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Showing posts from May, 2012

Announcement

Beginning June 1, 2012 Announcement  Dear Reader's, I had surgery on my shoulder and could not write for several weeks pass. Now that I can research, copy and write articles, I make this announcement for a new look concerning formatting, researching, copying and writing Biblical articles for your spiritual enrichment. Each Wednesday, as well as each Sunday, you will be presented with: In the Word, This Week with the Word, and the Sunday School Lesson. (This will give you to read your Sunday School Lesson of two (2) writers as well as what is transpiring in the world concerning Christian Scripture's and prophecy's.) Each Wednesday, as well as each Sunday, you whom are interested in how a sermon is outlined, or how to use word studying and references to gain Biblical knowledge will have complete sermon outlines. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday- Saturday, there will be the new devotions. Holidays will have sermons conducive with its celebrations.  In do
Donald Trump has re-ignited his racist smear campaign against President Obama.  Once again, he's touting the disproven theory that President Obama was not born in the United States. 1 At the same time, he's working to raise millions of dollars for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign. 2  Despite Trump's insistence on stoking racial fears, Romney is actively seeking his support, and the support of those that believe his conspiracy theories. Mitt Romney is sending a clear message: he's fine with his supporters launching racial attacks on President Obama. We can't let this stand. Please join us in publicly confronting Mitt Romney. Click here to sign your name to the following petition:  "I demand that you stop working with Donald Trump, condemn his racial attacks on President Obama (including the birther conspiracy theory) and reject the use of race as a wedge issue in your campaign." Last night was a pivotal moment for Mitt Romney. While he a

Prayer

Dear Readers, I thank you you for praying for me, especially, this past Monday because I had shoulder surgery. As you know, I put faith, prayer and living for the  Lord  through evangelism by reading  His Word  and believing without any dissension(s). (If you ask  God  in prayer: Believe your supplication request, and leave if with  Him ;  He  does not need any help.)  The surgery went without any complications. I awoke in the Recovery Room praising  God  and evangelizing  His Word . My surgeon was of another faith (occult), and took the  "praise"  when I told him about  God  was with him in his surgery, and that  God  had healed my left shoulder, arm, wrist, hand and fingers bringing them back to their normalcy of which I have not had for several years.  Praise and honor be to  JHVH  for  his Divine miraculous healing !
May 25 PRAISE YE THE TRIUNE GOD! Elizabeth R. Charles, 1828–1896   I will praise Your name for Your love and Your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word. (Psalm 138:2)   Saints and angels join in praising Thee, the Father, Spirit, Son—   Evermore their voices raising to the Eternal Three in One. —J. Montgomery The Sunday after Pentecost Sunday is the time when the Christian church has especially recognized the doctrine of the Trinity, the existence of the triune Godhead. This doctrine has been called one of the mystic truths of Scripture because of the difficulty in fathoming and explaining it. Yet it cannot be denied that the Bible does teach that while God is one, He exists in three coequal-equal Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Scripture ascribes each member with such attributes as eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, and creator of the universe. Although the word trinity is not used, there are several passages in which all three Pers
May 25 Obedience In 1999, four out of five dogs that checked into Metro Detroit’s animal shelters were eventually destroyed. That’s 40,000 animals. Why such a high mortality rate? Its not that they’re not cute, or are maimed or crippled, it is that they don’t know how to obey. According to Chris Jones, the assistant manager of the Michigan Humane Society, the dogs they have to euthanize have inadequate training in obedience. If a dog can’t obey has little value to society, but how much value does a highly trained dog have? I guess to fully answer that question, we’d have to ask the owner of a seeing eye dog or a widow whose “guard dog” scared an intruder away. For the people of Plymouth Township, $10,000.00 is a reasonable price tag for a K-9 officer. They use the dog to detect drugs, find missing people, track down criminals and search for evidence. According to Terry Schoebach, the training director for the K-9 Academy, a police dog is trained to detect drugs, track cri
May 24 EVEN ME Elizabeth Codner, 1824–1919   He will be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth. (Psalm 72:6) The spiritual blessings of a Spirit-filled life are intended for every believer, not just for a favored few. The author of this hymn text was Elizabeth Codner, the wife of an Anglican clergyman. She was having her personal devotions one day when she became deeply impressed with a verse of Scripture, Ezekiel 34:26:   I will cause the shower to come down in the season, there shall be showers of blessing. Mrs. Codner thought about the importance of water in the dry country of Palestine and related this to the necessity of the daily refreshment of the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures in a believer’s life. When she was still contemplating this truth, a group of young people from the parish called on her and told the news of their recent trip to Ireland. They related that certain cities and areas of the Emerald Isle had experienced a spiritual awak
May 24 Nothing “What’s all the fuss about?” the skeptic asked. “What are you Christians celebrating anyway?” “Nothing,” I responded, absolutely “nothing.” The angel of the Lord proclaimed: “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.” (Matthew 28:6 NASB) “Nothing” makes the message of Christianity unique. Most world religions have a monument that enshrines their founders in marble and granite as a tribute to their lives and teachings. Christians have no monuments with the remains of their founder. They took Him from the cross and placed Him in a borrowed tomb. Death and Hell could not keep Him. On the first Easter He burst through the ashen grip of the tomb, defeating the powers of Satan, leaving “nothing” where His cold body was! “Nothing” gives us power. Sin had a death grip on our lives. It defeated us and lead to spiritual death. He gives us power to live a productive spiritual life. The risen Lord transforms our lives be
May 23 HOLY SPIRIT, FAITHFUL GUIDE Words and Music by Marcus M. Wells, 1815–1895   I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you. (John 14:18 KJV) One of the Holy Spirit’s ministries is to lead us each day wherever our heavenly Father desires us to best represent Him. When vital decisions must be made, the Holy Spirit can open the Scriptures to us and illuminate our minds. By this faithful guidance of the Holy Spirit, we come to love and follow the will of God for our daily living. Many of our troubles occur because we fail to take counsel from the Holy Spirit and the Bible. Instead of first praying and seeking guidance, we act and then ask God to bless our actions. We must learn the lesson continually that effective Christian living is totally dependent upon an awareness and appreciation of the Holy Spirit’s intimate presence in our lives; we must have a willingness to be directed and controlled by Him. “Holy Spirit, Faithful Guide” was written and composed by an Amer
May 23 No Regrets When Karen Watson felt God’s call to go to Iraq, she responded by resigning her job, selling her car, her house and other possessions. When she left, everything she owned was contained in a duffle bag. Today, her duffle bag has become a reminder of the work she did in telling people in Iraq about Jesus Christ. Watson’s family shared her story with the President of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board, Jerry Rankin, at her funeral. Rankin then took Watson’s message of sacrifice to a Missions Conference in New Orleans. He encouraged students, faculty, and staff at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary to consider missions not out of obligation to fulfill the Great Commission, but because they are compelled by the Love of Jesus. Rankin said, “Media and culture, they just don’t get it. Why would anyone go to a place where their lives would be at risk?” He added, “We have all succumbed to a culture and a philosophy where it is all about us, it’s al
May 22 BLESSED QUIETNESS Manie P. Ferguson, 19th century   Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only that which is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:29, 30) The Holy Spirit performs many important ministries in the life of a Christian. One of these is to give us a calm and tranquil spirit, despite the stormy circumstances of life that may come our way. One of the great tragedies of the Christian life, however, occurs when, through apathy or neglect or overt attitudes and actions, we allow the Holy Spirit’s ministry to become grieved and even quenched, leaving us powerless and restless. Perhaps it might be due to: self-centeredness and lack of concern for the needs of others; negative and critical attitudes toward others; practicing known sin; or lack of times of worship and communion wit
May 22 Background Noise In the distance, a siren sounds as an ambulance races against time. The base notes from the neighbor’s stereo thunder through the wall and shake the knick knacks on the curio shelf. Your children slam the front door and run through the hall as the television is showing the first of fifteen consecutive commercial messages. Have you considered how noisy life is? Yesterday I was sitting at my travel agent’s desk as she checked the lowest rates for a trip I’m planning to make. As she stared at the computer screen, I kept hearing an intermittent loud buzz. “What is that noise,” I asked. “Oh that,” she said, “that’s the signal that someone just walked in the door. After a while you get used to it—I don’t even hear it anymore.” Is it possible to hear something so often that you don’t hear it anymore? I was day dreaming with a friend the other day about getting out of our Condo and buying a house near the church. He said, “I’d never live down there; its t
May 21 BREATHE ON ME, BREATH OF GOD Edwin Hatch, 1835–1889   As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you. And with that He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:21, 22) The good news of the gospel relates not only to what Christ once did—His death, resurrection, ascension—but to what He presently offers: Forgiveness of sin, the reuniting of our eternal fellowship with the Creator, an advocate with the heavenly Father, and the energizing indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit. When a person becomes a Christian, he or she receives the Holy Spirit within. Often, however, the Holy Spirit does not have control of that life even though He resides there. The Scriptures teach that we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit if we are to live overcoming lives. This is not some emotional, mystical event. To be “filled with the Spirit of God” means in a very practical way that a believer has surrendered completely to the Lordship of Christ and sincerely desires to be di
May 21 Mystery of God “Can you solve the mysteries of God? Can you discover everything there is to know about the Almighty?” (Job 11:7 NLT) Perhaps you’ve caught a glimpse of it while standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon, or driving down Highway 1 along the California Coastline or standing at the foot of Niagra Falls. It is everywhere. The grand mystery of God is everywhere you turn. It is in His creation, in the faint sounds of conversation between lovers and in the screech of a newborn baby’s cry. If it is everywhere, why don’t we experience it more? For some reason, we’ve replaced deep mystery with shallow explanations and cliche answers. We’ve sacrificed knowing God for knowing about Him … and in the final analysis we really don’t know that much about Him. Solomon wrote, “As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.” (Eccles. 11:5 NIV) Whenever someone asks us

Sermon

Lamb Slain Before the Foundation Rev. 13:8 “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (KJV) There are actually two legitimate ways this passage of scripture can be translated. One is as the KJV translated it; the other is as the New American Standard Version translates it. It says, “And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.” (Rev. 13:8 NASB) The questions is, which was done “from the foundation of the world?” Were the names written in the book of life, or was the Lamb slain? Both ideas are supported elsewhere in scripture. Rev. 17:8 supports the idea that the names that are in the Book of Life were entered there before the foundation of the world. It says, “The beast that you saw was and is not, and is about to come up out of the aby
May 20 HOLY GHOST, WITH LIGHT DIVINE Andrew Reed, 1787–1862   That the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:4)   As the earth can produce nothing unless it is fertilized by the sun, so we can do nothing worthwhile for God without the energizing Holy Spirit’s power operating in our lives. —Unknown   I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help Him. I ended up by asking Him to do His work through me. —Hudson Taylor One of the marks of spiritual maturity in any believer’s life is the growing conviction of the necessity of the Holy Spirit’s presence and power for daily living. How natural it often seems to attempt to live our lives and even minister for God in our own wisdom and strength. How tragic it is when churches and religious organizations institutionalize themselves with dogma or legalistic rules and practices and gradually replace the invigorating
May Mother’s Day Over the years, my mother has slowly given me some souvenirs from my childhood. Baseball cards, my first books, you know, the kind of things that I left behind when I was packing to go to college. Recently she gave me back some gifts I gave to her when I was younger, things like my senior picture and a plaster-of-paris hand print that I made in Bible School as a kindergartner. While thinking about Mother’s Day this year, I thought about a gift I gave her as a young child. It is a piece of cardboard covered with green burlap with a candle I made out of yarn and glued on the board. Above the candle is a poem I wrote for her. The poem began, “I love my Mother, better than any other …” Not exactly e. e. cummins or Robert Frost, but it expressed a little boy’s affection to his mother. I don’t get sentimental about motherhood. I’m sorry, but in a nation where women “have the right to choose,” but a baby doesn’t have the “right to life” I don’t equate pregnancy with
May 19 GRACIOUS SPIRIT, DWELL WITH ME Thomas T. Lynch, 1818–1871   I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you … and I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees. (Ezekiel 36:26, 27) An awareness and knowledge of the Holy Spirit’s ministries is most important for every believer. Note briefly these ten specific ministries:     •      Teaches truths about God and reveals Christ (John 16:12–15).     •      Convicts us of wrong doing (John 16:8–11).     •      Regenerates and renews us (Titus 3:5).     •      Baptizes or places us into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13).     •      Gives assurance of our salvation (Romans 8:16).     •      Indwells and guides our lives (Romans 8:14; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20).     •      Prays for us (Romans 8:26).     •      Fills our lives with joy and power (Ephesians 5:18).     •      Seals and guarantees our eternal promise (Ephesians 4:30).     •      Distributes gifts to the church (1 Corinthians 12:
May 19 Mysteries When we lived in a climate where I couldn’t exercise outdoors year round, and I was a member of a health club, I used to catch myself circling the parking lot looking for a parking place close to the door. Why would I do that? I mean, if I’m about to go inside and get on a treadmill for 45 minutes, why not just walk across the parking lot too? There are some things in life that confuse me. Like why do we cultivate, irrigate and fertilize a lawn to make it grow, just so we can mow it twice a week to keep it short? Or worse yet, why can’t I get grass to grow in my lawn, but it flourishes in the cracks of my sidewalk? There are just some things, that are hard to explain. Like why a preacher would talk about the evils of money, then take up a collection for his church. If money is so evil, why does he want it so bad? It isn’t that money is evil, it is that if we don’t handle it correctly it can lead to all kinds of evil. The truth is, money is necessary. Without
May 18 Motives After we pay the mortgage, utility bills, tithe and other obligations, we pretty will split the money down the middle. With Susan’s share she buys groceries, cleaning supplies—you know, girl stuff. My share goes to things like boat repairs, fishing lures, and popcorn at the Dukes’ game. (Not really, but I thought it made a pretty good introduction. Though when I read the rough draft to Susan she said “That’s about how it is.”) The truth is, Susan is less likely to spend money on herself than I am. She is usually sacrificing so someone else can have something. Recently, I said to her, “Susan, why don’t you take some money out of the bank and get your hair fixed the way you want it?” I wanted her to do something nice for herself. “Don’t you like my hair?” What’s the title of that book—”Women are from Mars, Men are from …?” I just wanted her to treat herself to something nice, that’s all. I had no hidden agenda. She was looking for the message behind the qu
May 18 SPIRIT OF GOD, DESCEND UPON MY HEART George Croly, 1780–1860   Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord Almighty. (Zechariah 4:6) Although it is always thrilling at Christmas to recall the events of our Savior’s birth, or at Easter to celebrate His triumph over death, we must not forget Ascension or Pentecost. If Christ had never ascended to make intercession for us or had never sent the Holy Spirit to indwell and guide us, our relationship with the heavenly Father would be most incomplete. One of the finest of all hymns for the Pentecost season is “Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart.” It was written by Anglican minister George Croly, who was known among his associates as a “fundamentalist in theology, a fierce conservative in politics, and intensely opposed to all forms of liberalism.” The hymn first appeared in 1854 in Croly’s own hymnal, Psalms and Hymns for Public Worship. It was originally titled “Holiness Desired.” Each stanza contributes an i
May 17 REJOICE—THE LORD IS KING! Charles Wesley, 1707–1788   After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (Hebrews 1:3) This text by Charles Wesley is another of the more than 6,500 hymns written by the “Sweet Bard of Methodism.” Wesley wrote on hundreds of scriptural passages as well as on every conceivable phase of Christian experience and doctrine. This text was developed by Wesley to encourage his followers to have a more spontaneous joy in their lives as they became aware that Christ reigns victorious in heaven. It was based on the apostle Paul’s instruction to the Christians at Philippi:   Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4) It is important to remember that this instruction was written while Paul was a prisoner of Emperor Nero in Rome. The teaching of the entire Philippian letter is that it is possible to be a victor in life—regardless of the circumstances—when our faith is i
May 17 Money Do you run out of pay check before you run out of month? If you do, you’re not alone. Many Americans experience financial struggles, and those struggles increase stress in our lives and strife in our homes. For some people, the problem is too little income, for others, it is too much out go. For some people, no amount of income would satisfy their need to spend. Madison Avenue calls people “Consumers.” What does that word imply to you? I picture a giant “pac-man” racing through a shopping maze devouring everything in sight. Does that word describe your shopping behavior? Or are you more level headed when you shop? Several years ago, our Realtor gave us a counter offer from the owner of a Condo we were trying to buy. They wanted us to sign the offer that day or the offer was void. Our answer? We told her our answer is NO for today, but if she is willing to wait until next week it might be yes. What do you think the sellers did? Of course they waited, and we still
May 16 REJOICE—THE LORD IS KING! Charles Wesley, 1707–1788   After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (Hebrews 1:3) This text by Charles Wesley is another of the more than 6,500 hymns written by the “Sweet Bard of Methodism.” Wesley wrote on hundreds of scriptural passages as well as on every conceivable phase of Christian experience and doctrine. This text was developed by Wesley to encourage his followers to have a more spontaneous joy in their lives as they became aware that Christ reigns victorious in heaven. It was based on the apostle Paul’s instruction to the Christians at Philippi:   Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4) It is important to remember that this instruction was written while Paul was a prisoner of Emperor Nero in Rome. The teaching of the entire Philippian letter is that it is possible to be a victor in life—regardless of the circumstances—when our faith is i
May 16 Mercy King Saul wasn’t exactly happy with David at the time, the truth is, he was jealous of him. “Saul has killed his thousands,” the people said, “David his ten thousands.” Usually when there is a disagreement between two people both people are wrong. But frankly, I don’t see where David did anything wrong. As far as I’m concerned, Saul was totally out of line in his behavior toward David. He was wrong when he threw the spear at him. He was wrong when he plotted to have him killed so he could provide a dowry for his daughter’s hand. He was wrong when he sent his goons over to his house to kill him in his own daughter’s bed. He was wrong when he hunted him down like a rabid dog after David fled for his life. Wrong, wrong, wrong—Saul was completely wrong. But—and this is a big but—Saul was the king. He was God’s anointed. So what should David do? Should David, in the spirit of preserving his own life take matters into his own hand and strike Saul down? His advisors told
May 15 THINE IS THE GLORY Edmond L. Budry, 1854–1932 Translated by Richard B. Hoyle, 1875–1939   But thanks be to God! He gives the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57) In the ancient world, no celebration was considered more glorious than the march of triumphant returning warriors through their capital city. Many visual depictions have been made of the victorious Roman soldiers in the early centuries marching proudly through the streets and arches of Rome, leading captive slaves and hearing the boisterous approval of cheering admirers. Christ our Savior fought the greatest battle of all time against the prince of this world and all of his legions. Our Lord returned triumphant to His Father, having conquered not only sin, death, and the grave, but Satan and hell also. Now He sits on the Father’s right hand as the ruler of His kingdom and our personal advocate before God. But the day of our celebration is just ahead. One can picture with imagination th
May 15 Memories “Remember the days of old; consider the years long past. Ask your father, and he will tell you, your elders, and they will teach you.” Deuteronomy 32:7 (HCSB) When Stephen and Farrell set their wedding date, one of the requests they had for us was to digitize photos of him growing up so they could make a PowerPoint presentation for the reception. I broke out an old scanner from a cabinet and hooked it up to my computer, only to remember why it was in storage-it didn’t work. After throwing it away, we got a new one and began converting memories into pixels. The three of us took turns scanning and I cropped and edited each photo and after a week of evenings, we mailed twenty years of Stephen’s life to him on one CD. Now we’re in the process of doing the same with the rest of our pictures. Perhaps some of you are involved in the tedium of lining up pictures on the scanner bed, scanning, cropping, editing, categorizing and saving your memories. We’re not near don
May 14 HARK! TEN THOUSAND HARPS AND VOICES Thomas Kelly, 1769–1854   Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise.” (Revelation 5:11, 12) As Christians we often reflect about anticipated sights of heaven—golden streets, jasper walls, crystal seas, jeweled crowns … but what about the sounds of heaven? From what we can learn from the Bible, heaven is a place of loud, inspiring sounds and much music. The author of this hymn text, Thomas Kelly, saw with the eye of imagination the thrilling scene in heaven when the thousands upon thousands of angels give praise to Christ for His victorious mission to earth to accomplish man’s redemption. And the thrilling truth is that someday we redeemed mortals will join that heavenly chorus. Throughout the ages our main occup
May 14 Building Memories Deciding to buy her grandmother’s 18-foot trailer was the easy decision, but knowing what to do next was the problem. When Susan’s Grandmother died, her Grandfather wanted to get rid of their camping trailer, the price was within our means, so we bought it. Oh, it is nothing fancy, truthfully, we probably could have gotten a much better trailer for a little more money, but we wanted it for sentimental reasons. When we bought it, the trailer was parked on Susan’s brother’s property in Colorado, about 15 miles away from the family acreage. He offered to let us keep it there indefinitely, with no strings attached. Moving the trailer meant we’d have to build a road, install an outhouse and haul water, all at considerable expense. The trailer was already hooked up to a septic tank and had running water and access to electricity—it was a perfect arrangement. Perfect, except we’d spent 15 years building memories on land 15 miles away. Memories of the first

A Mother's Day Prayer

A  Mother's  Day   Prayer Thank you mother's, whether deceased or living, for the nine (9) months, or other months in carrying us. Some mother's worked one (1) to three (3) jobs while carrying us rather than abort us. Some children were born with medical or physical abnormalities, but that mother said, "This is my child and I will take care of my child." Mother endured our sickness', runny nose's, stomach aches, diarrhea's, childhood disease's--without cost, with tears she tries to hide--bumps, scrapes, bruises and cuts. They were just part of her true motherhood and love for her child. I pray for that mother this  Mother's  Day  to continue to bless and give her strength, and thanking her for all that she did for us. Happy  Mother's   Day ! I pray even for that mother, yes mother, that aborted her child for reasons that only she knows, yet remembering in her conscience what she did and regretting it.  I pray for that

Sermon Outline

Prince of Darkness / Angel of Light 2 Corinthians 11:13–15 Introduction: It is amazing how few people are willing to call things what they are. Paul didn’t suffer from such reticence regarding false teaching. He says it is what we should expect given Satan’s methods. Have you ever noticed that the voice which calls you to sin sounds more like an angel’s than a devil’s? No wonder!     I.       Satan is always seeking to deceive you.       A.      Notice the context of false teachers:          1.      They try to change themselves into apostles.          2.      No wonder—Satan regularly does the same thing.       B.      Satan practices self-transformation.       C.      There are numerous Biblical examples of this.          1.      Garden of Eden.          2.      Presence of Satan before Lord in Job.          3.      At the temptation of Christ.       D.      It points up again the enormous power of Satan.     II.       Satan’s deception causes many of your problems.