Terry Rogers
Faith, Family, Fun
ARE YOU READY?
This past Sunday at Faith Renewed I preached Week 14 of the DNA Series.
I taught on the return of Christ this week & had a blast!
I didn’t get into all the “pre, mid, or, post-trib” debate… Because, WE DON’T KNOW when Christ will return.
1 Thessalonians 5:2 says, You know as well as I that the day of the Master’s coming can’t be posted on our calendars. He won’t call ahead and make an appointment any more than a burglar would. (The Message Bible)
Here’s what we DO KNOW:
1. We have the blessed hope that He IS coming!
2. We need to be ready & watchful until that day.
3. We are to work as we watch.
Behind The Music of How He Loves… (POWERFUL!)
I’ve loved this song from the first time I heard it by Jesus Culture.
We’ve been singing it at our church for a while now, and it always seems to “click” with the people.
After seeing this video by John Mark McMillan (the artist that wrote it), I got a better understanding of why it connects on such a deep level…
THE RIGHT TO FIGHT!
There was A LOT of fighting that went on in “The Rogers House” when I was young! Growing up as the youngest of 4 sons, I had to learn to defend myself… I was punched, kicked, & even had my head busted open with a lead pipe by one of my brothers. YES, you read right, LEAD PIPE! We could fight each other, but nobody else better mess with one of us! (That’s another blog for another time.)
With 3 brothers, fighting was a part of life. Of course, in all other areas of life we are encouraged not to fight. In our Christian walk we are even taught, to turn the other cheek. I’ve discovered through my years of ministry, that most people DO still fight, but they are fighting the WRONG enemy (spouse, family member, church member, coworker, etc…).
The Bible says in Ephesians 6:12, For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
There are times in life when we not only have a right to fight, but a RESPONSIBILITY to fight.
The following is an excerpt from a recent blog I read by Chris Johnson. Chris and his wife are in a battle right now for their little girl Naomi. Learn more about their story, and how you can pray for them here.
If you are in a battle right now, I hope his words will encourage you like they did me.
I was thinking back to some knowledge I gained very recently… that even though God has given us the victory, we still must fight for that victory. He gave His people victory time after time, yet they still had to go do battle to claim it. Well… now it’s time to once again stand in the power that comes from Christ alone. The Lord is a warrior, and if we belong to Him, we must be warriors too. Faith is one of the weapons we wield. Thru faith, we can face the mountain, or the sickness, and say “move”, take heart and be brave, for if the King of kings and God of gods would be for us, then who can stand against us? On this battlefield, I will not run. I will stand. I will fight for my daughter. I will use the weapons that God has given me, none of which belong to my enemy. Faith. Love. Peace. Prayer. The word of God. The cry of victory and the call of destiny is too often lost, unheard in the heated cries of battle. I know that call because I turned my face to Him long before the battle started. We know that victory because we stand in the middle of that which is impossible. Naomi is God’s, and we stand as one, all around the world believing that our cry to God is heard, understood, and acted upon. God has given us the victory, we know it. We have heard the promise. We see it in our daughter that should not be here, yet is, as a miracle gift from God. WE WILL NOT BE AFRAID. I stand on the promise of a Holy God. We are His warriors in this fight. Now raise your voices to the Prince of Peace and STAND FOR NAOMI… stand for YOURSELVES and BELIEVE.
I’ve done some fighting TODAY!
I’ve waged war against an enemy that is out to steal, kill and destroy…
So put on the full armor of God, you have THE RIGHT TO FIGHT.
Just remember who your ENEMY is!
THIS PICTURE MESSED ME UP!
I was doing some research for a Teaching Series that I’m working on, and I came across this picture.
It’s a painting of “Doubting Thomas” & Jesus, by Caravaggio, an Italian painter from the late 1500’s
I have to admit, IT HIT ME HARD!
How many times have I been going through a situation, not be able to see a way out of it, & want to get into a place of doubt?
Jesus told Thomas in John 20:29, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Faith is believing BEFORE you see it, NOT afterwards. Anyone can believe then!
You may be going through a difficult situation right NOW and not SEE a way out.
Guess what? God’s not worried, and you shouldn’t be either. Let your faith rise today & believe God, even for the impossible!
This picture was a reminder for me, and hopefully to you, that Jesus LOVES.
He has the scars to prove it.
RSS Subscribe
Terry Rogers 