Never-Changing Agenda

Good Morning,

It is not difficult to see the parallels between Mao, Stalin, Hitler, and our modern liberal politicians. The dumbing down of our educational system is only one of countless parallels.  Tyrants do not want a skilled, thinking populous that is too difficult to rule. (Make no mistake about this – these kinds of people want to RULE.) 

When Israel was conquered by Babylon, the first group taken away captive or killed was the skilled laborer and those with leadership qualities.  The willingness to plan, organize and rebel had to be eliminated first. 

The development of the low, uneducated, poor laborer while lifting up the government is another parallel of tyrants.  Those who wish to rule love uneducated, thoughtless laborers.  People who will grovel at the feet of benevolent dictators are in great demand.  Those who wish for the liberty to try, succeed, or even fail are too difficult to rule and to keep in subjection. 

Another parallel with ruling governments is the lowering of the importance of the home and making fathers insignificant.  Nebuchadnezzar did not bring potential fathers into his arena; Daniel and countless others were under the care of the “prince of the eunuchs.” The danger of fathers and those opposing government was well known. The ones that take care of the family (the solid, thoughtful fathers who lead the home) are a danger to small men who desire power and authority.  These examples are all indisputable historical repetitions from one demagogue to the next.  Ancient conquerors burnt libraries, put scholars into the fields as laborers, killed potential rulers, and broke up families.  

Acts 8:3 “As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.” 

The great desire of the government to disarm the citizenry lines up exactly with every tyrant throughout history. Every dictator told the people the same story; they stated, “We’re doing this to keep you safe.”  Foolish people keep believing these ridiculous lies.  The question no one seems to have enough sense to ask is, “Who will keep us safe from the government?” These kinds of historical parallels can go on and on.

1 Samuel 13:19 “Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:”

vs. 20 “But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.”

Consider to movements to remove the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press, this gesture is not new. The censorship of ideas that are not in agreement with the government is as old as the printed page itself. These are not spiritual and biblical opinions, these are historical facts.  For this reason, our founders gave us the First Amendment to protect the right of the common man to denounce, to criticize, and to speak against the government both in word and on printed page. Notice how that freedom is also being pulled away from citizens today! 

Whether or not people like it, there is a parallel of the lowering of the importance of a woman. In the ring of tyrants, the woman is put in the fields as slave labor or in uniform to fight, or if attractive enough, much worse situations. The role of mother is diminished incredibly, elevating jobs and pushing government day cares. Likewise, the sacred relationship between husband and wife is slowly eradicated, and the wonder of homes is degraded by licentious living and perverted entertainment.  The socialist mantra is “life is work, obey, submit to government – and dare not resist.” 

Satan needs no new ideas; he just keeps recirculating the old ones.

Erasing the heroes of the past, and defaming those that cannot be erased is likewise necessary if someone is to reform society, or as President Obama put it, “to fundamentally transform the United States.” No one can read the writings of Thomas Jefferson and not glory in the principles of freedom, independence, capitalism, and limited government. If a tyrant is to eventually rule in America, the slow process will have to pass through the erasure of the writings of our framers and founders. If writings cannot be eliminated, they will be so maligned that no one will consider reading them. 

For this reason we need to read and to remember from where we came.  We need to know our Bible and our American history, as well as our Baptist history.  Isaiah asks the people to remember where God brought them from. 

Isaiah 51:5 “Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.” 

We must not forget where God brought us from!   The very simple rules of civility by George Washington, if  re-inserted into our educational system, would totally change self-respect, as well as respect for others.

May we be prudent in study, in remembering, and in teaching while resisting the communist, socialist, and tyrannical leaders being pushed upon us. 

Pastor

Peace on Earth

Good Morning,

Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

vs. 29 “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

Rest and peace are frequent promises in the Scripture; and for all of my ministry, I have preached that the Holy Spirit is our Helper to find rest and quiet in a difficult world.  One reason Americans use so many sleep and anxiety medications is because we fail to use the Scriptural recipes that God offers. 

Children who live endless hours before screens are clearly being affected in their brains, their sleep, and their ability to function in other areas of life. Obviously, there are physical situations like arthritis that make sleep difficult, especially in adults, but there is far too much “unrest” and anxiety in our world.

A peaceful, secure home is one of the best tools to help quiet and calm our hearts and minds.  Our entertainment is filled with tension, anger, violence, fear, and piled with emotions that affect the viewer.  When fighting parents, out of control siblings, pre-adolescent dating, and broken marriages are added to the recipe, a peaceful home is nearly impossible to cultivate. 

Our schools bring endless anxiety to children. 

1 Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”

When a child faces math, English, or other academic subjects, pressure forms in the heart of the youth. For the last fifty years, our society has added more sexuality, confusion of identity, blame, victimhood, and many more subjects to the teaching agenda that are far from academic (or biblical). Schools do not offer stability and security; they offer confusion. The passage above shows that peace is not found in a world of confusion.

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.”

The Word of God was given to help us find peace; yet in our culture, each generation that passes robs the Bible from our children and families more and more.  Less church means less Bible, even in our private homes.  It is simply rare to find a family that reads the Bible frequently but does not attend church.  Church attendance, Sunday school and Vacation Bible School were common in American communities for decades, but now, they are less and less a part of our culture.  

Without church and church-related activities where the Bible is present, less and less peace can be found.

Children are experiencing more mental pressure, yet being given less Divine support; anxiety, sleeplessness, and even suicide are tragic but logical results. The number of children being given sleep aides and behavioral medicine is ever increasing.  The number of depressed and hopeless adults is staggering.

Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” 

Notice that the Child Whose birth we celebrate each December is named “The Prince of Peace.”

As we have pulled church and Bible from our lives, we have also allowed an endless list of sinful behaviors to be treated as acceptable.  God promises that the lack of righteous living robs us of peace.

Isaiah 57:21 “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” 

Consider these passages and remind yourself that God has the perfect plan.

Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” 

Psalm 85:8 “I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.” 

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” 

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 angelic announcement of “peace on earth” in Bethlehem was an offer, not an absolute.  The One Who brings peace had arrived, and He invites you to know Him and learn of Him, but without Him, there is no peace.  

Pastor

The Land Belongs to Israel

Good Morning,

The history of the land surrounding Israel is confusing because various nations have fought for control of that sacred piece of dirt.  Ownership of Israel is not confusing, it was clearly a promised covenant with Abraham, and specifically NOT with Ishmael (the founder of the Arab race).

To be brief, let us consider the promises of God to Abraham:

Genesis 17:2 “And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. “

The first promise deals with many children. 

The covenant adds all Abraham’s children, forever! 

vs. 7 “And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee."

The next part of the covenant has to do with LAND.  

vs. 8 “And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

Notice the statement “an everlasting possession.”  That means forever, right down to today.  

As God clearly states, that land belongs to the Jews:

vs. 19  “And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.”

vs. 20 “And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.”

vs. 21 “But my covenant will I establish with Isaac…” 

The covenant is made with Isaac and his seed, not with Ishmael!  God would bless Ishmael, and God would prosper Ishmael, but the land belongs to the seed of Isaac!  

vs. 21 “But my covenant will I establish with Isaac…” 

The description of the land is elsewhere in Scripture. At this moment in the story in Abraham’s life, it seems more localized, but trust me until you can look it up yourself that the land promised to Abraham and Isaac and their seed stretches from Egypt and the Mediterranean to the Euphrates. 

No Palestinian, Arab, or other people of any kind, except the Jews, have a covenant relationship with God promising the land to them. You can be sure that the Jews will get their land. Because of the rebellion of Israel, God has seen fit to allow many to occupy the land, but the day is coming when God will throw everyone out except the Jews.  The land is theirs by a convent, an eternal covenant that God promised He will never break.  

Judges 2:1 “And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.”

Pastor

Respect

Good Morning,

As we approach Christmas, I want to encourage everyone to have a grateful spirit and a thoughtful response to the world around you.  We do not need to live angry, bitter, vengeful, and so selfishly that we forget to rejoice and be glad for all the good we have every day.  

With that being said, let me mention a Bible principle that is too neglected in our culture.  First, let us take a look at the story.  David had just met with Abner, an enemy general who stood with the son of former king Saul, dividing the nation in half with David.  Abner had offered to help David unify the north and south of Israel.  Joab, David’s general, returned from battle to hear of the peace talks.  Joab had a brother, Asahel, who was killed by Abner in battle, and that certainly added to the difficulty of the situation. 

2 Samuel 3:23 “When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.”

vs. 24 “Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?”

vs. 25 “Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.”

The problem in the scenario was that Joab did not agree with the decision David had made.  Of course, it is the right of every human being to disagree, but Joab proceeded to scold, correct, and challenge the king.  That was a right he did NOT have!  Joab made it clear that he felt David was wrong and was deceived by Abner, and that David completely missed the truth of the whole situation.  Joab clearly thought he knew more than the king, but more than that, he felt liberty to scold David as though he were the leader speaking to the follower.  Following the scolding, Joab murdered Abner.  

I may not agree with the decision my boss makes, but that is his decision; I am not the boss.  A child may not agree with the decisions of their parents but that is not their decision, nor is it their right to correct a parent. A policeman may give me a ticket that I feel I do not deserve, but to yell and challenge the officer is not my place; I am not his boss or his authority. The police have a boss; I have a court system (though often failing us) that I can honorably turn to when my leader (the police) needs to be challenged. 

When a wife corrects her husband (as if he were a child and she the parent), she has stepped out of the biblical realm of authority. Allow me reverse the scenario, when a husband treats his wife as if she were a child without a brain or opinion, that also violates Bible directives.  

The husband and wife are to be “one flesh,” and he is to love her “as his own body.” (Ephesians 5) Respect has been lost in our world, and respect for authority has also been forgotten.  The adult child who tries to run the decisions of their parents is equally out of line.  Subordinates are never to correct superiors.  (Well, there is a giant leap towards loosing a bunch of readers.) In the military, a subordinate who corrects a superior may get away with it in today’s society, but in the military that won wars and protected the people, that would have been treated with the utmost severity.  

Ephesians 5 says a wife should reverence her husband. Ephesians 6 says children are to honor and obey parents; the chapter continues with the directive that servants are to be obedient to their masters.  Regarding pastors: 1 Thessalonians 5:13 says members should “esteem them very highly;” and 1Timothy 5:17 tells us to count them “worthy of double honor.”

The disrespect shown toward leaders has brought about a great loss to our nation.  If we ignore the clear directions of God we will suffer for it.  A nation without respect for leadership will soon end in anarchy.  

At the very least, Joab should have lost his job; if this had been done, much harm and loss could have been avoided. 

Pastor

Slobs

Good Morning,

Ready for some “I remember when” stories?  If not, you might skip this article.  I remember when people cared about their appearance, and did not want to be slobs. Boys were told to tuck in their shirts, and girl’s combed or fixed their hair.

Traditionally, dressing up has always been obvious attire when attending events that were important: inaugurations, graduations, weddings, funerals, and, in the “olden days,” even executions. 

I have a picture of my grandpa and his brothers on a Sunday afternoon, they were wearing ties and hats, and were standing by the corn field with their shotguns heading out to hunt some birds (probably pheasant) while the ladies cooked lunch.  

Many years ago, our family watched old, black-and-white cliff hangers, and the gangsters wore suits and hats. (We often laughed because the heroes or villains could be in a fistfight yet, their hats never fell off.)  When I was a boy, we would go to the airport to pick up family from back east, and the airport was filled with men and women dressed in very sharp clothing.

Today, when you go to the airport, it looks as though people are headed to the beach – they look like slobs. My secretary of many years said that when she was a child and her family went to town, they would never dream of leaving the house without a dress and gloves.  Do you remember the old show “Happy Days?”   At least the kids combed their hair and ironed their clothing - even if it was jeans. 

Today, I am still shocked that people will go to the store in what appears to be pajamas!  Slippered feet are common, and outward clothing that allows underclothing to be revealed is everywhere.  It reminds me of the National Geographic magazines our babysitter used to have.  As children, my brother and I would gawk at heathen people who were covered with tattoos, piercings, and immodest clothing (this description sounds like any gathering in the US today.) Over time, our culture has come to accept the appearance of the “heathen people”– as well as the beat of their music.

The “dress down” fashion is everywhere, including the church.  One of the men that attended our church for a while said he wore a tie every day for work and was not about to wear one to church.  Of course, that was his choice, and I was happy to have him as a part of our church, but I did wonder that his best was worn for gold while his least was worn for God. Another good man in our church came in his retirement years and after some time said, “Preacher, you accomplished what I said would never happen.”  I asked to what he referred, and he said, “You got me back in a tie.”  He had worn one for work for decades (as well as to church).  Retiring to our area, he said he was done with ties for good – then he met us. 

Somewhere the pride of looking sharp and the desire to have an orderly appearance has slipped away.  

We seem to enjoy our cars being clean and sparkling, and we seem to want our homes sharp and admirable. Tools and garages are admired for their order and cleanliness.  Bicycles and off-road vehicles are washed and polished, yet our children leave the house looking like street urchins. Do you remember the humor decades ago as people mocked a lady leaving the house with curlers in her hair?  It was shocking!  Consider the dress of the rock and rollers of the 50s, their outfits were expensive and elegant.  Elvis Presley was said to spend $2,500 to $65,000 for a suit.  Do not tell me that looking sharp does not matter in our world.

I do not accept that dress does not matter because I watch the athletic teams with their uniforms, airline employees with their sharp professional attire, and private schools with their uniforms.  Who can deny the attraction of a military man in his dress uniform? 

The slob mentality is a danger sign of where our society is going.  When the clothing of Jesus was divided by His executioners, they wanted His outward apparel, and drew straws for His cloak. In third-world nations, you will often see the poorest of students walking to school in clean, pressed uniforms; they know it is important to look sharp.   In order to make school important, they dress the part.  Consider the various awards of this world, whether music or acting; the awards ceremony will be filled with the finest of clothing. I do not believe our society does not know the value of dressing up!  No, but we have allowed the devil to gets us to dress down in church, school, and out in public.  There is some correlation between how we look and what we think of ourselves.   No one can deny it – our first impressions do matter.

David was called “comely.” 

1 Samuel 16:18 “Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.”

Pastor

Divisions

Good Morning,

We all love unity, and, to me, that is key in successful living, whether in marriage, business, or church.  

Mark 3:25 “And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”

Psalm 133:1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” 

We also must remember that the Lord warned us that we will face trials and conflicts.  We are told that there is none righteous and that all have sinned, and as such, we will clash in small or sometimes large ways.  We cannot expect to enjoy the pleasures of unity all of the time and in every place.  Jesus and Paul scolded Peter at different times; Peter had a serious difficulty with a married couple in Acts 5.  Yet, we long for peace.

Our Lord warned us though; He did not come to bring peace! 

Matthew 10:34 “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword."

vs. 35 “For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.”

vs. 36 “And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.”

When we regard our homes and our faith, we need to accept that there may be divisions.  In fact, there may be serious divisions and, as the Lord said, “variance.” No one likes divisions or tension; no sane person enjoys divisive words or behavior, yet our Lord assures us that it will happen. We may clash over food or decorating for Christmas, child discipline or relationship to in-laws, but there will be conflict.  Churches may have conflict over finance, remodeling, or any number of reasons.  

Personally, I cannot imagine picking my children above right.  I heard a parent say they had to “back their child” in a situation where the child was clearly, going against the Bible.  I disagree!  An adult child has the right to choose their own path, but I do not have to act as if it is right.  When my children were little, they were taught to do right; I did not condone improper behavior because they were my children. Right was right, and still is right.  If I need to, I will separate from an adult child before I will separate from right.  That is what Jesus said would happen at times.   Remember what Jesus said, “I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother.”  Notice the I AM COME, our Lord came knowing He would set one against another. 

Luke 21:16 “And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.” 

Matthew 24:10 “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.” 

Family divisions will happen when we insert faith and a consecrated life into a casual worldly home.  Even those sincerely serving God may struggle at times, just as Paul and Barnabas did over John Mark, which eventually split their ministry and they went separate ways.  

I have known family members to get angry when someone got saved and quit drinking booze.  Others were unhappy that their spouse or family member stopped doing drugs with them.  When Christ enters into a life, and that life begins to change, friction in the relationship will naturally occur.  The extent of the conflict will be determined by the people.  

Remember the sad end of Absalom?  A good-looking leader, hung dead by his hair in the woods.  David’s first words were, “Is the young man, Absalom, safe?”  David was soon scolded by Joab.  Joab pointed out that David would rather have had this rebel son live and his army die than have his enemy killed.  David’s response began to dissolve the unity and strength of the people who risked their lives for him. (2 Kings 19)

Right is vastly more important than a friend or even a family member. 

Paul writes that some people will bring divisions in doctrine and instructs us to avoid them.

Romans 16:17 “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.”

Jesus assured us that offenses will come; it is a part of life, and we will assuredly face it while living among sinful men.  He also pronounced a warning on those who cause the division.  

Matthew 18:7 “Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!”

Pastor

Silly Bible Teachers

Good Morning,

I recently heard a guy online being interviewed; I will not say he is a preacher or a Bible teacher, although he might use those terms to describe himself.  He was asked by a gal looking like a '60s hippie, "What does the Bible say about women preachers?”

He jokingly said, “Isn't it about time for the interview to end?”  She assured him there were a few minutes left.  Here was his general response: 

In one place in the Bible, Paul made a comment to Timothy regarding this subject.  It was in a time when the goddess Diana was worshiped and the ladies of the church were bringing their worship of this deity into the church with strange doctrines.   He continued...

Paul was not saying that an underground church in 2023 in China could not have a lady preacher, but rather that, IN THAT ONE TIME, IN THAT ONE CITY, IN THAT ONE CHURCH, Timothy needed to tell the ladies to stop.

Allow me to address the ridiculous statements he made. I assume he made these statements in order to fit our culture and current political issues. (By the way, we are to change culture to match the Bible, not the other way around.)

First, the book of Timothy is not the only passage that addresses lady preachers; Timothy records this:

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.”

Corinthians also states a similar truth:

1 Corinthians 14:34 “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.”

In 1 Corinthians 14, he speaks of the misuse of the gift of tongues and prophecy (preaching).  Ladies are to be silent in these things. The instruction is not just for that city and that era of time.  

(This misrepresentation of these verses is one reason why I urge you to be very guarded as to whom you hear online.)

Paul gave his reason for saying this and it had nothing to do with some Ephesian deity of that time, or that city, or that church, but rather because of an age-old situation.  The very next verse (if the "Bible teacher" cared to read it) was this: "For Adam was first formed, then Eve.  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression."  (1 Timothy 2:13-14)

The reason for the lady not preaching or having authority over the man was because Eve was created second, as well as the fact that she listened to the devil and ate the forbidden fruit.  God answered the "WHY" of women not preaching.  It is amazing how we can answer Bible questions if we just read the verses around the passage in question.

Be careful not to dismiss a truth just because it is not found dozens of times in Scriptures. Two times, we find these instructions to two different churches in the New Testament.  That is more than enough.   As I often say, John 3:16 amazes me.  Why would He so love this world?  

Pastor

Following Feelings

Good Morning,


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

Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”


We are creating a nation that lives on feelings and denies the obvious facts.


• Feelings turn folks into bank robbers.

• Feelings turn people into murderers.  

• Feelings make people overeat. 

• Feelings make people slap stupid people. 

• Feelings cause adultery. 

• Feelings make kids cheat on tests at school.

Should we go on? 

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

I do not care how you feel. Truth is truth, and if you enter my house because you feel like taking something that is mine, you will do so at great peril. 


People may feel as though they deserve more pay or should get government support, but the reality is one’s pay is determined by how the employer values him. If you do not produce any profits, then you deserve no pay.


My little granddaughter came into the room one day saying that she was not Kimmy, but that she was a princess.  That is great! Pretend and enjoy your imaginary world, you are a child, but when you are done playing, you still are Kimmy.  Likewise, your gender is determined by biological fact, not by feeling.  You may feel like a giraffe, but you are still a human.  Your child may want to be a puppy, but he is still a little boy or girl – wise people live by facts.  


How many times have your children not felt like getting up to go to school, yet you, the good parent, made them get up and go anyway. How often have you not felt like going to work? Following your feelings is a sure recipe for ruin. 


If we allow our feelings to be in control, they will destroy our life, marriage, and family; and feelings can surely destroy the nation as well.


Ask anyone in boot camp if they feel like continuing. Ask any athlete during training if they feel like getting in shape. Of course they feel like quitting, but their desire to succeed causes their character to overrule their feelings, thus providing a chance for success.


I can feel like speeding or parking in a red zone, but in both situations, I will be told that my feelings do not justify my behavior. 


If I go to the bank and say I want to withdraw a million dollars, and they say I have no money, can I simply say that I feel like I do?  


Do you see how stupid this culture is?  


God says to control yourself and not allow your feelings to control you. 


1 Corinthians 9:27 “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

Pastor

Natural

Good Morning,

I can just picture myself trying to explain to my parents that I was simply “born this way.” For me to say, “It is so unnatural for me to clean my room.  The fact is I am very uncomfortable when I am told to clean my room, it makes me feel strange and awkward,”  would not go over well. My perspective would not last long before I found myself doing what I was told no matter how I “felt.”  

We make too many excuses for our actions, such as: “I was born with a biological issue that makes me susceptible to booze, and therefore, I am a drunk.  I cannot help myself even if I wanted to, I was born this way!”   If I were to be picked up by the police for shoplifting, I would never get away giving the excuse,  “But officer, I was born a thief, and I cannot help myself.” We all know that those ideas are stupid; they are excuses rather than valid explanations.  

Ephesians 4:19 “Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”

Sinful habits control us because we have surrendered or yielded our members to them. Our lives can become controlled by sin whether that sin is shameful morals, drugs, laziness, or being a slob.

Romans 6:16 “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

One’s first drink of booze is not pleasant, it is not so for anyone.  No one savors their first cigarette; it is unpleasant. After a while, and enough smoking or drinking, the act becomes pleasant, coveted, and craved — a habit that becomes difficult to overcome.  Instead of naming deeds as wrong and telling people to confess them as sin, they are told these vices are okay, and they are allowed to make excuses for their behavior. Slavery and bondage will follow!

The explanation, “My dad beat my mother” is no excuse for bad behavior.  The fact that someone is born lazy and careless (sinful in nature) does not excuse him from Bible commands to be diligent.  Right is still right no matter what weaknesses one may possess.  We all know that some people are more athletic than others and some people naturally write more smoothly and attractively than others.  My penmanship may not be as nice as another’s, but we can all write legibly!!  

Ephesians 4:17 “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,”

vs. 18 “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:”

vs. 19 “Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”

vs. 20 “But ye have not so learned Christ;”

vs. 21 “ If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:”

The passage continues and explains how to beat these terrible habits:

vs. 22 “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;”

vs. 23 “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;”

vs. 24 “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

The Bible says we should “put off” these deeds, stop doing them.  We need to label the wrong and acknowledge those deeds as corrupt.

We need to fill our mind with good, meditate upon holy and righteous ideals, and fix our thinking.    Finally, we need to put on the new man; start doing right on purpose.  We should begin to develop new habits and routines.  Of course, we need the Lord to help us do this; these changes cannot be made without the help of God.


Bible, prayer, and humility will draw divine help and surely make the difference in defeat or victory. May we not make excuses for our behavior or the behavior of our children; and may we repent of our shameful ways and walk with God. 

Pastor

Sacrifice

Good Morning,

The Bible teaches a great deal about sacrifices. The first sacrifice began with God’s sacrifice of a lamb (we suppose) to make robes for Adam and Eve.  Throughout the Old Testament, many sacrifices were made, and each sacrifice has a special meaning to God.  Though, the sacrifices did not end with the coming of our Lord; rather, the spiritual application of those sacrifices began with Christ, "The Lamb of God."

In our lives, as spiritual priests, we are to offer up acceptable sacrifices to God.  We understand that a sacrifice costs something to the one who offers it.  A penny given to a child is no sacrifice to a working adult.  A sacrifice must include a cost.  Notice these few examples of New Testament sacrifices:

Our Bodies

Romans 12:1  “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

Our Praise and Thanksgiving

Hebrews 13:15 "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."

Our Financial Gifts to the Ministry and to the Poor

Hebrews 13:16 “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” (The word communicate is a financial term in this verse.)

Philippians 4:18 “But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.”

Service of Others

Philippians 2:17 “Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.”

As I said at the beginning, a sacrifice cost us, and in many cases, it hurts.  

When we are suffering or sick, it is difficult to offer praise and thanksgiving to God, yet it is right and pleasing to Him. We are to praise God because He is good not because our lives are good. 

Offering our bodies to the Lord's will perhaps include attending church when we are tired, moving to a mission field, or avoiding certain activities to please God. It may be that in so doing we may lose friends, but this sacrifice also pleases the Lord.

Serving others to the point of hurting is not wrong; it is a sacrifice. That is what Paul was talking about when he penned, “…offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith…” (Philippians 2:17)   The bus worker who misses many weekend activities to visit the bus route or pick up people for church or the choir member who shows up early for practice (but could show up just in time for church) both forfeit their time to make the church service more pleasing to others. These sacrifices are pleasing to God. 

In the area of finances, our giving can also be a sacrifice and pleasing to God.  Do not fret if your financial support of the ministry costs you or even hurts you.  Did the sheep only offer wool (a painless, soon replaced gift to others)?  No, countless sheep were sacrificed in the Old testament, and their blood was pleasing to God.  

Sacrifices please God.  To offer something to the Lord that is expensive or painful to give honors God and pleases Him greatly.  

Pastor

Contentment

Good Morning,

There is no end of evil in our world, no end of the pain inflicted upon one another, and no end of the ways Satan moves mankind to do ill to their own.  We read a b statement in 1 Timothy 6:10 that is very familiar, yet unheeded:  "For the love of money is the root of all evil…”

Look at the context of this passage.  

First, the exhortation to be content.  If we have food and clothing, we need to intentionally develop a contentment with the bare necessities. The opposite of being the "root of all evil" is that contentment is "great gain."

1 Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

vs. 7 “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.”

vs. 8 “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."

Paul proceeds to warn about the dangers of greed, covetousness, and the desire for more.

vs. 9 “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”

Look at the list of terrible things one can fall into: temptation, a snare, foolish and hurtful lusts, destruction, and perdition. Verse ten adds “erred from the faith” and “many sorrows” to the list.

That list ought to instill fear in anyone with even half a brain, but in fact, most do not believe this anymore than they believe "it is better to give than to receive."

Paul goes on to state the famous quote about all evil.

vs. 10 “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Solomon writes about the wretched end of those who love money enough to do wrong to get it: "So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain..."  Mark 4:18-19 says that the love of money chokes the word of God out of our lives. Joshua 7:24 tells the sad story of Achan and how his love for money cost the lives of his entire family.  Judas went to Hell over thirty pieces silver.  Acts 5:5 tells how Ananias and his wife died over covetousness.

In our world, much of the legal activity is over twisted words and circumstances in hopes of gain. The Bible warns of the dangers of bribes or allowing gain to move us to utilize a different perspective than truth would call for.

"Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.” (Deuteronomy 16:19)

Businesses are ruined; friends break relationships; family members tear each other apart in hopes of gaining an inheritance; employees slander and attack employers over little matters turned into significant events: all of these are done in hopes of gain – let us remember Paul quote’s: “For the love of money is the root of all evil."

I have listened to good people who could not find a way to save their marriage. They went from decent, honorable people to corrupt, evil workers of iniquity over the possessions they were splitting. 

Expounding on this aspect would take another article, but I will mention the marriages that have been broken because someone wanted to succeed at work more than keep their marriage. Countless hurts are caused because one or both parents sought lucrative careers and failed to "train up a child in the way he should go."   Others chose to work extra hours and failed to teach a Sunday school class or go soul winning – eternal loss also follows the love of money?  The harm caused by the love of money is beyond human description.

Contentment - that is what Paul urges us to seek.

Pastor  

Appreciate & Love Him

Good Morning,

Mark 8:31 “And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.”

From 1996 to 2016, I had my own children involved in the youth department of our church.  Most of that time, one or more of them was learning to drive, or just starting to drive alone.  For around twenty-five years, I had one or more of our children in our Christian school; the boys were involved in football, both flag and tackle.  Beginning in 2004 until the present, I have had my own teens in the world of dating and searching for their future spouse and life-long careers.  Beginning in 2002, I sent my first child off to Bible college, and for many years at least one of my children has been in Bible college or headed that way.   So consider this: youth department, driving, school, football, college, dating and career choice – that basically sums up three decades of my life.  Those places and areas of influence involve four of the people whom I love more than anything else on earth besides my wife. Did I care what went on in these areas of life?  Unless you are dumb on purpose or a stranger, you know I have cared, watched, attended, participated, and became involved in every way possible (including white-knuckle experiences of teaching two blond girls to drive).  Did I do my best to have my own children in the very best places possible and surrounded by the safest and most God-honoring circumstances I could find?  Absolutely!  

In Revelation 13:8, of our Lord, we read that He was “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”   Jesus' future was planned as one of sacrifice.  

As a parent, I would never intentionally have allowed my children in a place of danger.  I did my best to be sure the car was safe, friends were vetted, activities were supervised, and that the school was academically superior, the college was a place to secure the will of God, and that those they dated passed every possible check I could come up with.  My best effort as a human was frail, but my wife and I worked at it.  What idiot would place his family in an unsafe car or a dangerous situation? I might not know the car had some trouble, but I certainly tried to keep it safe. I could not possibly know everything (unlike those arrogant writers in fake news and cyberspace who are sure they know everything), but I worked hard at making circumstances right.  

Our family went to Yosemite: my children, grandkids, and my wife and I (who are now the old folks).  On some of those mountain tops, I was a little more than fearful for the kids or grandkids who ventured too close to the edge. (This grandpa’s sanity was regularly tested!)  Because of my diligent caution, I watched and saw far more of my children than I did of the scenery.  No one sits ideally by and watches those they love enter into danger without intervening to avoid tragedy. 

Anyone who thinks that any of us would place our own children, or any of those we love, into a situation in which they will be in danger is not only an idiot and a liar but also ridiculous.  We all seek the best for those we love. 

In Mark 8:31 we read, “And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” 

While God allows us the chance to guard and protect our own children, He planned a path of sorrow and suffering for His Own Son.  While God offers us liberty to do our best to ensure the best of friends, God knew His Son’s friends would abandon Him.  While God allows us to seek a stable, loving future for our children, He planned a cross and suffering for His Son.  

God planned that His dear and only begotten Son would face trials and suffering for one reason – His glory.  

Could we perhaps draw near to God in love and appreciation?  Could we say, “I love you” to God a little more often? Could we look at our children and consider how God might have felt seeing His Own Son grow up while knowing the sad future He would face.  We do not know everything, and we will fail along the way, but God could have guaranteed a perfect life for His Son. Nevertheless, He planned suffering and death for Jesus in order to secure life for you and me.  That kind of love deserves to be returned.

Psalm 31:23 “O love the LORD, all ye his saints…"

Pastor

Things We Can Lose

Good Morning,

This morning, I am addressing a subject that will probably end up in our pulpit at one point: “Things the Church or the Christian Can Lose.”  Although we cannot lose our salvation, once we have been born again, there is much we can lose. I urge Christians to be very careful not to forfeit the great possessions that come with a close walk with God.

Joy

The Psalmist wrote, “Serve the Lord with gladness;” Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord alway;” and Jesus said to the Father, “And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” (John 17:13)

Many believers only find hallow and temporary joy in their possessions, their money, or their position; but Jesus provides true joy.

Shout

Hearing Christians shouting at a ball game is common. Hearing people shout at the television, correcting the referee or some player who made a bad decision is also funny to watch. Sadly, many Christians have lost their shout. They can listen to sermons and wonderful Christian music, and never utter an “Amen” or a “Praise the Lord!”  Something caused the Christian to lose his shout.  We can observe any secular event, whether it be music, drama, or athletics and know that an audience response is common. We think a shout is more Scriptural, perhaps than applauding, but whatever the response, do not lose the excitement of being in the house of God. God’s house ought to be filed with “Amens” and “Praise the Lord” ringing throughout the church service.

Song

Another tragic loss in many Christians is their song. David said the Lord has “…put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God…” Paul wrote to the Colossians and Ephesians about singing and exhorting one another with song. The Christian life is one that should be filled with singing and rejoicing. Show me any young person who is following a certain crowd of teenagers, and they will have songs that go with that crowd. The child of God who experiences the new birth and closeness to God will find the songs of Zion dear to his heart and near to his lips. Allow me to urge you to relax, sing out, smile, and enjoy the thrill of singing with the people of God.

Sweetness

Many a Christian has found himself with a bitter spirit. The warmth and the sweet and gracious attitude to “love your neighbor, as yourself” kind of Christian living, somehow escaped him. There was a day when he humbly bowed his head to trust in Christ, knowing they were unworthy sinners, and certainly unworthy of the mercy and forgiveness of God. Then something happened, perhaps several somethings, and a critical spirit, a bitter heart, a spirit of judgment, or something from the world came into their lives and robbed the child of God of the warm sweetness that comes from knowing they have been accepted in the beloved.

These are just four of the many things the child of God can lose. How are you doing in these areas? Has this corrupt world robbed you of the precious possessions that Jesus gave you? Perhaps, today would be a good time to seek to draw near to Him, and to get right in those areas that are wrong. God may reveal to you the need to separate from certain people, situations, or circumstance that have drained the song, the joy, the shout, or the sweetness from your Christian life.

Pastor

Love Your Neighbor

Good Morning,  


In the Middle East, many girls are forced to be a partaker in an arranged marriage to some old guy she does not love; she is expected to act the part of a wife even though she does not want to. This practice is far from love and yet, it is exactly what the protesters and others are asking everyone to do by bowing down to them or surrendering the police departments to them.

Who ever liked someone more because someone forced you to be nice to them?  I remember my mom telling my brother that he could only go to his friend's house to swim if he took me along. Being three years younger, I was unwanted, and I knew it.  I did not want to go along!  No one can compel people to feel anything; feelings are inside a person and have to come from within to be shown on the outside.  When a law is passed or a political pressure is applied to MAKE  someone appear to "like" someone else, it will not do anything but breed bitterness and resentment. 

God invites us to love Him; He makes it the most important commandment, yet it is our choice and, sadly, one that most people ignore.  God only wants sincere love.

Matthew 22:37 “Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart…"

When we are forced to do something or compelled to some fraudulent act of kindness out of fear, ridicule, or harm, we are only one steppingstone away from the oppression of the people in North Korea. They all salute rocket man like they saluted Hitler - out of fear.   This is the very reason why God exalts freedom so much.  God will not force you to like Him – it is your choice!  Wise people seek to change the heart not the actions.  If the heart changes, the actions will follow.

If we want to change the ugly treatment around us or hope to create a love for all, it will be done by changing the hearts of the people not the laws. Laws that force me to treat someone nicely will only make me bitter and resentful. When we lead a soul to Christ and give them the indwelling Holy Spirit, we will see the new nature take over; they will naturally begin loving others.  

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”


Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,”

The answer is always the same: go, preach, win folks to Christ, get them involved in a Bible-preaching church, and they will learn to love others. They will do it naturally, not out of necessity.  

Matthew 28:19 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”

vs. 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. Amen."

Pastor  

Trust Him

Good Morning,

These are the words of Joseph after his father’s death, and in response to his brothers fearing the wrath of the brother they sold into slavery. 

Genesis 50:19 “…. 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.”

First of all, Joseph felt it was not his job to “get even,” for he was not in the place of God.  We can trust God to take care of evil; we do not need to exercise vengeance.  

Secondly, God has a plan when evil men hurt us. Yes, it was difficult for Joseph, and there is no way of knowing all of the emotional hurt he dealt with being sold and resold.  But God was not dead, and God had a great and wonderful plan. 

Third, we see that the suffering of Joseph was going to be used to save others, and most assuredly, he saved entire nations.

vs. 20 “… to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”

Paul wrote something similar: 

Philippians 1:12 “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel…"

Paul suffered much, but God had a plan and used the suffering of Paul greatly to save the lost.

I wish all of us could focus on the lost getting saved more than our own comfort and well being. We are choking on self-help, yoga, meditation, natural remedies, gyms, spas, and diet plans while the world is dying and going to hell.  I believe God would rather a fat man, who is unhealthy and living on junk food, go to the world soul winning than a healthy person sit in a detox program cleansing their inward parts while the world goes to hell. 

What is it you have faced?  How will God use that hurt to open doors to share the Gospel.  If you have faced cancer, then cancer patients will listen to you more readily than to me.  If you were orphaned,  then the poor and forgotten child will listen to your message of Christ more easily than to someone like me who had a loving home.  

Do not think God cannot use our hurt.  Commit the difficult trials to His divine will and rest in the goodness of God that He has a plan – a wonderful plan.  Living by faith will remove bitterness and much anxiety. Trust Him; rest in Him; believe Him.

Pastor

Theology or Bible?

Good Morning, 

Danger approaches when theological prowess takes precedence over simple Bible reading. In the first Bible college I attended, I remember hearing a teacher talk about unbiblical statements that we make. He said that it was not uncommon to hear a preacher, pray, “Lord, be with us….“ he went on to explain the theological nonsense of that statement, the idea that God was everywhere, that there was nowhere God could not be, and that, therefore, of course He was, “with us.“

Now that sounds very intelligent and coming from the lips of a seminary graduate, who boasts of his Greek and Hebrew training it’s pretty impressive… Until you read your Bible.

1 Samuel 3:19 “And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.” 

Genesis 39:2 “And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man…”

If one would read his Bible and pay attention, he would see this phrase is not uncommon.

We all know stories of a couple sitting together at a table, both looking at their phones, almost oblivious of one another.  They are with each other, but they are certainly not close. They are not helping or encouraging one another. They are in the same locality, but far from the same spirit.

Psalm 139:8 says, “…if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.” We understand that the judgment of God and separation from God mean that when a person goes to hell, he is not “with” God in the same sense that someone in Heaven is, “with God.”

If you skip church and go to the golf course, I certainly believe God is everywhere he is, “omnipresent,” but if you think He’s as close to you on the golf course as He is to you at the preaching of God‘s Word and going forward at an invitation to take time for confession and prayer, you are not paying attention (and you like golf far too much). If someone thinks he can go to a casino and surround himself with heathen and pretend to be with God, he is only fooling himself.

Likewise, someone in a church that has no power in the preaching, no conviction in the message, no lives being changed, no souls being saved and baptized, and no young people being called to the ministry, yet pretends to be as close to God in that church as he is in the church that exalts the Bible, the Savior, and the work of God, is deceiving himself.   

You can be in His presence; for David says in Psalm 16, “…in Thy presence is fullness of joy.” Allow me urge you to slow down enough to read your Bible, to stop the hurried life enough to bow your head, and to take time to speak with the King. The presence of God is available, but this sinful world draws us away from His presence. The great satisfaction and joy of the Christian life is not found in simply being saved but in being set apart to walk with the King, in His presence.   

Let us conclude with a reminder to be guarded when you hear a Bible teacher or author write things that sound theologically profound, yet the words violate the most logical and obvious principles found written in your Bible. Years ago, I determined to choose my Bible over theologians; I urge you to do the same.

Pastor

A Friend Loveth

Good Morning,

Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loveth at all times…” but today you will be assaulted if you are loving toward “sinners.”  You may remember that Jesus was accused of being a friend of sinners:

Luke 7:34 “… Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!“ 

When we consider our Lord and His commands to us, how can we overlook the clear statement in 1 Corinthians 13: “Love, never fails.”

The destructive attitude being embraced by our culture is vastly different from the Scripture. When someone fails to measure up to the standard of those self-appointed inspectors, character assassination ensues and is followed by endless destructive attacks.  

We read of our Lord and the woman in John 8: “Woman, where are those thine accusers, hath no man condemned thee…. Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more.”

The problem our Lord faced with the Pharisees was His fellowship with sinners.  Luke 5:30 “But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?”

Referring to the earlier text in Luke 7:36-46, we read that a broken-hearted sinner loves God more than a self-righteous man. 

I would like to remind you of Paul’s words:

Romans 14:4 “Who art though at judgest another man’s servant…”

Mercy is the cry that arises from the godly heart that considers the lost and broken world around them.

John 3:17 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."   

Just how Christlike are we? 

Pastor

Liquor

Liquor

Good Morning

A Christian view of liquor is well reported by J.Frank Norris in the following discourse.  He was a young man who had been accepted to pastor a very influential church. For, perhaps, the first time in his life, he was “somebody” –but there was a problem. A committee was promoting liquor in the community, and some of the men in leadership of that committee were members of his church. He had to make a decision. 

The following is an excerpt of the words of J. Frank Norris’:

What surgings of soul! What conflicts I had. One voice said, “Now you are the pastor of a great city church, and don’t stir up a row over this liquor question. These men are men of wealth and prestige, bankers and capitalists and you will make a fool of yourself to say anything about it – besides you can’t do anything about it.” But another voice said, ‘You, the pastor of a great church – will you permit officials and deacons to remain on your official board who are personally responsible before the world for this liquor convention? Have you forgotten the rivers of tears that liquor caused your own sainted mother? Have you forgotten how it wrapped its slimy coil around one of the best, and one of the most brilliant men who ever drew the breath of life and wrecked him? Have you forgotten that liquor knows no race, no color, no wealth, no poverty?”

I was brought up when a small boy on the editorial writings of Henry W. Grady, and I recall how he said: “My friends, don’t trust it. It is powerful, aggressive and universal in its attacks. Tonight it enters an humble home to strike the roses from a woman’s cheeks, and tomorrow it challenges this republic in the halls of Congress. “Today it strikes the crust from the lips of a starving child, and tomorrow levies the tribute from the government itself. There is no cottage humble enough to escape it – no palace strong enough to shut it out… “It is the mortal enemy of peace and order. The despoiler of men, the terror of women, the cloud that shadows the face of children, the demon that has dug more graves and sent more souls unshriven to judgment than all the pestilences that have wasted life since God sent the plagues to Egypt, and all the wars since Joshua stood before Jericho… “It can profit no man by its return. It can uplift no industry, revive no interests, remedy no wrong… It comes to destroy, and it shall profit mainly by the ruin of your sons and mine. It comes to mislead human souls and crush human hearts under its rumbling wheels.”

“It comes to bring gray-haired mothers down in sorrow to their graves. It comes to turn the wife’s love into despair, and her pride into shame. It comes to still the laughter on the lips of little children, and to stifle all the music of the home and fill it with silence and desolation. It comes to ruin your body and mind, to wreck your home.”

My decision was made; I acted promptly. I called a meeting of the deacons in the old church – just had one small office in the corner – and that meeting was held just before the morning service. I held that paper in my hand, with their names on the Liquor Committee, and I never shall forget my experience, my feelings. I had come to the do-and-dare decision. It was life and death. God was good to a young preacher that morning.

 I knew then for the first time a little something of what Daniel must have felt when he stood before Belshazzar and read the handwriting on the wall. I knew then something of what Peter must have felt when he stood before the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem, and said, “We ought to obey God rather than men.’’ I knew something of what the Apostle Paul must have felt as he stood before the Roman Courts, and even Caesar himself. I was entering into a new world.”

Pastor

Use It Or Lose It

Good Morning,

As parents, we have all told our children something only to have them later say they did not hear us.  As married people, sadly, this also happens between husbands and wives.  We get used to people talking; we think we know the direction they are heading conversationally, and we simply complete their comments in our minds without hearing them clearly — then confusion happens.

God warns us to take heed how we hear His Word.

Luke 8:18 “Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.”

God gets tired of our not paying attention.  If we fail to HEAR, we are not going to get any more information.  If we pay attention, listen, and obey, we will be trusted with more truth.  If we fail to listen and honor the things we heard, we will lose even what we have known in the past.

We all know people who used to be vibrant Christians, but today flounder without knowing what to do, where to go, or even doubt their own salvation.  We are not referring to a lost person, but to someone who lost the truth he had in his head and heart.  

Peter warns us that if we do not apply what we have heard, we can easily forget that we have been saved:

2 Peter 1:9 “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”

Saved?  Sure, but this person just forgets the truth, forgets all the wonder salvation brings.

Faithfulness to church, to Bible reading, and to faithful Christian living is not just good for those around us and those we serve, it is vital for our own security and stability. God places great esteem on the believer of great age who stands true to his faith over decades.  

Take heed therefore how ye hear...

Be sure to cling tightly to the truth you know, to live it, to love it, and to embrace the things learned from God’s Word.

Hebrews 2:1 “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.”

A casual Christian will most often become a casualty.   Do not think there are not people who will spoil us or slowly pull us away from living the truth we all know.

Colossians 2:6 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:”

vs. 7 “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”

vs. 8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

Once we pull away from biblical obedience,  God will pull away the truth we have learned in the past, and we will flounder spiritually.  

Luke 8:18 “Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.”

May we be doers of the Word, faithfully living the truth God has given us.

Pastor

Paul’s Instructions On Giving

Good Morning,

In our busy world, I would like to express a few thoughts in the area of giving.  Expenses are high, and world events bring uncertainty, but Paul’s instructions are simple and clear. 

1 Corinthians 16:2 “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.”

Let us outline this verse:

1  “…the first day of the week…” - That would be Sunday.

2  “…every one of you…” - That would be EVERY ONE OF YOU.

3  “…lay by him in store…” - Throughout the week, we ought to prepare to give.

4  “…as God hath prospered him…” - Each one is to give in a manner that reflects the goodness of God in his life.

Every one should be giving - EVERY ONE - and they should be doing so on Sunday.  The rest of the week, all believers should be considering their giving on Sunday and be preparing for it according to how good God has been to them.

What is happening in the world does not change these instructions.  The cost of living does not correct what is written in the Word of God.  When considering these principles, our offering plates ought to be overflowing, and our upcoming victory rally ought to easily reach our goal.  

Pastor