Life Lifters | Lakeshore Community Church

Apr 23 8:43 AM

Not Appointed to Wrath

Apr 23 8:43 AM

Friday, April 23, 2021

Stay close to the Lord. And here's the reward, the prize: that when God judges the world, you will not be judged.

Friday, April 23, 2021

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

Over the past two Life Lifters, we've been talking about 1 Thessalonians 5. Basically, what we've said about that is that it's a very classic chapter on the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord is that period of time from the Rapture until the Lord rules and reigns for 1000 years, establishing his kingdom on earth. You have probably prayed the part of the Lord's Prayer that says, "Like kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." That prayer will be answered literally when he sets up His 1000-year-reign, per Revelation chapter 20. Since we don't think enough about the future and prophecy, I've given you a couple of reminders so far, as I talked about how the Lord's going to come back like a thief in the night. In other words, nobody knows when he will return. That was from 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3. Then, in 1 Thessalonians, 5:4-8, we said the purpose of that is to stay morally ready and strong. Stay close with the Lord, don't backslide. Don't fall away from the Lord. Don't pretend you're a Christian on Sunday and act like the devil on Thursday. Stay close to the Lord.

And here's the reward, the prize: that when God judges the world, you will not be judged. That's part of why God is going to rapture the church, because he's going to judge people who are not Christians for their sin. Their sin hasn't been forgiven by Christ because they rejected him. I want you to know this: If you are truly a Christian, God has not appointed you to wrath. Look what Paul says at the end of this Day of the Lord section of 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 . Let's start at verse nine and go to the end. He says that the reason why it's all good is "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as you in fact are doing."

What's he saying? When God brings judgment in the world, why would God judge a Christian? We're not appointed to wrath, his anger. Somebody asked me after Easter, a little child said, "What does wrath mean?" I said, "Wrath means anger." God is angry at our sin. If we don't turn to Him, there comes a point when God says that enough is enough, and he brings his wrath and judgment. God has not set up an appointment for us. If you're a Christian, you're appointed to salvation. Why would God judge a Christian when Jesus took our judgement of the cross? We put our faith in him and he accomplished that. He has not appointed us unto wrath. And that's the great promise, that you will not go through the tribulation, the seven-year hell on earth. People ask, "Will people become Christians during it?" They absolutely will. Some will die for their faith, some will live and be the citizens of that 1000-year-kingdom of God, but at the end of the day, who wants to go through it? And if you're a Christian now, you're safe. Then he goes on, saying that we're appointed to salvation. Paul says, "He died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him." Whether you are awake or asleep? Now here's an interesting question: Does he mean that physically or spiritually? Certainly, physically it's true. You could be asleep when he comes. But is he saying a backslidden Christian is still going to be raptured? Well, they will be as long as they truly are Christian. Maybe that's in mind, but I don't know.

But then he says this, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as you in fact are doing." In other words, use these words to encourage each other. Hey, life is hard. You're not appointed to God's wrath. You're appointed to salvation, as long as you're a Christian. It's a great feeling. You say, "But Vince, all these people are going to be judged." God is just, and God can only take so much of sin. History has shown us that when God reaches a threshold and says enough is enough, he brings judgment. But the judgment in the end will be unlike any other judgment. Make sure you're ready. I'm not trying to scare you, but I'm trying to tell you the truth. God will come back, and if you're a Christian he hasn't pointed you to wrath. If you're not, all bets are off. Be ready.

Let's pray. Father, thank you, Lord, that you have not appointed us to suffer your wrath. Instead, you've appointed us to enjoy your salvation. I pray that anyone listening to me now would make sure that they're appointed to salvation. Just say, "Jesus Christ, you are God. You are Holy. I sin stem to stern. I put my faith in you, Jesus, alone. I don not trust in rules, rites, routines, rituals, religions, regulations, but only in faith, so I might have a relationship with you. Come into my life and forgive me." If you say that with authentic, genuine faith, and God knows if it is, you become a Christian. Let us know about it. But most importantly, you are appointed now not for wrath, but for salvation. For the rest of us, help us to be encouraged and encourage each other with these words. We ask it in Jesus' name, amen.

By Pastor Vince DiPaola

Apr 21 8:25 AM

Stay Ready

Apr 21 8:25 AM

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

The reason why God is going to come back like a thief in the night and doesn't tell us the exact time he will come back is so that we will stay ready.

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

1 Thessalonians 5:4-8

This week, we are working through 1 Thessalonians 5 and talking about the Lord's return. Last time, we looked at the first three verses and how the Lord is coming like a thief in the night. He's coming very stealthily, and he's going to come at a time when we don't expect. The whole point is that we need to understand that the Lord will come back and he will come back like a thief in the night. The reason why God is going to come back like a thief in the night and doesn't tell us the exact time he will come back is so that we will stay ready. If we knew the Lord was going to come back today at five o'clock, we would do whatever we want until four o-clock, then at four we would say, "Oh God, help. I love you." A lot of people would do that and manipulate God. So God says, "I do that for this purpose, so that you'll stay ready."

I get that from 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8. Look at what Paul says, "But you brothers are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others who are asleep, but let us be alert and self controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as our helmet." What is he saying? First, he's contrasting this passage with first three verses of the chapter, where he says that people who are not yet Christians are going to cry, "Peace and safety," but then in reality, there is sudden destruction. They'll proclaim everything's okay, but it really isn't because God's judgment will take effect. And he's saying that if you're a Christian, you're different. And I certainly hope you are a Christian.

He says, "But you, brothers, are not in darkness," meaning it will not surprised you like a thief. Now, he's not saying that we will know the date. It will surprise us in the timing, but the event itself will not surprise us because we know what's coming. That's what Paul means when he says you'll know the timing. Jesus said it. Paul said it. You don't know the timing. He's saying the event itself will not be a surprise. We know it's inevitable, and it will happen. And he goes on, "You are all sons of light and sons of the day." We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So that's an attribute of every Christian. Darkness is when sin goes on. It's a picture of sin. Light is a picture of righteousness, when you can see everything. The contrast is a foil against each other. "So then, let us not be like others," meaning those who are not in the family, or those who are weak Christians or carnal Christians. "Let's not be like others who are asleep." He's not talking about being asleep if Jesus comes in the middle of night. He's talking about being spiritually dead, knocked out asleep. "But let us be alert and self controlled, for those who sleep, sleep at night." He uses the metaphor of sleep to go along with the metaphor of night, to go along with the metaphor of darkness, to go along with a better metaphor of not being a Christian being in sin. "Those who sleep, sleep at night and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as our helmet." In other words, what he's saying is, if you're a Christian, you live in the light. Start living like who you are.

What's he saying? Stay ready. Stay spiritually ready. Stay morally ready. Stay pure. Stop looking at stuff you shouldn't be looking at. Stop saying the things you shouldn't be saying. Stop hanging out in situations you shouldn't be in. Stay ready. Live as if the Lord could come back at any moment. Do you want the Lord seeing you do some sin, or be involved in some evil? No. Live as if the Lord will come back soon. Stay ready. Are you ready? Make sure you know Jesus Christ. Say, "Jesus Christ, you are God. I'm a sinner. I believe when you died on the cross and rose again, you paid my way. And I want to believe and receive it by faith." And then, once you receive Christ by faith, you're a Christian. Then, you can stay ready.

Let's pray. Father, forgive us for those times when we sin and we do things that are displeasing to you. Help us instead to stay ready, because your coming is near, like a thief in the night. Help us to morally be ready, to stop doing the things that displease you, and start doing the things that please you. Not just not doing bad things but engaging in good things. And we ask this through your power, your spirit, your grace, and your mercy, that you'll accomplish them through us. In your name we pray. Amen.

By Pastor Vince DiPaola

Apr 19 8:52 AM

Like a Thief in the Night

Apr 19 8:52 AM

Monday, April 19, 2021

Every one of us should live with a strong expectancy of the Lord's return. Do you?

Monday, April 19, 2021

1 Thessalonians 5:1-3

One of the great statements, one of the great axioms of the Christian faith is this, "The Lord's coming is near." The Lord is going to come back. The Bible says he will come back. The Apostle Paul expected there was a strong possibility the Lord would come back in his lifetime, even though he didn't. And every one of us should live with a strong expectancy of the Lord's return. Do you? It's important. In the church, too few churches talk about the Lord's return. Not enough churches talk about the importance of what the Bible says about the end times. Now, there are occasional churches that are the opposite. Somebody told me on Easter, "I'm thinking about attending your church because the church I attended, all they ever do is preach from the book of Revelation." Okay, there are worse things, but certainly you can overdo it. Very, very, very, very few churches over-do it, most under-do it. But here's what I want to say to you, the Lord's coming is near and the Lord's coming can be described best by this metaphor: The Lord's coming will be like a thief in the night. A thief wasn't invited in the night, the time you least expect.

Look at 1 Thessalonians 5. We're going to look at verses one to three, but we're going to cover this chapter in the next two Life Lifters, all the way to verse 11. Look at what it says in verses one to three, it says, "Now, brothers, about times and dates, we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."

By saying "times and dates," he means all the things that are going to happen in the prophetic future. He says we don't need to write to you about those things. The reason why he says that is because he already explained this to them in person when he was there visiting them. He says, "For you know very well," referencing what he had explained to them in person about the prophetic scheme. The background of 1 Thessalonians is that they thought they missed the Rapture. It wasn't that they didn't understand the scheme, they didn't understand some of the details. They were told lies that the rapture had already occurred by false teachers. So, he says this, "For you know very well that the day of the Lord..." Let me stop there and explain. The day the Lord is not one 24-hour day. The day of the Lord is the time from the Rapture all the way until the time of Christ's 1000-year-reign ends. It technically covers at least 1007 years. The day of the Lord is not 24 hours, it's a period. Like, you say this, "My day will come." You're not saying your 24 hour period will come, you know there's a season. Paul is talking here about that. It includes the start of the rapture, and then the tribulation, the second coming of Christ, and then him ruling and reigning for 1000 years. So, the 1000 days, plus seven, plus that little bit of time between the rapture and the start of the seven year tribulation, that's the day of the Lord.

Paul says that that day will come like a thief in the night. You won't know it. You won't expect it. That's why Jesus said that no one knows day or the hour of his return. Not even the Son of Man, only the Father. Now that's a mysterious statement because Jesus is God. He's speaking from his humanity, and maybe in his humanity he self-denied knowledge of that date. But in his diety in heaven, he knows it now, or will know it. And Paul says, "While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape." See that it's going to come suddenly? Are you ready? And it's interesting that it says when people say, "Peace and safety," as in, "Oh everything's going to be okay. Everything's going to be okay." No, it's not. When the Lord comes back, everything will not be okay. The first three and a half years of tribulation look like everything's okay. Even though there'll be judgment from God, the one-world-leader will say it's all going to be okay. It won't. But here's what I want to say: The Lord's coming is like a thief in the night. Are you ready?You don't know when he's going to come. The good news is this, if you are a Christian, even though the day Lord comes like a thief in the night, you will be ready. In other words, the whole point is to be ready all the time for the Lord. How are you ready all the time? By living a holy and godly life, by reading the Bible daily, by praying daily, by going to church weekly, getting in a small group, midweek, serving the less fortunate, tithing, using your gifts in the church and in the world, etc, etc. Then, you're ready. Be ready because the Lord is coming at an hour you do not think, like a thief in the night.

Father, this can scare some people. But if we know you, Lord, it assures us. Help us to live godly lives and be found worthy in the way we live when you come. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

By Pastor Vince DiPaola

Apr 16 8:09 AM

Celebrate Someone Else

Apr 16 8:09 AM

Friday, April 16, 2021

We live in a very self-aggrandizing world. But today, I want to talk to you about something countercultural, and that's this: celebrate someone else.

Friday, April 16, 2021

1 Thessalonians 2:17-20

We live in a very self-aggrandizing world. People are all "Look at me, look at me, look at me." There's even been a new trend in the last five years where an athlete will score a touchdown and they'll point to their back. Do you know what that is? They're pointing to their nameplate, basically saying, "Hey, my name is Smith, or Jones, Sanders, Edwards, Johnson, etc. Look at me, I scored, look at me." There's a lot of self-aggrandizing. Now, there's an appropriate place to thank God for your accomplishments and have what I would call a humble appreciation for what God has done in you. Sometimes the apostle Paul even said, boasting is not profitable. but sometimes it's necessary. Sometimes you just have to stick up for yourself, and you have to list the things you've done. But today, I want to talk to you about something countercultural, and that's this: celebrate someone else.

I get that from 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20. Look at what Paul says to the Thessalonians. He says, "But brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time, in person, not in thought, out of our intense longing, we made every effort to see you. For we wanted to come to you - certainly I, Paul, did, again and again - but Satan stopped us. For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of Lord Jesus Christ when He comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and our joy." So, the evil one put some spiritual obstacles between Paul and his visiting of the Thessalonians. But Paul insists that he wants to visit them, and then he celebrates them. He says, "For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of Lord Jesus Christ when He comes?" Paul doesn't say, "It is me! It is what I did!" No, I like what he says, "Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and our joy." That is countercultural! People say, "I'm my glory, I glorify myself, I'm the joy!" and God says, "Celebrate somebody else."

Can you celebrate somebody else? If somebody gets a new house, do you say, "That is great!" but inside you're saying, "I wish I had a house like that"? If someone's child took first place in a spelling bee of school, do you start comparing your son? In other words, we're always kind of trying to gain, but can we celebrate somebody else's success? Paul did. Can you genuinely say, "I'm happy for you?" You know, we've had staff leave. Recently, we had a wonderful, amazing friend, Dan Cymbal, leave. He didn't leave because he didn't like the church. He loved the church. He was approached by another church, aggressively. He said no at first, but then he accepted the job and went to Florida in February. What a courageous move. So when he did that, I had a decision to make. Am I going to sulk because I lose a great friend and a great staff member? Or am I going to celebrate? And as much as I didn't want to lose Dan Cymbal, I made the choice to celebrate. I said I was happier for him than I am sad for us. I'm not always perfect at this, but I want to learn to celebrate others. If you tell me a good story, I want to celebrate with you, not go, "I wish my God would do that for me, etc, etc." Can you celebrate someone else's success? Paul did. You know what I find? When you celebrate someone else's success, you end up being a more satisfied person. When you're celebrating only your success, we have a word for that. It's called narcissism. And narcissists are rarely happy. They're just looking for the next narcotic. Ha ha!

Let's pray. Father in Heaven, help us to get off ourselves and to get on somebody else's team. Help us to celebrate the success of other people, to be joyful for others. I know this, if we do that. people will do the same back to us. Maybe not everybody, but many. And also, it's just fun. It's fun to see other people happy. We live in a sad, depressing world, so give us the courage to celebrate joy in somebody else's life, like Paul did for the wonderful new Christians in Thessalonica. We thank you for this in Jesus' name. Amen.

By Pastor Vince DiPaola

Apr 14 8:35 AM

Pleasing God Over Others

Apr 14 8:35 AM

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

There is sometimes a perceived tension that you sometimes have to choose between whether you love God or love people, even if really loving God means always loving people, because you're doing the right thing. It's not easy is it?

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

1 Thessalonians 2:3-6

I want to talk to you today about our relationship to God and our relationship to people. Jesus said life is all about our relationship to God, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength," and it's all about our relationship to people, "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:30-31). There is sometimes a perceived tension that you sometimes have to choose between whether you love God or love people, even if really loving God means always loving people, because you're doing the right thing. It's not easy is it?

I've heard people say, "I don't care what people think about me, I don't care." Here's the truth, we all care about what people think. Some people care way too much. Others, I haven't met too many, but some people care way too little. The truth is, we all care about what people think. To deny it is to lie to yourself. But at some point, we have to decide who matters more, God or people. I've heard people say this, "Vince, I want to get baptized, but I don't think I'm going to do it because I'm worried about what my family would think." And I will tell them, "Okay, are you worried about what God thinks?" They say, "You know, I would do that, but I don't know what people would think. They'd think I'm a Christian freak." And I would say, "Well, what does God think?" And here's the thing, if you're living for God, no matter what happens they're going to think you're a freak. So you might as well confirm it.

I get that because it's 1 Thessalonians 2:3-6. Paul was explaining his ministry to the Thessalonians. The Thessalonians had been influenced by his ministry, and many of them became Christians. He wanted to come back, but he wasn't able to. He writes First Thessalonians because they were panicked, they thought the rapture had occurred and that the Lord had already taken the church out, and they were left behind because they weren't true believers. They were young, insecure, and unsure in their faith, and Paul explains why he couldn't be there. He then defended his ministry against others who said. People were saying, "Well, Paul's not a real apostle, he's fake. He's this and that." Paul was constantly attack, and if you're in ministry long enough, there will always be people that will attack you. I'm not saying they're not sometimes right about me, or anybody else. I'm just saying that it's constant and sometimes very unfair. The apostle Paul used that opportunity to say look, I love you. But I love God even more. Look at what he says in 1 Thessalonians 2:3-6, "For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.We are not trying to please men, but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed - God is our witness. We are not looking for praise from men, not from you, or anyone else."

He's saying, look, we weren't trying to trick you when we presented the gospel at some pseudo religious magic show. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, which is what accompanies an apostle. And, at the end of the day, God's going to test our hearts. He says, you know, we never used flattery, which is people pleasing. Nor did we put on a mask to cover up. We know there wasn't the COVID virus back then. To put on a mask to cover up greed was just an expression that means, "we're just nice to you to get your money." He goes on to say, we are not looking for praise from men. Not from you, or anyone else. Now that's interesting. He loved them. He cared for them. He wanted what's best for them, but he wasn't looking for praise from them. Seems so contrary to life. All I want to tell you is this, we love people. We want to please people. But we don't want to be people-pleasers. We want to be God-pleasers. Here's what I know, if you please God, he'll take care of everything else. Proverbs 16:7 says, "When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him." So please God, He will take care of your relationship with other people. Don't be a people-pleaser. Please people at the appropriate level, but only under the overarching principle of pleasing God first.

Father, help us to be God-pleasers first, and people-pleasers second. Let us never forget that order. Let us take our lumps when we have to, but also remember that we live for an audience of one. For whoever needs to hear this today, maybe something's going on in their life and they need this reminder, speak to them. Speak to all of us and help us live this way every day, in Jesus' name. Amen.

By Pastor Vince DiPaola

Apr 12 8:26 AM

Just

Apr 12 8:26 AM

Monday, April 12, 2021

I used to say, "I swear to God." Does God want us to say that? Here's the answer: No, he doesn't.

Monday, April 12, 2021

James 5:12

As some of you know, I allude to it humorously in my messages if you attend our church, that I'm an Italian kid who grew up in Gates. Gates is a town that has a lot of Italian people. A lot of us have moved around to the city, Spencerport, Greece, etc., but a lot of Italians are still in Gates. Anyway, one of the things that I did a lot when I was a kid, was whenever somebody would hear me say something and they didn't believe me, I would say, "I swear to God." If someone would say to me "Come on, you didn't do that. That didn't happen. That's not really true," I would say, "I swear to God." Does God want us to say that? Here's the answer: No, he doesn't.

There are a couple problems with that phrase. Number one, it's taking God's name in vain. And number two, God wants our character to be so strong, to be so known, that when we say something, it's true, and never false. And when something's wrong, we call it wrong. When something's right, we call it right. Jesus said, "Let your yes be yes, and your no be no." In James 5:12 Jesus' half brother, James, says something very, very similar. Look what it says. James says, "Above all, my brothers, do not swear - not by heaven, or by earth, or by anything else. Let your yes be yes, and your no, no. Or you will be condemned." Now, this has nothing to do with taking an oath in the court of law. That's is different. Even in Jewish law there were oaths and things you would take. So, it's not talking about the legal process, because that is a statement to validate in the legal process that your statements are true. This is not talking about that. So don't say, "I'm not going to take an oath because Vince said not to. " I didn't say that. What this is about is you as an individual making statements, and having to testify it to ramp up, as an Italian from Gates often did, and I wasn't the only one. So, he says this, "Do not swear - not by heaven, or by earth, or by anything else." So, don't say things like, "I swear to God, I swear by the temple," which often was something people did. Or, here's another classic one, "I swear by my mother's grave." Look, your mother has nothing to do with it, so leave her out of it. And look at the alternative. Just like Jesus said, James also says, "Let your yes be yes, and your no, no. Or you will be condemned."

God isn't a big fan of the phrases, "I swear to God, I swear by...., I swear on..., etc." Jesus said, don't be condemned. Don't look foolish. Let your yes be yes. Let your no be no. What's he saying? Be a person of character. If you're not sure, you say, "I have to think about it." Now, if you have children, I want to give you a little warning. Here's what I always say. If you have children, let your yes be yes. Let your no be no. And let your maybes never be found. Don't tell your kids maybe, as maybe is a statement that says, "If I work mom or dad over, they'll say yes." Don't say that. Instead, say, "I need to think about it." That's it. Can you let your yes be yes, and your no be no?" Here's what I found. When you're a person of character, and people know you, and when you say yes you'll always do yes, and when you say no and you always do no, nobody cares. Nobody wants you to swear by anything. Be a person of character. Yes is yes. No is no. If you make a mistake, say, "I know I said yes. I apologize," and get it over with. We're all imperfect. Don't try to cover it up. Don't put the canary under the carpet. It smells after a while.

So let's pray. Father, help us to be people of integrity. If we say we're gonna do something, we do it. If we say we're not going to do something, we don't. If we say one thing, but have to change our position, help us to be humble and apologetic and explain why. Maybe circumstances changed. All this, so that we are known as people of character. Help all of us do this in Jesus' name. Amen.

By Pastor Vince DiPaola

Apr 09 8:50 AM

Patient Suffering

Apr 09 8:50 AM

Friday, April 9, 2021

We all suffer. We've talked a lot about suffering and about remedies. Today, I just want to give you a one word reminder.

Friday, April 9, 2021

James 5:7-8

This has been a challenging year for all of us. And life is challenging. One person said, "Life is hard, then you die." Whereas I think that's true, it's incomplete. Life is hard, then you die, but then if you're a Christian life is easy, because we're with God in heaven. But life is hard, no matter how you put it, no matter what your reason is. So as a result, because life is hard, sometimes it gets so hard that we suffer. And we all know that we suffer. You suffer, maybe health things, maybe relational things. Maybe you suffer emotionally, spiritually, relationally, verbally with people coming against you. Whatever it is, we all suffer. We've talked a lot about suffering and about remedies. Today, I just want to give you a one-word reminder. I don't know that it's a remedy in the sense that it will take away your suffering, but it is one of the most powerful words you need to remember when you suffer. And it's this: patience. When you suffer, you need to be patient.

I get that from James 5:7-8. I think James tells us to be patient because when we suffer, naturally speaking, the first thing we want is the suffering to be over. But sometimes God allows us to suffer more. This calls for us to be patient so God can accomplish his work. Look at what James says, "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yeild its valuable crop, and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near." Now that's quite interesting. First, he says, Be patient for Lord's coming is near, and then he ends with the same thing. Then, he has kind of an inclusio in the middle of that bracketing idea, which is repeated at the beginning and end. He says this farmer has to wait. You know a farmer can't put a seed in the ground and go, "C'mon seed, let's go! I got till 5pm." You know, it just doesn't work that way. He has to be patient, has to wait for the process, has to wait for the seed. Have you ever seen pictures of a seed in germination? Essentially, the shoot sprouts and the growth spins around, and it shoots up and it gets stronger and stronger. There's a process. There's a season, and God has a season for your suffering. Because God has a season for your sufferings and it's not just haphazard, remember patience.

The text also says "Be patient and stand firm." Can you be patient? What's patience? Patience is not doing nothing. That's a myth. Patience is waiting on God. That's an active behavior, not a passive one. Can you be patient? The key to being patient is to remember that the Lord's coming is near. What's he saying? Even if the Lord doesn't come back in our lifetime, and nobody knows when he will, He will come back. If he doesn't come back in our lifetime, we will come to be with him, and it will be all over. At the end of the day, patience will seem like a small cost for the character development that God is using our suffering for. Can you be patient? I hope you'll be patient in your times of suffering, but not by twiddling your thumbs. That's not biblical patience. Biblical patience is waiting on God's timing. Can you do that? If you do, suffering will make more sense, and you'll be able to get through it, even if patience is hard, because it is a virtue.

Let's pray. Father, all of us struggle with suffering. All of us struggle with the pain and anguish that come with it. We don't like it. We fight it, we want out of it, we want it to be over soon. And that's okay. Except, that's part of why you will allow it longer - to build in us a patient perseverance and endurance. Help us to be patient by remembering that your coming is near, and our return to you is near. Help us to remember that is life isn't everything. So, whoever is suffering right now, give them a spirit of patience to wait on you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

By Pastor Vince DiPaola

Apr 07 7:58 AM

Guess Who Moved?

Apr 07 7:58 AM

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

People will say stuff like, "You know what? I just don't feel that close to the Lord these days. I feel like he's distant. I don't know why, but I just don't feel close to the Lord." And so, I think I do know why. I know exactly why.

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

James 4:8

There is a comment I have heard all my ministry life from time to time. Because of the nature of the comment, sometimes I hear it here at church. Many more times I hear it when I see people out and around in a park, or at a sporting event, or a shopping mall, or the grocery store, or whatever. I'll see someone I know and say, "Hey, how you doing?" Of course, with me being a pastor, it just kind of gravitates toward a spiritual conversation for many, many people. People will instantly go to that with me. They'll say stuff like, "You know what? I just don't feel that close to the Lord these days. I just don't feel close to him. I feel like he's distant. I don't know. I don't know why, but I just don't feel close to the Lord." And so, I think I do know why. I know exactly why.

I can say that because of James 4:8. When people say, "Man, I feel like God and I are just so far apart," the thought that always goes in my mind is this, "Well, if you don't feel close to God, guess who moved." Here's the hint: it's not God. God is immovable. The person who moved is you. If you don't feel close to God, it's because you are not drawing near to God. I get that from James 4:8. Look at what it says. "Come near to God, and he will come near to you." That's a promise. If you come near to God, He will come near to you. What does that mean? If you're not near God, you haven't come near him. Therefore, a lot of times the reason why people don't feel close to God is because they're not drawing near to God. They're not getting involved in church, or in Bible reading, or in activities of godliness. They just expect God to follow them around in different paths. I say that because the rest of the verse says, "Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded." James doesn't have a problem being blunt and direct, and I kind of like that. I think sometimes we need to be blunt and direct. It seems kind of random that after saying draw near to God and He will draw near you, he says you should cleanse yourself from sin and stop being double minded. What's he saying? Sin is the biggest thing that keeps us from drawing near to God. We all want to be near God. God is never going to move. The problem is that sin causes us to drift from God instead of draw near to God.

When it comes to the Christian life, God, is immovable, but you're always doing one of two things. You're very rarely hold ground for very long. You're either drawing near to God or drifting far from God. If you're drifting far from God, the text says it's because of sin. Either the sin of comission, meaning you're doing something wrong, something you shouldn't be. Or you're committing the sin of omission, meaning you're not doing something you should be, like reading the Bible, going to church, serving, giving, or practicing the Christian disciplines. That's what's causing you to drift. If you want to draw near to God, you have to get rid of the sin that's keeping that from occurring. So what is it in your life that's keeping you from being even closer to God? What's keeping you from drawing even closer to God? Or what's kept you so far from him that you can't get closer to him? Here's what I want you to do. Do a little inventory on your own life. Are you struggling with some sin of omission or commission? Get rid of it. It's not worth it. It's a struggle for all of us. We all sin. I sin, you sin, we all sin. If we want to get closer to God, we've got to fight it. Through him, we can win over it. So, next time you say, "I don't feel so close to God," don't blame God. You and I are the ones that have moved.

Let's pray. Father, forgive us for not being close to you, because when we're not close to you it's always our fault because we've moved. Sometimes we've drifted because sin has interfered with us getting close to you. You're too holy to engage us when we're in love with our sin. Help us to love you more, feel closer to you, and ask for forgiveness when we sin. Help us to have short accounts with sin and long accounts with forgiveness and grace. Help us to walk closer with you every day, and we ask this in Jesus' name, the one who facilitates this all through putting our faith in him. Amen.

By Pastor Vince DiPaola

Apr 05 8:58 AM

What Humble People Receive

Apr 05 8:58 AM

Monday, April 5, 2021

James 4:6, 10

If I say to you, I think being a humble person will get you further in life than being a person who has to fight and get their own way, you would probably agree with me in a certain sense, but inside privately, you'd question what I have to say. You'd say, "I think if you're humble, you're just going to get run over, or in football language, you're going to get trucked. Why would you be humble?" I mean, we would say that we all know it's good. We know it's right, but we question it in the way we live. So when Jesus says the meek, or the humble, will inherit the earth, we tend to think, "No, that's not true." Even though we know it's true, spiritually, if you look at the way we live, we tend to say the meek or humble will not inherit the earth. They'll be ground into the earth, they'll get run over. I'm here to tell you it's not true. I'm telling you if you'll be a humble person, you'll get a reward.

What is the reward for humility? James tells us in James 4:6 and 10. He tells us the reward that God gives the humble person, and that's, by the way, where the reward comes from. It's not just the natural consequences of life, but a direct reward from God. Listen to this. James 4:6, "That's why the scripture says, 'God opposes the proud. But gives grace to the humble.'" So, humility and pride are the two polar extremes. God resists the proud. Why? The proud say, "I can do it." And God says, "Okay, if you can do it, I'll let you do it. " It doesn't work. But he gives grace to the humble. What does that mean? A humble person is a person who's always thinking less about himself, and more about God and other people. When it says that God gives grace to the humble, what does that mean? Well, grace has two ideas, two shades of meaning to it, or two dimensions, perhaps. The first is that that God will give you undeserved favor. When you act with humility, he'll give you undeserved favor. Think about it. Imagine you go to your boss, and you're asking for a raise, and you say, "Look, I demand a raise, like I need to have a raise, right now. I want a raise, and you need to give me a raise," and you're prideful about it. Or, instead, if you say, "Boss, would you consider giving me a raise? I'm not demanding it. I'm humbly asking," and then you make your case politely, but give him the room to decide, what do you think's going to give you the best chance to get the raise? The humble approach will, not only because it makes sense, but because God will give you the grace.

The second dimension of grace thing is it's divine power. It's not only divine favor, but grace has divine power. So, when we say humble, we tend to think of weak. We tend to think of meek as weak, and of proud as strong. That's not really true. Grace is God's power. Pride is your power. What do you want, your prideful power, or God's power through your humility? I'll take the latter every time. James goes on to say this in verse 10, "Humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up." The humility starts with God. Again, pride is you trying to lift yourself up. Good luck with that. Humility is God lifting you up, and God will lift you up to higher places. So here's what I want to say to you. Try operating with a lot less pride, and a lot more humility in your life. How do you do that? Instead of demanding your rights, you say, "Would you consider?" and give people the freedom. Don't go in powerful. Go in with a sense of openness and humility, humble, meek, in your approach. Don't worry about getting run over. You might. But you won't get run over very often, becuase God will lift you up above the trucking that others might apply to your life. I hope this helps you and helps all of us strive to live a more humble life because Jesus Christ Himself was humble and meek, and he gives us rest for our souls, according to Matthew 11:28 and 30.

Let's pray. Father, forgive me for being prideful, and prideful more than I realize. Maybe some of the people listening and watching feel the same way. Help us to operate with humility, to think less of ourselves, but think more of you and more of others. I think when we think more of you and others, before ourselves, you'll take care of us. So help us to be less prideful, and more humble. We thank you for this because we know you'll give us the power and the favor to go further in life than if we try to do it on our own. We ask this in Jesus' name, amen.

By Pastor Vince DiPaola

Apr 02 8:03 AM

Why We Fight

Apr 02 8:03 AM

Friday, April 2, 2021

Why is it that we fight? Why do we fight with other people, with neighbors, co-workers, or family? Can I give you the answer?

Friday, April 2, 2021

James 4:1-3

Why is it that we fight? Why do we fight with other people, with neighbors, co-workers, or family? Why do you fight in your own house? Why do you fight in any type of human relationship? Can I give you the answer? The answer is simply this, you fight because you and the individual that you're fighting with have what I call competing desires. You have a desire that you want, they have a desire that they want. Your desires are different, and you're not able to find overlap. Therefore, you fight.

Where do I get that from? I get it from James 4:1-3. Not only is James going to tell us why we quarrel and fight, but he's going to tell us the solution as well. So let's dig right in. James says this, "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."

James is saying that you want something so bad that you're willing to fight over it and kill over it. I don't know if it's literal murder, or slander, which would be killing people in their character. Either way, James says you want something so bad that you don't think about anything else but your desire. Your desires compete because you're only focused on your desire. And sometimes the other person just focuses on their desire. Now, sometimes one person can have a mutual desire, while another person can have a selfish desire, that certainly can happen. But at least one person is just focused on their own desire. If you're the in the fight it could be you, or it could be the other person. When you're focused on your own desire, it leads to death. You know, a male deer can be so focused on its desire for a female deer, a buck wanting a doe, if you will, it can get killed. When I drive home from work, every fall you always see dead deer. And that's because the deer was probably in heat. He was so laser focused on his desire to mate with a doe that he doesn't focus on anything else and gets killed. That's the same thing with desire.

And then James says this, which seems to be the solution to your competing desires with other people leading to conflict and quarrels and fighting. He says this, "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." He says basically, the problem is you just focused on what will please you. The Christian life is supposed to be focused on how we please God and how he please others. But I skipped over an important verse, which is the answer, the remedy. How do you remedy this problem? James says this, "You do not have because you do not ask God." You go, "Wait a minute, Vince. James says you fight and you quarrel because you have competing motives. Now you're going to ask God? That's going to change it?" Yes. If you ask God for what you desire, guess what happens? God will interact with you and change your desires. Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." When you ask God for what you desire, he will change your desire and your affections. Then you'll want not only what's good for you, that's understandable, but also what is good for God and what is good for others. When that happens, desiring what is good for God, for others, and for you, you're not going to be the source of quarrelling, fighting, and killing. So here's my ask. Check your desires. Next time you're in a fight, check your desires, your competing motives. Are you only doing it for you, or for the other person and for God?

Let's pray. Father in heaven, thank you so much for reminding us that quarrels and fights start with us examining our own internal desires. Is it just for us? Or is it for you, Lord, and for other people? Help us to balance that out. And when we're in a fight, help us to apologize if we focus on our own desires above the desires of you and others. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

By Pastor Vince DiPaola

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