Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude

Mat 15:32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.
Good morning friends, we had another awesome night in Missions Revival as we were blessed by the sweet spirit that has continued to be with us so far! We were able to hear from Bro. Alexander Spear about the burden that the Lord has placed on his heart to reach the people on the island of Puerto Rico! Again the preaching was great as we were able to hear from Bro. Carl Stanly going to Tanzania. It seems the Lord has impressed upon his heart to continue with the theme of compassion, and if you look at what was preached last night then you would see it fits right in with the overall theme of our Missions Revival "God Giveth The Increase"! You see it was compassion that lead the Lord to look upon the crowd and it was the same compassion no doubt that the disciples were finally able to see in order for them to understand that there was more to the Messiah than just setting up His Kingdom, for what would be in the Kingdom if people were dying and going to hell? If you study out the scripture that is referenced then you will see because of the great multitude there was also a great increase! I believe with that increase there was a new motivation for the disciples, there was a new increase in their faith to accomplish what the Lord had set out to do in people's lives! Friends if we could look upon the multitudes as we look at the nightly news, if we could look upon the multitudes during our daily commute and look upon the wearied faces of those searching for something then maybe we could be driven by compassion to share the Holy Word of God with them, and show them Jesus the Savior. Friends it is only until we get a true burden to weep for the dying and lost before God will move in our lives to loosen us up for the work at hand. Friends let us not stick our heads in the sand and just drop a check in the offering plate just so we can feel at ease in our conscience, but instead let us enter into the labors of the vineyard and truly get a burden for lost people, that we might pray and weep the more earnestly for their souls. In the book of Jude it says in
Jud 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: friend if we could just be moved with compassion to make a difference. In the main text it says that because of the multitudes desire to hear the Savior that they needed fed, now no doubt the Lord fed them out His substance that is the bread of Life, but we also see the compassion of the Lord to know when we have endured yet for a little while and need to have certain needs met, and did the Lord ever meet those needs, you see friends the Lord knew exactly how far they could go in life, and He was there to provide. Friends the Lord can provide in your life also if you would just allow Him to be your all in all. Dear reader I beg of you today to come unto the Lord not just for the temporal feeding of the belly, but that He might feed you spiritually that you might be full and wanting nothing! Well I look forward to another great night of Revival and look forward to hearing from the Philippino national that God has called to reach his own people!

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them

Mat 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Well good morning again my friends. Last night started off our missions revival and how great it was! We were able to see a good crowd in attendance and I am personally praying for that same bunch to make it again tonight plus more! We have had two missionaries arrive safely last evening and they were able to settle in before the services. What a joy it is to have them with us and prepared to share with us the burden that God has placed on their hearts. We started off the services with some excellent singing and then a special that was sang by some young ladies in the church. Our first missionary to present his burden was from Bessemer, Alabama and the Lord dealt with him to go to the country of Tanzania. It is a relatively poor country compared to most of the world, and the missionary has already been in country serving for a year so he was very knowledgeable about the people that he is trying to reach for the Lord. He made a remarkable statement that kinda put things into perspective for us. In the country there are only 18 Baptist missionaries and with that he said that the work is so great that you could put fifty missionaries in one of the cities and they would never rub elbows because of the amounts of people to reach! He also said that it would be like our single church in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee trying to reach the whole state all by ourselves! After the presentation the Pastor opened the revival with a wonderful message on the Lord speaking to the disciples and the multitudes of the work that needs to be accomplished, and because my Pastor at one time was a missionary I saw his heart come out, he made the remark that it is a shame that missionaries must spend a better part of 2 years on deputation because of our lack of compassion! He said it would be great if pastors were calling for missionaries, instead of missionaries calling on pastors. If we were moved with compassion then things would change! In the above verse the people were scattered because of the lack of compassion of others not surrendering to go into the field to work, people were scattered because of the lack of compassion for people to give for the work, they were scattered because of the peoples lack of compassion for the calamity that ensued during their time. Friends as the preacher said, if we could open our eyes and see as Jesus saw the people scattered because of their need of the great Shepherd then we would be moved with compassion to get missionaries to countries that have a need! Friends the preacher also made a wonderful point on our own personal efforts from home, at the alter when we decorated we placed the flags of the countries that we currently support, then all over the front of the sanctuary there are more flags from nations of the whole world, and when you look at the plain reality we are only reaching a handful of the many nations in need of salvation through Jesus Christ and His shed blood on the cross of Calvary! Don't be fooled into believing that we are so world missions minded that we leave out our own mission field around us, the pastor encouraged us to continue to reach our nieghbors, to reach the county next to us and to reach the people that we have contact with daily in our own country. Friends maybe you would surrender today to the Lord for salvation and quit living for this world, maybe you are saved and you would surrender your hearts to do more for world missions. You can only surrender though unless the heart has compassion and sees the need, then as the Lord Jesus Christ said Mat 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Mat 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. Friend won't you pray today for the laborers, or better yet won't you enter into the labor and get with your pastor that you may help reach the world for Jesus and His glory! Remember there is a command, Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

For all the people were very attentive to hear him.

Luk 19:48 And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.

Good morning friends I hope yesterday was a blessing and I am looking forward to tonight as of course begins our missions revival! Today is going to be a busy day of preparation to be hosts to our missionaries, we have decorating to do for the church and much prayer to be accomplished! This morning however I was focused on getting ready for this weekend as I have the awesome privilege of preaching in Jr. Church for the next few Sunday and the Lord has placed it on my heart to preach from the triumphal entry all the way through to Jesus trial, death, burial, and glorious Resurrection! As I was reading and praying I was encouraged that the Lord brought out some things in this passage of scripture. One thing that stood out from the other versus was the following verse of the day. I never really noticed it before as is such with many of us if we are quite honest with ourselves. We would do well as the people that were gathered together were very attentive to hear Him to be the same way ourselves in daily Bible reading, in prayer and in the preaching hour. Friend to be gathered together in worship and not be attentive is a sad thing, to have the cares of this life brought in and distract you from what God may have for you will only rob you of peace and the answer that may be awaiting. Friend another reason that you should be attentive is the fact that He may just be trying to call you into some service for the furtherance of the gospel! How disappointing it would be if there were those that weren't attentive to hear Him, that is Jesus. There are a few more reasons that I can think of that are of the utmost importance in life for attentiveness:

• Salvation- If I didn't listen to the gospel message and the Lords call in my life I would not have repented from my sins and accepted Him as my personal Savior thereby deserving a devils hell.
• Rebuke- To learn of the scriptures and the way that I ought to be living for Him instead of against Him.
• Exhortation- Encouragement from the scriptures to go forward in life rather than continue living a defeated life, remember there is Victory in Jesus!
• Service- If I hadn't been in communion with the Lord by prayer and Bible reading then I would not have been attentive enough to hear the call placed on my life to serve Him.

Friend I also am reminded about another verse as to who said we are to be attentive to hear the Lord Jesus Christ, God the father spoke as it is recorded in Mat 17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. Now friend if this isn't enough to stop and listen in life to what the Lord is saying then I can assure you that you are definitely missing out! Friends let me encourage you today to be attentive while you are in the church house, listen to the preacher as he is submitted unto God to teach and preach the the things that the Lord would have you to hear, and be attentive to that small still voice that is leading you whether it be for salvation, or for service! May God bless.

How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace

Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Good morning friends and dear readers, well one of the most exciting weeks of church is about to start happening at ours! It's missions time, not that we don't regularly have missionaries come through, but this is a full revival and time for faith promise giving! I am extremely excited because I can't wait to see what God has for us! I have always loved missions revivals, I remember the very first one I every made it a point to attend after I had been saved, there were 2 national pastors from Nigeria and their testimony was awesome as to what God did in their lives and what He was doing in their country. Our God is truly an awesome God! Well I know that I have been praying that the people of our church have been preparing themselves so that we can be a blessing to the few missionaries that will be with us this week. We have a few families and then 3 national pastors visiting with us! I personally think that if we make it a point to be in the services that God will touch our hearts after being able to hear and speak with the national pastors. Friends it becomes hard sometimes to understand what God is doing in other countries when we don't take the time to listen, and here we are going to be blessed with having an actual convert, and men of God that has submitted their life to reaching their own people Glory to God! I also get very fired up for the missionaries of this country that we are able to send, becasue they are submitted to God to leave all that they have so others may hear the gospel message! Friends let me encourage you to get involved with your missionaries if you aren't already, a few easy ideas is to ask your pastor if you and your family may send birthday cards to the ones you currently support that would be an encouragement to them! Another idea is to just write back to them and tell them what's going on and that you are sincerely praying for them! There is so much you can do to support the propagation of the Word of God you just have to get involved! Here is the following countries that we are able to host this week:

• Tanzania
• Puerto Rico
• Philippines

We support over 25 missionaries out of our little church right now, and we thank God that we are allowed to take part in their labors. Our Missions Revival goes from this Wednesday through this Saturday so I will try to update you daily as to what is taking place and how the Lord is blessing! Friends my prayer for today is that we could all see the need for others to hear the gospel message, and that we would not be blinded by the world and the work that needs to be done in our own backyards. I pray that we would get a true burden to see the people in the uttermost be reached and evangelized for Gods honor and glory! May they be a crown of rejoicing when we are called out of this world, and we are gathered together with the Lord! Friend where do you fit in today in sharing the gospel message, is it through personaly evangelizing in your own community, are you supporting missionaries, or has God maybe burdened you to leave all that you have and go into the world to tell others about Jesus? May your day be blessed and may you take time to pray for your pastor, and for your missionaries.

But I would ye should understand, brethren

Php 1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

Good morning again my dear friends. Well last night we began our visitation training program, it was started off well and encouraging to see people gathered together to learn how to share the gospel more effectively! The Pastor is putting this on for the next three weeks and encouraging the members of the church to attend of course so that we may break down the barriers of witnessing! If your church doesn't have a program then let me encourage you to pray first for the Lords direction, and then get with your Pastor and ask how you can help him get one started! Well a lot of things are going on in my life right at this moment, not like there aren't a lot of things going on in your lives also. A lot of people that have a true concern at my church has asked if everything is OK and will everything be OK, and my reply happily is yes! You see sometimes we get so caught up in the here and now we forget to look at what path we have been down. I say this not to look backwards and wallow in sorrow, but however to look there and see where the Lord has taken us from and where He is taking us to. The above verse says all the things that are going on in Paul's life were for the furtherance of the gospel! It also encourages us to understand, that is to to be thoroughly familiar with; apprehend clearly the character, nature, or subtleties of. Paul also wrote this to the brethren, the saved of his time because this people in this world would have you to give up on God and lean unto their wordly wisdom and worldly explanations as to why their are problems going on in your life! It is hard to believe sometimes when the pressures of this life are bearing down that they could lead to the furtherance of the gospel. Let's look at how this may be explained:

1. Our problems lead to patience
2. Our patience lead to prayer
3. Our prayers lead to promises
4. Our promises lead to perseverance

All this is proven by many of the testimonies of the Apostles in the Bible. They had problems, which showed them how to live a patient life through prayer, which led to fulfilled promises, which increased their faith and led to perseverance to spread the gospel message to a lost and dying world! It is only because of the gospel, that is the good news that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life on earth to go to the cross and die in my place for my sins, and be buried and rise again for His glorious second coming that I have any unction, and encouragement in life! It is because when the Lord saved me, he ordained me, and commissioned me to be an ambassador for Him and proclaim His message that I wake up in the morning and get going. My trust is in Him, and as Paul said no matter what may come his way, or what he has to endure thank God this life will be over and we will spend an eternity with the Lord! Friend if the pressures of life are becoming to much then just put on the brakes and call unto the Lord and let Him work in your life. It is because the Lord cares that He listens, and He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. Friend don't be burdened down with to much of the cares of this world, for all this will pass and the petty things of this life will mean nothing in the space of eternity! Focus on Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith, glorify Him by living a life consecrated to Him and you will see a change in your life!

Whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs,

Php 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Good morning dear friends, I have been away from the computer on Monday and Tuesday for a wonderful preacher’s conference! I have no excuse for yesterday so I apologize for not posting and letting the Lord be glorified. Well the preacher’s conference went great and there were some really good workshops that were given. The main theme was striving together, and I believe that in order to strive together you have to be together, duh! How many churches today are in a rut because of petty little issues that take their eyes off the Savior, and how many congregations haven't really read the verses in Acts when there was such growth because they were all in one accord? Well I know that a church that cannot strive together cannot grow! I have heard people say "well I just want to be happy", I came across an old familiar song for most of us but just in case you haven't heard it before here's the first two lines... Happiness is to know the Savior, livin a life within His favor! If that isn't enough to lay the groundwork on becoming unified! First you must know the Savior, then live a life in His favor, well preacher how do you do that??? First read your Bible and come unto the knowledge that we are all sinners that have come short of the glory of God, and that while we were yet sinners Jesus died for our sins, call unto the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, (that is turning away from them), and begin your life born again by following some of the next pieces of advice. Secondly find a Bible believing church that has a soul winning pastor and get in there and support him, pray for him, and serve with him in what God has laid on his heart! Unity only comes through obedience to God, and the Holy Spirit, as we submit ourselves for the glorious work of God, and allowing God to lead in our lives that we might see something completed together for His glory! That is we must lay aside every natural desire to serve ourselves and stay in fellowship with one another through the Holy Spirit that we can work together, walk together and live together. Did it ever occur to most people that can't get along, that we as saved folks are going to see each other again, and we are going to live with one another for eternity so we might as well start loving it now and get it right! If you cannot lay aside yourself for the work that must be accomplished so that the gospel can be preached, then I encourage you today to examine what sin is so easily besetting you and repent from it that you may be bound again with your congregation in working together until Christ returns, I do make mention that it would be a shame to have the Lord return again and you as His son or daughter would be found in rebellion against the things written in His word about unity and striving together! Friend I just want to encourage you to be an encouragement to others as you work together to further that preaching of the gospel message to a lost and dying world! We know that the devil does enough to try and deter the gospel being preached, but don't assist him let yourselves be used for the glory of God!

Why stand ye gazing up into heaven?

Act 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 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. Good morning friends, I have been thinking about our missions revival and am waiting patiently for it to begin. I came across this verse and the part that stood out to me the most is the phrase "why stand ye gazing"? Now this can be answered in 2 ways that could affect how we look at things today. The first is we always ought to be ready for the Lord, and like a watchman we ought to be heralding the cry of the Saviors return, now I don't know what day, time, or year that may be but if you read your Bible enough that could be any day. So we always ought to be prepared to answer folks that are lost why we are always looking up toward a Holy God. They don't know of His redemption, nor do they know of His return for if they did then they wouldn't ask that question they would be watching and waiting themselves. Now the second way I like to think of this phrase that the angels spoke unto the men of Galilee is by the time that they spent gazing. I am sure that they were tremendously amazed still at the ascension of our Lord and that must have made them take a pause to marvel at the wonders of it. Now according to the Bible the angels encouraged them that the same way Jesus had went up in glory, the same way He shall return. Now friends we have seen that the disciples had witnessed this fulfillment of the scriptures now it is time to move on and get to action, for if they stayed in that one spot gazing off into heaven, would that bring the Lord back any sooner, I think not. You see we can take time in our lives to stand in the amazement of what the Lord does, but sooner or later we have to get back to action, that is serving Him. Sometimes people linger to long in the paused mode instead of the play mode, just don't become complacent in serving for the Lord. I have found in my life that whenever I take a long break from something it takes time to get going again, however if I just thank God for what’s been done and get going again its easier for me to tackle the next job. Friends may you be encouraged to not linger and stand gazing off into space, but see what has been done and be motivated to do more! May you see that there is a need in this world for more people to spread the gospel message than there is for people to just warm a pew. Friends if you are saved then you have a commission to fulfill, that means there is no time to stand and gaze into heaven, for we know that the Lord will return in the blink of an eye, friends instead of the Lord returning and finding you standing idly by, wouldn’t it be far greater if He found you working in His fields?
Lord I thank you for today, I thank you that there is a calling on my life to do, rather than to be idle. I pray for those today that may be set back in their service, or in their lives by some problem, I pray that you would encourage them and lead them back into action for your honor and your glory. Lord may we be doers and not hearers only, striving to proclaim the gospel until your coming again!

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

Pro 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Good morning again friends, well today is Valentines Day and I hope that you all have something special for that special person in your life! Today I am going to surprise my wife by taking her out to eat at our favorite restaurant (McDonalds), just kidding. I am planning on taking her to the Olive Garden we always enjoy our time there whenever we get the chance. Well the above verse for today explains a lot, and the more I think about it there is no price in the world for me to even think about getting rid of my wife, I mean I just got her trained! (AGAIN KIDDING) My wife is the most understanding women in the world, she married me. I was thinking about our life together and no it is not like the story book weddings, we are married couples that don’t go by a script; however we do have the blessed Word of God in our lives to encourage us, strengthen us, and guide us in our marriage. I am so tired of young people and the false sense of the word (love) and how the world uses that word so flippantly. I encourage you today to look over the word love in its biblical sense and see if that is what you see going on in today’s society! Lets just start with a virtuous woman, I dare say that they are becoming harder and harder to find (not that I am looking), however I am trying to teach my daughter about virtuous women and what the Bible says are one. Friends there are no good role models to point her way, except for her mother and others in the church house that are good examples. Lets face it friends with this worlds attitude on the word love and its promotion of promiscuity everywhere you look it is becoming harder to show our young ones what true love is about. I heard the preacher say in the message the other night true love knows how to say NO, try that one on for size in this world of get it your way right away and see how quickly a man would dump a woman, or a woman leave a man. Just to show you how conservative I may think sometimes here is a line that I have kind of enjoyed saying to my daughter whenever these stupid TV shows promote young children "dating", show me in the Bible where dating is and I'll let you go! Friends we are to be raising up our children and preparing them for marriage, not try every toy out till you find the one you’re most thrilled with, and then throw it away when it becomes "old". Friend’s marriage has lost it sanctity in this world, I mean where else can you be married, then walk around the corner and file for divorce? I am so saddened by this younger generation of kids growing up because of the shallow society that we live in. Well, friends bad news, as I was typing my dear wife called from work and said that she won't be going anywhere tonight she just caught the flu bug that’s been going around...looks like I will have to take a rain check on the Olive Garden, however according to 1Co 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, it is time for me to be the husband that I ought to and suffer with her. Friends I hope you have a wonderful day today, and that this would help you think about your relationship with your loved one, and if you are not married then I encourage you to pray and seek the will of God and wait for that person that God would have in your life! Believe me friend when the person God would have prepared for you arrives you will know if you stay virtuous and humble!

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

Luk 19:41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

Good morning dear friends, another glorious day to be alive and tell the world about Jesus. Well we received some flurries last night and is cold outside today! I kind of like the US Postal services motto "neither rain, nor sleet, or snow" they say that in reference to delivering the mail. Our motto as Christians should be “persecutions, tumults, or afflictions" we should be steadfast and able to share to the world the wonderful good news of our Savior! It amazes me up here in Tennessee that whenever there is a little flurry on the ground that the daily activates of life come to a screeching halt? Well in no doubt there will be some that will lay out of church tonight just for that reason. What a shame to use something as petty as a light misting to stay out of the house of God and hear His Word read and preached! Friends let me encourage you to go the extra mile and whenever the church house doors are opened to find yourself in them. You never know how the Lords going to bless unless your in His presence. I can think of our missionaries on the field, how much they have to endure besides just the weather, sometimes it is culture that is a strain. To learn how to live amongst a culture that doesn't have the freedoms of speech like we do must be agonizing sometimes, especially for a preacher! However that doesn't deter them from doing what God has called them to do. They find a way to share with others in the field they are in to share with them Jesus Christ and His salvation for man. If you have never read the book FOXES BOOKOF THE MARTYRS then I would encourage you to pick up a copy and read it, I believe that here in America with all our freedoms the only way we can understand some of the persecutions that go on are through the witness of those that live out their lives for the Lord Jesus Christ. You see friends here in America we haven't even begun to see persecution as of yet. Have we been beaten, scarred, threatened of death for speaking, or preaching in the name of Jesus Christ? Some of the very missionaries that we supported to Venezuela had to leave because they were forced out of that country. Friends it’s not like they weren't productive members of that society, they were forced out because of their love for Jesus Christ. I can encourage you to look to your left and read some of the blogs of other missionaries that I know and what is going on in the countries that they are serving in. Friends let us not forget though about our own personal mission field, the one we walk right out into everyday. Look upon your city and as Jesus looked out upon the city he wept over it as the Bible says. When was the last time that you took a moment and looked out across the street, or across the office, or in your workplace and you noticed people trying to figure out if there is truly more to this body than what we presently face? Well dear friend if you don't know there is, there is life forever more in Christ Jesus, and through the washing of the blood of the Savior for the remission of our sins, there is eternal life with Him and the Father in heaven. If you are born again, then friend share with those that are around you the good news, and be a witness for Jesus Christ and what He has done in your life! The Bible says in Mat 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. Be not ashamed of what Christ has done, remember what your life was like before you were saved, and remember the shame you had when you realized that you were a sinner in need of a Savior? Why be ashamed of the God that set you free from the bondage of sin? Friends I pray that you would truly get a burden for souls, and that the burden you get would bring you to weeping, again as the Bible says in Psa 126:6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Friends, be ye laborers with me as we go forth sowing and reaping, weeping and rejoicing in the Lord.

And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven

Gen 22:11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

Good morning dear friends, I hope today finds you well and ready. In the above verse we read of the text explaining how Abraham came into the Lords service, and it all started with humility and availability. Abraham left into a country that he didn't even know about, yet he went. Well I am excited as we are shortly coming up on our mission’s revival in our church. In case you don't know what one is I will try to explain for you. In the Bible we read at the end of the synoptic gospels of the great commission that is to go out into all the world and preach, baptize, and teach the gospel message to every creature. Now at our church we take this very seriously as we believe to be a true Independent Fundamental New Testament Bible Believing Baptist church that this is our duty! What most New Testament churches do is have a week or so devoted strictly to missionaries, they come in and tell us about where they feel the Lord has placed on their heart to go and preach the glorious good news of Jesus Christ! As we pray one for another and the pastor is burdened then we will take them on to support them as missionaries to those areas of ministry in which the Lord has called them. This year we will be having some families come in that are heading to Puerto Rico, Tanzania, and other places. For me personally I love to hear about what the Lord has placed on their heart to go and reach these countries and preach and teach the gospel in them. Imagine giving up your life that you now live, and surrendering to the Lord Jesus for His use to go into a foreign country into a language, and a culture that you have never been raised in to tell them about Jesus! You may ask preacher why people would do this, well because of two things I think. First is the fact that they love the Lord Jesus Christ with all their heart, mind, and soul and are willing to forsake all including themselves to honor and glorify Him. Secondly I think because they love those people so much that if they weren't there, they wouldn't feel right walking and breathing where they are now. Friends this is the burden that we must get, to not look to ourselves and the things that are around us, but to look at others and see their need for a Savior, then allow the Lord to work in your lives that He may not remove that burden for others souls until it moves you into action. Friends only when we get a true burden to see people saved then can we see that our lives with all its trivial things in America are but a drop in the bucket in eternity. When we can truly come to our knees and go boldly to the throne of grace and tell the Lord "here am I" will we see what it is that the Lord will do in our lives. Friend have you given your all to Jesus? Are you prepared to leave a lifestyle that you've been living to gain a closer walk with the Lord, are you prepared to leave a town that you've grown up in perhaps right here in America and go into another to tell them about Jesus, are you prepared to possibly surrender yourself and head into a whole other country? Friend the Bible says in the book of Acts that we are to go into Jerusalem (our own city first), then into Judea (our own country), then into Samaria (our neighboring countries), then to the uttermost! Friend let me encourage you today to seek the will of God for your life, and see where He might have you to serve.

Monday Ramblings

Good evening friends, I hope your weekend was great. We celebrated Big Heart Sunday at our church and what a great time it was. There were a few missing, but overall it went very well. During the evening service the Pastor preached from 1 Corinthians 13, and what a message it was! There were a lot of little things that were brought out that I never had heard before and by the grace of God I am going to try and apply them in my life. We all had a great time this weekend again working on the teens new building, glory to God we finally got it dried in enough to keep the elements out! Well today the Pastor and I went and visited with a memeber who has her granddad in the hospital and this granddad is like the only dad she ever knew, so she is very distraught at the moment and I ask that you would pray for her comfort during this time. Now lately it seems like I am in a fix as to what to write unto you friends and what to share with you as my feeble mind has tended to wander more in the past week than it has in a while. I have been sitting under some great preaching lately and have been going over in my mind at the deepness of the substance behind it. I guess it bothers me becasue of how well it comes out, and how I see it affecting peoples lives for God. Now there is nothing wrong with any of it of course, it is all very doctrinally sound, and Christ exalting. I guess what I have been meditating about is that I desire to be able to write unto you something that would be lasting in eternity for you to think about and for you to look unto a Holy God and that it would encourage you to know Him and serve Him. I am just so tired of shallowness and I want to see people get a deeper understanding of who God is, and the many things that He is doing in our lives. I desire to communicate that effectivly for His glory, and see great things done! I thank God for the little things to, so please don't get me wrong, I see God moving in my life and my families. I feel a closer drawing to Him through His Word, I desire to have a better prayer life, and I desire a life of true service to Him. I hope and pray dear friends that you can look to your lives and see where you might stand in the presence of a Holy God and see if what you are doing is according to His will or against it. I ask you friend to look at what you could be doing and forsake this world and get into the service of the Lord however you can! As the songwriter wrote...Oh I want to see Him, look upon His face. Friends I desire that you would get a burden to a grow into a deeper relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and that He might have the preeminace in your life over all things!

For the which cause I also suffer these things:

2Ti 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Good morning dear friends. I would like to apologize for not posting yesterday as I received some disheartening news that sidetracked me. What a joy it is to know that no matter what we may face, what we may have to endure, what we may have to suffer that there is a Savior that knows us and will guide us through. Last night at church we had a wonderful service and the Lord was truly present as we had many a testimony from different folks about different things in life. All the people that spake had one thing in common, to magnify Christ and Christ alone as the reason that they were able to endure. You see friends if you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior then the mountain that may be in front of you won't seem so high, and as your climbing it then also know that Christ will be there as your guideline, as your safety. Friends when you reach the top and you look out across the valley as the spies did before they went back to give their report on the promised land, let this be mindful in your heart as it was in Joshua's and Caleb's....it is yours, go and posses it with all faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our pastor preached the other night and I began to dwell on his thought of Paul. You see the Bible says that Paul suffered shipwreck, persecution, jail, and beatings, yet he gloried in the Lord. Friends I can say that for 90% of Americans we have yet to truly suffer for a Holy God. We may lose trivial things that have no eternal weight of glory, however they are just temporal things that block us from getting closer to God anyway. Let us think about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who suffered all temptation, yet sinned not, who suffered for us on the cross of Calvary that we might have eternal life through Him. Friends we are so lucky in this day and age of grace that even though we might loose some things, there is Jesus Christ in whom we can put our faith into and gain salvation that is never to be lost! Glory to God that I know the Lord promised this in my life, 2Ti 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Friends when I surrendered to Jesus Christ my life for Him, then I know with all assurance that what I gave Him, He in no wise will cast out. He will enable me to press forward, and He will see me through all that I must endure that He may receive the glory. Friends it is said in the Bible in Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. The Lord has also promised this according to His word, that which He began in me, and called me to do...Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Friend I encourage you today to look unto the Lord and call upon the name of Jesus Christ to comfort you, to guide you, and if you are not already save you. May God bless.

For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father

Jer 12:6 For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.

Good morning dear friends. In continuing my reading in Jeremiah we see that the prophet has come to a point and place and is allowed to reason with God on behalf of the people. After talking with God and asking why the wicked seem to prosper, and the evils they do seem to go unpunished the Lord then starts answering Jeremiah. We get to the above verse and we see that God is warning Jeremiah about the people and the priests who at this time have become wicked and deceitfully used people. Just as in today's time these priests have become fleshly in their desires, and they enjoy the rule, power, and prestige of the priesthood instead of leading people to a Holy God. Friend let me encourage you today to be careful to what you may listen to when it comes across the TV, or the radio, there are plenty of false teachers and preachers out there today that enjoy the titles, and the prestige but as the Bible states their hearts are far from God. We in America have just enough Bible words in our vocabulary to impress folks, but not enough of God in our life's to persuade folks to turn to Jesus and ask for repentance. The above verse was warning Jeremiah that not was it only the priests, but is was all those that claimed to love God that surrounded themselves around Jeremiah as if they were truly listening what the prophet was telling them. Friends sometimes I hate to say this, but those there are in the Lords house some that are just as evil as those on the outside. God is telling Jeremiah that the false teachers and such have used the people treacherously. The Lord wanted to answer Jeremiah and tell him not to worry about those with deceit in their lives, because what they sow, they shall reap. He warned Jeremiah to be careful of the words that they praise God with, for they are deceitful in their hearts. Today I would just encourage you as the Lord was Jeremiah to not look at what we think should be happening as punishment for those that walk according to this world, but that we might stay focused on Jesus and look upon the great burden that is laid upon us as necessity, and that is telling the world about Jesus Christ and His atonement for our sins! Let us remember to live our lives as such that when men see us they see the fruit of the Spirit of God abiding within us, and so much that they would enquire why we are different from all others. We are called out dear friends to live a separated life from the things of this world that we might point others to Christ and Christ alone! Do not become obsessed with why punishment is not being dealt to those we know are living a sinful life, for they will answer to the Lord for that, let us however, press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

2Co 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

Well a wonderful good morning to you dear friends and neighbors! The pastor of our church survived another weekend with us as he bravely again joined into the labors of building our new teen classroom. We were able to get some good quality work out of him and what a great time of fellowship we had. It is exciting to see the progress and I can't wait until it is completed for the glory of God! We then can start building the classes up and the preacher can get his own class started back up for the singles and young married couples! We had a special visitor yesterday during our services that encouraged us because of what she had going on in her life, she was catholic and she wanted to come and visit our church to see "what is it you all do?" Well I can say she heard the gospel message and she heard about the Church that Christ has established. She definatly was able to hear what a good ol Baptist preacher preaches about! Last nights service friends was a little dreary, not because the message wasn't right, no but because of how backslidden this nation has become in serving and worshipping a Holy God! There were so many people that I expected to be in their places as usual, but weren't there because of the super bowl. I enjoy football, however I love my Lord and Savior and the message that He would have me hear for my life more than any ol stupid football game. It is sad to say that the people who sat out of church last night are the same people that have issues in life; the ones who missed good preaching sure won't miss crying when their life is in derision. Last nights message was more super than the super bowl, more super than super Tuesday, it was downright awesome as it pertained to the things of eternity, the more the Lord is allowed to work in my life the more I figure out that almost 90% of what I do day to day don't mean a hill of beans compared to eternity with a Holy God. Friends what is your focus today? Is it glorifying your Savior through your life, how you walk, how you talk, and how you react to things? Is your life always just running to and fro to satisfy a little here and now? Friend I hope and pray that you can stop and evaluate what you are doing and see if it will make a real difference before the Lord returns, and even more so, will it be everlasting as you stand before the King of Kings? The Lord said that all we do will be tried when we stand before Him, will it be wood, hay, and stubble to be cast into the fire to burn and never be brought before us again, or will it be gold, silver, and precious stones? Friend let me encourage you to glorify your Savior that when the time comes for you to stand before Him as we all will He can say well done thy faithful servant! Friend eternity is a long time, don't let the opportunities of today pass you by before tomorrow as tomorrow may never come. The eternal weight of glory ought to be so pressing in our lives that daily we can die to ourselves and pick up our cross and follow Jesus!

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation

2Co 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Good morning dear friends, I hope that yesterday was a wonderful day. The church went out on visitation last night like we do every Thursday night,however last night was probably the coldest and wettest night that we endured yet. I am happy to say though that there was no major complaining and all of us made our visits and then some! It never ceases to amaze me though that when you knock on somebodys door and offer them Jesus they have so many excuses not to listen. Most of the folks the preacher and I visited were at home snuggled up in the warmth of thier house, and either had a beer popped open, or very well could've been on some type of drugs. Now there was one gentleman who told us that he appreciated us being out on such a night, and that we must be sincere. I would like to believe we are more than sincere, we are willing to go the extra mile to see somebody saved! There are so many folks dear friends that are hurting in life and you can just see it in thier faces when they talk with you, yet they don't turn to Jesus, they pour themselves into a bottle, or some type of drug that just numbs them from the issue at hand. I am so glad that I have a Savior that understands what I am going through, and that He is there for me. When we can swallow our pride and ask the Lord for help then I believe He just jumps at the oppurtunity to prove His love for us! My Savior is so wonderful that unlike a botttle of beer, or drugs He brings true comfort and peace. Friend if you find yourself today looking at a situation that you think is unbearable, then I encourage you to call unto the Lord Jesus Christ first for salvation if you are not saved, then pour out to Him your problems and allow Him to work in your life. If dear friend you are saved and you might have forgotten that Jesus cares, then I encourage you to get back into the blessed old Book and read what God has said about His understanding and love for you. Friend I hope that today you can see that God is a God of comfort, and with that comfort comes peace that is found through His Son Jesus Christ for all situations in life. Friend know this also, that His peace surpasseth all understanding, and His comfort is pure and undefiled, it will not leave you heartbroken the next day, nor will it damage your body or mind. The peace and comfort of God is everlasting joy in Christ Jesus! I say all that to encourage you to give yourself and your problems over to God, and let Him handle them for you in your life, that you may glorify Him through your testimony of what He has done for you!