Build A Bridge

HAPPY HOLIDAYS?

2011-12-27T19:14:00.002-05:00

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At our church, Central Baptist in Ashland, KY, we had a Thanksgiving Dinner back in November with a great turn out; shortly after, we all celebrated Thanksgiving Day; then began Sunday morning sermons that shared the Gospel Of Christ through segments of the Biblical "Christmas Story" that lasted all through December; in mid-December we had a "Church Christmas Party", again with a great turn out; on December 18th, during the Sunday Morning Worship Service, we had a very special "Christmas Singspiration Service", with some wonderful Spirit-filled presentations of worship to our Almighty God and our Savior Jesus Christ; throughout December the Church Choir sang some beautiful anthems that highlighted God's Wonderful Gift in the Baby Jesus (Thanks to Richard Shields!); we also had some fantastic solo offerings of praise to our King (Thanks to Mark Sluss!); the Youth had several special Christmas events throughout December; our annual tradition of the "Christmas Card Box" was a success again, with many people exchanging Christmas cards with others within the church family; we had Christmas Sunday Sunday School and Morning Worship, that was truly a blessing for all those who attended; we have planned a New Year's Eve Prayer Service, as we pray in the New Year with an early hour-long meeting -- this is something new for CBC; and we will have Sunday School and Morning Worship on New Year's Day.

All of these activities throughout the season, from Thanksgiving to New Years Holidays, are very nice, exciting, enjoyable, and full of spiritual blessings; but is this what makes this time of the year -- "HAPPY HOLIDAYS"???

This entire time of the year -- this "Holiday Season" should be based completely around and on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!! For this is the ONLY way that this season can be truly "HAPPY"!!!!! Does this mean that we have to ignore completely the traditions of Santa Clause, exchnaging gifts, Christmas tress, decorating houses, inside and out, special activities, special displays, dinners and parties, etc., etc.??? NO! Not as long as we include Jesus Christ in EVERYTHING THAT WE DO!!! JESUS SHOULD ALWAYS BE THE REASON FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE DO ALL YEAR LONG ANYWAY!!!!!!!!

So when individuals say to us on the streets and in the stores, "Happy Holidays", we shouldn't get angry, up;set, frustrated, or all "religious"; we should just respond with, "Yes, it is Happy Holidays because Jesus Christ has been a part of every area of our celebration! In fact, Jesus Christ is Who we are celebrating throughout the holidays, therefore, how could they not be 'HAPPY'"!?!?!?!

If we will just include Jesus Christ in every area of our lives, every day of our lives, as children of God -- we would discover that our lives will be happier and more joyous, as we live our lives righteous and holy, obeying and pleasing God!!

Have your holidays been "happy"?? Has your year been "happy"?? Has your life been "happy"?? If your answer is "no" to any of those questions, then you either need to ask God to check your life and heart and see if there is any evil or unrighteous way in you; or you need to ask Jesus Christ into your heart and life as your PERSONAL SAVIOR AND LORD (not accepting a "religion", but accepting "Christ") and allow Him to change your life for eternity!!!

So if you are offended by the phrase "Happy Holidays" this time of the year, consider looking at it from a different perspective; realize that it is a terrific opportunity to witness for Jesus, as well as an opportunity to begin including Christ in EVERYTHING you do, therefore allowing this "Holiday Season" to truly be your personal "HAPPY HOLIDAYS"!!!!!

Merry CHRISTmas, Happy New Year, and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!
GOD BLESS YOU!!!!!!
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Addressing The Question About "Cults"

2011-11-11T08:49:00.003-05:00

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Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:17-18).

I would like to address a subject that has been getting a lot of national attention over the last month or so, especially during the GOP debates; also, there has been several people ask me what I think about the subject, as well as what my answer is to this question: “Is Mormonism A Christian Faith Or A Cult?”

As always, we first must make sure that we are all on the same page when it comes to the definition of a “cult”….For our purposes in this article, we will agree that a “cult” is a religious movement or group that claims to be a true expression of the “Christian faith”, but has altered one or more of the essential doctrines of the “Christian faith” and/or has altered (added to or taken away from) the Holy Word of God – THE BIBLE!

Using this definition as our basis of discussion, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Mormonism is completely and positively a “religious cult”! This is not to say that the Mormon people are not wonderful, sincere, moral people – most that I know are!! They are also some of the most hard-working people, as they attempt to get their Mormon message out to anyone that will listen! I have often said that if Christians had this same dedication, effort, & desire to tell the world about the “real Truth” -- JESUS CHRIST, we would make a major impact & this world would see a great true revival!!!! But, as the Bible teaches, being good, sincere, moral & hard-working will NOT get you into heaven!!!

To state my case, I believe I must support it with "facts", not just personal opinion or here-say, therefore ---- Here is what the Mormons believe:

1) The Bible has “plain and precious parts” missing from it; The Book of Mormon has the truly trustworthy scripture (do not add to!).
2) There are an infinite number of gods in the universe; temple-worthy males may become gods.
3) The Holy Spirit was not involved in the conception of Jesus Christ; Jesus was a procreated child of God and His wife in the spirit realm.
4) Mormons must work to be worthy of the fullness of salvation.
5) The Millennium will be a Mormon millennium with headquarters established in Independence, MO.
6) The Mormon faith alone will dominate and guide the world after Christ’s return.
7) Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God who reestablished God’s one true church on the earth.

These Mormon beliefs mentioned above just scratch the surface of the doctrinal & Biblical errors of the Mormon Religion. While the Mormons claim to be true “Christ Followers”, they have taken the Christian faith & redesigned & restructured it. Mormonism has separated itself from true basic Christianity & insists that to be able to join & be a part of “God’s one true church and enter into the fullness of His salvation, one must become either a temple-worthy Mormon in this life or proxy baptized and temple-worthy in the life to come.”

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE SHOW ME WHERE THAT IS IN THE BIBLE? YOU CAN'T, BECAUSE IT IS NOT!

Mormonism is a radical departure from God’s Holy Word -- THE BIBLE -- and from the "Gospel of Jesus Christ"!!!
Therefore, the only true, correct Christian answer to give in response to this question -- “Is Mormonism a Cult?” -- is an absolute, adamant, unyielding, non-debatible, bold, and loving “YES!”

I hope that clears up any question as to where God's Bible and the Doctrine of Jesus Christ stands on this subject, as well as where I stand -- FOR I STAND UPON THE WORD OF GOD!!!!!
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Joy Comes Through JESUS!

2011-11-11T08:18:00.002-05:00

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“For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)

Many people today are suffering from earthly sorrows, physical pain, financial woes, heartache, and the cares of this world; but for the Christians there will come a day when all sorrow, worry, heartache, and pain will end!!
JOY FOR THEM WILL COME WHEN THEY MEET THEIR SAVIOR!!!

There is a story told by a woman talking about when she was a small child: when World War I ended, she was just a small child in the first grade and she lived in Fort Worth, Texas. When the word of the war ending reached them it was about three o’clock in the morning. The first thing she remembers was waking up to the sound of noise in the streets; people were shouting, whistles were blowing, bells were ringing, and somewhere in the distance a band could be heard playing. Noise of every kind could be heard! They had no radios or televisions to tell them the good news, but they heard it just the same. The boy next door to her was beating on a dishpan, so she ran and got a tin pan and began beating on it with a spoon! She remembers her mother laughing and crying at the same time and everyone seemed to be happy – What a joyous moment that was – THE WAR WAS OVER!
As she grew up and became a young mother with three children, she remembers World War II ending. Her husband had just come home after spending two years on the front lines in Europe. In their small town of two thousand people, they heard the news about mid-morning; cars honked, someone rang a church bell, and the whistles at the mill blew. People ran into the streets calling out, “The War is over!” ---THEY HAD SOMETHING TO BE HAPPY ABOUT!!!

JUST THINK OF THE JOY THAT WE WILL KNOW ON THE RESURRECTION MORNING; THE WAR BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL WILL BE ENDED….THE WAR BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL WILL CEASE….THE LORD WILL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A SHOUT; THE TRUMPET OF GOD WILL SOUND; THE GRAVES WILL BURST OPEN – THE DEAD WILL ARISE!!
THERE WILL BE JOY UNHEARD OF THAT GLORIOUS MORNING!!!

This will be a morning of VICTORY – victory over the grave! The grave has robbed everyone of someone that we knew and loved….THERE WILL BE NO MORE DEATH!!! THERE WILL BE NO MORE PAIN AND SORROW!!
IT WILL BE A MORNING OF JOY!!!!!

As I have been visiting many different individuals from my church over the past few months in hospitals, homes, and care homes, knowing they were facing surgeries and death, I have been led by the Holy Spirit to share various Scriptures and personal testimony that I pray has reminded them and encouraged them to remember the joy of their salvation and the joy that they have in Christ and the joy that they have to come when they go to be with Christ for eternity! We all need to remember to NOT ALLOW the unhappiness of our situations and circumstances to overshadow the JOY that we have in Christ Jesus!!!!! If we do that, we will then experience VICTORY!!!!

It will be a morning of victory over sin….Sin has brought only bad things to this earth; sin causes sickness, shame, confusion, and trouble….Sin causes wars and rumors of wars….Sin causes little children to have to go hungry; sin cause homes to be broken…........
SIN ONLY LEADS DOWN A DARK PATH OF NIGHT!!!!
WHEN SIN IS JUDGED – THEN COMES THE MORNING!!!!
THE MORNING FOR WHICH ALL MORNINGS WERE MADE!!!!
THE MORNING OF JOY FOR THE REDEEMED CHILDREN OF GOD!

When man fell in the garden, the night of sin started; man was cast out of the presence of Heaven’s light….Then many years later the “Day Star” appeared – OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST!!! WHEN THE GREAT MORNING OF JOY COMES, ALL THE SAINTS WILL BE GATHERED HOME!!!!

OH, WHAT JOY SHALL THERE BE THAT DAY!!!!!!!

THAT JOYOUS RESURRECTION MORNING WILL BE A MORNING OF REUNIONS WITH LOVED ONES….WE DO NOT KNOW HOW THINGS WILL BE – WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE – BUT WE DO KNOW THAT OUR LORD HAS GONE TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR OUR COMING….THERE WILL BE REWARDS FOR FAITHFULNESS, BUT BEST OF ALL, THERE WILL BE WORSHIPING AND PRAISE FOR EVER AND EVER!!!!!!!!

“For it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God.” (Romans 14:11)

For I cannot wait till the day comes when my Savior and Lord Jesus Christ comes back and the “joy of our salvation” will take on a whole new meaning that will be so far beyond our human comprehension….As a Christ follower, that is what I live for; to a Christian, death is not the end – IT IS JUST THE JOYFUL BEGINNING THAT WILL NEVER END!!!!

If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord, then you can’t experience this JOY that I speak of; please take the time to invite Christ into your heart – I promise, you will never regret it!!!

OUR JOY COMES FROM OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST!!
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SING FOR JOY TO THE LORD!

2011-11-11T07:54:00.003-05:00

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“It is good to give thanks to the Lord And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning And Your faithfulness by night,…For You, O Lord, have made me glad by what You have done; I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands. How great are Your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep.” (Psalm 92:1-2; 4-5).

I AM SO TRULY AND WONDERFULLY BLESSED!!!!!
God has blessed me with so very much – so much more than I have ever deserved!!! How have You blessed me Lord? How can I count the ways?:

1) YOU SAVED ME!!
2) Gave me a wonderful family to be born into!
3) Gave me wonderful, godly parents, who raised me Biblically!
4) Gave me a sister & brothers who loved me as I am!
5) Gave me a wonderful, loving, supporting wife!!
6) Gave me 2 wonderful children who love me & each other!
7) Gave me 7 wonderful grandchildren who bless me every day!
8) Gave me wonderful In-Laws who have loved me as their own!
9) Allowed me to serve you in many ways for many years!
10) Gave me a second opportunity & called me into Your ministry to serve you and your people!!!
11) Gave me a wonderful group of people to serve, minister to, & pastor at Central Baptist Church!!!
12) Gave me great friends to help keep me grounded & focused!!!
13) Have always met my every need, Your way & in Your time!!!

I could go on and on, but there is not enough time or space to hold every wonderful blessing that God ever has given to me and done for me!!!!

This next week I will be having some pretty serious surgery and, therefore, will have several weeks and months of recovery and rehabilitation...I am not worried about what will be happening because I have already given it all over to Almighty God, and I also believe that God has brought about this option as an answer to my prayers over the past many months! My wife and I have bathed this decision in much prayer and meditation and are trusting in the Lord to take care of all the consequences!! I do want to thank ALL of my church family, family, and close friends who have been praying for me over the last 8 months, but I especially want to say thank you to all that will be praying for me as I pass through this circumstance in my life -- YOUR PRAYERS ARE GRATLY AND SINCERELY APPRECIATED!!!

Since I will be otherwise "incapacitated" over the next 2 to 3 weeks, now is the time........
TO WISH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU A VERY --- “HAPPY THANKSGIVING”!!!!!

MAY OUR HEAVENLY FATHER BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IN A VERY SPECIAL WAY!!!

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!!!!!!
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OH, WHAT A FRIEND

2011-07-26T16:03:00.000-04:00

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:12-15)

HOW WONDERFUL IT MUST HAVE BEEN FOR THE ONES CLOSE TO JESUS TO BE CALLED HIS FRIENDS! TODAY WE CAN ALSO COUNT JESUS AS OUR FRIEND IF WE HAVE GIVEN OUR LIFE OVER TO HIM!

Too often we treat our friends as if they were a heating pad or an electric blanket; we keep them all tucked away until a cold night of trouble or sickness comes….Then we rush to get their help and warmth of their love to sustain us….This is not the right way to treat true friends!

A philosopher long ago once said: “A man is rich if he possesses one true friend.”….It is easy to have a host of friends to laugh with us and enjoy our hospitality and food; but friends who stand by us through thick and thin, through times of adversity, are not so easy to find! Some people are like the honey bee – they sip the nectar of your friendship for a short time, then flit away to more flowering pastures when a problem arises….Some others like to be around us when they need a boost to their ego or spirit, but once they get what they want, they are off to be with other “friends” that like to play like they do; it is nice to keep all our friends, but we should never do so at the expense of our Christian principles!!!!!

THE BEST AND FIRST FRIEND ANYONE SHOULD HAVE IS, OF COURSE, OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!!!! HE IS THE FRIEND WHO “STICKETH CLOSER THAN A BROTHER”….HE IS A FRIEND WHOM WE SHOULD ENDEAVOR TO INTRODUCE TO ALL OUR OTHER FRIENDS!!! HE IS A FRIEND WE SHOULD EVER SEEK TO KNOW BETTER!!!!

We can never know how close one of our human friends are to a breaking point in their life, therefore we should treat them with respect and offer words of encouragement; maybe just a kind deed or word from us might just make that difference….It is not hard to tell our friends how much you appreciate them and love them – if we make it a regular practice and habit to do so!!!!!

Even more importantly, we must be able to tell others, friend or not, about the One who came to be a Friend To All People – JESUS CHRIST!!!!!

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS!!!!!

LOOK AT THE INVISIBLE PRICE TAGS

2011-07-26T15:59:00.001-04:00

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

A lot of you really enjoy going shopping – Don’t you? A lot of times, just wandering through a dollar store or Wal Mart or antique stores is interesting and fun – all the new and old gadgets one can find to spend money on is amazing!

I try very hard to not get caught up in the big sales or “bargain hunts”, because if I am not careful, I will end up going home with something I do not need or that is not worth the price I paid….I have adopted a new slogan: “Nothing is a bargain unless you really need it!”….I once knew a lady who attended all the yard sales and bought anything she thought was a bargain; then she ended up trying to re-sell her s0-called bargains to her friends and children…..Most shoppers are alike in one respect; they may be young or old, big or small, but their fingers just naturally reach for the price tag – they look at the price tag and ask themselves a question: “Can I afford this? Is it worth the price?”

If we are concerned about the price of material things – such as clothes, food, homes, and have in mind approximate prices which we will not go over – what about the spiritual things? There are many, many things in life with invisible price tags….Young people standing on the threshold of life need to ask themselves, “What is the invisible price tag?”….A young man pays a small amount for a drink of liquor and maybe in a few years he cannot keep from drinking constantly; he did not see the price tag of a ruined life and a broken home.

There are very few bargains in life; one needs to remember that most successful people paid for their success in hard work and self-denial….Everything in life has a price tag, visible or invisible….The Prodigal Son could not see the price he was going to pay when he took his inheritance and left for a far away country….The Rich Young Ruler thought the price of eternal life was way too high, but there was a higher invisible price to pay….Judas realized too late the price he paid for thirty pieces of silver!

Many girls pay too great a price for pretty clothes….Many boys and girls pay too much for popularity and surface friends….WE NEED TO LEARN TO SEARCH FOR THE PRICE TAGS AT THE PRESENT AND IN THE FUTURE!!!

The Cheapest thing in the world is a kind and loving word….Yet the value of a kind word on a life is hard to measure….Look for life’s price tag and be prepared to make the best selections of how you will spend the time and talent allotted to you.

ARE WE REALLY EQIPPED FOR GOD'S WORK?

2011-04-29T12:46:00.002-04:00

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“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

ALL SCRIPTURE IS INSPIRED BY GOD; THE BIBLE CAME FROM GOD THROUGH ALL THE MEN WHO WROTE IT!!!

“For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21)

No BIBLICAL PROPHECY was ever produced because a person wanted to prophecy; the prophecy in Scripture was given ONLY by God through men who wrote as the Holy Spirit bore them along, guarding them from writing error and guiding them to write God’s Word to us!!!

God’s Holy Inspired Scripture is useful for TEACHING – God has offered us His Word to teach us about His grace; It is the written Word which brings us to the Living Word, Jesus Christ, God’s Gift of Grace for each of us.

God’s Scripture is useful for REPROOF – The Scripture is one of the Holy Spirit’s instruments in convicting and rebuking those who are living in sin; the Bible gives a clear path for those who are in sin to repent of their sins and allow Jesus to come into their lives to free them from that power of sin.

God’s Word of Truth is useful for CORRECTION – God intends for His Written Word to be used for correction of those in error; if there is a believer who is not living their life according to the Bible, then improvement in their actions can only come from the “correctiveness” of those Words of Truth.

God’s Holy Bible is useful for TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS – The Word of God is to be used to train and educate the children of God in His righteousness; because “ALL” Scripture comes from God Himself, “ALL” of it is profitable in different ways for everyone, therefore, as we learn from His Words, they ultimately will lead us to righteousness.

The purpose of the proper use of Scripture is that the believer may be equipped – thoroughly “equipped for every good work”!!!

In other words, we are to use The Word of God as our guide, help, and absolute reference to work at and accomplish EVERYTHING THAT GOD CALLS US TO DO!!!

AND WE ARE TO REMEMBER THAT THE TRUTH CONTAINED IN SCRIPTURE IS SUFFICIENT IN ALL MATTERS PERTAINING TO DOCTRINE, MORAL BEHAVIOR, AND APPLICATION TO EVERYDAY PARTICULAR SITUATIONS!!!!!

The Inspired Scripture is the believer’s confidence!! As opposition from the world increases, the Bible is to be our reliance, support and protection!

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'HE HAS RISEN"

2011-04-29T12:41:00.001-04:00

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“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus, the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know - -- this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.” (Acts 2:22-24)

“Death cannot keep his prey, Jesus, my Savior! He tore the bars away, Jesus, my Lord! Up from the grave He a – rose, With a mighty triumph o’er His foes; He a – rose a victor from the dark domain, And He lives forever with His saints to reign. He a – rose! He a – rose! Hal-le-lu-jah! Christ a – rose!”
(3rd verse - Low in the Grave He Lay – Robert Lowry, 1826-1899)
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“Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” (Matthew 28:7)

“I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today; I know that He is living, whatever men may say; I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer, And just the time I need Him, He’s always near. He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives: He lives within my heart.”
(1st verse – He Lives – Alfred H. Ackley, 1887-1960)
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“HE HAS RISEN” --- THIS SIMPLY STATED FACT IS THE BASIS OF OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH!!!!

WE SERVE A RISEN AND LIVING SAVIOR!!!!!!!!
WE DO NOT SERVE SOMEONE WHO HAS DIED & REMAINS DEAD & BURIED, AS OTHER RELIGIONS DO!!!

WE SERVE A GOD THAT KNEW WHAT WE NEEDED AND WAS WILLING TO COME TO THIS EARTH AND DIE IN OUR PLACE SO AS TO SAVE US FROM OUR SINS AND GIVE US ETERNAL LIFE WITH HIM!!!!

JESUS CHRIST DEFEATED DEATH FOR US; ALL YOU MUST DO IS ACCEPT HIS FREE GIFT THROUGH FAITH!!

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Pray Till You "Fell The Pain"

2011-04-29T12:37:00.001-04:00

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“And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.”
(Luke 22:44)

We live in a time that we attempt to avoid pain at all costs; this is why there are very few true intercessors…..Prayer is not difficult to comprehend, but it is difficult to do as our Lord did in the Garden of Gethsemane…..When was the last time that you prayed in such a way that your heart broke for those you were interceding for; it broke so much that your entire mind and body suffered in extreme pain??

Most of us pray our prayers at the shallowest level of prayer possible, but our Heavenly Father desires for us to experience the very deepest type of intercessory prayer possible -- going to the place where very few Christians have ever gone…..This deepest level of intercessory prayer is not easy; it is painful…..We cannot experience this closeness to God by praying our short, repetitious, empty, daily or weekly prayers; it will involve positioning ourselves before God for extended periods of time, continuing when everyone else has moved on and gone to sleep!

When Jesus arose from His prayer in the garden, He went to the disciples and found them sleeping and told them to wake up and pray (Luke 22:45-46)…..God expects us to stay alert in our prayer life…..ALSO, WE MUST EXPERIENCE BROKENNESS BEFORE THE LORD TO BE EFFECTIVE INTERCESSORS FOR HIM; we must submit fully to God and allow Him to break us so that He can then mold us into the “vessels of prayer” that He desires us to be!!

How do we get better and more mature in our prayer life? Just like anything else, we get better at something the more that we do it!!
How many times have you said, “I know I need to pray, but I just don’t feel like praying now”? When we do not feel like praying is exactly when we need to pray!!!!! To become the spirit-filled intercessors that God desires us to become, we must commit ourselves to pray and then follow through!!!

We need to find our own “Garden of Gethsemane” and begin visiting it on a very regular basis and plan on spending long periods of time there…..Follow Jesus’ example and take the time to pray --- pray until you “feel the pain”!!
God is calling His children to become intercessors for Him!
Continue to pray earnestly before Almighty God until you reach that deeper intense level that He wants you to experience on a regular basis!

It will hurt, but it will be a “good hurt”!!!

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"BACKSLIDER'S CALENDAR"

2011-03-17T14:43:00.003-04:00

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“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:23-25)

From time to time I hear some non-Christians, and some lazy Christians, who are continually looking for excuses to not come to church Worship Services, say that they can worship God at home, they don't have to go to church, and that the Bible doesn’t say we have to go to church anyway! When people say this, they are showing their ignorance of God’s Holy Word (reference Hebrews 10:23-25)…..The Bible tells Christians plainly that we are to stir up one another to an incitement of love and good deeds as we gather for worshiping Almighty God and Jesus Christ and for the edification of one another!!

To help reveal the ridiculousness of the constant excuses we hear from those who continue to place the importance of coming to Christ's Church at the bottom of their priority list (and possibly help give these people some new excuses), I have included below what is called a “BACKSLIDER'S CALENDAR”....Please read with your sense of humor intact.

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> JANUARY – I hereby resolve to start to church this year, but I’ll wait till February; I gotta get over the holidays first because they take so much out of you!

> FEBRUARY – Weather is terrible! I’ll start back to church when it gets a bit warmer; my blood is too thin this time of year.

> MARCH – Lots of sickness at this time and I have got to keep away from all those flu bugs!

> APRIL – IT'S EASTER! BIG CROWDS! I can't stand being in crowds! They won’t miss me anyway.

> MAY – I’ve been holed up all winter and now that the weather is getting pretty, it’s time to hold reunions, work in the flower bed, and mow the grass!

> JUNE – I’ll wait till the baby is older; how on earth do some folks take their few week old babies to church and then never miss Sunday worship?! Weekend trips to relatives are more important anyway, since they haven't seen the baby yet!

> JULY – WOW! The heat is terrific! The A/C in church gives me the chills; anyway, we have that cabin, camper, or boat reserved for the weekends.

> AUGUST – Preacher’s on vacation and he’ll never know if I miss church; I never liked those guest preachers anyway. But when he gets back, I promise I'll start back!

> SEPTEMBER – School’s started and things are too busy and the kids are too tired. Anyway, it's my last chance for yard work and to do house repair.

> OCTOBER – Leaves are so beautiful! I can worship God outdoors anyhow!!

> NOVEMBER – THANKSGIVING! Time for family! Getting colder! Can’t stand crowded warm church buildings!

> DECEMBER – CHRISTMAS! This time of the year belongs to the kids, therefore we can't expect them to have to go to church; just don’t have time for church now! Roads are bad anyway! I will resolve to start back to church next year!
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Another thought --- too many times we hear others say, “I don’t have to be in church to be a Christian!”....And quickly we agree without thinking about exactly what was said.

Yes --- we do NOT have to be in church to be saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ! But according to The Word of God, the very definition of a “Christian” is to be a “CHRIST FOLLOWER” or a “LITTLE CHRIST”, therefore if we “act like” and “follow” Him, we WILL be in church! For Jesus was found to be in the Synagogue every opportunity He had!

THEREFORE AS “LITTLE CHRISTS”, SHOULDN’T WE ALSO BE FOUND IN CHURCH FOLLOWING HIM EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE??!!??!!

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DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD!

2011-03-17T14:18:00.002-04:00

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“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (I Corinthians 10:31)

I have been a Cincinnati Reds die-hard fan ever since I can remember! Thank goodness, my son, Dustin, has followed suit….We have enjoyed going to games in the “big city” for many years, & enjoyed seeing some wonderful talents displayed over the years….Dustin & I have had many “baseball heroes” - those who have played the wonderful & beautifully simple, tradition-filled game of baseball with abilities way beyond the norm; those such as Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, George Foster, Eric Davis, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan, Chris Sabo, Dave Concepcion, Barry Larkin, Brandon Phillips, Ken Griffey, Jr., Joey Votto, & many more!

But it is way more difficult to find those who not only play the game with gifted ability, but also do their very best to live the godly, righteous, & holy life that our God demands of His children! Those who are not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!!

I recently found just that person! But unfortunately he doesn’t wear the Cincinnati Reds uniform, although he does wear red! His name is Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals --- Through his first decade in the major leagues, Pujols has set all kinds of records, hitting at least .300 with at least 30 homers and 100 RBIs in each of his 10 seasons – the only player ever to accomplish that! He has won the NL MVP award 3 times & has been an All-Star 9 times! Joe Posnanski (Sports Illustrated) has documented that at age 30, Pujols has more home runs than Babe Ruth, more RBIs than Hank Aaron, more hits than Pete Rose, & more runs than Ricky Henderson at the same age….AND HE HAS DONE IT WITH A SENSE OF HUMILITY THAT IS RARE AMONG ALL PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES!!!

But for all of his accomplishments, he is merely a man – a man incredibly gifted by Almighty God to do the things he does!! He will be the first to tell you that he has excelled ONLY because of GOD & GOD ALONE!!! Yes, Pujols has worked diligently to develop those God-given talents & gifts, but he has never lost sight of the fact that all the glory belongs to his Creator -- Our Heavenly Father!!!! Albert isn’t one to revel in his celebrity &, though his talents have made him immensely wealthy, he has used it to bless others & make a difference in people’s lives; not just materially, but spiritually as well, as he shares the Gospel of Christ as he goes!!!

It is the Lord Jesus who is the true Hero of the Albert Pujols story; his devotion to Christ is what has fueled him to excel in baseball….It has driven his generosity to the less fortunate, bolstered his integrity, & kept him humble in an occupation where personal honor & glory is often top priority!

“Every time I step on the field it’s to glorify (Jesus). No Matter if I’m going 5-5 that day or if I’m 0-4. No Matter if we win the game or we lose the game, I still glorify Him. I look up at the sky every time I get a base hit and
every time I cross the plate to remind myself that it’s not about Albert Pujols. It’s about the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Albert Pujols)

We all need to take that same Biblical approach in our own daily walk with Christ; no matter what you do or where you do it...............

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO IT FIRST & FOREMOST,AND ALWAYS FOR JESUS CHRIST!!!!!!!!!
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LOVE ONE ANOTHER

2011-02-18T16:46:00.002-05:00

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“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.” (I John 4:11-12)

The word “love”, as it is used in the Biblical Texts, has two obvious qualities: 1) The master teacher on love, John, taught that love has its own origins in God; “We love, because He first loved us.” (I John 4:19); “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (I John 4:10); “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” (I John 4:7)….GOD IS THE AUTHOR OF LOVE!!! WITHOUT GOD THERE IS NO LOVE!!! To live a love-filled life is to be God-filled!!….2) Love is a relationship with persons; “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (I John 4:11); “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (I John 4:20)….True Godly love prompts us to seek others! If we truly love one another, then God abides in us and His love is perfected or matured in us (v.12).

Love is not a word that describes our feelings….It is not a technique by which we fulfill our needs….It is not an ideal, abstract and pure, on which we meditate or converse….IT IS ACTING IN CORRESPONDENCE WITH OR IN RESPONSE TO GOD IN RELATION TO PERSONS!!!

(Love) occurs 349 times in 311 verses in the NASB; I believe this shows that it is very important to God, therefore should be very important to us and how we live our lives as Christ followers….”Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;” (Romans 12:10); “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.” (Romans 13:8); “If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” (I Cor. 13:2)

WE ARE NOTHING WITHOUT LOVE!! LOVE CHARACTERIZES GOD AND WHAT HE MANIFESTED IN THE GIFT OF HIS SON (John 3:16) – IT IS MORE THAN MUTUAL AFFECTION; IT EXPRESSES UNSELFISH ESTEEM OF THE OBJECT LOVED….CHRIST’S LOVE FOR US IS UNDESERVED AND IS WITHOUT ANY THOUGHT OF RETURN!!!
THE LOVE THAT WE SHOW TO OTHERS AS JESUS’ FOLLOWERS, SHOULD BE THE VERY SAME TYPE OF LOVE THAT CHRIST SHOWED TOWARD EACH ONE OF US!!!!!

WILL WE LOVE EACH OTHER AS JESUS HAS LOVED US??

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IT MUST BE PERSONAL!

2011-01-25T13:43:00.002-05:00

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“But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, ‘I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.’ Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish priest, were doing this. And the evil spirit answered and said to them, ‘I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?’” (Acts 19:13-15)

As you read Acts 19:6-17, you find that Paul had a powerful walk with God....God was using Paul so mightily that extra-ordinary miracles were occurring through his daily life....Verse 12 actually tells us that even cloths that touched Paul were taken to the sick, and they were healed!

Evil spirits were cast out and God used Paul’s teaching and preaching to build a strong church in Ephesus....Paul’s ministry was so impressive, in fact, that others tried to duplicate it....Beginning in verse 13, we start hearing about these 7 Sons of the Chief Priest, Sceva; they attempted to cast out demons the way Paul did.
They confronted an evil spirit and attempted to exorcise it “...by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”....These men were trying to use a spiritual power that Paul had acquired after years of walking closely with his Lord!

They could imitate Paul’s words and movements, but they couldn’t duplicate the POWER FROM GOD that came to Paul through his personal relationship with Almighty God!!! In response, the demon viciously attacked the 7 sons and humiliated them; the demons were fearfully aware of Jesus....James 2:19 says, “You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.”....They were also familiar with Paul’s influence over the powers of darkness; but the demons had no knowledge of the 7 Sons of Sceva!!

So, you ask, “What does this have to do with me?”; well, here is the answer:
You can duplicate the words, actions, and deeds of a spiritually mature Christian all you want, BUT YOU CANNOT INHERIT OR DUPLICATE HIS OR HER WALK WITH GOD!!!!!
First of all, you cannot inherit or duplicate another's salvation....It MUST BE A PERSONAL, ONE-ON-ONE EXPERIENCE WITH JESUS; and secondly, your Christian maturity is developed personally by walking daily with Jesus....It takes time and personal effort and desire to grow in Christ!!

If you neglect to take time to read and study God’s Holy Word; if you neglect to take time to talk with God in prayer; if you neglect to go to church on a regular basis to gain Biblical teaching, experience, and discipleship training; if you, in general, neglect your relationship with Jesus Christ, YOU WILL NOT GROW IN YOUR FAITH!!!

Just trying to imitate the faith of others will not give you victory!!!

ONLY AS YOU NURTURE YOUR OWN RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS WILL YOUR LIFE BE FILLED WITH SPIRITUAL MATURITY AND WITH GOD’S MIGHTY POWER!!!
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AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS!

2011-01-02T16:16:00.002-05:00

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“’And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors…’ For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” (Matthew 6:12, 14-15)

Please take note that the only point the Lord Jesus emphasizes in this prayer is the necessity for forgiving one another!!

Forgiveness with the Father depends on forgiveness among the members of the family of God….This is the forgiveness that affects fellowship within the family of God – not the forgiveness that leads to salvation.

Within this prayer that we call “The Lord’s Prayer”, God is seen as the sovereign creditor to whom we must give account for all the goods he has entrusted to us….What is it that we have that we have not received from God?….The pardon which God offers signifies that the past is abolished and that a man finds himself before God in an entirely new situation --- He is freed from his debt; but if he does not forgive the debts which his brother has contracted toward him, it is deceptive to think that his own liberation is real!

THE LOVE OF GOD HAS FOUND NO ECHO IN HIM – GOD’S LOVE IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE MAN WHO WAS FORGIVEN BUT YET REFUSES TO FORGIVE OTHERS!!
THIS IS WHY JESUS ABSOLUTELY CONNECTED THE PARDON WHICH WE RECEIVE FROM GOD FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS TO THAT WHICH WE ACCORD TO OTHERS!!!

“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.” (Mark 11:25)

“For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13)

What we are to understand through these Scriptures is that we must always recognize that God makes forgiveness for our transgressions available and free for the asking through His mercy….Therefore, if our Heavenly Father is willing to forgive us and show mercy, then should we not also be willing to forgive others and show God’s mercy when they intentionally or unintentionally hurt us, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ!!!!!

WE MUST SHOW GOD & OTHERS THAT WE DO UNDERSTAND THE LOVE & MERCY OF GOD BY SHOWING THAT SAME LOVE & MERCY TOWARD OTHERS -- GENUINELY & CONSISTENTLY!!
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10 Things You May Not Know Abiout Your Pastor

2011-01-02T10:33:00.002-05:00

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“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13)
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As I read through the January Home Life, I came across an interesting article written by Stephen Cavness titled “10 Things you may not know about your pastor”….This article put into words many things I have thought over the last 21 months, and prayed about; in many ways, it says what my heart has wanted to say to the wonderful people at CBC….Continuing below you will find the 10 things listed in the article, as well as a few changes, additions, or subtractions to personalize them just a little.
“10 THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT YOUR PASTOR”
1) HE LOVES YOU – and not just because it’s part of his job description. As a pastor, God has placed in his heart a love and concern for you that you probably wouldn’t believe if he tried to explain it; even at that, he could try harder. Your words, notes, and other forms of encouragement mean so very much because they come from people your pastor really cares about!
2) HE GETS FRUSTRATED – because most of his church family thinks he’s the first to know everything when often he’s the last. Few things are more discouraging than learning there has been heartache, sickness, or turmoil that some have been talking about for a week, wondering why the pastor hasn’t called or come by; he could use others help. (Note: the CBC family has done really good at keeping me updated)
3) HE UNDERSTANDS THAT YOU DON’T AGREE – with everything he does. He may even know your way would be better. But sometimes, he also knows he might have to do things a certain way a while longer, or change something rather quickly, for the greater good. He is deeply aware that it might be inconvenient, but is willing for some to be frustrated if it means he can prevent bickering in the church; and to make certain that he’s not compromising doctrinally in any way.
4) YOU FILL HIM WITH OVERWHELMING JOY – whether it’s your becoming consistent in your attendance, your tithing, your walking by faith, or some other spiritual growth aspect, or asking him a question that reveals you’ve been thinking about gospel implications, or treating others with grace, or smiling while singing, or showing concern when others are missing from church life, or lingering after services because you desire to spend more time together, or a multitude of other great things, you make him happy! There are times that he sheds tears of joy because he sees God bringing His work to completion in you!
5) HE WANTS YOU TO REALLY KNOW AND LOVE THE GOSPEL – to have genuine love for one another, and to have your life shaped by the grace of God; when the church has this true love and is gripped in this way, there is rejoicing both on earth and in heaven!
6) HE DOESN’T EXPECT YOU TO BE PERFECT – and he is acutely aware that he is not! In fact, a lot of times he’s afraid that you may perceive he’s not the man of God you thought he was; not because of some gross sin but because he, too, can be lazy, selfish, tired, frustrated, and distracted in his walk with Christ. Pray that he won’t be!
7) FOR EVERY SERMON YOU THINK HE BOMBED, -- he thinks he bombed twice as many. But know this: Sometimes, the sermon you love the most leaves him frustrated because what you tell him you loved about it misses the point he was trying to make. Other times, he’s 100% certain that he proclaimed the Text exactly as the Lord wanted him to and feels invigorated to have done so --- until he realizes almost everyone hated it or was bored. Knowing that he shouldn’t try to please people, but wanting his church family to be encouraged and engaged is hard to balance. Pray for him!
8) SOMETIMES, HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT HE IS DOING – It’s not that he hasn’t been called to the ministry, but college and seminary doesn’t train him for every situation! Things often come up and he has no idea what to do. Sometimes, by the grace of God, he gets it right. Sometimes, he fails and it scares him to think he might fail the next time. Pray that he would be bold in trusting Christ at all times and in all circumstances!
9) IT BOTHERS HIM WHEN HE CAN’T MAKE YOUR SITUATION BETTER – He does not care at all about being the hero or great problem solver, but he does care if your marriage will work out; he wants your rebellious child to see the truth; he desires your parent to show you affection; he wants the memories of abuse to be swept away; he wants your spouse to get better and come home from the hospital; he cares that you have been diagnosed with cancer, or some other disease; and he has a heart’s desire to see you overcome doubts that God is real, that He is in control, and that He alone can heal all these mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wounds and perform miracles! But when his prayers are being answered with a no or wait, it breaks his heart for you and your family, and he would do almost anything to fix things for you, if he could!
10) HE WANTS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, FOR YOUR LABOR TO BRING HONOR AND GLORY TO GOD! – He knows he has blown it sometimes, that there have been instances when he simply could have and should have done better. His calling as a pastor often terrifies him because he knows his own inadequacies better than anyone else! He longs for the church family he serves to get it right because he loves God and he loves you; and when God gets the glory and you reap the benefits, your pastor relishes in the joy that is all rooted in Jesus Christ! He desires for each one of you to “Let Go, and Let God”; stay focused on Christ, remain faithful to Him and His mission, and always follow Him and obey; and remember – that it’s ALL about JESUS!!!!!

Please remember that I understand that I can do nothing without God’s help and divine strength, wisdom, and power! In fact, I AM NOTHING WITHOUT JESUS! I desire to be the very best Pastor, Minister, and Preacher for all of you for as long as God wills it….Please pray for me that in everything I do, I will please and glorify and honor our Heavenly Father, as His name is lifted up and His kingdom is furthered here on earth!

WISHING A HAPPY & HOLY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!!

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HISTORY OF CHANUKKAH (OR HANUKKAH)

2010-12-07T13:39:00.003-05:00

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Matthew 17:20 - "He replied, "Because you have so little faith, I tell you the
truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain,
'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Matthew 19:26 - "Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but
with God all things are possible." (NIV)

HISTORY OF CHANUKKAH (HANUKKAH):

During the reign of Alexander the Great, the Jews were allowed (like many of the people that Alexander conquered) to continue practicing their religion and live with relative autonomy. However, a successor to Alexander, Antiochus IV, was not so benevolent. He oppressed and massacred the Jews. He desecrated the Temple by placing a Hellenistic priest in it and allowing the sacrificing of non-kosher animals on the altar.

Two groups opposed Antiochus. There was the group led by Mattathius the Hasmonean and Judah Maccabee, his son. There was also a group then known as the Chasidism, which eventually became the Pharisees. Together they formed a revolt against the assimilation of the Jews and oppression by the government. They succeeded and regained control of the Temple, with God's help!

However, during the rededication of the Temple there was a shortage of undefiled oil. In the Temple, the menorah was to burn through the night. It would be eight days before fresh oil could be prepared, and there was only oil for one night.

MIRACULOUSLY, THE OIL LASTED FOR EIGHT DAYS!!!!!

While a majority of the world knows about Chanukkah, it is actually a minor holiday in comparison to other Jewish holidays, such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, or Passover. The minor significance may be due to the fact that the story is not related in Jewish scripture, but instead in The Book of Maccabbees, which Jews do not accept as scripture.

Although many people attribute the celebration of Chanukkah to the victory of the Jews over Antiochus IV's rule, a lot of people believe this is incorrect. They believe that Chanukkah is a celebration of God's miracle of the oil, not of the military victory, because Jews do not celebrate war or the spilling of blood….But which ever way someone chooses to believe, the fact still remains that God gave His people freedom from their enemies AND gave them a one day supply of oil for the Menorah that lasted eight days! God won the battle and performed a wonderful miracle!!!!

Also known as "Feast of Lights," the 8-day celebration is not actually discussed in the Old Testament. However, it is a celebration worthy of notice, because it is another example of how God can work miracles in His children's lives!!!!!

Are There Lessons for Christians in Chanukkah???

When God works in people's lives there are always lessons to be learned!! God is a provider of miracles, and even though this celebration is not included in the Bible that most Christians use, it should not be overlooked as "just a Jewish holiday." Christians around the world are being persecuted for their faith and Christianity is being muted in many other areas of the world. Yet God always has a way of offering and supplying His people with His divine strength, wisdom, and power. When the Jews faced a lack of useful oil for the Temple, it did not mean that God was not there to provide; it meant that He was supplying another opportunity to show His children how much He loves them!

God has the capabilities to provide whatever His people need!!!
Chanukkah reminds us that, with a faith the size of a mustard seed, anything is
possible with God!

Amen?….Amen!….Praise the Lord!

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SANTA CLAUS & THE CHRISTIAN

2010-11-23T13:42:00.003-05:00

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“In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35)
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SANTA CLAUS
Where did this tradition have it’s beginning, and does the history of Santa Claus
have anything to do with the Christian church??

The first Santa was actually a leader in the early Christian church….His name was Nicholas and he lived in Asia Minor, which is now Turkey, in about 300 A. D. He was the Bishop of Myra and was well known for his kindness toward poor people, especially the children….There have been many stories told about this man, but one of the most famous is when Nicholas helped to save an entire family from starvation by dropping bags of gold through either an open window or the chimney; historians differ on which one it was, but it sounds better if it was dropped down the chimney.

The Church changed Nicholas’ name to Saint Nicholas and he became famous for the stories told about his giving to others in need….In England, he is known as “Father Christmas”; in Germany, he is called “Cristkind”; in Holland, he is “Sinter Klass”; and in America, we know him as “Kris Kringle”….When the Dutch came to America, they brought “Sinter Klass”, whose name was eventually changed to “Santa Claus”….Because of the poem, “The Night Before Christmas” (Clement Moore, 1822), and because of American artist’s depiction of this giving hero, “Santa Claus” became the “jolly old fellow” that we know today.

Santa is part of many family traditions this time of the year….For my family, we have always celebrated Christmas with the tradition of Santa Claus but with the understanding that this was secondary behind the true meaning of Christmas; Jesus Christ and His birth! Santa Claus is a reminder to give from the heart with love, because Santa first loved Jesus and gave to help others because Jesus first gave of Himself.

I love this time of the year because everything reminds me of Jesus Christ, His miraculous birth, and His sacrificial giving….Yes, Christmas Time is when families gather in fellowship, parents and grandparents give till it hurts, children excitedly tear open wrapped gifts to see what wonderful things they hold, and everyone enjoys the turkey and dressing….But, most importantly, this is the time of the year that we celebrate the most wonderful, beautiful GIFT EVER given; THE GIFT OF SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE SENT TO THIS EARTH THROUGH OUR LORD’S ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, JESUS CHRIST!

Please, don’t forget the real true meaning of Christmas – JESUS!!!
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THE GRACE OF GRATITUDE

2010-10-06T13:47:00.002-04:00

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“Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders You have done. The things You planned for us no one can recount to You; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.” (Psalm 40:5)

“O’ God, I am so depressed; I am so unhappy and have nothing to be thankful for!”….Have you ever felt that way, or have you heard someone else say those words?

HOW SELFISH AND UNGRATEFUL THESE WORDS ARE!!!

HOW OFTEN DO WE FORGET TO SHOW GRATITUDE TO GOD FOR ALL HIS WONDERFUL BLESSINGS?
When I see my brother carrying his oxygen tank with him wherever he goes to be able to breathe, I have to stop and thank God for the breathe He gives to me every day….When I see the man or woman at the store struggling to get in and out of the car because they only have one leg, I have to stop and thank the Lord that I am still able to walk….When I see the young child being strolled around because they have a debilitating disease, I have to stop and praise God for the health of my children and grandchildren….When I go to the Philippines and see the families beating their clothes on rocks in the filthy sewage tainted river water to get them clean, I have to stop and thank God for clean running water, washing machines, dryers, electricity, and a house to have all these things in.

We too often just take our comfortable, lovely homes for granted….How grateful we should be for houses and cars….How much more grateful we should be for Christian homes! People say that the city of Hong Kong is so crowded that some must live on roof tops to survive.
How grateful we should be for God-centered, Bible teaching and preaching, churches! There are places around the world where people do not have the opportunity to go to church and learn about Jesus Christ and worship their One True God openly and publicly….They can’t even read their Bibles in public, and some can’t even own a Bible!

When my children were younger, they had been complaining about the food that their mother had been fixing for them over a period of about a week….We had tried to explain to them how blessed we were to have the food that we had, therefore they needed to be grateful and quit complaining….Well, they didn’t listen, until one night we decided to place a piece of bread and a glass of water in front of them to eat; at first they thought we were joking and then they realized that was all they could have before going to bed that night….They still complained from time to time, but after that night their attitudes changed drastically and they became a lot more thankful for what they had.

“O’ God, please give me the grace of gratitude for all blessings”

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THE MINISTRY OF LAITY

2010-10-06T13:41:00.001-04:00

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“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.” (Matthew 5:13)

Jesus was not directing these words to a bunch of theologians or theology students who had dedicated themselves to the full-time ministry of the church as clerics or pastors….Among those who heard Jesus that day were no doubt many who ended up devoting their lives to wholly spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ – His life and teachings; His death and resurrection; and His living presence among His followers….But most of those to whom He addressed that day continued to be fishermen, tax collectors, soldiers, carpenters, or shepherds….THE MAJORITY OF THE INDIVIDUALS ADDED TO THE CHURCH WERE NOT APOSTLES, PREACHERS, PASTORS, AND MINISTERS; THEY WERE LAITY!!

The function of the church to be the salt of the earth could only be fulfilled then and now by LAITY….And laymen and women must be “laity” in the Biblical sense --- “the people of God IN the world.”

Too many times the common approach to “laypeople” is wrong; we think of them as “unauthorized amateurs”….In the church we will hear them referred to as “only a layperson”, or a “part-time Christian worker”, even though they may spend a good deal of time and money doing “church work”….THIS IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG!!!!!

Looking at the Biblical concept, “laypeople” are to be the integral part of the operation of the church ministries….The “common church folk” are extremely important to the survival of the church and the completion and success of it’s ministries; without them there is no church!!!!

The church today is failing to accomplish its primary task of penetrating and transforming the world – “You are the salt of the earth;”….But Jesus doesn’t stop there; He goes on to also say in verse 14 that “You are the light of the world.”….He doesn’t say that you are salt of just a part of the earth or light of just some of the world --- “God so loved the world…”!!!

The whole earth and world begins right outside our front doors!!! If we expect to make an impact on the world for Jesus, then we must start right outside our four walls….The church does not exist for itself, as many church members believe, but we exist for those outside the church!!! The church owes a service to those who do not belong to it --- the service of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and offering His love through our sacrifice!!!

ARE YOU SERIOUS ABOUT REACHING THE LOST FOR CHRIST?

WILL YOU STEP OUT & PERFORM “THE MINISTRY OF LAITY”?

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THE GREATEST QUESTION EVER ASKED!

2010-10-06T13:36:00.003-04:00

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“Pilate said to them, ‘Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?...”
(Matthew 27:22a)
THIS IS THE GREATEST QUESTION EVER ASKED!!!!

There are three reasons why this is the greatest question ever asked:

1) It must be answered – it cannot be ignored!

If you are a Born-Again, Baptized Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Virgin-Born Son of God, Savior of all sinners, then to refuse to open your mouth and confess Him as your own Personal Savior and Lord and share the Gospel and the plan of salvation with someone who needs to hear it means you don’t care if that person dies and goes to hell or not!!!!! To refuse to answer this question is also showing that you are against Jesus….Christ said in Matthew 12:30, “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.”….Psalm 107:2a says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,…”….There is no such thing as neutrality with the Son of God! Either we are for Him or against Him!!!

2) This question must be answered NOW!

The answers to other questions can be postponed --- BUT TO REFUSE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION IMMEDIATELY MAY VERY WELL MEAN AN ETERNITY IN HELL FOR SOMEONE!!!!! God deals in the eternal present – He does not deal in the future concerning salvation….Proverbs 27:1 tells us, “Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.”….2 Corinthians 6:2b says, “…Behold, now is ‘The acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘The day of salvation’”….We have no promise of the next 60 seconds! And even if we did have the assurance of another day, week, month, or year, the Bible plainly states that NO MAN KNOWS the day or the hour when the Son of God will come back to this earth….If you are not prepared for His return, you will be without any hope of salvation whatsoever!

3) The answer to this question determines not only where we spend eternity,
but also the quality of life that we will live while still here on earth!

The answer to this question will settle your eternal destiny, as well as determine if you will live the “abundant life” here on earth that God intends for all of us to experience through Jesus Christ….Jesus says in John 10:9-10, “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”….Jesus is the ONLY way to eternity in heaven; salvation is not attained by good living, liberal giving, or good works! The way you answer the greatest question will determine your eternal destiny!

Then what shall you do with Jesus? Take Him as your Savior and Lord and claim the abundant life waiting for the adopted children of God!!!

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS???

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WHEN I WHINE

2010-09-13T15:39:00.003-04:00

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

I have been to the Philippines on 5 Short Term Mission Trips over the last 6 years (planning on going a 6th time this coming February), and each time God allows me to go I learn more and more about how we as Christians need to rely upon God to supply the resources to meet our every need as we are used by Him to complete His will through us….Here in America, it seems like we tend to whine about what we do not have instead of understanding what God can do with what we do have; now there are times that we do need something, and God supplies it to us in His time to help us to do His will better and possibly easier.

But every time I return from the Philippines, God reinforces the statement I made as I was coming back from my first trip -- it captured the essence of what I had learned; “I am amazed at how little they have and yet how much they do with it, and how much we have and yet how little we do with it.”

I found a poem I would like to share (written by an unknown author) that expresses part of the problem we have as Christians when we don’t realize how blessed we truly are -- not lucky, but blessed! We need to focus in on what we DO have, instead of what we DO NOT have.

"When I Whine"

Today, upon a bus, I saw a girl with golden hair, and wished I was as fair.
When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle.
She had one leg and wore a crutch. But as she passed, she passed a smile.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine. I have two legs, the world is mine.

I stopped to buy some candy. The lad who sold it had such charm.
I talked with him, he seemed so glad. If I were late, it’d do no harm.
And as I left, he said to me, “I thank you, you’ve been so kind.
It’s nice to talk with folks like you. You see,” he said, “I’m blind.”
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine. I have two eyes, the world is mine.

Later while walking down the street, I saw a child with eyes of blue.
He stood and watched the others play. He did not know what to do.
I stopped a moment and then I said, “Why don’t you join the others, dear?”
He looked ahead without a word. And then I knew, he couldn’t hear.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine. I have two ears, the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I’d go. With eyes to see the sunset’s glow.
With ears to hear what I’d know. Oh, God forgive me when I whine.
I’ve been blessed indeed, the world is mine.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW THAT GOD CAN USE TO HELP YOU SERVE HIM AND
HIS PEOPLE BETTER?
BE CONTENT AND LET HIM USE YOU!!!
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETHEART!

2010-09-01T17:41:00.002-04:00

“He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.”
(Proverbs 18:22)

A good wife is a great blessing to a man! He that finds a wife has found a good thing, a jewel of great value, a rare jewel; he has found that which will not only contribute more than any thing to his comfort in this life, but will forward him in the way to heaven….God is to be acknowledged in it with thankfulness; it is a token of His favor; it is a sign that God delights in a man to do him good and has mercy in store for him.

This coming Sunday is my beautiful, wonderful, good wife’s (5?th) birthday ---- HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEBBIE; GOD BLESS YOU!!!!!

I want to thank my Creator God for creating Debbie for me to have as my wife many years ago (well, maybe not THAT many!)….I believe with all my heart that (5?) years ago (and by the way, she only looks like she is 4?) when God allowed her to be born into this world, He already had in mind that about 20 years from then we would meet, fall in love, and get married; God had everything planned out for our lives.

Because I listened to His Holy Spirit, followed His direction, therefore finding my wife, God has blessed me with comfort in this life and favor in His eyes….I want to say to my lovely sweetheart, to my family and loved ones, to my church family at Central Baptist, to my friends, and to the entire world -- I ACKNOWLEDGE GOD AS THE GIVER OF ALL BLESSINGS, INCLUDING THE BLESSING OF A GOOD WIFE, AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALMIGHTY GOD!!!!!!

Debbie has been a moral, physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual support for me all of our lives together and I am so blessed to have her in my life!!!

She has supported me in my ministry as God has led us both by faith and not by sight; it has not been easy for us, especially her, but God has blessed us for our faithfulness and met our every need thus far -- Thank You Lord!!

“Almighty God, thank You for bringing my wife, Debbie, into this world and then into my life as my wife! Thank You for blessing me with such a wonderful godly women, a rare jewel of great value. May You bless her this day on her birthday and give her many more years to serve you on this earth, if it be Thy will. Thank You for Your favor, O Lord. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.”

“He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.”
(Proverbs 18:22)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETHEART - GOD BLESS YOU!!!!!

HIS TIMING IS ALWAYS PERFECT!

2010-09-01T17:36:00.002-04:00

“I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, and heard my cry.”
(Psalm 40:1, NKJV)

THE BIBLE TEACHES US TO TRUST GOD’S TIMING IN ALL MATTERS, ALL THE TIME….HIS TIMING IS ALWAYS PERFECT!!!!

But when times become difficult, and we are beset with trials and challenges, we are drastically tempted to become anxious for a quick conclusion to our hardships….We become impatient and even though we know that our problems will end someday, WE WANT THEM TO END NOW!!!….God, however, works on His timetable -- by His schedule -- NOT OURS!!!!!

God’s plans are perfect; ours most certainly are not….We must learn to trust the Father in good times, bad times, easy times, and hard times -- NO EXCEPTIONS!!!….As you face the uncertainties of everyday life, do your best to turn everything over to God; whatever it is, HE can handle it….And you can be sure that HE will handle it when the time is right and in the best way possible, as HE brings glory to HIM and HIS holy name, through it all!!!

Elizabeth Elliot advised, “We must learn to move according to the timetable of the Timeless One, and to be at peace.”….C. H. Spurgeon asked, “Will not the Lord’s time be better than your time?”….And Billy Graham observed, “As we wait on God, He helps us use the winds of adversity to soar above our problems.”

Would you like to become a more patient person? THEN PRAY ABOUT IT!!!! Is there someone that you dislike? THEN PRAY FOR A FORGIVING HEART!!!! Do you lose your temper more than you should? THEN ASK GOD FOR HELP TO OVERCOME!!!! Are you depressed and stuck in the quicksand of regret? THEN ASK GOD TO HEAL AND LIBERATE YOU!!!!

As you pray more, you will discover that God is always near and that He always is ready to hear from you --- NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!

SO DON’T WORRY ABOUT THINGS IN YOUR DAILY LIFE;
PRAY ABOUT THEM!!!!!!!!

IN UNCERTAIN TIMES, TRUST GOD’S TIMING -- IT IS PERFECT!!!

Pray and lift up your concerns to God Almighty, be patient and wait upon the Lord, trust that God’s timing is perfect, and know that he will resolve every situation for your good, and in such a way that will bring glory, honor, and praise to Him and His holy name….Wait patiently for the Lord!!!!!

DON'T MAKE THAT MISTAKE!

2010-09-01T17:32:00.003-04:00

“What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet” (Psalm 8:4-6).

Thousands of dollars have been spent on millions of words in hundreds of books that have been written about dozens of ways to improve our self-image & increase our self-esteem…..Yet, maintaining a healthy self-image is, surprisingly, as simple as doing four things: 1) Read God’s Holy Word, 2) Obey God, 3) Think healthy righteous thoughts, & 4) Find a Bible based purpose for your life that pleases your Creator & yourself.

When you encounter difficult times in your daily walk with Jesus, you may lose self-confidence & start focusing on your past mistakes & what others are thinking or saying --- YOU ARE MAKING A MAJOR MISTAKE!! You are looking over your shoulder & allowing Satan to use your past to beat you down & failing to remain focused upon God --- DON’T MAKE THAT MISTAKE!!!! Instead, seek God’s guidance as you focus your eyes on Christ & your energies on becoming the best that you can possibly be for God!!! And when it comes to matters of self-esteem & self-image, seek approval not from your peers or the worlds, but from your Wonderful Creator God!!

The following common-sense, Biblically-based tips can help you build the
kind of self-image, & the kind of life, that both you & God can be proud of:
1. Do the right thing; If you’re misbehaving & habitually sinning against God, how can you possibly hope to feel good about yourself? (Romans 14:12)
2. Watch what you think; Listen to the Holy Spirit! When a thought makes you uncomfortable, you need to stop -- begin training yourself to think thoughts that are more pure, holy, & righteous. Also, think good positive thoughts about yourself, instead of negative ones. (Philippians 4:8)
3. Spend time with encouragers, not critics; Are the people you call your friends putting you down? If so, FIND NEW FRIENDS! (Hebrews 3:13)
4. Don’t be a perfectionist; Strive for excellence, but never confuse it with perfection! (Ecclesiastes 11:4-6)
5. If you’re addicted to something unhealthy - STOP! If you can‘t stop - GET HELP!! Addictions, of whatever type, cause you to take your focus off of God, & create havoc, disorder, grief, & low self-esteem in your life. They disrupt your fellowship with your Heavenly Father. (Exodus 20:3)
6. Find a divine purpose for your life that is larger than you are; When you’re dedicated to something & someone greater than yourself, you will grow & blossom, & the rewards are wonderful. (Ephesians 6:5-8)
7. Don’t worry about self-esteem or self-image; Instead, be concerned about living a life that is pleasing to God! Learn to think optimistically. Find people to love & serve, & seek to please God with your service; when you do, your self-esteem will, on most days, take care of itself.

See yourself through God’s eyes, not through Satan’s or the worlds!!!!!!

Self-Esteem Through God's Eyes

2010-08-09T18:31:00.002-04:00

“What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet” (Psalm 8:4-6).

Thousands of dollars have been spent on millions of words in hundreds of books that have been written about dozens of ways to improve our self-image & increase our self-esteem…..Yet, maintaining a healthy self-image is, surprisingly, as simple as doing four things: 1) Read God’s Holy Word, 2) Obey God, 3) Think healthy righteous thoughts, and 4) Find a Bible based purpose for your life that pleases your Creator & yourself.

When you encounter difficult times in your daily walk with Jesus, you may lose self-confidence & start focusing on your past mistakes & what others are thinking or saying --- YOU ARE MAKING A MAJOR MISTAKE!! You are looking over your shoulder & allowing Satan to use your past to beat you down & failing to remain focused upon God --- DON’T MAKE THAT MISTAKE!!!! Instead, seek God’s guidance as you focus your eyes on Christ & your energies on becoming the best that you can possibly be for God!!! And when it comes to matters of self-esteem & self-image, seek approval not from your peers or the worlds, but from your Wonderful Creator God!!

The following common-sense, Biblically-based suggestions can help you build the kind of self-image --- and the kind of life --- that both you & God can be proud of:
1. Do the right thing; If you’re misbehaving & habitually sinning against God, how can you possibly hope to feel good about yourself? (Romans 14:12)
2. Watch what you think; Listen to the Holy Spirit! When a thought makes you uncomfortable, you need to stop -- begin training yourself to think thoughts that are more pure, holy, & righteous. Also, think good positive thoughts about yourself, instead of negative ones. (Philippians 4:8)
3. Spend time with encouragers, not critics; Are the people you call your friends putting you down? If so, FIND NEW FRIENDS! (Hebrews 3:13)
4. Don’t be a perfectionist; Strive for excellence, but never confuse it with perfection! (Ecclesiastes 11:4-6)
5. If you’re addicted to something unhealthy - STOP! If you can‘t stop - GET HELP!! Addictions, of whatever type, cause you to take your focus off of God, & create havoc, disorder, grief, & low self-esteem in your life. They disrupt your fellowship with your Heavenly Father. (Exodus 20:3)
6. Find a divine purpose for your life that is larger than you are; When you’re dedicated to something & someone greater than yourself, you will grow & blossom, & the rewards are wonderful. (Ephesians 6:5-8)
7. Don’t worry about self-esteem or self-image; Instead, be concerned about living a life that is pleasing to God!

Learn to think optimistically. Find people to love & serve, & seek to please God with your service; when you do, your self-esteem will, on most days, take care of itself.

See yourself through God’s eyes, not through Satan’s or the worlds!!!!!!

Follow A Wise Counsel

2010-07-21T15:39:00.002-04:00

“A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel.” (Proverbs 1:5, NKJV)

If you find yourself caught up in a difficult situation, your first step should be to turn to God and His Holy Word for wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and direction --- THEN, it’s time to start searching for knowledgeable friends and mentors who can give you good, solid, Biblical advice….Why do you need help evaluating the person in the mirror? Because you are simply too close to that person! Sometimes you will be tempted to give yourself straight A’s, when in reality you deserve lower grades; on the other hand, you will also at times become your own worst critic, giving yourself a string of failing marks when you deserve better…. Usually, the truth is found somewhere in the middle.

Finding a wise counsel is only half of the job --- It takes just as much wisdom, and sometimes more, to ACT UPON THE GOOD ADVICE!!
Marie T. Freeman said, “It takes a wise person to give good advice, but an even wiser person to take it.”
SO, FIND PEOPLE YOU CAN TRUST TO GIVE YOU GOOD, SOLID, GODLY ADVICE -- LISTEN TO THEM CAREFULLY -- AND THEN ACT ACCORDINGLY!!!!!

When you find mentors who are godly men and women, you become a more godly person yourself through the process….That is why you should seek out advisers who, by their words, presence, action, and encouragement, make you a better person and a better Christian.

Seek counsel from Christian individuals ONLY….Look at your friends, family, your church family, and other churches you are familiar with to find godly mentors….Many times, the greatest mentors are right under our noses and we don’t pay close enough attention to see them; some of the best people to ask for advice and leadership are the senior folks within our church that have lived a full life serving the Lord -- people who have “been there, and done that”….These wonderful people have a wealth of knowledge that they would love to share with someone who genuinely desires to hear what they have to say!!!

Remember that not all good advice is easy to listen to and accept…Consider the fact that if you can’t seem to listen to constructive criticism with an open mind, perhaps you’ve got a severe case of old-fashioned stubbornness. If so, ask God to soften your heart, open your eyes, and enlighten your mind….You must listen carefully to the advice and be willing to accept that advice, even if accepting it requires effort or pain, or both….Consider your mentor to be God’s gift to you, and then thank God for that gift, and use it for the glory of His Holy Name and for the furtherance of His kingdom!
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God's Grace Transforms

2010-06-01T12:57:00.002-04:00

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.” (Titus 2:11-14).

God’s Grace Transforms!!!!!

God wants us to turn from godless living & sinful pleasures & to live good, sensible, righteous, & God-fearing lives!!!
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Nicky Cruz, co-leader of the dreaded Mau-Mau's, a violent teenage gang, met David Wilkerson in New York City in 1958.…David had heartfelt compassion for these gang members and told them of God's love for them….Yet Nicky continued to be filled with hate; "You come near me, preacher," he said, "and I'll kill you."
Wilkerson responded saying, "You could do that. You could cut me in a thousand pieces, and lay them out in the street, and every piece would love you."
That kind of love could not be resisted and over the course of time Nicky opened his heart to Christ; he changed dramatically….He got rid of his drugs, laid down his weapons, began hugging and smiling, and he let go of his anger and hatred….Instead of nurturing the hardness that once froze his soul, he became
open and joyous…In fact, Nicky eventually attended Bible college, became an evangelist, and has lived a God-fearing life of peace and love ever since.
(Judith VanderWege-freelance writer, Orange City, IO)
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Nicky Cruz did exactly what verse 12 (Titus 2) tells us to do; he denied “ungodliness and worldly desires”….He began living a sensible, righteous, and godly life.

NICKY LIVED IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WONDERFUL GRACE!!!

God’s grace is sufficient for every need; will you respond to it and live like Nicky Cruz did???

“Thank You, Lord, for the miracle of grace that transforms lives, including mine. Along each step of my way this week, please help me to turn to You for the wisdom and guidance I need. May I always live in response to Your grace. In Jesus' name, amen.”

Great Commission Resurgence Task Force Report Response

2010-05-05T14:09:00.003-04:00

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I have copied and pasted a post from my dear friend and mentor's, Dr. C. J. Adkins, Blog, "For What It's Worth"....This newest post from his blog, dated Wednesday, May 5, 2010, is in reference to and response to the "Great Commission Resurgence Task Force Report", which was released this past Monday, May 3rd....CJ gave me permission to publish his post concerning this subject on my blog site, which I appreciate greatly; he is able to communicate and convey in a much better way than I am, and I agree completely with his outlook....Please note that this is only Part I, therefore when he publishes future follow-up posts, I will place them on my blog as well.
Please enjoy reading CJ's post below and if you would like to comment on it, I will make sure he receives them, or you can go to http://cjablog.blogspot.com/2010/05/great-commission-resurgence-task-force.html and leave him a comment directly.
God bless you all!
Darrell L. Clark

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Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Great Commission Resurgence Task Force Report (Part 1)

Last Spring, Dr. Danny Akin, President of the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, delivered a Chapel Message entitled, "Axioms for a Great Commission Resurgence". The text of the message can be found here http://betweenthetimes.com/2009/04/16/akin-axioms-for-a-great-commission-resurgence/

By April 28, 2009, several notable Southern Baptist Convention personalities had signed on to a declaration built around Dr. Akin's message. SBC President Johnny Hunt, Senior Pastor of the suburban Atlanta area Woodstock First Baptist Church released a declaration calling for a Great Commission Resurgence, containing the names of the signatories and asking others to sign on as prayer partners. http://bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=30387 To date, over 6500 men and women across the Southern Baptist Convention have signed that they would prayerfully support such a movement. Unashamedly, I was one of those folks who did so. Many of my friends and people I respect did the same, many others did not.

I saw no problem with committing to pray for a movement of the Holy Spirit among the greatest Protestant denomination in the world. After all, many of our churches are plateaued or declining. The number of our churches have increased, yet reported baptisms are continually decreasing. Obviously, as a Convention, made up of over 40,000 autonomous local churches, we need revival and a fresh anointing from our Heavenly Father. Some were more cautious than I. Perhaps I should have been more suspicious myself. But, I thought, "Who could possibly be against the Great Commission?" Furthermore, when the motion came to the floor of the SBC Annual Meeting in Louisville last June, authorizing Convention President Johnny Hunt to appoint a Great Commission Resurgence Task Force, I and several thousand others voted in the affirmative. The GCRTF was tasked to bring their report to the 2010 SBC Annual Meeting in Orlando, June 15th.

When the names of the task force were released, I felt mixed emotions. Most were well known SBC personalities. Some were from large churches, and strong state conventions. Others were employees of convention entities. My personal misgivings revolved around the fact that smaller churches (which far and away make up the bulk of the SBC) were woefully under represented, as were more of the smaller state conventions and pioneer areas.

I had long held Johnny Hunt in high regard. Dr. Ronnie Floyd, an Arkansas mega church pastor, was named to head up the task force. In 2006, Hunt had eschewed the nomination for SBC President at the convention meeting in Greensboro, and threw his support behind Ronnie Floyd for that position. Floyd later lost on the first ballot in a three way race, to a much lower profile pastor from South Carolina. (More on this later) There were two seminary presidents and a college president named to the task force, along with a State Convention Executive Director, a director of missions, pastors, a former SBC President, pastors wives, and other employees of convention entities. I can honestly say I have prayed for this group regularly for nearly a year.

When the task force's preliminary report was delivered to the SBC Executive Committee in their February meeting this year, I was extremely disappointed with what I read. There were lots of platitudes, plenty of preachy language, and new phrases (such as "Great Commission Giving") coined. The preliminary report, in this pastor's opinion, did less to address a Great Commission Resurgence than it did to basically "rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic". I am not qualified to judge the motives of anyone, but some of the points in that report simply appeared to be an attempt to restructure the North American Mission Board, gut the existing NAMB cooperative agreements with the various state conventions, unleash the International Mission Board on American soil, and divert attention from a number of the mega churches who give a very small percentage of their incomes to the SBC Cooperative Program. Some of the recommendations appear to be thinly veiled reactions to the leadership and direction of the convention under the outgoing Executive Committee President, Dr. Morris Chapman.

Knowing this was a "preliminary report", I have written very little about it. However, I have been involved in animated conversations with other SBC pastors in various states, and with our own State Convention leadership, and trustees of several SBC entities. Suffice it to say there have been a large number of my colleagues who were very alarmed about a couple of the components of the preliminary report. While there is good in the report, there was valid cause for concern. Many of us saw this report as being very dangerous to the work of state conventions (especially smaller ones and those in Pioneer areas) and perhaps a death knell to the effectiveness of the Cooperative Program, which (I believe) has for 85 years, been the greatest mission funding mechanism known to Christendom.

Being on the "prayer partner" list, I have been bombarded with communications from several of the Task Force members since the preliminary report came out in February. Basically they appeared to be attempts to "spin" the more controversial proposals, but as dissension continued to rise in the ranks, I sensed an attempt at damage control. As Task Force members heard the concerns from around the Convention, the emphasis was that this was only a preliminary report and that the final draft report would be released on May 3rd. Dr. Floyd told one of my friends who had voiced his concern, "We hear you on this! Please hold your peace until the final report comes out." My colleague agreed to do just that, and I also decided to take a wait and see attitude. The final draft report is now out. You may view the report, and all things GCRTF at the website http://www.pray4gcr.com/

Some changes have been made. I like a good bit of what I read. Yet many of my misgivings still exist. This document holds the possibility of creating a very interesting Convention meeting in Orlando next month. In future posts to this blog I will share my take on the things that concern me the most, "For What It's Worth".

Posted by C.J. Adkins at 11:56 AM
Labels: General, Family, SBC, Politics SBC

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"BEHOLD, YOUR MOTHER!"

2010-05-05T13:14:00.002-04:00

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“…But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother‘s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.” (John 19: 25-27)

This is the last recorded conversation that Jesus had with His mother….She was standing near the cross as Jesus spoke these words that confirmed the relationship with His beloved mother & His beloved disciple….When Jesus spoke to Mary His mother, He said “Women, behold your son!”; this was not a harsh word spoken to her, but rather a token of respect….This was the same word He used to address her at the wedding feast when He turned the water into wine; perhaps Jesus used it to show her that her “maternal authority” was at an end & to help her to hurt less when he told her to behold her son.

Jesus, when He took care of His mother in that manner from the cross, revealed a wonderful characteristic of God --- that when God takes away one comfort, He provides another!

Even while our Savior was on the cross dying for our sins, He was busy planning for others….He took care of His mother, which is a son’s responsibility, & He also conferred an honor upon John when He said the words, “Behold, your mother!”
In this scene, Jesus is reaching out to His mother with John’s arms!! Jesus’ last bequest was to His mother and to John & it was all the wealth He had….We are told that from that very hour John took Mary into his home.

MEN & WOMEN -- ALL CHILDREN; What are we to learn from this Scripture?
It should be comforting to all women to know that Jesus’ last act from the cross was to take care of His mother….If we are all to be “like Jesus”, then we need to understand that it is our responsibility, as children, to take care of our mothers and fathers right up to the very end; whether that end be the sorrowing death of a child before the parent, or if it be the grieving death of the parent before the child.

I believe it is a true privilege for children to be given the opportunity to take care of our mothers & fathers when they get up in years & find that they really do need help to get around & do the tasks that used to be easy & normal….I know that during the years that I spent helping to take care of my aging & sick parents, life became more challenging, & even sometimes frustrating, but I have never regretted giving them the time & energy it took….God used my Mom & Dad, & every experience in their last years, to teach me so much, & also to help grow me into a better “Christ-like” Christian!!

Thank you Mom & Dad! And Thank You Jesus!!

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Shadows Cannot Exist Without Light

2010-04-27T17:06:00.002-04:00

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A Psalm of David. “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalm 23, NASB)

This past week we laid to rest one of our very faithful servants of Christ, Mrs. Margaret Cline…Her family & close friends loved her & will miss her dearly…She will also be missed by her church family at Central Baptist; we will miss her gentle smile & wonderful attitude…Death is difficult to deal with for us all, but the fact remains that death is as much a part of life as life itself!! We all have faced death at one time or another; “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die.” (Eccl. 3:1-2a)…BUT, WE MUST REMEMBER THAT, WHETHER IN LIFE OR IN DEATH, GOD IS AVAILABLE TO US ALL TO PROVIDE COMFORT!!!!!

The Bible has a lot to say about life & death, but God’s Holy Word also gives us direction on how to deal with it & gives us much comfort in our times of sorrow…In the Psalmist David’s most beautiful song & prayer, Psalm 23, he relays a picture of the Lord as the Great Shepherd, who provides for & protects His sheep, and as the Gracious Host, who protects & provides abundantly for His guests…The figure of a Shepherd depicts the Lord as guide, protector, & constant companion.
In the first part of the psalm, we hear David talking ABOUT God, & in the second part He is talking TO God; “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me;” (v. 4)…At times in our lives, death seems so big that it casts a great “shadow” over us; shadows are always bigger than reality, but we need to remember that they cannot hurt us…ALSO, REMEMBER THAT SHADOWS CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT LIGHT!! AND WHO IS THE SOURCE OF ALL LIGHT?? JESUS CHRIST IS!! IN FACT, JESUS IS LIGHT!!!!

A father & his children were driving to their mother’s funeral when a large truck passed by them, casting a very large shadow that engulfed the entire car. The father turned to his children & asked, “Would you rather have been hit by that big truck, or by its shadow?”. Of course, they answered, “The shadow”. He then said, “Your mother knew Jesus as her Savior, therefore she was only touched by the shadow of death, not by death itself”.

Our Savior is victorious over death, therefore, as Christ followers, we have that same victory .

”The day of death is better than the day of birth” (Eccl. 7:1)…As a Christian, we have eternal life after our earthly death, through Jesus Christ and His shed blood!!

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The Strength of The Church

2010-04-22T15:49:00.002-04:00

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“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God‘s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thessalonians 5:16-18).

People have prayed for each other during illness and trials; people have prayed for me when I have been preaching the Word of God; people have prayed for one another in times of personal crisis and loss; people have prayed when the enemy sought to attack us from without, as well as from within; people have prayed for God to move in mighty and powerful ways, in individual's lives and in churches…..Partnering in prayer is not a new concept, in fact, it is as old as God’s Holy Word……Moses prayed for Joshua as he battled; Jesus prayed in the garden; the disciples prayed for God’s power in the upper room, and then Peter preached and three thousand people were saved.

I have prayed throughout my entire life; I prayed as a child as early as I can remember…..As I became a Christian and learned more about prayer and about how to pray, I have prayed even more and more as I have grown as a Christ follower....I have looked to other Christian leaders for examples for my prayer life….Of course, my parents were the ultimate family examples, as they raised me to take prayer seriously, but the one individual who really helped make me understand how POWERFUL prayer can be was my good friend Steve Saunders…..When I lived in Vienna, WV, back in the early to mid eighties, Steve and I became not just hunting buddies, but also prayer partners; we spent many late night hours on our knees at the church we attended together praying for individuals, our families, each other, our pastor and his family, our church, our friends, our music ministries, the spiritually lost individuals, and much, much more.

God used Steve to make an impact in my spiritual life --- and since then, my prayer life has never been the same; it has been getting better and better!!!

When we pray, we do not change God’s mind or heart, but instead, we bring our minds and hearts in line with God’s will for our lives, and the lives of those we are praying for…..When we pray, we partner with the supernatural!!!

THERE IS POWER IN PERSISTENT PRAYING…..THERE IS POWER IN A PRAYING CHURCH…..POWERFUL PERSISTENT PRAYING WITHIN THE CHURCH IS WHAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN GOD’S WORK!!!!!

THE STRENGTH OF ANY CHRIST CHURCH IS NOT FOUND IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ATTENDING SERVICES; OR IN THE PROGRAMS OFFERED; OR IN THE COMMUNITY EVENTS SPONSORED; OR IN HOW GREAT A SPEAKER THE PASTOR IS………

THE TRUE STRENGTH OF THE CHURCH IS FOUND IN THE PRAYER LIVES AND THE OBEDIENCE OF IT’S INDIVIDUALS!!!!!

WILL YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND PRAY???

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JUST ASK HIM!!!

2010-04-12T18:49:00.003-04:00

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“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10, NASB).

JUST ASK HIM!!!!!

How often do you ask your Heavenly Father for His help; for His wisdom and knowledge; for His strength; for His power; for His intervention?? Every once in a while? Intermittently? Once a week? Every day? Just when you find yourself in the midst of a crisis?

Hopefully, you have developed a spiritual habit of asking God for His assistance early and often, and have learned to seek His guidance in every area of your daily life….Jesus taught His disciples that they should ask God to meet their every need….It is important to understand that God also expects us to do the same; genuine, sincere, heartfelt prayer will produce powerful changes within us and within our world! When we lift our hearts to God in prayer, we open ourselves up to a never-ending source of God’s unrestricted love and divine wisdom!

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16, KJV)….When we pray earnestly, fervently, often, and according to the will of God, GREAT THINGS WILL HAPPEN! Too many times we are too timid and/or pessimistic to ask God to do big things in our lives….God can do great things through us if we have the courage to ask Him and the perseverance to continue to ask….We must do our part; it is our job to let God guide and direct us….Sometimes, we are tempted to go along with the crowd, and other times to try to use our own wisdom and strength to accomplish things our own way – We must always resist those temptations!

Our heavenly Father has promised that when we ask for his help, He will give it; therefore, JUST ASK HIM!!! Ask God to lead you, to guide you, to protect you, to protect your family, to correct you, to give you victory for His glory, and to meet every need for your day….Then trust in the answers that He gives you and continue to follow Him!

God stands at the door and waits….When you ask, God answers! When you seek, God helps you to find! When you knock, God opens!

Our job is to include Him in every aspect and area of our lives, no matter what is going on – in good times and in bad times….We are to seek His guidance in our lives every day with an attitude of confidence, sincerity, and enthusiasm, and often….He will hear our prayers and answer them.

JUST ASK HIM AND DON’T GIVE UP!!!!!

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Life Changing Encounters With Jesus

2010-04-05T09:34:00.003-04:00

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“And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.’”
(Matthew 28:8-10)

Have you ever had a true “ENCOUNTER” with Christ???

These women first had an encounter with an angel of the Lord at the tomb; the angel gave them directions and they left quickly to report to the disciples….But then, they had an encounter with Jesus Himself! When the angel appeared, the women stopped and listened and followed his directions, but when “Jesus met them and greeted them…they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.“ (v. 9)…..THEY HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS!!!!!

Christ gave them the same directions that the angel had given them, but this time the words carried more power because they came directly from their Lord….His directions were to “go and take word” (v.10)….A little later the
eleven disciples went on to Galilee to meet Jesus, and when He spoke to them He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” (Matt. 28:19)…..THEY HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS!!!!!

I think it is interesting that with both of these personal encounters with Jesus, He told them all to “GO” and tell someone something for Him….Jesus initiated these encounters, in fact He initiates every encounter that occurs with His followers….Christ has a reason and a purpose to meet up with each one of us, therefore we need to pay attention and find out what direction He has for us every time we have a personal encounter with Him….The world around us needs to hear from someone who has just come from a personal, life-changing encounter with the living Christ!!!!

THOSE WE COME IN CONTACT WITH ON A DAILY BASIS DESPERATELY NEED TO BE ENCOURAGED BY OUR LATEST ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST!!! ARE WE WILLING AND READY TO SHARE THAT EXPERIENCE WITH OTHERS AS A TESTIMONY OF HOW HE HAS IMPACTED OUR LIFE??!!??

What is it that Jesus did for you and said to you during your last personal encounter with Him? Did it change your life drastically? If yes, then "go and take word" and share your encounter with others for Jesus Christ and for the furtherance of His kingdom here on earth!!!

The women who encountered the Lord after visiting the empty tomb were changed drastically and they had a testimony to share with the disciples….The disciples were changed drastically after their personal encounter with Jesus and they had a testimony to share with the world….THESE PEOPLE HAD BEEN WITH JESUS!!! THEY HAD EXPERIENCED A TRUE ENCOUNTER WITH THEIR SAVIOR!!!!!

Nothing convinces the world about Jesus' life - changing power more than to hear the testimony of someone who has been with Jesus -- WHO HAS HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE LORD OF LORDS AND KING OF KINGS!!!!

GO AND TELL THE WORLD ABOUT YOUR ENCOUNTERS WITH THE SAVIOR OF THIS WORLD!!!!!

"GO AND TAKE WORD" TO THE WORLD ABOUT WHAT JESUS CHRIST HAS DONE FOR YOU!!!!!

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WE MUST KEEP PRAYING!!!

2010-03-17T16:36:00.002-04:00

“Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises?” (James 5:13)

Are you experiencing tough or uncertain times? Have you been finding yourself overwhelmed by the stress of everyday life? Have you just continued to go at the same fast pace? Do you find yourself relying upon your own resources and your own limited wisdom?

THEN STOP!!!!!!!!!!

It is time to slow yourself down long enough to talk with God…..Turn your thoughts and prayers to Him…..Ask God for guidance!
Simply stop what you are doing long enough to open up your heart to God ----
Then listen carefully for His directions…..God is trying to get His message through to you!!! Are you going to listen to Him???

You need to be spending time each and every day with God…..When you are in need, ask God to sustain you! When you are troubled, take your worries to Him in prayer! When you weak and weary, seek His new strength every day! In every decision you must make, whether it be great or small, seek God’s wisdom! If you are experiencing difficult situations, ask for grace to face each circumstance!

STOP AND PRAY!!!!!!!!!!

GOD HEARS YOUR PRAYERS…..GOD WILL ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS…..ALL YOU MUST DO IS ASK!!!!!!!!!!

Do you have some questions? Well, God has got the answers!
Would you like to hear from Him?
Petition Him with a sincere heart --- Stop and be still --- Be patient and wait upon Him --- Then listen!!!!!

In His own time and in His own way, God will answer your questions and prayers and give you guidance…..If you will turn everything over to Almighty God by praying constantly about all things, seek His instruction, and desire His direction --- doing all this with a sincere heart --- He will always hear your prayers and answer them!!!!

Let’s not forget about the second part to the above Scripture; “Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.”

We are not to forget to praise our Creator God when He answers our prayers and gives us reason to be happy and cheerful!!!! But remember, our happiness is based on circumstances; our JOY is to be consistent, no matter our situation, because it is based upon our relationship with our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ!!!
Praise His Holy Name, no matter what tomorrow, or today, might bring!!!!!

PRAYER WILL ACCOMPLISH MORE THAN ANY OTHER ACTIVITY

IT REALLY IS GOOD TO GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD!

2010-03-08T11:30:00.004-05:00

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"It is good to give thanks to the Lord And to sing praises to Your name, O Most
High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning And Your faithfulness by
night,…" (Psalm 92:1-2)

SO MANY REASONS TO LOVE THE LORD…by Helen Steiner Rice

Thank You, God, for little things
That come unexpectedly
To brighten up a dreary day
That dawned so dismally.
Thank You, God, for sending a
happy thought my way
To blot out my depression
On a disappointing day.
Thank You, God, for brushing
The dark clouds from my mind
And leaving only sunshine
And joy of heart behind.
Oh God, the list is endless
Of the things to thank You for,
But I take them all for granted
And unconsciously ignore
That everything I think or do,
Each movement that I make,
Each measured, rhythmic heartbeat,
Each breath of life I take
Is something You have given me
For which there is no way
For me in all my smallness
To in any way repay.

God is so good to meet our every need, all the time, in HIS perfect timing!!
We take for granted so many blessings that God sends to us, just at the right
moments…..We tend to NOT recognize that they come from our Heavenly Father.

I am reminded of a humorous, but expressive, story concerning a young lady who had
not been in church for a long time; she seemed to never have the time to go to
church & worship God, but she always had plenty of time to go anywhere else she
needed or wanted to go, including the mall.....
Well, one day, she made one of her many trips to the mall & was
driving around trying to find a parking place close to the door; as she drove she
began praying, “God, please help me to find a good parking place. If you will help
me, I promise I will start going back to church & get involved in the children's
ministry.”….All of the sudden, while she was in the middle of her prayer, a parking
space opened up & she exclaimed, “Never mind God, I found one!”

When you are blessed, be sure to give thanks to the One who Created the blessings!!!!

GIVE GLORY AND HONOR AND PRAISE TO THE ONE WHO DESERVES IT;
THE ONE TRUE GOD OF BLESSINGS AND LIFE!!!!

THANK YOU, MOST GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, FOR EVERY BLESSING YOU
BESTOW UPON ME EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE; MAY I RECOGNIZE THEM, EVERY ONE,
AND NEVER FAIL TO GIVE YOU THANKS AND PRAISE, IN THE MORNING AND AT NIGHT...AMEN.

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VENGEANCE IS NOT MINE, IT IS GOD'S

2010-02-24T16:54:00.002-05:00

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"Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God,
for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ Says the Lord."
(Romans 12:19)

How many times have you said, or heard someone else say, “All I want is justice!”?…..This is something that we find very hard to trust God in; when we see an injustice occur, especially when it is against us or someone we determine defenseless, we want to see the guilty party punished…..We become impatient when we are not avenged quickly!

We are not to take vengeance into our own hands, but instead we are to respond with FORGIVENESS, LOVE, AND PRAYER! -- "WHAT?! FORGIVENESS, LOVE, AND PRAYER!?", you respond!....Our Life's Compass, God's Holy Word, says, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). This does not mean that we are not to desire justice, but we are not to “seek vengeance” when someone offends us! God takes that responsibility; to make sure that justice is done for His children!

Paul gives three reasons for us to not have any thought of taking revenge: (a) Vengeance does not belong to us -- it belongs to God! No human being has a right to judge any other; only God can do that. (b) To treat another with kindness rather than with vengeance is the way to move the heart to shame and guilt, which may lead to repentance. In verse 20 of Romans 12, it says, “…for in doing so you will heap burning coals on his head.” This is not referring to storing up further punishment for that individual, but instead means that it will move them to burning shame; vengeance might break their spirit, but kindness will break their heart! (c) To stoop to vengeance is to allow ourselves to be conquered by evil! Evil can never conquer evil!!! Think about it; if hatred is attacked by more hatred, hatred is then multiplied!!!! But if hatred is met with love, especially the love of Christ, then hatred is abolished…..The only real way to destroy an enemy is to drown him in the love of Christ and make him a friend!!!

So --- we can agree then: that it is humanly difficult, when we act on our own, to trust in God and be patient to allow Him to see that justice is done; that our first response when we have been offended by another should be to love and forgive them and pray for them; and that we are to turn it all over to God and let Him sort it all out.

God is absolutely just, and only He can make absolutely sure that justice is fully carried out and that vengeance is done according to His will!!! Only by fully trusting God’s sovereign wisdom, can we attain freedom from our anger and be able to not be consumed by thoughts of the ones who have committed evil against us.

Booker Washington once said, “I will not allow any man to make me lower myself by hating him.”

When someone attacks you or your character, hurts you, lies about you, spreads vicious gossip concerning you, or “spiritually” attacks you or your family -- just forgive them, love them with the love of Christ, sincerely pray for them, and then remember, “’Vengeance is mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

!!!!!!!!!!LET GO AND LET GOD!!!!!!!!!!

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STRENGTH IS AVAILABLE EVEN WHEN WE ARE UNCERTAIN

2010-02-16T14:16:00.003-05:00

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
(Philippians 4:13)

GOD'S LOVE AND SUPPORT NEVER CHANGES....FROM BEGINNING TO END, GOD HAS PROMISED
TO GIVE EACH ONE OF US THE STRENGTH TO MEET ANY CHALLENGE THAT COMES OUR WAY!!!

Our wonderful caring God has promised us, IF WE WILL ALLOW HIM TO, that He will
guide our every step....We must entrust our lives completely to Him, without
reservation, and if we will, He will give us the courage to face any circumstance,
situation, or trial, and He will give us the wisdom to make the right decisions
and to live in His righteousness.

God's hands will uplift those who turn their hearts and their prayers toward Him.
God's peace and protection is made available to all who will accept it, but first we must accept Jesus Christ into our hearts as our Personal Savior and Lord....If we will accept these gifts from God, we can live courageously, without worry or concern,
knowing that we have forever been touched by the saving, loving, unfailing, uplifting
hand of God.

There are not too may things that we can be certain of in life, but of this we
can be certain: GOD IS SUFFICIENT TO MEET OUR EVERY NEED --- PERIOD!!!

Are the demands of life overwhelming you? Do you feel stressed to the max?
Have you had your heart broken lately? Are you not able to trust anyone because
you are afraid they will lie to you? Have you found out that you have or someone
in your family has a difficult or terminal illness?

YOU MUST RELY UPON THE PROMISES OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER;
YOU MUST RELY UPON HIS WISDOM AND STRENGTH!!
YOU MUST NOT TRY TO RELY UPON YOUR OWN RESOURCES, BECAUSE IT WILL NOT WORK!

God will hold your hand and walk with you and your family, if you will allow
Him to....So, no matter how difficult your circumstances become --
TRUST IN OUR LOVING LORD!!!!!

In Psalm 34:18, God promises that He is "near to those who have a broken heart".
When we are troubled and hurting, we must turn to Him, and we need to encourage
our friends and loved ones to do the very same thing.

Remember, when the circumstances and situations of life discourage you
or get you stressed out, that the loving, caring, compassionate, and
strengthening heart of God is sufficient to meet any challenge or overcome
any trial....including yours.

"The same God who empowered Samson, Gideon, and Paul
seeks to empower my life and your life, because God hasn't changed."
(Bill Hybels)

"I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME."
(Philippians 4:13)

WILL YOU LET GOD HELP YOU WHEN TRIALS COME YOUR WAY, OR WILL
YOU RUN THE OTHER WAY?

DON'T RUN AWAY....INSTEAD, RUN TO YOUR CARING HEAVENLY FATHER.
HE WILL STRENGTHEN YOU!
HE WILL CARRY YOU!!

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"A Very Present Help In Trouble"

2010-02-12T16:00:00.002-05:00

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Psalm 56:1-11; “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when the morning dawns. The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold (our refuge). Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has wrought desolations in the earth. He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire. ‘Cease striving (be still) and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold (our refuge).”

In this passage of Scripture the Psalmist felt the helplessness of his own strength….Maybe you have identified with this sense of helplessness sometime during your lifetime as you have faced troubled times….When we experience the loss of a loved one and are grieving or brokenhearted, there may not be mountains visibly or literally being carried into the sea, but in a very strange way, the earth is trembling, and you may find yourselves under the influence of a very powerful force -- the force of death….We know very little about the force of death, a force that very quickly puts us in touch with our limited capacities as human beings….It was in this type of insecurity that the Psalmist points the way for us!!

He exhorts us to LISTEN TO THE STILL QUIET VOICE OF GOD….WE DO THIS BY BEING STILL AND KNOWING THAT GOD IS GOD AND THAT HE HAS EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL!!!

What does the conquering of kingdoms have to do with our grief?….It has everything to do with grief!….Grief shakes us at our very deepest level….Grief creates fear….And, from our limited view, our world may appear to be crumbling and turning upside down; BUT GOD IS THERE TO HELP US IN OUR TIME OF NEED!!!

It is in the midst of this kind of trouble and grief that God comes to us and offers us the kind of refuge and strength that we need, right when we need it most….Jesus said, “I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.”….Jesus not only helps us, but He is a present help in time of need!!!

Death does not have to be the destructive and mysterious force we have feared it to be….If our hearts are properly prepared for death, death can be an event we all look forward to….If we have asked and received Jesus Christ into our hearts and lives as our Personal Savior and Lord, then we can look toward death with the joy in our hearts that we will be reunited with our loved ones who have gone on before; but even greater than that, we will get to see the very ONE WHO died for our sins to save us from an eternity in hell!!!

For God is with us and He will never leave us or forsake us and He IS in complete control….During times of sorrow and grief, don’t run away from God; allow God to give you refuge, strength, love, and comfort, here on earth, and for eternity!!!!

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AN OPEN INVITATION TO VISIT CENTRAL BAPTIST

2010-02-03T23:41:00.003-05:00

As you know, if you have read my profile on this blog, I am the Pastor at Central Baptist Church, located at 600 - 29th Street (On the Corner of 29th Street and Bath Avenue), Ashland, KY....I want to invite anyone and everyone to please come and join us as we worship and serve our Creator and Almighty God! We are associated with the Southern Baptist Convention and the Greenup Baptist Association....We are a loving and caring church that preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Word of God!
We are not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!!!

We meet for Bible Study during Sunday School time at 9:30 on Sunday mornings; We meet for worship and praise and preaching of The Word on Sunday at 10:45A.M. and 6:00P.M.; We meet for Corporate Bible Study and Prayer Meeting at 7:00P.M. on Wednesdays....Our youth meet on Wednesday evenings at 5:45P.M. with special activities and trips from time to time....Our new G*R*O*W Outreach and Inreach Ministry will begin meeting and visiting on Thursday evenings, once per month, on February 11th at 6:15P.M.....There is someplace and sometime for everyone to be actively involved in serving God, serving God's people, studying the Word of God, being discipled, and praising & worshiping Almighty God!!! Please come and join us as we serve Him and His people....You will find a copy of our bulletin for this coming Sunday, February 7th, below; you will see what is planned for the morning and evening worship services, but please keep in mind that we allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us as we seek an encounter with God....You are invited!

Please feel free to contact me by email or on my cell phone anytime
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CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH
SEEKING THE LOST, INVITING THE UNCHURCHED, COMFORTING THE HURTING, AND PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL ‘TIL THE NETS ARE FULL!
600 29th Street, Ashland, Kentucky 41101
Phone#:606.325.3421.…Church email: centralbaptist@windstream.net
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Senior Deacon John Walker 324-6569
Minister of Music Richard Shields 325-9695
Pastor Darrell L. Clark 304.634.5765
Pastor’s Email Address: atrashman4life@hotmail.com
Sunday:SS at 9:30am-Worship at 10:45am & 6:00pm/Wednesday:Youth at 5:45&Adults at7:00
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Welcome to our February 7th , 2010 Morning Worship Service
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Prelude Alice Foster, Peggy Allen, Connie Bundy, Phyllis Holiday
SS Report Ed Allen
Welcome, Guests, & Birthday/Anniversary Richard Shields
Call To Worship: Scripture Reading Youth Participant
Worship In Prayer: Invocation Pastor Clark
Worship In Music: Hymn #361 “We Have Come Into His House”
SPECIAL MUSIC
Hymn #387 “Blest Be The Tie“
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Worship In Tithes & Offerings:
Offertory Prayer Youth Participant
Offertory Music Alice Foster, Peggy Allen, Phyllis Holiday, Connie Bundy
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CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH CHOIR ANTHEM
Richard Shields, Director
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*A Moment of Silent Prayer of Forgiveness*
PRAISE & WORSHIP: (words in bulletin)
“What A Mighty God”
“Let There Be Glory And Honor And Praises”
Prayer Pastor Clark
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Worship In God’s Word: Pastor Clark
Preaching From God's Holy Scripture
“Are We Living The Life of Christ?”…Text: Galatians 2:20
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Worship In Obedience & Response:
Invitation Hymn #329 “Grace Greater Than Our Sin”
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Benediction Worshiper
Parting Chorus; “Sweet, Sweet Spirit” (chorus only)

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CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH

WELCOME TO SUNDAY EVENING WORSHIP SERVICE February 7th, 2010
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sunday:SS-9:30am, Worship-10:45am & 6:00pm/Wednesday: Youth-5:45, Adult-7:00
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Prelude Peggy Allen, Phyllis Holiday, Alice Foster
Announcements Ed Allen
Welcome & A Time of Fellowship Richard Shields
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Call To Worship “You Are Worthy” (words in bulletin)
Worship In Prayer: Invocation Pastor Clark
Worship In Music: Time to Request Your Favorites Again
Sing Two Verses of Two Hymns
&
Sing All Verses of The Third Hymn
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Worship In Tithes & Offerings
Offertory Prayer Usher
Offertory Music Peggy Allen, Phyllis Holiday, Alice Foster
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SPECIAL MUSIC
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Worship In God’s Holy Word Pastor Clark
Preaching From The Holy Scripture
Part 2-Prophecy Series; “Jesus Is Coming Again”
Text: Matthew 24:27 & 36 - 44
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Worship In Obedience & Response:
Invitation Hymn #329 “Grace Greater Than Our Sin”
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Benediction Worshiper
Parting Chorus: “Sweet, Sweet Spirit”

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HAVE YOU PREPARED YOURSELF TO MEET GOD??
**Please enter the sanctuary with an attitude of worship & with an expectation to meet God…..Please allow The Holy Spirit to speak to you & bless you through the songs, the prayers, and the preaching of His Holy Word!!!**
Remember, it is NOT about YOU, but ALL about GOD!!!!!

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YOU ARE WELCOME AT CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH!

PLEASE COME AND JOIN US!!!

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TERRORIST GROUPS IN CHURCH - - BEWARE!

2010-01-28T10:58:00.000-05:00

I thought that you might enjoy reading a cute and humorous approach to making a very good point....I find there is usually a lot of truth in humor....I copied and pasted the following message from an email that a friend sent to me....I hope you enjoy it and get the message............

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BEWARE OF TERRORIST GROUPS IN CHURCH

Latest news reports are that five terrorist cell groups have been operating in many of our churches... They have been identified as: Bin Sleepin, Bin Arguin, Bin Fightin, Bin Complainin, and Bin Missin.

Their leader, Lucifer Bin Workin, trained these groups to destroy the Body of Christ. The plan is to come into the church disguised as Christians and to work within the church to discourage, disrupt, and destroy.

However, there have been reports of a sixth group. A tiny cell known by the name Bin Prayin is actually the only effective counter terrorism force in the church.. Unlike other terrorist cells, the Bin Prayin team does not blend in with whoever and whatever comes along.

Bin Prayin does whatever is needed to uplift and encourage the Body of Christ. We have noticed that the Bin Prayin cell group has different characteristics than the others. They have Bin Watchin, Bin Waitin, Bin Fastin, and Bin Longin for their Master, Jesus Christ to return.

NO CHURCH IS EXEMPT!
(However, you can spot them if you have bin lookin and bin goin.)

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A STRONG FAITH INSPIRES OTHERS

2010-01-23T17:53:00.002-05:00

Yesterday (Friday, 1/22/10) I was able to visit my dear friends and Christian brother and sister, Larry and Denise Stovall, at Cabell Huntington Hospital...I have been out of the country on a short term mission trip over the past 2 weeks and have been recuperating from some sickness complicated by the trip; my doctor strongly suggested that I not visit the hospital until Friday...Although I could not visit them, I did talk to Larry by phone on Thursday and was completely amazed and inspired by his testimony!! What a solid rock of faith!! Before I could ask him how he and Denise were doing, Larry asked me how I was doing; His genuine concern for others showed through...WOW!

During our phone conversation on Thursday, and then continuing during our face-to-face visit on Friday, Larry continued to stress how good God is to meet our every need, even when we don't realize that we need something...He testified that he knew God had chosen them for a reason, although he did not understand it all yet; he said that he knew in his heart that this entire circumstance would be used to bring lost ones to Jesus Christ that otherwise might never hear about the Good News of the Gospel! Larry said that he was certain that, through it all, God would receive ALL glory, honor, and praise! WOW AGAIN!!!

Larry shared a story with me about how after several days and nights being at the hospital someone had taken the time to go shopping for him and bought him new clothes, because he had lost everything in the fire that had put Denise in the hospital over a week before...After receiving the clothes, one of the nurses suggested he use their shower and clean up; he was so thankful for the offer...He shared that as he was getting clean he thought, "I don't even have a pair of underwear to put on", but when he opened the bag of clothes, everything he needed was there, including the underwear! He looked at me, and with tears in his eyes, he said, "Darrell, God knows what we need even when we don't, and He is faithful to supply our every need!"...AGAIN, WOW, WHAT A TESTIMONY!

Larry and I took time to catch up a little in the waiting room before going back to visit Denise...As we talked, we shared stories, Scriptures, praise, thanksgiving, concern, a few laughs, and our love for one another, as Brothers In Christ...When we went back to visit Denise, I shared a few encouraging Scriptures with the both of them and then had prayer; I was there as a friend and a pastor to bring encouragement and hope to two wonderful Christian people that had lost all of their material belongings and had nearly lost their lives in a tragic fire in Ashland, Kentucky...But as I left the hospital yesterday, I was the one that went away encouraged and inspired by such a strong and courageous faith I saw in my friend and brother, Larry Stovall! DOUBLE WOW!

I could not help but think of one of my favorite Scriptures in the Bible as I listened to what Larry had to say; "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9).

"I know that ultimately, no matter what happens from here on, God will be glorified and honored, and we will win, one way or the other!" Those were some of the last words Larry said to me as I began walking to my car...Through their testimony, what Larry and Denise are saying to all of you out there, and to the world, is this; no matter what your circumstances or situations may bring in life, God is in complete and total control and, if you are a child of God, a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, no matter what happens, He still loves you and has a plan for you, therefore, be strong and courageous! God will never leave you or forsake you! He is with you wherever you go; physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, financially, and in every way! So, have faith, be strong and of good courage, and don't give up -- we win in the end!!

ALL I CAN SAY IS --- WOW --- WHAT A WONDERFUL TESTIMONY ---

WHAT A STRONG FAITH --- WHAT AN ENCOURAGEMENT --- WHAT AN INSPIRATION!!!!

LARRY, I AM PROUD TO CALL YOU A FRIEND AND A BROTHER IN CHRIST!!!!!

We will continue to pray for a miracle and are here for you
if you need us!

MAY GOD BLESS YOU BOTH AND YOUR FAMILIES!!!!! ___________________________________________________

SIN; ARE WE TO ACCEPT IT AS "THE NORM"?

2010-01-21T15:28:00.003-05:00

I have copied and pasted below some posts
and comments from FaceBook that started
around 12noon (EST)...I copied and pasted
them around 2:00PM (EST) on Thursday,
January 21, 2010...Please note the responses
to original post made by Joe McKeever,
well known in the Southern Baptist Convention as
a characterist, author, and preacher........

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Write a comment...Joe McKeever - Subject: Gay (i.e., homosexual) people. I had it all figured out, no grey areas in this black/white issue, everything crystal clear. Then, I discovered that someone I love was gay. Suddenly, nothing was quite so black and white as before. I began praying for understanding and wisdom from God.
2 hours ago · Comment ·LikeUnlike
3 people like this.

Amos Pressley - The issues surrounding friends and family who are negatively affected by homosexual behavior are indeed complex at times. Because it boils down to behavior, the issue of homosexual sex remains very plain and very black and white.2 hours ago

David C. Minton - The BIBLE is crystal clear on it ! All one can do pray for that person . Sin is sin no mater how one looks at it.
about an hour agoJoe McKeever C'mon guys. What's crystal clear? That we should hate them, discriminate against them, ostracize them, fear them, and treat them like lepers? Usually, David, my friend, when someone says this issue is crystal clear, it only means "don't bother me with a view contrary to mine!" about an hour ago

Sylvia Parker Killebrew - I agree Crystal clear! But...we are called to love them just as Christ loves us. Sin isn't measured. My sins are not less than homosexual sin! Thank God he forgives me when I repent and turn from that wicked way. about an hour ago

Bill Dunnam Amen Sylvia, - it's our job to love, it's God's job to judge
about an hour agoLisa Carter Right attitude Sylvia and Bill!
about an hour agoJimmy L. Taylor Neither acceptance nor toleration should be dependent upon our closeness to persons or situations
Careful when you judge, especially what you do not understand. Love can cast out intolerance as well as fear!about an hour ago

David C. Minton - I never said I hated them ...., I only stated what I have read from the bible . I do have family members that are GAY and I treat them no different than anyone else in my family. about an hour ago

Edie Miller Swingle Neil - Be sure and share your new insights. You can pray for others as you pray for understanding. I really want to share my love with everyone and being a Christian will open our eyes and our hearts. about an hour ago

Ted Rogers I am not gay. However, being gay is NOT a choice. It is something one is born with whether or not society and/or the church makes one feel it has to be hidden. In my worldly travels, I have known, befriended and loved many gays. Several were desperate to find a place to worship God, but felt shunned. Dr. McKeever is the best preacher I have ever ... See Moreknown in my life, but reasons such as this issue are part of the reason I turned to the more tolerant Episcopal Church. Keep praying, Dr. McKeever. This issue is FAR from being black and white.about an hour ago

Marty McKeever I've known and loved many gay people over the years, but would NEVER trade my Father in for a second Mom, or vice versa. I personally think that is a cruel & unusual thing to do to a kid, and is why I oppose same-sex marriage. 58 minutes ago

Marty McKeever Ted,- many people do choose to become gay, or not to. Not all, of course -- and a tragic few have that orientation forced on them though abuse -- but many have. It's also never been proven that anyone is "born that way", and there certainly is no test to determine whether or not anyone is gay. You simply are as you do. 48 minutes ago

Darrell Lynn Clark - I have several friends that are gay and had a relative that was; that fact has never changed the fact that I love them with all of my heart, but it also never changed the fact that I hated the sin, the same as I have with my friends that tend to spread gossip, lie, cheat, have adulterous relationships, etc, etc...I believe their is no gray area ... See Morewhen it comes to sin; you either believe the Bible or you do not. I have never admitted that I have sin "all figured out", because if I did, I would not continue to be a sinner saved by grace; I would be be a non-sinner if I had "it all figured out". We ALL sin and fall short of the glory of God. I believe there are some who have been saved and fall into a pit of sin that just cannot get out, it seems, but to say that sin is not a choice of the sinner goes against everything the Bible teaches. Sin IS a choice; you do not choose to be tempted, but you do choose to either give in to that temptation or to allow God to help you deny it...Seems pretty black and white to me; and maybe even some RED added in, for without the RED BLOOD of JESUS, none of us has a chance!47 minutes ago

· Carrie Hovey @ Ted - maybe the urge to steal and/or lie is born in us too but we need to make the right choice-44 minutes ago

Marty McKeever - Meredith Baxter Birney is a timely example. Did she discover at age 50+ that she was "born that way", or simply realize that she was a failure at loving men? I think she chose to try something different. 41 minutes ago
Write a comment...
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I think it is interesting the varying comments and opinions that this seemingly simple post by Joe McKeever brought out of people, including me.
But after a two hour period and over ten comments made, I am pleased to see that the majority still believe the Bible!

Over the years the morals of America have declined....The "moral standard" has never changed; that moral standard is the Holy Word of God! The Bible is our moral compass and guideline and it has never changed, nor will it ever change! But unfortunately, what our society has decided to accept as morality has declined; the societal moral line has been lowered to where many things are acceptable today when they were not several years ago....Take a look at what the television networks are putting out as the "accepted normal lifestyle"; carousing, drunkenness, sexual promiscuity, adulterous relationships, homosexual relationships, impurity, lying, cheating, etc., etc., etc.....These lifestyles are presented as "the norm" and , unfortunately, accepted by most of us as the norm.

If we will get back to the Bible and understand that God's outlook on sin has never changed, I know that this world would be in better condition....But first, we must examine ourselves and admit that we need to change our own lifestyles and change what we accept as "the norm"...."for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:23)....Sin is a choice; the temptation is not a choice or a sin, but when we decide, or choose, to give in to that temptation before us, that is when we sin....But God gave us redemption for that sin through His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. When we accept Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord we receive that free gift of salvation and forgiveness for and release from sin....But the Bible also tells us that when we receive salvation it will show in our lifestyle - in the way that we choose to live our lives. If there is no outward change, then most likely there was no inward change....We must understand that because of our union with Christ we have died to sin and become alive to God; our new moral life is based upon our union with Jesus Christ, being slaves to righteousness, and our "marriage" we have with Christ (Romans 6:1-23 & 7:1-6)...."For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin." (Romans 6:5-7).

It is time for us to get back to God and His Holy Word and understand that He and His Word have never changed, but that we and our morals have changed, individually and as a society....For if we continue to say we are not sinning, we are liers and are fooling ourselves....The Word of God says it better than I could ever hope to.........

"This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;" (I John 1:5-6)
"but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." (I John 1:7)
"If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us." (I John 1:8-10)

"'Come now, and let us reason together,' Says the Lord, 'Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.'" (Isa. 1:18)
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Back Home Safely

2010-01-20T23:23:00.001-05:00

WELL FOLKS; WE ARE HOME SAFE AND SOUND!!!!

Praise the Lord, we made it home safe and sound to the Huntington Tri-State Airport Tuesday night at 9:00....Another trip half-way around the world AND BACK, without any major issues and with all of our luggage; another miracle performed!

We had a very successful mission trip to the Philippines, as we saw over 75 people receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, over 25 decide to follow Christ in baptism, and over 25 people rededicate their lives to Christ! Again, praise the Lord!!!

Even beyond these decisions, the Lord allowed us to meet many different needs that the different pastors and their ministries had....We were able to help one pastor have his 12-13 year old motorcycle repaired so that he would be able to make weekly trips to his ministry areas several hours away and way up in the mountains; these repairs were badly needed and some were serious safety issues....We were able to help another pastor keep his motorcycle by helping with some monthly payments....We were able to help the Mother Church, Bacong Christian Fellowship-SBC, by purchasing some sound and music equipment needed to enhance their worship and praise experience; we also bought a needed generator for when they go into remote areas to spread the Gospel and when they have frequent "brownouts" in the Bacong Barangay....There were several others issues we were able to help them with while in Dumaguete City, Negros Island, Philippines. We thank the Good Lord for the opportunity to help them and for His goodness to supply all that was needed to meet these needs; God used many of you to help meet these needs as well and I praise Him and thank Him for all of you!!!

I have only been home for a day and I already dearly miss my Filipino friends and "family"....They are such dear and genuine people! I love them all with all my heart! It was a difficult time to leave them at the Dumaguete Airport the other day and it was difficult for them as well....There was much hugging, crying, and praying during those last moments....I became very close to Pastor Josue and Christy, as we were able to spend much time together talking and praying; we got to know each other's hearts very well! Pastor Arnell and his wife were great to get to know as well; they are very quiet servants for God....And what can I say about Pastor Nico and Joceylen; I have missed them so very much over the last six years! Nico has the very same servants heart that he had when I met him my first trip to the Philippines; the only thing that has changed is his desire to serve the Lord and his determination to not be deterred from serving the Lord - they have gotten stronger! I count Nico as my "Filipino Son"! I am so thankful that he has not allowed all of the many trials and tribulations and distractions keep him from continuing to do the Lord's work and serve his Lord and Savior!

Well, another trip to the Philippines and another opportunity to allow God to receive all of the glory, honor, and praise....God is truly a wonderful God and I am so thankful that He has given me the privilege to serve Him in so many ways! It is now time to get busy serving Him right here in my own "Jerusalem", Ashland, Kentucky, and Central Baptist Church! I am excited to see what God has in store for us as we serve Him and attempt to reach many and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ....If there is anyone out there that would like to come and join us at Central Baptist Church as we do the Lord's will and work in Ashland, we are located at the corner of Bath Ave. and 29th Street; We would love to have you!

"Oh Lord My God, When I In Awesome Wonder, Consider All The Worlds They Hands Have Made. I See The Stars, I Hear The Rolling Thunder. Thy Power Throughout The Universe Displayed. Then Sings My Soul, My Savior God To Thee; How Great Thou Art, How Great Thou Art. Then Sings My Soul, My Savior God To Thee; How Great Thou Art, How Great Thou Art"

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8th AND FINAL UPDATE FROM THE PHILIPPINES

2010-01-18T09:16:00.000-05:00

We are in Manila waiting for 12 plus hours with 9 plus left; 6 hours til we can even check in. We are waiting in a very small area with minimal amount of chairs with all of our luggage til 3AM; it is now 8:30PM on Monday evening.
We had a great last day in Dumaguete City as we met with the 3 host pastors, their wives, & our driver, DoDong... A great evaluation meeting! Discussed a few changes for next trip, if God so wills us to come again. A lot of positive remarks were also shared by everyone!

Josue and I became very close and gained much respect for one another...Pastor Josue and his wife Christy have a true love for the people they are serving for God and he has a passion for the lost and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the same as I do! It was alswo great to work with Nico & Joselyn again after 5 years separation; he still has the same wonderful loving servants heart he had 6 years ago when I first met him! God has continued to use him in a mighty way to accomplish His will, in spite of the many trials and tribulations he has faced, personally and in his ministry....All praise goes to God Almighty!

As there is wherever you go in the world, there have been a few conflicts between a few pastors, churches, and family in the past....This conflict has been tried to be used by Satan to tear ministries and lives apart; individuals allowed hurt feelings and anger to turn into bitterness over the years, but most have forgiven and forgotten and, as my blog title states, "built a bridge and gotten over it"....I am very happy to say that we witnessed this positive progression in individuals lives and ministries during this trip....Just as Paul and Barnabus did when they had a disagreement, each have decided to move forward with their individual ministries God has given them responsibility for and God is using them to reach the Jerusalem around them for His glory and honor!!! To God be the glory and honor and praise!!!
May God continue to bless each individual and their ministries!!!

We all feel this was a very successful mission trip; many souls were saved, many rededications, many decisions made to follow Christ in baptism, as well as many other things God led us to accomplished to help enhance the ministries and help each pastor! Most importantly, we all followed the guidance of the Holy Spirit and did as the Lord directed; any time you do that your work for God is successful and you cannot go wrong! God is so good!

Thank you again to all of you who have prayed for us and gave financially to help this Filipino Mission work; May God bless you indeed!

I can't wait to see my son and wife at the airport in about 30 hours; I have missed my family and church family greatly! I love you all!

Sincerely from the Philippines,
Darrell, Richard, and Scott

7th UPDATE FROM THE PHILIPPINES

2010-01-16T02:07:00.000-05:00

It is now Saturday afternoon here in the Philippines (1:55PM here and 12:55AM there)....We have been busy this morning, as we went to a baptismal service at our driver, DoDong's, home....They had a small concrete pool filled with water to be used as the baptistry....I spoke a few wrods upon request by Pastor Josue to encourage the ladies being baptized and explaining the purpose of baptism....Josue then gave a short message from the Word of God before baptizing them.....We then visited inside of DoDong's home for a few moments before I lead a prayer of blessing and dedicaton for his home, house, and family.

We aslo had an opportunity to get an update on the work completed, and still needing to be completed, on Nico's motorcycle.....Several things were repaired yesterday and several more will be done today and others will be done as the parts come in and are avialable....Nico and Joselyn are very happy and thankful and blessed for the gifts that were given to help repair his bike to a safe condition; this is a 12 to 13 year old Honda motorcycle....God is so good to supply our every need! Thank you Lord!

After leaving DoDong's home we went to Pastor Josue and Christy's home to visit....The Philippine hospitality is above any I have experienced anywhere else in my lifetime....They desire to make you happy, comfortable, and welcomed so very much....They treated us to much fruit and some homemade bread, which was very good....We sat around their table and, as we cooled down, we discussed some things that needed to be discussed, between pastors and friends....We had such a wonderful visit! Their home is beautiful, although it is not completed yet; Richard Shields, Central Baptist Church, and several others have been donating designated offerings and gifts specifically to build Pastor Josue, Christy, and their family this home so that they would have somewhere nice to live and and welcome others into to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ....By Philippine standards it is a nice house, but by American standards it would still be lower - lower class, but none of that matters because it is a "high class" home, dedicated to the use of God's ministry to further His kingdom here on earth and to make an impact on the world for God!!! Many would look at their home and have negative first thoughts without having all of the information they need; many would make comments and spread untruths saying that the Cadioa's used ministry money intended for the church, etc....These people do not have the character of God, which tells us to think the best of others initially, till they prove otherwise....Absolutely no moneys intended for the BCF ministry has been misused by the pastor in any way shape or form; they have been very careful to be responsible with God's money....The money used for building their house, section by section, was given to them with the specific instructions on how to use it....They are very humble and appreciative for what God has done for them and their family and they do not fail to give Him the glory, honor, and praise!!!!! God is using these fine godly servants to complete His mission He has set before them, as they continue to spread the Gospel and plant many SBC churches!!!!!! Praise GHod!!!!!!!!!

We then went to the church and while Scottie and Pastor Josue discussed computers, Richard and I discussed the "booths" and made the decisions from the perspective of judges and decided on winners for each category and the overall winners and their placement; results will be announced tomorrow afternoon during the celebration....They then brought me back to Sta Monica so that I could update my blog and study for my sermon for in the morning during the 12th Anniversary Service, while Richard went to secure a couple of canopies and 50 chairs (rent) for the service and celebration....Scottie stayed behind to work on their computer.

It has stopped raining so far today and we are praying for, and believing, no rain tomorrow, as the service and celebration is outside....Please pray and believe with us for beautiful weather tomorrow!

This has been a very successful mission trip and GOD has accomplished a lot through us to help the local Filipino Pastors, their families, and their ministries....TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!! GOD IS SO GOOD ALL THE TIME!!!!

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU BACK HOME FOR YOUR SACRIFICES AND GIFTS TO MAKE ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE; MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL INDEED!!!!!

I am getting to the point of the mission trip where my heart starts telling me how much I am missing my wife, Debbie, my children, my grandchildren, my family, and my church family at Central Baptist Church....It will be very difficult to say "so long" to our friends and "family" here in the Philippines day after tomorrow, but it will be nice to get back home to our own beds.

Please continue to pray for us, for our health, for the service and celebration tomorrow, and for safe travel home next week...."To God be the glory, great things He has done"!!!

6th UPDATE FROM THE PHILIPPINES

2010-01-15T07:10:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the delay in an update....Things have been changing much. Remember the three rules for doing mission ministry? 1) be flexible, 2) be flexible, and 3) be very flexible.

We got up real early this morning, got ready, ate breakfast, and prepared for them to show up at 7:30 to pick us up, but instead Pastor Josue showed up on his bike at 7:15 to inform us that because of the 30 plus hours of hard rain an d concern for floods and high water, and concern for our safety, the Filipino pastors hade met and decided to cancdel our trip to Tanjay and Bias and beyond today (Friday).

The Lord had a different ministry need planned for us to meet; we ended up getting Pastor Nico';s motorcycle repaired at the tune of about $13,00.00Pesos.....In the torential rain last night, Nico and Joselyn were oin their way home to Cebuland when it broke down for the third time yesterday. They ended up walking home pushing the bike for about 2 miles.

We all agreed that this was a top priority for the ministry of Passtor Josue, who weekly makes trips to Pamplona and Manjuyod, both over two and a half hours away way up in the mountains.....My concern was for their safety and the safety of their family! Just a few of the many, many, many repairs needed were a front brake assembly missing, rear brake assemble replaced, front sprocket on chain replaced, head light broken, turning signals broken, front fork broken, both tires balded and cuts in them, transmission slipping especially when going up mountains, coiul rebuilt, carburator rebuilt, etc, etc, etc.....These are not even half of the total list of repairs. The ministry cannot continue at either mountain church plant if the pastor does not have transportation to get there! Very serious, important, and immediate ministry need presented to us by God's changes in our plans and we were privileged to be able to take care of it....Praise the Lord!!!

Tomorrow we have a baptismal service and then preparation for the Sunday morning Anniversary Service and Sunday afternoon Celebration.....Please pray that the rain will stop by Sunday morning!

The last two days have not been exactly what we had planned but God has still used us and blessed us.....Yesterday we were able to meet another ministry need by purchasing a new sound system and a bass guitar. God knows what is needed and when it is needed; we just need to be availaqble and prepared to follow His guidance!

We are all feeling a little bit better but still struggling with sore throats, etc....Please contiunue to pray for us! God bless you all! To God be all glory, honor, and praise!

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5th UPDATE FROM THE PHILIPPINES

2010-01-13T10:01:00.000-05:00

PRAISE GOD FROM THE PHILIPPINES!!!!

It is 10:30 Wednesday night here in the Philippines (9:30AM at home) and Richard and I are sitting in the now closed restaurant at our home away from home, Sta Monica, Dumaguete City....We have just confirmed some bad and sad news about some dear friends back home in Ashland, Kentucky; many of you may have heard or read about the fire on Hilton Ave....We have discovered this was Larry and Denise Stovall's home that was a total loss, but even worse, Denise was injured severely and is in Cabell Huntington Hospital ICU....Larry was also injured but is not hospitalized.

Richard has known the Stovalls for about 8 years or more and has sung in a quartet with Larry for 3 of those years....I met them 10 months ago and am now singing in the quartet with Larry and have got to know them very well.....They are good Christian people and have been struggling through some challenging circumstances of late, but God is still in control and has them in the palm of His hands.....Please pray for these dear friends!

________________

God is still moving here in the Philippines, as we have now seen over 75 people come to know Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord -- PRAISE THE LORD!!! We have also seen over 20 rededications and around 15 decide to follow Christ in Believer's Baptism!!! GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!

All three of us are fighting off sickness, with sore throats and multiple congestions; I almost lost my voice tonight as I finished bring the message Combado Barangay, outside of Bacong.....Scottie had already decided earlier this evening that he would not be making the trip tomorrow to Palali and then back to Manjuyod; this was before other issues lead us to cancel tomorrow's activities....The special transportation we had planned caqncelled out at the last minute and would not be truthful as to why they refused to drive us; also one of the Bartangay Captains did not sign the proper paperwork allowing us to evangelize in their area.....All of this combined with our illnesses, along with a concerned feeling from our host, Josue, we decided we had better listen to God speaking to us.....Therefore, we have canceled tomorrow's trip in hope that we can rest and revive for our long day of ministry in Tanjay and Bias City areas on Friday.

Please be praying for all three of us as we take new medicines to try to fight the "nastys" off.....Please continue to pray for God's will to be accomplished and for Him to be glorified, honored, and praised!

God has brought us this far and I know that He will take jus the rest of the way!

I was able to visit my dear friends, Pastor Doming Valdez and Evilla this afternoon, along with Noami Joy....I had a wonderful visit and caught up with them on things from the past two years....Pastor Doming pastors NLCC in Dumaguete City and he was excited to tell me that he was walking without his cane and that Almighty God was his cane now -- PRAISE THE LORD!!!! God has chosen to partially heal him after numerous strokes over he past 7 years or so....Please pray for this family and their ministry here in the Philippines!

God has been good to us and He is not finished with us yet and He is not finished blessing us yet either, here in the Philippines....We have three more full days of ministry and I believe God has many more great things in store for us all!!! To God be the glory!!!

4th UPDATE FROM THE PHILIPPINES

2010-01-11T18:41:00.001-05:00

HELLO EVERYONE FROM THE PHILIPPINES

We are on our 7th day of our 14 day journey; half way complete.....It has been a wonderful experience and over 65 people have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord and at least 10 others have decided to follow Christ in baptism...PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!! At least 10 to 15 of the new converts have agreed to have a Bible study in their homes as well.

God has been so good to give us fruit for our labour and we are expecting more to come, as God continues to bless us all!

Our Filipino hosts have wonderfully planned our activities and have not wasted any time, as we have been very busy doing God's work, spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ in various places around Negros Oriental.....Yesterday, (Monday, Jan. 11th) we were at Bacong Christian Fellowship (BCF) in the morning as we had an evangelistic service for the parents of the students who attend BCF-SBC Learning Center (School); we will continue that this morning and tomorrow.....Yesterday evening we went into downtown Dumaguete City to Luke Wright Barangay, a small section of the city, and had an "Open Air Crusade", where three more accepted Christ and one agreed to follow Christ in baptism -- PRAISE OUR HOLY AND FAITHFUL GOD!!!!!

Luke Wright Barangay is a very, very poor area and very dangerous; we were told that that area of the city has a stabbing on the average of about one per night....Many of the people that "live" in that area do not have a house, but instead sleep at night on a chair, bench, or on the dirt ground; these people are hurting and they need Jesus the same as anyone else does!

Today we will again be at BCF in the morning and then go to another Barangay area a little further away....I have been told that this afternoon my hosts have scheduled a visit for me to the Valdez family at NLCC, which is where I have worked my previous four trips; I am looking forward to seeing them again!

I have already preached 13 messages from the Word of God since we arrived on Thursday morning, Filipino time....I am scheduled to preach at least 13 more times, I believe. I am not complaining, because this is what God has called me to do for life --- It is very exciting, but also very challenging, but when I allow God to take total control (Let Go and Let God), God can do so much more than I ever believed or can comprehend!!! The other day, I was so weak physically and mentally that I could not do what God did through me; I was a perfect example of where the Bible says God's strength is made perfect in our weakness....GOD IS SO GOOD - ALL THE TIME; ALL THE TIME - GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!!!!!

Please continue to pray for us, as all three of us (myself, Richard, & and Scottie) are fighting sore throats, congestion, fevers, coughing, and some body aches....Satan is hard at work trying to keep us all from doing God's work and spreading the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!!!!

But I know that our Heavenly Father will be victorious and He will receive all glory honor and praise!!!!!!!!!

I am completing this post on my blog (http://darrellclark.blogspot.com) on Tuesday morning in the Philippines at about 7:30....Our driver, Dodong, should be here to pick us up at around 9:00AM, and then our day serving Our Creator God will begin again.....

"Heavenly Father, may we remained focused on Christ and His cross and on the mission You have placed before us to complete. As we labour for You, may Your Kingdom be furthered here on earth as new souls come to know Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. I pray that Your will will be done and that You will receive all glory, honor, and praise. Thank You, Lord, for the fruit You have produced thus far and we expect many more, as You move amongst us and work through us. To God be all glory! In Jesus Name I Pray. Amen."

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3rd UPDATE FROM THE PHILIPPINES

2010-01-10T08:19:00.000-05:00

PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!

It is now around 8:45PM on Sunday, January 10, 2010, which is 7:45AM on Sunday morning back home.....

The above picture is from the first night of activity and work here in the Philippines....This is part of the Torch Parade around Bacong Barangay. Pastor Josue is praying in front of the Barangay Hall.

This is a picture of the almost 200 individuals holding their torches high as they march for God!

These are pictures of some of our hosts during our prayer, devotion, and organizational meeting after arriving in Dumaguete City.

These are pictures of the three "booths" that each church built over the three weeks prior to our arrival....These "houses" are what the three big, ugly Americans have to judge and rank in order from 1 through 5; what a way to shoot ourselves in the foot!

We started the day out early this morning at Bacong Christian Fellowship (BCF), which is the "mother church" of the other four churches. In our first of two services this moring
there were 20 more decisions for Christ made; in the second service, four other people accepted Jesus.....During our afternoon visit to Manjuyod Southern Baptist Church, way up in the mountains above Bias City, one more received Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord --- GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!!!!!

The trip to Manjuyod was very difficult, but we were able to ride the majority of the way, which originally was not going to be the case; we were going to have to hike straight up the last 1 to 2 miles.....After not sleeping at all last night, riding to and back from Manjuyod, and after preaching and singing three different times today, I am extremely ready for bed, although Pastor Josue and his family are here at the resort having a late dinner with us.

I will say good night to all and God's blessings to those who know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord; and if you do not, please ask Him in to your heart.

Please come back tomorrow or the next day and I hope to have some more wonderful pictures from our experiences here in Negros Oriental Islands, The Philippines.

GOD BLESS YOU!

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2nd UPDATE FROM PHILIPPINES

2010-01-09T02:49:00.000-05:00

HELLO EVERYONE FROM THE PHILIPPINES!!!

It is now 3:00PM on Saturday afternoon here (2:00AM back home)....We spent this morning in Dauin Barangay going house to house spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ; the three Philippine pastors, their wives, Richard, and me. Scottie stayed back at BCF to work on their computer at the church to correct some technical problems.

God gave us blessings this morning as we had the privilege to go to people's homes and evangelize....On the way to Dauin our vehicle stopped to get gas and while they were pumping the gas I began talking to a young man and told him who we were and where we were from; this lead to me asking him about his spiritual health and before I knew it I was leading him in a prayer of salvation! PRAISE GOD!!!! Including this young man, there was a total of 20 souls saved during our Dauin house-to-house evangelism ministry -- TO GOD BE ALL GLORY, HONOR, AND PRAISE!!!!!!!!

When we left Dauin, we went to a funeral home in Bacong to visit a young lady who had lost her mother recently.....This young lady has a child enrolled in the BCF Learning Center School and Pastor Josue wanted to make sure she knew that there was a church family that cared about her and loved her; what a great ministry opportunity for him!!

We are now back at Sta Monica -- we finished eating lunch a little while ago and have remained at the front restaurant doing work.....I just finished preparing my sermon for tonight's outdoor crusade at Dauin before posting this new update; Richard has been listening to music with headphones on as he sings - getting some very interesting looks from some passing by- he sounds good and is singing praises to God as I type on his computer; Scottie had been SKYPING till he decided to escape back to the room.

Tomorrow (Sunday) will be a challenging day for us all....We start early with the first worship service beginning at 8:00AM for the parents and families of the kindergarten children enrolled at the SBC Learning Center at BCF; at 10:00 AM there will be a second morning worship service for the parenta and families of the \nursery children....I will be bringing the messages at both services, which they have requested be two different messages.....Immediately following the second service, we will begin our long and rough journey to Manjuyod in the mountains; this journey is supposed to include a hike straight up the side of a mountain for about a mile to get to the church. When we arrive there at around 2:00PM, we are to have a worship service where I am also supposed to preach the Word of God.....Our biggest concern right now is if Richard and I can make the last mile; please pray for us!

The next three days (Mon - Wed) will includes "Parents/Pupils Spiritual Encounter Days" each morning and eveangelistic crusades each afternoon at Luke Wright, Sulodpan, and Combado....Thursday will be a full day trip to Palali and back to Manjuyod for two more worship services....Friday we go back to Manjuyod again to Matambok in the morning (Door to door Evangelism), Sundu-an in the afternoon (Crusade), and Sitio Gonzales in the evening (Crusade).

Saturday will include a baptism service in Bacong in the morning, free time to go to downtown Dumaguete in the afternoon, and preparation for the 12th Anniversary Celebration Service and Victory Party/BCF Olympics, which will be on Sunday moring and afternoon....Sunday evening will be a "BCF Night With the Guests" (thats us)....And then Monday we begin our trip back home.

These wonderful Filipino Pastors and churches have done so much preparation and work for this two week evangelistic mission trip....I cannot wait for everyone to see the absolutely amazing "Booths" that each church has built for the celebration; four of them look like small houses and the fifth one is a boat actually sitting in a man-made moat filled with water.....And the three big dumb Americans are supposed to judge the work and rank them one through five; it is going to be very difficult to make a decision!

God is blessing and Satan is working hard from every angle to try to stop the work we are doing, but God is good and with His strength and help, we will persevere and He will receive all glory!!!

Please continue to pray for us as we continue to do God's mission here in the Philippines!!!!

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Philippine Mission Trip Update

2010-01-07T07:54:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! It is now 8:30 on Thursday, January 7, in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental Islands, Philippines (7:30AM Ashland/Huntington). We arrived here this morning around 8:00, after safe and uneventful travel, and have done some needed shopping and got some needed rest (not enough though). We just finished a supper meeting with the three host pastors and their wives, Josue & Christy Cadioa, Nico & Jocelyn Folio, and Arnell & "Lot Lot" Agabond....They are wonderful servants for the Lord!

God is preparing our hearts to do a mighty work for Him over the next few weeks and we get started hitting the ground running tomorrow.....We will meet in the morning to have a short devotion and a time of prayer before discussing the schedule and ministry plans for the next two weeks. Then tomorrow evening we will go to Bacong Christian Fellowship (BCF) and have a "Torch Parade" around the hill to let the community know that Jesus Christ lives and we are here to tell them about Him!

Following the parade we will have a time of celebration and singing and then I will be honored to bring a message about Jesus and His wonderful love! We will also be putting the final touches on a booth that BCF will man on Saturday for the Bacong Barangay celebration. This is an exciting opportunity to share Jesus with the people here in the Philippines and spread the Gospel with the world.

What an exciting time to be serving our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!! I pray that God will use Scottie, Richard, and myself to our fullest as we make ourselves available to Him. I know that the Lord has something fantastic in store for us as we serve Him here in the Philippines and I cannot wait to see what it is and how He will show it to us.

I had a very emotional reunion with a wonderful friend, Nico, this morning after landing in Dunaguete....We had not seen each other for six years and the bond that the Holy Spirit created way back had not decreased, but instead had increased. It is wonderful what the Lord does for us as we are faithful and continue to serve Him. GOD IS SO GOOD!

Please continue to pray for us as we work evangelizing with the local pastors and their church families. Please pray for our health, good weather, safe travel around the island, and fruit for our labor....Specifically, please pray for my throat and sinus infection; after having a major nose bleed at the bank earlier today, I have been experiencing drainage and a sore throat. I know the Lord can take care of anything, including my health issues. We appreciate your prayers and may God receive all glory, honor, and praise!

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PHILIPPINES; HERE WE COME!

2010-01-03T00:33:00.000-05:00

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20)

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

WOW! I am so excited about leaving and getting to Dumaguete City and Bacong Christian Fellowship (SBC).....I can not wait to start working and ministering with Pastors Josue Cadiao and Nico Follio and the people from BCF and their sister churches!

I know that God has something truly wonderful in store for us over the next few weeks....I don't know what it is yet or where or when it will happen, but I do know that He will reveal it in His time and fashion.

I am so thankful to my church, Central Baptist (Ashland, Kentucky), for supporting me, Scottie Shields, and Richard Shields, financially and prayerfully, as we serve the Lord in the Philippines over the next two weeks....God bless you, church family, for allowing us to go!

I will be attempting to update our progress and what the Lord is doing from the Philippines by way of this blog page, as often as possible....I will include pictures when I can.

Please pray for us as we "GO" and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth.....Pray for our safe and uneventful travel; pray for our families we are leaving behind; pray for our church family; pray that God will use us to the fullest to complete His will; pray for our health; pray for Pastor Josue, Pastor Nico & BCF; pray that the Gospel of the Good News of Jesus Christ will be spread; pray for those that will hear the Gospel; pray for souls to be saved; and pray ultimately that God will receive ALL honor, glory, & praise and that His kingdom here on earth will be furthered!

If any of you reading this blog supported us financially; Thank You!

And for ALL of you reading this blog; Thank You for Your Prayer Support!

Please pray for us every day!!!!

May God bless you all in this new year!

"Lord, thank you for meeting our every need and for blessing me with a wonderful family and wife! You are so good to me! I pray that you will use me in the Philippines to complete Your mission and Your will. May You receive ALL glory, honor, and praise! Thank You in advance for what You are about to do for us! 'I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.' (Psalm 89:1). You are Wonderful Creator God; Thank You for all that you are! To God be the Glory! Amen and Amen!"

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THE IMPOSSIBLE WORKS OF GOD

2009-12-25T18:01:00.000-05:00

"Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord.'"

Christmas Day is the day we have chosen to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.....For believers, it is a day of joy and wonderment! As we realize the miraculous event of the virgin birth we can see how God used Mary to accomplish something supernatural.

Can God still do miraculous things through His children today?

YES, HE CAN!!

If we will allow God to use us the way He desires; if we will make ourselves available, He can do anything He wants through us, and He still desires to do the miraculous today.....As we walk with God and remained focused on Jesus and His mission, there is absolutely nothing that God cannot do ---- NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!

"For with God nothing is impossible." (Luke 1:37)

God still does the impossible.....As followers of Christ, we acknowledge that God can do whatever He wants to, whenever He wants to, but when the "rubber meets the road", so to speak, we say, "I just don't believe that He can use me to accomplish it." We believe that God can perform miracles, but we just never expect Him to perform them in our lives.

Mary was told that God was going to use her to perform a miracle and she responded by making herself available.....When God tells us that He wants to use our lives to do the miraculous, will we respond by running the other way, or will we make ourselves available to His supernatural work?

The Christmas Season should help us to understand that our Heavenly Father is a "Miracle Doing God".....He was that Christmas many years ago when Jesus Christ, His Only Begotten Son, was born of the Virgin Mary. So why can't He still do it today? It won't be a virgin birth, but it will still be the impossible!

Do you believe that nothing is impossible for God, even today?

I pray that we will let God work the miraculous and impossible through us today as we continue to do the mission He has set before us.....And as we remain faithful to Him, He will perform wonderful things that will bring glory, honor, and praise to Hos Holy Name!

Thank you Lord for still using your children to complete your miraculous work on earth today!

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Giving Thanks

2009-11-22T16:25:00.001-05:00

“Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song“

(Psalm 95:2, NIV).

HOW MANY REASONS CAN YOU COME UP WITH TO BE THANKFUL??

MY Top 10 Reasons To Be Thankful:

1) Jesus, God’s Only Son; My Savior! -- We are saved by His blood, healed by His stripes, & delivered by His sacrifice…There is none like Him!

2) Our Heavenly Father! -- “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father’” (Galatians 4:6).

3) The Holy Spirit, Our Comforter! -- We have a comforter who fully understands our deepest longings and pains!

4) God’s Grace! -- “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them -- yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me” (I Cor. 15:10).

5) The Word Of God! -- “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

6) MY WIFE! -- “An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, And he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil All the days of her life” (Proverbs 31:10-12).

7) MY FAMILY! -- Our children & grandchildren are wonderful gifts from God and our parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, & cousins are all packages to be unwrapped & treasured; be thankful for each one!

8) My Local Church! -- It is wonderful to be adopted in the Body of Christ! When you find a place that fits - a place where your gifts & talents can be utilized & you are being spiritually fed - you can flourish!

9) The Privilege To Be Used As A Servant Of God! -- “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18). God has empowered us all to proclaim the Good News! I am so grateful the Lord can use what I have been through - good or bad - to touch others & to bring glory & honor & praise to Him ultimately!

10) God’s Strength & Power When I Am Weak! -- “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). God can prove His strength & power best when we’re at our weakest. Let God be God in your life!

My list of reasons to be thankful are limited only by time and space……I could go on and on and on, because God has blessed me beyond measure and comprehension.

Thank You Lord for everything, but especially for Your mercy, grace & love that has been bestowed upon me, a sinner! Amen.

P - R - A - I - S - E

2009-11-02T16:08:00.002-05:00

“Now I want you to know, brethern, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel” (Philippians 1:12 NASB).

The easier our lives are, the weaker our spiritual fiber becomes…..For strength of any kind grows only through exertion! The easier our lives are, the less we will depend upon God and the more we start to think we can do it all ourselves. The more we do, the less glory and praise that our Heavenly Father receives. The less God receives praise, the less the Gospel of Jesus Christ is shared.

How can we better further the Gospel of Jesus Christ and PRAISE God Almighty through our circumstances and daily situations??

P --- “Put God First”…..We should follow the example of Paul; regardless of his situation or circumstance, his concern was how could what he was currently going through be used to spread the Gospel - not how it would affect him.
R --- “Reduce Self”…..Get past the “self-centeredness” and reduce self so that God might be exalted and glorified! “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).
A --- “Adjust Your Attitude”…..We tend to divide problems into 2 categories; those we KNOW will require God’s help and the ones we think we can handle ourselves. Adjust that attitude and put them all in God’s category!
I --- “Ignore The Negative”…..Get away from those that will espouse negative thoughts and ideas concerning your present circumstance and crisis situation. They are bringing a word from Satan and you do not need to hear it!
S --- “Stand Tall In The Spirit”…..The world is watching us to see how we will respond to adversity; show them the JOY of the Spirit which cannot be affected by outside forces. Circumstances cannot affect the joy of our salvation!
E --- “Encourage Others”…..By the way we react to our crisis situation, others can be encouraged. If we allow God to handle our problems, others will be encouraged by our faith and God will receive all glory, honor, and praise!

P - R - A - I - S - E

If we are willing to allow God to work through us and our daily circumstances; if we are willing to allow God to be in complete and total control of every one of our crisis situations, then HE will receive ALL the GLORY, HONOR, and PRAISE!!!

GOD'S PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE

2009-10-27T14:05:00.002-04:00

“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11 NKJV).

Are you confused and uncertain? Are you experiencing difficult times and asking yourself, “What does God want me to do next?”........Maybe you are uncertain of your future plans and not sure what your next step should be……Even if you don’t have a clear picture of the plan for the next step, don’t worry; GOD DOES!!!

God has a plan for the birds that fly, the fish that swim, the animals that roam; He has a plan for the universe, surely He has a plan for you!!! God understands the plan that He has for you as thoroughly and completely as He knows you……If you will earnestly and prayerfully seek God’s will, He will reveal His plans to you in His perfect way and in His perfect time!!!

Now, the question is; “Do you sincerely desire to know God’s purpose for your life?”
If you do, you first have to be willing to live according to His commandments……Secondly, read and study God’s Word and seek answers and signs from Him……Third, be willing to open yourself up to God everyday through repentance and prayer……Finally, you must have faith that God will soon reveal His wonderful plan to you.

Possibly, God has not revealed His plan for you yet because you have been expecting Him to fulfill YOUR plan by hoping He would create a world that unfolds according to YOUR wishes……If this is true, then you are experiencing a lot of frustration and disappointment……You will be better off if you would stop trying to conform His will to yours, and instead start conforming your will to HIS!!!!!

Sometimes it may be unmistakably clear to you what God intends for you to do next, as He reveals portions of His plan and purpose; when this happens, then go forward and obey! But there will be other times that He will lead you through tough times to get you where He wants you to be……

Therefore, be patient -- wait upon HIM……Keep seeking HIS will, direction, and plan for your life.

When you seek His face, obey His commandments, study God’s Holy Word, watch for signs from God, pray consistently, have faith that God will reveal His plan for you, be patient and walk by faith and not by sight, and obey and follow, you will be amazed at the marvelous and powerful things that our Heavenly Father can do!!!!!

JUST LET GO AND LET GOD!!!!!

"SECRECY IS AN IMPOSSIBILITY"

2009-10-21T12:24:00.003-04:00

“For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light” (Luke 8:17).

SECRECY IS AN IMPOSSIBILITY!!!!!!

One of Satan's clever deceptions is to convince us that we can do things in secret that will never be revealed to anyone.....Therefore we attempt to hide things we do or say that we know we shouldn't be doing or saying.

There are three people from whom we try to hide things: (a) Ourselves – We shut our eyes to the consequences of our actions and we convince ourselves that we are not doing anything wrong. (b) Others – We try to hide what we do or say from other people, but everything has a way of coming out eventually. The person that is always trying to hide something from others is an unhappy person. (c) GOD – No man ever attempted a more impossible task! The Bible stresses to us that everything that is done in darkness will one day be brought to light!!
When we “...walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light,...”, as I John 1:7 tells us, all of our sins that need cleansing will be brought to the Light..... There is a contrast between the Light of Jesus Christ and the darkness of our sins. God is Light; He is holy and pure and “in Him there is no darkness at all” (I John 1:5).

So before you decide (make a choice) to do anything questionable, you need to seriously ask yourself, “Am I willing to have others have knowledge of what I am getting ready to do?” and “Am I willing to proceed in this activity knowing that God is watching and seeing everything that I do?”

The knowledge that God sees and hears everything that we do or say, and being aware that we will be accountable for everything that we do and say, should be enough to keep us from sinning.....”For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). Sometimes we may become so alienated from God that even this Biblical knowledge does not deter us.....Our sins will one day be exposed publicly and we will have to give an account.....Ultimately, everything we do, good or bad, will be exposed on judgment day!!!

As Christians, we are to be the LIGHT to the sin - darkened world. Sin cannot continue in a Christian's life – light cannot dwell with darkness! The only way to not have a sin exposed is to not commit that sin in the first place.

Don't be fooled by Satan into thinking you can go ahead and do “it” and you will be the only one to know "it".....

SECRECY IS AN IMPOSSIBILITY!!!!!!

Have You Seen Jesus Lately?

2009-10-12T13:50:00.002-04:00

John 12:20-21; “Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast; these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and {began to} ask him, saying, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’”

When someone does something fantastic, spectacular, amazing, wonderful, life-changing, eye-catching, or just a little unusual, people will usually flock from near and far to see them and witness what they do……

When Lindbergh years ago got into a small plane and flew across the Atlantic Ocean in 33 ½ hours, huge crowds greeted him wherever he went…..When Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s major league home run record, a lot of people were there and many more were watching on TV……When Cal Ripken, Jr. broke Lou Gerick’s major league baseball record for consecutive games played several years back, the stadium was packed and overflowing and they broke records for the amount of people watching a sporting event on TV at that time…..When President Nixon stepped down from the office of the Presidency in disgrace, gangs of people watched all around the world.....When the Queen of England visits the U.S., she draws huge crowds wherever she goes.....When David Copperfield comes to town, every show is sold out.

Now just think about it; if throngs of people are willing to come out to see these celebrities, and many others currently and down through history, then can you imagine how it would have been as Jesus moved from town to town and area to area --- everyone wanted to get close enough to just get a glimpse of THE MIRACLE MAN !!!!! THIS MAN, JESUS, HAD BEEN DOING SOME UNHEARD-OF THINGS: HE MADE THE BLIND TO SEE….HE HAD MADE THE LAME TO WALK.…HE HAD BROUGHT HEARING TO THE DEAF….HE CLEANSED THE LEPERS….HE CHANGED WATER INTO WINE….HE HEALED THE SICK….HE BROKE UP SEVERAL FUNERALS BY BRINGING THE DEAD BACK TO LIFE AGAIN.…ONE TIME HE EVEN WAITED TILL AFTER THE FUNERAL AND THEN RAISED LAZARUS FROM THE GRAVE…………

As HIS fame spread, larger and larger crowds flocked to see and hear HIM…..Thousands followed HIM and waited on HIM as they heard HE was coming their way.

At the feast in Jerusalem, some Greeks wanted to get up close and personal with HIM….They had heard of HIS mighty works and they wanted to try to get to know HIM better….So they came to the disciples and said, “We want to see Jesus.”….They saw HIM and they talked with HIM and I am sure that they were blessed by being in HIS presence.

You and I have never seen JESUS with the “eye of flesh”, but we have seen HIM with the “eye of faith”……We have seen HIM walking the Judean hills…..We have seen HIM sitting on the mountains preaching the greatest sermons ever heard….. We have seen HIM praying in Gethsemane…….We have seen HIM beaten and bloody in Pilate’s court……..We have seen HIM hanging upon Calvary’s Cross……..We have seen HIM leaving the tomb and ascending into Glory……………
BUT HAVE YOU SEEN HIM LATELY ????????

CAN YOU -- OR MORE IMPORTANTLY, DO YOU WANT TO -- CATCH A FRESH GLIMPSE OF JESUS TODAY ?

DON’T LOOK AT THE CHURCH…..DON’T LOOK AT THE LEADERS IN THE CHURCH……DON’T LOOK AT THE WORLD…..DON’T LOOK AT FRIENDS……DON’T LOOK AT FAMILY…….DON’T LOOK AT THE PASTOR OR PREACHER……
BUT INSTEAD LOOK PAST EVERYTHING AND JUST LOOK TO THE MASTER - - OUR SAVIOR AND LORD….…..

COME AND SAY WITH THE GREEKS OF OLD, “WE WANT TO SEE JESUS” !!!!!!!!!!!

We should want to see HIM because of HIS greatness.....
We should want to see HIM because HE is the Son of God…..
We should want to see HIM because of what HE did for us…..
We should want to see Him because He is our Mediator…...

We can see Him by looking into the Bible…...
We can see Him in prayer…...
We can see Jesus in nature…...
We can see Jesus in the lives of Christians…...
We can see Jesus in Divine, God-filled worship services…...

We ought to see Him as our Saviour…....
We ought to see Him as our Lord and Master…....
We ought to see Him as our Comforter…....
We ought to see Him as our daily Helper…....
We ought to see Him as our Coming King…....
Finally, we ought to see Him as our Final Judge.

Do you really want to have a personal encounter with Jesus today???

Receive HIM as your personal Savior today.......
Turn everything over to HIM today and allow HIM to be the Lord of your life.....
Read and study the Word of God and you will find HIM from beginning to end.....
Get on your knees and look to the Cross and you will see HIM as you call out HIS name.....
Look up and look around and you cannot help but see HIM everywhere you look....
Spend time with fellow Christ Followers and HE will reveal HIMSELF to you.....
Get up and get going to church; corporate worship will allow you to experience HIM in so many different ways.

HE wants to see you and HE wants you to see HIM........

HE wants to have a special and spiritual encounter with you of the
personal kind.

HE is waiting........

Statistics Show: Only One Safe Place To Be

2009-10-01T11:08:00.006-04:00

“Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. I have sworn and I will confirm it, That I will keep Your righteous ordinances”
(Psalm 119:105-106, NASB).

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"and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another;..." (Hebrews 10:24-25).

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JUST HOW SAFE ARE YOU IN TODAY’S WORLD ACCORDING TO TODAY’S STATISTICS??

Some of you are bored to death with statistics, but, on the other hand, many of you are interested in percentages and numbers......I would even venture to guess that many of the decisions you make each day are based upon those numbers that come out of government and private surveys.

Well, may it never be said that this Pastor is not sensitive to your concerns and needs!

I would like to assist you and help direct you by giving you some important and pertinent information and statistics that will help you with your daily personal safety!

HOW AND WHERE TO STAY SAFE IN THE WORLD TODAY:
1. Avoid riding in automobiles because they are responsible for 20% of all fatal accidents.
2. Do not stay at home because 17% of all accidents occur in the home.
3. Avoid walking on streets or sidewalks because 14% of all accidents occur to pedestrians.
4. Avoid traveling by air, rail, or water because 16% of all accidents

involve these forms of transportation.
5. Of the remaining 33%, 32% of all deaths occur in hospitals......So, above all else, be sure to avoid hospitals!!!!

BUT,…………..
You will be very pleased to learn that only .001% of all deaths occur in church worship services, and these are usually attributed to previous physical disorders.

Therefore, logic will tell us that the SAFEST PLACE for you and I to be at ANY GIVEN TIME is IN CHURCH!!!!!

AND,………….
The percentage of deaths during Bible Study is even less THAN .001%, therefore Bible Study is safe also!!!!!

So, in conclusion;

THE MORAL OF THE STORY???

ATTEND CHURCH AND READ YOUR BIBLE ON A REGULAR BASIS…………

IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am just trying to be a helpful pastor and friend - please be safe out there!
I Hope To See YOU In Church Very Soon -- With Your Bible In Hand.

May God Bless You Indeed and May You Have A Wonderfully Safe Day!

PAUL SAYS TO LET GO AND LET GOD!!!

2009-09-23T17:43:00.002-04:00

“Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethern, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,”

(Philippians 3:12-13, NASB).

The world and Satan will tell you that what influences your future and present life is your past……If you came from a difficult home environment, that is going to determine the direction of your life; If you were abused as a child, that history will strangle you and cause you to struggle with your past for the rest of your life; If you experience racism or discrimination, that will dictate the condition of your life today…It does not have to be this way!!!

What Paul is trying to say here in the book of Philippians is that as a Christian he is to strive to be like Christ and that he has not obtained that fully yet, but the one thing he is doing right is that he has learned to forget his past and look to the wonderful future God has in store for him! Christians are to live in freedom because Christ has overcome our past!……“the old things passed away; behold new things have come” (2 Cor. 5:17b).

GOD HAS TOTALLY FORGIVEN THE CHRISTIAN’S SIN AND HE CHOOSES NOT TO REMEMBER IT! (Isa. 43:25)……

We as Christians do not forget the past, but we are not to be controlled or motivated by it……God gives us HOPE to look to the future with; hope through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ!……We have the Holy Spirit helping us to conform into the image of Christ……While the world is concerned with what they are overcoming, the Christian is dealing with the process of what they are becoming……Christians need not be concerned with their past or their future, because once we have accepted Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord, our past is forgiven and forgotten by God and our future is anchored in the blood of Jesus and full of wonderful, exciting, and glorious things that we cannot imagine!!!!

I want to state this as clear as I possibly can and encourage you to let go of your past…Number One; if you are a Christian and you are continuing to be preoccupied with your past, pray and ask God to help you do what Paul did - put Satan behind you, open your eyes to the incredible future that is awaiting you, and press on to what lies ahead…Number Two; if you have never asked and accepted Jesus into your heart as your personal Savior and Lord, pray to receive Him and allow Him to erase your past sins and give you a new present and future to live for Him and Him alone!!!!

As Christ Followers we are to strive to be perfect as Jesus was and is, but we need to remember that it is a slow process and we will never reach perfection in this earthly life; that will be a part of the wonderful and incredible future God has in store for each one of us…

Instead of holding onto your past and letting Satan hold onto your future, just

“Let Go and Let God”!!!!!

Yes, Church Is To Be A Priority In Our Lives!

2009-09-22T22:12:00.002-04:00

How many of you that went to church this past Sunday considered going somewhere else before finally deciding to go to church? Or were you one of the many that didn't even consider going to church, but always seem to have something "more important" to do? NOW, BE HONEST!

The world has so much to offer all of us every day of our lives and almost every hour of every day….If not somewhere else to go then something to watch on TV or to do on the internet.

I have heard comments from “When I go hunting or fishing I meet with God through His nature and have church…I don’t have to be IN church to have church!”…to…”I pray before, during, and after the Super Bowl Game, therefore its just as if I were in church!” And my favorite; "I went to church today - I watched it on TV."

Its true; you don’t have to be in a church to have church, and I understand that there are times when everyone must miss a service every-now-and-then due to family commitments or extenuating circumstances….BUT, there is something special and satisfying about being in “corporate worship”; worshiping with like fellow believers and seeking the blessings of the Lord as you worship with one another.

I do understand that going into a church doesn’t MAKE you a CHRISTIAN any more than standing in a garage MAKES you a CAR, or walking into a McDonalds MAKES you a QUARTERPOUNDER!! But I also believe that if someone desires to have personal and group revival to come into their lives, they must understand how important coming together in “corporate worship” really is to accomplish “TRUE REVIVAL”.

The Bible has something to say about meeting together to worship God….....

"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24 – 25).

Church will be “central” in your life and a priority for you if you have made Jesus Christ the TOP PRIORITY in your life!!
Lets look today at 5 things that we must do to make church a priority in our lives and, therefore, get closer to a “true revival” THAT MUST begin in our own personal lives.

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First………YOU MUST PRESERVE THE SANCTITY OF SUNDAY!

Please understand that Sunday is NOT THE SABBATH!…..God intended this day to be a day of rest; Sunday is “the Lord’s day” and HE OWNS IT.....We must preserve and respect the “SANCTITY” of this day for the purpose of meeting to WORSHIP HIM !!!!

The world is seeking to make Sunday “just another day of the week”…..For example, youth sports (baseball, soccer, football, etc) schedule games, and sometimes practices, during church service times; schools are now planning activities on Sundays and Wednesday evenings; you will notice that all of the major Hollywood and entertainment awards shows are scheduled and broadcast on Sunday nights during church time; more and more professional sporting events are moving into church times; sadly enough, many times, extra-carricular activities within the church are planned for youth, as well as older adults, so as to take people away from church services…….And there are many more things that interfere with attending “corporate worship” services.

How do we handle this? How do we NOT allow ourselves to be distracted by these things from the world? First we must personally decide, "Who will I serve; the world or God?" We must ask ourselves, "What is truly my top priority?"......Is it God???

THEN we MUST decide to make God our top priority and SERVE HIM; NOT THE WORLD!!! We also must boldly stand strong in our commitment and decide that we will not do anything that takes us away from worshiping and serving God on a consistent basis.

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Second……YOU MUST PREPARE BEFORE YOU ARRIVE.

Have you ever showed up for a test that you did not prepare or study for ??? I have and believe me it is no fun when you have spent all your time NOT PREPARING and you show up and your lost! We must spend at least a LITTLE BIT of our time preparing for each upcoming worship service reading from God’s Word, allowing God to calm and prepare our hearts, and praying and asking God to give us the right frame of mind and attitude to receive His Message……If you knew for a fact that Jesus was physically going to be in church next week, would you prepare for Him? WELL, HE IS GOING TO BE THERE!!!
One day a man visited a church and he noticed right off how everyone treated each other with rude attitudes and were mean to one another, including the worship leader and the pastor….At the end of the service, as he was leaving, he could not help but ask a deacon standing at one the exits, “Does everyone treat each other like this all the time?” and the deacon responded by saying proudly, “Why yes! This is an every week ocurance.”….The man then asked, “How can you all act like that in front of Jesus every week?”…The deacon responded, “Oh, we don’t have to worry about that….Jesus hasn’t been here for years!” This sadly is true in too many of our churches today.

WE MUST PREPARE TO SEE JESUS EVERY TIME WE COME TO CHURCH AND WE MUST COME SEEKING HIM!!!

I have heard some say, “I come to church, but I just don’t get anything out of it”…….My response to them is, “Did you come to church PREPARED to receive something and were you seeking Jesus?”
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Next..........YOU MUST PRAY FOR GOD TO WORK.

We have not – OR RECEIVE NOT - because we ask not!

Too many times people come and sit and just “DO CHURCH”, OR JUST GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS……..How many of you have ever asked God to do something great and fantastic in any church service you have attended? DID YOU KNOW THAT GOD IS STILL WORKING TODAY AND DOING INCREDIBLE AND MIRACULOUS THINGS IN PEOPLE’S AND IN CHURCH'S LIVES! We should pray at the beginning of every church meeting or service, individually and corporately, and expect God to answer our prayers and move!

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Fourth...............YOU MUST PARTICIPATE AND NOT JUST SPECTATE.

No matter how much we want to ignore it or try to avoid admitting it, it is true; we have some who just like to come and applaud and cheer-on the work of others…….WE ALL NEED TO GET INVOLVED! What have you done on Sunday to service the Master? What will you have done by the end of this week for His service?

PARTICIPATION IS WHEN YOU PUT YOUR HAND TO THE PLOW!!
It is not just sitting on the porch, rocking, and telling the mule and the farmer what a good job they are doing and cheering them on!

Everyone can do something, such as;
Ø Help hold a baby
Ø Hold a door for someone
Ø Sing in the choir
Ø Help with the sound
Ø Help with the children
Ø Help with the teens
Ø Help by volunteering to be an usher
Ø Volunteer to arrange the books and envelopes on the backs of the pews before the service
Ø Volunteer to help clean up and organize everything after each service
Ø Be willing to walk around the sanctuary before each service and greet each and every person present and ask them sincerely how they are doing
Ø Be willing to meet with the Pastor before each service to have prayer for that particular service and for those who are present
Ø Be willing to respond quickly and without hesitation before, during, and after each service when an unexpected need arises
Ø The list can go on and on and on…………..

The key here is to do something FOR JESUS, allow yourself to be an instrument IN HIS HAND, and BE FAITHFUL IN ALL THAT YOU DO FOR HIM! Being faithful is what God asks of each of us and being faithful is what pleases Him.
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AND FINALLY…….YOU MUST PRACTICE WHAT YOU LEARN!!

COMING TO CHURCH IS ONE OF THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE FOR CHRIST!

James 1:22 says, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”

When we come into the House Of God to hear the Word Of God, should we not be prepared to write down what God has to say to us, so as to remember it? Is what God has to say important?

How many of you can remember what the preacher preached about last week? How many of you can remember God’s message for you from the week before? How about 3 weeks ago? How about 2 or 3 months ago?

EVERYBODY SHOULD COME ARMED WITH PEN AND PAPER EVERY TIME THE WORD OF GOD IS TO BE PREACHED AND TAUGHT AND BE PREPARED TO WRITE DOWN NOTES FROM THE SERMON SO YOU CAN LOOK BACK ON THEM AND REMEMBER WHAT WAS SAID AND WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO……YOU CAN NOT DO WHAT YOU CAN NOT REMEMBER!!!

I am going to ask you to get a pen and paper out right now and write these 5 things down (or just print them out) so you can remember them, meditate upon them, study further about them in the Word of God, pray about them being applied in your own personal lives, and then act upon them:
1) Preserve the Sanctity of Sunday, the Lord’s Day….Make Sunday a priority!
2) Prepare before you arrive at church…..Pray and Read The Word!
3) Pray for God to work during each service......Expect God to move!
4) Participate, not just spectate......Get up and do something!
5) Practice what you learn from the messages and from God’s Word by taking notes!

What I have talked about in this blog post should be more than just going through a ritual or a routine or going through the motions…..Being in church on any given Sunday or Wednesday should make an impact on your life…It should make an impact on your children’s lives and anyone you come in contact with on a regular basis….YOU MUST PUT IT INTO PRACTICE AND TEACH AND COMMUNICATE IT TO YOUR CHILDREN AND SHARE IT WITH OTHERS……YOU MUST BE AN EXAMPLE!!

WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO KEEP YOU AWAY FROM CHURCH ON ANY GIVEN SUNDAY OR WEDNESDAY ??? THINK ABOUT WHATEVER THAT IS AND ASK GOD TO HELP YOU TO MAKE CHURCH A PRIORITY OVER THAT….BETTER YET, MAKE CHRIST A PRIORITY OVER EVERYTHING!!!!!

AND WHEN YOU DO THAT, CHURCH WILL AUTOMATICALLY BECOME A PRIORITY; REMEMBER THAT CHURCH IS AND WAS A PRIORITY FOR JESUS!!!!
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9-11; IS IT A DAY OF FEAR OR A DAY OF HOPE?

2009-09-10T16:50:00.003-04:00

“Surely my soul remembers And is bowed down within me. This I recall to my
mind, Therefore I have hope. The LORD‘S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness”

(Lamentations 3:20-23, NASB).

Eight years ago this week on Friday (9-11-09), more than 3,000 innocent people lost their lives in America when on a beautiful September morning the perfect blue sky was shattered by shocking destruction leveled by terrorists driven by hatred. We were numbed as we watched it unfold before our eyes, as many of us said out loud, "This can't be happening!"….And ever since that day, as individuals & as a nation, we have wondered; could it happen again &, if so, when, where, how, & could it be worse???

Long ago, the Prophet Jeremiah also experienced overwhelming grief & fear & was to a point of despair as he reflected on the complete destruction of the city & temple of Jerusalem & on the exile of Judah’s people to Babylonia. He had many reasons to be downcast, worrisome, fearful, angry, & bitter….But Jeremiah also found abundant reasons to overcome his grief with HOPE; THE LORD’S GREAT NEVER-ENDING LOVE, HIS NEVER-FAILING, RENEWING COMPASSIONS, & HIS INCREDIBLE & GREAT FAITHFULNESS!!!!!!!!!!

America/Church/Individual Christian - We have a need to hope; we have a reason to hope; we have the Way to hope!!! In fact, we have available to us the Author of Hope - - The Only Begotten Son, the One Who died for our sins, the One Who brought hope through His death; OUR SAVIOR & LORD, JESUS CHRIST!!!!!!

WE SHOULD CAST ALL OUR HOPE UPON THE ONE WHO LOVED US ENOUGH TO SEND HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON TO THIS EARTH TO DIE A HORRIBLE DEATH ON THE CROSS TO GIVE US ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN. OUR GOD IS A LOVING, COMPASSIONATE, & FAITHFUL GOD!!!

Cast your burdens, your cares, your grief, your fears, & your sins upon the

“God of Hope“!!
Jeremiah found abundant reasons in His Almighty God to overcome his grief with HOPE….

Well, Jeremiah’s God is the same God of today….He has not changed!!!

He promised us that He would never fail us or forsake us and that He would be with us wherever we would go (Joshua 1:5-9)…..Claim that promise and cast your fears aside and place all your hope in the One and Only True God!

Will you allow God take away your fears and give you His hope today???

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ARE YOU GOING THROUGH PAIN?

2009-09-03T15:21:00.005-04:00

“The troubles of my heart have enlarged; Bring me out of my distresses! Look on my affliction and my pain, And forgive all my sins. ” (Psalm 25:17-18, NKJV).

We hear many people say, with good intentions, "It would be so wonderful if there were no pain in this world!”….Their desire is for someone experiencing pain to not have to deal with it, yet pain sometimes has vital uses! At times a child is born without the capacity to feel physical pain and such a child has to monitored constantly to make sure he or she does not bring harm to themselves and not know it. Because they feel no pain, they have no warning of sickness or of danger.

If we observe carefully, pain can instruct and direct us. When we feel pain we know that something needs to change; either the direction we are heading or the actions we are acting. If a child refuses to brush their teeth month after month and they begin to feel the severe pain of a toothache it becomes obvious what needs to happen to avoid that pain in the future.

God sometimes uses pain and trouble in our lives to teach valuable lessons. In God’s plan, these difficulties in our lives become opportunities for us to learn something knew, as long as we are patient to wait upon God to show us His kind presence, healing, and comfort. We should not pray or wish pain upon ourselves or others, but if we are allowed to experience it we should be spiritually prepared to trust that God is in total control, that He is with us wherever we go, that He precedes us in every circumstance, that He has our best interest at heart, and that there is something for us to learn!

No matter what you find yourself going through, if you begin to feel any type of or any amount of pain at all, be sure to fall on your knees and look to the cross; SEEK HIS FACE! And as you ask God to teach you something great as He walks with you and guides you through the pain, remember that He is already waiting for you on the other side to wrap His comforting arms around you!!

GOD IS A GOOD GOD, ALL THE TIME!!!!

Stay focused and let God teach you through your pain!!!

Separating From The Word of God

2009-09-03T02:53:00.004-04:00

Something has been bothering me since around the end of the month of July and I just have to get it out of my system; the so-called "news" that former President Jimmy Carter was resigning his membership in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Am I mistaken, or did the former president already do this back around October of 2000 when he sent a letter to over 60,000 Baptists saying then that he was separating himself from the SBC then? Do you smell a public relations ploy here somewhere? I do!

It was reported after his "PR" move in October, 2000, that President and Mrs. Carter remained members of a congregation that was still affiliated with the SBC....Very interesting?! Well, I guess he didn't lie; he did say that he was "separating himself" from the SBC, not leaving it. Now, here we are almost a decade later and the former president is making the same public declaration again, but yet we hear nothing about the fact that he had already done it years earlier. OK; how many times can you separate from something and still remain part of it? When your a politician, I guess as many times as you want to or need to.

Please do not misunderstand me, I believe that everyone has the right to their own opinion and also have the right to choose if they want to remain associated with a particular group, organization, or denomination. But I also believe that it is wrong to mislead people, especially if you are a well known figure, political or otherwise, and use a certain group, organization, or denomination to get "PR" points and further your popularity and stronghold in a particular political party. It seems to me as though he really doesn't want to completely "separate" from the Southern Baptists because he may need to use the same "PR Trick" in the future to secure a better political status and legacy before he passes on.

Over the years former President Carter has denied the inerrancy of the Word of God, stated that he believes some texts of the Bible are false, and promoted the false teaching that individuals do not have to know Jesus as personal Savior to be saved and get to heaven! If you do not believe that there is only "One Way" to heaven and that "One Way" is through the blood of the Only Begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, then you are denying the Incarnation and the entire Doctrine of Jesus Christ!!! You are saying that there was absolutely no reason for Jesus to even come to this earth to identify with man and become "the likeness of sin" so that He could be the substitution for our sin to save us from an eternal death in hell and give us the free gift of salvation and eternity in heaven with Him!!!! If there are other ways to get to heaven then why did Jesus leave His throne in Glory and come to this earth as a poor lowly Baby, born of the Virgin Mary, live on this earth as 100% man and 100% God, allow Himself to be crucified, die, be buried in a tomb, arise from the dead three days later, and then ascend to heaven to sit at the right hand of Almighty Father???

I will tell you why!!! BECAUSE THERE ARE NO OTHER WAYS TO BE SAVED OR TO GET TO HEAVEN!!!!!!!!! THE ONLY WAY TO RECEIVE THE FREE GIFT OF SALVATION AND SPEND ETERNITY IN HEAVEN WITH GOD IS TO REPENT OF YOUR SINS, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR YOUR SINS, AND RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST INTO YOUR HEART AS YOUR PERSONAL SAVIOR AND LORD.......JESUS SITS AT GOD'S RIGHT HAND WAITING TO INTERVENE FOR ANYONE AND EVERYONE; ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS CALL OUT HIS NAME.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:16-17, NKJV).

President Carter, may I suggest that if you truly feel that the SBC does not best represent your Biblical viewpoint, doctrine, or ideas concerning the "equality of women", then by all means, separate yourself from and remove yourself from the SBC and the teachings of any church affiliated with the SBC. Please go find another church and/or denomination that better fits your ideas and interpretation of God's Holy Word......But may I also suggest; be careful about separating yourself from the Inspired Inerrant Holy Word of God and from the Doctrine of Jesus Christ. "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me'" (John 14:6, NKJV).

I believe that President Carter "separated" himself from the SBC again, not because he doesn't go along with the idea that women are to be "subservient" to their husbands; but because somewhere along the way he has lost sight of the fact that the Word of God is the total truth (inerrant) and is to be the ultimate authority in the lives of the Children of God...Also, he has forgotten that we only become Children of God after we have received the Free Gift of Salvation in Jesus Christ through faith and then we are adopted by our Heavenly Father.

By separating himself again from the SBC he has solidified his place of leadership within his political party....But by separating himself from the truth of the Word of God and the Blood of Christ he has become a False Teacher teaching a False Doctrine....That is definitely more dangerous than any "mad swimming rabbits".

"Man gets life with mercy..."

2009-08-29T11:11:00.005-04:00

As I got the newspaper out of the box this morning, I looked at the main headline on the front page that read, "Man gets life with mercy in killing of area minister". This headline kind of struck me in a different way than I believe it was meant to. The article is about a young man, U.S. Army Spc. Daniel Smith, who has been on trial this past week in Huntington, WV, for his role in the the June 2008 robbery and killing of the Rev. Mark McCalla, a 48 year old pastor of Huntington's Highlawn Presbyterian Church. Pastor McCalla was an avid outdoorsman and was taking target practice on the morning of June 19, 2008, when two young men showed up, Smith and Pfc. Stephen Wilson, after driving from Fort Drum, N. Y., where they were both absent without leave (AWL). This was a horrible crime that was totally unnecessary; based on the descriptions given of Pastor McCalla, I am sure that he would have given them anything they requested without them having to kill him.

The Herald-Dispatch article said, "It took jurors about 90 minutes to agree upon the guilty verdict. They needed another 70 minutes to return the life with mercy recommendation. The mercy recommendation means Smith could be eligible for parole in 15 years, but Prosecutor Tom Plymale said any eligibility would be delayed at least 22 additional years because of Pratt's (Wayne Circuit Judge) robbery sentence." Smith's parents both testified in the sentencing phase and asked the jury to recommend mercy for their son, who turned 24 years old this week. "'I'm begging for you to do it,' testified Talton Smith. 'He's a good man.'" The Public Defender asked the jurors to remember Smith's "honorable service to his country and testimony from his friend's, who called Smith a good person and credited him with saving a fellow soldier from suicide. 'Some day maybe the good in him can come out again,' Lewis (defender) told jurors."

"HE'S A GOOD MAN" ???!!! I'm sorry, but a "good man" does not commit such a horrid act with such malice and then have no remorse whatsoever, until he knew he was found guilty; that's when he begged for "mercy". "HONORABLE SERVICE TO HIS COUNTRY" ???!!! And yet he was AWL from his post in Fort Drum, N.Y.??? Again, I am sorry, but someone who is honorable does not leave their assigned position without prior approval - - my dictionary defines "honorable" as "worthy of honor; upright; a title of distinction or respect." Does that describe Spc. Daniel Smith, or for that matter, Pfc. Stephen Wilson? In fact, none of us are really "good" or "honorable" people....In Luke 18:19, Jesus Himself says, "...Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone." This was in response to a young ruler who asked Him what he needed to do to inherit eternal life.

Paul, one of the most faithful and devoted servants of Jesus Christ in the Bible, came to realize that he was a sinner and worthy of death. In Romans chapter seven, Paul came to understand the true meaning of the law; the law is fundamentally good, but the result of the law is to bring into the open the power of sin. Many people think they can be sanctified, set apart for only Christ's service, by keeping the law. Jesus Christ and His blood Sacrifice is more better and powerful than the law, therefore the only way to be sanctified is through the blood of Jesus! In Romans 7:15-25 we find Paul's explanation of what happens when one tries to be sanctified by keeping the law; "For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I {would} like to {do,} but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want {to do,} I agree with the Law, {confessing} that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good {is} not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin." In this passage, Paul uses the word "flesh" to denote the personality of man controlled by sin and led to selfish desires instead of being led to serving the One True God. Paul is relating his experience as a believer here; in a non-Christian there is no battle, just the bondage of a sinful nature. "For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death" (Romans 7:5).

All of us as human beings were born into this world with a sinful nature and we all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. From the moment we are born we start down a path toward hell and eternal death, but God has prepared and offered a way for us to avoid that and reach eternal life in heaven with Jesus. That is the "MERCY" of God; not getting what we deserve, which is eternal death in hell. But by His "GRACE" we receive eternal life in heaven with Christ! Grace can be defined as God's undeserved, unearned favor, goodness, kindness and love shown toward us....Grace is a free gift that cannot be earned, only received!!!

U.S. Army Spc. Daniel Smith was found guilty and then was recommended for mercy by the jury. Aren't we all guilty? Yes, we are! But we also are recommended for mercy by a God that loves us through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ!! "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him" (I John 4:9). All any of us, including Smith and Wilson, need to do to receive this free gift of salvation is to call out the name of Jesus and admit we are sinners, believe that Jesus died for our sins, confess our sins to Him, and confess Jesus before others; "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13). I pray with all my heart that Smith and Wilson do not miss the opportunities placed before them by God to hear and receive the gift of salvation, therefore being able to receive TRUE 'MERCY" offered by the One who died for them, not just the legal mercy offered by a jury and a judge. So instead of the headline reading, "Man gets life with mercy in killing of area minister", it should read, "MEN GET LIFE THROUGH MERCY AND GRACE BECAUSE OF THE KILLING OF THE ONE AND ONLY SAVIOR"!!!!!

Jesus gave His life voluntarily and was crucified, dead and buried. He then rose from the dead and He is now sitting at the right hand of God Almighty. He is waiting for YOU to call out His name and come to Him as you are, a sinner in need of His MERCY and GRACE......

I RECOMMEND LIFE WITH MERCY AND GRACE!!!

WILL YOU RECEIVE IT?????

"See, he's not just anyone, he's my son."

2009-08-28T11:24:00.004-04:00

Today, August 20th, 2009, is my Son's (Dustin Clark) 26th birthday......

HAPPY 26TH BIRTHDAY, BUDDY!

As I am beginning to write this new post I am listening to a song by Mark Schultz called "He's My Son". When I first heard the name of the song I assumed it was God talking about His Son, Jesus, but when I finally listened to the lyrics I understood that it was from the eyes of a father watching his son growing up and struggling through some type of trial or tribulation; the father is praying to God for protection and guidance for his son......WOW! It brings back so many memories of my son, Dustin, as he struggled growing up and as Debbie and I prayed for him and loved him through those difficult times.

As parents, we doubted our ability many times to be able to raise our kids, Danell and Dustin, the way God intended for us to; as Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it." There were days that I wasn't sure I was training them in the way they should go, which was my responsibility as their father....There were many nights like the nights mentioned at the very beginning of the song by Mark Schultz; "I'm down on my knees again tonight, I'm hoppin' this prayer will turn out right. See, there is a boy that needs your help. I've done all that I can do myself His mother is tired, I'm sure You can understand. Each night as he sleeps She goes in to hold his hand, And she tries not to cry As the tears fill her eyes."

We made so many mistakes, but the one thing we did do right was to continue to pray to God, lift them both up to Him, and trust that God was in control and would lead them in the right direction in spite of our mistakes.....AND HE DID!!!!! Today we have two wonderful adult children that are Christians and are hard working, responsible, and loving parents of our seven wonderful grandchildren!!

OK; back to Dustin....He struggled through so much as he came up through school, all the way from Pea Ridge Elementary to Barboursville Middle School and Cabell Midland High School. I am so thankful that he received Christ into his life at a young age, because I know that is what got him through all of the deep valleys, but as his father I wanted to do so much more for him that I just couldn't do. I spent many nights watching and praying over him; again, more lyrics from the song tell the story - - - "Sometimes late at night I watch him sleep, I dream of the boy he'd like to be. I try to be strong and see him through, But God, who he needs right now is You." At times, as parents, it is so easy to turn your children over to God, but then there are those times you want to do it all for them yourself....The right thing to do is to "let go and let God"!

I always believed and felt from the very start that God had something very special in store for Dustin. As I learned to turn him completely over to the Lord and allow God to work with him and through him, Dustin began to develop a loving and compassionate heart that had a true desire to learn more about God and His Word. He began reading and studying the Bible and applying it to his life and then one day He received a "calling" from God to become a Minster of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; PRAISE THE LORD!!!! He currently is seeking the Lord's guidance as to what he is to do next and where he is to go....He is seeking His face and continuing to obey and follow as he waits upon the Lord.

There are times that he still struggles through difficult situations and circumstances as he tries to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit in his life, and there are still times that I wish I could protect him from what I see coming; once a dad, always a dad and once a son, always a son. I still pray for him and watch over him as I did when he was my "Little Buddy", only now he isn't sleeping in my house and he is my "Big Buddy". More lyrics from the song "He's My Son" express what was in my heart as a younger father looking down at my younger son, but they also express what is in my heart today as I think about how much I love Dustin, how much he means to me, and how proud I am of him; the prayer continues with these words - "Can You hear me? Am I getting through tonight? Can You see him? Can You make him feel all right? If You can hear me Let me take his place some how. See, he's not just anyone, he's my son."

Now I know that I cannot live Dustin's life for him and I know that I shouldn't try, and I don't. But that fatherly instinct kicks in and your heart breaks when you see your child going through something that is difficult or heading into a hard trial and you want to protect them from the hurt by going through it for them. Instead, I must step back and allow God to go through it with them as He teaches them something new and important for their spiritual growth; what I need to do is the right thing that I did when they were younger - - PRAY!!!

Dustin is somebody special and he is special to God, as we all are. God is preparing him for a special ministry He already has waiting for him; what exactly, where exactly, and when exactly, I don't know.....But this I do know - - I will continue to pray for and watch over him every day and every night as I continue to turn him over to God and joyously watch as God grows him into what He wants him to be.

Heavenly Father, Dustin is important to me and what happens to him is important to me.....For GOD, he's not just anyone, he's my son! Please let him know YOU are there; as much as I care and try to do for him GOD, who he needs right now is YOU! LORD, please bless him in a special way on this special day and show him the way YOU would have him to go. Thank YOU LORD for my children and grandchildren and may their lives be dedicated to YOU and devoted to serving YOU only, now and in the future. In Jesus Christ's name I pray. Amen.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DUSTIN! I AM VERY PROUD OF YOU! MAY GOD BLESS YOU INDEED, TODAY AND EVERY DAY!!!

I AM SO GLAD YOU ARE MY SON!!!!

Love, Dad!

My "Unquenchable Love" For My Wife

2009-08-18T13:09:00.000-04:00

"Place me like a seal over your heart, or like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, and its jealousy is as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. Many waters cannot quench love; neither can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with everything he owned, his offer would be utterly despised" (Song of Solomon 8:6-7).

WOW!!! I can't express how strong my love for my wife, Debbie, is better than this Scripture expresses for me! "For love is as strong as death,......Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. Many waters cannot quench love; neither can rivers drown it." I love my wife with all of that strong, fiery, passionate love these verses speak of, but I also love my God that much and much, much more! That is why I can love my dearest and closest friend with such a deep, hot, strong, and enduring love....The even stronger and deeper love that I have for the one who loved me enough to die for me, Jesus Christ, allows me and helps me to love Debbie the way that I do!

God's Holy Word is saying here that when we experience true earthly love that we should desire to be our partner's most precious and treasured possession. It is saying that this true love cannot be quenched, nor bought; for if we attempt to buy it, that action alone shows that we despise it. I know that for the past 32 years Debbie and I have been "two as one" as we have made it very clear that we truly do belong to one another....We are each other's most precious and treasured possession. On Thursday, August 20, 2009, just a few days from now, we will celebrate our 32nd Wedding Anniversary. It has been a wonderful and exciting 32 year journey!!! Now I won't try to lie to you and tell you that it has been an easy or perfect 32 years together. We have had our love's flame drenched by many streams and rivers of doubt, frustration, trials, and hurt, but that flame has never been quenched - God's love for us and our love for Him has been the fuel that has kept that fire burning!....We have definitely had to work at making it work and last! Anything that is worth anything and important to us takes energy, time, and effort. There have been times throughout our relationship that we have said harsh words and acted unloving toward each other, but we have always been able to go to the Lord and to each other and receive forgiveness. To be successful in marriage and in life, we must remember that we, as individuals, and as couples, are a "work in progress" in the hands of our Creator and Lord! If our Lord is willing to take the time to work on us and our relationship day to day, then why shouldn't we also be willing to work on our own relationship? Debbie and I have been able to learn over the years how to love and forgive one another and to "build a bridge, get over it, and move on."

We have made beautiful memories together as we have parented two wonderful children together, Danell and Dustin, and then have become the proud grandparents of seven great kids; Ashleigh, Christian, Nicolas, Michael, Kaylee, Cesylia, and Abigayle. We have also had two sets of wonderful supporting parents throughout our marriage....I can honestly say that we probably would not have made it to where we are today if not for the love of our parents! My Mother and Father, Sylvia and Charles Clark, have gone on to be with the Lord, but Debbie's parents, Freda and Dan Kimsey, are still part of our support system today. I want to say a big "Thank You" to them all; I appreciate all that they have done for us over the years!

Above all else and all others, our One and Only True God has been the biggest reason that Debbie and I remain married and deeply in love with one another today!!!!! For without Him we would not have been able to continue along our journey together and continued to love each other and our family as we have. We have claimed His promises to us that he would never leave or forsake us, that He would always be with us through every single trial and tribulation, that He would never give us more than He knows we can handle, that He would give us New Strength to make it through each new difficulty, that He always be in complete and total control of every situation, that He is a loving and compassionate God, and that He will always do what is best for us!!! HE HAS NEVER FAILED US YET AND HE NEVER WILL!!

Debbie Danell (Kimsey) Clark is my best friend, my confidant, my best buddy, the Mother of my children, my "most treasured possession", the one"who possesses me", the "object of my love and passion", my lover, the "love of my life", my wife, and the best gift I could ever dream of or imagine from a loving God!

Debbie, I want to wish a Wonderful and Happy 32nd Wedding Anniversary!!!

I also want to thank you for the best 32 years of my life and for putting up with me and being patient as God has continued to do a work in and through me throughout the years. As my friend has said about he and I numerous times, and I have been quick to agree each time, "We have definitely married up and we are 2 truly blessed men!" Debbie, thank you for the true honor and privilege to be your husband, lover, and friend....God has truly blessed me, INDEED!!!!!!!!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY AND MAY WE HAVE MANY MORE YEARS OF "UNQUENCHED LOVE" AND PASSION FOR ONE ANOTHER, BUT ALSO, MORE IMPORTANTLY, FOR OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST!!!!

MAY WE CONTINUE TO BE "TWO IN ONE AND ONE IN TWO"!!

A Faithful, Promise Keeping God!

2009-08-10T22:16:00.000-04:00

God is a faithful God who keeps His promises! Many years ago God promised to use me fully to make an impact on the world for Christ's sake, but unfortunately I lost site of God's calling in my life and failed miserably....Thank the Good Lord, He did not give up on me!
As the years went by and grew older, I began to seek God's will in my more and more and one day He restated His promise to me....About three years ago, just when I was wondering if God had forgotten His promise to me, He renewed His Calling to me and His promise as well!!! He said, "Darrell, just continue to follow and obey, walk by faith and not by sight, and be patient and wait upon me; do this and I will answer your prayers and keep my promises."
I began doing just that and this past Wednesday night, on August the 5th, God answered my prayers and fulfilled His promises to me He had made years ago....Central Baptist Church in Ashland, Kentucky, voted to issue a call to me to be their next full time pastor; PRAISE THE LORD!!!! God has truly blessed me to allow me the privilege to serve Him and His people on an everyday basis!! I count this a true honor and privilege to serve the people at Central Baptist Church!
I have been serving there as the Interim Pastor for the past four months, helping to prepare the congregation for their next permanent pastor; transitioning them with God's direction. God has truly blessed over those four months as He has been doing a work in and through me and the church! Now I must shift gears into working long term plans as we seek God's will for us in spreading the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the neighborhood, the city, the country, and the world. Over the past four months God has been orchestrating a "spiritual symphony" where He brought two Christian bodies together to play a wonderful and beautiful tune. Now we corporately have the responsibility to seek God's guidance as we tune the instruments, rearrange the sections, learn the songs, and then play the music for the Lord!
Our most difficult and vigorous work is ahead of us, but I am up for it and I know the faithful people at Central Baptist are as well. If we will continue to stay focused on Christ and His mission for us, continue to follow and obey, walk by faith and not by sight, be patient and wait upon Him, and remember that He is a faithful God that ALWAYS keeps His promises, then He will answer our prayers and fulfill the promises He has made to us!!!!!
Serving The One and Only True God has been an exciting journey and I can't wait to see what He has in store around the next corner!!! Thank you Lord for keeping your promises!!!!! AMEN.

The Love A Friend Left Behind

2009-08-06T21:48:00.000-04:00

"WILLIAM CHARLES SEEGMILLER JR., 56, of Huntington, loving husband of Patricia Whitt Seegmiller, passed away Saturday, August 1, 2009. Bill, as he was known to his family and friends, was the son of the late William Charles and Lorena Melrose Seegmiller. In addition to his wife, Bill is survived by his son, William Tyler Seegmiller of Huntington, his wife's three children, who he loved and cared for as his own, Erin Stone Wesol and her husband Nick of Fairfax, Va., Jacob Stone of Richmond, Kentucky, and Rachel Stone of Spartanburg, South Carolina; one precious new grandson, Beckett Reid Wesol, of Fairfax, Va........Online condolences may be conveyed to the family at http://www.beardmortuary.com/." (The Herald-Dispatch Online Obituaries).

I attended Bill's funeral today and was able to see and talk to Pat, his wife, Jacob, & Erin. Pat & Bill were good friends of mine & Debbie's when we use to be members at Beverly Hills Baptist (BHB)...We had their kids in youth and childrens Sunday School for many years and they were friends of our children. I really liked and loved Bill and still like and love Pat...Bill was always a likable person and treated me with respect and kindness every time that I saw him, even since leaving BHB many years ago. I did not claim to be one of his "closest friends" or "buddies", but we did get to know each other through the years.

Today I realized that there was so much about Bill that I either did not know or seemed to overlook and not see....As I sat there hearing the wonderful, respectful words from his "children" and wife being read and/or spoken, I understood that there was a very special side to Bill that I had allowed myself to miss. When we attended the same church together and our children were involved in the same activities together over many years, I knew that his "children" included three "step-children", Erin, Jacob, and Rachel, and one child of his own, Tyler. But to be honest, I never really gave it a second thought because the "step-children" treated him just as though he was their "real dad" and he treated them just as though they were his "real children".....They had a wonderful relationship and family and never acted like there was anything "different" about what they were doing and how they were doing it; there was no special attention given to the fact that they were not biologically connected. They were "real" to each other!! That is something very special!!!

The children talked today about how Bill had loved them and treated them just like his own and that they realized that he didn't have to. That got me to thinking about my son, Dustin, and my "grandson", Nicolas; Nicolas is Dustin's stepson, but no one would ever know by the way he treats him and loves him! In fact, Nicolas calls Dustin "Dad" and people have told them how much they look alike, not knowing they are not biologically connected. It takes a very special person to receive a child into their lives that is not a child "of their bone" and make them feel like they are genuinely their own....Bill Seegmiller and Dustin Clark are two of those very special people!!!!

I also knew that Bill had some very serious health issues throughout his years but today I really learned what a brave man he truly was, as he went about his daily routine never complaining or feeling sorry for himself. It made me realize how I need to take better care of myself physically and how I need to appreciate my situation more.

Watching the pictures of Bill and his family today, I saw how much Bill loved his wife and children and it reminded me of how I need to show my love and appreciation for my wonderful wife of almost 32 years, my children, and my grandchildren more than I do now....Bill left this world quickly and unexpectantly this past Saturday, but before he did he fully showed his love for his family and left a wonderful legacy; his life showed Christ's love to the world through the love he had for his family, loved ones, church family, and friends! Will my life show the same testimony? I pray that it does, but I realized today that I need to take the time to love my family more and with better quality!

Bill Seegmiller's love, life, and testimony taught me something as I realized I did not know him in this life as well as I thought I did or as well as I wish I did....I believe that I could have learned a lot more from him if I had paid a little more attention to his life while he was living it. I am thankful and blessed for the time I did know him, but I am really thankful for what God showed me and taught me today as I heard and saw the love that Bill left behind! Thank you, Bill!

Genuine Worship Experiences

2009-08-04T10:53:00.000-04:00

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24 - Holman CSB).

WE ARE TO WORSHIP GOD EVERY DAY!!!!

Here of late, in our services at Central Baptist Church, especially our Sunday Morning Worship Service, we have been emphasizing and focusing on the true and genuine individual and corporate worship experience….We have been moving to a better understanding that worshiping God is what it is all about; not just making sure that we have 3 hymns, 3 prayers, 1 solo, 1 offering, 1 sermon, and 1 invitation before we finish. It is a must to realize that what we do and how many times we do it throughout a worship service is not the important thing, but instead what is of the utmost importance is that we do it with a spirit and attitude of holy reverence and joyful praise for our Almighty God!!

Our worship experience should not start when we walk through the doors of the church building or after the first prayer is prayed….Worshiping God on Sunday mornings should begin the night before with preparation through prayer and Bible study, as well as making sure we are properly rested so as to give God our very best offering of praise. We all should ready our hearts, minds, and bodies to hear and receive what God has to teach and show us.

THAT IS SUNDAY MORNING; WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE WEEK???
Do you take time out of each day of the week to worship your Heavenly Father??
Do you wait until Sunday morning to give Him praise and honor?? Your answer to these questions will determine the quality and direction of your spiritual life!!

When we worship God every day that we live, we are truly blessed, but if we decide to not worship Him, for whatever reason, we loose out on so much that He desires for us to experience! God belongs at the very center of our lives every day and He gives us opportunities to worship Him through our words, our actions, our reactions, and our attitudes….As a child of God, we must put Him where He belongs in our daily walk - ALWAYS FIRST!!!!

I Thessalonians 5:18 says, “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”….This should remind us to praise God in every circumstance of our life!! Sometimes, when things become overwhelming, we don’t feel much like praising and worshiping God….God’s Word is very clear: In every and all situations, our Heavenly Father makes His wonderful love, grace, and strength available to us, therefore, in all circumstances, we should thank Him and worship His Holy Name!!!!!!!

When we worship God with a sincere heart, every day, He will guide our steps and bless us abundantly, every day….

Have you worshiped God with a sincere and genuine heart today???
Please take the time to give Him thanks & honor your Heavenly Father!!!!

Atheist Really Do Believe

2009-08-02T09:24:00.000-04:00

There was a little old lady, who every morning stepped onto her front porch, raised her arms to the sky, and shouted: "PRAISE THE LORD!"....One day an atheist moved into the house next door. He became irritated at the little old lady. Every morning he'd step onto his front porch after her and yell: "THERE IS NO LORD!".....Time passed with the two of them carrying on this way every day.....One morning, in the middle of winter, the little old lady stepped onto her front porch and shouted: "PRAISE THE LORD! Please Lord, I have no food and I am starving, provide for me, oh Lord!
The next morning she stepped out onto her porch and there were two huge bags of groceries sitting there. "PRAISE THE LORD!" she cried out....."HE HAS PROVIDED GROCERIES FOR ME!"
The atheist neighbor jumped out of the hedges and shouted: "HA! HA! THERE IS NO LORD I BOUGHT THOSE GROCERIES!!"....The little old lady threw her arms into the air and shouted:"PRAISE THE LORD! HE HAS PROVIDED ME WITH GROCERIES AND MADE THE DEVIL PAY FOR THEM!
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An Atheist is “one who denies the existence of God”, according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary.
When we as Christians decide that we do not need God to help us with our problems, trials, or tribulations; when we decide that we can do everything ourselves, are we not also, at least for those moments, denying the existence of God? At those times in our lives, we are saying that there is no God who can take us through our situations, therefore we need to take care of it all alone....OK, I agree; that is a little bit of a stretch, but you must agree that there is some truth in that concept.
I also believe that it is a stretch, quite a stretch, to say that our Heavenly Father, the Creator of all things, does not exist! To deny the existence of God when there is so much evidence around us, everywhere that we look, I believe, is foolish.
The Word of God says in Psalm 14:1, “The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good.” Mitchell Kahle, an atheist and the founder and president of Hawaii Citizens for the Separation of State and Church, uses this Scripture to say that “Atheists are often branded as amoral or wicked” by Christians and Bible believers. In this Scripture God is not looking down from heaven at just the atheist, but instead He is looking at all mankind and sees that they have all played the fool. This is referring to one who denies God's moral control of the world and who are morally perverse and profane toward God and God's people; the psalmist sees people all about him acting like fools.
As Followers of Christ, we are not saying that all atheists are “fools”, but again I say that I believe it is “foolish” to believe there is no God. In fact, I believe it is “foolish” to not believe that God is a sovereign God and is in control of all that effects us. I especially believe that it is “foolish” to not trust in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, for without Jesus in your life you have no eternal future in heaven. Please don't be mistaken though, you will have an eternal future! It will instead be a future of eternal death and destruction in hell.
Mitchell Kahle also says, “that the freedom of belief includes the freedom to not believe;”....The problem here is that atheists actually do believe; they believe that there is no God! I say that freedom of belief allows you to believe what you choose. If you believe there is no God, that is your choice. Just please don't ask me to not believe that you are foolish; that is my freedom to believe, as I trust and believe on God's Holy Word.
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Build A Bridge of Forgiveness

2009-07-30T15:50:00.000-04:00

“All bitterness, anger and wrath, insult and slander must be removed from you, along with all wickedness. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” (Ephesians 4:31-32-Holman CSB).
C. S. Lewis once said, “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”
Our Lord & Savior taught us to pray saying, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matt. 6:12)….And then two verses later, Jesus continues talking about forgiveness; “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” (Matt. 6:14-15)….It sounds to me as though Jesus is taking forgiveness pretty seriously!
It has been said that life is a continual exercise in forgiveness and that it is an essential step in overcoming tough times….Christ understood the importance of forgiveness, and we need to as well, but sometimes, forgiveness is indeed difficult. When we have been hurt or embarrassed, we have the tendency to strike back and to hurt the ones who have hurt us….But Christ teaches us that forgiveness is GOD’s WAY!!!
MERCY IS AN INTREGAL PART OF GOD’S PLAN FOR OUR LIVES….WE ARE COMMANDED TO WEAVE THE THREAD OF FORGIVENESS INTO THE VERY FABRIC OF OUR LIVES!!!!!
When we hold a grudge & don’t forgive others it takes precious time out of our lives & traps us in a prison of our own creation; in a prison of anger, bitterness, envy, or regret….When we do not forgive others, we allow Satan to interrupt & hurt our testimony & ministry for Jesus!!
As long as we continue to allow an unforgiving spirit to permeate our lives, we cannot, & will not, be effective servants for Jesus Christ or for the mission we have before us; to spread the Gospel to the world!!
Have you made forgiveness a high priority in your life???
If not, then it’s time to finally get serious about forgiveness!!!!!
Stop worrying about the injustices you have suffered & the people who inflicted them, & sincerely ask God to forgive you for your inability to forgive others!!! Build a bridge, get over it & move on!!!
“God expects us to forgive others as He has forgiven us; we are to follow His example by having a forgiving heart.” (Vonette Bright)

Welcome to My Blog

2009-07-30T12:04:00.000-04:00

Setting up new blog.
More to come soon.