Today's Generation

Woe Unto Rebellious Children
Isaiah Chapter 30

In a day and age when rebellion and downright ignorance abounds we can learn a lot from the children of Israel from this chapter. It burdens my heart that Preachers all over the country have to deal with so many problems because of a shallow form of Christianity, and lack of faithfulness to God. Here the children of Israel have become so apostate and backslidden that in verse 10 they even try to get the Preachers and Prophets to tell them lies, and to get them to speak about things that would tickle their ears. Teens lets look at these passages and learn from them so that we might add to our faith and live a life pleasing unto God rather than to men! V1 - That take counsel, but not of me.What an accusation to fall under, here the children of Israel are willing to listen to anything and everything except for the Lord God and the way that He has outlined for them to live. I see teens and young adults all day long falling all over themselves because the take counsel from everything under the sun except from the perfect Word of God. They resist the Preacher, they resist their parents, any type of authority.
The second accusation is that they might add sin to sin, that is they have sinned first by not listening to God, and because they have rebelled and listened to other things they fall by the wayside in doing those things compounding the problem and adding sin to sin.

V2 - Egypt, that great picture of sin and the world. Here they would rather run to the "worlds" philosophies, system of government, and ideas, rather than stopping and praying and seeking the Lord. However being the faithful and just God that He is, has an answer for them.
V3 - Because you seek out the world rather than God it will bring you to shame, not only shame but if you continue to seek out other ways than the Word of God it will only bring confusion to your life.
V8 - Because God's Word liveth for ever and ever we see that all these years ago as an example for us today Isaiah was commanded to write this down as a testimony for the future generations to learn from. Teens if you'll just pick up your Bibles and read them you could learn a thing or two from these verses on how to live wholly for the Lord.
V9 - Oh wicked people, who would not rather hear the Word of God, they instead lean unto their ways and even go so far as to...
V10 - Petition the Prophets and the Preachers to ...speak unto them smooth things. How true it is today when we have an abundance of shallow weak Christians that would rather continue in doing things the worlds way. We have paid off the "Speakers" on television and fallen to their weak speaking rather than listen to true preaching about Hell hot and Heaven sweet! Look at those that have builded their kingdoms of multitudes that only listen to how to "become a better you, or your best life now". We have "speakers" instead of Preachers, those that tickle ears and make merchandise of Gods Word! When the going gets rough they pick up some weak book instead of The Book - a King James Bible and read what God has for them. We have created Christian "experience" addicts! Not Bible believing, Bible Preaching, Bible Living saved and redeemed by the precious Blood of the Lamb, God serving people!
V15 - Praise God for His mercy and grace though! As we see here the Bible says that if we turn from our wickedness and trust in an all mighty God and all that He has for us then we shall be saved from the problems of this world, and the confidence we have in Him will be our strength!
V16 - True to the nature of the human mind their answer was NO! How can we be so foolish not to see that in everything without God it is only "fun" or "profitable" for a season. Here the children were still ready to flee into Egypt wide open to their perverseness and destruction, oh but the love of God abounds yet still.
V18 - And therefore will the Lord wait....longsuffering, gracious, and merciful is He, even though we don't deserve it. Here it says He will wait, that He might be gracious unto you, and have mercy upon you, and blessed are all they that wait upon Him. When will you stop running into the world and return unto the Lord? When will you give up your wicked ways and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, today could be your day, the Lord is waiting that He might redeem you that His word might be exalted in all the land.
V21 - If you truly desire to serve God, and live a life acceptable unto Him then you too can hear the still small voice of God saying ....This is the way, walk ye in it.

Four things in closing:

1. There is a Way, One Way That Leads To Hell or Heaven

Pro 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
2. There Is Grace and Mercy In The Way V18
2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
3. There Is Adversity In The Way V20

Isa 30:20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:
Praise God that He will show us the way according to His Word, and according to His Preachers. That you may have someone that you can lean towards to get help in a time of trouble. Teens, the Preacher is not the enemy, but the servant of God willing to help!
4. There Is Direction In The Way V21
Isa 30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

If you'll keep your hearts and minds clear of the things of this world, then you can hear the Lord speaking unto you and guiding you down the straight and narrow, rather than turning aside to the broad way of destruction!

How about it Teens, isn't it time we knew more about Jesus rather than the video games, the who's who and what's what on television? It burdens my heart that we can spend more time talking about our favorite video game, or movie star but we'll clam up in a heartbeat when there is mention of Jesus. Teens our command is pointed and straight forward, we are to be a light unto a world of darkness, we are to be going into all the world spreading the gospel, not the latest rumor mill, or video game strategies!

Walking Thru The Mine Field - Satan's Tactics

2Ti 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
Good morning dear friends, what a joy it is first today to proclaim that God is in control! As much as our finite minds might falter, He is still on the throne, and is worthy to receive praise, honor and glory. Well we at Calvary Baptist Church have entered into our next nine week session of our Wednesday night program called "Explorers". I encourage you to go to our website and go to our ministries page and check out the link. Last night started off a great session as we have some new group leaders, and some new faces praise the Lord. Well teenagers if you missed out on the first meeting then I encourage you to sacrifice a candy bar, a coke, or the next video game that your about to buy and get in. I really wanted to encourage those that were there last night with what the Lord had on my heart when I see teenagers struggling as they walk through this world. If you missed out dear teen then here are the points!
1. Satan wants to damage our personal relationship with God!
Satan will try to get you to not have personal prayer time, not read your Bible, and not have time for God- period.
2. Satan wants to distract us from God!
Satan will try all he can to distract you through false doctrine, money, friends, sports, and a variety of other issues to keep you from serving God.
3. Satan wants to discourage us!
Satan will fill your ears, hearts, and minds with all sorts of lies trying to tell you that what your doing for God won't matter, that what God wants to do with you and through you can't happen because your not perfect enough.
4. Satan wants to instill fear and doubt in you!
Satan wants you to be so fearful that you won't take any steps out in faith, he wants you to doubt that way he can deceive you into believing his lies, vs. Gods truth! If he can get you to fear and doubt then you become ineffective in serving a holy God!
So with all those landmines scattered out before you how do you overcome? Remember
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
If you are saved then here is the answer to avoiding these landmines.
1. Surrender your life to the Lord!
I'm talking about 100% committed consecration, (Rom 12:1 ....which is your reasonable service)
give yourself over to Gods will and diligently seek it that He may be glorified.
2. Ask God to teach you His truth!
We know that the Bible says that if a man desires wisdom all he has to do is ask Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
3. Be committed to following God, even through times of difficulty!
We will be persecuted, we will have trials and temptations, all these can be overcome because of Christ. If we will just keep our eyes on the author and finisher of our Faith, then there is nothing that is too difficult. If God be for us, who can be against us??
Dear Christian, I pray that this will encourage you today to stand fast and hold forth the Word of Life, the gospel message that Jesus saves!

Believing Then Seeing

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
What a statement my friends, in a day when people mill about as "Christians" and worry about everything under the sun, rather than glorifying God. Oh, my troubled soul for those that don't know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, and those that run to and fro fretting about this life. As true Christians we must believe that He is! If you will but believe what is written about God, and Jesus Christ, then you will be able to see. The Bible says that the men of this world are blinded, men love darkness rather than light. If you could but for one moment today allow yourself to open your eyes to the true God of Heaven, then you will begin to see. He is the God who rules on high, He is the God that oversees and is involved in the lives of men and women who will allow Him to be a part of their lives! You see I fear that there are way to many people that have a thought of who God is, but they really haven't put faith 100% into what His word says who He is. He is the God, Supreme, Eternal willing to save, sanctify, and seal for eternity any that call upon His name. Our God is also a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him....seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven is our admonition from the Lord. What are you seeking today; a position in life, more money than you know what to do with because you can't even control what you already have? God rewards in ways that are unbelievable to man. Seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven....friends let me encourage you to make this your lifelong desire, the goal that you set before yourself daily. Allowing the God of Heaven to have control of your hearts and minds, letting Him be the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. If today you are searching for answers in an answer less world, then turn to the God of Heaven and to His Son, Jesus Christ for redemption through the shedding of His precious blood. Friend let me encourage you to repent of your sins, turn from your ways and call upon the name of Jesus Christ so that you may enter into His rest, then diligently seek Him, and He shall reward thee with blessing eternal.

Lord, teach us to pray,

Luk 11:1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
Well good afternoon teens and readers. I am hoping that you are making your preparations to be in service tonight. Boy how I have enjoyed the messages from the Pastor on the book of Revelation! If you haven't tried it you can hear these messages and others at www.cbclawrenceburg.org. Well we have a busy week still ahead of us and I am still praising the Lord for the great number of you that were with us all week last week! Please mark your calendars for a Car Wash fundraiser on the 19th of July at Auto Zone, meet at the church at 7:30 AM so we can get a good start! Remember all this is so that we can go to the Creation Museum in Ohio on the 24th and 25th. Well I was given the opportunity to preach at the Nursing Home that we are allowed to minister to and my message has spurred my heart to look at a subject that receives attention when we seem to want some type of materialistic blessing, that subject is prayer! For the next couple of posts Lord willing I will be posting on prayer. It does amaze me that prayer is all in the Bible, and so many of us just use it as an escape goat when something is absolutely wrong or when we think we need something that really doesn't matter. I want to look at prayer in its completeness and as the disciples asked "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples." I want my prayer life to reflect what the Lord would have it to be that I might know Him more, so that I might draw closer to God. Friends and teens until tomorrow God bless.

He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul:

Pro 15:32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.
Good morning teenagers and fellow readers! God is so good as we have wrapped up our VBS from last week and seen such wondrous results. The Lords arm was surely not shortened and 12 souls were saved-hallelujah! We also had wonderful attendance throughout the week, here is what it looked liked:
Mon- 96 Tues.- 109 Wed- 113 Thurs- 114 Fri- 131
God is so great to have given us a harvest as such! I am thankful for each and everyone of you that made it a point to be there, and also to bring visitors. I look forward to what God will do with the messages throughout the week.
Well looking at the verse that is above today, I can see how we as a nation are in such a fix. We have many rebellious people around, and many that don't want to be corrected. Teenagers, if somebody takes the time to correct you it is not because they are trying to lord over you, it is because they care enough to instruct you before you get into trouble or you hurt yourself. The Bible speaks of wisdom and folly, how one brings joy and the other destruction. My challenge to you today is look into the scriptures and see whether you are seeking after wisdom, or walking in folly. If you don't regard instruction you despise your own soul and how sad that is to not secure your standing with the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior because of His shed blood for the remission of your sins. If you despise correction and wisdom, then you will not understand that living in sin leads to death, and that death is eternal death in hell! However if you would listen to instruction in righteousness, then you would repent of your sins and call upon the name of Jesus Christ to save your soul. You would then learn to walk uprightly and circumspectly in sight of the Lord, and have joy and peace for eternity! Yesterday the Pastor had officiated over the funeral over one of our teenagers grandfather, and the text that was used was found in
Job 14:10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? My question to you is where are you today teenagers, are you walking in light of the Word of God, or are you in darkness allowing rebellion and sin to wreak havoc in your lives? Where would you be in the next few hours if the Lord would require your life? Teens have enough compassion even for your own selves to consider the state of your own soul, that you might heareth reproof and getteth understanding! Glory to God that even during this moment yesterday, there were two poeple that heard reproof, that is they listened to the message preached during the funeral and considered thier own ways and found themselves in need of the Lord Jesus Christ as thier personal Savior, and wouldn't you know it right there in the funeral home they recieved the Lord!

Let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Well good afternoon teenagers, and dearly beloved. VBS has been such an encouragement and boy how gracious the Lord has been to see each night increase in number. We have had souls saved, and great teaching by our teachers. The biggest thing I wanted to write to you about today is not to get be discouraged because VBS is coming to an end tonight, instead think about the things that you have learned this week about Signing Up with God, that is accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, then you get to Team Up with others, that is the saints of God in a local New Testament Church that would teach and preach the Bible! While Teamed Up, you can join in Sunday School and sit under the preaching of the Pastor and get Trained Up every Sunday, and Wednesday, or any other time that the church house doors are open. All this helps you to Power Up in your Christian life so that you can as Paul the Apostle said "run with patience the race that is set before us" allowing you to Finish Up strong whether it be that the Lord may return today to call all the saints home in the rapture, or you may personally be called home before the rapture, you can say you have done all to stand and Finish Up strong! Teenagers, I know that if there were any decisions made during the week that the devil is going to try and discourage you. Teens stay in pray and stay in the Bible that you may resist the devil and he shall flee, stay in fellowship with the other teens and encourage one another in the Lord. Notice I didn't say get together and gossip about the world or who is doing what, but rather glorify God through your walk and talk that no man may accuse you of walking falsely!

Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

Joh 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
Good evening folks;
It has been almost a month since my last post and boy how fun filled and busy it has been. The teenagers have been an encouragement in my life and the church as a whole has been wonderful. How do you begin to tell of all the things that have happened in over a month? I guess I will just pick up from where we are today it would probably make it much easier. Today the Pastor and I had the opportunity to do some follow ups on visits that some of the teenage young men and I had made earlier in the week, what an opportunity to present to people a true presentation of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ! At first there was a warm reception, then of course the devil tried to throw his 2-cents in, but in the end it is by the mighty and wonderful Word of God that prevailed! We were able to see about three people commit to coming and visiting our church, all because these young men decided to be in Gods will and share a personal invitation to a few folks. It's great to know that the Bible is very clear in our efforts as soul winners---His Word will not return void. Now that does not mean all people will accept the Lord as their personal Savior, however it does mean that no matter what a decision has to be made. If we are faithful to get into the harvest fields and plow, and water, then God can give the increase. I would brethren that while in your prayers you would remember Philip as he was one of our visits, and very receptive to the Gospel message that we were able to deliver. Pray that he would get saved! We also have Paul and Pat to pray for and hope that they will visit with us tomorrow. Well teenagers Monday is the big day to go to the Space and Rocket Center in Alabama, please remember to dress appropriately and also to bring extra money for food and souvenirs. Until next time, may God Bless