WHAT AWAITS US IN 2020? - by James Tharp

It is nearly always exciting to welcome a new year. But what awaits us as we face the new year of 2020 should be seriously and heavily on the hearts of every Christian believer!

We live in a troubled America. We live in a divided America. We should realize that we cannot trust our educators, politicians, or statesmen to lead us out of our spiritual, moral, social, and political darkness. Why did the Church grow so weak and the world so wicked over the last 75 years?

Before we blame the unbelievers and the unchurched for the mess we are in, we had better think about something Jesus warned His believers about. In Matthew’s Gospel (chapter 5, verse 13) Jesus said to His believers, “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?” Actually, Jesus used two symbols to describe the influence that Christians are to have on preserving a community or a nation. There are certain foods that require salt to give the flavor needed to make it palatable. And salt is also a preserver. Before we had iceboxes and refrigerators, salt was one of the main means of preserving.

And then in Matthew’s Gospel (chapter 5, verse 14) Jesus tells us that we Christians are “the light of the world.” Just as the moon reflects the light of the sun onto the darkened side of the earth, so the Church is to reflect the love of Jesus as the Son of righteousness to the darkened world in which we live. We Christians are to be like a city that is set on a hill. We are to shine for Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. We are to so live as to be winsome—full of love and good will—and help those who are willing to believe to become light also in their homes, churches, and communities.

The Fear of the Lord - by James Tharp

I’m convinced that American people need to hear more about “The fear of God!” We read in Proverbs 1:7 (NIV) that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

A serious study of the Bible is the most important experience anyone has ever undertaken. This is because the Bible is the most important book in the world. It is like no other book. Over one billion copies of the Bible have been printed, and it has outsold and out circulated every other book since printing began.

I personally feel that it is unfortunate for both the church and the world that about 200 years ago an historical questioning of the Bible began that led to a revival of unbelief. This first began in Europe, and it soon spread to the U.S.A. Now in this 21st century we are seeing and hearing from progressive modernists bold arguments denouncing and denying any place for the Bible.

It is impossible to imagine what modern civilization would be like without the influence of the Bible. However, here in the western world it appears that all too many politicians, educators, and even some church leaders are questioning the authority of the Bible. Dr. Howard Kelly has pointed out “Where the Bible is dishonored, life becomes cheap.” The Bible is the Word of life. Everyone should read it until they realize that this Holy Book truly reveals that God’s provision for our eternal salvation can only come through our believing and trusting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.

In the Psalms we often read about “the fear of God.” In almost every case, the word “fear” has to do with warning unbelievers about the wrath of God for rejecting His Son as Savior.

I truly fear for the lost soul who has no respect for or fear of a loving God who would go to such extreme suffering to save us from eternal destruction Wise souls will take seriously what they read and humble themselves for prayer and repentance and faith in the One who can save: our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus asked a question that we should consider seriously— “What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Time and again we read in the Bible that a human soul is foolish who neither fears God nor trusts Christ for his or her salvation from sin and Hell.

THE CHRISTIAN’S SECRET OF POWER - by James Tharp

Jesus warned that a time of weakness in His church would come as we near the end of the Church Age. He said, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24:12, NIV).

Our Lord Jesus Christ never intended His followers to live the Christian life merely on their own strength. Yes, He calls us to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Him, to unashamedly take our stand for Him, and share our faith with others. But He also calls us to influence a lost world and become to them light and salt—to shine out and make a difference as we seek to win others for Christ. 

In one of the last sermons he preached before his retirement and recent death, Evangelist Billy Graham expressed His regret that “never have I seen the church so weak, and that grieves me; but what grieves me more is I’ve never seen the world so wicked.” It is my growing conviction that unless the church returns to Pentecostal power we will never see the Spirit-anointed prayer warriors required for the kind of spiritual awakening so desperately needed to prepare the church and the world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

It is my concern that we spiritual leaders get back to the secret of the Christian’s power for living the Christian life—the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised that “when the Spirit comes upon you, you shall receive power!” Now it is true that when we are born again and receive Christ as Savior, we are given the Holy Spirit in that experience. He indwells us and will enable us for the life we are called to live. In so many of our evangelical churches we seem to be faithful in proclaiming the Gospel to win people to Christ but, unfortunately, we don’t always help the new Christian understand that they are to learn to relate faithfully to the Holy Spirit. For as they learn to walk in the Spirit they will discover more power as they obey.

CHRISTMAS JOY - by James Tharp

Our gracious God made it clear that He wanted the coming of His Son Jesus Christ into the world to bring great joy to everyone. We first hear about the joy that Jesus brings the world in the angel’s announcement to the shepherds in the field watching over their flocks at night: “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11, NKJV).

And let us hear Jesus speak of the kind of joy He came to bring those who would place their trust in Him: “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.” (John 17:13, NIV). Remember that (in verses 9-19) Jesus is praying to the Heavenly Father for His disciples. Jesus is in a role as an Advocate, a Petitioner, and a Supplicant on behalf of believers. And our Heavenly Father is the Petitioned One. Given this kind of loving concern on the part of both Father and Son, we Christians need not fail.

The Glorious Resurrection - by James Tharp

All across the Christian centuries billions have rejoiced in the glorious resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And all true believers today rejoice in reading the angel’s announcement to the two Marys when they visited the empty tomb of Jesus. 

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-7, NKJV)

The first thing Jesus had to do after His resurrection was convince those who had believed in Him

that He really was alive again. Many times Jesus had emphasized to His disciples that it was the will of the Father that He die for the sins of all who would believe in Him but that He would be raised

from the dead. He had also repeatedly warned the Jews that their rejection of Him and His ensuing death would result in the judgment of God upon their nation and their city of Jerusalem. He had come to His own, and they had not received Him.

In the Gospel of Luke we have a special emphasis on both the birth and the resurrection of Jesus. The meaning of each is to be found not simply in the events themselves but in the clearly emphasized interpretation given them in the Scriptures. Luke revealed the real entrance of God into human history through the birth of His Son Jesus Christ the Messiah, born of a woman. He wanted to show the real bodily birth and bodily death of Jesus.

ADVENT SEASON 2016 - By James Tharp

Throughout the month of December the Christian world is observing the coming of Jesus Christ’s first advent into the world.

We read in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 2, verses 8-14: “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord

stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!’” (NKJV)

We have so many portraits of Jesus throughout the galleries of the world. As a result, there is much confusion, not only about what He looked like, but also about who He really was and is.

God the Father intended for a lost world to know for sure exactly who His Son is and why He came to earth. I fear that all too many over the world hold conflicting images of the Christ; all too often they are pressed forward by those who would have Jesus squeezed into that of a philosopher or a politician. God is not pleased with those who misrepresent who Jesus is. We read the true answer about the real Jesus in Matthew 1:18-21 where the angel Gabriel appears to Joseph, a godly man engaged to be married to the virgin Mary, reassuring him that he should proceed with the marriage, despite Mary’s pregnancy: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” (NKJV)

The Priority of Prayer - By Pastor Jim Tharp

Even though most people believe in prayer, I would remind us that it is not a natural instinct. Rather, it is a spiritual need. It is as much a need for a born-again Christian as it is for a newly-born baby to cry for milk.

Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who came from Heaven to become one of us—the Son of God becoming the Son of Man—is our example for prayer. Even though He was the Son of God, He needed to pray to His Father in Heaven. Although He never sinned and was absolutely holy, He needed to pray to His Father and give thanks. In His humanity, He needed strength for His earthly mission. Jesus’ main purpose in coming to earth was to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins—it was His assignment by the Father; and in His human needs, He must pray for His needs—wisdom and strength.

Jesus selected twelve men whom He called His disciples, who would become His apostles, to be trained and sent forth to proclaim the Gospel, the good news that anyone who would believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord would be forgiven of sin and receive eternal life. These believers would not be lost eternally, but they would be redeemed, regenerated, reclaimed as children of God.

These twelve apostles became greatly interested in the way Jesus prayed. They knew that He often slipped away to be alone in prayer with the Father. But at times they would overhear His praying. They listened carefully to His prayers.

Once, when Jesus was apart praying, they grew interested and moved closer to hear how He was praying. They were impressed with His worship of the Father, His trust in the Father to hear Him, how intent and fervent He grew in His praying at times. So, on this occasion they made the request, “Lord, teach us to pray!”

Now Jesus knew that some of these twelve had been followers of John the Baptist, His forerunner. And He knew that John had taught them about prayer. But Jesus also knew that He wanted to teach His disciples a way to pray in which, when He and the Father, send them the Holy Spirit to indwell them, they would be enabled to pray with power—be inspired to pray, enlightened to pray, energized to pray, and emboldened in praying.

So Jesus laid out a model prayer for them. He also wanted to teach them how to pray with confidence and persistence. In Luke’s Gospel, chapter 11:2-4, Jesus answers their request in brief, simple, and comprehensive form. There are seven petitions:

1. “Our Father … in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.”