Reunion Grounds

Scripture Reading: Acts 16:26-28a
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being;

Mid to late summer in America, particularly in the South, is usually the time for family reunions. Family reunions as well as community or church reunions are always well populated if the interest is kept alive. I can remember going to reunions at the "reunion grounds" usually out in the country. Reunion grounds was sort of a privately owned place that a family owned but let other families gather to get together and renew acquaintances.

I can remember several reunions as a small boy. I can remember lots of folks coming down the dusty roads. Kids pulling out bikes to ride around. Men would gather to throw horseshoes. People would surround themselves with too much food. Of course the familiar scene would be old folks who were the "patriarchs" of the family. You would hear them tell of their lives and describe their past and get a connection with places and faces long gone.

The eeriest part though is when everyone packed up to go home and the reunion grounds became desolate and silent. No more was there the joyous noises of folks together or the clanging of horseshoes or laughter. If the reunion grounds were near a churchyard all the remainders was the loved ones buried in the ground. Its too bad reunions aren't more frequent.

That being said we turn our attention to the real matter at hand, our relationship with Jesus Christ. How often do we meet with Him? How often do we find ourselves reuniting our hearts and spirit with Him?

Christians today often treat the Master as they treat earthly family, they see each other or talk to each other seldom. They of course desire to get together more often, but it doesn't happen as planned. A person who has little or no relationship with Christ is the same way. We desire to be close to Him, but our desires vs. our actions don't align. We forget how much that He wants us to draw near to Him, and in turn we forget how much we need to draw near to Him, that is, until something bad happens to us.

Walking and reuniting with Christ is the following things:

1. A daily desire and action put into practice
2. A time set aside to shut out all else and draw near in prayer and reading the Word
3. A time of introspect and desire to change our lives in line with His
4. A time of praise and worship in song and in meditation of how great God is and how smallwe are.
5. A time when we bring our needs before Him and depend on Him
6. A time spent just talking as we would to an earthly parent of friend

In summary, walking with Christ really isn't a annual or weekly thing, but a daily exercise, and not one out of obligation but of desire.

Unfortunately, some have it in mind that the reunion with ourselves and Christ occur in the walls of the church on Sunday. While this is certainly the highlight of our week it is not meant to be the total time we spend with Him. Daily walk is key. Some Christians treat church as a reunion ground cemetery. They come to visit with God, but as soon as the Amen is said, they "leave" Him in the pew, on the wall, or anywhere on the church site while we go our own way. "Oh we will be back!" Yet many don't even come to the evening service they full well know their church is having because it interferes with their plans.

You're not going to like this.... If we do not attend on a regular basis, our church services both morning and evening, plus midweek because of whatever reason except for work hours or ill-health, or the few times we need to be away, what we are really saying is that Christ is getting in the way of our lives and our plans, taking more time than He should. Such is the case when God is left at the Reunion Grounds.

Are any of us perfected in our time spent with God? No. Should I personally be spending more time with God? Yes. He spends every minute with us. Of course we cannot read our Bibles all the time, but we can always talk to Him and include Him in our plans, our purchases, our decisions, our future goals, etc. After all, He is in charge of all the previous matters of life, so we should spend time with Him, for these reasons, but moreover out of love and appreciation for His Love to us.

Make sure this week that you take on spending more time with God. Don't leave God at the Reunion Grounds while you spiritually "drive off" to come again one of these days.

The old hymn says, "Take the Name of Jesus with you, child of sorrow and of woe. It will joy and comfort give you, take it then where e'er you go."

Lord, help us to make a regular desiring practice of spending time with You. Amidst our busy life and schedules help us to remember that You need to be in the center and before all things. Forgive us as we fail to do this so often. May this week be one of change towards devotion to You this week we pray, Amen.

Pieces Of The Old Dream

Scripture Reading:
Phil. 2;21
For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.

Back in the late 80s, country artist and WV native Kathy Matea wrote a very popular song entitled, "Eighteen Wheels and A Dozen Roses." The song chronicles the last few hours of a truck driver who is about to retire after 30 years on the road. The driver is headed home on the last leg of his four day journey. Both he and his wife are looking anxiously forward to finally spending time together after such long periods of absence. Kathy sings, "they'll buy a Winnebago, set out to find America, and do a little catching up a little at a time. With pieces of the old dream, they're going to light the old flame..." Such words evoke fondness in us all.

The title of this article is a phrase from this song. There is something about this phrase that has always stuck in my mind. I believe the reason comes because all of us has had a dream or plans that have been interrupted by something or someone. Even though after many years have passed and our old desire has faded, we still reflect fondly on whatever it was and wish things had gone differently.

Many folks teach that we should never lose sight of our dreams. If those dreams measure up to what God desires for us that is good advice, however, if your dreams are not being fulfilled, it could be a good indication they are not in line with God's best.

Here are some ways to measure our dreams in light of God's desires:
1. Does this goal have any possibility to supersede godly devotion?
2. Does this goal truly have God in the center to glorify Him?
3. Does this dream or goal help us grow in our Christian walk?
4. Does this dream conflict any of God's standards even in the slightest?

Now I realize that these are some steep stipulations, but God's best for us is a high goal.

Many Christians walk around with no or little concept of eternity. We all get into a mindset that this life and the pursuit of pleasure in it is all that will ever matter. God on the other hand is wanting us to see beyond this life and see what will last for eternity not just the here and now.

This does not mean that every goal that doesn't meet everyone of these criteria God will not grant. In fact Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33 that if the Kingdom is sought first then the other things we desire that are proper for us to have will be met.
Being desirous of the Kingdom will affect our desires. In fact God uses a right heart to filter out wrong desires and replace them with right ones. We find as we put the kingdom first, many worldly things that once seemed important, fade away.

Our one foe that blocks a desire to have whatever God wants, rather than what we do, is the flesh. Selfishness as stated in our text looks only for the immediate. The flesh reasons and rationalizes us into a sinful stupor and can hinder godly wisdom and judgement. Don't let the seeming "wisdom" detract you from God's desire.

God desires His best to be our best. Are there old dreams that may not have been met on account of wrong desires? Are there old dreams that have not been fulfilled that were rightful desires? Only God knows our hearts. Be assured though that no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. We can only see the temporary, He sees the outcome of every decision and dream we have and knows how to bless us by either granting it, or, canceling it. When He cancels, He is not being mean, rather though it may not appear so at first, He has a better plan for you.

Measure what you value according to God's standards and He will bring to light in due time what He desires for you.


Father, help us to want what You want and to trust You for all our needs. Help us not to be so consumed with worldly things that we lose sight of You. Help us to keep our minds on what really counts. In Your Name, Amen.

God's Positioning System Part 2 of 2

Scripture Reading: I Peter 3:4-6
And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

The word to use for this discussion is "Intersection." The word means "a point in which two directions cross one another."

In last weeks discussion, we talked about how God knows where we are and that we are not out of His sight. This week we continue on to see how God positions us in someones life to bring glory to God and a blessing to others.

There are so many examples in the Bible where God positioned people to meet. The example that is readily coming to my mind is in our text. Peter and John were walking in the temple. As they were preparing to go to the temple, God was preparing a man who had been crippled most if not all of his life to be at the same part of the temple that Peter and John would be at. As the two groups set out on their journeys, the hand of God moved the cripple into position where he normally sat, and then guided along Peter and John to go right to the spot where he was, so, that the man may be healed.

When we think of our lives and with whom our paths cross, do we stop and think whom God might put in our paths to be a blessing to? I am not talking about preplanned trips say to a hospital where you know the person you are to minister to, but unplanned occurrences. I will be the first person to admit that I don't like surprises. Most of my life a surprise was seldom (though not always) a good thing. I am not a snob or stand offish, but I am not a person who likes crowds, except in a church or other religious gathering, nor do I really do well at personal one on one contact. I am a small intimate group type. However, there are those whom the Lord puts in my path to be a blessing to. Many times God puts people and opportunities in our path to test us, and that I know is what happens to me.

Nevertheless, God puts people and situations in our paths to benefit His Kingdom of whose servants we are. So what are some inward issues that need to be addressed if we are to serve the Lord by those He positions in our path??

First, we must have an open heart.
Peter and John may have not known what was about to take place in the Temple, but they were open to the Lord's leading. They frequented a place where they knew were needs. They were at the temple. Today most Christians agree that Christianity is kept inside the walls of the church. I agree it is and has been. However, there are people in church who have genuine needs of encouragement or help. Such was the case here in the text. Notice that the man was begging alms as he had no other means of support. Now we may not have people begging right in our foyers, but there are beggars in other senses. There are people whom you casually speak to that have a heavy burden on their heart, you may be the one the Lord uses to help bear or relieve them of it. They key is to be open wherever you are to seeing needs around you. I have to pray about this a lot as I am going about. This puts us out of our comfort zone. Most of us get too busy for others, or we don't feel as if they deserve our valuable time. This is a desperate trap we fall into. We need to have a heart that is willing to seek. Of course there are times and places we can't just wander into looking for needs, but as Peter and John found out, the time and place often finds us.

Second, we need to have a ready message.
Peter would go on later to write in his epistles, "always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within you" (1 Peter 3:15). Perhaps as he wrote this he thought back to the beggar incident. One thing is for sure, we can all do kind deeds for folks, we can listen to them, we can help them, but unless we have shared the Word of God with them, then we have failed them. Not every situation will warrant a sermon on whatever, but share a verse and/or offer to pray with them will be a tremendous help. Sometimes like me, I don't know how to approach the situation and start a conversation tying needs into the Gospel. In those times, we need to pray for God to give us utterance and direction. Sometimes the person you speak to may not give a chance for the Gospel message. In that case, you can still pray for them later. Peter and John saw the man in his pitiful state. The cripple needed worldly means, but the followers of God saw that he had a greater need. Unless we see that need then the message of Hope will not come forth. Such deliverance of the message need to be committed to memory. By that I mean you must familiarize yourself with helpful passages of scripture both in mind and in your Bible. In such cases you will be ready to help.
An old preacher I heard many years ago once said, "A dry well has no attraction to a thirsty man." Don't go out without the Word prepared in you.

Third, we need to look for and ask for opportunities.
Being tied to the flesh, we do not automatically desire to look out for others needs. Rather we look for our own needs and wants. There are ways to do personal witness right and wrong. For example, just going up to a perfect stranger and telling them point blank they need Jesus is not going to work effectively in most cases even though the case be true. However, you can ask the Lord to bring people across your path to intersect with them and to help them. Most usually you will find someone who needs what you have to say. God has a unique way of bringing them to you. The question is, are we courageous enough to seize the opportunities? In a hospital, you may be going to visit a patient in bed 1, but you also need to pay attention to the person in bed 2. The family in a waiting room, or others there may need the Light you have too. When we ask God to help us do good for others for His glory and not our own attention, then He can work with us. The whole ministry of Peter and John was to help bring the Jewish people to Christ. When the man was healed, this gave Peter the opportunity to preach to many of who Christ is. Though you may not have a multitude of listeners, God is interested in the individuals needs.

Has God positioned those in your path for your ministering? Pray for opportunities towards non believers and believers too. God's positioning system is calibrated for effect in the lives of others, but also to you. We receive a blessing for having blessed others in His name.

Father, help us to be of willing minds and hearts to look for those who need your Message and help. May we not be fearful or prideful to do the work You desire. Remind us what our lives are to be about we pray, in Your Name, Amen.


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God's Positioning System

Scripture Reading:
2Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars."

It is getting to be a common device in America and around parts of the world, A GPS unit, or "Global Positioning System." Such a system receives signals from an orbiting satellite and then computes in the device, according to the map installed, exactly where you are on the planet and where you need to turn next. If you are in a large city, or have never been to a certain location, a GPS is so handy, it knows the way. In addition to car model GPS units, there are widely available hand held units for backpackers, hunters, etc. These units shows compass directions as well as Latitude/Longitude coordinates. It is these coordinates that can identify your precise location. What a great thing to have if your lost huh???

Another function of a GPS is found in cell phones. Some parents take advantage of this as they wonder where their kids are. They can turn on this function and find the whereabouts of the phone and likely the teen or kid, who in this day and age, will not be found without the phone.

Well, God has the same idea for such a system. His positioning system however uses no handheld electronic devices, nor do the batteries run down, nor do we stick it to a windshield. God uses His Word, the Bible. It is more sophisticated, more durable, and more effective. The reason God has such a system in place is not to keep us under surveillance, but to help us navigate this life towards the life to come. Here are the differences and advantages of a Godly Positioning System.

The Bible differs from a GPS in that it is always ready and on.
My GPS has to be constantly plugged into the 12volt receptacle of the car to be effective for a long time. Worldly philosophies are like this, they only work for a short space of time. When the time runs out, the person listening and following is usually worse off than before. God's Word is however and open Book with no certain times to read it or limitations to seeking God's wisdom. If we ask God to show us something that will challenge and inspire us, even when we do not know where to turn, He will find a Scripture for us, many times just but us opening to a "random" page in the Scriptures. The Word of God does not wear out in its effectiveness as it has stood the test of time. God spoke His words that do not fade away or are affected by time. The same principles in the Bible that were effective in the first century and before are still effective in 2009 and beyond. The book of Proverbs is particularly a good place to find age old wisdom that doesn't know failure, regret, or ineptness.

The Bible acts in a dual mode, Physical and Spiritual.
Sensory technology of today is dependent on certain bands or wavelengths. Remember the old CB radios (citizen band) operated on a different signal than short wave radios or even the 2 Way Radios today. The Bible is not just a book aimed at the Spiritual needs primarily (although that is its main goal), it also addresses the way we are to live and prosper in the Physical world. As mentioned earlier, the book of Proverbs has a lot to say about our physical lives. If you are looking for matters of finances, relationships, practical living, desires, marriage and so on, its all in there. In fact, many of our Founding Fathers, some who were not believers in Christ, saw the Bible for its great moral and social values as the foundation for which the United States should be built upon. Spiritually of course, the Bible is the only key, the only source of knowledge by which a man or woman can be certain of their eternal lives. The Bible is an evangelistic book bound together by the red thread of Christ's blood shed for our sins on the cross. The Bible is a pointer to things yet to come. It tells us what will happen when we die. It assures us Christ will return and not one of His promises ever are empty ones. The Bible tells us how we can have peace and security. The Bible tells us about the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and the guidance He brings. The Bible tells us where to turn and what to seek that is truly valuable and necessary.
The Bible not only reminds us when we are off course, but shows us the ONLY route to take.
A car GPS will tell you when you are off the planned route. Usually most models will keep saying, "Recalculating" or, "please turn around." When we get off track spiritually, the Holy Spirit reminds the Christian of it. Then He will bring to mind a particular Scripture that speaks to the need of the heart. The main difference in God's way and the world's way of regaining your correct direction is that the world will offer you many many options, none of them truly work no matter how much sense it seems to make. God plainly and simply reminds us that by coming back to Him is the only way to be on track. The reason He prescribes this only method is because only He knows the right path and He desires us to walk WITH Him in that path. All routes we take that is not based on God's directives can for sure end in ruin, because man is blind spiritually. If you desire to know where you are and where you need to be spiritually, ask God as you read His Word to show you what needs to be done and the steps to do it.

The Bible makes getting directions spoken to us in a personal manner through the Holy Spirit
When you ask a person who tends to be "religious," do you believe the Bible? Yes, they reply. Do you know who God is? Again, the reply maybe Yes. But when you ask them, "what does God say to you on any given day?" That is when you lose the connection with them. You see for a religious person not knowing the Saviour, the concept of the presence of the Holy Spirit actively talking and guiding us in our lives is so foreign. The mark of the true believer in Christ is the presence of the Holy Spirit. For lack of better illustration, when your car GPS tells you, "Turn left at....." it is speaking to you. The Holy Spirit in the same manner personally speaks to us. He is much more personable than a machine. He has feelings, wisdom, compassion, intellect (off the scale) and more. All a machine can do is tell you what it is programmed to say. There is no personage involved. With God, there is more than just a person or a voice involved, it is He Himself, the same person who died for us, now cares enough to reside with us. God's Spirit is usually not abrupt, but is kind, says more than just the plain facts, and encourages us with more than what we ask for.

Wherever you are in life, God has His eye on you. He knows where you are. He knows where you are in relation to His will and the Scriptures. He also knows how to let us know all these things through His Word the Bible. It is God's Positioning System.

A GPS works two ways, it tells us where we are and it tells us where to go. Next time we will discuss God's role in positioning ourselves for service to Him and for blessing someone, even ourselves.

Take heart that God truly cares and loves us this much.

Dear Lord, Thank You that you do not leave us alone, but are very interested in our lives. Help us to remember this when we feel lonely or neglected by others. Help us to keep focused on You and give us a renewed trust in Your position in our lives. We thank You in Your Name. Amen.


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Check # 666

Scripture Reading:
Eph 1:12-13 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
In whom ye also trusted, [Christ] after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Whenever you hear the numerals in continuity "666" the mind of man goes in all directions. It actually proves the fact that there can be no denial of God in the mind of man. Mankind fears this unlucky number. They fear it with intense superstition. They will do strange things like never buy anything that amounts to $6.66, or write a check that has the number "666." They don't know why intrinsically, but the world does know it has some evil to it. To acknowledge that, they must acknowledge the Bible and its truths. And of course as we know perfectly well as believers, if the Bible is true in one point, then it is true in all points.

The number 666 is spoken of the in the book of Revelation as the number of a man, particularly the Anti-Christ, or, the man of sin. It is referenced by many theologians as the numeral portion of the condemning mark of the Beast. The number itself is shrouded in mystery to some, but for those of us who know Christ, there is not much mystery, and it is NOTHING we need to fear or side step in our Christian lives. We do not need to give in to superstitions regarding this number. Let me say that this number is Literal and is factual in the Scripture, but it has nothing to do with the believer in Christ or should superstition cause us to fear.

Superstition is a tool of the devil to further blind the minds of the blind and deafen their ears to the glorious hope of the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Superstition can also be used to prey on the Christian who has an at best shallow knowledge of the Scripture. The role superstition plays is that the evil world takes a true principal or idea and twists it to make the Christian fear. Now let me say that the Devil is a real person, with real power, and our most formidable enemy. He is nothing to be laughed at or make light of. It is only by the shear protection of Jesus Christ that we are not devoured of the Devil. However, when we know the Scripture, Jesus said in John 8:32, the TRUTH is what sets us free. Free from what? Free from fear of misunderstanding is one point. I see a lot of Christians who look at the number 666 as bad luck or something to withdraw from. I just shake my head. Not because I am judging them, its because they need not fear it. Here are some reasons why...

This number is not for us because we have a BETTER seal of Redemption.
Quite simply believer, when we receive Jesus Christ in our hearts, we get a "mark" if you will. The mark is not of a beast but of the Blessed One that will not take it away. The seal of Christ as Paul mentions is ours until the day of Redemption. The Devil cannot steal you away nor can you become somehow corrupted beyond forgiveness. Remember it is Christ's finished work on Calvary in which we have this surety. The Devil cannot have us unto condemnation, because his hand has no power over the Authority of Jesus Christ. When you are sealed with that kind of power, by the Person of the Son of God, moreover, by I AM, who can take it away? Take heart.

We have the Spirit of TRUTH living in us as our GUARANTEE.
There are times I get discouraged and even to the point of wondering if I am truly redeemed. Its because I forget the awesome power that binds me to Christ. Let me share with you one of the most powerful Truths and verses to back it up. Simply, the Lord does not speak to the heart of a unredeemed sinner with the exception of convicting them of their need of Him. Moreover He does not talk to them with encouragement, He does not reveal Scripture to them, He does not give understanding to a sinner until they repent and ask Him in their heart. He does this for me because I am redeemed by His Grace. The work I speak of is by the Holy Spirit and the verse He showed me is

2 Corinthians 1:22 (New King James Version)

²² who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

The old King James Version uses the word "earnest." This word for the above reminds me that the presence of the Spirit in our lives is likened unto a the crowning jewel on a Royal seal. The seal is there, but the Spirit is that defining mark that takes precedence above ALL else.
If you have Christ in your heart, you have HIM!

Because Jesus tells us plainly that in His presence we have nothing to fear of condemnation. If you have never memorized Romans 8:1 which says, "There is no condemnation to those who are IN Christ Jesus," please do so. This is a freeing verse. Paul later goes on under inspiration to write that nothing, nothing, can separate us from the Love of God IN Christ Jesus. One day, all the world will stand before the Lord of Glory. Those who do not have Christ at this point forever will not have Him. They will stand in fear for He who wished to be their Saviour is now required by Holiness to be their Judge. But for the Christian whom the number 666 has no power He welcomes us with open arms when we meet Him. Recall in Revelation 1, the glorified Christ that John the Divine saw. What a awesome yet terribly fearful sight that caused Him to be so scared and afraid that John fell as though he were dead. Yet this awesome and terribly fearful Figure did something remarkable. Jesus Christ laid His right hand, don't miss that, the hand of Power and Authority. He laid His right hand on John's shoulder without harshness and said to John, "Do not be afraid." WOW! The literal fulfillment of Romans 8:1 that belongs to EVERY believer was made manifest in John and will be to us!

There are many fearful things in this world. However, do not let the ignorance of the Word of God fuel those fears, especially the contrast between being Christ's and being caught in the condemnation of the evil "666."

By the way, the title, "Check # 666" was the number in my Grandma's check ledger of her next check. She wrote that check to our local church, and guess what, that night we had a record offering from the people of God!!!

Thank You Lord for not allowing us to be eternally entangled in something that will play a role in condemning the unbelieving world. Help us not to place any fear but trust in YOUR seal of the Holy Spirit and point others to Christ for the same seal made available by Your most precious blood. Amen.

Divided We Fall

Scripture Reading:
1 Corinthians 1:10 "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."

In all the world, with its immense woes and tribulations, its shortcomings and uncertainties, one would think that the church of Jesus Christ would be a forever sure and stable place to be.

Well it isn't, at least not all the time and for some not much of the time. Notice I said "the church" not its Author and Leader! Make that abundantly clear before reading on.

I haven't been writing much lately because I have been busy with things that I should put aside and being tired a lot from the inside as well as out. A lot is on my mind. I am not very encouraged when I look at the American church today. What's happening is that when we get tired and sometimes very discouraged we form "cracks" in our lives that affect the lives of others. Small sins creep in that erode us.  Now for the speculative, I am not confessing to some great moral failure to the praise and grace of God it has not happened to me, and I pray it will not.  The problem is that the wearied stress marks of the things we think are negligible such as grumbling, disputing, mistrust, selfishness, murmurings, and a host of  others affect us all.  We as individuals affect the church because guess what, we as individuals make up the church. So when we get off track its like we begin to pull others down with us.

When we let ourselves become the objects of self rather than the heart committed servants of God we wreak inward turmoil in the body of Christ. This turmoil is like any on of us coming to church with a sharp two head woodsman axe. We pick a corner or wall of our nice building that took so very long and hard to build and start chopping away! We become unknowingly bent on self mutilation that our senses fail us. The literal thought of any of us doing such a thing would never occur to us, but spiritually that is what we do when we let someone, something, or some emotion that is not from God rule our hearts and divide our brethren.
Oh that we WAKE up and see that we are hurting each other to say nothing of how much we grieve the LORD and entertain Satan.

You know I enjoy a good cheeseburger, my favorite bought burger comes from Burger King, it can't be beat! Only thing is, Burger King came up with a slogan over two decades ago, "Have it Your Way." Now that is great when choosing a cheeseburger, but its disastrous when we apply that principle to our Christian life which eeks out into the corporate Christian church.
This church is the LORD"S CHURCH and all of our attitudes and self centered actions and anything you can think of that does not glorify Him, that does not put HIM FIRST says "Lord go and stand over in the corner while I have it my way." The concept of ME church must end in America. "Me Church" is that growth which we have brought in that has hushed the preaching of the penetrating Word of God for a feel good sermon. The same has reduced our once heart felt following of Christ to a bureaucracy of legalisms. Worst of all, "Me Church" divides a united body into factions.

We should never spar about matters that have their roots in what WE want rather than what God wants. The Hymn writer reminds us that "we are not divided, all one body we, one in hope and brotherhood, one in charity." So often we say in our hearts, "I want this to be so, or, I think that 'our' way is best." We say we include God, but He is so eclipsed from our own voice we deceive ourselves and mock His Name.

But when God's people are divided, there is even a greater problem than the internal turmoil...we turn away the lost. Do you know the sinful world watches the church with a sharper eye than the hawk? They may not come out and say it, but I tell you most assuredly that the world wants fulfillment in life and they hear we have it, but want to see it for themselves in action from us. When they hear stories and see the church of Christ have divisions and disputes among us, all one remark is echoed in their hearts: "You see, the Christian has no better hope than we do, why should we give our lives over to this Jesus?"
The message of Eternal Hope cannot be effectively delivered if we are not living in it and applying it in this world.

Folks, the time is short. I know preachers have been saying that all your life, but its true nonetheless. Before our Lord comes we MUST endeavor to have unity in Christ and one another for our sakes, the lost sake (which is our commission to win them) but most of all for Christ's Sake.

The readers of this blog is wide based over the United States and in parts of Europe to the praise of My Lord, but I say this because the divisions are everywhere. They are in your church, they are in my church. To the smallest degree and to the largest degree, Satan wants us divided so our mission in the world will be stained.  What can we do when we see the Unity of the brotherhood in Christ begin to deteriorate????
1. Pray for peace and forgiveness, individually and corporately.

2. Pray that God would cause us to remember that the church is not to be run by factions, but by the Master.

3. Examine. We cannot be the church God intended if we skip our own problems. We must vitally and wholeheartedly look at our lives and see what does not add up to the Word of God and be willing to ADMIT it. Don't pretend to be innocent and everyone else wrong.

4. Surrender, a word by default we don't like. Surrender ourselves to a committed life that ONLY glorifies Christ and not us indirectly or directly.

5. Heal. If we have something against another or a group, ask forgiveness.

6. UNIFY. This simply means everyone get back in line and look towards Christ and not to ourselves, thereby we are helping ourselves and bring glory to Christ.


A divided church is likened unto cancer in the body. Don't let it overtake us as individuals or as a corporate body, there is too much at stake and so little time left in the world.

Lord, our lives, our work, our church is to be about you. Please help us to be unified in You and not placate the flesh as it is so easy. Help me to do my part in making the body of Christ a shining example of what You alone can do in the life of a person and a church. Help us Lord. Amen.

Through The Personal Knowledge

Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 1:1-2

It happens all the time. We take on reading a book or section of the Bible and we are so intense on getting to the meat of the passage that we often run through profound truths....usually contained in the opening of a book. Such is today's example passage. At first glance the greeting is the typical salutation made to the writer's audience. Notice though that Peter or any other writer of the Bible is not writing under their own influence. No word of Scripture is put in for filler or it was just something nice to say with no real meaning. Often times we speak verbosely about nothing with great swelling words, we talk much and say little. This is not the case here. Let's look a the whole passage here below, I have highlighted in blue the "important" parts.

1 ¶ Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

Now the whole passage is important, but notice how Peter greets us. This we will look at this week and see how powerful God's Word is, though not always verbose and long winded.

The KEY to all this in the passage is the phrase Through the Knowledge of God. If it is not for our knowledge of Him we have no basis or hope in anything about Him, or about us in Him. Let's examine,

Through the Knowledge of God that ultimately brings about our redemption to those who trust in Christ, we have....Like Precious Faith.

Peter was writing about a Common Faith, or, the same faith he has is the same that all his readers had. Truly there is only one Faith Ephesians 4:5) in the Lord and that is essential. Think how confusing it would be to follow and keep track of a whole string of gods for every detail of life. Pagans had to appease the god of harvest, fertility, hearth and home, the sun, the rain, the soil, the harvest, etc. We have ONE God who is over all. How comforting that is. Now, you may think that Christianity is a convoluted confusion of different sects and teachings. Some interpret one way while others another, so who is right? Those that hold truly to exactly what the Word teaches and not try to throw their own spin from traditionalism or modern thoughts into the mix. Peter not only describes it as the same faith we share but it is precious. In other words the Faith in Christ is to be valued as the rarest gemstone or the most expensive rare antique we can think of. It is precious to us because it is unique, for there is no salvation in any other. The faith is precious on the individual scale for it brings hope, relationship, freedom, and fellowship. The precious part is the benefits which we can have in Christ, freely. There has been no other anything that did so much and cost US nothing. We have never been benefacted so much at so great an expense like we have in Jesus Christ. This makes it precious. Yet the key again, is the knowledge of Christ. He puts within us to know Him personally and thus we find out more and more about Him and the Faith in Him we commit our lives to.

Then there is the second phrase, Grace and Peace, be multiplied unto you. This may sound at first like a nice compliment to make on writing a letter. In fact how many times do we carelessly say, God bless you? Again the words spoken have root and meaning. When Peter announced he wished Grace (unmerited favor of God to Hell bound sinners like me) PLUS peace knowing that through Christ the penalty of sin is taken away, he meant this to comfort them deeply in the soul as it is meant for us. Notice that this state of Grace AND Peace is found only by the knowledge of Christ and God. These two states are not something we can derive for ourselves on our own. These must come from God and none else. These two states are eternal, that is, if we know Christ as Saviour we will always posses these because He possesses us! Mankind can say these words over one another but they are empty unless there is the Spirit of God in the recipient working it in them. Another thing to notice is that we cannot have this Grace and Peace by simply knowing ABOUT God. Peter is not backing a supposition for head knowledge. No the language is intimate and of the heart. It is so dangerous for one to think himself a Christian because he or she has heard the stories in Sunday School or has been under preaching, or has read a book once long ago. To know about Christ is fine, but it should spur us on to know Christ in person and Lordship that makes the difference and the blessing bestowed here in the passage.

Lastly, the Knowledge of Christ is to be multiplied. This simply means it is a growing reproducing state within us. This Knowledge is foundational and builds us to be stronger and more resilient to the world's philosophy and to the evil temptations. Multiplying knowledge is growing us in our remembrance of Christ's atonement for us, lest we soon forget. Also multipying knowledge is to be contagious among its hearers. We need to share it with our brothers in Christ to edify and exhort them when they are going through the rough times. It is also to be shared with the unsaved in the hopes it will draw them to desire to know the Saviour. When something multiplies, it spreads out and covers. This is precisely what Peter hoped to do as his audience was being persecuted sorely.

Final thought: Does the knowledge of God and Christ impact or do anything specific for you? Knowing Christ liberates the soul. The whole sum of our relationship with Christ is based on our knowledge of Christ, NOT just knowing the facts, but knowing the PERSON. If we do not know the Person of Christ we cannot know anything of Christianity. Meaningless prayers, words, liturgies, events, without the proper relational knowledge these have no value.

"Through the personal knowledge," is our conduit or artery that allows us to be all of what a Christian is, without it, we have no faith or hope.

Take time this week to study the openers to books of the Bible, find these key statements that set the whole stage for what we know and who we are in Christ, "Through the Knowledge."

Help us Lord to bask in Your knowledge and to desire to know You better every day. Amen.

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