tylerramsbey Christian Life, Uncategorized

Our World is Falling Apart.

fallingapart

Young children experiencing excruciating abuse & humiliation as victims of sex trafficking.

Babies have bodies destroyed by the viciousness of cancer.

Men & women squeeze the cold steel of a handgun while pointed it at themselves; intent on escaping the cruelty of this world through suicide.

Many are in bondage to addiction – drugs, alcohol, pornography – and are powerless to overcome the chains which choke life out of their souls.

Each of us has experienced the utter darkness of this world. For every moment of joy, there are numerous incidents of earth-shattering pain. We cry out for redemption but it seems to be a distant reality; we scream to God for healing but our bodies continue to decay.

The world we live in is marked by suffering, corruption, and brokenness. It has been this way since the first humans chose to willfully disobey God. Their rebellion unleashed the power of death to reign over all of creation.

It is into this wicked and sin-sick world that God became a man.

The Incarnation. Emmanuel. God with us.

Jesus.

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil…” – John 3:19

Today marks the first Sunday of Advent. It in this season that we return our focus to the One who really matters – Jesus Christ. He is the only One who gives hope to this world. I want to encourage you to spend intentional time over the next few weeks considering the incredible reality of the Gospel.

Jesus lived the life we could not live; died the death we deserve to die; and resurrected from the dead VICTORIOUS over the world, Satan, and our flesh.

In the midst of the hopelessness which rules in our culture, Jesus is the embodiment of Hope.

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world…” – John 16:33

 

 

tylerramsbey Christian Life

The Danger of Forgetfulness

thieves-of-thanksgiving

Thieves of Thanksgiving – Week 1 – Forgetfulness (Click here to listen!)

Satan seeks to steal, kill, and destroy us. One of his most effective tactics is causing us to forget God’s faithfulness. In this message, I share some practical steps on fighting against this spiritual amnesia.

P.S. I have the honor of preaching every week at The Rescue Church in Garretson, SD. If you live in the area, I would love to have YOU be my guest. The service is at 10am and we meet at the school in Garretson!

 

tylerramsbey Christian Life

Christians, Politics, & Donald Trump

Clinton, Trump pick up big wins

I have resisted the strong urge to comment publicly on politics. My resistance has officially been broken.

My heart has been crushed by the mud-slinging happening among Christians. Our response to this election has exposed the false gods we have elevated in our hearts, churches, and country.

1. We worship man.
The only explanation for the bitterness and emotional vomit that unfolds on social media is that we find our hope in man, not God. When our idols are threatened, we respond with sharp words soaked in venom.

We give lip service to the ideal of trusting in God but our actions & words contradict this confession.

When we attack and demonize others due to their politics beliefs, we worship man. Those who truly worship God understand that the Gospel tears down the dividing walls of hostility that separate people – it doesn’t build them (Ephesians 2:14).

2. We worship our country.
We forget that our primary citizenship is not here (Philippians 3:20). Often our patriotism turns into idolatry when we equate the United States with the Kingdom of God. We make this mistake by using promises God made towards Israel and applying them to the U.S.

God is not dependent on the United States to advance His mission.

The day is coming when the United States will only exist in history books. The Church of Jesus Christ will outlast the United States and any other nation – regardless of how powerful they are.

Our citizenship is first and foremost in God’s Kingdom. This is a Kingdom which cannot be shaken and will endure for eternity. It is led by God himself – King Jesus – who rules and reigns with complete righteousness.

3. We worship certain policies.
Many Christians do not realize that the church began to face corruption once it received political power. For the first 300 years of the church, Christians were considered the scum of the earth. They were slandered, persecuted, and abused. In the midst of this dark time, the church grew exponentially.

Eventually, Christianity became a favored religion in the Roman empire during the rule of Constantine. This produced power-hungry leaders who demanded that the State bow to their religion. Brutal wars were fought over points of doctrine; bishops used violence to force adherence. This is a far cry from Jesus’ call to be peacemakers.

We aren’t called to be politically powerful. Revival doesn’t begin by making Christianity “great” again. Enacting certain policies or electing the right judge will not bring about lasting change. Revival only begins when the hearts of men & women are exposed to the power of the Gospel.

As election day nears, I encourage you to vote your conscience.

  • Does your conscience allow you to vote for Donald Trump? Then do it.
  • Does your conscience allow you to vote for Hillary Clinton? Then do it.
  • Does your conscience allow you to vote for a third-party candidate? Then do it.

On November 9th, Jesus will still be King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus promised that the world would know us by our love for each other; let’s quit attacking other people over temporary issues! The Kingdom of God welcomes democrats, republicans, independents, and any other party!

Our Kingdom is built on the person & work of Jesus Christ – not an elected official or political system!

tylerramsbey Christian Life

The Attraction of Emotional Health (Message)

emotional-iq

The Attraction of Emotional Health (Click HERE to listen!) 

God desires that we live such emotionally healthy lives that those who reject the Gospel are attracted to the way we live. Unfortunately, many our our lives are filled with dysfunction and unhealthy conflict.

In this message I share some practical steps on how we can witness to the Gospel by becoming peacemakers. Be sure to leave a comment on how this message has spoken to you, I’d love to hear your feedback!

tylerramsbey Christian Life

Slow Down to Grow Up (Message)

emotional-iq

Slow Down to Grow Up (Click here to listen to the message!) 

Many of us have lives determined by a hectic schedule. We are exhausted, overworked, and stressed out… this has come at a tremendous cost to our personal lives.

In this message, I spend time teaching through Luke 10:38-42. If you are encouraged by this message, be sure to share it with a friend!

P.S. I preach every Sunday at The Rescue Church in Garretson, SD. If you live in the area I would love to have YOU join us!

 

tylerramsbey Christian Life

Emotional Baggage (We ALL Have It!)

We all go through our lives crushed by the weight of emotional baggage. This baggage has devastating effects on every area of our lives. In this message, I explain how God speaks into this deeply rooted problem and how we can find freedom from our past (If you are reading this in your e-mail, go to the actual page to watch the video).

I pray this message encourages you in your faith and helps you understand just how much God loves you!

 

tylerramsbey Christian Life, Uncategorized

What You Can’t See is Killing You!

A photo by Sandis Helvigs. unsplash.com/photos/Hy99mEkNjHM

Yards take a lot of work to keep them looking good! One of my first jobs was taking care of my grandpa’s yard – it was GIGANTIC! Each time I came to mow and weed-wack it was a 6-hour ordeal! Those of you that know me understand that I HATE being in the sun… especially when there are wasps in sight!

While the sun marred my skin with ultraviolet radiation (at least that’s how I felt!), I noticed the same weeds always grew back. Regardless of how many times I ripped apart their leaves with the powerful blades from the weed-eater, I had to repeat the process the following week!

I realized the issue is that I was only dealing with the part of the weed I could see. The nourishment and sustainability for the ugly plant came from the root system. These weeds were deeply rooted into the ground; I was dealing with the symptoms and leaving the true problem untouched.

This is true in the Christian life.

We deal with the 10% of ourselves that everybody can see and neglect the destruction wreaked by the sinful root system. Even the Titanic, proclaimed as the unsinkable ship, was utterly ripped apart by a seemingly innocent iceberg.

It’s not what you see that causes destruction, it’s often what is hidden below the surface.

Removing weeds through the root is a painful process. It takes the effort of your full body and leaves you experiencing exhaustion. Instead of the painstaking process of self-examination, many Christians combat the symptoms rather than remove the roots. As we gather around other people, we put on masks in order to appear more righteous than we really are. Each sphere of our life is a different scene, calling for a new costume, all in a grand attempt keep up appearances.

One of the greatest playwrights, William Shakespeare, explains it this way:
All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts…

We began a brand new series this past Sunday at The Rescue Church called Emotional IQ. We are going to spend 8 weeks digging into the root system of our sinful habits. I believe we are going to experience incredible freedom as we expose the hidden parts of who we are to the power of the Gospel!

I preach in the Garretson, South Dakota campus of the church (we meet in the local high school). If you live in the area, it would be an honor for you to join us on this journey. We meet every Sunday morning at 10am; you are welcome to take off the mask and admit your brokenness.

We are a hospital for sinners… not a memorial for saints. 

tylerramsbey Christian Life

Will Power or Spirit Power?

grapes

Christianity has been poisoned by a mixture of pop psychology and self-help that cloaks itself as preaching. Well-meaning pastors stand in front of congregations and harp rules and regulations in order to fix their lives.

There’s only one problem… it doesn’t work.

Whether its “5 Steps to a Better Marriage” or “3 Steps for Victory,” the pastor places the power in the hands of the people to succeed. This circumvents the cross and exalts the will-power of man. Rather than bringing life, this form of Christianity delivers death, shame, and condemnation.

This past Sunday I had the opportunity of preaching through the fruit of the Spirit. In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul gives us a litmus test of true Christianity. In other words, if you are truly following Jesus, your life should be marked by the following:

– Love
– Joy
– Peace
– Patience
– Kindness
– Goodness
– Faithfulness
– Gentleness
– Self-Control

Does your life consistently measure up? Probably not (at least mine doesn’t!)

I made the following observations which help frame the ethical commands in Scripture with the overall story of the Bible:

This is the fruit of the SPIRIT!
The mistake we often make when reading lists like the one above is striving to display each one of these characteristics. This is often done through soul-killing legalism and cold regulations. When you fail to live up to this standard, you heap condemnation and shame upon yourself.

We forget that this is the fruit of the SPIRIT. It is the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live a life of holiness. It is the Holy Spirit who cultivates this fruit in our lives; not our will power. As such, we grow in the fruit of the Spirit by pursuing JESUS – not the fruit!

This is rooted in the GOSPEL!
Paul explains in Galatians 5:24 that those who belong to Jesus have crucified their old nature. Paul utilizes this litmus test to help us examine if we are living into our new identity. We do not bear fruit in order to receive our identity as God’s children… we bear fruit BECAUSE we have received this identity!

You do not begin a relationship with God by fixing up your life; you approach God in all of your brokenness, sin, and internal wounds and allow him to begin the healing process. The story of the Gospel is that you are far more wicked, sick, and sinful than you realize… yet more loved than you could ever imagine.

We only grow in the fruit of the Spirit by preaching the Gospel to ourselves in the midst of failure and suffering. Preaching which gives ethical commands divorced from the hope of the Gospel is self-help deism that leads people to Hell.

Jesus lived the life you could not live, died the death you deserve to die, and resurrected from the dead to display his victory over sin, death, and Satan. You may not see it now, but you will bear fruit as you pursue Jesus!

tylerramsbey Christian Life, Ministry

Your Life NEEDS Margin!

margins

I absolutely love to read. Books give us the possibility of entering into a conversation with people we will never meet. These authors teach us about life, marriage, faith, and the art of story-telling. Yet a badly designed book can have devastating consequences on the ability of the reader to enjoy it!

On the left, right, top, and bottom of a book is white space. This white space is known as margin. If the text in a book filled up the entire page – which seems as if it would accomplish more – the book would be a nightmare for the reader.

The same way that margin is vital for a book, it is essential for our lives.

Many of us believe that constant activity will produce extraordinary results. This simply isn’t true. Those of us who feel the need to constantly work are slowly eroding our families and destroying our marriages on the false altar of productivity. Our need to work 60-hour weeks says less about our work ethic and more about our desire to be a god. God does not sleep… He doesn’t have to. He is infinite. We are finite.

We get this confused far too often.

One of the greatest ways to build margin into your life is by practicing a regular Sabbath. I have been using Saturday as my Sabbath for the past year and it has been incredibly refreshing and healing.

I want you to pick a day of the week that you can spend time resting with your family. After you select this day you need to guard it with passion! If you do not fight for margin in your life, no one else will. There are not a bunch of legalistic rules you need to keep on your Sabbath; instead, I would encourage you to seek out activities that allow physical, emotional, and spiritual rest (I’d also encourage you to do this with your phone OFF!)

For me it means I spend a lot of time reading fiction. I love being pulled into a good story rather than being occupied with the current stress of my ministry. Fiction allows me to experience exotic places and incredible stories without leaving my home!

I also love nature. As long as it is not -30 outside, I will go for a long walk to breathe in fresh air and slowly watch birds, squirrels, rabbits, and insects enjoy the day. This reminds me that I’m really not that important. If God sustains the creatures of the earth with food and shelter, He will provide me with everything I need.

During my weekly Sabbath I commit much of the time to hanging out with my beautiful bride. Here’s the truth I live by: The Rescue Church in Garretson can have many different pastors, my wife and (soon to be) daughter only get one husband and father. I will willingly lay down formal ministry if it becomes a god which ravages my family through workaholism.

Can you say the same about your career? Or is your family being ripped apart by the incessant demands at work? Anything or anyone other than the Living God is extremely destructive to worship.

I’m afraid many of us are sacrificing self-care and the health of our families for the false gods of productivity, career, financial security, and materialism.