"FIREPROOF" Watch It

My wife and I did something last night we seldom do, we got a movie. It is not an unusual thing for us to have a date and go someplace nice for supper. but on the way home Jane said I want to stop and get a movie. I ask "why" she said that she had heard a lot of good things about it and thought we might like it so I reminder her we don't have a DVD player hooked up to the big flat screen in the living room, it's in the exercise room. She said it's no trouble to move so we did it we got the movie. The name of the movie is "Fireproof" I can't remember ever watching a movie that I thought "I wish more people would watch this" but I made up my mind after watching it that I was going to promote it on my blog, on facebook, on the message boards and from the pulpit. It is definitely a movie that couples should see. there is a solid message in the movie about the marriage relationship.
So make a date with your Honey and get a bag of popcorn and watch "Fireproof", then let me know what you think. I believe you will recommend it to your friends just like I am doing.

REVIVAL: DO WE NEED IT?

Purpose of revivals:
1) Revivals lead the church to seek the Lord and His presence for spiritual renewal.
2) Revivals are needed because of our tendency to drift away from the urgency to reach the lost. 3) Revivals prepare the church for evangelism.
4) Revival focuses on harvesting the lost for Christ and the Church.
5) Revival calls the church to focus on the harvest.

3 STAGES OF REVIVAL

STAGE 1: PERSONAL REVIVAL. PS. 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me:
1. What is it about "trouble" that causes one to need reviving? Stress. Robs us spiritually.
2. What did David expect God to do in "reviving?" Relieve the stress from his enemies.
When God personally revives us He: replenishes our spiritual well being, excitement, hunger.

STAGE 2: CORPORATE REVIVAL PS. 85:6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
1. What is the thing that God's people weren’t doing? Rejoicing.
2. What would cause a whole church to need revival?
3. Would a church itself know that it needed revival?
4. Does our church need revival?

STAGE 3: REVIVAL OF HIS WORK. HAB. 3:2 O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
1. Why would God need to revive His work amongst His own people?
2. What were His people doing if they weren’t doing His work?
3. Are we doing the work of God, or our own?

This shows that we must be constantly evaluating what we are doing- making sure it is God's works - we may need reviving!

“OUR CALLINGS”

There may be many reasons why God shouldn't have called us. But don't worry, we're in good company: 1Co 1:26-27 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;
Moses stuttered.
David's armor didn't fit.
John Mark was rejected by Paul.
Timothy had ulcers.
Hosea's wife was a prostitute.
Amos' only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning.
Jacob was a liar.
David had an affair.
Solomon was too rich. Jesus was too poor.
Abraham was too old. David was too young.
Peter was afraid of death. Lazarus was dead.
John was self-righteous.
Naomi was a widow.
Paul was a murderer. So was Moses. So was David.
Jonah ran from God.
Miriam was a gossip.
Gideon and Thomas both doubted.
Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal.
Elijah was burned out.
John the Baptist was a loudmouth.
Martha was a worrywart.
Mary was lazy.
Samson had long hair.
Noah got drunk.
Moses had a short fuse? So did Peter, Paul-well, lots of folks did.
But God doesn't require a job interview. He doesn't hire and fire like most bosses, because He's more our Father than our Boss. He doesn't look at financial gain or loss. He's not prejudiced or partial, not judging, grudging, sassy, or brassy, not deaf to our cry, not blind to our need. As much as we try, God's gifts are free.

Satan says "You're not worthy." Jesus says, "So what? I AM." Satan looks back and sees our mistakes. God looks back and sees the cross. He doesn't calculate what you did in '08. There are lots of reasons why God shouldn't have called us. But if we are in love with him, if we hunger for Him more than our next breath, He'll use us in spite of who we are, where we've been, or what we look like.

Happy Anniversary Jane

Happy anniversary Jane. I love you more today than I ever have. I don't understand how that works but the longer we are together the more I love you. Thank you for 30 wonderful years. Thank you for putting up with me for all these years. I want the whole world to know I married up when I married you. I am looking forward to at least 30 more years with you.
Pr 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. Pr 5:18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.

Well 30 years ago today Jane and I made a lifelong commitment to each other. I am very happy to give testimony that we have honored that commitment. We have been through a lot, as you might imagine some very hard times and some very easy times. If I could I would like to spend a little time with each couple I know this morning, and let you know that you can wade through the many problems that a relationship brings. You can stay with it, you can work it out, you can grow in love with each other.
Marriage is a commitment that takes a lot of work but the rewards are worth it. The Lord has blessed us with two daughters. With each came a different set of challenges, because they have very different personalities. I will have to admit that we ignorantly make a lot of mistakes with the girls but we have always tried to do what we thought best for them. We love our girls very much and in spite of the many mistakes we made they have both honored us and we are proud of the way things turned out for both of them. They are married to good boys and they each have brought three grandchildren into our lives.

Full of Joy

1John 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
What makes people happy? What makes you happy? Do you think happiness is important? Obviously, people do think happiness is important, and this is not some new and novel idea. The idea that happiness is important and even a basic right has been around for quite sometime.
Listen to these words from a document dated July 4, 1776: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." These words, of course, are from the Declaration of Independence. Undoubtedly, the founders of our country thought that happiness was a worthy goal to pursue.
The problem, however, with pursuing happiness is that you have to catch it. And this proves easier said than done. All sorts of advice has been given out over the years. A Chinese proverb reads, "If you wish to be happy for one hour, get intoxicated. If you wish to be happy for three days, get married. If you wish to be happy for eight days, kill your pig and eat it. If you wish to be happy forever, learn to fish." Now whether you agree with anything in this proverb, it does illustrate that there is no widely held consensus on how to find true happiness.
And there is a good reason why people have had trouble discovering true and lasting happiness. The problem is in the nature of happiness. Happiness depends on what happens. Happiness is linked to our circumstances. When things are going great, then I am happy. When things take a turn for the worst, then my happiness evaporates. What people really want is a happiness that lasts. People desire a happiness that does depend on happenstance. But, does such a thing exist?
Such a thing does exist. But it is not called happiness. In fact, we find this thing on the pages of the Bible. There we see a better alternative to happiness in what the Bible calls "joy". Joy, unlike happiness, does not depend upon my situation in life. Joy is deeper and more abiding than happiness. Joy is something that God gives His children. Joy is a mark of someone who has been truly redeemed.
Listen to how D. L. Moody describes this difference. "Happiness is caused by things that happen around me, and circumstances will mar it; but joy flows right on through trouble; joy flows on through the dark; joy flows in the night as well as in the day; joy flows all through persecution and opposition. It is an unceasing fountain bubbling up in the heart; a secret spring the world can’t see and doesn’t know anything about. The Lord gives His people perpetual joy when they walk in obedience to Him."Do you have the joy? That is the real question for today. Do you have the real and lasting joy that only Christ can give? The good news of the Scripture is that fullness of joy can be ours in Christ. Joy always results from a relationship with Christ. This is what the Bible teaches

Do Love Him?

The Lord's Day morning service was really good and we had 2 first time visitors. It is a blessing and encouragement to our folks to see visitors each week. Then on Sunday night the dear folks of our church gave Jane and me a card for our anniversary with a check for $200 and that will pay for Jane's plane ticket to NY to get Holly in Feb. What a blessing the people have been to us. How can we not love people who are so kind?

My AM message:
Someone asked R.A. Torrey what the greatest sin that a person could commit. Mr. Torrey answered, “The greatest sin that anyone could commit would be to break the greatest commandment.” Mat 22:37-40. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Mat 22:37 takes in the first four commandments of the Ten Commandments. Man’s relationship toward God. If we love God with all of our heart then we will not jeopardize the first four commands.
Mat 22:40 “Love thy neighbor” is dealing with the last six commandments. Man’s relationship with man. If we love man like we should we won’t kill him. We won’t lie about him. We won’t steal from him. We won’t covet his possessions.

I. DO YOU LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, SOUL, AND MIND?

What Does It Mean To Love Him With All Of Your Heart?
To love God is not to have good feelings about Him. True love involves the will as well as the heart. Where there is love, there will be service and obedience. Love is the basis for obedience.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
Prov 4:23 "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

A. Heart - Emotion.
The heart is where praise comes from. We worship with our heart. You will do what your heart wants to do. Your heart controls your emotions. That’s why we are to keep it with “all diligence”. Prov 23:26 "My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways." If we love Him with our heart our heart will find ways to praise Him. If we love Him with our heart our heart will come up with the proper procedure for worshipping Him. If love for God motivates our heart we will obey His commands.

B. Soul - Spiritual. Holiness. Desire to serve. Faith. “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” When one gets saved then there becomes a developing program of faith. Faith to follow God and do what He commands.

C. Mind - Intellectual. Knowledge. We train our mind. The mind is programmed to follow the word of God, or it will follow the heart. If it follows the heart, bad things happen. If it follows the Word of God, good things happen.

ARE YOU SURE?

There are some things we Christians can know for sure.

1Jo 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

2 Tim 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

WE HAVE A SURE SALVATION IN WHICH TO REJOICE.
A. Zacchaeus received the Lord Joyfully. (Luke 19:6)
B. The Ethopian Eunuch went away joyfully. (Acts 8:39)
C. The Philippian jailer rejoiced with his house. (Acts 16:34)

WE HAVE A SURE FOUNDATION ON WHICH TO BUILD.
A. The Person and work of Jesus Christ. (I Cor. 3:10,11)
B. Our Foundation has been tested and proven. ( Matt.4:1-11)
C. Our Foundation enables us to withstand the storms of life. (Mt.7:24)

WE HAVE A SURE TESTIMONY TO GIVE.
A. Our testimony reveals the indwelling Christ. (Gal 2:20)
B. Our testimony is evidence of a spiritual relationship. (II Tim1:12)
C. Our testimony is to a life-changing gospel. (Rom. 1:16)

WE HAVE A SURE REWARD WAITING IN HEAVEN.
A. It will be incorruptible. ( I Pet. 1:4)
B. It will be give on the basis of the work done by the believer. (II Cor. 5:10)
C. It will be given by the Lord himself. (Rev. 22:12)

"SELF CONTROL"

PRO 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
INTRO: A rider on a horse must decide who is in charge, he or the horse. A person driving the car must control the car & make all decisions. A person walking a dog must be totally in control. The horse, the car, the dog cannot be allowed to have control. We are Spirit, Soul, & Body, in that order of authority.

1. CONTROL OF THE MIND. 2COR 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

2. CONTROL OF THE EYES. PSA 101:3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

3. CONTROL OF THE EARS. MK 4:23-24 23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.

4. CONTROL OF THE BODY. ROM 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 1COR 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

5. CONTROL OF TE TONGUE. JAMES 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! PRO 21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

6. CONTROL OF THE MOUTH. PRO 13:3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

7. CONTROL OF THE FEET. PSA 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. PSA 119:101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.

8. CONTROL OF THE HEART. PRO 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

9. CONTROL OF THE HANDS. ECC 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

INTEGRITY

in⋅teg⋅ri⋅ty  –noun
1. adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.

Job 2:3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

The Bible tells us in this verse that inspite of Job being destroyed without cause he held his intergity. What a tremendous testimony

A letter written to Diognetes in the middle of the 2nd century indicated how revolutionary Christian integrity was in this world of paganism. The letter marveled that Christians, "have their meals in common, but not their wives. They find themselves in the flesh & yet, live not after the flesh."
D.L. Moody said that you can tell a person's character by what he/she does in the dark.
Bob Jones Sr. said, "The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out."
I'm reminded of the woman who wrote a letter to the IRS: "Dear Sir, I can't sleep. Last year, when I filled out my income tax form, I misrepresented my income. Enclosed is a check for $325. If I still can't sleep, I'll send you the rest."

We are living in the midst of an integrity crisis. During the recent presidential election people were saying that a person's character and the company he keeps doesn't reflect on the kind of job he/she will do in public office. Huh???? In recent years we've seen a lot of preachers suffering from a lack of integrity. Coaches have been fired & athletic programs have been put on probation because of a lack of integrity. We are quickly becoming a nation that doesn't know what the word "integrity" means. And when we lose our integrity, we have lost our influence. When we refuse to live by the truth of God's Word, then we are not living the kind of life that will be approved by God.
We as Christians, must live lives of integrity so that the non-Christian world will sit up & take notice

Make A Decision

I am really concerned about the lack of commitment in Christianity to the Church. Our local churches are full of "part time Christians" if you ask them they love the Lord and He is first in there life. If they do love Him (as they say) then tell me why don't they love his church? How can they stay home from church. It is no big deal to them to miss Sunday School, Sunday morning, Sunday night, or Wednesday night. It's as if they are looking for any "reason" to stay home. It makes me wonder about their Prayer life, Bible reading, and giving.
I can remember when my wife and I started going to church, when she got saved and I got right with God we made some decisions. One thing we felt we had to decide about was church. Where to go? How involved we would be? What priority church would have in our home? Our girls were 2 and 5 and we knew that the importance we placed on faithfulness to church would be what would determine the importance they would put on church, when they got older. So we looked at the bible and saw how much the church meant to Christ and this verse, Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; seamed to be the one that we used to determine the level of commitment we would make.
So we decided then, that we would go to church and be faithful to the church just like we were faithful to each other. So the decision was made it was settled every Sunday school, Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night, for the rest of our life we would go to church. The only time we would miss would be if we were so sick we had to go to the doctor or we were "at" work. The question has never come up at our home "Are we going to church tonight?" that was decided back then.
I don't know who will read this, (not near as many as I would like) but I challenge you to love the church as Christ loves the church and give yourself for it.

Re 3:1-2 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

There have been some great churches in our country. Many of them still exist today, yet some have died and the doors have been closed, the property sold, the building made into a warehouse or some other purpose. That always seems so sad to me. I get upset when I hear of a Baptist Church closing down. I know it must sadden the heart of the Lord as well.

I have thought about this a lot. What causes a church to die and close its doors? Why would a living organism that Christ gave His life for be forced to close? I don’t think we have to keep changing methods every year. I don’t think we have to renew our commission – these are settled in God and His commands, but do I believe that every Baptist Church needs frequently to examine their purpose, program, and position to see if they are among the living or dead.

Here are some signs of a dead church:
NO BURDEN FOR SOULS
NO HUNGER FOR THE WORD OF GOD
NO HUNGER FOR CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
NO LIBERTY OF THE HOLY GHOST
NO JOY OF THE LORD
NO SPIRIT OF PRAYER
NO WILLINGNESS TO SERVE WITH SACRIFICE

Seeing God

We saw God do great things in Church yesterday 7 first time visitors. He gave us an unusual service in the AM then a new family in the PM and some back for a second visit. We got a glimpse of God's presence.
Do you plan to see God someday? Jesus said in the famous Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” This surely will be one of the most awesome experiences that any of us have ever had. John said, “No man hath seen God at any time, but the Son of God hath declared Him.” In the Old Testament several people did see the glory of God, and it truly was an awesome experience. What does it mean to be “pure in heart”? Possibly it means to be made pure by being washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. That, of course, refers to being saved. Also, it might mean to be pure in motive and intent which would lead to pure lives and clean bodies. The dictionary says that pure means to be single minded or unmixed with any other. That would mean allowing my interest and goals to be totally centered around my relationship to God as Jesus said, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” Seeing God is an experience that we really can be looking forward to.

What Wilt Thou Have Me To Do?

The Lord blessed this morning in an amazing way. We had another visitor, a young man that Brandon lead to Christ this week. and the Lord blessed the preaching. I was only able to preach the first 3 points and the Spirit was so real in the hearts of the people. We had a great time of fellowship after the service dismissed folks just getting to know each other. It was a blessing. Thank the Lord

Here is the morning outline hope it is a help to others as it was to us:

Acts 9:1-6.

1. We Ought Always To Pray. Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

2. We Ought To Obey God. Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

3. We Ought To Bear The Infirmities Of The Weak. Rom. 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

4. We Ought To Give Earnest Heed. Heb. 2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip

5. We Ought To Be Teachers. Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

6. We Ought To Walk As He Walked. 1 John 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

7. We Ought To Love One Another. 1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

HOW DO YOU SPELL "GO"

" HOW DO WE SPELL GO "

The Bible clearly shows that people are in need everywhere and the Gospel is their only hope. The great need is for those who have the light to share it with those in darkness. " And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" Rom. 10:14. Thousands of people would like to be saved if Christians would only take time to "GO" and help them.

1. G-I-V-E DOES NOT SPELL GO.

2. P-R-A-Y DOES NOT SPELL GO.

3. T-E-A-C-H DOES NOT SPELL GO.

4. P-R-E-A-C-H DOES NOT SPELL GO.

5. S-T-U-D-Y DOES NOT SPELL GO.

6. A-T-T-E-N-D DOES NOT SPELL GO.

7. S-I-N-G DOES NOT SPELL GO.

Big Rocks

Eph 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Bro Ron Kendell used an illustration that I think about from time to time. He pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table in front of him. He took out about a half a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.
When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?"Everyone in the class said, "Yes."Then he said, "Really?"
He reached under the table and pulled put a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. He smiled and asked the group once more, "Is the jar full"?By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good!" he replied.
He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He dumped the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?""No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good!" Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim.
He looked up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?" One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!"
Bro Ron replied, "that's not the point. What this illustration teaches us is this: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all."What are the 'big rocks' in your life?
The Lord and His work? Your loved ones? Time for yourself? Teaching or mentoring others?A project that YOU want to accomplish?Remember to put the BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all.
So, this morning as I reflect on this short story, I ask myself this question: "What are the 'big rocks' in my life?" Then, I need to put those in my jar first.

Unsearchable Riches

Recently in reading Ephesians I got stuck on this verse, Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; wondering how rich is God's mercy. We tend to measure riches by some standard - how does God measure it. He says "unsearchable".
Many a man has set himself on the mission to determine, Where is the end of God's mercy?
A) Some would say murder, but Moses the murderer would say Psa 103:7-8 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
B) Some would say adultery, but all David the adulterer had to say was:
"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions" Psalm 51:5
"For great is thy mercy toward me: And thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell." Psa 86:13
C) Some would say, when you begin to backslide, but Psa 94:18 says: "When I said, my foot slipeth: thy mercy, O Lord, held me up."
D) Some would say denial, but Peter said: I Pet 1:3-5.
E) Some would say failure to repent: I Corinthians 3:5
F) But still a voice of a protester suggest that there must be somewhere an eternally vile sinner whose wretchedness cannot be touched by God's mercy.
Consider John Newton, Slave trader:
"I am not what I ought to be! How imperfect and deficient I am! I am not what I wish to be, although I abhor that which is evil and would cleave to what is good! I am not what I hope to be, but soon I shall be out of mortality, and with it all sin and imperfection. Though I am not what I ought to be, nor what I wish to be, nor yet what I hope to be, I can truly say, I am not what I once was: A slave to sin and Satan. I can heartily join with the apostle and acknowledge that by the grace of God I am what I am!"

TAPS

We have all heard "Taps." It's the song that gives us that lump in our throats and usually creates tears in our eyes. But, do you know the story behind the song? If not, I think you will be pleased to find out about it's humble beginnings.
Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia.The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land. During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention. Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the Captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment. When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead. The Captain lit a lantern and suddenly caught his breath and went numb with shock. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his own son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out. Without telling his father, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army.
The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his superiors to give his son full military burial despite his enemy status. His request was only partially granted. The Captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son at the funeral. The request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate. But, out of respect for the father, they did say they could give him only one musician. The Captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of the dead youth's uniform. This wish was granted.
The haunting melody, we now know as "Taps" used at military funerals, was born.

I believe that the N.T. Church and Christianity has failed in its mission by refusal. (Mat 28:19-20) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

The command given to the N.T. Church was to go into our community first and take the Gospel Of Jesus Christ. That Gospel will change the community. Most churches are changing Christ to fit their community.

He has been changed into an entertainment Christ.
He has been changed into a social Christ.
He has been changed into a Christ with no standards.

Our mandate is to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every creature of the world. Our failure is, we have refused to follow this. We have not been unsuccessful because of lack of equipment or knowledge. We have enough Christians alive this very minute to fulfil this command this year. We just need to find the motivation to get up and "GO".

Has The Gospel Lost It's Power?

G. Campbell Morgan said of his father, "After he reads his text he then heads straight for the cross." Satan wants Christians to forget the Cross. Without the Cross Christianity has nothing to base its existence. If the cross can be removed from all memory and all preaching then Satan has the world in his hands to do as he desires. Paul says in I Cor. 1:18, "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." In Vs. 21 he goes on to say, "...it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." What kind of preaching? Preaching on the cross. If the cross is taken out of the message then there is no salvation. Paul goes on to say in Vs. 23, "But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men." I have noticed that a lot of the preaching today is about everything but the cross. maybe that's why we have so little power in our pulpits. Is this the reason we are not seeing people saved like we should. Dr Lee Robertson said "if folks are not being saved in your ministry there is only one of two problems, either the Gospel has lost it's power or it's not being preached." Whats our problem?

We had another visitor last night (Rob) he has been assigned to Ft Leavenworth. He has not even signed in yet to his unit. Another visitor from the web page, I am impressed at how God is using the web page like He is. What a tremendous tool it has become. I plan to go door knocking at least three different days this week. I have been told that doesn't work anymore but we will just keep on doing it because we are told to in Gods word and let Him decide if he wants it to work or not. I just believe He will bless the faithfulness of his people. I will order the new sound system today for our church. We got the new computer, Josh, one of our young men, put it in and got it up and running Saturday. The Lord is doing great thing here at Northwest Baptist Church and its exciting to be a part of it.

The Lord blessed us this morning with 13 visitors. Praise the Lord, He blesses faithfulness. It was the biggest attendance since we were called here in September. On the way out one of our visitor suggested that I put my outline on my web page, a great idea. Until we get a page set up on the church site: www.northwestbaptistchurchks.com I will put them here as a blog.

Date......... Sunday Jan 11 2009
Title......... THINGS WE CAN NOT DO WITHOUT
Text......... John 15:1-5
1. Without the SHEDDING OF BLOOD there is no remission of sin. (HEBREWS 9:22)
2. Without FAITH it is impossible to please God. (HEBREWS 11:6)
3. Without HOLINESS no man shall see the Lord. (HEBREWS 12:14)
4. Without CHASTISEMENT we are not counted as sons. (HEBREWS 12:8)
5. Without WORKS faith is dead. (JAMES 2:26)
6. Without CHARITY we are counted as nothing. (1 CORINTHIANS 13:2)
7. Without CHRIST we can do nothing. (JOHN 15:5)

Leadership or Management

Step out of the Crowd and be a leader!

Prov 18:1 “Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.”

You must desire to be a leader before you will become a leader. Many believe hard work and skill at a trade will take them to the top. It will, but only if their perspective of the top is what they can accomplish by themselves. If you want what God can do, you must learn to seek out and inter-meddle with those who have wisdom. Many confuse Leadership with Management. Our text teaches that we need to separate our self from the rest of the crowd by having a desire.

"You are now, or will become, who you hang around with. "

What You Believe Matters

In a recent survey, 60% of Americans said their reli­gious beliefs are very meaningful to them and make a difference in how they live. With the remaining 40% of the country guided only by what seems right in their own eyes, is it any wonder we allow the death of millions of babies, tolerate the devalua­tion of marriage, and turn a blind eye to violence in the home?

Our belief system governs our lifestyle and choices, it is the foundation from which we form our opinions and make decisions. For Christians, it is absolutely essential to know what we believe and why. Many people inherit their convictions from their parents and simply absorb those ideas without really investigating them. For instance, we hear, "My dad supported the union so I support the union," "My mother was Republican so I am Republican," and so on. But to be certain our system of thinking is accurate, we must base it on the Word of God and not on habit, culture, or even family heritage. A belief system is like a mental grid through which all outside informa­tion must pass. If our mental grid has been built on the truth of the Bible, then we can detect false doctrine and philosophy.

We need to learn to develope our Philosophy from our Theology

Forgiveness

I want to discuss a vital doctrine from the Word of God today. Without this doctrine there could be no redemption. No atonement. No salvation. The doctrine of forgiveness. “Father, Forgive Them.”

Forgiveness is a mighty word. It has the power to spare the life of a convicted death row killer. It has the power to remove one's debt to another. It has the power to free one from any obligation or responsibility.

For the Father to enact the request of the Son, “Father, forgive them”, lies in the decision of the Father alone, but for man to be the benefactor of this forgiveness we must also forgive those whom have sinned against us.

Luke 6:14&15, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses. your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye, forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses." We must forgive to be forgiven. This is more than being willing to forgive. Being willing to forgive doesn’t forgive. Willingness only relys on being forgiven first.

WILL SALVATION LAST?

Phil 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Intro: Paul makes a bold statement regarding the salvation of the Philippian believers. His statement makes it clear the a person can enjoy absolute assurance of salvation. Assurance not just that we are saved, but that the Lord will maintain that condition forever. Assurance is one of the greatest blessings in life! To know that one is saved and that regardless of what happens in life, nothing will ever be able to change that fact is a blessing without compare! Everyone needs this level of assurance, but sadly, many do not possess it.

In this verse, Paul offers three statements regarding salvation that can help us reach that place of peace. So, I ask the question: Can we be sure salvation will last? Let's investigate these statements by Paul and find out. (Ill. Notice his statement regarding the:

I. COMMENCEMENT OF SALVATION (he which hath begun a good work in you.)
A. A Work Of God
B. A Work Of Grace
C. A Work Of Glory

II. CONTINUATION OF SALVATION (will perform it) - Salvation is an ongoing work!
A. The Process
B. The Plan
C. The Power

III. COMPLETION OF SALVATION (until the day of Jesus Christ)
A. God's Plan
B. God's Promise
C. God's Performance

Con: Can we be sure that salvation will last? Consider for a moment the thrust of this verse. Salvation is in the hands of God from start to finish. Salvation is, therefore, in good hands and we can have confidence in God's power to save us and to keep us saved. When you boil all the junk away, all we had to do with our salvation was to come to God by faith when He called us. The rest is in His hands! And, those are hands that I can rest in!

Holding Faith

1Tim 1:18-20 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Our society is suffering from what has been described as the Smorgasbord Factor. Differing beliefs, views, and values are displayed to the public. Then each person is encouraged to pick and choose those that appeal to him, to experiment with that which is new and trendy, and above all, to never pass judgment on anything which he finds to be personally distasteful. It may offend his moral or intellectual taste buds, but satisfy someone else's. Exercising the freedom of choice is a priority, and we are to be tolerant of those who choose to believe and behave differently.

Not surprisingly, this trend has dramatically affected Christianity. Doctrine and convictions often take second place to diversity and choice. And as choices increase, commitment to an absolute standard of truth decreases. Almost anything passes for Christian beliefs these days; almost anything is permitted as Christian behavior. Ordaining women to the ministry? Mother God? A fallible Jesus? Homosexual ministers? In the absence of a definitive standard, anything becomes possible.

The forces that Timothy battled were different from those we fight today, but their objective was the same: to cause Christian leaders like Timothy to weaken their convictions about the Word of God and its influence on Christian beliefs and behavior. In these verses, Paul encourages Timothy to hold fast the form of sound words he had learned from Paul, to faithfully adhere to the doctrinal truths he had received.

Leadership in Action

Leadership in Action

True leaders in our government, churches, and families have never been more needed than today. What are the characteristics of a true leader? If an EKG or an X-ray would show one’s leadership traits, what traits would be desirable? Here are just a few of the most important ones:

¨ Enthusiasm: Including optimism & hope
¨ Trustworthiness: Honest & transparent
¨ Discipline: To study, pray, give, & go
¨ Confidence: Faith in God
¨ Decisiveness: Not a procrastinator
¨ Courage: Never capitulating to fear
¨ Loyalty: Steadfastness & Faithfulness
¨ Unselfishness: Others first
¨ Humor: A contagious smile & sense of humor
And, most of all
¨ COMMITMENT! - The key to all the above

Leadership does not come naturally for most. Nor are their “10 Easy Steps” to leadership. Merely emulating someone else will not do it. We must daily commit ourselves to spiritual growth and to maturity in leadership. God has given everyone of us influence over people and situations. May He grant us the leadership graces to fulfill His will for our lives

Attitude

A survivor of a Nazi death camp, said, "The last of the human freedoms is to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances." I believe he's right -- we determine our attitudes in every situation, whether we know it or not. In this unpredictable and changing world, the one thing we can always control is the way we think.
While we have little control over circumstances or the actions of others, we can control our reactions to them. And anyone can learn how to operate with a better attitude, regardless of circumstances, temperament, or intellect. To have a more positive attitude and then leading your people to do the same, follow these guidelines:
ACT LIKE THE PERSON YOU WISH TO BECOME.
To have a more positive attitude, begin by acting more positively. Most people wait until they feel like it before taking action, but that's going about it backwards. Instead, you've got to act your way into thinking. By putting desires into action, you can establish a habit of thinking rightly -- and the result is a positive attitude. If you tend to think negatively, break that habit by choosing to have and exhibit a positive attitude. Besides improving your personal well-being, you'll model the actions you want your followers to take as well. As they see your commitment to being positive, they'll follow your example.
CULTIVATE A CONSISTENT POSITIVE ATTITUDE.
To reap a successful harvest, a farmer doesn't plant seeds and then just expect them to grow on their own. He must continually water, weed, fertilize and nurture the growing plants if he wants them to reach maturity. Likewise, if we want a successful life, we need to spend time every day nurturing our attitude. We must nourish the seeds of a positive attitude, or they won't grow. And if we don't pay attention to our crop, weeds of negative thinking will spring up and choke the positive plants until they die. Focus on what's right and successful. Don't feed the weeds. As it says in Philippians 4:8, "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report ... think on these things".
LOOK FOR THE BEST IN EVERYONE.
Have you noticed that whenever you buy a new car, you suddenly see others driving that same model everywhere? I'm sure you've figured out that those other cars were there all along; you just weren't looking for them before. Now that you have that particular car yourself, your eye is trained to notice it. People really do see what they're prepared to see. That's why it's so important to train yourself to look for the best in others. There is good in the worst of us and bad in the best of us, if we look for it hard enough. So whether you notice positive traits or imperfections depends almost entirely on what you choose to see. When we consciously look for the best in people, we allow their good traits to have a positive impact on our life and leadership.
LOOK FOR THE BEST IN NEW IDEAS.
You might believe that great ideas come only to the geniuses of the world. But in reality, discovering an idea is more a function of attitude than aptitude. An open-minded, creative person looks for ideas anywhere he can find them. He considers every option and doesn't reject anything until he's thoroughly examined it for any good he can find.
Many people tend to take attitude for granted. They assume that they're stuck with the attitude that they have. Yet your outlook on life, as well as that of your people, can be changed. And the impact of the right kind of thinking is so significant that it deserves regular attention. Take an attitude inventory today, and set yourself on the right track in your on thinking . Before you can change your world, you must first change the way you look at it.

A New Opportunity

A New Opportunity for A New Year
Someone once said, “Opportunities are seldom labeled.” However, I have always felt that every New Year is a new opportunity to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a new opportunity to move forward along life’s journey and to make one’s life more eternally meaningful.
Because I believe 2009 is a new opportunity for the Lord, I have spent much time in prayer, Bible reading, and goal-setting for this year. I trust that you, too, have set some goals and you are trusting the Lord to use you in a greater way!It has been said, “He who aims at nothing hits it every time!” I would rather try and fail than never try to do the things God lays upon my heart.
Let me encourage you to step out by faith in this New Year.For me and for the church family where I serve, it is my heart’s desire that everything we do will be for the honor of Christ and for the furthering of His faith in this world. We are challenged to live “for the faith” and it is my prayer that generations to come will walk in the faith because of the goals and prayers that will be established this year.

Making A Difference

Jude 22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
I want so badly for my life to count and I know it will, only as I make a difference in other peoples lives. I want things to be better because I had a part. God gives to every man "potential" and as we reach that potential by His grace we can make a difference.
I. We Make a Difference by Staying Faithful
Quote – “By perseverance the snail reached the ark.” – Spurgeon
II. We Make a Difference by Planning
Quote – “Excellence never happens by accident.”
III. We Make a Difference by Participating
Quote – “It is only as we develop others around us that we permanently succeed.”
IV. We Make a Difference by Developing
Quote – “If you don’t have time to do it right, when do you have time to do it again?”
V. We Make a Difference by Caring
Quote – “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”
My prayer for you and me is that we will reached the potential God has given us. So that we will make the kind of difference in someones life today that will be eternal.

A Little Help

Some things that will help me accomplish the will of God for my life in 2009
I. BEGIN WITH A CLEAN HEART
Examine your life; confess your sin. List the changes that need to be made. Ask the Lord to reveal unacknowledged problems (Ps. 66:18; I John 1:9).
II. ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY
Quit blaming other people, your past, or the circumstances of your life for your failure.
III. SET SOME NEW GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR
They should be challenging but practical; higher than you know you could accomplish without the Lord's help and yet consistent with the gifts the Lord has given you.
IV. PLAN NOW HOW TO HANDLE FAILURE AND DIS­APPOINTMENT
Install spiritual "handles" now, which will be within reach when dark and difficult days come. Get special Scripture verses so rooted in your heart and mind that they will automatically come to your consciousness in a time of crisis.
V. BEGIN BUILDING SPIRITUAL HABITS
Doing what you know you ought to do-systematic schedule for reading the Word of God, organizing a prayer list, establish­ing a regular time for soul winning and church visitation, and a regular commitment of service for the Lord.
VI. DARE TO DREAM
List the things you would really like to do with your life if you just had the courage to begin. Ask God to show you what oppor­tunities would be used for His glory, and then get busy!
VII. SEEK FOR GOD'S POWER TO BE OBVIOUS IN YOUR LIFE
Come daily to that point of commitment which enables you to say: "Lord, I am Yours, and I acknowledge Your right to do with me and with all that belongs to me, whatever will bring glory and honor to Your Name." Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you and make your life and testimony effective in witnessing to others. Ask Him to teach you to pray in such a way that your life will be filled with answered prayers

3 New Year's Goals

PS. 65:11—DAVID SAID, “THOU CROWNEST THE YEAR WITH THY GOODNESS”

What direction will we go as a church, on this first day of 2009, let me just tell you. I don’t know! God answered your prayers and He answered ours and brought us together "for such a time as this". He will give me direction, I will follow Him by leading you, and you indicated by your vote that you will follow:
* when you understand…when you don’t
* when you trust me…and when you have to trust the God who sent me to you
* when you agree…and when you have to agree to disagree.
This is a great time to go forward!

1. Find Some Dissatisfaction
Spiritually—don’t ever be content, satisfied. Here’s the attitude to have: However much I read my bible in 2008, it wasn’t enough (or prayed, or gave, or served, or worshipped) Phil. 3:13—“brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended” (arrived) If we’re not careful, we can allow ourselves to get to the point of complacency. (beat down with the woes of life, failures of yesterday) When is a church officially dead, when can we write Ichabod on the door? When we’ve looked backward so long we can’t find it within ourselves to look up, and look ahead!

2. Find Some Devotion Phil. 3:13—“but this one thing i do…”
To the self-righteous rich young ruler, Jesus said, “one thing thou lackest”
To busy Martha, criticizing her sister Mary, Jesus said, “one thing is needful.”
Jesus healed the blind man, he said, “one thing I know…I once was blind, now I see”
Ps. 27:4 David said, “one thing I have desired of the lord.”
Paul said, this one thing I do…a statement of devotion. His Christianity was not a sideline, not a compartment of his life. A wheel has many spokes, and so do we in our lives: work life, school life, hobbies, family life, church life. Jesus doesn’t want to be a spoke at all, he wants to be the hub of the wheel out of which all the spokes grow and connect Christianity shouldn’t be a compartment of our life, it should be our life! We need to trade some commitments of this world for commitment to our lord.

3. Find Some Direction v. 14, “forgetting those things which are behind…”
Did you know that the month January got it’s name from Caesar, who named the month for the Roman god Janus, the two-faced god…one face looking backward, and one forward.
In 2009, there’s no looking back…the past is passed…no man putting his hand to the plow, looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. No looking back at past sin…He forgives it, He forgets it, so should we! It’s satan who reminds you of those past sins, not God. When you think of it, thank God for forgiving you the 1st time!
John R. Rice, “no matter what you did in the past, your future is spotless!”

Let;s Look Forward Too What God Will Do For And Through Us In 2009