A Fowl Experience

 

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.  Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (I Peter 5:8)

Hey Gang:  As you all know from previous morning messages, I spent the first six year of my life way back in the Pennsylvania mountains.  It was said we lived so far back in the sticks even the hoot owls carried knapsacks.  I must admit I do not recall much from those days but I do remember an incident that scared the living hebegebies out of me.  Anyone out there know how to spell hebegebies?

Thanksgiving was just around the corner and dad had left the old Tom turkey out of the pen to roam and pick up a few extra pounds for the dinner table.   Well, Tom Turkey did not like me and tended to nip at me when our paths crossed.  And then one day he decided the nipping time was over and it was time to move to the all out attack mode. 

Fortunately dad came around the corner about the same time that Tom hit me and I hit the ground. Dad picked up a pick- handle and abruptly separated Tom’s head from his body.  I must admit I have had a deep respect for Tom turkeys ever since.

Now how in the world does a Tom turkey attack fit into the morning message mode?  I am not sure I would compare a Tom Turkey to Satan, but in this case their modus operandi were similar.  He is always on the prowl, seeking those who do not have their armor in place, so that he can "devour".  Satan is a chronic picker, continually firing darts into those areas of our lives when we tend to put our guard down. 

And then one day he turns all of his minions loose and fires his best shot.  I do not find Scriptures that tell me God used a pick-handle to drive Satan from us, but I have found many Scriptures that tell us that God will never forsake us or allow us to be tempted beyond that which we can endure.

Peter went on and gave us the good news: "Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.  After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you" (vs. 8-9).  

Soooo, my young buckaroos, there is probably not much chance you will be attacked by a Tom turkey today, and, be advised, pick-handles do not work on the evil ones.  James 4:7-8 is our pick-handle "Submit therefore to God, Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you". 

Oh, incidentally, I still do not like turkey!

Blessings,  Gramps

Ammunition For The Soul

 Friday, November 28, 2014

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).  

 Hey Gang:  Paul wrote: There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing us truth, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way” (2 Timothy3:16 Gramp’s rendition).  In other words, what you say isn’t very important, but what God says has eternal significance! 

 Jesus said: "See to it that no one misleads you, For many will come in My name, saying, "I am the Christ, and will mislead many" "At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another" (Matthew 24:4-5/11).

 The antidote for falling away: 

You say: “It’s impossible”.  God says: “With me all things are possible” (Luke. 18:27).  You say: “I’m exhausted.” He says: “Wait on Me, I’ll renew your strength” (Isaiah . 40:31).  You say: “Nobody loves me.” He says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3).  You say: “I can’t go on.”  He says: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9).  You say: “I don’t know what to do.” He says: “I’ll direct you” (Proverbs. 3:5). 

 You say; “I can’t do it.”  He says :“You can do all things through Me” (Philippians 3:13).  You say: “It’s not worth it.” He says: “It will be – just keep going” (Galatians 6:9). You say: “I can’t forgive myself,” He says, “You can – because I have” (Ephesians 4:32).  You say:“I can’t make ends meet. “He says, “I’ll supply all your needs” (Philippians 4:19). 

 You say:“I’m afraid.”  He says: “I didn’t give you a spirit of fear, but of…power” (2 Timothy. 1:7).  You say: “I can’t handle this.” “He says:  Give it to me; I’ll carry it for you” (Psalm 55:22).  You say: “I don’t have enough faith.” He says: “I’ll give your faith” (Romans. 12:3)

 You say: “I’m not smart enough.”  He says: “I’ll give you wisdom” (I Corinthians. 1:30).  You say: “I’m all alone.”  He says: “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

 Soooo, my friends, God honors our choices! He does not tamper with your free will.  There is an adage that I have pinned on the inside of my dome of intellect that says, “My values determine my choices which in turn determines my destiny.  You will make choices today – Who will sit on the throne of your life today?

 Blessings, Gramps

 

Steadfast and Confident to the End

Monday, November 10, 2014

                                       

Korea 1955

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

“Christ…a son over his own house; whose house we are, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.  Therefore, just as the Holy Ghost says, today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me” (Hebrews 3:6-8).

“Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil heart that falls away from the living God, But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.   For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end” (Hebrews. 6:12-14). 

Hey Gang:  Recently, we were privileged to share with our Sunday School Class, what the Word says that the world will look like, as we near the culmination of the age.   We have been privileged to share this message before and, listen up folks, The signs of the time are everywhere!  All over the world, people’s hearts are failing with fear as they watch the terrifying things coming upon the earth.

 Yet, in the midst of all this anxiety and fear, we who trust in the Lord have the assurance of His word telling us, “Be steadfast and confident to the end.”   As children of God, we are instructed that, when it appears the sky is falling and mounting fear is all around us, we have an obligation to show even greater confidence in our Lord to those who have no hope.  When there is gloom and despair, we are challenged to increase our gladness and rejoicing!

 Is this not the nature of our heavenly Father?  He has made provision for his people to hold fast and retain their joy in the severest of troubled times.  Yet there is a condition attached to this provision.  Notice the “IF’.    I love the little trigger words of the Bible, for many times they are followed by life challenging and changing truths.

 “For we have become partakers of Christ, ‘IF’ we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end. …(Hebrews. 3:14)?  “but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house - whose house we are, ‘IF’ we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our  hope firm until the end” (vs. 6). Why are we given this cautionary word?  It is because there are powerful forces at work today against every believer who would hold fast to his confident faith.

  Soooo, my friends, as I read the Word of God and see what is happening around me, I am increasingly convinced that I am to make sure to keep my armor in place, my lantern filled with oil, remain alert to those around me who need a shirt tail to hang onto, and place my hands in the hands of the One who stills the waters.  It is so very important that we know that for many, we will be the only 'Bible' they see or believe.  

 Blessings,  Gramps

Steadfast and Confident to the End

Wednesday, November 12, 2014 How does it look November 3,2024?

 

“Let no one in any way deceive you, for it(return of Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exults himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God” (2 Thessalonians 3:2-3).

Hey Gang:  I recently heard Mike Hucklebee make a very frightening, but I believe, true statement   He said that he has never seen so many churches that have the white flag of surrender flying from their mastheads.  I believe we could all agree there is an all-out attack on Christ and his Word.  

 Backslidden theologians are redefining Jesus, attacking his divinity, heaping ridicule on the Bible, raising doubts about the authenticity of Scripture and compromising with the world culture.

 The present generation also faces vile, raging temptations that were unknown to past generations.  Godly men and women, who at one time were watchful, are now becoming drawn into all kinds of addictions.  They have been assaulted and overcome, as Satan unleashes his evil principalities in a war against the steadfast faith of every follower of Jesus.

 The writer of Hebrews warned of this very day when he wrote, “Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the day of temptation in the wilderness” (Hebrews 3:10).

 All around us in the world today, there is terrorism, senseless violence, mounting financial crises and panic.  The effect upon the church has been one of great apostasy among once steadfast believers.  Satan’s powers of darkness have been sent expressly to wage battles that will wear down the confidence of God’s saints.

 And I do not believe we have seen the worst he has to offer. As we grow nearer to the coming of Christ, I believe this assault from hell will only increase and become so devastating, so terrifying, we are going to need ever increasing powers from Abba Father, His Word and fellowship of believers to sustain us.   

 Now is a time to pray Paul's prayer with fervor: “ I pray that out of His glorious       riches     He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts with faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high  and deep is the Love of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:16-17NIV).

 Sooo, Is it not awesome to know that "He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.  To whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:13-14)!  We need to remember- when the rubber-hit-the-road, "The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intention of the heart" (Hebrews. 4:12). 

 Blessings,                                                                                                                                               Gramps