Living 3:16 With Passion for Jesus  Revelation 1:9-13,17-18; 3:14-22

So many today are indifferent when it comes to their faith in Christ. Sometimes I really struggle with discerning whether or not they are really saved. The kind of passion and burden found in One Man’s Journey is rare, indeed. In fact, our church just completed meetings where our stated intention was to seek revival and spiritual renewal. I don’t know if we did or not. I believe a few have. I know I have been challenged and refreshed. But some couldn’t have revival because of the music or the evangelist. If we can’t seek for God when things don’t fit our personal preferences, can we ever have revival? I think not.

Our focal text this week is from the beginning of the Revelation. A great book with an astounding message. The message is not necessarily about perseverance in times of trouble, or even end-time events. It is about Jesus Christ. The challenge of our lesson this week is to be passionate in knowing and following Jesus.

This will probably not be the usual commentary format that I write. I sit here today with several things swirling through my consciousness; revival, church needs, ministry, the future, my future, sickness, stress, dreams, passion, discouragement, etc.

I keep returning to Revelation 3:14-17. The church at Laodicea had a comfortable, elevated view of itself. I would guess that most churches do. “We are a friendly, loving church that wants to see all people saved.” Does that sound familiar? And many church members really do believe that about themselves. But in reality we are only friendly to our own folks. We only love those who are like us. And we want to see all people saved, but blacks need to go to black churches, poor need to go to poor churches or missions, etc. We really only want the kind of people who will fit in; and in most churches that means white middle- or upper-class Anglo Saxon protestants with no major histories or hang-ups.

The Laodiceans probably were just like us. And look what Jesus said about them: “Because you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy, and need nothing,’ and you don’t know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:17 (HCSB). Here is another penetrating verse that sheds light on their and our condition: “If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8 (HCSB).

Powerful words from our Master that shred away our veneer of satisfaction and leave us naked, destitute and ashamed. Jesus’ diagnosis is found just before the above verse in Revelation 3:15-16. Here Jesus says we literally make Him sick to His stomach. Our lukewarm, lackadaisical, nonchalant manner of Christianity makes Jesus want to hurl. Neither cold nor hot; neither refreshing or warming. Just sickening.

What can we do? Repent! Turn away from sub-marginal lives that chase after mediocrity, temporal gain, and self-sufficiency. Lay all on the altar of Christ. Rejoice in the blessed truth of salvation. Pursue a relationship with Jesus that is vibrant and alive. Serve Him with limitless abandon. Jesus is today knocking at the door to your life (Rev. 3:20) and asking to be allowed to enter. He wants to fellowship with you, forgive you, change you, and show you what real living is all about.

LET HIM IN!!

Good afternoon. God is so good and I have to share!

It is so difficult to explain all that the Father is doing and welling up in my heart. He continues to make me sensitive to His spirit when it comes to sin, vision, direction for my life, and ways to be a vessel for Him. A very eager and willing vessel.

As I continue to seek for His hearts desire to be my hearts desire, it becomes a pruning process in my life. Allowing Him to take away selfishness, complacency, and negativity becomes a daunting task that brings you to your knees and reveals to you that it is all about Jesus.

Ironically as God has expanded the burden, love, and passion I have for people, I have experienced a difficulty with His people. Christian society has become so complacent in our very comfortable box. When one of those Christians goes outside that box and begins to talk about Christian disciplines that are not of the average Christian norm anymore, then that Christian gets judged, criticized, and labeled as pias. I mean evangelism, fasting, extreme faith and the such.

I cannot allow those people and what they think to hold me back from experiencing the life change God has for me and neither can any believer. You don’t have to answer to anyone except your creator.

I know that God is calling me out to make a difference beyond what I can fathom and it excites me to the point that I cannot and will not hold it in. When that happens, you can’t! This is so different from the times I have been “excited” before. The process that God has been taking me on over the last several weeks has been one of stretching, revealing changes that needed to take place in me, and an absolute freedom.

As this process continues, He is moving me to action. To expand the finite thinking of my mind as well as other believers. To see the greatness that He has in store for all those who will totally surrender and have faith in things that only God can do.

God is sovereign! If He can take somebody like me and change him, he can take anybody and change them as well. I want to communicate that more. I long for the God-ordained opportunities to share my faith with others now. I had gotten so apathetic to the fact that there are people all around me that need a fresh touch from the Father. Philemon verse 6 says, “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” It has nothing whatsoever to do with bringing someone to the Lord. It has everything to do with obedience. The sin of silence has affected me too much. I was denying Jesus by not opening my mouth when I had the chance. I was denying Him with my silence.

God continues to make known to me that I am weak. This mere man in the flesh is weak. God is attracted to weakness. He can’t resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need him. Our weakness…makes room for His power.

It is about hunger. I hunger for God to break through in my life, the lives around me, and in the ministry.

This has been an overwhelming experience that I know has only begun. I know I have heard from God. No it hasn’t been some sensational crazy vision. It has been God simply revealing His promises to me through scripture. As I said before, it is God calling me out and tugging me toward an experience of His power. His transforming power. It is a holy excitement.

His for students and families,

Ryan Epps,

Minister of Students

Boone Trail Baptist Church

repps@boonetrailbaptist.org

Galatians 2:20 / Proverbs 29:18

Why is it that the longer I am on the Christian journey the more I feel like I need the gospel? I think new Christians have the misconception at times that those of us who have been on the journey for most of our lives have it easier in our walks than those who are just starting out. For me, the opposite seems to be true. It is almost like the longer I follow Christ the more I see my own inadequacies and shortcomings and the more I tend to recognize my need for the gospel. I became a Christian at a young age. Because of that, I did not grasp the depth of my own depravity for many years. Yet the longer I follow Christ, the more I seem to recognize my sinful tendencies and how fully I need the gospel to continue to shape, refine, and purify me.

What is your Jesus like?

Back-to-School Prayer

The best way to prepare yourself and your kids for a new school year is to start out on your knees in prayer. Praying for your children is a monumental task, but it makes a difference in their life and in yours. Where do you begin? Take a look at these 10 areas that relate to your child's daily life and put them on your prayer list. Your prayers will make a difference in their life, and you will experience greater wisdom and peace for the parenting challenges you face during this school year.

1. Relationships. Your child interacts daily with teachers, friends, coaches, and family. Pray that your children will be considerate of the people around them. Pray that they will choose words that build up others. Pray that they will choose to surround themselves with people who know and love God. Pray that your children will share their faith and experiences in Christ with others.

2. Positive Peer Pressure. Your child's friends are important companions. They are the ones your child grows and learns with. Friends are the ones they share their emotions with and seek advice from. Pray that your child will be secure in his faith and values and will make right decisions. Pray for your child to be a positive influence on his peers.

3. Dating Relationships. Pray for your child's (teen's) purity, wisdom, and his ability to withstand temptation. Pray for your teen to find a Christian person to date. Pray for your teen to seek wise counsel in addressing difficult decisions in the dating relationship.

4. Wisdom. Your child makes a lot of choices. Choices can be as simple as selecting clothing for school and as complex as deciding which classes to take to prepare for college. Choices can also affect things that determine whether your child lives through the day or ends up in a life-threatening situation. Pray that your child will have the ability to think through and process situations before acting or speaking.

5. Right from Wrong. The best source for your child to determine right from wrong is to lead her to the Bible. Pray that your child will read God's Word and clearly know the difference between right and wrong. Pray for her to have the courage to take a stand for what is right and to act on her beliefs.

6. Protection. Your children are living in a frightening world. You can't protect and shelter him forever. The best thing to do is to take seriously your responsibility to pray for your child's physical, emotional, and spiritual protection daily.

7. Self- Acceptance. Growing up is hard to do. Children need a boost in their self-esteem every day. Pray that your child will develop a good sense of identity. Pray that you will encourage your child through your words and actions daily. Pray for your child to accept both his successes and failures and still know of his worth in Christ's kingdom.

8. Good Role Models. Ask for God to place in your child's life people who will exemplify the Christian life. Children need Christian examples in their lives, in addition to their parents. Pray for other Christian adults to surround your child when you may not be available.

9. Pray James 1:19. Pray: "May (your child's name) be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry."

10. Balance. Today's kids juggle lots of activities at school, church, and home. Pray that your children can choose wisely from all the available demands on their time and be able to balance everything in a reasonable manner.

Joash: Almost Revival  2 Kings 12:1-12:18

In June of 1995, after years of planning and research costing multiple billions of dollars, the space shuttle Discovery was scheduled to launch for the first of seven missions which would rendezvous with the Russian Space station Mir, in preparation for the launch of the International space station in 1997. The date had been carefully chosen, weather conditions were favorable but strange noises were coming from Launch Pad 39-B, and upon investigation technicians discovered about six dozen holes in the insulating covering of the main external fuel tank.

All of the complex planning and high-priced preparation were useless as the mission ground to a halt because a family of woodpeckers decided that the Space Shuttle looked like a good place to live.

LESSONS FROM THE BROOK

1 Kings 17:1-9

Have you ever wished that you had the faith, authority, courage, etc., to stand for God and do His work as Elijah did before the 450 prophets of Baal and King Ahab in 1 Kings 18?

Becky and I had the special privilege of visiting with some wonderful people from a former church today. We caught up on everyone's family and work, and of course on what our respective churches are doing. It was rejuvinating to listen to what God is doing there since our tenure many years ago. Many have come and moved on to places of ministry; but the church plows on, accomplishing Kingdom work, because of priceless folks like the ones we spent time with today.

They were servants in our first pastorate who adopted a young pastor and his budding family. Their home was a regular stop on visitation nights for coffee, bread pudding, and encouragement. Many a meal was shared in their home with their family. Many hands of cards, camping trips, witnessing opportunities, weeping, and rejoicing. They remain close to our heart and we make the time to visit them whenever we are in East Tennessee.

It seems that there have been special folks like them in every church we have served. From here (East TN) to MS to West Tennessee there have always been a precious few souls who have adopted us and showed copious amounts of love, encouragement, and service to our family. Some have adopted the kids as their own, becoming surrogate grandparents, while others have chosen to hold Becky and I close and be a source of life for us. We have been and are currently extremely blessed with choice servants of our God who make it their special ministry to love and minister to their pastor and his family. I could never begin to repay them. But I am grateful that God keeps an accurate ledger and His reward for them will be great.

Pastors and churches survive because of such people. There have been times that they have been the deciding factor between staying in the battle and giving up. God has used them to lift us up when we were at rock bottom and despairing of going any further. They will never know how special their ministry is or has been. I am convinced they are not involved in it for reward or recognition. They do it out of love for God and their pastor. When I reflect on all these individuals I cannot restrain the tears and the praise to God. He knows our weaknesses and battles, and He has His instruments of encouragement in the right places, waiting to step in and make an eternal difference in the life of a pastor, his family, and a church and greater ministry.

To those of you who have served us in such a special way, today and in the past: We love you with an everlasting love. I look forward to the day when we stand before Christ. When you stand timidly before Him in awe, and see the great treasure that He is about to bestow upon you, I will be there praising Him and bearing witness before all of the great ministry you have performed to me in His Name. I will embrace you and as we weep together for joy I will remind you of all the times you made the difference between me leaving ministry or continuing onward. All of the impact on this world and Christ's Kingdom that He has accomplished through His ministry entrusted to me is in great part because of your love and faithfulness. Keep serving Jesus by serving others. Yours is a ministry of incalculable importance.