Prayer - Discovery

There are times when we can not wait to go to God in prayer, and then there are other times when it seems like we have to drag ourselves to God in prayer.
I love watching little children, the enthusiasm of new discovery. How can you keep from smiling when you watch a child discover a butterfly for the first time, or a worm, or a firefly? Children always want to show their great discovery to mom or dad. It warms your heart as you watch and listen to a child tell of their great discovery or adventure.
I have also seen children reluctant to tell parents of mishaps or mistakes.
I think the biggest thing that keeps people away from prayer, is sin. We don't want to let God know of our mistakes.
What we forget is that God wants us to bring Him, not only our discoveries, He also wants us to bring Him our sins. He loves to watch our eyes open with discovery, and He longs to lift our eyes back to His with forgiveness.

Ps 121:1-2
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
(NIV)


Ps 147:11
11 the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.
(NIV)

In Him
J. Tom Washburn

Grace

Today I am trying to frame my sermons on Grace. The problem is, how do you explain a gift, and how do you explain a gift of such great value? Most gifts today seem to come with a strings attached, or even chains attached, that's just the way people are.
If I give somebody a nice book, I want to take it back if they don't treat it "right". If I give my children a car, I want to take it back if they don't treat it "right" or appreciate it. If I give somebody money, I want them to treat me with respect. When most people give gifts, they don't give them to people they hang them over people.
Grace is Gods' gift. This gift is given to us when we don't deserve it and even before we knew we needed it. This gift is not forced upon us, we can reject it or accept it. This gift is not yanked away from us the moment we don't live up to its' glory, in fact its' glory transforms the way we live.
Most gifts given by parents that are truly "no strings attached gifts" are given after their deaths, the same thing is true of Grace. Grace was God's gift after a death. There is no measuring up for Grace, there is just receiving or discarding.
And if you receive such a great gift, it is like moving into a great house, it transforms you. When you lived outside, you lived like a man outside. When you lived in a barn, you lived like a man in a barn. Now that you live in a perfect house, you are learning to live differently.
It is the Grace that transforms us, we don't live differently to earn the house, the house transforms our behavior. At first I may not accept all the blessings the house has to offer, but after awhile I can not imagine life without the blessings the house has to offer, that is what Grace is like for my life. At first I couldn't accept all Grace had to offer but after discovering more of the blessings that lay behind each door, I can not imagine going back to live outside or even in the barn.

I was just thinking
In Him
J. Tom Washburn

Victory

Tonight, Julie and I will go to a High School football game, and we will cheer for our team and hope for a victory. That phrase "hope for a victory" is what I want to talk to you about, you see, I just found out that there will be a baptism this Sunday, so I know that this Sunday there will be victory. "Hope for a victory", isn't that a strange phrase when you talk about the Christian life. The young man that will be baptized just got out of jail, he just got set free and now he is truly going to be set free, I love it.
There is one thing I don't like about our baptistery, there are decorative bars separating it from the rest of the church, the one place in the church that should symbolize being set free and unity, and we have bars.
I want the world to hear this loud and clear, Jesus Christ came to remove the barriers between God and Man, Jesus Christ came to remove sin. God give us the eyes and heart to remove those barriers that Satan erects to harm the fellowship of believers.
John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
(NIV)

In Him
J. Tom Washburn

Always Thinking Of You

When Julie and I started dating, so many years ago, she was always on my mind. When Julie and I had our children, they were always on my mind. It seems like I am always thinking of my family. I want to know how they are doing and I want to do everything I can to make their lives as good as possible, that's what a father does, he cares for his family.
God cares for His children with a perfect love. From the very beginning He had a plan to save us, so that we could spend eternity with Him. He watches over us and teaches us how we are to live. God walks beside us and comforts us, He also loves us enough to discipline and teach us. What God does every minute of every day, He cares for you with an undying love.
1 PETER 5:7
"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

In Him
J. Tom Washburn

BLESSED

Rom 4:7 "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
(NIV)
Blessed, that is a good word to describe the Child of God. We are blessed, we are blessed because we are forgiven, we are blessed because we are a part of “The Family”, and we are blessed because of the hope that lives inside us.
Blessed, I like the way that word sounds, it reminds me of the way I feel when I am with others who are in God’s family, it reminds me of how I feel when I share in somebody else’s joy, it is the closest word I can think of to describe the way I feel when I sing praises to my God.
Blessed, is exactly how I feel when I am comforted, in my test and trials of life, by “The Family”.
Blessed, what a great way to describe the Christians life.

In Him
J. Tom Washburn

Some Things Change - Some Things Don't

I love remembering how things were "in days of old". I like watching old television shows like Andy Griffith, and George Burns. I like remembering summer days when mom would just tell us to be home by supper. I like remembering drive in theatres, banana seat bicycles, party line phones, record players, and ice cream trucks.
It seems like so many things in this world have changed. Change isn't bad, it isn't good, change is just change. Change can make me uncomfortable, but it will keep coming, that is why I am glad that there is at least one thing that will never change.

James 1:17-18
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
(NIV)

God will never change, that is why I am putting my life, and hope in Him.

In Him
J.Tom Washburn

Shaving

As I looked at myself in the mirror this morning, I was reminded that I needed to shave. The first thought that went through my head was "I just shaved yesterday, why do I have to do this every day?". Every day (well almost every day) I go through the same ritual, I look at myself in the mirror, examine the scruff that seemed to grow when no one was looking, then I let the razor do its work.
As I went through my routine this morning it occurred to me that shaving is a lot like how I give my life to God.
First, I need to do it every day.
(Ps 145:2 Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.
(NIV))
Second, I need to examine the scuff that has grown in my life.
(2 Cor 13:5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. (NIV))
Third, I need to let Christ do His work in me.
(Phil 1:6 ... He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.(NIV))

Today as you begin your morning ritual, don't forget to do the truly important things, those things that remind you "Who God Wants You To Be".

In Him
J. Tom Washburn