Forbid Them Not

Matthew 19:13-14  "Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.  But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

Tomorrow night our church will begin it's annual Vacation Bible School.  I happen to love VBS.  It is truly a highlight of my year. 

Back when I was a kid, Toys 'R' Us became the most popular children's store around.  They had a slogan that said, "Toy 'R' Us, where a kid can be a kid."  I have never forgotten that slogan or the jingle that went with it:

"I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toys 'R Us kid. There's a million toys at Toys 'R Us that I can play with. From bikes to trains to video games at the biggest toy store there is. I don't wanna grow up cause if I did, I couldn't be a Toys 'R Us kid." One of the reasons I love VBS is because the week is all about the kids.  It is the one week out of the year that they can come to church and just be a kid.  They don't have to worry about church being boring, (let's face it - it is sometimes to a kid).  All they have to concentrate on is being a kid.  Jesus loved children.  His words tell us everything, "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for such is the kingdom of heaven."  I am excited that I get to pastor a church that loves children and VBS as much as Jesus did.

God Bless the USA

Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”

I want to take a brief moment today to talk about our wonderful nation.  On July 4, 1776 our forefathers declared our nations independence from England.  At that time, America was just an idea. No one knew for sure if the idea would even work.  Was being independent from England the secret to America’s greatness? Having our independence may have been part of it, but it was and is not the reason for our nation’s successes. Throughout the years, it has been our nation’s dependence on God that has allowed us to live the most blessed country this modern world has even seen. 

I believe today, that this principle can also be applied to our lives as Christians.  While, our nation as a whole may not be continuing on a path of righteousness, it does not mean we that Christians have to follow the path of the nation.  If God is willing to bless a nation whose God is the LORD, then it is reasonable to think that He will also bless an individual whose God is the LORD. 

In order to be a Godly nation, it requires having a Godly people.  As we take today to celebrate our nation’s independence from England, may we not forget that we must continue to declare our dependence upon God.

May God bless you, and may God bless the USA.  Happy 4^th of July!

Spiritual Heart Burn

Luke 24:32  "And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures." 

According to experts in the field of medicine, heart burn can be caused by many contributing factors.  Many times it is brought on by something that has been eaten and the pain worsens as one lays down or bends over. Physical heart burn rarely just happens on it's own with out some out side influences that are taken into the body.

In Luke chapter 24 we find 2 men that walked with Jesus following the Lord's resurrection.  As they walked with Him they did not realize that they were walking with the resurrected Savior of the World.  However, as they walked they could feel something inside of them that caused them to pay special attention to what He was saying on their journey.  When they sat down to eat with Him, He prayed for the meal and vanished out of their sight. It was at that point that they made reference to their spiritual heart burn. 

Do you ever experience spiritual heart burn?  You can't spend time in the scripture, and you can't learn more about the Lord Jesus with out it affecting your heart in some way.  As we learn what the Bible says about how we ought to behave and carry ourselves it ought to cause our hearts to burn within us.  Our hearts ought to burn with a Holy Spirit conviction as we process what God has for us.  If we are truly taking in God's word the way He intends for us to take it, it will affect us. 

Take some time today to meditate on some scripture and see if you can experience a spiritual heart burn within your soul.  

Is Your Social Media Unsocial?

Ephesians 4:29-  “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
 
We live in a day in which there are many venues to express one’s thoughts and opinions, or even share biblical truths. It can be encouraging and at times entertaining to read other’s thoughts on popular topics or current trends in culture or ministry. Eventually, we each may try our hand at social media. Blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and the like have become second nature to this technologically savvy generation. While I don’t condemn the medium, I believe we should consider our motives.
What moves us to write?

Are you raving mad when you write? I have to admit that there are times when I read something that just infuriates me. If it were a published article in a magazine or paper, I probably wouldn’t take the time to sit down and write a “Letter to the Editor.” If I did, I might lose my head of steam before I got done writing and decide against it (or write it in a more gracious manner). But not anymore! With social media, I can fire off a comment in the anonymity of my home and before I have time to regret it, I will already be getting responses. Then ensues a Facebook fight or Twitter tussle for everyone to see! Not very Christian, I know.

When you sit down to write, do you do it like you are loading a gun or wrapping a present? When you load a gun, you intend to do some damage. Each chamber is filled with a projectile that will be aimed at some perceived enemy. Then, we pull the trigger. “Shoot first, ask questions later,” seems to be the motto in social media.

But gift wrapping is different. It brings joy to the giver as they load the box with helpful things. I am not saying that we don’t confront wrong doing, but our motivation should be to disciple, not damage—to win a brother, not an argument.

By Pastor Fred Fies

In Nehemiah 8:10 the Bible says,"... neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

What a tremendous thought that is to know that our strength comes directly from the joy we have in the Lord.  It does come from our bodies, but rather from the Holy Spirit of God that dwells with in our hearts.  His joy lightens the path that we must go down, and it is His joy that repels temptations that would normally trip us up along the way.

One of the most dangerous opponents to victorious daily Christian life is sorrow and despondency. When we allow ourselves to get bogged down in the depths of lacking hope and discouragement, dejected by the cares of this world, we lose the strength and will to fight on. It is in those times that we need a fresh dose of rejoicing over what great and mighty things God has done in our lives.  When we bring ourselves to a place of rejoicing and contentment - the strength from God comes to rest upon our spirit. 

Don't live in a world of despair, rejoice in what God has done in your life, and feel the strengthening power of His joy.

   

 

    

The Taste of Gracious Living

 1Peter 2:1-3  "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,  As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious." 







Terms Defined:
Malice: desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness:

Guile:  insidious cunning in attaining a goal; crafty or artful deception; duplicity.

Hypocrisies: a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess.

Envies:  a feeling of grudging or somewhat admiring discontent aroused by the possessions, achievements, or qualities of another

Evil Speakings: morally wrong or bad; immoral; wicked. Harmful; injurious: Characterized or accompanied by misfortune or suffering; unfortunate; disastrous speaking done with the intent to hurt or harm.

The words in the above list all have one thing in common with one another,  they all deal with the relationships that we have with other people. How we treat others, how we present ourselves to others, and how we view others are all represented.  The fleshly instinct that we have in our beings causes us to watch out for ourselves first. That is what leads us to the desires of malice, guile, hypocrisies, envies, and evil speakings. 

The question today is, have you laid these things aside?  Part of what is stunting our growth as Christians is the fact that we refuse to lay these desires down.  For whatever reason, it seems as if we would rather hold on to these instead of doing what is necessary to grow in the Lord.  We must get a taste of the graciousness of God.  God's graciousness is just the opposite of the desires listed in verse one.  Graciousness always has others in mind, and when we understand how gracious God is in our lives we are compelled to treat those around us with the same gracious attitude that God bestows upon us.

Have you truly tasted of God's grace? When you do, laying aside these things is so much easier to do.  Go ahead and take a taste, you'll like it.

The God of All Comfort

II Corinthians 1:3-4"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort where with we ourselves are comforted of God."

What a beautiful picture the Bible paints here of God, by describing Him as the God of all comfort.  I love how Paul was such an encourager as he penned the letters to the churches he would write to. Let's not overlook the fact that God is also the Father of mercies. The compassion that God bestows upon His people cannot be compared to anything else of this world.  The reality of God's comfort ought to upon the top of our hearts and minds today.

As the recipients of God's comfort we must understand the reasons why God brings us comfort.  He doesn't bring us comfort just for the sake of comforting ourselves. He does it so we will take the comfort that comes from Him and use it to comfort others around us that need comfort.  The last part of verse 4 describes to us that the comfort that we give to others also brings a sense of comfort to ourselves from God.  What a blessing!

I have found in my life that when trials and tribulations come, it is easy to become a little self absorbed.  (That is the nice way of saying selffish by the way.)  The Word of God never one time directs us to be that way.  As Christians we must develop the character to not be self asborbed, and begin placing our focus on those around us.  Let's practice what Jesus said, "Love your neighbor as yourself."  I promise you, that as we practice it, even in times of our own tribulation, we will find a greater comfort that only comes from the God of all comfort.  

What is better than Laughter?

Ecclesiastes 7:3 "Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better."

I love to laugh and have a good time.  The Bible even tells us in Proverbs that a merry heart doeth good like a medicine.  There is nothing a having a good laugh with someone.  The kind of laugh that makes your eyes water, and your stomach hurt.  Those are the best kind of laughs.  Laughing makes the mood better each and every time. 

While laughter is a good and wonderful thing, Solomon tells us that there is something that is better than laughter.  He said that sorrow is better.  At first glance and with little consideration that statement doesn't make sense.  However when you meditate on that verse for a little while it will begin to sink in.

The World English Dictionary defines sorrow as, "the characteristic feeling of sadness, grief, or regret associated with loss, bereavement, sympathy for another's suffering, for an injury done, etc".

Why is sorrow better?  It is sorrow that brings us to a place that causes us to look inward at our actions.  Sorrow causes us to deal with us.  It is in times of sorrow that drives us to our knees seeking God's face for help.  When was the last time that you came out of a time of laughter that made you seek God in a greater way?  More than likely you never have a time that you have done that.  Read through the book of Psalms, you will find many of them were written in times of sorrow and anguish.  Sorrow stretches and increases our faith.

You can try and avoid sorrow, but it will not work, sorrow will still find you.  Rather than trying to avoid or hide from it, we need to embrace it.  Allow sorrow to come into your life.  Don't fight it, embrace it and let it drive you closer to Lord and make your heart better.  The reason the statement, sorrow is better than laughter, doesn' t make sense to us, is because we have never been taught to embrace it.  I'm certain that we have missed out on some great things from God because we have tried to avoid the sorrowful time of our lives.

One last thought to ponder on.  Just like times of laughter, sorrow is temporary.  It will not stay with you forever.  Go ahead and welcome that sorrow into your life, and make your heart better while you draw closer to God.

Poor and Needy before God

Psalm 86:1-7  "Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.  Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.  Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.  In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me."

Poor and needy is how David choose to describe himself in this prayer to the Lord in this psalm.  Sometimes we don't take what we need to God because we refuse to see ourselves as David did - poor and needy.  In verse four, he asked the Lord to "rejoice my soul...for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul."  He was saying that he was so poor and so needy that he needed God to give him a reason to rejoice be he couldn't do it on his own.  In verse five he appeals to God's forgiveness and mercy for Him to answer his request.  In verse seven he recognizes that he still needs God's help and asks again with great confidence expecting an answer.

Are you poor and needy before God today?  Have you shared with Him what is on your heart?  We serve a good God who hears, forgives, and has plenty of grace and mercy ready to give to you. Are you in trouble - cry unto the Lord, He will listen, He will respond.   Let God give you a reason to rejoice.

Well Seasoned Words of Grace

Colossians 4:5-6 "Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."

There are 3 parts to this verse that we must consider today.  The first part is the phrase, "Let your speech be alway with grace".  That word alway, does not give allow us any room for anything other than that which is pleasing to the hearer.  The second part is the phrase, "seasoned with salt". What we say needs to leave a good taste in the minds and hearts to the hearer. The third part is the phrase, "that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man". Everybody is different, and you may be able to one thing to one person and something different to another.  When we make sure that what we say has been well seasoned and with grace we don't have to worry about whether or not we have offended who we are speaking too.

These are some principles that I am still learning to apply in my own life.  I don't always consider what I am saying, or at least consider how someone may take what I am saying.  Sometimes how we say something is more important than what we are saying.  I want to become one who is always mindful of what and how I am speaking to others. And may it be well seasoned with grace and love that Christ may be seen. 

Genuine Christianity

II Timothy 1:5 "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also."

As consumers, we like the fact when we are assured that what ever product we are purchasing is a genuine product.  We don't want a cheap reproduction.  We want the real deal - we want something that is stamped as genuine.  As a matter of fact, we will usually be willing to pay top dollar for what is a genuine product.

I love the phrase here in our scripture today,  "unfeigned faith".  That word "unfeigned" means that they were genuine in their faith and practice of Christianity.  Timothy, his grandmother, and mother were all genuine believers.  They were not just Christians in name only, their faith in God and in practice was real. There was no hypocrisy in them at all.

I am challenged today to have a faith and practice in my life that there would leave no doubt that I am indeed a Christian.  I am also challenged that most of all that my conduct would leave no doubt in minds of my children as well.  I do not want to be an insincere or fake believer.  I want to be genuine.

Are you a genuine Christian?

Don't waste your Christian life with Withered Fruit

Joel 1:10-12 "The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up the oil languisheth.  Be ye ashamed, O ye husband; how, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished. The vine is dried up, ad the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, and the apple tree even all the trees of the field are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men."

As a prophet called by God, Joel was called to bring message to the people of Israel.  He begins his message to Israel by painting an illustration of where they are at spiritually.  I would like to take this message & illustration from Joel today and apply it to where I believe many Christians are at in their own lives today. 

I want to begin with field first off.  I want you to consider the field to be your entire Christian life.   Secondly, I see the husbandman and the vinedressers as the Christians who are supposed to be tending to the field of the Christian life.  Thirdly, consider the vine, fig tree, palm tree, apple tree, and all the other trees of the field to be the fruit or the blessings of the Christian life.

Is your Christian life being wasted?  Is your field dried up?  Is the fruit you are producing dying on the vine and withering up.  I think the saddest part of this illustration is the fact there is fruit being produced was useless.  No one wanted to do what was necessary to make sure it was going to be used.  What blessings are you missing out on because your field is dried up?

Now I want you to notice who is blamed for the fruit being left on the trees.  Look who must take fault for the dryness of the field.  The husbandmen and the vinedressers.  They were neglecting the field.  Now there are a few possibilities for the neglect.  They were too busy doing other things and neglected the field. Or, they felt they had enough supply already and didn't see the need to gather anymore.  Or, they were just too lazy to get up and go pick some fruit. Or they thought someone else would take care of it.  What ever the reason - Joel said, "Be ye ashamed." 

As Christians, if our field is dried up and the fruit that God has prepared for us is dying on the vine, it is no one else's fault but our own.  We must learn to take personal responsibility for our own actions.  Stop blaming your husband for the dried up fruit in your life. Stop blaming your wife or your family for the lack of fruit in your life.  Stop blamming the church and your neighbors.  It is not their fault.  If you are going to have fresh usable fruit in your life as a Christian you're gonna have to and maintain your own field.  We ought to be ashamed to have field that is drying up all around us.  We give too many excuses today.  "I'm too busy to read my Bible."  "I'm too busy to go to church" "Someone hurt me one time" We ought to be ashamed to give excuses and let our field dry up around us.  It is your field, tend to it.

I want you to noticed the key to having and keeping a fresh usable field in your Christian life.  Joel said it was, "because joy is withered away from the sons of men."  What we need is a renewed joy in our lives.  I'm just going to continue to be blunt today - if you allow the joy of life to dry up, it will get to your fruit eventually.  Bitterness is probably the biggest robber of joy in the life of a Christian.  You need to do everything you can to pull the weeds of bitterness out of your life because for some of you it beginning to dry up your field.  Let forgiveness be your fertilizer today, sprinkle a little bit around you joy so your field will continue to produce the fruit God intended for your field to produce.  In John 15:11 Jesus said, "these things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."   Now understand the words of our Lord here, He said, "might remain."  It is possible for the joy of our lives to dry up around us, but only when we lose focus of Him. You must tend to your joy first.  Your joy is the moisture that your field needs.  Turn on the sprinkler of joy today and let it water your field. 

 You don't have to live a wasted Christian life.  Keep you heart and mind stayed upon the Lord today, read your Bible, love your brothers and sisters in Christ, keep your joy full, and you will enjoy a wonderful life filled with delicious fresh fruit.

A Clear Conscience

Acts 23:1 "And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day."

Paul was standing before the high priest standing trial for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.  As he began pleading his case before the religious council, he said, "I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day."  I do not want to focus on Paul's arrest, or his defense of his preaching, but rather I want you to consider the phrase, "I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day."

If you have lived long enough to be able to read this article, then you have lived long enough to have some regrets in life.  We know the life of Paul.  He carried out orders to arrest and detain Christians. He was even present at the stoning and death of the deacon Stephen.  It amazes me how someone who was guilty of such things, was able to say that he had a clear conscience before God.  No doubt he was applying Philippians 3:13-14 where he said, "forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus"  

I believe Paul was able to achieve a clear conscience before God because of 4 things:

1. He surrendered his wants and desires in life for the cause of Christ - Philippians 3:7-8
2. He understood his position in Christ - Philippians 3:9 
3. He learned Christ and the blessings of suffering for Christ - Philippians 3:10-12
4. He focused on the present and future and didn't let his past defeat him - Philippians 3:13-14

Wouldn't you like to be able to have a clear conscience before God today?  Well, then you must first give up your goals and desires and begin living your life for God alone.  Understand that any righteousness that you have obtained, you obtained it through your faith in Christ and what He did on the Cross for you.  Begin learning more about Christ and understand the blessings that come from suffering for Him.  Please take note, if you only do the first 3, you will never know the victory of a clear conscience before God.  You must forget the past, and focus on what God is doing presently in your life, looking forward to the future of a life lived for God.  When you can do that, you too can say, "I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day."

Unforgiveness - The Great Advantage of Satan

II Corinthians 2:5-11 "But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.  Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices."

When someone does something wrong to us, why is it that we end up being the one who feels so rotten?  Why doesn't that other person feel like we do?  Why do they seem to go through life happy and carefree all the time?  It just makes us sick doesn't it? 

Paul understood something here in our scripture today.  He was teaching of the power and release of true forgiveness.  It is so easy to hold on to hurts.  It is even easy to pick up someone else's hurt.  Look at verse 5, "But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all."  This church was standing up for Paul against someone who had done him wrong.  It is as if they said, "Paul, if they have done you wr0ng, then they have done us wrong too."  Yet, Paul doesn't say, "thanks for sticking up for me and having my back." Rather, he instructs them to forgive them, comfort them, and love them.  He told them that he too forgave them.

We do have another option besides forgiveness.  You can always continue to harbor those feelings of resentment.  You can continue to reclaim your hurt and disappointment. You don't have to let them off the hook.  Hold onto your anger. You have every right to be mad. Go ahead blame them for all your problems, they are the cause of it anyway.  That's right, forgiveness is for the weak minded person anyway.  They deserve it.  Let them feel the pain of my not forgiving them.

Every reason listed above, is one that I have told myself time and time again.  There is only one problem with those - they are all lies of the devil.  Did you catch the last verse of our scripture?  "Lest Satan should get an advantage of US!"  Forgiveness is more about your own peace of mind than it is about the one you're forgiving.  We are not just releasing the offender from the hurt they may have caused, we are free ourselves from Satan gaining an advantage over US! 

Does Satan have an advantage over you? He doesn't have too.  Take back the advantage that you have given to him.  Forgive!  Set yourself free and forgive.  Release them from your resentment.  Grant them their freedom from your hatred - and set yourself free.  Forgive them.  Give up your claim to feel the way that you're feeling - forgive them. 

Where do you hide?

Psalm 91:1-2 "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust."

When I was a child, I liked to play hide and seek.  It was a lot of fun, and it didn't matter if it was outside or inside.  Some of the best times we had playing hide and seek was right before it was about to be dark.  You know what I'm talking about, when it's just light enough to still see things, yet dark enough to not see them clearly.  The best spot to hide in, was the spot that no one else knew about, and the moment someone would find that spot you just knew it was over because everyone was going to hide there now, and you'd have to find another place to hide. 

The Bible tells us that Satan is like a "roaring lion", "seeking whom he may devour."  The Christian life is unlike the game of hide and seek because it is not a game at all.  However, there are some principles that we may apply from our childhood and from our scripture today.  As Satan is seeking out our lives to devour what he will, the Bible assures us that we have a hiding place and it is a secret place.  I find great comfort as the psalmist said, "the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress."  We have a hiding place that the devil can find nor penetrate.  We have a fortress that he cannot get past the security.  We have a God who cares and protects us. 

I want you to take special note of two phrases that are key in these two verses.  In verse one, "He that dwelleth." That is the first key.  The secret place of God is a place that we are to dwell in.  That means to stay there and not leave.  The second phrase comes at the end of verse 2, "in Him will I trust" When we trust Him, we will stay with Him.  There are times in our lives as Christians that the devil may get ahold of us.  It is at those times that we were not dwelling in the secret place.  Most of the time when we don't dwell there it comes down to trust.  We trust ourselves more than we trust God. 

Proverbs 3 says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding." We don't have to play hide and seek with devil.  We need to put our full trust in God and God alone and dwell in the secret place with Him and let the devil go seek someone else.