The Father Factor
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God Never Gives Up! (Part 2)
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God Never Gives Up! (Part 1)
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New Year, New Creation
Since it is a new year I want to speak to you about new things. Has the New Year turned out to what you had hoped for? Did you think that perhaps a new job, new relationship, or new car would make this year seem different to you? How has your new diet worked for you?
There are a lot of people who often try to convince us that if we can put new things in our life, we too can in some way be made new. Maybe it will, but for how long? Has it brought you hope?
I am not against new things, I too would enjoy having a new car, in fact I could use one right now. But if I reach into my pocket and pull out the keys to a new car that may give me a sense of something new and fresh in my life, but what happens when it wears out? It’s no longer new anymore. It seems everything has a way of becoming old. Now if I put on new clothes, or lose weight, this will change my appearance and perhaps make me feel as if I am a new creation, but in fact I am not a new creation, because strip away these things and the reality is in the eyes of God I am still the same person.
Just as things in our life such as: age, health, appearance, and relationships wear out they become old. However the Bible tells us that, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, the old has passed away, behold, the new has come” 2 Corinthians 5:17. This means that in the eyes of God we have been reconciled to him. If we decide to place our faith in Jesus Christ then we are a new creation, and not just for this life, but for all eternity! Unlike a new car, new job, or new body, we now have a new relationship with God in which he sees us as a new creation, but the good news is this new relationship is lasting for all eternity!
So the good news is that you don’t have to wait for the calendar to turn to another year. God encourages everyone to come to faith in Him now, “behold, now is the time of salvation” 2 Corinthians 6:2. You can make that decision to be a new creation today for all eternity if you decide to place your faith in Jesus Christ. Are you ready for lasting change for all eternity?
Posted in Bible Study, Evangelism, Scripture
Tagged 2 Corinthians 5:17, Creation, Life
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2014 Tomoka Correctional Christmas Banquet
On Thursday December 4, 2014 volunteers from Fruit Cove Baptist Church hosted a Christmas banquet for inmates at Tomoka Correctional. These inmates in attendance came to worship and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. These men enjoyed praise music, sermons, and testimonies of how Jesus is real and active in their lives. They also enjoyed a barbeque lunch with cake that read, “Happy Birthday Jesus!”
Throughout 2014 these inmates come each week for Bible studies, worship, and prayer. Chaplain Perry Davis helps groups like Fruit Cove Baptist to enter the chapel to provide programs to minister to inmates.
Posted in Prison Ministry
Tagged christmas, christmas banquet, daytona beach, Fruit Cove Baptist Church, Jesus Christ, prison, prison ministry, tomoka correctional
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Heart of Obedience
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True Rest Is God-Given, False Rest Is Man-Made
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Why did Jesus teach parables?
I confess, many times I fail to grasp the meaning of Jesus’ parables right away. What I have learned is that parables teach one main truth. I think Jesus taught parables for several reasons. I point this out because often he used parables when the Pharisees, or Scribes and Teachers were confronting his teaching. He often used their behavior as a contrast between righteousness and self-righteousness. But more importantly, his teaching was relevant to the problems people were facing in their real life. Here are three reasons we see why Jesus taught parables.
First, he taught parables to teach others about themselves by seeing others. When Jesus was at the wedding feast (Luke 14:7-11) he noticed how some people were choosing their seats of honor. Jesus used the situation as an immediate illustration! In that way he allowed people to see themselves as others see them, more importantly how God sees them. This pointed out our relationship to God by our relationship to others.
Second, Jesus taught parables not just to convey information but convey transformation. In his book The Teaching Ministry of the Church, William Yount explained that, “Jesus defined the terms wise and foolish not on the basis of what one knows, but on the basis of what one does with His words.” ¹ Christ used parables for people so that they could look at themselves in hopes of being changed. Yount explained that Christ taught people not lessons. It was more about the people than just information. If the information did not address the change they needed it would then be futile.
Third, Jesus taught parables so that people would look at themselves on the inside. He was more concerned with the internal character rather than the external piety. Yount also explained this as a “character-building teaching.” Yount described this in three areas of character which focuses on the head, heart, and hand. The head must not just understand what Jesus taught but what He expects. The heart must focus not only on what Jesus expects but be devoted to kingdom priorities. And the hand focuses by using the gifts God has given to fulfill His purposes.
When many people came to Christ to hear his teaching only some stayed, but many left. He was not concerned with sheer numbers of followers but on building the character of those who would truly believe and follow him for his purpose and glory. As you read the Bible remember this, what you learn is not just for information but transformation (1 Timothy 4:7-8). When reading your Bible you need to ask yourself this question, “How does God want me to change in light of what I just read.” Now you are not just reading a parable for information, but transformation for His glory!
¹ William R. Yount, (B&H Academic, Nashville, 2008).
Posted in Bible Study, Evangelism, Scripture
Tagged Luke 14:7-11, parables, teaching
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Volunteers help inmates change their life
Prison Volunteering from Marc Krevo on Vimeo.
Currently there are over 100,000 inmates incarcerated in the State of Florida. While the state functions to provide all the necessary services for these inmates there is a tremendous need to help them. Despite the circumstances that got them to prison, unless they change their entire way of life many of these inmates who are released will find themselves returning to prison.
Therefore, these inmates need to find a way to change their life and volunteers can help inmates to begin a new life. While many inmates feel that society has “thrown away the key” on them, they need to know that there are those who care about them and that God loves them. When volunteers come into prison they not only bring help but hope.
Posted in Prison Ministry, Uncategorized
Tagged incarceration, inmates, Jesus Christ, prison, prison ministry, prisoners, volunteering
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The unborn is praise to the creator for His creation
Sometimes people only value a life based on what that life has produced or how others value it. However despite the value man places on a person’s life we have to realize that every life is precious to God. Regardless of how people perceive the value of human life we are reminded that every human life is made by God, and as Ethel Waters used to say, “I am somebody cause God don’t make no junk.” Since God is the creator, how we value Him is therefore connected to how we value human life.
The unborn is God made by the master craftsman, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb” Psalm 139:13. In this verse we realize that human life is valuable because God the creator of the universe also made human life. The value of human life is not based on man because man did not make human life, God made human life.
If someone stumbles upon a piece of expensive artwork yet fails to understand who made it they do not understand its value. It can simply be taken to the trash heap along with other items considered invaluable. However when it is understood who the artist is that created the artwork, then the value is not only understood but the value is highly placed. Now the object becomes worthy of keeping only because it’s value is understood by who created it. So if God is the creator of all human life, why don’t we the unborn child as priceless, created by the master artist?
The problem is that perhaps many people try to value human life based upon their perception to the value they think it will provide them. If an unborn child is considered an inconvenience or burden to the mother or father it’s value is lowered to the point that it is not valuable. They fail to see that its value is not based on their standard but by the standard of who created the child. The God who created heaven and earth from the scale of mountains and seas all the way down to the intricacy of the human cell is the same God who formed every child’s inward parts while knitting them together in their mother’s womb.
The unborn is the praise of God for his wonder, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” Psalm 139:14. Giving compliments to someone for a job well done may seem easy if it pleases you or serves as a purpose to you. Perhaps someone made you something you wanted like a house, or a fine meal. When everyone receives something they wanted they often give thanks or praise to the person who rendered the service because it was something they wanted. The issue some people have with the unborn is that unless it serves as a purpose for them then its value is considerably less, or not at all.
Just as God has revealed himself to everyone through his works no one is without excuse of not perceiving him as the creator (Romans 1:19-20). If man has marveled at the heights of Mount Everest, to the depths of the ocean floor why has he denied the value of his crowning creation––human life? “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him” Genesis 1:27.
Human life is wonderfully made by the same God whose works are wonderfully made; the same God whose works are marveled by man; the same God who creates a human life in the womb because it is made in the image of God. If man can stand at a mountaintop and praise God for the wonders of His work, can he not praise God for the wonder of his creation in human life when it is born before his very eyes?
The value of human life is not based upon man’s perception of it. It is based upon who created it in the first place. Human life is not valued upon what it others think it will do for them or how it might inconvenience them. Human life is of the highest value because it is made by the highest of all, the creator––God.
Understand that human life is valuable; to devalue or try to terminate it is not to devalue it but to devalue God. Treat every unborn life that is carried by a mother as God’s creation fearfully and wonderfully made. Don’t terminate a human life based on human perception, do everything you can to make sure a human life is allowed to live and give praise to God, its creator.
