Deflection

Good Morning,

Deflection may not be the term some use; it may be referred to as “passing the buck,“ or “the blame game.” The reality is, since the Garden of Eden, people have been trying to blame others for their wrongdoing. God asked Adam about eating the forbidden fruit, and the first thing Adam did was blame the woman that God had given him. He blamed the woman and God.  Notice that God did not try to defend Himself in the least. Everyone knew the truth, and God was not going to allow Himself to be on trial or examined by this pitiful man. Then God asked the woman about Adam’s blaming her, and she deflected blame to the serpent.

David was the king and the most powerful man in the country, a man who could pronounce the death sentence on anyone he chose. One of David’s most amazing attributes surfaced when Nathan, the prophet, pointed his finger at David and said, “Thou art the man.” David humbled himself and admitted his guilt. He was a man after God’s own heart! 

Rare are people who simply accept guilt when they are confronted with their own wrongdoing. Most often, they try to blame a co-worker or another student in the school. The husband blames his wife for his bitterness, while the wife blames her husband for her coldness. We are constantly trying to deflect the blame when we should be willing to accept it.

There is something powerful about admitting to your friends that you are weak and need their prayer that brings you into the presence and powerful aid from Heaven. 

James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

Lest we become arrogant and act as if this is always the other person, we ought to admit that our first response is usually to “pass the buck.”  Decades ago, a new nursery superintendent took her position to organize our church nurseries. (A difficult job to say the least.) Another lady, somewhat older, approached the superintendent, and corrected her about how she was doing something. Because of age and years in our church, the older lady felt she had that right. She was not correcting a dangerous or morally wrong decision, it was simply procedural. I approached the older lady to assure her that she was not the nursery superintendent and that the superintendent job belonged to someone else. I also reminded her that she needed to stay out of the situation or pass any information to me to decide if the matter needed to be corrected. To my shock, that lady never returned to church; I am still shocked. She simply could not acknowledge that she was out of line; perhaps she could not accept that she had been corrected.  We were dear friends, and our families had even vacationed together; yet, she did not speak to me for many years. Eventually, our paths crossed at a few social events and she was very kind. I regret losing her as a friend and as a valued church member, but it appears that it was all rooted in accepting the blame.

Even salvation requires a confession – an admission that we are unworthy and that Christ is the only Saviour.  

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

After salvation, believers need daily cleansing in order to stay right with God; that cleansing requires a confession and an admission of guilt with no blame.  

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Parents may be prone to defending their children.  When a teacher notes some wrongdoing in a student’s life, and the parent immediately defends the child by making statements similar to “all the kids act that way,” or “other kids have done worse and gotten away with it.” 

I am not saying this is always the correct way to deal with trouble at school, but anyone over fifty years of age knows the old saying, “Get a spanking at school and…” 

Most of us have read a book or seen a movie in which the spoiled brat of a rich or powerful person faced no repercussions for corrupt behavior. That child will always be faced with disdain, whether as a child or an adult. Typically, those children turns into tyrants when they gain wealth or power from their parents.

To take personal responsibility for one’s behavior is a godly character trait. To train your children to do the same will make their future much more useful, not to mention much happier.

Pastor

Being Nice

Good Morning,

Being nice is the culturally appropriate behavior for Christians.  In light of helping everyone stay sharp, I bring another thought that is not all that nice.

The church at Galatia had been infiltrated by people bringing heretical doctrine; specifically, the matter of works and salvation. I will discuss the four categories of philosophies regarding this subject that most people believe, but ONLY ONE IS CORRECT.

1. Those who believe good works will get you saved.

2. Those who believe you must repent (turn from sin and do good works) and then put your faith in Christ.

3. Those who believe you get saved by putting your faith in Christ, without any works attached.

4. Those who believe you get saved by faith, but you must be good in order to stay saved, or to prove that you really did get saved.

Only number three is correct. Much of the book of Galatians is dedicated to correcting the improper thinking regarding salvation and good works. Paul made it clear repeatedly in Galatians that salvation had nothing to do with good works or keeping the law.

Galatians 2:16 “…for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” 

Galatians 3:11 “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.” 

In Galatians, Paul shows several other instances when the law is of no value when it comes to salvation. In fact, Paul refers to the law as “weak and beggarly elements.”  Those words are a bit insulting, but when it comes to forgiveness of sin, we understand that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin.

(Hebrews 9:22) 

That which was purchased by the blood of God's Son needs no assistance from human elements, whether they be religious acts or simply good deeds. As the songwriter wrote, “ Jesus paid it all.”

As we consider these verses in Galatians, this is not the point this morning, but we need to decide what Paul’s attitude was toward the people who are bringing works into salvation.

Galatians 1:8 “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."

vs. 9 “As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

You will notice that, twice, Paul wishes these people who bring works into salvation to be “accursed.”  That’s not very nice, but when someone starts messing with the Gospel, it determines whether people will go to Heaven or to Hell. Paul was passionate about this. When he mentioned that he wanted them cursed, did he mean to go to hell? Did he want them cursed to have a miserable life? He revisited this thought a little later in the book.

Galatians 5:12 “I would they were even cut off which trouble you.”

Cut off? Cut off from salvation? Cut off from fellowship where they bring this heretical doctrine into the good churches? Whatever Paul means by, “cut off,” it is not nice.

Again, the thought this morning is being nice not the theology of works in salvation.  Paul felt no compulsion to always be nice, kind, and warm and fuzzy.

Galatians 2:14 “But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?”

This would be like a church picnic, a gathering of believers who were primarily Gentiles. When folks arrived from the big church in Jerusalem, Peter was a little intimidated; he slipped away from the Gentile’s fried chicken and potato salad in order to save his reputation in the eyes of important people.   Paul scolded Peter publicly, calling him by name.  In Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, and we are all one; Paul made this a matter demanding a public scolding.  This matter of salvation is vital. The matter of being nice is not vital. Disciplining a child is not nice. Firing an employee is not nice. Arresting a criminal in front of his family is not nice. Many instances in life are necessary but are not nice; the Scripture certainly supports this idea.

I am certainly in favor of being nice. Those who are around me often would probably say that most of the time, I am nice to people; but I will not be nice when it comes to sin, people messing with our Bible, or someone telling folks that they have to give up certain sins or be religious in order to be saved. There comes a point at which someone needs to say, “Thus saith the Lord!”

Pastor

Believer- Priest

Good Morning,

John 14:6 tells us that Jesus is the One Who gives us access to God, not a preacher or priest, and certainly not Mary.  Once we receive Christ, you and I can enter into the presence of God on our own.

Access to God is clearly pointed out in Paul’s writings. 

Ephesians 2:18 “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”   

3:12 “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.” 

In the story of the crucifixion, we read about the veil in the temple being torn from top to bottom. If you read back in Exodus and Leviticus, you will notice that the veil separated the holy of holies from the rest of the tabernacle. No one had access to the holy of holies, except the high priest once a year.  When Jesus died and paid our sin debt, the curtain that kept men away from the presence of God was opened as a statement that all men are invited into God’s presence.

When you get saved, you have a very special privilege, something no other religion offers to people; you have personal access to God without the church or any minister. In fact, the book of Hebrews tells us that when we have a need, we are to come boldly to the throne of grace.

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

God further explains our unique relationship to Him by calling us “priests.” 

1 Peter 2:5 “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 

vs. 9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” 

This title of priest is spoken of in the book of Revelation as well. (Revelation 1:6; 5:10)

As a Christian, God makes it very clear that we have access to Him. He is not in some distant place that only a select few may approach; He invites all of us into His presence.

The idea of lifting up a special man with a religious title and telling us we need to confess our sins to him is found nowhere in the Bible.  No one in the Scriptures ever confessed sins to a man!

The idea that Mary was special enough to allow access to God by bringing our requests to the heavenly father for us is an absurd, heretical idea, and it is certainly not found in Scripture. No verse in the Bible states that anyone ever prayed to Mary! Once we are saved, we can go straight to God ourselves.

Once you are saved, if you need God, you not only have access to Him in prayer, but you also have His Holy Spirit living inside you, and he has already given you the title of priest. You can go to God on behalf of others. You need not wear a long robe, pledge celibacy, and speak Latin. You just need to be born again.

Never play down your privileged position as a believer-priest. You and God have something spectacular.

Pastor

On The Throne

Good Morning,

None of us would openly accuse God of not caring or of not being involved in our lives. In pious Christian conversation, we sincerely say that God knows what is going on and has His glory and our good in mind no matter the circumstances. To be honest, there are times when we begin to crumble or doubt God. There are also times when our trouble distracts our eyes from the Savior and into the storm.

Jesus invited Peter to walk to Him on the water. Peter got out of the ship and began walking. That in and of itself is enough to say that Peter was a man of faith, but the text says that Peter started looking at the storm instead of the Savior, and it was then that he began to sink. 

Matthew 14:30 “But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.” 

One of our fine families has faced more than their share of adversity: heart surgery on top of other internal issues and surgeries, an accidental fall that broke a vertebrae, and then the spouse ended up in the hospital as well. Sending a text of encouragement to this dear Christian I received the following text in return, “Proverbs 11:30, thought for the day.”   In case you are not familiar with this verse, it says, “ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” 

With multiple visits to the hospital, multiple organ problems, and husband and wife both in and out of the hospital, the thought for the day was winning souls.  This family believes God is on His throne, and that serving God is the biggest thing in life.

God is on the throne. We need no added comments. We need no explanations. On our good days or bad days, God is good, and He is faithful. When we doubt Him or when we trust Him, God is good. Not only that, but when situations are difficult or easy, we are supposed to obey God. There are things God wants us to do whether it be from a full stomach or an empty one. God wants us to represent Him to a lost and dying world, whether work is good or employment is scarce. God wants us to rejoice always; that means even when a political leader is completely idiotic or un-American.

May we remind ourselves today that our perspective on good and bad may be far distant from what God thinks is good and bad. God allowed Stephen to be murdered after his first sermon. God allowed the apostle Paul to spend his ministry with a handicap. God allowed Jeremiah to be thrown in prison, Daniel to be carried away captive, and Job to lose his health, children, and wealth. Yes, God is good, and He is still on the throne.

Pastor

Virtuous Woman

Good Morning,

Proverbs 31 speaks of a virtuous woman. The title “virtuous woman” is not a specific lady, but a type of lady, like a great athlete, builder or statesman; this type of lady is different from others.

This lady is careful enough with money that her husband does not have to feel the pressure of making more money through his career (no need of spoil).  This lady sewed and sold the things she made. She bought land, planted crops, and sold them. She found ways to supplement her husband's income.

There is much more about this lady that made her value far above rubies, but the characteristic I would like to point out is her focus on home over career.

We became acquainted with a neighbor, but our relationship was only for a short time because she moved away soon after we moved into our home. She was a sergeant in the highway patrol. She made a point to tell us that as a lady, obtaining her rank was a lot of work, a lot of fighting, and a lot of labor. She had a cute little dog, but no husband or children.

The difference between the average career woman and the virtuous woman is that one focuses her attention and her time on a home, while the other focuses on a career. I have met several ladies who had career positions who were very good at their jobs. These were ladies who could help you in their area of expertise. I have met lady lawyers, educators, business managers, and even a bulldozer operator.  In my opinion, which is obviously only one in 7 billion, these ladies had several things in common.

1. They had only one child; sometimes none or once on a rare occasion two, but never more.

2. They had lost their marriages, but kept their careers (not in every case, but in most).

3. They were determined to be known as a success in their career world.  Those who were still married spoke little of their marriage, if any. 

4. They were determined to be just as good as any man.

Their success was measured by their job performance, not by their marriage and children.

5. Rarely did their children arise in conversation, not even as often as their dogs, which most of them had.

6. They were not bad ladies; they were usually enjoyable to be around, but they had a totally different perspective on life.  A perspective vastly different from the virtuous woman about whom God writes.

In Proverbs 31, the Scripture says that this lady’s husband was known in the gates. “The gates” was a place where local business took place. It was a place of politics, business, and a courtroom. This lady was so successful in her marriage and child training that her husband was elevated in his community, not herself. (She would not have had her name on a political poster, running for office.)

At the end of Proverbs 31, it says that this lady’s husband and children will rise up and praise her at the end of her life. Our current culture has pressured many good ladies into a world in which a career is vital. Their career becomes the focal point of every waking hour; so much, that when they are old, they find themselves alone (except for their dog).

I realize some ladies never marry; God does not have that work for them. (They are certainly in a different category than what I am referring to.) For the average lady, the apostle Paul said that these younger women should: marry, bear children, guide their homes, and give Satan no opportunity to speak ill of her or her home. (1 Timothy 5:14)

If you are bringing up little girls, do your best to keep them around mothers and ladies who love and lift up their husbands. If you are training boys, work to get them around men who love, provide, and protect their wives, and whose wives focus their attention on their husbands and children (a wife whose career is a sideline not a focus).  As you raise your children,  be sure to speak highly of those families, and never to reproach homes with many children.  

Pastor

Source of Trouble

Good morning,

Daniel was one of perhaps the three greatest men in our Old Testament. In Daniel 9:23, he was called “greatly beloved.” In Daniel 10:11&18, there are many other statements made about Daniel and things he did that set him apart from others.

In Daniel 9, we see a lengthy prayer with much time devoted to confession. Although Daniel left Israel as a child and probably had little to do with any of the great sins of Israel, in his prayers, he took the blame: “neither have we hearkened” (9:6). Daniel includes himself in these prayers by often using the words we or us.

Daniel 9:13 “As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.”

vs. 14 “Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.”

As Daniel confesses the sins of Israel, he gives us a clear prescription of judgment or mercy in this chapter. Notice in verse 13, they did not pray, they did not turn from their equities, and therefore, they did not understand God’s truth. 

In this passage, I think we can see much of America’s folly.  Honestly, how much prayer happens in the average home or the average Christians life? We must examine ourselves and ask how much time we spend in prayer.

Prayer brings us into God’s presence, and when we see how clean and holy God is, our natural response is to turn from our iniquities. The end result of much praying and turning from our sin is that God gives us understanding. The mess our country is in is because people are thoroughly confused, blind in identifying right and wrong, and have no moral compass to guide their decisions.  

The passage does not stop there; notice verse 14: “Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us…”

When we choose to ignore prayer and fail to turn from our iniquities, the result is a tragic lack of understanding about truth and error. As such, being our own decision to ignore prayer and to refuse to turn from our sin, verse fourteen tells us that the Lord watches the evil that is brought upon us. We have no grounds on which to blame God or some political party; it is we who drifted from God, failed to clean up our lives, or lost the ability to understand truth, and when evil comes, God simply watches.

My desire is that God will see evil coming my way and that He will shield me from it or push it away. If that is my desire, then there is a mandate to pray, clean up my life, and beg God for help to understand truth.

The book of Daniel has a great deal of practical instruction and amazing prophetic truth, but this basic principle is brought before us by the man who opened his windows three times a day and prayed toward Jerusalem. (Daniel 6:10 & 13) 

Pastor 

Subverting Your Soul

Good Morning,

Acts 15:24 “Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:”

The church in Antioch had some religious visitors from Jerusalem. These teachers were trying to convince those new converts that they needed to keep the law in order to be saved. Paul and a group of men from the church traveled from Antioch to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles.

Acts 15:11 “But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.” 

The discussion was very simple; they determined that they were saved by faith through the grace of God. Keeping the law has nothing to do with salvation. The apostles wanted it to be very clear that Jews and Gentiles only get saved one way - by grace and without any works of the law.

Even today, plenty of these religious “Pharisees” still try to convince people that if they do not keep the law one cannot be truly saved.  

For years, Catholics and many Protestants have taught that performing religious deeds is necessary for salvation. Sadly, many religious people are still including the works with salvation. If circumcision had nothing to do with salvation in the days of apostles, then none of the commandments have anything to do with salvation today. We are only saved by the grace of God.

Acts 15:5 “But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” 

These people were Christians, but they were saved out of the life of a Pharisee - an original life of strict obedience to the law. They were completely convinced that the law was a necessary part of salvation. We will not debate whether these men were saved or not; God said they believed, and we will leave it at that. For us, it is important to realize that when people come from a strict religious life, they face the difficulty of simply walking away and trusting God by faith.

The Lutherans, Episcopalians, Methodists, and others intimately tie their infant baptism to “the work of grace.“ Just as circumcision had nothing to do with the work of grace in the life of the New Testament believer, so the free gift of grace is all that is necessary to redeem a soul from sin - no matter which century.

I have heard people give all kinds of reasons for tying works to salvation. The question of how someone could be saved and not have a changed life has been asked repeatedly, but no one is willing to say how much of a change life. I have heard people also say that in order to be saved, one must turn from his sin; but then the question must be asked, “How much of their sin did they have to turn from?” How much sin can someone commit and still be saved? The answer is really not difficult to answer.  John 3:16, Romans 10:13, 9-10, Act 16:3, and many others tell us that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ and the work that He accomplished on Calvary. That is it!  There is no personal work required.

Paul made it very clear, salvation is by grace alone - no works of the law are a part of salvation.

Galatians 2:16 “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." 

We started in Acts 15:24: “…subverting your souls…” When someone adds works to salvation, he is “subverting your soul.” To paraphrase in our common language, it means, “Quit messing with the gift of eternal life! Jesus paid it all!”

Pastor

Split-Second Event: Death & Departing

Good Morning,

2 Corinthians 5:6 “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:”

vs. 7 "(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)”

vs. 8 “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

We will become absent from the body and present with the Lord - in an instant, a split second.  There will not be time to change your mind or to make new decisions.  The rich man in Hell was very sorry and thought of his loved ones ending up in Hell with him. 

Luke 16:22 “And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;”

vs. 23 “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”

He died, and then found himself in Hell - it was an instant. 

Some churches teach the silly idea of “soul sleep.” This philosophy teaches that your soul stays in the grave until the Judgement Day. Sorry, but in the story of Rachel, the Bible says she was dying: Genesis 35:18 “And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing…” This took place at the birth of Benjamin. The Bible refers to her death as her soul departing.  Her soul left immediately; her body was laid in a grave long after her death.

Jesus told the thief, “Today, thou shalt be with me in Paradise.”  Did they share the same grave?  No, of course not, but their souls were together - THAT VERY SECOND!  It was a split-second event.  

The moment you cease to breathe, your soul leaves and goes somewhere.  I cannot say I know how it all works when someone is resuscitated, but there are many similar stories of people who experienced some event, and were brought back seconds later. The fact is, when we die, we will go somewhere, and it is instant. There will not be any time to change your mind or to make a decision. Decide, today, what you will do with Christ.

- Pastor

Making Money A Priority

Good Morning,

Many of us know people whom we admire for their financial sense. We notice various decisions that financially solvent people make or have made, and we often seek to emulate them.

There are many verses in the Bible that teach about money. Being careful with finances is a godly characteristic, but there are other truths to remember regarding finances. 

Rarely do the families of wealthy people achieve what we desire.  Our president has made money, but I do not want to end my life with my third wife.  Elon Musk is, no doubt, smart and rich, but his family values are far from what we would want or what pleases God.  

Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

1 Timothy 6:9 “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”

vs. 10 “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

I have a friend who, in his later years, was as balanced a man as you could find, but in his money-making younger days, things seemed to be far different.  His family was not what I would have wished for. 

Many wealthy men have served God in their later years, but did not in their youth.  The idea of teaching a Sunday school class or running a bus route was not a part of their world.  We simply cannot focus on too many things at the same time.   Consider the major areas of life: marriage, children, business, a walk with God, service in the church, care of a car and home, and some may even have a hobby or add recreation.  Life is short, hours are fleeting, and rare is the man who can focus on all of these areas of responsibility (perhaps no one ever has). 

Most famous preachers are well-known for one or, perhaps, two things.  John Rice was known for revival and teaching on the home.  Jack Hyles and Curtis Hutson focused on church building and soul winning.  Tom Williams’ main focus was prayer. Exceptions of people who did well in several areas exist, but the truth is that excelling takes focused attention, and resources are limited. David had a heart for God, but failed in his home.  Solomon was a great leader with much wisdom, but also failed in his home and walk with God.

Let us refocus on our subject of money; be careful not to model your lifestyle around the rich, for even if you succeed, it may not be what truly matters in life. 

Work hard, spend wisely, live frugally, and give generously, but do not allow finances to rule your waking hours. 

Proverbs 23:4 “Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.” 

Pastor

Spiritual Renewal

Good Morning,

Most of us have had a moment or two when too many items were plugged in and popped the little circuit breaker button on the electric outlet. In some cases, we may have overloaded something in the breaker in the electrical box outside. Circuit breakers are made to carry only a certain amount of electricity. Plugging in one or more items accumulate and eventually come to a point at which it becomes dangerous, or could perhaps cause a fire, so the circuit breaker simply switches off.

In 1 Kings 19, we find Elijah with his “circuit breaker about to pop.” The weight of working in the ministry, surviving famine and drought, living from a little brook and some meat brought by ravens, and being fed some bread and water by a widow and her son, had accumulated. In chapter 18, Elijah faced the prophets of Baal.  The story is not only dramatic and high stress, but ends with killing hundreds of false profits. Elijah then retreated to a mountain top and prayed until God gave rain.

Of course, God was in charge, and Elijah was certainly safe in the hands of his Heavenly Father, but sometimes the weight feels like the electric current when the breaker is about to pop. Notice Elijah‘s prayer: 

1 Kings 19:4 “But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”

No matter how good of a Christian you are, you are human, you are flesh, and the weight can become overwhelming.

Our mistake may be that we try to simply work hard harder and longer to conquer our problems in the flesh – which does not work!  

Here are a few suggestions, some biological and some spiritual, for when you have reached the amperage limit of your breaker.

1. Spend more time with God. 

Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

Isaiah 40:31 “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.” 

2. Eat more carefully. In the story of Elijah, the angel of the Lord brought food that sustained him for forty days.  (1 Kings 19:8) 

3.  Go outside, get in the sun and the fresh air, and get some exercise.

4. Don’t quit!   This is simply my opinion on the story of Elijah, he was so worn out that he went to God and God gave him direction to find a replacement. I think he quit too soon. I could be wrong, but I do know that I have watched Christians quit church, quit on their spouse, quit on their job, and quit on their ministry. Quitting and running to hide seems to be an easy way out. Even if I am wrong about the story of Elijah, I am not wrong in what I have seen in the lives of Christians. Grit your teeth, stay close to God, diligently practice one through three above, and you will find refreshment and renewal.  

Luke 9:62 “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." 

Don’t Quit!  

Pastor 

Things You Never See In The Bible

Good Morning,

I was thinking of the “religious” activities that seem to be accepted around the world, yet they never appear in the Bible.

In many third-world nations, you can find people tied to a cross and paraded around town. In some situations, they are actually nailed to the cross; this is done for some religious purpose, maybe to find favor with God or to atone for their sins.  This ritual is one of many things we will find in churches yet never find in the Bible (some thing are even common in Baptist churches). 

Paul calls some rituals “doctrines of devils.”  That sounds serious, yet Paul defines these “doctrines of devils” as forbidding to marry and forbidding to eat meat (1 Timothy 4:3). Those two alone include half the world’s religions! 

Most Baptist churches use voting for various situations: voting in a budget, voting for a new pastor, and (my ridiculous favorite) voting in new members.  Sorry, but voting cannot be found in the New Testament.  Perhaps in the selecting of men to care for widows in Acts 6, some might consider that voting in deacons. (It may be correct, but that seems to be a bit of a stretch.)  Paul told Timothy and Titus to “appoint” deacons and pastors.

Calling a religious leader “father” is common around the world, yet it is not only never done in the Bible, but it was forbidden by the Lord.

Matthew 23:9 “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.” 

There are many such things practiced in religion that we never see in the Bible.  Seriously, if something was important, do we think it would not have been taught and practiced by the first century church? Do you think that maybe God would have recorded instruction about certain practices if He wanted them to be a part of the church? 

Consider the practice of confession of sins to a man - this is certainly never taught in the Scripture.  The baptism of babies is also never mentioned in the Bible.  How about a church budget? (Gasp! This is a Baptist practice.) A church budget is not a matter of religion; countless Baptists around the world do not have a budget; it is simply a practice in America.  We must be careful to not allow this tradition to turn it into a mandatory doctrine. 

In religion, Mary is adored and worshipped and held in the highest esteem, yet in the New Testament, no one ever prayed to Mary or offered her any respect at all; in fact, Jesus simply called her “woman.” 

The practice of women preachers is accepted in most denominations, yet it is clearly forbidden in the Bible.  In addition, we should include women in leadership over men (1 Timothy 2:11-12). Paul tells Timothy that a woman is not to have authority over a man, but to be subject.  Similarly, long hair on men and short hair on women is taught against in Paul’s writings (1 Corinthians 11), yet that topic is certainly avoided in many churches.

Air conditioning, church buses, and church nurseries are not in our New Testament either, but we do not call those things important to religion, just comfort.  Many great churches around the world do not even have seating or walls; these are not religious mandates, but cultural conveniences.  

It is vital that we guard our faith and protect it from corruption. The devil will be constantly searching for ways to destroy the church and its impact on the world.  

May we be Bible believers and build our religious practices upon what the Bible teaches, not on the religious traditions of men. 

Pastor

O Lord Thou Knowest

Good Morning,

“O Lord GOD, thou knowest.”

In Ezekiel, chapter 37, the prophet finds himself in a very unusual situation. He looked across a great valley full of bones. The bones were dried and scattered by wild animals. A great battle had taken place there, and the dead were left lying. Now, perhaps years later, the prophet looked upon those bones, and God asked him a question: “And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live?”

The wise prophet replied:

 “And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.”

If you are familiar with the story, you know that those bones did live and that God commanded the prophet to preach to those bones. As he preached, God put the skin and muscles back together, and a great army stood before the Ezekiel.

Many situations in life cause us to think we know the answer to the questions we are asked. Arrogantly, we act as if we know what is best or that we understand the end result of a given action. In reality, “O Lord GOD, thou knowest.”  

Often, young people will ask me about their dating life or their consideration of marriage. Most of us have had to make a judgement call relating to our children, their school, or their friends. We may or may not have the confidence that we are sure of what should or should not be done. We should keep in mind the simple statement from the prophet: “O Lord GOD, thou knowest.” 

We can do our best to behave properly, place our energy into the training and guiding our children, or labor to do right regarding our marriage, career, or finances. However, at the end of the day, “O Lord GOD, thou knowest.” 

Spending time in our Bible daily is imperative because only God knows for sure what decisions lie ahead. It is a matter of urgency (truly, a life or death matter) to take time to pray and to humbly seek God’s help, while admitting our weakness and lack of understanding, and to beg Him to intervene.

As we begin 2026, may we begin the year reminding ourselves that only God knows. The closer we are to Him, the more likely we are to make good choices. When things go “wrong” in our eyes, may we commit those circumstances to the One Who knows tomorrow. 

 “O Lord GOD, thou knowest.” 

Pastor

Merciful God

Good Morning,

I am sure there are days when we wonder if God will hear our prayer because we have been foolish, chased after sinful things, or made very selfish choices. We may doubt that God hears our prayers or will help us out of our problem, again.

Judges 10:15-18

The book of Judges is a sad story of what happens when everybody does what they think is right, and they turn to their own religious ideas. When we choose our thoughts over those of God, trouble is on the way.

Multiple times, Israel had forsaken God and gone their own way. 

Judges 10:10 “And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.”

vs. 13 “Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.” 

“Let them deliver you”  was God’s response to their cry.

In their time of trouble, they knew God was their only hope. They admitted their sin and told God to do what He thought was best, but they would serve Him only.

(vs.15-16)

The key phrase is found in Judges 10:16; God is touched when we hurt. 

vs.16 “…and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.”

Even when we have done wrong, the heart of God is touched by our suffering. Though you have turned toward Him and away from Him repeatedly, turn one more time to God and from sin. Beg for mercy from God.

God did deliver Israel. He sent them a judge to deliver them and to encourage them to stand for right.  We have a merciful God, He is patient beyond words; and for some reason, He loves us.

Pastor

Leadership

Good Morning,

In the news, I have seen the wife of Charlie Kirk pushed into the open often, perhaps some would like her to take over the movement he began.  If you look back on the great popularity of Charlie Kirk, you will notice that his wife was, just that, his wife.  She was not the ministry leader; she was not the great outspoken guide of a movement.  She, at least appeared to be, the loving and encouraging helpmate God designed her to be. 

If President Trump died, we would be very unwise to look to Mrs. Trump for direction about our nation’s future.  She is the first lady, she has not been the leader of the free world. In my opinion, it would be a great mistake to push her into any kind of leadership position because she was the wife, the one who encouraged, helped, and strengthened her husband.  Let her be who she has been and who God allowed her to be. 

In 1 Kings chapter 1, David was old and unable to lead his country anymore. An insurrection was taking place. Bathsheba was not pushed into leadership, nor did she try to do so. 

Notice the event that took place.

1 Kings 1:11 “Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?”

vs. 12 “Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel…”

The old preacher that stood by David’s side throughout the years came to the king’s wife and gave her instruction. She wisely listened.  Her life and the ministry of her son Solomon were both saved because she listened to the old preacher.  Stick with the old men of God when guidance is needed.  

If I die, I hope our church has enough sense to not allow my wife to determine the future of our church. She should not be the next pastor, nor should she be the counselor to the next pastor. She was my wife. She has done her job well. That job ends with her being a wife, mother, and grandmother. My wife has an adult lady’s Sunday school class, and she goes soul winning like any good Christian lady should, but she is not the advisor, counselor, or guide of the future ministries of Faith Baptist Church.  

As the Bible instructs, our church has men who are deacons or on our church staff, and we have a church Constitution that was voted in by the church members. These men and documents will guide the future of the church if it is needed.  The pastor’s wife is not in the decision-making role. Hopefully, ministry leaders and political leaders have guidelines in place so that in the event that they are no longer able to lead, a plan has already been prepared and guidance has been put in place to keep the direction and leadership moving the right way. 

Mrs. Kirk, the wife of Charlie Kirk,  should be mom and the grieving widow of her beloved husband.  Leave her alone!  For people to push her into leadership is folly, just as it would be for Jill Biden to think she could direct the affairs of America when her husband was incapable of doing so.  Unelected staff under the president has no business guiding the nation.  Our Constitution has protocols in place to take care of situations like this.  No one should usurp authority, and no one should be pushed into authority. God, the Constitution, and in the case of the church, the Bible will guide.

In 2 Kings 11, Athaliah, tried pushing herself into leadership.   You can read about her sometime - her decision did not end well.  

Pastor

Life Is Not Easy

Good Morning,

Most of us know the story of Joseph, the young man who was hated by his brothers and eventually sold into slavery.  While Joseph tried to do the right thing in a very difficult situation, he was lied about and jailed.  Years passed from the day that his brothers betrayed him, and we find that he became a lord of Egypt.  

Joseph’s life was not easy! 

While starting the church, Mrs. Goddard and I did everything together.  We knocked on doors, ran youth activities, and set up for each church service, but then a baby came along and she needed much more time to be mom.  That event changed everything, and honestly, it was difficult. 

Biblical priorities tell us that marriage and the husband are more important than children, and managing the right priority is not easy. 

In marriage, the wife needs understanding and patience from the husband, and that is difficult. Young men have little understanding of what a wife feels and needs – understanding and filling that need is difficult.  A young husband and wife are inexperienced and will make poor choices with time, money, and child discipline. Dealing with the results of wrong choices is not easy.

After being married for nearly half a century, we find ourselves far from that young family and early marriage, but I can assure you that age, decades, and all that comes with it is not easy. 

Daniel lost his home, he was taken away as a slave, and unknown hardships were his lot in life. It was difficult. 

No man understand a woman, and few women understand a man; that is difficult on both of you. When we add the reality that some days we are simply carnal Christians and bitter people, it does not make it any easier.

In a world with so many difficult situations and circumstances, we must allow our children to face things that are not easy.  Homework late into the night, sports training, and countless kinds of work need to be integrated into the lives of our children because LIFE IS NOT EASY and we need to train them to deal with it. A hovering, controlling mom is not a help in this training for hardship. God placed the mom in the home for a reason, but men think differently and children need the outlook of the dad. 

Handicapped children, layoffs, and medical trouble can all be a part of the future of our children, and IT IS DIFFICULT. 

Do you remember the story of the bread God asked Ezekiel to make and eat? That was not easy. Jail for Jeremiah was in the will of God, but it was very discouraging.   Hosea's wife sold herself as a harlot on the streets where Hosea preached, obviously that was difficult.

The ministry is difficult, yet we need preachers.  The mission field is not easy, yet we are commanded to go to the whole world with the Gospel.  

Do not try to shield your children from the difficult, unfair, or uncomfortable situations - these are necessary.  Beg God for wisdom about what to do and what not to do.  

My daughter and her three little ones were at our house one day when their dad was working.  The four-year-old was riding a little push bike and carrying two foot-long shish kebab skewers in his hand. She felt like that was probably less than safe, but she asked me what I thought. I agreed, but then I added, “but I’m a grandpa.” She said out loud. “What would Matt say?” I found myself thanking God for the right spirit in that young mother.  She did choose to tell her son that he had to divide the activities; either play with the shish kebab sticks or ride the bike, but he could not do both.  The important lesson to learn in this situation was that she understood that her motherly instinct might not be right, and she had to at least consider options and ask herself what her husband might think.

Life is not easy - train for it, and help your children prepare for it.

Pastor

Keep Your Heart

Good Morning,

No end of heartache is caused by humanity. It may be economic, immoral, violent, or the result of a lust for power, but evil runs rampant throughout humanity.

The thought of hurting someone ought to bother us, and we should do everything in our power to keep ourselves from hurting others. There is also the simple, selfish motive to not hurt ourselves. We do not want to do anything that may harm us or our future. Proverbs talks about the “issues of life.” Issues are the outspreading, the influence, or the impact of the spreading out on the world around us.

One crucial action must be done: “keep your heart.”

Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” 

When a married person meditates on the things that their spouse does to frustrate them, they are planting seeds in their own heart that will blossom into corrupt behavior. When one begins to notice the cash flow at a place of employment and to consider what that money might do for him, he is allowing his heart to cultivate desires and ambitions that cannot be legitimately fulfilled.

Achan allowed himself to look at the riches of Jericho, and in the end, it cost him his life and the lives of his wife and children.  David looked across the darkness and planted the seeds of adultery in his heart as he saw Bathsheba.  

Turning away from temptation immediately is of the greatest importance. We cannot allow ourselves to entertain or enjoy the thoughts of that which is not ours. When God says not to be bitter toward my wife, then I must not even meditate for a moment on circumstances that may frustrate me and give discontentment a place to flourish.  

“Keep your heart” means to intentionally love what you have: to look at your car with gratitude, to look at your house with a thankful spirit, to look at the one you married and be grateful. Consider a caged lion: if the beast is within the cage, it is beautiful and to be admired, but if the door is left open, it can destroy much.

The single person cannot afford to look at the married person with a covetous heart or wish they had a spouse – especially not that spouse. The married person cannot allow themselves to meditate, even for a moment, on another person who might be available, whether they are married or single.

Keep your heart! It is a command! That command comes with great warning. If we do not keep our hearts, the issues of our future will be miserable, frustrating, and deadly to all the things that matter to us.

As a teenager, my brother and I had a motorcycle that would occasionally have the throttle stick wide open. That motorcycle was safe and easy to control, and we might, at some point, need to open the throttle completely and accelerate up a hill or down a long straightaway. However, when that throttle would stick open without our planning on it happening, it did not matter whether we were going up or down; we were in grave danger.  So it is with a heart that is allowed to run wild without control or direction. 

2 Corinthians 10:5 “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” 

Compassion and tenderness flow from a carefully nurtured heart, but if that same heart is allowed to entertain godless dreams and ideas, it may bring forth a fountain flowing with hatred, murder, deceit, corruption, and evil of all kinds.

Keep your heart WITH ALL DILIGENCE. 

Pastor

Eternal View

Good Morning,

I often refer people to the subject of eternal rewards and coming judgment.  It is one of the most frequent subjects mentioned in the Scripture.  Paul mentioned it when he was jailed and standing before those who might be able to free him from prison. 

Acts 24:25 “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”

That is an outline worthy of much pulpit time, “righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come.”

In Daniel 12:3 God speaks of this; “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

Consider these examples:

Matthew 13:43 “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

Matthew 19:28 “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

John 4:36 “And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.” 

1 Corinthians 1:8 “Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

Philippians 1:10 “That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; “

Philippians 2:16 “Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” 

1 Thessalonians 2:19 “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” 

I have no idea how often the Lord refers to rewards, judgment, and our eternal state, but it is mentioned frequently throughout the Scripture.  Now, if the subject of eternity, rewards, and judgment is all through the Bible, and if by chance, your pastor does not deal with the matter regularly, then I suggest you start praying for your pastor or find another church. 

Regardless of what pastors are doing, let me make some suggestions that are all based on one simple statement out of the book of Amos, “prepare to meet thy God.”

Amos 4:12 “Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.”

In preparing, I suggest:

1. Make sure of your salvation.

2. Find the basic principles of Christian living in the Scriptures and apply yourself diligently to obedient living.

3. Develop a faithful prayer life and a consistent time of Bible reading each day in order to equip yourself to serve God and represent Him well.

4. Join a faithful, Bible-believing, Baptist church and get involved to the greatest extent possible.

5. Remind yourself regularly that this life on earth is brief, but that your service here will influence your eternity in Heaven; rewards will come.

This silly idea that everyone is going to Heaven, that we will all enjoy the same benefits and opportunities, and that there will be no differences between us when we walk the golden streets is not just silly, it is unscriptural and a deadly lie that will destroy the future hopes of countless Christians. 

Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

Revelation 22:12 “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” 

Live with eternity in view.

Pastor

Eternal Priorities/Flesh Over Spirit

Good Morning,

At one point, priorities included elbow pads and helmets as kids rode skateboards. Now, priorities are set on a proper diet, gluten-free this, sugar-free that, protein for breakfast, and carbs later in the day. Yet, many of the concerned parents who prioritize these things would order Sunday school low on the list. Bible reading is rarely done and sitting in church with little children is very rare.

The book of Daniel tells of a battle between heaven and earth. Daniel 10:13 introduces the “prince of the king of Persia.” While reading the story, it becomes obvious that this is not referring to the man sitting on the earthly throne. This is referring to him who is in the heavens and not a good power. Most Bible-believers see every community in every country overseen by angelic or demonic hosts.

While we are busy worrying about hypoallergenic pillows, and lactose-free milk, we are ignoring the real battle – the spiritual battle in the heavens. Daniel’s story tells us about wrestling against principalities and powers and the rulers of darkness.

Just a summary of my thinking, I would rather my child honor and glorify God with their life and die young than live long having ignored God and His Book. This life is short; it will be gone in an instant.  It is foolish for us to build every hour of every day around earthly things while ignoring eternal things.

Placing our children in godless, government schools while failing to pray for them and placing them under the leadership of God-fearing teachers is simply crazy (unless you are not saved, and you do not understand eternal things).  

I am not against trying to have a healthy diet, but I am against keeping our children so safe that they never learn to do difficult things, face hurt, or learn to control their emotions when things go wrong. That is life; that is the life that will honor God and bring eternal rewards.

I am not sure how much time Jesus spent playing ball, but I do know that He learned to work and that he was a carpenter. As his family traveled back from Jerusalem, as a twelve-year-old boy, Jesus was not found for three days. The young man, Jesus, definitely had liberty and was not brought up by a hovering mother who saw Him every moment of every day. He was a young man who knew the Scripture and could sit in the temple asking questions and answering questions regarding the Scriptures.

Ask yourself regularly, “Will this affect eternity?”  or “Is this just something earthly that is important to me as a parent?”

Pastor

Standards & Legalism

Good Morning,

Please allow me be a bit controversial today, as I scribble a few notes. First of all, let me address standards, especially standards in regards to our appearance.

Everyone has standards. Our church places no requirements on a person’s appearance, except what everyone in town would expect – because everyone has standards. Even people at the grocery store have certain guidelines to what people must wear. One cannot go into any store naked. There are no public schools that I know of that do not require clothing. Where people draw the line varies, but, everybody has a standard.

I will teach and preach what I believe matches God’s directives for appropriate apparel, but I certainly do not require it (nor does our church). A standard of conduct or a standard of appearance is an outward sign of an inward relationship to God. There are things I do and do not do because I love my wife. There are things I do and do not do because I would not want to hurt my wife. If I did those things, I would hurt the one that I love dearly. The same is true with God. If I love Him dearly, then I would never want to offend Him with the way I act or how I appear.

The people who might attack our church for teaching what the Bible says about appearance have to decide on their own what they think is appropriate to wear. It is none of my business (although, they have made it their business to criticize what we believe). The Bible says every man will give an account of himself to God. With that in mind, I would defend each individual’s right to determine their behavior and their appearance. God gives that freedom to people; why would I not also defend that freedom.

If we were to talk about standards of behavior, everyone has them. Recently, it has been made obvious (again) that tying athletics and gambling together violates some standard of conduct. Again, I say, “We all have standards of conduct.” In the political world, standards of conduct in regards to campaign finance in the political world is expected to be upheld. We all understand that a standard should exist.

The second word I would like to address is legalism. I would like to identify the absolute semantic ignorance of the people who use that word. The vast majority who say that someone is legalistic are simply parroting what they have heard someone else say. They cannot define the word, nor can they elaborate on how a church like ours would be defined as legalistic. 

We have already established that everybody has some standard of conduct and some standard of appearance. The only difference between us is where we draw the line. In having a standard, we are not legalistic, we are simply trying to abide by our basic beliefs. The true use of the word legalism or legalistic is when we add works to salvation. Some dictionaries would define the word as, “A strict set of rules or standards that is more important than Grace.”  I do not know any Christian group that believes any set of standards is more important than grace. I cannot even imagine anyone so foolish to believe that, let alone for one to accuse another of it.

Not only that, but I do not believe there is anyone that teaches and preachers grace more than a Bible-believing Baptist.  When knocking on doors and witnessing all over the community, we find an endless stream of church goers who believe that their good works have something to do with their salvation. Some believe their good works help them get saved. Others believe they get saved by faith, but their good works keep them saved. Each of these approaches is legalism and biblical nonsense.

Of all the religious groups I know, we are absolutely the LEAST legalistic. I do not believe that anything one does could possibly help them get saved or keep them saved. I do not believe there is one shred of good works needed to be converted. I will go so far as to believe that if we add one percent of good works to 99% faith, we are condemning ourselves to hell. 

Romans 11:6 makes this very clear.

“And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise, grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

In a very brief summary, I would say that everyone has standards, and that of all the religious people I know, we are the least likely to ever be  legalistic; while almost everyone who accuses us of being legalistic actually IS.

Pastor

Discipleship

Good Morning,

Discipleship - the word is not in the Bible.   



As a verb, the word disciple is never used in the Bible. It is a noun that refers to a person who is a disciplined follower. 



Today, many churches use the word discipleship as a verb—something one does or an activity in which someone is involved: often used in place of the words training or instruction. The word discipleship is often used to describe a program in which one enrolls in to become a "disciple." 



Any leader wants new converts to learn, but historically (and biblically), this term was not used among great church builders. The idea of DISCIPLESHIP is a more recent addition to church programs. 

A good family moved into our area, and within a few weeks, the father was out soul winning with me. He said that in his last church, they attended a multi-week class on how to witness to various cults or religions. When the class ended, no one went out witnessing; they had received their information, but putting the instruction into practice was not part of the program. Then, he said, “Here, you don't do any instruction—you just take us out to talk with people.”



He was new and did not understand that the "do" came before the "know." 



John 7:17 “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine…"



Jesus said, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Following is the first step. Sitting in a classroom like a college student is not wrong, but it is not a biblical method. 



We must be careful to not judge our ministry's success solely by the amount of time we spend in a restaurant or classroom teaching the Bible one-on-one. Thank God it happens, and it is wonderful when a young Christian begins to learn, but maybe we should put extra effort into following the Bible's method. 



Titus 1:3 “But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching…”



God manifests His Word through preaching. Get your converts to church and under the preaching of God's Word, and God will open His Word to them. I believe that both new and seasoned Christians will learn more from sitting under strong preaching than they ever will in one-on-one "discipleship classes."  



The Bible method is to go soul winning, get new converts to church, and take new converts out soul winning.  

 Pastor