Perry’s Scope: Christian sermons, lessons, and resources for teachers

Consider these actions of Jesus:”22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:22-24).

I recently read of how our Adversary uses our reactive nature against us. He wants us to feel sorry for ourselves when we have been “slighted” or “hurt” so that we will lash out to express our pain. To combat him, we need to do the opposite of what our pride tells us to do.

Consider some practical “holy opposites” to do when we are tempted.

• Instead of yelling, we speak softly.
• Instead of cursing, we compliment.
• Instead of taking, we give.
• Instead of worrying, we act in faith.
• Instead of fearing, we summon courage.
• Instead of seeking revenge, we offer forgiveness.
• Instead of blaming, we become accountable.
• Instead of complaining, we start appreciating.
• Instead of criticizing others, we look for the good in them.
• Instead of listing reasons why life is so unfair, we count our blessings.

By no means are these easy things to do. Yet, they follow Jesus’ example and teachings - going the second mile; turning the other cheek; etc. It is right to do them.

Keep The Light Burning!

Perry Greene

A woman walked into her bathroom at home. As she did, she saw her husband weighing himself on the scales, sucking in his stomach. The woman thought to herself, “He thinks that he will weigh less by sucking in his stomach.” So, the woman sarcastically said to her husband, “That’s not going to help.” Her husband said, “Sure it will. It’s the only way I can see the numbers.”

For Americans, the number one New Year’s resolution is - to lose weight. It is important to be healthy physically and also spiritually. John wrote, “ Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul” (3 John 2). We need “health” in every aspect of our lives.

The month of January was named after the Roman god, Janus. He was pictured as a man with two faces, one looking backward and the other forward. New Year’s Day provides a valuable time to reflect on the past while anticipating the future. As 2008 ends and 2009 begins, take a few minutes to think of where you have been and where you want to go. Then make definite, prayerful plans to get there. Don’t stop in the planning stage - follow through and do what you planned. You will be amazed at how much you will accomplish in 2009.

Keep The Light Burning!

Perry Greene

 Who told us . . . .

• That we are supposed to be comfortable as followers of Jesus? (See Matthew 8:20)
• That following Jesus is easy? (See Luke 9:23)
• That following Jesus is “free”? (See Luke 14:28)
• That following Jesus is a matter of our convenience? (See Matthew 19:16-22)
• That worship is the end result? (See Matthew 28:18-20)
• That tradition is more important than scripture? (See Matthew 15:8-9)

It is easy to buy into a false concept of an easy faith. This is especially true in places where “going to church” is normal behavior. Yet, as we read the above verses we see that following Jesus is not, nor was it ever intended to be “easy.”

It was not easy for Jesus to leave heaven. It was not easy for Jesus to empty himself of his “God-ness.” It certainly was not easy for him to endure the crucifixion and separation from his eternal Father. Yet, he endured all of this and more for our sakes.

Since the “servant is not above the master,” why do I think I will have it easy? Why do I think that all of the pieces will easily fall together for me? Why is it that I think I can give minimal effort and get maximum results?

It is not an easy road that we have chosen. HOWEVER, in the long run it pays off with a God-honoring life now and in eternity. Remember that this great reward requires nothing less than our greatest effort (see Matthew 22:37-39).

Keep The Light Burning!

Perry Greene

Have you ever thought about what our society would be without the influence of the Bible? Imagine a country with no compassion. Imagine a nation filled with people who only care about themselves.

Many organizations exist in the US because of the influence of the Bible. There are hospitals and benevolent organizations that exist for the legitimate care of others. Our military goes throughout the world with the latest, greatest weapons and display the hearts of servants, not conquerors. Even common (or maybe uncommon) courtesy is practiced because of the Bible.

When the Communists took over Russia, one of the first things they did was to prohibit churches from helping people - that was the government’s job. Churches slowly dried up and that society lost any Bible influence. Misery followed.

What would our nation be without the influence of scripture? What would our laws be like? How would we treat others? Whether we think of great multi-million dollar enterprises or simple acts of kindness, we are a better nation when the Bible impacts us - even subtly. No wonder Satan has been working so hard to remove it from our families, schools, courts, and society.

We may be the only “Bibles” some people see. We have a great opportunity to be salt and light for others. Let’s let the words of God influence our world through us!

Keep The Light Burning!

Perry Greene

“Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God. 34And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines” (Genesis 21:33-34).

Abraham and Abimelech make a covenant. As soon as they do, Abraham plants a tamarisk tree. He then lives in their land for a long time. Perhaps it was here that Isaac was born.

The Tamarisk tree is a hearty tree which is well suited for the desert climate. Its trunk grows about 12 inches every 500 years.  It provides shade for travelers as it grows slowly in the desert. But, why do you suppose Abraham chose this tree to plant?

Perhaps one of the things that Abraham intended was to use the tree as a symbol of the “everlasting God” and of the oath between the Philistines and himself. This slow growing hard wood would last for generations. People would see the tree and remember their covenant and Abraham’s God.

Perhaps Abraham leaves his legacy in the tree and his son. God had made a covenant with him that involved many years to come to completion. It was a covenant that involved blessings for others. We know that Messiah would come through Abraham to bless the world. It was not a short-term event; it took generations before the fullness of time came.

The covenant God has made with us is not an overnight process. The development of fruit in this covenant in our lives takes time. The good news is that it lasts for years. What seeds are we planting?

Keep The Light Burning!

Perry Greene

I remember shortly after my conversion, reading a verse that caused me some confusion.  It said, “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”  (Titus 2.14, KJV, emphasis added).  I thought calling us “peculiar people” was peculiar in itself.  The newer versions of the Bible clarify the issue.  The idea is that we are uniquely God’s people.

We do not live by the world’s standards.  So, to the world, we may appear to be odd, but we are uniquely God’s.  He has always intended for his people to be different from the world in which they live.  Jesus says that we are “salt and light.”  Paul said that we shine like stars in the universe.

One of the great stories that illustrates, “Daring to be Different,” is that of the young man Daniel.  Daniel and his friends found themselves in Babylonian captivity.  They had choices as how they would act in a difficult setting.  Daniel made up his mind to honor God with his life.  He took all of the risks associated with being different, including putting his life on the line.

Every day we have opportunities to stand up and stand out for God.  Let’s Dare to Be Different!  Let’s honor him who blesses us.

Keep The Light Burning!

Perry Greene

  We often appeal to the congregation to be involved in various activities of the kingdom of God.  Many times these appeals fall on deaf or weary ears.  Perhaps a story will help explain our purpose in inviting the church to participate in God’s work.

A dentist in the National Guard sued the US Government when they called him up to serve during Desert Storm.  His reasons were: 

• He might be killed
• He would lose business if the war escalated

When asked why he joined the Guard he gave three reasons.  First, he liked to play soldier.  Second, he (and his wife) liked his uniform.  Third, he liked the benefits.

Does the dentist sound familiar?  Many Christians like to play “Weekend Warrior” on Sunday, but don’t want to fight the good fight daily (2 Timothy 4:7).  Many Christians want to wear the look of Christianity without paying the price of discipleship (Galatians 3:27).  Many Christians want the crown (the benefits) without the cross (Luke 9:23).

We are a volunteer army.  We serve under the Supreme Commander.  Where is He leading us?  Are we willing to follow?  Will we pay the price?

Keep The Light Burning!

Perry Greene

Yesterday was a depressing day for me — and many other Americans. To have elected a Socialist/Facist to the highest office in our land is detestable in my opinion. Mr. Obama stands for everything that America traditionally has opposed. He certainly embraces things that Christians cannot — right?

Obama is not THE Anti-Christ. He, however, is one of many that have come along through the years. He and his followers are in opposition to what Christian churches SAY they are about. Obama-ites embrace the murder of partially born infants; the right of Gays to marry; and other “basic” beliefs that the Bible opposes.

How long before post-birth infants will be sacrificed to Molech? How long before those handicapped people who are a burden on society will be put out of our misery? How long before churches will be silenced legally from teaching the values of the scriptures in the land of free speech?

It is my humble opinion that we are headed for pain as a nation. Hear the words of 1 Samuel 12:13-15, ” Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for; see, the LORD has set a king over you.  If you fear the LORD and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God-good!  But if you do not obey the LORD, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.”

It sounds like Israel got what they asked for. We know that later they regretted getting their way. We know they went through great trials because they refused to hear God (”hear” means not only listening to his words but obeying them). They embraced foreign gods — sometimes in addition to YHWH. As a result they found themselves in dark circumstances.

America was founded upon the desire to worship the living God in freedom. It was not started so people could get rich.  People did not flock to our shores to establish an empire to rule the world. People came for freedom. They came for the freedom to worship; the freedom to speak; the freedom to write; the freedom to become who God made them.

Tyrants through the years have tried to take that freedom. Even the glorified Abraham Lincoln bypassed the Constitution and shut down newspapers who did not support his points of view. No doubt it will be tried again.

Obama and his masses will soon be in power. They will attempt to cram down the throats of America their evil agendas. They will oppose the Bible. They will oppose Jesus and be “Ant-Christ.” But there is always hope.

This scenario is exactly the world in which the church began. We have seen it before. The Caesars of old had no regard for God. They had no regard for life. They had no regard for morality. It was said of Julius Caesar that he was “every woman’s man and every man’s woman.” That was and this is the world to which Jesus came. There is hope.

When Americans feel the pinch, and we will, churches can provide the direction people will be craving. Christ once came back out of the depths of our sins. He will come again.

My appeal to Christians is from Ephesians 6:10 — “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” We will be persecuted. Stand strong. We will be opposed. Rest in HIS power. They day will come when the church will once again flourish. The day will come when Americans will remember their roots. We cannot let them be cut off or pulled up.

In the pagan first century God’s kingdom spread throughout the Roman empire and beyond. Rome feared those disciples of Jesus — not because of their military might; not because of their wealth; not because of their educational systems. They feared them because of their numbers and their faith. In the midst of persecution, at risk for their lives, thousands became followers of the Son of God. Thousands denounced Caesar as a god. Thousands upheld the true God.

I had a conversation with Dr. Greg Frizzell of the Oklahoma Baptist Convention yesterday. He told me that 10% of India now claims to be Christian (of various denominations). That is 100 million people! More than that, that 10% has not only decided to follow Jesus but the vast majority of them are willing to die for their faith.

Dr. Frizzell also told me about Chinese Christians. The church in China is pretty much underground because of persecutions. Yet, those Christians have a burden for the lukewarm church in America and are sending missionaries to help us rekindle the fire of God in our lives.

Revival (maybe resurrection) is coming to our churches! Be ready. Be strong.

Keep The Light Burning!

Perry Greene

While we still have the right to freedom of speech, I thought I would express some concerns about the election of Obama. This is the clearest example yet of how liberal, permissive education has influenced the minds of seemingly intelligent people. This educational system has “dumbed down” Americans by rewriting and diluting history so that we are unaware of what really happened in the past so that we do not prepare for the future. As others have eloquently stated we will repeat the mistakes of the past if we don’t learn from them. How can we avoid the mistakes if we do not know the true history?

I watched America vote in an unworthy President. He is a pseudo Christian. He is a Marxist at his core and will no doubt bring about change. This change will not be to the liking of Americans once it has been revealed, but it will be too late. The government will become Big Brother. We will join in the quest for a one world government - officially. We will lose our freedoms one by one. Like sheep being led to slaughter Americans will not open their mouths.

The principles on which our country flourished are gone. Who was it that said that America was great because America was good; when America stops being good she will stop being great? The acceptance of partial-birth abortion, if nothing else, shows that we have stopped being good - as a nation. God puts before us two paths - life and death and urges us to choose life. Obama, the Democrats (in general), and the spoiled rotten, self-centered, immoral Americans choose the death of the innocents over life. With the choice of life and death also comes the promise of blessing and cursing. Life (God’s ways) brings blessing; death brings the curse. Get ready to endure the punishment for our sins.

This morning I wondered what our founding fathers would have thought of the election. At first I thought the typical things - “They are rolling over in their graves, etc.” Then I thought a little more. I doubt they would be surprised at what happened the last few weeks. They were BRILLIANT men. They were vastly superior to the minds that are currently running our country. They knew that when a republic learns to vote itself money it will die. They knew that politics is a corrupt business and that power corrupts the otherwise good intentions of people. It was Thomas Jefferson who advocated a revolution every hundred years or so. We are behind schedule on that one.

I imagine our forefathers knew this would happen. They knew the struggle between “states rights” and a strong centralized government. Both have good points but a Federal government that imposes its power on its people was not the intention of the Fathers. In fact, it is my humble opinion that the founders did not want an overpowering central government. They had come out of a tyrannical empire with centralized power in its king. They did not want to establish another empire. They wanted a country where FREEDOM reigned, not a king or president. They were wiser, smarter, sacrificial, and far better people than we are today.

Before the American Civil War (the War of Rebellion - that revolution Jefferson spoke of; or War of Northern Aggression, depending on your perspective) the United States was spoken of in the plural. “The United States are. . . ” After the War, it was spoken of in the singular, “The United States is. . . . ” Like it or not, the founders saw America as a confederation of small countries with a loose Federal control. The STATE was the powerful agency of rule. When men joined the military prior to 1861 they took an oath of allegiance to their state first, then to the US. That is why Robert E. Lee was in such turmoil over his decision whether or not to accept the command of the Federal Army. I think he loved the US but his first loyalty was to Virginia - according to his oath. He was an honorable man and stood by his word, even though he had great angst about it.

What has transpired in this country is a tragedy. The America we pledged our allegiance to is gone with the wind. Obama may have been right to not salute the flag or pledge his allegiance because his allegiance is not with America, the great country of long ago. His allegiance is elsewhere. His allegiance is to a form of government that the founders would oppose.

Fly your flag at half staff, America has died.

Thank you for enduring my ramblings — it is a sad, sad day.

 A Rabbi in Jesus day said, “If all you teach your children is that they must believe in God, you are the worst of heretics. The correct way is not only to teach that they must believe in God; but with equal passion that God believes in them.”

Normally, when covenants were made, both parties kept a copy. When God made a covenant with Israel, he gave Moses both tablets of the Ten Commandments. He showed his faith in the Hebrews by giving them the copies.

Does it shock you to think that the God of heaven has faith - us? With all of our “warts” and wants, God has given to us great treasures (Matthew 13:44; 2 Corinthians 4:7). He has entrusted us with:

• The Gospel (Matthew 28:18-20)
• His word (Romans 3:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:15)
• Forgiveness (John 20:23)
• Each other’s souls - Hebrews 13:17
• And more

God believes in YOU and ME! He believes that we will do right things. He believes we will be his people in the world in which we live. Sometimes we disappoint him but he keeps on believing that we will be lights and salt.

We understand why we need to believe God. We NEED his direction. When he leads, we must follow. However, it is quite another thing to see how much God believes in US. How does it feel to join the ranks of the great heroes of the Bible whom God trusted with resources and people to accomplish his will?

Keep The Light Burning!

Perry Greene