Tag Archives: word of god

The Ant

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A few days ago my wife was starting her water running for her shower.  As she looked in to turn the water on she noticed an army of ants.  I cannot stand ants!  They make me want to scream.  Yet, they are God’s creation.  In my not so humble opinion, Noah should have left mosquitos and ants.I am sure they serve some purpose in His kingdom.  Thankfully they will not be in heaven.  Whew!

As I was pondering our ant problem a Scripture jumped into my mind.  Look at the wisdom of Proverbs 6:6, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:”  This winter has been a record breaking event as far as temperatures and snowfall.  These are not records that I am personally not interested in being broken.  I have no control over it so I must continue down the path of life that God has chosen for me to travel.

Really though, I am to go to the ant, consider her ways and be wise.  Then I thought.  When this cold weather hit the ants and other insects simply burrow deeper to avoid the cold.  So, this brings credence to the old saying, “What does not kill you will make you stronger.”  I don’t know who said it; but, it is good anyway.

So, the next time life throws some trial at you don’t bury your head in the sand like the ostrich.  Remember the ant and burrow deeper into Christ and thus become stronger and more Christ-like.

So, how are you doing?

Within The Covers

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reaganquote

Comedian Mark Lowery in one of his routines remarks that he was doing accountability work with his Pastor.  Because this usually meant a phone call earlier in the morning than Mark liked he decided to rename his bed “The Word”.  This way when his Pastor called and caught him still in bed he could honestly (or not so honestly) say, “I am in The Word.”

This really made me angry.  Not only is it deceptive; but, it is just plain sin.  Yes, I said that it is sin.  The Word of God is so precious and so important I don’t understand how someone that is supposed to be a Christian can do such a thing.  I guess it brings in money at concerts.

Within the covers of the Word of God is infinite wisdom, comfort, rebuke, and even the ultimate love and so much more.  It is a gold mine and it is up to you and I to get busy and mine out all the treasures that are held for us.  Will you take time today to do just that?  I sure hope that you will.  It will change your life for all eternity.

So, how are you doing?

 

The above picture was taken from the Independentbaptist.com e-mail newsletter.

 

The Recipe

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The other day I was making barbecue sauce and it dawned on me that I was fasting.  This means no sampling for taste and quality.  That is a real bummer; but, it had to be done.

I began to think about the end result.  I wondered if it would taste okay.  I wondered if it would be too thick or too thin.  Then a thought dawned on me.  If I follow the recipe then I have nothing to worry about.  This made me feel much better and I did not have to break a fast just to taste the finished product.

Then I started thinking about my Christian life.  It is the same way there too.  Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel so to speak I need to just follow God’s Word.  That has been the Recipe since it was first God-breathed.  The lightbulb came on above my head (not really).  God has given to us His recipe in His Word and we just need to follow it.

Far too many of us try to do things our own way and we get into trouble.  We need to just follow what we are told and let God be concerned with the consequences.  Look at Proverbs 22:28, “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. ”  The Landmark of God’s Word is there for us.  So, let’s use what He has given to us.

So, how are you doing?

Thanksgiving 6

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Yesterday I received a phone call from one of my Preacher friends.  He told me he was in town preaching a revival meeting and invited me to come.  Of course, I took the opportunity to go.  After the service we went to a local watering hole for “fellowship” (food).  We talked a lot about the Word of God.  He does King James Bible conferences and has many old Bibles from the 1500’s and 1600’s.

I am so thankful for the Bible that God has preserved for you and I today.  It is His love letter to you and I.  Sadly, people do not see it as important any longer.  Even more sad is the fact that people who say they are Christians do not see the need for the Word of God.  What!?

Not only is the Scriptures God’s love letter to you and I It is a light to our path.  Look at Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”  My friend, last night allowed me to purchase a reproduction of a 1537 King James Bible for a few dollars.  I am beside myself with excitement!

Dear reader, there are people in other countries that would give their life for a page of the Bible.  In our country, you cannot hardly give people a Bible or any part of a Bible because they don’t want it.  It is precious!

So, how are you doing?

Gone Away

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I have shared the example of the compass here before; but, I love it.  When we use a compass we do not have to be far off at the beginning to be way off in the end.  You can only be off a couple clicks in the beginning starting on the east coast of America.  When you arrive in California you will be way off from your intended destination, if you make it into California.  You might be in Washington State or Mexico depending upon the direction you are off.

Ezekiel tells of Levites that had “gone away far from me,” as he was moved of God to write.  Look at Ezekiel 44:10-11, “And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity.  Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them.”

If we are not careful we can be off a click or two in our Christian life and then we will find one day that God will give the testimony of us that we have “gone away far from me,”.  This is a sad reality in our day.  Churches are filled with leadership that have left their Saviour.  This could be due to the sad reality that they never knew Him.  It could be that they have been deceived into believing a lie.

The Word of God is vitally important and it is our compass.  We need to be so familiar with our Compass that we never stray from the narrow road; not even one or two clicks.

So, how are you doing?

Get Your Dirty Feet Out Of The Water

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We all know that water is a necessity of life.  As I have been afforded the opportunity to travel around to different Churches I see a lot of things both good and bad.  Some things break my heart and thankfully other things thrill my heart.

A Pastor carries such responsibility.  He is responsible for his own walk with God.  He is responsible for his family.  He is responsible for his Church.  Actually it is better stated that he is responsible for his leadership of God’s Church.

We have some men in the pastorate today that have no business being there.  They are in it for the money or the prestige or the power.  The list is endless of the wrong reasons.  I am thankful that God has given to me some truly godly men that I have had the privilege to call “Pastor”.  Some of these men are still held in my heart as “my Pastor”.

We have to be careful as Pastor or Shepherd not to muddy the waters of Bible truth.  We have to teach and preach the Word of God as It is to people as they are.  Tragically, some men (and women) now muddy the waters or pollute them to the point that they are poisonous to God’s sheep.

As I was reading two verses of Scripture caught my attention.  Look at Ezekiel 34:18-19, “Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?  And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.”  We need to get our “feet” out of the pool of water and share the pure water of the Word of God with people.

So, how are you doing?

 

Apostasy

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Apostasy is described as a falling away.  I am afraid that we see a great apostasy in the Church today.  My Pastor told a story in the morning service that struck a chord in my heart.  It goes as follows:

A man fell away from going to Church.  After a time his Pastor came to the house to check on him.  He invited the Pastor into his home and they sat down by the fireplace in silence.  Neither man said a word for some time.  Suddenly the Pastor go up and went to the fireplace and took the tongs and removed one coal from the fire and placed it on the hearth and put the tongs back.  He went and sat down again without saying one word.  When the coal had cooled off the Pastor suddenly got up and went to the door to leave.  The man looked at the Pastor and said, “I will see you on Sunday morning.”

The man in our story got the point.  What a powerful illustration.  It can be the same for you and I if we are not careful.  We can let the cares of this world get us so down that we no longer want to go to Church or hear the Word of God.  The Pastor in this story was obviously a wise man who needed no words to convey his message.

What about you my reader?  Have you come to the place where you are like the coal sitting on the hearth?  Are you so cold, calloused and careless that you have not desire to go to Church?  If you find your self in this place then you need to get close to someone that has a deep burning passion for God.  Look at Proverbs 26:21, “As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.”  Just focus on the first part of this verse where it says, “As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; …”.

Maybe you just need to get around people that will build you up on your most holy faith.  People that will encourage you to read the Scriptures.  You need friends that will encourage you to go to Church and pray.  I hope you do and do not be another member of the apostasy that has taken place.

So, how are you doing?

What Is Your Motivation? Day 3

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There is another powerful motivator that we need to pay close attention to.  That is the motivator of the commands of Christ.  Nobody wants to obey it seems in our day and age.  You cannot go into the public without seeing some crumb-snatcher running their respective household by holding them hostage to their every whim by throwing a tantrum.  It is sickening.  Yet, when you discard the commands of Christ like a used paper plate this is what you come to in the world.

I don’t mean to push a hot button; but, the Word of God says to chasten disobedient children and if people would do that then they would give better citizens to the world when those children grow up to be adults.

My point today is that we need to take the commands of Jesus Christ very seriously.  It is high time for God’s people to obey Him.  Dr. William Forester said, “You only believe as much of the Bible as you obey.”  Great wisdom from a great man of God.

So, how are you doing?