So You Think Reform Begins in Washington?

We find the ministry of the Apostle Paul bringing forth fruit in the town of Ephesus...

Acts 19:23-32

23About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. 24For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. 25These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, "Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. 26And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. 27And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship."

28When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 29So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel. 30But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. 31And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater. 32Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together.

What a testimony to the faith of the Christians in the town of Ephesus. You see in this passage so many people had become Christians in Ephesus that the business of the pagans was being hurt. There was an uprising because they were no longer making money. Christians just were not buying into the evil of the day anymore.

I find this a fascinating passage, because it is a direct parallel to what should be our attitude today when it comes to the affairs of state. So often we want to go out into the streets to rally for the Ten Commandments or School Prayer, but we will not walk across the street to tell our neighbor about Jesus Christ. I want you to pay close attention to what I am fixing to say. Government is not and will never be the solution to our problems. Jesus Christ is the only solution.

We try to make our government a tool for evangelism, and this will never work. It does not make sense. The way to change our country is to tell people about our Savior. You see there were so many Christians in Ephesus that the peddlers of Artemis were shut down.

What would happen if; instead of protesting the liquor stores, smut peddlers, adult bookstores, strip clubs, and the lottery; we as Christians told so many people about Jesus that we put these establishments out of business?

This is the way to true and lasting reform.

What an incredible tesimony it would be if there were mass protests by people who were put out of business because Christians, new and old, did not buy their trash anymore.

I had a friend ask me the other day, "What happens if the Democrats win the White House? What are we going to do?"
I laughed and said "We are going to trust Jesus!" Christians put to much faith in government. Think about the last person you told about Jesus Christ the next time you discuss politics.

Our hearts must change. We must trust completely in Jesus Christ first and foremost. Reform in our country must begin in your heart.

I pray a revival will be forthcoming because the people of Christ rose up and changed this country by telling their countrymen about their savior. Shall it begin with you and me? Are you ready to fight in the revolution for the souls of our countrymen? Reform begins not in the halls of government, but with telling people about Jesus Christ. Godspeed!

Here comes...Jesus!

“I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.”

- Job 19:25

I just got done preaching this morning at Beechmont Baptist Church here in Louisville. This is going to be a very short post, because I am about to take a nap. I stayed up pretty late last night studying and doing sermon preparation.

I think it is appropriate to remind you that every Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In celebrating the resurrection I am also reminded that he is coming back. I want to emphasize to you today that truly in the end Jesus Christ will stand upon the Earth. He is coming back... Perhaps it will be this very next moment. Are you ready to meet your maker?

I pray that the Lord will convict your heart to prepare yourself to meet him, as the greater church is working to prepare the way for his return. Come Lord Jesus...Godspeed!

PS: This verse was written hundreds, if not thousands, of years before Jesus ever stepped foot on the Earth. Hallelujah!

Liberal Theology and Materialistic Blindness

The words of Paul in his first letter to the church at Corinth chapter 2 verses 2-5.

"For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God."

I was once again of how lucky we are tonight to live in America. I watched the film Blood Diamond this evening, after this I was inspired read some reports from the BBC and Amnesty International on the horrors taking place as we speak in Africa.

I have learned/been reminded of two very important lessons this evening. I feel lead to discuss both.

The first major lesson I learned, which pertains to the scripture presented, is the utter horror of liberal Christian theology. As I watched and read tonight I was reminded of the only hope that the world has, Jesus Christ. Liberal Christians present to us vivid pictures while crying out for help for these people, but in the same breath they will deny the divinity of Christ. Oprah will build an orphanage and show you the happy children on her TV show, showing everyone how she is helping by throwing money at these problems. The problem with both of these solutions is that they are taking the real solution out of their solution. To take anything away from, or to not preach, the gospel is providing these people with no true hope. There is no hope for these people without Jesus Christ. As Christians we must not stop preaching Christ and him crucified. When liberal theology takes away from the gospel while deferring to the wisdom of men they are effectively denying the people of the only hope that they have. I am horrified at what is taking place in Africa and other places around the world, and I am more horrified that liberal theology is denying them of the one hope that will truly help their states. Never give credence to any theology that takes away the hope of Jesus Christ. The power of God through Jesus Christ is the only hope any of us has.

I pray for the mouths to be shut of those liberal theologians who are taking away the only true hope of this world.

The second thing I learned tonight is just how blind I am to the problems of the world. I prefer to sit at my coffee shop sipping lattes and talking about these problems. Our wealth in this country blinds us to the problems of this world. We are so materialistic. I remember a line from the movie that stated, "I bet women would not want those diamonds on there fingers if they knew it cost someone their hand." How convicting...We hide here in America behind a trillion dollar economy and the average person is ignorant to the problems that are occurring all over the world. Does anyone realize that there are hundreds of thousands of people dying in Darfur? Does anyone realize that people are starving to death in North Korea by the tens of thousands? Does anyone realize that there are people starving to death in the Anacostia region of Washington D.C., the West End of Atlanta, in Harlem, in illegal immigrant farms all along the border? There are drug wars raging in our ghettos. As Christians do we even care? Do not be blinded by your wealth friend realize the plight of people around the world. As a Christian you and your message are the hope of the world...Do you care? Brethren, Wake UP! Wake UP! Wake UP!

Matthew 5:14
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden."

Do not turn away from the pictures on this screen. These are the faces in need of a true savior (not Oprah). Will you go? I pray that God burdens your heart from this message. I heard John Piper in his sermon here at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary say these words, "If you have the means and never go on an international mission trip to share the gospel, then there will be blood on your hands on judgment day."

We must put more resources towards stamping out liberal theology in our churches and materilaism, both of which blind us.

Pray for sight.

Look down at that ring on your finger; perhaps it was mined at the cost of a hand. Do not let our materialistic society clog your vision and your heart. We are so very lucky, but shame on you if you forget those who are not. May we never forget how blessed we truly are and what a great responsibility we truly have. I pray that our eyes will be opened to the problems around our world. Take to the world...they need Jesus. We must not give them our money or our sympathy first, but we must...Give em' Jesus. Give em' Jesus. Give em' Jesus...To the world without end. Godspeed!

The Vessels

Romans 10:13-14

"WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?

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As Christians we are the vessels ordained by God to carry his good news.

Are you fulfilling the task?

We must take God's message to others so that they can respond.

How will your loved ones and neighbors hear the Gospel unless you tell them?

Is God dealing with your heart this day to tell someone about the saving grace of Jesus Christ?

I challenge you today to think of one person who needs to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Okay you got the person. Next, I want you to think of the best possible step that you could take in order to tell that person about the gospel. Then I want you to figure out the soonest possible time that you can talk to that person. Now you must go and tell that person about the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

We have to have a sense of urgency in terms of our evangelistic efforts. Far too long our congregations have set back attempting to be politically correct and submitting to our sensitivity driven culture. I want you to be bold this day while not just taking refuge in the foreknowledge of God, so that in turn you are free from any obligation.

Jesus Christ is the only hope our world has.

There are billions of people dying and going to hell because of the wrath of sin.

I challenge you again with the words of Paul:

How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard?

You are the vessels. God has ordained his people to carry his message.

And again I defer to the words of Paul

And how will they hear without a preacher?

You must go today, for all around you exist people without the message of the Jesus Christ. These people have no hope without hearing the Gospel. May our hearts always be burdened with this reality as we strive daily to be the vessels for the fulfillment of proclaiming our savior Jesus Christ to all nations.

Godspeed!

Expecting a Miracle through Trust in a Savior

Exodus 14:13-16

But Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.

"The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent."

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.

"As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.
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Do you expect a miracle from God? When you pray, do you actually think that God is going to answer your prayers? Do you give him all your troubles?

Often as Christians we pray out of mere formality. We do not think that the Lord is actually going to do something and move in our lives. I encourage you to stop that attitude right now.

When Moses arrived at the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army was chasing after him he did not have time to offer up mere formalities. He had to trust that God was exactly who he said he was. He also had to trust that God was going to do exactly what he said he was going to do. Moses told the people "DO NOT FEAR!" We are so scared of what tomorrow might bring.

I direct this directly to those who are reading this who are dealing with breakups and other future decisions right now. God is still on his throne, just like he was when he saved the nation Israel. God is going to guide you if you let him. You must truly attempt great things for God and expect great thing from God. Most of you are not attempting anything except self-gratification by trying to solve all of your own problems. You cannot fix it. Give it to Jesus. Moses gave God the problem of the sea in front of him and look what happened.

You see Moses was up against the wall of water that was the Red Sea, but he feared not. Moses raised his staff and the nation Israel was saved. I believe you have the ability as a Christian to embrace the power of God through the mediator that is Christ Jesus. That power comes on your knees. You cannot embrace the power of a no fear life style unless you are first on your knees.

The Lord fought for him and he will fight for you if you get down on your knees and let him. Give him control over your life and you too can walk across on dry ground with Jesus. We are not promised an easy journey, but with Christ with us the ground is always going to be dry and navigable.

For the Israelites the Promised Land awaited, and for us as Christians we have an inheritance in a land known as Zion. I look forward to the day when we shall all cross over the river and dance on that day, but until then we must beat on trusting in our great champion and savior Jesus Christ...Have you put your whole faith in him friend? He does not want a piece of your heart; he wants the whole thing. What are you holding back from God? Give it to him and watch the miracle that takes place as He leads. Trust Him friend, He is calling. Embrace the miracle of Jesus Christ...Godspeed!

Reaching Out To The Disenfranchised

Matthew 25:35/45

The Words of Christ

I was a stranger and you invited me into your home...What you have done unto the least of these you have done unto me...

When was the last time you reached out to someone who was lonely? When was the last time you reached out to a complete stranger in need? When was the last time you treated someone different the way Jesus would?

This is a tough convicting question. I struggle to treat people the way I know Christ would have.

I have posted a painting by Edward Hopper that should remind you of the person that you often see sitting alone and lonely. As Christians we must be known as the first person to go and break the solace of the picture. We must walk over and tap this man on the shoulder in order to ask him if the seat is taken right next to him. What an opportunity to share Christ's love with others. Reaching perfect strangers has to do with opening yourself up to loving perfect strangers.

There are many people dying and going to hell because you do not have the guts to engage them cold turkey. Shame on you!

There are 33 funerals that have taken place over the past week for the victims killed at Virginia Tech. You see the shooter is the guy in Hopper's painting that is just sitting there waiting to be talked to. This young man had so much pain built up inside of him. Accounts from his high school state that he was picked on and made fun of. Oh how things might have been so different if a Christian had had the guts to engage this young man and exhibited him love.

We have a responsibility in this world and we are not meeting it brethren!

So get up sit down at the counter with the man in the painting. This is how Christians can change the world by showing love to one stranger at a time. May you be known for your bold love...Christ is sitting over there alone at the counter...Godspeed!

The River

Romans 5:17
For if by the transgression of the one, death reined through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will rein in life through the One, Jesus Christ.


Often times we are burdened down by our guilt of our sins and actions. We spend so much time in guilt that we neglect to live. We think about our evil deeds so much that our distress itself turns into sin. Jesus Christ did not die so that you would have to live like this. He died for you to live. Go to the river...

There truly is a river I know about, and if you promise not to keep it a secret I will tell you about it. It exists at the throne of my king. It is as wide as any river imaginable. It is deeper than the deepest canyons. The waters that flow from this river are swift and will overwhelm you if you let them. There are no floatation devices in this river because no one who has ever dived in has ever wanted out. Many have tried to tell me that this river does not exist. They say that it is the result of illusions and emotion. It is funny that they say this, because I have seen it. I know it exists. Often times I take deep dips into it. It is not effective until it overwhelms you.

I can tell you how to get there if you want.

Do you want me to tell you?

Okay I will. You must take the narrow trip up to the Cross of Jesus Christ. You must ask for his admittance. He will let you in if you believe what you see, and there you will find the river of grace that flows in abundance for his children. The river known as Grace that began to flow right at two thousand years ago...

It is still flowing friend...I promise. I know because I was there earlier this very evening.

If you have been burdened by your sins I invite you to take a running leap into the sweet living waters of redemption where a Savior has promised to wash you white as snow. May you find what your looking no where else except there drowning in the sweetness of the Savior's love...Godspeed!

Longings

Romans 8:18-20
For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.

I read this and thoroughly was touched by it. I pray that your week wll be one of longing for the living God...Godspeed!

A Puritan Prayer

My Dear Lord,

I can but tell thee that thou knowest
I long for nothing but thyself
nothing but holiness,
nothing but union with thy will.

Thou hast given me these desires,
and thou alone canst give me the thing desired.

My soul longs for communion with thee,
for mortification of indwelling corruption,
especially spiritual pride.

How precious it is
to have a tender sense and clear apprehension
of the mystery of godliness,
of true holiness!

What a blessedness to be like thee
as much as it is possible for a creature
to be like its Creator!

Lord, give me more of thy likeness;
Enlarge my soul to contain fullness of holiness;
Enlarge me to live more like thee.

Help me to be less pleased with my spiritual
experiences,
and when I feel at ease after sweet communings,
teach me it is far too little I know and do.

Blessed Lord,
let me climb up near to thee,
and love, and long, and plead, and wrestle
with thee,
and pant for deliverance from the body of sin,
for my heart is wandering and lifeless,
and my soul mourns to think it should ever
lose sight of its Beloved.

Wrap my life in divine love,
and keep me ever desiring thee,
always humble and resigned to thy will,
more fixed on thyself,
that I may be more fitted for doing
and suffering.

Overcoming the World

1 John 4:4

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

The events over the past week that have taken place all over the world has been particularly disturbing. The events at Virginia Tech, Bombings in Baghdad, Airplane Crashes, and NASA shootings. These sound like pretty scary stuff no doubt, but we must always remember greater is he who is in us. Our generation has seen unspeakable tragedies happen over and over again. We witnessed September 11, but greater is he who is in us. We have seen the Tsunami in Asia, but greater is he who is in us. We have seen Hurricane Katrina, but greater is he who is in us. Now we are witnesses to the tragedy at Virginia Tech, but truth is still the victor, greater is he who is in us.

There is no doubt in my mind that more tragedies are around the corner, but on this Sabbath I wanted to remind you that no matter what happens greater is he that is in us...Godspeed!

The Nations in our Backyard

Matthew 28:19

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...

Today was another day of taking our youth to reach out to the community around our church here in Louisville. Only this day entailed a couple of surprises. I was shocked to find three blocks from our church, the nations. Most of you right now are thinking, "Bubba what could you possibly be getting at?" Well this afternoon, three blocks from my church, I met some boys from Kenya, a boy from Zimbabwe, a girl from Croatia, and a young man from Romania. This was three blocks from a lily-white Southern Baptist Church. I was astounded and amazed. What an opportunity to fulfill the Great Commission in our backyard...

They all play soccer every Friday night, and we are going to try to go and engage them in order to further previous discussion about the Gospel.

On my immediate left is the young man from Zimbabwe and the rest are the guys from Kenya.


























We must everyday realize that the nations are here amongst us. The communities in which we live are yearning for the Gospel. We will one day stand before an almighty God and answer for our engagement or neglect of the communities around us that are so very accessible. I pray that you will engage them. They truly contain the nations.

As I write I am sitting in Waffle House (late night studying). There are two young Muslims who work here named Bazz and Stezen from the Ivory coast (pictured below). I have been trying to engage them in discussion, in order to share the Gospel with them. Pray for their salvation.

























We must not stop until we have successfully engaged the nations immediately all around us. We must speak to nations. We must trample the strongholds of darkness in our backyards...Godspeed!

Vanity of Vanities

We program our lives with so much stuff besides Jesus Christ...Today I call on you to ponder the question "What are you living for?"

I give you the words of an old Solomon looking back over his life to help you ponder...Godspeed!

Ecclesiastes 1: 1-14

All Is Vanity

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher,
vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

What does man gain by all the toil
at which he toils under the sun?

A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but the earth remains forever.

The sun rises, and the sun goes down,
and hastens to the place where it rises.

The wind blows to the south
and goes around to the north;
around and around goes the wind,
and on its circuits the wind returns.

All streams run to the sea,
but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
there they flow again.

All things are full of weariness;
a man cannot utter it;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
nor the ear filled with hearing.

What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done,
and there is nothing new under the sun.

Is there a thing of which it is said,
"See, this is new"?
It has been already
in the ages before us.

There is no remembrance of former things,
nor will there be any remembrance
of later things[e] yet to be
among those who come after.

I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.

I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

A Miracle In Louisville

John 12:32

The words of Christ-

"When I am lifted up from the earth, (I) will draw all people to myself."

As believers we have lost a sense of awe that should accompany the conversion of sinners. I am very disturbed at this alarming fact that I see evidenced in many of our churches, in their denigration of evangelism. The conversion of one lost soul to Christ is a miracle of grace, and it should never be looked at with anything but the utmost awe and respect in our churches.

I decided to not just talk about this problem, but to actually get out and combat it. I am writing to you in the middle of the "I Agree With Bubba Revival" taking place with my youth group at Beechmont Baptist Church here in Louisville, KY. I decided to take my youth group on a 3-day evangelism odyssey. Today was our first day and here are some of the results...

This is the beginning of our night. They are holding in their hands printed "Plan's of Salvation."



These are the kids handing out the tracts if you will (as you can see some are rather zealous)...









The following is the miracle I spoke of:

This is Taresa and Candra (pictured below), both of which I had the opportunity to lead to the Lord this evening. I was amazed at how Jesus Christ opened the door to this encounter, and how these two young ladies responded to the gospel. One kept asking, "You mean he can forgive me of all my sins?" Jesus said "If my name is lifted up, I will draw all men unto me!" Praise the Lord! I saw this come to fruition this evening.



Pray for these two young ladies, and pray that more come to know him in the next two days through our efforts here in Louisville!

I praise the God who opens the door for the redemption of sinners. May your spirit be renewed and encouraged to take the gospel deep into the dark. Are your ready for some miracles?...Godspeed!

The Goal

Philippians 3:13-14

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.


Maturity is having the courage to look forward. Lives are often destroyed because of failures to plan for tomorrow. As Christians, we too must plan for tomorrow. We must realize that the things of this Earth are fleeting quickly, and prepare for the day when we meet our savior face to face. We must work continuously for that day. As you survey your landscape how many people are you coming in contact with that don’t know Christ? There is work to be done. Stop thinking about what is passing, and concentrate on that day. We are all dying, but what are you living for?

Keep your eyes fixed on the prize...

You will find meaning and purpose in this life, not in the things you can see, but in the things that exist beyond belief...Godspeed!

God Is Holding Back The Tide

My prayers truly go out to all the victims of this monumental tragedy.

This is a picture of a victim being removed from the sight of the deadliest massacre in United States school history at Virginia Tech this morning.
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I am always quite perplexed when an event like this takes place. I seek in my heart and soul understanding from our savior why such a thing has taken place. The more I thought today the more my heart was filled with the message that I bring to you tonight. The text I was reminded of was:

Judges 17:6 -

The Message
"In those days there was no king in Israel. People did whatever they felt like doing."

New American Standard Bible
"In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes."

We now live in a day in age where there is no king on the thrones of our lives. We are a nation that has left the gospel of Jesus Christ for what we consider greener pastures of self-awareness and understanding. Today you have seen the fruits of such labors without God. This young man (whoever he is) that opened fire is not far removed from who each of us is as depraved human creatures. Each of us is capable of the same thing. God is the one who is holding back through his common grace the full effects of sin. Today we saw a brief glimpse of what evil is and it continues to shock us. The bottom line is this glimpse we saw today is what every human heart is capable of. I do not know why, but God is holding back sin. We must warn our culture before it is too late. Events like these should awaken our hearts for the need to share the only answer there is to such depravity. We must tell the world that redemption is available through Jesus Christ alone.

As you can see from the picture below, at Virginia Tech, people are going to want answers. They are not looking for some watered down Best Life Now theology. They are looking for the hard cold truth. I abhor you today, "Give em' the gospel." Make Jesus Christ the answer to all the questions that are going to be asked in the next couple of days.




As a nation is awoken to tragedy, may our mouths quench their desire for answers as they hear the gospel of the living God.
Tell them to hold fast, truly help is on the way...Godspeed!

That Little Guy

Luke 19:1-10

He (Jesus) entered Jericho and was passing through.

And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich.

Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature.

So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way.

When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, "Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house."

And he hurried and came down and received Him gladly.

When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner."

Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much."

And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham.

"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

This is the classic story of looking out for the little guy. There are many people in our environments everyday who need a special touch. They are lonely and need friends. They need us.

As you look around today seek out someone, different from you, to be friends with. They might even be that person that some might term a nerd. They might not even be a Christian. Jesus reached out to the little man and you must too...Godspeed!

PS AN APOLOGY

I have been out of commission the last four days. I have been in Colorado. If you want you can read to catch up or you can just start today. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Blog From April 14 2007: Dishonoring the Body

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.



This is a verse that our present day culture has just missed. They do not get it. Just turn on the TV or watch a movie and you will see how far off we actually are.

I saw this commercial the other day for a BOD fragrance. It was humorous how sexually explicit this commercial was. This commercial had a woman with a deep sexy raspy voice in the background proclaiming, "I have got to have my BOD." It was funny for a second, until I realized that people were actually buying this fragrance because of this commercial. There would be no other reason for them to make the commercial if it was effective. This shows you the place that the body has taken in our culture. It is nothing more than a piece of meat to look at and have fantasies about.

As Christians we must not have this attitude. We must realize that, by what we wear and how we behave, we are either bringing glory of discredit to the kingdom. Girls, when you go out with barely any clothing on, you are discrediting the kingdom of the living God. Guys, when all you care about is a girl's physical features, you are bringing discredit to the cross of Jesus Christ. When we are involved in a relationship that is too sexual then we are discrediting the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Dishonoring our bodies and others bodies is a cancer growing on the church of the living God. We must honor God with our bodies. We must be the moral force standing against our culture saying, "I am not going to frequent any type of media or participate in any actions that dishonor the bodies that were given to us in order to glorify the living God." If dishonor to the body is a cancer that you are struggling with, then perhaps you need to undergo the chemotherapy of a closer relationship with Jesus Christ...Godspeed!

Blog From April 13 2007: Loyalty

Then Naomi said to her two daughters in law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show kindness to you, as you have shown to your dead and to me. May the Lord grant that each of you will find another husband.”

Then she kissed them and they wept aloud and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”

But Naomi said, “Return home my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could be your husbands?

Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought that there was hope for me -even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons- would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has gone out against me!”

At this they wept again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-by, but Ruth clung to her.

“Look,” Naomi said, “Your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be ever so severely, if anything but death ever separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem.

Ruth 1:8-19

I have always loved this discourse found at the beginning of the book of Ruth. I cherish its words, because they stir my heart. These words stir me so that I want to name one of my children Ruth.

This is one of the single greatest acts of human relational loyalty found in the Bible. We must all seek to become more and more like Ruth. We must love people so much that we would sacrifice our own self-interest for the brethren. If you do not have family and friends you love so much that you would respond to them the way Ruth responded to Naomi then I question whether you have allowed self to cloud your thinking. If you could not respond the way Ruth did, then you need to pray that the Lord would help you love people more.

Loyalty is the single greatest quality that can be present in the hearts of man. When Christ calls us, he calls us to be loyal to him to the point of death. If your loyalty to Jesus Christ is not at this point yet, then you have much work to do.

I encourage you to work on your loyalty to the brethren. Christ seeks your utmost loyalty. Here in America we are taught that self is the only thing that is important. This is blasphemy against the very name of Christ. Jesus Christ was loyal to you to the point of death. Loyalty must be your defining characteristic. If it is not, then you must go to work….Godspeed!

Blog From April 12 2007: The Bread

Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret.

In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

“First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

“Yes Lord,” she replied, “but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”

She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

-Mark 7 : 24-30

When the woman came knocking at the house, that Jesus was in, she knew he held the answers.

The woman knew that bread was in the house. The woman knew that goodness was in the house. The woman knew healing was in the house. The woman knew that life was located in the house.

There are two things we must exercise in order to be granted admittance by the Savior.

1. We must have confidence in who Jesus Christ is:

We are the children knocking at the door. We know that there is bread in the house. But when we petition our savior we must trust, like this woman did, that he holds the answers.

2. We must humble ourselves to allow him to be Lord over us:

Often times we don’t humble ourselves like this woman when we got to the savior. You are no better than this woman is. She claimed to be but a dog in order for the savior to hear her plea. When was the last time you humbled yourself to being a dog before Jesus Christ? The problem that is running rampant in the Christian community these days is that most of the time we don’t even humble ourselves to being ourselves. We are so insecure that we put up a front constantly. You must humble yourself when approaching the savior.

There is one further this story is helpful to illustrate….

We must also realize that the world, like the woman, is knocking on the door to come to know Jesus Christ. We are the doorkeepers. We are the children of the living God, who have the power to open the door of the gospel to the world. We must be great commission believers who seek to open the door to every mind and heart around the world to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Now go open those doors tell somebody about Jesus. They are banging in desperation. The time for the savior to return is drawing nigh as the banging is getting louder and louder…Godspeed!

The Mouths of Asps

English Standard Version

Romans 3:13-14

"Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive."
"The venom of asps is under their lips."
"Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness."

The Message

Romans 3:13-14

"Their throats are gaping graves,
their tongues slick as mudslides."
"Every word they speak is tinged with poison."
"They open their mouths and pollute the air."


I guess I could not let the day pass without commenting on the Don Imus controversy. If you have not been watching the news, Don Imus is a radio talk show host who called the Rutgers women's basketball team "A bunch of nappy headed hoes." This has brought on a probably deserved outcry from the black community on this subject. Above is a picture of Mr. Imus sitting in the studio while on the Rev. Al Sharpton's radio show.

I found their discourse to be entertaining, but also sad. It is amazing to me that men think that they can just say whatever they want to and it have no consequences. Words are important, and at times hurtful.

We think just kidding will suffice every time you say something inappropriate. If you don’t agree then try commenting, next time a girl asks you if she looks pretty, say no you look ugly and then say your just kidding. Do you think her feelings will be affected any less? Absolutely not....

I am just as bad as anyone else, but we must watch are tongues. Do we think we will say words like shit and damn when we meet our savior face to face? Will our first comment to Him be, "Damn you look good in that robe”? Absolutely not...This sounds absurd doesn't it. That is how absurd you look, by claiming to be a Christian and speaking like your lost and going to hell. We must stop cursing. It is not uplifting to the kingdom.

Some might say, "Bubba its just words, come on"...To which I will respond, "No it is a reflection on the kingdom of the almighty God."

Gossipers...You are next. Are your words biting like the poison of asps? You might say "No," but I have heard the way you talk about each other. I am guilty too. We must speak of each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. We are all each other have. We must lean on each other as the body of Christ...Quite talking about each other you slithering asps...

I am going to also encourage you to forgive others. I heard the Rev. Al Sharpton say the most absurd thing today. When asked if he would forgive Don Imus, he said "Never, No way, No how." This is not the spirit of Christ, and comments like these are not becoming of a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I think both of these men are pretty morally ignorant, Don Imus for making these comments and the Rev. Al Sharpton for choosing making money off of it.

Watch your tongues! Don't become like these men...It is men like these that Paul was writing to...Godspeed!

Who will go?

Isaiah 6:8

Isaiah's Commission from the LORD

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."

I pray that I will be the Christian at the front of the line jumping up and down screaming, "Pick me! Pick me!" Often times we shrink from the tasks that the Lord puts before us. We think that the things of this world are more important and more worthwhile than the task he has put before us. We are usually too scared to pull the trigger. I pray that I will have the vision of Isaiah.

I wonder,

Who will go to the inner crevices of the jungles? Who will go to the post Christian strongholds of Europe? Who will confront the adversaries of religion here in America? Who will be the missionary to tell the last remaining unreached people group about Jesus Christ?

If the Lord has called,

GO!

Never Stop Listening...

Never Stop Going...

Don't buy into the American dream, as a Christian it will become a nightmare. It will suck the life out of your willingness to go whenever and wherever the Lord calls.

Today you are at the starting line. Will you go? Will you give it all to Jesus? Godspeed!

The Fortress?

Psalm 31:1-5

Into Your Hand I Commit My Spirit

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

In you, O LORD, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me!
Incline your ear to me;
rescue me speedily!
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me!


For you are my rock and my fortress;
and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me;
you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.


In you, O Lord, do I take refuge! Is this a statement that rings true in your life? Do you find your strength in the arms of Jesus Christ? I have heard a couple of sad things today that make me wonder where my trust would be if such things happened to me. So often we put our trust in the things of this world. We get on the phone to talk things out before we talk to the person who can do something about it. I want to yearn to tell Jesus Christ everything. I yearn for the day in my life when I make him the most important person for me to talk to when something happens, period. I must confess that I don’t. I know I am not the only one who struggles with this. I know I am not the only one who goes to the phone before taking my life to the throne.

God will rescue you when you make him your everything. We truly do not realize that Jesus Christ is all we need until we realize that he is all we got. Go to the throne today with the troubles of this life. Wait don't pick up the phone. Life is found on your knees...


Into your hands I commit my spirit. God has saved us. He has come down and chosen to save you from your depravity in sin. Have you given him your whole spirit? I pray that life will not be found in anything else for you except him. So often we go around the world to escape the problems of this day. Face them head on.... The answers are not found out there. There found within the bounds of giving Jesus Christ your whole spirit. We are strong when we are weak. He is calling you to commit your all to him. Do you have the courage to commit your spirit to his hands? He will be your rock, but only if you are willing...Godspeed!

PS...This is a fortress in the city of Dubrovnik, Croatia which was competed as you see it in the 14th Century.

Arise!

Matthew 28:1-10

The Resurrection

1Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you." 8So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."

Mark 16:1-8

The Resurrection

1When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" 4And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back--it was very large. 5And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6And he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you." 8And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Luke 24:1-12

The Resurrection

1But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 5And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise." 8And they remembered his words, 9and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

John 20:1-10

The Resurrection

1Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." 3So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10Then the disciples went back to their homes.

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Never forget the man that conquered the grave...

You see on Friday the disciples thought that all was lost.

You see on Friday the disciples had lost their master.

On Friday the women cried.

On Friday Jesus died.

Is it over? The people wondered.

But...

Praise God! Sunday came and may the truth of that Sunday rein in your heart now and forever more...Happy Resurrection Sunday...Godspeed.

The Cross

Luke 23:24-46

So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.

The Crucifixion

And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. But turning to them Jesus said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"


Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. "And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

The Death of Jesus

It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last.



______________________________________________________



May we never forget the blood that was shed. May we never forget the body that was slain. May we never forget the hands and feet that were pierced. May we never forget the man who was ridiculed, spat upon, and beaten. Life begins at the memory of such things.

You see our walks as Christians must always find their center point to be the cross. Whenever sin has crept in and things are not going as well as you would want them to, look to see where your location is at in comparison to the cross.

At the cross! At the cross! Where I first saw the light and the burdens of my heart rolled away. You see Jesus was there when you first accepted him to suffice, and the good news is Jesus is still and will continually be in the burden business. He carried not just some, but all your burdens 1970 years ago. Accept his wonderful grace. Whatever is going on in your life, drop it off at the cross. You see the cross can’t be just the symbol of religion in your life; it must be the focal point of you life. May the cross reign throughout this life in this world, without end, until we see his face...Godspeed!

The Garden

Matthew 26:36-46

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go over there and pray." And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me." And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done." And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."

Mark 14:32-42

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch." And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. And he came the third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."

Luke 22:39-46

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation."
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As I sit here and write before I go to bed in the wee morning hours of this Good Friday I am reminded of the temptations faced by my savior in the Garden of Gethsemane about this time before his crucifixion. I am reminded that he was fully God and fully man. Christ's flesh was in great agony over his approaching physical pain, separation from the father, and carrying the burden of the sins of the world. The course was set, but Christ in his human nature still struggled (Hebrews 5:7-9). Since he was tempted with everything and endured the most intense suffering this night, he can relate to whatever we are going through, no matter what. Jesus' strength came from the father. Our strength too must come from the father. We can endure anything if he is the source of our strength.

The prayer, "Yet I want your will, not mine." Jesus wanted to know if this was the only way. He knew the pain that was coming. This does not illustrate Christ rebelling, but it shows us just the level of agony he was in.

This night was made worse because the people he trusted as friends to help him where asleep. Oftentimes when Jesus needs us to do his will here on earth we are asleep and unprepared. Pray this day that God will grant you the strength to be alert when he sends you into service.

Christ was unbelievably tempted in the garden. He probably endured the most oppressive temptation that the world has ever known. In times of great stress temptation is strong. In the garden Christ showed us three steps to take in order to resist when facing this level of temptation. 1) We must pray to the father. 2) We must seek the support of friends and loved ones. 3) We must also be sure to keep our eyes on the task that the Lord has given us.

Dr. Luke was the only writer to describe the agony of Christ by stating that he was sweating drops of blood. He was in such agony, but praise God he never stopped. Never once did he stop. We were on his mind. We were part of his motivation. What a savior we serve....

Jesus told the disciples to pray, because he knew that they were going to enter into extreme temptation also. They were about to see their savior die. Would they still believe he was the messiah? Would they remain faithful? Would they remember the promise of the resurrection?

The savior is asking you the same questions today. When modern scientists try to kill Christ and God by their logic, are you still going to believe in him? When cultural relativists tell you religion is divisive, are you going to stand up for your savior? What about those who say all religion is the same? Will you still stand for Jesus? Is he your all and all?


May these things fill your mind on this blessed Good Friday, but don’t you ever forget that Sunday’s coming…Godspeed!

Two Entries Today: The Last Supper and June 12, 1992

Leonardo Davinci's "The Last Supper"


Matthew 26:26-29

The Lord's Supper Instituted

While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."

Never forget the blood that was shed for you...Never...Never forget the savior who was pierced for your transgressions...Never...

As the Lord's Supper was instituted Christ knew what was coming. He wanted us to never forget how much he loves us. Every time we take the Lord's Supper we our hearts should be heavy. It should never become routine or be taken lightly. It is of the utmost importance that we never take our eyes of Jesus and what He did for us.

The Lord's Supper should also remind us of His love. You see the Bible says, "Which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins." This is important because it underscores that the blood was poured out for many, not all. Jesus has chosen to reveal Himself to me. I realize that I am a child of grace, and I am eternally reminded of this every time I take the Lord's Supper. It was Jesus' last meal on Earth, but I long for the day when my Savior and I dine again in paradise.

The table is wide and long. There is much room to sit with the Savior on that day.

So...Go increase our dining partners to the world without end...Godspeed!

June 12, 1992

Matthew 28:6

"He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said."


How great is it today to serve a risen savior?

Despite numerous attempts to prove the contrary, I believe that Jesus Christ is just as much alive to day as he was on that Easter morning 1975 years. I have listened to numerous attempts to disprove the resurrection in the past couple of days on different television news programs, but undoubtedly I will tell you that I have absolute assurance of the fact that truly "He is risen!"

How can you be so sure Bubba?

I am sure because Jesus Christ is just as alive in my heart today as he was on that fateful afternoon 15 years ago when, as I sat on the steps of The Hood Residence at 2718 Shelley Lane in Ellenwood, GA, my mother led me to Jesus Christ. Praise be to our God! Jesus was alive and risen on June 12, 1992 at 12:30 pm, and he is alive right now in my heart. I pray the same for you...See you in eternity....Godspeed!


PS: Check out this amazing testimony from Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., who is the director of the National Human Genome Research Institute (which maps the human genome) at http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/03/collins.commentary/index.html. This article sent chills down my spine. Never stop telling people about Jesus Christ.

WE SERVE AN AMAZING GOD!

Watching For Jesus!

Matthew 24:36-51

No One Knows That Day and Hour

"But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.


"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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This being Passion Week I thought it would be appropriate to remind you of what we live for. As Christians we yearn for the day that Christ will come back and establish his kingdom here on earth. Our Lord sought to remind us before his crucifixion that he was coming back. Yes he would arise, but even better he was coming back eventually to reign forever.

We must live as if the return of Christ could be at any moment. We have much work to do....

Christ's return will be swift and sudden, and there will be no time for second chances. Will he catch you sleeping?

We must daily make choices for eternity. Do not allow yourself to keep thinking you will wait until tomorrow to tell that person about Jesus Christ. You are not promised tomorrow...

Jesus did not tell us about his second coming to spark best selling novels and predictions about the date, but rather he warned us to be prepared. Today this very moment...are you ready?

As Matt 24:26 states, the only safe eternal choice is to constantly live for Jesus.

Are you constantly living for Jesus?

Fascinating Parallel:

I find it so astonishing when, in the Gospel of Matthew, we find Jesus discussing the second coming. He is discussing this days before he was to be betrayed and executed. He is also speaking days after he rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on a colt. Christ had a glorious entry into Jerusalem, but I know of an entry that will top that a million times over. Where will you be, and what will you be doing, when Jesus triumphantly busts open the clouds?

Jesus says in Revelation 22:20

"Surely I am coming soon."

May are response to him be as John's was

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

On this day as you think about his eminent return may the cry of your heart be:

Praise be to God!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Come Lord Jesus quickly indeed....

Ready or not here he comes....Godspeed!

Tossing Out the Money Changers

Matthew 21:12-13

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you make it a den of robbers."

It is our duty as Christian be knowledgeable about truth. We have been entrusted to keep the purity of the gospel. This is something that we often times neglect. We think if someone says the name of Jesus Christ in a sermon then they must be okay. This is not the truth. Just turn on your TV.

The televangelists on TV are not very different from the money changers that Jesus found in the temple. All you hear is toothy grinnin' preachers asking you to send in some money so that you can get your miracle water. I see stadiums packed with people hearing the quote “positive messages” of these preachers. I feel sad for these preachers on judgment day. They will have the blood of millions on his hands. They will all be looking up to the preachers from the fires of hell asking, "Why preacher did you not preach the saving grace of Jesus Christ? Why?" They knowingly preach a gospel absent of sin or redemption. Without sin there is no need for Jesus Christ, because we have nothing in our lives that needs to be forgiven. To borrow a line from one of these famous preachers...You better live your best life now because hell is going to be pretty eternal and hot without the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

It is time to throw out the money changers...

As believers we have a duty to clear the temple of God so that no defilement will enter it. When we hear anything besides the Gospel of Jesus Christ being preached in any circumstance we must stand for truth. Some of these preachers inhabit local pulpits. Do not sit under any preacher that does not preach the full counsel of God. Sprinkled references to the Bible are not enough. Mentioning the name of Christ in passing is not enough. Gospel preaching must be all or nothing. Never back down from a commitment to demanding the whole counsel of God.

Toss them out...Godspeed!

Jesus Vision

Matthew 23:37-39

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

It is so important that we as Christians develop Jesus vision. You see Christ spoke these words above after he had been exalted upon entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Most of us would still be hanging out with the crowd trying to soak up whatever attention was left that the crowd would be willing to give us.

Not my Jesus though. He was on a hill over-looking the great city of Jerusalem in anguish over the citizen's stubborn hearts. When was the last time you sat on a hill and cried over your city? When was the last time you begged God to save and reveal himself to Birmingham, Auburn, Atlanta, Rex, Jonesboro, Memphis, Wadley, Jackson, or Mobile?

You must pray for the lost...Until your heart breaks, that people all-around you are going to burn in hell, you do not know the love that resided in the heart of my Savior...May you find it...Have the vision of Christ...Godspeed!

A PLEA!!!
This Easter week please get off of your lazy butt, and tell someone about Jesus. If you decide you are too busy, you will be held responsible by an almighty God for neglecting his commission. GO!

Let Jesus Eat!

Mark 2:23-27

Lord of the Sabbath

"One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions." Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."

Jesus uses the incident of David (cross-reference: 1 Samuel 21:1-6) to point the ridiculousness of the Pharisees' accusations. The Pharisees interpreted the actions of Jesus and his disciples as harvesting on the Sabbath, so they judged Jesus as a lawbreaker. The problem is that the Pharisees did what a lot of the times we do as Christians; they became legalistic and did not realize the intent behind the law. God's law was clearly put in place so that farmers would not get greedy and harvest on the Sabbath. He did not put this rule in place so that people would starve. The Pharisees missed the intent of the law. As Christians oftentimes we miss the intent of the law, and instead become legalists. We miss allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, not just what we want the law to say.

Furthermore, God created the Sabbath for our own benefit. He did not create the Sabbath for his benefit. God derives no benefit from our weekly Sabbaths, but we are restored both physically and spiritually when we take time to focus on him. For the Pharisees the laws of the Sabbath had become more important than the point of the Sabbath. We must continually check ourselves to make sure that the laws and lifestyle of Christianity do not become more important to us than our relationship with Jesus Christ himself...Godspeed!