Michael Duncan's Blog, page 4

What Now Shall We Do?

In the wake of the election, many have expressed grief and anguish at the direction of our Nation. I, also, felt a great sense of distress as I watched the votes being counted and the results of the presidential election becoming final.  Even in my own state, the rise of immoral laws and the acceptance of unbiblical virtues have left my heart despondent.

So, then, what shall we do?  Do we go into hiding?  Do we finally give up the thread of hope that our Country can find its way back to the foundation that made us great? Are we so overwrought with doubts and fears that we are paralyzed from action?

Or, do we rise up against the trends and plant our flag--saying: "This far and no farther!"?  Do we head to the streets like hate-filled anarchists and create havoc, and so become the very thing we oppose? Do we take to the streets, marching in protest?

Is there another solution?  Yes!  If you are a Christian, you are called to action--not an act of rebellion or an acquiescence of cowardice.  Your action, and mine, is to stand up and with clear and steady courage, proclaim the truth of Christ.  For some, this might just be the hardest thing they've ever done.

I Love You...?

You've said it... so have I.  All of us have probably offered to another the simple, expressive statement: "I love you."

But, what is love? How can we know? This statement is bandied about by such a large majority of humanity that it has become nearly emptied from overuse.  So, the question, then, is: "What is love?"

For some, love is an expression of emotion that grips the heart and fills the senses with all manner of stimuli.  For others, love is that deep, self-satisfaction that comes from associating with another.  But is that love?

God's word says: "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth" (1 John 3:18).  So, love must be more than "lip service" and emotional attraction.  In fact, there is nowhere in the Scriptures where love is an emotional attraction.  So the question is: what do you mean when you say "I love you?"

In asking this question, let's measure it against the quality of love that the Word of God expresses: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails."

When saying "I love you" is this what you mean? Perhaps a better question is: when saying "I love you" is this what others experience? Do they experience patience and kindness and forgiveness and truth and hope? 

We have the command to love in truth--and the only means of knowing that we do love in truth is to measure our love against the truth.  As believers in Christ, there is no other comparison available. Let me challenge you: learn to love in a manner that expresses the qualities that are listed above.  In so doing, you will fulfill the command to love "with actions and in truth."

Can you remember a time when YOU were loved with the qualities listed in 1 Corinthians 13?  Is there someone in your life that needs you to express this quality of love?

The Most Encouraging Scripture - Ever!

One of the most encouraging Scriptures, though it may seem a simple ordinary statement, is Judges 16:22, "But the hair on his head began to grow again..." 

Enjoy the video. 

What is a Scripture that encouraged you? 

Rediscovering The Mission - Matthew 28:18-20

As I prepared for the business meeting at church last Sunday, I began to think of the actual “business” of the church.  What is it?  And, are we accomplishing it?  What we do as a body of believers is more important than we might possibly realize.  Eternity hangs in the balance for many whom we know, and the strength and deliverance from sin that Christians need waits upon the church to rise up and reach out.  So, as I studied the “business” of the church I rediscovered three things – and these things will be shared in the next coming weeks.

What is the mission of the church – and what is your mission in life?  Are they the same?  If you are a born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ then you must understand that there is only one mission from God and it rests square upon your shoulders and mine. 

With all that transpires in our world, with the political, societal and spiritual upheavals that rattle our sense of stability, there is a real need to rediscover the mission of the church. And that mission is: DISCIPLESHIP.

Are you up to it?  Will you take God at His word and believe that you have a purpose far more profound than any worldly endeavor?  There are four qualities that you must see and experience to accomplish the mission of God.

The Mission has Divine Power

We fail when we strive in our own power and strength to accomplish the mission of God.  No matter how great our desire, we have no authority to do anything on our own. We must go in the name of Jesus – living out God’s mission in His power.

The Mission has Highest Priority

What gets in the way? We go though life with our eyes fixed upon those things that are priorities. But, do you view all things in life as a means to accomplish the mission of God? It is “as you go” make disciples. This mission must be accomplished along the ways of life.

The Mission has a Real Purpose

Every mission has a purpose. Often the sense of restlessness in the lives of God’s people is due to the absence of the sense of a real purpose in what they do. Simply navigating through life in aimless disarray is tantamount to abandoning the mission.

The Mission has the Divine Presence

We’ve come full circle.  Where the mission cannot be accomplished without the power of God, the mission will be accompanied by the presence of God.  Do you experience the Divine presence? If not, perhaps you’re not on mission.  God will not follow you – He calls you to follow Him.

As we read in Scripture - "As the FAther sent me, I am sending you" (John 20:21).  Never forget - you are on mission for God.

Fix Your Eyes on Jesus - Hebrews 12:2

Sorry for the Delay

Dear friends and followers of my blog:

I just wanted to appologize for the lack of postings that I have made.  I am ramping up a very large project with an international radio and discipleship ministry and have been swamped with work. I am also finishing the final chapter of my latest novel.  I want you to know that I haven't forgotten you and will be posting again this week.

I have updated my sermons on the "sermons" page so that they are now current. 

I will keep you informed as to what is going on with these new ministry outlets.  I encourage you, if you haven't already begun to listen, to go to www.aliveinchristradio.com on Tuesday nights from 8pm to 10pm Pacific time and listen to "Alive in Christ Live!" Host Tony Marino, along with Lynn Kennedy, Brian Whiteside and myself would love to have you tune in. Feel free to join in the chat room (available at the website) and offer your input.

Be blessed!

Pastor Michael

Rediscovering The Mission - Matthew 28:18-20

As I prepared for the business meeting at church last Sunday, I began to think of the actual "business" of the church.  What is it?  And, are we accomplishing it?  What we do as a body of believers is more important than we might possibly realize.  Eternity hangs in the balance for many whom we know, and the strength and deliverance from sin that Christians need waits upon the church to rise up and reach out.  So, as I studied the "business" of the church I rediscovered three things – and these things will be shared in the next coming weeks.

What is the mission of the church – and what is your mission in life?  Are they the same?  If you are a born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ then you must understand that there is only one mission from God and it rests square upon your shoulders and mine. 

With all that transpires in our world, with the political, societal and spiritual upheavals that rattle our sense of stability, there is a real need to rediscover the mission of the church. And that mission is: DISCIPLESHIP.
 

Are you up to it?  Will you take God at His word and believe that you have a purpose far more profound than any worldly endeavor?  There are four qualities that you must see and experience to accomplish the mission of God.

The Mission has Divine Power

We fail when we strive in our own power and strength to accomplish the mission of God.  No matter how great our desire, we have no authority to do anything on our own. We must go in the name of Jesus – living out God's mission in His power.

The Mission has Highest Priority

What gets in the way? We go though life with our eyes fixed upon those things that are priorities. But, do you view all things in life as a means to accomplish the mission of God? It is "as you go" make disciples. This mission must be accomplished along the ways of life.

The Mission has a Real Purpose

Every mission has a purpose. Often the sense of restlessness in the lives of God's people is due to the absence of the sense of a real purpose in what they do. Simply navigating through life in aimless disarray is tantamount to abandoning the mission.

The Mission has the Divine Presence

We've come full circle.  Where the mission cannot be accomplished without the power of God, the mission will be accompanied by the presence of God.  Do you experience the Divine presence? If not, perhaps you're not on mission.  God will not follow you – He calls you to follow Him.

As we read in Scripture - "As the FAther sent me, I am sending you" (John 20:21).  Never forget - you are on mission for God.

The Effective Christian Life - 2 Peter 1:8

What are you willing to do to become an effective, productive Christian?  Will you go to school?  Will you take training classes on how to serve the Lord?  Will you, as some have done, spend hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars on a spiritual "coach" who will help you see the mistakes you make and corrections to take?  School is good, training is important, and having someone to "coach" you has some value.  But, did you know that God has already given you what you need to become an effective Christian?  God wants you to be effective and productive – but remember that His view of effectiveness is not from a worldly, pragmatic understanding.  God's view of effectiveness is built on one thing – your knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Today, we're going to take a look at four important dynamics for an effective Christian life.  Let me encourage you to read 2 Peter, chapter one.

First - Character Counts
At a conference in Spokane, WA--several years ago--Pastor and author, Henry Blackaby, said this: "You can have a Ph.D. in skills, but your character will ruin you."  Ultimately it will be the quality of your character that will open the doors of effective Christian living.   Like the punctuation of your life, your character will either leave an exclamation point or a question mark on your faith.

Second - Growth is Imperative
If you're not growing... your dead.  Truly, the Christian faith is not a static experience that has a limit to growth.  Psalm 84 says that the faithful will go from "strength to strength."  But for how long?  "Until each appear before God in Zion."  That is - you are meant to be in a growth mode until the day you stand on the streets of Heaven itself.  Remember - it is the stagnant pool that becomes septic and unfit for use.

Third - Results Matter
 This may surprise some people, but God wants His church to be productive.  However, God does not measure results by worldly standards.  God does not have a quota as if He is some supreme foreman demanding that the production line get into gear!  God's sights are set on your faithfulness - that is what He is after.  And, if you add the qualities of character to your faith, then you will become productive.

Fourth - Have the Right Information
Your effectiveness hinges on your knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Like having a road map of Berlin won't help you navigate the highways of Los Angeles, so having the wrong knowledge of Jesus Christ will devastate your effectiveness.

When your life takes on the quality of Christ, you will discover that you are becoming effective in your faith.  Jesus called us to follow Him - and in so doing, He promised to transform us to become fishers of men - that is, effective and productive.

Be blessed!

Empowered by Grace - 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Are you feeling run down?  Is it hard to get up?  Then try Pastor Michael's miracle cure!  It's all the power you need in one handy capsule.  And after just one dose you'll feel brand new!

Okay… that's not actually true.  There is no "miracle cure" that will enliven and uplift your life.  In fact, just the opposite is too often true.  Men and women searching for that rush of euphoria end up becoming slaves to whatever it is that has captivated them.  The cravings for drugs, alcohol, sex, money, power, etc. have a downward spiral that leads to destruction and leaves a crater where once a life used to be.

How do we do it then?  How do we find that power to live when life falls apart and our world is failing?  You're not alone in the search.  The Apostle Paul had the same struggle.  Do you know what God told him?  It's the same thing He will tell us – you need to be empowered by grace. Read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 and then follow along these next few moments as we explore this text.

First - you must see your present affliction.   How is a person afflicted? Often through trials and temptations, with the constant reminder of the failings of the past, will come the enemy of our souls.  There are some who think that Paul's "thorn" was his bad eyesight.  However, that doesn't agree with the reality that his "thorn" was a messenger of Satan.  What does Satan come to do?  He is the accuser of the brothers, the tempter, the one who comes to "steal, kill and destroy."  This "thorn," by my speculation, was the constant reminder of Paul's failings - his sins.  All are afflicted in a similar way and in the midst of it must be empowered by grace.

Second - there is always a plea for deliverance.  The afflictions in our lives cause us to cry out – to seek God's rescue from pain.  Jesus did in the garden, Paul does here, and we all want to find deliverance.  God's answer, however, may not be deliverance from affliction, but deliverance through affliction.  And, ultimately, our cry must be "not my will, but Yours be done."

Third - you come in contact with the power of grace.  When you truly know the Grace of Christ and have received it in its abundance, the thorns inflicted upon you will become the points where God's strength dominates.  Instead of finding destruction and despair you will see how much God has done for you, even as the enemy himself stands to accuse you.  His accusations will fail because the true Judge has already issued you a pardon through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

Fourth - this leads to the promotion of humility.  In what do you boast? In this world people often boast over the arrogant successes of men.  But God has a higher place for us – and that is the place of humility.  When you are empowered by the grace of God you will have no room to boast except in the Lord Jesus Christ.  His ways become yours, His life is yours, and His power is your source for all that you are.  There is no room for self-boasting in a heart empowered by grace.

Fifth - this brings your pronouncement of faith.  It is a declaration of faith to say that you can delight in the sufferings that come as you walk with Christ Jesus.  From the inward turmoil to the outward attacks, all things must be seen through the eyes of faith.  You will take every experience and tie it together with your relationship to Christ, declaring with certainty that even your afflictions have been God's tools to shape you, until Christ's power, and His power alone, rests on you.

Finding Contentment - Philippians 4:11-13

"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them."  This quote from Henry David Thoreau still seems to resonate within the hearts of people today.  Yet God has promised a life of contentment for those who have faith in Christ.

Do you experience contentment?  Do you believe that God wants you to experience it?  The Scripture says, "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6).  Listen to the message "Finding Contentment."  First, read the Scripture - Philippians 4:11-13.  Below are some notes for the message.

First, God has a Grand Strategy.  His strategy is this: He wants you to be a learner - a disciple of Jesus Christ.  The world is God school and His word is the lesson plan.  He has called you to become a faithful follower of Jesus Christ who will, by HIs Holy Spirit, instruct you and bring you into a life of contentment in Him.

Second, God has a Great Secret.  Well, okay, it's not much of a secret.  Paul said he "learned the secret" of contentment.  This secret is actually no secret at all.  God's method of instruction is experiential.  God will initiate you into the issues of contentment through the experiences of your life.  Your circumstances are the tools of instruction to bring you into a life of contentment in Christ.

Third, you will find God's Strength.  The product of finding true contentment – that is, contentment in Christ Jesus – is to find God's strength working in and through you to overcome all circumstances and do all things that He has given to you.

Know that God wants you to find contentment.  It will only be found when you find it in Jesus.

All for His Glory!

Michael