* Choosing to Cheat - when you have to decide between two people, someone will feel cheated. * You choose who that will be, and then be ok with it. * Often times, in order to get the most out of our life we end up losing control of our lives! * We’ve all experienced this - we’re operating in our calling and then we get busy and distracted and the next thing you know we’re doing stuff that doesn’t line up with our calling. * We get distracted by what we “can” do rather than what we “should” do. * This happened in the early church - it started to grow big and fast. * Money was pouring in for donations, and it had to be managed. * All biz starts out as leadership, but evolves into management. * Leadership is big pic / Management is details. * The 12 disciples (Apostles) found themselves operating as managers. * And they were doing a terrible job! * If a bunch of customers complain about the service at a restaurant, what’s that say about the manager? * Vs 1 - the number of “disciples” was increasing (make disciples, not converts). * The first issue in the newly formed church - comparison. * The 12 were terrible managers - they missed a whole group of widows! * Vs 2 - it wouldn’t be “right” to do one thing over another. * Compare tasks, don’t compare people. * They looked at two tasks - distributing food or preaching the gospel. * They looked at their calling, talents, skills and made a decision. * AUTHORIZED WORK - it’s all based on how you use your TIME! * The question isn’t “What CAN I do with my time.” The question is “What am I AUTHORIZED to do with my time?” * Your time was purchased by Christ - He is the one who tells you what to do with it. * Just like you owe your boss 40 hours - he tells you what you’ll do. * Vs 3 - they looked for the Spirit in someone, not their experience in waiting tables. * To handle money, you need the Spirit! * You can be Spirit-filled and do menial tasks. * Vs 4 - they will “give their attention” to one thing over the other. * What do you give your attention to? * The devil’s first line of attack is to distract. * Ministry OF the word (the others had the ministry OF serving tables). * Vs 5-6 - seven “ministers.” * Vs 7 - because they chose to do what they “should” do rather than what they “could” do, the gospel spread. * So when you're in a situation that involves your time where you have to choose between two things, both of which are good, how can you know which to choose? * 1) What can you and ONLY you do? * 2) What does your heart tell you? (God plants desire inside us) * 3) What gives you energy?
Acts 6:1-7 (7/6/22)
Choosing to Cheat
July 6, 2022
Jeremiah 36:7 (4/24/24)
April 24, 2024 • Benham Brothers • Jeremiah 36:7
* A merciful mindset positions us for favor with God. * If one of my kids shows mercy to their brother or sister, it makes me want to reward them! * God feels the same toward us. * James 2:13 - “For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who is not merciful…” * Jesus shows us this with the woman caught in adultery. * They wanted judgment, but Jesus taught mercy. * But He didn’t lower the standard to show it - “Go and sin no more.” * Two OT prophets - Jonah and Jeremiah. * Jonah - got mad at God when He showed mercy to Ninevah. * He wanted justice for the people, not mercy. * God did not like that. * Jeremiah - he had to deliver a harsh message to the king who had imprisoned him. * Look how he responds as he asked his assistant Baruch to carry a message to the king: * vs 5-7 - ““I am restricted; I am not allowed to go to the Lord’s temple. 6 So you go to the house of the Lord on a day of fasting and read to the people from the scroll the words of the Lord that you wrote as I dictated. Read them to all the people of Judah who come in from their towns. 7 Perhaps they will bring their petition before the Lord and will each turn from their wicked ways, for the anger and wrath pronounced against this people by the Lord are great.” * Jeremiah shows us the power of a merciful disposition. * Jeremiah 51:8 - “Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; wail for her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed.” * We should want our enemies to experience the mercy of God. * Not because they deserve it, but because God showed us mercy when we didn’t deserve it. * This disposition will keep us from getting bitter an angry toward others. * And it will keep us from falling prey to James 2:13!!!!
1 Corinthians 4:15 (4/24/24)
April 24, 2024 • Benham Brothers • 1 Corinthians 4:15
* We are “watchmen” not “watchdogs.” * We don’t do the “latest news.” * Our mandate from God is to expose evil and help you stand strong. * We do that by helping you think through stuff. * Five observations from the Mark Driscoll saga. * 1) The Jezebel spirit is real - it thrives on three things: * Sexual Anarchy (LGBTQ+) * Child Sacrifice (Abortion) * Murderous Spirit (Cancel Culture) * 2) A fatherly mindset is the only way to deal with Jezebel. * 1 Cor 4:15 - “For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” * A pastor is a “father” - a dad doesn’t let the kids lead the home. * Pastors today are allowing creatives to take the lead. * Jehu was the one who was tasked to take out Jezebel - he was a “bad” dude. * 3) Etiquette should not be valued over purity. * Pastor Lindell should’ve addressed both issues. * 4) The consequences of private sin will affect you down the road, even after you’ve repented. * Mark’s personal sin caused him to shrink back. * 5) We have to “let the prophets speak” - because their words are hard. * Most prophets travel alone - often because they have “issues.”
Acts 13:49-50 (4/17/24)
April 17, 2024 • Benham Brothers • Acts 13:49–50
* God uses people to accomplish His will on the earth. * He uses both good and bad people. * Satan uses people to accomplish his will on the earth. * He uses both good and bad people. * Backstory - Jesus was off the scenes and now the growth of the church was the responsibility of the apostles. * Paul and Barnabas were preaching like crazy! * Jews and Gentiles were getting saved by the droves. * vs 49 - “The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.” * Through their witness the kingdom of heaven was advancing forcefully against the kingdom of hell. * Then something happened: * vs 50 - “But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.” * A “God-fearing” person who’s a “leader” is a Christian Influencer! * The Christian Influencers of the day were now on the wrong side of God’s Kingdom expansion! * We need to always remember the four spiritual players at work here. * Revelation 17 shows us: * Dragon - Satan himself. * Beast - Antichrist spirit (any idea that stands against God). * Babylon - (PEC) Political, Economic, Cultural system of the Beast. * The goal of Babylon is to turn people away from God. * Harlot - Religious system of Babylon that gives credence to the Beast. * The only way people will desire Satan’s way more than God’s way is if there is a religious system that legitimizes it. * That’s what happened here in Acts 13. * Satan needed good-hearted Godly people to buy into his lies and hinder God’s work. * Note - These influencers were first convinced by the “religious” leaders. * “…the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women…” * What are our pastors teaching us today? * How do we make sure we don’t get used by Satan? * 1) Wrap knowledge around our zeal. * These influencers certainly had a zeal for the Lord, but they didn’t have knowledge. * They needed a Biblical worldview to filter the lies being spoken into their ears. * We need to “study” Scripture to be intimately familiar with the truth. * We need to study it through the lense of a battle. * 2) Look and listen for the spirit behind what’s being said or done. * EX: Jesus with Peter. * EX: Stanley - teaching Christians to stay out of the “hot topic” issues. * “If you need an enemy to prop up your leadership, you’re not leading.” * People clapped - but the Bible is a book about God’s enemy. * 3) Ask God what He thinks. * Then pause and listen. * 4) Sit under leaders with a “Fatherly” spirit (and Motherly). * They’re willing to talk about all things. * They teach about boundaries.