Quad Cities Preacher

Moving Past the First Commandment

2012-02-12T18:24:00.000-08:00

And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is

the first commandment of all?

And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

Mark 12:28-34

This is Valentines week. We will hear much this week about love and romance. I preached today in what Jesus called the first commandment. Three times in Scripture Jesus was asked by different men, what is the first commandment. His answer is out of Deuteronomy.

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deut. 6:5

Why is this the first commandment?

Why does every other law and every other prophecy in Scripture hang on these two commandments as Christ said they do? The answer is actually simple. It is the difference between a religion and a relationship. It is the difference between service and servitude. The difference is one word. Motivation.

We Independent Baptists are a narrow-minded lot. We are black and white when it comes to right and wrong. Many times we are told that a lot of rules on children will drive them to rebellion. Often it seems that is the case. On the other hand I see parents with very strict rules whose children children grow up to be faithful dedicated Christians. What is the difference? I believe the difference is motivation.

A young Pastor once asked an older Pastor, "How do I raise good kids?" His answer; "teach them every day to love God more than anything else."

If my motivation for "following the rules is so I won't get in trouble then as soon as I get out from under the authority I will throw out the rules. But if my motivation is love then the rules are not a chore. They become an opportunity to express my love.

David expressed this so well in Psalm 119, the Psalm dedicated to law:

Ps 119:2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

Ps 119:10* With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Ps 119:34* Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

Ps 119:165* Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

Ps 119:174 I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.

The law was not a chore to David; it was a delight.

The night Christ was being tried, Peter denied Him three times. After the resurrection Jesus confronted Peter. He asked him the same question three times. The question was not, "why did you deny me?" It was not, "do you still believe in me?" The question was, "Lovest thou Me?" Peter had to settle the love question. History tells us as an old man Peter was crucified upside down. That was at his request because he felt unworthy to die the same death as Christ. One cannot read the book of Act without seeing that Peter settled the love question.

If I love God then every other "rule" is a way to show it. The first and foremost command is to love The LORD with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. If we devote ourselves to that one command above all else, if we, as God's people treat prayer as a private meeting with our most Beloved, if we pour over the Scriptures like a love letter from our Bridegroom instead of a book of rules and stories, then, and only then will we understand devotion, dedication and discipleship.

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God! It all hangs on love.

Thank you for reading

Wait on the LORD

2012-01-24T19:04:00.000-08:00

Wait Upon the Lord

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Psalm 27:14

We read these verses and ask the question, "What am I waiting for?" Why does God expect me to wait? How will I know when my waiting time is over? In studying these passages I found myself weak in an area of my walk with God. This is a weakness I suspect I share with many. I do not like to wait. But when the Bible speaks of waiting it is not speaking about "standing in line. I want to help you with this concept.

What does it mean to wait on God?

There are basically four concepts involved in this word "waiting" in Scripture.

1. To wait on means to look eagerly for, to anticipate

The image here is to wait for the arrrival of a someone. To look forward to an event. It might be a special holiday or a package in the mail. We all know what it is to anticipate what we know is coming. Now apply that to the spiritual. Do you look forward to spiritual things, or do you dread them. Are they a chore?

Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things. Jer. 14:22

This is Hope ... Hope is faith in His promises.

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:5

This is not, "I hope so" hope. This is that "Blessed Hope;" that absolute assurance that only God gives.

2. To wait on means to dependence upon.

It means to rely on. To count on or put confidence in. Friday is payday. I count on it. If I went to work all week, and on Friday they said, "sorry! we aren't giving out paychecks any more." How many of us would come back on Monday? Not me! There are people I can rely on to be there for me, and there are people I can rely on to be unreliable. I am counting on God to deliver, to forgive to supply.

This too is faith. Faith in His character

Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence.

Psalm 59:9

The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

Psalm 145:15

3. To wait upon means to linger

Imagine two young lovers just who can't say good bye over the phone. Each one is waiting for the other to hang up. Or, Standing on the door step, they spend an hour saying goodbye. I remember when my beloved bride and I were dating. We acted this way. No wonder our friends said we were sickening. When we first got married, I would leave for work in the morning. Terri would act as if she wouldn't see me again for a month. We wanted every moment to last forever. We wanted to linger just a little longer.

Do you feel that way when you have you devotion time? Do we treat prayer time as just another scheduled event? "Well, I got that out of the way I can go about my business now!" How sad that we seldom have that desire to linger in His presence. The Christian who is waiting on God does not grudge picking up his Bible, he grudges putting it down. My time with the Father is precious. I'm jealous of anything that keeps me from it!

This is fellowship. How sad it is to allow it to die in our relationship with the Father

4. An unusual definition of this word from the original text is to "bind together to be collected."

The image here is of a servant serving in the field. The servant knows the master will soon return. He loves the Master and desires to please him. So he is busy about the Master's work. When I go to a restaurant with my beloved bride we will have a lady or a gentleman come to out table and say, "Hello, I'm you waiter; I will be serving you tonight. Why do they call it them a waiter? They are waiting on, or serving me to my desire in hopes of a good tip! (By the way; I'm a good tipper.)

Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us. Psalm 123:2

This is service. I wait upon my Heavenly Father by serving Him in His field! (And He's a good tipper too.)

Here are some Bible promises connected waiting.

For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

Psalm 37:9

Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence.

Psalm 59:9

The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

Psalm 145:15

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles;

they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40: 31

Learn to wait upon the LORD! Hope in Him. Linger with Him. Rely on Him. Serve Him. Wait, I say upon the LORD!

Thank you for reading

His Mercy Endureth Forever

2011-10-16T18:45:00.000-07:00

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." Psalm 136:1

Psalm 136 has twenty six verses; all of which end with the phrase, "His mercy endureth forever."

This Psalm was used in responsive form. The scribe or priest would sing the first part of the verse, and the congregation would respond with, "His mercy endureth forever."

Consider the mercy of God?

Mercy is God giving us what we do not deserve. Grace is God not giving us what we do deserve. We understand that we are sinners. We understand God is a Holy and Righteous God. He is a just God! But as one female comedian used to say of her driver's license picture, "You don't need justice, you need mercy.

It is God's mercy that saves us from our sin.

Titus 3:5 says "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"

I cannot be good enough to get to Heaven. Thank God, in His mercy Christ purchased my salvation.

Hebrews 9:12, "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."

It is because of God's mercy that hears and answers our prayers.

Psalm 69:13But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.

It is because of his mercy He provides for us.

Psalm 136: 25 says, "Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever."

Without God's mercy we have nothing!

Without God's mercy we can do nothing!

Without God's mercy we are nothing!

A just God, a righteous God, a holy God is little comfort to a sinner. It is His mercy that allows us as sinners to come boldly to the Throne of Grace.

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16

God's mercy endureth forever. He never runs out. There is no quote you will exceed. There is mercy for the sinner, for the backslider, for the Christian who needs that extra touch of grace. Remember, His mercy endureth forever

Amazing Grace and John Newton

2011-07-25T04:38:00.000-07:00

July 24th marks the Birthday of John Newton, composer of the greatest song ever written; Amazing Grace. This was "Amazing Grace Sunday" at Hope Baptist Church. We shared with our church the story of this great man of God.

John Newton

Born July 24, 1725. John Newton followed in his father’s footsteps, working on merchant ships in the Mediterranean. He began his first voyage at age eleven. Years later he began working on slave ships. For nine years he was involved in the slave trade, but during this time God began to work in his life. After years of struggling with a life of sin He trusted Christ as his Savior.

In 1764 Newton became an Anglican Priest and was appointed to the Church at Olney, England. There he met William Cowper, a poet and collaborated with him on many hymns composing the “Olney Hymnal” which included great hymns such as, “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken” and “Faiths Review and Expectation” which would become the great hymn, “Amazing Grace.”

Newton wrote years later about the horrible condition of slavery and the slave trade. His friend William Wilberforce, brought about the Parliamentary Slave Trade Act of 1807. Newton died December 21, 1807 and was buried in Olney. His epitaph reads:

"John Newton, Clerk, once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa, was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he had long labored to destroy."

Facts about Amazing Grace

There are approximately 30,000,000 references to the song on the Internet.

It was written in 1779 by John Newton

The sixth stanza first appeared in Harriett Beacher Stowe’s book, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The actual origin of the verse is unknown.

The original hymn is unknown. The tube most familiar today is the tune, “New Britain” assigned it by composer William Walker in 1835

Internet source, “All Music” lists over 6000 versions of the song

It was first recorded a Capella in 1922 by the Sacred Harp Choir.

One of the most popular recordings was in 1947 by singer Malahia Jackson. It became an anthem for the civil rights movement in the 1950’s

In 1970 Judy Collins’ recording of Amazing Grace made Billboard Magazine’s “Hot 100”

It was performed or recorded by Folk singers Alan and John Lomax, Arlo Guthrie, Judy Collins Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Sam Cook, The Byrds, The Lemonheads, Elvis Presley Skeeter Davis, Aretha Franklin, Rod Stewart and the Amazing Rhythm Aces to name a few.

It has become world wide, the most recognizable song of any genre in the world.

the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, senior Scottish regiment of the British Army, recorded an instrumental version featuring a bagpipe soloist accompanied by a pipe and drum band.

Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,  That saved a wretch like me. 

I once was lost but now am found,  Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.  And Grace, my fears relieved. 

How precious did that Grace appear  The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares  I have already come; 

'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far  and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.  His word my hope secures.  

He will my shield and portion be,  As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,  And mortal life shall cease, 

I shall possess within the veil,  A life of joy and peace.

(Written later: anonymously)

When we've been here ten thousand years  Bright shining as the sun. 

We've no less days to sing God's praise  Than when we've first begun.

And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

2011-06-14T04:33:00.000-07:00

Bring Them In

(Preached on Sunday Morning, June 12, 2011 at Hope Baptist Church of Bettendorf, Iowa)

Luke 14:21-24 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.

And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

Lu 14:23* And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

We sing the old hymn:

Hark, 'tis the Shepherds Voice I hear,

Out on the mountains dark and drear'

Calling the sheep who've gone astray,

Far from the Shepherd's fold away.

Bring them in, bring them in!

Bring then wondering ones to Jesus!

This is more then just a great old song; it is a Biblical mandate.

Intro: Three parts to the Lord's command

1. Go

2. Compel

3. (Purpose) "that my house may be filled."

Bring Them In

1. Everyone can go

Mark 16 - go ye

2. Everyone must go

If not me, them who? If not now, then when?

3. They are out there

"and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind."

The poor

Ps 34:6* This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

Isa 25:4* For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

The poor have nothing to offer. You will not gain materially reaching the poor. But as one Pastor taught me, "Jesus went to the poor; the rich came to Him." In His sermon in the mount in Matthew 5 Jesus began with, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." When it comes to God, none of us have anything to offer Him that would make Him richer.

"Evangelism is just one beggar telling other beggars where to find Bread."

The Maimed and the halt

Isa 61:1* The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

Eze 34:16* I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

People are wounded. People are hurt and hurting. God's people have the remedy. Would a doctor withhold medicine from the sick?

The blind

Isa 42: 5-7 ¶ Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Isa 42:16* And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

Mt 11:5* The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Mr 10:51* And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.

4. The alternative is horrible

Lk. 14:24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

Conclusion: We are compelled to go. We are compelled to bring them in. You don't really have to go far to find someone who needs Christ. Go find them!

Bring them

Compel them

That my house might be filled!

"Therefore Have I Hope"

2011-06-08T04:25:00.000-07:00

"Therefore have I hope"

Preached at Hope Baptist Church, June 5th, 2011)

21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

(Lamentations 3:21-23).

INTRO: Lamentations is a one-of-a- kind Book. The prophet Jeremiah lived in the time of the Kings in Isreal. Zedekiah was a wicked evil king during the life of Jeremiah.

11 Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

12 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD.

(2 Chronicles 36:11-12).

In judgement the Bible says God "stirred up the heart of Cyrus, king of Persia"... and waisted Isreal...

Lamentations is a book of mourning after the judgement of God fell on Isreal.

Imagine the sorrow of Jeremiah...the anguish....the frustration with the wickedness of his day...Yet, in this passage Jeremiah makes this statement..."I have hope.." How can a man of God in these deplorable circumstances have hope?

"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed."

1. We can be saved only because of God's mercy.

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

2. We can have your prayers answered because of God's mercy.

Ps 69:13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.

Da 9:4* And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

3. Our sins are forgiven because of God's Mercy.

Ps 25:7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.

Mt 9:13* But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

4. We can walk with God because of His mercy.

5. We can face trials by His mercy.

Ps 39:7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

We have seen history transpire this year.

We have seen our gov't. rocked in scandal.

We have seen terrorist attacks on Americans; on foriegn soil and here at home.

We have seen all sorts of natural disasters.

Major diseases (ie. AIDS, herpes. new strains of hepatitus) are at epidemic purportion.

Crime, violence, poplitical unrest.

Pastor what is the answer to what seems like a hopeless situation? "My hope is in Thee." My hope is in God's mercy!

21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

My hope is not:

A. In government

B. In my recourses

C. In luck

D. In this world

1.My hope is in my anchor.

Heb 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

2. My hope is in the past.

Ps 78:38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

3. My hope is in His promise.

Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

4. My hope is in the Salvation.

1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

In our darkest hour there is hope. The hope given us in the mercy of God through Jesus Christ

2011-04-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

1 Cor. 15; ,3, 4

Today is Easter Sunday. This day has been called the Prince of Sundays. It is called that because is it on this day that we commemorate the resurrection of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. How important is the resurrection? Why is it significant that Christ died for our sins, then rose again? Some theologians and scholars have down-played the importance of the resurrection. So, what is the resurrection? What is its importance?

The resurrection is the key to all we as born again Christians hold dear. The resurrection is key to our salvation. Without the resurrection we have a savior on the cross. Without the resurrection we have a King in the grave. Without the resurrection our hope lies in a crypt; our confidence rests in a coffin. Our defence is in one who is defeated, and our protection in one held captive.

How can the dead offer life to the living? How can the tomb hold the key to redemption? Truly, outside of the cross of Calvary we must toil and sacrifice to a vengeful God with little hope of mercy. And truly, outside of the resurrection we must bow to a religious system that relegates our relationship with God to little more than ancestor worship. Without blood there is no remission, and without the victory there is not spoil.

But, as the angel in Luke 24 ; 2 asked;

"Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but He is risen."

He is risen. These words turn a cross into an alter. These words turn a sacrifice into a Savior. "He is risen!" These words shake the gates of Hell, open the windows of Heaven, bring peace to the cursed Earth and make the grave into a pleasant place to wait for the resurrection.

"He is risen" turns wrath to mercy.

"He is risen" turns death to life.

"He is risen" turns judgement to grace.

"He is risen" turns fear into hope.

Because of the resurrection we can look to the cross and be saved by One Who conquered Hell for us. Because of the resurrection we can face the grave holding the Hand of One Who defeated death and the grave. Because of the resurrection, Hells dread is turned to Heavens hope.

In that we now have the confidence given us by the resurrection of Christ, we rest in the confidence of our resurrection in the last day. Easter Sunday is our day! It is resurrection Sunday! Rest in it; joy in it; celebrate in the day of His resurrection. The glory of the cross and the hope of the resurrection is in Him.

"He is risen."

Take Time to Remember

2010-09-06T15:49:00.000-07:00

I remember 9-11-01. I remember standing on a

school bus that afternoon

explaining to a group of high school students that their world

was about to

change forever. I remember watching the wall-to-wall coverage. I remember seeing

seasoned news correspondents break down in tears as they reported the unfolding events.

I remember the free world that mourned with us. I saw Japanese Shintos and German Catholics praying for America. I saw British citizens weep at the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace as the Royal Band played OUR National Anthem. I remember on September 14th, getting aboard the first commercial airliner to depart from KCI international after the attack. I prayed. I wept.

As we approach the tenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks, I pray our nation will remember. I pray we will remember accurately. Remember that America was the attacked; not the aggressor. America was not an arrogant nation that needed to be brought down. America is the greatest nation on Earth; the freest nation on Earth. This week, pray for her, weep for her. Remember

Uncertain Signs

2010-08-14T05:44:00.000-07:00

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

1 Peter 1: 19-23

Driving from Davenport, Iowa across the Centennial bridge brings you across the Mississippi River and into down town Rock Island, Illinois. Coming off the bridge, I see this sign pole. I'm not sure what this sign is telling drivers not to do. I know I can't turn right. I guess it means, "Do not turn right; don't even think about it from any direction; no way no how!" It doesn't make since, but after all, it is Illinois.

I drive a lot: approximately 150 to 200 miles a day. I need the signs to make since. I need the maps on my GPS to make since. Its O.K. that the nice woman's voice can't pronounce Des Moines properly, I just need to know how to get there.

I am, concerned about the church today. C

hristianity as a whole does not seem to be able to read the signs. If Christians do not know what road to take, how can we then give direction. There are too many Christians with an opinion, with a philosophy about what it is to have a relationship with God. Religion in America has become a vague eclectic soup. Any ingredient is acceptable, as long as its warm and it tastes good. This brand of Christianity is the best sign we have of the end times.

Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing:

and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.

Ecclesiates 8:5

1 Peter says we have a "more sure Word of prophecy." Even though I may not like the message, I thank God He gave us one. I thank God the Scripture is not given to private interpretation. I don't want a Bible or a church that agrees with me. I want a Bible and a church that professes, "Thus saith the LORD, Now get in line." The Bible is better than miracles. Its better than signs and wonders. I would rather have the Bible than a voice from Heaven or an angel with trumpet. (It would be neat to see one of those, but you get my point.)

The Bible is a more sure Word of Prophecy. Thank God! The road might be rough at times, but thank God its plain.

Just a thought.

Thank you for reading

"That's a Dumb Rule." - An old Argument

2010-08-09T19:26:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine started a firestorm on Facebook. She simply asked for the thoughts of her friends concerning new policy presented by their church's Christian school. The policy: No student or teacher would be allowed to have an active account on Facebook during the school year. I was not surprised by the response of some her Christian friends. However, I was grieved by how fierce and bitter the attack was: not by the lost world, but by Christians. The following is my response to her:

"First I want you to notice the tenor of those who opposed the church's position. Do you hear the bitterness in their words? I've heard it before. This is a seed of rebellion you hear.

Obviously, I don't have a problem with being on FB. My church has a FB page. What you have is not a problem with FB. Its controlling the effects it has a the venue of a Christian school. Its not the position but the direction that is a concern of the church. Let me explain.

You know, we adopted kids out of foster care. Often I would correct one of them for actions that seemed harmless enough to the passive observer. But I knew my kids. People would say, "Why are you so hard on them?" My response was, "Because I know where this is going."

We never let our kids on social network sites. My kids didn't have cell phones until they graduated high school. Actually, there are a lot of private non Christians schools who have the same ban.

If I'm famous for one saying, it would be, "Everybody likes my pie but nobody wants my recipe." The school is a school, not a home. It has to operate in a different perameter with different objectives. My advice to you is, trust the recipe; it works.

For those angry detractors, I would simply say, its a private school. If you don't like the rules, don't send your kid there. I hope you know we love you and your family. I hope you don't take too much flack from either side. Whatever happens, walk with God. Take care."

I hope she has the courage to do the right thing. I hope she decides time off from Facebook is a small price to pay for a great Christian education. I grow so weary of the small Christians who never want to be told what to do. Just a thought. Thank you for reading.

If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?

Jeremiah 12:5

Launching Hope Baptist Church

2010-05-23T10:57:00.000-07:00

On May 9th, Mothers Day, we had our Celebration Sunday at Hope Baptist Church. We thank God for 21 in our services with 8 first time visitors. We knew Mothers Day would bring people out because of family plans. We wanted our morning service to accommodate those who would be planning time with mom that day.

We had one big morning service with a Mothers Day brunch. We feel we are off to a good start for the summer, but there is much work to do. Summer is the best time for churches to grow here in Iowa, because nothing grows here in the winter. We are still in the process of trying to sell our old property and secure a new place to meet. Please make this a matter of prayer.

We also recently had the privilege of having missionaries Andrew and Sarah Bunnell with us in our services. We have known the Bunnells for many years. I appreciate their faithfulness and love for the lord.

Please continue pray for Hope Baptist church. I will keep you updated regularly on the work that the Lord is doing here in Iowa. Next week, (Memorial Day weekend) My wife and I will be with Pastor Dave Noffsinger at Northwest Baptist Church in Leavenworth Kansas, and at Heritage Baptist Church in Lawrence, Kansas with Pastor Scott Hanks. These good men have given us the opportunity to share our ministry their respective churches. Pray for us as we travel.

Seven Objectives: Praise God Part 2

2010-04-08T15:17:00.000-07:00

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Ephesians. 5: 18-21

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Colossians 3:15-16

I spoke in my last entry on the objective of praising God. Praising God is living a life of gratitude for who God is and what He does. The Bible teaches us to, "praise Him for His mercy; (Psalms 106) Psalm 150 tells us we are to, "praise Him for His mighty acts," (what He does,) and to, "praise Him according to His excellent greatness; (what He is.) Psalm 100 tells us to, "enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise." I would like now to look at praising God with music.

Martin Luther said; "Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise. The gift of music, combined with the gift of song was given to man that me might proclaim the Word of God through music."

This is why we still use hymns in our services. In the Books of Ephesians and Colossians, it speaks of "Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs." Psalms we know as the great poetical book of the Bible. Hymns are songs that magnify and praise the character of God. Spiritual songs are testimonial in nature; expressing how God works, or is working in the life of His people. This is the biblical criteria for the music the praises God. The right music opens our spirit up to know God's presence, and to hear from His word. Music prepares us to pray; it prepares us to hear from His word, because it opens up the part of us that relates to God; our spirit. The New Testament church has two practices that go back to the Old Testament temple; the public offering and congregational singing. These two things are true acts of worship.

However, much of the music used in churches today is not biblical. Let me confess, I'm an of "rock & roller." Anybody who tells you that music is "amoral" is either naive, ignorant, dishonest or all three. I was a musician before I was anything else. As a trained musician, I knew the difference between worldly and godly music. Christians will deny this saying all music is good, and can be used for God's glory. I disagree. You cannot have "Christian rock" any more than you can have "Christian fornication." If you do not believe me about rock music, ask someone who is an expert on rock music.

"If you take the sex out of rock music, you do not have rock music."
Mic Jagger of the Rolling Stones

"Do you understand that this music you are performing is of the Devil?"
Gene Simmons of the group KISS to a "praise and worship leader"/ contestant on American Idol

"Its the music. it makes me act that way." (referring to performing sexual moves on stage)
The music gets going and I do it without thinking. Its not really me, its the music."
Michael Jackson in an interview with Oprah Winfrey

Need more proof? One of the first nationally syndicated radio personalities was Allen Freed. Freed is credited in 1955 with coining the phrase, "rock & roll." When asked how he came to that phrase, he said it was, "a euphemism for sex in the back seat of a car."

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:2

Let me just say it. "Praise and worship" services are not biblical. They are performance based. They are rock concerts with dressed up "Jesus" lyrics. The "Jesus Movement" of the early 70's gave rise to the idea that we need to be like "hippies" to reach "hippies," so lets take their music and put Christian words to it. I lived through that mess. We didn't turn hippies into Christians, we turned Christians into hippies. Our churches are carnal, our sermons, (if there is one) are shallow and our effect on a lost world is marginal at best.

Our churches must get back to being spiritual lighthouses. Our lives as Christians need to turn back to biblical spirituality; not the emotional stirring fluff we have in most churches. If we are to truly praise God, our praise must be godly, holy, biblical and focused on Him. Praise Him with the music that praises Him.

Just a thought,
Thank you for reading

A Pastor's Thoughts on the Resurrection

2010-04-03T19:57:00.000-07:00

1 Cor. 15; ,3, 4

But, as the angel in Luke 24 ; 2 asked;

"Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but He is risen."

"He is risen" turns wrath to mercy.

"He is risen" turns death to life.

"He is risen" turns judgement to grace.

"He is risen" turns fear into hope.

"He is risen."

Objective #4 Praise God Part 1

2009-10-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.

Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.

For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. (Psalm 150:1-4)

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. (Psalm 22:3)

I am convinced, one of the most neglected aspects of our walk with God is praise. We work on having a prayer life. We work on having a good testimony. We emphasize adhering to Bible truth and learning the Scripture: all vital aspects of our Christianity. But we neglect this matter of praise. Our prayer life is dominated by petition. We ask for stuff; we ask for help; we ask for money; we ask, and ask and ask. Why do we ask God for something ten times, and thank Him once? I have thanked God many times for my salvation, yet I still feel I am not grateful enough; or at least, have not sufficiently expressed my gratitude. Truthfully, our praise life is just a important as our prayer life.

The reasons for this neglect are several. Primarily, it is laziness on our part. Prayer is work. Praise is even more work; and when we pray, we want to get down to business with God about what we want. Another reason is fear of false doctrine. Some religious movements, i.e. the Charismatic movement, or the "Praise and Worship" movement have distorted the view of certain doctrines, and we do not want to be cast as part of that crowd. I have been in church all my life, and in the ministry for over twenty years. My experience has been that most errant positions are a knee-jerk reaction to some other errant position. We never seem to be able to correct to center.

That having been said, I believe we Independent Baptists need to take another look at our praise life. Eighteen times in Scriptures, we see the phrase "Praise Him;" Twenty four times, the Bible says, "Praise ye the LORD." This is not simply a nice phrase to shout during a sermon; this is a Biblical command. We are commanded to praise the Lord.

Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. (Psalm 150)

Praise Him for His mercy

Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalm 106:1)

"His mercy endureth for ever." That phrase appears 41 times in Scripture

Praise Him for His Grace

To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6)
Grace is God giving you something you do not deserve. Mercy is God not giving you something you do deserve.

Praise Him for His mighty acts.

Salvation

Deliverance from sin

Provision of wealth

Answered prayer

Praise Him according to His excellent greatness

Holiness

Biblical truth

Thanking Him for what He is, as well as what He does.

Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches,
and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. (Rev. 5:12)

Praise Him before prayer
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise:
be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
(Psalm 100:4)
We must have a revival of praise in our walk with God. It is a key objective to the Christian life.

Just a thought. Thank you for reading.

Pleasing God: Part 3

2009-10-21T11:53:00.001-07:00

Two prime examples of pleasing God.

Everything I believe is based on one of four things: a Biblical command, statement, principal or example. We have seen many statements and commands about pleasing God, but let me give you two Bible examples.

Jesus Christ

Obviously, the prime example of One Who pleased God was Christ Himself. Three of the four Gospel give an account of God speaking publicly from Heaven concerning His Son:

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matt. 3:17

While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said,

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

Matt. 17:5

And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Mark 1:11

And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said,

Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

Luke 3:22

Enoch:

The Father of Methuselah and the great grand father of Noah; the Old Testament figure, Enoch had a reputation: he pleased God.

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him:

for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. Heb. 11:5

Enoch walked with God. He loved to hang around with God. Enoch was not looking for the minimum daily requirement to keep God off his back. He was not trying to get through his "Read the Bible in a Year" chart like some tedious task or chore. Nor was he parading his righteousness before every one around him like hyper-spiritual window dressing. It does not please God when we have to tell everyone else what we did to please God. I hate it when people want to tell me how good they are in the name of "testimony." Enoch desired a close abiding fellowship with God, and God gave it to him in a most unique way. Enoch had a one-of -a-kind walk with God. When your motive is to make God happy, that is pleasing to God.

Five simple things will transform a life of simply obeying God, to a life that pleases God:

1. Obey God: We can give "eye service" obedience without pleasing God; but we cannot please God without first obeying Him.

2. Obey God purely: Obedience with an impure heart does not please God

3. Obey God for the right reason: Remember God the Father is to be the focus of our desire. An impure motive does not please God.

4. Obey God with the right attitude: "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." 2Cor. 9:7

5. Serve God by serving others: We can never be the focus. As we teach our children in Sunday school, the key to JOY is Jesus, Others and You.

Just a thought. Thank you for reading.

Pleasing God: Part 2

2009-10-19T15:06:00.001-07:00

God is not pleased with all obedience

Why would God be displeased with me if I am truly in obedience to Him? When my children were young, I taught them that obedience was doing what your told, when your told and with the right attitude. It is the same way with obedience to God. The Bible is full of examples of God's people fallowing the letter of the law when in fact, they were far from pleasing Him.

And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God:

for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness,

and repenteth him of the evil. Joel 2:13

And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. Ezekiel 33:31

God will not bless our obedience for eye service.

Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ,

doing the will of God from the heart; Eph. 6:6

God is not pleased with selfish motives.

Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers;

but in singleness of heart, fearing God: Col. 3:22

God will not accept obedience from a rebellious heart.

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips;

but their heart is far from me. Matt. 5:8

David, in his great Psalm of repentance really nailed it when He qualified his obedience to the law, with the condition of his heart in Psalm 51:

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Ps. 51:16-18

Then, with a heart that is right toward God, David offers obedience to the law in verse 19:

Then... shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering:

then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

God is pleased, not when we obey, but when we obey with a heart toward him.

Just a thought. Thank you for reading

The Seven Objectives: # 3 Pleasing God

2009-10-19T13:48:00.000-07:00

Pleasing God: Part 1

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments,

and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 1 John 3:22

I discussed previously the objectives of Fearing God and obeying God. Our third objective in a series of seven objectives of the Christian life, is to please God.

Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us

how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. 1 Thes. 4:1

But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Heb. 13:6

There is a difference between obeying God and pleasing God. We feel God is pleased when we obey; and we know God is displeased with our disobedience. But, is there more to pleasing God than just obeying? The Bible couples obedience and pleasing together, but acknowledges them both. What is the difference? God will accept our obedience, but He is pleased by willful service. Are we obeying the rules or are we seeking to obey Him?

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments,

and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 1 John 3:22

There is a difference between serving, and having servant's heart,. Paul, on the road to Damascus, was met by none other than Jesus Christ. It is academic to say he feared God. We see in the passage how he immediately obeyed God. But the first words he spoke when meeting Christ were, "Lord what wilt Thou have me do?" This is the question by which he would live the rest of his life. He did not simply obey God, he began to actively seek the Lord's will.

The Bible tells us David was a man after God's own heart. No one can read the Psalms and see simply a life of obedience. David pursued the will of God.

Two key words make the difference.

Attitude: When it come to obedience, is ours an attitude of obligation, or an attitude of desire? Do we have to pray and read our Bible, or do we want to pray and read our Bible. Do we have to go to church, or do we want to go to church. Desire over obligation is the key to pleasing God

The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law,

and make it honourable. Is. 42:21

Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. Ps. 119:4-6

Lifestyle: The Bible uses the word "conversation" in reference to what we cal "lifestyle." Pleasing God is not an occasional event. We either live to please ourselves, others or Him.

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be

in all holy conversation and godliness, 2 Pet. 3:11

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work,

and increasing in the knowledge of God; Co. 1:10

For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men,

I should not be the servant of Christ. Gal. 1:10

Our attitude and our lifestyle is the key. It is more than just obedience that pleases God. Next time I will explain that God is not pleased with all obedience.

Just a thought. Thank you for reading.

Public Display of .... TMI

2009-10-14T06:20:00.000-07:00

When I was a boy, I heard my mother decry the behavior of a friend of hers. Mom said, "Well, she just likes to air her dirty laundry. Still too you to grasp the abstract, it made no since to me why a woman would hang her laundry out to dry while it was still dirty. Of course, my mom would never do that, especially since Daddy brought home that brand new Kenmore dryer and put it in that closet on the closed in back porch.

That's right, Our back yard clothes line had become a victim of modern technology. It had no purpose other than to catch Johnny Crawford by the neck while he chased me at night. (I knew where the clothes line was. Johnny, on the other hand, learned first-hand what they mean in football when they say, "he clothes-lined the runner.

Things are different now. Today we have all kinds of technology. We have cell phones, e-mail Facebook, My space; we can make our entire world an open forum. And, unfortunately, some do. We have whole new ways to "air our dirty laundry.

People on cell phones in public are particularly annoying. Why is it that when some one is talking on a cell phone in public, they feel every one around them must hear the conversation.

Or, we see and hear the woman explaining to the world and the other party on the line, how, "if she's gonna disrespect me cause I used to date her "Baby daddy," then I'm gonna beat her down." She sounds like she is recording an audition for the Jerry Springer Show.

Facebook can be amusing at times. I am amazed at the people that air their laundry on their Facebook status. Read your status before you post it and ask, "Do I really need to share this? These are actual "status" post on Facebook:

______: (I'll leave out names for obvious reasons.) "Wishes her husband would realize that I am not an idiot."

_____: Thinks that her boyfriend should be a man and do what I want and stop listening to his mother every time she has an opinion!!" (The boyfriend; not husband, is 18. And mom pays the bills)

I would feel bad about sharing this, but they don't. I do not use the slang of the next generation much; other than to tell them that I am "old school." But, one phrase has made its way into my 49 year-old vocabulary: "TMI!" Too Much Information. A friend of mine from high school told me, (on Facebook) although he agrees with me in principle, he still finds it fun to read. I guess so. I just worry about the loss of the entire concept of discretion in this new "Facebook" culture. We certainly found new way to air our dirty laundry. I wonder if Johnny Crawford is on Facebook? Just a thought. Thank you for reading.

Objective #2 Obey God (Recap)

2009-10-13T19:52:00.000-07:00

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Ecclesiastes 12:13

It has been said, the key to everything God has is obedience. Solomon bears this out in the Scripture.Fear God; obey God.

Fear God, and keep His commandments; this is the whole duty of man. Last week I wrote the first installment on Seven Objectives of the Christian Walk. This was born out of a series of messages I am preaching to my people. (Originally, I had six objectives, but I had to add one more.) The first was fear God. The second objective is to obey God.

The first sin mankind committed was disobedience. One old preacher from Texas was drawn into a debate about what kind of fruit was actually on the tree. He used to say, "The problem was not the apple on the tree; the problem was the pair on the ground." If we understand the fear of the Lord, then we must understand the power of obedience to His commands.

A few points to ponder

Understanding does not lead to obedience: obedience leads to understanding.

Many parents feel they must help their children understand why they should obey. When a child questions his authority, he is, neither seeking nor desiring a greater understanding. He wants to get his way. The child takes the position, "If I understand, then I will obey." But this is opposite of what the Bible teaches.

Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

Prov.4:1

If I obey first, it will lead me to understanding. Submission and yielding allow the heart to gain understanding.

Obedience before understanding is an act of faith.

And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. Luke 5:5

Simon Peter and his partners had fished these waters. He knew what was out there. He was, after all a professional commercial fisherman. He did not understand the Lord's command to drop the nets in, right there; right now. It did not make since. But we find that beautiful phrase in verse 5:

"nevertheless at Thy Word..."

That is a wonderful picture of faith. I do not understand, but I will obey. Peter found out in a miraculous way that obedience before understanding is an act of faith; the kind of faith God blesses richly. The number 1 act of faith is obedience.

Obedience is the beginning of God's blessings.

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: Exodus 19:5

But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. Exodus 23:22

God gave great promises of blessing to Israel throughout Scripture simply for their obedience to His commandments.

Obedience is better than sacrifice.

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,

as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,

and to hearken than the fat of rams.

1Samuel 15:22*

The Lord is more interested in our obedience than He is in how Baptist we are; or how religious we are; or how pious we are. Obedience is better than sacrifice.

Obedience does not require motive.

But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

Matthew 21:26-31

The son who obeys is the one who did not want to obey Is that hypocritical? I do not know, but I know it is obedient. Obedience does not require motive. It is give to joyfully give. But if I cannot give joyfully, should I give at all? Of course I should! "The Lord loveth a cheerful giver." But even if I am not cheerful, I should still be obedient.

Obeying when I don't want to obey is a sign of character. The flesh never wants to obey! Obeying when I don't want to obey is a sign of character. The flesh never wants to obey!

The first act of obedience for any sinner is to repent
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Acts 17:30*

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God,
and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2Thes. 1:8*

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us,
what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 1Pe 4:17*

We are commanded to repent. The day I placed my faith and trust in Christ Jesus for my salvation. it was an act of obedience to the "Gospel of God." 1 Peter 4:7. The first act of obedience for any sinner is to obey the Gospel. If you are reading this, and have never come to Christ as a sinner, I encourage you to do so today.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead. Thou shalt be saved. Romans 10: 9

If you are reading this and have any questions concerning you salvation or eternity, please send me a comment. It will not be posted without my reading it, so it is confidential. Please; settle the question today. I will continue part 2 on obedience next time.

Just a thought. Thank you for reading

The Fear of the Lord (A recap)

2009-10-08T13:43:00.002-07:00

The Seven Objectives #1 Fear God

(This is a recap of an earlier post for the sake of continuity in the series)

Ec 12:13* Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

The Bible is our Final Authority in faith and practice.

Some might hear that statement and get all spiritual and say, "No, God is my final authority!"

I understand that; but the Bible says, " I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." (Ps 138:2) Besides, how does God express Himself to you outside of His Word.

But the Bible is so massive; It's truths are unfathomable.

We can never fully deplete all of the wealth and wisdom of the Scripture; how do we comprehend it all? I believe everything a Christian is supposed to do, say, feel or think can be summed up in seven objectives. If I can get you to grasp these seven objectives, I believe you can get a good grasp on walking with God, living for God, dwelling in Him and understanding His will on a daily basis.

I believe every aspect of the Christian life is covered by these seven objectives: Note: in Scripture, seven is the number of perfection.

Seven Objectives:

Fear God

Obey God

Please God

Praise God

Glorify God

Trust God

Love God

The Book of Deuteronomy teaches the purpose of God's Laws

(Note: This is the Law of Moses rendered again to the second generation before entering the Promised land)

De 6:2* That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.

De 6:13* Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.

The Book of Ecclesiastes gives us the motivation to fear God.

Ec 3:14* I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

Ec 8:12* Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

Folks used to say, "He is a God-fearing man." or "I'm a God-fearing man." That's not bragging to say that. But we don't hear that any more. This is a lost doctrine to most Christians. In the oldest book of the Bible, Job, God brags on Job for being a God-fearing man.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Job 1:8

First command we find in the Psalms is to fear the Lord.

Ps 2:11* Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

To fear God is our primary objective.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear God, and keep his commandments:

for this is the whole duty of man. Ec 12:13*

Why is this the primary objective? Why fear first? Because without it, there is no motive for the other six objectives.

Ps 34:11* Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

What is it to fear God?

The word means more than reverential respect. It means fear. The book of Hebrews says:

For our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:9)

God is not an angry agent of doom waiting to throw lightening bolts at us. Neither is He a tottering old beneficent "Grampaw" up in Heaven waiting to give us candy when we visit. God is as powerful as He is personal. I have to understand that God has expectations of me.

To fear God simply means to choose behave with an awareness of God response to our actions.

If we are to be successful as God's people, we must once again become God-fearing people.

Just a thought, thank you for reading.

Back to the Seven Objectives

2009-10-07T13:17:00.000-07:00

Earlier in the Summer, I started a series on the Seven Objectives of the Christian Life. Originally, the list was six, but I added one more. Tomorrow I hope to pick that series back up again. The following is an introduction that I originally posted on July 30th. I hope it is a blessing to the reader.

Objectives

Before any successful venture, the first thing a good leader does is define the objectives. To be a success in building a business, launching a new ministry, playing in a sporting event or fighting a war the first step is to define our objectives. Every good business man, every coach, every General and every Pastor knows this is true. I believe it is also true of the Christian life. I we are to be successful Christians we must first establish our objectives.

Wrong Objectives

The first mistake we make is setting improper objectives. As Christians, we have become self-centered and, dare I say it, humanistic when it come to our relationship with God. Our objectives are:

Feel guiltless

Feel good

Look good

and get stuff from God

If we see Christians who appear to feel guiltless, look good, feel good, and get stuff from God, then that must be a good Christian, right? On the other hand when we see Christians who struggle with sin, or with their walk with God, then obviously these are bad Christians, if Christian at all! Right? O.K. With that premise in mind, would some one please explain Job to me? or John the Baptist? or Steven? If our goals or objectives focus on us, then something is amiss.

God-centered Objectives

As Christians, if we are to succeed in our Christianity, we must set God-centered objectives. We must etch those objectives in stone. Every action must be taken; every decision must be made in light of these objectives. And God must be at the center of those objectives. A prominent television news anchor was said to carry a small piece of paper in his pocket everywhere he went. The words written on that paper were also written on a note that lay on his deck, and another on another card, stuck to his bathroom mirror at home. The papers all read:

"How is what I am doing right now, going to effect the evening broadcast?"

Seven Biblical Objectives

I spent over a month chewing on this idea of the objectives of the Christian life. I believe their are seven main objectives of a Christian that will lead to a successful Christian life. I plan to share them in detail in the days to come. But to sum it all up, I believe the Christian truly has seven objectives in his life:

Fear God

Obey God

Please God

Thank God

Glorify God

Trust God

Love God

Every goal, every action, every step the a Christian is supposed to take will fall under one of these seven objectives.

(Note: Seven is the Biblical number of perfection.) Follow along, if you will in the next few days, as I share with you what the Bible says about these Seven Biblical objectives.

Just a thought. Thank you for reading.

Forty Days

2009-10-06T05:45:00.000-07:00

When I came to All Seasons Baptist Church, the doors were ready to close. The church had only had about a fifteen people left. During the next five years, all but three of those fifteen either moved away or died. We had some come and go during that time, but we also had some come and stay.

I heard about a pastor who told a young church planter, "In 30 years in the ministry, I have started 8 new churches: all in the same location!" I thought I could relate to that sentiment a little. This past spring I told our little group if fifteen; (three of which were from the original fifteen,) that we were starting over from scratch. We were going to relaunch All Seasons Baptist Church as a new work. We had a new work, and a new vision. This made for an exciting summer.

I wanted to incorporate a program that would get as many people involved as possible. We had a fall program called, 40 Days of Prayer and Evangelism or the Forty-Day P.U.S.H. (Pray Until Something Happens)

We just wrapped up our fall campaign at All Seasons Baptist Church. We set a goal back in September of distributing 1,000 Gospel tracts in 40 days. October 4th was the fortieth day. We gave out just under 1,100 tracts in 40 days.

Sunday, October 4th, we had a total of 28 in attendance. We had 8 first-time visitors in our services, with thirteen first-time visitors during the campaign. Many good things have come out of this program. This has energized our church! One thing that was accomplished; our people have now seen how hard we have to work to achieve our objectives.

We are now into fall here in Iowa, The corn is being harvested around us. We expect to have many souls saved as a result of this campaign. That is then harvest for which we are working and praying. During the forty-day program, I often quote my former pastor, Dr. Bill Slayton. He would say, "Let's pray like it all depends on God, and work like it all depends on us." Thanks for the advice, Brother Slayton; It still works.

Just a thought. Thank you for reading.

Exposing a Powerful Lobby

2009-09-03T18:36:00.001-07:00

I am a Pastor in Iowa. I love my country. I do not write a lot of political stuff often. There are those who are better at it than I. But I wanted to share something I have concluded in light of our current political state.

This debate on health care has revealed the arrogance of some of our elected officials, and the impotence of others. Those who have attended "TEA PARTIES" and town hall meetings to voice their concerns have been maligned and discounted by the liberal media. Our elected officials have called the attendees at these meetings "Nazis," "Brown shirts," "Un-American" and trouble makers, and other names I cannot repeat.

These "activists" have been accused of being part of some organized lobby. They have defended themselves, saying they are not part of a lobby and have not been payed to attend. They have denied being part of a political organization. This is not completely true.

I have it on good authority that these people are, not only part of a political organization, they are part of the oldest and most powerful political lobby in the United States. This lobby has attempted to control the outcome of elections as long as we have had elections. They are powerful, and have no intention of letting politicians take their power.

This lobby has a history of questioning who is truly in charge in this country. This group started out in this country wanting to be THE power, and they have not relented in that quest. This organization will not be satisfied until every politician in America does it their way, and answers directly to them.

There have been times, as with any political group, that their power has waned. But do not underestimate them. That has been a colossal mistake in the past. Political figures have seen their lives, fortunes and reputations destroyed as a result of crossing the line with these people.

Who are they? They are one of the most powerful, influential political groups in the history of the world. They have literally brought down entire world systems that have stood against them. They have the power to make war, and the resources to win it. When united, they are unstoppable.

Many of our own national leaders have counted themselves among their ranks. Their members have had a grip on power that has reached all the way to the top for a long time. I intend to expose this lobby for who they are. And who they have been throughout history.

I read a statement that was accredited to none other than Thomas Jefferson, who, in an official state document revealed, not only who this organization is, but implicated himself as part of their leadership structure. Who are they?

Thomas Jefferson named this group, "WE THE PEOPLE of the United States of America."

That's right. We the People. Abraham Lincoln called it a government of the People, by the People and for the People. The People have made this nation great. This nation did not make it's people strong; the People have made this nation strong. The people are the nation. The People are in charge. The People are telling Washington D.C. "You are out of line with us, and We the People are not going to sit by quietly. Our three branches of government are paid by the People, sent by the People and are to be controlled by the People.

Yes, I am part of this lobby. I am divulging who my cohorts are. If anyone wants to forward this to D.C and let the government know about our plans to control the country, go right ahead. If they want to put my name on a list of lobbyists and organizers who are opposing this socialist take over, I simply ask that you

spell my name right. I am a life member of:

WE THE PEOPLE

Just a thought

Thank you for reading

40 Days of Prayer and Evangelism

2009-08-27T19:48:00.000-07:00

Our 40-day PUSH is under way.

P.U.S.H. : Pray Until Something Happens

Beginning Wednesday, Augusts 26th through Sunday, October 4th, All Seasons Baptist Church is holding a forty-day campaign of prayer and evangelism. We have asked our people to commit a set time every day to pray for two particular groups of people; the unsaved and the unchurched.

Now some have already been critical, saying that prayer is no substitute for work. (They said this in ignorance, not knowing the whole program.) I know there is no substitute for work. I also know that God's work without prayer will not work. The old hymn says, "All is vain unless the Spirit of the Holy One come down." This is only half the program.

For the second part of the program, we as a church have set a goal to make 1,000 personal contacts in forty days. We will keep record of how many contacts have been made, as well as how many hours we spend praying for those on our P.U.S.H. List. We are praying for those who have never placed their faith and trust in Christ as Savior, and for those in our community who are Christians, but, for one reason or another, are not attending church faithfully elsewhere.

The work of the church has always been a matter of His work; our hands. God, in His wisdom has chosen human instrumentality to do His work. When Nehemiah and the nation of Israel prepared to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem that were destroyed during their years of exile, Nehemiah himself recognized the formula.

Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s

words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build.

So they strengthened their hands for this good work. Nehemiah. 2:18

King David prayed in the Psalms:

And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us:

and establish thou the work of our hands upon us;

yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

Psalm 90: 17

We are operating this campaign in the philosophy of my old Pastor from back in my teen years, Dr. Bill Slayton. Dr. Slayton used to say, "Let's pray like it all depends on God, and work like it all depends on us." Pray until something happens. I will keep you updated on the progress of our 40-day PUSH.

Just a thought. Thank you for reading.

The Seven Objectives #2 Obey God

2009-08-17T16:26:00.000-07:00

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Ecclesiastes 12:13

It has been said, the key to everything God has is obedience. Solomon bears this out in the Scripture. Fear God; obey God.

A few points to ponder

Understanding does not lead to obedience: obedience leads to understanding.

Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

Prov.4:1

If I obey first, it will lead me to understanding. Submission and yielding allow the heart to gain understanding.

Obedience before understanding is an act of faith.

And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. Luke 5:5

"nevertheless at Thy Word..."

Obedience is the beginning of God's blessings.

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: Exodus 19:5

But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. Exodus 23:22

God gave great promises of blessing to Israel throughout Scripture simply for their obedience to His commandments.

Obedience is better than sacrifice.

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,

as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,

and to hearken than the fat of rams.

1Samuel 15:22*

The Lord is more interested in our obedience than He is in how Baptist we are; or how religious we are; or how pious we are. Obedience is better than sacrifice.

Obedience does not require motive.

But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

Matthew 21:26-31

Obeying when I don't want to obey is a sign of character. The flesh never wants to obey! Obeying when I don't want to obey is a sign of character. The flesh never wants to obey!

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead. Thou shalt be saved. Romans 10: 9

Just a thought. Thank you for reading

A New Bible .... With Humble Gratitude

2009-08-13T15:05:00.000-07:00

Today, I received a package via FedEx containing a new Bible. In March of 2008 I purchased a Cambridge Bible at a conference I attended. I paid $50 for it. Over time, the black French Morocco leather cover became a blotchy red. I sent it back to the distributor, Baker Book House in Michigan. They acknowledged the imperfection and were willing to replace it, but that particular Bible was out of stock indefinitely.

While on the phone with a very gracious young lady in customer service, I got online to look at their catalog to determine which Bible they had in stock that would be an acceptable replacement. She directed me to Model: KJ563. This was the same size as the other Bible, but had slightly smaller type, plus some center column references, maps and other bells and whistles the the other Bible did not have. I am not a big fan of center column references, but it appeared to be a very nice Bible. The retail price was $139.00. She was willing to replace a nice fifty-dollar Bible with one that cost almost twice as much. I took the deal and the Bible arrived today FedEx Rush. It is absolutely beautiful. I am thrilled to have it. I would pay $139 for this Bible.

Buying a Bible is a weighty issue for me. I love new Bible. I love the feel of the right Bible in my hands. I have acquired nine Bibles in the last twenty four years. Some purchased; some gifted. All have been Cambridge Bibles. I will hardly look at anything else. My first Cambridge I got while in Bible Institute: a Cameo wide margin. I have three of that same model, one of which I purchased slightly used on E-bay for $36.00! (Water buffalo calfskin; beautiful) Cambridge does not make that model any more.

I spent a year looking for the right Bible before I bought the one two years ago. When I realized the color was slowly fading, it took me six months to decide to send it back. Other than the cover, there was nothing really wrong with it. This was a real delima for me. It probably sounds silly, but I could not help thinking of all the people who would gladly own this Bible, blotchy cover and all! I almost felt guilty. "You fat spoiled American! Can't you put up with a few little red spots?" There are poor preachers out there that would love to have a new Bible: not to mention those for whom it is illegal to own one at all! Here I sit with a stack of Bibles.

I am a Pastor; a preacher of the Book. I can justify an expensive Bible because of the wear I put on it. I am very careful with my Bibles: but probably no more careful than a mechanic is with his most important tools. But I never want to take for granted the bounty God has given me in just getting to own a Bible.

I will never forget the words of a chapel speaker I heard during Bible College who said, "If you have a King James Bible in your hand, you hold a Book dripping with the blood of sixty-five million martyrs! for GOD's sake defend that Book!" That had a profound affect on me.

I opened my new Bible today. It is covered in the highest grade of leather. The pages are crisp and beautiful; its edges gilded in gold leaf. I still have all of my other Bibles. They will some day be passed on to my children or my grand children. I would hope to some day place them into the hands of some one who will appreciate my humble reverence; not writing it off as sappy sentimentality. I have two of my grandfathers preaching Bibles. I have one of my Dad's preaching Bibles. They are precious heirlooms to me.

I just pray that when this new Bible is marked up, tattered, faded and aged; that whoever receives it will know its value. I hope they will since its life: the tear-stained cover; the carefully turned pages; the hieroglyphic markings from sermon notes in the margins. I pray that, for this Bible, as with my own life, when it is worn out and too fragile to handle, somebody will hold it with appreciation for how it was used.

Just a thought. Thank you for reading.

How to Develop a Healthy Fear of God

2009-08-07T11:16:00.000-07:00

How to develop a healthy fear of God

Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Psalm 34:11

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom,

and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand

the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:1-5

We, as God's people must once become a God-fearing people. I have discussed in previous blogs, the purpose and motivation to be a God-fearing people. In order to have a successful Christian life, we must set good objectives. Our #1 objective should be to fear God. The Psalmist said, "I will teach you the fear of the Lord." Obviously then, the fear of the Lord must be learned. Proverbs 2:1-5 lays out a plan by which we can learn the fear of the Lord.

1. "Receive my Words..."

Accept the authority of Scripture. Make it your final authority for faith and practice.

2. "hide my commandments with thee..."

Meditate on God's word. Hide it in your heart. Make it your "knee-jerk" reaction to life's decisions.

3. "incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding..."

Be attentive to the wisdom and understanding of Scripture. Note: wisdom and understanding are inseprable in Scripture. Very seldom does on appear without the other,

4. if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding..."

Make it a matter of prayer.

5. "If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures..."

Make God's truths precious to you.

6. " Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD..."

Then and only then...

7. "and find the knowledge of God."

The knowledge of God is more than the retention of facts. Obviously this passage cannot mean we will know all that God knows. It means having a godly perspective on the knowledge we attain. How we see that knowledge is understanding. How we use that knowledge is wisdom.

8. Choose to live a pure, holy and sanctified life.

What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?

Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil,

and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of the LORD

are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry."

Psalm 34: 12-15

No fear of Go

2009-08-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

I have been writing about the six objectives of the Christian life. The first objective is FEAR GOD. We must become a God-fearing people again.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes. 12:13

But what happens to a Christian, or a culture when they no longer have a fear of God?

No fear of God, and man leads man to his basest state

Lu 23:40* But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

Ps 36:1* <A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD.>> The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.

Ps 53:5* There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them.

Ro 3:18* There is no fear of God before their eyes

The very concept of morals comes from a fear of God... no fear of God, and we have no morals. We may have ethics, which is man becoming a god; attempting to invoke his own morals. But these change as man's desires and ideas change... humanism...situation ethics...

Humanism has made itself into churches in America. Christianity today is egocentric - its all about me. There is a popular contemporary religious song, the theme and title of which is,"We get lifted up." Christianity is in no way about lifting up the individual. Christianity is about lifting up Christ! It is not all about me; it is all about HIM! The problem? We no longer fear God.

Oprah is turned off by a jealous God

On "YouTube" there is a video of Oprah Wenfrey recounting an experience she had in church as a young adult. She states that, the preacher was eloquently describing the Character of God. She was stopped dead in her mental tracks when the preacher said that God was a "jealous God." She wondered, "What does God have to be jealous of. Is He that insecure that He cannot be disagreed with?" She proceeds to explain that this was the point she began to turn from the traditional view of God. Jealousy is anger over being displaced. This is a sin in us, but God deserves the highest of positions. After all, He is God. Even some Christians have trouble with this concept.

But the Bible clearly states:

Ex 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealousGod,

visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

Ex 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

The evangelical god of today's church is all love and no judgement. We picture God as this benevolent old Grampaw up in Heaven who deals out goodies when we decide to come visit. This image is not the God of the Bible. But the Bible says:

De 4:24* For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

De 9:3* Understand therefore this day, that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee;

as aconsuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face:

so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee.

Heb 12:29* For our God is a consuming fire.

A child tells his parent, "I hate you." because he doesn't get his way. He does not know what is good for him. The father does.

Luke 11:11* If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone?

or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?12* Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

13* If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children:

how much more shall yourheavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

We need to learn to pray with the Psalmist; "Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth:

unite my heart to fear thy name." Ps.86:11

You can't have strong faith without fear of God.

Ro 11:20* Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

Heb 11:7* By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house;

by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

You cannot have wisdom and understanding without ther fear of God

Ps 111:10* The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:

a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Pr 9:10* The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy isunderstanding.

You cannot have proper use of knowledge without the fear of God

Pr 1:7* The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Pr 1:29* For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

You will not repent outside of the fear of God

Pr 16:6* By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

Pr 8:13* The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

We talk a lot about soul winning around here. The #1 motivation for soul winning is the fear of the Lord!

2Co 5:11* Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

The Problem? We do not fear God!

I'm not trying to win people to Christ to save their marriage... to keep them from being lonely ... to cure their depression. I am trying to save their sorry hide from the judgment of God in eternal hell fire!

We do not fear God!

We are passionate about our hobbies and casual about our God. America is a nation of "have fun-ers" and feel good-ers. We play at working and work at playing. And in trying to reach a wolrd damned to hell we try to give them a Christianity that taistes like the poison they are drinking. Then we wonder why church doesn't feed us. GET YOUR BIBLE OPEN AND FEED YOURSELF!

We do not fear God!

We treat church like a hobby and sprots like a religion. We dabble in sin and dabble with Christianity the same way. Then blame God when we suffer the cosequinces of our own sin. We ignore God until the path gets rough then get mad when we don't know where He is. We think tithing is a sacrifice, while having envey in our heart for the world's toys. We stiffen our necks and turn a deaf ear when the preacher strikes a nerve and quickly gloss over the message as though it were for somebody else.

We do not fear God! It is high time we got repented, and got back to being a God-fearing people again.

In my next writing I will tell you how to develop a good healthy fear of God.

Just a thought. Thank you for reading.