Good News

An unusually strong magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck near Mineral, Virginia last Tuesday afternoon and sent tremors along the East Coast, which prompted office buildings from Washington D.C. to New York to be evacuated. There were no reports of injury or serious structural damage. Mineral is a town 83 miles from D.C.; a close inspection of the Washington Monument found some cracking in the stones at the top of the Monument and has been closed to the public until the repairs can be made.

As I thought about all the earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, floods and forest fires that cause destruction and death to our property, houses, possessions and family members. I realize that foundations everywhere are shook, cracked and destroyed and sadness fills our land. I have good news today though; you may not be able to go into the Washington monument because of cracks and buildings all over D.C. and Virginia have been closed. The good news is that the foundation of Jesus Christ is still standing without cracks.

2Timothy 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God standout sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

1Corinthians 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

One may not be able to enter the Washington Monument but one may enter into the throne room of God’s grace and bring our request to Him.

Hebrews 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. We may come unto the Lord with our prayer request for He is sure and steadfast without blemish; merciful and full of grace. The winds may blow, the tree may bend and sway and the water may flow higher and higher but our God is our Tower, our Rock, our Deliverer and Strength.

Psalms 18:2  The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

When we look around us and hear of awful things going on at home as well as far away we can look up

Psalms 121:1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

Psalms 121:2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

Psalms 121:3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Is that not good news?

Inside

Did you know that spray paint won’t fix rust? A Band-Aid won’t remove a tumor. Wax on the hood of your car won’t cure the problems going on in the motor. If the problem is inside, you have to go inside to fix it.  Two golfers had gone to play a round of golf. The first golfer swung and missed the ball. Swung again and missed again. He tried the third time and still hit nothing but air. He turns to his friend and says “Man, this is a tough course.” The course might have been tough but that wasn’t the problem for he had yet to play the course. I tell you It’s always easy to blame our inside problems on something on the outside. Last Friday morning I received a call from a man who was very rude to me on the phone; I had to bite my tongue from saying words I would have wished I hadn’t said later. I came and told my wife about the conversation and then left for work. The more I thought about what he said the worse I felt; why did I keep my mouth shut? I told myself I should go… well I won’t say anything about that but none the less my feelings had been hurt and I wanted to retaliate.  I thought about it Saturday and then on Sunday morning I decided what I would do. I talked with my wife about it on the way to Church and she gave me good advice as always, she said I was getting in the flesh and should let it go. I didn’t want to let it go. Sunday night I told my best friend about what had happened but he didn’t say what I wanted him to say either. A good friend of mine taught me something that has been of real value to me, he called it the three day rule. It’s simple when something like that happens to you give it three days before you do anything and if you still feel the same way in three days then do something. Ok, it’s now Monday morning and I have come to realize that I had an inward problem and had planned to solve it outwardly. The real problem was on the inside; my attitude and my sneaking thinking was about to get the best of me. I am glad for my wives advice and my friend’s ear and learning about the three day rule, for who knows what those three saved me from.  David said it right in:

Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. That’s actually what I need, a clean heart and a right spirit WITHIN ME. Words are easily spoke and can never be brought back so I must think clearly and choose my words wisely before I speak.

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.

James 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Be careful what we say and be slow to anger. Learn to rule your inner being; the three day rule is a great rule to incorporate into any one’s life I am so grateful that my good friend took the time to share it with me. Do you know what? I think I just did the same thing with you.  

Life Saving

There's a stretch of the Outer Banks of North Carolina that's known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic." That's because hundreds of ships have been lost there over the centuries. It was there that something called the United States Life-Saving Service was born. They established these white frame buildings called life-saving stations every seven miles along the very treacherous coast. The Life-Saving Service was a spawning ground really for heroes.  Never in the history of the Life-Saving Service did a drowning person ever come to the door of a station and ask to be rescued. In every single rescue, the rescuers had to leave the comfort zone of the life-saving station and go out into the storm to keep someone from dying.  Do you think that Jesus was teaching the same thing?

Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Jesus did what? He came and went seeking to reach and save those that are lost. Jesus knew that there were people in this world that had no hope

Ephesians 2:12....   having no hope, and without God in the world: If you and I are going to help those that are in trouble then we are going to have to leave the comfort of our life saving stations. Simply because those that are need of rescue, sometimes don't realize it until it's too late. Back in the days of Noah while he was building the Ark there were those who saw him and also asked him questions about what he was doing. It looked like it was a crazy thing to be doing; I mean building such a large ship with no water around. I imagine there were those who laughed at him, called him names as well as made fun and light of what he was doing.  Noah kept building and telling those around him that they needed to be on board for God was going to cause a flood to come. When asked when was all this to take place he would say I don't know the hour or the day but I do know according to God's Word it is going to happen. When the big day came Noah and his family went aboard and a whole week went by and every day and night the door of that Ark was open welcoming anyone that wanted to come aboard; but no one came aboard. Then God shut the door. 

Genesis 7:1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

Genesis 7:16 And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in. Here is what is happening in this day that you and I are living in there are those around us telling us we need to get our lives right with the Lord; that is kind of like Noah telling everyone to get aboard the Ark. Now there are those around you that may think you are kind of strange; they had the same thoughts about Noah. Now the day that the flood came and took everyone that wasn't on the Ark away; this is what is said about that.

Matthew 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  Knew not what? How important it was for them to be on that Ark. Now they all had a chance, so what kept them from going aboard? Could it have been peer pressure? They will laugh at me too, I will lose my friends. Maybe pride? What will others think; others might think I am becoming weak. They knew not...Noah may have looked like an old fool, that didn't know much, but when the day came Noah knew he had made the right choice to follow what the Lord had said. We must be careful that we don't make the same mistake for not one of those people expected to end up that way. There are many today that will end up the same way for they think that I'll just wait for I have plenty of time. Do you how much time you have left? You don't know do you? Don't gamble your life away!

Matthew 16:26....what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

10 Million

I am writing about something I know very little about; you may know more. Anyways; when I go into a convenience store sometimes there is a long line and I see people buying lotto cards and tickets hoping to win millions. Oh, I know what they say “can’t win if you don’t play” and that is true but if you don’t play you can’t lose either. I remember one time at a meeting there was a booth giving away lotto tickets and they gave me one. So I took a coin and rubbed the silver whatever off and low and behold I had won a whopping $2.00. Now I wasn’t going to cash it in but I gave it to another person and they wanted nothing to do with it. So I inquired why not? Then they told me that at one time they would go to the convenience store and spend their whole pay check on those cards and they were not about to have anything to do with that again; the cost was too great. Here was a young man that knew that the cost was too much. Then I read what others would be willing to do for 10 million dollars and couldn’t believe what I was reading! Some said for that kind of money they would abandon their family. Some women said that they would become a prostitute for a week. Others said they would give up their American citizenship and others said they would leave their spouse. For 10 million dollars is that all one thinks of their family, their relationship with their mate?  Greed is not defined by what something cost; it’s measured by what it costs you.  Remember the farmer in Luke Chapter 12 when he came into plenty the first words revealed what was in his heart

Luke 12:17 And he thought within himself, saying, what shall I do,

This man’s sin was not that he planned for the future. His sin was that his plans did not include God in the future. This rich man was aggressively self-centered; his world was fenced in by himself. He was blind and he didn’t see God. He didn’t see others and he saw only self. Here we see a man that had enough sense to acquire wealth but not enough to get ready for eternity. God is not keeping the future a secret. One look at a cemetery and it should remind us that everyone dies. One visit to a funeral should convince us we don’t take anything with us; I have yet to see a hearse pulling a U-Haul. Every day and we get just a little closer to the cemetery. My how time flies it seems like yesterday that I was changing diapers! Now our oldest son has two children and my daughter has 3 and in the past few weeks has become a grandmother herself. Is that the tombstone man pulling up in the driveway?  You know what; I have the same promise that the Apostle Paul had

Philippians 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Paul says to be with Christ is far better. One day it will be the last and the only thing that will matter on that day is do I know Jesus Christ as my Savior. Let me answer that for myself. YES, I DO; how about you? 

Know-it-All

 There was a time when my oldest son was playing ball that I was asked if I would like to help another man coach the team to which I said sure. What a year that was, what I thought would be a simple job was not so simple. One of the main problems was from the parents in the stands; no matter what we did they always knew a better way and were sure to let us know what we were doing wrong and what we should have done in any given situation. I and the other man had committed to coach the team, but those who seemed to know what was to be done were never at a practice giving us a helping hand. Not one time did we hear the words I can’t be here every practice because of my work schedule but I’ll be here as much as I can for I want to be a help. Oh no, we never heard words like that but on game day there they were with their advice. That reminds me of a day in the life of David. David was told by his father Jesse to take some parched corn, and ten loaves of bread to his three brothers that were with King Saul. When David arrived he saw and heard something that got his attention.

1Samuel 17:4  And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath,

1Samuel  17:8  And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.

1Samuel 17:9  If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.  David was not expecting what happened next; one man had the whole army scared to death and no one was jumping at this opportunity. Then the King said if someone will go fight with this giant and kill him I’ll enrich him with great riches.  I will give him my daughter, and make his father's house tax free in Israel. David said the famous word “is there not a cause” let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. Here is where it started, with those who were too scared to go themselves.

1Samuel 17:33  And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. Can you believe what we are reading, here’s a bunch of wimps who will not go themselves and now they are telling David he can’t either; are they nuts? David was not looking at a glass half empty but half full; David wasn’t looking at what David could do but what God could do through him. Here we see a man trained in war from his youth and then there’s David a young lad that looked after sheep. It looked as if David was doomed so others were giving him their advice on what he should do; be careful about listening to those who know how to do something when they have never done it themselves. Don’t waste your time listening to those who want to give you counsel on how to make  your marriage better when they themselves have been married three and four times; what’s wrong with that picture?  Like the man that was behind the curtain told the Scarecrow.  “Why, anybody can have a brain. That’s a very mediocre commodity. Every pusillanimous creature that crawls on the Earth or slinks through slimy seas has a brain. Back where I come from, we have universities, seats of great learning, where men go to become great thinkers. And when they come out, they think deep thoughts and with no more brains than you have. But they have one thing you haven’t got.” As David approached the giant he had one thing the giant didn't; the Lord. So when others begin to tell you what will and what will not work but have never committed themselves to what you are doing just remember to do like David be kind and pay them little or no attention.

Win

When I was a young boy back 12 or 15 years ago we would play baseball in the back of two of our neighbor’s home where their yards joined; it made for a nice ball field. We would decide a captain for each team; not always the same person and they would get to pick their team. Now from time to time I would be the captain and I would pick the team and I always started at the best and went down to the ones no one really wanted on their team. They couldn’t bat, catch and was a sure out when they came to the plate. The reason I wanted the best players on my team was that I wanted to win. But the older I got I started to thinking about how that person or persons must have felt when they knew that they would always be picked last. Now winning is still important but I began to look at winning from a different perspective. I asked myself what’s most important here; winning the game that no one will remember a week later or building up encouragement in a life that can win every day. Here is what I began doing when I was captain; and after everyone learned what I was doing I became captain more and more because my team was more than likely going to lose. I would hear “ok it’s your turn pick a player” I would then pick my first player I would look over my choices and then I would pick a player that couldn’t hit, catch and was always picked last. Man you should have seen their eyes with they heard their name called first as I would pick not from the best down but from the worse up. Because I understood that next week no one would remember the score but next week that group of young men would remember that on that day they were winners even though we lost the game. I still want to win, why play if you’re not playing to win?  The Apostle Paul said this about what he wanted to win.

 Philippians 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, Now in the book of Hebrews we read this

Hebrews 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Now get the picture; we are given  a picture of an arena full of specters’ for sure there are people in that arena we don’t know. But in that arena there are people we do know and because of that we want to do our very best for they are watching us. In order to our best there are some things that we must get rid of “Every Weight” for weights will keep us from doing our best? It could be the weight of unforgiveness or the weight of doubt, the weight of anger all those weights will keep you from running well and doing our best. Then there is the sin which so easily beset us like the sin of hate, lust, envy, guilt; wait a minute did you notice the word was “sin not sins.” The sin of rejecting the Lord Jesus will keep anyone from winning. It really doesn’t matter what we have here and now because the runners in this race have one goal

Hebrews 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. All that’s going to matter when our life comes to an end; It will not matter if you were wealthy, poor, could read and write, doctor or lawyer all that will matter on that day is ‘DID YOU KNOW WHO JESUS WAS!” If you do then you’re a winner and if you don’t you’re a loser that’s why Paul said nothing was more important to him than winning Christ.  Paul said that he counts ALL THINGS worthless for it was much better for him to know Christ Jesus as his Lord and because of Him   everything becomes worthless. Get rid of the weight, get in the race and don’t look at those around you or the things that might draw away your attention and keep your eyes upon JESUS.

Happy

I get phone calls that ask me such things as “how would you like to make 500, 5000 or even 10,000 dollars extra a week?”  If it were possible for me to make 10,000 dollars a week it wouldn’t be extra for that is what I would be doing full time.  Many think if they could make enough money life would be so much better and real happiness would finally be theirs.  Wait a minute if that is what you think let’s look first at what the Bible has to say and then at what history tells us.

Job 5:17  Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

Psalms 127:5  Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them:  (children)

Psalms 144:15  Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.

Psalms 146:5  Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:

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

Prolms 16:20  He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.

The Bible tells us Happiness is in the LORD.  Now let’s look at history. Have you ever heard the name Charles M Schwab ( not Charles R Schwrab)? He was president of the biggest company in the world, United States Steel Corp.?   On September 19, 1939 Charles M Schwab died penniless after living for five years on borrowed money. Then there was Samuel Insull president of the world’s largest utility company died July 16, 1938 and was buried near his parents in London the city of his birth. His estate was found to be worth about $1,000 and his debts totaled $14,000,000.  

Maybe things would be different if I just won the lottery; let’s see.  Callie Rogers won $3 million she spent her winnings on vacations, homes, shopping, friends, and even a couple of breast improvement. Six years later she finds herself as a single mother of two and works as a maid to support her family. She is also paying off debit induced by her spending. This is what she has to say about her winnings “My life is a shambles and now it’s all gone now I can find some happiness for it brought me nothing by unhappiness. It’s ruined my life.

Proverbs 23:5  Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

Well it not money that bring happiness its knowing the Lord, being sure of a home in heaven, having a family with children; have we  handled this matter wisely? 

 

New Life

It has been years ago now that I met this man; it was at a youth camp in Blairsville Ga. I was there with a group of youth from our Church as well as to help in the weeks meetings. There was a man who was to give his testimony that night, a close preacher friend of mine had become his pastor by leading him to the Lord. In this man’s testimony I found out that he had been a member of a Large Church in Knoxville Tennessee for some time. He said in his testimony that he was never taught how to be saved but what he said next was just totally unacceptable for a Church. The man went on to tell us that he had become a millionaire more than once and that was all his former Church cared about. Then he said that his present Pastor who didn’t know who he was took the time to tell him about the Lord and lead him to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. You see it’s not about money it’s all about Jesus and this man's former Church was in the uplift business when they should have been in the New Life Business. Is this not what we see happening in Acts Chapter three?

Act 3:1  Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.Here we read of two men that were on their way to pray not to sacrifice but to pray; you are always on the highroad to a blessing when you are on your way to the house of God to pray. But as they got there something else got their attention.

Act 3:2  And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; What did they find but a lame man not in the Church but outside of the Church or Temple. So what do Peter and John do? I know you have heard this saying “What Would Jesus Do?” Well what do you think Jesus would do? Does the Bible give us a clue to what He would do? I think so for we read this in

Luke 4:18  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, 

Jesus came to preach and give life to the Broken hearted, The Bound, The Blind and The Bruised and here we see a lame man laid at the Beautiful gate. Here was a lame man wanting nothing more than some money from some good Church going people. But he asked Peter and John to give him something they didn’t have; money.They had something better than money and it would last a whole lot longer too.

Act 3:4  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

Act 3:5  And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

Act 3:6  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

Act 3:7  And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 

Well, well what do you think this poor man did after not receiving any money? We don’t have to guess we are told. 

Act 3:8  And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. I told you what he was getting was better than money. Wonder what’s most important to you and I Money or the Master? Think on that this week and help someone else who may be getting an uplift when what they really need is a New Life.
 

Just Trust

Have you ever been asked a question and didn’t have the answer? I’m sure we all have! We are living in a time when jobs and houses are being lost and people have nowhere to go. Some turn to crime, others to drugs and drinking to relieve themselves of the pressure for just a short while, only to find it returns. How do you answer a person who says “I have lived for the Lord given my time, treasure and talents now it looks as if the Lord has left me in my time of greatest need?" The only answer is what God has done in the past He will do in the present, even when we don’t understand or see what He is doing. The word is “Trust” or as Proverbs chapter 3 tells us

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

Proverbs 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. This Trust is not an easy thing for us to do, simply because it requires us to give up control. Let’s be honest we like to have control as much as possible. What about Joseph? All the hardships he went through! He couldn’t see the end from the beginning he just had to put his trust in God. What about Job? He too had to put his trust in the Lord. So what did they have to say when things got better? Joseph said this

Genesis 50:20  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Joseph could not see nor did he understand what God was doing he just trusted in Him. Job said

Job 42:5  I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.

Job 42:10  And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Job 42:12  So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning:  It all took them trusting in what they could not see. Did they hurt? Yes! Did they not understand? Yes! But they kept on trusting in the Lord as the disciples said long ago when Jesus asked them this question;

John 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? John 6:68  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

John 6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. So here it is, who and what are you believing and trusting in? Yourself and what you can do or Christ and what He can do even though it looks as if you are losing everything. Is your hope in Things or Christ? Will you have questions? I’m sure you will! Will you get answers? Probably not today, and may not for a long time. Joseph didn’t neither did Job but they kept trusting in The God of Heaven. So quit trying to figure it all out and just trust in the One who loves you and gave Himself for you, for He’s not going to leave you in the hard times of your life, He didn’t in Joseph’s nor Job’s and He loves you just as much! Have a great weekend and just thank Him for what you do have. Good wife, husband, children, good health, good eye sight, being able to walk on both legs, do you have two arms, hands, can you still taste the food you eat, do you still have a smile? If not try it; everyone would like to see you with one. Make lemonade out of lemons. God Bless and remember He Loves you regardless of how you feel. "The God who mapped out our future can handle our present." 

Face to Face

It’s been 20-years now, and Jacob has been on the run from his brother Esau. He has been haunted by the fact that one day. Sooner or later he was going to have to face his brother. He knew he couldn’t run forever and not a day passed that Jacob didn’t worry about it I’m sure. I wonder if there are any Esau’s in our lives. Something we know that we will have to face; oh we pretend that it’s not there, we don’t want to think about so we push it back into a far corner of our mind. Your Esau maybe drugs, no, no, not those kind that those awful street people take. You know those drugs like those little pills that help you get to sleep at night or maybe it those pills that help you in the meeting. You just can’t really do good without them. You tell yourself “I’m not addicted to them….I’m, I’m not on them… that’s what you keep telling yourself. But sooner or later you know you are going to have to face reality. Maybe your Esau is alcohol; oh no not what you are thinking it just helps you relax  or maybe it’s a certain sin; you think it will all just one day go away. That’s what I thought too but it didn’t go away and some 40 years later I had to deal with it face to face. Maybe it’s a broken relationship like Jacob’s; he knew that Esau was going to killing him but he was so wrong about that. That’s what the enemy wants us to think; embellish the problem make it bigger than it really is. Never forget this verse it will help you when all seems to be going wrong.

John 10:10  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.

Never forget that Jesus wants you to have life and have it not just abundantly but more abundantly.  You may say “I have been strung out on drugs for years there is not hope for me. That is just what the enemy wants you to think because when you think that way you are allowing the enemy to steal your joy, kill your happiness while he continues to destroy your life with that sneaking thinking. What happened that day that Esau and Jacob met?

Genesis 33:1  And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. Looks bad don’t it Jacob? Your doomed, your day of destruction has arrived. I don’t know how he felt; how would you feel if it had been you? Now watch how feeling can mislead you.

Genesis 33:4  And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

Jacob didn’t see that coming at all; so what am I trying to say? To sum it all up is to say that your Esau may not be as bad and stressful as you think.

The Pig

In 1873 two brother-n-laws had a law suit over a sow and some pigs. Randolph (Rand’l) McCoy claimed the hogs but Floyd Hatfield said they were his’n. The hogs went to Hatfield. Witnesses were accused of lying in Squire Anderson (Preacher Ansel) Hatfield’s court which was held in his house. Was this family feud over some pigs? In 1979, the two families united for a special week’s taping of the popular game show Family Feud, in which they played for a cash prize and a pig which was kept on stage during the games. Great-great-great grandsons of feud patriarch, Randolph McCoy, Bo McCoy of Waycross, GA and his cousin, Ron McCoy of Durham, NC organized a historic joint family reunion of the Hatfield and McCoy families in 2000 which attained national attention. More than 5000 persons attended the reunion dubbed “The Reunion of the Millennium”. On June 14, 2003, the McCoy cousins partnered with Reo Hatfield of Waynesboro, GA to author an official truce between the families. The idea was symbolic: to show that Americans could bury their differences and unite in times of crisis, most notably following the September 11 attacks. In Genesis chapter 25 we read 

Genesis 25:28  And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.  This is dangerous for moms and dads to show partiality inside the home. Before this day is over there will be a family feud going on between these two brothers. Here we read of a mom that will never see her son again and a dad who’s heart will be broken. We read of a mom teaching her very own son how to deceive his father. You see family feud is not just a popular television game show but within the walls of many homes, there is a feud brewing. The reason why, our enemy the devil has one focal point that is to attack our homes. Satan realizes that if he can destroy a home, he has destroyed a culture. Change up what a home is by bringing some new type of relationship in by way of movies, TV programs and cartoons which make them seem correct and acceptable. Families are in disagreement today because their brother or sister took something that they thought should have been theirs. Families are fighting because while all but one are at the funeral home making the arrangement for their departed parent they are busy ransacking the home taking things. That’s it “THINGS”; that’s all they are things and no matter how important we think they are today they are only things and one day they will belong to another. Brothers and sisters don’t speak to one another because they are too busy either being a McCoy or a Hatfield, and you thought a pig was something silly to fall out over oh no there are things just as silly. A ring, a car, a picture, a doll, a coin collection,  many more things that are not really worth losing a family relationship over. Don’t fall into satan’s trap and allow a feud to develop in your home.  

Abandon

Abandonment; Webster says it means to give up to the control or influence of another person or agent. We all have seen abandoned cars, houses and even in some cases abandoned men and women. As I read Genesis chapter 12 and verse 1 I noticed some things about abandonment.

Genesis 12:1  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

God is talking to Abram and he is asking him to abandon some things. God first asked Abram to abandon his reputation by saying unto him “Get thee out of thy country, “ Abram was well known in his country he had spent 75 years of his life there but if he was going to follow God he would have to abandon his security and surroundings. Then God asked him to abandon something else and that was his relationships (and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house) this was hard for him to do. That is one of the first things I tell those who come to me fighting an addiction. I tell them to abandon their friends and change their phone number. Why do I ask them to do that? They need to break the ties of temptation from their friends for they will pull them back down. God tells Abram to abandon his family and friends so that he will learn to totally depend on God and not the advice of his friends and family. That wasn’t all God asked him to abandon; God now ask him to abandon himself to reason (unto a land that I will shew thee:)  it is said like this in

Hebrews 11:8  By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Get the picture, Abram at the age of 75 is asked to pack up and abandon everything. When asked by his friends where are you going? Abram would answer I’m not quite sure. I am going to a land where I’ve never been. What are you going to do when you get there? He would answer be the father of a great nation. And we think we have it rough; all we have to do is get up in the morning and go to the same place we have been going for years; and we complain! It was 1968 when I found myself at O’Hare airport on my way to my first place of duty; Duluth, Minnesota. I had just gotten off one airplane and was to board another; but where? I had no idea you see this was the second time in my life I had ever been in an airport; the first was 2 hours ago when I was helped to a boarding gate. Now here I was in a strange land with no help. I had to abandon my pride if I was to catch the next plane; I did but this was not all the abandoning I would be doing before this day was done. You see sometimes if we are going to get to a certain place we must learn to abandon some things and the first thing that is to be abandoned is our pride; that hurts! If we are going to follow God there will be some abandoning going on in our lives just as it was in Abram's life. My prayer is that you don’t wait until you’re 75 before you do so.

Success

When you hear about someone being successful what is the first thing you think of? Is it money, social standing, mansions, business empires, Rolex watches, fancy foreign cars, yacht club memberships or something else along the same line? If so you have missed the meaning of success. The times I have been to college graduations there will always be someone who has graduated from that college and they will tell how successful they have been. What about the man and woman that has been happily married for 50 or more years; would you say that they were successful? What about if they didn’t own much in this world; would you still call them successful? What about the missionary I knew that sold all they had and went to Peru and then he buried his wife in Peru and was so sick with Malaria that he couldn’t hold up his on head. He comes home and marries another lady and goes back to Peru and in a few years buries her too. What do you say? Do you become as one of Job’s friends and say that he must be out of God’s will? I sure hope not. Back to that word success, what does it mean? Webster says that “success means the favorable or prosperous termination of anything attempted;” I have attempted many things and know what failure is; but I decided to see how many times the word success was mentioned in the Bible; boy was I surprised. It’s only mentioned once.

Joshua 1:8  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Here we read God telling Joshua how he can become successful. I think we can learn much from what God tells Joshua. God tells Joshua to never stop reciting the teachings out of the Word of God. He is to think about them day and night so that he will do according to all that is written therein. For then he will make his way prosperous and have good success. David knew the same thing 

Psalms 119:11  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Sin will keep you and I from being successful, but if we hide the Word of God in our heart, meditate and recite it on a daily basis we will be successful. What’s going on in our hearts will always come out of our mouths we can’t help it.  

Matthew 12:34  … for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Have you ever heard someone say “excuse me I don’t know where that word came from?” The answer to that is “out of the heart that’s where for that’s where the mouth gets its information.” Hope you have a blessed week in all that you do.

Rock Solid

I remember years ago sitting in a Sunday night service listening to a visiting preacher that my pastor had asked to preach. I don’t remember his name; and it wouldn’t make a bit of difference if I did. He used an illustration that night that I have never forgotten. A great preacher friend of mine that has gone to be with the Lord told me this about illustrations, he said “that illustrations are like windows to help us look in and see God's truths more clearly.” So that is what I hope to do as I remember and share this illustration of long ago.

It was an early cold winter night as a man came upon what appeared to be a frozen river. This man needed to get across but was not sure that it would hold his weight. He found a large piece of wood and placed it in front of him and then he stretched out his body so that his weight would be distributed, by doing this he was hoping that the ice would not break. Slowly and cautiously he inched his way across the ice, praying as he slid the large piece of wood before him. All of a sudden he heard a roar then a terrible crashing sound the ice was breaking up. He shut his eyes and braced himself for the worst but nothing happened! He turned in the direction of the loudest sound and saw a man driving a wagon pulled by a team of horses crossing just below him. The horses galloped past him, up the other bank, and stopped. All of a sudden this man jumped up threw his arms into the air and shouted, “Hallelujah” and ran across the ice to the other side. This man’s fear turned to confidence; his crawling gave way to running; his praying turned to shouts of joy. What was once a weak belief that the ice couldn’t hold him was transformed into a confident assurance that it would hold him! Here we have two men one is crossing with fear and the other is crossing with faith. One is not sure the ice will hold his weight the other is confident that only his weight but also the weight of his wagon and horses will not be too much for the ice. One man was hoping the other man was sure. As we read our Bibles do we believe what we read? Can we know for sure that God is greater than any problem we could ever encounter? Or are we like the man that is spread out on the ice; just hoping but not really sure. God has helped and saved others but can He do the same for me? Read what John has to say:

1John 5:13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. This is what John was saying "Hey believer! I wrote these things so that you can know that you have eternal life!" My friend the gospel of Christ is not a thin sheet of ice under us but it’s a rock solid substance that we can run, jump and build our lives upon. Are you a fearful crawler or a Confident walker that sometimes leaps for joy! Oh my, only two days before Sunday and we get to go to Church; that’s exciting I’ll see you there. 

One Day

 As I sit in my Study or Office where I spend a lot of my time there are four things hanging on the wall over my desk that I am thankful for. There is an Honorable Discharge from the military issued to me on August 25, 1972 after four years of service; it reminds me of the time and places where I learned how to discipline my life and obey those over me and learn something about leadership. I’m grateful for those days and thankful that I had the privilege to return home for many didn’t.  There is a Certificate of Ordination where seven men who not only put confidence in me but were willing to sign their names to that effect and there is a Degree from Immanuel Baptist Theological Seminary which I received on May 20, 1989. It was there I learned how to better serve the Lord and learned from great teachers the fundamentals of the Faith which is in Christ Jesus.  There is also a Certificate of Appreciation which I and my wonderful wife received from our oldest son when he graduated from Southern College of Technology; I look at that the most and will never forget that day and what he means to his mother and I. As I view those things there is one thing that sticks out in my mind, God gave me the ability as well as the gifts He bestowed upon me to make it all possible.  Without one day in my life none of what I just wrote would have ever happened. I have a wonderful wife that I love with all my heart, there is not a day that goes by that I don’t tell her I love her as well as think of her often during the day. The Lord has allowed her us to have 3-wonderful children, 5-grandchildren, 2-step grandchildren that we love very much and now one great grandchild; I’m sorry it took me a little while to type that last one for I wasn’t sure I could spell great. All of what I have told this far are the results of a wonderful life which the Lord has given me all because of one day that changed the direction of my life.  That one day was a Sunday morning in April of 1973 when I asked the Lord to forgive me of my sins; and you know what? He did.  I have a few things that hang on my wall and remind of great days in my life.  Salvation is not something that can be put upon a wall but it is lived in my life every day for others to see. I want very much to display what the Lord has done for me with thankfulness, honesty and trustworthiness.   1Peter 3:15  But sanctify(purity, make holy) the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope(confidence in a future event) that is in you with meekness and fear:

What’s my hope; confidence in the events that will soon take place?

1John 5:12  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

1John 5:13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

1John 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have in him(Jesus)

This isn’t Rocket science and you don’t have to be intelligent to understand what is being said; aren’t you glad for that day that changed your life?

The Act

Here they come moving very fast: at a closer look we see they are almost dragging a woman. They approach Jesus and place this woman right in front of Him. Their voices are judgmental as they speak; know what we caught this woman doing? Oh yes we caught her in the very act of adultery and the law says stone her for this act. Wait, wait, wait just a minute didn’t they just tell Jesus that they had caught her in the very act? Yes I believe that is what they said; I have a question, what happened to her male friend? Or do I not understand what adultery is! Isn’t it strange how it is so easy to be one-sided in our judgments? Now Jesus on the other hand didn’t even ask the questions they were expecting Him to, but instead wrote something in the sand. Whatever Jesus wrote that day was powerful because they all decided to leave and forget the whole matter. When Jesus looked up He asked the woman where are your accusers.

John 8:3  And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,

John 8:4  They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

John 8:5  Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

John 8:6  This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

John 8:7  So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

John 8:8  And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

John 8:9  And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

John 8:10    When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

John 8:11  She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

I love what Jesus said “neither do I condemn thee” We can stone someone for their sin, cut them out of our life, refused to have anything to do with them. If we do that then we will ruin our relationship with them. Let’s not forget two things Jesus said here. If you are without sin yourself then you can throw the first stone; no one did which tell me that everyone there had sinned. Jesus then told the woman to go and sin no more. Sin has a price tag

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; Make up your mind keep on the same path you’re on or pay the high price for sin; it’s up to you?

Big Stuff

Do you remember a wrestler by the name of Dusty Rhodes? Well Dusty Rhodes had a famous hold called the chokehold and this move usually came out of nowhere. Dusty and his opponent would be about even, blow for blow, and then the next thing you know Dusty had applied the chokehold and rendered his opponent seemingly lifeless. Match over! As you well may know the recipient of the chokehold was not really lifeless! It was all about the dramatics. Even so wrestling was a big event that drew many to watch as one opponent beat, jumped on top of and slapped the other. There are some big things in life that get over looked. Birth is a big event and without it you wouldn’t be reading this now. For nine months the set day is thought about, dreamed about and looked forward too. There are times when something goes wrong like it did this past weekend as our first great grand baby was born. Excitement filled the room and then something is wrong another hospital is called a decision is made to air flight the baby to another hospital. It’s time to pray; I mean really time to pray, the long awaited child is in real danger. A group is sent from the other hospital and they work with the baby and then they decide to take the baby by emergency vehicle. Some 24-hours later all is much better thanks to all who prayed on the child’s behalf. I am talking about big stuff that many just think will always be. Parenting doesn’t come naturally but few spend much time in training how to be a great parent. What about marriage? Now that’s big stuff and they say over half the marriages will end in divorce? Half is a lot don’t you think? What if you worked all week and only got half pay wouldn’t you want to get it corrected? I would think so; marriage is a big step and time and energy should be placed into it long after the I do’s are said. Death is big stuff and we all know that our day is approaching too fast yet we stick our heads in the sand and hope it’s not today. My phone rang last Tuesday morning with such a case of one dying in their sleep; we don’t know but we can be ready.  Then there is salvation and we all know we need it but we put it off until tomorrow and some put it off until it’s too late like King Agrippa  

Act 26:28  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. We need to take time with the big stuff; work at being the best parent we can and still we’ll make mistakes but if we do nothing that’s all we’ll make. Not having our salvation in order because you almost became a Christian is too late when the death angel comes to your home. I am glad to report that the man’s home I went to on Tuesday morning wasn’t  too late his life said just the opposite. I am glad to report that the new life that came into this world on Saturday night is doing much better and in both cases something had to done to be done to make both a good report. A man’s wife and children will miss their husband and dad but they know they’ll see him again. The young parents tonight can look forward to raising their son; all will turn out fine if we don’t forget the big stuff. Have a blessed week and please don’t forget the big stuff! 

  

Follow

Have you ever been in a situation where you needed to be at a certain place but you didn’t know how to get there? Your friend tells you to just follow them; so off you both go and all is well. Up ahead the light is beginning to change and the one you are following goes under the light while it is yellow making it impossible for you to make it without running a red a light. Maybe you are going on a trip and you began to follow a road map and as long as you follow it you will arrive at your destination with no problem. We don’t follow everyone's directions; what if a stranger came up to you and said follow me what would you say and do? The word FOLLOW means to go, proceed, or come after.  The very first time we see the word “follow” in the New Testament is in: 

Matthew 4:18  And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

Matthew 4:19  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Jesus saw Peter and his brother Andrew and He said unto them “follow me” and I will make you something you’re not; fishers of men.  These men gave up their fishing careers to follow Jesus to learn how to catch men instead of fish. Jesus knew that the value of men was far greater than fish. Today there are men and women who know the value of someone's soul. Jesus said in:

Mark 8:36  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  It’s a loss that is far greater than anything else we could lose. We too must be like Peter and his brother Andrew in that we must follow Jesus and learn how to become fishers of men. Will you be at the class this Sunday? Yes Sunday school! When that’s over you must hurry to the second class; you’ll see it in the big room, the sanctuary and there you’ll learn more on how to follow Jesus.  Don’t play hooky. 

Hearing

This phrase “hath ears to hear, let him hear” is mentioned in 6-verses by our Lord. Could it be that our Lord wanted to underscore something of importance? Is He saying pay attention now? It sounds strange to tell a person with two good ears to hear; that is what ears are for, hearing.  I am afraid that many times we may hear a sound and not really listen when someone is speaking. I think Pilate was hearing but not listening the day his wife spoke to him.

Matthew 27:19  When he (Pilate) was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

His wife spoke but Pilate didn’t listen to her; he heard a sound but he didn’t really hear her. In the book of John chapter 18 the very Word of Life stood before Pilate in his chamber and said:

John 18:37  Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

 Pilate didn’t hear what the Lord said but he did hear what the priest had to say:  

Matthew 27:20  But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.  Pilate heard what the people had to say: Matthew 27:25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

Pilate was hearing the wrong voices and followed the crowd. He allowed the voices of the people to dominat the voices of conscience and the carpenter.  We can all say that at one time or another we have all followed the wrong voice because we really were not listening to what they really said.  God has made it plain in His word if we are to have strong faith we are going to have to hear.

Romans 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Now where will you hear the word of God? Down at the Church house, that’s where. So our greatest enemy that wants to wreck our lives will do his best to keep you away from your Bible reading, Praying and going to Church. Why? So you will have a weak faith he will keep you from hearing the Word of God. Just remember you can have as much as you want or as little as you are satisfied with. Weak faith or Strong faith; it will never be strong without hearing. How much have you heard?