If The King James Version Was Good Enough For Jesus It's Good Enough For Me

Someone gave me a book the other day that literally stated the King James Version was the translation of the Bible that Jesus preached from (Yep, I knew you'd get a kick out of that). It's just to bad that it wasn't written until several hundred years after Jesus' earthly ministry had ended. It also means that somebody didn't do their homework on what they wrote.

An individual that I am acquainted with has a daily blog that deals with Biblical controvery and this was his reply to a sincere young man who wrote in about Bible translations. I thought it was worthy of sharing with you and hopefully will help you understand even more so that a translation is a translation and why some words don't match. Here is his answer:

Thank you for taking the time to write. I am glad that you are concerned with the reliability of the Bible and I pray that you continue to study. However, careful consideration and attention has been given to the relationship and translation of the NIV and KJV bibles. Allow me to outline a couple of points for you.

Whenever some group wishes to translate any ancient document (be it the Bible, a Greek play or a Latin proclamation from Rome) there are several difficulties that come into play. Because no one has the original documents written by the authors of the Bible, scholars must rely on copies or copies of copies (called manuscripts) and translations and their copies. Much like the game of telephone children play, those copies can end up being quite different from the original document written. It is the responsibility of the scholars to "weed out" all the added text and also decide which rendering would be true to the original work. We call this process textual criticism, and it is quite difficult. Luckily, there are a very large number of New Testament documents that we can compare against each other to find out what belongs and what was added.

The King James Version was originally written from 1607 to 1610, with a group of 54 Biblical scholars from only Great Britain. These were dived into six groups with three working on a rendering of the Old Testament and the other three working on the New Testament. One of the rules in translating the KJV was the committees were to follow an older translation known as the Bishops' Bible (written in 1568) "and as little altered as the Truth of the Original will permit." Even most of that translation was based on the Geneva Bible and the Great Bible which were revisions of the Tynedale Bible which was published in 1533. All in all, the KJV has only 39% of its language which is unique to itself, and over 90% of the New Testament can be found word for word in the Tyndale NT which was published in 1525. This means that much of the 1611 version was nearly a hundred years old when it was first published!

What makes all of this significant is that England didn't have any ancient Greek manuscripts until 1628. Therefore, the translators were at a definite disadvantage when trying to decide which passages were in the texts originally, and which were added later by someone who was copying or translating another copy or translation. Contrarily, the NIV committee consisted of over a hundred scholars from five countries who had much older versions (so they were more true to the originals) and a much better grasp on ancient Hebrew.

The verse to which you allude falls into a problem category. It doesn't appear in copies that are closer to the time when the originals were written, and much like the telephone game, the farther you get from the originator, the more stuff gets in your message that doesn't belong. Other such verses are Matthew 17:21, Matt. 18:11; Luke24:40; John 7:53-8:11; parts of 1 John 5:8; etc. These verses are not being blatantly left out, nor is the Bible being changed. Because we have better information now, the newer translations are just trying to correct some mistakes in the older translations. Remember, only the original copy is considered the Inspired Word of God. This does not mean that we have to worry, though. With all the new evidence, it is estimated that we know over 99% of our Bible is true to the original text, and those that are in grey areas do not affect any major Biblical doctrine.

Now, another problem that comes about in translation is how to make the new version read as closely to the original as possible, but still get the author's idea across. Let me demonstrate. If I were to translate "I got in by the skin of my teeth" into Russian and send it to a business associate there, I would have them totally baffled. They know there is no skin on teeth, and how could you use that as payment for entry, anyway?? So, a translator can either stick to the words that translate directly across to the new language, or he may opt to translate the idea (I got in with no time to spare) into the other language, thus making the sentence understandable. No translation can be exactly word for word and be understood. Even the King James English has these problems. In Matthew 19:14 the KJV reads "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven" which can be very confusing to a modern reader.)

The translators of the KJV, along with the New American Standard and some others tried to keep the word order as close as they could. The translators of the NIV were developing a reading Bible, though, and they tried to make a thought by thought translation. This conveys the essence and meanings of the original documents, but becomes much more natural and conversational to the modern ear.

I hope I have given you a little more information concerning this issue. Before I end, though, I do wish to ask you to consider one more thing. If the KJV is the only one which can be relied upon, what do all the people do across the globe who don't speak English? They need a translation in their own language, and the problems are the same as those I've outlined above. If you'd like more information on this issue, I recommend James White's book "The King James Only Controversy" published by Bethany House.

Thank you again for your time, and may God bless you as you continue to seek His Word.

Prayer Is The Key (Part 5)

In 2008 ninety percent of U.S. adults say they pray -- more than half say it's once a day or more -- in times of economic distress or plenty, researchers said.

Lead author Wendy Cadge, a sociologist at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass., found that the prayers fell into one of three categories -- about 28 percent of prayers were requests of God, 28 percent were prayers to both thank and petition God, while another 22 percent of the prayers just thanked God.

Some say they are sure God exists and others pray simply to cover the bases. Some pray for big things -- to stay healthy, keep employed and to strengthen relationships -- but some pray to find parking spaces and missing items.

The study, published in Poetics, analyzed 683 prayers written in a public prayer book placed in the rotunda of the Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore from 1999 to 2005.

The study found that prayer writers seek general strength, support and blessing from their prayers, rather than explicit solutions to life's difficult situations.

"If researchers studying religion and health take seriously even the possibility that prayer may influence health, they need to learn more about what people pray for, how they pray, and what they hope will result from their prayers," Cadge said in a statement.

Why Should We Pray – To whom do we pray?
Before we can answer, “why should we pray,” we must know to whom we pray. There is only one supreme Creator and sovereign God. There is only one way to Him and that is through His only- Son, Jesus Christ. God, our Heavenly Father, is the only one we can be assured of who hears and answers our prayers. He is the God of amazing love, mercy, and forgiveness.

-By Him, all things are possible. Jesus says in Mark 10:27, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God."

-Daniel 9:18 tells us: “We do not ask because we deserve help, but because you are so merciful.” (Mercy means showing favor, compassion, and kindness.)

-God’s ultimate demonstration of love is forgiveness of the sins each of us have committed. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it” (John 3:16-17).

He is the only God who has done this, and is the only God able to do so. But His enemy, Satan, has sent many false gods to deceive mankind. Do not be deceived nor allow anything or anyone to take priority over the only true and living God.


Prayer is the key to the heart of God. Prayer is the only way to a real and personal relationship with God.

-Pray acknowledging He is God, and that you accept His gracious gift, Jesus Christ, as your Lord and Savior (Genesis 17:1, Romans 6:16-18).

-Pray confessing our sins and accepting His forgiveness (Romans 3:23-26).

-Pray that His will be done in our lives, that His Holy Spirit guide us, and that we be filled with the fullness of all God has for us.

-Pray for (spiritual) understanding and wisdom (Proverbs 2:6-8, 3:5).

-Pray with thanksgiving for all the ways He blesses us (Philippians 4:6).

-Pray when we are ill, lonely, going through trials or interceding for others (James 5:14-16, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

Pray to worship Him (Psalm 95:6-7).

There is nothing we can’t pray about. There are abundant references to prayer in the Bible. The Bible tells us to “pray without ceasing” and “in everything give thanks to the Lord.” When we choose to have a positive attitude, we realize we have received many blessings for which to give God praise.

We find intimacy with God through communicating with Him in prayer. We go to Him in faith, knowing that He hears and answers all our prayers (1 John 5:14). Be confident that God knows and wants what is best for us; so ask that His will be done in all we seek from Him. Then, thank Him for it, even though it hasn’t happened yet.


Jesus gave his disciples, what we call, “The Lord’s Prayer” (Matthew 6) as a model.

In addition, Hebrews 4:14-16 tells us we can pray boldly -- “That is why we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it.”

Above all, pray with sincerity, honor, and humbleness before the Almighty God. “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results” (James 5:16).

Prayer Is the Key (Part 4)

I have been at my post of duty at DCOG for almost 20 months now. I have some great people that I serve that have a vision for what our church can be. I have others, just like every church does, that are completely happy with the way things are. Sometimes the vision for the church that God gives you does not always match what some want in the congregation. That's when the enemy comes in seeking to destroy and tear down.

For weeks I sought the Lord over what to do. My Wednesday and Sunday night crowds were less than a 1/3 of what I was having on Sunday morning. It was so frustrating to have a Word from the Lord for the church on Sunday night and only a handful be there to receive it. Sadly, I could not preach as I felt God wanted me to do because many times the folks that needed to hear the Word were not there in the service. So I would leave broken-hearted and depressed feeling that somehow I had missed the mark by not reaching the whole church with the Word.

Now I am a churchy person. I was raised you don't miss a service and until 911 never, ever called off a service even on Homecoming night. But the Lord begin to speak to me about maximizing the time on Sunday night into a time of prayer for our church to reach our community with the gospel.
I only have 3 families that live within a mile of our church. The majority of our folks drive 8-15 miles minimum to church. Some even longer than that that come on a regular basis. I knew if I couldn't get them to come for a regular service, how in the world was I going to get them to come for pray?

So when the Lord laid this burden on my heart, I sought Him for direction and I decided to put my church family on an honor system with God. I asked them to stop whatever they were doing between 6-7 p.m. at home and take that time to pray for our church. I didn't want to be upset by having only a few come to the church building and pray for a short time. So I believe that the Lord laid this on my heart for a few weeks to take this time to pray for our church and not just have a regular worship service.

I was asked, "Aren't you afraid they will go somewhere else if you don't have Sunday night service?" My replay to that is very simple-If DCOG is your church you will seek the Lord for her to be a light to this community and to you and not be searching for another church. I believe the majority of the people will heed the call of the Lord placed on me and do what I believe the Lord has asked us to do pray.

Prayer is still the key to an old-fashion move of God in a new-fangled day. Prayer can still move mountains and bridge valley after valley. Prayer is still the key that unlocks heaven for the believer and brings conviction upon the sinner.

So when you pray, please pray for me and for my church. I want to be and to do what God wants more today than ever before. I can only do that through the power of prayer.

Prayer Is The Key (Part 3)

The power of prayer should not be underestimated. James 5:16-18 declares, "…The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops." God most definitely listens to prayers, answers prayers, and moves in response to prayers.

Jesus taught, "…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 17:20). 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 tells us, "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." The Bible urges us, "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18).

The power of prayer is not the result of the person praying. Rather, the power resides in the God who is being prayed to. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him." No matter the person praying, the passion behind the prayer, or the purpose of the prayer - God answers prayers that are in agreement with His will. His answers are not always yes, but are always in our best interest. When our desires line up with His will, we will come to understand that in time. When we pray passionately and purposefully, according to God's will, God responds powerfully!

We cannot access powerful prayer by using "magic formulas." Our prayers being answered is not based on the eloquence of our prayers. We don't have to use certain words or phrases to get God to answer our prayers. In fact, Jesus rebukes those who pray using repetitions, "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him" (Matthew 6:7-8). Prayer is communicating with God. All you have to do is ask God for His help. Psalm 107:28-30 reminds us, "Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven." There is power in prayer!

God's help through the power of prayer is available for all kinds of requests and issues. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." If you need an example of a prayer, read Matthew 6:9-13. These verses are known as the Lord's prayer. The Lord's prayer is not a prayer we are supposed to memorize and simply recite to God. It is only an example of how to pray and the things that should go into a prayer - worship, trust in God, requests, confession, protection, etc. Pray for these kinds of things, but speak to God using your own words.

The Word of God is full of accounts describing the power of prayer in various situations. The power of prayer has overcome enemies (Psalm 6:9-10), conquered death (2 Kings 4:3-36), brought healing (James 5:14-15), and defeated demons (Mark 9:29). God, through prayer, opens eyes, changes hearts, heals wounds, and grants wisdom (James 1:5). The power of prayer should never be underestimated because it draws on the glory and might of the infinitely powerful God of the universe! Daniel 4:35 proclaims, "All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: 'What have you done?'"

Prayer Is The Key (Part 2)

How to Pray When Your Heart is Broken
 
Despite our heartfelt prayers, things don’t always go the way we want. A loved one dies. You lose your job. The outcome is just the opposite of what you asked for. What then?
 
Jesus' friend Martha was brokenhearted when her brother Lazarus died. She told Jesus so. God wants you to be honest with him. You can give him your anger and disappointment.
 
What Jesus told Martha applies to you today:
 
"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26, NIV)
 
Of course, we should not always expect Jesus to raise our loved one from the dead, as he did Lazarus. But we should expect our believer to live eternally in heaven, as Jesus promised. God will mend all our broken hearts in heaven. I don’t know how he will do that, but I believe with all my being that he will.
 
Jesus promised in his Sermon on the Mount that God does hear the prayers of the brokenhearted:
 
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Matthew 5:3-4, NIV)
 
We pray best when we offer God our pain in humble sincerity, and Scripture tells us how our loving Father responds:

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." (Psalm 147:3, NIV)

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18).

The image of heartbreak describing the devastating emotional pain of a broken relationship transcends culture and is expressed in the same way in almost every language.  We feel the pain of betrayal and separation deeply at the core of our soul.  It feels as if our heart really is breaking – because of course, it is. God understands this experience because he himself has lived through a broken heart.  God has been a jilted lover. Through his love for us, he has endured unfaithfulness and desertion. God understands our loneliness and identifies with us. We can talk to him about this experience and ask him for help at our deepest point of despair – because he’s been there himself!

Here is a prayer for those who have suffered a broken heart.

“God, you care deeply for broken-hearted people.  This is a promise you make: You are close.  We pray for all those who are crippled by broken relationships.  Our hearts take the blow of disappointment.  We feel crushed because our hopes are dashed.  God, heal broken hearts.  We cannot fix our own wounds.  But you can.  If pieces of our heart have been lost, or are held captive by another, recover them and bring them back to us and miraculously “put us back together” so that our heart is whole again.  You are a mender of broken hearts.  We ask for this miracle, in the name of Jesus.”

Prayer Is The Key

When we wonder how to pray, we seldom look to the Bible for guidance. The truth, however, is that the Bible is packed with praying people, and we can learn much from their examples.
 
Sometimes we have to dig through Scripture for models. We don’t always find an obvious tip-off, such as, "Lord, teach us to pray…" (Luke 11:1, NIV) Instead, we can look for strengths and situations. Many Bible figures showed courage and faith, but others found themselves in situations that brought out qualities they didn't know they had, just as your situation can do today.
 
How to Pray When Your Situation is Desperate
 
What if you feel backed into a corner? Your job, finances, or marriage may be in trouble and you wonder how to pray when danger threatens. David, a man after God’s own heart, knew that feeling, as King Saul pursued him across the hills of Israel, trying to kill him. The slayer of the giant Goliath, David understood where his strength came from:
 
"I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2, NIV)
 
Desperation seems more the norm than the exception in the Bible. The night before his death, Jesus told his confused and anxious disciples how to pray at such times:
 
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me." (John 14:1, NIV)

When you feel desperate, trusting in God calls for an act of the will. You can pray to the Holy Spirit, who will help you overcome your emotions and put your trust in God instead. This is hard, but Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit as our Helper for times like these.

When God Puts A Burden On You-Pray

You may not understand that statement fully so let me explain. Sometimes God allows things that shouldn't become so heavy to gain weight so that He can get our attention. It's not always easy to know what God wants, but after a few years you begin to understand when He is speaking to you.

A pastor has to make decisions based on what he or she hears from the Lord. They are not always easy decisions to make because you know that people in your congregation don't always understand why. I guess that's the problem most pastors are facing today. Everybody is happy with stuff being the same whether it's working or not. I've been told by more than one person don't rock the boat, but when you feel you are on a sinking ship something has to change.

God has placed a heavy burden on me for my church. God sent me here 21 months ago and I have fought the enemy ever since accepting this challenge. I've got some great people that love God, but I have some that don't really care if the church grows or changes at all. I have preached until my breath has given out and it hasn't changed much of the atmosphere. I have cried to God for direction and this past Wednesday I believe I heard from the Lord. God spoke to my spirit, "Pray".

I had a month of prayer last year and ended up dealing with a problem in the church that put me in the hospital and caused a division in my church. It almost cost a young minister his calling because of lies that were being told on him. So when the Lord said, "Pray", I thought, "The last time I heard that all hell broke loose around me." But I am convinced even more so this morning that the key to turning my church around is prayer. Not just my prayer, but the prayers of every person in my congregation who considers our church worth having. This is not a one man show, it is a corporate effort.

I have talked with other pastors recently who are going through the same things I am facing. Less than a 1/3 of their congregants return for a Sunday night or Wednesday night service. They are burnt out preaching a message to the church when a good percentage of the church isn't there. They have tried everything their experience in ministry has taught them to grow their churches, yet they have come up empty. I say to those brethren, "Pray".

Pastor Bobby Johnson, one of the greatest COG pastors in our history, taught me the value of prayer as a young preacher. My dad, Rev. Alton L. Stone, Sr., showed me the value of prayer in some of his darkest times of ministry. In fact he and mom would pray and God would change things. I remember him talking many times about being burdened in prayer for special things that God would place on him.

So I have come to a conclusion-whatever decision I make on anything is not going to please everyone, but who can argue with a call to prayer? If that is the burden I must bear, then so be it-But I believe that it will change me, my congregation, and my community. If not, I will at least have obeyed God and done what He has told me to do.

So I'll carry this burden and I'll pray....and I'll believe that the windows of heaven will open and God will either move the church forward or move me to a place that desires to see an outpouring of His Spirit in these last days.

What Is Your Rope Tied To?

Susan Taylor tells of discovering how unreliable some of our safety lines really are. She tells of lying in bed in the early hours of the morning when an earthquake struck. As her house shook, she tumbled out of bed and managed to stand underneath an arched door-way in her hall, watching in horror as her whole house tumbled down around her. Where her bed had once stood, she later discovered nothing but a pile of rubble. She lost everything - every button, every dish, her automobile, every stitch of clothing.

Susan huddled, scared and crying, in the darkness. In the pre-dawn morning she cried and called out for help.

As exhaustion set in, she thought that maybe she should be listening for rescuers rather than making so much commotion. So she grew still and listened. In the silence around her, the only sound she heard was the beating of her own heart. It occurred to her then that at least she was still alive and, amazingly enough, unhurt.

She thought about her situation. In the stillness, fear abandoned her and a feeling of indescribable peace and happiness flooded in, the likes of which she had never before known. It was an experience that was to permanently change her life.

In the deepest part of her being, Susan realized a remarkable truth. She realized she had nothing to fear. Amazingly, whether or not she was ever rescued, whether she even made it out alive, she sensed she had nothing to fear.

For the first time in her life she understood that her true security did not depend on those things in which she had placed her trust. It lay deep within. And also for the first time, she knew what it was to be content in all circumstances. She realized that, in an ultimate sense, whether she had plenty or hardly enough, somehow she would be all right. She just knew it.

She later wrote, "Before the quake I had all the trappings of success, but my life was out of balance. I wasn't happy because I was clinging to things in my life and always wanting more. My home, my job, my clothes, a relationship - I thought they were my security. It took an earthquake and losing everything I owned for me to discover that my security had been with me all along . . . There's a power within us that we can depend upon no matter what is happening around us."

She had tied her rope to the wrong things. It took a disaster for her to understand that those things are untrustworthy. So she let go of the rope and discovered peace. She found that her true security was a power within - dependable and sure.

What is your rope tied to? And what would happen if you found the courage to let go of it?

Looking Beyond Limitations

There was an article in the May 5, 2000 edition of The Denver Post, written by Linda Usrey Long from the Portales News-Tribune. It is a true story about a man named Lyle Bert, age 64. Mr. Bert has an associates's, bachelor's, AND a master's degree, and hosts "The Lyle Bert Show," in Portales, New Mexico.

There is a lot more information than what is being shared here, but the main gist of the article is about how Mr. Bert was in an accident in 1965, while handling a homemade rocket that exploded. He says:

"I lost both hands, the eyesight in both eyes . . . My jaw was broken . . . My face and lips were burned. I had 124 penetration wounds in my chest and abdomen. I almost lost my right leg . . . Pieces of device went through my leg and through my abdomen. They amputated my hands . . . and I lost two-thirds of my stomach."

While speaking to the Conference on the Handicapped a few years ago (in Santa Fe, New Mexico), Lyle Bert shared something very worthy of repeating:

• "A person who has no legs can still achieve great heights;
  
• A person who has no hands can still grasp an idea;
  
• A person who has no sight can still have great vision;
  
• And a person who can't move can still lead."

Bible verse:

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV)

May each of us look beyond our "limitations" and see what God can do through us!

Finding Jesus Before Things Wear Out

Sometimes things just wear out. A washer was not built to last forever. The microwave does have its day. Yet all mechanical things have a tendency to wear out or break down.

It's just like our bodies. From the time you were born you begin to die. Your body and mind will reach a peak and then time begins to take its toll. People on the average are living longer today than ever before, but for some life is not so pleasant. For many their minds have worn down and they can no longer remember things or control their actions. For others it's their  bodies that have failed and life is confined to a bed or a wheelchair. Like I said in the beginning-things wear out.

Isaiah 55:6, 7 says, "Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon."

Before things wear out we must take the opportunity to seek the Lord.

(1) We must seek Him while He can be found. Each person is given an opportunity to know all about Jesus. You have to take the opportunity to know Him while you can.

(2) We must call upon Him while He is near. Jesus is always available, yet some have rejected Him so often that their time to know Him is limited. It's best to seek Him and know Him while He is near.

(3) We must forsake our ways and our thoughts. It cannot be our way-it must be His way. I cannot say I love Jesus and continue to live a life of sin. It will not work like that. My ways must become His ways for my life to be successful.

(4) We must return to Him and receive His mercy. When the opportunity comes to reform a broken relationship with God you better seize the moment. In today's world they come less and less as people refuse to take time to know Christ.

Yes, things will wear out. So while you have your right mind, strength, and spirit give it all to Jesus. this might be the last chance you get.

One Man's Junk Is Another Man's Treasure

I used to love to go to the flea market on Saturdays because of the bargins that you could find there. I've noticed lately that some of the highest rated shows on cable or satellite tv have to do with pawn shops or foreclosed storage bins. I am fasinated by what some people call junk and what other people call treasures. It amazes me when I see the amount of money spent and made on one man's junk that quickly becomes another man's treasure.

Isn't is amazing how quickly we forget how Jesus took the junk out of our lives and replaced it with His treasures. He didn't just offer a substitute, He gave us a superior prize just for us sacrificing our junk to Him. The greatest gift we could ever receive comes from Him-that is the gift of eternal life-and all we had to give Him in return was our junk. Our junk became His treasure.

Jesus said this about replacing our junk with something special:

John 6:51 "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

John 10:9 "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."

Luke 9:23 "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."

Matthew 11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Let Him have your junk today. Those things that have defeated you or weighed you down in life belong to Him. Just let Him take care of what He needs to and things will change.

The Judgment of God (Part 5)-Amos 1

-Judgment on Tyre, a city of Lebanon.

Verses 9, 10 "Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and did not remember the covenant of brotherhood. But I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyre, which shall devour its palaces.”

Since the city of Tyre (of Lebanon, to the north of Israel) sinned against God’s people like the Philistines did (Amos 1:6-8), they will receive like judgment (fire upon the wall of Tyre).

The walls of a city were her defense and strength. If the walls were burnt, the city was defeated.

-Judgment on Edom.

Verses 11, 12 "Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because he pursued his brother with the sword, and cast off all pity; his anger tore perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever. But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.”

The people of Edom descended from Essau, the brother of Jacob (later named Israel). In this way, the Lord can speak of the people of Edom as brother to the people of God, in that they share common ancestors in Abraham and Isaac. God promises judgment against Edom because they attacked Judah (2 Kings 8:20-22).

Edom held on to anger and wrath when they should have long before put it away. For this, the judgment of God is coming against them. We need to learn to give our anger and wrath to God, and let Him be our avenger.

-Judgment on Ammon.

 Verses 13-15 "Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of the people of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they ripped open the women with child in Gilead, that they might enlarge their territory. But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour its palaces, amid shouting in the day of battle, and a tempest in the day of the whirlwind. Their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together,” says the Lord."

The area of Gilead belonged to Israel, and suffered attacks not only from Syria (Amos 1:3), but also from their neighbor to the west, Ammon. We could say that Ammon sinned against the future by killing babies in the womb.

Because of their attacks against Israel, God promises judgment again Ammon.

The Judgment of God (Part 4)

Judgment on Gaza, a city of the Philistines.

Amos 1:6-8 "Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they took captive the whole captivity to deliver them up to Edom. But I will send a fire upon the wall of Gaza, which shall devour its palaces. I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and the one who holds the scepter from Ashkelon; I will turn My hand against Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish,” says the Lord God."

Gaza was a city of the Philistines, on the coast to the west of Israel and Judah. Because they came against God’s people and did deliver them up to Edom, God will bring judgment against Gaza plus Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Ekron, other cities of the Philistines.

The condemnation here is not against slavery in and of itself, just as the previous oracle was not against war in and of itself. The crime is not that soldiers were enslaved after being taken in battle, which was the standard practice, but that the Philistines used their temporary supremacy to enslave whole populations - soldiers and civilians, men and women, adults and children, young and old - for commercial profit. Gaza did not even need the slaves. She merely sold them to Edom for more money.

The Judgement of God (Part 3)

"Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they have threshed Gilead with implements of iron. But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Ben-Hadad. I will also break the gate bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the Valley of Aven, and the one who holds the scepter from Beth Eden. The people of Syria shall go captive to Kir,” says the Lord."

-This formula introduces God’s announcement of judgment against each nation. It doesn’t mean that Damacus only committed three sins, and then God thought of a fourth; it simply has the idea of “sin upon sin upon sin.”

-The region of Gilead belonged to Israel, and God will judge Damascus and the Syrians for coming against the land of God’s people, and coming with such complete destruction that it is as if a deep plow had been run through the land.

Threshing sledges with iron prongs or teeth are probably a figure of speech implying extreme cruelty and utter thoroughness in the treatment of those who opposed.

This was fulfilled in 2 Kings 16:9, which describes when the Assyrians attacked Syria because King Ahaz of Judah paid them.

"So the king of Assyria heeded him; for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus and took it, carried its people captive to Kir, and killed Rezin."

The Judgment of God (Part 2)

Amos 1:2 "And he said: “The Lord roars from Zion, and utters His voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the top of Carmel withers.”

Amos brings a message of judgment. The first two chapters of Amos describe the judgment of the Lord, first against Gentile nations then against Judah and Israel.

Israel in direct disobedience to God established rival centers of worship in Dan, Bethel, and Gilgal. When Amos says that the Lord speaks from Jerusalem, he reminds all of Israel where the center of true worship is.

Since Amos was a shepherd himself (Amos 7:14) he knew how the judgment of God could effect the land. If God withheld rain, sent plagues, or allowed conquering armies to come upon the land, it made the pastures of the shepherds mourn.

Carmel was a prominent mountain in the north of Israel, the site of Elijah’s dramatic confrontation with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:19-40). Since Elijah served before the time of Amos, it may be that Amos is reminding Israel of this victory of the Lord God over idolatry.

Over the next few days I will share with you what the judgments were against the Gentile and Jewish nations. I think that you will see the comparison to what has happened to us here in America since God Jehovah has been replaced by many other gods in the mindset of America.

You have to be specific today about which god you worship because so many are honored an revered in our land today. From the ancient religions of Europe to the modern self deity teachings of today many have lost persepctive of the one true God. However, I believe He is about to make His presence known again throughout our land.

I for one would rather have His mercy than His wrath. I hope that's your desire as well.

Judgment Is Near (Part 1)-2 Years Before The Earthquake

Amos 1:1 "The words of Amos, who was among the sheepbreeders of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake."
The book of Amos gives us the only mention we have of this man in the Old Testament. The books of 1 and 2 Kings or 1 and 2 Chronicles do not mention this prophet, and he should not be confused with Amoz, the father of Isaiah the prophet (Isaiah 1:1).

The name Amos means burden or burden bearer. Since most of the prophecies of Amos concern coming judgment on either the nations surrounding Israel or judgment on Israel itself, he was a man with a burden.

It seems that Amos had no “formal” theological or prophetic training, though there was a “school of the prophets” known as the sons of the prophets at that time (1 Kings 20:35, 2 Kings 2:3-15, 2 Kings 4:1, 2 Kings 4:38). Amos was a simple man, a farmer, who had been uniquely called to ministry.

Amos spoke of his background and calling in Amos 7:14-15: I was no prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet, but I was a sheepbreeder and a tender of sycamore fruit. Then the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’

Amos uses an unusual word to describe his occupation. Instead of calling himself a “shepherd,” the literal ancient Hebrew calls Amos a “sheep raiser.” Amos probably chose this title to emphasize the fact that he really was a shepherd, and that he did not mean “shepherd” in a symbolic, spiritual sense. The way God used Amos reminds us of the way He used the twelve disciples of Jesus - common, workingmen used to do great things for God.

Amos was from Tekoa, a city about ten miles from Jerusalem. It seems that he delivered his prophetic message at Bethel (Amos 7:13), one of the southernmost cities of Israel - not very far from Tekoa.

Amos was primarily a prophet to Israel, though he will speak to many nations. He served in the days of the divided monarchy (the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash). Most researchers date the ministry of Amos somewhere between 760 b.c. and 750 b.c.

When Amos served as a prophet, the people of God had been divided into two nations for more than 150 years. The southern nation was known as Judah, and the northern nation was still known as Israel. Through the period of the divided monarch Judah saw a succession of kings, some godly and some ungodly (Uzziah was one of the better kings of Judah). The northern nation of Israel saw nothing but a succession of wicked kings. Jeroboam the son of Joash was one of the better kings among these wicked men - especially in a political and military sense - but he was still an ungodly man (2 Kings 14:23-29).

 For most of its history, the northern kingdom of Israel struggled against Syria - her neighbor to the north. But around the year 800, the mighty Assyrian Empire defeated Syria, and neutralized this power that hindered Israel’s expansion and prosperity. With Syria in check, Israel enjoyed great prosperity during the reign of Jeroboam II.

Amos can see that beneath Israel's external prosperity and power, internally the nation is corrupt to the core. The sins for which Amos chastens the people are extensive: neglect of God's Word, idolatry, pagan worship, greed, corrupted leadership and oppression of the poor. Amos begins by pronouncing a judgment upon all the surrounding nations, then upon his own nation of Judah, and finally the harshest judgment is given to Israel. His visions from God reveal the same emphatic message: judgment is near.

I Pray For The Opportunity

Our 911 Memorial service went very well along with showing the film last night of "The Cross and The Towers". I just hope that people will continue to remember and cherish that sense of community and togetherness that a day like yesterday continues to present.

None of us know what the future holds for any of us. Only God has the master plan. Hopefully none of us will have to go through a 911 expereince again in our lifetime.

But let's talk about that for a moment. What do you think God has in store for you next? Do you think that life as you know it is going to change drastically or continue to be the same? Guess what, I am praying for an opportunity to see God do something out of the ordinary in my life.

I have heard people preach and talk about tarrying in prayer. I know that the Bible speaks of being in a sense of prayer on a continual basis. Yet in it's simplest form prayer is just having a conversation with our Creator, our Savior, and our best friend. I can talk with Him any time and in any place with the expectation or knowing an answer is on the way.

So there are some things that I am talking to the Father about this week that I really want the opportunity to see. Maybe these are things that you are praying about as well. I want to pray and see:

(1) An old fashioned move of the Holy Ghost like I saw when I was growing up. There may have been some wildfire in the worship, but at least their was some fire.

(2) People have a hunger for God and church once again. I am on the verge of having to make some decisions about services other than Sunday morning because people don't come to church. I told someone the other day that I have never seen a day when people only hunger for God on Sunday morning. Wednesday night and Sunday night are either optional or obsolete. I sometimes feel that no matter how much I pray or promote any event or service, I'm just barking up a dead tree. How I long to see the hunger restored in the church like it once was.

(3) People who want to have church. Not complainers, whiners, fault-finders, gripers, uncaring, or stuckup, but people that come together for one purpose-and that is to praise the Lord and bring Him glory.

(4) A church that doesn't care how you have church or come dressed to church-just that you are there. Someone asked me are we contemporary or traditional. I usually reply we are both, because God isn't in the specialty movement. We are to be all things to all people according to the Word. That means that no matter what style we use we use it with one purpose-to worship and lift up Jesus.

Dear Lord:

Please give me the chance to pastor a group that isn't bound by vain tradition of men or their own limitations, but have a heart for God. That is my prayer today.

I only ask for the opportunity.

Amen.

We Will Remember

The clock went off at 5:45 a.m. this morning. Instead of getting up and going to the gym, Becky and I both had to get ready to pick up Gracie at 7 a.m. to take her to school and eat breakfast with her in celebration of Grandparents Day. Of course it's also the day of the Book Fair. I believe some marketing guy somewhere has come up with the perfect solution to help the schools raise money-mix grandparents and grandkids plus a book fair and you have a winning combination.

Like I said yesterday, I don't ever want to miss an opportunity to be with my grands in whatever activity they are involved in. If it's important to them, it's important to me. These are times we will remember and hopefully they will never forget.

As we remember this weekend the events of 911 I found a story of wife that lost her husband on that fateful day that never gave up hope until. Here's the story:

Maybe he did manage to get out of the South Tower after all. Maybe he is wandering around not knowing who he is. For years, these thoughts haunted Myrta Gschaar. She did not abandon hope, until the day authorities informed her that her husband’s wallet had been recovered. When she went to the police station to pick it up, she saw the two-dollar bill. Myrta Gschaar felt dizzy and the policemen needed to keep her from falling. It was one of the two-dollar bills with which Robert had proposed to Myrta. They had promised each other to always carry theirs with them. When Myrta had recovered, she placed the slightly charred note next to her undamaged one. She moved them toward each other as if they were about to kiss for the last time. Or the first.

She never lost hope until the wallet of her deceased husband was given to her. But inside was a memory that will last for her lifetime. Even though he was gone, she still had something to hold onto that reminded her of the good times and not the bad. It also let her know that the promise they made to each other from that day forward had been kept. He had remembered, and so did she.

This weekend we will remember the victims and their families, the heroes and their loved ones, and the faith that brought us through those bad times. That's why memories are so important.

So while your kids are small, or your grandkids want to be with you, take advantage of those memories. They do last for eternity.

Living With Regret

I cannot remember the times I have heard people say that they wished they would have said something earlier to a loved that passed away unexpectedly. They live with a constant gnawing inside them of regret for their failure to express themselves when they had the chance. How sad it is to miss out on an opportunity to express your love or compassion for someone that you care for and let it go unsaid.

The Bible tells us that life "is like a vapor; it appears for a little while and then vanishes away." How true that statement is! I have expressed all week long the regrets that many have shared do to the tragedy that we endured on September 11, 2001. The hundreds of people who saw loved ones perish and never got the chance to say what they really wanted to say to them before death came calling.

So here's so good advice:

-Don't wait until it's too late to express your true feelings. Say what you need to every day and you'll never live with regret.

-Take every advantage to let your companion, children, grandchildren, etc. know that you love them and that they will be with you always in your thoughts and prayers.

-Take time to live. Don't get put under so much pressure that life passes you by. Believe me as a pastor the worst regret I have is that I didn't take more time with my family as a younger preacher because I was so tied to the church. Take time for what is really important while you have the chance.

Life is filled with highs and lows and ups and dows, but we can make the right choices that will help us to never live with regret. I think it's about time we do so in America today.

Have You Hugged Your Babies Today?

9 years and 361 one days ago the parents of 1,300 plus children went to work, shop, or do business in the area of the World Trade Center. I've wondered how many of them hugged their babies, kissed their companion, patted their dogs' head, or looked up and thanked the Lord for His blessings on them that day? Or how many took the time just to appreciate all that the Lord had given to them?

Little did any of them know that in 5 days they would not return home or that their children would have to grow up in the world without their guidance and presence. September 11th changed the lives of at least 1,300 children whose moms, dads, or both never came home from work or play that day.

We get so busy in doing our business each and every day that sometimes we forget the small things God has blessed us with. Like the touch of our wifes' or husbands' hand as we walk out the door or the smile of our children as they tell us goodbye or throw us a kiss. It's those simple things in life that make living worthwhile and yet we often take for granted. But I think it's time to reflect on what was lost on 911 and remember how precious our time and gifts are that God has given us today.

So here are some suggestions:

-Thank God everyday for life in general. It may not be the best or what you dreamed off, but it is precious and you don't need to forget that.

-Kiss your wife/husband goodbye everytime before you leave your house. Only God knows what the future holds so don't let an argument or something stupid stop you from telling your loved one how much you care and showing your affection for them.

-Hug your kids and remind them that regardless of where they are in life you will always love them and ge with them. My dad did this for me as a child and even those he's been with Jesus for the past 24 years there's a part of him that lingers with me. I just know he's always here.

So dear friend-hug your babies today and everyday that you get the chance. Life is to short to take for granted what God has blessed you with.

We Will Never Forget

These are the grim facts about the victims of 9/11:

-2,749 death certificates were filed relating to the WTC attacks, as of February 2005.
 
 
-13 people died after the disaster, from injuries received on September 11; three of these people died in Massachusetts, Missouri, and New Jersey, and the rest died in New York.
 
 
- Of the 2,749 people who died, 2,117 (77%) were males and 632 (23%) were females.
 
 
-1,588 (58%) were forensically identified from recovered physical remains.
 
 
-The median age for the victims was 39 years (range: 2-85 years); the median age was 38 years for females (range: 2-81 years) and 39 years for males (range: 3-85 years). Three people were aged under 5 years, and three were aged over 80 years.
 
 
23 New York City Police Officers died on September 11th, 2001.


-People from 83 different countries died in the attacks on the World Trade Center.


-The youngest passenger on the hijacked jets was Christine Hanson on United Airlines Flight 175. She was 2 and on her first trip to Disneyland.


-The oldest passenger on the hijacked jets was Robert Norton on American Airlines Flight 11. He was 82.


-1300 children were left as orphans as a result of the attacks.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of those lost that day. Just innocent people who had no idea of what was going to happen to them when they went to work that morning. As the 10th anniversary of 911 comes this Sunday please take time to reflect on how precious your time is with your family and loved ones. You never know what a day will bring so take time to enjoy them now. 911 taught us all a lesson we will never forget.

Remembered

How do you want to be remembered?

• To be remembered kindly...do something for someone who needs a gentle touch.
  
• To be remembered as honest...live with such integrity that no one would ever question your intentions.
  
• To be remembered as generous...be giving to all.
  
• To be remembered as compassionate...don't just say you care, show it.
  
• To be remembered as giving...give before you know there is a need.
  
• To be remembered as a "person of faith"...be faithful in all your actions.
  
• To be remembered as a good worker...remove from your vocabulary the words, "It's not my job."
  
• To be remembered as a good parent...teach by example.
  
• To be remembered as a good spouse...be a good listener, express love, be faithful and forgiving.
  
• To be remembered as a friend...be trustworthy, honest, open and genuine.
  
• To be remembered at all...live fully, love all and smile often.
  

Don't Mess With My Children

An eastern newspaper reported that a train in Bangladesh accidentally struck a calf elephant. The mother elephant apparently became upset over the incident, for a little while later another train came along and spotted the female standing in the middle of the track. Though the engineer blasted his horn, she would not budge. When the train came to a halt, she began butting it with her head! For fifteen minutes she hammered the engine, rendering it inoperable. Once satisfied, she walked off into the jungle, stranding two hundred passengers for five hours while they waited for a replacement engine. Don't mess with her children!

Devotion to our own children is essential. Here are some ways we can channel our devotion into productive areas.

1. Devote TIME to your child. Quality time means nothing if it rarely occurs. Spend time reading, laughing, playing, exploring, learning, talking, and just sitting quietly together.
   
2. Devote POSITIVE ATTENTION to your child. Let her know she is important by the way you speak and listen to her.
   
3. Devote LOVE to your child. He is one of the most important people you'll ever have the privilege of knowing.
   
4. Devote ENERGY to learning how to be the best parent possible. All of our children are different and require different skills from us.
   
5. Devote YOURSELF, and you'll never regret the valuable investment.

Giving and Getting

"What you give is what you get." I am sure that everyone of us have heard those words uttered again and again in our lives. They go along with "reaping what we sow" and "doing unto others as you would have them do unto you." What amazes me most about these wonderful words, though, is the reality that lies in them. I see this reality everyday in my own life.

This reality shines through the actions of my grandson whose smiles and hugs light up the world around him. This reality radiates from the life of my daughter-in-law whose kindness, friendship, and loving spirit brightens the lives of those around her especially my son and grandchildren. This reality flows out of the behavior of my son, who puts on a tough exterior, yet is a friend to many who are less fortunate. This reality radiates from everything I watch my wife do as she makes the world a better place for our family, friends, and church family. I see this reality again and again in every good, kind, and loving thing I do. It comes back to bless me with even greater joy when I least expect it.

Don't be afraid to give then. Give your time, your energy, your talents, your love, and your joy. Share all the fantastic blessings God gives to you with those around you. If you can do this then what you will get back will be so glorious and wonderful that you will never want to stop giving. It is true that what you give is what you get. But if what you give is love, joy, peace, happiness, goodness, delight, and oneness with God then what you get will be a thousand times greater.