Month: August 2015

GOD BLESS AMERICA

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AMERICA

Some nations boast of their chariots and horses,
but we boast in the name of the Lord our God.
Those nations will fall down and collapse,
but we will rise up and stand firm.
Psalm 20:7

The United States of America…Home of the Brave…Land of the Free! Those words still bring a tremendous sense of pride and allegiance to my heart! It makes me feel like I am a part of a nation build on a tradition of strength, loyalty, unity, bravery and fairness. It reminds me of the song Tevye sang in Fiddler On The Roof…“Tradition!” He sang it with such pride and yet it had an air of sadness about it because the tradition that was so engrained in him and an integral part of his life was deminishing…not on his part, but on the part of the up and coming generation. Does that remind you of anything?

This nation was founded on a tradition of Godly principles. The men who founded this country risked not only their own lives, but the lives of their wives and children to cross a vast ocean to get away from a tyrannical government…a government that told them how, when, where and IF they could worship God. The hardships involved were unimaginable, but some of them made it through to form a new government…a government that would eventually be called the United States of America.

I’m of the opinion that our forefathers would literally turn over in their graves if they knew how far our nation has drifted from the principles on which it was established! We no longer declare ourselves to be a “Nation Under (One) God”, but a “Nation Under (No One) God”. Our president himself said, “Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation – at least, not just. We are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, and a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers.” But the fact remains that the people who crossed an ocean to form this nation, based its foundational concepts on the Bible, God’s Holy Word and on the precepts of Christianity as related therein. It was NOT Jews or Muslims or Buddhists or Hindus or nonbelievers who landed at Jamestown, but Born Again Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and Servants of the Most High God! And it was God’s favor and protection that safely brought them here and preserved them in order that they might found this nation on His principles of brotherly love, unity and peace.

But, alas, even as he used a form of pride to deceive Eve in the Garden by questioning God’s authority, Satan has used political correctness to question God’s authority today. “Yes, God said it, but SURELY He didn’t mean THAT!” Satan has perverted our love for God in such a way as to make it seem that it is a form of hate. In other words, if you are a Bible Believing Christian, then you are a hate-monger. You hate homosexuality, you hate abortion, you hate immorality in every form. We DO hate those things, but we DO NOT hate those who participate in them and neither does God. God loves this nation…He loves its people, both those who serve Him and those who don’t. He has no desire that anyone should perish, but that all should come to know Him. He extends every opportunity on a daily basis to take them under the shadow of His love and protection..

As Christians, we have a right to declare that we are Born Again Believers in Jesus Christ! We have a right to believe in the Bible and uphold its principles in our life! We have a right to believe that this nation was founded on Godly principles and Christian ethics! And we have a right to stand up and say with boldness and pride and conviction…GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

AN ANCHOR FOR YOUR SOUL

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The following was written by a Christian Brother…Jeff Bama Ritch
Jeff Bama Ritch

God has given both his promise and his oath.
These two things are unchangeable
because it is impossible for God to lie.
Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge
can have great confidence as we hold
to the hope that lies before us.
This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Hebrews 6:18-19

There have been a lot of changes in my life since my momma gave birth to me in 1959. These changes have been brought on in various ways: Deaths, births, illnesses, accidents, retirement, altered relationships, job loss, marriage, divorce, stupid decisions, bad choices, good decisions, good choices, accepting Jesus as my Savior, etc. etc. As you can see not all changes were bad but ALL were life-altering. In every situation I had to ADJUST and ADAPT to the change at hand. Change is a part of life and we deal with it the best we can.

However there is ONE THING that never changes and that is the promise of God to give us hope in the midst of the changes we go through! In the verse above it describes this hope as a STRONG and TRUSTWORTHY anchor for our souls. An anchor for our souls …. WOW!! This says to me that no matter what life changes we are going through, relying on the unchangeable promises of God guarantees WE will not loose our minds with worry or depression or suicidal thoughts or want or falling into sin or fear or hate or violence. BUT this hope takes you by the hand and leads you (okay picture it) through the curtain…into God’s inner sanctuary where He can wrap His arms around you, hug you close and whisper in your ear, “you’re home, don’t worry, I got this, I PROMISE, TRUST ME!!!”

Won’t you trust Him today with the changes you are facing. It may be the death of a loved one, a baby that is sick, finances, illness, relationship issues or wants, or it may be a change in ministry or a move you are making. Whatever it is TRUST in God and His promises, that strong anchor of HOPE!!  Shalom

ARE YOU HOT, COLD OR LUKEWARM?

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PLOWING

But Jesus said to him,
“No one, having put his hand to the plow
And looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Luke 9:62

Have you noticed how prevalent it is today for people to have an issue with commitment? Even marriage, the greatest commitment of all between two people, seems to be totally conditional these days. “I love you and I’ll commit to you as long as you make me happy. If I become unhappy in our relationshipment, the commitment goes out the door along with your packed bags!” It is extremely rare these days to find a couple that has been married for a long time. It is not uncommon now for couples who have been together for ten, fifteen, twenty years to part ways. And what about commitment to a job, an organization or a church? Real commitment is almost a thing of the past and it is so, so sad. It simply reflects the flighty, self-centered, all-about-me attitude of this present generation.

But when it comes to our commitment to Jesus Christ, there is absolutely no allotment for halfhearted commitment. It has to be all or nothing! Jesus said to The Church of Laodicea in the Book of Revelation...“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!” Revelation 3:15-16

There is a place in scripture where the Lord tells us that, like a builder who takes into account all the costs before he starts building, we should consider the cost of discipleship before we make a commitment. It is not a light thing, for Jesus signs that covenant with His precious Holy Blood. (Luke 14:28) And if we then, deliberately turn away from that partnership, how can we obtain redemption a second time? “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.” (Hebrews 6:4-6)

There was a time in Jesus day when some of His disciples did leave following Him.  He had taught something that was difficult for them to understand, so they just called it quits! So Jesus asked the twelve, “Will you leave also?” Note the answer that Peter gave, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words (the message) of eternal life.” (John 6:66-68) Anytime I’ve ever thought about leaving my Christianity behind because of worldly opposition, issues of faith or disciplines that seemed too hard to follow, I think to myself, “To whom or what would I turn if I didn’t have Jesus?” No one else and nothing else holds the key to abundant life on this earth and eternal life in the hereafter. He is my Best Friend. There is nothing I can‘t tell Him and nothing for which I can’t depend on Him. When I’m sad, He has words to cheer me and when I’m glad, He rejoices with me. How would I ever make it without Him? I’ll tell you something, “I don’t plan to try!”

BUMBLEBEE FAITH

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BUMBLEBEE
How many are your works, Lord!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
Psalm 104:24

SONG:  MY LORD WON’T LET ME DOWN

I was reading something just this morning about the bumblebee, one of God’s more interesting creations, although there are many such creatures. I am just fascinated to see how intricately and precisely He makes each one of them, from the ant to the antelope…from the chipmunk to the cheetah. But back to the Bumblebee…it is said that some time ago a group of aeronautical engineers decided to study the bumblebee. They measured its wingspan, computed body weight, examined its over-sized fuselage and concluded that there was no logical reason why a bumblebee can take off or land safely. Of course, the bumblebee doesn’t know this, so it goes ahead and flies anyway!

Whether or not the study is true, it makes sense in its claims. But the part they left out is the fact that the Bumblebee didn’t create itself. As I said, God created some amazing creatures! What about the ant that can carry a load many times its own weight? What about the camel that has its own reservoir for water retention? I could go on and on, but let me get to the point…

In the same way that God created animals to do amazing things seemingly far beyond their capacity, so He created us to excel far above our own natural ability through His enablement. Glory to God! The Bible tells us in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” There are absolutely no exclusions in that verse, but it is understood that we must depend on that strength in order to tap into it. I love this verse in the amplified version… “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].” All you can say after reading that is, “WOW!” I can do this thing! I am infused with strength from on high!

Do you need some empowerment today? Does it seem that your wings of faith are too small to lift your body of circumstances? It’s not a hopeless situation, you know. Just tap into THE Source of Empowerment. If He doesn’t change the circumstances, He will increase the strength of your wings so that you can rise above them. You’ll be equal to the task as He infuses you with His strength!

Don’t believe what the circumstances dictate. Don’t believe what the enemy of your soul is whispering in your ear. Don’t believe it when your family says, “You can’t do that!” Don’t believe it when your friends say you won’t make it. Don’t believe your own negative thoughts echoing in your mind trying to derail your faith! It really may look impossible in the natural. But we serve a supernatural God! It may even look difficult beyond your abilities. But nothing is too hard for God! So right now, just determine to have the faith of a Bumblebee. Don’t look at the size of your wings. Don’t look at the size of your body. Look at the size of your God! And when you do, nothing will be too hard for YOU!

OUR GOD DELIVERS FOOLS!

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FOOL - WISDOM

So David escaped from Saul
and went to King Achish of Gath.
But the officers of Achish
were unhappy about his being there.
“Isn’t this David, the king of the land?” they asked.
“Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances, singing,
‘Saul has killed his thousands,
and David his ten thousands’?”
David heard these comments and was very afraid
of what King Achish of Gath might do to him.
So he pretended to be insane,
scratching on doors and drooling down his beard.
Finally, King Achish said to his men,
“Must you bring me a madman?
We already have enough of them around here!
Why should I let someone like this be my guest?”
1 Samuel 21:10-15

I once heard a Bible teacher expound on this passage and it was quite interesting and freeing to me. It has been a long time ago, but I have never forgotten it. The scripture itself is pretty self-explanatory, but I’ll give you a little background on the passage. David was running for his life from Saul who was determined to kill him. He had escaped from Saul’s grasp many a time in the past, but this time he was hot on his heels. Where can he go now to avoid capture and certain death? What one place would Saul never think to look for him? Of course…the City of Gath, the home of Goliath whom David had killed years ago…the citidel of his enemy. David thought he would be welcomed there because he had had relations with the Philistines since that time. But when he got to the city, carrying the sword of Goliath, the officers of the city recognized him and were very skeptical of his presence.

When David heard the comments they made in the presence of the king, he became frightened that his life would be in danger here also. So he devised an impromptu plan to act as though he was insane. Now who would be threatened by a man who was acting a fool? So David started acting the part with precision, scratching on the door and drooling down his beard. What a pitiful picture! The warrior who had killed the giant Goliath and slain tens of thousands on the battle field was humiliating himself by pretending to be insane…a fool if you will. But it turned out that this ploy did become his deliverance. The king said, “Don’t I have enough fools in my court without you bringing one more into my presence. Get him out of here! So David left unharmed, but surely feeling shame for the path he had taken. The point that was brought out in this scenario is, “God even delivers fools!”

Have you ever heard anyone say, “She or He acted a fool!” I certainly have. As a matter of fact, remembering this passage has given me comfort more than once in my own life. I am a born again Christian. I love the Lord. I have a desire to serve Him with my whole heart. But there are times that I have acted very foolishly. It’s not like I didn’t know better. I did. My flesh just wanted to do it and I gave in! Afterward, I was sorry. I was grieved at my own lack of self-control. I was disappointed in myself. Never mind that I felt that I had let the Lord down and grieved the Holy Spirit.

But thank God for His mercy and His grace. It is never-ending. It is new every morning. No matter how far we sink into the quagmire of Satan’s temptation, He will reach down and lift us out if we ask in sincere repentance. Our God even delivers Fools!

If you have acted foolishly in any area of your life and you are ridden with guilt and shame. Know this…there is nothing that the blood of Jesus cannot cover! Repent, shake off the guilt and condemnation and get back under the umbrella of His mercy and grace. Bask in the sunshine of His love and let it the water of His infallible Word wash you as clean as the mountain streams that He created!