Be A Blessing

1 Thessalonians 5:24 “Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.”

The key to being blessed is to be a blessing. To be successful in your Christian life is to make everything and everyone you touch a little better.

The essence of Christianity is relationship, first you relate to God, and then you relate to others. People won’t go along with you, unless they can get along with you.

There is a motive for blessing others; you do it because you love them. Blessing is the opposite of manipulation; i.e., using people, or stepping on them to get ahead. You cannot bless others for your selfish purpose.

Do you get more pleasure out of life by helping others, or defeating others?
When you get old, your greatest joy will not be your victories, but the victories you helped others win.

(1) You bless others when you initiate faith in them.
a. You must give your faith to them to help them have more faith. Four men brought a cripple to Jesus, “When He (Jesus) saw their (4 men) faith . . .” Mark 2:5

b. People are always waiting for someone to believe in them. When you believe in them, it helps them believe in God.

c. God helps you see people for what they can become, not just for what they already are.

d. Every discouraged person needs someone with a “yes you can” attitude.

e. When they question God, give them confidence, when they doubt, give them security. When they can’t do something show them a plan by faith that can be accomplished.

(2) How can I know that I am blessed?
a. You don’t mind blessing others.
b. You get energy from blessing others.
c. You get satisfaction from blessing others.
d. You bless others by making yourself valuable to them.

-The better Christian you become, the more you can bless others. Therefore, you must be a life-long learner, to be able to bless others.

(3) Nobody likes these kinds of people.
a. People who belittle you.
b. People who discourage you.
c. People who criticize you.
d. People who don’t believe in you.

-Even critics and complainers want someone to encourage them.
-You must be for more things than you are against.

(4) How can I identify blessed people?
a. By seeing their relationship with God lived daily.
b. By the way they treat others.
c. They live with a purpose they are willing to die for.
d. They acknowledge the source of their accomplishments in life.
e. Their word is their bond and in them you find trust.

(5) Blessed people know and relate to the needs and desires of those seeking answers.
a. They can find their agenda in life.
b. They will ask questions and value their answers.
c. They will always point them to God who adds value.
d. They will tell them how God can add value to their life.
e. They will pray for God’s blessing on them.
f. They will speak God’s Word upon them.
g. They will point them to the way God blesses.

When The Fire Goes Out The Lion Moves In!

1 Peter 5:8, 9 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.”

Proverbs 26:13 “The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.”

A doctor and his wife from America flew into the jungles of Africa for a day of bird watching and photography. When night fell they went to bed in their tent with a campfire outside. They had been warned to keep logs on the fire all night or the lions would come in. The fire was blazing hot when they both fell into a deep sleep. Sadly, they left no one to feed the fire and the fire became smoldering embers. When darkness settled in, a lioness stuck her head into the tent and tore off the head of the doctor right in front of his wife.

(1) The devil loves to attack where there is darkness instead of fire!
When the fire is burning hot, people are talking about what God is showing them, scriptures they have read, and God using them in witnessing. But something happens where they become overly-familiar with the fire and don’t continue to put logs on the fire.

Revelation 2:1-5 “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

(2) The devil loves to go after the stragglers and those who pull away from the safety of the fold!

Romans 12:4, 5 “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.”

In Africa, lions will lay out watching herds. They know their own strength, but they also know the strength of numbers. When they look at a herd of zebras, they know if they attack one and the herd stampedes, they could be injured. When they see one rebelliously remove him self and independently feed away from the herd it becomes their target. When that zebra gets far enough away from the pack, the lions will pounce, pull it into the tall grass, go for the jugular, and begin eating the meat, even before the herd even knew what happened.
Stay in the strength of fellowship. Don’t be a straggler and remove yourself from family of God. The lion is watching.

Hebrews 6:18 CEV “God cannot tell lies! And so his promises and vows are two things that can never be changed. We have run to God for safety. Now his promises should greatly encourage us to take hold of the hope that is right in front of us.”

Hebrews 10:25 “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.”

(3) The devil moves in to feed where there is stubbornness, contention, and constant bickering!

Hebrews 12:14-16 “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.”

When buffalo become aware of a marauding lion, they make a circle and lock their horns. When they sense a lion is lurking nearby, they instinctively lock their horns and put their hind quarters in and make a big circle. The babies are inside the circle of protection of the buffalos. Whenever there is a male and female buffalo with a disagreement and are being stubborn, there is a gap in the circle. The lion will keep circling until he finds a gap and the lion will rush in toward that gap. The buffalos will then rush off and stampede and leave their young vulnerable to the attack of the enemy.

Isaiah 38:14-16 “Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me. What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul. O LORD, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live.”

(4) The devil moves in when the Father’s Word is disobeyed!

1 Samuel 15:23 “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.”

There was a boy one day in the field with his father in Zimbabwe. He said, “Dad, I know there a lot of chores to setup camp, but I saw a deer. Will you give me permission to go kill that deer and bring back meat for the whole camp tonight?” The father said, "No, it is too late. The darkness is almost upon us and you must stay here and help setup camp." The boy disobeyed his Father and went into the jungle searching for the deer.  He saw it the distance, fired a shot, and the deer fell. As the boy approached the deer, it ran off into the woods and the boy pursued it. It became dark and he lost his way in the woods. The smell of the blood brought two lions into his path and the boy climbed up tree 2 get away from them. He stayed in that tree all night with only two bullets left in his gun. When morning came the boy knew he needed to fire a shot so his father would know where he was. He used his remaining bullet to kill one of the two lions that started to make an attempt to climb the tree. As the second lion angrily pounced toward the tree, the father came out of the jungle and shot it. As the boy gets down from the tree, the father pushes the tree and it crashes down. One more blow and the tree would have fallen because it was eaten with termites.

Proverbs 17:11 “An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.”

God is not trying to keep you from having fun. God knows where the mine fields are. He knows if you do what He forbids, you will lose your life, wife, health, joy. It doesn’t mean you are destroyed forever, but that you may be in intensive care for a while.

A Real Friend

What is a real friend?

-A Real friend will defend you when others speak evil of you.

-A Real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks away.

-A Real friend is a living treasure, and if you have one, you have one of the most valuable gifts in life.

-A Real friend is the one who will always be beside you, through all the laughter, and through each and every tear.

-A Real friend is the one thing you can always rely on; the some one you can open up to; the one wonderful person who always believes in you in a way that no-one else seems to.

-A Real friend is a sanctuary and a smile.

-A Real friend is a hand that is always holding yours, no where you are, no matter how close or far apart you may be.

-A Real friend is a feeling of forever in the heart.

-A Real friend is the one whose door is always open and the one to whom you can give your key.

-A Real friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be.

We Could Use A Few A Good Men- Acts 1:13, 14

Acts 1:13, 14 "And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren."

As we approach Mother's Day I am very thankful for the women of the church. If we are honest with ourselves, without the faithful women of our churches today most of us would not survive. Biblically the men are supposed to be the spiritual leaders of their households, but in this generation the men have fallen very short of the mark. that'w why we could sure use a few good men.

(1) We need men that are teachable and who will receive instruction about the resurrection of Christ, their responsibility to Christ, and the return of Christ.

(2) We need men that will become examples of Christ and their hearts filled with conviction, compassion, and courage.

(3) We need men that are founded in their faith, fed daily through the Word, and filled with the Holy Ghost power of God.

(4) We need men who will cry out the message to the lost, preach with convicting power the scripture, bring comfort to the hurting, and help convert the wicked into the righteous.

Let this be our prayer today, "Lord give us a few good men who will take up the banner of holiness and righteousness, be an example to their families and communities, and share the gospel with a lost and dying world."

Yes, God still needs a few good men.

  

It's always sad when one of our idols let's us down. Whether it's the superstar athelete, politician, or tv/movie star it affects us in more ways than we even realized. Our bubbles are burst, our expectations are lowered, and our mind becomes jaded by their failures and mistakes.

That's what happens when idols become more important than God. 

The Apostle Paul knew there was no validity and genuineness to idols and wrote about it several times in his letters to the churches under his supervision. Yet at the same time he recognized who was behind it all, that being the Satan. Paul knew that when people worshiped their false gods, they were actually being guided by demon powers. Idol worship brought man into contact with demons, not with God. Any thing offered to idols had been used to serve the purposes of demons and for that reason, could be considered a polluted thing.

In America we have created idols that seperate us from the holiness of God. These idols all have their personna and charisma and we pattern our lives after and emulate them. There's nothing wrong with having heroes, but if you are a partaker of the things of Christ by faith, there are some things that you dare not touch or let overshadow the presence of God in your life. God wants His people to be separated from all forms of evil and from wicked persons.

Why does God demand that of us? He does not want us to take a chance on being mislead and corrupted by the influence of people who care nothing about God. I believe that is why the whole tone of the Word of God is that there should not be an "unequal yoke."

One of the reasons why God commanded Israel to utterly destroy the wicked inhabitants when they conquered a city, was so the people of Israel would not be polluted and mislead by the heathen whose territory they were conquering.

People today are weaker today on separation from evil than we ever have been. We get so use to sin, that the strong convictions we once had in the church seem to be going out the back door. Everything that anyone wants to do today is alright. Why? We have lost sight of a holy God who wants His people to be a separate holy people.

I am sure there are many people who have run headstrong into some relationship, without the approval of God, who wishes they had not begun the relationship in the first place. It pays to listen to the Bible and follow its teachings and principles.

God takes holiness much more serious than we do in our lives. If it took the shedding of human blood to keep His people holy, he meant for blood to be shed. That is how seriously God takes the matter of His people living and associating righteously.

When we see God’s attitude toward separation in the Old Testament, it is not difficult to understand what Paul meant when he said, "Be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers"- that means in business partnerships, marriage relationships and a host of other things.

Idolatry was a tremendous temptation in Corinth. It was a city of idolatry. Most people in the city were non-Jews- most of them being Gentiles. There were idol temples scattered throughout the huge city of Corinth. Idolatry was a great temptation there because of the peer pressure to be involved some way in its practice.

What does that have to do with us? We are tempted to idolatry, though there are not little images that we worship around our house.

-Idolatry is giving to any creation or human creation, the honor or devotion which belongs to God alone.

-Idolatry is giving human desire precedence or a greater importance than God’s will in our lives.

-Idolatry is defined as coveteousness in Colossians 3:5. To "covet" something is to desire something without due regard to the rights of others. A greedy desire to have more and to have something that belongs to someone else. The Bible says we are not to "covet" our neighbor’s wife in Exodus 20:17.

I believe it is best seen in our lives in two ways:

-Putting our will above God’s will.

-Your will can become your God.

If some one is going to accuse us of anything, let’s be found guilty of following the Lord wholly. Let’s give proper attention to Him and proper allegiance and follow after idols or false gods in and off this world. He has called us to be separated from an ungodly world and to know the fulness of His blessing. Let God be God in your life and break the stranglehold of the enemy. the devil is defeated when you allow God to be the Lord of all your life and refuse to let the enemy take control.

The Grave Is Empty

Luke 24

Though you may not visit the empty tomb in this life, you can take a trip through God’s Holy Word. The empty tomb was a place of happenings. It was located right at the foot of the hill where Jesus was crucified. The body of Jesus was placed in a borrowed tomb, belonging to a rich man, by the name of Joseph of Arimithea.

Our Lord’s body was buried late on Friday afternoon. The women rested on the Sabbath which began at sunset that evening. They purchased anointing oil after sunset that closed the Sabbath or Saturday. Very early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, the women left Bethany , which was about 2 miles from Jerusalem, and arrived at the tomb just after sunrise. The sun had already risen before they reached the tomb.

-Verse 2 "They found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre."

Why was the stone removed? Not so Jesus could get out. Later Christ meets with the disciples and with the doors shut in the upper room, all the sudden He appears in their midst, with all the doors being shut. Christ did not have to open the door to get in, He simply walked in, while the door was shut, just as there was no door. Since that is true, we know that He would not be necessary for an angel to remove the huge stone so He could get out. The stone was removed so the women and the disciples could look inside and see that death could not hold Him down.

He is still rolling away stones in our lives that would get in the way of us catching a proper glimpse of Him. Satan tries to bring huge stones into our lives that would keep us from gazing by faith upon the Lord Jesus, but believer, greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world..

-Verse 3 "They entered in and found not the body of the Lord Jesus."

It was not removed by Jesus enemies or stolen by the disciples, but there had been a resurrection. Verse 12 says when Peter came into the tomb that the linen clothes were laid by themselves. It had not been some kind of haphazard theft of a body from a gravesite, the clothes were neat and in order. Christ came through those grave wrappings. They had not been disturbed and wrapped off as they were wrapped on. Christ simply came through those grave wrappings as though they were not around Him. That left them in a very neat state--all intact in one spot where His body had been laid.

If you were to go the grave of those who began religions like Budda, Mohammed, or whoever else you may name, you will find their bodies are entombed in various locations around the world. But, not so with Jesus. We are the only faith, founded hundreds of years ago, whose leader cannot be found in a tomb.

-Verse 4 "Two men stood by them in shining garments"

They women entered into the sepluchre, and were very perplexed. To be "perplexed" is to be baffled, perplexed, confused, befuddled, dumbfounded, or puzzled.

Why were the garments of the angels shining? Why did they have a brilliance about them, that human garments do not have? They were the ministers of God with the brightness of the glory world about them. They gave a little glimpse, simply by their appearance of the glory of involved in the resurrection of Christ.

-Verse 6 "Why seek he the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen."

What good news that was to the women who came. They didn’t really expect a resurrection to occur. They were bringing spices they had bought the previous evening to come and anoint the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is difficult to anoint a body when it is not there.

When they heard that He had arisen, though they did not expect it, what glad tidings it was to them! How wonderful it was to know that the cruel jaws of death, could not hold down the Lord Jesus Christ!

-Verse 7 "The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again."
The Bible then tells us, after hearing what the angel said, about what Jesus said concerning His resurrection, "And they remembered His words."It is a wonderful moment when we remember the word of the Lord concerning the resurrection of believers.

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 says, "It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body."

1 Cor 15:51-53 declares, "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality."

-Verse 9 "They told all these things to the eleven and to the rest."

After seeing what they had seen, they could not help but to tell others about the empty tomb. We need some more "just can’t help it,"witnessing in our day and time. A witness is one that declares what he has seen or heard. The main reason there is so little witness of Christ today is that most folks have not heard anything from Him, or seen anything of Him.

-Verse 12 "Then arose Peter and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the line clothes laid by themselves and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass."

He was anxious to get involved in the things of Christ. If you will remember, he denied the Lord three times, just outside the Hall of Ciaphas, the high priest, just before the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter was no doubt a believer and that bothered him greatly. The Spirit of God and his own conscience had convicted him of what he had done. Now he wanted to see Jesus again.

Yes, the grave is empty and Jesus is alive. If you don't know Him, ask and he will find you and set you free. He's the only one who truly can give you life eternal.

A Message To Younger Preachers

A young preacher will be wise to learn from older preachers who have already traveled the road they are getting read to trod. Experience is a valuable teacher. If you learn from those who have already experienced what it is to make right and wrong moves in the church, it may just keep you from heading down a wrong pathway that will lead to your destruction.

(1) Seperating yourself from evil-I Timothy 6:11
-Abstain from fleshly lusts. I Peter 2:11
-Should not have fellowship with unfruitfulness. Ephesians 5:11
-Abstain from all evil. I Thessalonians 5:22

(2) Don't get caught up in gossip. I Timothy 4:7
-Recognize the error of gossip. James 1:26
-Do not be a talebearer. Leviticus 19:16
-Let your conversation should honor Christ. Philippians 1:27

(3) Understand the power of prayer-I Timothy 2:1
-Pray with faith. Matthew 21:22
-Pray with humility. II Chronicles 33:12
-Pray with earnestness. I Thessalonians 3:10

(4) Rely on the power of worship-I Timothy 3:15
-Worship God in spirit and truth. John 4:24
-Worship with reverence. Exodus 3:5
-Worship with rejoicing. Psalm 122:1.

(5) Show respect for others-I Timothy 5:1-3
-Listen the burdens of others. Galatians 6:2
-Always show hospitality. I Peter 4:9
-Minister unto others. I Peter 4:10

(6) Be an example to all believers-I Timothy 4:12
-An example in good works. Titus 2:7
-An example in speech. Job 2:10
-An example in conduct. Hebrew 11:2

(7) Contend for your faith-I Timothy 6:12
-Defend the faith. Romans 1:16
-Preach with boldness. II Corinthians 4:13
-Proclaim the Word of Life. Philippians 2:16

As a minister with 39 years of experience I know I keep learning something new everyday. The learning process never stops. However, if I can help some young preacher from making some of the mistakes that I did along the way it is my responsibility to do so. It is my hope that something in this blog today will help some young pastor in a time of need.

To All The Young Preachers

A young preacher will be wise to learn from older preachers who have already traveled the road they are getting read to trod. Experience is a valuable teacher. If you learn from those who have already experienced what it is to make right and wrong moves in the church, it may just keep you from heading down a wrong pathway that will lead to your destruction.

(1) Seperate yourself from evil-I Timothy 6:11 "But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness." -The young preacher should abstain from fleshly lusts-I Peter 2:11.
-The young preacher should not have fellowship with unfruitfulness-Ephesians 5:11.
-The young preacher should abstain from all evil-I Thessalonians 5:22.

(2) Stay away from gossip-I Timothy 4:7 "But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness."

-The young preacher should recognize the error of gossip-James 1:26.
-The young preacher should not be a talebearer-Leviticus 19:16.
-The young preacher's conversation should honor Christ-Philippians 1:27.

(3) Know the power of prayer-I Timothy 2:1 "
1. The young preacher should pray with faith; Matt. 21:22.
2. The young preacher should pray with humility; II Chron. 33:12.
3. The young preacher should pray with earnestness; I Thess. 3:10.

IV. THE ADVICE CONCERNING CONDUCT AT WORSHIP; I Tim. 3:15.
1. The young preacher should worship God in spirit and truth; John 4:24.
2. The young preacher should worship with reverence; Exodus 3:5.
3. The young preacher:- should worship with rejoicing; Psa.122:1.

V. THE ADVICE CONCERNING RFSPECT FOR OTHERS; I Tim. 5:1-3.
1. The young preacher should hear the burdens of others; Gal. 6:2.
2. The young preacher should show hospitality; I Peter 4:9.
3. The young preacher should minister unto others; I Peter 4:10.

VI. THE ADVICE CONCERNING BEING AN EXAMPLE TO OTHER BELIEVERS; I Tim. 4:12.
1. The young preacher should be an example in good works; Titus 2:7.
2. The young preacher should he an example in speech; Job 2:10.
3. The young preacher should be an example in conduct; Heb. 11:2.

VII. THE ADVICE CONCERNING CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH; I Tim. 6:12.
1. The young preacher should defend the faith; Rom. 1:16.
2. The young preacher should preach with boldness; II Cor. 4:13.
3. The young preacher should hold forth tile Word of Life; Phil. 2:16.

This Little Light Of Mine I'm Gonna' Let It Shine

Philippians 2:14-16 "Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain."

-We are to shine "in the world" (Verse 15).

-We are to shine "in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation (generation)." Verse 15 describes this generation as "crooked."

It is in the midst of this terrible darkness that we are to shine for the Lord both in public and in private.

In verse 14 we are told of two things that fog up our lamps, and in verses 15 and 16 of five characteristics of a life that is brightly shining for the Lord.

We as believers shine:

-By not "murmuring"-Verse 14

-By not "disputing"-Verse 14

-By being "blameless"-Verse 15

-By being "harmless"-Verse 15

-By being "without rebuke"-Verse 15.

-By "holding forth the Word of life"-Vverse 16.

-By living in the light of "the day of Christ"-Verse 16.

Remember, a lamp does not attract people to itself-it is the light that attracts people who are in the midst of darkness.

That's why I want my little light to shine!

-First, that God the Father may be glorified.

-Secondly, that the Lord Jesus may be magnified. To magnify a thing is to make it appear bigger, and Christians, by their shining witness, are to make the Lord Jesus appear "big" before the world.

-Last, but not least, that sinners may see the love of Christ in me.

Are you letting your light shine today?

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

2 Corinthians 4:6 "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

This is what the Bible says you will see when you turn your eyes upon Jesus:

-His shining face.
Matthew 17:2 "His face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light."

-His determined face.
Luke 9:51 "And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem."

-His bruised face.
Luke 22:63, 64 "And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him. And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophecy, who is it that smote thee?"

-His hated face.
Matthew 26:67 "Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him: and others smote him with the palms of their hands."

-His hidden face.
Isaiah 64:7 "Thou hast hid thy face from us.... because of our iniquities."

-His face against them that do evil.
1 Peter 3:12 "The face of the Lord is against them that do evil." 

-His face that we should seek after.
Psalm 27:8 "When thou saidst, Seek ye my face: my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek."

Will this be your prayer?

Psalm 31:16 "Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; save me for thy mercies' sake."

Dealing with Carnal Things

Romans 8:5-7 "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."

The word "carnal" refers to the physical, worldly, and earthly appetites of mankind. We always look at temporal things first before we even consider their spiritual ramifications.

-Man's carnal nature produces very little spiritually.Romans 7:14 "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin."

I Corinthians 2:14 "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

-Man's carnal mind is at war with God.
Romans 8:7, 8 "The carnal mind is enmity against God; for is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."

-There is a commandment of carnality.
Hebrews 7:16 "Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." 

-There is a list of carnal ordinances that seek to overpower us.

Hebrews 9:10 "Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation."

-The carnal weapons of the flesh cannot defeat the spiritual foes that we battle.
2 Corinthians 10:4, 5 "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God." 

-Too many believers try to live as carnal Christians unsucessfully.
1 Corinthians 3:1-4 "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ."

So how then do we defeat this carnal spirit that seeks to overtake us daily?

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

He Cried Out

Isaiah 53:3 "A man of sorrow, and acquainted with grief."

The definition of the word "cried" is  to utter loudly; call out or to proclaim or announce in public. The Bible speaks clearly the Jesus cried out on several occasions. These are but a few of His cries that are recorded in His Word.

-He cried out as a Preacher.
Luke 8:8 "And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

-He cried out as a Benefactor.
John 7:28 "Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not."             

-He cried out as a Teacher.
John 7:37-39"In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink."

-He cried out as a Life-Giver
John 11:43"And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth."

-He cried out as a Light-Giver.
John 12:44-46 "Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness."

-He cried out as a Sufferer.
Matthew 27:46 "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

-He cried out as the Savior.
Luke 23:46 "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." 

-He cried out as the Victor.
Matthew 28:18 "And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."

Easter One-Liners

1. Q: How do bunnies stay healthy?
   A: Eggercise
   
2. Q: What do you get when you cross a chicken and the Easter Bunny?
   A: A good Easter.
   
3. Q: What do you call Easter when you are hopping around?
   A: Hoppy Easter!
   
4. Q: "Why are you studying your Easter candy?"
   A: "I'm trying to decide which came first-the chocolate chicken or the chocolate egg!"
   
5. Q: What do you get when you find a rabbit with no hair?
   A: A hairless hare!
   
6. Q: Why are people always tired in April?
   A: Because they just finished a march
   
7. Q: Why did the Easter egg hide?
   A: He was a little chicken!
   
8. Q: What do you call a duck who plays basketball?
   A: A slam duck.
   
9. Q: What do you call a bunny with a large brain?
   A: An egghead.
   
10. Q: What grows between your nose and chin?
    A: Tulips (Two Lips).
    
11. Q: What's red and blue and sogs up your Easter basket?
    A:Coloured scrambled eggs!
    
12. Q: Why did the rabbit cross the road?
    A: Because it was the chicken's day off.
    
13. Q: What do you call a bunny with a dictionary in his pants?
    A: A smarty pants.
    
14. Q: What would you call the Easter Bunny if he married a chicken?
    A: The very first rabbit to lay an egg!
    
15. Q: What do you call ten rabbits marching backwards?
    A: A receding hareline.

Hebrews 11:35

There is an eternity that awaits every person in this life. If a person has made preparations, then eternity will be a joyous and continuous blessing. However, if a person has not made preparations, then words can never describe what awaits such a person. The writer of Hebrews recalls some of the great people of the Bible, and while they were not mentioned by name, their faith is.

Verse 35 says that:

-Others were tortured.

-They would not accept deliverance.

-They will obtain a better resurrection

(1) So what is this"Better Ressurection"?

1 Thess: 4:16, 17 " For The Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and the Trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

-It starts with the Lord Himself.

-It continues with Him descending.

-It is voiced with Him shouting.

-It finishes with the dead in Christ rising first, then we which are alive being caught up together with them.

-It consumates in the clouds with a meeting n the air

(2) Who are the people of this Ressurection?

John 5:28 "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice."

Luke 13:29 "And they shall come from the East, and from the West, and from the North, and from the South, and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God."

-Saints, of all ages, and from all places will take part in this great and glorious event.

-Glorious reunions will take place instantly.

(3) The power of this Ressurection.
Revelation 21:4 "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away."

Romans 8:18 "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

(4) The joy of this Ressurection.
Revelation 14:2, 3 "And I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: and they sung as it were a new song before the throne..."

The pleasures of this Ressurection will be far more than we can number but what a joy Just to be able to praise Him, like we

(5) The reason for this Ressurection.
Revelation 22:3 "And there shall be no more curse; but the throne of God, and of the Lamb Shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him."

God made man to serve Him, and He will have it to be. If not in this life, there awaits a better life for those who trust in Him. Do You?'ve always wanted to.

The Power, Proclamation, and Promise of the Resurrection

(1) The Power of the Resurrection.
Philippians 3:10 "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death."

The church today has a lack of power because we trust more in our programs and plans than in the power of the resurrection. By putting our trust in the wrong things we've been robbed spiritually of God's anointing and power. Yes, we need a fresh touch of His power and His presence in our lives on a daily basis. Paul says that by knowing Christ through the power of His resurrection is necessary to receive the touch we need from on high. His power is still real today to all who believe and receive.

(2) The Proclamation of the Resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:20 "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept."

The firstfruits were the first installment of a crop which foreshadows and pledges the ultimate offering of the whole.  It was used in ancient times of a birth certificate, a certificate of authorization, or an inheritance tax. The word implies something else or others are to follow.

It was Jesus that opened up the paradise side of hades when He rose from the dead.

Matthew 27:52,53 "And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many."

Because Jesus came from the grave others will yet follow.  His resurrection is our certificate of authorization for you and me to be raised from the dead one day in the future.

(3) The Promise of the resurrection.

What is the promise of the resurrection?

-There will be a physical resurrection! The bodies of the saints will be raised and changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye according to 1 Corinthians 15:52.

-There will be a bodily transformation!
1 John 3:2 declares- "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is."

-There will be an eternal transition-1 Thessalonians 4:17 "So shall we ever be with the Lord."

YOU can know HIM today and have a complete understanding of the power of HIS resurrection. Once you receive it, you will proclaim HIS promise to everyone that you meet. This Easter season take time to experience the reality of the resurrection.

On The Emmaus Road

Luke 24:13-35 tells of Jesus meeting with the Emmaus disciples. It is a blessing to know that the risen, resurrected Christ shows up in some of the most unexpected times in our lives. Those disciples needed this appearance of Jesus after He arose, because their hopes were dashed. Due to what verse 21 says, they trusted that Christ would be the one to redeem Israel. Their lives now seemed as though the light of hope had been extinguished through the cruel death of the Lord Jesus. On the Jericho road one might meet thieves, but here on the Emmaus road the disciples meet Jesus, alive and well. It was a blessed day when these men realized death could not hold down the Son of God.

There were a variety of problems that plagued the lives of these Emmaus disciples.

-There was a lack of faith- for Jesus charged them as being, "Slow of heart to believe" (v.25).

-There was a lack of sight- because verse 17 says their eyes were "holden." They could not see it was Jesus who was walking with them.

-There was a lack of understanding (cp.v.20 and27). They merely saw Jesus as a prophet but to deal with that mentality of the disciples, Christ expounds how Moses and the prophets spake of him (v.27).

The Lord Jesus had many others to which He could have appeared, but he chose to meet with the Emmaus road disciples.

-Christ walked with them (v.15). You are a very blessed person when Christ walks with you.

-Christ warmed them (v.32).They described what they felt in their heart when Jesus walked with them as a burning (cp. Jer. 23:29 and Luke 24:32).

-Christ worked with them. In spite of their ignorance and foolish thinking (v.25), Christ patiently and methodically instructed them(v.27).

Verses 34 and 35 tell us they had something to proclaim after the post resurrection meeting they had with Jesus.
-They proclaimed a risen Christ (v.34). He had risen "indeed"- which suggests the certain reality of His rising.
-They proclaimed a remembering Christ. Jesus remembered Peter even though he denied Him (v.34).
-They proclaimed a revealed Christ (v.35). They told how Jesus was known of them as bread was broken.

As believers in Christ, we do not have to speak of one who did walk with us, rather we can say- "He walks (present tense) with me and talks with me, and tells me I'm His own."  What joy to share it with everyone that we meet. Jesus still walks with us today every step of the way.

Questions to Ask Yourself Daily

1. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
   
2. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
   
3. Do I confidently pass on to another what I was told in confidence?
   
4. Can I be trusted?
   
5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?
   
6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
   
7. Did the Bible live in me today?
   
8. Do I give it time to speak to me every day?
   
9. Am I enjoying prayer?
   
10. When did I last speak to someone else of my faith?
    
11. Do I pray about the money I spend?
    
12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
    
13. Do I disobey God in anything?
    
14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
    
15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?
    
16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?
    
17. How do I spend my spare time?
    
18. Am I proud?
    
19. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?
    
20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?
    
21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?
    
22. Is Christ real to me?

Twenty New Management Styles

1. MANAGING BY WALKING FASTER THEN THE EMPLOYEES
   These kind of managers you will always see in the corridor, ten steps away. "We'll have to talk" you can hear them say, just as they have disappeared around the corner.
   
2. MANAGING BY STARING OUT OF THE WINDOW
   These managers you usually meet with their backside faced to you with their hands in their pockets. When you talk to them, their thoughts keep staring out of the windows.
   
3. MANAGING BY POST-IT'S
   Some managers forget everything. They want to impress you with their 'busy'ness by continuously writing on Post-it's while you are talking.
   
4. MANAGING BY DELEGATION TO THE SECRETARY
   These managers just delegate everything to the secretary. If He is good, He knows what she must do.
   
5. MANAGING BY KNOWING NOTHING
   These managers don't really know anything at all. They let YOU give answers. Meanwhile they fill the time with nice anecdotes of irrelevant cases.
   
6. MANAGING BY CONCEPTUAL THINKING
   These people try to explain the present from a theoretical view of the far future. The idea that this never will work, completely satisfies them: They will always have something to talk about.
   
7. MANAGING BY HIDING INFORMATION
   Information hiders are aware of the market value of strictly secret kept information. You must be very thankful to get any information at all. Beware of simulants from category 5!
   
8. MANAGING BY DOING EXACTLY WHAT THE BOSS SAYS
   These managers prevent their bosses from creative thinking. Else they got more work to do.
   
9. MANAGING BY WALKING ONE FOOT BEHIND THE BOSS
   In hierarchical organizations you can watch those groups walking in the corridor. The more equal managers are directly followed by the lesser equal managers, and so on.
   
10. MANAGING BY SMILING AND WEARING NICE SUITS
    If you drink beer with them, lunch with them, smile to them and also wear nice suits, nothing can stop your career anymore.
    
11. MANAGING BY STUDYING
    Despite their continual attendances of all kind of studies and congresses, they still belong to category 5. The longer they learn, the further they get from the practice.
    
12. MANAGING BY CREATING VAGUE OVERHEAD SHEETS
    Do you know them? Those sheets with some big arrows,boxes or circles? These sheets provide the ultimate proof of their overall brilliance.
    
13. MANAGING BY OPEN DOOR AND EMPTY ROOM
    This is a major improvement of the older 'OPEN DOOR' management style. Now you can really walk in and out anytime you want. Nobody ever knows where these managers are.
    
14. MANAGING BY SPEAKING WITH OTHER MANAGERS
    This kind of managing is very popular. It will give them within a few hours the same information as an employee can tell them in 15 minutes.
    
15. MANAGING BY HAVING A NON SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE
    In an organization with a hopeless infrastructure, managers are really necessary. These managers will naturally prevent the organization from having a better infrastructure.
    
16. BUA MANAGEMENT ( BY USING ABBREVIATIONS )
    This management style is ATRASACWOC. ( Adopted To Reach A Shorter And Clearer Way Of Communication )
    
17. MANAGING BY USING BUZZ WORDS
    These managers like to bluff your head off with hip, nearly undefined, terms.
    
18. MANAGING BY REORGANIZATION
    If they think there is nothing more to organize, they reorganize.
    
19. MANAGING BY BELIEVING
    These managers must be spiritual educated, because they have no clues at all.
    
20. MANAGING BY FORGETTING PROMISES
    If you remind them to one of their promises, the priority of that promise is to low to remember.

Signs You Have A Cheap HMO Plan

• Directions to the doctor's office include, "Take a left when you enter the trailer park."
  
• When you enter the office, you see a dispenser with the sign "PLEASE TAKE A NUMBER."
  
• Tongue depressors taste faintly of Fudgesicles.
  
• The only psychiatrist in the plan is nicknamed "Joe the bartender."
  
• The only item listed under Preventive Care feature of coverage is, "An apple a day."
  
• Your "primary care physician" is wearing pants you gave to Goodwill last month.
  
• "Patient responsible for 200% of out-of-network charges" is not a misprint.
  
• The only expense covered 100% is embalming.
  
• Your pills come in different colors with "M" on them.
  
  And the number one sign you've joined a cheap HMO....
  
• Your prescription for anti-depressant medication: A coupon for a double espresso at Starbucks.

Are We Still A Christian Nation? (Part 4)

The postmodern insistence on tolerance is winning over the Christian Church.
Our biblical illiteracy and lack of spiritual confidence has caused Americans to avoid making discerning choices for fear of being labeled judgmental. The result is a Church that has become tolerant of a vast array of morally and spiritually dubious behaviors and philosophies. This increased leniency is made possible by the very limited accountability that occurs within the body of Christ. There are fewer and fewer issues that Christians believe churches should be dogmatic about. The idea of love has been redefined to mean the absence of conflict and confrontation, as if there are no moral absolutes that are worth fighting for. That may not be surprising in a Church in which a minority believes there are moral absolutes dictated by the scriptures.

The challenge today is for Christian leaders to achieve the delicate balance between representing truth and acting in love. The challenge for every Christian in the U.S. is to know his/her faith well enough to understand which fights are worth fighting, and which stands are non-negotiable. There is a place for tolerance in Christianity; knowing when and where to draw the line appears to perplex a growing proportion of Christians in this age of tolerance.


The influence of Christianity on culture and individual lives is largely invisible.
Christianity has arguably added more value to American culture than any other religion, philosophy, ideology or community. Yet, contemporary Americans are hard pressed to identify any specific value added. Partly due to the nature of today’s media, they have no problem identifying the faults of the churches and Christian people.

In a period of history where image is reality, and life-changing decisions are made on the basis of such images, the Christian Church is in desperate need of a more positive and accessible image. The primary obstacle is not the substance of the principles on which Christianity is based, and therefore the solution is not solely providing an increase in preaching or public relations. The most influential aspect of Christianity in America is how believers do--or do not--implement their faith in public and private. American culture is driven by the snap judgments and decisions that people make amidst busy schedules and incomplete information. With little time or energy available for or devoted to research and reflection, it is people’s observations of the integration of a believer’s faith into how he/she responds to life’s opportunities and challenges that most substantially shape people’s impressions of and interest in Christianity. Jesus frequently spoke about the importance of the fruit that emerges from a Christian life; these days the pace of life and avalanche of competing ideas underscores the significance of visible spiritual fruit as a source of cultural influence.

With the likelihood of an accelerating pace of life and increasingly incomplete cues being given to the population, Christian leaders would do well to revisit their criteria for "success" and the measures used to assess it. In a society in which choice is king, there are no absolutes, every individual is a free agent, we are taught to be self-reliant and independent, and Christianity is no longer the automatic, default faith of young adults, new ways of relating to Americans and exposing the heart and soul of the Christian faith are required.

Are We Still A Christian Nation? (Part 3)

Are We Still A Christian Nation? (Part 3)

Growing numbers of people are less interested in spiritual principles and more desirous of learning pragmatic solutions for life.When asked what matters most, teenagers prioritize education, career development, friendships, and travel. Faith is significant to them, but it takes a back seat to life accomplishments and is not necessarily perceived to affect their ability to achieve their dreams. Among adults the areas of growing importance are lifestyle comfort, success, and personal achievements. Those dimensions have risen at the expense of investment in both faith and family.

The turbo-charged pace of society leaves people with little time for reflection. The deeper thinking that occurs typically relates to economic concerns or relational pressures. Spiritual practices like contemplation, solitude, silence, and simplicity are rare. (It is ironic that more than four out of five adults claim to live a simple life.) Practical to a fault, Americans consider survival in the present to be much more significant than eternal security and spiritual possibilities. Because we continue to separate our spirituality from other dimensions of life through compartmentalization, a relatively superficial approach to faith has become a central means of optimizing our life experience.

Jesus said this in Matthew 6:19-21 "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." We must pass on the heritage of our faith to this generation or surely it will die.
Among Christians, interest in participating in community action is escalating.
Largely driven by the passion and energy of young adults, Christians are more open to and more involved in community service activities than has been true in the recent past. While we remain more self-indulgent than self-sacrificing, the expanded focus on justice and service has struck a chord with many. However, despite the increased emphasis, churches run the risk of watching congregants’ engagement wane unless they embrace a strong spiritual basis for such service. Simply doing good works because it's the socially esteemed choice of the moment will not produce much staying power.

To facilitate service as a long-term way of living and to provide people with the intrinsic joy of blessing others, churches have a window of opportunity to support such action with biblical perspective. And the more that churches and believers can be recognized as people doing good deeds out of genuine love and compassion, the more appealing the Christian life will be to those who are on the sidelines watching. Showing that community action as a viable alternative to government programs is another means of introducing the value of the Christian faith in society.

John 15:16 "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."

Matthew 25:44, 45 "Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me."

Are We Still A Christian Nation (Part 2)

According to A Barna Group survey in 2010 Christians are becoming more ingrown and less outreach-oriented. Despite technological advances that make communications instant and far-reaching, Christians are becoming more spiritually isolated from non-Christians than was true a decade ago. Examples of this tendency include these facts:
-Less than one-third of born again Christians planned to invite anyone to join them at a church event during the Easter season.

-Teenagers are less inclined to discuss Christianity with their friends than was true in the past.

-Most of the people who become Christians these days do so in response to a personal crisis or the fear of death (particularly among older Americans).

-Most Americans are unimpressed with the contributions Christians and churches have made to society over the past few years.

As young adults have children, the prospect of them seeking a Christian church is diminishing--especially given the absence of faith talk in their conversations with the people they most trust. With atheists becoming more strategic in championing their godless worldview, as well as the increased religious plurality driven by education and immigration, the increasing reticence of Christians to engage in faith-oriented conversations assumes heightened significance.

What has happened to Christ's mandate to the believers?

Are We Still A Christian Nation ( Part 1)

Change usually happens slowly in the Church. But a review of the past year's research conducted by the Barna Group provides a time-lapse portrayal of how the religious environment in the U.S. is morphing into something new.

Analyzing insights drawn from more than 5,000 non-proprietary interviews conducted over the past 11 months, George Barna indicated that the following patterns were evident in the survey findings.
-The Christian Church is becoming less theologically literate.
What used to be basic, universally-known truths about Christianity are now unknown mysteries to a large and growing share of Americans--especially young adults. For instance, Barna Group studies in 2010 showed that while most people regard Easter as a religious holiday, only a minority of adults associate Easter with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Other examples include the finding that few adults believe that their faith is meant to be the focal point of their life or to be integrated into every aspect of their existence. Further, a growing majority believe the Holy Spirit is a symbol of God's presence or power, but not a living entity. As the two younger generations (Busters and Mosaics) ascend to numerical and positional supremacy in churches across the nation, the data suggest that biblical literacy is likely to decline significantly. The theological free-for-all that is encroaching in Protestant churches nationwide suggests the coming decade will be a time of unparalleled theological diversity and inconsistency.

This is why we need to pray like never before and teach the truth from the Word of God like never before.

Paul said 2 Timothy 4:2-4 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

People need 3 things from the Word of God today:
a. Understanding-Don't just get stuck on the KJV. We don't talk like they did back then. Find a translation that upholds the truth and that even the simplest mind can understand. It may not be the one you like the best, but our job is to get the Word into the hearts and minds of the people.

b. Faith-People today need to see us live what we preach and preach what we live. The time of doing one thing and saying another is past. Things have got to change and change now if we are going to survive as a church and continue as a Christian nation. The reason there are so many questions about the reality of God and His Word is because there is very little eveidence today to support it. We need a revival of doing good and living right.

c. Trust-We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Yet, it is the lack of trust that people have in Christian leaders and people in general that has stolen away the purity and divinity of God and His Word. The only way we can gain that back again is to right our vessel and do the best we can to promote His Kingdom and His agenda and walking circumspectly in the world around us. Does that mean you won't stumble now and then? No...but it means that when you discover you do that you correct your mistakes and press on. That's what God expects and what the world needs to see.

Cowboy's Ten Commandments

USA Today 8 years ago had a large article on two Cowboy Churches in Texas. They printed the Cowboy's Ten Commandments posted on the wall at Cross Trails Church in Fairlie, Texas. It was too good not to pass along to you.

I think if we all used these instead of the one with all the "shalt nots" in it, we could probably understand and live up to them a lot better!

1. Just one God.
   
2. Honor yer Ma & Pa.
   
3. No telling tales or gossipin'.
   
4. Git yourself to Sunday meeting.
   
5. Put nothin' before God.
   
6. No foolin' around with another fellow's gal.
   
7. No killin'.
   
8. Watch yer mouth.
   
9. Don't take what ain't yers.
   
10. Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff

Y'all have a good Day.
Now I know why I always wanted to be a Cowboy!

It's About the 'Tude!

I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight.  I have responsibilities to fulfill today.  I am important. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.

1. Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or... I can be thankful the grass is getting watered for free.
   
2. Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or... I can be glad my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.
   
3. Today I can grumble about my health or... I can rejoice that I am alive.
   
4. Today I can lament over all my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or... I can feel grateful they allowed me to be born.
   
5. Today I can cry because roses have thorns or... I can celebrate that thorns have roses.
   
6. Today I can mourn my lack of friends or... I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.
   
7. Today I can whine because I have to go to work or... I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.
   
8. Today I can complain because I have to go to school or... I can eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.
   
9. Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or... I can feel honored because God has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul.
   
10. I get to play a big part into what kind of day I will have!