Which Came First?

Dear Friends,

Do you remember the age-old question, "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" (To me, it matters little, as long as we have fried chicken and omelets!) This question nicely illustrates a marriage situation: "Which came first, the neglect or the lack of affection?"

One spouse gets busy with work and focuses little on their spouse, and after a while, the lack of attention affects the conversation and intimate life. Or it could be the birth of a child and increased labor accompanying the care of children, and at bed time, the wife is simply worn out, without an ounce of energy remaining. If an outside job is added to the responsibility of children, a wife may be unlikely to have the emotional strength available for what her husband desires. Therefore, he works more hours, focuses his attention on other things, and she then begins to feel unloved and gains her satisfaction in children and friendships with other young mothers. He then starts spending time with perhaps the husbands of those same ladies — while sort of being together, sort of not. The snowball of neglect is now rolling and their two lives are slowly being pulled apart.

He may be a pastor, who is busy with people, ministry, and serving God. She may be a faithful wife at home, watching her husband run a late-night call, or investing focused attention on that needy teen or family. She sees herself missing that focus, time, and attention, and resentment starts to build, resulting in little submission, respect, and perhaps diminishing affection. He finds himself respected everywhere except at home. He notices everyone loves him, except his wife — never realizing that he started this whole series of events.

Another scenario: A wife was never very good at domestic duties; she had played sports, been the homecoming queen, and loved to help out at church. When the husband came home and found that the house was a wreck, he was unkind. He challenged her on duties at home, therefore she felt overwhelmed. He pressured her to get chores done that seemed so trivial to him. She escaped the pressure by getting a job, rearing her children, and filling any extra time with church activity. He felt totally ignored and thus worked more hours, succeeded at his profession, and everyone thought he was awesome, except for the one person that mattered the most — his wife.

The scenario is the same in business or in the ministry — as is the answer. God called us to be and do certain things.

Deuteronomy 30:17 “But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;”

vs. 18 “I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.”

vs. 19 “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”

vs. 20 “That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

If we turn away from the instructions God told us to follow, we will suffer the consequences. Draw near to God, obey the rules of life He has set up, and He will bless you. Loving God includes honoring His commands: such as "dwell with your wife,” or "honor your husband,” or "defraud ye not." It does not matter who started the problem — the chicken or the egg —following God’s recipe is necessary if we hope to be blessed over the long haul in life.

I know godly people who go through the same marriage trouble as the unsaved, yet they blame their problems on their Fundamental Baptist background. They forsake their spiritual training and head off to some contemporary church and think it will solve their trouble. If they begin to focus on each other and through the change begin to implement the principles God lays out for married couples, perhaps the change will help — but the issue is always Bible obedience, not the fact that we are members of a Fundamental Baptist church.

One lady blames the ministry for coming between her husband and herself. She draws away and basically threatens to forsake their marriage unless he gets out of the ministry. So the light turns on, he realizes he has been too busy and now, out of the ministry, he begins trying to help his wife and provide a secure environment for her. She thinks it was the ministry, but it was really the same trouble the unsaved business man has — neglect of the marriage principles God has established. In a failed marriage scenario, both people find someone who, likewise, has been hurt. A second marriage takes place, and the husband and wife both find themselves basically out of the ministry and maybe out of church. Both now hate the loss and hurt and focus on their homes. Marriage is better. The old religion is blamed for tearing apart their home, when in reality, it was a lack of Bible obedience that did the tearing.

What part of Psalm 1 and Joshua 1 do we not understand?

Read what God promised Israel, and understand that the promises of God are available.

Deuteronomy 30:19 “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”

vs. 20 “That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

When we choose to love, obey, and meditate upon the Scriptures, we enter into a covenent with God — He promised to bless us! This covenant is not like one’s athletic ability and another’s artistic touch, this is simply fact. A fact for all. God desires to bless His people, but we neglect His Word and His work — causing our own failure.

Pastor

Self

Good Morning,

“I” is a very small word, yet it speaks loudly.

Isaiah 14:12 “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!”

vs. 13 “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:”

vs. 14 “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”

The passage has the word I stated five times, radiating selfishness, sinfulness, shame, and reproach.

There was a man who had such a prosperous farm he said I know what I will do. I will build bigger barns.

Luke 12:18 “And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.”

vs. 19 “And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”

God called the man a fool because he thought so much of himself and thought so little of God.

vs. 20 “But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?”

vs. 21 “So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Prosperity was not the trouble but the total focus on self.  There was no thought for others and no turning to God for direction and wisdom about future decisions — just a lot of "I."


America has long been the most giving nation on earth, and despite the wealth of the North Eastern part of our nation, the poorer south maintains the award for being the most generous. Christians, especially Bible-reading Christians tend to be in the higher group when it comes to giving.  Greed is not absent from many people, but the total focus on greed, gain, personal glory, and self is found more among the wealthy, non-Christian, and liberal (politically speaking) people.  It is a documented fact that the politically liberal folks do not give nearly as much as the conservative folks.   The desire to please one’s self and seek personal position needs to be fought as much as we are able; the philosophy is simply not godly!  

In Heaven, Satan held an amazing position. He was close to God, he oversaw much, and was seemingly powerful above others, yet he couldn't accept his position and wanted what God had - the ruling position with no one over him.  From that point, the story turned bad and it will end even worse.  

When we train our children, we need to curb selfishness and help them learn to focus on others.  When someone is especially gifted, they can become proud and thoughtless of others. They will need help in forgetting themselves and seeking to elevate those around them.  

"God so loved the world He gave.” Loving cannot be separated from giving and putting first.  If we hope to train our young people to love, we must train them to forget self and to help others.  In basketball, a man is highly esteemed for a "triple double,” or for getting not only double figures in points but also in assists and rebounds.  If a ballplayer cannot help his teammates excel, he is limited and will fall short of the success he could attain.   So it is with marriage and work — others, others, others.  

May we get our own hearts away from the idea of "What I deserve" or "I was not treated fairly" or  "Life has been hard on ME,”  and pay much attention to how we can help someone else.

Pastor  

A Song In Our Heart

Good Morning,


There are many reasons to keep good music in our lives, but in Deuteronomy 31, we see a special place for music. 


Deuteronomy 31:19 “Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.”

vs. 20 “For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.”

vs. 21 “And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.”


God told Moses to teach everyone a song and to get it in their hearts.  Then when the people get away from God, the song will testify against them and remind them where they were and how they got away from the Lord. 


Several truths are found here:

1. We are prone to wander, and this includes our children.

2. There will be times of drifting and perhaps judgment from God.

3. The right music in the heart will remind us of our error.

4. When the Word of God has been forgotten, music will still be lodged in our hearts.


We must recognize the importance of helping our children learn songs about the Lord. Whether cute little fun songs or hymns, the songs will remain in our heart when our selfish will has turned us away.


Likewise, there are some songs that we do not want in the hearts of our children. As an adult, often songs from the 60s and 70s come into my mind, and with them comes the very spirit of the time those songs were learned. I have often left a store with my wife, gotten into the car, and turned on good music to get rid of the “old song” I had in my head. (2 Corinthians 10:5)


The New Testament repeats this truth.   Paul urged us to have God’s Word in our hearts and to teach and admonish one another with song.


Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”


There is great power in music, and great value in having our children learn songs of the faith.  Sing with your family as you drive, as you work around the house, and of course, keep your family in Sunday school and church where simple songs of faith fill their hearts. 


Pastor

Search

Good Morning,

Mankind frequently thinks he knows more than God, whether it be about origin of humanity and the planets, or family or church; man is totally stuck on himself.  (Sorry, but that thinking is way beyond foolish.)  How could the creature know more than the creator?

Let me speak pointedly about children.  How about one question, “How do I keep my children from going to hell?”  The Bible gives one simple truth about it.  Go read Proverbs 23:13-14; it is clear and simple and one of the most rejected verses by Christian young couples I know.

I mean, the average couple attending Bible-teaching churches does not believe this verse.  So, as I read Scripture, young church-going couples are much more likely to see their children go to hell than couples were fifty years ago by simply ignoring two verses.  

I have taught for years that if you want a spirit corrected in your child, you have to do SOMETHING.  Nowhere that I know of does God talk about reasoning with children.  Children were given parents because the child cannot reason properly. They need someone else to MAKE them do right until they learn enough to do right on their own, yet our homes are filled with undisciplined children who are addressed as members of the board of directors.  Parents are trying to help children see the logic in their instruction (and we can all see how well that is working). Maybe we should try to do things God's way. (Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 22:15)

How about marriage; let me see if there is a simple verse or two we might consider.    Proverbs 5:19-20 and 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 will give clear instruction on marriage. These verses are not difficult, just seldomly read.

How about the trendy "worship" of today.  Most churches have "worship leaders," "worship teams," and a time in the church service set aside to "worship."    There is not enough room to list verses, but I would like to challenge those who study to read every verse in the New Testament that mentions worship - there are forty.  Not one even implies vaguely a group of people in corporate worship. 


America was built on churches, preaching, praying, and singing hymns. Try finding giant groups in "worship" in America's history.  You will look long and hard to find anything even remotely close to what is dominating our churches today (except in a few Pentecostal meetings). If it is not in the New Testament, maybe it should not dominate our church services.  Like the “tongues” movement, the "purpose driven church movement,” the neo-evangelical movement, and the Promise Keepers, this too will pass (like bell bottom pants).

My point is, in too many areas of life, we do what we think is best, what feels best, or what friends like rather than searching out what God says is best and simply obeying Him.  John 5:39 tells us to search the Scriptures, 2 Timothy 2:15 instructs us to study. If we hope to gain the things God has hidden for us in the eternal Word, we need to search and study the Bible.  Maybe a little less time on social media and more time in the Bible will help turn our nation back to God.

Pastor

Why I Quit Most Media

Why I Quit Most Media

Good Morning,

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

The world around us will not understand, but these truths are to help us keep our hearts right in a troubled world.  These eight things should guide our thinking, and therefore, our reading and watching as well.

When the presidential election took place between Biden and Trump, and all the conservative news could talk about was how to rally the conservatives to show up in greater numbers next time, I quit watching. I quit watching conservative news.   They had violated simple rules that I expected them to follow – be as honest as you can without an agenda.

When the early covid testing proved to be fraudulent (100% of subjects tested positive), I quit watching their reporting.  When the powers that be forbid doctors from prescribing medicine for covid that they had regularly prescribed for other sicknesses, I quit watching or listening to them.

When I saw social media weaponized, where lies and slander flowed like a river, undocumented, unchallenged, and obviously slanted with an agenda, I took myself off all social media.

Why did I quit all these?

Philippians 4:8, “…whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

In order to maintain proper thinking in a world of deceit, I had to stop reading, listening, or watching things or people who had proven themselves to be deceitful.  These media outlets, whether conservative or liberal, did not only stretch the truth, but did so with an agenda or intentionally distorted truth with intent to harm.

Social media and the average news team has no more credibility than the old tabloids everyone used to mock.  Our world does not use the word gossip anymore because most of the media world thrives on it.  No honest person ever took tabloids seriously, and intelligent people had better things to put in their heads, thus avoiding them completely.    

I have done this before, but consider the list in that verse:  

• true

• honest

• just

• pure

• lovely

• good report

• virtue

• praise

• think on these things.

Now compare that list to the news, social media, and radio.  Can they co-habitate?  I doubt it, at least not in my world.

When a doctor lied about masks or numbers of deaths, I quit listening to him.  When hospitals were paid huge bonuses for caring for anyone with Covid, I stopped believing their reports. Money warped the stats and skewed accurate reports of numbers.  When statistics are manipulated about Covid deaths, I quit listening to them. (You know the jokes about the guy with multiple bullet holes but tested positive for Covid and was counted as a Covid death.)  

When a political leader starts defending communist or socialist policy, I quit listening to him. The overall problem is more than a mistake, it is an agenda-driven, deceitful ploy to change society.  When a president lies about our nation’s roots, I refuse to listen to him the rest of his term in office.  The greatness of America, so far, is that you can listen to whomever you wish -or not- we do have a choice.  Now, if some liberal leaders had their way, they would sensor all news and be sure it was lining up with their narrative, but for the moment, freedom still lives, and we should enjoy it by reading and listening to whatever we wish.  As for me, I have shut off most sources of news.  

Psalms 15 has some truths to add to this idea of guarding what we hear.

vs. 1 “LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?”

vs. 2 "He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.”

vs. 3 “He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.”

vs. 4 “In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.”

A passion for holiness, a thirst for truth without an agenda, a longing for biblical principles fills the heart and mind of wise people, but the choice is ours to make.  


Pastor

Care In Decisions

Good Morning,

We often think young people need advice about dating, jobs, school, finances, and the various new situations they will face, and we are right.  For the first time they are facing a serious relationship; for the first time they are leaving home to live in either college dorms, barracks, a house of their own, etc.

Proverbs 20:18 “Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.”

When a child buys a first home, he faces a whole new world of changing from renting to owning a home.  We as parents, of course, think our adult children need advice in the various matters of life:  the first child, the first pregnancy, potty training, or sending children off to school — we have a plethora of opinions. 

Proverbs 15:22 “Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.”

In all these areas, we are correct in believing advice is needed; because when someone is facing an area in which they are inexperienced, they need counsel.  Young people do need someone older and wiser to direct their thinking.  What we fail to realize is that when we, as the older parents, face situations for the first time, we also need counsel.

Proverbs 24:6 “For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.”

As adults, we face “firsts” as well:  an inappropriate act made by a spouse (perhaps infidelity), financial reversal, a job layoff, a loss of career necessitating starting all over, a last child leaves home creating an empty nest, or problems relating to the biological changes of age. When faced with these “firsts,” it would be wise to seek godly counsel.

Proverbs 11:14 “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.”

When facing something for the first time, just as our children need help and counsel, we, too, need help as we pass through uncharted waters:  the loss of a spouse, a bankruptcy, the loss of a home, the death of a child, the death of a parent, or the move from a busy career to retirement (a time when suddenly there are a hundred and sixty-eight hours to fill) can create opportunities to make great mistakes.

Proverbs 12:15 “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.”

Let me encourage you to seek good counsel.  Some things may have gone wrong in your life:  a doctor’s report may be terrifying or the choices your child makes may devastate you, but be sure that this is a time to have a friend, a counselor, and an outside set of eyes to help you keep your perspective.   Just because you are older, does not mean you do not need the wisdom of another.

Pastor

Making A Difference

Good Morning,

There is much talk in our world about people finding a purpose, a reason to live, and feeling fulfilled about their lives.  This is the reason people get involved in the preservation of some endangered species or the care and protection of animals.  There is a need to have a purpose and to feel as though your life is making a difference.  Perhaps this is the reason people drive a smaller car or plant a certain kind of water-saving landscape, hoping that their lives might be part of the answer to the world’s trouble, and in turn find purpose and usefulness.

As the broken record plays again, I say that the church and Christianity has everything that humanity needs.  If we would be saved, read our Bibles, and find a place of service and ministry, we would not only find we feel useful and fulfilled but we would actually make a difference on an eternal scale.

If we want to make a big difference, helping people is the most effective course to take; for people, alone, are eternal.  Helping people requires God; and obtaining God’s help requires submission and obedience. This is where the problems surface:  people love to do things their own way; people want to be good their own way; people want to choose their own methods and manners of making a difference.  Making a difference in the life of an eternal soul demands surrender to the only Person Who can save a soul, Jesus Christ.

Just think of what a big difference a church bus driver, who picks up children week after week for Sunday school, can make for eternity.  Think of the hundreds of souls who hear the Word of God taught and of the eternal difference that is made when some of those souls trust Christ as their Saviour.  Consider the eternal difference that is made when a person opens the Bible and teaches the Bible to children or adults, hour after hour, week after week, year after year.  Those who hear the Word of God will grow into adults and have the eternal Word of God embedded in their hearts and souls.  What could be more eternal than that?  To accomplish this, one must have the help of the Holy Spirit and must follow the path and pattern that God has set up for His work.

(There we go again needing to do things God's way instead of our own.)

Is witnessing to a lost soul or bringing a saved person back to Christ significant enough to make a difference?

James 5:20 “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”

That sounds mighty significant to me!

If you want to make a difference, forget the cute little car and teach Sunday school instead.  Or go on and eat beef and baked potatoes but drive a Sunday school bus or visit in the rest home or jail.  People are eternal; investing in people makes a difference!  Love them, teach them the Bible, tell them of Christ's love — that is how to make a difference.

Pastor

Why We Serve

WHY WE SERVE (Wrong motives for ministry)

Good Morning,

In our church and many other churches, one person runs the weekly routine of teaching a certain class or junior church, and they continue to do so year after year.  These people are unsung hero’s!  These people make a continuous impact on eternity and receive no accolades or articles written praising their influence; they are simply making a consistent impact for good in the world.

Too many people jump at the chance to make a big splash; they want to meet a need that brings attention; they strive to find someone in need for that one moment.  Committing to daily or weekly work is more than they want to fulfill, but helping with something big once in a great while is the pace they enjoy most. These people willingly offer their services to preach to a group when there is no pastor, but they will not preach weekly for a rest home service to folks who might not remember their names.

The one-time heroes are not bad, they just miss the big picture.  They labor for their own names, not for the cause.  An opposite of this kind of person is the one who dedicates long-term faithfulness in chipping away at the darkness that is creeping into our entire culture.  This person is the man or lady who runs a jail service week after week with little thanks or praise once leaving the walls of the jail.  Again, the hidden work being done is eternal, and the Lord says not to be weary in well doing.

2 Thessalonians 3:13 “But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.”

It is easy to grow tired of the daily or weekly duties.  These responsibilities can become mundane; yet this is what defines the Christian life: making a difference day after day and also needing the Lord’s strength daily to keep on for His glory not our own.

2 Corinthians 4:1 “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;”

2 Corinthians 4:16 “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”

We need a daily renewing of Christ’s power in our carnal, fleshly vessels.

Another wrong motive is wanting to do something for someone who has a name:  a visiting evangelist, or someone who speaks at our annual ladies conference (helping these people is important).  To help on a bus route or teach a child’s Sunday school class every week has no glamour or glory.  Again, why do we do what we do?  Is it for our own names?  Is it for the thrill of being close to a star in the Lord’s work?

Proverbs 25:6 “Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:”

Proverbs 25:7 “For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.”

Remember, there are no stars in God’s work; for He said in Matthew 25:40, “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

It matters not who someone is or what their name may be, serving the people of God is pleasing to the Lord.

Mark 9:41 “For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.”

Sometimes we will help another as long as it does not inconvenience us.  Again, that is hardly a biblical motive; especially considering what our Savior did for us and how terribly He was treated.

2 Corinthians 8:9 “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

May we serve the Lord and the people of God because it is our honor and privilege.  If we are able, may we attempt to keep our names and our pleasure completely out of our service.

Pastor

Prayer

Good Morning,

I hope we are all keeping our spiritual “resolutions” — to resolve to read our Bibles, pray, be faithful to church, to break the ties of certain besetting sins — all of which are good to improve upon.

Though I would like to suggest something upon which to focus — prayer.

Even though we reach the point at which we read our Bibles daily, we still tend to miss the quiet moments of talking with God.  There is more power with God in prayer than any of us understand.

Luke 18:1 “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”

Here is a simple order from our Saviour:  ALWAYS PRAY!  Prayer ought to be a part of our lives all day long.  We ought to seek God’s insight at every turn, learning to “walk in the Spirit.”

Prayer helps us avoid trouble.

Luke 21:36 “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”

Prayer helps us avoid temptation.

Mark 14:38 “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.”

Luke 22:46 “And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.”

In those verses, God gives us two incredible reasons to pray: to avoid temptation and trouble.  PRAY!

Read the parable in Luke 18, and you will see the entire story.  We are to consider prayer as our bothering God.  Persistent, non-stop prayer is the way to get things we desire -- for others.

Luke 11:8 “I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.”

Prayer ought to go on often throughout the day.

Psalm 55:16 “As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.”

Psalm 55:17 “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.”

Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”

Prayer is the pathway to peace in troubled times.

Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

vs. 7 “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

The “Peace of God” — what a precious possession to have in this world of sin and hurt -- that passes all understanding.  It comes to us partly through committing everything to God in prayer.

Prayer — let us keep it as a part of our lives this year.

Pastor

Hope for America

Good Morning,

Our current leadership in America has done much to slander and attack our nation, our wealth, our power, and our influence in the world.  The poor folks running our nation, had they only been in a decent Sunday school, would have learned the Bible instead of liberalism and socialism. 

Any faithful, Bible reader understands the promises God gave to His people about obedience and faithful worship of the true God. 

Reading today in Jeremiah, I see a promise revived that was given to the people in Moses’ day.  Follow God, and He will bless you and your nation.

Jeremiah 33:9 “And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.”

If a nation would turn to God, He would bless them so much that others would tremble.  That fear would not be present because of a country’s wealth but because of the obvious power and potential danger the blessed nation possessed. God would bless a nation so much that any nation that thought of threatening it would tremble and fear.  God offers security, financial influence, and power — great blessings for people who love others and love peace. 

Many a nation that thought about starting a war with its neighbor has thought twice when considering what America might do:  that is the blessing of God on a nation.

Notice the original promises to those who follow the Lord:

Deuteronomy 28:1 “And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:”

The blessing of God results in a nation held high above all other nations.  When we forget God, He places evil nations over us — our curse.  Good people can be in leadership and be a blessing to the world; evil nations will be a curse to the world when they are powerful.


God further promises His people financial prosperity.

Deuteronomy 28:4 “Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.”

vs. 5 “Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.”

vs. 8 “The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”

vs. 11 “And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.”

vs. 12 “The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.”

Notice, these are national promises!  God deals with nations as well as individuals. 

God promised military blessings.  (Yes, all of you peace lovers, God will bless the military of those nations who love Him.  No, God is not anti-military or anti-war.)

vs. 7 “The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.”

Political influence will be given to God’s people if they will follow Him:

vs. 13 “And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:”

Political power and influence over other nations is not bad or evil; power is a gift to those who honor God and respect Divine values.  We are not evil because we have had more money than other nations; we are blessed by God.

We are not bad for being strong; we have been blessed with security and safety and the ability to guard weaker nations with our strength.  Our financial, military, and social prosperity has been the gift of God, not the robbery of nations.  I wonder, who ever had so much power or wealth that Americans could have robbed them to gain what we have?  We did have slavery for awhile (as did every other nation); America just had enough wisdom from God to get that worked out of our nation, and we did so long before the rest of the world.  

Stupid leaders want to turn America into a third-world nation ruled by tyrants.  If we continue to forget God, that is very likely to happen. 

I have spent time in the much-praised and adored countries of Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, and oppression is present there such as America has never known since we broke free of England:  outrageous taxation, oppressive and invasive government, miserable health care, and very little prosperity.  (They cannot even come up with a normal-sized can of soda.)  Those nations have few churches, tiny cars, and people share houses everywhere because they cannot afford their own homes.  We have all these blessings because our forefathers have lifted up God and righteousness!  Yes, we live in beautiful homes, drive big cars, enjoy plush vacations:  Have you noticed that we have big churches filled with people too!  It all goes together.  Financially-bankrupted Europe has ancient, empty church buildings, impoverished private businesses, and normal folks who struggle to get a car or a home.  Hmmm, seems as if those things go together too.  Makes sense when you think about it:  prosperous Christianity and prosperous people. 

Sugar-filled, Super Big Gulp sodas, sold at Seven Eleven convenience stores everywhere (run by immigrants — thanks to the blessings of God on America, not to their homeland), McDonald’s double-sized fries, and gyms everywhere (because we also have super-sized Americans!) are all rewards from God.  These things are not bad, they are blessings.

A side note as we consider these thoughts:  Individuals can be blessed and prosper spiritually under any heathen, cursed national rule.  Paul did; Jesus did; Joseph did; Daniel did. The subject of this lesson is that we should all desire national mercy and favor from God.

May we remember that God offers the blessing to fallen nations.  The original promise was to the fledgling nation of Israel in Deuteronomy 28, but the promise to Jeremiah was to a fallen nation.

Jeremiah 33:9 “And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.”

God promised that if a nation turned from Him, He was still willing to reinstate those blessings, IF the people of that nation would turn to Him.  The time has come for American believers to wake up, get back in church and Sunday school, pull their children out of Sunday sports and out of the government, atheistic, public schools, and try to live Matthew 6:33:  “Seek ye first the kingdom of God…” 

The future lies in the hands of believers.

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Pastor

Being Good Is Not Always Good

Good Morning,

We have witnessed some astonishing politics between the White House and the Middle East.  Notice what Isaiah says about being good to the wicked:

Isaiah 26:10 “Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.”

No matter how good we are to wicked men, they will not learn to be good.  No matter how many nice things we do, or how much money we give them, or how many weapons we supply, they will not like us; and they will not be good, because the root problem is not us, it is their wickedness. 

I am not saying all those in Islamic countries are wicked, but I will certainly say that many are, and those who want weapons, ransoms, and to blow up Israel and the western culture — they are wicked.  No matter how much we do for them, they will be evil.  Notice the end of the verse.

vs. 10 “…in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.”

Though we let them into our country, give them freedom to own businesses, and freedom to build their mosques in OUR country, bringing them from the poverty of their own nation, they will deal unjustly.  They will certainly not see our kindness and attribute it to the Lord God of Israel.  They will refuse to recognize “the majesty of the Lord.” 

People of all cultures are sinful and do not need gifts — they need salvation.  Just like some Americans who can see the good done in our own history through God-fearing people and without question, see the influence of God on our founding principles, “… yet will he not learn righteousness…”


Once a man or woman gives his heart to wickedness, he is unable to see or discern “…the majesty of the Lord.”  For this reason, we must keep our own children in good company, both at school and socially.  To think our children will see God’s goodness and glory while dwelling among evil men is foolish. 

Some people might question being good to the lost man next door or the kid down the street; but a great difference exists between “wicked” and “lost” or “sinful.”  All men are sinful; all men are born lost; and all men need to come to the point of accepting their own condemned state and turn to Christ; but for the “wicked” the story is different; they can be won to Christ, but only through much prayer, witnessing, and work of the Holy Spirit.

For this reason, no prisons or jails were mentioned in the law:  get right, get out, or get dead.  Some people were simply not going to change, and the list of offenses that deserved capital punishment was long.

At times, as our children become adults, it is better for them to face life alone (although heartbreak comes to parents).  At home, no cure would be found; only a continuation of the same ugly, fighting scenario.  Nationally, there is no way America can be kind enough to change a terrorist. 

Pastor

Actions That Please God

Good Morning,

While reading the last Psalm, I found a simple outline of the deeds of evil men. 

Psalm 50:17 “Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.”

vs. 18 “When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.”

vs. 19 “Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.”

vs. 20 “Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son.”

Considering the areas God points out in this life, I am reminded of sins that we should strive to avoid in our own lives and watch for in training our children: 

1. Hate of instruction

2. Ignoring the Bible

3. Theft

4. Moral wrong

5. Evil words

6. Deceitful words

7. Slander of family

Look back at the verses and notice how God simply points out offenses that really bother Him.  If we seek to find mercy and help from the Lord, we need to please Him to the best of our ability.   Notice the two major issues in number 1 and 2 on the list; each relates to receiving instruction.  Numbers 5, 6, and 7 have to do with our words.  In those five of seven ills, we observe two areas which are vital in our lives and the lives of our children — being teachable and having guarded speech.  James 3:8 says, “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” 

God concludes the passage with qualities that please Him:

vs. 23 “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.”

1. Praise

2. Ordered conversation

Simple deeds can be roadblocks to shame and open doors to honorable actions.  Consider the value of praise.  It is unlikely that you will be involved in criminal activity while singing praise to God.  Few opportunities for drugs or booze are presented to someone known for singing and praising God.  Ordering our conversation means to plan and control the subjects of our conversation.  If our words are pure, clean, and God-honoring, it is unlikely that we will enter into most of the wrong deeds mentioned in verses 18-20.   If we never talk inappropriately, we are unlikely to end up in moral impropriety. 

We see God clearly outlines proper and improper behavior.  May we labor to walk straight and speak in a manner that will please God. 

Pastor

Patience In Suffering

Good Morning,

All of us go through trials; in fact God says we are “subject to like passions.”  (James 5:17)  Paul wrote that we are all tempted in a common (similar) manner.

1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

We will all face trouble: our Lord made it clear that we will face tribulation due to the world in which we live.

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

So what are we supposed to do?  We often spend our time trying to get out of trouble or avoiding trouble.  The Lord instructs us as to proper actions in trials.

Romans 12:12 “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;”

Romans 5:3 “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;”

When trials come, we are to be patient, and to glory... not in the sorrow, but in our faith!  We have a God Who is sovereign, good, and faithful.  Glory in the fruit our lives will bring forth due to the difficulties with which we are dealing.

God is to be the One to Whom we go for strength in difficult times, not to the world, the drug companies, or the foolish counsels of the lost world.

Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”

Jeremiah spoke about dealing with sorrow in Lamentations.

Lamentations 3:24 “The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.”

vs. 25 “The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.”

vs. 26 “It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.”

God is our portion and our hope -- the One upon Whom we wait.

Peter writes much about sorrow since the church faced much persecution in his day.  He urged us to stay faithful amidst suffering;

1 Peter 1:5 “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

vs. 6 “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:”

vs. 7 “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”

Though in much heaviness knowing that our faith is being tried, tested, and proven by our continued faith and rest in God, we are to rejoice.  Think of words like longsuffering -- I guess that means we should suffer long, right? 

Peter sums it up simply;

1 Peter 4:12 “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:”

vs. 13 “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”

The trial we face is not new, nor is it some terrible strange problem no one else has ever encountered. We can rejoice just as others have — by the grace of God.  If we will keep our eyes on Jesus, we can be glad with exceeding joy.

Pastor

Read the Bible

Good Morning,

I am afraid that many Christians have grown comfortable in their Christian lives. At some point, each Christian received Christ and grew in faith, mercy, and love, and God provided a stable life for them. Their jobs, homes, and marriages are stable, and no great fear drives them — they are safe and secure. The fear I have for them is the fact that they may easily drift from the Lord. Trouble and danger drive us to God; ease leads us to casual and complacent living. It is not uncommon for believers to go days or weeks without reading their Bibles. Like Catholics, they rely on the pastor to talk to God for them.

Isaiah 34:16 “Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read…”

Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night…”

The idea that we do not need God’s Word daily is a deadly assumption. I love the fact that I lived around people who knew they needed their Bible every day. My mom and dad would never go a day without reading their Bible. My children grew up knowing grandma and grandpa read the Bible, and the Scriptures were often in our conversation. My wife not only reads daily, but her idea of the perfect vacation is to spend several hours each morning reading and studying her Bible.

We must remember that we are not spiritual creatures; we are carnal. Unless our “old man” is kept yielded to God, we will be subject to the carnal wishes of the flesh. Being carnal is not what we do, but what we are. Spiritual is what we are inside, our walk with God and our yielding to His will. One who is spiritual daily seeks to know the Father’s will and yields his life to that divine plan for the day.

John 5:39 “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life…”

When God explained the circumstances of having a king, He made it clear that the king needed to spend time daily in his Bible. Reading the Bible daily will keep us from future foolishness.

Deuteronomy 17:19 “And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:”

We are to read, teach, talk, and walk the Bible!

Deuteronomy 6:6 “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart…”

vs. 7 “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”

Psalm 119:97 “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.”

Do not be so foolish as to think we know enough Bible that we do not need to read it daily. Cultivating the spiritual man through the truths of God’s Word is the main goal; knowing the facts of the Bible is not the objective. Do not allow yourself to grow carnal and complacent to the point of not reading and studying the Bible daily. We need daily Bible reading just like we need water.

Thoughtlessly reading our Bibles will cause us to fail in the relationship to our Bible. If we simply look at words or glance over them like skimming a newspaper, we will soon treat the Bible with the same love and passion as the newspaper.

A mature believer should know how to study his Bible, and how to think, consider, grasp truth, and find lessons. The Bible is an eternal Book; we will never begin to grasp Its depths and riches.

2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

As you read the Bible daily, It should teach you and reveal faults in your life as a mirror; the Word of God should expose you to you!

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

While reading your Bible, truths ought to open up about your heart. While reading the Bible, you should suddenly find yourself ashamed of words or actions; you should find yourself exposed to the light of the Word, revealing your inner motives, plans, and dreams. Like a mirror that magnifies your face, faithfully studying your Bible will reveal details in your heart and life; sin will be exposed and selfishness will be revealed.

One might say, “Things in my life are good, and I am fine reading occasionally.” Two dangers exist with this mentality:

1. You slowly grow carnal and end up doing something terrible that you should not have done.

2. You slowly grow carnal and fail to do something very important that God intended you to do.

What can you do to help?

1. Find a set time and place to read daily.

2. Have a plan where in the Bible you will read daily: such as Proverbs for the day of the month, or two chapters in the New Testament each morning and two chapters in the Old Testament each evening, etc.

3. Write something down every day from your Bible reading. Read, think, crystallize an idea and put it on paper; and then read back over what you wrote the previous day.

4. Pray before you read and ask God to teach you something.

5. Confess your cold heart towards the Bible; call it sin and ask for forgiveness.

6. Use your Bible: teach a class, witness, or talk to your spouse about your Bible if possible.

“Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life, let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life…”

Pastor

For the Glory of God

Good Morning,

John 9:1 “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.”

In this verse, we see troubles, serious troubles: a child was born blind and lived that way into adulthood. This child endured a lifetime of difficult and fearful situations with no bright future to come.  In Bible days, there was no special care for the blind; he was bound to a helpless life of begging and loneliness.  

Regarding this tragic situation, Jesus said, "but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." (vs. 3)

This difficult situation was planned and designed to manifest the work of God, but years of hardship preceded that manifestation.  

Let me mention another story, and then return to my point this morning.

A beloved brother lay dying, leaving two heartbroken sisters behind (the story of Lazarus).

John 11:21 “Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.”

In a few minutes, Mary had the same reaction.

John 11:32 "Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died."  

These situations are heartbreaking, yet occur for the glory of God.  Yes, we know Lazarus raises from the dead, and the blind man gets his sight back, but the people involved did not know that! Much trouble and suffering occurred, but it all had a purpose.

John 11:4 “... This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”

In one story, the blindness was to manifest the works of God. Now, we read that a lifetime of living blind was so God would be glorified. To say God does not think like we do is a vast understatement. Be careful how you respond to trials. Remember that God has plans, and we are vessels that are supposed to be "meet for the Master’s use." (2 Timothy 2:21)

This does not mean we do not hurt or weep, for there was much weeping during the story of Lazarus, even by the Lord; but the works of God are mighty, and we get to be a part of them.

We could continue to the story of Job; he lost all he had: ten children died, and he lost his health and wealth – all for the glory of God.   Joseph was hated by his brothers, sold as a slave, and suffered for thirteen years all for the good of others.

As believers, one of the hardest concepts for us to grasp is that this life is not about us.  Our military understands that their lives might be forfeit or crippled for the good of the nation, but the modern Christian is sure that life is all about personal joys and good times.  This issue may be unique to our society because we have received so many blessings from God and heard so much slop from media and psychologists.

Many verses in the Bible deal with this; although, some are difficult to understand or grasp such as verse 25:

John 12:25 “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”

There may be some confusing theology in that verse, but one thing is sure: God wants us to get over "ourselves."

The Saviour asks us nothing that He did not do many times more dramatically. No matter how difficult the situation was, Jesus surrendered to the perfect will of the Father;  our Saviour was definitely "troubled" at times.

vs. 27 “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.”

Notice that little phrase, "but for this cause."

There is a "cause" that supersedes our comfort and desires, a "cause" that ends with the glory of God.  There is a cause that brought me to this hour in my life.  Why not go on and trust the Almighty God?  

Pastor

Purity

Good Morning,

1 John 3:3 “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

If you share the longing, the "hope" of the Lord's soon return, it will cause you to purify your life. Purity is just as important as any other doctrine in the Bible.  I want to cast my vote for preaching on purity.  I have not heard of much preaching on purity lately, but purity is clearly a Bible doctrine.   Holiness and purity are both New Testament doctrines — Amen!

2 Corinthians 7:1“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

Some promises should move us to be separate from the world.

This verse follows the wonderful truth that God desires to be our Father and to have us as sons and daughters; that we might walk with Him and He with us.  Those promises are so wonderful!  The next chapter begins with, "Having therefore these promises...."  The wonderful promise of a personal relationship with God is motivation for purity and holy living.

The book of Hebrews also casts the vote for holiness.

Hebrews 12:14 “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:”

Peter emphasizes the subject with a more detailed description: “without spot, and blameless.”

2 Peter 3:14 “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”

"Without spot and blameless" means not to be living as much like the world as we are able, but to get as far away from the world as we can that we might strive for perfect holiness in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7:1)

As our churches fashion themselves more and more after the world, we hear less and less about purity and holiness.  Yet, as these verses indicate, God clearly teaches us much about purity.

James 4:8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

I chose to cast my vote for PURITY — a wonderful goal to strive toward in our daily lives.  Exalt, promote, and talk about PURITY!

Pastor

Now & Later

Good Morning,

There is a candy called Now and Later — a candy kids can enjoy now but lasts a long time and can be enjoyed until later.  To have that philosophy in life would be great, but the fact is, most of our decisions are based on now OR later.

Jeremiah 5:31 “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?”

God is bothered by the choices people make that seem good at the time but are very bad in the end.  We all know that choosing now over later is destructive, yet we all often continue to make the choice for instant gratification.

One big difference between conservatives and liberals is the end we work toward.  The goal of liberalism is to make people choose what makes them happy now and disregard what happens later.  The conservative person in the political spectrum will forfeit the enjoyment of now in order to achieve good later.

We all understand this principle from fairy tales and super heroes.  We sacrifice the immediate safety and comfort now (sometimes putting our bodies or our friends in danger) in order to reach the goal of a wonderful later.  Our military epitomizes this principle; they are willing to leave home, family, and comfort, and risk their lives now to acquire a better later (though it may not be better for them) for those for whom they have sacrificed.  The average girl, who carries a child out of wedlock and does not want that child, conceived that child in a situation in which her now was more important than her later.  She chose to follow passion, lust, and feeling instead of living for the long-term end result.  Abortion always follows a “now” situation; the mother feels it is better to murder the child now than to forfeit her comfort in order to do right in the eyes of God and humanity and allow that child to have a life later.

Modern Christianity is also that way.  The conservative Christian who stands for a literal Bible and the old-fashioned values is one who will forfeit some popularity now in order to allow the next generation to enjoy seeing souls saved and baptized, young people called to preach and go to the mission field, and preachers provide for their needs.  The contemporary circle wants a church that is comfortable now, feels good now, is enjoyable now, but requires no sacrifice now, and they forget about the later.  The contemporary church is not sending young people out into the ministry.  The contemporary church is not providing missionaries for the foreign field to take the place of those coming home due to health or age.  The contemporary church members want music that makes them feel good now; they want to have a lifestyle of no separation or convictions so they can fit comfortably in the world, rather than live a separated life by forfeiting comforts of now to gain a more godly later.  

When a preacher starts a church with grit, conviction, self-sacrifice, and self-denial, his life of “later” motivation is touched by God and is blessed.  He reaps long-term results.  As his church faces trials and difficulties (which all churches do), their "later" thinking sustains them.  Sometimes, the preacher will blame his difficulties on his conservative values and philosophies and side-step the “later” motivation and replace it with a “now” motivation.  He thinks that it will be easier to build a church without opposing worldly music, mixed swimming, indiscreet clothing, drinking alcohol, going to the movies, and the basic worldly environment.  He may give in to this pressure while thinking that accepting all these things will make it easier “now.”  The former self-sacrificing preacher made all these choices to move into "NOW" mentality not realizing that in so doing, he loses the very values that moved him into the pulpit:  the Spirit that called him to preach, the desire that moved him to go to Bible college, and to work night and day. The eagerness that moved him to go soul winning, to exhibit personal holiness, and to have a family that brings honor and glory to God were all decisions that were based on “later.”  To change the course of his decision making to a “now” motivation is to forfeit everything that put him into the ministry.

Solomon reminds us that the end must be remembered.

Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

Proverbs 20:21 “An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.”

Ecclesiastes 7:8 “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.”

As we read at the beginning of this article, when "LATER" motivation changes to "NOW" reasoning, the result will baffle us and leave us with no recourse.

Jeremiah 5:31 “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?”

Pastor

Obvious Still Irritates

Good Morning,

The more we insist on the Bible being our guide, the more trouble we get into with those who value public opinion and personal feelings above the teachings of the Bible.  

Consider the “gender” issues of our society.  The Bible speaks of hair being associated with gender:

Revelation 9:8  “And they had hair as the hair of women….”

God was not trying to start a culture war; He simply worded a description using terms everyone understands. We could describe a person by making statements such as: someone with olive skin, skinny as a rail, or hair like a woman.  Hair does tie in with gender.  In 1 Corinthians 11:14, Paul makes a divisive statement: “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

vs.15 “But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.”

These statements are simple truths and observations.  God is the Creator, and as such, His opinion matters on all subjects.  God continues in 1 Corinthians 11 that we ought not get in a fight over the hair issue because nature teaches the obvious, but do not get too upset about it if someone differs. 

I Corinthians 11:16 “But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.”

This era of long hair on guys, as it was in my high school days, is obviously not right, even nature shows us that simple truth, but do not hate anyone over the issue.

The same is true about how a lady looks. Solomon described a lady and said she was dressed like a harlot.  It was an obvious, simple description, and any normal man could have made the same observation.

Proverbs 7:10 “And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot…” 

This verse simply states that some clothing makes a lady look like she is for sale. Our society panics over obvious, simple statements like that.  

God addresses this again in Deuteronomy as Moses sets up the rules for a civil society.  God had Moses write that men should not dress like women and women should not dress like men.  It is simple and obvious, but it brings emotional panic to many people in our world.  


Deuteronomy 22:5 “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment:” 


Whatever this confused culture wants to pretend is acceptable, some things are obvious to any clear-thinking person.  Some clothing “pertains” to men and other to women.  Why any parent would allow their children to attend a school where someone dresses up as something they are not, (worse yet, where they are not even sure what they are) I do not understand, but it is their call.  God says the fact is obvious, no matter what the world around us screams.  Men and woman should not dress like the opposite.  Some clothing is female and other is male.  

That leads us to the conclusion that some people are female and some are male.  (This is where we will lose a lot of readers, sorry, but it is obvious, even God treats it so.)  


As you determine if God’s Word takes precedence over culture and public opinion, it might be good to count the cost; for our society does not do well having their foolishness pointed out, even if we do not make a big deal about it.  “This little light of mine…” shines in a dark world, no matter how little that light might be. 


Pastor

God Avenges

Good Morning,


Here are a few thoughts of comfort for those who are being beat up in this evil world.  


When someone persecutes believers, they persecute Jesus.  

Acts 9:5 “And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest…”


When one causes grief to the people of God, he also persecutes Jesus – it is personal!    It is literal!  Do not think the corrupt anti-God governments of China, Russia, the Middle East, or our own national tyrants (who tried to close churches during Covid) will not be dealt with by a just God. Allow me to use a more personal illustration: when someone does their best to harm the people of God or the church of God, they individually and personally will be accountable before a holy God. 


Of the Apostle Paul, God said, “I will show him how great things he must suffer. ” Much of the suffering in Paul’s ministry was a byproduct of his abuse of God‘s people.  


Trouble will surely be on the way for one who offends a child of God. Government agencies, city laws, or rich and unloving people who do not care for the children of God are in for some harsh treatment from God.  


Matthew 18:5 “And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.”

vs. 6 “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”


The point of these passages is that God is not a silent, inactive observer.  God sees and God cares, and though He does not work according to our timetable, He will deal with those who hurt His people.

God cares much for His chosen nation and His preachers. 

1 Chronicles 16:22 “Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.”

Psalm 105:15 “Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.”

When David had the opportunity to take the life of king Saul, he did not choose to do so. He quoted the basic principle in these two verses: One who messes with another whom God has placed in the position of leadership will not be innocent.


1 Samuel 26:9 “And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?” 

Guilty! God says a person who fights against the one anointed of God is guilty. It is important to understand that we are not talking about a godly pure Bible preacher, this passage deals with a corrupt king over Israel. Although he was corrupt, he was placed there by God. David was sure that God would move him in his own time. David was not going to mess with it.

The city officials who do harm to the church are in deep trouble.


The promise that some will lose their rewards is real.

Revelation 3:11 “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”

Some who enter Heaven will find they arrived “broke, flat busted,” and “ashamed.” (1 John 2:28; Luke 15:31)    

Some people will have faced their earthly trials, but because they did so in an unscriptural manner, they will not gain the crowns they might have received. 

2 Timothy 2:5 “And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.” 

It has been said that Pontus Pilate, while in Hell, has been trying to wash blood off of his hands for over 2,000 years. We can also be sure that many people in Heaven will face the shame of their earthly behaviour, and it is their unchangeable lot.

1 Corinthians 3:14 “If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.”

vs. 15 “If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

The songs says, “Be faithful weary pilgrim.” By doing so, great is your reward in Heaven.  

Pastor

Do Not Allow sorrow to Move In

Good Morning,

Sorrow and mourning are a part of this world.  From the first sin, God said that in “pain” Eve would bring forth children; to Adam God said,


Genesis 3:17 “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;”

vs. 18 “Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;”

vs. 19 “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”

A curse, sorrow, sweat, thistles, and death are the promise of God.  It would be wise to assume that each of us will have the visitor of sorrow throughout life. In the verses following this passage, God drove Adam and Eve from the garden.

Sorrow is not to encompass our lives. Adam and Eve brought sorrow on the human race through their sin, but God immediately began to build a wonderful life for these two.

At the end of the book of Genesis, we read about the death of Jacob. Genesis 50:10 tells of seven days of mourning, and then they went back to their homes and jobs and to the good life the Lord had given them. 

If you remember the death of Moses, you will notice that the people sorrowed at the loss of their great leader. God allowed that sorrow to endure for a short time, but then God said go on with life and take the land of Canaan. They were not to dwell in the world of sorrow (it was only a place they needed to visit).

Deuteronomy 34:8 “And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.” 

Joshua 1:2 “Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.”

vs. 3 “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.”

To visit grief and mourning is normal and assumed, but to remain there is against the plan of God.  The more we love, the more deeply will be our hurt; and as such, grief will be a more dominant guest, but God does not want sorrow to take up residency.  He Who is love wants to be the dominant resident in our hearts. 

Saul was the first king of Israel, a very precious and loved man by the old prophet and priest who anointed him, Samuel. Saul became sidetracked and grieved God in such a way that God “repented” for placing Saul in the office as King.  Samuel sorrowed deeply at the tragic situation.  

1 Samuel 15:11 “It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.” 

vs. 35 “And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.”

1 Samuel 16:1 “And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.”

One of the great tragedies of our society is the intentional cultivation of grief, sorrow, guilt, and blame. We serve a God of forgiveness, mercy, love, and hope, but we can assume that everything Satan does is going to be the opposite of God. Whether through counselors or social media, hurting folks are encouraged to keep their grief alive and even to nurture it.

Countless Bible passages teach us that anyone can find grace to build a great and useful life through the power of the Lord

Christ brought life. 

Christ brought forgiveness.

Christ brought mercy.

Christ brought hope.

Christ brought courage.  

Christ brought comfort.

To wallow in guilt, to nurture pain and suffering, and to live in the sorrow of yesterday are surely destructive.  

Paul and Moses were murderers; the woman at the well was morally fallen; Peter exhibited cowardice and denied the Lord; Christ’s siblings said He was crazy; Joseph was sold as a slave, yet in each case, victory was given by God and the promise of a great new life was found.  

It is okay to grieve and to allow the visitor of sorrow to sit at your table for a short time, but through Christ, there is too much good in life to allow grief to be your roommate.  

Our culture says to “let it go” or “move on.”  The Bible states it more eloquently:

Philippians 3:13 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,”

vs. 14 “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”


Even after years of captivity and punishment, God made it clear that Israel would find great joy.

Isaiah 51:11 “Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.”

vs. 12 “I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;”


Bring joy back into your world; welcome mercy, forgiveness, and the countless promises of God.  We are human, and love will have the unpleasant guest of hurt, but do not allow sorrow to stay long.  


Pastor