SPRING IS AROUND THE CORNER

Study nature as the countenance of God. -Kingsley

Genesis 8:22, While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

We are guaranteed that the seasons will always come. From time to time these seasons will changed in length and severity but they still come. Why—because God’s Word said they would!

Are you fearful the world is going to end? That fear may be an indication that you’re lost and on the way to Hell. Call out to the Lord friend and be saved. Spring is right around the corner and you have a lot of living left to do!

WHAT YOU LOOKING AT

When you choose the lesser of two evils, always remember that it is still an evil. -Max Lerner

1 Thessalonians 5:22, Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Today, instead of comparing ourselves to each other, let us compare ourselves to God. You say how am I to do that? Read His Word. It is a mirror into our soul. It will reveal those deepest reflections that no one else can see. And the great thing about that is, God brings about conviction and allows confession, which leads to a cleansing of our hearts. All to the glory of God!

BETTER GET IT RIGHT

It’s better to be right than to think you’re right and be wrong!

Proverbs 16:25, There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

            When I was in school there were absolutes. Math, science, history, and every other subject had absolutes engrained in their principles. But not any longer. They now say everything is evolving. Math use to have absolute answers. Science had laws. History didn’t have to be rewritten. What I thought was right is now wrong! No wonder our world is in such a mess!

            You know the only thing that hasn’t changed? God! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever! He is something we can count on! He is the only thing that is always right! Right on time! With the right answer!

            Have you ever thought about eternity? Do you know you will spend it? If you’re wrong, would you want to know? You better get it right because eternity is a very long time to be wrong!

CHRIST WORD

The devil is not afraid of the Bible that has dust on it. -Anonymous

John 17:17, Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

We will end this week celebrating the birth of our Saviour. No, we don’t know for sure what day of the week He was born on but we set this day aside to celebrate His life. What’s so important about that? Well, God didn’t set Himself up as a king or military leader; He came as a lowly babe, wrapped in a manger. He came as a weak helpless babe that needed someone to take care of His needs.  

Since we are celebrating the birth of our Saviour, why not take an extra effort this week to read the Gospels through from beginning to end this week. Open up Christ’s Word beginning in Matthew and read through John reflecting one not just His birth, but His death, burial, and resurrection as well.

A FEW ANSWERS FOR PROFESSING CHRISTIANS SUPPORTING THE PRO-CHOICE MOVEMENT

            The Bible has the answers.

Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Psalm 100:3

            Many professing Christians think abortion is okay. Their reasoning is based in the fallacy that it’s the woman’s body and she should be able to do with it what she wants. But what they don’t understand is our bodies are not ours. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 clears it up, What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

             They also don’t understand that the “unwanted” pregnancy could have been prevented if they would have followed God’s Word in the first place—abstain from sexual sin. Abstaining from all sexual sin, including premarital sex is God’s way of preventing “unwanted” babies. (By the way, there has never been a baby conceived in the womb that God didn’t want to be born.)

            Lastly, the question arises, “What do we do with all of the children in the world that’s already here?” Maybe, follow scripture on that one too? James 1:27 says, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” The Christian way to support children is to give them a hand up, not a hand out. It is not to give them a fish so they can eat for a day but it is to teach them to fish so they can eat for a lifetime!

            One last thought; Why not find answers in God’s Word? For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: Proverbs 6:23 Unless, that’s the real issue of the problem; you don’t want to follow what His Word says to start off with?

LET THE WATER IN!

The Water of the Word is what it takes to wash us from the inside out!

That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:26-27

We are dealing with a lot of water here in Eastern North Carolina. To start off with it was the rain saturating the ground. Then with all of the rain accumulating so fast it has caused flash flooding. The wet ground has been washed away by the rapid water flowing. Over the next few days the water from counties west of us will be rushing into town. The river and streams will begin to over flow their banks causing major flooding in several neighborhoods. The flood damage will be astronomical because it came into town!

Much like when flood waters come into town changing homes, streets, and subdivisions, when the Water of the Word comes flooding into a lost person’s soul, it will change entire generations for good! Saturating the mind with God’s Word, letting it soak in over a lifetime, will transform that person’s life and those they raise for generations to come! We just need to let it in so it can do it’s work!

DOING GOD’S WILL IN A SELF-CENTERED WORLD

Man thinks, God directs. –Alcuin

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2

            When we become a living sacrifice it means we willingly lay down our lives for the will of the Father. As God directs us here or there, all we are to do is obey. When we are so wrapped up in self, we cannot discern His will. We over think the situations and we make a mountain out of a mole hill. When we place our will above His will, we are living in a dangerous place. When we are willing to follow His leading, it is then we can know confidently we are doing that good, acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

            Having problems discerning God’s will for your life? Be still and know He is God. Get to reading the Word of God that never returns void. Pray and pray some more. Fast and fast some more. Seek godly counsel from men and or women that have proven themselves a workman.  And if you still don’t hear from God, remain right where you are at until you do. That may be your answer or it may be God is teaching you a valuable lesson in patience. Nevertheless, wait on the Lord.

IT IS ENOUGH

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105

A young Christian packing his bag for a journey said to a friend, "I have nearly finished packing. All I have to put in are a guidebook, a lamp, a mirror, a microscope, a telescope, a volume of fine poetry, a few biographies, a package of old letters, a book of songs, a sword, a hammer, and a set of tools." "But you cannot put all that into your bag," objected the friend. "Oh, yes," said the Christian. "Here it is." And he placed his Bible in the corner of the suitcase and closed the lid. –Anonymous

God’s Word is enough to save. (Jesus, through the preaching of His Word, convicts hearts and saves the sinner from hell.) 1 Corinthians 1:21

God’s Word is enough to sanctify. (Jesus, through the preaching and teaching of His Word, cleans us up and makes us fit for His use.) John 17:19

God’s Word is enough to provoke us to serve. (Jesus, through the preaching of His Word, provokes us unto good works. Not to be saved but to show that we are saved.) James 2:20

God’s Word is enough to secure. (Jesus, through the preaching of His Word, gives us the sweet assurance of security in Him.) Hebrews 10:22

God’s Word is enough to supply. (Jesus, through the preaching of His Word, meets every need we have.) 2 Corinthians 3:5

WHO’S YOUR KING?

Death may be the King of terrors... but Jesus is the King of kings! - D.L. Moody

            Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

            In 2002, my Dad found out he had cancer. He graduated to Heaven in 2003. As I often reflect back on the days following his death I remember many friends sending prayers, food for the family, or even some money to help with expenses occurred. I can’t tell you who all was there but I remember one friend who shared these scriptures. And out of all of the food shared, prayers offered, this is what has sustained the test of time—scripture! I am thankful we have The King of kings! Rejoice with me this morning for The Saviour Reigns over death, hell, and the grave!

Hell is paved with good intentions. –Boswell

For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. John 6:38

Yes, Dad I’ll take the trash out. Yes, Mom I’ll wash the dishes when I get home from school. Yes, preacher I’ll take care of that for you. We have all heard it before; that person who has said that they would do something but then fails to do it. A man’s word is not what it used to be that’s for sure.

Except our Lord’s Word isn’t the same! The Lord tells us years before the birth of Jesus He would send the Messiah to deliver the sinner. He doesn’t do this with good intentions; He does it with a Great Guarantee! He came to do the will of His Father. He came to seek and to save that which was lost! That was you and I friend! And… ”That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9