Wishing You All a Happy New Year

One more post to wish you all a safe, blessed, and happy New Year.

May you enjoy these last few days of 2009 and may God bless you with the arrival of 2010.

I pray that this will be the year that you find God's will for you and your family. May you experience His goodness, kindness, mercy, and grace throughout the year. May you find strength in His promises, His answers to your prayers, and His face as you seek Him.

It has been a privilege to share another year with you. I look forward to what God will be doing in His kingdom and in you this coming year.

God Bless You.

Wishing You All A Merry Christmas

Christmas Eve is here!

On behalf of PBC and myself I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

I'm thankful that we are able to rejoice over the fact that God sent His one and only Son into the world.

Blessing, Honor, and Praise are due Him for the glorious gift of eternal life.

I look forward to sharing with you all after the holidays.

God Bless.

The Day Before the Day Before...

Can you believe it? Christmas is just a couple of days away! (I believe that I just heard some poor man screaming in the background)

I woke up with the this thought: It's the day before the day before Christmas. How much gets lost on this day? It's almost as bad as the day after Christmas. The stores are full, the highways are busy, and some of you are still trying to find that special little something.

Me? I'm done. Unless there is something somewhere that just grabs my attention, all shopping is finished. Time to sit back and mentally prepare for the next couple of days.

Do you know what is interesting about the day before the day before? It matters! Just like every other day of the year this one is significant. There is something to be done, someone to meet, and a God to serve.

Galatians 4:4-5, "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons."

I truly appreciate the part that says "...when the fullness of the time had come..." This tells me that every day matters. Though it may not be "the day" it is a day that builds up to the "fullness." Every prophetic message mattered. Every marriage in His lineage mattered. The time in which He would come mattered. When God saw that everything was in place He sent an angel to a girl to tell her that she would be with child. He also sent an angel to a man to tell him that the girl he was betrothed to would be with child. The two set out on a journey and arrived in the city of David when the fullness of time had come. Jesus Christ was born in a stable when the fullness of time had come.

Don't underestimate the power of the days leading up to the fullness of time. So much could have happened. A whole lot did happen! And without those days - this day would have never came.

The psalmist asked the Lord to teach him to number his days. The reason? So that he could use every day to bring glory and honor to God.

I know that it's hard to honor Christmas when there is so much to be done. Just remember that the day before the day before matters. Use this day to honor the gift of Jesus to us. Remember that He was named Emmanuel (God with us) so that He could be our Savior (God for us).

Stupid is as Stupid does

The picture that you are looking at is one of the most intelligent animals on the face of the earth. Every year in October the quest begins for a buck like this one to hang on the wall (and fill the freezer).

However, there are 4-5 weeks out of the year that this intelligent animal gets just plain stupid. "THE RUT!" For those of you that don't deer hunt (or may not know), the rut is the time of year when does are ready to breed and every buck is ready to help. That is when this animal with a keen sense of smell, sight, and hearing forgets all of his instincts and chases does wherever they lead. When a "rutting" buck gets on the trail of a "hot" doe - WATCH OUT!

This is the time of year that most hunters get excited. Many will put out some "scent" just to lure that trophy. It's truly amazing to watch. Bucks will come in without any thought of hunters just because they are on the trail.

Unfortunately, we are too much like a buck in rut. STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES! We get our minds and hearts consumed with certain things and we lose all common sense. Marriages have been wrecked because one partner had their mind and heart on something else. Finances are destroyed because someone lost sensibility and went our spending like there was no tomorrow. Careers are ruined because the pursuit of the almighty dollar or climbing the corporate ladder put them in a position of compromising their integrity. And we (like the buck in rut) NEVER think about the consequences.

The Bible teaches us to bring every thought into the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). This is an important principle in life. If we allow ourselves to be led by our impulses, our vain thoughts, or our impure motives - we can be sure that destruction awaits us. However, if we will bring every thought into the obedience of Christ then we will be able to withstand the temptations that come our way.

STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES!

There is an old saying: "If there is time to do something over then there is time to do it right the first time." I have always liked this phrase. But here's the problem with sin - We don't always get a "do-over." Certain decisions will cost you greatly and you are left to pick up the pieces all by yourself. There is always time to bring our thoughts into the obedience of Christ!

It's Christmas Break

Christmas Break is here! The kids actually got out of school a little early due to the snow that was on the way.

As I type these words the snow is falling quickly and Jenn is on her way home.

I just want to make a few comments from scripture concerning the lyrics I shared with you yesterday. According to Matthew chapter 2, wise men came from the east to Jerusalem. The reason they came? They had seen the star which told of the birth of the King of the Jews. Notice that I said "the" star rather than "a" star. Significant don't you think?

"The" star refers to the fact that "the heavens declare the glory of God..." When God decided to send His Son into the world he caused the heavens to declare the arrival. These men were so impacted by the arrival of the star that they saddled up and headed out.

I find this very interesting when you consider that many people in our culture are trying to have a Christ-less Christmas. We want to give gifts, put up decorations, and even sing some of the carols but far too many won't even say Merry Christmas. Imagine having a birthday that everyone in the world is invited to come to except YOU! That is basically how some of the people in this world handle Christmas.

I'm not here to argue whether or not Jesus was born at Christmas. However, we have set apart this time of year to celebrate His arrival. And His arrival is so very important.

Just look at the gifts that the wise men gave to commemorate the birth of the King of Kings.
Gold - for the honor that is due Him!
Frankincense - for the role of the High Priest!
Myrrh - for the One who will be placed in a tomb!

Jesus' arrival meant that God had just entered the world as a human being. It also mean that God was doing away with the current religious structure. No longer would we have to go before a high priest to offer sacrifices. He became our High Priest of a much better way! But there is one other important factor. Jesus didn't come to establish His kingdom here on earth. According to God's plan He would be the deliver of the Jewish nation - but it wouldn't come through might. Through His death on the cross Jesus paid the penalty of sin for the whole world! Now Jew & Gentile alike can be free from sin.

Not only did these wise men bring gifts but they bowed before Him and worshipped! Does the thought of Jesus coming into the world cause you to worship? It should!

I know it's Christmas break...
I know that you still have a lot to do...
I know it's snowing outside...
But go ahead and worship Him! He's worthy!
If wise men can bow down and worship a child simply because of a star in the sky - shouldn't we (having the scriptures, knowing the Gospel) do the same?

How Many Kings

Here are the lyrics for "How Many Kings" by Downhere. This song has really gripped my heart the last few days. May the Lord use it to speak to you about the gift of Jesus Christ.

"Follow the star to a place unexpected
Would you believe after all we’ve projected
A child in a manger

"Lowly and small, the weakest of all
Unlikeliness hero, wrapped in his mothers shawl
Just a child
Is this who we’ve waited for?

Chorus:
"Cause how many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

"Bringing our gifts for the newborn savior
All that we have whether costly or meek
Because we believe
Gold for his honor and frankincense for his pleasure
And myrrh for the cross he’ll suffer
Do you believe, is this who we’ve waited for?
It’s who we’ve waited for

Chorus:
"How many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?
Only one did that for me

"All for me
All for you
All for me
All for you"

*Remember throughout this Christmas season that Jesus didn't stay in the manger. He came to give His life for us!

Carmelita

From Max Lucado's book "God Came Near." (A great read for the Christmas season)

"The hot air hung thickly in the small cemetery chapel. Those who had fans used them to stir the stillness. It was crowded. The few chairs that had been set out were quickly taken. I found an empty corner off to one side and stood quietly, observing my first Brazilian funeral.

"On a stand in the midst of the chapel rested the coffin and body of a woman who had been killed the day before in a car accident. Her name was Dona Neusa. I knew her because she was the mother of one of our first converts, Cesar Coutinho. Beside the casket stood Cesar, his sister, other relatives, and someone very special by the mane of Carmelita.

"She was a tall woman with dark, almost black skin. On this day her dress was simple and her face solemn. She stared earnestly at the casket with deep-set brown eyes. There was something noble about the way she stood beside the body. She didn't weep openly as did the rest. Nor did she seek comfort from the other mourners. She just stood there, curiously quiet.

"The night before, I had accompanied Cesar on the delicate task of telling Carmelita that Dona Neusa had been killed. As we drove, he explained to me how Carmelita had been adopted in their family.

"Over twenty years earlier, Cesar's family had visited a small town in the interior of Brazil. There they encountered Carmelita, a seven-year-old orphan living with poverty-stricken relatives. Her mother had been a prostitute. She never knew her father. Upon seeing the child, Dona Neusa was touched. She knew that unless someone intervened, little Carmelita was doomed to a life with no love or attention. Because of Dona Neusa's compassion, Cesar and his family returned home with a new family member.

"As I stood in the funeral chapel and looked at Carmelita's face, I tried to imagine the emotions she was feeling. How her life had changed. I wondered if her mind was reliving that childhood memory of climbing into a car and driving away with a strange family. One moment she had been without love, a home, or a future; the next moment she has all three.

"My thoughts were interrupted by the noise of shuffling feet. The funeral was over and people were leaving the chapel for the burial. Because of my position in the extreme corner of the building, I was the last to leave. Or at least I thought. As I was walking out I heard a soft voice behind me. I turned and saw Carmelita weeping silently at the side of the coffin. Moved, I stood in the chapel doorway and witnessed this touching adieu. Carmelita was alone for the last time with her adopted mother. There was an earnestness in her eyes. It was as if she had one final task to perform. She didn't wail, nor did she scream with grief. She simply leaned over the casket and caressed it tenderly as if it were the face of her mother. With silent teardrops splashing on the polished wood she said repeatedly, 'Obrigada, obrigada' ('Thank you, thank you').

"A final farewell of gratitude.

"Driving home that day, I though how we, in many ways, are like Carmelita. We too were frightened orphans. We too were without tenderness or acceptance. And we too were rescued by a compassionate visitor, a generous parent who offered us a home and a name.

"Our response should be exactly that of Carmelita, a stirring response of heartfelt gratitude for our deliverance. When no one else would even give us the time of day the Son of God gave us the time of our life!

"We, too, should stand in the quiet company of Him who saved us, and weep tears of gratitude and offer words of thankfulness. For it is not our bodies that have been rescued, but our souls."

Max Lucado, "God Came Near" pp. 155-157

The Movement Continues

This is an excerpt from "He Chose the Nails" by Max Lucado.

The Movement Continues:

The belief of French philosopher Voltaire. The Bible and Christianity would pass within a hundred years. He died in 1778. The movement continues.

The pronouncement of Friedrich Nietzsche in 1882. "God is dead." The dawn of science, he believed, would be the doom of faith. Science has dawned; the movement continues.

The way a Communist dictionary defined the Bible. "It is a collection of fantastic legends without any scientific support." Communism is diminishing; the movement continues.

The discovery made by every person who has tried to bury the faith. The same as the one made by those who tried to bury its Founder: He won't stay in the tomb.

The facts. The movement has never been stronger. Over one billion Catholics and nearly as many Protestants.

The question. How do we explain it? Jesus was a backwater peasant. He never wrote a book, never held an office. He never journeyed more than two hundred miles from His hometown. Friends left Him. One betrayed Him. Those He helped forgot Him. Prior to His death they abandoned Him. But after His death they couldn't resist Him. What made the difference?

The answer. His death and resurrection.

For when He died, so did your sin.

And when He rose, so did your hope.

For when He rose, your grave was changed from a final residence to temporary housing.

The reason He did it. The face in your mirror.

The verdict after two millenniums. Herod was right: there is room for only one King.

{pages 132-133}

Thanks for Checking In!

No Blog Today - Power is out at home and I have some things that require my attention.

Thanks for checking in!

I will do my best to share with you tomorrow.

Here's some scripture to meditate upon: "With one sacrifice He made perfect forever those who are being made holy" Heb. 10:14.

Our position is secure and what God is doing in us is continual. Praise God!

Hope everyone has a great day!

"IT'LL DO" or "WE WILL DO..." CHURCHES

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

There are typically one of two attitudes prevalent in the church today. You can find "IT'LL DO" churches or "WE WILL DO..." churches. The differences between these two attitudes are striking.

Colossians 3:17, "Whatever you do, whether in work or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus." This verse should be the general attitude of the church as well as the believer. Regardless of what we endeavor to do, we should give it our all. We shouldn't allow ourselves to shun responsibilities or do "just enough" to get by. We have been called to a higher standard. We have been called to give all, do all, and exert all in our efforts to advance the kingdom of God.

Here's a good breakdown of "It'll Do" churches that I received during a SBCV Pastor's Fellowship (sorry...don't have a name of the person who shared this with me:

"It'll Do churches cut corners, compromise, and take short cuts on details, such as sparkling clean restrooms, beautiful nursery facilities, a swept parking lot, nice landscaping, immaculate floors, and clean walls.

"It'll Do churches have music that is not the worst it could be, but not the best either.

"It'll Do churches have pastors who present poorly prepared messages because they have been so busy taking care of other things that they have not had time to be in the Word getting a fresh, relevant message to deliver.

"It'll Do churches react to problems instead of responding to needs.

"It'll Do churches are often critical of other churches that are attempting great things for God.

"It'll Do churches have Sunday School teachers who teach the quarterly instead of teaching the Bible in a practical way to help people face life another week.

"It'll Do churches don't invest in regular development opportunities for their lay leaders.

"It'll Do churches are content to be the size they are.

"It'll Do churches often see numbers as something unspiritual.

"It'll Do churches use the cost factor to justify why things aren't being done."

This type of attitude is very different than what Paul shared with the Corinthian church!

We should be steadfast in our commitments, immovable in our convictions, abounding in our work for the Lord, and confident in the reward of our labor. These are the attributes of a church that says "We Will Do..." (whatever it takes).

It's high time for the "sleeping giant" (the church) to wake up and make a difference in the world. However, we will never accomplish anything for the kingdom with the attitude that says "It'll Do."

"It'll Do" doesn't work when filling ministry positions, performing any type of ministry, or funding mission work. "It'll Do" doesn't work when trying to build relationships, lead people to saving faith in Christ, or making an impact in our communities. "We Will Do..." always works because the Lord is allowed the authority needed in our lives to accomplish His purpose.

Remember what Henry Blackaby says in "Experiencing God": "IT never works. He does!"

Where Do You Fit In?

This past Sunday I used a quote from Matt Redman's pastor in reference to worship. He said, "We need to become producers of worship rather than consumers." I would say that quote works for being a part of the church body as well. We should become producers within the church and not just consumers.

1 Corinthians 12:18, "But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased."

Paul's teaching to the Corinthian church applies to us today. God still sets the members within the body of Christ as He pleases. The problem we have isn't in the placement - the problem is that many don't know their place.

I was leading an "Experiencing God" study this week and we were looking at this very topic. How has God placed you in the body of Christ? What is it that God wants you to do as a member of the church? Do you believe that God has something for you to do? According to Scripture...YES!

The church (body of Christ) functions much like our human body. We have parts that are more visible and active while other parts of the body are less noticeable and less active. However, every part of the body is important. Sure, your body can function with one kidney but doesn't it work much better with two? You can still live with one eye but you won't see as well. You can function with one ear but the hearing isn't all there. There are several things that you may be able to lose and still survive but you will not function properly. When one part of our physical body shuts down or refuses to work the way that it should we will have issues. The other parts of the body must assume greater responsibilities to ensure that the body keeps functioning. The church is no different. We need every part to be healthy - active - and involved in the process.

Too many churches today are trying to function with only 10% of the body. Who can live like that? The old saying is still true today: "10% of the people are doing 90% of the work." Is it any wonder why many of our churches are anemic? Is it any wonder that the greater portion of North America is still lost without Christ? But when we as the body of Christ begin to work together we will see results!

I heard a testimony from a pastor in South Africa whom God has used greatly in radio ministry. God placed the very 1st Christian FM station in his lap. For 3 months (or better) this pastor had no issues within his church. He didn't have to do any counseling or put out any fires within the body because the church was active in the ministry that God had given them. I wonder how many churches could have avoided conflict if only they had been serving/working together.

PBC is preparing to go to two services starting in January. No doubt, this is one of the greatest challenges our body has faced. The challenge isn't that it can't be done - the challenge is ensuring that every member is bearing the load of ministry. It can be done but it will take more than the 10%.

Why has God placed you in the church that you are a member? What specific ministry does He want you to perform through His empowerment? What if...before you joined the church the pastor asked you why God has brought you here...what would you say? What if you couldn't join until you figured it out?

The time for the consumer mentality to leave the church is NOW! Church is not for entertainment. It's not to become just another social network in your life. The church is God's mission agent in the world. Have you found your place?

You could be the piece of the puzzle that makes the church complete - lacking nothing.

What Are You Sharing?

In case you haven't noticed, this weeks blog entries have followed the poll question that I'm asking. The big 3's of personal growth in the Christian life are: Prayer, Bible Reading, & Sharing Your Faith. It's natural to struggle in one of these areas. Some of us are more apt to pray, spend time in God's Word, or find it relatively easy to share our faith. However, we shouldn't neglect the others just to pursue what is easy.

There are several scripture references that we can give to support the role of personal evangelism. Evangelism should happen through the church but it should also happen in our daily lives. We can reference the Great Commission where Jesus told His followers to "Go", or we can look into the book of Acts where Jesus promised us that we would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us and that we would be witnesses everywhere. On top of that we cannot neglect the Scripture that teaches us to always be ready to give an answer (or defense) of the faith that lies within us. The fact of the matter is that evangelism (personal & corporate) is supported throughout God's Word and should manifest itself in our daily lives.

With all the tools at our disposal how can we neglect this?

"Share Jesus without Fear" by Bill Faye
"Way of the Master" by Ray Comfort
"Faith" which is a tool developed by Southern Baptist
"Evangelism Explosion" by James Kennedy
"The Romans Road" found in Scripture given to us from God

Do we need anything else?

If you aren't comfortable with any of these approaches have you ever tried sharing what God has done for you? Tell your salvation story. You can be like the blind man that Jesus healed. He said, "All I know is that once I was blind but now I see!" You would be amazed at how quickly and effectively God can use your story to bring others to faith in Him.

I remember a story that came from a pastor in South Carolina who took a new convert out on some witnessing trips. He had sown into this man's life all the scripture and tools that he would need. For several weeks the new convert was instructed to watch and learn. But then came the time for him to lead in the witnessing efforts. When they arrived at the 1st home this man took charge. He was fast and furious - often misquoted scripture - and missed out on all the "etiquette" that comes with sharing your faith in someones home. When he finished all of his sharing and rambling, he looked at this couple and said: "Folks, I know that I have fumbled my way through all of this. I misquoted some of the scripture that I shared with you...I know that. But just a few weeks ago I got saved. God has radically changed my life and I am here because I want you to know this same Jesus that saved me. Would you like to accept Him as your Lord and Savior?" They both said, "YES!"

Allow me to encourage you today. It really doesn't matter what technique you use. It doesn't matter if you get all the verses right. What God cannot use is your silence!

Take some time today to find those in need of the Savior. Ask God to give you the courage and boldness that you need. Then open your mouth and share. It's that easy.

Hiding His Word

Psalm 119:11, "Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You."

We were rummaging through some boxes last night when Haley came across a pocket memo book that I have held onto since my college days. There is nothing impressive about the book itself - simple, black & white, & small. However, what is inside has meant the world to me. When I began walking with the Lord, I spent considerable time in His Word so that I could know more about the God I serve. When I came across verses that spoke to me I would write them down in this little book. After all these years I still have this 60 sheet pocket memo filled with 120 pages of scripture (front to back).

I love how God takes us back! Those memories are very precious to my life in Christ. I remember those days as if they just happened. A lot has changed in my life but there has been a constant source of inspiration, a rock that I could lean upon, and promises that I still claim today: God's Word. In those early days of faith this was the tool that I used to hide God's Word in my heart.

There is actually a very interesting story about the book that I was able to share with my daughter. The very first person I led to Christ was a childhood friend. God used this little booklet to open his heart to the Gospel. I had gone to the house to share with my friend. I was nervous, ill-prepared, and not even mature enough to think about grabbing a Bible. But for some reason I had this little book with me. This small token of my devotion to God's Word was used to bring my friend to saving faith! Imagine what God can do in and through us if we will but hide His Word in our hearts.

I have heard people say that they have difficulty memorizing God's Word. If I'm being honest: I don't get that! Think about all the randomly ridiculous things that we retain to memory. We remember songs, quotes from movies, commercials, etc. Most of these things we don't have to work to remember. If you are a born again believer with the Spirit of God residing in you - then memorizing God's Word shouldn't be difficult. If you ask God, by His Spirit, to help you retain His Word then it will happen. The Spirit of God is to help us by bringing to our minds the words of Jesus. All of God's precepts, His promises, and His commandments are at our disposal through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. But we need to spend some time in God's Word. If you will put it in then He will bring it out.

There is one other thing about the pocket memo that I find interesting because it shows me that even though things change, some things remain the same. On the inside cover I had written some words that were not scripture. I wrote: Walk by grace not law, Spirit not flesh, and faith not sight. Those words have guided me from my very first days as a believer until now. I'm not saying that I have perfect this but that I still try to walk by grace, empowered by the Spirit of God, in faith. But I would have never gotten to where I am today had I not taken some time to hide God's Word in my heart.

How much time are you spending in God's Word? Are you filling your life and heart with this great gift that He has given us? It's amazing to me that if you put a Bible in restricted nations that people will literally tear pages out to share with others so that it can be passed around and yet we live in a nation where we have so many different translations to choose from but we don't even pick up the one closest to us. Make it your aim, your goal today, to spend time with God in His Word. Allow Him to speak to you. And while you are at it - hide His words in your heart so that you may not sin against Him.

The God Who Answers...

"Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, He is God..." 1 Kings 18:24

Elijah's stand against the prophets of Baal is one of my favorite accounts from Israel's history. (Notice that I didn't say story!!!) The man of God vs the false prophets. The living God vs idols. What Drama! What Power! What Faith!

I have a question for you: Can you stand in Elijah's place? What if the outcome depended upon God answering your prayers?

John Franklin, "And the Place Was Shaken", said: 'God doesn't answer prayer; He answers you.' The point of this statement isn't to destroy everything that you have been taught about prayer. The point is to get you to open your eyes to the fact that we have a relational God who answers us when we pray!

But what if I'm not seeing my prayers answered?

In regards to unanswered prayer, I would encourage you to do several things:
1) Check your motives - what drives your prayer?
2) Check your heart - any sin in your life?
3) Check your life - has God said "NO" or "WAIT"?
4) Check your circumstances - can your life handle God's answer right now?
5) Check your pulse - how passionate are you about the things you are praying for?

These are just a few points that need to be made in regards to unanswered prayer. Don't question God's ability to answer. He is All-Powerful! Don't question God's heart to answer. H is Love! However, be willing to hear something other than "YES" from time to time. God has His reasons.

But let's get back to the scripture. What if we were in Elijah's place? What if America turning back to God depended upon Him answering in fire (or some other way)? Do we have the faith to believe? Do we have the passion to pray? Do we have the willingness to labor? There was a lot of work that went into Elijah's prayer. He issued a challenge, built an altar, got things ready for a fire, drenched everything in water, and then he prayed. Too often we are looking for shortcuts to get God to answer. We don't mind prayer meeting as long as it doesn't go too long, or they don't ask me to pray, or it doesn't interfere with other plans. This list goes on (I promise).

The fact is: If we want to see our nation turn to God then the church must turn to Him as well! 2 Chronicles 7:14 teaches us this truth and yet too many churches aren't praying. Jesus said that His Father's house would be a house of prayer. Is it? Or have we turned it into a house of merchandise, house of entertainment, or a house of idolatry?

"The God who answers..." You do realize that Elijah wasn't playing fair. He served a God who answered prayer. You can take full confidence and assurance in that statement as well. God hears you when you pray and He will answer you.

Do You Have a Thankful Heart?

2 Corinthians 9:15, "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"

#4 - I'm thankful for God's provision.

#5 - I'm thankful for the simple joys of life.

#6 - I'm thankful for the power of prayer.

#7 - I'm thankful for the gift of song.

O.K. I'm going to stop with number seven. I could keep going but I don't want you to leave just yet.

Listen to what Paul told the Corinthian church just before verse 15: "Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you." [10-14]

Paul is thanking the Corinthian believers for their love gift to the church of Jerusalem. What an awesome thought: Because of their obedience there was much thanksgiving going up to God on their behalf!!!

If you are truly thankful this holiday season - share it with others. They in turn with give thanksgiving as well!

May the Lord bless you all. May you be able to recount with your family and friends all the great things that God has done for you. May your thanksgiving turn hearts to Him!

**Join us tonight for a special Thanksgiving Eve service here at PBC > 7:00pm.

Thanksgiving Week

The week of Thanksgiving is upon us. Just a few more days and the majority of us will be spending time with family, eating turkey, hunting, and watching a little football.

Don't forget to take time to be thankful.

The Bible teaches us to give thanks in all things. This week I'm simply going to post things for which I am thankful. I hope this will serve as a lead up to this wonderful holiday.

#1 - I'm thankful for my salvation. On Dec. 18, 1991 I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord for saving me!

#2 - I'm thankful for my family. Jennifer and I have been married for 14 years and have two wonderful children. My whole family knows Jesus!

#3 - I'm thankful for PBC. This church has blessed my life in so many ways. To God be the glory for the great things He has done.

Tomorrow I will post a few more things that I'm thankful for. No post on Thanksgiving Day - I'm sure that you understand.

May the Lord bless you all on this Thanksgiving Holiday.

PBC will be having a Thanksgiving Eve service on Wed. night @ 7:00pm. Come and be thankful with us & share in communion.

He Forgot

Today's reading comes from "God Came Near" by Max Lucado.

"I was thanking the Father today for His mercy. I began listing the sins He'd forgiven. One by one I thanked God for forgiving my stumbles and tumbles. My motives were pure and my heart was thankful, but my understanding of God was wrong. It was when I used the word 'remember' that it hit me.

"'Remember the time I...' I was about to thank God for another act of mercy. But I stopped. Something was wrong. The word 'remember' seemed displaced. It was an off-key note in a sonata, a misspelled word in a poem. It was a baseball game in December. It didn't fit. 'Does He remember?'

"Then I remembered. I remembered His words. 'And I will remember their sins no more.'

"Wow! Now, that is a promise.

"God doesn't just forgive, He forgets. He erases the board. He destroys the evidence. He burns the microfilm. He clears the computer.

"He doesn't remember my mistakes. For all the things He does do, this is one thing He refuses to do. He refuses to keep a list of my wrongs. When I ask for forgiveness He doesn't pull out the clipboard and say, 'But I have already forgiven him for that five hundred and sixteen times.'

"He doesn't remember.

"'As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.'

"'I will be merciful toward their iniquities.'

"'Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you white as wool.'

"No, he doesn't remember. But I do, you do. You still remember. You're like me. You still remember what you did before you changed. In the cellar of your heart lurk the ghosts of yesterday's sins. Sins you've confessed; errors of which you've repented; damage you've done your best to repair...

"...Do yourself a favor. Purge your cellar. Exorcise your basement. Take the Roman nails of Calvary and board up the door.

"And remember...He forgot."

pp. 101-105 (Scripture References: Heb. 8:12, Psalm 103:12, Isaiah 1:18)

Winning Into Freedom

From "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers - November 18th entry.

"If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." (John 8:36)

"If there is even a trace of individual self-satisfaction left in us, it always says, 'I can't surrender,' or 'I can't be free.' But the spiritual part of our being never says 'I can't'; it simply soaks up everything around it. Our spirit hungers for more and more. It is the way we are built. We are designed with a great capacity for God, but sin, our own individuality, and wrong thinking keep us from getting to Him. God delivers us from sin - we have to deliver ourselves from our individuality. This means offering our natural life to God and sacrificing it to Him, so He may transform it into spiritual life through our obedience.

"God pays no attention to our natural individuality in the development of our spiritual life. His plan runs right through our natural life. We must see to it that we aid and assist God, and not stand against Him by saying, 'I can't do that.' God will not discipline us; we must discipline ourselves. God will not bring our 'arguments...and every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ' (2 Cor. 10:5) - we have to do it. Don't say, 'Oh, Lord, I suffer from wandering thoughts.' Don't suffer from wandering thoughts. Stop listening to the tyranny of your individual natural life and win freedom into the spiritual life.

"'If the Son makes you free...' Do not substitute Savior for Son in this passage. The Savior has set us free from sin, but this is the freedom that comes from being set free from myself by the Son. It is what Paul meant in Galatians 2:20 when he said, 'I have been crucified with Christ...' His individuality had been broken and his spirit had been united with his Lord; not just merged into Him, but made one with Him. '...you shall be free indeed' - free to the very core of your being; free from the inside to the outside. We tend to rely on our own energy, instead of being energized by the power that comes from identification with Jesus."

*Let the Son set you free today!

The Show Must Go On

I woke up this morning with my internal jukebox playing full blast. The song? "The Show Must Go On" by Queen.

Allow me to post a couple of lines with the chorus and then you can ask yourself if you ever feel this way:

"I guess I'm learning
I must be warmer now..
I'll soon be turning round the corner now.
Outside the dawn is breaking,
But inside in the dark I'm aching to be free!

The Show must go on!
The Show must go on! Yeah!
Ooh! Inside my heart is breaking!
My make-up may be flaking!
But my smile, still, stays on!"

It seems to me that more people feel this way than we may let on. Regardless of how we feel - there are kids to raise, a job to do, a spouse to care for, a ministry to perform. The list goes on and on. The sad part in all of this is that there is a great number of church goers who are aching to be free from something.

This past Sunday I asked our church if we would rather run a showboat or a lifeboat. We can concern ourselves with how this thing called church comes off or we can spend our time, energy, and resources to rescue people. I want to command the lifeboat!

A word of encouragement for those who feel compelled to keep the smile going. If you continue to mask your pain, your problems, your sin - You Will Lose. However, the moment that you decide you aren't going to allow yourself to live in this game - YOU CAN BE SET FREE. I know that it may get messy but you cannot continue to live this way. 1 John 1:9 tells us: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." If the show MUST go on you don't have to fake it! Why not allow God to set you free?

One of the great things about PBC is that we have found a place where we can be real. There isn't a perfect person in the whole lot. This doesn't mean that we aren't willing to live disciplined lives but it also doesn't mean that we are going to cover up our junk. We are real with God and we are real with each other. There is no other way to live.

I hope that you have found a fellowship of believers where you can do the same. I hope that you have entered into relationships that allow you to be free. If you haven't then the lyrics I posted earlier will be your reality. I know there are times that we have to pick ourselves up and take care of responsibilities but it cannot become a way of life. Jesus longs to set you free.

The Pursuit

There are many things about this time of year that I enjoy: Leaves changing color, Thanksgiving, & Football just to name of few. But one of my favorite hobbies during this time of year is Deer Hunting.

In his book, "A Look at Life from a Deer Stand", Steve Chapman shares some wonderful analogies and devotional thoughts through the experience of deer hunting. One of my favorites is "Going Deeper." I don't actually own the book so I'm going to attempt to share what I got from this reading.

Steve was sharing about some of his earliest experiences in deer hunting. One of those experiences came from some frustration over his evening hunts. He had placed his stand near the edge of a field since most of the deer filter out of the woods to feed. However, the deer always got there too late to shoot. An older gentleman told him, "You need to go deeper!" What Steve found out was that if he placed his stand deeper into the woods then he would be able to see these deer before it got dark.

What's the spiritual application? I wonder how many people are simply frustrated in their Christian life because they aren't experiencing God any differently than when they started? You need to go deeper! If there is one thing that I have learned about my relationship with God is that it's always a call to go deeper: Deeper in the Word, Deeper in Prayer, Deeper in my Faith, & Deeper in my Sharing. It's like a lot of other disciplines in life. If you are trying to get stronger by lifting weights - eventually you have to add more weights. If you are trying to prepare for a marathon - then you can't run 1 mile a day and plan on getting to that place.

If you want to grow in your experience with God - you have to go deeper. Knowing God needs to become your greatest pursuit! I promise you this: It's not as hard as deer hunting. Why? Because God wants to be caught by you!

As you prepare for the weekend, I want to encourage you to set aside some time to read the Bible. Dive into it with the expectation that God is going to speak to you. Set aside some time for prayer. Don't get complacent here...it's far too easy to miss the intimacy with God in your prayer life. One other thing: Share your faith with someone else. Deer hunters love to share their experiences (even with those who may not hunt). In the same way, go out and share with others how God saved you, how He has blessed your life, and what you are currently learning from His Word.

Who knows...Maybe in your pursuit of Him, God will be able to catch someone that He has been pursuing!

Do You Know Jesus?

I realize that many of you who read this blog are believers. However, every now and then this question needs to be asked: Do you know Jesus?

You're not here by accident. God loves you. He wants you to have a personal relationship with Him through Jesus, His Son. There is just one thing that separates you from God. That one thing is sin.

The Bible describes sin in many ways. Most simply, sin is our failure to measure up to God’s holiness and His righteous standards. We sin by things we do, choices we make, attitudes we show, and thoughts we entertain. We also sin when we fail to do right things. The Bible affirms our own experience – “there is none righteous, not even one.” No matter how good we try to be, none of us does right things all the time.

People tend to divide themselves into groups - good people and bad people. But God says that every person who has ever lived is a sinner, and that any sin separates us from God. No matter how we might classify ourselves, this includes you and me. We are all sinners.

"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

Many people are confused about the way to God. Some think they will be punished or rewarded according to how good they are. Some think they should make things right in their lives before they try to come to God. Others find it hard to understand how Jesus could love them when other people don't seem to. But I have great news for you! God DOES love you! More than you can ever imagine! And there's nothing you can do to make Him stop! Yes, our sins demand punishment - the punishment of death and separation from God. But, because of His great love, God sent His only Son Jesus to die for our sins.

"God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

For you to come to God you have to get rid of your sin problem. But, in our own strength, not one of us can do this! You can't make yourself right with God by being a better person. Only God can rescue us from our sins. He is willing to do this not because of anything you can offer Him, but JUST BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU!

"He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy." Titus 3:5

It's God's grace that allows you to come to Him - not your efforts to "clean up your life" or work your way to Heaven. You can't earn it. It's a free gift.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

For you to come to God, the penalty for your sin must be paid. God's gift to you is His son, Jesus, who paid the debt for you when He died on the Cross.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23

Jesus paid the price for your sin and mine by giving His life on a cross at a place called Calvary, just outside of the city walls of Jerusalem in ancient Israel. God brought Jesus back from the dead. He provided the way for you to have a personal relationship with Him through Jesus. When we realize how deeply our sin grieves the heart of God and how desperately we need a Savior, we are ready to receive God's offer of salvation. To admit we are sinners means turning away from our sin and selfishness and turning to follow Jesus. The Bible word for this is "repentance" - to change our thinking about how grievous sin is, so our thinking is in line with God's.

All that's left for you to do is to accept the gift that Jesus is holding out for you right now.

"If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Romans 10:9-10

God says that if you believe in His son, Jesus, you can live forever with Him in glory.

"For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16

Are you ready to accept the gift of eternal life that Jesus is offering you right now? Let's review what this commitment involves:

I acknowledge I am a sinner in need of a Savior - this is to repent or turn away from sin

I believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead - this is to trust that Jesus paid the full penalty for my sins

I confess Jesus as my Lord and my God - this is to surrender control of my life to Jesus

I receive Jesus as my Savior forever - this is to accept that God has done for me and in me what He promised

You can do this through a simple prayer of faith. I you have never prayed before then I encourage you to simply talk to God as if He is in the room with you. If you accept Christ through this blog entry then please leave a comment so that I can rejoice with you. I encourage you to go out and find a church home where you can grow in relationship with other believers. If you live in our area then PBC is a good place to start.

John 3:16 ('Nuff said)

Max Lucado refers to John 3:16 as the "Hope Diamond" of Scripture. Can we argue with that assessment?

I don't know of any other single verse that is memorized (or quoted) as much as John 3:16. There is great power, great freedom, and great revelation wrapped up in this one verse. When it comes to understanding the love of God for the world and the gift of salvation wrapped up in Jesus - John 3:16 says it all!

I heard a message yesterday by Drew Landry that brought out some wonderful aspects of this verse. He said that there is one thing that is missed in the translation from Greek to English and that is that the verse reads "The God." Think about that with me... "The God" of the world loved so much that He gave... WOW! Is the current century any different that the 1st century? Do we not live in an age when there are many gods that could be followed? Is there not a vast number of religions in the world? Maybe we need to introduce our generation/culture afresh to "The God" of the world. The one and only God is Jehovah God and He loves us so much that He did something.

God gave. Isn't that so true of God? God always demonstrates His goodness to us. He gave us life. He is the one who created us and He is the one who redeems us. What He gave is truly significant. He gave His one and only begotten Son. He gave the only one of His kind. He gave Himself wrapped up in human flesh as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Why? He did this because He loves His creation. Man had fallen far from God. Man had went in his own direction. However, God still loved and because He loved - He did something about it.

The result: SALVATION TO ALL WHO BELIEVE! I'm so glad that God has opened the door to all of us for eternal life. Even better than that is to know that we can have eternal life if we simply believe. Don't listen to anyone who tries to add to God's Word. If you need to be saved today, all you have to do is put your faith and trust in God's gift of salvation. That is it!

We have a young lady in our church that has been bombarded by those who think you must add something to your faith in order to be saved. In their belief system you must DO SOMETHING else. Faith alone can't save you {In their words}. But God's Word says different! God's Word says that "Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame." (Rom. 10:11) In fact, just a couple verses ahead of that, the Bible says that "if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." And if you drop down a couple verses from verse 11 you will read, "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

The point of this is to understand that God has done everything in regards to our salvation. John 3:16 can stand alone because the remainder of God's Word assures us of its great promise: Anyone - Everyone - who puts their belief in Jesus Christ will have eternal life.

Praise God for His great love toward us! Praise God for the gift of Jesus Christ for our sin!

John 3:16...'Nuff said!

What Are We Thirsty For?

I have been blessed to hear some wonderful messages from the Word of God this week. Our state convention (SBCV) is having its Annual Homecoming. The theme for this year is "Pushing Back the Darkness through Evangelism."

Here is a sample of the couple of messages that God used in my life yesterday.

Dr. Gray Allison preached from Jude 20-25 with this in mind: "We are not going to be the witnesses we need to be until we are who we need to be!"

That is why Paul urged Jude to:
1) Build himself up
2) Pray in the Holy Spirit
3) Stay in the Love of God
4) Look for the 2nd Coming

It's only after we apply these principles to our life can we expect to reach out to those around us. Some we will have compassion upon while others will be saved through a fear of God's judgement.

Then in our evening session we heard a message from Dr. Tom Elliff. Elliff preached from Psalm 42 and asked the question: What are we thirsty for?

1) Essence of Thirst is a Sense of Longing
2) Existence of Thirst is a Sign of Life
3) Extent of Thirst is a Sign of Labor
4) Exclusiveness of Thirst is a Sign of Love

In the end we saw the altar in front of the church filled with men and women asking God to give them a thirst for Him and for lost souls.

I must say that God has used these messages in a great way to bring refreshment to my soul. I have a greater longing to see God move in me. But I also have a greater longing to see God move in the lives of others.

Join me today by getting before God and asking Him to make you thirsty for His presence, His power, and His purpose in your life.

Only then can we expect to push back the darkness!

The Approval of God or Man?

I was flipping through Tommy Tenney's book "God's Favorite House" when I came across this statement: "If you are a preacher, a teacher, a worship leader, or hold any position of responsibility in the local body, don't waster God's precious anointing by running after man's approval. Use it to prepare the Bride for the King."

AMEN!!!!!

The last thing the church needs is a "man pleaser." Too many preachers today are doing their best to keep from provoking people. They work so hard as to not hurt any one's feelings or make someone feel as though they are wrong. This type of mentality is producing churches that do not know what sin looks like.

One particular denomination has adopted the phrase "Open Hears. Open Doors. Open Minds." Isn't that sweet! Why not just put up a banner that says, "We don't care what you do but please grace us with your presence and you will be fully accepted." Maybe it's not quite as catchy.

Folks, I'm all for loving people where they live. I cannot expect the lost to live in any other way than lost. HOWEVER, when it comes to the Body of Christ...that's a different story. If someone has accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior then that someone's life should look like it. I'm not saying that they will be perfect but their life should be different from the lives around them. And it doesn't matter how sweet, nice, and fluffy my sermons are because in the end they won't change.

The purpose of the anointing is to bring God and man together in holy communion. God doesn't anoint us so we can get on TV, receive an invitation to Larry King Live, or to sell books and fill arena's. God anoints us to reach a world for Him. He sets us apart so that we will have a different message than that of the world.

So listen up church leaders: Shake of complacency, loose the idea that you have to accept everyone to love everyone, and don't be afraid of the truth. The truth may hurt feelings but it will set them free.

The Journey of Faith

The following story is taken from "Experiencing God" by Henry Blackaby. This is an awesome reminder of the journey of faith & God's provision. We must always remember Hebrews 11:6, "Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."

"The church that I pastored sensed we needed God to use us to reach people for Christ throughout our province. The province contained more than 200 cities, towns, and villages. This meant that we would have to start new churches. To do that, we felt God was leading us to call Len Koster to become our minister of mission outreach. He would equip the church to start churches.

"For 14 years Len had pastored small churches. Len was so committed to the Lord that he worked as a service-station attendant for 14 years in order to pastor bivocationally. Without a part-time pastor these churches would have had no pastor at all. In that time Len and his wife, Ruth, had saved seven thousand dollars, hoping one day they would have enough money to buy their own home. When Len felt absolutely convinced he ought to come help us start churches, I said, 'Len, we have no money to move you and no money to pay you.'

"He said, 'Henry, the God who has called me will help me. We will take the money from our savings, and we will move.' Later Len came into my office and said, 'Henry, my wife and I prayed and talked all night. I have worked bivocationally for 14 years, and I have no problem working to provide for my family. But the need here is so great and God's direction is so clear I believe I need to work full-time. My wife and I realized last night that the seven thousand dollars we have in the bank is God's, and He wants us to use that for our living expenses. When we have exhausted that, He will show us what to do next. So Henry, don't worry about my support.'

"When Len left the room, I fell on my face and wept before the Father. I said, 'Father, I don't understand why such a faithful couple must make this kind of sacrifice.' I saw in Len and Ruth a great faith that was demonstrated by their actions.

"Two days later I received a letter from a Presbyterian layman in Kamloops, British Columbia. It simple said, 'I understand a man named Len Koster has come to work with you. God has laid it on my heart to help support his ministry. Enclosed find a check for seven thousand dollars to be used for his support.' When I opened that letter, I got back on my knees and wept before the Father again. This time I asked Him to forgive me for not trusting Him when He told me I could.

"I called Len and said, 'Len, you have placed your life savings on the altar of sacrifice, but God has something else in the bushes. The God who says, 'I am your Provider' has just provided!' Then I told him the news. Do you know what that did in Len's life? Can you imagine what it did in our church's life? We all grew in our faith to believe God. After that we stepped out in faith time and time again, and we saw God do amazing things. We never could have experienced God that way if we had not stepped out in faith to call Len. That experience helped us learn how to trust God."

*As you reflect upon this story and the journey of faith, I want you to ask this question: "What does God have in the bushes for me?"

ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

Happy Election Day

Welcome to Tuesday, November 3, 2009 AD.

This is a day that many of you have been waiting for. It's the 1st election since Obama was sworn in as the President of the United States. I think the question is: What will you do with it? Will you make change happen or are you satisfied with the "change" you are seeing?

I truly believe that the voting that takes place this year is going to make a difference. I believe that our nation is looking at the state of Virginia to see what we will do. Are we going to continue with the leadership of the Democrat party or will we elect the Republican candidate for Governor? It's much too early to tell right now...but if you want to affect the outcome then GET OUT & VOTE.

You know what amazes me about some believers? When it comes to voting in elections or speaking out on political matters - they tend to be rather sheepish. I'm thinking: Man, if we would go in and occupy the land that God gives us we can made a real difference. Remember that God put us in the freest nation on earth for a reason. God has given us the right to speak freely, worship freely, etc. Do you think that he wants us to give those freedoms back or use those freedoms for the good of the nation?

Let's start a revolution today!!!

BELIEVERS - Go out and vote your morals. The rest will take care of itself.

Don't Give Up!

Hello everyone. I promise that I haven't forgotten about you. I was out of town for the first part of the week and had a funeral today. Look forward to sharing some new stuff with you next week.

I just didn't want you to think that I had given up on blogging.

Hope that you have a had a great week and that this upcoming weekend will be fun and exciting.

Talk to you soon.

Neal

Powerless Christianity

Excerpt from "Ablaze With His Glory" by Del Fehsenfeld Jr.

"The church is waiting for the world to come to Christ and get saved, but the world is waiting for the church to come to God and get right. God does not judge a nation simply because of the wickedness of the ungodly. He also judges a nation because of the disobedience of His own people. Without the power of God in our lives, we have nothing to offer this world that can really make a difference.

"Jesus put it simply: 'Without me you can do nothing.' (John 15:5). Without His life operationally living through us, the sum total of everything we can do that has eternal value is zero. It does not matter how many seminars, insights, formulas, ideas, or programs we have been exposed to; we cannot succeed in the Christian life without God. No one can live the spiritual life apart form the power of the Spirit.

"All the cosmetic improvements in the world will not empower us to live for God. The only person who ever succeeded in living the Christian life was its author, Jesus Christ. The only way you or I can hope to live like Him is by going to the cross and exchanging our lives for His life. We can wear our best clothes, be on our best behavior and even talk our best talk to impress others, but none of that impresses God! God is only impressed with the sinless life of His Son. Unless His life is released in us, all else is in vain.

"Even full-time Christian workers often miss the point. We can get so busy in the work of the Lord that we forget all about the lord of the work. He is the whole reason and purpose for our existence. When we overlook Him, we lose the refreshing power of His presence in our lives. To compensate for the barrenness inside, we keep up the facade of religious activity on the outside. The result is always spiritual burnout. We become tired of the treadmill and weary in the work. First, we lose the power of God, then love and joy go. Soon peace is gone, and it isn't long until nothing is left. That's when we begin enduring Christianity instead of enjoying Jesus, its author.

"Do you remember what it was like when you first got saved?

"...Loss of spiritual power does not necessarily begin with a flagrant act of sin. It may start with slothful, undisciplined habits. Like the glory of God gradually, reluctantly departing form the temple, God slowly withdraws the manifestation of His presence. Chances are, we haven't openly rebelled against God. We are too spiritual for that. We just let Him slip away a little at a time until we feel empty inside. But even then we are too proud to let anyone know that we are slowly dying spiritually."

pp. 56-57

Grace...No Matter What

If you were to listen to some "preachers" you would think that every day should be the best experience you have ever had, filled with all the joy you should ever enjoy, and loaded with all the blessings that you would ever need. In other words: Every day is a good day.

How's that working out for you?

Do I believe that God gives us joy every day, blessings every day, and wonderful experiences? Yes. Do I believe that if I'm walking in His will that I will never experience hardship? No!

When Peter wrote his letters to the early church it was during times of great tribulation. The church was in the beginning stages of widespread persecution. Believers are beginning to scatter from Jerusalem, families are terrified about what will happen, and the ministry of the Gospel is facing a huge challenge. What did Peter tell these early believers? Look in 1 Peter 5:12 for your answer. "...My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that the grace of God is with you no matter what happens."

What a promise! Regardless of what this world throws in your direction - the grace of God is with you. No matter what needs arise - the grace of God is with you. Even in the midst of suffering, pain, stress, and possibly death - the grace of God is with you!

This verse flies in the face of those who would say, "Well...if you just believe in God you can have your best life now." Really? What if I'm not? Does this mean that I have fallen out of God's favor? Does this mean that I'm not where I'm supposed to be? Has God forsaken me during my difficulties? Some people would tell you that if this is my best life now...then they don't want it.

As far as this life is concerned we are never promised sunshine and roses. In fact, Paul said that if all we had was hope in Christ for this life we were the most miserable people on the face of the earth {that is the NH translation}. We aren't promised our best life here. But we are promised a better life ahead!

The Good News of this life is the GRACE of GOD. You may be poor in resources but you can be rich in GRACE. You may be sick physically but you are blessed spiritually. You may have to go through some stuff on this earth but the GRACE of GOD is with you no matter what happens.

Hallelujah!

My purpose for blogging today is to encourage YOU! The grace of God is with you no matter what happens today. No matter what happened yesterday. No matter what happens tomorrow. His grace never fails because He never fails.

Be encouraged: Grace...no matter what!

More Laborers Needed

I wanted to say a little bit about our South Africa Team since they are nearing the end of their trip (coming home on Sunday). However, I came across Oswald Chamber's Devotional. Since they are coming home, it seems fit to share this verse along with his thought. {This devotional comes from My Utmost for His Highest}

Matthew 9:38, "So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send out more workers for His fields."

The key to the missionary’s difficult task is in the hand of God, and that key is prayer, not work— that is, not work as the word is commonly used today, which often results in the shifting of our focus away from God. The key to the missionary’s difficult task is also not the key of common sense, nor is it the key of medicine, civilization, education, or even evangelization. The key is in following the Master’s orders— the key is prayer. "Pray the Lord of the harvest . . . ." In the natural realm, prayer is not practical but absurd. We have to realize that prayer is foolish from the commonsense point of view.

From Jesus Christ’s perspective, there are no nations, but only the world. How many of us pray without regard to the persons, but with regard to only one Person— Jesus Christ? He owns the harvest that is produced through distress and through conviction of sin. This is the harvest for which we have to pray that laborers be sent out to reap. We stay busy at work, while people all around us are ripe and ready to be harvested; we do not reap even one of them, but simply waste our Lord’s time in over-energized activities and programs. Suppose a crisis were to come into your father’s or your brother’s life— are you there as a laborer to reap the harvest for Jesus Christ? Is your response, "Oh, but I have a special work to do!" No Christian has a special work to do. A Christian is called to be Jesus Christ’s own, "a servant [who] is not greater than his master" (John 13:16 ), and someone who does not dictate to Jesus Christ what he intends to do. Our Lord calls us to no special work— He calls us to Himself. "Pray the Lord of the harvest," and He will engineer your circumstances to send you out as His laborer.

**Pray to the Lord of the Harvest but be ready...He may send you.

A Prayer for Healing

Earlier today I spoke with some dear fiends who serve in a restricted area as missionaries. They are currently enduring some physical difficulties but we are believing God for great things. I offer up this prayer on their behalf but also for any of you that are in need of God's healing touch.

Heaven Father,
Through Your Word You have imparted Your life to us. That life restores our bodies with every breath we breath and ever word we SPEAK. (John 6:63; Mark 11:23-24). That which God has not planted is dissolved and rooted out of our bodies in Jesus' Name. 1 Peter 2:24 is engrafted into every fiber of our being and we are alive with the life of God.
Sickness, disease, abnormalities have no right in our bodies. This unhealed wound, sickness, and abnormality that we pray over is a thing of the past and must be healed according to Your Word, for we are delivered from the authority of darkness. (Colossians 1:13-14).
May every organ and tissue of our bodies function in the perfection that God created it to function. We forbid any malfunction in our bodies in Jesus' Name.
Amen!

I don't know about you but I'm glad that we serve a God who hears our prayers and responds to our faith. We praise Him for what He is doing!

No Math Required

Deuteronomy 4:2, "Do not ADD to what I command you and do not SUBTRACT from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you." {emphasis mine}

Before I get into today's blog I want to be sure that you understand an important fact: I'm not perfect! However, regardless of what some people may believe about me, I'm not a heretic. I preach righteousness, holiness, and the disciplines of God's Word but I will not fall into the trap of believing that my personal convictions need to be applied to everyone around me. I will not subtract from God's Word AND I will not add to His commands.

I had an interesting conversation with someone last week over this very topic. Let's just say that this person had run into some individuals from the other side of the fence. A group that is lacking in the freedom department. To hear this other group speak you would think that God has a problem with us in just about every area of life. Women should wear their hair a certain way, refrain from the use of make-up, and never (ever) wear jeans. I'm sure the list is much longer but we will stop right there. Where is the balance? Why is there such a diversity in churches today? I guarantee that you can go down most streets in America today and find churches that are side by side in their location but miles apart in their understanding.

Thankfully, we don't have too many churches in our area that seek to take away from God's commands. For the most part - they are standard bearers. The problem that most of us face are the churches that ADD to God's Word. If you can wrap your mind around this - they expand God's Word to include their own personal convictions. Why would anyone do that? Is God's Word not enough? If I look at God's law (10 commandments) is it not clear enough? Hard enough?

You shall have no other God's before me
You shall not make any graven images
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain
Remember the sabbath to keep it holy
Honor your father and mother
You shall not kill
You shall not commit adultery
You shall not steal
You shall not bear false witness
You shall not covet

It seems to me that if we follow God's commands (as they are) we will live a life that is in keeping with His Word. Why then would we ever consider adding anything to this? Most people struggle with these 10 - why would we ever burden them down with something else?

There are just too many arguments in the church today. Bible translations, music, dress codes, etc. Are we really any different that the Pharisees and Scribes of Jesus' day? The sad part is that many of these same people boast of their freedom when in fact they are bound in religious practice. God save us from the mechanics of religion!

I could go into many churches and preach on the watering down of God's Word and get some positive results. I could make people shout, say amen, and fire them up over the preservation of God's Word. But I have to wonder if they would be as motivated if I went in and preached on the SIN of adding to God's Word. It's just as bad. It's just as damaging to the kingdom. It's just as much a sin as the other.

Do me a favor. Let God's Word be His Word! He didn't give us a multiple-choice Bible. We can't go through and pick out what we believe to be right. At the same time, He didn't give us a fill-in-the-blank Bible. No...what He gave us was His Word and the Holy Spirit. Do we really need anything else?

There's no math required. We don't need to subtract from God's Word - He meant what He said. And we don't need to add to God's Word - it is enough.

Blah...Blah...Blah...

Proverbs 13:3, "He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction."

Have you ever noticed how quick we are to broadcast our ignorance? There is a reason that James says that we should be "swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath."

I love the book of Proverbs. I can just imagine an elderly man sharing these wise words with a son or grandson. Of all the life lessons that could be shared, Solomon believed that his son needed to hear these words. If we were sharing these words today we might say something like: "Sometimes the best thing you could do is keep your mouth shut. If you don't - someone might shut it for you!"

Ever said something that you wanted to take back? Ever spoken out of turn? Ever wished that your brain moved faster than your lips? For some people this discipline of guarding the mouth is very difficult. They are quick to give their opinion or say what they are thinking. Too often we don't even take the time to process what is getting ready to come out.

I have heard people say, "Well, I was thinking it so I might as well say it." Who taught us that garbage? Trust me when I say that it's one thing to think something but quite another thing to speak it! Feelings normally don't get hurt when we just think something. Relationships are rarely severed due to what one person was thinking. But when we allow those thoughts to be formed into words - we can become very destructive.

How many people have been discouraged from following after God's leadership due to the words of someone they respected? How many missionaries have stayed home, ministries never started, or dreams never pursued? Don't get me wrong...I understand that there are times that we need to speak the truth (in love) but there are also times when we need to just keep our mouths shut. My grandmother used to say, "If you can't say nothing good - don't say anything at all."

This life lesson is something that I am continually learning. And it's a hard lesson to learn. I was always the mouthy one! If it wasn't for the work of the Holy Spirit in me who knows what kind of destruction I would have caused in life. That is why I do my best to remember Psalm 19:14: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight..." This is the key! If we can apply the Lordship of Christ to what is happening in our hearts and the words that our coming out of our mouths, we can overcome.

Trust me: You are going to find yourself in a situation (probably today) where you are going to be tested in this area. It could happen at work, with your spouse or children, or it could be in another relationship. Are you going to pause and ask for wisdom or are you going to release the megaphone between your ears? I'm not going to tell you that you have to keep quiet BUT I am going to say that if you need to speak the truth be sure that it's in LOVE.