March 19, 2018 · 10:51 am

To Find Yourself, You Must Lose Yourself

Peninsula Community Church

March 18, 2018

To Find Yourself, You Must Lose Yourself

1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

In the text that leads to the passage we just read, we find some insight as to why Paul uses the words he does. Listen to 1 Corinthians 6:1-10 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases.  Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers! Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

While he defines one’s life before Christ in verses 1-10, Paul makes a powerful statement in verse 11. And such were some of you. Paul is saying you did these things but not any more. You were sexually immoral, you were greedy, and you walked in ways that did not honor God, but not any more. You were, but not now. You did, but no more. You have been changed and now walk in a way that honors God. This was the basis of Paul’s word of hope in 2 Corinthians 5:17 when he stated “we are a new creation in Christ.” We are not just becoming, we are, because of what Christ has done in us.

Here Paul suggests three key actions that have taken place in our life that position us to live this new life in Christ. We are washed. We are sanctified. We are justified. Let’s take a look at these for a moment. First, Paul states that we have been washed. What Paul is saying is that sin defiled us. It created a sense of dirtiness in us, but Jesus has washed us and has purified us. We see this in Isaiah 1:18.“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

The idea of washing represents the salvation that is ours through Jesus Christ. The reason we no longer do the things we use to do is that we have been washed by the water of salvation and by the blood of the lamb. The undeniable truth is we are clean. We are restored. You see, unless we are washed, we will continue to be governed by the old ways of doing things. Recently, I replaced the filters at our house for the heating system. All of them were clean except one. That filter was clogged and dirty. The result was that it prevented air from flowing through the filter the way it should. The system was not as effective, as it could be, as a result of the dirty filter. So it is with us when we have been soiled by the sin and the cares of the world. We become ineffective. We must be washed so that we do not live as we did, but as Christ now sees us.

Secondly, Paul states that this is not you any more because you have been sanctified. John Piper has stated that ”Sanctification” is a very irrelevant word, but it is not an irrelevant reality. It’s like a hundred technical medical terms. Nobody but doctors use them, but your life depends on the reality they stand for. The word “Sanctification” comes from two Latin words: sanctus which means holy, and ficare which means make. So to sanctify means to make holy. 

In Biblical sanctification there are two components. First, we are purified and cleansed, but we are also set apart for service. We are not just cleansed to be put on a shelf, but we are cleansed to be used in the Kingdom of God. We are set apart for a purpose. Oswald Chambers said this about sanctification. Sanctification means being made one with Jesus so that the nature that controlled Him will control us. And then he asks Are we really prepared for what that will cost? It will cost absolutely everything in us which is not of God.

You see sanctification calls for us to change our behavior and our ways. It calls us to act differently and to conform our ways to God’s ways. To be sanctified is to be set apart and to be cleansed from sin and wrong attitudes. Sanctification is something that happens to us but it is also a choice. We choose to die to the old ways of doing things. We die to self, so we become alive with Him. We cannot live unless we die. We cannot truly live life completely until we give up our failures, our sin, and our attitudes that prevent us from accomplishing God’s will. That is why we are not them. That is why we do not live like them any more. We are sanctified.

Thirdly, Paul stated that we are justified. To be justified is to remove the penalty of sin and the guilt associated with sin. Too often, we try to carry the weight of past sin. Instead of freedom, we live in the bondage of past sin which has already been forgiven by Christ. We are not them nor do we live like them because we are justified and are free to live the way God planned. In the movie US Marshall we see the infamous Sam Gerard going after Mark Sheridan who was framed for the murder of two government agents. In the end, Sheridan was found to be innocent and at the end of the movie he proclaims “I am righteous.” In other words, I have been justified. The false guilt is no longer mine to carry.

But how does this all happen? Colossians 3:1-3 gives us insight into what needs to happen. If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. In Romans 6:6 we find that We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. In Galatians 2:20 Paul reminds us that I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

The real issue here is we must reorder our lives in alignment with God’s will and His ways. Prior to salvation, we lived in alignment with the enemy’s purpose and plan, but no more. Now we are in alignment with His word and His purposes. The problem sometimes is that we fail to envision what it means to be a passionate follower of Christ, thus we make little progress toward living the life we have been called to. The undeniable truth is that the ruined can be made right. The evil can be turned into a testimony of grace. Our failures become a doorway to grace and mercy.

The goal in denying self is to totally surrender our hearts, minds, lives and more, so we no longer live but Christ lives and reigns in us. What does that mean to us? We must deny ourselves. We must make choices and decisions that honor God. Self denial in fact summarizes the entire Christian life. In considering self denial, it must never be confused with self rejection.

The Scripture reminds us of the power of this process. Matthew 10:39 states Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. And then in Matthew 16:25-26 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

The problem is that when we attempt to master our life apart from Christ, we actually lose our life. However, when we die to self and live for Christ we will for the first time be able to do what we want to do or should do. This means we are free to steal, lie, and murder all we want to but we will not have a desire to do so. Conversely, we will be truthful, transparent, helpful, sacrificially loving, and will do so with joy and will be motivated by the desire to do so. Our life will be caught up in God’s life and we will now want what is right and whole.

This means we will come to the place where we will trust that His way is right. We will keep on entrusting ourselves to the One who judges righteously (1 Peter 2: 23). That is, we lose our life and so in reality we save it. Erich Fromm rightly said, “The most widespread misunderstanding is that which assumes that giving is ‘giving up’ something, being deprived of, sacrificing. People whose main orientation is a non-productive one feel giving as an impoverishment.” What he is saying is that we have a tendency to look at what we might be giving up rather than what we might gain.

Let me explain it in this way. To live a healthy life I must make choices about what I eat and what I do with my life. I must die to my desires. Years ago my idea of a snack and sometimes even lunch was a bag of potato chips and a large soda. As I wanted to improve my health, I chose to not eat chips and drink soda any more. Prior to this decision I did not even consider this, I just did it. But after the decision, I would often struggle to make the right choice, but now I do not desire those things. They do not tempt me any more, as I have died to that desire.

When we die to self and God begins to control our existence we are more aware of what brings pleasure to God and what honors Him. Being dead to self is the condition where the mere fact that I do not get what I want does not surprise or offend me and has no control over me. We will, as St. Francis of Assisi said, “wear the world like a loose garment, which touches us in a few places and there lightly.”

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2018 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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March 5, 2018 · 1:57 pm

What is Hidden Will be Revealed!

Peninsula Community Church 

What is Hidden Will be Revealed!

March 4, 2018

Genesis 3:8-13 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

How many played hide and seek as kids? We probably all did this at some point in time. It was fun to run and hide. The one who was it had to hide their eyes and then count to fifty or whatever the predetermined number would be. Once the counting was over, the person who was it would try to find those who hid. The goal for those who hid was to make it back to base before they were found or tagged. I remember a time when we were playing hide and seek with our kids. Michelle had hidden so well we could not find her. So, the kids and I went downstairs to watch TV and one of them would run upstairs from time to time, as if they were looking for her. She was not happy with us because we did not look for her. While this is a game, hide and seek in real life has a different consequence. This is especially true when we play hide and seek with our sin and our shortcomings.

This morning we continue to look into the subject of spiritual transformation by focusing on the sin that is in our hearts. This discussion is important to transformation as sin causes us to do strange things. It causes fear and shame, it causes us to hide from the realities of our life, and it causes us to blame others for our circumstances. But, “how did we get this way?“ To understand this we must turn our attention to the Garden of Eden. It is here God in His wisdom created mankind with the ability to choose right from wrong. He created us with the ability to decide what we will choose to do. Because of the ability to choose, we must not under estimate the power of free will. Because of free will, we have the ability and freedom to make bad choices and do things that are opposed to God’s way of thinking.

The natural outcome of our wrong choices or sin is seen in this story. The natural inclination is to hide our sin and shortcomings as a result of fear and shame. The problem revealed  is that we are afraid we will be exposed for who we are rather than for what we want people to think we are. When it comes to the transformation of the heart, we cannot be truly transformed until the hidden things of the heart are revealed. We cannot stop at just knowing the truth without setting into action the inward changes that redeem our mindsets and give us a new hope.

As we review the passage before us today, we find that Adam and Eve were frightened, they covered up their shame, and they try to hide from God. What a statement! No one taught them this, but they were motivated to do so because of their sin. This was amazing because as a creation of God they had ever thing they needed. As a creation of God, they had no concerns or cares. As a creation of God, they lived in the Utopia most people only dream of today. They were  a creation of God and were created as a perfect being, but now they were filled with fear.

This action exposed a process that is so common to the work of sin. We see something we want. We covet that thing, person, or attitude. We take hold of the item and then once we have indulged in that pleasure, we try to hide the results of our actions and the sin we have committed. It is amazing how skilled we can be at hiding sin. We are so good there are times we hide our sin so deeply, we believe we have taken care of it, only to find it has festered which effects us later. Unfortunately, when sin is hidden it can be exposed at the most inopportune time. Scripture reminds us that we can be assured that our sin will find us out (Numbers 32:23).

Notice four reactions of Adam and Eve to the sin they committed. First of all, they hid. The first response to sin tends to be to hide the sin rather than expose it. The greatest way to hide is to deny. Dallas Willard suggests that denial is a form of rationalization. We rationalize our sin and try to justify its existence. We try to suggest that it is not hurting any one but ourselves. We try to suggest that everyone else is doing it, so, it is okey for us to indulge. We even try to say that no one will ever find out about it so it is okey. We regionalize our sin, but I want you to know that if you are renationalizing your sin, you probably need to expose it and deal with it.

The second response to their sin was that they were afraid. Hidden sin leads to a distorted view of God. When we refuse to confess our sin and wrong doing, we often have a view of God that is less than what God intended. We believe that God is a God that punishes us and is just waiting to wipe us off the face of the earth. Rather than accepting the forgiveness of God, Adam and Eve were guilty of walking in fear and trying to hide their sin.

The third response is they were ashamed of what was up to that point a natural way of life. Because they recognized their nakedness for the first time, they were now ashamed. The remedy they chose was to cover themselves in an effort to remove the shame. As then, shame has always had a powerful effect upon us. It demoralizes us and causes us to be ineffective in many ways. It can also cause us to overcompensate for the hidden areas of our life.

John Piper in dealing with the subject of shame had this to say. “Because sin is alive in our bodies and because we are beset with weakness, the kind of shame we often experience is a potent combination of failure and pride. We fail morally (sin), we fail due to our limitations (weakness), and we fail because the creation is subject to futility and doesn’t work right. We also fail to live up to other people’s expectations. And because we are full of sinful pride, we are ashamed of our failures and weaknesses, and will go to almost any length to hide our sin from others.This means pride-fueled shame can wield great power over us. It controls significant parts of our lives and consumes precious energy and time in avoiding exposure.”

The fourth response is they blamed others. Notice a critical factor here. Rather than take responsibility for their sin, Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. They refused to take ownership of their sin and their part of the issue. Please note you might be hiding your sin, if you are blaming others. In blaming others, we try deflect our problems from ourselves. If we can make someone else be the cause of our sin, then we can put that on them and therefore we fail to take responsibility.

So what is the answer? Let me give you two things for your consideration this morning. First, we must allow the light of the Gospel to shine into the darkness. Rather than hide from God and hide the sin in our hearts, we must expose the sin and bring it into the light. Dallas Willard stated that “The only path of spiritual transformation today lies through illumination. The prophetic illumination of the human soul in its lostness is emphatic, starkly clear, and is repeated over and over again, from Moses and Samuel to Jesus, Paul, and John. This illumination must be gratefully and humbly accepted and applied to oneself above all.”

To do this, we must take ownership of our sin and not deflect or hide it. We must allow the light of the Gospel to penetrate the darkest areas of our hearts. It is not by accident that Scripture is replete with verses that speak to the power and necessity of letting the light shine into our hearts. The only path to transformation lies in the power of illumination to expose the hidden areas of our hearts.

In Psalm 119:11 we find the Psalmist proclaim I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. And then in Psalm 119:105 he states Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. John in his writings also addressed Jesus as being the light in John 1:4-5. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. In 1 John 1, John says This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 

Secondly, we must understand that sin does not make one worthless, it only causes us to be lost. The problem with hidden, unconfessed sin is that it can create a mindset that we are failures and there is no hope but that is not God’s plan. Listen to the promise of Scripture. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1). And finally, James stated, Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working (James 5:16). There is healing and there is power in bringing our sin into the light.

Ruth Graham, Billy’s daughter, during Billy Graham’s funeral, stated that she had failed big time in her life. Her first marriage ended in divorce. She fell in love with a second man. She married this man after being warned by her family to not marry him. She married him and within 24 hours she knew something was wrong. In less than five weeks she left him. She knew she had to go home and face her dad. She took the long two day ride home and as she wound her way up the road to the house, she found her dad standing there. Rather than condemning her, he took her in his arms and welcomed her home. There was no guilt and no shame exhibited. By Billy’s reaction she experienced a better understanding of who God was. That was her father and that was her God.

Today Jesus is standing with open arms to receive you. There is no guilt, shame, or condemnation only acceptance and forgiveness. He invites you home to receive His love and grace.

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2018 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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February 26, 2018 · 5:43 pm

First Responders – Some Step Up when Others Step Back

Peninsula Community Church 

First Responders – Some Step Up when Others Step Back

February 25, 2018

In preparing for this message this week, my heart was turned to this passage in 1 Corinthians 16:13-14. Paul had this to say Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.

First Responders are an amazing breed of people. They rush in when others rush out. They run to when others run away. They provide care to those who they do not know and they seldom get the honor and praise they deserve. In fact, in our world today, we find an environment that has become increasingly more threatening for our first responders. It might be a paramedic/EMT being put in a choke hold or being attacked physically when answering a call. It might be firefighters in Baltimore being shot at when answering a call for help. It might be police officers who are attacked more often than ever. We have seen this played out in my home town of Mobile, Alabama where an officer was shoot and killed. And now even closer to home, this week an officer was killed when he came to the assistance of someone in need while off duty.

Today, while others may not honor you, we pause to say thanks. We pause to say that we are grateful that you faithfully serve in your assigned duties. Most people do not understand the world of first responders. They so not understand that with a volunteer fire department system that you are not at the station waiting for that person’s call. You are home sleeping or having dinner with your family. For the police officer or paramedic, you may be at the end of your twelve hour shift when you get that priority call that now puts you into overtime and tons of paperwork, only to come back and put in another twelve hour shift later that day or the next day or evening. It might be the Ambulance crew who runs all night, only to come back and do it all over the next night. That is why we say thanks this morning.

The passage before us defines the life of a first responder in many ways. Let me explain. Paul lists five characteristics of those who have courage, and it certainly takes great courage to be a first responder. Paul tells us that the first characteristic is to be on your guard or to be watchful. Being on guard and watchful is critical to the life of every first responder. Their life, the life of those serving along side of them, and the public demands it. As I have learned, one of the most valuable pieces of training a first responder receives is to do scene size up as they approach the scene. Whether it is entering a home on a medical call, heading to a fire, or being called to a motor vehicle accident, first responders must evaluate and do scene size up to assure their safety and the safety of those around them. They must be on their guard.

Not only are first responders to be watchful, but Paul calls for us to be watchful and to be on our guard each day for our lives. We are to be on guard against those things in life which seek to destroy us. We are to guard our ourselves from those actions and mindsets that often cause more harm than good. We are to guard our hearts so that we protect our families and those we love. In essence, we are to size up the scene of our hearts to see if there is any wicked way in us that might hinder us from being the person we need to be. In Proverbs 4:23, Solomon reminds us to Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

The second characteristic is to stand firm in the faith. First responders all have faith. In fact, without faith, it would be impossible for a first responder to do his or her job adequately. While there are first responders who do not focus much on religion, there is a need for faith in caring out their job. Every first responder has learned to have faith in their training, their equipment, and their partner or fellow first responder. Without that faith, they would not be able to do their job! Without faith, first responders would be paralyzed and left wondering if they were taught correctly! They would hesitate using their equipment. They would wonder if their buddy has their back! The hesitation could cost them their lives or the lives around them.

I would submit to you today that while we have faith in these things, there are some situations where one’s training, one’s partners, or one’s equipment is not enough. It is in those times we will need faith in God to do what only God can do! In our spiritual walk, we must have faith in our training, and faith in our brothers and sisters in Christ to be there for us, but there will be times when even with all the book knowledge and training, we are not going to understand what to do next and we are going to have to rely on a faith in something bigger than ourselves. I suggest that is Almighty God!

A third characteristic is to act like a man or have courage. In Biblical times, the phrase “act like a man” meant to have courage. In the language of today, it means to put on your big boy or big girl pants and face the challenge before you. In other words, be courageous. Courage has been defined as “the ability to do something that you know is difficult or dangerous.” If you are on your guard and standing firm in the faith, then you will have the ability to do difficult and even dangerous things, because you will know you have done all you could do to be prepared and be ready. You will know you have trained for as many scenarios as possible, and you will have faith in that training and those who work beside you. However, all of that training is no good if you never put it into action.

I submit to you this morning that trusting God with your life allows you to have a courage to face things you would not be able to face alone! Sometimes our human pride keeps us from admitting we need God. Somehow, we think it is not cool to depend on anyone else but ourselves! This kind of thinking is not only dangerous spiritually, but is very dangerous in the first responder community.  A person who is not a team player and decides to go it alone, is at a huge risk of hurting himself or someone else. Sometimes, the courage we need is the courage to admit we need each other and that we need God!

The fourth characteristic is to be strong. If we are going to be men and women of courage, we will have to be strong. Physically strong, mentally strong, and spiritually strong! Many times a first responder is called upon to do things that take great physical strength. They need to stay physically fit and strong! As we have already stated, they also need to be sharp mentally. First responders have to make quick decisions and judgments that can literally mean the difference between life and death at times. First Responders must also be spiritually strong! They see so much! Without a spiritual and moral center they can be quickly overwhelmed and become cynical and can lose hope. There are many things that first responders wish they could unsee or unexperience but they cannot. They need a strength beyond themselves to make it. That strength is available in a relationship with Christ.

Now we come to the last characteristic of our text which is is to do everything in love. The truth is, the job of the first responder can be a tough one. It is easy to grow hard and callous and not care any more. When you have run that third or fourth call for an overdose only to find it is the same person you gave Narcan to and transported just the week before and then three times before that, it can begin to work against you. The problem, however, is that when we stop caring, we stop doing our best. If you are not motivated by love, you cannot do your best!

I realize first responders have to have a certain toughness emotionally when dealing with things, especially while on scene. The problem is that many times first responders cannot let their emotions take over or they will not be able to do their job. This does not mean they do not care. It does not mean they do not have feelings. It does not mean they think about and even lift a prayer for those they have helped. But from within there is an attitude of that can literally make the difference between life and death! Because a person who loves what they do and the people they serve, will go out of their way to do the best job they can. On a side note, I can tell you that those that serve this community care and desire the best outcome for your life.

As I close, let me tell you that courage is a Christian character trait. This means that courage was a character trait in the life of Christ. One day He stepped up when others stepped back. He did this because He loved those He came to serve. Jesus stepped up when everyone else fled the scene. Remember the story at the end of Jesus’ life. His disciples were nowhere to be found when He needed them the most, but He stepped up and gave His life for all of us and He would do it again and again if it would help. Jesus knew what was coming and He willingly laid down His life in order for us to be saved. I like to call it the ultimate rescue.

Jesus was and is a first responder. At the appointed time in history, He was called to deal with a messed up world. Rather than change the world per se, He came to change our hearts. He came and He did all that to save us and bring salvation to our hearts. It is noteworthy that while every one else ran, He rushed in and put His life on the line so you might live. That has not changed and He is ready to rush in and make a difference today, whatever you need.

He rushes in to give us peace when we live in turmoil. He rushes in to bring strength when we are tired. He rushes in to bring hope when we have lost our way. He comes as the first responder to rescue us no matter where we are. All we have to do is place that 911 call and invite Him to come and He will respond. Do you need Him to come as the first responder of your heart to minister to you, today? He is here and is ready. Just sound the alarm of prayer and He will respond.

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2018 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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February 19, 2018 · 12:56 pm

Spiritual Transformation of the Heart

Peninsula Community Church 

Spiritual Transformation of the Heart 

February 18, 2018

Romans 7:15-21 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.  Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.

How many can relate to Paul here in this passage? How many struggle in the battle between wanting to do what is right but having the tendency to fail to do or to live up to what is right or good? The truth is for too many there is a real battle that rages within us. It might be the amount of food we eat, the amount of alcohol we drink, the way we treat others, or what we think or feel about  ourselves. No matter the issue, the battle rages, but there is a way of hope and it is called spiritual formation or transformation. That is what we will focus on today.

 

Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, there has been a need to deal with the heart and man’s reactions to life itself. This has been the inescapable human problem since the fall. Unfortunately, this problem has no human solution although many have tried to do so by way of human means. Some have tried psychiatry, drugs, and many other things to bring change. I do not discredit these resources because there is a need in many cases to have such things available. Unfortunately, too often, these things become the only source investigated, but in the end they do not always bring permanent change or transformation. The fact is, we need a work of God in us to make this happen in a more permanent and effective way. For example, this week we have witnessed another mass killing. The immediate response by many has been to call for more gun control, but this is not a gun control issue. It is a heart issue. The shooter’s heart and mind had been formed by disappointment, rejection, and low self-worth, and he had come to a place where he would have used whatever means possible to create mayhem and murder.

While the need for transformation is an inescapable human problem, I am afraid that as a whole Christianity has been ineffective in imparting answers to the vital questions of human existence. Now before you misunderstand what I am saying, let me explain. Too often, the Gospel has been liberalized or the message of the Gospel has been softened to the point that it does not bring real change. While the Bible has been and continues to be the source of hope for change, too many do not effectively preach the whole counsel of God in a way that meets the need of man. As Christians, we do not hold the Word as being precious and relevant to our needs. Therefore, many Christians have rejected the Gospel as a source of help, hope, and change. The end result is that we present an ineffective and powerless Gospel by the way we live.

The answer to inner transformation must also be more than the church I attend or the denomination I serve. When we are asked about our relationship with Christ, too often our patented answer is to relate to the church we go to or what denomination we have joined. We often say we are Methodist or Presbyterian or I attend PCC. The answer to our spirituality and Christianity must go deeper than religious associations. We attend an awesome church, but this church in itself is not a solution to permanent change. The real answer must come from a heart aligned with God’s will and His purposes.

A second problem is that we can be so focused on the outward expression of change that we miss the deeper issues of the heart. Too many hold to an inaccurate view that by simply changing the outward man, the inward man will follow. While there is some validity to this, too often this kind of change falls short of its intended purpose. The problem is that while we might change the outward man, the inner man is not necessarily changed which leaves us without the proper motivation for additional change. That is why Paul’s spiritual honesty in Romans 7 is so important for us to consider. There is an ongoing battle in doing what is right, We do what we do not want to do and we do not do what we should be doing.

So what is spiritual formation? For the Christian, spiritual formation refers to the Spirit driven process of transforming our inner being in such a way that it becomes like the inner being of Christ Himself. The result is that what is within us is manifested outwardly. Remember that “out of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Matthew 15:18-19, Mark 7:21, and Luke 6:45). We speak and act from what is contained and stored in the heart. While the fruit of a changed heart is an outward manifestation of inward change, we must not just focus on the outward manifestation of change. We must align our inward man and our outward expressions of faith to God’s word. With that said, the outward expression of change must never be accomplished at the expense of the spiritual renewal of the heart. When the external becomes the supreme measure of one’s success or spiritual growth we risk not having real or effective change inwardly.

In Mark 8:36 the Scripture tells us For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? In other words, what good is it to gain notoriety, riches, and outward perfection and lose our souls in the process. I also love 2 Corinthians 3:18 which says And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. In the Old Testament man could come into the presence of God without having their faces covered. In the New Testament that changed and now we are invited into His presence without a veil. In His presence change comes and it is from there that we reflect the glory of God in our life. Paul refers to this to as being changed into the image of Christ from one degree of glory to the next. This happens one step and one victory at a time.

A number of years ago in the Bronx, there was a problem with people vandalizing abandoned apartment complexes. The city, under Mayor Koch’s leadership, decided to handle this problem by applying decals to the windows which gave the appearance that the apartments were occupied. The goal was to deter vandalism and diminish the number of homeless living in the apartments. As you might guess, this action, a costly solution, did little to change the problem. While having the best of intentions, they were in essence trying to change the outward but the inner problem was not addressed or changed.

This is where we must emphasize that growing into Christlikeness is not based on human attainment. It has been and continues to be a gift of grace. The liberty that is ours in the Spirit motivates us and moves us toward acts of righteousness. Action alone is not enough without the Spirit at work in us. Let me explain this in this way. We can make a decision to be more loving and then try to act more patient and kind, but in the end we fail to be as loving as we desire which can be frustrating and painful. Merely trying to act more loving will lead to despair and defeat, if there is no corresponding transformation of the heart. The same is true of faith. We can try to live an outward faith, but we can fall short without an inward positioning of our heart toward God and His goodness, regardless of what is happening around us.

Since this is a work of grace, this transformation should not be a burden. Grace should be the answer to the weariness of trying to do better and live right. How many have been frustrated at trying to do good but fail over and over? That is Paul’s argument in Roman’s 7 and that is why Paul begins Romans 8 some much needed encouragement. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:1-4).

Notice the law was weakened by the flesh. The law was powerless to bring permanent change. The law can be correlated to the outward expression of action. For that reason outward action on its own is powerless but the Spirit of Life can and will set you free. Why is this? It is because the Savior, the Son of God, took on the flesh and sin and He fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law. He gave us the Spirit that can now leads us to transformation.

Here is the beauty of all of this, God the Father, gave us grace through the death of His Son, who abolished sin by the cross and the power of sin over our life in the resurrection. He also sent His Holy Spirit to reside in us so that we could be guided to truth and reality. He speaks into our heart and He brings change to the inward man so that we manifest that change on the outward.

So how are you doing this morning? How is your heart? Are you being changed inwardly or are you only working on the outward expression? Is God more important you than your church or your issue? Let us pray!

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2018 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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February 12, 2018 · 1:33 pm

How’s Your Heart?

Peninsula Community Church 

How’s Your Heart?

February 11, 2018 

Proverbs 4:20-23 My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Today, we hear a lot about the health of one’s heart. We measure cholesterol, triglycerides, heart rate, heart beat, and so on to determine heart health. The fact is, we have many ways of determining the health of our human heart, but how do we perform an appropriate evaluation of the spiritual heart.

Over the next few weeks, I would like to talk about the spiritual heart and how we can be assured that our spiritual hearts are in good shape. So, how do we measure the health of our heart? How do we know when we are healthy? These and other questions will be addressed during this series. To understand this process, let me make a few comments that will point us in the right direction as we have this conversation.

First, we must understand that too many today are not living according to the plan of God. When man was created in the Garden of Eden, he was created in the image of God. Think about this for a moment. Adam and Eve lived in a perfect environment. There was no sin. There was perfect harmony between them and with the world around them. They did not have arguments. They did not have to work, as God provided all they needed. Man’s greatest task was to name the animals and make sure that he was managing what God had given him. They were in essence living in the Utopia that so many long for today.

As we know by reading the story, man failed at the basic level of obedience. They had everything they needed, and yet they allowed the one thing that was beyond their reach to master them. Along with their desire and craving for what they could not have, and the enemy’s use of well timed opportunities and half truths, Adam and Eve were deceived. This changed mankind forever.

When that occurred, mankind moved away from God’s original intent of creation to live in a fallen state of mind and heart. The result has been that instead of living in the freedom that is ours in Christ we have allowed the issues. problems, sin, and the devil’s influence to form and shape our life. From the fall until now, mankind has been formed and shaped by so many forces. Think about it. We are being formed and shaped by the events of our life. We are shaped by both the positive and negative things that come. How many live in regret, fear, anxiety, loneliness, and so forth, all because of the events that have affected their life? How many live with emotions and feelings, and believe that this is just the way it is going to be without any hope for change?

Here is the point to be made. In God, we were created in His image, but because of man’s fallen state we are being formed and conformed into an image that was never intended by God. That brings us to one of the key points we need to make about this process. Because we have been formed and conformed to the world’s image, a non biblical view, we can also be transformed into a new creation. Scripture is replete with examples and admonition toward this process.

In Ezekiel, we have been promised that He will exchange our hardened heart with a heart of flesh. In other words, through the intervention of God’s work in us, we can begin to live again. You see with a hardened, stoney heart there is not much life. With a broken human heart there is a lack of blood flow to the rest of the body. As with the physical heart, when our arteries begin to harden, our life is diminished and without an intervention death or long term damage is possible. So it is with our spiritual hearts. We cannot live the life God chose for us when we are living life from the standpoint of a harden and callous heart.

Listen to Ezekiel’s words in Ezekiel 11:19-20. And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

Notice the process here. They will be given a new spirit and their heart of stone will be replaced with a heart of flesh. Think about it, a stoney heart is not very sensitive to God’s movement. But with a heart of flesh, we are more sensitive and responsive to the work of God in us. Notice too, the response to this change of heart. Those with a fleshy heart will be empowered to walk in His statures and the directives for living life. Notice, He will empower them to walking in obedience and in following His ways.

You see many times we struggle to fulfill His purposes. Perhaps, and just maybe we struggle in these areas because there remains some areas of hardness which has been untouched or unchanged. Here is the point, so often we allow God to touch certain parts of our heart, but we guard and secure our heart so that we do not allow God’s touch in other areas of our heart.The truth is God wants all of your heart, and He especially wants all of the hardened places of your heart.

Because we have been formed and conformed it is so easy to allow negative stimuli to impact us. Let me explain it this way. Have you ever had a difficult experience with someone. Perhaps you loved someone and you had a deep relationship with that person. At some moment in time that person let you down. Perhaps they lied to you. Perhaps they betrayed your confidence. Perhaps they destroyed your relationship. Perhaps they chose someone else over you to love. You were devastated.

If this happens once, we can take the pain and usually deal with it, but if this happens more than once, we can begin to believe we are defective and that no one could ever love us. What begins to happen is that we can refuse to let anyone into our life, because we are afraid we will be hurt again, even if there is no evidence of that possibility. The result is that it becomes very hard for us to have any significant relationships. We have been formed to believe that their is no hope and no chance we will ever have a positive relationship.

Perhaps we have been formed and conditioned to turn to food, alcohol, or other addictive behaviors to bring peace and hope. The result of this conditioning is that we never really deal with the issue of life. We just cover them up and whitewash them so they are never really dealt with. But here is the truth. God wants our heart and He wants all of us because He has answers to the deep hurt and pain we experience.

That is why Romans 12 is so important to us. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2). Paul counsels us to be transformed. How is that accomplished? It is done by the renewal of the mind. You see it is the mind that affects the heart more than anything else. Have you ever talked yourself into a certain way of thinking or action? Has that thought or action later produced a negative response that wore you down rather than building you up. The point here is that God through Christ wants to transform your heart and your life. What we have allowed to be formed in us God wants to transform.

As we close, let me share a couple of thoughts. I must admit that I have borrowed these from Ed Stetzer, the President of LifeWay Research. First, change comes by having a new life and not turning over a new leaf. Too often, we think if we just try harder, or do more, or act differently, we will be changed. God’s intent has always been a total change and not just a different action. The Scripture tells us that if you are in Christ, then you are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). The past is gone and the new has come. The fact is too often we are trapped by the past: past hurts, past mistakes, and past events. Perhaps, today it is time to move to a new day of freedom and life.

Secondly, real change is a process and not a destination. We never stop changing. On this side of heaven we do not arrive at perfection, but we recognize that we are always in a process. We are on a journey of progressive growth. Paul was keenly aware of this principle when he stated “I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). Notice, Christ will continue this work until the Day of the Lord. This might be His second coming or His coming to you to bring you home, but He will keep the work going on your behalf until the end of your life.

Thirdly, real change is a process of letting go and grabbing hold of a new way of  thinking and living. It is allowing God to transform the way we look at life and at each other. Listen to Paul. He says, But that is not the way you learned Christ! Assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:20-24). We must choose to follow God and to put off the old way of dealing with life. After all the goal is to become like Christ and be able to live in true righteousness and holiness, and not some false or surface righteousness or holiness.

So today, where are you stuck? Where have you roped off a piece of your heart like in a museum? Today is the day to begin the process of letting go and let God heal you. For some it may an instant result. For others it may take time, but God will heal if we open our heart to Him. And by the way if we ask Him, He will come to your aide and help you.

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2018 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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February 5, 2018 · 3:04 pm

How Is Your Vision?

Peninsula Community Church

February 4, 2018 

How is your Vision?

Habakkuk 2:1-3 I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint. And the LORD answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.

Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.

Well, I finally get the chance to preach this message today. I have attempted to do so for the few weeks but God had a different plan. Today, you will get a variation of the original message I had planned. For me, and for many of you, I know that January has been an interesting month with the sub zero weather, the snow, building issues, being away for Christmas, health issues, and so forth. For us the weather, building issues, trips and gall bladder surgery all effected us. But we are so glad to be back in the saddle and look forward to see what the rest of the year of the will bring. Here is what I know with all of this, this is going to be a great year. God is up to something exciting, and I am so glad to be a part of what He is doing.

I would not be truthful if I did not acknowledge my disappointment with some of the issues we have faced. But, while I have been disappointed in the weather and health issues, I have not given up. I have not faltered. I had my doubts at times, but never to the point of surrender. Admittedly, there were times where I felt a bit like Paul when he stated that we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies (2 Corinthians 4:7-10).

One of the lessons I have learned is that disappointment does not have to end us but it can be God’s way of bringing us to the next phase of our life. God can turn our disappointments into opportunities to grow us in our understanding of Him, our purpose in His kingdom, and how much we really need to rely on Him for our sustenance and ongoing peace. It is taught me that I need more people around us that are willing to step up to the plate and help us. You see that has not been your issue but mine as it is some times easier to do things on my own that it is to get help. So I will be asking for more help from this point forward.

What I have determined is that our focus or our vision will determine the outcome of our life. With that in mind let me begin with a story, one of which I have personally experienced. Several years ago I went to the eye doctor and he found that I had some deficiencies in regard to my vision. To remedy this, he prescribed a new pair of glasses for me. When the glasses arrived at the office, I went to the doctor who fitted me and set me up with the glasses. That day when I left his office and put the glasses on, I experienced something amazing. Suddenly, everything was in focus and as I began driving with the new glasses, I found I could see in a way that I could not do so before. Trees were crisp and I could read signs before they passed me by. What changed? What changed was that my vision was now being focused through the lens of a new pair of glasses. Because of the glasses, I could now see clearly.

The two passages we have this morning are perhaps a couple of the most popular scriptures related to vision. In Habakkuk, we find that Habakkuk was not idle. In fact, he was quite busy as he was taking his post on the watch stand. The issue in this passage was not his activity as much as it was his vision and his focus. In his busyness he sought the Lord, and he received this word.

The lesson for us today is two-fold. Busy lives do not equate to success. We can be busy and miss what God is doing. To determine where we are to go and what we are to do does not mean that we jettison our responsibilities. The key is where are you focused and what lens you are using to focus your life on. Are you looking through the eyes of God to determine your vision.

It is noteworthy that this word came at a time when things were not going well for the Israelites. You see, God can give vision when things are going well but He can also give vision when they are not going so well. In fact, if you look at the first two verses of this book, we find that Habakkuk was troubled by what he saw in the land. He was frustrated and he questioned whether or not God was even involved in their lives. As we read, however, we begin to see Habakkuk’s heart change as he hears from God. Habakkuk moves from burden to blessing, from wonder and worry to worship, from restlessness to rest, and from focusing on the problem to focusing on God’s Person.

So the first critical note about vision is that vision must come from our interaction with God. When we spend time with Him, He will fill our heart with truth and He will direct our hearts and minds. If we do not spend time with God the chances are our vision will be motivated by our flesh, our feelings, and our friends. From his time with the Lord, Habakkuk received a word from God that would reposition him and place him in alignment with God’s purposes. This leads us to Habakkuk 2:1-2. From his interaction with God and from his honesty, the Lord gave him the following response.

First of all Habakkuk was to write the vision down. To write the vision down, is to know the vision and understand God’s purpose through it. Too often, we are wishy washy because we do not know what He wants us to do. The result is that we lack vision and thus we lack hope and we lack focus. For that reason our second passage today shows us that where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law (Proverbs 29:18). A right vision is based in the law of God which is the word of God. A right vision is connected to the knowledge that comes from knowing God. You see a vision is not some abstract set of action items but it is directly connected to a knowledge of God and His will. Too often we think up ideas then want God to bless them. We tend to begin with a presuppositional idea of what we think God wants and then we try to fit our thinking into the will of God, but Habakkuk’s vision came from His relationship with God and His word.

Zig ziglar has stated that a lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem for most of us. We all have twenty-four hour days. It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?” Henry David Thoreau stated that “to be everywhere is to be nowhere.” We need to know where we are headed. We need to know what we are called to do. I love this quote as well. Not all dreamers are winners, but all winners are dreamers. Your dream is the key to your future.

Secondly, the vision must be plain so it can be easily communicated. The problem for too many of us is that we tend to complicate the things of God to the point that we do not understand what He requires of us. The vision of God should be plain and easily communicated to others. What is your vision? What is God calling you to do today? Let me say this, God is not schizophrenic and yet to listen to some you would think so. Every time you speak with them they seem to be headed in a different direction.

As we grow in our vision we must be aware that a person who has the vision of God is not devoted to a cause or to any particular issue. He is devoted to God Himself. By being devoted to God we are more likely focused on what matters and less on the trivial pursuit of our own ideas or ideals. When we are devoted to God we will be less motivated to self-centeredness. We will be less argumentative and will be more willing to work with others to accomplish the will of God. You see each of us are a part of the fulfillment of the vision for our church, even though we do so from different gift sets and abilities.

The third part of the vision is that we must be patient and not be discouraged as it takes time for the vision to be accomplished. We can give up too soon or get distracted when we are impatient. This is especially true in our quick fix, instant world. You see there are times where God is working behind the scenes to bring about His will and His purposes. But too often we try to help God out and that usually does not work too well.

So let’s make this practical and bring it home here this morning. Our vision here at PCC is to grow people and reach people for Christ. The vision is simple: grow strong committed disciples of Christ and reach people (unchurched and unsaved) for Christ. The vision remains the same. It does not change frequently, but we must also establish some goals as to how we will accomplish the vision.

More specifically we want to:

  1. Continue to grow our teaching and discipleship opportunities. Personal spiritual and practical growth is paramount to the success of the church by way of men’s and women’s ministry, life groups, Sunday school, Sunday morning preaching and worship, and other opportunities that come our way.
  2. Have specific intercessory prayer opportunities.
  3. Look for ways to reach our community for Christ both the unsaved and the unchurched.
  4. Continue to grow our children’s ministry: life kids, nursery, youth.
  5. Provide opportunities for regular fellowship so that we grow relationally and dynamically.

So what is your vision? What has God called you to do? If you focus on God and get into His word, I am convinced that He will show up and will lead you to a bigger plan and purpose than you have dreamed of.

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2018 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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January 3, 2018 · 2:55 pm

The Power of Our Testimony

Peninsula Community Church 

The Power of Our Testimony 

December 31, 2017 

Revelation 12:10-11 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.

Today, we have heard from three of our members who have shared their testimonies about God’s grace and His intervention in their life. Thank you so much for sharing. As we consider these testimonies, I want to challenge us all to consider sharing more of your testimony. With that in mind let me remind you that a testimony is a formal written or spoken statement, especially one given in a court of law. It is also the evidence or proof provided by the existence or appearance of something. And it is a public recounting of a religious conversion or experience. In Psalms 22:22 David penned offers this insight. I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.

By sharing our testimonies, we are in fact giving evidence and bearing witness to what God has done and is doing in us. We are honoring God’s name and His work in our life. The fact is, every person has a testimony. We have all been touched by the power of Christ in some way. Sometimes because we do not have a glowing testimony of a life delivered from drugs or alcohol, we can be deceived into thinking that we do not have anything to share. But, the reality is we all have a story. At a minimum, we have all been kept by the power of Christ and His grace. He has provided us with protection and He has supplied our needs. He has brought healing to our bodies and salvation to our souls. We all have a testimony.

So why is it necessary to share our testimony. I would suggest it is necessary because of the following reasons. First, sharing our testimony builds our faith. When we share our testimony, we have an opportunity to build our personal faith. Sometimes we need to hear our own words proclaiming the goodness of God so that our heart responds to those words. We are not talking about a self-centered, self-motivated testimony but one that is focused on Jesus, the one who has aided us in our victory. If we are honest, we cannot share our testimony without acknowledging God in the process.

In the Old Testament, the Israelites were encouraged and challenged over and over to share the work that God had done. They were to retell the stories of God’s grace. They were to remind each other of what God had done. In so doing, their faith was built and their hope transcended their circumstances to see God in the midst of their daily life.

Secondly, sharing our testimony encourages others. Over and over the Scripture challenges us to encourage one another, especially as the days get darker. One way to do that is share what God is doing in you and through you. How has He blessed you? How has He met your need? Where has He led you? Where have you engaged with sharing the gospel. Where has He motivated you to change, so that you are more in alignment with His will and His purposes. What sin or wrong have you had to overcome that has lead you to a new found faith and hope.

It is also noteworthy that one of the benefits of sharing our testimony is that it binds us together in a stronger way. When we hear another’s story, we realize that we are not too far removed from them. We realize that we have a hope. We can then acknowledge that our issue or problem is not so big or so beyond the touch of God. So, rather than being distanced and isolated through our testimony we move closer together and we are encouraged.

Thirdly, sharing our testimony honors God. Giving our testimony, honors God in that it turns the focus away from ourselves to God. A simple definition of a testimony is it is simply honoring the Lord by bearing witness to others about His work in your own life. Paul in Romans 1:16 understood how important it was For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 2 Timothy 1:12 But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.

In the final analysis, our testimony puts flesh and blood on the Gospel. One of the things that people want to know today is does this thing called Christianity work? One of the complaints in the early church was that they had a form of godliness but no real power (2 Timothy 3:5).They were doing all of the religious stuff, but they were not witnessing much of the power of the Gospel. The problem is that too often people have witnessed the negative outcomes of legalism and pride, but have not experienced the spiritual freedom that comes from knowing Christ. They have seen the coldness that can comes from those who proclaim that God is a loving God, but they have not experienced the abundant life that flows from God. They have wondered if God is real, but too often those in the church are presenting a false, plastic God that seems powerless and weak.

The world wants truth and we are the truth to those who do not know Him. The one giving testimony is obeying the Lord by “telling his greatness in the midst of the congregation.” So, let us shout it from the roof top and let the world know that God is working, He is powerful and He is trustworthy.

So what will you share? What is your story?

Listen to the words of the great hymn Blessed Assurance. Fannie Crosby had been blinded at an early age from a medical mistake. Through her blindness, she saw more than anyone else could. She penned so many of our hymns today. Her story could have been one of defeat but instead she turned to victory. Her faith was built, people were encouraged, and God was honored. Listen to the words:

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine

O what a foretaste of glory divine

Heir of salvation, purchase of God

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood

Perfect submission, all is at rest

I in my Savior am happy and blessed

Watching and waiting, looking above

Filled with His goodness, lost in His love

This is my story, this is my song

Praising my Savior all the day long

This is my story, this is my song

Praising my Savior all the day long

 

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2017 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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December 27, 2017 · 11:46 am

The Journey to Peace

Peninsula Community Church

The Journey to Peace

December 24, 2017 

Luke 2:11-14 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 

At Christmas, we often ask people what they would like as a Christmas present and inevitable some will say they wish for world peace. In most cases, what they are asking for is a cessation of all conflict, violence, and war. While this is a noble request, there is a problem. Since the creation of mankind there have been struggles and conflict, and there is no end in sight as long as human beings are in this world.

To understand peace, it would be helpful for us to know and understand what real peace is all about. When we consider the word peace, it is my guess that a variety of ideas come to mind. For example, as noted before, some would suggest that peace is the absence of all conflict. Others, would suggest that peace is not having any problems and being free from stress. Contrary to these ideas, the meaning of peace, from a scriptural standpoint, is not just an absence of conflict but represents a much deeper and richer meaning.

In Scripture, we find two primary words used for peace. In the Old Testament, the word for peace is Shalom, and in the New Testament the word for peace is irḗnē. It is noteworthy that both of these words can mean a cessation of conflict, but both Shalom and irḗnē go beyond a cessation of conflict to mean wholeness and completeness. In John 14:27, Jesus stated, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. Jesus understood the mindset of the day. They wanted a cessation from conflict, but Jesus was bringing wholeness of mind and heart. Jesus recognized that life will have its issues, but if you seek the kind of peace He brings, you will not be afraid. For that reason, Jesus could honestly tell His disciples not to let their hearts be troubled (John 14:1).

In our passage this morning the angels make a powerful, life changing proclamation. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Jesus came to bring peace but not the kind of peace that most people expected. As with the wise men, most were looking for a warrior/king but they found a baby. Most thought He came to end conflict and war, but He came to make people whole and complete. His mission was to provide the means for spiritual wholeness, so regardless of the circumstances or events that come, there will be peace.

As we look at the concept of peace, I would suggest that Christ came to give peace in three areas of our life. First, we have peace with God. Christ came to reconcile us to God so we would be at peace with Him. Notice the words of Romans 5:1-2. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And then in 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, Paul says, All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Through reconciliation, we now have peace with God. We are no longer His enemies. Our relationship has been restored, and we are now whole and complete. We are restored because Christ gave Himself for us. Our sin, all sin, every sin, is covered by the blood of Christ. We no longer live disconnected, disjointed lives. The Greek word irḗnē means to bring together and that is exactly what Christ did, He brought us together with God.

Before Christ, there was no way to span the gulf between us. There was a wall of separation, and there was no way for us, as sinners, to be united with a perfect holy God. We were separated  because of our sin. Our relationship was broken, but He came and died to restore our relationship with God. When we have a right relationship with God, we will experience real peace! Without a right relationship, nothing else will be right. It all begins right here.

Listen to the words of Paul in Ephesians 2:13-17. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

Secondly, Christ came to give peace within. This emotional peace is the peace of God. When I have peace with God, then I get the peace of God inside me. Paul again is our inspiration in this regard. In Colossians 3:15, Paul states, And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. Here is the deal, God wants the peace of God to rule our hearts. He wants His peace to motivate us, guide us, and determine where we will focus our attention. Listen to this quote by Rick Warren. For those with a broken heart, God gives us comforting peace. For those with a confused heart, he gives us guiding peace. For those with a shamed heart, he gives us forgiving peace. When we have a worried heart, he gives us confident peace. He provides peace for every problem.

Thirdly, He gives us peace with others. The Bible says in Ephesians 2:16, Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. Here is a truth you can take to the bank. If you want to strengthen your relationship with others, like your spouse or your kids, strengthen your relationship with God. The only way to have lasting peace with others is to be united with God. It all works together.

This Christmas, as we sing and talk about peace on Earth, know that God wants to give you real lasting peace in each of these three areas. Peace is an attainable dream, as it is a free gift from God and it involves our inner being but, how do we maintain peace? To answer this question, we must understand our focus will determine our outlook and will determine how we live in peace.

In Philippians 4:4-9, Paul hones in on how peace is worked out in us. Listen to his words. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. If we do this, the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Isaiah 26:3 states You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Notice, we have the Holy Spirt to help us focus our mind upon Him. That is where our peace will come and there it will be maintained. Paul in Colossians 3:1-2 states If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 

When we focus our attention, our hearts, our minds, and all we are in Christ, we will find peace even in the midst of the storms of life. This is seen most vividly in the life of the author of one of the all time great hymns of the faith. In 1870, Horatio Spafford’s only son died of scarlet fever. In 1871, his major real estate investment burned to the ground in the great Chicago fire. Then, in 1873 he was devastated by the news that all four of his daughters had died in a shipwreck in the Atlantic. As he was in route to Europe to meet his wife, who had survived, he was shown the spot in the mid-Atlantic where his daughters had perished. He was suddenly overwhelmed by an rush of the peace of God. With tears streaming down his face, he recorded his feelings.

In that moment, he penned these words! When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul. Why could he say “It was well with his soul?” He was complete in Christ and that served to give him all of the peace he needed, even though he had lost almost everything in his life. So, how is your peace? What are you dealing with today? It begins with a relationship with Him and from there everything else springs forth.

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2017 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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December 18, 2017 · 10:09 am

The Journey of Joy 

Peninsula Community Church 

The Journey of Joy 

December 17, 2017 

Luke 2:8-11 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 

Let me begin this morning by asking you a question. Here it is. In life, what brings you the most joy? What ignites your heart with passion? I am sure that if we polled this room we would most likely get all sorts of answers and responses. I am sure that some would say their kids or grandkids bring the joy. Some would say a specific trip they have enjoyed. Others would say a certain meal or a dessert would bring joy. Still others would say sitting before a fire with a good book brings them the most joy. The fact is each of us has a different opinion as to what would bring us joy. This morning, I propose, however, that the greatest doorway to joy is a personal relationship with Christ. It does not matter what specific items or events bring joy, if those things are not founded in a relationship in Christ.

As we review this particular Christmas story this morning, notice if you will, the shepherds were in the field minding their own business. They did not expect or anticipant a visit of any kind, much less the kind of visit that occurred. You see, there was nothing extraordinary about these men. They were shepherds and perhaps the lowest of all people on the totem pole of social standing. People did not visit shepherds. In fact, most people did not associate with shepherds, as they tended to be an isolated nomadic group of people who hung out with people just like themselves. And yet, this is to who God chose to bring the proclamation that Christ was born.

If you will, look at their response with me. It is probably no surprise that their initial response was one of fear. Now these were tough burly men who had confronted lions and bears without giving it a second thought, but this encounter was a bit much for them. They were filled with fear because of the activity occurring that dark night. So, why were they afraid? For one, angels were speaking to them and that by itself was enough. What would you do if you encountered a real angel or angels in the middle of the night with a choir singing behind them? I would imagine there would be some fear expressed.

It is also noteworthy that this circumstance was enhanced by the fact there had been no word from the Lord for 400 years. Can you imagine that? There had been no word from the Lord for 400 years. This was a dark time in terms of a visitation from God. But now at the appropriate time, and at the right moment God chose to come to the lowly shepherds. Listen to the words of Paul but when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons (Galatians 4:4-5). At the right time Christ came to earth, and this was the right time.

The fear they were experiencing was happening on multiple levels. Their fear was a natural reaction this encounter. The angels were aware of this fear and they countered that fear with a message “Fear not…! Fear not…!” What a statement in comparison to the circumstances. Can you imagine what the shepherds thought? All this is happening and you want me to not fear. You just rocked my world and you want me to act without fear? You see this declaration to not fear was not some passive, unrealistic command, but was founded in the truth that God was up to something. To understand this, we must read the rest of the proclamation as this is directly connected to the birth announcement of Christ. The angels announcement was Do not fear, because, we bring you good news of great joy and this message will be for all people.

It is noteworthy here that the answer to their fear was a message of joy. This was a message that would counter the fear and anxiety of the moment. Even today, it is a joyful heart that neutralizes fear. For that reason, it is hard to be joyful and to be fearful at the same time. The fear I am talking about is the kind that brings bondage and prevents us from any forward movement in life. It is the emotion that for many has prevented them from experiencing life to the fullest. It is a fear of the future. It is a fear of failure. It is a fear of outcomes. It is even a fear of the good that God does. We fear that somehow we are undeserving of His blessing.

Know this fear binds but joy releases. That is why the Old Testament writer said that weeping may endure for an evening but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5). Another writer spoke with conviction when he stated that the joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Joy is an internal reaction to delighting in Christ. As we delight in Christ, He exposes us to His joy which is already resident in us.

Remember the movie the Wizard of OZ. I know that we all have our favorite movie around Thanksgiving and Christmas. My mom’s was the Wizard of OZ. Watching this movie was an annual event for us. If you have seen it, you will remember the main characters in the movie. There was Dorothy who had lost her way. There was the scarecrow who had no brains. There was the tin man who had no heart or emotions. Then there was the lion who had no courage and was afraid of his own shadow. As you watch the movie, you find that they made it to the great city of OZ where they made a request of the great wizard. They asked that he would give them a brain, a heart, and courage. But what we find in the end, is that each of them already possessed these characteristics, they just needed to allow them to be released into their life.

Today, the enemy of our soul has robbed us of joy and has filled so many with fear. One of the lessons of the movie the Wizard of OZ is that what we desire is often already in us. That is a Biblical principle and I am here to tell you that all that you need is already in you, spiritually. You see joy has come as a child but more than that it is a fruit of the spirit that is resident in our hearts because of the work of the Holy Spirit within us. Christ came, He died, and He sent us the Holy Spirit who would provide us with joy as it is one of the fruit that is resident in us as we receive Christ as our Savior (Galatians 5:22).

Since joy is a fruit of the spirit, we understand that it is therefore a work of grace for us to receive that joy. It might be noteworthy that we find that joy and grace come from the same root word in the Greek. The Greek word for joy is CHARA and the Greek word for grace is CHARIS. You see it is by grace that we have joy, and it is the joy we experience that shows us the grace of God in our life. It seems like a bit of circular thinking, but it is the truth as they are intricately connected in our spiritual being. Rather than walking in fear, we can walk in the joy provided to us by the grace of God. Rather than working at producing or manufacturing joy, we can realize that joy comes to us as a gift of God by way of His son. The fact is we have the potential for a joy-filled life because of God’s amazing grace.

Know this, Christ is the source of our joy. Most exciting announcements bring immediate happiness, but afterward, the emotional high evaporates, leaving us unchanged. However, when we believe the good news of Jesus’ birth and we accept Jesus as our Savior, the joy is lasting and it is transformative in its power. As we abide in Him like a branch in a vine, His life flows through us, and the Spirit produces fruit in us (John 15:4, 11; Gal. 5:22-23).

Perhaps the problem with our joy and the power of fear that overwhelms us is that we are looking to the wrong sources to provide our joy. So, where are you looking for joy? Are you trying to control the events of your life and the actions of the people you are invested in, only to find that the end result is more sadness and pain. How many times have we looked to things to provide us with joy to find that it is only a temporary joy that is easily lost, when the thing we look to is destroyed or no longer available? The reason for this is that joy, true joy, is not something we create but something we receive from a heavenly father that so desire. Listen to this: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope (Romans 15:13). Our joy is a direct result of the relationship we have with Christ.

He is the source of our strength. When the shepherds heard about the Messiah, their elation propelled them into action. They could not keep the news to themselves. Christ’s joy is powerful, and as was true of the shepherds, it should likewise transform and motivate us to serve Him. A joyful life is the most appealing witness you and I will ever display to a lost and hurting world. People are searching for joy in all the wrong places, so when they see us going through pain, trouble, and conflict with calm contentment and peace of mind, the door opens to share the message of a Savior who came to give new life.

Finally, even if your circumstances aren’t perfect this Christmas, do not give up on your joy. It is a precious gift from Christ, and He wants you to live in joy to the full this day and every day. Just  remember, Christmas is just a preview of what awaits us in heaven. There we will have uninterrupted and uninhibited delight in the presence of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That alone is a reason to celebrate, but we do not have to wait until heaven. We can experience that now through Christ. Are you ready? Is that the life you want to live? Let us pray.

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2017 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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December 11, 2017 · 10:12 am

The Journey of Love

Peninsula Community Church

The Journey of Love

December 10, 2017 

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Last week we looked at the idea of the wisemen taking a journey to find the Christ child. They looked for one thing, but found another. They were looking for a king and a warrior, but what they found was a baby and what a baby He was! This child was about to do what no other person in the history of the world could do. He was about to save the world and bring to each person who trusts Him hope, love, joy, and peace.

Last week, we looked at the idea of hope and the light that shines into the darkness. This week we will look at the power of Christ’s love that came to set us free. From the early writings of the New Testament, we find that John recognized a truth that is needed in our life today. We need love. We need true love and not a facsimile or imitation love. As John penned these words, he recognized the source of our love is the One who came to save us. Listen to the words again. For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.

The passage begins with for God so loved. He loved. He loved the world. This term world here is the term KOSMOS. It was a word that meant universe and/or adornment. In the New Testament, it was also used to describe man in his fallen state that resulted from the sin and the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. Thus, we could say that God so loved mankind that even in his fallen state He sent His only Son to save man from his failures and from being a fallen creation of God.

Notice too, that He did not come to condemn the world. The world was already condemned and was living life in shambles. Most were well aware of their difficulties and their sin. Additionally, many were living hedonistic lives apart from God. While proclaiming to be fulfilled, free, and at peace, they struggled with their identity and self-esteem. The fact is, they were living life devoid of real love. Does that sound familiar in our society today?

The blessing we have is that in our self-centered, self-focused life, we can find that His love reorients us to His purpose and plan. His love reorients us to the destiny He has for us and He empowers us to fulfill the purposes we have been created to achieve. So what kind of love does Christ offer? To understand this it would behoove us to consider the words used in the Greek to define love. Unlike our English language, the Greeks had four words to describe love.

The first of these words is Eros. This is defined as erotic love. This is the love that is engaged through body chemistry and is relegated to feelings. Eros love is focused on others but only as others fulfill their desires. The motto of this kind of love is “I love you because you make me happy,” but “if you cease to make me happy, then I will no longer love you.” This kind of love is based on a characteristic in the other person that brings pleasure, but if that characteristic ceases to exist, the reason for love is gone. Eros love looks most often for what it can receive and not give. Many of us have experienced this kind of love. As long as we are giving and we look a certain way, we are accepted and loved. As long as we meet another’s expectations, we are loved. But let changes come and that love is diminished.

Secondly, there is Phileo love which is a brotherly or friendship love. This speaks of affection, fondness, or liking. Phileo love responds to kindness, appreciation, or another’s love. It involves giving as well as receiving, but when it is strained it can collapse in a crisis. How many have had a friendship fall apart because of a disagreement or problem? What you thought you had was quickly destroyed.

Thirdly, there is Storge which is the love that has its basis in one’s own nature. This love is based in one’s natural affections. It is the natural movement of the soul for a husband, a wife, a child, or even a dog. It is a quiet, abiding feeling within a man that rests on something close to him and that he feels good about. If Storge love is not centered in Christ, our feelings can cause us to move toward unhealthy and immoral love. We see this today in many of the issues we face. Romans 1 speaks of a generation that would seek that which goes against their nature because they reject the truth. Their passion for unnatural affection has lead them to be be deceived and destroyed. Their hearts have been darkened.

Then we have Agape love. Agape love is focused on the preciousness of the object loved. This speaks to the character of God! It carries the idea of prizing. It is not kindled by one’s personal merit or worth. Agape love delights in giving. Agape love keeps on giving when the one being loved is unresponsive, unkind, unlovable, and unworthy. It is unconditional love. Agape love desires only good for the one loved. It is a consuming passion for the well-being of the other person. So let us look at our text this morning in view of Agape love.

First of all, His love is based in the preciousness of the object loved. He loves us because He believes that we are precious in His sight. Remember the song we sang in children’s church so many years ago. Jesus loves the children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children.

We are precious because we are a creation of God. Therefore, we have value and we have significance. One of the great lies of the enemy is to get us to believe that we are less valuable than we are, or that we do not have any significance in this life. I can tell you this morning that you are precious in His sight and He extends His love to us as a result. The Psalmist said “We are fearfully and wonderfully made.” Who is the “we?” It is you and I. If we agree that we are a creation of God, then we must accept that we have value and significance. We must rise up and live like we believe it. We are not talking about a sense of false security or pride, but rather the truth enveloped in Christ’s love for us.

You see value is given to person or object by the one who adores or loves it. In the case before us today, God loves us and has added great value to us as a person. That is Agape love. Agape love places a high value on us as a person. In 1973 I bought a used 1970 Dodge Charger. I paid $900 for it. That was considered to be the value assigned that car, at that time. In 1976, when I left for Bible college, I sold the car for $4000. The value in someone’s mind had gone up. Today, I have seen similar 1970 Dodge Chargers sell for over $100,000. Why? Because someone has given a greater value to the car. Let me tell you, we have a Father and an elder brother named Jesus who has assigned value to your life and no matter what someone else tells you, and no matter what you think, you are valuable and you are worth more than you know.

Secondly, this kind of love is not kindled by meriting His love nor is it based on one’s idea of self-worth, but it is solely the action of one doing the loving. Here is the amazing thing about Agape love. It is not conditioned on the one receiving the love, it is fully based in the one giving the love. With that in mind, think about this. The perfect, eternal, faithful God has loved you and has assigned value to your life, no matter what you may have done. No matter what condition you are in, you are valuable to Him. It is for that reason that no matter where you are, He is reaching out to you. How can a car that was worth $900 in 1972 be worth over a $100,000 today? It is because someone saw value in the car. Most of these cars have been rescued from backyards, junkyards, and from the side of the road. The car had nothing to offer but the master mechanic stepped up and repaired the brokenness in the car. That is what Christ has done for us. He saw us on the trash heap of life, He saw value in us and He came to save and redeem us.

Thirdly, Agape love delights in giving. There is an amazing joy that comes in giving to others. Know this, God counts it all joy to love you and give you all you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). He delights in you. Think about that, the God of heaven delights in you. He loves you and wants to minister to you in a way that will enrich your life. He does not withhold His blessing from those He loves, but rather He lavishes His love upon us. John succinctly stated See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are (1 John 3:1). The Greek shows us that the work has already been done. He has lavished His great love on us as a completed work. We do not work for it. We simply accept the work already done on our behalf.

Fourth, Agape love keeps on giving when the one being loved is unresponsive, unkind, unlovable, and unworthy. It is unconditional love. Here is the most amazing thing about God’s love. It is unshakable. The greatest fear in our life is that we have failed God or that somehow God cannot or should not love us because of what we might have done. This also means that there is no place to hide from the power of His love. The Psalmist stated that he could run to heaven or to the depths of the earth but there He finds God and where God is, there is His love (Psalm 139:8).

Fifth and finally, because of Agape love, He desires to have a relationship with you. He is not interested in an Eros love relationship that is secure as long as you are pleasing Him. He does not love you for what you can offer Him and when you cease pleasing Him He will discard you. He is not looking for friendship love that might be diminished when there is a problem or a difficulty. He is not looking for a love based on the naturalness of our nature that can easily change based on the condition of our heart. Christ is looking for a deeper relationship. He is looking for a personal, real, ongoing, and life changing relationship with you. It is out of this relationship that we realize that He loves us and that He has our best interest in mind. In this relationship, we can experience His love and the magnitude of His grace to us. It is because of this love that He promises not to leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). It is because of this love that we can also be assured that we cannot be separated from the love of God.

Let me close with this verse, so that we hear for ourselves the power of God’s love in Romans 8:31-39. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is Agape love defined!

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2017 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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