Stepping Out

People wish to learn to swim and at the same time to keep one foot on the ground.
Marcel Proust (1871-1922, French novelist)

Heb 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
NASU

Faith is required. This should be the statement emblazoned on every Christian at the moment of salvation. It is not a bad thing, it is an adventure. You must leave the dock, and you must launch out in faith to see the wonders of God as He works in your life. This is all required for your faith to grow and for you to see the uncommon things in the spiritual realm in which a Christian must learn to live, and walk.

I’m sure the astronauts would have liked to have had a long tether as they launched for the moon so many years ago, a backup in case they messed up. They sought to see and understand that which they had seen from afar as children, to get closer as to understand more. But this also required a letting go, a risk of leaving comfortable settings, to acquire that which they desired.

God wants us to launch out, you know what I mean. Remember that childhood curiosity that made us take risks and sometimes get into trouble. Well, God wants us to try the reigns of our faith and to launch out into His spaces so we can learn what He can do. It’s a new world, and it has new rules that we must learn to be able to safely navigate our way to heavens realm. So today, let go, and let God. Do some spiritual space walking…God Bless.

Pastor William

Eternity Is Now

Christ was born in the first century, yet he belongs to all centuries. He was born a Jew, yet He belongs to all races. He was born in Bethlehem, yet He belongs to all countries.
George W. Truett

Luke 1:30-33
The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." NASU

Are we aware, fully, of what we have become? I ask that question to Christians saved and adopted into the Family of God. I think that in our striving to attain things of this world we forget, or fail to inventory fully what we already possess. We are too busy I guess to take a sobering gaze into our future, for it would change inevitably our goals in this world.

Mary found favor with God, and with that special gift from God came a favoring of us all. You see in that moment, when the Holy Spirit conceived in Mary the Son of God, she began a process that we all would go through. From that time on Jesus would enter the lives of many, and be born in their hearts, and live on the thrones of their lives.

We walk every day now with a different purpose, or we should, for we are now a part of something that is so much bigger that we could imagine. We have a wonderful future in store for us, endless years of wonder and awe. Peace unimaginable, pleasures never envisioned, as part of a kingdom, “That Will Never End”… Merry Christmas, and God Bless.

Pastor William

Godly Curiosity

For here we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead...
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826, American President (3rd))

Matt 7:7-8
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. NASU

It is a tragic fact in the world that we live that some do not seek the truth, they make their own. They do not bother to seek; as a matter of fact they will choose to reject the truth, to remain safely in what they believe. If you are one of those that have questions, you are one of the chosen ones, God called, to seek out the truth, even as the wise men did two thousand years ago.

The magi proclaimed we have seen “His” Star in the East, and we have come to worship Him. It means that they were looking, they desired something else and they were seeking for something greater. Herod, the king sent them on a mission to find Him, not to worship Him, but to destroy Him. To the extreme that he would kill many children, to ensure that He was safe in His own truth.

To some degree that still happens today. I am still amazed daily at the hatred that the world has for our belief in Christ. They tolerate other religions, yet they actively seek to kill the Church. Why? Because it is real, it is powerful, and it still changes and draws the hearts of men to seek the truth, there is no other name as powerful, as the Name of Jesus…God Bless.

Pastor William

An Attitude of Hurry

Some men give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; While others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before.
Herodotus (BC 484-425, Greek historian)

Luke 2:12-16
"This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us." So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph and the baby as He lay in the manger. NASU

I love the song silent night, for on that night no one could fully voice what God was doing for us. In Heb 2:16-17, we find these assuring words; “For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”

So on this night some were told to go and see, and they obeyed. Their obedience allowed them to see on that night what any of us would give anything we have to see, The Savior, lying in a manger. God became man to come to our aid, to experience our pain, and save us from ourselves. Notice there was a special message given by the angels, to the shepherds, one that is frequently over looked.

The angels proclaimed Glory to God in the highest, and peace among men, “WITH WHOM HE IS PLEASED.” Notice that the Shepherds “came in a hurry” and found the baby as He lay in the manger. There is a pressing need for that attitude in our world today, for Jesus is coming again. It would please Him to bring many to this manger. Our reward will be peace within, for it is His will that none should perish, but come to everlasting life in Him, let’s hurry…God Bless.

Pastor William

Returning what is Due

You can't buy loyalty, you can only invest in it.
Ronny M. Cole

Matt 21:33-39
"Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who PLANTED A VINEYARD AND PUT A WALL AROUND IT AND DUG A WINE PRESS IN IT, AND BUILT A TOWER, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey. "When the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce. "The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third. "Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them. "But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, "They will respect my son.' "But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, "This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.' "They took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. NASU

In the tiny vineyard of this world, which God planted and made us caretakers of, we will find all that we need to produce that which we are to produce for Him. We have all the tools that we need and all of the facilities that are necessary to return to Him what we owe. But, there is an important fact that cannot be refused, and it is to recognize Him as the owner of all that is within these walls.

We can see from this story that God sent his slaves first, to retrieve what was His, and they shamefully abused them. Notice that God was insistent on retrieving what was His, He is God. When the first group of slaves didn’t retrieve what was His, He sent another, and finally after they were abused, and killed, He sent His Son. They thought when they killed THE SON, that everything in the walls would be theirs.

In Heb 1:1-2, tells us this, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.” You see, God sent His Son to reclaim from our lives what was His. Maybe the biggest gift we could give this Christmas, is to give from our lives, what is due to the Owner of the vineyard…God Bless

Pastor William

Why Wait?

A wise person does at once, what a fool does at last. Both do the same thing; only at different times.
Lord Acton (1834-1902, British historian)

Deut 30:10-14
If you obey the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul. "For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. "It is not in heaven, that you should say, "Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?' "Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, "Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?' "But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it. NASU

Procrastination is the sin of this nation. It is the sin of the very young and the very old. It seems like all think they can wait one more day, one more week, or one more year to look into God’s commands for life. It is something that they will get too one day, when they have done all that “they” want to do.

Some say it’s just too hard that God is asking them to do the impossible. But, they have never asked God for the strength to follow, and walk in the blessings that come from being obedient. Obedience is important, following instructions is important. If you don’t believe me just ask anyone that has run a stop sign, or a red light. You take a chance on death, hurt or destruction.

Paul refers back to this verse in Romans 10:6, referring to the power that the heart has to believe “unto, Righteousness.” So within us God has bestowed the power to believe and be obedient to His Word, and there is no excuse to ignore His instruction. You don’t have to look around for some secret, the power is near. Some will listen today, some will listen tomorrow, and some will wait until it’s too late…God Bless.

Pastor William

Love makes all things possible, faith makes all things endure.

Pastor William,

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (HCSB)

“Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Robert Collier, American writer and publisher, defined faith in this way, “Faith is the confidence, the assurance, the enforcing truth, the knowing...” God speaks to us of how important faith is in Deuteronomy. The first prerequisite for knowing God is to “Love” Him. The second is “repetition” which ensures that we will always have Him close to our hearts, for if we believe something works, we do it again.

Repetition binds us to the truth. How would God speak to us today of these things? He probably would say something like this; “Speak to your Children of your faith in Me, and let them hear and see your faith in Me every day. Let them hear you pray to Me before you go to sleep, and let them hear you thank Me in the morning.

He might say, put a note on the side of the bed to remind you that you must do these things “every” day. Maybe even put a note in the car to remind you of how much I love you, and if you do this, your love for me will never fade. Keep my Word in your hands, and keep me first on your mind, and I will hold you close. In other words, if you love Him, surround yourself with Him, and you will never drift away…God Bless.

Pastor William

Being Contented

We are not to make the ideas of contentment and aspiration quarrel, for God made them fast friends. A man may aspire, and yet be quite content until it is time to raise; and both flying and resting are but parts of one contentment. The very fruit of the gospel is aspiration. It is to the heart what spring is to the earth, making every root, and bud, and bough desire to be more.
Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887, American preacher, orator, writer)

Philippians 4:11-13 (HCSB)
I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.

On our journey on this temporal terrestrial bubble, some find a spot on this tiny ball that floats in the majestic and unfathomable reaches of space, and are content to know no more, or see no more. They can surround themselves with walls and things that they are pleased with, and not question what lies beyond. It is a mystery to me, for on a starry night while gazing in the heavens, so many questions come to an open mind.

God really wants us to be content and secure, and for me, He is the only one that answers my questions, He makes me comfortable with the local things, and what lies over the horizon. If you and I stop on this journey and settle down, we will settle for less, and we will miss the majestic. We cannot live on this earth without ever looking up that is one border that we cannot secure, His Majesty will be seen.

Paul is really giving us the secret to life, it is His unquestionable faith in God. He can be secure on places he knows, but he can also launch out into the unknown. He can feel safe and be contented that, as he says in verse 19 of this same Chapter, “ God will supply all His needs, according to His riches in Glory,” and we can too…God Bless.

Pastor William

The Second Act

We live between two worlds; we soar in the atmosphere; we creep upon the soil; we have the aspirations of creators and the propensities of quadrupeds. There can be but one explanation of this fact. We are passing from the animal into a higher form, and the drama of this planet is in its second act.
Winwood W. Reade (1838-1875, American writer)

2 Cor 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. NASU

Winwood Reade, was an atheist and so called philosopher, who tried to understand the world in his own way. He came close, but he missed the boat, there will be no second act for him. If he had but tried Christ all of those feelings could have come together for him.

After listening to a lecture on evolution by a science professor, a student wrote a poem and titled it "The Amazing Professor." The poem read: Once I was a tadpole when I began to begin. Then I was a frog with my tail tucked in. Next I was a monkey on a coconut tree. Now I am a doctor with a Ph.D.

The philosophy of C. S. Lewis was that the reason that we don’t quite fit into this world is that we were designed for another. I tend to agree. I think when I want to understand who I am now, as a saved and loved Child of God, I will look above me and not around me, how about you…God Bless.
Pastor William

The Gift of Following

No organization is stronger than the quality of its leadership, or ever extends its constituency far beyond the degree to which its leadership is representative.
Edgar D. Powell

1 Sam 8:7-9
The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. "Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day -- in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods -- so they are doing to you also. "Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them." NASU

We can only go as far as we let the Lord take us. Leadership is important, but it is not the leadership that we see in front of our eyes. It is in fact, the invisible hand of God working within the Church, to bring it to its ordained destiny. The problem lies in the ability to follow.

Good leaders first become good followers, and Christ never allows leadership in His church that has not first learned the gift of following. I say gift because many gifts are received after we learn this wonderful talent. Sheep learn to follow the shepherd and receive the safety of safe pastures and dwell securely. But, the ones with the wild ideas close their ears and chase things that lead them from the flock.

There is no use to tie them, they will only wander away when the time is right, but the shepherd must be faithful to solemnly warn them of their error. They will be led by err or by right, but they are still being led. It is error to think that we have our own way within us? Listen to Paul in 2 Corinthians 1:9 “indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;”…God Bless.

Pastor William

Charting The Way

Leaders are the ones who keep faith with the past, keep step with the present, and keep the promise to posterity.
Harold J. Seymour

Isa 6:9-11
He said, "Go, and tell this people: “Keep on listening, but do not perceive; keep on looking, but do not understand.' "Render the hearts of this people insensitive, their ears dull, and their eyes dim, otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and return and be healed." Then I said, "Lord, how long?" And He answered, "Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, houses are without people and the land is utterly desolate, NASU

Eleanor Roosevelt, former First Lady, had this perspective on leadership, “Perhaps in His wisdom the Almighty is trying to show us that a leader may chart the way, may point out the road to lasting peace, but that many leaders and many people’s must do the building.” I agree whole heartedly, for no one does anything great, alone. It takes the strength and persistence of many who are focused on one goal.

In the Church that goal is for all to be created in the image of Jesus Christ. That is the mission and the goal of the church. This means that in today’s world we must find a way to fit the truth’s that have made us successful in the past, into today and beyond. It takes unified focus and dedication. Dull ears, dim eyes, and un-understanding hearts will not find the future of God’s Church in this dying world.

Perceiving God’s will for our lives is important, for if we don’t listen, we can end up just as the Israelites ended up in the past. We can avoid this devastation and utter desolation, if, and only if, we bond together on things central to the truth, and future salvation, of souls we will never see or know, until we get to heaven…God Bless.

Pastor William

Seeing Ourselves

Jesus tapped me on the shoulder and said, Bob, why are you resisting me? I said, I'm not resisting you! He said, You gonna follow me? I said, I've never thought about that before! He said, When you're not following me, you're resisting me.
Bob Dylan (1941-, American musician, singer, songwriter)

Num 32:11-13
"None of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob; for they did not follow Me fully, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have followed the LORD fully.' "So the LORD'S anger burned against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the entire generation of those who had done evil in the sight of the LORD was destroyed. NASU

Following requires faith, faith requires belief, and belief leads to footsteps of obedience to Christ. One of the things that are required is just as Bob Dylan put it, recognizing where you are resisting the influence of Christ in your life. Are you doing that? Don’t answer so quickly because the real answer requires prayer and a painful self-examination of where you are right now.

Self is integrated into our frames so well that it’s like trying to see a hidden picture on a page. People see Jesus on toast and rocks and windows, but we have a hard time finding out important facts about ourselves. Jesus requires of us to examine our ways, our personalities and extract from our frame those things that we hide that we don’t want to get rid of.

Jeremiah in Lamentations 3:40-41, tells us what to do; “Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the LORD. We lift up our heart and hands Toward God in heaven;” That is to say that we are not to hide anything, we show him our hands, and we lift up our hearts to Him for total exposure. In this is faith, in this is belief, and it keeps our resisting flesh under control…God Bless.

Pastor William

Do You Now Believe?

Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God.

John 16:30-33
"Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God." Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? "Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." NASU

Do you now believe? It is a pertinent question for us today. Do you really, really believe, or do you just say that you do? Do you really believe in the authority and dominion of Christ over all of Creation and all that you see and know today? If you do then you can have peace, but without it we are hopeless.

The disciples in John 16, were in the presence of Christ, a place of easy belief, a place without an air of danger or testing. In these places it is always easy to rest. Until your faith is challenged and it appears to you that you may have been mistaken. It seems to me that in today’s world, the church is failing the test of faithfulness in those trials. Withdrawing in fear in times when Christ would step out boldly in faith.

Our faith is seen in how we react to times of testing, it was seen in how our Savior responded to a crisis, and it will be seen in us also. Mahatma Gandhi said this of Christians; “If Christians would really live according to the teachings of Christ, as found in the Bible, all of India would be Christian today.” You see what you really believe and who you really are is found through trials, and today is our time of testing, it is our day to shine for Christ…God Bless.

Pastor William

He's not like Me

What I believe about God is the most important thing about me.
A. W. Tozer (1897-1963, American preacher)

Ps 50:17-21
"For you hate discipline, and you cast My words behind you. "When you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you associate with adulterers. "You let your mouth loose in evil, and your tongue frames deceit. "You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son. "These things you have done and I kept silence; you thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes. NASU

John Wesley, British preacher and founder of Methodism, had this opinion of reason; “Passion and prejudice govern the world; only under the name of reason.” I am of the same opinion. We are living in a new modern world with, “New Ideas,” and new ways to reason out a new idea of who we think God is, and how He fits in to our life and into this world.

Reason will never get us to God, nor can we please God with our reasoning. People never get it, no matter how many times God repeats it. HE IS NOT LIKE US! God is a God of love, He rules in righteousness, and He has the perfect will for people’s lives, but we don’t. God’s truth and wisdom cannot reasoned it, it is an experience of the heart. We will not only experience it in our own hearts, but we will, from our hearts, share it with others, not from our reason.

Blaise Pascal, the French scientist, and religious philosopher put it this way “It is the heart which experiences God, not the reason.” This is important, don’t miss it. You may have your reasons for the way you feel and think, but they are not a matter of importance to God. It is only His truth, and His wisdom that will get us where we want to go. Scripture says it best in Prov 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”…God Bless.

Pastor William

Righteous Responsibility

Peace is normally a great good, and normally it coincides with righteousness, but it is righteousness and not peace which should bind the conscience of a nation as it should bind the conscience of an individual; and neither a nation nor an individual can surrender conscience to another's keeping.
Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919, American President (26th))

1 Peter 3:10-12
For, "THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS, MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT. "HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT. "FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER, BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL." NASU

During these coming days, it will be tempting to cry and blame things that do not happen on the government and on other circumstances. But, today is our day Christians, it is a day to show the world who we are. So many Christians have placed their faith lower and lower on their list of priorities, and it is plainly evident from the election that many Christians faith had nothing to do with their vote.

Well, it is our time to buckle down and live our Christian beliefs like we never have before. John Wooden the Christian basketball coach says it this way; “Success is peace of mind, a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming, and not just in a physical way: seek ye first the kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be yours as well.”

So now Mr. Christian, do you really believe that. You’ve talked a lot of smack, but is there anything behind it? If we will be serious about Kingdom business we may reap a harvest that the church has been seeking for decades, but it will come at a personal cost to everyone in the church, not just the preacher or the song leader, or Sunday School teacher. We must turn our face to God and live our faith at all costs…God Bless

Pastor William

The Cold Hard Truth

Ceremony leads her bigots forth, prepared to fight for shadows of no worth. While truths, on which eternal things depend, can hardly find a single friend.
William Cowper (1731-1800, British poet)

Prov 21:28-31
A false witness will perish, but the man who listens to the truth will speak forever. A wicked man displays a bold face, but as for the upright, he makes his way sure. There is no wisdom and no understanding and no counsel against the LORD. The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the LORD. NASU

Martin Luther the German leader of the protestant reformation, made great changes in the church for which he paid a great personal price. One of his most famous quotes was this one; “Peace if possible, but truth at any rate.” Now I think that was not only words in his case but it was the way he lived, (and practiced,) his faith.

That is missing significantly in today’s church; the motto seems to be this one, “peace at any rate, truth if possible.” Yes, that’s right, it is completely reversed. It seems that we are to go to church and listen and enjoy worship and never be confronted with the truth so that it will change our lives. It is a complete reversal of the function, and purpose of what the Body of Christ “The Church,” is to be in this world.

This is the Word that God gave to Zechariah, in Zech 8:16, "These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates.” We are not to look over sin, but we are to look at it rightly and strive for purity within the Body of Christ. It is not our choice. The only way peace is possible is through the truth, anything else is not perfect, and it is not of Christ…God Bless.

Pastor William

Financial GPS

It is not the horse that draws the cart, but the oats.
Russian Proverb (Sayings of Russian origin)

Deut 8:18-20
"But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. "It shall come about if you ever forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish. "Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so you shall perish; because you would not listen to the voice of the LORD your God. NASU

Charitable giving has decreased by a large amount as of lately. Some have begun to cut back on what they have given to the Lord to put gas in their cars, or to maintain their life styles, or other things that have placed them under a financial burden. It is interesting to read in God’s Word of the triggers that money has pulled over the course of Christian history, and it is worth reading again.

For us to cut back on what we are giving to the Lord’s work is to place a knife to our own throat. A casual look at our financial ledgers, may tell us if we are spiritually inclined or materially motivated. Today is a time for Christians take a hard look at their spiritual roadmap and consider if they are on the right road. They may have taken a turn that has gotten them off track, and need help to get back on God’s path.

Well a good GPS can help you, that is; God’s, Positioning ,Spirit, He will help you to get back on the right road. We should be cutting back on our pleasures and increasing our giving to reach out to a lost world during this downturn. This downturn is our turn to show the world what is valuable to us. It is plainly visible. Are we acting just like them or are we walking in faith, knowing that everything is ours, in Christ…God Bless.

Pastor William

It's Magical

If you believe in an unseen Christ, you will believe in the unseen Christlike potential of others.
Author Unknown

Heb 11:24-27
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen. NASU

It is amazing to me how fascinated people, even myself, become entranced by the workings of magicians. We know that they are not real, yet if they can, by sleight of hand, cause us to be mystified by their tricks, they have our attention. Many study this art from youth, and devote their entire lives to its perfect execution, but in the end, it is not real.

Now this day you have a chance to see a real, but yet invisible God work in your life. Wouldn’t you be interested in seeing the interesting and real ways that He can work in your life to bring about miracles? The magician sought from Paul a way to do the miracles he did, but they were not tricks, and he drew quick condemnation for seeking to use the power of God for selfish gain.

Now that is still a prerequisite today, when you want to know the secrets, it must be so that you can share them, and not for selfish gain. Jesus came for others, not Himself, and the greatest blessings we receive come when we seek blessing for someone else. I leave with you this day the same thing that Paul left with Timothy, his “son” in the Gospel in 1 Tim 1:17 “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”…God Bless.
Pastor William

Nest Builders

The essence of man is, discontent, divine discontent; a sort of love without a beloved, the ache we feel in a member we no longer have.
Jose Ortega Y Gasset (1883-1955, Spanish essayist, philosopher)

Rom 8:22-25
For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. NASU

What is the secret to being content in life? Many have sought out the answer to that question, one of the most famous being Solomon. Solomon had the resources to seek out the answer to that question and found his answer in the simple things of life. What he found was that all the things that he could see, taste, touch, or feel, were not able to satisfy the human soul, but the unseen held the answer, and it was not on this earth.

So the question that God would ask each of us this morning is “are you and I content?” It is our inclination in this world to build nests, big and small, places where we can surround ourselves with the things we like and then take our ease. We are very proud of these nests, we save for them, labor for them and insure them well, but the contentment we seek will not be found here.

If you are content in your nest, enjoy it well, but it will not last long for the unseen awaits us, the touch and feel of our eternal home is yet to be seen. We also must remember that Jesus left the comforts of heaven to save us, and we also must leave the comfort of our nests to remind His Children today of what He done for them. We will find contentment here preparing for the day of Christ’s return…God Bless.

Pastor William

Act Like You've Been Saved

Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn.
John Wesley (1703-1791, British preacher, founder of Methodism)

2 Chron 5:12-14
and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and kinsmen, clothed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps and lyres, standing east of the altar, and with them one hundred and twenty priests blowing trumpets in unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised the LORD saying, "He indeed is good for His loving kindness is everlasting," then the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God. NASU

Enthusiasm is: A quiet spiritual strength: An inner glow: Faith in action: Greatest asset in the world: Beats money power influence: Tramples over prejudice. When you speak of your church, (if you do speak of your church) are you filled with excitement and enthusiasm? Are you excited about what God is doing in your life?

God’s church has so much to be excited about, and look forward too, but most people look forward to Saturday’s much more than Sunday (that is if they don’t have to work,) then Sunday is just a day off. It has not always been this way. After reading the dedication of the Temple, you find that God inhabits excited and enthused people, those that have decided to step up a notch in their thanksgiving to God.

If we as “The Church” are not excited about our Sunday’s, how can we ask anyone else to come with us? And if when they come with us to church, if they don’t see something different and exciting, why would they want to return. We rob ourselves when we don’t exhibit our praise, for Jesus said if we were silent, then even the rocks would cry out…God Bless

Pastor William

A Chip Off The Old Block

I choose a block of marble and chop off whatever I don't need. [When asked how he managed to make his remarkable statues.]
Auguste Rodin (1840-1917, French sculptor)

Heb 3:1-4
Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. NASU

Blocks of marble come in all shapes and sizes. They have different qualities and colors that are within, but it takes a great sculptor to bring those things out. Sometimes the rough beauty of marble can be found in nature, carved out by time, shiny but without shape or purpose, but a delight to see.

God created you and I, but sin has marred what He made. Early on we started telling God what we should be, or what we should look like, and it has got us in trouble ever since. In Jeremiah 18:6, God tells Israel this; “Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.”

God chooses us individually and then asks us to surrender to His shaping, and molding and sometimes it hurts. But in the end our beauty will be unmatched and without equal. We are all chips off of “The Block,” we are all made in His image, and one chip at a time He is using this life to chip off what He doesn’t need. And when He is finished we will all look like Jesus…God Bless

Pastor William

Righteous Battles

We must never despair; our situation has been compromising before, and it has changed for the better; so I trust it will again. If difficulties arise, we must put forth new exertion and proportion our efforts to the exigencies of the times.
George Washington (1732-1799, American President (1st))

Josh 7:10-12
So the LORD said to Joshua, "Rise up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face? "Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things. "Therefore the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst. NASU

The Israelites were in the middle of a successful string of battles, then all of a sudden a loss. Many fell and Joshua sought answers. The first question was addressed to the One who could give him a real perspective of where they were, and so it was that Joshua asked the Lord, why. Joshua wanted to know why the Lord had allowed Israel’s defeat and he quickly got an answer.

Rise Up! was God’s answer. Why have you fallen on your face, Israel has sinned. I believe that God may be speaking those same words to us this morning. Government can never change people and run a righteous world. Never has, and never will, but many Christians have depended on government to do these things while they chase after the things of the world with those that they condemned.

Rise up Church, we must now destroy and remove from our homes and churches the ideals of the world and put Christ first. We must get off of our faces and on our feet, and cleanse the Church of God. We must not just speak holiness, but live it. Then and only then will we be able to face our enemies. The battle is not over, it has just begun, and we know that in the end…we…will…win…God Bless.

Pastor William

Growing Together

The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life -- mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical.
Julius Erving (1950-, American basketball player)

Eph 4:15-16
But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. NASU

We as the Church, the living Body of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, are to be just that, a living and properly functioning body. As our physical bodies sometimes come down with illnesses, so also do viruses attack the Body of Christ from without, to stop the work and to cause dysfunction in The Church.

The medicine that will cure these dysfunctions and illnesses is the Living Word of God. Peter tell us in 1 Peter 1:23, “for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.” The Word of God which has made us brand new and “imperishable,” is also our antibiotic for the symptoms of spiritual ills in The Church.

What is the main ingredient? The main ingredient is the Love of Christ. It is that unquenchable spirit of enduring and everlasting commitment to the Kingdom of God. It is what will hold us together and make us “fit to serve.” The Holy Spirit will provide the oil that will enable us to work together so the Church can Grow! For as Paul says, we are to grow in “all aspects,” into Him who is the Head, even Christ…God Bless.

Pastor William

Fresh Ideas

In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.
Bertrand Russell (1872-1970, British philosopher, mathematician, essayist)

1 Sam 17:28-30
Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger burned against David and he said, "Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle." But David said, "What have I done now? Was it not just a question?" Then he turned away from him to another and said the same thing; and the people answered the same thing as before. NASU

David’s older and more battle worn brothers were angry with him. He had come to bring supplies to those in battle, on orders from his father. But, as he watched the giant Goliath stand and boast against Israel, he heard the boasts with different ears than those that had been there for so long. Those there had heard his daily speech and their minds were closed.

But, David questioned their actions, or their inaction, and brought them to a wall of fact. David chose not to doubt his God, but to doubt the threatening voice and large presence of Israel’s tormentor. The enemy had found a new way to threaten Israel, and someone had to find a new way to answer, so God brought a fresh new mind into the situation.

It was a little boy, with little doubt, about what God can do. We in the church today must face the new battles that satan will bring, but, we must face it with new ideas, and without doubt that God will do what He said. If we get too used to doing things the same way, the enemy will stall us with demonic tactics. Therefore let’s not look back, but look forward, it not what we’ve always done, but what will we do now, with His strength that will change the battle…God Bless.

Pastor William

I can't get NO, Satisfaction

I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition.
Martha Washington (1731-1802, American First Lady)

Phil 4:11-13
Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. NASU

Where does learning begin? It usually begins with a desire to know, to be informed on a subject that we are interested in. Well, one subject I would think would be worth investigating is the subject of happiness. Martha Washington seems to have been a reader of The Word of God, for her words fall along the lines of scripture.

Martha made it a desire in her life to be inclined to happiness and contentment, and found that it wasn’t the circumstances of her life that determined her mood or disposition, it was her attitude. She learned this from Paul. Paul said I have been hungry and full, in abundance and in need, but I have found a secret that strengthens me and keeps me on track.

We can be content, if we really want to learn to be that way, or we can be one that never seems to be satisfied. I like that old song, “I Am Satisfied” its words ring true today, and they give us a clue. The words to this old song say this, “I am satisfied with Jesus, but the question comes to me, when I think of Calvary, is my Jesus satisfied with me…now that will cut an earthly appetite…God Bless.

Pastor William

It's The Little Things That Count

One of the most essential things you need to do for yourself is to choose a goal that is important to you. Perfection does not exist -- you can always do better and you can always grow.
Les Brown (1945-, American speaker, author, trainer, motivator,)

Eph 4:14-16
As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. NASU

We are to grow, but growth for growth sake is not fruitful. Just because something is big, it doesn’t make it better. A big crowd doesn’t make it right, as we have seen in many overnight spiritual sensations, and big names fall don’t they. What causes all of this confusion? People do. They do not look at what they are standing on until it begins to sink, and then comes disappointment and hurt.

Actually it is the small things that count. Each of us individually, makes up the “we” of the church, and not the “me” mentality of a country club. We individually are to help one another stay focused on the goal of growth in Christ, and keep each other out of the tossing and changing waves of the sinking boat that the world is in.

When we let Christ be our “Head,” He will fit us together properly, and hold us together spiritually. Now listen to what Paul say’s in Ephesians 4:16, he says that God will supply what each individual part, or what each of us needs, to grow. Hallelujah and the best part is what we each are being built into, the precious and everlasting Love of Christ our Lord, a boat that will never sink, guaranteed…God Bless.

Pastor William

Heaven, Imagine That!

All prosperity begins in the mind and is dependent only upon the full use of our creative imagination.
Ruth Ross

Col 3:1-4
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. NASU

Gerald Barzan, wrote this little poem, “Ten ancient commandments lousing up the fun. Along came prosperity, and then there was none.” What is it about prosperity that causes us to lose sight of God? We start out good, we have grand intentions to do right, and to live right, but it seems when God allows us a little rope, we, as natural sinners, tend to hang ourselves.

Well, the world around us is visual stimulation, and the old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words, is definitely true. Then you have other old sayings like this one, “seeing is believing.” We could go on, but you get the picture. Life for us here is sensual. The wonderful creation of the eye, and the other senses that God gave us, are our tools of interpretation, and the inlets to our inner being.

Now if a picture is worth a thousand words, how many words will it take for us to maintain our focus? Well, the word of God is much more powerful than regular words, and we will only maintain our focus on the unseen things while we are here, by reading, remembering, and dreaming, and looking forward to the fulfillment of His promises to us. The Return of Christ, the Streets of Glory, Eternal peace…wonderful pictures that God said would be more than our minds could hold…God Bless.

Pastor William

Dealing with Feeling

Seeing is believing, but feeling's the truth.
Thomas Fuller (1608-1661, British clergyman, )

Ps 79:11-13
Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; according to the greatness of Your power preserve those who are doomed to die. And return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom
the reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord. So we Your people and the sheep of Your pasture Will give thanks to You forever; To all generations we will tell of Your praise.
NASU

We are children of God with great feelings. People all have different ways of treating their feelings. Some hide them, some deny them, and some make excuses for them, but the best way for us to handle our feelings is to deal with them. Not stopping to ask yourself, “why do I feel this way” is a tragic mistake that many make, for it an important question to ask.

Burying your feelings, ignoring or hiding them, will lead to a moment, at sometime in your life, when these feelings will emerge at inopportune times. They will lie dormant within us, like a cancer, eating away at our joy and keeping us from trusting God fully and having right relationships with those around us.

What helps us get past this is a stronger feeling, the feeling that God is near, and can help me with these feelings. I can talk to Him freely about them, and He will hear my groaning and give me a righteous way to deal with these feelings. He will explain to me what is right or wrong about the way I feel, and preserve peace in my bosom, according to His Great Power, talk to Him about your feelings, He understands, He made us this way…God Bless.

Pastor William

Revealed Desire

Every human mind is a great slumbering power until awakened by a keen desire and by definite resolution to do.
Edgar F. Roberts

Acts 11:23-26
Then when he arrived (speaking of Barabus) and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. NASU

A wonderful thing happened here that is something we should always keep in mind, especially in today’s political atmosphere. It was due to persecution and hardship that the church grew. It grew because people who were of a made up mind determined that they would remain true to the Lord.

When the church of the Jews set out to Antioch, they found that the Hellenists or the Gentiles were also being saved. It was persecution that revealed growth and showed Christian values, even from outside what was considered religious circles. This was a considerable step for the church, and one that would finish what God had in mind all along.

It was here; in Antioch that disciples were first called Christians. It was not inside what was called the church, but from outside what is called the Church. Today is a good time to look around again. God may have something going on, He may be reaching out one more time, before that last time, outside of what we call “church” to finish what He had in Mind all along…God Bless

Pastor William

Under His Watchful Eye

All men, if they work not as in the great taskmaster's eye, will work wrong, and work unhappily for themselves and for you.
Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881, Scottish philosopher, author)

Col 1:21-23
And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach -- if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister. NASU

So in fact all work that we do now must be done with our mind engaged and our hearts united with our Lord. We are to be constantly aware that our Great Taskmaster’s Eye is upon us. Now a hostile and alienated mind does not like that thought, mostly because they like to reserve a hidden spot in their lives for evil deeds.

It is not faith and belief to maintain within us a place for rebellion and that is what it is, a refuge for hostility and evil deeds. When we ask Jesus into our hearts, it is without reservation, without hostile intentions of future rebellion. We don’t give God a line in the sand and say we will only go this far, we give Him our all.

Jesus has reconciled us with His precious blood in holiness, to make us blameless and beyond reproach, but that relationship can only happen between us if we allow Him to grow within us unrestrained and without limits. Then we can walk under His constant love and care, and become established and steadfast, always moving forward in the most important mission ever proclaimed in all creation…God Bless.

Pastor William

Confused Desire

Blessed are the single-hearted, for they shall enjoy much peace. If you refuse to be hurried and pressed, if you stay your soul on God, nothing can keep you from that clearness of spirit which is life and peace. In that stillness you will know what His will is.
Amy Carmichael (1867-1951, Irish missionary)

Rom 8:6-8
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. NASU.

Viktor E. Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist and author of "Man's Search for Meaning,” had this to say in his book, “Ever more people today have the means to live, but no meaning to live for.” This is a busy world we live in, but some days we can be busy all day and look back and wonder if we really accomplished anything that really mattered.

The flesh is a merry-go-round of activity which centers on various interests of different people driven by different desires, but many do not take the time to discover what these things really circle around. Everyone wants to fit in, but trying to fit into today’s complicated society driven by desire, can be dangerous and confusing.

Peace of mind is not found when we are driven by pleasing ourselves, but when we are found trying to please our God. Peace and fulfillment comes from this relationship, and we become single minded and unhurried, making right decisions for ourselves and our family. Mind set is everything, and God has eternally set His loving Mind and heart on us…God Bless.

Pastor William

Unashamed Commitment

The human heart is like a ship on a stormy sea driven about by winds blowing from all four corners of heaven.
Martin Luther (1483-1546, German leader of the protestant reformation)

John 12 : 42
Nevertheless, many did believe in Him even among the rulers, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, so they would not be banned from the synagogue. For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

Indecision, is no decision, no decision…is no commitment, no commitment, is no reward. In the case of the rulers in Jesus’ day their lack of commitment to a sound theology affected their very important eschatology, or their end time result. Their great problem was fear, a fear of being condemned or ridiculed by the status quo of their day, the group who stated what was or wasn’t cool.

The Greek word for fear that is used here is a word that indicated a conclusion to an event. An event that happened in the leaders of Jesus’ day, they were too afraid to step up and make a decision that would have a great effect on their eternity. They refused to accept who Jesus was because of what other might say about them, a fear of condemnation or disapproval from their peers.

So, in the long run people, not God made their final decision for them on what was good, or acceptable, and chose for them the eventual eternal reward for their life, and in their case, it was hell itself. What do you owe the world? Nothing! What do you owe God? Your very life itself, for He gave it to you, never be ashamed of who you are in Christ…God Bless.

Pastor William

Duty over Desire

Let others laugh when you sacrifice desire to duty, if they will. You have time and eternity to rejoice in.
Theodore Parker (1810-1860, American minister)

Ezra 10:11-12
"Now therefore, make confession to the LORD God of your fathers and do His will; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives." Then all the assembly replied with a loud voice, "That's right! As you have said, so it is our duty to do. NASU

Duty, as defined by Webster: obligatory tasks, conduct, service, or functions that arise from one’s position (as in life or in a group.) One of the most important duties that we have as Christians is to maintain our identity and to preserve our heritage. Our lives must be testimony and witness to our God.

Many Christians today do not regard their spiritual obligations as duties, but as things that they will do if they get time, Many times their will modifies their duties to fit their lifestyle, which they put above God, as the people of Israel had done at this time. They had married foreign wives, who brought foreign gods and practices into the midst of the congregation, and threatened their testimony and witness.

Ezra was God’s man for that day. Seventeen priests, ten Levites, and eighty-six men of the congregation of Israel were found guilty, and each put away his foreign wife, after offering a ram for his trespass. I am sure it wasn’t a popular decision, for some had children by these wives, but it was necessary. Now what things do you think God would ask you and I to put aside today? …God Bless.

Pastor William

Fearless Desire

The more wild and incredible your desire, the more willing and prompt God is in fulfilling it, if you will have it so.

Coventry Patmore, British Poet

2 Thess 1:11-12
To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. NASU

Now here is a secret overlooked many times in the church! We are to dream big for The Lord. He is a great big God, and He desires great things for us, and for “His Glory.” He wants us to succeed in saving many souls, the more the merrier, but so many times we shrink back in fear from fulfilling God’s desire for us.

Baltasar Gracian, an old Spanish philosopher said this of desire; “when desire dies, fear is born.” Now if we have incredible desires and strong feelings for our God, we will desire to do great things for Him. It is not wrong to dream big, and think out of the box for our Lord, and we should not let fear of failure stop us.

So what is Paul saying to us in Thessalonians, he is saying to us if we desire to lift up the name of Jesus that God will fulfill our every desire for goodness, and our work of faith. It’s not about us it’s all about Jesus, and if we focus on Him and desire that “His” Name is Glorified, we will be supplied all that we need, according to His matchless grace…God Bless.

Pastor William

Disappointed Desire

The discipline of desire is the background of character

John Locke, British Philosopher

Gen 4:6-7
Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it." NASU

In the case of Cain, we can learn an important thing about ourselves. Failure of desire can lead to destruction. Why? It’s because we desire to succeed, and the feeling of failure is never a pleasant one, but it is one that we all must shake hands with, for we will not win all of our battles. This is true isn’t it? One of the strongest emotional storms that we go through in life is to strive to please and fail.

Listen to God’s conversation with Cain. First He asks a question; “Why has your countenance fallen? He then gives Cain the facts of life; 1. When you do well, you feel good, 2. When you do badly, you feel bad. God then gives Cain an important fact, when you do badly, the devil is crouched and ready to leap upon a disappointed heart.

Many Christians have lost their spiritual well being on this battleground, the remnants of many lives are scattered here. It is one of the Devils favorite haunts, and he surprises many hapless victims on this ground. So how to you escape? You run to Jesus, He knows exactly how you feel. He came to save us, and we crucified Him with our sins…God Bless.

Pastor William

Focused Desire

It sometimes seems that we have only to love a thing greatly to get it.

Robert Collier, American Writer, publisher

Luke 7:47-50
"For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven." Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?" And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." NASU

William Book once stated that a man must “earnestly want.” To me again it is a statement of desire, for to earnestly want is to greatly desire something. To greatly desire something is to place our full and unflinching attention on acquiring on attaining something. It occupies our every thought and overcomes every other desire that would get in the way of us attaining our goal.

So, from this we can begin to understand why we are not getting all of God that we can enjoy, it is because we do not “greatly desire Him.” We allow our full attention to be diverted to other things, and we are not willing to fully commit ourselves to Christ regardless of the cost, we have not fully invested and focused all of our desires, or our life in Him.

In this story in Luke, a plain village woman takes everything she has and invests it wisely on her Saviors feet. They say this ointment was of great price, and not only did she take of what she had, but of who she was, and she invested it all, ignoring the self-righteous comments of all those around her. She focused her desires and found forgiveness and great love at the feet of her Savior…let’s follow her…God Bless.

Pastor William

Changing Desires

It is said that desire is a product of the will, but the opposite is true; will is the product of desire.
Denis Diderot, French Philosopher

Matt 6:20-23
"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. "But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! NASU

Where is your treasure? Many are looking for a safe place to keep their treasures today, and it doesn’t look like they are going to find any guaranteed safe places on this side of glory. What is at risk for them? The fulfillment of their lifelong dreams and desires is at risk. There is nothing wrong with security, but the real truth is that there is not security outside of Christ.

One of the things wrong with this world today is that they have placed their desires upon the treasures of the world and they place no value on the treasures of heaven. The reason for this is that because they are led by desire, and not by The Lord, they are led into deception. It can happen to anyone, the deceiver is good at what he does, which makes it important for us to maintain checks on our desires.

When you are led by the “Will of God,” you will begin to find that you will not try to change everything according to what your desires are, but your desire for things will change. Your decision to follow the Word of God will create in you a desire to please Him, and will place treasures and value in things that will last you an eternity…God Bless.

Pastor William

Rested Desires

Something must be done when you find an opposing set of desires of this kind well to the fore in your category of strong desires. You must set in operation a process of competition, from which one must emerge a victor and the other set be defeated.
Robert Collier (1885-1950, American writer, publisher)

2 Sam 23:5
5 "Truly is not my house so with God? For He has made an everlasting covenant with me, Ordered in all things, and secured; for all my salvation and all my desire, Will He not indeed make it grow? NASU

Do you trust God with your desires? What do I mean by that? I am asking you today if you could lay your life down in God’s hands and trust Him for all that He brings you, not what you could take. John Ruskin, a British social theorist, says it this way, “Tell me what you like and I'll tell you what you are.”

David believed a promise made to him by God Himself that made his life ordered, and secured. Ordered because he trusts God to put it in order, and secure because he trusted God’s desire to bless him greatly. David trusted God with his life and salvation, and also with his life’s goals, as he said, “all of my desires.”

That is a big step for a Christian. A step that says to God, these are my life’s dreams and these are my wants, but I will trust and rest in Your desires for me. In order for us to succeed we must start this process within us that will make His desires for us greater than our own. It will come when we trust in Him fully, and lean not on our own understanding, and then He “Will” direct our path…God Bless.

Pastor William

Where Virtue Lives

The better you understand yourself the less cause you will find to love yourself.

Thomas ã Kempis 1379-1471, German Monk, Mystic, Religious Writer

Phil 4:8-9
8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. NASU

Paul this day presents us with a challenge. It is the challenge to dwell. A dwelling is a place where someone chooses to live. It is their residence, or a place they live of their free choosing, and everyone can go to find them there. Virtue is much like this, it is a place we choose, Joseph Newton said it this way “Not what we have, but what we use, not what we see, but what we choose -- these are the things that mar or bless human happiness.”

What is it that you dwell on every day? Is it your problems, or things that are pressing on you in your life? Is it your plans for the day, or your dreams for your life, or maybe your children, or tomorrow’s appointments? What is it that you are dreaming of, or most consumes your thoughts every day, for these are the things that you will do, or will steer your next moment’s direction.

That’s why Paul suggests to us that our best choices are to dwell on what is honorable, right, and pure and of good repute. Paul bids us this morning to think, or to major on these things, and more importantly, to dwell on the testimony of what he practiced in his life. It was not what he just spoke about, it was a virtuous place he lived, and you could always find him there…God Bless

Pastor William

The Power of Virtue

The glory that goes with wealth and beauty is fleeting and fragile; virtue is a possession glorious and eternal.
Sallust (BC 86-34, Roman historian)

2 Peter 1:8-11
For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you NASU

Why should we seek to be virtuous? It is because virtue is power! Is it pride? No, pride is a weakness and a falling short. It is a humble knowledge and acceptance of who we truly are, and treating others with the worth they also deserve. It is holding fast to an unwavering standard and bringing it constantly to the forefront of your heart and mind.

Virtue must be held tightly, and securely. In this world it is slippery, and it will leave your grasp in a fleeting moment of wanton selfishness. Virtue causes you to frame yourself within the confines of God’s Word and Wisdom. An old Chinese proverb says that wisdom and virtue are like the two wheels of a cart, they depend upon each other.

Wickedness always seeks a shortcut, but the qualities of virtue, given to us by the Holy Spirit of God, will give us increasing powers, and not allow wickedness to render us useless in the Lord’s service. Virtue is necessary in a Christian; it is quality that must answer our heart’s door, every time temptation knocks…God Bless

Pastor William

Virtues Diligence

The moral virtues, then, are produced in us neither by nature nor against nature. Nature, indeed, prepares in us the ground for their reception, but their complete formation is the product of habit.

Aristotle (BC 384-322, Greek philosopher)

2 Peter 1:5-9
Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. NASU


Jean Rousseau, an old Swiss political philosopher, said this of Virtue, “Virtue is a state of war, and to live in it, we have always to do combat with ourselves.” Now I don’t want to upset anyone’s applecart, but I agree with Rousseau, and no matter your last name, you will always be drawn to baseness, or the human’s natural bend to sin.

Another secret to virtue is found in diligence, what kind of diligence, diligence to your faith, which will supply you with moral excellence. Another word for diligence is habit, which is an involuntary reaction, and moral excellence should be what we do automatically. Moral excellence is the foundation of virtue, and it comes with many extras. It comes with knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.

How dedicated or virtuous should the Christian be? Listen to Paul in Eph 5:3, “But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.” What I take from this is that you and I are to be above even the suggestion of immorality. The habit of our lives should be so trained by the Word of God, and diligence to the Body of Christ that even the suggestion of sin could not attach itself to us in any way…God Bless

Pastor William

Uncommon Virtue

Virtue consists, not in abstaining from vice, but in not desiring it.

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950, Irish-born British dramatist)

2 Peter 1:4
4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
NASU

Virtue can be described as the wisdom to escape. Our problem in this world though is that we do not see the real and imminent danger, or recognize the enemy. If all could see the end of the constant desires that our enemy throws at us at each turn in our lives, we would better follow the advice of Peter, for he has really given us the secret to victory over the lust and desires in this world.

What is this secret? Peter says that for him it is God’s precious and magnificent promises. It's the great privilege of partaking in a different nature here, God’s divine nature, and not our sinful and worldly nature that we were born with. God has given us an avenue of escape, and we are to run from our desires to his promises, we are to keep in mind daily what is the goal of our short sojourn here.

Paul says in 1 Cor 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” Paul is saying we are to rise above the common things of man, and journey upward towards toward the precious promises given to us in Christ Jesus, true Christians, are not common people…God Bless.

Pastor William

An Air of Virtue

The chief assertion of religious morality is that white is a color. Virtue is not the absence of vices or the avoidance of moral dangers; virtue is a vivid and separate thing, like pain or a particular smell.
Gilbert K. Chesterton (1874-1936, British author)

2 Peter 1:2-3
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. NASU

I couldn’t say anything but “Amen” when I read the words of Chesterson this morning, for what he says is absolutely true. We as Christians do identify so many times the color white, but we identify this brilliance to God Himself, and not to how it applies to our daily lives. We know God is pure and holy and without stain or blemish, but we do not like the idea of striving to duplicate His Holiness to others.

Virtue for the most part is dead today. What is virtue? It is a trusted and honored handshake, a keeping of your word. It is the living outwardly of what is happening inwardly in you as God’s Holy Spirit works, in you and me daily. I do mean daily, for that is virtue, it is not a color, it is a belief, an honored and treasured idea that we are to live out our lives with a defined separation between us and a self-centered world.

God declares this to us clearly in His Word, in 2 Cor 6:17-18 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” Now this is virtue, it is a different way that someone looks at you, a different air that surrounds the Child of God, which carries with it the fragrance and feeling of Heaven…God Bless.

Pastor William

Choosing Wisely

Everything can be taken away from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedom -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.
Viktor E. Frankl (1905-1997, Austrian psychiatrist, author, "Man's Search for Meaning")

Ps 25:12-15
Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way he should choose. His soul will abide in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land. The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant. My eyes are continually toward the LORD, for He will pluck my feet out of the net. NASU

Abraham Lincoln, America’s 16th President said this, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere to go. My own wisdom, and that of all about me, seemed insufficient for the day.” Now that is an attitude that would greatly benefit us all. A recognition that sometimes all of my choices are lacking, and I must go to a reliable and proven source.

Seems to me that Abraham Lincoln knew his God, and knew that when all else around him did not make sense, there was still one more avenue of relief. Most likely the situations he was in, and the situations that we find ourselves in daily, are the result of not choosing to ask our most wise God’s advice in our undertakings.

We are given choices, and you cannot live a “choiceless life.” Every moment of every day, choices are made. Our only relief is to make sure the advice that we get for life is the very best. Well this morning I would like to recommend to you our Lord. His answers are guaranteed to give you the most desirable results. He will instruct you and me and keep our feet out of the entangling nets of this world…God Bless.

Pastor William

Narrowing or Widening Your Choices

Every choice moves us closer to or farther away from something. Where are your choices taking your life? What do your behaviors demonstrate that you are saying yes or no to in life?

Eric Allenbaugh American Author of ''Wake-Up Calls''

Deut 30:19-20
"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them." NASU

You and I live our lives out before witnesses. One day Heaven and earth will give testimony of us, of our choices, and our daily decisions. Our choices and decisions say something about us. The things we surround ourselves with, the things we indulge in, all have a word to say about us to all that know us.

As Christians our daily choices can do one or two things. Our choices can lead our lives into a funnel that narrows or choices, or our choices can broaden our selections and lead to full and rewarding lives. Our choices will, as God has set forth, lead us into wonderful blessings, or make our lives a curse.

God has told us plainly that our choices determine our quality of life and length of days, we live while on this temporal earth. God is even so loving and kind as to give us the secret to bring this life to a successful conclusion. The secret formula is as easy as 1-2-3. We must choose, 1. To Love Him, 2. To Obey Him, and 3. To Hold fast to Him, and never let go. This is choosing life for you, and those you love…God Bless.

Pastor William

A Spiritual Limp

I shall be telling this with a sigh, somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost, “The Road Not Taken”

1 Kings 18:21 (ESV)
And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.

Have you got a limp? As I get older, I’ve found I always have something out of joint, but that is not the kind of limp I am speaking of. I am speaking of limping through life. What is it to limp through life? It is to be led by anything that comes along, or impacted by life in such a way that it is constantly pushing you from side to side in life, with no clear directions.

In Ephesians 4:14, Paul says that we each must grow up to a point where: “Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.” This world today is in the midst of a great storm and in a real mess, and mostly due to the fact that they have a noticeable spiritual limp, that keeps their lives unstable. Isaiah 57:20 tells us “But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waters churn up mire and muck.”

Today is a time for you and I to walk soberly, not in drunkenness with no direction, but as someone who has a clear direction for their lives determined to not be pushed aside. Paul says, In Heb 12:12-13, “Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.” If you and I can do that we can lend this world a hand, the steady and unshakeable hand of Jesus to help guide them safely to the shores of Glory…God Bless.
Pastor William

Brand New, Every Morning

For what human ill does dawn not seem to be alternative?

Thornton Wilder 1897-1975, American Novelist, Playwright

Josh 24:15
"If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." NASU

James Allen, Author of ''As a Man Thinketh,'' shares his thoughts today on the importance of the word “choice.” “Man is made or unmade by himself. By the right choice he ascends. As a being of power, intelligence, and love, and the lord of his own thoughts, he holds the key to every situation.”

Now I think it wonderful that our God decided that it would be “our” choice that would determine the outcome and destiny of our life, but it comes with consequences that are real and final. There are some days that I really foul up. My efforts seem futile, and I hear a nagging voice that tells me I have failed, I have fallen short of the measure. Have you ever felt defeat pulling you like that?

Sure you have, and so have I. But, I thank God that His promises are “new every morning,” and because I have made a conscious choice to follow Him, with every breaking of a new day, He will renew my strength in His “Great Faithfulness. I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back, and there is where the battle is won, on the choice of my decision, and the power given to me through the precious blood of Jesus…God Bless.

Pastor William

Response Time

Promises are like crying babies in a theater, they should be carried out at once.

Norman Vincent Peale

Jer 7:12-14
"But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I made My name dwell at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. "And now, because you have done all these things," declares the LORD, "and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you but you did not answer, therefore, I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to the place NASU

To pause is dangerous. It is Satan’s greatest tool in his war against God and His children, and “there’s always tomorrow” is one of his greatest thoughts cast into the mind of the lingering servant. Many times in my life I have paused when I should have stepped out. I know that because I saw the results of my hesitation, and recognized that God had spoken to me and I did not respond.

Have you ever had the Holy Spirit of God hit you in the ribs? Sure you have. Your first words afterward were, I knew it, I just knew it! Especially in some situations, immediate obedience to God is critical. It may be that God has woken you up to pray for someone in trouble, or to respond to a critical need.

God speaks many times to us, He calls early and sometimes often, he warns, but we do not answer. Why? Because we are not shutting out the other voices that are calling, and they overcome our desire for immediate response, and lead us away from strict obedience to God. Our God is a merciful God, but mercy only works in your life, when you respond to His voice…God Bless.

Pastor William