Sermon Notes...

So I haven't written about the sermon lately...mostly because we haven't been to church. Since we have been back from vacation at Thanksgiving we have been to church, I think twice because of sickness and holiday celebrations. So this Sunday I was ready for a good sermon and I was not let down. The pastor spoke on making vows/resolutions and keeping them. He shared his vows for the new year...

1. Pay his Tithe
2. Go to Church
3. Be a holiness pastor
4. Keep all his committments
5. Stand "with" God

First he said we should all be tithing but he makes a vow to continue to tithe as he has for years. No surpise I am sure for all of you out there but he explains it better than anyone. It is not about giving what you have to the church but to God, who has given you so much.

Malachi 3:10
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

His second vow was to come to church no matter where he was at. Whether on vacation, whether it was really nice out and he could be golfing, whether he had the sniffles or was tired. He said that unless he was traveling on Sunday, he would be there and if he couldn't be there he would take time to worship that day. He encouraged all of us to be there no matter what so that we can let God know how much we love and respect him. This was one for me since I was tempted to skip because I was so tired. Glad I made myself go...

Psalm 95:1-7a

1 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.

3 For the LORD is the great God,
the great King above all gods.

4 In his hand are the depths of the earth,
and the mountain peaks belong to him.

5 The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.

6 Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;

7 for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.

The third vow...to preach holiness. Holiness because we are a holiness church. No apologizing for preaching what the bible clearly states us all to be...Holy. Living as if we are the body of Christ. Living on the edge of holiness is not going to get you there.

Leviticus 19:2

"Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.'

His fourth vow...to keep committments. He talked to anyone who has volunteered for things in the church such as becoming a member of the choir or helping with the children downstairs, if you say you will help then help. No backing out or not showing up...I will raise my hand to not fullfilling all of my committments, but I am right there with him on making sure I am following through.

His fifth vow and the one vow that he is the most passionate about is standing with God. He spoke of how this generation is not committed to their marriages. He also spoke about how the churches are not mourning over those divorces as they used to. He said that the vow before God is so sacred. And that he is going to stand by what God says about marriage...(this one is a bit longer).

1 Corinthians 7

Marriage

1Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry.^[a] 2But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. 3The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. 5Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. 8Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. 9But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. 10To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. 12To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? 17Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.

I know that was a bit long but it was so worth sharing. We all need to make new committments and vows to ourselves...
Here is some of mine for this year and years to come...

1. Spend more time laughing with the kids and less time yelling at them for "spilled milk"
2. Spend more time with my extended family...schedule game night (thanks Jones' for the idea)
3. Spend time appreciating the wonderful husband I have and less time worrying about what is not getting done.
4. Work on being patient (Please...I don't need any prayers on my behalf for this, if you know what I mean)
5. Most importantly...work on my relationship with God and scheduling time with him so I don't lose my way again.