DEAD END STREET!

Proverbs 16:24-25  “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”

 

This afternoon I had made a trip to the post office and was on my way home when I noticed a young woman slouched over speaking into a cell phone. She was not what caught my attention, however. My eyes were drawn to the sign she was leaning against. It read: DEAD END STREET.

 

Wow! That hit me like a ton of bricks. How many times do we see people around us who are on a dead-end street. We can come to many dead-end streets in our life when we fail to take the action that is necessary. Even though the sign cautions "dead-end" street, many times people fail to ignore the warning and have to come to a sudden stop at the end. At that time it’s either turn around or crash.

 

The words of Solomon in today’s Scripture are profound and true. We may listen to the sweet enticement to seek the pleasures of sin, but to do so inevitably leads us onto a dead-end street. Many lives, families, and ministries have gone down that dead-end street. Sad! Sad! The bitter wail!

 

But there is an option. If we find ourselves on a dead-end street, we need to immediately make a U-turn. In Scripture we find that U-turn described by one word…REPENTANCE! If you’re on a dead-end street, repent as soon as possible. As a teen we had an expression: “TURN! DON’T BURN!”

 

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!   

- - - Pastor Cecil

Give Thanks

Psalm 136:1 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever.

Christians are thankful unto our Lord for two reasons. First, because of his “goodness”. Second, because of his every lasting mercy. First, we are taught, in the Bible, that every good and perfect gift comes for our Father in heaven. That Devil never sends blessings our way. He never tries to help us. He always try to tempt and deceive us to sin.

It is our Lord that is good. It is our Lord that loves us and wishes good things for us. It is Jesus our Lord that protects us for our enemies and provides all the good things for us

Second, His mercy “endureth” forever. Jesus' mercy for gives and accepts sinners. His mercy does not condemn and reject any one. PLUS, His mercy last forever. His mercy is not a one time thing, but, he had mercy before we were even born and his mercy will endure forever!

Yes, God created us and he loves his creation. Anything God created, he can certainly repair and make whole again. We were created perfect by our Lord. We were corrupped by the devil's evil rebellious lies.

Praise God! We are made whole again and acceptable when we allow Jesus to come into our hearts to stay!

 

I am so glad I am saved. Are you??

 

God Bless;

Walter D. Hill D. Min.

e-mail= hill.walter19@yahoo.com

Blessings Abound: Blessings From Around

by Dr. David Jeremiah

Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! Psalm 107:21

Recommended Reading Psalm 107:33-43 Just when you think poetry has gone out of style, someone quotes a stanza that expresses just the right thoughts in the right way. For example, in an old book of poetry, there’s this verse by Mark Bullock on the subject of thanksgiving: “When you ask God in the morning / For His guidance through the day, / Thank Him for the many blessings / He in love has sent your way. / When you’re asking aid from Heaven, / Mingle with your morning prayer / A word of praise and gratitude / For all His kindly care.”

Watch This Week's TV Broadcast When you learn to do this, it becomes a very practical habit. When washing the dishes, thank God for hot water. When taking your medicine, thank Him for your doctor and for advanced medical technology. When grabbing a shopping cart at the grocery, thank Him for the abundance of food in the store. When dressing in the morning, thank Him for providing your clothing. When retiring at night, thank Him for the blessings of darkness and moonlight; and upon arising, thank Him for awakening you to a new day. Blessings abound, so thank God for scattering them all around you!

When you send up your petition / To the Throne of Grace on High, / Thank Him for the many favors / That His mercy does supply. Mark Bullock

I Believe He Said, “Close Your Mouth!”

Psalm 4:4 Be angry and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.

“I’m sorry, what was that you said Lord? Zip it? Be quiet, don’t say another word?”

Uhmmmmm, Yup! I believe He is kindly saying, “Close your mouth!” It is okay to get angry, but don’t sin in your anger by allowing things to come out of your mouth that shouldn’t! You can’t take what you say back, so guard your mouth, put your hand over it if you must, but don’t say another word while you are still angry! Go find a place to get yourself under control!

So often the first response when we get angry is to lash out, after all we are hurt and what the other person did was hurtful and wrong! That doesn’t make it right! One hurtful thing added on top of another will not make things right! If you thought you had work to do in that relationship before, just start speaking your mind and see how long it takes to work through it!

When you are angry your first course of action needs to be to stop, don’t say anything hateful and find a place to cool down and think things through and pray! Bill and I had a very heated argument a while back and it took me days to get over it! The thing I struggled with the most was that we could allow something stupid (who knows what it was because I don’t remember ~ couldn’t have been that important!) to say things to each other that were hurtful and wrong! How stupid! I had a more difficult time forgiving myself for allowing my anger to get the best of me than I did forgiving him. We solved nothing by arguing other than we both agreed we will not allow that to happen again! We could always blame it on the fact that he is Italian and I have Irish, German and well Indian, even though Indians aren’t known for their temper the thought of scalping him may have crossed my mind a few times during that tiff! But here’s the deal: I don’t care what your heritage is, you have a choice in how you react to things! We are called on to be godly and self controlled; Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Yeeaaaah, I don’t remember anything in that argument containing any of the above!

When you react in anger you are basically asking God to stay out of it! “Here, sit over here a minute Lord and watch us act like total fools.” I don’t think He appreciates that much!

We have a choice! There is a choice you make every time you react! You can either be filled with your anger and lash out or you can be filled with the Holy Spirit and take some time to cool down and behave like the godly adult you were called to be! Your attitude is your choice, no one can take yours and no one can give you theirs ~ it is your choice how you will behave! You can’t blame your reaction on “well, he/she did or said…….”, they may have and they were probably wrong, but you still need to be self-controlled enough to allow the Holy Spirit take control of you and your response!

If you are struggling with anger, I would encourage you to get to the root of it! Anger doesn’t just wander into your life, there is a root cause for that anger. Anger usually stems from something that hurt you that you never dealt with and over time has turned into one big, overflowing, boiling pot of anger! Don’t think you can just stuff those hurts and they will stay there or go away on their own, you have to talk through them! If your friend, boss, spouse or child relationship means anything to you then you need to talk through those hurts and frustrations, it is vital to your relationship! Don’t allow every little thing become some deep hurt either. It is easy to allow a big hurt to snowball by picking up every little hurt along the way until it is just one humongous ball of hurt just waiting to run the next person over that says or does something wrong! Stop, deal with it and give your hurts and anger to God! Choose to forgive and allow that feeling of freedom from that thing wash over you like a gentle rain on a hot day.

The bottom line is this; your anger, if not controlled will hurt more than it could ever help in any situation. Someone else may deserve your anger, but if you allow your anger to control you then you are the one who pays the biggest price in the end. Satan would like to destroy all of us with uncontrolled anger, take a look at the world around us and see what anger is doing to people when it is allowed to just rage. Don’t allow Satan to get the best of you because of hurt that hasn’t been dealt with in the past! If you are really struggling in this area, talk to someone, find a counselor or pastor that can help you work through it. Don’t ignore the problem, it will not leave on it’s own!

You can have victory over all of this by giving it to God, one hurt and frustration at a time. Find a great life coach to walk you through it all and ask God to fill you with all of the fruit of the Spirit, don’t hold anything back! The best is yet to come!

Quote: “How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.” Marcus Aurelius

“If a person doesn’t govern his temper, his temper will govern him.” John Maxwell

Thanksgiving 2015 - For What Are You Grateful

“O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon His Name: make known His deeds among the people. Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him: talk ye of all His wondrous works.” Psalm 105:1-2

 

                There was a commercial that suggested instead of saying what we were grateful for this year while sitting around the Thanksgiving table we should rather say for whom we are grateful. It sounded rather good but then I thought when we eliminate an area of gratitude in our considerations we are overlooking areas where our God has sought to bless us in this life.

 

                This year I have been thinking of the many areas where I have cause to be thankful unto the Lord for His workings in my life. Over the weekend it had come home to me how greatly blessed I had been in just the area of the mate the Lord had chosen for me. You see my wife was born on November thirteenth and we were married on November sixteenth, (Not in the same year of course.)

 

                In my current condition when evening shadows seem to be gathering it is good to reflect on how things worked together for my good under the guidance of the almighty hand. My dad had a tank number thirteen shot out from under him in World War Two and came home to make me. Then I married a woman born on the thirteenth who was the means of pulling me away from my rebellion against the call of the Lord upon my life. (Thirteen in Bible numeric is often thought to symbolize depravity and rebellion.)

 

                Would that I was capable of making a list in two parts for those I should be thankful for and for things I should be grateful for. But then, I would need to add another list for those intangible things for which gratitude should flow out and upward for. Not everything I find demanding my thankfulness unto the Lord were pleasant when they came into my life but looking back I can see how many of those things were used for good. Were hindsight truly 20/20 I think that the fine direction of a loving God would be seen in it all.

 

                For what and whom are you truly thankful?

 

 

Thankful for Salvation

“Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.” (Luke 18:10&11)

The Hollywood scandals reached beyond tinsel town when a high paid personality revealed that in addition to his famous drunken, and drug filled binges he had also managed to become HIV positive during his many sexual escapades upon which he had spent many dollars upon professional fornicators. While his behavior has brought upon himself the just recompense of his sinful and willful lifestyle those of us who are onlookers to his folly are faced with the temptation of the Pharisee in the Temple.

Those who were saved early in life are tempted to look down upon this man who was no doubt impacted by the follies of his family and be proud we are not as he. Those who were saved later in life may breathe a sigh of relief that we are not afflicted with the diseases his actions carry or if this misfortune had fallen prior to salvation nevertheless see him as the publican whose continued lifestyle is the source of repugnant fascination.

The truth is that none of us have anything of which to boast of except in Christ. We do not save ourselves and we do not free ourselves from the bondage of sin in whatever form it might seek to rule in our lives. As a boy I was taught to not look at others with contempt by godly grandparents in the Primitive Baptist and my parents in the Southern Baptist way. Both taught me to acknowledge that “there but for the grace of God go I!” We have only the slightest idea of the depths to which we may have fallen, no matter at what time Jesus become Lord of our lives. Sin has a downward spiral and this man may yet sink to even deeper depths if he continues in his unrepentant ways. Remember he has only confessed to his disease, not repented and turned to Christ. We should humble ourselves in the thankfulness of our Salvation and pray for His!

Justice Will Be Done

by John Piper

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)

All of you have been wronged at one time or another. Most of you, probably, have been wronged seriously by someone who has never apologized or done anything sufficient to make it right.

And one of the deep hindrances to your letting that hurt and bitterness go is the conviction — the justified conviction — that justice should be done, that the fabric of the universe will unravel if people can just get away with horrible wrongs and deceive everyone.

That is one of the hindrances to forgiveness and letting grudges go. It’s not the only one. We have our own sin to deal with. But it is a real one.

We feel that just to let it go would be to admit that justice simply won’t be done. And we can’t do it.

So we hold on to anger, and play the story over and over again with the feelings: It shouldn’t have happened; it shouldn’t have happened; it was wrong; it was wrong. How can he be so happy now when I am so miserable? It is so wrong. It is so wrong!

This word in Romans 12:19 is given to you by God to lift that burden from you.

“Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God.” What does this mean for you?

Laying down the burden of anger, laying down the practice of nursing your hurt with feelings of being wronged — laying that down — does not mean there was no great wrong against you.

It does not mean there is no justice. It does not mean you will not be vindicated. It does not mean they just got away with it. No.

It means, when you lay down the burden of vengeance, God will pick it up.

This is not a subtle way of getting revenge. This is a way of giving vengeance to the one to whom it belongs.

It is taking a deep breath, perhaps for the first time in decades, and feeling like now at last you may be free to love.

too hard for Jehovah

Is there anything too hard for Jehovah? (Gen. 18:14). Here is God's loving challenge to you and to me today. He wants us to think of the deepest, highest, worthiest desire and longing of our hearts, something which perhaps was our desire for ourselves or for someone dear to us, yet which has been so long unfulfilled that we have looked upon it as only a lost desire, that which might have been but now cannot be, and so have given up hope of seeing it fulfilled in this life. That thing, if it is in line with what we know to be His expressed will (as a son to Abraham and Sarah was), God intends to do for us, even if we know that it is of such utter impossibility that we only laugh at the absurdity of anyone's supposing it could ever now come to pass. That thing God intends to do for us, if we will let Him. "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Not when we believe in Him enough to go forward and do His will, and let Him do the impossible for us. Even Abraham and Sarah could have blocked God's plan if they had continued to disbelieve. The only thing too hard for Jehovah is deliberate, continued disbelief in His love and power, and our final rejection of His plans for us. Nothing is too hard for Jehovah to do for them that trust Him --Messages for the Morning Watch

Always Be Ready to Give an Answer

Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.
BIBLE MEDITATION:
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” 1 Peter 3:15

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your faith. In seminary, we call this “apologetics.” Contrary to what you might think, this does not mean you are to apologize for your faith! Instead, “apologetics” comes from the Greek word that means “to give a defense, as in front of a judge.”

Can you defend your faith? It is not enough for you to demonstrate your faith; you must also defend your faith. If you ran into someone who was dying, and he asked you to share your faith with him, could you? You need to be ready.

You need to also be reasonable. You need to study God’s Word and know what it says about salvation, sin, heaven, and hell. Are you ready?

ACTION POINT:
If not, get ready today. There’s no better time.

Do You Have a Difficult Boss?

Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God.” Colossians 3:22

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Do you work for a difficult person?

“Yes! That slave driver, penny pincher, bully!”

Well, let’s see what the Bible says about that slave driver.

“Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward [harsh]” (1 Peter 2:18).

“You mean I’m supposed to submit to that two-legged devil?”

That’s right. And you are to serve him.

ACTION POINT:
You can shut the mouth of criticism and bring that one to Jesus Christ when you practice the mightiest force upon the face of the earth—submission through obedience.

WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL THANKFUL

He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me. - Psalm 50:23

What do you do when your life is going south?  What do you do when it is “THANKSGIVING” and you have just lost a loved one… or just lost your job… or just lost your marriage?  Surely you cannot be expected to give thanks… can you?

Sometimes thanksgiving is a sacrifice.  Sometimes we must thank God through clenched teeth and chocked back tears.  Thanksgiving in the midst of a terrible storm brings tremendous joy to His heart.  It shows the Lord that we really trust Him… regardless of the adverse circumstances we are facing. 

THE THANKSGIVING CONSTANT

Perhaps you are one this year who is having trouble finding good in your life.  Look no further than Jesus.  He never changes.  Despite everything you might be facing, you can rejoice in Him.  You can give thanks for Him and His love and care for you.  You can give thanks that He promised to work all things together for good. 

Train yourself to give thanks in everything.  Remember… a sacrifice of thanksgiving brings honor to the Lord.  Thank Him for that trial you are facing.  Thank Him for that sorrow.  He will use your thanks for His glory and your ultimate good!

 Love,
Jeff Schreve

Jeff Schreve founded From His Heart Ministries, www.fromhisheart.org,

The Power of a Discerning Spirit

Hebrews 5:11-14

In a world filled with endless sources of information and opinions, believers need to develop a discerning spirit. Otherwise, how will we know what is true? Much of what we see and hear is based on a worldly perspective that is influenced by Satan, the Father of Lies. Deception is found even in the religious realm: cults mix lies with enough truth to make some people consider them legitimate Christian institutions.

The only way believers can guard against deception is to ground themselves in God's Word. The more time you spend filling your mind with the Lord's thoughts, the more discerning you will be. However, just knowing biblical truth isn't enough. You must put what you learn into practice so that it becomes more than head knowledge.

The goal is to let God's Word become such an integral part of your thinking that it guides all your decisions. Even if the situation you're facing isn't specifically addressed in the Bible, scriptural principles provide the needed wisdom for every choice. In addition, the Holy Spirit was given to each believer as a Helper, whose job is to guide you into all the truth (John 14:26; 16:13). However, your responsibility is to put God's Word into your mind so that He can bring it to your remembrance. If you neglect the Word, you'll lack discernment.

What are you allowing into your mind? Is Scripture high in your priorities? Unless you're careful, worldly thinking will overpower spiritual discernment. It's difficult to keep God's perspective in the forefront if you spend two or three hours in front of the television and only ten minutes in the Bible.

Putting the "Thanks" Back in Thanksgiving

by Dr. Jack Graham

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Psalms 118:1

An old pastor and his wife invited a new young couple in the church over for Thanksgiving dinner. As the couple entered the home, they smelled the wonderful turkey and all the trimmings in the kitchen. As the four made their way to the dining room table, there was a great feast before them!

But as the young wife scanned the table, she noticed something out of place. Among the turkey, dressing, casseroles, and pies were three Chinese takeout cartons and a plate of egg rolls!

"I know what you're thinking," the old pastor said. "Why is there Chinese takeout on the table?"

"You see," he continued, "23 years ago on Thanksgiving Day, my dear wife burned the turkey and started a fire in our kitchen! In fact, our entire kitchen nearly caught fire and the whole Thanksgiving meal was charred black!"

"So after the fire department left," he chuckled, "we ordered Chinese takeout and that was our Thanksgiving meal! And every year since, we've had Chinese takeout as a part of our meal to remind us to be thankful for what we have!"

This year, I hope Thanksgiving isn't just a holiday for you. It should be a way of life for every Christian. We serve a wonderful God who sent his Son to die for you. So as you continue to reflect on what you are thankful for this year, remember God's blessings in your life!

GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR HOW HE HAS BLESSED YOU IN YOUR LIFE AND ESPECIALLY FOR SENDING CHRIST TO DIE FOR YOU!

The Passion to Obey

And JESUS said in John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 

 

For a sermon I gave several years ago, I jotted down a list and titled it "The Evolution of a Passion to Obey God." That passion doesn't just spring up, full-blown at salvation. We do enter our new life in Christ with a desire to please Him, and that does include obeying Him. But an intensely determined pursuit of His will develops more slowly.

 

In fact, the first stage--fear of the consequences of disobedience--barely qualifies as reverence for God. But as we progress in our faith and form a commitment to obey the Lord, we eventually reach the final stage, which is love and devotion to Christ. Wouldn't you rather follow Him out of love than out of fear?

 

Getting from the first stage to the last begins with what you might expect--an increasing knowledge of Jesus Christ. As we dig into God's Word to see how He provided for the saints, we develop a desire for His best. Men like Moses, David, and Paul weren't satisfied with what the world had to offer, and we won't be either when we witness His work in the lives of His followers. So we test out obedience and discover that God's promised blessings are real. As we acquire a record of consistent rewards for doing His will, we recognize the wisdom of obedience.

 

Can you find yourself on the spectrum between fear and devotion? It is my hope that you have committed to obeying God and that you are reading His Word daily to learn how to keep your promise. God wants your best--your passionate pursuit of His will--because He is giving His best to you.

by Dr. Charles Stanley

Put Down the Glass

by shani4jc

I read the following a few days ago and it really is a powerful message for those of us who tend to carry our burdens on our own shoulders instead of giving them to Christ as we should.

"A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience.  As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question.  Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: 'How heavy is this glass of water?' Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz. She replied, 'The absolute weight doesn't matter.  It depends on how long I hold it.  If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm.  If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed.  In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.  She continued, 'The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water.  Think about them for a while and nothing happens.  Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt.  And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed - incapable of doing anything.' Remember to put the glass down."

Many of us are guilty of carrying our burdens so long that they paralyze us and leave us incapable of doing anything!  Just as the psychologist in the story above advised her audience to do with their "glass", we need to lay down our burdens...right at the feet of the One who can handle them.

"Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken." Psalm 55:22

Giving Thanks

by Barbara Rainey

It is good to give thanks to the LORD and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High. PSALM 92:1 

As Psalm 92 tells us, "It is good to give thanks to the LORD . . . to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night." With a little effort, you can make Thanksgiving a cherished family time devoted to thanking God for what He has done in your lives.

One tradition we've kept for years is to have each family member write five things for which he or she is thankful. On our plates are five kernels of corn—a reminder of the Pilgrims' daily ration during one of their first difficult winters. Before we eat, we pass a basket around the table five times, and each person places one kernel of corn at a time into the basket and tells one thing he or she is thankful for.

Here are some of the things our children wrote one year:

•"I'm thankful for being able to have a family."
•"I'm thankful Ashley got to come home from college for Thanksgiving."
•"I'm thankful for God in my life."
•"I'm thankful for my ministry at my high school."
•"I'm thankful for my sisters and all they've taught me about relationships."
•"I'm thankful I got to shoot a deer!"
•"I'm thankful for a great brother."

Dennis and I were thrilled to hear the kids actually thank God for each other!

After so many years of sibling rivalry, they were finally beginning to show each other the affection we hoped would continue throughout their lives.

That year we also were touched by something our son Samuel wrote: "I'm thankful for my muscular dystrophy." He had been diagnosed with the disease earlier in the year, and we had been through some wrenching months.

Thanking God was a big step of faith for him. And it provided another sign that our children were learning the true spirit of Thanksgiving—a heart of gratitude that gives thanks in all things.

DISCUSS

How has God worked in your lives this past year?

PRAY

Spend time thanking God for His love, His provision and His work in your lives.

Give Thanks for Your Country… and the Rest

by Dr. Jack Graham

The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Psalm 97:1 

Many years ago, I heard a man make the statement that Christianity would be almost nonexistent by the year 2000. And while it’s true that there has been a decline of people who call themselves believers in many areas of the world, the church is also growing rapidly in other parts.

In China, for example, it’s estimated that 20,000 people every day are trusting Jesus as Savior. In Africa, the church is growing dramatically, as it is in South America and across parts of Asia. These areas, commonly called the “Global South,” are seeing an intense and passionate response to the Gospel.

So what does that tell us? Well, I think those of us in the Western world have a duty to support and encourage the spreading of the Christian message in these parts of the world. Also, we need to open our hearts to learning from our faithful brothers and sisters around the globe and not think that we hold all the answers here.

It’s good to thank God for your country this Thanksgiving. But let’s never forget that our God is a global God. So get involved in what He’s doing around the world by praying, giving, and going to make His name known among all nations!

SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE THE WORLDWIDE BODY OF FAITH BY PRAYING, GIVING, AND GOING TO BRING CHRIST TO EVERY NATION!

If Jesus Came to Your House

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

"Former President Harry Truman was famous for the long walks he took. Those were simpler days when he could take a walk like everyone else. One evening Truman decided to stroll to Memorial Bridge on the Potomac. While there, he grew curious about the mechanism that raised the middle span of the bridge. Making his way across the catwalks and through the inner workings of the bridge, he suddenly came upon the bridge tender, eating his supper out of a tin bucket.

"The man showed no surprise when he looked up and saw the most powerful man in the world. He just swallowed his food, wiped his mouth, smiled, and said, 'You know, Mr. President, I was just thinking of you.' It was a greeting Truman never forgot."2

President Truman's experience reminds us of the poem, "If Jesus Came to Your House." A poem that I read many years ago and found a copy on the web. It would be more applicable for me if it were, "If Jesus Came to My House."

"If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two / If he came unexpectedly, I wonder what you'd do. / Oh, I know you'd give your nicest room to such an honored Guest, / And all the food you'd serve to Him would be the very best, / And you’d keep assuring Him you're glad to have Him there / That serving Him in your own home is joy beyond compare.

"But when you saw Him coming, would you meet Him at the door / With arms outstretched in welcome to your heavenly Visitor? / Or would you have to change your clothes before you let Him in? / Or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they'd been? / Would you turn off the radio and hope He hadn't heard? / And wish you hadn't uttered that last, loud, hasty word?

"Would you hide your worldly music and put some hymn books out? / Could you let Jesus walk right in, or would you rush about? / And I wonder if the Savior spent a day or two with you, / Would you go right on doing the things you always do? / Would you go right on saying the things you always say? / Would life for you continue as it does from day to day? / Would your family conversation keep up its usual pace? / And would you find it hard each meal to say a table grace? / Would you sing the songs you always sing, / and read the books you read, / And let him know the things on which your mind and spirit feed? / Would you take Jesus with you everywhere you'd planned to go? / Or would you, maybe, change your plans for just a day or so?

"Would you be glad to have Him meet your very closest friends? / Or would you hope they'd stay away until His visit ends? / Would you be glad to have Him stay forever on and on? / Or would you sigh with great relief when He at last was gone? / It might be interesting to know the things that you would do? / If Jesus Christ in person came to spend some time with you."3

It would be very interesting if Jesus did come in person to your house and mine.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to so live that should Jesus turn up in my house in person, there would be nothing that I would be embarrassed or shamed about. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV).
2. The President Truman story is told in David McCullough's book, Truman, (New York: Simon & Schuster,
1992), 623, and recorded in Nelson's Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes by Robert J. Morgan.
3. Credited to Lois Blanchard Eades.

When All Else Fails

"When he [the prodigal son] came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father." Luke 15:17-20 (NIV).

In his One-Minute Uplift email newsletter Rick Ezell writes, "In the highlands of Scotland sheep often wander off into the rocks and get into places that they can't get out of. The grass on these mountains tastes very sweet, and the sheep like it. They will jump down ten or twelve feet to a ledge with a patch of grass, and then they can't jump back up again. The shepherd hears them bleating in distress. The shepherd may leave them there for days, until they have eaten all the grass and are so faint that they cannot stand. Only then will the shepherd put a rope around the sheep and pull them up out of the jaws of death.

"Why doesn't the shepherd attempt a rescue when the sheep first get into the predicament? The sheep are so foolish and so focused on eating that they would dash away from the shepherd, go over the precipice and destroy themselves.

"Such is the case with us. Sometimes we need to experience a little bit of 'death' before we can enjoy the abundance of life. The Lord will rescue us the moment we have given up trying, realizing that we can't liberate ourselves, and cry to him for help."2

For many of us, like the prodigal son, it's only when all else fails and we hit rock bottom, that we turn to God for help but that's a good thing because only God can rescue us from the jaws of eternal death and damnation.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You that when I finally admit that I have a problem--that I am a sinner--and need help, I discover that You have been waiting patiently for me to come to You so You could rescue and save me from the tragic consequences of sin which is eternal death and separation from You. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."


2. Rick Ezell, Defining Moments, © 2001. Cited on PreachingNow Ezine. 
www.preaching.com/preaching/preachingnow.html.

Loving One's Enemies

"But I [Jesus] say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you."  Matthew 5:44 (NKJV)

Bob Lewis relates the story of a Christian woman "who owned two prize-winning chickens. One afternoon, the chickens worked their way out of her yard and into her neighbor's garden. The neighbor, known for his hot temper, captured both birds, wrung their necks and then threw their lifeless carcasses across the fence into the Christian's yard.

"The woman was understandably hurt and considered giving her neighbor a piece of her mind. Instead, she took the chickens home and prepared two chicken pot pies. Whereupon she took one to her neighbor and then apologized for not being more watchful of her chickens. The man was speechless. The chicken pot pie coupled with an apology filled him with such a sense of burning shame that his whole life began to change."

Need I say more?

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I find it real easy to love those who are lovable but don't know how to love my enemies and those who would mistreat me. Please help me to grow in love so that I will always be 'as Christ' to everyone--friend or foe. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

Lessons from Rabbits

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."1

Scientists were studying the impact of a high-cholesterol diet on heart disease. To measure this effect, they fed a group of genetically similar rabbits the same high-cholesterol diet. To their amazement, half the rabbits developed heart troubles, while the others were normal, with no noticeable heart disease.

This outcome was not explainable, so they bought new rabbits and repeated the study. At the end of two weeks, they obtained the same results. Something was wrong with the research design, but they could not determine the unaccountable variable.

Eventually, they discovered that during the evening the assistant who fed and cared for the rabbits took the rabbits out of their cages and cuddled them and petted them while she changed their bedding and food.  however, because she was short, she could not reach the rabbits on the top shelf, so they were simply fed and changed without being picked up. Sure enough, after two weeks, the rabbits on the top row all had heart disease, while the rabbits on the bottom row were healthy. The environment and diet were exactly the same. The only variable was expressed love through touching.2

I'm not suggesting that we ignore a healthy diet. Not at all! But every one of us also needs a healthy diet of love and affection if we are to be and stay healthy.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to be so filled with Your love that I will always be loving and affectionate towards my loved ones and also (with discretion) to all the people You bring into my life. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Romans 12:9-10 (NIV).
2. By Marvin Wray in "Wit and Wisdom."

The Consequences of Turning Away From God

"The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you." 2 Chronicles 15:2, NIV

This verse in Chronicles is repeated several times in different chapters and is followed by a catalogue of the kings of Judah and what happened to them.Generally they either ‘did what was pleasing in God’s sight’and were blessed with victory over their enemies and peace in the land or they ‘did what was evil in the Lord’s sight’ and were abandoned by him to their fate by enemies or disease.

Recently I met up with five people whom I had known, in the past, to make commitments to the Lord Jesus. Two of them had walked with Him for a long while and held leadership roles in the Church. Sadly all had turned and walked away from Him.I was quite horrified at the positions they were in. One was consumed with bitterness to a point that had destroyed relationships.The lives of two others were totally controlled by ill health. One was overwhelmed with stress at trying to manage life and the last had embarked on an ungodly and potentially harmful relationship.

Naturally this got me thinking (and praying!). After all we, who seek to walk with the Lord, are not immune from problems in life, far from it actually. At this time I have dear brothers and sisters in Christ who are battling with sickness and some who are in very stressful situations. There are those who could be tempted to bitterness or to seeking comfort from wrong places. The difference is in the precious promise in the first part of today’s verse: ‘The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him’. If we can trust Him and rest in that promise there will be a peace no matter what we have to face.
Looking a bit deeper into what it meant for the kings of Judah to ‘stay’ with God and to ‘seek’ Him, it seemed to mean getting rid of all the idols and false gods. It seemed to mean worshipping Him only, and asking Him before making any significant decisions, especially regarding going to battle against the enemies. There was also something about treating the people kindly and well too.

Let’s seek God’s help to stay with him and never abandon Him and to know His peace even in our struggles.
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus thank You so much that we have You and the power of the Holy Spirit to help us to stay faithful to You and never abandon You. Please help us to get rid of any idols in our lives, which might lead us astray. Help us to worship You only and seek Your guidance about the decisions we have to make. We pray for all those who seem to have abandoned You, that You will find a way to draw them back to Yourself. Amen.
Today's Writer : Dotty Cockcroft

Christians Are NOT...

Psalm 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Let's face it! Christians are not happy, joyful, and bubbly all the time. Some times we get beat down by the cares of this world, by the worries of this life, and, by the trials of trying to just get by.

Thankfully we have a Savior who understands. We have someone who can be touched when we are in pain. We have our LORD who can mend all our troubles. We know God who can, and will, do what it takes to help his children.

We, I, tend to lose sight of the overall picture when we are overly concerned with the troubles of this life. We get so involved with the things of this world, we lose sight of our rewards on the other side.

Thank God! He can restore what we have lost. He can help when others are helpless. He can save when no one, and, nothing else can. Yes! Thank God! Jesus can restore what is broken. He can renew what is worn out and cast aside. He can remake what is useless into something that will bring glory unto himself.

There fore Christian, lets try to stay strong and depend upon His free spirit to uphold us.

God does love us, in spite of what the devil throws our way.

God Bless;

Walter D. Hill D. Min.
e-mail= hill.walter19@yahoo.com

Strife and Turmoil or United In Love

Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

People in our churches will always have differences of opinion. That is natural. GOD made us as individuals with a free will. It is when the intention changes from concern and correctness to pride and strife, by the people involved, that hatred is stirred up.

I have known of churches splitting up because of the color of new carpet. Others have had strife for years because of what someone said long ago.

A spiritual Christian person knows where that strife comes from. Our LORD does not cause strife, dissension, and trouble among the brethren. Rather, Jesus creates an atmosphere of love, understanding, and, cooperation within his church family. Jesus desires his church and people to grow, prosper,and, get stronger.
If the Christian Church is to survive in the world's situation today; then we must get back to our roots. We must pray in the spirit. We must have the spirit of love about us. We MUST have an urgency to win others to Christ. Finally, we must have the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. With out the Holy Spirit Himself, we can do nothing, all is in vain.

There is a religion today that teaches hate, destruction, and, turmoil. It has taken over the Middle East at this time, and, is growing in the U.S. Even today!

We Christians need to put on the whole armor of God, and, be united in love one with another.

God Bless;
Walter D. Hill D. Min.
e-mail= hill.walter19@yahoo.com

The Stories of Hope

by Max Lucado

The Bible tells us one story after another of God meeting people where they hurt. Tell me, why are these stories in the Bible? Why are the Gospels full of such people? Such hopeless people? Though their situations vary, their conditions don't. They are trapped. Estranged. Rejected. They have nowhere to turn. On their lips, a desperate prayer. In their hearts, desolate dreams. And in their hands, a broken rope. But before their eyes a never-say-die Galilean who majors in stepping in when everyone else steps out.

Surprisingly simple, the actions of this man. Just words of mercy or touches of kindness. Fingers on sightless eyes. A hand on a weary shoulder. Words for sad hearts ... all fulfilling the prophecy: "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out."

Again I ask. Why are these portraits in the Bible? Why does this gallery exist? Why did God leave us one tale after another of wounded lives being restored? So we could be grateful for the past? So we could look back with amazement at what Jesus did?

No. No. No. A thousand times no. The purpose of these stories is not to tell us what Jesus did. Their purpose is to tell us what Jesus does.

"Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us," Paul penned. "The Scriptures give us patience and encouragement so that we can have hope" ( Rom. 15:4).

These are not just Sunday school stories. Not romantic fables. Not somewhere-over-the-rainbow illusions. They are historic moments in which a real God met real pain so we could answer the question, "Where is God when I hurt?"

How does God react to dashed hopes? Read the story of Jairus. How does the Father feel about those who are ill? Stand with him at the pool of Bethesda. Do you long for God to speak to your lonely heart? Then listen as he speaks to the Emmaus-bound disciples. What is God's word for the shameful? Watch as his finger draws in the dirt of the Jerusalem courtyard.

He's not doing it just for them. He's doing it for me. He's doing it for you.

Regeneration

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6)
Perhaps the greatest purpose of Christianity is to take that which is only flesh and see it reborn as Spirit—to see spiritual life born where before there was only death. But then, even in the most mature of believers, there remain aspects of the old nature mixed in with—even at war with—the new. In frustration Paul cried, “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me” (Romans 7:21). But each Christian should, through the power of God, be winning that war.
Christ came to regenerate the spiritual side of man. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2).
Too many Christians still have their spirits buried deeply within the flesh, having “yielded [their] members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity” (Romans 6:19). But Christ came to change all that. “God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:3-4).
Through faith, “according to his abundant mercy [He] hath begotten us again” (1 Peter 1:3). To “beget” means to reproduce a like kind. Since He has “begotten us,” we should be becoming like Him in attitudes and aims. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). This is the object of Christianity. JDM

So Loved

Psalm 47:1 O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.

Expressed emotions can be a problem during a worship service. Each of us have our own opinion of how it should be done. The mature Christian will understand that not everyone is the same. The mature Christian will search out directions and focus on what our Bible say is the correct way to behave in all circumstances. Most folks find a group of “like believers” and worship the LORD together in an orderly fashion.

 

Problems come when people from other churches join and want things done the “correct way”, or, “their way”. Have you ever heard, “Well, that is the way I have always done it”? Anytime we do something because of tradition, without Biblical direction, we will mess up.

 

We have seen its OK to lift our hands in praise of Jesus. This week we learn that its OK to clap our hands and to shout unto God. Worshiping the Lord should be our primary purpose during all church services; not for personal attention, or, disturbance of preaching God's WORD! We are told that all things are to be done in decency and in order. It's the Evil one that causes turmoil and dissension among God's people.

 

  Christians should be considerate, but not to compromise our faith. We should be tolerant of unlearned folks, but not to the accepting of anti-biblical teachings. Finally, we should love the sinner, but hate the sin.

 

I'm glad God “so loved”. Did you know that “so” is limitless?

 

God Bless;

Walter D. Hill D. Min.
e-mail= hill.walter19@yahoo.com