Gospel Dynamite with J. Allen Mashburn

A Famine in the Land | Amos 8:11-14 | J. Allen Mashburn

The prophet Amos prophesied during the final days of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. It was a time of great military power. It was a time of great economic prosperity. It was a time of peace, joy and happiness for most of the people.
Amos comes to them with a message of condemnation. His message to them is one of judgment and condemnation. His message exposes the true spiritual condition of the nation. They are wealthy and they are powerful, but they are spiritually destitute. They are enjoying peace, safety and prosperity, but they are in the midst of a spiritual drought and do not even recognize it.
Amos preaches to them a message that lifts the lid off their hypocrisy. This message lets the people of Israel know that a time of terrible judgment is coming upon their land. He wants them to know that a destructive famine is about to fall on their land.
When I read the book of Amos, I can see a lot of parallels between the conditions in Israel then and the condition of our world today. It is true that we are not as prosperous as we once were, but we are still richer than 99% of the rest of the world’s population. In the midst of our peace, our prosperity and our endless pursuit of personal happiness, we are in the midst of a spiritual drought and we do not even recognize it.
Let’s notice the lessons that Amos teaches us in these verses, because they have something very important to say to us! Whether we know it or not, we are in trouble and this passage has some much needed warnings for us today.
 

It‘s Time to Make Up Your Mind | Joshua 24:1-28 | J. Allen Mashburn

These were exciting times for the people of Israel. They had defeated their enemies and claimed the promised land. Each of the tribes had received their inheritance and now they could settle down and enjoy life a little. It was a time of hope, prosperity and blessings.
It was also a very dangerous time for these people! There was the danger that they would forget where they came from, how they had gotten to where they were and what the Lord had done for them. There was the danger that they would begin to adopt the idolatrous religion of the Canaanites who still lived around them. There was the danger that they would fall into a state of complacency. A state in which they might feel that they could let down their guard just a little. These were dangerous times for Israel indeed!
In the midst of this situation, Joshua stands up to deliver to the people a challenge from the Lord. God wants them to dedicate themselves to Him and to His work. 
He does not want them trying to live for Him on the one hand and the gods of Canaan on the other. He wants wholehearted dedication or nothing! That is the clear message of this passage.
I would just remind you that these are dangerous times for the church as well. We are seeing the church develop an appearance that is more and more like that of the church in Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-22. A church that has everything it needs, except for the presence, power and glory of God. Just as the Lord issued a call through Joshua, all those centuries ago, for His people to make of their minds as to whom they would serve, so He issues the same call to His people on this day. Let's take some time this morning to look into these verses and hear the call God is giving to us this morning. I want to preach for a few minutes on the thought, It's Time To Make Up Your Mind! And, it is! You will have an opportunity today to decide who will have your worship, your love and your obedience: God Almighty, or you and all the things that want to capture your minds.

Words of Hope in a Hopeless Hour | John 14:1, 27 | J. Allen Mashburn

When we notice the first phrase found in verses 1 and 27, says to His Disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled...” Those six simple words offered hope to our Lord’s disciples in a hopeless hour.
Were their hearts troubled? Certainly! Jesus has just told them of His impending death, 13:31-33; they had just learned that one of their number is going to betray Jesus into the hands of the enemy, 13:21; even Simon Peter has just been notified that he will deny Jesus three times before the morning comes. Yes, their hearts were heavy with sorrow and burdened with grief and questions. But, even in the hour of His greatest trial, Jesus still loved His own, 13:2, and reached out to them to comfort them and encourage them.
It would be impossible to adequately cover every detail of the glorious chapter in one message. Still, it is worth our time to take a bird’s eye view of this precious text today. 
In this great chapter, Jesus addresses some very important areas of life and offers us hope for them all.
In the hour of His greatest need, He takes the time to encourage the hearts of His Disciples, and of every person who takes the time to read and heed these words from the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to show you the areas of life where we have hope today.
We live in an hour of great uncertainty. Changes and upheaval in our world have left many people concerned about their futures. The economy is in shambles. The world seems poised on the brink of war. People are losing their jobs. Money is tight. Prospects are dim, and for many, the future is bleak. There are many troubled hearts in this room today.
Jesus has a word for you. Sandwiched between verses 1 & 27 are some much needed words of hope and comfort.

It's Showtime, Elijah! | I Kings 18:16-40 | J. Allen Mashburn

We have had the privilege of observing God as He trained a man named Elijah. We saw bring him from nowhere, set him before a king and use him to strike fear into a nation. We have seen God send him through one trial after another to teach him total dependence upon the power and provision of God. We have seen the contrast between this man Elijah and others who claimed that they knew the Lord. 
All the training, all the trials, and all the trusting have been to bring Elijah to the place where he could stand in the pure power of God and show a lost nation that Jehovah, not Baal, was Lord of all. You see, the entire nation of Israel, with the exception of some 7,000 faithful people, 1 Kings 19:18, had given themselves over to the worship of the false god Baal. Things were so bad that even the king and the queen of Israel were leaders in promoting the worship of these idol gods. However, God had not forgotten His investment in His people! He had not forgotten how He had chosen them out of all the other people's on the face of the earth. How He had brought them out of Egypt and led them through the wilderness. He remembered giving them the land, the Law and the covenants of promise. He never forgot for and instant that they were His people and that he had plans for them.
Therefore, God had called, trained, and groomed a an named Elijah. All the preparation had been for just this moment. A moment when God would call the nation back to Himself. A moment when God would prove beyond all question that He was Lord and God.
 

The Great Sin of Pride | J. Allen Mashburn

Pride is every man's sin.  It was the very first sin, committed by Lucifer in heaven.  Join us as we learn from the Word of God how we are to deal with this sin that "so easily besets " all of us.
 

A Man Sent from God: Elijah | I Kings 17:1 | J. Allen Mashburn

The pages of our Bibles are filled with accounts of men that seem larger than life. People like Moses, David, Daniel, Paul and others, all seem to be characters that are so far above the realm of our own experience that we may feel like we can never be like them. However, I'll let you in on a secret this morning: All of these people were just that: people! The fellow in our text is no different. When I read about the life and ministry of Elijah, I am amazed at his courage and at his power with God. Yet, I am reminded by the Word of God that Elijah "was a man subject to like passion as we are." (James 5:17) He was just a man who walked in humble obedience before his God.
Today, we will focus in on this one verse and talk about "A Man Sent From God." In this message, I want you to see that God can take a nobody and make a somebody out of him. God can take any life that will be totally yielded to His will and use that life for His glory. Our goal this morning is to see whether or not we possess this kind of life within ourselves. If not, then you will be given the opportunity to get where God can use you.

The Truth about Riches, Redemption, and Rewards | Mark 10:23-31 | J. Allen Mashburn

Imagine the scene. In verses 17-22 a very wealthy man has just turned his back on the Lord Jesus and is walking away. In v. 21, Jesus told this man how he could be saved. He was to sell everything he possessed and he was to give everything away to the poor. This act would give him real treasure in Heaven. By giving away all he had this man would be accomplishing three things.
1.  He would be getting rid of his real god, his wealth.
2.  He would be helping those around him who were in great financial need.
3.  He would be storing up true wealth in Heaven, where it would never be lost, stolen or ruined, Matt. 6:19-20.
Then, Jesus told the man to take up his cross and follow Him. This is a call for this young man to make a public, once for all commitment to die to self and to live for Jesus.
When this young man hears the words of the Lord Jesus, he turns around and walks away. He chose his wealth over salvation. He chose his way over God’s way. He chose eternal death over everlasting life. He chose the world over the Kingdom of God. He chose Hell over Heaven.
The disciples were probably excited about the prospect of that fellow joining their number. They imagined all that he could do with his wealth, power and position.
A lot of folks in our churches are like that too. When a wealthy, powerful individual comes in, they will be courted because of what they can contribute financially to the ministry. James warns against that mentality in the church, James 2:1-10.
Jesus had a somewhat different approach! Jesus was not impressed by the young man’s portfolio, by his position in the synagogue, or by his prominence in the community. Jesus saw the man as he really was. He saw him as a poor, lost sinner in need of a Savior. Jesus offered the man everlasting life, but the man chose eternal damnation and walked away from Jesus.
When he leaves, Jesus uses the moment to teach His disciples about the danger of riches in this world. He teaches them a few truths that all generations would do well to take to heart.

Our Matchless Savior | Mark 4:35-41 | J. Allen Mashburn

In Washington, DC, in the Museum of Natural History, there is a diamond called the Hope Diamond. It is a vivid, dark-blue diamond that weighs 45.52 carats. According to geologists, it is a diamond without equal in all the world. It was found in the 1600's and weighed over 112 carats when it was dug from the earth in India. It is considered to be priceless. It is said to be a matchless diamond. However, there may be another, larger, more valuable stone lying buried in the ground. To say the Hope Diamond is matchless is to presume on the unknown.
Michael Jordan is called the greatest basketball player of all time. It is said that there will never be another as great as he is. He is declared to be matchless in his sport. However, somewhere on some playground, or in some school gymnasium there may be a youngster who will shatter all the records Jordan has ever amassed. To say that he is matchless is also a stretch of the imagination.
Albert Einstein is said to be the greatest thinker the world has ever known. He pondered concepts so deep that we could never begin to grasp. His has been called a matchless intellect. However, who is to say that somewhere in this world today there isn't a child whose mind is so sharp and whose brilliance will dwarf even that of Einstein?
The truth is, nothing in this world is matchless. Everything can be equaled or bettered by mankind. However, there is One who will never be equaled or bettered. His name is Jesus! In this text, the disciples are crossing the Sea of Galilee when a storm arises. Jesus is asleep in the boat and the Disciples feel that they are going to die. They awake Jesus and He speaks to the storm and the waves and winds lie at His feet as if they were docile lambs. His Disciples see this great miracle and ask a question that declares His greatness. They ask, what manner of man is this?
Throughout His life, the story is the same. Everywhere Jesus went, men marveled and stood amazed at His greatness. When He was just an infant, Mary and Joseph "marveled" at what was spoken of Jesus, Luke 2:33; His enemies "marveled" at His wisdom and doctrine, John 7:15. His Disciples "marveled" at His compassion and love for sinners, John 4:27. The multitudes "marveled" at His power to heal, Mark 2:12; Matt. 9:8, 33. His enemies "marveled" at His word, John 7:46. His executioner "marveled" at the greatness of Jesus Christ.
Things haven't changed! Jesus is still amazing all those who come to Him by faith. To say He is matchless is an understatement.
He will never be equaled!
He will never be bettered!
He will always remain the matchless One.
Forever.