YOUR BIBLE BOOST!

Overcoming "stinkin' thinkin'"!!

2011-11-08T09:48:00.000-08:00

OVERCOMING "STINKIN' THINKIN'

Do these names "ring a bell"? Sethur? Palti? How about Guel? Or maybe Nahbi? Don't remember them? Well, most folks don't. They are part of a group of 10 men who had an attitude that infected the children of Israel as they approached the Promised Land. These 10 men, uniting with the majority brought a curse upon these Israelites and halted their progress, "dead in their tracks". These 10 men along with 2 others were sent to spy out the land of Promise. Now, you probably remember the 2 others. Joshua and Caleb. But the ten? We don't remember them because they brought back the negative report as some would say the attitude of "stinkin' thinkin'". They brought back the disease of a "negative" report.

These 10 along with Joshua and Caleb were sent to spy out the land and to bring a report back to Moses, Aaron and the entire congregation. After returning these 10 men said, "NO WAY". There is no way that we can move in and conquer the land. Numbers 13 and 14 records the events. In Numbers 13:31 these 10 reported, "we are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we." Virtually, every adult concurred with the majority of the spies...EXCEPT, 2 men...Joshua and Caleb. These 2 said, by God's strength WE CAN DO IT...they implore the people (Nu 14:9) "only do not rebel against the Lord..." Only Joshua and Caleb of these 12 dared to trust and believe God. This disease of "negative thinking" or as the Bible calls it, "murmurring", or "grumbling" (Numbers 14:2), was the very reason this generation of Israelites perished in the wilderness instead of inheriting the land that flowed with milk and honey. (Numbers 14:26-38)

Usually great achievements by both nations and individuals are results of both perserverance and faith. It is a little known fact that there was a colony from the Old World that came to America and failed BEFORE the Pilgrims sailed and succeeded.

Long ago there were those who insisted that it was impossible for a man to break the 4 minute mile in track. We once laughed and scoffed those who spoke of putting men in space and to even send them to the moon.

Progress and success is always attributed to those who look beyond the frustration and failure and move forward regardless. It is said that Edison experimented over 2000 times before he came up with the incandescent light bulb.

Negative thinking devours the seed in winter before the warmth of spring can give it root in fertile soil. Negative thinking chains us to the past and denies us the success of future challenges. Negative thinking becomes a habit that destroys our dreams and holds us hostage to our freedoms of success which are just over the horizon.

My friends, the same is true in our "spiritual journey". The devil is a master at originating devious tricks and strategies that discourage and disappoint us. The evil one has come to divide and destroy. He dosen't want you to find success in your spiritual walk. He doesn't want you to be victorious in your spiritual journey. Obstacles, barriers, and pot holes are placed in front of us to discourage so that we will throw up our hands and quit. The Bible calls them "trials". (James 1)

The apostle Paul experienced more than his fair share of trials, frustrations, disappointments and disasters. Listen to I Corinthians 11 beginning at verse 24..."five times I received from the Jews 40 lashes minus one, 3 times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, 3 times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea" and Paul adds much more.

So, if there was a person who should have developed a negative complex, a "grumbling" vitamin it was Paul. Probably if I had been beaten, maligned, misunderstood, had my life threatened, a price put on my head, I would have opted for retirement. Not Paul. Not Joshua and Caleb. Listen to the Apostle Paul, who gives each one of us this encouragement as we journey on in our spiritual life..."I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". Hear that? Where you listening? Was I paying attention?

The Apostle Paul gives us the answer to what Zig Zigler calls "stinkin' thinkin'" in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through HIM who strengthens me" (Emphasis mine). Overcoming negative thinking, gripping, complaining, murmurring and grumbling comes with putting our trust in the King of kings and Lord of lords and receiving our strength to move forward, to carry on, from HIM.

"Don't give up. Don't give in. AND NO COMPROMISE.

I am praying for you and your families,

Leonard

Life Interrupted!

2011-03-22T09:47:00.000-07:00

Not a day goes by when our plans aren't changed by circumstances beyond our control. Natural disasters, house or car problems, unexpected illness, traffic jams, someone running a red light and ramming us, a friend or neighbor with an emergency need, unforseen time demands at work...and the list goes on and on. The question is, "can we trust that God is in those unforseen delays, diversions and distractions?"

A rarely-read single verse is in Exodus 13:17, "then it came to pass, when Pharoah had let the people go, that God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, 'lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt."

This verse tells us how God led the newly-freed Hebrew nation into the Sinai Desert instead of around the southeast "corner" of the Mediterranean Sea into the Promise Land. WHY? Well, so the Hebrews wouldn't encounter the Philistines who inhabited the region, be attacked, go to war face death and opposition AND then decide to head back to the safety of Egypt. The Hebrews, you remember, did what they were known to do quite often. They, murmurred...the grumbled and complained about the Sinai sand, the heat and the desert obstacle. Yet, they were alive. If they had met the Philistines, there, probably, would have been war and many of them slaughtered.

So, my friend, the next time your path or directioon is changed unexpectedly, TRUST GOD. Put your faith and belief in the one who not only sees tomorrow but is already there. Trust that God is in it and that the change will always work for your good. (Romans 8:28) God said it would "work for our good", He didn't say that it would be painless.

TRUST!

adapted from David Jeremiah - "Turning Points"

--

Leonard

Leonard NavarreValley View Christian Church

Led by God!

2010-12-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

It happened to Mary, Joseph, the wise men, the shepherds, Simeon and Anna. In fact, all through the first Christmas story you see and learn that all the main characters were led by God and His Holy Spirit.
Many people use various means to find the way of God. Some depend on chance. “Well, that’s where the Bible fell open, that must be God’s will”, they say. One woman I read about was uncertain about whether it was God’s will for her to take an overseas flight. The next morning when she was awakened by her alarm clock, it read 7:27. That was the kind of plane she was scheduled to take. Friends could not persuade her that it was a shallow way to receive God’s will for her life.
Proverbs 3:5-6 gives direction as to God’s will in our lives. It reads, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.” One translation says, “He will direct your paths”.
So, how does God direct our paths? There may be occasionally very dramatic and vivid ways but let us consider a few others.
First, Psalm 119:105 states that our paths are directed primarily through God’s Word. God’s Word is “a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path”. Someone once said, “to seek God’s will without being in His word is asking for error. God will never contradict His Word.” Remember, what a lamp does. It does not give light to the entire journey. It only shows us where to safely place the next step.
Secondly, God shows us and directs us by opening or closing doors. Paul in I Corinthians 16:9 wrote, “a great door for effective work has opened for me”. A.W. Tozer suggested, “if God is in it, it flows. If it’s forced, it’s of the flesh”. When opportunities present themselves we move through the open doors. When circumstances become obstacles it would be best to pray and regroup and see exactly what direction God is leading.
Thirdly, God also directs by closing doors. Remember, in Acts 16 the apostle Paul was kept from preaching in Asia because the Holy Spirit had closed those doors for evangelism. So, when we meet with closed doors, stop. Let us not force our plans or desires over God’s objections.
Fourthly, the perceptive and wise counsel of mature Christians can help us navigate through God’s will for our lives. Proverbs 15:22, “plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Godly wisdom from Christ centered mentors who are faithful in prayer helps us find that direction that we seek. The combined wisdom from Christian friends is worth more than gold.
Fifthly, God will also work through the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit. Everyone in the Christmas story was led by the Holy Spirit and MOVED when the Holy Spirit led.
Simeon: Luke 2:25 "...and the Holy Spirit was upon him."
Anna: Luke 2:36ff..."she did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer"
Mary: 1:25 ..."the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the most high will overshadow you;"
Joseph: Matt. 1:24 "when Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded"
Shepherds: Luke 2:15 "let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened"
Wise Men: Matt. 2:10 "when they saw the star that they rejoiced exceeding with great joy"
These not only were in prayer seeking God’s will but when they had the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit they acted, they moved.
God uses many ways to direct our paths, but He does lead. Someone once said, “do not ask God to guide our footsteps if we are not willing to move our feet”.
“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Jeremiah 6:16
Praying that we all will seek God’s Word and Will and be LED BY GOD!

Don't ignore the Holy Spirit!

2010-12-01T06:20:00.000-08:00

The Holy SpiritThis article is but a brief overview of the work and identity of the One that was promised to every believer by our Lord Jesus Christ in John 14:16-17, “and I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”(ESV)
The key to knowing and understanding the Holy Spirit is to be open with our minds, sensitive with our hearts and have a strong desire to seek the truth revealed within God’s Word.
Before we begin, let us pray. Dear Father God, we come before you acknowledging your greatness and your awesome power. We are asking that you give us a commitment to know the truth and a desire for your Holy Spirit to give us clarity and understanding as we seek the truth. In Jesus name, Amen.
In John 16:7 ESV Jesus said, “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”
So, as we see in Acts 1, Jesus went away, i.e. ascended into heaven. Therefore, when do we receive the Holy Spirit? In Acts 2, a great crowd had gathered in Jerusalem on day of Pentecost. Peter along with the other apostles stood up and proclaimed the first gospel message about Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The crowd were overwhelmed with emotions as to their guilt in crucifying the Lord Jesus Christ. In Acts 2:37-38, they asked, “brothers, what shall we do? Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’
This passage is very clear in the answer as to the “when do we receive the Holy Spirit?” In faith, these people in Acts 2 responded to the Word spoken by the apostles and over 3000 were baptized that very day. We may feel that we have to discuss, debate, and give greater study to the text. But, I suggest we need to simply respond, by faith, to the truth we have read and heard and welcome the promise of the Holy Spirit into our lives through our obedience to the Word of God.
Well, now that we see the “when” of the Holy Spirit, briefly, let’s ask a few more questions. First, who is the Holy Spirit? In John 16:7, as quoted above, we see that Jesus calls the “Spirit of truth”, HIM. Therefore, we learn that the Holy Spirit of God is not an “it”. John 14:17 states, “he dwells with you and will be in you”. This definitely indicates the Holy Spirit, being a person, can have a relationship with believers and with the Father and the Son. We see in Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14 that the Holy Spirit works with the Father and the Son. Also, we see in Acts 13:2 that the Holy Spirit spoke also giving evidence of his personhood. The Holy Spirit can also be hurt or grieved (Ephesians 4:20)
Secondly, we ask, is the Holy Spirit a different or lesser “god”? Throughout the Holy Scriptures the words “Spirit” and “God” are used interchangeably, i.e. Acts 5:3-4. Maybe, if you can picture deity or the Godhead as One but expressed in different functions or missions we can understand him a little better. For example, H2O. We all know that H20 is the chemical identity for water. However, we can freeze H2O and it becomes a solid. Then we can boil H2O and it becomes steam. Check on the H2O in the river and it is a liquid. Now, H2O hasn’t loss it’s chemical identity but it has just been expressed in 3 different forms as a liquid, solid and gas. In that very simplified way, diety, God, is the same, just expressed in 3 different avenues as to mission and purpose.
Thirdly, if the Holy Spirit is given to every believer, what is his purpose in our lives? The Holy Word of God, the Bible, gives many functions of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life. Here are a few of those purposes:
1) Helps us know what to say to witness for our Lord Jesus. Mark 13:11 and Luke 12:12
2) He is our guide and brings God’s Word to our remembrance. Psalm 143:10; John 14-17; I John 5:6-8. Have you ever awoken at night and a thought comes to you, “I shouldn’t have said that or shouldn’t have done that”? The world would say, that’s your conscience. Believers would say that’s the Holy Spirit nudging us to make right a wrong.
3) The Holy Spirit helps us overcome the evil desires and deeds of our fleshly, earthly body. Romans 8:2, 9.
4) Helps point out sin in our lives. John 16:7-11
5) Provides us with attitudes and actions that demonstrate that we are new creations in Christ Jesus our Lord. Galatians 5:22-23
6) He confirms that we are children of our heavenly Father. Romans 8:15-16
The Holy Spirit is not a gimmick, a magic trick, a “Houdini”, or a “genie in a bottle”. He, the Holy Spirit, is the very presence of almighty God in the life of the believer. In the Old Testament, God's presence was revealed in the tabernacle and temple in the Holy of Holies. It was called the "shekinah" of God, God's presence. In the New Testament through our obedience to Jesus Christ, God comes to live in a temple not made with human hands. I Corinthians 3:19, "do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the spirit of God dwells in you?"
He wants us not just to know “about” him, but to “know” him. The world will not understand about the Holy Spirit. But, those who come to Jesus Christ through obedience will be given this precious gift, the Holy Spirit. Jesus states in John 14:7, “even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor know him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” The path and avenue to know and understand the Holy Spirit only comes to those who are obedient by accepting and believing in the Holy One, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Francis Chan in his book, “The Forgotten God” states, “our scriptures teach that if you know what you are supposed to do and you don’t do it, then you sin (James 4:17). In other words, when we stock up on knowledge without applying it to our lives, we are actually sinning. You would think that learning about God would be a good thing…and it can be. But when we gain knowledge about God without responding to Him or assimilating His truth into our lives, then it is not a good thing. According to the Bible, it’s sin. May we not merely gain knowledge. Instead, as we learn, may we grow and confess and change more into people we’ve been created to be by the power of the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us, “for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17)”
Matthew 6:33, “but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Acts 5:32, “and we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
It is my prayer that we not only seek to know truth about the Holy Spirit, but that we seek the Holy Spirit, himself, to guide and lead us to be more and more like Jesus Christ our Lord, daily.

I am praying for you and your family!

Suggestion or Commandment???

2010-09-26T17:37:00.000-07:00

Suggestion or commandment? Do we know the difference between suggestion and commandment. John 13:34 and 35, which is our Bible Boost for today, Jesus says, “A new command I give to you…LOVE ONE ANOTHER. As I have loved you so must you love one another. By this will all men know that you are my disciples if you love one another.”
So is that merely a suggestion or a commandment? If Jesus’ statement is a suggestion that merely means he is hinting, or bringing up an option for our spiritual life and spiritual ministry. You know, kind of like, if you want to you can but if it’s not convenient then you don’t have to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Now, remember friends, Jesus is talking to a group of guys that has disappointed him in the past and will probably disappoint Him in the future. In this setting it is the last supper. Gathered around the table is a liar, a cheater, a betrayer, a denier, and all of them, when Jesus needs them the most, will flee and reject Him when He is arrested.
So, is Jesus saying to these men, "if you have time, if no one disappoints, if you get around to it, love each other as I have loved you". Well, friends, that is a big resounding NO NO NO!
Here’s the definition of commandment…"it is not optional…it is a mandate". There is no hint, none, zilch, nana, zero, of opting out. Since Jesus said, this is a commandment, there is no opportunity to say, ‘well, let’s talk about it’, "let’s form a committee and discuss it", "if I feel like it", or "if they act like me, dress like me, talk like me", "or go to my church". NO. NO. NO. IT IS A MANDATE. It is not a suggestion but a commandment.
Jesus is telling, all of us Christians, that no matter who offends us, disappoints us, betrays us, cheats us, or even rejects us…the commandment from the King of Kings and Lord of lords is still there in red in the red letter edition of the Bible…Love One Another, the commandment.
Do you remember where He was and what He did before He said these words…even with all those guys around Him: denier, betrayer, rejectors…remember? Yep, HE WASHED THEIR FEET. The King of kings and Lord of lords placed Himself in position to SERVE to show them His love for them.
Let’s look at John 13:1, “…having loved his own who were in the world he showed them the full extent of his love”. Loving others is not just saying it or talking about loving others but it is demonstrating it.
So friends our Bible Boost for today, is for us to look around. There are golden opportunites all around for us to follow this command, not suggestion, of our Lord Jesus. The command is, ‘love one another as I have loved you.” John 13:34-35.
Praying that God will give you and me the courage to risk and reach out to love others.
I am praying for you and your family,
Leonard

Eyes of Jesus

2010-09-13T12:17:00.000-07:00

Eyes of Jesus

The story of Jesus washing the disciple’s feet has always spurred my thinking. It has especially since we have entered into the time of year of giving and receiving.

I was wondering, as I read the story, what were the disciples thinking. The towel and basin of water were undoubtedly at the door. It was the custom of every house and every guest room to place these items by the door. So, I believe, it is a logical assumption to say that the disciples saw these items as they entered the upper room. But, equally obvious is that the thought of any one of them using them personally did not enter their minds.

However, when Jesus saw these items, He apparently saw them from a totally different perspective than His companions.

Perhaps Peter spoke for all of them when he said, 'thou shall never wash my feet.' Such a task was too utterly debasing for him to even consider, and he wrongly assumed that Jesus would never use them. He saw the same things Jesus saw, but Peter saw them differently.

Virtually everything Jesus saw, He saw as a means of ministry. Remember, He said He came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. He came not to be served but to serve. When He saw a boat He thought of how to use it to help others. When He saw a small lunch of fish and bread...yep! Your right. He thought of others. All that He saw, He used as a vehicle to meet needs or teach a spiritual truth.

How differently most of us think. When we see these items (think shopping) we have an inclination to think first of ourselves (we say, boy, I wish I could have that) rather than how it could meet the needs of others. I'm guilty.

So, maybe this should be our morning prayer, every morning, "Father, give me the eyes of Jesus". Look around. What do you see? How can those things help others?

Jesus even saw people in the same purposeful and constructive way. Think of the woman at the well. When He met her He didn't see her as a vehicle to satisfy some manly selfish urge, rather as someone who could bring an entire town to salvation.

II Corinthians 5:17 says, "therefore, if any one be in Christ, they are a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new."

All things? Yes even our eyes.

Let us make this our prayer, "Father, help us to see through the eyes of Jesus".

I am praying for you and your family,
Leonard

Pray pray pray

2010-09-13T12:14:00.000-07:00

Prayer…

Prayer is the essence of the Spiritual life without which all ministry loses its meaning. It is the fulfillment of the great commandment to love the Lord with all our heart, all our soul and all our mind…..To pray is to unite ourselves with Jesus and lift up the whole world through Him to God in a cry of forgiveness, reconciliation, healing, and mercy….Most of all, prayer is the way to become and remain part of Jesus mission to draw all people to the intimacy of God’s love.” by Henri Nouwen, The Only Necessary Thing: Living a Prayerful Life.

pray for our families, our congregations, our communities...Pray for America!

Praying fervently,
Leonard

Prayer and Spiritual Warfare!

2010-07-19T09:14:00.000-07:00

Intercessory Prayer is indeed spiritual warfare. In the garden of Gethsemane our Lord sweat great drops of blood as He agonized in prayer. To the saints at Colosse the Apostle Paul wrote that Epaphras was "always laboring fervently in prayer for you" (Colossians 4:12). Our Saviour said, "men ought always to pray and not faint" (Luke 18:1). "To faint" means to give up before the answer comes.

When we start to pray, God dispatches an angel to meet the need or to answer that prayer. Remember, in Daniel 10, Daniel was told by the angel bringing the answer that the Archangel Michael had to come and fight with him and for him because of the prince of Persia. The angel praised Daniel for continuing to pray, persistently, for 3 weeks (21 days). The angel had the answer for Daniel but was hindered because he fought the prince of Persia before he could deliver the answer to the prayer of Daniel (Daniel 10:2, 10-14).

So many times we give up to soon and stop praying before the angel accomplishes his purpose or arrives with the answer. So, the answer may never come. Hebrews 1:14 states, that angels are "ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who are heirs of salvation". After our Lord Jesus had labored earnestly in prayer in Gethsemane, "there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him" (Luke 22:43).

So, let us bring our special prayer request straight to the throne of heaven. Remember, Ephesians 6:18, "praying always with all prayer in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with alll perseverance and supplication for all the saints."

So, may we join those like Epaphras who labored fervently in prayer; "pray without ceasing", I Thessalonians 5:17.

compiled and adapted from various sources.

I am praying for you and your families,

Bonhoeffer

2010-06-23T20:42:00.000-07:00

Fellow servants,

Almost finished with "Bonhoeffer" by Eric Metaxas...wow, one tremendous book. Boy, did he ever write some good stuff, "Cost of Discipleship", "Ethics", etc. here's a little sample from the book of the year, "Bonhoeffer".

"the great masquerade of evil has played havoc with our ethical concepts. For evil to appear disguised as light, charity, historical necessity, or social justice is quite bewildering to anyone brought up on our traditional ethical concepts, while for the Christian who bases his life on the Bible it merely confirms the fundamental wickedness of evil. Who will stand fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to be obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God; the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

This is how Bonhoeffer saw what he was doing. He had theologically redefined the Christian life as something active, not reactive. It had nothing to do with avoiding sin or with merely talking or teaching or believing theological notions or principles or tenets or rules. It had everything to do with living one's life in obedience to God's call through action. It did not merely require a mind, but a body too. - Eric Metaxas

Or as I put forth the question: were those of Bonhoeffer's era guilty of Biblical academia verses Biblical obedience. Did they know what the Bible said but were too immersed in their traditions and "church dogma" on Sunday and thus fail to manifest the truth through their lives the rest of the week? So, I put forth the question for us TODAY. Are we so immersed in knowing what the Bible says through devotions, meditations, study, sermons and seminars yet LACK obedience to the very Word of God we have studied? For Germany it wrought the heinous evil monster named Hitler. What will such neglect of Biblical obedience reap for each of us? I fear we have been duped into believing that belief is enough and thus the end result is apathy to our living out our lifestyles and behaving as Jesus Christ to the world. For studies have shown that Christians behave no differently than the secular world.
"But prove yourselves doers of the word and not merely hearers who delude themselves." James 1:22 "for faith without works is dead" James 2:17
- Leonard Navarre

I am praying for you and your families.

Leonard Navarre

Your Mission should you choose to accept it...

2010-05-13T11:14:00.000-07:00

Have you ever pondered the question why am I alive? Why am I here on planet earth? What's my mission? What's my life's purpose? Remember several years ago, well known preacher and writer, Rick Warren wrote a book, "Purpose Driven Life"! He discussed and reviewed for us that each one of us has a mission and a purpose of why we are on this planet.

In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus stood up and read from Isaiah 61:1-2 these words, "the spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Then He added, "today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

Jesus also stated His mission, His purpose in Matthew 20:28, "the son of man did not come to be served but to serve and give His life a ransom for many."

Jesus stated His mission and knew His mission. Do you know yours? Why are we here? What's my purpose?
I believe there are 3 basic targets for our mission. These are the foundations upon which our vision, goals and purpose all rest. I believe this foundation is three fold for each of us.

1) In Mark 12:30, Jesus states, "and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength". That is we are to give Him 100 per cent of ourselves to learning as much as God as we can and to put His 1st in our lives. Matthew 6:33 states, "seek first the kingdom of God and all these other things will be added unto you." Mission number 1: give God our best and give Him our all.

2) Then Jesus went on in Mark 12:31 stating that the second greatest commandment is just as important as the first. "Love your neighbor as yourself". Jesus' mission: to serve not be served. He gave us the example to follow and our direction in walking with Him is to serve, not be served. We must look around us. There are people everywhere we look are need our attention, love and service. People who are hurting, lonely, depressed, filled with worry, anxiety and don't know why THEY are here on this planet. There must be a sense of urgency because the time is short. Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work. Let's us open our eyes to the needs of our families, neighbors and communities to "serve and not be served". Let us a leave "our holy huddles" on Sundays and be the hands and feet of Jesus everyday. Lives are waiting to be touched by each one of us which will affect all of eternity. They may be at Starbucks, the gas station, the bank, the park, next door, and maybe just maybe, even in your family.

3) Remember Jesus' words in Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus commanded us that as we journey in this life to make disciples of all those we meet. We call that Jesus' "Great Commission". It was given to His apostles but resonates down through the centuries to us today. Christians are only one generation away from extinction. If we don't go and tell how will they hear and know. The time is short, the days are evil and we do not know the day or hour when we will check out from this planet. "People need the Lord". My friend Arron Chambers has written a book entitled, "Eats with Sinners". Jesus hung out with those who need love and life. He rub elbows with the downcast and outcast. Arron writes about the urgency of the hour. "Jesus, with a sense of urgency, has sent us out into the harvest fields to make sure that everyone has the chance to make it safely home. We must walk our neighborhoods, our workplaces, our communities, and our homes as many times as it takes to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to safely make it off this planet. The world is sinking. The alarm is sounding. The harvest is plentiful. Let's get to work now, because it's later than it ever was." - "Eats with Sinner" by Arron Chambers - pg. 136.

Our mission, which we must accept, involves the "Great Commandment" and the "Great Commission".

As we journey through this day and everyday, may we make it a priority to serve and tell.

So, how are you, how are we, doing on the mission????

I am praying for you and your family.

Leonard

www.leonardnavarre.com

What IS most IMPORTANT to YOU?

2010-04-14T08:36:00.001-07:00

So, what IS most important to you? In Luke 10:38-42 we find Jesus and his disciples traveling. They come to a village where Mary and Martha reside. The two ladies open their home to Jesus and his companions. One of the ladies gets busy in making preparations for their guests. I can just see her now. She reminds me of my mother. Hurrying around the kitchen trying to get things in order for their unexpected guests. She's asking herself, "what shall I prepare?", "do we have enought room at the table?", "where will everyone sit?". You get the idea.

Most of us would be going through the same process. As Martha is busy in the kitchen making all these preparations she notices that her sister, Mary, is not with her. Mary is not in the kitchen helping Martha prepare for the guests.

So, Martha goes to Jesus to complain. She tells the Lord that Mary should be in the kitchen with her, helping. In fact, she pleads with Jesus to intercede. Listen to the text, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself. Tell her to help me!" Martha is upset. She has all this work to do and her sister is not helping. So, she ask the Lord to chastise her sister. But, Jesus has something else to say to her. Let's listen in. In Luke 10:41 Jesus says, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her".

We can learn from this little situation in the life of Jesus and his two friends Mary and Martha. The devil is the master at bothering us and distracting us. We have Blackberry's, Internet, Daytimers, Facebook, Twitter, etc., etc. The evil one is pro at diverting our attention AWAY from what Jesus calls, "what is better". We too have become worried, bothered and upset by many things. BUT, Jesus commends Mary's decision to sit at His feet and listen to HIM.

So, I am back to my question. What is most IMPORTANT TO YOU? Martha was SO distracted. Are we SO distracted that we miss the teachings of Jesus? Do we allow the evil one to take our minutes and hours away from sitting at the feet of Jesus and to gaze at things that are unimportant to eternity.

Jesus said that Mary had chosen that which is BETTER and it will not be taken from her.

So, let us encourage each other to chose "that which is better"...choose to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to Him and OBEY.

I am praying for you and your family.

Leonard

Biscuits

2010-02-18T08:44:00.000-08:00

BISCUITS

The following article really blessed my life and I wanted to share it with you. I am praying it blesses your life also. It is taken from Herb Pinney's newsletter for "New Iberian Mission Association". It is written by a Herb's class mate which was a few years a head of him, Ron Harrod for Redondo Union High School correspondence blog. I really liked it.

"When I was a kid, my mom like to make breakfast food for dinner now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she made breakfast for dinner after a very long, hard day at work.

On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my Dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed the burned biscuits. Yet, all my Dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching my Dad smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my Dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said, "Honey, I love burnt biscuits."

Later that night, I went to kiss my Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today, and she's really tired. And besides, a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"

Life is full of imperfect things...and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But, what I have learned over the years is that learning to accept each others faults AND choosing to celebrate each others differences is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today. That you will take the good, the bad and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit or two isn't a deal breaker!

"Don't put the key of your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep it in your own."

God bless you. Now and always.

adapted - From the desk of Ron Harrod, Class of '47

If you are interested in praying for and supporting financially a great mission work to the Guatamalan people contact Herb Pinney at P.O. Box 15133, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88004. The Community Christian Hospital, the Morning Glory Christian School, Christian Church at Sacsuy, plus the village evangelism are doing a great work. You should at least write and ask for their newsletter which tells of some amazing and miraculous work for our Lord Jesus Christ.

and remember I am praying for you and your family,
God bless your efforts for Him.

Facing your GIANTS!

2010-02-02T08:01:00.001-08:00

FACING OUR GIANTS!

Do you have any giants in your life? Maybe you are facing a giant of a decision today! Maybe it is a giant of financial pressure. Maybe a giant of a tough marriage. Problem children. Or maybe just the overall giant of our society and economy. Whatever the giant or giants in our lives may be, I am sure we all have them.

So what do we do about those giants? How can we handle those giants in our lives? In the Old Testament, in I Samuel 17 we find young David facing a real giant. You do remember the story don’t you? Little David verses the giant Goliath. Remember now, Goliath was the champion of the Philistines. He stood over 9 feet tall, wore body armor that weight 125 pounds. Just the end of Goliath's spear weighed 15 lbs. He had fought every warrior in the Philistine army and won. This was one huge, bad dude.

But this story of David facing the giant Goliath gives us some principles of how we can face and fight the giants in our lives. Here are principles from the Bible, God's Word about facing giants in our lives.

First. Read, I Samuel 17:48. It states that as Goliath approach David “quickly ran out to meet him" the giant Goliath. Friends, we will never conquer our fears, sins, problems, the giants in our lives by running away. Those giants will always be there just like Goliath was there everyday taunting, challenging, badgering. The only way that we can overcome and conquer the giants in our lives is to do as little David the shepherd boy did here in I Samuel 17. He quickly ran out and faced his giant. So friends, face the problem. Face your giant. Acknowledge it and address it. Only by facing the giant can we overcome.

Point number two in facing our giants. Notice in I Samuel 17 that little David didn’t give any thought to Goliath’s skill, armor, age, social status, or whether he was a captain or a private in the Philistine army. David didn’t say anything about the weight of the armor or the size of the giant. Here’s what David did focus on…a real hint for us in facing our giants. Listen…

Living God vs 26
Armies of the living God vs 36
The Lord of host, the God of the armies of Israel vs. 45
The Lord will deliver you into my hand…that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel vs 46
And then in verse 47…the Lord does not save by sword and spear for the battle is the Lord’s.

I count 9 references to the God thoughts of little David the shepherd boy as he faced his giant Goliath.
So, here’s point two in facing the giants in your life. Don’t focus on the giants…FOCUS ON GOD. The miracle of overcoming giants is to trust in the Lord…focus on HIM!

So here you go…in facing your giants. 1) Step up and Face the giant 2) Focus on God almighty.

Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
Pro 3:6 Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.

Face the Giants

FOCUS ON GOD!

I am praying for you and your families.

India Trip

2010-01-28T13:47:00.000-08:00

Greetings dear friends.
Well, today is Thursday, January 28th, 2010 and as I look out over 4 to 6 inches of new snow in Edgewood, New Mexico, I am battling jet lag.
After a torturous 48 hours of plane delays because of fog, snow and tardiness, I arrived back to the "good old USA" and Edgewood, NM around 12:30 AM Thursday morning.
So today is "jet lag" day. I feel super except for sleepiness.
I have spent the morning, unpacking, sorting and of course, laundry. Actually, my blessed wife has been taking care of the laundry and I have handled the putting things away.

INDIA TRIP January 2010
In the next few days I will be adding to this blog. I hope to convey the joy, thrills, challenges, opportunities and victories of our short term mission trip to India. It was both challenging and victorious. And in som cases even miracles.

So for now, let me say THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE PRAYERS. Those prayers were felt and of course brought about great victories and protection for the team.

May God continue to bless the efforts of Central India Christian Mission.

Till next time.

His Name???? Why, Jesus, of course!

2009-12-20T19:04:00.000-08:00

Friends, it is that time of year. It is a time of great anticipation of opening of gifts under the Christmas tree. This is a special time of year. Christmas time. Friends, more than nineteen hundred years ago there was born a man contrary to the laws of life. This man lived in poverty and was reared in obscurity.
He did not travel extensively. Only once did he cross the boundary of his country in which He lived. He possessed neither wealth nor influence.
His relatives were inconspicuous, not influential and had neither training nor education.
In infancy he startled a king. In childhood He puzzled doctors. In manhood He ruled the course of nature, walking upon the billows as if pavements and hushed the sea to sleep. He healed multitudes without medicine and made no charge for his services. He never wrote a book and yet all the libraries of the country could not contain the books that have been written about Him.
He never wrote a song and yet He furnished the theme for more songs than all the song writers combined. He never founded a college, but all the schools put together cannot boast as having as many students. He never practiced medicine, yet has healed more broken hearts than all the doctors far and wide.
He never marshaled an army, nor drafted a soldier, nor fired a gun, and yet no leader has more volunteers who have, under his orders, made more rebels stack guns and surrender without a shot being fired. Every seventh day multitudes wind their way to worshipping assemblies to pay homage and respect to Him.
The names of the past proud statesmen of Greece and Rome have come and gone but the name of this Man abounds more and more. Though time has spread more that nineteen hundred years between the people of this generation and the scene of his crucifixion, yet, He still lives. Herod could not kill Him, Satan could not seduce Him, death could not destroy Him, and the grave could not hold Him.
He stands forth upon the highest pinnacle of heavenly glory, proclaimed of God, acknowledged by angels, adored by saints and feared by devils, as the living, personal Savior. His name, why, JESUS CHRIST, LORD AND SAVIOR.
---adapted----

Merry Christmas

JESUS the ONE and ONLY WAY

2009-10-19T20:55:00.001-07:00

As many of you know I have a southside office called "Starbucks" located in our local food store called "Smith's". Well, I was in my "office" this morning enjoying my venti mocha, non fat, no whip extra shot when Brian came in. Brian is a salesman for our local Ford dealer. I asked him how things were going. He replied that he had to make a hurried trip into Albuquerque which is about 30 miles from Edgewood. I said, "what's up?" "Well", he replied, "my wife works at Kirtland Air Force Base and forgot her pass this morning and can't get on base". I asked, "you mean they won't allow her to get to her job on base without her I.D. pass." "That's correct" he stated.

Well, that got me to thinking about Christianity and the Bible. You know folks, that's the way God's Word describes our journey down here with our appearance up there. Even though many folks think we are "all going to the same place", the Bible begs to differ. Here's a couple scriptures for your consideration and meditation.

1) John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth and the life and no man comes to the Father but by me." These are the words of Jesus. HE said NO one gets to the Father but through HIM. Also consider:

2)Act 4:10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead--by this name this man stands here before you in good health.
Act 4:11 "He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone.
Act 4:12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."

Do you see it friends? Here's the reason we "go and make disciples". Here's the reason we talk to our neighbors. Here's the reason I show up at Starbucks, the credit union, What-a-burger, and at the bowling alley.

People matter to the Lord Jesus Christ. Each one counts. Each one is precious. Each one has to be introduced to Jesus Christ. WHY???????

HE IS THE ONLY WAY! Just like my friend Brian said this morning. His wife COULD NOT get on base with out the I.D. pass. She had to present it to enter Kirtland Air Force Base. Brian had to drive 60 miles round trip to give it to her so she could arrive at her job on the base. All because of the I.D. pass.

LISTEN UP...THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO HEAVEN BUT
THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

On the back of my calling card are these words; "if you meet me and forget me you have lost nothing. BUT, if you meet my best friend Jesus Christ, and forget Him you have lost everything. May I tell you more about HIM?"

So friends, listen to the words of Jesus Christ and may they be our calling card for today and everyday.
Mat 28:18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

PEOPLE NEED THE LORD JESUS CHRIST TO MAKE IT INTO HEAVEN!

When we get to stand before the Father, He will ask one question...may I see your I.D. pass. Will our name be written in the Lamb's book of life? Will He find your name there? Will your family's names be there? How about your neighbor? Your banker? The attendants at Starbucks?

You get the picture! If not us, WHO? If not now, WHEN?

Don't give up! Don't give in! NO COMPROMISE!

I am praying for you and your family,

Let the revival begin!

2009-10-08T06:01:00.000-07:00

Just doing a little thinking about revival in the land, ABQ.

Some steps to begin NOW!

1) Prayer. The people who are tuned in now via Twitter, KKIM, DeweysDailyCup, Mark's network of emails and Leonard's contacts must be engaged. We must call people to PRAY, NOW!
II Chronicles 7:14, "if MY people, will humble themselves and PRAY and turn from their wicked ways". He first calls on HIS PEOPLE to begin the process. The revival never comes without HIS people repenting of their neglect, laziness, and complacent attitudes. IT MUST FIRST START US, WITH THE CHILDREN OF GOD.

2) No revival in the history of mankind has EVER OCCURRED without people returning to THE BOOK. Revival comes when people recommit themselves to be readers, studiers and researchers of the Bible. Remember, I said, NO REVIVAL has ever occurred without people turning to God's Word. i.e. Nehemiah. They rebuilt the walls but revival and renewal came when the law was read. They discovered what God wanted them to do in their personal lives and the life of their country.

3) Obedience. Remember II Chronicles 7:14 says, "if...turn from their evil ways, THEN, I will hear from heaven and heal their land". The healing of the land, renewal of our lives and spirits, and revival to our city, state and country comes when WE God's people repent of our high walls of division, repent of our complacency to doing what God's says, and repent of our distractions that the devil has placed in our lives. "Love the Lord our God with all of our body, mind, soul and spirit AND to love our neighbor as ourselves".

These HAVE to be preached and encouraged via every means possible. It must start with ME. I must pray, repent, get into God's Word, and DO WHAT IT SAYS. Those who claim to know Him must follow what HE said, "if you love me, keep my commandments."

Just thinking.

Sweet smelling to God

2009-10-03T19:56:00.000-07:00

The smell of fresh bread baking. Know what I mean? Ever been in a store where they are popping popcorn? Doesn't the aroma draw you to the concession stand? How about coffee brewing? Some have said that coffee brewing is better than drinking coffee. How about bacon cooking? Wow! When ever I am driving into town in the mornings there is a restaurant that just draws me in that direction. Bacon cooking. Oh, what a tremendous pleasing smell...o.k.
maybe just to me.

Do you know what smell is SO VERY PLEASING to God?

Our Bible Boost for today comes from Revelation 5:8, "and when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints".

Do you see it? It looks to me that all the prayers you and I have ever said, prayed or uttered is in a golden bowl held by one of the 24 elders. It is a bowl of incense. In the Old Testament the table of incense was prepared and sustained 24 hours around the clock as a sweet smelling aroma to God and the Lamb.

Our prayers are never futile, fragile or insignificant. Every one of them is treasured before God and stored as incense in golden bowls which becomes a sweet smelling aroma before God.

So, as we pray don't ever think that God is absent, silent, or on vacation. Every one of our prayers is held in a special golden bowl..."the prayers of the saints".

"Pray without ceasing"

Jesus had "sand"!

2009-09-07T07:46:00.000-07:00

Remember the old saying if a man had grit, gumption or "guts" we said he had "sand".

Elizabeth Elliot tells the story of a man named, Miller, who approached Frank Sandford with the scornful remark, "Jesus didn't have sand!"

"Didn't he?" replied Sandford. "Well he stretched out one hand and said 'put a spike in there for Miller. Then he stretched out his other hand and said put another spike in there for Miller." Sandford went on to say, "I don't know if YOU have enough sand to follow Him, but don't say that Jesus didn't have sand."

May it be our prayer today, "Lord, give me enough sand to take up my cross and follow YOU. Help me to take lightly this world's judgments and criticisms of me but to take very seriously your call and your cross." Amen

Our Bible boost for today, "Then He said to them all, 'if anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow ME." Luke 9:23

adapted from Elizabeth Elliot - "A Lamp for my Feet"

Ron and Denver's new book!

2009-09-03T20:37:00.000-07:00

Ron and Denver have a new book coming out September 29

What Difference Do It Make?

Place pre-release orders now through
Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com
or
Your Local Independent Bookseller
http://www.bookweb.org/aba

Also, you can now follow us on TWITTER
http://www.twitter.com/RonandDenver

Keep us with the latest news on Ron and Denver's travels
and speaking engagements, bits of Denver's wisdom, progress
on the upcoming movie, and more info on the new book.

What's in a name? Epaphroditus

2009-08-12T17:08:00.000-07:00

Our Adult Bible Study Fellowship (Sunday School class for some of you) is embarking on a journey through Philippians. This letter from Paul to the congregation at Philippi is one of my favorites. You can read all about the gospel being presented to the residents of Philippi in Acts 16. We have also just finished Galatians and Ephesians. So over the next several weeks I will be diving into the Word of God to share rich truths from these letters. They are called "prison letters" because the Apostle Paul is in jail (actually house arrest) in Rome. So these letters are personal in their presentations.

One of my interests is with individuals who are only mentioned once or maybe 1 or 2 times. One of those is listed here in the letter to the Philippians. His name is Epaphroditus and he is only mentioned in this letter. Even though his name is not real familiar like Moses, David or Peter, he plays an important part in the advancement of the Kingdom. We find that Epaphroditus comes all the way from Philippi to minister to Paul in prison. Then we learn that he travels all the way back to Philippi to take the "Philippian" letter from Paul to the believers.

We learn several things about this man who has no monuments or statutes dedicated to him. Here is how Paul describes him in Philippians chapter 2.

1) Paul calls him a servant, a minister. Paul feels distressed that the Philippians might worry about him when he became sick. (vv. 25-26)

2) He is a risk taker. Paul calls him a fellow warrior. We find that he keeps risking his life for others when most who have taken the easy way and not ventured out from their home city and church. (vv. 25, 30)

3) Epaphroditus is a tire-less worker. It seems that his illness is related to his unending hard work ethic. (vv. 25, 27)

4) Paul calls him a messenger and advices the church in Philippi to give him a hero's welcome. (vv. 25, 29). It seems that Epaphroditus both led and served as became a spokesman for the body of believers at Philippi.

There are tons of Epaphroditus' in our congregations today. They operate behind the scenes. They are content to work hard, serve diligently and give all praise and credit to the Lord Jesus Christ. Every congregation has these wonderful folks who serve. Even though these servants seem to serve in obscurity they fill a vital place in building the kingdom of God. Even though we don't see their names mentioned very often...there is one who knows all and sees all and in His Kingdom, He gives out the rewards and the crowns. He won't forget their service...as He doesn't forget the name of this servant in Philippians...Epaphroditus.

Join us as we study and read through this wonderful "letter of joy" called Philippians. We will find rich nuggets of truth as we study.

Recommend Reading!

2009-08-11T14:53:00.000-07:00

There a many books we could share and recommend. However I will put my
stamp on two for you today. One is just out. Max Lucado's new book, "Fearless" is
not only good but NEEDED today. Oh, how we need courage today. Courage to
live the life, courage to stand for truth, and courage to do the right thing.

Second book is by Charles (Chuck) Colson, "The Faith - Given Once, For All"
Jude 3
Here's a little to wet your appetite...
"The challenges of anti-theism and radical Islam could not come at a worse time
for the church, because most Christians do not understand what they believe,
why they believe it, and why it matters. how can a Christianity that is not
understood be practiced? And how can it be presented in its character as peace,
freedom, and joy? How are skeptics to understand Christianity's positive
aspects. Tragically, postmodern culture has been infected and weakened
the Church, particularly in the West."

Both are good. As with all my recommendations, if there is something you don't
agree with, research, pray and as always take the good of the writing.
God bless.

What SHOULD the righteous do?

2009-07-26T18:25:00.000-07:00

Psalm 11 is a very interesting Psalm. It is a chapter where the Psalmist asked the question in verse 3, “when the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” That definitely is a question that we should be asking in today’s society. When the fundamentals of the home are falling apart? When there are wedges between husbands and wives, parents and children? When the government is accelerating away from our Judeo-Christian principles? When schools are are pushing God’s Word farther and farther away? Even when it seems the church is eroding her principles and compromising the truth. What are we supposed to do as Christians? Should we barricade abortion clinics? Sign petitions? Boycott advertisers? The Psalmist asked the question “what can the righteous do?” Here are several suggestions:

• Live righteously. Someone once said a hypocrite is a person who complains about sex and violence on his VCR. God would have spared Sodom and Gomorrah for just 10 righteous people. The best way to reinforce the foundations of America is for Christians to act and live like Christians.

• Build Godly homes. Do we spend quality time with our mate and children? Do we pray together as a family? Do we study God’s Word together as a family? Are we involved in regular church attendance? Are we touching lives through quality projects that help and assist the less fortunate?

• Trust that God is in charge. Psalm 11:4 says, “The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord is on His heavenly throne.” No matter how helpless the situation seems, it is not hopeless, God is still on the throne. We put our trust in Him not in the crumbling systems of the world.

I John 2:17 says, “the world and its desires pass away, but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” There is a different between the soldier who just reads and manual and one who joins the army. There is a difference between a travel agent and a tour guide.

Ephesians 4:1 Paul says, “Therefore, I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to live a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.”

Let us live and act like the Christians we claim to be. How you think is how you will live. Think and live Jesus Christ.

I am praying for you and your family,
Leonard

Spiritual War

2009-07-24T18:31:00.000-07:00

The Spiritual Attack
Adapted from David Jeremiah’s
Spiritual Warfare

Satan uses militaristic structure to carry out his war plans against the work of God. Paul calls them “wiles of the devil”. Ephesians 6:11
“Wiles” means “organized conduct”, “plans of war”, “strategy” or “methodology”. I have said for years that we are not in a game of “tiddle winks”, “Play Station” or “Wii”. This is serious stuff. Satan is coming against all who belong to God in a power on slaught of powerful devices with goal of destroying anything and everything that belongs to God.

Paul gave a stout warning to the Corinthian believers about being “ignorant of his devices”.( II Cor. 2:11) Remember in the Old Testament where Satan led Lot into Sodom, drove Abram into Egypt and in the New Testament Satan tricked Peter into denying Christ Jesus. It was Satan who made Ananias and Sapphira lie to the Holy Spirit. It was Satan who even attacked and tempted the Lord Jesus Christ. If Satan is so bold as to attack Jesus, he certainly will not hesitate to attack you and me. Peter says, “be self controlled, be alert, for the enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whomever he can devour.” I Peter 5:8

Remember friends that spiritual warfare is being carried out on Satan’s territory, not ours. This world lies in the power of the evil one, for John wrote, “…and the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” I John 5:19

So, what is Satan trying to do to the Christian world? He has 3 primary goals.

1) He wants to destroy your life, my life and every Christian.

2) He strives to destroy unity, purity and oneness in every family and Christian homes especially.

3) It is his top priority to destroy and work of the body of Christ, the church, by embarrassing it publicly, eroding her ministry, discrediting her leaders and wiping out her finance base.

When Peter describes the work of Satan as a “roaring lion seeking whom he may devour” we are talking serious business. The word for “devour” is the same word translated “drown” in Hebrews 11:29. Satan wants to completely engulf and overwhelm every Christian, every home, and the entire body of Jesus Christ, the church. He wants to drown, to extinguish the fire of my faith, your faith and the church so that there is no influence left. And, he will use every device and deception to his advantage to destroy the bride of Jesus Christ.

So, my friends be alert, be on guard. We must control our minds and our actions and bring them under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and be warriors fighting for our families, for our friends and for the church of our Lord Jesus Christ. Fight, stand. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. NO compromise. Pray for one another.

Go into all the world!

2009-07-20T19:31:00.001-07:00

I have been reflecting upon an article that Boyce Mouton wrote many years ago on Matthew 9:38. After meditating a bit on this scripture, I have some comments for YOUR reflection on this verse.

“pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send
forth laborers into his harvest…”

W. E. Vine in his “Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words” list 12 different Greek words all of which translate the word “send”.

In the text, Jesus asked His disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to “send” forth laborers. He chose to use a form of the Greek word, “ekballo” which means “throw” and “ek” before it signifies “out”. Therefore, we gather the meaning as “to throw out”. Thayer says it signifies “an included notion more or less of violence”.

This is the word the Holy Spirit uses to describe Jesus’ actions in “casting out” the moneychangers in Matthew 21:12; the word used in describing the way that Paul and Barnabas were driven out of Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13:50); the way that Sarah wanted Abraham to cast out Hagar (Gal. 4:30); to describe the way that Jesus was “driven” into the wilderness (Mark 1:12); the way that Rahab sent out the spies (James 2:25).

So, you might be asking, ‘what’s all the fuss about in this one word?’ Well, this then is the way that our Lord sometimes “sends” forth laborers into the harvest. He finds us so utterly complacent that it is difficult for Him to get our attention.

If we are honest with ourselves, we must say that body of Christ, the church, is very complacent now days about sharing the gospel and moving into the “fields that are white unto harvest”. The Lord Jesus, therefore, lovingly increases the pressure until He gets our attention. He makes us uncomfortable. He doesn’t share in our complacency. So, He nudges, pushes, shoves until we are so uncomfortable we must act. Ultimately we are apt to find ourselves literally “thrown out” into the harvest.

Do you remember in the book of Acts how the Lord God used this strategy in moving the body of Jesus Christ, the church, out from Jerusalem into the world? In Acts 1, Jesus commanded them to “be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth”. Acts 1:8

So, after about 10 years of the Christians just hanging around Jerusalem, God turned up the pressure. In Acts 7, Stephen is stoned. In Acts 8:1 it says, “a great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem, and all the believers except the apostles fled into Judea and Samaria.” (NLT)

So, if we find ourselves very complacent, satisfied and stagnant, then be ready for some action some, on purpose pressure, from the Lord of the Harvest. He is ready, able and willing to “send” forth laborers into His harvest…WITH PRESSURE AND ON PURPOSE!

I am praying for you.

Just a lump of clay

2009-07-12T13:29:00.000-07:00

This article by Jennifer Heck appeared in the Southeast Christian Church newsletter paper. She visited a pottery shop and writes an analogy of how God relates to each one of us. I was blessed by her observations and pray that her article will bless your life.

“The master potter starts with a slab of hard clay. He throws it down onto a hard surface repeatedly to remove air bubbles and eliminate defects. He then examines the compressed clay as he mixes in softer clay to reduce stiffness and reach a desired consistency. The potter cuts the hunk of clay into pieces, softening one clump with the warmth of his hands. He kneads it as a baker prepares dough, squeezing and rolling it into a ball and weighing the lump for his intended purpose.
The potter then places the clay on the center of the wheel and pours water on top of the round mass as he adjusts the speed of the spinning wheel. He applies pressure with his hands and fingers to the clay reaching down into its heart and expands it from the inside. He adds water frequently to reduce friction, cradles the clay inside both his hands, molding its shape with external and internal forces.
Fashioning his work, the potter observes an emerging shape rising from the wheel. It becomes a bowl, a plate, cup or pitcher as the potter designs it. The clay has no say in the matter. The potter continues until the created piece, whether practical or decorative just right. He then prepares the pottery for the kiln by cutting away excess clay that isn’t needed. He carves into its surface his own signature, smoothing the rough edges and sponging it with more water. He sets it aside to dry under his protective care.
This unique creation is placed, by the potter, inside the oven been heated to 2,300 degrees. He leaves it inside knowing it becomes stronger and more useful the longer it remains in the fire. He then removes his precious pottery from the kiln after shutting off the oven at the designated time. He lets the piece cool for another day, reusing specks of discarded clay. The potter celebrates his finished creation. He delights in the fact that no two pieces are exactly alike, and that the pottery will be used to serve people in ways he planned from the beginning. We can celebrate that God is the Master Potter and we are the work of His hands.”

Isaiah 64:8
“Yet, O LORD, you are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand”.

I am praying for you and your family,
Just a lump of clay,
Leonard

The Room

2009-07-09T08:35:00.000-07:00

The Room

The following REALLY blessed my life and of course gave me great cause to really think about my life and what Jesus has done for me. I am praying that it blesses your life also. It was written by speaker and author Joshua Harris and is in his book, “I Kissed Dating Goodbye”. He says it was something he put on paper in Puerto Rico for the 1995 Billy Graham Crusade and it was published in Graham’s magazine the same year. As you read I pray as Joshua Harris does, that you will hear the message in the story.

“In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features except for the wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in the libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files stretched from floor to ceiling and seemed endless. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read, “Girls I have liked”. I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was.

This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were the actions of my every moment, big and small. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and others a sense of shame. I looked over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching. One file was “Friends” and another was “Friends I have betrayed.” Then came “Books I have Read”, “Lies I have told”, “Comfort I have given”, “Jokes I laughed at”. Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: “Things I’ve Yelled at my brothers.” Others I couldn’t laugh at: “Things I have done in Anger”, “Things I have muttered under my breath at my parents”. Often there were many more cards than I had expected. Sometimes fewer than I had hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my years to fill each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed by my signature.

When I pulled out the file marked “TV shows I have watched”, the cards were packed tightly. Yet, after two or three yards, I hadn’t found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed by the vast time I knew the file represented. No one much ever see these cards! I have to destroy them. In insane frenzy I yanked the file out. The size didn’t matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it. I was defeated and utterly helpless, and then I saw it. The title was “People I have Shared the Gospel With”.

The handle was almost unused. I pulled out a small box not more than 3 inches long. I could count the cards it contained on one hand. And then, the tears came. Sobs were so deep that they hurt. I fell on my knees and cried out of shame. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw HIM. No, please not Him. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn’t bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one? Finally, He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said many things. But, He didn’t say a word. Hey he got up and walked back to the files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card. His name shouldn’t be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, and so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. Then I remembered the true meaning of salvation. He was wounded for my transgressions.”

Thanks to Boyce Mouton, Carl Junction, MO for printing this in his church newsletter.

This ONE THING I DO!

2009-07-01T18:50:00.000-07:00

In reading the book, “Simple Church” by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger one of the thoughts that they expressed caught my attention. I want to preface my comments with this question to you. If you could summarize your goals, your dreams, your vision, your purpose for your life, how would you phrase it? Now, can you reduce that to just “one thing”. What is your ONE purpose, goal, vision for your life?

Paul says in Philippians 3:13-14, “but one thing I do; forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus”. This ONE THING was his focus.

David in Psalm 27:4, “I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.” ONE THING was his focus. An intimate relationship with God consumed him.

The writer of Hebrews gives out the call to “fix our eyes of Jesus, our author and finisher of life”. (Heb. 2:2) ONE THING. The challenge is to remove anything that gets in the way of spiritual transformation.

As a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ my primary ONE THING for me personally is to only “know Christ Jesus and Him crucified”. It is my personal desire to grow as close to Jesus Christ as I can. It is my desire to know Him and to make Him known; my ONE THING.

But as a leader at Valley View Christian Church, Edgewood, New Mexico, I am endeavoring to partner with God to find out where people are in their spiritual journey and help them in their NEXT steps to know Him, know His Word and be obedient to that Word. This is my ONE THING for this community and this body of believers. Many come to Valley View Christian and they are just fishing. They are looking for a place to belong, be accepted and be involved. Many are not even babes in Christ. They are still in the embryonic stage. That’s WHY I am interested in anything (as long as it is Biblical and ethical) that attracts individuals to investigate this Jesus that I know, love and serve. Jesus used fish, figs, and spectacular events to touch people with His life. That’s why I am open to drums, guitars, radio programs, choirs, Fall Festivals, Car Shows, Craft Bazaars, etc. I may not particularly care for such, but it opens up many opportunities to share my love for my Lord and help each one know Him, His Word and be obedient to His will. There’s only 2 ways to do so. Either we go to them (Jesus hung out with the prostitutes, beggars, sick folks, wedding feasts and outcasts) or we provide opportunities for them to come and be exposed to His people, His life and His teaching. If they are not here we cannot disciple or teach.

This ONE THING, to partner with God to make disciples, commit them to obedience and help them run the race focused on Jesus Christ without ankle weights. There you have it. It’s my focus, my goal, my vision for me and Valley View Christian Church.
What’s your ONE THING?

Whatever It Takes!

2009-06-30T07:44:00.000-07:00

WHATEVER IT TAKES

I am a part of the body committed to doing "whatever it takes".
I have Holy Spirit power.
The die has been cast. I've stepped over the line.
I am out of my comfort zone.
The decision has been made.
I'm a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I won't look back, let up, slow down, or
back away. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense,
and my future is secure.
I am finished and done with low living, sight walking,
small planning, smooth knees,
colorless dreams, tame vision, mundane talking,
chincy giving and dwarfed goals.
I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position,
promotion, or popularity.
I don't have to be first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded.
I now live by presence, learn by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer,
and labor by power.
I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow
and my way is rough.
My companions few, my Guide reliable and my mission clear.
I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away,
turned back, deluded or delayed.
I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate at the table of the enemy,
ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I won't give up, shut up, let up or burn up till I am preached up,
prayed up, paid up,
stored up and stayed up for the cause of Jesus Christ.
I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know,
and work till He tells me to stop.
And when He comes to get His own, He'll have no problem recognizing me,
because I have dedicated my life to be apart of the body committed to
DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES.

I AM A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST!

adapted - author unknown

I am praying for you and your family.

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-19T06:09:00.000-07:00

Friends today is Friday before Father’s Day. There is a remarkable text found in the first book of the Bible in Genesis’ 49. Jacob has 12 sons. As he is preparing to depart this life he calls all his sons around his bedside and pronounces a blessing upon each one. Genesis 49 and verse 28 states,
“He (that is Jacob) blessed them every one with the blessing appropriate to him”. Did you get that?

He pronounces a blessing upon each son, words that would be just for that son. Bill Glass, former all Pro football player for the Cleveland Browns and founder and Director of Bill Glass Prison ministries underlines and emphazies the importance of Father’s pronouncing blessings upon their children ALL THROUGH THEIR LIVES. Bill states, “children need a father who speaks the words of love, hope and belonging in their lives.” He continues, “the future of your children and your children’s children and even their children depends upon it.”

Friends do you remember what Deuteronomy 7:9 states. Here it is, “The Lord your God is God. He is the faithful God keeping His covenant of love to thousands of generations for those who love him and keep his commandments.”

Dads we have the opportunity to touch generations by our actions toward our children. Dads here are 3 suggestions for you to impact your children and those that follow them.

1) TIME: Give your children your time. Time to talk. Time to listen. Time to encourage and bless your children. Whether it’s camping, playing games, going to special events, all help you by giving your children your time. They are interested in YOU not in your work, or your office or your friends. They need to be with YOU. So give them YOUR time. WHY? Because…

2) COACHING: By being involved with your children you are more aware of their interests, needs and of course what they are thinking and planning. Being with your children you can lead and guide. Carey Casey who is CEO of National Center for Fathering says that 27 million children in the United States don’t have a Father presence in the home. Did you hear that 27 million children?

This absence leads to higher rates of poverty, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, violent crime, depression, and ultimately loss of all hope. SO DAD’S YOU ARE THE KEY to future generations moving out of all these problems.

Thirdly, Dad’s we need to be consistent in living out our values and convictions. My son gave me a sign several years ago that reads, “Every Father should remember that one day his children will follow his example instead of his advice.” Your children are watching your EVERY action and they will follow YOU.

So, my friend, don’t only talk the talk we as Dad’s need to WALK THE WALK.

In Chicken Soup for the Father’s soul, John Trent wrote about a father who decided to take his children of a “date with Dad” every week. He had a 10 year old, a 9 year old and a 2 year old. He’d take the 10 and 9 year old every week and they would come home and brag about their “date with Dad”. The 2 year old said, why can’t I go? The Dad would explain, you’re only 2 and you need to be 3 before you can go. The 2 year old demanded, I’m 2 and half and I want to go, NOW.
As they put the food on the table at the restaurant he grabbed the 2 and half year old and said, You are mine and I’m glad. You are a winner and I’m proud of you. I love you and I think you are terrific. When the Dad tried to pull his hands away, the two year old said, “more Daddy, more”

Friends our children are calling out, “more time Daddy, more love Daddy, more exampling Daddy.

Our Bible Boost for today is from Ephesians 6:4, “Father’s do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” This Sunday is Father’s Day…take the whole family to church.

Don't Give UP!

2009-06-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

This via my friend David Morgan, Pastor of Valley Christian Church, ABQ.
It blessed my life I am praying it blesses yours.

"Friend of mine told me to look up this guy's blog and be encouraged. Wanted to sent it on to you. Writer is Perry Noble.

Don’t Give Up! June 15, 2009
I don’t know who I am writing to…heck…I may need to come back one day and read this myself…but I really feel like I am supposed to tell someone, “DON’T GIVE UP!!!”
Church work can be the most frustrating thing on the planet to deal with…but don’t stop now! What you are seeing as an obstacle God is using as an opportunity! Don’t give up!!! (Galatians 6:9)
People hate you just because of what you do…and if you begin to experience any aort of success they will despise you even more. Don’t give up…your calling is not to please them!!! (Galatians 1:10)
You feel like you are not successful because your church hasn’t exploded with growth. BUT…you’ve seen 10 people receive Christ in the past year! REJOICE IN THAT…THE ANGELS DID!!! Don’t give up because your church isn’t getting attention from men…it has the attention of the Almighty…and in the end THAT is all that will matter!
You feel like you aren’t a good leader…or a good speaker. You want to walk away and do something else because you just don’t feel qualified. Remember…Jesus took some very unqualified men and CHANGED THE WORLD!!! (Acts 4:13)
Someone doesn’t like something you did recently…and they are not afraid to tell you about it. Remember…they didn’t like Jesus healing on the Sabbath either…but He kept on doing it because He knew He was pleasing His Father!!!
Your past haunts you…the enemy constantly throws it in your face. You want to walk away when you focus on who you WERE…STOP IT and see who YOU ARE in Christ! (I Corinthians 6:9-11 - REALLY focus on verse 11!) Don’t give up!
People close to you have abandoned you…and you are hearing the things they say. You feel betrayed…hurt…and wonder if it is all worth it. Demas betrayed Paul…Judas betrayed Jesus…yet they hung in there and refused to allow that type of betrayal to take their eyes off of the goal.
Don’t give up! Don’t quit! Stay in the fight!!! God called you to be a warrior…and sometimes warriors get wounded. BUT…wounds should not take the desire to fight out of us…but rather cause us to want to fight even more.
I heard about a guy who was going through a rough time once and asked Bill Hybels, “With all of this stuff I am going through…why shouldn’t I just quit right now?’
Bill replied, “because one day you and I will stand in front of One who had an assignment much tougher than ours and He didn’t quit…that’s why!”
BAM!
Don’t quit…don’t give up…fight the good fight! (Galatians 6:9) Pray, fast, preach, witness, memorize Scripture…and give satan a swift kick in the cookies as often as possible!!
But whatever you do…don’t give up! He called you–He gifted you–He empowered you and He will sustain you! (II Corinthians 4) - the WHOLE THING!
Don’t give up!"

I am praying for you and your family.

BE CAREFUL HOW YOU LIVE!

2009-06-10T19:25:00.000-07:00

You have heard the phrase “BE CAREFUL”. In fact, in many ways this phrase “BE CAREFUL” is almost meaningless in our modern society. We have heard it so many times that it has become just another trite saying like “good bye”, or when a person says “how are you” we expect people to say “fine” and they usually do. It doesn’t matter how many problems they have or how much they are hurting…the answer is still “fine”.

However, care and caution, especially concerning Biblical themes are of great importance. Jesus warned His disciples many times with these words “take heed” and “beware”. These disciples’ adversaries would deliver them up in their councils and scourge them in their synagogues. Their situations would be extremely dangerous. They were like sheep in the midst of wolves. Whoever put them to death or made life miserable for them, thought they were doing God a great big favor. It is logical, then, to conclude that the warnings of the Bible were taken seriously by the disciples.

WE, AS WELL, SHOULD TAKE BIBLICAL WARNINGS SERIOUSLY.

Do you remember the story of King Jeroboam of Israel in the Old Testament? He had the opportunity to create a lasting kingdom like his grandfather King David (I Kings 11:38). His success, however, DEPENDED upon his OBEDIENCE to God. Jeroboam failed his test immediately. His very first official act, as king, involved idolatry and false religion (I King 12:25-33). He set up altars far away from Jerusalem in the city of Bethel.

That brings us to the “rest of the story” in I Kings 13. God’s word to Jeroboam came through a man simply known as “man of God”. This prophet rebuked Jeroboam at the pagan altar at Bethel. God confirmed the message with signs and wonders. King Jeroboam was so impressed by this “man of God” that the king invited him home for dinner and gifts.

Here’s the response of the man of God, “even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water here. For I was commanded by the word of the Lord: you must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.” I Kings 13:8-9. Did you hear that? God has specifically told the “man of God” not to eat or drink.

We give this prophet high marks for courage in confronting the king. However, the rest of the story is in the scripture of First Kings 13…the man of God DID eat and drink water at Bethel, and he died for his disobedience. The reason he died; God told him NOT TO EAT AND DRINK AT BETHEL.

You know, we are much like this “man of God” at Bethel. He knew what God said, He had heard the word of the Lord, yet something happened in his life that broke the concentration of obedience. We do the same thing. We know and have heard what God’s Word is all about yet many times our attention is diverted or we just simply chose not to obey.

My friend, God’s Word is true and sure when it tells us “BE CAREFUL”. Hear our BIBLE BOOST for today…it comes from Ephesians 5 and verse 15.

“BE CAREFUL HOW YOU LIVE”.

So my friends, today is a good day to do a self evaluation. Am I being CAREFUL in how I live? Am I being CAREFUL to fulfill God’s teaching revealed in His Word? Am I being CAREFUL to do all God is calling me to do from His Word?

We are ONE Body in Christ Jesus!

2009-06-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

"the body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts;
and though all its parts are many, they form one body."
I Corinthians 12:12

Have you ever thought about how many parts make up your physical body. If you consider
all the cells that make up our body, counting all the parts would be in the trillions times trillions. In other words, more than my little finite mind can comprehend.

The word "body" is used in many different ways in the Greek in the New Testament. Paul in I Corinthians uses it to stress "community". He states that the body of Jesus Christ is a Christian community made up of many different parts YET all one unit. Many different parts however, all part of ONE body, the community of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul stresses that there is no "this church, or that church, or home church, or ecumenical church". All those who are in "the body" make up the ONE body, called the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are all ONE regardless of our ethnicity or our socioeconomic status or if we like organ music, guitar and drums, Statler Brothers or Big Daddy Weave. Our differences are what makes "the body" unique. We are different parts with different likes and dislikes, but ALL FAMILY, brothers and sisters in the body, the community of believers identified as "the church" of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Surely we can all see the wisdom of this in the physical body. Wouldn't it be a little scary if each one of us what just ONE BIG EAR? Oh yea, we could hear someone whispering a mile away. But, we would never be able to SEE a baby smile. We'd never be able to TASTE ________________(for me...shrimp gumbo, yum, yum...you fill in the blank with your favorite). We'd never be able to smell fresh coffee, or fresh baked cinnamon rolls, etc. We'd never be able to WALK down the hall or in the grocery store. We'd never be able to HOLD any one's hand.

So you see. As our physical body is made up of many different parts that enable us to do many things, so it is in the spiritual body, the church. We are many different parts with varying roles. BUT, all NEEDED. We are one body and each of us needs every other
part of the body of Jesus Christ to be complete. Without any one part...we are incomplete.

Paul says, "if the foot should say, 'because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body',
it would not for that reason cease to be a part of the body...if they were all one part
where would the body be?"
I Corinthians 12:15,19

Very good question...WHERE WOULD THE BODY BE?

Not divided but UNITED. Or as Jesus pleaded with His disciples and US:

"my prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message. that all of them may be one, Father,
just as you are in me and I am in you."
John 17:20-21

One body, many parts, but ONE UNIT and COMMUNITY!

I am praying for you and your family,

Let Us Remember!

2009-05-22T09:13:00.000-07:00

Friends today is Friday before Memorial Day which is Monday. In Hebrews 11 and verse 4 we read about Abel. It says by faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain” and as the verse concludes it says, “and through faith though he is dead he still speaks.”

As I looked at the brick among many bricks in this World War II memorial the name on the brick would not mean much to you. Under the name were these words…Pacific, Okinawa and China. But this brick means a lot to me. For you see the name on the brick is my Dad’s. John W. Navarre. He served during World War II. He died 7 years ago. When I stand and look at this memorial brick…I remember.

Here’s a poem from a man named John Lyttle on this Memorial Day weekend to encourage us TO NEVER FORGET BUT TO REMEMBER:

Stand by my grave and remember
Come, stand by my grave and weep
Hang your head low but lift up your cry
Unfurl the banner let the flags fly
And never forget the life that I gave
Today is the day to stand by my grave…and remember

Stand by my grave and remember
Come, stand by my grave and weep
However, whenever, wherever I died
Why, how much or whoever has cried
Just never forget the life that I gave
For the land of the free and the home of the brave
Today is the day to stand by my grave…and remember

Stand by my grave and remember
Come stand by my grave and weep
Just think of the things I have missed through the years
I felt none of the joy and shed none of the tears
So never forget the life that I gave
For the land of the free and the home of the brave
Unfurl the flag, long may it wave
Today is the day to stand by my grave…and remember

Stand by my grave and remember
Come, stand by my grave and weep
Remember, my troubles and trials are through
Weep but the weeping is really for you
Still never forget the life that I gave
For land of the free and the home of the brave
Unfurl the flag, long may it wave
O’er the country I died to protect and save
Today is the day to stand by my grave…and remember
Most of us live and labor under the delusion that hardly anyone cares what we do…and that nobody will care when we are gone.

This is not true…the first person to ever experience physical death upon this planet according to Hebrews 11:4…still speaks. And as I look at the brick that bears the name of my Dad…I REMEMBER.

Well look! It's Jesus!

2009-05-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

Today’s bible boost comes from the story of two men just walking along the way found in Luke 24 verses 13 thru 35. The man that join these two walking along the way seemed so ordinary, just like every one else so human. But it was Jesus.

They met him on the road to Emmaus. One of them was named Cleopas. We really don’t know anything about this man Cleopas. He is not mentioned again in the Holy Bible. His companion is not named at all. So it really seems a bit strange that Jesus appeared to these two. It seems to me that if Jesus was going to appear to anyone AFTER His resurrection is would be to important people. You know, people in authority, those who could really announce the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But Jesus didn’t. He appeared to these two unlikely men and they didn’t realize that it was Jesus.

How could they know? He seemed so much like every body else. His voice sounded like any voice you would hear in the public square. His face did not appear unusual in any way. His dress didn’t give him away. He looked like anyone else who would be walking along some dusty road. But, nevertheless it was Jesus.

I am reminded of the scripture in Matthew 25 verse 13 and following where Jesus said, “I was hungry and you gave me no meat; I was thirsty and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger and you took me not in; I was naked and you clothed me not, sick and in prison and you did not visited me.”

WHO would not want to help Jesus? Well friends the answer is quite obvious. Jus like the two ones walking along the road to Emmaus…WE PROBABLY DON’T RECOGNIZE HIM. Perhaps He looks to human or to ordinary. Perhaps he comes in a guise of a crippled boy shut up in the back room of a ordinary looking house. Or perhaps he comes as an elderly person closed up in an old folks home with no family, no friends and no one to talk to. Maybe Jesus chooses to come along side us as a troubled teen or a troubled marriage. It may be the tattooed, missing teeth inmate in the correction facility. Those two men, they would have treated him differently if only they had known that it was Jesus.

I am reminded of a quotation from “The Nun’s Story” by Kathryn Hulme…she wrote…”all for Jesus, Sister William said in the ward pulling on the rubber gloves. Say my dear students, every time you are called upon for what seems like an impossible task. All for Jesus. Then you can do anything with serenity. Say it for the bed pans, for the old folks you bath, say it briskly as you bend to change a dressing full of corruption. All for Jesus…”

That my friends it what it takes for us to recognize Jesus. These two on the road to Emmaus, I believe it is significant that they didn’t recognize Jesus until they sat down to eat with Him. Throughout the long afternoon they had profound discussions of currents events and theology. Beginning at Moses and all thru the prophets Jesus the Master teacher expounded to these two men and yet they didn’t recognize the Messiah, Jesus right in front of them. But, it was not until the intimacy of the evening meal that their eyes were opened.

Friends, perhaps this is the key to recognizing Jesus in our own day and age. Statistics on a page or casual traveling companions seldom touch our hearts or probe our souls. The constant bombardment on the television callous us to the needs of those around us. It is only when we become involved with people on a much deeper, intimate way that our eyes are opened to see Jesus.
So let us remember our Bible boost for today from Luke 24 verse 30 and 31. “when Jesus broke the bread and gave it to Cleopas and his companion the bible says their “eyes were opened”.

It is only when we look around and open our eyes do we see Jesus all around.

I am praying for you and your family.

Invite others to Jesus!

2009-05-14T07:42:00.000-07:00

His name was "Andrehas" in the Greek. It means "manly". When we first see him in the New Testament he is being called by Jesus in Matthew 4:18. In Matthew 10:2 he is listed as one of the twelve. However, it is in John's gospel record that we see "Andrehas" usefulness and he provides an example to us. It's in the gospel of John that we learn more about Andrew.

First, in John 1:40-42, "one of the two who heard Jesus speak and followed Him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He (Andrew) first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, 'we have found the Messiah'...he (Andrew) brought him (Simon) to Jesus."

WOW! Praise the Lord. Here is an individual who sees, hears and experiences the Messiah who is not just content to have the touch of the Master on his own life but wants to share it with others. He immediately thinks of his brother, Simon, and wants to tell him the good news. Andrew goes out of his way to find and invite his brother, Simon, to come and see for himself what Andrew found, the Messiah. Can we learn anything from this event? I hope so.

Secondly, we find Andrew again in John 6:1-9. Here we see a great gathering of 5000 men not counting the women and children present to hear the words of Jesus. They become concerned because the people look weak in need of food. But, as they talk amongst themselves, they realize just how much food would be needed to feed such a crowd. Guess who steps up? Yep, here he is again. "One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother said to Him, 'there is a lad here...' Andrew, again, is bringing another one to Jesus. A small boy this time.

The third time we Andrew in John is chapter 12 verses 20 thru 33. A group of foreigners who were preparing for worship sought to see Jesus. Who steps up? You guessed it. It is Andrew, AGAIN. Along with Philip, Andrew is mentioned as one who leads these foreigners to the Master.

In these three examples Andrew is shown as the one who is concerned about OTHERS. He is concerned about his relatives, little children and even foreigners. We can learn valuable lessons from "Andrehas", the manly one.

Look around. There are folks in your sphere of influence who are searching, longing, maybe even hurting who are looking for "the promised one". The one who can bring hope, healing and strength. The ONLY one who can bring SALVATION.

May I encourage you to take up the cause of Jesus Christ, just like Andrew. Let's take the message of love, hope and salvation to the world. Allow it to begin TODAY and let it begin with US.

I am praying for you and your family,

Let God RESCUE YOU!

2009-04-29T19:49:00.000-07:00

Today’s Bible Boost comes from the Old Testament. Exodus 14:13 and 14… “But Moses told the people, ‘don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord RESCUE you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” What an encouragement for each of us.

We have all heard so much talk from the president and congress on government bailouts, and stimulus financial plans. We have heard that the government is coming to the rescue to bail out financial institutions, car makers, and even some of us with a small increase in the old pay check. We have candidates who have already started their campaign speeches telling us that their plan will be to rescue us from a bloated and over stretched government intervention. Plus we have seen where our government has come to the rescue of other countries who are suffering under dictatorships.

However, as we have seen from our bible boost for today that God specializes in the rescue business. In Exodus, we read where God rescued His people from the Egyptians, Exodus 14; rescued his people from thirst, Exodus 15; rescued them from hunger, Exodus 16; from thirst again in Exodus 17 and rescued them from their enemies, also in Exodus 17. WOW! What a faith building study for our own personal journeys. We see where when Israel called out to God, He came to the rescue.

I don’t know your about journey, but I suspect you are much like me. We all face daily “situations” where we find ourselves in over our heads. Maybe it’s a financial situation or a marital situation or an overwhelming situation at work. We don’t know where to turn or how to overcome the situation. Maybe it is a habit that has its claws buried deep into our spiritual walk. Maybe it’s a sin, a circumstance, or deep spiritual struggle. I venture to say that we each have these situations.

So, what does the Bible say about such difficult situations. Well friends, we can learn tremendous lessons from how God came to the RESCUE for the children of Israel. Over and over these Israelites called out to God for help. And time after time God responded to rescue them. Whether they were thirsty, overcome with hunger, surrounded by the enemy, when they called out to God HE RESCUED THEM.

So, my friend, whether you are caught in a habit, circumstance, situation or feel threatened on all sides…here’s God’s Word speaking to you…CALL OUT TO HIM.

Moses was so overwhelmed by God’s response that when he reached his father-in-law, Jethro, he couldn’t wait to tell him of all what God had done for the children of Israel. Exodus 18:8 says, “Moses told his father in law everything the Lord had done to Pharoah and Egypt on behalf of Israel. He also told about the hardships they had experienced along the way and HOW THE LORD HAD RESCUED his people from ALL their troubles.” Do you hear that? Moses told Jethro how GOD had rescued his people from ALL their troubles. Not some, ALL.

So my friend no matter where you find yourself today be encouraged. God is standing ready to rescue you from ALL your troubles.

So let us remember our bible boost for today from Exodus 14 verses 13 and 14. “But Moses told the people, DON’T BE AFRAID. JUST STAND STILL AND WATCH THE LORD RESCUE YOU TODAY. THE EGYPTIANS YOU SEE TODAY WILL NEVER BE SEEN AGAIN. THE LORD HIMSELF WILL FIGHT FOR YOU. JUST STAY CALM.”

YOU are the Salt of the Earth!

2009-04-26T18:05:00.000-07:00

I am indebted to two men in my life who have shaped most of my thinking on loving others from whatever sect you may have come. Also for helping me recognize that we are not the only passengers on the "gospel ship" with our particular brand or label of Christianity. God has children in all groups of which many I do not know but would love to meet.

The two men of whom I speak are W. Carl Ketcherside and Boyce Mouton plus throw in a sounding board in Tom Tucker and "whalla" - my views. The following article is adapted from a conversation I had with and printed article given by W. Carl Ketcherside. I am praying that it helps to get us "out of the salt shaker" of which an entire book has been written.

YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH
Matthew 5:13

Salt is not something which you try to become in Jesus Christ. It is what your ARE in Jesus Christ. Here are a few characteristics of salt which should provide some insights into the nature of discipleship and followship for each of us who claim to be believers and followers of Jesus Christ.

1. Salt was so very precious during the days of Jesus. It was so valuable that Roman soldiers received salt as a portion of their wages. Hence, our word "salary" literally means, "payment in salt". To this day we say of someone who does not rise to the mark or measure up as one who "is not worth their salt". The fact that Jesus referred to His disciples as "salt" is a strong indication of how precious and valuable they were to Him and to influencing the world.

2. Salt was the best preservative known during the time of Jesus Christ. Sometimes when a corpse was transported a long distance, it was packed in salt, not ice. When a covenant or contract was to be implemented between two parties, they ate salt together to seal the contract. The covenant God made with Israel in the old Testament required that salt accompany every cereal offering. (See Lev. 2:13)

3. Salt was a purifying agent in the days of Jesus. It was believed to possess antiseptic qualities and when a soldier was wounded, the hole in the flesh was often stuffed full of salt to prevent infection. It was used by Elisha to purify a spring of water (II Kings 2:22). This make it very eye opening for us to consider our influence as Christians in this society which is infected by sin.

4. Salt increases the taste or the flavor of food. All of us have eaten attractively prepared food in which the cook forgot to add the salt. The "gourmet" meal taste flat and uninspired. So we feel compassion on the folks who have to be on a "salt free" diet. We could also say that life without the Christian influence is flat.

It sure does bother me a great deal to see that those who called themselves, believers or Christians, seem to have so little influence upon the world in general. It seems that we are more excited about our labels and buildings than impacting and influencing our society. There is no simple answer, but it must not be forgotten that salt will do NO GOOD huddling in the shaker. And, it seems to me that a great many believers are trapped inside religious structures or as some have called them, "holy huddles". All we seem to do is huddle, call plays, but never get on the field to execute the plays. In our holy huddles we hold services rather than rendering them. We seem more intent on carrying on religious exercises while the world is tracking more and more to evil and souls are dying without Jesus Christ right at our doorstep.

In his book, "New Light for the Gospels", Clifford A. Wilson says it was a Jewish tradition that when salt became unfit for use on sacrifices, it was sprinkled on the temple steps so that priest would not slip during rainy weather. Barclay makes mention of that unfit salt was thrown on the roadways.

Jesus does not say, "if the salt has lost its strength, I shall have to try something else". We are it. There is NOTHING ELSE. It is you and me or nothing. If we fail, Jesus questions, "with what shall the earth be salted"? The answer is that it will not be. We are the last divine thrust into the world to influence, purify, and perserve our world. Jesus was the Son of God made flesh, we are flesh made children of God.

"you are the salt of the earth"
There is no plan "B".
Again I am thankful to W. Carl Ketcherside for shaping my thoughts on this text from Matthew 5:13

I am praying for you and your family,

Leonard

Accountability

2009-04-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

“I had them turn the porn channels off”, my friend said to me. I asked, “Why did you do that?” “Well”, he said, “I knew you were going to ask me those questions and I couldn’t lie to you”. This was a conversation I had several years ago with one of my accountability partners as we went over the questions we ask each other.** For you see, I too, even though a pastor, must hold myself answerable and accountable. My friends and I meet once a week and go over 7 questions that help us stay true and accountable to each other and to God. Chuck Swindoll says, “you need someone in your life who will ask you the hard questions.” Integrity results when Truth and life align. We all need help with that aligning because we’re weak and subject to deceiving ourselves. So, the last question my accountability partners and I ask each other, “have you just lied to me” as we look each other straight in the eye.

Did you know that there are 35 “One Another’s” in the New Testament of the Bible? Such one another’s as “love one another”, “pray for one another” and “honor one another”. There is one other that we seldom use or practice on a regular basis. It is found in James 5:16 “confess your sins to each other…” Wow! That’s a tough one. Do I honestly want to tell others what is REALLY going on in my life? That’s why we need others around us to help us in our spiritual journey. This verse is not an option and not a suggestion. IT IS A COMMANDMENT!

The dictionary defines “accountability” as “answerable, explainable, a willingness or obligation to accept responsibility, responsible to others.” Accountability within the church is an issue that scares most people to death. People are afraid that if they become real and honest with each other, there will be judgment and disapproval for their shortcomings. Pastors many times are the worst. Instead of modeling accountability, we often want to think of ourselves as above being accountable and as having to answer to no one. Not only is that type of thinking dangerous, it is unbiblical.

Dr. Howard Hendricks did a survey of 256 pastors who fell to temptation. One of the common denominators was that they had no accountability partners. They were alone 99 % of the time. When we are alone, the devil, that roaring lion seeks us out and endeavors to entrap us. Why does the lion in the jungle stalk the herd of deer? To find the one straggler. The one that is last and away from the herd. What happens when you pull a briquette out from the group in the center of the BBQ pit? Yep, the heat diminishes and eventually the briquette dies. Same happens to us when we move away from each other. .

Accountability is not about judgment. It is about love so that we may be what God has called us to be. “If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” Ecclesiastes 4:10 (NIV) Accountability is all about encouragement and restoration. We need each other to help hold us responsible and accountable.

There are many avenues that the evil one chooses to entice and entrap. Sexuality is just one. It can be a whole host of entrapments when we are alone, such as bitterness, tiredness, jealousy, neglecting our Bible study and prayer. Remember, David’s sin with Bathsheba. The Bible states in I Samuel 11:1-2, “at a time when kings went out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all of Israel…David stayed at Jerusalem.” Oops. David was alone, when he observed the bathing beauty of Bathsheba. Here it is again, no accountability. That’s why the Bible states, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

The two keys to effective accountability are commitment and honesty. Commitment to seek out close friends to meet with on a regular basis to hold each other accountable and responsible. It tough at times to keep those appointments because of scheduling but most of the time because of having to answer those questions (they are listed at the end of this article). However, the most important is TOTAL HONESTY when you do meet. There are going to be times in life where we are going to blow it big time with God. It may be that we simply fall prey to the attack of the enemy, or it may be that we go seeking after sin. Either way, we must have someone or someone’s who can watch out for us and help us get back on the right path. “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NIV) this scripture is the reason I picked 3 friends to be close to me. Remember Jesus, even though He had a band of brothers numbering 12, he chose 3 to be His closest confidante’s. Name the 3, RIGHT NOW, that you will chose to help you on this journey called life.

Okay, a couple more scriptures to show the importance of Christian accountability. Proverbs 27:17, “just as iron sharpens iron, friends sharpen each other” (CEV), and “If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” Ecclesiastes 4:10 (NIV)

So, you see my friends. Not only do we need our heavenly Father, His son the Lord Jesus Christ, and the blessed Holy Spirit, BUT WE NEED EACH OTHER. REMEMBER, “Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.” James 5:16 (The Message)

Leonard Navarre
Associate Pastor
Valley View Christian Church
Edgewood, New Mexico

** Chuck Swindoll’s Seven Integrity Questions:

1) Have you been with someone, this week, of the opposite sex who is not your spouse? Could the meeting be seen as compromising?
2) Have you exposed yourself to any sexually explicit material in a stimulating way?
3) Have you given your wife/husband, family top priority this week?
4) Have any of your financial dealings lacked integrity?
5) Have you given your self to adequate time in Bible study and prayer?
6) Are you fulfilling the mandates of a disciple?
7) Have you just lied to me?

Cure for "Stinkin Thinkin"!

2009-04-15T10:34:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of the name Sethur? How about Palti? Gaddiel? Or Geul? Or maybe Nahbi? They were part of a group that who had an attitude that that infected the Children of Israel as they approached the Promise Land . They were part of a group that brought a curse to the children of Israel ’s progress. The disease is called “Negative thinking”. The names I just mentioned. They are 5 men named in Number 13 that were part of the 12 spies sent to spy out the land of promise.

You probably don’t remember those guys because of their negative report. They spied out the land and when they came back to report what they had seen, 10 of these men said, NO WAY. There is no way that we can move into the land and conquer it. In Numbers 13 verse 31 it says, “we are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” Virtually, every adult in the entire nature concurred with the majority of the spies. BUT, 2 men, said by God’s strength WE CAN DO IT. Only Joshua and Caleb DARED to believe God. This negative thinking was the very reason this generation of Israelites perished in the wilderness instead of inheriting the land that flowed with milk and honey. (Numbers 14:26-38).

Usually great achievements by both nations and individuals are the results of both perseverance and faith. It is a little known fact that there was a colony from the Old World that came to America and failed BEFORE the Pilgrims sailed and succeeded.

Long ago when I was in High School, there were those who insisted that it was impossible for a man to break the 4 minute mile. We once laughed at dreamers who spoke of putting men in space and on the moon.

Progress and success is always attributed to those who look beyond frustration and failure and move forward regardless. It is said that inventor of the light bulb experimented over 2 thousand times before he came up with the incandescent light bulb.

Negative thinking devours the seed in winter before the warmth of spring can give root in a fertile soil. Negative thinking chains the pioneer to the well worn paths of the past and denies to every generation the challenges and freedoms that are over the next horizon.

My friends, the same is true within our spiritual journeys. The devil is the one who devises tricks and strategies to discourage and disappointed us. The evil one has come to divide and destroy. He doesn’t want you to succeed. He doesn’t want you to be victorious in your spiritual journey. He will devise all sorts of obstacles and barriers to discourage you in your walk.

The apostle Paul experienced more than his share of frustrations, disappointments and disasters. Listen, Second Corinthians 11 beginning with verse 24, “5 times I received from the Jews the 40 lashes minus one, 3 times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, 3 times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day I the open sea” and he adds much more.

So, you see the Apostle Paul could have developed this negative complex. Probably if we had been beaten, maligned and misunderstood we would have opted for early retirement. But the apostle Paul gives each one of us this encouragement as we journey in our spiritual life. Our bible boost for today comes from Philippians 4 and verse 13, listen closely, “I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME.” Did you hear it? Where you listening?

The apostle Paul gives us the answer to over come as Zig Zigler says, “stinkin thinking”. Overcoming negative thinking comes with putting our trust in the king of kings and lord of lords.

Remember, YOUR BIBLE BOOST FOR TODAY, ‘WE CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS US'

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Philippians 4:13, a good one to memorize

HE IS RISEN!

2009-04-11T12:42:00.000-07:00

Hey, what’s the sign? How do you I know the events will take place like you say? Remember, Moses. God asked him to return to Egypt and liberate a nation of Hebrew slaves. But, Moses was concerned. He had a police record plus an Egyptians tyrant on the throne. So at this juncture, God gave Moses a series of signs to convince him of his mission. There was the miraculous rod, the leprous hand the burning bush and of course the voice from heaven.

Gideon chosen by God to defeat the Midianites also responded, “Where are the miracles that our fathers told us about”. He was looking for a sign. He even put out the fleece, twice, as a sign from God that he was called.

Remember, Hezekiah. He was a dying king of Judah who was promised fifteen additional years of life and also deliverance from the King of Assyria. It seemed impossible. Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “what shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me?” The gracious God of heaven who understands our doubts turned back the clockwork of heaven and shadow on the sun dial went back 10 degrees.

A doubting world cries out for a sign. We dare not gamble everything we are on hunches and superstition. Since Jesus Christ is calling us to a life faithfully lived for him and to trust Him with all the unknowns after death. He may place upon us a burden to die a martyr in some forgotten jungle or to turn the other cheek to a vicious enemy. To the one who jealously calls for total submission and surrender…we dare not accept to just some “idea or some childish thought.”

So, our wonderful Savior and all mighty God gives us re-assurance as to a sign. Remember what Jesus said to those who were asking a sign of Him. “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” He also said, “an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign. And no sign shall be given, but the sign of the prophet Jonas; for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so shall the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

Therefore, my friends, today we celebrate Easter or better known as Resurrection day is deemed sufficient by the judge of heaven to convince rational men that Jesus is who he claimed to be. It is deemed sufficient evidence to call you and me to repentance and align ourselves to the cause of Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul reminds us in First Corinthians 15 and verse 14, “that if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is vain, and your faith is also vain”.

So my friend this historical fact, the resurrection of Jesus Christ has convinced honest skeptics and strengthened Christians faith. Someone once said that dishonest skeptics will not believe even though one who rises from the dead.

So therefore my friends, the sign of the resurrection directs everyone down the path to eternal life. Our Bible Boost from today is from Matthew 28 and verses 5 through 7. “The angel said to the women; do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Now go quickly and tell his disciples; He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see him.”

“why seek you the living among the dead, he is not here, for he has risen.

Glory to the king of kings and lord of lords. He has risen.

HOLY WEEK!

2009-04-08T14:00:00.000-07:00

The following thoughts I have taken and adapted from John Eldredge's book, "Waking the Dead". It blessed my life I pray it will bless yours.

"Jesus of Nazareth was sentenced to death by a vain puppet of the Roman government acting as a district governor of Jerusalem. He was nailed on a cross by a handful of Roman soldiers who happened to be on duty, and left there to die. He died sometime around 3 o'clock in the afternoon on a Friday. The cause...a broken heart. An innocent man, bleeding for the sin and sins of the world. We have rebelled, and the penalty for our rebellion was death. To lose us to sin was too great a pain for God to bear, and so he took it upon HIMSELF to rescue us. This innocent man, the Son of God came to "give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28)

Each and every one of us has been ransomed by Him who is called the Christ. Our treachery is forgiven. Our lives, entirely pardoned for every wrong thought and desire and deed. This is what the vast majority of Christians understand as the central work of Christ for us. And make no mistake about it...it is a deep and stunning truth that will set you free and give you great joy. It is this truth, echoed by the Roman centurion standing guard that day as he witnessed this man on the cross, when he states, "Surely he was the son of God!"

Because of what was effected on that day,
we call it...

GOOD FRIDAY!

May we never forget the reason for this season and why we celebrate Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday...Easter.

I am praying for you and your family,

Return to the LORD!

2009-04-06T21:03:00.001-07:00

Return to the Lord God with all your heart!

Slowly, just like a dripping faucet, the nation drifted farther and farther away from God. When they were moving forward there were cities to conquer, frontiers to explore and oppression to erase, the nation was generally in tuned to God’s leading.

BUT NOW, they were settled into the new country. They built cities, grew the economy and found that their interest turned slowly from God to other things, other frontiers and even great learning through education. Self pleasing and “I” istic goals took the place of God worship and striving to please Him.

Even their religions leaders allowed the devil to step in and direct their lives. They stole food which was supposed to be sacrificed to God. Sex was used in the name of religion. Even sacred articles were captured and the nation was left without any strong religious direction.

Many of these details sounds like the good old USA, America. However, it is not. The nation of which I speak was Israel of the Old testament. Things were bad and the presence of God was lacking. It was so bad that the daughter-in-law of the High Priest, Eli, named her new born son, Icabod meaning, “the glory of the Lord has departed.”

If ever a people needed a course correction it was Israel and we can also say the same for America. Maybe even WE, personally, need a course correction.

So, God sent a prophet to give instructions for the course correction. For the nation to come back to God. This instruction is also available to us. If we feel that we have drifted far from God and it seems that God is a million miles away we can say with confidence that God is not
the one who moved. Israel had moved AWAY from God. God did not move away from Israel.
God will not move away from you.

So God sent the prophet Samuel with the message and the formula by which Israel could return to their God, Jehovah, creator of the universe and the sustainer and provider for their people.

In First Samuel 7 and verse 3, Samuel states the steps of instruction for returning to the Lord. Let us consider step number one.

The prophet says, return to the Lord with your WHOLE HEART. What does that mean to return with our whole heart? Well, Samuel knew that the people had substituted other gods in their worship. They had made idols out of stone and wood and worshiped the creation rather than the Creator. They became lethargic in their love and loyalty to almighty God. An idol is anything that comes between us and our heavenly Father. They had put idolatry in between themselves and Jehovah God. So, Samuel was saying in order to get God’s attention and to receive his blessings, Israel had to come back to Him with their love and loyalty. They had to decide whose side they were on. Were they going to serve and obey God or where they going to continue on the selfish, idolatrous path?

Friends, some of us are just like these rebellious folks in the Old Testament. We have formed a partnership with Israel to put other things before God. We have drifted off course. We have set our compass heading on our own various selfish desires and charted our own course. Our love for our Lord Jesus Christ has suffered damage and in many cases that love has grown cold.

So, what do I do if I find myself drifting from the Lord Jesus?
Well, friends, Samuel gives us the best advice of getting back on course.

I want to remind you
of the teaching from I Samuel 7 and verse 3. “Return to the Lord with your WHOLE HEART”.

May God bless you as you journey Towards Him.

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I am praying for you and your family,

Leonard

Don't Worry!

2009-04-01T16:16:00.000-07:00

I don’t know about you, but I suspect you are much like me. There are times when I feel anxious, worried and now right nervous over how life is shaping up for me. Our Bible Boost for today speaks to those feelings. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “The Lord is near; have no anxiety, but in everything make your request known to God in prayer and petition with thanksgiving. Then the peace of God which is beyond our utmost understanding will guard your hearts and thoughts, IN CHRIST JESUS.”

Notice how logically and beautifully this passage unfolds. The recognition of God’s presence is followed by the admonition “not to worry”.

Overcoming worry and anxiety begins with recognizing that God is near. Joshua 1:9 says, “do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, “and I am with you always, even to the end of the ages.” So one of the first steps in overcoming worry and being anxious is to realize that “GOD IS NEAR”.

Reminds me of a story I heard long ago of a little boy who was scared still to walk down the street where a bully resided. One day one of his friends saw him walking right by the bully’s house and inquired why he wasn’t afraid to walk by the bully’s house. The little boy responded, “Well, my big brother is watching out the picture window to make sure I make it pass the bully’s house.”

God is watching, God is providing, God is close. So, do not be afraid and do not be discouraged.

The text also stresses the need for prayer and how to pray. We are to take all things to the Lord in prayer WITH THANKSGIVING. Notice the emphasis. Not just pray. BUT, pray with thanksgiving for whatever it is that is causing the anxiety.

So, I challenge you. Put this scripture to the test. The next time you find yourself on edge with anxiety. You are worried, wringing you hands, don’t know what to do or where to turn. Pray, thanking God for whatever it is that’s causing the worry. Notice, it doesn’t matter the circumstance, for it says, “in everything” our prayers are to be offered with “thanksgiving”. I challenge you never to ask God for anything, anytime without reflecting upon the ledger of His bountiful blessings.

REMEMER now. Where is the apostle Paul when he writes these words. Do you remember? He is in jail. And from jail writes these words about “guarding your hearts”. Because Paul knows that if you allow your mind to wander it will bring up all sorts of creatures from the shadows. So Paul writes these words without anxiety worry or despair. What a great example for us today.

We can guide our minds and emotions to the promises of these words in Philippians. God is near. Don’t worry. God will hear, don’t worry. Give thanks for what God is doing and has done. Don’t worry.

When we follow these teachings, verse 7 says that a peace beyond our understanding or the worlds understanding will overflow into our hearts and lives to set up barriers against negative and inappropriate thoughts.

When we take our thoughts so stained with mistrust and purge them with the overflow of a grateful heart, we find that God is on guard just like this scripture tells us. We discover that the painful notions of worry are replaced by the soothing assurance of His presence and His peace.

Philippians 4:6 and 7… “God is near have no anxiety but in everything with thanksgiving let your requests be made known.”

I am praying for you and your family.

Projects vs Promises!

2009-03-30T20:59:00.002-07:00

Projects or Promises?

It was in the “Acknowledgement” section of the book that was loaned to me. Here’s the statement, “first and foremost to thank Carol, my partner of ten years, for the precious gifts she gave me. Our marriage did not survive this book.” Do you hear the sadness, the loneliness, the lost, the frustration, THE CLUE?

Here’s a guy that let the project of the book overshadow the promises of the wedding altar. It seems to me that people spend way too much time and money on the wedding and not enough time on the preparation, money and effort on the marriage. Let me tell you if you don’t already know that marriages that WORK take WORK. Loving, caring and intimate relationships are the results of “tending the garden”.

That author states the obvious. The book project received more attention than the promise to his wife, more attention than his marriage. He became partners with a project rather than a person. Millions are suffering from loneliness, lack of appreciation and depression maybe even abuse because they may be married but they are not one in love, emotion and spirit. Many marriages are struggling with frustration because there is no love in the relationship. There is neither respect nor appreciation. Many a spouse has put projects above and before their promises.

If you find yourself in such a position, let me give you a couple suggestions that may help you and yours.

First, everything revolves around the center. I believe that all sides of the human psychic (mental, emotional, sexual, psychological, etc) revolve around a center. Just like the sun is the center of our solar system, our human sides all revolve around this center. Throw our sun out of kilter and our whole solar system is affected. The center and focus of US is our spirit, our soul. If the spirit is off than everything else will be off including our marriages. All our relationships, the depth and intimacy of them, flow from the center of our spirituality.

If we are having break downs in the friendship area, communication area, sexual area…hey friend, those are just the symptoms of a root problem. The question is not, “are you and your spouse getting along?” The question is, “Are you and the Lord Jesus getting along?” Just as everything in our solar system revolves around the sun, so does everything in our human makeup revolve around THE SON. Are you in God’s Word feeding your spiritual life on a daily basis? Are you and your spouse praying TOGETHER? “Families that pray together, stay together!” The depth of your passion for God will determine your compassion for those around you. Remember, Jesus said that the greatest commandment was to “love the Lord your God with all your body, mind, soul and spirit”. He said the second greatest commandment is like unto it, “Love your neighbor as yourself”. (Luke 10:27) Your spouse is your closest neighbor. If there is a problem in that relationship, than I would almost guarantee you that you have a relationship problem with the Almighty. Remember, your passion for spiritual things, almighty God, will determine your passion for those around you.
So suggestion number one is: do spiritual things together like PRAY TOGETHER.

Secondly, COMMIT YOURSELF TO YOUR SPOUSE AND TO YOUR MARRIAGE! In Bob Russell’s book, “Marriage by the Book” he writes, “Winston Churchill rallied England during WWII with the phrase, ‘wars are not won by evacuations.” Neither are marriages. Good marriages are not the result of individuals bailing out. The promises we make at the marriage altar are covenant vows before almighty God. It’s a covenant commitment that no matter what comes our way, “for better or for worse” we will be committed to each other. When we commit to love as Christ loved the church we will be faithful to each other mentally, physically and emotionally. Colossians 3:14 says, “put on love”…that’s a commandment.
Robert McQuilkin resigned as President of Columbia Bible College in March 1990 to care for his wife. His wife, Muriel, suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. In announcing his resignation he shared, “this decision was made 42 years ago when I promised to care for Muriel ‘in sickness and in health…till death do us part’. McQuilkin went on to say, “I’m a man of my word; integrity has something to do with it. But so does fairness. She has cared for me fully and sacrificially all these years; if I cared for her for the next 40 years I would not be out of debt to her…but there is more”, he said, “…I love her”.

WOW! Here is a man who kept his word. He’s my hero.
So here is suggestion Number 2.

COMMIT YOURSELF TO YOUR SPOUSE AND TO YOUR MARRIAGE.

It is my prayer that we don’t let projects put canyons between our promises.

Don’t give in. Don’t give up. AND NO COMPROMISE!

The Master is in the Audience!

2009-03-30T20:59:00.001-07:00

Several years ago I heard the story of a young brilliant concert pianist. He was giving his first professional performance of his career. As he play skillfully and brilliantly the audience sat in rapt attention, absorbing every note. Finally at the end of a magnificient performance the audience exploded in a standing ovation. In the midst of the ovation the young pianist left the stage shoulders downcast, crest fallen and dejected.

The stage manager came to him full of congratulations and praise but the young musician remained despondent. “I am no good” the young man exclaimed. “It was a failure”. The stage manager responded, “nonsense. It was tremendous, everyone is on their feet and applauding, except for just one old man.” The young concert pianist replied, “yes, but that old man is my piano teacher.”

This story should remind us that our service to Jesus Christ is to be motivated by one factor and one factor alone; Our love for the Master and His approval. For there are many in their Christian walk, who look for and seek the approval of men and those around them. For you see society wants and measures success by power, position, prestige and numbers. They seem t say if you dress just so, drive this make of car, join the right health club, live in the right part of town, are seen by just the right people you will be considered accepted and “in”.

However, we must remember the words of Jesus. He said if there are any of us who desire to be “great” in the kingdom of God, we must become a slave, a servant to others. God is not looking for the right address, or the right clothes in the latest styles, or even the right vocabulary. God’s eyes are searching for the right heart. His eyes are moving to and fro throughout the world looking for those who want to be a servant.

Remember, in John 13 that Jesus told his disciples that if He was willing to be a servant by washing their feet that their greatest desire should be to serve one another.

Therefore, in our obedience, our worship and our service the applause and approval of men really means nothing. Only what Jesus says will be the deciding factor. Under the threat of imprisonment, the apostle Peter responds in Acts 5:29, we must obey God rather than men.”

So as we travel this highway called life under the umbrella of Christianity, we must remember that “the master is in the audience.”

So, here’s your Bible Boost for today. It comes from:

1Th 2:4 “but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.”

I am praying for you and your family.

Leonard

Worship: It's a life thing!

2009-03-27T07:15:00.000-07:00

Many years ago I heard a message my Tony Campolo of Philadelphia entitled, “It’s Friday but Sunday’s a coming!” It had to do with crucifixion of Jesus on Friday but look forward to the resurrection on Sunday. Well, let us speak a little about today is Friday, but Sunday’s a coming.

Someone once said, worship is like farming. If we haven’t sown then we will fail to reap. Here’s the point. Many times we are exasperated at the seemingly lack of concern and perception that prevails through our worship times. People seem to be just going through the motions. There is lack of enthusiasm, lack of excitement or as one preacher said, “there ain’t no fire here”. Motion with no substance. People seem to be so busy, time conscious and often ritualistic to just get through “church”. We are thinking of the roast in the oven, beating the other congregation to the restaurant, catching the ballgame, etc etc etc.

Why do we want our worship assemblies to be quick and without spontaneity when we do not expect that of other activities. For instance, take football, baseball, basketball or any other sport. We thrive on the unexpected, the informal, and the up-beat enthusiasm as excitement builds and builds. I was watching a basketball game last night and the student section stood almost the entire 3 and ½ hours. Try that on Sunday morning. It seems we subscribe to the “instant worship” plan. You know like instant coffee, instant oatmeal, instant…you get the picture.

Let me clarify here a little about worship. Worship is not what we DO in a group of people on Sunday. It is what we ARE throughout the week, yes even our entire life. You don’t call a man a farmer just because he eats breakfast with a group of farmers. A farmer is marked by his entire life. The harvest is the excited, upbeat and culmination of time consuming preparation on the field, hard labor at planting the crop, making sure the weeds are eliminated, watering and fertilizing the fields. Then comes the harvest. What is sown and cared for points to the reaping.

The same is true in our look towards Sunday and our worship experiences. We will never have the harvest on Sunday if we haven’t prepared FOR IT during the week.

Hey, today is Friday, but Sunday’s a coming. Now’s the time to get ready for a great time of worship, praise and inspiration. Now’s the time to pray for the spiritual leaders. To pray for the preacher, proclaimer, pastor, priest. Now’s the time to pray for those who will be leading out during the worship assembly. Today is the day to set your sights and eyes on Sunday.

Yes, it’s Friday, but Sunday’s a coming.

Let us learn a few lessons from the farmer.

1. Preparation and planting: for our Sunday’s to be what we they need to be which is an attitude of poised in expectancy of God, we must be planting the seeds of expectation throughout the week. Worship is a lifestyle not just an activity in a building on a certain day.

2. Cultivation: Daily walks in the word of God the Bible. Weeding out those things that interfere with our hanging out with God. Making sure that there are no distractions as we prepare to meet with fellow believers in our time of worship and praise.

3. Watering and fertilizing: Can you imagine what would happen if every believer would pray and fast on Saturdays for God to really do a mighty work on Sunday. If we prayed and fasted on Saturday for our Sunday times together, our worship times would explode with joy and excitement.

So, here’s your Bible Boost for today, Hebrews 10:25, “let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the day approaching”.

I am praying for you and your family.

catch Your Bible Boost on www.mykkim.com
5:05 PM MDST Mon, Wed, Fri

Through the eyes of Jesus!

2009-03-25T18:17:00.000-07:00

Today’s bible boost zeros in on John chapter 13. It’s the story of Jesus and his disciples in the upper room prior to his court appearance and crucifixion. As they came into the room that fateful night the basin and towels used for washing feet were at the door. Those were items customarily in every home as a sign of hospitality. So it is logical to assume that each of the disciples saw those items. Yet, it seems equally obvious that the thought of using them personally did not enter their minds.

But, Jesus got up from the table took the basin of water and the towel and washed the feet of his disciples. The disciples couldn’t believe it. This was a job for the slave, the servant and here Jesus was taking up the basin of water and the towel. But, we remember the words of Jesus where He said, I have come to serve and not be served. (Matthew 20:28 NAS)

Virtually everything that Jesus saw He saw as a means of ministry. When He saw a boat He thought of how He could use it to teach others. When He saw a fig tree He used it to teach a lesson. When He saw a small lunch of fish and bread, He touched others by feeding them with this small lunch. When He saw a piece of money, He did not think of selfishly spending it on Himself, but as a vehicle to teach spiritual truths.

How differently do we see things? When I see a boat, or food, or money my first inclination is to think first of my own needs and wants. Many of us respond this way. How desperately we need the eyes of Jesus.

So, let’s be honest. If we saw that basin of water and towel what would come to your mind. Look around you right now. What do you see? I see books, computer, radio, microphones, desk, a building and other items to numerous to mention. Each and every one of these items could conceivably be used FOR OTHERS if I would only look at them through the eyes of Jesus.

But wait. There’s more. Jesus, also, saw people in the same constructive way. When He met the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well in John 4, He did not see her as a vehicle to satisfy some selfish desire, but rather someone who could bring salvation to her self and to an entire town. The demonic man who was cured was thrilled to be cured but he wanted to follow Jesus. But, Jesus forbade him and urged him to remain where he was to serve the community where he lived. The disciples that Jesus chose for ministry were considered “unlearned and ignorant” by the elite of society. They had little to commend themselves as individuals of promise. But, Jesus saw their potential and chose them to turn the world upside town with His good news of hope and salvation. Jesus saw potential in virtually everyone.

Remember, I told you earlier of what I saw around me. The objects. But also in this building are people. Dozens. Through the eyes of Jesus I can see great potential in each and every one of them if they give Him their heart and lives.

I also believe Jesus sees great potential all of you who are listening in today. Jesus sees you with a tremendous capacity to change YOUR world if you will just look at your world through His eyes.

It is my deepest prayer that God will give each and everyone of us, THE EYES OF JESUS!

Listen to Second Corinthians 5 verse 17 “therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new”.

May we see all things through the NEW eyes of Jesus.

I am praying for you.

Seek the Lord while He may be found!

2009-03-23T21:56:00.000-07:00

Today’s Bible boost comes from the Old Testament Isaiah 55 and verse 6, “seek the Lord while He may be found, call on Him while He is near.”

King Ahaz, King of Judah was at the end of his rope. He had come from a very Godly dynasty. His father Jotham, his grandfather Uzziah and his great grandfather Amaziah were among the best in the lineage of King David. Ahaz’s son Hezekiah was one of the most noted for his godly faith in the entire history of Judah.

However, King Ahaz was an unfortunate exception. II Kings 16:3 states that King Ahaz, “walked in the way of the kings of the north, and even sacrificed his son in the fire, following detestable ways of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites”.

It was at this point that God sent the prophet Isaiah to King Ahaz to beseech him to turn from his evil ways. However, instead of turning from his evil ways it did the exact opposite. He took silver and gold from the temple of Almighty God and gave it as a gift to the King of Assyria. He further prostituted his faith by going to Damascus and sending back detailed instructions on how to build a pagan altar. He was in such a rush to profane the House of God that the pagan altar was completed by the time King Ahaz returned from his journey and replaced the true altar in the temple of God.

Also, he removed the laver where the priests of God purified themselves and removed the covered entrance was intended for the Kings of Judah and prepared to accommodate the evil king of Assyria.

At his lowest point he sought help alright…but it wasn’t from God. He bankrupted his country financially, politically, and spiritually to please the king of Assyria and did nothing to please the God of heaven.

In the short term his strategy worked. Assyria came to King Ahaz’s defense and gave him temporary protection from his enemies. But in the long term the king found that Assyria was a good servant but a terrible master. The Bible says, in the end the country of Judah was brought low because of her king, King Ahaz.

Undoubtedly, many of us, like King Ahaz come to the end of our rope. It seems that the enemy has made great progress and we feel like we are on the verge of utter collapse and defeat. It seems like we are surrounded by problems, unnerving circumstances and heavy, oh so heavy, burdens.

It is at such a time as these that we must not resort to a quick fix or a short term solution. Many of our earthly solutions really offends the God of heaven. Never should we bow, scrape or sacrifice to anyone or anything but to the Lord.

There will be moments when we face fiery furnaces that it seems expedient to bow down to a golden image. There will be times when we are tempted to avoid some den of lions by neglecting our commitment to God. We dread the dark moments of despair and depression.

When we face such times hear the word of Isaiah when he was sent to prophesy to King Ahaz. Not only hear the words of Isaiah, but may we do the opposite of King Ahaz. May we hear and OBEY.

Here’s our bible boost for today. “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call on Him while He is near.” King Ahaz refused to do so and it cost him his life and his kingdom.

I am praying for you and your family.

Be strong and courageous!

2009-03-20T18:28:00.000-07:00

Our BIBLE BOOST comes from Joshua 1:9, “…be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified. Do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

If you turn on the nightly news we are bombarded with so many stories and events that threaten our lives with fear, discouragement and outright attacks. We hear of Islamic jihadists blowing up, tearing up and threatening our peace. We hear of reports of the “axis of evil” with North Korea launching rockets, Iran developing tactical nuclear weapons, China blowing up satellites in space and of course Russia flexing her muscles by signing treaties with Iran, Syria, Cuba, and Venezuela.
On the home front, robberies, murders, kidnappings, and of course the drug border wars.

As it seems our world is spinning out of control. Maybe even in your personal walk things seem to be discouraging and disappointing. Maybe you feel like the storm winds are ready to blow you over. I heard a story recently that should help us and calm our fears.

It seems that a farmer who owned land along the Atlantic seacoast, advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work farms along the Atlantic because of the dreadful and fierce storms that raged, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. Finally the farmer found a short, thin man well past middle age who applied for the job.

The farmer asked the applicant. “Are you a good farm hand?” “Well” answered the old thin man, “I can sleep when the wind blows”. Although puzzled by the answer the farmer hired the man. He was a great worker. Busy from dawn till dusk and the farmer felt really satisfied with his work. Then one night the wind howled loudly from offshore with a fierce storm approaching. Jumping out of bed the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed to the door and over to the hired hand’s sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, “Get up! A storm is coming! Tie down things before they blow away.” The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, “No sir, I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows.”

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire the hired hand right on the spot. But instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all the haystacks were covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing would blow away. Then the farmer realized what the hired hand had meant. He understood. So he returned to bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

So, here’s the question for us today. How can we have peace when the storms of life are raging all around? How can we sleep when it seems the storms of life are blowing us over? Well, my friend, verse after verse from God’s word reassures us that He is in control. As we have heard so many times…don’t ask for God to calm the storm in your life, rather ask God to calm our lives in the midst of the storm.

I believe when God tells us something one time that we should hear and obey. But when God tells us something 3 times we can count on it. Well, 3 times in Joshua 1:6 thru 9 that God tells Joshua to BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS. 3 TIMES. Do you why God told Joshua to be strong and courageous and basically to “sleep while the wind blows.”

Because God said, “For I will be with you wherever you go”. No matte what is going on in your life hear the words of our Lord God as

YOUR BIBLE BOOST FOR TODAY, Joshua 1:9, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged. FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL BE WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.

I am praying for you and your family.

Leonard

Are you READY?

2009-03-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

In our Thursday night Men’s Bible Study in Edgewood we have been focusing on the little letter of Amos in the Old Testament. The blunt and outspoken Amos was not a professional prophet. He was a sheep herder and a horticulturist who took care of sycamore trees. Yet, while he was tending the sheep the Lord spoke to him to go prophesy to the people of the northern kingdom, Israel.

The lifestyles of the people of Israel were a stench unto God. They had not one leader that was good or obeyed the Lord God throughout their entire history. They achieved their prosperity at the expense of others. The sold the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes. They trampled impoverished people into the dust. A man and his father would share the same girl in bed and thus profane God’s name. Nothing religious was considered sacred. They lived in mansions and had both summer and winter homes. They reclined in beds of ivory and sang their own special music. They rubbed their soft bodies with special cosmetic preparations. The feasted on gourmet foods, and drank wine from goblets. But not once did they consider God or his laws. And because of this the judgment of God was about to fall upon them.

Amos 3:7 says that God will always give a warning before judgment, “surely the sovereign Lord will do nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” Not only did God send Amos warning the people of Israel of the judgments to come, He also sent a series of “natural disasters” to sound the alarm and tries to get the attention of the Israelites. He gave them drought, famine, pestilence, and plagues. He overthrew some of their cities like Sodom and Gomorrah. Yet, they refused to repent and change their ways. They stared down at the dust of the drought and said “tough luck” when they should have looked to heaven and seen the “tough love” of God. As always, those who WILL NOT see are worse than those who cannot see. Their problems were not to be compared with the problems they were about to have. SO, Amos cried out with OUR BIBLE BOOST for today. It’s found in Amos 4:12, “prepare to meet your God, O Israel.”

The message of Amos is tailored made for you and me and for America. You know we are prepared for just about everything but meeting God. We prepare for school, graduation, work, vacations, retirement, and even our funerals and burials. But even though we have made all these preparations when have not prepared to heed the call of Amos, “prepare to meet your God”. The poet puts it this way:

When the great plants of our cities
Have turned out their last finished work.
When the merchants have sold their last yard of silk
And dismissed their last hard clerk
When the banks have raked in their last dollar
And paid out their last dividend
When the judge of the earth calls…closed for the night.
And asks for the balance…WHAT THEN!

Remember, Amos 4:12, "Prepare to meet your God..."
Are you ready?

I am praying for you and your family,

Don't forget to assemble!

2009-03-14T08:43:00.000-07:00

Our Bible Boost for today comes from the New Testament Book of Hebrews, chapter 10 and verse 25. “Not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.”

Have you ever grilled with those charcoal briquettes? You know, you piled all the briquettes in a huge heap. They are cold and dark until you put lighter fluid on them or use a charcoal starter to heat up the briquettes. Then after a period of time the briquettes begin to turn white hot. Then you take the briquettes and spread them around to spread out the heat. But you keep them close to each other so that they don’t lose their heat. Keeping those briquettes close together allows them to retain their heat because they are close to each other.

You know sometimes we are just like those briquettes. We drift away from attending church and fellowshipping with others and we become dark in our moods and cold in our relationships. So we need a little fire starter in our lives. Attending a Bible believing, Bible teaching and Bible preaching congregation will help light our spiritual fires. We may feel like we are all alone, bills piling up, nobody cares, trying to solve our problems all by ourselves and it just seems like we are swamped with the events of every day life. Well, friends, being with individuals at a Bible believing, Bible teaching and preaching congregation can help steady the load in our lives.

Do you know that there are 35 One Another’s Mentioned in the Bible. One Another’s like “love one another”, “pray for one another”, “bear one another’s burdens”, “and honor one another”. WOW! Can you believe it? 35 of those. We need each other. Not only do we need the Lord Jesus Christ, our Heavenly Father and His blessed Holy Spirit but we need each other.

Remember those briquettes I was talking about earlier. What happens when you move one of those white hot briquettes away from the others? YEP! You are right. The white hot briquette turns black and becomes cold. Same thing happens to us in our spiritual journey. When we stop hanging out with fellow believers we become cold and we lose our fire for the Lord. The Bible says in Proverbs 27:17, “as iron sharpens iron so does one man sharpen another.” We need each other to encourage one another, hold each other accountable and to support one another.

So, don’t forget our bible boost for today comes from the New Testament Book of Hebrews, chapter 10 and verse 25. “Not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.”

I am praying for you and your family.

Run the race with endurance!

2009-03-11T08:19:00.001-07:00

Our Bible boost today centers around verses found in Hebrews 12:1-2, “let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”

I have a friend who is an “ultra marathoner”. I never knew there was such a thing until he ask me to go a “run” with him. Now you have to understand. I’m not a real runner, I’m not even a jogger, I am more of a plodder. I just plod along at my standard pace, getting exhausted and sweaty, but not trying to knock off my heart in one run.

Well, an ultra marathoner is one who goes on a run for 50, 100, 150 miles. Do you know what that means. He doesn’t run from block to block he runs city to city.

Here’s my point today. When we would go on runs called races there were always people along the way who would come out to the curb and cheer. That’s right. They would cheer us on. As we ran along we heard words of encouragement like, “you can do”, “not much farther”, “you’re looking strong”, “you are almost there”.

Even my friend who is ultra marathoner would leave me far behind on these “runs”. But as I was just getting to the half way point those gazelles of super athletes would come back us plodders and run along side of us to encourage us as we plodded to the finish line.

Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that so easily trips us up. AND, let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith”.

There you have it. We are on a spiritual journey in this life. We need encouragement to help us stay the course and remain faithful. Much like those folks who came out from their houses to cheer us on as we ran our 5-K’s, 10 K’s, we need to cheer each other on, fellow companions in this race called life.

I can’t tell you how many times when I felt down or discouraged that someone would come along side me and give me an encouraging word by a telephone call, a letter or a up beat cheery card in the mail. WOW! What a great pick me up. I was truly blessed but more importantly I was encouraged to continue on in this journey called life.

Look around. There are many folks all around us who are running with us. Let us be an encouragement to them. So may I come along side you today and remind you of the words of Hebrews 12:2, “let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.”

Don't give in. Don't give up and NO COMPROMISE!

I am praying for you and your family,
Leonard

God or Man?

2009-03-09T12:55:00.000-07:00

Today’s Bible boost asks the question; are we pleasing God or pleasing people. Ever notice how most politicians feel that pleasing people is the key to getting elected. Focus groups and lobbyist provide information about what the people want, and if they don’t give it to them, somebody else will. It is not uncommon for politicians to change their “convictions” upon election. However, those who study God’s Word, the Bible, even in politics God rules in the kingdoms of men and allows and appoints those who are in those governmental positions.

Paul in Galatians 1:10, states, “obviously, I am not trying to win the approval of people but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be a servant of Jesus Christ.”

Paul faced tremendous pressure to change his message, to go along with tradition and even to change the entire gospel of Jesus Christ. But he didn’t. As Paul made mention, if we seek to please men, we are not the servants of Jesus Christ.

Our focus needs to be on eternity for the souls of men. Our focus needs to be on obeying God’s Word in the here and now. It is not foolish to give up things we cannot keep, to gain things we cannot lost.

Here are some questions for you: Should Noah have taken a poll before building the ark? Should Moses have given the people a ballot to vote for God or for the golden calf? How about Daniel and his Jewish friends? Should they have taken a survey among all the captives to see whether they should obey the king’s servant or God’s instructions? It’s absurd to believe that Jesus should have asked for a show of hands about whether to go to Jerusalem to die? Of course, the popular opinion among the disciples was, “don’t go”. But he steadfastly turned his face to Jerusalem to accomplish the task of going to the cross, bleeding and dying for our sins.

Abraham Lincoln was once asked if he felt that God was on his side and the side of the north on the slavery issue. Lincoln correctly responded that he was not concerned whether God was on his side, but he was overly concerned that he was on God’s side.

It seems that we are more concerned about being politically correct than in being God correct.

Do you remember when Peter and the apostles were arrested and thrown in prison in Acts 5? Their crime. Of course, for healing the sick, the afflicted and preaching about salvation in no other name but Jesus Christ. They were given strict orders to not preach in the name of Jesus Christ or tell how he died. Here’s Peter and the apostles respond to this charge. They said, “we must obey God rather than men.”

So my friends in a world that seems to only want to hear things that are “politically correct” it would behoove us to remember the words of Peter and the apostles which is our Bible Boost for today…

Acts 5:29, “We must obey God rather men!”

I am praying for you and your family,

Our Strength? The joy of the Lord!

2009-03-06T07:51:00.000-08:00

You have probably heard the phrase, “inquiring minds want to know”. Well the answer to that statement is our bible boost for today. In the book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament Nehemiah chapter 8 and verse 10 we hear these words for God’s people, Go eat of the fat, drink of the sweet and send portions to him who has nothing prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH.” To appreciate that statement we have to understand a few things.

Remember now, the children of Israel had been in captivity in Babylon for 70 years. There were 3 major times when people returned to their homeland and Jerusalem. The first time was in 536 B.C. under Zerabbabel when 0ver 42,000 returned. Ezra led a group in 457 B.C.

By the time Nehemiah arrives in 444 B.C., almost 100 years had passed and still the walls of Jerusalem lay in shambles. It is incredible, and almost miraculous to discover in the book of Nehemiah that under his leadership those walls were rebuilt in only 52 days according to Nehemiah 6:15.

So, the inquiring mind will naturally want to ask, “What happened?” What inspired these people who for decades had done nothing to all of a sudden come alive with ambition and energy? We probably can answer that completely beyond our finite minds, but we can make some observations in light of what we read in Nehemiah.

We can see where after the wall was completed that Nehemiah and Ezra gathered the people together for a study of God’s Word and a time of reflection and rejoicing. It was in this context that the people were told to quit mourning and weeping. Instead they were told to have a banquet and eat and drink. They were to share their exuberance with those who had nothing.

For generations these people had been beaten down and oppressed. Seventy long years of captivity had given them a slave mentality. Though they had now been free for almost 100 years they still had not escaped the atmosphere of failure and oppression.

Then one day a dream was born in the mind of a man who was the cupbearer to the King, Nehemiah. Nehemiah surveyed the city of Jerusalem and a plan emerged which would turn shambles into a citadel of strength. His optimism was contagious. Soon the men who had shown no imitative or will now were busy about God’s business.
Nehemiah said the people had a mind to work. And work they did. Rebuilding the walls in 52 days.

You know friends, we can look around us and feel beaten down, oppressed with all the national and international events that trouble our minds. Lack of jobs, tumbling economy, threat of nuclear war, and strained relations between countries troubles us. Maybe, we even have strained relations at home or at work.

But, let us remember how the people of Nehemiah triumphed. “The Joy of The Lord was their strength.” Finding strength in the Lord help them accomplish more in 52 days than what their ancestors had accomplished in 52 years.

So, remember our bible boost for today is from Nehemiah 8 verse 10. “The joy of the Lord is our strength.”

I am praying for you and your family,
Leonard

Praying for our Nation and her Leaders

2009-03-04T13:46:00.001-08:00

Prayer is an important part of every Christians walk. Especially, when there are activities and legislation that goes against what is morally right and many times a direct violation of God’s Word. In fact, God’s Word gives us a COMMAND to pray for our leaders and those in authority. (I Timothy 2:1)

However, I believe II Chronicles 7:14 is the key verse in our prayer efforts for ourselves and for our nation. In order to affect our culture in a positive and Biblical way we must begin with ourselves. You’ll notice that God says, “if MY people who are call by my name will humble themselves and pray”. He’s talking to believers those who have a relationship with the Father. So we can’t expect the non-believers, non-followers to present their case before God the Father.

The call is for believers to seek God’s face, repent and turn from OUR evil ways. As believers we come to God to confess our sins (He already knows them, we are just agreeing with Him as to what we have done to strain the relationship). We acknowledge our sins, the sins of our families and the sins of our country.

Remember, Nehemiah’s prayer in Nehemiah 1:6b-7, “I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my Father’s house has committed against you. We have acted very wickedly against you. We have not obeyed commandments, decrees and laws your servant Moses gave us.”

So the call to prayer begins with each one of us individually. The nation cannot be what our communities are not. The nation cannot be what our families are not. The nation cannot be what I am not. The prayer seeking divine intervention begins with me and my house. Each family tuned in to our failures, sins, apathy and complacence. Bringing God to bear upon the culture starts with me. It is an individual issue.

BUT, see the promise that God gives in II Chronicles 7:14, “then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and HEAL their land”. This is one of God’s numerous “if – then” statements. IF we humble ourselves, pray, repent and confess THEN God will hear, forgive and heal.

So, the prayer effort must begin with ME and then we encourage others in our household, family, and community to unite together to “humble ourselves, pray, repent and confess”. When is the last time that we united our neighborhood, congregation, community just to meet to PRAY. It must begin with ME.

The call is not, “if we agree with the president we’ll pray for him”, the call, yea the commandment, is to PRAY for him no matter what the circumstances. Remember, when Paul wrote the words to Timothy that they were under a slave, dictatorial society ruled by Rome. Yet, Paul admonishes Timothy to “pray for all those in authority”.

So, dear friends, let us bring together our families, congregations, friends, and community to fast and pray for healing in our land. God is faithful and God keeps His promises. HE WILL HEAL OUR LAND IF…

I am praying for you and your family,
Leonard

STAND FIRM!

2009-03-03T11:54:00.000-08:00

Our Bible boost for today is the word, STEADFAST. The dictionary defines steadfast as “firmly fixed in place or unwavering”. It comes from to words, sted which means place and fast which means “held tight or fixed”.

I have chosen this word because of the scriptures that tell us that when we stand for that which is Biblical and do the right thing we WILL have trouble and be persecuted. Jesus says in John 15:20, “remember, the word that I said to you, a slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you.” For those who stand for right, truth and righteousness Jesus says THERE WILL BE PERSECUTION.

I recently returned from a Mission trip to India. Persecution is very real there. Preachers are having their homes destroyed, their churches burned and members of their congregations scattered into the jungles with no food and little water because of their stand for the Lord Jesus Christ and Christianity.

One evangelist from India told me that his wife was raped by eight men while they made him watch. Another evangelist told me that he and his wife were riding their motorcycle on their way to a doctor for her when 6 other motorcycles carrying several men cut in front of them. Both the evangelist and his wife were beaten severely. The pastor was beaten so badly that he was in a coma for 2 days. When he awoke from his coma in ICU his uncle was sitting at the foot of the bed. The uncle told the beaten pastor that his wife was beaten so savagely that she died and they had her funeral that morning while the pastor was in a coma.

Jesus said, “there will be persecution”. Just in the pass couple weeks a California pro-life counselor and Pastor, Walter Hoye received a jail term for peaceful work outside an abortion clinic to try to save the lives of unborn babies.
Hoye was found guilty of violating a local ordinance that dictates that he must stay at least eight feet away from anyone entering the clinic. He was found guilty, even though video demonstrated that he did not violate the law. Hoye was ordered to jail for 30 days, fined $1,130, and placed on probation for three years.
Have you heard about the Philadelphia eleven? 11 Philadelphia-area Christians were arrested after peacefully protesting a homosexual event called Outfest on a public sidewalk.
Eight charges were filed against them, including three felonies and five misdemeanors. The charges were: criminal conspiracy, possession of instruments of crime, reckless endangerment of another person, ethnic intimidation, riot, failure to disperse, disorderly conduct, and obstructing highways. The judge referred back to Defense Attorney Scott Shields' reference to William Penn, the Founder of Philadelphia who came to America to escape religious persecution, saying that "here, of all places" the right of free speech had to be protected.
Thankfully a clear headed judge threw out the case against the 11.
So, here’s our bible boost for today. It comes from I Corinthians 15:58, “therefore, my dear friends, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is NOT IN VAIN IN THE LORD”.

Pray before Decisions!

2009-02-28T19:35:00.000-08:00

Our bible boost for today comes from a special story in the Old Testament that provides direction and purpose for our lives today. The man is simply known as the “Chief Servant”. Do you remember the story of Abraham wanting to find a bride for his son Isaac. Well, in Genesis 24 Abraham instructs the chief servant to embark on a journey back to Abraham’s homeland to find a wife for his master’s son, Isaac. The trusted chief servant returns to Mesopotamia looking for a wife for Isaac. After making his way to the town of Nahor (which by the way is named for Abraham’s brother) the chief servant settles down at the well of the city. You remember, that drawing water was the job of the women, so the chief servant knew he would be able to scout out any potential brides from the well’s vantage point.

However, there is one important thing the chief servant does before engaging his search. You know what it is? He PRAYED! Yep. Right there at Water Well Central, he prays. The chief servant invokes God’s intervention in the selection process. Hear what he prays in Genesis 24:42, “ oh Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, grant me success for my journey.” The chief servant as the chief servant is praying God is moving to answer. The writer of Genesis records, “before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar…” Genesis 24:45.

Asking and then receiving. Seeking and then finding. God’s direction sought and God’s direction found. Hey, I can learn something from this Chief Servant. We don’t know his name but we do know his attitude. His attitude speaks to me. I can think back to numerous times when I failed to seek “divine direction”. Maybe you have done the same thing. We have major decisions but we go everywhere else but to God in prayer. We will consult books, philosophies, traditions, even other people. So many times in my life my decisions were made without the slightest request unto the Lord God for His will and divine direction. And, you what…I blundered into mistakes with tragic results.

I can learn from this no named “chief servant”. When he consulted with the Lord God…great and marvelous results occurred. As a Christian I’m to be the Lord God’s servant. He’s the Lord. He’s the master. I am the servant. The slave. Before ANY decision in my life it would behoove me to talk it over with the Lord rather than books, magazines, newspapers or even my friends. God is the ONE who knows all things and holds within His great providence, the very best for me.

As I bend my will and decisions to His divine direction, maybe, just maybe I can feel what Abraham’s chief servant felt when he said in Genesis 24:27, “as for me, the Lord has led me on the journey…”
Or as the old hymn says, “Lead on O King Eternal…your cross is lifted over us, we journey in its light; the crown awaits the conquest. Lead on, O God of might.”

So, my friends may we be a people of pray. A people who are seeking God’s will and direction for our lives. If you are searching, looking, longing for a solid answers to a world filled confusion…may I suggest find a Bible teaching church where follow the King eternal.

I am praying for you and your family.

Leonard

www.yourbibleboost.com Now under development but coming soon.

All Glory, praise and honor to God our Father.

2009-02-27T11:39:00.000-08:00

Thoughts on the Defeat of SB 12
Domestic Partnership Bill

First and foremost we must give praise, honor and glory to our heavenly Father who heard our prayers and answered them according to our pleas and supplications, but as always, according to His will. It is not always so, as God moves according to His great providence and according to His will. But, today we give Him all praise and glory for the defeat of this bill and hearing our pleas.

Secondly, we thank God for all those listeners of KKIM who rallied to pray, phone, and email their Senators. Also, a special thanks to those who personally visited their Senators to express their concerns and beliefs and to those who were present in the Senate gallery, Thursday, with their white shirts to show their solidarity to encourage the defeat of this bill.

Thirdly, a special thanks to the 9 Democrats who braved the tumultuous waters of party allegiance to vote “no” on SB 12.

Fourthly, we love all people no matter what their preference or identification. Christ Jesus showed His love to all of us by dying on the cross to take away our sins. However, God has given us His Word and His will. Jesus said, “if you love me, you will keep my commandments”. God instituted marriage from the beginning to be between one man and one woman. Marriage predates Christianity. So, to that end, to “honor marriage”, we will continue to fight to protect our marriages, our families and God’s Word.

Lastly, it was a tremendous blessing and encouragement to have opponents of this bill rally in a united front. The unity of prayer warriors crossed denominational, cultural, ethic, genetic and continental lines. Prayers were offer by Messianic Jews, denominational groups, non-denominational groups, para-church groups and missionaries from around the world. I personally know of prayers offered from the countries of India, Russia, China and Nigeria. I am sure there were many others.

As we heard on KKIM Thursday on New Mexico News and Views hosted by Dewey Moede, Mark Tross and Richard Spray, the song by Rich Mullins, OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD. He always has been AWESOME and He ALWAYS will be AWESOME.

However, don’t forget that the work is not done. There is an exact bill in the New Mexico House of Representatives that is in committee at this time. There is much work yet to be done.

I close with this scripture from Paul’s writing to the Ephesians ringing in my ears. It is from chapter 3 and verses 20 and 21: “Now all glory to God who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever. Amen!” (NIV)

I am praying for you.

Leonard

Do it NOW!

2009-02-24T15:23:00.000-08:00

JUST THINKING!

Adapted from a Devotional from "The Word for You"

"Be sure to do what you should" Galatians 6:4 NLT

"You can only pray, plan and prepare so long. Sooner or later you MUST step out in faith and act. In the Old Testament the children of Israel came to the Red Sea with the Egyptians in hot pursuit. The Israelites began calling out to the Lord in prayer. However, the Lord God instructed them, "Go, forward". There is a time to pray, a time to plan and a time to prepare. BUT, then it comes time we must ACT.

The chinese have a saying, "He who deliberates too long before taking a step, will spend his whole life on one leg".

The reason many do not get started is that they focus on tomorrow rather than today. The Bible says, "today is the day of salvation". In James 4:13, 14 (NLT) it says, "look here, you people say 'tomorrow we going to a certain town...we will do business there and make a profit.' How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like the morning fog-it's here for a little while, then it's gone."

The idea of tomorrow can be very seductive, but the promise it holds is often false. It's starting that stops us. Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators observed, "The greatest time wasted, is the time thinking about getting started." The hardest part of writing a letter is penning the first line. I can say the same. The hardest part of writing "Yourbibleboost" is just STARTING. The hardest part of making a tough phone call is picking up the phone and punching in the first number. The hardest part of writing an email is pulling up the email address and writing the first words.

So how do we overcome and "do what we should" as Galatians suggest...

DO IT! TODAY! Today...NOW is the time, this is the place and we are the people.

START!

I am praying for you and your family,

Leonard

Pray, pray, pray!

2009-02-23T09:11:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of a dude named Manny? Well, the one I’m talking about is found in the Old Testament, in Second Chronicles 33 to be specific. He was one bad dude. He wasn’t a believer in God, but he was a believer in gods. Small g. He worshiped everything you can think of. Sun, moon, stars, storms, land, mountains, you name it, he worshipped it. He was even so bad he practiced sorcery, divination and witchcraft. Whenever he wanted to know what was going on he consulted in evil spirits, contacted the psychics and mediums. He even set up vulgar altars in the temple of Jehovah God. There they performed vulgar acts. He was one bad dude.

In one religious ceremony he even sacrificed (aborted) his own sons to these false gods. In Second Chronicles 33:9, God’s word lays out this commentary on Manny, he was “more pagan than the nations God destroyed when the children of Israel entered the land.” This Manny is none other than King Manasseh. II Chronicles 33: 6 says, “he did much evil in the sight of the Lord.”

Well, what do you think God should do about King Manasseh? Remember, in 2 Chronicles 7:14 God said “if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and heal their land.”

So, what does God do? I told you about all the terrible things King Manasseh did. But, does God keep His promises?

When we look in II Chronicles 33:12, we find that King Manasseh, “entreats the Lord his God, humbles himself greatly before God of his fathers.”

Hey if it was me (and it isn’t) but I would say, punish the guy, severely. Look he was disloyal, irreverent, and did many wicked things. But not Jehovah God. Look what God did, “and when Manasseh prayed, the Lord listened to him and was moved by his request. So the Lord brought Manasseh back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom”. II Chronicles 33:13. God restored King Manasseh.

Did Manasseh deserve it? NO WAY! But that’s just the way God is. God keeps His promises. The promise is still there for us.

Know any Manny’s. Oh yes, you and me. The promise is still there for you and me. For our country, for our state. Here it is again. “If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and SEEK MY FACE and TURN from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land”. II Chronicles 7:14

You’ll notice God says, “IF MY PEOPLE”. He’s talking to believers. He’s not talking to the pagan, unbelievers or those of other religions. He’s talking to Christians, believers. “IF MY PEOPLE” God says.

So, hear Psalm 107 verse 2 where it says “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so”.

Now’s the time to PRAY, SEEK GOD’S FACE and TURN from our evil ways. Then God will hear heal and restore.

HOPE!

2009-02-19T08:11:00.000-08:00

Your Bible Boost for today comes from Isaiah 50 verse 10, “Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust the name of the Lord and rely on His God.”

Have you ever had a dream where it seemed there was “NO WAY OUT?” I have. Boy was it sure vivid and striking in every detail. I’m driving along when I come upon a narrow two land bridge. Approaching from the other direction in a very high rate of speed is an 18 wheeler. My thought is, “if he stays on his side of the road, I’m o.k.” But even as that thought is birthed, the 18 wheeler begins to drift over into my lane. As I look to my right, the bridge guard rails prevent me from escaping to the right. The 18 wheeler is crossing over the center lane towards me. To stay the course means an “unavoidable”, “no way out” collision. As we approach each other I hear brakes squealing, people screaming, and just before impact…I wake up. My heart is racing, I’m panting, I am bathed in sweat and I’m all out of breath. It was just a dream.

Maybe each of us has been in such a circumstance and it wasn’t just an unavoidable car wreck in a dream. Maybe it was an unavoidable wreck in the journey of life. Maybe an unavoidable divorce. Death of a loved one. Teen on drugs where it seemed there was no way out. Unavoidable Depression. Or a myriad of other “unavoidable” situations. Where do you go? Maybe you feel like I did in that dream of mine where I was boxed in on all sides. No place to turn. No way out. All of the choices were either tried or rejected. If you have not faced such situations in your life, trust me, you will. Life is just like that. There are, OR there will be circumstances, in life, that appear to offer “NO HOPE” and NO WAY OUT!.

Well, my friends, Isaiah offers us HOPE. HOPE when everything seems out of control. Hope when it seems all is lost, unavoidable. Hope in the darkness. LISTEN CLOSELY to Isaiah; “LET HIM WHO WALKS IN THE DARK, WHO HAS NO LIGHT, TRUST IN THE NAME OF THE LORD AND RELY OF GOD”.

There you have it. When times of “no hope”, or “unavoidable situations” appear, there is HOPE in GOD. When it seems there is NO WAY OUT. Trust in the name of the Lord. When we trust in GOD He provides the strength for those “NO WAY OUT” situations. When we rely on HIM, He guides, guards and supports us through those tough unavoidable situations of life.

SO, YOUR BIBLE BOOST FOR TODAY IS FROM ISAIAH 50:10, TRUST IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, RELY ON GOD.

Pray!

2009-02-13T19:13:00.001-08:00

Pray pray