Tuesday, April 15, 2008  

Making the Ultimate Sacrifice

Did you hear about the Navy SEAL last week that was honored posthumously with the medal of honor? In the summer of 2006, while on his tour of duy in Iraq, he was in the heat of combat when an enemy hand grenade bounced off his chest and landed in the middle of him and six other soldiers. Without hesitation he threw himself on top of the grenade. The blast killed him, but his actions saved the life of six other men.

While the story is both heroic as well as tragic, it serves to illustrate a spiritual truth. Life is always born out of death. For some to live others must die. This is how an army advances. Armies advance on the blood and sacrifice of it's dead.

And what is true of any war is true of the spiritual one we're in. We "wrestle not against flesh and blood". We are in a war for the souls of men and women. And for some to live others must die.

This is what Jesus meant when He said "Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone, but if it dies it bears much fruit". From the death of One, the Lord Jesus, millions upon millions now live.

And what is true of Jesus is true of us. Some must die so that others may live. Christ died to accomplish salvation, but we must die to spread salvation. This is why the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:31 "I die daily".

Only as we lay our lives down can others live. This is how the Kingdom of God advances, on the sacrifice of it's members. Dear friends, there are only two things in this world that will last forever--the Word of God and the souls of men.

If that is true, than why don't we give our lives for the only two things that really matter? Answer something for me. Seriously. What hinders people from giving their lives for what really matters, and how do we overcome those hindrances in our lives?

I love you all in the name of Jesus...Pastor Phil

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Tuesday, April 8, 2008  

Bearing The Marks of The Lord Jesus

Have you guys heard of the largest church in the entire world? It started this year with 3oo thousand members. That's right! 300 thousand members for it's very first service. It has since grown to over 2 million!

The high priestess is one of the most powerful and influencial people in the world. I'm talking about Oprah Winfrey. Viewed by millions daily, many of which would claim to be Christians, she has begun a movment where in she is teaching the world her New Age theology and ideoligies in partnership with several of today's leading New Age leaders.

Recently, she helped lead a "virtual" church service wherein over 2 million participants were all hypnotized at the same time. What does her "virtual" church believe? Things like "there is no such thing as sin"..."we need to reject clinging to the old rugged cross"...And we have "no need for a Savior because all the Savior we need is the one within us all".

My dear friends, my heart is heavy for our world, our nation, our society and our city. It's heavy for our families, our sons and daugthers. Now is the time of the true Church of our Lord Jesus, the body of Christ to rise!

Paul said in Galatians 6:17 "I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus in my body". He literally had a body riddled with the scars of persecution.

We are losing our world because we have no scars! The world is not changed when they look at our lives. It's time to bear the marks of our Lord Jesus!

Give me some ideas...What does that look like in the life of a surrendered, sold-out follower of Jesus Christ living in 21st century America?

I love you all very much...Pastor Phil

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Monday, March 31, 2008  

We Need a Power Encounter

Dear Friends,

As we at ALBC prepare for our Celebration Sunday, April 27th, where will make our 2-year financial commitments to the Lord to help pay for the cost of our new youth/satellite worship facility, we must focus on the fact that buildings are not what's going to change people's lives, altar their eternal destinies, or save our nation.

The truth is that more and more young people in America are turned off by what they see as "institutionalized Christianity". What is "institutionalized Christianity"? It's when a church becomes more focused on buildings, and budgets, and parking lots and policies instead of changing people's lives through the gospel of Jesus Christ!

I have an aching in my heart to recapture 1st century Christianity in the 21st century. What is first century Christianity? I believe it's found in what Jesus said in Acts 1:8 "You shall receive power when the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and you shall be witnesses of me in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria and to the uttermost parts for of the world."

We must become an Acts 1:8 church or run the risk of being "institutionalized" and be rendered irrelevent to 21st century culture! This Sunday I'm sharing an exciting vision of how we are going to reach our "Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and even the uttermost!"

The truth is the Church can't even think about reacing the "uttermost" until we are serious about reaching our "Jerusalem". But to do that it won't be with more buildings (though we need those) and more parking lots (though we need those)...It will be when we have a POWER ENCOUNTER!

The first century church utterly, radically turned their world upside down with the gospel of Jesus Christ. But we're not even making a "ripple". Why? It's not for a lack of buildings, budgets, resources and technology. It's not for a lack of programs, planning, promoting and preparing. It's for a lack of POWER...God's POWER!

How do we get God's power to change the world? Come this Sunday. But I got to warn you. Their is a price for God's power. Get out your concordance and look up the word "witness" in Acts 1:8. What word do you see?

I love you all in the name of Jesus...Pastor Phil

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Monday, March 24, 2008  

The Enemy Within

Hello friends,

As you know our vision at ALBC is to "rebuild the walls of our nation and reach a dying generation". In our study this year of the book of Nehemiah, we learn that our vision is very similar to Nehemiah's vision. The walls around Jerusaelm had fallen. The city was weak and the people were powerless. Nehemiah's dream was to rebuild the walls of the city and in so doing to rebuild God's great name and redeem God's great people.

This week we're in Nehemiah chapter 5. What we learn is that wherever God is building the enemies of God are opposing. While the enemies of God surrounded the people of God from the outside of the city (Nehemiah 4), in Nehemiah chapter 5 we learn that the real enemy is the one that was within!

The real threat to Nehemiah's vision was not an attack from the outside--it was an attack from the inside! The people of God were divided, not united! And historically this is Satan's #1 method for destroying the work of God! It's by dividing the people of God!

Whether it's in your family, your marriage, or our church, Jesus said "a house divided against itself cannot stand". Historically, it's not outside persecution that has destroyed the Church. In fact, historically wherever and whenever the church has been persecuted, the Church has flourished.

What weakens and eventually destroys many churches is a division from within! That was the threat in the days of Nehemiah and that continues to be a threat in our day! We must stand united!

Let me ask you something. How do you personally defend our unity? When you've been injured by someone...offended by someone...or disagree with someone...Do you talk to them or about them? What should you do...How should you handle it?

I love you all very much...Meet you this Sunday on the wall, sword in hand...Pastor Phil

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Tuesday, March 18, 2008  

The Resurrection--History or Hoax?

Well here goes...My first ever attempt at blogging. Actually I'm excited about this new opportunity to interact with people about the things that matter most--the things of God! You can expect to find a new post every week by Monday. Normally it will have to do with the theme for the coming Sunday's message. Feel free also to comment on the past Sunday's message as well--I invite your feed back!

This Sunday is Easter. For millions around the world they will celebrate Easter this year like they have every other year. They will go through the religious routine and the ritual but for them it's really not a reality. Easter is more about the Easter bunny, chocolate eggs, sunshine and spring flowers. But a dead guy coming back from the grave?! Come on!

Let's be honest. It is a little bit unbelievable. The resurrection of a man who was dead defies all human reasoning and logic. It's either the greatest historical event in all of human history or it's the greatest hoax the world has ever known.

The question is do we have to accept the resurrection on blind faith? Many believe you have to "check your brain" to be a Christian. But are there historical evidences and even historical "proofs" on which we can confidently and rationally put our faith in the fact that the resurrection really happened? What do you think?

Pastor Phil

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Thursday, February 7, 2008  

Welcome!

Welcome to the blog of the pastors of Abundant Life Baptist Church. Our pastors will be using this page to offer you encouragement, devotionals, supplemental materials to studies and sermons, and more. Please visit again!

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