January 16, 2010 ~ You Are the Guest of Honor

It is great when you allow God to fill you up until you overflow...

Today's Scripture:

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23:5-6

You are invited to a party, a surprise party. For whom? For you. Don't be too amazed. It is going to happen. The party will be thrown in your honor to show the whole world what kind of woman you really were in life. All the marvels of your great thoughts, words, and deeds will be shown for all to see and praise. Many people will be stunned to find out how much God thought of you, because some said your life didn't really amount to much. Nonetheless, God saw things no one else did, and that's why he is throwing the party.

It is going to happen, and the grand truth is expressed in Psalm 23. God will sit you down before all people from all nations, places, times, and races. He will serve you the best meal possible- filet mignon, swordfish steak, whatever you most like. He will anoint your head with a fine perfume, showing not only respect and love but the fact that you are royalty in his house.

God will fill your cup till it overflows.

Selah people' and friends you may wonder long and hard about when this will happen, but God assures his beloved saints in these verses the wonderful truth that he will never embraces you, put you down, or humiliate you before others when you get to heaven. Rather, he spreads his feast before you for you to enjoy. He even honors you in front of those who may not have liked or respected you. You will dwell in God's house forever.

"One day you will sit before all creation, and God himself will honor you. That is what he does for all his friends. Join me as we join Him...remember He wants you to be the guest of honor and I want each of us to share with others as our cup overflows."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

Selah Christian Church

Four Oaks, NC ~ http://selahchurch.com

January 15, 2010 ~ Have you had your Coffey this morning?

Run This Town (Christ Mix) - Not Jay-Z but artist: Coffey Anderson

www.icoffey.com

http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=c0027f034223c056f697&utm_source=newsletter011510&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weeklytopvideos

Join me in praising his holy name...Hope this lifts you up today!

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

Selah Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) ~ Web: http://selahchurch.com/

January 14, 2010 ~ Special Delivery

Have you received the Word that God has for you?

Today's Scripture:

The Word became a human and lived among us, we saw his glory - the glory that belongs to the only Son of the Father - and he was full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

The day God came to earth is much more than a sweet tale on which to base a holiday. It is a miracle of dynamic proportions, and John tells of the wonder of it all. God himself came to live with us on earth. That is the heart of the Christmas story. The God of the universe made his home here on earth so that people could better understand him, connect with him, and experience his kindness. The Word is God's most intimate, and informative, communication with those whom he created.

It is interesting that such a pivotal verse about Jesus does not even contain his name. That's because Word was a powerful symbol in both Greek philosophy and Jewish tradition. The Greeks referred to logos or Word as the creative force that brought the world into being. Everyone at that time understood that referring to Jesus as the Word was the same as calling him the eternal Creator.

Selah people' and friends if you're going to believe in this eternal Creator, you need to understand who he is. The biggest mistake people make about Jesus is to minimize either his deity or his humanity.

In his earthly life, Jesus was both fully God and fully human.

My pastor Rev Neil Wingfield shared as he was completing his full ordination the question was posed why we light the two candles on the alter at the beginning of the service? He shared that in all his time at Duke divinity school he could not remember that being taught. The answer lies in our message today...each candle represents Jesus one representing Jesus' humanity and the other His divinity. John emphasized this point as well throughout his entire Gospel. Although both the Old and New testaments are filled with important verses about Jesus, John 1:14 clearly states who Jesus is and what he wants to impart to you and to me.

"Jesus' humanity enabled him to relate to your human problems and sufferings on this earth, while his divinity gave him the power to help you overcome them. My prayer for each of us today is that we not only receive the Word but that we will truly receive the special gift of Jesus in our daily life."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

Selah Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Four Oaks, NC ~ http://selahchurch.com/

Visit our media site online 24/7/365 at: http://selahmedia.tripod.com/

Church blog: http://selahchurch.blogspot.com/

January 13, 2009 ~ American Idol or The One And Only...?

Have you given up on the God who rescued you?

Today's Scripture:

You must worship no other gods, but only the LORD, for he is a God who is passionate about His relationship with you.

Exodus 34:14

The Israelites saw God part the Red Sea and save them from captivity in Egypt. But soon afterward, they gave up on the God who'd rescued them. They chose to worship a golden calf instead. Brothers and sisters I ask you today in 2010 what is your golden calf? Is it money, clothing, gadgets? Is it your job, school or other people like your spouses, boyfriends or girlfriends? When Moses returned from receiving the Ten Commandments, he saw the Israelites - God's people - engaged in idolatry. Moses threw the tablets to the ground, shattering them just as the people had shattered God's first commandment - to worship only God.

God is a God of second chances, however. God gave Moses new tablets and reiterated his commands. Those commands are as important today as they were for the Israelites. Not because God is a strict disciplinarian who demands that you follow an arbitray list of rules "or else," but because God designed his commands to build relationship with him and with the people around you. Obeying God's commands helps you to love well.

Selah people' and friends the first commandment, that God alone is to be worshiped, is at the heart of them all. God doesn't ask for worship because His ego needs stroking. He asks it because worshipping him alone is the best thing that could happen to you. You don't have to kneel before a golden calf to worship idols.

An idol is anything for which you have a deeper devotion than for God.

An idol could be power, money, comfort, pleasure, even religion. I get some strange looks from people as a pastor when I tell them I am not a "religious" person, meaning I don't try to get tangled in denomination and driven by mere liturgy. Worshiping God above everything else keeps life in the proper perspective. God is passionate about His relationship with you. Worshiping Him alone helps you become more passionate about Him.

"Consider what's important in your life today. Weigh your relationship with God in light of everything else. Ask God to help you identify anything to which you give higher priority than getting to know him better. May you and I continue to grow spiritually in 2010 as we continue to walk with our Lord."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

Selah Christian Church

Four Oaks, NC ~ http://selahchurch.com/

Church Blog: http://selahchurch.blogspot.com/

Media site: http://selahmedia.tripod.com/

January 12, 2010 ~ Are You a Part Time Christian?

Are you looking for the easy way just wanting to be happy?

Link to video: WANTED: PART TIME CHRISTIAN ~ The Devil's Advocate

http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=c3694750e49affbf6e92&utm_source=newsletter011310&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weeklytopvideos

Friends I hope this video opens up your thinking about where you are at in your personal walk. Do you and your friends and family just want to be happy? Do you just want to talk about trivial things and not really commit to anything or anyone and truly love one another? God warns us about those who are just luke warm. Look at what you are really seeking and what true joy really looks and feels like. It is my hope that as we grow spiritually together in Christ we will come to be "all in" and not just "Part time"!

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

Selah Christan Church
Four Oaks, NC

http://selahchurch.com/

January 11, 2010 ~Sharing Your Strength

We can often help share our knowledge and make others better...

Today's Scripture:

I'm eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other.

Romans 1:12

God is not the only One with the power to bless. You, too, can build others up by showing them special favor, which is what a blessing really is. I see this each week as my brother Matthew and I get together to train hard in mixed martial arts. No we are not John Hackleman and Chuck Liddell but as we move from our cardio, strength training, to boxing and jiu jitsu we push each other way beyond where we could go alone. We are there for each other to support and encourage one another. One way we all can share such a blessing is through the gift of encouragement. Paul expressed his desire to share this valuable gift with other believers who lived in Rome. He'd never met them, and neither had any of the other apostles. But that didn't stop Paul from longing to comfort and strengthen others who shared his faith in God.

Paul's words are a practical example of God's love at work.

Love cannot exist in a vacuum. You have to share it.

When you encourage others by your loving example, actions, words, or prayers, you'll discover that your gift comes with a bonus. You will, in turn, be encouraged. In the Greek language, to encourage means both "to share your strength with others" as well as "to be mutually comforted." The more you take the opportunity to cheer on and support those around you, the more you'll experience the joy that love can bring.

Selah people' and friends God has used Paul's words and the example of his life to strengthen and inspire people for more than two thousand years. You never know when a simple word of encouragement or pat on the back for a friend or even a stranger will cause a ripple effect that will be felt throughout eternity. Put the principle behind Paul's words to the test today.

"God can turn your simple gift of encouragement into an Ultimate' blessing. Be encouraged, and act on what you've learned. Strengthen others by sharing how much they mean to you and to God."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

Selah Christian Church

Four Oaks, NC ~ Church Office: 919-689-3782

http://selahchurch.com/

Listen to sermon online via our media website 24/7/365:

http://selahmedia.tripod.com/

Daily devotion and blog:

http://selahchurch.blogspot.com/

January 10, 2010 ~ Missing The Mark

How close are you to hitting the mark?

Today's Scripture:

All have sinned; All fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet now God in His gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins.

Romans 3:23-24

As I remember from my days in high school track when one competes in the pole vault, we are focused on doing one thing - jumping higher than the mark where the bar has been set. Once you have Jumped, there can only be two outcomes. You either cleared the mark or fell short. If you failed in your attempt to clear the bar, whether you've missed by an inch or a foot doesn't matter. You stilled failed.

The same is true with sin. The Hebrew word for sin literally means "to miss the mark." Everyone sins by choosing to go his own way instead of God's way. Some people miss God's mark by an inch; others miss by a mile. How close you come doesn't matter. Close isn't close enough. The moral bar God has set for you to clear is a high one; it is so high that it's impossible to continually clear it on your own. A perfect, holy God can't embrace anything less than perfect. The good news is that this perfect and faultless God is also loving. That's why he provided a way for you to clear the bar more consistently, as well as a means for you to avoid penalty when you miss the mark.

Selah people' and friends it is important to recognize that everyone sins. Shift your focus to the future, not to the past. Because of Jesus, guilt and the fear of punishment no longer weigh you down. You are free to jump higher than ever before.

"When you miss the mark, ask for God's forgiveness, learn from your mistake, and keep moving forward."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

Selah Christian Church

Four Oaks, NC

http://selahchurch.com/

Listen to our weekly sermons via our media website 24/7/365:

http://selahmedia.tripod.com/