Tag: Jesus

Praying and Washing My Hands

I’ve been praying a lot lately, and washing my hands.  I’ve been praying that God has mercy on us and wipes out the Corona Virus.  Or, God certainly has the power to wipe us out, but I pray that he doesn’t.  I’ve been praying that we turn back to God and seek his face, that we put him back number one in our lives, that we don’t have false idols.  When I am reading the Bible, I notice that worshipping anyone other than God makes God mad.  I’m praying that we repent from our sins, we’re all sinners, and none of us are perfect.  And, I’m so thankful that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. 

When Michael Jackson died in 2009, that’s all you heard about on the news was how distraught everyone was about losing him.  Kobe Bryant just passed away and I hope we are not worshipping entertainers, athletes, anyone except God.  Sports, has been shut down, School is closed, but then again we’re not allowed to pray at school anymore either.    

I’m praying that the kids can get back to going to the parks and playing, and that they can get back to school soon too.  That we can get back to watching football, and basketball (sports in general).  We just need to be careful not to worship the players and Sports and not to put it before going to Church and worshipping God, and I’m washing my hands.

I’m praying that we can get back to attending Church in person and that I can get back to attending pastoral meetings with my fellow brothers, so we can find the Pastor that God has in store for our Church and I’m washing my hands. 

I’m praying for people that may not have accepted Jesus into their lives or that don’t believe in Jesus.  I pray that they come to know Jesus and accept him as their Savior before it’s too late.  We live in an unpredictable time, we are seeing tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, diseases, hurricanes and more.  We need to be ready to go and meet our maker.

I’m also thanking God, on a daily basis for my countless blessings that I don’t deserve.  I’m truly blessed.  Let’s not forget to thank God, even in these times of despair and uncertainty.        

And, I’m praying that God will forgive me of my sins.  I know I am not perfect, that I am a sinner.  I’m repenting for my sins and washing my hands – Stay Safe and God Bless You. 

What Can We Learn Form the Corona Virus?

First of all, this is just my opinion, but I think we need to slow down.  I believe that God slowed us down by having some of us shelter-in-place and some of us even quarantined.  We have such busy lifestyles now, people working Saturdays, and even Sundays, which is supposed to be set aside for the Lord, a day of rest to glorify God.  I think God slowed us down for a bit, telling us Don’t forget about me, don’t forget to put me first, don’t forget to worship me, and don’t forget to enjoy the beauty of the world that he (I) made.  It reminds me of the song So Will I by Hillsong Worship, “And as You speak a hundred billion galaxies are born, in the vapor of Your breath the planets form.” 

Exodus 20:8-11 ESV “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.  On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.  For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day.  Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

Mark 2:27 ESV “And he said to them, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Those are just two passages about the Sabbath day in the Bible, there are many more.  God wanted us to slow down, especially on the day of rest and I think we did for a while.  I just hope we can learn from this and heed his warning.    

Another point I want to make is that we need to turn back to God and put him first.  Oftentimes we get caught up in our world.  We need to put God first in everything we do.   We need to make sure we don’t have false idols and that we are not worshipping anyone or anything but God.  We just saw Kobe Bryant pass away and I saw many Facebook and Twitter posts of how people were distraught and I am sympathetic towards his family and friends.  I tried to not get too distraught over his passing.   I just hope we are not worshipping entertainers, actors, actresses and athletes. 

I especially feel sorry for anyone that doesn’t know Jesus as their personal Savior.  My prayer is that people that are lost, that they turn to Jesus in this time and accept him into their hearts and repent from their sins and ask to be forgiven to have everlasting life with him in Heaven. 

And even all Christians, we are sinners and maybe we are getting caught up in our busy lives and may not be putting God first in our lives.  We all need to repent, and ask God for forgiveness.  We need to turn back to God and put him first, take time to pray and read our Bibles.  In this time of social distancing, many Churches are turning to social media, and Facebook to put their Church services on, and their devotionals.  We need to take time to watch them and worship God, to get back in the word of God.    

Also this time has allowed us to spend more time with our family.  We just got back from Germany on 20 March, and my family was quarantined for 14 days, with schools being closed there is more time to spend with family.  While it was a good time, it did get stressful too, you have to get creative with things to do as well.  It rained a lot here in Arkansas and we were not able to get outside much and some states have shelter-in-place in effect.     I just hope we come out of this Corona virus stronger and that we learned something from it and that may be different for every person. For me I got to spend time with my family and slow down and was reminded to appreciate God’s beautiful work that he created.  The beautiful mountains, creeks, rivers, lakes, and forest here in Arkansas.  And how much I love and don’t want to take my family for granted and to remember to put God first in everything I do.  I believe there is more work to do, there are more revivals to have, more Heaven’s Gates and Hell’s Flames to have, more seeds to plant and more hearts for God to convict. God Bless you all. 

https://realityoutreach.org/

         

Praying Selflessly

In Samuel, Hannah, married to Elkanah, couldn’t have children and Hannah desperately wanted to give her husband a child.  In those days, if you couldn’t have a child, you were considered inferior.  Peninnah was also married to Elkanah and she taunted Hannah about not being able to have children, driving Hannah to the point of tears.  Also, in those times, if you couldn’t have children you were looked at as inferior.

Hannah wanted to give Elkanah a child so bad, she prayed this prayer: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you.  He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut” (Holy Bible Gift & Award Edition, New Living Translation, Second Edition 2007) And the Lord blessed Hannah with a son, she named Samuel.  You can read more about Samuel in the Bible.

This is Jesus’ instructions to his disciples when asked how to pray: Luke 11:1 “And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.  2. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  Thy Kingdom come.  Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.  3. Give us day by day our daily bread.  4. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.  And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.” (Holman KJV Study Bible 2012)

Hannah wanted a to give Elkanah a son so bad, she dedicated him to the Lord, for his service.  When we pray, are we praying for our own selfish desires?  Or are we praying to honor the Lord, for God’s glory? 

I was recently listening to a daily devotional from an old Air Force friend and he inspired this article.  It’s easy to justify just about anything, when we pray.  I just recently bought a truck and I prayed that if it was God’s will, I would be able to buy it, that it would still be there when I went to look at it and that I would be approved for the loan.  I also said that I would use the truck to haul things in, like firewood, or whatever, trash to the dump.  I mean everyone in Arkansas has a truck, but like I said, it’s easy to justify it to the Lord, but is it really justified in God’s mind?  I was able to purchase the vehicle.  I use it to go fishing and it’s better to drive down dirt roads, than my other vehicles.  I make sure to thank God for allowing me to have it, every day. 

But we must be careful when we pray to ask ourselves, are we praying for our own satisfaction, or are we praying worshipfully?  Are we ready to hand over our children to the Lord for his service, like Hannah did, or are we praying for their health and safety so we can hold on to them longer? 

Are we praying to be able to use our possessions to glorify God and for his will to be done, or are we simply asking for things to fulfil our selfish desires?  I hope that is not the case with the purchase of the truck.

If we are not careful, our selfish desires could turn out to be things we idolize or covet and that would anger God.  We’ve read many times in the Bible not to have false idols, whether it be worshipping false Gods or possibly other things we could idolize.  We certainly want to put God first in everything we do. 

Kobe Bryant recently passed away, I am sympathetic towards his family and friends, but we must be careful not to idolize entertainers, actors, athletes or anyone else.  We now have the Corona virus wreaking havoc on the World, and it could be because we are not putting God first, we need to turn back to God.  I especially feel bad for the lost people that do not know Jesus. 

I’m guilty of this, my password should be based off Jesus.  I should do a better job of putting Jesus first.

One question we can ask ourselves when we pray is: How is my prayer seeking God’s glory?  Or is my prayer for my own selfish desires?  We need to pray more like Hannan did.    

 

    

Rooted in Your Spiritual Walk

Luke 8:4 “And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spoke by a parable:  8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.  8:6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.  8:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.  8:8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold.  And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears, let them hear.  8:9 And his disciples asked him, saying What might this parable be?  8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.  8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.  8:12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  8:13 They on the rock are they, which when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.  8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.  8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” (Holman KJV Study Bible 2012)  

I have to say, I am a sinner and I fell into the group of not having roots and I fell away from Jesus.  I gave into temptation.  I was drinking, and while it may not be a sin to drink (a little), I wasn’t drinking a little.  And I fell into other temptations as well.  I wasn’t going to Church, I wasn’t reading or studying the Bible.  I certainly wasn’t meditating in his word. 

But now since moving back to my hometown, I am attending Church on a regular basis.  I wish we could go to Church now, but we have one more week left of staying home. 

It was such a blessing to move back home, my wife was invited to attend a Church and I dragged my feet at first, but I am so thankful that my wife was invited by some very nice people that attended the Church.

I fell in love with the preacher’s ability to convict my heart and then the pastor ended up leaving and now we are searching for another one, but then we fell in love with the congregation and how stead fast they are in their spiritual walk and how much they love one another. 

If you ensure you have a rooted spiritual walk with Jesus, you won’t be apt to fall prey to the World’s temptations like I did.  Now, I am rooted and ready to serve the Lord. 

If you are not spiritually rooted, then the World’s wind may be able to blow you in any direction, but if you are spiritually rooted, reading your Bible, praying, attending Sunday school, going to Church, and in tune with the Holy Spirit, then the World’s wind won’t be able to move you to the devil’s temptation.  Are you spiritually rooted? 

              

Accept Jesus as your Savior

If you don’t know Jesus Christ and haven’t accepted Jesus into your life as your personal Savior, now would be a great time to, especially with the uncertain times we live in now. 

Below is a site that tells you how to accept Jesus Christ into your heart as your Savior.

https://www.wikihow.com/Accept-Jesus-Into-Your-Life

How to Accept Jesus Into Your Life – Steps

  • Trust Jesus Christ today!
  • Admit that you are a sinner and that you need God’s help.
  • Be willing to change your mind and turn from your sin (repent).
  • Believe that Jesus Christ died for you, was buried, and rose from the dead.
  • Through prayer, invite Jesus into your heart to become your personal Lord and Savior.

Here is a prayer you can say to invite Jesus into your life:

Please forgive me for my sins. I believe that you sent your Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins.

I believe that you love me. I believe in my heart who you are. You are theSon of God. I confess with my mouth that I am a sinner. I accept you Lord Jesus as my savior. Please cleanse me from my sin and create a new and clean heart in me. I do believe that you are my savior and I now want to live for you as my Lord and my God. I know that I have eternal life in you because of the work you did on Calvary’s cross for me. Thank you, God. In Jesus Name. Amen.Here are the scriptures behind this prayer:

Prayer to Accept Jesus

This is not an all inclusive list, if you want more information, contact your local Church.

Planting Seeds

My family and I just returned from visiting Germany, we were celebrating my wife’s 40th birthday in her homeland with her twin sister and the rest of her family, and we got a chance to spread the good news about Jesus to some family members.

My wife’s daughter downloaded the Bible app on her phone and is reading the Bible daily.  I spoke to my daughter and her boyfriend was very receptive to what I had to say about Jesus and being a believer, mainly what it means to be saved by God’s grace.  He even stated that he has read my blog.  After visiting with us, my daughter watched “Breakthrough” and inquired how to get K-Love on her phone. I would call that a breakthrough!    

My wife also had some very promising talks with her Mom that may have opened the door to her curiosity.

We spent time with two old friends that are mutual friends as well, that we shone our light on and also piqued their interests in the way we are living, no longer drinking alcohol, and one stated, “he needs more Jesus in his life”, I even played K-Love on his Google speaker. 

http://www.klove.com/

This trip to Germany to celebrate the life of my wife and her twin sister, turned out to be an opportunity to shine our lights and plant seeds, all we can do now is pray and continue to shine the light and trust that God will convict their hearts.  

The Holy Spirit

I’m taking a class with BMA Seminary; Introduction to Christian Teaching.  I believe it will help me learn more about the Bible and I hope it will compliment my writing.  One of the required books I need for the course is the Baptist Expositor, Leader.  I was reading the first lesson of Leader/Spring 2020 book and the first lesson is on Acts 1:1-11. 

I’ll summarize what’s taken place: “The apostles, were told to wait in Jerusalem for the power of the Holy Spirit Who would empower them to witness for Jesus.  Jesus told them that their witnessing would be far-reaching beginning at home and going to the uttermost part of the earth.  What a gigantic task that lay before them!  How can such a task be accomplished?  They key to their success would be the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Baptist Expositor Leader/Spring 2020)

“Today believers do not have to wait for the baptism in the Holy Spirit.  He came 2,000 years ago to empower the church and has faithfully dome so ever since.  We can tap into that power right now and be witnesses for Jesus.  Are you utilizing the power of the Holy Spirit now to be an effective witness for Jesus?  We should work hard at our witness for Jesus knowing that one day He will return to this earth just as He ascended into Heaven.”  (Baptist Expositor Leader/Spring 2020)

We were just talking about this at Church, well we had Brotherhood breakfast at Church; we’re Baptists so we eat a lot, and the devotion was about asking God to use us to witness to others.  If we have faith and pray to be used as a witness, the Holy Spirit will make give us the words and confidence to be an effective witness.  I know it’s hard to step out and have faith to talk to others about Christ, but that’s what were supposed to do, we are supposed to build the Kingdom.  I read a statistic that shocked me; only 32 percent   of the World’s population believe in Jesus.  This is going to sound BOLD, but I wish it was 100%!  Hell wasn’t intended for us; it was intended for the Devil and his demonic angels.  Matthew 25:41 says “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (King James Version of the Holy Bible Holman KJV Study Bible 2012).  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be on the left-hand side, bound for everlasting fire!

The sad thing is that you just have to BELIEVE in Jesus, that he died on the cross for your sins and accept him into your heart, and your life and repent from your sins.  We’re all sinners, but believers are saved by God’s grace because we are sinners, we’re not perfect.

So, ask to be used by God to witness to others and let the Holy Spirit work in you.    

Make Jesus Famous

How can we make Jesus Famous?  You say isn’t Jesus already famous?  According to Learn Religions 32% of the World’s population are Christians.  That’s less than a third of the World that are going to Heaven. I believe in Heaven and Hell and right now, there will be more people in Hell than Heaven and that is SAD! https://www.learnreligions.com/christianity-statistics-700533

I wrote an article not too long ago where I talked about handing out donuts, and if you think about it, it’s the same concept.  To hand out donuts or knock on people’s doors, whatever it takes to make Jesus famous and build God’s Kingdom.  Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do? 

We’re all sinners, but I’m a hypocrite.  I recently bought this cool necklace with a cross made from small nails on it.  I’m a hypocrite because I keep the cross inside my shirt. I shouldn’t hide my necklace.  I shouldn’t hide my faith.  I should shout it out from the rooftops.  Why do we hide our faith? 

We should want to make Jesus famous, or more famous, according to that statistic, only 32% of the World population is going to heaven.  We should want every single person to believe in Jesus and we should be out there spreading the good news. 

Are you sitting on your hands or are you trying to make Jesus famous?  What are you doing to make Jesus famous? Let’s Make Jesus Famous!        

Faith and Patience

Our Church is currently searching for a Pastor, and in our Wednesday night message, someone commented that our Church’s faith and patience may be being tested now since we have been searching for five months, for such a long time.  And my argument is maybe five months is not a long time to God.  Maybe God is trying to teach us something, maybe he is trying to teach us patience and faith.  Maybe, if we found a preacher in the near future and it took six and half months or seven months or even less than a year, maybe that is a blessing because it didn’t take years.  I think it depends if you look at the glass half empty or half full. 

Our Church has always had a Preacher either filling in or in view-of-a-call so there has been a preacher preaching every Sunday and I firmly believe that God has used or Church for inexperienced Preachers to gain experience.  We’ve truly been blessed with the different sermons from the different Preachers filling in.  And meeting with the Pulpit Committee is a blessing in itself too.  We have developed a camaraderie that we will miss when we do fill the position, we joked that we may continue to meet even after we find a Pastor. 

God puts us through trials and tribulations and tests our faith to teach us, for us to grow as Christians.  “God’s ultimate purpose for us is to grow more and more into the image of His Son” (Got Questions.Org 2002-2020)

“This is the goal of the Christian, and everything in life, including the trials and tribulations, is designed to enable us to reach that goal. It is part of the process of sanctification.” (Got Questions.Org 2002-2020)

Romans 8:29 “For whom he did foreknew he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Holman KJV Study Bible 2015)    

“Trials develop godly character, and that enables us to rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, character and hope.” (Got Questions.Org 2002-2020)

Through all of God’s trials and tribulations, we overcome adversity and it makes us stronger in our walk with Christ. 

I watched the movie Overcomer a few days ago and I highly recommend it to you.

“And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.” (Holman KJV Study Bible 2015) 

Are you an Overcomer? 

Handing Out Donuts

Our old preacher started a ritual where he and some of the Church congregation would hand out donut holes to people at a local gas station.  It was a good ice breaker, a way to invite people to our Church, it was also a way to talk to people that may not know Jesus Christ, and it was a way to let people know we care about them.

Our Church has been without a preacher since the end of August.  We’ve formed a pastoral committee and have been searching for the preacher the Lord has picked out for us.  We’ve been praying for God’s will.  It has been a very fulfilling endeavor; we understand we are at God’s mercy and he will provide when the time is right.

As servants of God, we are supposed to go out and tell Jesus Christ’s story of good news.

Today’s Sunday school lesson was about “The Banquet”.  Have you ever invited people over for a gathering and they cancelled on you or just didn’t show up?  It’s disappointing to prepare a big feast or schedule a party and no one show up.  That’s what happened at the Great Supper a meal was prepared, and the guests all had excuses to why they couldn’t attend. 

One person said, “I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it:  I pray thee have me excused.” (Holman KJV Study Bible) 

Another excuse was “I have bought five yolk of oxen, and I must go to prove them:  I pray thee have me excused.” (Holman KJV Study Bible)

Another stated” I have married a wife and therefore I cannot come.” (Holman KJV Study Bible)

Luke 14:21 “So that servant came and shewed his lord these things.  Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, go out quickly and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt and the blind.” 

Luke 14:22 “And the servant said, Lord it is done as thou has commanded, and yet there is room.”

Luke 14:23 “And the lord said unto the servant, go out into the highway and hedges and compel them to come in, that my house be filled.”

Since the people invited had other things to do with their time, they went into the streets and invited the common people into their house to fill it up.  As Christians, we should also not discriminate.  We should want to tell our story to anyone and everyone that will listen after all there is not better deed than to lead someone to Christ. 

Can you imagine being invited to sit with Jesus and eat at his table?  How could anyone refuse such an offer?  How many times will Jesus ask us to do work for him?  And how many times can we refuse to do what God asks us to do?  How many times are we going to make excuses to not accept Jesus into our hearts?  We may say next time, or next week, but the reality is there may not be a next time or a next Sunday.  If God asks you to hand out donuts, then hand out donuts.