Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Keeping Christ in CHRISTmas

Luke 2:7-11 (King James Version)

7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
What should we as Christians do in order to celebrate this greatest gift of all. The birth of our savior, God Himself manifested into human form so that he may become the perfect lamb. Our Lord born into this world knowing that He will eventually be crucified to pay the price for our sins and grant us the ultimate gift of everlasting life.
And just how do we celebrate; why by buying each other gifts of course.Something just doesn't seem right here.Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if the gifts we were giving were just a little more Christlike. Jesus taught us how we are to give gifts. To take care of widows and orphans, to feed the hungry and to clothe the naked. To be an encourager to someone having a rough time. To pray for the sick and the lost.
Or how about a really radical idea. Step out of you comfort zone and allow the Lord to use you in a way that helps to further His kingdom by doing your part to bring home one of the lost.Helping them to see the greatest of all gifts which is there's for the asking.
We have all heard the saying that it is better to give than to receive, well I,d like to let you in on what should not be such a big secret. The feeling you get when you are able to pray with someone to accept Jesus into there life is better than anything else this world has to offer, with the exception of how you felt the day you accepted the Lord into your life. The look on the persons face when the awesomeness of what just happened dawns on them is priceless. There is nothing this world can offer me that comes anywhere near the joy I receive when I see another brother or sister become a child of the most high God.

So if we really want to keep Christ in Christmas, we can not count on the supreme court to do it for us of the AFA or the CFLJ. The way to keep Christ in Christmas is to get out there with the love of God in our hearts and the Gospel on our lips and allow the Lord to use us to bring Christ into the life of others.What could you possibly buy for someone that stacks up against the gift of helping to lead them to eternal life with their Lord and Savior.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE RED HAIRED GIRL

I know I haven't posted in awhile, but this past thursday I had an experience that I just can't shake. For four days I have been praying and asking the Lord what He was trying to tell me but in retrospect I think I knew immediately.
I recently took a position as a driver for a laboratory. On any given day I may drive between 250 and 450 miles dropping off bottle orders and reports and picking up sample to be analyzed at the lab. This much time alone on the road gives you alot of time to think, which can be either a good or bad thing depending on what is going on in your life.
I have been pusuing a degree in Biblical Studies in the hope of being able to enter full time ministry, I believe with all my heart that this is what the Lord is calling me to do and I know that each new experience is just His way of preparing me, but there are times the road to accomplishing this seems endless. Lately a series of financial, physical and emotional occurrences had been taking its toll.
The other day I was sitting in bumper to bumper traffic when up ahead high on the embankment underneath a bridge I say this young redheaded women sitting on a couch. On a sunny 95 degree day you see many people outside especially in the cities and at first I thought nothing about it rather than it was a strange place to be hanging out. As I neared the overpass I realized that there were clusters of clothes and personal belongings scattered up and down the embankment on both sides of the highway and I realized that what I was witnessing was a homeless colony.From the looks of things there were probably dozens of people who slept here each evening," But she just didn't look like a homeless person".
As I came closer the next minute of my life was one that will be burned into my mind forever. At first I wondered why this attractive young women was not only staying in a homeless colony, she seemed to have the most choice position. I doubt she was a newcomer. Secondly I was frightened for her, as she sat there just staring out over the highway, rats the size of small dogs skittered past her feet and she didn't even budge.I was frightened to be 100 feet away in the car and she didn't even notice them. Then we made eye contact. I will be praying for this girl for the rest of my life. She may have been 19 or 45, she was beautiful yet frightening, I wanted to get away as fast as I could but all day felt that I should have just found someplace to pull over so I could help her. I don't know what I could have done but I felt so "lacking".
So yes, I do know what the Lord was telling me. He does have plans for me, He knows I want to make a difference, He's just not finished preparing me yet. So I'll keep on trusting, but I'd like to ask all or you,"Please" PRAY FOR THE RED HAIRED GIRL.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Racism among Christians

We are all created in the image and likeness of God.And yes I am a creationist, I do not believe I evovled from anything I believe I am God's handiwork.Now brothers and sisters we need to stop spending so much time on the things that divide us. it is bad enoughwe battle between denominations we can not also have Christians dividing by race. If we are to accomplish the grat commission we need to move beyond that.
If we have a problem with a brother the bible tells us we are to straighten things out with that brother first. All who have accepted Christ have become one family,Christs body on earth. The bible says we will know them by their fruit and there are times I think some peoples Christianity needs to be question and searched for fruit.
I personally do not want anyone sent to eternal damnation because i was not bold enough to confront them. I think we are in a time where there are more and more false teachers with the anti-Christ spirit within them and we must challenge them at every turn.BUT it needs to be done as a Christian for the glory and honor of God and racism has no place in the equation.
Do not speak out of a place of racism nor avoid a confrontation because someone might accuse you of racism. Make sure you are speaking out of the heart of a Christian, be bold, be strong, but be loving.
The main thing I am trying to say is that during such a time as ours Christians need to be uniting under the banner of Gods desires for our lives and not separating because of some silly pact mentality which can only move you further and further away from the Lord.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

THE CHURCH

What comes into your mind when someone says "The Church"? To many of us it seems that the first thing we think of is a building. To others it may be their denomination. But isn't the church really about being a part of the family of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common. And sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart. Praising God and having favor with all the people.And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:43-47 NKJV

Recently after spending a good portion of a day witnessing to someone, I was blessed when he told me that unlike others who had tried speaking with him before, he didn't mind listening to me because I was different (most who know me can attest to that, LOL), he says I didn't sound preachy. I told him that being a Christian is a lifestyle which should be expressed by actions rather than words.
So what happens when we become part of the family of God and allow Him to work through us to bring his grace to others on earth? For me it is seeing Gods love in action. Not just on grandiose levels but on personal levels. It is personal gifts and notes sent to me from people I have never met because they were touched by something I wrote. It is the member of my congregation that slips me money from time to time for no other reason than he knows I am experiencing difficult times. It is my wife's bible study teacher who has spent hours transcribing films because she knows my wife can not hear the dialogue. It is having friends who will drop whatever they are doing in order to pray with you.

To me " The Church" is the manifestation of Gods love on the earth.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Absolutes

I recently started in a position as a part time fill-in driver for a laboratory which has so far provided a rather good stream of work. Besides for the fact that I love being paid to drive someone else vehichle all day it is providing me with many opportunites to encounter many different people everyday.On friday I was able to spend about eleven hours being driven around the state while a very pleasant gentleman showed me his route.
Not surprisingly we started talking about politics and world affairs. Anyone who knows me also knows that I am never short of opinions on this topic but with someone I have just recently met I know to keep things on a level of generalities until we become more familiar with each other. I knew immediately that this was a gentleman who put thought into his answers and at the age of 77 he has encountered most of the experiences life has to offer but he said something that I knew I had to address.
Now being g as we were only about 2 hours into what I knew was going to be a long day I knew I had time to get this right. The gentleman had expressed the opinion that there are "no absolutes."
Throughout the day I had learned that his son was a Christian who I have no doubt is someone I would get along with, so I knew I wasn't drifting into uncharted territories. I can only pray that I was able to help water a seed that I know has already been planted and before the day was out I did get back around to my main thought of the day.
There is one "absolute truth" and only one. Jesus Christ said "I am the way the truth and the life" this is an absolute we can cling to and use as our guide through life and praise God for that.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Global Warming

Good thing there are no elected officials flying out of D C for any climate change conferences this weekend.Over 6,000 years and humans are still foolish enough to think that they can do anything to control nature. How often do we hear about the pagan goddess called mother nature or the all knowing god called science.
When was the last time any man or woman managed to stop a hurricane or an earthquake or a tornado, or a tsunami"I'll wait while you look that up?"
There is only one way that we can have any influence at all over these occurrences and it can be found on the Book of 2 Chronicles chapter 7 verse 14.
Butthen we would have to stop killing babies, stop worshipping false god,turn away from lives of immorality.
Of course there are many with hardened heart who will never repent and someday they will find out the true meaning of ETERNAL GLOBAL WARMING.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Christians, The single largest threat to Chritianity

If Jesus were to walk into your house today, how many things would you be throwing out the window?
Well your house is your body, your body is the temple of the spirit, is your house in order?
Do you deal with your business the same way as you do with your Church, or is Church ,Church and business business.
Is Jesus not the Lord of all Business?
Do you put your business first and hope that He will blessit, or do you put Him first andKNOW that He will bless your business.?
When you are sitting across from someone do you see an adversary or do you see Jesus and treat that person accordingly?
Do your decisions put God first or monetary happiness?
Are God's commandment first in your life at all times or only when they are convienient?
ARE YOU EMPTYING YOURSELF OF WORLDLY AMBITIONS SO THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN FILL THAT VOID AND MAKE YOU USEFUL TO GOD'S KINGDOM.?
ARE YOU HAPPY TO MAKE YOURSELF AVAILABLE TO GOD OR DO YOU ACT LIKE HE REALLY NEEDS YOUR HELP?

THE SINGLE GREATEST CAUSE OF ATHEISM IN THE WORLD TODAY IS CHRISTIANS WHO PROFESS CHRIST WITH THEIR MOUTH AND THEN IGNORE HIM WITH THEIR ACTIONS, THAT IS WHAT AN UNBELIEVING WORLD FINDS SIMPLY UNBELIEVABLE.

NONE OF US ARE PERFECT OR EVEN CLOSE BUT WHAT ARE YOU WORKING TOWARDS?

Monday, January 11, 2010

The Only Way

Matthew 6:25-34 (New International Version)

Do Not Worry
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own
There is only one path which we must take to pull our country out of it's present difficulties, That is the path which leads us to the cross.The Cross at Calvary on which our Lord and savior sacrificially died for th sins of a sinful world.
At the cross there is life, at the cross there is joy, at the cross there is salvation for any who cal on the name of the Lord. We have become a sinful nation , we fall deeper and deeper into the strongholds of sin each and every day.
But there is GOOD NEWS the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Worrying will do no good, man can not fix the many sins of this country except through prayer and repentance. But God can set us right with just one breath from His Holy mouth.
What shall it be , shall we succumb to secularism and wind up burning in the eternal lake of fire.
Or shall we repent and rejoice in the lords love and kindness.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Diary of an Unborn Child

Anyone who knows me even in passing has a general Idead about my feelings on the murder of the unborn. Today is was reading through some sermons from Dr. Ray Pritchard from KeepBelievingMinistries.com and I came across this imaginary Diary of an unborn child. I found it very touching and wanted to share it.
Diary Of An Unborn Child
Our greatest problem with abortion is that we have a hard time seeing the unborn for what they are-real people being put to death. It helps if we understand that what is being aborted is not a fetus but a real person-a little girl with blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes or a little boy with freckles and a dimple. If only we could see the unborn as people just like us, we would know the truth about abortion.

This is called "Diary of an Unborn Child." It is imaginary, yet full of truth.
October 5 - Today my life began. My parents do not know it yet and I am as small as the seed of an apple. But I am really here. And I am glad to be a girl. I shall have blond hair and blue eyes. Just about everything is settled, even the fact that I shall love flowers.
October 19 - Some say I'm not a real person yet, that only my mother exists. But I am a real person, just as a small crumb of bread is truly bread. My mother is. And I am.
October 23 - My mouth is just beginning to open now. Just think, in a year or so I shall be laughing and later talking. I know what my first word will be: "Mama."
October 25 - My heart began to beat today all by itself. From now on it will gently beat for the rest of my life without ever stopping to rest.
November 2 - I am growing a bit every day. My arms and legs are beginning to take shape, but I have to wait a long time yet before I can hug my mommy and daddy.
November 12 - Now my fingers are beginning to grow. Funny how small they are. I'll be able to stroke my mother's hair with them.
November 20 - Today for the first time the doctor told mom that I am living under her heart. Oh, how happy she must be. Are you happy, Mom?
November 25 - My mom and dad are probably thinking about a name for me. But they don't even know that I am a little girl. I want to be called Kathy. I am getting so big already.
December 10 - My hair is growing. It is smooth and bright and shiny. I wonder what kind of hair mommy has.
December 13 - I am just about able to see. It is dark around me. When mom brings me into the world it will be full of sunshine and flowers. But what I want more than anything is to see my mom. Do I look like her? I hope so.
December 24 - I wonder if mom hears the whispering of my heart? Some children come into the world a little sick. But my heart is strong and healthy. It beats so evenly: tup-tup, tup-tup. You'll have a healthy daughter, Mom.
December 28 - Today my mother killed me.
Something to think about.
Be Blessed
Hugh

Saturday, January 9, 2010

To God Goes The Glory

I have ben very encouraged by some public figures lately. Colt McCoys interview after getting hurt in the Texas Alabama game was inspiring. Tim Tebow has been a steady source of encouragement and I was extremely proud of the way Brit Hume handled himself throughout this past week.
Glenn Beck continues to talk about the country's need to turn to the Lord and Judge Napolitanos closing remarks on Beck's show were beautiful on Thusday. If only more of our countrymen were willing to give God the glory.
Jeremiah 9:23-25 (New King James Version)
23 Thus says the LORD: “ Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; 24 But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the LORD.