Words Of Encouragement For Today!

The Measure Of A Man

2012-01-17T05:15:00.000-08:00

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
– Martin Luther King, Jr.

I wonder if this is what the Apostle Paul was being inspired to write when he penned these words onto the parchment: Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil
(Ephesians 6:13 NLT).

We all know how easy it is to serve God and be a Christian when everything is going good. We boast about wonderful church services and the moving of the Holy Spirit. We tell everybody at the restaurant what a great time we had in service. Being with Jesus will cause one to feel that way. There is nothing better than basking in the Spirit of God and experiencing His wonderful presence in your very soul. But what about the other times? You know them, the times when you just don’t feel spiritual. Like when that coworker smarts off to you on Monday morning or when your spouse is not in a complimentary mood toward you. When your job is boring, your bank account is overdrawn, your car needs fixing, your roof is leaking, and your teenage daughter has fell in love with a Hells Angel. Yeah, those times.

Neither Dr. King nor the Apostle Paul were inspired to say those times would be easy to endure. What they were inspired to say is the down to earth, rubber meets the road, truth. The same Holy Spirit that was with you last Sunday is still with you. The same Jesus that embraced your heart and whispered encouraging words into your spirit last Sunday is still with you! So how do we stand during the difficult times? The same way we stood in the sanctuary; by immersing ourselves once again in Christ. Putting Him on is simply allowing Him to cover us up. If we leave the Holy Spirit in the sanctuary we are forfeiting the strength and help available to us out here in the world. How do you measure up today? Can you go the distance? If you are in Christ and He is in you, you can!

Stinky Feet

2012-01-09T05:53:00.000-08:00

“You shall never wash my feet!” (John 13:8 NKJV)

Dr. Scholl’s was not in existence when Jesus decided to take it upon Himself to do a little foot care unto His disciples. It was not actually about their feet anyway but it would be something they would never forget. From that point onward every time they entered a house and had a servant wash their dirty feet it would be a constant reminder of who Jesus is; and who they were.

The event was a strike against pride, the kind of pride that says that we can wash our own feet. You know what I’m saying. The kind of pride that says we have been saved, washed in the Blood, born again, redeemed, and all the other Christianese phrases you can think of. Christianese? The language of church folk. It is foreign to the unbeliever. They may hear it and have some idea what it means but are not able to connect it with the Gospel. Foot washing is not literally required in order to be saved. Many churches have foot washings and that is fine as long as we realize it is an illustration of servitude. Servitude that starts with letting Christ wash our feet that we may allow Him to wash the feet of others through us. Or did you think it was about you and you serving others? If so, that is the pride Jesus was putting down.

Peter did not consider himself worthy enough to have his feet washed by his Master. Human pride in his heart spoke for him. Jesus came to save sinners and if we think for one minute we are not worthy of His grace and mercy, we will perish being to prideful to submit to One greater than us. “Let Me wash your feet Peter, or you are not My disciple.” That is how I translate what Jesus said to him. Old Pete got the message; “wash all of me then,” he said. You and I are His disciples if we allow Him to do for us what we need done. Church going, Bible reading, foot washing, communion taking, are all good things but do not wash our feet. Only Jesus can cleanse our sin stained bodies. We stick our dirty feet into His pan if we want to be His. We then are to tell others what He has done for us and invite them to have a seat and let Him do it for them.

Feeling stressed? Worried? Sick? Afraid? Have a seat, put your feet in Jesus’ hands, and walk away humbled, refreshed and strengthened having dealt a blow against your pride.

Grace Today

2012-01-02T05:46:00.000-08:00

Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD. (Genesis 4:26 NIV)

Time was marching on after the murder of Able. God had issued His promises of suffering that mankind would inherit due to the disobedience of Adam. It is evident that Gods presence had not forsaken the first family even though they were defiant. Eve understood that Seth had come by the hand of God.
It is encouraging to me to see that men began to call on the name of the Lord. After all they had been through one would think God would not listen. We could not hold a grudge against God if He had chosen to stop with the murder of Able and allowed Eve, Cain, and the rest of them all to die out. Not giving them anymore children but putting an end to sin at the very out start. “Nipping it in the bud,” as Barney Fife would say. We know now that is not what He did.

You may think you have gone to far in your defiance today. Perhaps someone has even told you that you are an outcast forever. They are wrong and your thinking is wrong. The mercy and grace of God was in the world at the beginning and is still here today. The key to realizing it is to follow the example of the first offspring of sinners; call on the name of the Lord!

Joseph Who?

2011-12-20T08:15:00.000-08:00

(Matthew 1:20 NLT).
“Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.

“Are you kidding me?” Wonder why Joseph never asked that of the angel? You know, we are not told a lot about this man named Joseph. It is assumed he was a carpenter by trade because Mark in his gospel tells us that Jesus was a carpenter (Mark 6:3). We know he was a just man and a son of David (Matthew 1:19, 20). We know that he and Mary had other children, 4 boys and an undetermined number of girls (Mark 6:3). Joseph is one of those people that today we would say had his 15 minutes of fame in the Christmas story. He is portrayed in Christmas plays as the one standing beside the manger, holding a staff and smiling. I am sure he had a lot to say but the Bible does not record a single word of his. What the Bible does say about him is of great importance. Joseph was a man that obeyed God. Now you will not find that written per say anywhere in the text. What you will find is that he took Mary to be his wife, as the angel commanded him. You will find that he took Jesus to Egypt as commanded by the angel. You will find that he obeyed once again and left Egypt and took Jesus back to Israel. You will find that he obeyed God by way of a dream and took Jesus to Galilee to the city of Nazareth. The last snapshot we have of him is at Jerusalem when Jesus was twelve (Luke 2:41 – 50). When the people said that Jesus was the son of Mary about eighteen years later it is very likely that Joseph had died at some point (Mark 6:3). What you will not find is Joseph questioning anything that God told him to do or complaining about having to do it. In the history of the world this man Joseph should top the list in the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11) but he is not mentioned. Wonder why?

Could it be because that he is not really Jesus’ dad? That would be my guess. If Joseph had of become a central character in the life of Christ then people may have confused him with God; Jesus’ real dad. Joseph had no problem doing his part in raising the Son of the Living God. Can you imagine how much more pleasant life would be for us if we could only have the same attitude and allegiance that Joseph did. Not wanting to be center stage but just doing what God would have us to do without questioning or complaining. His name was not on Jesus’ birth certificate but it is written in the Book of Life. What more would one want?

Gods Gift For You

2011-12-12T06:09:00.000-08:00

All of you, slave and free both, were once held hostage in a sinful society. Then a huge sum was paid out for your ransom. (The Message, 1 Corinthians 7:23-24)

I have seen several news reports that say holiday spending is up this year. We usually spend money to buy gifts for others as our way of showing them how much we care about them. Sometimes we buy gifts out of duty feeling pressured to give something to someone out of obligation. Other times we give gifts to those we love to show them they are appreciated. For those we truly love we cannot put a dollar amount upon their worth to us.

One report stated that Americans spent over 41 billion dollars last year on our pets! Why are we so in love with our pets? Perhaps it is because we mean something to them. They depend on us. They need us. They reciprocate our love. I saw a bumper sticker that read, “The more people I know the better I like my dog.”

Do you realize how valuable of a gift you are? You may not feel like you mean anything to anyone but I have news for you; you do. You might think you are an outcast, the black sheep of the family or the unappreciated coworker. Christmas time is depressing for you because like Charlie Brown, there are no cards in your mailbox. No invitations to parties, no family to have dinner with, no banquets to attend. Christmas is just another day.

God appreciates you. He loves you and cares about you so much that He gave you life to begin with and then paid the ultimate price to have you for His own. The old devil kidnapped us by way of Adam and Eve in Eden but God paid the ransom to get us back! That Nativity scene in front of the church or in the neighbor’s yard is but a symbol of how much God loves you. He gave the life of His Son in exchange for yours! People may not appreciate you but Jesus does! The Apostle Peter said that all the silver and gold in the world is not worth as much as you are to God! That little symbolic plastic or porcelain baby in that manger scene should remind you of how valuable you really are. A Gift from God to you.

The Messiah?! In Bethlehem?

2011-12-05T07:39:00.000-08:00

Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. (Luke 2:17 NKJV)

A couple of guys are sitting around the table in the Bethlehem coffee house having their usual morning get together before heading off for their jobs. “Hey guys did you here what the shepherds are going around town talking about?” One of them asks. “No, what are they saying?” One of them asks. “Well, rumor has it that some angles appeared to them while they were in the fields keeping watch the other night. I don’t know but if you ask me it sounds a bit strange.” Another one chimes in, “I tell you what, those shepherds can come up with some stuff. It has to get boring following those sheep all day and all night.” Then one asks, “What did the angels do to them?” “I understood that they gave them a message about the Messiah being born.” The Messiah?! The Holy One of Israel? The Deliverer? Being born here in Bethlehem? Ha! Maybe in Jerusalem but not Bethlehem.” One of them adds, “I remember somewhere hearing that one of the Prophets said He would come from Bethlehem.” Another one asks, “But why would God send His angels to a bunch of shepherds and tell them instead of the Rabbis?” The other says, “Yeah, if God was going to do something like that He would not waste His time or efforts on a bunch of sheepherders. He would send an angel to one of the Pharisees first. That news is what our people have been waiting to hear for hundreds of years so I cannot imagine Him telling it first to shepherds.” They look at their sundials and determine its time to go to their jobs. “Well, I will see you guys tomorrow; Shepherds and angels, what a riot!” One of them comments.

Sound familiar to you? This conversation could take place at Starbucks in New York or Judy’s Diner in Fort Chiswell. The Good News of the Gospel seems to arouse more skepticism than interest. Jesus is not as important to the majority as He is to us. Thousands have heard of Him but few know Him. It is interesting to note that the shepherds went to see what the angels told them was happening. Had they believed that the angels were just a vision from lack of sleep and to much fig tea and never followed through, we would have never known they were the first to be told. God would have got His message out; some other way.

Are we following the example of the shepherds? Are we going about the town telling people about our encounter with Christ? Or, are we following the example of the scoffers. The Christmas season is a great time for Christians to tell others about Christ. Share with someone where you met Christ and offer to introduce them to Him.

Taking On The Giants

2011-11-28T12:40:00.000-08:00

I put on the whole armor of God and then headed out the door to shop for all the Black Friday deals! Earlier in the day, much earlier, people of all ages took on the commercial giants of merchandising in order to get bargains that only come about once a year. The giants were prepared as they had their marketing strategists working for months on plans that would baffle the Pentagon war planners. Limited items with low prices coupled with long aisles proved to be a challenge for the giant fighters to overcome. Some were bivouacked on the sidewalk awaiting the trumpet that would sound charge! Weapons varied from pepper spray to handguns. Pushing and shoving, yelling and fussing, pulling and tugging, the giant fighters made their way to the bargains with such savagery that would make a rugby match look like a little girls tea party. Suffering from lack of sleep many of the shopping soldiers feel in the trenches before reaching their prize. Others clamored over one another in order to dive into the bowels of the big box giant in order to lay hold of their pearl of great price. Within hours the troops had retreated with their booty. About midday I walked through the battlefields. It was apparent that the giants had survived. They had succeeded in feeding the bargain starved attackers. The coupon packing, ad carrying, smart phone equipped warehouse warriors boasted of their victories while the giants wallowed in their profits.

I wonder what the Lord thinks about our Black Friday. I am sure He is not against someone getting a bargain; legally of course. I wonder how He views the stores for pitting person against person and how He views the people that participate. I guess that was what Jesus was trying to tell us when He said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33 NKJV). I am glad I did not have to wait until Black Friday in order to get free redemption! I am glad that God did not just make a few redemption coupons available so that we would have to battle one another over them. Thank you God for Jesus!

Thank You Lord For My Belly Button.

2011-11-21T08:09:00.000-08:00

With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up this week the focus turns to what we are thankful for. You could name a million things you are thankful for. Then there are those things that we take for granted that somehow we just forget is really a blessing.

Take the belly button for example. Unless you have had it pierced you probably never really paid that much attention to it. The belly button, or navel, as the politically correct medical term for it is, is the left over port where life sustaining nutrients were piped into us as fetuses. Our umbilical cord attached us to our mom and when the time came for us to be set free the cord was cut, sewn shut, and now our closed up port is a constant reminder of our humble beginnings.

Now those of you who know me know that I think different. Things that grab my attention would be looked upon by some of you as just stuff. I do not know if Adam and Eve had belly buttons or not; most likely not. I suppose that Able was the first human to have one. The belly button is a symbol of life. Being designed by our Creator before time began for us. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV), God told Jeremiah. He knew you also. He may not have formed you to be a prophet but He formed you for a purpose. You think you came into existence by the will of two other people that you did not even know. Total strangers until you ended up in the belly of your mom connected by the cord. God knew you though before you were ever conceived. Kind of humbles you a little knowing that your life is more than just the result of an “act of nature” doesn’t it?

When you see it the next time you will think about it different after having read this! The God of the Universe, the Creator of all creation, chose to give life to you. He wanted “a you” and that little indented or protruding button is His proof of that fact. Therefore let us remember the little things this thanksgiving as well as the big ones. Like belly buttons. Just saying.

His Eyes Are On You

2011-11-14T07:20:00.000-08:00

The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry (Psalm 34:15 NKJV).

I used to play hide and seek with the kids when they were little. One time I was playing with the twins and they hid downstairs in the living room behind the couch. I came down the steps and acted like I did not see them but went about the room saying how good they had hid this time. As I started to leave the room Josh jumped out and said, “I’m right here daddy!”

It is a wonderful thing to know that God sees us all the time. Even when we are not aware of it His loving eyes are watching. Now a skeptic is not able to accept that because it does not align with human logic. “How can He possibly see everyone all the time?” They may ask. The Bible teaches that a person who does not have the Spirit does not accept the truths that come from the Spirit of God. That person thinks they are foolish and cannot understand them, because they can only be judged to be true by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14, NCV). Human logic is no match for the wisdom and ability of God. If God was limited to seeing only a group and not an individual then Jesus would have lied when He said not one sparrow falls from the sky unless God allows it to happen (Matthew 10:29). You are not just a number to God but one in a number. Does He see the wicked apart from the righteous? Of course He does but the second part of this verse distinguishes the difference in how He sees us as compared to the unbeliever. God saw me before I ever came to be saved. It was not that He heard any of my prayers as I was not yet in Christ. If by chance anything I prayed did come about it was because someone had interceded for me! He protected me because Saints prayed for me. He drew me to Him because someone prayed for the lost to be saved.

Friend, you may think that God is nothing more than a higher power but let me assure you today He is much more than a figment of mans imagination. When times of trouble come upon us He sees us. When we walk through the valley of the shadow of death; He sees us. When we feel that we are overlooked, over worked, under appreciated, unloved, unheard of, and misunderstood; He sees us and is listening. If you are not one of the righteous, (saved), then look to Him for forgiveness and to Christ for salvation. If you are one of the righteous then jump out from your hiding place and say, “I’m right here Daddy!”

Character of A Savior.

2011-11-07T07:40:00.000-08:00

Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery (John 8:3 NKJV).

Things were not going well for her this week. She and her husband had been separated for quite sometime. She met a fellow in a local café and decided to go home with him. It was early the morning after when the knock came upon the door. As he answered it the religious leaders pushed their way in and took hold of her. Dragging her out of the house they took her down the street to the temple. A crowd had gathered to hear Jesus of Nazareth teach today. This was an opportunity for them to find out if He was from God or not. He had claimed God sent Him and if that was the case then He would follow Gods Law in dealing with this woman. Interrupting the session they pulled and pushed her right up to where He was sitting and cast her down in front of Him. Her day was getting worse by the minute. She knew she was doomed. Death by stoning was the punishment for adultery. She lay on the floor embarrassed, ashamed and frightened. Trembling in fear and awaiting her judgment something unusual happened; the Teacher knelt down on one knee beside her and begins to write something on the ground. “The Law states she must die by way of stoning” they insisted. Jesus never answered them. “Moses commanded that she should be stoned to death” another said, “what do you say?” They were hoping He would not have her stoned so they would have grounds to accuse Him of breaking the Law and they could kill Him instead for blasphemy. Jesus stood up and looked them all in the eye; “Which ever one of you that has never committed a sin against God can throw the first rock.” He knelt back down beside the woman as if to protect her indicating He was willing to be killed for her.

Sin is ugly and can get us in a lot of trouble. The men that day were forced to acknowledge their own sins. They walked away proving to the onlookers that all had sinned. Jesus then speaks these encouraging words to us and the woman; “I do not condemn you; now go and sin no more.” Her day was looking a little better. From facing a death sentence to being set free. Let go with a warning, a slap on the wrist compared to the electric chair. That is the character of a Savior. A Savior that is willing to forgive even the vilest offender. A Savior that is willing to kneel down beside us when we are in the pit of sin. A Savior that was willing to take our punishment for us: a Savior that died in our place. His name is Jesus. Are you guilty of committing sin and need to be forgiven? He will give it. Need to be comforted? He will do it. Want to start over with your life? Then let Him set you free, then go and sin no more.

Masks.

2011-10-31T07:30:00.000-07:00

Halloween has become a tradition for American kids. For the most part the majority of people are not aware of the pagan roots of the day and trick or treating is an innocent time of fun and candy collecting. I went trick or treating as a kid and there was this one old lady in a wheelchair that would sit in her living room and have us kids come in to get our treats from her. I never liked to go there because she would always make us take our masks off. She was afraid of being tricked into giving candy twice to the same kid! What is it with the masks and the costumes anyway? It seems that the historical tradition of dressing up like zombies to keep evil spirits from taking over their bodies has in modern day society become a time for adult dress up and make believe. It gives some people an opportunity to engage in altering their character by putting on make up and costume clothing. Some people become someone different on Halloween as a way of having fun and to escape the hum drum of everyday normalness. There is nothing wrong with having fun but we must always guard against being fooled by the traditions of men that oppose the instructions to pursue righteousness as outlined in Scripture. The Apostle Paul wrote; And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them (Ephesians 5:11, New King James Version).

There is another reason people wear masks everyday, not just on Halloween. Jesus could see behind the masks of those He called hypocrites (stage actors). He was talking to the religious leaders who claimed to be men of God but lived in ungodliness. He said, “You can't hide behind a religious mask forever; sooner or later the mask will slip and your true face will be known” (Luke 12:2, The Message). Halloween affords an opportunity for many to be hypocrites. Death and evil is mocked in the name of make believe. Coffins and corpses become props. When we attend a real funeral it is not fun is it? That is the definition of hypocrite. Jesus knows our hearts everyday. Just as many role play on Halloween many others role play everyday. Wearing a mask of purity and speaking words of flattery. Jesus likened people like that to white washed tombs. Outside were white walls but inside were rotting bones. Tomorrow after all the parties have ended and all the masks and costumes have been put away zombies will be transformed back into regular folk. Jesus taught the same thing will happen to those who wear a mask of religion. They may honor Him with their lips but their hearts are far from Him. The difference between religion and Christianity is eternal life and eternal death. Quit playing and get real with Christ.

A Spirit of Infirmity

2011-10-27T11:29:00.000-07:00

If you had lived during that day in time you may have seen her; the little old lady making her way through the market square. Every Tuesday for the past eighteen years she would come down to get what few groceries she could afford. She was not the only little old lady shopping that day but there was something about her that caught your attention every time you saw her. She was all drawn over, almost double. Holding to her cane and trying to carry her basket with her goods you could tell it was a struggle for her to even walk. You felt sorry for her and wished there was something you could do to help but in that society it was not common place for a stranger to help such a one as her. Under the Law of Moses you could end up being defiled if she had some sort of disease and you touched her. You asked God to help her and then went your way.

The Sabbath finds you in the synagogue. It is your custom to be there ever since you were a child. The Scribes would take out the large scrolls and give it to the Rabbis to read from. Sometimes a fellow citizen would be offered the opportunity to read from it and comment on what he read. This day was different however as you looked behind you into the courtyard there she was, leaning on her cane, all bent over. Then it happened: Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God (Luke 13:11-13, NKJV). Right there in the synagogue on the Sabbath this Fellow that was teaching did something marvelous! He did what you wished you could have done for her, He healed her. Of course the head Rabbi told the crowd He broke the Law because Jesus had done such a thing on the Sabbath. Jesus answered him just as you would have had you had the guts. Calling him a hypocrite because he and others cared more about their animals then they did people. You cheered with the rest of the people at His answer and all of you began to glorify God!

Many people today are in the same shape she was in, not just physically but spiritually. We see them in the market places or at church. They smile with their face to hide the infirmity in their hearts. Worries, fears, anger, disappointments, frustrations, grief, grudges and the like, cause their spirits to be bent. Many of them, like her, have been hurting for years. If only they would hear as Jesus calls out to them; “Come to Me, let Me heal your broken spirit.” Are you one of them? Feel all bent out of shape? The Master is calling out to you; go to Him.

Life Is.

2011-10-17T06:56:00.000-07:00

They file into the sanctuary on this beautiful Sunday morning in October. They are smiling and talking with one another. Hugging each other and shaking hands and making over the cute little kids and babies on their way to the children’s areas and the nursery. Ushers are greeting them and handing them the weekly bulletin as they greet those who are visiting and give them a brochure and a card. Once inside the service starts and the choir leads in songs of worship and praise. Praises fill the air and tears flow as the people of God worship their King. I have studied and prayed about what to teach and preach today. I want them to hear what God has to say to them not just me. I know the smiles hide hurts. I know the hugs hide worry. I know life is not as perfect for them as it appears. I share with them the message, the message I truly believe God would have me to share. I invite them to come and pray afterward and many do. Then the service is over and greetings abound once again as we all bid each other goodbye for now. Perhaps some will be back tonight or Wednesday but most will be back next Sunday or maybe one next month.

Monday morning rolls around and starts early for many. They are back in reality, the real world. It does not take long until this verse proves to be true for them: Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity (Luke 8:14 NKJV). The seed given to them in word that encouraged and inspired them yesterday is now forgotten because of work, school, and doctor appointments. His presence seems a million miles away just a day later. The troubles of life get in the way of the joy of living. Life for many becomes just an existence. God never intended it to be a grudge. Life is a gift from Him and therefore He wants us to enjoy it. Circumstances and conditions have a detrimental impact on our enjoyment to the point we forget He brought us to life that He may enjoy us. God is not ignorant of our circumstances and situations; He knows all. We may not be having fun or feeling great but He still takes joy in us. Instead of us focusing on our welfare and well being today let’s look above the situations and circumstances and fix our eyes on Jesus. You remember Him, right? The One who endured the Cross for the JOY that was set before Him. He endured everything even to the point of death that you and I may have His joy. The joy of knowing life is more than sickness, pain, disappointment, discouragement, fear, boredom, and existence. Life is eternal! Seasons come and go but life comes; and is. Look up today and rejoice because God has given you life!

Hope Not Seen

2011-10-10T06:33:00.000-07:00

When we could not see the sun or the stars for many days, and the storm was very bad, we lost all hope of being saved. (Acts 27:20 NCV).

There is no darkness as heavy upon the soul of man as the darkness which settles in the heart of the one who has lost all hope. Hope is the anchor in the midst of a storm. Hope is the life preserver we wear when our ship is sinking. Were it not for hope life would be a meaningless existence as we trudge through our days with nothing better to look forward to. Dr. Luke summed it up when he wrote, “The storm was very bad.”

Enter the Apostle Paul with the message, “I have some good news and some bad news. The Good News is you will not die. The bad news is you will think you are going to.” When the moment of crisis arrived his advice was to stay with the ship. We see that it got worse before it got better. Cold, soaked, starved, frightened, and exhausted both physically and mentally, they got onto the shore. Three months later they were on their way again on another ship and with more groceries. God is true to His word; He keeps His promises.

You my friend may feel like you are on a sinking ship right now. It has been many days, months, or even years and you have not seen the sun or the stars. Maybe you have called out to the Master to rescue you many times and still the skies remain dark and you are continuing to be tossed to and fro. Let me encourage you with the Word of God: do not lose hope. Jesus came to give us the same message as Paul gave the sailors. It will get worse before it gets better. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33 NKJV). If you are not on the ship with Christ get on board now. If you are on His ship, hang on. You will survive. Stay with Jesus and do not abandon Him. Help is not on the way, He is already here!

Trapped Like Mice.

2011-10-03T07:09:00.000-07:00

2 Corinthians 4:8
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair.

Every time I read this passage of Scripture I think of the movie The Wizard of Oz. You know the scene; after rescuing Dorothy and trying to escape they go into a room of the castle only to have all the doors closed behind and in front of them. Then the witch is standing on the steps and the lion says, “Trapped, trapped like mice, uh, rats!” That is how I picture the mindset of the Apostle Paul when he wrote these words.

We sometimes say that we are between a rock and a hard place. There seems to be no way to escape being crushed. Things just seem to keep piling up on us at times. If it’s not one thing it’s another we say. I use the illustration of pulling a wagon through life to describe it. We have bricks put on it along the way and the farther down the road we go the more bricks are piled on. Eventually the last brick will be put on that breaks down our wagon. We struggle through the day pulling and tugging at the wagon making very little progress, if any. We become exhausted and depressed. We do not understand what is happening or how we got to this point and despair sets in and life becomes a drag for us. We have no joy, no happiness and some even have no hope. That is a grim picture but it is reality for many. In the movie the scarecrow figures out a way for them to escape though. It is so ironic that he wanted a brain and yet it is obvious he had one all along. That is what God is saying to us today in this passage; we do not have to be in despair even though our circumstances seem to have us trapped. Life is perplexing at times and we cannot understand why things happen the way they do but that does not mean we have to give up. Job said it best I think when he said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him!” Paul would go on to say “Therefore we do not lose heart.” Our help is just a prayer away.

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15,16)

He Cares For You.

2011-09-26T05:53:00.000-07:00

[1 Peter 5:7] He cares for you.

The little chipmunk is working furiously stocking up his supply for the cold winter months that are just around the corner. As I sat on the deck sipping coffee, listening to the birds sing and feeling the coolness in the air as the morning mist began to give way to the warming of the suns early morning rays; I watched him. He would run to the bird feeder and stuff his cheeks full of seeds then back down through the yard and under my neighbor’s deck! Squirrels were eating, birds were eating, and rabbits were grazing under the pines all the while as this little fellow was going on about his business. One cannot sit outside in nature very long without thinking about God. His invisible attributes are clearly seen by those things which He has created. The Scripture tells us that we are more valuable to Him than many little birds but when I observe the little creatures it is obvious that the Father is taking care of them.

Out of the group of men that Jesus chose to disciple I am always encouraged by the Apostle Peter. I even give him my last name sometimes when speaking about him because he and I share some virtues. I like to fish, he did it for a living. I speak without thinking, as did he. In his letter to the Saints, Peter could write these words with authority; He cares for you. No one knew that any better than Simon Peter. Jesus saved him from drowning, healed his sick mother-in-law, gave him nets full of fish after he had fished all night and never even got a bite, and did not have him arrested even though he cut off a guy’s ear. Peter had experience with the patience and love of Jesus but of all the things he remembered about those experiences I believe it was one of his last encounters with Him that motivated him, (under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit), to put these words on the parchment; He cares for you. Peter remembered sitting around the campfire eating fish and bread days after Jesus had risen from the grave. I am sure he was hoping that Jesus had forgiven and forgot about his denial of him earlier. Jesus brought the subject up though by asking Peter if he loved Him. I believe Peter got nervous that day. I believe he thought Jesus was getting ready to give him the boot. “Depart from Me thou wicked servant,” I believe is what Peter expected to hear. What he heard though were these words: “I still care for you, Peter.” No, not verbatim, but in context. Friend, He cares for you too. In all your imperfections; warts and all; He cares for you! Always and forever; never, ever, forget that.

The Devil is a Bully

2011-09-20T05:29:00.000-07:00

“Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” [1 Peter 5:8]

The devil is a bully. You know what a bully is and does. A bully has an inferiority complex and is insecure in their own existence so they are inclined to take their insecurities and fears and project them onto someone else. It causes a bully to feel better if someone is afraid of them rather than them having to fear someone else. So the psychologist would say. I am sure there are many reasons bullies are bullies but the motivating factor is control. They want their way and will do what it takes to try and get it. Enter the devil; not the tall skinny red figure carrying a three prong pitch fork with horns coming out of his head and a pointy tail but rather picture a bully on the playground. Now the difference in the bullies we know and him is that most bullies wanted our milk money. Satan doesn’t want our milk money but he does not want us to give it to Christ! The mission of the devil is to take from Christ what God has given Him; souls. Now the devil does not want our souls, contrary to popular belief, he just does not want Christ to have them. He does not gain anything by getting our soul; he will be destroyed in everlasting fire along with all the rest of those who have rejected Christ when all is said and done. Satan does not want Jesus to have us forever, which is why Christ died on the Cross. The devil will use any means possible to get what he wants. He wants Christ to weep over those who reject Him. The devil takes pleasure in seeing us suffer because it gives him opportunity to lie to us and tell us that there is no God. The devil uses tools such as fear and the wedge of discouragement. A roaring lion frightens its prey to the point that it shakes in its tracks or becomes confused and does not know which way to run. The devil will scare you with the thoughts of losing something; your family, your health, your wealth, and your life. When he sees a crack of doubt appear in our faith he will put the tip of his wedge of discouragement in it and begin to hammer on it. He wants us to split from Christ because he knows that’s where our security is rooted. He does his best to bully us because he hates us. He hates us because Christ loves us. He is not a force to be reckoned with but rather a real creature with influence. So, be sober and be vigilant; don’t let him confuse you and cause you to give up on Jesus. Regardless of how big or scary he may cause things to look; turn to Jesus. The devil hates Christ but has to listen to Him. You draw close to Christ and let Christ deal with the devil.

The Comforter. For Ever.

2011-09-12T08:40:00.000-07:00

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” [John 14:16 KJV]

The words that stand out in this sentence for me are “Comforter and for ever.” For ever is a long time. Now none of us know just exactly long it is because we have never seen anything that has been around for ever. We see things that have been around longer than we have, but that still does not constitute for ever. No, my friend, for ever belongs to God. Only He understands for ever. He always is; not was or has been, but is. He did not just exist in the past and He does exist in the future; He exists, period. He is for ever, the Alpha and the Omega; He is eternal life; before we ever knew existence; He exists! Jesus said, “I Am the resurrection and the life,” when Martha said her brother would live on the last day, when the resurrection would occur. Jesus did not just exist in the past and He we do not have wait until the future for Him to exist; He is now!

The Comforter; this word is translated as friend, helper, counselor, advocate; depending on which version or translation you read. All are correct as the Holy Spirit is all these things. I call Him the Agent of Application. When I need help, He helps me to find it. When I need a friend, one that does not judge, criticize, or tell me what I want to hear; He reminds me that Jesus is with me and then He guides me into the Word. When I need advice He leads me to the Word and to the right people. I need an advocate for my sin and He comes to my rescue; He convicts (not condemns) me of my sin, testifies to me of Jesus, and helps me with repentance by interceding for me as I pray. Yeah, I would say He is The Comforter.

Now put these two paragraphs together; The Comforter for ever. Sent to me from the Father because Jesus asked Him to! Another Comforter; not a different One, just another One! Now I have two! Jesus is with me not in bodily form but in Spirit; The Holy Spirit. The Father is with me not in bodily form but in Spirit; the Holy Spirit! Not only that, but they will never leave me nor forsake me; for ever. Wow! The One who is Forever Himself now gives for ever to me; that I may be as He is! The Comforter Abides with me and He will abide with you; for ever!

Anything to Hide?

2011-09-06T08:49:00.000-07:00

If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. [Psalm 66:18 NKJV]

In this age of information technology and social networking keeping our personal information secret is almost impossible. A good friend of mine that works on computers tells me that if I can see something on my screen, so can someone else. It is hard to hide things in airwaves. Therefore we have become pretty good in hiding our secrets. We have learned to keep our mouths shut and our thoughts to ourselves to be totally secure because no other human can actually read our thoughts.

Secret sin is the biggest issue within the Kingdom. It is nothing new as we can see from what David had to say. I saw a commercial on T.V. encouraging people to report child abuse. The actors were leading children and wearing a sign on their back that identified them as an abuser. We know they are not that easy to spot and that was the point of the whole commercial. The same applies to those who hide sin in their hearts. No one is immune; pastors, teachers, evangelists, deacons, the Pope; all have the ability to hide sin from the public eye; for a while. Sin will always find a way to surface; just like a backed up septic tank. The real danger associated with hidden sin is not the risk of someone finding it out, the real danger is not having God hear our prayers! He will not hear our prayer of repentance if we continue to regard the sin! One translation puts it this way; “If we are cozy with evil, God will not listen.” Yes, God is faithful to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness; but not until we are ready to let it go. God is not into excusing sin; He is into forgiving it. If we want Him to hear us then we first have to acknowledge our sin, confess it, and then release it.

Allow God to search your heart today just as David asked Him to do. “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” Should He reveal a sin that was tucked away in the dark corner of a closed compartment; lust, anger, hate, etc., then confess it, ask Him to forgive you, and then let it go. Allow Christ to dwell in your heart. Sin cannot live in the same heart with Jesus!

Grace: The Gift of Survival

2011-08-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” [2 Corinthians 12:9]

Survival of the fittest; that is the rule in the wilderness and in nature. The quick can outrun the slow to escape being eaten. The quick can outrun the slow to catch a meal. Seems ironic doesn’t? It all depends on whether you are the slow one or the quick one. The slow may be quick enough at times to catch a meal, but then be to slow to escape being one! About now you should be thanking God that he did not create you to be food!

We have all been there and many are there now; striving to survive a crisis. We may be up against a physical ailment, an emotional trauma, or perhaps in a financial bind. More than once I have been faced with situations and issues that I could not change or do anything about. I was left to face the consequences. Many of which are now in the past and I can look back now and see how that God worked things out for me. It has taken me years to learn patience. The patience that it takes to trust God in every situation and circumstance. I have learned that, just as Paul did, that God has enough grace to sustain me even in the worst of times. Grace is the gift of survival for us. God could leave us to our own problems and situations, fold His arms across His chest, glare down His nose at us and say; “Good luck getting through this.” I am so thankful today He does not do that! Because He is gracious toward us! It is not until we come to realize that we need Him, that we will ever experience His deliverance. In the Kingdom of God the rule of survival is not the same as it is in nature. The weak can survive just the same as the strong.

How about you today? Feel like you are being outrun by the enemy? Maybe feel like you are in a no win situation, or perhaps between a rock and hard place? Call upon the Lord Jesus; He will come to your rescue. His strength is yours for the asking.

Life Motto

2011-08-22T11:44:00.000-07:00

Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? [Job 40:2 NKJV]

Why me, Job asked. Job was perplexed when it seemed that God had turned on him. You and I know what happened in the account of Job because we have the Scripture after the fact but Job never had a clue. One day everything in his life was hunky dory and then just hours later it seemed that the Almighty God had taken vengeance on him. What have I done, Job asked God. Only to be left without answer or explanation. It was a dark day for Job, so dark that he remarked he wished he had been still born and not seen the light of day! How about you? Ever wished you had never been born? Hard times and harsh circumstances can grind the edge off our faith. Doubt, fear, and anger begin to arise in our spirit when it seems that God is not listening. We harbor the thought in the back of our mind; I am not sure there is a God. All because things do not happen as we want them to. “I pray and things get worse” some have told me. It becomes difficult to even pray sometimes in such dire straits.
Take courage though, Job was allowed to be prey for the devil that you and I might come to understand the power of the Almighty. God is our creator and thereby can do with us as He pleases. We can become misguided into believing that we deserve a life free from conflict. Jesus said in this life we would have trouble; and we do. There is no use in arguing with God about it either because He knows what He is going to do and why He is going to do it. God is never wrong in what He does. We cannot correct Him because He is always right! We learn from Job what attitude to take toward trouble; God is in control of everything. Nothing comes into our lives without His knowledge or permission. We may not understand at the time how our troubles and problems are of any benefit. What we must believe is; they are. Job had no idea that his life of hell on earth for a season was of any benefit, but it was. It benefited those of us who can look to his experiences, his thoughts, his complaints, his questions, and ultimately his faith and determination to trust God. Endure the trail, put up with the pain, agonize over your losses; but never lose trust in the Almighty. Let the words of Job become your motto; “Though He slay me, I will still trust Him!”

Just Do It.

2011-08-14T17:04:00.000-07:00

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” [Mark 16:25]

This command from the Master to take the news of Him to all creatures, (individual beings as defined in the Greek context), carried with it the implication that they would be doing some travelling! The Good News was carried by letters or word of mouth in those days. A command such as this sounded almost impossible to them I am sure. The disciples never imagined the internet. An airborne community made up of millions of citizens. I have more friends on Facebook than there were people in the home town I grew up in! Virtual cities and farms exist in this vast array of digital media, information carried around the world by transmitted signals from place to place at the speed of light. What opportunity we have today of telling people the Good News! The news that the God of all creation is willing to reconcile even with the vilest offender! The news about how God took it upon Himself *to create for Himself a body in which He could dwell in upon His visit to Earth. Coming here to offer that body as the final sacrifice for mans sin forever! An action that was totally unheard of. Never would man imagine that the very Creator which created us, would come as one of us; for the purpose of dying as a Sacrificial Lamb for our sins. But He did just that and before He returned back to His Heavenly Throne He command those who believed in Him as the only begotten Son of God to go everywhere and tell everybody about Him and His mission, and His sacrifice, and His forgiveness, and His mercy, and His willingness to pardon and save all, in every generation, every one that will come to Him! One thing we know for sure; they managed to do their part!

Can we do our part? Can we reach way out into the vast areas of the globe with the message of the Gospel? You bet we can. Here’s a suggestion for some guy or gal with some time to donate to the building of the Kingdom: text, e-mail, tweet, broadcast, and post the Gospel on the billboards of the internet! After all, Jesus has given us the same command; Let’s do it!

*Hebrews 10:5

The Master Of The Sea

2011-08-08T07:46:00.000-07:00

“Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” [Mark 4:38 NKJV]

Those who spend much of their life on the sea can tell you this; you are either heading into a storm, you are in a storm, or you just came out of one. A calm sea is found only between the exit of the last storm and the entrance of the next one. Some of these men Jesus was with in the boat were seasoned fisherman. They had been in storms before. The difference between this storm and the others were these land lubbers with them in the boat. They knew the Teacher was not a storm rider. He had told them earlier *to keep a small boat ready near the shore so He could escape being crushed by the crowds that came down to the seaside to hear Him; and they did. After getting into the boat He taught things about seeds and sowers’, putting lamps under baskets, and how seeds grow. Then a few hours prior to their departure He taught them that just a little faith, like a little seed, is sufficient to do big things. As the sun began to set He said; “Let’s head across to the other side.” No problem for them as they had sailed back and forth across that little sea many times chasing fish. Jesus had an agenda they were not aware of though; He was going to teach them about forming opinions of who He really was. To accentuate His lesson He laid down in the back of the boat and went to sleep! Then it happened; they ran into the storm God had allowed in their path. Wind blowing the waves and with each dip of the bow the little boat gulped up gallons of water. Look at the Master; sleeping like a fat house cat on a rainy Monday. “Hey! Teacher! Wake up! The boat is going under! Then these famous words: “Don’t You care that WE are perishing?!” When a loved one dies tragically or suddenly we ask it. When the doc says; “stage four,” we ask it. Lord, don’t You care that we are dying? We are in a life threatening crisis and You sleep. Now watch closely what happens: He gets up, speaks to the elements and the storm is over. Then asks, “Have you already forgotten what I told you about faith and mustard seeds?” Then they got really skeered! An awesome display of power! “Who is this Guy?” They asked. He is the Maser of the Sea; that’s who He is. How about you today? In a storm? In the calm sea of tranquility awaiting the next one? Take some advice from me; a land lubber that gets sea sick on the New River; make sure you are in the boat with Jesus.

*Mark 3:9

Surviving Betrayal

2011-08-01T08:06:00.000-07:00

“Rabbi, is it I?” He said to him, “You have said it.” [Matthew 26:25 NKJV]

What a dumb question! Judas had already arranged to have Jesus arrested and then had nerve enough to ask Him this question. That is how it is though with the Judas’ of the world. They plan and scheme in the dark and work in the shadows behind our backs. If we happen to suspect we may be the target of their dastardly plan and confront them, we usually get the same response. “Me? Are you saying you don’t trust me?” Of all the hurts and pains and difficult situations in the lives of others that I have tried to console, support and counsel; the most devastating are those who have been betrayed. Betrayal is the sword which pierces the heart from the back. Betrayed spouses say, “It hurts worse than if they had died.” Most never see it coming and yet others see it and think they are just being paranoid. A heart that has been betrayed is left with such a deep puncture wound that the scar tissue which forms in it tends to surround the entire heart. A heart betrayed can take years to heal and even then, has trouble learning to trust again. The initial hurt brings denial, then anger, then hate. Hate is a cancer within the spirit. It does not just go away over time but rather grows: A spiritual cancer which goes deeper than the bones and marrow. There is only one cure for hate: forgiveness. Forgiveness that does not come from our heart, but from the heart of Christ. Our human hearts are not capable of healing themselves from such wounds. Only the One who invented forgiveness in the first place can offer it to others. Look close at the answer Jesus gave Judas; “You have said it.” Jesus said, “Yes, you are the one who has already planned to betray Me.” Jesus knew it was going to happen but still felt the pain it brings. Jesus knows the pain of betrayal; love gone sour. Yet, He never stopped loving. He continued His journey to the Cross; for Judas and for us, and for those who have betrayed us.

You may be a victim of a brutal betrayal yourself. Your heart may have been punctured with that horrible sword from the back. Don’t try to heal on your own. Come to the only One who can heal such a wound. The One who was wounded first. Allow Christ to heal your heart!

Refs: Luke 2:35; Hebrews 4:12; 1 John 4:19; Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV)

The Two Sisters

2011-07-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. [Genesis 3:6 NLT]

Desire has a sister, an evil sister. Desire herself is not evil in that she can motivate people to want things that are good for them or others. It was desire that motivated me to come to Christ. The evil sister’s name is Selfishness and she rides behind Desire. Selfishness could care less about others. She follows Desire and motivates us to take what we want and in the case of Eve, at all costs. Desire motivated Eve to consider the tree and what God said about it; Selfishness motivated her to forget the words of God. Eve chose poorly, listened to Selfishness, and you know what followed. Both sisters are still at work today in the lives of every breathing human. Desire motivates some people to want to change the world around them. Selfishness motivates them to go about it their way and not follow Gods plan. Selfishness lives in the hearts of those oppose Gods plan for redemption. They have allowed her to corrupt Desire thereby wanting things their way; the offspring of Selfishness and corrupted Desire are unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness. [These cause people to be] whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, and unmerciful. Selfishness motivated the terrorist in Norway. Selfishness motivates the pregnant woman to abort. Selfishness motivates legislators to pass laws to please certain groups. You know what I am talking about. Selfishness, the evil sister whose motto is; “It’s what I want.”

Selfishness hates Christ as she knows He does not listen to her. He died for everyone’s sin; not just for one. Selfishness had rather He just died for Eve and perhaps Adam. She knows that when Desire draws people to Jesus He will change them. Selfishness knows they quit listening to her and listen to Him. How about you? Have you heard their voice? Have you heard Desire telling you to consider Christ? Have you heard Selfishness telling you to ignore Him? Consider seriously which one you listen to. The choice is yours; choose wisely.

Ref: {Romans 1:29-31 NKJV}

Free or Not?

2011-07-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

So if the Son makes you free, you will be truly free. [John 8:36 NCV]

Last Sunday, Casey Anthony became a free woman. She had been detained in jail until a jury agreed that she was not guilty of the murder charge against her and voted to acquit her. The judge agreed with the jury’s decision and released her based on time served for the other charges. Some feel she was guilty and others feel she was not but when it came time to convict or acquit, she was acquitted by the justice system. The system we have in place to make decisions like that.

There is another side to her story, a side that was not presented in court or in the news media. A part of her life that investigators never questioned her about that I know of. They never asked her if she believed in Jesus or not as far as I know. Someone off the camera or off the record may have witnessed to her or prayed with her, who knows. If she has never asked Christ to save her, forgiving her of her sins, she is still not free. She may not be behind prison bars or in the confines of a jail cell, but she is still in bondage. She may not even realize it as millions of people never do. They feel they are not in bondage to anyone as the Pharisees told Jesus. Spiritual bondage is deceptive. One can be held in sin never realizing the hold it has on them. I never realized it. I was in bondage under sin for over thirty years and the entire time never knowing it. I thought I could change anytime I wanted to, perhaps in my final hours. It was not until I came to know Jesus just how deceived I had been. I finally came to my senses as the prodigal did in the pig pen and came to the Father for forgiveness, and the Blood of Christ freed me! I hope Casey understands that freedom is not being out of jail, but being justified by the Blood of Christ. Having all charges dropped against us by His work on the Cross! How about you? You may be in jail or on the street but if you have never allowed Christ to set you free from sin; you are still in bondage. Allow the Son to set you free; and be truly free!

Endure

2011-07-11T06:59:00.000-07:00

Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. [Hebrews 12:3 NLT]

A glutton, a winebibber, a lunatic, a demon possessed heretic. Just some of the things many of the people said Jesus was. He fed thousands with a little boy’s lunch, He made better wine than they had at a wedding party for the guests to drink; He confounded the Rabbis’ when He was just a boy. He cast out demons from those possessed by them. So how could they say all those things about Him? The human nature of people has not changed since that day in Eden. You remember; the day the devil lied on God. Ever since then the devil has been working to convince sinful people that Jesus is of no importance. As the human race has been given more knowledge by God and greater tools of research that we might discover even more truths about Him; the devil is still working to convince us it is all a lie. Jesus told His first followers, “If they hate you it is because they hated Me first.” Did you know that because you are a follower of Christ you are automatically an offence to a non believer? You may try your best to show them love and respect but they still consider you an enemy. It is not anything you have done personally but Who it is that lives in you. Jesus rubbed people the wrong way. They either came to accept His message of Gods forgiveness for their hostility toward God, or they had nothing to do with Him at all. People who do not like to be told the truth about themselves find justification in their animosity toward God by transferring their feelings toward Him upon His followers. You have not done anything to them but yet they are hostile toward you. Saying things about you such as; “he’s a goodie good,” or perhaps, “She’s a hypocrite, I know who she really is.” Many say the same thing to us as they said to Jesus; “Who do you think you are?” When Jesus commanded us to “bless those that curse us” it was for our benefit; not theirs. If the enemy can convince us to quit turning the other cheek and hate them just as they hate us, he has once again accomplished his goal of smearing Gods reputation among earthlings. Jesus never showed hostility toward anyone but He never quit showing the love of God to them either. We live in a world that is still hostile toward Christ so don’t expect it to treat His followers any different. Endure it; as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Not Independence From God

2011-07-04T08:56:00.000-07:00

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor. (The Declaration of Independence)

Fifty six men from fifteen states signed this document of declaration under the belief that it was the will of God for them to be free. They had appealed to the Supreme Judge of the world that they might be religiously correct (rectitude) in making their decision. They prayed about it. Apparently they felt it was okay with God to proceed. They ended the document testifying that they were depending on God (divine Providence) to help them in their endeavor. Obviously, He did. I may be “preaching to the choir” here today but you and I both know it was never the intent of our Founding Fathers to separate God from Government. "The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: 'It connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity." [President John Adams, July 4, 1821].

So those now who live by faith are blessed along with Abraham, who lived by faith—this is no new doctrine! And that means that anyone who tries to live by his own effort, independent of God, is doomed to failure. [Galatians 3:9 The Message].

Enjoy your Independence from Britain today. Celebrate your liberty handed down to you by the men and women before you; many giving their lives to purchase it and maintain it. Give thanks to God, the Supreme Judge, today for your Country. Pray for those in harms way today who still defend Her! Know that God made it all possible.

Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me. [Psalm 103:2 New Living Translation].

Smell This.

2011-06-27T10:47:00.000-07:00

Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God. (2 Corinthians 2:15 The Message)

During my “walk with God” this morning along the New River Trail it seems that my olfactory receptors were at their optimum performance today. In other words, I smelled a lot of stuff that I generally do not pay attention to. I love to smell the honeysuckle, the pine, and cedar smells that hang in the air along the route. As I was thinking about what the topic for the devotion would be today I walked past a field of cattle and the smell of cow pies seemed overwhelming! Several of them were at the fence grazing in the early morning shade and one was chewing and mooing as I walked past. I stopped to see what the big deal was about and the thought hit me; wonder what I smell like to God? I remembered reading somewhere in the Bible that we are called sheep, but I cannot remember ever being referred to as a cow. I know God is good at using what is available to teach us so she would suffice for my daily lesson. I sit down on the bench that just happens to be in the perfect location for cattle watching and pie smelling to get gravel out of my shoe. As I sat there meditating, smelling, and listening this verse came to mind. Not in the text of The Message, but rather as I have read in my New King James; we are the aroma of life to some, and the aroma of death to others, but to God we are the fragrance, (smell or aroma), of Christ. Gee! I smell sweet to God! When I asked Christ to save me, He washed me of my sin and clothed me in His righteousness. The stench of death which is attached to sin had been removed as the sweet smell of eternal life permeated my soul. When God takes a whiff of me now He smells the lingering fragrance of His Son upon me!

You may smell like Aqua Velva, Old Spice, or Obsession today in the physical, but if you have put on Christ you smell sweet to your heavenly Father! I was a real stinker to Him at one time so I am glad today that Jesus never turned His nose up at me, and He will not turn His nose up at you either. Man, I am glad He never created me to be a Tumblebug.

Character or Hypocrit?

2011-06-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character. ~ Psalm 105:19 (NLT)

An old gentleman came everyday to the nursing home to hand feed his wife that had Alzheimer’s, her lunch. One day a nurse asked him why he came and did that for her because she had no idea who he was. He replied, “I do it because I know who she is.”

Character; the Hebrew terms used in this verse mean the act of refining; a process in which dross is separated from silver so that you end up with a pure substance. Our English dictionaries have one definition that states that character is a distinguishing feature or attribute. My definition of character is simple; it is the real you. It is who you are when no one is watching. It is what you actually think and not what you actually say. It is who you really are in Christ; not just who you want others to think you are. Joseph was tested with time and trials. Wait upon the Lord the Bible says. I have a tough time waiting at red lights. We live in a drive through world. Pull up to the speaker, order, go to the window and pay, pull up to the next window and get the bag of grub. We want it right and we want it right now. This attitude has crept into our faith. Dr. Luke tells us that many times people were healed immediately. The Apostle Paul tells us that his eyes were never completely healed after being blinded. Commitment and character go hand in hand. Joseph was committed to God, Jesus was committed to God, and Paul was committed to God. All three had their character tested. They did not go on Facebook and complain about their problems as to seek sympathy or glory for their situations. They endured as good soldiers of God. Paul said, “I thank God for my weaknesses, because in them His strength is glorified!” Character is the fruit of commitment. Hypocrisy is the fruit of fake commitment. Joseph never became bitter because of his situation. Paul never blamed his teachers for not teaching him the truth. Jesus never blamed us for having to go to the Cross. It was not my fault He had to die for my sins; He died for me because He loves me and was committed to redeeming me. His character was without flaw because His obedience was without flaw. His commitment never waivered. His love never diminished. Joseph was a type Christ. He was falsely accused, punished unjustly, and yet showed mercy to his enemies.

Are you up against it today? Maybe God is testing your commitment. Maybe He is testing your character.

He Has The Right

2011-06-13T06:28:00.000-07:00

{Matthew 9:5 NKJV}

For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? Which is easier? Jesus posed this question after a scribe accused Him of blasphemy, a crime which was punishable by death according to the Law of Moses. Of course it is easier to say your sins are forgiven. For how can anyone say of another that his or her sins have actually been forgiven? How can we know for sure that even our own sins have been forgiven? We believe they have by faith; the faith we have in God and His word. When Jesus told the man his sins were forgiven He was taking on the authority of God. For only God has the authority and the right to forgive sin. We can forgive trespasses against each other but we cannot forgive others trespasses against God! We have no right to give absolution of someone else’s sin regardless of who we are in Christ. We do have the authority given to us by Jesus to preach Gods word and tell others that HE can and will forgive them. Jesus proved that day that He really does have the authority to forgive sin. When He told the man to arise and walk the people knew immediately that only God could do that. A teacher of the Law, Nicodemus, would make the statement; “We know You are from God for no one could do the works You do unless God was WITH him.” Forgiveness of sin takes place in the heart, out of sight of man. Physical healing is done right in front of our eyes. Because someone is not healed physically does not mean their sins have not been forgiven and because someone is healed physically does mean their sins have been forgiven. Even before Jesus died on the Cross that our sins may be forgiven He forgave this man. He could do that because He knew the Cross was ahead of Him. If you need your sins forgiven then come to Christ and ask Him. He will say to you just as He said to that man; “Arise and walk.” Arise and walk in your new life! Your sins have been forgiven! I say that not on my authority, but on the Authority of the Almighty God. We walk by faith, not by sight.

He Is Willing

2011-06-07T08:24:00.000-07:00

“I am willing; be cleansed.” [Matthew 8:3 NKJV]

I wouldn’t touch him with a ten foot pole. You have heard that before haven’t you? I am not sure where it originated from but if that idiom existed in the Aramaic language I am sure people were saying it about lepers. They were the outcasts of society. People believed that if you were stricken with leprosy you had done something awful and God was punishing you for it as He had been known to do. What if we took that same way of thinking and applied it to cancer? All who have it did something that caused God to put it on them. No, sin brought disease upon the body and God did not bring sin into the world. As a society we do not avoid those with cancer but do our best to treat them. As Christians many of us lay hands on them, anoint them with oil, and pray for them. We certainly do not marginalize them as outcasts. Jesus changed their way of thinking by healing lepers. I can imagine someone in the crowd saying, “He touched him! He touched him! He touched that leper!”

It was not the physical ailments Jesus was so much concerned with because He knew the body would die anyway at some point. He healed their physical bodies so their suffering would be eliminated. He demonstrated His power over disease that we may know He has power over sin. We can define uncleanness several ways but the way God defines it has to do with our spiritual condition. A diseased soul is much worse than a diseased body. The body eventually dies; the soul never will. Our lesson is not to marginalize the sin laden souls but rather to embrace them and allow Jesus to touch them through us. What an honor to have someone say of you, “Look, look, he is talking to a sinner!” Look, look, she is praying for that drug addict!” Remember Jesus touched us when we were unclean and He is still willing to cleanse others!

Hope Raised

2011-05-23T07:50:00.000-07:00

A mother, who was a widow, had lost her only son. ~ Luke 7:12 (NCV)
No one actually knows what happened to her husband, except the Lord of course. She may have married at a young age and life was fulfilling for her. When she became pregnant and gave birth to her only child, a little boy, it seemed that God had blessed them. Maybe it was an accident or an illness; we do not know what it was that took the life of her husband. As a woman without a man in a society that had no social services or government funded security, she was left to feed herself and her son the best she could. The Apostle Paul put it plainly how it worked; “If you do not work, you do not eat.” The boy was her only family. Apparently her husband had no brothers. Her son was her provider. Women could not do public work in that day in that society. When he died her whole world died with him. No income, no family, no inheritance, no hope. Can you understand now why Jesus raised him?

God set this up. The woman and her husband had no idea that their marriage and their son were orchestrated by God. Before He created the boy in the womb God had this day planned. The grief she must have endured at losing her husband and now her son. God wanted the world to see His power, His compassion, and His ability to fix that which seems impossible to fix. Her grief was replaced with joy as death was rebuked and life was restored. That is what God does: He gives joy for sadness.

I do not know what your last straw was. I do not know what has happened that has caused you to think all hope is gone. I do know this though; Christ came to give us life; more than we need! Just as He fixed the widow’s situation He will fix yours. Go to Him. Take your dying hope with you and let Him touch it. The hope you thought was dead will be resurrected! New life breathed into a dying situation by the Giver of Life Himself. Why? Because He loves you and will use you just as He did that family in order that the world may know He is still the Almighty God.

Now Where Is That Tree?

2011-05-16T10:14:00.000-07:00

And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. ~ Luke 19:4 KJV

He was just a regular Joe; grew up in a neighborhood full of kids. One thing he did notice however that separated him from his playmates. He was vertically challenged. He was usually the last to be picked when they chose team players. He worked extra hard at being good at everything he did as though he had something to prove to others. He endured all the jokes as he grew into adolescence. Names like “half pint” and “shorty” plagued him at social gatherings. Very few girls were interested in him seeing that he was not tall, dark and handsome. He made it through college and became an accountant. Passing through the market place one day he saw a sign advertising for an IRS agent. No respectable Jew would ever work for the Roman government. The money was tempting in that after collecting the usual tariff he could pocket the rest of it. He finally found a way to get back at all those who had ridiculed him about his stature; now they would pay. For some reason this revenge was not as sweet as he hoped. Although he had more money than most of his fellow citizens he lacked friends. He was not really happy with his life. As the crowd noise arose in the street he knew this man they called Jesus was coming by. He had heard about Him and His kindness toward underdogs. He needed an advantage that day and God had provided it; a tree with limbs close to the ground that he could reach. He found a perch above the crowd and fixed his eyes on the One in front. The Nazarene paused and looked up at the little man perched on a limb like a starling. “Zacchaeus, take Me home for lunch.” Someone finally called him by his proper name. The talk about Jesus was true! He really did care about people; regardless of their height or their reputations. The Grinch’s heart was changed when acknowledged by the King of Kings. His life was changed that day. Forgiveness permeated the greedy spirit and the Spirit of the Lord infiltrated his very soul. He would make it up to those he had cheated; a total one hundred eighty degree change in direction. He never grew an inch physically or biologically on account of that encounter but now he had a chance at new growth; a rebirth you could say.

Feel like an underdog? Think you are lower than the dirt on your shoes? Look for that tree. The one God has placed in your path so you can climb up and make contact with underdogs Champion of Heaven!

Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead.

2011-05-02T07:17:00.000-07:00

6) No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves. 7) It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. [Psalm 75 NIV]

Osama is dead. That’s the first news I heard this morning. The networks were showing people all around the nation celebrating his demise from Ground Zero to baseball stadiums to college campuses; people cheering, singing God Bless America and the National Anthem. It seems that revenge has been gotten upon the 911 mastermind. It would be wonderful if we could now say that all is well in the world. The head terrorist is dead. Ding dong the witch is dead they sang in Oz. However their celebration did not last long until another, more evil witch showed up. Already people are now starting to wonder what type of retaliation will be carried out. What will his followers do to get even with us now. Who will they target to get revenge? It seems it never ends does it?

As I watched the celebrations I wondered how many, if any, of those cheering had any idea of how this may play into Gods plan for America and the world. I wondered if they really cared. Have they ever given a second thought to how this fits into prophecy? I wondered if any of them thought in their hearts, “God is up to something.” Maybe many of them did; and maybe many of them did not. You my friend are one of the blessed ones. You know God is up to something and you care about what He is up to. You understand that the killing of a man can change history. You know firsthand how the death of a leader can effect generations. You know about Jesus. You know about the cheering crowds the day He was killed. What you know now, the crowds that day did not know; that He would not stay dead! When Jesus was put to death the opposition thought they had won. They believed that this rebel rouser would not be a thorn in their flesh any longer. They rejoiced because the blasphemer had been crucified for His crime against God; claiming to be His Son.

Bin Laden will not rise from his grave. His followers will continue to carry out his mission for him. They will do things in his name but they will do it without his help. His death will not bring peace to the world. Revenge may be sweet for a while but it will not put an end to hatred. Only the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, will put an end to hate forever. The Bin Ladens’ of the world will never be able to do it. We are just one nation under God; He is over all the nations. He rules whether we realize it or not. His will shall be done on Earth as it is in heaven. If you are not following Jesus I highly recommend that you start now. You may be glad that Bin Laden has finally been killed but more importantly; be glad that Jesus is alive! He is the only One that can save you.

Back To Life: for us.

2011-04-25T06:19:00.000-07:00

“Children, have you any food?” [John 21:5 NKJV]

Here we are the Monday after Easter. Many of you are back to work and some may be enjoying an extended break. Life gets back to the normal hum drum of work, family and day to day chores. The excitement of yesterday’s celebration still lingers in our memories. The music, the dramas, the sunrise service; the breakfast! To be blunt that Sunday celebration of the rising of Christ should not cause us to be anymore excited that day than we are any other day. It is just human nature to live in the moment. We are no different than the first followers. We do not have a lot of detailed information about what happened the Monday after Jesus arose. We do pick up from John that eight days later Thomas got his wish. Now we see sometime after that the disciples are obeying the Lord and waiting in Galilee for Him to meet them again. Some think Peter decided to give up on ever being restored by Jesus and went back to his day job. After all we do not know for sure how long they had been there waiting on Him. I on the other hand think different. Listen carefully to what Jesus asked them while they were in the boat. “Are you still hungry?” I arrive at this conclusion because He fixed them breakfast. I do not think this was a commercial fishing trip or one just for fun; but to catch something to eat. It is interesting that they did not know it was Him at first. They expected Him to meet them on the Mount of Olives or perhaps in an undisclosed location while behind locked doors while hiding from the Jewish leaders, but here He is; in all His Glory! Still doing what He always has and always will for His followers: feeding them.

The resurrection changed the body of Jesus from one that was destroyed for sacrifice to a body that was equipped to serve once again. His appearance may have changed but His mission had not! He reaffirmed that mission to Peter by first taking care of his empty gut and then feeding his starving soul. I can picture Peter lying on his side in the grass picking his teeth with a fishbone when Jesus asks; “Do you love Me Peter?” I think that Peter was wondering if Jesus still loved him after his denial. Jesus makes it clear that He never stopped loving Peter.

You may be wondering today, this day after Easter, if Jesus still loves you. I assure you; He does. He always has and He always will. The question is: do you love Him? Do you love Him enough to come to Him to be fed?

Dateline: Tuesday, Nisan 13, A.D. 33. City of Jerusalem

2011-04-18T06:52:00.000-07:00

John 12 (NLT)
34 The crowd responded, “We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man, anyway?”

Dateline Jerusalem, Tuesday, Nisan 13, A.D. 33. (Jewish Press). We are in the crowd as this fellow from Nazareth, after entering the city a few days ago being welcomed as the one who would deliver Israel from Roman oppression and Pharisaical rule, has just announced that the thunder we just heard was actually a voice from heaven. For the past three years He has been going about the nation performing miraculous signs and saying that He is not only speaking for God as a prophet, but that He is the Christos, the anointed One of God; the Messiah. All of this being hard to believe about Him and especially now when He has said that He must die. We know from the Scriptures that the Messiah will never die, but will reign forever as Gods chosen ruler, so how can this Man, known as Jesus of Nazareth, the son of a carpenter conceived out of wedlock, possibly say He is the Messiah; and who is this “Son of Man” He talks about? Just as He is known to do, He leaves us with these sayings of His and disappears! Our Rabbis and teachers cannot figure it out; they say He is a blasphemer and a lunatic. However they cannot explain His miracles. One of them, Nicodemus, has said that “He (Jesus) has to be from God in order to do all these works.” The controversy is stirring the crowds as many believe He is the Messiah while others think He is nothing more than a zealot making up His own rules as He goes. We cannot get any pertinent information from His disciples, His followers, mostly comprised of public servants and unlearned fishermen, who seem to have no idea of what He is talking about but follow Him anyway. Word on the street has it that after He turned the temple upside down on Monday, running all the workers and vendors out and calling them all a bunch of “crooks” that the Pharisees and some others were plotting to have Him assassinated. I would not be surprised with all the turmoil surrounding Him if one of those close to Him would carry it out!

As of press time this evening we had still not been able to reach Him for any further comments. With preparations being made citywide for the celebration of Passover coming up I am sure He is still in the area and will no doubt show Himself at the most opportune time to get the most attention from the crowd once again. If He is not careful He may end up being charged with the crime of blasphemy by our leaders which may lead to imprisonment or even death; if the Romans feel He is a threat. Jesus of Nazareth; the Messiah, or a zealous, itinerant preacher trying to form a religion? Only time will tell.

Our Unfriendly Planet

2011-04-11T07:41:00.001-07:00

Romans 8:20-21 (NLT)
Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.

The devastating storm that passed through Friday left a path of destruction that we usually see on the evening news that happened somewhere else. The damage left behind is not only materially or physically, but emotionally and spiritually too. Fear and insecurity will plague many for a long time to come. Every time the wind gets up or the thunder rolls anxiety will arise having many wondering if it is happening again. My deepest heartfelt sympathy is for those directly affected by this event. Some say that God is trying to wake us up. Some say it is some sort of punishment for our rebellious lifestyles. Others think it is just a natural disaster that happens at times. The truth of the matter is: all three are correct.

The Scripture tells us why these things happen as they do. Earthquakes and Tsunamis, fires and floods, tornadoes and volcanoes, are all the result of the rebellious act that took place in the Garden of Eden long, long ago. We fail to realize the impact that sin has on all creation; not just us. God created and provided a once perfect world for His once perfect creatures. Free from natural disaster, free from disease, free from death. When the people He put in charge of it all stabbed Him in the back they not only reaped the consequences of their actions but the entire creation He had provided for them would change also. A planet that was designed and created to support eternal life for eternal creatures was changed into a place where they would have to labor to survive. Death not only came to them but also to their planet; the one you and I are on right now. The Earth is no longer “human friendly.” The entire planet “groans” as one translation puts it, waiting for the day that God tells us about in Revelation; the day that a new heaven and a new earth will be created for His “new” creatures. Born again humans living in a born again world!

The Apostle Paul put it this way; “What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory which will be revealed to us later.” These words do not bring a lot of comfort when you stand at the graveside of your loved one. They do not bring a lot of comfort when you stand where your home once stood and survey the rubble that was once precious belongings scattered across the fields into the trees. Scripture may not always bring us comfort at the moment but it always gives us hope! Hope in God. Hope in Christ. Hope in the future. The only things we can count on are the promises of God. The promise of eternal life; the promise of a secure future; and the promise of a better world.

Godly Advice; Priceless

2011-04-04T07:29:00.000-07:00

And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. [1 Samuel 23:16 NIV]

Godly advice; what’s it worth to us? How about the man that was walking down the road and saw a fellow with a ladder leaning against a tall pole? He was on the top of the ladder with a steel tape trying to measure the pole. The guy asks what he is doing and he tells him that he is trying to find out how tall the pole is. He asks the guy why he did not measure it while it was on the ground and the guy responded with, “I don’t care how long it is; I want to know how tall it is.”

Sometimes people have a different perspective on things than we do. That is not a new revelation but our perspectives are based on where we are coming from at the time. David knew Saul was out to kill him. Saul’s forces numbered in the thousands and David had six hundred men with him. David inquired of God in Keilah, “Will Saul come here looking for me and will this people turn me over to him?” God answered yes to both questions. While David was hiding in the desert of Ziph at Horesh he must have been afraid that Saul would find him. Then help arrives; from Saul’s son Jonathan. He reminded David of Samuel’s prophecy upon Saul: “The Lord will tear the kingdom from your hands and give it to one of your neighbors.” Jonathan told David even Saul knew God would protect him when he said; “As long as the son of Jesse is alive you will never be the king of this kingdom.” Jonathan’s advice helped David that day as we later read in Psalm 54.

We need a Jonathan to come to us once in a while. We need to be a Jonathan sometimes too. Even the strongest of Christians need encouragement when in a pickle. That encouragement does not always have to come from a pastor or a counselor. It can come from you. We need to be reminded of who we are in Christ and encouraged to trust in Him from time to time. We need to remind others at times of God’s promises toward them. He is a lonely and miserable man that will not receive the godly advice of friends. He is a selfish and arrogant man that will not offer it to friends. You may need someone today to encourage you to continue to trust in the Lord, or you may know someone that needs you to tell them to trust in Him. Don’t wait until the pole is in the ground and they are up on a ladder; go to them while it is still lying on the ground!

Set Up

2011-03-28T07:06:00.000-07:00

Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. [1 Samuel 12:20 NKJV]

Is God gracious and merciful or what? I mean, how could He possibly overlook those things the Israelites had done over the years? Well, they are His chosen people and it is apparent that He intends on keeping His promises to them; no matter what. They asked for a king to rule them instead of Him; He gave them one. After warning them, He still gave them one knowing what tragic consequences they would endure because of their misguided choices. His love for them is such that He was willing to let them have what they wanted even though it would bring hardship upon them. Have you ever been the victim of your own choosing? I have. When I was ten years old my best friend and I decided we wanted to chew tobacco. His mom and dad owned a store and we used to drool when they would cut off a plug of “Bull in the Woods” for some guy. We waited until one day when his dad was in the back and had us watching the store for him. We cut us off a chunk and took off! We hid behind the store and began chewing like cows in green grass. We swallowed as much of the juice as we spit out. When we became ill from it, I remember going home and mom panicking because she thought I had been poisoned! Dad did not seem too concerned though. It was years later when dad told me that he had overheard us discussing our plans and relayed it to my friend’s dad; yep, we were set up. I believe that God will do the same thing every once in a while. No, He never sets us up to fail but He will give us the desires of our hearts; even though they may not always be what we should have chosen. The good news is; He is still there for us. Ready and willing to put us back on the right track. He gave us Jesus in order to reconcile us to Himself following our rebellion. Dad and my friend’s dad never reprimanded us for our little fiasco; they let us reap the consequences as our punishment. God did the same thing for Israel. Just as our dads never quit loving us as sons, God never quits loving His children. Yes, He will allow His children to suffer dire consequences of their actions but He is ready and willing to forgive them if they are ready and willing to repent. Sin brings mortal consequences upon us. Unforgiven sin brings immortal consequences upon us; eternal destruction in hellfire. Have you been making some bad choices lately? Are you suffering the consequences of your actions? Then listen to the words of Samuel today: “Yeah, you’ve done all this junk, but put it behind you, come back to God, and then serve Him with all your heart.” I lost my best friend in 1983 as a result of a car accident; he never chewed any more tobacco though and neither have I.

Pretty Doggone Fair

2011-03-21T15:08:00.001-07:00

"And yet Israel keeps on whining, 'That's not fair! God's not fair.' "I'm not fair, Israel? You're the ones who aren't fair. [Ezekiel 18:29 The Message]

“It’s not fair!” Oh my, how many times have we heard that? I have an advantage when it comes to pastoring; God blessed Glenda and me with wonderful children; twin boys and a daughter! When we were driving down the road in the minivan and would have to resolve issues by taking something away from one or the other to stop them from hitting each other with it only to hear the shriek cries of; “that’s not fair”, and then answering with the most common answer ever given to kids from parents: “Life is not fair.” I had no idea then that God was preparing (priming) me for the pastorate!

While standing at the graveside committing the body of the infant child and looking upon the wrenched faces of the young parents I have said it. Sitting in the hospital room watching the dear old Saint that had lived his life for Christ struggle to inhale his next breath I have said it. Watching in Scripture as a thieving murderer was released and an innocent Savoir was condemned to die I have said it. You have said it too. At times when it seemed it was the right or perhaps the only thing to say. “Why do I have cancer and the dope head down the street does not?” “Why did my mom end up with Alzheimer’s and the grumpy old cuss across the street has a good mind at ninety five?” “Why did my child have to die and others are allowed to kill theirs by abortion?” Yeah, you’ve said it; or at least thought it. God knows what is fair. He invented fair. Fair to God is so important that He gave His only begotten Son for it. It is not fair that you and I should be held accountable for the sin of Adam and Eve. It is not fair that we should have to pay for our sin because our two, irresponsible ancestors, failed to obey God. Therefore God made it right. He took their sin, and ours, upon Himself. He turned the curse of death into a transition of life; eternal life. Are we grateful for it? Do we treat Him fair by accepting His offer of redemption? Do we treat Him fair by trusting Him in every aspect, every moment, every event, every tragedy, and every stage of our life? Do we treat Him fair when we feel He is not treating us fair? Ouch! Being treated fair does not mean we will be treated equal. Jesus went to the Cross and was abandoned and left to suffer and die on it by God. He did it so that we would not ever have to be abandoned by God. I don’t know about you, but I think that was pretty doggone fair.

The Naked Truth

2011-03-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [Hebrews 12:2 NKJV]

Oh no! I’ve overslept! I forgot to set my clock ahead Saturday night and now it’s almost ten thirty! Then I am at my office hearing all the people coming in to church. I go out to greet them and realize; I am just in my underwear! I try to sneak past everyone back into my office to find my clothes and the next thing I know, I am standing in front praising with the choir; and still in my underwear! Oh Lord! I cannot go into the pulpit in my underwear! Then, as you have figured out by now; I wake up. That was Friday night. When Saturday night came you can bet I checked several times to make sure I set our clocks right and that the alarm was right. I am still thinking about taking an extra set of clothes and keeping in my office.

Now think about Jesus being humiliated by having His garment stripped from Him. Some like to think they left Him some covering and all the pictures drawn of Him on the Cross have Him covered to protect His dignity; I think they are wrong. All other criminals were stripped naked when they were crucified; why would they not do the same to Jesus? I am sure they did and the reason they did is because we learn from Scripture that Jesus was “In all ways tried (tempted) as we are.” He was humiliated beyond measure that He may empathize with our humility. Sin is the root of humiliation; our first ancestors were humiliated when they realized, after an encounter with the devil, that they were naked. Clothes came to symbolize the covering of shame. The naked body went from being beautiful to its Creator to being perverted by His creatures. The body of Jesus was stripped naked in the end just as the first Adam was in the beginning. The first Adam was clothed by God after being humiliated; Jesus was un-clothed by God to be humiliated; that our perverse ugliness and sinful body of “death” could be done away with that we may once again be presented beautiful and pure to our Creator. God now clothing all of us that “have put on Christ” having accepted Him as our Savior with His righteousness!

(Special Edition) Plan For It Now

2011-03-11T08:41:00.000-08:00

Hey Gang,

Felt impressed to share this one asap. I do my best to discern and obey the Holy Spirit.
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Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. ~ Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

My teenage daughter and I were heading out to pick up a pizza. As we came out of the restaurant I asked, “Do you want to drive?” She is only thirteen and knew I was joking. As we drove back home I begin telling her some things about driving. I said, “See that car up there? In just a few seconds we are going to be where it is now. You have to think like that when driving.” Then I said, “The faster you are going, the quicker you will get there.” With that she looked at me like, “Duh, yeah dad.” I told her, “That sounds like something Yogi Berra would say.”

I think that is kind of what Jesus was saying here. We never make it to tomorrow, do we? When the clock passes midnight it becomes “today.” Yesterday we were looking forward to today. Now that we are here, we are looking forward to tomorrow. Let’s stop there. Each day brings new things with it. Some we were expecting, some we were not. Japan never expected the earthquake on Thursday that happened on Friday. There were plans being made on Thursday that did not include an earthquake. That date on many people’s calendars had doctor appointments scheduled, weddings scheduled, meetings scheduled, surgeries scheduled, and funerals scheduled, but not one of them had penciled in an earthquake for 2:46 P.M., Friday afternoon, (their time). Now you can see why Jesus said to concentrate our energy and efforts on today. We have to plan of course but we should plan knowing that our world could be turned upside down. What will we do if it happens? Now lets add another event; the return of Christ. What if on HLN Friday morning instead of hearing about an earthquake in one part of the world, the reports were of thousands of accidents around the world and millions of people were missing? The media would eventually bring up the “rapture” but how many would accept it; especially if they were left behind? Listen, we are heading toward that day; today may be the day. If not, then it will be tomorrow; we don’t know which tomorrow, but it will be one of them. In one of those tomorrows out there; it lurks. At midnight, at high noon, or maybe at ten after two on a mundane Tuesday, a rainy Monday, or a sunny Friday; He will come. There will be plenty of trouble that day. Get ready for it today; let the troubles of today persuade you to prepare for the troubles of tomorrow. If someone had asked a person that perhaps died in the Tokyo earthquake at 2:40 P.M., “Are you saved? Are you ready to meet Christ?” The person would have had only 6 minutes before his decision would become final. Do not pencil in on your calendar, “Will get saved this Sunday.” Do it now.

A Robin. A Worm. A You.

2011-03-07T07:42:00.000-08:00

Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? [Matthew 6:26]

I see a robin pilfering through the grass along my ditch line this morning; head turning from side to side as his glaring eyes search for an earthworm pushing its way up through the soft wet soil in order to find the warmth of the sun and the nutrients on top of the ground. Within seconds of piercing the topsoil, the finely tuned eye of the bird focuses on it and what started out for the worm as a journey to find food and comfort becomes a free breakfast for Mr. Redbreast. My daughter Hannah would say, “Poor worm.” Think about that for just a moment; created to be food; fulfilling the will of God by filling the craw of a robin. Consider that the next time you wonder what your purpose in life is! To us that worm is fish bait but to God that worm had a higher purpose. We generally do not value worms, insects, and the like but birds do. God could have made us to be food for birds but rather He chose to put a higher value on us. The only reason you are a human today instead of a robin, an earthworm, a blade of grass, a cuckle burr, or a rock is because God decided before He ever formed you in the womb of your mom to create you in His image. That means, what He had in mind for you; what He imagined in His heart you were to be. An eternal spirit created and designed to bring Him glory with your life. Now you can understand the gravity of the question Jesus asked; “Are you not of more value than they?” Do you mean more to God than a bird or a worm? Absolutely. The worm and the bird have no soul; not created in His image. He purposely designed that little robin so that I may look at him and be awed by the power of the One who created me. He allowed me to look at the bird He created by way of an intrinsic, complicated organ known as an eye; also His creation. How dare you to think that you are not worth anything. All the thought and creativeness that went in to bringing you to life was for the purpose of glorifying your Creator! You please Him by being you. You are priceless to Him; so much so that He paid for you with His own flesh and Blood. Jesus never died for the robin or the worm; only for you. Think about it. Well, got to go, I see a starling in the yard; wonder what he will find to eat?

The Truth Interpreted

2011-02-28T06:31:00.000-08:00

No prophecy in the Scriptures ever comes from the prophet's own interpretation. ~ 2 Peter 1:20 [NCV]

“You’re a good interpreter dad,” Hannah said to me yesterday. We had lunch following service with my son and his wife. Hannah said this after the waiter had come to take our orders after we had been surveying the menus for a bit. “How do you figure that?” I asked. She said, “When the guy asked ‘What will you guys be having today’ you interpreted it into your Southern tongue for us.’” All I said was, “Whacha all wont.”

Now I don’t have an issue with my interpretation. After all we southerners have a way of keeping things simple and to the point. I simply used three words to ask the same thing it took him seven words to ask. The Bible has been translated into many different languages so perhaps it is time we got a few Southern scholars together and translated it into our “tongue.” Even if we did that it would still be our take on what God inspired in the first place. Old Pete reminded his readers that these false teachers who were going about teaching their own doctrines were twisting the actual truth. The Holy Spirit inspired him to put these words onto the parchment that we have as our text today. Those whom God used to record His words did not interpret the truth as they saw fit. Although we have the Scriptures translated into hundreds of languages and several versions, the truth still stands as God gave it to begin with. I never argue over a particular version or translation that others may read. In fact I study a bunch of versions and translations. Thomas Jefferson wrote his own version and did not include any of the supernatural aspects of Jesus’ miracles because he believed the four Gospel writers added them on their own. He even left out the resurrection of Christ in his version. That was his private interpretation of the Scriptures. He has found out by now he was wrong. I hold to the belief that God guards His word. I believe what Jesus said; “When the Holy Spirit comes He will guide you into all truth.” The Holy Spirit came when Jesus left. He is here now and will be until the church is taken to heaven. I believe He surveys all the versions, translations, and interpretations that we apply to the Word. Our society today struggles with the truth. Millions do not even believe there is absolute truth. Understandable seeing how as we have been lied to from the White House to the church house. Jesus said that the devil is a liar and the father of all lies and he is still using people to lie today. No, the Bible was not produced by the mind of men putting their thoughts on parchment the way they believed it. The Bible was produced by the Living God inspiring, (breathing into), the truth into the minds of those He used to write it. Peter was an eyewitness to Jesus. If the devil tried to tell him something that was wrong; Peter would have known it. You and I were not there with Jesus but the Holy Spirit was. Therefore I take His Word for it. Bless all yall.

Wheelbarrow Faith

2011-02-21T07:56:00.001-08:00

With God all things are possible. ~ Matthew 19:26

“If you say so;” A common phrase among those of us who are not totally convinced that what someone is telling us is true or even possible. People watched as a man walked a tight wire across Niagara Falls. After returning he then walked it again a second time blindfolded. After that he then pushed a wheelbarrow across it blindfolded. The people cheered as he accomplished these feats. He then asked a fellow standing in the crowd; “Do you think I can do that again?” The guy quickly said yes. The fellow then said, “Then how about you getting in the wheelbarrow this time?” Our faith cannot be measured by what we say or even think but rather by what we do. You and I are programmed naturally to reject things that do not appear logical to us. How can you push a camel through the eye of a needle? It has to be a trick question or an impossible feat. The truth is you cannot; but God can. God is the Master of impossibility. His works are not limited by our logical assumptions. He deals in miracles and we live in doubt. Why? Maybe because we have not actually seen Him push a wheelbarrow across a tight wire blindfolded. Could be that we have to take someone else’s word for what He has done. The doctor says, “I’m sorry, but the results are positive for cancer.” A friend says, “I will pray for you; God can heal you.” You think, “If you say so.” You have seen many die from the disease so your human logic reasons that it is only by chance that some survive it. The truth is all survive it. Disease kills bodies; not souls. Jesus saves souls, not bodies. He sacrificed His body that our soul might be saved. Man cannot save a soul, it is impossible for us to do. God can do it though. Look around; do you see any life forms around you at this moment? God created them. So go ahead and put a blindfold on your doubt and get into the wheelbarrow with God; live by faith and not by sight.

Life Storms

2011-02-14T06:56:00.000-08:00

Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. ~ Matthew 8:26 (NLT)

There was an old fellow that lived near my dad and would come over and sit on his front porch on late summer evenings. One evening I was there and the wind was getting up. “Why God made the wind makes no sense to me,” he said. “You can’t hunt in it, you can’t fish in it; I know everything He made has a purpose, but I have no idea what the wind does!” I know what purpose He has for the wind but I have not figured out what mosquitoes do.

Life storms; they come unexpectedly just like the one here the disciples were battling. Storms invoke fear. Fear; because we cannot control them. Damage and loss are usually the results of storms. We get a phone call in the middle of the night or while at the mall, and suddenly we find ourselves in the same boat with the disciples. Fear sets in; fear that we are going to have to face the worst; perhaps the loss of a child, a parent, or a loved one. A few moments earlier we were sailing clear across still waters with a friendly breeze in our face and then the phone call or the pink slip comes and our boat begins to fill with water. The wind becomes fierce and the sky darkens. “Oh God” is usually the first thought we have or maybe even the first words we mutter. Mark tells us in his Gospel that they cried out to Jesus and asked, “Don’t you care that we are perishing?” If you read the Bible or have been in church very long you know what happens next; Jesus steps up and stills the storm. He knew the storm was coming; He had it all planned. “The devil was trying to kill them,” some say. If that was the case it was still allowed by God. Job experienced life at the hand of a loving God that allowed the devil to try him. Jesus then teaches us a lesson about fear; it comes upon us because in that instant instead of trusting God to keep us from going under we feel helpless and hopeless. With the wind driving the water into our face, the boat rocking from side to side dipping up water with each plunge under the waves, we struggle to hold onto the mast and thoughts of drowning fill our mind. Jesus said that faith is our life jacket. Regardless of what comes against us Jesus can handle it. We may have to get wet and maybe even sea sick from the rocking boat but if we will turn to Him, He will calm our storm too. Faith and trust go hand in hand. If we are willing to trust Christ to save us from Hell then we must learn to trust Him to save us from hell on earth. If you are sailing on the sea of life today and you are not in the boat with Jesus then be afraid; be very afraid. But if you are on board with Him then enjoy the ride knowing that when the storm comes, and it will, He will take care of it; and you.

Man, you stink.

2011-02-07T06:57:00.000-08:00

So the father ran to him and hugged and kissed him. (Luke 15:20 NCV)

Shoo, what’s that smell? Look at you, you’re a mess! Where have you been? What did you do with all the money I gave you? I knew this was going to happen, why didn’t you listen to me? Don’t touch me; I don’t want that pig poop on me. I will have one of my servants take you to the barn and hose you off. They will give you some work clothes and feed you. I will come by and check on you when you are all cleaned up. I can’t believe you.

This is what one would expect a dad to say to the son whom he gave half of his inheritance only to have him come back knocking on the door smelling like alcohol, eyes red from drug use, hair matted, and wearing clothes stained with week old vomit. He does not deserve any other reception we would say. He brought all this upon himself, what did he expect? He is lucky the father even received him. This is exactly what God has done for us though. We think sometimes we are the son who stayed home and did the right thing. That God owes us an inheritance because we are the good one in the family and not the black sheep. When Adam ate the fruit the pigs were turned loose. Pigs with names like addiction, sexual immorality, rage and pride. The whole earth has become their pen. They have run of the place and there are millions that eat with them, wallow in the mud with them, and die in their pen every day. God has offered refuge from the pen however. He has a nice home with a room in it just for us. He stands on the porch watching for us to come up the road. When we do, He does not greet us with insults or condemnation, pinching his nose and waving his hand. No, He reaches out to us, wraps His spiritual arms around us, hugs us tight and kisses us on our neck. God has been in the pig pen; He has smelled the smells and had mud on Him. He knows how miserable life is in the pen. That is why He went to the Cross and shed His blood; that it would wash off the mud, the poop, the drugs, the alcohol, the adultery, the homosexuality, the pornography, the prostitution, the greed, the lies, the anger, the rage, the abuse, and the shame. Look around you; see any pigs? Are you in the pen with them? Climb out and run to Jesus. See someone else in it? Give them your hand, help them out, and lead them to Christ. God accepts us as we are but loves us to much to leave us that way.

Why God, why?

2011-01-31T06:49:00.000-08:00

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” ~ Matthew 27:46

There He was hanging between heaven and earth, just as the Scriptures had said He would. For this reason He came to this sin infested planet to begin with. Having no sin of His own to die for He readily and voluntarily allowed this body to be scourged and spit upon and then nailed to a Cross to be lifted up that all men may be reconciled to an angry God. Anger that stems from the effects that sin had brought upon His favorite creations. Being deceived by the adversary, His human beings, those made in the image of Himself, were turned against Him. His anger could have led to total annihilation of the race yet instead, He chose to preserve us. Taking His anger out on Himself, by way of His guiltless, sinless, Son; Jesus. Is it any wonder Jesus asked this question? After all what had He done to cause His Father to do this to Him? All the time knowing why His Father, for a brief period of time, had to leave Him alone on that blood stained wooden Cross. Sin cannot exist in the presence of the Father; the Holy God. It is consumed in His presence and the body that it dwells in is consumed also. Jesus experienced separation from the Father; I know He is a part of the Trinity and what we know theologically is hard to accept logically. However the flesh and blood body of our Lord contained our sin and it was that body that He sacrificed in order that we could be separated from sin forever. What has all this got to do with us? Have you ever been in a situation, or maybe in one now, where you felt God had or has forsaken you? Could it be there is sin hiding somewhere in your body? Some unforgiven sin of which you have not repented? Forgiveness you need to give and have not given? Perhaps some jealousy or envy? Maybe a little "secret sin" buried deep in an old trunk in the basement of your heart? Jesus knows what you feel like. He did what He did so that you do not have to experience it forever. Look to Him, cast your spiritual eyes upon Him, and then crucify the sin that is separating you from the Father. Give up your spirit to Jesus just as He gave up His to the Father.

Oh Baby!

2011-01-24T06:27:00.000-08:00

15 Some people brought even their babies to Jesus so he could touch them. When the followers saw this, they told them to stop. 16 But Jesus called for the children, saying, "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to people who are like these children. 17 I tell you the truth, you must accept the kingdom of God as if you were a child, or you will never enter it." ~ St. Luke 18: 15 – 17 (NCV)

I can remember years ago when politicians used to make a point of kissing all the babies in the crowd they could reach. People would bring their babies to them to be kissed hoping they would get on camera. Today with all the security issues they face, politicians had to up their protection and we do not see it as much as we used to. I use this illustration that you may have some idea what it was like that day for Jesus when people were bringing their children to Him that He may touch them. Hundreds were there wanting to see Him or be touched or healed by Him. When parents began bringing their infants to Him the adults did not see any benefit in having Him touch babies. There were people who needed healing and the babies were taking His attention away from them perhaps. Listen closely to what Jesus says, read it several times if you need to. “The kingdom of God belongs to people who are like children. I guarantee YOU, if YOU do not accept the kingdom of God as if YOU were a child, YOU will NEVER enter it.” (Emphasis mine of course). Babies have to be carried to get where they go. They spit up milk on you, they make noises that wake you from your sleep in the middle of the night, they emit smells that would even choke a buzzard, and they mess up diapers constantly, but we count them as precious and love them dearly! Now put yourself in that category in relation to God. We must be willing to be totally dependent upon Him to take us where we need to go, to put up with our crying, to feed us when we are hungry, to protect us from danger, and to wash our dirty feet. Now you understand what He meant when He told big old Nicodemus; “You must be born again.” WE need to be born again too if we are to enter the kingdom of God. Babies cannot drive themselves home; they depend on us to take them there. We cannot take ourselves to heaven either; we must depend on Jesus to take us there.

A Praying Man: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2011-01-17T08:01:00.000-08:00

“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

On a warm, cloudy Wednesday on August 28, 1963, Dr. King ascended the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. to deliver his seventeen minute “I Have A Dream” speech to over two hundred thousand people that had gathered for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. A man of God, an ordained Baptist Minister, a visionary, a family man, and of most importance; a praying man. Dr. King knew the importance of having a personal relationship, not just a casual acquaintance, with the Lord Jesus Christ. A man that understood that hate and discrimination could not be overcome by carnal, (physical), weaponry. “We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.” (I Have A Dream). The Apostle Paul put it this way: “The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way – never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 The Message). Both men were praying men. Both lived and preached in a godless society, risking their lives to proclaim the message of the Gospel; not just in words but in deeds. Both men realized their strength came from prayer. What a lesson for us! We learn from the persistence, patience, and perseverance of these men of God the source of their strength; a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. Both of whom today are there with Him! Prayer is more than just a formal form of religious ritual. Prayer is as Briscoe Darlin once said to Aunt Bee; “It’s your heart talkin’ to my heart.” Prayer is the heart and will of God revealed to His children. The Father to child talk that encourages, corrects, motivates, and assures us of our faith. The faith we have in Him. You may never give a culture changing speech to hundreds of thousands. You may never find yourself in a riot defending the resurrection of Jesus. But you fight the same spiritual battles as those who do. Paul also said; “For in Him we live and move and have our very being.” (Acts 17:28 NKJV). Without prayer, constant communication with the Father, we are left to our own decisions and devices. Prayer is to the soul what oxygen is to our bodies.

Quit Worrying! You Will Go!

2011-01-10T06:47:00.001-08:00

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
(John 14:1-3 KJV)

These verses are usually read at funerals. I have read them many times at the funerals of believers. They are not just for the dying or the dead, Jesus said this to encourage us who are alive and well right now. Let me set this up for you, go back into Chapter 13 and pick it up at the Last Supper. After leaving the room and heading into the Garden, Jesus told His disciples He would be leaving them. Peter asked Him where He was going, indicating he would follow Him, even if it cost him his life. Jesus told Peter it was not time for him to come yet. In fact, He told Peter that he would even deny knowing Him before daylight! Then Jesus spoke these words to him. He said it to reassure Peter and us. Would you allow me to put them in my Southern tongue? “Listen guys, I know you are all worried about Me leaving you, but listen to Me. You have trusted God all along; now trust Me when I tell you that all of you will one day come to where I am going. Right now while you are here doing what God needs you to do, I will be up there getting your place ready! Then when it’s your time to come, I will personally come and get you. None of you will be left out, so quit worrying!”

So quit worrying! If you are in Christ today you can be assured that you will go to heaven! Yeah, you will mess up a time or two, as Peter did, and all of us have, but if you have put your trust in Christ, He is preparing a place for you too!

Christmas Is Past: Time to Grow Up

2011-01-03T08:29:00.000-08:00

And Jesus matured, growing up in both body and spirit, blessed by both God and people. [Luke 2:52 The Message]

Here we are in the first Monday of 2011. I watched Hannah as she walked up the sidewalk after dropping her off at school this morning thinking about how tall she has gotten! Our twins that I used to write about will turn 21 this year! I am getting older but you will have to ask my wife if I am maturing!

Christmas is all about the baby Jesus. Dr. Luke not only tells us of His birth but he also reminds us that just like the rest of us; He grew up. Luke first takes us to the stable and we see Jesus in a manger. He then jumps ahead eight days and allows us to listen in as Simeon and Anna the prophetess confirm who He is. St. Matthew tells us the Magi came to worship Him after that, probably within the first 18 months. The family then went to Egypt on the command of an angel and may have been there for about a year or so. Then St. Luke warp drives us about 10 years into the future and we are in the Temple listening to the twelve year old Jesus as He confounds the professors and the PhD’s asking them questions and blowing them away by what He knows! Luke gives us only one sentence to fill in the past ten years of His life; “The Child grew, became strong in spirit, was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him!” It would be over twenty five years before we see Him again at the Jordan River coming out of the crowd to be baptized!

Our verse today tells us that during that time He grew up and matured! Let 2011 be the year we mature and grow up too; in Christ!

Good Tidings of Great Joy!

2010-12-20T07:30:00.000-08:00

So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with the transgressors.” [Mark 15:28]

Dr. Luke begins the second chapter of his God inspired Gospel informing us of a census that was being taken as ordered by Caesar Augustus. It was to count everyone that had been born in Bethlehem so that he could tax every one of them and their property. Kind of sounds like what our government does today! It was during this process that Jesus was born. God could have birthed Him at any time He chose, but He chose this time that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. Being born in the City of David He would be counted as another citizen. Just another baby boy added to the census. At His death Jesus was crucified with two transgressors, taking the place of an actual transgressor, (Barabbas), and as Isaiah 53:12 tells us, taking our place too. Now we see at His birth He was counted as one of us again; being counted just like every one else was in that day. All this happened as it did for one reason; that YOU may know that God came for YOU. He came into the world just like you did, by way of a woman. He left the world just like you will; being separated from your human body. His birth and His death was all for us so that when the time comes for us to leave this body we can go to be where He is. Now you know why the angel said, “I bring good tidings of great joy!”

Oh yeah, He really came!

2010-12-13T09:24:00.000-08:00

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. (John 1:14 and 1 John 1 NIV)

Reality to the majority of mankind is defined or proven by the five senses; sight, taste, touch, smell, and hearing. If we cannot see it, taste it, touch (feel) it, smell it, or hear it; it may not exist! That is why I am so thankful that our Creator inspired St. John to give us his testimony in regards to God becoming “real” in humanity. John could have easily said that the Word became flesh and left it at that, but he goes on to let us know that he saw Him with his eyes, he heard Him with his ears, and he touched Him with his hands! No doubt he even smelled Him in between baths, just like all the rest of the guys! Jesus was as much human as any of us are; including you.

That is another reason Christ came. We cannot say that God does not know what it is like being human. He knows exactly what it is like to experience life as a human. Christmas is a time of reflection for Christians and time of turmoil for others. That night in Bethlehem the Almighty God came to dwell among His people and by way of His Holy Spirit; is still with us today! I have not seen Him, I have not touched Him, I have not smelled Him; but I have felt Him in my heart and so can you if you will believe what the Bible has to say about Him! He came to experience you; now why don’t you experience Him?

The Virgin Birth: Totally Important!

2010-12-06T07:54:00.001-08:00

Hey Guys, sorry about last week; got busy. Here is our message for today!

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and will call His name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14 NIV)

Virtually impossible one would think today. Science has not yet been able to “clone” a human nor will they ever do it without Gods intervention. A virgin conceiving a child is not possible either; with man. I know they implant embryos and end up with octomoms, but there was still a human male involved. Listen, the Embryo implanted in Mary was not touched by mans hands, (or any other part). God Himself, implanted Himself, into a human body, by way of the Holy Spirit! Wow! How miraculous is that? Some say it does not matter if Jesus was born of a virgin or not; they are wrong. It does matter; totally! If Mary was not a virgin then Jesus was obscured. His Blood would have had contaminated DNA. Contaminated blood, from sinful man, would not cleanse anyone from sin. No my friend, He was pure of human infirmities even though He suffered human frailties. Mary was human and was not without sin being a human, but she was a virgin and she found favor with God! She is blessed among women for giving birth to our Savior, but she is not the Mother of God, she is simply the servant He used to get here among us! Glory to God in the highest! Amen, forever and ever!

Truly Thankful? Then Show Him!

2010-11-22T06:50:00.000-08:00

6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. [Colossians 2:6-7]

Once again we are coming upon the Thanksgiving holiday here in the U.S.A. I love the holidays! Thanksgiving for some is a day of remembrance; remembering all that God has done for us. Remembering how blessed we are. For many it is the only time of year they ever give God a second thought and yet for others, they never even acknowledge Him on that day. For many the prayer around the dinner table will be nothing more than a ritual.

The Apostle puts thanksgiving into perspective for us from Gods point of view. For the Christian every day should be thanksgiving. Our life, our daily walk with Him, should reflect how thankful we are for what Jesus has done for us. If we are really thankful then we will do more than just say we are. We will learn more about Him, become better servants of Him, and trust Him more each day. That He may know we are truly thankful for what He has done for us. Let us not only tell Him how thankful we are but let’s show Him!

Life 101: The Seasons

2010-11-15T06:50:00.000-08:00

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV)

King Solomon was a very wise man. His wisdom came as a gift from God that he may govern the people of Israel justly. He was also street smart, gaining this knowledge from trial and error! After having everything he wanted and doing everything he wanted to do he finally concluded that the only thing that really matters in life is to “Fear God and keep His commandments.”

His introduction to his testimony of experiencing Life 101 gives us insight and foreknowledge of what we can expect in what some may consider a mundane life while yet others seem to be having the time of their lives. It all depends on what season you are in. Not the earthly seasons but our personal times of life. Age can be a factor as we grow older. It seems the older I get the more I begin to appreciate things I used to take for granted!

These seasons that the Bible talks about here, I believe, are the times in our life that we experience all the things Solomon lists in verses two through eight. He starts with being born and ends with peace! All the other stuff in between is what life consists of. The lesson I get from this passage is that whatever I may be going through right now, it is just a season. I have had seasons of sorrow and of happiness, just as Solomon wrote about. I have also learned, as Solomon did, that God is the key to peace in all the seasons! Solomon found out the hard way that peace can only come from God; trying to find it in anything else is vanity; a waste of time.

Jesus is not called the Prince of Peace for nothing! So whatever season you are in right now, enjoyable or not so enjoyable, let Christ bring peace into it.

Tell Them Anyway.

2010-11-09T14:15:00.000-08:00

Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. (Acts 28:24 NKJV)

My wife and I were in a fast food joint when our twins were about three years old. She was keeping them corralled why I was heading to the counter to order. “You guys sit here and be good, I will be right back with your stuff,” I told them. An older gent was seated right behind us. As I passed by he said, “Son, you know you are telling those boys to do something they are not going to do,” and he laughed. “I know,” I said, “But I want them to hear it anyway!”

Sometimes I can hear his words still echoing in the far back of my mind when I come out of the pulpit. The first sermon I ever preached I expected the people to run to the altar and cry out to God saying, “O Lord, please forgive us and save us!” It never happened though. If there is any discouragement in preaching or witnessing it is the same as Paul faced in Rome. Although many never believed him, he never let that discourage him. We can learn from his experience. We witness, preach, and testify for those who will be convinced by our message and respond to it. As for the rest of them, well, they need to hear it anyway.

The Holy Nation must vote!

2010-11-01T06:23:00.000-07:00

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1 Peter 2:9 NKJV)

Election Day 2010 is upon us and tomorrow millions will be heading out to the polls to vote for the person they are hoping that will help the Country and in return, help them in some way.

“Are you a Democrat or a Republican,” a friend once asked me. I told him that I was neither; but that I was a Christian. As Christians we are a part of the Holy Nation that St. Peter writes about here. We do not have a political party that elects candidates to represent us, we are governed by a Sovereign King and His name is Jesus! We are to represent Him! You and I are blessed in that God has placed us in this great Nation in which we live and we have a responsibility as good citizens of this Nation to cast our vote tomorrow. Men and women have fought and sacrificed their lives for our right to vote. When we fail to exercise that right that makes what they did for us all in vain. Check out the candidates and cast your vote for the one that you feel represents you and your values. Jesus expects us to vote if given the right, He said Himself: “Give to Caesar what is his, and give to God what is His.”

Coffee beans, carrots, and eggs.

2010-10-25T06:39:00.001-07:00

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2 NLT)

Consider a coffee bean, a carrot, and an egg. If you place each one of them in a pot of boiling water each are affected but in different ways. The carrot becomes soft and squishy. The egg becomes hardened within its shell. The coffee bean though, transforms the water. It changes hot water into hot coffee.

The world that you and I live in today needs transforming: for the better of course. The world has a way of rubbing off on us and because of that we begin to think worldly. Negativity, criticism, and pessimism become character traits. Did you know that what you think will eventually control how you act or react? Paul was instructing a small group of Christians in a powerful empire which was inhabited by a large group of Jewish residents. It was easy for them to be persuaded by their society. You and I are surrounded by a godless society in a powerful empire too. Instead of allowing our surroundings to rub off on us, let’s allow God to transform us! Let’s allow Him to use us in such a way that we will be like the coffee bean. Instead of letting the people around us change us, let’s allow God to use us to change them.

King's Kids.

2010-10-18T06:25:00.000-07:00

2 Corinthians 6:18: “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.” (NKJV)

My little six year old niece was visiting us and her Uncle Al was bragging on her for the great scores she got on her level of reading evaluations. “You are a very smart little girl,” he said. She replied, “I am a genius you know.”

Needless to say that kid has no problem with low self esteem! I began to think about that in the context of how we view our position in Christ. I think sometimes we take for granted that because we are saved that is all Jesus has done for us. When we listen to these words penned by the Apostle Paul it assures us that Jesus not only died that we may have eternal life, but because we have accepted Him, we have been adopted into the Royal Family! We are sons and daughters of the King! I am certainly no genius but even I can figure out how important a position that is! To be a child of the King means that we have access to the Palace and the Throne Room! Jesus has opened a lot of important doors for us! The next time the enemy tries to convince you that no one cares about you, or that you are nothing; remind him that your Father, the King, cares because you are His kid!

Autumn Leaves

2010-10-11T08:16:00.000-07:00

1 John 5:11: And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

On a drive through the North Carolina Mountains I enjoyed the beautiful scenery highlighted by the changing leaves. It seemed as if it were only days ago that the green, lush foliage of summer blanketed the hillsides. Now, the orange, reds, and yellows were evidence that summer has passed and autumn has arrived. The scenery, as beautiful as it is, still reminded me of what lies ahead.

Many people are in the autumn of their lives. Youthful summer has somehow slipped away. Many become depressed when they think about it. They see their life on a downhill slide to winter. Others however are contented being in that season of their life. Jesus was crucified at a young age by our standards; around thirty three. However He was much older than that! He was in the beginning with God. In fact He was with God before there was a beginning! Eternity has no boundaries. No beginning and no end. We cannot fully grasp that concept because we measure time. Age becomes a factor as either young or old. In order to be content with aging we must be assured of eternal life. God has made it available to us through His Son Jesus Christ. If we have accepted Him as our Savior although the autumn of our lives will lead to a winter; we will find ourselves transitioned into an eternal Spring; never having to face another winter.

What's That Smell?

2010-10-04T06:40:00.001-07:00

2 Corinthians 2:16 (New King James Version)
16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

Had your shower today? If not by now, more than likely you will before the day is through. If you choose not to bathe today than you are probably not going out in public! Of course there are those in our society who could care less about baths; mostly kids. One of our twins used to shower once a week whether he needed it or not. Do you think Paul is making a case for personal hygiene here? Me neither. Paul is using smell as an illustration of how people are attracted to Christ; or run away from Him! When Jesus went to raise Lazarus his sister said, “Don’t move that rock! He’s been in there four days! He stinketh!” No doubt. However Jesus brought the smell of life back to him. What odor are we giving off? Do those around us “smell” Jesus on us, or do we smell like a rotten egg? The smell of Christ starts with a clean heart and just like personal physical hygiene, stays clean with spiritual baths; daily. Remember what Jesus said; “A white washed tomb can hide rotten bones.” So let’s not only give off an appearance of Christ; let’s make sure we “smell” like Him too!

Truth is . . .

2010-09-27T07:46:00.000-07:00

Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.
(John 18:38 NKJV)

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
(John 17:17 NKJV)

Will you be glad when the elections are finally over? I mean, are you tired of all the political ads? Who do you believe? Who is telling the truth about whom? Even the politicians themselves can be confusing when answering a question asked them directly! Some say there is no absolute truth; they are wrong. Old Pilate asked that question thousands of years ago. Why didn’t Jesus answer him with the same words He used when He prayed to His Father in the garden the night before? So the Scripture would be fulfilled (Isaiah 53:7). Jesus knew that Pilate knew the truth; the problem is that Pilate refused to act on it; sounds a lot like some of us. Truth, like beauty it seems, is in the eye of the beholder these days. I saw a bumper sticker that read: “God said it. I believe it. That settles it.” Listen, it is settled whether we believe it or not. Because we believe it does not make it the truth: It is the truth because God said it.

Oh yeah, He knows.

2010-09-20T06:51:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 5:14-16: Since we have a great High Priest, Jesus, the Son of God who has passed through the heavens from death into new life with God, let us hold tightly to our faith. For Jesus is not some high priest who has no sympathy for our weaknesses and flaws. He has already been tested in every way that we are tested; but He emerged victorious, without failing God. So let us step boldly to the throne of grace, where we can find mercy and grace to help when we need it most. (The Voice New Testament, Copyright 2008 Thomas Nelson Inc.)

Our daughter just entered the adventurous world of teenage adolescence. I can remember what it was like being thirteen. I was either on top of the world or it was crashing down around me; depending on the day. I can also remember what it was like for my parents! We have been through it as parents as well with the twins. The fact I was a teenager and have raised teenagers will be a great advantage for our daughter as we can sympathize with the issues associated with growing into maturity. That is exactly what God wants us to understand about Jesus. He knows what life is like here on earth. He knows the ups and downs we encounter. Because He has experienced life 101 here on the big ball He can readily relate to our growing pains and mistakes. We can go to Him and be assured He understands. The fact He overcame it is our encouragement that He can help us overcome it too! Imagine; a thirteen year old Jesus! Oh yeah, He knows.

The Gospel Will Prevail!

2010-09-13T07:37:00.000-07:00

I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. (John 17:14 NKJV)

It goes without saying that the world is less tolerant of the Gospel today than it was a generation ago. There was a time that if people did not obey the Bible, they still had a respect for it. We saw last week how worried our government was over the threat made by the man in Florida to burn the Qur’ans. Fear was the motivating factor; how would the Muslims react? That is not the way to win people to Christ. How can we lead them to the Cross if we stand in front of it with an M-16?

Jesus said He did not come to bring peace, but division. He came to separate the world with the Gospel. When we believe the Gospel and submit our lives to Christ we go against the beliefs of the world. Jesus prayed for us that day in the Garden as He knew this day would come. Do not be discouraged or feel defeated because of your faith in Christ and the Bible; rejoice in the fact that you are seeing the Scripture fulfilled before your eyes! Regardless of what the media says, scholars dispute, or governments legislate; the Gospel will prevail!

Salute to Labor

2010-09-06T07:13:00.000-07:00

Genesis 3:17 (Gods Word Translation).
Then he said to the man, “You listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree, although I commanded you, ‘You must never eat its fruit.’ The ground is cursed because of you. Through hard work you will eat food that comes from it every day of your life.”

Labor Day; a time to reflect upon the sacrifices men and women have made over the years to secure decent wages, benefits, and safe working environments for the working class. My uncle Joe was ninety two when he died but he told me something I have never forgotten: “It’s good to have all these people doing work with computers but Mike; somebody is going to have to dig the potatoes!” I think that is what God had in mind when He said this to Adam, don’t you?

We work to eat now. Some harder than others, some not at all, but someone still has to “till the ground” if we are to get food from it. God is still providing for us only now, we have to play a part in it! Someone once said, “I dig the ditch to get the money to buy the bread to get the energy to dig the ditch.” Each of us has a different “ditch” but all of us need the bread. So when we put food in our mouth today let us not forget those who made it possible nor the God who continues to provide it.

Learn or Burn

2010-08-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.” ~ Albert Einstein

They say that hind sight is twenty-twenty. When we look back following a mistake we have made, we can clearly see where we went wrong. “If only I had known” we say. Did you ever stop to think that the mistakes of our past prepared us for the future? Albert was on base when he made this statement. There is another statement that we need to be aware of us as well. It comes from the Book of Hebrews in the Bible: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

The only bad thing about making mistakes is not learning from them and we continue to repeat them. The fact that Jesus is the same as He ever was is encouraging to those of us who have made mistakes in our lives and with our lives. His death on the Cross paid for the sins we committed yesterday. If we sin today, He will forgive us for those too. The question is: are we learning from our mistakes? Forgiveness is available for the mistakes we make but judgment is reserved for us if we never learn from them. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “How can we who have died to sin live any longer in it?” Our hope rests in the resurrected Christ not upon our goodness, but God is into forgiving sin, not excusing it.

He Knows. He Cares.

2010-08-23T05:45:00.000-07:00

Two sparrows cost only a penny, but not even one of them can die without your Father's knowing it. (Matthew 10:29 NCV).

Entire passage: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matt%2010:29-31&version=NCV

Have you ever paid attention to the birds? I mean, have you ever really taken the time to just sit and watch them? How about when you are out and about, ever look around and take notice of them? Unless you are a birdwatcher; probably not! I like to sit on the deck and watch them but when I am on the go I generally never notice them.

Some people feel the same way in Gods eyes. They feel like He never even notices that they are suffering, worrying, scared, or broke. After all He does have a lot to do you know. There are wars being fought and floods taking place all around the world. How could He possible be concerned about my little problem?

He is concerned: about you. The God of the Universe, the Creator of all things; cares about little old you! You may never notice if a bird falls out of a tree but He does. He knows you so well He can tell you how many hairs were on your head yesterday, at birth, and even now! Never think He does not pay attention to you; He does. The question is do we pay attention to Him?

You may feel today as though no one cares or even knows about you or your troubles. God knows and cares. Do not just take my word for it; take His Word for it; talk to Him about it.

Never Beyond Forgiveness

2010-08-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

“But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” (Mark 16:7 NKJV)

Our little five year old niece was playing the card game UNO with my wife, her sister, and their mother Saturday night. She was cheating and when they called her hand on it she got mad and quit. When they asked her to come back and play she said, “I’m not going to play unless you promise me you will not cheat me!”

I like the way the New King James Version translates this verse. Those two separator lines make it clear the angel emphasized that they were to tell Peter too! The last scene we see Peter in he is left crying because he had denied Jesus. Some translations say, “Tell His disciples and even Peter.” Another one says, “Tell His disciples, especially Peter.” Yet another says, “Tell His disciples, including Peter.” All are correct as the Greek rendering of the word is; and, also or even. If the angel had been Southern he may have said, “Go tell the guys, and even old Peter, that Jesus will meet ‘em all in Galilee.”

You and I were cheated out of eternal life by sin. God promised us that it would not happen again as He Himself paid the price of disobedience for us. We cheat sometimes against Him but I am so thankful that He shows us the same forgiveness that He did Peter! Think you have gone to far to be forgiven or to return to Christ? Then think about Peter and how God accepted him; He will do the same for you!

Deliberate Ignorance

2010-08-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

5 They argued about this, saying, "If we answer, 'John's baptism was from God,' Jesus will say, 'Then why did you not believe him? (Luke 20:5, ESV)

Entire Chapter: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+20&version=NCV

A preacher noticed a man sitting in the back with his fingers in his ears during his sermon. After church the preacher asked the man, “Why did you put your fingers in your ears while I was preaching?” The fellow replied, “I did not want to hear if I had committed sin or not, then I won’t be guilty!”

We may fool ourselves but we can never fool God. James said in his letter that we fool ourselves when we know what the Bible says yet we act as though we do not, (James 1:22). Mark Twain said, “It is not the parts of the Bible that I cannot understand that bother me; it is the parts that I can understand.” The men that day that asked Jesus who gave Him the authority to do and say all these things He was teaching and doing were “called on the carpet” by a simple question: Where do you think I get this authority? They knew it had to be from God but they did not want to admit it because they did not want to come under Jesus’ authority.

I realize there are those who may not know they need forgiveness of sin. I also know there are those who do not think about it, hoping their denial of the fact will somehow excuse them from judgment. Like the guy with his fingers in his ears.

Got sin? Then repent; admit it to God, ask Him to forgive you, and allow Christ to save you because deliberate ignorance is inexcusable by God.

God Comes First

2010-08-02T06:10:00.000-07:00

"No one can serve two masters. The person will hate one master and love the other, or will follow one master and refuse to follow the other. You cannot serve both God and worldly riches.” (Matthew 6:24 NCV).

I am amazed today at how many folk have learned to multi-task. Housewives and stay at home moms as they were once called have been multi-tasking for years they just never had a term for it!

We have all at some point done more than one thing at a time. While doing one thing our minds are thinking ahead of what else we need to do. It is now spilling over into our service to our Lord I am afraid. Jesus gave a warning to the twelve about trying to serve two masters. He used the example of money or things of this world. A person cannot serve God with only half of his life. We must totally submit our entire lives to Him. Serving Him only when it is convenient is not serving at all but rather acknowledging. Being aware of Gods presence and actually serving Him are two different things. Let us heed the words of Christ today in our busy lives and get our priorities back in order. Let’s seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness.

Why, God?

2010-07-26T07:21:00.000-07:00

"Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!" (Job 40:2)

Why God, why? How many times have we ever asked this question? Many times others try to comfort us by saying things like, “God knows what is best,” or, “All things work together for our good if we love Him.” Even though down deep in our heart we still trust God there are certain circumstances and situations which still cause us to question Him. God did not condemn Job for questioning Him, He simply asked Job; “Are you trying to tell Me what to do?” God is aware of our lack of understanding. It is our lack of trust in Him that He takes issue with. What He wants us to realize is that it is okay for us to question Him, but it is not okay to correct Him! He does what He wants to do and He allows what He chooses to allow therefore we need to take Job’s attitude: “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" If you are in a mess today take heart, He knows what He is doing.

Throwing Rocks

2010-07-19T18:32:00.000-07:00

So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” [John 8:7]

You know what Jesus means. You know exactly what He means! How many times have you thought this when you were judged by someone? Did you know that the majority of the un-churched in our society today do not attend because of this very reason? “Well,” we say, “If they are convicted when they come in, they should be.” Conviction is God’s job and He does it perfectly through His Holy Spirit; condemn is what we do. Jesus did not come to condemn the world He said, but to save it. He loved us first; warts and all. Should not we love others with the same attitude? Let me encourage you, as God encourages me, to tell others of His love for them and not my opinions of them.

May the Faith Be With You!

Imitate Me

2010-07-12T08:06:00.000-07:00

I sat here on the deck this morning a little after daybreak and watched a fledgling cardinal making its way to one of my feeders. It was flapping its wings so fast I could not see them moving. It looked to me like it was struggling to fly. After landing on the feeder it was joined by an adult cardinal. His beautiful bright red plumage accented the black feeder. The thought came to me about what the Apostle said in regards to fledgling believers: *“ So as your father in the faith, I want to encourage you to live as I have lived. Imitate my life.” Did you know that many of us never feel worthy enough to tell someone to imitate our life? The little bird was learning to fly and seeing it sit beside the adult I realized what God intends for us to do. Baby believers should be able to look at us and admire what we have become in Christ that they may have hope in how He will grow them. Says a lot about how we are to represent our Savior.

*The Voice New Testament Copyright 2008 Thomas Nelson

Free at Last

2010-07-05T08:57:00.000-07:00

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; (Luke 4:18b, Isaiah 61:1)

Life, liberty, and the American way! We think we understand what liberty is, do we not? After all, we are free; or are we? Jesus said, "Whom the Son (Jesus) sets free is free indeed." Meaning that we are not just free in "word" but in "deed." In what we are allowed to do. This word for liberty that Jesus used in this passage meant: to be forgiven for sins; to be released from penalty or punishment. The word liberty we use means: to have a choice. So, lets put them both together: We have a choice to be forgiven for our sins and to be released from the penalty and punishment required for them; death.

My mentor and spiritual father in the Lord used to say: "It will be a tragedy for anyone to end up in hell but it will be a horrific tragedy for someone from America to end up there."

We have the liberty to choose the liberty that Christ was talking about. Don't blow it by not choosing it.

May you choose wisely!

Br Mike <><

In My Opinion

2010-06-28T06:57:00.000-07:00

1 Accept into your group someone who is weak in faith, and do not argue about opinions. (Romans 14:1, NCV).

Entire Chapter: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+14&version=NCV

You know what they say about opinions, right? Did you know that in the first century church it was the personal opinions of others that challenged the message of the Gospel. The Roman society of the day in which Paul penned these words, being under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of course, parallels the one you and I live in today in many ways. The church in Rome was growing in Christ and as with any growth, if we are not careful, pride comes along with it because we are "getting bigger." One of the most dangerous weapons Satan uses against the church is spiritual pride. Paul was not saying to compromise the Gospel, read the whole chapter when you get time, but he was teaching against arrogance.

I told the new convert class in my study yesterday that living the Christian life is 95% determination and 5% action. It has to be that way. If we try to live perfect by our own power we will eventually end up in failure or in spiritual pride. Those who turn back on Christ usually become frustrated trying live the perfect life. Sometimes they quit because a super spiritual Christian has told them "their opinion" about something rather than explaining to them how to grow in Christ. If you are a new convert understand today that God has a plan for your life and He will get you to the level you need to be at. If you are a mature Christian, then understand that God has a plan for the new convert's life, just as He does yours, and He will get them to where they need to be. Allow the grace of Christ to do the work in strengthening faith: the faith of babes and our own!

Enjoy being blessed: you are!

Br Mike

One Gospel: One Church

2010-06-21T06:56:00.000-07:00

38 Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is on our side. 41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.
[Mark 9:39-41]

I think one thing that has caused the society around us to ignore the church is our differences among ourselves! I teach a class on Sunday mornings called "Everything you wanted to ask about God, Christians, and the Bible; but were afraid too!" Each new group I have always come up with this question: How come there are so many denominations? This passage in St. Mark is where I start with our discussion. The key to understanding the Gospel is to understand first of all it is not from man. God has given it to us that we may spread it. He could have used angels to preach it, and will one day (Revelation 14:6), but for now it is up to us. Men have taken parts of the Bible and made their personal interpretations of what a particular portion of it says, thereby creating divisions among those who may not interpret it their way. Over a period of years these groups have come together as what we know today as denominations; not divisions. A true Christian denomination believes Jesus to be the only begotten Son of God that shed His blood on the Cross that we may be forgiven for sin, and that He was raised to life three days later, ascended back to Heaven, and is at this very moment seated at the right hand of the Father interceding for you and I. The Holy Spirit is now in the earth to replace His physical presence by way of His spiritual presence.

Lets listen to the words of our Lord when we think in terms of denominations: "For he who is not against us is on our side."

May all ya'll be blessed today in the Name of Jesus!

Shhhhh.

2010-06-17T12:37:00.000-07:00

Last week my wife and I attended an awards ceremony in the local high school auditorium. Our daughter was receiving some awards for her work in middle school. As we sat waiting for the program to begin I could not help but notice how loud the kids were! It was just a rumble of sound! I could not understand anything any of them were saying but they were talking it up! When the principle came to the mike, all of them got quite without her ever having to say anything at all! From noisy rumble to almost pin drop silence! It was obvious they all respected the lady.

I begin to think about the Body of Christ: The Church. There are times we need to be noisy and rumble and yet when Jesus comes to the mike we need to give Him our full attention as well, without having to be told to do so! Many times we get busy talking among ourselves and expressing our opinions to the general public that we forget to look toward the stage and see if Jesus is up there! I think (personal opinion) that we (The Church) would be more effective in carrying out the great commission if we look to see if Jesus wants our attention more often than we do!

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 2:29)

God is not out to get you: But to have you!

2010-06-08T06:34:00.000-07:00

And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. (Job 1:12)

I picked up a kid heading to the bus station yesterday evening. He was going to Lynchburg to start a job this morning. On the way he began to tell me about how his wife had left him and took their three month old daughter. He was heartbroken. He said, "I know I've not been the best I could have been, but I hope that God has not turned against me." I assured him that God was not against him, but for him. I told him about Job.

You may not be a Job today, just as this kid was not. Job had it all; to begin with. God made him stronger in his faith even though God referred to him as blameless and upright at the beginning! As I told the kid so say I unto you: God is not out to get you, but to HAVE you. As God allowed Satan to attack Job so that He (God) could be glorified, He may very well do the same to you and I. What an honor! To have God think of us in such a way! Under attack are you? Feel overwhelmed by the enemy or circumstances? Go to the Bible and read the account of Job. You will feel better!

Father God: Bless each of my fellow laborers today, I pray. Jesus, it is by the authority You have given me in Your name to ask this; Thank You!
Amen.

2010-05-25T06:53:00.000-07:00

If only ______________ (You fill in the blank). Two words that when joined together followed by a resolution that we think would make our life better perhaps. If only I were rich. If only I were beautiful. If only I were healthy If only he would leave. If only she would stay. If only I had kids. If only I did not have kids. If only I were younger. If only I were older; if only, if only, if only! In the real world of day to day life, if only is a day dream away. What are we to do?

Jesus dealt with it. If only Judas would have believed Him instead of the Pharisees. If only John had not rebuked Herod he would have kept his head. If only Adam and Eve had not sinned He would not have to go to the Cross. We often think of the Cross in terms of redemption and that is the primary role it played, but just as important as the crucifixion, is the resurrection! Had Jesus not rose again then all His promises would be null but He did rise again! He is alive today! He is able to help us when we do not get our resolutions to our “If only.” If only people would believe that.

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1 Corinthians 15:4)

Recognize your blessings today!

Encourage Others

2010-03-07T16:44:00.000-08:00

I walked into my study after service Wednesday night to find a couple of envelops on my desk. They were decorated with foam stickers and drawings in crayon. I could not wait to open them and see what super message they held inside! I opened the first one to find a letter that had this Scripture printed on it in cute, little kid font: * Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out. She had signed it with her name and also with, “Pastor Mike we love you.” As my eyes sprung a leak while opening the other one I found the same Scripture with different pictures and colors. This one was also signed, “Thank you Pastor Mike for all you do.” Apparently their teacher had taught them about encouraging others. I am so thankful that they left these on my desk. It was perfect timing.

This has been a tough month for me. As many of you know life goes on even though it seems to stop for those in bereavement sometimes. I have been consoled and encouraged by many during these past few weeks as they expressed their love and sympathy for me. I live to encourage others as you already know by these messages I have been writing and sending since 1999. I love to see people encouraged and especially when they need it the most. Many times I have had people write and tell me how much these messages have touched them at just the right time. God knows what we need, how much we need, and when we need it. He also knows exactly the person we need it from too! To know these kids spent time decorating these letters with me in mind was overwhelming.

Take time to encourage someone today. Do it sincerely of course. Let them know they are appreciated. You may be the very person they need it from today. Find an inventive way to do it. Surprise them. Ask God to give you the words, the Scriptures, and the technique. It will bless their hearts.

Father; thank You for what You did for me by way of these kids. Bless them Lord. Thanks Jesus!

*Peterson, E. H. (2003). The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (Heb 10:23).

The Old Saint Went Home

2010-02-10T12:43:00.000-08:00

Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints.*

At 2:50 A.M. the phone rang: “Hello, is this Mr. Ingo, Glen’s son?” I answer; “Yes.” The person on the other end says; “This is (Sue), your dad’s nurse. I am sorry to have to tell you this but he passed away just moments ago.” I ask what happened and the nurse said apparently a heart attack. There it was; the phone call I had been dreading for the past three weeks. Although I knew it was a matter of time for him given all his chronic medical conditions I never expected it to happen this way. But then again, I guess we are never ready to hear such news. Often he would tell me how tired he was and how he yearned to go to heaven. Two weeks earlier he had told me that he felt God had forgotten him. That it had been so long since God put him on earth that He had forgot he was here! I assured him that God knew exactly where he was and would find him when he needed him.

I am going to miss him and mom until I can be there with them one day. As the choir sang and the preacher preached during his service, my mind was racing with many thoughts. Wonder who he is talking to right now? Wonder what Jesus is telling him? Wonder what he is seeing and hearing right now? Of course there was no way for me to know. One thought came to mind as the preacher was reading his chosen Scripture passages; Dad is seeing the Word while I sit here listening to it!

As much as I dreaded experiencing the feelings of grief that come with such a loss God somehow caused my heart to be in joyful serenity. As warm tears found their way out of my eyes and down my cheeks, my heart was warmed and comforted. A gift from the Holy Spirit! My body grieved while my soul rejoiced. I am still grieved somewhat by his passing but I take comfort in knowing that he is not grieving! This text message I sent to my best friend, whom I consider my adopted brother, later that morning sums it up for me; “The Old Saint has gone home.”

* The New King James Version. 1982 (Psalm 116:15). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Sailing into 2010

2010-01-05T10:12:00.000-08:00

Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. (The New King James Version. 1982 (Luke 8:22). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.)

All around the world last Thursday night there were thousands of people waiting and watching for the clock to reach midnight. It came as thousands cheered and welcomed in the next decade in the millennium. I on the other hand, entered the new decade in my sleep. My wife and Hannah saw the ball drop in New York but not me. I remember my wife kissing me goodnight and saying “Happy New Year.” Maybe at the end of this year I will stay awake; but I have to get there first.

The disciples climbed on board a fishing boat with Jesus not knowing what lie ahead. You and I know, and Jesus knew, what they were in for, but not them. Had they known there was a storm waiting on them would they have sailed? Perhaps only if they knew they would survive it. The storm they entered was so fierce they thought they were going to drown. I can imagine them saying to their grandkids, “We thought we were goners!” When they woke Jesus I believe they were going to tell Him to get ready to tread water. What happened next surprised them causing Him to ask, “Where is your faith?”

We have no way of knowing what 2010 holds for us but we have been launched into it just the same. Storms await us, no doubt, but Jesus will be there with us. As we enter this New Year and this new decade let us enter it with confidence in the assurance that Jesus is in the boat with us.

Father God, thank You for another year! I trust fully in You as I embark on this new journey in 2010. In Your Name Jesus; Thank you!

The Old Shepherd

2009-12-26T14:07:00.000-08:00

The little boy sat next to his grandpa and said, “Tell me again Grandpa about that night.” The old shepherd drew the little fellow close to him and began, “I will be glad to son because I never want you to forget it.” Pointing toward a hillside across from where they were sitting he said, “It was right over there on that hill about forty years ago. I was a young lad myself and was with my older brothers as we were keeping watch over our sheep as we had done a hundred times before. As we were getting ready to bed down for the night all of a sudden there was a bright light that appeared about a stones throw away from us. It was brighter than any light any of us had ever seen before. As we were shielding our eyes from its glow there appeared a man in the midst of it! We were terrified! Never had anyone seen anything like this.” The little boy asks, “Who was he Grandpa?” The old man smiled and said, “We did not know at first. We bowed our faces toward the ground in submission to him. He then spoke and said, ‘Do not be afraid. I have come from God to give you some Good News that will be for all people on earth.’ I raised my head and sat on my knees along with the others. ‘In the City of David, called Bethlehem, there has been a birth. For this night, a Savior, who is the Christ, the Lord, has been given to the world!’” The little boy asks excitedly, “Was he an angel from God?” The old shepherd said, smiling, “You know he was, as I have told you before.” The old man continued, “But we did not know that at first. Then he said, ‘This is how you will know this Child; He will be in a stable, lying in a manger, and will be wrapped in the swaddling cloths. His mother Mary, and Joseph, will be there with Him.’ Then at that very moment there was a multitude of angels, more than we could count, and they began praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God the Most High, and on the earth, peace and goodwill toward all people!’” The little boy said, “I would have liked to have been there! Then what did you do Grandpa?” The old shepherd said, “The angels then disappeared just as quickly as they had come. We then decided that we would leave a couple to watch the sheep and the rest of us would go down to Bethlehem to see this Child which the angel had told us about. We entered the city and began searching for a stable in which there would be a mother with child. When we checked the one behind the Inn, there we found them, just as the angel had said!

We stopped outside and bowed our faces to ground and told the couple how we had found them. Mary then motioned to us to come closer.” The little boy asks, “Did you see Him Grandpa?” The old shepherd, wiping away a tear from his old eyes nodded. Hugging his grandson close he continued; “As I looked into the manger upon that little face there was a peace that came over me that I cannot explain. For the first time in my life I was not afraid of anything. For just a brief moment nothing seemed important anymore, only this Child!” The little boy asks, “Did He look at you Grandpa? Did he?” The old man says, “I could barely see His eyes. But when there appeared a very small opening in them, I felt as though He knew me! I was lost in His presence for just a brief moment, but I would have liked to have stayed in that moment forever! We all bowed and worshipped Him and then we went into the town and began to tell everyone what we had seen and all that had happened to us!” The little boy then asked, “Did you know Him when he grew up Grandpa?” The old shepherd, smiling as some of the other younger shepherds came closer to hear, said; “I heard tell of Him. I heard people talk about John, the preacher that came from the wilderness areas, and how that he had baptized this Man named Jesus in the Jordan, and that He was the Lamb of God, the Promised Messiah!” I heard about all the miracles that He wrought among the people. That blind men received their sight; that the deaf was made to hear and the dumb to speak! I heard that He brought a little girl, a widow’s son, and even a man that had been dead for four days, back to life!” The little boy then asked, “Did you ever see Him again Grandpa?” The old shepherd, nodding and then lifting his eyes toward heaven said, “It was a month or so after they had crucified Him on a Cross. The religious leaders said He was a blasphemer and had Him put to death. His disciples then began telling everyone that He was resurrected three days later! It was true because He continued to tell hundreds of people about the kingdom of God again! Many did not believe it was really Him, but I do! Then one day as He and His followers were heading out of the city I was in the market as the crowd went by. I heard some say, ‘That is Him; that is Jesus.’ I turned and looked and then my eyes met His! At that very moment I knew it was Him! It was that same feeling I had that night in Bethlehem! He smiled at me as He made His way toward the gate along with the rest of His followers and I watched them leave.”’ The little boy asks, “Did you ever see Him again Grandpa?” The old shepherd said, “No. His disciples came back into town later and told everyone that He had gone back up into Heaven.”

Then pulling his little grandson close and looking him in the eyes the old shepherd said, “But do not ever forget; we will all see Him again one day son!”

May the Christ of Christmas shine in your hearts!
In Christ: Br Mike <><

Fear Not

2009-12-15T11:57:00.000-08:00

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."*

She watched intensely as the man came to open the door to let them in the store. “They will sell out before I get one” she thought. He sat in the office waiting for the report from his tests. “Its cancer, I just know it is” he thought. Two different people, two different situations, and two different worries but both based in the mental monster that we face often; fear. Fear tell us that we will never have enough or that we will not pull through. Fear tells us that things will never be the same and we can just quit thinking they will get better. Fear tells us that there is no hope and we just need to put an end to the misery our life has become.

Thank God for the message from the angel! Jesus emphasized this statement again and again to His disciples. They thought they were going to drown but they didn’t. They thought the Jews or the Romans would kill all of them for this new movement they were starting, but they didn’t. They thought their Leader was dead, but He wasn’t! What we think and what God can do is totally two different things. Fear comes naturally and is an attribute given to us by God for a specific purpose; to protect us. He never intended for it to rule us or to paralyze and torture us mentally. We should never allow it to divert our attention away from Him. Little birds are not afraid that they will not find food but they watch for cats. Jesus said we are of much more value to Him than they are. Where Jesus is there is always hope! Our church mission statement is, “A House of Prayer giving Light for today and Hope for tomorrow!”

I don’t know what you fear today but God does. You know, that message the angel gave to the shepherds was not just for them but is given to you as well: Do not fear Jesus is here! Good news for everyone, now and forever! Tell Jesus what you are afraid of and He will take care of it. Pray now and fear not.

Father God, thank You for Jesus! Lord strengthen my faith and it will weaken my fears! Joy to the world, the Lord has come! Thank you Jesus!

In Christ: Br Mike <>< (brmike@ntelos.net)

* The New King James Version. 1982 (Luke 2:10). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Teach the Teacher

2009-12-15T11:56:00.001-08:00

Then Agrippa said to Paul, *“You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

Hannah got in the car at school when I picked her up: “Dad, Miss (Wahwah) needs Christ!” I could tell she was upset with Miss Wahwah about something serious so I asked what happened. She did not go into detail but said again, “She needs Christ.” Let me give you some background information on Miss Wahwah. On orientation day when I met her she had an inappropriate wall paper picture on her computer monitor which everyone coming into the room could see. There were about twenty kids and parents in line with us waiting to talk to her. I requested a sidebar and asked her if she thought it was a good idea to have such a picture displayed with all the problems with sexting in the schools. She told me a student had set it and she did know how to change it. I told her I could change it for her but she then said she had called the techs to do it. She did turn it around. After school started the next week Hannah said she had changed it.

Now you know why we have the issues among our youth that we do. We no longer have the morale role models we once had in our schools. I had a little book I received from Billy Graham with Christmas devotionals in it. I gave it to Hannah and told her to pass it on to Miss Wahwah. “She don’t need a book she needs Christ!” Hannah said. I told her that she knew that and I knew that but unless Miss Wahwah came to that conclusion on her own, she would never accept Him. “Give her the book and we will pray that God will use it to speak to her heart,” I said. The Apostle Paul knew that King Agrippa needed Christ too but the king’s answer gives us insight on how others perceive our witnessing. I would love to be able to persuade Miss Wahwah to become a Christian but the truth is unless she decides on her own to accept Christ she will never do it. Only the Holy Spirit can change hearts and then only if the person is willing to allow their hearts to be changed. We have to let them know that Christ will do for them what He has done for us and pray that they will be convinced just as we were. As much as we would like to, we cannot force Christ upon anyone.

Father God I pray for Miss Wahwah. I hope she will listen to Your Holy Spirit as You speak to her heart. Thank You Lord for Hannah and her desire to see people saved! Jesus, I come in Your Name!

In Christ: Br Mike <>< (brmike@ntelos.net)

* The New King James Version. 1982 (Ac 26:28). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

The Promised King

2009-11-30T06:45:00.000-08:00

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”*

What were you doing this time last year? If you are like me you probably have no idea. Many can remember what they were doing especially if it involved an experience of some sort such as the birth of a child, a wedding, or maybe a funeral. We always remember things that have a major impact on our lives don’t we? The closer we are to an event the more impact it has on us. The human mind is programmed to remember things that cause emotional pain or excitement. We only have to mention 9-1-1 and the majority of us can remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we heard the news; unless you happen to be nine years old then you would have to rely on what you are told about it.

Now you can understand why so many people today do not get as excited about Christmas in the same way that Christians do. When the Prophet Micah spoke these words hundreds of years before Christ was born into the world I am sure many of the people in his day had no idea who he was talking about. A king being born would not be a major thing to them but listen carefully about the description given about this King; “His goings forth are from old, from everlasting.” In other words this King comes from an Ancient Ancestry, the Ancient of Days as a matter of fact.

Jesus is that King of course but for many people today Jesus does not arouse any interest. He is a historical figure to many of them and celebrating His birth is more about parties and presents than it is about sacrifice and redemption; because we are two thousand years down the road. Had any of us been standing at the Cross and gazing upon the Man that healed the sick, caused the blind to see, and raised the dead, watching Him die a painful death for no apparent reason, we would remember Him differently. This Christmas season let’s help others to know and experience Him as we do.

Father, I come to You with Jesus; thanks for the memories and the promises! Amen.

In Christ: Br Mike <>< (brmike@ntelos.net)

* The New King James Version. 1982 (Micah 5:2). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

The Lion Whisperer

2009-11-16T15:40:00.000-08:00

My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”*

I was watching a program the other night on the National Geographic Channel called the “Dog Whisperer.” Now many of you may have seen it before or even watch it regularly. The guy was able to communicate with the dogs in such a way that they seemed to understand him in doggy language. You know, this fellow may be kin to Doctor Doolittle.

I wonder if there are any lion whispers out there. If there are I have not heard of them. I can just picture some dude telling an unruly lion to shush and poking him in the side! How about these lions’ that David was fed to? One may think that David was a lion whisperer because they didn’t eat him. Let me share some information from historical guys that investigate things like that; the lions in that den were not fed on a regular basis so they would be hungry when someone was cast down to them.

This account teaches me that it takes a miracle to keep a hungry pack of lions from eating you. The thing about miracles is that they have a broader purpose than just benefiting us; they are designed to glorify God. God was proving Himself to King Darius when He took the lions’ appetite. The old king told Daniel God would protect him, and then fasted all night hoping He would. Once he saw God was real and would protect His people the king then ordered the entire kingdom to fear Daniel’s God! Do you need a miracle? Can God be glorified by performing it? Then expect it to happen.

Heavenly Father, thank You for protecting Your people! I pray that those who need a miracle today will find a way that You can be glorified through it. Jesus, I ask this in Your name Sir! Amen.

In Christ: Br Mike <><

*The New King James Version. 1982 (Daniel 6:22). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Evil Men and Imposters

2009-11-09T06:20:00.000-08:00

When the news came out that soldiers had been attacked and killed in a readiness station at Fort Hood on Thursday my mind went back to the days I spent in one of those stations at Fort Leonard Wood. I never went off to war thank God but we were prepared in case we would have had to. I can remember hundreds of soldiers standing in lines, getting physicals, talking to financial counselors, Chaplains, and others there who were trying to answer our questions to calm our fears. Never did I fear dying there. I am sure those at Fort Hood on Thursday never thought about it either. What is going on?! What in the world is happening to people?! God warned us about these things but it seems that we never really believe Him until it happens; *But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. The shrink that did the shooting was an imposter. An imposter is one who poses as someone else and this guy was posing as a stable, trustworthy, loyal, soldier. In the days to come we will hear of issues he has had for a long time. We will be told how all this stuff has gotten to him over the years and how that it eventually drove him to commit such an act of hostility toward innocent people in the wrong place at the wrong time. Before all is said and done he will be shown to be a victim of overwhelming circumstances. What we will not be told is that Jesus would have helped him if he would have ever reached out to Him. I do not read anywhere in the Bible of anyone that ever came to Jesus for help that He turned away. There will be hundreds of reports trying to explain the why behind it all, but none of them will give the true reason; humanities rejection of Jesus Christ. All the tragedy that comes upon us is rooted in that one reason. It will continue until Jesus comes back Himself to put an end to it. Before He does that though, expect more and more of these types of reports. If this depresses you or causes you to fear then know that God is dealing with you. If you could care less or just think it was happenstance and circumstances then you are basing your life on chance and fate. For the born again believer this is one more incident that causes us to look for the return of Christ. You and I will never be able to stop this stuff; only Jesus will, but you and I can place our trust in Him. We cannot change the direction humanity is taking but we can change the direction we are going. God allows U-turns you know. Repent, seek forgiveness, and follow Christ because the times; they are a changing.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed is Your name! Lord, minister to the families of those killed in this tragedy. Give comfort to them through Your Holy Spirit. Jesus, reach out to those who do not know You. Holy Spirit, call to the hearts of those that are in the same condition this man was in; that they may be saved. I ask all these things with Your permission Jesus, given to me by You when You died for my sins. Thank You. Amen.

In Christ: Br Mike <><

*The New King James Version. 1982 (2 Timothy 3:13). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Sick With Pride

2009-11-04T08:25:00.000-08:00

I sit writing this message after coming home from the doctor. That is why there was not an Encouragement from me yesterday. I have been praying and petitioning God to rid me of this “gunk” that has set itself up somewhere in my body; which gives it plenty of room to hide. After having me tested by his lab techs this morning, my doc diagnosed me with swine flu. “You have got to be kidding doc, I can’t have the swine flu!” He asks, “Why not?” “Well, because I, I, I just can’t, that’s why!” He gave me some meds, a prescription, and a warning: Stay home the rest of this week or risk pneumonia! Driving up the road I had a few questions for God. I mean, hey, this week I have people to see, sermons to preach, people to counsel, a funeral to officiate, studying to do, a nursing home and hospitals to visit; why would Jesus let me get sick seeing I have all that stuff to do for Him? God was not quick to answer but when He did, this is what came to mind: *I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Could it be possible that my statement to my doctor, “I can’t have the swine flu,” could have revealed pride? Ouch! That is what it’s called though, human pride. After all, I am doing all this stuff for Him, right? Wrong. He uses me to do things for Him; it is not by my might or by my power that I do any of these things. As for all that work “I” had to do; another minister is preaching for me, the outreach minister is visiting the hospitals and nursing home for me, another pastor is going to do the funeral, and the counseling appointment has been rescheduled. That leaves me with only the studying to do; which I can do in bed. I got Your point Lord.

Father God, I am not giving you thanks for this illness but I am giving you thanks it is not unto death! Thanks for reminding me that I am just the servant and that You are God! Thank You Jesus as I ask in the authority of Your name! Amen!

In Christ: Br Mike <>< (brmike@ntelos.net)

*The New King James Version. 1982 (Php 4:13). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

The Halloween Tradition

2009-10-26T09:10:00.000-07:00

Halloween is just days away. I can remember when I was a kid how much we looked forward to it; candy, candy, and more candy! There was one old lady that would always make us take our mask off when trick or treating at her house so she could tell who we were. Man, what a bummer. It took all the pizzazz out of having a good mask. She did not give much candy either which did not help her reputation with us as a “good treater.” As I grew the trick or treating became less and less exciting. When our kids were small we would take them out but somehow, things had changed. The tradition had lost its appeal because the world had grown evil. Razor blades in apples and drugged candy ruined the fun. What I did not realize then has become plain to me now; mankind can mess up anything. The Apostle Paul told the people in Colosse; *“Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” Halloween is one of those traditions. The reason it went sour is because it is not about Jesus. I did extensive study on how Halloween evolved and I can tell you that it does not glorify Christ in any way. The Bible teaches we must be careful how we think so that we do not get derailed in our thinking. Halloween has become a day in which evil and death is masked as make believe. The innocence of our ignorance of the day has been lost as we become more knowledgeable of the things of God and the tricks of the enemy to pull us into compromise. What are we to do pastor? Use spiritual discernment. Christianity is not a religion but a social movement. Taking a kid trick or treating will not cause them to end up in hell but if they grow up and never learn to believe in Jesus at some point in their life; that will. Halloween, Santa Claus, and the Easter Bunny, are all human traditions that may have good intentions, but beware of the message we are sending to our kids so that we do not confuse them when we teach them about Jesus.

Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Holy Spirit who guides me daily as I read Your Word. Help me to see things as they are and to never compromise the truth. Thank You Jesus as I ask in You: Amen.

In Christ: Br Mike <><

* Biblical Studies Press. (2006). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. (Col 2:8).

Safe Sanctuary

2009-10-19T06:27:00.000-07:00

Our eight year old cat, Maggie, was jumping up and down at the patio door. She’s a big cat. She will tip the scale around 20 pounds at least. She is a black long hair with one white spot under her belly. She wanted in because there is a big yellow tomcat making his rounds in the neighborhood. Maggie has been spayed but the old tom comes to eat her food. He runs when one of us comes to the door but Maggie knows that when we are in bed asleep, that is when the fireworks start. I put her in the crawl space off the garage at night when it’s cold so now she is convinced it is cold enough to come in.

*GOD’s a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you’re never sorry you knocked. When David wrote these words I am pretty sure that Maggie can relate to how he felt. When she goes in the crawl space she curls up in her bed with her food bowl and fresh water close by. She knows she is safe from the weather and the old tomcat. David felt safe when in the presence of God. There were many times he thought his life would be snuffed out but God always kept him safe. There are many “safe houses” in business today providing safe shelter for people that are abused at their homes. God bless those who work in them and provide them. Some would think that a church would be a safe house from an abusive world only to find out that sometimes emotional and spiritual battering even takes place in them!

I agree with David; God is my safe house! The world can be an uncaring, unforgiving, indifferent, and chaotic place at times. I can always come into His presence and find R and R, (Rest and Relaxation for you non-military folk). Just like Maggie knocking at the patio door, I am never sorry when I knock on The Door; Jesus Christ. How about you today? Need some solace, relief, or spiritual nurturing? Then call upon Jesus. I promise you, you will not be sorry you did!

Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed is Your Name! Thanks for being my Safe House! Jesus, thank You for being the Door into Him! Amen.

In Christ: Br Mike <><

*Peterson, E. H. (2003). The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (Ps 9:9-10). Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress.

Old Man Buried

2009-10-12T07:30:00.000-07:00

With harvest time upon us again I was reminded the other day of a story a friend of mine told me once. He and his wife are retired and they were babysitting their neighbor’s little boy that was four years old. When he went out to dig up his potatoes one day in his garden he took the little boy along with him to help. After they had dug up about ten or so the little boy looked up at him and asked, “Mr. Harold, what did you bury these for?” Good question for a four year old that was not there when Mr. Harold planted them. The little fellow had no idea that under the soil was a wealth of mashed potatoes, French fries, and potato casseroles.

The Apostle Paul told the folk in Colosse; *"For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."

Given the story about the potatoes you can now understand what Paul means. When you and I submitted our lives to Christ the old us was crucified with Him, buried, and we have been raised to live a new life. That is why Jesus called it “born again.” We are buried in Christ and our past is hidden from the eyes of God. When the Father looks upon us today He does not see the same person He saw before Jesus presented us to Him as being redeemed. The moment we surrendered our life to Jesus we became hidden in Him. We dig up the old stuff once in a while only to be confronted by the Holy Spirit and reminded that we buried it and we need to leave it buried. Many times others who knew us before we were born again will dig up some of the old stuff, knock the dirt off it, and try to put it back on us. At those times we just remind them that although we cannot change who we were, Jesus has changed who we are. One day we will be seen by God when we appear in His presence with Jesus! Jesus will come back to get all of those who are His and take us to the Father. For now we are to continue to live our lives like those potatoes; growing out of sight waiting to be harvested!

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to die for my sins that I may be crucified with Him. I look forward to the day when I shall see You, and You shall see me; with Him! Thanks Jesus for what You did and for allowing me to go to the Father in You! Amen.

In Christ: Br Mike <><

*The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Col 3:3-4). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Effective Witnessing

2009-10-05T07:50:00.000-07:00

I went to purchase some deodorant the other day and was surprised to find that the brand I have been using for a hundred years had changed. It took me several minutes to find it because they had changed the graphics on the label. Same stuff it says but now with a different look. I mean, come on, its deodorant. It either stops sweat or makes it smell good so why improve the look of the package? Save money by using a simple label and charge less for it so more people will buy it, right? Not this day and age. It has to be packaged to keep up with the competition on the shelves.

I think that may have been the issue the Apostle Paul was dealing with when he told the Roman citizens in his letter; *“Jesus is the only One who can save people. No one else in the world is able to save us.” It seems to me that this statement is not really impressing people today. Perhaps we could package it different for them somehow that would impress them. Maybe we could send a tweet on Twitter like, “JC saves; no One else can.” Or we could post on Facebook, “Jesus will be in Heaven today; the only One who can save us.” Then again maybe we could publish an image of Him on a skateboard flying through the air holding a high energy drink in one hand with the caption, “The only One that saves!” Even with these I am sure many would still not be impressed. Why? Because many of them have no idea what they need to be saved from. We have tried to package the “Product” without first doing some market research. Old guys like me use my deodorant; young dudes use the high powered, active life, athletic formula in a package with soccer balls and lightening bolts. Both stop sweat or make it smell better. Here is the bottom line: It saves us from stinking in public.

That is all we need to tell people today. We could send a tweet like; “Hell is real; want to go? Then get saved.” Or a poster with a guy on a skateboard on fire, nothing to drink and a horrible look on his face with the caption; “Get saved or burn forever.” Who knows, that may cause them to ask, “How do I get saved from that?” Then we could say, “Just ask Jesus, He will do it!”

Father God, help me to be a more effective witness. Jesus, thank You for saving me from hell and help me to warn others. Thanks Jesus for taking me before the Father right now! Amen.

In Christ: Br Mike <><

* The Everyday Bible : New Century Version. 2005 (Acts 4:12). Nashville, TN.: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Encourage your leaders.

2009-09-28T06:46:00.000-07:00

A family was on their way home from church one Sunday morning when the dad spoke up and said, “You know, that preacher must have pulled that sermon off the internet and just read it to us. It had no spirituality to it at all.” The mom says, “I thought it was okay. The music was the problem today. The Choir and musicians must have not practiced this week. They were not together and sounded off key.” The little boy spoke up from the back seat and said, “If you ask me, I thought it was a pretty good show for a buck.”

Sound familiar? Hopefully not but probably! A young man in my discipleship class who is called to be a teacher asked, “Pastor, why is it those who criticize never do anything?” I told him that would always be the case with humans. Armchair quarterbacks, backseat drivers, pew preachers, and shower singers, all think the rest of us could do better than we do. I remember fighting a fire once when a friend of mine and I were in full gear inside a kitchen battling a fire in the ceiling. All of a sudden this voice says, “You need to punch a hole over here, the fire is up here.” The owner was standing there, intoxicated of course, in the midst of all the smoke and steam with water running down him!

The writer of Hebrews gives this advice to all of us; *Be responsive to your pastoral leaders. Listen to their counsel. They are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God. Contribute to the joy of their leadership, not its drudgery. Why would you want to make things harder for them? I am blessed to be stationed in a church where the majority encourages others and is tolerant of imperfection. If you are making it hard on your leadership by being critical then ask God to help you to encourage them! If you are a leader then ask God to help you be the best you can be for Him!

Heavenly Father; Thank You for your patience with me. Instill in me the grace I need to deal with those who criticize and help me to listen carefully; they may be right sometimes! Lord Jesus, thank You for allowing me to ask in Your name! Amen.

In Christ: Br Mike <><

* Peterson, E. H. (2003). The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (Heb 13:17). Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress.

Keep It Simple

2009-09-25T16:16:00.000-07:00

Albert Einstein said, “If you cannot explain it simply then you do not understand it well enough.” I think of all the times I have tried to explain things to people. When it comes to explaining the Gospel we Christians can sometimes “over explain” in our best hearted attempts to let others know Gods plan of redemption for us all. To an unbeliever the phrase, “You need to be washed in the blood because the Rapture can take place any minute,” leaves them thinking: What!? The Apostle Paul put it this way when instructing a young man that had just been appointed to a new pastorate. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” Given his explanation to Rev. Timothy I would say the Apostle Paul understood the Gospel pretty good!

You and I need only to learn a lesson from Brother Paul’s reasoning and conclusion of the matter on how we should encourage others to consider the message of the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ. Pastor Timothy had his work cut out for him and his mentor in the ministry gave him good advice on how to share this message in such a way that they could relate it to their own lives. That is all you and I need to do. We may have not all been “chief sinners” as Paul has claimed the title but we all have sinned! We all have to put aside our prideful thinking and attitude of, “Christ died for sinners,” and we have to admit that Christ died for us! Not just sinners, but for this sinner! When others hear how Christ has forgiven us, perhaps they will think, “If that guy can be forgiven so can I.”

Our Father in Heaven, we hallow Your Name! Jesus, thanks for dying for me that I may be forgiven by the Father and can now have access to Him personally through You! Amen.

In Christ: Br Mike <><