Lincoln Park Community Baptist Church Website

January 3, 2010

Mercy

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His
great love with which He loved us, even when we were
dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ
(by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together,
and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ
Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the
exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us
in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved
through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the
gift of God. ------- Ephesians 2:4-8

January 10, 2010

We Are To Guard

As a father, you are the defender who must personally stop every
predator who tries to attack your home. Whether the attacker is
spirit, man, or beast, to gain entrance it must face the awesome
power and authority of the man of God at the gate. There are no
guarantees that an adversary will not come. Sometimes, despite
all that we do, challenging situations still arise, but it is foolish not
to take every precaution to make it as difficult as possible for a thief to break in.

Many men are ready to defend their family from physical assailants,
but few men are prepared to defend their family against spiritual attacks.
Although they have fought off thieves and criminals, they are still plagues by
inner guilt, private perversion and moral problems. They are poorly equipped
to build defenses against depression, suicide, child abuse, or other spirits that may target
their home. We can't kill these things with guns, but we can stop them cold with prayer!

The devil hates to see prayer break out among men because he knows we guard
our homes through intercession. We stand in the position of impregnable authority
in our home when we cover our wives and children with prayer!

December 6, 2009

You may be facing the cutting edge of the same unwavering jealousy
faced by such men as the prodigal son, Abel, Isaac, Israel (Jacob),
Joseph, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Jesus Christ, and the Apostle
Paul. Each of these men faced hostile emotions and sometimes fatal
attacks from their own brothers, family members, wives, countrymen,
or co-workers. Yet they didn't waver from their destiny of manhood
in the purposes of God. Their faithfulness brought eternal life and
joy to you today. Who is waiting in the generations to come to taste
the fruit of your manly obedience and determination today?

Don't be dismayed by the brothers outside the door who jealously
complain about your late return to the River Jordan and the Father's
house. It is time to celebrate your manhood! Let nothing hold you back.
Your manhood will bring new health and blessing to your life, to your
home, to your marriage, and to the generations who follow after you.
The Church and the children of tomorrow cry out for men to arise and
wage war on their behalf. God has called His sons together for a victory
celebration. It is time to celebrate; it is time to mark our crossing. This
is the day we put away our childish things. This is the day we enter into
manly praise without fear or thought of the criticism or disapproval of others.
We are only concerned with the opinions of the One Who has
called us, the One Who has reserved the ring of sonship and the robes
of the priesthood for us.

It is time for every man of God to arise in his manhood and dance
before the King with all his might! A world is waiting to be possessed
and blessed by the sons of God, children made men and delivered from
sin.

Man of God, be of good courage! The bar mitzvah party is in
progress - and you are the honored guest.

December 13, 2009

A man of God tends to have strong powers of persuasion -
even a shy, stammering man like Moses. People will sometimes
follow what you teach simply because you teach it.
Make sure your message is solid and right. Many have neutralized
their witness for God by saying, "Whatever you want
to believe, it doesn't matter." How ridiculous! Give every man and
woman, every boy and girl, a clear understanding of truth. You
cannot make them believe, but you can make sure you clearly
understand the faith yourself, and that you clearly communicate it
to others.

A praying man collects a rich heritage. It is the accumulation
of all the things he had learned about God. The special things a
praying father does for his family ought to be passed through the
curtain into the next generation as part of a godly inheritance!
This kind of wisdom puts God in the very roots of a child's being.
He will not be easily shaken.

Do you have a spiritual heritage? Are there any miracles in
your life? Are there any things you know God did for you? Guard
this heritage of God's faithfulness and preserve it by passing it on
to your sons. It may save them from needless mistakes and sorrow.
They will know what you know without having to suffer what you
suffered!
(see Joshua 4:21-24)

December 27, 2009

Specifics of the commandments.
Two commandments are given in this verse. The first one is about
acceptance of Christ ("believe on the name of the Son Jesus Christ")
and the second is about affection for others ("love one another").
In regards to the first commandment, the issue of Jesus Christ is not
something we can take or leave as though it does not really matter.

To accept Christ, to believe on Him, is a commandment, not an option.
When you reject Christ you disobey God.
In regards to the second commandment, the loving of others is to be
done whether they are lovable or not. Not everyone is easy to love,
but we are to love them anyway.

Sequence of the commandments.
The commandment to love Christ of necessity comes first. If you
cannot love Christ you will not do well in loving others. If you cannot
love that which is the most lovable (Christ), you will not be able to
love that which is less lovable (people).

There is so much hate in the world, and the reason for that is there is
so little love for Christ in the world. The world puts the emphasis on
loving others and ignores loving Christ, but the Bible says love starts
first and foremost by loving Christ.

November 1, 2009

PEACE

Therefore, having been justified by faith,

we have peace with God through our Lord

Jesus Christ, through whom also we have

access by faith into this grace in which we

stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Let the peace of God rule in your
hearts, to which also you were called
in one body; and be thankful.

Romans 5:1-2, Colossians 3:15

November 8, 2009

Do you live close enough to God to hear His warning of pending danger?
Are you close enough to your family for them to have confidence in what God
has spoken to you? You can't make people believe in you. Respect is not
commanded or inherited, it must be earned. You can earn respect by becoming
a man of prayer; you can literally change the direction of your whole
family - without argument or discussion - simply through old-fashioned prayer!
Your family needs to be sheltered under the covering of your fatherly prayer life.
No wonder the disciples of Jesus cried out, "Lord, teach us to pray!" The man
didn't ask the Lord to teach them "how to pray; he wanted to learn "to" pray.
The "why" of prayer and the urgency of prayer are more important than the mechanics.
We are emotionally overwhelmed and spiritually depleted because we have not
learned the power of prayer. Lack of prayer has left us carnal and worldly, and
we blindly make decision in business, ministry, and marriage without guidance
and revelation. We can never prepare an ark in time without a warning from God.
The rain is pelting us because we have not sought the direction of the Lord.
Mere human weakness should never stop us from praying. In fact, it makes us pray
harder when we make a manly commitment to stop running from God and start running
to God. Our epidemic lack of prayer has caused a rise in stress, hypertension, and
affliction. We stubbornly insist on bearing our crosses alone! Why do angry
husbands take out their wrath on their innocent families? If we will humble
ourselves and pray, God has promised to heal the very things we are raging
about! Anger and wrath do not heal anything or anyone. Man of God, I dare
you to kneel down and pray! Don't ask God to fix "them"; ask Him to fix you,
and He will heal the land.

November 15, 2009

RELEASE GRANTED! SUPPORT DENIED!

Do you realize that we don't heal at the same rate? Every person in a crisis must
go through his own unique recovery process. You may be healed, but that doesn't
mean your wife, your children, your employer, or your parents have been healed as
well. It may be time for you to show the same patience they once showed you. As
much as you want the support of others, remember that the most important thing
you can do in this practical part of the process is to support and encourage yourself!
Marriage often collapse at the end of a major trail, even though the stress is
over and the partners have survived the crisis. Just when things begin to look up, one
of them says, "I quit!" Why? It is difficult and depleting to "hold on for someone
in crisis." These "other victims' simply may not have the stamina left to enjoy the spoils!

The story of David and Bathsheba reads like a diabolical soap opera. Their relationship
emerged from lust and murder. Their passion led to the murder of Bathsheba's husband
Uriah, and spawned an illegitimate pregnancy through the torrid throes of their lustful
encounters. When sexual excitement was over and reality set in, David remembered his God
and began the painful process of repentance to overcome the disgrace and shame of living
too close to the edge. David lay before God in sackcloth and ashes for seven days, desperately
seeking cleaning for his sins and healing for the baby who had suddenly grown ill. When
the child dies in spite of David's prayers, he was devastated, but he accepted it as all
men eventually do; it was something he could not change. He washed his face, anointed
himself, and went into the house of the Lord. David overcame the tragedy well.

Bathsheba also mourned the loss of her child, but her recovery wasn't as instantaneous.
David had to comfort her. If you find that others are not as resilient as you toward
the sudden changes in life, remember to comfort rather than criticize. This is a subtle
way to acknowledge their right to hurt and, most of the time, this is all hurting and wounded people need.

November 22, 2009

Influence is a powerful thing. Be careful whom you allow to
influence you. The prodigal son was influenced by a citizen of a
far county. We are told in Psalm l:1, "Blessed is the man that
walked not in the counsel of the ungodly!" If you want to be
blessed, be careful whom you allow to influence you. Many men
allow themselves to be manipulated by godless men or by men of
God operating with ungodly motives.

One of the greatest liberties you can have is the freedom of choice.
You choose. God doesn't even save you against your will. The
Almighty God of the universe spoke through Joshua, "Choose you
this day whom ye will serve" (Joshua 24:25). Wrong influences can
dilute or pollute what God is doing in your life. You are not
immune; you are human.

Samson was destroyed because he allowed Delilah to influence him!
At first he resisted, but gradually this ungodly woman polluted his
wisdom. She seduced him by playing up to his secret, unaddressed
weaknesses until, against his better judgment; he shared more with
her than he should have. Immediately his doom was sealed. The
last thing this man of God saw with his mortal eyes was the sight
of the woman he loved receiving money from his tormentors for his betrayal!
(See Judges 16:16-21)

November 29, 2009

L I G H T

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in
a secret place or under a basket, but on a
lampstand, that those who come in may see
the light. The lamp of the body is the eye.
Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole
body also is full of light. But when your eye
is bad, your body also is full of darkness.
Therefore take heed that the light which is
in you is not darkness. If then your whole body
is full of light, having no part dark, the whole
body will be full of light, as when the bright
shining of a lamp gives you light."
------- Luke 11:33-36

Lord, You are the Light of my life. My hearts' desire
is for that Light to shine brightly so that others may see
the love and forgiveness You have given me. Cleanse me,
O Lord, from any darkness that keeps me for You, for I am
lost without Your tender, loving care. Thank You for the guidance
of your Holy Spirit that fills my life each day and renew me to
bring honor to Your Holy name. Amen.

October 4, 2009

If you feel you have outgrown your need of a father, then at least be a father! Somewhere there is a desperate young man whose natural ties are broken. He needs you to mend the breach and repair the jagged edges of his broken heart. Bind him and train him, teach him and pour into him all the things you want to say to the next generation!

He is your spaceship to the future; board him quickly and stock him well. When the time of your departure is at hand, before you step from ship to shore, leave a mantle of blessing and anointing behind you. Leave something for us to catch!

I am glad that I am a father to young men, and I am glad I am a son to my precious older fathers. My sonship and my fatherhood are not aways by blood, but are always by bond! We are wrapped, tied and entangled together in the divine fulfillment of God-ordained needs.

To my surrogate father, I am a filled heart and an open hand. My heart is filled with the many deposits made by others, and they have made me stand in the heat of the day. My hand is open and ready to grasp what is left behind by those who went before me. I stand ready to maintain their heritage of spiritual excellence. My hand is open and my fingers extended. I will grasp all that is dropped to me!

"And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? And when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over."

To my sons, I say, "Walk behind me and watch me close. I am a train in motion. I am a word in flight. I will not stay. I will move like my fathers and lift from your view. Hear my fading voice and touch my weakening pulse, and know that I was here. I am a bubble bursting in a glass. Catch the moment, not the man - he cannot be held. Seize the day, my sons, and catch the wisdom of my heart and the benefit of my pain. When my chariot comes and you feel the wind, catch what I leave behind for you; and for God's sake...go on!"

October 11, 2009

Many good men have not resolved bad issues that traumatized them early in life. They have buried their pain deep inside and consider it a weakness. We watch them drink too much, get angry too quickly, or withdraw in silent bitterness, and we are quick to scold them for the symptoms of their secret pain. We need to heal the cause of the pain.

A symptom announces to the body that something is wrong. The symptoms of residual sins clinging to the lives of our sons are signs that "Lazarus may be raised, but he is definitely not loosed." Some physicians will not give painkillers when treating certain injuries because they do not want to camouflage the symptoms that help them more accurately diagnose the source of the pain. Religion has been a painkiller ingested by the Church. It only numbs the pain while hiding the cause of the sickness! There is a distinct difference between religion and deliverance. The Church has been satisfied to camouflage problems by depressing the symptoms.

Caution: This was the problem with the law; it only treated the symptoms and let the terminal affliction persist. "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh." ~ Romans 8:3

The real problem can only be treated if the symptoms are admitted. The Church seems too embarrassed by the symptoms to deal with the problem. At first, only the parishioners wrestled with divorce and remarriage. Now the problem has swept from the pews to the pulpit. The Church has failed because it has tried to legislate morality through legalism. The acts of sin are merely symptoms of a damaged or sometimes unregenerate heart!

October 18, 2009

If life has dealt you some tough cards, don't give up. You may be down, but bless God, you are not out. Strengthen the things that remain and go on. You will never survive the challenges of life if you make decisions without consultation. God wants to teach you the significance and power of daily communion with Him.

You are in the ring with a formidable opponent who wants to take you right now! Your enemy knows that God has predestined you for greatness. He would love to destroy you with a single blow. But, he doesn't have the power to take out a man who really prays.

Make a commitment to stand in God's strength, regardless of the challenges or questions life brings, and regardless of how hard you are hit. You may feel the sting of the devil's blows, and you may even wince in pain, but give him a clear message with fire in your eyes. There will be no towel-throwing in this fight.

That snake isn't fighting a limp-wristed, emasculated coward of a man who has no stamina. You've been to hell's door and back again for yourself, for your family and maybe even for lost souls! You have been created and trained in the likness and image of his worst nightmare! You are a resurrected man! You have been renewed in your faith, and you are firm in your conviction. Tell the enemy, "I am a man of prayer. I will be knocked no lower than my knees!"

October 25, 2009

I am concerned for the many men who have received a second chance. My concern is based on the fact that they can't afford to go back to the same environment that perpetuated the problem.

If you are going to be blessed, you must avoid the associations that helped the enemy to attack you! Even at the risk of being lonely and isolated, or appearing introverted, do like Lazarus. Only show up for Jesus. If it's not for His glory, don't involve yourself! This is the dedication that accompanies a man on his second chance! It is an attitude of gratitude.

Gratitude creates a natural desire to support ministry. No on knew the value of supernatural ministry like Lazarus and his grateful sisters! Giving becomes worship when it reflects an awareness of God's blessing! Giving is an opportunity to share the fruits of your underdeserved blessings with a deserving God who has been gracious to you!

God is my favorite "charity." I will always support His work because I know firsthand that His Word is real. The media can show me a thousand failed men in squalor, but my faith will never be swayed. I already know that God is the Lord of failed men! I support Him and His work because I cried out to Him in my despair and He answered! How can I walk away with a carnal, selfish attitude after miraculously surviving my cries? Generosity abounds where God's grace is found! We have a God-given desire and need to exchange blessings for intangible blessings. Ministry does things in our lives that simply cannot be priced or appraised.

"For it is written in the Law of Moses, 'You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.' God is not concerned about oxen, is He? Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we should reap material things from you?"
I Corinthians 9:9-11 NASB

September 13, 2009

Left to our own devices, we may be surprised to discover how
corrupt we really are. You and I conceal many things in us that
we don't talk about. There are hidden things in us that we
belittle other people for. Oh yes, we're careful to make sure no
one knows what is lurking in the dark corners of our heart, but
they are there. Under difficult circumstances, those secret
weaknesses can erupt with terrible results.

You might be surprised at what you would do if you were pressed.
If your hidden anger raged high enough, what would you do with
the knife in the kitchen drawer? Under certain stresses, you would
be shocked to learn who would rob a convenience store. Pastor,
deacon, faithful husband, and provider, you keep your secret
passions well hidden, but you would be dismayed to discover who
you would sleep with if pressured with the wrong circumstances. How
many moral and emotional land mines are buried in the
depths of your soul?

If I have made you uncomfortable, I apologize, but as my brother
once told me, "When you get in a fight, you may as well throw the
first punch."

You would be disturbed by what is lurking in the shadows of your
being. In fact, you would be shocked to know what your best friends
and family members have done, but haven't told anyone.

Men can be incredibly hypocritical. We often strongly condemn
others for the very things we are most guilty of ourselves.

The greatest and most lethal weapon the enemy can ever
challenge you with is you. I thank God He didn't turn me over to myself.

September 20, 2009

I Hid Myself

Adam was afraid to reveal himself, so he hid himself. Men who are
afraid to reveal themselves like to give "things" like money, gifts, houses,
or even sex instead. All these things are easier to give than ourselves.

Adam didn't hide his work; he hid himself behind his work. Have you
hidden who you really are from those around you? Have you hidden how
you are changing and aging from those around you? Have you hidden your
needs and then become angry because they were not being met?

"I hid myself." You can't have genuine friendships if you hide your true self.
If you hide, then your friends will love what you do and not who you are!

Suppose that for some reason you can no longer "do what you do." Does
anyone love you just because you are you? Have you revealed the "real
you" to anyone else? True friendship and intimacy are achieved when
you feel so comfortable around others that you can be yourself. Stop hiding yourself.
If you don't, you may love your true self and become the lie you pretend to be!

Your loving God is seeking the man He has made who is hurting. God is
your only hope, your last chance, and your only solution. Yet, instead of
running to the embrace of God, you insist on hiding behind the ridiculously
small, dying fig leaves of human achievement! Adam's little apron was
falling apart even as he made it, and he didn't have the good sense to
come out of hiding! You don't have any excuse either.

September 27, 2009

Are you facing situations that are falling apart? You may be tired
and worried, but there is a God in the Garden Who longs to heal
the hurting hearts of broken men. Have you heard His voice? He
is searching through the dying twigs and crumbling leaves of your
makeshift disguise because He wants to uncover the real you.
No performance is necessary. You don't have to impress Him,
and you can't anyway. He already knows every pain you are hiding,
so step away from the bushes. Whether you are right or wrong, weak
or strong, your Father is calling you. Most of your jobs and relationships
were built on your personal performance and achievement, but God's
call is not like that. All He wants is you - complete with your embarrassment,
failures, fear, and scraped knees. He is your best Friend, and He longs
to wipe away your secret tears, strengthen your heart, salvage your
home, and change your life! You can relax with Him because He loves
you, whether you are weak or strong, tall or short, thin or
fat, right or wrong,

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his
life for his friends."
John 15:13

Jesus is the only One Who was willing to die to be your Friend!
His love is secure; He already knows about your hidden fears and
scret sorrows. He may not agree with everything you think or do,
but He is committed to help you become what you are destined
to be - spotless in His love. Loneliness is impossible once you
understand that God is committed to you.

August 16, 2009

Many men entering the doors of the Church are bleeding from
deep wounds inflicted by natural fathers who beat and abused
them throughout their childhood. God is outraged when His wounded
Many men entering the doors of the Church are bleeding from
deep wounds inflicted by natural fathers who beat and abused
them throughout their childhood. God is outraged when His
wounded sons then find a surrogate father in the Church who
unfairly wields his authority and goes off on a tangent of
spiritual domination, inflicting fresh abuse on men
already crushed!

We need fathers who are sensitive to the fact that they are
mentoring and fathering men who have been through
traumas and abuses that would stagger the mind. Too
many leaders simply inflict more of the very same abuse
their prot�g�s already suffered in the natural! These leaders
are dictatorial, abusive, and insensitive - all in the name of
Christ Jesus. There is a big difference between being "strong
and definitive" and being "dictatorial and abusive."
Many men who fill our pulpits have just as many unresolved
issues as their members. No one is perfect, but if these
undershepherds do not allow God to reveal, confront, and
heal their own problems, they will perpetuate a vicious cycle
of generational curses. Thus the pain passes down from
father to son. This pain must stop!

August 30, 2009

The Enemy Within

If you want to be free, you must be willing to challenge all
definitions of your masculinity. You have to be willing to
confront issues that other men run from. Freedom only comes
when you challenge yourself, when you open up and say things
to yourself that you might not have admitted to your wife,
to your friends, or to your parents. It is time to confront old issues.

These issues are enemies of your soul.

I am not overly concerned about witches, demons, sorcery, or
astrology. As bad as crime is, I am not too worried about
muggers, thieves, rapists, or con artists. I don't want to be
their victim, but they are not my greatest dread. Nor do I suffer
anxiety thinking about a figure dressed in red with a pitchfork and a
pointed tail who peers in the window making evil suggestions to
me. If there is anything that I constantly fight against and
wrestle with, it is the enemy in me. That is the one I am most
concerned about � the enemy "in-a-me"!

If anything takes you back, it will be the enemy within.

June 14, 2009

Word Camouflage

The footnote in the NIV at II Kings 10:4 is most interesting.
When Hezekiah found the children of Israel worshipping the
brazen serpent made by Moses in the wilderness, he destroyed it.
Hezekiah called the serpent "Nehushtan." The footnote explains
the meaning of the word as, "A serpent made of brass." He called
it what it really was.

How often we justify sin by either ignoring it or calling it a
different name! Some call adultery "a meaningful relationship."
We excuse convetousness by calling it "prudence" or "economy."
A life of sensual pleasure is "living with gusto."
In answer to a critic, Abraham Lincoln asked, "How many legs
does a cow have?" "Four," was the reply. "If you call her tail
a leg, how many does she have?" asked Lincoln. "Five" was the answer.

"No," Lincoln said, "just calling a tail a leg doesn't
make it a leg."
Have we made a similar mistake? Do we think that sin is not sin
just because we do not call it by the right name?

June 21, 2009

GROW IN GRACE AND GROW IN GLORY

Grow in grace and grow in glory,
What a wonderful command!
As Thy church is here established,
Help us, Lord, to understand.
Grow in grace! Oh, may we ever
Grow each day more close to Thee.
Grow in glory! May Thy people
More of Thy true glory see.
Grow in grace! O Lord, establish
This, Thy house, that it may grow
In Thy grace and in Thy glory.
That the world may see and know
Not the grandeur of a building
Nor of stained-glass window rare,
But the sanctity and beauty
Of a house of faith and prayer.
Bless each stone, each wall, the pulpit;
Bless the altar that is Thine.
May Thine all-transcendent glory
From its portals ever shine.
Bless Thy house, Lord! May Thy Spirit
Guide it through all years to be.
May it grow in grace and glory,
Rooted firmly, Lord, in Thee.

June 28, 2009

Prayer of Concern for Others

Father, help me to talk like a Christian:
to speak in such a way that I build up another person's confidence in
himself, instead of tearing down his reputation.

Father, help me to drive like a Christian:
to be watchful and careful lest I cause harm to someone else on the
highways.

Father, help me to give like a Christian:
without thought of return, without anyone knowing what I do,
and with Your approval as sufficient reward.

Father, help me to dress like a Christian:
by not attracting attention to myself for being too fashionable
or too casual: and help me to show by my appearance that I want
people to know me for what I am inside myself.

Father, help me to sleep like a Christian:
at peace with myself because sin is forgiven: and at peace with
others because I do not allow my anger to last through a day.

Father, help me to eat like a Christian:
to eat healthily, to eat moderately, to eat gratefully, giving thanks
to You who provide my food, and for the one who prepares my food.

Father, keep me from being so pious that I keep You out of
the practical areas of life. Be with me when I am alone, and when I shed
my inhibitions, lest in those moments I cancel out all that I seem to be when
I'm on my best behavior.

Father, I ask this because I follow a Master who was never guilty
of the slightest wrong-doing, and who always showed his love in the small
details of living. Amen.

January 4, 2009

IN THE NEW YEAR (2009) ARE YOU WILLING

To close your book of complaints and to open the book of praise?
To ignore what life owes you and to think about what you owe life?
To stop looking for friendship and start being friendly?
To be content with such things as you have and to stop whining for the things you have not?
To enjoy the simple blessings of life and to cease striving for the artificial pleasures of the day?
To forget what have accomplished and to meditate on what others have done for you?
To cease looking for someone to help you and to devote yourself to helping others?
To consecrate your life to the service of an imperfect church and to remember that Christ chose 12 imperfect followers to be His disciples?

January 11, 2009

"Indispensable Christian"

"He is impossible to get along with because
he think he's impossible to get alone without,"
was said of a Sunday School Worker.
No wonder the result was a dismal failure
for he would be indispensable.
The worst idea a Christian can have is that
he is absolutely necessary to the work in which
he is engaged, that his absence would stop
the whole undertaking.

January 25, 2009

Prayer of Concern for Others

Father, help me to talk like a Christian:
to speak in such a way that I build up another person's confidence in himself,
instead of tearing down his reputation.

Father, help me to drive like a Christian:
to be watchful and careful lest I cause harm to someone else on the highways.

Father, help me to give like a Christian:
without thought of return, without anyone knowing what I do, and with Your approval
as sufficient reward.

Father, help me to dress like a Christian:
by not attracting attention to myself for being too fashionable or too casual:
and help me to show by my appearance that I want people to know me for what I
am inside myself.

Father, help me to sleep like a Christian:
at peace with myself because sin is forgiven: and at peace with others because
I do not allow my anger to last through a day.

Father, help me to eat like a Christian:
to eat healthily, to eat moderately, to eat gratefully, giving thanks to You
who provide my food, and for the one who prepares my food.

Father, keep me from being so pious
that I keep You out of the practical areas of life. Be with me when I am alone,
and when I shed my inhibitions, lest in those moments I cancel out all that I
seem to be when I'm on my best behavior.

Father, I ask this because I follow a Master who was never guilty
of the slightest wrong-doing, and who always showed his love in the small details
of living. Amen.

February 1, 2009

TWO HANDS

Two hands have haunted me for days. Two hands of slender shape,
all crushed and torn as in the press, is bruised the tender grape.
In work or meals, in prayer or play, those mangled palms I see,
and a plaintive voice keeps whispering:
"These hands were pierced for thee!"
Yes, even so, ungrateful one, "These hands were pierced for thee."
Thru toil and danger pressing on, as thru a fiery flood,
Two slender feet beside me with blood, marry every step with blood.

The swollen veins so rent with nails, it breaks my heart to see,
while the same voice cries out afresh:
"These feet were pierced for thee!"
'For me, dear Lord, for me?'
"Yes, even so, ungrateful one, These feet were pierced for thee."
As on we travel toward the close, there wounded feet and mine,
distended still the vision grows, the more and more divine.
For in my Guide's wide open side, the cloven heart I see.
and tender voice sobs like a psalm:
"This heart was pierced for thee!"
'For me, Great God, for me?'
"Yes, enter in, my ransomed one; this heart was pierced for thee!"

February 8, 2009

Our challenge is to stay up with the time, to serve our generation,
yet in no way alter the truths of His word.

Styles and methods change and must be kept up to date,
but truth? It is timeless. Not subject to change...

We are to be willing to leave the familiar
without disturbing the essentials.

To minister effectively the church must wake up to
what changes...and what doesn't...

The church that sits around frowning at the future,
doing little more than polishing yesterday's apples,
will become a church lacking in relevance and excitement.

At the same time, the cburch that softens its stand theologically
and alters scripture to fit the future's style, will lose its power...

Be empowered, catch the vision, run this race with boldness
and we shall have the victory!!!

February 15, 2009

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he
stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but
where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
(1929 - 1968)

February 22, 2009

"Lift Every Voice and Sing"

Lift every voice and sing, till earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of liberty.
Let our rejoicing rise High as the list'ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun Of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.

Stormy the road we trod, Bitter the chast'ning rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat, Have not our weary feet,
Come to the place for which our people sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered.
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered;
Out from the gloomy past, Till now we stand at last,
Where the bright gleam of our bright star is cast.

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears,
Thou who hast brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who hast by Thy might, Led us into the light,
Keep us for ever in the path we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee,
Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;
Shadowed beneath Thy hand, May we for ever stand,
True to our God, true to our native land.

May 10, 2009

GOD'S MASTERPIECE IS MOTHER

God took the fragrance of a flower...
The majesty of a tree...
The gentleness of morning dew...
The calm of a quiet sea...
The beauty of the twilight hour...
The soul of a starry night...
The laughter of the rippling brook...
The grace of a bird in flight...
Then God fashioned from these things
A creation like no other,
And when His masterpiece was through
He called it simply - MOTHER

May 17, 2009

Five Finger Prayer

1. Your thumb is nearest to you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you.
They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C.S., Lewis said, a "sweet duty."

2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal.
This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing
others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.

3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president,
leaders in business and industry and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide
public opinion. They need God's guidance.

4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest
finger; as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak,
in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.

5. And lastly comes our little finger; the smallest finger of all. Which is where we should
place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the bible says, "he least shall be the greatest
among you." Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for
the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able
to pray for yourself more effectively.

May 24, 2009

Tomorrow...

He was going to be all that he wanted to be - Tomorrow.
None would be kinder or braver than he - Tomorrow.
A friend who was troubled and weary, he knew,
Who'd be glad of a lift, and who needed it, too,
On him he would call and see what he could do - Tomorrow.
Each morning he stacked up the letters he'd write - Tomorrow.
And thought of the folks he would fill with delight - Tomorrow.
But hadn't one minute to stop on his way,
"More time I will give to others," he'd say - Tomorrow.
The greatest of workers this man would have been - Tomorrow.
The world would have hailed him if ever he had seen - Tomorrow.
But, in fact, he passed on, and he faded from view,
And all that he left here when living was through,
Was a mountain of things he intended to do - Tomorrow!

March 1, 2009

THY WILL BE DONE...

Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Use me where Thou dost see fit,
help me do my tiny bit.
Search my life and if there be
unpleasing things, Dear Lord, to Thee...
Show me what they are today,
help me clear them all away.
Rid my mind of idle thought,
calm me when I'm over-wrought;
give me peace and joy within,
wash away all inbred sin.
When life's sun is sinking fast
and my race is won at last...
When Heaven's gates wing open wide,
let me enter, Lord, inside.

March 8, 2009

Why is it that some Christians, although
they hear many sermons, make but slow
advances in the divine life?
Because they neglect their closests, and do not
thoughtfully meditate on God's Word.
They love the wheat, but they do not grind it.
They would have the corn, but they will not go
forth into the fields to gather it; the fruit hangs
upon the tree, but they will not pluck it.
The water flows at their fee, but
they will not stoop to drink it.
From such folly deliver us, O Lord,
and this be our resolve this morning.
"I will mediate in Thy precepts."

March 15, 2009

The timing of the Lord is a peaceful assurance. When
Jonah ran from his calling to go to Nineveh, we are
told, "he found a ship going to Tarshish."
On the surface, one would gather the idea it was perfect timing
for Jonah. However, the word for "found" means to "attain, acquire."

Jonah thought he had manipulated the timing,
but his efforts only proved to be a counterfeit to God's
ultimate plan for him.

Perhaps Charles Swindoll said it best
concerning the timing of God, "When God is in it, it flows;
when God is not, it is forced."
Many of the storms that have found their way into our
pathway came not by God's providence as much as they
came by our presumption.

This is not to say that the will of God will not come with
obstacles or difficulty. But, when the timing of God meets
the will of God there is a spiritual vacuum that allows you to
walk peacefully amidst the swirl.

April 5, 2009

Understanding the Lord's timing is one of the most difficult disciplines to apply in our lives.

The timing of the Lord is a preserving affirmation. Whether to rescue a Paul in a basket lowered
from a window, or to place and Esther on a throne, the Lord always know the perfect time to slip
us out or slide us in. In a word, it is always right!

God's timing is a small window of achievable opportunity, but it comes with confirmation to move
on our part. David had the shot arrow of Jonathan. The spies had Rahab's scarlet cord. Jesus had
Greeks seeking to see Him that prompted Him to say, "the hour is come." His delays are not denials,
but rather a timed arrival of His affirmation. God's timepiece is not kept by seconds orminutes.
It is gauged by principles and promises.

It is so difficult to understand the Lord's timing. This is mostly because we try to fit His timing
into our timetable rather than the other way around. There are days He appears to move too slowly.
There are other days He startles me with His swiftness. In His timing, life leads us from testing,
to tears, to triumph.

Things always happen on His schedule, and we can accept that or, as Jonah, be dragged into it. It
is no accident where you are today. More than likely, you were placed there perfectly

"For such a time as this."

April 12, 2009

Interesting Fact about Easter 2009

The annual Christian celebration of Christ's resurrection, knowng as Easter, is always the first
Sunday after the full moon after Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating of Easter is based
on the lunar calendar that the Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is the reason why it
moves around on our Roman calendar.

The purpose is to perserve the relationship to the season of thea year and the phase of the month
that would have occurred at the time of the resurrection.

The earliest calendar date on which Easter can fall is March 25th and the latest is April 25th.
Easter therefore took place unusually early last year, March 23, 2008. The last time Easter fell
so early was 1913 and the next time it will do so will be in the year 2160 (152 years from now).
Only persons age 95 or older witnessed by anyone alive today. It last occurred in the year 1818
and it will not happen again until 2285 (227 years from now). Thus last year is the earliest
Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives.

Next year Easter will be April 4, 2010.

April 19, 2009

DO THESE THINGS THIS WEEK

On Monday:
Look for a smile today and return it with one of your own.
Give someone new faith and hope it's such a beautifu loan.

On Tuesday:
Gather a thought that's kind - one that's sinceere and deep, but be sure
to pass it along for such are too precious to keep.

On Wednesday:
Forget yesterday's old sorrows, mistakes, sadness and pain. Lift your
heart with hope and song, as flowers to sun and rain!

On Thursday:
Offer a word of comfort and prayer to help someone in need - A
little thoughtful gift, some flowers or a smile makes us all rich indeed!

On Friday:
You shall not pass this way again, so do any good you can do. Don't
put it off 'til tomorrow or the chance may be lost for you!

On Saturday:
Today will soon be a memory so don't let it come to an end without a smile,
without a song or just a word with a friend.