What You Have

If God wants to get your attention He knows how to do it. Moses was watching the sheep when all of a sudden he noticed something he had never seen before.

Exodus 3:2
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

Exodus 3:3
And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. Moses thought, "Why isn't this bush burning up? I must go over there and see what's going on." When Moses investigated it, God spoke. He called Moses to return to Egypt and lead His people from captivity. Instead of Moses jumping at the opportunity; he didn't want to go. So he decided to offer some good excuses why he couldn't go. The first one was a good one "I can't speak," so what are you doing now Moses? Then he makes everyone's decision for them "They won't believe me," how does he know what they will or will not believe? Before we get quick and judge Moses we have our own set of excuses don't we. Notice what happens here Exodus 4:1
And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee. How did Moses know what the people would say?

Exodus 4:2
And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.     

Exodus 4:3
And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.

Exodus 4:4
And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: God told Moses, "Hold out your staff and drop it." The staff turned into a snake. God didn't send Moses back home or anywhere else to get anything. God didn't send Moses anywhere to buy something. What God did do is He told Moses to use what he already had: the staff of a shepherd. We like Moses feel inadequate or not prepared for what He has for us. We come up with excuses (even some good ones!) and plead with God to send someone else, anyone else just not me. Let me explain myself better. A while back God gave me a burden to open a home for those with addictions at no or little cost to those that God would later send our way. Let me tell you I got all fired up about the idea and I set back and waited on God to do something. After a while nothing had been done; I began to ask myself did I misunderstand what God was showing me? I prayed but nothing was happening then one day as I was reading my Bible God spoke to me. (Imagine that) I was reading in the book of Matthew in chapter 7 and in verse 7 God spoke to my heart. Matthew 7:7
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: God stopped me there and I said "I have asked and I have knocked and then I saw it; I had not been doing any seeking. Then I read the next verse

Matthew 7:8
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
That day I left my study with a different attitude and on February 12, 2010 the Scarlet Thread Ministries was incorporated. On October the ninth the first phase of the Scarlet Thread Ministries will open its first Thrift Store which will be a vehicle that God will use to open the homes which are to follow. The amazing thing about it God didn't tell me to get something from somewhere else He just said use what you have and I'll do the rest. It can be scary to answer God's call. But, when you feel Him tugging and leading you, have faith. You can trust Him! Let Him use just what you have. And with God's strength you can do anything.

This week has gone by so quickly. As we face another weekend I hope you have plans to be in your place on Sunday. I will be leaving for Chicago this Saturday with my wife and 6 others and will not return until October first. We are off to a Reformers Unanimous Addictions conference to sharpen our minds as we work with those who the enemy has all but destroyed. I will not write again until Monday October 4 I ask that you pray for us as the Lord bring us to your mind. My prayer is that the Lord will bless each and every one of you. Thank you so much for the encouraging comments you send from time to time. They are areal blessing to me.

35 Years Ago

A young man of whom I think a lot of had a birthday on yesterday. Nothing special about birthdays we all have them; I know but what he said and how he said it excited me. This is what he wrote. "‎35 yrs ago today a sick and weak little fella was born. I wasn't supposed to make it. Doctors scrambled and believers went to the altar. He heard and answered. 34 yrs 7 months later history repeated itself. A little girl was born small and weak. Doctors scrambled and believers hit the altar. He heard! Praise God he heard. The best gift is our children. Hug them today and tell them you love them. Thanks for the wishes!" He and his wife had a little girl much like him that was not given much chance to live but they, with a host of others went to the altar and asked God to spare her life and He did. As I read about what he said and felt his grateful heart I couldn't help but think about another woman with a major health problem going on in her life. This woman had an incurable medical problem and was desperate for someone who would care and someone who could cure her. She pushed her way through a crushing crowd to get to a man called Jesus. In faith, she touched the hem of His garment; Jesus would never know in the middle of so many people pressing on Him she was sure but oh how wrong she was.

Luke 8:43
And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,

Luke 8:44
Came behind him,
(Jesus) and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.

Luke 8:45
And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

Luke 8:46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.

This woman could not go unnoticed by Jesus and neither can you and I. Jesus doesn't care about all the stuff that's so important to everyone else. He cares about your heart. Because He's God, He knows all the hurt, the darkness and the sin that's there and yet He loves you and I. How can we know that? He's offered living proof, actually, dying proof. The Bible says in,

Romans 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Today there is a young man among us who without the help of the Lord I would have never gotten to know. Today there is a young girl here living among us who one day with a grateful heart, will praise the Lord for what He has done in her life. Today may not be your birthday and you may not have ever been sick and to the point of death but has not God blessed you in some way that you can be grateful for? The story was told of a man and woman who stood up in a Church service and wanted to give an offering in remembrance of their son who had been killed in Vietnam. Another woman sitting not far behind them said to her husband let's you and I give a gift also. Her husband's response was our son was not killed in Vietnam? His wife said I know and that is why we too should give a gift for we still have our son. What do you have to be thankful for today? Be grateful; be thankful for what God has given you. Why not right now where you are at just lift your hands and praise the King of Kings for it's a great day to be alive.

Their World

This is an old saying and you have heard it many, many times; "Birds of a feather flock together". People of the same character associate with one another, as do birds of the same species is what I understand that saying to mean. We tend to listen to our own kind; maybe when we would listen to no one else. Have you found that more and more people aren't listening to Christian professionals? They will listen to their coworkers, fellow-students, neighbors, teammates because they're one of them. No, this is not something I just happen to think, it's a plan that Jesus Himself put into practice many years ago and you will see Him using it in John chapter 4. He leaves Judaea and heads for Galilee and He says He needed to go through Samaria.

John 4:3
He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.

John 4:4
And he must needs go through Samaria. Jesus has gone into Samaria to reach the Samaritans; I only see one problem with that the Jews and Samaritans basically couldn't stand each other, so how is this Jewish rabbi going to reach them?

John 4:9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus is going to work a miracle; no, not what most think of as miracle but I know of no greater miracle than receiving eternal life, and that is what Jesus is about to do. As Jesus stops by the well he is tired; his disciples had something else on their mind; it's time to eat we'll be back in a little while and off they ran. Jesus is all alone when this woman who has had a string of marriages and divorces and is now shacking up with someone else comes to the well. Now think about it for a minute if you wanted to use someone to make an impact on others would you really pick a woman that was known for her immorality, her relationships with many men? Probably not! Maybe that's what is wrong too many times we are looking for the right person with the right education. Have you ever taken the time to look at our Military? They train a young man 18, 19 and 20 years old and put them as an operator of a multimillion dollar piece of equipment. First, she meets Jesus at a well where she discovers who He really is. Then, in

John 4:28
The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,

John 4:29
Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Leaving her water pot, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 'Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did is this not the Christ?

John 4:30
Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. They came out of the town and made their way toward Him and believed in Him because of the woman's testimony. Well, they listened to her when she talked about Jesus because she was one of them.

That's what makes you and I so eternally important they'll be more likely to listen to you and I talking about a personal relationship with Jesus than to any preacher or evangelist or radio guy. Well, you may say, "but I'm not trained...I've got a lot of problems...I don't know enough." Wait a minute; did you happen to notice the one Jesus sent as His ambassador to the Samaritans? A woman that was not trained and who had problems galore but she didn't stop to think about all that. She was off to tell her friends. I love what this woman did she didn't tell them about Christianity, about church, about religion or about a list of Christian beliefs. She just said, "Come, see a Man!" Their best hope of heaven isn't some outreach program or some great speaker. Their best hope is you, because you are already there. You're in their world so reach out and touch someone for Jesus today in your world.

Booze, Sex, Entertainment

Yesterday I wrote about the Journal that Solomon left behind for us in the book of Ecclesiastes. He used the phrase "Under the sun" 27 times which told us why nothing he had or did satisfied him. Life is drab and depressing, hopeless, meaningless simply because he left God out of the picture. Solomon tried laughter, comedy routines, booze, sex, entertainment, ego building projects, art collections, fun trips, serious work, and a half dozen other attempts at happiness and all of them blew up in his face.

Ecc 2:11
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, (accomplished) and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity (emptiness) and vexation ( pointless) of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

Ecc 2:17
Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity (empty) and vexation (pointless) of spirit.

Ecc 2:18
Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. (Leave it to the person who replaces me)

Many call it the straight Life and if we call it that it will become awful here is what many call the straight life. It's the mother washing dishes 3-hours a day; cleaning sinks and scouring toilets, waxing floors, chasing toddlers and mediating fights between the siblings. It's driving the van to school and back 23-times a week; grocery shopping and baking and on and on until you finally become the parent of an ungrateful teenager that wants to find themselves without knowing where to look. For the dad it's off to work you go after pulling your tired frame out of bed, 5-days a week 50 weeks out of the year. It may be earning 2-weeks a year where you take a vacation that will please the kids. Spending your money wisely instead of indulging in that new whatever; it's spending a Saturday afternoon doing something you would rather not be doing instead of watching the game.
It is head colds, engine tune-ups, oil changes, pulling crab grass and income tax. It is giving a portion of your income to God's work when you already wonder how you will make ends meet. Finally you have had it; this pointless unsatisfying life. Off to the Porsche showroom floor, a new wardrobe and there you stand with your shirt open down to your belly button, big gold chain, shades and a sweet looking thing hanging on your arm. It's off to the disco, karaoke and a little fun for you. You have tried the straight life and it didn't satisfy so you change gears only to find it will not satisfy either. Before this ride is over you will find that the price is far greater than you ever wanted to pay. Solomon tells us do you want real meaning, purpose, an investment that will give lasting dividends? Solomon says then wake up and wise up I can tell you before you get started
it will not satisfy.

1. The sensual lure of something better tomorrow robs us of the joys offered today.
   
2. The personal temptation to escape is always stronger than the realization of the consequences.
   
3. The final destination, if God is absent from the scene, will not satisfy.
   
   

The Good life, the one that truly satisfies exists only when we stop wanting a better one. When we realize satisfaction comes when we step off the escalator of desire and say, this is enough. What I have will do. What I make of it is up to me and the relationship with my Lord is vital.

Journal

A journal; I don't know if you keep one or have ever kept one. My oldest son gave me one in 2003 and I have been writing in it for the last 7 years….the same one! As you open it up I wrote down a statement of what my Journal was to be. This is what I have written. A shade tree; an opportunity for reflection and the effort to capture my thoughts on paper. The palest ink is better than the strongest memory. If it's worth remembering its worth writing down.

Have you ever wondered what kind of person you would be if money was no object? We live in a day when man never earns enough. A woman is never beautiful enough. Gadgets are never modern enough. Houses are never furnished enough. Food is never fancy enough. Relationships are never romantic enough. Life is never full enough. So if you had the money what would you do and how do you think you would act? In other words how would it change you?

Glen Campbell sang a song "Gentle on my Mind" which was released in June 1967. It's a ballad and tells the story about a man who longs to be free. He wants a life that's uncluttered with irritating things like binding commitments and contracts. He is just satisfied to stop off for a night or two, doesn't want anyone to hassle him with talk of a permanent relationship. He is happy just knowing that the "door is always open" and the "path is free to walk." That's sufficient. This man is on a search for another path, another pleasure not something that can or will anchor him down.

There once lived a man who once had the time, the money, and the energy to take such a journey. Not a mind trip, not across the imaginary back roads of his memory but into life itself. Because he was free to walk and because no one was able to restrain him his name was Solomon and he has left us a journal. His journal covers what only most dream of. In his journal he gives us the details of what happen and the results and leaves us with the message "don't waste your time; it will not satisfy! We can find his journal it's called Ecclesiastes. I must tell you that the journey this man took while mind-boggling, left him Defeated, Depressed, and Disillusioned. Only one word is needed to explain his journey "Empty." He also leaves us his motto on the front page of his journal Ecc 1:1
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

Ecc 1:2
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. That is the way Solomon described how he felt before he took his journey, while he endured his journey, and after the journey was over. Nothing satisfied. Not so fast Solomon; I want to know what made your journey a pointless an empty one? You were King and had an endless supply of resources and you're telling us that nothing you did had any purpose! How could you make such a statement? Solomon uses a phrase 27 times that tells us why nothing he had or did satisfied; it's the phrase "Under the sun." Life is drab and depressing, hopeless, meaningless simply because he left God out of the picture. I'll write more on tomorrow about this man's journal but this week I want you to think above the sun and don't leave God out of your life. Have a great day, and if you will have the attitude just one day at a time you'll see that in just one week's time you will have had seven great days.

Lonely

We live in a day like I have never seen. People are losing their jobs, homes and much, much more. They are becoming depressed and lonely. What is the lonely saying? The first thing I hear comes from a heart of blame. "Why don't people love me and help me out of my problems?" These people have cut themselves off from most of the people in their lives. They sit at home waiting for a knock to come from someone wanting to hire them. That's not going to happen. I would say keep and make friendships.

Proverbs 18:24
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. There are no rent a friend businesses that I have ever seen. Lastly I hear "If only others realized how difficult things are!" This comes from a heart of self pity. Self pity never pulls up only down and cultivating meaningful companionships will be rich in dividends. Then there are those who feel like a martyr. "Nobody really cares! I am all alone in this!" Here is the answer, all of what you have read this far have all been negative "why am I not loved, if only others realized and nobody cares." If we put a positive spin on all of this we will learn to share our joy and we will have double joy. Share our sorrow and we will half the sorrow. The secret of survival is not simply enjoying life's joys and enduring its sorrows, it is in sharing both with others.

Ecclesiastes 4:9
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

Ecclesiastes 4:10
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

Ecclesiastes 4:11
Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

Ecclesiastes 4:12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. If you feel lonely and left out you have no reason to be for the verses you just read were written to the one who is at the top, middle, and bottom and even to those who don't even know which way they are going. We don't have to carry the load all alone share it with those in whom you have placed trust. Enjoy your Church services this Sunday and I will see you on Monday. God Bless!

Beth

I want to take the time to share a story with you about a young lady named Beth and what the Lord had done in her life. We hear how God works in the lives of those with drug and alcohol problems but Beth's story is one that is often overlooked or we think there's no help. Hi, my name is Beth Norman; I'm a nineteen-year-old student in the women's discipleship program of Reformer's Unanimous. I'd like to tell you about myself, and how you can help others like me find freedom through Christ. I grew up in a conservative Christian home. Though my family moved often, my father held prominent positions in many fundamental Baptist churches. Being home-schooled, I learned early in life the difference between right and wrong. I accepted Christ as a kindergartner. When I was thirteen, despite my sheltered environment, I started listening to lies Satan whispered to me. He chanted them through magazine covers, diet commercials, and models in the department stores: "Only thin people are beautiful", "If you aren't rail-skinny, you aren't cool", and "Being a size 0 is the only way to be truly accepted." Trained well, I had (what I called) 'great self discipline'. Armed with this, I embraced my obsession. It was my salvation. I religiously practiced my restricted eating throughout my teen years and up to my sophomore year of college.

Though I thought I had charmed this snake into a docile friend, it spun on me and bit me. My parents had no other choice but to leave me, here in Rockford, Illinois, against my will. Pride and rebellion had gnawed away my 5'8" frame to about 80 lbs. Through Reformers Unanimous, God has revealed the poisonous lies that Satan was feeding me…lies I gladly gobbled up, oblivious to the deadly direction they were leading. I firmly believe I would be dead if not for this ministry! As a pastor's daughter and a Bible college student, I have found a freedom in Christ here in Rockford, IL. Freedom I never thought possible! By God's grace, I am going to influence others by becoming a Christian author when I graduate this program!

 

Life: the time God gives you to determine how you spend eternity

Make God smile again. Accept his forgiveness

Life Was Good

It was a marriage made in heaven and this couple couldn't have asked for another mate for they were made for each other. Life was good, they love each other without question and it seemed as if God had blessed them beyond their wildest dreams. But then it happened almost without notice it was just a look in the wrong direction and then a thought; what could it really hurt; why it may even make things better with my mate. Sad to say that's the way it happens most of the time; a look which leads to a lust which then leads to a longing. James says it best James 1:14
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (Entrapped)

James 1:15
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Here we have a couple that brought death into their life because of the choice they made. You may be asking what they did. Did one of them or both of them have an affair? No! But that will bring death into a relationship. Was it alcohol or drugs that caused problems in this relationship? No! But that too will put a strain on a relationship. Money problems then; No! Money could never have been this couple's problem for they had all they could have ever wanted; there is just one thing that they couldn't have and it was hanging on a tree. Yes, the couples names are Adam and Eve and you can read about their down fall in Genesis chapter 3. You and I have the same problems because we think, like they, that God is not watching and will never notice. Many are having relationships with the other gender thinking no one will ever know. Many take drugs and drink alcohol thinking all will be fine as they tell us that they are only hurting themselves. Really! What does God have to say about these matters? With Adam and Eve this is what He had to say

Genesis 2:16
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

Genesis 2:17
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. What happened when they ate? Did they drop dead? No! Was God just giving them a strong warning and really wasn't going to do anything at all? No! After they ate something happened to them both the Bible says

Genesis 3:7
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Genesis 3:8
And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

A lot happened after they chose to disobey God, their eyes were opened and they knew they were naked and they made provisions for their nakedness. Then it happened "GOD" came and they heard His voice and they hid themselves. None of this would have happened had they not died spiritually. When you and I get our eye on something that is displeasing and wrong and that fire of lust starts in our heart we may do something that we know is wrong and if we know it is wrong it is sin.

James 4:17
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. Then in the book of Ezekiel we read this twice

Ezekiel 18:4
Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

Ezekiel 18:20
The soul that sinneth, it shall die….

We may not die physically but we will die it could be the love between you and your wife or husband because lust for another got in. Dwight L. Moody the Great preacher of days gone by said it like this "The Bible will keep
you from sin, or sin will keep
you from the Bible."

How true that is I have yet to see someone fall into deep sin that has not first stopped reading and caring about what God has to say through His Word the Bible. Know to do good and refuse to do it and you will die on the inside, you will lose your smile and your joy as well as your peace and most of the time your sleep. So before you get caught up in your lust ask this question, am I willing and ready to give up what I have for a few minutes of pleasure? If your answer is, I'll not get caught then you are just fooling yourself. Happy is the man that walks not, stands not, sits not with the ungodly (Psalms 1:1) don't get entrapped.

Proverbs 3:13
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

Proverbs 28:14
Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

Have you ever heard the phrase "Birds of a feather flock together?" In other words who we give our ear to has us by the ear. Who we choose to follow; who we choose to flock together with will influence us in one way or another. C.S. Lewis called friendship "a school of virtue or a school of vice." He wrote, "Friendship makes good men better and bad men worse." Maybe we should be asking ourselves this question, "Who are they who will make me bad? Who are they who will make me better?" Do you think that God had this in mind in the book of Proverbs? Teaching His children to just learn to say no! Proverbs 1:10
My son, if sinners entice (allure, deceive, enlarge, entice, flatter, persuade) thee, consent thou not. Just say no!

Proverbs 1:11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: (Just come with us)

Proverbs 1:12
Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

Proverbs 1:13
We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:

Proverbs 1:14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

One of the best ways to avoid sin is to just say "no" as early as possible. The time to say "no" to a guy is not at 11 o'clock at night parked by the lake; it is at 2 o'clock in the afternoon when he asks you out. If you say "no" then, you will never have to say "no" out at the lake. The best time to say "no" is at the first invitation to sin. "Son, if sinners entice you to sin, make up your mind to say no." We live in a day where it is almost right to do anything we please. Why not ask you wife if it's alright for you to view pornography on your computer and see what she has to say! If I was a betting man I would bet she would say NO! Our flesh will trick and pull us into things that seem to be pleasurable and we can even convince ourselves that it's ok when we know it's not. When are we going to say no? Before it happens before we are lead in the wrong direction. The answer is to know where you are weak and guard yourself.

Hebrews 12:1
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, This one little word NO will save us all from a life of regret. The first word of wisdom that Solomon gives us is how and when and why to say "no". The first word of wisdom is making it a verbal; just say no! I remember the first time a cigarette was handed to me and in my mind I could hear the words of my Dad "cigarettes will kill you." He hated them and he tried his best to teach his sons to hate them but we didn't say no. We were allured, enticed and persuaded. I could have said no that day but I had given my ear to the wrong voice and they had me by the ear. This is a verse we must put in our hearts "If sinners allure and persuade me stay alert and say no thank you.

Touchdown or Life

I heard of a true story of something that happened in a football game between the great rivals Alabama and Auburn. It happened in the days when Bear Bryant was still living and drove his football program toward legendary accomplishments. Alabama was ahead by five points, leading Auburn with two minutes to go. The first-string quarterback was injured on a play and Bryant had to use his second-string quarterback. The pressure was unbelievable and the crowd was going wild. They were on Auburn's twenty yard line and it was first down for Alabama. Bear Bryant yelled into the helmet of the second-string quarterback, "Whatever you do, do not pass the ball. Run the ball all four plays. And then, if we have to hold them, our defense will get us through . . . listen to me boy, whatever you do, do not throw the ball." The quarterback ran in, full of zeal and determination. First down, they were stopped at the line, second down, held again. Third down, they gained a yard and the fourth down came and the crowd was hysterical. The hand-off to the running back was somehow muffled and the quarterback wound up with the ball. Running around in the backfield, he looked in the end zone and spotted his split end wide open. He passed the ball. What the quarterback failed to see was the fastest man on the field, the safety for Auburn, read his eyes and saw the pass coming. He ran in front of the receiver, intercepted the ball, and started racing down the field. The quarterback was the only one with the field advantage to catch him. He was not that fast, but he raced down the field, with the time clock expiring. He caught up to the player, tackled him, and Alabama won the game. The opposing coach, Coach Dye, said to Bear Bryant, "I've read the scouting reports, and that second-string quarterback was slow. How in the world did he catch up to the fastest man on the field?" Bear Bryant replied, "It's simple. Your player was running for a touchdown. My player was running for his life."

What's the first thing you think about when I say the name Samson?

The first time we see his name in the Scriptures is

Judges 13:24
And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.

What interested me was the phrase "the LORD blessed him. "

The next time we see his named mention is in

Judges 14:1
And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.

What caught my attention is the phrase "And Samson went down"

So I must ask what made the difference and what caused him to go down?

The first thing I see is what he saw… a woman. Had Samson's eyes gotten him into trouble?

Let's look at

Judges 16:1 Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her. Samson allowed his problem to become worse by not taking charge when he could have. By the time you are longing for harlots you have allowed your problem to become bad. Here is a woman Samson could not trust and before it is over she has destroyed him. Watch how she did it

Judges 16:16
And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;

What is interesting about this is that when Samson was over taken you know the first thing that went was his eyes

Judges 16:21
But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.
You may disagree and say his strength was the first to go and you would be right except Samson hadn't realized that yet.

Judges 16:20
And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him. Are you running for a touchdown or for your life?

The Right Answer

In 1955, a dance instructor and manager of an Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Tampa had wearily turned in just before dawn on Sunday morning, after an almost-all-night dance party. He set his clock radio to awaken him to music at the appointed time, but was jarred wide awake by a voice that sounded as if it were thundering right out of heaven. It was the weekly broadcast of Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse, a Philadelphia pastor and one of the first great radio evangelists.

Jim got out of bed to change the station, but before he reached the radio, the preacher stopped him with a question that set him back on the edge of the bed: "Suppose that you were to die today and stand before God, and He were to ask you, 'What right do you have to enter into My heaven?'—what would you say?"

Jim was dumbfounded! He continued to listen to the explanation of the plan of redemption through faith in Christ—a message he had never heard before. On that remarkable Sunday afternoon, Jim made the transition from presumption to truth. He had presumed that he was good enough to make it into heaven; he didn't realize that he was calling God a liar—God, who says, "There is none good, no not one." He knew he would never make it! 

That week he stopped by a corner newsstand and asked if they sold religious books. The owner had only one, The Greatest Story Ever Told. Each night Jim read a portion, and when he completed the book, it seemed as if the cross of Christ had been erected right in his apartment. He slipped out of his chair onto his knees and asked Christ to come into his heart and forgive him and cleanse him of his sins . . . he found the answer.

By the way, Jim's name was D. James Kennedy. He was founder and pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, founder of Knox Theological Seminary, as well as the international evangelism ministry called "Evangelism Explosion," training people in every country of the world, showing them how to share the gospel, asking that famous question. What would your answer be today? Why do you think you're going to heaven? What right do you have to ever think you could live for eternity in the presence of God's glory? Do you have an answer? Many don't they just presume or assume that they are good enough to make it into heaven just as Jim did. So what will it be corruption or consummation, religion or redemption. No religious acts or good deeds will allow you to walk into Heaven only those who are willing to come by Christ's finished work alone. There is only one way. The old rugged cross is the eternal bridge between earth and heaven. This weekend is someone's day of salvation; maybe yours. By the way Pastor Kennedy last preached at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church on December 24, 2006. His retirement was officially announced at the church on August 26, 2007, and he died in his home ten days later.

Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Romans 10:10
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 10:11
For the scripture saith, whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Do you hear a voice that sounds as if it were thundering right out of heaven?
Wait before you turn it off suppose that you were to die today and stand before God, and He were to ask you, 'What right do you have to enter into My heaven?'—what would you say?" See ya Monday!

The Plan

I read some statistics that I thought were very interesting. The statistics said that 42% of university graduates never read an entire book after graduation; 80% of American families did not buy or read a book last year; and 57% of new books purchased in the United States are not read to completion, and most readers do not go past page 18 in a book they do happen to buy. Wow, that was an eye opener. Then I read that the majority of people living in this generation prefer to listen to someone that they perceive to be trustworthy to give them information. That's scary. If you would take the time to look at Romans Chapter 12 and verse 2 you would find that it reads like this; And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. I see three key words they are the word conformed; the word transformed; the word renewing. The word Conformed has a negative command "Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold. "Be as healthy as you can; live as long as you can; get as rich as you can; be as comfortable as you can". Secularism, which is the way of thinking for a secular world, it's the way the world's defines success.

Colossians 2:8
Beware lest any man spoil ( takes you captive)you through philosophy and vain deceit, (empty deception) after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Next, the word Transformed a positive command, let me put it this way. If I wanted to be able to speak Spanish it would not matter how hard I tried, I would not be able to speak Spanish until I was trained in Spanish. I would need to learn a new alphabet and practice the letters over and over again. My eyes would need to become accustomed to new words, sentence structures and accents. I would have to memorize vocabulary and practice pronouncing the words, making my tongue twist in new ways and with new sounds. After training, I would be able to begin speaking Spanish. However, without serious effort and training, I would never get beyond, "¿Cómo está usted? And you would answer Muy bien, gracias." That my friend would not get me very far in the Spanish speaking world. Then the word Renewing and here we see
a plan of action. Which most people don't have; oh we have a plan of action for our health care, education, retirement, if our car breaks down on the side of the road we whip out our motor card and call the one who is to come to our rescue. But what about when sin knocks at our door; what do we do then? What is our Plan then? I want you to see a young man who had a plan; a high school student that understood peer pressure and how it can work both ways. Chad was on a Caribbean cruise with some of his friends. One night his friends tried to entice him into the ship's bar, but Chad, whose mother was an alcoholic, had determined to never drink. He was a believer in the Lord Jesus and had reinforced his mind with scripture that he purposefully memorized from Proverbs about alcohol abuse. He explained to his friends that addiction ran in his family, and then, he rather courageously quoted a verse he had memorized. He said, "I have learned from the Bible that Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. (Intoxicated by it is not wise) (Proverbs 20:1)They replied, "Aw, come on Chad, just one beer won't hurt anybody." He replied again with scripture,

Proverbs 23:31
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

Proverbs 23:32
at the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. His friends turned rather sour at this and began to accuse him of rejecting their company. He quietly said, as much to himself as to them, another Proverb, ". . .

Proverbs 1:10
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. This is the story of a young man who is breaking free – maturing; growing; already flexing his wings for freedom. He is a young man who knew about being Conformed, Transformer and Renewing his mind. He had a plan!

 

Wrong Choice

Has there ever been a time in your life that you just didn't see something coming? I was 15 years old and my friend was 17 years old and had a car. Now that was cool! One night he and I were to go to see a movie; my Dad gave me instructions that he didn't want me riding around all over town but go to the movies and then straight home. I agreed and in my mind that was what I was going to do. We went to the movies and were sitting there like we were supposed to. Then all of a sudden my friend leaned over to me and said "this movie isn't that good let's go." The first thing that went through my mind was what I should have done but that's not what happened. I explained to my friend that I wasn't to leave the theater and ride around; surely he would understand. No! That was not the case. He said let's go your Dad will never know. The peer pressure was on and I would like to say I didn't leave but I did. Bad choice! Now why we returned to the theater I will never know but we did and when we did there was a surprise there waiting for me; you guessed it, my Dad. He was watching to see if I came out of the theater. I never saw that coming. We all have made wrong choices in life and as they say hind sight is 20/20. We can truck through life and pay little or no attention to God and His great love to and for us. We can even compare ourselves with others who call themselves Christians and without doubt convince ourselves that we are just as good as they are or maybe even better. That is fine except for one thing they are not the standard we should be comparing ourselves with.

2Corinthians 10:12
For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

The Lord has left us a plan and it's a simple one. But I am afraid that many will be surprised to find that God much like my Dad will be standing there watching. If we failed to meet His requirements we will find ourselves in great danger. We not only made bad choices but we have sinned

Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Just like there was a price for my leaving the theater, so there is a price for our sin.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. I surely don't want that I want life; is there a way to make a change? There is now but not if you wait until you close your eyes in death.

Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. I like that it says "Shalt" not maybe, hope so, think so but shall be.

1John 5:12
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. Know what? It says that those who have the Son have life. We know what we have and what we don't have. I know I have a truck, I don't think I have a truck, I know I have one. I know I have shirt, pants, and shoes and oh yes, a belt. There are a lot of things I know I don't have but there are a bunch of things I know I have. I know I have life; not guessing at it or thinking I do I know I have eternal life. If you have it you do too and if you don't I don't know of a better time than now to ask the Lord to forgive you, do you? Have a great day and don't Compare just Confess you'll be glad you did.

7-Things

The other day I was on my way home when my wife called me and asked me if I would stop by the store and pick up a few things. I can remember a few things. Now, if it is a couple of things, I can remember them. However, if it is more than a couple of things, I am going to forget and I will end up coming home without all she asked me to pick up. Now, there have been other times when she said make you a list so you will not forget. What the list is for is when I get in the store and my mind is caught by all the other things I would love to purchase that I can keep focused on what I am there for. In the book of Proverbs and in chapter 6 verse 16 it reads like this, These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:. This is very interesting and the question might be asked "are there only 7 things disgusting to the Lord"? No, but the Lord wants us to be sure about these 7. What if the text read, "There are 6,000 things the Lord hates, actually 7,000 that are an abomination unto Him?" We might say Seven thousand! This may lead us to an attitude which causes us to feel, I'll never please Him. So, He says how about seven? Let us start with these. These seven, Solomon says, the Lord hates. The Lord despises these actions and attitudes, calling them abominations! The word abomination means "morally repulsive." Does this mean that the Lord considers these seven sins more repulsive than other sins? No, all sin is an abomination to God. Sin is sin and what I understand about this verse is that this is a Hebrew expression that implies that the list is not exhaustive. The very first thing that is on the list is A proud look
Proverb 6:17. Have you ever had any one who looked down their nose at you? They do this for many reasons I am sure, but the main one is they think they are more intelligent than you. Not long ago a young lady treated me with this attitude. She asked if she could talk with me a moment to which I said sure. We were not long into the conversation when I saw what she was doing; she was looking down her nose at me. Did that brother me? No! I am thankful for my college education and I have never used it to look down on anyone; what good would that do or prove. If you read my blog you will quickly notice that I write simple and when you finish you know what I have said. I learned that from our President, Ronald Regan; he said he wrote all his speeches on an eighth grade level for he wanted people to understand what he was saying. Why waste my time and yours writing so you can't understand what I am trying to say, that's worthless. That proud look is our "PRIDE" and it gets in our way. The Lord says He doesn't like it and He wants you and I too learn how to become more humble. In the rest of verse 17 and then the next two verses He spends talking about our Tongue, our Hands, our Hearts, our Feet, our False Witness and Spreading Conflict among others, namely our brothers. We have the ability to either sow the seeds that bring a harvest of blessing or we can also sow slander and have a harvest of bitter hurt. We have the opportunity to demonstrate a humble spirit rather than a proud look. We can turn our lying tongue into telling the truth, from hands that hurt to helping hands, from a heart that plans wickedness to a heart that plans wholesome deeds. Instead of feet that race toward perversion we have feet that are running for the prize of the high calling which is in Christ Jesus. Instead of lying learn to live in the truth. Lastly when others see you coming instead of them seeing the bitterness and discord coming from you as they have in the past make it a new day and let them see words of kindness and blessings with praise of thanksgiving coming from your lips. God hated to see you and I give into these 7 attitudes which are deadly sins. Have a good day and be careful how you let others see you and remember God is always watching you.

Working

Remember Tom Sawyer and the fence? Tom is painting the fence white and made it seem like he was having so much fun that others wanted to paint. Tom said "I don't know; if I let you paint that would be just one less board that I would get to paint." Before long everybody was doing Tom's work for him. There is an awful tragedy which happens on the battle field and they call it "friendly fire" don't let the words fool you for friendly fire is when you accidentally shoot or bomb your own fellow soldiers. In the Civil War, General Stonewall Jackson was killed accidentally by his own men. This has happened in every war that has ever been fought. Let's look in the book of Philippians and develop this matter further.

Philippians 4:2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.

Philippians 4:3
And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life. These two women, who were members of this church at Philippi, and who seemed to have differences or some dispute or disagreement; either with each other, on account of some temporal and civil things, that caused them to fall out by the way. Here we see two women who for whatever reason had gotten upset with one other and it had not only caused a disagreement with each other but had caused them to stop their work for the Lord Jesus. Here we see some friendly fire going on with two of God's children firing upon each other as if they were the enemy. These two women, who used to fight together for the lives of lost people, are now fighting with each other. The enemy loves nothing more than to see Christians doing his work for him, wounding a child of God, discouraging a child of God, damaging the reputation of another child of God, distracting and derailing someone who could be making a difference in the battle. In combat, a soldier is crushed when he realizes that he's wounded one of his own. Unfortunately among believers, we feel like we've done a good thing by bringing down that brother or sister, why they deserve it, after all they did and said. Hudson Taylor's successor in the leadership of China Inland Mission knew how mission critical it is to fight the right battle and the right enemy. He said, "I will not send a person to the mission field unless he has learned to wrestle with the evil one. If he has not learned to wrestle with the evil one, he will wrestle with his fellow missionaries." So it is with you and I, if we fail to learn to wrestle with the evil one we too will wrestle with each other.

Ephesians 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Not with or against each other and if we fail to learn that we will wrestle with each other.

Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Worry

I read where 85 percent of what we worry about will never come to pass or happen to us. There is nothing we can do about 10 percent of our worries, and that only 5 percent of our worries are legitimate. If we look at our worries in the light of these statistics then most of our worrying is a waste of our time. Because of worry there are more people in hospitals than from any other disease. Worry causes headaches, ulcers, heart attacks, mental disorder and who knows what else. What's interesting is worry is the opposite of trust; so what have you put your trust in? Have you put your trust in God's direction for your life? David sings a song unto the Lord in 2Samuel chapter22 he says in

2Samuel 22:3
The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. And in

2Samuel 22:31
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. David said God was his rock; that's solid. Then he goes on and says that he will trust God; not maybe or I'll see how it works out or see how things go, no! No; he said he would trust God. The reason is because He is his shield; a shield repels arrows from the enemy. He also says that God was the horn of his salvation; what does that mean? I believe it means strength. When rams, deer, moose and any other animals with horns fight it is the strength of their horns. Could David be saying "God is my Shield, My Salvation and My Strength he goes on and says He is his Savior and the one that saves him from violence. David talks about God's Way and His Word and then when he is in War. The word "buckler" was more than a shield for it covered the whole body in a battle. When the soldier went into battle he was behind that buckler and it covered everything except a retreating soldier. Behind the buckler was safety, David is saying that God is a protector to those who put their trust in Him. What have you put your trust in? What does God mean to you? There is safety from worry; put in the Lords hands because only 5 percent of our worries are legitimate. Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Proverbs 3:6
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.