Proverbs 3:23

"Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble." Are you walking in God's Wisdom? Is the Lord directing your path?

What's Wrong With My Children?

"He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal." ~ John 12:25. If God asked the Question: "What's wrong with my Children?" What do you think His response would be? ... Would it be something like this?... "What's wrong with my Children?" ................................ They love their lives in this world. Maybe if we understood who our Savior is and maybe if we feared him more, we would live purer lives. We as Christians seem to tread on God's grace, because we sin and then we think "Well I'll confess it afterward." We have adapted a confessional way of thinking. Only instead of Hail Marys and Lord's Prayers, we state "Father, Forgive me for such and such." And if perhaps we silently listen, we would hear a still small voice in the back of our hearts whispering "you knew better, yet you did it anyway... you are treading on grace." "What's wrong with my Children?" ................................ Few are willing to give their all for the love of Christ. Christians are satisfied living like the lost forgetting what Christ saved them from. We are too busy living for the things that moths and dust will corrupt! "What's wrong with my Children?" ................................ They are too busy living for self instead of Christ. Even Christians need to surrender their lives back to Christ. Even we as Christians! We need to put our lives back in His hands and depend on Him. Are you living as a Christian so you can save your life here in this world? "What's wrong with my Children?" ................................ They are more worried about others opinions than the Lord's opinion! Are you a living sacrifice? Your plans, ambitions and goals need to die! I wonder if God asks this question when He looks at His Children? I wonder what He sees? If we could just get a glimpse of that vision, what would we change? What would be different? In this world, everything changes with time, yet God never does? So why do we think that the things stated clearly in the Word of God aren't for today? And maybe we don't say this out loud but we live that way. These are just things that the LORD has shown me these last two days. We are not where we need to be! And if we act less and prayed more, Oh what a difference we could make. Too many times, we do things out of duty and we aren't plugged into God's power. We just skate by. I wonder if many of us are just heading to heaven by the skin of our teeth. We are saved through Christ's blood, but we aren't giving anything back to Him for all that He has done. My friend, if we try to save this life we will lose it! "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:" ~ Matthew 16:20.

Like A River Glorious

When things seem to hard and life has me down. I find the words of this song a great comfort and encouragement. In the darkness of days and in the deepest of waters, I know God's hand is always near and His peace is amazing! So dear friend if you are facing a trial, you think you cannot bear... Remember this... God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think. And I don't know about you but I think of a lot of ways that would make things better. Yet God knows exactly what we need and it is always above what we could even think or imagine. So trust Him! Look up dear friend and take heart! Like a river glorious, is God’s perfect peace, Over all victorious, in its bright increase; Perfect, yet it floweth, fuller every day, Perfect, yet it groweth, deeper all the way. Refrain Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest. Hidden in the hollow of His blessed hand, Never foe can follow, never traitor stand; Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care, Not a blast of hurry touch the spirit there. Refrain Every joy or trial falleth from above, Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love; We may trust Him fully all for us to do. They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true. Refrain

“They Come In Threes”

Ever hear the expression, “Troubles come in threes”? I wonder if that is what the disciples were thinking in Matthew 14. Here the setting is set and the plot thinkens. Matthew 14, opens up with John the Baptist being beheaded. Our Savior hears of it and goes out to a dessert place with his disciples. However, the multitude followed them. Jesus’ heart moves with compassion toward them. Can you imagine what our Lord must have felt as he hears of his cousin’s death? The pain he must have carried. And yet he had time to see the multitude’s needs. Jesus asks the Disciples to give the people food in the midst of all the turmoil they were facing. They must have been questioning themselves and wondering if they were going to be beheaded too. The cost of following the LORD at that very moment must have been so evident to them, and the Lord knowing all this points the disciple’s eyes to the multitude. Our Lord then performs the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. Afterward, Jesus commands his disciples to go across the sea in a ship, while our LORD goes up into a mountain to pray. The disciples are out in the sea rowing when out of nowhere came a mighty storm. The little ship is being tossed in the waves, the wind is blowing against the ship. All hope is lost. Or so it seems. “And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.” Can you almost see their faces, I wonder if their thoughts did ask this question: “What Next?!” I know that’s what I would probably be thinking. Look at Our Savior’s reply. “But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. I want you to see something that the LORD showed me today. 1. The first thing that occurred was John the Baptist was beheaded. This must have left the Disciples feeling unsure and wondering if they and Jesus were next. 2. The second thing that occurred was after they traveled to get away, the people had followed them. And instead of Jesus turning them away, his heart moved with compassion toward them. The Disciples not only must have been tired but they must have been a little wary of people. What was to stop anyone of those people from turning the Disciples and Jesus in? 3. After Jesus feeds the multitude, he sends his Disciples away. Do you think they really wanted to get in that ship? Would you want to get in a ship and row across the sea after you had just lost your friend and been working all day? And on top of all this, a storm comes and then they see a man walking on the water. Here is what I want you to see. The first two things God allowed but the third one He ordained. The third trial was to teach the Disciples to look at Christ and let go of their own reasoning. Yes, sometimes things comes in threes, but all along the way, Christ is staying “It is I; be not afraid.” Look up dear friend when you face a difficulty. Hope in the LORD, He is thy rest!

"Cry Out To Jesus"

"But Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with Healing In His wings." ~ Mal. 4:2 To everyone who's lost someone they love Long before it was their time You feel like the days you had were not enough when you said goodbye And to all of the people with burdens and pains Keeping you back from your life You believe that there's nothing and there is no one Who can make it right Chorus There is hope for the helpless Rest for the weary Love for the broken heart There is grace and forgiveness Mercy and healing He'll meet you wherever you are Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus For the marriage that's struggling just to hang on They lost all of their faith and love They've done all they can to make it right again Still it's not enough For the ones who can't break the addictions and chains You try to give up but you come back again Just remember that you're not alone in your shame And your suffering Chorus When your lonely (when you're lonely) And it feels like the whole world is falling on you You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus Cry to Jesus To the widow who suffers from being alone Wiping the tears from her eyes For the children around the world without a home Say a prayer tonight Chorus

God Never Moves Without Purpose Or Plan

There is much sorrow in my heart regarding my Grandmother's passing. I feel I must be strong for my whole family. I see my mother and my heart mourns for the "what ifs" she must be facing. Yet in the distance in my distraught heart, I hear "Where there is no more pain or sorrow." That is where my dear Gram is. How faithful the LORD is to us His children. God gives strength to the weak. And dear friend, I feel very weak and through it all I can feel God's hand guiding me. He has given me the ability to be strong. I believe that God is going to use my Grandma's passing to touch my Pop's heart. What an opportunity to speak my Savior's name and purpose to those around me. In truth, I am sad that my Gram has left us on my Birthday. However, she is HOME! Home with a sound mind! Home with no more pain! Home with Jesus! I miss her greatly, but there is no better place that she could be. No better place than at Jesus' Feet. Thank you all for your prayers. You will never know until perhaps in glory how much your prayers and concern have touched our hearts. Mrs. Rogers said God was going to do something great today and to let her know what that is. Well, My dear Mrs. Rogers it is this: that God has given us so many people that Love us and Care about us. All of your prayers have been that special something that has helped bring us through this day!

My Testimony

I grew up in a Religious home but there came a point in my life when though I was religious I realized that my life was not any different from anyone else. My first year out of my “religious bubble” is when I went from a Christian School to a public school. We had moved from New Jersey to Pennsylvania. Since we did not know of any Baptist Church in the area, we were out of Church for a year. During my Seventh grade year, I found myself making fun of others who said they were a Christian. I started doing the things I had been taught that were wrong. I had no conviction or guilt over the things I did. What good was my religion if I had no change in my heart? My parents realized that my brother and I were not acting as we should. We both started cursing and though we hid it, there were times when we would slip and curse around our parents. My mother began looking for a Baptist Church for us to attend. She came across a sign for a Baptist church which also had a school. We began attending church services regularly and my siblings and I were enrolled into the school. I was again able to “blend” in. But something seemed to be missing. I made a mental check list of all things I needed to do as a Christian. I was doing all those things on my list but still there seemed to be emptiness in my heart. There came a point when I realized what was missing. I had gone to church all of my life and yet there was a vital ingredient missing. Being a good person, going to church and even being a “Baptist” was not enough to fill the emptiness in my heart. My problem wasn’t with the things I did or didn’t do. My problem was with my heart. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” ~ Jeremiah chapter 17, verses 9 & 10. In the Word of God we are told that God puts it in every heart to know God. God wants a personal relationship with each one of us. But our sin causes a breech between God and ourselves. When I was eight, I knew I needed to be saved. (Note: “saved” and “salvation” are Biblical terms referring to the forgiveness of sins by God and the rescue of a person from the power and penalty of that sin. This is God’s requirement for everlasting life.) On Sunday, February 24, 1986, I was sitting in my Sunday school class and I wanted to be saved. So I was taken in the back room with a handful of kids. Someone prayed over me. I went away believing that I was saved. However I wasn’t. My life was empty. Empty means containing nothing; having none of the usual or appropriate contents. My so called Salvation testimony did not have any of the appropriate ingredients. For a person to be truly saved, they must have brokenness over their sin. I had never realized the greatness of my sin. If I was the only person on this earth, Christ still would have come and died for ME! My sin put Christ on the cross! “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” ~ Psalms chapter 51, verse 17. On October Twenty-ninth 1992, I yielded my life to God. I went into my room and tried to sleep, but could not! My heart was so heavy. I finally admitted that I was not saved and that I indeed was lost. I began to think of what Christ went through for me, and realized He did all these things so I could be saved. All those “good things” I had been doing were nothing but filthy rags. My little check list meant nothing to God. My being a good person meant nothing. I was a good person destined to spend an eternity separated from God in Hell. “But we are all as a unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags.” ~ Isaiah chapter 64, verse 6. In Bible days, a filthy rag was hung on a post outside the gate of the city. A leper then would use that rag. He would take the rag and wipe away his puss, and hang the rag backup on the post for someone else to use. If that is what my righteousness or good works looked like, how did God see my wickedness? “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” ~ Romans chapter 5, verse 10. I was an enemy of God. My sin caused a great gulf between myself and God, and my good works could not bridge the gap. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” ~ Romans chapter 3, verse 23. And the ONLY thing that could save me was the Christ’s death on the Cross! Before this His death held no value to me. It was just something I knew HE had done but it never meant anything to me. I NOW wanted God and I was ready to give Him everything… every area of my life I turned over to Him. I finally could not pray anymore. All I could do was look up and trust. It finally became clear; I had not been placing my trust in God. I had been asking God to save me and forgive me, but at the same time I was trying to think of everything that I had to do. Again I was using a mental check list, and this is not how God wanted me to come to Him. Finally, I saw Salvation as a gift, and not something I had to work to receive. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” ~ Romans chapter 6 verse 23. I had been making Salvation very hard, when it is really quite easy. Once I stepped out by faith, and admitted that I was lost, I then had godly sorrow over my sin. “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” ~ 2 Corinthians chapter 7, verse 1. When I finally saw myself as God saw me, then all I needed to do was trust. “That if though shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” ~ Romans chapter 10, verses 9 & 10. After I had stopped praying, I looked up to the ceiling and I knew that the LORD had saved me. A peace rested in my soul. My prayer was not a perfect prayer, but my heart attitude was the one God required… a broken contrite heart willing to yield everything to Christ. Since that day I have had a personal relationship with God. I can talk to Him daily and hear from Him through His Word. I do not have emptiness in my heart, but rather my heart is full with Peace. I now want to do things that please the LORD and not because someone tells me to do them. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” ~ 1 John chapter 5, verse 3. I have personal convictions which I never had before I received Christ. I am so very glad the LORD saved my soul!!!