“It’s Time to Pray, But Not When You Think”

Thursday, May 5th is the 2016 National Day of Prayer.  10’s of 1000’s of churches, religious groups, and individuals around our nation will gather for prayer that day.  Since 1777 most of our nations Presidents have had some emphasis on prayer.  But on April 17, 1952, President Harry S. Truman signed a bill proclaiming a National Day of Prayer must be declared by each subsequent president at an appropriate date of his choice.  In 1988, President Ronald Reagan amended the law so that the National Day of Prayer would be held on the first Thursday of May.

I have been receiving emails from Raleigh area churches and organizations about prayer gatherings all around our city on May 5th.  This is great.  I’m glad this is happening.  I’m glad there is a National Day of Prayer.  There have been non-religious groups that have tried to stop this saying the government cannot proclaim a National Day of Prayer, but up to this point to no avail.  I’m certainly in support of it.

BUT

Here is the conflict for me as a Christian.  Shouldn’t we be emphasizing a prayer life everyday?  I heard someone say a few years ago when I was a pastor of another church in another city as the National Day of Prayer was being organized in that city, “Oh, my day of prayer is fast approaching.  I need to decide what to pray about on that day.”  Really?  Are you saying in someway that you pray one day a year?  You focus your prayer life on one day?  Really?  By the way, this person was a prominent person in the Christian community of that city.

I love the National Day of Prayer.  I’ve participated in gatherings in cities where I’ve have been a pastor.  Please hear me.  I’m not against this day.  But I am for more than this.  It’s time to pray, but not when you think.  I am for prayer everyday!  A Christian that does not have a regular daily prayer time is missing out on a part of the relationship God has called them to as His child.  Think of it this way.  You live with your mom and/or dad in their house everyday.  You have a relationship with them.  You love them and even see them everyday, but NEVER talk to them.  You never speak a single word to them.  What’s up with that?  How does that happen?  How does that relationship work?  I will guarantee that if you do not speak to one another, over time, your relationship will deteriorate to nothing.

It is no different in our relationship with God.  He talks with us through His Holy Spirit.  As His children, shouldn’t we daily, even multiple times a day, speak to Him?  Here are just a few passages from His Word.

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  1 Thessalonians 5:17

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.  The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”  James 5:16

And Jesus said, “It is written, ‘And My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a robbers den’” Luke 19:46

The gospel accounts of Jesus’ life consistently tell us that Jesus, each day, would retire to pray to His Father in heaven.  He has set the example.  We are to follow.

It is great to gather on the first Thursday in May as a nation and pray.  But please remember, PRAYER has to be a regular part of your every day life.  EVERY DAY! Not just one day!  And if you do, Oh my goodness, you will see your relationship with your Father in heaven taken to another level.  “Pray without ceasing…” is the call.  So my question: How’s your prayer life going?

Blessings my friends,
Pastor Marty

Worship, Grow, Serve

"More Than Conquers"

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.  For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, hater of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.”

2 Timothy 3:1-5

“Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.  But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”          

2 Timothy 3:12-13

 I was talking with someone this past Sunday that worked in Colonial Williamsburg as a guide for a number of years.  The topic was raised because my daughter is going this week on a field trip with her class to Colonial Williamsburg.  He said, “Have her ask the class guide about the tunnel.”  What tunnel?  “The tunnel that leads from the House of Burgesses to the Tavern.”  “Really,” I said!  “Yes!  In the colonial era when the House was in Session, at night they would bring in slaves and put their hats on them and have them walk around in the candle light so to appear to the public as if they were still working late into the night.  Then they would go down in the tunnel and travel to the Tavern for drinking.”  Oh, deception!!! I thought.  You, bet! 

Little has changed.  Deceiving and deception has been and will always be at center stage in the world.

My mind went to this Second Timothy 3 text when the Apostle Paul was challenging Timothy as a church leader to be aware of what was happening and watch for the things to come.  When you read this list, and to be honest with you it is a exhaustive list, you cannot help but to say, I see ALL of that going on today.  Selfishness, power and deception all run rampant today.  Paul states that in the last days we will see these things.

So the question is:  Are we in the last days?  I believe we always have to assume we are in the last days.  We are to live and plan for the future, knowing today could be our last.  Living and planning for the future though has to be carefully crafted.  It has to be with a teachable heart.

In my sermon Sunday, I stated that the two followers of Christ on the road to Emmaus had a teachable heart and we have to have that same kind of heart.  With a teachable heart you can keep these things at bay.  You see, Paul goes on to tell Timothy in chapter 3 & 4 that:

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”  2 Timothy 4:2-4  

You see, we have to be of sound mind and heart.  We have to be teachable by those God has put in charge to oversee the teaching and preaching of His Word.  There will be times of correction and rebuke.  Times of reproof and training.  But remember that they are for your good and the good of the Kingdom.  

Let us never get caught up in the deception of evil, of man, of worldly desires that will turn us to myths, but focus on HIM the author and finisher of our faith.  The more and more you and I focus on Him and His Word, the less this list of evil will be able to tempt us.

As with the Colonial representatives and with our current crop of many elected representatives, deception is the norm.  But of the believer, it can never be!  You cannot serve tw o masters.  In Christ alone we take our stand.

So believer, as you read and re-read these passages from 2 Timothy, please stand firm in the faith of God our Father knowing that persecution, trials, and yes, even heartaches will come, but rest assured that we are more than conquers in Christ Jesus our LORD!  Praise and Glory to Him!  Now and Forever!  Amen!

Blessings, Pastor Marty Duffell

Worship, Grow, Serve

"What About Wednesday?"

“And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.” Matthew 21:17 (Monday)

“…Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper”  Matthew 26:6 (Tuesday)

“Now on the First Day of the Unleavened Bread…”   

Matthew 26:17a (Thursday)

Today (as I am posting this article) is Wednesday of Holy Week 2016.  Wednesday, the middle of the week, hump day as many of us call it.  We often look forward to Wednesday because once it is done, over, out of the way, we know the weekend is not far off.  Time off to play, work in the yard, or just spend quality time with our families.  Wednesday!

I am intrigued by the last week of Jesus’ life.  The first day of that week, Sunday, Jesus was in Bethany had some of His disciples go into Jerusalem and get a donkey colt and bring it back to Him.  Jesus mounted the donkey and rode it into Jerusalem to shouts of “Hosannas, King of Kings!”  Sunday was a glorious day of uplifting Jesus.  The Gospel Mark in 11:11 states that Jesus went into the temple and after looking around, “He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.”    On Monday Jesus arose and left Bethany and headed back towards the city.  On the way He cursed the fig tree for it was without figs and He was hungry.  Arriving in the city entered the temple and cleansed it of all the buyers and sellers.  Then He went back to Bethany to spend the night.  On Tuesday He arose and left Bethany and found the withered fig tree on His way into Jerusalem.  On Tuesday Jesus taught on faith and had His Olivet Discourses on the way back to Bethany.  On Tuesday, also, Judas made his deal with the Sanhedrin to betray Jesus.  On Thursday, Jesus got up, it was the First Day of Unleavened Bread.  Jesus wanted to eat the Passover meal with His disciples, so He sent Peter and John into Jerusalem ahead of them to prepare for the meal.  On Thursday night they celebrated the Passover meal together.  Then Jesus went out to the garden to pray.  He was betrayed by Judas and arrested.  Early in the morning of Friday, Jesus was tried by the Sanhedrin, tried before the Roman officials, and sentenced to die by crucifixion.  He was beaten, crucified, died and was buried in the tomb.  Saturday the tomb continued to be sealed and guarded.  On Sunday morning the first of the week, the third day since His death, the tomb was empty and Jesus is alive.  He has RISEN!!!

I hope you noticed something.  I skipped Wednesday.  Yes Wednesday, the middle day of the week.  There is nothing in scripture about Wednesday of Jesus’ last week before the crucifixion.  Nothing!  He went to Bethany on Tuesday night to sleep and the next thing we know it is the First Day of the Unleavened Bread, Thursday, Passover, and He is heading back into Jerusalem to celebrate this meal with His disciples.  What about Wednesday?  We don’t know, other than He was in Bethany.  Of course, many have speculated and I tend to also.

Many of you know the my mother died when I was 15 years old.  It was a very difficult time for me.  We had ended our time together in an argument.  The last words I ever said to her was in a screaming voice “I don’t care.”  I loved my mom and very very seldom did we fight, but that is how our life together ended.  Because of the winter weather, ice and snow, we had to wait several days before the funeral could take place.  The day before her funeral I spent by myself.  I did not want to be around anyone else.  God and I had worked through my anger days before.  I was at peace and yet wanted to be alone.  No one could possibly record or know anything I did that day, for no one was ever with me that day.

I have to wonder if on Wednesday, the middle of the week, the day before the plan of salvation would begin to unfold, the day Passover was to begin, before His arrest and death, before the suffering, before He was forsaken by His father, before He had the sins of the world poured into Him so that He could drink the cup of Redemption, before all of this, did He spend the day alone?  Not one Gospel records any activity that day.  Seeing all the detail before and after Wednesday that was recorded and we see nothing about Wednesday makes one wonder.  What about Wednesday?  I believe Jesus spent the day alone with His Heavenly Father in prayer and mediation.  That is just my take.

If I am remotely correct, what would that teach us?  Maybe as life changing, life altering, difficult situations begin to unfold in our lives, we put our hectic life on PAUSE, just for one day, and spend it with God alone.  Did you hear me?  Alone!!!  And when I say alone, I mean with God alone.  I believe that if we were to do that more often we would be better prepared to face what is ahead.

What about Wednesday?  It was a day Jesus was silent!  Maybe we could take a hint and do likewise.  Maybe we could rely on Him to prepare us for difficult times ahead instead of relying on ourselves only.  I believe Jesus spent silent time with His Father that Wednesday.  Just a thought to consider!

Blessings friends, 

Pastor Marty

Worship, Grow, Serve

His Tools for His Glory

1 John 3:1
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

Pastor Marty is constantly reminding us of our responsibility to God to share the Gospel with others.  I have shared with you on other occasions that fear gets in the way of sharing.  It's not only fear, but also not fully understanding what God's call is on our lives and how we are to live into that call.  I am truly discovering all of this myself.  I wanted to share some thoughts with you to get you thinking about your own call.  We each have our own call and need to seek that out with God individually.  One of the things I have learned is that the presence of God in my life is key to discerning my call.  I have the head knowledge that I have asked Jesus to live in my heart.  I know that God is everywhere; that the Holy Spirit lives in me.  So if God's presence is at my disposal, why am I still not sharing the gospel with others?

We must first know who God is and be in acceptance of that belief entirely.  There has to be little to no doubt in our minds that the Creator God loves us without limits and that he has expectations on our lives as his followers.  God's plans are perfect.  His promises are always kept.  Trusting in God completely is necessary to being used by Him to increase His kingdom.

Satan rejoices when God's children trust in their own power more than the power to the Holy Spirit.  One of satan's strategies is to get the Christ follower to ignore the Holy Spirit.  The very power of God that is in us is what brought about Satan's demise.  If he can get us to ignore the power of Jesus in us, then we will always feel helpless, lost, powerless and distant from God.  Jesus left the world physically so his spirit could live in our bodies.  If we ignore this power, this Holy presence, we are ignoring the Jesus we say we love, the Jesus we celebrate at Christmas and Easter; the Jesus we take communion to remember; the Jesus we turn to in prayer.  How can we be totally surrendered to Jesus and yet ignore the power of the Holy Spirit to help us do what he has called us to do?  People say, "I'm too scared to witness to others about Jesus."  We are minimizing the power of the Holy Spirit inside of us!  We are the tool and He does the work!  Surrender and trust in Him!

To be a tool of the Lord's choosing, think of yourself as a hammer.  A hammer in and of itself cannot accomplish a task without someone to pick it up and apply it to the nails.  We are God's tool - his hammer.  The only difference is that we have to give God our hearts and minds so that he can pick us and do His work.

Our confidence to serve God as His witnesses is severely compromised when we forget the power of the Holy Spirit.  The same power that can raise the dead; the same power that can heal the sick; the same power that gave us salvation in His name are the keys to becoming a well used tool.  My personal motivation to pursue a relationship with the Lord to become a well used hammer is to hear my God say to me on my day of judgement, "Well done my good and faithful servant."  Focusing on this treasure of heaven makes what the world has to offer unappealing.  Pleasing God has helped me to see people, both known to me and unknown to me, in a different light.  Pray for God to show you who He is in your life so that in that relationship you will have all confidence in Him to use you often to make His kingdom bigger!

Acts 4:13 (NIV)
13 “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”

As believers, we are with Jesus everyday!  We are ordinary people chosen by God to be His children, His tools for His Glory!  

Living in His presence,

Sandra Pierce - Ruling Elder, HOPE Church Raleigh

                Worship, Grow, Serve
 

You Can Make A Difference

“And He (Jesus) said to them, ‘Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.’” Luke 20: 25

This is a familiar passage to most Christians. They have heard this text recited many times most likely. The context of the verses is this, the Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus once again so they asked Him, “Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” (Luke 20:22) Jesus knew they were trying to trick Him so He asked for a coin. “Show Me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have? They said, Caesar’s.” (Luke 20:24) Jesus then responded with the verse above.
These verses have been taken many ways. One is, yes, pay your taxes called for by the government so not to disturb the officials, but also give to God what He has called us to do in His Word. Others have said it means that Jesus was only saying obey the laws of the land. I believe He was saying to obey the laws of the land but also reminding the Pharisees, and all believers, that God has an expectation of our gifts, offerings, tithes. We are aliens in this world, but also where we live. We are to be faithful to His call in all things and have a duty to live in this world in such a way as to express holiness in the our daily decisions we make.

So how do we reconcile some of the predicaments we find ourselves in as Christians, even Evangelical Christians, when we desire to contribute to the process of electing leaders in the world we live in? Good question!

I try not to get political in my articles in the HOPE Connection, but because of the current atmosphere in society and with the label “Evangelicals” being used everyday in the media to make pronouncements, I do want to speak to the matter today. We who live in North Carolina will have the opportunity to exercise our right to vote this coming Tuesday, March 15, 2016. Will you exercise that right to vote given to you by the US government? And if so, what determines the way you vote?

The first question is, will you vote? I had someone, “that is in the know,” tell me that only half of the Evangelical Christians in America are registered to vote and of those registered only 25% will vote. If we have 100 Evangelicals, of which only 50 are registered to vote, then with the current statistics, only 12.5 Evangelicals will actually vote. Only 12.5 out of 100 will vote. How sad! But we hear in the media that such and such candidate received 50% of the Evangelical vote in that state
and the others received 30% making sound like a large number. When in reality, when you look at the numbers of actual voters who claim to be Evangelical Christians, it is a very small number that actually voted. Using percentages makes it sound larger.

For those of you who are not registered to vote, it is too late now for March 15th, but not for the General Election in November. I encourage you as an Evangelical to vote.

The second question is what will determine your vote? As an Evangelical Christian, I research the candidates and make my decision on their stances as they relate to God’s Word and what I believe are positive position for our country. I’ll give you an example. All of you know that I DO NOT support abortion. I believe it is killing a life created by God. It baffles me how the same courts that uphold a law stating a baby is not a life before birth can uphold a law stating that if a woman that is murdered while pregnant, the person charged can be charged for a double murder. How can you have it both ways?

I research the candidates on their stances and see if they pass the “smell test” for me as an Evangelical. If so, I will consider voting for them. If not, then they will not get my vote. I do this across the board. You may say, “But Marty, I don’t have time to do that and besides my vote won’t count.” You are right thinking that your vote won’t count... unless you vote. And as far as taking the time to research, I believe that is one reason we are in the mess we are in now. Evangelical Christians have given up and said, “The heck with this” and have quit. It certainly plays out in the numbers in the end. I refuse to give up. I will exercise my right as an American citizen to cast my vote for the man/woman who aligns with my Evangelical views. Otherwise, they don’t get my vote.

I believe we can make a difference in this world we live in. Our witness and testimony in how we live in this world, how we treat others on a daily basis, and why we support and vote for certain candidates can make a difference in others lives. Folks, carrying out the right we have to vote is not contrary to scripture, as some would have you believe. As Evangelicals, at least be part of the 12.5 of each 100 that will vote this year. My prayer is that the LORD our God will bless this nation once again! Let it be so Lord! Let it be so!

Blessings my friends,
Pastor Marty.

Worship, Grow, Serve.

Half Way There!

“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the LORD weighs the motives. Commit our works to the LORD and your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:1-3

When I was in High School I ran track. I ran the 880 Relay and the 2 mile run. Of course, you had to practice and prepare before each meet so that you had endurance to make it the entire distance. Often you would shed some pounds to lighten your load (literally), but practice prepared you for the race. I can remember when we were in the middle of a 2 mile run finishing lap 4 (A 2 Mile run was 8 laps around a 1/4 mile track) I could hear my coach yelling at me, “Marty, you are half way there. You’ve got this. Don’t slow down!” What encouragement!

I want to encourage you today! “Folks! You are half way there. You’ve got this. Don’t slow down!” Oh, what am I talking about, you might ask. LENT!

Back on the 10th of February, Ash Wednesday, I challenged you to examine yourself during this Lenten Season. Examine your heart, examine your motives, examine your ways, path, journey with God. I challenged you to read and study and mediate on God’s Word more than ever during these weeks of Lent. I gave many of you a Cross and asked that you place it somewhere where you would see it daily. I am here today telling you that you are HALF WAY THERE! The Lenten Season, believe it or not is about half over. We are now heading very quickly towards Good Friday and then Easter Sunday.

Some may be saying, “Oh, but wait Marty, I forgot. I haven’t been very faithful in my reading, my study, my worship, my mediating on God’s Word. I’ve not examined myself in the ways I should, because frankly, I like many of those ways I’m living too much to give them up.”

Take heart folks, the race is not over. At many track meets my coach would tell me half way through the race, “Marty, you’ve got to pick it up. You are lagging behind where you need to be. You can do this!”

It’s Ok, the race is not over. You can still do what Solomon challenges us to do in the proverb above. We can plan in our heart our motives, our paths of righteous, committing our works to the LORD. We can still examine ourselves and put aside those things the HOLY SPIRIT is telling us is slowing us down, weighing us down, causing us to live worldly instead of righteously. There is still time. You can do it. We are half way there.

And when you establish your plans under the will of God you will begin to hear the Father say in your ear, “Child, you’ve got this!”

I remember one track meet I had, the only one my dad was able to attend (he surprised me), I ran the best time I had ever run in the 2 mile run. In fact, that time qualified me to attend the State Meet that year. But here is the thing I remember. I remember each lap I ran hearing my father yelling, “GO MARTY! YOU CAN DO THIS!” What encouragement for me to push forward and honor my father in his presence.

Folks, in this journey of life, not just this Lenten Season, but in all of life, your heavenly Father is calling out to you, His son or daughter, and is saying, “GO!!! You can do this. Your journey is not over. Commit your going to Me and I will establish your plans. GO!!!”

How wonderful it is to know your heavenly Father is pulling for you. The Hebrews writer pens: “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith...” Hebrews 12:1-2a

So let me encourage you as you finish out this Lenten Season 2016 to finish strong. If you have been lax or “slow out of the gate,” it’s not too late. If you need to re-group, do so, and forge ahead. Every effort you place in your workout for God will benefit you in this run for the prize. PRIZE? Oh, yes, prize! When we finally do finish this race called life, our Father has the perfect prize for us, His children. One that will never end!!!

So folks, you are HALF WAY THERE! GO! DON’T GIVE UP! YOU CAN DO THIS!

Blessings my friends,
Pastor Marty.

Worship, Grow, Serve.

What If?

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your Word. With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your Word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. Blessed are You, O LORD; teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have told of all the ordinances of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your Word.”
Psalm 119:9 - 16

I believe too many take the Word of the LORD for granted. Too many having become complacent in reading, studying, and meditating on God’s Word. I believe that too many Christians today think, “My Bible is right where I always keep it. If I need it, it will always be right there.” For the most part, I too think, “My Bible will always be there.” I had a dream this week that I opened my Bible and the pages were blank. God’s Word was gone. Later I thought, what if that were true?

What if:
- What if you were unable to see any longer?
- What if you were unable to hold your Bible to read it?
- What if your Bibles were confiscated?
- What if the Government forbid the sale or possession of God’s Word?
- What if there were dyer consequences for possessing the Word of God?

Oh, Pastor Marty, here you go again thinking the sky is falling. You are nothing more than “Chicken Little.” You maybe saying to yourself, the first two “What ifs” could happen to somebody (not me though), but the last three, well, that is never going to happen here. Not in the United States of America. And to be honest with you, you may be right. BUT, all I am doing is asking the question, “What if?” If the pages were blank, is the Word of God gone?

Do we treasure God’s holy Word in our hearts, that we might not sin against Him? To treasure God’s Word, we have to read it, we have to know it, we have to be exposed to the preaching and teaching of it. Otherwise, the Word of God becomes just a collection of words in a book on the shelf or laying on the table.

What if we didn’t have access to our Bibles? What if the pages become blank, and we no longer can see them? Have we read enough, memorized enough, that God’s Word would remain in our hearts, in our thoughts? Would it fade quickly in its absence because we never really found it important enough to read and meditate on? This is my fear, that many today, if their Bibles were taken away, would loose any memory of God’s Word and life would become only about survival and not about Him and life with Him.

None of us know what the future will bring. The world I live in today is much different than that of my childhood. Yes, some things are better, but from a Biblical World View, so much is worse. Frankly, it seems to deteriorate more and more every year. So what do we do to combat the “What ifs” in our Christian walk?

We do what the Psalmist says he would do. We: seek after the LORD; we treasure His Word; we ask the LORD to teach us His ways, His statutes, His commandments. When we mediate on His Word it becomes part of the very fiber of our being. Then you will be able to answer the question. What if ... and your answer will be, “I never want that to happen in my country or to me, but, if so, I know Him and have studied His Word and I shall not forget His Word.” (verse 16)

I will tell you as you do what the Psalmist calls us to do, you then will rejoice in the ways of His testimony and know that whatever this world throws your way is nothing compared to the riches in glory the LORD has in store for you. Thanks be to God for His Word!

Just a few “What ifs” for you to ponder today!

Blessings my friends,
Pastor Marty.

Worship, Grow, Serve.