Plastic?

Good Morning,

We all know that these evil plastic bags the stores SELL us are bad.  I mean, honestly, how could any decent citizen use a plastic bag to carry their groceries?  So to help motivate us to not use these satanic bags, the store charges us for them, and that makes it all somehow better? 

Some of you still use those demented plastic bags though, really, how could you in good conscience use that grocery bag at the checkout line?  You have seen her, the lady in front of you in line is the conscientious shopper, the one who brought her own cloth bags; she is revered as a noble citizen of planet earth.  The dirty bag, used over and over is pulled out and proudly set on the counter, and the admiring glances of others see someone with a heart of gold.  

The box boy (sorry, box person for they themselves are not sure of their gender today) picks up the meat, wrapped in plastic, and places it in the cloth bag. The milk, cheese, deli potato salad, lunch meat, and organic cereal (all wrapped in plastic) is securely placed in the dirty cloth bag.  Wait, I see organic apples, oranges, and broccoli that are also placed in a plastic bags (somehow different from those vile bags at the check out stand). The ice cream is in a plastic tub; the orange juice is in a plastic bottle, and the bacon (even health-conscious folks love bacon) is also sealed in plastic. 

While stopping by Costco, the nature-loving person buys their Kirkland coffee in a plastic container, their organic blueberries in a plastic bag, and their chocolate tuxedo cake in a plastic container. Carefully carrying these items out of the store, without the purchase of an evil plastic bag, the royal shopper places everything in their electric car (made half of plastic and powered by electricity produced by coal), and drives home feeling as if they have made a difference for mankind.   

Really, if we want to make a difference, perhaps we should teach a Sunday school class and tell others how to get to Heaven and out of this messed-up world.  If we want to make a difference, let us keep our bus routes picking up the poor and forgotten.  If we wish to help our family, perhaps we should shut off the television, eliminate the screens, and read books or even read the Bible together.   Now, there is an idea that will help the world.  

2 Peter 3:10 “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” 

God is going to burn this world – cloth bags and electric cars included. He will literally burn it! These things simply do not matter much to the Lord. May we stay busy telling others how to be saved and how to secure a home in Heaven.  Forget the silly little things invented by blind, emotionally-guided, deluded men (like not using plastic bags) and learn the Word of God.  May we focus on things that truly will make a difference.

Pastor

Proud IFB

Good Morning,

Our world is infinitely provided with foolishness, ignorance, and assumptions. One such ignorant assumption crossed my path recently; someone said that I was an IFB. Saying so, as if it were a cuss word. They were talking as though the behavior of someone across the nation or across town was somehow tied to our church.  IFB… INDEPENDENT – They missed the “I” of IFB. We are not tied by finance, by leadership, by organization, or by fellowship – we are independent.

Slanderers and accusers love to lump folks together in groups, thereby maligning them because of others who have stumbled.  Nevertheless, that would be like saying the first place team is the same as the last place team because they both play the same sport.

We understand that Satan is an accuser of the brethren.  It is his specialty to slander you when you do not want to drink liquor at a company gathering, or for skipping a family gathering for church on Sunday. It is the specialty of Satan to bring railing accusations against you for simple things like attending church on Sunday or putting your children in a private school, rather than the public education cesspool.

Of course, Satan is going to slander anything that is good and godly. Slanderers attacked the prophets; they also attacked Jesus, Himself. The apostles all faced their share of verbal and physical assault as well – that is what Satan does.

I have two pastors, both in Heaven, who both pastored Independent Baptist churches. Independent – that means nobody is over anybody. That means the church next-door or across the street is none of my business. That means the Bible and the membership are the ones who make the decisions in our church planning. Independent means we are independent, and whatever another independent entity does is no more our business than what Ecuador has to do with Estonia. These are independent nations; they do not oversee each other.

Let me quickly define IFB.

Independent means we are independent as a church. I think I have made that clear. We pay our own bills, and we give to whomever we choose on the mission field; no one outside our church tells us what to do.

Fundamental means that we stick to the basics, the most foundational truths and principles of our church. Fundamentals meaning we believe the Bible to be the Word of God. We believe Jesus was virgin-born, that He died for our sins, that He rose again three days later, and that He is coming again for us. Fundamental means we believe the simple old principles that old-time Baptists believed throughout the ages. We believe that baptism is for believers, and that it is under water. We believe that the church is to be separate from the state, and that the church members are to be separate from the world. The Bible says friendship with the world is enmity with God.

Baptist means we are Baptist. We are not Lutherans; we are not Presbyterians; we are not Methodists – we are Baptists! We are not Protestants – we were never Catholics, and we never did protest and come out of the Catholic Church. As our Wednesday night Bible studies have shown, Baptist churches, as well as others who are Baptistic in their philosophies, have been around for 2000 years. We did not come from the Reformation, and in reality, we were reformers long before the Reformation ever took place.

I, for one, am proud to be what I am spiritually and organizationally. I love that I am an American, and I am proud of it. America has its flaws, but it is my country, and there is nowhere else I would rather be. I am thankful, proud, and honored that I can have a wife and a family. I am certainly proud to be called a child of God. I am a member of an independent church, and that church believes in the fundamental doctrines that Baptists have always held. We are Baptists! Therefore, yes, I am an IFB!  I do not believe I have ever identified myself or our church as IFB, as if it were a title (for the very essence of independent does not allow it).  If I said we were a part of a group called IFB, then we would not be “I” or independent.  Yes, we are Independent; we are Fundamental, and we are Baptist, but we are unaffiliated with anyone – so we are not in a group, denomination, or association.   It is nobody’s business how our church is run, and it is none of our business what other churches do because we are independent.

Pastor

Offense

Good Morning, 


The Bible tells us that if we love God’s Law, we will not be offended.  I am aware of how little the Bible is read and loved, and by how easily offended people are.  I am not talking about trials or broken hearts — we all have those or face them.   To be offended means to stumble or have something happen that causes us to stumble, to fall, or to run away from the right things we once did.  Turning from a relationship, or quitting on a friend or a job because we have been offended is the subject here.  


Psalm 119:165 “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”


Those who love the Bible will tolerate injustice and keep going. 

Those who love the Bible will find peace in troubled times.  


Proverbs 18 brings us to the other extreme.  It talks about a brother being offended. Through whatever offense, the wise man warns us that winning an offended one back to a close relationship will be very difficult. A “brother offended” is somebody who needs a deeper walk with God and a greater love for the Bible. Too much needs to be done for God for us to wander around being offended over every mistake or wrong that another does. 


Proverbs 18:19 “A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle."


In the past five decades of being a Christian, I have known many Christians who love the Bible and walk with God but were hurt. They briefly grieved over their pain, and then moved on with life.  As a general rule, those who feel the world has offended them have failed to develop a close relationship with the Word of God.  The simple reality is, a deep love for God‘s Word will help us bear the awkward, difficult, and even offensive situations without being offended.


In Genesis 37, we read about the brothers of Joseph conspiring against him.  Joseph had been his dad’s favorite son, and he had turned in his brothers for doing something wrong. Adding this incident to Joseph’s other actions greatly irritated the big brothers to the point that they considered killing him. Eventually, they sold him into slavery. What weak and frail men allowed such small irritations to cause them to go to such lengths of dramatic response.  


I think we would all agree that the wrong done to Joseph far exceeded any wrong the brothers had to face. Yet, we find that the brothers were offended and acted wickedly while Joseph forgave and acted godly.


I have found it impossible to control the offensive things people do. Correcting wrong behavior of others is impossible; therefore, I devoted myself to a walk with God and a love for His Book in hopes that I might never stray from the right path because someone “offended me.” My goal would be to so walk with God that I would always forgive, always love, and always believe in people, even though they may behave poorly. 


In a world where technology occupies our minds hundreds of times a day, may we be the kind of people who step away from the world regularly to read the Bible, meditate on certain passages, and prayerfully seek to know God personally and intimately.  God said that if we loved His Law, we would never be offended.  What a change in our world that would bring!  

Pastor

The Scorner, The Faithful, and the Observer

Good Morning,

From the very beginning in the garden, Satan has cast doubt on anyone or anything faithful or respectable.

Genesis 3:1 “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”

Had God ever misled Adam and Eve?  No! Had the Lord ever given Adam or Eve any reason to doubt Him? Of course, not!  Yet, Eve doubted the Faithful One and listened to the scorner who was “unknown.”

In this story, as in countless others, we have the scorner – Satan, the Faithful One – God, and the observer – Eve.

Something in the nature of man causes him to envy those in authority, those with power, and those who are respected by others. Mankind forever considers himself knowledgeable, trustworthy, and perhaps, even underrated by those around them.

It is not uncommon for one to sit wondering why he did not get the promotion or the advancement; we might even think he has done nothing to deserve it. The observer simply thinks he should have it.  When the observer hears slanderous words about the faithful who has position, influence, or power, they often readily receive those ill-spoken words – even though the one who is faithful never gave them any reason to doubt them.  

The scorner has never given any reason to be trusted.  Yet the carnal nature of man will habitually listen to the scorner.  Whether it be a youth concerning teachers or parents, or adults regarding the boss, political, or spiritual leader.

Sadly, almost all of us have heard a scornful person maligning the faithful for their own gain of position or money. We have watched in movies and read in books where corrupt scorners slander someone who is faithful.  Many times, we have mentally shouted “NO, DO NOT LISTEN!” In most cases, we see the scorner ending up, shamed, punished, and often dead. Sadly, when our turn comes to hearken to critical words about the faithful, we tend to listen. Maybe not believe, but we consider them.

Remember the words of our Lord?

John 8:46 “Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?”

Tell me what you have seen and know to be wrong.  The same was said by Samuel:

1 Samuel 12:3 “Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.”

Remember the three people: the scorner, the faithful, and the observer.  We sit and observe; may we have the decency to trust the faithful.  Our world wants to be ready to accuse and slander everyone – it seems most of all the faithful.  I simply cannot live like that.  

Why would we listen to the unproven? Why would we not identify their scorn and slander as the works of the wicked one? It may be our own sinful nature that wants to believe some of the ill-chosen words.  It may be that we simply doubt if people are as good as they appear to be. We also tend to side with the underdog and think it noble to try to trust the scorner, even though he has given us no reason to believe in him.  

Personally, I think it wise to shut down any conversation in which the slanderer brings accusation against the faithful, or even subtle innuendos. When, over decades, one has proven themselves true, a prudent man would not entertain the slanderous report or the evil accusation.

One might say that perhaps the one who is faithful did stumble. Of course, that is possible, but when one has proven himself faithful over decades, why would we not give them our trust until proven guilty? (Innocent until proven guilty is a lost American ideal.) Also, consider the scorner, whom we know little about; they will throw any accusation – it is in their nature.  Would it not be common decency to believe in the credibility of the time-tested faithful one? Why not trust the reputable rather than heed the word of the unknown.

I simply refuse to entertain the words of a critic. If their criticism eventually be revealed to be a slanderous lie, I will be very happy that I refused to receive their words. If by chance they are true, then there is time to deal with that as well.  

Pastor

Overrating Nice

Good Morning,

Considering the upcoming and past elections, I am thinking about the word NICE.  (You ladies, hold on to your hats and do not burn me alive over this lesson.)  Nice is simply overrated!

Look at the great Bible men…. MEN – some were downright mean. Notice this verse:

Numbers 13:25 “And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.”

The Proverbs demand that we contend with the wicked – yes, “CONTEND!”

Proverbs 28:4 “They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.”

We are all taught to be nice and to be kind, and I am in favor of that until we are pushed into a corner by evil – this is the point at which our nation has reached.  Not only Old Testament people were not "NICE."

John the Baptist was harsh in his preaching:

Matthew 3:7 “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”

Jesus was not always nice in His accusations toward the wrong crowd.

Matthew 12:34 “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

Speaking of our Lord's words, look over Matthew 23; Jesus was quite harsh, accused folks, and called names.  

Matthew 23:33 “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell.”

John 8:44 "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

Look at the calling of Jeremiah; it was four to two negative over positive:

Jeremiah 1:10 “See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.”

Does anyone remember the president who said, "Speak softly but carry a big stick?"  It is often the harsh, hard, mean guy who delivers from evil and builds something wonderful; the folks then forget who carried them to the place of peace and bliss. They choose a soft-mannered guy to follow the mean guy, and ruin follows.  It happened with Charles Spurgeon, Winston Churchill  and many of the great preachers in our lifetime.  

Young people who are saved, trained, and guided to a useful life under the leadership of a “mean ol' preacher” will often marry and move to the church of a "NICE" pastor.  Forgetting that their very life is owed to someone who will live Hebrews 1:9 “…loved righteousness and hated iniquity."

Mothers, you need to keep a solid husband and father around who is not feminine!  Kids need a strong man in their lives. Do not run off that man who is NOT a woman.  Real men are NOT WOMEN!   In this soft, be nice, never-get-punched-in-the-nose, never-punch-someone-in-the-nose world, a child is growing up to be the courageous warrior. This soldier is being trained to stand against the evils of this world, to fight in a real battle, or even to fight against the pressure of backslidden deacons or members urging for worldly music in the church?

What happened to a fear of dad or reverence for husband?

Proverbs 30:17 “The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.”

Do you remember the days when a mom could give her children a "LOOK" and the wrong action stopped? That is not "NICE."  What ever happened to fear of mom? Historically, dad or mom could just look or snap their fingers and children would stop frozen in their tracks.  We have overrated nice!  

We all know the verse that says to not call anyone a fool, but Paul did it and so did God.  

Luke 12:20 “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?”

1 Corinthians 15:36 “Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:”

Paul corrected Peter publicly, John called many names in the books of 2 John and 3 John.

We do not need to vote for a nice man, but a strong man who will fight evil in this land and protect our life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.  After that, a man strong enough to stay out of our business!  I do not care how nice a president is, I care about how right he is.

While growing up, we were to avoid fighting if possible, but my dad told me that if there was no way to avoid a fight that I should be the first one to hit the other guy, and to hit him fast and as many times as possible – then run.  That brought about a peaceful life.  

One last verse for the advocated of “NICE:"

Proverbs 25:23 “The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.”

When someone starts criticizing and slandering, we ought to look angry not nice.

Pastor

What to Do With Sinners

Good Morning,

On Wednesday nights, we are studying, "Why We Are Baptists." Here are a few thoughts that are key in biblical thinking and Baptist theology.

We studied that as the Bible was written and churches were first established, heresy was introduced to the churches. The apostles wrote about it. (See our rumble account "FBC Wildomar" for the lessons.)  The early development of the Catholic church came along, and works were added to salvation, which was encouraged by "Judaizers" in the book of Acts.  When the Reformation began to take place, Luther and others brought about a revival of "the just shall live by faith," but never really removed good deeds from the formula.

Basically, all PROTESTANTS carried an affection for works into their newly-founded denominations.

Baptists carried their Bibles and taught faith without works.

Catholics were all about candles, infant sprinkling, communion, stages of the cross, penance, communion, confession, and much more – all of which were adding works to salvation.  The other Protestant denominations were a bit different.

Baptists got the idea that God gave His Son as our substitute, and that we could not earn His grace.  We cannot ever be worthy of His grace.  We were saved by grace through faith because of the mercy of God.

Romans 5:15 “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.”

vs.16 “And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.”

vs. 17 “For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)”

vs. 18 “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”

vs. 19 “For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

The "WORKS" philosophies creep into Baptist churches regularly. When someone says, "I don't think that person can be saved, or be a part of the church, or serve.... because of their sin…” I am reminded of the verses in Proverbs 6 that speak of the seven things God hates.  I do not think someone can be that critical of a brother and be saved (unless, of course, it is by grace).  The arrogance of judging a Christian brother as if we were innocent is repulsive.  

Jesus spoke of forgiving seventy times seven; that is no easy thing to do, but at least we can admit that we fail at it and confess our own sin.  Jesus also spoke, at length, on the subject, and summarized it all in this verse, " So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses."  (Matthew 18:35)

Amish have “Shunning;"  Catholics have “excommunication;" Pentecostals and protestant denominations say you lost your salvation; Baptists have a Bible that teaches "forgiveness" and reconciliation.

We are not all the same.  

Pastor

Ill Gotten Gain

Good Morning,

Jeremiah 17:11 “As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.” 

Think about that verse.  If you get wealth in a wrong way, God promises you will end life as a fool! It also promises that any money gained will be lost in the middle of life. 

God places a giant priority on working and paying one’s own way.  Our world loves the “free ride” or the goose that lays the golden egg.  Yet, God values work and honest gain.  Not only that, but God says, He will diminish gain gotten in a wrong way.

Proverbs 13:11 “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase." 

Proverbs 20:21 “An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.”

Oh, the multitudes who covet “unjust gain.”  

Proverbs 28:8 “He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.”

From another state, I heard of a faithful church member who was working at a bank. His church needed to finance a spring program, and the bank employee had an idea. He found a way to embezzle money from the bank. With that money, he financed some great bus promotion, and helped many people hear the Gospel, get saved, and get into church. To the delight of his pastor, he financed great promotion again the next year. For a few years, he had found a way to finance special events with money embezzled from the bank. The pastor obviously did not know where the money was coming from.

Eventually, the man was caught, jailed, and life became a big mess. Regardless of what he did with the money, it was not his, and his use of the money did not make his actions right.

“He that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.” Jeremiah 17:11 

Wealth gotten by vanity will be diminished. God said it would be so. It is not about the good you might do with the ill-gotten gain, it is the way the money was gained. Do you not think that the drug lords or gangsters might, at times, use their money to be a blessing to family or friends?  Would their nice deeds keep them from the natural judgment of God on their personal lives or the earthly result of wrongdoing?

Some young ladies from Iraq rode our buses. As they grew older, they told us that Saddam Hussein had visited their Baptist church during Christmas, and had brought gifts to the church for the children. They felt like he was not so concerned about the kids having a good Christmas as he was trying to win favor in the eyes of the church members. It was a political ploy.

You can be sure that the judge of all the earth will do right! No matter how noble a cause, someone might begin with ill-gotten gain. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro in all the earth, and he will execute judgment. It’s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Pastor

The Church and Israel In the Old Testament

Good Morning,

Anyone who is even slightly honest knows that there is absolutely nothing in common between Old Testament Israel and the New Testament church.

For some of you, this is an obvious statement without purpose. You may not have any idea why that statement would even matter. Let me assure you it matters. There is a group of Christians that believe the church has replaced Israel – “Replacement theology.” They have to bend a great deal of Scripture and stretch the imagination to do so, but many do, and in some cases, they believe that the church will go through the tribulation, for it is called, “the time of Jacob’s trouble.”

Let us think for a moment: the day on which we worship is different in the Old (Saturday) Testament and in the new (Sunday). The Old Testament also has dietary laws, but the New Testament has none.  The Old Testament has a continual flow of blood sacrifices being brought to the priests to offer at the tabernacle. In the New Testament, Christ offered himself once – for all! 

Hebrews 10:10 “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

In the Old Testament, there was no assurance of forgiveness; assurance was constantly in question. Paul, Peter, and others made it very clear that our salvation was eternal and secure, and that it could not be lost in the New Testament.

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit, came and left believers, for the purpose of service. In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit indwells us and will never leave us. The Old Testament Jews looked for an earthly king and an earthly inheritance; the church in the New Testament looks for a heavenly king and a heavenly inheritance.

Hebrews 11:16 “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”

There was an endless number of laws and regulations upon the Old Testament Jew. A few examples include a rebellious son would be stoned and a Jewish man was required to make three trips a year to worship at Jerusalem. In the New Testament, we find incredible forgiveness, and mercy, not to mention the privilege of being able to worship daily, in the very presence of God, no matter where we are geographically. 

In the Old Testament, the high priest took a blood sacrifice into the Holy of Holies (the very presence of God) once a year. When Christ died in our New Testament, the veil of the temple was rent from top to bottom, opening the access to God for all people.

There simply is no similarity between the Old Testament Jew and the New Testament church, except we both have a wonderful Book, a wonderful God, and the Saviour Who died to pay the sin debt for all mankind. We are blessed beyond words! In our New Testament era, we are certainly not Jews, and we are not under the Old Testament law. 

Pastor

Faith In Men

Good Morning,

When the disciples sat with the Saviour at the last supper, Jesus made several indications of who would betray Him, yet the apostles caught none of them. The apostles believed and trusted one another.  If it were today, the apostles would have been slandered and ridiculed for not paying more attention and not seeing the “signs.” Judas betrayed Jesus, and the disciples spent no time reliving the circumstances, asking themselves how they could have missed it, wondering why Jesus allowed Judas to be among them, or anything else. They simply went on about their business serving God and preaching the Gospel. In Acts 1, you will notice that they had no problem appointing another apostle to take the place of Judas. Theologically, I think it was probably a bad decision. I think Paul was who God had in mind, but the point is, they did not lose faith in men or spiritual leaders, they picked another apostle and got busy with their work.

In Acts 5, two church members sold a piece of property. The husband and wife lied about the amount of money they received; the situation was serious enough to God that He killed both of them. I find it odd that no one seemed to lose faith in the folks at church; a couple messed up and were gone, yet the church went right on growing and reaching souls. The church did not start a new denomination or create a new religious movement. They did not even start a Facebook or Instagram program that pointed out the errors of the New Testament church.

When God called the apostles, he knew they would all forsake Him; it was foretold in the prophecies. Jesus named them one by one and carefully brought them into a unique relationship with Him, knowing one would betray him, and the others would abandon him. Notice, after His death and resurrection, He still met with those same disciples, had dinner with them on the sea of Galilee, sent them to preach the Gospel, gave them His power, and commissioned them to reach the world. Jesus did not lose faith in men; in fact, He continued to use men.

Paul had people abandon him, leave him alone in jail, and leave him alone in court, yet Paul’s prayer was, “I pray God that it not be laid to their charge…” Paul did not lose faith in men; he knew men were frail, and that, on occasion, they would turn back. This abandonment did not change Paul; he kept on preaching and bringing people with him, like Timothy, to go help with the great work of the Gospel.

The idea of someone losing faith in leaders, losing faith in husbands, losing faith in religion, or losing faith in Baptists is ridiculous; they need to get over it. Mankind is frail.  We live for truth; faith in frail humanity comes and goes. Many marriages fail, but God still said marriage is honorable.

Imagine a professional sports team. They hired an expensive coach, but that coach gave them a losing year, so they fired him.  What do they do next?  They get another coach. Of all the nerve! They should know better than to get coaches because coaches cause failure –– This scenario is a prime example of the foolish thinking of today!

My dad left our home when I was in elementary school. A few years later, my mom got remarried. My stepdad not only became my closest friend, but he also became a great example and wonderful part of our family and church. I am glad my mom did not give up on marriage and men.

We know the story of Joseph; he was sold by his brothers, and, as far as we understand, no one even looked for him. But Joseph did not lose faith in his family, he made sure to care for them for many years to come.

When someone fails, it is our fault when we are shocked or surprised. Just because one baseball player fails does not mean we all quit picking baseball players. We simply pick another one and hope for better results. I could easily say that attorneys are corrupt, and that I have found them unfaithful, deceitful, corrupt, and only motivated by winning. I could also say I have given up all faith in attorneys. But if I got in trouble, I would certainly call one because many good ones are out there.

Do not buy the idea of “I’ve lost faith in the church“ foolishness. Whatever someone has lost faith in was by choice because they wanted to. Considering all the people who have said, said and done unkind things in forty years of pastoring, I could easily give up the ministry – but I love the ministry! I love the people of God! I assume that some people regret the things they have said or done, and some simply did not clearly understand the situation. I am not going to lose faith in that precious group of people called the bride of Christ. They belong to Jesus, they are precious to Him, He is coming back to get them, and I will live forever walking golden streets with them! I think I will keep my faith.

Pastor

Little Things Matter

Good Morning,

While out of town recently, I preached on the theme of “Little things.”  I have thought more about the truth, and I am reminded over and over of how much the Lord speaks about the “little things.”  

A few examples of “little things” in well-known Bible stories:

1. There is a recipe for oil that was not to be duplicated or changed for fear of death.

2. There were two men driving the cart which carried the Ark of the Covenant. One of those men simply touched the Ark and was killed.

3. Certain meats could be eaten and others were forbidden, and it was a serious matter to the Lord. 

4. Peter simply tried to stop the Lord from going into Jerusalem and Jesus said, “Get thee behind me Satan.”  In our culture,that seems to be a bit harsh.

We like to live between the lines or close to both sides; we tend to accept all opinions to be more comfortable. The Lord said one simply cannot love money and God, he will cling to one and hate the other.  The church in the book of Revelation was told to be hot or cold but not in the middle, for such made the Lord sick. 

Moses smote the rock one time and water came out. The next time he was instructed to speak to the rock, he smote it again – this caused him to forfeit the right to enter the Promised Land.  In the book of Numbers, chapter 11, complainers were killed.  What a world we would have today if God killed all those who complained! Little things matter! 

When the Lord made a trade, the Levites for the first born, there was a slight shortage on one side. God was not going to be fine with the deficit; financial payment had to be made to even the trade.  

Little things matter! The crying child, a cleaning job done well, homework finished on time, paying bills before they are due, and so many other details are little things that matter.  The weight of oil that goes in your car, the amount of air pressure that is required to fill a tire, and the measurement of baking soda needed in a recipe are all examples to remind us that LITTLE THINGS MATTER.

Pastor

Our Hope

Good Morning,

Trials come into our lives that simply cannot be avoided; even the folks who are the most careful and guarded suffer.  Rather than striving to focus on how to never face trouble, we should focus on learning how to face it.

Psalms 119 is long, and at times, we may turn our brain on pause while our eyes cover the passage.  This is sad because the chapter is full of great wisdom and instruction.

Psalm 119:49 “Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.”

vs. 50 “This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.”

vs. 51 “The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law.” 

vs. 52 “I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.”

vs. 53 “Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.”

vs. 54 “Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.” 

vs. 55 “I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law.”

vs. 56 “This I had, because I kept thy precepts.”

Consider David's relationship toward the Bible. Notice these words: not declined, remember, my song, and kept.

Then notice words used to describe David's trouble: affliction, derision, and horror.

In his trouble, David found the Bible to be the thing that sustained him. The Bible quickened David and gave him hope and comfort. 

When the inevitable comes in the form of suffering, may we run to the Bible not to the entertainment world, bitterness, complaining, or self pity.  The "Eternal God is thy refuge,” and His Word is the tool that the Holy Spirit uses to heal and comfort, strengthen, and guide.

Pastor

Dads

Good Morning,

Considering the importance of each one of our lives, I have been thinking of how vital men are to our society.  Teach your boys how important they are.   Train them to take responsibility for everything from the care of the dog to the future of our churches and nation.  

There are things a dad can do to help our nation and our church.

If dads were to read their Bibles faithfully, both alone and with their children, how influential that would be!  Moms, do not try to MAKE dad read to the kids. Fathers, how powerful would be the impression on your children if they heard your voice reading the precious Word of God daily?  What an impact it would make on the hearts of children to see their dad reading his Bible on his own and hearing him comment about something he read from his Bible that day! Wow!  Dads could change the course of society!

How influential it would be if our dads were to sing with their families in devotions or even as they drove down the freeway.  Music touches our society in movies, cartoons, commercials, and ball games.  Do not miss this incredible, yet simple way to change the course of your children’s lives!  Music is everywhere! How great it would be if dads would sing and play good music every time possible.  What an influence dad could be if he were to sing out in church, to sit with his children while singing the hymns of the faith, and say, “Amen!” during a song or the preaching.  Dads, we need you; your church needs you and your nation needs you.  

Our folks have heard me mention 1 Timothy 2 where Paul writes to the young preacher:

1 Timothy 2:1 “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;”

The first thing Paul wanted Timothy to teach the new believers was that men needed to pray, and especially to pray for their leaders (the people who were killing Christians and feeding believers to lions). Yes, Paul said, “Pray for them.”  A praying dad would change his world. Men, has your wife heard her name called out in prayer from your lips?  When was the last time your children heard their names called out by dad before the Throne of Grace to find help for their day?  O, how prayer can change the world around us!  

I must also sadly mention how powerful an influence dad is when he neglects Bible reading, prayer, singing hymns, and training his family.  Recently, I read that the vast majority of the men in jail grew up without a dad.  Another statistic I have read but would not argue is that of mass shootings. One shooter was a Middle Eastern woman who walked into the YouTube headquarters and opened fire on the employees (she felt YouTube was not giving her vegan site enough attention). Many of the others, it appears, were men who had no good fatherly influence and were drugged by some behavioral medicine.   How powerful dads are!   You ladies should be passionate about keeping your family intact.  What is the greatest thing a lady can do?  Keep her husband!   Yes, I know drugs and depravity break up homes, but if there is any way to keep your marriage, do it.  Remember the last words of our Old Testament tell us that the hope of a nation is dads and children being close.  No wonder Satan works to break up homes and place rebellion in the hearts of children.  

Malachi 4:6 “And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”

Dads, you matter. Never forget it!  The same statement applies to grandfathers as well!

Pastor

Television

Good Morning,


Without taking too much time, allow me mention just a few reasons why we need to shut off our televisions.

The vast majority of the actors despise everything that we love, and they love everything that is wrong.  Hollywood is packed with people who live godless lives, shun morals at every chance, and intentionally launch an assault against decency every time they are in the spotlight — and our viewing is what makes them famous.  

Next, the morality portrayed in television shows is almost entirely immoral. The promotion of adultery, fornication, homosexuality, abortion, vulgarity, and rebellion are just a few agendas that are consistently laced through whatever storyline the television show might have.  

The disdain of masculinity is also common. The entertainment world constantly feminizes men while promoting dominant women. Marriage is viewed in mockery or treated as an archaic custom. Sexual activity is treated as recreation, and children are viewed as an inconvenience; the American family is mocked and shunned like a disease.

Yet, we set our families in front of this demonic box by the hour.  Let us see what God says about our thoughts:

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.”

Rather than focus carefully on the influences we allow into our heads, we pay for countless hours of mind-warping injections from Hollywood.


On our televisions, liquor is promoted and treated as common. Liberal political views are always dominantly featured. Abortion is assumed to be normal, and teenagers being involved in drugs, liquor, and sex is not only acceptable but promoted.

Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”


Just how acceptable to God is that which we call entertainment?

Political issues and earth worship have been common since the famous movie Born Free in the 60s. If the show focuses on a “love life” with nature, whether it feature saving the planet, driving small cars, or not killing animals, it is promoted. 

In the book of Romans, God warns us against godless thinking:

Romans 1:25 “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”

Spiritually, every kind of demonic and liberal religion is lifted up, yet any reference to Bible Christianity is shamed. The character in the movie who quotes the Bible is usually an idiot, a sadistic murderer, or a street person; yet, Muslims, Native American Indians, and those involved in the deeper life of meditation are all promoted as normal and acceptable.  


I understand that we are busy, and video games and entertainment can quickly become babysitters in our home. It would be better for us to remember that our job is to train our children “in the way they should go,” not to turn them over to the world and allow Hollywood to teach our children how to think.


Ephesians 6:4 “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”


Deuteronomy 4:9 “Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;”


Pastor

Summer Reading

Good Morning,

With summer approaching, I would like to encourage everyone to read, especially to get our children reading.  



Look what Paul wrote about the Old Testament stories:

1 Corinthians 10:11 “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

These stories of great men and women were recorded, not just for history’s sake but for our admonition and to nudge us to live better and to trust God more in times of trouble.  Consider the great stories written in Hebrews 11:  


From the beginning of the chapter, we read of the man who "being dead, yet speaketh."

Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.”

So is the story of all these men and women who, by faith, did wondrous things. 


Abraham obeyed without knowing what was going to happen next.

vs. 8 “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.”

We read of those who, in neither heart nor soul, returned to the life God called them to leave,

vs. 15 “And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.”

We read of Moses who chose to suffer rather than fit in with the godless people among whom he was raised:

vs. 24 “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;”

vs. 25 “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;”

If we would read about the great stories in our own nation’s history, we would be challenged and blessed. 

Choose stories of valor, courage, and moral integrity; the stories need not be long.  We have old books with dozens of short biographies in them (old books are much safer — prior to 1960).  Read of Molly Pitcher or missionary biographies of people like William Borden, C.T. Studd, John Patton, and other historical books written prior to 1960.  Children's versions of General Patton, Audie Murphy, Eddie Rickenbacker, and other military men are also great.

The Bookshelf and Stories for Boys and Girls are each several volumes long and have much good secular reading for children.

We would be wise to regulate video game time and television time; plan work and study time to create a schedule for the home.  A great deal of sanity may be gained through planning.  


Reading takes us around the world, into hearts and minds of the greatest people who ever lived, and allows us to see valiant living up close as we would never see it on our own.  Bible reading ought to be common, but great lives and noble feats in history can also do much to inspire us.

Pastor

Value of Men

Good Morning,

As I prayed over a world map, I was reminded of how needy our world is. Over seven billion people are in the world, and the fact that so few have heard the Gospel is a serious problem. I looked at the Middle East, dominated by Islam and the bondage of that deadly religion, then I looked down toward Australia and New Zealand and thought about the fact that those countries were just as hell-bound as the Muslims in Iran. Ruled by a socialist government, the “free" controlled and educated, brainwashed and condemned socialist is no less lost than the totem-worshipping, naked native in Vanuatu. In fact, those who are comfortable in the government’s care may be in a more serious situation. The government-dependent family member who has food and comfort may have less understanding of his need than a woman bound by Islam who has at least a small concept of her depraved state via the internet or media.

In fact, “… all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) No matter where we live, “… we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6)

It seems easier to give to the poor village people of Vietnam, yet the Irish and Welsh lie only a breath away from eternal damnation. Those who are bound by the demons of animism are no more lost than those who worship in gothic Catholic cathedrals. We live in a time in which over 90% of Europe does not attend church. I believe that number to be higher than the unchurched natives in the Philippines. When Mrs. Goddard and I visited Europe, we traveled for two weeks in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and Belgium and never once saw a Bible-preaching church. Try driving down the dirt roads of Africa or South America, or the South Pacific Islands and see what land is more “lost.” For as we drove around Fiji, we saw little country churches everywhere. Maybe all did not preach the Gospel, but the people had Bibles and walked the roads to a church with some message of Christ.

Our hearts are touched by the suffering children with bloated stomachs, but our minds should be touched by the lost in any nation. A nation without clean drinking water burdens our hearts, but a socialist society like Germany should bring about a “divine call.” In Germany, for instance, you cannot home school your children, even as a missionary from another country. So many of our missionaries have left Germany for the sake of their children. Missionaries in Cambodia are free to educate their children in their own methods. To my knowledge, we have many more missionaries in Cambodia than we do in Germany. Who is more lost? 


As I prayed for our missionary friend, Paul Sock, in Poland, I thought of the absolute absence of the Gospel there. He has no missionary friends. There is no Baptist pastor across town to whom he can go to fellowship or gain strength for the battle. By far, he is more alone than our missionaries in Ghana, Africa. He may be comfortable, safe, and able to drink the water, but the spiritual state of the people is perhaps more hopeless than those in Africa.

When God called Jonah to Nineveh, the people there were no more lost than the Jews Paul preached to in Jerusalem. Nineveh was a violent city, ruthless and wicked toward everyone, but hell was just as hot for them as it is for those who grow up sheltered in Kansas. People matter — all people everywhere.

May we pray for our missionaries. May we pray for our youth to hear the call of God in their lives. May we, as believers, dedicate more of our money to the ministry of the Gospel, to training young people in Christian schools, to colleges, and to the support of missionaries around the world.

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

Pastor

What God

Good Morning,

Off to the motorcycle track on Sunday morning… the riders have been thinking about riding for days; they even dressed up for the day and spent quite a bit of money for their religion (and do so on a weekly basis).

Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

There they are on Sunday morning… getting dressed up in some quite expensive, color-coordinated clothing to climb on a very expensive bicycle to spend their Sunday morning away from family to worship their god.

These people act as if they are not religious and that nice clothes offend them. They criticize the church goer for getting cleaned up and dressing their best for God. The leather jackets and chaps that Harley-riders wear are very expensive. They buy the most expensive sunglasses and helmets, and the motorcycles they ride, maintain, and keep sparkling clean are incredibly expensive. All of the details and possessions involved with this lifestyle are a part of their religion. They spend their Saturdays or Sundays riding around accomplishing little; it is their religion, it is what they do.

Deuteronomy 11:16 “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;”

1 Kings 9:6 “But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:”

The element that sets all of these religions apart is the fact that if one follows the gods of this world, he is expected to forsake the God of Heaven, His Book, His people, and His church. God tells us not to forsake these things in order to follow the gods of sports, motorcycles, or bicycles.

2 Chronicles 7:19 “But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;”

Those who follow the god of the world would rather put their children in beautiful, matching outfits and spend time teaching them about their god and their religion than placing them in a Sunday school class and church. Much of the family gathers together to be involved in this family religion. Dressed in their nice clothes, they pile into the car; sometimes they even bring some food, knowing they will spend much of their Sunday with their god in their religion. It could be softball or soccer, but athletics is their religion, and there is no doubt about it. Their money, time, and fancy clothing are all elements — it is their religion. Of course, they have no time for the hypocrites or dressy clothing of people at the church. They state, ”The weekend is the only time we have to play ball."

Do not talk to me with an insulting tone about my putting on a suit and tie and carrying a Bible. I will take my Saturday and Sunday and go off to meet with those who believe as I believe. Do not insult me by criticizing my spending money on clothes and the God Whom I serve. At least the God I serve is alive. The God I serve is eternal. The God I serve will take care of me when I am old, and He will give me an eternal home when I leave this world.

Did you ever see a fat man dressed up in bright colored spandex peddling his bicycle? (They say we are weird with our religious beliefs!)

Do not be found forsaking the Lord while serving the gods of this world. Most people have a religion, even if it simply involves sitting around all weekend drinking beer and watching television. A person’s god is revealed by where he puts his time and money, and often he forsakes his family to be 100% into his religion. Many a man has lost his family over the god of beer.

Where your treasure of time and money is, there is your God —my God is wonderful!

Pastor

Godly Men

Good Morning,

Psalm 12:1 “Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.”

(Before reading on, I suggest that you read the chapter, and then come back to read the outline below.  Reading the chapter uninterrupted will be more valuable than in pieces as it is here.)

David tells of the longing in his heart: "…for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men..."

"Help, Lord!” David cries, showing the desperate state of the nation when there are so few godly people.  The need is great!  How can a nation survive without godly and faithful citizens?  So, David cries out to God for help.

The absence of godly people in his kingdom bothered David and was a burden to his heart. David goes on to clarify his statements (in case someone missed the point). We often lift up people who have few true godly characteristics, so David elaborated on the subject.

Psalm 12:2  "They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.”

The words of a man are telltale signs of the condition of his heart.  Vanity and flattery will identify the unfaithful and godless.  If one’s words are vain, the vain heart from which the words proceed is revealed, whether or not he attends church.  How many carnal and even evil words and actions are found among the churchgoers of a nation? The need is for believers to cry out to God for help and to give us people who are godly and faithful. 

Psalms 12:3 “The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:”

What is it that the Lord will cut off?  The flattering lips and proud words. How does the Lord further describe these men who are ungodly and unfaithful?  

Psalm 12:4 “Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?"

These people use words to achieve their evil deeds; they spread partial truths and sow discord (Proverbs 6).  They say, “…With our tongue will we prevail…”  Their careful use of words will help them get their way, not their careful use of godliness or faithfulness.  

These people also have a unifying character trait - they do not like authority.  

Psalm 12:4  "...our lips are our own: who is lord over us?"

The shout from the heart of the ungodly is "Who shall reign over us?"  Or "Who is lord over us?”   It is seen in the book of Jude, verse 8, that these men "despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities."   This same scenario was displayed when Saul was crowned king:

1 Samuel 10:27 “But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.”

1 Samuel 11:12 “And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.”

The heart of David was often touched by evil men, both among friends and among family.  How sad that people cannot do their jobs and honor their God and country in a faithful and godly manner.  

We can see several traits in people whom we ought to avoid: ungodly, unfaithful, flattering, and the proud.  In most cases, the evil is revealed in words that are divisive, spiteful, and from lives that are unfaithful and ungodly.   

May we all cry out to God to send us faithful and godly men, both in our homes and in churches and government. 

Pastor

Steady

Good Morning,

Bonsai trees are miniature trees that look like life-size trees, only they are tiny.  I have even heard that some bear fruit — tiny, useless fruit.   I do not understand much science, but, as a child, I had a magnifying glass and burned paper as I saw the light of the sun focused in one small place.  It seems that drawing all the attention and light and squeezing it into a smaller than normal spot makes it powerful.  

Missionary John Hyde could not seem to break through to the people of India.  Years of labor brought about no interest or converts.  He determined to fast and pray until he saw God do something, and after thirty days of prayer and fasting, people began to get saved.  He spent most of those thirty days focused in prayer.

If you are training children, urge them not to bounce from one activity to another, but to get a job and stay until it is completed.  If they pick up an instrument, persuade them not to quit until they can play.  

If they start a sport, make them finish the season.  If they join one of our clubs at church, have them see it through.  Do not allow your teen to change bus routes without a very good reason.  Steadfastness and consistency are characteristics we used to learn from fables like the rabbit and the hare, or the ant and the grasshopper.  

Like dripping water wears away soap or even a stone, consistent living and working accomplish more than repeatedly changing focus.  Small deposits of savings into an investment for thirty years will yield more than constantly looking for that big deal that will make you rich.  As a rule, consistent living will yield a better product than change.  Stay in your house for thirty years and you will own your home.  If you are a pastor, stay at your church.  Stay on your bus route or Sunday school class and you will see the walls of demonic resistance slowly weaken.  

Making something good and successful is no overnight project.  Consider the building projects of Solomon.  Building the temple took seven years, and building his own house took thirteen years.  He woke up each day and kept going.

1 Kings 6:38 “And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.”

1 Kings 7:1 “But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.”

According to the people in Jesus’ day, Herod rebuilt the ruined temple — it took forty-six years!  (Any job takes much longer when it is being done by the government.)

John 2:20 “Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?”

Though Reuben was talented and gifted, he struggled because he was unstable.

Genesis 49:3 “Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:”

vs. 4 “Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel…"

You need not be brilliant, but if you read your Bible daily, you will learn much.  If you will develop a prayer life, even if only a short time, but a daily and consistent time, you will draw closer to God.  As a married couple, it is better to have weekly dates than to run crazy all the time and once in a while have a big trip or do something expensive.  Both would be fine, of course, but the point is to be steady!  

Consistent time with your children is important.  For me, I prepared the children’s breakfast each morning and read a chapter of the Bible.  Then at bedtime, it was my time to play, work on a memory verse, and put them to bed.   Each week, I took my pre-teen children out for an hour or more to go to a park or the store buying things that we needed.   I only took one child with me on a certain day at a certain time every week.  

Moving to chase the economy is usually more costly than helpful.  When I was in college, I remember people moving to Texas for the good jobs.  Soon, economic changes took place and the same families moved again.   In American vocabulary, being considered a drifter is never a compliment.  

James talks about being unstable:

James 1:8 “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

Peter mentions the danger of instability:

2 Peter 2:14 “...beguiling unstable souls…"

2 Peter 3:16 “… they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

Get life-long friends; give your children leaders who are there throughout their lives.  Serve in a ministry so you have time to see the effects of your work decades later.  Form close relationships with people who will keep you accountable spiritually.  Be a steady soul winner; schedule your time week after week, year after year.  

One major reason to not change or quit is the effect of how we touch the heart of those around us.  The Israelites had traveled together for years, and then before entering the land of Canaan, several groups of people determined that they would stay on the east side of Jordan and not enter into the land.  Moses said,

Numbers 32:7 “And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them?”

Moses said the ones who decided to stay would discourage their brethren.  We must understand that our lives are bigger than we realize and that our words and actions touch those around us.  A bus worker who leaves his route endangers the spirit of those who are still in the ministry.  A Sunday school teacher who gives up his class will hurt the spirit of the children and other teachers.  A person who acts while only considering himself is totally selfish and un-American.  America was built upon self-sacrifice and faith.  Living for others is the root of Christianity.  

One of the great joys of my life is that I am getting old with the same friends I have had for decades.  We are watching each others’ children and grandchildren start their own lives. We pray for one another and enjoy the stability of steadfast love.  This stability cannot be gained through changes in life that move us around like a ping-pong ball in a wind storm.

Pastor

Second Generation Choices

Good Morning,

We all understand that each successive generation has to make their own choices. Each new group of believers must choose whom they will follow; though, feeling that it is their own choice is not exactly correct.  The choice is theirs to make but not their choice to determine the end result.

1 Samuel 8:1 “And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.”

vs. 2 “Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.”

vs. 3 “And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.”


Samuel had led Israel for decades, and his clear direction had brought them peace and blessings.  The sons, though, turned aside to follow bribes and to seek money.

The dangerous problem is not that these young men ruined their own lives,  but that they hurt the decision making of others.  There will always be others who are watching and following us.  When one generation is blessed, and the next generation does not follow their example, the third group does not jump back to the original generation to gain the blessing of yesteryear; instead, they go to the world for direction.  Notice the desires and motives of the men.

vs. 4 “Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,”

vs. 5 “And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

The people said, “…make us a king” because they wanted to be like the nations around them.  They did not ask Samuel to find them someone like himself who would keep them in the ways of the Lord.  Instead, they told Samuel to give them a king.  They tired of the unusual and separated living; they tired of serving an unseen Deity Who ruled and blessed, but left them somewhat distant from the ways of their neighbors.    Make no mistake, serving the Lord is a constant battle; not that serving the world is a picnic, but we can be "weary in well doing.” (Galatians 6:9)

Samuel had given the example of righteous and separated living.  Samuel had shown them the way to walk, but when his children chose another path, the people ran to the world.  

The danger to themselves was only minimal, but they also brought about a change in society when they forsook the path their father had taught them.  

It seems that many young people want to feel innovative, yet it is clear beyond doubt that they never invent a new path; they simply turn to the world.  Their turn might be toward the world's music, or worldly dress and activities, or even a dramatic change to approve liquor and shameful entertainment – but one thing is sure – there was no innovation!    

All the foolish youth did was buy into the lie of Satan that he could turn to his own path and somehow think he could improve on age-old principles of life.    History teaches that in regards to religion and Bible belief, there is no improvement to be made upon the basic teachings — the basics were set in the time of Christ.  Now we could add a bus to the great commission, but we cannot reinvent the marching orders for the church.  A husband could add a cruise to ways he shows love to his wife while striving to love her as Christ loved the church, but there is nothing to improve when the love of Christ is our example.  To love not the world neither the things of the world cannot be improved upon; it can only be implemented according to our society.   

For generations, some young people have stayed true while others sought new manners and methods.  Always, the new ways failed: in turning to the world for new methods, many people (usually the next generation) are hurt or forgotten.  The faithful young and new converts whom God pulled out of the world always seek the pure religion of our Lord and keep the work going: always outside the mainstream of religion, always mocked by the world, and always despised for their literal acceptance of the Bible.  

Samuel's sons did much harm: a theocracy was abandoned for a monarchy; a sad trade to say the least, and a trade that would never be righted (until the King of kings comes to set up His own kingdom).  Listen to your fathers; their advice will not hurt, and it will probably save a follower of whom you are not even aware. 

Pastor

Whose Purpose

Good Morning,

We have all heard the statement, “God knows just what I need.” It is possible that most of us have used those words as well. If I could, I would like to put that statement into perspective. Life does not center around me, but around God. Here is how I would like to rearrange that statement: “God knows what He needs or what He needs to get accomplished, and He knows how He can use me to achieve His need and His glory.”

Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

1 Corinthians 10:31”Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

Whether it be helping the needy or being a good testimony in a time of tragedy, I am on earth for the glory of God. God’s glory may consist of walking away from the cemetery where I left my dearest in life, or walking through the church building destroyed by a hurricane, or sitting alone wondering about the loss of a child; but giving God glory is not about what I need – I am here to serve Him. My purpose is what He needs from me, whether it be a shipwreck with Paul or jail with Peter. The Philippian jailer would not have been saved were it not for Paul and Silas singing in jail at midnight. Giving God glory was not what Paul needed, it was what God knew the Philippian jailer needed.

Yes, Romans 8:28 talks about all things working together for good, but why not look at the passage in its entirety:

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Whose purpose? His purpose, not mine. Continue reading:

vs. 29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

According to these verses, our lives are being conformed to the image of His Son, not to our comfort or ease; Christ is being formed in us.

Galatians 4:19 “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,”

Romans 8:30 “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

Great works are being done in my life through whichever circumstances might be necessary, but these are all spiritual things, "called, justified, glorified." These works which glorify God have nothing to do with the statement, “God knows what is best for me.” Yes, He does know. For time and eternity, God always has the very best things in mind: best for eternity, best for His glory, and best for me. When I get to Heaven and look back, I will be grateful for whatever circumstance was necessary in my life, whether good or bad.

Just like the passage, “all things work together for good,” another “all things” is considered:

Colossians 1:18 “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

“That in all things he might have the preeminence.”

Whatever situations happen, we want Jesus to be glorified, God to be lifted up, and of course, when it is all said and done, we want to be more like Jesus.

As long as we are on the subject of thinking spiritually, go on and say, “God knows what is best for me,” but be careful not to act as though everything happening around us is FOR US. For just like those in the military, soldiers are there for the victory and the cause, not for their own personal good. When the first Gulf War broke out, one of our newer men came to me saying, “I'm a reservist, what if they activate me?” I said, “That is why you have been receiving that reserve paycheck every month, so they could activate you if needed.” He wanted everything to work out for HIS good; yet, he forgot the greater cause. He then said, “What if I die?” I said then it would be good if you knew you were saved.” He got saved and baptized and was not called back to active duty, but he was ready to live or die for the greater cause.

Our lives are for His glory; and yes, He does use us and pay very well, but payment is not always of comfort, prosperity, or ease. We want to be ready to live, suffer, or even die for the greater cause of Christ and His preeminence.

Pastor