Importunate Prayer

Importunate Prayer
Faith Results in the Blessing of the Believer
Article by: Dr. Kevin Folger

Senior Pastor of Cleveland Baptist Church

Without a doubt, one of the greatest blessings of being a born again, child of God is the fact that we have the right to approach the throne room of Heaven with our prayer requests. I am glad there is a God in Heaven who is not too busy to help me with my needs. Too often, though, we do not avail ourselves to the privilege of prayer as we ought; it is easier to worry about our problems and talk to other human beings than to take our needs to the Lord in prayer. Maybe that is because prayer is an exercise of faith.

We cannot see God or see Him work, so we hesitate to pray. We need to learn the discipline of prayer and avail ourselves to the opportunity of fellowship with God. One reason God allows us to face problems is so we can learn to bring our needs and troubles to Him for His touch to fix them.

I have learned that prayer is essential in my life. I have seen God do many wonderful things in direct response to my prayers. Recently, I was facing some trouble and realized that I needed to take definite steps to confront the problem; however, before I responded physically, I needed God to work in the situation. I found myself on my face before Him pleading for His intervention and help. He heard and He did that which only He could do. It was such a blessing, and it was also humbling to watch as God responded to my need.

Luke 18:1 says, “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint.” This parable dealt with a widow who went to see a judge about getting help with a problem she was facing. Her adversary was making her life miserable. We are not told what she was dealing with, but whatever it was necessitated her going to the court of law to get help. The indication is that this judge was not very sympathetic at first; he really was not at all concerned about the problem or doing much to help with the need. This woman, however, was not about to quit asking. I get the impression that every day, when this judge showed up at his place of business, this woman was the first one in line asking for his help. She was obviously not going anywhere until she got what she was after.

Finally, the judge realized that he might as well do what she asked or he was not going to get any rest. He dealt with her problem and the application is clear in verses 6-8, “And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”

The central truth of this parable is that God will help His people, and He does it in direct response to their willingness to pray. God may not answer your prayer immediately. Sometimes it may be a long time in praying. You must keep coming to Him. But mark it down; if the need is legitimate and your heart is burdened, God is at work as you pray. Sooner or later, God will answer that prayer so that you know it is He who has done it.

Pastor, Have You Heard About Lamar Whittemore

In late September, of 2006, myself and two other men were holding a tent revival in Williston, North Dakota. During the meeting, I brought up the fact that Watertown, South Dakota needed a solid Independent Baptist Church. We began to pray and make plans to hold a series of meetings later on the next year. Lamar Whittemore's name was brought up in the conversation as I recall. (I still am uncovering the details of how God has put this together, but God does work in mysterious ways, doesn't He?) The meeting was held as scheduled. Lamar preached in the meeting and later was able to move up to Watertown! TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Bio:

Brother Lamar, and his wife Chastity are a tremendous blessing to be around. Lamar is the pastor of Harvest Baptist Church in Watertown, SD. They are sent from Eastside Baptist Church of Greeneville, TN and are serving with Anchor Baptist Missions International.

In His Own Words...

"My name is Lamar Whittemore, and my wife is Chastity. I was reared under some of the greatest and godliest parents anyone could ever have. The Lord saved me at the age of six, and answered the call to preach at the age of fourteen. My wife was reared by a godly Mom, and sat under some great preaching as a member of Roanoke Baptist Church in Liberty, South Carolina. She was saved at the age of fourteen. God brought us together, and we were married in July of 1995. I was privileged to work on the mission field between high school and college. I attended college at Tabernacle Baptist College in Greenville, South Carolina; and graduated from there in 1996. After college I was the youth director at Tabernacle and worked on the radio.

'Twas the Night Before...

'Twas The Night Before Jesus Came
Written by Dianne Frances Donenfeld

'Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house
Not a creature was praying, not one in the house.
Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care,
In hopes that Jesus would not come there.

The children were dressing to crawl into bed,
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.
And Mom in her rocker with baby on her lap,
Was watching "The Late Show" while I took a nap.

When out of the East there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!

When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.
With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray,
I knew in a moment that this must be The Day.

The light of His face made me cover my head;
It was Jesus! Returning just like he said.
And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth,
I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.

In the Book of Life which He held in His hand
Was written the name of every saved man.
He spoke not a word as He searched for my name,
When He said "It's not here" my head hung in shame.

The people whose names had been written with love
He gathered to take to His Father above.
With those who were ready He rose without a sound
While all the rest were left standing around.

I fell to my knees, but it was too late;
I had waited too long and thus sealed my fate.
I stood and cried as they rose out of sight;
Oh, if only I had been ready tonight.

In the words of this poem the meaning is clear;
The coming of Jesus is drawing near.
There's only one life and when comes the last call,
We'll find that the Bible was true after all!

Found online at http://afterdeathwhat.com/forum/index.php/topic,280.0.html

Faith of The Heart

Ephesians 6:10-24 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. (11) Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (12) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (13) Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (14) Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (15) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (18) Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (19) And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, (20) For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (21) But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things: (22) Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts. (23) Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (24) Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen..

INTRODUCTION: Our faith is constantly being challenged. Just listen to the news, local and mostly the national news. They don’t want to acknowledge Christmas. One network refused to play a paid commercial to thank our troops for what they are doing and wishing them a Merry Christmas. (They finally backed down and played it; reluctantly.)

When you watch the Discovery Channel, the History channel, everything started before God. All their shows are pointed at showing God does not exist and the world exists by man. Listen to Alus Gorus the receiver of a “Nobel PEACE Prize” for touting how man is mis-managing the environment, and how close we are to destroying the earth. All of this is designed, yes designed, (Ed. note: see many more sermons in the sermons area of IFBKJV)

Witnessing to Unsaved Family Members

The holidays are a perfect time to bring up salvation to extended family.  Loved ones are near, conversation is generally encouraged, they can't hang up on you, and everyone is in a relatively good mood.  The problem is... how are you supposed to bring it up this time?  Perhaps this is the first time some of us will attempt to reach out to lost family members, but most of us do this every year and need all the creative ideas we can get!

Here are links to some of my favorite personal evangelism methods:

Living Waters

Summary: This method stresses the sinner's responsibility for their actions by using the Ten Commandments to show how they have personally fallen short of the glory of God.  Using this method not only reveals what makes us sinners, but explains the practicality of Hell.  Only after the sinner comes to grips with his total hopelessness will he see his need of a Savior.

Most Effective On: Anyone; this method transcends all religious and cultural backgrounds simply because you will be quickening their God-given conscience -- something everyone has.

Get Equipped Now: Click on the link above.  On the right side of the page, about halfway down (you will have to scroll down), you will see two audio buttons labeled "Hell's Best Kept Secret" and "True and False Conversion."  Both of these free audios have great tips on how to deal with the unsaved.

Answers in Genesis

Summary: This site is bursting at the seams with help for anyone interested in defending the Creation account and the first eleven chapters of Genesis.  Evolutionists everywhere are giving their lives to disprove the first few chapters of the Bible, but the answers to their challenging questions are just a click away.

Most Effective On: Humanists, evolutionists, atheists, agnostics, and family members who are just plain confused.

Get Equipped Now: Click here to receive a free digital copy of the Answers magazine.  Also, you can find numerous articles, access to the free e-newsletter, devotions, and lists of scientists who believed in Creation by placing your cursor over "Get Answers" (found near the top of the page, between the buttons "Home" and "Store").

Santa vs. Jesus

Santa rides in a sleigh. JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.

Santa comes but once a year. JESUS is an ever-present help.

Santa fills your stockings with goodies. JESUS supplies all your needs.

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited.

JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters your heart upon invitation.

You have to stand in line to see Santa. JESUS is as close as the mention of His name. Santa lets you sit on his lap. JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

Santa doesn't know your name. All he can say is "Hi, little boy or girl, what's your name?" JESUS knew our names before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He knows how many hairs are on our heads.

JESUS has a heart full of love. JESUS offers health, help and hope. Santa says "You better not cry". JESUS says "Cast all your cares" on me for I care for you.

Santa's little helpers make toys. JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.

Santa may make you chuckle, but JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

While Santa puts gifts under your tree, JESUS became our gift and died on the tree. Then rose again, giving eternal life and victory over death to all who believe on Him.

It's obvious there is really no comparison.

We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about. We need to put CHRIST back in CHRISTmas. Jesus is still "the reason for the season". Without Him, there would not be a Christmas.

May the Lord Bless and watch over you and your loved ones this CHRISTmas. And may He prosper and bless the work of your hands in the New Year.

Merry CHRISTmas!

FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOURS.

(received via email, author unknown)

From Swaddling Clothes To Grave Clothes

Luke 2:12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

                                                     

Today, when we consider swaddling clothes, we often think of something similar to a baby blanket. But what does the word "swaddling" mean? Consider the definition given in Webster's 1828 dictionary - SWAD'DLE - to bind, as with a bandage; to bind tight with clothes; used generally of infants; as, to swaddle a child. The question I now ask you is this: What was so prophetic then about the swaddling clothes?

                                       

These types of clothes were often used in bandaging the wounded and wrapping the dead.  So, Jesus left heaven and when he took on the flesh of man, was immediately wrapped in these bandages. And what was the last thing He had on before He rose from the grave – bandages.

                                                     

 Luke 24:12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass

So, when Mary and Joseph bound baby Jesus tightly in the swaddling clothes, it was God’s way of pointing to the future and showing that He was coming the first time as the Suffering Saviour, the Ultimate and Final Sacrifice for Sins. It shows that He was sentenced to die for man ever before He was born.  Remember – He had no bandages on before He came, nor after He left because the Sacrifice was complete!

                            

He was given swaddling clothes…grave clothes…a death sentence…to start His earthly ministry – but He left death at the grave because He was the Ultimate conqueror of death, hell, and the grave! Those grave clothes represent our sin – and they were left dead in the grave - Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

So, when you see a manger scene this Christmas season, remember that God Incarnate was born with a death sentence, as exhibited by the swaddling clothes that wrapped His body tight.

Announcement

Just a quick note to all the IFB KJV contributors (thank you!), the time stamp has been updated to Central Time. I hope this doesn't affect anyone negatively concerning scheduled (previously typed ready to post) posts, but I can't see how it would. Just FYI.

If you are an Independent Baptist with a blog and would like to post entries on this site, please drop a line to water05201@hotmail.com.

Just a Little Bit More.....

Ever since we bought a four-inch thick memory foam mattress topper for our bed a couple of years ago, I've had trouble with the top sheet staying tucked in at the bottom. It was just too short! That's all you could say! And it drove me crazy! I can't stand to have the sheet come un-tucked at the bottom and my feet get cold!

So the other day I came up with a plan! I decided that I would sew a twelve-inch strip of cloth on the bottom of the top sheet and use that part to tuck under the mattress. The sheets are a brown stripe and I had some brown material that didn't look too bad with it....after all, I figured it would not show anyway! I opened up my trusty sewing machine and sewed and stitched and hemmed until I had the extension completed.

I could hardly wait to put it on the bed and see how it would work! It looked good! Lots of sheet to pull up around my ears and it still be tucked in around my feet! But the real test would be a night's sleep under it!

It worked! It worked so well that I fixed another set of sheets the same way! Amazing what a huge difference just "a little bit more" material made in being able to get a good night's sleep! Ahhhhhh!

And you know it's like that with a lot of things. Some things just don't "feel" right to us. Maybe it's a recipe that doesn't taste quite right and needs just "a little bit more" of some ingredient. Or perhaps you need just "a little bit more" practice to get that solo down perfect. A sick child who seems fussy may need just "a little bit more" of your loving attention today. If you're trying to mend a broken relationship it could be trying "a little bit more" might make the difference. And does it seem that we've become slightly estranged from God during the hustle and bustle of this Christmas season when we really should be drawing nearer than ever to Him? Maybe "a little bit more" prayer and Bible reading can remedy that!

It only takes "a little bit more" sometimes to make a LOT of difference in things! I may not be able to go to a foreign mission field to work for God but I can give a hungry person something to eat. I can give a thirsty person a bottle of water. I can give clothes to someone who has lost everything in some disaster. I can visit someone in the hospital. And if I do these things because I love God, it's like I've done it FOR God Himself! Wow! "A little bit" can go a long way!

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25: 37-40)

I want to be found doing just "a little bit more" this Christmas season!

Merry Christmas!

Marilyn

Mom Wanted! Signed, Your Children.

I have prayed about this topic for over a year and the burden in my heart is continually increased.  Yet, I feel that it is an idea that can be misconstrued if not read in the proper context. 

I want to say what this article is not.  It is not meant to degrade any ladies in any way.  It is not meant to intrude into the liberty of a husband and wife to determine how many children that they can properly raise for the Lord.  It is not meant to burden women with guilt for past sins that are under the blood of Christ.

What this article is is a call for women to come home again; not just in body, but in heart.

I hope to get past the smoke to see clearly the fiery darts of Satan that he shoots at his enemy: the mother and child. 

Gen 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Latest Quips and Quotes

"The Bible is either absolute, or it's obsolete." - Leonard Ravenhill

"Faith will take you where you've never been before." - Lester Roloff

"Pray often; for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan." - John Bunyan

"Trouble is usually produced by those who are not producing anything else." - Hudson Taylor

"To train a boy in the way he should go you must go that way yourself." - Billy Sunday

“I have seen many men work without praying, though I have never seen any good come out of it; but I have never seen a man pray without working.” - Hudson Taylor

"Where one man reads the Bible, a hundred read you and me." - D.L. Moody

"We have twenty-five cents - and all the promises of God!" - Hudson Taylor

"I would rather sail and hit a rock than sit and rot in dry dock." - Lester Roloff

"The Bible will always be full of things you cannot understand, as long as you will not live according to those you can understand." - Billy Sunday

"God judges what we give by what we keep." - George Muller

"There are no disappointments to those whose wills are buried in the will of God" - F.W. Baber

God gives and forgives, man gets and forgets!

"Your talk talks and your walk walks but your walk talks louder than your talk walks." - Kenny Chapman

We are not over-loaded; we are under-burdened. http://baptistquips.blogspot.com/

Pastor, Have You Heard About Missionary Jim Roberts

It is with great pleasure that we introduce a great missionary couple to you... The Roberts Family! Jim and Autumn Roberts are going to Scotland to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Currently, they are involved in their pre-field work, of deputation, raising monthly prayer and financial support. This family has been sent out by Mile Creek Baptist Church of Six Mile, South Carolina and are serving with Macedonia World Baptist Missions of Braselton, Georgia.

Current Status On Deputation...

A Personal Note:

"We are excited that God would count us worthy to serve Him. We have just recently heard of 6 new supporters and we thank God for these new partners. We have been in a total of 70 meetings since we began deputation in July. We are currently at around 20% of our support and looking forward to see what God has in store. Please continue to pray for us as we also have 15 meetings this November."

Experience and Training...

Education

I Graduated from Tabernacle Baptist Bible College in Greenville, SC in May of 2010 with a Theological degree.

Experience

I have been blessed to have many opportunities to serve the Lord since Salvation and the call to the Mission field.

Preaching

While in Bible College I preached in a boys home and rest home every Sunday. I also preached in a local Jail once a month. These opportunities taught me to study the Word of God and gave me a great chance to see God transform lives through salvation.

Training

I was privileged to work with a missionary in Maine for 2 and a half years while in the Navy where I received valuable on the field training in cultural differences and how to start a church. The lessons learned here have helped me greatly see the does and don’ts of missionary service.

Teaching

I also was the youth choir director and assistant Teen class teacher and am currently working with young men for further service for Christ in life on life discipleship.


Statistics About Scotland...

• Population- 5,168,000

Glasgow – 581,320

Edinburgh – 454,280

Aberdeen – 183,030

Dundee – 142,070

Inverness – 72,745

Stirling – 33,710

• Religions

Church of Scotland – 42 %

No Religion- 27.5 %

Roman Catholic – 15.9 %

Only 5 % of the population attend any church on any given Sunday.

My thoughts on the King James Bible.

I don’t claim to be a scholar when it comes to the Word of God – but I believe every Word of it. I can’t speak Greek or Hebrew or Aramaic (or any other foreign language for that matter), but I can speak English. I can’t read any language except for English. I’ve never taken any classes or sat through any discipleship courses about the Bible – so I guess technically I am unqualified and ignorant in the scholastic sense of this topic.

I’ve never studied the original texts. I’ve never seen the ancient scrolls. But I’ve read history. I’ve talked to hundreds of people. I’ve heard countless sermons. I’ve prayed many earnest prayers. I’ve asked many, many questions – and I’ve received many, many answers supporting both sides of the issue.

I’ve read about Christian martyrs – both in history and in our present day – people who gave their lives defending and hiding the Bible so that we could have it today. In essence, God used the willing and acceptable sacrifice of their lives to preserve His Word down through the ages.

Who am I to place the King James above the original texts – the inspired, perfect Word of God? Without those texts, we would not have the Bible in the English language at all. God breathed the original Scriptures to men who did not speak English – in fact, they spoke several other languages. One cannot honestly place the King James above the original texts – whether we can find them or not.

Do I condemn or look down on people who use other translations of the Bible? No. It is their choice what they read, study, and meditate on. I prefer a Bible that is complete in doctrine. Do I believe that people can be saved if they use other translations than the KJV? Of course; to say otherwise would be very foolish. Salvation is a faith and grace thing (free gift); not a read and do thing (works-based).

Let me take this opportunity to admit that I have struggled with my position on the Word of God. I have wondered if perhaps I am mistaken for believing that one English translation of God’s Word is superior to all the rest. “Surely, the translators had good intentions…”

But good intentions aren’t enough.

I didn’t understand how one group of people could get it “so right” and another group of people get it “so wrong.” I didn’t understand why one set of translators understood it to mean one thing, while another group got something similar, yet so different out of the same job. I didn’t understand how people could take the ancient texts and derive the NIV, NASB, ESB, the Message, NKJV, the Living Bible, the NLT, and a host of others from it. All containing a similar message, but making seemingly slight changes resulting in changed doctrine. I began to question which one got it right…

That’s when I realized that I was going about this the completely wrong way. I’m not going to understand it all. I’m not going to be able to “reason” it into my mind. It’s a faith issue. By faith, I accept and believe the Bible is God’s inspired, holy, perfect, and preserved Word.

I believe the King James Bible is the preserved Word of God for the English-speaking people. Not for the Spanish; not for the Swedish; not for the Jews… but for the English. I believe my God is big enough to do that for His people. Again, I’m not at all fluent in any language other than English, but even I know that things cannot be translated word-for-word from English to another language. There are going to be differences.

Based on my above statement, many people will label me as one of two things: closed-minded or open-minded. I’ll leave that for you to decide. I’m still figuring it out for myself. So be gentle, I’m still learning… and I have a long way to go.

I’m not brain-washed. I’m not compromising my stand by any means. But I want to know more. I want to be able to give an answer for myself, instead of going about it in the “he said, she said” way. That’s why I continuously study this topic; that’s why I’ll keep reading and learning – because I want to dig deeper and know more than I already do. I know I’ve overlooked several points in this post about the matter – it was intentional. This article was not meant to be an exclusive commentary on the Word of God. This is just scratching the surface – my personal and preliminary thoughts and wonders on the matter.

If you have any articles, books, or links that you could share – feel free to do so over at Grow UP! under the home post. The same goes for any questions or thoughts you wish to share.

God Bless,
Heather Joy
www.growup318.com

Christmas - The Three Gifts

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Christmas is all about, or at least it should be, Jesus Christ. Things that are said over and over again are often times considered cliché, but much of the time they are deepest truths: “Jesus is the reason for the season”.

Yes, there’s plenty of controversy amongst Christians about whether or not we should celebrate Christmas, and both sides have valid arguments. In this essay, I’d like us to sit back and just get the focus off of the holiday and onto Him. The baby Jesus received three gifts, and they clearly represented who He was, and what He came here for.

Matthew 2:11, “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”

The first present Jesus received was gold. This represents several things, from His deity to His kingship. In Isaiah 9:6 the Bible says, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

The child born is the human side; the Son given is the divine part. Jesus came to rule. This is what it means when it says that the government shall be upon His shoulder. Regardless of your theology or eschatology, Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We need to let Him rule in our hearts today, but one day, whether you believe it's in the Millennium or the New Heavens and New Earth, Jesus Christ will rule this Earth and everything will be set right. There will be no such thing as world hunger, crime, disease, hurt, pain, death, sorrow, betrayal, grief…  for the last enemy that shall be defeated is death.

Secondly, Jesus received frankincense. This is a gum or tree resin that is used

Defending the Old Black Book

Brothers and Sisters,

Many IFB's over the years have spoken highly of Dr. Solomon Aordkian's book written in defense of the KJB, but lamented it was no longer available in print. One brother wrote Dr. Aordkian and got permission to type the entire book and put it on his website, but never got around to doing it as far as I know. Dr. Aordkian now has his own site and makes available his book
"Honoring the King James Bible" as a free PDF download.

He also has an introduction to the Bible version issue and a page on Scripture memorization.

I am very excited to bring you this news! Have a wonderful CHRISTmas!
Dr. Beth

Why We Have Lost The Joy of Christmas

Luke 2:10  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

WHY WE HAVE LOST THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS

1. Money Has Taken Over The Holiday
2. Myths Have Taken Over The Holiday - Christmas should be about:
1. Christ, and not a Character
2. Calvary's Tree, and not a Christmas Tree
3. Christ's Empty Grave, not a Christian's Earthly Gifts.
3. Men Have Taken Over The Holiday
1. They have changed it - new name, music, etc.
2. They have conformed it - worldliness
3. They have criticized it - argue the date of birth, claim pagan origins, etc.

Multiply the Impossible

Luke 1:36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

Most of my readers are familiar with the first couple of chapters of the Gospel According to Luke in relation to Christmas. As I was re-reading these chapters for upcoming messages this Christmas season, something new stood out to me this time. Now, we all realize there is nothing new in Bible; but as we like to say when we buy a used car, "It may not be new, but its new to me!"

Something that I never considered before was the timing of what Gabriel tells Mary about her cousin Elisabeth. I began to imagine what was going through Elisabeth's mind the past six months, and what is now going through Mary's mind as she contemplates all that Gabriel tells her. It must be reassuring for each of them to know that they are not the only one in this boat of impossibility. 

I began to think how sometimes when we see God bless us and do something impossible in not only us, but others around us, our attitude begins to change. If we are not the only one who God is blessing at this time, then we silently get upset. This reveals the true nature of our heart - we are selfish and prideful. Our desire should be to have God bless us in a way that will give Him, and not us, the glory - and that His blessings of making possible the impossible will be poured out on others. 

Our prayer should be that God will multiply the impossible in our life and the lives of those around us this Christmas season.

J-E-S-U-S

The ONE Reason for the Season!

J - Just ONE (Luke 1:35)
E - Eternal ONE (John 3:1-3)
S - Saving ONE (Matthew 1:21)
U - Understanding ONE (1 Peter 5:7)
S - Soon Returning ONE (Titus 2:13)

- Clay Pawley

Don't Lock Yourself Back Up

Gal 4:8  Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. 

Gal 4:9  But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

Gal 5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 

Remember playing cops and robbers?  I always liked being the bad guy -- maybe I'm just weird, but I thought they always had it made.  You got to run and hide, escape traps, and finally let the cops get you... on purpose, of course.  There was something exhilarating about letting someone tie your hands behind your back.    

It is one thing to play around with handcuffs, but putting yourself back under the bondage of sin is an entirely different matter.  It is so easy to fall into a besetting sin, enjoy it for a moment, regret it, and get back out again, only to slip right back into it.  So the cycle goes... you know (fill in the blank) is just as wicked as can be, yet you find yourself entangled in it time and time again.

In verse 8 Paul explains that a lost person can be expected to act in a sinful manner because they are still a slave to sin.  However, verse 9 goes on to say that it is absolutely ludicrous for a child of God to put themselves under sin's bondage.

Remember how miserable it was to be Satan's servant?  He made sin look so good, but it brought you more heartache, guilt, and pain than you ever bargained for.  Not only did you sin, but you had no choice.  Each transgression was a chain, weighing heavier and heavier as Satan piled them upon you.  But then you got saved.  Your burden was lifted and no longer did Satan have control of you.  You live and breathe in freedom, without a single obligation to your former master.  After a while, sin started looking good again.  Sure, you are saved, but that gives you a license to do whatever you want, right?  Before long, you find yourself falling into the same old stuff over and over.  You might be saved, but sin has once again locked you into its grip.

"How turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?" (verse 9)  It seems ridiculous, but it's exactly what we do!  Why would we ever desire the chains that once held us fast?   How could we look at sin and think, "I want that instead of freedom!  It looks so much better than being free!"  Why?!?! 

Through Christ you are able to have victory.  Don't lock yourself back up into the mess from which you were delivered.  You don't have to be tangled up in bondage anymore!  Accepting spiritual defeat as a way of life is just as silly as grabbing the chains in the picture above and wrapping them around you.  Instead, decide that whatever your personal vice is, you will let the Lord change your heart and help you overcome it.

Another great thing about your freedom in Christ is you don't have to lift a finger for it.  "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free" (verse 1).  He's already gained the victory; all you have to do is ask Him for it.  In fact, trying to fight your own sinfulness in your own strength will end in utter failure.  The Lord is your strength and your shield -- live in the liberty you already have in Him!

What Christmas Is All About

Making the Busiest Time of Year the Best!

Making the Busiest Time of Year the Best!
By Cary Schmidt (published by permission)

No doubt, this is the best time of the year! And in many ways, it’s also the busiest. There’s a simple, effective way to make the Christmas season balanced and Christ-honoring. On this first day of December I challenge you to do the following exercise. It will spare you a lot of frustration in the next four weeks.

1. Start with the December Calendar—get the month of December, and place everything you have scheduled onto that calendar. Though I use a computer calendar, I find that printing it out helps for this process. The key is, it must be complete. Everything you have scheduled needs to be visible in one place—every church service, every soulwinning time, every appointment, every fellowship, every basketball game, every commitment, etc. You might consider color coding it—family, church, work, etc.

2. Set an Appointment with Your Spouse—find at least an hour over lunch or go to a quiet place where you can study the month together and discuss the commitments. This appointment is critical. A lot of times, we have frustration in our relationships regarding schedules because of a lack of communication. When our expectations differ, we are on a collision course. When we can talk about our schedule ahead of time and decide together what is best, things go better because we share the same expectations. This solves a lot of problems before they happen.

3. Together, Make a List of Things You Want/Need to Do This Month—creatively make a list of the things you want to do to make December special and memorable. For us this is usually things like decorate the tree, make some sugar cookies, play some games on family nights, have a couple of nice dinners out, take family photos, do some Christmas shopping, maybe visit a Christmas place (lights, etc.). Decide when and how you will make Christmas memorable for your family.

4. Together, Make a List of People You Desire to Minister To—the Lord will lead you to minister to people this season. It might be a neighbor, a friend, a coworker, a Sunday school class, or some other family or group in your church. Determine how you will minister to them—whether it is inviting them to church, hosting them at your home, baking some treats, hosting a fellowship, or doing some other act of kindness.

Waiting For The Snow

Psalm 130:6  My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. 

This morning our girls woke up and their excitement bubbled over as they peered out of our large front window in the living room. Why, you ask? BECAUSE IT'S SNOWING!!! Darci and I are not so excited. What is the difference? I believe one of the differences is in what you are anticipating.

My daughters are looking forward to playing in the snow, building snowmen, and tobogganing down the large hills (BTW, to my southernly-challenged friends, a toboggan is NOT the warm hat you wear during the winter. The picture above explains what a toboggan is.). 

On the other hand, when the wife and I see snow, we see harsh driving conditions, high gas bills to keep our home warm, and hours and hours of shoveling and de-icing. 

You see, the difference is in the anticipation. As we begin the season that is set aside to celebrate the first coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ, are we waiting with anticipation for his Second Coming? Is our heart full of love and anticipation for that glad reunion day? That day should be looked toward with joy and anticipation, and not dread fear.

When you begin to think about all those things you are anticipating this Christmas season, is the Lord's return one of them?