Headed to Town

A fellow met his buddy walking down the road all dressed up and asked where he was going. He said New Orleans. Said I heard their is plenty of liquor, fast women and adult shows. His buddy ask why he was carrying his Bible. Well I thought I might stay over to Sunday and go to church. Harold Danley gave this illistration and wow, did he hit the nail on the head. Many live like the devil during the week and then go to church like they never did anything wrong.

Two Questions

In Act 9:3-6, Saul asked 2 questions we should be asking and diligently seeking to answer. First he asked, "Who are You, Lord?" It is important we know who Jesus is for when we realize who Jesus truly is, we will ask this second question. "What do you want me to do?" We will take on a servants heart when we see Jesus for who He really is, GOD, LORD, SAVIOR. Are you diligently seeking the answer to these questions?

A lawyer, a doctor and a preacher go deer hunting

A lawyer, a doctor and a preacher go deer hunting. The lawyer takes the north end of the fence, the doctor the south end and they put the preacher in the middle. An hour later a deer walks to the middle of the field and all 3 fire at the same time and the deer falls dead. They argue over who killed the deer and finally the doctor says "I can settle this, I have studied forensics." The lawyer says you better have good evidence. After a few minutes the doctor declares that the preacher killed the deer. The lawyer says "how do you know?" The doctor says "because the bullet went in one ear and out the other."

Sometimes we hear it but don't put it into practice. God's blessings come from obedience to Him.

Old Style Football

I was flipping channels the other day and ran across the 1973 Superbowl game between the Washington Redskins and the Miami Dolphins. I just had to stop and watch some of it. I knew who would won, maybe I was watching to see if the outcome would be different this time. Just kidding of course. But I have a kind of fondness for the older games of about this time. I would have been 12 at the time and remember catching some of the games at my grandmothers house. She liked her football games. I remember her saying, I just can't stand that man. She was talking about John Madden who was coaching the Raiders. We just kinda laughed under our breath. And she liked her wrestling to. I remember her saying, "I wouldn't let him do that to me." Like she was gonna pull a Granny from the Clampettes on them. But anyway, as I watched the game I noticed some differences between today's games and the games of old. One was the amount of information put on the screen. I kept finding myself looking for the score, the time, the down and the yards to go. Plus whatever else information they put up there. I really missed my information. It was kinda like when my dad took me to a Texas Rangers game in 1978. Someone hit a home run and I was looking for the replay, but there was none. The game was in color. The game seemed to be a little slower. Maybe it was me, but it seems the players today are faster. But the biggest thing that I noticed was there was no noticeable to the cameras taunting and overt celebrations. After the quarterback got sacked, the player just got up and went back to the huddle. What where were all the high fives and celebrating. Where was the in your face finger pointing at the quarterback that said I got you. There was no drawing attention to self. Every tackle was the same way. After making a great play to get a touchdown the receiver just jogged back to the sidelines. A few congratulations were offered, but no dance in the end zone? You know what I am talking about. It was almost like a job. But it also looked like they had respect for each other. To say the least, it was weird. And I am ashamed to say this it was kinda boring? Is that saying something about me? Maybe about what I had gotten accustomed to? I remember the stir that Billy White Shoes Johnson started dancing in the end zone after a touchdown while he played for Houston. It caused a stir, now today that would be tame stuff. But we have slowly gotten accustomed to it and look forward to the next celebration to see if the last one can be topped. We get into it when the other teams quarterback gets tackled and our man is standing over him taunting him. That seems to be ok. Where I bet if someone had done that in the 60's they might have gotten banned from the league for life. How did we get to this point. The more we see the less we are affected. Our young people today are bombarded with images on TV that would have shut down the station in my early years. To them it is normal. How many murders do they see on tv during a year? How many inappropriate relationship scenes do they see? How about the music videos? The commercials? I am so tired of Bob, some of you will know who I am talking about. I still turn my head when certain commercials come on. I remember my Granddad flipping channels when certain things came on. Bless you Granddaddy for being an example. But the more you see these things the quicker you get used to it and think it is normal. I am reminded of an old sermon example. If you place a frog in normal temp water and then gradually turn the heat up, he won't notice and think it is normal and won't jump out. He will stay in until it is to late for him to realize he is in hot water and it is going to kill him and then it does. Are we in that hot water? How long will it be before it kills us spiritually? Assess your situation, compare things to the Bible not against the world. Let me give you a hint that I have found to be true most of the time. If the world says it is ok and especially if it is celebrating it and pushing it, it is probably not of God. Run from it. Well we are far from the days of old but we can do the things that honor and please God.

Be Careful what you say.

Be careful what you say and how you act. The other day I was at a McDonalds and ordered the same ole thing, the same ole way I always do. All the other McDonalds understand and get it right without any questions. But on this day I ordered it and I got the question of grilled or crunchy. Well what I ordered came with a hamburger patty. I ordered the same thing again with a coke. I got a puzzled look then I think I got the question, what sauce. I say, I think because there was no eye contact and mumbling. I said no sauce. She looked puzzled. So I made the same order a fourth time with a drink. OK, I paid for it and stepped aside yet she didn't give me a cup. I asked for the cup and she said I didn't order a coke, I said I did, she said I didn't. Frustrated I said never mind. I really could have acted in a very bad way. As I turned around there was someone I knew from a local church that I knew. Glad I held my tongue. Be careful, someone is watching you. This may not make sense to some who might read this. But you would understand if you were watching me and knew I was a Christian and began cursing and making a scene. You might say, I don't want to be a Christian if that is the way they act. We need to be self controlled so we don't turn people away from Christ.

I want to be what God has called me to be

I don't want to be a good enough Christian.
I want to be the Christian God has called me to be.
I don't want to be a good enough father.
I want to be the father God has called me to be.
I don't want to be a good enough husband.
I want to be the husband God has called me to be.
I don't want to be a good enough son.
I want to be the son God has called me to be.
I don't want to be a good enough friend.
I want to be the kind of friend God has called me to be.
I want to be what God has called me to be.

Desiring More Than A Touch

Desiring More Than A Touch

Matthew 14:36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

1. They besought Him. They had seen and heard of His miracles and wanted their needs met.
2. They only wanted to touch the hem of His garment.
3. Jesus graciously made them perfectly whole.
4. All this was done because of a simple act of faith.
5. If through this simple act of faith they were made perfectly whole, what could be done by Jesus with a totally surrendered Christian who is abiding, not just touching the hem of His garment, in Christ and is totally surrendered to Him?
6. Are we content to only touch the hem of His garment? Or do we want a deeper relationship with Him? A relationship that will mightily impact those around us?
7. If we don't want that kind of relationship, why not? Are we truly saved? Then we need to take care of that. Are we afraid of what Jesus will reveal in us that needs to change or we need to turn loose of? Behind every change or thing He tells us to turn loose of , there is a greater blessing. Has the world blinded us as to what God can do so we can't accomplish more for God and see others saved? Are we afraid of surrender? We are already surrendered to the world that hates us and wants to destroy us. Jesus came that we might have abundant life.
8. We have nothing to lose by totally surrendering to and abiding in Jesus and we have everything to gain.
Prayer: Jesus I surrender totally to you. Take my life, clean out the closet of my heart and make me useful to you.

Darrell Strahan

James 3:10

James 3:10 (KJV)
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

The New Year

Well the new year is here. It seems like just yesterday it was last year. Well anyways, as the new year is here, maybe now is a good time for a new year motto.. "Surrender and win". For those who have not accepted Jesus as their LORD and Savior, Surrender your life to Him and you win. For the Christian, Surrender every area of your life to Him and you win. Being the biggest loser for Christ, makes us the biggest winner. May your new year be blessed in losing and surrendering.

Do You Know?

I have carried this poem around in my billfold for years. From time to time I will see it and read it. It always reminds me of how I should treat others. It also reminds me that others are looking for Hope, and I reflect the Hope that is within me and that is Jesus Christ.

Do You Know

Do you know
do you understand
that you represent
Jesus to me?

Do you know
do you understand
that when you treat me with gentleness,
it raises the question in my mind
that maybe He is gentle, too.
Maybe He isn’t someone
who laughs when I am hurt.

Do you know
do you understand
that when you listen to my questions
and you don’t laugh,
I think, “What if Jesus is interested in me, too?”

Do you know
do you understand
that when I hear you talk about arguments
and conflict and scars from your past,
I think, “Maybe I am just a regular person
instead of a bad, no-good little girl
who deserves abuse.”

If you care,
I think maybe He cares—
and then there’s this flame of hope
that burns inside of me
and for a while
I am afraid to breathe
because it might go out.


Do you know
do you understand
that your words are His words?
Your face, His face
to someone like me?

Please, be who you say you are.
Please, God, don’t let this be another trick.
Please let this be real.
Please.

Do you know
do you understand
that you represent
Jesus to me?

Love and Love Well

Luke 6:27-28 (KJV) 27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. "Love and Love Well" seems to be a new theme put forth by Mercy Me last night. As I read these verses, I am impressed those we are to "Love Well" are those who are hard to love right now. We are to love them in prayer, word and deed. Sometimes God places people in our path who are hard to love to help us mature spiritually. Don't miss out on this blessing. Also I see that if there is a command as above, then there is an inherent blessing also.

Just a Glance from Jesus

I was reminded of a story tonight, at the moment Peter denied Jesus for the third time he looked through the crowd and caught a glance of Jesus as He looked at Him. At that moment Peter was broken to repentance. Do you remember as a kid how if you were doing something wrong all your mother or father had to do was to give you "the look" and you would stop what you were doing? I remember a few years ago, I had a dream. I saw a cloud floating overhead, then the cloud changed into a hand and then it snapped its fingers and pointed at me, just like a parent might do to a child to get their attention. It certainly got my attention and reminded me that God was watching and was not pleased with me. How hard is our hearts when we sin? How much does it take for Jesus to bring us back to Him through repentance. I think our heart should be so soft towards God that just the smallest thing including a glance should bring us back to Him. How does Jesus glance at us? Through verses in the Bible, prayer, other christians confronting us about our sins in love and other ways. If you are mindful of the sin and know it is wrong, for the Christian that is Jesus staring at you.

My Church Family

I have been so busy lately, I just don't have time to do much of anything. But one thing I get to do is a lot of driving back and forth to jobs. I spend a lot of time with God while I drive and this past week was no different. One day as I was driving I began to "Count my many blessings" as the old hymn goes and I came to my church family. I realized just how important they are to me and my family and how they have been there with me through good times and bad. They are always and encouragement to us. And hopefully we are the same to them. Heartaches and trouble abound but so does the joy. I am always amazed at how when they talk to my 12 year old daughter who thinks she should be 18 sometimes, their advice is always the same as our has been and so reinforces what we have said and that we are not wrong just because we are parents. So I want to say thanks to my church family and we love you. God Bless.

God in our Storms

I took this picture as we were driving through storms. The sun was shining through a hole in the clouds. It reminded me that God is in our storms.

Extending Grace and Mercy to Others

I heard a sermon at our church this past Sunday and got a lots out of it, but one thing really jumped up at me. That was how we can show grace to others and change their lives or not show them grace and change their lives. For better or worse. One of the stories in the Bible talks about how when Saul was chasing David and trying to kill him, he went into a cave to take care of some personal business. He did not know that David and his men were hiding in the cave, and David's men wanted to kill him. David said no, that was God's decision and God would take care of that. But what David did was to cut off part of Sauls coat while he was in there. After Saul left, David came to the mouth of the cave and yelled to Saul and showed him what he had done. Basically letting him know that he was no danger to Saul. Sometimes we have the lives of people in our hands and we don't even know it. Basically their necks are on the chopping block and we have the ax. I have gone to people in the past and had to appolgize and or admit my mistakes to them. Basically I layed my head on the chopping block and was at their mercy. Most of the time they are gracious and show that grace to me. I have had to do the same to those who have harmed me or done some wrong to me. To be like Jesus even though I wanted to give them a piece of my mind and say "Yes you were wrong and you shouldn't have done that"and so on and so on. I think you get my drift. But I do try to be gracious and bestow grace to them. After all I have done the most agregious thing to my Lord and my Saviour and He extended Grace and Mercy to me. How can you extend Grace and Mercy to someone? How has someone done that for you? Just think you may influence someone towards accepting Christ as their Saviour or encourage them in their Christian Walk.

Lake Claiborne Worship Services 9-6-09

We had a great crowd at Lake Claiborne yesterday. There was my wife, daughter and myself to lead the services. I am so blessed to have a family who is involved in ministry. Enjoyed fellowship with Christians from all around. There were 65 people and 4 dogs. We don't have a problem with the dogs showing up, but when I get up to preach and see more than one dog, I just hope they don't see each other until we are done..LOL.. It is just great how Christians can come together from all around and be able to bond and fellowship. We had people from Camden, Magnolia and El Dorado Ar. Bastrop, La and Mt. Pleasant Tx. Some we have seen before from El Dorado and the ones from Mt. Pleasant Tx from a few years ago. We only do the services on the first Sunday of the month and other churches do the other services on the other Sundays through Rolling Hills Ministries. We enjoy visiting other churches whenever we travel and always find the Christian Bond to be so incredible.

John 10:10 (KJV)
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Did Jesus save us just so we could go to Heaven and not live eternally in Hell? No, He came so we “might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” I think if He had just been saving us from Hell, then He would have taken us home at the moment of our salvation. Of course this leads to the question, “What would this world be like without Christians, and who would preach and witness so that others might be saved?” What is the “abundant life”? I am not one of those who believes in the “name it, claim it” philosophy, where God is supposed to give you whatever you ask for as far as wealth is concerned. I do believe however, if God decides to bless you in that way, He can. The abundant life I think of is the “peace that passes all understanding.” The knowledge that I am forgiven, I am loved by the Most High, I am accepted into His family as His son, to know that He walks with me daily and wants to commune with me. He came to restore unto us the relationship with Him that has been broken because of Sin. Do you have the abundant life that God offers? Have you experienced salvation the peace you get from being forgiven and being in a right relationship with Jesus? We can only have abundant life through Him. All the programs the world offers to success and happiness may only bring temporary (here on this earth) and false abundant life. The key to the abundant life is Jesus. You will find "True" peace in Him.

Something New!!!

Wow, sometimes you read a passage over the years and then one day you see something you hadn't noticed before. That happened to me this morning. Check it out and I will underline something.

Luke 18:9-14 (KJV) 9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Note, self, self, self. They trusted in themselves. They felt they were righteous. This led them to despise others as you can see in the prayer. And lastly who did they pray with, self, not God. Ouch! My Life Appication Bible pointed out that he went to the Temple to proclaim his righteousness before man. That got me to thinking about a previous post about why do we go to church. Do some of us go to church to show our righteousness to man. The only righteousness that counts should be the righteousness that Christ gives to us when we accept Him as our Lord and Saviour. I don't want to go to church to impress men.

Bats

Well I went out to the shop the other day to get some parts for a job. I opened the door to the dark cinder block room and stepped inside and turned on the light. Whoosh, something dark flew by my head and I immediately knew what it was and a chill went up my spine and caused the remaining hair on my head to standup. A BAT!! I ducked as it made another pass and considered screaming and running out of there to return with a bat of my own to do some batting practice. But I thought better and remembered, bats don't attack and bite like they are shown in the movies. Where had this apprehension of mine come from.? TV, books, culture all had influenced the way I felt about bats. I began to think about how God created the bat, for a purpose. Thanks for all those mosquitoes they eat at night. Satan has turned everything good that God has created into something bad. I will leave the imagination to you. About 6000 years ago when God finished creation, the Bible says that everything was good. But since the fall, it has all been going downhill. But thank God for creating us to have a relationship with Him.

What would your life be like if you gave up.... 2

Well I posted a question previously that asked the question, What would life be life if we gave up a lot of things, such as TV, Games, etc.... I said I would return to this and finish it up. Well a while back we watched a movie called, "Saving Sarah Cain". I listed it one my movie section. Very good movie. Anyways, part of it is based in the Amish country and has a lot of there beliefs in the movie. We are looking at going up there next year. I heard a radio program recently on AFR about a family that took a couple weeks and lived in an Amish community in upper Tennessee. After leaving there, they continued to live in that way. They say their kids are better off for it. Even smarter. Someone gave us some of the Amish friendship bread and my wife made some. Big mistake, it was too good. Can't lose weight with that stuff around. So I jokingly told my 12 year old daughter that since everywhere we turn the Amish life keeps coming up it must be God telling us to live that way. So I told her we were going to live that way. We were going to give up TV, Cell phones (which she does not have), the WII, Nintendo DS, computers. You could have thought the world was about to end. Of course I was only joking and she wasn't really sure, but I assured my family I hadn't lost my mind yet. But it did get me to thinking, What would we do if we didn't have all those electronics. For me, I would hope that I would read my Bible more and spend more time in prayer and walking with God more. Or would I find something else to take up my time. I do plan to cut back on things and try to spend more time with God. I hope you do to. God Bless.

Oh, if you want the recipe for the Amish friendship bread, let me know.