Halloween good or bad??

This Halloween,
Please keep in mind some of the things out there that can both be negative and abasive to our faith. It is a time for many of fun, of food and of gatherings. However for others it is being used as both for and against the gospel. Below is a few informative articles I found that tell of how this Halloween, churches and haunted houses are competing for their own casues. Please list a comment of how you feel pro or against this information

Listen up people!!!!

Tonight  I want to discuss something that I feel strongly about. Something I feel the Lord has laid on my heart to discuss. The Lord says in 1 Timothy 4:1 that even the Holy Spirit in the last times will say people will give up their faith and turn or lay up for themselves decieving spirits and the doctrines of demons. This is not that I am saying the world is coming to an end.Nor that I claim to know the time is short, because no matter how many preachers, teachers, and speakers tell your they know the end of times, based always on Matthew 24 and the books of Daniel and Ezekiel chapter 37, but what I am claiming is the world itself with all its good intentions has fallen way off the path. Our children come home with Migraines complaining how stressed out their day was, our parents come home tired, overworked, mentally drained of their emotions. What does the media and television have to offer but non realistic programing meant to drive and coax the human mind to do and say what they want it to. We have gone from a generation of faithful trusting family oriented people to a generation void of reason, understanding, values, morals, or a path leading to God. When was the last time you heard someone say God bless you, or may the Lord keep you and restore your day? Did you know that those were customary greetings during the revolutionary period? Our own founding fathers who allowed us to even have a nation to begin with. Everyone goes about now with a scowl on their faces, rude, obnoxious, selfish, too busy to even open a door for someone, much less day have a good morning. It spreads to the home where teen violence, divorce, separations and domestic disputes have increased threefold whether the news stats say otherwise. I've seen it for myself, I don't need some corporate driven media to tell me I'm wrong. Folks we're lost, not just spiritually, but emotionally, and mentally. Driven by the belief spurned by our media and corporate funded institutions that brilliance comes only in the form of a doctorate degree. Student debt tripled this past year due to the rising cost of books, tuition and demands for longer class loads. When I was in elementary school, we learned that our imaginations took us far, that drawing, being read to, coloring, and using the parts of our brain that allowed for fun and excitement meant more for our futures than programing us like metal machines as most of our children are today. I spoke to a group of children the other day about what made them like school, or what the most fun thing they had done at school that day. Do you know what they told me? That they liked school because it gave them a chance for a college education? Elemetary students now mind you. Others said that they didn't like it, and that recess was the most fun part. Kids want to play, they want to imagine, they want to feel creative. Too much learning is like the word of the Apostle Paul, they are always learning, and yet never finding the knowledge of the truth. This was in 2nd Timothy chapter 3. Always learning, never finding knowledge. Where has our learning taken us now in the present generational plotline? We are on the verge of a recession, higher in debt that we ever have been, unemployed, under paid, over worked, out governement filled with highly educated people who are filled with deception and greed. A president with a law degree who has no clue how to solve the legal and moral ramifications of what his congress has done to the american people. Yes please allow our children to become robots. Then there is the programing on out televisions. I was watching the tube the other night with my wife and searched over 467 channels until I found a program that actually I could find as morally and mindfully worth something. 467 channels??? What is wrong with us? When I was a child we had 4 stations, until the summer then due to station interference maybe 2. But I will tell you that out of the occasional trash that appeared most of the shows offered clean, wholesome lessons to be learned by the end of the show. I remember the first satellite dish we bought, large as something out of NASA, but man we had the Disney channel. Now I was about 11 and man I thought we were in some other world. I watched this channel all day and all night until my studies began to fail and my parents began to realize that maybe this new technology wasn't such a good thing after all, and turned it off. We would then watch movies which they felt was clean and family oriented. But you know what, I realize now, the addictive nature of those programs on the satellite. How it took over my mind and my family time became less important. Before the satellite came we played darts, or cards or I would play outside until dark. Then came the computer in late 1989 which though it was a simple Tandy, mingled with the emergence of the ATARI I began spending less and less time with my family.
I know I am getting off on a tangent here, but the focus of tonights blog post is to tell people just how much technology has taken over our lives, and at the same time, destroyed our moral and value based culture. I guess on the death of Steve Jobs, a brilliant creator and thinker of his age, I have to think on how much publicity his passing has raised. How many men who have shaped people's lives, turned them to Christ, saved their very souls, have also passed this week? How many people who taught our children in the 80's and brought their families up on good wholesome programming and moral standing past this week. How much publicity have they recieved? Any headlines for their death? Any focus on their contribution to other people's lives. I guess I become rather angry and ask the Lord to please forgive me, when  I look at television and radio and how they continually focus on the lives and events of famous people who have probably done more to separate the lives of families, homes, husband and wives, and for the fact that they made our lives faster, more complex, more clouded with confusion and chaos, not to mention the billions of dollars they have made companies world wide, thus contributing to the medias bottom line, Heaven forbid a pastor be placed on local news for anything other than a sex crime, or during a tornado or storm that ripped apart their church. Lord forgive us if a person who stood up for what was decent and right against the machine of Corporate dominance, get any publicity my mainstream media. Just once I would like to turn on my T.V and watch 4 consecutive channels that had actual family oriented moralistic programming, instead of killing, sex, violence, indencency, slander, vulgar language or hatred. I dare any of you tonight to turn on your TV and find 3 in a row without them. Even Hallmark has slowly began to realize that without some sense of immoral shows they can't compete for the funding against others like TBS, Fox, or TNT. Is is so wrong to want my family to grow up in a place where they can imagine themselves surrounded by people who care about them? Is it so bad to want to watch programming where when it is over I feel a sense of hope or peace, or that I actualy am a better person from watching it? Thank God for Alex Kendrick the director of the new movie Courageous, and Fireproof, who isn't afraid to stand up against mainstream Hollywood and say "Yeah!" There is what life is all about, there is what your movie theatres should be showing to the world!"
It's funny when I think of his name because my Great Uncle, God rest his sould, Kendrick Mullins, was a man who would have loved this movie. He died with Lou Gerigs disease. Durign his life he lived by the words of the new testament, and after he died people still talked about his generosity, his kindess and his love for others. Going back to the beginning of this post, I have to conclude with this idea. Let't agree to bring back the "Good old days" everyone always talks about. Why not? We are after all, the "We the people"  Found in the Gettysburg address. Or have you all like pigs accustomed to lying in the muck and filth, grown accustomed to the feel of the imoral life? Have we become filled with a mental block that doesn't allow us to want what is best for our kids? Tune in tomorrow for my audio blog, I think you'll get a blessing out of it. For now,
God Bless

The Book of John Chapter 12

Tonight We are going to start something a bit different. We are going to begin our Study of the Book of John. I believe this book was written to outline the examples Jesus Christ was and is the way to everlasting life, the only way. This book highlights Jesus as a diety and the manifestation of God. Tonight I wanted to begin in Chapter 12 and we will work throughout the rest of the book. I am doing this because this was six days before the Passover when Jesus came to Bethany and stayed in the home of Lazarus. You will remember if you studied the earlier Chapter, Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the grave, signifying his power over death itself and that the beliefs of the Saducees that there is no resurrection, had been falsified. In the beginning of Chapter 12 we have Jesus eating supper with Mary, and Lazarus,  along with his disciples. It was here that Mary took the exspensive oil of Spikenard(the cost of a man's yearly wages) and began applying it to Jesus's feet and head. This is important because to annoint his feet was a sign of devotion, we must all be willing to devote ourselves to one another, but especially to the Lord Jesus, being a servant to his will. During the time of Mary, to annoint a guest's head with oil was common, it was a sign of respect, but also a sign of kingship, as King David was annointed by the prophet Samuel. We must also point out here whether she realized it or not, annointing the body with oil was the first step in embalming. Jesus recognized this when he prevented Judas Iscariot from stopping her procedure, saying;
"Let her alone, she has kept this for this day of my burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."
He knew his death would come within the week, and Judas knew that this Money would have gone in the moneybox he guarded and had previsouly stole from for his own gain. It says that the fragrance of the oil filled the house. So we must keep the sweet smell of the Lord's blessing filling our own homes.
Moving on we see many of the jews coming to see Lazarus who had been raised from the dead. The chapter teaches that God used Lazarus as a tool to bring believers to him. However the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death. Why? 2 main reasons:
1. He was a symbol that the resurrection was indeed possible
2.He brought followers to Christ and away from their false teachings
You see when the world sees it's supporters turning from it's wickedness and turning to Christ, it too seeks to destroy us. Man  cannot serve God and Mammon
We move to the setting of the next day. What is referred to as "The Triumphal Entry".
Jesus up until now in the Book of John had kept himself withdrawn from public support from the people. However realizing the hour had come that the Son of Man should be glorified, he allowed public enthusiasm. He entered Jerusalem on the back of a young donkey which fulfilled the acto f prophecy foretold by the Prophet Zechariah in Zech Chapter 9:9. Meek and Lowly he would enter the city while people shouted "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" The King of Israel. A foreshadow and a clear proclamation that Jesus is the Messiah. The strange thing is that not even Jesus's own disciples understood the meaning of this symbolic act until after Jesus had ascended into Heaven. It was during this entry that a group of Gentiles, Greeks who had come to Jerusalem to worship at the Passover feast, came to Philip and Andrew wanting to meet Jesus. What did Jesus Say to them in versus 23-26?
He proclaimed his own death and gave the reason why he had to suffer and die on the cross.
"The Hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves life shall lose it, he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let his follow me, that where I am, my servant shall be also. If anyone serves me,him my father will honor."
What he was telling his disciples Andrew and Philip was that he had to die but like a grain of wheat which rises from the field, so would he rise and from his death others would find everlasting life. Also he was telling them his time had come and to be ready. He was also telling us here in these versus that those who serve only themselves, are selfish, refusing to follow his directives, they would lose the gift of eternal life. However those who set themselves on self sacrifice, loving others first, abiding in his word, and not placing their desires on the this world, would find eternal life. To be a servant of the Lord is to find peace, and to develop a close and personal relationship with the Lord, that is why he said that "where I am there my servant shall be also." It is a 2 step process. Follow him, trusting in his word and directives, and Serve him.. Then the Father will honor you. To be honored by God will be a truly wonderful and unimaginable thing to behold. But this precept has a precurser. To serve him, one must be willing to not set his mind on the things of this world as verse 26 says, we must be willing to abide in his word, then we can truly become disciples of the Lord and true Bond servants. We must be willing to commit ourselves fully to the Lord and setting the right priorities which follows his word and not to this world and it's temptations.
When we move into verse 27 we see something that for many is unthinkable. Here we have Jesus in true agony,, before the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane later in his book. Jesus is praying to God  for him to "Glorify you name", it says his soul is troubled  over the impending suffering and death that would be but a few days away. We see Jesus say "Now my soul is troubled and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour? Bit for this purpose I came to this hour. Father glorify Your Name."
What is he saying here? For those who think Jesus never doubted, or Jesus never felt agony as we have from time to time, here is written proof otherwise. Back in Chapter 2 Jesus could have easily followed Lucifer's temptations and thrown off this suffering and just took the prize, leaving all of us to fend for ourselves, lost in death and eternal sin. However here Jesus answers his own question. What shall I say? Father Save me? No, I came here for this purpose, I will follow through with it until the end no matter the pain, the suffering, the torment or the shame.So he finishes with "Father glorify Your name." To defeat sin, and to die would be the ultimate glorification of God's purpose.

Then we read on at the end of verse 28 that God answers him.
"I have both glorified it and will glorify it again." People standing around said it sounded like thunder rolling. Others said an angel had spoken. We know that this was the voice of God speaking to the son, comforting him and assuring him. He spoke of the glory upon the cross, and the glory that will come again when the Son of Man returns for his believers.
Jesus says to the people who heard the voice of God.
"This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. Now is Judgment of this world, now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw, all peoples to myself."
Here praise the Lord, the devil would be defeated, Judgement day would come, the debt called and the savior's blood on the cross would be the payment for all. Matthew spoke to Jesus as a servant himself, saying "I did not come into this world to be served, but to serve and to give my blood, a ransom for many."
The Lord would be glorified for the sins of all of us.
Still the people it says misinterpreted his teachings, for they felt "lifted up" meant removal from the earth by death and they argued that scripture teaches that the Messiah would abide forever. To them the Messiah would not have to die, they just didn't understand that he would be raised again on the 3rd day. Jesus understood their confusion and disbelief. He knew their thoughts and their doubts. So instead of answering the people's questions, instead he gives them a warning.
"A little while longer the light is with you, walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. He who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light that you may become sons of light."
What does he mean? Jesus teaches us that to walk in sin(darkness) leads us to confusion, unrest, doubting, frustration, crime, hate, adultry,malice, bitterness, and most of all a life of downward spirals that leads to misery and eternal death. He knew that while he was there, he could still offer them a chance to return to him, believe in him, regain their lost status with God that the children of Israel had aquired. He urged them to walk in his light, and get back on the right path where light could guide them the right direction which led to everlasting life with him. God is broken hearted when we turn from his pathway and chose our own dimly lit road. Often we take roads where there is light lift by others, which only flicker out, or we find the oil isn't sufficient to complete the journey and we end up in total darkness. Ever been on that road? I have. and I tell you being stranded on a dark road without a road map is quite scary. As you know the children of Israel would eventually face judgement because of their rejection of Christ, and in 70AD be completely destroyed by Rome. Jesus warned them here in these versus that time is short, but there was still a light that they could follow. Then we conclude with versus 42-50 which speaks of so many of the rulers of Israel had by this time come to believe on the surface in Jesus, many of the Pharisees and members of the Jewish council, had secretly agreed that Jesus was the Christ, however because of their pride and fear they refused to openly reveal it. Many claimed that their faith was not genuine to appease the Sanhedrine, the text however says "they believed in Him, a cojnnstruction in Greek wording that typically indicated Saving faith. However, the word following, "Nevertheless, marks a stark contrast between these believers and the unbelief spoken of in versus 37-41. These men were genuine believers , however their problem was like so many today in our world, they feared the opinions of their fellow leaders and constiuents. These such people will be ashamed when they face Christ on the day of return. The final versus I feel are the strongest wording of this chapter.
Here Jesus,sensing this hidden hypocracy, says to them, all of the people there.
"He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me, sees Him who sent Me.'
He is proclaming here that he is God! He is the fleshly manifestation of God.  Anyone who believes in Him believes also in God the Father. One and the same.
He continues saying,
"I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness."
If you believe and hold his word in your heart, you will never be lost, or alone, never tossed along a darkened road but instead led on a brightly lit path which leads to hope, faith and everlasting life.

Then comes another warning. He says,
"And if anyone hears my words and does not believe, I do not judge you, for I did not come into the world to Judge it, but to save it."
Here is is saying now I do not judge you, I am offering you a chance here, now, before it is too late to save you, all you have to do is believe. But folks in his second coming, that will be another story, he will be coming as a lion it says and he will be judge and jury. Then your apologies will be too late.
Then he gives his reasoning.
"He who rejects Me and does not receive my word that I have spoken on him, has that which judges him, the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day."
On the last day when we stand before Christ it will look like a large movie screen, before us our lives, our excuses, our sin, right there in front of us for all to see. Then Christ will look at you and say, I gave all, what did you give? Can you say, I gave myself to you? Or will you say, I gave to myself and rejected you?
Your choice. No one will ever force you to believe in the Lord and abide in his word, it is as simple as death itself. We will all die one day, all of us will face judgement, your choice.
Then he concludes with who gave this order.
"For I have not spoken on My own authority, but the Father who sent ME, who gave Me a command, what I should said and speak, and I know that his command is everlasting lie, therefore I speak ust as my Father told me to speak."
A command is not a request. God wants all of us to join him, however it will be his last word we hear before either separation and damnation or everlasting people and a relationship with him. Your choice.

I hope this study tonight helped you in finding a closer walk with the Lord. We all want you to find him and develop with him. We will continue our study of the Book of John tomorrow God bless and goodnight

The Shaking Hour

Tonight I want to speak of a subject that for many may be a powerful subject. With all the Nation tore apart with storms and destruction, it is in this hour that me must look around us an become humble. Realizing that this nation of man made items, simple treasures laid up and collected, that in the face of storms are but dust, frail items that as the Bible teaches are but things not to lay our heart upon. However the kind of shaking our nation has endure of late, has done what? Made people think? Made them join together, finding some sense of it all in prayer? Understanding that no matter how brilliant man may think he or she may be, our creations are limited, temporary, here today and gone tomorrow. This sort of shaking is not what I am refering to. Though it does have precident in it's context. In the Book of Hebrews Chapter 12:25-29 which say,

"For if they did not escape who refused him who spoke on the earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, who voice shook the earth; but now He has promised , saying, Yet Once more I shake not only the earth , but also heaven. Now this , yet once more indicates the removal of things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are recieving a Kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have Grace, which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."

Wow! Need we say more? I go back to a song, King David sung when he was king, burdened by the troubles he had caused himself. His enemies were around him, the other nations and leaders of his court plotted against him, forgetting God, forgetting the covenent and the promises Jehovah God had given them.
He sings in Psalms Chapter 3;
"Oh Lord how they have increased who trouble me,
Many are they that rise up against me saying;
There is no hope for him in God

But you Oh Lord are my strength
my glory and the one who holds up my head

I cried to the Lord with my voice
and he heard me from his holy hill;

I lie down
I awake for the Lord sustained me"

Oh if we but would sing songs like this today in our boastful modern world. How far in debt would our nation be? How ravaged would our economy be? How enpoverished would our people be?

You see the Lord the Bible says, just sets up there and laughs, for he knows the hour and the day of our passing. He knows our limited timespan, and the very hairs on our head. There is a shaking going on throughout our nation. But I fear the shaking needs to be also in our churches, in our homes, in our schools, our public buildings, even our very businesses. It bring to mind an story from Isreal. You see when the people of Isreal harvest their olives, they have to go to the trees, and when the olives turn a dark black color, they shake the trees violently allowing the ripest olives to fall to the ground. Then they can gather them and take them to the oilve presses to form the richest of oils. Now the American people are like those olives, ripe for harvest, containing the oil of blessing, but just remain the unshaken, unstired, lifeless, useless. It takes a violent shaking to release us from our stagnant state so God can use us and press us for the annointing of his oil. Too many of us are content to remain on the tree, just hanging there waiting for others to fall of and be used for God's plan. We sat on the pews, afraid of being called out to perform, afraid we will offend someone, afraid that we will be seen as politically incorrect, or offensive. I tell you tonight that unless we get up and stand for the Lord in this nation, God is going to render a shaking upon this nation that will seperate the good olives from the spoiled. Going back to chapter in Hebrews, what God is telling us is that when Christ spoke on earth over 2000 years ago people turned away from him, for this the Israelites shunned this great responsibilty and were judged for not believing in God's promises. We too will be judged for disbelief and I feel today we are seeing but a foreshadow of God's shaking us up trying to wake up the nation. The Earth shook at Mount Sinia when Moses was given the law, it shook on the day Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice, and it will shake again in the latter days the book of Hebrews tells us. However the great news for believers is that the kingdom of God will not be shaken, for it will endure throughout all eternity.

Being a Christian these days is tough, it means mockery, it means being different, being apart from the world and its many temptations. Jesus never said believing in him would stop the shaking, he said his kingdom would endure the shaking. When I lived outside of his love, I never found peace, or joy, or inner rejoicing. Since I gave my life to him, there's been some tough trials, and days when I felt like quitting altogether. So did Paul, so did Moses, so did all the apostles. However if we can do as David did, and allow ourselves to be shaken off of the tree and used for God's service, our lives will be rich in the oil of annointing. Not of riches or material things, but rich with the blessing of God's promises. We can lie down, with torments and temptations all around us, and sleep, we can wake knowing the Lord sustained us. Unless this nation returns to its foundation and place the Lord as the chief cornerstone, we will become as the nation of Israel did in AD 70, when the Roman Empire destroyed it. God uses his own methods of shaking to give the people many chances to turn to him. People have said to me, if God is so good and holy how can he punish or destroy. I tell them that it is now he who turned his back on us, but the other way around. Like a parent who has tried everything to make a child obey them, he will enact discipline on his people. Or worse, he will lift his hand of protection from them. To be isolated from the Lord is true emptiness. True persecution without hope. Let us lift up our voices and shake the trees so that the olives flow into the olive presses and onto the annointing that God intended for us all. Together we are a strong voice, a voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the pathway for the Kingdom of God is at hand!

I hope tonight's message shook you up a little. The people in the time Hebrews was written were at a crossroad, many of the believers of the jewish faith had found themselves isolated, persecuted for their new belief in Christianity and this Jesus Christ. Rome had placed its boot heel on them, false teachers and prophets were feeling their ears with doubts and fears. Many began to question whether their faith in Christ was enough to gain eternal life, returning to their old Jewish customs and practices, foresaking the teachings of Paul and Peter. It was for this reason the Book of Hebrews was written, to confirm once and for all that returning to the bondage of the law was foolish and fatal. Faith in Christ was the new covenant which had replaced the old Hebraic Abraham Covenent and all they had to do was believe on his name and salvation to everlasting life would be theirs. Today we see alot of the same fears, the same doubts, even the same threats and plagues. We hear all the time of employers threatening an employee for reading their Bible, or a person ridiculed in public for speaking opening of their Love for the Lord Jesus Christ. I hear on television how being a Christian is foolish, or based on myth, a waste of time, or based not on "scientific reasoning". I grow tired of hearing people losing faith in the Lord, because they lost their jobs, or failed an interview, or didn't get the promotion they asked the Lord to grant them. Folks, this same false teaching and ridicule is not a new idea, it's existed before the time of Christ. Jesus warned his followers in the book of Matthew that you shall be hated above all men, but those who endure till the end shall be saved. We are going to be in a time of shaking folks, those who follow Christ will soon face trials unseen,people will hate you, ridicule you, mock you, even your own family will turn against you. However God's shaking will make us strong, he will lift us up above all this, and plant our feet on firm soil which he has chosen. I don't know about you, but I want to be an olive that produces so much oil of anointing that it fill five gallon buckets to their overflow. Solift up your voices as David did, let the Lord know that he is your glory, that he is your light of the world, that he is the one who lifts up your head and sustains you. I promise you that he will never leave you nor forake you. No matter your enemies, no matter your river, he will be there if you surrender your life over to him. Amen, and God Bless

The 3 steps in walking with the Lord

Hello Everyone and God Bless you this day,
Today the Lord has laid something on my heart to spread to each of you. It comes from the Psalms Chapter 37. It speaks to me of waiting on the Lord, resting in the land, and being still. It speaks of worrying not about the evildoers who may have more than we, and to avoid false teachings, becoming frustrated with our present condition and avoiding wrathful temptations. I want to speak about 3 things tonight that I feel we have to do if we are to live full Christian lives for our savior.
#1. Trust in the Lord.
We must learn to disregard our own selfish will and give our troubles over to the Lord. This means to trust someone we must first regard their authority as true and right. If you can't give your life over to the Lord, how can you expect him to ever work in yours? It is like going on a deep sea fishing trip and then taking along our own GPS system, telling the Captain of the boat where you feel the best fishing spots would be based on your own cordinates. Might luch up and catch a few fish who happened to be swiminning in that area at the time, but I wouldnt bet my whole day on catching a boat load. Of course not, we listen to the captains experienced recomendations for rods, line and bait, along with location and best fishing patterns.
Christians, especially those who have just discovered a relationship with the Lord, must trust in him. He has given us the Holy Spirit as a guide, just like he helped Paul in the book of Acts avoid danger and reach others for Christ. Trust cannot be half way, the Bible says in Psalms Chapter 2 Blessed are all who "Trust" in Him.

#2 Acknowledge Him
What does this meen? Proverbs Chapter 3 says to "TRUST in the Lord with all our heart, sould and mind and lean not upon our own understanding, but in all things, Acknowledge him and he will show us the way."

To Acknowledge means

1. To admit the existence, reality, or truth of.
2. To recognize as being valid or having force or power.

1. To express recognition of: acknowledge a friend's smile.
2. To express thanks or gratitude for.

In Hebrew it reads:
עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮הכיר ב-, הודה ב-, הודה על, אישר קבלת-, נופף לשלום‬


Read more:

We must realize that everything we have and we are is because of God. All that we do, and all we acomplish came from creative ideas, strengths,and wills given to us by the Lord. When we place ourselves above Jehovah God, and believe it is our own wills that makes us a success, the Blessing will not follow. I know alot of people who give all credit when something is accomplished, to their team, their coach, their boss, their teachers, never once acknowledging the Lord had any hand in it at all. Folks, America once was a proud, sovereign nation under God, but slowly it has pushed all acknowledgment of his handiwork out of our schools, out of our public offices, out of our houses of law, and soon from the very Congress we supposedly elect to serve us. In the Bible when a leader failed to acknowledge God for a victory or an accomplishment, hailing their own prideful hands, what happened? Think back to Saul, Soloman, even Moses. God removed his hand from them, and their blessing was changed to a curse. Do you think America will stand as a pagan nation? Do you think it a coincidence that at the very moment when the word of God is seen as a mockery, that the economy fails, and it's people suffer. We must realize that we are servants, not kings, we are humble, not prideful people. We have converted 180 degrees from where began, and until we realize it, which unfortunately, it will take bringing everyone down on their knees on the brink of starvation and ruin before most Americans see it. I hear those once wealthy, landowners, with their pride torn from them, praying before a camp stove setting outside their tents where large mansions once stood. I hear people reading the Bible where once business journals were opened, resting on their family tables where not one single family member sat, far too busy to take the time. Now they have time, been off work from their 100k jobs for six months, with ten dollars in their pocket between starvation and their next meal. The Lord must come first in your life and in your relationships. We must learn to develop a living relationship with him, and realize that our time here is short, life is but a rain drop on a rooftop. Just like the Garden of Eden, we have a choice, our will, which leads to death, or his will which leads to life. Let us forsake our pride and in all we do ACKNOWLEDGE him.

#3 Serve him

Even the Lord himself said in the Book of Matthew, those who wish to be first let them first become servants to our fellow man. He said himself, "The son of man did not come to be serve but to serve and give his blood as a ramson for man." We are not accustomed to hearing the word servant in our culture, it is a nasty ugly word, taken from the days of African Slavery which led to a Civil war. However we must realize that to be a servant, the Lord is talking about a Bond Servant, someone who serves willingly and openly and does so with honor. The Apostle Paul tells us in the book of Romans, that we are currently a servant of sin, outside of a relationship with the Lord. Sin dominates and orders us about, leading us further into destruction. To develop a relationship with the Lord and giving out lives to him, takes us from a servant of sin to a slave of righteousness Paul tells us. This however is not a negative transformation but one of personal deliverence and everlasting life. Serving the Lord means to change our way of thinking and acting, it means to serves others and to place their needs above our own. To humble ourselves and listen to what God has in store for us. To me, I have become a vessell, in which the Lord would shape and form as his directives requests. Serving him is something I no longer think about, it's a part of  me and something I just do without question. Service means blessing from the Lord in ways I never knew existed before. Each day, I just ask him to use me as a tool for his service. I have become a Bond Servant, willing and able to place his needs and wants ahead of my own. By doing so, he provides for me and my family, and gives us the things we need, perhaps not the things we always want, but we feel it's a service that leads to a life after this one is long over. So humble yourselves, and devote your lives in the service of our Lord and Savior. He was willing to do the same for you once, and does so every day. Your lives will change as ours has, no longer clinging to my impoerfect will, but his perfect rightousness.

Tonight we touched briefly on 3 factors that every Christian must perform in the services of our Lord Jesus. To recieve his blessing, his peace, the light of life promised in the scriptures. We must turn our "Self Do" dials off and turn the God Can Do dials on. Trusting in his will to guide and direct our daily lives. We must give credit where credit is due, Acknowledge that this world is much larger than man, and man's wisdom thought sometimes great, doesn't amount to a hill of beans in the afterlife where God will test our true measure and worth. I can only do so much, and I am far from Brilliant, but I know that all I have, is his, all my wisdom and all my strength to accomplish each task came from him, not me. Without his love I would be just a shell, so to must each of you if you are to truly walk with him, and have a wonderful relationship with our Lord, is to turn over our deeds to him. And lastly must certainly not least, we must offer ourselves as Paul said in Romans, as a living sacrifice, daily serving him and devoting our time to discovering his will. Anything less isn't good enough. If we place God down the ladder of importance in our lives, so will he place us in his. Daily study of his word, daily prayer with your family or in secret, daily worship and meditation on his word, sharing his love with others, all these things are but a few ways to serve him. I find delight in learning how better to serve him each day. It never grows old.
Well Folks that about wraps it up with our disccusion tonight. I do see that no one ever writes a comment beneath these articles. Perhaps tonight you will share one.

Truth Versus Propaganda

Good Morning Friends,
Today's Message is about truth versus propaganda. What I mean is, what is the truth we are actually hearing and seeing when we turn on the news, watch television, read a book, pic up a magazine, or experience something out in the environment? Well as I often do, let's go back to the scriptures and see what God tells us the truth is.
John 4:13-14
"If a man drinks of this water, he will thirst again, but if he drinks the water I give he will never thirst. The water i give him will become in him a fountain of water springing forth into everlasting life."
What he means is that man's ideas will always leave him wanting more, never sastisfied with what he created. But what God offers us will always leave us satisfied and complete. At peace if you will.

I think about Apple as a company. They said their employees are the highest paid Techs in the world. However they are never allowed to rest on their present idea. Now think about that. They create something today, and it is an instant sensation around the world. Something to be proud of. But then they realize that...well someone else thought of it too, so off they go creating something else to make it faster, better, more accessable. Then once they create this, something else, and something else...Wow. make my heart race just thinking of the amount of stress this much place on those techs...makes those dollar bills seem kinda well...not worth it to me. Folks the world has become an apple so to speak. Never satisfied with just creating something, always afraid of someone else taking what we have. Afraid of being less that the #1 head honcho. Afraid a dollar will fall out of our pockets and some one else might take it. God never intended on his world being a bunch of apples. Hmmm I have to chuckle because was it not a fruit similar to an apple that started the whole sin factor back in the Garden.....???? Never satisfied with being in the garden and having all we can use or want, we have to have all the knowledge and all the power too.


The truth is, we are not to focus on man's truth, but rather God's truth. To be a Christian, means just that, focus on the word of the living Christ. What I think is going on today in this modern age of "man" is that human ego has replaced moral reasoning. When we turn on the television what we see and hear is what someone else wants us to. We are sold, manipulated, urged, shamed, excited, reasoned with, talked down to, and pretty much inspirationally influenced by what someone else created. Think for a moment if you will, what choices you make daily. The clothes you buy, the friends you make, the things you do or say. Are they choices God made OR man made? Do you really believe we are fighting a war in Afganistan for terrorism? Do you really believe a Lexus is better for you than a Kia? Do you truly understand the difference between one fashion designer and another? How about which church you attend. Do you go to meet people, to be seen, or to be a part of a click, or do you attend for the minister or because they have nice songs? Or do you go to hear the truth, the message that every bible across the globe teaches? I know today's message may offend some people, but as the title implies I want you to realize your own inner truths. I mean folks if you think I'm harsh, realize the on the day of judgement the Lord will place you before him and like some large screen drive in movie you will see your whole life's work and choices placed before you. Think God doesn't know the truth? Think he doesn't already know what your needs and desires are long before you make them? He is the beginning and end, the one who designed all. It would be like a pot thinking the potter didn't notice the handle hanging off to one side, or a piece of blown glass thinking the artist didn't notice the flawed section that was bulging out to one side. America has become a nation of fear and doubt. Too many people are afraid of stepping out into the light, content to remain in the darkness where political correctness and acceptable gradual removal of our hopes, dreams and family values has become the status quo. We live in a bubble, thinking as long as it happens to someone else or to another section of the country all will be fine in the morning. As long as the sun rises after the rain storm, nothing has been touched. Folks wake up. Look around you. The world of our great grandfathers is over. The time when saying a prayer in the public places was looked upon as honerable has now become something to mock and be ashamed of. When the only time Americans stand together and say the Lord's prayers is when millions die out of some foreign threat. Why does it take such drastic tragedies for the American People to stand up and speak to the Lord with a clear and truthful heart? Why does it take some emotional speaker for a crowd to cheer the Lord of hosts? We have become a marketed generation, no less of a solid united people as a group of cattle slowly herded toward the slaughter pen, given a bit of hope with nightly grain and supplimentation in the hopes that thinking because we get fat and a day to rest, the end is any less painful. No we are jst moving to another pen that is ever closer to the end of our religious freedoms and rights as servents to a God we know and trust. Today we must all make choices, if you research enough about our wonderful government system, you will know like Ancient Rome's great republic, it has become fattened and bloated with the corruption and bribery of politicical capitalism. Like Ancient Rome who allowed its citizens to suffer and starve while the elite held the highest offices and enjoyed the luxeries of the State. We experience as much truth in our daily lives as a lion at a zoo experiences. Thinking they are in their own habitat, free to roam, free to feel the power and joy of the plains. Only to realize that they were only pretending. Only given just enough space to seem wild, but in truth they are forced to live just as the zoo keeper feels they should. Oh yes there is research into how much to feed them, how to make their habitat as similar to Africa as possible, they are given all the same nutrients and meat someone feels would be sufficient in the wild. But let's look at the truth....are they wild? Is it Africa? Of course not. Just like we are made to think we are successful, given the frugal choices we now make, we are told we should be proud of where we live, happy to just have a job, content that we are at least given representation in Washington. But again I pose the question, are we content? Are we represented? Does someone we don't even know, who comes from a totally differenct financial situation as myself, who is rich to begin with, have the ability to move hundreds of miles away from my state, surrounded by rich lobbyists and encircled by other politics that must maintain a majority to pass a certain idea, truly represent me? You? What my rambling point of all this above info is that we are living a lie. When the first Congressmen went to what was then a new and growing Capital in the days of the first founding fathers, they were men from the same financial background and townships as their constituents. They had similar ideals, morals, and faiths as those around them, and their pay was only as a part time employee of their state. Congrssmen and women were never meant to be full time career politicians, the founding fathers knew the danger of such corruption, just like big government they knew had to be balanced and kept under control. The Bible itself has clear teachings about government. Why do you think the Lord refers to it as the "Kingdom"  of heaven, and not the Republic of Heaven? Republics will inevitably fail. Take out your History books and research past republics and see their end result. That's why truth is the last step of a republic taken from their people. Manipulation, cirruption, greed and ultimatly economic collapse.  This is why I urge all of my readers to trust in the one thing that will always be true, the living word of the Lord. If you daily meditate on a scripture, a verse, a chapter, learn from it, understand God's meaning behind writing it. You'll come to understand that if you put your trust in man's truth, man's understanding, man's knowledge and man's goals, then success has already eluded you. I could write a book on man's propaganda over man, the manipulation of the human thought, but that would be foolish and ultimatly playing write into Satan's viewpoint. The Lord says to trust in him, and blessed are they that do so. Psalms 3, How vain he says are they who plot against his ultimate truth, and how one day all will see what he had in mind. I think man is so impatient that he just can't wait for God, he feels that he has to strike out on his own and find truth in his own creation. How sad a thought. Let us all strive to find peace within ourselves by instead trusting in the Lord that he indeed knows better than we. God Bless all of you and remember trust in the Lord with all your heath and in all things acknowledge him.

The Time To Rethink Work!!!

Tonight my friends I want to spend a moment speaking of life in general, your life, my life. One friend of mine asked me the other day about life. How much time do we spend away from our families, out children, our homes, our pets, our friends and our God most of all. How many hours do we spend at work, chasing dreams man made, selfish, and altogether unrealistic? How often I think of this idea, when I pass someone on the street in such a mad rush to meet a deadline, too busy to even acknowledge I was even there. Not an excuse me or a pardon me, not even a get out of my way! Wow! How quickly the words of the Apostle Paul come back to me, in 1 Correnthians he speaks of people chasing after knowledge and power. But God will "Bring to nothing the wisdom of the wise and the understanding of the prudent." I ran across an article that coincides to tonights topic it's written by an online author. I thought it was interesting. 10 reasons to quit you job.....
"Reason #1: Safety
We used to think you get a corporate job, you rise up, you get promoted, maybe you move horizontally to another division or a similar company, you get promoted again, and eventually you retire with enough savings in your IRA.
That's all gone.
That myth disappeared in 2008. It really never existed but now we know it's a myth. Corporate CEOs kept their billion dollar salaries and laid off about 20 million people and sent the jobs to China. Fine, don't complain or blame other people. But your job is not safe.
Reason #2: Home
Everyone thinks they need a safe job so they can save up to buy a home and also qualify for a mortgage. Mortgage lenders at the banks like people who are like them — other people locked in cubicle prison
Well now you don't need to worry about that. Here's why you should never own a home in the first place. Save yourself the stress.
Reason #3: College
Everyone thinks they need to save up to send their kids to college. Depending on how many kids you have and where you want them to go to college it could cost millions.
Well now we know you don't need to send your kid to college. So you don't need to stress about that money anymore.
Reason #4: Their boss
Most people don't like their boss. It's like any relationship. Most of the time you get into a relationship for the wrong reasons. Eventually you're unhappy. And if you don't get out, you become miserable and scarred for life.
Reason #5: Their coworkers
See above.
Reason #6: Fear
We have such a high unemployment rate, people are afraid if they leave the job they are miserable at, they won't be able to get a job. This is true if you just walk into your boss's office and pee on his desk and get fired. But its not true if you prepare well. More on that in a bit.
Reason #7: The Work
Most people don't like the work they do. They spend 4 years going to college, another few years in graduate school, and then they think they have to use that law degree, business degree, architecture degree and then guess what? They hate it. But they don't want to admit it. They feel guilty. They are in debt. No problem. Read on.
Reason #8: Bad things happen
All the stuff I mention in the post "10 Reasons You Need to Quit Your Job" start to happen. And it gets worse and worse. You don't want to look back at your life and say, "man, those were the worst 45 years of my life." That wouldn't feel good.
Reason #9: The economy is about to boom.
I don't care if you believe this or not. Stop reading the newspaper so much. The newspapers are trying to scare you. Bernanke just printed up a trillion dollars and airlifted it onto the US economy. Who is going to scoop that up. You in your cubicle? Think again.
Reason #10: Your job has clamped your creativity
You do the same thing every day. You want to be jolted, refreshed and rejuvenated.
Note: Some people love their jobs. This is not for them but the 90% who don't.
Henry and Aaron asked a good question: you still need to support yourself, you still need to support your family, you can't just walk into your boss's office and quit.
Good point. You need to prepare. It's like training for the Olympics if you feel now is the time to move on from your job. You need to be physically ready, emotionally (don't quit your job and get divorced on the same day for instance), mentally (get your idea muscle in shape) and spiritual all ready."
Tell us what you think!

I
I want to add another reason. Work is something we all must do, I'm not saying go out and quit and take your family into poverty. What I mean by quiting is the spritual side of it. We all place work before and above all other things sometimes. Right? We spend more time there than with the ones who truly over and appreciate us. However we have to stop worshiping the dollar and begin to worship the true prize, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Unlike the popular TV shows you may watch and adore, I am not saying that by placing the Lord first, you will be come rich in monetary things, but I will say your life will have a far more refreshing and fun filled meaning. Food for thought. Take a piece of paper, write down the number of hours each day you spend working, then multiply it by the number of months in a year 12. Now take that times 68 the median age for a person to live. Now factor in where your family and the Lord fit in. Startling isn't it? It's not too late to do something about it. As the Lord said, these things you work for will rot and decay, your only give one life. Seek first the kingdom of Heaven and all its Glory and all else shall be added unto you.

The World View as it stands today

Good Afternoon my friends,
Tonight I wanted to share something that many of you might or might now be aware of. Today's America isn't the America of our Great grandfathers. Corporate Elitism has replaced pure common sense and the will of the Lord. Take a moment to look around and think. Did you know that there are over 35000 corporate lobbyists in Washington presently? Did you know that during the presidency of Obama, financial institutions placed over 5 billion dollars into political campaigns. Did you know that pharmaceutical companies threw over 2 million into it? Surprising we had a financial bale out and then a new health care system where many of the prescription drugs are not even tested to be safe for consumption. Think I'm kidding, do the math, do the research yourself. Did you realize that corporate conglomerates control what we watch on television, what we listen to on the radio, and even the propaganda we read, and see? Did you also realize there is a growing casm between the wealthy and the poor? Do you think it is a coincidence? Have you ever wondered why it is so hard to get a college education, funding for poor neighborhood schools or small town communities? I heard today Congress is trying to cut any funding to help NPR the local Nashville radio station which imagine that, publishes media that actually tells the truth. Folks we are on a mountain peak looking over into a valley filled with fire and destruction. I foresee an economic downturn and a Corporate State which dominates all aspects of our lives and our so called freedoms. Ever wonder how Germany came to be as it was during the Hitler regime? Ever study how Russia fell? Look into it. The Bible teaches us enough about History to know that empires rise and reign about 200 years before collapsing in on itself. We are undergoing what Sheldon Wole a great philospher of his time, inverted Totalitarianism. This is a large word which simply means a goverment grows powerful, slowly but surely gaining influence through monitary means, over the propaganda, the media, the intillectual institutions, the financial sector,the legal sector, even the very Constitution from which the rights of the people were first born. Then they change and deregulate and twist these sectors to meet their demands and their needs at whim. Oh all the while using their influence to promote fear, or guilt, causing people to feel they must follow in their shadow for being called unamerican, or a traitor, or a racist, or a bigit, or a hypocryt. Sound familiar? What's on television? Patriatism, war adverts, wealthy commercials filled with empty meaning and purpose. Half of what we watch is mind numbing, the other half is influential all bent and twisted to control and desensitize the American populous. Known facts have revealed much of the so called Political debates and arguments we watch on television are staged theatrics to convince a public ignorant to the true nature of what's going on behind closed doors. Folks I am no politician, I am servent of the Lord Jesus Christ, who taught me that the world is dominated by man mad will, and with his will, comes corruption and devistation. Another great Philosopher Karl Piloney said that a society run solely on the basis of economic and market policy is doomed to fail. Look around you, our society is influenced daily by the stock market and wall street. Why is oil $4 a gallon, why is jobs so limited for the middle and lower class? Why is college tuition going up? Why does groceries cost twice as much as it did in 1990? Why does being poor so degrading in this modern society? I tell you why to all of it. We have been herded and influenced to where we are now. We were tricked into thinking debt was ok, that being rich was better than being comfortable, that to have twice as much as our neighbor was the only way to be considered worthy. We were taught in college that reason and progress was more beneficial that serving the Lord God. That technology would outlast the world itself, and that man was much wiser than his creator. I will say this once, and listen closely. The economy will not stand this kind of pressure placed upon it by the Corporate State. Our enviornment and ecosystem will not stand the pressure placed upon it by this modern and techno generation fueled by industrialism and capitalism. This nation cannot stand with all the wealth at the top and little at the bottom where the main body of the populous exists. Why? Am I just a downer? Am I a depressive pastor? No, I am a believer in the words of the Lord. In the end man will discover that he might think he can stand up to Nature and the Lord's plan, but unfortunatly, he will be surprised. Gather your communities together, teach them the simple ways of the Lord, teach once another to live subsistantly, and fear not the future for the Lord has that part already secured for those who believe in his name. Oh there will be riots, there will be struggle in the end, it is an inevitable part of any great empire which has fallen. But for those who endure to the end, they shall be saved.

Teach them the correct way

Today I wanted to write about something that sort of ties into the sermon from last night.

Yet it is  aimed at both parents and young people.

A remarkable number of parents have written our ministry reflecting the same concerns as those I received from the distraught parents who wrote:

"Since our children have began playing video games such as digimon, bakugon, splinter cell and other online and console games, there have been a radical difference in their behaviors. They have become complacent, withdrawn, even bitter and angry to the point they refuse to socialize with the rest of the family. Nightly we try to have a gathering around the table for dinner and yet, our children refuse to obey our instructions, demanding to eat in the living room so they can continue their gaming with friends. We are not argumentative people but these games have disrupted out lives."


Multitudes of parents are witnessing the same kind of evolution in their children's behavior since these systems were introduced into their homes. I want to briefly reiterate that the role-playing nature of the game blurs the line between the real world and the fantasy world in the minds of children. It also teaches them to accept otherwise forbidden activities as normal and acceptable. The message ultimately incorporated into the child's thinking is: "In order to achieve your goals, it is just fine to poison, injure, cheat, kill, and deceive." This is the philosophy that is in direct contradiction to the message that Christian parents are struggling to ingrain in their children: the ends never justify the means.
Gaming systems place conditions upon these children through a process of penalties and rewards to "win at all costs." The game rewards children with a euphoria, a psychological high for winning. This facet of the game explains the psychological addiction that many parents are noticing. This addiction compels children to spend as much time as possible with their gaming paraphernalia, at the expense of other recreation, time with their families, and attention to schoolwork. This craving for more and more involvement is nothing short of manipulation by the creators and marketers. And yet, because many parents are just too busy to get involved and are so trusting of this godless system, they have no idea what is happening to their children. Each year games become more realistic and internal and I fear this is really only the tip of a very large iceberg. Children's minds and lives are being corrupted and consumed by satanic forces through the media of children's television, entertainment, music, and even the Internet at an unprecedented rate. Nor can anyone deny the overwhelming powerful impact that children's literature, like Harry Potter, is having on millions of children worldwide.
One of the latest national polls reveals that children between the ages of two and eighteen years spend almost five and a half hours every day watching television. The poll also showed that fifty-three percent of America's children have a television in their bedroom, seventy percent have a radio as well in the same bedroom, and sixty percent watch television during every meal. Almost fifty percent of the families surveyed said, "We have no TV rules" for what is viewed in the home.
So much of this interaction between kids and TV takes place in their own bedrooms without the slightest amount of parental supervision. To allow a child to have a TV in their bedroom is like inviting a babysitter you've never met and without trusted references to guard your child for hours on end. The results are often devastating.
Deciding To Act
The option before parents today is simple. They can stay uninvolved with their children's recreational habits and witness the eventual corruption and creation of negative habits within their children's lives, or they can decide to educate themselves and move to save their children untold heartache in the future.
Many parents might say, "But I'm not sure how to teach my children what's good or bad programming and activities." For that, however, God has given us a clear and practical example in the way that He has dealt with His children from the very beginning of creation. In Genesis, chapter three, God put Adam and Eve in a virtual paradise. Upon instructing them regarding conduct, He first emphasized all the positive and exciting opportunities and experiences that were available to them in the Garden. He showed them all of the thousands of great choices they had before them in things to experience, to touch, and to eat.
Finally, he pointed to the single item in the Garden that He forbade them to eat. With absolute clarity He warned, "For in the day ye eat thereof ye shall surely die." God did not want Adam and Eve, and consequently the entire human race and nature itself, to experience the fall that their disobedience would bring about, so He warned them of the consequences.
I have often heard parents say, "Well, I believe in the school of hard knocks. Kids learn by their mistakes." That is a foolish position for any parent to take. It reveals deep spiritual ignorance and a lack of personal discipline.
While certainly we all ought to learn from our mistakes, it is much wiser to learn from the mistakes of others. Then we do not have to bear the scars of the failures. God intended for Adam and Eve to learn about evil, not through personal experience, but rather by discerning it as something vile, destructive, and totally foreign to the Holy Spirit which was to guide their lives.
Parents, our kids will fail, but we can protect them from the great failures that are ruining the lives of so many millions of young people today by biblical instruction, vigilant discipline, and personal involvement.

Truths to Teach Children


I) Emphasize God's goodness and sin's penalties.
Parents must primarily instill in their children that there are consequences for all behavior. Children must learn that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him (Heb. 11:6). Conversely, they must also be taught that choosing to disobey and to rebel brings with it a penalty.
For parents who have been raised on the philosophy of Dr. Spock, who feels that discipline is anathema, this may be a difficult premise to receive. However, God's Word is clear that "foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him" (Prov. 22:15). Parents must learn the principles of biblical discipline and apply them, understanding the difference between loving discipline and trust. In applying the system of rewards and penalties, parents are reinforcing on each occasion the fact that there is a right and a wrong. We must be absolutely certain that a child's understanding of right is connected with "thus says the Lord," not "thus says Mommy or Daddy."
When children ask that inevitable question of, "Why can't I?" parents must not simply say, "Because I said so." They should rather point to the higher authority of God's Word.
Obedience must be noticed, noted, and praised. Disobedience must also be noticed and the application of appropriate penalties must be swift.
2) Teach your child to stand against evil and injustice.The Bible says, "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them" (Eph. 5:11). Christians should aggressively instruct their children to speak out against wrong, evil, and injustice when they encounter it. My children have often reported to me over the years instances when they have confronted their playmates or friends on questionable issues. Speaking out in such a way does quite often bring ridicule upon a child. Yet, a parent must use these occasions to instruct their children that people who stand up for truth will often be persecuted. Paul writes in Second Timothy 3:12 that all who live godly will suffer persecution.However, it is this kind of persecution that builds character in children and young people, reinforcing in their psyche that they, indeed, are doing the right thing.
3) Teach your child that Satan controls this world's systems.Every parent should instill in their children the biblical truth that the philosophies that will bombard them via most secular music, literature, media, education, and entertainment is born of an anti-Christ spirit. Therefore, they must learn from discerning parents how to recognize evil even when it comes in subtle and attractive packages.
As previously mentioned, children must be taught that there is a "lying spirit" out to corrupt, deceive, and destroy their lives. Teaching a child how to think critically about everything he is exposed to will insure his future spiritual protection.
Learning to recognize the messages buried in the story lines, lyrics, plots, characters, and agendas of those with whom they interact daily is an imperative. Children must be taught that there are malevolent forces out to convince them to reject the fundamental doctrines and truths of God's Word.
4) Teach your children to know and to observe God's standards and ways.
God expects, yea, He demands that parents raise their children in the "nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4).
In the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, God emphasizes how vital early and consistent biblical training must be. Deuteronomy 6:6 - 9 says:

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.


In the Old Testament culture, godly parents were vigilant to never allow the pagan to "touch the palate" of their children. It is said that the taste that touches the palate of a young child are those tastes that are preferred through the life of that child. This, simply put, means that Christian parents have a scriptural obligation to protect their children in their early developmental stages from cultural trends and philosophies that are popular with the pagan, yet forbidden by God. Parents must not allow a godless culture and influences to have access to their young children's sensitive minds and hearts. In these early years of maturation, children must be sheltered from the lying influences that dissuade them from God's truth. As children grow it is the parents responsibility to teach the child how to receive or reject the ideologies and philosophies that appeal to and influence his mind, body, and soul.
Parents who are serious about training their children in "the nurture and admonition of the Lord" must accept their assignment as the "watchmen of their children's soul." We, as parents, are to be the gatekeepers of all that enters into our children's minds and hearts, constantly filtering out the evil and pouring in the righteous.
Children must be taught from infancy the great truth of Philippians 4:8:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.


5) Teach children to celebrate the fact that they are different.
Parents must early on instruct their children that as they surrender their lives and hearts to Christ they become "marked." The Bible calls this "marking of God" sanctification. This is no holier-than-thou expression, but a word that identifies every believer as one who has been "set aside by God for a special purpose."
This specialness means that each believer has an exciting, unique, and special call upon their life.
One Bible teacher I heard put it this way: "Every child comes into this world with a set of sealed orders. Part of the responsibility of Christian parents is to help their child unseal those orders."
To meet this challenge, parents must teach children to celebrate this difference from the world. They are not allowed to participate in some activities, go some places, and watch some programs because they are different from those whose parents have chosen not to follow Christ. This separation from the world, mandated by the Word of God, however, should be viewed by them as a privilege and part of their special heritage.
The Bible says of the children of God: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9).
As parents instill into their children the exciting truth that they are chosen of God, selected for royalty, and set aside for a divine destiny, then they get excited about participating in the process of their own spiritual development. A vital part of this training is for parents to find other Christian families with children the ages of their own who share these convictions.
Remember, parents are preparing their children for the call of God upon their lives. This takes vigilance, discipline, and training. If a child is to be what God wants them to become, they must be coached by godly parents.
I remember reading the story of the 1968 Olympic swimming champion Mark Spitz. His story is not unlike that of most champions and winners. A reporter asked him how he managed to win eight gold medals in one Olympics. Mark Spitz said: "I'm focused. I spend eight hours a day, seven days a week, doing nothing but swimming. While my friends and even some other contestants are out dating, partying, or goofing off, I swim."
This kind of consecrated discipline in the development of our children is a must. As parents remain focused on the goal of training their child to be a champion for Christ, there will be times when the child demands to know why they are not allowed to do what most other children are doing. These are the moments when parents must seize the opportunity to say,
"Oh, but son, you're not like other children. You belong to God and He has a greater call upon you. In order to fulfill it and to be all He wants you to be you must say ' no ' to some things that others are saying ' yes ' to."
But, parents must also strive to provide fun-filled alternatives to attractions like Pokemon and popular books like Harry Potter. Again, godly families with children around the same age can help immensely in this area as parents share their ideas and resources on providing wholesome, godly recreation for their children.
I beseech parents to constantly bring to remembrance, for their own benefit, that they have a divine appointment in the training of their children. And the Christian parent must sincerely commit to the uniqueness of God's call and demands upon them as well.
I sincerely believe that it would greatly benefit every parent to study the great Old Testament principle, borne out repeatedly in the New Testament, that God is working to set aside a special group of people to accomplish His purposes in this generation. This great truth is clearly stated in Deuteronomy 7:1-9:

When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amor-ites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hiv-ites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly. But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire. For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know, therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which-keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations. ...

Let us pray.....

The Whole Armor of God

Tonight we want to announce that we will begin our video Sermon series beginning this Sunday. We will be studying from the book of Matthew and progress through each chapter explaining and highlighting the main ideas and focal points. So be sure to TUNE in and receive a blessing. Tonight however, I wanted to say what was on my heart, and something I feel affects a large portion of us each day. It's the unseen war that wages between our fleshly nature and the spirit who wishes to follow the Lord's directives. So let's talk about how we can defend ourselves from just such an attack.
THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD

In Bible times things were much different than what we have in today's world. One of the things that was different was the way battles were fought. Soldiers wore armor and carried swords and shields for protection against their enemies.

Would a soldier go out to fight against his enemy without a shield and carrying a dull sword? Of course not, if they did, they surely would be defeated!

It is the same way with a Christian. A Christian must put on the whole armor of God. We must put on this armor so we will be able to stand against any attacks that the devil may try to fire at us. How do we put on this whole armor of God? Putting on the armor of God is done by prayer and living our lives daily by faith. The Bible tells us in the book of Ephesians how to put this armor on. Click below on each verse to learn more about this armor.

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (Ephesians 6:10-18)

So with this guidence we can use these weapons to fend off the many tempations that plague our inner thoughts daily. Whether it's a boss who just doesn't like us or a rude customer, or a rude motorist on the way home. Maybe it's the work at home that gets you frustrated or a spouse or child, animal or pet. Whatever the reason we all have them. Even Paul said he was consistantly being plagued with the human nature. So let's strap on these weapons and head off to war, in the end the Lord will win if we trust in him. Good Night and may the Lord's word be a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path.

Hello Friends and Neighbors,
Tonight I want to pick up from yesterdays's sermon on who is the Christ? Who is Jesus? The first thing I wanted to speak on is something I call Bible Authoritarianism. What this means is that in the Bible, the "Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth", a little side ways humor, is not just a book, but a way of life. It gives instruction on everything from raising children to how to spend your finances, to how to treat your fellow man. The trouble I see most these days is a Humanistic Authoritarianism with a Bible cover pasted on it. I've read the Bible, studied it, and no where in the Bible does it say, trust in the Lord and you will get a new Mercedes. I've never read a passage of scripture that promised, give your life to Christ and you will be the CEO of Intel. The world although many forget is occupied by many religions, the most corrupt of these is Selfwillness. I see it everytime I turn on the Christian networks throughout the week. Now I'm not saying all of the Evangelical movements out there are bad, but the Jesus I serve doesn't give a tidly wink about money, or power, or stuff. He's going to return and create his own kingdom. I don't think he will need a 50" Sanyo bigscreen to do it. For many Pastors and church organizations, this is the only way they can pack pews on Sunday. Practice entertainment religion backed up by Selfwillness and you have a full house.Their sermons speak of the Holy Spirit providing you wealth, security, not a single worry in the world. However I say if you believe this read Matthew 5:10-12 "Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake; Blessed are ye when men revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in Heaven. For so it was with the Prophets before you."

It doesn't say believe and all shall be great. Peace will come in the spirit, but surelly suffering and persecustion as well. Peace comes from knowing the world and all it's troubles have no hold over you. That's when the inner joy and faithfullness of the Lord is worth five hundred Mercedes Benzes. One verse that comes to mind right now is 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 which reads,
"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight  of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen(the everlasting word of the Lord-his love and promise) are eternal

I leave you with this simple thought tonight. A short sermon but one I wanted to instill. Think on and we will continue tomorrow

Who is Jesus Christ: Let's set and talk awhile

Hello again friends, neighbors, newcomers to the site. As you know each night we will post a series of links to the right hand column of this post. I hope you and your family take the time to look over them, go into many of them, tonight we added sites where your children of all ages can safely go into and learn, play and have fun with all their favorite TV Bible friends. Also we added what we feel to be extremely important. This is the list of youth counselor sites. Today so many of our young people have fallen prey to the world and its travesties. No longer just drugs, but sex, violence and various addictions have taken their toll on the American families across the world. We want to reach out and give you a place to turn in these instances with trained groups that know what do do to help. I hope you use them.
Tonight I am starting with a sermon that sort of breaks the ice a bit and tells those who don't know, who Jesus truly is. I hope you enjoy and get a heart felt blessing from it. To follow Jesus is to truly know and love him. As we do. It's a pretty log Sermon so set down with a warm cup of cocoa or coffee and enjoy.

WHO IS JESUS CHRIST?

. . . by Kathy A. Smith

W ithout Jesus Christ there would be no Christian faith. He is the One who was before all things, the One who created all things, and by the word of His power, He upholds all things. Before His birth in the small town of Bethlehem, He was communing with God His Father in the glorious place called heaven.
On earth, there was a promise to fulfill and an incredible need that could only be accomplished by God Himself. Jesus Christ had to be both human and divine so He could be the mediator between God and man, and reconcile the human race to God. So Christ willingly left the majesty and joy of heaven to be born a man and give His life as a ransom for the human race. He died one of the most cruel and horrible deaths ever imagined, shedding His blood on the cross of Calvary so mankind could be redeemed and be forgiven of sin. The truths of Christ's atonement and redemption run through every page of the Bible. There is no Gospel without the story of the death of Christ as the redeemer of mankind.
THE HUMANITY OF CHRISTJesus Christ was the Word (God) who was made flesh (John 1:1;14). By the power of the Highest, He was conceived by the Holy Ghost and was born of a virgin without sin (Luke 1:35), having a miraculous birth. Jesus had to become a man to fulfill prophecy (Genesis 3:15), to reveal God the Father to man (John 1:18), to be an example to mankind (1 Peter 2:21), to bring deliverance, healing and life (Luke 4:18; John 10:10) and to glorify God His Father (John 14:13). Through his death He put away sin (Hebrews 9:26), He reconciled man to God (Hebrews 2:17), He destroyed the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), and He is preparing for His second coming (Hebrews 9:28). He also became our high priest (Hebrews 2:17). He is the only mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). Christ purged the heavenly sanctuary with His own blood appearing in the presence of God as High Priest on our behalf (Hebrews 9:21-24). Since He was also human He is merciful to forgive us and to give help when we are in need. He was truly a man who was also tempted in all points like we are (Hebrews 4:15), but was perfect and without sin (2 Corinthians 5:21).
THE DEITY OF CHRISTJesus Christ was also truly God (1 Timothy 3:16). Many places in the New Testament, Jesus is called God and Lord (John 20:28; John 1:1). He is also called the "Son of God" (Luke 4:41) and was the "only begotten Son" (John 3:16), indicating His distinctiveness among the many "children of God" (John 1:12). Jesus was also worshipped and He accepted it (John 20:28; Matthew14:33). He possessed the character and properties of deity by His pre-existence and life giving power (John 5:21,26). He is creator of everything that was made (John 1:3), and by His power all things hold together (Hebrew 1:3). He has the right and power to forgive sins (Mark 2:10), to raise the dead (John 5:25), to be the judge of all man (John 5:22), and will return in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30). All the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him (Colossians 2:9), and He possesses the divine attributes of immutability (Hebrews13:5), omnipotence (Matthew 28:18), omniscience (John 16:30), and omnipresence (Matthew 18:20). The way Jesus name is united with the father clearly teaches equality (John 14:10). He was totally conscious of His claims of deity. Jesus was truly God manifested in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16) who freely offered up His life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world (1 John 3:5).
HIS DEATHThe scriptures set forth His death in a fourfold way: As a ransom, Jesus paid the price by shedding His precious blood on the cross to deliver and free souls from the sentence of death (Matthew 20:28). Propitiation means that Christ's death satisfied a holy God's wrath against sin. It covers a believing sinner so he can one day stand before a holy God and be declared righteous (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10). A person is reconciled to God by the death and shed blood of Jesus on the cross (Romans 5:10). The barrier of sin is now removed and man can once again have fellowship with a holy God that loves them (Ephesians 2:13-19). Christ died as a substitution for mankind who deserved death for their sins (Isaiah 53:6, 2 Corinthians 5:21). God Himself provided the payment (Genesis 22:8). He has paid the debt in full (1 Peter 2:24).
Christ's death was necessary because of God's holiness (2 Corinthians 5:21), man's sinfulness (Romans 3:23), and to fulfill Old Testament scriptures (Isaiah 53; Psalm 22). Christ died for all men, (John 1:29; 1 John 2:2) but can only save those who ask Him to be their Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9). Through Christ's death, Satan's power of darkness has been broken and man needs to no longer be a slave of sin (Colossians 2:14-15).
THE RESURRECTIONThe resurrection of Christ was written down and preached by the apostles (1 Corinthians 15, Acts 2:24, 1 Peter 1:21). Jesus also foretold the resurrection over and over (Matthew 12:39-40). Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). He remained forty days after His resurrection, giving many infallible proofs, appearing to His disciples, the women who followed Him, and even appearing to over five hundred people, most of them still alive when Paul was writing the letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 15:6). He could be seen, touched, and was recognizable. He had a body of flesh and bones (Luke 24:39). Many witnesses that testified that there was an empty tomb were both His friends and His enemies. The credibility of the resurrection is based upon good authority, trustworthy facts, and capable witnesses. It is a fact proven by knowledgeable evidence, intelligent acceptance, and belief. Every one of the apostles (except John) died a martyrs' death for their belief in Christ's resurrection. The resurrection testifies to the deity of Christ and assures the believer that God was satisfied with the sacrifice Christ had made for man's sins. Christ is now interceding daily for His saints when they do commit sins (Hebrews 7:25). It gives believers the assurance and promise of present power, victory, and future glorification when they will be raised up to be with Jesus.
THE ASCENSION AND EXALTATIONThe ascension of Jesus Christ is when He departed visibly from His disciples and others into heaven, forty days after His resurrection. He will one day return the same way He departed (Acts 1:9-11).
Christ was then exalted to His place of power at the right hand of God (Hebrews10:12) where He intercedes (prays) for believers. He is crowned with glory and honour (Hebrews 2:9), and God has given him a name that is above all names (Philippians 2:9). One day every knee will have to bow and every tongue will have to confess His Lordship, whether they are in heaven or in earth or under the earth (Philippians 2:9-11).
FOR ALL BELIEVER'SLet's take a look at some of the benefits that are given to all believers: Justification is a new standing. A person is declared righteous when he believes in Christ (Romans 5:9,18). Regeneration is a new life. It is a conversion to Christ, i.e. to receive the new birth (John 3:3,5). It is to have a change of heart or nature; (2 Peter 1:4; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Adoption is a new position. When someone believes in Christ he or she is adopted into the family of God and becomes a "son of God" (John 1:12; Galatians 4:3-5). To be Sanctified is to be set apart unto God. A believer must separate himself from participating in ungodly things. It is to become more like Jesus. His word sanctifies us (John 17:17; Hebrews 10:10). A believer can have access to God by going before His throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). We can be over comers of all circumstances by having faith and trust in Him. A Christian has an Inheritance and receives a place in heaven reserved for them (1 Peter 1:4). There is no fear of Death (Hebrews 2:14-15), for when a Christian dies he or she will be immediately in the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).

Jesus Christ is preparing a place for His bride (believers) so we can be where He is (John 14:1-4). Believers will be in heaven one day with a glorified body like Christ had (2 Corinthians 5:1-8). The good news for Christians is that Jesus Christ, the believers head, is exalted far above all things in heaven and earth and we are complete in Him. "Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all" (Ephesians 1:21-23).
HOW TO BECOME A CHILD OF GODFor a person to become a child of God and receive salvation, it is not enough for a them to only know doctrines and truths about Jesus. A person must know Jesus Christ personally, by asking Him for forgiveness and asking Him to come into their lives to be their Lord and Savior. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).


Bibliography:
1). Williams Evans, The Great Doctrines of the Bible, Moody Press, Chicago, 1974

2). Henry Clarence Thiessen, Lectures in Systemic Theology, Williams Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan 1994

3). Dr. H. L. Willmington, "Willmington's Guide To the Bible", Tyndale Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, Illinois 1984