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REACHING THE WORLD FOR JESUS

May God bless the Pastors and Bible Teachers all over the world, we thank God that Sermons to the World is now reaching 156 countries and all 50 States and The District of Columbia in the U.S.

Reaching the unseen

Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Matt 28:19

MISSION

Mission: To be a resource to Pastors and Bible teachers in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ around the world. – Sermons to the World

VISION STATEMENT

Vision: To reach the world on the internet to fulfill the command of Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20 – “to go into all the world and teach all nations”.

Bible Verse

"Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household." Acts 16:31

Saturday, March 1, 2014

SOWING GOOD SEEDS IN GOOD GROUND


SOWING GOOD SEEDS IN GOOD GROUND
By Pastor Mark Taylor

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” (2 Corinthians 9:6).

What we do with our time, with ourselves, with our friends, and with our attitudes will determine what our future will be.  We will either improve, or we regress.  If we do not improve, we will go backwards.  What we do not use, we lose.  

In Matthew 13:3-9, Jesus compares our lives to farmers who plant seeds.  He spoke of the kinds of ground the seeds were planted in and the results that came from it.  The types of ground represent our hearts and how willing we are to receive the Word of God and apply it to our lives.  At the end of His parable he says this: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" (Matthew 13:9).  It is very important they we listen to what God has to say to us about living successful and happy lives.

Every day of our lives we are planting seeds that will bring forth a harvest at some point in our lives.  God has given us good seed to plant.  But many people choose to find and plant their own seeds.  A kernel of corn produces its own kind.  A seed of doubt, fear, or distrust planted in our minds will produce after its own kind.  A seed of unkindness, criticism, worry, or bitterness will produce fruit that will cause us disappointment and hurt.  For those who choose to plant these kinds of seeds, the Bible has some warnings.  “For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.” (Hosea 8:7).  “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7).  Planting seeds of faith, optimism, love, and kind deeds will produce after its own kind.  These seeds will produce what the Lord Jesus wants us to have and that is a joyful and purposeful life. “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10).

Remember the ground is important too.  When someone gets ready to plant a new crop it is important to remove the weeds and things from the past seasons.  To plant your new crop, start preparing your ground by asking the Lord Jesus to forgive you of the bad seeds that have been planted, and to prepare your heart for the new.  When the ground is ready, we can both receive good seed, and plant new seeds in other people’s lives as well.  "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26).  The good seeds will not grow if your heart is not right.  Make sure you have a real relationship with the Lord Jesus, and that you are not just playing church.  Ask the Lord to “give you a new heart”.

We all need to plant good seeds into good ground.  It does take faith to put the effort, time, and energy into planting these good seeds.  But faith will provide us with a great reward.  For each cup planted, a bushel is reaped.  For every good idea given to another, many shall be given to us in return.  For every act of kindness and love given, a life of love will be returned.  For each seed of encouragement given to another, encouragement will return.  “Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days.” (Ecclesiastes 11:1).  It is always a risk to plant, to give, to love, or to serve.  But the Lord Jesus said this as a promise to you:  "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." (Luke 6:38).

Do not let springtime pass while you sit idly contemplating the severity of the past winter of life.  Rise up from your comfortable chair and enter into the fields where people need to receive the good seeds you can plant.  Start planning for a good harvest in your life. It will be beneficial for you to read Christian books that will inspire you to live a better life and motivate you to follow our Lord’s teachings. Read the Bible daily.  Listen to uplifting Christian music and watch positive TV programs that will give you the desire to live a holy life.  Avoid venues that send out negative messages.

Each day is given to us a new season to plant good seeds into good ground.  The thoughts, deeds, dreams, and efforts of today will provide tomorrow’s harvest.  To neglect the opportunity given to us today, will delay our better harvest tomorrow.  There will be no better time to begin than at this current moment.

Do not get discouraged if you have not seen your harvest yet.  It is coming.  “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:9-10).  The Lord Jesus is going to reward you for all you do for Him and others in His name.  “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58).  We have both the promise of a good harvest in this life and in the one to come.  You cannot out give God, out love Him, or out serve Him.

Examine the gifts and talents the Lord has given you and use them to plant good seed.  Planting seeds should be the most natural thing you do.  It should be easy for you.  The Lord has given you the good seed to plant.  The Holy Spirit will give you the desire, the directions on where to plant, and the courage to live a life that will produce good seed. We are all going to experience a harvest. Some will continue to plant bad seeds while others will plant good seeds.  I hope you plant good seed and that you will plant a lot of it and experience a harvest of blessing and success.


Monday, February 24, 2014

TO THOSE WHO ARE WAITING ON THE LORD

by Pastor Mark Taylor

 “He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles,  They shall run and not be weary,  They shall walk and not faint. 
Isaiah 40: 29-31

Chapter 40 is the beginning of a new section in the book of Isaiah. It is the first chapter which looks beyond the captivity of Israel and on to the brightness of the future God has in store. 

There are always those times when it seems that Satan is getting the best of us. Sometimes it’s a little hard to maintain your faith and trust in God when everything is going against us and we are in the middle of one of the greatest battles of our life. It is in those times that we need the Lord more than ever. It is in those times that our faith and trust in God is really put to the test.

We must not forget that God has promised us that we would “never be tempted above what we are able to bear, but with every temptation, every trial, every test, every trouble, He will make a way for us to escape and win the victory.” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

God never promised that we wouldn’t have hard times. He never promised that we would sail through life without troubles. What He did promise is that He will never leave us nor forsake us. He promised that He would supply our every need. He promised in Psalms 55:22, "Cast your burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain you: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

There is no shortage of God’s power, might, and strength. Our way is not hidden from Him. He has not forgotten about you and I. He will make His strength available to us, if we but trust Him.

Faith says that everything will work out when it seems that everything is crumbling around me.  Faith says that my bills will be paid when I can’t see how they will in the natural sense. Faith says that God will take care of me and that I must force myself to stop being overly concerned with the future. Faith says that I know, that I know, that I know, that somehow, God will work it all out and that when He does, I will be so greatly blessed for having faced all that is happening right now.

Waiting upon the Lord requires true faith. Waiting upon the Lord requires going through the fire sometimes and still trusting God to bring us through.
Waiting upon the Lord requires that we believe in the impossible, look for the unseen answers, hope in the times of hopelessness and know, without knowing why or how, that God will take care of us. , "Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:” (Isaiah 59:1)

What does it mean to "wait"? The waiting spoken of here requires faith, trust, patience, hope.  The word “wait" in this instance has to do with faith, not service. It bears the concepts of trust, hope and longing. It is to wait with expectant hope.

What does it mean to "renew"? Don’t we put gas in our tanks only after we have used most of it?  That’s how it is with spiritual strength. Those who have exhausted their strength will have it renewed.  The Lord is not promising an extension of our own natural strength. This strength is supernaturally supplied.  Our batteries are recharged. Our tanks are refueled. Depleted energy is restored. Our power returns when we ask God to send His power.

What does it mean to "mount up”?  This is a simile. It is figurative language intended to paint a picture in our minds. More than our minds, it is designed to inspire our spirits. To soar on wings like eagles is to rise effortlessly.  Great lifting power causes the eagle to fly higher greater lift power in the updrafts of turbulent winds.

Where do we get strength to be patient and encourage?  The child of God gets strength from God’s Word, Prayer, and being around other children of God.  When you don’t feel like going to church is the very time you should go to God’s House to hear a message of hope from Him.

Again and again in the scriptures, God has recorded how He use the weak to become strong.  You have a shepherd boy named David going into battle against a hardened giant of a man with nothing more than a sling and a stone and he is victorious.  You have an inexperienced leader named Gideon facing off against thousands of ruthless warriors with an army of only 300 men and defeated them.

God views those who are waiting as objects of His special love and care and expects other Christians to extend love and concern towards them, as well.  God, Himself, is there to give strength to those who are waiting. God is there to strengthen those who are spiritually waiting on a blessing from Heaven. Be confident when going through a dry season. "God is going to supply all of your needs according to His Riches in Glory". 
(Philippians 4:19).


Today, I hope you will read  God’s Word and believe that He wants to be directly involved in your life today.  He has a plan for you that will take you through this life time of struggles into Heaven.  He will provide you with the strength to keep going if you will begin speaking to yourself words of faith such as “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.”  (Philippians 4:13)