Tuesday, August 31, 2010

The Lion

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1Peter 5:8 

We all need to remember the devil is real and he's out there trying to devour us. For those not saved, he's there trying to prevent us from getting saved. For those who are saved, he's trying to prevent us from being a witness for the Lord, to taint our testimony, and/or prevent us from living a victorious Christian life. We often forget those who are newly saved. After the shouting is over and things calm down, we turn our backs on them and throw them to the wolves - or this case the "lion". It can start as simply someone brushing you off when you tell them you just got saved. It will go as far as the devil telling you "Aw, you didn't really get saved. God can't save YOU. Here, let me remind you what all YOU"VE done!"

Well, what you've done didn't get you into heaven and what you've done isn't going to keep you out of heaven. Praise God, we weren't even born when Jesus died on that cross. That means that HE died for us, WAY before we'd committed all those sins the devil will try to throw up in our faces. Romans 5:8 can confirm this for us:  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
 
Isn't it great that even though He knew we were rotten sinners - every one of us - He still sent His Precious Son to die on Calvary for our sins?!
Praise the Lord! 

We need to all remember to pray for one another, and especially those who were just saved.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Hallelujah! Two saved tonight!! 
Praise God - HE IS GOOD!!!

Friday, August 27, 2010

Tomorrow

"Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."  Proverbs 27:1

All too often we go around saying what we'll do tomorrow, or what we don't "feel" like doing today, it can wait until tomorrow. Well, what if tomorrow never comes? What if tragedy strikes your family and you had put off telling someone you love them? What if you are killed in a horrible car wreck tonight and you'd just put off salvation? THEN WHAT?

We all tend to put off some things, even small stuff. It can affect others, as well as ourselves. You might not get a "Mom of the Year" award if you feed your child ice cream for breakfast, but what if you lost your child that afternoon - would you regret not doing it? (Don't get me wrong, I don't mean every day! ;)  Just what if you put off trusting in Jesus today - will you have that chance tomorrow? What about your neighbor? What if God burdens your heart to share the gospel with a stranger and you put it off... they might not have a tomorrow.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

The Gift

Today's Sunday School lesson was from Luke 18. It was about the Pharisee and the Publican. They both went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee prayed loudly, so everyone could hear him. He boasted about how he had fasted, and what he had done, and how much he had tithed, etc. all during his "prayer".  The Publican, knowing that everyone hated him anyway because of his job as a tax collector, was humble and couldn't even look up. He knew he'd done wrong. He simply asked "God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13).

I usually start my class with a visual example of the actual lesson and today was no different. This morning I went in with a pretty gift bag loaded with pretty paper and a bow. I asked my class who wanted to open the pretty gift and of course they all anxiously raised their hands. Well, since I had so many volunteers who wanted to tear into it, I opted to open it myself - slowly - so all could see. I pulled off the pretty bright green bow. Then pulled out the nice bright tissue paper. Then I reached in ever so slowly and pulled out... a nasty, muddy, sopping wet rag. The looks on the kids' faces was interesting! I think the example was a "hit"!!! 

The nasty rag represents our sin. The point is/was that even those who look all pretty and clean and fancy on the outside, could be nasty, rotten and dirty on the inside. You don't have to roll around in the mud (as our good friend's little girl was doing yesterday :) to be dirty and nasty in God's eyes.  God knows us - inside and out. There's nothing that we can do, or say, or pay, etc. that gets us into heaven. It's only trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. Much like the "gift" I took to my class today, salvation is freely given. Unlike the gift I took - what's inside is salvation - a gift like none other!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

WITHOUT GOD.....our week would be: Sinday, Mournday, Tearsday, Wasteday, Thirstday, Fightday, Shatterday. Seven days without God makes one weak!

Encouragement

There are times in our lives when we feel so far from God we may barely hear Him whisper or not hear him at all. If we are honest in these times, we'll see that we're the ones that have left God's side - He didn't leave us. Nevertheless, we feel lost and hopeless and alone. Sometimes it's so difficult to find our way back to Him we get even more discouraged.

Here are some things to remember: God will never change. He's the same - always has been, always will be. If you are a child of God, He will always be there with you because the Holy Spirit dwells within you.

2 Corinthians 4:8 - 9  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.


Having faith in God is an important part in having Peace. Having the Peace of God is something that an unsaved person won't ever understand, let alone have. Salvation must come first though. Have you taken that step of faith in trusting that He can and will save you? It's as simple as A - B - C! Admit you're a sinner, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, Confess and Call upon the Jesus to save you.


Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Anger

"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." Proverbs 15:1

Sometimes it's easier to get angry about a situation than to just deal with the anger and/or the source of the anger. I used to have a really bad temper, but realized that it didn't hurt anyone but me when I got all bent out of shape over something. It's amazing how remaining calm about a situation can change things.

There are 228 verses in the Bible with the word "anger" in them. Some other verses about our anger:

"The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression." Proverbs 19:11

"Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools." Ecclesiastes 7:9

"But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth."  Colossians 3:8

The word "Angry" is found 43 times...

"An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression."  Proverbs 29:22

"Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:"   Ephesians 4:26

As you can see from just these few verses, we should be careful when we are angry. The Bible doesn't say not to get angry, but it does say "Be ye angry, and sin not". That's where we often get into trouble.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

There Came a Thirsty Woman

What a song! Brother Tommy Cook sang that song last night at the camp meeting and it touches my heart every time I hear it.

The story of the Woman at the Well, in John 4, tells us of a woman who met Jesus at the well one day. The Bible doesn't even give us her name, but He gave her Living Water - such that she never thirsted again. Praise God I got some of that Living Water too! I can't wait to meet her in Glory so we can share our stories!

Last night's service was a "better felt than telt" meeting - thank you Lord for letting me be there! We're looking forward to tonight's service at Rural Retreat Baptist Church.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Rural Retreat Baptist Church Camp Meeting

RRBC 6th Annual Camp meeting. Lindsey Brothers singing. What a blessing! 

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Psalm 103

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:  
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;  
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;  
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.  
6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
 7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
 8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
 9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
 13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
 14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
 15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
 16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
 17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;
 18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
 19 The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
 20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
 21 Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
 22 Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.


I was going to just post the first verse of this Psalm, but couldn't stop there! Some days we need to remember all He's done for us and remind ourselves we need to Praise HIM more! 

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Forgiving one another

"Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."

Colossians 3:13

Think about this verse for a while. When someone "wrongs" us, we tend to get upset and all wrapped up in ourselves and expect the other party to come to us and apologize. Sometimes the offending party may even be unaware of their offenses. That often seems to happen with spouses, although they tend to pick up on the fact that they've upset us fairly quickly, they may not know what they've done! But, it also happens in our churches and may lead to unnecessary tension among the brethren. It can be blown out of proportion and even lead to people leaving a church over something that could have simply been taken care of by two people just talking about the problem. According to this verse, you should forgive regardless of which side of the hurt you're on.

Email forward...

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. 'I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.'

The old woman smiled, 'Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?'
'That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.'

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.


SO, to all of my cracked pot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Trust in the Lord

Psalm 118:8 "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."

We should have confidence in God because he has control over everything. (Even the devil has to get permission before he attacks us!) But the reality is God is in control of everything, except us. You see we have choice. We can either choose to have confidence in the Lord, or not. We can choose whether or not to have the Lord be in control of our life. We can choose whether or not we will surrender to His will, or continue to pursue our own will. To give Him control, means to be in His Word and to trust Him! That doesn't mean bad things won't happen, look at Job. It does mean that letting God be in control and trusting in Him to make decisions will ensure we're in His will. And, God's perfect will is definitely where we should be.

There are 19 verses in the Bible that specifically state "Trust in the Lord", my favorite is:  Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."