Christmas time with the emphasis on Christ

Here we are at the time of year every one wants to celebrate. Yet very few want to acknowledge the true reason for the Holiday!
We run here and there buying gifts to make ourselves look good in the eyes of every one else. We try to out do our last years shopping and giving. We don't even stop to give thanks.
This year we almost skipped over thanksgiving just to get those gifts we will not remember getting in 6 months. While getting the closet ready to hide some gifts we had purchased I saw some gifts we received years ago still tucked on the top shelf. It is if we have become so engulfed in the season we forgot the reason. We buy bigger and better don't let them that give to us, buy better than we bought for them. I see people spend more then they make going ever deeper into debt to buy something bigger and better. Do you notice a pattern.
We received the best gift ever given in the form of a savior. God gave us his son CHRIST! No matter how hard you try you can never out give this gift.
I don't know the exact date Christ was born but we as Christians have allowed the world to enter in and take the Holly day we have chosen to celibrate his birth. We sit back and allow the world to take and to take. What is next? At this rate we might as well hand them our Bibles to them and let them have there way. The word of God has stood from the beginning and will stand when this world is on fire. Give up if you choose I will stand on the word of God! So from me to you Merry CHRISTmas!!

How do we do the will of God?

As we all try to figure out what it is God wants for us why do we hide from it? God wants us to be happy, yet all we do is make ourselves miserable. After trying to figure out how to tell the Church I pastor that I will be leaving I found simplicity was the best approach.Yet I made it hard on myself. I thank God for the time he gave me there. I found a loving bunch of Christians that truly know what God's love is. It seems so rare now to find that. I praise God I did.
I have found we are what makes God's will elusive not God. We run from it we hide from it we even ignore it. However we end up doing it anyway. Why do we put ourselves through such much pain? I believe we all need therapy. God's will, God's will, sounds like something we should be afraid of or at least humbled by. Yet God wants us to be in it. Why would he make it so difficult to follow. He didn't man did.
As with Adam's sin we lost that personal touch God originally planed for man. As with the Jews trying to make the law fit there needs, Romans trying to do away with it and even our government trying to hide it we must realize that Jesus died for the very reason to restore it to man.
God wants us to do well, yet we make it hard. let us on this Independence day begin to be less independent and be more dependant on God. After all he designed it that way.
God bless the USA our troops and there families but most of all all of us.

Another month gone

Boy it's been a month I can't believe it. I have come to a conclusion while checking my e-mail. You know you are getting old when you receive e-mail from aarp. I guess they start early! Also the e-mail junk I get is unbelievable. I wounder what we ever did with out e-mail. Those who know me know me and technology are very close. Growing up in a home that didn't have a color TV until some one gave us one I wounder how I got so addicted.
Technology is I believe an addiction. The proof is all around me. Lets see first the cell phone most of us carry, the three laptops, desktop, three printers, cordless phone, stereo and so many more I would bore you listing them. Where does it all come from? We collect any thing we call a convenience. No where in our home is safe. Even the bathroom has electric trimmers to radios. Where did we discover that we couldn't even take a shower without some thing doing something.
Now know this I ain't saying we should get rid of technology I am just wondering how we got so tied to it. Even our cars have gotten smarter then there drivers. I know that ain't saying much but that is another blog. What I would like to see is people would like to not use all the cell phones and e-mail for a week. I don't believe they would last. I know I wouldn't make it one day. My question is can you.
Well enough of that. As a pastor of a church some strange things come my way but this one takes the cake. I have a member that is 95 and for the record that is why I can laugh at this. She said she is not going to dye because the Lord will come back before that happens. Now you can say that is faith but at the same time she is making arrangements for her funeral. Where is her faith? Also she said it couldn't be at the church to which she has been a member since the 40's because there would not be enough parking. Know we are somewhat limited in parking but not that bad.
When do we as Christians become so conceded? Well apparently its in our 90's. If it had been 30 years ago she would have been the first to correct herself. Now she is one reason the Church is not growing and don't even know it. I found out that growth is not what the church wants its financial stability. They have there priorities backwards. If they would worry about growth the rest would take care of its self.
The church this this time as a hole cant see past its own nose. They say they want growth but refuse to do anything for it. I wounder I that is what the Lord seen when he said in the word there would be a great falling away.
Possibly we need to start doing what we say we believe and quit doing what we say we can not allow.

4th of July

Wow we survived an in law gathering on a holiday! Ain't God good! I shouldn't say that God is Great!
We have had a lot of concerns lately about Christians giving in. I would Like to focus on that in this blog even though the family usually gives such good topics.
You know i believe that we have slipped and allowed the world to take control over us. If you didn't you need to read a few of my previous blogs. When we bow to this control I believe we disobey the world, After all we are to be a separate people not a conforming people. We worry to much about the numbers on the roll then the souls for the Kingdom of God.
We need to think more along the lines of what would Jesus say if we where to ask him about homo sexuality, murder, lying etc. Oh wait we don't need to its in the word! Not that watered down junk they call translation I mean the word of God as it is in the KJV! Don't like that statement? Praise God! You may find I don't care I ain't out to please you I am out to please God!
You know when you allow the world to dictate how you believe I can only tell you this. You can not serve to masters you will love one and hate the other. Be careful and know who you serve. For me and my house we serve the Lord.
We need to see where this path is taking us I'll tell you the Lake of fire. You worker of iniquity depart from me for I never new you. If you don't know where I got that Fraze let me know I'll pray for you.
If you agree great do something about it! As always we are praying for the will of God on our lives and yours!
God Bless!

Sunday is not long enough - And is to long!

Wow another Sunday here and almost gone. As a pastor I generally work all week in some way to get ready for the service. Study prayer and what ever else I may need to do to get ready. Then we get to the service to see most of the congregation is not that interested or at least look as they really did not want to be there.
If you wounder why your pastor seems to be down or not quite ecstatic about being there set up front and look back at the congregation and see what he sees. We expect to have a pastor that is on fire and ready at all times to uplift us with his wonderful ability to do so. Do we stop to think that we are the most reason that the congregation isn't having the best of services?
I was asked today how much music should a service have. I answered that it should be judged per service to let the spirit work. I don't think they expected that answer. It was the best answer because sometimes we need to kill the music and get to the sermon and sometimes we need to allow the spirit to flow.
I think most people have become clock watchers they are more interested in what is on TV or what is for dinner then what saith the Lord. We should be ashamed. We would rather gossip then talk about the Lord. Listening is no longer a gift we choose to develop we just ignore it.
I would say that all the things I've seen and heard in my life I can't say it is the worst thing but I believe it still can lead you to the lake of fire. Maybe if we where to stop and listen we may find God has more blessings for us. Remember always God does love you and wants good for you. But if you don't listen and follow where he leads you are not going in the direction he is leading. The only place he will lead you is that city he is preparing. Remember if your not following him who are you following.

Been A While

It's been a while. I haven't had much time but who's complaining right. I have to get up early tomorrow and go to the post office I've got three pick up notices in my box that's been there for a week. Bought me a blackberry off eBay. Took four hours on with tech service. Two hours with at&t and another two with blackberry just to figure it out myself. then going into the living room dropped it and broke it. I went to at&t and bought me a new blackberry. Perhaps I should have done that in the beginning.
So while I was trying to get the at&t thing going on the towers where down and 30 some people came in frantic about no cell service. One guy went completely ignorant demanding the sales people fix the service now. The manager that took care of the incident should be commended for putting up with such ignorance.
When I finally got done and was on my way home I called my wife to find out my seventeen month old had gotten stuck in a plastic rocking chair where the back meets the seat and had to have someone come over and help get her unstuck. She had to give her a bath after the incident because they oiled the poor thing up to get her out.
Oh I forgot just before I left my three year old fell and cut her chin. I had to get the band aids out and take care of that. Although I had a little better day than my wife neither of us or the girls had a very good day. But we survived AIN'T God GOOD!
Tomorrow I will be going to a Boy Scout meeting for one of our scouts Eagle scout ceremony. I get to make a speech. I went to one just after I took the pastors position, these are very impressive. It is a true honor to be a part of.
Of coarse Sunday we have normal morning services then I get to go to the mother-in-laws for a birthday party. Can you hear the excitement in my voice. At least there will be good food. Then we have to go to a sister church for the fifth Sunday sing. A busy day for sure.
Well I've probably board you enough I'll let you go back to your surfing. I pray you always realize The rock is always between you and the hot place. That is as long as you are standing on the rock. God Bless.

Sunday School Picnic

Well we survived our annual state Sunday School Picnic. If there was any complaining I didn't hear it. We had some good eating and really good fellowship. I got volunteered to cut the onions for the hot dogs. I have never cut so much onions in my life. My house and my van smell like onions. Now understand the van probably smells better lol.
We had some good singing although that opinion may be a little biased because it was my wife. The preaching I can't say I wasn't paying that close attention to what i was saying. Lol. Just joking I hope I did OK. No one complained to me. My wife sold a book and bought a quilted purse.
After we went to Lowe's and bought some lights for the new room we built on the house. Then we went to Kroger's got a few things we need. Then we picked the kids up at there granny's. Boy she would kill me if she knew I called her that.
All that I can say it has been a good day. I have to go to work tomorrow but that is a good thing! Some don't have jobs. I have a good job that pays well. I believe the Lord has led me to this place at this time for a reason. I hope I can do the job he is preparing me for.