Monday, July 29, 2013

Love Amortization Calculator

Romans 13:8 says, "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another." Debt stinks. You ever notice how big and beautiful banks are? You walk into a magnificent bank and you're like, “Wow, must be nice.” And it's true. And we are building those kingdoms. Really, our debt. The average church attending Christian will give $600,000 to banks in interest expense over their lifetime. Now God is trying to warn us out of this system. He says, “Hey, no more debt.” Now I can do debt as well as anyone, and I am, but put your hands in the air if you're tired of debt. We should decide in our heart, no more debt, and then declare war on debt. Jesus gives us parables about renegotiating debt, and the Mosaic law included a plan for legal debt cancellation every 49 years. This tells us that debt is not a new problem. We love debt in that it gives us access to something that we can't afford, but then pay far more for it than we should. In the end it can mean less dollars for your future, and less dollars for the Lord's stuff, like your local church. So if you’re young, and not in debt yet, well take heed this wisdom. Trust God for your daily needs and your desires, not the bank. For those of us already in debt, well, develop an active plan to get out of debt. Pray, negotiate your debts, get lower interest rates, ask God to help. God will certainly honor your desire to get out of debt. Then when it's time to pay off your debts, well, the only debt you will owe is to love someone. And that's a payment that I'd like to make every single day. Love payments always reap dividends. Love is more like investing, it comes with a harvest.
Pastor Jason Anderson - The Living Word Bible Church

Monday, July 22, 2013

The Last Will Be Simply Awesomeness

Part of living in this world means learning to submit to authority. I Samuel 3:1, "The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli." Samuel would become an amazing prophet, who anointed David King. But for now he's working for Eli. Under Eli is when God talks to him for the first time. Eli wasn't the perfect boss, he made some mistakes, and got in trouble with God too. Still, it was important for Samuel to learn to serve under Eli. You may sometimes be in a position to serve under someone that isn't perfect. Well, big surprise. But can you serve with honor, can you serve well? How well you serve under authority will certainly help determine how well others will do what you say when you're the boss. It's all learning. Remember too that Daniel worked hard for an ungodly king. But when the king outlawed praying, well then Daniel obeyed the higher authority, and he prayed anyway. God's law is above man’s, and if man’s authority disagrees with God's authority, well, then you always go with God. Again, it's a process of learning authority and being great at serving. The greater the servant you can become, the greater the leader you will be. Or as Jesus put it.... “The last will become first.”
Pastor Jason Anderson - The Living Word Bible Church

Monday, July 15, 2013

A Pretty Good Sacrifice

So Nehemiah rebuilds the wall in Jerusalem, then he puts together a church service. How many know we need to have church? Nehemiah 12:43 "And on that day they offered great sacrifices." Now it wasn't just a sacrifice, it was a great sacrifice. Not a bad one, not one like Cain gave, or not just a good one, but it was a great sacrifice. It was so impressive that God decided it was worth talking about in the Bible for all future generations to have access to this story. It was a great sacrifice. I like the word "sacrifice" because it is not just a gift, but a giving that really means something to you. When you go to church, that is, come together with other people to hear the word of God and worship Him, then Hook him up. You know. Bring a sacrifice to the House of the Lord. The scripture goes on to say "Rejoicing because God had given them great joy." It is in our sacrifices that we have the opportunity to let the joy that is in us bubble up to the surface, come out, and get on some other people. Do you need some more joy on your face? The idea of a sacrifice is reminding money that it is not your boss, because you are giving it in exchange for nothing tangible, and yet, it will bring you multiplication of things both tangible and intangible. Like more seed in your store, but also more joy on your face.
Pastor Jason Anderson - The Living Word Bible Church

Monday, July 8, 2013

Force Field

Okay, so sometimes the world is spinning a little too fast and can seem out of control. Watch the news for one minute and you can get afraid, or at least uneasy. But as a child of God, we are commanded to not fear. Don't be afraid. Stop that. Many people might be afraid, but not us. We then become the strength in the world, and in the room, the one who is not worried in the conversations of worry. Isaiah 52:12 says "The Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard." Now back in the day when a king or priest would travel, they would have a guard in front and behind. God has called us a royal priesthood. And He is your guard! He is in front, and He is behind. So that's God all around you. One of the great safety's that are built into future space ships, like Star Trek or Star Wars, is the force field. See the ship is safe from the Klingon Photons as long as our force field is still holding. And you don't have to wait to own a space ship to have a force field. You just need to realize that God has already stepped in as your shield, and your response must be this. This one response is what God is asking for, and that response is to not be afraid, to not worry, because you trust that your God is an impenetrable force of life and strength. Just ask God to raise the shields.
Pastor Jason Anderson - The Living Word Bible Church

Monday, July 1, 2013

For Just 50 Cents More You Can Get the Large

II Corinthians 9:10 tells us that when we give to the Lord that He will, and I quote, “enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.” When you go out to eat someone is always asking you if you’d like the bigger portion. For just 50 cents more you can get the large, right? Here when we give, God enlarges the harvest of my righteousness. What is that? If my harvest is getting bigger, I should know what it is. Righteousness gives you access to the promises of God, the inheritance, the Promised Land. Here’s just a sample when God says in Deuteronomy 28 that you will be blessed in the city, and blessed in the country, blessed coming in, and blessed coming out. Now anyone who receives Christ has access to this harvest through the righteousness in Christ. Christ obeyed every command, and in Him we are righteous because of Him. Everyone who believes has access. Now, when you choose to be a giver, that harvest gets bigger. God enlarges it. He supersizes your harvest. He says, “I will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.” And it comes with free refills. So the next time you’re in church and you have an opportunity to give, God is asking you, for just 50 cents more you can get the large. Give and it will be given back to you, pressed down, shaken together and running over (Luke 6:38).
Pastor Jason Anderson - The Living Word Bible Church

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