Teachers

Good Morning,


When Jesus gave the Great Commission, He did not intend for us only to tell people about Christ’s resurrection.  He wanted us to teach people to observe everything that He had taught. Jesus sent us to send others.

Matthew 28:20 “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”


Believers are to go, tell the story of salvation, and then teach people all that Jesus said.  This is why we have Sunday school and other ministries to children, teens, and adults.  These opportunities give many people a chance to teach and to allow classes to target certain ages with lessons appropriated to each group. 


The book of Hebrews words this concept well:

Hebrews 5:11 “Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.”

vs. 12 “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.”


There is a time when believers ought to be teachers.  I love the spirit of young Christians who desire to tell others about the Word of God. I love the questions from young Christians (even questions that may be obvious to many of us); everything is new to them. New Believers strive to tell their friends about Christ and excitedly seek more information.  Being a part of their sharing their faith and trying to teach the Bible lessons to friends is fun.  When Christianity is new, teaching what you know is exciting but a challenge.  Sad is the Believer who has outgrown his usefulness. He no longer teaches or goes soul winning; he has gone back to the things spoken of in this passage. 


Hebrews 5:11"Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.”


These Believers stopped doing the things they used to do, and now, they are “dull of hearing.”  They cannot see as they used to; they cannot enjoy hearing the Bible taught or telling others of the Precious Saviour.   Oh, the pleasure of spending time with someone who struggles to find the next verse in order to show a co-worker how to be saved or to answer Bible questions!  


Teachers – we ought to be teachers. May we each teach grandchildren, take a moment at the cash register to say a word for the Lord, and witness to those the Lord places in our lives each day.  Many of us can teach in jails, at rest homes, in junior church, or on a bus route – all of these ministries and others open the door to teach. Teach – we are commanded to do so.  

Pastor

Advice

Good Morning,


Countless tragedies have been caused by bad counsel.  Most of us know the story of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, who listened to the young men instead of the older men.  A nation was split, and countless troubles were caused by this bad counsel.  In the life of David, we find another instance of heeding bad counsel.  


1 Chronicles 19:3 “But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?”


David sent comforters to the son of the king who had recently died.  David was a veteran, a kind neighbor, and one who sought to do right and to be a help; but the son received bad counsel, and suddenly made a friend into an enemy. Poor counsel caused the young king to think that David was an evil enemy.  Do not read into that which is not there. Presumptions and opinions are not facts.  Find facts; talk to those who are accused, and be sure of the information before you act.  Much grief would have been avoided had Hanun just “emailed” David (or whatever they used) and discovered the facts.  Stupid, slanderous, and evil counselors caused no end of hurt to Hanun and to his kingdom.


What folly to listen to unproven and unreliable counsel, when years of experience tells us otherwise.  The trouble caused by listening to an “outsider” or someone with no track record is like cancer – it just keeps on hurting.  Politicians, coaches, and managers of businesses will move into a new position, and as soon as possible may bring in their own management team.  It is not an insult against the former managers, but those who have been tested by time at the side of the new boss have an element of trustworthiness and reliability; the former managers are unknown to the new boss.  Of course, many have differences of opinion on this policy in business, but the fact remains that it happens, whether the decision is wise or not.  


We should not only get counsel from someone who knows their field, but also from one who is tested by time and proven.  Likewise, when counsel or “suggestions” are offered, it is wise to talk to those close to the situation and find out some facts.


Young parents need much information, yet often the information they receive is foolish.  Regarding medical advice, parents need to prayerfully and wisely seek medical advisors.  When it comes to training, to developing character, to educating, and to shaping the individual, I would suggest parents prayerfully observe the children of those who are offering opinions.  See what kind of long-term success this person has had with their ideals and child-rearing methods.  We must understand that some people we would trust with medical issues should not be trusted with financial or child-training issues.


I have known doctors to whom I would trust my life physically who knew little about marriage or children.  They were good people, but I guarded their advice regarding other areas that may influence my world.  


Notice what Solomon said about going to battle: Proverbs 20:18 “Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.”   With GOOD ADVICE make war.  We all understand that there is no end of bad advice.  May we prayerfully seek godly, proven advice.   

Pastor

Contentions

Good Morning,


The Holy Spirit moves inside believers when they get saved. The question is, how much liberty does the Holy Spirit have to shape the believer into the image of Christ?


Giving God our minds, activities, friends, and associations will make us more pliable in the hands of the Holy Spirit. We will become Christlike more quickly.


When we yield our members to the world, we will find a constant war between us and the Spirit.

Romans 6:13 “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

The Holy Spirit will have a dramatic effect on our spirits if we allow Him to rule in our hearts.  If not, we will have a worldly spirit from the world that will control our daily lives.


Contention is a sure sign that the Holy Spirit is not in leadership, and that the flesh is in control.  Notice what God says about it:


Proverbs 13:10 “Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.”

The result of pride is contention. There is no other way to view this verse.  Whether it be in church or in marriage, at work or with in-laws, contention displays pride.


We should stop before we begin.

Proverbs 17:14 “The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.”

Christians are urged to “leave off contention” before it begins.  We should not meddle with contention.  I know people who consider an argument to be just a good, healthy discussion, but that is far from the scriptural definition of conversation among believers.

Love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness... these are a result of the Holy Spirit bringing forth fruit.  When a spirit of contention comes into our world it is the result of the world and pride, not the Spirit of God.


Believers are to LEAVE OFF or walk away from contention.  We are not to meddle in a contentious situation.


Proverbs 18:6 “A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.”

A fool can be drawn into a contentious conversation. Turning from a contentious situation is not cowardice; it is wise and spiritual.  Proverbs 17:14 says to leave off contention and not to meddle with it.  Proverbs18:6 says entering into contention is foolish.


Proverbs 22:10 “Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.”

God directs us to cast out the scornful person, and when we have done that, contention will go with him. This is not very popular, but it is scriptural.  Do not spend time with a contentious person; avoid them, walk away from them, and if possible, remove them from your relationships.


Contentious children need to be corrected before they become a plague to society.  In our marriages, we are to labor to avoid contention and not to allow our pride to pull us into a contentious conversation.  


Paul brings more insight to this subject in his writing to Timothy.

2 Timothy 2:24 “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,”


Speaking of the pastor, HE MUST NOT STRIVE!


James tells us that heavenly wisdom, wisdom gained from the Holy Spirit’s leading, will be pure, peaceable, and gentle.

James 3:17 “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”


These attributes are not natural; they are a spiritual product of yielding our lives to the Holy Spirit’s control.  


Winning an argument has nothing to do with being spiritual, but rather being good at talking in the power of the flesh, not the Spirit.

Pastor

Vocabulary

Good Morning,

I was thinking of changes in our lives, especially in vocabulary and the Christian life.  I thought of the preaching conferences I attended when I was a young pastor, and the things I heard godly, old pastors talk about.  I heard words and phrases such as “power of God,” “courageous,” “stand,” “contend,” “fighting for the faith,” and even words as simple as, “manly,” “feminine,” “virtuous,” and “godly.”

We have found ourselves in a society that has softened everything – a society that has embraced the vocabulary of the world, and has sought not to use any words that offend.  One very well-known pastor in California said we should not use the word fundamental as it does not fit in the vocabulary of our culture. Another mocked the use of the term “virtuous woman” because it was not used by anyone anymore (and I thought, “God uses it”). 

As our Christian culture seeks to use terms that are acceptable by the world, they have also changed their vocabulary to adopt the shameful society around us.  Adultery has been removed, now folks “live together.”  We have stopped asking how long someone has been married and replaced it with how long they have been together.  Drunks and addicts are “chemically dependent.” Fornication and sodomy have simply been removed from acceptable vocabulary along with patriotism, treason, or “proud to be an American.”

As a child, I remember Las Vegas being called “Sin City.” Now that city is a popular site for conventions and vacations. “Sin City” – can you even imagine saying that in public!   Loyalty and devotion are forgotten words, and purity and holiness are absent from preachers’ sermons.  The terms used in the Scripture regarding disciplining a child are cause for a visit from CPS, and doing right no matter the cost is an untouched subject. 

Too much television and media from the world has purged our thoughts from the most obvious and logical words and perspectives on life. I will not even venture into the words God uses regarding marriage like “reverence” and “honor,” for even the fundamental world struggles with those.  

Listen to the words people use referring to becoming a Christian.  Instead of repentance, conversation, born again, or saved, you hear “coming to Christ” or “give your life to Jesus.”  Now let us be Scriptural: your life is not worth a thing, and Jesus does not need it to save you, that is why HE GAVE HIS LIFE! We had nothing worth giving.  Biblically, you “receive Christ,” “trust Christ,” “place your faith in Christ,” or “believe on His name,” but again, those terms are nearly unheard of today.  

I was soul winning recently and began witnessing to a lady; and she said, “My daughter led me to Christ,” and I thought, “Wow!”  This lady had a day, time and place when she was SAVED.  I believed her and was encouraged. 

Let us get away from media (even much of the conservative and so-called “Christian” media) and get back to volumes of Bible and old-fashioned preaching; it will change our lives and our vocabulary. 

Pastor

Do Something

Good Morning,

I remember the first year of our church, 1982, when a dad came to me and said that his elementary school-age son came home saying his teacher had announced that he was “gay.” The dad was angry, but the dad left the boy in the school.  He should have pulled the boy out and contacted every other parent and urged them to do the same.  No students, no problem.

As a child, I remember the mini-skirt and hippie long hair that moved into our Southern California culture.  I was little, but I heard frustrated comments from parents and teachers.  Still, no one did anything.   

In our school, there is no long hair on boys or mini-skirts on girls because they are not allowed to attend if they do. Make a rule, act upon wrong, and “DO SOMETHING!”

Ecclesiastes 8:11 “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” 

I have to assume this (for I was not brought up in a church-going home), but I would guess that when laws were passed saying the Bible and prayer were not allowed in the classroom that Christian parents were angry.

In these situations, the trouble was that the parents who felt strongly but did nothing. Recently, the dad of a public high school student said his daughter told him that in her school it was not “cool” to like the opposite gender.  Dad was unhappy, but did nothing about the problem. Many private schools exist, and homeschooling is also an option in our society.

As in the political arena, people do not know what to do, but they should care enough to do something.  I would rather my child not learn to read and write than to sit at the feet of someone who convinces children to question their gender. If the skirt is too short, and it is your daughter, tell her to put on something else.  If the hair is too long on your son, let him know that if he hopes to eat and sleep in your house that he needs to get a hair cut. We all know the public school system is filled with perversion and educational failure; pull your children out of that school.  

If the parents of the 50s and 60s had pulled their children out of school over the loss of Bible and prayer, schools would have changed.  Tolerance cultivates the fruit of shame in our culture.  Establishing the family in a decent church would also help.  If the preacher will not stand for right and against wrong, then you need to act and find another church.  If need be, move to another city, but by all means, have your family in a solid, separated, Bible-preaching church.  If you do that, a good portion of your difficulties will be cured. 

If people die and go to Hell, we need to preach Jesus, publicly and in pulpits.  If moral perversion bothers us, then we need to shut off the television when shame is placed in front of us. “DO SOMETHING!” If the tantrum that the two year-old is throwing bothers you, act upon it.  If you do not know what to do, find someone who does (the answer will not be found in a psychology office). 

Tolerance causes wrong to multiply.  A lack of correction teaches those involved in the situation that if they hold out through the frustrated and angry words, they will get their way.  Inaction trains wrong behavior.

Wait until Jesus comes; we will see action!  Until then, we have a responsibility to act.  Abraham did not tolerate conflict among his people so he told Lot to move.  David, on the other hand, was angry about the actions of Amnon and Absalom, but he did nothing, and endless hurt followed.  

Psalm 101:7 “He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight."

“DO SOMETHING!”

Pastor

Why?

Good morning,

Why? That is a good question to keep close.  Have we all not been driven crazy by a child who continually asks, “Why?”  They need to do it a few times in order to learn.  For adults, it is a question we all need to ask periodically.  

Why do people baptize babies? Why do Catholics and other Protestants call their religious leader father, when Jesus commanded us not to use the title father for any religious leader. Where did godfathers and godmothers come from? Religious roots (often Catholic) have managed to bring many religious tradition into our lives, but why? Why do some people suggest you burn candles for the dead?  Why do we urge people to talk about salvation and the forgiveness of sin offered by Jesus Christ? Because God commands us to go and all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature! Spreading the Gospel a spiritual, religious, and biblical command! That is why we do it.  It is not a ritual, it is obedience. It is not something we do because it feels good, it is something we do because it is good.

There are many religious traditions and rituals. Mankind likes ritual. If you have never read about the Masons – wow! What rituals they have. Some of their rituals are quite scary, such as pledging to cut someone’s throat from ear to ear. Do not allow anyone to tell you that men do not like rituals.

Observe any culture, especially the more primitive cultures, and you will find dancing, music, painted faces, incense, and all sorts of religious rituals. If you ask them why they do what they do, they will have no idea. It is just what they do – the ritual is enough, they do not need the why. If you ask the Buddhist why they bring food to lay at the feet of an altar or statue, they do not know why it is done. They simply know it is done. It is part of their ritual. Most of humanity does not care about right or wrong, but they do care about the ritual. Show a Catholic that baptism is only for believers and only underwater, and it will make absolutely no difference to most of them. The baptism doctrine from the Bible means little because they love their ritual. The rituals are their Catholic tradition, their life, and their history. Their view on the subject usually states: “Do not mess up my world by showing me what the Bible says.” 

The traditions we observe such as turkey at Thanksgiving or fireworks on the Fourth of July (at least there is some historical reason for that from Francis Scott Key and the War of Independence) are national or family traditions –  not mandated or religious.  We have traditions of birthday parties, family reunions, Christmas trees, or Easter egg hunts. Some of those traditions trace to heathen origins, but most of us really do not care or force those traditions on others.

When it refers to religion, we need to ask, “Why.” We need to ask why we do what we do because these things are eternal. If the Bible says to not do something, such as the Ten Commandments stating not to bow down before an idol – that matters! God says not to do it, yet half the population of the world has statues and idols they bow before. 

If your family has a tradition of making homemade ice cream at Fourth of July, what a great tradition! But if your family has a religious ritual that you bring food and lay it at the feet of a statue, and then bow before that statue, that’s wrong, and it needs to be stopped. It is as disobedient as “thou shall not kill.”

“Why” is a good question to ask. If your pastor or parents are not able to answer the reason why, search somewhere else to find out. If it is a common preference, like chocolate versus vanilla, or a family tradition we do each year around this time, that is wonderful. But when people start adding tradition to religion such as godparents, purgatory, or prayers for the dead, those things need to be stopped. Always ask “why.”

Pastor

Really Dumb Questions

Good Morning,

Recently, I was asked, by a critical, very educated professional, a really stupid question.  I remember in school being told, “there are no dumb questions,” but I take exception to that statement.  Stupidity is often born in the heart and mind of the slanderous critic, and I give total credit to those evil roots for how this educated person came to speak so foolishly. Regardless of what made the person ask the question, the question revealed an agenda.  

Here is what was said in a close paraphrase, “You think loyalty is very important don’t you?”

Well, I might sarcastically answer, “No, it is fine for a cop to help crooks, or for a Laker’s player to help the opponent during a game.  I mean, what is strange about an American President leaving billions of dollars worth of high quality military equipment in the hands of those who hate us, or to deliver billions of dollars of cash to an enemy for use against our soldiers, I see no reason for loyalty to matter.” That kind of stupid makes decent people angry! 

What is so important about a man caring more for his wife than any other woman, or for a parent to seek what is best for their own child?  Loyalty?  Why it is the root of any decent soul.  

2 Samuel 15:10 “But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.”

vs. 11 “And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.”

vs. 12 “And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.”

vs. 13 “And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.”

This is one of the most tragic stories in the Bible.  A dad made some choices that were seemingly unwise, and a strong son was terribly angry about those decisions and set out to steal the kingdom and kill his own father.   Much death and suffering followed, and the “DISLOYAL SON” was killed which broke the father’s heart.

Someone might seek to discredit churches like ours for our love for loyalty, but America was built upon loyalty.  Loyalty is what brought millions of martyrs to their death.  Loyalty is the word that could summarize the entire set of marriage vows.

Loyalty, yes, you scornful, slanderous fool, loyalty is vital to life.  What is a Benedict Arnold? Disloyal.  What is a “double agent?” The image of disloyalty. What is the adulterous married person?  Disloyal, that is what they are – disloyal to their vows, disloyal to their spouse, disloyal to their children, disloyal to their in-laws, disloyal to their God, disloyal to their Bible, and on and on. Their disloyalty is like the stink of a skunk hit by a car – every car that comes by smells and carries that stink wherever they go. 

Let me get to the point quickly.  I am to be loyal to the Bible, that is the highest authority in our lives.   After that, and without violating that, I am to be loyal to those with whom I am in a relationship.  Loyal fans will sit in freezing temperatures to watch their team lose.  Loyal married people will stay with their spouse “for better and for worse” until they are forced to violate their first and highest loyalty to the Word of God. 

Dr. Hyles told us he thought we should be loyal to principle and not to institutions.  This philosophy came from a man who was a pastor and oversaw a college and three other schools.  When a church, college, or denomination turns from the truth of the Bible and the truth of their founding principles, that institution should forfeit our loyalty.  We have a loyalty to the higher relationship first.

I will be a loyal son, but my loyalty to my wife is higher, and I will not allow my parents to come between my spouse and I. I am loyal to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and as such, I am a loyal American.  But when the nation turns from the basis upon which it was founded, my loyalty to the nation ceases.  Today, I am loyal to the America we once had and to the principles upon which it was built, not to the fraudulent imposter of a nation we live in today. For politicians to place their hand on a Bible (that they never read) and pledge their loyalty to the Constitution is nothing but mockery to truth, loyalty, and their own honor.  Rare is the politician today that has even a fragment of loyalty to the Constitution.  

Stupid people, like the one who asked me the question trying to make me look evil, do not have the slightest idea of truth or loyalty, except to money and themselves.  

Watch our services for continued thoughts on this subject, for loyalty is worthy of being passionate. May God give you wisdom to choose wisely your loyalties and to die for them if need be.  

Pastor

Work

Good Morning,

I have a love for mankind; that love was born in a good family that, rarely, if ever, sat around slandering and criticizing others.  That care for others was nurtured by thousands of hours of Bible reading and Scripture meditation. That spiritual love for humanity is intimately tied to God’s amazing love for me, a most unworthy sinner.

In my background, practical feelings were cultivated. I watched my natural father (not a Christian) and mother get up every morning and leave by 6:30 AM to go work. As most Americans, I watched my parents head off to work and return about twelve hours later. 

My brother and I were instructed in labor. We were not given a “free ride” or free money. In our younger years, we worked around home, and as time passed, we found countless other ways to make money. We raised rabbits: butchered, bagged, and sold them door-to-door. No health department was involved.  We sold vegetable seeds, greeting cards, and cattails that we picked along drain ditches.  As we grew into adults, in mercy, we found regular full-time jobs.  Laziness was not tolerated in our home. Work was self-satisfying; we enjoyed a completed job. 

Once I trusted Christ and began reading the Bible, I found that the Scripture says much about work. If a man does not work, he should not eat. Paul said, if a man would not work that the Christian should have no company with that man. He did not mean hate that man, he simply meant that he was not the kind of person with whom one should be close friends and spend much time.  Paul said those who do not work should be ashamed.

1 Thessalonians 3:10 “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”

vs. 11 “For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.”

vs. 14 “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.”

vs. 15 “Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”

Although I have always had a love for people, I have a measure of contempt for those who choose to indulge on the generosity of others, live without achieving, eat the bread that another has earned, criticize, accuse, and slander often, yet build and achieve nothing of their own efforts.

Doing nothing while criticizing those who do something is repulsive behavior! For a segment of society to expect the rest of society to provide for their needs is not only unscriptural but it is also a terrible cancer on their self-esteem and family life.

When God put Adam and Eve in the garden, he put Adam there to “keep” the garden. There was work from the first day humanity was on the earth.

Work is good for humanity – individually and corporately.  Train your children to work.  Insist that your children work daily.  Labor as parents to create jobs for your children.  For we who are older, do not live for the day when you do not need to work – that philosophy is one of striving for a life of no consequence.  A life without work, dreams, and a daily goal of seeking to accomplish some task is empty and useless. 

May we always love people, but may we also admire and enjoy the simple things of this life of “work.” 

Pastor

Do Not Steal

Good Morning,

Considering this commandment, "Thou shalt not steal," (Exodus 20:15) I am wondering why God has not tossed our nation into the trash heap long ago.  We consider stealing when someone goes to the bank and takes money, but what about defrauding an insurance company?  Our society has become so cold, they feel it is not wrong to abuse insurance to get gain.

To take what is not one's own is stealing.  

We will often neglect the subtle things we take, like years off our parents life through worry and our reckless life.  Or the gray hairs and wrinkles we give by shameful living and thus rob our loved ones of their youth.  

When we think about, "Thou shalt not steal" it may be that we should consider the years a young person took under the leadership of coaches, youth workers, pastors, or teachers.  Few understand the drain it is to invest in youth year after year, and then to have that youth toss all their training to the wind and chase the folly of this world.  It might be wise to ponder the bottle, how many nights have been stolen from family for a bottle at the bar, or to sit in the garage getting drunk with friends when vows were made to "love, honor, and cherish."  

How about ruining the name someone spent years seeking to build with equity and honor?  Those "likes" and "follow" buttons that repeat slander and deceitful words, are they not stealing what is not theirs?  Can the slanderous tongue be exempt from the command to not steal?  To "defame" another cannot be considered anything other than stealing.  Can the thief think they will escape the judgment of God on their unjust behavior?  

1 Thessalonians 4:6 "That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.”

You may be doing what your boss asks, or you may be doing what the law allows you to do, but you have a conscience, you have a brain, and you know you are using "accepted means" to do the unacceptable in the eyes of God Almighty.  

What about going to work and not working?  Would it not clearly be "theft" to take pay for an hour not worked?  Of course it would and we all know better.  

Perhaps that is why God deals so harshly with adultery, for it is taking someone that is not one's own.  To use the power of influence to draw someone away from their spouse would be worse than robbing the convenience store – at least I think so.  

What about fraud?  Is not the word fraud used to define taking something that belongs to another under a false pretense?  Yet Paul uses the word fraud when exhorting married couples to stay close in their personal life.  

1 Corinthians 7:5 “Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.”  

We might never reach into an offering plate at church and take money out, but is it really much different from when we know God asks us to give and we refuse, keeping the money in our pockets?

It might be good to reconsider the simply little command, "Thou shalt not steal.” (Exodus 20:15)

Pastor

Reparations & Vengeance

Good Morning,

When the bombs were dropped on Pearl Harbor, America retaliated against the nation and leaders who did the wrong.  Today, two generations later, we are not angry at the Japanese neighbor or nation; they did us no wrong. 

When men were charged with war crimes decades after the fact, for the evil in WWII society did not drag random Germans into court, they brought the men who had done the evil deeds.

Deuteronomy 24:16 “The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.”

Ezekiel 18:20 “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” 

The Japanese people of today did not hurt me or my family during WWII. The German citizens of today did not commit war crimes a generation ago.  God forbids the punishment of a son because of the sins of the father.  A child or parent that did wrong should have no bearing on the treatment of the relatives. We are commanded to be just and to love our neighbor as ourselves.  

Here is the issue of the hour, I should not have to pay my son’s speeding ticket, nor should you be responsibility for the evil deeds of another. You may be sure that, as with Joseph and his brothers, God has found out the evil deeds done and will repay the right person.  This righteous God will also judge the one who unjustly punishes the innocent.  

Genesis 44:16 “And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants…” 

We have seen someone shoot an office because the boss mistreated him.  It was not the common people at work who hurt him, why punish them?  Someone who walks into a school shooting randomly because he had a hard time in school a decade before is wholly unjust (and probably demonic).  None of the people who suffer the consequences of his evil act did any wrong.   That evil, hatred, and wrath, is not just, no matter how much one tries to explain it.  Those action are evil, greedy, satanic, and godless.  One can be sure that God has already seen the injustice, and those who seek unjust revenge will likewise be judged.

James 2:13 “For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.”

If someone hurt me terribly and their family member lives next door to me, I do not take revenge on those who did me no wrong – that act is evil beyond words.   

Salvation is available to all who will place their faith in the sacrificial death of Christ.  I am glad the Lord does not send one of us to Hell because another would not place their faith in Christ.  

We are living in a world of such morbid selfishness and godless vengeance! Do not allow the common shameful response to wrong to lead you into the same vile behavior.  

Ezekiel 18:20 “The soul that sinneth, it shall die,” not the friend, neighbor, or co worker.  

In case you wish to enter the world of true godliness, you can read on in the story of Joseph and discover the forgiveness Joseph offered directly to the ones who hurt him.   

Genesis 50:19 “And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?”

vs. 20 “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”

vs. 21 “Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.”

It would be wise for us to remember the archaic, old, golden rules: “Do unto others…,” “Love your neighbor as yourself,” and the other out-of-date idea to “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12)

But really, who lives like that anymore? (We should!)

Pastor

Common Becomes Appealing

Common Becomes Unappealing 

Good Morning,

All of us enjoy new things, whether it be a car, clothing, or a phone. (Well, maybe not a phone because they change how we do things and it can be frustrating.)  I have no problem with new things (certainly, new inventions have made our lives so much more comfortable), but when we get bored with the old and desire the new, simply because it is new, then we are in trouble.

The danger I see is the desire to avoid normal or regular.  Who wants pizza from Pizza Hut? Although, I think they make the best pizza, most people want to visit some new place that they can post on social media and be the “first” to discover it.  When in reality, they often do not enjoy the “new stuff.”  

Our society wants new styles of clothing or hair, new styles of “worship” at church; that same desire to find something new is what Paul found in Athens.

Acts 17:21 “(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)”

Where do you think the infatuation of new diets comes from?  There was a rage over “the Adkins diet” (long past), but you will hear about all meat diets, just not using the old name Adkins.  New comes to us via vegan or yoga or bamboo  mattresses, or even “my pillow.” I am not saying any of these things are wrong (except for yoga), but it illustrates how we love anything new.  

When almost any doctor or scientist will agree that stress is the worst thing on our health, rather than seeking the peace of God (so out of date and archaic), instead we seek to find cage-free eggs, almond milk,  organic dog food, and electric cars.  Our society wants something new to feel fulfilled and to seem as if they are “making a difference.” This is seen in outlawing gas ranges, open borders, tiny houses, or buses converted into homes.  Things that come and go so fast we forget them. 

The danger comes when we mess with successful things such as Sunday school, preaching, and soul winning.   Someone may put out a new discipleship program, forgetting that the Bible never mentions such a thing.  Churches find themselves neglecting the bus ministry, and often youth ministry because of the NEW THING.  Youth work really is WORK, and the bus ministry is expensive and time consuming; a rock concert simply makes one feel good.

Marriage has forever been one man and one woman, with the intent of a lifetime commitment.  Society has brought into the home every vulgar NEW THING and no end of sorrow with it. God says it is far better to rejoice in what you have. 

Proverbs 5:18 “Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.” 

vs. 19 “Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.”

vs. 20 “And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?”

Without despising the new, let us be guarded not to become infatuated with something new, but remain content with the things that have proven themselves over the decades and even centuries.

Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have…” 

1 Timothy 6:8 “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”

Pastor

Ask & Seek

Good Morning,

The familiar passage in Matthew gives us simple guidance regarding soul winning. 

Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:”

vs. 8 “For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”

Placing these two verses into our ministry of soul winning, bringing converts into the church, and growing in grace I quote, “All our failures are prayer failures.” 

Pray for souls to be saved; pray earnestly and faithfully.  Then SEEK.  We ought to be praying faithfully for souls to be saved, but we must SEEK the lost.  All will not listen; all will not be ready to grasp the truth, of course, some are saved already, but SEEK. 

That is as far as I need to go in this lesson today. Are we praying faithfully that God will lead us to the lost in need of salvation, and are we looking?  Is our church praying for souls to be saved, young and old, and are we SEEKING?  

If there is no planned time to go, and if there is no “line in the water,” you will catch no fish.  We ought to be praying daily for the lost, but we must have a plan to seek.  A good fisherman does not randomly find water and throw in a line – it could be a swimming pool.  I have noticed that in each setting, the way to catch fish is a little different: streams, mountain lakes, ponds, and large bodies of water.  I will try to find someone who catches fish to give me a few pointers.

Would you begin to pray for the lost to be saved?  Will you set up a time and plan to go SEEKING?  I believe we ought to carry tracts and use those unplanned opportunities to win someone, but having a set schedule is so very important.

Pastor

Important Members

Good Morning.

The idea of joining a church brings with it the responsibility of contributing. God has equipped us to DO something, not ENJOY something. Each of us has been especially gifted to do something effective and unique that is essential to the body of believers. 

Notice the words in the book of Titus about why we were saved:

Titus 2:13 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

vs. 14 “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”


Why were we saved? We were saved to be peculiar and to zealously serve; we are not to sit idly and just enjoy the blessing of Heaven, but to be misfits in this world and work for God.


In the book of Ephesians, we read more of the same:

Ephesians 4:4 “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;”

There is one body or church, and each of us was given gifts by measure to minister with those gifts IN THE BODY!

vs. 7 “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.”

vs. 16 “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

Those gifts, if properly used, will supply effectually to the needs of the body or church. There is a “measure” (or set amount), and that measure is effective in edifying the body.

We see more about the body in 1 Corinthians 12:18-20:

vs. 18 “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.”

vs. 19 “And if they were all one member, where were the body?”

vs. 20 “But now are they many members, yet but one body.”


There are many of us, but we all are to be a part of that one body, a local church.

We are not all made for the same purpose. Each of us has unique gifts and measures, but all of us are here for a reason. As we age, we all start feeling useless, but God feels differently:

vs. 22 “Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:”

For a third time, we are reading about the body, about gifts, and about God having a special place and plan for each of us.

Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

vs. 4 “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:”

vs. 5 “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”

vs. 6 “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;”

Here are the facts:

1. We were not saved to live like the world, but to be peculiar.

2. We were saved to make a difference IN THE BODY.

3. That means we need to attend church. We cannot be a church-jumper and have all our gifts and talents be used to benefit the body of believers.

The church matters! Membership in our chosen church matters. The church needs each one of us, and God placed us in our specific churches to effectually work and help that group of people. It is not about my feeling good in my church, but about the contribution of my gifts to the ministry of that church. 

Sure, you may sit home and read your Bible, but the tasks God has planned for you to do in the church will be left wanting.

May we lift up the need to attend church, to be members of that church, and to serve in that church.


Pastor

Hurry Life

Good Morning,

It is not uncommon for us to fight to accomplish our goals and dreams and to do so RIGHT NOW. It seems that everything we want, we want NOW!!

For example, we want to marry before we are “TOO OLD” (whenever that is). In short, each of us needs to seek the Lord about his own life and development. Moses stayed in Pharaoh’s court until he was forty years of age before he got married. Forty years later, God called him into the ministry. Most of the Apostles were single when they were called to follow the Lord. At the time when Paul was ordained and sent out by the Holy Spirit to do the first work of foreign missions, he was not married. This pattern seems to go against our modern "rules."

Luke 3:23 “And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,”

This verse is the only biblical reference as to our Lord’s age or the length of His ministry. Most people count three Passovers in the Gospels, thus considering His ministry to be about three years. With those ideas being speculation, let us consider one biblical fact — Jesus lived on this earth for about thirty years before beginning His ministry. He did not hurry into the ministry!

Too many people hurry. Too many people rush into life long before they are ready. Somehow we have allowed educators to tell us that children should enter school at five years of age and learn to read the next year. Each person is an individual, and certainly, none of us are ready at the same age to do anything, from walking to talking.

We rush our children off to school according to a random rule, and then we push them off to college at age eighteen according to the same ambiguous “rule.” We simply push everyone into molds that are not fit to each person’s mind, body, or social and spiritual development.

Dwight Moody was quoted as saying that if he had three years to live, he would spend two of them in college training and the third serving more effectively than he could have without the proper training.

Old Testament kings took the throne anywhere from age seven years of age and up. The transition time was a matter of circumstances, not an age mandate. George Washington was forty-three when he was commander and chief of the Continental army. Galusha Pennypacker was a Union general during the American Civil War at the age of twenty. To this day, he is the youngest person to hold the rank of brigadier general in the U.S. Army. Many a military man was commissioned according to skills, not age, while others gained rank due to the death of those above them. One does not start professional sports because of age, but because of skills and accomplishments. Little in our lives is tied to the calendar; why determine life plans on such a silly issue as age?

Why do we hurry life? If our Lord could wait until He was thirty years old to begin His earthly ministry, could we not allow circumstances to direct life, not age and timing? Every young person is not ready for the college dorms at age seventeen. Everyone is not ready for marriage at twenty-two or any other certain age. Let the youth marry when he is ready to be what he needs to be for his spouse and the glory of God.

Galatians 4:4 “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”


Jesus came when it was time, not when someone had the right number of birthdays. There was a time called the “fulness of the Gentiles.”

Romans 11:25 “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.”

The idea of being hasty and pushing into decisions or stages of life is a dangerous one.

Proverbs 19:2 “…and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.”

Proverbs 28:22 “He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.”

We hurry into the college, marriage, and the work force; then we hurry to retire and wander around wondering what to do with ourselves. Just why do we need to retire? Why quit working? Because we have had a certain number of birthdays? Now if there is a reason regarding health, company policy, or family, sure; but to just stop working? What a loss! Once we stop working, we cease to contribute to the good of our world. Retire so you can go to the mission field? Absolutely! Retire so you can serve full-time in your church as the janitor, building maintenance, or soul winner? WOW! What a good idea! To wander around America in a million-dollar motor home for the remainder of your life while doing nothing for God would be a terrible waste of time.

Let us see what would glorify God in the lives of our children. May we search out the will of God and do that which honors God in our own future plans.

1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

Pastor

Hope In Men

Good Morning,

We are often puffed up or, at other times, deflated by the words and actions of those around us. Young people especially need to be taught to trust in their own lives being pleasing to the Lord and not to men. We all want to be liked, and we all want to fit in and belong; but, at some point, we need to realize that the fickle humanity around us is too unstable to trust.

Notice the praise Paul and Barnabas received:

Acts 14:11 “And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.”

vs. 12 “And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.”

vs. 13 “Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.”

At this point, we could really feel that God was working and doing great things through our lives and testimonies. It could be this way as parents, as a boss, in your Sunday school class, or on a bus route. Do not live for these moments; for they are but “moments.” Notice the events that take place a few verses later (after some critics arrive on the scene).

vs. 19 “And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.”

A god or a villain? A few minutes and an article in the morning newspaper can change everything.

This same instability was displayed by those who cried, “Hosanna.”

John 12:13 “Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

In the moments following this story, Jesus taught about the weakness of men and the frail hopes found in this world.

John 12:24 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”

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

vs. 26 “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”

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.”

Jesus came to honor God and to give His life as a ransom for all. He did not come to be crowned or to be glorified as He deserved; those days would come, but not yet.

Not long after, they cried out, “Crucify Him!”

John 19:6 “When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.”

John 12:13 “…Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

OR

John 19:6 …Crucify him, crucify him.

We are the sheep of His pasture, not the academic scholars of His classroom. We are frail, ever changing, unpredictable humans who love God, yet ignore Him; we believe Him, yet doubt Him. If God’s Son was so treated, we might be wise not to place our faith in men or hope in man’s kind words and accepting ways. We can quickly move from honored to shamed in this world of double-minded men.

We are safest to do what we can do to please God and accept the fact that we are not going to meet each situation wisely or properly — we will fail. We will disappoint someone today; we may even please and displease the same person in the same hour! We simply need to go into each day seeking to please God; everyone else will have to get whatever is left.

Do not hope in men. Are they gods, or do they deserve to be killed? It is determined by what moment in time you ask them.

Pastor

Leadership & Ladies

Good Morning,

The first two times the word hearkened is used in the Bible are also the two most deadly moments in human history.  

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;”

Genesis 16:2 “And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.”

My wife is my best friend; she is the one I wish to please and greatly long for her approval.  She is not the guide for our spiritual life, though.  Twice, men HEARKENED to their wives on major issues, and twice, the result was terrible.  The first time was when Adam HEARKENED to his wife, ate the forbidden fruit and plunged the world into sin and death.  The second time was when Abram HEARKENED to his wife, went in unto Hagar and gave birth to the Islamic culture.  

Our church would crumble without the help and blessing of countless godly ladies on our staff, in teaching positions, and out soul winning.  The danger occurs when ladies begin charting the path for the future and start making the spiritual choices without the leadership God has ordained.  When ladies come out from under the leadership of God-ordained authorities, trouble ensues.  

Isaiah 3:12 “As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.”

In both stories, women took on spiritual leadership and destroyed the path God directed them to travel because the men failed to take spiritual leadership.

God directed Paul to warn the church about ladies taking leadership:

1 Timothy 2:11 “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.”

vs. 12 “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”

I am so thankful for the godly ladies in our church who faithfully accomplish their duties but always do so under the leadership of their pastor or ministry leader.   These ladies are wise, godly women on whom we depend.  

I am addressing two issues:  one, the lady staying under the authority of the man; the other is the lady not being in authority over the man.  WOW!  That is politically incorrect; but, honestly, I think everything in our Bible is probably politically incorrect.   We do not really care about building our church upon what men think but upon God’s commands.  

My wife teaches a ladies’ adult Sunday school class, under my leadership and with my blessing.  Our secretaries basically run our office, under my leadership and with my blessing and gratitude.  Our nursery superintendent oversees our nursery and almost one hundred workers, under my leadership, and with my blessing.   

In this matter, a few good things that can turn bad are homeschooling and home Bible studies.  Most often, these are done without any input from the father or the pastor.  No ill motives are involved, yet often, the problem of a lack of leadership occurs.  The dad or the pastor simply resign from the responsibility, and the lady (as anyone with a good sense would do) simply steps up to try to fill the gap and take care of the need as best as she can.  Nonetheless, much division in the church comes when people become more loyal to their home Bible study or to their home school than they are to their church or to their pastor as the spiritual leader.

Many ills in our religious world exist due to ladies assuming leadership over their God-appointed spiritual leaders.  These are just a few examples:

1.  The Foursquare church was founded by Aimee Semple McPherson.

2.  Christian Science was founded by Mary Baker Eddy.

3.  Unity Christ Church was founded by Ethel Higgins.

4.  Seventh Day Adventist church was founded by Ellen G. White.

Many others could be cited.   Keeping Divine authority is no guarantee that we will not get messed up, but failure is guaranteed when we begin by removing ourselves from under Divine authority.

Pastor

Processors

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.”

Most of us understand that there is a difference between a Mac and a PC. Each computer processes information differently. Both get the job done (I guess — I have only owned Macs), but the process is different.

When a person who is raised in the inner city hears something or faces something, they respond differently than I would because I was raised in the mountains of northern California. Those who are raised in the city might fear to be alone in the woods; I would fear to walk down an inner-city street alone. We respond differently and process information differently.

When children or animals have been hit often enough, they will flinch when they notice a raised hand. On the other hand, I was raised in a good home, and it would never cross my mind that someone might strike me. Those in our military who have seen terrible combat will respond differently than I would, having been a civilian.

We had a man saved in our church who had been involved in breaking into enemy prison camps and rescuing certain American prisoners. His world was one of killing and sudden violence. The most violence I ever faced was on the basketball court; therefore, that man and I will respond differently.

Follow my thinking: The way we process information and situations varies according to our training. Schools train us how to think and how to process given information. The Bible teaches us to process information from a godly perspective. Secular schools train a student to process information from a secular, godless viewpoint.

Jeremiah 10:2 “Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.”

If someone spends four years in a government-run high school and then four more years in a secular college, his processor will be influenced greatly. If that same student goes on to a Bible college, everything he hears will be processed via the “secular processor.” On the other hand, if a student spends four years in a Christian high school and a few years in a Christian college, his processor will be very different. If that same student then attends a secular college (no matter what classes he takes or what degrees he earns), his processor is godly and his reaction to given information will be totally different. We respond to each piece of information that we see, hear, and read; but our view, interpretation, and perception of that information will differ according to our training.

Dr. Hyles, our pastor for many years, told us that he had never drunk liquor or smoked; but after WWII and being in the paratroopers, he had a much softer view toward drinking and smoking. He said that which he once hated, he now thought was not so bad. He had friends who drank and smoked, and they were good guys, so he was more tolerant towards those things. The same scenario has taken place today regarding sodomy, adultery, abortion, the environment, pollution, and, of course, church. That which was once very important is not so important anymore. The wrong has not changed; only our perception has changed.

We are influenced and trained how to view life primarily in our youth. The views of an adult with a godly background will be vastly different from those of an untrained young person regarding that same information.

The constant input from media is shaping our processing ability. From social media to entertainment, from “fake news” to classrooms, our young people are not being trained for a job, they are being trained how to think toward life, people, situations, and even information. It is amazing today how many people have accepted same sex-marriages and man-made climate change and are ready to completely change our Constitution (probably the greatest man-made document in the history of the world). Freedom of thought, freedom of religion, and almost all political freedom in the world is rooted in the early American thinking (founded by many Baptists) and ultimately our Constitution.

Anglicans, Lutherans, and other Protestants wanted no freedom of thought or freedom of religion. Try not having your baby baptized in the mid-1600s, and see how free America was. Baptists and other true, Bible-believers had to reprogram the thinking of Americans and change the process of thinking among religious and political leaders.

I care not what career our young people pursue, but I do care deeply how they are trained to think. I do not care if our young people have very lucrative careers or work as simple laborers (our church is built on people, not money), but I do care who trains the minds of our young people to process information.

There is a “path” and a “way.” Not the specific act, but the direction or way things are seen, done and perceived.

Proverbs 4:14 “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.”

Proverbs 4:19 “The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.”

When you are dating, you should watch to see the WAY your friend thinks and processes information.

When you consider a job, you better figure out how that employer thinks. If you are going to work for someone or with someone in partnership, be sure you know his thought process.

What can we do? Start with faithfulness to church three times a week, and add daily Bible reading along with a substantial amount of preaching during the week, right friends, and a ministry in which you can invest in others.

God will guide our thoughts if we will commit our works to Him.

Proverbs 16:3 “Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.”

Pastor

Order

Good Morning,

A little recklessness can be found in each of us. Well, perhaps there are a few who have OCD issues, but most of us understand the relaxed world of “letting it happen” and “don’t worry about it.” In spite of the natural desire to be a slob or to have no real schedule, God is the God of order.

1 Corinthians 14:40 “Let all things be done decently and in order.”

Colossians 2:5 “For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.”

Titus 1:5 “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:”

Order (and schedule which is nothing but order in our time and activities) brings about unity; that way we all know what is going to happen next, where we are to go, and what we are to do. Order brings about unity, and unity brings peaceful living and blessing from God.

Matthew 12:26 “Every house divided against itself it brought to desolation”

Before bed, plan clothes for the morning. It will bring peace and blessing on your day. Plan a day to clean, to shop, or to date your spouse; plans bring order, security, and unity. The fact that you intend to do the laundry means nothing; it needs to be done and should be done before it is needed.

Plan and have order in your menu at home. You cannot wait until 7:00 PM to start thinking about dinner; it just does not work that way. You will spend a fortune on eating out, or you will fail to have healthy food for your family, and confusion will reign. That is certainly displeasing to God.

Knowing that on a certain day at a certain time you will take your wife out for a walk or to eat dinner helps her with the busy days when she wonders if she matters. I always dated our pre-teen children. There was a specific day and time we went out for a while. I wanted to be very much in touch with my children. I was not going to be the absent father. With all the hours we work, time with family will not happen if there is no order or schedule. The same is true of Bible reading, prayer, and soul winning. Without a plan, you will become terribly backslidden. The famous Susanna Wesley raised and educated more than a dozen children. She trained them in English, Latin, and Greek, but at a set time, daily, she sat in a chair in the kitchen, buried her face in her apron and spent a lengthy time in prayer. Her children were taught to sit quietly until she was done talking to God. There was a plan; without it, there would be no time with God.

When we cannot find the shoes, there is no coffee, when the car is out of gas, or the child’s homework is not done: these things bring struggle and dissension to the home, and ultimately disunity and anger. All of that separates us from the blessing of God. Order really does matter.

Jesus was born on schedule. Galatians 4:4 “…when the fullness of time was come…” Clear back in Daniel 9, the prophecy was written to date the coming of the Messiah. His birth was on schedule and was planned hundreds of years earlier.

For some, this life of order and planning is very difficult, but it can be learned. Do not make schedule a god, but a guide; make it a tool to better serve your family and society, not a club to beat those who have had less grooming than you received.

We know when the sun will come up tomorrow and next year. We know how long it will take to mature corn crops. I know that in June, I will have plums ripe and July will bring an abundance of peaches. We know the movements of Halley's Comet and countless other things in creation. The world teaches us about order and the importance of planning. May we strive to achieve it in our lives as well.

Pastor

Our Purpose

Good Morning, 

Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”

God created the heavens and the earth for His glory. A powerful storm brings honor and glory to God. Beautiful lakes and snow-covered mountains also bring praise and glory to God. All things were created uniquely to bring glory to God. There is no way any one thing can be all that God needs. God is infinite. To praise and honor God as He deserves requires so many different things. 

Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

All things were created for God's pleasure, including man. God creates men and women of every personality and every physical type because each one uniquely honors and glorifies God.

Let me offer a few thoughts on that subject: 

1. You need never fret over being different. You were made for His glory.

2. You need not worry that you are single or do not have children; nor do you need to worry if you are not as smart or outgoing as another, or whether you have a handicap. None of these things limits you from pleasing God. God made you unique for His glory; just as unique as the differences between a giraffe or a rhinoceros and the stars and moon. 

3. As we see so often in creation, God is in no hurry. Take your time in training and seeking the Lord's direction. He has a plan, and He will reveal it in His own time. 

4. You need not know your lifetime plans at 18 or even 20 years of age. The most basic life goal should be found in Micah 6:8:  do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.  

5. Perhaps college or career training should include being more honoring to God rather than doing what "we want to do." 

That simple life goal will please God, and that is why we were created. 

Pastor 

Right & Wrong

Good Morning,

The devil is always trying to make sin culturally acceptable; but we must base our beliefs and our moral values on the Bible, not on culture.

Let us be clear:

Adultery is not “an affair;” it is SIN.

Homosexuality is not “an alternate lifestyle;” it is SIN.

Drug addition is not “over medicating” yourself; it is SIN, and you are an addict.

A worldly church service is not a “contemporary church;” it is friendly with the world and a SIN.

Well now…. I am sure I just went over the line of warm and fuzzy thinking already so allow me to continue. We watch television and follow entertainment so closely that we corrupt our hearts.

Lamentations 3:51 “Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.”

Our long hours of television and our brief hours of preaching and Bible reading have wrongly affected our hearts. When we do what we think is right, we make wrong decisions and cause disaster and ruin.

We have softened our value system to match our heart, but Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” This is why so many churches will never mention adultery, drinking, or many other things that were commonly preached against in days gone by. We are off track in our values and our morals.

In Proverbs 28:26, Solomon wrote, “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.”

We may not understand certain biblical values, but God asks us to trust Him and not ourselves:

Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

When a news commentator tells us we are offending one percent of the population (an immoral, godless one percent). While believing what the Bible says (not to mention agreeing with ninety-nine percent of the population), we simply should not care what others think. What God calls right and wrong is right and wrong — no matter what NBC, CBS, or any Supreme Court Justice writes. I can be good to people, but I do not have to act as if sin is right. I can love my neighbor without pretending his booze and drugs are acceptable. I can care for those in my city who are hurting without treating adultery as if it is logical and reasonable.

Deuteronomy 5:29 “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!”

Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

Some things are worthy of our concern. We should care about our hearts keeping us from obeying God and not understanding our DUTIES. We ought to be concerned about offending the Creator of the universe by the shameful actions we could accept or approve. We should stand with those who love God, the Bible, and right (as God defines right).

I mentioned a good man named Micaiah in an evening sermon a few years ago. He was very unpopular and certainly offensive in his words.

1 Kings 22:8 “And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.”

Unpopular, jailed, hated, but right — may we stand faithful!

Pastor