The Path of Success

Good Morning,


God created a perfect world; no place could be more wonderful than the blessed creation of God.  Man and woman were placed into this wonderful world, and it was not long before they sinned and turned against God in disobedience. 


God could have quit right then and dropped the entire idea of humanity, but He did not.  The plan progressed with frail humanity.

How often could we count the times when men failed at their most basic instructions? Cain offering his sacrifice, Abraham bringing Lot with him as he traveled, and Jacob lying about who he was to his father; the stories are numerous.

The church was founded upon the perfect Son of God, but He regularly corrected the thinking of His followers.  The “Sons of Thunder” wanted to call down fire upon men who were not traveling with Jesus.  Some disciples argued about who would be greatest in the kingdom; yet all, of course, fled and abandoned the Lord in is His hour of suffering.  

The work of God is built upon God, not the perfect actions of men.  Read through the book of Acts and see how often these men drifted from the right path. They chose an Apostle, which they had no business choosing; they had folks lying about their giving, and soon the church fussed about the care of widows, and on and on the stories go.  

God uses frail men, sinful men.  Israel was so sinful that they were carried away to other nations; yet, God had a plan for the Saviour. He was born in Bethlehem right on schedule (as was announced hundreds of years before in the book of Micah).  Sinful leaders in Israel or in heathen nations could not thwart the plan of God.  

We act as if the world stops when a sinner shows up; when, in fact, the entire sovereign plan of God includes the worst of mankind with all their corruption and still sees fit to accomplish His will in life.  We act as if the success of life depends upon men all being good and right, but, in reality, the entire plan of God works with sinners every day.

Proverbs 16:4  “The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.”

Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, and others had enjoyed success in reaching natives in South America, but they felt the Lord leading them to reach into the Auca people, who were well-known for their violence toward outsiders.

On a few occasions, these men had made contact with the Auca people, and they thought they had found a friendly reception, but within a few days, they saw a group of Auca warriors with spears raised and ready to be thrown. Jim Elliot had a gun in his pocket, but each of the missionaries had promised he would not kill an Auca who did not know Jesus in order to save himself from being killed.

The death of these faithful men was not the end of the story. In less than two years, Elisabeth Elliot, her daughter Valerie, and Rachel Saint (Nate's sister) were able to move to the Auca village. Many Aucas became Christians, and the tribe eventually became friendly. Missionaries, including Nate Saint's son and his family, moved in to live among the Aucas.

How different from the vindictive spirit among so many who call themselves Believers.  Just because heathen men acted a certain way does not erase the involvement of a wonderful God.  When we are hurt, never doubt that God is in control as much as He was when Daniel was carried away to Babylon.  

Simeon was held in an Egyptian prison (Genesis 42) while his brothers returned to their families in Canaan.  Picture the returning group of men and the heart of the family waiting. The story was tragic, heart-wrenching, and so terribly wrong; yet, when the story is told, we understand that God had all things in control and never, even for a moment, did anything happen outside the care of a loving Father.  Why do we act as though tragedy exists? We all do at one time or another, but we should not. God is real; He is faithful, good, and worthy of our trust.  

God's presence is a wonderful possession. He promised it to the people through the prophet Haggai. God’s presence was to be as real in rebuilding the temple as it was when Israel left Egypt one thousand years before.

Haggai 2:5 “According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not." 

God also promised it to us in the Great Commission:

Matthew 28:20 "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

That blessed promise of God's presence, "...lo, I am with you alway..." is "even unto the end of the world." We have no need to fear, but much reason to simply "be strong and of good courage." (Joshua 1)

We live among a fallen race–a people, who are prone to sin and shame, even though some are redeemed.  We live among sinners, by choice and by nature.  Yes, we obtained a new nature when we were saved, but do not think that the old nature was eradicated as some might teach.  Live among other people, even for a short time, and you will see that as Paul wrestled with his flesh, so do all of God's precious children.  

The Good News is not based upon the good lives of the people around us but rather on the presence of God among us. When God promised "good success," (Joshua 1:8) He did so knowing that we live among sinful humanity.  Rest in Him, not in the frail lives of men.  

Pastor

Temper Tantrums

Good Morning,

In recent years, we have watched protesters fight and cause great havoc, and all was done for one reason, they did not get their way. Whether it be a two-year-old wanting a candy bar in the store, or a Democrat wanting Hillary to be President, throwing a fit is common when you fail to have logic, reason, and facts.

Notice the events surrounding the arrest of Jesus:

Luke 23:13 “And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,”

vs.14 “Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:”

vs. 15 “No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.”

vs. 16 “I will therefore chastise him, and release him.”

Both Pilate and Herod were willing to release Jesus; they knew He had done nothing worthy of death. The story continues…

vs. 20 “Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.”

vs. 21 “But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.”

vs. 22 “And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.”

vs. 23 “And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.”

vs. 24 “And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.”

Pilate was willing to release Jesus; the truth was not hard to see. But blinded, selfish men cannot see truth or reason, nor do they have logical dialogue. When all reason and logic escapes one, he screams!!

vs. 23 “And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.”

Notice: loud voices prevailed, not logic or reason.

Wise leaders may hear screams, but should only listen to facts and truth — whether it be a teenager trying to spend the night at a friend’s house or a child wanting ice cream when mom thinks it is not the right time. When a leader gives in to a follower who causes trouble, or when tantrums get results more than logic and facts, the leaders are creating a society of anarchists. If a child finds he does not get his way by reasonable request and dialogue, but that fighting and causing trouble gets his desired result, it is only logical that he will follow the same procedure the next time his requests are denied.


In the 60s, we saw rebellious college students have “sit in’s” in protest for various reasons. They would block hallways to administration offices, take college administrators captive, and some groups even burned buildings. At that point, if parents had pulled every cent of support from their children, and if colleges had shut down the schools and had forbidden those students from ever attending college again, we would be living in a much different society today. 

Understand that the students of the 60’s are the veteran professors today. These professors are rebels and anarchists who learned to get their way by using the tool of civil unrest. (The authorities were the key to making it succeed.) Many people in that era burned draft cards and left the country for Canada. Leadership cannot prevent people from doing these things, but if leaders had recorded the names and put those names on a watch list so that upon entering the country again they would be jailed and unable to ever attend college, hold public office, or be trusted with any position of trust, we would never have had a Bill Clinton in the White House.

A follower will get louder and louder until he gets his way or until the leader stops him. The end of the story is entirely up to the leader. In my home, loud sighs brought about correction; stomping feet or slamming a door would have brought about capital punishment. Perhaps that is the reason that when tension arises in my marriage, I have found it wise to deal calmly and with carefully chosen words.

In Pilate’s situation, the yelling, screaming people got their way, and for eternity, Pilate will remember giving in and allowing the Son of God to be murdered, when he had the chance to save the life of the Saviour. When someone breaks the law, they should face the clearly-written punishment of the law. Whether the punishment be jail or fines, laws are the basis for civilized people. If one does not follow the law, he creates a primitive society ruled by the bullies.

Luke 23:23 “And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.”

When your child throws a fit, explain to him the punishment that will be his every time he fights and yells. The next time emotions rise, be sure to do exactly as you said you would do, and do so again and again until the follower learns that no one gets his way by anger, violence, and public disturbance. When a child finds out that ruining the shopping for everyone in the store brings him candy or that tossing food around a restaurant gets the dinner with the family friends to end earlier, he will begin a life of fighting, yelling, and violence. Have you ever wondered why a man yells or hits his wife when situations or outcomes do not end according to his plan? This reaction was trained into him by his parents.

Teach everyone to think and to have law-abiding logic on their side. Teaching followers to know the rules, obey them, and to reason with those around them will solve the domestic violence, the child abuse, and the civil unrest.

Rioting should be treated with the most severe punishment, not rewarded with giving in to the whim of the rioters. College students needing play dough and comfort pets because they do not like the results of an election are going to end up as terrible husbands and wives who depend on counselors, sedatives, and government support. Rioters who destroy property because they do not like election results need to be jailed, forced to repay every cent of damage they incurred, and right every wrong they committed; if this does not happen, those same people will resort to violence the next time they do not get their way.

In answer to some questioning thoughts…

Yes, America did rebel against England. It was a well-planned, national decision after years of logic, reason, and countless attempts at a solution. It was not a mindless, violent revolt by a few against innocent neighbors.

Yes, there are situations in which citizens might stand against unjust laws, but not by burning down a neighbor’s store or by beating up someone who differed on an opinion.

Flattery may change decisions and violence may change choices made by leaders, but logic and reason are the method that wise men use in leading and ruling.

2 Samuel 23:3 “…He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.”

God said much about leaders and judges, and in every case, the instructions God gave were in regard to justice and to truth, not to try to find peace and stop violent reactions.

Exodus 23:6 “Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.”

vs. 7 “Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.”

vs. 8 “And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.”

Deuteronomy 16:18 “Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.”

vs. 19 “Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.”

vs. 20 “That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”

If we will start this teaching when our children are toddlers, we will not have trouble on our college campuses in the future. (It would also help to jail professors who incite riots and teach treason!)

Pastor

Modesty

Good Morning,

While we were in Israel, we saw many historical places and gained insight into the culture and people — the trip was great! On our last day, we spent much of the day wandering through a shopping area in downtown Jerusalem. There were many ladies’ clothing shops that carried an amazing assortment of modest, fashionable clothing. While a few ladies in our group shopped, I began talking to the shop owner. He said that his father had the business for decades, and many years ago, he determined to not carry "immodest clothing." Those were his words. Their business card read, "Modest Trendy Clothing." He said that even in Israel, many people wear indiscreet clothing, and business was hard for a while after they limited their selection to modest items; but now, after many years, people come from all over town to buy from his shop because of the modest quality styles.

As we talked, he asked who we were (seeing that our ladies were dressed so modestly). It is not lawful to witness, but I could at least answer questions. Explaining that we were Bible-believing Baptists who stayed true to the modesty lessons taught in the Bible, he listened intently and was very pleased. He said he had met people from Calvary Chapel who did not look at all like our ladies. He had read about them on their website; he quoted "come as you are,” and felt the Lord deserved better. Remember that I am speaking to a Jew, not a Christian. I assured him we believed in "come as you are," but also leave with the Lord in your heart, systematically changing your life, inside and out. We talked about Bible verses and the love of God, he felt we had a divine appointment and wanted to visit our website and learn more. To him, it made sense that when someone met the God of the Bible, it would change one's outside as well as inside. I quoted a verse and he quoted others right back, all in agreement with one another. He was a Bible-reading man.

Immodesty has always been around; Solomon wrote of the woman in Proverbs seven who wore the attire of the harlot (and yes, this was in Jerusalem about 900 B.C.). For those who are interested, I have listed several simple thoughts to guide the appearance of a woman. (Because men are totally visual in their response, God talks much about women's dress and rarely about that of men.)

1. Not as a harlot - clothing that accents the sensuous are to be avoided.

Proverbs 7:10 “And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot…"

What does a woman wear to show off her body? What are styles and fits that follow the fashion statement of a whore?

2. Not "pertaining" to a man. Any clothing that is similar to a man’s clothing should not be worn by a lady.

Deuteronomy 22:5 “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.”

Pertaineth....clothing that implies or resembles those of the opposite gender. The Bible does not say when or where, it simply states that a man should wear nothing that resembles a lady’s clothing nor the other way around (simply, that one should dress in the fashion of the gender God made you).

3. Modest - Modest meaning simple and a cloak to the shape.

1 Timothy 2:9 “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;”

vs. 10 “But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.”

vs. 11” Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.”

Here we see women instructed to be careful in their appearance and to model their dress after godly women (not fashion models or Hollywood whores). I find it interesting that, in this passage, men are to be taught to pray in verses 1-8; and in verses 9-12, women are to be taught to dress modestly and live submissively. In the eyes of God, ladies dress goes hand-in-hand with submission. (Older people can remember the phrase, "Who wears the pants in the family?” Dress and authority go together.)

So, yes, our outward appearance does matter. As my Israeli friend quoted, “The inside is important, too, or they will be like a ring in a pig’s nose.” He wrestled with the right English words, but I knew to what he was referring. Remember, to the Jews, pork is more than a dirty animal to be smoked and enjoyed as bacon; they have no bacon in their lives. The woman without virtue was forbidden, just as pork is forbidden!

As my Jewish friend noticed, God cares about how we look. I am hoping as he looks to our website that the Gospel is noticed. We also exchanged email addresses, and I will follow up on him that way as well.

Pastor Goddard

Where Does Trouble Come From

Good Morning,

Trouble comes into our lives, “as the sparks fly upward,” according to Job.  There is trouble in this world, for both the rich and the poor, the popular and the recluse.  Jesus said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation.”   Trouble comes from living on a sin-cursed planet. That which we might call a natural disaster or health trouble is not of our own making.

Paul was very accepting of the struggles that came his way. Whatever circumstance he faced, his focus was the mission of preaching salvation.

Philippians 4:12  “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”

Trouble comes often to the active Christian because the devil hates when we shine the light of God on a dark world.

1 Cointhians 4:12  “And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it.”

Even politicians face more trouble when they stand for good (as President Trump experienced).

When we make the decision to follow Christ, we gain His enemies – and they are many.  

Philippians 1:29  “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;”

When the devil sees you get saved, that bothers him; but when you begin to allow God to influence your home,  job, or community, his fury will be unleashed against you.  Satan hates the Christian life, and he will do all in his power to discredit it.

1 Thessalonians 3:4  “For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.”

You are citizens of a new and better world, and as such enemies of darkness.

2 Thessalonians 1:5  “Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:”

1 Timothy 4:10  “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.”

Many a Christian has been pushed away from family gatherings, ignored at holidays, or even spoken against by loved ones for their outspoken faith.  

2 Timothy 1:12  “For the which cause I also suffer these things…”

2 Timothy 2:9  “Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.”

vs. 12  “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:”

The Lord promises special rewards to those who suffer for His name. We should labor to keep our eyes on the end of the race, and not focus on the daily difficulties.  

There is no telling where your trouble will come from, but one thing is sure; if you live a godly life, you will face tribulation.  

2 Timothy 3:12  “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

I remember memorizing this passage early in my Christian life and wondering if I was not a very good Christian because I felt no persecution.  Although, not many years passed before the wrath of the wicked one began to circle my world like a lion hunting it’s prey.  (1 Peter 5:8)

Pastor 

Envy (Part 2)

Good Morning, 

Some people have a bigger dose than others, but it seems that everyone possesses some measure of envy. When someone sees another person with something they do not have, they want it. The feeling is not just covetousness, it is an evil intention; it is covetousness with a dose of spitefulness; it is a desire for something with malice attached.

Envy is a rotten desire deep inside the soul.  Children are envious of those who get more attention from the teacher or seem to be more popular on the playground. What we do with that envy determines what it becomes.

We all have a little jealousy, or a little covetousness of the nicer hair or better athletic ability, or perhaps for the person who seems to get good grades all of the time. Who does not want a little more of any of those things? How we respond to those childhood feelings seems to be like how a seed develops in nature. Where I grew up, you can find many grapevines and wild apple trees in the forest, but none of them are to be desired, because they have not been tended. The vines are tangled, the tree branches are broken, and the fruit is small and often undesirable.  The garden of one who has been diligent in its care, with vines and branches trimmed and pruned regularly, will yield fruit that grows bigger and sweeter. With enough attention and cultivation, one can yield really good fruit from the same kind of plants that barely yield fruit in the woods.

So is envy.

When a child feels a little jealousy, a little envy, or a little covetousness, they dwell upon it and nurture it; this cultivates and fertilizes the soil in which envy grows.

While many teenagers turn to their own area of skill, there are some who seem to embrace envy, jealousy, and covetousness. While many children accept that they are all different from one another and that each one has their own area of importance, some seem to glory in their struggle, while the bitterness of soul begins to grow in their heart, growing from childhood jealousy to teenage covetousness and then to mature and thriving envy coated with evil and maliciousness.

Proverbs 14:30 “…envy the rottenness of the bones.”

The covetous person sees another person’s happy marriage, and they begin to despise those people. They see another person’s business prosper, and their anger begins to smolder. They see another person who is simply happy, with very little reason to be but happy nonetheless and often possessing less than the one who is envious, and it nurtures the corruption within. 

Proverbs 27:4 “Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?”

Do you want to know where an unbelievable action came from?  It often stems from the well-trimmed garden of envy.  Where does vengeful behavior begins?  You will often see it in the heart of one who hates another for possessing “life” when they themselves possess emptiness.  The world is surprised at the hateful deeds towards those who loved the person, yet upon close examination, they find there is an unsatisfied void, a cavern of unfulfilled expectations. 

This seems to be the reason that Jesus was hated and why the brothers of Joseph sold him.

Matthew 27:18 “For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.”

Acts 7:9 “And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,”

The putrid fruit of the soulless heart of envy caused the Jews to kill Stephen. 

Acts 17:5 “But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.”

Notice that murder (and many other terrible actions) is the companion of envy.  Envy is no significant emotion, and worst of all, it seems to multiply with time as devil grass in the lawn.  

Romans 1:29 “Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,”

Before we are too harsh on others, may we remember that we have all had the roots and perhaps the beginning of envy in our lives, but by the grace of God, we were delivered.  Do not forget that we all have had some of our own envy (probably more than once). No one is a superior saint.

Titus 3:3 “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.”

Pastor 

Envy

Good Morning, 

Some sins are easy to cover and easy to categorize as “not so bad."

Envy and covetousness are easily hidden and frequently justified, but God says much about these sinful attitudes of the heart.  

Was it not a desire for that which God forbade that cursed the human race in the Garden of Eden?  Was it not covetousness that damned Achan and his family at Jericho? (Joshua 7)

Proverbs 14:30 “A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.” 

In the Ten Commandments, we read of covetousness:

Exodus 20:17 “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s."

In Genesis 34, Shechem brought about the death of his entire city by desiring Dinah and convincing the men of his city that all the property of Jacob and his twelve sons would one day be theirs if they were to follow the instructions of  Simeon and Levi.  Covetousness or perhaps envy brought about their destruction and resulted in great wrong.

Romans 13:9 “For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

When we consider envy, we read of Joseph being sold by his envious brothers. The brothers wished for the favor he had with their father, or they desired the peace and courage Joseph had to stand for right; his brothers lived lives of compromise.  

Often, you will find someone looking at the blessings on another, whether their children, their marriage, or their spiritual stand, and the envy moves them to dislike the one who is blessed.  

Is it so difficult to rejoice in the blessing another receives?  Yet envy stirs many to bitterness.  

“And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him.”  (Acts 7:9) 

Of the many infections spread by social media, covetousness and envy are two of the most subtle and corrupt. Like the longing for fame or money that is spread by television and movies, social media often causes people to wish for that which belongs to another (or they look at their own life with discontentment rather than rest).  

Paul writes that we ought to kill the desire for that which is not our own, whether it be popularity or the happy home next door.  

Colossians 3:5 “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:”

Ephesians 5:3 “Let it not be once named among you…"

Idolatry....

Like Proverbs 2, “Seek her as silver…,” we seek things when we ought only to seek God.

We seek after fame or position when we ought to surrender to the Lord and His perfect plan. Sometimes we ask ourselves why we cannot have that job, sing that solo, or get that promotion at work.

These things belong to God, not to our personal whim - this is idolatry because we allow our desire for things or position to be paramount in our hearts rather than yielding our lives totally to His sovereign will.

Luke 3:14 says to be content with our wages.

1 Timothy 6:8 says we ought to be content with food and clothing. 

One last verse reminds us that we have the Lord Jesus Christ, and that His presence ought to be adequate to bring contentment - no matter our condition.  

Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Contentment will come when we grasp the unfathomable wonder of Christ’s presence. Knowing Him will keep envy and covetousness in check.

Pastor

Busy

Good Morning,

Most of us understand that life is busy, although, some people think they are busy because they cannot sleep when they want, play when they want, and watch television when they want.

I do not know much, but I do know this:  if you want something good, then it will take time.  A good home requires tireless work.  Good children, a good marriage, and an orderly and well-cared-for house all require an enormous amount of time.  Even keeping your body well takes time.  Time is necessary to plan good meals, to get exercise, and to assemble a well-planned wardrobe.

I can personally say that my life includes almost no relaxing time.  The desire to minister to people requires lots and lots of time.  Rearing good children took every moment I could squeeze out of life.  To stay married and like it requires time.

We cannot do what we feel like doing.  If we relax all day and exert ourselves only when it involves some personal pleasure, we should not expect anything good to come from our lives — this is the recipe for failure. 

I have watched successful college-age young people (those who have worked their way through school, served in ministries, and worked to do right), and in watching them, I can tell you, they were tired — they had no extra time.  When I was in college, I worked six blocks from the Sears Tower in Chicago and never once got to go inside the building.  The first time I ever entered the doors of the Sears Tower was after I was already in the ministry and took a group of young people with me.   When I was in college, I had no time to play; but I never missed my bus route, never slept through a class, and never dreamed of missing a church service (except for Wednesdays when I had to work nights to pay my college bill).   (Student loans are the government’s way to indoctrinate young people in their globalism, secularism, and immoral mentality.  Try getting a student loan to a private, Christian college that teaches the Bible and biblical morals — that school will not qualify.)

Mark 1:10 “And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:”

Mark 1:18 “And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.”

Mark 1:20 “And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.”

Mark 1:21”And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.”

Nineteen times in the book of Mark, the word straightway is used. This word is only used eight times in the book of Matthew (a book almost twice as long), four times in the book of Luke, once in the book of John, four times in the book of Acts, and once in the book of James.  Straightway does not appear in any other New Testament book.   Why was this particular word used so often in the book of Mark?  It is the book that portrays Christ as the servant; and a servant has no time to waste. 

Do you want great children?  Training children will take every free moment — none to waste.  Do you want a great marriage?  No free time is available to the couple wanting a great relationship; a couple must work constantly at making marriage better.  Do you want a great church?  Having a great church requires your getting off the golf course, shutting off the ball games, quitting sitting around eating with friends, and getting to work!  A millionaire once said, “You make a living from 8-5, but you make a success between 5 and 8.”  I know pastors who have been in the ministry for several years who do not run any children's or teen’s activities.  That is why they have no young people; they simply do not care to work at it.  We ran our first teen activity with two teens, and the activity was held only two weeks after starting the church.  Since the first day of our ministry, we have had bike races, ball games, and countless children’s and teen activities — it takes work, but it also pleases God.  I may be accused rightly of being unorganized and terrible with numbers and schedule, but no one will accuse me of being lazy.  In case you have not noticed, God blesses work!!

I am in favor of leisure if it involves walking with my wife or fishing with my son.  I am for leisure if it includes a board game with children or reading a story at bedtime.  Ladies, sleeping in half the day is a recipe for a messy home, an unhappy husband, and sorry children.  Get up and get to work!!  

"Work" and doing it "straightway" is one great key to success.

Genesis 5:29 “And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed.”

Exodus 20:9 “Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:”

Exodus 23:12 “Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest”

Exodus 31:15 “Six days may work be done;”

Exodus 34:21 “Six days thou shalt work”

Exodus 35:2 “Six days shall work be done”

Leviticus 23:3 “Six days shall work be done”

Deuteronomy 5:13 “Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:”

So how many days are we supposed to work?

Do you spend your time playing Pokemon, spending hours on video games, or sleeping in half the day?  When do you have time to train your children to work when you are sleeping all the time?  Watching TV every night is hardly fellowship nor is it a part of child training.  I walked in on my daughter-in-law the other day, and she had her 8 year old carrying a small vacuum up the stairs to clean the carpets; and the next thing I knew, she was using two rags to dust all the wood along the stairs.  My sons were mowing the lawn long before they were as tall as the mower handle.  What is wrong with children cleaning their own rooms, or washing and vacuuming the car inside and out?  The big issue is that it takes work to teach children to work, and most parents are too lazy to teach their children.

The average parents would rather toss their child into a public school and let the state tell the child he is free to choose his gender.  Allowing heathen people to train your children to think that the government owes them a living and that there is no God is being a lazy parent.   

To make a living for the family, to teach a Sunday school class, and to run a bus route for God and the eternal souls of men takes WORK.  Some churches would rather have a rock concert and entertain people rather than work at changing lives.

Do you want your children to attend the Christian school?  Your children could attend the Christian school if cans were collected all summer or sign twirling was done one day a week.  One of our men was out of work, and as a father of four, he walked house-to-house with a lawn mower and tools to wash cars — he paid his bills that way for several weeks until a job came along.  This dedication involves humble, hard work!  Work long hours; work till you drop; work two full-time jobs if necessary.  With hard work, anything can be accomplished!

Work!  Labor!  A few years ago, I talked to a single lady, whose story was not unusual.  She worked 20-30 hours a week and could not pay her bills and wanted my help.  I felt like making her follow my wife around for three days and see what the word WORK meant.  A single person could work 80 hours a week and still have 80 hours a week to do the rest of their duties. (I wanted to tell her, “Starve, you lazy rascal!”)  I know Christian school teachers who teach full-time and work another 20-30 hour a week to pay bills because they want to serve God. 

We live in a cursed world.  If we want to make anything a success, work and toil is our lot.  Rest will come when we enter Heaven.  I have to say, if there is any fear in my life (with the exception of sin), it would be the day when I can no longer work long hours and make a difference — to sit unable to work would kill me.

Pastors, read, study, write, visit, and run activities for young people!

Pastor

Pardon

Good Morning,

Isaiah 1:2 “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.”

vs. 3 “The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.”

vs. 4 “Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.”

For generations, Israel had received the most amazing blessings from God, not of their own merit but of grace, a gift from God.  Now, after turning away from God over and over, God asks the rhetorical question as a parent to a foolish child, “Why did you do that?”  There is no answer that is appropriate.  Rebellion is born in the heart of men and no matter how good God has been, we are prone to wander.

Watching the invocation of the political conventions in recent years has revealed much.  An invocation, by definition, is the request for assistance from a superior power.  One side had a humble spirit of bowed heads as solemn and needy words were spoken to a Superior Power.  The other had cheers, boos, and irreverence similar to a party or live band show at which some attendees liked the music and others disliked it.   

The first was, at least outwardly, symbolic of a people who knew their need; the other appeared to be a group of 60s college students who wanted more beer. 

The statement from God in Isaiah 2:1 reads, “…I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.”

Then God points out that their rebellion against Him was accompanied by a terrible price.

vs. 7 “Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.”

It appears that one of the things God does when a nation forgets Him is to let strangers ruin the land.  Whether it be terrorists or criminal immigrants, certainly, America is being devoured by strangers.  The amount of money being spent on imprisonment, education, and health care of non-citizens has become absurd.  If the trouble caused by terrorists within our borders is added, then yes, "your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate" can be said of our land without stretching the text at all.  We can also point out the political and legal overthrow of some European nations by Islam and see that they are "overthrown by strangers."

Considering the moral shame of the people, God calls Israel, “Sodom,” and urges them to get back to the Bible.

vs. 10 “Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.”

The result of their rebellion was a lack of safety.  Israel became vulnerable like a cottage in a vineyard, unprotected. 

vs. 8 “And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.”

vs. 9 “Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.”

When we think we are safe, due to our own abilities, we are in grave danger; for there is no way to defend an entire nation, especially not with modern travel and communications.  No matter the candidate, the safety of America will rest in the hands of the Lord and no one else. 

Psalm 4:8 “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”

Proverbs 21:31 “The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.”

Accusations and questions continue:

Isaiah 1:21 “How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.”

God asks, “How did this happen?”  The nation went from being a land of righteousness to a land full of murder.  How much more so could God be asking these questions of America with our millions of abortions annually? 

Continuing in His accusations against the rebellious land, God points to political leaders who seek after the biggest donation; contributions are no more than bribes, whether it be from a foreign nation or a U.S.-based business:

vs. 23 “Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards:”

The hope comes later in the chapter with a bright spot like the early dawn:

vs. 25 “And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:”

vs. 26 “And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.”

Where does it start?  With God, in mercy, giving us good judges!  Wow, this example mirrors our nation!  Is that not what we need in order to turn the nation back to decency?  I do not know if that is God’s intent for America, but it would be well worth praying for, knowing we need to be purged and cleansed of our shame.  Of course, this is a promise to Israel, but might God see fit to apply it to America as well.  If God would care to purge and pardon our nation, how grateful we all should be that the Creator might even consider us worthy of His attention.  We truly need to seek the Lord, while He is near.

Isaiah 55:6 “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:”

Pastor 

Right & Wrong

Good Morning,

Life is not about expediency, comfort, ease, or worldly success but about RIGHT AND WRONG.

Obedience and disobedience are the watchwords of believers.  Does the Bible tell us to do this and not do that? If so, there are no questions as to our response.  We must do the right and shun the wrong in every area!  Some people might say they would fight for the doctrine of pure salvation by grace, but so many other things are not worthy of standing and fighting.  These people would say to “Choose carefully your battles,” but I disagree!

Why was Daniel thrown into to the lions’ den?  Was it over the doctrine of salvation?  No, it was a matter of being caught in prayer.  Why were his friends thrown into the fiery furnace?  Was it over salvation by grace?  Of course not; they were punished for not bowing to a stupid statue.  Why did Joseph get in trouble with his brothers?  For many reasons perhaps, but for one, he reported his brothers unfaithfulness in business.  Why was Jeremiah placed into the mire of the dungeon prison?  He was penalized for telling the people that the Babylonians were going to win and that they should surrender.  Why was Stephen stoned?  He was stoned for blaming the Jews for the death of Christ.  Why were the Apostles beaten and jailed?  They were beaten for helping the cripple and casting out a demon.  None of these people were in trouble over the doctrine of the Gospel.  These men ruffled the feathers of the established church, and in going against the religious lifestyle of the day, they were in trouble with the religious leaders — and therefore, they became heroes.

If we stand firm on only the most basic principles of the Gospel, we would miss much of the Christian life, and our Bible heroes would be normal men without influence on eternity.

What was all the fuss about in 1 Corinthians?  Morals, lawsuits, divisions, exaltation of spiritual gifts in wrong ways:  none of these are really about the Gospel.  Right is worthy of our stand.  If each generation does not stand for right, no matter what our wives or friends think, the next generation is destined to crumble from the foundation.

When John wrote and named a man causing trouble, he made it clear what evil was.

3 John 9 “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.”

vs. 10 “Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.”

vs. 11 “Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good.”

The evil was a man in the church wanting to be in charge and pushing away proven, godly leadership.

Many other reasons are more worthy of our attention and stand.  When Jude said, contend for the faith, he not only spoke of salvation alone, but he also referred to right and wrong associated with our belief (as is mentioned in all the passages above).

Right and wrong matter; and the free world in which we live grants freedom of conscience, but that same freedom is granted to us to stand for right and against wrong.  Every generation needs someone to stand.

Deliver me from this generation of pastors who are afraid of differing with their peers, terrified of being called narrow-minded, or of being accused of fanaticism.  God help the generation of pastors who let their wives set the standard of modest dress.  Forgive me, but most ladies have no clue of how depraved a man’s mind is.  Men need to look at clothing and the Scripture and say, “This is too short; this is too tight; that is too low; and that shows too much flesh.”  Men know but are too cowardly to stand and say anything about it.

1 Timothy 2:9 “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;”

Separation from the world matters, or the Bible would not have made such a fuss about it.

2 Corinthians  6:17 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you…”

Jude 23 “And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”

Pastors, if we are more concerned about fitting in with the brethren than we are standing for right and against wrong, then we are a sorry lot of leaders.  Give up the position of leader and undershepherd, and step into the flock with the sheep and do what everyone else is doing.

No great leader in history did what the rest were doing; whether it was George Patton or Moses, leadership demands that someone step out in front, risk failure and humiliation, and say and do what others are afraid to say or do.   I would like to leave one last thought: What was the reason that John the Baptist was arrested?  If I am not mistaken, he was arrested for preaching to powerful people about adultery.  Hmmm… it seems as though Paul felt that distinguishing right from wrong was worth standing for.  If it is right, do it; if it is wrong, stop it.  It is not complicated.

Pastor

Which Came First?

Dear Friends,

Do you remember the age-old question, "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" (To me, it matters little, as long as we have fried chicken and omelets!) This question nicely illustrates a marriage situation: "Which came first, the neglect or the lack of affection?"

One spouse gets busy with work and focuses little on their spouse, and after a while, the lack of attention affects the conversation and intimate life. Or it could be the birth of a child and increased labor accompanying the care of children, and at bed time, the wife is simply worn out, without an ounce of energy remaining. If an outside job is added to the responsibility of children, a wife may be unlikely to have the emotional strength available for what her husband desires. Therefore, he works more hours, focuses his attention on other things, and she then begins to feel unloved and gains her satisfaction in children and friendships with other young mothers. He then starts spending time with perhaps the husbands of those same ladies — while sort of being together, sort of not. The snowball of neglect is now rolling and their two lives are slowly being pulled apart.

He may be a pastor, who is busy with people, ministry, and serving God. She may be a faithful wife at home, watching her husband run a late-night call, or investing focused attention on that needy teen or family. She sees herself missing that focus, time, and attention, and resentment starts to build, resulting in little submission, respect, and perhaps diminishing affection. He finds himself respected everywhere except at home. He notices everyone loves him, except his wife — never realizing that he started this whole series of events.

Another scenario: A wife was never very good at domestic duties; she had played sports, been the homecoming queen, and loved to help out at church. When the husband came home and found that the house was a wreck, he was unkind. He challenged her on duties at home, therefore she felt overwhelmed. He pressured her to get chores done that seemed so trivial to him. She escaped the pressure by getting a job, rearing her children, and filling any extra time with church activity. He felt totally ignored and thus worked more hours, succeeded at his profession, and everyone thought he was awesome, except for the one person that mattered the most — his wife.

The scenario is the same in business or in the ministry — as is the answer. God called us to be and do certain things.

Deuteronomy 30:17 “But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;”

vs. 18 “I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.”

vs. 19 “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”

vs. 20 “That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

If we turn away from the instructions God told us to follow, we will suffer the consequences. Draw near to God, obey the rules of life He has set up, and He will bless you. Loving God includes honoring His commands: such as "dwell with your wife,” or "honor your husband,” or "defraud ye not." It does not matter who started the problem — the chicken or the egg —following God’s recipe is necessary if we hope to be blessed over the long haul in life.

I know godly people who go through the same marriage trouble as the unsaved, yet they blame their problems on their Fundamental Baptist background. They forsake their spiritual training and head off to some contemporary church and think it will solve their trouble. If they begin to focus on each other and through the change begin to implement the principles God lays out for married couples, perhaps the change will help — but the issue is always Bible obedience, not the fact that we are members of a Fundamental Baptist church.

One lady blames the ministry for coming between her husband and herself. She draws away and basically threatens to forsake their marriage unless he gets out of the ministry. So the light turns on, he realizes he has been too busy and now, out of the ministry, he begins trying to help his wife and provide a secure environment for her. She thinks it was the ministry, but it was really the same trouble the unsaved business man has — neglect of the marriage principles God has established. In a failed marriage scenario, both people find someone who, likewise, has been hurt. A second marriage takes place, and the husband and wife both find themselves basically out of the ministry and maybe out of church. Both now hate the loss and hurt and focus on their homes. Marriage is better. The old religion is blamed for tearing apart their home, when in reality, it was a lack of Bible obedience that did the tearing.

What part of Psalm 1 and Joshua 1 do we not understand?

Read what God promised Israel, and understand that the promises of God are available.

Deuteronomy 30:19 “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”

vs. 20 “That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

When we choose to love, obey, and meditate upon the Scriptures, we enter into a covenent with God — He promised to bless us! This covenant is not like one’s athletic ability and another’s artistic touch, this is simply fact. A fact for all. God desires to bless His people, but we neglect His Word and His work — causing our own failure.

Pastor

Self

Good Morning,

“I” is a very small word, yet it speaks loudly.

Isaiah 14:12 “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!”

vs. 13 “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:”

vs. 14 “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”

The passage has the word I stated five times, radiating selfishness, sinfulness, shame, and reproach.

There was a man who had such a prosperous farm he said I know what I will do. I will build bigger barns.

Luke 12:18 “And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.”

vs. 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.”

God called the man a fool because he thought so much of himself and thought so little of God.

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?”

vs. 21 “So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Prosperity was not the trouble but the total focus on self.  There was no thought for others and no turning to God for direction and wisdom about future decisions — just a lot of "I."


America has long been the most giving nation on earth, and despite the wealth of the North Eastern part of our nation, the poorer south maintains the award for being the most generous. Christians, especially Bible-reading Christians tend to be in the higher group when it comes to giving.  Greed is not absent from many people, but the total focus on greed, gain, personal glory, and self is found more among the wealthy, non-Christian, and liberal (politically speaking) people.  It is a documented fact that the politically liberal folks do not give nearly as much as the conservative folks.   The desire to please one’s self and seek personal position needs to be fought as much as we are able; the philosophy is simply not godly!  

In Heaven, Satan held an amazing position. He was close to God, he oversaw much, and was seemingly powerful above others, yet he couldn't accept his position and wanted what God had - the ruling position with no one over him.  From that point, the story turned bad and it will end even worse.  

When we train our children, we need to curb selfishness and help them learn to focus on others.  When someone is especially gifted, they can become proud and thoughtless of others. They will need help in forgetting themselves and seeking to elevate those around them.  

"God so loved the world He gave.” Loving cannot be separated from giving and putting first.  If we hope to train our young people to love, we must train them to forget self and to help others.  In basketball, a man is highly esteemed for a "triple double,” or for getting not only double figures in points but also in assists and rebounds.  If a ballplayer cannot help his teammates excel, he is limited and will fall short of the success he could attain.   So it is with marriage and work — others, others, others.  

May we get our own hearts away from the idea of "What I deserve" or "I was not treated fairly" or  "Life has been hard on ME,”  and pay much attention to how we can help someone else.

Pastor  

A Song In Our Heart

Good Morning,


There are many reasons to keep good music in our lives, but in Deuteronomy 31, we see a special place for music. 


Deuteronomy 31:19 “Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.”

vs. 20 “For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.”

vs. 21 “And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.”


God told Moses to teach everyone a song and to get it in their hearts.  Then when the people get away from God, the song will testify against them and remind them where they were and how they got away from the Lord. 


Several truths are found here:

1. We are prone to wander, and this includes our children.

2. There will be times of drifting and perhaps judgment from God.

3. The right music in the heart will remind us of our error.

4. When the Word of God has been forgotten, music will still be lodged in our hearts.


We must recognize the importance of helping our children learn songs about the Lord. Whether cute little fun songs or hymns, the songs will remain in our heart when our selfish will has turned us away.


Likewise, there are some songs that we do not want in the hearts of our children. As an adult, often songs from the 60s and 70s come into my mind, and with them comes the very spirit of the time those songs were learned. I have often left a store with my wife, gotten into the car, and turned on good music to get rid of the “old song” I had in my head. (2 Corinthians 10:5)


The New Testament repeats this truth.   Paul urged us to have God’s Word in our hearts and to teach and admonish one another with song.


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


There is great power in music, and great value in having our children learn songs of the faith.  Sing with your family as you drive, as you work around the house, and of course, keep your family in Sunday school and church where simple songs of faith fill their hearts. 


Pastor

Search

Good Morning,

Mankind frequently thinks he knows more than God, whether it be about origin of humanity and the planets, or family or church; man is totally stuck on himself.  (Sorry, but that thinking is way beyond foolish.)  How could the creature know more than the creator?

Let me speak pointedly about children.  How about one question, “How do I keep my children from going to hell?”  The Bible gives one simple truth about it.  Go read Proverbs 23:13-14; it is clear and simple and one of the most rejected verses by Christian young couples I know.

I mean, the average couple attending Bible-teaching churches does not believe this verse.  So, as I read Scripture, young church-going couples are much more likely to see their children go to hell than couples were fifty years ago by simply ignoring two verses.  

I have taught for years that if you want a spirit corrected in your child, you have to do SOMETHING.  Nowhere that I know of does God talk about reasoning with children.  Children were given parents because the child cannot reason properly. They need someone else to MAKE them do right until they learn enough to do right on their own, yet our homes are filled with undisciplined children who are addressed as members of the board of directors.  Parents are trying to help children see the logic in their instruction (and we can all see how well that is working). Maybe we should try to do things God's way. (Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 22:15)

How about marriage; let me see if there is a simple verse or two we might consider.    Proverbs 5:19-20 and 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 will give clear instruction on marriage. These verses are not difficult, just seldomly read.

How about the trendy "worship" of today.  Most churches have "worship leaders," "worship teams," and a time in the church service set aside to "worship."    There is not enough room to list verses, but I would like to challenge those who study to read every verse in the New Testament that mentions worship - there are forty.  Not one even implies vaguely a group of people in corporate worship. 


America was built on churches, preaching, praying, and singing hymns. Try finding giant groups in "worship" in America's history.  You will look long and hard to find anything even remotely close to what is dominating our churches today (except in a few Pentecostal meetings). If it is not in the New Testament, maybe it should not dominate our church services.  Like the “tongues” movement, the "purpose driven church movement,” the neo-evangelical movement, and the Promise Keepers, this too will pass (like bell bottom pants).

My point is, in too many areas of life, we do what we think is best, what feels best, or what friends like rather than searching out what God says is best and simply obeying Him.  John 5:39 tells us to search the Scriptures, 2 Timothy 2:15 instructs us to study. If we hope to gain the things God has hidden for us in the eternal Word, we need to search and study the Bible.  Maybe a little less time on social media and more time in the Bible will help turn our nation back to God.

Pastor

Why I Quit Most Media

Why I Quit Most Media

Good Morning,

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

The world around us will not understand, but these truths are to help us keep our hearts right in a troubled world.  These eight things should guide our thinking, and therefore, our reading and watching as well.

When the presidential election took place between Biden and Trump, and all the conservative news could talk about was how to rally the conservatives to show up in greater numbers next time, I quit watching. I quit watching conservative news.   They had violated simple rules that I expected them to follow – be as honest as you can without an agenda.

When the early covid testing proved to be fraudulent (100% of subjects tested positive), I quit watching their reporting.  When the powers that be forbid doctors from prescribing medicine for covid that they had regularly prescribed for other sicknesses, I quit watching or listening to them.

When I saw social media weaponized, where lies and slander flowed like a river, undocumented, unchallenged, and obviously slanted with an agenda, I took myself off all social media.

Why did I quit all these?

Philippians 4:8, “…whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

In order to maintain proper thinking in a world of deceit, I had to stop reading, listening, or watching things or people who had proven themselves to be deceitful.  These media outlets, whether conservative or liberal, did not only stretch the truth, but did so with an agenda or intentionally distorted truth with intent to harm.

Social media and the average news team has no more credibility than the old tabloids everyone used to mock.  Our world does not use the word gossip anymore because most of the media world thrives on it.  No honest person ever took tabloids seriously, and intelligent people had better things to put in their heads, thus avoiding them completely.    

I have done this before, but consider the list in that verse:  

• true

• honest

• just

• pure

• lovely

• good report

• virtue

• praise

• think on these things.

Now compare that list to the news, social media, and radio.  Can they co-habitate?  I doubt it, at least not in my world.

When a doctor lied about masks or numbers of deaths, I quit listening to him.  When hospitals were paid huge bonuses for caring for anyone with Covid, I stopped believing their reports. Money warped the stats and skewed accurate reports of numbers.  When statistics are manipulated about Covid deaths, I quit listening to them. (You know the jokes about the guy with multiple bullet holes but tested positive for Covid and was counted as a Covid death.)  

When a political leader starts defending communist or socialist policy, I quit listening to him. The overall problem is more than a mistake, it is an agenda-driven, deceitful ploy to change society.  When a president lies about our nation’s roots, I refuse to listen to him the rest of his term in office.  The greatness of America, so far, is that you can listen to whomever you wish -or not- we do have a choice.  Now, if some liberal leaders had their way, they would sensor all news and be sure it was lining up with their narrative, but for the moment, freedom still lives, and we should enjoy it by reading and listening to whatever we wish.  As for me, I have shut off most sources of news.  

Psalms 15 has some truths to add to this idea of guarding what we hear.

vs. 1 “LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?”

vs. 2 "He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.”

vs. 3 “He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.”

vs. 4 “In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.”

A passion for holiness, a thirst for truth without an agenda, a longing for biblical principles fills the heart and mind of wise people, but the choice is ours to make.  


Pastor

Care In Decisions

Good Morning,

We often think young people need advice about dating, jobs, school, finances, and the various new situations they will face, and we are right.  For the first time they are facing a serious relationship; for the first time they are leaving home to live in either college dorms, barracks, a house of their own, etc.

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

When a child buys a first home, he faces a whole new world of changing from renting to owning a home.  We as parents, of course, think our adult children need advice in the various matters of life:  the first child, the first pregnancy, potty training, or sending children off to school — we have a plethora of opinions. 

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

In all these areas, we are correct in believing advice is needed; because when someone is facing an area in which they are inexperienced, they need counsel.  Young people do need someone older and wiser to direct their thinking.  What we fail to realize is that when we, as the older parents, face situations for the first time, we also need counsel.

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

As adults, we face “firsts” as well:  an inappropriate act made by a spouse (perhaps infidelity), financial reversal, a job layoff, a loss of career necessitating starting all over, a last child leaves home creating an empty nest, or problems relating to the biological changes of age. When faced with these “firsts,” it would be wise to seek godly counsel.

Proverbs 11:14 “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.”

When facing something for the first time, just as our children need help and counsel, we, too, need help as we pass through uncharted waters:  the loss of a spouse, a bankruptcy, the loss of a home, the death of a child, the death of a parent, or the move from a busy career to retirement (a time when suddenly there are a hundred and sixty-eight hours to fill) can create opportunities to make great mistakes.

Proverbs 12:15 “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.”

Let me encourage you to seek good counsel.  Some things may have gone wrong in your life:  a doctor’s report may be terrifying or the choices your child makes may devastate you, but be sure that this is a time to have a friend, a counselor, and an outside set of eyes to help you keep your perspective.   Just because you are older, does not mean you do not need the wisdom of another.

Pastor

Making A Difference

Good Morning,

There is much talk in our world about people finding a purpose, a reason to live, and feeling fulfilled about their lives.  This is the reason people get involved in the preservation of some endangered species or the care and protection of animals.  There is a need to have a purpose and to feel as though your life is making a difference.  Perhaps this is the reason people drive a smaller car or plant a certain kind of water-saving landscape, hoping that their lives might be part of the answer to the world’s trouble, and in turn find purpose and usefulness.

As the broken record plays again, I say that the church and Christianity has everything that humanity needs.  If we would be saved, read our Bibles, and find a place of service and ministry, we would not only find we feel useful and fulfilled but we would actually make a difference on an eternal scale.

If we want to make a big difference, helping people is the most effective course to take; for people, alone, are eternal.  Helping people requires God; and obtaining God’s help requires submission and obedience. This is where the problems surface:  people love to do things their own way; people want to be good their own way; people want to choose their own methods and manners of making a difference.  Making a difference in the life of an eternal soul demands surrender to the only Person Who can save a soul, Jesus Christ.

Just think of what a big difference a church bus driver, who picks up children week after week for Sunday school, can make for eternity.  Think of the hundreds of souls who hear the Word of God taught and of the eternal difference that is made when some of those souls trust Christ as their Saviour.  Consider the eternal difference that is made when a person opens the Bible and teaches the Bible to children or adults, hour after hour, week after week, year after year.  Those who hear the Word of God will grow into adults and have the eternal Word of God embedded in their hearts and souls.  What could be more eternal than that?  To accomplish this, one must have the help of the Holy Spirit and must follow the path and pattern that God has set up for His work.

(There we go again needing to do things God's way instead of our own.)

Is witnessing to a lost soul or bringing a saved person back to Christ significant enough to make a difference?

James 5:20 “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”

That sounds mighty significant to me!

If you want to make a difference, forget the cute little car and teach Sunday school instead.  Or go on and eat beef and baked potatoes but drive a Sunday school bus or visit in the rest home or jail.  People are eternal; investing in people makes a difference!  Love them, teach them the Bible, tell them of Christ's love — that is how to make a difference.

Pastor

Why We Serve

WHY WE SERVE (Wrong motives for ministry)

Good Morning,

In our church and many other churches, one person runs the weekly routine of teaching a certain class or junior church, and they continue to do so year after year.  These people are unsung hero’s!  These people make a continuous impact on eternity and receive no accolades or articles written praising their influence; they are simply making a consistent impact for good in the world.

Too many people jump at the chance to make a big splash; they want to meet a need that brings attention; they strive to find someone in need for that one moment.  Committing to daily or weekly work is more than they want to fulfill, but helping with something big once in a great while is the pace they enjoy most. These people willingly offer their services to preach to a group when there is no pastor, but they will not preach weekly for a rest home service to folks who might not remember their names.

The one-time heroes are not bad, they just miss the big picture.  They labor for their own names, not for the cause.  An opposite of this kind of person is the one who dedicates long-term faithfulness in chipping away at the darkness that is creeping into our entire culture.  This person is the man or lady who runs a jail service week after week with little thanks or praise once leaving the walls of the jail.  Again, the hidden work being done is eternal, and the Lord says not to be weary in well doing.

2 Thessalonians 3:13 “But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.”

It is easy to grow tired of the daily or weekly duties.  These responsibilities can become mundane; yet this is what defines the Christian life: making a difference day after day and also needing the Lord’s strength daily to keep on for His glory not our own.

2 Corinthians 4:1 “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;”

2 Corinthians 4:16 “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”

We need a daily renewing of Christ’s power in our carnal, fleshly vessels.

Another wrong motive is wanting to do something for someone who has a name:  a visiting evangelist, or someone who speaks at our annual ladies conference (helping these people is important).  To help on a bus route or teach a child’s Sunday school class every week has no glamour or glory.  Again, why do we do what we do?  Is it for our own names?  Is it for the thrill of being close to a star in the Lord’s work?

Proverbs 25:6 “Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:”

Proverbs 25:7 “For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.”

Remember, there are no stars in God’s work; for He said in Matthew 25:40, “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

It matters not who someone is or what their name may be, serving the people of God is pleasing to the Lord.

Mark 9:41 “For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.”

Sometimes we will help another as long as it does not inconvenience us.  Again, that is hardly a biblical motive; especially considering what our Savior did for us and how terribly He was treated.

2 Corinthians 8:9 “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

May we serve the Lord and the people of God because it is our honor and privilege.  If we are able, may we attempt to keep our names and our pleasure completely out of our service.

Pastor

Prayer

Good Morning,

I hope we are all keeping our spiritual “resolutions” — to resolve to read our Bibles, pray, be faithful to church, to break the ties of certain besetting sins — all of which are good to improve upon.

Though I would like to suggest something upon which to focus — prayer.

Even though we reach the point at which we read our Bibles daily, we still tend to miss the quiet moments of talking with God.  There is more power with God in prayer than any of us understand.

Luke 18:1 “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”

Here is a simple order from our Saviour:  ALWAYS PRAY!  Prayer ought to be a part of our lives all day long.  We ought to seek God’s insight at every turn, learning to “walk in the Spirit.”

Prayer helps us avoid trouble.

Luke 21:36 “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”

Prayer helps us avoid temptation.

Mark 14:38 “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.”

Luke 22:46 “And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.”

In those verses, God gives us two incredible reasons to pray: to avoid temptation and trouble.  PRAY!

Read the parable in Luke 18, and you will see the entire story.  We are to consider prayer as our bothering God.  Persistent, non-stop prayer is the way to get things we desire -- for others.

Luke 11:8 “I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.”

Prayer ought to go on often throughout the day.

Psalm 55:16 “As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.”

Psalm 55:17 “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.”

Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”

Prayer is the pathway to peace in troubled times.

Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

vs. 7 “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

The “Peace of God” — what a precious possession to have in this world of sin and hurt -- that passes all understanding.  It comes to us partly through committing everything to God in prayer.

Prayer — let us keep it as a part of our lives this year.

Pastor

Hope for America

Good Morning,

Our current leadership in America has done much to slander and attack our nation, our wealth, our power, and our influence in the world.  The poor folks running our nation, had they only been in a decent Sunday school, would have learned the Bible instead of liberalism and socialism. 

Any faithful, Bible reader understands the promises God gave to His people about obedience and faithful worship of the true God. 

Reading today in Jeremiah, I see a promise revived that was given to the people in Moses’ day.  Follow God, and He will bless you and your nation.

Jeremiah 33:9 “And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.”

If a nation would turn to God, He would bless them so much that others would tremble.  That fear would not be present because of a country’s wealth but because of the obvious power and potential danger the blessed nation possessed. God would bless a nation so much that any nation that thought of threatening it would tremble and fear.  God offers security, financial influence, and power — great blessings for people who love others and love peace. 

Many a nation that thought about starting a war with its neighbor has thought twice when considering what America might do:  that is the blessing of God on a nation.

Notice the original promises to those who follow the Lord:

Deuteronomy 28:1 “And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:”

The blessing of God results in a nation held high above all other nations.  When we forget God, He places evil nations over us — our curse.  Good people can be in leadership and be a blessing to the world; evil nations will be a curse to the world when they are powerful.


God further promises His people financial prosperity.

Deuteronomy 28:4 “Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.”

vs. 5 “Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.”

vs. 8 “The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”

vs. 11 “And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.”

vs. 12 “The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.”

Notice, these are national promises!  God deals with nations as well as individuals. 

God promised military blessings.  (Yes, all of you peace lovers, God will bless the military of those nations who love Him.  No, God is not anti-military or anti-war.)

vs. 7 “The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.”

Political influence will be given to God’s people if they will follow Him:

vs. 13 “And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:”

Political power and influence over other nations is not bad or evil; power is a gift to those who honor God and respect Divine values.  We are not evil because we have had more money than other nations; we are blessed by God.

We are not bad for being strong; we have been blessed with security and safety and the ability to guard weaker nations with our strength.  Our financial, military, and social prosperity has been the gift of God, not the robbery of nations.  I wonder, who ever had so much power or wealth that Americans could have robbed them to gain what we have?  We did have slavery for awhile (as did every other nation); America just had enough wisdom from God to get that worked out of our nation, and we did so long before the rest of the world.  

Stupid leaders want to turn America into a third-world nation ruled by tyrants.  If we continue to forget God, that is very likely to happen. 

I have spent time in the much-praised and adored countries of Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, and oppression is present there such as America has never known since we broke free of England:  outrageous taxation, oppressive and invasive government, miserable health care, and very little prosperity.  (They cannot even come up with a normal-sized can of soda.)  Those nations have few churches, tiny cars, and people share houses everywhere because they cannot afford their own homes.  We have all these blessings because our forefathers have lifted up God and righteousness!  Yes, we live in beautiful homes, drive big cars, enjoy plush vacations:  Have you noticed that we have big churches filled with people too!  It all goes together.  Financially-bankrupted Europe has ancient, empty church buildings, impoverished private businesses, and normal folks who struggle to get a car or a home.  Hmmm, seems as if those things go together too.  Makes sense when you think about it:  prosperous Christianity and prosperous people. 

Sugar-filled, Super Big Gulp sodas, sold at Seven Eleven convenience stores everywhere (run by immigrants — thanks to the blessings of God on America, not to their homeland), McDonald’s double-sized fries, and gyms everywhere (because we also have super-sized Americans!) are all rewards from God.  These things are not bad, they are blessings.

A side note as we consider these thoughts:  Individuals can be blessed and prosper spiritually under any heathen, cursed national rule.  Paul did; Jesus did; Joseph did; Daniel did. The subject of this lesson is that we should all desire national mercy and favor from God.

May we remember that God offers the blessing to fallen nations.  The original promise was to the fledgling nation of Israel in Deuteronomy 28, but the promise to Jeremiah was to a fallen nation.

Jeremiah 33:9 “And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.”

God promised that if a nation turned from Him, He was still willing to reinstate those blessings, IF the people of that nation would turn to Him.  The time has come for American believers to wake up, get back in church and Sunday school, pull their children out of Sunday sports and out of the government, atheistic, public schools, and try to live Matthew 6:33:  “Seek ye first the kingdom of God…” 

The future lies in the hands of believers.

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Pastor

Being Good Is Not Always Good

Good Morning,

We have witnessed some astonishing politics between the White House and the Middle East.  Notice what Isaiah says about being good to the wicked:

Isaiah 26:10 “Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.”

No matter how good we are to wicked men, they will not learn to be good.  No matter how many nice things we do, or how much money we give them, or how many weapons we supply, they will not like us; and they will not be good, because the root problem is not us, it is their wickedness. 

I am not saying all those in Islamic countries are wicked, but I will certainly say that many are, and those who want weapons, ransoms, and to blow up Israel and the western culture — they are wicked.  No matter how much we do for them, they will be evil.  Notice the end of the verse.

vs. 10 “…in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.”

Though we let them into our country, give them freedom to own businesses, and freedom to build their mosques in OUR country, bringing them from the poverty of their own nation, they will deal unjustly.  They will certainly not see our kindness and attribute it to the Lord God of Israel.  They will refuse to recognize “the majesty of the Lord.” 

People of all cultures are sinful and do not need gifts — they need salvation.  Just like some Americans who can see the good done in our own history through God-fearing people and without question, see the influence of God on our founding principles, “… yet will he not learn righteousness…”


Once a man or woman gives his heart to wickedness, he is unable to see or discern “…the majesty of the Lord.”  For this reason, we must keep our own children in good company, both at school and socially.  To think our children will see God’s goodness and glory while dwelling among evil men is foolish. 

Some people might question being good to the lost man next door or the kid down the street; but a great difference exists between “wicked” and “lost” or “sinful.”  All men are sinful; all men are born lost; and all men need to come to the point of accepting their own condemned state and turn to Christ; but for the “wicked” the story is different; they can be won to Christ, but only through much prayer, witnessing, and work of the Holy Spirit.

For this reason, no prisons or jails were mentioned in the law:  get right, get out, or get dead.  Some people were simply not going to change, and the list of offenses that deserved capital punishment was long.

At times, as our children become adults, it is better for them to face life alone (although heartbreak comes to parents).  At home, no cure would be found; only a continuation of the same ugly, fighting scenario.  Nationally, there is no way America can be kind enough to change a terrorist. 

Pastor