ISRAEL....God's Chosen

Israel…God’s Chosen The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1-3 Right now we have a decision to make as a nation and as Christians. The other night when I was watching the final debate, I was looking for what the candidates’ positions were on the Nation of Israel. I strongly believe that the Bible is clear on what we as Christians and U.S. Citizens should feel about Israel. When God says, “I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse,” I believe Him. We may not all agree on the economy or education, but we all need to agree on this issue: Israel as a nation and as a people was and still is God’s chosen. We need to pray for the Israeli people to turn to Christ and recognize Him as the Messiah. We need to protect Israel as a nation and we need to pray for Israel’s enemies around the globe. Vote November 6th! Aaron Hodges

GOD'S GREATEST ENEMIES

God’s Greatest Enemies Recently, I have been convicted about what Brian preached about on Sunday. He preached on pursuing God with everything you have. I live a good life. I take care of my family. I don’t drink. I don’t do drugs. I work hard. I do my best at treating people as Christ would have me treat them. There is nothing really big that I am doing to draw me away from God. But, am I pursuing God? Do I have a hunger for the things of God? Do I live an abundant life for Him? I can honestly say that I struggle with this. Most believers are struggling with the same issue. God wants us to hunger for Him and pursue Him with everything. He wants to be the center of our lives. He promises us that if we pursue Him, we will find Him. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).” That promise is conditional though. God said that we will find Him when we seek Him with all our heart. So what things distract us from seeking God with “all our heart”? I propose that some of the things that keep us from pursuing God with all our hearts are the simple, good things in life. It’s not poison but steak. “It is not the banquet hall of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world.”1 A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servants to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. (Luke 14:18-20) The greatest adversaries of God are sometimes not His enemies but instead His gifts to us. Jesus said in Luke 8:14 that some people hear the Word of God, and a desire of God is wakened in them, but then “as they go on their way they are choked out with worries and riches and pleasures of this life.” Jesus is not teaching us that the pleasures of this life and the desire to want these things is intrinsically bad, but anything that takes the place of our hunger for God can become a poisonous substitute for God. Hungry, I come to You, for I know You satisfy I am empty, but I know Your love does not run dry So I wait for You. So I wait for You. I’m falling on my knees, Offering all of me. Jesus, You’re all this heart is living for. Aaron Hodges 1. Piper, John. A Hunger for God. Pages 14-15.

GOD'S MAJESTY AND LOVE

God’s Majesty and Love Psalm 145 1 I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. 2 Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. 3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. 4 One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. 5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty— and I will meditate on your wonderful works. 6 They tell of the power of your awesome works— and I will proclaim your great deeds. 7 They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. 8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. 9 The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. 10 All your works praise you, LORD; your faithful people extol you. 11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, 12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. 14 The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. 15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. 16 You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. 17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. 18 The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. 20 The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. 21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.