http://www.pastordanwalker.org Truth from Life Church St Louis Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:02:10 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 Truth from Life Church St Louis Pastor Dan's Blog no Truth from Life Church St Louis http://www.pastordanwalker.org/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/rss_default.jpg http://www.pastordanwalker.org/category/life http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2011/04/speaking-the-truth.htm http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2011/04/speaking-the-truth.htm#comments Sun, 10 Apr 2011 23:43:36 +0000 Pastor Dan http://www.pastordanwalker.org/?p=672

Can The Truth Change Me?

Understanding Life’s Sanctity

What is Truth?

]]> http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2011/04/speaking-the-truth.htm/feed 0 http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2011/01/hearing-gods-direction.htm http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2011/01/hearing-gods-direction.htm#comments Mon, 31 Jan 2011 02:16:05 +0000 Pastor Dan http://www.pastordanwalker.org/?p=641

Seeing God’s Goals for You

Getting Direction From God

Understanding Your World

]]> http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2011/01/hearing-gods-direction.htm/feed 0 http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2011/01/understanding-your-world.htm http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2011/01/understanding-your-world.htm#comments Sun, 09 Jan 2011 22:32:15 +0000 Pastor Dan http://www.pastordanwalker.org/?p=634

Seeing God’s Goals for You

Hearing God’s Direction

Understanding the Darkness

]]> http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2011/01/understanding-your-world.htm/feed 0 http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/11/overcoming-a-judgmental-attitude.htm http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/11/overcoming-a-judgmental-attitude.htm#comments Sun, 07 Nov 2010 21:47:12 +0000 Pastor Dan http://www.pastordanwalker.org/?p=627

Overcoming Opposition When Following Jesus

Overcoming Failure

Character Qualities of a Disciple of Jesus

]]> http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/11/overcoming-a-judgmental-attitude.htm/feed 0 Jesus,message,relationships Currently, we’re in a message series called “40 Days with Jesus” based on the Sermon on the Mount. In our series, we’re discovering that Jesus doesn’t pull any punches when He preaches. He is serious about the kind of life that He expects His disciples... (http://www.pastordanwalker.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/101107.jpg)Currently, we’re in a message series called “40 Days with Jesus” based on the Sermon on the Mount. In our series, we’re discovering that Jesus doesn’t pull any punches when He preaches. He is serious about the kind of life that He expects His disciples to live. Jesus is dead set against any kind of hypocrisy in His followers. He is interested in our hearts becoming full of God and our actions following our hearts. The wonderful thing is that as we learn from and follow Jesus’ commands in this passage, we lay a firm foundation for a blessed life. Today, we’ll be looking at a passage from Matthew 7 and I’ve entitled this message “Jesus on Humility.” Of course, the opposite of humility is pride, which is a primary motivator for the hypocrisy that Jesus condemned. As adults, we sometimes play games that aren’t so good. One game we may play could be called “Let’s Label.” To play the game, you first find someone who is different from you, that’s not hard to do. Then you carefully look them over and form a negative or critical opinion of them. That’s not hard to do either, they’re different from you. Then you mentally stick a label on the person and freely share your thoughts and labels with others. Jesus called the Let’s Label game “judging” and He commanded His followers not to play it. Matthew 7:1 (NIV) Do not judge, or you too will be judged. In other words, don’t play the label game or someone will put a label on you as well. Why shouldn’t we judge others? We never know everything about another person. We cannot know the other person’s motives. We have our own biases and aren’t objective in our judging. When we judge others, we put ourselves into the position of God Himself, which is the essence of pride. I read a story of a young attorney at a large law firm. The head of the firm set out a row of huge turkeys for his employees every Thanksgiving, one turkey for each one. The young attorney was single, lived alone, had no use for a huge turkey, but he took one every year. One year, his close friends in the law office replaced his turkey with a paper-mache turkey, weighted and wrapped just like a real turkey. The young attorney picked his turkey up as usual and got on a bus to go home with it. On the bus, he sat next to a man who proceeded to tell him that he’d been looking for a job all day with no luck. He had a large family and nothing to feed them for Thanksgiving. So, the attorney decided to give the man the turkey, but in order not injure his pride, he sold it to him for a couple of dollars. The man was moved to tears about the gift turkey. The next day, his friends at work were dying to know his reaction to the turkey. When he told them about selling the fake turkey, everyone was mortified. They rode the bus for a week, but never saw the jobless man again. What do you think the jobless man thought of the attorney? I’m sure he thought the attorney was the lowest of the low, he would have been sorely tempted to judge him. But the attorney had been trying to do a good deed, he had simply been fooled himself. Don't judge others, for you never know all the facts. Listen to my November 7, 2010 message "Jesus on Humility." [flashvideo file=http://www.lifechurchstlouis.org/images/stories/video/101107.mp4 stretching=fill /] Pastor Dan's Blog no 31:24 http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/10/character-qualities-of-a-disciple-of-jesus.htm http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/10/character-qualities-of-a-disciple-of-jesus.htm#comments Sun, 03 Oct 2010 17:58:01 +0000 Pastor Dan http://www.pastordanwalker.org/?p=604

Jesus – The Power of God

The Importance Of Character In Leadership

Jesus’ Instructions on Relationships

]]> http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/10/character-qualities-of-a-disciple-of-jesus.htm/feed 2 discipleship,Jesus,message Today we begin a new message series called “40 Days with Jesus.” I believe the content of this series has the potential to make a radical difference in the lives of everyone here. Why? Because we’re going to be studying the most famous teaching of Jesu... (http://www.pastordanwalker.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/101003jpg.jpg)Today we begin a new message series called “40 Days with Jesus.” I believe the content of this series has the potential to make a radical difference in the lives of everyone here. Why? Because we’re going to be studying the most famous teaching of Jesus called the Sermon on the Mount. This teaching of Jesus is found in Matthew 5-7 and we’ll be going through these 3 chapters verse by verse over the next 40 days or so in October and November. Before we get into the first section of the Sermon on the Mount, let’s look at the whole passage in summary. I believe that Jesus’ teaching could be best summarized in Matthew 6:8 (NIV) Do not be like them … Who is the ‘them’ we are not to be like? As you read the whole passage, which I’d encourage you to do this week, you’ll see the ‘them’ is hypocrites. What is a hypocrite? A hypocrite is a person who claims to have certain beliefs, but his behavior in his life shows he is not sincere. A hypocrite is someone who wears a beautiful mask, but underneath things are not so beautiful. A hypocrite is not who they seem to be. Now, before we all excuse ourselves, because we aren’t hypocrites, but we sure know a few, I believe that we all have some hypocrisy to deal with in our lives. As long as we are sinners, we try to cover up that sin and appear better than we really are. Jesus hates hypocrisy, but he loves authenticity. Being who you say you are. Being in private, the same as you appear in public. That’s what I want for myself and everyone in this church. Jesus’ message in the Sermon on the Mount is not just negative, he also shows us what a true follower, a true disciple of Jesus should live like. In the very first section of the sermon, Jesus shows us what the character of a disciple should be. Today, I’ve entitled my message ‘Jesus on Character.” Every believer is to be a disciple of Jesus, a follower of Jesus. If someone is not a disciple of Jesus, then they’re not a believer. In today’s message, we’re going to be looking at the 8 beatitudes, found in Matthew 5. Each one begins with the phrase “Blessed are ... and then Jesus describes a character trait of a disciple.” What does it mean to be blessed? Someone who is blessed by God is content, they are fulfilled, they are filled with joy, their needs are met. So, today, we’re going to look at 8 character qualities that God wants to build into your life, so that you’ll be blessed and equipped to fulfill God’s purpose for your life. Listen to my October 3, 2010 message "Jesus on Character." [flashvideo file=http://www.lifechurchstlouis.org/images/stories/video/101003.mov stretching=fill /] Pastor Dan's Blog no 40:28 http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/04/overcoming-your-temptations-2.htm http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/04/overcoming-your-temptations-2.htm#comments Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:35:40 +0000 Pastor Dan http://www.pastordanwalker.org/?p=558

Overcoming Opposition When Following Jesus

The Purpose of Temptation

Overcoming Failure

]]> http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/04/overcoming-your-temptations-2.htm/feed 2 life issues Everyone has temptations, Jesus had temptations, I have temptations, you have temptations. Temptations are part of life, you can't get away from them. Temptations come in all sorts of sizes and flavors. The traditional seven deadly sins are: pride, envy, (http://www.pastordanwalker.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/100425.jpg) Everyone has temptations, Jesus had temptations, I have temptations, you have temptations. Temptations are part of life, you can't get away from them. Temptations come in all sorts of sizes and flavors. The traditional seven deadly sins are: pride, envy, anger, laziness, greed, gluttony and lust. Those cover a lot of our temptations. Temptations come at us in an instant. We often don't take time to think things through, we just react and give into temptation. Someone says something sharp to us and we speak back in anger. We compare our house to the neighbors and envy theirs. We come home from a hard day at work and turn into a couch potato, giving in to laziness. Sometimes were are tempted to just have too much of a good thing. A Veggie Tales movie my children watch compares temptation to eating too many chocolate bunnies. In this case the temptation was gluttony. One chocolate bunny was not wrong, but eating chocolate bunnies for 30 minutes was. What is the chocolate bunny in your life? Something that appears good, something that is pleasurable to give into, yet in the end it will make you sick. People get addicted to the chocolate bunnies they are offered in their lives. I'm convinced that most of the sins in our lives are things that we are addicted to. They're not one offs, they are habits that we have developed, habits of going after our own chocolate bunnies. Some chocolate bunnies are OK in moderation, others are wrong no matter the amount. What are the chocolate bunnies, the temptations in your life that you can't seem to overcome? This morning I want to talk about overcoming your temptations, learning how to say "No" to your chocolate bunnies and walk free. 2 Timothy 2:22 (NIV) Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. The evil desires of youth don't just remain in youth, they are there with us all our lives. You will never outgrow temptation. In order for God to use you, you have to have a pure heart a heart that overcomes temptation. In order to see God, you have to be an overcomer of temptation. In order to overcome temptation you need to work with God to change your life. Whatever temptation you're battling in your life, here are the keys to overcoming. Listen to my April 25, 2010 message "Overcoming Your Temptations" (message-notes (http://www.pastordanwalker.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/100425-message-notes.pdf)). Pastor Dan's Blog no http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/04/the-purpose-of-temptation.htm http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/04/the-purpose-of-temptation.htm#comments Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:24:12 +0000 Pastor Dan http://www.pastordanwalker.org/?p=554

God’s Purpose For Your Life

You Were Created For Purpose

Overcoming Your Temptations

]]> http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/04/the-purpose-of-temptation.htm/feed 1 life issues God uses a number of tools to help each person grow during their lives. God has a plan and purpose for your life. The only way that you're going to accomplish that purpose is for you to continue to grow. Growth is a lifelong process. It takes work, (http://www.pastordanwalker.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/100418.jpg)God uses a number of tools to help each person grow during their lives. God has a plan and purpose for your life. The only way that you're going to accomplish that purpose is for you to continue to grow. Growth is a lifelong process. It takes work, you've got to stick with it, but the results will last forever. People who are growing are people who are learning to love God and others. People who don't want to change are stuck in the rut of life, not a great place to be. Last week we talked about how God uses trouble to bring about positive change in our lives. Today my message is entitled "The Purpose of Temptation." God uses temptation as a tool to help you grow. God doesn't tempt anyone, but He able to use temptation as a means to bring about growth in our lives. Most people think of temptation as some sort of opportunity to do something wrong. That's true, but it is more helpful to think of temptation as a choice. When you are tempted you have a choice to either give in to the temptation or to reject the temptation. A temptation is like coming to a fork in the road. You can go down the right fork or the left fork. One path will lead you further away from God, that’s the path where you give into temptation. However, the other path will lead you closer to God the, that’s he path where you refuse temptation. Even the most heinous of crimes began when someone made a wrong choice and gave into temptation. One wrong choice often follows another and the final destination will be tragic. God wants you to make the right choice. James 1:12 (NLT) God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. God wants you to pass the test of temptation. He has a purpose in allowing temptation to come into your life. Don't be misled into thinking that your temptations aren't dangerous. That your little sins aren't giving anyone any problems. Think about your biggest area of weakness or temptation and let God show you his purpose in it. Listen to my April 18, 2010 message "The Purpose of Temptation" (message-notes (http://www.pastordanwalker.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/100418-message-notes.pdf)). Pastor Dan's Blog no http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/04/dont-waste-your-troubles-2.htm http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/04/dont-waste-your-troubles-2.htm#comments Sun, 11 Apr 2010 19:06:18 +0000 Pastor Dan http://www.pastordanwalker.org/?p=548 http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/04/dont-waste-your-troubles-2.htm/feed 0 life issues God wants you to grow in every dimension of your life and growth involves change. Growth and change are good things, they will make your life better. However we tend to resist change. We don't want to change, we just want our circumstances to change. (http://www.pastordanwalker.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/100411.jpg)God wants you to grow in every dimension of your life and growth involves change. Growth and change are good things, they will make your life better. However we tend to resist change. We don't want to change, we just want our circumstances to change. God doesn't work that way. He's more interested in you changing than your circumstances changing. Some time ago, one of my children was preparing something for us to eat. They asked Carol if she had any more garlic. She said no, but she thought we had enough. Our child said they needed more, so Carol checked what they were doing. The recipe had called for 1 teaspoon of garlic as seasoning, but our child had interpreted it as 1 cup of garlic. That was just a bit too much, so the dish was ruined. We could have prayed that God would remove the excess garlic from the dish, but I doubt if He would have granted our request. The answer was not in getting God to change our trouble, but in teaching our children to grow in their understanding of measurements. Too often people pray for God to remove the garlic or troubles in their life when God wants to teach them and change them through the trouble. Today my message is entitled "Don't Waste Your Troubles." My title assumes you are going to have troubles in your life, everybody does. Sometimes you go through a period where everything is easy sailing. But don't get complacent, because eventually you will encounter storms. Storms or troubles are meant to make you stronger. In our background picture today, you see a tree growing in a harsh environment, yet it is a strong, hardy plant. NIV 1 Peter 4:12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. Trials and troubles are part of God's plan for your life. God doesn't cause them but He allows them to come into our lives. Most people just want to get through the troubles or storms in their life. However, God has a purpose in everything that He allows into your life. Troubles are meant to bring about change in your life. Troubles are the pressures that God uses to shape us. Troubles are meant to draw you closer to God. Troubles cause you to depend on Him more than on yourself. Troubles are meant to teach you lessons from God and to help you grow. None of this happens automatically. My title "Don't Waste Your Troubles" assumes that you can waste your troubles. You can go through all kinds of troubles and not change, not grow and not learn anything. That's a wasted trouble and you’ll probably have to go through it again until you learn the lesson that God is trying to teach you. So how can you make the most of the troubles that you face in your life? Listen to my April 11, 2010 message "Don't Waste Your Troubles" (message-notes (http://www.pastordanwalker.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/100411-message-notes.pdf)). Pastor Dan's Blog no http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/04/the-point-of-life.htm http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/04/the-point-of-life.htm#comments Sun, 04 Apr 2010 19:03:21 +0000 Pastor Dan http://www.pastordanwalker.org/?p=544

The Point Of Life

The Encouragement Of Easter

How To Handle Stress In Your Life

]]> http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/04/the-point-of-life.htm/feed 2 Jesus I believe that the event Easter celebrates is the most important event in world history. On Easter we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. If the resurrection had not occurred, we would not be meeting here today. (http://www.pastordanwalker.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/100404.jpg)I believe that the event Easter celebrates is the most important event in world history. On Easter we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. If the resurrection had not occurred, we would not be meeting here today. Nor would we remember Jesus Christ or have a New Testament. Without the resurrection, life would be incredibly more dark and evil than it is. The resurrection of Jesus changed the world and it changed history. Every time you write a date, it is based on the resurrection. Easter split history into AD and BC. What happened on Easter still is changing things today. Easter is changing individual lives like mine and yours over 2000 years later. Today, we’re going to look at how Easter can make a difference in your life. We’re kicking off a new message series on Easter called “Growing Through Life.” In this series, we’re going to see how to face the difficulties of life with a completely different approach and attitude. We’re going to discover how not just to get by, but to learn and grow from every experience in life. Today, I’ve named my message “The Point of Life.” This message will prepare you for the rest of the series which will run throughout April. We’re going to ask and answer the question of “what is the point of life?” Why are you and here on this earth? What is our purpose in life? Easter holds the key to discovering the point of life. Easter opens the door to the great life that God created you to live. Your life doesn’t have to stay the same. Do you want to see change for the better in your life? Because of Easter you can. If God could raise Jesus from the dead, He can change your life. Easter gives us hope to dream again. Perhaps you have had shattered dreams in the past. You had dreams of a better life but things haven’t seemed to work out. God wants you to begin to dream again today. God wants you to begin to dream again of not just a better life but of a great life. And God doesn’t just want you to dream, He wants to begin to change you today so that your dream of a great life can become reality. Jesus said in Matthew 18:4 (NIV) Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Do you want to have a great life? To be great in the eyes of God? It begins by becoming as humble as a little child, by becoming open to change. A small child is learning and changing at an amazing rate. By the age of 3, the number of connections between brain cells approaches adult levels One quadrillion connections have been formed in a child’s brain by the age of 3. A child has learned to speak, to eat, to walk and to interact socially. An incredible rate of change has occurred in the young child’s life. God has made children open to change. In order to see our lives change, we must be open to letting God change us. Change for your life will not happen merely by a change in outward circumstances. If you want to have a great life, you must be open to changing from the inside out. This morning we’re going to learn from Easter about three doors we must open in order to discover the point of life. Listen to my April 4, 2010 message "The Point of Life" (message-notes (http://www.pastordanwalker.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/100404-message-notes.pdf)). Pastor Dan's Blog no http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/03/trusting-gods-power.htm http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/03/trusting-gods-power.htm#comments Sun, 28 Mar 2010 21:04:17 +0000 Pastor Dan http://www.pastordanwalker.org/?p=539

Understanding the Darkness

Designed To Shine

Finding Courage To Shine

]]> http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/03/trusting-gods-power.htm/feed 1 life issues,outreach We’ve been looking at the ancient book of Esther as a model for how we should live for God in the world that God has put us into. Our world in the 21st century AD is a dark world, but so was the world of the Persian empire that Esther found herself in ... (http://www.pastordanwalker.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/100328.jpg) We’ve been looking at the ancient book of Esther as a model for how we should live for God in the world that God has put us into. Our world in the 21st century AD is a dark world, but so was the world of the Persian empire that Esther found herself in the 5th century BC. Let’s review the story of Esther that we’ve covered so far. If you haven’t yet read the book of Esther, I encourage you to read it this week, it’s only ten chapters long. The setting of the book of Esther is the capital city of the Persian empire ruled over by King Xerxes. The queen of the empire was deposed and a young Jewish girl, Esther, was chosen to replace her. Esther was part of the exiled Jewish community in Persia. Esther’s uncle Mordecai counseled Esther to conceal her Jewish identity and remained in contact with her. Mordecai saved King Xerxes life by uncovering a conspiracy against him. However, Mordecai was hated by the evil prince Haman for refusing to bow to him. Haman conspired to destroy both Mordecai and the entire Jewish community throughout the Persian empire and a date was set. Mordecai persuaded Queen Esther to risk her life and approach King Xerxes with the goal of thwarting Haman’s evil plot. Esther requested that a banquet be held with the King and Haman. At the first banquet, Esther did not reveal her concern, but requested a second banquet with King Xerxes and Haman. How could Esther persuade the King to reverse the decree to destroy the Jews? What does this story from thousands of years ago have to do with us? NIV Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. The stories in the Old Testament, such as the book of Esther was written to teach you about how God works in our world. Esther was written to encourage you and give you hope to live in the dark world of the 21st century. Now, I’m going to give away the ending to the story, if you haven’t read Esther yet. It is a great ending, evil is defeated and Esther and Mordecai are honored. We’ll see how God’s power accomplished that today. A thinking person might ask me the question, Pastor Dan, what is God teaching us in Esther, that evil will always be defeated and the righteous always exalted? The answer to that question is Yes and No. The proper understanding of that answer is crucial to your understanding of God, the Bible and life. Theologians call the concept, the Already and the Not Yet. Here it is in a nutshell. One day, all evil will be defeated and every righteous person exalted. When will that be? It will be at the end of time when Christ returns. However, in our lives, we do not always see evil defeated and righteousness always exalted. We are living in the Not Yet. But oftentimes we do already see evil defeated and righteousness exalted. We are living in the Already. NIV 1 Corinthians 15:25 For he [Jesus] must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. So you and I are living in the period of time where Jesus is reigning and defeating enemies already. However not yet do we see all enemies defeated. Our destiny is to allow Christ to use us to bring the not yet into the already and we do that through faith. Listen to my March 28, 2010 message "Trusting God's Power" (message-notes (http://www.pastordanwalker.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/100328-message-notes.pdf)). Pastor Dan's Blog no