Rules To Live By

 The world, the flesh, and the devil. These three are our arch enemies. They work tirelessly to make us stray and to turn us away from following Christ. The world is the godless society around us. The flesh is the unrestrained human nature within us. And the devil is the commander in chief of all the enemies of God.

The good news is that the newest believer in Jesus has power to overcome all the power of the devil. The weakest saint can say no to sin. We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus.

So let he heathen rage and let the devil rage. Christ is risen from the dead and is alive forevermore. 

Stay close to the cross and you will never lose your way.

The Key To Stability

 Peace blows so few bugles in most of us. This is the logic behind the call to arms and the sky is falling that we sometimes hear in church. But, I want to share something with you to explain why some people do not live like everything is a four alarm fire.

When you have been through some things in your walk with God and survived you are able to process events in a way that gives you victory over panic. When you have been to the bottom and survived, you do not fear the bottom anymore. Paul listed his experiences to explain why he was as he was. Job told of his experience in the sea. Christ went through terrible persecution and yet lives in resurrection power and victory.

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." 2Cor. 4:17

"But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself," Acts 20:24

One thing that a survivor can do is to rightly judge what is dangerous and what is critical and what can be ignored. Pastor Wayman Mitchell could do this. Can you?

I used to think that it was maturity that produced this. But you can serve the Lord for 100 years and still be moved by circumstances. You can still live on a razor's edge of excitement. It is not years, but experiences, that produce stability.

So the next time you are tempted to complain about life just remember that God is working to make you more stable.

Creation Makes Science Look Foolish

 When God said let there be light, what did God create? He created light before the sun, moon, and stars were created. Light has to have a source, right?

We have been told that the speed of light is a barrier that cannot be broken. But science also tells us that light has no mass and therefore it does not move. Light just is. There is no space or distance in light. There is no time associated with light. The light on a distant galaxy and the light on Earth is the same.

God does not have to create machines or technology to blow our minds. The natural world is so vast and awe inspiring as to keep us wondering for a lifetime.

In Christ, the God who puts physics to shame, reveals Himself to us.

"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have ordained, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you visit him?" Psalm 8:3-4

National Revival

 There are people on You Tube talking about why is seems that America is in decline and why the US is not the dominant world power it once was. I may have an answer to that dilemma.

"And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them." Deut. 28:13

One thing about God is that you do not have to believe in Him nor know His word for God to work to bring about His will. This is true of us as individuals and it is also true of nations. Nations who ought to know better but who choose to walk after the wisdom of this present evil world will not escape the judgement of God.

It is not a matter of; we are better than them, why are they farther ahead than us? Why are they prospering who are more evil that we are?

"For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more." Luke 12:48

In ancient times, the heathen nations whom God used to judge Israel were themselves judged in time. Israel was restored, but not the kingdoms who abused them.

America has no claim on God except that they have been liberal in allowing free access to the rest of the world for world evangelism. America used to be the land of opportunity that people strove to be here.

Change happens from the top down in national revival. I think that we can once again be more than we are. But not with this cadre of leaders we have now.

The Fear Of God

 Last night pastor Rubi preached on the fear of God. Here are some thoughts on the fear of God.

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." Heb.12:28

First of all, the fear of God is not being afraid of God. It is having a healthy reverence for God. It means showing God respect in our actions and our speech.

Secondly, the fear of God is the main requirement for service.

"You shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold fast. and take oaths in His name." Deut.10:20

To serve the Lord correctly you must first have a healthy fear of God.

Third, the Bible tells us that the fear of God is the way to wisdom.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Prov.1:7

Fear can be a great motivator. Fear can be a great instructor. Fear and respect are the ground floor of our relationship to Christ.

Kingdom builders or Earth Fillers?

 Years ago pastor Wayman Mitchell preached a message called Kingdom Builders or Earth Fillers. His point was that we needed an outward looking vision.

I was thinking today about the Tower of Babel. How the people came together with a common language to build a city and a tower.

"And they said to one another, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." Gen.11:4

This was not because they need a place to live. This is an act of rebellion against the call of God to fill the earth. They were building a religious site for worshipping other gods.

"And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth." Gen.9:1

We meet a man, a descendant of Ham, named Peleg. He is noted because in his days the earth was divided.

"And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided." Gen.10:25.

Peleg is mentioned before the tower of Babel and after it. Some think that the earth was geologically divided, like continental drift. I think that the division was a social one based on language. When my logic is confronted by the Biblical record, the bible always wins. So I choose to believe that God confused the languages by social upheaval, not by earthquakes.

And what was the result of this? God scattered them across the face of the whole earth.

"Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth." Gen.11:9

We need to learn and to grow in our faith. But we need an outward looking vision for the regions beyond also to keep us on track.

We are not a mega church building Fellowship. We are a church planting Fellowship.

Born Again

 I was born again on December the 8th, 1973 in Prescott Arizona. That event so changed me that here, 53 years later, I still feel the effects of that experience. I am still not the same as I was before I was born again.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2Cor. 5:17

Being born again is as significant as being born. You know your birthday. You ought to know when you were born again. If you do not know, maybe you never were.

Being born again means that you live different, that you think different, that you speak different, than the rest of the world. There ought to be evidence in how you live and what you think and how you speak. For example:

People who drink alcoholic beverages have not been born again.

People who still cuss and drop F-bombs, have not been born again.

People who think sodomy is normal and acceptable have not been born again.

People who do not go to church in person, if they are able to, have not been born again,

People who have sex with someone they are not married to have not been born again.

People who do not pay tithes have not been born again.

If you are no different in these basic areas of life, I doubt that you have been born again. You may go to church on Sunday morning, you may read a Bible, you may talk religious talk, but until you have been born again you are not born again. You can be.

"Jesus answered and said to him, most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3