Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Ever wonder why God never informed us when he was coming back to claim his church?
Just think if you knew exactly when CHRIST was coming again. Would you live like you do now or would you wait until the day of his return, the hour or even the minute?
1 Cor 15:51-52 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
In the twinkling of an eye wow can you think of anything quicker or faster then that? But we still put off following JESUS thinking we have plenty of time. What would you do if your professor gave you a paper to do with no time limit the only catch is that he could asked for it at anytime he chooses. Would you be ready or just taking a chance that he would not require it for months. I don’t know about you but if that class meant something to me I would do everything possible to be prepared.

James 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Please be patient for he is coming again. Why not live like he could come back today this hour this minute or this very second. What would you change in your life if you knew he was coming back today? Or should I say what would you be doing when he returns. Will you be doing what he asked us to do or will you be caught off guard?

Saturday, December 6, 2008

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

As some of you may know I am a very avid college football fan. I love the game the atmosphere and the all around competition. I have certain teams I adore and teams I love to see lose. After watching the sec championship game I have a new outlook for the university of Florida and Mr. Tim Tebow. Tim Tebow impressed me with his talents as a football star and his all around witness for GOD. Did anyone see the post game interview with this man? Wow he is a brother in CHRIST how can we not pull for this man to do well. Lets all get behind him and pray that he will get another chance to thank GOD for doing well.

Monday, December 1, 2008

My Trip To Ohio

Cammy and I just finished our trip to Ohio.
Although it was a quick trip it wasn’t uneventful. Our trip started on Friday morning about 330 in the morning we loaded the car about 3 times and finally came to our senses that something had to be left behind. And we got on the road, the trip lasted 8 and ½ hours, now if you ever traveled 500 miles with your mother-in-law grandson and wife you know the stress I went thru. But praise the lord we all made it in one piece with most of our senses. We arrived at my daughter’s house around noon I was so tired that I could not see straight so I went and took a nap a long nap, Cammy spent the afternoon holding my new grandson time well spent. We didn’t do anything on Friday but visiting.
Saturday I could not get a hold of any of my family except my dad. So we all went out to see him (yes my mother-in-law is still with us) now don’t get me wrong I love my mother-in-law but I wanted to spend some quality time with my dad and my daughter and I couldn’t be rude and tell her to go home. But it all worked out well. Then we all went shopping that was an experience I would never wish on anyone everyone one was tired and cranky except Blake the baby. Anyway we got our shopping done and went back to krissy’s house. Cammy finally took Phyllis home and I took another nap.
We all went to the olive garden Saturday night and had a wonderful dinner I learned a lot about kris’s boyfriend (Blake’s Daddy) he seems like a nice enough fellow. At least he is working and trying to support his son.
I had a nice talk with our waitress Lindsey she said she had children and she didn’t have a church to take them to so I asked her were she lived and praise the LORD she only lives 3 blocks away from the Good Shepard Wesleyan Church in Jackson Ohio. I informed her that I had visited that church just last summer and it was a good Church some place she could take her children to and feel comfortable. It is great that people know you’re a Christian just by the way you handle yourselves and your attitude. It makes my job a little easier. It is a great feeling to know that God sent her to our table just so we can witness to her and point her to a good church. I only pray that she does go and take her children I think she will because God sent her to our table for a reason.
The trip home was miserable an 8 hour trip took us about 12 hours. It rained all day and the holiday traffic was unbearable. We made it all the way back to Durham North Carolina when we stopped to get gas ad low and behold it was the first time
We ever paid cash for our gas on theses trips and it will be the last, the cash we had was counterfeit thank the LORD we had a credit card or we would be in jail. The only thing I can figure out is that we picked it up at the olive garden. Anyway way we made it home safe and sound in one piece and without a criminal record. Just another thing to praise the LORD about.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

LIFE'S STORMS

Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

As you may know Cammy and I received Christ in our lives about a year ago. During this time of Thanksgiving my mind goes back to what we have been though this year. I have been going though some spiritual changes in my life.
I was told that after getting saved I was on my way to heaven and that’s all God has to offer me. They could not have been anymore wrong!!!!
God has taught me everyday, something new and exciting happens in my life everyday. If we look upon God and ask for his guidance we will continue to grow. If we as Christians just relax and let our guard down we are heading for a fall. We need to stay strong in our faith and how do we do that?
First we need to read his book the Bible for it is though the scriptures that he teaches us he talks to us though his word. How hard is that to understand?
Second pray ask God for guidance ask him what he wants you to do. He will give you instructions on what to do but the secret is to do it.
After being converted on the Damascus road the apostle Paul asked the LORD what he wanted him to do. I love it the first thing Paul did after being converted was to find out what GOD has planned for him. Let’s not ask God what he can do for us but rather what we can do for God.

Acts 9:6 KJV And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Everyday we need to grow spiritually. Remember all spiritual growth does not happen in church or in a Bible study although these things are important. Real spiritual growth comes in fellowship with our Lord. You can go to church 7 days a week if you’re not talking to God what good it is doing you. We must have fellowship with him. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit he becomes a guide and a teacher. If we had all we needed, why would we need a guide and a teacher?
After being saved just a couple of months the storms hit. And they haven’t let up much but thought the grace of God we will overcome. Being grounded in Gods word and a constant prayer life we knew how to handle this.
No matter what the devil throws at us God has a plan.
Even though these storms are taking place our focus is still on the Lord and what he wants us to do. When the devil comes around with his lies and tries to feed us doubt we know that God is in control. During a storm it gets dark and gloomy but praise the Lord in order to make the flowers grow it take a little rain. We need to refuse to listen to the devil tell him to get out and leave us alone. We are a child of the king and we need to act like it.
If you’re going though a storm right now remember that God is in control. Give it to him let him handle it. Lay it at JESUS feet. Read his word find out what God wants you to do. Pray, pray, pray just have a little talk with JESUS.
Lets thank God for the storms in our life without the storms we would never grow we would be old stale stagnant Christians.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

GOOD MORNING

GOOD MORNING
Good morning every morning when I get up the first thing I think of is how great going to start a morning prayer I pray every morning but starting this morning I am going to write it down.
Heavenly Father I thank you for allowing me to have another day a day to worship you. I thank you for the many gifts that you have bestowed on me and my family. You have seen me though some tuff times but when I look back I can see you were there all the time. Thank you for the job that you have given me not only my worldly job but my spiritual job. Working for you is a great pleasure and a challenge. Place in my heart a desire to do the task you have in mind. Keep me safe today keep the people I work with safe let your Holy Spirit move around us that we may be aware you at all times.
Now Lord I come unto you with special needs even though you know all things you know our hearts our desires. But as your word says everything we ask in your name you will give it to us. We ask you to bless the family of Barney Bailes be with them comfort them in there time of need. We don’t know the reason why you took him at such a young age but it is not up to us to challenge you. Remember my family the ones that are not saved and the ones that are sick and headed for the hospital be with them and meet their needs. Be with our church today as we minister to the community. Be with our pastor and his wife and be with the leaders. For the job you have given them is a special job. Give my children a special touch today build a hedge of protection around them. Be with my grandchildren our parents our grandparents.
May you bless our nation we know that if we don’t start letting you take control of this mess we will never be a nation under God Again. Help us to understand this.
Now Lord as I close this prayer keep me under in fold today under your wing of protection help me not to be quick to anger slow to speak and let your love shine in my heart today that whoever I come in contact with they will know how Christ can work in their lives.
These things I ask in the Holy name of JESUS
AMEN

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

What are We Doing?

As I stop and think of who is attending church these days it saddens me to think that we as Christians are making it hard for the unchurched to feel welcomed.
Who do you welcome in your church? Would you welcome someone who is homeless, someone who has a pedophile, or maybe a couple who are living together and not married? If you answered no to any of these shame on you!! Theses are exactly the kind of people we need in the church now there is a difference between going to church and becoming a member there is no way these people should become members unless they stop the way there living and turn there hearts over to Christ. But these people need to be in church. Where would you rather have them on the streets dealing drugs are in church trying to learn about GOD?
We need to be Christ like. I like the bumper sticker WWJD (what would JESUS do) Just what do you think Jesus would do if two homosexual’s arrived at church on Sunday morning.
Would he:
(A) Meet them at the door and tell them that there kind is not welcome.
(b) Shy away from them so that they won’t feel welcome and hope they won’t come back.
(c) Welcome them with open arms and try to teach them in a loving way, the ways of Christ.
What makes us so perfect we where all deep in sin at one time in our lives and GOD seen fit to forgive us. So why not look past the sin and look toward the sinner GOD loves all of us just the way we are. Let’s not look at someone’s sin so hard that we forget they are human. Let’s pray for them sin is sin there is no such thing as a little sin. What makes someone who is living with someone without being married a bigger sinner then someone who cheats on his taxes. Look God will not allow sin in heaven he hates sin so don’t think for a minute that if you lie or even cheat someone that God will overlook it, all he sees is sin no matter what it is. The adulterer the murderer the thief is no different then the ones who lie, cheat and gamble. So don’t be so humble love the sinner but hate the sin
Remember Jesus hung out with the tax collectors and the sinners and the Jewish leaders could not figure that out.

Monday, November 17, 2008

TODAYS EVENTS

Cammy took me to work today things are slow at work they put me on a different job today.
everything was ok i guess.
they used me to bulid boxes it was hard but rewarding it was a job were i worked by myself.
that was strange no one to talk too.
it went ok untill the accident but i am ok now.