The Solution

Good Morning,

If you read your Bible, you know people often become angry with others, and trouble follows.  Cain killed Abel for little or no logical reason.  In Genesis 4:3, the admission of another killing is also stated.  The story of Noah and the Ark provides an account of a land filled with violence. Not long after Noah got off the ark, we find him drunk.  Achan stole possessions from Jericho, and his family was killed.

Long before the Ten Commandments were given, mankind continually broke the laws. We can jump ahead in time to when Judas betrayed Jesus or to the early church era when God killed two deceitful members in Acts 5.

Do not be surprised by sinful deeds.  Jeremiah 17 tells us “the heart is deceitful above all things.”  Consider the phrase: “above all things.”  There is nothing on earth more deceitful than our hearts.  

Rather than being shocked that humanity is flawed, perhaps we should work on the problem – the heart.  

Matthew 15:19 “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:”

Perhaps we should focus on what is getting into our hearts.  The book of Proverbs suggests that we control our thoughts:  Proverbs 23:7 “…as he thinketh in his heart, so is he." 

It might be wise to seriously consider our music, entertainment, social media, and all the information that emerges on the digital devices our young people carry with them 24/7.   If we expect our young people to have good thoughts, and we want those thoughts to produce a good heart, we would be wise to reconsider which schools our young people attend.

It is easier to complain about a bad product than it is to work on a solution. The solution is a preventative measure, but the fact is, prevention is the only thing that will work when it comes to a sinful heart. We must labor to wash it clean with the Word of God and do our best to protect that heart from all of the garbage in the world.

Pastor

Refrences

Good Morning,

Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.”

Ecclesiastes 7:1 “A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.”

A reference letter tells of the past behavior of an individual. 

It gives a suggestion of potential future activities.

References reveal who a person truly is when they are not trying to impress or gain something. It shows the inner person at a moment of relaxation when their true nature is visible.

A NAME... that is the opinion of others. What people think of someone when they have watched them in various circumstances   

A criminal record has bearing on what people think of you.

      • Yes you can be forgiven.

      • Yes, you can start over.

      • Yes, your past is a part of you. 

      • Your past IS YOU... at one time.

When I am looking for a carpenter, and multiple references say a person repeatedly was slow or did not complete a job, that will make me assume the same will happen in the future.

Evil people in the past should be scattered in the future. Someone who was a critic yesterday is likely to be one tomorrow.  Someone who was a talebearer yesterday will almost surely be one tomorrow.  They have proven themselves; they have a "reputation."

Proverbs 20:8 "A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.”

vs. 26 “A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.” 

Someone who was once scornful and critical is likely to remain the same in the future. God advises you to keep them away from you.

Proverbs 22:10 “Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.”

Removing yourself from the scorner will stop contention and reproach. Over the years, I have met several pastors who seemed to always be ready to tell me some critical news, repeat a story, or speak evil of people I know to be "good."  

I avoid these people! 

Talebearers, according to the Lord, keep strife alive.  God is not impressed with that behavior.  Their critical comments can be read online as they slander people who have been dead for decades.

Proverbs 26:20 “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no, the strife ceaseth.”

vs. 21 “As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.”

I will not spend time with critics, scorners, talebearers, or anyone who stirs up contention and strife.  If you point me to someone who seeks to hurt others or has often said critical or slanderous things, I will show you someone I will avoid at all cost.

We should all seek to develop good references.  As people watch us over the years, we should live in the way which describes our references as good. 

What are your references?   


Pastor 

Proper Order

Good Morning,

I would assume that most of us have put something together, whether a toy for a child or something we bought to use for the family, and rather than following the instructions, we simply started putting things together ourselves. On most occasions, we found that if we skip a step in the proper order, it is almost impossible to complete the project. Then we find ourselves disassembling, going to the directions, and reassembling in order. Doing things in the proper order is how to get the desired result.

I was preaching out of town, and prior to my arrival, the pastor mentioned that the theme for the year was something about love (I cannot remember the exact phrase):a renewal of love, or a goal of love, but basically it was a good, warm, and fuzzy annual theme.  He was probably hoping I would preach something nice, which, to honor the pastor, I did, but I probably will not preach there again.

Obviously, love is important. Scriptures that mention God so loves the world, and that they will know we are Christians by our love are many, but a proper order is tragically missing in our modern religious movement. Without a lengthy Bible study, I would like to mention 2 Peter 1:5–9.

Peter offers a list of things to us, but the interesting phrase he uses is “add to.” He mentions the first item and then says to add the second, the third, the fourth, and so on. There was a reason for the order.  If the order is mixed, the desired product will not be produced.

In case you are not near a Bible to look at it, this is the order: faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity.

You will notice that brotherly kindness and charity are on the list, but you will also notice they are last on the list. Kindness and charity are built upon a foundation of faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, and godliness. Summarizing brotherly kindness and charity with the word love cannot be biblical love unless it is built on a proper biblical foundation. If you love roses, you cannot love weeds, gophers, or aphids. If you love holiness, you cannot love sin or sinful things. In order to have biblical love, first, you need to build a foundation of all of those other items mentioned so that you only use “approved things that are excellent.“ (Philippians 1:10)

I like to teach this list of character traits as a pyramid: faith is the broad base, and each item becomes more narrow to create a pyramid look crowned with charity. This formula builds a stable family, a stable relationship, and a stable church.

Across America, we find churches built on love. Flipping the pyramid upside down will cause it to topple over. When the foundation becomes the last building block rather than the first, disaster will follow.

I have heard people say that doctrine divides and that we should focus on love. That formula creates a very unstable product. Notice in verses eight and nine the result of proper or improper order. The subject entails much more than I have time to address now, but allow me to point out one simple thing – assurance of salvation.

While we are knocking on doors and meeting people, it is common for us to encounter people who attend large, contemporary churches that focus on love. The people are warm and friendly, and we may chitchat a while before coming to the question, “If you die today, do you know for sure you would go to Heaven?” Almost always, they answer with a vague or unsure answer which is exactly the byproduct of a church with love being most important.

2 Peter 1:9  “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see far off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”

When foundations are out of order, no assurance of salvation or eternal security is found. Often, we see this scenario as we go into the community to win souls. These people are often very open to receiving Christ and placing their faith in Him, but if they remain in a church that makes love more important than faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, and godliness, they will still have no assurance of salvation.

When God put things in order, we should not change that order. There are ramifications for our actions. If we hope to enjoy the stability and security that God wishes for us to have, we must follow the directions and do things in the proper order.

Pastor

Hurt the Father?

Good Morning,

What right do we have to hurt our Father?  

Jeremiah 12:7  “I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.”

Israel turned from God to idols. Forsaking the covenant and the most basic precepts of righteousness, Israel turned to the things of the world around them.

The book of Jeremiah is a warning of impending doom. If we add to that the broken heart of God and the suffering of Jeremiah, you have a summary of most of Jeremiah‘s writings.  

I read this passage, and the outstanding element was the heart of God. Usually, when trouble comes, we focus on our suffering. We worry about our children or our financial struggles. Our hardships are almost always wrapped in our feelings and our circumstances. Notice the text: “the dearly beloved of my soul.”  God was going to have to deliver His chosen people to death, to famine, and to bondage. Like most people, the focus in such a context is the suffering of the people. For a moment, let us consider the heart of God. 

Think of the prodigal son as he left home with his pockets full of money. Oh, he was happy. He walked down the street with a light step and more joy than he probably had experienced in his whole life. The wise father stood, no doubt, watching his beloved son, walking off into unthinkable hardship and suffering. Worst of all, he was walking away from a relationship with his father. As the father's heart broke, the son planned his parties.

With that in mind, consider the heart of the Heavenly Father watching His people turn to the world, to the flesh, and to idolatry. How had God wounded His people so badly that they turned from Him to statues of gold and silver?

The passage says, “I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.”  God had to set the dearly beloved (those who are so dear and so loved) on a path of great suffering. For a moment, let us forget about our own suffering and consider the suffering of our Heavenly Father. As we chase after the things of this world and think that money and pleasure will make us happy, for a moment, at least, we should consider the hurt of the Father.

When we choose the world,  “the dearly beloved of His soul” is choosing the world like the Prodigal Son.  The heart of the Father is broken, and we should ask ourselves the questions, “What right do I have to hurt my Father in Heaven?” and “What right do I have to break the heart of the One Who created me?”

Pastor

Ready To Give An Answer

Good morning,

It is possible, but unlikely that you have never heard the name, Charlie Kirk. He had an amazing nationwide ministry, especially on college campuses.  He was well-researched and well-documented; he never was unkind but filled with facts against which liberalism could not stand .  He always gave the liberal a chance to express their opinion before he demolished them with an endless stream of facts – but not with hatred.

As is so often the case when a liberal has no logical argument, they turn to violence.

Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on college campus in Utah. He died faithfully standing for his God. Shame on the millions of people who call themselves Christians, who have never taken a stand, who have never opened their mouths boldly and publicly for Christ, and who have never risked losing a friend for the name of Jesus.

Many people, who call themselves Christians, have nothing in their daily life to show it: no Bible reading in their homes, no sharing the Gospel with friends and neighbors, and no teaching their children about the things of God. Perhaps, worst of all, they never make church a priority in life.  Too many people claim to be Christians, but their homes are void of prayer, Bible, and a love for God’s church.

Charlie Kirk died well. May he inspire believers to step up, to walk the walk, and to talk to talk! May God use this tragic event, from corrupt and evil men, to stir Christians to an outspoken and bold faith that they would be, “always ready to give an answer…” 

Pastor

God Hates

Understanding The Bible

Good Morning,

The people were divided over the teaching and life of Christ.  

John 7:12 “And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.”

No man could be any better in his personal life than Jesus was. No man could be a better teacher than our Lord.  No man can go for years without sin as Jesus did.  When it came to teaching ability and communication skills, how could anyone surpass the Creator of the universe – yet, the people were divided. 

Do not be surprised when everyone does not like the pastor you like. Do not go into shock if some try to take the words of your pastor and seek to twist them to say what everyone knows he did not say.  

Matthew 22:15 “Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.”

Mark 12:13 “And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words." 

Luke 11:54 “Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.”

The reality is that Jesus did not intend for everyone to understand or to like all of His teaching; there were times when He hid the truth from people.

John 12:40 “He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.”

Matthew 13:11 “He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”

vs. 12 “For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.”

vs. 13 “Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.”

When you believe, trust, and seek to learn from our Saviour, He will open the truth of the Scriptures to you.  If you do not seek truth and submit yourself to Divine instruction, God will help you NOT to see or to understand. 

The Bible is not an intellectual textbook understood best by the most intelligent.  Rather, it is a spiritual Book, understood by those who humble themselves before the Creator and ask for His guidance. This is why some of the biggest idiots and critics of the Bible are found in seminaries and gatherings of “scholars.” 

God owes us nothing; in His mercy, He teaches us.  When an earthly preacher brings biblical truth to a congregation, only those who humbly seek truth will find the Holy Spirit instructing them. 

Pastor

Our Focus

Good Morning,

1 Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 

vs. 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 noticed among our young people that there is a stronger draw toward healthy lifestyles than when I was young. Young people are drinking water more than soda. Healthier diets are attracting the attention of young families, and exercise has become a big part of the younger culture in America.

Sadly, the desire for godliness is minimal. It seems few of our young people are concerned about teaching the Bible to their children, being involved in the bus ministry, or winning souls with the family. Paul told Timothy that godliness with contentment is great gain. Then to make his point clear, he follows it with the evils that come with the desire for financial gain.  (1 Timothy6: 6-10)

Of course, we need to work and provide for our own as the Bible clearly says, but the desire and hunger to “…be rich…” is the great passion of so many today - and that desire is deadly beyond words.

It seems our younger generation values the body much more than the soul. There are bicycle helmets, elbow pads, knee pads, vitamins galore, and every kind of medical, dental, and optical treatment imaginable in the lives of our young people. I have visited the homes of young couples who are raising children, and sadly, I have not noticed God.

To spend a few hours in a home and never see a Bible, a Bible verse in a picture on the wall, or have no conversation regarding spiritual matters seems as if God is tragically missing, while the spirit of the entrepreneur lives and prospers.   I have noticed that contentment is missing too.

In Matthew 6, our Saviour warned his followers to be careful about seeking the same lifestyle that their unsaved friends seek.

Matthew 6:32 “For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.”

vs. 33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

I hope my grandchildren find good careers, find a good spouse, raise good children, and have happy homes. More than all of that, I long for my children and grandchildren to know God and to please Him – that is our purpose on earth!  What is the point of houses and lands, cars and comforts, and vacations and travel if God is not pleased, and if we do not know Him?

Are we raising fools? God very clearly called some people fools. The man who prospered so much that he had nowhere to keep his harvest was a fool if he was not rich toward God.

Luke 12:19 “And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”

vs. 20 “But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?”

To seek after wealth and earthly treasures, yet have nothing intimate between you and God is as foolish as a person can be.

Luke 12: 21 "So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

I want my family to have skill sets that make them useful to society, but far more, I want them to know God. It was not a Harvard business degree that gave Solomon his wisdom, nor was it wise investments in the stock market that gave Abraham his riches. These men gained what they gained because they knew the ONE Who provided for the needs of their families.

With the presence of God comes contentment, peace, and purpose. Most importantly, when we seek God first, we please Him. It is God Who made us. It is God with Whom we will spend eternity. It is God Who holds the kingdoms in his hand, and it is He Who provides peace and contentment or allows strife and dissension. SEEK GOD! 

Pastor

Farewell

Good Morning,

I write and speak often of our eternal future.  I have heard some people say that they are more concerned about how we live today and that eternity will take care of itself. Perhaps that is a good view, but if you knew a policeman was down the road a mile, would you not adjust your driving according to your future? 

Let me assure you, a policeman is down the road, and far more significant than a policeman, a righteous Judge. The parable in Luke 19 speaks of a king leaving a pound for each of his servants to “steward” in his absence. Upon returning, the king asked for an accounting of what each servant had earned: one earned ten times what he was given, one earned five times what he was given, and one nothing at all. 

Luke 19:15 “And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.”

vs. 16 “Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.”

vs. 17 “And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.”

The third came before the king and faced a horrible moment.

vs. 22 “And he saith unto him, out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant.”

Most people believe that only evil people will be judged, but there is no end of Scripture indicating the saved will also be judged.

Let me urge you to use your talents for God while you can.  Whatever God has given us was given for His glory, not for our pleasure. Use what you have to make God look good, to bring pleasure to God, to honor His Son, to lift up His Book, and to bring folks into His house.

There is an old song about the return of Christ that has this line, “fare thee well.”  That phrase became a farewell statement to most people, like “goodbye,” but originally the intent was to wish people well. “I hope you fare well” meant to fare well at the market, in farming, or in business.  The song says, when Jesus comes, I hope you “fare well.”

“In That Great Gettin’ Up Mornin’"

I'm gonna tell you about the comin’ of the judgement,

fare thee well, fare thee well.

I'm gonna tell you about the comin’ of the judgement,

fare thee well, fare thee well.

There's a better day a comin’, fare thee well fare the well.

There's a better day a comin’, fare thee well fare the well.

In that great gettin’ up mornin’, fare the well, fare the well.

In that great gettin’ up mornin’, fare the well, fare the well.

Let us so live that when Jesus comes, and we face the judgment, we “fare well.”

Pastor

Just Right

Good Morning,

How do you respond if you speak with the doctor about doing a surgery, and he says, “There are some medical professionals who like everything just right. They want every medical “T” crossed and “I” dotted. But I am of the more relaxed philosophy medically. We may or may not wash our hands before the surgery. We will do our best to get all of the injured parts of your body repaired and back in the proper place, but it may not always work out.”

How about your mechanic? What if you bring your car to be fixed and the mechanic says, “I will see if I can get it running. And just so you know, I am not worried about everything being just right, as long as it starts when you push the gas pedal and stops when you put on the break. I may cut some corners. In fact I’ve been known to put in used parts because they save money, even though they’re not the best idea.”

I think all of us would agree that we do not want that kind of doctor or mechanic. If someone is building my house, I would like the corner to be square. I would like the proper headers over doors and windows. I would like the roofing to be the proper thickness, and the floor to be capable of carrying the load of refrigerators, pianos, and other heavy objects. 

What is strange to me is the number of people who want their religion to be relaxed, less rigid, and less insistent on things being right and wrong. If your doctor or your mechanic does not do things exactly right, there is a good chance you will survive, but if your religion is not right, you will go straight to hell. If your religion is not right, your children or grandchildren will go straight to hell. If you do not follow biblical principles in dating, there is a much higher chance that you will lose your marriage and your children will be raised by someone else.

I want things “just right;” and that is why God does not make directives optional. He gave us Ten Commandments. God made it clear about which things to do or not do. He named several things that are unpopular in our compromising culture.

Proverbs 30:6 "Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” 

God does not want you to add one word to the things that He has said; follow instructions as closely as possible. 

Revelation 22:18 “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:”

vs. 19 “And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

God does not want you to add anything to His Word, and He does not want you to take anything away from His Word. What He said is what He meant, and He does not want anyone changing His instructions. Obey exactly the way He instructed.

This relaxed and “do what you feel like doing” kind of Christianity is far from scriptural.

Do what you do just the way God said to do it!  

- Pastor Bruce Goddard

Good Advice

Good Morning,

Proverbs 20:18 “Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.”

Our theme today is, good advice. I am thinking of a man who’s marriage lasted only a matter of days; good advice would have saved him the heartbreak. 

Another man’s children were just getting attached to their stepmom, and she left. Good advice could have prevented the problem.

There was a young man who completed his first year of college with $17,000 of credit card debt, and nothing to show what he spent the money on. Good advice could have saved this young man some financial headaches. 

People pack their families and move across the country without advice. 

People choose a career without advice. 

People choose a college without advice. 

People choose their spouse without advice. 

It is no wonder we have a 50 to 70% divorce rate, and that the vast majority of college graduates do not get a job in the field they studied in college.  NO ADVICE! 

I’m thinking of the young lady who swallowed the romance of an oceanography degree. The thought of swimming with Shamu and being on the boat with Jacques Cousteau won her over.  After an enormous amount of money and several years, she finally completed her degree. The problem was there were no jobs in oceanography. She worked as a volunteer in a hospital. Her situation could have been prevented with good advice.

Proverbs 15:22 “Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.” 

Proverbs 20:18 “Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.”

Proverbs 24:6 "For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.” 

Many other verses remind us of the importance of good counsel. The Scriptures likewise warn of bad counsel. Getting advice alone is not adequate; we need good advice. I would also like to point out that the Scriptures are filled with warnings not to trust our own hearts.  

In law enforcement, as well as many other careers, when an investigation is too close to the officer, perhaps a family member or a close friend, that officer is usually not allowed to be a part of the investigation because they are too close and their heart is potentially tied to the circumstances.

Ironically, a police investigation has better sense than a Christian in making life plans for their family. We are often far too close and too emotionally involved in our own decision-making to make truly spiritual choices.

There is a reason God gave parents to young people, and a pastor or spiritual leaders to the church members. Guiding the flock is the pastor’s job. It is not his job to intrude uninvited, neither is it his job to insist that people listen to him. He is to be available to those who seek good advice.

Proverbs 20:5 “Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.”

The pastor and spiritual leaders are to be like that well, filled with help and wisdom, but waiting for someone to draw that wisdom out. Nobody wants to walk by a well and have it splash all over them.  The decision is yours; you may “lean to your own understanding,” or get “good advice.” 

Pastor

Enemies

Good Morning,

1 John 2:16  “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.” 

Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” 

I wanted to remind us all of the verses above to alert us to the idea that drugs and liquor are not the only things that ruin us. A summary might be, the world, the flesh, and the devil: they are our enemies.

When we talk about the world, we do not refer to the dirt we walk on, we refer to the world system, the stuff, the prosperity, the “rat race” (as some used to call it). I do not have to work more hours; I do not have to get more things; and I do not have to have toys to compare with the neighbor, but I do have to face God (and so will my children). The philosophy of the world is not helpful when it comes to pleasing God.

Not only is the world our enemy, but so is our flesh. This body we live in is not spiritual: it would rather sleep than get up, eat than fast, or watch television than pray. This body is not going to help us to be better Christians. 1 Corinthians 9:27 reminds us to “… keep under my body, and bring it into subjection…” We have to keep this body under control much like we need to keep our cars under control while we drive. The car is a great tool, but if we are not careful, it will kill us and others. Our bodies are no more spiritual than our cars, but as living organisms, our bodies are far more dangerous than a car.   

The world is our enemy; the flesh is our enemy; and of course, the devil is our enemy. 1 Peter 5 reminds us that the devil is a roaring lion that walks about seeking whom he may devour.  The devil does not have our good in mind. When he tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, she thought he was saying good and proper things, but he was trying to bring ruin to the whole human race. Any idea that comes from the mind of Satan is a lie, and it will bring death and destruction. We need to resist the devil and seek godly thinking.

The world, the flesh, and the devil are upon us 24/7. There is no safe place where we cannot be drawn away by the cares of this world, the worries of this world, or the lust and desires of this world. There is nowhere we can hide that our flesh will not try to get us to fear, to covet, or to lust.  Satan desires to move us to self-destruct in countless ways.

Satan can use the desires of the flesh and the pride of life to get a Christian foolishly involved with someone or something that would limit or prohibit them from accomplishing the will of God in the future. Be on guard! It could also be a tempting financial opportunity; there is simply no end to the ways Satan can attack us. 

Our enemies are the world, the flesh, and the devil.  We are to be sober and vigilant to work for God, to care for family, and to help build our church ministries; but we also need to stay guarded because Satan is looking for that moment when you are discouraged or when long hours make you weary.

Do not despair! We have the “shield of faith” that will quench all the fiery darts of the devil. You can do well, stand firm, and finish your race while honoring God.  (Ephesians 6:16)   

Stay sharp and keep that shield up and ready.

Pastor

Deceit

Good Morning,

Mark 12:13 “And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words." 

There is great freedom in simply loving people. We have all read or watched a spy story in which someone was not who they pretended to be, or maybe a double agent was seeking to blend in with another nation's enemies.  What a tense, ugly life.  

A life of loving people, honoring truth, and being unashamed to speak that truth brings freedom! For a man “to be” outwardly what “he is” inwardly offers peace and great security.  There is a wealthy immigrant named Dinesh D'Souza, a conservative media figure, who genuinely loves America.   He produced a few movies with political goals exposing corruption.  He was briefly jailed for revealing the truth.  People in power hated him for showing the world what they truly were.

These religious leaders in Jesus’ time were deeply afraid of the truth Jesus preached. Our Lord would often expose their hypocrisy, deceit, and evil. These men could not tolerate the truth being spoken and were so hostile that they would stop at nothing to eliminate Him; twisting the truth was their obvious weapon.

Luke 11:54 “Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.” 

I once listened to an attorney who was confronted with the truth, and this was the response: “I don’t care about right or wrong, I care about winning.” When you have to pretend to be honest, you are not! When you have to pretend to be sincere, you are not!  When winning means more than truth, you are a hopeless, worthless person whose name and values were long ago tossed in the trash. 

Luke 20:20 “And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words…” 

When it is said of our Lord’s enemies, they would “feign themselves just men,” it is obvious that they were NOT just men.  

Here are a few thoughts about this idea:

1. Be honorable, true, and so live that you do not need to pretend to be what you are not.

2. When you discover a double standard or hypocrisy in your life, stop it, and fix it immediately. 

3. When you discover someone is intentionally a fraud, pretending to be what they are not, cut off any serious relationship with them. If you do not, you will always be unsure and at risk. You will never be able to depend upon them. 

4. In politics, media, and religion, keep up your guard; understanding that men who desire the power to influence others frequently use such tactics.  Do not soon believe what you read or hear.  

5. Develop long-lasting relationships that have been proven over many years, insuring the nature and character of people is true, then you will be able to relax and to accept their words as sincere. 

6. Never accept the words of a stranger or a newer acquaintance against a person proven over decades. 

Pastor

Controlling Music

Good Morning,

I guess all of us have been in a situation when music was turned on, and we saw a toddler start bouncing to the rhythm. Music affects people. Try an experiment; mute the volume during the next movie chase scene and see how exciting the movie is. You will find it suddenly becomes very boring. The same can be said for most commercials; an acceptable commercial becomes a group of stupidly-dressed imbeciles acting as if they were having spastic seizures.

It is difficult to imagine someone who is not aware of the non-stop presence of music in our world. With a small amount of logic and thought, any rational person would be aware of the power and influence of music in our world. In any primitive tribe or sex-and-drug gathering place like Woodstock or Haight Ashbury, the music ingredient will be dominant.

We have watched old western films with Indians dancing around fires or heard old jungle stories where natives use drugs, wear only a few clothes, and dance to a pounding rhythm without a melody. If you were a music person, someone could say jazz and it will produces an entire ambience. If they said blues, you will see a different mental picture. This also works with ragtime, big band, rock ‘n’ roll, modern rap, and similar sounds that entered our world the last fifty years.

Music moves people. 

1 Samuel 16:23 “And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.”

The above text shows how music affects the body, mind, and spirit. 

We will rarely find a group of young people sitting around drinking beer or smoking pot unless music is playing. Religious groups have their own style of music, and different ethnic groups also have music that sprouted from their culture. The big question is how influential is the music?

I believe that music is a tool in Satan‘s pile of weapons to use against people. I believe Satan uses certain music to draw people into rebellion, drugs, immorality, and much more. The gangster clothing styles, gang signs, and world of drug, sex, and violence all go together – and they all have a certain sound.

Simply put, you should know what kind of music is infiltrating your child’s mind. The music on video games, in cartoons, and on children’s toys are all places where music is introduced into the life of a child. Parents should not only be aware but also be willing to veto certain music. I watched one of our adult children take the batteries out of a toy that played wrong music; another time, the same child disabled one feature of a toy that played garbage music - music matters!

As a teenager, my daughter had a radio/cd player in her room. One day the radio was on a classical music station, and I did not simply say, “Shut the radio off,”  I met the need. I told her I would buy her any classical CDs that she wanted, but I was not going to allow the radio to control what she heard. I am in control of the CDs I allow in my children’s rooms; I cannot control a radio, Internet, YouTube, or other podcasts.

Music will move your children spiritually, physically, and mentally. Determine to take control of the music in your world because it will be a tool of Satan or tool of God.

Pastor

Scattered

Good Morning,

Today, I would like us to consider the word scattered, or the idea of dividing. Most of us have heard the military phrase, “divide and conquer” - that is the principal I am referring to today. Consider the story of  Ahab and Jehoshaphat and all of the false prophets (those who wanted the affections of their leader) These false preachers gave the prophetic encouragement to go into battle. They assured the king all would be well; but such was not the case, and the prophet Micaiah came along speaking the opposite. Micaiah assured the king that the battle would be a failure and that all Israel would be scattered.

2 Chronicles 18:16 “Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.” 

When people are scattered, they lose unity, purpose, and focus, which produces a very unsteady future.

Regarding the Saviour’s arrest, crucifixion, and death, Jesus said that His followers would be scattered. Without the powerful leadership of Christ, there was no clear-cut direction.

John 16:32 “Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.” 

Mark 14:27 “And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.” 

Remember the story in Genesis chapter 11; the people built the tower of Babel. God confused the languages, and thus, scattered the people. The tower was not completed, and the objective was lost.

After the stoning of Steven in Acts chapter 7, Acts 8:1 tells us that the believers were scattered throughout all Judea.  In this case, instead of focusing on the churches in Jerusalem and Israel, the Christians carried the Gospel message across the region.

The book of Proverbs teaches the same principle when it talks about a wise king scattering the wicked (Proverbs 20:26). If the wicked men cannot gather together to get direction and focus, their evil purposes will be greatly hampered.

In John 10:12, we are told that the wolf scatters the sheep, moving them from a place of security and stability, near to the Shepherd who guides, feeds, and protects, and leaves them wandering aimlessly, vulnerable, and in many cases, helpless. 

When we consider the word scattered or divided, I think of the familiar passage in Matthew, “A house divided can not stand….” (Matthew 12:25) 

Allow me to draw a few simple principles from these passages. If I am teaching a Sunday school class, and mischievous children are sitting next to each other, I will “scatter them.”  I will move them to different parts of the audience, so the trouble makers will not encourage each other to disrupt the class.

I can also apply this principal to someone who criticizes my church. In forty-two years of pastoring, I have noticed that some people come to criticize our church, but I have never seen them show us a better place to attend. If someone comes along

Science From the Bible

Good Morning,

I am willing to say that probably all of my audience would choose the Bible over science, if the two were in conflict. Not that we are anti-science, but if there is a problem between science and the Bible, we will trust the Bible, and I do not think there would be much debate over that idea.

I find it interesting that in the areas of life which demand more faith, we would choose science (more often than we would like to admit).

Allow me to give you a few examples:

1. On six different occasions, God speaks of the unicorn. 

Job 39:10 “Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?”

Psalm 29:6 “He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.”

Psalm 92:10 “But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.”

(Several more verses clearly speak of a unicorn.)  

2. Then there is the satyr.  No sane person would believe in something like that, would they? 

Isaiah 13:21 “But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.”

Isaiah 34:14 “The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest.”

The issue is, do we believe “scholars” who deny what we read, or do we believe the written Word.

Consider this: we believe in dinosaurs, and we have never seen one.  In fact, the skeletons that we see in different museums are usually the guess work of someone who is good with plaster of Paris. That giant creature could have been entirely constructed from one jaw bone or a femur, and a great deal of imagination. We readily accept the reality of these creatures.  while the Bible speaks several times of the satyr; why do we simply not believe it?

There are other subjects that also test us in this matter of faith versus science.

Revelation 9:16 “And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.”

vs. 17 “And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.”

Let us just believe our Bible, and, on occasion, trust science, if it does not conflict with the Word of God.

Pastor

Two Options

Good Morning,

More often than not, we have a fairy tale image of Christianity. In fact, not even a true fairy tale. Fairy tales usually have a villain, a tragedy, a hero who rescues people from suffering, and then a happily ever after – period.

The Scriptures certainly do not say that! Notice what Matthew points out:

Matthew 21:44 “And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”

Jesus is the stone that the builders rejected. Our Saviour leaves us two options. One option is to fall on the stone, to be broken, to surrender our lives to Him, and then to find ourselves blessed. The other option is that we ignore Him (the stone), and one day find the stone falls on us or on a nation and grinds it to powder. We might prefer another option, but there is not a third choice.

Romans 12 talks about presenting our bodies a living sacrifice. Psalm 2 promises that those who rebel against the King of kings will be dashed into pieces like a potter’s vessel. Daniel speaks of the stone that is cut without hands, crushing and scattering the nations during the end times.

Most of us believe that there will be a devastating judgment on the lost – those who reject Christ will be severely punished both on earth and eternally in hell. The part we forget is when a Christian gets broken.

Matthew 21:44 “And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” 

Hebrews 12:6–11 speaks of God chastening His children – all of His children.

As Paul left one of the churches he started, he left them with these words:

Acts 14:22 “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” 

At the end of John 16:33, Jesus said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation…”  There are two options, surrender to the Lord and face the trials that come as God works on us, or resist God and live for our own pleasures and find a broken life.

Peter encourages the believers who are suffering, and he reminds them that they are not alone and that they should stand steadfast.

1 Peter 5:9 “Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” 

Do not be embarrassed that you are going through trials. It always helps to do a little self-examination, but do not become overwhelmed. We are flesh, and we will fail; trials and difficulties are part of living on this earth. If we are any kind of Christian, Satan will be chasing after us and launching continuous spiritual attacks, but we also face the gracious, loving chasing of our Heavenly Father, Who is focused on conforming us to the image of Christ.

Jesus said to be of good cheer; circumstances are gonna get better.

Pastor

Lessons From Lying Down

Good Morning,

Recently, I had a pretty major knee surgery. It is not uncommon, but it does not make it any less educational. Here are a handful of lessons I learned in the first week after surgery.

1. Drugs really confuse the mind. I found it difficult to read through a letter or even to write one. The idea of picking up a book and reading for an hour was absolutely out of the question. Although I am thankful for what the pain medicine did to help me go through the recovery process, there ought to be a deep fear in each of us for what these drugs can do to limit us and hinder us from doing the will of God.

2. I found myself restricted to the upstairs of our house, and I learned a little more about the value of certain things like soul winning. I was able to witness to several people: doctors, nurses, and physical therapists – they came knocking on my door instead of me knocking on theirs. I realized how vital the work of soul is. People are going to die and go to hell if we do not tell them the answer. Obviously, I missed several of our regular soul-winning days, as well as church service services; this reminded me that I need to take every opportunity possible to share the Gospel.

3. The importance of church and fellowship. Our culture does its best to diminish the importance of church. Attending church is one of those things that people do if they have time, if there is nothing else going on, and if it fits into their agenda of important activities. This kind of thinking will send the world to hell. I sat at home and watched our church services online. I do not have anything negative to say about the pulpit at Faith Baptist. The young men filling our pulpit are exemplary in private as well as in public. But watching a service online is not the same as attending the church service. It is not the assembling of ourselves together that Hebrews warns us not to neglect. Make church important! When we miss church a few weeks because of health problems, we quickly realize how much we miss it. If we miss a few more weeks, we will begin to not prioritize church as you had in the past – you are headed in a very dangerous direction.  

4. One more lesson learned in these first few days after surgery was that the Christian life is urgent! Our Christianity is not just something we do on the side because there is nothing else to do. It is not like Little League, bowling, or even community service. The gathering of God’s people in the place called church is infinitely more valuable and more important than human vocabulary can express - it is vital to the world. Our service in the various ministries of church is urgent beyond words.

Pastor

Foolish Pride

Good Morning,

2 Kings 5:10 “And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.”

vs. 11 “But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.”

When Naaman was sent to Jordan to wash seven times and be healed, his pride almost sent him home a leper.  A servant spoke to him, urging humility and obedience, and the man was healed.

When Pharaoh faced plague after plague, his heart was hardened, and more plagues followed until the nation was in ruins.  Humility and repentance would have saved his nation and made him a hero.  

In foolish pride, Herod found himself publicly humbled and eaten by worms.

Acts 12:21 “And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them."

vs. 22 “And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.” 

vs. 23 “And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.”

Many a man hears the Gospel and realizes it makes sense. Confronted with his own sin and the righteousness of God, pride wrestles with humility and truth.  The ensuing decision determines Heaven or Hell for the man.

Many people would become useful servants of God, teaching a Sunday school class, witnessing to neighbors, or standing up before family, offering their story of salvation and faith, yet pride hinders their actions.  That foolish pride then prevents their humbly proclaiming the wonder of salvation and the desperate need for all men to be saved.  As such, far too many people never venture into the world of being used of God.  

The willingness to say to one's family, "We need God and church," is a risk and demands humility, yet what a profound difference such a moment can make in time and eternity. Many families sit at home every Sunday, trying to find a way to live the full life offered by Christ, yet pride overrules prudence, and great loss follows. 

James 4:10 “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."

Pastor 

Despise the Good

Good Morning,

2 Timothy 3:3 “…Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,"

Paul lists quite a few things in regards to the type of men that will be seen during the “last days.” For four verses Paul brings out one evil character trait after another to help Timothy identify those with whom he should serve and those whom he should avoid. 

For the sake of time, I just want to comment on one character trait Paul pointed out, “despisers of those that are good.”

In politics and among private citizens, some are so insecure or perhaps, guilty about their own lives that they seek to humiliate or bring reproach upon the good.

In cultural matters, a violent, vile, filthy mouth, filled with anger and wrath is evident. It was seen in the defund the police movement, the BLM movement, and recently, in liberals protesting conservatives. They simply despise those who are good. This is also seen every time someone nominates a person with conservative morals and political values for high office.

When people are rioting on the streets, burning police cars, and robbing businesses, and then political figures bail out those who have done the wrong, the despisers of those that are good are evident.

When you see the word despised in the Bible, it is most often pointed towards the Saviour or the Father in Heaven. God represents a standard of holiness, a clear evaluation of the pure and impure. Jesus was not hated because he healed people or fed people, he was hated because he was the personification of good, decent, and holy things. From his motive and intent of heart to his love and respect for God and His Word over the whims of mankind, Jesus was good. The devil and his crowd despise those who are good.

Those who despise the good, will take a very good life and do their best to trash and destroy it because they found a flaw or weakness. This is so far from the way God deals with people and situations.  David was called a man after God’s own heart, yet there was a moment of adultery, and that led him to murder. He was also less than diligent when it came to administering justice with his children. Nevertheless, God called him a man after His own heart.

Abraham was called a friend of God. Yet, Abraham had times when his faith waned, and decisions that were made were extremely unwise.

Moses, the meekest man who ever lived (according to God), a man who was repeatedly called God’s servant, murdered a man and then sought to hide his sin. Later in life, his anger arose, and in clear disobedience, he struck the rock and ended up forfeiting his right into the promised land.

These are good men! And good men have spots, but they are good men. Evil will despise the good, and as such, will seek out those spots of weakness will magnify them until all the good is erased. 

Here is the difference, on occasion, good men are sinful; evil men, on occasion, are good.  

The way society deals with people shows how they despise good. Find the man who had been an alcoholic or a drug addict and ruined everything that was good in his life. Watch that man get into a recovery program and hit his one-year, two-year, or even ten-year anniversary of sobriety, and folks will make a hero of him. By this time, he had probably ruined every relationship that was decent in his life. He probably lived off the generosity of others for many of the years of his recovery, but still, he is lifted up as an example.

Compare the prior example to the parents, pastor, or young adult, who stand for abstinence. Let leaders stand against having fellowship with those who might lead others to use drugs or alcohol. That leader will be called a legalist, judgmental, and a religious fanatic. The hypocrisy of this situation, and the prior one shows that some simply despise those who are good.

Pastor