01/11/25 AVOID ROADBLOCKS TO UNDERSTANDING

01/11/25 AVOID ROADBLOCKS TO UNDERSTANDING

Sometimes the problem is with what is said.
Sometimes the problem is with what is not said.
Sometimes the problem is with what is heard.
Sometimes the problem is with what is not heard
Sometimes the problem is with how something is said.

We need ears that hear and a heart that understands. 

Psalm 19:14 KJV
14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Spiritual awareness, spiritual alertness and spiritual discernment (wisdom) comes from God, to those who are close to God. 

James 1:5
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 

James 3:13-18 KJV
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation [conduct, behavior, manner of living] his works with meekness of wisdom.
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

01/11/25 THANKFUL FOR THE JOURNEY

01/11/25 THANKFUL FOR THE JOURNEY

I often post about my love for where I live. I admit that there are many ministry advantages and personal blessings here.

HOWEVER, I have always loved where I have lived, and I have enjoyed special situations in each location, and I have warm and exciting memories from all of them.

Most of all, I have appreciated God's presence, provision, and protection, as well as the privilege to know and pastor the incredibly wonderful people we have been able to serve. When I am enjoying various opportunities here in my home area, I often think about friends in the past and my friends who are still living, and how I miss them.

01/09/25 GOSSIP MONGERS

01/09/25 GOSSIP MONGERS

I saw the following poster on a friend's FB.
"Gossip dies when it hits a wise person's ears.
Rumors are started by haters,
Carried by fools,
Believed by idiots."

Then I thought,
Sometimes your haters are those you love the most.

Jesus said,
Matthew 10:36 KJV
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

dlg note...
The divider, the destroyer is Satan.

Even then we are to love our enemies and pray for their deliverance.

When we align with God's word,
Jesus is the Restorer, the Healer, the Reconciler.

01/08/25 THE MESSAGE DOESN'T CHANGE

01/08/25 THE MESSAGE DOESN'T CHANGE

If you want to know the truth, you must look past the messenger and the method of presenting the message.

The messenger is important. God gives qualifications required for the messenger.

The method is important. Though methods change, they should never be carnal, sinful, degrading to the message.

The MESSAGE is the most important issue. Though there is nothing inherently wrong with the following list, don't let physical appearance, stately architecture, demonstrative or heady or charismatic preaching, musical talent, large numbers, big programs, winsome personalities catch your attention. Focus on the actual message. Study the word of God. Allow God to open your eyes and transform your life.

Shallowness comes at various levels and in various forms. If what you are hearing is not saving you from sin, it is not the gospel. Sound doctrine will produce Christ-like living. Biblical truth leads to being conformed to the image of Jesus. Saving truth purifies the heart and the life. Remember, either God separates you from sin or sin separates you from God. This is the message of the Bible from beginning to end.

01/08/25 DON'T GET SIDETRACKED OR DERAILED

01/08/25 DON'T GET SIDETRACKED OR DERAILED

Biden failed America by pursuing his stated platform (doing what he said he would do). It was sort of like a planned burn. You know, like Sherman.

Trump can fail America by going against his stated platform.

These are exciting times for America. We look forward to rebounding from idiocrascy and governmental sinsanity.

But since we are still in a fallen and anti-Christ world, we know that the nations, including the U.S., will ultimately choose darkness and reject God's redemptive actions and offers.

Here is a possible problem for our future. Anyone who rides-in on a white horse and appears to be saving the day, can quickly bring in great disaster.

I hope Trump continues to under-gird American principles and values. I love my country. I love my world (not the Secularist, Humanistic, Statist, godless world system). I want it to do right and I want it to do well. Remember, God loved it enough to give His Son to save any who would turn to Christ.

But I know that Jesus is the only One we can trust with our souls and our future.

Trump (regardless of his personal life) did not choose an anti-freedom, anti-family, anti-faith agenda for America. The same was not true for other recent Administrations (Obama and Biden) or candidates Clinton and Harris).

God has sometimes used godless people to lead nations into victory. But national victory without godliness is short lived.

Love not the world (the godless world system), or the things in the world (lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, the pride of life).
1 John 2:15-18 KJV
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

The only lasting alliance, the only true alliance for a Christian is one where Jesus is Lord.

Political, national, institutional, religious groups, and even familial relationships are subordinate to our commitment to Christ.

We are disappointed when a person fails us or betrays us, but it is always a possibility. Jesus never fails. We may trust and commit ourselves to principles, movements, culture, and people, but we should only trust and commit ourselves fully to Christ.

This is why full trust, surrender obedience to Christ is so important in these days and in our own country (the USA). It is easy to become a follower of a hero leader or powerful benefactor or evil tyrant.

God Himself must be our only King, Lawmaker, Judge, and Savior. If your leadership does not submit to God's rule, God's word, then you must beware the direction the leadership is going.

This has always been true, and brazenly true in some places, but America has been spared from most of it. However, our society has been abandoning Biblical awareness and Christian faith, turning the young people into active enemies of the cross.

America is under siege and the only real deliverance (from moral collapse, political sinsanity, cultural corruption, social disorder, family failure, and spiritual destruction is salvation from sin through Jesus Christ.

God designed us to be free moral agents, with the authority to choose or refuse to trust and obey Him. With our choice comes God's promised consequences.
John 5:24-30 KJV
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. 

God does not want any to perish and He takes steps to reach whosoever will believe on Him. He knows when the last convert will believe, and delays His wrath because of His mercy.
2 Peter 3:8-18 KJV
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Call on Him while He is calling you.
Seek the Lord, while He may be found.

01/07/25 QUICK REMINDER

01/07/25 QUICK REMINDER

I know, this is super simple, but it is a quick way to introduce the importance of Jesus to a person with these basic beliefs.

If...
A person believes there is a God,
and that person believes that he/she has sinned (violated Divine law),
and that person believes that God will hold them responsible, accountable for those sins,
Then that person should be looking for a way to be reconciled to God.
Wow, you will have exactly what they need, and the fact is, you may be the only person who actually offers them salvation.

These are not hard questions to ask someone.
You are not intending to get into a deep theological discussion.
You are not trying to start an argument.
You are simply asking about something they need to consider, and something they might actually be thinking about.
You are looking for someone who realizes he/she needs a way to be in a right relationship with God.
That is not a bad thing, that is a good thing to do.

If the person does not believe, either in God, or the fact that they have sinned or the fact that they need reconciliation, then you have a place to continue the conversation, if they are interested, or it is a good place to start a new conversation at a later date.

If the conversation is over, at least you have sown some seed and maybe you will have an opportunity to follow up at a later time. Or, maybe God will send another believer into the person's life.

We need to go, prepared to witness and sow seed.
We need to be ready to go deeper in our witness, as the Lord opens the door.

To keep the message of salvation from the needy is a sin. In this case, you will suffer because of your sin and the people you choose not to share the gospel with, will also suffer. 

1 Corinthians 15:34
34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

01/07/25 TOOLS AND TREASURES

01/07/25 TOOLS AND TREASURES

I thought some folks might appreciate this partial view of the literary building blocks (Scripture) and tools (study helps) of my ministry...
I have Bibles and word studies, as well as commentaries, historical and geographical studies, Bible book studies, Bible subject studies, Biblical authority, doctrinal studies, biographical and autobiographical books, cult studies, occult studies, books on missiology and eschatology and ecclesiology and Theology, counseling, evangelism, pastoral life and ministry, youth work and family living, prayer, small group ministry, church growth, church finances, hymnology, the deeper life, holiness doctrine and practice, angels and demons, Christian camping ministry, Statism and Secularism and Humanism and Humanistic education and State attack on family and faith and freedom, and other important subjects...
I also use many Biblical and Christian resources, along with general information on the internet.

I am just a down to earth guy, doing the best I can to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ, in a way, and in terms, that even children can understand.

Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 KJV
9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Colossians 1:25-29 KJV
25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.