Greater Life Church

The fourth verse of the 23rd Psalm is a transition verse. In this verse, the writer changes from referring to the Lord in third person, and begins to speak to Him in first person. It becomes much more personal. David moves from talking about the Shepherd, and begins talking to Him. He describes a journey that we know as life. Most people want to go higher and higher in life. The path to higher ground, or a mountaintop, must go through a valley. The experiences we have on this journey are all important in God’s plan for each of us. The only way to get to the mountaintop is to go through some valleys. These valleys are difficult, but necessary. They are meant to be traveled through. They are not a place to stay. The Shepherd knows about the dangers and trials of the passage. As in the beginning portions of this scripture, the Shepherd is our constant companion. The Shepherd is fully prepared to safeguard His flock no matter what the situation. We have no reason to fear when we stand in the

It is said of David that he was a man after God’s own heart. When we look at this statement in the context of David’s life is it very reassuring. David had many failures as a man and a follower of God. Dr. Hughes examines David’s life and observes that if David could fall short in so many areas and still be favored of God, then we all have hope in life that we too can find favor with God. In all of his troubles, David seems to find blame in others. Paul on the other hand had a different outlook. Where David blamed everyone else for his problems, Paul looked to inward as the cause for his problems. Some people are not happy unless they are dealing with chaos and issues in their lives. We live in a world that makes it easy to not be content. David appears to have been such a person. Paul was content to be in whatever state he found himself. Bro. Hughes asks which side of the cross defines you? Are we defined like David, or like Paul. Yesterday ei

Amos was a minor prophet who ministered to a prosperous people. In our text, Amos is addressing a specific problem: Their response to the knowledge of the coming events. The bear was more dangerous than the lion, and the serpent was more deadly than both. The people’s actions in attempting to avoid the trouble would lead them selves into only more trouble. Some even wished for the day of the Lord. The prophet tells them that they are foolish because if they were to experience the day of the Lord, they would be in even more trouble than they were in. The great problems of life that come against us cannot be avoided. It is always better to face these problems than to run away. The harder and father that we run from our problems make it harder to recover from or longer to return from them. Like Amos in the Old Testament, Bro. Hughes tells us this morning: It is better to deal with problems today than to run away and try to avoid them. The issues that are in front of us today must be dealt with

In the third verse of Genesis, God said, “Let there be light”. With those words, He brought order to a chaotic world. Our world has become increasingly chaotic and dark again. We still require that God shed light into our world. In our text, Lot finds himself living in a time of great darkness. Sodom and Gomorrah were two of the most vibrant cities of their time. They were cities of great prominence. They were the New York or Paris of that time. God held five great sins against these two cities. They were immoral, proud and insensitive. The wickedness of these cities was so great that God sent angels to destroy them. The angels appear to Lot and tell him the date and time of this destruction. Bro. Hilton asks, “What would you do if God came to you and told you that this was the last night to be saved?” He speculates that they would have a church and try to save as many people as they can. Lot attempted to convince as many people as he could, but in the end, he was onl

Life can be like an unmarked road; Blind curves, unmarked cross roads. Life can be filled with mistakes. Life passes before us, and we get one chance at it. It is important that we get life right. It can be easy to lose or way, or to be unsure of the next step. Jesus provides us with a sense of direction. When Jesus is leading our life, nothing can happen us that is outside of His divine purpose. If he is leading, everything is going to be okay. The text is careful to say that He LEADS me not He DRIVES me. Bro. Hughes tells us that if He is leading, He is in the same situation we are. If He is leading, He is going ahead of us up the mountain or down into the valley. By leading, He is taking us down the right paths. The ones that will produce the best results and that are like Him. He leads because He knows the needs of the sheep. Sheep have several habits and tendencies that are destructive to themselves. If left to themselves, they will over graze a pasture. They will not return to

Life is an ever-changing road. No two days are ever the same. Each day brings its own set of uncertainties. Yet we live in faith that we are in God’s care. We do not always understand the path we must travel. Bro. Hughes tells us that if we trust in God, we will be better prepared to deal with what we encounter on our journey. The Psalmist talks about the valley of Baca. Historians are not sure of the location of this valley, but the writer knew it. This place was one of tears and sorrows. In our journey through life, we will all walk through the valley of Baca. Some of us will go through it more than once. The psalmist traveled through the valley of Baca on his way to the house of God. He came into a difficult place and he tried to make it better by establishing a well. We must learn to make a place better. Instead of complaining or waiting for someone else to do something, we must take action to make a place or situation better. It does not matter what we may be going through, we can m

There was no man on earth at the time that was closer to Jesus than Peter. Even so, in the hours just before the crucifixion, Peter fulfilled prophecy by denying Christ three times. Although he had declared only hours before that he would ever deny Jesus, Peter did just that; even going so far as to curse Him. At that time Peter must have felt that he was a failure. In modern terms, he would think himself to be a loser. Our scripture text is the scene when Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James went to the sepulcher to see Him. The angel of the Lord told them to tell the disciples AND Peter that Jesus had risen. The angel mentioned Peter by name. There are things in all of our lives that we can categorize as failure. Like Peter it is easy to feel like we are losers for these failures. Bro. Smith tells us that we must make room at the alters and in the church for these “losers.” The devil is telling us the lie. The truth is that there is no failure or issue that canno

As children of God we live by a different standard than the world. The world lives by sight and proof. We live by faith. All of us struggle with living by faith at some point. Faith causes many to stumble because the unknown and the unseen intimidate us. It does not matter how long one has been living for God, we are all susceptible to a failing of faith. It is easy to talk about faith; it is more difficult to demonstrate it. Out scripture text is a glimpse of John the Baptist in a moment of questioning his faith. John was a man who had been unafraid of anything in his ministry. He now finds himself in a prison cell alone and forgotten. He begins to question his ministry, his mission and his life. John sends his disciples to ask Jesus: Are you the one? Bro. Hughes notices some things about this story of John’s faith storm. First, faith storms can happen when the pace of life changes. John had been on the top of the world. He was famous and note worth. He was a major player

As David reflected over his life, he came to the conclusion that his life and relationship with God paralleled the relationship he had with his sheep when he was a shepherd. The 23rd Psalm contains several promises that God makes as the shepherd of his flock. Bro. Hughes focuses on verse three tonight and explores the promise of restoration of the soul. There are times and circumstances when people can become frustrated or depressed in life. None are immune to these down days. We all feel depressed no matter how blessed our life may be overall. Verse 3 contains the promise that God will restore our soul during these times. In the world of sheep herding, there is a parallel to this concept. If a sheep rolls over onto their back, they are not capable of righting themselves, and if they are left too long, they will die. The role of the shepherd is to roll the sheep back over on their feet to save them. God makes this promise to us. Our shepherd will not leave us when we fall, and will do eve

What a relief it is to be able to leave a care or concern with someone else. However not everything in life can be given to somebody else. Some things we must bear ourselves. Nobody can walk through our valley for us. Every person must bear some sort of cross in life. Trials and trouble in life is not for people who are being punished, or who need to learn a lesson. All people will experience some sort of trial or issue while going through life. Jesus said to take up your cross and follow me. This tells us that we all must carry some sort of cross in life. Cross bearing is dealing with the people, situations and issues that get in the way of living a life for God. Even though we must each bear our own cross, God gives us hope by letting us know that there are some things that we do not have to bear. In our text, David finds this realization when God tells him to "Leave that to me". God told David to “Leave my ways to me.” There are things that we do not understand ab

The word of God is a lifeline to a people that are drowning in doubt, fear, sin and failure. The word of God is an amazing book. Not only is it the actual word of God, it is God’s word to each individual person. Rich or poor, smart or dumb, big or small, the word of God can minister to each individual’s needs at just the right time and in just the right way. God’s word can speak to us at whatever level and in whatever form is necessary. The word of God can calm any storm and confront any problem that may show itself in our life. It does not matter how much life fluctuates, the word of God remains the same. Everything around us may be shaken, but the word of God remains steadfast. The word of God is a powerful encouragement in life. It is light to the path, and lamp to the feet. God has a word for every situation in life. Bro. Hughes comes tonight to deliver the word of God: God does not want you to fail. Our text has Jesus coming upon the disciples as they were clean

If we look at the 23rd Psalm as a way of looking at God, it changes the way that we live for God. The first verse establishes a relationship with God. He is MY shepherd, not a shepherd. He is not only THE shepherd, but he is MY shepherd. Continuing to look at the 23rd Psalm, Bro. Hughes explains that these short six verses require close analysis. This is not a race, but a leisurely stroll. We need to take time to go slowly and let it be absorbed. Being able to know and quote the 23rd Psalm is not the same as understanding it. The 23rd Psalm is timeless. It is a comfort to all who hear it. There is no problem that this Psalm that has not seen, there is no hurt that this Psalm has not felt, there is not one mystery in life that this Psalm has not solved. This Psalm was written by an old man who had returned to the place of his youth. He had grown up to be king of Israel, but David had once been a shepherd. Now reflecting upon his life, he realized something, and wrote the wo

Hezekiah was very ill, and was at the point of death. He pleaded with God to spare him. Isaiah told Hezekiah that God would spare him, and he ask for a sign. God gave Hezekiah a choice of either having the sun move backwards or forward in the sky. He chose to have the sun move backward. For one man, God performed a miracle that was visible to the entire world. He can make the sun not only stand still, but He can make it retreat. God is in control of everything. He is in control of the shadows that fall into our lives. The shadow of sickness, finances, sorrow and death all can fall in our lives, and God controls all of it. He is not just a god of the sunshine and joy; he is also the God of all the shadows in life. Just as God controlled the shadow for Hezekiah, He also can move back the shadow in our life and allow us the time to recover and be restored and renewed. The Lord turned back that day, and if He turned it back then, he can turn it back for us. God can cause something that is in decline,

There are times in life when we get sick. There are times in life when we get sick and tired. Then there are times when we get sick and tired of being sick and tired. We know there is more, but we don’t have it. There are times when we just go through the motions. We simply do the things that we are supposed to do for worship, but there is no true worship: Prayers that are prayed without passion; Songs that are sung without engaging the heart in the words that are being sung. Bro. Hughes declares that we need singing that is anointed of the Lord. We need prayer that is fervent and impassioned. We have to break away from church as usual. We need a break through. People that need a break through, make others uncomfortable because those who need a break trough get away from tradition and make a way to get into the presence of the Lord. The rain does not care where it falls. It falls on the fertile ground and runs off of the hard ground, but it falls everywhere. Bro. Hughes cries th

The 23rd Psalm is often used as a source of strength and encouragement. This Psalm contains a truth that should profoundly affect our lives. Bro. Hughes tells us that the 23rd Psalm is so familiar to us that we run the risk of missing the depth of what is packed into these short six verses. The 23rd Psalm contains the secret to a happy life and a happy death. More than that, the 23rd Psalm contains the secret to a happy eternity. David introduces us to one who can take care of our frailties, our enemies and our future. Above all else, this Psalm introduces us to a way of thinking of God. It is a way of looking at God that transforms every area of our life. Many have memorized this Psalm, but the power of this text is in the thinking. The Psalm begins by defining the relationship: The Lord is my Shepherd. The shepherd protects, directs and provides for his sheep. He is not A shepherd. He is not THE shepherd. He is MY shepherd. Once we gain this understanding, our relationship with Go

Our country has moved far away from its founding principle. Our country was founded on Godly principles. Bro. Hughes tells us that modern churches are under attack from the very Government that these Godly principles founded. Freedom means different things to different people. The freedom we enjoy was not and is not free. There was a price paid for the freedom and liberty we have. When ask to define freedom, most people will describe the external trappings of freedom: not bound, not physically constrained. Bro. Hughes describes an internal freedom. Through Christ we are free from past failures and sin. Whatever happened yesterday, we can be free from the fear of those failures when we bring those things to God and repent from them. We are free from the uncertainty of the future. With God we can be free from the fear of what is to come, because He has already ordered our steps. On this Independence Day weekend, we know that we live in land where freedom abounds, and through God, we can be free inde

If we are doing anything halfway decent, the devil will attempt to provoke us. As humans we sometimes fall prey to this temptation. David fell victim to this temptation too and as a result God was displeased with him. As his punishment David had to choose one of three options. He could have chosen famine for the land, or loss in battles. David could have justified these options without much personal suffering. He chose to accept responsibility personally, admit is mistake and place himself in the hands of God. David did not allow his pride to get in the way of submitting to God’s will and admitting his mistake. By choosing to place himself in the hand of God he knew that God’s grace and mercy would save him from what he deserved. God commanded David to build an alter on Ornan’s threshing floor. David paid Ornan an incredible (even by today’s standards) amount of money for the property. Bro. Custer declares that we have to pay a price for the requireme

Morning Service Our scripture text is the account of Jesus turning water into wine at the marriage in Cana. This is the first miracle that Jesus performed. Mary called upon Jesus to respond to her need. She realized that if she could get Jesus connected to the problem at hand He could meet that need. No matter how small the need, if we can simply get Jesus connected, He can take care of it. Bro. Custer tells us that this is Mary’s miracle. She didn’t know how he would do it, but she knew that He would do it. He did not tell her that her problem was not important. However small the concern may seem to God, He will respond to the need in our life. He will take care of the big things in life, and he will also take care of the small things. God is big enough so show up for the small things as well as the big things. It doesn’t matter the size of the need, God can and will meet the need we have.

As Christians we must understand what constitutes faith, and what does not. Failure to do this can cause great problems with our walk with God. Many people believe in God, but they do not have faith. As long as our faith is grounded in what we see and experience, it will be shallow and will not hold up to the challenges of life. If we base our faith on current events, we can convince ourselves that God doesn’t care, or doesn’t listen to our prayers. This analysis is faulty and lacks the perspective of God’s plan. Joseph could have easily questioned why he was sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely imprisoned and forgotten. He however placed his faith in God and trusted that these things in his life placed him in a position to be used by God for a mighty work. Authentic faith looks at the whole picture. People are unwilling to accept faith for what it really is, instead of what they want it to be. They want faith to move God to do their will, not His. T

For his father’s day message, Bro. Hughes turns to the story of Caleb. Caleb was one of the 12 spies sent into the Promised Land ahead the nation of Israel. The bible tells us Caleb fully followed the commandments of God. He was a man who did not pick and choose, or try to reorder the will of God. Bro. Hughes highlights traits and characteristics of Caleb that every man should strive to possess. Caleb was a man for his time, and if we could learn to be like him, we would be men for our time.