The Right to Lead

God’s people have never in any age come to the mountain-peak of spiritual joy, peace, and communion which is the glory of unbroken communion with the Most High God, without having the “self-life,” brought again and again to the grave of death and dust.

 

Revival is realizing that anything from our old life needs to be reckoned dead. As we recognize our death in Christ, confess our self life sinfulness, and turn from our wicked ways to Him, then God will kiss us with the kisses of His mouth.

 

Pray that God’s people will come to realize that the termination of the old self was realized and materialized at Calvary’s mountain. Live so that the sails of your life may be set high, and the wind of God’s breath will blow once more in His church.

 

 

Our church’s address is no mistake.  God has placed us here to reach out to those who surround us in our neighborhood.  We have this great privilege and responsibility before God.

The Lord has also given us the privilege to live where we do.  It is here on our streets that we become mission minded to those who are our neighbors.  We have the great joy of mastering the art of neighboring.  Our neighbors need Christ, and we have the tool to do just this.

What do we do as we gather in our church buildings?  We learn who we are, and that God has given us a special commission to reach others through prayer and discipleship.  It is our responsibility to share and God’s responsibility to save.

Let’s refocus our prayer ministry toward our neighbors.

Love in Christ,

Pastor Don

Dear Church, 

Our hearts are saddened by all the damage inflicted upon mankind with the destruction from Hurricane Helene. 

May I give some critical thoughts for consideration? 

1. Natural disasters give us the opportunity to respond to God.  We can be angry, especially if it were our house, our business, our child lost in the rushing water, or the fallen tree.  Or we can stand in awe of the mighty power of the Almighty. 

2. The ground shook in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee as did the other states where landfall occurred, and the storm moved up and left.  The only thing that matters to many is to be able to find firm ground to stand upon. 

3. The Bible instructs us to make sure that our lives are built upon a foundation that will never be shaken, a foundation that is not subject to the unpredictable forces of nature. 

4. At Mt. Sinai, the Bible records the first earthquake as God gave the law to Moses.  Why?  God expects and commands those who are created by Him to tremble and be in awe of His power.  His voice speaks of the content of the moral law; the voice of nature (earthquake) spelled out God’s power and authority.  The Ten Commandments shouted His rules for living; the Trembling of Nature shouted His rules for worshipping.  We are to fear Him for this is not only appropriate but commanded. 

5. God also spoke at Mt. Calvary and the earth quaked.  Jesus spoke words of kindness, mercy, and love even while He was being judged for our sins.  We should listen. “Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking.  For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to Listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!”  When God spoke from Mount Sinai His voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise:  “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” 

6. The earth will not go on forever.  Earthquakes and hurricanes remind us that life is short and that God will re-create a new heaven and a new earth.  Only what is eternal will remain. 

7. We are to know that tragedies are teachers that instruct us to hold on to Christ tightly and hold everything else loosely. 

The Eternal Kingdom will never be shaken.  Find your Firm ground to stand upon and thank God for His Unshakeable Kingdom. 

Pastor Don 

Why is church attendance important? If the Christian is the body of Christ, then why does the church need to be in a building called the “church”? Isn’t having a friend over to have lattes just as meaningful? Or a few family members meeting together just as important?

 

The church organized is the only organization that Jesus Himself established. Church is an “of course” to the Son of Man (Revelation 1). It was an “of course” to the early apostles (Acts 2:42-47).

 

The church at large, which is largely absented, should be a prioritized who name the name of Christ. Instead of saying, “Why should I have to go to church?”; we should be asking, “What can I do to minister to and build up Christ’s own precious body, the church, and which I am a part?”

 

God took disciples who needed much work and together they accomplished much, for they turned the world upside down. This is what God does with and through and in people who take seriously the mandate of the church to meet, to encourage, to learn, to love, to give, to worship and to go.

 

The Bible tells us, “The eyes of the Lord run to and for throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). God isn’t looking for a strong man or a strong woman but rather someone whom He could be strong on behalf of.

 

Get into and stay with the organization, the church. For without organization the organism dies. We need the interaction, accountability, and outlet for our gifts and talents that only the local church can provide. I believe that when God set up the first Church, He did it right.

“And of his fullness have we all received, and grace for grace” (John 1:16).

 

When you and I look into a river and perceive the fish swimming we would like to reach in and stop the water flow and catch the scene for a while. But we can’t because the current is heading downstream and it is strong, yet it was never meant to be stopped and caught.

While God gives us grace He desires for us to enjoy what He does for the moment but He doesn’t want us to reach in and try to stop it. He has more grace coming downstream that will pass by our eyes. It is wave of grace upon grace that He sends our way. We were never meant to stop the flow of grace and hunker down and bask in it.

Do you remember when Peter, James, and John were with the Lord Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration? They were asleep on that mountain. And all of a sudden they were awakened and saw the Lord Jesus speaking with Elijah and Moses about His upcoming death and resurrection.

Peter spoke up and wanted to build memorial booths for the occasion, and God the Father said, “This is my beloved Son, hear ye Him” (Matthew 17:5). God had more work to be done, more grace He wanted the disciples to see.

What about us? Are we satisfied with what the Lord has done thus far? Are we now satisfied that the debt renovation is now paid and there is no other territory to explore? Are we satisfied that no more people can be saved? Are we enjoying what has been accomplished and have no more get up and go for God?

God’s grace is new grace, continuous grace, uninterrupted grace that exceeds all we could imagine. Each spiritual blessing we appropriate becomes the foundation of greater blessing. God’s grace is like a mighty Niagara, thundering unending out of eternity into our hearts and lives.

Let us look into the future and ask God what He has in store for KMBC. He has an inexhaustible supply that every believer is given for all he or she needs in this world and the world to come. Pentecost filled the believers with Christ Himself and yet God emptied the upper room into the streets of Jerusalem. That is what God wants to do through us today and tomorrow and the future.

Let’s get full of Him and allow Him to carry us from grace to grace.

I Love you,

Pastor Don

Dear KMBC Family,

I want to challenge each of us in these summer months to a summer challenge called WON By One. There are at least ten ways we can share the Word of God this summer. You can share God’s Word in your neighborhood, at local events, in a hospital, at a restaurant, at a gasoline station or convenient store, with college students, at a coffee shop, on the go, at work, at a special outreach event, or even family gatherings. I want you to take a gospel tract or the gospel of John and share it with those to whom you meet.

Through prayer, eager expectation, God is able to do more than we can even ask or think. I have ordered some more Gospel of Johns to be given out, but in the meantime take tracts from the entry way and place on your body to give as God prompts you.

The Lord Jesus has called us to make disciples. We start by having our hearts ready and willing to go where He desires. We pray for our Oikos list daily. We wait upon Him for the opportunities that He gives us in sharing the Good News of the Gospel. Then we give them a tract, the gospel of John, and some witness to their hearts verbally or intentionally for the glory of God.

There are so many ways to be a patriot of the Lord Jesus. One of those ways is to give out the gospel and to speak to as many as He leads us too. From time to time I will ask how God has used you this week to speak through Him. Will you take the challenge?

It is time for our hearts to be drawn to the lost and to those who are not on God’s paths of righteousness. We must pray and do the work of the evangelist while it is day!

God’s best to you! You are loved!
Pastor Don