Security
All things human hang by a slender thread; and that which seemed to stand strong suddenly falls and sinks in ruins.
Ovid BC 43-18 AD, Roman Poet
Gen 39:20-23
So Joseph's master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king's prisoners were confined; and he was there in the jail. But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. The chief jailer committed to Joseph's charge all the prisoners who were in the jail; so that whatever was done there, he was responsible for it. The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph's charge because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper. NASU
Proceeding forward in our herd allegory we realize that in real life we are not always close together, we are all separated during the week going to our jobs, and taking care of our families and doing the other things that make life special and also trying at times. There are tragedies that strike that try our mettle, and our patience, and they are designed to build our faith. But the one thing that will help to sustain us is the encouragement that is found when we gather together again to worship.
Sir Isaac Newton, left us this treasure, “Yet one thing secures us what ever betide, the scriptures assures us the Lord will provide. When we are faithful to return to worship we will find the strength, and provision, to remain secure no matter where we find ourselves. God is faithful, we see that Joseph’s faithfulness followed him all the way to prison and even in the depths of imprisonment God was with him.
Seneca, the Roman Statesman and philosopher, who lived from 4 B.C. – 65 A.D, spoke of security in this way “Whatever has overstepped its due bounds is always in a state of instability.” What are we saying? We are recognizing that God has placed us within certain bounds, and that if we will live within them we will find security. Will there be storms? Yes, and will there be trying times? Yes, but He will provide stability to those that seek the security that is found in the Body of believers called the Church.
So goes the saying united we stand, divided we fall, and another that says, “There is strength in numbers.” There are many more than this that speak of the danger of being the Lone Ranger. When you find yourself in those circumstances that require risk, isn’t it good to know that you have the strength and support of the whole herd. Christ goes with you, and then the whole Church can support you with prayers and supplication to God for your safe journey and return.
All of this is found in the safety of living in fellowship,and within the bounds of God’s perfect will for our lives…in the safety and fellowship of the Church…God Bless.
Pastor William
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Safety In The Center
Commitment
Reality forms around a commitment.
Source Unknown
Jer 32:37-39
"Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety. "They shall be My people, and I will be their God; and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. NASU
Yesterday we spoke of the security that is found in the herd, and the danger of wandering away from the safety found in that group setting. What is it that causes those at the edge to drift away? Well, there are many reasons, but one is that those at the edge of the herd lose their focus.
In the center of the herd there is protection and as the body of the herd moves so do you. You see, the distractions found at the edge of the herd can cause you to move away from the safety of the group. As you move away from the group you also lose the wisdom and combined effort of the herd. Soon you can find yourself surrounded by enemies, and death is all but certain. Christ warned us that Satan was a roaring lion seeking someone to devour and alone we are easy to overcome.
There is another way that you can lose the safety of the herd. It may not be intentional, you may find a patch of grass you don’t want to leave, or may be distracted by something on the horizon. You can be so focused on what you want that you lose connection with the others. Soon the herd has left you and moved away to other pastures. Many find this out too late and while having their heads buried up in earthly pursuits, the sudden growl of the enemy signals that danger is close and they are alone.
Doesn’t this happen many times to individuals within the church? That is why God has given us the church. We are to look out for, and protect one another. When someone starts drifting away, we can call them back to the safety that is found in Christ. When their focus comes off of the things of God, we can lead them back to better and greener pastures within the safety of the Body of Christ.
God gathers us together, and we are to have, One God, One Shepherd, and One heart, and, there is only one way. We get in trouble when we let the world distract us from the protection and wisdom that is found in the center of the church. God wants the Church to grow and move, we must not get distracted and move away from the protection that is found “In Christ,” nor can we let the world so distract us that we allow the church to move away from us…God Bless
Pastor William
Reality forms around a commitment.
Source Unknown
Jer 32:37-39
"Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety. "They shall be My people, and I will be their God; and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. NASU
Yesterday we spoke of the security that is found in the herd, and the danger of wandering away from the safety found in that group setting. What is it that causes those at the edge to drift away? Well, there are many reasons, but one is that those at the edge of the herd lose their focus.
In the center of the herd there is protection and as the body of the herd moves so do you. You see, the distractions found at the edge of the herd can cause you to move away from the safety of the group. As you move away from the group you also lose the wisdom and combined effort of the herd. Soon you can find yourself surrounded by enemies, and death is all but certain. Christ warned us that Satan was a roaring lion seeking someone to devour and alone we are easy to overcome.
There is another way that you can lose the safety of the herd. It may not be intentional, you may find a patch of grass you don’t want to leave, or may be distracted by something on the horizon. You can be so focused on what you want that you lose connection with the others. Soon the herd has left you and moved away to other pastures. Many find this out too late and while having their heads buried up in earthly pursuits, the sudden growl of the enemy signals that danger is close and they are alone.
Doesn’t this happen many times to individuals within the church? That is why God has given us the church. We are to look out for, and protect one another. When someone starts drifting away, we can call them back to the safety that is found in Christ. When their focus comes off of the things of God, we can lead them back to better and greener pastures within the safety of the Body of Christ.
God gathers us together, and we are to have, One God, One Shepherd, and One heart, and, there is only one way. We get in trouble when we let the world distract us from the protection and wisdom that is found in the center of the church. God wants the Church to grow and move, we must not get distracted and move away from the protection that is found “In Christ,” nor can we let the world so distract us that we allow the church to move away from us…God Bless
Pastor William
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
The Safety of The Herd
Commitment
The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.
Vince Lombardi 1913-1970, American Football Coach
Eph 6:10-12
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. NASU
Yesterday we spoke of the importance of growth, and how the newborn calf on the plains of Africa had to find his legs quickly to avoid the dangers that surrounded him in this new world in which he was born into. This world cares not that he is a newborn, the moment he is born he is in a struggle for his life, and only the strong, only those that quickly find their feet will survive. That young animal was designed by God in a certain way that enabled him to run quickly, and for him to ignore that design is always quick and certain death.
Thomas Carlyle, the Scottish Philosopher, once said this in speaking of those who refused to fully commit their lives, “A person with half volition goes backwards and forwards, but makes no progress on even the smoothest of roads.” In a spiritual sense, there is much more at stake when we are not progressing in our walk with Christ. It usually means that we are walking our own path, and trying out our own design for living instead of staying in the safety of God’s plan for us.
We as Christians need to develop more of a herd mentality. There is safety in numbers, and when we are committed to a local body of believers we will find the protection and strength that we need to survive. Paul warns us today that our struggle is not against flesh and blood. In other words, you and I can’t see all of the enemies that desire to eat our lunch today; they are “spiritual forces.” It takes training and maturity to fight these battles against invisible forces. Maybe that’s why Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:26 “Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air.”
There is safety for the young calf in the midst of the herd, if, he will follow mom there, and that is where we are safe also. You and I are not strong enough to face these rulers of spiritual darkness in, “high” places alone; we need the protection of the Body of Christ. This was God’s plan all along, and I don’t care how big, or bad, or smart anyone may think that they may be, they will not make it without being with the rest of the herd, in the Body of Christ…God Bless.
Pastor William
The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.
Vince Lombardi 1913-1970, American Football Coach
Eph 6:10-12
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. NASU
Yesterday we spoke of the importance of growth, and how the newborn calf on the plains of Africa had to find his legs quickly to avoid the dangers that surrounded him in this new world in which he was born into. This world cares not that he is a newborn, the moment he is born he is in a struggle for his life, and only the strong, only those that quickly find their feet will survive. That young animal was designed by God in a certain way that enabled him to run quickly, and for him to ignore that design is always quick and certain death.
Thomas Carlyle, the Scottish Philosopher, once said this in speaking of those who refused to fully commit their lives, “A person with half volition goes backwards and forwards, but makes no progress on even the smoothest of roads.” In a spiritual sense, there is much more at stake when we are not progressing in our walk with Christ. It usually means that we are walking our own path, and trying out our own design for living instead of staying in the safety of God’s plan for us.
We as Christians need to develop more of a herd mentality. There is safety in numbers, and when we are committed to a local body of believers we will find the protection and strength that we need to survive. Paul warns us today that our struggle is not against flesh and blood. In other words, you and I can’t see all of the enemies that desire to eat our lunch today; they are “spiritual forces.” It takes training and maturity to fight these battles against invisible forces. Maybe that’s why Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:26 “Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air.”
There is safety for the young calf in the midst of the herd, if, he will follow mom there, and that is where we are safe also. You and I are not strong enough to face these rulers of spiritual darkness in, “high” places alone; we need the protection of the Body of Christ. This was God’s plan all along, and I don’t care how big, or bad, or smart anyone may think that they may be, they will not make it without being with the rest of the herd, in the Body of Christ…God Bless.
Pastor William
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Growth Required
Change
To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly
Henri L. Bergson 1859-1941, French Philosopher
Heb 5:14-6:1
14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
NASU
Many Christians are ignoring the fact that for the Christian to mature growth is required, and change is an inevitable product of growth. We have too many toothless Christians in our churches today and they are holding back the church from doing what Christ has asked the church to do in today’s world. They are still in the baby chair and waiting for someone to spoon feed them the word of God. They have not undertaken the study of the “Things of God” for themselves, nor do they open the source of growth (The Word of God) at home. They are satisfied with just a sip of milk at church on Sundays.
Christ is asking us to grow through the words Paul, the apostle, speaks to us today. He for one, asks us to leave, as in depart from, as in leaving behind, the elementary teachings of Christ. What is the simplest thing that you and I know about Christ? Let’s start with this “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” This fact led us to accept Christ as our Lord, and Savior, but many stop right there and think that is enough and remain in the plains of Christianity.
There are different levels that we are expected to climb during our Christian experience. If we wander around at that first step to long the desires that we left on the wide, and easy flat plains of life will pull us back down. It is very dangerous to dawdle and play around as a baby Christian, we are asked to find our feet quickly and grow. Have you ever watched the birth of a young antelope on the African plains? They are granted only a short time of rest after birth before they are required to run. They soon find their legs and race ahead of the wild beasts that would make lunch of them.
Well you and I are in much the same boat. We are born in Christ, and we must find our legs fast, and begin to grow and mature to stay ahead of the enemies of Christ, which became our enemies as soon as we aligned ourselves with Him. As a Christian if you do not stay up with the others, or with the main herd or family, the enemy who prowls around the edges of Christianity will make you his lunch. So, you and I must move ahead, we will both grow and change into the Image of Christ, or into the image of the enemy’s next happy meal...God Bless.
Pastor William
To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly
Henri L. Bergson 1859-1941, French Philosopher
Heb 5:14-6:1
14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
NASU
Many Christians are ignoring the fact that for the Christian to mature growth is required, and change is an inevitable product of growth. We have too many toothless Christians in our churches today and they are holding back the church from doing what Christ has asked the church to do in today’s world. They are still in the baby chair and waiting for someone to spoon feed them the word of God. They have not undertaken the study of the “Things of God” for themselves, nor do they open the source of growth (The Word of God) at home. They are satisfied with just a sip of milk at church on Sundays.
Christ is asking us to grow through the words Paul, the apostle, speaks to us today. He for one, asks us to leave, as in depart from, as in leaving behind, the elementary teachings of Christ. What is the simplest thing that you and I know about Christ? Let’s start with this “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” This fact led us to accept Christ as our Lord, and Savior, but many stop right there and think that is enough and remain in the plains of Christianity.
There are different levels that we are expected to climb during our Christian experience. If we wander around at that first step to long the desires that we left on the wide, and easy flat plains of life will pull us back down. It is very dangerous to dawdle and play around as a baby Christian, we are asked to find our feet quickly and grow. Have you ever watched the birth of a young antelope on the African plains? They are granted only a short time of rest after birth before they are required to run. They soon find their legs and race ahead of the wild beasts that would make lunch of them.
Well you and I are in much the same boat. We are born in Christ, and we must find our legs fast, and begin to grow and mature to stay ahead of the enemies of Christ, which became our enemies as soon as we aligned ourselves with Him. As a Christian if you do not stay up with the others, or with the main herd or family, the enemy who prowls around the edges of Christianity will make you his lunch. So, you and I must move ahead, we will both grow and change into the Image of Christ, or into the image of the enemy’s next happy meal...God Bless.
Pastor William
Monday, May 26, 2008
Good Things Take Time
Patience
It is by attempting to reach the top in a single leap that so much misery is produced in the world.
William Cobbett 1762-1835, British Journalist, Reformer
James 3:13-18
Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. NASU
God, if you let me win with this lotto ticket, I’m going to give 10 percent of all of that money to the church. Have you ever made these kinds of deals with God? It may have been a relationship deal, God, if you fix, my husband, or wife, then I will go to church every Sunday, and tithe. The problem with “if and then” statements is that they put demands on God and none on us. The real problem is in us, we are going to do something if…something is done for us.
God does not deal in these kind of situations because He wants to see change in our lives, a turn around in our “behavior.” God knows our hearts, and He is not listening to our lips, but He is looking deep inside of us and looking way in front of us and He keeps us from destruction. We want to hand God a small gift to “get our desires” and God has seen that in us before, in the Garden where we first were pulled down by demonic, earthly and natural desires.
Simply put it is called selfish ambition, and this is that fork on our life’s road, a point in our lives that we must all come to. We will either take the road that is gentle, and peaceable and reasonable, sown from a righteous and patient heart, or we will succumb to our own unbridled passions. Lyman Abbott, an American Clergyman, said this of patience, “Patience is passion tamed.”
What does that mean? It means that God wants to bless us but, He also wants to see from us fruit from the growth of wisdom in us, and that takes time. We in today’s world want everything right now and God says good things grow slowly and are built with patience. Francis Bacon the British Philosopher believed it a very serious thing to get in to big of a hurry, he once said that “Who ever is out of patience is out of possession of their soul.” Let’s slow down, we are approaching eternity and what we are building here will last forever…let’s take wise advantage of “His Time”…God Bless.
Pastor William
It is by attempting to reach the top in a single leap that so much misery is produced in the world.
William Cobbett 1762-1835, British Journalist, Reformer
James 3:13-18
Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. NASU
God, if you let me win with this lotto ticket, I’m going to give 10 percent of all of that money to the church. Have you ever made these kinds of deals with God? It may have been a relationship deal, God, if you fix, my husband, or wife, then I will go to church every Sunday, and tithe. The problem with “if and then” statements is that they put demands on God and none on us. The real problem is in us, we are going to do something if…something is done for us.
God does not deal in these kind of situations because He wants to see change in our lives, a turn around in our “behavior.” God knows our hearts, and He is not listening to our lips, but He is looking deep inside of us and looking way in front of us and He keeps us from destruction. We want to hand God a small gift to “get our desires” and God has seen that in us before, in the Garden where we first were pulled down by demonic, earthly and natural desires.
Simply put it is called selfish ambition, and this is that fork on our life’s road, a point in our lives that we must all come to. We will either take the road that is gentle, and peaceable and reasonable, sown from a righteous and patient heart, or we will succumb to our own unbridled passions. Lyman Abbott, an American Clergyman, said this of patience, “Patience is passion tamed.”
What does that mean? It means that God wants to bless us but, He also wants to see from us fruit from the growth of wisdom in us, and that takes time. We in today’s world want everything right now and God says good things grow slowly and are built with patience. Francis Bacon the British Philosopher believed it a very serious thing to get in to big of a hurry, he once said that “Who ever is out of patience is out of possession of their soul.” Let’s slow down, we are approaching eternity and what we are building here will last forever…let’s take wise advantage of “His Time”…God Bless.
Pastor William
Friday, May 23, 2008
A Determined Heart
Success
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.
Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist
2 Cor 6:2-11
Behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME," behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION" -giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things. Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide. NASU
If you have read the scripture above you know that today I am talking about the terrible and hurtful things that happen to people that take the risk of stepping out of their worlds to help others. It is always inevitable that there will be a time that the hearts of those that take these risks will get stepped on, and it hurts doesn’t it.
As I sit here thinking of how it feels, it really feels like someone has laid your heart out in front of a huge circus elephant and he is balancing on it with one foot and trumpeting to the world his deed. It really, really does hurt, doesn’t it? The ultimate result of this hurt is that we feel as if we ever get our heart back we will never, ever, allow anyone, or anything, to do that to us again, we will mind “Our own business.
Then we read of Paul’s endurance and we are ashamed, ashamed that we have given up so easily. Sometimes we require a period of healing, but the ultimate truth is that we as Christians have to open that door to our heart again, we must not allow the god of this world to have victory over the downtrodden of this world who had no Savior to restore them, or to sustain them. They must see us pick that heart up and hold it up to Jesus for restoration, and then lay it back down for their good, just as Jesus laid down his life freely for us.
Does hurt happen in churches, sure it does, but the faithful keep keeping on, our commendation shall be seen in our strong endurance, our love for God in our determination to succeed when the rest of the world would run…God Bless
Pastor William
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.
Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist
2 Cor 6:2-11
Behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME," behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION" -giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things. Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide. NASU
If you have read the scripture above you know that today I am talking about the terrible and hurtful things that happen to people that take the risk of stepping out of their worlds to help others. It is always inevitable that there will be a time that the hearts of those that take these risks will get stepped on, and it hurts doesn’t it.
As I sit here thinking of how it feels, it really feels like someone has laid your heart out in front of a huge circus elephant and he is balancing on it with one foot and trumpeting to the world his deed. It really, really does hurt, doesn’t it? The ultimate result of this hurt is that we feel as if we ever get our heart back we will never, ever, allow anyone, or anything, to do that to us again, we will mind “Our own business.
Then we read of Paul’s endurance and we are ashamed, ashamed that we have given up so easily. Sometimes we require a period of healing, but the ultimate truth is that we as Christians have to open that door to our heart again, we must not allow the god of this world to have victory over the downtrodden of this world who had no Savior to restore them, or to sustain them. They must see us pick that heart up and hold it up to Jesus for restoration, and then lay it back down for their good, just as Jesus laid down his life freely for us.
Does hurt happen in churches, sure it does, but the faithful keep keeping on, our commendation shall be seen in our strong endurance, our love for God in our determination to succeed when the rest of the world would run…God Bless
Pastor William
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Forgetfulness
Love
Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of withering, of tarnishing.
Anais Nin 1914-1977, French-born American Novelist, Dancer
Isa 51:12-13
"I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies and of the son of man who is made like grass, that you have forgotten the LORD your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. That you fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor, as he makes ready to destroy? But where is the fury of the oppressor? NASU
It has been said that friendship consists of forgetting what we have given away, and remembering what we have received. We have a great need to remember what you and I have received from God. First we came from Him, we are His creation. We can try to be independent of that and celebrate the power of the human mind, but it is, in its finest hour, and at its best, just a spark in this blazing universe of light that circles around us.
We are products of the Glorious Hand of God, don’t diminish that fact, glory in it and wear it like the label of a fine clothing distributor. We probably are, and may well be, the only beings in all of this wonderful creation that surrounds us that are alive and allowed to share in the knowledge of who He is, and we should glory in that fact. Though we have had many sighting of UFO’s we have no solid facts, but we have solid fact of who Christ is, and of His coming, death and resurrection, and we should never, ever forget the gift He gave us on Calvary, we should remember all that we have received for Him.
Where did you come from? You came from God, sure God used different vehicles to get you here, but you are never the less, His...I love this poem of William Wordsworth who wrote this of our birth;
Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting. The soul that rises with us, our life's star, hath had elsewhere its setting, and cometh from afar: not in entire forgetfulness, and not in utter nakedness, but trailing clouds of glory do we come from God, who is our home.
God Bless
Pastor William
Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of withering, of tarnishing.
Anais Nin 1914-1977, French-born American Novelist, Dancer
Isa 51:12-13
"I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies and of the son of man who is made like grass, that you have forgotten the LORD your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. That you fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor, as he makes ready to destroy? But where is the fury of the oppressor? NASU
It has been said that friendship consists of forgetting what we have given away, and remembering what we have received. We have a great need to remember what you and I have received from God. First we came from Him, we are His creation. We can try to be independent of that and celebrate the power of the human mind, but it is, in its finest hour, and at its best, just a spark in this blazing universe of light that circles around us.
We are products of the Glorious Hand of God, don’t diminish that fact, glory in it and wear it like the label of a fine clothing distributor. We probably are, and may well be, the only beings in all of this wonderful creation that surrounds us that are alive and allowed to share in the knowledge of who He is, and we should glory in that fact. Though we have had many sighting of UFO’s we have no solid facts, but we have solid fact of who Christ is, and of His coming, death and resurrection, and we should never, ever forget the gift He gave us on Calvary, we should remember all that we have received for Him.
Where did you come from? You came from God, sure God used different vehicles to get you here, but you are never the less, His...I love this poem of William Wordsworth who wrote this of our birth;
Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting. The soul that rises with us, our life's star, hath had elsewhere its setting, and cometh from afar: not in entire forgetfulness, and not in utter nakedness, but trailing clouds of glory do we come from God, who is our home.
God Bless
Pastor William
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Satisfied in Jesus
Contentment
True contentment is a thing as active as agriculture. It is the power of getting out of any situation all that there is in it. It is arduous and it is rare.
Gilbert K. Chesterton 1874-1936, British Author
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
Joseph Addison once said that a contented mind is the greatest treasure that a man could achieve while in this world. I tend to agree, it is of course what frames the pictures that we look at every day and it is the essence of what circles within our bosoms as we walk through the desires and circumstances that dance around us daily in this world.
Most of the people that you and I see everyday have a whirlwind going on inside of them, smiles hide the turmoil that is boiling inside. It may be an early argument at home, a conflict at the office, or a problem that is coming in their future, or desires that are out of control, but all have problems nonetheless. There is no place this side of heaven where you and I are going to live without a problem, for that is what heaven is all about, isn’t it, and that’s why we sing about Glory and long for it with such eagerness.
The difference is in how we deal with those problems. Do we let them deal with us or do we let Jesus deal with them. The ways in which we deal with our problems can either make us stronger, or can make us the jello that the world shakes up at every turn. Paul tells us that when the world reaches into his chest and tries to set his world on fire, he turns those things over to the One who can quench the fiery darts of Satan. In Ephesians 6:16 he tells us to put on the shield of faith to be able to stand against the fiery arrows the devil casts at us daily.
These are the fiery arrows that start in the mind and end in the erosion of your stomach lining, and pop the tops on many bottles of Tylenol daily. It is the daily battle of mind and emotion that you cannot win without Gods help, and He stands ready and willing to help us all. The problems people are struggling with today, and will face tomorrow, are not any different than those faced by others in the past. Just as Paul found that contentment, we can too, if we will only take our burdens to the foot of the Cross, and lay them down there and walk away. We will find contentment when we “know and trust” who holds our tomorrow…God Bless.
Pastor William
True contentment is a thing as active as agriculture. It is the power of getting out of any situation all that there is in it. It is arduous and it is rare.
Gilbert K. Chesterton 1874-1936, British Author
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
Joseph Addison once said that a contented mind is the greatest treasure that a man could achieve while in this world. I tend to agree, it is of course what frames the pictures that we look at every day and it is the essence of what circles within our bosoms as we walk through the desires and circumstances that dance around us daily in this world.
Most of the people that you and I see everyday have a whirlwind going on inside of them, smiles hide the turmoil that is boiling inside. It may be an early argument at home, a conflict at the office, or a problem that is coming in their future, or desires that are out of control, but all have problems nonetheless. There is no place this side of heaven where you and I are going to live without a problem, for that is what heaven is all about, isn’t it, and that’s why we sing about Glory and long for it with such eagerness.
The difference is in how we deal with those problems. Do we let them deal with us or do we let Jesus deal with them. The ways in which we deal with our problems can either make us stronger, or can make us the jello that the world shakes up at every turn. Paul tells us that when the world reaches into his chest and tries to set his world on fire, he turns those things over to the One who can quench the fiery darts of Satan. In Ephesians 6:16 he tells us to put on the shield of faith to be able to stand against the fiery arrows the devil casts at us daily.
These are the fiery arrows that start in the mind and end in the erosion of your stomach lining, and pop the tops on many bottles of Tylenol daily. It is the daily battle of mind and emotion that you cannot win without Gods help, and He stands ready and willing to help us all. The problems people are struggling with today, and will face tomorrow, are not any different than those faced by others in the past. Just as Paul found that contentment, we can too, if we will only take our burdens to the foot of the Cross, and lay them down there and walk away. We will find contentment when we “know and trust” who holds our tomorrow…God Bless.
Pastor William
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Your In For Life, Like it or Not
Training
Training is all-encompassing and should be related to everything a unit does, or can have happen to it.
Arthur Collins American Army General
Heb 12:10-13
For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. 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. NASU
Paul is speaking to us this morning on the subject of short-timers. When I was in the Navy those men that were near to the end of enlisted service were called short-timers. Their contract with Uncle Sam was fulfilled and they were near the time where they could once again direct their own lives. This was a short time of discipline where each man was continually trained and kept “on alert” for the safety of our nation.
You know where I’m going with this, that’s right, you and me as Christians cannot be short timers. We know that the time is short, but at the same time it is for us a crucial time to maintain the disciplines that are given to us in God’s Word. Discipline is not something that will come to us in short time periods. There were some things that I learned as a child that were temporary periods of excruciating pain, but there were times when I wished someone would whip me and get it over with.
The discipline of the Christian life is not learned in a day, nor a week, or even in a lifetime. When we leave this earth there will still be things that we could have learned and done better. But for us as Christians it is important that we maintain our spirit of readiness to walk in straight paths, to strengthen our spiritual knees and feet so that we may be healed and changed into the image of Jesus Christ.
Discipline is not fun, discipline is aim and dedication. It produces temporary sorrow in us when we see our shortcomings, but when God is involved in it, He is going to use it to produce in us brighter and fuller days of joy. He is teaching us how to survive and not stray away down crooked paths on crooked legs. God is teaching His children how to be ready for His coming and how to survive the battles of this world.
So how about you soldier, what kind of shape are you in? There’s no shipping out of this service, you are enlisted for life. Will you survive the battles of this world, so as to meet your Savior and Commander? I hope so, but until then be God’s spiritual duck, be calm on the surface, but paddling like the dickens for Christ underneath…God Bless.
Pastor William
Training is all-encompassing and should be related to everything a unit does, or can have happen to it.
Arthur Collins American Army General
Heb 12:10-13
For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. 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. NASU
Paul is speaking to us this morning on the subject of short-timers. When I was in the Navy those men that were near to the end of enlisted service were called short-timers. Their contract with Uncle Sam was fulfilled and they were near the time where they could once again direct their own lives. This was a short time of discipline where each man was continually trained and kept “on alert” for the safety of our nation.
You know where I’m going with this, that’s right, you and me as Christians cannot be short timers. We know that the time is short, but at the same time it is for us a crucial time to maintain the disciplines that are given to us in God’s Word. Discipline is not something that will come to us in short time periods. There were some things that I learned as a child that were temporary periods of excruciating pain, but there were times when I wished someone would whip me and get it over with.
The discipline of the Christian life is not learned in a day, nor a week, or even in a lifetime. When we leave this earth there will still be things that we could have learned and done better. But for us as Christians it is important that we maintain our spirit of readiness to walk in straight paths, to strengthen our spiritual knees and feet so that we may be healed and changed into the image of Jesus Christ.
Discipline is not fun, discipline is aim and dedication. It produces temporary sorrow in us when we see our shortcomings, but when God is involved in it, He is going to use it to produce in us brighter and fuller days of joy. He is teaching us how to survive and not stray away down crooked paths on crooked legs. God is teaching His children how to be ready for His coming and how to survive the battles of this world.
So how about you soldier, what kind of shape are you in? There’s no shipping out of this service, you are enlisted for life. Will you survive the battles of this world, so as to meet your Savior and Commander? I hope so, but until then be God’s spiritual duck, be calm on the surface, but paddling like the dickens for Christ underneath…God Bless.
Pastor William
Monday, May 19, 2008
Experience Required
Action
The words printed here are concepts. You must go through the experiences.
Frederick Carl) Frieseke (1874-1939, American-Born French Painter
Ps 60:1-4
God, You have rejected us. You have broken us; You have been angry; O, restore us. You have made the land quake, You have split it open; Heal its breaches, for it totters. You have made Your people experience hardship; You have given us wine to drink that makes us stagger. You have given a banner to those who fear You, that it may be displayed because of the truth. NASU
In the life of the Christian, rewards come in the form of two coins: Faith and experience. As children of God we learn by experience first; then the faith will come to each of us later. God requires of us to know Him. It is required of us to also walk with Him and for each of us to experience Him, personally and individually.
You see, we like the idea of God paying attention to our every little whim and detail in our lives, but we do not like the idea of learning the details of what pleases this God who was so interested in our lives that He “came down” to experience our everyday struggles, and gave His life for our relief. He came to give us the free gift of eternal life, and not just life in misery, but a life of eternal rest and peace, joy and fulfillment for the ages, and…right now.
We must remember that our God is perfect and complete, and He is shaping us every day of our lives. We are experiencing daily whatever is needed to make us into what will please Him, our experiences are His tools…His Hands on the clay. James tells us in chapter 1 verse 4 “And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Have you ever seen a beautiful flower and walked over to experience it closer, sure you have, and as you got closer you looked at it’s every detail, and then you bent over to experience its aroma. Have you ever seen one so beautiful, but without the sweet perfume that made it complete. Well, that’s what we are talking about right now, God wants you to have the sweet aroma of Christ in you, so that when others come close it enters into their senses and leaves them with the memory of what Christ did for them on Calvary.
There is only one way for this transformation to be completed in you and I and that is to experience our Lord, and if we remember that this is what this life is given to us for…then we will bloom for Christ now, and His sweet aroma will fill the senses of all who come near us, for His Glory…God Bless.
Pastor William
The words printed here are concepts. You must go through the experiences.
Frederick Carl) Frieseke (1874-1939, American-Born French Painter
Ps 60:1-4
God, You have rejected us. You have broken us; You have been angry; O, restore us. You have made the land quake, You have split it open; Heal its breaches, for it totters. You have made Your people experience hardship; You have given us wine to drink that makes us stagger. You have given a banner to those who fear You, that it may be displayed because of the truth. NASU
In the life of the Christian, rewards come in the form of two coins: Faith and experience. As children of God we learn by experience first; then the faith will come to each of us later. God requires of us to know Him. It is required of us to also walk with Him and for each of us to experience Him, personally and individually.
You see, we like the idea of God paying attention to our every little whim and detail in our lives, but we do not like the idea of learning the details of what pleases this God who was so interested in our lives that He “came down” to experience our everyday struggles, and gave His life for our relief. He came to give us the free gift of eternal life, and not just life in misery, but a life of eternal rest and peace, joy and fulfillment for the ages, and…right now.
We must remember that our God is perfect and complete, and He is shaping us every day of our lives. We are experiencing daily whatever is needed to make us into what will please Him, our experiences are His tools…His Hands on the clay. James tells us in chapter 1 verse 4 “And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Have you ever seen a beautiful flower and walked over to experience it closer, sure you have, and as you got closer you looked at it’s every detail, and then you bent over to experience its aroma. Have you ever seen one so beautiful, but without the sweet perfume that made it complete. Well, that’s what we are talking about right now, God wants you to have the sweet aroma of Christ in you, so that when others come close it enters into their senses and leaves them with the memory of what Christ did for them on Calvary.
There is only one way for this transformation to be completed in you and I and that is to experience our Lord, and if we remember that this is what this life is given to us for…then we will bloom for Christ now, and His sweet aroma will fill the senses of all who come near us, for His Glory…God Bless.
Pastor William
Friday, May 16, 2008
There's Nothing New Under The Sun
Causes
The power of a movement lies in the fact that it can indeed change the habits of people. This change is not the result of force but of dedication, of moral persuasion.
Steven Biko 1946-1977,
Lev 26:14-16
"But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that will waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it up. NASU
Through the years, from days of old and recent past, we can find record of men who have proceeded with their plans even after warning of eventual catastrophe. Men have had grand ideas of their own, not based upon sound wisdom, but instead on dreams that come from their own desire. We can be sure that at times that they were “good” ideas, but that did not give them guarantee of success. The standard or the “plumb line” was created long ago, long before the thought of man existed. His ideas are not original; they are a byproduct of the Creator Himself.
God in His Wisdom does not need any new ideas, what He needs is for us to use the ideas that He Himself has already created. They are not old ideas, nor are they new ideas, they are His ideas, His will and pleasure for us, He is, after all, our future. For us to succumb to the “human plan” is to accept second best, to be pleased with hand-me-downs if you will. Hand-me-downs are the worn out and old ideas that have been passed down and tried out for many generations, and they are just as worn out garments that humans pass down. Upon close inspection one will find flaws and holes through which the flesh will show.
God has a plan for us, it is “His plan.” It is not an old plan, nor is it a new plan. It is a plan that was created for us before time began, and it is the only plan that will work in the perfect will of God for “His people.” When you and I surrender to that plan and give ourselves up totally to His leading, then we are led into blessing because we want to wear “new clothes.” We will reject the worn out ideas of what the world says is right for the lies that they are, and will walk in His commandments which will lead us to blessing. His truth will change us and make us into what He planned for us long ago.
The worn-out clothes of the world can’t ever hide this sinful flesh. Now before you and I were born God Himself made you and I some new clothes, and His name is Jesus. We must do as Paul says in Romans 13:14, we must put on Christ! He was, and still is the plan God had for us all along. Let’s you and I pick up the Word of God, and get back to the Masters design…God Bless.
Pastor William
The power of a movement lies in the fact that it can indeed change the habits of people. This change is not the result of force but of dedication, of moral persuasion.
Steven Biko 1946-1977,
Lev 26:14-16
"But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that will waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it up. NASU
Through the years, from days of old and recent past, we can find record of men who have proceeded with their plans even after warning of eventual catastrophe. Men have had grand ideas of their own, not based upon sound wisdom, but instead on dreams that come from their own desire. We can be sure that at times that they were “good” ideas, but that did not give them guarantee of success. The standard or the “plumb line” was created long ago, long before the thought of man existed. His ideas are not original; they are a byproduct of the Creator Himself.
God in His Wisdom does not need any new ideas, what He needs is for us to use the ideas that He Himself has already created. They are not old ideas, nor are they new ideas, they are His ideas, His will and pleasure for us, He is, after all, our future. For us to succumb to the “human plan” is to accept second best, to be pleased with hand-me-downs if you will. Hand-me-downs are the worn out and old ideas that have been passed down and tried out for many generations, and they are just as worn out garments that humans pass down. Upon close inspection one will find flaws and holes through which the flesh will show.
God has a plan for us, it is “His plan.” It is not an old plan, nor is it a new plan. It is a plan that was created for us before time began, and it is the only plan that will work in the perfect will of God for “His people.” When you and I surrender to that plan and give ourselves up totally to His leading, then we are led into blessing because we want to wear “new clothes.” We will reject the worn out ideas of what the world says is right for the lies that they are, and will walk in His commandments which will lead us to blessing. His truth will change us and make us into what He planned for us long ago.
The worn-out clothes of the world can’t ever hide this sinful flesh. Now before you and I were born God Himself made you and I some new clothes, and His name is Jesus. We must do as Paul says in Romans 13:14, we must put on Christ! He was, and still is the plan God had for us all along. Let’s you and I pick up the Word of God, and get back to the Masters design…God Bless.
Pastor William
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
You Can't Always Get What You Want
Desire
Desire is the essence of a man.
Baruch Benedict de) Spinoza (1632-1677, Dutch Philosopher and Theologian
Ps 52:7-9
Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and was strong in his evil desire." But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the loving kindness of God forever and ever. I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it, and I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones. NASU
John Locke a British Philosopher said this of desire: “The discipline of desire is the background of character.” Our desires can be our salvation or they can be our ruin, and if they are leading us they will usually cause our ruin. Discipline of desire is the measure of many, but we have guidance in scripture to lead us. Listen to Paul’s words in Gal 5:16-17 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.”
As you can see God did not give us over to the desires of our flesh, but left for us the greatest guide we could ever have to keep our desires under His control. If you will notice, God says that we are to “walk” by the Spirit. Walking by the Spirit is being led by Christ and it is His eternal protection and leadership that keeps us in the safe paths and in places that provides for us our sustenance, protection and strength.
Our desires will take us out of these safe paths, they will lead us down treacherous places where we can lose strength and harm ourselves spiritually and physically. It’s important for us to see this one fact. It is not God that desired our hurt or harm; it is our desires that get us into trouble. We let our wants get ahead of our needs, or even the needs of others, and it comes from a selfish and destructive spirit in us that desires to have at “all costs.” James tells us in chapter 4:1 what the source of our problem is when he speaks to the church these words: “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?”
Let us lift our eyes and leave the pleasures of this world behind; others have done it before us. Let us live and walk the higher paths, let us walk in the safe paths that please our God and not ourselves, so they can also say of us : Heb 11:16 “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” God Bless.
Pastor William
Desire is the essence of a man.
Baruch Benedict de) Spinoza (1632-1677, Dutch Philosopher and Theologian
Ps 52:7-9
Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and was strong in his evil desire." But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the loving kindness of God forever and ever. I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it, and I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones. NASU
John Locke a British Philosopher said this of desire: “The discipline of desire is the background of character.” Our desires can be our salvation or they can be our ruin, and if they are leading us they will usually cause our ruin. Discipline of desire is the measure of many, but we have guidance in scripture to lead us. Listen to Paul’s words in Gal 5:16-17 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.”
As you can see God did not give us over to the desires of our flesh, but left for us the greatest guide we could ever have to keep our desires under His control. If you will notice, God says that we are to “walk” by the Spirit. Walking by the Spirit is being led by Christ and it is His eternal protection and leadership that keeps us in the safe paths and in places that provides for us our sustenance, protection and strength.
Our desires will take us out of these safe paths, they will lead us down treacherous places where we can lose strength and harm ourselves spiritually and physically. It’s important for us to see this one fact. It is not God that desired our hurt or harm; it is our desires that get us into trouble. We let our wants get ahead of our needs, or even the needs of others, and it comes from a selfish and destructive spirit in us that desires to have at “all costs.” James tells us in chapter 4:1 what the source of our problem is when he speaks to the church these words: “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?”
Let us lift our eyes and leave the pleasures of this world behind; others have done it before us. Let us live and walk the higher paths, let us walk in the safe paths that please our God and not ourselves, so they can also say of us : Heb 11:16 “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” God Bless.
Pastor William
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Where Are Your Gloves?
Action
You must get involved to have an impact. No one is impressed with the won-lost record of the referee.
John H. Holcomb
Rom 14:5-8
One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. NASU.
Did you know that you were in a fight, or were you aware that we are all in the ring and that the bell has rung? So many would like to be spectators, they like to get close to the fight, they want to see the blows, but they do not want to get involved. It gets pretty rough in the ring and its so much easier to watch the fight than it is to get in the fight, after all, you can sit outside and be indifferent if you want, and be a friend to both sides later that way no one will be angry with you, will they?
I had a person tell me one time that the reason they were never greatly involved in church was so they wouldn’t upset either side. If they didn’t get involved they would not suffer the attacks of the devil, or do anything that would displease God. That’s called playing it safe isn’t it, or is it just not wanting to suffer any pain for the prize? Paul warns us of that attitude in 2 Tim 2:5 “Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.”
Paul is pretty insistent on that subject, he reminds us that we are to be fully aware of where we are and what we are here for. In 1 Cor 9:24 Paul says this “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.” Paul is telling us all that we are “IN” the race, you and I are involved, we are in the ring we are in the fight whether we like it or not. Then Paul says this to us in verses 26-27 of that same chapter. “Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
Now do you see the picture, you and I are not referees, nor are we spectators, we are fighters, we are runners, simply put, we are involved. We are here for Christ, and every day we live we are living, running, and fighting for Christ. Now at the end of every fight there are judges, and we will be judged on how we have run and fought here, and it will be either a win or a loss, but for you and I, there will be no draws…God Bless.
Pastor William
You must get involved to have an impact. No one is impressed with the won-lost record of the referee.
John H. Holcomb
Rom 14:5-8
One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. NASU.
Did you know that you were in a fight, or were you aware that we are all in the ring and that the bell has rung? So many would like to be spectators, they like to get close to the fight, they want to see the blows, but they do not want to get involved. It gets pretty rough in the ring and its so much easier to watch the fight than it is to get in the fight, after all, you can sit outside and be indifferent if you want, and be a friend to both sides later that way no one will be angry with you, will they?
I had a person tell me one time that the reason they were never greatly involved in church was so they wouldn’t upset either side. If they didn’t get involved they would not suffer the attacks of the devil, or do anything that would displease God. That’s called playing it safe isn’t it, or is it just not wanting to suffer any pain for the prize? Paul warns us of that attitude in 2 Tim 2:5 “Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.”
Paul is pretty insistent on that subject, he reminds us that we are to be fully aware of where we are and what we are here for. In 1 Cor 9:24 Paul says this “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.” Paul is telling us all that we are “IN” the race, you and I are involved, we are in the ring we are in the fight whether we like it or not. Then Paul says this to us in verses 26-27 of that same chapter. “Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
Now do you see the picture, you and I are not referees, nor are we spectators, we are fighters, we are runners, simply put, we are involved. We are here for Christ, and every day we live we are living, running, and fighting for Christ. Now at the end of every fight there are judges, and we will be judged on how we have run and fought here, and it will be either a win or a loss, but for you and I, there will be no draws…God Bless.
Pastor William
Monday, May 12, 2008
It Still Starts with One
Reform
You begin saving the world by saving one man at a time; all else is grandiose romanticism or politics.
Charles Bukowski 1920-1994, German Poet, Short Stories Writer, Novelist
Rom 5:15
15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.
I believe there is a great secret here that we are by passing daily as children of God. We have been sold down the river by the constant voice of the devil himself who chides us and declares daily that you or I cannot make a difference in our world. He is declaring everything as being hopeless and telling Christians to lock their doors, stay inside, and wait for God to get things straight in the end.
Well, if I read my Bible right, I can see countless stories that tell me the opposite of that. When I read of Abraham I hear bold predictions and great faith. I see a man whom was heirless and childless, believe God when all would seem hopeless. Heb 11:12 tells us of what God chose to do in a man that the world would say could do nothing. It says this: “Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE.”
When God chooses to free men, He doesn’t bring legions of angels, He picks one man. When God chose to free Israel from the repression of Egypt He raised up a Moses, (a man who was a basket case) and used that one man to lead many people to spiritual freedom and life in the promise land.
When God chose to save you and I and redeem our souls from hell and sin and make a people for Himself, and Him alone, He sent ONE MAN. The God Man, Jesus Christ to make a sacrifice acceptable unto Him to save the souls of men. Jesus was faithful in every way and perfect in every sense and He defeated Hell and the Grave. To that end you and I today have a place in eternity with our King.
Now today, God sends each of us individually to make a difference, for that is His way. He doesn’t work through armies, or through institutions or governments, but God does work through individuals. He uses people that feel weak and useless against the strong odds that are stacked against them and through His invisible power and Glory that the world cannot see, He brings them victory. You will know it’s not you…you will know you could not have done it…but the world will see your immeasurable and eternal God in you…God Bless.
Pastor William
You begin saving the world by saving one man at a time; all else is grandiose romanticism or politics.
Charles Bukowski 1920-1994, German Poet, Short Stories Writer, Novelist
Rom 5:15
15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.
I believe there is a great secret here that we are by passing daily as children of God. We have been sold down the river by the constant voice of the devil himself who chides us and declares daily that you or I cannot make a difference in our world. He is declaring everything as being hopeless and telling Christians to lock their doors, stay inside, and wait for God to get things straight in the end.
Well, if I read my Bible right, I can see countless stories that tell me the opposite of that. When I read of Abraham I hear bold predictions and great faith. I see a man whom was heirless and childless, believe God when all would seem hopeless. Heb 11:12 tells us of what God chose to do in a man that the world would say could do nothing. It says this: “Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE.”
When God chooses to free men, He doesn’t bring legions of angels, He picks one man. When God chose to free Israel from the repression of Egypt He raised up a Moses, (a man who was a basket case) and used that one man to lead many people to spiritual freedom and life in the promise land.
When God chose to save you and I and redeem our souls from hell and sin and make a people for Himself, and Him alone, He sent ONE MAN. The God Man, Jesus Christ to make a sacrifice acceptable unto Him to save the souls of men. Jesus was faithful in every way and perfect in every sense and He defeated Hell and the Grave. To that end you and I today have a place in eternity with our King.
Now today, God sends each of us individually to make a difference, for that is His way. He doesn’t work through armies, or through institutions or governments, but God does work through individuals. He uses people that feel weak and useless against the strong odds that are stacked against them and through His invisible power and Glory that the world cannot see, He brings them victory. You will know it’s not you…you will know you could not have done it…but the world will see your immeasurable and eternal God in you…God Bless.
Pastor William
Friday, May 9, 2008
Focusing the Tongue
Action
No steam or gas ever drives anything until it is confined. No Niagara is ever turned into light and power until it is tunneled. No life ever grows until it is focused, dedicated, disciplined.
Harry Emerson Fosdick 1878-1969, American Minister
James 1:19-22
19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. NASU
Many of the things that God allows us to do as Christians can be supplanted by our harsh words and attitudes. We have done many good things in our churches as we have worked together for the Kingdom of God, but many of these things that we do, as far as actions and outward appearances can be overridden by our tongues.
A quick temper, or a sudden outburst of emotion, can do a lot of harm to what you have worked so hard to build as a one of God’s chosen and elect. If you have asked God for help in this area one of the things that you will find happening to you is the constant drip of things that might pull at your emotions and get you upset. God is allowing things around you that will make you cry out to Him for strength to overcome these challenges. He is training you and I to call upon the Holy Spirit to show us how to focus His strength on our weakness.
Didn’t we read in God’s word that when we are weak, then He is strong. Didn’t we hear Paul when he said in 2 Cor 12:10, “Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” You see it is in our weaknesses that Christ can manifest Himself in us, so that when we are at our “wits end” is when Jesus can begin.
God says that the “implanted Word” is able to save our souls. Yes, indeed it can, if, we will apply it to our tongues and attitudes and allow the implanted word to give us improved appearances to the world through our daily lives.
Isn’t this true? Who can hide a disgruntled heart? Doesn’t it always show up in some way in our life that doesn’t increase our witness, but diminish it? When God says be ye doers of the Word, it also involves our speech and attitude. Lets you and I allow the Holy Spirit of God show Himself strong and increase His strength in every area of our lives…God Bless
Pastor William
No steam or gas ever drives anything until it is confined. No Niagara is ever turned into light and power until it is tunneled. No life ever grows until it is focused, dedicated, disciplined.
Harry Emerson Fosdick 1878-1969, American Minister
James 1:19-22
19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. NASU
Many of the things that God allows us to do as Christians can be supplanted by our harsh words and attitudes. We have done many good things in our churches as we have worked together for the Kingdom of God, but many of these things that we do, as far as actions and outward appearances can be overridden by our tongues.
A quick temper, or a sudden outburst of emotion, can do a lot of harm to what you have worked so hard to build as a one of God’s chosen and elect. If you have asked God for help in this area one of the things that you will find happening to you is the constant drip of things that might pull at your emotions and get you upset. God is allowing things around you that will make you cry out to Him for strength to overcome these challenges. He is training you and I to call upon the Holy Spirit to show us how to focus His strength on our weakness.
Didn’t we read in God’s word that when we are weak, then He is strong. Didn’t we hear Paul when he said in 2 Cor 12:10, “Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” You see it is in our weaknesses that Christ can manifest Himself in us, so that when we are at our “wits end” is when Jesus can begin.
God says that the “implanted Word” is able to save our souls. Yes, indeed it can, if, we will apply it to our tongues and attitudes and allow the implanted word to give us improved appearances to the world through our daily lives.
Isn’t this true? Who can hide a disgruntled heart? Doesn’t it always show up in some way in our life that doesn’t increase our witness, but diminish it? When God says be ye doers of the Word, it also involves our speech and attitude. Lets you and I allow the Holy Spirit of God show Himself strong and increase His strength in every area of our lives…God Bless
Pastor William
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Resettling
We are about settled, today is my first devotion in a while, things are settling down a little more each day as we are moving in to our new residence. Pray for Santa Fe Baptist Church with me as we move forward for our Lord and Savior, and pray for souls to be saved for the Kingdom of God.
It's an Every Day Thing
Obstacles
Everyone who achieves success in a great venture, solves each problem as they came to it. They helped themselves. And they were helped through powers known and unknown to them at the time they set out on their voyage. They keep going regardless of the obstacles they met.
W. Clement Stone 1902-, American Businessman, Author
Isa 57:13-15
“But he who takes refuge in Me will inherit the land and will possess My holy mountain." And it will be said, "Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstacle out of the way of My people." For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite. NASU
I once heard a man say that an obstacle is something you see when you take your eyes off the goals you are trying to reach. I am afraid that as Christians we need a time of refreshing and need to refocus our hearts on what our true goal is as a church. It is a time to call ourselves to an accounting for our actions, and to go to the alter to ask our God for strength and wisdom to see the obstacles keeping the church from its mission of reaching the lost.
My wife and I recently have moved, and that is always work, but praise God for my wife’s diligence to take it in small bites. It was something that she did a little of everyday and some days were longer than others, but it was not something that we could do in one day, it was something that we set a goal to do and everyday we did something to reach that goal. We can learn from that as a church.
So many times in our churches we have “events.” What I mean by that is that we have a planned time to go together to do something for Christ. They are beneficial and touch many lives, but I think that we all fall short in the time between events. Obstacles are everyday events for Satan, each day he is blocking the road to salvation for so many and he is busy thwarting the many efforts of the church. I’m afraid that even with the best intentions, if we rely on events we will fall behind.
What Christ asks us to do is to live every day for Him. Paul tells us in Rom 14:19 “So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” In the preceding verses Paul speaks of obstacles and that we are not to be creators of obstacles, but the removers of those things that stand between Christ and the lost and dying of this world. My brothers and sisters in Christ, this is an everyday job and events will not make the impact you and I can have everyday for Christ in this world. Let’s you and I determine to do this “as we go”…God Bless.
Pastor William
Everyone who achieves success in a great venture, solves each problem as they came to it. They helped themselves. And they were helped through powers known and unknown to them at the time they set out on their voyage. They keep going regardless of the obstacles they met.
W. Clement Stone 1902-, American Businessman, Author
Isa 57:13-15
“But he who takes refuge in Me will inherit the land and will possess My holy mountain." And it will be said, "Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstacle out of the way of My people." For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite. NASU
I once heard a man say that an obstacle is something you see when you take your eyes off the goals you are trying to reach. I am afraid that as Christians we need a time of refreshing and need to refocus our hearts on what our true goal is as a church. It is a time to call ourselves to an accounting for our actions, and to go to the alter to ask our God for strength and wisdom to see the obstacles keeping the church from its mission of reaching the lost.
My wife and I recently have moved, and that is always work, but praise God for my wife’s diligence to take it in small bites. It was something that she did a little of everyday and some days were longer than others, but it was not something that we could do in one day, it was something that we set a goal to do and everyday we did something to reach that goal. We can learn from that as a church.
So many times in our churches we have “events.” What I mean by that is that we have a planned time to go together to do something for Christ. They are beneficial and touch many lives, but I think that we all fall short in the time between events. Obstacles are everyday events for Satan, each day he is blocking the road to salvation for so many and he is busy thwarting the many efforts of the church. I’m afraid that even with the best intentions, if we rely on events we will fall behind.
What Christ asks us to do is to live every day for Him. Paul tells us in Rom 14:19 “So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” In the preceding verses Paul speaks of obstacles and that we are not to be creators of obstacles, but the removers of those things that stand between Christ and the lost and dying of this world. My brothers and sisters in Christ, this is an everyday job and events will not make the impact you and I can have everyday for Christ in this world. Let’s you and I determine to do this “as we go”…God Bless.
Pastor William
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Pastor William
- Pastor William F Burroughs
- Gainesville, Fl, United States
- Pray for God to move greatly in "Journey of The Word Church".