Tag Archives: delivered

The Unknown Father 8

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This father lived everyday with the fear that his son would be thrown into the fire, the sea or some other place that would be hazardous to his health.  Think about the stress this man and his family faced.  I cannot imagine how this boy felt either.  He was unable to control his own body at times.  It would be a nightmare.

The father and the family came to the place that they saw the long awaited deliverance. Look at Mark 9:25, “When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.”

We all know that if Jesus says it that settles it.  There is no room for debate.  Jesus spoke and this boy was delivered.  He had endured so much.  This day Jesus showed up in his life and changed things for him.  His long awaited deliverance was now a reality.  It was here.

Dear friend, maybe you are struggling with some situation.  You might feel like you will drown if something miraculous does not happen.  Cry out to God.  He is a miracle working God and He is waiting to do something in your life.  He might not give you the miraculous deliverance you are seeking; but, He will give you what you need to live.  He will fill you with His grace to keep going on.  He will equip you.

He is more concerned with our character than our comfort.  He wants us to be conformed to the image of Jesus.  Part of that process is the unpleasant molding.  It hurts!  One day we can all rest assured that we will be delivered.  It might be the day that we are called home to Heaven.  As God’s children we can look forward to that.  Then all that we have suffered will seem like nothing as we stand before God.

So, how are you doing?

Thank God He Didn’t Throw The Clay Away

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A dear friend gave us a copy of a CD by Jim Brady  titled “Jim Brady Singing The Hits”.  I love it.  There are so many good songs on this CD.  Jim does a wonderful job singing them and really giving them life for the listener.  One of my favorites is “Until Then” and Jim does a slam dunk job on that.

The song that has really hit home for me is the song “He Didn’t Throw The Clay Away”.  As I listened while driving down the road I really began to hear the words and the truth of the song.  We have probably heard that He is the Potter and we are the clay.

God has a plan for our lives.  He knows the end from the beginning.  He also has an expectation for us.  He expects us to be saved.  He expects us to put our faith and trust in Him.  This really came home for me when I read 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.”

Notice it was the clay that was marred.  The clay was in the hand of the potter.  The potter did not have any flaws.  He being perfect, could have given up on me and you immediately; but, He didn’t.  I love the last line of the verse as it says, “… so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.”  He has the power to make us what we were intended to be prior to the fall of the first Adam.  The second Adam came to redeem fallen man from sin and make him a new creation.  “Thank God He Didn’t Throw The Clay Away”!

So, how are you doing?

All Because Of Another 2

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I truly enjoyed writing yesterday’s post.  It was great to stroll down memory lane.  As I was thinking about the topic of “All Because of Another” I remembered a story that was hared at a friend’s memorial service.

My friend has been drinking and was involved in an automobile accident.  He was covered in blood that was not his.  He took his Bible and went to see the Pastor and ended up trusting Jesus Christ as his Saviour.  Praise the LORD!  This man was a dear friend and brother in Christ.

As I began to think about this I just kept thinking about him being covered in blood that was not his.  I am sure you see where I am going.  My mind raced to Jesus’ crucifixion.  As we have recently come through the Resurrection season I could not help but be reminded of some things.

You see, my friend came to the place where he realized what he was doing was not working.  He went a got help.  Far too many people just keep going on through life struggling and fighting against God.  This is futile and will end in eternal judgement.

What you and I need is to be covered in the blood of Jesus and have our sin washed away.  I hope you will do this before it is eternally too late.

So, how are you doing?

A Gift From God 3

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I am sure that while people watched the Super Bowl the other evening there was at least one banner containing John 3:16.  There usually is at major sporting events.  I am thankful for someone who would do this.  They are doing what they can to get the message out.

I cannot think of any greater gift that God the Father could have given to fallen man.  We have a problem.  It is a sin problem.  No matter how good we think we are.  No matter how intellectual we think we are.  No matter what, we cannot ensure that we will spend eternity based upon any thing we can do ourselves.

The words of John 3:16 are some of the most quoted words of all Scripture.  They rank up there with Psalm 23 and “judge not that you be not judged”.

Look at John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  You want to talk about “A Gift From God”.  There it is.  There is the greatest Gift ever given in all of time and eternity.  Jesus humbled Himself and became a man; in flesh, and lived so that you and I can live for eternity with Him.  All we must do is be sorry for our sin and ask Him for forgiveness.  It is so simple that people cannot “get it”.  If you trust Him today then Heaven will be your eternal home.

So, how are you doing?

 

Psalm 1 Wisdom – 6

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Today will be our last installment of “Psalm 1 Wisdom”.  As I was reading this last verse I could not help but think of so many people that live a life of pain and suffering.  My last thought is as follows.

A Woeful Life – vs. 6, “For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”  The word woeful means affected by or full of grief or woe, of very poor quality or condition.

Far too many people are living woeful lives today.  They seem to have nothing to live for.  They place their trust in things of this earth and they are disappointed almost constantly.  I cannot imagine if I thought that you just lived like a dog and died.  That was it.  The end.  This would be “A Woeful Life” for sure.

Some see our God as a big meanie waiting to crush them with the blow of His almighty fist.  This is not true.  God is allowing this into their lives because He loves them.  He allows it to drive them to Himself.  The problem is that we get it all mixed up and run from Him.  We need to run to the LORD!

Today; my dear reader, are you running from God?  Maybe you see your life as “A Woeful Life”.  Here is the thing.  God will not make everything better if you trust Him today.  He will make you better equipped to face the storms and trials of life.

So, how are you doing?

Preparation

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The other evening as I was looking over social media I came across a beautiful picture from a cemetery taken by my friend Rad Drew (www.RadDrewPhotography.com).  The picture is of a grave from circa 1875 and it has this quote with it.

Remember reader as you pass by,
As you are now so once was I.
As I am now so you will be.
Prepare for death and follow me.

— Unknown author from a gravestone, circa 1875.

There is a lot of Biblical counsel in that little poem.  The truth remains that 1 out of 1 will die.  The only exception will be if Jesus returns and takes His children to Heaven.

I want to ask you a question.  Are you prepared to step out into eternity?  Have you made preparation?

If you have not made preparation you need to do that.  You must realize that you are a sinner.  Romans 3:23 tells us that we are all sinners.  Because we are sinners we are separated from God.  Romans 6:23 tells us, “the wages of sin is death;”  This death will be eternal separation from God.  That is the bad news.  The good news is in the second part of that verse in Romans 6:23, “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD.”  All a person has to do is to acknowledge to God that they are a sinner and need a Saviour.  We must confess that to God calling upon Him in prayer.  We must be sorry for our sin and tell Him that.  Then when we acknowledge that and tell Him that and ask Him to save us, He will.

If you would like to know Jesus Christ as your Saviour, please contact me as I would love to show you how.

So, how are you doing?

I’ll See You Next Monday

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Last evening I spent time with our Pastor and his family after Church.  When his Dad retired to bed for the evening he announced to everyone, “I’ll see you all next Monday.”  It took me a minute or so to get that one.  He meant that he was going to bed and he would see everyone tomorrow.  We all got a good laugh out of it.  I think because I did not get it at first.  It is funny.

I began to think.  There will come a day when we will all depart this earth.  What about after that departure?  Will I see you again?  Will I see my loved ones again?

This is a question only they can answer.  Each one of us has been given a will and the freedom to exercise it.  I can choose to follow Jesus Christ or I have the freedom to not follow Jesus Christ.  Now, I believe with all of my heart if we do not follow Jesus Christ we will be sorry for all eternity.

You see, there is a real place called hell and real people go there.  There is coming a day not far off when we will all stand before God and give account for our lives.  Those who have never trusted Jesus Christ will stand before Him as a Just and Holy Judge.  He will pass judgment and proclaim, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.”  These are the most sad words of all ages.

Do you know Jesus?  Even more important does Jesus know you?  Will we see one another next Monday morning here or in Heaven?

So, how are you doing?

Restored

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Well, I am finally back online!  we will see how long this time before I blow up my machine.  Ha, Ha!  I hope never.  This has been a nightmare for the guy who does my computer work.  I am thankful for someone that I can trust to work on these sensitive things and not worry about what he is looking at inside that is private.

As I was thinking about this whole process I thought about people.  The computer had corrupted files and countless viruses.  It was a nightmare.  When people are infected with sin it is a real spiritual nightmare.  The sad part is that they don’t even know they have been infected.  That is one thing we get at birth.  We are born into the family of Adam and we are born sinners.

Through the process of regeneration we are restored to where God intended for man to be.  Our Father never intended for man to sin and die and spend eternity in hell.  He created man to fellowship with Him.  Wow!  Let that sink in.

Jesus came to earth and died on the cross so that you and I can be regenerated or born-again.  Then we are restored to what our Father created us to be.  Look at Galatians 6:1, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”

Just like my computer, we can be wiped clean on the inside and start over like we are all brand new again.  By the way, we are brand new all over again when we trust Jesus Christ as our Saviour.  Will you trust Him today?

So, how are you doing?

 

Life’s Greatest Choice

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Yesterday we had the privilege of going to El-Bethel Baptist Church for my wife to play the piano for the morning worship service.  We love this dear Church and it is always a pleasure to be with them.  My wife sang the song, “The Touch Of The Master’s Hand”.  See a video here at this link.  I prefer to hear my wife sing the song; but, this video is powerful.

Now, Pastor Jim Barnes shared a message titled, “Life’s Greatest Choice”.  It was a great message and it is based upon Joshua 24:15, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”  I will share with you his outline and some of my thoughts.

I. It is a necessary choice – Joshua exhorts the people to “choose”.  We are all in a place where we have to choose.  Here is the thing.  Some people try to not make a choice.  Someone once said, “To make no decision is to make a ‘No’ decision.”

II. It is a personal choice – Joshua exhorts the people personally.  He said, “choose you”.  We all have to make this choice on our own.  We have to choose to trust Jesus Christ as our Saviour.  Then we must make the choice to serve Him or not to serve Him.  It is our choice.

III. It is an urgent choice – Joshua exhorts the people to make an immediate choice “choose you this day”.  Far too many of us want to put off making decisions.  This practice of procrastination must not be.  We need to get it out of our lives.  The choice is urgent and we must choose Jesus Christ before it is eternally too late.

IV. It is a logical choice – Joshua exhorts the people to a logical choice.  He said, “choose you this day whom ye will serve;”.  Then he gives a list of other so-called gods.  He is showing them what they need to see in order for them to make a logical choice.  Why would they choose one of the other “gods” that have been defeated by Jehovah?  It would not make sense.  It would not be logical.

Well friend, you and I are standing at a crossroad.  We can either trust Jesus Christ as our Saviour and know that Heaven is our eternal home and our sins are forgiven or we can choose to reject Jesus once again and our eternal home is in a real place called hell.  You cast the deciding vote.  Will you trust Jesus today?  If you would like to please contact me and I will show you how you can know Jesus personally.

So, how are you doing?

New

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I have talked to so many people that would like to move away and start over.  I see people that are unhappy with their lot in life and want to run away.  This normally does not solve any of our problems.  It just relocates them.  When we run away we take our old habits and the like with us so it is the same song, different verse.

The only way to truly start over is to put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation and the forgiveness of your sin.  This will not let us run away from our sin so to speak.  What it will do is give us a clean slate to start over.  Oh, we will still have the consequences of our sin and we will have to live with that; but, we can start over.  We also get a new perspective.  Things will look different to us  We will handle things differently.  How about that for starting over.

Look at Ezekiel 36:25-26, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”  If you want a new heart and a clean start then run to Jesus and He can take care of it all.

So, how are you doing?