We are excited to announce some new features to the blogsite. As more and more readers are viewing from foreign countries we have added the translate feature to the site. Our readers can also now choose to have the blog emailed to them, and they can search the blog by keywords on various topics. We hope that this makes the site more manageable for you. God Bless.

Hear current audio messages by Pastor Scott Burr at:
http://sermon.net/dayspringchurchag

Thursday, December 9, 2010

“Making Communion Personal”

(part 2 of 2)

“Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.”
John 6:53-56

On hearing this, many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed him. Turning to the Twelve he asked them, “Do you, too, want to leave?” Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy one of God.”

As I meditated on this passage I was struck by this thought: “How you respond to the blood and body of Jesus Christ determines your eternal future.” As I read the context of this event I found three responses to the blood of Christ that are revealed to us between the Passover and the Crucifixion. The difficulty of Christ’s teaching was centered around “What YOU do with the blood and body of Christ when it is before YOU.”

Do you receive it by faith as did the Twelve. Jesus closest disciples determined at the Passover to receive it by faith. They recognized Him as the Holy One of God and put their trust in Him. However, not everyone was willing to do so.

After the Passover meal Jesus went out to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. It is there He is arrested and eventually brought before Pilate the governor. Pilate questions Jesus, but finds nothing by which to charge Him. Pilate’s wife, after being troubled in a dream, pleads with Pilate to release Him. However, because of the uproar being created by the crowd Pilate determines to wash his hands of the situation. It was the custom for the governor to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. He puts Jesus and a criminal by the name of Barabbas before them. He then asks them to choose. They choose Barabbas. When asked what to do with Jesus, they reply “Crucify him!”

“When Pilate saw that he we getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hand in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”

Matthew 27:24

Like many people today, Pilate attempted to wash his hands of the responsibility of Christ’s blood. By his actions, he made a decision. A decision with eternal consequences. For Jesus said, ““I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

By ignoring Jesus Christ’s sacrifice we make an eternal decision to remain separated from the life of God.

The third response to his blood is found in Matthew 27:25:

“All the people answered, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”

This is just blatant rejection of Jesus Christ. They did not ignore Him, but rather they willfully rejected and vocally opposed Him. They were not trying to wash their hands of it, but rather dip their hands in it!

How then will you respond to the blood and body of Christ? Jesus presented Himself on the cross 2,000 years ago. It is now personal! YOU must decide how you will receive Him. Will you receive Him by faith as the Holy One of God? Will you refuse to take responsibility? Or will you blatantly reject Him? Your eternal future rests on your decision!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

“Making Communion Personal”

Part 1

“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”
Matthew 26:25-29

What does communion mean to you? In all the times you have participated in the Lord’s table have you ever made a “personal connection” with Christ, or have you simply been going through the exercise of receiving the elements. The more I read about it, the more I am convinced, that communion was never intended to be formalized, but rather personalized. Not personalized in that it is changed to fit each individuals needs, but rather “made personal” by the people receiving it.

Communion was personal to Christ. As He took the bread He said… “Take and eat; this MY body.” When He lifted up the cup he said… “Drink from it, all of you. This is MY blood of the new covenant.” Jesus was painfully aware of what He was about to face. Later, that very evening, He would anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane praying… “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:44 tells us that he would pray so earnestly that his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Communion was more to Jesus than a tiny piece of broken bread and a little cup of juice.

Do you take it personal? Taking it “personal” is more than just understanding that the bread represents Christ’s body and the fruit of the vine represents His blood. In John 6 the people who were following Jesus asked him:

“What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”
John 6:30-31

What I found interesting was that these people had never seen manna, tasted manna, or experienced it. They knew what had been written about it, but by their own admission it wasn’t a personal experience for them… “Our FOREFATHERS ate the manna.” “He gave THEM bread from heaven.” They wanted Jesus to do something similar for them. Jesus responded to them by saying:

“I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
John 6:32-33
They cried out to him saying… “From now on give us this bread.” What Jesus would say next would challenge them to the very core of their beliefs:

“Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up a the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.”
John 6:53-58

On hearing this, many of Christ’s followers said: “This is hard teaching. Who can accept it?” and from that time on many of them turned back and no longer followed Him. It had become too personal for them!



Pastor Scott Burr http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, November 18, 2010

“Where Are You?”

I was surprised recently, while I was browsing on YouTube, by how many videos are posted of people who are driving around lost. I began to think that if there are that many posted videos…how many people get lost and don’t post it? How many people are we passing everyday who are lost?

You see, we are not lost because we don’t know where we came from. We are not lost because we don’t know where we are going. Lost is not knowing where we ARE along the way! Have you ever left home to go somewhere and somehow along the way ended up someplace that is unfamiliar to you. I think we have all been unsettled, to some degree, from time to time from being lost. Spiritually we all have a similar story. We all started from the same place- steeped in sin, separated from God and we all have a desire to reach the same eternal destination-heaven. However, not everyone makes it.

Fortunately for us, Jesus has a heartbeat for lost people:

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

Luke 19:10

Jesus was man who understood how easy it could be to get off course. In John 8:14 Jesus said:

“I know where I came from and where I am going!

Jesus knew that He had come from God and was returning to God (John 13:3). Yet, along the way there were plenty of opportunities for Him to get off track. In John 6:15 some wanted to take Him by force and make him king. Although it wasn’t His time. In Luke 4:28-30 we read how some wanted to kill Him prematurely before He finished His work. Satan even tried to get Him off track in Luke 4:5-8 by tempting Him with the kingdoms of this world. Taking any of these paths would have kept Jesus from His final destination.

Let’s face it, it doesn’t take much to get us off course. Just ask a ship’s navigator how a 1 degree miscalculation can affect the destination of a vessel on a long voyage.
Jesus said in John 14:6:

“I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

To deviate off that path even 1 degree will leave us far from our eternal destination.

The problem is people don’t like to admit to being lost. Daniel Boone once said: “I have never been lost, but I will admit to being confused for several weeks.” As humorous as that may be, there is a sobering reality, for those who deviate from the path, found in Proverbs 14:12:

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”

Take time today to determine where you are on your spiritual journey. Are you still on course? Have you deviated from the path? Jesus is the Way, the Truth and Life. You must keep in step with Him if you are going to reach your eternal destination!




Pastor Scott Burr http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, November 11, 2010

“That Your Faith Not Fail”

(Part 3 of 3 )

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Hebrews 11:6

Satan knows that “without faith it is impossible to please God.” And so, he uses events, circumstances and weaknesses (like a sieve) to separate us from our faith.
This type of an attack by Satan is not unique to the apostles. It is a tactic that Satan has employed since the earliest of times. If fact, one such instance is recorded in one of the oldest books of the Bible- the book of Job. In the book, God puts forth Job as a righteous man, to which Satan protests saying:

“Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

Job 1:9-11

So God gave Satan permission to test job. Satan began by sifting Job of his possessions. First the Sabeans attacked and carried off Job’s oxen and donkeys. Then fire from heaven fell from the sky and burned up Job’s sheep. Later, the Chaldeans attacked and carried off Job’s camels. Then, tragically, Job’s children are killed when a mighty wind collapses the home they are all inside. However, even after losing so much Job maintained his integrity:

“At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

Job 1:20-21

In all of this Job did not lose faith, so Satan returned asserting that Job would not be so blameless if he didn’t have his health:

“Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has for his own life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

Job 2:4-5

So God gave Satan permission to inflict Job with painful sores from the top of his head to the soles of his feet. All Job could do was sit and scrape himself with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes. Things got so bad that even Job’s wife asked him: “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!” Yet Job refused to give up his faith. He told his wife in Job 2:10... “Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?”

Finally Job was placed in the sieve of contention. When Job’s friends came, under the guise of friendship, they began to mock, criticize and ridicule Job for bringing this calamity upon himself. Instead of encouraging him and building him up, they each took turns tearing him down. Yet, in the midst of this contention, Job declared:

“Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.”

Job 13:15

Satan had sifted Job of his wealth, health and closest relationships, but he could not get separate Job from his faith! Satan does not care if you are rich or poor, healthy or sick, surrounded by friends or lonely! Many of you are facing some very difficult and pressing times right now. Like Job it seems that Satan has sifted you dry, but when the tossing and shaking are over, if you hold on to your faith… you win!

Pastor Scott Burr http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, November 4, 2010

That Your Faith Not Fail

(Part 2 of 3 )

“Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered. He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.”

Luke 22:35-36

Jesus, recognizing He was on the verge of His crucifixion, again, attempted to convey to His disciples the intense changes that were about to take place. Prior to this, when they had walked with Him, they had lacked nothing, but soon He would be crucified. Soon they would no longer have Him “physically” there to rely on. Soon, they would have to learn to walk by faith.

In this passage, He is encouraging them to make provision for what is about to take place:

“It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”

Luke 22:37

Peter’s response was abrupt and forceful, as he swore his undying allegiance to Christ promising to go to prison and even die for his Lord. Jesus, however, knew precisely what Peter would face and prayed that his faith would not fail. Jesus warned them that they would soon face a great sifting. In ancient Israel, a sifter was used to separate the wheat from the rubble. It was placed in the sifter and shaken aggressively causing the wheat to fall through and the debris to remain within the sifter. Jesus uses this analogy to explain to His disciples what was about to happen to them. Satan was about to sift them as wheat. His objective? He would put them in the sifter and aggressively shake them in an attempt to separate them from their faith.

Satan knows that “without faith it is impossible to please God.” And so, he uses events, circumstances and weaknesses to separate us from our faith. In Peter’s case, he used Peter’s pride to sift him. Peter had proclaimed, “I will go to prison and death with you!” He was certain that even if all the rest of the disciples fled, he would stand strong. Later, when Peter is confronted by a servant girl outside the home of the high priest, Peter begins to deny that he even knows Jesus. When the rooster crowed at daybreak he recalled Jesus’ answer to his boasting:

“Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
Luke 22:34
Peter’s story serves as a reminder that we face a real enemy who desires to separate us from our faith. Peter and the disciples were not immune to it. In fact, Jesus warned them it would come. What, then, is separating you from your faith? Are you trapped in the sieve of poverty, sickness, wealth, ambition, unbelief or unforgiveness? And, if so, how do you overcome?


Pastor Scott Burr http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, October 28, 2010

“That Your Faith Not Fail”

(Part 1)

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Luke 22:31-32

Jesus is eating the Passover meal with His disciples, when in the midst of the feasting He announces that one of them is going to betray Him. Before long they began questioning among themselves which of them it might be, which then led to a dispute, among them, over who was the greatest. As they bickered among themselves, Jesus weighed in and said to them:

“The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Luke 22:25-30

Up to this point in their walk with Christ, the disciples had faced very little opposition. They had stood by Jesus in His trials, but they had not yet tasted the bitterness of persecution. In fact, the times Jesus had sent them out (prior to this) had been amazingly fruitful as they preached the gospel, healed the sick and cast out demons. Luke 10:17 tells us that:

“The seventy two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.”

Jesus cautioned them though that this would not always be the case. In Luke 5 when Jesus was asked why His disciples did not fast like the Pharisees and John’s disciples He relied:

“Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken and then, in those days, they will fast.”

Luke 5:34-35

Jesus was about to “leave the earth” and in doing so would confer the Kingdom to His disciples. So He equipped them with the authority of His name and the power of the Holy Spirit to assume the spiritual responsibility of spreading God’s Kingdom in the earth. They were about to eat and drink at “His table”, but not the banqueting table, instead they would be introduced to the table of suffering. When James and John desired to sit at His right and left hand in the Kingdom, Jesus said:

“You don’t know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”

Matthew 20:22

They both answered: “Yes” and Jesus responded:

“You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right and left is not up for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

Matthew 20:23

He had been trying to prepare them for what was going to be the biggest spiritual shock of their lives.





Pastor Scott Burr http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment

(Part 2)


“When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.”
John 8:7-9

Like this woman, there are many people who are afraid to approach Christ because they are fearful of being condemned. They approach Jesus the same way the priests would approach the Ark of the Covenant. They would enter once a year, with fear and trembling, beyond the veil to make atonement for sin; fearful of being struck down as they placed the blood on the altar. However, as the woman caught in adultery stood there in her shame Jesus straightened up and asked her:

“Woman where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

John 8:10-11

The good news today is that God in His great love made a way for us to come to Him and receive mercy. We can now enter the inner sanctuary, behind the curtain. We enter by a new and living way, opened for us through the curtain, that is Christ’s body. Jesus went before us into the Holy Place on our behalf and made atonement for sin.

“He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.”

Hebrews 9:12

We can now draw near to God with full assurance of faith. He desires for us to come to Him. He is not waiting to condemn us, but rather waiting to extend His precious mercy toward us if we will come in humility.

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Hebrews 4:16

Maybe you need God to do something in your life that you don’t deserve. You, yourself, created the mess you are in, either by ignorance, willful disobedience, rebellion or unrestrained sin. Your marriage is a wreck because you were unfaithful. Your finances are a mess because you were a poor steward. Your kids are running wild because you were disengaged. Your without a job because you were chronically late. Like the adulterous woman, you have no defense for your actions. All you can do is repent and throw yourself on the “mercy” of God. Can I tell you, that is precisely where God wants to meet you. He wants to meet you in the place of mercy. His Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross for our sins. Through the blood of His Son, God made a way for us to approach Him to receive mercy. The Judgment Seat of Christ is very real, but it holds no fear over those who have come first to the mercy seat…because mercy triumphs over judgment.




Pastor Scott Burr http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, October 14, 2010

“Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment”

(Part 1)


“But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. Now what do you say?”

John 8:1-5

The Pharisees had once again skillfully manipulated the situation in an attempt to trap Jesus. They waited eagerly to hear what Jesus would say. Would he reject the Law of Moses and give them a basis for accusing him? Would he agree that she must be stoned and position himself with the other religious leaders of his day? What would he have to say in the face of this woman’s blatant sinfulness?

As he stooped down to write on the ground they kept pressing him for an answer, questioning him, and prodding him to take a position. And although they were wanting to “know” for all the wrong reasons, there stood among them a woman who, too, was anxiously waiting to hear what Jesus had to say! This woman was a sinner. These were not fabricated charges. She had been caught in the act of adultery. She had willfully and knowingly transgressed God’s Law. She was well aware that if she was ever caught, it meant she would be stoned to death. She makes no defense for her actions. The Pharisees seized the opportunity and dragged the woman before Jesus for judgment.

All of this played out in the Temple Courts where just a few hundred feet away was the Holy of Holies. At one time, the Holy of Holies had housed the Ark of the Covenant. Inside the Ark was the very Law of Moses to which the Pharisees had made reference. It was here that the High Priest would enter ,once a year, to make atonement for the people. The blood was applied to the lid of the Ark, known as the Mercy Seat. It is the place where God promised to meet them:

“There, above the mercy seat between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.”
Exodus 25:22

The mercy seat depicts for us how mercy and grace overshadow the Law. Judgment and death were the penalty for sin, but mercy could be found through grace and faith in the blood. God established the mercy seat as the place He would meet and commune with His people. It was the place where sins were atoned and redemption imparted. God desires to meet us in a place of mercy where He can extend His grace toward us.

Here in the Temple Courts Jesus straightened up and said:

“If anyone of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

John 8:7

He did not minimize the severity of her sin. Nor did He trivialize the weightiness of the Law. Rather, He chose that His first encounter with this woman be at the mercy seat rather than the judgment seat. God never brings people to judgment without first extending His hand of mercy.


Pastor Scott Burr http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Remaining In Christ

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the Word I have spoken to you. Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
John 15:1-4

It’s important to notice that it is the “branch” that must bear fruit. Never do you read where the gardener “cuts” or “prunes” the vine to make the branches bear fruit. The vine has already demonstrated and proven to the gardener it’s ability to give life. So any lack of fruit bearing is not on the vine side. So what must a branch do to enjoy a fruitful life?

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be me disciples.”
John 15:7-8

God’s Word is life blood to the branch, just as blood coursing through my veins is life to my body. My arm is like a limb. It is attached to the trunk of my body. The blood passes from my heart, located in the trunk, to my arm ensuring life to the limb. If you cut off blood circulation to my arm, eventually my arm will wither. Cut yourself off from God’s Word and eventually you will wither. God’s Word cleans us and keeps us pruned. Hebrews 4:12 describes God’s Word like this”

“For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

We will wither like an arm with no blood flow, if we do not allow God’s Word to ebb through every corner of our lives. However, remaining in Christ is more than just remaining in His Word. It is also remaining in His love!

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.”

John 15:9

Jesus is very specific about what that entails. He tells us in verse 10 that: “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s command and remain in His love.”

Just as my arm needs life-giving blood flowing to it to make it viable, my arm must also be exercised! If you fail to use your arm, even with proper blood flow, your arm can still wither and become unusable. Remember fruit is the outward testimony of a life connected with Jesus. This outward evidence in manifest in our obedience to God’s Word. As we live out the Word, that is flowing through us, we demonstrate our love for God. By exercising God’s Word in our lives, we reveal ourselves to be friends of God.
“You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
John 15:14-16

God recognizes the fruit that is born out of the vine. As the master gardener, He can identify what fruit is being born out of a life connected to Jesus and what fruit is being born out of a connection to something else. Matthew 7:17-20 declares:

“Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit . Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

God’s desire for us is to bear good fruit. Fruit that will last. You can live a fruitful life if you remain in His Word and remain in His love.





Pastor Scott Burr http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, September 23, 2010

He Set Eternity in Our Hearts

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

Ecclesiastes 3:11

There are some preachers, when they speak, who are so convincing that in one moment you can feel the breath of heaven and in the next moment feel the flames of hell. There are some authors who can write so vividly that you can almost see the streets of gold that pave the heavens and subsequently hear the “troubled screams” of those confined to the deepest parts of hell. There are some singers whose voices and lyrics can move us to experience tremendous joy at the prospect of seeing Jesus face to face and then bring us to tears as we consider being separated from God for all eternity.

But even with the amazing gifts and talents that God has given us to use to communicate eternal life to those around us, I have found that “death” is far greater at causing men to stop and consider eternal life than any preacher, author or singer. Death has an uncanny way of getting people’s attention. Even those who have managed to steer clear of church, religion and the Bible can’t seem to escape the message that death brings to the table.

God has set eternity in our hearts! We have been hard-wired by God to look beyond the grave. The writer of Hebrews describes it this way:

“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country- a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”
Hebrews 11:13-16

It is because we have been hard-wired by God for eternity that so many people believe in life after death. Life beyond the grave is universal among cultures and religions. As Christians we may not believe in a paradise with 70 virgins, a happy hunting ground, or reincarnation, but each of these differing cultures and religions has embraced the fact that there is more beyond the veil of death. Which according to scripture is a good thing:

“It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man, to living should take this to heart.”

Ecclesiastes 7:2

Consider these words of wisdom for a moment. How often do we consider eternity when we are “splashing around at the water park with our family”, or “enjoying a night out with friends”. However, how often is eternity considered when we are seated in the house of mourning. Death stirs us to consider our eternity!

I can’t tell you how often, at or after a funeral, I will hear someone ask… “Do you think they are in heaven?” Sometimes it is out of a genuine concern for the soul of the loved one who passed, but most often it is asked out of the uncertainty of their own hearts. It is a good thing to be troubled by death, to have “eternity” stirred up in our hearts. However, we do not have to live uncertain or leave our loved one languishing over our eternal destination. Jesus said:

“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my Word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, he has crossed over from death to life.”

John 5:24

If death is troubling you, maybe God is trying to stir up the “eternity”, that has been set in your heart, so that you can make a decision for Christ that will give you the eternal peace that your soul is longing to receive.




Pastor Scott Burr http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, September 16, 2010

“Silencing the Voice of Intimidation”

(part 4)

“Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord.”

2 Kings 19:14

As Hezekiah heard the voice of intimidation, once again, he had a choice to make. He could try, yet again, to bargain with his enemies; he could put on sackcloth and ashes and mourn in the streets with all the people; or he could come boldly to the throne of God and make his petition known. Hezekiah with the letter from the messengers in hand made his way to the temple of the Lord. He took the letter and opened it before the Lord:

“And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: ‘O Lord, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O Lord, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God.”

2 Kings 19:15-16

Hezekiah took the words sent to him by his enemies and laid them before God. He recounted before the Lord everything that Sennacherib had said to him:

“It is true, O Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste to these nations and their lands. They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by men’s hands.”

2 Kings 19:17-18

Hezekiah then prayed with confidence for God to deliver them so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that “You alone, O Lord, are God.” God is not moved by intimidation! He was not moved by Sennacherib’s threats, the size of his nation, or the strength of his army. God was moved by the faith of Hezekiah…who finally chose to listen to the Word of the Lord rather than the voice of intimidation:

“Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria.”

Isaiah prophesied the downfall of the Assyrian army and King Sennacherib! That night the angel of the Lord put to death 185,000 in the Assyrian camp. Sennacherib broke camp and withdrew to Nineveh where he was cut down with the sword by his own sons in the temple of his god Nisroch.

So what is intimidating you? What is drawing you away from your confidence in God? What is causing you and those around you “on the wall” to fear? What does the enemy keep re-visiting in your life that is creating a stumbling block for you?

Take a moment to write it down on a piece of paper. Then find a place of prayer and spread it out before the Lord and pray with confidence:

“O Lord, my God, maker of heaven and earth. You are God over all the Kingdoms of the earth. Give ear, O Lord, and hear, open your eyes, O Lord, and see; listen to the words that “my enemy” has sent to insult the Living God! It is true, that (what is intimidating me) has created a stumbling block for me in the past and laid waste to a lot of my dreams. I’ve trusted in my own strength and the ability of others, but it amounted to little. So, I turn to You! Lord, deliver me from the hand of my enemy so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that “You alone, O Lord, are God!”

The Word of the Lord will silence the voice of intimidation!


Pastor Scott Burr http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, September 9, 2010

"Silencing the Voice of Intimidation"

(part 3)

“When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes and went into the temple of the Lord. He sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. They told him, “This is what Hezekiah says: This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the point of birth and there is no strength to deliver them.”
2 Kings 19:1-3

How did a man, whose name was associated with a strong trust in God, arrive at the end of himself with no strength and no options? In sackcloth and ashes, Hezekiah’s officials approached the Prophet Isaiah asking him to pray for a remnant to survive the coming onslaught by the Assyrian army. They had resigned themselves to the idea that they were going to be devastated, but the Word of the Lord came through the Prophet Isaiah:

“Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master, “This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard- those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. Listen! I am going to put such a spirit in him that when he hears a certain report, he will return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword.”

2 Kings 19: 6-7

Isaiah directed Hezekiah to stop hearkening to the words of the King of Assyria’s “underlings”. He had received their threats as “reality” and fear had swept over him and all his officials. Isaiah redirected him to consider the Word of the Lord who promised to cut down the King of Assyria with the sword. Hezekiah was further infused with confidence upon hearing that the King of Egypt was marching out to attack the armies of Assyria. However, intimidation is not stymied by an infusion of confidence!

“Now Sennacherib received a report that Tirhakah, the Cushite King of Egypt, was marching out to fight against him. So he again sent messengers to Hezekiah with this word: “Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let the god you depend on deceive you when he says, ‘Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria. Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered?”
2 Kings 19:9-11

Immediately, the field commander struck back with another wave of intimidation and fear attempting to undermine Hezekiah’s new found confidence by re-visiting past successes:

“Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my forefathers deliver them: the gods of Gozan, Haran, Rezeph and the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar? Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sephavaim or of Hena or Ivvah?”

2 Kings 19:12-13

Hezekiah had first hand knowledge of the Assyrians victories. He had seen close up the Assyrian army sweep in and take Samaria and the northern cities of Judah. He had bargained with “intimidation” in the past, and now it was back to collect!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Silencing the Voice of Intimidation (Part 1)

“Silencing the Voice of Intimidation”
(part 1)

“Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with him, he was successful in whatever he undertook.”
2 Kings 18:5-7

What a testimony! How many of you would love to have words, like these, penned in the pages of history about your faith in God? Hezekiah was a man who trusted God, was persistent in his faith, and very successful. However, there was a time in his life where his confidence in God was undermined by the voice of his enemy!

In the fourteenth year of Hezekiah’s reign as King of Judah, the King of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.

“So Hezekiah king of Judah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish: “I have done wrong. Withdraw from me, and I will pay whatever you demand of me.” The king of Assyria exacted from Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.”
2 Kings 18:14

However, this did not stop the King of Assyria from advancing on Jerusalem. The King of Assyria sent his supreme commander, his chief officer, and his field commander with a large army from Lachish to address King Hezekiah. They stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool on the road to the Washerman’s field and called for King Hezekiah to come out. This was a strategic decision. Assyria now controlled the water that was flowing into the city, which meant they could easily lay siege to Jerusalem. So Hezekiah’s officials were forced to go out and meet the commanders of the Assyrian army. Their mission was one of “intimidation”. When Hezekiah’s officials came to the Upper Pool the Assyrian field commander stepped up:

“The field command said to them, “Tell Hezekiah: This is what the great king, the king of Assyria says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? You say you have strategy and military strength- but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me: Look now, you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces a man’s hand and wounds him if he leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him. And if you say to me, “We are depending on the Lord our God”- isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem?”

2 Kings 18:19-22

In a nutshell, the field commander was asking: “On what are you basing your confidence?” Are you depending on your own strength? Are you depending on the strength of others? Are you depending on the ‘Lord Your God’? The ultimate purpose of intimidation is to undermine our confidence in God! It’s goal is to move us away from God causing us to seek safety, provision, and protection from another source.


Pastor Scott Burr http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

"Stand Firm in Your Faith"

“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.”

Isaiah 7:9b

I was gripped during my devotion, earlier this week, by this verse found in the book of Isaiah. In the passage leading up to this verse, Judah had come under attack by Rezin- King of Aram and then again by Pekah- King of Israel. Both armies tried and failed to penetrate the walls of Jerusalem and destroy the City of David. Ahaz, son of Jotham, was King of Judah at that time and managed to keep the imposing armies at bay.

Then word came to the king that Aram & Ephraim (Israel) planned to join forces and try again to overpower them:

“Now the House of David was told, “Aram has allied itself with Ephraim”; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.”

Isaiah 7:1-2

Have you ever been shaken? Like Judah, we can usually face opposition and trials, with a measure of confidence, if they come at us “one” at a time. However, when “more” than one comes at us at once we often become gripped with fear. Ahaz faced his opposition successfully when they came at him separately, but now they were coming at him at the same time. Trouble always seem to comes in pairs. We never really face one problem at a time, but usually we get bombarded from many different directions.

In the midst of this, God spoke to Isaiah and told him to go to the king and give him this message:

“Say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm, and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood.”

Isaiah 7:4a

Judah’s enemies wanted to invade them, tear the city apart and divide it among themselves, but God had the final word:

“Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “It will not take place, it will not happen.”

Isaiah 7:7

God promised Judah that within sixty-five years Aram and Ephraim would be too shattered to be a people. He told them to stand firm in their faith and trust Him! If they did not stand firm in their faith, they would not stand at all! He told Ahaz to ask Him for a sign that would signify His faithfulness. Ahaz refused to ask, so the Lord gave Him a sign:



“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Isaiah 7:14

God pointed to the coming of Christ as the sign of His faithfulness. Be encouraged today! Jesus is still God’s sign of faithfulness towards us. Although you may feel as if the enemies that you are facing are going to overwhelm you, God says, “It will not take place, It will not happen.” But you must stand firm in your faith, if you hope to stand at all.




Pastor Scott Burr http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Establishing Ancient Boundary Stones

(part 2)

“Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers.”

Proverbs 22:28

In ancient Israel, boundary stones were seen as immovable markers that established some defined parameters within which they would live. Likewise, as fathers, we too need to establish some principles that are “immovable” in our lives that create a perimeter inside of which we and our families live. We must put in place some rock solid principles that can be communicated and passed down from generation to generation. Principles that we are willing to maintain over the course of time and committed to protect.

In 2 Samuel 23:11-12 we read the story of one of David’s mighty men by the name of Shammah:

“Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field of lentils, Israel’s troops fled form them. But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.”

We read that when the Philistine armies banded together, at a place where there was a field of lentil beans, that Israel fled from them. However, Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field and defended it. He struck down the Philistines and the Lord brought about a great victory. I often wondered, reading that passage, why that field of beans was so important to him. When the rest of the army fled before the Philistines, why would Shammah defend that particular field? In my humble opinion, I believe that the field in which they were standing was his! To Shammah it would have been something worth defending. It wasn’t just a field of beans, but an inheritance. Shammah was willing to die defending that field. The Philistines were trying to encroach on Israel’s territory, but Shammah stood in their way!

We must have boundary stones that we can identify, communicate, maintain and defend or we can be certain that “the world” will attempt to encroach on our inheritance. Let me give you an example of what I mean. If we have no boundary stone when it comes to purity, then the world will attempt to push the envelope on what is appropriate. Nudity, violence and obscene language are common on television today, because the ancient boundary stones of purity were ignored. Adultery, fornication, and homosexuality are rampant today because the ancient boundary stones of purity were left unattended. Unlike Shammah, our enemies did not approach us with a full frontal attack. Rather, they slipped in and moved the stones ever so slightly night after night, week after week, year after year until our inheritance in the land was unidentifiable.

If we hope to secure a spiritual inheritance for our children then we must once again establish, maintain and protect our ancient boundary stones.


Pastor Scott Burr http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Establishing Ancient Boundary Stones

(Part 1)


“Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers.”

Proverbs 22:28

When Joshua entered the promised land, God told Joshua:

“Be strong and of good courage; for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.”

Joshua 1:6 (kjv)

Once Israel, crossed over, and was able to occupy the land. God instructed Joshua to divide the land among the tribes. From there it was divided among clans, families and individuals. Once allotted their portion of the inheritance the men would set up ‘boundary stones’. These ancient landmarks were like survey stakes marking the perimeter of a families inheritance. Boundary stones established inheritance. Without boundary stones, a families inheritance in the land was unidentifiable. Once these ancient boundary stones were established they were to be honored by the Israelites:

“Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone set by your predecessors in the inheritance your receive in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess.

Deuteronomy 19:14

In fact, moving an ancient boundary stone was listed by Moses on Mt. Ebal (Dt. 27:17) as a command that if not followed would invite a curse on them. The Israelites, in many cases, would actually inscribe curses on the boundary stones as a reminder to those who might try to encroach on their property.

Because these boundary stones marked their inheritance, the Israelites had to be diligent about maintaining their landmarks. It would be easy for someone to move them gradually, slowly stealing their inheritance. The responsibility of maintaining these ancient landmarks fell on the fathers. Fathers were given the responsibility of protecting their inheritance.
Without the presence of a father, it was easy to gradually encroach upon and take advantage of widows and orphans:

“Do not move the ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless.”

Proverbs 23:10

There is a story found in 1 Kings 21:1-14 about a man named Naboth who owned a vineyard in Jezreel. It was located in close proximity to the palace of King Ahab. King Ahab fancied how close the vineyard was to the palace and wanted it for his vegetable garden. He approached Naboth about buying the property, but Naboth replied:


“The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”

1 Kings 21:3

Scripture tells us that King Ahab went home sullen and angry. He lay sulking on his bed when his wife Jezebel arrived. She devised a plan and had charges brought against Naboth.
Naboth was accused of slandering “God and the king” and was dragged out of the city and stoned. With Naboth out of the way, King Ahab was able to take possession of his vineyard. 2 Kings 9:26 tells us that in order to ensure that no one would attempt to claim Naboth’s property, Ahab had all of Naboth’s sons killed as well. Without Naboth, the father figure, standing in Ahab’s way, Ahab could easily move the ancient boundary stones.

As fathers we have a huge responsibility before us. We must establish some boundary stones for our families. If we fail to, we will be denying our children access to their spiritual inheritance.




Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Addressing Our Spiritual Enemies

(part 3)

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons that we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

2 Corinthians 10:3-4

To many the tearing down of a stronghold may be an intimidating idea. How do I rid myself of a stronghold in my life, marriage, home or family? How do I confront a spiritual enemy that has set itself up against me, or my family, in opposition to “the knowledge of God”? What are the weapons that Paul is talking about here in 2 Corinthians 10 that I have been given to use?

The first thing that we must firmly grasp is that not only are we equipped to face our spiritual enemies, but we are “authorized” to face them! We have been spiritually deputized by Jesus Christ:

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Matthew 28:18-19


We have been deputized, like the 12 disciples, to preach the Kingdom of God, heal the sick, cure diseases and drive out all demons. In Luke 10, Jesus sends out 72 faithful followers with the same commission who returned to Him rejoicing and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” The badge of authority that we operate under is the “name of Jesus Christ“. Jesus affirmed this in Mark 16:15-18:

“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demon; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people and they will get well.”

I am reminded of the old westerns that my dad used to watch when I was a kid. A group of outlaws would rob a bank and the town marshal would gather up a posse to go after them. However, before they would ride off, he would deputize them. By doing so, they were authorized to act on his behalf and could confront, apprehend and arrest the men they were pursuing. If they had not been deputized, they would have been simply acting as vigilantes because they did carry the authority or backing of the marshal. Each man was often given a small badge that indicated that he carried the authority of and was operating under the covering of the marshal. As believers in Jesus Christ, we operate under the authority and the covering of Christ’s Name! Rooted in that authority we can then lawfully exercise God’s Word and employ the disciplines of prayer and fasting.


Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Addressing Our Spiritual Enemies

(part 2)

“Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?”

Matthew 12:25-26

It is important to understand that not every struggle we face is demonic! Some people seem to believe that every problem they have is caused by the devil. Their car won’t start and they will call it an “attack of the enemy” when, in reality, some standard maintenance would have prevented the problem. Jesus, Himself, did not see a “demon” in every situation. Not every person Jesus healed had to have a demon driven out. Not every person with erratic behavior was demon possessed, some were told to just “stop sinning”! Still, on the other hand, there are those who make no room for the possibility that their struggle is against a spiritual enemy.

The realm of the Spirit is very real and throughout the gospels Jesus repeatedly addressed demonic activity whenever He came upon it. Such is the case found in Matthew 12:22-28, where a man who was demon-possessed was brought to Him. The man, in this instance, was blind and mute because of a demon. Jesus, recognizing this, cast out the demon and healed the man. Needless to say, this caused quite a stir among the people. However, when the religious leaders heard this they attempted to say that Jesus was driving out demons by the power of Satan. This passage of Scripture is significant in two ways. One, it rightly identifies the existence and reality of a spiritual enemy. Jesus makes it clear to us that Satan is real, he has a kingdom, and that demons and demonic activity are a part of his “household”. Secondly, Jesus uses it to educate us regarding a principle that Satan understands and will use against us if we are not discerning of it. He is keenly aware that division proceeds destruction. John 10:10 confirms that Satan’s primary objective is to steal, kill and destroy. He knows that a house divided against itself will not stand, and WILL attempt to “sow division” (through demonic activity) into our homes if given the opportunity. We must be willing to look hard at the struggles we face and acknowledge that they may be spiritual in nature.

Listen to Paul’s counsel to the church in Ephesus found in Ephesians 6:10-12:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms.”

We don’t wrestle against flesh and blood! We are facing a “spiritual” force that is bent on sowing division into our homes, marriages, and families. However, by refusing to recognize it, we may eventually “demonize” our spouses, kids, co-workers, bosses and family perceiving them to be the source of our problems! Through our own ignorance, we have allowed Satan a foothold into our lives. A foothold that he desires to see become a stronghold!

Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Addressing Our Spiritual Enemies

(part 1)

“When the servant of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh, my Lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid.” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servants eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

2 Kings 6:15-17

The King of Aram had sent his troops to capture the Prophet Elisha. God had been revealing the King of Aram’s plans to Elisha and, in turn, Elisha was relaying those plans on to the King of Israel. When the King of Aram found out about it, he sent his army, including his best horses and chariots to the city of Dothan to detain him. When Elisha’s servant woke up the next morning, the place where they were staying was surrounded. They were in a very real, physical dilemma. They were completely surrounded by the Aramean army.

What is significant about this passage of scripture is that, through it, we are made aware of the “spiritual component” pertaining to Elisha’s situation. Where Elisha’s servant was only aware of the “physical struggle” playing out in front of them, it is clear that Elisha was aware of the spiritual.

Like Elisha’s servant, many of us have “carnalized” our problems. We have relegated them to the “physical” while ignoring the spiritual. We have “demonized” our friends, co-workers, loved ones, and spouses; rather than addressing our very real spiritual enemies. We have done in the natural all that we know and care to do, but have largely ignored the “spiritual struggle.”

Jesus was very much aware of and addressed these spiritual struggles on a daily basis. He recognized demonic activity in people’s lives and was not afraid to address it. We see a great example of this in Mark 1:21-28. Jesus is teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum when a man possessed by an evil spirit cried out:

“What do you want with us , Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are- the Holy One of God!”

Mark 1:24

Jesus, recognizing that the man was possessed by a demon, turns to him, commands him to be silent, and then casts the demon out of him. Jesus didn’t try to ignore him, explain him away or even medicate him…He recognized the “spiritual struggle” this man was steeped in and addressed it! We, too, must recognize that the realm of the Spirit is very real and acknowledge that there are spiritual enemies that must be faced!



Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Frustrated by God's Goodness

“But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?”
Matthew 20:13-15

Have you ever gotten frustrated by God’s goodness? In the parable of the “Workers in the Vineyard” a landowner goes out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He finds some men in the marketplace and agrees to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them to his vineyard. A few hours later he went back out to the marketplace and found some more men standing around doing nothing. He offered to pay them “whatever is right” to work in his vineyard. So they went. This happened again around noon and again around three o’clock. Finally, around five o’clock, the land owner went out to the marketplace and found a few more men, who had not been hired, and he sent them as well to work in his vineyard.

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard called in the workers to pay them their wages. Beginning with those he hired last he began to distribute the pay. Those hired around five o’clock were each given one denarius. When the men who were hired first saw this, they expected that they would receive more. But each one of them also received one denarius:

“When they received it , they began to grumble against the landowner. These men who were hired last only worked one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and heat of the day.”
Matthew 20:11-12

Although they had received what was right and fair, not to mention what they agreed upon, they protested against the landowners generosity! Have you ever caught yourself grumbling and complaining when God has chosen to demonstrate His goodness towards someone you believed had not earned it? I am reminded of the story of Jonah. God asked the prophet Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach the gospel to them. Nineveh was an enemy of Israel. Instead of obeying God, Jonah ran. Later, after spending three days and three nights in the belly of a fish, Jonah relented and went to Nineveh. He did precisely what God had asked him to do and the people of Nineveh repented. So God did not bring upon them the destruction He had planned. This, however, made Jonah furious:

“He prayed to the Lord, ‘O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.”
Jonah 4:2
Why is it so hard for us to rejoice with those who are on “the receiving end” of God’s goodness? I believe, it is because, we have adopted an unhealthy attitude of entitlement rather than an attitude of “gratefulness.” We have become sorely selfish, in that we often do not recognize the goodness of God unless it is happening to us. Take the time to rejoice with someone today that God is showing His goodness towards and let’s learn to rejoice over God’s goodness with one another!



Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, May 20, 2010

The Perfect Sacrifice- Accepted by God

(part 2)

“If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer a male without defect. He must present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting so that it will be acceptable to the Lord.”

Leviticus 1:3

Anytime one of the children of Israel brought an offering before the Lord, they were required to bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to be inspected by one of the priests. If the offering was acceptable, then it could be sacrificed to the Lord.

Today I want to encourage those of you reading this article who are NOT living a life that is pleasing to God. You have always felt disconnected from God and have grown to believe that He would not accept you even if you did call out to Him. Can I ask you this question based upon what we have learned from God’s Word: “When the person who sinned brought in their sacrifice, did the priest scrutinize the sinner or the sacrifice?”

In all the passages I have studied, I never read where the priest ever took a sinner off to the side and interrogated him about his level of sinfulness. No, rather he took the lamb and scrutinized “it” to make certain that “it” was acceptable. By coming to the priest with a perfect lamb, the man was declaring to everyone that he was a sinner. He needed to make atonement for his sins and brought what was required to satisfy the law’s demand.

Like the man who brought his offering to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, we too are sinners! Romans 3:23 declares:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Let me share with you what happened to me the day I called out to God. It happened at the First Baptist Church in Princeton, IN. back in December of 1991. Rev. Joe Wilson gave the invitation to those who wanted to receive Christ as the Lord and Savior of their life. I had nothing to bring to God, aside from a sinful life, but I came to the altar anyway. Little did I know, God had already provided a sacrifice for me. As I stood there, I wondered how God, after examining my heart, would ever accept me. Nevertheless, I confessed my sins to God and put my trust in Jesus Christ. At that moment, God peered down from Heaven and rather than scrutinize me, He scrutinized the Perfect Lamb of God (Jesus) and found Him to be perfect!

God found Jesus to be perfect and because “I” had identified myself with “Him“, God accepted me too. I received forgiveness and eternal life with God! I still look back in utter amazement and ponder upon just how much God loves me! God knew that there was nothing I could bring that would make me “acceptable”! In His love, God provided an acceptable sacrifice for me:



“God demonstrates His own love for us in this, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8

We all come to the altar of God as sinners, but God made a way for us through the perfect Lamb of God to be accepted…

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16


You too can put your trust in Him and be accepted into God’s family! Romans 10:9 declares:

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Go to God! Confess your sins! Put your trust in Christ! Live an “accepted” life!



Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

The Acceptable Sacrifice

(part 1)

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
John 1:29

Have you ever stopped to consider just how radical a statement that John the Baptist was making when he made this declaration about Jesus? It was such a magnificent statement that it would have stopped people in their tracks. If John was correct, they were gazing upon a man who was going to do the utterly impossible.

For generations, the Israelites only had one way of dealing with sin. According to Leviticus 4:27-28:

“If a member of the community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, he is guilty. When he is made aware of the sin he committed, he must bring as his offering for the sin he committed, a female goat without defect.”

Leviticus 4 goes on to tells us that the man was to lay his hands on the lamb’s head and slaughter it. The “laying on of hands” was seen as a symbolic transferring of sin to the lamb. Thus the man identified himself with it, and then sacrificed it. The priest then would take the blood of the lamb and put it on the horns of the altar and pour the rest on the base.

“In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.”
Leviticus 35b

This process would be a mammoth daily undertaking. It would take an entire priesthood to pull it off. Daily the people would make their way to the tabernacle with their lambs. The priest would examine each one thoroughly to make certain they were “acceptable” and then receive them to make atonement. For John the Baptist to point to Jesus and say “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” would have sounded too good to be true. The Israelites knew of no lamb that was capable of doing that! They were unaware that their endless sacrifices were but a shadow of things to come:

“The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming- not the realities themselves. For this reason in can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who drew near to worship.”
Hebrews 10:1

That is why Christ had to come into the world. So that by one sacrifice He could make perfect forever those who are being made holy. When Christ came to Calvary, the ultimate brazen altar, it is here that the “Priest of Heaven” examined the sacrifice to make certain it was acceptable. He must be perfect, pure and holy:

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”
1 Peter 1:19




Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

The Testing of Our Faith

(part 2)

“Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things by parable.”

Mark 4:1-2

It is hard to miss the sound of dissatisfaction in Jesus’ voice as He turned to His disciples in Mark 4:40 and declared, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” To better understand His displeasure, we must go back to earlier in the day when He sat with the crowds along the Sea of Galilee.

It must have been a relatively mild day in order for Jesus to have been able to teach from a boat to the eager crowd on shore. He began to teach them, through parables, a Kingdom message regarding the magnitude and importance of the “seed”. The seed in these parables represents God’s Word! He taught them the “parable of the sower” and how important it is that we receive the Word of God in it’s fullness. He shared with them the “parable of the growing seed” and how God’s Word brings us to spiritual maturity. He also explained to them the “parable of the mustard seed” and the extraordinary power that is housed in such a tiny vessel; further demonstrating the power of life that is carried in God‘s Word.

Once He had finished addressing the crowd Jesus turned to His disciples and said: “Let us go over to the other side.” Mark 4:36 tells us:

“Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.”

After a long day, Jesus made His way to the stern of the ship and went to sleep. Did Jesus know the storm was approaching? I personally believe so! Jesus had spent the entire day sowing God’s Word into their hearts. He had equipped them with all the faith they needed to face the coming storm. Romans 10:17 tells us:

“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”

Jesus believed enough in the “Word” that He had sowed into them that He was able to rest knowing that the storm was approaching. He was fully confident that His Word could produce the faith needed to meet any situation!

Can I challenge you today with something? Maybe YOU are in a storm! Perhaps you are facing sickness, divorce, or a loss of income! Maybe you have been feeling like God doesn’t care! You keep waiting on Him to see you in your misery and come and “rebuke” the bad things that are happening in your life. You think to yourself, “I am just going to bail water until it gets bad enough for Jesus to help me.” Or perchance, you are waiting on a special word from heaven, a “revelation” from the Lord, that will help you to make it through.

Is it possible that Jesus has already equipped you? His disciples were equipped with everything they needed to make it through the storm. In fact, they had it with them from the moment they left the shoreline. I think that for many, the answers we are looking for are already within us. We must stop waiting on Him to rebuke the wind and the waves and start believing the Word that has been sown inside of us!




Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, April 22, 2010

The Testing of Our Faith

(part 1)

“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be Still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Mark 4:39-40

Most of us are familiar with this story found in the book of Mark. Jesus and his disciples are crossing the sea of Galilee when a strong storm comes upon them. Jesus is sleeping in the stern of the boat as his disciples are franticly bailing water to stay afloat. In desperation one of the disciples wakes Jesus to ask him, “Don’t you care if we drown?” Immediately Jesus gets up and rebukes the wind and the waves. As the boat slowly settles from being tossed about, Jesus turns his attention to his exhausted disciples whose lack of strength is only matched by their absolute lack of faith.

Most of us have a picture in our minds of what this scene must have looked like. Twelve anxious, freezing, drenching wet disciples bailing water furiously out of the boat as wave after wave relentlessly pounds against them. In the midst of certain chaos, Jesus lay sleeping in the boat’s stern. For a while, I imagine, the disciples were not overly concerned. Some of them were avid fishermen. They knew how to command a vessel in stormy conditions. I am sure they were confident in their own ability to reach the shore. At some point in the night, however, the situation got away from them:

“A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.”

Mark 4:37

Nearly swamped! Anybody out there ever feel like that sometimes? The feeling that you couldn’t take on another ounce of water without drowning. I believe that being “nearly swamped” is a serious spiritual condition. It is the condition we find ourselves in when we fail the testing of our faith.

Upon calming the wind and the waves, Jesus turned to His weary disciples and asked:

“Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Mark 4:40

Most likely, that was not the response they were hoping for! Let’s be honest, after going through an ordeal that almost “drowned” them they were probably expecting more compassion. However, I am going to let you in on a little secret…God does not always respond because He is moved with compassion, sometimes He simply shows mercy on our ignorance. Jesus’ response to the wind and the waves was not motivated by compassion.


In fact, His disciples thought that He was being very uncompassionate because He lay sleeping in the boat beside them. However, Jesus laid quietly in the boat that night, not because He didn’t care about the plight of His disciples. Rather, He lay there resting because He had already equipped them to face the storm.. “earlier that day!”


Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Are You Looking For A Risen Savior?

“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.”

John 20:1-3

Upon hearing the news, Peter and John raced for the tomb. John arrived first, but did not go in. Rather he stooped and looked inside to see the strips of linen lying near the place Jesus had been laid. Arriving shortly after, Peter entered the tomb and found it to be just as Mary Magdalene had told them. The tomb was empty! As I read the story again on resurrection morning, I was struck by this statement found in John 20:9 concerning Peter and John:

“They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.”

After witnessing His death and seeing the empty tomb, they still did not grasp that Jesus was risen! When Mary Magdalene informed them that He was not there, they did not respond as men who were running to meet Jesus! In a parallel passage found in Mark 16, Mary Magdalene, Mary, and Salome encountered a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting inside the tomb. The young man said to them:

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

Mark 16:6-7

It is evident that Peter and John’s faith had stopped at the tomb, because if they had been looking for a risen savior they would have ran all the way to Galilee. That is where Jesus told them He would see them. Many of you, today, have a very similar ‘resurrection morning’ type of faith. You believe that He died! You believe that the tomb is empty, but you are not seeking the risen savior.

You see, it is not enough to have faith in His birth, His miracles, His death on the cross, or an empty tomb. It is “eternally significant”, however, that you embrace His resurrection:

“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.”

1 Corinthians 15:17-19

If our faith stops at an empty tomb, then we are to be pitied as men who have no hope! Peter, one of the men who went looking for an empty tomb later wrote:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead..”

1 Peter 1:3

It is clear from this passage that Peter realized that there was no hope in an empty tomb. He traveled to Galilee and had an encounter with the Risen Lord that forever changed his life. How about you? Have you allowed your faith to bring you to the Risen Lord? Or are you still stuck at the door of an empty tomb?



Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Are You Looking For A Risen Savior?

“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.”

John 20:1-3

Upon hearing the news, Peter and John raced for the tomb. John arrived first, but did not go in. Rather he stooped and looked inside to see the strips of linen lying near the place Jesus had been laid. Arriving shortly after, Peter entered the tomb and found it to be just as Mary Magdalene had told them. The tomb was empty! As I read the story again on resurrection morning, I was struck by this statement found in John 20:9 concerning Peter and John:

“They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.”

After witnessing His death and seeing the empty tomb, they still did not grasp that Jesus was risen! When Mary Magdalene informed them that He was not there, they did not respond as men who were running to meet Jesus! In a parallel passage found in Mark 16, Mary Magdalene, Mary, and Salome encountered a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting inside the tomb. The young man said to them:

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

Mark 16:6-7

It is evident that Peter and John’s faith had stopped at the tomb, because if they had been looking for a risen savior they would have ran all the way to Galilee. That is where Jesus told them He would see them. Many of you, today, have a very similar ‘resurrection morning’ type of faith. You believe that He died! You believe that the tomb is empty, but you are not seeking the risen savior.

You see, it is not enough to have faith in His birth, His miracles, His death on the cross, or an empty tomb. It is “eternally significant”, however, that you embrace His resurrection:

“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.”

1 Corinthians 15:17-19

If our faith stops at an empty tomb, then we are to be pitied as men who have no hope! Peter, one of the men who went looking for an empty tomb later wrote:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead..”

1 Peter 1:3

It is clear from this passage that Peter realized that there was no hope in an empty tomb. He traveled to Galilee and had an encounter with the Risen Lord that forever changed his life. How about you? Have you allowed your faith to bring you to the Risen Lord? Or are you still stuck at the door of an empty tomb?



Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Let the Cross Finish It's Work

“Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified him, and with him two others- one on each side and Jesus in the middle.”

John 19:16-18

American pastor and author, A.W. Tozer, once wrote:

“The man in Roman times who took up his cross and started down
the road had already said good-bye to his friends. He was not coming
back. He was going out to have it ended. The old cross is a symbol
of death. It stands for the abrupt, violent end of a human being…
the cross made no compromises, modifies nothing, spares nothing;
it slew all of a man, completely and for good. It did not try to keep
on good terms with it’s victim. It struck cruel and hard, and when
it had finished it’s work, the man was no more.”

The man who took up the cross was keenly aware of it’s implications. To say the least, this experience would be a life-changing one. The march of death through the streets of Jerusalem to Calvary’s Hill suddenly brought a lot of things into perspective. The old way of life was about to come to an abrupt halt. Jesus was very mindful of where the road heading out of the city would take him. He knew that when the cross finished it’s work-”The man would be no more.”

I am certain that there were many who were shocked to see Him in the procession of criminals that were passing by. The cross was reserved for traitors, thieves and murderers. Jesus, however, was not surprised. In fact, months before His crucifixion, He told his disciples:

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Luke 9:23

He knew precisely the manner of death in which He would die and tried to prepare His disciples for it. Soon they were going to be faced with the reality of the cross. Jesus’ death on Calvary would bring new meaning to the cross. It would become the means of putting an end to the old nature. Calvary would represent death to the old way of living…

“For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.”

Romans 6:7-8

Have you “died” with Him? Have you “died” to the things that He died for? Have you taken up our cross and followed Him? You see Christ finished His work on the cross, but the cross has not finished it’s work in you! If you let the cross finish it’s work, you will no longer compromise in the area of sin. You will no longer be interested in holding onto anything from your “old nature” because the cross spars nothing. You will no longer be interested in being on good terms with sin or anything else in your old life.

Jesus did not go to Calvary so that we could simply memorialize it, take the day off of work and receive communion together. As His disciples He fully expects us to “take up our cross”, follow Him and die to things that He died for. We cannot live with Him if we do not first die with Him. It is time that we come and let the cross finish it’s work in our lives crucifying the old habits, attitudes and relationships that at one time kept us from our Savior.




Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Three Battles We All Must Face

(Part 1)

"After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses aid: 'Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan river into the land I am about to give them- to the Israelites. I will gie you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses."

Joshua 1:1-3

For years the Israelites had heard about the promised land. God had led them out of Egypt, through the Sinai, to the edge of the Jordan River. They were now on the cusp of realizing that promise! Strenthened by God, to cross over, Joshua gathered his officers together and gives them an order that sets up the rest of the story...

"So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: 'Go through the camp and tell the people', "Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will corss the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own."

Joshua 1:10

When I read that, what stirred in my Spirit was this..."What was involved in Joshua 'taking possesion' of the promised land?"

If we are going to see real lasting victory in our lives, we must disassemble our 21st Century idea of 'taking possession'. Let me use an illustration:

A couple of years ago I moved to a little town closer to the church I pastor. I bought my house in September of 2007. I took possession of it in October of 2007. It belonged to me in September, but I didn't take possession right away. When I arrived at my house in late October I found everything to to clean, in order and the old residents gone. I did not have to evict the old residents or run them out. They were gone and everything was in order for me to step into.

Spiritually, for many, when they come to Christ they anticipate that possessing God's promises works the same as taking possession of a home. You arrive and everything is cleaned up, put in order, and the old resident (sin nature) is moved out.

However, what really happened was this: God, through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, secured for us the key to "go in." His promises are fully ours because of the sacrifice of His Son. Nevertheless, WE must take possession of those promises. As Joshua entered the land, the land was fully his, but there were still battles to be fought. In fact, Joshua spent the rest of his life 'taking possession' of God's promised land.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Wrestling With God

Part 2


“When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

Genesis 32:25-26a

As the two men grappled throughout the early morning hours, Jacob struggled to maintain control. Even after his hip had been afflicted, through excruciating pain, Jacob refused to submit. Recognizing Jacob’s resistance the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” In a very real sense the man was saying, “Let me go, I am done contending for you.” Jacob was now forced to make a decision. Jacob could have let him go and moved forward to face Esau without God’s help. He could have, also, stiffened his neck and returned to tend Laban’s flocks rather than face his older brother. Instead, he latched himself onto the Lord and declared:

“I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

Genesis 32:26b

At some point, Jacob realized that he was wrestling with the Lord. Even so, it wasn’t until the Lord was willing to walk away from him, that Jacob grasped the implications of his decisions. He quickly realized that he was no longer wrestling for control, but holding on for dear life! As Jacob now lay clenching the man close to him, the man asks him:

“What is your name?

Genesis 32:27a

God was about to further humble Jacob, by causing Jacob to face himself! In ancient days, a man’s name revealed something about him. Jacob’s name meant heel-catcher, supplanter, schemer, swindler, deceiver. He had supplanted Esau’s birthright and obtained the blessing deceptively. He had been wrestling with his own identity for years. By acknowledging his “name“, he was confessing his shortcomings. It is here that God began the work of restoration in Jacob’s life. He gave Jacob a new identity:

“Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.”

Genesis 32:28

Jacob walked away from his encounter with God a changed man:



“So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.”

Genesis 32:30-31

Be certain of this, that those who wrestle with God walk away limping! They not only have a new identity, but they are visibly different, too. They act different, talk different and pursue different things. They are no longer dependent upon self, but humble themselves and put their trust in God. How long will you wrestle with God?



Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Wrestling With God (Part 1)

“That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.”

Genesis 32:22-24

The story of Jacob and Esau is familiar to most of us, but I will condense the story down for those who may be unfamiliar with it. Twin brothers, Jacob and Esau, were born to Isaac and Rebekah. Esau was the first born. Jacob came out second, grasping the heel of his older brother. The two boys grew up very differently. Esau a rugged hunter. Jacob a shepherd. To say the least, there was contention between the boys, most likely created by Rebekah’s favoritism towards Jacob and Isaac’s favoritism towards Esau. The ill feelings were compounded when Esau lost his birthright to Jacob and later his father’s blessing. The enraged Esau sought to kill Jacob and the younger sibling was forced to flee the country. After many years, Jacob, along with his family are returning to finally face Esau. The Bible says that on the evening before their meeting, Jacob was filled with uncertainty:

“ In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well.”

Genesis 32:7

He had been running from this problem his entire adult life, but before he could face Esau, first he had to face God! Left alone on the other side of the river, Jacob had nothing to hide behind. Behind him was his family, his possessions and his past. As he stood gazing over the river a man apprehended him and began to wrestle with him. As Jacob grappled with the man in the early morning hours, he realized that the man he was struggling with was the Lord, Himself.

The word wrestle means to struggle for control. The ultimate goal of wrestling is not “pinning” someone to the ground. It is about submission. God wrestled for control of Jacob’s life that night. Jacob fought against it!

“When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.”

Genesis 32:25


What? God could not overpower Jacob? That doesn’t make since! He is God Almighty! How is that possible? The answer is simple. God will never force His will upon you if you are not willing to submit. God loves you too much to allow you to stay in a fallen state, so He will wrestle with you, but He will never pin you down and force His will on you. Reluctantly, He will let you stay in control, but He may not contend with you forever!


Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com

Thursday, February 25, 2010

The Eternal Work of the Holy Spirit

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever- the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you.”

John 14:16-17

From the beginning, God intended our relationship with the Holy Spirit to be an eternal partnership. A relationship, through which, each of us could become partakers of God’s everlasting life. So how is this partnership initiated?

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession-to the praise of His glory.”

Ephesians 1:11-14

The eternal relationship is established, when, upon hearing the gospel, we put our faith in Jesus Christ! As a show of good faith in this newly established relationship, God imparts to us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit acts as a seal and a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance and God’s commitment to His promise. The seal & deposit serve as spiritual reminders of those promises.

A seal of hot wax was often placed on ancient scrolls to secure and fasten them shut. The king would then press his signet ring into the hot wax guaranteeing that the contents within the scroll belonged to him. As we look forward to the day of redemption we can have confidence in knowing that we carry the “king’s seal”- the precious Holy Spirit. We are marked by Him and recognizable, as one of His own, by the Holy Spirit we carry within us. The sealing of the Holy Spirit is beautifully described for us in Galatians 4:6: “God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” God’s Spirit testifies that we are sons and daughters of the king. We are no longer slaves, but heirs!

The Holy Spirit also serves as a deposit. A deposit is a pledge of more to come.

“Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
2 Corinthians 5:5

This is why after Jesus had breathed on his disciples and said- “Receive the Holy Spirit” in John 20:22, that He then instructed them in Acts 1:4: “Do not leave Jerusalem , but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Initially, they did not get the fullness of the Spirit. A deposit was given, but there was still more to come! This deposit authorizes us, as “heirs” or “owners” , to enjoy the blessings flowing from this account. Jesus describes it this way in John 7:38-39:

“Whoever believes in me as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him. By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.”

In this way, God has opened up His limitless Spirit to us, so that we may enjoy the blessing flowing from Him! Have you initiated your relationship with the Holy Spirit? Are you sealed for the day of redemption? Has God placed His deposit guarantee inside of you? You can know today:

“We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.”

1 John 4:13-15


Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com