The logos, the Word, encapsulates all that Jesus Christ is. He is, always has been, and always will be the Word. The most incredible thing to ponder is that the eternal became governed by time. The infinite became restricted by a body. And how did the immortal clothed Himself with mortal flesh?
 Read this Christmas devotion written by my son, Ben, and wanted to share the hope Christ gave us as people wandering in darkness. |
--Ernest Borgnine on the set of Jesus of Nazareth
When you get a vision from God, there is no way to escape it. He will poke and prod moving you ever higher to become all He wants you to be. Vision is change. God sees you as you are and chooses to prepare you for His plan for you. Vision is more than a dream or a plan, it is seeing God and knowing you will never be satisfied with less than His purpose. Once you see the vision of God, you will never be satisfied with less. It is your working His vision into your life that gives you your greatest fulfillment.
Because of all that happened to Isaiah and his beloved country, he lost his understanding of God. Isaiah had become complacent in his relationship drawing him into sin. It was then that God showed up, gave Isaiah a vision of Himself, Isaiah repented. He then knew there was more to life than moping and complaining. Life is about God, His plans, and His purpose.
Whenever there is a vision, there is always a call to action. So, God calls,
"Who should I send? Who will go for Us?"
To which Isaiah gives the only answer he could,
"Here I am. Send me." (Isaiah 6:8 HCSB)
God has used us to reach the 10's. Now, we believe He is calling us to reach the 100's.
God is calling.Are you available?
Pastor Trey Rhodes
Being of Scottish decent, I thought Brave was an exceedingly entertaining movie. This movie had me from the "ma wee darlin'". It was delightful.
Here's a short synopsis for you is you haven't seen it:
Merida, a Scottish girl grows up as a princess. Her mother is overbearing and pushes her into fulfilling her royal duties and being a lady every moment of her life. However, her father's strong influence has made her much more of a warrior than a homemaker. Her mother surprises her by summoning all the clans together to find her a proper husband. This is the last thing strong-minded Merida wants. At the gathering of the clans, she goes into full rebellious teenager mode and shows off her superior archery skills, mortifies her mother, and flees into the woods on her trusty steed.
It is there she finds a witch who gives a potion to help solve her problems with her mother. Little does she know that dabbling in the dark arts is not a toy to be commanded, and she soon veers her life into something more akin to Paranormal Activity and less like Cinderella. Her rebellious actions and attitude drives her away from those she loves and into the waiting arms of the witch.
Here's the story in shortened form if you'd like a quick synopsis
Interestingly enough, the Bible is very clear where rebellion leads...to witchcraft:
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. (1 Samuel 15:23 KJV)
As we learned, witchcraft and magic is not some game we can use to fulfill our desires. It is dangerous and brings us to place we should never have gone. The interesting thing about this movie is that is almost as if someone read about King Saul and his foray into the "Darkside", and then wrote a screenplay around it. I must say, I was truly impressed with this take on witchcraft that I have never seen from Disney, which typically treats magic as a benevolent force for our good to make our lives better. Thank you, Disney, for showing witchcraft for what it is. At best witchcraft is an unknown quantity, and, much more typically, a malevolent force wanting to hurt us and our relationships.
Another interesting take is the way they handled overcoming evil, which is with good. Specifically, the answer to the spell was not completing a quest, but humility. Here are the words she was told to break the spell:
"Fate be changed, look inside, mend the bond torn by pride."
As we learn, she humbles herself and Satan (the spell) flees. For once, it was not the act (repairing the tapestry), but an attitude (humbling herself to her mother and asking her to forgive her).
The Bible goes on to say:
But He gives greater grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you. (James 4:6, 10 HCSB)
Finally, for all believers, we need not fear witches, demons, spirits, or the like. We are encouraged with these powerful words:
We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, but the One who is born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. (1 John 5:18, HCSB)
As a child of God, seeking to please Him, the evil one does not have a chance. We need not fear. The Lord is our protector and He contends for us!
Pastor Trey Rhodes
Scriptures:
 |
| A destroyed Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, OK |
MAN: My security isn't in the things I own. My security is in the Lord.WOMAN: The last thing we lose in a situation like this is faith. We have to hold onto faith and trust God every moment.MAN: You salvage what you can salvage. You thank God that he (sic) has another plan for you.MAN: I'm a believer in Jesus, and by the grace of God, me and my children are alive, and our house is -- we can repair it.WOMAN: We prayed that God would save our house. We also prayed that if God didn't, he would get us through, and he (sic) will.MAN: By the grace of God, it's just amazing.WOMAN: We know that God is good, and we know that there's people out there who are still alive, and we're gonna find 'em. (these are direct quotes recorded for us in this commentary)
 |
| An actual picture of the mile wide tornado that hit Moore, OK |
Suddenly a powerful wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on the young people so that they died
Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Praise the name of Yahweh. (Job 1:19, 21 HCSB)
With the debate over same sex marriage raging in our country, an accusing finger is being pointed at Christians, and this time it's not the church as a whole, but specifically the Evangelical Church... and this time it seems to be all too true. For in rebuking those who have chosen an immoral lifestyle, whether hetero- or homosexual, many would say we have left ourselves wide open for criticism.
You see, many are so willing to point their fingers at others while excusing their own sin. As has been said before, brothers and sisters, these things ought not be. It is so easy, as Jesus reminded us, to point out the splinter in someone else's eye, while ignoring the 2 x 4 beam in our own eye:
For with the judgment you use, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:2-5 HCSB)
Let me be clear, sin is sin and there is no excuse for living in it. and this warning comes from the same world that typically doesn't even admit that there is such a concept as sin. Their finger points at the 21st Century church and says that we are just as guilty as anyone else because of the big "D" word... divorce. Here's what I'm saying, when the world points out our sin, we need to take notice. That means no lifestyle should be excused simply because it is prevalent.
Here is the truth. Divorce is tragic. Divorce hurts. Divorce destroys. Divorce is real. Divorce touches way too many lives in the church.
So, since that is the case, we need to know what we believe about divorce. Let's look at what the Bible tells us.
Moses told the children of Israel that they could divorce their wife (see Deuteronomy 24). This way of thinking was actually revolutionary in that culture. For the first time, instead of a woman being kicked out in the street, the man had to actually give her a reason and issue a divorce decree. This in and of itself gave the wife rights never before seen in the ancient near east. Still, the problem was not to offer a good outcome, but, according to Jesus, was the result of a hard heart (see Matthew 19:8).
Jesus went farther and said that the only reason for divorce was for adultery (see Matthew 19). This was a radical departure from His culture, and for most of the last 2 millennia has stood as the overarching reason for justifiable divorce. Remember, Jesus almost lost his step-father, Joseph, over accusations of immorality leveled against His own mother, Mary. Jesus would have known the history of his own birth and all the controversy surrounding it.
The apostle Paul, in dealing with the fledgling church, addressed the problem of being married to a lost man or woman who wanted to leave. His word was, if the unbeliever wants to leave, let them leave (See 1 Corinthians 7). The point is this, when there was a spiritual rift in the marriage that was irreconcilable, the Christian, in showing love, was not to force a lost spouse to live with them. They were given the allowance to release the unbelieving spouse.
This allowance was also seen in the Old Testament (You can read Ezra 10 for yourself here) as the men of Israel had married foreign women who were, by implication, also unbelieving and idolatrous. The Lord was so horrified at the weakness of these men to marry non-Israelite women who followed other gods that He told them to divorce their wives. The lesson was and is obvious, in this one and only case, divorce was not just allowed, but commanded. For just over 100 men, they had to release these wives because of their unlawful marriages. Yet out of all of the exiles, these men were still the exception and not the rule. When it comes to marriage and divorce percentages, out of 42,000 men only 112 or so took this drastic measure. If you're running the numbers, that is only 1/4th of one percent needed to divorce their foreign wives. Statistically, that means 99.75% of the men had remained faithful and had obeyed God. God saw these foreign marriages as unlawful and for these men, the proper solution was "divorce".
Chasing a rabbit here, but that may be where the statistic comes from that 99.99% of husbands and wives that pray together, go to church together, and serve together will stay together. I've always wondered who that .1% are, and there they are in the Bible. My point is, when it comes to people, there will always be exceptions to the rule.
Here's my point, divorce is not unpardonable as some seem to believe. For a believer, there are many times that they are more the victims of divorce rather than instigators of divorce. I have known godly women who have seen their husbands leave them, never to return, in spite of the reconciliation sought or the Christ-like love demonstrated. In defense of the believing church, statistically, those who are conservative, Bible-believing Christ followers are 35% LESS likely to divorce than the rest of society. So, Christ does make a difference (these most recent statistics are in a study researched by sociologists in 2012 and can be found here). This is a far-cry from what I have heard for two decades that the church's divorce rate is the same if not a tick higher than the rest of the world. Thank the Lord for that.
But need I remind you that our churches should be full of struggling people who have been shown love by those who have also been forgiven? The church is not a sanctuary for saints, but a hospital for sinners. Jesus forgave the woman at the well who had been divorced and re-married so many times that she had gotten sick of marriage and was living with her latest lover. So, what did she do once Jesus forgave her? She ran back to her friends (probably with similar lifestyles) and brought them to Jesus so they could experience the same love and forgiveness the Son of God had offered her (Look at John 4:1-30). So here's what I'm saying, divorce numbers, from the earliest times of the Christian faith, are still probably skewed toward more divorce in the church. Why? Because of the example and command of Jesus to bring broken people to Him for healing of their souls. In our defense, we are ministering in the name and the ways of Jesus by offering forgiveness, love, and acceptance for all who will come.
So Christians, we must love the hurting, the downtrodden, and the broken. We must also live as those who are different from our culture holding up the standards of godliness and morality our Lord and His word so clearly gave us. That is how we can love those who have chosen what is often a precarious and destructive path. We let them see a better way in our lives. It is the way of 1 Corinthians 12:31. That is why our example and lifestyle is so important in this world. It is the way of love. Love for our spouses, our children, our families, our neighbors, our fellow workers and students, and even our enemies. Christians, love. Love is supreme. It is God who demonstrated his own love toward us in that while we were still His enemies, He loved us (Romans 5:10). It is that kind of love that will make a difference in the world. Are you prepared for all that Jesus can do through you once you authentically, deep down love others as Christ does?
Let me close with this, regardless of your past, you can choose today to live free of the destructiveness of sin's ways and choose to follow Christ's way. Jesus Christ offers that same love. Jesus wants you to have hope, peace, and forgiveness, and grace, no matter who you are, nor what you've done. You are the one whom God loves... and there is no exception to that rule.
Pastor Trey Rhodes
Run or Dye... I was intrigued. I love color and fun. Looked like both to me. From what I have seen on FaceBook and on the internet in general, I thought to myself, "Looks like a great time." If I could run, I might even register. Soon, I began to see more and more of Run or Dye promotions in cities around the US. Finally, earlier this morning, I saw this promotion on my FaceBook Newsfeed:
So, I clicked on the link to see what it was all about. Hmmmm... looks innocent enough. In my reading through the site, I clicked on the link "BLOG," and here is what I found:
It's no secret that Run or Dye is the world's most colorful fun run. All around the country, Dye Runners are coming together to celebrate life, friendship, and fun in a spectacular fusion of fitness and color.
But did you know that Run or Dye has roots in ancient India?
For centuries, Hindus have held a springtime celebration called Holi. Its exact origins are unknown, but it's believed to have been around since at least 300 BC.
Perhaps the most memorable aspect of Holi is the Festival of Colors. During the Festival of Colors, people blast each other with powdered cornstarch dye (the same stuff we use at our races!) as a symbol of joy and goodness, and a reminder to throw worries to the wind. Not surprisingly, the Festival of Colors is extremely popular in countries with large Hindu populations, such as India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. But even in the United States, Hindus and non-Hindus alike come together to celebrate the Festival of Colors... (More Here including a video promotion of Holi).
While I have no problem with celebrations which allow any religion to freely practice theirs, I just want to be clear, that this isn't just a fun day, it's a relgious holiday. It's celebrated by the followers of Vishnu to honor the son of their king of demons, Hiranyakashipu. Here is an explanation I discovered:
 |
| Vishnu |
According to this belief, Hiranyakashipu's own son, Prahlada, was a devotee of Vishnu. In spite of several threats from Hiranyakashipu, Prahlada continued offering prayers to Vishnu. He was poisoned by Hiranyakashipu, but the poison turned to nectar in his mouth. He was ordered to be trampled by elephants yet remained unharmed. He was put in a room with hungry, venomous snakes and survived. All of Hiranyakashipu's attempts to kill his son failed. Finally, he ordered young Prahlada to sit on a pyre in the lap of Holika, Hiranyakashipu's demoness sister, who also could not die because she had a boon preventing her from being burned by fire. Prahlada readily accepted his father's orders, and prayed to Lord Vishnu to keep him safe. When the fire started, everyone watched in amazement as Holika burnt to death, while Prahlada survived unharmed. The salvation of Prahlada and burning of Holika is celebrated as Holi. (More here from the BBC).
So, before participating in any festival, no matter how fun it looks, I have once again been reminded of the importance of checking things out. As Christ followers, we should be vigilant in our understanding of what we choose to be involved in.
Interestingly enough, this is supposed to be a celebration for unity in a religion that not only practices but typically celebrates division and caste systems. During this one time a year festival, the lowest caste (the untouchables) can be in the presence of the highest caste (the Brahmans) without shame or fear of repercussions.
Huh? One time a year? That's a far cry from the words of Paul who wrote clearly that we are to have no divisions:
So there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free people, between men and women; you are all one in union with Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28, Good News Bible)
Then, when the Corinthians were trying to separate into their little groups to worship the Lord as rich, poor, young, old, and other man-made distinctions, he upbraided them by writing these words:
that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction. For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers, by members of Chloe’s household, that there is rivalry among you. Is Christ divided? (1 Corinthians 1:10, 11, 13 HCSB)
So, as I think of what we as Christ followers are called to be, I am reminded once again of the words of Jesus who told us clearly to love one another as He has loved us (John 15:9). While Holi celebrates one day a year of love for everyone, Christ followers, in distinct contrast to a caste system which divides, live a life of love that changes everything about us as well as how we daily respond to those around us. I Corinthians 13 reminds us that no matter how religious we are or how busy we are or even how much we sacrifice, if we don't love, we are wasting our lives. God is love. Everything that happens to us has to be placed against the backdrop of God's love. What does that kind of love look like? The Cross!
So, next time you want to take part in something that makes you feel better about yourself, think about how much God loves you. It is because of His love that we can now love one another. That is reason to celebrate!
Pastor Trey Rhodes
For a comparison chart of Christianity to Hinduism, feel free to look at and download this Interfaith Evangelism Comparitive Belief Chart PDF from NAMB.
Here's What's Happening at Oceanside Church...
New Sermon Series - Spiritual Simplicity Every Sunday through June 2 at 10:30AM. Invite your friends, neighbors, fellow students, workmates, and family to hear these life changing messages at Mount Pleasant's best kept church secret, Oceanside. Connected people connect people!
Church Online Podcast Ministry - You can listen to Oceanside's messages 24/7 on the podcast. Also, a great way to introduce your friends to Oceanside Church. Thanks to out incredible AV ministers, the message is uploaded by Sunday afternoon. Join the nearly 6000 people who have listened to Oceanside's Church Online.
Exponential 2013 - Join Oceanside Church for a FREE Live Webcast from Orlando. We were just contacted and asked to simulcast Exponential 2013 for them at Oceanside Church.
The webcast features 25+ national leaders including Francis Chan, Rick Warren, Craig Groeschel, Randy Frazee, Dave Rhodes, and many, many more. Come when you can and experience this incredible opportunity together. It's the second best thing to actually being in Orlando.
Here's the Schedule:
Posted with Blogsy