Galatians 4:16
Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
First of all, shame on some of you for only reading this because of the title. (Haha)
"You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!" Do you remember those words from a movie a few years ago? Seemed like everyone would go around saying that statement. Comedians were always using it for their punch lines. You could hear them say, "You can't handle the truth!" in their best Nicholson voice.
At sometime in history a few preachers thought that it would be better to be a friend who is a preacher instead of a preacher who is a friend. Also somewhere in time a few parents thought it would be better to be buddies instead of parents. So then when the time came to speak the truth to people or children they think we don't love them and have suddenly become their enemy. It is viewed as if we are now enemies because we speak the truth. Before you say it, yes I understand there is a right way to tell the truth with love. God's word tells us that we must speak the truth in love. This doesn't mean that we are to hold back from speaking the truth, but that when we speak the truth let it be wrapped in love.
Well, what is the truth? The truth is that sin will always be sin. No matter what the sin is, it will always be sin. Well, what is sin? Sin is to know to do right and not to do it. Sin is not following God's command from His word and the natural laws that are written in the heart of men and women.
Don't forget to wrap the truth in love. I think it is so funny that people don't like green beans. But during the holiday seasons the cooks will wrap them in bacon and people will devour them. Sometimes the truth of sin in our lives may seem like green beans. People will even protest the green beans. We know that they are good for us but we just don't know how to swallow it. Wrap em' up, hahaha. Sometimes truth hurts us as well. Dads, moms, preachers, leaders share the truth wrapped in grace and love. Don't diminish the truth in order to give it, just let your conversation be seasoned with grace. God's grace and love have never taken away from the truth.
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
I Can't Wait For Sunday!
Matthew 6:21
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
We go to bed and can't sleep because of the excitement of vacation, fishing trip, shopping trip, getting married or starting a new job. We will lay out our clothes of choice that helps us to be prepared for the next days event. If it's a fishing trip, we check the weather, water reports and lay out the clothes, tackle and supplies. If it's a wedding, we plan for months, sending out the invitations, fitted for dresses and tuxedos. We don't sleep the night before because we are thinking of that special day. If it's one of those "Black Friday" shopping trips, I know people who have camped out the night before trying to save $100 on a television.
It is so amazing the preparations we will go to in order to fill our pleasure and desires. From the early rising to the staying up all night, we will do whatever it takes to get what our heart desires.
How much do you desire of God? How close to Him do you desire to be? Most people I know treat church attendance as if it's nothing big or exciting. If they go then that's fine, but if they don't go then that's fine also. I see more families fighting about going to church and just barely making it in to the service on time than I do of those coming early or staying late to enjoy the fellowship of brothers and sisters in Christ. The majority of church goers today get there at least five minutes after it starts and want to leave five minutes before we close.
What would happen in your walk with God if you desired the things of God? What would church be like if you felt the same way about going to church like you do a "Black Friday" shopping trip? Or a much desired fishing trip? Or the new game coming out at GameStop that you spent all night camping in front of a store for? Can I tell you that you can do more than save money on a television, Jesus will save your soul. You can do more than catch a few fish, you can become a fisher of men. Walking with God and attending His house can be more exciting than a video game.
When you roll over on a Sunday morning do you dread that awful 11:00 worship time? Or how about that dreaded 6pm evening service. I mean you have already gone once for that day, good grief. And how dare they have a Sunday School or Bible Fellowship hour at 9:45am! And we wonder why we are not hearing from God. Why our prayer life and personal Bible study time just isn't powerful. It's a reflection of our desire.
I can't wait until Sunday! I can't wait until Wednesday night! I can't wait until I can get to God's House and be with God's people. I can't wait until tomorrow morning when I can praise Him for another day. I can't wait till the next minute!
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
We go to bed and can't sleep because of the excitement of vacation, fishing trip, shopping trip, getting married or starting a new job. We will lay out our clothes of choice that helps us to be prepared for the next days event. If it's a fishing trip, we check the weather, water reports and lay out the clothes, tackle and supplies. If it's a wedding, we plan for months, sending out the invitations, fitted for dresses and tuxedos. We don't sleep the night before because we are thinking of that special day. If it's one of those "Black Friday" shopping trips, I know people who have camped out the night before trying to save $100 on a television.
It is so amazing the preparations we will go to in order to fill our pleasure and desires. From the early rising to the staying up all night, we will do whatever it takes to get what our heart desires.
How much do you desire of God? How close to Him do you desire to be? Most people I know treat church attendance as if it's nothing big or exciting. If they go then that's fine, but if they don't go then that's fine also. I see more families fighting about going to church and just barely making it in to the service on time than I do of those coming early or staying late to enjoy the fellowship of brothers and sisters in Christ. The majority of church goers today get there at least five minutes after it starts and want to leave five minutes before we close.
What would happen in your walk with God if you desired the things of God? What would church be like if you felt the same way about going to church like you do a "Black Friday" shopping trip? Or a much desired fishing trip? Or the new game coming out at GameStop that you spent all night camping in front of a store for? Can I tell you that you can do more than save money on a television, Jesus will save your soul. You can do more than catch a few fish, you can become a fisher of men. Walking with God and attending His house can be more exciting than a video game.
When you roll over on a Sunday morning do you dread that awful 11:00 worship time? Or how about that dreaded 6pm evening service. I mean you have already gone once for that day, good grief. And how dare they have a Sunday School or Bible Fellowship hour at 9:45am! And we wonder why we are not hearing from God. Why our prayer life and personal Bible study time just isn't powerful. It's a reflection of our desire.
I can't wait until Sunday! I can't wait until Wednesday night! I can't wait until I can get to God's House and be with God's people. I can't wait until tomorrow morning when I can praise Him for another day. I can't wait till the next minute!
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Keep Your Eyes On The Road!
1 Corinthians 7:35
And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
This morning our scripture speaks of Paul addressing the church about marriage and being careful to not become distracted by the world and its pleasures. God was trying to get our eyes focused. He was not saying that marriage is bad at all, God ordained marriage, but rather that we must not let it or anything get our eyes off of the road.
A couple of years ago in the state of Alabama many folks were angry and some were happy. Sad to say but the angry ones are mostly Christian's who believe that if we defile marriage to same-sex marriage that it would generate a huge decline in holiness and society in general. (This would include me) Let me also say that these Christians aren't against sinners, but sin. Sin that defiles marriage such as fornication, divorce for no reason, adultery, homosexuality, polygamy, bestiality, etc... Same-sex marriage is just another avenue of destroying the marriage that God created. We should be against this with every ounce of energy we have. On the other hand there are some that are pleased and happy about this ruling and intend to run out and get a marriage licence as early as possible. Christians and others are trying to uphold the law of God that says marriage is holy and should be between one woman and one man. Others are telling us that it doesn't matter what the Bible says.
In the meanwhile, Satan is laughing about it all. He has the sinners determined and the saved distracted. Most of the church members that I talk to about this are angry to the point where they are disgusted with people when we should just be disgusted with the sin. If the Christians are disgusted with people then who will we preach to? If you would, go and read 2 Timothy Chapter 3 this morning and look at what God tells us. He says these days would come and we act as if we are shocked that people commit sin. He said that they would be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. This speaks of not caring at all of what God's Word says, they will do what makes them happy. It says that they will be liars, heady, high-minded, false accusers, without natural affection, etc...
Do you know that Jesus was never distracted by sin? He never took His eyes off the road. He knew what had to be done for sin. He must endure the cross, the shame, the mocking, the slapping, and all the disgusting and destructive things that they threw at Him. Once they threw a woman who was half-dressed cause she was caught in the act of adultery. It never fazed Him! He saw the sin, saw the sinner and offered His grace. All the way up to Calvary He kept His eyes on the road. They nailed Him to the cross, tried to give Him vinegar to drink, speared His side and yet He said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do".
Don't let the sins of today distract you. It's a devilish road sign. Sin, no matter what it is, is not new to this world or unseen by God. He knows it's there. He hasn't forgotten. He is offering His grace for forgiveness and if we don't repent He will send His judgment to get rid of it. So while travelling down this road, Christians stay focused. If you continue to look at the sins of this world you will never share the remedy. What this world needs is Jesus!
We need to continue to preach Jesus from the pulpits to the parking lots. "Pulling"people from sin and Hell. Those who believe in the holiness of marriage keep showing this world what true marriage is. And stand up for its value no matter what the cost may be. No matter what happens, don't take your eyes off the road.
And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
This morning our scripture speaks of Paul addressing the church about marriage and being careful to not become distracted by the world and its pleasures. God was trying to get our eyes focused. He was not saying that marriage is bad at all, God ordained marriage, but rather that we must not let it or anything get our eyes off of the road.
A couple of years ago in the state of Alabama many folks were angry and some were happy. Sad to say but the angry ones are mostly Christian's who believe that if we defile marriage to same-sex marriage that it would generate a huge decline in holiness and society in general. (This would include me) Let me also say that these Christians aren't against sinners, but sin. Sin that defiles marriage such as fornication, divorce for no reason, adultery, homosexuality, polygamy, bestiality, etc... Same-sex marriage is just another avenue of destroying the marriage that God created. We should be against this with every ounce of energy we have. On the other hand there are some that are pleased and happy about this ruling and intend to run out and get a marriage licence as early as possible. Christians and others are trying to uphold the law of God that says marriage is holy and should be between one woman and one man. Others are telling us that it doesn't matter what the Bible says.
In the meanwhile, Satan is laughing about it all. He has the sinners determined and the saved distracted. Most of the church members that I talk to about this are angry to the point where they are disgusted with people when we should just be disgusted with the sin. If the Christians are disgusted with people then who will we preach to? If you would, go and read 2 Timothy Chapter 3 this morning and look at what God tells us. He says these days would come and we act as if we are shocked that people commit sin. He said that they would be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. This speaks of not caring at all of what God's Word says, they will do what makes them happy. It says that they will be liars, heady, high-minded, false accusers, without natural affection, etc...
Do you know that Jesus was never distracted by sin? He never took His eyes off the road. He knew what had to be done for sin. He must endure the cross, the shame, the mocking, the slapping, and all the disgusting and destructive things that they threw at Him. Once they threw a woman who was half-dressed cause she was caught in the act of adultery. It never fazed Him! He saw the sin, saw the sinner and offered His grace. All the way up to Calvary He kept His eyes on the road. They nailed Him to the cross, tried to give Him vinegar to drink, speared His side and yet He said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do".
Don't let the sins of today distract you. It's a devilish road sign. Sin, no matter what it is, is not new to this world or unseen by God. He knows it's there. He hasn't forgotten. He is offering His grace for forgiveness and if we don't repent He will send His judgment to get rid of it. So while travelling down this road, Christians stay focused. If you continue to look at the sins of this world you will never share the remedy. What this world needs is Jesus!
We need to continue to preach Jesus from the pulpits to the parking lots. "Pulling"people from sin and Hell. Those who believe in the holiness of marriage keep showing this world what true marriage is. And stand up for its value no matter what the cost may be. No matter what happens, don't take your eyes off the road.
Monday, February 27, 2017
Leaving It Up To Faith
Hebrews 11:1-2
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Have you ever heard someone say, "Leaving it up to fate"? What is fate? Fate is the development of events beyond a person's control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power. Basically it is believing that things just happen and there is nothing you can do about it. Some people would say that fate brought them together. Or it was by fate that something happened to them. This could be okay for most, but for me I would rather leave it up to Faith instead of fate.
When I was twenty years old I remember beginning my prayers for the Lord to send me the one that He desired for me. For so long, I looked and looked myself. I would think, "This is the one" and find out that it wasn't. I would think about the way I would meet someone and would think that it was fate or destiny, right? Only to find that my fate would be false and my destiny would be destroyed. I can take you right now to the very place that I began seeking God for His direction in this area of my life. It was in the altar at Unity Baptist Church of Kimberly, AL. This was the first time that I had prayed about this and said, "Whatever you want, or whoever you send, I'll be faithful."
Well I don't have the time to tell you this morning what God did. I can write this though. The one I would have least expected, mainly because we didn't know each other very well. (Her fault, she didn't like me because I was a bad person in school) We found ourselves one Sunday afternoon sitting at the piano together singing, "Holy Ground". From that moment I knew! Patti Harp was the one for me. She would come and listen to me preach revivals in her softball uniform. We would lead worship together in churches and houses. Thank God for faith!
Fate took me down a road that often led to no where, but look what leaving things up to faith can do! I'm not an elder, but I have a good report.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Have you ever heard someone say, "Leaving it up to fate"? What is fate? Fate is the development of events beyond a person's control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power. Basically it is believing that things just happen and there is nothing you can do about it. Some people would say that fate brought them together. Or it was by fate that something happened to them. This could be okay for most, but for me I would rather leave it up to Faith instead of fate.
When I was twenty years old I remember beginning my prayers for the Lord to send me the one that He desired for me. For so long, I looked and looked myself. I would think, "This is the one" and find out that it wasn't. I would think about the way I would meet someone and would think that it was fate or destiny, right? Only to find that my fate would be false and my destiny would be destroyed. I can take you right now to the very place that I began seeking God for His direction in this area of my life. It was in the altar at Unity Baptist Church of Kimberly, AL. This was the first time that I had prayed about this and said, "Whatever you want, or whoever you send, I'll be faithful."
Well I don't have the time to tell you this morning what God did. I can write this though. The one I would have least expected, mainly because we didn't know each other very well. (Her fault, she didn't like me because I was a bad person in school) We found ourselves one Sunday afternoon sitting at the piano together singing, "Holy Ground". From that moment I knew! Patti Harp was the one for me. She would come and listen to me preach revivals in her softball uniform. We would lead worship together in churches and houses. Thank God for faith!
Fate took me down a road that often led to no where, but look what leaving things up to faith can do! I'm not an elder, but I have a good report.
Friday, February 24, 2017
Don't Forget It
Psalms 37:40
And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
With everything that goes on in our daily lives we sometimes forget things. We forget the groceries for our pantries if we don't make a list of them. We forget sport practices and games if we don't have a schedule of them. We forget a birthday or anniversary if we don't put them on our calendar. We are a very forgetful people.
I wonder if some of you reading this today have forgotten just how great our God is? I wonder if you think that maybe God has forgotten you? Don't you remember how God saved you and brought you into His family? He has taken care of your needs everyday. He has provided for you and protected you over and over again. In some ways that you didn't even realize until it was all over.
When you needed help and had no one to understand, didn't the Lord help? When you were lost without hope and without Him, didn't He redeem and deliver you? What about when the wicked world was caving in around you and you didn't think you could take another step... Didn't He come through for you? What about when you were lost and Satan could think of nothing better than for your life to be destroyed... Didn't Jesus place His life on the cross for you so that Satan couldn't destroy you?
Our scripture says that the Lord shall help them, deliver them, and save them because they trust in Him. If God has brought you this far, why would you even think that He has forgotten about you know? God will help you, deliver you, save you and love you... Don't You Ever Forget It! Just trust in the Lord this morning.
I've had many tears and sorrows,
I've had questions for tomorrow,
there's been times I didn't know right from wrong.
But in every situation,
God gave me blessed consulation,
that my trials come to only make me strong.
Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to trust in Jesus,
I've learned to trust in God.
Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to depend upon His Word.
I thank God for the mountains,
and I thank Him for the valleys,
I thank Him for the storms He brought me through.
For if I'd never had a problem,
I wouldn't know God could solve them,
I'd never know what faith in God could do
And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
With everything that goes on in our daily lives we sometimes forget things. We forget the groceries for our pantries if we don't make a list of them. We forget sport practices and games if we don't have a schedule of them. We forget a birthday or anniversary if we don't put them on our calendar. We are a very forgetful people.
I wonder if some of you reading this today have forgotten just how great our God is? I wonder if you think that maybe God has forgotten you? Don't you remember how God saved you and brought you into His family? He has taken care of your needs everyday. He has provided for you and protected you over and over again. In some ways that you didn't even realize until it was all over.
When you needed help and had no one to understand, didn't the Lord help? When you were lost without hope and without Him, didn't He redeem and deliver you? What about when the wicked world was caving in around you and you didn't think you could take another step... Didn't He come through for you? What about when you were lost and Satan could think of nothing better than for your life to be destroyed... Didn't Jesus place His life on the cross for you so that Satan couldn't destroy you?
Our scripture says that the Lord shall help them, deliver them, and save them because they trust in Him. If God has brought you this far, why would you even think that He has forgotten about you know? God will help you, deliver you, save you and love you... Don't You Ever Forget It! Just trust in the Lord this morning.
I've had many tears and sorrows,
I've had questions for tomorrow,
there's been times I didn't know right from wrong.
But in every situation,
God gave me blessed consulation,
that my trials come to only make me strong.
Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to trust in Jesus,
I've learned to trust in God.
Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to depend upon His Word.
I thank God for the mountains,
and I thank Him for the valleys,
I thank Him for the storms He brought me through.
For if I'd never had a problem,
I wouldn't know God could solve them,
I'd never know what faith in God could do
Thursday, February 23, 2017
I Quit, Won't You?
1 Corinthians 16:13
Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
Isn't it funny how a word that you have heard your whole life could carry such a different meaning? I mean, my whole life I heard quitting in a negative term. I was raised to never quit at something. To the point that when I played sports and quit I seemed to never live it down. Even today in my life I can't handle quitting. I try so hard to never quit in anything, ever.
Quitting in the form we have always heard means, to leave or walk away. How many things have you quit in life? Sports, jobs, etc... People are even quitting on marriages and family. We don't need that kind of quitter. But we do need to quit!
First we need to quit trying and start trusting. Quit trying to do it on your own. Remember quitting means to give in or give up. Give in to the Holy Spirit this morning. Tell the Lord that you can't seem to do it and you are going to start, from this moment, to trust totally in Him.
Second, quit also means to behave in a specified way. When our scripture says, "quit you like men", it is speaking of fighting. Fighting the enemy as well as fighting with yourself. We must quit, give in to Christ, and quit, behave as Christ, like men.
A man walked up to me the other day after hearing me preach. He said, "Brother, I would like to add on to what you preached. Stop trying and start trusting." I told him that was the best thing that I've ever heard. The world will tell you never quit, but God's word says, quit trusting in yourself and start trusting in Jesus. It says to quit you like men. In other words, start behaving like a man, a man like Jesus. Lord, today I quit trying to handle or run things and I'm gonna trust you.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better
Proverbs 11:2
When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
I was employed at a place once where a person that was in leadership always tried to "one-up" you. This person would always come around to where you were working and try to show you how they could do it better. If you were telling a story, their story was better. If you were digging a hole, they could dig it much better. Well as a matter of fact one day another guy and myself were digging a hole together. This person stopped by in their work vehicle and began to inform us on proper shovel and hole digging technique. After he was finished with those two shovels of dirt he moved he left again. The other man I was working with was much older than me and the boss that drove away. He quietly began to sing, "Anything you can do, I can do better. I can do anything better than you..." I choked laughing so hard.
Well the day came... We were on a huge job that required much work, much careful work. Everything was rolling smooth and then all of the sudden that old truck pulled up. Eyes began to roll and moans began to roar. He came straight to the backhoe and told the person on it to move out of the way and let him show you how it's done. I smiled! He placed that bucket into the ground and began to pull out a huge pile of dirt when all of the sudden it happened. Water began to shoot straight up in the sky and people ran for cover. He had hit the water main and busted the pipe. I'll have to admit that my smile seemed to touch my ears now. He had tried so hard to be better than everyone that his pride brought him shame. As long as I worked at this place no one, and I mean no one, let him live that down.
I wonder how many of you are trying your best to be better than those before you, or even beside you? As soon as you mess up or make a mistake you are going to feel this same discouragement that this man felt. You're going to suffer defeat because you set yourself up. You have lived that, "Anything you can do, I can do better" lifestyle far too long. I don't understand why, but ever since we were born we desire to be better than others around us. Don't get me wrong, we should strive to be the best we can be but not strive to be better than the one beside us. Well let me say this... The best you can muster up isn't enough! You need the righteousness of Jesus.
Stop trying to be better. Stop trying to out-do those before or around you. Surrender to Christ and allow Him to mold you and make you into what He desires for His will and purpose.
When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
I was employed at a place once where a person that was in leadership always tried to "one-up" you. This person would always come around to where you were working and try to show you how they could do it better. If you were telling a story, their story was better. If you were digging a hole, they could dig it much better. Well as a matter of fact one day another guy and myself were digging a hole together. This person stopped by in their work vehicle and began to inform us on proper shovel and hole digging technique. After he was finished with those two shovels of dirt he moved he left again. The other man I was working with was much older than me and the boss that drove away. He quietly began to sing, "Anything you can do, I can do better. I can do anything better than you..." I choked laughing so hard.
Well the day came... We were on a huge job that required much work, much careful work. Everything was rolling smooth and then all of the sudden that old truck pulled up. Eyes began to roll and moans began to roar. He came straight to the backhoe and told the person on it to move out of the way and let him show you how it's done. I smiled! He placed that bucket into the ground and began to pull out a huge pile of dirt when all of the sudden it happened. Water began to shoot straight up in the sky and people ran for cover. He had hit the water main and busted the pipe. I'll have to admit that my smile seemed to touch my ears now. He had tried so hard to be better than everyone that his pride brought him shame. As long as I worked at this place no one, and I mean no one, let him live that down.
I wonder how many of you are trying your best to be better than those before you, or even beside you? As soon as you mess up or make a mistake you are going to feel this same discouragement that this man felt. You're going to suffer defeat because you set yourself up. You have lived that, "Anything you can do, I can do better" lifestyle far too long. I don't understand why, but ever since we were born we desire to be better than others around us. Don't get me wrong, we should strive to be the best we can be but not strive to be better than the one beside us. Well let me say this... The best you can muster up isn't enough! You need the righteousness of Jesus.
Stop trying to be better. Stop trying to out-do those before or around you. Surrender to Christ and allow Him to mold you and make you into what He desires for His will and purpose.
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