Breathe

Here is a song that I found on my laptop tonight that was recorded at Borderland years ago.  Fond memories.

http://www.dwaynespearman.org/Recordings/Music/Breath.mp3

Picture Says It All

Seeking a Solution, not Separation

I believe that it's time for Bible-believing Presbyterians to abandon this sinking ship.

Seeking a solution, not separation (OneNewsNow.com)

The Beginning of the End

"When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them; and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work, because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation."

Who Would You Invite?

1 Kings 1:9-10 says "Adonijah then sacrificed sheep, cattle and fattened calves at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah who were royal officials,  (10)  but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the special guard or his brother Solomon."

It was obvious what Adonijah was up to; not by who he invited, but by who he did not invite.  He only invited those whom he knew would tell him what he wanted to hear.  He conveniently left Nathan the prophet, the special guard and his brother Solomon off the guest list.

We need to be very careful that we do not do the same thing by surrounding ourselves with people who we know will always tell us what we "want" to hear and not necessarily what we "need" to hear.

Fan the Flame

Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:6-7 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  (7)  For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

The important thing about this passage to me is what Paul is telling and not telling young Timothy.  He was not telling him that he needed to go back to school to get another degree, study harder, work harder, etc...  Instead, he is telling Timothy to stir up what is already in him as a "gift" from God.  In other words, he is telling him to start where he was and to use what he had!  That's good counsel any day of the week!

I Will Rejoice

Our text this morning was from 1 Peter 1 which spoke of the trials that we are each destined to go through as God refines us into the people that He desires for us to be.  I also read this in my time with the Lord this morning that I would like to share.

Habakkuk said in Hab. 3:17-18 when he was contemplating the fact that God was indeed going to use the Babylonians to bring judgment on his own nation.  Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls,  (18)  Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. (NASB)

Show Me!

Jesus said in Matthew 17:20 "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

The world says, "Show me and I'll believe you!"  God says, "Believe me and I'll show you."  Apparently God is not from the "Show Me State" of Missouri!

Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi says that he was once approached by an atheist with the request to organize and promote an anti-God society.  To which Gandhi replied, "It amazes me to find an intelligent person who fights so strongly against something which he does not believe exists."

Abiding

Jesus said John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

The word "abide" is a verb which means "to stay".  Matthew Henry once said, "True Christians find by experience, that any interruption in the exercise of their faith, causes holy affections to decline, their corruptions to revive, and their comforts to droop."  So, let's not be droopy!