Archive for July 2007

A Vision For Growth

July 29, 2007 by admin.

Play now A Vision for Growth (Lost and Found), Sunday 07-29-2007

Reverend Otis Stanley

Text: Matt 18:12-14

  1. “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the 99 and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?
  2. And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the 99 that did not go astray.
  3. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

This parable unveils the inner-most heart of God

  1. Everybody has a peculiar joy over lost things found. They may not be as valuable as things that are not lost. Still there is keener joy in recovery than unbroken possession of the 90 and 9.
  2. God cares for the wanderer (the lost) ~ Read v.11
  3. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

The Lost ~ v. 12

“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the 99 and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?

  1. What do you think? (Attention getter)
  2. 100 ~ Sheep (mankind)
    99 ~ Christian (the righteous)
    1 ~ errant (the unsaved)
  3. 99 left not to stray, but on the mountains He leaves them
    1. Where they can find pasture
    2. Where they are safe
    3. Ps 147:8 ~
      Who covers the heavens with clouds,
      Who prepares rain for the earth,
      Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
  4. Shepherd leaves and searches for the lost
    1. The lost sheep would not return by itself
    2. The Holy Spirit seeks out (actively)
    3. He allows distress, discomfort, sorrow and unhappiness so they may be drawn to Him.
    4. An under~shepherd’s responsibility is to be a part of this process.

The Found ~ v. 13

And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the 99 that did not go astray.

  1. “ If ” means if a person will not open their heart, they will not be found and brought home. God forces no one against their will.
  2. He rejoices more over the one that is found…than those that are with him. Jealousy should not be on our part. Joy should be over someone found.
    Prodigal son illustration.

God’s will is whosoever ~ v. 14

Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

  1. It is God’s will for all to repent and be found by Christ.
  2. This passage is opposed to the irrespective predestination or God wills some to be saved and others to be lost.
  3. Those who injure the sheep are a special object of His displeasure.
  4. Woe be to any of us who drive any of His sheep away from the fold.


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PASTOR’S PARAGRAPH, 07-29-2007

July 29, 2007 by PastorMark.

Many people in America suffer from depression. One symptom of depression is a negative outlook on the future. A depressed person doesn’t look forward to anything. The future, to them, is filled with fear and dread. The greatest antidote to depression is faith. Faith not only pleases God but also enables us, through Jesus, to look at the future with hope and joy. Hebrews 11:10 says of Abraham, “For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” A believer in Jesus lives in the present with an eye to the future. The fog of depression lifts as we consider the wonderful things God has in store for His own!

Pastor Mark Boucher

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Call Home

July 22, 2007 by PastorMark.

Play now #283, Call Home, Sunday, 07-22-2007, Pastor Mark Boucher

 

Text: Matthew 7:7-12
Theme: Your Father invites you to call on Him.

 

INTRODUCTION:

  1. Praying in the cemetery …
    1. Either prayer is the most ridiculous act …
    2. Or prayer is our greatest and highest honor …
  2. Prayer filled and overflowed the life of Jesus.
    1. He loved to pray.
    2. He loved to speak about prayer to the disciples.
  3. In the “sermon on the mount,” Jesus came back to prayer. Why?
    1. He spoke about storing treasure in heaven, not worrying, not judging others, trusting God …
    2. He knew we could live this way only by God’s power.
    3. So what is our main problem concerning prayer? We think we can get be with little or no prayer.
    4. Prayer is not a “religious obligation” to get over with – it is God’s invitation into a life with Him.

 

What does Jesus teach us here about the Father and prayer?

 

  1. The Father wants us to pray. (v 7)
    1. There’s a presumption here. Jesus is talking to those who are following him.
    2. How do we become children of God?
    3. “Yet to all those who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
    4. He wants us to ask.
    5. “We have not because we ask not” (James 4:2)
    6. What are we to ask for? … forgiveness, strength, wisdom
    7. He wants us to seek.
    8. Seeking is asking plus action.
    9. Example: “eagerly desire spiritual gifts.” (1 Corinthians 14:1)
    10. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1)
    11. We seek after guidance, direction.
    12. He wants us to knock.
    13. Knocking is asking plus action plus right attitude.
    14. Knocking implies something is between you and what you need.
    15. An obstacle requires the attitude of persistence. (and discernment to know if this closed door is from God)
    16. “So much of life requires courage in the face of barriers and delays.”
    17. “Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”
  2. The Father promises us answers to prayer. (v 8 )
    1. “Ask and it will be given to you” … “For everyone who asks receives.”
    2. Jesus told us to “ask and your joy will be complete” (John 16:24)
    3. Let’s not forget all His answers to our prayers.
    4. Let’s be thankful and grow in faith.
    5. What happens if we don’t see the answer?
    6. I check my heart.
    7. I must accept God’s no or not yet.
    8. “He who seeks finds”
    9. If we seek Him with all our heart, He will be found. (Jeremiah 29:13)
    10. We seek Him for our needs.
    11. We seek the growth of His Kingdom.
    12. “To him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
    13. Knocking is not to overcome God’s reluctance.

 

CONCLUSION:

It’s your call … call home.
One day we will see Him face to face.
In this life in the body we are “away from the Lord.” (2Corinthians 5:6)

 

  1. If you are not a believer – it’s free long distance – He already paid for it.
    1. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
  2. If you are a believer – it’s a local call.
    1. “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. (Jeremiah 33:3)

 

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PASTOR’S PARAGRAPH, 07-22-2007

July 22, 2007 by PastorDave.

Jesus was speaking to a church in Revelation chapter two. He told the church (Ephesus) that He knew their works, labor and patience. Jesus also acknowledged that for His Name’s sake the church labored and “hast not fainted.” All of this is exciting. But Jesus said they had one glaring flaw—they had left their first love! We want to be sure that church for us does include work, labor and endurance, but it must be in an attitude and with the motive of our love for the Lord! Today, focus all your mind, will and emotions on the Lord and let God refresh your love for Him—your first love!

Pastor Dave McIntosh

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Christian Adversity

July 15, 2007 by PastorDave.

Play now Christian Adversity, Sunday, 07-15-2007, Pastor David McIntosh

Text: Proverbs 24:10

 

INTRODUCTION:

  • I played football back in my college days.
  • I remember each August before practices would begin we would have strength testing.
  • We would have to bench press for our upper body & squats for our legs.
  • It didn’t matter what we said we could lift but our strength was evaluated by how our bodies responded to the strength testing.
  • How does God test our Spiritual strength?
  • Proverbs 24:10 – “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.”

 

TRANSITION:

  • With this verse revealing that God allows “days of adversity” into our lives to grow spiritual strength, let’s look at how we can cooperate with God and use personal adversity to help us grow mighty in Spirit.
  • First let me assure you we are in good company: Matthew 26: 31 (disciples warned) 35 (they assured Jesus they were strong) 56 (they fainted in adversity)

WHAT IS “ADVERSITY?”

    1. A Hebrew word = “Ra”; bad, evil, unpleasant, affliction, anguish, distress, a negative attitude toward God or man; a bad thing.
    2. Dictionary: a state, condition, or instance of serious or continued difficulty.
    3. Psalm 10:6 – “He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.”

 

WHY WILL A CHRISTIAN HAVE ADVERSITY? (Many reasons; 3 main reasons, 3 things Jesus said)

 

  1. Matthew 4:17- “Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
    1. Because we must repent we will have adversity (change the way we think about life to the degree that we change our life practices)
    2. To take on the way God thinks means I have to become acquainted with the way God thinks.
    3. I have to read, study, and learn God’s way of thinking. (automatic adversity)
    4. Example: Early in my relationship with the Lord, God brought to my attention one day in prayer that I had stole some money from a previous employer.
    5. I knew it was wrong, so I asked God to forgive me. But it continued to bother me in my conscience; I could not pray it was becoming a problem.
    6. I told my wife and she said maybe there is more to it.
    7. God why, He wanted me to see the situation as He does and respond accordingly.
    8. But I thought I had, but I had not.
    9. Listen to what God showed me: Numbers 5:6, 7 – “When a man or woman wrongs another…that person is guilty and must confess the sin he has committed. He must make full restitution for his wrong, add one fifth to it and give it all to the person he has wronged.”
    10. I know what you’re thinking, because I thought all those same things: but this was before I was saved, this is the O.T. it doesn’t count, they won’t understand, but in reality I didn’t want to! (embarrassing, don’t have the money etc)
    11. By His grace and with encouragement from my wife I obeyed Numbers 5.
    12. See I was experiencing stress, difficulty, adversity because of changing the way I think and handle things.
    13. But my employer asked me back to work; he said if you did this, then I know I can fully trust you. Also, my financial situation has God’s blessing on it.

 

  1. Matthew 5:23-25 – “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”
    1. Christians will have adversity because we are commanded to restore relationships.
    2. Jesus said that it is a greater priority to Him that we reconcile with others than bring Him a gift. (of sacrifice or praise)
    3. The adversity comes because most Christians do not live reconciled with the people in their lives. BECAUSE IT IS HARD TO DO!
    4. We have been hurt, laughed at, violated, persecuted, abused; so the natural tendency is to cut off people, not go and reconcile.
    5. Example: I remember early in our marriage my wife and I were having tremendous difficulty with people we loved, people God had placed in our lives. But things were said and done in the past and the pain was great. So we were going to do the right thing: Pray and give them over to God and not see them again or at least for a long time.
    6. Proverbs 17:17 – “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
    7. Praise the Lord for a brother in the Lord (A Pastor) who helped us in counsel. Folks in times of adversity get Godly counsel.
    8. Well he loved us enough to show us God’s truth even though he knew it would initially not relieve the adversity. By God’s grace we followed his Godly counsel and slowly but surely reconciliation began to happen and God has been so good.
    9. See, I was experiencing adversity because God commanded me to reconcile relationships with people, I would just move on, but God has greater things for us than even we do ourselves.
    10. Incidentally, two of the people have made a confession of faith in the Lord Jesus and I know for sure that one is in a Bible believing church and reading the Bible.
  2. Luke 9:23 – “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
    1. Christian will have adversity because Jesus calls us to deny ourselves.
    2. Deny means to refuse oneself or give up oneself.
    3. To refuse yourself and tell on yourself to God creates automatic adversity!
    4. Example: I was reading in the Bible not to long ago a passage of Scripture from Matthew 5, it was verse 37 which reads; “Simply let your Yes be Yes, and your No, No; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”
    5. Now, what caught my attention was the last phrase that anything beyond this comes from the evil one. The opposite would be to have said “Yes” but then did not do it.
    6. The Lord gave me understanding that this meant “Keep your promises.”
    7. So I was challenged again to gather my kids and ask them if there were any promises I had made but had not kept.
    8. But see, they had never said anything, so I didn’t want to open a can of worms, so I tried to remember myself before I asked them and I did remember that I promised bikes to two of my children. But they would need to remember.
    9. So I gathered by children and wife and asked them if I have made any promises I had not kept.
    10. After a few minutes they said No, none that they can remember. The Lord was telling me deny yourself and ask them about the bikes. But Lord if they didn’t remember, but the Lord said, I remember, now tell on yourself.
    11. So I asked and they said oh ya, I remember now and now that you stirred our memory there was this other thing as well.
    12. About $200.00 and a vacation day later I was even.
    13. See, I wrestled with myself, it is not natural to deny yourself, and I was in adversity because of the command to deny myself.
    14. Matthew 11:6 – “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”

 

HOW DO I RESPOND TO ADVERSITY?

  1. Have a G.O.D. Response
    1. Give God thanks; 1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
    2. Overcome evil with good works; Romans 12:21- “Do not be overcome with evil but overcome evil with good.”
    3. Defer to the Word; Hebrews 4:12- “For the word of God is living and active…penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit.”
  2. This is a process, if practiced will transform our souls (mind, will, emotions) for God!
  3. Listen to this promise to all who will trust God enough to let Him discipline them!
  4. Psalm 94:12, 13- “Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law; That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity…”

 

WHAT WILL GOD THINK OF ME?

  1. Often we are like children with their parents, deep down we want to come to them and share our trials & adversity, but we aren’t sure how they will respond and so we resist.
  2. Will God understand my adversity, I’m kind of embarrassed about it, will He laugh at me and tell me to just grow up, will He be harsh and really not understand?
  3. Psalm 31:7, 8 – “I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities; And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.”
  4. Did you hear that, God has already considered your trouble and “hast known” that phrase means intimately, like a husband & wife know each other.
  5. Jesus is with you in your adversity!

 

CLOSE

  1. Hebrews 4:15, 16 – “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are- yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
  2. I believe that many in here this morning need to instantly obey this Scripture from the Lord.
  3. So in order to help all of us, for the next few minutes this altar area is going to be our “Throne of Grace” that we are called to approach with confidence for the specific purpose of receiving mercy, finding grace to help, in our area of need!
  4. Team begins to play “Lord I Give You Me” I welcome you and invite you to obey the Word of the Lord and come to this Throne of Grace!

 

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PASTOR’S PARAGRAPH, 07-15-2007

July 15, 2007 by PastorMark.

I saw a bumper sticker that read, “I was dead once; I didn’t like it.” Most people alive right now don’t realize there is a life they are missing. The Bible says, “When you were dead in your sins…God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sin” (Colossians 2:13). To be dead spiritually is to be separated from God and His presence. By trusting in Jesus, we are miraculously “resurrected” inside and can enjoy life and fellowship with God. Life doesn’t begin at 40 or 50; life begins at salvation!

Pastor Mark Boucher

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We’ve Got Issues

July 8, 2007 by PastorMark.

Play now#282, We’ve Got Issues, Sunday, 07-08-2007

Text: Matthew 7:1-6
Theme: How can we help each other with our issues without judging?

 

Introduction:

  1. I was called to serve for jury duty for a trial.
    1. Before you are picked, you are asked questions.
    2. To see if you have pre-judged the case already.
    3. To see if you are related to the defendants, lawyers.
    4. My responsibility was to listen, learn and study the facts.
    5. After deliberation, we were to come to a decision.
    6. We were making a judgment without being judgmental.
  2. Jesus is very interested in our relationships with each other.
    1. He knows we all have faults, weakness, “issues”.
    2. He knows our tendency to fault-find and judge.
    3. He also knows we need each other to discover and overcome issues.

 

Question: “How can we help each other with our issues without judging?”

 

  1. *What does the Bible teach us about judging?
    1. Judge=Krino, “to distinguish, to decide.” Some places we are instructed to not judge, other times we are to judge.
    2. There is a wrong kind of judging.
    3. We can become critical, fault-finding, and we prejudge people.
    4. Example: There was a story in the “Daily Bread” about a minister who went on a cruise across the Atlantic Ocean. On the first day, he met his roommate. About a half hour later, he went to see the cruise director. He said, “Normally I don’t do this, but I was wondering if I could leave my gold watch in the ship’s safe. I met my roommate and judging from his appearance, he doesn’t seem like a trustworthy person. He looks like the kind of guy who would steal.”
    5. The cruise director said, “No problem. In fact, your roommate left his wallet with us about ten minutes ago for the same reason!”
    6. Those two guys were judging each other based on their outward appearances. They were jumping to conclusions before they knew all the facts! How many of you have ever done that? How many of you have ever jumped to conclusions before you knew “the rest of the story?”
    7. We can find pleasure in another’s fall.
    8. Ex. The woman caught in adultery (John Chapter 8 )
    9. This wrong kind of judging received strong warnings from Jesus:
    10. “You too will be judged” (v. 1).
    11. “In the same way you judge others, you will be judged” (v. 2).
    12. Note: Thank God Jesus didn’t judge us!
    13. There is a right kind of “judging” (discern, decide).
    14. We are to rightly judge doctrinal issues.
    15. Stand for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
    16. “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him.” (2 John 10).
    17. We are to judge sin in the church.
    18. “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?” (I Corinthians 5).
    19. We are to judge behavior not motives.
    20. Ex. What if a policeman pulled me over for speeding and I said, “But officer, you don’t understand what’s going on in my life right now…”
    21. Note: “The Bible says ‘don’t judge’’” becomes an excuse to do wrong and not be held accountable.
  2. How are we to help each other with issues?
    1. Don’t just look for people’s faults.
    2. Ex.: I heard a story about a five-year-old boy named Andrew. While visiting a neighbor with his parents, Andrew pulled out his kindergarten class picture and immediately began describing each classmate. “This is Robert: he hits everyone. This is Stephen; he never listens to the teacher. This is Mark; He chases us and is very noisy.” Pointing to his own picture, Andrew commented, “And this is me. I’m just sitting here minding my own business.”
    3. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye? (v. 3).
    4. 1 Corinthians 13:7 (Amplified)—“Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, it’s hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].”
    5. Don’t pre-judge people. (Prejudice)
    6. Deal with your own issues first.
    7. “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye” (v. 5).
    8. “Everybody wants to change the world; nobody wants to change himself.”
    9. It’s amazing how we condemn in others what we so easily excuse in ourselves. (Dirt always seems dirtier on you than on me.)

 

YOU VS. ME

You’re arrogant…I’m self-confident

You’re rude…I’m assertive

You’re obnoxious…I’m funny

You’re always late…I’m delayed

You’re lazy…I’m well-rested

You’re mean…I’m firm

You’re a procrastinator…I’m cautious

You’re a gossip…I’m a “sharer of concerns”

You’re immature…I’m young at heart

 

    1. Deal with others after your own eyes are clear (v. 5).
    2. Repentance produces sensitivity.
    3. Note: Deal with the issues of others as you would if you were working on their eye. Ex. To take something out of someone’s eye, you need their trust, and the right tools.
    4. Galatians 6:1—“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.”

 

Conclusion:

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12).

 

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PASTOR’S PARAGRAPH, 07-08-2007

July 8, 2007 by PastorMark.

When I was in high school, my dad owned his own painting business. In a typical summer, he employed ten to fifteen workers—including me. I saw many people come and go. The best workers combined two qualities: a good work ethic and a good attitude. As Christians, a big part of our testimony involves our work. The Word of God helps us by saying, “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does” (Ephesians 6:7-8). The Lord can help us by giving us a heart that seeks to please Him in all things. In truth, He is our real “Boss.” May we reveal Jesus by the quality of our work!

Pastor Mark Boucher

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YOUTH TO MINISTER IN ROMANIA

July 3, 2007 by admin.

Leominster Assembly of God’s YOUTH TO MINISTER IN ROMANIA
The following young people are preparing to travel to Romania in August with Pastor Jake Marshall to share the love of Jesus with the people there.

  • Kristi Applegarth
  • Steven Applegarth
  • Caitlin Babcock
  • Robert Babcock
  • Nikki Delaney
  • Adam Greska
  • CJ Kinsley
  • Jamie Lunsford
  • Kristi Mack
  • Tiffany McDonald
  • Paul Morris
  • Samantha McIntyre
  • Drance Rice
  • Gideon Toxla
  • Christine Salliby
  • Leah Thibodeau

Their itinerary includes distributing refugee packs, visiting orphanages and an AIDS home, helping the local church, and ministering to the poor and needy. Please support them in your prayers, and if you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the group it would be greatly appreciated. Each student is responsible for raising their own support. Thank you!

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XTREME LIFE VBS 2007

July 3, 2007 by admin.

“XTREME LIFE” VBS 2007

July 9-13 9:00AM - 12:00 noon
(Sign in at 8:45)

“Living the Life God Meant For You to Live” (John 10:10)

Each day your child will learn about a different extreme sport and the skills it takes to participate in that sport. We will compare those skills to one of the areas in our Christian life including obedience, servanthood, worship, endurance and devotion.

JOIN US FOR A FUN WEEK!

  • Awesome games
  • Cool crafts
  • Great music
  • Incredible lessons
  • Delicious snacks
  • And More

If you have completed kindergarten through 6th grade, be sure to register (978-534-1190) so you won’t miss all the excitement!

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