2 Thessalonians 3:13
But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
But Ye... But Ye... Brethren. Before you can understand this scripture you must understand that it's not to the world, but to the church people. It's not to the person in the White House, but unto you. It's not to the leader of the Hells Angels, but unto you. It's not even to the person sitting beside you in the pew or the one behind the pulpit, but it's to Ye!
Now that God has your attention listen to what He is trying to tell us. "Be not weary in well doing..." God doesn't tell us that we shouldn't be weary. Jesus himself was weary and sat on a well one time. Weariness will come in our lives daily. We come home from working a full day and all we can do is pass out every night because we are tired. Weariness will come!
But He says to not be weary in in well doing. Now some have never gotten tired of well doing, but I must confess that I have. So what is well doing? It is righteousness. It is seeking God or sharing God. He is reminding us today that we should not let ourselves get tired of seeking God. We should not let ourselves get tired of sharing God. Oh, but we do don't we?
The truth is that we all can become weary in serving and sharing. The reason for our weariness is that sometimes we depend upon our own strength and our own wisdom. God tells us that when we are laboring in the Lord that we must depend on the Lord for the strength. Today, put your strength away and rely on Jesus. Put away your wisdom and pick up His Word.
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Something To Build On
Habakkuk 2:12
Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity!
The Babylon that Nebuchadnezzar built was one of great beauty. The walls, gates, and streets of Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon were a tribute to the king’s love of beauty and its magnificent hanging gardens were one of the wonders of the ancient world. The people built this city on the plundering and pillaging of other cities, even Jerusalem. The saddest part of it all is the fact that it fell to the Medes and the Persians. Babylon was great and beautiful but built from sin and blood. It's destruction was in its foundation.
Few people today attempt this same construction work. They believe by tearing down others that it will establish them more. How is this done? Many people do their most destructive work with their tongues than a hammer. When someone finds out that another person has sin in their lives they pillage off of them. Word after word, they lay a foundation of other peoples faults so that their own lives seem equal or better.
Do you remember getting in trouble as a child? Dad would call your name out and you would listen to him correct you and just before the discipline time would come you would say, "Clint did it too". A call out for justice and equality right? No! You just wanted someone else to go down with you. You saw the crack in your foundation and was ready to point out the one that someone else had in theirs.
Stop building your home or life on the faults and blood of others. Stop laying blocks that are not even yours. Start your foundation off on the only foundation that is laid in truth, righteousness and salvation. This foundation is Jesus!
1 Corinthians 3:9-11
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity!
The Babylon that Nebuchadnezzar built was one of great beauty. The walls, gates, and streets of Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon were a tribute to the king’s love of beauty and its magnificent hanging gardens were one of the wonders of the ancient world. The people built this city on the plundering and pillaging of other cities, even Jerusalem. The saddest part of it all is the fact that it fell to the Medes and the Persians. Babylon was great and beautiful but built from sin and blood. It's destruction was in its foundation.
Few people today attempt this same construction work. They believe by tearing down others that it will establish them more. How is this done? Many people do their most destructive work with their tongues than a hammer. When someone finds out that another person has sin in their lives they pillage off of them. Word after word, they lay a foundation of other peoples faults so that their own lives seem equal or better.
Do you remember getting in trouble as a child? Dad would call your name out and you would listen to him correct you and just before the discipline time would come you would say, "Clint did it too". A call out for justice and equality right? No! You just wanted someone else to go down with you. You saw the crack in your foundation and was ready to point out the one that someone else had in theirs.
Stop building your home or life on the faults and blood of others. Stop laying blocks that are not even yours. Start your foundation off on the only foundation that is laid in truth, righteousness and salvation. This foundation is Jesus!
1 Corinthians 3:9-11
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Monday, April 10, 2017
Something You Can Be Sure Of
Numbers 32:23
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.
What a word of God this morning. If we will not obey, behold, it is sin against the Lord:... But look at that last part...and be sure your sin will find you out. Man what a strong word of God. So strong that it shakes our foundation, or at least it should.
When I was growing up in my teenage years my parents would give me that speech before I went out on a Friday night. You know the one... "Son, I'm trusting you to do the right thing. If you don't, then know this... I will find out." In the beginning I would be terrified. I was trying my best to do the right thing and make the right decisions. Then the weekend came that my choices were not so good, as a matter of fact they were very, very sinful. When I came home that night no one caught me. Hmmmm, I had gotten away with it! So that next time I got the "talk" I kinda thought, "Yeah right, I know, I know...you'll find out."
Then it happened. My sinful choices brought the law into action (literally). My phone call home that night was one that I never wanted to make (and thank God that I have never made again). But my sins had finally caught up with me. The police had a list of three different laws broken against me. There was no hiding anymore. I'll never forget waking up the next morning and answering the telephone. My grandmother was on the other end asking what I had done. I said, "How do you know?" She told me that she heard about it somewhere (beauty shop!).
Monday morning when I walked into school people were pointing and eventually asking me about it. How did these people know all this stuff? It found me! No, all the stuff that I had done up until that point never found me out, but this one did. Look at the scripture one more time with me this morning. "BE SURE" your sin will find you out. God says you can count on it.
How do we deal with this? Confess your sin and don't cover your sin. God says you will be blessed when you confess your sins.
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.
What a word of God this morning. If we will not obey, behold, it is sin against the Lord:... But look at that last part...and be sure your sin will find you out. Man what a strong word of God. So strong that it shakes our foundation, or at least it should.
When I was growing up in my teenage years my parents would give me that speech before I went out on a Friday night. You know the one... "Son, I'm trusting you to do the right thing. If you don't, then know this... I will find out." In the beginning I would be terrified. I was trying my best to do the right thing and make the right decisions. Then the weekend came that my choices were not so good, as a matter of fact they were very, very sinful. When I came home that night no one caught me. Hmmmm, I had gotten away with it! So that next time I got the "talk" I kinda thought, "Yeah right, I know, I know...you'll find out."
Then it happened. My sinful choices brought the law into action (literally). My phone call home that night was one that I never wanted to make (and thank God that I have never made again). But my sins had finally caught up with me. The police had a list of three different laws broken against me. There was no hiding anymore. I'll never forget waking up the next morning and answering the telephone. My grandmother was on the other end asking what I had done. I said, "How do you know?" She told me that she heard about it somewhere (beauty shop!).
Monday morning when I walked into school people were pointing and eventually asking me about it. How did these people know all this stuff? It found me! No, all the stuff that I had done up until that point never found me out, but this one did. Look at the scripture one more time with me this morning. "BE SURE" your sin will find you out. God says you can count on it.
How do we deal with this? Confess your sin and don't cover your sin. God says you will be blessed when you confess your sins.
Friday, April 7, 2017
Just a Poor Rich Man
Ephesians 2:7
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Is it possible to be a poor, rich man? Yes! You may think that there is no way this could be possible. You are either rich or poor. Someone could not be poor, without possessions and declare that they are rich at the same time. But let me tell you today that I am that poor rich man.
No my possessions of this world are not many. I don't live in the largest mansion in town but rather a quaint mobile home in the country. I don't own the largest truck with all the bells and whistles but the standard pickup truck that fits my family in nice and cozy. No my income doesn't exceed Donald Trump's but is more likely that of Donald Duck. The truth of it all is that according to this world and society I am poor. Even as I look back on my childhood, I must have been dirt poor. Because I have much more now than I did back then.
But let me tell you about my riches. I look at a woman everyday who makes my heart flutter. A woman who loves me and selflessly gives her all for me. A woman that sees me down or discouraged and lays her small hands on me in prayer to uplift my broken heart. I walk down the small hallway to my boys rooms and see them sitting on their bed in the mornings seeking God in the Word. I see them serve God with their talents. I hear them pray for their friends at church who are struggling. I attend and serve at a church where God speaks to us and uses broken people to deliver His beautiful message.
That's not all! Let me tell you about the greatest treasure I have. The biggest golden nugget. The largest diamond from the field. His rich salvation of grace. You see my poverty may be seen through what you think I don't have, but my riches are seen through what I do have. whT I know I have been given in Jesus.
Thank you Lord for saving my soul,
Thank yu Lord for making me whole.
Thank you Lord for giving to me,
Thy Great salvation, so RICH and so FREE
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Is it possible to be a poor, rich man? Yes! You may think that there is no way this could be possible. You are either rich or poor. Someone could not be poor, without possessions and declare that they are rich at the same time. But let me tell you today that I am that poor rich man.
No my possessions of this world are not many. I don't live in the largest mansion in town but rather a quaint mobile home in the country. I don't own the largest truck with all the bells and whistles but the standard pickup truck that fits my family in nice and cozy. No my income doesn't exceed Donald Trump's but is more likely that of Donald Duck. The truth of it all is that according to this world and society I am poor. Even as I look back on my childhood, I must have been dirt poor. Because I have much more now than I did back then.
But let me tell you about my riches. I look at a woman everyday who makes my heart flutter. A woman who loves me and selflessly gives her all for me. A woman that sees me down or discouraged and lays her small hands on me in prayer to uplift my broken heart. I walk down the small hallway to my boys rooms and see them sitting on their bed in the mornings seeking God in the Word. I see them serve God with their talents. I hear them pray for their friends at church who are struggling. I attend and serve at a church where God speaks to us and uses broken people to deliver His beautiful message.
That's not all! Let me tell you about the greatest treasure I have. The biggest golden nugget. The largest diamond from the field. His rich salvation of grace. You see my poverty may be seen through what you think I don't have, but my riches are seen through what I do have. whT I know I have been given in Jesus.
Thank you Lord for saving my soul,
Thank yu Lord for making me whole.
Thank you Lord for giving to me,
Thy Great salvation, so RICH and so FREE
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Made Me Blush
Jeremiah 6:15
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.
Can you hear the brokenness in Jeremiah's heart in this scripture? Or more than that, the heart of our God? We know that Jeremiah was the broken-heart weeping preacher. So I don't believe that there is any pride or arrogance in this question. I don't hear a man who is condemning the nation for their sins. I hear a man who is so broken for the people of God that he gets down to some very fine details about their condition.
Me and my wife a couple of years back was doing our normal routine of dropping off a one hundred dollar bill at Walmart. (Seems like they need one every week or so) While we were walking down one of the aisles a young teenage boy (about 16) was walking toward us with a black shirt on with huge white letters. From the far distance I thought, "There ain't no way that shirt says what I think it says!" Well he had to get a little closer for Patti to read it. And then there it was... Plain as the sunshine in the middle of the day. The words, "F--- You". I'm telling you I almost passed out. I didn't know what to say except, "Does your Momma know you got that shirt on?" Not an answer, not a blush.
Did you know that even a few church members are this way also? Yes! Christians today seem to be satisfied with the sin that they commit. Remember now that Jeremiah is broken about the nation of Israel, God's people. Now we can't expect the world to reverence God or be ashamed of sin. I know that when I was lost I didn't respect God or was embarrassed of my sin. But shouldn't we expect the people of God to be ashamed of sin? Shouldn't we believe that they would want to be as far away from sin as possible?
It's time the House of God and its people stop putting on fake rouge, pinching their checks to make them seem like they are blushing. It's time we truly become ashamed of sin. Ashamed to the point of repentance and walking upright. I hope as you read this, you're blushing.
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.
Can you hear the brokenness in Jeremiah's heart in this scripture? Or more than that, the heart of our God? We know that Jeremiah was the broken-heart weeping preacher. So I don't believe that there is any pride or arrogance in this question. I don't hear a man who is condemning the nation for their sins. I hear a man who is so broken for the people of God that he gets down to some very fine details about their condition.
Me and my wife a couple of years back was doing our normal routine of dropping off a one hundred dollar bill at Walmart. (Seems like they need one every week or so) While we were walking down one of the aisles a young teenage boy (about 16) was walking toward us with a black shirt on with huge white letters. From the far distance I thought, "There ain't no way that shirt says what I think it says!" Well he had to get a little closer for Patti to read it. And then there it was... Plain as the sunshine in the middle of the day. The words, "F--- You". I'm telling you I almost passed out. I didn't know what to say except, "Does your Momma know you got that shirt on?" Not an answer, not a blush.
Did you know that even a few church members are this way also? Yes! Christians today seem to be satisfied with the sin that they commit. Remember now that Jeremiah is broken about the nation of Israel, God's people. Now we can't expect the world to reverence God or be ashamed of sin. I know that when I was lost I didn't respect God or was embarrassed of my sin. But shouldn't we expect the people of God to be ashamed of sin? Shouldn't we believe that they would want to be as far away from sin as possible?
It's time the House of God and its people stop putting on fake rouge, pinching their checks to make them seem like they are blushing. It's time we truly become ashamed of sin. Ashamed to the point of repentance and walking upright. I hope as you read this, you're blushing.
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Gimmie One, Gimmie One!
Colossians 3:23-24
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Have you seen the Progressive commercial with the man juggling chainsaws and there is another man on the side saying, "Come on... Gimmie one, Gimmie one"? Isn't that just like us? We think we can do anything or I should say everything. I know this to be true in my life. I have always been that person who would tear apart everything in order to know how it works. If someone ever told me that I couldn't do something, I would try so hard to prove them wrong. So much that I often ended up hurting myself by trying to accomplish the task.
Once some of my friends wanted to jump off a bridge into Smith Lake. They were all putting their life jackets on and looking over the edge. I could hear some of them talking about how high it was and what if we got hurt. Well by this time I heard someone say, "I ain't doing it, here is my life jacket." Like the man on the commercial, I said, "Gimmie one". "If you are gonna jump of this bridge (click of the first buckle) then you are just (click) gonna have to (click) juuuuuuummmmmmp!" I had never though of pointing my toes when entering the water and when they hit I thought they split in half. I wanted to do it because someone said that we couldn't.
Listen, so many times in my life and in my ministry I've made that statement, "Gimmie one". But God has shown me over these years of my life that I need to do the one thing He has called me to do, and to do it well. Whatever God has called you to do in life, do it and stop asking for the other things. Just do the one thing well, faithfully and obediently with all of your heart. If not, you will suffer failure as I have many, many times.
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Have you seen the Progressive commercial with the man juggling chainsaws and there is another man on the side saying, "Come on... Gimmie one, Gimmie one"? Isn't that just like us? We think we can do anything or I should say everything. I know this to be true in my life. I have always been that person who would tear apart everything in order to know how it works. If someone ever told me that I couldn't do something, I would try so hard to prove them wrong. So much that I often ended up hurting myself by trying to accomplish the task.
Once some of my friends wanted to jump off a bridge into Smith Lake. They were all putting their life jackets on and looking over the edge. I could hear some of them talking about how high it was and what if we got hurt. Well by this time I heard someone say, "I ain't doing it, here is my life jacket." Like the man on the commercial, I said, "Gimmie one". "If you are gonna jump of this bridge (click of the first buckle) then you are just (click) gonna have to (click) juuuuuuummmmmmp!" I had never though of pointing my toes when entering the water and when they hit I thought they split in half. I wanted to do it because someone said that we couldn't.
Listen, so many times in my life and in my ministry I've made that statement, "Gimmie one". But God has shown me over these years of my life that I need to do the one thing He has called me to do, and to do it well. Whatever God has called you to do in life, do it and stop asking for the other things. Just do the one thing well, faithfully and obediently with all of your heart. If not, you will suffer failure as I have many, many times.
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
He's Coming!
Revelation 1:7
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
In the book of Acts chapter one the Bible gives the clear picture of the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ into the clouds. It says that people were in amazement as they gazed into the sky and watched Jesus go up into Heaven. So much that the angels standing by said unto them, "Why stand ye here gazing...?" But think about it for a moment. These people had never seen anyone like Jesus. They had never witnessed such love and power in a person like they had in Jesus. Maybe they gazed into Heaven thinking to themselves that this could be the last time they see this man named Jesus. This could be the last time they could hear His words of authority. This could possibly be the last time they witnessed those nail pierced hands stretched out toward them in love. The thought of never seeing Jesus again caused them to stare or gaze into the sky as He went up.
God's message didn't stop at a question. Those angels asked, "Why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? (and then they answered with) This same Jesus, (the one who healed the broken, blind, lame, diseased. The one who saved the wretched, idolater, fornicator. The one who gave His life's blood on the sinful cross of Calvary) This SAME Jesus, which is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven."
Can you imagine what it would have been like to see Jesus ascend into the clouds of Glory to Heaven? What a great site they witnessed in their day. But may I remind you of something this morning? While they got to see Him go up, we may be the ones to see Him come again! I love our scripture this morning... "Behold, he cometh!" Someday, which could be today, Jesus will come again! Are you living like today could be that day? Are you ready? Even so, Amen!
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
In the book of Acts chapter one the Bible gives the clear picture of the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ into the clouds. It says that people were in amazement as they gazed into the sky and watched Jesus go up into Heaven. So much that the angels standing by said unto them, "Why stand ye here gazing...?" But think about it for a moment. These people had never seen anyone like Jesus. They had never witnessed such love and power in a person like they had in Jesus. Maybe they gazed into Heaven thinking to themselves that this could be the last time they see this man named Jesus. This could be the last time they could hear His words of authority. This could possibly be the last time they witnessed those nail pierced hands stretched out toward them in love. The thought of never seeing Jesus again caused them to stare or gaze into the sky as He went up.
God's message didn't stop at a question. Those angels asked, "Why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? (and then they answered with) This same Jesus, (the one who healed the broken, blind, lame, diseased. The one who saved the wretched, idolater, fornicator. The one who gave His life's blood on the sinful cross of Calvary) This SAME Jesus, which is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven."
Can you imagine what it would have been like to see Jesus ascend into the clouds of Glory to Heaven? What a great site they witnessed in their day. But may I remind you of something this morning? While they got to see Him go up, we may be the ones to see Him come again! I love our scripture this morning... "Behold, he cometh!" Someday, which could be today, Jesus will come again! Are you living like today could be that day? Are you ready? Even so, Amen!
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