Monday Offerings

Good Monday Morning! Thanksgiving is over and the world has entered the Christmas season with a vengeance. I pray that during this time you'll remember and maybe rediscover the reason for Christmas.

Today's audio offering is the message from Saturday night on STEP # 12. The need to know the "certainty of the things you have been taught."

The music is a really incredible version of Midnight Hour. Over the years of attending conferences and hosting watch nights, we have found that after midnight is when there is an intensity with meeting with God. The ol' timers use to refer to praying this way as "pushing through". They would tarry in prayer until God came which was usually late in the evening. I'm not so sure it isn't God's way of weeding out those who truly want from those who are not serious about meeting with Him.

Hope you enjoy the audio portions located on this blog.
God on you........
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Know.....Not Believe

Sometimes in the process of putting together a message for our service, I will find myself parked in certain portions of Scripture that seem really odd at first glance. Such was the case yesterday as I was reading in Luke. It being the Christmas season, I though it might be good to begin to look into the portions of scripture that deal with the birth of Jesus.
Reading in Luke chapter 1, I found myself locked onto a particular verse........verse 4.

"So that you may know the certainty of the things that you have been taught."

Luke writing to a man named Theophilus wanting to provide for him an orderly account of the events surrounding Jesus' life and death (and resurrection). Luke driven by the thought of wanting his friend to know, understand, come to grips with and be settled once and for all time in his mind and life the value and truth of all that he had been taught.

Do you know without a shadow of doubt of the certainty of the things you have been taught? Or do you find yourself swayed and buffeted by popular opinion? Everyone has an opinion, especially during this time and day. Each person holds high their opinion as being a banner of truth. Truth has become an understanding that has no part in the everyday practice and ability to live life.
Truth may be that it is alright for you to be unfaithful to your spouse.
Or that cheating on your taxes is not a bad thing as long as you don't get caught.
When we do not know the certainty of the things we have been taught, then we are open to compromise and we will trade the eternal things of God for the shiny, flashy, temporary things of this world.

If we are not being taught the basic Biblical principals of God, how can we expect to live a life that is truly within the calling of salvation? We somehow have a constructed a religion that has found its place in the mainstream of Christianity that allows for the sin to be forgiven and justified without asking anything of the sinner. That is why it is important for you to know the certainty of the things you have been taught. If you are not being taught or you consider such things a foolishness ask yourself this question, "Why am I upset by reading this post?" Is it that the Holy Spirit has uncovered things in your life that you thought were o.k. but, in truth, were an offense to God?

Repent and turn to God.
Become a student of the Word of God.
Ask God to show you how to live.
Do it!

God on you...........
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Happy Day After

Happy D.A. Thanksgiving.
We had more food than the law allows and much nap time in the afternoon. Throw in some football games and family and you had the making of a Hallmark moment.
It was a good day for the Bynum's.

My brother called around 10 a.m. and announced that he was at home, that the doctor had released him. Wayne still has a ways to go in his recovery but we are all grateful for God's protection over him during this time.

Vicki will be preparing supper (dinner to you city folk) today at Rapha.
Turkey hash / pinto beans / turnip greens / and assorted other veggies.
She will make mini-pecan and pumpkin pies for each man.
Gallons of coffee and tea. So I look for a good time to be had by all.
This is her gift to Rapha as she likes to cook a meal out here.

I will turn my attention to our meeting tomorrow night in preparation for what God has shown me this week. Always kind of a nervous time for me. You'd think after 13 years of doing this I'd be better at it. Truth is, I am always asking, "What do you want to do, Lord?" and then wait for His answer. I guess it's the way He equipped me to pastor.

This will be all for today.
Thanks to each of you who stop by to read the Greene Street Letters.
Since Thanksgiving is over, I can officially say MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Until tomorrow.
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Prayer Update

Thanks to everyone who prayed for my brother. Vicki and I drove to Birmingham to see him yesterday. Doctors were able to repair his shattered wrist, reconnecting the veins and arteries so he will have use of his hand. It was a major injury but Wayne (my brother) is in good spirits and upbeat about everything.
Since he lives close to UAB the doctor may release Wayne tomorrow. Wayne will be able to make trips easily back to UAB for therapy and further examinations of his wrist.
God is good.....
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There's Nothing Wrong With The Church!

In Matthew 16:18 we read Jesus' words....

"....And on this rock I will build My church and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it (or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it.)

Psalm 127:1

Except the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; except the Lord keeps the city, the watchman wakes but in vain.

Jeremiah 7:4

Trust not in the lying words (of the false prophets who maintain that God will protect Jerusalem because His temple is there), saying, "This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.

Matthew 21:13

He said to them, The Scripture says, My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of robbers.

Revelation 21:22

I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Omnipotent (Himself) and the Lamb (Himself) are its temple.

Jesus is pretty specific when it comes to speaking about HIS church.

You need to understand that I am writing this as someone who pastor's a church ( not a building but a group of people in community with one another learning how to be children of God)

I have to luxury of not having to function with a lot of "stuff".

I don't have to worry about programs or agendas.
I don't have to spend energy looking for bodies to fill teaching positions in Sunday School or to be on this board or that board.

I have the incredible (and believe you me I know that I am blessed beyond measure) privilege of simply teaching the Word of God to a group of men.

I have been surrounded or joined or met up (ever how you want to phrase it) with a group of people who share the same vision that I do.

Introduce people to Jesus.

Pretty simple huh?
Tell the story. Show them the cross and pray that God would come and heal blinded eyes, hearts and minds to the truth of the Gospel.

From time to time my old flesh gets in the way of what God wants to do and I find myself trying to make the church@Rapha into an animal it was never created to be.

God is patient because He knows me all too well. He knows that I will not beat my head against a wall for a long time before I come to my senses and say, "Hey! This isn't working."

Over the past 2 years, I have been content to let Saturday night service be what God wants it to be.

To simply let Him direct us in what to sing, what to teach and how to minister . In this current economic crisis (Which I tend to think may be more of God's work than we truly want to admit) God is showing us what truly is important.

The church has existed with a call given to us by Jesus.

Go!

Make disciples!

Teach them to do and say and act and walk and behave the way I taught you!

End of story.

In the going, feed the poor, visit the sick, pray for the demonized and don't stop.
Don't only tell about the Kingdom of God....
Demonstrate it as you allow the Holy Spirit to operate through you.

(that is the scary part!)

I believe that the church (the real church..true church....that which extends across denominational lines) is invisible.

It has not need to promote itself and is more concerned about "doing the stuff" or what Jesus has called us to.

That is a church that I want to be a part of....
Amen and amen.

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Please Pray

I just received a phone call from my wife that my brother, Wayne, has been involved in an accident.
I won't go into specific details but the injuries are quite serious. He underwent 5 hours of surgery and the prognosis is good but guarded.
God is an awesome God and I look to Him during this time to be God over my brother and his healing.
Thanks....
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Monday Morning Downloads

Two new audio postings on this blog this morning.
1.) A Rapha version of Amazing Grace that I think you might enjoy.
2.) The message: "Iron Sharpens Iron" by Seth Barber.
Seth speaks at the Saturday night meeting once a month and without fail, brings a timely message from his own personal walk.
This particular message from Seth is the need for sponsorship and accountability that comes with working a recovery program. More than this, it reflects the need for anyone in the body of Christ to realize that we are not called to "Lone Ranger" this thing. We don't have the luxury of being that lone gunman. We need community and to surround ourselves with others who are like minded, that have the same goals and drive that we should possess.

I hope you enjoy this offering from the Church@ Rapha

God bless....
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