Pastor Lonnie's Blog

Don't Let the Heavens Do All of the Declaring

2012-02-13T08:12:00.000-05:00

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all of the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. (Psalm 19.1-5) The surface of our Sun is about 5800 degrees and the Sun's middle is over 10 million degrees in temperature. The Sun is 93 million miles away from the Earth. If there were no Sun for light, heat, and energy, the Earth would be a dark, frozen, rock-ball. General revelations of God are all around us every day in the things He has created. For those of us who know Him; it brings glory to our souls and warmth to our heart. However, it will not bring a person to repentance. If it did, every man, woman, boy and girl on planet earth would be brought to repentance today, just by looking up at the sun as it declares the glory of God. Living things could not exist without the Sun, just like eternal life is not possible without God's Son! We may enjoy the general revelation of the things that God has created all of the time. But we must declare specifically the revelation of the good news of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. Since all of His handiwork brings glory to Him, let it be us who bring the most! Declare to some lost soul today His handiwork, that He did to your heart. Don't let the heavens do all of the declaring!

Victory Assured When He Comes Before I

2012-02-09T07:14:00.000-05:00

The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. (Psalm 18.46) David affirms the power of God in the first fifteen verses as he declares, The Lord is and God is, and He is... Then the personal work of God in his life in the next twenty verses with Thou hast, God hast, He hast... Only then does David speak of I have. God is always victorious. It is forth quarter and the score is God INFINITE, Devil ZERO. After all of the He's in chapter eighteen, David is free to say, I have pursued mine enemies, neither did I turn again, I have wounded them, I might destroy them that hate me, then did I beat them small as the dust, I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets, a people whom I have not known shall serve me, therefore will I give thanks unto thee. He is my rock and my salvation. His Word reminds us, The battle is the Lord's. Don't lay down arms and surrender. Lay yourself down in surrender to His arms and pick up the spiritual weapons of war. Victory is assured when I comes after He, I trusts in He, and I wars in He's army.

Just He

2012-02-08T07:55:00.001-05:00

He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. (Psalm 18.16) I have a precious reader who has experienced much sorrow in her life. She commented that her life was like a turtle shell closing in, and it seemed harder for her to ...poke her head out just enough to work. When you read in Psalm of David's less-than-perfect life, who was victorious; you find he had many enemies and tragedies including a child die. He also often writes as a man who wanted to just stay in the shell and never poke his head out. We may all experience this from time to time. But David quickly turns his attention to Who God is and what He can do for His children. Here is a short sample of a few things God had done for David (.16-.39): ...took me, drew me out of many waters, delivered me, was my stay, brought me forth, delivered me, rewarded me, recompensed me, light my candle, girdeth me with strength, maketh my way perfect, setteth me on high places, teachest my hands, enlarged my steps, girdeth me with strength unto the battle. I do not believe in the power of positive thinking. However, there is unmistakable power and authority in the Word of God to dispel darkness, defeat enemies, enrich the life, enlarge the soul, straighten the path and many other victorious things. He will draw you out of many waters. Not He plus me. Just He!

Free To Love Him More

2012-02-07T07:41:00.000-05:00

I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. (Psalm 18.1) What really causes our daily relationship with Christ to grow the most? What we do for Him? Never! What causes our love for him to grow, is resting in His love for us, what He has done for us, and how He sees us. David could say he loved the Lord pure and simple. Why? Because his heart was already confident in, and his eyes were already fixed on the Lord as his ...rock, fortress, deliverer, strength, buckler, salvation, high tower. (18.2-5) David would call upon the Lord and be saved from his enemies because he knew the Lord, heard his voice, shook the hills, bowed the heavens. (18.6-10) The victorious, peace-filled, abundant, life is found in Who God is, not what we can do for Him. The woman "caught in adultery" was reminded by Jesus of how she was seen already by the infinite love of Christ ...neither do I condemn thee. It was only then that Christ gave her a mandate to perform, ...go and sin no more. If you are saved; rest in Christ, His person, His promises. If not saved, stop trying to earn his favor and accept his gracious gift of salvation. All of us, stop trying to perform to earn his love. He can not be bought. Rest in his undying, unconditional, infinite, intimate love. Confidence in His love for us, frees us to love Him more.

I Am the Apple of His Eye

2012-02-06T08:18:00.000-05:00

Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings...from the wicked...from my deadly enemies...from men...I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. (Psalm 17.8-15) Let this truth encourage you today. God does not, can not, will not; ever love you more or less than He does right now and forever. His love for you is never based on your characteristics or performance. He loved you at your worst enough to die for your sins and for your salvation. So receive the love that is given you today. This good news of the glorious gospel is good enough to save you, and good enough to keep you. Be encouraged that you, yes you, are the apple of His eye. Be at peace. Give your enemies, perceived or real, to the Lord. He can and will, deliver you and ...disappoint him and cast him down (.13). Be encouraged that you are the apple of His eye and be at peace that He has you covered. You do not have to be somebody or accomplish anything to be the apple of His eye. Rejoice! YOU ARE THE APPLE OF HIS EYE!

Path of Pleasure is His Presence

2012-02-02T07:32:00.000-05:00

Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures evermore. (Psalm 16.11) He is willing to show me the path. Am I willing to walk it? He longs for me to be in His presence. Do I desire to dwell there? He has pleasures for me at His side that the world can not give. Am I longing to receive them? It is not about our to-do-don't-do-list. It is not work-harder-try-better. Put your eyes on Him and He will show you His path, draw you into His presence, and fill your life with abundant pleasures of His joy and grace, riches, and fullness. Why would we ever settle for anything less than His best? Why would we settle for anything less than the path of pleasure which is found anytime, anywhere, any circumstance; but only in His presence.

The Lord is my Portion

2012-02-01T08:21:00.000-05:00

The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night season. (Psalm 16.5-7) David wrote this in acknowledgment of the night season of life and of his distrust of his own merits or abilities. Jeremiah wrote Lamentations as a sequel to the Book of Jeremiah. Its very name means sorrow. Yet, the circumstances did not take away from their portion, because their portion was in the Lord (Lamentations 3.24). Jesus told me, I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (John 10.9) In him I am saved. In him I shall go in and experience all of the riches, blessings, and joy of his goodness. In him I shall go out and labor, work, suffer, testify, bear witness, graze in the green grasses and lay by still waters and sit at the table with my enemies. In him I shall find pasture, everything I need, everything that makes my life full. Why? Because life is easy, and no one hates me, and no one opposes me, and no one works against me? Oh no. All of hell is against us if we are serving Jesus. But the gates of hell can not prevail against us. Why? We have each other, His Word, His indwelling Spirit. It s all because He is my portion. Glory!

Refuge

2012-01-31T08:52:00.000-05:00

Preserve me O God: for in thee do I put my trust. (Psalm 16.1) Noah, Joseph, Daniel, Elijah, Gideon, Paul, and Augustus Toplady have in common? They all faced peril, sought shelter in the right place, and experienced safety. In 1776, Toplady walked through Barrington Coombs and was caught in a thunderstorm. The shelter of a building was too far away to get in, so he took shelter in the cleft of a large rock. While the winds howled around, the sermon he heard his pastor Dr. Daniel Brevint preach that week on the Rock of Israel played over in his mind. He came out of the shelter after the storm and wrote Rock of Ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee. Noah built an ark - not try to stop a flood. Joseph kept his integrity no matter what - not complain about the false accusations and imprisonment. Daniel went to the lion's den in the peace of God - not compromise his commitment. Gideon obeyed God's commands - not fear a cruel and much larger army. We must learn to find the cleft in the Rock, instead of try to stop the storms that assail us. The storms will come. We must teach our kids Who to turn to and where they find significance, strength, and safety; instead of trying to stop the bullies in their life. The bullies will come. We must stop looking to everyone and everything to make life on planet earth a flowery bed of ease; and instead learn to rest in the arms of the Almighty! Preserve me O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

What a Life!

2012-01-30T07:55:00.002-05:00

Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. (Psalm 15.1-2) We are saved by grace, through faith. However, walking with Christ is a daily, moment by moment choice of simple obedience to stay by his side. We had a world-class champion dog trainer named Hank with us this weekend and his dog Bandero. The thing that impressed me the most is how that dog would not be distracted, unless his master allowed him to. Jacksonville Airport, WalMart, open field, hotel, church; it was all the same to the dog Bandero. He would not walk in or out a door without looking to his master to see if it was safe and good and OK. He only walked on his master's left side (always left - not right). Then if his master allowed him; he could drink, eat, sleep, sit, be petted, or any other good thing. The dog was on a leash where required by law, but he carried his own leash in his own mouth. We might say, That is strict. What a sad and restricted life. The dog gets to fly around the nation, ride in the seat with his master, eats a premium brand of food, drinks bottled water only, stays in hotels when away and comfortable dwelling when home, and goes everywhere his master goes, being constantly loved on and cared for and appreciated. What a life! He lives better than humans in two-thirds of the world. Should he be in a fenced yard all of the time, or out on the streets to be free and scavenger for food? I likewise want dearly to stay at my Master's feet. There is joy, filling, freedom, and fullness there. His desire is that I walk uprightly, work righteousness for His name's sake, and His words to speak in love. As a result; my life is full, constantly receiving the riches of His grace and glory; but mostly, getting to spend time with and working for my best Friend, Savior, Lord, and Master. What a life! go see kingdom dog

The Greatest News of All

2012-01-26T08:08:00.000-05:00

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good...They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Psalm 14.1,3) Those poor atheists...bunch of fools.... Be careful now. Do you know that your "good God-fearing" neighbor, your church-going relative, your grandparent with "a heart of gold," that does not know Christ; is just as undone as the hardest, God-hating atheist you know? Be reminded afresh, the reason we ALL need Jesus is because we are all filthy, and none of us doeth good. It is also a gentle reminder that we need to share Jesus with all who will let us share what He has done for sinners like us. You may find that some "atheists" are easier to share the good news of the glorious gospel with than some "good" people you know. But neither is about easy. It is about, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The glorious good news for all of us is ...Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15.3b-4). That is the greatest news of all and everybody needs to hear it.

Was David Schizophrenic?

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? Forever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? ...I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me. (Psalm 13.1-2, 6) Have you ever heard a person speak with such contrasting thoughts in the same breath? Is it possible to be so far down and yet rise in rejoicing? Is it a mental disorder to have a broken heart and be almost despondent, oppressed, depressed; yet know you have victory? Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Elijah, Peter, Paul all seemed to be schizophrenic. Paul said...I am troubled...perplexed...persecuted...cast down...in despair; then he speaks of the tremendous victory in Jesus. The difference comes in verse five for David, I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. It is for Paul the inward man believing and being renewed day by day (2 Cor 4.7-16). We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that His mercies fail not, He will never leave us or forsake us, He supplies according to His riches not out of (as though they could ever be depleted). As Adoniram Judson said, The future is as bright as the promises of God. The present can make us feel down in the outward man. The future is always bright according to the inward man that believes in Him. Don't let the Devil drive you CRAZY!

Help Lord

2012-01-24T08:19:00.000-05:00

Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. (Psalm 12.1) Only two words are the prayer request - the rest are explanation. Reminds me of Peter when he decided to trust Jesus enough to walk on water with him. What a joy! What a victory! What an adventure! What faith...for a few steps. Then what? But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying Lord, save me. (Matt 14.30) It was not the powerlessness of Christ that sank his sandals. It was his distraction brought about by the winds. David and Peter, Old Testament and New, two spiritual giants, two problems, two depressing thoughts and circumstances, that distracted their focus and faith. Both were produced by great opportunity clouded by unbelief. Every happen to you? Even with unbelief though, in the midst of the frailty and potential defeat at the verge of victory - that cry. It is the world's shortest, but greatest, most effective of all prayers. Help Lord. Lord save. Consider that the Father knows what we need before we need it, what we face before we face it, what we experience before we experience it. Our future is His history and He has already provided for the solution. Why is it so hard to simply admit our limitations and pray, Help Lord?

The Lord Trieth the Righteous

2012-01-23T08:06:00.000-05:00

The Lord trieth the righteous: (Psalm 11.5a) Even our mercies and victories, like roses, have thorns. So when David asks the question in Chapter 10, Why standeth thou afar off, O Lord? David is evaluating why it seems so many righteous suffer and so many unrighteous succeed. Then in Chapter 11 he answers his own question with an observation of truth. The Lord tries us as His children. He does what it takes to draw us closer to Himself, cleanse our heart, life, and motives; give us a real passion for life, and compassion for unbelievers. If it seems like there is an area of your life being tried right now, it may be because your Father is trying your life. This trying is never for Him to discover something about us, it is always so we can discover and evaluate something about our self, and be changed by it. I love the way Spurgeon puts it, worldly ease is a great foe to faith...while the wheat sleeps comfortably in the husk, it is useless to man; it must be threshed out of its resting place before is value can be known. Don't stare at the thorns, smell the roses.

Good Question

2012-01-19T07:32:00.000-05:00

Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? Why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble? (Psalm 10.1) The next 15 verses, David asks a question that Job and Jeremiah also asked, and probably every believer at some point in time. Why do the wicked prosper? Sooner or later it gets personal and we ask, Why does it seem like the harder I try to do right, the tougher my life gets? He reminds God (as if God needed reminding) the wicked... persecute the poor...will not seek after God...his ways are grievous...his mouth is full of cursing...he waits like a lion to destroy the weak and poor. The list goes on, and the question remains, Why doesn't God punish the wicked now? Why does God seem to let good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people? David never answers this question directly, but the Spirit forces him to focus on this truth, The Lord is king forever and ever: the heathen are perished out of the land. (10.16). We may have to wait on a future answer and settle for a present solution to this great mystery of life - The Lord is king forever. The heathen, the wicked, the oppressive, the enemies of God, the work of the wicked are all temporary. When our vision is elevated toward eternity, when our thoughts are focused on the eternal riches we already enjoy today; we began to see as Paul did, For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. (Romans 8.18-19) Expectation of the promises of God in the future, evaluation of the abundant blessings of God now, overwhelm the question and God Himself becomes the answer. Live in today's fresh grace, mercy, blessings, and expectations; but keep your view on the eternal. See it! Say it! Believe it! My Lord is King forever, the heathen are perished out of the land.

Four I Wills

2012-01-18T08:35:00.000-05:00

I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High. (Psalm, 9.1-2) He provides everything for us every moment of every day, and we continually are asking for more. He does not mind. He loves for His children to come with importunity and ask boldly at His throne of grace. But, what can we do for Him? He needs nothing. But there is something I can do for Him, now! David gives us four I wills. Most of the I wills in the Bible are full of pride and arrogance, like Lucifer declaring, I will raise my throne above... But today, in humble adoration we can give God, the four I wills that are delightful to Him. I will praise thee. Even if we are so callous that we can not see what to praise Him for that He is doing in us, we can praise Him for Who He is! Show forth His works in our life. See them. Acknowledge them. Tell someone of His work in us. Be glad in Him. Even if we perceive that our finances are terrible, health depleted, relationships are broken; and it seems nothing is good in our life right this minute; even then, we can be glad in Him and that He promised He would never leave us or forsake us. You do not need to be a good singer or in a choir or praise team to sing praises to Him. Sing to Him, an audience of One, the simplest song from a humble authentic heart, and all of heaven will respond in applause...to Him. Let us start today with these four I wills.

What is my Worth and Value?

2012-01-17T07:56:00.000-05:00

What is man that thou art mindful of him? And the son of Man that thou visiteth him? (Psalm (8.4) This penny sold last month at auction for $1.38 million dollars. It's value, which tends to be based on usefulness and quality; is only one cent. It has a little copper. It is beat up badly. It can hardly be read. It could buy a pennies' worth of something. However, it's worth, what someone is willing to pay for it; is over a million dollars! This early American penny from 1793 is one of the rarest, earliest known to exist; so it has only a little inherent value, but incredible worth to the collector. To a perfect and complete God, what value could I possibly have? What usefulness could I possibly serve to the One Who needs nothing and can do anything and knows everything? The Bible says of mankind that we are...a house of clay...a worm...a grasshopper...and our life is like a vapor. But what is our worth? My worth is priceless. My worth to Him is so much that the Son of Man died to purchase me. That still astounds me, excites me, delights me, thrills me, empowers me, emboldens me to please Him Who died for me. I am ...a child of the Most High...bought with a price...by the precious blood of Christ. Your worth today my friend is so valuable that God died to possess you. Your worth today is valued at the life of Christ. That is amazing...grace!

My Defence

2012-01-16T06:59:00.000-05:00

My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart. I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high. (Psalm 7.10,17) Do you have any enemies, or some that seem like they may just be "out to get you?" Fifteen of seventeen verses David is recounting his enemies and what they want to do to him. David gives us three keys to the victorious life in Christ, as it pertains to those who truly want to hurt, neutralize, or defeat us. First, we must ask God to search the integrity of our own heart and soul to insure we are not creating or causing some injustice or pain or painful response from others. Second, we must learn to rely on, and rest in, the knowledge that God is our defence. We do not need to waste time trying to defend our self. After all, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers. Third, we must learn to praise the Lord according to the righteousness of God. The Lord is our sword and shield. May we let His glory be our defence, we may find more time to work on our offence that Jesus gave us - bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

Have Mercy On Me

2012-01-12T07:20:00.000-05:00

O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed. My soul is sore vexed: but thou O Lord, how long? Return O Lord, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake. (Psalm 6.1-4) Think David ever had a bad day or night? He writes of his ...groanings...all night my bed to swim (from sweat and tears)...I water my couch with tears...mine eye is consumed with grief... How do we praise the Lord when things are really bad? How can we praise Him in the midst of some burden, sorrow, sin, grief? I think back on the darkest days of my own life, in the midst of horrible choices and stench, and the desperation and darkness was overwhelming except for one thing - the mercy of God. Like David, I know in those days ...the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping....the Lord hath heard the voice of my supplications. I love how Spurgeon put it, You may stop praising God when He stops having mercy on you. When is that if you are His child? Never. Whatever you are facing, you have His mercy to depend on. His mercy endures forever.

Go Ahead and Call Him

2012-01-11T08:02:00.000-05:00

Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry my king, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up....But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. (Psalm 5.1-3, 11) Got a little problem in the neighborhood? See if you can get the mayor over right now. Have a bone to pick with the state? Just call your friend The Governor and go get breakfast while you talk it over. You are not happy with the direction our country is heading? Call the President and give him a shout-out and ask him to join you for coffee in the morning. Not likely is it? O but my friend, you want an audience with the Creator, the Ruler, King of all kings and Lord over all lords? Stop right now, and meditate on Him, He loves to hear your meditations when they are on Him. Got a huge problem, crisis, decision? Cry out to Jesus, and He will hearken unto you. Everything fine as far as you know? Just set aside some good, quiet, quality time with your Father and His Son over a cup of Joe, and by His indwelling Spirit it will be a great time of worship. Yes, He hates wickedness, folishenss, idolatry, violence, deceit (.4-6) But if you put your trust in Him, it is not misplaced; because He loves you, listens to you, rejoices over you, protects you, has a plan for you, and He will fill your heart with joy if you keep your heart fixed on Him. Go ahead, give Him a call, He is waiting.

Good Sleep - Good Morning

2012-01-10T08:46:00.000-05:00

Thou hast put gladness in our heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4.7-8). David wrote some Psalms that indicate he was not able to sleep, his bones waxed old, his tears washed his sleep away. What is worth noting here though, is that his sleep was not dependent on his circumstances, but the condition of his heart toward the Lord. Thereby, David gives a couple of pointers for the day, to help get a good night's sleep tonight. Hear (.1). How long will we listen to the world, and love vanity and leasing (lying of our idols)? These idols will not listen to us, neither do they care. David knows the Lord is there, He cares, and listening to David's every cry, every hurt and heartache, every joy and victory. Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly (.3). It is recognition of ownership. He owns me. We are too often silly-putty Christians who like to make God in our image. We need to recognize Him and let Him make us in His image. Stand in awe (.4). Keep your eyes on the King. He is marvelous in our eyes if we focus on Him. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness (.5). Surrender and submission is my part, my offering, my gift, my giving to him Who owns it all. As Spurgeon wrote about 1 John 1.6 ...We have fellowship with Christ in his love, in his desires, in his suffering, and in his joys. Only God can put gladness in our heart, peace in our sleep, and safety in our life. Fellowship in Him today and He will bring comfort to your rest tonight.

O Lord My Lord

2012-01-09T08:02:00.000-05:00

I laid me down and slept; I awakened; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. (Psalm 3.5-6) The Lord is my helper (.1-2). The Lord is my Protector and Encourager (.3). The Lord is my Deliverer (.4). The Lord is my Rest and Sustainer (.5). The Lord is my Equalizer (.6). The Lord is my Salvation and the Destroyer of my enemies (.7). Salvation belongs to the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people (.8). God is my total source of everything and yet the blessings are all mine. Brothers and sisters; why in the world would I even for a second be oppressed, depressed, defeated, cast down, distraught, anxious, complaining, gripping, whining, fomenting; giving up, giving in, sitting out, getting out, or throwing in the towel? My Lord is all of this to you and me. It only stands to reason this is going to be a glorious, victorious, meritorious Monday! Glory! Selah - meditate on it.

Reach

2012-01-05T07:36:00.040-05:00

But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. (2 Corinthians 10.13) As I approach the ten year mark here at the church at Orange Heights, and the fifty-two year mark of life on the planet earth, I am coming through a time of personal evaluation, request for personal revival, pleading for vision of the future, and renewed passion as God's servant. As I look to the future, I want to know how effective and obedient we are, how effective and obedient I am, at reaching people. Have I reached all within the measure and boundary God gave me to evangelize or disciple? It is our mandate as believers to reach out to people, not hope someone else "sees us" being good Christians. I hear believers say, "I live it," as though that is the only goal, the brass ring, the finish line. It is not. Christ said, Go ye...Ye shall be witnesses unto me...go unto the highways and byways and compel them to come in. Paul said become, ...all things to all people that we might save some. Spurgeon wrote, ...go with strong faith in a great God and bring great sinners in our arms and put them down before this mighty Regenerator of men and say, 'Lord, if you will, You can make them new.' You and I must reach out brothers and sisters! Anything less is treason against our King, insubordination against our Commander, dereliction of duty as a soldier of the cross. Reach out! Anything less is to forfeit the best opportunities in life - reaching out to bring someone up.

Puttin' on the Dog

2012-01-04T07:58:00.000-05:00

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. (Romans 13.14) Aaron Wilburn, a Christian songwriter, flat-top picker, in the bluegrass and Southern Gospel genre wrote some funny songs (like If My Nose Ran Money - I'd Blow it all On You). His wife always wanted a fur coat. He could not afford one, but one "ran in front of him one night" (Google: Jim Wilburn Puttin' on the Dog Gaither) in the form of a German Shepherd. You get the picture. Now when he and his wife goes out on Friday night with her "fur coat," she is puttin' on the dog. As believers, isn't that what our beliefs, church attendance, personal goodness, Christianity in general is without Christ? O how I pray against becoming a profession pastor, like a gerbil on a wheel on my own, without abiding in Christ, doing the same things for the sake of the pastorate or ministry. May my only, overwhelming, ever-sanctifying, maturing, passion be to put on Christ. He is the real deal. I will know when I am in Christ, because I will love people and share him with any who will listen. Are there fleas in our closet, little rank smells around our collar? Maybe we are puttin' on the dog. Our total solution - put on Christ, abide in Christ, follow Christ, let the mind of Christ be in you. In him alone is life, fullness of life, and life more abundant.

Seek the Kingdom First

2012-01-03T07:43:00.000-05:00

But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6.33). It is time to renew our mind about what is important. There are many good and godly, biblical goals that impact this life for a new year such as becoming debt-free, losing weight, eating better, treating our families better. May we be convicted to look higher than that in our goals, deeper than that in our foundation for 2012. What we do with our time will be based on Who owns it. It will be based on the focus of our citizenship. To be effective, we must answer this basic question. Overall, is our life about this life or the kingdom life, our wellfare or Christ in me? I heard a professing Christian ignorantly state, "I don't want to be so heavenly minded that I am no earthly good." This is not possible. C.S. Lewis correctly wrote, If you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. The Apostles themselves who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire, the great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English Evangelicals who abolished the slave trade, all left their mark on earth precisely because their minds were occupied with heaven. It is since believers have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have been so ineffective in this one. Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you will get neither.” Start now and consider it in all that you put your hands and mind to today. If you give a cup of water today, give it in his name and for his kingdom. Seek ye first, the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

Setting Goals - Seeing the Vision

2012-01-02T07:31:00.000-05:00

Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. (Nehemiah 2.4) I am a goal-setter. It is my experience that those who set none, reach none. Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Apostle Paul, even Jesus himself had a heavenly vision that kept them going toward it. My desire though, must be to settle on God's goals, which can only come from God's Word and God giving His vision for my life. Nehemiah had a great gig with the king. Yet, his desire was to please God and God set him on an impossible task - rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Not only did Nehemiah do it, but God moved on the Gentile King to fund and protect the work. If you have not already, ask God for His vision for your life this year. You will know it is His if it aligns with His Word. As David Jeremiah wrote, If it is His command, obey it. If it is truth, accept it. If it is a promise, believe it. Read it to be wise. Obey it to be safe. Believe it to be happy. Proclaim it to be joyful. If you do not seek God's vision, and prayerfully and powerfully live toward it, I guarantee you will accomplish what you envisioned - nothing. Ask for His vision. Set your goals on that vision. Trust in His power to accomplish His will in you.