Nov 11 2009

If Any Excellence

Posted by Anthony Crumley

How often do we think excellent thoughts?  So many of the things I think about are average everyday things and trivial pursuits.  Our lives today are filled with general information and trivia that consumes all of our thoughts.  It is amazing how much information we have to deal with.  Technologies like the internet and television, with hundreds of stations and 24 hour news, are causing us to drown in information.  It is impossible to keep up.

God does not want us to drown in trivia, He wants us to think excellent thoughts (Phil. 4:8).  Excellent thoughts are morally good and righteous.  They are worthy of our time and attention as children of God.  They stand out from and above the common thoughts of people as more virtuous and valuable.  They are the kind of thoughts that Jesus thinks.

* See also Think On These Things


Nov 10 2009

Romans 2:9

Posted by Anthony Crumley

There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek,

There are consequences for the way we live our lives.  If we do things that are evil, sinful and wrong then the consequences will be difficult and painful.

When we practice evil, one of the consequences is tribulation.  Tribulation is the extreme pressure God puts on us to let us know our actions are evil.   This pressure is caused by physical and emotional suffering that our sin brings into our life.  We should respond to this pressure by repenting of our evil acts and changing our ways.

Another consequence of our evil actions is distress.  Distress results from being stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard spot.  Distress is the agony, strain and anxiety we experience because of the tribulation our evil actions caused.  This agony can be felt physically, mentally and emotionally.

Because Israel is God’s chosen nation, everything goes through them first and then flows to everyone else.  Sometimes that is a good thing and sometimes it is a bad thing.  In this case, it is bad.  God judges Israel first because they have been the most privileged people in the world, receiving the prophets and scriptures before everyone else.  The rest of the world does not escape though, the judgment that begins with Israel will continue on to everyone who does evil.

Romans 2:8Romans 2:10


Nov 9 2009

Whatever Is Commendable

Posted by Anthony Crumley

We are to have thoughts that God and other people would speak well of us for having.  If we are thinking commendable thoughts then we should be able to say them out loud.  When other people heard those thoughts, they would respect and admire us for what we said.  If we would be condemned or lose respect for saying what we are thinking then those thoughts are not commendable.

* See also Think On These Things.


Nov 8 2009

Who Is To Lead The Church?

Posted by Anthony Crumley

Sermon by Joe Clark on Sunday, November 8, 2009.


Nov 5 2009

Romans 2:8

Posted by Anthony Crumley

but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

In the previous verse, God promises eternal life to those who seek well-doing. In this verse, He promises wrath and fury to those who seek their own selfish ways that are contrary to truth and righteousness.

Self-seeking people are those who live their life by their own rules and for their own purposes.  Their manner of life is leading them away from God.  In fact, their lifestyle is resistant to God and the way He expects us to live our lives.  They tend to become contentious and hostile when told that their lifestyle is contrary to truth and righteousness.

Self-seeking people refuse to live in line with truth.  God is the source of truth.  He reveals it to us through the Holy Spirit and the bible.  When we refuse to obey the truth, which He has clearly revealed to us, then we are self-seeking.

While self-seeking people refuse to obey the truth, they are quite willing to obey unrighteousness.  They have actually become convinced that their unrighteousness is right and true.  Unrighteousness is any act that is contrary to laws and standards of right and wrong.  God is the ultimate standard of righteousness.

God’s response to self-seeking people is scary.  Wrath is a hot, fierce and explosive anger.  Fury is an ongoing angry disposition toward someone that results in punishment for wrong doing.  Now matter how you look at it, this is not where we want to be in our relationship to God.

Romans 2:7Romans 2:9


Nov 4 2009

The Narrow Gate

Posted by Anthony Crumley

The are so many ways we can go in life that end up destroying us and so few that end in a fulfilling life.  Ironically, the ways that seem easy at first end up being the hardest in the end.  The ways that end in peace and joy begin as difficult and restrictive.  Jesus taught this lesson, illustrating it with a gated pathway.

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.  (Matt. 7:13, 14)

Jesus begins by commanding us to enter through the narrow gate.  The one that is difficult and restrictive.

The wide gate is easy to get through and the pathway is easy to follow.  Most people go this way so the path is well worn.  If we live our lives doing what everyone else does then we are on this path.

The wide and easy way represents the way of the world, the way that Satan has so masterfully prepared to destroy people.  The wide way is a trap and its apparent ease is the bait.  Most of us blindly enter in, lured by the bait of ease, and are caught in the horrible trap of sin, destroyed by our own choices.

The narrow gate is difficult to get through and its pathway is hard to follow.  There are not very many people going this way and they are a bit unusual.  The people on this path are the ones following the leading of the Holy Spirit and making decisions based on God’s teaching in the bible.

The narrow and hard way represents the way of God.  His way is contrary to our sinful nature and that is why it is so difficult.  Jesus is the only person to live His entire life on this path.  Yet, we are capable of following this path because Jesus is willing to live His life through us.  In order to experience His life we have to give up our own, we have to take up our cross daily and die to our self.

The narrow gate and hard path is the one that leads to God, godliness, righteousness, peace, joy, life, blessing and reward.  Lets all get on this path today and follow it for the rest of our lives.


Nov 2 2009

Whatever Is Lovely

Posted by Anthony Crumley

When we look at God’s creation we see beauty everywhere.  We see beauty in the sun, moon, stars, oceans, mountains, canyons, flowers, trees, birds … this list can can go on and on.

God wants us to think thoughts that have the same kind of loveliness and beauty (Phil. 4:8).  Lovely thoughts are acceptable to God and other people.  They are pleasing and likable.  If our thoughts are not lovely then they are ugly, offensive and unacceptable.

Lovely thoughts will result in a lovely lifestyle that will attract people to us and to Christ in us.

* See also Think On These Things.


Nov 1 2009

Who Owns You?

Posted by Anthony Crumley

Who owns you and what does he expect?

Sermon by Joe Clark on Sunday, November 1, 2009.