New Every Morning

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lam. 3:22-23

Almost every morning, when I first wake up, and before I roll out of bed, this verse comes to my mind. I say it out loud as the first words out of my mouth for a new day. I start my days with the Lord, and I end it the same way. That's why I have survived for 53 years as a follower of Jesus Christ.

The only way to lose with God is to quit. I have come to far to turn back now. 

Naaman And God

"Then he went down, and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." 2Kings 5:14

The story of the healing of Naaman is a wonderful tale of how God will help people who come to him no matter their previous standing or status in the faith. Thanks to the simple testimony of the Jewish girl, Naaman was given an open door to seek help from God. And God helped him by healing his body and saving his soul.

There are many layers to this story. You can do your own study. Today all I want to point out is that God can and will heal today if we will just ask Him to. No bargaining, no deals. Just faith and obedience. Naaman obeyed God and look what God did for him. What God did for Naaman He will do for you.

 

Back To School

 We are having our back to school weekend this weekend. We have ministry focused on our school age children. We will call them all forward and pray for them on Sunday night. We do not do school supplies for the kids like some of our churches do. No backpacks or anything else they will need to ease the burden on the teachers. I am sure that we will pray for the teachers and for the parents on Sunday night.

One thing you will not see in our Fellowship or in many other churches is a weekend of ministry for senior citizens. No special services for us. That's okay. We are too tired to go anyway.

We are and no doubt will continue to be a youth focused Fellowship. Evangelism, discipleship, and church planting is a young person's game. Grandma and grandpa will support them and pray for them and pay for them to go. But our strength and our power lies in our youth.

My prayer is that our young people and teens will catch our vision and will sell out to Jesus and go into all the world to preach the Gospel to every creature.

The Blessing

 "And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you..." Genesis 12:3

Today I had some help mowing my yard. I didn't have tons of money. But I paid them what I could afford. And later, I remembered this verse. And I prayed a blessing on those who helped me today.

The blessing of God can be conferred on people through prayer. Whether you lay hands on them or not.

God will bless those who blessed me in like manner as they blessed me. Amen!

Changing My Name

 I want to change my name. I want to be called Micah or Obadiah or some other minor prophet's name. I want to wear rustic clothing and I want to eat strange food. I want to behave in bizarre ways. Laying on my side for a year, marrying a prostitute, etc.

But the most important reason for being a minor prophet is so that I can be mean to everyone and talk trash to everyone and blame it on God. I don't want to be courteous and kind. I want to be critical and harsh. I don't want to speak the truth in love. I want to pronounce doom and gloom and destruction on people in need.

Being a minor prophet is a great job for men who do not like people. For men who think that everyone is a loser. Say thus saith the Lord and anything you say is validated.

God help us.

Learning To Be Content.

"...I have learned , in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Phil. 4:11

First of all, contentment has to be learned. It is not a gift of God. It is not something that just happens. 

Contentment takes personal effort. You learn to be content by the experiences of life.  Going through hard times can teach you how to live on less. Learning how to prosper can teach you how to handle wealth. Either way, it is something that life will teach you. You have to put in the effort and the work to learn to be content no matter your state.

Contentment also takes instruction. This is where the local church can help. Through preaching and teaching we can be instructed on how to be content. A sermon can address covetousness. A sermon can address giving. A sermon can address fear of not having enough. A Sunday school lesson can teach you how to handle money. There is a top-down component in learning to be content.

The word content is interesting. It is not used often in the new testament. It literally means self sufficient. It means someone who needs no assistance. It describes someone who can adjust their life to live on what they have. It describes someone who has their desires under control. It describes someone who lives by their budget, not by advertising or credit cards. Contentment is a mark of maturity.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil. 4:13

"But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:19

Jesus will help you if you will just try. He will strengthen you in your effort to be content.

God Speaks, Or Not

 Some days the Bible comes alive. Some days it's just words. Some services are exciting and uplifting. Some services are just an hour of time that passes with no impact. And that is alright with me. I do not need every day to be a holiday full of excitement. I don't need every service to be the Friday night of Prescott conference. I enjoy the times when I get something useful or interesting. And I ignore the blah days and times when nothing is happening.

You will know when you have grown up and matured as a believer when you can have a mediocre time and not be discouraged by it. When you can hear a sermon and know that you are not the only one in the building that needs help. Character is formed when you do the right thing because it is right, not because it feels good.

I enjoy the times when God speaks to me and I hear the still, small voice. I do not lose heart when I hear nothing at all. Neither should you.