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Billy Sunday’s Testimony & The Bible

2011-09-17T00:06:00.002-04:00

It has been a while since I posted anything so I felt led to share the testimony of a great Christian leader. Not just any leader, a true man of God who allowed the word of God to change his life forever.

Billy Sunday’s Testimony
Billy Sunday (1868-1936) was a powerful American evangelist. He was an All Star Major League baseball player before his call to preach. He was a man’s man and a mighty preacher. Billy Sunday said, “Twenty-nine years ago, with the Holy Spirit as my Guide, I entered at the portico of Genesis, walked down the corridor of the Old Testament art galleries, where pictures of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Isaac, Jacob, and Daniel hang on the wall. I passed into the music room of the Psalms where the Spirit sweeps the keyboard of nature until it seems that every reed and pipe in God’s great organ responds to the harp of David, the singer of Israel . . . I entered the chamber of Ecclesiastes, where the voice of the preacher is heard, and into the conservatory of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley where sweet spices filled and perfumed my life . . . I entered the business office of Proverbs and on into the observatory of the Prophets where I saw telescopes of various sizes pointing to far off events, concentrating on the Bright and Morning Star which was to rise above the moonlit hills of Judea for our salvation and redemption . . . I entered the audience room of the King of Kings, catching a vision written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Thence into the correspondence room with Paul, Peter, James, and John writing their epistles . . . I stepped into the throne room of Revelation where tower the glittering peaks, where sits the King of Kings and Lord of Lords upon His throne of glory with the healing of the nations in His hand, and I cried out:

“All hail the power of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him Lord of all.”

What about you? Has the Word of God had a life changing impact on all of your life circumstances? Has it caused you to pause and cry out in praise because of the life changing power of the Word? The Bible, read it, live it and love it!!!

A Vision Powered By Love: Fellowship (Part 3)

2010-04-16T00:16:00.002-04:00

1 Cor 1:9-10
9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. (KJV)

Our first association in the Christian life is with Jesus Christ as our Lord according to 1 Cor. 1:9. As Lord, Christ then becomes our focus and Christ likeness becomes our new goal. This relationship with Him brings genuine validity to our fellowship with others. This relationship is a holy calling. This calling is in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and the criteria for our fellowship is spelled out in 1Cor. 1:10.

We must, “speak the same thing”. This means that we must be together in word. Our word must be the Gospel message that Jesus alone saves. He is our word. Next, we must “have no divisions among us”. This phrase represents our walk in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our walk is compared to the marching ranks of a military force that is perfectly joined together. He is our walk. The next phrase is “in the same mind”. This is in reference to Godly wisdom. He is our wisdom. The next phrase is that we must have the “same judgment” This is a reference to our individual worth in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our worth.

In Philippians 2:15, the Apostle Paul is led to share that it is only through the comfort of love and the fellowship of the spirit that we are able to have the same mind. When this happens we will recognize our worth in the Lord and we will show preference to one another with out selfishness.

Philippians 2:1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, NKJ

When this fellowship occurs in our churches we will no longer spend time being divided by our likes and dislikes. Instead, we will be united around the likes and dislikes of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our conversation will change from styles of music to sacrificial ministry. We will stop dwelling on what we have or do not have and begin to think about what we can give. We will stop seeking positions of prominence and begin serving the interests of others to help them become more like Christ. Instead of defining faults by our own judgments we will unite around the judgments of Christ.

Fellowship is a word that is used approximately twenty times in the entire Bible. It has as much to do with what we should not associate with as what we should. Far too often our fellowship is broken by the very things that we are called to unite against.

Rom 12:9-11
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. (NIV)

When our fellowship is propelled by the sincere Love of God, we will be victorious in our fellowship with Him.

Rom 8:37-39
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (KJV)

A Vision Powered by Love: Worship (Part Two)

2010-02-25T12:47:00.002-05:00

NKJ Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 12 begins the transition from the doctrine section of the first eleven chapters to the duty of the child of God in light of the doctrine they have learned. If our reasonable service of worship is to present ourselves to God as a living sacrifice that is holy and acceptable to Him, the driving force for worship must be a selfless love for the LORD!

When one loves the Lord with all of their heart, mind, soul and strength, they will be holy and acceptable in His sight. Worship is the believer’s selfless response to God for the gift of His unique love.

NKJ 1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

According to 1 John 3:1-3, God’s unique love is the catalyst that reveals hope to the believer that causes the believer to pursue Christ likeness. This creates a hunger and thirst for righteousness that will always be satisfied in Christ. Therefore, genuine worship in Spirit and truth will continue to transform the worshiper by the renewing of his mind and prove to a watching that the will of God is good, acceptable and perfect. By the way, true worship is not on a weekly church schedule. True worship begins when the believer is saved and never ends. Worship is a lifestyle that reflects kingdom worth back to God.

Far too many people believe that worship is all about music, style, instruments, volume, hymns, choruses, praise teams, congregations, and choirs. Worship is not about our likes and dislikes or our music preferences. Worship is all about GOD! Please don’t get me wrong I believe that there is a place for our likes and dislikes as it relates to style and other matters. I believe that place is in our discussion about fellowship. Like worship, fellowship must also be driven by love.

A Vision Powered By Love (Part One)

2010-01-16T23:46:00.004-05:00

This week, while studying the second chapter of the book of the Revelation, I was reminded of the tragedy of the loveless church. Revelation 2:1-7 reveals the tragic story of the Church of Ephesus. I believe that there is a tremendous lesson here for the 21st century church. We need vision and our vision needs to be driven by passion found only in loving the Lord. The writer of the book of Proverbs spoke of this need when he said, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. (Prov 29:18 KJV) In the first reading we may only focus on the part about dying because of lack of vision but the verse literally says, “Where is no vision or revelation the people throw off restraint and happy is the man who keeps the law.” Jesus explained the first and greatest commandment to the scribes when He said, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. (Mark 12:30, KJV) Jesus also said, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:10-13, KJV) 1 Corinthians 13 is a familiar chapter in the Bible that basically says that you can have everything but without love you have nothing. The Church of Ephesus was a hard working body of believers that lost their first love and that resulted in the loss of their significance for the Lord in spite of their hard work, efforts toward doctrinal purity, and their vision. That being said, our vision must be powered by our true love for Christ.

The church is the Body of Christ on this earth, not a building made with bricks and mortar. As the Body of Christ we must have the vision of Christ that is powered with love for Him. In John 21:15-25, Peter learned that he needed to truly love the Lord before he would be able to fulfill the mission that he was given. Christians today are faced with this same challenge. Too many local congregations have wonderful mission statements but they never recognize that it is the love of the Lord Jesus Christ that brings significance to their vision. Worship, evangelism, discipleship and fellowship are four areas that must be considered for the local church to develop a clear vision. In the days to follow I will be sharing how our first love for Christ must be the driving force in each of these four areas.

The Greatest Gift Of All!!!

2009-12-26T20:48:00.004-05:00

Many years ago when man first walked on the surface of the moon, the President of the United States of America said that was the greatest day in human history. With all due respect to the president, the greatest day in human history was not when man stepped on the moon but when God stepped on the Earth. The incarnation of Christ is the single greatest event in all human history.

The Church of the Nativity, shown on the right, was built on the site where it is believed that Christ was born.

1 Tim 3:16
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (KJV)

There are no human words to do justice to the message of the Greatest Gift the world has ever received so the Word of God says all that needs to be said this Christmas season.

Luke 2:1-20

1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. (KJV)

He was born and He did live a sinless life so that he could be the sacrifice that your sin and my sin demanded. He lived a life that we could not live so that he could die the death we deserved to give us a life that we do not deserve. Have you received the gift of eternal life that He came to bring? You can! When you do receive the gift of eternal life and the forgiveness of sin, you will be able to celebrate the Gift of God all year long into eternity. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Only Five Grains of Corn

2009-11-26T01:25:00.005-05:00

It is truly hard to imagine the hardships that preceded the first Thanksgiving harvest festival in America. This day of blessing and Thanksgiving is a uniquely American Holiday. There is no other nation that has a day of celebration like this nor do they have the heritage that goes with our day of Thanks. We need to remember that the year before 1621 was a hard year of disappointment, hardship, and death for our Pilgrim forefathers. We need to remember the difficult 63 day voyage on the Mayflower where men and women were willing to risk all that they had in an effort to establish a new land where freedom of conscience and religion was more than just a motto. It was a way of life. We need to remember that over the hard winter of 1620 – 1621 that there were many times when only seven of the first settlers were well enough to care for the sick and burry the dead. We need to remember that over one half of the original pilgrims that landed on this continent, on the Mayflower, died during their first year as they lay the foundations for the America that we cherish. We must never forget that when spring came, and the Mayflower sailed home to England, every Pilgrim who survived the winter chose to remain in this new free land. They did not quit!!! They stayed!!!

According to the Mayflower Compact these pilgrims were on a journey that was bigger that they were. The first two sentences of this document reads, “"In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, e&. Having undertaken for the Glory of God and Advancement of the Christian Faith…” Did you hear that? It said, “for the Glory of God and the Advancement of the Christian Faith.” True Americans should never apologize for our Christian Heritage nor should we allow the revisionists to try to rewrite our history in an effort to promote a more politically correct and pluralistic society.

In 1621, Governor Bradford sent men to hunt deer and turkey and to call Massasoit's tribe to the Pilgrim's table for a festival that lasted a week. Out of this harvest festival came the American institution of Thanksgiving Day. On the day of the feast, Governor Bradford had five grains of corn placed beside each plate at the dinner table. The five grains of corn reminded them of the daily rations of food during the hard months before the fall harvest. Each grain of corn also had a significant meaning as well. The first reminded them that the earth was still good. The second reminded them of the Indians who became their friends. The third reminded them of their undefeated glory that was revealed in true courage. The fourth reminded them that they came "to lay a foundation for the kingdom of Christ in these remote parts of the world." The fifth reminded them that the creative love of God holds all life together. It was from that creative love of God our nation was born and is held together even to this day

Please join with me as I remember what the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:4-13.

Phil 4:4-13
4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
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.
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (KJV)

As I look for the five grains of corn this Thanksgiving, I am reminded in verses four and five to rejoice in the Lord. In verses six through eight I am reminded to remember Godly things. Third, I am reminded in verse nine to remember the example of others. Forth, verse ten reminds me to represent the Lord by serving others and fifth, verses eleven through thirteen reminds me to remain faithful in all conditions of life.

Remember, the remaining pilgrims could have quit and sailed for England but they chose to stay here and do what they did for “the Glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith.”

God bless you all and Happy Thanksgiving.

The Call

2009-10-23T10:52:00.014-04:00

I just talked to my wife, Tracy, in Iquitos, Peru. This is her second medical mission trip to Peru. The mission team will be in Lima tomorrow and HOME ON SATURDAY!!! They have been on a living on a river boat on the Amazon on a medical and dental mission for the last week. Several people were treated medically and over 60 trusted Christ as their Savior. They have been fishing today and Dianne Woody caught a large piranha that somehow bit Craig Burke. I am pleased to report that all are doing well. (except the piranha)

On her trip, a young couple asked her to explain how you know that God wants to use you in ministry. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall hearing my wife share her heart on what it means to be “Called by God”. I am sure that she was a true encouragement to them as she is to all who know her. If anyone has a true sense of calling and the determination and passion to do the will of God, it is my wife. We have been married almost 24 years and our love for each other and our sense of “Call” grows stronger each year. Even though we are separated by many miles tonight, she has caused me to spend this evening thinking about our journey together in the Lord.

I will not tell her story or ours in ministry because that is a story that we must do together. I will try to explain some of what it means to be “called” by God. This is not a researched or exhaustive explanation. This is just a few words from my heart at midnight attempting to give God the praise for where I am and why I am who I am.

My calling from God was certainly not an audible voice or a flash of light across the sky. I have proven over the years that I could probably ignore something seen or heard. A calling from God is more than a feeling or an experience. Many different people experience the call of God on their life in different ways. The way that one experiences the call of God is not as important as the reality that it is God that is calling and equipping you for a life of partnership in His purpose. For me, the “Call of God” is reality that must have its roots in a “life changing experience” that is consistent with the Word of God. It is a call to a life with the grip of God holding me as the Spirit of God guides me to live a life that is no longer mine. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2:20, NIV) It is a reality that is not to be explained for validation or even acceptance from a watching world. It must be “lived” in order to understand God’s validation. It is a process that begins with a relationship with God that grows and produces fruit. Often the fruit is just the faithful assurance that you are in the will of God. Jeremiah needed that same assurance as God revealed this reality to him:

Jer 1:4-8

Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. (KJV)

The Apostle Paul understood this reality in the midst of his deepest valleys of life. That is why he was able to say, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellencies of the power may be of God, and not of us. 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; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. (2 Cor 4:7-11, KJV)

The recognition of the call of God in life to serve Him is not a matter for boasting but rather a motivation toward humility. It is not about what you have, it is about who has you and that what He does with you is more important than you could ever be. That is why Paul also said, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. (1 Cor 2:1-5, KJV)

So for tonight I say, “To God be the Glory, great things He has done.”

Get out of the cage and serve one another.

2009-09-03T15:54:00.006-04:00

Today I read a story that reminds me of the restricted lives that some of us live in the midst of great freedom. Are you enjoying the full freedom of the gifts of God that are provided by his grace?

Many years ago the Denver Zoo underwent a major renovation. There was a polar bear which arrived at the zoo before a natural environment was ready for it. The cage where the bear temporarily lived was just big enough that the polar bear could take three nice, swinging steps in one direction, whirl and take three steps in the other direction, back and forth. The polar bear spent many months in that particular cage with bars that restricted its behavior. Eventually a natural environment was built around this cage, on-site. When it was finally completed, the cage was removed from around the polar bear. Guess what happened? That's right. It still paced back and forth as if the cage were still there.

There are many people who are simply pacing back and forth in life. They have no idea that Christ has removed the cage of our estrangement from God. If only they would receive him and believe on his name, their lives would be turned upside down. They would be new people with a whole new perspective on life. “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” (Rom 8:15,KJV)

In our freedom we must use our time wisely. Galatians 5:13-14 reminds us of the way that we should use our freedom: “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Galatians 5:13-14, NIV)

The "Bucket List" of Summer

2009-08-22T16:32:00.014-04:00

The past few weeks of the summer has seemed as if I were working on my own “bucket list” of sorts. You know what I mean. Doing all that you can do to take advantage of every second of time before schedule and seasonal restraints bring life back to that much needed routine that keeps all of us sane. This time of the year, most every year, I ask myself two questions, “What have I learned from all that I have been able to do?” The next question is, “Have I done what really matters most?”

In the past few weeks I have reinforced some truths that I hold dear and try to live by. First of all, I am thankful for time away with my family wherever we are. I joke as much as others about getting the kids back in school and getting life back to normal but nothing compares to spending time with family. At the beach I remembered the gift of occasional relaxation combined with heat and sand. Then we were off to New York City to celebrate my son’s high school graduation. A well deserved gift. Ray is living life daily with Aspergers Syndrome. He graduated high school with a 3.5, which is much better than me and I didn’t have any excuses. In New York, I was reminded that no matter how big and bright it gets in Time Square, my family is brighter to me than anything in this world. And yes, Ray had a great time.

Second, some of the guys in the church gave me the opportunity to spend a couple of days with them hiking the Appalachian Trail. Yes, that is what I said. Walking and Walking and Walking … For an out of shape middle aged guy that doesn’t like to admit that he is an out of shape middle age guy, I remembered stuff that I already knew but needed to think about again. Real friends recognize when you struggle and they wait patiently until you can continue with them. Often they will let you lead in an effort to let you set an acceptable pace that you can LIVE with. Yes, a friend will even lighten your load until you are able to continue and keep up with some that are almost half your age. So, I am grateful to have lessons of friendship reinforced.

Ending my “bucket list” of the summer with white water rafting was truly the way to go. Seeing God’s handy work and power first hand and spending time with young people in the church was truly a blessing. So yes indeed, I have been reminded of the lessons of the importance of ...
1. Family 2. Friends 3. Faith in the ever-present power of God.

Finally, that important question…“Have I done what really matters most?” Have I shared my faith with others? It would be a shame to have learned and remembered lessons that cause life to have meaning if I did nothing to help others have true meaning in life. The prophet Jeremiah said it like this, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” (Jer 8:20, KJV) In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul stresses this same point to Timothy in 2 Tim 4:21, “Do thy diligence to come before winter.” Paul knew that his time on earth was almost over so, in the 4th chapter of 2 Timothy, he gave Timothy some things to do before winter came. Timothy was encouraged to come to the Word of God and learn. He was encouraged to come back together with true friends. Paul also encouraged Timothy to come and see him for one last time. “Come before winter!!!”

Summer is almost over. Have we done what is really important?

Don't Worry About It

2009-07-21T00:45:00.012-04:00

The Apostle Paul loved the people of the church of Philippi. He wanted to help them win the battle with worry. There are many people in life today consumed with WORRY. Worry will kill you fast, destroy your witness and erode your character. Paul learned a lot about worry in Philippi. Paul’s call from God to reach out to the people of Macedonia must have been a shock to Paul. He tried to go every where except there and there were no opportunities. But God had a plan. Paul had no idea that this plan would include being arrested for being effective as an instrument of the Lord. I love the message of Acts 16.

Acts 16:9-35 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days. And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." So she persuaded us. Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation." And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And he came out that very hour. But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, "These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; "and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe." Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here." Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household. And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, "Let those men go."

Pictured above are the ruins of the Jail at Philippi and the place where the Jailer and Lydia were baptised.

In this story in Acts, instead of worry, Paul chose to sing and praise God as he made his request. God honored his prayers and revealed why he was in the circumstances that led to his distress. His proper dealing with worry made an impact on the people of Philippi and Paul was able to gain an audience with the most influential people in town and established a church that was one of Paul’s favorite churches. I am sure when they read Philippians 4:6-7 they remembered how Paul dealt with worry.

Phil 4:6‑7

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

Is your life consumed with WORRY? "Worry, like a rocking chair," said Vance Havner, "will give you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere." Or as somebody else has said, "Worry is the advance interest you pay on troubles that seldom come." According to Ken Anderson, nine times out of ten, the worrying about something does more damage to the one who worries than the thing he or she is worrying about. Anderson continues, "Modern medical research has proved that worry breaks down resistance to disease. More than that, it diseases the nervous system—particularly that of the digestive organs and of the heart." Concern is needed to keep us on track with our responsibilities, but worry, like stress, is a killer.

An examination of 500 patients in a British clinic showed that more than one‑third of their visual problems were caused by emotional tension. And a survey of some 5,000 university students showed that worriers get the lowest grades. The word "worry" comes from an old Anglo‑Saxon word meaning to strangle or to choke. While we need to be attentive to life's concerns, worrying about them "chokes" the joy out of life. Worrying is like driving a car with one foot on the accelerator and the other foot on the brake. One antidote for worry is trust and trust is a choice. When things aren't going well, keep praying this prayer until the storm passes, "Dear God, I choose to trust you in this situation no matter how I feel." Learning to pray about the causes of our worry and not just the symptoms is a major key in learning to win over worry.

All the water in the world

However hard it tried,

Could never, never sink a ship

Unless it got inside.

All the hardships of this world,

Might wear you pretty thin,

But they won't hurt you, one least bit

Unless you let them in.

Anonymous

Finding Security In An Insecure World

2009-06-16T00:38:00.005-04:00

There was once a man driving down the freeway. His cell phone rang. Answering, he heard his wife's voice urgently warning him, “Herman, I just heard on the news that there's a car going the wrong way on I‑40. Please be careful!” “Oh no!,” said Herman, “It's not just one car. It's hundreds of them!”... Have you ever felt like everything in the world was coming at you at the same time? Ruth and Naomi must have thought that their lives were going the wrong way on a one way street. In our lesson we learn that God delivers His children from worldly insecurity. (You will need your Bible for the rest of this Blog)

Working Responsibly (Ruth 2) In Ruth chapter 2 we find Ruth working in the field of Boaz, a close member of Elimelech’s family. The name Boaz means “in him is strength.” God used the strength, and personal wealth of Boaz to help Ruth in her efforts to care for Naomi. Ruth’s diligence gained the interest and admiration of Boaz (verse 11). Boaz reminds Ruth that her hard work would be repaid by God (verse 12). Feelings of insecurity and desperation are never excuses to neglect our responsibility. We must continue to work responsibly and depend on God to reveal his will in the fruits of our labor. Naomi praised God for providing for their needs (verse 20).

Seeking Security (Ruth 3:1) Naomi loved Ruth like a daughter. She was concerned about her future and security (verse 1). Naomi knew that Ruth was treated well in Bethlehem because of their relationship. She also knew that Ruth was a stranger in a foreign land and felt responsible for seeking a husband for her. Naomi saw the sovereign hand of God bringing Ruth and Boaz together (2:19-20). She gave Ruth instructions in the way she should solicit redemption from Boaz as her kinsman-redeemer. Her intentions were to indicate Ruth’s desire to marry Boaz. Boaz was a generation older than Ruth. As an older gentleman he would not have approached her without fully understanding that she would not be offended.

Acting Boldly (Ruth 3:6-11) Ruth’s active obedience proved her faith in spite of many insecurities. Ruth was following the leadership of the Lord and the instruction of Naomi to find security (3:1). In verse seven, Boaz is described as having “a cheerful heart (NKJV)” or “in good spirits (KJV).” Both of these translations show that Boaz had a sense of security because of the good meal and abundant harvest that followed the years of famine. Using the same language as in verse one, the Holy Spirit indicates that Boaz had the security that Ruth was seeking (verse 7). Ruth appealed to Boaz using his own words (2:12) to be her kinsman-redeemer and marry her (verses 8-9). Her actions were well received and her character was unblemished as a result of her proposal. In all of her actions, Ruth continued to be a woman of noble character (3:10-11). Boaz insisted that nothing be said that could damage her integrity (verse 14).

In chapter 4, Boaz followed the intention’s of law of Moses (Lev. 25:23-38) to redeem Ruth and the land. There was a closer relative who could have taken this responsibility. To maintain integrity Boaz spoke to this relative in the presence of the elders. After gaining favor with his relative and the elders, Boaz became the kinsman-redeemer.

Rejoicing Thankfully (Ruth 4:13-14, 17) In this bold and loving action Ruth and Boaz were used by God to perpetuate the line through which Christ would be born (Matt. 1:5). The only potential barrier Ruth and Boaz faced was the relative who could have taken this opportunity from Boaz. This potential problem only proved to strengthen the character of Boaz as he met with the elders. We can rejoice that God used this couple to demonstrate that people of all nations will ultimately be redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ. Christ is the great redeemer. When circumstances seem to challenge your security always remember that you have the Great Redeemer on your side and He has a plan.

It is interesting to know that the same fields where Ruth met Boaz, outside of Bethlehem, was the same place where the shepherds were tending their flock at night and the angel of the Lord revealed to them that Christ was born in Bethlehem. Remember, Christ was an earthly descendant of Ruth as a result of the hard times and the providence of God that brought her to these fields to work. Who knows how the hard times in your life and the providence of God can be used to bless future generations?

Keep your eyes on the path

2009-05-26T18:56:00.001-04:00

Just a note to say that I am getting back to normal after my little surgery and I will continue with the blog very soon. Thanks to those who have been praying. But for today I will share a brief story and hopefully a needed message.

Harold and Al were on a small chartered airplane when the pilot suddenly had a heart attack. "Don't Panic", cried Harold heroically. "I’ll land this baby!" Seizing the controls he headed for the runway at LaGuardia Airport, and began wrestling the diving plane to the ground. Just as the wheels touched the ground, Al screamed, "Red lights! Right in front of you!" Immediately Harold threw the engine in reverse and jammed on the breaks, bringing the plane to a violent stop just inches from the edge of the lights. "Brother!" he puffed, wiping his brow. "That sure was a short runway!" "Yeah," agreed Al, looking side to side, "but look how WIDE it is."

This humorous story illustrates a very serious point. As we travel through life we must be aware of our surroundings and the path we take. In the same way that the pilot in the story approached the runway wrong, we often choose the wrong path in life. The Bible teaches that there is only one path for true success as a child of God. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.” (Matt 7:13‑14) The pathway to salvation may be narrow but it leads to eternal life with Jesus Christ. In the same way the path of the world is WIDE but it leads to destruction. Which path are you taking in this life?

PRAYER IS NOT AN EVENT, IT IS A LIFESTYLE!

2009-05-09T17:36:00.007-04:00

Tonight I am lying in a hospital room awaiting possible surgery tomorrow for kidney stones. So the subject close to my own heart tonight is prayer. Not prayer to draw God closer to me but to draw me closer to God. Prayer is not an effort to convince God but rather an opportunity for His will to become mine. It has been said that prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance but laying hold to his willingness.

Prayer is the Christians greatest privilege, the Christians greatest service, the Christians greatest failure... How is your prayer life? As we move through life we must move with the holy leadership of prayer. Prayer will lead us to see how God works all things together for our good and His glory. In prayer we discover that in our weakness He is strong. We find His strength on our knees in prayer. We do not pray to convince God, we pray that He will convince us. God takes the initiative in our prayers even or should I say especially when we do not know what to say. Often we do not know how we should pray but rest assured that the Spirit will lead.

Rom. 8:26‑28
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of th e Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have
been called according to his purpose. (NIV)

Praying in the power of the Holy Spirit is a gift for each child of God. It has been said that you can do more than pray after you pray but until you pray you can only pray. God has given us a helper in prayer. He is the Holy Spirit. He activates our will in prayer. He moves your will to pray. The reason people do not pray more than they do is because they do not want to. Allow the one who searches your heart to draw you to pray in accordance with the will of God. Prayer will bring direction, peace, and a clear unified vision. The Devil fears your prayers because he wants to bring indifference and interference in the lives of the children of God.

R.G. Lee is credited with saying the following:

If all the sleeping folk will wake up,
If all the lukewarm folk will fire up,
If all the dishonest folk will confess up,
If all the disgruntled folk will cheer up,
If all the estranged folk will make up,
If all the gossipers will shut up,
If all true soldiers will stand up,
If all the dry bones will shake up,
If all the church members will pray up...
Then we can have a revival!

As we take time to pray we should remember the pattern of prayer for our Savior. In Matthew 21:13 Jesus said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. (KJV) In Mark 1:35 we learn that it was the pattern of the Savior to rise early and go to pray in solitude. In the Gospel of John, chapter 17, we find the high priestly prayer of Jesus as He prayed for all of His disciples before going to the Garden of Gethsemane. It was in the Garden of Gethsemane where Christ prayed even before his betrayal, arrest, trial and crucifixion.

Attacking nations have tried to destroy the olive trees on the Mount of Olives many times in past history. However, the root system has proven to be strong so that many of the trees in the Garden of Gethsemane are over 2000 years old. Many of the trees were the very trees that were present when Jesus prayed for Himself, His disciples and His church and --- you. How are your spiritual roots? Could they withstand an attack from an enemy? It is your prayer life that helps to strengthen your spiritual roots as you study your Bible to learn more about your Savior’s love for you.

There is rest for the weary.

2009-05-02T19:46:00.008-04:00

Mark 4:39-41 (NIV)
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" 41 They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

It is always great to know that we have a Savior that is always present and able to meet our needs, help us carry our load and bring peace into our chaotic lives. The following story illustrates the frustration many people are dealing with today:

The worried housewife sprang to the telephone when it rang and listened with relief to the kindly voice in her ear. “How are you, darling?” it said. “What kind of a day are you having?”

“Oh, mother,” said the housewife, breaking into bitter tears, “I've had such a bad day. The baby won't eat and the washing machine broke down. I haven't had a chance to go shopping, and besides, I've just sprained my ankle and I have to hobble around. On top of that, the house is a mess and I'm supposed to have two couples to dinner tonight.”

The mother was shocked and was at once all sympathy. “Oh, darling,” she said, “sit down, relax, and close your eyes. I'll be over in half an hour. I'll do your shopping, clean up the house, and cook your dinner for you. I'll feed the baby and I'll call a repairman I know who'll be at your house to fix the washing machine promptly. Now stop crying. I'll do everything. In fact, I'll even call George at the office and tell him he ought to come home and help out for once.” “George?” said the housewife. “Who's George?” “Why, George! Your husband!....Is this 223‑1374? “No, this is 223‑1375.” “Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I have the wrong number.” There was a short pause and the housewife said, “Does this mean you're not coming over?”

Matt 11:28‑30 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (KJV)

DANGER! BEWARE OF DOG!

2009-05-02T17:56:00.000-04:00

When the stranger entered the little country store he noticed a sign saying "DANGER! BEWARE OF DOG!" posted on the door glass. Inside, he noticed a harmless old hound dog asleep on the floor near the cash register. He asked the store's owner "Is that the dog folks are supposed to beware of?" "Yep," the proprietor answered, "That's him." The stranger couldn't help being amused. "That certainly doesn't look like a dangerous dog to me," he chuckled. "Why in the world did you decide to post that sign?” “Because," the owner replied, "before I posted that sign, people kept tripping over him."

This story reminds me that we all need to watch where we walk or we too may fall over something that seems harmless. Apply Proverbs 4:12-16 to your life and walk and you will not stumble.

Prov 4:12‑16
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.

Are you walking the road to Emmaus?

2009-04-17T23:07:00.005-04:00

Emmaus is not mentioned in any other context in the Bible than the one mentioned in Luke 24:13. Tradition says that it is a town known as Kubeibeh, located seven miles NW of Jerusalem. Some say that there are still ruins of the ancient road. Many times we make the details of the historical past more important than the spiritual present. So, which question is more relevant? Where is Emmaus? Are there still ruins of the ancient road were Christ walked with disciples after His resurrection? I believe the most relevant question is, “When did we last walk with the risen Christ and what was the result?”

Luke 24:13-32
13 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.
14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.
16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
17 And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"
18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?"
19 And He said to them, "What things?" So they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
20 "and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.
21 "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.
22 "Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.
23 "When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.
24 "And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see."
25 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
26 "Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?"
27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.
29 But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to stay with them.
30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
32 And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"

In our daily walk how often could we be discovered speaking of the things that happened to Jesus? If He were to walk up on us, as He did in verses 13-15, what would he find to be our daily conversation? Verses 15-17 remind us that Jesus wants to be near us and take part in our daily conversations and activities. He is also concerned when we are sad. He wants to point out to us that there are answers in the Bible to help us along life’s road as he did in verses 25-30. How often do we treat the Lord as if he is an outsider and really does not understand our circumstances as the disciples did in verses 18-24? When was the last time the power and presence of the Lord was so strong when you opened the Scriptures that your heart was thrilled with a burning desire to know more?

Emmaus is not about a place. It is about a Person. Jesus. His desire is to walk life’s road with you. He wants to spend time with you and to encourage you. He wants you to have a heart desire for more time with Him. Do you? You can. Just take the first step on your Emmaus walk and you will find that He is there with you every step of the way.

HE IS ALIVE

2009-04-11T20:49:00.010-04:00

NKJ Matthew 28:1 -10 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. 5 But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 "He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 "And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." 8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. 9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

FORGIVENESS

2009-04-11T20:00:00.008-04:00

John 19:17-1917 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).18 Here they crucified him, and with him two others-- one on each side and Jesus in the middle.19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.(NIV)

Luke 23:34
34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. (KJV)

Forgiveness is our greatest common need. The cross of the Lord demonstrated the only way for us to receive the forgiveness of our sins. I don’t know about you but no one has to send me a post card to notify me of my sin and my need for forgiveness. Rom 3:23-25 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. (NIV) Jesus provided the forgiveness that we need by dying in our place on the cross. He died the death that we deserve and gave us a life that we don’t deserve. That’s FORGIVENESS! If we have been forgiven at such a great price, one would think we would be more forgiving.

Dwight L. Moody said, “There’s one sin, one failure, that's doing more to hold back the power of God in revival in the lives and hearts of Christians more than any other sin.” Do you know what he said it was? He said it was the sin of an unforgiving spirit.

The very word forgiveness tells us how difficult forgiveness is. The word literally means "to let go" or "to send away." Forgiveness is when you release to the Lord any bitterness that you might feel you have a right to have towards someone else and let God handle the matter in His own way. One great psychologist said, "Forgiveness is giving up my right to hurt you for hurting me."

The lesson of forgiveness is central to the message of the cross.

He was despised that we might be accepted, He was rejected that we might be received, He was stricken with grief that we might know joy; He carried our sorrows that His peace might carry us. He purchased our peace with his pain and brought healing to the scars of sin with his own blood. He was forsaken that we might be forgiven.

2009-04-04T12:01:00.004-04:00

From Garden Park to the Dry Desert
“Yes, you can get there from here”
1 Kings 19

Elijah, God’s man of the hour, saw fire fall from heaven and the people’s hearts turned back to God after a miraculous display of glory and power. He was truly having a mountain top experience. He had the prophets of Baal seized and executed (heads cut off) and then prophesied the end of the drought. Then it happened…

Jezebel, King Ahab’s wife, was told about Elijah’s victory on the mountain and she was MAD!!! In 1 Kings 19:1-2 she said that if she couldn’t see Elijah dead by tomorrow then she wanted the gods to do worse to her than Elijah did to her prophets. She was MAD and I don’t mean just angry. She was a bit nuts as well. When Elijah found out that a homicidal maniac wanted him dead (Did I mention that she was the Queen?) he started his journey toward the desert of depression. Actually I think his journey may have started about the time he took matters into his own hands and executed all of the false prophets that were already silenced by the hand of God. So this hero of God, who just asked God for a miracle and got it, started to run.

The first step toward the desert of depression for Elijah was taking matters into his own hands and the second step was an all out run. He began to run for his life. Often fear and paranoia accompanies the run to depression. The next thing that Elijah did was a sure sign that he was on his way to nowhere. He left his servant behind and isolated himself by running into the wilderness. Remember, having a mountain top experience with God will not make you immune to the journey of depression through the valley and even to the wilderness all alone. By this point Elijah’s depression was obvious. After one day of traveling into the wilderness he sat down under a tree and prayed to die. To DIE!!!! Do you remember his last prayer? Look back to 1 Kings 18:36-37. He prayed that the people would see that God was in control and that he was God’s faithful servant. What a difference a day makes.

He prayed to die and went to sleep only to be awakened by an angel who prepared a meal for him and assured him that his journey was too great for him. Journey? Do you really mean that he had a destination? Yes! God had a plan. Elijah did not know where he was going. He just wanted to die and be left alone because he felt washed up, useless, powerless, and abandoned. But none of those things were true and they never are true. God always has a purpose for his people no matter what is happening in their life. So Elijah ate the food and continued the journey. He traveled 40 days until he found a cave in a place called, “Horeb”. Horeb can be interpreted “dry desert” (also another name for Sinai, located about 200 miles south of Beersheba). So He went from Mt. Carmel (Garden Park) to Horeb (Dry Desert) through a series of steps toward depression. He entered the cave and went to sleep

This time he was awakened by God asking him a specific question. God said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:9). Now notice his answer. Elijah said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life” Elijah began to review his past faithfulness and not answer God’s question. The past is over, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? When God asks a question it is never because he doesn’t know the answer. Often he wants us to come face to face with the answer. What was Elijah doing? NOTHING!!! He was depressed! So God called Elijah to the mouth of the cave to show him a wonderful object lesson that everyone needs.

Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" (1 Kings 19:11-13)

There’s that question again, “ What are you doing here, Elijah?” Elijah failed to learn the lesson and responded just as he did earlier, as if God had a bad memory. And he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”(Verse 14)

Then God assured Elijah that he had Kings and Prophets to anoint and much work to do. He told Elijah that he was not alone and that he would be protected as he served the LORD.

Lesson: Don’t miss this.
The LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

In Chapter 18 the Lord was in the fire on the mountain top but in chapter 19 he was not in the fire. He was in the “still small voice” because Elijah needed to see that it is not the “event” that is spectacular; it is “the LORD”. If we always look for God in the fire, the earthquake or the wind, we may miss him in the still small voice that feeds our soul and calms our heart and prepares us for the work that he has planned for us to do.

The Lord is spectacular in every event where he reveals Himself to us. Do not live in the memories of past faithfulness because you are too depressed to live now for God. You may not see the fire fall every day but that does not mean that you can not see God being all powerful in your life, even in a still small voice.

So, “What are YOU doing here?”

2009-04-02T10:19:00.008-04:00

Can we say, “Let the Fire Fall”
Rebuilding Alters
1 Kings 18

Many students of the Bible are familiar with the story of Elijah on Mt. Carmel with Ahab and the prophets of Baal. So do not allow familiarity with the story to cause you to miss out on an important detail in the story that could very well be message for many of us. We all like the story of God sending fire from Heaven but we often overlook the life situation that surrounded this miraculous event. So…

Not unlike the events of 2009, there was a famine in the land. Our famine is economic and spiritual. Their famine was a physical, economic and spiritual. There had been no rain so there were neither good crops nor places for the livestock to graze. Ahab sent his chief of staff, Obadiah, to seek for a place to find pasture land and water for the herd. Obadiah feared the Lord and was faithful to Him in spite of the Kings pagan practices. While following the king’s command, Obadiah came in contact with Elijah who wanted to arrange a meeting with the king.

The place of their meeting was Mt. Carmel. I feel that this is important because “Carmel” in the Hebrew text can be interpreted, “Garden Park”. This mountain is located off of the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea in Northern Israel. Mt. Carmel was known for its lush vegetation provided by the warm moist climate of the Mediterranean, making it a perfect location to meet and see the glory of God.

In that day, as in the 21st century, the people needed to see the foolishness of pluralism as it relates to worship (worshiping more than one god and not giving the true God proper respect). Baal worship was more popular among the people than worshiping and trusting in the true God so Elijah calls for a contest of sorts between beliefs. The contest went like this:

1 Kings 18:21-29 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word. Then Elijah said to the people, "I alone am left a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men."Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. "Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, He is God." So all the people answered and said, "It is well spoken." Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it." So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, "O Baal, hear us!" But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made. And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, "Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened." So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.

The thing that Elijah did next is often overlooked. Notice verse 30 of 1 Kings 18.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.

He repaired the alter of the Lord that was broken down. How often do we wonder why we are not seeing the fire of God in our daily lives when we have not gone through the process of repairing the alter (the place in our hearts where God meets with us). The place where God was worshiped was in a state of disrepair. It was possibly cluttered with other stuff, covered with junk, not a place that represents any respect for God, even broken down from neglect. What clutters your heart that hinders your time with God and blocks the free flow of grace and mercy that is needed for daily living? Are you in a drought because your have allowed the alter to be broken down?

Notice what happened next.

Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Israel shall be your name."Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed. And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, "Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood." Then he said, "Do it a second time," and they did it a second time; and he said, "Do it a third time," and they did it a third time. So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water. And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. "Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again." Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!"

You are not ready to say, “Let the fire fall” until you have repaired the alter but when you do get ready for a blessing because "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!"

2009-03-06T15:05:00.006-05:00

Definitely Not Low-Carb!!!
Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.”

Since the winter of 2004 I have adopted, like many people, the semi annual “low-carb lifestyle.” This means that after loosing over 50lbs a few years ago on a low-carb regiment that I choose to periodically get back on the diet that helps me to maintain my weight loss. The process of getting back on the wagon usually happens after Thanksgiving and Christmas. I don’t necessarily celebrate “Fat Tuesday” but I do celebrate other FAT holidays. After these fat holidays we tend to be more encouraged to give up the things that make us miserable on the day after. So on the first day of January I reluctantly crawled back on the wagon. It has now been two months since I have had a piece of bread. I could eat a piece the size of Texas.

My craving for a big piece of garlic bread soaked in butter has helped me to get a different perspective on the story of Jesus and His statement, “I am the bread of life.”

Please understand the background for that statement. The people were following Jesus because they had seen the miracles and by the time we reach John 6:35 they had eaten bread created by the hands of Christ. Can you imagine being seated in a grassy area on the Northern shore of the Sea of Galilee and eating a meal that you saw Jesus create (not prepare – CREATE!!!). The 5000 men plus women and children (20,000 in attendance for this “dinner on the ground”) were feed spiritually by the mind of Christ and now they were nourished physically by the hands of Christ. They were ready to make Him their king by force. Jesus knew their minds and sent the twelve away and He also departed to a mountain to pray.

A day later, after Jesus calmed the sea and walked on the water, the crowds caught up with Christ. It is interesting to notice that in John 6:22-25 Jesus left the presence of the crowd and no one noticed. If people are looking for the wrong things from Christ they may be slow to notice when He is not there. Well, breakfast time was a good time for this crowd to notice that Jesus was gone. They were hungry again. Physically hungry that is. They walked, ran and even took their boats anywhere from 4 to 10 miles and found Him. When they found Him they revealed their unspiritual desires (John 6:26-27) and they made unbelievable demands (John 6:28-31) It is in verses 32-51 that Jesus made and explained His unexpected declaration. Jesus said, I am the bread of life.”

If you do not have your Bible with you, these are the verses to which I have been making reference:

John 6:22-34 On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- 23 however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks --24 when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?" 26 Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." 28 Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." 30 Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' " 32 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always." 35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

People tend to gather around the Lord when there is a physical need like food, clothing, shelter, or finances. Jesus wants people to see that he is not as interested in our comfort as He is our character. These people actually asked Jesus to give them the ability to do the works of God (verse 28). Now, the only works which they had seen was when He multiplied that boy’s lunch, loaves of bread and fish, so that He could feed a multitude. So, what they were asking for was the ability to start a Holy Spirit blessed “Fish and Chips” franchise on the Northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. To which Jesus replied, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

He is what we need!!! Not all of the other stuff that we think that we need. We have been on a spiritual lo-carb diet for too long. It is time to put the bread of life back into our daily routine. When was the last time that you hungered for real time with Christ like I have been hungry for a piece of bread? Remember He is the bread of life and you can’t live without Him.

2009-02-25T16:53:00.005-05:00

A Case of Mistaken Identity …
“Who do you say that I am?”

Many people have been involved in a case of mistaken identity. Recently I received a message on my Facebook that said, “Hi David, or as I addressed you at NOBTS, Dr. Green. I thought you were my Greek professor for at least one semester.” Well, I thought…, “MY Greek professor at NOBTS would find this humorous. No, HYSTERICAL!” While relishing the thoughts of, “ME teaching Greek” I continued to read. I was enjoying the moment until I realized that I may have been mistaken by someone else simply by looking at my picture. Then I asked myself, “Do I look old enough in this picture that I could have been a Greek professor the year that I actually graduated from high school?” Ha Ha, funny I hope.

What have I gained from a case of mistaken identity? Well, I would definitely say a little more humility, hopefully a new friend, and definitely a new story. While thinking about this case of mistaken identity I began to think of the time that Jesus did the same and used it as a great opportunity to teach.

Matt 16:13-18
13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" 14 So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.

Things to remember about Matthew 16: First of all, the disciples did not have a full blown, New Testament, doctrine of Hell like we do. Secondly, many of the disciples were somewhat uncertain about Christ’s identity and plan. Third, the place where they were gathered was known for being the center for the worship of many false gods. The legendary name of the place at the Base of Mount Hermon, near the head waters of the Jordan, was called Hell’s Gate.

In this location there are still evidences that many alters and other objects of worship were used there thousands of years ago. Legend says that during pagan worship ceremonies that animal sacrifices were throne into a large crevasse in the cave, called Hell’s Gate. If the sacrifice bounced out of the crevasse in the cave then the sacrifice was seen as unacceptable and often cost the worshiper his own life. For these reasons, this place came to represent everything evil in the world.

It was in Caesarea Philippi, at or near this location, twenty-five miles North of Galilee where the encounter of Matthew 16 took place. What better backdrop for Jesus to reveal His true identity and plan to His disciples? Jesus stood in a place littered with pagan objects used to worship many false gods and asked His disciples, “Who do you say that I am? In other words, “In the midst of this multicultural, polytheistic, pagan world, where do I fit into your picture of life?” “Am I just one of many gods? Am I just a teacher or a prophet? I hear what others are saying but what are you saying?”

In response to this question Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” To which Christ responded, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah (son of John), for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.”

I will skip all of the academic gymnastics dealing with the play on words between Peter (Petros – Greek for small rock) and rock (Petra – Greek for large bolder or foundation stone) simply to say that Jesus was referring to Himself as “the rock” upon which the church would be built.

The moral of the story is this:If you build your life on Jesus Christ then nothing evil in the world will be able to prevail against you. The evil may attack but not prevail. Who do you say that Jesus is in your words, actions, and deeds? Where does he fit into your picture of life? You must build your life on Him. Everything else will fail.

2009-02-20T11:09:00.000-05:00

“When In Rome…”
More Than Conquerors

When I started this blog I promised myself that I would not do “LONG ENTRIES” However, I may occasionally do a request that may take a bit more time. This one is for those who may be “singing the blues” and need a new song.

My favorite book in the Bible is Romans and my favorite chapter is chapter 8. Romans chapter 8 is Paul’s mountaintop affirmation, starting with no condemnation in verse 1 and ending with no separation in verse 39 while in-between, “All things work together for good to them that love the LORD and are called according to His purpose” in verse 28. Remember, the path to the mountaintop of chapter 8 led Paul through the valley of chapter 7. I love mountaintop living but most real life is not lived there. Paul expressed his frustrations with living life in chapter 7 with all of its doubts and struggles only to emerge from the valley ready to encourage the Romans with a word of affirmation.

Speaking of the Romans… Paul’s greatest desire was to go to Rome so that he may be able to be a spiritual influence to them in their struggles. Most Christians of the first century were not packing for Rome. Christians in Rome were being persecuted, tortured, yes and even dipped in tar and burned on stakes around the emperor’s garden to keep the frost away on cold nights. Even the coliseum in Rome is a monument to tortured Christians for the sake of entertainment. All of this pressure caused the first century Christians to start “singing the blues”. They took out their hymn book (we call it the book of Psalms) and turned to Psalm 44:22 and got stuck there.

Ps 44:22
22 Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. (KJV)

So… after walking through the valley of doubt, discouragement and near defeat, Paul emerged on the other side of Romans 7 with a new song for the Romans in chapter 8. He corrects them in verses 35-39 and replaces their song of defeat with a song of victory.

Before he gives them a new song he gives them the reasons that we can have victory in the midst of crisis.

We have a Savior who stands on our side.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

We have a Savior who supplies our every need.
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

We have a Savior who shields us from accusation.
33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

We have a Savior who speaks on our behalf.
34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

We have a Savior who sustains us with his love.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

He quotes their sad song …
36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."

He gives them a song of victory….
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In verse 37 Paul uses the phrase “more than conquerors” this phrase comes from two Greek words, “huper” and “niko” which literally means Hyper Conqueror or completely victorious.

So when in Rome… don’t always do as the Romans. Try to sing a new song.

I walked a mile with pleasure
She chattered all the way
She left me none the wiser
For what she had to say

I walked a mile with sorrow
Not a word said she
Oh, the things I learned from her
When sorrow walked with me

When you get back to the mountaintop you can sing about what you learned in the valley.

2009-02-19T09:44:00.000-05:00

GET REAL!!!

As I think about a blog, I can’t help but ask myself this question. WHY? Do I need more to do? NO! Is this a place for me to publish research for sermons and conferences? NO! Do I need to look as if I am well read and quote from sources that are already published and people are already sick of? NO! Is this a place for me to vent and share junk from my day? No, I couldn’t if I wanted to. (Some junk must stay with me) Do I need to weigh in on the controversial issues of the day? NO, but it will happen. Do I need to appeal to a readership or audience? NO, I already have all of the audience that I need. Do I need to make my mark on something for posterity? NO, “mine is not to make my mark on table or stone but the fleshly tablets of the hearts of men” (To quote the Apostle Paul). … I could go on but I won’t. So Why???

I want to make a difference by observing the obvious and sharing what I believe to be common sense ideas as it relates to living the Christian life. However, none of my ideas are mine. They are a result of influences of the past 44 plus years of living. If any of my ideas are right or good they are the property of God, otherwise they belong to me. Yes, I will use the Bible as the test of validity for any idea that I may share.

This brings me to the question for the day. Have you ever wanted to SCREAM “GET REAL!!!”? Me too. I also believe God is saying that to many of us today. I mentioned the Apostle Paul earlier. He had a favorite church. It was the Church at Philippi. I visited the ruins of Ancient Philippi in the fall of 2007. To that church Paul wrote:

Phil. 1:8-10
8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,

In verse 10 Paul said, “be sincere” (GET REAL). The first step to growing in knowledge and discernment is to be sincere or “get real”. Some would say that the word sincere has a Latin origin. Though an old wives tale, the fanciful history of the phrase “without wax” is still an interesting one. “Without wax” stems from the Latin words “sin” (without) and “ceras” (wax) and was often said (albeit incorrectly) to be the origin of the English word “sincerity.” The story went that the phrase “without wax” first became widespread during the height of Roman and Greek artistry, when sculptures first became a popular artistic medium. When a sculpture had a flaw, artists would fill in the chip or crack with colored wax to match the marble. Wax was said to serve as cover-up, masking imperfections on what was most likely cheap pottery. These imperfections were hidden until the sun became hot and melted the wax and revealed the cracks in the supposed beautiful work of art. An arguably perfect or quality piece of work was therefore “without wax.” Pottery pieces were even said to be stamped with the phrase “without wax” as proof of authenticity.

Authentic Christianity is not a masked attempt to be something you are not!!! Authentic Christianity is “without wax”, “sincere”, “REAL” life where the strength of God is made perfect in our weaknesses. So GET REAL so God will do His work in you.

Getting Started by Looking Back

2009-02-18T12:07:00.000-05:00

Gal. 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Galatians 2:20 is one of my life verses. In 2004 I started a Non-Profit organization that enables me to help other people to live the Christian life in a better more meaningful way. I do this by offering volunteer chaplaincy programs, leadership conferences, and marriage enrichment conferences with my wife. Far too many people see Christianity as a religion and totally miss the opportunity to have a life changing experience that results in a lifestyle rather than a ritualistic list of dos and don’ts. It is my goal to be able to continue to volunteer to help people live the life that God has called them to live.

I plan to use this blog to share the journey of “Live the Life, Inc.” as well as the daily victories and challenges of serving as a pastor.