The Blame Game

Blame … to consider somebody else responsible for something wrong or unfortunate that has happened.  To point the finger of blame is as old as The Fall (Genesis 3).  Ever since the beginning man has struggled with taking responsibility.  Psychiatrist doesn’t help much with this contagious problem either.  In fact, it seems that much of the “counseling” today is trying to place most of the blame everywhere except at the point of origin — Me.

Man tried to blame the woman and the woman tried to blame the serpent.  “The devil made me do it” kind of thought process, as if that’s OK.  What we need today is a clear understanding that our sin has an origin that begins with our own sin nature … in fact each of us has a unique sin nature that James talks about — James 1:14 … “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.”  James is telling us that every person has a unique sin nature that the adversary understands and uses to plot against us.   Can we be willing to call it what it is … sin?  Can we step up to life’s plate and let it be known to all that “we have all sinned” and fallen short of the glory of God? … and in that discover a compassionate and grace filled God whose mercy is new every morning.  Can we really begin to walk the journey admitting our own sin and in that see ourselves as God sees us?  Can we truly begin to repent from blaming others for our own choices … at the same time realizing that there are times where we are sinned against that create challenges … but for the most part owning up to what we can own up to … our sin.

The most significant process to a successful life is to learn to take Responsibility for one’s own actions, choices, and decisions.  Coming to the conclusion that casting blame to others does nothing but bring more hurt on our own lives and causes us to walk in confusion and conflict.  The great news is that every sinner has a seeker who comes looking for us when we have sinned.  Just like in the garden God came looking for Adam and Eve … He still comes in the cool of the day seeking sinners who need his forgiveness.  He “calls out” –– meaning to summon, invite, or to invoke by name.  Just like when God called out to Moses from the fiery bush in Exodus 23:4.  In that moment Adam and Eve were dealing with completely new emotions that they had never felt before … guilt … shame … remorse … confusion … God comes to them to bring forgiveness, hope, and love.  Wow!  How amazing!  The God of the Bible has always been a God of love and hope.  When they sinned He came ready to make a sacrifice and cover their sin and bring them back into a wonderful relationship with Himself.  The first physical death should have been the man and his wife, but it was an animal–a shadow of the reality that God would someday kill a substitute to redeem sinners.

But we must remember Genesis 1: 7 … “And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.”  Man has always attempted to produce a path back to God – our own version of covering (i.e. fig leaves) … and God has always rejected every attempt … there is but one way to forgiveness and eternal life and that is through the blood sacrifice of God’s choosing … in the Old Testament it was the lamb on the Day of Atonement … in the New Testament it is through the Lamb of God – Jesus Christ!

Let’s walk away from the Blame Game.  May we see our lives clearly through scripture as sinners in need of a savior!  I know that this kind of message isn’t really popular today … even amongst evangelical believers.  Don’t talk about sin … don’t deal with it … don’t call people sinners because you’ll turn them off.  But how can a sinful man come to understand his need if we avoid the topic and deal with it in love and clarity?  Ever since the beginning and The Fall sin has been the separator between God and man … let’s confess it … let’s call it … let’s humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God and receive His unconditional love that brings abundant and eternal living.

To view Pastor Rouse’s messages on the book of Genesis please go to: http://hhbconline.com/thepulse/sermons_online.php.

Crazy Love – Week One – Questions text to pastor

This past week as we started our four week journey of discovery – CRAZY LOVE!  It was a wonderful time of worship and teaching.  As we said during the message each week you can text questions to the Pastors and they will answer as many as possible live or we’ll answer them on the blog during the week.

This passed Sunday 2 questions were text:

First, what is the name of the book that supports this new message series … it’s Crazy Love by Frances Chan.  You can go to:  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=crazy+love to order your own personal copy or go by the Resource Center on the Hermitage Campus.  

Second, what are the seven spirits of God mention in Revelation 4?

Dwight went back after lunch on Sunday to find your answer: In some commentaries the seven spirits mentioned Rev 1 are the seven spirits mentioned in Isaiah 11:2 these seven spirits being the seven characteristics of the Holy Spirit…

the Spirit of the Lord

the Spirit of wisdom

the Spirit of understanding

the Spirit of council

the Spirit of might

the Spirit of knowledge

the Spirit of fear of the Lord

Hope this helps … remember to text you questions during the message each week at your campus and we would love to answer your questions live, if possible.

Do Something – What is God’s Purpose for me?

Miles McPherson in his book “Do Something” answers this question with the story of Jesus and the religious leaders:

Jesus stood surrounded by men in religious robes and multicolored turbans.  They were taking turns questioning Him, like tag-team wrestling.

First the Sadducee s confronted Jesus about the resurrection.  They were “sad, you see,” because they did not believe in it.

After Jesus bent their minds with His wisdom, they walk away with their tails between their legs and tagged the Pharisees, who jumped into the ring for a shot at Jesus.

Jesus must have rolled His eyes when one of the Pharisees challenged Him with are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? question.  “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

He answered, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets”  (Matthew 22:36-40).

What is the fastest way of being blessed by God?  That is easy: keep the great commandment to love God and love your neighbor.

Loving the world was undoubtedly the purpose of Jesus’ life.  You know the familiar Bible verse:  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son …” (John 3:16).  This is also the purpose of our lives.  In other words, the foundation of everything we do must be out of loving God and loving our neighbor.  Jesus also told us that people would know we were His disciples by our love, one for another (John 13:34-35).

Every believer is call to DO SOMETHING.  To love God, to love one another, and to love the world the way God does … how’s that … GIVING — of time – talent – and treasure.  Join with God today in His purpose for you life — Give Your Life Away!

If you missed last Sunday’s message or any message in the DO SOMETHING series … go to:  http://www.hhbconline.com/thepulse/sermons_online.php and you can listen to an audio or watch a video of a message from this series.

Do Something — The Plan

No one has done more good in and for this world than Jesus.  During His three-year ministry, He established a moral standard for humankind that has yet to be improved upon.  He healed the sick, cast demons out of the possessed, and raised the dead.  He has a Plan for you, and guess what it says?  You were created to do something great.

John 14:2 – “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to the Father.”

Did you just see that … no really … did you just see what God’s word says to every believer –  “… and greater works than these ….”– do what?  How can we do anything greater than Jesus.  There’s only one way.  In the power of the Holy Spirit we can do greater works.  How awesome is that thought?  Every believer has the wonderful opportunity to partner with God in such a way that just as the Father had a plan for the Son (see Acts 2:22–23 (ESV) ²² “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— ²³ this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men”) … so that same Father has a plan for each of us … to do greater works.

Dr. John MacArthur says:  “Jesus did not mean greater works in power, but in extent. They would become witnesses to all the world through the power of the indwelling and infilling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) and would bring many to salvation because of the Comforter dwelling in them. The focus is on spiritual rather than physical miracles. The book of Acts constitutes the beginning historical record of the impact that the Spirit-empowered disciples had on the world (cf. Acts 17:6).

Baker New Testament Commentary – John says:  “Christ’s works had consisted to a considerable extent of miracles in the physical realm, performed largely among the Jews. When He now speaks about the greater works, He is in all probability thinking of those in connection with the conversion of the Gentiles. Such works were of a higher character and vaster in extent. That Jesus actually has this great task in mind seems to follow from the fact that He referred to it just a few days before (12:23–32), and also definitely during this very night (17:20).  Now this conversion of (God’s elect from among) the Gentiles, this work of Peter in the home of Cornelius and of Paul on all his missionary journeys, could not have been done before Christ’s death and ascension for the simple reason that at that time the Holy Spirit had not yet been poured out. For that very reason the wall of separation was still in existence. All this was going to change presently, that is, in connection with Christ’s death, resurrection, ascension, and coronation. Hence, Jesus is able to say, “Greater works than these will he do because I am going to the Father.”

Warren Wiersbe says:  “Of course, it is not the believer himself who does these “greater things”; it is God working in and through the believer: “The Lord working with them” (Mark 16:20). “For it is God which worketh in you” (Phil. 2:13). Faith and works must always go together, for it is faith that releases the power of God in our lives.”

All that said … dear believers we get to be a part of the greatest part of life.  Seeing people experience Life-Change through Jesus Christ.  There is so much that life can become … what are you doing with the ONE life you been blessed?   God’s purpose for your life is to love Him by obeying Him.  He has created you to do something great with your life.  Each of us will have unique things to do, but whatever we do, it should be out of obedience to God.

Follow the example of Christ.  Jesus gave His life, not because of some emotional attachment to someone or something, but out of obedience.  His obedience led Him into the desert to be tempted by the devil.  His obedience is what led to all of His miracles.  His obedience paved the way for our sins to be forgiven.  He humbled Himself and died on the cross out of obedience (Phil. 2:3-8).

What does our obedience say about us?  DO SOMETHING out of a heart of obedience … join with God in His plan for your ONE life to live and MAKE IT COUNT!

[This blog series goes with the sermon series at Hermitage Hills Baptist Church … to list to one or all of these series go to:     http://www.hhbconline.com/thepulse/sermons_online.php?sermonsite_action=view_topics]

Strong Families … learn together and grow together

The Bible is clear that the God who created the universe intimately knows each one of us.  He knew each of us before we were born.  He knows the number of hairs on our head and everything about every day of our lives.  He loves us beyond what we can imagine.  In fact, God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us.

God designed the family as a way for us to understand His love for us and demonstrate that love to others.  What would it be like to really, truly know the members of your family?  How would you feel if your family really understood your feelings and your dreams?  What might that do to improve your relationships?

When you look at the history of the family you can see how it has evolved (dare I use that word) into various different forms and understandings.   In the days of Jesus, the family was the basic unit of society.  Extended, not nuclear, families were the norm.  The most senior male acted as head of the family, which included married and unmarried children, grandchildren, and slaves.  In the 1900’s a mix of nuclear (parents and children) and extended families (including married children and spouses, grandparents, etc.) were the norm.  In the 21st Century in America, many single people live alone or with a roommate.  While many families include two married parents, others are headed by single parent or grandparent or are blended families with children from previous marriages.  These changes have brought about serious and specific consequences to family as God intended, many times beyond our control.  How do we develop strong families in today’s culture?

Last Sunday, I had the joy of proclaiming from God’s word concerning families “Knowing Each Other”.   Remember that Strong Families … Pay Attention – we truly see one another as a valuable part of life.  We have honest discussions with one another over breakfast or dinner.  Taking the time away from TV, newspapers, and etc. to look one another in the eye and have conversation.  Strong Families … Ask Great Questions – we don’t see ourselves as the great fixers.  Tell me your problem and I’ll fix it.  Sometimes what needs to take place are to ask questions.  These questions go deeper and bring everyone together for honest discussion, reflection, and examination.  We see this example in the life of Christ.  He asked great questions at important times to get people to draw together.  Did He not know the answer to the questions He was asking … He wouldn’t be God if He didn’t.  Strong Families Know that Loving Means Listening – James tells us to be quick to listen and slow to speak and become angry (James 1:19).  Enough said … slow down enough to allow the time to listen to others in your family.  You probably won’t agree all the time but you show enough respect for one another to allow for expression of thought that leads to action.  Strong Families …. Communicate Love through Touch – I’ve heard a lot about this one all week long.  It seems that the husbands took this to heart and have been touching a lot.  Well that is all well and good but the purpose was to touch with a purpose.  The examples given were take her hand, pat her shoulder, let her know you’re there and you care.  The 12 touches a day were to show concern and communicate I’m on your team.  It wasn’t to get anything in return or to be selfish in any way … right guys?

Our assignment was to work on the habit of touching and spend some time paying attention.  How has that gone?  Ask a good question today and be quick to listen and slow to speak.  These principles will bring great value to our families.

See others as more important that yourself … that’s this Sunday’s Biblical discovery point — read Phil. 2 before Sunday to be prepared.

Why is it called “Good Friday” with so much pain?

Tomorrow is Friday.
The day that as Christians and culturally we officially call on our calendars “Good.” Which is interesting because if you’d have asked one of Jesus’ followers how they were on this day, some 2000 years ago, they may have said: sad, scared, afraid, hopeless, disappointed, confused, anxious, hurting, or grieving… anything but “Good”.

They knew this day would come. Jesus warned them. ‘When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief.’ ~ (Matthew 17:22-23) Imagine, if they were filled with grief at his warning, they were overcome, overwhelmed, and leveled with the grief of seeing him die with their own eyes.

The Friday of his death was “grief Friday.” The disciples watched as innocent Jesus was beaten like a common criminal, mocked, spat upon, and marched to his place of execution carrying the crossbeam that he would hang upon at his place of execution.  He would suffer from agony. He would suffer to breathe. He would suffer as the weight of the sin of humanity was placed upon him. Experiencing excruciating pain, sorrow, and a slow suffocation, he cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. (Luke 23:46)

On Friday they grieved at his death. On Sunday they danced in his resurrection.  I don’t know if you ever thought about it, but the disciples could only call it “Good Friday” after that first Easter Sunday. The light that shone into an empty tomb gave the perspective on their grief to call it “good.”

You can’t have Easter Sunday without the grief of Friday.
To have an empty tomb, there must first be a crucifixion.
To receive the joy of the resurrection, you must first know the suffering of the cross.

So, we would like to invite you to set aside a few moments (by yourself, as a couple, or as a family) and recall the account of “Good” Friday. To help take on the gravity of the grief, take time to read slowly through John 19 and take in the story of the crucifixion.

We look forward to Easter Sunday, where we celebrate the resurrection perspective that enables us to call today “Good” Friday.

Easter Services at Hermitage Hills Baptist Church

Hermitage Campus:  9:15 and 11:00 AM

Mount Juliet Campus:  8:00 (Classic with Hymns) and 10:45 Contemporary with Praise Band

Rayon City Campus: 9:30 Latino Service – 10:30 Easter Egg Hunt – 11:00 English Service

[The contents of this blog was used from Pastor Kevin Myers of 12 Stones Church]

Can you trust the resurrection?

Paul Maier – Historian

“If all the evidence is weighed carefully and fairly, it is indeed justifiable, according to the cannons of historical research, to conclude that the tomb in which Jesus was buried was actually empty on the morning of the first Easter.  And no shred of evidence has yet been discovered in literary sources, epigraphy, or archaeology that would disprove this statement.”

If a person wishes to rationalize away the events surrounding Christ and His resurrection, that person must deal with certain imponderables.  In fact, you might say that both the Jews and the Romans outwitted themselves when they took so many precautions to make sure Jesus was dead and remained in the grave.  These “security precautions” — taken with the crucifixion, burial, entombment, sealing and the guarding of Christ tomb — make it very difficult for critics to defend their position that Christ did not rise from the dead!

Facts to Consider:

One — Broken Roman Seal … the FBI and CIA of the Roman Empire were called into action to find the man or men responsible.  The consequences of breaking the seal were severe … you were to be crucified upside down to allow your guts to run into your throat.  No one would have risked this for a myth.

Two — The Empty Tomb … the disciples did not travel to a far away land to preach that Christ had risen but right back into Jerusalem where everyone knew who they were and where all the action had taken place.  Surely if this resurrection had been a myth someone would have clearly proven so.

Three — Large Stone Moved … up an incline, away from the tomb, and picked up and carried off.  Amazing feet for sure.  If the disciples had wanted to come in, tiptoe around the sleeping guards, then roll the stone over and steal the body, why would they have moved a 1-1/2 to-2-ton stone up a slope away from the entire massive sepulcher to such a position that it looked like someone had picked it up and carried it away?  The soldiers would have to have been deaf not to have heard that stone being moved.

Four — Romans Guards Go AWOL … the roman guard fled.  Roman guards were seriously trained.  He knew that if he was to fail to perform to his duty that it could mean being burned alive.  For failure to keep his post the guard could be stripped of his clothes, and then burned alive in a fire started with the garments that he wore.  Certainly the entire unit that guarded the tomb that night would not have surcom to the sleep temptation at this kind of risk.

Five — His Appearance Confirmed … on several occasions, Christ appeared alive after the cataclysmic events of that first Easter.  One of the earliest records of Christ appearing after the resurrection is by Paul. Paul’s audience’s knowledge of the fact that Christ had been seen by more than 500 people at one time.  Paul reminds them that the majority of these people were still alive and could be questioned.  Dr. Edwin M. Yamauchi, associate professor of history at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, emphasizes: “What evidence is the reference to most of the 500 brethren being still alive.  St. Paul says in effect, ‘If you do not believe me, you can ask them.’  Such a statement in an admittedly genuine letter written 30 years of the event is almost as strong of evidence as one could hope to get for something that happened nearly 2,000 years ago.”

Consider these historical facts as you contemplate the resurrection this Easter and how it might impact your life.  Jesus was not only a good man … He was the God-Man who paid the debt of every sinner on a cross and rose from the dead victorious.  It’s not just a good story but a life changing event for all who would believe.  The apostle John did not truly believe until the resurrection … how about you?

Does the personal invite really make a difference?

There is power in the invite.  To care enough to reach out to a friend, classmate, co-worker, or family member speaks volumes concerning love.  Most people are extremely blessed when you take a moment to invite them because you care.  I have always been amazed when people respond with such genuineness and even sometimes in tears as I have taken the opportunity to care, listen and invite.  Most of those people thank me for inviting them. Some even respond with “Thanks for caring”.

Remember the Biblical story found in Luke 5:17-26 … ^“17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. ¹⁸ And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, ¹⁹ but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. ²⁰ And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” ²¹ And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” ²² When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? ²³ Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? ²⁴ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” ²⁵ And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. ²⁶ And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.” (ESV)

I.  Bring someone who has a Need:  v. 18

“ … some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, …”, these men found someone in need and brought him to Jesus.  He probably would have never gone there on his own but needed some people to care enough to pick him up and bring him to Jesus.  Each of us today have people just like this … they need to be picked up … cared for … and brought to Jesus.  Take the time to invest in another life.  Take them to breakfast before, or lunch after you attend church together.  Sit with them.  Explain to them what is going on.  Introduce them to many who love Jesus.  Allow the Holy Spirit to do His work.

II.  Bringing someone will take Work:  v. 19

Ø “… finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus.”, this kind of discipleship, and reaching out doesn’t come easy.  It takes work.  Much like the men who picked up the man and carried him a distance to Jesus … that took work … sweat … and energy.  Bringing people to Jesus today takes work as well.  Just to attend a local community of faith is not going to bring people to Jesus.  We’ve got to work … sweat … and reach out with our own time, energy, and efforts.

III.  Bringing someone with Great Faith: v. 20

“… he saw their faith, …”, God will honor your faith.  Like the men who brought their friend to Jesus even today God loves to honor the faithfulness of his people.  Seeing their faith in action brought about a great work of God.  Verse 17 clearly reveals that Christ was present to do a great work in the hearts and lives of the people … the power of God was upon Him to heal.  It is interesting to notice though that Jesus healed the man’s spiritual condition first before putting His attention towards his physical needs.  When we bring people to Jesus He will work first on their heart before their body.

“And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.” v. 26 — May we expect the Lord to continue to do amazing things still even today.  May we be faithful to bring people to Jesus and let Him do what He does best … redeem them – forgive them – fill them – and give them an inheritance that will never fade, diminish, or end.  Press on in His Name.

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^[1][1] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Lk 5:17–26). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.