From a message by Pastor Randy Thornton
Do you want to be a casual, chilling, complacent Christian?
“Casual” means “showing little interest or concern; nonchalant: lenient and permissive.”
“Chilling” is a slang word meaning “calm, relaxed, idle and easy going.” Young people often describe relaxing as “chilling out.”
“Complacent” means “self-satisfied and unconcerned.”
In a recent sermon, Pastor Randy Thornton of Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C., used comedian Jeff Foxworthy’s format of “You might be a redneck, if…” and changed that phrase to
“You might be a casual Christian, if….” Here are some of Thornton’s thought-provokers:
You might be a casual Christian, if you value comfort and personal pleasure over the pursuit of the Kingdom of God.
“The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22 NIV).
You might be a casual Christian, if your desire for independence is more important than God’s will.
“A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the LORD” (Proverbs 19:3).
You might be a casual Christian, if your friends have more influence on you than God does.
“Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’” (1 Corinthians 15:33).
“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).
You might be a casual Christian, if your eyes are dry and you have no passion for the lost.
“Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest” (John 4:35).
“God has called us to be fishers of souls, not keepers of the aquarium,” Thornton said.
Jesus said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last…” (John 15:16).
Paul said, “Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16).
You might be a casual Christian, if you listen to the Gospel without being moved to respond, again.
You might be a casual Christian, if your plans for your future end in retirement and stop short of “well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
You might be a casual Christian, if you have no pleasure in giving to God and hold your tithe for yourself.
“You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers…” (Deuteronomy 8:17-18).
You might be a casual Christian, if…
…your care for what other people think deters you from obedience to the Lord.
…your passion for Jesus was hotter when you were first saved than it is now.
...having fun is more important than serving God.
…what you have and the pursuit of having it is more important than the pursuit of God.
…you avoid the uncomfortable and opt instead to live inside the sacred comfort of your routine.
…you avoid burdens instead of seeking them and carrying them.
…broken relationship stop you from forgiving others.
…if worship is elevated based on the quality of the music rather than on a personal connection with the presence of God.
And you might be a casual Christian, if serving God is regarded as work for those whose rank is a lower on the totem pole than yours, or you say that such work is not your “gifting.”
To find motivation to “totally commit to God,” we should compare the costs of serving God to the benefits; then we should trust God to help us keep our commitments, Thornton said.
“…I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day” (2 Timothy 1:12).
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Vision: Dreaming a Dream
Fom a message of hope by Pastor Randy Thornton
“God created man with the power to be creative,” said Randy Thornton, senior pastor of Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C., as he spoke at the church on a recent Sunday morning.
Thornton, 52, said animals are born, they live and they die, but God put eternity in the heart of man; a person’s relationship with God and other people reflects the idea that God created us in his likeness.
“God’s image is in us,” Thornton said. “You have divine design and destiny. God’s plan for you is irrevocable.”
He read this verse: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20, NIV).
“Have you lost your vision of God’s dream for you? Has your vision bogged down?” Thornton asked. “The history of this church is a testimony to the power of a God-given dream.”
Thornton told of launching Grace Church over 20 years ago. When he brought his family from Manna Church in Fayetteville, N.C., to Southern Pines, he had few regular church attendees. He had spent two years at Grace when snow fell one Sunday morning. After the lady who led music hurried home after the worship part of that Sunday a.m. service, the only man attending said, “I’ll stay so you’ll have someone to preach to.” Thornton said he thought about giving up but knew he should stay. The church “yo-yoed” with 75-20-75-50 etc. people for 10 years. Thornton worked at UPS and pastored his fluctuating flock for 13 years before quitting UPS. Grace Church now has four fulltime assistant pastors and holds two Sunday morning services. Total Sunday morning attendance averages over 1,000.
Thornton said some people have “no dream.” The results of having no dream are frustrations, boredom and regrets. “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law” (Proverbs 29:18).
Some have a “low dream,” he added.
We often have small dreams because dreams make us accountable. We may also fear failure or criticism – people may laugh at us.
“If you don’t try things in life, you’re never going to experience life,” Thornton said.
Some people have the “wrong dream,” he noted, and some have a “vague dream.” “A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth” (Proverbs 17:24).
“God has a dream for your life,” Thornton said. He gave these eight steps for realizing “God’s dream for you”:
1. Open your mind to God’s dream. Seek first the kingdom of God. Say, “Not my life, but Your Life.” “He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe” (Proverbs 28:26).
2. Do some research. “He who answers before listening – that is his folly and his shame” (Proverbs 18:13).
3. Ask for advice (consultation). “The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out” (Proverbs 18:15).
4. Establish some priorities. “God didn’t create you just to have fun,” Thornton said. “If you live just for yourself, you’ll come up empty, somewhere.”
5. Evaluate the cost (calculate risk). What’s the price tag? Everything valuable in life has a price tag. Proverbs 20:25 warns that an impulsive vow traps you; you'll later want to get out of it.
6. Plan for problems. “Make plans by seeking advice…” (Proverbs 20:18). “A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it” (Proverbs 22:3).
7. Be willing to risk it all. “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe” (Proverbs 29:25). This involves the “principle of confrontation.”
8. Do it now. This involves the “principle of initiation.” “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed” (Proverbs 16:3).
“Some of you have neglected your relationship with God,” Thornton said. “Some of you need to make a decision that things are going to change…I believe God is saying, ‘Don’t waste your life. Live it for me!”
Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).
“God created man with the power to be creative,” said Randy Thornton, senior pastor of Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C., as he spoke at the church on a recent Sunday morning.
Thornton, 52, said animals are born, they live and they die, but God put eternity in the heart of man; a person’s relationship with God and other people reflects the idea that God created us in his likeness.
“God’s image is in us,” Thornton said. “You have divine design and destiny. God’s plan for you is irrevocable.”
He read this verse: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20, NIV).
“Have you lost your vision of God’s dream for you? Has your vision bogged down?” Thornton asked. “The history of this church is a testimony to the power of a God-given dream.”
Thornton told of launching Grace Church over 20 years ago. When he brought his family from Manna Church in Fayetteville, N.C., to Southern Pines, he had few regular church attendees. He had spent two years at Grace when snow fell one Sunday morning. After the lady who led music hurried home after the worship part of that Sunday a.m. service, the only man attending said, “I’ll stay so you’ll have someone to preach to.” Thornton said he thought about giving up but knew he should stay. The church “yo-yoed” with 75-20-75-50 etc. people for 10 years. Thornton worked at UPS and pastored his fluctuating flock for 13 years before quitting UPS. Grace Church now has four fulltime assistant pastors and holds two Sunday morning services. Total Sunday morning attendance averages over 1,000.
Thornton said some people have “no dream.” The results of having no dream are frustrations, boredom and regrets. “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law” (Proverbs 29:18).
Some have a “low dream,” he added.
We often have small dreams because dreams make us accountable. We may also fear failure or criticism – people may laugh at us.
“If you don’t try things in life, you’re never going to experience life,” Thornton said.
Some people have the “wrong dream,” he noted, and some have a “vague dream.” “A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth” (Proverbs 17:24).
“God has a dream for your life,” Thornton said. He gave these eight steps for realizing “God’s dream for you”:
1. Open your mind to God’s dream. Seek first the kingdom of God. Say, “Not my life, but Your Life.” “He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe” (Proverbs 28:26).
2. Do some research. “He who answers before listening – that is his folly and his shame” (Proverbs 18:13).
3. Ask for advice (consultation). “The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out” (Proverbs 18:15).
4. Establish some priorities. “God didn’t create you just to have fun,” Thornton said. “If you live just for yourself, you’ll come up empty, somewhere.”
5. Evaluate the cost (calculate risk). What’s the price tag? Everything valuable in life has a price tag. Proverbs 20:25 warns that an impulsive vow traps you; you'll later want to get out of it.
6. Plan for problems. “Make plans by seeking advice…” (Proverbs 20:18). “A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it” (Proverbs 22:3).
7. Be willing to risk it all. “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe” (Proverbs 29:25). This involves the “principle of confrontation.”
8. Do it now. This involves the “principle of initiation.” “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed” (Proverbs 16:3).
“Some of you have neglected your relationship with God,” Thornton said. “Some of you need to make a decision that things are going to change…I believe God is saying, ‘Don’t waste your life. Live it for me!”
Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).
Elements of a Healthy Family
From a message by Pastor Randy Thornton
“God has called us to be in families,” said Pastor Randy Thornton, 53, during a recent sermon at Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C. “Family is all about relationships.”
Thornton, 53, Grace’s senior pastor, listed the following six points as he spoke on “How to Have a Healthy Family”:
1. Families make (create) fun.
“Jesus knew how to connect with people – emotional intelligence,” Thornton said.
Jesus said, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).
“Find creative ways to have fun by doing fun things together,” Thornton said, adding that by having family activities, you teach children how to get along with people.”
Slow down. Schedule some playtime. Ask yourself, “Is there a fun way to do this (chore)?” Do unexpected, new stuff. Plan surprises. Make it happen. Fun often doesn’t just happen.
2. Give attention.
St. Paul said, “…Fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:1-4).
“Giving your life away is one of the greatest things we believers should do,” Thornton said.
Find time to unwind. Unplug from things of the day. Learn to listen; let people give opinions without cutting them off to give your opinion.
3. Capture memories.
“…Take heed to yourself…lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren…” (Deuteronomy 4:9).
“Healthy families capture memories,” Thornton said. “Write it down; get a picture.”
Create several anniversaries. Hang up wedding photos. Family vacations often provide the greatest memories. Return to memorable locations. Photograph and video your children; write letters to loved ones as they grow up.
4. Verbally inspire.
“Therefore comfort each other and edify one another…” (1Thessalonians 5:11). “A good man out of the good treasure…brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things” (Matthew 12:35).
Catch people doing the right thing, and let them know. Weigh your words (the tongue can be a fire, says James). Use words to edify. Write it out; send letters – they are little treasures. Encourage children in front of others (praise them in public; discipline them in private).
5. Love without condition.
“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands…rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself…and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel…” (John 13:3-5).
After Jesus washed feet and ate “The Last Supper” with his disciples, he said, “Little children…A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:33-35).
Thornton said he was a teenager and a fairly new Christian when he told his stepfather that he loved him. His stepfather, for the first time Thornton remembers, responded with “I love you.”
“Tell them you love them,” Thornton said. “Love them with actions. Love them with respect – 70 percent of communication is non-verbal.”
6. Yield to God.
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:5-7).
“…Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).
“God has called us to be in families,” said Pastor Randy Thornton, 53, during a recent sermon at Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C. “Family is all about relationships.”
Thornton, 53, Grace’s senior pastor, listed the following six points as he spoke on “How to Have a Healthy Family”:
1. Families make (create) fun.
“Jesus knew how to connect with people – emotional intelligence,” Thornton said.
Jesus said, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).
“Find creative ways to have fun by doing fun things together,” Thornton said, adding that by having family activities, you teach children how to get along with people.”
Slow down. Schedule some playtime. Ask yourself, “Is there a fun way to do this (chore)?” Do unexpected, new stuff. Plan surprises. Make it happen. Fun often doesn’t just happen.
2. Give attention.
St. Paul said, “…Fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:1-4).
“Giving your life away is one of the greatest things we believers should do,” Thornton said.
Find time to unwind. Unplug from things of the day. Learn to listen; let people give opinions without cutting them off to give your opinion.
3. Capture memories.
“…Take heed to yourself…lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren…” (Deuteronomy 4:9).
“Healthy families capture memories,” Thornton said. “Write it down; get a picture.”
Create several anniversaries. Hang up wedding photos. Family vacations often provide the greatest memories. Return to memorable locations. Photograph and video your children; write letters to loved ones as they grow up.
4. Verbally inspire.
“Therefore comfort each other and edify one another…” (1Thessalonians 5:11). “A good man out of the good treasure…brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things” (Matthew 12:35).
Catch people doing the right thing, and let them know. Weigh your words (the tongue can be a fire, says James). Use words to edify. Write it out; send letters – they are little treasures. Encourage children in front of others (praise them in public; discipline them in private).
5. Love without condition.
“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands…rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself…and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel…” (John 13:3-5).
After Jesus washed feet and ate “The Last Supper” with his disciples, he said, “Little children…A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:33-35).
Thornton said he was a teenager and a fairly new Christian when he told his stepfather that he loved him. His stepfather, for the first time Thornton remembers, responded with “I love you.”
“Tell them you love them,” Thornton said. “Love them with actions. Love them with respect – 70 percent of communication is non-verbal.”
6. Yield to God.
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:5-7).
“…Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).
Fear or Faith
From a message by Pastor Randy Thornton
“Whenever a person is ruled by fear, he takes matters into his own hands,” said the Rev. Randy Thornton, during a recent sermon at the church he leads, Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C.
Israel wanted a king, and Saul was tall, attractive and humble, said Thornton, 52. Saul, who reigned from 1025-1004 B.C., seemed to love God and even prophesied, but during Israel’s war with the Amalekites, he failed to follow God’s instructions.
The Amalekites were descendants of Amalek, Esau’s grandson. They refused to allow the Israelites to cross their land when the Israelites migrated to the Promised Land (Exodus 17). God directed Saul to destroy the Amalekites, including their possessions, livestock and king.
Saul spared their King Agag and took the best of their livestock for himself. The Prophet Samuel rebuked Saul, beheaded Agag and told Saul that God had rejected him as Israel’s king (I Samuel 15).
“God demanded judgment, but Saul showed mercy,” Thornton said. “Did your child need judgment (discipline), and you showed mercy? And now he’s on drugs…When judgment is due, do we show mercy? (Someone called that error “the problem of ‘misplaced mercy’.”) How many can say that at some time in your life you’ve made decisions out of fear?”
Thornton contrasted Saul with David, Saul’s successor. When fear crippled Israel, David viewed Goliath, the Philistine’s giant strongman, through God’s perspective and killed Goliath with a sling and a small stone.
“…When David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine…the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets (tambourines), with joy, and with instruments of music (lutes). And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him…” (1 Samuel 18:6-8).
Saul feared loosing his kingdom; he probably feared his son would never sit on Israel’s throne.
“When you find yourself taking matters into your own hands rather than trusting God, you are headed for disaster,” Thornton said. “Fear destroys faith and causes us to manipulate. Where does the spirit of fear come from? From Satan himself.”
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).
“Our children are growing up in a world where it’s almost embarrassing to be called a Christian,” Thornton said. “There are many undercover Christians, today.”
Five stumbling blocks to standing for Christ and overcoming fears:
1. The Approval of Others: “…Among the chief rulers…many believed on him (Jesus); but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue. For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:42-43).
“We can let fear control us, or we can pay the price to do the right thing,” Thornton said. “The ‘soft choices’ destroy us.”
2. Traditions: Jesus said, “For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men…” (Mark 7:8).
3. The Voice of Reason: “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 16:25).
4. Letting Feelings Determine Your Decisions: “In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes…” (Judges 21:25).
“Mick Jagger has been singing ‘I can’t get no satisfaction’ for 40 years,” Thornton said. “Let truth guide you, not feelings.”
5. Letting Doubts Cause You to Question Absolute Truth: Instead of doubting these verses, believe them: “I am the LORD; I change not” (Malachi 3:6). “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrew 13:8). “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).
“Biblical absolutes guide and protect you,” Thornton said. “How many realize fear has had some influence on your lives? Fear is overcome by faith. ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil’…He has not given us a spirit of fear. You can make right decisions when fear doesn’t dominate your life.”
“Whenever a person is ruled by fear, he takes matters into his own hands,” said the Rev. Randy Thornton, during a recent sermon at the church he leads, Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C.
Israel wanted a king, and Saul was tall, attractive and humble, said Thornton, 52. Saul, who reigned from 1025-1004 B.C., seemed to love God and even prophesied, but during Israel’s war with the Amalekites, he failed to follow God’s instructions.
The Amalekites were descendants of Amalek, Esau’s grandson. They refused to allow the Israelites to cross their land when the Israelites migrated to the Promised Land (Exodus 17). God directed Saul to destroy the Amalekites, including their possessions, livestock and king.
Saul spared their King Agag and took the best of their livestock for himself. The Prophet Samuel rebuked Saul, beheaded Agag and told Saul that God had rejected him as Israel’s king (I Samuel 15).
“God demanded judgment, but Saul showed mercy,” Thornton said. “Did your child need judgment (discipline), and you showed mercy? And now he’s on drugs…When judgment is due, do we show mercy? (Someone called that error “the problem of ‘misplaced mercy’.”) How many can say that at some time in your life you’ve made decisions out of fear?”
Thornton contrasted Saul with David, Saul’s successor. When fear crippled Israel, David viewed Goliath, the Philistine’s giant strongman, through God’s perspective and killed Goliath with a sling and a small stone.
“…When David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine…the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets (tambourines), with joy, and with instruments of music (lutes). And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him…” (1 Samuel 18:6-8).
Saul feared loosing his kingdom; he probably feared his son would never sit on Israel’s throne.
“When you find yourself taking matters into your own hands rather than trusting God, you are headed for disaster,” Thornton said. “Fear destroys faith and causes us to manipulate. Where does the spirit of fear come from? From Satan himself.”
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).
“Our children are growing up in a world where it’s almost embarrassing to be called a Christian,” Thornton said. “There are many undercover Christians, today.”
Five stumbling blocks to standing for Christ and overcoming fears:
1. The Approval of Others: “…Among the chief rulers…many believed on him (Jesus); but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue. For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:42-43).
“We can let fear control us, or we can pay the price to do the right thing,” Thornton said. “The ‘soft choices’ destroy us.”
2. Traditions: Jesus said, “For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men…” (Mark 7:8).
3. The Voice of Reason: “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 16:25).
4. Letting Feelings Determine Your Decisions: “In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes…” (Judges 21:25).
“Mick Jagger has been singing ‘I can’t get no satisfaction’ for 40 years,” Thornton said. “Let truth guide you, not feelings.”
5. Letting Doubts Cause You to Question Absolute Truth: Instead of doubting these verses, believe them: “I am the LORD; I change not” (Malachi 3:6). “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrew 13:8). “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).
“Biblical absolutes guide and protect you,” Thornton said. “How many realize fear has had some influence on your lives? Fear is overcome by faith. ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil’…He has not given us a spirit of fear. You can make right decisions when fear doesn’t dominate your life.”
You Were Born for This - Review
From a message by Pastor Randy Thornton
“You can know about God but not be a conduit of his power,” said the Rev. Randy Thornton, senior pastor of Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C., as he preached recently at the church. “If you don’t see the demonstration of the Holy Spirit in your life, how is all the knowledge helping?”
Thornton, 52, recently began a sermon series based on “You Were Born for This: Seven Keys to a Life of Predictable Miracles,” a book published in 2009 by Bruce Wilkinson, author of “The Prayer of Jabez.” (Six million copies of “The Prayer of Jabez” have been sold.)
Multnomah Press, publishers of “You Were Born for This,” says about the book: “Anyone can do a good deed, but some good works can only happen by an act of God. Around the world these acts are called miracles – not that even religious people expect to see one any time soon. But what would happen if millions of ordinary people walked out each morning expecting God to deliver a miracle through them to a person in need? “You Were Born for This” starts with the dramatic premise that everyone at all times is in need of a miracle, and that God is ready to meet those needs supernaturally through ordinary people who are willing to learn the “protocol of heaven”…Wilkinson describes how anyone can be a ‘Delivery Guy’ from heaven in such universally significant arenas of life as finances, practical help, relationships, purpose and spiritual growth.”
“Publisher's Weekly” says, “Peppered with stories of miracles in which he (Wilkinson) has participated or that he has observed, the book focuses on ways that people can intuit the leading of God to respond to the needs of others. The place to begin, Wilkinson recommends, is by believing that ‘everyone you encounter has an unmet need that God strongly desires to meet supernaturally through you.’ Critics of The Prayer of Jabez” will find similar problems with this book – the suggestion that God responds to prayer with instant results and more than a whiff of a packaged program. In this volume, however, Wilkinson responds to previous criticisms of a self-serving theology by concentrating on helping readers make miracles happen for other people rather than for themselves.”
Pastor Thornton endorses “You Were Born for This.” Here are some of his comments from a sermon, “Doing God’s Work by God’s Power,” he based on the book:
“You can be a believer and not operate in God’s power,” Thornton said. “Will you partner with God to deliver miracles?”
Most of us want God to deliver miracles for us, but as we “know God,” we’ll want Him to bring miracles to others, too, he said.
He referred to this passage: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:17-20).
“Every day, start out your life not living for ‘you,’” Thornton said. “The miracles that Jesus did were because of the relationship between him and God.”
“…God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him” (Acts 10:38).
Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18).
“Do you believe God can use the words you say to change someone’s life?” Thornton asked. “Does God want to use you? The answer is ‘Yes!’”
Peter spoke confidently “in the flesh” about his dedication to Jesus, but he then denied Jesus three times. After he was filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter preached with confidence.
“Are you willing to be a conduit for the Holy Spirit?” Thornton asked. “Really, it’s quite the simple heart that says, ‘Here am I, Lord. Send me.’”
“You can know about God but not be a conduit of his power,” said the Rev. Randy Thornton, senior pastor of Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C., as he preached recently at the church. “If you don’t see the demonstration of the Holy Spirit in your life, how is all the knowledge helping?”
Thornton, 52, recently began a sermon series based on “You Were Born for This: Seven Keys to a Life of Predictable Miracles,” a book published in 2009 by Bruce Wilkinson, author of “The Prayer of Jabez.” (Six million copies of “The Prayer of Jabez” have been sold.)
Multnomah Press, publishers of “You Were Born for This,” says about the book: “Anyone can do a good deed, but some good works can only happen by an act of God. Around the world these acts are called miracles – not that even religious people expect to see one any time soon. But what would happen if millions of ordinary people walked out each morning expecting God to deliver a miracle through them to a person in need? “You Were Born for This” starts with the dramatic premise that everyone at all times is in need of a miracle, and that God is ready to meet those needs supernaturally through ordinary people who are willing to learn the “protocol of heaven”…Wilkinson describes how anyone can be a ‘Delivery Guy’ from heaven in such universally significant arenas of life as finances, practical help, relationships, purpose and spiritual growth.”
“Publisher's Weekly” says, “Peppered with stories of miracles in which he (Wilkinson) has participated or that he has observed, the book focuses on ways that people can intuit the leading of God to respond to the needs of others. The place to begin, Wilkinson recommends, is by believing that ‘everyone you encounter has an unmet need that God strongly desires to meet supernaturally through you.’ Critics of The Prayer of Jabez” will find similar problems with this book – the suggestion that God responds to prayer with instant results and more than a whiff of a packaged program. In this volume, however, Wilkinson responds to previous criticisms of a self-serving theology by concentrating on helping readers make miracles happen for other people rather than for themselves.”
Pastor Thornton endorses “You Were Born for This.” Here are some of his comments from a sermon, “Doing God’s Work by God’s Power,” he based on the book:
“You can be a believer and not operate in God’s power,” Thornton said. “Will you partner with God to deliver miracles?”
Most of us want God to deliver miracles for us, but as we “know God,” we’ll want Him to bring miracles to others, too, he said.
He referred to this passage: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:17-20).
“Every day, start out your life not living for ‘you,’” Thornton said. “The miracles that Jesus did were because of the relationship between him and God.”
“…God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him” (Acts 10:38).
Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18).
“Do you believe God can use the words you say to change someone’s life?” Thornton asked. “Does God want to use you? The answer is ‘Yes!’”
Peter spoke confidently “in the flesh” about his dedication to Jesus, but he then denied Jesus three times. After he was filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter preached with confidence.
“Are you willing to be a conduit for the Holy Spirit?” Thornton asked. “Really, it’s quite the simple heart that says, ‘Here am I, Lord. Send me.’”
Worship as Extravagance
The Rev. Bill Fuller preached recently about “Worship as Extravagance” at Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C.
Fuller, Grace Church’s executive pastor, earned a bachelors degree in religion at UNC Chapel Hill in 1974. After graduation, he lived six months among the Gurage people in Ethiopia. That experience inspired him to serve God cross-culturally and led him to Columbia Graduate School of Bible and Missions, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree in Missions. He and his wife, Georgia, live in Sanford, N.C. They have two children.
Fuller spoke about extravagant giving, speaking and living.
He read 2 Corinthians 9:6-7: “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
The word “cheerful” is rooted in the Greek word “hilaros,” which translates to the English word “hilarious,” Fuller noted. “Hilarious” means “exuberant, enthusiastic, exhilarated.”
He told of the woman who “let her hair down in public” – something Jewish women never did, he said – and anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume.
“Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
“But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages’…
“‘Leave her alone,’ Jesus replied. ‘It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me’” (John 12:1-8).
Nard is processed from leaves of a flowering plant that grows in the Himalayas of China and in the northern region of India and Nepal. Pure nard, in 2011, would be worth $2,800 an ounce, Fuller said. Mary poured about a pint (16 ounces) on Jesus’ feet.
“Extravagance is not measured by the size of the gift you made but by the sacrifice you made,” Fuller said. “God loves extravagant givers, because he is an extravagant giver.”
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).
Fuller said we should serve God with our speaking.
“Why is it so hard to say extravagant things about God?” he asked. “Because it’s a sacrifice. Some of you will have to give up the energy to speak up. Sacrifice your self-image, and speak up. Jesus suffered so we could be welcomed into God’s family. Are we too ashamed to speak extravagantly of God in public? Praise just flows from the lips of people who know what God did for us.”
Worship also involves extravagant living, Fuller said. “Spending your life for God is the only reasonable response for what he’s done,” he said. “He became poor and destitute and sacrificed his body, so you might not suffer the wrath of God.”
Fuller asked the audience to sing “Take My Life, and Let It Be Consecrated.” Here are some of that hymn’s words penned in 1874 by Frances R. Havergal:
“Take my life and let it be / Consecrated, Lord, to Thee. / Take my moments and my days / Let them flow in ceaseless praise; / Let them flow in ceaseless praise. / Take my hands and let them move / At the impulse of Thy love. / Take my feet and let them be / Swift and beautiful for Thee… / Take my voice and let me sing / Always, only, for my King. / Take my lips and let them be / Filled with messages from Thee… / Take my silver and my gold / Not a mite would I withhold / Take my intellect and use / Ev-’ry pow’r as Thou shalt choose… / Take my will and make it Thine / It shall be no longer mine. / Take myself and I will be / Ever, only, all for Thee… / Take my love, my Lord, I pour / At Thy feet its treasure store, / Take myself and I will be / Ever, only, all for Thee, / Ever, only, all for Thee.”
Can I Forgive?
From a message by Pastor Randy Thornton
“If you are going to live the Christian life, you are going to have to learn to forgive,” the Rev. Randy Thornton said.
Thornton, 53, a husband, father of four and senior pastor of Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C., recently delivered this message, “Can I Really Forgive,” at the church.
Thornton told of a man who seemed to generate conflicts in his relationships. That man adored his late mother and said he had resolved problems with his still-living father, who years ago abused him.
A friend of the fellow in this story counseled him and felt impressed that his conflicts with people had to do with his adored mother. The man said he didn’t think he had unresolved issues with his deceased mother, who, more than the father, was the leader in the home during his growing-up years. While thinking about his friend’s impression, however, the man saw a mental scene of his mother and father in the home where he grew up; he saw his father abusing him and his mother not intervening. He realized he had un-forgiveness toward his mother. Though he had idealized her, he harbored subconscious bitterness toward her. He repented (and hopefully experienced fewer conflicts with people).
Bitterness can eat away at relationships, Thornton said. The people who are closest to you can hurt you the most. Bitterness holds you captive; you become a slave to the person you hold bitterness toward. A person needs to understand the “root” of his bitterness.
Thornton told of counseling a lady “who had mental illness.” She had problems with her father; finally, she forgave him and witnessed to him.
“Three months after she shared Christ with him, her dad accepted the Lord,” Thornton said. “The key to seeing God move is for you to choose to forgive others, no matter what they’ve done.”
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:31-32 NIV).
“See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:15).
Don’t cause yourself to fall “short of grace”: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Matthew 6:14).
Don’t cause a root of bitterness to spring up, cause trouble and defile many. Thornton defined “grace” as “God’s desire and power to release.” He said a “root” is “a plant’s ability to survive.” If you add to the root system, new branches appear. Dump anger onto your wife and children, and that anger can transfer to generations and defile many, Thornton said.
Sin and shame in a person’s heart can cause bitterness to grow there, too. Thornton read about the woman at the well (John 4 NIV):
Jesus and his disciples visited Sychar, a Samaritan town, and the disciples went to buy food. Jesus, worn out, sat alone at Jacob’s well; during the heat of the day, a Samaritan woman came to draw water. Most women probably obtained water from that well during morning hours, Thornton said, adding, “Was it that she wanted no one to see her?” The Jews looked down on Samaritans, but Jesus showed kindness. She experienced God’s love.
Jesus asked the woman, “Will you give me a drink?” She said, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water…whoever drinks the water I give will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Jesus asked her to go and get her husband; she said she had no husband; Jesus said he knew she’d had five husbands and that the man she lived with was not her husband. He told her he was the Messiah. The woman left her water pot, went to the city and told the men, “Come and see a man who told me all the things I have done! Could this be the Messiah?”
“When God sets you free of shame, you can access confidence in front of those who’ve shamed you,” Thornton said. “The woman at the well left her water pot and her shame at the well. Jesus set the woman free. He can do the same, today. Are you not ‘walking’ with others because you feel shame and come at noon to the well? Jesus can set you free to walk with others. It wasn’t by accident that Jesus ended up in Samaria. He was there to set people free. He’s here today to set you free.”
“If you are going to live the Christian life, you are going to have to learn to forgive,” the Rev. Randy Thornton said.
Thornton, 53, a husband, father of four and senior pastor of Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C., recently delivered this message, “Can I Really Forgive,” at the church.
Thornton told of a man who seemed to generate conflicts in his relationships. That man adored his late mother and said he had resolved problems with his still-living father, who years ago abused him.
A friend of the fellow in this story counseled him and felt impressed that his conflicts with people had to do with his adored mother. The man said he didn’t think he had unresolved issues with his deceased mother, who, more than the father, was the leader in the home during his growing-up years. While thinking about his friend’s impression, however, the man saw a mental scene of his mother and father in the home where he grew up; he saw his father abusing him and his mother not intervening. He realized he had un-forgiveness toward his mother. Though he had idealized her, he harbored subconscious bitterness toward her. He repented (and hopefully experienced fewer conflicts with people).
Bitterness can eat away at relationships, Thornton said. The people who are closest to you can hurt you the most. Bitterness holds you captive; you become a slave to the person you hold bitterness toward. A person needs to understand the “root” of his bitterness.
Thornton told of counseling a lady “who had mental illness.” She had problems with her father; finally, she forgave him and witnessed to him.
“Three months after she shared Christ with him, her dad accepted the Lord,” Thornton said. “The key to seeing God move is for you to choose to forgive others, no matter what they’ve done.”
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:31-32 NIV).
“See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:15).
Don’t cause yourself to fall “short of grace”: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Matthew 6:14).
Don’t cause a root of bitterness to spring up, cause trouble and defile many. Thornton defined “grace” as “God’s desire and power to release.” He said a “root” is “a plant’s ability to survive.” If you add to the root system, new branches appear. Dump anger onto your wife and children, and that anger can transfer to generations and defile many, Thornton said.
Sin and shame in a person’s heart can cause bitterness to grow there, too. Thornton read about the woman at the well (John 4 NIV):
Jesus and his disciples visited Sychar, a Samaritan town, and the disciples went to buy food. Jesus, worn out, sat alone at Jacob’s well; during the heat of the day, a Samaritan woman came to draw water. Most women probably obtained water from that well during morning hours, Thornton said, adding, “Was it that she wanted no one to see her?” The Jews looked down on Samaritans, but Jesus showed kindness. She experienced God’s love.
Jesus asked the woman, “Will you give me a drink?” She said, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water…whoever drinks the water I give will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Jesus asked her to go and get her husband; she said she had no husband; Jesus said he knew she’d had five husbands and that the man she lived with was not her husband. He told her he was the Messiah. The woman left her water pot, went to the city and told the men, “Come and see a man who told me all the things I have done! Could this be the Messiah?”
“When God sets you free of shame, you can access confidence in front of those who’ve shamed you,” Thornton said. “The woman at the well left her water pot and her shame at the well. Jesus set the woman free. He can do the same, today. Are you not ‘walking’ with others because you feel shame and come at noon to the well? Jesus can set you free to walk with others. It wasn’t by accident that Jesus ended up in Samaria. He was there to set people free. He’s here today to set you free.”
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