The Fan

The other day I finished praying and I noticed that when the wind changed direction the fan in the window sped up or slowed down.  This made me begin to think.  We who know Christ as our Saviour know that the Holy Spirit helps us.  He is the “wind beneath our wings” as the song says.  Look at Acts 11:12, “And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house:”  We can either yield to the Spirit or we can continue to fight against Him and do things our own way.

Yesterday our Pastor used the illustration of an eagle.  An eagle knows when a storm is coming before it arrives.  They simply fly higher than the approaching storm.  When the storm comes they fly above the storm.  The wind that would have buffeted them and beaten them now causes them to soar.  An eagle only flies 20% of the time.  The rest of the time they simply glide on the wind.  They don’t fight against it.  They use the wind and soar above the storms of life.  Maybe it is time for you and I to stop fighting the storms of life and yield to God in the storms and see what He is trying to do in our lives.

So, how are you doing?

 

 

Temptation

We are all familiar with I Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”  A Preacher friend of mine preached on this subject recently.  He said that this “roaring lion” is an old lion.  He lays hidden in the brush and waits for prey that he can no longer chase come to him.  Then he roars and scares them into the pack of younger lions who make the kill.

This give a little insight into our battle against temptation.  Remember it is not a sin to be tempted.  It is a sin when we yield to that temptation.  Remember Jesus Himself was tempted; but, He never sinned.  He has set an example for you and I to follow in the area of temptation.  Remember that He is our High Priest and He knows first hand what we experience.  When He tells us that we can win over temptation He means it.  When the devil roars at you give him the Word of God back.  Yes, quote Scripture!

So, how are you doing?

Luke 4:13, “And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.”

Too Old

After preaching at the mission last night I felt like I had been hit by a train and it backed up to make sure it got me.  The men take it all out of you.  It is a good feeling of being tired.  This past week I have heard several people talk about aches and pains that limit them.

Why is it that when we get older that we think we can not only retire from our jobs; but, we take the opportunity to retire from serving God?  This should not be.  Look at Bible examples.  Abraham and Sarah were in their nineties and God gave them Isaac.  I don’t want to be a parent again at my age.  I cannot imagine being a new parent at ninety years old.  Wow!

Dear friend, don’t retire from God’s work.  People need you to stand in the gap.  You are deeply needed to keep on keeping on for the glory of God.  No matter if your hair turns colors or turns loose it is no excuse to quit on God.  The Bible records time and again of people that were deemed older in our eyes that He used mightily.

Look at Luke 1:5-7, “There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.  And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.  And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.”

So, how are you doing?

The Hand of the LORD

The other night I had the pleasure of hearing a fantastic sermon on “The Arm of the LORD”.  It got me to thinking.  At the end of that arm is a hand.  From there I began to run many thoughts through my mind about these hands.

The hand of the LORD will save.  Look at Acts 11:21, “And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.”  This is deliverance.  Jesus in His finished work on the cross delivered all who will believe from sin.

The hand of the LORD was scarred.  Look at Psalm 22:16, “For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.”  There is only one man-made thing in Heaven and that is the nail prints in His hands and feet.  Think about that for a moment.

The hand of the LORD is serving.  Look at John 13:5, “After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.”  Jesus stooped down and washed the nasty feet of all the disciples, even Judas who would betray Him.

The hand of the LORD is stretched out.  Look at  Psalm 136:12, “With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.”  I think you can ask the Apostle Peter about this one during a sea walking incident.  Maybe you know personally about His stretched out hand.

II Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

There are many other adjectives that will describe the hands of the LORD like strong, stable, special and the list could go on and on.  The main thing is that you know Christ as your Saviour.  If you do not, please trust Him today.

So, how are you doing?

Another Light

Well, yesterday’s post got some good feedback so I thought I might try another day on the same subject.  As we saw yesterday the moon only reflects the light of the sun.  This is how we need to live our lives.  We need to reflect the Light of the SON.

I was thinking about  the Seedline International Conference last week.  On the last night everyone is given a glow stick and we all stand in a circle around the tent where the meeting is held.  One by one each person breaks their glow stick and shakes it up and the red light begins to shine.  The more glow sticks shining the brighter it gets in the tent.  I know you see where this is going.

Today would be better titled “Glow Stick Christianity”.  Think about this.  Just like the glow stick, God has to break us to allow our light to shine more bright.  Then He shakes us up and then we really begin to “go, grow and glow for the glory of God.”  That was not original with me; but, I love it!  So, Christian friend is your glow stick broken and shaken up to allow your light shine more brightly?  Look at Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

So, how are you doing?

Reflection

I am wondering where the day has gone where people that went to the altar to pray were accompanied by someone else praying for them?  Maybe people are afraid of what people will think about them for going to the altar.  I know there are some Churches left where someone will come pray with you at the altar; but, I think it should be common place.

The reason I posted my photograph of the moon is because the moon has no light in it.  The light that illuminates the moon comes from the sun.  It is just a large reflector.  This is exactly what happens when we minister to the needs of one another.  I know in my life there have been times that I wished someone would put their arm around me and pray for me and my family.  Sometimes people pick up on the leading of the Holy Spirit.  To God be the glory!

I know that we all have opportunities in our lives to reflect Jesus to others.  The problem is that we do not always take these opportunities. Look at Matthew 5:14, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.”

So, how are you doing?

Clay

On Sunday evening our Church studied the book of Jeremiah in a survey style.  I was caught when the study came to Jeremiah 18.  I read these verses every year in my annual Bible reading plan.  For some reason they jumped out at me this time,

Look at Jeremiah 18:4, “And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.”  Here we have a wonderful picture of you and I.  We are “marred”.  Jesus is the Potter and you and I are the clay.  He is molding us into Christ’s likeness.

We do not like to be molded.  As the Potter puts His hands on us it hurts.  It is not a pleasant process; but, it is a vital process.  Notice the clay is marred before the Potter begins the process of turning and molding.  This is like you and I.  We are marred by sin.  This sin separates us from God.  When we come to God and confess our sin He will forgive us and make us His child.  Then starts the process of molding us into the likeness of Jesus.  This is not easy; but, it is vital to our Christian life.

Just like the vessel does not resist the potter you and I need to yield to the Potter and allow Him to make us into what He is shaping and molding us to be.

So, how are you doing?

Muster Up The Paddock 2

I have been thinking about missions and the conference we were just in a few days ago.  The Missionary to Australia talked about being a Ringer and having to muster up the paddock.  He related it to our Christian life.

Think about where animals seem to hide.  Sometimes you have to look high and low for them before you find them.  It is an unpleasant task to try to find someone or something that does not want to be found.

This is just like you and I before coming to faith in Christ.  We did not want to be found.  We ran from God and His attempts to show us our lost condition.  We ran from Him all over the place.  The good thing is that you cannot run too far from God because He knows where you are at all times.  Maybe it is time to spiritually muster up the paddock.

look at Matthew 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.”

So, how are you doing?

Muster Up The Paddock 1

Taking a quick inventory of my blog, I noticed that I did not explain myself a couple days ago.  So, here we go.

In talking with the Missionary from Australia I learned something.  I learned he used to be a Ringer and would often have to muster up the paddock.  This is what caused me to think that the Preacher said something about mustard on a paddy.  I was deeply confused.

When I shared my inability to hear and understand the Missionary filled in the blanks for me.  A Ringer is a cowboy.  The paddock is the pasture land that the animals graze on.  To muster up is to go all the way to the back and sides of this property and make sure that there are no “deserters” in the evening roundup (that is my interpretation).

I have to say that it does remind me of the Scripture passage that the Preacher used this week.  Look at Matthew 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.”

So, how are you doing?

Ringer

My wife and I enjoyed spending Sunday evening through Wednesday evening at the annual Seedline International conference.  She was sick and could not go on the last night.  It was sad.

In this conference was a Missionary to Australia and I enjoyed listening to him.  “Good’ay Mate” was all he needed to say to me.  This guy has lived in Australia most of his life except for the time he spent in the United States going to Bible college.

He said that he spent most of his life as a “Ringer”.  I thought maybe he grew up ringing the Church bell.  This is a ministry that some take on and excel in.  A “Ringer” in Australia is a cowboy here in America.  I hate to say it; but, I immediately thought about a “dead ringer”.  We say that if someone looks like someone else.  I am guessing that the phrase come from somewhere else.

How fitting that this Ringer becomes a Missionary.  He is already used to dealing with hard-headed animals.  He should be well prepared for ministry.  His mandate comes from Matthew 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.”  How about you?  Where does your mandate come from?

So, how are you doing?