JULY - DECEMBER, 2006 NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
By Rev Mike Jones

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Lessons for Living for Tuesday, July 4, 2006

    I am really glad God asked Ezekiel and not me. God put Ezekiel in the middle of a graveyard representing the nation of Israel and then asked this question, "Can these bones live?". If I would have been Ezekiel and the graveyard would have been America then I will honestly have to say I would have told God that I saw very little, if any, hope for America surviving it’s downward spiral into destruction. Ezekiel was more diplomatic. He said, "Lord, you know whether or not these dry bones can live!"
    At first Americans began to abandon God’s claim on their life as "eat, drink, and be merry" became the order of the day. Soon sex had to be involved in everything we would sell, or sing, or count as social. Before long vulgar language and perverse acts were considered normal as actions and words had to become increasingly trashy in order to retain their "shock" value. The unbelievably bad became so normal until no one paid it any attention any more.
    Then things went down a notch. Not satisfied to simply abandon godly principles, Society took a decidedly anti-God stance. Now everyone who does wrong is considered right and those who stand for right are reviled and persecuted. "Comedy" shows can no longer exist on television unless they are willing to make fun of Christ and those who bear His name. If I were Ezekiel I believe I would have to say, "God, this is a pretty tough case; even for you!".
    Thank God for another graveyard and an empty tomb. If it were not for that graveyard at the foot of a cross then I would abandon all hope but, thank God, because Jesus lives I can face the future with the knowledge that even dry bones can be brought to life by God’s power.

Minister Message for Wednesday July 5, 2006

    I remember picking butter beans on hot July days when I was so hot and miserable until I knew there was no butter bean in the world worth the "cost" I was paying. I remember working in tobacco fields in the hot July sun when I would become so hot and tired until I seriously wondered if I could continue working until the end of the row. I know about the sun in July.
    The Bible has several stories concerning the Sun also. Do you know the one about when the Sun stood still in order to allow God’s people to get a complete victory? (Joshua 10:12-14). There has never been a day like it before or after when the Lord used His extraordinary power to hold the Sun in place in order to help His people. Wow! The way God manifest His love for His people is awesome.
    Another Sun story involves the Sun traveling in reverse (Isaiah 38:4-8). King Hezekiah was sick unto death and he prayed for God to give him more time. God decided to honor his request and add 15 more years to his life. He signified this by moving the Sun backward 10 degrees on the sundial. Not only can God make the Sun stand still; He can make it go backwards in order to show His people how much He cares!
    Most of the time Life is lived by the normal rules of Life. Sometimes God does something extraordinary and even the Sun has to obey His will. I sure am glad He is my God and I am His child.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, July 11, 2006

    I normally make a pot of coffee while I go out to the mail box and get the morning paper since I drink at least one cup of coffee at home and take one cup in the car with me to drink on the way to work. Since I am becoming more and more forgetful as I get older I have learned to put my medicine beside the coffee pot so I will remember to take it each morning.
    Recently, as I got ready to push the button to start the coffee brewing the Lord spoke to me and told me to move my medicine to another place. Seemed sort of strange to me but I put the medicine on top of the creamer container thinking that placing it there would be a sure fire way to remind me to take it when I returned from the mail box.
    When I got back with the paper there was coffee everywhere. The filter had become clogged and coffee and coffee grounds had flowed out of the top of the coffee maker and run all over the counter, down the side of cabinets, and onto the floor. It took me nearly a half hour to clean up the mess. As I was cleaning up I realized that if the Lord would not have told me to move my medicine then it would have been ruined in all that coffee mess.
    After I thanked the Lord for preserving my medicine I asked Him a question, "Why didn’t you just tell me to check the coffee filter so I could have avoided this mess as well as preserve my medicine." I can still hear God chuckling as He replied, "Just trying to build your character, Mike. Just trying to build your character." Don’t you just love God’s playful side!

Minister Message for Wednesday July 12, 2006

    My wife and I try to use our financial resources wisely and live a frugal life style so we can keep a good reputation in the business community and invest as much as possible in the work of the Lord- Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)
    Every so often an "unplanned expense" will suddenly appear and things will get real tight for us. When that happens I simply remind the Lord that I am His servant, that we have invested our resources in His work, and He has given His word that if I will seek His kingdom first then He will take care of us.
    Recently a medical expense unexpected appeared on our horizon. The very day it happened a person came by the office and said God had told them to give my wife and I a financial gift-Glory! This person had no way of know about this expense since my wife and I had just learned about it. It is such a wonderful privilege to serve such a great God who always has a "provision person" available to show forth His glory.
 

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, July 18, 2006

    One of the great "inventions" to help in the understanding of the Bible was the insertion of Chapters and Verses into the text. This was not necessary before the Bible became available to normal people since they simply came to church and listened as the Priests read scripture and gave their explanation of that scripture. The advent of the printing press and the translation of the Bible into English gloriously made it possible for the Bible to become available to everyone. This made it essential to have a reference point in order for the people to find the place where the Minister was reading.
    Depending on which "authority" you consult, the person responsibly for dividing the Bible into chapters was Cardinal Hugo de Sancto Caro or Archbishop Stephen Langton sometime around 1230AD. The Greek New Testament was divided into verses by Robert Estienene (Because of persecution he received from adding verse numbers he also used the name Robert Stephens) in 1551. The verse divisions were first used in an English New Testament in 1557 in a translation by William Whittingham. The first Bible in English to use both chapters and verses was the Geneva Bible of 1560 and almost all versions since that time have used the same chapter and verse divisions as their standard.
    Isn’t it wonderful that I can give a scripture reference to you today and you can very quickly find exactly what I want you to see? God’s Word is the most important book ever published. We need to become as familiar with it as possible because Jesus said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (Matthew 24:35). A million years from now you will still be glad you know where John 3:16 is located!!

Minister Message for Wednesday July 19, 2006

    It is difficult for many people to grasp but the Bible has only been available to common people for the last 500 - 600 years. Before that time it was laboriously copied by hand in Hebrew and Greek (which meant that only the priest who studied Hebrew and Greek could read what was written). People would go to church and listen to a sermon (Many times in Latin which was "Greek" to the average person!) and have no idea if the priest was actually reading what the Bible was proclaiming. The Bible was out of the reach, and out of the heart, of the average person.
    The Priests thought that allowing "common people" to read the Bible would weaken the authority of the Church so they persecuted and killed the first people who published the Bible in English. But the blood of these Martyrs only fertilized the soil of saints and soon hidden copies of the Bible were being shared from person to person; and the rest, as they say, is history.
    I hope you will take your Bible to Church this week and follow along as your Pastor reads his text and then uses Scripture to explain Scripture. And I hope you will realize how blessed you are to have the opportunity to read the Word of God for yourself. Multitudes of people have died in order for you to have that great privilege.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, July 25, 2006

    Walking with God is a life transforming experience that moves you from where you are to where God wants you to be. It is not just joining a church and being "good". In fact, it will not take you long to recognize that sitting in a pew is not the same thing as walking with God.
    The first thing you realize about walking with God is that it requires you to get on the same road God is on; you cannot stay where you are and go with God at the same time! If you have not trusted Christ to forgive your sins and make you a new creature then God calls you to leave your sinful, selfish ways and begin the great adventure of walking in the paths of righteousness with Him. Walking with God moves you from "wandering in the wilderness" into the path of abundant life filled with purpose and promise.
    The second think you discover is that you must walk in the same direction that God is going- "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3). If you get on the right road but go in the wrong direction then things will get pretty difficult as you clash with fellow Christians and get further from God all the time!
    Finally, walking with God means you end up where God is going!! The journey is not always easy but when you get to the end of the road you will be glad you traveled the road you traveled.
    Your life is a journey that is taking you somewhere with someone. Don’t you think it is just smart to find out who you are walking with and where the road you are on is taking you?

Minister Message for Wednesday, July 26, 2006

    If you died today what difference would it make in your community concerning the knowledge of the Kingdom of God?
    If you were as interested in getting the Good News about Jesus to your community as the drug dealers are in getting their product to those same people what changes would take place in your community?
    If you talked as much good about your church and its impact on your life as you talk bad about the Pastor and the other members of the Church would it change your community’s perception of the value of your Church?
    If you had to live on ten times the amount you put into the offering plate each week would your bills be paid and your needs be met?
    If you were the only Christian in your community and God decided to destroy everyone in your community unless he could find 10 people whom you had led to live righteously (Remember this happened to Lot in Sodom) would the fire fall or would mercy be extended?
    If you do not make a difference for Christ then who will make a difference? If you really believe there is a Heaven to gain and a Hell to shun and that the only door to Heaven is faith in Jesus then can you continue to live concerned only with your own health and wealth while the world around you lives in misery and dies lost

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, August 1, 2006

    One area of my job description is to help Churches when they seek a Pastor. The good news is that many of our churches are keeping a Pastor for longer and longer time periods. The bad news is that because it is so long between pastoral changes then those people who are appointed to seek a Pastor have forgotten much of the process. Here are five questions that should be asked of every candidate by the pulpit committee.
    1) What is your Personal Testimony? Tell me about when, where, and how you came to know Jesus Christ as your personal savior. I want to know that you know what you believe and that you are able to clearly explain that to my family and friends.
    2) What is your Performance History? What you have done in the past will tell me a lot about what I can expect in the future.
    3) What is your Preaching Style? Are you able to communicate with content? Will your preaching style fit the personality of our church.
    4) What are your Pay Requirements? Are your financial obligations more than we as a church can feel comfortable supplying? Are there insurance issues or other financial issues that the church needs to be aware of as we consider you for a Pastor?
    5) What are your People Skills? Will we love you as a Preacher but feel uncomfortable with you as a Pastor? Will my family and friends feel comfortable talking to you about their greatest failures and they deepest needs? Will you be a person as well as a Pastor?
    If you get the right answers to these five questions then you will be well on your way to determining if the pastoral candidate is the man of God you need at your church.

Minister Message for Wednesday August 2, 2006

    If I were a member of a church seeking a Pastor and I had the opportunity to have a conversation with a Pastoral candidate I would talk about three areas that concern me.
    1) Are your eyes open? Do you have a vision about where you want this church to go and what you want to accomplish during your time here? Are you going to stumble around in the dark or will you show us the light? Are your eyes open to where we are going?
    2) Is your heart hot? I did not ask if you were hot headed; we have had enough of that, I asked if you had a heart that is burning with a passion for God and people. Are you looking for a position to fill or is this a ministry that God has lead you to accept and develop?
    3) Is your sword bloody? In ancient days the king would line his soldiers up after a battle and examine their swords. If a sword had no blood on it then the king knew the soldier had been faking the fight and he was not actively engaged in the battle. I want to know that my Pastor is a good Christian as well as a good speaker. I don’t want a thermometer Preacher who simply tells me the problems, I want a thermostat Preacher who helps change things.
    Three areas of concern but they tell me a great deal about someone who will be my spiritual guide and church leader.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, August 8, 2006

There are more churches in America today than ever before. America is increasingly becoming a secular society with declining moral standards where right and wrong is based on situational ethics instead of Biblically Principles. What is wrong with this picture?
    A simplistic answer does not solve a complex problem but I think one reason for the change that has taken place in society can be traced back to what is coming from the pulpits across America. Thousands of sermons are being preached but most of these sermons are missing 2 necessary ingredients.
    1) Sin is missing from most sermons. The vast majority of sermons are about self improvement or how much God loves people. Sin is seldom mentioned or, at best, only mentioned in a general way. The great revival speaker of days gone by, Charles Finney, often preached a sermon entitled, "How to preach so as to have no converts". His main point was that preaching about sin but never naming any sins led no one to turn from their wicked ways and seek God.
    2) Repentance is seldom preached. Multitudes are being told that if they will only "believe" then they will be right with God instantly and forever. James declares that Faith that does not lead to changes in your life is "devil faith" (James 2:17-20). John the Baptist preached that men were to "bring forth fruit that showed repentance (Matt 3:8) and Paul said that his preaching had always been "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 20:21). God wants us to turn away from sin as we turn toward Him.
    The only way we will see change in America is when Preachers begin to preach against sin and then point men to a Savior who is able to save those who are willing to turn from sin by trusting in the payment for their sin debt by Jesus Christ. May that kind of Revival begin today.

Minister Message for Wednesday, August 9, 2006

    Despite the tremendous benefit that comes from having the Bible divided into chapters and verses, sometimes the verse divisions cause application problems. People will sometimes pick a verse out of context and end up saying the Bible says something that the Bible does not say.
    One of the most common misquoted verses is First Corinthians 2:9 "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." I hear this verse used almost every week to declare that it is impossible for us to know the wonderful things God has in store for us in Heaven. The problem, however, is the NEXT verse- "But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit." (1 Cor 2:10).
    My heart beats for missions and I long to see people work for God. The scripture most often used to recruit these people is Isaiah 6:8 where Isaiah has a great vision of God’s call: "I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.". Almost all speakers stop here and tell people that if they will volunteer for God’s service like Isaiah then they will go forward in victory. The problem, however, is the NEXT verse which tells Isaiah to go to a people who will not listen!- "And (God) said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not." (Isaiah 6:9).
    Read the Bible regularly but read all of it so you will make sure you read the Next Verse.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, August 15, 2006

    Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. (Psalms 124:7)
    People ask me why I smile all the time and I tell them , "Freedom is worth celebrating!". I once was a slave to Satan who used me and abused me. He promised me pleasure but he gave me pain. He lured me by talking about freedom from restrictions but his real goal was to make me a slave to sin, self, and Satan. Thanks be unto God who sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth in order to set the captives free and turn us from slaves into sons of God! No wonder I sing, "The snare is broken and I am escaped".
    When I became a follower of Jesus Christ it broke the snare of Satan’s Power in my life. I am no longer a slave to wrong actions and thoughts because "greater is he that is in me, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4). Old habits are hard to break and it is sometimes easy to listen to Satan when he tells me to lash out at someone or lust after someone but then I think about the harm this would do to me as well as to them and I refuse to walk into the snare Satan has set to try to recapture me.
    Because the snare is broken, I am also free from Satan’s Punishment. Satan is on a sinking ship and he is trying to get as many people as possible to go down with him. When I was set free to fly like a bird with God it meant I could soar to heaven instead of sink into the lake of fire- Glory!
    When you see me smile it is because "My soul has escaped out of the snare of Satan" and he whom the Son sets free is free indeed.

Minister Message for Wednesday, August 16, 2006

    For over 30 years I have listened to Preachers tell their congregations that music and movies impact their character and their conduct. And for 30 years I have heard people in the world say that Preachers are just trying to scare people and limit their enjoyment. Now the "gods of this world", scientists, have come to the same conclusion that men of God have expounded for decades and they are beginning to warn people that the music they listen to and the movies they view can end up influencing them in a very negative way.
    The latest scientific research has found that if you continually listen to music with sexually expletive lyrics then you are much more prone to engage in sexual activity at a younger age and with greater disregard for normal social standards. In other words, you tend to become what you continually put into your mind (A fact that advertisers have known and exploited for years).
    If you listen to sin’s song it will produce sinful thoughts in your mind and sinful actions in your life. No wonder the psalmist prayed - "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer" (Psalms 19:14).
    Listen to what you listen to. Look at what you look at. Think clearly about what you will become if you continue to allow the things that are influencing your life to continue to influence your life. Don’t let sin’s song lure you into a death trap.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, August 22, 2006

    It was a sorry end to a wonderful life. Uzziah was made king over Judah at the age of sixteen and he reigned for fifty-two years. He sought to follow and obey the Lord in his early reign and "as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper" (2Chron 26:5). He was a great military leader who won many battles and led in the invention of advanced military hardware. He loved to farm and accomplished great things in the agricultural arena. His fame, his prestige, and his fortune increased until he was one of the great leaders of his time.
    Then, tragically, he decided to enter the temple and offer the evening incense. The high priest withstood him and told him that this was a priestly duty and not a kingly task. Uzziah became enraged and decided he was king and he could do anything he wanted to do. At that moment leprosy broke out on him and he had to flee the temple. The rest of his life was spent as an outcast as he suffered and died as a leper. A sorry end to a good man.
    Why do I tell this tragic tale. It was in the year that Uzziah died that Isaiah the prophet saw his ministry transforming vision of a Holy God who loved the entire world. Uzziah was a close friend of Isaiah. It was Isaiah’s mourning over the tragic end of his friend’s life that lead him to look beyond man and see the holiness and awesome power of God.
    I do not know what it will take for you to see the wondrous glory of God. I certainly hope it is not something as tragic as "Uzziah’s death" but whatever it takes you must lift your eyes beyond men’s fame or failures and see that God is on His throne and the world needs to hear about Him.

Minister Message for Wednesday August 23, 2006

    It is almost impossible to describe in words the high and the low that takes place back to back in these verses- "Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul," (First Samuel 16:13-14). One leader received the anointing of the Spirit of the Lord at almost the same time it departed from another!
    I can think of nothing that could be worst than the Spirit departing from my life. To have to face daily decisions without the Spirit’s direction and leadership is something that is impossible for my mind to comprehend. It would be like trying to live without air to breathe.
    Two great leaders in the Bible suffered the horrible tragedy of the Spirit departing from their life and ministry- Saul (in the our introductory scripture) and Samson when Delilah cut his hair. In both cases it occurred because these men of God disobeyed a clear instruction by God. And in both cases they had edged ever closer to sin’s swamp until one day they found themselves making a fatal choice that had dramatic results.
    I do not know all I want to know about the Spirit departing from these leaders but their example shows me that obeying God is always the right thing to do and their punishment is enough to cause me to "fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." (Heb 4:1).

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, August 29, 2006

    So little is known about a time we wish we knew so much about. Chapters are written about the birth of Jesus and books are written about his adult life but extremely little is shared about the teen years of Jesus. Once we get past the incident of Jesus in the temple at the age of twelve the Bible simply says that Jesus was subject to his parents and he "increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." (Luke 2:52)
    Multitudes of preachers have pointed out that these principles cover the four major areas of growth in a person’s life- Jesus grew Mentally, Physically, Spiritually, and Socially. In practical terms this means parents need to send their children to school (Mentally), put them to work (Physically), carry them to church (Spiritually), and train them to get along with others (Socially). If any of these four areas are neglected then it will have a life long impact on the teen’s ability to function as a whole person.
    Since these four principles are all God decided to share with us about the teen years of Jesus then we must assume that everything a parent needs to instill into a teen is found in these verses. Teenage years are extremely difficult because they cover the transitional stage of a person’s life as they journey from the innocence of youth into the responsibility of adulthood. If parents can provide ways for their teens to grow consistently in each of these areas (Mentally, Physically, Spiritually, and Socially) then they will probably be very pleased with the person who emerges from that teen cocoon and spreads their wings to fly as an adult. God has given us the formula for successfully raising teens. Now let’s put the principles to work.

Minister Message for Wednesday, August 30, 2006

    Young people are beginning a new school year. They have a tremendous advantage over previous generations with the technology and teachers available to them but more and more of them are leaving school with minimal educational skills and horrible social manners. Here are three principles that, if followed, will make a difference for students this year.
    1) Study Hard- A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: (Proverbs 1:5). It sounds simplistic but things will go much better in school if students will put forth the effort to study. The Teacher can put the information out there but the student must bring it into their own thought process before it will do any good.
    2) Stay True- Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12). Students will face many social temptations and tremendous peer pressure during this educational year. If they will stay true to Godly principles then they will avoid the traps that seek to capture them and destroy their life.
    3) Savor Life- Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. (Ecclesiastes 11:9). School is a special time in your life. Fellowship with your friends. Cheer for your team. Learn to enjoy everything God has given you (But always remember rule #2). Make this the best school year you have ever experienced.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, September 5, 2006

    "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11)
    Sometimes preachers do weird things in order to get a crowd. They will eat goldfish, preach from the roof of the church, or organize a "holy hoe-down" and, most times, when the dust has settled they still have their "faithful few" and the circus crowd has gone to the next place that promises them the "onions of Egypt" instead of the "bread of life".
    On the other hand, dreary dull services are not a sign of Godly approval. A church needs to have excitement and energy and enthusiasm but it needs it to be generated by the Spirit of God instead of being manufactured by the schemes of men.
    I recently had to replace the heating and cooling unit at my home. The men who installed it put the new unit into our home and set up the condenser unit outside. They hooked up all the wires and pipes and turned it on; and hot air blew out of my vents on a hot August day. Had I paid all this money for new machinery that did not work? One final step remained. Once the men put the Freon into the system deliciously cool air started flowing from my vents.
    Remember that this Sunday. All the machinery in the world, no matter how new or fancy, will spew hot air unless it has the "power" flowing through it. And the power comes from obedience to, and the proclaiming of, the word of God.

Minister Message for Wednesday, September 6, 2006

    A Growing Church is a Sowing Church and a Sowing Church is a Growing Church! It is easy for churches to get so busy shaping the soil until they fail to sow the seed of the Gospel. When that happens church members tend to complain about how the garden rows are shaped instead of rejoicing in the fruit that is being harvested. And I can tell you from experience that rejoicing members are a lot easier to work with than complaining members!
    Isaiah the prophet said we were to "sow beside all waters" (Isaiah 32:20) and Jesus said the sower’s seed went everywhere- in the pathways, in the rocky places, and on the good ground (Mark chapter 4). Some sow with testimonies, some sow with tracts, and some sow with the use of their talents but everyone should look back on their day and see "seed" scattered all along their path.
    Sometimes sowing involves weeping and sometimes sowing seed makes us weary but God had promised a harvest- Psalm 126:5 - "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy." Galatians 6:9- "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
    Have your church services become dull and boring? Are church members fighting like cats and dogs instead of worshiping together like brothers and sisters? Maybe the problem is not the minister or the music. Maybe if everyone sows some seed of the word of God this week then next Sunday’s service will turn from the same old routine into a harvest hallelujah time that will bless everyone who attends.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, September 12, 2006

    When I say there are some things God could not find I am not saying God is becoming a senile old man. Even though God is called the "ancient of days" (Dan 7:9) it is because of the length of his "life" and not the aging of His "body". In fact, God declares "I am the Lord, I change not" (Mal 3:6). So I am not saying God is getting absent minded; I am saying that God wanted some things and when He sought them they were not found.
    First, God could not find Saints to volunteer for a needed position- And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. (Ezekiel 22:30). More and more Christians are volunteering for God’s work less and less; and moral anarchy is beginning to sweep the land.
    Second, God could not find Sinners when they hid from Him- When God came down for his evening walk with Adam after Adam sinned Adam hid in the bushes and God had to call out, "Adam, where are you?" Multitudes of people today are hiding from God in the "bushes" of a busy or pleasure driven life and they fail to respond to a God who is lovingly seeking them.
    Finally, God could not find Fruit that was not produced- He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. (Luke 13:6) (Almost all commentators agree that this "certain man" represents God). This tree had everything it needed to produce fruit but it used all its resources to provide for itself and never produced fruit for others; and, eventually, God said it had no reason to exist and told His servants to cut it down.
    If God is looking for you today, can He find you?

Minister Message for Wednesday September 13, 2006

    Maybe he was sick. Or maybe he had to work. Or maybe he was just plain sorry and slept late! But, whatever the reason, the church I was visiting recently would have had perfect attendance in Sunday School if just one more person would have come. I called this person "the missing one" and pointed out some very important information about him.
    First of all, this "missing one" should be the object of our compassion. Jesus told about a man who had 100 sheep but when one turned up missing he left the 99 in the fold and went seeking "the missing one". Many times we are so happy with the fact that almost everyone is in their place until we never seek "the missing one" and they wander in the wilderness to be devoured by the wolves.
    "The missing one" should also be the object of our concern (I get upset when I cannot find my keys. Don’t you think I should be concerned when I cannot find my "brother"). When one part of the "body" of Christ is missing it has an impact on every other part of the body. Someone else has to work harder or something in the church goes lacking because of "the missing one". Rather than scorn them or reject them we should seek to get them back into their place so the body can function as it should.
    When services convene at your church this week make sure you are not "the missing one". And especially make sure that when the roll is called up yonder that you are not "the missing one"!

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, September 19, 2006

    "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." (Matthew 24:21)
    This is one of those statement you wish God would not have made! Instead of things getting better and better Jesus told His disciples that a time of trouble was coming that would be so bad until nothing that has happened up until that time will be as bad. Wow! It is horrible to even contemplate a time worst than the floods, famine, and fighting we have experienced just in my life time but this will be worst than any disaster now or in previous centuries.
    Two factors contribute to this being the worst time of trouble the world has ever known. First is because of the Area that will be involved. This will not be a local catastrophe that the rest of the world will hear about. This time of trouble will involve all of the world at the same time! Millions and millions of people will suffer and die all over the world in a very short time.
    The other factor that makes this time of trouble so bad is the Author of this tribulation. Usually, troubles come because of the stormy happenings of nature or the sinful nature of man or the hateful nature of Satan. This Tribulation will come directly from God and it will be so intense until men will cry for the rocks and mountains to fall on them and hide them from the wrath of God.
    The good news about this bad news is that Jesus has promised to come and get His People before this tribulation begins. You can hang around and take a chance on going through this terrible tribulation if you want to but I have my "ticket punched and my bag packed" and I plan to walk golden streets during this time of grief.

Minister Message for Wednesday September 20, 2006

    When I came to work this morning the sun was shining and it was a beautiful fall day. Just as I began to write this article I heard a rattling on my windows and looked up to see a wall of rain so thick until it was difficult to see the cars passing on the highway in front of my office. I had been busy doing needful and necessary things and the weather had occupied little of my mind. It was very much a surprise to realize that the beautiful conditions of the morning had turned into a storm by mid-afternoon.
    As I watched the rain for a few moments and then turned back to my work I suddenly realized how thankful I was that I was safe and secure in the midst of such a vicious storm. My heart was not fearful and my head was not wet as I gazed out upon the wind and rain.
    God’s wrath will soon be poured out upon a world that has rejected His Son and persecuted His people. It will happen suddenly and it will be intense. People will be "marrying and giving in marriage" and going about their daily duties when suddenly the storm of God’s wrath will come upon them. It will start out as just another day but when this storm burst upon the earth nothing will ever be the same again.
    How can I be so calm and confident in the face of this coming storm- "And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming." (1 John 2:28)

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, September 26, 2006

    Paul wrote to the Thessalonians that they had "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God" (1:9). I can think of nothing worst than going through life worshiping and serving a false god. Can you imagine coming to death’s door and finding that everything you had built your hopes on during your life was all a lie and you now had to face eternity without help or hope! Surely we need to know who the True God is and how we recognize Him?
    One way to recognize the True God is to recognize the "idols" you need to turn from. In some countries they have built an Atheist or Apathetic "god idol". They believe that God does not exist or, if He does exist, then He does not really care so they build their lives around pleasure and prosperity. God is little in their thoughts and even less in their lives.
    In some countries they worship "Another God" idol. A majority of the population professes to be "Christians" but a large part of these also worship Spiritualism and the Occult. To these people God is good but you need to "dance with the devil" to enjoy life and be protected.
    In other countries they know an "Ancestor God" idol. The traditions and teachings of the ancients form the base of their worship. Religion is a link to the past instead of a hope for the future. God is old and out of date and of little use to them in today’s world.
    How, then, do you recognize the True God? Three characteristics identify the True God. 1) He Loves everyone and not just a select few. 2) He has a sacrificial Love. 3) He makes it easy for everyone to come to Him and to meet His requirements. Guess what? I know a verse that describes a God just like that- "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

Minister Message for Wednesday September 27, 2006

    It seems in our day as if many people are trying to wipe "God" out of the social conscience. Because of some twisted logic by a very vocal minority people are being asked to disregard God and kick Him out of the public arena. I say unto you today that it is not time to forget God; it is time to remember God and all of His benefits toward humankind.
    Remember God for Defense- Ps 20:7 "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God." Politicians and Armies will do all they can; and fail. Only the divine protection of God will preserve America.
    Remember God in Disappointment- Ps 42:6 "O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites,." Life is filled with disease, disappoints, and despair. TV talks shows will confuse you and human logic will only lead you deeper into despair. The comfort and counsel of God’s Spirit is what you need.
    Remember God Daily- Ec 12:1 "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;" A day not lived for and with God is a wasted day.
    Remember God’s Mercy is the only Hope at Death- Ps 25:7 "Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD." Forgetting God and facing Him unprepared is fatal.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, October 3, 2006

    October is Pastor Appreciation Month in many churches. Special events and (I hope) special offerings will be planned for the Pastor to show how much he is loved and appreciated. I love Preachers and think they are some of the most important men on the earth. Sometimes you need to "let them know they are human" a little, however, so here are a few "Preacher Pointers"
    - Learn to politely tell a Preacher how he is doing. When a Preacher is preaching and people say, "Amen" that means they agree with what he is preaching. When people say, "Bless him, Lord" that is a polite way of saying, "You sure are struggling to preach and we sure are struggling to listen to you!"
    - Want to see if the Preacher is having any heart problems? Stand up during testimony time and tell the Preacher you want to help the Church so you are volunteering for any job he wants you to do (Please have a doctor or nurse in the congregation before attempting this!).
    - Want to spend some time with the Preacher? Sit in a different seat in church each service for a month. The Pastor will visit you every week wanting to know why you missed church!
    - Want to see the Preacher start stuttering? Tell him this Sunday that you enjoyed his sermon much more than you enjoyed it when Preacher "so and so" preached it on television!! And then hug his neck, slip a hundred dollar bill into his hand, and tell him to find time to go out for a really good meal with his family.

Minister Message for Wednesday October 4, 2006

    I am always writing down statements or snippets as I travel to different Conferences and Church Services. Here are a few "various" things I snagged in recent months.
    - I had rather be dead with God than live for Satan. (Think it through. That has some depth to it).
    - Children should be Raised in God’s Plan, Reported to God in Prayer, Renewed by God’s Pardon, and Released for God’s Purpose.
    - In Youth the absence of pleasure is pain. In old age the absence of pain is pleasure! (I don’t know what the "spiritual" lesson is in this but it sure is true!).
    - Many churches are defeated by Careless Christians, Cannibal Christians ("if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another". Galatians 5:15), Condemning Christians (Gossips), Cheap Christians, Compromising Christians, and "Claim to Be" Christians.
    - Don’t be an "Easter Egg" Christian; ornamented on the outside and hard boiled on the inside.
    - The Prodigal Son returned home to find Forgiveness, Food, and the Father but his sinful life cost him time, his inheritance, and his brother’s respect. Time spent with Satan is never worth the price you have to pay.
    - A man who says there is no God is a fool (Ps 14:1), a man who lives as if there is no God is foolish, but a man who ignores God until death has committed life’s greatest mistake.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, October 10, 2006

    Recently my wife and I had the privilege of spending a few days with a mission family in Spain. This fine family took time from their very busy schedule to show the lovely Princess Paula and I some of the amazing sights in the area of Spain where they are establishing a church.
    We saw an Aqueduct that was bringing water to a town during the time Christ walked on the earth. We also visited the Royal Palace and stood in the room where Queen Isabel gave the orders to Christopher Columbus (whose real name, by the way, was Cristobal Colon) to find a new route to India which eventually turned into discovering a place called America.
    The greatest thing we saw on this trip, however, was the love and concern of these missionaries. Between showing us the sights and doing the large amount of work missionaries must do on a regular basis, these missionaries still found time to console a mother whose longed for child was "born" still born as well as check on numerous people who were sick or were about to have surgery.
    I have hundreds of photos from this trip but the picture I will cherish the most was not taken with a camera. It is a "photo" of the heart of missionaries who minister with love and compassion in a different culture to people who speak a different language.
    I imagine, if you were to ask the people in your community what they are looking for in a church it would not be stained glass and fancy architecture. I believe, instead, that they would describe a picture of people with truthful convictions and loving compassion. That is the kind of photo that people really want you to show.

Minister Message for Wednesday, October 11, 2006

    The flagrance of fresh baked bread permeated the atmosphere as we walked down the street of Alpedrete, Spain. Alpedrete is a fast growing suburb of Madrid, Spain where Missionaries Tim and Kristi Johnson are establishing the first evangelistic church in the 500 year history of the town. In this beginning stage they have rented a store front building located on a street in the middle of the town and you pass by a bakery store as you walk to church.
    Right now few people in Alpredrete really understand the purpose of what goes on in this new store front church two doors down from the sweet swelling bakery shop but the actions and attitudes of the missionaries and the few people who have already begun attending this fledgling work will soon cause "noses" all over town to realize that something good is in the air. Hopefully, it will not be long before these people will want to investigate the sweet smell of love and concern flowing forth from these dedicated Christians and this baby church will grow into a bustling congregation with a great influence in this town for the cause of Christ.
    Many of you who read this attend a church that has existed in your community for many years. I wonder what sort of smell fills the community from the actions and attitudes of the minister and members of your Church?

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, October 17, 2006

    My wife and I recently flew nearly 9000 miles in a 7 day period in order to visit with some missionaries. I have flown on and off for over 40 years and have been amazed at how God has blessed during my flights. To the best of my knowledge, I have never had any luggage lost; in spite of the fact that numerous times my flights have had to be re-routed because of different situations. I love flying and still think looking down at the earth from 15,000 feet is one of the neatest things I can imagine.
    On our recent 9000 mile flight everything went well until we were about to make our final landing at the Florence Airport. A very bad thunderstorm hit the Florence area just as we were about to land and the airplane suddenly dropped drastically. Just as the pilot regained control it dropped again and it was all the pilot could do to get us back in the air so we could circle around for another landing attempt. I tell people I still have the bruise marks on my arm from where my wife grabbed me and held on for dear life during this exciting end to our journey.
    When we finally got on the ground and gathered inside the terminal to await our luggage one of the men on the plane looked at another man and said, "I sure did some power praying there for awhile!". Knocking on death’s door will do that to you!
    I am no braver than the average man but I try to do my "power praying" before the plane hits the air pocket. That way you can just enjoy the ride and know that if you don’t arrive in Florence you will arrive in Heaven; and I will tell you the truth, Heaven is a whole lot more appealing to me right now than Florence.

Minister Message for Wednesday October 18, 2006

    The Lord has blessed us to find a wonderful bank to handle the business of the South Carolina Free Will Baptist State Office and our Christian Book Store. Almost anytime I need something I can call someone at the bank and they will handle it for me so that I do not have to take the time and energy to go to the bank. We especially like the fact that a courier comes by my office each day to pick up my deposit so I save nearly an hour each day that I would otherwise have to spend fighting traffic and waiting in line.
    One of the couriers recently told me about something that happened at his church that made him really think. He said that during Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting one of the members gave a good testimony about God’s blessings in his life and everyone rejoiced. The next day this courier received a phone call saying that this person had "went to sleep on earth and woke up in Heaven" and was now testifying before the Lord Himself.
    The person who died was only 52 years old and thought he was in good health but some time during the night his clock ran out and he found his schedule had suddenly changed. Can you imagine how exciting it must have been to open his eyes and find he was looking at golden streets, marvelous mansions, and the heavenly hosts?
    One day, you too will wake up in a different world. Will it be all you have ever dreamed about or will it be worse than your worst nightmare?

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, October 24, 2006

    Mother was having some health problems so I was with her at the Doctor’s office. After the Doctor met with mother and gave his diagnosis we were told to go to the check out receptionist to settle up and to arrange for another appointment.
    As we approached the desk the receptionist was on the phone and I could not help but overhear her say, "Thank you for calling and letting me know about dad’s sickness. I will check on him as soon as I get off work". When she looked up it was obvious she was in distress. She was there to help us but it was easily apparent that she needed our help at the present moment more than we needed her help.
    Doctors and nurses are not only a vital need for our health care, they are also people. When is the last time you prayed for your doctor’s personal well being instead of just praying about his professional skills? Remember also, that the frustrated, over worked nurse who sees more sickness in a day than anyone ought to see in a life time is also a person who may have a sick child at home or a dying mother in a nursing home.
    The Holy Spirit helps our infirmities so He is able to help us pray for those who help our infirmities- "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." (Romans 8:26) Thank God that he cares about health care givers even more than health care givers care about us.

Minister Message for Wednesday, October 25, 2006

    A group of ministers and I were on our way to visit with a missionary. We had been traveling for awhile when one of the ministers said he was thirsty. Another said he wanted some ice cream so we looked for an exit that met these requirements. Before long the golden arches were seen in the distance so we took that exit.
    When we pulled into the restaurant parking lot I noticed a service station next door. The Lord strongly impressed my heart to go into that station while the others went into the fast food restaurant. I went into the service station, got a fruit juice drink, and went to the check out counter to pay for it. When I asked the clerk how she was feeling she said she was really sick and felt very bad so I asked her if I could have prayer with her. We had a glorious time of prayer and parted with her feeling much better and with me rejoicing in seeing God’s guiding hand yet once again.
    Life will present you with many choices this week. If you listen to the "still small voice" of God as well as the grumbling of your stomach you just might find a chance to share God’s love with someone who desperately needs a touch from God at that moment.
    Listen, is that God talking? "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." (Isaiah 30:21)

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, October 31, 2006

    A hypocrite is someone who "wears a mask" in order to keep people from seeing who they really are. Halloween is about people dressing up in costumes, putting on a mask, and demanding that someone give them something or suffer the consequences (Which would get you jail time on any other day!). I know you will tell me to "lighten up" and realize that it is all about the kids having a good time. Then why are all the movies on TV right now about adults finding the most horrible gore displaying ways possible to kill other adults? And why do the candy and costume companies count on this day to make or break their year?
    Enough about the bad things that happen at Halloween. If you care you are already concerned about what happens on this day and if you don’t care you probably are not reading this column! My main concern is that we realize the right thing to show today; and every day.
    1) Your Good works- "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) [Surprisingly, this does not include your giving of Alms (Matt 6:1-4) or your praying of prayers (Matt 6:5-7)]. You can spend your time today "howling at the hypocrites" or you can do something good for God.
    2) Your Faith- "I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world." (Romans 1:8). If people see the right thing to believe then maybe they will not want to hide behind a mask and demand something sweet. Instead, they will realize that God gives them the "good stuff" freely and with love.
    Don’t let the hypocrites hold you down. Shine for Jesus; the world needs your light.

Minister Message for Wednesday November 1, 2006

    People often ask me how they can know the will of God for their life. Often this is a "trick" question because the individual is actually asking, "Can I do this thing I want to do and tell everyone that it is alright with God." If they are really serious about discovering God’s will for their life I give them a threefold test they can use to determine if what they want to do is actually the will of God.
    1) Is it consistent with the Word of God? God will not violate His Word. He will never ask anyone to do something that is contrary to what He has declared in His Word. For example, God would never ask you to join an organization that teaches salvation by works when His Word plainly declares Salvation is by Grace thru Faith.
    2) Is it consistent with my Walk with God? God would not ask me to be a singer (I am tone deaf). God is not limited by our limitations but He is aware that we are human and He calls different people to do different things within the framework of how He created us.
    3) Is it consistent with the Ways of God? God promises to provide for His people but He will not ask me to open a liquor store even if I promise to pay Him double tithes each week. God is a Holy God who will welcome me home from the hog pen but He will never direct me to abandon the father’s house and live in the hog pen.
    Is it God’s will? Apply this threefold test and see how clear things become.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, November 7, 2006

    Some churches are growing and prospering but some churches are Stagnate Churches where a few people struggle each week to continue to function. These churches are in the maintenance mode (They are just maintaining the building and the budget each week while the same people sing the same songs as they listen to the same sermons on the same subjects) and if something is not done they may eventually "die".
    I am aware that sometimes churches reach the end of their road- To the best of my knowledge, none of the churches mentioned in the first chapters of the book of Revelation are functioning today. But I still think there is hope for smaller churches who are struggling to survive. Here is some advice that I think will breathe new life into a church.
    1) Repent of Luke warm living. That is the advice God gave over and over to the churches in Revelation. Had they repented of their lukewarm living and returned to God’s plan then I believe they would still be a lighthouse for God even today.
    2) Renew your vision for the Lord. Find the work God wants you to do and get busy doing it. If you are satisfied to just "show up" at church it will not be long before no one else will show up to watch you show up!
    3) Find ways to get outside the Church walls. 95% of dying churches have little involvement outside the church walls. They are "dead sea churches" with resources coming in but little going out except that which evaporates toward heaven. A church that turns in on itself will end up biting and devouring itself. Lift up your eyes and look on the fields; and then start doing something about what you see.
    A dying world needs a living church telling about a loving Lord. Does that describe your church?

Minister Message for Wednesday November 8, 2006

    Sometimes God is insistent. I came into the office recently and God told me to look through a box on the floor full of old papers. I gently reminded the Lord that I had several reports due that day and I did not feel I had time to sort through those papers at that time. But God was insistent so I figured I might as well look through that box of papers and be done with it.
    Almost as soon as I started looking through the papers I found a church check that was three months old (and would have gotten a lot older had I not looked in that box that day!). A church had send their conference dues to the Free Will Baptist State Office instead of to the local Conference Treasurer. When I received the check I figured the easiest thing to do was to take the check with me to the Conference and give it to the treasurer. Somehow that check had gotten mixed in with the other papers from that conference that I had not had time to file yet and was sitting in a box instead of being deposited in a bank.
    The Church thought it had paid its dues but the Conference Treasurer had never received the check; and neither one realized it was all my fault! I immediately sent the check to the Treasurer and a letter of explanation to the Church and thanked the Lord for once more providing the leadership I needed; even if I was hard headed at first!
    When God gently nudges you today be ready to obey. It may be a misplaced soul instead of a misplaced check He is trying to get you to see.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, November 14, 2006

    He should not have been there but everyone was very glad he was. The preacher had recently failed a stress test and was scheduled for a heart catheterization just days before he was to be the main speaker for Home Coming at the Children’s Home. If he would have had the catheterization then the doctors would probably have kept him in the hospital but the machine needed for the catheterization was broken so it had to be postponed and he was able to deliver a message that stirred the hearts of the entire congregation at the Home Coming Service. A broken heart machine enabled the hearts of many people to be stirred to give and do more for needy children. Isn’t that amazing!
    Throughout the Bible there are examples of men of God who faced situations and circumstances that looked like something really bad had come their way. And time after time God would take the bad situation and twist it around in such a way until the bad would be turned into good. It is just one of those extra benefits that come standard to those who belong to God’s family and walk in God’s will (See Rom 8:28).
    When bad things happen to bad people it usually ends up making a bad situation even worst. When bad things happen to children of God it generally starts a chain of events that culminate with people looking up to Heaven and saying, "Did you see what God did this time!". Now ask me again why I am so excited about being a Christian!

Minister Message for Wednesday November 15, 2006

    She makes an absolutely wonderful strawberry short cake. It is beautiful to look at, wonderful to taste, and simply melts in your mouth. Once she started bringing them to socials at the church everyone looked forward to her strawberry shortcake for dessert and they were disappointed if it was not available. Her husband recently spoke at the men’s fellowship of the church and said people did not really care if he came or not as long as his wife sent her strawberry shortcake! All the other men agreed and said that sounded about right to them!
    What do you "bring to the table" when you attend Church? What special gift has God given you that allows you to do just what is needed in your Church? Your gift may not be cooking, it may be singing, or painting, or writing, or working with youth, or keeping people aware of mission needs, or a thousand other things. The main thing for you to be aware of is that every single Christian is given a gift by the Holy Spirit and as that gift functions in the local church it makes everything else in the Church work better.
    Remember the ancient story of how a blacksmith did not have enough nails so the horseshoe came off the messenger’s horse which meant a division of troops did not move to the correct location and the battle was lost. Sometimes a "strawberry shortcake" is just like that nail; it is not earth shaking but it may be battle winning. So be in church this week and do your part; however small it may seem to you.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, November 21, 2006

    In three of the most famous parables spoken by Jesus he talks about a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son. During these parables He shows four joys that come to those who find things that are lost. I pray these four joys will be in your life this week.
    1) There is Joy for the Person finding the Lost. Finding something that was lost puts a smile on your face, a song on your lips, and a spring in your step. Even gray skies turn blue when something that was lost is found.
    2) There is Joy for Friends and Family when something is found. "One can endure sorrow alone, but it takes two to be glad".--Elbert Hubbard. When the man found the lost sheep "he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost." (Luke 15:6). I tell people all the time that a lost person coming to accept Christ as Savior will turn even the most boring sermon into a blessing!
    3) There is joy for the Person who is Found - As a young boy I once became separated from my family deep in the forest. I called and called and looked with despair as the shadows grew longer and the night fast approached. I can still remember the intense joy that came into my heart when I finally heard a distant call and realized I was about to be reunited with my family.
    4) There is Joy in Heaven when someone is found- (Luke 15:7) "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." (Luke 15:10) "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."
    May you know these four joys this week as you seek the lost and bring them to Christ.

Minister Message for Wednesday, November 22, 2006

    Many people will take time this Thanksgiving season to Thank the Lord for their health, their wealth, and their family. Glory! We certainly should thank God regularly for each of these things. Today, however, I want to express thanks for some other things that many times get neglected. I call them the overlooked bellies, bows, and benevolent.
    I am not Santa Claus but I have a big belly. Part of the reason is because I attend a special event at churches almost every week and Free Will Baptist ladies cook very good and very much! I have traveled over much of this world and I can tell you today that you should give generous thanks to God for the bounty of food we will enjoy in the next few days. Many bellies in this world are big from starvation instead of from over eating.
    I was raised with brothers and no sisters. Thank the Lord for the people who are willing to give of their time, skill, and energy to decorate churches and homes in order for them to look so festive this time of year. Most people take it for granted but I sure do appreciate it.
    I remember when Christmas was mainly an apple, an orange, and some candy donated by good hearted people in the community. Multitudes of kids now get more than they can use but there are still people who remember those less fortunate and their acts of benevolence make a life long joyful memory for some family. I am thankful for their loving concern for others.
    Thank God for the "big" things this year but don’t forget the other blessings that often get overlooked.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, November 28, 2006

    God’s limits are not meant to limit you. God knows that only within these limitations can we really enjoy the joy of the abundant life. Many people avoid the church and God like they would some dreaded disease because they fear that somehow yielding themselves to God will impose fun killing rules on them and they will never be able to really enjoy life again. The opposite, of course, is true.
    God wants men to enjoy the abundant life filled with happiness, joy, and freedom. Like the parent who has enough love for their child to limit the child’s access to a hot stove, however, God imposes limits on mankind in order to prevent hurt and pain. God has seen that mankind is never more of a slave than when he uses his "freedom" to surrender to the captivity of drugs, drink, or lust so He establishes limitations that are meant to keep us away from the things that harm us and guide us toward the things that bring good into our life.
    The fact that you are not supposed to murder other men, or to steal from them, or lie about them is a good limitation to live with. Not wasting your time, energy, and money on the worship of a stone statue does not limit your life; it frees you to worship correctly instead of being bound by superstition and slavery.
    I’m glad the waitress "limits" the hot coffee she pours into my cup to the confines of the cup. It sure would be a hot and messy situation otherwise! Remember that when you wonder about the limitations God puts into your life.

Minister Message for Wednesday November 29, 2006

    Do you know what Adam and Eve did when they left paradise? They raised a little Cain!
    What excuse did Adam give to his children as to why he no longer lived in Paradise? "Your mother ate us out of house and home."
    Eve had everything a woman could want. She never had to worry about what to wear or if her shoes matched! (Remember they lived naked and not ashamed before sin). She did not have to wonder if her husband was looking at another woman or if she was being compared to her mother in law. But she made some mistakes and they changed her world; and the world you and I live in today.
    Eve’s first error was listening to the lies of the Devil. Satan promised her she that if she listened to him she would be like God but she ended up hiding from God in the bushes instead of walking with God in the twilight.
    Eve’s next error came when she disregarded the divine directives. God said she could have everything but this and she wanted nothing but that! And, as people have learned through the years, breaking God’s rules always ends up breaking you.
    Eve, the mother of all living, (Gen 3:20) ended up being the mother of all dying as she introduced her husband to sin and the wages of sin which is death. What a difference it would have made has she ignored the lies of the devil and believed the words of the Lord.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, December 5, 2006

    A minister traveling on a train in Europe was the sole occupant of a compartment, save for a young man reading a newspaper. The youth was also a Christian, but his faith was so weak, and his temptations so strong, until he told the minister he did not think he would be able to stand life a week longer. The minister took from his pocket a Bible and a pencil and said, "See, I will make this pencil stand up on its point on the cover of this Bible, in spite of the rocking of the train." The young man, thinking that this was some magical trick, watched the proceeding with interest, saying, "I'm afraid that it will not be very easy to do that, sir."
    "But," said the minister, "I am doing it." "Oh, but you are holding it up," retorted his fellow passenger. "Why, of course. Did you ever hear of a pencil standing up on its point without being held up?" "I see," was the young man's comment. "I see you mean to teach me that I cannot stand unless Christ holds me. Thanks for reminding me of that."
    As we approach this Christmas season it's so easy to think only of the little babe in the manger. However, this little babe grew up to live and die for our sins. Knowing we would need help in the new life He offered He also promised us that God would provide someone to help and guide us by living within us. Christ came to save us. The Hold Spirit came to "hold us up". Now that is something to really rejoice in this Christmas.

Minister Message for Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006

    Before the days of railroad crossbars the railroads employed watchmen at major roads to wave a warning lantern when the train approached. At one of these crossings a man was killed in an accident and his relatives sued the railroad, claiming negligence on the part of the watchman. During the ensuing trial the watchman was questioned by the Prosecutor. "Were you on duty at the crossing? Did you have a lantern? Did you wave your lantern in warning?" Each time the man would reply, "Yes sir, I did."
    The jury found the railroad not guilty and an officer of the railroad came by to thank the watchman for his testimony. The officer asked, "Tell me, Mr. Smith, were you nervous during the questioning at the trial?" The watchman replied, "Yes sir, I feared every moment he would ask, 'Was the lantern lit?'"
    We are approaching the Christmas season. Crowds will throng the malls seeking that perfect Christmas gift for someone special at a reduced price. Families and friends will travel for miles to meet and eat and catch up on the latest family news.
    Mixed in among all of these shoppers and family reunions will be a number of people who profess faith in Jesus Christ. They will face many obstacles and many opportunities concerning their faith in the coming month. My question to them is very simple, "Is your lantern lit?"

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, December 12, 2006

    I called a Pastor recently and a liquor store answered. A new Pastor had accepted a position at one of the Churches in our state and I was calling to wish him well and see if there was anything I could do to help him get settled. What I did not know was that because the Church had been without a Pastor for several months they had given up the phone in the parsonage and the number had been reassigned to a liquor store.
    Like me, Joseph must have felt like he had gotten a wrong number when he prayed to God about his future wife, Mary. He had found the most beautiful young lady in Bethlehem to be his wife and he was so glad to be able to finally settle down and live a quite peaceful life. Then the bombshell of her pregnancy shattered his peace and troubled his plans.
    I can see him now as he prayed to the Lord for leadership, "Lord, I know you do not want me to marry this woman who has become pregnant but I need to seek your guidance so I can tell her that the Lord would not let me marry her." Imagine his surprise when an angel appeared in his dream to tell him it was God’s will for him to marry Mary. Sometimes God is so unpredictable!
    You probably have Christmas plans that you feel sure God will bless. It is possible that God will work in an unexpected way and you will find a far different situation than you expected. Don’t panic. Just realize that part of the wonder of Christmas is learning that the box we want to put God in is never big enough and the answer God gives may not be the one we anticipated.

Minister Message for Wednesday December 13, 2006

    Joseph must have felt like the walls were closing in on him as he walked the path God had given him. He found his wife was pregnant before they were married. Then the government called for a tax that cost him his job and his home and caused him to move his soon expecting wife to a strange town far from family and friends. And when he arrived at the place of God’s leadership he found no place to stay and a baby arriving without help. I can imagine him standing beside that cow trough looking down at that red squirming bundle of flesh and wondering again if this could really be the god-child that God had promised.
    Joseph found, as men have always found, that God never guides His people wrong. God always has a plan and when His leadership guides a person into a difficult situation it just becomes another way for God to show His greatness. Can you envision Joseph’s face when the shepherds appeared with their tales of angelic visits and knelt down to worship the babe in the manager.
    Keeping Christ in Christmas may not be easy and it surely will not be popular. It may involve sacrifices and situations you had not anticipated. But you will notice a world of difference this Christmas when God’s path for you leads to His presence instead just presents.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, December 19, 2006

    They had the job no one else wanted. While family and friends were home snug and warm in bed these Bethlehem Shepherds had to stay in the fields at night watching temple sheep that were destined to die. The "respectable people" in Bethlehem had day jobs that paid better and allowed for a normal life. These Shepherds worked the night shift, struggled to keep stubborn sheep from wandering off, and smelled like wet wool all the time.
    It is Christmas. Everyone knows the "rest of the story". It was during the "shepherd shift" that angels appeared and announced to these lowly Shepherds the good news about the birth of God’s Son. It was these lowly Shepherds who were the first humans to worship Jesus when He arrived on earth. And it was these Shepherds who were the first "Christian" evangelist as they went all over Bethlehem telling about the angels and the finding of the babe wrapped in swaddling cloths who was the Son of God come to earth.
    You may feel as unworthy and as rejected as these Shepherds this Christmas season. The good news is that God still calls "shepherds" to worship and tell about His Son-"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence." (1 Corinthians 1:26-29). God’s gift is for everyone. Accept it today and you will have a MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Minister Message for Wednesday December 20, 2006

    On a cool crisp night, as Shepherds watched the flocks outside of Bethlehem, an angel appeared and delivered one of the most important sermons ever heard by humans. In this sermon are the four elements that every good sermon should contain.
    A good sermon will first of all Ease the fears of the People. The first statement by the angel was, "Fear not". People come to church discouraged, depressed, and defeated. The first thing they should hear is that God loves them and wants to help them.
    The second ingredient in a good sermon is that it Proclaims the Good News and Great Joy that God is anxious for everyone to hear- "Behold, I bring your good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people."
    Thirdly, a good sermon Announces Jesus- "For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, He is the only acceptable sacrifice for sin, and He is the only one who can bring peace on earth and good will among men.
    Finally, a good sermon Shows people how to find Jesus- "And this shall be a sign unto you, you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." Jesus is the reason for the season. A sermon that does not lead men to Christ is like a empty Christmas present- pretty but pointless.
    May the Good News about Jesus bring Great Joy to your heart this Christmas.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, December 26, 2006

    One of the great preachers of by-gone years, Rev. A.W. Tozer, listed seven things that reveal what a person is really like on the inside. 1) What they trust in. 2) What they think about the most. 3) How they use their money. 4) What they do with their leisure time. 5) Who they choose as their companions. 6) What they talk about. 7) What they laugh at.
    The great apostle Paul asked this question, "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?..." (1 Corinthians 2:11). Almost everyone has a "public face" that the world thinks is the real person but it is the person that emerges "behind closed doors" that shows the real character- and the real Christianity - of a person. None of us are perfect and we ought to be able to relax when we are in a private place but if your relaxation is some sort of sinful behavior then there is something wrong with your relationship with a pure and holy God.
    If you look at the seven things listed by Rev. Tozer and they reveal a flaw in your character then you need to come to God today and ask Him to forgive you of your sinful behavior, fill you with His Holy Spirit, and guide you in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. You will find that life is a lot more fun when you can just be you no matter where you are.

Minister Message for Wednesday December 27, 2006

    A Pastor’s wife recently told me about an experience that showed her that prayer in school is still an option. She was helping a florist deliver some flowers and one order was for a teacher in a local high school. When she started in the door of the school a young girl held the door open for her. As she passed by and started to thank this girl for her kindness she noticed that there were tears coming from the girl’s eyes. She immediately stopped and asked if there was anything she could do.
    The teen age girl broke down and began weeping, saying that the boyfriend of her best friend had just been killed. This Pastor’s wife immediately forgot about her flower delivery and asked the teen girl if she could have prayer with her. There, at the front door of the school, they bowed together and asked the God of all comfort to bring comfort to this girl and to the bereaved family. After the prayer there was a hug and both people went about their business but this "God moment" had made a difference in a life that day.
    A new year is fast approaching. It will be busy with many activities. From time to time God will allow you an opportunity to make a difference in the life of someone you meet. Do not become so busy with life until you forget the real reason for living.