“Give Yourself to God”
Sunday, June 5, 2011
John 1:14-18, 3:16-18

Introduction: If I were to ask you, what is your favorite restaurant, how would you answer? For me, my favorite is Roy’s. Roy’s food is described as Hawaiin Fusion. It is some of the best fish dinners I have ever tasted. The sauces are really what makes the meal exquisite!!
Why is it that we like to go to restaurants? Of course, one reason is because we enjoy the food at that particular restaurant. But when you go to a restaurant it is also a nice experience because you are waited on by a waitress or a waiter; service is part of the experience.
Jesus challenged people by asking them to ‘follow Me.’ With this call people have a choice to make: will they follow Jesus or not? Part of the challenge of life is to figure out whom we are going to serve. Many people choose to not follow Jesus Christ because they don't want to have to serve anybody. But the truth is, we serve either God or Satan.

I. Serve God or Satan- (Luke 11:23; Ephesians 2:1-2; Joshua 24:15)

a. Gotta Serve Somebody- Back in 1979, world renowned song writer
Bob Dylan was playing around with being a Christian, and he wrote a very telling song called “Gotta Serve Somebody.” Let me give you a few of the lyrics from this song: He says,
You may be an ambassador to England or FranceYou may like to gamble, you might like to danceYou may be the heavyweight champion of the worldYou may be a socialite with a long string of pearls
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeedYou’re gonna have to serve somebodyWell, it may be the devil or it may be the LordBut you’re gonna have to serve somebody
You might be a rock ’n’ roll addict prancing on the stageYou might have drugs at your command, women in a cageYou may be a businessman or some high-degree thiefThey may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeedYou’re gonna have to serve somebodyWell, it may be the devil or it may be the LordBut you’re gonna have to serve somebody
Now Bob Dylan is not a theologian, but He did get it right when he said
that we will serve somebody, and the two choices are the devil and the Lord! How is this? If many people are doing their own thing, how are they serving the devil? In Luke 11:23, Jesus said: “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.” The one who does not support Jesus and walk with Jesus opposes Him.
You might argue that just because you don’t walk with Jesus means that you follow Satan. You might argue that You don’t make a visible choice to follow Satan. The truth is, there is the side for good (God’s side) and the side for evil (Satan’s side). The one who does not side with Christ and choose to be in battle with Christ against evil, is against Christ. Since Satan is the one who opposes Christ, then the person who makes this decision is inadvertently choosing Satan over Christ!!
b. Not serving God- Now, most people don't purposely serve Satan. Most
people don’t think: I’m going to be a Satan worshipper. I’m going to tell others about Satan and how they can follow him just like I do. But if you are not serving God, then Satan has control of your life even though you don't realize it. As we are told in Ephesians 2:1-2, "1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient."
The ‘kingdom of the air’ refers to Satan, the ruler of this world.
Satan is a deceiver. He would never come right out and say, ‘Come follow me’ as Jesus did. Satan knows that people would not outright follow him. Satan knows that people have to be led to think they are following themselves; making their own choices. So Satan makes the ‘things of the world’ look attractive. As we think about our sermon today, ‘Give yourself to God,’ we must realize that the first issue is who are we going to serve? The choice is there for us each day. In the Old Testament, Joshua saw the people struggling with this decision of whom to serve, so he sought to make his choice clear in Joshua 24:15; "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." I am thankful that Jesus Christ is my savior and Lord, and that I serve Him. I like Joshua choose each day to serve the Lord.

II. Following Our Selfish Desires- (Romans 6:12)
a. Our selfish nature- In Tyler’s baseball game a couple of weeks ago
our team started out great. We took a 14-3 lead on the other team! At the Juniors level (13-14 year-olds), they have a mercy rule that says if you are winning by 10 or more runs after 5 innings the game will end. Well, it was about 8:15p (and cold) when we started the bottom of the fifth. We had an 11 run lead. All we had to do was keep them from scoring and the game would be over. We put in a new pitcher, one whom we were trying to give some work to so that he would be ready for the upcoming tournament. He proceeded to walk 2 batters and hit another to load the bases. So here we were, there were 2 outs, but the bases were loaded. One more out and the game would be over; give up 2 runs and the game would continue. The next batter hit a ground ball to the first baseman……the first baseman took his eye off the ball and it went under his glove ……..it then went under the right fielders glove all the way to the fence!! Three runs scored. After that 2 more runs scored, but because the inning took so long the game was called because of time.
The error didn’t turn out to be as costly as it might have been, but it did cost us extra time and frustration. The pitcher was frustrated, the 2 kids that made the errors were frustrated, the rest of the team was frustrated since they had to stand out in the cold longer, and the coaches were frustrated. Hey, I bet if you asked him the umpire was probably frustrated that the game hadn’t ended there.
The truth is, we make errors like this in our lives all the time. More often than not we make these errors because we are not focusing on God, but rather we are focusing on our selfish nature. We are taking our eyes off of God and looking at what WE want to do. When we give in to our selfish nature, we are not giving ourselves over to God!
In Romans 6:12 the apostle Paul tells us: “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.” When we choose to look away from God, and don’t choose God in our decisions, then we are letting sin reign and we give in to our selfish desires.
b. Breaking away from our selfish nature- Let’s go back to the baseball
example. What could that kid have done differently? He could have first kept his eye on the ball, so that he could see it rolling along the dirt, then he would have known to keep his glove on the ground so that he could field it, and then run the ball over to first base to get the out. Who knows what he was thinking about, but it wasn’t about fielding the ball. Maybe he was scared it would bounce up and hit him, so he lost focus and made the error.
What can we do differently when we are challenged with our sinful, selfish nature? The apostle Paul has an answer for us in Romans 6:13, “Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.” We can keep our eyes on Jesus, offering all of ourselves to Him, who offers us life, and who bring to us His righteousness. With our eyes on Jesus we stay in the right position to make the right decision and keep ourselves away from sin.

III. Do I Want to Give Myself to God?- (John 1:14)
a. God took on flesh- The truth is, God has given Himself totally to us.
When God took on flesh in Jesus Christ, He came to live among us so that we might see who He is. As John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” When Jesus went to the cross and died for our sins, He gave us the ultimate gift; Himself. That is why we are told in John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
b. The Lord’s Prayer- The Lord’s Prayer is a wonderful prayer; full of
truth and grace; full of meaning and purpose. We say it every week, so I hope it hasn’t lost its meaning for you. So, I want to do something a little different, I want you to hear it sung. This version you will see is by Andrea Bocelli, a world renowned Tenor. There is a full orchestra and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing along with him. As you hear this song, I want you to let it bless you, and lift you to that place where you understand how important it is to ‘give yourself to God.’ Let’s listen to it… (http://www.angelfire.com/ak2/intelligencerreport/bocelli_lord_prayer.html).

Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine Is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Conclusion: Ask yourself the question: Do I want to give myself to God? I don't mean sometimes; I don't mean half-hearted. I mean really give yourself to God. To do this, you have to make God a priority.
Just like it is important to give of my time and energy to my kids and my wife, so I need to make my time, my energy, my efforts, and my possessions… God's. How I love others is a way to give myself to God. How I find ways to serve others is a way I give myself to God. Taking time to read the Bible or pray is how I give myself to God. The list could be endless, but each of us has to decide which of these ways we can and should give ourselves to God. We have to decide not to give in to our selfish desires, or follow Satan. So the challenge is: today, will you make a commitment to give
yourself to God? How will you do that? I hope you say “yes” tothis, and follow through with it throughout this week. Amen.

“How Busy is Too Busy?”
Psalm 46:1-11
Sunday, May 29, 2011

Introduction: Last Friday Tami and I got up for our ‘day off’ and proceeded to do some chores for the day, then we had a shopping errand to do, and back home for lunch. After lunch we did a little more work around the house. The next thing we knew it was time to go pick up the kids from school. We looked at each other and wondered where the time went. It seems like we are so good at filling up our schedules, even on my days off. Our lives are so full of activities, that it seems like we hardly have time to think a thought.
On the other hand, there are some who might just sit and watch TV all day, or sit in front of the computers without getting any kind of physical or social activity. Or there are those who are monks who spend their lives in monasteries. So the question I want to ask this week, is how busy is too busy? How do you know how much activity to put into your life, and how much rest you need? How do you know when you your life is unbalanced?
I think these are very important questions for us to look at and try to get a better handle on.

I. Mental, Physical and Emotional Exhaustion-

a. Schedule- The truth is, most people don’t think too much
about their schedules. For the most part, people just let their schedules come to them. If the kids have an event, they put it on the schedule. If someone wants to get together, they plan it without thinking twice. This is because much of what we do in essence gets planned for us: Girl Scouts, baseball, school events, church events, family events, and on it goes. There is so much that can fill up our schedules.
People’s schedules are so busy that families regularly eat meals out at fast food restaurants. There is no time to cook, so you just hit the McDonalds or Carl’s Jr. You pull in, get what you want, and then off you go. In fact, because of the busy schedule many people eat their meals in their cars while they are driving to the next event!
Because people see everyone else living in this way, they don’t think much about their busy schedule. It doesn’t seem right or wrong to them, it just is. All this busyness is actually creating undue stress in people’s lives. This stress is leading them to mental, physical, and/or emotional exhaustion. If you were to look up the definition of exhaustion, you would see words like: “drained, fatigued, weary, worn-out. People don’t know they are exhausted because they don’t stop to find out.
b. Why do we let ourselves get so busy?- Why do we let
ourselves get this busy? The first reason is because of poor time management. As I said before, most people let their schedules direct them, instead of them directing their schedules, Often times we do things that could maybe be delegated to others. Maybe you get up and make your kids breakfast, and pack their lunch, and make their beds. At some point, kids are old enough to do some of these tasks on their own. To do well at time management we also have to learn how to say “no” to those things that are not the best for us, or that will create undue busyness. There is an old proverb that says: “To accomplish more, do less.”
Second, we have fewer support structures. Some families might have grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. around them. These other family members in the past helped each other out. Maybe you couldn’t get off work to pick-up your child from school, so your mom or dad picked up your child for you. Without this support system, you are left to do more on your own.
Third, we buy into the expectations of others. Society as a whole is busy, and we buy into this thinking, allowing ourselves to get busy, seeing it as normal. EX. On your day off, instead of thinking about having some time of leisure, you might go to the amusement park in the morning, a movie in the afternoon, and then dinner at night.
Fourth, it is about making too many choices. EX. Think about a Thanksgiving dinner. You have so many choices of food. There is the turkey, potatoes, yams, jello, olives, salad, rolls, and on and on the choices go. You think to yourself, I’ll just have a little of everything. The next thing you know your plate is so full that you can’t eat it all without getting stuffed. But because you took the food, you feel like you have to eat it. And in the end, you make yourself sick by eating too much food./ This is how it is with our schedule, we do a little of everything, and the next thing we know, our schedule is overly stuffed!
Fifth, we are so overloaded and tired that we get less done. We waste time not being productive because we are too tired (mentally, physically, or both) to get ourselves working. EX. Think about a freeway. When a freeway gets past a certain number of cars that can travel smoothly on the freeway, the traffic slows down, maybe even getting jammed./ The same is true about our lives. When we exceed a certain amount of busyness, our brains get jammed.
c. Dealing with exhaustion- All of this leads us to become
exhausted. In fact, I’m exhausted just talking about it, much less having to live it!
We are exhausted mentally, because our minds are always thinking; always going; we are having to remember not only our own things, but things for our children as well. Our minds are always engaged in what we are doing, and even thinking about what we have to do next. We go, go, go, and our minds go, go, go.
We are physically exhausted, because we don’t allow ourselves to sit down. Sometimes I have to tell Tami to sit down for a moment and rest, because she is always needing to do something else around the house, or something else for the kids. Plus, with all the activities that are planned, you usually don’t get to your own needs into late in the day, and then you stay up late. Since you get less sleep, you find yourself physically tired from busyness and lack of sleep.
This all takes a toll on our emotions. Have you ever noticed that when you are tired you are less patient? More prone to anger? When you are tired you get frustrated more easily? This is because our emotions are worn thin, and we cannot keep our negative emotions under control.

II. How to Relax- (Exodus 31:12-13)
a. Getting it done today- We live our lives thinking that if we
don’t get it done today, then we might not get it done at all. Yet, there are very few things that fit into the category of “have to.” What we don’t get done today can surely get done tomorrow, or next week, or maybe it doesn’t need to be done at all. The truth is, most people know how to be busy, but they don’t know how to relax. Our bodies were not meant to have this kind of stress on them.
So what is the answer? The answer is that we need to learn how to relax and get rest. You are too busy if you can’t take time to relax.
The challenge for most people is that their work is never done; they
always have something they “should be doing.” Actually, we think there is something we ‘should’ be doing. I know I have this challenge in my job. My job is never done. There is always someone else I can visit, or another meeting I can plan, or another lesson I can write, or another book I should read. Most of us are like this; we always have something left undone.
Because of this, people have to give themselves permission to relax. They have to actually PLAN relaxing into their schedules. Sometimes Tami and I realize that we have been too busy, and so we won’t plan anything for my day off. We might sit down and watch a movie together. OR, we might sit down and take time to do a little reading. OR, we might go out for a leisurely lunch.
For others, relaxing might include gardening, or working out. The key is to know your body, and what will rejuvenate your body. What do you need to do to recharge your battery and increase your energy? What do you need to do to clear your mind?
Too busy is also when you don’t make time for your kids; or if you don’t have kids, too busy is when you don’t make time for your good friends. These important relationships need to be nurtured. If we don’t make time for them, then we will struggle in them. Instead of being a joy in our lives, as God has designed these relationships to be, they become stressful, because they are filled with guilt and conflict.
b. Time with God- Ultimately, too busy is when we don’t make
time for God. God created us to have a day of rest. But God also created us to have a Sabbath. An important part of our Sabbath Day (which for many is to be Sunday), is that we use time in this day to commune with God.
The idea of a Sabbath day is that it is about letting God create us all the more. It is about getting where God wants to be physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Sabbath reminds us that God created us, and that we don’t have to take care of everything ourselves. Sabbath is about learning how to trust God, and not thinking that you have to handle it all on your own.
The problem with our busyness is that we are too caught up in ourselves; we are too caught up in what we think WE are supposed to accomplish. When we throw ourselves into our work, or into an over busy schedule, we end up losing ourselves. Why? Because we are trying to create ourselves, but God has already created us. We need to learn how to understand who God created us to be.
In Exodus 31:12-13 we are not just told about the need for a Sabbath, we are reminded why we need this Sabbath rest. The passage says: “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites, You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.’”
This ‘rest’ time with God should actually be a daily event. If you are too busy to have some quiet time with God each day, then you are too busy. Illus. Often times when a shepherd is leading his sheep to the quiet waters so that they might get refreshment, the sheep will stop along the way and drink from the filthy, polluted pools. Of course, these pools are very unhealthy for the sheep. The shepherd has to literally LEAD them to the clean pools.
We too need this clean pool for refreshment, and that pool is God’s word. There is no better way than to start your day with a little quiet time with God and God’s word. This will be your strength to carry you through the day.

III. Change of lifestyle- (Psalm 46:1-11)
a. Learning to relax- I don’t know if you have ever had this
happen, but it has happened to me a number of times, and that is my getting sick when I take a vacation. Not only do I get overly busy sometimes, but I especially get busy right before a vacation. That is because I am trying to get my normal work done, but also the work that needs to be done while I am gone. Do you know what I’m talking about? You really have to do double-duty to get ready to go on a vacation.
On more than one occasion, once I start my vacation, and try and relax, I get sick. There is actually a term for this, it is called ‘leisure sickness.’ This happens to people who aren’t used to slowing down. So when they do slow down, they have an inability to transition from a working environment to a non-working environment. Thus in the letdown, their body is more susceptible to sickness. People might say, ‘If that is the case, then it is better for me not to rest.’
This is not true. Rather, we need to realize that we need to change our lifestyle so that our bodies learn how to relax. Once we do this, then we can relax without getting sick. God created us to work AND He created us to rest. Without rest we will fail to have the full and complete life God created us to have. That is why God made it a commandment from the beginning of time for us to rest. That is why God gave us the example of resting Himself, so that we might realize its importance.
b. What to do- Let’s take some time to think about what we
should do in our time of rest. Once we have given ourselves the permission to rest, and understood the need and importance of rest, we must learn how to rest. Resting isn’t necessarily about sitting in a chair and doing nothing, although you could do that. Sometimes we don’t do much at all, sometimes we do just a little, and sometimes we take a nap. But other times we can be active, and it still serves as rest.
Let’s use our scripture reading, Psalm 46, to help guide us in this. Psalm 46 is a beautiful psalm because of its close connection with the Sabbath theme. I’m not going to look at every verse, but a select few that will explain more of what rest and Sabbath are about.
The first part of the Psalm talks about God as a refuge in the midst of natural chaos. Let’s read verse 2: “We will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.” The author of this psalm looks to God as sovereign over the natural forces of creation. This connects with the first reason given to observe the Sabbath: because God has created the world. When we rest, we tend to reflect more on our life and God, and we remember that God is the creator of this world and our lives.
But then the psalm moves on to talk about God as a refuge in the midst of foreign enemies. Verse 6 says, “Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.” God is sovereign over creation, but he is also sovereign over nations; He is also over the uproar of our lives. God cannot help us work past the uproar if we don’t slow down and let God work. God cannot help us in our mental, physical, and emotion exhaustion, if we don’t take the time to release it to God. It isn’t until we slow down that we think about doing this.
Then comes the finale of the Psalm in verse 10. It reads: “Be still, and know that I am God.” ‘Be still.’ The word in Hebrew here definitely carries a sense of stillness, but it also carries a sense of stopping some activity that you are currently engaged in. That’s why the New American Standard Bible translates this, ‘Cease striving.’ It has to do with stopping whatever frantic activity you are engaged in. It is like a command. Another way to say this could be, ‘Stop all your crazy activity and just be.’ But do we know how to “just be?” That is a challenge.
These are the words we need to hear. Sabbath starts with stopping. Stopping the work that we do. Stop pretending we have it all together. Stop living by the cultures values. Stopping from the busyness of life. Sabbath starts when we stop.
c. The Life God Created for us- The truth is, Sabbath is
important for our living the life God created us to have. Sabbath is that weekly rest we need to have to help our bodies maintain a high standard of living. Sabbath is the time to stop and reflect on all that we are doing in our lives, and see where we have strayed, so that we might re-adjust to again follow God’s purpose.
Illus. When I went to Texas a couple of weeks ago, I didn’t have cell. phone reception, so I didn’t worry about my cell phone. I had internet access, but I didn’t access it that much. I didn’t know too many people there, so I was able to have a lot of down time; a lot of time of rest. I was able to rest my mind, my spirit, my body. I was able to reflect on my life, and think about what God is doing in and through my life.
When we are too busy, we don’t think about what we are doing. When we are too busy, we don’t stop and think about the life God created us to have. We are so concerned with getting every task done, that we don’t even worry about whether or not it is a task God even wants us to do. We can so easily get stuck in the routine of life, that we start doing things out of habit, and not because it is what we should be doing!

Conclusion: So how about you, are you too busy? Do you take time to relax? Do you make time for God and others? Do you honor the Sabbath Day and keep it holy? Do you take time for yourself? Have you even stopped long enough to think about being too busy? What do you do in your life that you think you ‘should’ do, but could either stop doing or delegate away? The truth is, most people are too busy. They just don’t know how to stop being too busy. Give yourself time to rest, relax, and have Sabbath time. Give yourself permission to slow down. Then God can do even more in and through your life. Amen.

“Where Did These Clouds Come From?”
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Romans 8:28-39

Introduction: Once a week I write a blog that I post on the internet. On my blog I write a short spiritual thought on some topic. In fact, I have a blog site; the internet address is: www.chrislogan.blogspot.com. One of the amazing aspects of the internet, and this blog, is that I have had hits from all over the world; literally. Romania, China, Spain, New Zealand, India, Mauritius (an island east of Africa), as well as most of the states in the United States.
I also have a way to track the hits I get on my blog through this stat counter service. On this stat counter it can tell me which blogs are receiving the most hits. So, I decided to take my top three visited blogs and expand them into sermons. This morning we will start with my blog “Where did these clouds come from?” Next week we will look at my blog “How busy is too busy?” And in two weeks we will interact with my blog “Give yourself to God.”
I believe that these blog/sermons will help us to be challenged, encouraged, and uplifted. I believe that they will move us to evaluate what is important, and how we can be committed and connected more to God. So let us get into today’s blog!

I. Experiencing Clouds- (Exodus 13:17-22)
a. My time in Pueblo West- When I lived in Pueblo West, Colorado, I
experienced clouds like I had never experienced in California. In Colorado, it could be clear at one moment, and then all of a sudden these clouds would come moving in, dark as could be, and start a rainstorm that would last for a while, and then go away. These clouds would come suddenly, without warning. I always wondered: "Where did these clouds come from?"
One of the reasons this was so odd for me, is that in California the clouds are more sparse. Really, they only come in fullness if there is going to be a rainstorm. Then the clouds gradually gather, pick up mass, get darker and darker, and then the rain starts to come. It isn’t a sudden occurrence, but rather a gradual one.
On top of this, the clouds in Colorado could be many different sizes and shapes. They could be big and puffy. They could be interspersed throughout the sky. They could be dark and foreboding. They could be of various shapes. It is a little difficult to explain, but they were very different in form and function than here in California. It was a great surprise for me to see how unique they really were, because I didn’t think much about clouds at all when I lived (and now again live) in California. It was only in my time in Colorado that I was really aware of the clouds, probably because of how sudden the rain could come.
As I talk about clouds it brings me back to the thought of how even when we were young we experienced clouds in a meaningful way. How many kids have lay down on the ground, looked up at the clouds, and tried to find shapes and figures in them? This is a typical game that kids play. The clouds are not experienced as the natural phenomenon that they are, but rather as a prop for a game.
Bible Illustration: In the Bible we see a story of how the clouds came suddenly upon the people. It is in the story of the Israelites, who were in slavery to the Egyptians. You know the story, but let me highlight it so that we can apply this aspect of experiencing clouds… The Israelites had been in slavery for many years, with seemingly no hope of escape. They were asked to perform hard labor day after day. Then along comes Moses, sent from God to rescue them. Through a series of miraculous events, culminating in the death of the Pharaoh’s son, the Pharaoh gives the Israelites permission to leave. But shortly after this, the Pharaoh changes his mind, not wanting to see his slave labor disappear. So the Pharaoh and his army pursue the Israelites. Of course this brings about great fear from the Israelites, believing that they will be killed by the Egyptian army. But God, not wanting the Israelites to doubt His presence, gives guidance to His people.
Let me read for you from Exodus 13:17-22, “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle. 19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.”20 After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 21 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.” The cloud came suddenly upon them showing how the Lord was there to guide them, and this cloud was there each day, until night would fall, and then a pillar of fire would come. How wonderful the cloud was for the Israelites!
b. The nature of clouds- We see that clouds have a nature. The
nature of the cloud for the Israelites was not for rain, but for guidance. Rain clouds have a nature as well. They not only bring darkness, by blocking the sun and the sky, but they also bring rain. This is important, since rain is good and needed. However, while rain is good for the earth, it can at times dampen our spirit, and make it difficult to accomplish what we might have planned to do.
There are many, who live in areas where it rains much of the time, and they battle depression. The lack of sun and the limited ability to do outside activities affects their minds in a negative way, and keeps them from enjoying life. Now there is no real proof that rain and depression go hand-in-hand, but it is true that experiencing the darkness that the rain clouds bring can indeed dampen ones spirit. The key is to seek God to give you freedom from these “dark clouds” in your life.
Another freeing thought is being able to look at the clouds in a different way. If we reframe how we see the clouds, seeing them as a powerful metaphor of Jesus’ return, then their presence will not have a negative affect. For example, in the Bible it talks about how when Jesus returns, He will return on the clouds. Listen to Luke 21:27, “At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Or as Psalm 18:9 tells us: “He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.” What a wonderful sight this will be. The sudden appearance of a cloud (even a dark cloud) will not bring gloom, but excitement that our Lord has returned to take us to heaven with Him!!


II. The Dark Clouds of Life- (Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 7:15, 24; 8:28; James 3:9)
a. The dark cloud of doubt- If you think about life, you realize that
we do have ‘dark clouds,’ and ‘rain clouds’ that enter into our lives. How often do the dark clouds suddenly appear in our lives? They come and darken our thinking for a time.
There is the dark cloud of doubt. When doubt comes into our minds, we do not see the hope of God; we do not see the promises of God. We do not see the wonderful outcomes that God has for us. What we see is the problem without a solution. What we see is our inability to solve the problem. What we see is that we are stuck in a situation that cannot be undone.
Illus of my doubt- Doubt usually comes when something doesn’t go right at first. I might start out believing I can do it, but if something starts to go wrong, then the doubt creeps in. As pastor of this church, there are many times this has happened. When we did ‘Return to Bethlehem’ a number of years ago, and I realized it would take about 50 people and a thousand dollars to pull it off; there was doubt. But we did it, and we did it well. Or when we started Alpha, and there was doubt whether or not people would come. But the people came. And on and on I could go. The doubt comes, and we don’t believe this plan God gives us can be lived out. We are told in Jeremiah 29:11, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” And also we read in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
b. There is also the dark cloud of anger- A second cloud that comes
into our lives is anger. Anger is a dark cloud because it takes us away from the person we are, and we become a person set on violence or harsh words. Anger clouds our minds because we do not concern ourselves with the person we are dealing with, or the situation at hand, but our focus is on our anger. Anger becomes the dominating factor. Anger often leads us to sin. That is why the Bible tells us, in several places, ‘don’t let your anger lead you to sin.’
Have you ever noticed how you are when you are angry? Do you notice the unkind words you say? Do you notice your lack of concern for that person you are angry with? Are you aware of how you aren’t focused on a solution, but rather on attacking that person you are angry with? Like rain coming out of a dark rain cloud, our angry words pour out of our mouth. As James 3:9 says: “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.”
c. Being unfocused- I could go on and on about the many different
forces that come into our minds and cloud our thinking…temptation, jealousy, greed, and on it goes. What happens when these forces come into our lives, is that they lead us to have the wrong priorities. Instead of seeking what God has designed for us, the plan God has for us, we are led to a different place; a place of unrest; a place where we will forever be unfulfilled.
We already struggle with sin as it is, and when we give ourselves over to these forces, we find ourselves lost in our sin. The apostle Paul talked about this struggle in Romans 7:15, where he says: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” There is Paul’s unfocussed mind seen in his not being able to understand why he is doing the sin he doesn’t want to do. And throughout Romans, chapter 7, Paul continues this discourse of frustration at his actions; at these dark clouds that are confusing his mind and leading him down the wrong path. He finally asks an important question in Romans 7:24, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?”

III. Dark Clouds can enlighten us- (Romans 7:25; Philippians 4:6-7; Ephesians 6:12; Psalm 73:1-3, 21-25)
Then he answers his own question in verse 25: “Thanks be to God, who
delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” What hope do we have? We have hope in the God who delivers us. God is seen time and time again in the Bible delivering His people. God is a God of power whom we can trust.
a. Why the clouds? But many have wondered, if God is a powerful
God, then why do these clouds come into our lives? Why doesn’t God just keep the clouds away? Going back to Romans 8:28, we see that this verse reminds us that God can and will work out all things for the good to those who trust Him.
So, the clouds help us to trust in God. Without the darkness of life, we would lose our trust in God. We do not really know that God is powerful until He works His power into our lives. We do not really believe that God is there for us until we see Him help us through a difficult situation. We cannot sense God’s presence until we experience God walking with us in a time of heartache and giving us the peace that surpasses all knowledge.
Trust is something that is earned. You do not just give your trust over to someone until you have seen in them that they are trustworthy. Maybe you give a little bit of trust, and you see that they are faithful, and then you trust a little more, and they continue to be faithful, and your trust increases more and more over time and experience. This is true of us and God as well. We give our trust over to God as we see God’s faithfulness at work in our lives. The clouds come, the struggle is upon us, we call out to God, God comes to help, and we overcome our trial. Our trust in God increases.
These dark clouds can also enlighten us. How often are we naïve at what this world might bring, and we walk around not understanding the forces that do exist in this world. Even though we are told in Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” While there are real flesh and blood struggles, they originate in the heavenly realm. That is why we must fight this battle with God at our side, calling upon the light of Christ to shine through the dark clouds of Satan.
b. Breaking through the clouds- The truth is, we can worry about the
evil that exists in the world, we can worry about these clouds that suddenly come into our lives, OR, we can take the advice of Paul, and live by these words from Philippians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and minds in Christ Jesus."
1. Prayer and petition- This baseball season we have had a
number of games rained out. We play every Saturday, and for while there it was raining every Friday! I would see the clouds come in, I would see that they were dark and foreboding, and I would start to worry that the game would be rained out. And sure enough three times this happened. And yet, the next day, when we didn’t play the game, we actually were able to have some family time, and the kids were able to do some homework, and we still enjoyed the day. When worry comes, Paul tells us we are to go to the Lord in prayer, and let God know what is worrying us. We are to give these concerns and worries over to God, and let God deal with them. We are to replace our worry with peace.
2. Thanksgiving- The other aspect that keeps us from letting
the dark clouds overwhelm us is THANKSGIVING. It has hard to keep our mind focused on being worried when we are thankful. Having a thankful mind means that we are dwelling on who God us, and on what God has done for us. Having a thankful mind helps us to remember the many times God has been there for us. Having a thankful mind leads us to that place where we understand who God is.
In Psalm 73, Asaph, who is the worship leader for King David’s court has too many worries. Asaph starts out with these words in Psalm 73:1-3, “Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” Asaph wasn’t being thankful, he was worrying about how the arrogant were being prosperous; and in essence how he wasn’t!
He goes on this way for a while until he realizes what this dark cloud is doing to his mind, and he says in verses 21-22, “When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, 22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.” He realizes that instead of trusting God, lifting his requests to God, or being thankful in God, he is all caught up in those who are not following God. They are a dark cloud over him.
What sets him straight? Listen to verse 23-25, “Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.” Do you hear the thankfulness in his words? He is thankful that God is by his right hand, offering him counsel, and giving to him what he desires. This thankful heart pushes away the cloud of darkness.

Conclusion: And so it is good to regularly evaluate: What are the clouds in my life? Where did they come from? What is their purpose? Am I giving myself over to God, and not worrying, knowing that God will work out good through them? You see, where the clouds came from doesn't matter, as much as why the clouds are there, and how God brings fruit from the clouds. God can help us overcome our dark clouds, and even bring growth and trust in our lives because of them. So, be strong in the Lord, and the clouds become a blessing, not a deterrent. Amen.

“The Rewards of Tithing”
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Leviticus 27:30-34; Proverbs 11:24-25

Introduction: Today we are going to talk about the giving of our money. Now I know that most people don’t like to talk about this, but the truth is, Jesus Christ said more about money than any other subject, because Jesus knows the pull on our hearts that money can have. Throughout the Bible there is a direct correlation between the development of a person’s character, and how they handle money. Seventeen of Jesus’ 38 parables dealt with our possessions and how we need to give them over to the Lord.
The key to giving is to have proper priorities in our lives. Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” This morning I want us to look at how when we have a generous heart, the whole of our life goes better. I want us to understand that our treasure needs to be in giving ourselves away to God, and to others. I want us to have a strong sense, that “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” I want us to discover together the rewards that come from tithing.

I. The Idea of Giving One-Tenth- (Malachi 3:10; Proverbs 3:9, 11:24-25
Leviticus 27:30-34)

a. Blessing from giving- For many, the concept that being a generous
giver brings rewards, does not make sense. They reject this idea because they feel that they struggle to have enough as it is. And yet, this could very well be the reason people worry about their finances and their financial security.
It has been estimated that over 50% of Americans are regularly having trouble paying their bills. Another 25% or so say that they frequently have this problem. So it is not a surprising topic to talk about people having worries over their finances.
The Bible tells us that no matter what our financial situation is, we are to give of what we have; we are to give from what has been given to us. The best known verse comes from Malachi 3:10, which says: “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’” Here we are given a promise from God that if we will be generous to His Kingdom and the work He has given us to do, then He will greatly bless us!
There are other places in scripture where we are given this same promise of God… Proverbs 3:9, “Honor the Lord with…the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled.” We are not to give what is leftover, but we are to give FIRST to the Lord. I have had conversations with people who believe that once their bills are paid, they then look at what they have left, and then maybe give 10% of that. But this is not what the Bible teaches us. When Tami and I make our budget, we set aside 10% of what we make, and give that to the church and the work of the Lord; the first fruits.
And listen again to the verses we just read from Proverbs 11:24-25, “One man gives freely, yet grows richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” While it doesn’t always make sense, there is a truth in scripture that teaches that the more generous we are, the more we will seem to have for ourselves.
b. Why is giving so troublesome?- Of all of God’s commandments,
tithing, or giving 10% of our money, is one of the most troublesome for people. Many people don’t want to admit that giving back to God is something that is required of us from God. Most people want to think that giving is an option; something that we can choose to do, or not.
From the time of Adam and Eve we see that it was required to give an offering. In Genesis 3 we see how Cain and Abel came to give their offering to God. But Cain came with an unwilling and hard heart. Thus his offering was not accepted by God. This only led him to become more angry. And when Abel’s offering was accepted, Cain decided to take it out on Abel by killing him.
Many people react the same way as Cain. Well, they may not go out and kill someone else in anger, but they are angry that they haven’t been given more by God, and so they choose to withhold their giving all the more. Then when God doesn’t bless them in the way they think He should, they get all the more angry over their situation, and it just compounds itself.
This idea of giving from the first fruits goes back to when God’s people were working the soil. When you take some of the fruit that you pick, and put it back into the land from the seeds of your gathering, the crops would spring back up the next year. In other words, the more they let slip through their fingers during the time of harvest, the more they would have in new crops the next year.
In the book of Leviticus, God makes a claim on what we produce, in Leviticus 27:30, 32 saying: “All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s…and all the tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal…shall be holy to the Lord.” People want to argue that this might have been true for a primitive society, but things are different and more complex today. I believe that God has set forth this basic truth of giving away, and receiving blessing. I believe it was true in the days of old, and it is still true today!
We should actually think of this as a law of God; the law of tithing. Gordon Groth, the former president of Electra Manufacturing Co., once said that he discovered that the people who learned how to tithe, didn’t stop once they had learned. One reason he discovered is that they were afraid to stop tithing, because their tithing had brought them increased material blessings that they believed would be discontinued if they stopped.
Now, we need to be careful not to give just because we think we will get lots of things because of our giving. We need to let our hearts be generous in our giving because we understand it to be a good and loving action. EX. Our children are learning how to be generous givers. And while we don’t give them a reward every time they give, we do remind them that they are never wanting for anything, and that through their generous attitudes, we as parents are all the more willing to bless them when the time is right.

II. Testimonies-
I would like to give you a couple of testimonies about generous giving…
a. William Volder- William Volker, the inventor of the roll-up window
shade, gave away enormous amounts of money. While still a comparatively young man, he was worth several million dollars. He and his wife decided they would keep one million dollars, and give away all above that amount. Their friends thought they had lost their minds. That is because most people don’t want to be generous in this way, and they don’t understand those who chose to be generous. In fact, one of his friends said to him: “I was sure you would end up in a pauper’s grave, but here you are, richer than ever, despite all the money you have been shoveling out for years.” Volker replied to him: “Yes, I have been shoveling it out, but God has been shoveling more of it right back to me, and God has a bigger shovel.” When we are generous, God is generous back to us!
b. Rick Warren- Many of you are familiar with Rick Warren, the pastor
of Saddleback Community Church. In fact, a few years ago we did their 40-days of purpose series for our church. He has written many books and is a speaker at many events. A few years ago Warren decided to stop taking a salary from the church and just live off his book royalties. On top of this, he chose to pay back all the salary that he had received from the church.
Why did he do this? There were a couple of reasons. First, he didn’t want to take money from the church that he believed could go to do more ministry for the church. Warren was concerned for the church to have enough money to do the work of the Lord; a work that is always growing. Second, he wanted to give generously from what had been given to him. Warren felt that God had blessed him abundantly, and that he wanted to return this blessing back to God’s Kingdom. So he made this choice to be generous in his giving in this way. Warren himself would tell you that it was the most wonderful decision he and his wife ever made.
c. Gallup survey- In a Gallup survey, 3 questions were asked about
people’s tithing habits. The first question asked: “Do you give one-tenth or more of your income to a church or charity?” The second question asked: “Do you know anyone who does give one-tenth to a church or charity?” And the third question was: “If your answer to the second question was yes, do these people who give one-tenth or more have serious financial problems or not?”
Most people are surprised at the results of this poll. To the first question 22% of the people interviewed said that they do give one-tenth or more of their income. To the second question it was discovered that 46% of the people interviewed knew someone who gave a tenth of their money away. But the third question was the key. Of those who knew of the financial situation of those who gave a tenth of their money, they said that 87% of the people they knew DID NOT have financial problems.
The conclusion is inescapable. Eighty seven percent of the people who tithed did not have financial problems. We see that the Biblical understanding of giving and rewards is played out here. The lack of money worries really comes when we give away, not when we try to hoard our money and possessions!
Now this doesn’t mean that we frivolously give away our money. God wants us to give it to His church, or to religious organizations that we know are doing the work of God. Those who foolishly give their money away do end up with money problems. We are called to be wise with how we give away our money.

III. Being Self-Controlled- (Judges 6:36-40)

a. Work into it- Let me help you understand how you can become more
self-controlled and capable of tithing. First of all you need to work into it. It is always difficult to move from giving a little, to giving a lot. You are not mentally ready to do this, and probably not physically and financially ready to do this. If you are at 1% now, then try to move up 1 or 2 percent each year.
As you work into it you will have to make some hard decisions. You will need to decide what you can cut out so that you can give away more. You may need to eat at home more, and eat out less (by the way, this will help you with eating more healthy too since fast food is generally unhealthy for you). You might have to decide on not buying the latest gadgets that are out there. So, decide what you can cut back on or do away with, and then move this money over to your giving.
b. Give it a fair test- Second, give it a fair test. Many people who choose
to start tithing give it at least a year, and then they evaluate it. To give it less than a year is not a long enough period of time to prove whether it works or not.
And even more, it can’t fully judge the truth of God’s law of tithing until you get to 10%. The term tithing is a term that means ten percent. It is okay to test God in this, since we are told by God in Malachi 3:10 to test Him. Even Gideon tested God in Judges 6:36-40, when God spoke to Gideon, and Gideon asked God to perform a miracle to prove who He was. After God did a miracle, Gideon tested the Lord with a fleece of wool. God allowed Gideon to test Him.
c. Set it in your budget- The last part of becoming a tither is that it is
best if you have a budget. Without a budget you will end up spending your money in ways of which you are not aware. It is too easy to spend your money, so a budget helps you to control and monitor your spending. One of the biggest reasons people don’t have money to give to the church, is because they don’t live within their means. A budget helps you to live within your means.
Once you have gotten to that level of 10%, you can then begin to see how God blesses your giving, and how God blesses your life through your giving. We really don’t see the full expanse of miracles from God happen until we reach this 10% level. One of the biggest miracles that I have seen in my life, is that I do not miss that 10% that I give away. I can honestly say that I have never wondered where the money went, or wished that I had it to spend on myself.
I remember the first job I had where I only got paid monthly. It was such a challenge to live the whole month on one paycheck. I would struggle to be able to keep from spending money along the way, so that I would have enough at the end of the month. Giving is this way as well. Our tithe must happen when the money first arrives. If you wait to the end of the month, then you will find that you don’t have the 10% to give. You will have spent it on something else.
d. Extra money- Some of you are like me, and can get extra money on
top of your normal check. Maybe it is a gift of money from someone. Maybe it is your tax refund. It could come from an inheritance that is received. For me it could also come from a wedding or a funeral that I do. Whatever it is, when that money is given to me, I set aside at least 10% of that money to give away.
e. Three results- If you become a tither, you will see 3 results. The first
result is that you will become more connected to your community. When you just come to church, but don’t really give much, then you feel a disconnect. But once you give generously of your money and your time, you will feel a part of what God is doing. When you hear of an improvement that is made, or a ministry that happened, you know that you were part of what made that happen through your giving.
On top of that, you will become a good example to others. When people see you as a cheerful giver, then they will be led to want to give more as well. When people see the blessing you have become, they want to be that blessing through their giving.
Second, you will see that in tithing, you are creating in yourself a financial discipline. The training that comes from setting aside 10% of your money, leads you to be a self-controlled person when it comes to managing your money. You will see that you are in control of your money, instead of your money controlling you! This control moves into all aspects of your finances and helps you to spend your money more wisely.
Third, is that joy will flow into your life. The truth is, it really is fun to give. It really is fun to bless others with your giving. You really feel better about yourself and about your life when you learn how to be generous. And because you are in control of your money, there is more money you have to give away.
The is an EXAMPLE of a man who was struggling financially. His friend encouraged him to start tithing, but he responded: “On the salary I’m making I can’t afford to give anything. I desperately need every cent!” A few years went by and he became a successful salesman. He mentioned to his friend about the money he was now making. His friend then said: “Wonderful, now you can afford to tithe.” You know what he said? “Are you crazy, give away $6,000!?” This man became estranged from his family, and is back to struggling financially.

Conclusion: Now not everyone who chooses not to tithe is miserable or struggling financially. But the truth is, giving and happiness go hand-in-hand. Tithers enjoy an enhanced reputation, greater determination, and the joy and delight in being freed from money worries.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus stated a fundamental truth of tithing. He said in Luke 6:38, “Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”
Evangelist Billy Graham often said: “I dare you to try and outgive God.”
The truth is, whether you have a lot of money, or a little money, God calls us to tithe. And in our tithing, God promises to provide for us and care for us. The challenge, the call, the command is there, we need to be generous tithers. And when we do, we will experience the rewards of our tithing. Amen.

“The Blessed Gift of God”
Genesis 21:1-7
Sunday, May 8, 2011

Introduction: Illus. "Closed for Business. Motherhood Out of Order." ...The Tardy Oxcart, Swindoll, p.397- In a cartoon there is a picture of a 3-year-old freckled-faced boy in a hallway. His pajamas are unsnapped, his diaper sagging, and he’s holding his teddy bear from his hand. He is standing in front of his mother and father’s bedroom door, which is shut. On the door is a sign, written by his mother, who is very tired, and the sign says: “Closed for Business. Motherhood Out of Order.”
Motherhood can be tiresome, exhausting, and wear on your nerves. But ask any mother (in maybe a not so tired moment) and she will tell you in a second that it is also joyful, rewarding, and an opportunity to share love that is unique and wonderful. This morning we celebrate mothers, but also give thanks to all those who take the time and energy to love the children in our world.

I. The Joy of childbirth- (Genesis 21:1-5)

a. Motherhood- READ story from internet called "Motherhood."
A while back I cam across this insightful story on the internet called “Motherhood.” I thought it was so fitting for Mother’s Day, that I wanted to take the time to read it to you……We are sitting at lunch when my friend casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family". "We're taking a survey," she says, half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?" "It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral. "I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations..." But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my friend trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes. I want to tell her that the physical wounds of childbearing will heal, but that becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable. I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die. I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a souffle' or her best crystal without a moment's hesitation. I feel I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of her discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right. I want my friend to know that everyday decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom. However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother. Looking at my attractive friend, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself. That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give it up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years - not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her children accomplish theirs. I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor. My friend's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks. I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child. I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic. I wish my friend could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving. I hope she will understand why I can think rationally about most issues, but become temporarily insane when I discuss the threat of nuclear war to my children's future. I want to describe to my friend the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real, it actually hurts. My friend's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I finally say. I reach across the table, squeeze my friend's hand and offer a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings. The blessed gift of God and that of being a Mother.
There is no greater blessing, no greater gift that God
can give to us, than that of a child.
b. Sarah gives birth- This is why we see Sarah, in Genesis 21, so thankful as God deals with her as He had promised, that she would give birth to a son. This is something that had concerned Sarah greatly, so much so that she and Abraham tried to fulfill this promise of God in their own way, through her servant maid Hagar. But the time finally came to Sarah that she would give birth to a son, and they would name him Isaac!
There are many women who are in the place Sarah was, longing to get pregnant, longing to have that opportunity to give birth. For many, it is something taken for granted, because either they don't desire this, or because it came so easily to them. But for those who have struggled to have children, when that child comes, there is no greater joy.
Genesis 21:3 says "Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son
whom Sarah bore him."

II. The Joy of a child's laughter- (Genesis 21:6)

a. A child's view- One of the things that causes me to laugh the most is to read the answers of children to various questions. Here is an example of some of the answers children gave to some historical events: READ "History Revisited," p.57, #121, 1001 Humorous Illus.
David was a Hebrew King in the Old Testament who was skilled at playing the liar.
The Greeks invented the Olympic Games where they hurled biscuits and threw the java.
Nero was a cruel tyrant who tortured his subjects by playing the fiddle to them.
The government of England was a limited mockery.
A great writer was John Milhon. He wrote “Paradise Lost.” Then his wife died and he wrote “Paradise Regained.”
Children are great to be around, because they enjoy life. They are carefree, and even if they get things wrong, they still do it with boldness, and oftentimes laughter. Children make us laugh (I know mine make me laugh)! Children bring energy to our lives(and keep us from being lazy). Children remind us of the innocence we are to have (and how to not take life too seriously).Children remind us of the simple faith and trust we are called to have in God (in fact, I was touched deeply when just a couple of weeks ago little Abby told me: “Jesus is in my heart!”).
b. The laughter of Sarah- When Sarah first heard that she was finally going to get pregnant and have a child, she laughed. She laughed at the thought of having a child at the age of 90. So God, in His sense of humor, told Abraham and Sarah that they would name their child Isaac, whose name means "he laughs."
Here in Genesis 21:6 we are told: "Now Sarah said, `God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.' "
Sarah new that there was not only to be laughter in the amazement of having a child at such an old age, but that the presence of a child would bring laughter as well. And what a wonderful thing laughter is in our world!

III. The Joy of a child's presence- (Genesis 21:7)

a. When You Thought I Wasn't Looking- It is easy in the midst of all our
energy spent, for us to forget not only the great call that caring for children is, but also the great joy that we receive from them, and bring to them. We know that we are to be an example to our children, but sometimes we forget to see the things they truly learn from us! One of the most touching readings I have come upon is one called "When You Thought I Wasn’t Looking"…..
“When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first
painting on the refrigerator,and I wanted to paint another one. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a stray cat, and I thought it was good to be kind to animals.When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me,and I knew that little things are special things. When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a prayer, and I believed that there was a God to talk to.When you thought I wasn't looking, I felt you kiss me goodnight, and I felt loved. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's alright to cry.When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.”. When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked....and I wanted to say thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.
Children do receive a great deal from us, most of it good. So we need to be careful what we do, and what we say, because they are looking, and they are noticing, and they are learning, and they are perceiving what we are doing!
b. Sarah's joy- You can hear the joy in Sarah's tone as she says to us in verse 7: "...`Who would ever had said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.' "
Sarah knows the blessing it is to have a child. Sarah knows the joy it is just to have a child's presence in their midst. But even more, Sarah knows that Isaac was to play a great role in the fulfillment of God's promise to her and Abraham. That through Isaac, there would be a great throng of people who would know God, and follow God, and serve God.
This is true of our children as well. They may not all be like Isaac from the Bible, but God has a special place for every child in this world. God has a special purpose for every child. You, as mothers, and even all of us adults, who have an opportunity, or who take the opportunity to reach out and love a child, guide a child, teach a child, challenge a child, support a child, helps them on the road to bringing more joy to this world and fulfilling their purpose.
I could not imagine Tami's and my life without the presence of our children. They take a lot of our time, energy, and love, but their mere presence is an incredible joy; an incredible blessing. The opportunities I have to encourage their creativity and playfulness, to help them in the growth of their faith and knowledge in God, to help them learn the important lessons of life, are the greatest blessings that I and Tami have in this life!
And now, we are god-parents to Sydney Garcia, and have a role to play in her life as well. You all fit the role of mother, father, grandmother, godparent, aunt, uncle, or church member. Each of these roles can include a place in a child’s life.

Conclusion: Charles Swindoll, a well known minister, speaker, author, wrote in his book "Strong Family" a list of "I Owe You's" every child should offer to their mother..............(...the Tardy Oxcart, p.396). Maybe one day you will hear it from your child, but whether or not you do, hear it now…..
I owe you—for your time. Day and night…I owe you—for your example. Consistent and dependable.
I owe you—for your support. Stimulating and challenging.
I owe you—for your humor. Sparky and quick…I owe you—for your counsel. Wise and quiet.
I owe you—for your humility. Genuine and gracious.
I owe you—for your hospitality. Smiling and warm…I owe you—for your insight. Keen and honest.
I owe you—for your flexibility. Patient and joyful.
I owe you—for your sacrifices. Numerous and quickly forgotten.
I owe you—for your faith. Solid and sure.
I owe you—for your hope. Ceaseless and indestructible...I owe you—for your love. Devoted and deep.
A mother may never hear these words from her child, but mothers that they are loved all the same, even when it is not said. Know you are appreciated even when it is not felt, and blessed, even when you are too weary to experience it. You may think that what you do goes unnoticed, but it is noticed in how your child behaves when they are not at home, and even more, it is noticed by God! May God bless all you mothers today, and may we say "thank you" to our own mothers whenever possible. Let your children always be seen as a blessed gift of God. Amen