Defeat

Defeat, Webster says it means  Overthrow; loss of battle; destruction of an army by the victory of an enemy. I am sure we have all experienced a defeat in our live. We were defeated by a better team; we may have blamed our defeat on the bad calls from the umpires but none the less we were defeated. The part “destruction by the victory of an enemy” caught my attention because you and I face an enemy every day that wants to defeat us.  I am sure you are like me; we  don’t get up in the mornings and say to ourselves; I must plan ways so that I can be defeated today.” No, there’s an enemy that is going to try to defeat me and I must be on guard against their tactics.  There was a young lady by the name of Bethany Hamilton who by the time she was 13 years old was considered a surfing protégé. Her thoughts of becoming a professional surfer was in her reach and her plans were, go for it.  One day in 2003 without warning, she felt a tug on her left arm and in a split second she realized that she’d been attacked by a shark. A 14 foot tiger shark had bitten clean through her board, taking her left arm in a single bite. At age 14 her future had been bright but her dreams of becoming a professional surfer were now gone up in smoke; but wait! What’s this I see an ESPN award for her in 2004? An award for the Best Comback Athlete of the year! Bethany had the ability to overcome her physical and mental challenges by leaning on support from her friends; they kept telling her she could. Her family; they loved her and told her that her dreams were not hopeless. By her faith in God for she believed in what the Lord could do for her and in her.

Mark 9:23  Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Remember today there is an enemy that wants to see you defeated but there is one who wants and is willing to help each of us to overcome the enemy. Help us even with the defeat so that we too may have Victory in our lives.  Be careful and watchful for the enemy wants to see you defeated.

Matthew 13:25  But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

Matthew 13:39  The enemy that sowed them is the devil;

Revelation 12:11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Have a blessed week.

Invisible not Audible

It seems crazy as I was thinking the other day. What if someone told you that they had seen something that was invisible and heard something that was not audible? The first impression would be there is no way, and logically that would be right. But it’s not; we don’t see electricity but it’s there! If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around it will still make a sound but we will not hear it. Men and women have given their lives for what was invisible and not audible yet they saw it and heard it. I know up to this point I have not made much sense. Let me explain;

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Here we see evidence of something that’s not seen 

 Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Here it is seeing something that is seen but made of things which do not appear.

Hebrews 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.Here seeing him who is invisible

 Polycarp was a second century Bishop of Smyrna he died a martyr  when he was stabbed after an attempt to burn him at the stake failed. Polycarp was asked to deny Christ and they would set him free. Listen to what he told them; "Eighty and six years have I served him, and he never once wronged me; how then shall I blaspheme my King, Who hath saved me?" At the stake to which he was only tied,  for he assured them he should stand immovable, the flames encircled his body, like an arch, without touching him; and the executioner, on seeing this, was ordered to pierce him with a sword, when so great a quantity of blood flowed out as extinguished the fire. Polycarp saw someone who was invisible to all those around him but to him He was clearly seen. I guess its true men and women are willing to suffer for what is invisible and not audible. Let me ask you, have you heard Him or seen Him today.

Matthew 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Matthew 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Matthew 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

Matthew 25:38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Matthew 25:39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

Matthew 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 

Will you be looking for someone this weekend you can see or invisible? Have a great weekend.

Appetite

The man who first climbed Mt. Everest said his reason for risking it was simply "because it was there." It was the second week in January and my daughter called and said her and the grand kids were going snowboarding. Now snowboarding to them was a garbage pale lid, some plastic garbage bags and a plastic float you use in a swimming pool. They came and picked me up and off we went.  My mind said you are too old, what if you break something, just stay home; but the kid in me said go for it, get out of the house and have some fun. So I did go for it. It was fun we were all sliding down this small hill and I must say the garbage pail lid was the fastest. My granddaughter said I think I will slide down that hill as she pointed to it and off she went. It was some more steep hill but she went down it. Then everyone else head toward that hill and began to go down it. Then the question was asked, did I want to take the garbage lid and slide down. I guess I said yes because the next thing I know my grandchildren are helping up the hill. When kids have to help you up a hill that should be an enough to tell you that you shouldn't be doing that. Once at the top I looked down; why does it always look higher standing at the top looking down than standing at the bottom looking up? I got in the lid and then was pushed and off I went traveling at the speed of 50 to 80 miles per hour; or that’s the way it seemed at the time. As I was traveling down the hill my mind said to me “what are you doing and what in the world were you thinking” to which I could only answer “I don’t know why I am doing this and I didn’t give it any thought what so ever.” I had a great time with my grandchildren and we all came home in one piece. Sometimes you and I do things just because they are there. We may be tempted to do wrong; sliding down a hill on a garbage pail lid wasn’t wrong but at the same time I was tempted. You see I had an appetite that day to slide on the snow, but we all have an appetite for something wrong. As Steve Curington said “before you did it you thunk it” and how true that is and the reason we thunk it was because we had an appetite for it. 

James 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

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

We all have appetites for different things and those appetites if not controlled will led into sin that will hinder our relationship with our heavenly Father. Did you read that verse closely?  Drawn away of HIS OWN LUST not someone else’s but your very own and we all have different appetites.  Be careful out there today and don’t let your appetite get out of control. 

Empty Chair

Temporary life or eternal life! Temporary life Jamess 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. Eternal life 1John 5:11  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. John 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Did we just read that word “know?” I thought so! There are a lot of people that you and I may know and there are people that know you and I that we can’t remember ever seeing. I passed a young lady the other day and she knew my name and said hi but for the likes of me I cannot place her; that has happened to me more than once. The word “know” is a very interesting word which means To perceive with certainty; to understand clearly; to have a clear and certain perception of truth, fact, or any thing that actually exists. To be informed of; To distinguish; To recognize; To be no stranger to; When we are told that we can know the only true God and Jesus Christ what are we being told? To know means we will be able to have a clear and certain perception of and can be informed as well as be able to distinguish and recognize Gods presence in our lives? I read something that I want you to read that may help us understand a little clearer. A Godly old man whose days were coming to an end had a visit from a priest. The priest noticed an empty chair beside the man's bed. He asked, "Have you had a visitor?" The man replied, "No, I haven't had a visitor. But when I became a Christian as a youth, someone told me that praying was like talking to your very best friend. When I heard that, I decided to pull up an empty chair beside me every day and invite Christ to sit and talk with me.  I just finished my conversation with the Lord." After the man passed away, his daughter wrote of her visit to the hospital room. She said of her father: "He seemed content, so I left him for a few hours. When I returned, I knew that he had gone to be with the Lord. The interesting thing was that his head was not resting on his pillow. His body had turned and his head was resting on the seat of an empty chair that had been pulled up close to his bed." I guess the man decided to lay his head in the lap of the one he knew. 1Corinthain 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Be You

Remember high school? I mean we were growing up and learning something about our identity. We may have shadowed our self in the light of someone who was called popular so we could at least say that they were friends with the who’s who.  That may have been normal in high school for I did make some bad choices in those days. Now that we are past High School do we still try to do the same thing; but in a little different way? Magazines glamorize the beautiful people so we try to look like them. We know that they have problems and most cannot stay married very long to the same partner. There was a man I once knew who was up in age who began to work out with one of those amazing gadgets that make you look like superman in just a few days. Well, this man gave it all he had and you know what? He hurt his back and was in much pain. I went by to see him to see how he was. While I was there I asked him what he had in mind,  if he thought he was young again? I then asked him if he got that build he was working toward did he plan to ride by the nursing home to impress the women that were there. We try too many times to impress others by the car we drive, the home we live in and all the toys we have. There is nothing wrong with having nice things as long as the nice things don’t have you. We must focus on who we are in God and allow Him to establish our identity.  Remember no matter how high we climb this world’s ladder, there will always be someone richer, prettier, nicer, and more talented than you. God thinks you are the greatest! 
John 3:16  For God so loved the world, (Who’s in the world? You are) that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever(That’s you)  believeth in him should not perish, (to waste away) but have everlasting life.(continuing indefinitely) You are someone special to our heavenly Father and all you have to be is yourself.

Discouragement

It’s going to be a great week or at least I hope that’s the way you’re looking at it. I want to write about being discouraged. I think we could all say that we have at one time or another  been discouraged. When we become discouraged we face life with fear instead of faith, worry instead of wonder and cowardice instead of courage. Too many times we allow the enemy to use a wedge of discouragement to drive between us and the Lord.  Vince Lombardi said “fatigue makes cowards of us all.” Physical exhaustion leaves us wide open to discouragement; discouragement leads to self pity and if we are not real careful we become defeated.  We need a cause and a purpose; we need to be motivated and just keep going. Remember a man by the name of Elijah?  In I Kings 17 and verse 1 we read And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. Do you know what? It didn’t rain for 3 ½  years. The sad thing about it is when it did rain we find Elijah running from a woman named Jezebel. In I Kings 19 and verse 2 Jezebel threatens Elijah and he runs; threats are designed only to intimidate. What did this woman named Jezebel actually do to try to kill Elijah? Nothing! She just said “I’m going to take your life.” The threat worked, threats work every time we let them.   Elijah gets discouraged, feels defeated and then feels sorry for himself and then depression sets in. Listen to the words of a depressed man  1Kings 19:3  And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth toJudah, and left his servant there. 1Kings 19:4  But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. 1Kings 19:5  And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. The first things Elijah does wrong is he gets all by himself. When you’re by yourself there is no one to say a word of encouragement.  The next thing he does is he makes a dumb request that he might die; Elijah is feeling sorry for himself.   God didn’t change Jezebel  because Jezebel wasn’t the problem the problem was with Elijah not Jezebel .  The problems in our lives sometimes are not other people but ourselves so therefore God deals with us as He did with Elijah. He used a small still voice not something big. God may use something small to help you out of your discouragement; have you been listening for something small or looking for God to come across in a big way? Listen for the small voice for the small voice may be your answer. Enjoy the week for there will never be another week like this one.

Longing For Home

Snails; some people eat them, others destroy them, and some people collect them, while others study them.  There is a snail in Cuba called the Cuban tree snail and what is interesting about this snail is that it only lives on its own tree. The Cuban tree snail, if it is removed from its tree to another similar tree; even if it’s only a few feet away will die.  This caught the eye of some scientists and believed that it must be the bark or sap so they did some experiments on the bark and sap of both trees.  What they discovered was that there was no difference whatsoever in the life of the two trees but every time they would remove a snail from one tree to another it would die so the only possible explanation is that the snail must long for home.  We sometimes forget that the God that made us wants to spend time with us and wants you and I to spend time with Him. Could that be the reason that God came to where Adam and Eve were, in the cool of the day?

Genesis 3:8  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: I know that on that day  Adam and his wife ran and hid themselves from the presence of the Lord. “Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD Godamongst the trees of the garden.”  The reason they did that was because they had disobeyed God and hiding from Him seemed like the only thing to do at the moment. I recall another time that Gods people were sad and broken hearted.

Psalms 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

Psalms 137:2  We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.

Psalms 137:3  For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying,Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

Psalms 137:4  How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?

What had happened to Gods people is that they found themselves in a strange land and once again it was because they failed to follow and listen to God. We read of a young man who left home in the book of Luke, all was well for a time but then he found himself alone away from home and in a pig pen. Back home there was a father who loved him and wanted to communicate with him. His son was in a real predicament and wished to be back at the father’s house communicating with him. That happens to many that get away from the house of God; then they stop reading their Bible and then quit praying. All is well for a time until their  teen is running with the wrong crowd and facing a court date. Trouble on every side and now down in the pig pen thinking about how it used to be and thinking what went wrong. All I can say is it’s time to drop the pail, jump the rail, hit the trail and head back to the Fathers house. Let me translate get yourself back to Church starting this Sunday and you too will be surprised just like the son who returned in Luke 15 how he was treated. It’s never too late to lift your head and sing the song that used to thrill your soul. If you keep doing the same thing you have been doing your going to keep getting the same results.  Have a great weekend and we will talk some more on Monday. 

Easy

It was 1971 and I was stationed at Altus Air Base. My wife and I had gone to  the county fair in Altus, Oklahoma. We had not been there long when I started playing one of those games that looked so easy to win. I almost won the TV set but I was out of money but this wonderful man asked me to get my mad money. Here was a smart man, I thought, he cares so much for me and sees how close I am to winning that he is wanting to help me. So I dug in and pulled that money out;  know what I got even closer to winning that TV. Now out of money again and still no prize this kind man asked me if I had any more money at home and if I did he would do what he normally doesn’t, he would hold my position, for he really wanted me to win that TV. Man, I was caught up in this; and yes, I did have more money at home. So I told him I would be right back. That is when my wonderful wife said to me “are you crazy, don’t you see what he is doing.” So we left the fairgrounds without riding the first ride or eating any cotton candy or apple. Sad to say I had wasted my money.  There is one thing I don’t want to do and that is live a wasted life for the one who loved me and gave Himself for me. We read of a young man who wasted his Substance and then we read of a rich man who wasted his goods. Luke 15:13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wastedhis substance with riotous living. Luke 16:1 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.  Are we guilty of wasteful living? Am I guilty of Wasteful Living! Have I wasted the Talents that God has given me? Have I wasted the Treasures that God has so gracefully given me? Have I wasted the Time God has given me? Powerful Questions, the answer is found in the Scriptures Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. How have I used my Treasures (substance), what have I used it for and for what reasons? My Talents have I used them? How well have I used them? And for what reasons have I used them? Then my Time, have I used it for the Lord or mostly myself? How much Time do I spend with the Lord daily? How much Time do I give the Lord so He may speak to me? When it’s all said and done will I have lived a wasteful life or one that will bring honor and glory to the Lord. You see all our work will be made manifest and shall be revealed 1Corinthians 3:13  Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. There is no escaping it, so I must know the answer is my life a wasted life or not?

He Brought Me Up

Dismissed from drama school with a note that said she was too shy to put her best foot forward and wasting her time; her name Lucille Ball. Cut from the high school basketball team, he went home locked himself in his room and cried; his name Michael Jordan. A teacher told him he was too stupid to learn anything that he should go into a field where he might succeed by his pleasant personality; his name Thomas Edison. Fired from a newspaper job because he lacked imagination and had no original ideas; his name Walt Disney. Don’t believe everything people say about you for they are not always right. Jesus was the Son of God but few believed Him. Those that beat Him, slapped Him, and spit on Him sure didn’t believe that this man was or even could be the Son of God the Savior of the World. I mean; when you saw this man Jesus He was always associating Himself with the lower class and those hurting and sick. If He was who He said He was why was He wasting His time with these people? Then if He was who He said He was why did He let them nail Him to a cross? Here is the reason   Luke 19:10  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Jesus came not to be Mr. somebody, He came to seek and to save those that were lost, and that’s how I got into the family. David said it well Psalms 40:2  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. Psalms 40:3  And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. David said He brought me up and out of a horrible pit; if you have asked the Lord to save you then the same thing has happened to you. He brought me up, He set my feet upon a rock, He established my goings. Jesus who looked as if He would fail didn’t. What did you say that someone else said about you?

Resources

Don’t know if you have ever taken a cruise or not but listen up if you haven’t don’t make the same mistake as this man. There was a man who was on his way to America and on that long Atlantic voyage he only had a few coins in his pocket. When he got hungry, he would reach into a little bag he had brought with him and eat a few dry crusts of bread and get him some water. By the time the ship docked in New York he was sick of bread and pretty hungry. That is when he found out something that he wished he had understood at the beginning. There had been 3-full meals a day and those meals had been included in his fare. Read these verses and see if you are missing out.

Ephesians 3:12  In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. (Christ)

Ephesians 3:13  Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

Ephesians 3:14  For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Ephesians 3:15  Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

Ephesians 3:16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

Ephesians 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Ephesians 3:18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

Ephesians 3:19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Did you notice all the resources that you and I have? His Wisdom for our questions, His power for our difficulties, His love for our lonely times, His peace for our troubled times. We have resources! These resources are accessed through prayer and we under live because we under pray. We focus on how big our problem is and not how big our God is. We must not wait until we reach our heavenly home to realize how we could have been living all along. 

It May Be As Simple As

We hear a lot of talk about our comfort zone; that’s a place where we fill at ease and secure.  It is easy to get trapped in the comfort zone; you have a job that seems to be secure; or at least you think it is. You have money in the bank, stock market and other places just for your retirement which looks good or at least you think it is. Your in  Church; which is a good place to worship and a place you kind of get involved. Just no real commitments  because that may tie you down and not allow you to do some things you would like too. It’s all called security or the comfort zone. What if the mother bird refused to push her babies out of the nest? What do you think would happen? As each baby gets bigger it would take up more room and the nest would become more crowded. Now the mother bird would have to enlarge the nest to take care of the growing birds. She doesn’t do that so as the baby birds grow they are pushed to the edge and then over the edge where they are forced to either fly or die. Do you know what they do? They decide to fly.  It is easy for you and I to get caught in the comfort zone. Abraham had it made in his comfort zone but had he not been willing to leave the safety and prosperity of a familiar and secure place would we read of him in our Bible? If the disciples had they stayed in their comfort zone they would have just been another bunch of fishermen. One day though they decided to abandon the security of their career for the call of Jesus. Peter would have never known what it was to walk on water if he hadn’t gotten out of the boat. Have you really ever gotten out of the boat and moved beyond all your security blankets; I am not talking about foolish thinking like taking all your money and buying lottery tickets. I’m talking about praying and asking God to lead you. Peter just didn’t jump over board Matthew 14:28  And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. Matthew 14:29  And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. You must remember when you leave the comfort zone it’s not always smooth sailing there will be problems you can rest assure.   Matthew 14:30  But when he(Peter) saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid;   That water was not the within the comfort zone and Peter may have thought to himself “What in the world have I done?”  The reason I say that is because we read that he was afraid and began to sink; have you ever tried to walk on water? If you haven’t you should try it and you will learn very quickly that you don’t begin to sink, you sink! Here is a valuable lesson we can learn; first Peter asked, and Jesus said come and Peter did. Secondly Peter began to walk on the water which tells us that Peter was not just standing around he was going somewhere; toward Jesus. Third thing is that Peter forgot where he was headed and took his eyes off Jesus and began to look around at what was going on around him. Was that not happening before he left the security of the boat? Sure it was so what changed? Peter allowed the sounds and sights around him to distract him from his goal. The same will happen to you and I if we listen to those who refuse to leave the comfort zone. They will say things like “I told you that was going to happen you should have listened to me.” “I didn’t think it would work.” Keep looking at everything going on around you and you to will begin to sink, lose hope, and lose sight. Don’t forget the answer to the sinking problem Peter didn’t  “beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. “ and what did Jesus do?  Matthew 14:31  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, When, “immediately “ I like that but that’s not all Jesus did He also had something to say to Peter. Jesus said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? What is it in your life? Are you afraid to step onto the water in fear that you will sink? It may be as simple as going to an old friend and asking them to forgive you. It’s not always packing the family up and moving to China or going to the bank to withdraw all your money and giving it to the poor. It may be using what God has already equipped you with but fear has kept you from using your God given talent. This week ask God where and when and how He wants you to get out of the boat. When He does; move toward it without the fear of what is going on around you. It’s going to be a great week; don’t you think?

Belief

It’s seems like a long time ago now but it was only about 4 or 5 years ago when my wife, myself and 3 other couples went on a cruise.  Did we ever have a blast, we were treated as royalty. You would walk up to a door and before you could blink an eye it opened for you. Life   on that cruise was wonderful; leave the room and when you returned it was clean and ready for you to mess up again. The sad thing is that it was all over too soon and now just a wonderful memory that will never be forgotten. I told you that to tell you this; as we returned home we stopped to fill up the tank with gas, while the van was being fueled I went into the store to get something and I had a most embarrassing moment. You see I had been walking up to doors and they would open; know what? This door didn’t and I hit it head on.  Just a reminder that everything in life is not automatic I think with all the conveniences sometimes we forget.  I am afraid that many have come to the conclusion that just because their mother and dad were Christian that somehow that makes them Christians too. That is not the case and then we get too busy and we start to think well when things slow down I will take the time to make sure? When I finish my degree or when I get certified, get married, have children. If we aren’t careful our life will be over. It happened to the rich farmer in Luke chapter 12 life got by him and then one night when he wasn’t expecting it he lost the most precious thing, his soul. It almost happened to a suicidal man in Acts chapter 16.

Acts 16:27  And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

Here was a man who almost took a short cut to hell; but this night would turn out to be the best night of his life when he asked one simple question. 

Acts 16: 3O  And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? So they told him

Acts 16:31  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

The message is still the same today “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” but many have gotten that word believe confused with feelings. Let me explain the word believe this way. Let’s say I put up a cable across a short point at the Grand Canyon. The length of the cable is about 10 feet from point to point, but beneath the cable was 5 miles to the bottom of the canyon. I look you in the eyes and say “do you believe that I could roll this wheel barrow across this cable. You would answer sure I believe you can do that; and then I do it. I then ask you if you believe that I could fill this wheel borrow up with rocks and roll it back? You reply sure I believe you can do that; and I do it. Then I ask you if you believe if I could put you in the wheel borrow and roll you across to which you reply NO! You can believe that there’s a heaven, you can believe that people are going there. You can believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again but you really don’t believe until you put yourself into the belief. You see had I at anytime fell off the cable and plunged to my death it would not have effected you one bit,  simply because you didn’t put trust in your belief.  Is your belief one that is in the wheel borrow or one that is on the side line?  Don’t be like the Rich Farmer and find yourself in a place you don’t want to be. Instead be like the Jailer and put your belief in the Lord Jesus. Have a great weekend and be in your place Sunday morning….Church.

What He's Done for others He will do for YOU!

 I was raised in a Christian home, but as many teenagers do I went through a rebellious time where I got involved with drugs, drinking, and the wrong friends. I ended up pregnant by a man I had only known a month, and we were married when I was only 16. I knew even then, that I didn't like living without Christ. It was just too hard. The contrast I observed in others who were believers was a strong lure.

By the time my son was a year and a half old, I knew that my downward spiral was deeply affecting not only me but this innocent child who relied on me to give him a stable future. Having the history of a family deeply rooted in their Christian faith, I was drawn to the stability and hope it offered. It took all the courage I could find to admit openly that I had failed and that I needed and wanted Christ to fill my life, and help me start new and fresh at living a forgiven and purposeful life. That is when someone told me about Reformers Unanimous. I attended my first meeting and realized that these cheerful people loved me and was willing to help me. Only after two meetings I realized that I needed Christ in my life if I was ever to be the mother God wanted me too.

It was beautiful! I had such peace that I truly had found what life is meant to be - Christ focused! I felt hope, though I couldn't explain it. The peace that passes understanding was validation of His work in my heart, and I was all too eager to live it out.

Being new in Christ and obedient to His standard left me in a position to obey the covenant of marriage even one that was yoked to an unbeliever, and full of tremendous hardship. Years went by of absolute unbearable emotional strain, made bearable only by Christ's sustaining grace that came in many ways. The stories and experiences could fill a book, and have, through my personal daily journals that attest to all that Christ did for me in helping me endure.

After my children were almost grown and on their own, my husband left us. I struggled with feeling guilty for feeling relieved that the oppression was over. Wise Christian RU counsel helped me through that time, and I ended up receiving grace in all new ways. The God of second chances has since blessed my life by bringing a wonderful Godly man into it. We've been married just over a year now, and I'm amazed at the beauty that comes in a marriage that honors God first and each other because of Him. I truly am awed at the progression of grace filling in a life that belongs to Christ. He deserves so much praise for all He does for us! It's a shame when we're too distracted by life's routine to not give it to Him fully. Thank you for the opportunity to do so here!

Captain

My dear wife, our children and myself had just left a small town in Kentucky, Lewis Port. We had just finished up a weekend of meetings and were on our way home.  Only 8-hours and we would be home. I, the captain behind the wheel was ready for the task; I thought. We stopped at the Golden Arches, I had coffee and off we went into the night. My wife asked; what I thought at the time was a dumb question, will you need me to help you drive? You, help me I thought! No was the answer, why I am captain of this ship. So she took some cold medicine and off to sleep she went. It was not long before everyone but I was a sleep. And then it happened I started hitting the little reflectors on the highway that is when I heard this voice, my wife asked are you getting sleepy? Yes, was the answer and the reply was I canʼt help you. Now we were about 50 miles into a 450 mile trip and I the captain was already losing control. The next thing I knew everyone in our little red van was asleep, and I do mean everyone! I the great captain was asleep at the wheel. Let me tell you this, it was a scary night and I did stop for the night to save us all from destruction.  

A lot of us want that control, not just of our vehicle, but of our lives. And no one's going to get our hands off the wheel of our life - including God. You've driven your life all these years, and you're not about to relinquish the wheel now. But all these years, the One who created you has been saying, "Isn't it about time you let Me drive?" And while you may have tried to keep God happy by being religious, you have stubbornly tightened your fingers around the wheel. The one who gave us life is supposed to be running our life. It may be that youʼve insisted on driving your life which leads to an important warning from God!

Pro 29:1  He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck(a person who will not bend after many warnings), shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. (broken beyond repair) Had I not stopped driving that night I nor my family would not be here today.  Who is really in control? You may say, well I am! Oh no, there is a time to be born and there is a time to die and you have not control over either. So who does?

I

We live in the day of the I; I tunes, I pads, I phones and who knows how many more I something are out there. That little letter “I” has gotten many into problems they just couldn’t get out of. I can do that when you couldn’t; I will be so and so when you could never be. Even in our Bible we read of an I guy who had a bad I problem.

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

Isaiah 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

Isaiah 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

First we read of a fall and then how the fall took place; it took place in the heart. "I will ascend" "I will exalt" "I will sit" "I will be like." You know what the outcome of those I will’s were? Here, read it for yourself  

Isaiah 14:15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

There is another kind of “I” it’s an “I can” and it’s much better; read it for yourself.

Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

The Apostle Paul didn’t say he was going to do anything but that he could do it all through Christ who would give him the strength to do it. Then again in:

Colossians 1:29  Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Are you getting the picture the Holy Spirit will give you and I the strength as we labor to do His will and He will mightily do the work in us. 

Desert

Have you ever heard someone say “I hit a dry spot”  or maybe  “I have writers block?” What are they talking about? We all have them they are called deserts. Things and people we have depended on aren’t enough or they aren’t there. We are worn out physically and emotionally, and there just isn’t a road to show us the way to go.  Stop and see what God wants to teach you. Remember how God lead His people out of Egypt away from the hand of their enemy. A wonderful victory which brought singing and praising; we read about it in Exodus chapter 15. Then God had them spend time in the Sinai wilderness and Gods people wondered around for 40 years. What was the purpose of this? We are not kept in the dark about why God allow this to happen. He tells us;  Deuteronomy 8:2  And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. Deuteronomy 8:3  And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Deuteronomy 8:4  Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. God leads you and I into the desert to humble us and bring us to a place where the Lord is all we have. It is there we learn that the Lord is all we need. Verse 3 tells us that God did humble them and He suffered them to hunger.  He then fed them with manna, something they knew nothing about, to teach them that there was more to life then eating. He wanted them to know that they didn’t live by bread alone but every word out of the mouth of God. He wanted His people to know that He was going to take care of them and that they could put trust in Him. He wanted His children to know that He had to lead them into the desert. That could be the reason we are in that dry spot or things aren’t going the way we want them too. What could the God that loves you and I want to teach us?   Deuteronomy 1:31  And in the wilderness, (the desert)  where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place. What Place is it that God wants to bring you? Everything that we think is going wrong in our lives may not be! As we go into this week think outside of the box for what you think is bad luck. Maybe God is teaching you something that will bring Him honor and glory. Its Monday let’s get going!

56 Chevrolet

Yesterday I passed a flatbed wrecker with a car sitting on the platform. I see them all the time but what caught my eye sitting on the platform was a classic 1956 Chevrolet and did it look good. My first thought was they must be taking that baby to a car show somewhere but as I passed it I took one more glance of it in my rearview mirror and then I noticed that classic had damage to its rear.  Now the owner of that vehicle had that classic on its way to the body shop to be fixed. Then I began to think of what I had just seen; looking at that car from the front all you saw was its beauty. The paint shined like new money, everything looked so good until you saw the rear and then the damage could not escape your view. Is that not the way we appear? Hearing us talk, seeing our smile with our golden personality one would never know that the rear had damage that needed to be fixed. Someone somewhere in our lives has marred the clay and we do a good job at covering it up; why just don’t let anyone see the rear. That was the way King David looked; when people saw him coming in his kingly robe with his smile and golden personality, but he kept the rear hidden. All was well until God sent a man by the name of Nathan to him to tell him a story about a family that lived next to a rich man that had one sheep that they loved very much. 2Samuel 12:3  But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. Now the rich man who had many sheep had a friend that came by and the rich man decided he would feed his guest lamb. Wait, he didn’t go to his herd to get the sheep he goes to the poor man's house and gets the only sheep they have and kills it and feeds it to his guest.  2Samuel 12:4  And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.  Oh, this was awful!  King David was angry and wanted to know who this man was. He would die and repay as well as restore the sheep because he had no pity.  2Samuel 12:5  And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:  2Samuel 12:6  And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. King David wanted to know who it was that did the awful thing! Well, Nathan told him who it was. 2Samuel 12:7  And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Nathan just walked around to the rear and was able to see the damage. King David had not only committed adultery with Uriah’s wife but when he found out that she was pregnant with his child he had Uriah killed. King David’s rear end need to be fixed and fixed by the Master. The only problem with that is he wasn’t trying to get it fixed; just keep it covered up. God is not pleased with you and I keeping things in the dark because as long as it’s in the dark our enemy can keep us troubled with it. It could be that you were abused when you were young and your clay was marred and you just don’t let anyone see the rear. You know what? That 1956 Chevrolet, no matter how well it looked from the front it will never win any prize until the rear is fixed. It is the same with you and I. No matter how well we appear to be as long as we ignore the rear and refuse to get it fixed our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ will never be what it should be. Why not let the Lord fix the problem so that the rear will be as bright as the front. Have a great weekend go to a good Church and let the Lord Start work on that rear.