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FEARLESS FAITH

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:00:00 PST

That's what we need today: Fearless Faith. Many today have what might be referred to as 'Conditional Faith"; that is, faith that works well under ideal circumstances. But when the pressure comes, watch out. What comes out of the mouth of the "conditional faith" believer will sound more like an unbeliever than a believer. We, in western culture are so spiritually soft because we have had it so easy. And when pressure does come, many go into hiding for protection.

CHRISTIAN OLYMPICS

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:00:00 PST

I attended the Western Maine Christian Men’s Breakfast on a recent Saturday morning. The guest speaker, a local pastor, started out by quoting 1 Cor. 13:11 “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

He went on to speak about the need for Christian Men to act like grown men and put away immature thoughts and actions.

The Church, God, and Government

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:00:00 PST

Romans Chapter 13

As we apply Romans chapter 13, to our politically-charged culture, there could be some pretty major push back as we consider this topic: "The Church, God, and Government." While many would say that God and government don't mix very well, I suggest that government can only be understood to the degree to which we understand God. And actually, according to what Jesus said in Matthew 22:21, we owe an allegiance to both God and to government: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s."

What Will They Say About Us

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:00:00 PST

Have you even thought about what will be said about you at your funeral?

I heard a humorous remark about what some hope people will say when they are walking by their casket. Someone said they hope they will say, "I think he's moving".

I also recall the poem The Dash written by Linda Ellis that illustrates the point.

Valentine Believers

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:00:00 PST

In two days it will be Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is about love and we have a wonderful description of love from 1
Corinthians 13:8-13:
"Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will fail; where there are tongues, they will cease; where there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

Preparing For Times of Uncertainty

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:00:00 PST

- A godly life brings opposition.
- A godly life brings hard choices.
- A godly life requires that we know Who we believe in.
- A godly life brings blessings and peace.

We are living in very uncertain times.

We have a financial system that cannot seem to find its footing. Homes are being foreclosed on, retirement savings have been decimated, jobs are being lost by the thousands, and the cost of living continues to rise. We have a president that scares a lot of people. There are also societal changes. We live in a different society than we did ten years ago. Terrorism affects all of us now. Our country has always been a bastion of liberty. Liberty is freedom with responsibility.

One of the greatest things about our country has been that people understood and took their responsibilities seriously. We now live in a world that doesn’t view freedom as a liberty but as a license – a license to do whatever they want to do while answering to no one. Maintaining liberty in that environment is very difficult.
More than 150 years ago, French Historian Alexis De Tocqueville traveled America to discover why the American experiment was so successful. He noted, “America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.” And he noted that “Liberty cannot be established without morality, or morality without faith.”

Being Effective in 2010

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:00:00 PST

Many remember the 1985 movie starring Michael J. Fox, who played the part of teenager Marty McFly, and, Christopher Lloyd, who starred as Dr. Emmit Brown, a weird scientist who invented a time machine placed inside a remodeled DeLorean. Produced by Stephen Spielberg, Back to the Future, won Oscars for best effects and best sound editing, but its greatest effect was how it affected our culture and way of thinking.

God is Pro-life

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:00:00 PST

[This article was published on Jan. 16, 2009]

Listen to the Psalmist in chapter 127:3 (NASB)
“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior, so are children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They shall not be ashamed, when they speak with their enemies in the gate.”

From the New Testament, listen to the words of Jesus. In Matthew 18:1-4 “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' And He called a little child and had him stand among them, and He said, 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'” Vs. 6 “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Moving Ahead in 2010

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:00:00 PST

Joshua 1:1-2; 6-9

The scripture reading tells about a time when the children of Israel were off to a new start. Moses had led them for the previous 40 years; but now he was dead. In fact, all of the older generation had died off in the wilderness. Joshua and Caleb were the only old guys left.

For 40 long years, the marching orders for Moses had been: "Take another lap around Mt. Sinai." There was a reason for that, but at last, Joshua received new marching orders. The book of Joshua starts with a bang: "Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise and go …" Joshua 1:2. Now that is a way to start something new! The Message Version puts it like this: "Moses my servant is dead - so get going!"

Lighting Up the World of Darkness

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 10:00:00 PST

John 8:12

Making decisions in the dark can lead to some regrettable consequences. Back in the days before electricity, a tightfisted old farmer was taking his hired man to task for carrying a lighted lantern when he went to call on his best girl. “Why,” he exclaimed, “when I went a-courtin’ I never carried one of them things, I always went in the dark.” “Yes,” the hired man said, wryly, “and look at what you got!”

Some people change their ways when they see the light, others only when they feel the heat.

Eliminating Christmas

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:00:00 PST

The problem in our society today is not that we don’t have Christmas. In fact, we seem to have Christmas everywhere and for a long time. Well before Thanksgiving you can begin to hear the music, the bells, and the endless television commercials. It seems that everywhere you look, you see Christmas advertised in newspapers, on radio, television, and in every store across the land.

Our problem is not that we don’t have Christmas but increasingly it is a Christmas minus Christ. We have the celebration, but the celebration has gradually edged Jesus completely out. In fact, there are people who are attempting to gradually remove any mention of Jesus – Whom, by the way, is the Source of the joy and power of Christmas.

Unashamed

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:00:00 PST

Do you ever find yourself wishing you had the courage to say what you really mean; instead of toning down what you mean; saying what you think deep in your heart, without censoring or sanitizing it to make it more palatable for people?

Did you ever think about your last words just before you die? What do you consider to be the most important words in which to use your final breath in this earthly life?

The Letter of 2 Timothy has often been thought of as Paul’s letter from death row. These were Paul’s final thoughts from his Roman prison to his beloved pupil Timothy.

Christian Doormats

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:00:00 PST

Some people have the mistaken notion that a Christian should be nothing but sweet, mild, and nice. Christians do not have to finish last. They do not have to be doormats.

In Nehemiah 4, Sanballat and Tobiah, the Ammonite official of chapter 2, verse 19, returned with more trouble. This time, Sanballat laughed at the Jews, ridiculed their rebuilding project before it reached the halfway stage, and returned later with more trouble when the wall was near completion.

Israel's enemies labeled them feeble, called their city a dump, and described their work as inferior. How did Nehemiah respond? Nehemiah was still nice but never to a fault. He never allowed people to walk all over him and he did not back down when he and others with him were at risk, in danger, or being threatened. Note also that Nehemiah did not pick a fight or start a shouting match. He immediately brought the matter before God, quickly organized the Israelites to take action, and aggressively overcame the threat of their enemies.

We could take some great advice from Nehemiah's example.

Proclaiming the Unpopular Truth

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:00:00 PST

Have you ever had the experience in which something was going on that was not right, or something was happening that you disagreed with but you just left it alone and walked away, only to later be bothered by your thoughts, thinking, "I should have said something and spoke up for what was right or for the truth"? Or maybe have you been in a situation in which you were being attacked by others, and people that you thought would speak up and say something on your behalf just remained silent trying to avoid eye contact with you.

Thanksgiving

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:00:00 PST

Next Thursday, across America, families will gather around the table for a wonderful meal and people will give thanks. Most will not have a true understanding of the Thanksgiving holiday, or what they are thankful for except that it is a day off from work with lots of food to eat.

The first Thanksgiving began with a group who joined together in the early part of the 1600's. It was a time when King James I was on the throne in England and the Church of England, under his authority, persecuted anyone who did not recognize its absolute civil and spiritual authority, including a state church which was known to hunt down, imprison and even execute those who believed in freedom of religion.

To Tell the Truth

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:00:00 PST

1 Kings 22:6-14

Some who are reading this may be old enough to remember the television show, To Tell the Truth. It was a game show that was popular in the 50s. The idea was to challenge a panel of four celebrities to correctly identify a described contestant who typically had an unusual occupation or experience. This "central character" was joined by two "imposters" who pretended to be that central character. The celebrity panelists questioned the team of challengers, with the imposters allowed to lie, but the central character "sworn to tell the truth".

Veterans Day

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:00:00 PST

John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

Veterans Day, is observed annually in the United States to honor all those, living and dead, who served in the U.S. armed forces. Unlike Memorial Day, which honors those who have died in wartime, Veterans Day honors all those who have served, in times of peace as well as in war.

Veterans Day is observed on November 11. The holiday was originally called Armistice Day, and it commemorated the end of World War I at 11:00 a.m. on November 11, 1918. Fighting stopped at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

Overcoming Opposition - Part 2

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:00:00 PST

Nehemiah 4:10-23

Nehemiah was facing opposition and obstacles. He had heard the news of the destroyed wall of Jerusalem. He had immediately prayed, seeking God's will and strength. When Artexerxes asked what he could do, Nehemiah was faced with doubt and fear. But our God is faithful and the king gave Nehemiah all he asked for, and more, when he took that step of faith.

Overcoming Opposition - Part 1

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:00:00 PST

Nehemiah 4:1-9

A few centuries ago a shipload of travelers landed on the northeast coast of America. The first year they established a town site. The next year they elected a town government. The third year the town government planned to build a road five miles westward into the wilderness. In the fourth year the people tried to impeach their town government because they thought it was a waste of public funds to build a road five miles westward into a wilderness. Who needed to go there anyway?
[My how things have changed in a few hundred years!]

Modern Religion

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:00:00 PST

Today, there are many places of worship that have lost God. They are "religious", but not truly spiritual. Without the Spirit, you are just religious at best!

Before his salvation experience on the road to Damascus, the Apostle Paul was one of the most religious men of his time. In Acts 26:5 he states, " . . . after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee." He was not a Christian at that time. In fact, he was anti-Christian and anti-Christ, committing to prison and even murdering those who followed after the Lord Jesus. His testimony, as recorded through the Scriptures, tells us that he was very religious.