Good morning. It’s nice to have so many visitors today. We’re glad you’re here. Our text this morning is found in Ephesians 6: 10-20. The great Apostle Paul wrote it from prison where he was waiting to be martyred. He concluded his letter to the early believers in Ephesus with the following.

10 Last of all I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand safe against all strategies and tricks of Satan. 12 For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world. 13 So use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will still be standing up. 14 But to do this, you will need the strong belt of truth and the breastplate of God’s approval. 15 Wear shoes that are able to speed you on as you preach the Good News of peace with God. 16 In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. 17 And you will need the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the Word of God. 18 Pray all the time. Ask God for anything in line with the Holy Spirit’s wishes. Plead with him, reminding him of your needs, and keep praying earnestly for all Christians everywhere. 19 Pray for me, too, and ask God to give me the right words as I boldly tell others about the Lord and as I explain to them that his salvation is for the Gentiles too. 20 I am in chains now for preaching this message from God. But pray that I will keep on speaking out boldly for him even here in prison, as I should. Ephesians 6:10-20 (TLB)

This morning I’m going to make several statements that appear to be contradictory. I assure you they aren’t. For starters the following is how I feel at the moment. I’m feeling happy and sad. I’m happier today than I have been all of my yesterdays. I’m more sorrowful today than I have been in my entire life. What do you think? Are you confused? Do those statement’s make sense to you? Before I explain let’s consider what the greatest Teacher the world has ever been blessed by and how Jesus utilized this method to communicate spiritual truth. For instance, do the following Bible verses sound familiar?

16 So the last will be first, and the first last.” Matthew 20:16 (ESV)

35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 9:35 (ESV)

30 And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” Luke 13:30 (ESV)

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, Revelation 1:17 (ESV)

13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:13 (ESV)

24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. Luke 9:24 (ESV)

35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. Mark 8:35 (ESV)

These statements are paradoxes and there are many others in the bible. To refresh our memory a paradox is defined as being a statement or group of statements that lead to a contradiction or a situation which (if true) defies logic or reason. Now let’s return to mine. I’m feeling happy and sad. In fact, I’m happier today than I have been all of my yesterdays. I’m more sorrowful today than I have been in my entire life.
In fact, I’m filled with happiness. My sadness is overflowing. Actually, I’m overflowing with love at this moment. I’m also bursting at the seams with hatred.

I assure you I mean every word I just said. How can I not be overflowing with love? It’s impossible if I believe the scriptures. For instance,

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (ESV)

27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. John 16:27 (ESV)

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (ESV)

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— Ephesians 2:4-5 (ESV)

1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1 (ESV)

9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 1 John 4:9 (ESV)

16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 1 John 4:16 (ESV)

I bombard myself with verses such as those every day. I’m feeling happy because most of you folks believe in the Sovereignty of God which means that He is in complete control of everything, all of the good and the bad that is happening in this world. I’m happy with the way most of you folks handle your divinely ordained challengers. I’m happy that most of you are wonderful witnesses to the strength of the Spirit of Christ living within you. I’m happy because of the faithfulness of God who continues to bless me in so many ways through the sacrificial love of folks such as you. I could go on and on with why I’m feeling happy but then there wouldn’t be enough time to tell you some of the reasons why I’m feeling sad.

I’m sad because of the seemingly never ending painful experiences some of you are enduring. It breaks my heart to see you suffer. As I mentioned previously, I’m sad whenever a person you love gets hooked on drugs or booze, or when you lose your job, or when the MRI or lab report comes back positive. At this point in my life I’m filled with hatred, too. I hate sin! I hate sinning against our Holy God. I feel rotten and disgusted with myself. Many other Christians feel the same way. For instance, the following is an exchange of texts between my daugher and I. “Dad, I’m going through a rough spell with lots of self esteem issues.” I replied: “We’re toxic (saturated with sin) and so is every human being, but the vast majority of them don’t know it. Without Christ living within them the entire human race is doomed.” My daughter replied: “Well that’s an uplifting little msg.”

I hate all the suffering human beings endure before they die and leave this world and enter into their eternal dwelling place. I hate all of the evil that human beings do to each other. For instance, rape, incest, child abuse, the abduction of someone including little children. I hate torture and murder and the billions of human beings who have been the victims of genocide.

The bottom line is that I hate Satan with a passion and I do everything I possibly can to expose him. For instance, here’s a recent post on my web page.

“Hey Pastor Mike, Please read the entire message concerning your story about a man named Todd. You call it, “A Man Who Wanted to Be Like Jesus” Part of it is a message about a clip concerning your story, as you know~ but you have to read it to understand my message 🙂

Here’s the quote. “Todd replayed that scene over and over again in his mind. He watched and listened to the Angel Gabriel’s sudden appearance to the young girl. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” The girl was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son. And the girl said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child will be born and will be a son of God and holy and you are to give him the name “Todd.”

“May it please the Lord to keep His promise to conform you and I into the image of His only begotten Son, and may we sincerely desire that each of us grow in our love of Him so much, that the greatest desire of our heart in the coming New Year will be to sincerely want to be like Jesus.” “Wow! That is powerful stuff!

I hope and pray my new year just started today! Or maybe iv’e just been a work in progress? Is it really true our lives are mapped out, exactly as they are?, before we are born? So that means I am already or not in the Lamb’s book of Life? Like God knew 3 years ago when I talked to you on the phone that He was going to lead me to you, the church and the Christians in your church? And may I add during a very difficult time.

Pastor, I need to start living my life in a way that honors God. I need to figure out who He created me to be? How? I pray that I will know in my heart, mind and soul each and everyday Christ is my Lord and Savior! I know through His scripture I can get to know him.
I have a hard time keeping focused when I read. BUT “Todd was opened up to the scriptures, so all things are possible with God. Let us stay tuned 🙂 Gabie

Here’s another one I received on July 5th.

“Pastor, I sat down tonight and asked the Lord to lead me to the sermon of His choice… low and behold He did! As you know this morning was a trying morning for me. I lie in bed restless (it was 11:30 am, I should have been up and running hours before then) just wanting to fall back asleep and get a break from my mind and the heaviness of depression. Like a little bee buzzing your texts kept coming, wondering how me and the girls are doing. Then you called and I didn’t answer. I just didn’t know what to say to you. I didn’t have good news for you. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I mustered up the energy and listened to your voice mail, I thought why not? I’m just gonna tell him like it is, I’m going to tell Pastor Mike I feel like ugh and what is going on in my life AGAIN! I thank you for reaching out to me today. As soon as you began to give me feedback and praising the Lord, my whole day turned right side up again! And now I am lead to this sermon and realize why I keep playing the game of circle and starting my life over and over again. This Sermon is an awesome work of our God and Pastor I know in my heart He speaks through you! How blessed you are and how much He loves us! WOW! The entire sermon kept me on the edge of my seat cuz I could so relate with it. The following part of your message is what sang out to me…

“Not only was it possible to keep it under control, but it also could be diminished greatly simply by maintaining a steady diet of well balanced spiritual nourishment and exercising their God given faith moment by moment.” “It goes without saying that whenever they deviate from their Creator’s prescription, the infection will flare up again. To keep it from spreading, their all loving Divine Physician will give them a mega-dose of divine chastisement. The bottom line the pastor insisted is to trust and obey, because there’s no other way. It’s that simple.”

Is it really that simple? And why have I been making this so difficult? I’m tired of living my life this way and it no longer suits me. I need to memorize The Armor of God. And please forgive me for what I said about my homeless friends. I’m gonna keep on helping them in the name of Jesus. BUT, I need to stay clean to do that and I need help with prayer so I don’t play with the fire of the enemy. Whew! Thank you Pastor Mike for being such an awesome Pastor! Above all is our God, Gabie.”

Referring to the same sermon, Dr. Terry Dorsett, Director of Missions for the Green Mountain Association wrote.

“Mike. This statement was powerful:

“Of course, they would remain infected and would pass it along to their offspring, who in turn infected their children. The infection wouldn’t leave them until their bodies died. But, because of Jesus incomprehensible love, the infection could be checked. Not only was it possible to keep it under control, but it also could be diminished greatly simply by maintaining a steady diet of well balanced spiritual nourishment and exercising their God given faith moment by moment.”

I’ve always struggled to explain to people how Christ forgives them and justifies them yet they still must struggle with sin. I like the “infection” analogy. Look for me to use it sometime soon! Terry.

I’ll end this message by reminding us of the following biblical facts.

24 And now—all glory to him who alone is God, who saves us through Jesus Christ our Lord; yes, splendor and majesty, all power and authority are his from the beginning; his they are and his they evermore shall be. And he is able to keep you from slipping and falling away, and to bring you, sinless and perfect, into his glorious presence with mighty shouts of everlasting joy. Amen. Jude 1:24 (TLB)

7 So give yourselves humbly to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 And when you draw close to God, God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and let your hearts be filled with God alone to make them pure and true to him. 9 Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and sincere grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Then when you realize your worthlessness before the Lord, he will lift you up, encourage and help you. James 4:7-10 (TLB)

Lord willing, soon.