My Testimony And The plan Of Salvation

When we begin in life, we have a goal. Survive.  Live life to the fullest because when it ends it ends and there is nothing left. That is what most believe in. A life without purpose, meaning, or true happiness because you are just a randomly made creature no different than the dog you feed every day. This is the outlook of the world that you live in. Here is my outlook. When I begin my life, I am lost. No hope for tomorrow and no happiness today. Then I found a light in this world that brought me life that I had never hoped to find. My life now has purpose and meaning and true happiness. My life is special in God's eyes and I am loved by the CREATER GOD! He sent his only Son to die the most painful death imaginable to man and He did it just for me. Now tell me, which do you believe?
When I was 4 years old I had made a proffesion of faith, but I did not truly understand what God had done for me. Then when I was about 12 I realized I was not saved, but my pride kept me from admitting it. For about a year I would go to bed at night wodering if I would wake up in Hell. I thank God He didn't just kill me then. After a year or so of this I was old enough to go to teen camp for the first time. I was excited. That had been my dream since I ws little. All I wanted to do was go and have fun. But what happened when I got there was unexpected. That Tuesday morning we had chapel services. Bro. Jerry Ross preached about the five essential steps in getting saved, and I realized right there that there was no point n letting my pride keep me from going to heaven. I went forward and got saved in a camp chapel in Iowa. Praise God! I am not perfect. I am a sinner. But I am saved and on my way to heaven. No longer to stay up at nights worrying about death. Through the 2 or so years since pride has continued to get in my way as I try to serve God. Through God I shall overcome for God is greater than my sin. He is greater than your sin to. If you are not saved and you want to be saved, than here is what to do. First, you must admit you are a sinner. The Bible says in Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."I don't know about you but I've stolen pieces of candy before. God calls even  the little white lie you told a sin that will send you to Hell. Also, you must realized there is a wage to pay for your sin. In Romans 6:23a the Bible says "For the wages of sin is death...". Sin comes with a price to pay. Yes, physical death is a side effect of sin, the death spoken of in his verse is indicating spiritual death. Eternal seperation from God on earth and when we die, in Hell. God is holy and therefore cannot allow you or your sin into heaven. God wants to fellowship with you but he cannot. So God came up with a plan to save mankind from their sin. In Romans 5:8 the Bible says "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Also back to Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." So God, to reconcile man to himself, made the ultimate sacrifice in sending Jesus Christ, his only begotten son, to take our place and die on a cross so you and I can be forgiven. of our sins and go to heaven. Throughout time itself man has yet to fully comrehend the love God has for them. Jesus died, took our sins and laid them on himself, died a horrible death, was buried. That i not the end though. For salvation's plan to be complete, one more miracle would take place and change the course of man's destiny. Jesus, buried in a tomb for three days, all God, all human, conquered death and hell, rising from the dead. He took the blood he had shed on the cross up to heaven and laid it on the altar, saying to God, "It is finished. I have paid the debt for man's sin. I have made it possible to man to be spiritually alive again. Here is my blood sacrifice. Man can be saved."  God did all the work on Calvary. All you have to do is accept the gift God is offering to you. You may say "How do I accept his gift?" Well, in Romans 10:9 the Bible states "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy hear that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Also in Romans 10:13  the Bible says " For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  Just ask God to forgive you of your sins and take you to heaven when you die. If you truly believe that the Bible is true and you have truly asked God to forgive you, you are saved and on your way to heaven. If you have done this, leave a comment and let me know. Don't stop at being saved though. You are on your way to heaven and nothing can change that, but now you need to serve God. He did so much for you and you have a lot to look forward to and be thankful for, but don't you think you should try and thank him through service to him. Find a good Baptist church near you.(I might be able to help you with that as well) and start attending faithfully. God will show you what to do and how to grow. Most importantly, READ THE BIBLE AND PRAY. Get a good King James Bible 1611 Authorized version and pray asking God to show you how to grow through his Word. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, I will get back to you. Please don't put of getting saved, no one knows how long they have left on this earth. I'm on my way to heaven. Are you?

(All Scripture is quoted from the King James Bible 1611 Authorized version)

 

Using God as a good luck charm.

 1Sa 4:1 ¶ And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
1Sa 4:2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
1Sa 4:3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.
1Sa 4:4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
1Sa 4:5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
1Sa 4:6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.
1Sa 4:7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.
1Sa 4:8 Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.
1Sa 4:9 Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.
1Sa 4:10 ¶ And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
1Sa 4:11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

In this passage we see that Israel is, once again, at war with the Philistines. However, the Israelites are losing because they are not following God. We see, that in a desperate attempt to win the war, Israel takes the Ark of the Covenant and brings it into the battle. Now ,a funny thing happens, they still lose. You'd think that because the Israelites brought the holiest thing that they had access to that God would help them win. Sounds right doesn't it? Well, lets think about this, what do you do with a good luck charm? Do you wear it around your neck in the shape of a rabbits foot? Or do you keep it in your pocket in the form of a button? Or do you not use it until you need it in the form of prayer? To many people use prayer and God as good luck charms. I read in a book about a school who hung this sign in its lobby. "To whom it may concern: In the event of Atomic Attack all rules against praying in this school are indefinitely suspended." This is was rather difficult for me to read without bursting out in laughter. Then I thought , "Why am laughing, this really isn't funny. With America the way it is, this is normal." Prayer is not a tool to be set on the back shelf. God will answer prayer but he will not be our good luck charm. He deserves better than that. Considering everything He has done for you.







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Update

I am sorry for not posting but until recently I have not had access to a computer. VBS was a huge success 24 kids saved, the teaching was great, and the Heartland team was a huge help. Coming up we have teen camp!! So far from our church we have 12-15 kids going. The dates are July 28-Aug.1 The preacher hat week will be Bro. Tony Wood. Please be praying. On that note I will wish you all a wonderful summer.

Update!

I have finally gotten back to check up on you all. You will have to excuse my lack of posts recently, it has become increasingly harder to get on a computer that I can actually post on. Anyway, I have an announcement to make. Northwoods Baptist Church is having their third annual Vacation Bible School!!! Several exciting things will mark this VBS. We will be having Bro. Rick Mitchell come and preach for us, as usual. We are having a VBS team from Heartland Baptist Bible College come up and help us. Last but not least, we are having a five-day VBS this year instead of our usual three-day. For a church our size this is a huge endeavor so please pray for several things: for Bro. Mitchell and the VBS team for safety as they are travelling, for the supplies needed, and for the kids that they would allow God to speak to them this coming VBS. The date for this is June 2nd through the 6th so please be praying. Thats about it so I will check up with you all later. Hope you all have a good spring.

Faith that will move mountains.

Well, the snow is officially gone. The rain, however, just dealt its first devastating blow. Our road was flooded along with many others, Best of all, an old wish of the family came true. We suddenly had a pool in the backyard.  There is one thing, though, that never ceases to amaze me. Any church bus runner will agree with me that running in the rain is not exactly preferable. Now maybe its just because I've been at it such a short time but I have never had to do any running in the rain. This Sunday was especially cool. I woke up, and it was pouring, everything was already flooded. Everyone said I was going to get wet. I said "I've never had to run in the rain before, God will stop the rain." I just knew He had it under control. So we got in the car, and the rain stopped. We got to church, I ran my route, we got back to church with the kids, and it started raining. After classes I had to stay in the church for a few minutes, so I sent the kids out to the bus with the other workers. It was still raining. By the time I got out to the bus the rain had stopped. I ran the kids home and by that evening the rain started again. Not once did I have to run in the rain. Now you may call it sheer luck, but I think God was being mighty good to me and those kids. I had faith God would stop the rain in time to keep everyone dry and I think everyone reading this knows what faith can do. "And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
Mt 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
Mt 17:16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
Mt 17:17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
Mt 17:18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
Mt 17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
Mt 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Now, in no way am I bragging that I have great faith, it is actually quite the contrary. I struggle with my faith as much as the other guy. But I know what it can do. If you go through life trusting God with everything you have, God will bless you for it. That doesn't mean God won't take you through trials, but rather that he will give them to you as a way to increase your faith. Who's up for some faith exercises.

"How Much I Owe"

How Much I Owe

When this passing world is done,

When has sunk yon glowing sun,

When we stand with Christ in glory,

Looking o’er life’s finished story.

Then, Lord, shall I fully know ---

Not till then --- how much I owe.

When I stand before the throne,

Dressed in beauty not my own,

When I see Thee as Thou art,

Love Thee with unsinning heart,

Then, Lord, shall I fully know ---

Not till then --- how much I owe.

When the praise of heaven I hear,

Loud as thunder to the ear,

Loud as many water’s noise,

Sweet as harp‘s melodious voice,

Then, Lord, shall I fully know ---

Not till then --- how much I owe.

Even on earth, as through a glass

Darkly, let Thy glory pass,

Make forgiveness feel so sweet,

Make Thy Spirit’s help to meet

Even on earth, Lord, make me know

Something of how much I owe.

                     Robert Murry McCheyne

The effect of sin in your life.

WOW!! It is a relief to finally see a release of winters cold hand on our part of michigan. For the first time in to long I can see grass in our yard. However, If you look hard at winter you can learn a thing or two from it. Sometimes the cold of winter can be compared with coldness of our own hearts concerning the conviction of the Holy Spirit. After only a short period of time in sin, we can make the spirit of none effect because we won't listen to God's guiding voice. However, where there is cold there is a chance at thaw. We can always pray for forgiveness from God, confess our sins and start serving God again. Now I'm not at all saying that things will not be different. Concerning the sin, there is a chance you have ruined your testimony and are of little use to God. That doesn't mean you can't serve, it just means it will be an uphill battle, and he might not be able to use you like he could have.
If you look at the outcome it isn't worth even going in that direction, but God will always accept you back into his fold. Just remember, Your sin will always find you out.

Going Home

"Stepping Ashore"
Oh, think to step ashore,
   And find it Heaven;
To clasp a hand outstretched,
   And find it God's hand!
To breathe new air,
   And that, celestial air;
To feel refreshed,
   And find it immortality;
Ah, think to step from storm and stress
   To one unbroken calm:
To awake and find it Home.
                             Robert E. Selle

Beautiful, isn't it. To think of a day like that. Oh, to step from the sin and strife of this world to the calm of forever. To me this poem means peace, everlasting peace. From this vantage point its hard to imagine a world like that. A world of perfect peace in an everlasting state. Always being able to talk face to face with the most wonderful and awesome Friend that ever has been and always will be.
I think of the song "What A Day That Will Be" when my Jesus I shall see. Jesus gave us a glimpse of Heaven when he said "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Joh 14:4 ¶ And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

Sounds great doesn't it? I can't wait.

Christmas and New Years -The aftermath

Hey everybody. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, I know I did. My grandparents came over and my Grandpa made his always amazingly good stew for Christmas Eve dinner. On Christmas night we went to church and heard an amazing message from our pastor. After the service we went back to my grandparents hotel room and  finished the night playing Skipbo and talking about the wonderful day we had. For New Years we went to our church and had a haystack supper. (For those of you who don't know what a haystack is, let me explain. First you layer your plate with tortilla chips or a single soft tortilla shell. Then you lay on the nacho/taco meat like never before. Now you have multiple choices you can have nacho cheese sauce, shredded cheese, guacamole, salsa, and everything else you can think of to put on a mexican meal. Usually the shredded cheese is last and if you do it right it looks like a haystack. One of the best meals on earth) After we ate, we started playing a few games my mom had prepared and had a great time. At about 10:30 we went into the auditorium and prayed in the new year. I thank the Lord for such a wonderful church family to go into the new year with. To face trials and triumphs, as well as temptations to either overcome or fall into to. As we go into the new year I think it would be good to realize that no matter what you have a decision to make. In this new year it is all to easy to just give up and take a the wrong path away from the wonderful God who loves you more than you can imagine. Don't turn away. I've seen to many people just up and walk away, never to walk through the church doors again. You could reach so many people for God if you would just give everything to Him. Don't become another spiritual casualty. Do something for God this year. Merry CHRISTmas and a happy New Year.

Tommorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book
Write a good one.    
                                              Unknown

New Year's Wishes

What shall I wish thee?
Treasures of earth?
Songs in the springtime,
Pleasures and mirth?
Flowers on thy pathway,
Skies ever clear?
Would this ensure thee
A Happy New Year?

What shall I wish thee?
What can be found
Bringing thee sunshine
All the year round?
Where is the treasure,
Lasting and dear,
That shall ensure thee
A Happy New Year?

Faith that increaseth,
Walking in light;
Hope that aboundeth,
Happy and bright;
Love that is perfect,
Casting out fear;
These shall ensure thee
A Happy New Year.

Peace in the Savior,
Rest at His feet,
Smile of His countenance
Radiant and sweet,
Joy in His presence!
Christ ever near!
This will ensure thee
A Happy New Year!

–Frances Ridley Havergal

Patriot or Politician

I  know its out of season but that's okay.

A POEM WORTH READING AND COMPREHENDING He was getting old and paunchy And his hair was falling fast, And he sat around the Legion, Telling stories of the past.   Of a war that he once fought in And the deeds that he had done, In his exploits with his buddies; They were heroes, every one.   And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors His tales became a joke, All his buddies listened quietly For they knew where of he spoke.   But we'll hear his tales no longer, For ol' Joe has passed away, And the world's a little poorer For a Veteran died today.   He won't be mourned by many, Just his children and his wife. For he lived an ordinary, Very quiet sort of life.   He held a job and raised a family, Going quietly on his way; And the world won't note his passing , 'Tho a Veteran died today.   When politicians leave this earth, Their bodies lie in state, While thousands note their passing, And proclaim that they were great.   Papers tell of their life stories From the time that they were young, But the passing of a Veteran Goes unnoticed, and unsung.   Is the greatest contribution To the welfare of our land, Some jerk who breaks his promise And cons his fellow man?   Or the ordinary fellow Who in times of war and strife, Goes off to serve his country And offers up his life?   The politician's stipend And the style in which he lives, Are often disproportionate, To the service that he gives.   While the ordinary Veteran, Who offered up his all, Is paid off with a medal And perhaps a pension, small.   It is not the politicians With their compromise and ploys, Who won for us the freedom That our country now enjoys.   Should you find yourself in danger, With your enemies at hand, Would you really want some cop-out, With his ever-waffling stand?   Or would you want a Veteran His home, his country, his kin, Just a common Veteran, Who would fight until the end.   He was just a common Veteran, And his ranks are growing thin, But his presence should remind us We may need his likes again.   For when countries are in conflict, We find the Veteran's part, Is to clean up all the troubles That the politicians start.   If we cannot do him honor While he's here to hear the praise, Then at least let's give him homage At the ending of his days.   Perhaps just a simple headline In the paper that might say: "OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING, A VETERAN DIED TODAY."

 

"Just What is Amazing Grace" Part 2

Now that you have heard that Jesus died for you, let me tell you how to attain eternal life. You can't. All the power and riches in all the universe can not even come close to price you would have to pay because it is not bought with money. It has already been bought by Jesus with the blood that
He shed. Even though it came at such a high price, He is offering it to you now. All you have to do it is take it. In God's word it says "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."(Ac 16:31) I don't think I have to tell you what that means. If you believe in your heart that God came to earth in the form of a man, suffered rejection and finally died for your sins and then was raised from the dead in His own power, all that is left is to ask God to forgive you of your sins and come live inside of you as the Holy Spirit. It doesn't matter what you have done what crimes you have committed because God's word says Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. (Ro 5:20)
Jesus' blood covers all your sin so that when God looks at you He doesn't see your sin, He sees Christ's blood. If you want you sins forgiven, ask Jesus to forgive you of all your sins and to cover you with his blood. That is God's Amazing Grace.


Salvation

Not what these hands have done
  Can save this guilty soul;
Not what this toiling flesh has borne
  Can make my spirit whole.

Not what I feel or do
  Can give me peace with God;
Nor all my prayers, my sighs, my tears
  Can bear my awful load.

Thy work alone, O Christ,
  Can ease this weight of sin;
Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God,
  Can give me peace within.

        Horatius Bonar

(All verses quoted from the 1611 King James Bible)

Just What is Amazing Grace

When Adam sinned in the garden six thousand years ago man was separated spiritually from God. There was now a wall there that no human effort can break or climb or go around. The only hope man had was a promise made by God that he would make a great nation from Abraham's descendants and from that nation a Saviour, a Christ. Four thousand years later man is still waiting for the fulfillment to that promise even though they never did anything to deserve it. Then, at God's perfect time, a Saviour came down to man and subjected himself to the worst possible living conditions, His name was Jesus. Now let me tell you what he went through here on earth. When his mother was about ready to give birth they were away from home and could not find a hotel room, if you will, and a citizen of that city was kind enough to let them stay in his barn. That night the baby was born, wrapped in swaddling clothes, which were rags used to wipe down newborn calves I believe, and placed in a manger which was basically a feeding trough. growing up as a carpenters son, he didn't exactly have the best things in life. He had nice sized family with a few brothers and an unknown number of sisters. When twelve years of age he went with his parents to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover feast. After the feast was complete his parents went home guessing he was in the group of people they were traveling with. Once they had gone a days journey they started to look for Him. When they could not find him, they returned to Jerusalem and found him in the temple talking with the priests. He then went home with them and even though he was God in the flesh he submitted himself to their authority and became obedient to them. Once grown he was baptized by his cousin, John the Baptist, and then went into the wilderness for a forty day fast. While fasting he tempted greatly by the devil himself but came out with the victory. During his three and a half year earthly ministry he faced physical hunger and fatigue, was rejected and scorned of all men including friends and family. He was criticized and questioned many times by the hypocritical upper class of religious rulers. Then He was rejected a final time, taken to court illegally and sent around to different royal governors and officials. Finally Pontius Pilate, trying to make himself look good decided to give them their wish and condemned Him to be crucified on a cross. He was then whipped, mocked, slapped, spit on, and had his beard torn off. Then they placed a crown of thistles with thorns 3 inches long on his head and beat them down into his skull. When they finished that they put a cross (three rather large wood beams nailed together) on his shoulder and told him to walk up a hill. when they saw he was just to weak to do it, they called a guy of the street named Simon and told him to carry it up the hill. Once at Golgotha they layed the cross on the ground, put Him on it, and began to secure Him to it. They drove one big spike through one hand and into the wood, another big spike through the other hand and into the wood there, and one big spike through both His feet and He was nailed to the cross. While, then they picked that cross up with him in it and dropped the bottom of it into a 4 foot hole; dislocating every bone in His body. Then they watched, for six, long hours they watched him suffer. Blood pouring out of his wounds. Then He died. After thirty-three years of suffering, He died. After a while the Roman soldiers came by to see if the prisoners were dead. Usually the manner was, to make sure they were dead you broke their legs. They did that to the other two crucified men, but when they got to Jesus they saw he was dead so they they didn't do the normal thing. No, they stabbed him in the side with a spear. Then they took him off the cross and layed him in a borrowed tomb. There He lay. The promised Messiah, the Christ, the Saviour of the world in a tomb sealed with tape and guarded by soldiers. But that's not the end. No, not by a long-shot. Three days later he appeared outside the tomb with the keys of death and Hell in his hands. No longer was he a dead man laying in a grave. He was alive! Then He took the blood that He shed on Calvary and placed it on the mercy seat in heaven and I can picture him saying these words of life; "This is the sacrifice for mankind. From this day forward a wicked hell-bound sinner can come to me and receive life eternal in heaven to reign with me forever." That is love untold, ladies and gentlemen. That God did all that for you and me is just unfathomable for the mortal mind. We will never be able to understand just how much He loved his dear creation even though we could never pay him back for it. That is Amazing Grace.

Was it for me He bowed His head,
Upon the cross, and freely shed
His precious blood—that crimson tide
Was it for me the Saviour died?

It was for me...yes all for me...
O love of God.. so great, so free...
O wondrous love...I’ll shout and sing...
He died for me...my Lord and King!
—J. Danson Smith

Are you listening?

1Ki 19:9 ¶ And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
1Ki 19:10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
1Ki 19:11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
1Ki 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
1Ki 19:13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? 

In this passage we see Elijah again on the move. I won't go into all the details previous to these verses but what was happening was Elijah was discouraged. The Lord had just shone himself the One, True God on Mt. Carmel (1Ki 18:21-39). Elijah than slew all 400 of the prophets of baal. After the fact, Ahab king of Israel at that time, went and told queen Jezebel all that Elijah had done. When she heard she wrote a message to Elijah that said,basically, I am going to kill you just like you killed my prophets.
When Elijah heard that, he ran. This is where we pick up the story. In our passage Elijah is talking with God. First thing, God did not ask Elijah why he was there because he didn't know. He asked to let Elijah know where he was. God knew, Elijah needed to know that he was not exactly serving any purpose sitting in a cave. God had done great thing for and through him. Why was he hiding from mere humans when he had God Almighty on his side. That was just a side thought, now down to what I wanted to talk about. In the passage we see God showing Elijah just a smidgen of his awesome power. Then we see something strange, we see God using a still small voice to talk to Elijah. Just a small voice so quiet you'd miss it if you weren't listening. All of God's amazing power to create and destroy and change but yet he uses a quiet voice to speak to his servant. God wasn't in the great wind, He wasn't in the earthquake, He wasn't in the fire. He was in the still small voice. God was showing Elijah his method to reach man. God could just make man believe, snap his finger and have the President preaching like D.L. Moody in five minutes, but he doesn't. God made man with a will of his own, he didn't want a couple of robots that would serve him without question. He wanted to make a creature that could make a choice good or bad. We might not always understand God's plan, we just have to have faith and trust his decisions. As humans it is our natural tendency to want to see mighty works of God but that is just not the way it works. The next time man will see God use his power will be when man is being judged. Until then God sees fit to use his still small voice to reach us and convey to us his great love for them. One question, Are you listening?

Thanksgiving

I've always been a early decorator for Christmas but I guess I should get by Thanksgiving first. On that note I leave you with this poem and song. Happy Thanksgiving :)

Thanksgiving
I’ve been countin’ up my blessin’s,
I’ve been summin’ up my woes,
But I ain’t got the conclusion some would naturally suppose:
Why, I quit a-countin’ troubles,
For I had half a score,
While the more I count my blessin’s,
I keep a-finding more and more.
There’s been things that wan’t exactly as I thought they’d ought to be,
An’ I’ve often growled at Providence for not a-peppin’ me!
But I hadn’t stopped to reckon what the other side had been—
How much o’ good an’ blessin’ had been thickly crowded in.
Fer there’s been a rift o’ sunshine after every shower o’ tears,
An’ I’ve found a load o’ laughter scattered all along the years.
If the thorns have pricked me sometimes,
I’ve good reason to suppose
Love has hid’em often from me,
‘Neath the rapture of the rose!
So I’m goin’ to still be thankful fer the sunshine an’ the rain,
Fer the joy that’s made me happy, fer me purgin’ done by pain.
Fer the love o’ little children; fer the friends that have been true,
Fer the guidin’ hand that’s led me every threatenin’ danger through!

Count your Blessings

1. When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
   When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
   Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
   And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
   • Refrain:
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     *Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
     [*And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.]
2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
   Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
   Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
   And you will keep singing as the days go by.
3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
   Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
   Count your many blessings—*money cannot buy [*wealth can never buy]
   Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
4. So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
   Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
   Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
   Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
5. * Alternate text.

Ask Away.

I would like to open up my blog to any spiritual questions that my viewers might have. All answers will have bible verses to back them up. If I cannot answer your question I will consult my pastor for the biblical answer. Just put your question in a comment.

No One Ever Cared for me Like Jesus.

No One ever cared for me Like Jesus.

I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus,
Since I found in Him a friend so strong and true;
I would tell you how He changed my life completely,
He did something that no other friend could do.

All my life was full of sin when Jesus found me,
All my heart was full of misery and woe;
Jesus placed His strong and loving arms about me,
And He led me in the way I ought to go.

Ev’ry day He comes to me with new assurance,
More and more I understand His words of love;
But I’ll never know just why He came to save me,
Till some day I see His blessed face above.

Chorus

No one ever cared for me like Jesus,
There’s no other friend so kind as He;
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me,
O how much He cared for me.

Charles Weigle

In a life here on earth filled with sorrows and woes, we often feel as if we are all alone. Without any hope in sight people consider many sad alternative paths such as suicide, abortion, drinking, and many other ways that will provide fleshly satisfaction that will only last for a season. Many don't know about Jesus as the only true way to happiness.  "Oh how much He cared for me."

Giveaway!

There's a giveway over at Cowboy Nick's blog! Head over there to enter for some great CD's!

The end of our Missions Conference

Thank you all for praying for our mission conference. We had one saved and our missions giving is twice what it was last year. Pray for our missionaries as they are traveling gathering support for the mission field. Pray also for our church that we would never be slack in providing for God's ambassadors.

In the beginning, God...

In the beginning, GOD created the heavens and the earth. Gen. 1:1
I like those first words; In the beginning, God... It doesn't say Buddha or other so called gods. It just says, God. Creator God. Everlasting God. The "Alpha and the Omega" God. The "Beginning and the End" God. God the Father. God the Son. God the Holy Spirit. The Triune God. The Almighty God.  Yeah, I like that verse a whole lot. It means we did NOT, I repeat, did NOT come from a big boom or an amoeba or a monkey. We came from God. That's it folks. There is no evolution. You are not near as big and bad as you hoped or thought. God says it, that settles it. It's amazing isn't it. I have been to a good number of the fifty states of America. I have driven through deserts, mountains, plateaus, plains, forests, sand dunes, cornfields, and the tropics. I have seen geysers and the Salt Lake, Three of the Great Lakes of Michigan, and I have swam in the Gulf of Mexico. I have been to a number of National Parks and Monuments. I have stood on top of mountains looking down thousands of feet to valleys below and visa-versa. I have seen Old Faithful spout its boiling water from depths below. I have caught bass and hunted deer. I have looked up at night and seen great wonders. I have seen all the great beauty's of America. Yet it seems that many can see all that and say it came from a big bang. Well, let me be the first to say, and I hope you agree, they're wrong. God made the heavens and the earth. Without a question or a doubt, I can say with the Bible as my proof that God created the heavens and the earth.

Missions Conference

I won't start off by telling you how busy its been and why I haven't posted in ages. That would be a lie. Reality is, I'm just lazy. Anyway I'm here now to ask you to pray for my churches Missions Conference Oct. 19-20 Saturday and Sunday. We will have four different missionary/evangelists in to get us fired up for missions. Now, a poem for missions.
             Your Mission
    Hark, the voice of Jesus calling,

Who will go and work today?
Fields are ripe and harvests waiting,
Who will bear the sheaves away?
Long and loud the Master calls us,
Rich reward He offers free;
Who will answer, gladly saying,
Here am I, send me, send me?

If you cannot cross the ocean,
And the distant lands explore,
You can find the lost around you,
You can help them at your door;
If you cannot give your thousands,
You can give the widow’s mite;
What you truly give for Jesus,
Will be precious in His sight.

If you cannot speak like angels,
If you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus,
You can say He died for all.
If you cannot rouse the wicked,
With the judgment’s dread alarms,
You can lead the little children
To the Savior’s waiting arms.

If you cannot be the watchman,
Standing high on Zion’s wall,
Pointing out the path to heaven,
Offering life and peace to all,
With your prayers and with your bounties
You can do what heaven demands;
You can be like faithful Aaron,
Holding up the prophet’s hands.

If among the older people,
You may not be apt to teach,
Feed My lambs, said Christ, our Shepherd,
Place the food within their reach.
And it may be that the children
You have led with trembling hand,
Will be found among your jewels,
When you reach the better land.

Let none hear you idly saying,
There is nothing I can do.
While the lost of earth are dying,
And the Master calls for you;
Take the task He gives you gladly;
Let His work your pleasure be;
Answer quickly when He calls you,

"Here am I; send me, send me!"
                                                Daniel March