"ReCovered" - an Advent message

Hello Friends,

Don't you just love the Christmas season? I do. I especially find meaningful the Advent emphasis of preparing for the celebration of our Savior's birth.

"Why Jesus Came" is our Advent theme at Royal Palm Church this season.  In this message, I invite you to open with me Isaiah 40:1-5 as I combine it with John 3:16-21 to remind us that Jesus came NOT to condemn the world but that the world might be "ReCovered."  In other words, Jesus came to make it possible for us to live, by faith, under the covering of our Heavenly Father.

The "Covering" is a highly important teaching from the Old Testament. In short, it provides believers with all of the privileges of being a child of our Eternal  Patriarch. With God's Covering we have no identity, no status. Without the Covering we are vulnerable.  I go into the teaching about the Covering in this message, but I get excited that Jesus came to give you and me, by his grace, this Covering.

Listen to what Holy Spirit will say to you in this message. And may God bless you as you respond to His Word.  And share this word if you find it helpful.

Merry Christmas, Kirk McCormick

“ReCovered”

Question:  Why did Jesus come? 

Answer: To Recover his own.

 ** To be “Recovered” =

Dictionary says:

"I'm Thankful for God" - a Thanksgiving Message

Hello friends,

Sometimes the simplest messages are the best.  Here is one that I think will bless you.

I am thankful for God. For far more than what he does for me, but simply for WHO he is.  Yet, because he is who he is, he is gracious and faithful to me in his actions toward me. To think about what life would be without God is one horrific thought.  I mean...imagine how our world would be different. (Setting aside the fact that our world would not exist apart from the existence of God.)

This is why I wrote this message.  I am thankful for God simply because of who he is.  And I hope that this simple message will be an encouragement to you. So as you listen, respond to the Lord with your own list of thanks.  He will love hearing from you...and you will be blessed just being in God's presence.

God bless, Kirk McCormick

“I am Thankful for God”

  

Thankful for God’s intervention.

1 Chronicles 16:23 – “Sing to the Lord, all the earth.  Tell of his salvation from day to day.”

Some Help for Parents

Hello Friends,

Is there a tougher job on Earth than being a parent?  Yet, also, is there a higher calling? 

I’m reminded of a story told to me by one of the moms in my church. She told me of a time when her 9-year old son was with her in the supermarket. He wanted some candy item and she told him, “No.” So like every normal child, he threw a huge tantrum, whaling at the top of his lungs about how much he “needed” that candy and how “unfair” it was that his older sister used to get candy but now he didn’t.  After some time he calmed down. Then came the zinger…

            Son: “Mom…I thought you just took a class at church on how to be a better mommy.”

            Mom: “That’s right, son, I did.”

            Son: “I have to tell…I don’t think it’s working.”

Somewhere between ages 2 and 25, in the opinion of most children, parents go from being complete idiots and dictators, filled with all sorts of sadistic and cruel motives that lead to power plays, to the wisest people in the world. In reality, parenting is a tough calling. There are some “manuals” one can read in preparation, but the fact is…it’s a “learn-as-you-go” profession. Since no two children are completely alike (even identical twins), no two children require the same parenting strategies. Yet, by the grace of God and some consistency in approach, our children usually do alright and become the persons God created them to be.

Families matter!...and the core of the family is (are) the parent(s).  The good news is that there is no perfect parent, so we don’t need to pretend we need to live up to that standard. The bad news is that there are no perfect children. After all, our children are by-products of our genes…so if we are not perfect, neither are they.  Yet God is able to overcome our shortcomings so that we might be a part of his marvelous process of raising the next generation of God-loving disciples. 

So what is God’s hope for those of us blessed to be parents or grandparents? After nearly 30 years of pastoral ministry and having raise (with my wife) three terrific children who are now adults walking with the Lord, I think I can summarize parenting in three basic rules (or goals):

Rule 1 – Love your children as God would love them.

That means sacrifice. It means expecting from them what God expects. It means sometimes saying, “yes” and sometimes saying, “no.” That means patience when they are trying us. It means being all of the things Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 13 simply because God says THAT is love.

Rule 2 – Train your child to be godly, not perfect.

Your child is NOT on earth to bring you glory, but to glorify God. So, keep your child’s life focused on godliness (which glorifies God) and not perfection (which glorifies YOU.) That means implementing a standard for living that God uses: the Bible. It means we (Christians) will be different from those who do not know or love God…and it means teaching them how to manage and embrace that difference. Thus, we teach our children God’s Word…and when using words is necessary, that works well, too. We teach them about “Law” and “Grace”…about fairness and responsibility…about forgiveness and confession.

Rule 3 – Never give up on God’s hopes and/or promises.

Even children can experience despair and disappointment.  Remind them day after day that God created them to be blessed with a future of “prosperity and hope.” (See Jeremiah 29:11).  That means giving our children a sense that their future is held in God’s hands. We place the hope of God’s promises deeply into their hearts so they will not only desire those blessings, but see us striving for them, too.

Parenting is, ultimately, not about “us.”  Parenting is all about Jesus Christ…who is IN us (as Godly parents), but also whom we know wants to use us to draw our children into his family.

My friends, though some believe February is the month we celebrate love, I believe May and June (i.e.: the months for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day) are the true “Love” months. As we celebrate mothers and fathers, we (hopefully) celebrate Love. For those blessed with godly parents, be thankful. For those who have blossoming children still at home…cultivate them well for God’s purposes. And remember what one wise 10-year old once said,

“You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it.

But if you mean it, you should say it a lot…People forget.”

"Yours, Mine, Our" - A Message from Haggai to the Church Today

I am so grateful to Dr. Jim Farley, the man God used to open my eyes to the love of Jesus Christ.  When I was still a young college student, Jim taught me and others in our youth fellowship the value of Biblical stewardship.  Ever since, I have tried to be a faithful steward of my time, talents and treasure.

One of the greatest challenges facing individual believers is in the area of money management... "stewardship", in the Bible.  This is why the vast majority of churches struggle from month to month to pay its bills.  Thanks to Jim, it was easy to become a committed tither when I was making pennies compared to what I make now.  In the church, we have fallen into the practice of using what God has given us to manage for our own gain. More often than naught, Christians give the Lord a tip at the end of a month. This is why, statistically, the average "christian" home gives 2.5% of it's income to charities, of which the church is one.

My hope for you is that the Lord can speak to you a challenge that, when you trust him completely, will be a joy to you, helpful to the Kingdom, and pleasing to God as we return to faithful steward. Haggai presents some ageless principles that, when applied to stewardship, help us to accomplish the aforementioned.

I'm praying: as you listen, my Holy Spirit speak clearly. Then, that you would respond faithfully.  May God bless you as you take seriously his Word. And if you find this helpful, share it with others.  Thanks!

Peace, Kirk McCormick

Haggai’s Principles Applied to Personal Stewardship

Principle 1 – God owns everything.

Haggai 2:8 – “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of hosts.”

Randy Alcorn (The Treasure Principle) - “We may try to divorce our faith and our finances; but God sees them as

"Jonah Finally Understands" - a message from Jonah 4

Jonah's book may have the most abrupt ending of any in the Bible.  It feels like the last line should be, "To Be Continued".  Yet, upon further study, we see how God says all he needs to say to Jonah to get Jonah up to speed concerning what the Lord is doing vis a vis Nineveh.

If you have ever asked yourself (or God) the question, "What is God doing?" or thought, "I do not understand what God is doing", then you'll be blessed by this message.  I have to confess... I do NOT always understand what God is doing or allowing, particularly when a situation is confusing or hurtful.  If you've ever felt that way, then you and Jonah have a lot in common.

My prayer is that Jesus will use this message in your life, and the Holy Spirit will speak clearly to you. We may not always understand at a given moment what God is doing, but He still has a word for us, even in THOSE moments.

May God bless you as you listen and respond to His Word. - Kirk McCormick

In this passage…God is saying to Jonah…

…Let me be God.

Jonah 4:4 – “But the Lord replied, ‘Have you any right to be angry?’”

Point:  We may not understand what God is doing – though we may

"Resent, Repent, Relent" - a message from Jonah 3

As we continue in our series from Jonah, God has just given Jonah a second chance.  (By the way, aren't you glad our God is so gracious and patient as to give second, third, fourth chances?!)  So Jonah accepts God's offer and makes his way to Ninevah. What happens then is marvelous.

In Jonah 3, we see Repentance revealed three ways.  It is revealed in Jonah's recommitment, Ninevah's regret and reversal of their ways, and in God's "relenting"...all three are rooted in the Biblical teaching on Repentance.

Below is an outline for this message. I hope Holy Spirit speaks to you through it. More importantly, I encourage you to respond as Holy Spirit leads.

God bless, Kirk McCormick

“Resent, Repent, Relent”

Jonah 3

** In Jonah 3, we see how Repentance is revealed Three Ways.

Way 1 – (Repentance Expressed when)

Jonah Recommits.

Point: Repentance is often a Change of priorities.

Jonah 3:3 – “Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh.”

Point: Repentance, when genuine, frees us to clean the slate so we can reconfigure our priorities according to God’s plan.

Way 2 – (Repentance Expressed when)

Nineveh Regrets and Reverses.

** Jonah recommits to God’s plan…he goes to Nineveh and preaches…

…the king hears the message (v. 6)

⁶ When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne,

A Word about the Election

Hello friends,

Let’s talk about the Election for a bit!…

…not the process by which we chose a new president or governmental official. Most of us are likely tired of that and all of the edifying commercials that go along with it.  No, I’m talking about THE Election…the one that matters most – where God chooses those who will forever be with him in eternity. The Election which cannot be earned, but is a gift from our Compassionate and Loving Lord.

There was a school-aged boy who was not very athletic. In fact, he was outright clumsy and awkward. The jocks called him such endearing terms as, “Dork”, “Nerd” or “NARP” (Non-athletic, retarded person). When teams were chosen during recess he was always the last to be chosen, and then reluctantly with, “I guess we’re stuck with him.” His contemporaries made fun of him because even the girls were chosen ahead of him…that is, until one day when the captain of the school football team, who was also the homecoming king, chose this boy first!  The contemporaries were shocked. Those who had ridiculed the boy were confronted with the reality that the greatest athlete in the school chose the clumsy and awkward one first. Regardless of the boy’s lack of athletic prowess, he was given a new esteem and status by the captain, though the choice made no earthly sense. Why was he chosen first by the best athlete and most popular boy of the school? Because they were brothers…and the picker loved his brother.

When God was choosing Israel to be his people, he didn’t choose them because they were the biggest nation or people who lived in the richest land and had the most powerful army. God chose out of his love for Israel.

“It was not because you were more numerous than any other people that the LORD set his heart on you and chose you – for you were the fewest of all peoples. It was because the LORD loved you.”

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 (NRSV)

Election…God’s sovereign right to chose whomever he chooses.  It has nothing to do with our ability to perform. Nor does it pertain to popularity. Nor is God impressed so much with our possessions that he wants to be close to us.  God loves us, so he chooses us before we are even born, even if others think we are losers; even if it makes no earthly sense.

A common question, when it comes to Election, is, “Why does God not allow anyone or everyone to enter his kingdom?” The short answer is, “We do not know.”  Yet, I do not believe, as some “double-predestination” advocates do, that God creates some with the purpose of sending them to Hell.  After all, 2 Peter 3:9b says, “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” No…the Bible does not enlighten us to all of the truths about predestination and Election. Perhaps someday we’ll know.

For now, though, what comfort there is in His Election for those who would say, “Yes” to God’s blessing of salvation. Paul reminds us in his letter to the believers in Ephesus (emphasis added) –

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and

without fault in his eyes.” (New Living Translation)

Election…how comforting to know that I belong to God simply because he selected me. Along with millions of others, yet out of millions of others God chose me!  And for what purpose did God choose me and you?  Jesus gives us insight in John 15:16 (emphasis added) –

“You didn’t choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit,

fruit that won’t spoil.”  (The Message Translation)

In short, God choses us to be his people on earth as a preview of what we’ll be as his people in heaven. And too often we miss the blessings of being his people when we do not ask God for healings, wisdom, or any other “miracle” he would offer. While on earth, we “bear fruit”…we live in a way to have an impact on eternity.  We do this by living a “Kingdom Lifestyle” now.

The Kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our God and of his Christ.

And He shall reign forever and forever King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

So go the inspiring words of George Frideric Handel, in his familiar and epic offering, The Hallelujah Chorus. This tune, though, is far more than a Christmas favorite. It reminds us that the kingdom of God is here on earth because God is sovereign over all of his creation. It’s true, “He shall reign King of Kings and Lord of Lords” … yet, He already is!  Our privilege is to live it with him, asking Jesus to be the Lord of our daily lives. This is the privilege of the Elect.

“We love because he first loved us.”

1 John 4:19

“Election”…it’s not a bad word, and it doesn’t need to raise the hair on your neck. It’s God’s word that defines who we are as those who belong to God, never to be taken from him.  It gives us the assurance that “nothing can ever separate us from God’s love” (Romans 8:39.) 

So let's pray for the process of electing new government officials, yes.  But let’s also be the Elect, living the kingdom now! And let’s invite others to enjoy God with us, especially as Thanksgiving and Christmas approach. Discover anew his love for you and the kingdom power of his presence because you are in him.

God bless you, Kirk McCormick