Church Of The Lost Sheep

" Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." -Apostle Paul writing to the 1st church in Rome, 1st century Romans 15:13 in the Berean Study Bible Edition [This is the  26th  message in this series] The end of the old year and the start of the new year is always a great time to look back on both our mistakes and our triumphs. It is also the time to thank God for His faithfulness. And to pause to bask in this surreal moment. It was another difficult year of course. It has been for billions of people around the world. We are not alone.  It has actually been two straight challenging years for most. But through it all, we can still sense that God was working behind the scenes. God has brought us through what some might consider their most trying times. And at this moment in time it is important to receive God's joy and peace. The world's joy and the world's pe

"The life of the godly is full of light and joy,      but the light of the wicked will be snuffed out." Proverbs 13:9 NLT [This is the 13th message in this series] In this series we are highlighting two-liner verses from the Book of Proverbs. Godly In the previous lesson from this series, we touched on joy. We shall segue right through and talk about light and joy. So the first line of this couplet talks to us about the light of the godly (in other translations it says light of the righteous). No one is really godly per se. There is one (Creator) God. Those who know God can be deemed godly to God (or righteous in His eyes), only when He sees the reflection of His Son when He looks at them.  God's Son who clothed Himself in humanity and lived as one of us is the Righteous One (the righteous human). The Son is godly as He is God Himself (God the Word who became flesh, the second person of the Holy Trinity). When believers put their trust on the Righteous One, they

" Deceit is in the heart of those who plan evil,  but joy belongs to those who advise peace." Proverbs 12:20 [This is the 12th message in this series] In  this series  we are highlighting two-liner verses from the Book of Proverbs. Plotting Evil Most people do not just start planning to do evil. Some of them got swept into it or most evolved into someone who takes delight in it. Spawn Now people who do plot evil, normally wouldn't look anything like we watch in the movies. They wouldn't look like someone wearing an all black or scary outfit or are all tattoed up or have some other menacing appearance. Sometimes they would look and sound like anyone else, like a nicely dressed gentleman or a nice looking grandma.  But appearances aside, someone who is plotting evil always will be giving birth to deceit -- concealing or misrepresenting the truth. Peace On the other hand, those who advocate for peace or promote love, unity, camaraderie and solidarity has joy

"Which one of you fathers would give your hungry child a snake if the child asked for a fish? Which one of you would give your child a scorpion if the child asked for an egg? As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks." Matthew 11:11-13 It looks like we have come to the end of this series (unless the Lord has more for us on this topic).  But there is no better way to end this than to talk a little bit more about God's goodness. Goodness of God In the previous messages of this series , we have gone through God's gifts to us (His children) -- joy, peace, hope, faith, love, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control. Now it all comes together with this last one (goodness) because He is a good father and He gives us good gifts. There For the Asking All of these are gift-wrapped in the person of the Holy Spirit. When we ask our Father f

Teaching about Revenge “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also." Matthew 5:38-39 In this ongoing series, we have been discussing about joy and the other fruits of the Spirit, today we will talk a little bit more about what comes out of a person who the Spirit of God dwells in. Self Control Jesus of Nazareth is one such person. He walked this earth as a human being but He was not controlled by this world or the flesh but by the very Spirit of the Living God. Walked the Talk He taught about God, Our Father not just by what He said but more so by what He did. He particularly showed this to His closest followers when on the night He was being arrested, He scolded the hot tempered Peter who in his usual manner (acting out of impulse) cut the ear off of the servant of the high priest. Jesu

  "He won’t shout or yell     or call out in the streets. He won’t break off a bent reed     or put out a dying flame, but he will make sure     that justice is done." Matthew 12:19-20 Continuing this series on joy, after having discussed God's kindness, today we will talk a little bit about His gentleness. He is Gentle Do not get me wrong, God (like we have already discussed in previous messages in this series) is love, He is kind, He is patient and He is gentle. But He also cannot be fooled. He is all that and more but like the passage above (He will not shout or yell, He will not break off a reed that is bruised or snuff out an ember that is dying out) -- Matthew quoting the old prohet Isaiah, yet He will also make sure that justice is done. He is Just He is merciful and full of race. He is long suffering. But He is no fool. He is a just God. If anyone or anything has wronged us, He will make sure that justice is done. In the same way, if we continue

  "But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard — things like affection for others (love), exuberance about life (joy), serenity (peace). We develop a willingness to stick with things (patience), a sense of compassion in the heart, (kindness) and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people (goodness). We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments (faithfulness), not needing to force our way in life (gentleness), able to marshal and direct our energies wisely (self-control)." Galatians 5:22-23 This series (on joy) within a series (pandemic) has taken a whole life of it's own. Like the Word of God, it is alive*. It grows, it is living and active within us. It discovers even the hidden desires and thoughts of our hearts, for God sees through everything. Series on Joy What started out as what sounds like a punchline (ftom a stand up comedian) is now a full blown TV serie

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23 We are now on part 6 of this series (within a series) which all started with a silly take on God having a good sense of humor because He gives people what they want when they absent mindedly ask for it. Endurance What I mean is people who pray for patience do not really know what they might be getting into. We are in a pandemic people, quit praying for patience. What it does is it will only lengthen the time we need to deal with the pandemonium because God may very well grant the requests. And some people have long patience they can endure for a very long time. LOL This mini series on joy, all started with a discussion we had with parents and teachers. And you guessed it, the discussion was about joy. I told them God is a comedian with a good sense of humor (of which all of us inherited bu

"Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love" 1 Corinthians 13:13 So this is the 5th of this series, the 1st one being about joy, 2nd about peace, 3rd hope, 4th faith, and now it's about love. We can't really talk about love without talking about joy, peace, hope and faith. They are all interconnected. Joy being the centerpiece of this discussion. And all these five (joy, peace, hope, faith and love) we find in one place, in one man, the person of Jesus Christ. Christmas This wiil look like an early message on Christmas. But that's just what this is about. Love came down that first Christmas day, over 2,000 years ago. Not unannounced but prophesied, written and talked about and waited for, for over a thousand years. Wise men from the East travelled from afar to witness the birth of the prophecy. An old man, named Simeon who waited a long time for the prophecy to be fulfilled, cradled the baby with joy and

  "Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot see. God accepted our ancestors because of their faith. Faith convinces us that God created the world through his word. This means what can be seen was made by something that could not be seen." Hebrews 11:1-3 In the first part of this message, we talked about joy, in the second part we talked about peace, in the third hope. Now on this fourth segment, we will continue to touch on those three, as we talk about faith. In this series, which started off like a stand up comic piece (about joy) has slowly turned serious in the succeeding two. And it will even be more in this 4th installment. This is God's sense of humor in play. Natural Some preachers employ this, without them being aware of it. God made them naturally funny, with that innate ability to make people laugh, or even smile without them trying to be funny. People gets disarmed when something someone says m

Faith Brings Joy "Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." Romans 5:1-5 In the first part of this message, we talked about joy, in the second part we talked about peace, on this third part as we continue to touch on both, we will talk about hope. All three are gifts of the Holy Spirit. Apart from whom, no one can have real joy, p

  "God’s kingdom does not consist of what a person eats or drinks. Rather, God’s kingdom consists of God’s approval and peace, as well as the joy that the Holy Spirit gives. The person who serves Christ with this in mind is pleasing to God and respected by people. So let’s pursue those things which bring peace and which are good for each other."  Romans 14:17-19 In the  first part of this message , we talked about God's sense of humor. Obviously there was an intent of showing that point across with a little more humor than we would normally be used to. And that could seem odd, weird or even blasphemous to people who would think that God was a serious God or that we shouldn't think of Him that way. Like God does not want us to laugh or even have fun. But if God does not really have a sense of humor or if He isn't funny like that, why would He have created you (or me) for that matter. That alone is proof that He is a comedian. There is absolutely no other reason for

  "For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."  Romans 14:17 I've always said it, God is a comedian and He is funny and has a good sense of humor. I mean how do you think He answers those who pray asking for patience? How else but He allows them to go through a long period of time, just waiting.  But think about it, how else would you know if you have patience? (Quite funny if you think about it, but obviously will not be when you are the one going through it). Yes, and this is why wise people tell others 'be careful what you wish for and not to pray for patience'. And don't test God's patience, He created you and He is still patiently waiting for you to try to discover your purpose, and when you would come around and seek out who is the Creator who created you. Joy Now if patience is a virtue, joy on the other hand is a gift of God. Joy is not happiness in the sens

"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,     burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp,     with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn — shout for joy before the Lord, the King."   Psalm 98:4-6 God's joy like His peace, is not like what the world expects. Joy is not the absence of sickness, pain, troubles or heartaches. It is not a result of what is happening around us. Instead like God's peace, it is a by-product or a gift from God. One that we receive after being saved and forgiven. It is something I cannot explain. But it is something you can share and experience for yourself. Receive it when you receive God's gift of grace and abide in His love. Let us read how John explains this in John chapter 15: (Jesus speaking) “I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn’t bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Paul wrote to the church of the Thessalonians, a relatively new church, to write them an answer addressing a question they had, how to continue conducting themselves, and also to exhort them to wait for the coming of the Lord by spending their time in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Joy He urged them to keep their joy (which is a fruit of the Spirit), commune with our Father in heaven (with the barrier already taken down by Christ's ultimate sacrifice) and be in an attitude of thanksgiving, at all times. Holy Spirit How? In a nutshell, by seeking after the Lord and being in constant awareness of His presence and open to and attentive to the nudging, correction and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Why? Because this was God's will for them, and for all believers, everywhere, for all time -- us included. Quiet Times The