How about it? This morning are you pumped up or are you just worn-out? Are you fruitful or are you futile? Are you ready to change your profession? In the day we are living in it would be much easier to change your attitude toward your profession. Did you make money this week or did you make a difference?
I can only speak for myself but I am pumped up about tonight for I will have an opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. Yesterday was a long day; didn’t make much money but did I make a difference? Today will also be a long day but I want it to be fruitful. I could choose to walk the crowded path with those who are never happy, always looking on the dark side and looking for something to complain about. I think I’ll stay clear of that crowded pathway and I will be pumped up about who I am and where God is leading me. I can only say I am excited about the day God has given me! What about you? Let’s get going for we have no time to lose. Enjoy the weekend God has given you and get to Church where you can hear good heart stirring music to bless your soul. A great and encouraging message from your Pastor and spend time with your friends. Now put that big smile on your face and get going and look and act like the child of the King. See you Monday!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Filter
Have you ever taken the time to praise God for your eyes and ears? Where would we be without them? I realize that we would learn to function without them; people do it all the time. But I am glad that we have the use of them. In Acts 4 and verse 20 the Bible says this “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.“ This verse reminds me of a filter. We filter our water and we filter our air but do we filter our words? Notice what is being said in the verse; we can only speak the things we have seen and heard. So our tongue is the mouthpiece for what the eyes have seen and the ears have heard. Too many times we are saying things that were not first filtered by the mind. How do we learn to filter what we say; you know the Bible has the answer to that question. Look with me at this verse found in
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
There are 8-things in that verse that can filter. The very first one is the word “true” before we say anything we need to ask ourselves is it true? So the truth we know is going to be determined by how much Bible we know.
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
That’s a good filter, truth. There is another word in that verse “lovely” something can be true and not lovely. The Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus that had been taken in the very act of adultery. What she had done was true but the way they handled it was not lovely. If she was taken in the very act, where is the man or do I not understand what adultery is? I love the way Jesus handled it. They reminded Jesus that the law said she should be stoned then they said what do you say Jesus? Here is what He said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.“ People mess up, you have and I have now we can do as the Pharisees did or we can remind others of the good that person has done. Remember it’s always easy to condemn others for their mistakes. What if it was you making the mistake would you want others to condemn you? We must learn to filter the words that we speak. We can do that by being careful of what we listen to and what we watch. There are times we are going to hear something we didn’t care to hear; remember hearing and listening is different. There are going to be times we see things we didn’t really want to see; but seeing and viewing are a lot different. The true sign is
Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, (poisonous snakes) how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Whatever you look at or listen to, will come flying out of your mouth. That my friend is a fact for you can’t help it. Did you see that word “Abundance?” It means plentiful. You have trash in trash out; good in good out; Bible in Bible out; Jesus in Jesus out. It is our Choice!
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
There are 8-things in that verse that can filter. The very first one is the word “true” before we say anything we need to ask ourselves is it true? So the truth we know is going to be determined by how much Bible we know.
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
That’s a good filter, truth. There is another word in that verse “lovely” something can be true and not lovely. The Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus that had been taken in the very act of adultery. What she had done was true but the way they handled it was not lovely. If she was taken in the very act, where is the man or do I not understand what adultery is? I love the way Jesus handled it. They reminded Jesus that the law said she should be stoned then they said what do you say Jesus? Here is what He said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.“ People mess up, you have and I have now we can do as the Pharisees did or we can remind others of the good that person has done. Remember it’s always easy to condemn others for their mistakes. What if it was you making the mistake would you want others to condemn you? We must learn to filter the words that we speak. We can do that by being careful of what we listen to and what we watch. There are times we are going to hear something we didn’t care to hear; remember hearing and listening is different. There are going to be times we see things we didn’t really want to see; but seeing and viewing are a lot different. The true sign is
Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, (poisonous snakes) how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Whatever you look at or listen to, will come flying out of your mouth. That my friend is a fact for you can’t help it. Did you see that word “Abundance?” It means plentiful. You have trash in trash out; good in good out; Bible in Bible out; Jesus in Jesus out. It is our Choice!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Warfare
I am interested in the word “warfare” it is only mentioned 5 times in the Bible. Do you and I really need to be concerned about “warfare?” There are 3-things one must know about warfare they are:
#1- Need to know and understand as much as you can about the enemy you are fighting.
#2- Need to accept who you are and the challenge that is set before you. A solider is no good if all one sees is his backside.
#3- One needs to know and learn their weapon that has been provided. There is no time for training of the weapon in the heat of the battle.
2Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds ;)
In John chapter 10 and in verse 10 we read these words
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Who would you say the “thief” is in this verse? I would say it was our enemy the devil. If that is so and I believe it is; then he just wants to do three things; steal, kill and destroy. Now just for a moment let’s look at one way the enemy destroys us, if we allow him to. A husband and wife while sitting in a counseling session were making horrible statements about each other. The husband would make a horrible statement and then the wife would make an unkind remark. Then the question was asked sir what to do you really think of your wife? He said I have been telling what I think. Then he said,”No, here is really what I think; I think you are the most beautiful person I know. You are a great cook. You do a great job with our kids.” What just happened? It was the way the words were used. The enemy wants you and I to use words that will destroy each other our friendship, marriage, church relationships and any other relationship we might have. When the enemy comes we first have to recognize and understand that what we are hearing or saying is the enemy wanting to destroy our relationship. Then we must be ready for the challenge to admit and stand up to fight. Then we need to know how to use the weapon we have. David put it this way:
Psalms 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. So we reach into our heart and draw our weapon and then we respond.
Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. Then we fire again.
Proverbs 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. Then we fire yet again.
Proverbs 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. Because we realize:
Proverbs 26:20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. We know that if say hateful things in return we are only putting wood on the fire and that’s far from being a soft answer or ruling our spirit. Angry, sure but we must not let our anger get the best of us and here’s why:
Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Ephesians 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.
If we let our anger talk back we have just given place to the devil. Now you can put your weapon back in your heart for another time. Now do you see why David said to hide Gods word in our hearts? So we can fight the warfare when it comes and it’s going to come that you can count on it.
#1- Need to know and understand as much as you can about the enemy you are fighting.
#2- Need to accept who you are and the challenge that is set before you. A solider is no good if all one sees is his backside.
#3- One needs to know and learn their weapon that has been provided. There is no time for training of the weapon in the heat of the battle.
2Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds ;)
In John chapter 10 and in verse 10 we read these words
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Who would you say the “thief” is in this verse? I would say it was our enemy the devil. If that is so and I believe it is; then he just wants to do three things; steal, kill and destroy. Now just for a moment let’s look at one way the enemy destroys us, if we allow him to. A husband and wife while sitting in a counseling session were making horrible statements about each other. The husband would make a horrible statement and then the wife would make an unkind remark. Then the question was asked sir what to do you really think of your wife? He said I have been telling what I think. Then he said,”No, here is really what I think; I think you are the most beautiful person I know. You are a great cook. You do a great job with our kids.” What just happened? It was the way the words were used. The enemy wants you and I to use words that will destroy each other our friendship, marriage, church relationships and any other relationship we might have. When the enemy comes we first have to recognize and understand that what we are hearing or saying is the enemy wanting to destroy our relationship. Then we must be ready for the challenge to admit and stand up to fight. Then we need to know how to use the weapon we have. David put it this way:
Psalms 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. So we reach into our heart and draw our weapon and then we respond.
Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. Then we fire again.
Proverbs 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. Then we fire yet again.
Proverbs 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. Because we realize:
Proverbs 26:20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. We know that if say hateful things in return we are only putting wood on the fire and that’s far from being a soft answer or ruling our spirit. Angry, sure but we must not let our anger get the best of us and here’s why:
Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Ephesians 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.
If we let our anger talk back we have just given place to the devil. Now you can put your weapon back in your heart for another time. Now do you see why David said to hide Gods word in our hearts? So we can fight the warfare when it comes and it’s going to come that you can count on it.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Trust 170 or 240?
If you want to get stronger, you constantly have to be lifting something heavier than you've lifted before. One measure of growing strength is what the weight lifters call your bench press. It's how much you can lift over your head as you lie on a weight bench. If you have ever worked out in a weight room then you know what I am about to say is true. No one wants to keep the amount they can lift where it is. They're always adding a little more weight to that bar. So, if your bench press is 170 pounds, you want to go to 180... 190. If you've been lifting 200, you work to get it to 210... 220. Always pressing more. Now let me ask you a question, would you believe that to be true with other things as well? I believe God wants us to build more than biceps and triceps; don’t you? God wants us to build faith muscles the ability to trust Him more than we’ve trusted Him before. If we just proceed on the basis of what we can see, what we can figure out, what we can pull off, then that is all about us and none about HIM. God helps us build more faith muscles so we can win greater victories than ever before? By giving us something to lift that is heavier than we've ever had to lift before.
Romans 4:1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
Romans 4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
Romans 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. (Put to his account)
Abraham’s faith started off real simple. God told Abraham to leave where he was but wasn’t told where he would be going. Abraham had only a 180 faith. But he would have to trust God more and more like a weight lifter and built up his faith to a 220 faith. Abraham was told that he would have a son when he was old; this was going to take more than a 180 faith; that’s more like a 220 faith. Once again Abraham trusted God.
Romans 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
Romans 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Romans 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Then God one day told him to take that son to a mountain and kill him. Do what? Yes take the son I gave you and take him to a place I will show you.
Genesis 22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
This is more than a180 even 220 it’s a 240 faith; I mean this is big time putting his trust in God. But Abraham trusted God and all came out fine. What about you and I? Where is our faith with 170 being the lowest or a 240 faith being the highest? If our faith is still at 180 then our relationship with our heavenly Father has not grown very much. Remember we built our faith much like a weight lifter a little at a time until we are at the 240 faith. You may be waiting on results from a test, is your faith in the results of the test or in God our savior? I’ll not soon forget the man who was having some problems. He went to the Doctor where they ran some test. The test results returned and the Doctor called the man to his office. There the Doctor told him that he had a brain tumor and without treatment only a few months to life. The man thanked the Doctor got up and left his office and lived about 7 months and died. You may say why did you tell us that? Because here was a man who had 240 faith because he knew without a shadow of a doubt where he was going at the point of death. That is 240 faith! So where is your faith and how much are you trusting your Heavenly Father? What’s you level of trust 170,180, 190, 200, 210, 220, or 240? It all depends on how much time you spend increasing your faith.
Romans 4:1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
Romans 4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
Romans 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. (Put to his account)
Abraham’s faith started off real simple. God told Abraham to leave where he was but wasn’t told where he would be going. Abraham had only a 180 faith. But he would have to trust God more and more like a weight lifter and built up his faith to a 220 faith. Abraham was told that he would have a son when he was old; this was going to take more than a 180 faith; that’s more like a 220 faith. Once again Abraham trusted God.
Romans 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
Romans 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Romans 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Then God one day told him to take that son to a mountain and kill him. Do what? Yes take the son I gave you and take him to a place I will show you.
Genesis 22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
This is more than a180 even 220 it’s a 240 faith; I mean this is big time putting his trust in God. But Abraham trusted God and all came out fine. What about you and I? Where is our faith with 170 being the lowest or a 240 faith being the highest? If our faith is still at 180 then our relationship with our heavenly Father has not grown very much. Remember we built our faith much like a weight lifter a little at a time until we are at the 240 faith. You may be waiting on results from a test, is your faith in the results of the test or in God our savior? I’ll not soon forget the man who was having some problems. He went to the Doctor where they ran some test. The test results returned and the Doctor called the man to his office. There the Doctor told him that he had a brain tumor and without treatment only a few months to life. The man thanked the Doctor got up and left his office and lived about 7 months and died. You may say why did you tell us that? Because here was a man who had 240 faith because he knew without a shadow of a doubt where he was going at the point of death. That is 240 faith! So where is your faith and how much are you trusting your Heavenly Father? What’s you level of trust 170,180, 190, 200, 210, 220, or 240? It all depends on how much time you spend increasing your faith.
Monday, October 25, 2010
One Life
Have you ever heard of a man by the name of Dennis Barnhart? I’ll tell you about him in a moment. Do you work, think, complete, strategize, plan, sacrifice, travel, worry, take risk, skip vacations, add hours to your work load, increase your responsibility, scratch the right back, invest, save…. Do you think that when everything is in place, when all your ducks are in a row then you’ll have the time to spend with your wife and kids? Let me tell you about Dennis Barnhart. Dennis was president of an aggressive growing company name Eagle Computer. His firm grew incredibly fast. He decided to go public and as a result he became a multimillionaire virtually overnight.
So why haven’t you heard about Dennis Barnhart? The sad thing about Dennis is that he never got the opportunity enjoy what he worked so hard to achieve. Let‘s read about Dennis.
Taken from the New York Times June 10 1983
The young president of a successful new computer company died Wednesday afternoon in a car crash in California's Silicon Valley, hours after his company had sold its stock to the public for the first time and he had become a multimillionaire.
Dennis R. Barnhart, 40 years old, president and chief executive officer of Eagle Computer Inc., was on his way home to his wife and three children with a companion, Sheldon R. Caughey, also 40. It is not clear who was driving, but Mr. Barnhart's red Ferrari veered out of control a block from company headquarters in Los Gatos. The car flew through the air, tore through 20 feet of guard rail and crashed into a ravine. Mr. Barnhart was dead on arrival at Los Gatos General Hospital.
Work hard have exciting plans and it’s all reduced to death. The fact is all will be reduced to death in only a brief span of time. We must not forget what James tells us!
James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Time! How much do we have? We don’t have the answer to that question or do we? James said our life is little time compared to eternity. The picture he gives is like something cooking; if we were to watch the vapor coming off that’s how quick it vanishes away, that’s our time. We only have one life to live and only one life to give. Amos tells us in
Amos 4:12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. The Apostle Paul tells us in
Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
How much time are we given to prepare and examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith? Little time; just like a vapor, only one life. As you and I go into this week we must not get so caught up in the millions we want to make, but make sure we know Jesus because we only have one life a short time. It’s going to be a great week I’m excited let’s get going.
So why haven’t you heard about Dennis Barnhart? The sad thing about Dennis is that he never got the opportunity enjoy what he worked so hard to achieve. Let‘s read about Dennis.
Taken from the New York Times June 10 1983
The young president of a successful new computer company died Wednesday afternoon in a car crash in California's Silicon Valley, hours after his company had sold its stock to the public for the first time and he had become a multimillionaire.
Dennis R. Barnhart, 40 years old, president and chief executive officer of Eagle Computer Inc., was on his way home to his wife and three children with a companion, Sheldon R. Caughey, also 40. It is not clear who was driving, but Mr. Barnhart's red Ferrari veered out of control a block from company headquarters in Los Gatos. The car flew through the air, tore through 20 feet of guard rail and crashed into a ravine. Mr. Barnhart was dead on arrival at Los Gatos General Hospital.
Work hard have exciting plans and it’s all reduced to death. The fact is all will be reduced to death in only a brief span of time. We must not forget what James tells us!
James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Time! How much do we have? We don’t have the answer to that question or do we? James said our life is little time compared to eternity. The picture he gives is like something cooking; if we were to watch the vapor coming off that’s how quick it vanishes away, that’s our time. We only have one life to live and only one life to give. Amos tells us in
Amos 4:12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. The Apostle Paul tells us in
Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
How much time are we given to prepare and examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith? Little time; just like a vapor, only one life. As you and I go into this week we must not get so caught up in the millions we want to make, but make sure we know Jesus because we only have one life a short time. It’s going to be a great week I’m excited let’s get going.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Characteristic
Qualities Webster says it means
Proverbs 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: Look at number one the very first one out of the seven!
Proverbs 6:17 A proud look, Oh no! Does pride ever pop up in my life? Let’s see; a group of people go hunting, fishing or whatever kind of trip and I kill the biggest or I catch the biggest fish how do I respond? Have I, do I or will I say something like this...Yes we all went but I was the only one or I was the one who; is that not pride rising its ugly head. In Proverbs 16 and in verse 18 we read these words Pride goeth before destruction, I must watch out for such an attitude as that because I don’t want to leave hurt feelings behind and I don’t want others to think that I have an arrogant attitude. Then there’s that humble spirit not proud or haughty not arrogant. So I can’t be humble if I am arrogant. I think verses 21 & 23 sum it up for me. In those verses we are told about a wise heart. I think we all would like to have a wise heart; read these verses:
Proverbs 16:21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
Proverbs 16:22 Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.
Proverbs 16:23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. I see two things that a wise heart does. #1- A wise heart understands. #2- A wise heart teaches. That’s not all I see in verse 24 we read Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. Pleasant Words! Now I have to ask myself are the words I use in the presence of others sweet, kind, encouraging words or are they words of destruction, dysfunctional, disheartening? In my vocabulary are there words that will build up or tear down. As I read this chapter I had to stop and when I did I asked the Lord to let me pay attention to my actions and my words today and see if I have some or any of these qualities in my life. My prayer today as well as for this weekend is that you would pray on my behalf that God would show me and help me become strong where I am weak. Thanks and have a great weekend and we will meet again on Monday.
peculiar and essential charactercould that mean the many CHARACTERISTICS we possess? I was reading in Proverbs chapter 16 when the Lord pointed some things out to me. They were PRIDE, A HUMBLE SPIRIT, WISE HEART, UNDERSTANDING and PLEASANT WORDS. Then I asked myself are the characteristics in me? Do I exhibit them in my daily life? If someone were to ask those I work with, go to Church with or my friends if I displayed any of these characteristics I wonder what would be their answer. I have said before about another that they were strange and I don’t understand them. But was I the strange one and they were the one that couldn’t understand me? To be honest I really don’t want to be proud because the Lord says He hates it
Proverbs 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: Look at number one the very first one out of the seven!
Proverbs 6:17 A proud look, Oh no! Does pride ever pop up in my life? Let’s see; a group of people go hunting, fishing or whatever kind of trip and I kill the biggest or I catch the biggest fish how do I respond? Have I, do I or will I say something like this...Yes we all went but I was the only one or I was the one who; is that not pride rising its ugly head. In Proverbs 16 and in verse 18 we read these words Pride goeth before destruction, I must watch out for such an attitude as that because I don’t want to leave hurt feelings behind and I don’t want others to think that I have an arrogant attitude. Then there’s that humble spirit not proud or haughty not arrogant. So I can’t be humble if I am arrogant. I think verses 21 & 23 sum it up for me. In those verses we are told about a wise heart. I think we all would like to have a wise heart; read these verses:
Proverbs 16:21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
Proverbs 16:22 Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.
Proverbs 16:23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. I see two things that a wise heart does. #1- A wise heart understands. #2- A wise heart teaches. That’s not all I see in verse 24 we read Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. Pleasant Words! Now I have to ask myself are the words I use in the presence of others sweet, kind, encouraging words or are they words of destruction, dysfunctional, disheartening? In my vocabulary are there words that will build up or tear down. As I read this chapter I had to stop and when I did I asked the Lord to let me pay attention to my actions and my words today and see if I have some or any of these qualities in my life. My prayer today as well as for this weekend is that you would pray on my behalf that God would show me and help me become strong where I am weak. Thanks and have a great weekend and we will meet again on Monday.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
One Day
Have you ever heard or maybe seen this phrase “One day at a time?” It would be good if we were to just take life one day at a time. Look with me for a moment at a man by the name of Elijah. We will find him in 1Kings 17 as he marches into the Kings office and tells him it’s not going to rain until I say so and turns around and walks out. We read in
1Kings 17:2 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
1Kings 17:3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
1Kings 17:4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. Elijah did what the Lord had told him to do and the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, bread and meat in the evening and he drank from the brook. Elijah is totally dependent on God for his next meal. The ravens didn't bring Elijah a month's groceries or even a week's groceries they didn’t even bring enough for a whole day.
All you and I have to deal with is one day at a time. Not a week, month or a year; just one day that’s all.
Psalms 118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Lamentations 3:22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Lamentations 3:23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Psalms 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. He will give you the strength you need, the provision you need, the grace you need, the answers you need, the help you need and the encouragement you need. The Lord is going to send you what you need on the day you need it and not a day earlier. When you get all worried and fearful about what's beyond today let it be a reminder that you're running ahead of your supply lines. You don't have tomorrow's "bread," tomorrow's strength or tomorrow's grace until that time comes. Don’t try to carry tomorrow's burden with today's grace because it will not work. Just remember what the Lord has already promised us
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Just as Elijah trusted that God would supply his needs so you and I must do the same. What will you trust Him for today?
1Kings 17:2 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
1Kings 17:3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
1Kings 17:4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. Elijah did what the Lord had told him to do and the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, bread and meat in the evening and he drank from the brook. Elijah is totally dependent on God for his next meal. The ravens didn't bring Elijah a month's groceries or even a week's groceries they didn’t even bring enough for a whole day.
All you and I have to deal with is one day at a time. Not a week, month or a year; just one day that’s all.
Psalms 118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Lamentations 3:22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Lamentations 3:23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Psalms 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. He will give you the strength you need, the provision you need, the grace you need, the answers you need, the help you need and the encouragement you need. The Lord is going to send you what you need on the day you need it and not a day earlier. When you get all worried and fearful about what's beyond today let it be a reminder that you're running ahead of your supply lines. You don't have tomorrow's "bread," tomorrow's strength or tomorrow's grace until that time comes. Don’t try to carry tomorrow's burden with today's grace because it will not work. Just remember what the Lord has already promised us
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Just as Elijah trusted that God would supply his needs so you and I must do the same. What will you trust Him for today?
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Why Not Quit
Many are looking ahead to the day that they retire; nothing wrong with that unless their plan is on quitting. There is too much to get done just to have thoughts of I have done all I can do and it’s time for me to quit! I read something the other day that encouraged me greatly. It was something Thomas Edison said; get ready and read carefully what he said. A fire broke out at the West Orange laboratory in 1914, destroying 13 buildings. Although the loss was great, Edison remarked: "I am 67; but I'm not too old to make a fresh start. I've been through a lot of things like this. It prevents a man from being afflicted with feeling of weariness and dissatisfaction." Edison spearheaded the rebuilding of the lot. Wow 67 years old and he’s not ready to quit. Let me ask you a question did he make a difference in the way you and I live today? He sure did and he had an attitude of its not quitting time it’s time to get going. I hear the word quit too much. In 1955 at the age of 65 Harland’s store failed because of a new interstate hwy that reduced his restaurant’s customer traffic. Why not quit Harland you are 65 years old and your first social security check will soon be here; why not sit back and take it easy. But that was not to happen for Harland took $105 from his first Social Security check and stared visiting potential franchises. He meet up with Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s and offered him a chance to turn around a failing business. Dave helped Harland save the restaurant by simplifying the menu. I had lunch in one of Harland’s restaurants the other day you may know the restaurant better by its name KFC. I am glad Colonel Sanders didn’t quit. Thomas Edison and Colonel Sanders didn’t know what the outcome would be they just knew they were not quitters. In 2Timothy chapter 4 and verse 10 we read For Demas hath forsaken me, why in the world did Demas abandon the Apostle Paul? The verse goes on to tell us that he was in love. Having loved this present world, he fell in love with the present world and went to the city of Thessalonica. In other words he quit the ministry. The bright lights and the sounds drew him away and he quit what he had gotten so much enjoyment out of before. I don’t know about you but I don’t see quitting in the future at all. There is so much to get done and the workers are so few. Too many are listening for their name to me mentioned and looking for a pat on the back, nothing wrong with that as long as that’s not why you are doing what you’re doing because if it is you will be done when it’s over; you’ll be in the long line of quitters. I’ll never forget the words of my good friend Edgar Thomas in 2002 as I stood in his living room in Gainesville, GA. He had lost so much weight that he had to hold his pants up. He told me he had another good 20 years left to preach. But we buried him on November 29 that year. What was my good friend saying? He was simply saying there is no place or time to quit. I hope you’re not a quitter for anyone can do that! Oh by the way Harland didn’t die until he was 90 years old and Edison, well he was 84 and my friend Edgar Thomas was 78, could it be that these men kept busy and chose not to quit?
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Do You Open the Door?
What would you do if a knock came to your front door and as you looked outside there was someone standing there with a mask on and pistol in their hand? Would you open the door and welcome them in? Would you ask what they wanted or maybe what their name was? I don’t think that would be any of our response, I think our heart beat would increase for we would feel danger and I even think we would begin to shake and for sure we would call 911. That happens to us every day and too many times we open the door and welcome them in. The phone rings and you hear a familiar voice and before you know it you both are running another person down and allowing things to build up a wall that will have you thinking different of that person than you did. Maybe it is something you see and before you know it you are now thinking of what it would be like to have, touch, hold or taste it for yourself. You just opened the door and let them in. Maybe it is doubt about something you promised or feel that God is leading you to do; go to a faraway place and tell others about the Lord Jesus Christ as a missionary; maybe you feel a call to preach, teach or give but you open up the door and you allow doubt to come running in. Too many times we forget that we are in a battle with the enemy. We must be careful and know that this enemy only wants to do three things. You say only three things well bring it on if that’s all. Let me explain it this way when I was in school I wanted to be in a music class so I looked for the easy instrument to play. It wasn’t long before my eyes opened up for there in front of me was a Trumpet and what was so interesting to me was that it only had three things to make it play music; move out of the way Louis Armstrong. The problem with that is there is more to those three things sticking up than I thought; have you heard anything about me in the music world? What are the three things the enemy wants to do to us?
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: Now a lot of things can be added under each one of those. Steal your joy and happiness. Kill your Godly desires, your love for your mate, children, job and friends. Destroy your fellowship with friends by talking about them behind their backs; your marriage by destroying what you feel for your husband or wife and a hundred other things that he will and can use to steal, kill and destroy you because he is our enemy. We better know as much about him as we can. Here is something that has helped me and I hope it will help you it is titled:
“The Keeper of the Keys”
You are the Keeper of the Keys
Your are the Guard at the Gate
Waiting in line to get through the door
Is Love, and also Hate.
In line to enter is Gentle Peace.
And also Violent War.
You must choose who may, and who
May not come through the door.
Intolerance tries to sneak on through
On wings of Fear, or Pride.
It hides behind Dreams of Belonging,
And tries to sneak inside.
Oh! Be Alert! You’re the Guard who decides
Who Goes and who may Stay.
You are the Keeper of the Keys to Your Mind.
Who will you let in today?
Be careful what you let in!
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: Now a lot of things can be added under each one of those. Steal your joy and happiness. Kill your Godly desires, your love for your mate, children, job and friends. Destroy your fellowship with friends by talking about them behind their backs; your marriage by destroying what you feel for your husband or wife and a hundred other things that he will and can use to steal, kill and destroy you because he is our enemy. We better know as much about him as we can. Here is something that has helped me and I hope it will help you it is titled:
“The Keeper of the Keys”
You are the Keeper of the Keys
Your are the Guard at the Gate
Waiting in line to get through the door
Is Love, and also Hate.
In line to enter is Gentle Peace.
And also Violent War.
You must choose who may, and who
May not come through the door.
Intolerance tries to sneak on through
On wings of Fear, or Pride.
It hides behind Dreams of Belonging,
And tries to sneak inside.
Oh! Be Alert! You’re the Guard who decides
Who Goes and who may Stay.
You are the Keeper of the Keys to Your Mind.
Who will you let in today?
Be careful what you let in!
Monday, October 18, 2010
Who You Talking To?
When I was a young there lived a lady four doors down from us. Now this lady did something most of us only do in our head or when we are by ourselves. Back in those days there was not much AC; if you had a window fan that is about all of the AC one would have. We didn’t have it in the car either; you’ll see why I told you that in just a second. I had gone down the street just four doors to see my friend. As I knock on the door I heard his mother talking to someone; I thought it was her son or daughter. No one came to the door but I could still here her talking up a storm so I looked in the window which was down on this hot summer day. There was no one but her in the room there was no one in the house but her; she was talking to herself, how strange. Later she was at a stop sign and she was talking but no one was in the car with her once again she was talking out loud to herself. I told one of my friends about it and he said she’s crazy she is always talking to herself and you know he was right every time you saw her she was talking to herself when her car went by you could hear her talking to herself. I know I talk to myself but not where others can hear it. I told you all that to tell you this, as I was reading in the book of Ecclesiastes here is what I noticed
Ecclesiastes 2:1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. Solomon is talking to himself; no, he wasn’t talking out loud like my neighbor but he was talking to himself. The trouble with talking to yourself is that you will not have any negative thing to say to yourself. The Bible tells us this
Proverbs 11:14 Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety. I think it best to discuss matters before you do them so that you can get different views as well as some past history. I always surrounded myself with older men and would ask them questions to help me better understand things I didn’t know or understand. They were a wonderful help and kept me from making some major mistakes in my life and ministry. Most of them are all gone now but I will never forget their advice to me. Solomon didn’t talk to anyone else, he didn’t look at how things affected other lives, and he didn’t read up on how it might affect him. Oh no, he jumps right in; wait before we get too hard on Solomon haven’t we done the same thing? One day you made a decision on your own you didn’t consult with your parents or anyone else you knew. You thought you knew what you were doing; you remember don’t you? I sure do. What I am trying to say is that we do not know it all and some good advice from older more mature men will not hurt you. I want you to have a great week. It’s Monday and you are alive and breathing, so lift your hand toward heaven and thank the Lord. Who cares what that person next to you thinks or in the car in the next lane at the red light thinks just have a great week. I am going to have a great week myself and if it goes wrong it will not be my fault.
Ecclesiastes 2:1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. Solomon is talking to himself; no, he wasn’t talking out loud like my neighbor but he was talking to himself. The trouble with talking to yourself is that you will not have any negative thing to say to yourself. The Bible tells us this
Proverbs 11:14 Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety. I think it best to discuss matters before you do them so that you can get different views as well as some past history. I always surrounded myself with older men and would ask them questions to help me better understand things I didn’t know or understand. They were a wonderful help and kept me from making some major mistakes in my life and ministry. Most of them are all gone now but I will never forget their advice to me. Solomon didn’t talk to anyone else, he didn’t look at how things affected other lives, and he didn’t read up on how it might affect him. Oh no, he jumps right in; wait before we get too hard on Solomon haven’t we done the same thing? One day you made a decision on your own you didn’t consult with your parents or anyone else you knew. You thought you knew what you were doing; you remember don’t you? I sure do. What I am trying to say is that we do not know it all and some good advice from older more mature men will not hurt you. I want you to have a great week. It’s Monday and you are alive and breathing, so lift your hand toward heaven and thank the Lord. Who cares what that person next to you thinks or in the car in the next lane at the red light thinks just have a great week. I am going to have a great week myself and if it goes wrong it will not be my fault.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Failure
Failures; the world is full of them if you listen and believe them. What do you think of yourself? There will be many that will tell you how you can’t succeed at what you want or are trying to. Let me tell you about some failures or about the ones who never saw beyond to what someone could be. There was a young lady who was dismissed for drama school with a note that read “wasting your time too shy to put your best foot forward.” I am glad that Lucille Ball didn’t believe that note. Another young man was cut from his high school basket ball team but Michael Jordan believed he had it in him. What do you think? Fired from a newspaper because he lacked imagination and no ideas but Walt Disney showed them different. The young lady he was to marry died, he failed in business twice, he had a nervous breakdown, he was defeated in eight elections but had this man given up he would have never became the sixteenth President of the United States; Abraham Lincoln. What is going on in your life right now? Who has told you that you will never amount to anything worthwhile? Do you believe them? If you do then you may be finished. I remember the story of the circus elephant he stretched the ropes and pulled the tent into place and then was tied by a small rope to a small pin in the ground. A man who watched this huge animal do all the work asked a simple question, he said “don’t you think that this elephant could pull this pin out of the ground?” The answer came back “sure he could but he doesn’t know it.” What about you are you ready to give up because you have heard NO more than your ears can stand it. If you will remember the Apostle Peter was a failure he didn’t deny Jesus Christ just once but three times in one night; back to back.
Luke 22:56 But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.
Luke 22:57 And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.
Luke 22:58 And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.
Luke 22:59 And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.
Luke 22:60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. He had failed so miserably that he quit the ministry and went back to fishing but that’s not the end of the story. For there was a day Jesus stood on the shore and told them where to drop their net and in the early morning hour they caught 153 fish. Jesus then had them come eat with Him that morning and on that morning taught Peter something about Love. Peter was no failure for God used him greatly in the winning of 3000 souls in one day. Go ahead believe what everyone has and is telling you and you’ll never see what great things will be accomplished in and through you. You’re not dumb or a failure you are top of your field a leader and someone is looking up to you this very moment a son, daughter, grandchild, parent, friend or an employer. Don’t you think otherwise you are a Lucille Ball, Thomas Edison, Walt Disney, Abraham Lincoln type of person? We’ll talk again on Monday and I’ll be smiling and you? Hopefully you will be too.
Luke 22:56 But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.
Luke 22:57 And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.
Luke 22:58 And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.
Luke 22:59 And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.
Luke 22:60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. He had failed so miserably that he quit the ministry and went back to fishing but that’s not the end of the story. For there was a day Jesus stood on the shore and told them where to drop their net and in the early morning hour they caught 153 fish. Jesus then had them come eat with Him that morning and on that morning taught Peter something about Love. Peter was no failure for God used him greatly in the winning of 3000 souls in one day. Go ahead believe what everyone has and is telling you and you’ll never see what great things will be accomplished in and through you. You’re not dumb or a failure you are top of your field a leader and someone is looking up to you this very moment a son, daughter, grandchild, parent, friend or an employer. Don’t you think otherwise you are a Lucille Ball, Thomas Edison, Walt Disney, Abraham Lincoln type of person? We’ll talk again on Monday and I’ll be smiling and you? Hopefully you will be too.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Choice
God has given every person born the gift of choice. The very first man Adam God gave the power to make a choice and whatever choice was made by Adam God honored it.
Gen 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
Whatever Adam chose to name the beast and the fowl that was the name of it and God gave Adam the power to make that choice. God gave Adam the power of choice but Adam also had to live with the choices he made and God also lived with his choices. I have made good choices not knowing at the time the choice I was making would be good. I made a choice to marry a young lady without asking anyone’s advice or direction on the matter; I can say after almost 41 years that was a great choice on my part. I have made choices knowing when I was making them that they were bad ones. Like the time I stole from a grocery store I knew it was a wrong choice when I made it and if I hadn’t the police officer pointed that out to me as he called my parents. The choices we make are those we will have to live with. I have the choice to read a Gospel tract, I also have the choice to crumple it up or ignore what I have read. I have the choice to hear a salvation message, I also can make the choice not to. Life is filled with choices and I must remember that the choices I make today I will have to live with tomorrow. God has also made some choices and one of those choices is that He chose to love mankind with an everlasting love. He expressed that in His only Son Jesus Christ as He came and died for the sins of mankind. God has given us a choice to except what He has done for each of us in the form of a gift.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Wrong sinful choices have a price tag and the price tag is death; but God is willing and wanting to give us a gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Now think for a minute how do we get any gift whether it is a birthday, Christmas or anniversary gift? Someone who loves us goes and buys it, wraps it and then presents it to us. Now what do we do in order to have it? Just one simple act, reach out and take it. So it is with the gift of salvation Jesus paid the price; DEATH on a cruel cross. All you and I have to do is reach out and except what He has already done on our behalf. The choice is ours we can make the choice to except or we can make the choice to reject whichever one we make God will honor. Which do you think would be the best choice? Remember we are talking about eternity and the power of a choice. I don’t know if you have or will make the choice I made; I believe it was the best choice, I chose Jesus!
1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1Jn 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us. He has left the choice up to each of us!
Gen 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
Whatever Adam chose to name the beast and the fowl that was the name of it and God gave Adam the power to make that choice. God gave Adam the power of choice but Adam also had to live with the choices he made and God also lived with his choices. I have made good choices not knowing at the time the choice I was making would be good. I made a choice to marry a young lady without asking anyone’s advice or direction on the matter; I can say after almost 41 years that was a great choice on my part. I have made choices knowing when I was making them that they were bad ones. Like the time I stole from a grocery store I knew it was a wrong choice when I made it and if I hadn’t the police officer pointed that out to me as he called my parents. The choices we make are those we will have to live with. I have the choice to read a Gospel tract, I also have the choice to crumple it up or ignore what I have read. I have the choice to hear a salvation message, I also can make the choice not to. Life is filled with choices and I must remember that the choices I make today I will have to live with tomorrow. God has also made some choices and one of those choices is that He chose to love mankind with an everlasting love. He expressed that in His only Son Jesus Christ as He came and died for the sins of mankind. God has given us a choice to except what He has done for each of us in the form of a gift.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Wrong sinful choices have a price tag and the price tag is death; but God is willing and wanting to give us a gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Now think for a minute how do we get any gift whether it is a birthday, Christmas or anniversary gift? Someone who loves us goes and buys it, wraps it and then presents it to us. Now what do we do in order to have it? Just one simple act, reach out and take it. So it is with the gift of salvation Jesus paid the price; DEATH on a cruel cross. All you and I have to do is reach out and except what He has already done on our behalf. The choice is ours we can make the choice to except or we can make the choice to reject whichever one we make God will honor. Which do you think would be the best choice? Remember we are talking about eternity and the power of a choice. I don’t know if you have or will make the choice I made; I believe it was the best choice, I chose Jesus!
1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1Jn 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us. He has left the choice up to each of us!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Teaching the Trainable
For a few years now I have been keeping a spiritual journal from the book of Proverbs. The book of Proverbs is a book of wisdom and I thought if I wanted to be wiser then it wouldn’t hurt if I study in a book that would do such a thing. I want to share with you today from my journal how that God years before you and I were born has clearly written and given us instructions to help us in our time years before our time. We live in a day that is filled with sex as it paints a picture of satisfaction. Ads on TV are filled with sex as they promote a product, magazines and their glossy pictures fill the checkout lines. Bill boards with their almost revealing eye catching ads, restaurants which have a catchy sexy ring by their name; I am sure you have a clear understanding of what I am talking about. What does the Bible have to say about such things and how are you and I to act with so much in view? In Proverbs six we are told
Proverbs 6:20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: (The law - The word of God, which thy parents delivered to thee.) Could this possibly mean that we as the parents are to teach our children from God’s Word how to be over comers of such? I believe that is exactly what we are to do. Read the next verse
Proverbs 6:21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, (fasten them on your heart forever) and tie them about thy neck. What is the reason for that?
Proverbs 6:22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. First these commandments, the Biblical teaching of our parents should be in our heart so that they are leading us when we go; when we are a sleep they will keep us. Could this mean a clear conscious? When we are awake our heart will speak to us so that we might not be trapped by the dangers that are out there. Then we can teach our children; remember we can’t teach what we don’t know ourselves. This is the way the Apostle Paul taught
Philippians 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Practice what you've learned and received from me, what you heard and saw me do. In Chapters 7 we are warned again how to keep from the oncoming dangers that we will face. Don’t you just love the way it starts off “My son.”
Proverbs 7:1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee
Proverbs 7:2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Here is why it is so important to teach as well as to learn because the test is coming.
Proverbs 7:9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
Proverbs 7:10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. This woman has an ulterior motive she will use her beauty and her body to catch you off guard that is why we are warned to keep the commandments and live.
Proverbs 7:13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
Proverbs 7:14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
Proverbs 7:15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. She put the bait out and he takes it without ever allowing Gods Word to make an expression on what he is about to do; he listened to the wrong voice and followed it. It’s all fun until it’s over and the horror of what was done sets in and there is no undoing it. That is why we are told to keep the commandment and live and the law as the apple of our eye because she is coming dressed as a prostitute revealing things we shouldn’t be looking at and her talk will be so convincing if we look and listen we will lose.
Proverbs 7:25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
Proverbs 7:26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. It’s not by your power it’s by His power. This works both ways with females just as it does with males remember we are in a war and we best be prepared to stand our ground. Without the power of the Gospel I will become weak just as Samson did and I too when it’s over will stand without the power of God. Oh may that day be far from me is my prayer.
Proverbs 6:20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: (The law - The word of God, which thy parents delivered to thee.) Could this possibly mean that we as the parents are to teach our children from God’s Word how to be over comers of such? I believe that is exactly what we are to do. Read the next verse
Proverbs 6:21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, (fasten them on your heart forever) and tie them about thy neck. What is the reason for that?
Proverbs 6:22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. First these commandments, the Biblical teaching of our parents should be in our heart so that they are leading us when we go; when we are a sleep they will keep us. Could this mean a clear conscious? When we are awake our heart will speak to us so that we might not be trapped by the dangers that are out there. Then we can teach our children; remember we can’t teach what we don’t know ourselves. This is the way the Apostle Paul taught
Philippians 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Practice what you've learned and received from me, what you heard and saw me do. In Chapters 7 we are warned again how to keep from the oncoming dangers that we will face. Don’t you just love the way it starts off “My son.”
Proverbs 7:1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee
Proverbs 7:2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Here is why it is so important to teach as well as to learn because the test is coming.
Proverbs 7:9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
Proverbs 7:10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. This woman has an ulterior motive she will use her beauty and her body to catch you off guard that is why we are warned to keep the commandments and live.
Proverbs 7:13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
Proverbs 7:14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
Proverbs 7:15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. She put the bait out and he takes it without ever allowing Gods Word to make an expression on what he is about to do; he listened to the wrong voice and followed it. It’s all fun until it’s over and the horror of what was done sets in and there is no undoing it. That is why we are told to keep the commandment and live and the law as the apple of our eye because she is coming dressed as a prostitute revealing things we shouldn’t be looking at and her talk will be so convincing if we look and listen we will lose.
Proverbs 7:25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
Proverbs 7:26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. It’s not by your power it’s by His power. This works both ways with females just as it does with males remember we are in a war and we best be prepared to stand our ground. Without the power of the Gospel I will become weak just as Samson did and I too when it’s over will stand without the power of God. Oh may that day be far from me is my prayer.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Caged
A man called home to talk to his wife; and got a serenade. It was not from her; it was from a canary. They had just gotten the canary a couple weeks before, and man, did he sing up a storm! The whole time he was talking on the phone to his wife, the Yellow Bird Symphony was going on in the background. It was hard to hear that canary sing and stay gloomy for long! Every night they would put this cloth over the cage and all the singing stopped. The next morning, when they went into the living room, there was not a sound coming from under that cloth. Had something happened to him? No. As soon as that cover came off, the canary started jumping all over the cage and singing his wake-up song.
Each day in the life of that canary, it's as if life begins when the cover comes off the cage. In a way, it's like that for you and I. Your cage might be your painful memories, a broken heart or a broken dream. Maybe you're caged in by an addiction or a habit, or some anger that's eating you up on the inside. For some of us, it's depression, maybe even suicidal thoughts. That's the stuff that's held us in. There's a cover on that cage, whatever it is. It's dark in there, and maybe there's nothing to sing about.
There's some good news for you from the Word of God, Psalms 40:1 King David said, “I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God:" Now David's imagery is a little different, but in canary terms, the cover came off his dark cage and gave him a reason to sing!
The same Lord, who did that for King David years ago, wants to do that for you right now. In fact, that is exactly why Jesus Christ came. He said, Luke 14:1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Just like the little bird in the dark world that he cannot change, until someone bigger and more powerful comes along to remove the cover and release him from the darkness.
The Savior came to do that for you. He literally came to die for our darkness and our sin; to remove the death sentence that you and I have on our head because of our sin. And when you tell Jesus you are trusting Him completely for a relationship with God, the cover comes off! All the guilt; all the shame of the past is forgiven. So many people have said right after they've trusted Christ, "I feel like a hundred pounds has just been lifted off my shoulders." And the pain is suddenly lightened because God Himself has picked it up, the dark feelings and the power that may have kept that canary had no choice about when the cover came off his cage, but we do. The release from darkness comes when you open your heart to Jesus Christ; which could be this very day. If you're tired of the darkness, if you're ready to let Jesus come into your heart, let me encourage you to tell Him that today, "Jesus, I will run my life no more; you will from now on. I was made by you. I was made for you. You gave your life for my sin. I am yours."
Each day in the life of that canary, it's as if life begins when the cover comes off the cage. In a way, it's like that for you and I. Your cage might be your painful memories, a broken heart or a broken dream. Maybe you're caged in by an addiction or a habit, or some anger that's eating you up on the inside. For some of us, it's depression, maybe even suicidal thoughts. That's the stuff that's held us in. There's a cover on that cage, whatever it is. It's dark in there, and maybe there's nothing to sing about.
There's some good news for you from the Word of God, Psalms 40:1 King David said, “I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God:" Now David's imagery is a little different, but in canary terms, the cover came off his dark cage and gave him a reason to sing!
The same Lord, who did that for King David years ago, wants to do that for you right now. In fact, that is exactly why Jesus Christ came. He said, Luke 14:1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Just like the little bird in the dark world that he cannot change, until someone bigger and more powerful comes along to remove the cover and release him from the darkness.
The Savior came to do that for you. He literally came to die for our darkness and our sin; to remove the death sentence that you and I have on our head because of our sin. And when you tell Jesus you are trusting Him completely for a relationship with God, the cover comes off! All the guilt; all the shame of the past is forgiven. So many people have said right after they've trusted Christ, "I feel like a hundred pounds has just been lifted off my shoulders." And the pain is suddenly lightened because God Himself has picked it up, the dark feelings and the power that may have kept that canary had no choice about when the cover came off his cage, but we do. The release from darkness comes when you open your heart to Jesus Christ; which could be this very day. If you're tired of the darkness, if you're ready to let Jesus come into your heart, let me encourage you to tell Him that today, "Jesus, I will run my life no more; you will from now on. I was made by you. I was made for you. You gave your life for my sin. I am yours."
Monday, October 11, 2010
911
The 911 call came in; a person is in distress and is in need of desperate help. Some EMT employees jump into a vehicle and head for the address that was given them by another person. As they arrive at the address they rush to the person in need and began to administer oxygen and an IV is placed into their arm. Another runs with a board so that the one who was in need could be properly placed onto it so that there will be no further damage. They are all dressed in a uniform that they keep clean but they are not in the uniform business yet they all have one on. They drive a box type truck but they are not in the trucking busy. They use oxygen and medical instruments and supplies but they are not in the selling or supplying of medical equipment. They are in the life saving business and although they use all the other things their main goal is the saving of lives. This last Friday night a group of men and women came together to ask God to bless a Thrift Store that would be opening up the next morning. As the President of the corporation stood before that crowd of people he made this statement “I want you to know tonight that we are not in the Thrift Store business but we are in the life changing, people restoring and reaching souls for Jesus Christ business.” “The Thrift Store is a vehicle that will be used to open two separate homes that will house men and one that will house women who cannot get off Drugs and or Alcohol.” There they will be placed in a program that will teach them how to overcome their strongholds through the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You might say “Oh no there is no overcoming those strongholds. If not then what are we being taught in 2Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; (the old way of living has disappeared) behold, all things are become new. (A new way of living has come into existence.) You see there will be a Thrift Store but like the EMT’s that rode in a box truck looking vehicle our main goal is not the Thrift Store but only the vehicle to get us to the place where we can help those who are in desperate need of help. The name of the Store is The Scarlet Thread Thrift Store under the leadership of the Scarlet Thread Ministries in Loganville Georgia which is out of the Leadership of Victory Baptist Church where Pastor Derik Lawrence is the Pastor. We thank you for your Prayers, your Purchases as well as your Donations which in return will change the lives of so many who without your prayers and help would never know real Victory. Why do we need such a place in this area? Here are just a few of the reasons.
23 Million Americans Battle with Addictions every day and lose
2 Million people will begin abusing prescription drugs this year
10 % of America’s youth abuse drugs on a Regular basis
30% of youth under 21 have used alcohol in the last year
31% of Fundamental Pastors admit to viewing internet pornography in the last year
69% of Christian school students forsake their faith after graduation
These numbers are overwhelming and it’s time to step up to the plate and do something!
Our life will soon be gone and part of the poem written by C. T. Studd rings in my head.
“Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
As we begin this week let us be thankful for the help others have given to us so that we might know real freedom.
23 Million Americans Battle with Addictions every day and lose
2 Million people will begin abusing prescription drugs this year
10 % of America’s youth abuse drugs on a Regular basis
30% of youth under 21 have used alcohol in the last year
31% of Fundamental Pastors admit to viewing internet pornography in the last year
69% of Christian school students forsake their faith after graduation
These numbers are overwhelming and it’s time to step up to the plate and do something!
Our life will soon be gone and part of the poem written by C. T. Studd rings in my head.
“Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
As we begin this week let us be thankful for the help others have given to us so that we might know real freedom.
Friday, October 8, 2010
On August 25, 2001, at 6:45 pm nine people boarded a twin engine Cessna 402B to travel to an airport in Florida. Something went terribly wrong as the Cessna took off and crashed 200 feet from the runway killing all nine that were aboard. What happened? The pilot was not approved to pilot the plane he was attempting to fly. After an autopsy was performed it revealed there were traces of cocaine and alcohol in the pilots system. Further investigations determined the plane was over its total gross weight by 700 pounds and was loaded with one more passenger than it was allowed to carry. Overload caused serious damage in this case it cost the lives of 9 people. Too much baggage can cause a plane to crash. It can make a person crash, too. When a person is carrying around a lot of emotional and spiritual baggage, it can really weigh you down and make it very hard for you to fly or reach your destination. The day that you and I are living in, a lot of people are carrying around a lot of baggage. Could that be what's holding a lot of us back and even making us crash sometimes? Maybe we are carrying around baggage like holding a grudge or maybe it’s hard feelings that we are harboring. Could it be resentment that we've allowed to grow instead of letting it go? We may have let the "sun go down on our anger" too many times, and the weight of our bitterness is darkening everything around us. A chip on our shoulder starts out weighing a little, but it ends up weighing a lot. The release of forgiving, of making a new beginning with that person is really the only way you can keep from crashing. It could only take a few words of apology; I’m sorry, will you please forgive me. Are we choosing to carry yesterday's pain into this new today? Paul said it this way
Philippians 3:13 ……. one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. It's time to take an honest look at how much baggage we've been carrying around all of which Jesus has said He would carry for us. That baggage has made us negative, stressed, angry, way too sensitive it's weighing us down and it's keeping us from flying. You don't need to be overloaded like this. Unload that baggage before it makes you crash.
1Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Life is too short to be overloaded make life lighter unload that baggage. See you Monday and have a great weekend unload and relax.
Philippians 3:13 ……. one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. It's time to take an honest look at how much baggage we've been carrying around all of which Jesus has said He would carry for us. That baggage has made us negative, stressed, angry, way too sensitive it's weighing us down and it's keeping us from flying. You don't need to be overloaded like this. Unload that baggage before it makes you crash.
1Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Life is too short to be overloaded make life lighter unload that baggage. See you Monday and have a great weekend unload and relax.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Spanking or Beating
Have you ever read in the book of Proverbs these verses
Proverbs 13: 24 He that spareth (withholds) his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth (disciplines) him betimes. (diligently)
Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive (remove) it far from him.
Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself (gets his own way) bringeth his mother to shame. I think that these were some of my Dad’s favorite verses and he used them regularly on his three sons. Today they tell us that this kind of discipline is out of date and should no longer be used. I am glad my Dad used his belt, rod, switch or anything else he could get his hands on at the time for if he had not I might be in a prison cell somewhere today. Ok Solomon you didn’t know what you were talking about. Have you ever been to PTA meeting and a Mom brags about their child? Did it sound like this “Yeah, my Suzy dropped out of tenth grade this year and is working two jobs to support her drug habit. We’re so proud of her.” Or, “Our son refused our help and our advice. He has since left home and lives at the Rescue Mission. He panhandles in the parking lot of the mall and at the corner of a nearby highway. We’re so thrilled at what he’s doing with his life.”
Read it again
Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: Spanking a child teaches them to hit other children. NO, they already know how to hit other children whether we spank them or not. Out of all the spankings I received I can never remember once challenging a kid to a spanking. I never said, “Hey, meet me after school because I am going to give you a spanking. That never crossed my mind and when we met it wasn’t with a belt or switch. Oh no, we used our bare hands and the blood flew, mostly mine. You may have struggled with these Proverbs because you came from a home where discipline was nothing more than physical abuse; where hate and anger spilled over and spankings became beatings. There is a vast difference between a beating and a spanking. My Dad never abused his privileges to discipline and the spankings never became beatings. Does misbehavior reflect a child or even an adult’s heart?
Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Too often we get so sidetracked with behavior and think that if we can just get them to stop misbehaving we will have succeeded. A change in behavior doesn’t necessarily stem from a change in heart. The problem is in the heart and it causes the behavior.
Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; "Remember that children are born with a decided bias toward evil, and therefore if you let them choose for themselves, they are certain to choose wrong. The mother cannot tell what her tender infant may grow up to be—tall or short, weak or strong, wise or foolish—all is uncertain. There is one thing the mother can say with certainty—he will have a corrupt and sinful heart! It is natural for us to do wrong. Our hearts are like the earth on which we tread—let it alone, and it is sure to bear weeds!" (J. C. Ryle)
Psalms 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Use wisdom not anger. When that person flies off the handle today in anger at you just remember it is an outward expression of what is going on in their heart. Be careful how you respond.
Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
Proverbs 15:2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
Proverbs 13: 24 He that spareth (withholds) his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth (disciplines) him betimes. (diligently)
Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive (remove) it far from him.
Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself (gets his own way) bringeth his mother to shame. I think that these were some of my Dad’s favorite verses and he used them regularly on his three sons. Today they tell us that this kind of discipline is out of date and should no longer be used. I am glad my Dad used his belt, rod, switch or anything else he could get his hands on at the time for if he had not I might be in a prison cell somewhere today. Ok Solomon you didn’t know what you were talking about. Have you ever been to PTA meeting and a Mom brags about their child? Did it sound like this “Yeah, my Suzy dropped out of tenth grade this year and is working two jobs to support her drug habit. We’re so proud of her.” Or, “Our son refused our help and our advice. He has since left home and lives at the Rescue Mission. He panhandles in the parking lot of the mall and at the corner of a nearby highway. We’re so thrilled at what he’s doing with his life.”
Read it again
Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: Spanking a child teaches them to hit other children. NO, they already know how to hit other children whether we spank them or not. Out of all the spankings I received I can never remember once challenging a kid to a spanking. I never said, “Hey, meet me after school because I am going to give you a spanking. That never crossed my mind and when we met it wasn’t with a belt or switch. Oh no, we used our bare hands and the blood flew, mostly mine. You may have struggled with these Proverbs because you came from a home where discipline was nothing more than physical abuse; where hate and anger spilled over and spankings became beatings. There is a vast difference between a beating and a spanking. My Dad never abused his privileges to discipline and the spankings never became beatings. Does misbehavior reflect a child or even an adult’s heart?
Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Too often we get so sidetracked with behavior and think that if we can just get them to stop misbehaving we will have succeeded. A change in behavior doesn’t necessarily stem from a change in heart. The problem is in the heart and it causes the behavior.
Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; "Remember that children are born with a decided bias toward evil, and therefore if you let them choose for themselves, they are certain to choose wrong. The mother cannot tell what her tender infant may grow up to be—tall or short, weak or strong, wise or foolish—all is uncertain. There is one thing the mother can say with certainty—he will have a corrupt and sinful heart! It is natural for us to do wrong. Our hearts are like the earth on which we tread—let it alone, and it is sure to bear weeds!" (J. C. Ryle)
Psalms 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Use wisdom not anger. When that person flies off the handle today in anger at you just remember it is an outward expression of what is going on in their heart. Be careful how you respond.
Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
Proverbs 15:2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Having Problems yet Caring On!
As you can see I am having some problems with the way the blog is now appearing. I have been trying to figure out what I have done but at this time have not been successful. Please bear with me until I can get it back on track. I will continue with the blog in the fashion you have seen it for the last two days. If you can help me let me know. I was sending the blog out from word which gave me the colors but I did something to change that and for the life of me I don't know what I have done. It may be just me and you the read may not even care. Thanks so much for taking the time to read my thoughts and the encouraging words you each send from time to time.
Pursuit
So far Solomon you have taken us to nature and you shared with us about hearing and seeing and they too brought you no satisfaction. Now what are you going to experience? Sensuality! And you think that will bring you satisfaction? Go ahead but remember Solomon that too is under the sun and it’s not going to bring you satisfaction as you will soon tell us. Let’s look first at three things Solomon didn’t do in his pursuit of sensuality.
#1- He didn’t seek counsel from an older man about the dangers. He instead plunged in with both feet. It is always wise to seek counsel of older men they have experienced and seen the results of such actions. Could it be that many times we don’t want to hear what they might have to say because we are so bent on doing it our way?
#2- He didn’t check into the historical record of how his father endured the consequences of his sensuality. Surly he had to have known something about what his father had done. He may have thought; things are now different.That’s what I was thinking when my Dad would tell me about things to watch out for. My thinking was what could he possibly know, doesn’t he know things are different now for I am living in the Now Generation. But you know what he did know and he was right about what he said, but sad to say I had to learn for myself.
#3- He didn’t ask God for advice and seek divine counsel. You know what he did? He talked to himself
Ecclesiastes 2:1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove (test) thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. When you and I discuss things that we know are wrong with our selves that should be a sure give away they are wrong. I would say that should be a good enough sign we shouldn’t be doing them. Solomon didn’t want to hear what God had to say for he was set on fulfilling his sensual desires. But Solomon gave us his evaluation quickly It was just another empty experience! But we in American think of it a bit different for this type of life style is promoted in books magazines movie and songs. Therefore we are left to discover the dissatisfying results that that Erotic sensuality deceives us. We would be wise to listen to Solomon the wisest and richest man that ever lived is telling us the truth about illicit sex, alcohol, drugs, the occult, an all the things that appeal to our erotic desires. Hear the truth or you’ll believe a lie. Everything that feels good is not good for us. Examples; ever have poison Ivey on your body? Didn’t if feel good to scratch it? But was that good for you? NO! For that caused it to become worse. Solomon is miserable, nothing has brought satisfaction; what’s next Solomon
Ecclesiastes 2:2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? Off on another tangent Solomon decides to laugh; let’s hear the one liners and the comedians. Solomon paid good money, to bring on the fun. Surely that will bring him satisfaction but once again he finds it doesn’t. Are you getting the picture? The things in this life are only temporal and their enjoyments are short lived. The Bible doesn’t tell us there is not enjoyment in sin it tells us that it’s only for a season.
Hebrews 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; I hope our desires are higher than that.
#1- He didn’t seek counsel from an older man about the dangers. He instead plunged in with both feet. It is always wise to seek counsel of older men they have experienced and seen the results of such actions. Could it be that many times we don’t want to hear what they might have to say because we are so bent on doing it our way?
#2- He didn’t check into the historical record of how his father endured the consequences of his sensuality. Surly he had to have known something about what his father had done. He may have thought; things are now different.That’s what I was thinking when my Dad would tell me about things to watch out for. My thinking was what could he possibly know, doesn’t he know things are different now for I am living in the Now Generation. But you know what he did know and he was right about what he said, but sad to say I had to learn for myself.
#3- He didn’t ask God for advice and seek divine counsel. You know what he did? He talked to himself
Ecclesiastes 2:1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove (test) thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. When you and I discuss things that we know are wrong with our selves that should be a sure give away they are wrong. I would say that should be a good enough sign we shouldn’t be doing them. Solomon didn’t want to hear what God had to say for he was set on fulfilling his sensual desires. But Solomon gave us his evaluation quickly It was just another empty experience! But we in American think of it a bit different for this type of life style is promoted in books magazines movie and songs. Therefore we are left to discover the dissatisfying results that that Erotic sensuality deceives us. We would be wise to listen to Solomon the wisest and richest man that ever lived is telling us the truth about illicit sex, alcohol, drugs, the occult, an all the things that appeal to our erotic desires. Hear the truth or you’ll believe a lie. Everything that feels good is not good for us. Examples; ever have poison Ivey on your body? Didn’t if feel good to scratch it? But was that good for you? NO! For that caused it to become worse. Solomon is miserable, nothing has brought satisfaction; what’s next Solomon
Ecclesiastes 2:2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? Off on another tangent Solomon decides to laugh; let’s hear the one liners and the comedians. Solomon paid good money, to bring on the fun. Surely that will bring him satisfaction but once again he finds it doesn’t. Are you getting the picture? The things in this life are only temporal and their enjoyments are short lived. The Bible doesn’t tell us there is not enjoyment in sin it tells us that it’s only for a season.
Hebrews 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; I hope our desires are higher than that.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
News Flash
OK Solomon you haven’t said anything positive it’s all been questions. Questions about the Way of the Sun and the Wind and the Water tell us now about the eye and the ear.
Ecclesiastes 1:8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
The eyes can never see enough to satisfy and the ear can never be satisfied; there is always just one more bit of gossip it must hear. Have you paid any attention to audio sound systems lately? Ever heard any Boom! Boom! Boom! They are all over our city a rolling sound system that shakes the windows in your car while sitting at a red light. If you were to ask that person if they were satisfied with what they had I assure you the answer would be No I’m really not and the reason is there will be something better out there for them to have and hear. NEWS FLASH!!!!! Nothing is out there new and if there was and you were to find it; it still wouldn’t satisfy.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
We don’t have Solomon’s money or his brains so we couldn't go to the depths he did but we can learn from those who have been there. That is what Solomon tells us in
Proverbs 1:3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
Proverbs 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Did you happen to see the word perceive? It means to have knowledge to perceive light or color; to perceive the cold or ice or the taste of honey. To know; to understand; to observe. Till we ourselves see it with our own eyes, and perceive it by our own understanding, we are in the dark. Solomon says you are a fool if you give yourself to booze. If you think an affair is going to satisfy then listen to me; I have had every possible affair you can have, and I can tell you before you get involved, it’s not going to make you happy. If you think high-powered business or money or a great athletic achievement, you’ll one day wonder why you thought it was such a big deal.
When you and I remove Jesus Christ from the center of our intellectual pursuit we’re headed for disaster. Solomon had everything. He explored every visible realm of stimulation and he still found no satisfaction. He reminds us 27 times in his journal using the phrase “under the sun?” If a man who had everything, investigated everything visible, then the one thing needed must be invisible. Few people really hear the inaudible and see the invisible. An Indian was walking in downtown New York City with a friend who lived in the city. The Indian grabs his friends arm and said “Wait. I hear a cricket. His friend said no way it’s impossible with all the noise that’s in the city. Horns honking, people screaming, cash registers clanging, subways roaring, it’s impossible. No! The Indian walked to the end of the block went across the street and in a large cement planter where a tree was growing he found a cricket. His friend said how in the world did you hear that cricket? He said my ears are different from yours. It simply depends on what you’re listening to. Here let me show you. The Indian reached into his pocket pulled out a handful of change, held it waste high and dropped it to the sidewalk. Every head within a block turned around and looked in their direction. It all depends on what you are listening for. Could the problem be we don’t have enough crickets in our head? The only way to find real satisfaction is to believe the Invisible and trusting the Inaudible! That would be Jesus Christ.
Ecclesiastes 1:8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
The eyes can never see enough to satisfy and the ear can never be satisfied; there is always just one more bit of gossip it must hear. Have you paid any attention to audio sound systems lately? Ever heard any Boom! Boom! Boom! They are all over our city a rolling sound system that shakes the windows in your car while sitting at a red light. If you were to ask that person if they were satisfied with what they had I assure you the answer would be No I’m really not and the reason is there will be something better out there for them to have and hear. NEWS FLASH!!!!! Nothing is out there new and if there was and you were to find it; it still wouldn’t satisfy.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
We don’t have Solomon’s money or his brains so we couldn't go to the depths he did but we can learn from those who have been there. That is what Solomon tells us in
Proverbs 1:3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
Proverbs 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Did you happen to see the word perceive? It means to have knowledge to perceive light or color; to perceive the cold or ice or the taste of honey. To know; to understand; to observe. Till we ourselves see it with our own eyes, and perceive it by our own understanding, we are in the dark. Solomon says you are a fool if you give yourself to booze. If you think an affair is going to satisfy then listen to me; I have had every possible affair you can have, and I can tell you before you get involved, it’s not going to make you happy. If you think high-powered business or money or a great athletic achievement, you’ll one day wonder why you thought it was such a big deal.
When you and I remove Jesus Christ from the center of our intellectual pursuit we’re headed for disaster. Solomon had everything. He explored every visible realm of stimulation and he still found no satisfaction. He reminds us 27 times in his journal using the phrase “under the sun?” If a man who had everything, investigated everything visible, then the one thing needed must be invisible. Few people really hear the inaudible and see the invisible. An Indian was walking in downtown New York City with a friend who lived in the city. The Indian grabs his friends arm and said “Wait. I hear a cricket. His friend said no way it’s impossible with all the noise that’s in the city. Horns honking, people screaming, cash registers clanging, subways roaring, it’s impossible. No! The Indian walked to the end of the block went across the street and in a large cement planter where a tree was growing he found a cricket. His friend said how in the world did you hear that cricket? He said my ears are different from yours. It simply depends on what you’re listening to. Here let me show you. The Indian reached into his pocket pulled out a handful of change, held it waste high and dropped it to the sidewalk. Every head within a block turned around and looked in their direction. It all depends on what you are listening for. Could the problem be we don’t have enough crickets in our head? The only way to find real satisfaction is to believe the Invisible and trusting the Inaudible! That would be Jesus Christ.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Zero Satisfaction
A week in the windy city; Chicago! The weather! Wonderful! and a great conference too. Up before daylight, in bed about midnight I am glad to be home and back writing my blog. Let's start the week off by chasing the wind. Many years ago there lived a king who decided he would write in a journal what he had discovered about life. David, his father, left him a large estate. David had fought the battles and now his son Solomon had enjoyed peace for 40 years. Solomon ruled four decades over a nation that was free of war. Could this be the reason he could finance his pursuits to discover life.
Ecclesiastes 1:3
What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? The key word is "profit" We might say it like this "When it is all said and done, when you turn the light out at the end of life, when you finally close the door to your business and retire, when you walk away from the fresh grave of someone you loved, when it's curtains, the final profit is reduced to zero satisfaction.
Solomon gives us some Examples of Uselessness: Life under the Sun,
Ecclesiastes 1:4
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. There are a group of people born this day and another group of people who will die the same day. Winsome People will die, "tough people will die and gifted, talented and entertaining people will die. People who make us laugh, make us think, make us gain courage to go on will die.
Solomon
Ecclesiastes 1:5
The sun also ariseth and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. That's life under the sun but Jeremiah saw something much different.
Jeremiah
Lamentations 3:22
It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Lamentations 3:23
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Why the difference in these two men. Solomon is looking at everything under the Sun not beyond it. His earthly pursuit is under the sun and therefore there has no meaning in this life.
The wind in verse 6; you see the wind today and tomorrow it will still be there, still swirling, still moving it a repetitive things.
The Rivers in
Ecclesiastes 1:7
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. Is that how you feel life to be Monotonous; like your life is one boring cycle? If that is the way you fell maybe your life is under the sun.
Solomon sums it up in
Ecclesiastes 1:8
All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. It is strange that he uses the eye and the ear. The eyes can never see enough to satisfy and the ear can never be satisfied. On tomorrow I will go deeper into the hearing ear and the Seeing Eye. How have you faced this day yourself? Are you looking at it as being under the sun or are you like Jeremiah God is faithful and His blessing are new every morning. How is your morning going?
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