Congregational Christian Church of Darlington Home Page

Archive for Pastor’s Corner

A Body Strong!

Posted by Seth Stultz on Thursday, November 10th, 2011 in Pastor's Corner

So often Christians forget that being a part of the Church is more about “doing for the Church” than it is about “the Church doing for you!”  Of course there are some wonderful benefits to belonging to the household of God (Eph. 1:3-14)  but with those benefits comes responsibilities as well and it’s up to the body (Rom. 12:4-8) to make sure that the work of the Church is accomplished as set forth by God’s commands.  The Apostle Paul said in Colossians 1:16 “all things were created by Him and for Him.” which says to me that we were created to glorify God first and foremost!  Well then the question arises, “How do we glorify God?”  Great question!

One of the ways we glorify God is by being totally faithful and committed to doing the work that Jesus Christ commissioned us to do.  The Church is God’s primary instrument here on earth for reconciling a lost world back to Himself through Jesus Christ.  The thing about instruments is they are totally stunning to look at, their craftsmanship and design but they weren’t created to be just looked at.  They were created to play music and the Church was created to do the work that Christ set before us!  When we don’t do what we were created for, we become just instruments on a stage.

In Hebrews 10:19-25, the author shares some  ways that I believe we can use to “play our song” and glorify our Father in heaven.

1.  Let us draw near to God!  (10:22)  Christians should always seek out God’s presence and power.  We need it to live and operate in this world.  Seeking out God constantly shows our devotion, adoration and commitment to Him! 

2.  Let us hold to our profession! (10:23)   Christians are to stay true to their testimony, their belief in God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and His Word given to us.  It is the foundation that we stand on and no matter what we face, we are to stand strong!

3. Let us encourage each other in their work! (10:24)   Christians all have gifts that God has given to them and He expects us to use them.  Not everyone has the same gifts which is ok because God knows exactly who He’ll use to accomplish any given task.  We are to cheer on each other in whatever work God has given one another so as to glorify God!

4.  Let us be faithful in our fellowship with one another!  (10:25)  A family sticks beside one another and spends time with each other.  A family provides and protects one another at all times and we as the family of God even more so should stand alongside one another as we live out our lives with one another.  Time spent together in worship, prayer, study and fellowship is strengthening to the Body of Christ and should be seen to at all times.

The truth is if the Church doesn’t accomplish what God desires, who will.  Always hoping that somebody will do it, while nobody does is a recipe for failure in the church.  As a Christian and member of God’s household, the work of the Church is not an option but a command set down by God Himself.  It’s time for the Church to step us and the Church is Jesus Christ, me and you! <><

Be a blessing, be blessed!

Pastor Seth <><

Listen for the entire sermon, “A Body Strong” coming soon to our LISTEN TO A SUNDAY MESSAGE section.

 

LIve Free! (Pastor’s Remix)

Posted by Seth Stultz on Friday, October 28th, 2011 in Pastor's Corner

Our world is full of condemnation, some of it good such as the condemnation of terrorism.  Some of the condemnation found in our world doesn’t have a positive effect such as condemnation of certain ethnic groups within our world.  In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul speaks also of condemnation as it pertains to Christians.  Paul says in Rom. 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…”

Just what does he mean in this passage?  We all are very aware that Christians aren’t perfect and often continue to sin.  The sad truth is that sin exists in every single human being but for the Christian, sin is not to conquer us for when Jesus died on the cross, he conquered sin once and for all! (1 Cor. 15:54-57). It’s because of His sacrifice the we will not be condemned.  Our sin will be condemned (Rom. 8:3,4) but the sinner is justified by what only Christ could do. (Rom. 3:24).

How often we as Christians make the mistake of continuing to condemn one another as well as condemn ourselves for sins that Jesus Christ died once and for all for.  God alone judges sins and sinners and sent Jesus to not condemn the world but save the world through repentance and relationship with Him. (John 3:17)  We are called to forgive as He did, and show the grace that was shown to us while lovingly restoring one another to the Lord.

We are not called to merely sin in a mindset that “I can do anything because I’m a Christian” but live in a way that reflects the change of heart we encountered upon accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior. 

If you’re living under condemnation, either from someone or even yourself, come out from under it and place it under the cross where it belongs.

Be a blessing, be blessed!

Pastor Seth <><

 

Listen for the sermon “Live Free” coming to our LISTEN TO A SUNDAY MESSAGE section.

The Way back to God (Pastor’s Remix)

Posted by Seth Stultz on Tuesday, October 18th, 2011 in Pastor's Corner

No one likes to be lost!  But when it comes to loosing God, well the consequences are just downright eternal!

How can we lose God, you ask?  Well we often lose God when we ignore our Bible study times, our prayer times and our calling to fellowship with Him and other believers.  We can lose God when we choose to ignore His commands and do our own thing!  In a very short time we can turn around and find ourselves standing alone in the world.  God didn’t leave us, we left Him and some go through life not even knowing it.

“No one is so empty as the man who’s stopped walking with God and doesn’t even know it.” Author unknown

The people of Israel had lost God because they made the choice to follow after other gods and other people and as a result they were living a lost life.  The prophet Hosea was called to challenge the people to find their way back to God.  Like Hosea’s wife, Gomer who led a very adulterous lifestyle, straying from her marriage vows, Israel also chased after other loves while ignoring the covenant they had made with God.  The outcome was the same, separation and pain. 

But in Hosea 3, God commands Hosea to go after Gomer and “buy” her back and to love her again and God did the exact same thing when He sent His only Son to “pay” the price for our sins.  Even in our unfaithfulness, God is always still faithful to us. (Heb. 13:5)

Hosea instructs us to “return to the Lord” with attitudes of repentance and confession. (Hosea 14:2)  The way back to God always involves humility and recognition of our total need of God in our lives.  Returning to the Lord paves the way for us to be graciously received by Him and freely loved as well. When God receives us He begins the work of restoration (v4-8) that is needed to bring us back into that right relationship with Him.

Truth is, everyone loses their way every once in awhile but as Hosea 14:9 cries out to us, “The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.”

Be a blessing, be blessed!

Pastor Seth <><

 

Watch for the sermon “The Way back to God” coming soon to our LISTEN TO A SUNDAY MESSAGE section.

Called to Follow (Pastor’s Remix)

Posted by Seth Stultz on Tuesday, October 4th, 2011 in Pastor's Corner

In one way or another, at sometime or another, we’ll all be called to follow.  What makes all the difference is WHO we’ll follow and WHY. 

The Apostle Paul writng to the Corinthian church was addressing some pressing issues that were affecting it’s ministry there in Corinth.  The Church had made the mistake of letting the outside sins creep into its midst and as a result the church was living as a defiled church.  We as members of God’s church are called to holiness (1 Cor.1:2) meaning we are to be separated from the sinful lifestyles that we were enslaved to prior to accepting Christ.  Holiness is the result of a relationship with Jesus and should be an every day goal for those who follow Him!

The Corinthian church was also a divided church that struggled with following many men and their ideas while loosing focus on Jesus Christ who’s to be our sole focal point.  Because so many within the church choose to follow others, their differences began to separate them from each other keeping them from the call to fellowship that Paul would remind them of. (1 Cor. 1:9)  The body of believers are to be united in service to God and to one another and division within the church is not be tolerated (Romans 16:17-19).

The overall effect these problems had on the Corinthian church was that it had became a disgraced church in the eyes of the surrounding community and most importantly God.  We mustn’t forget that the church is on the earth to glorify God and accomplish the work that He’s ordained for us to do but to do that we must hold to His commands as He’s set them down for us in His Word.  We must remember that we chose to “pick up our crosses and follow Jesus” (Matt. 16:24) not men or their ideas and  not the world and its ways!

Be blessed

Pastor Seth <><

Watch for the entire sermon, “Called to Follow” coming soon to our LISTEN TO A SUNDAY MESSAGE

Outline taken from the Wiersbe Bible Commentary

Wrestling with Change (Pastor’s Remix)

Posted by Seth Stultz on Thursday, September 22nd, 2011 in Pastor's Corner

One thing is for certain, CHANGE HAPPENS!  We are surrounded by change whether it be our environment, our workplace and even in our church.  But why do we wrestle with change so much?  What about change scares us to the  point of denying change, even in ourselves?

Jacob found himself wrestling with change in Gen. 32:22-30.  In essence Jacob found himself wrestling with God as God attempted to get Jacob to see the changes that needed to take place in his life if he was to go on to become the man and leader that God would have him to be.  God wasn’t wrestling with Jacob to hurt him, as God doesn’t want to hurt us either.  When God struggles with us it’s because He’s trying to help us, grow us, and yes, often change us.  When we submit to God He does 2 things.

1.  God changes our Walk (Gen. 32:31) 

2.  God changes our Name (Gen. 32:28)

God changes the way we walk with Him, helping us to walk more obediently, more faithfully, more upright.  God also gives us a new name or identity (2 Cor. 5:17) doing away with old us and bringing to the forefront the new us that He has shaped for His glory!

Many of us do all we can to stay clear of wrestling with God for fear of being hurt or disciplined but God always has good intentions for His children and we need not fear Him! 

One thing is for certain, theres no better place than in God’s loving embrace!

Be blessed,

Pastor Seth <><

Watch for the entire sermon, “Wrestling with Change” coming to our LISTEN TO A SUNDAY MESSAGE section.

Committed to the Cause (Pastor’s Remix)

Posted by Seth Stultz on Tuesday, September 20th, 2011 in Pastor's Corner

It’s easy to be excited about something when it’s new and fresh!  But we all know as time goes on, we as humans become a little less excited and unfortunately a little less committed.  This is especially true often in our christian lives.  So many of us can recall the day we invited Jesus into our hearts and lives.  We can remember feeling as if we were on fire and could take on anything and anyone as long as the Lord was with us.  There wasn’t anything we wouldn’t do!

What happened then?  Where did the fire go?  The Lord certainly didn’t go anywhere!  He didn’t leave or become less in love with us.  As committed as He was when He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins, He is as committed to us today!  Think about the blessings and gifts He’s poured out on you and those around you.  This is what King Solomon did in 1 Kings 8:56.  Solomon rejoiced at what God had done for His people and prayed that God would continue to be with them but mostly that the people would continue to be with God!

The truth is when God called you, He wasn’t looking for part-time disciples!  That’s rough, I know, but true!  God wants those whose “hearts are fully committed to the Lord” (1 Kings 8:61). He wants those who have made Him #1 above all else.  Another truth is this though; You’ll never be committed to the Lord until you first submit to the Lord!  His eyes are searching (2 Chronicles 16:9) for those fully committed to Him.  Question is, how does He see you?

Be blessed <><

p seth

Watch for the entire message “Committed to the Cause” coming soon to our LISTEN TO A SUNDAY MESSAGE section.

Only If? (Pastor’s Remix)

Posted by Seth Stultz on Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 in Pastor's Corner

We as humans have many God given gifts as do many other of the creatures that God has created.  However God did not create us to see in the dark.  I’m talking “utter darkness” a place totally void of any light!  God did not create us to walk in darkness either!  I’m not talking of the physical walk but our spiritual walk! ” But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

As walking around in the physical darkness brings with it many dangers so does walking around spiritually  in the dark! In 1 John 1:5-10, the Apostle John addresses this problem by encouraging his audience to “walk in the light, as he (God/Christ) is in the light” (1 John 1:7) so that we might have perfect fellowship with him and with each other!

John says “claiming” has to be backed up by “doing”.  In all three verses (1 John 1:6,8,10) John says that claiming without doing makes us hypocrites!  We are to practice what we preach and as that is a daily struggle, so we must continue to walk with him so that we might be purifed (1 John 1:7,9)or in another word, cleansed.

John found the issue of sin of great importance and even more, so does God.  John says, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5) and we should strive for the same.  God says we are to walk in righteousness and avoid walking in sin!  God is adamantly against sin!  Question is are we?  Concerning sin in your life, are you tolerating it or are you adamently fighting to rid yourself of it?

Confess your sins to God today (1 John 1:9) and allow him to cleanse you and restore you!  Allow God to shine His light on your life!

Be blessed

Pastor Seth<><

Watch for the sermon “Only If” coming soon to our LISTEN TO A SUNDAY MESSAGE section.

In God We Trust?? (Pastor’s Remix)

Posted by Seth Stultz on Wednesday, August 31st, 2011 in Pastor's Corner

At some point, to some extent we all will have to place our trust somewhere!  Trust is an important issue to us all and making sure we place our trust in the right places can make all the difference!

Jeremiah knew this, but the people in which he spoke to didn’t seem to grasp the truth that “Cursed is the one trusts in man” and “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord..” Jer. 17:5,7

Where do you place your trust?  Is it in our many leaders?  Is it our economy, your place of employment, your money?  Do you trust in worldly wisdom or common sense?  Do you rely on yourself? Jeremiah warned against such misplaced trust and encouraged the people to place their trust the Lord, the only one who is fully trustworthy!

 

Watch for the sermon “In God We Trust??” coming soon to our Listen To A Sunday Message section.

Roadblocks to Revival, Pt 6 (Pastor’s Remix)

Posted by Seth Stultz on Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011 in Pastor's Corner

Why is Satan so adamant that revival not come? Simply this: REVIVAL WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING!!

Revival will turn you, your family, your church, your community and this world upside down!  The enemy knows this and will stop at nothing to keep revival from coming which is why we face roadblocks to revival.  Satan knows that mankind by nature is sinful and one of our greatest struggles is our struggle with “self”.  From deep within us, the sin of pride causes us to shut God out of our lives, live our own way, focus on our own needs and desires.  If revival brings us closer to God , then pride no doubt casts us away!

God commanded King Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that we also were to pray!  Simple, to the point right?  Then why such a problem?  We are busy people and for most even finding a couple of minutes to sit and talk to God seems virtually impossible seeing all that we have to do.  In this lies also one our greatest problems.  Prayer is about dependence upon God, for everything! Prayer is time that we have to talk to and listen to the Creator of the Universe, the One who knows us better than we know ourselves! Prayer, heartfelt prayer can be found in every great revival movement that has ever taken place, and if a great revival movement is to once again take place, prayer will be an essential part again!

God also told King Solomon that the people were to “seek His face” (2 Chr. 7:14).  Seeking God’s face is about drawing closer to Him.  It’s about being intimate with God. God, since the beginning of time has always sought to have this type of relationship with His people, unfortunately His people often haven’t.  Since the beginning, man has sought to live their lives separate from God instead of under His loving care, protection and promises.  We mustn’t treat God as some far away being that we wish only to exist from a distance in our lives.  God must always be given place, first place in our lives so that we might live the lives He’s always desired for us to live.

Moses was a friend of God! (Ex. 33:11)  One can see the correct place Moses gave God in his life and as a result God found favor upon Moses as he led the people out of  Egypt.  Moses wasn’t content with a far off relationship with God but always sought God out in an intimate way, the same way we are to today!

How far is God today from you?  Truth is, the question is how far are you from God?  Are you close to Him?  Have you sought Him today in prayer, in study in intimate fellowship?  Take time today, like Moses did for some one on one time with your God!  I promise He’s right there waiting for you!  Be blessed <><

Watch for the sermon “Roadblocks to Revival, Pt 6″ coming soon to our “LISTEN TO A SUNDAY MESSAGE” section.

Roadblocks to Revival, Pt 5 (Pastor’s Remix)

Posted by Seth Stultz on Friday, July 29th, 2011 in Pastor's Corner

The truth is this!  It would be silly to expect for revival to come to you, your family, your church or your community and not be praying for it!  In all great revivals past, prayer is an all so common ingredient in seeing the power and promises of God poured out on His people.  Prayer is not only important, prayer is key.  It must be understood that prayer will not automatically bring revival but prayer is essential in the preparation for revival!

God told King Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that the people were to “…pray and seek His face…”. As we  have learned that humility is all about brokenness we also learn that prayer is about dependence, total dependence upon God!  Oh but how we struggle with the discipline of prayer?  God knew that we would.  It’s not a surprise to Him (Matthew 26:36-46). We must come to the point as seeing prayer as the key to opening up the door behind which God is waiting to pour out revival upon His people.  So what’s it going to take for me, for you?

The first thing it’s going to take is a sense of urgency! God’s people have to recognize the perilous times we are living in and just how much we need God to rescue us.

The second thing that has to happen is God’s people must experience a burden for prayer.  This is the sense that if we did anything but pray, the pressure alone would crush us.  This the mindset of, “pray first, ask questions later!”

Lastly, a team effort is going to have to  happen in order for the team to benefit! Your voice is important!  God’s people need to gather and cry out in unison for Him to send His blessings upon us.

Are you praying for revival?  Are you constantly seeking to see God in a new way and have God seeing you in a new way as well?  Then let me encourage to with the words of the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians in 1 Thes. 5:17 “Pray without ceasing”. God is good! <><

 

Watch for the sermon “Roadblocks to Revival, Pt 5″ coming to our “LISTEN TO A SUNDAY MESSAGE”

Older Posts »

Bible Verse of the Day

Login

Login