense of value from all they have done.  They want to believe they have earned a higher position on the social ladder because of their talents and accomplishments.  This is a matter of pride and this is why Jesus responded with, “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven”, but there is more to becoming like a little child than trying to humble yourself.  First there is the problem of a clear path to humility, and second is how to attain humility without being proud of your accomplishment.

  The statement of becoming like a little child is about a quality that little children possess naturally; so it is not about what they have it’s about what they don't gain until reaching the age of accountability. 

Salient Points: Responses to God, Doing things for God, Proving your own works, Context or pretext, Back to little children, Trusting, Easily taught, Humility, No revival, Just doing your duty, The simple bus test, Guile, Lost innocence, Enamored by God, Misunderstanding scripture, An epiphany, By their fruit, Desiring to accomplish, Leprosy and sin, A believing heart, Doing what we are told, When Jesus honored disobedience, A permanent change, Trouble from God, Eat and drink to God’s glory, Desiring to please God.

Scripture: Lk. 17:1-19, Heb. 11:6, Mt. 26:6-13

Special Thanks,
Images courtesy of;  Hubble Telescope, Nassau, Space Science Telescope Institute and the James Webb Space Telescope that include selected scriptures from the public domain version of The King James Bible. The availability of STScI materials on this website does not imply the endorsement of STScI or by any STScI employee of any private use of such materials, including, in particular, any commercial use and any use intended to mislead. For more information please visit our Copyright Information page by clicking here. 

  This continues with the study of how to prove that the work we do for God is actually what he wants us to be doing instead of what we think he wants.

  We make choices when purchasing gifts based on what we think the receiver will like but sometimes it becomes a disappointment to both the giver and receiver.  That is why God has made a provision for us to find out from him if we are truly doing what he wants and the way he wants it done.

  When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit they gained the knowledge of good and evil and through that we believe that if we do good, everything will be ok when we meet God, but we have learned from the Bible that all have sinned and no matter how hard we try we can’t get rid of our sin without asking Jesus to remove it.  The belief that we can live good enough is what King Solomon was talking about when he wrote Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

  It is natural to believe in ourselves, to think that we are right about what makes sense to us, especially when we are obviously doing good things.  The problem is not with what we are doing, like buying a gift, but rather is it the right gift and are we buying it for the right reason.

  We can do many things in God’s name that we will feel good about, but are they God’s choice or ours?  According to Romans 12:1-2, they may not be, so God has given us a way to be sure and prevent a major disappointment after we meet Him. 

Salient Points: Children of light, Body vs Soul, Living sacrifices, All about God, A source of frustrations, Acceptable, Self serving people, Prove your expectations, God’s proof for us, When we focus on us, Focused on sin, Where are the messages on proof, Fruit inspection, Supernatural fruit, The yoke of bondage, From desire to duty, Confidence in numbers, The joy of serving, Godly men, Living honestly, Distracted by need-method-quality-demand-results, Becoming critical, Corrupt communications, Real joy, In the Spirit, Changing the focus from love into quality, Working for the wrong reason, Grieving the Spirit.       

 Scripture: Rom. 12:1-2, Eph. 5:1-2,6-10, Gal. 5:1-22 

Special Thanks,
Images courtesy of;  Hubble Telescope, Nassau, Space Science Telescope Institute and the James Webb Space Telescope that include selected scriptures from the public domain version of The King James Bible. The availability of STScI materials on this website does not imply the endorsement of STScI or by any STScI employee of any private use of such materials, including, in particular, any commercial use and any use intended to mislead. For more information please visit our Copyright Information page by clicking here. 

  This continues with the well known verse in Romans that tells us that we may prove that what we are doing for God is actually what he wants us to be doing.  God has told us that our ways are not his ways and neither are our thoughts his thoughts.  That is why he told us there is a way to make sure that what we are doing here actually  pleases him, instead of finding out after it is too late.

  It has been said “that time spent in preparation is seldom wasted”.  This has been proven true by many who prepared poorly or not at all.

  The story of ten virgins in Matthew 25 is a warning of how important it is to make proper preparation.  Their error was not that they hadn’t prepared but rather they hadn’t considered beyond their own opinion of how long they would have to wait.  They trusted in what they believed to be an adequate supply.  This is exactly why we are given an opportunity to obtain proof directly from God instead of trusting ourselves or other people.  Eternity is much too important to trust ourselves to choose what, or who to believe.

  In asking several pastors and teachers how can we actually prove the will of God I have yet to find anyone who knew how to or had even been curious enough to try to find out.  The answers are in this series just as God gave them. 

Salient Points: What’s important, Different ways, Selfish desires, The last days, Shocking truths, Drawn to the Giver, Focused on God, Not of necessity, All about me, Giving cheerfully, Why do you do it, Getting closer to God, Who motivates you, For the rewards, The opportunity to prove our service, Need to verify, Proof from God, Good works, Feeling good about serving, Martha or Mary, Acceptable, Numbering your works, Who are we following, Alone at the judgment, Serving in jeopardy, Serving with joy, Pushed by duty or led in joy, Feeling the opportunity, Focus on people, How do you really know, Faith vs duty, Focused on numbers or love, Relief from duty, When God gives proof of our efforts, Laboring for rewards or serving in passion.      

Scripture: Rom. 12:1-2, Mt. 26:6-13, Rom. 14:1-4, 16-18 

Special Thanks,
Images courtesy of;  Hubble Telescope, Nassau, Space Science Telescope Institute and the James Webb Space Telescope that include selected scriptures from the public domain version of The King James Bible. The availability of STScI materials on this website does not imply the endorsement of STScI or by any STScI employee of any private use of such materials, including, in particular, any commercial use and any use intended to mislead. For more information please visit our Copyright Information page by clicking here. 

  This continues with Martha vs Mary and then begins to look at why we should be proving whether the things we are doing in serving God are actually what God desires us to do.

  No doubt that Martha believed with her whole heart that she was doing God’s perfect will even to the point that she pressed Jesus to make Mary start helping her.  I submit there are many pastors that believe just as passionately as Martha did that they are right without looking for any confirmation from God.

  We all believe that everything we do in the name of God is for him and in his perfect will.  If we had any doubts we would take God more seriously and act on Romans 12:2 where we are told: “...that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”.   

  We think that if we are doing what our pastors tell us to we must be doing  God’s perfect will, but Proverbs 12:2 tells us: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death”.  That is our conscience showing us right from wrong.  It also leads us to believe that if we follow it, everything will come out all right, but we also know that in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned”, and that even if we had followed our conscience we would still die as sinners. 

  In Isaiah 55:8 we are told, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD”.  That’s why we should be proving that what we are doing is actually what the LORD wants.

  I find it curious that in over 65 years of Bible preaching I have never heard a message on how to prove any of the three wills of God that he has given the opportunity to have proof of.

  It makes me wonder if it’s due to ignorance of how to prove it, or the confusion it might produce in members who may get a different answer from God.  Either way "fore told is fore warned".       

Salient Points: Choosing gifts, Choosing for God, Duty, Renewing your mind, Books vs the Bible, Drawn to God, Spirit taught, Motivated by need, Giving to gratify self, Your choice vs God’s, Working to accomplish others plans, Dependability, Your church vs God’s, Singing stars, The unknown future, Working the pastors plan, Made for God, Prove God’s will, Missing God’s pleasure, Knowing God better, Good-Acceptable-Perfect, Judging the fruit, Love vs service, Serving without knowing, Serving for self benefit.  

Scripture: Lk. 10:38-42, Rom. 12:1-2

Special Thanks,
Images courtesy of;  Hubble Telescope, Nassau, Space Science Telescope Institute and the James Webb Space Telescope that include selected scriptures from the public domain version of The King James Bible. The availability of STScI materials on this website does not imply the endorsement of STScI or by any STScI employee of any private use of such materials, including, in particular, any commercial use and any use intended to mislead. For more information please visit our Copyright Information page by clicking here. 

  This message starts a series that studies why Jesus scolded Martha while she was just asking for help in serving others, but praised Mary while she sat and did nothing to help. This doesn't make sense to our way of thinking but instead of realizing that Jesus must have had a good reason, and ask God for understanding we just slide past it with barely a thought. 

  One of the truly great admonitions in the Bible is James 1:22, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves". We treat this much like someone smoking who sees a sign saying NO SMOKING but continues to do so anyway. The sign reminds them of something they know they should act on, but they are living in a quandary, knowing they should stop but lacking the motivation, so they continue on deceiving themselves.

  People do what they do for one of three reasons, “They see a need, They are shown a need or, They are threatened.”  If a doctor says stop smoking or you will have incurable cancer within a year, and then die in just months after that, some will take the doctor seriously while others will say, that's just an opinion.

  The difference for believers is that God doesn't give us an opinion, He shows us truth.  The Scriptures are for us to act on but we treat them as suggestions. We don't take God seriously because we feel no eminent threat.

  Jesus told us of the Rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16 to make it clear that the things we do now make a permanent difference, there are no do-overs.  He has given us all a choice, we can realize there is a need to take action or choose to continue as we are and believe anything we want.  The wise man will build his spiritual house on by acting on the word.           

Salient Points: Non believing hypocrisy, Trusting in a disaster, Prayers against God’s will, The last church, Here for God not self, Messages not preached, But someone must do it, Missing the meaning, Living beyond now, Attention on self, What God wants us to understand, Applying understanding, It’s all for God, The yoke of bondage, Separated by sin, Real freedom, Bound by works, In awe of God, Ye did run well, Recognizing God’s hand, How important is sin, Distracted, Not here for self, Created with understanding, Considering God, Cumbered about, Keeping God in church, Where is God, Why this way, Taking God seriously, Praying against God, By their fruit.   

Scripture: Lk. 10:38-42, Gal. 5:1.7-9, Mt. 10:38-42 

Special Thanks,
Images courtesy of;  Hubble Telescope, Nassau, Space Science Telescope Institute and the James Webb Space Telescope that include selected scriptures from the public domain version of The King James Bible. The availability of STScI materials on this website does not imply the endorsement of STScI or by any STScI employee of any private use of such materials, including, in particular, any commercial use and any use intended to mislead. For more information please visit our Copyright Information page by clicking here. 

  This starts with how others can use our desires and affections to help them gain their objectives, then on into how churches can do the same things, many times without realizing it.    

  Jesus said in John 14:15 “If ye love me keep my commandments”.   he is saying that what is in our heart is most important.  Or put another way, why we do what we do is what he is interested in.  He put it on the basis of love because love creates a desire to please.  A birthday gift received at a party from a guest is different than a gift from a loving parent.  Other gifts may be more impressive or more expensive but one given because of love is given with a pure motive.  That’s why gifts for no special occasion are the ones remembered the longest.             

Salient Points: Ever felt used, Ever made God feel used, Faith promise, Tithe, Give it all, Only partly appreciating salvation, Redirecting appreciation, Growth isn’t a steady progression, Promising the unknown, Fundraising, Where is the light burden, Can you out give God, Doing all for God’s glory, What does God want back, By their fruit, Swapping members, Selling the church, Forgetting the big picture, Refocusing on the great Creator, Godliness, When you are all about God’s business, It shall be sin, Let them give, Not of necessity, Not grudgingly, Focused on the work, Impressing God and others, Troubled about many things, Someone needs to do it. 

Scripture: Du. 23:21-23, 2Cor. 9:7 

Special Thanks,
Images courtesy of;  Hubble Telescope, Nassau, Space Science Telescope Institute and the James Webb Space Telescope that include selected scriptures from the public domain version of The King James Bible. The availability of STScI materials on this website does not imply the endorsement of STScI or by any STScI employee of any private use of such materials, including, in particular, any commercial use and any use intended to mislead. For more information please visit our Copyright Information page by clicking here. 

  This starts with several illustrations of how people use each other, some intentional, some unintentional and also how we use our family without realizing it.  Then it moves on to the pertinent question, have you ever made God feel used.  There are many places in scripture that tell us about how God feels when we try to use Him, but they are seldom noticed.

  We have the same idea about God that children have about their parents.  Parents are providers, protectors, rule makers, law enforcers and educators that love us, but instead of returning that love with a sense of appreciation we circumvent their efforts and get away with what we want in secret.  Making matters worse, our nature is one of rebellion that manifests itself when we don’t get what we want.  We become sullen or peevish to show our displeasure with those in charge.

  God deals differently with us than our parents and especially those who become born again into His family through the miracle of salvation.  His purpose in giving us freedom is to expose our will.  Will we choose what He wants or what we want?  This was the choice God gave Adam and Eve and the one gives each one of us daily.

Salient Points: Conmen, Will work for food, Left paying the bill, Using others, Using spouses, The hungry drunk, Who controls the TV, Making God feel used, Existing for His pleasure, Making deals with God, No fear of God, Excuses, Moral character has disappeared, The Angel of the Lord, You can’t fool God, We can’t anticipate God’s responses, What makes a difference to God, Vanity of vanities, When God says be quiet, Who are we, We don’t understand how important salvation is, What God keeps secret, Paul’s thorn in the flesh, Being in awe of God, It’s not to make us feel bad.  

Scripture: Ecc. 5:2-7

Special Thanks,
Images courtesy of;  Hubble Telescope, Nassau, Space Science Telescope Institute and the James Webb Space Telescope that include selected scriptures from the public domain version of The King James Bible. The availability of STScI materials on this website does not imply the endorsement of STScI or by any STScI employee of any private use of such materials, including, in particular, any commercial use and any use intended to mislead. For more information please visit our Copyright Information page by clicking here. 

  This message considers local evangelical church ministries and how they differ one from another.  They all have a basic theme of living to a higher standard, following biblical guidelines, proclaiming the eternal difference it will make if we follow its leadership and also encourage members to serve God, but something has changed.  In the recent past when someone died, people would comment that “he has gone to meet his maker”, but not any longer.  We have ceased to perceive God as our Creator and think in terms of being our supernatural benefactor.  The one to get help from when we have needs or desires that are beyond our abilities.

  The first thing we read in the Bible is, “God created the heaven and the earth” and then it goes on to detail each day of creation.  Further on it says, “The earth is the LORD'S, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein” Ps. 24:1.  When we perceive God as our Creator it changes everything.  We become aware that we are created beings that are allowed to enjoy what God has created for himself; but only during our lifetime.  Our existence is an incredible gift, which we take for granted like a child born into a rich family.

  A great change takes place when we realize who we are and why we are here. We become more aware of where we are and start seeing the world as the magnificent place that God made to house mankind.  In the same way that a rich child would view the parents who have provided all the luxuries they had access too.  This leads to a new appreciation for their provider and slowly they see their surroundings not as their property but a result of the parent’s hard work.  After this life begins to have a higher purpose than just the three basic instincts of; Self Gratification, Self Propagation and Self Preservation and we begin to appreciate the Creators genius and his purpose for it all.  It also changes our service from duty into desire and it becomes a joy to follow the will of the one who has given each of us a chance of living eternally with him.

Salient Points: The way God wrote His book, Churches with different personalities, What your church makes you think about, What motivates you to serve, Taking credit for your work, The most predominate Old and New Testament Saints, What made them predominate, Living daily in God’s reality, Seeing God as the Creator of everything not just the provider, Where God wants our focus, Distracted from our purpose, Fulfilling God’s desire.

Scripture: Mt. 5:13-17, 1Sam. 17:32-37, 2Cor. 12:1-5 Psalm 145:1-5

Special Thanks,
Images courtesy of;  Hubble Telescope, Nassau, Space Science Telescope Institute and the James Webb Space Telescope that include selected scriptures from the public domain version of The King James Bible. The availability of STScI materials on this website does not imply the endorsement of STScI or by any STScI employee of any private use of such materials, including, in particular, any commercial use and any use intended to mislead. For more information please visit our Copyright Information page by clicking here. 

  This message continues to expose the reason that people believe the theory of evolution.  It also considers how that in the last days the seventh and last church age, as mentioned in Revelation chapter three, truly born again believers can actually make God feel sick in their service for Him.

  God gave us freedom and conflicting conditions to expose our will.  Even though we know intellectually how brief our lives are, we have a sense of importance and believe we are smart enough to decide what to believe.  Then we pursue our course of action and our pride forces us to continue to think we're right.  If we face opposition we defend our choice.  If the choice proves to be a mistake we make excuses, and deflect the responsibility to unknown circumstances or to other people.

  The reason that Adam and Eve made the decision they did was a lack of information.  Had they understood all the results, no doubt they would have denied their desires and gone on to live by faith in God’s instructions. We are all just as vulnerable.  We have only a vague idea of the results of our choices and so we continue to follow our desires until it is too late.

  The greater problem is that in these last days knowledge has increased exponentially and there is less experience to help us decide wisely.  Making matters worse a large portion of the knowledge that we gain is intentionally false, just like Satan’s instructions to Eve.  This brings us back to God's plan, to live by faith in Him and His instructions, or trust ourselves to decide, even if it means trusting other people to instruct us in what they believe. 

Salient Points: The Church’s narrowed focus, A lack of wisdom, The last church age, Recognizing God’s handiwork, Redirecting the church’s focus, God’s spoken creation, The shallow reality of God, Why God isn’t more real, A superior fifth grade reading, Making God sick, Where is the passion, A complete creation, The McGuffey Reader, Charles Darwin, Science falsely so called, The origin of life, Not heeding God’s warnings, Formed by God, Just enough knowledge to live by faith, A single warning, afraid to live by faith, Limited information, God has shown us enough to believe, Designed for us to live by faith, Changing truth into a lie, The church’s fear of science, Taking the comfortable path, The only knowledge that removes pride.  

 Scripture: Psalm 145:3-4, Rom. 1:14-23

Special Thanks,
Images courtesy of;  Hubble Telescope, Nassau, Space Science Telescope Institute and the James Webb Space Telescope that include selected scriptures from the public domain version of The King James Bible. The availability of STScI materials on this website does not imply the endorsement of STScI or by any STScI employee of any private use of such materials, including, in particular, any commercial use and any use intended to mislead. For more information please visit our Copyright Information page by clicking here. 

  This considers the churches’ silence concerning evolution, which has allowed children to be turned away from the truth and taught vain imaginations by non believers.  It also shows how God turns people over to a reprobate mind when they reject his truth and draws a connection between the genius of the Creator and the creation we have around us. 

  God works with us by giving us enough truth to live by faith and then if we follow his rules, he enlightens our understanding so that the truth becomes obvious to us.  The proof of this statement is known by those who have been born again and experienced it.  Nothing can be passed on from one person to another by explaining it.  It is impossible to communicate the feeling of a burn or the taste of food they must be experienced.  This is how God works privately with each person, and that’s how we give account of ourselves at the judgment, as individuals who have exercised their free will.

  A preacher once said, “The worst thing God can do to a person is leave them alone”.  This always ends in disaster just as it did for Adam and Eve.  When we choose to believe something it shapes and controls us even to the point of self destruction.

  Our very nature is one of pride, making us vulnerable to Satan’s influences.  In the book of Job, chapter forty one, when speaking of Satan it reads, “he is a king over all the children of pride”.  Pride allows Satan a monarch’s power over us and we become unreachable by truth or logic, or even love.  The only hope for those who have chosen unwisely is for the Spirit of God to intervene by showing them some amount of truth that conflicts with what they have believed before.        

Salient Points: No fear of God, Hiding truth, Eliminating God, The nonconfrontational church, Experience vs education, Living aircraft, God made it all for His pleasure, A glimpse of God in nature, When the blind lead the blind, The nature’s obedience, Vain imaginations, The modern lukewarm church, Considering the Sparrow, Independent airfoil control, Feathers stronger than steel, Scales evolved into feathers, Understanding God through His creation, The airframe of birds, Efficient digestion, Being intimidated by false science, A reprobate mind, Learning truth vs lies, Unreachable people, Brooding spots, Knowledge imparted by the Creator, Learning to fly, Irreducible complexity, Design vs accidental existence, The desire for knowledge, Penguin eggs, Stunt flying, The longest land bird flight, Miraculously designed.

 Scripture: Psalm 145:3-4, Gen. 1:20-23, Rom. 1:19-23 

Special Thanks,
Images courtesy of;  Hubble Telescope, Nassau, Space Science Telescope Institute and the James Webb Space Telescope that include selected scriptures from the public domain version of The King James Bible. The availability of STScI materials on this website does not imply the endorsement of STScI or by any STScI employee of any private use of such materials, including, in particular, any commercial use and any use intended to mislead. For more information please visit our Copyright Information page by clicking here.