Tag Archives: faith

October 9, 2016 · 7:47 pm

By Faith: Obedience To the Calling

Peninsula Community Church

By Faith: Obedience To the Calling

October 9, 2016

Hebrews 11:8-10 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

Today, we continue our journey through the Hall of Fame of Faith. So far, we have examined the story of Cain and Abel, Enoch, and last week we looked at the life of Noah. Today, we look at the story of Abraham and God’s calling and promise to him. As we examine the lives of those who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame of Faith, we find that the one key denominator in all of these stories is a unswerving faith in God. Each of these success stories is based on the individual’s faith and trust in almighty God.

The story of Abraham is no different. In the text we just read, as well as the account in Genesis 12, we find that Abraham was called to pick up stakes and move to a place he knew nothing about. We find that Abraham obeyed God because of His faith. Abraham was called by God to move outside of his comfort zone and what was familiar to him. For us personally, there are times where God will challenge us and shake us so that we are moved into a new perspective, a new way of thinking, and a new calling or service to God.

As I think of this story the question that comes to mind is “How many of us love to play it safe?” Too often we choose to live in a place of comfort and contentment. We put stakes into the ground and huddle around that which is comfortable and that which is familiar rather than stepping outside of our comfort zone. Abraham was definitely called to move outside his comfort zone in order to accomplish God’s will and purpose. He was called to move to a place he did not know and to a people he was not familiar with. In fact, I would argue today that Abraham could not fulfill God’s promise where he was, he had to move. He had to go to where he could be best used for the Kingdom of God.

For us today we must recognize that God moves us out of our comfort zone for several reasons. For one, sometimes, we need to be shaken out of our comfort zones because we have become so comfortable with our current status that we don’t do anything to better ourselves or those around us. Sometimes, we need to be moved out of our comfort zone because God cannot use us as much as he can when we live in that place. God does this because He has a better plan for our life. And finally, God has to shake us from our comfort zone because in our comfort zone we can become self-centered and inwardly focused. The result is that too often we become ineffective in our service to God.

Listen to Abrahams’s story in Genesis 12:1-5. Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan.

Listen to the process involved with the call of Abram. God called him to leave the country of his kindred, the place of his heritage, and he was to leave his family and he was go to the land that God would show him. Think about this. We all have an infinity toward our families but what would you do if God called you to pack your bags, leave home, and go where he wanted you to go but you would not know where you were going until you got there? Would you go?

God calls Abraham to leave everything that is a part of his identity. He was called to give up his cultural identity, his family identity, and his inheritance. In a sense, this reminds us of the words of Paul in the book of Philippians and his desire to give up things for God. Paul said this But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:7-11).

Do you here the echo of the call of Abraham in these words? To make Paul’s words even more significant, we must look at the preceding verses to see that Paul had just given the church at Philippi his resume. He listed his degrees. He detailed his family heritage and his family genealogy because that was what made a man in that day important and it gave him status in the land. But in the end, Paul stated that he counted all of that loss. He counted that as rubbish or garbage when compared to what he was to gain through a personal relationship with Christ. You see Paul weighed out the fact that he wanted a personal relationship with Christ more than he wanted to be known by his degrees or his heritage. Through Paul, a new standard was being set. It was a standard that measured our importance not by our social status but by a personal dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ.

As we look at this lesson this morning let me make a couple of observations. First, it is noteworthy that we do not have much of a response from Abraham.  All we know is that God called and Abraham obeyed. There is no discussion on Abraham’s part. He does not argue with God. He simply obeyed the call of God. The question for us is how many times do we argue with God about something He is calling us to do? We debate. We argue. We think of every excuse we can come up with as to why we should not do the thing or things that God has called us to. Sometimes the arguments are based in genuine issues but we if we are not careful we can argue obedience away. I would also note that God does not generally call us to give up everything necessarily but He may call us to step outside of what we are familiar with.

The second lesson here is that true obedience to God is an expression of faith in God. It has been said and I wholeheartedly agree that our faith is expressed in our obedience. We are saved by faith and not works but it is our faith that drives us toward obedience to God’s word and to His calling upon our life. So in essence, our obedience to God is in fact our faith being expressed. While our works do not save us they do demonstrate our trust and confidence in God.

James had it so right when he made the following statements in James 1:22-25. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

Abraham was promised a great blessing if he responded in faith to the call of God. Abraham did his part and God did His. You see for us today the greatest act of obedience we can have is our obedience to the Word of God. We read, we listen, and we obey. In James 2:14-24 James stated the following. What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Here is what James is saying. Put your money where your mouth is. Abraham was truly saved by faith but his works testified to the fact that he had faith to trust God with his life. In our story today, we see the faith of Abraham expressed. He responds to the call of God to go. Why, because he had faith. What is amazing is that Abraham did not have the whole story at his disposal and yet he was fully and completely obedient to God.

As we look at the life of faith we must underhand that the call of God does not come without obstacles and issues. God had promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. This was all great except that both Sara and Abraham were past their prime as it related to having children. Abraham was 75 years old. But their faith was focused not in their age but in a God who was big enough to do what He said He would do. They had a confidence in God that nothing was impossible with God. Even if he was too old, God could work in miraculous ways to fulfill His promise and His word. He was to become the father of many nations and God would fulfill His promises whatever it take.

So what does all of this mean for us today? When God calls us we can step out in faith and believe that He will fulfill His will in us. Sometimes the unknown can and will scare us. But if our faith in God is bigger than our fear of the unknown we will survive and will be sustained in great and powerful ways. Our job is to be obedient and God will do the rest. Sometimes it means that we observe a need in the church and we become the vessel and channel through which God provides and uses us to touch others. Perhaps it is serving in a ministry that we do not feel comfortable with but we see a need. We hear the call and we obey by serving Him. Are you listening because God is calling and He is speaking today.

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

Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , ,

October 2, 2016 · 10:51 pm

By Faith: Doing the Impossible

Peninsula Community Church

By Faith: Doing the Impossible

October 2, 2016 

Hebrews 11:7 – By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Today, we will continue our journey through the hall of fame of faith. So far, we have seen that the one common denominator throughout this chapter is faith. Each person included in this chapter had an undeniable level of faith that was focused on a unshakable trust in God. Their faith positioned them to be able to trust God regardless of the circumstances of their life or the influences around them. Today’s story is no different.

In the passage before us we find that Noah had faith. It was Noah’s faith that moved him and provided him the basis of his commitment to accomplish the tasks he was given. We find that Noah was warned about the events that were to come and in reverent fear Noah responded to God’s call. Through faith he set out to do the impossible against incredible odds and massive resistance.

As we look at the story of Noah, we find it is a story of contrasts. The world around Noah had turned against God and was going about their daily lives but they made one major mistake. They had left God out of the equation. To understand the contrasts between Noah and the world we must go back in time to Genesis 6 to see what the Bible has to say about the condition of the world at that time. Listen to the words Moses penned about the condition of that generation. The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually… Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth (Genesis 6:5, 11-12). The world in Noah’s day was a sad commentary of man being left to his own devices. They were living life without God. They were going through the motions without a moral compass to guide them.

In this passage we see that the Lord did not just base his judgment of the people on their actions but He saw their heart and He saw that their hearts were continually evil. As we look at this passage we are reminded that God judges the heart of man. He does not just judge the outward expression of man as much as He looks to see the motivation of one’s heart. It is noteworthy that mankind was not just evil but they were continually evil. The communication here is that they made it a habit to do evil and they were so caught up their evil ways that they knew no other way to exist.

The sad part of this story is that because of the sinfulness of the day God’s heart broke. The Scripture tells us that the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them” (Genesis 6:6-7). 

It is hard to believe that God would be so upset with His creation that He would seek to destroy them and yet that is just what the Bible tells us. He was so upset that He actually regretted that He had created mankind. It is hard to beige that this is the same creation that He created in Genesis 1-3 and He called it good. But now His heart was broken. The actions of man had grieved the heart of God. The broken heart of God was not a reaction from a heart of evil on God’s part but one of love because what they were doing was not His plan. It was not His desire. But yet it was the reality of the day and He needed to do something to save mankind.

You see we can also grieve the heart of God when we refuse to obey God’s will. But we must understand that the attitude exhibited by those in Noah’s day was more than just bad decisions. They had become darkened in their minds and their heart. Their entire motivation was evil and they were focused on wrong doing. They had no desire to serve God or obey His commands. That is the sadness of this story.

In Matthew 24:36-39 we find these words from the Lord Himself in addressing when the Son of Man which is Christ would return to earth to take His children home. The attitude of the world was not much different. But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. The story of Noah has become the measuring stick of the future promise of Christ’s return. It is my belief that we are living in just such a time today. People have turned from God and are trusting in their themselves and not God.

As we move back to the Genesis account we find that while the world was falling apart. God was looking for a man that would be different. In Genesis we see that Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord… Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. He was spiritually impressive. As we read this text we find that Noah’s life exemplified the life that God could use for His kingdom. What Noah did not know is that he was about to be chosen for a task that by many, including Noah himself, would think was impossible. We will look at that in a moment but for now let us look at what qualified Noah for the task he was about to be called to. In the text, we find three distinct qualities that placed Noah in a position to be used for the mission God was calling Him to. These distinct qualities set Noah apart.

First, Noah was righteous man. His life exhibited the righteousness of God. It is noteworthy that he lived righteously even though the world around him did not do so. While the world’s heart was filled with sin and continuous evil, Noah chose to live differently. He chose to live righteously. His heart was pure and he sought to honor God the best he could. In Hebrews 11 we find that he was a man of righteousness in the here and now but he also was given the promise of an eternal righteousness that was yet to come.

The second quality associated with Noah’s life is that he lived a blameless life. This did not mean that Noah was a perfect man. But he lived in a way that few could find any fault in his life. It is my guess that Noah made mistakes and had issues but the thing that set him apart is that he was willing to deal with his issues in a way that no one could accuse him of sin or wrong.

The third quality possessed by Noah is that he walked with God. If you remember our study from last week we find that Enoch was a model for Noah’s life. It is interesting to note that while Enoch was taken, Noah was left on earth to be used by God to bring about God’s purposes and God’s will for the world. God had a different plan for each of these Godly men. It is for that reason that we must never come to the place where we become jealous about how God uses us. I wonder how many times Noah wished God would do to him what He did to Enoch and just take him. But Noah needed to follow through with the plans that had been given to him. He was chosen for a specific mission.

Because of the qualities exhibited by Noah he was able to stand against the norms of the day. Because of these qualities God was going to use Noah to preach repentance to the world in which he lived. You see even in the judgment that was to come God’s grace was evident. He sent Noah to preach a message of hope. You see it was never God’s desire to destroy the world. His intent was to see the world repent and change their ways but as we read the entire story of Noah’s life we find that man did not repent. In fact, they rejected the call of Noah to repent. They in fact rejected God. So once again we can not blame God for the destruction of the world. It was a choice they made to reject God’s calling.

In this story God called Noah to do something that seemed impossible. God called Noah to Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. God wanted Noah to build an ark to preserve the life of God’s creation. That was no small undertaking. There are three things that seemed to make this an impossible task. First of all he was to build a boat that would measure 450 feet in length, 45 feet high and 75 feet wide by hand. Plus it would take anywhere from 75 years to 120 years to build and stock the ark with food. Can you imagine if you were called to build such a thing by hand or do something that was based solely on the call of God. There is no doubt that the people of the land mocked and ridiculed him big time.

Secondly this seems to be an impossible task because there had been no significant rain on the earth since the earth had been created. From the time of creation to this moment in time the earth was covered with a canopy that provided a tropical environment where the condensation and dew was enough to water the land.

A third problem is that no one believed in Noah’s mission or his message. They did not believe that God was going to destroy the earth. Why would He? They were having too much fun. They would never believe Noah’s call to repentance. Noah had an impossible task but he would stand up for God as he was a man who was full of faith and he knew that God would be with him and would guide him. Why? By faith Noah built the ark. He did the impossible for God.

Noah did it and so can we. So how does this apply to us today? God is calling us to stand strong when the world around us is falling apart. The world is a mess but God is still in control. As with Noah we are called to preach a message of hope but we must understand that we are not responsible for what people do with the message we share. We continue to share and preach a message of hope regardless of how people respond. We do this by faith and by our trust in God who is able to do above and beyond what we think or ask Him to do.

And finally, we never know what we will be called to do that seems impossible. It might be a health issue. It might be life without a loved one. It could be a major change in our life. Whatever the issues, we have the promise that God will be with us and that He will keep us no matter what happens. Are you ready? Let’s do it.

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

Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , ,

September 12, 2016 · 11:30 am

What is Faith?

Peninsula Community Church

What is Faith? 

September 8, 2016

Hebrews 11:1-2 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews has been called the hall of fame of faith. It has gained this title because of the focus it gives to those who have given themselves to God regardless of the issues they may have faced in life. When you visit a hall of fame there are those who are enshrined there because they have contributed to a certain field of study, a field of science, or they were successful in a particular sport or profession. In the case before us today, we find those enshrined here because of their faithfulness and their trust in the one true God.

By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit this chapter has been included in the Biblical text to remind us that we can also make it through until the end even when we face great odds and problems beyond our control. Last week, we noted that we have people watching our lives. We have those in our daily lives that we encounter and who see us every day. We also have a great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us in death. It is this great cloud of witnesses that the writer of Hebrews is talking about. This is the hall of fame of faith. They are watching us and they are cheering us on in our exploits and our accomplishments for God. They are cheering us on when we fall short and we need special encouragement. How does this occur? It happens because we are challenged by their testimonies and their persistence to follow God whatever the cost.

I propose to you today that the thing that set them apart was their faith in Christ. The faith they possessed sustained and kept them through many different difficulties, adventures, and at time the unknown. You see none of these men were supermen in themselves. Each of them had faults and failures that could have negatively impacted them as a person and as one who was called by God. They were regular human beings who lived regular lives but each one was called with a supernatural calling for a supernatural task. You see they were ordinary men used for the extraordinary by an extraordinary God. The emphasis was on God and not them themselves. Their role was to exhibit faith and obedience to the call of God in their lives. They took the admonishment of Paul in Romans 1:16-17 seriously. “The righteous shall live by faith.”

But the question for us today is to understand why their faith was so important to them. Their faith was critical because it was the sustaining factor in their life. You see to have faith is to have complete trust or confidence in someone or something. As believers, our faith is in the one powerful amazing loving God we serve. You see it is not so much about faith itself as it is the person in or object of our faith. In fact, it is my belief that we can have more faith in faith than we do the one in which our faith is based. We become so concerned about the nuances of faith that we tend to focus on the act of believing itself so much that we forget that our faith is based in and focused on Christ and all that He has done. To understand faith the writer of Hebrews has attempted to clarify the role and purpose of faith in our life.

He begins by focusing us on what faith is. He says, faith is the substance of things hoped for. In other words, our complete trust and confidence in Christ becomes the foundational truth and basis of all that is to come. Faith is both forward looking but it is based in the evidence of what has been done in the past. There is a trust that is built and a security that is fashioned from a truth that the one in whom we place our trust and faith will guide us and keep us. He will not forsake us. Therefore, I can trust Him and have faith for the future.

We must recognize that faith is not about feeling good about ourselves nor is it an ideal that is subjected to our emotions and our erratic ways of thinking. It is based in truth. The fact is Christ died, He rose, and He is sitting at the right hand of the Father. He has promised us that He will be with us and we can take that to the bank. This is the problem with faith too often, however. We can teach faith as if it is some arbitrary concept floating in the heavens. Real faith authentic faith  is based on the reality and the truth that God is alive and that He is in control. Without Him there is no faith for the future. This is the value of trusting Christ.

It is for that reason that Paul made this incredible statement in 1 Corinthians 15:14-19. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Secondly, faith is the evidence of things not seen. How is faith the evidence of things not seen? It is in the relationship of knowing God and His ability to be faithful himself that causes us to trust in what we do not see and what we have been promised. This evidence moves me to do my part and then trust God for the rest. I trust Him, so I honor Him with my time and my faith. Rick Warren has noted the 80/20 rule of faith. If we do the 80% of what is clear he will show us the 20% that is unclear. The problem too often is that we focus on the 20% . We therefore become overly concerned with the 20% and we neglect the 80% we know.

We all have dreams and hopes. We want to see these things fulfilled and come to pass. My dream and vision is that this church will grow and become an influential part of this community. As we look round the room we see many empty seats and people who are missing. What Rick Warren is saying is that I can focus on what I do not see happening to the degree that I am stymied and frozen to do nothing when God is actually doing so much around us. Our faith is not based in what we might see but what we envision as each of us do our part to fulfill the 80% and then let God take care of the 20%.

That is why the writer of Hebrews states that without faith it is impossible to please God. The reality for us today is that we need to understand that our faith only resonates in us when we know God. In knowing God, we know His will and His purposes. Because we trust Him, we can be obedient to Him and thus we can please Him. Do you catch the concept here? To please God we need faith. To have faith we need to know God. Our faith, therefore, is built when we know Him and His ways. So therefore it behoves us to know God.

True faith is more than just a belief in something. It is to know something. Now you might ask how can you say that when we are asked to believe by faith that God created the heavens and the earth. We can do this because we trust God. We know that His word is truth because we have seen it in action. We know that nature itself shows us how all of creation was formed by someone greater than ourselves (Romans 1:19-20). Because the truth of God has been borne out in my life and yours then I can proceed to trust God with the things that I don’t see, feel, touch, or taste. Because of the truth of God is acknowledged, I can then go into the unknown with great faith and hope.

So this begs the question? How is faith built? Faith is built on the word of God (Romans 10:8-11). It is built on our testimonies (Revelations 12:11). It is built on what we have seen God do in us and through us. He has, He is and He will continue to deliver us (1 Corinthians  1:10). It is based on what we know to be true about God. Sometimes we can make faith mystical but it really isn’t at all. It is founded in something and that something is Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.

Even in saving faith or the act of faith that leads us to Christ there is still a foundational principle of truth about God. Paul made this statement in Romans 10:8-11. So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. We hear the Word which is truth. The Word by way of the Holy Spirit acts upon our life to receive the truth it presents. The Holy Spirit brings us to the place of understanding and then we acknowledge God and His work in us. That becomes the process of salvation and it is the process of faith. Notice the great salvation passage in Romans. Believe in your hearty and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and you shall be saved.

So what is faith? To summarize, faith is trust, assurance and confidence in God and in the work of Jesus Christ. Living faith is not just believing that God exists. It is demonstrated by one’s service and obedience to God. God will increase our faith if we fervently ask Him for it and seek to draw closer to Him in prayer and the reading of His Word.

That is why we gather today around the communion table. The Lord’s Table serves to remind us of what Christ did for us. It reminds us of what Christ is doing in us now. But it is also a promise of what is to come. It is what we pin our faith to. It is the hope of a greater day. That is where we focus our faith and where we place our hope. He did and we can. He is and we can be. He is to come and we will be with Him.

As we prepare our hearts would you listen to this song by Jeremy Camp about our faith. I would ask those who will be serving today to come forward at this time. As you receive the elements would you hold them until everyone has been served and then we will take them together after we pray.

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

Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , ,

July 18, 2016 · 7:04 am

Living Faithful in a Messed Up World

Peninsula Community Church

Living Faithful in a Messed Up World

July 17, 2016 

Luke 18:1-8 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Good morning! I would like to begin this message with a question. How many find that in light of the news and problems in our country, our community, and the personal issues you might face that there are times where you struggle to keep the faith and to live victoriously. As we listen to the news it seems that all we hear is negative. We struggle to know who to believe and who we can trust. We are also faced with so much corruption in government and around us that it baffles the mind. And then we get news that a loved has died and or they have received a serious medical diagnosis. Then flashed across the screen is the killing of more than 80 people celebrating the French Independence. The result is that we walk in fear, doubt, and insecurity rather than in faith.

 

As we look at the passage before us we find that Jesus, as He does so often, uses a story or parable to teach a spiritual truth. This time He speaks about a persistent widow who comes to an ungodly and unloving judge to present her case to him. She had been abused and had been treated unjustly by someone in her life. She was not a “happy camper” as life had cast a cruel blow on her. Her problem was that she had an adversary against her. How many of you feel you have an adversary or adversaries in your life? Bad news, health problems, lost trust have assaulted us until we feel helpless and all we can do is cry out for help. We have a tendency to search for help and do anything for help even it is the wrong thing.

In this case the only one she could call on was this judge who was ungodly and did not respect men. When she approached the judge she was persistent in her request for help. As a result, the judge finally gave in and honored her request to give her justice. The purpose of this story is that Jesus is making a comparison between the ungodly and non compassionate judge and a loving, compassionate God. His point was to show us that if an ungodly man can show that much grace and compassion to one that is persistent how much more will God love us and show us compassion. A second lesson being taught is that Jesus is encouraging us to be persistent. Don’t give up so easily. Don’t lose your faith as it is the basis of all we do.

It is noteworthy that at the end of the parable Jesus proposed a critical question. He questions whether or not He will find anyone faithful when He returns. Sadly, faithful people who really trust God and live for Christ day in and day out are hard to find these days. Jesus is questioning is whether or not His children will be found committed and dedicated to the cause of Christ? This is not just a rhetorical question but is one based on His discussion with the disciples in Luke 17. In Luke 17, Jesus details the mindset of the end times generation. Jesus compares the coming of the Lord to the time of Noah’s day. They were eating, drinking, and enjoying life for all of the wrong reasons with all of the wrong motives. They did not care about God and they did not care about the future. They were living hedonistic lives where it did not matter what they did as long as the flesh was being satisfied. There was no faith in God. Just as in the day of Noah, the greatest question of our time, is not conservatism versus liberalism or Democrat versus republican. It is whether men can live without God and that question, it now appears, will be answered in our own time.

Just this week I received word that a pastor I respected was ask to step down from the ministry he led. He had been the founding pastor and had seen the church grow to several thousand. In his farewell address, he noted that he had come to the place in his journey that he had begun to trust alcohol as a source of strength more than he trusted God. He had in essence become an alcoholic. I am not saying that alcohol itself is wrong but it can begin to control one’s life and make one numb to life and faith, if we do not keep it in the proper perspective. Why would Jesus be so concerned about our faith? You see what we put our faith in is what we begin to focus on. What we begin to focus on begins control us. You see this pastor began to trust the alcohol more than he trusted God. Rather than trusting God we begin to trust others, new philosophies, and things to help us.

It is noteworthy that Jesus deals with the proposed question he asked before He ever asks the question. I have been told that a good lawyer will never ask a question he does not already know the answer. Jesus was a master at teaching us. While he asked the question about faithfulness, at the end of the passage He ultimately gives the answer on how to live faithful in the first verse. Jesus begins the passage with this. “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” Two things will help us remain faithful. Prayer and keeping one’s heart focused on God.

First, let us realize that to avoid faithlessness we must always pray. We must have a committed prayer life. Just as the woman who was persistent with the ungodly judge and unloving judge we should be persistent with God. This does not mean that God answers prayer just because we bug Him to death but He answers because He loves us and knows what is best for us. This is the very point that Jesus is making. If an ungodly and unloving person can do the right thing how much more can a good gracious God do.

Throughout scripture we are encouraged to pray without ceasing. In Romans 12:12 Paul tells us to rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. In Ephesians 6:16-20 he tells us that in all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. Then again in Colossians 4:2 Paul challenges us to Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. How do we overcome in a faithless world? We do so by continuing to pray. You see by praying we turn our focus on God and His ability to answer our prayers to see us through every situation.

Secondly, Jesus encourages us not to lose heart. I loved Ronald Reagan as president. He was a master at the one liners that spoke volumes. One such line was “Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid.” You see the enemy’s desire is to intimidate and cause us to walk in fear. By walking in fear our effectiveness is diminished and our faith is shaken. The idea of losing heart is not a new topic. 2 Corinthians 4:1 says therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 states that we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 2 Thessalonians 3:13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. To lose heart is to lose faith so to avoid losing faith we should not lose heart. That may sound circular but it is true.

So how do we avoid losing heart. Look at these three things in these passages. My ministry is from God, so I don’t have to be discouraged when I feel fruitless and ineffective. Secondly, even though my physical man is dying, my heart is growing in faith and so I do not have to be discouraged no matter what comes. And finally no matter what I am called to, I am challenged to not grow weary but to stay focused on God’s calling in my life.

As we close, let me suggest a few things we can do to remain faithful. First, find some good news. While it may seem that there is nothing but bad news, that is rarely the case. Look for positive stories to lift your spirits. Sometimes we have to turn off the negative chatter. Let me ask how much time do you spend watching the news or reading negative stories about things going on in our world. Let me be clear here, I am not suggesting that we isolate or stick our head in the sand, I am saying however that we sometimes are discouraged by the overdose of negative news. Instead, I would suggest that we fill ourselves with that which is positive and good.

Second, read the Good News. Our faith is a story of hope even in the midst of dark times. Spend some time reading Bible passages about hope and resurrection. Or read through one of the gospels to be reminded of how Jesus brings hope in our struggles. The Bible is replete with stories of the impossible. These stories are great faith builders.

Third, give thanks for what you have. In the midst of difficult times, there are still things for which we can be thankful. Take a few minutes to consider all the wonderful ways God has blessed you. No matter what is going on in your life there is much to be grateful for and celebrate.

Fourth, serve someone. While we may not be able to do much about world issues like disease or terrorism, there are problems in your community where you can be part of a solution. Find places in your community to serve people in need. Seek and you will find. You will find those who need help and you can be the difference.

Fifth, don’t forget that God is still in control. He is still the king and He is still Lord. Regardless of what is going on around us He is still in control.

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

Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , ,

May 9, 2016 · 7:41 am

Moses’ Mom: A Story of Faith and Courage

Peninsula Community Church

May 8, 2016

Moses’ Mom: A Story of Faith and Courage

Exodus 2:1-4 Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him.

Today is Mothers Day! What a great day to celebrate all that mothers do and who they are as a person. In preparing for this message I looked at a number of mothers in the Bible but I was especially moved by the story of Moses’ mom. We will see that she was a mother who had great faith and trust in God’s plan for her life and the life of her son. We will also see that her faith was tested and her trust in God was certainly stretched.

The story of Moses is a compelling story of a mother’s love, her trust in God, and her faith in God’s story being written for her and for her son. She trusted and loved God in the midst of some very difficult situations. She did this against all odds. She lived in a time where Pharaoh, the leader of Egypt, had made an edict that all boys born to Hebrew families were to be killed. His motivation was out of fear that the children of Israel were growing so fast that if Egypt were to go to war they might side with the enemies of Egypt.

To understand this we must go back about 350 years or so before the story before us today was written. If you remember, Joseph had been sold into slavery which led his family to move to Egypt. This eventually led the children of Israel into captivity to the Egyptians. For thirty plus years Israel and Egypt had a great relationship. But once Joseph had died and a new Pharaoh was raised to power the cordial relationship soon turned to one that was antagonistic. Listen to what Moses wrote about this. Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens (Exodus 1:8-11).

The more time that past Pharaoh began to put his thumb on them more and more. But the reality is that while they were under the thumb of Pharaoh they were still in the hand of God and God had a greater plan for them. For 300 plus years Israel suffered the suppressive demonic strangulation by the Egyptians. Their plight was so rough they began to cry out for a deliverer. They wanted, they needed a deliverer that could stand against the power of Pharaoh. While things seem bleak, God was at work and He was orchestrating and He was writing Israel’s story.

This is where we pick up our story for today. We find that Moses is born to two loving parents who knew God and served God graciously and magnificently. Little did they know that this little boy would be a great leader. But the odds were against him. With that said let me make a few observations about this story and let me make a few key points that will help us when the world seems to be against us as well.

First of all Moses’ mom was specifically chosen for the task of raising Moses. God purposely placed Moses into her hands. He saw something in her that qualified her for the task. He saw her faith and her trust in God. It is noteworthy that she did not know the story that God was writing. She did not know that he was to be the leader of Israel. She did not know that he would be the deliverer of her people. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that he would be the one that God was going to use in such powerful ways.

This morning I want you to know something very special. You have been chosen as the mother of your children. God saw something in you that qualified you for this great task. You may not always feel it nor will you always believe it but it is true. You have been called to nurture, protect, and disciple those who have been given to you. You are called to be a mother and your children have been chosen by God to be your children.

Secondly, Moses’ mom chose life over her child being killed. Moses’ mom was definitely pro-life. She could have chosen to take the child and have him killed at birth. This would have been the easy thing to do but she chose life. Rather than follow the law of man she followed the law of God. She knew that He would protect them. She knew that He had a plan. Some of you here today against great odds have chosen life and that is honorable. For some, the events leading up to the birth of your child may not have been the best but you chose life and that is commendable and it is to be honored.

Let me make a side note here. I am aware that some have made the decision to abort a child but God wants you to know that there is grace and forgiveness at the cross. There is hope for you and it begins by forgiving yourself as God has forgiven you. Too often we allow the guilt of a past decision to rule our lives in the present.

Thirdly, in this story her name is omitted. It is interesting that God chose not to reveal her name here. Sometimes we feel that we have lost our identity but God never forgets us because He calls us by name. Let me ask you “Do you ever feel that you are not recognized for what you do as a mom?” “Do you ever feel that you are just a shadow in your home?” “Do you feel under appreciated?” “Do you feel that you have lost your identity as a person?”

I do not know if this ever happened to you but as my kids got older I was no longer Bob Odom but I was Kate and Joshua’s dad. I lost my identity. But let me remind you that though you feel that you have lost your identity, God knows you and God knows you by name. The fact is she had a name and it was Jochebed. The name Jochebed means “Jehovah is glorious.” She lived up to her name as she was one who trusted Jehovah no matter what the circumstances of life might bring or what the leaders of Egypt required. She trusted in God because He was God.

Fourthly, Moses’ mom had a courageous faith. Even under difficult odds she walked in faith. She trusted God. After all the edict to have the new born males killed had been pronounced before she became pregnant with Moses. When Moses was born rather than have him killed she hid him until he was over three months old. Can you imagine the fear and the stress she experienced every day? I am sure that she would worry everyday that the door of her home would be opened and in would walk the Egyptian police to arrest her and to kill her son. Even with her fear she still trusted God. Her faith in God was stronger than the fear of the edict that had been made.

Finally, she put her faith into action. This is most vividly seen in the steps that she took. After hiding Moses for three months, she took a basket and place insulation around it so it would be protected from the water and from the effects of the river. She placed Moses into the basket and then she walked to the Nile were she placed the basket in the bulrushes. I am sure that she had tears flowing down her face as she pushed the little ark into the water.

This was an amazing step of faith in that the river itself was a source of death. There were crocodiles and other animals in or near the water that could easily destroy him. Even today National Geographic has reported that 200 plus people are killed every year in the Nile by crocodiles alone. Not only did she worry about the crocodiles but this was also a place where the women of Egypt would come to bathe. This in itself was a threat to Moses because if the wrong person came to the water’s edge she could have had Moses killed.

It is noteworthy that the word used here for the basket is in essence the same word used for Noah’s ark. It was a place of safety and protection. When she pushed the ark into the water I believe that her faith was revealed more in what she did not do than in what she did. Notice something in this story. When she approached the water she placed the basket into the water and pushed it into the river. As I have read this story one thing stands out to me. No where in the story do I see that she tied a rope to the basket. She released the ark with her son inside to God.

This leads me to the final point I would like to make. When we walk in God’s faith and love there is a time where we have to let go and let God control the outcome of our children’s lives. She did not tie a rope to the basket because she trusted God to protect him and keep him safe. Here is the issue for us, too often as our kids grow we want to hold onto the them and try to control the outcome of their life. But as we all know there is a point that we have to push the ark into the water and let go. In letting go, we are saying that we trust God fully and completely. This does not mean that we don’t worry. Even Jochebed worried and was concerned. We see that she had her daughter stand by the river to watch over Moses. But, nonetheless she released Moses into God’s hand.

The problem too often is that we have a snapshot of our children at a certain age and that picture is them as little children. We struggle to let go because we still envision them as kids who need our guidance and our decision making prowess. In this process sometimes we try to control only what God can control. I love what Michelle says, “Control is an allusion.” And yet we live our life being controlled and trying to control others. Our faith in God is measured best when we let go of things that we cannot control anyway.

We need to know that our children will make mistakes. Too often their mistakes come as they test the boundaries that we have set for them all of their life. They test the waters because they want to make the truths they were raised with their truths. Sometimes we will find that our kids will try to do the right thing but they will do it the wrong way. They will fail but that does not mean that we are failures as parents. That is a lie from the enemy.

Finally and this is most important. God loves your children more than you ever will. This is where trust comes in. We must surrender our children to the God who loves them more than we ever could. That is what Jochebed did. She trusted God. She loved God and she loved Moses. But she had resigned in her heart that God loved Moses more than she ever could. That is why she could push the ark into the water and let go. That is faith. That is courage.

How about you this morning? Do you have enough faith to let go? Do you have enough trust in God to give your children to God? It is not easy but it is right. We can still pray for them. We can still intercede on their behalf but we still need to let go.

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

Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,

January 4, 2016 · 10:26 am

Looking Back and Looking Forward

Peninsula Community Church

Looking Back and Looking Forward

January 3, 2016

It is hard to believe that we have turned the page into a New Year. And yet, it seems that it was just yesterday that we turned a new page on the 2015 chapter of our lives. As we have turned the page into anew year, we must remember that the pages of our life for 2016 are relatively blank. Yes, we may have the same problems and the circumstances but the decisions we now make are all new.

Paul in his writings to the Church at Philippi understood this. He stated Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained (Philippians 3:12-16).

As we read this passage Paul says that he forgets what lies behind and he strains forward what lies ahead. We must realize that Paul is not saying that we should not remember the past but that the past must not dictate our present activity or our future responses to life’s issues. We have all been affected by problems and issues. Some of these are larger than life and others are those dripping faucet issues that are irritants more than anything else.

To use the vernacular of the day “Life Sucks.” Life is not fair. Life is filled with both joy and sadness and at times both occur at the same time. Life is filled with the unknown, unexpected, and the unrealized. The problem with life is that we do not know what the future holds, it is the unknown. We also know that life is filled with the unexpected. There are always great surprises both good and bad. And finally, life is filled with unrealized dreams and hopes. But as we enter a new year we can begin with a clean slate and we have the privilege of writing a brand new chapter in our life.

So with that in mind let us look at couple of things this morning. First of all we look back in order to remember what God has done on our behalf and to remember where we have come from. There are some in the church community that would tell you that we should never look back because that is somehow a lack of faith. Now I understand in part why they would propagate such a teaching, as we can be so focused on the past, that we fail to move into the future thus we fail to accomplish God’s will in the present. By being absorbed with the past, we allow the unknown, the unexpected, and the unrealized dreams of our life to determine our current state and the kind of future we will have.

While Paul states that he does not look back, the Bible is also replete with passages that encourage us to remember. To remember, we must look back at what God has done in us and around us. That is the reason I have asked these folks today to share their testimonies about what God has done in and through them in 2015. It is a way to look back and remember. We remember not so much the pain or the problems as much as we remember the grace of God and the power of God at work in our world.

In 1905 George Santayana wrote the following in his book The Life of Reason. “Those who fail to remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” This quote has been contributed to Winston Churchill who used a variation of the quote when he stated that “those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.” The idea here is that when we forget what God has done and the victories that have been won, we can forget the lessons learned in the process. You see there is no experience in life that does not afford us the opportunity to learn and to be instructed. Every experience in life gives us the opportunity to learn more about ourselves, understand those with whom we interact, and to know more about God. This does not diminish the pain, the hurt, or the anger but it does put things into a better perspective for us.

In this regard, let me share a couple of ideas with you about having a fresh start in 2016. First of all stop making excuses and stop allowing past experiences to affect where you are and what you do.  In Proverbs 28:13 Solomon makes an invaluable contribution to this discussion. He states that Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. To not allow God’s forgiveness to flood our hearts is to shut off God’s mercy and grace. Too often we use our past to limit our success in the present. We can use the problems of the past as an excuse to not allow God’s grace and mercy to heal us. We then become stifled and stunted in our growth. How many people do you know seem to live their life looking backward? They count their losses, their regrets, and their failures. No wonder so many  live in defeat.

In the film “The Mission,” Robert DeNiro plays a mercenary who has taken asylum in the local church after killing his brother in a fit of jealous rage. He leaves the church and heads to a mission post located above the waterfalls in a South American jungle. Because of what he has done, and how bad he feels, he ties himself to a several-hundred pound net of items that represents his sinful life. He feels compelled to drag this sack of sin around with him as a way to do penance for what he has done. Have you ever felt like that? I suspect that some of you are tethered to some transgressions this morning. Others of you are gasping under the guilt of things you did several years ago. What do you do when you realize that you’ve messed up? How do you stabilize your life when you experience more ups and downs than the stock market? Do you grab some rope and hitch it up to your sin pile and start dragging it around? Or, is there something better? We can accept God’s forgiveness and let go of the past.

The second thing we can do is to take an inventory of our lives. Take some time to list the issues you face but also list the successes. I am sure that if you will take some time to do this you will find that there have been more successes than you might imagine. By taking inventory, we can have a picture of the realities of life but we can also have a picture of God’s grace and His mercy.

Thirdly, act in faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. What are you hoping for? What do you need to happen in 2016? What changes need to be made in your life? It all begins with faith. By faith we see mountains moved. By faith we see lives changed. When we walk in faith we do not always see positive movement but we continue to walk in faith. To lose faith is to be condemned to a lifeless journey. To lose faith sets us up to be beaten up by the obstacles, the circumstances, and the people in our lives.

Fourth, we must refocus on what is the reality of our life. When we are confronted with the problems of life we can become distracted and overwhelmed. But, as we begin this new year we must refocus our attention, our dreams, and our hopes on God’s will for our lives. The problem that occurs sometimes is that we have a picture in our mind of what life should be. That is not a bad thing as we need to have a dream. We need to have to things that we hold onto and that we hope for. The problem occurs when the picture in our mind is faulty or is based on a false reality.

Last week I mentioned how I have a dream that some day I will stand on a platform and play the drums or the guitar like a mad man. I would do rifts and drum sets that would cause people to stand and cheer. While this is a dream, I also know the reality of life. I am not musically inclined in that regard. I have taken piano and guitar and I was not successful in either. Sure I can dream about this but my focus must be on what God has called me to do.

The fifth thing we can do is to renew our trust in God. The fact is when life’s issues confront us we can loose hope and our trust in God can be shaken. Out trust in God is impacted because we can believe that God has failed us or He has let us down. We can become angry with God and dissatisfied with the actions that God has taken on our behalf. When that happens we need to refocus our trust on Him.

A number of years ago I was involved in a car accident. On my way home from church late one Friday night I had a pedestrian run out in front of me and they collided with my car. It was a surreal moment. There in my windshield was the face of this young man. My windshield shattered. He slid down the hood of my car onto the ground with no movement. My initial thought is that he was dead. But as I exited the car I began to see movement and then he jumped up to run. That accident effected me more than I imagined as I lost trust in my ability to drive in the sense that any time I saw a pedestrian on the side of the road I tensed up. I felt panic. And I became fearful that they would jump out in front of me. I had to overcome this fear. To do so, I had to trust that I could drive. I had to realize that the accident was a one time event.

You may have faced some uncertainty and difficult issues in your life. Most are probably outside your control or you ability to change and yet they are still real. They still happened. They have shaken your faith so much that you must learn to trust again. How do you do this, you do so by taking one step at a time, one decision at a time, and one problem at a time. We remember that God is still alive. He is still omnipotent. He is still saving. He grace is still amazing and He is still on the throne. We have a new chapter to write. May we do so in a way that we live in freedom and may we be empowered to live not in the past but in the present and with a hope for a new day.

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

Copyright © 2015 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,