"Understanding The End Time" Bible Study

I'm excited about a new Bible Study we will be starting on Wednesdays beginning January 9th. We are going to be watching a video series called "Understanding The End Time" by Irvin Baxter. After we watch some of the video we will be discussing what the Bible has to say and reviewing current events. Of course, no one knows the day or hour that Jesus will come but Jesus told us that we know the seasons. I believe we are in a special time in history and it is in our interest to study and know all we can about the last things. From a prophetic perspective it appears that there is nothing standing in the way of the Lord's return. I believe that God puts an expectation of His return in the hearts of those who are Spirit filled. It is evident from the writings of the Apostle Paul that he looked for the Lord's return in his lifetime. Will Jesus return in my lifetime? I don't know, but something in me says "come quickly, Lord Jesus". If you live in the Saginaw area I invite you to join us Wednesdays at 7:00 pm.

At Just the Right Moment

Galatians 4:1-7

God has a perfect sense of timing. He had a plan for mankind from the beginning of time and when the time was right, Jesus was born. The world stage was set so that Jesus would have the greatest impact on the world. The day Jesus was born an unsuspecting world went about its business not knowing what had just happened. I hope that in this season you will not overlook that Jesus came into the world so that we might be saved. He didn’t come so we could have a holiday of merriment, but that we could escape the hopelessness that had a grip on mankind.

The birth of Jesus was a moment in history that changed the world. It effects every man, woman, and child. Nothing would be the same from that moment on. There is a time that is right in our life to receive from God. It’s when we have an open hungry heart. How is your heart today? Today could be the day that Jesus changes everything for you.
He didn’t come just to change the world in some generic sense. Jesus didn’t come for “the world”, He came for you. His coming affects your life today.


Matthew 2:1-10

Herod was troubled. The forces of evil were gathered and wanted to know where Jesus was so they could destroy Him. Evil men still fight against God today. We see it every day in the way people live. We see it in liberal ministers that say the events of scripture are just legends. I heard of a minister on the radio the other day that said that it couldn’t have been a star that led the wise men to Jesus. Stars don’t do that. Perhaps this minister doesn’t believe that God is God and even nature obeys His every command. All efforts of those to minimize Jesus and berate God’s word will fail. Satan’s kingdom trembled at the news of Jesus birth. The wicked hate the things of God and still tremble at the mention of Jesus. The brightness of His star exposes our sin. The Bible describes the men who came seeking Jesus as “wise” men. I believe that those who seek after Jesus today can be described in the same way. Seeking Him took effort but finding Him was worth the journey. The wise men beheld the Savior of the world. King Herod tried to deceive the wise men into leading him to Jesus so he could destroy the Savoir. Of course, Herod’s efforts were futile. No force on this earth can stand against God. The wise men listened to God and wouldn’t be deceived by Herod. When they left Herod God spoke to them and set them again upon the right road. They rejoiced with exceeding great joy when they saw the star. It was the star that led them to Christ.

Satan wants to steal your moment. He wants to steal the moment when God speaks to you; the moment that will change everything in your life. Right now can be the moment that you are touched by God in an unforgettable way. Have you had precious moments with Jesus that changed your life and continue to touch your heart? Nothing is the same after we meet Jesus. He is calling out to you today. Will you experience a moment with Him?

Who is this Jesus?

Matthew 21:1 through Matthew 21:10
In this Christmas season do we know who Jesus is and why He came? When Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem the crowd cried Hosanna. There was euphoria over a situation that they didn’t understand. They desired a deliverer, and needed one, but they thought that Jesus would break the stranglehold of Rome over the Jews. They wanted to be free. I believe that every person wants to be free. No one wants to live under bondage and tyranny. We want to be free to live full lives and enjoy the fruits of our labor.
What they didn’t understand is that Jesus came to deliver them in a different way than they thought they needed. Jesus’ ministry wasn’t of this world. He came that we might have “life more abundantly”. Jesus came to deliver them from the bondage of sin that couldn’t be broken until He became the sacrifice for all of our sins. They had an expectation that didn’t meet the reality of the situation. What happens when our expectation doesn’t meet reality? We are disappointed. The Jews had great joy when they were getting what they thought they wanted. Have you ever been happy about something you thought you wanted, but it was fleeting? I have good news. Jesus came to give us what we really need not what we perceive that we need. The things of this world are temporary things that pass away. Jesus came to give something that would last for eternity.

2 Corinthians 5:11 "For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

The “tent” is our body that last for a short time. The “building from God” is the new life Jesus gives those who are born again and the treasure we are laying up in heaven.

There was a stir in the city that day when Jesus rode in on the donkey. People wanted to know what was going on. Who is this Jesus? He is the one that gives hope to this world. He is the one that will change the lives of those who will call on Him. It is a question we all need to ask in our lives today. Who is Jesus to me? Jesus passes by today so that you can find eternal life. Have you made Jesus the Lord and Savior of your life? Do you know Him in the power of the resurrection? Remember that Christmas is about a Savior that came to set us free from the sin that binds us. Will you accept His free gift this season?

Thanks Paris Hilton!

I think that Paris Hilton is one of the most misunderstood people in America. So many think that she is just an empty headed socialite. Not so! I just read an article about the things that Paris is doing to be environmentally responsible. She said that there are many little things that we all can do that add up. She said that when she leaves the house she doesn't leave the TV on or the water running. Wow! I'm really thankful for that! You see I learned from Paris how environmentally responsible I have been my whole life. For years now I have turned the TV off and almost never leave the water running when I leave the house. I feel like I have almost saved the planet singlehandedly. Thanks Paris!

Our Heavenly Habitation

2 Corinthians 4:17 -18

In what do we place our trust? Do we trust in the temporary things that we hold in our hands? We all want to do well in this world so that we can provide for our families and have a few toys. It’s perfectly OK to have some nice things as we travel through this life. This time of year we are all thinking about what we will be receiving under the tree in a few weeks. “Things” give us some temporary joy. We get excited about having something new but can’t tell anyone where it is in a short time. Let me ask again, in what do we place our trust? More importantly in whom do we place our trust? God has made a way for us to put up treasure in heaven. The apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:1-3:
1For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked.

We have a “house” that is eternal. We have a habitation which is from heaven. Paul is speaking about how we will be when we get to heaven. I believe that God has placed an awareness of eternity within us; we know our souls are eternal. It is of utmost importance that we prepare today for our heavenly home tomorrow. Heaven is not automatic; we must obey the gospel and live our lives for God in order to make heaven our eternal home.

Adam & Eve were in the Garden of Eden and were not ashamed to be naked. Why?
Because they were in God’s presence and not stained with sin. When they were innocent they were not ashamed. After Adam & Eve sinned they tried to cover their nakedness with fig leaves because sin made them ashamed of their condition. Their efforts to cover their own sin were inadequate. God slew animals and covered Adam and Eve. It was necessary that blood be shed to cover their sins. Things are much the same today. Our effort to cover our sins never works. We can’t bargain with God or lay excuse at someone else’s feet. We needed Jesus to shed His precious blood so that our sins could be covered. Jesus made a way of salvation for all of man. We don’t have to be ashamed when we are clothed with salvation. I want to be in the place of God’s blessing and be covered with the robes of righteousness. You can have your sins covered with the blood of Jesus and be robed with righteousness today. Why don’t you cry out to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you of your sins? Once you do, seek a full relationship with Him.

Not What Is, But What Can Be

1 Kings 18:41-44

The prophet Elijah had declared that there would be no rain because of the idolatry of Israel. In this passage of scripture Elijah notified King Ahab that “there is a sound of abundance of rain”. Sometimes when we have had drought periods in our lives it is easy to believe that the drought will continue. We need to know that when people begin to pray you had better bring your umbrella because it is going to rain. Elijah sent his servant seven times to look toward the sea and report what he saw. The servant went time after time and told Elijah that he didn’t see anything, until the seventh time. We need to be diligent in our prayers when we ask God for something. Elijah had prayed for the rain to start again so he knew God would answer his prayer. What if he had not sent his servant the seventh time to look? It was the seventh time that the servant saw a cloud “like a man’s hand”. Elijah knew that God had answered his prayer. Elijah wasn’t content to live with things as they were but saw them as they could be when he involved God through prayer.

Hebrews 11:1 tells us “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” God is still a creator. He still makes something out of nothing. God made it rain for Elijah even though there was no rain in the forecast. God created rain out of nothing because His faithful servant prayed such. If we have faith in God, and faithfully serve Him, He will hear and answer our prayers even when there seems to be no way in our mind that our situation can be resolved.

I was asking God to do things for our church and He told me to stop looking with my natural eyes. I need to look for the cloud. I may not even be able to see it at first but it is there and I need to keep looking until I see it. Once I spot it, I know that it is full of rain.

In 2 Kings the king of Syria was upset with Elisha and sent a great army to apprehend him. It was one man plus God against an army. Who do you think came out on top? (See 2 Kings 6:16 through 2 Kings 6:17). The young man with Elisha just saw the great army and was worried about his, and Elisha’s, fate. Elisha prayed that God would open the eyes of the young man so he could see that those that were with them were more than those that be with the Syrian army. When God opened his eyes he saw the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around them to protect them. When God opens our eyes we see that we have all the help we will ever need in this world. Again, the key is to commit our lives to Jesus Christ. Have you made Jesus your Savior and Lord? Those that have see things as they can be, not just as they are.

Where has all the Preaching Gone?

I recently read a report that many of the techniques of the church growth movement, while bringing crowds into churches, were not successful in discipling people. The emphasis on being "seeker sensitive" and "relevant" have backfired. What this means is to make sure you don't offend anyone and make sure they are entertained. Telling people what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear cheats them. What we really need is to grow in our relationship with God through the power of the Holy Ghost and becoming rooted in the Word of God. I want preaching that will challenge me to draw closer to God. That kind of preaching will sometimes offend my flesh. But that is what I want. I want to hear about the shed blood of Christ. I want to hear that I have a responsibility to God. I want someone to tell me that my sin is offensive to God and that I can't live that way and be a Christian. Somehow we have led people to believe that if they "accept Christ" that they are set. We have made them think that they can live a lifestyle of sin and still be counted among the saved. We can't live a lifestyle of sin and make it to heaven. Have I offended you? It's time as preachers that we boldly declare the word of God. We must tell people that commitment is God's requirement. Playing around the edges of Christianity will leave you empty. We must preach the cross, the blood, and our hopelessness outside of salvation through Jesus Christ. We must sound the trumpet clearly. Unrepentant sin will destroy us. Jesus is coming, are you ready?

Thanksgiving, My Favorite Holiday

I love Thanksgiving. It's because it I get to indulge in all of my favorite things. While my wife is up early making preparations, I get to sleep late! Thanks to all of the women that make Thanksgiving such a great holiday for their families. You are all great! This morning I will leisurely read the newspaper. Later we will watch football, truly one of my favorite things. Too bad the Bears don't play today but the way they have played the Lions this year it is probably best that they are not. Then, of course, we will have a great meal. My wife is a great cook and will prepare a spectacular feast. After dinner we might play some games and visit. It gives us a chance to relax and do things we don't do every day. This year we will have our oldest son and his family here. Our youngest son and his family are having dinner with the in-laws. So there you have it; sleeping late, reading the paper, football, food, and fun. Oh, there are a couple of more things that I really love and may indulge in later tonight. I may have some ice cream (I love ice cream). I can't really tell you the other thing, it's kind of private. Oh, and I love giving thanks to God and all that too. What a great holiday!

I Want to Give Thanks

In this season of giving thanks I want to count my blessings.

Psalm 107:1-9

I want to give thanks because God is good and His mercy endures forever. He has redeemed me from the enemy of my soul and heard my cry from the wilderness. He has satisfied my longing soul.

I want to give thanks for all that we have been given. We have all that we need because of God. My wife and I have a warm home and an income that provides for our material needs.

I want to give thanks for our church because we always feel God's presence when we worship. God always gives our ministers a word that is encouraging and important for the listeners.

It’s easy to become unthankful until I stop and take inventory. I want to focus on the good things that God has done in my life.

I want to give thanks for my family because they mean so much to me. When we strip away all of the “things” in life we see that our loved ones are the most important thing in our lives.
I am blessed with a wonderful wife, children, and grandchildren. God has truly watched over us.

I want to give thanks because of my abiding faith in God. I have made the choice to follow Jesus regardless of any of life’s circumstances and feel that it is possible because of God's help.

I want to give thanks because God knows who I am; He knows the real me and loves me anyway.

Thanks Jesus.

Don't Waste Your Opportunity

I went to church tonight to pray and felt God's presence powerfully. Many years ago I felt the call to ministry and have always wanted to help people find God. I felt a desperation to pray for Saginaw and all who just roll through life with little thought of God. Do you ever think about what God wants from you? Why did Jesus die? Does it mean anything to me? These questions do have answers. The answers are a the cross. The desperation that I felt tonight doesn't compare to what God feels for you. Don't waste your opportunity to find true life. Seek God today.

Why do people hate church?

The number of unchurched people is growing steadily. Why? Here are some statistics from the Barna Group:

How Many?

• There has been a 92% increase in the number of unchurched Americans in the last thirteen years. In 1991 there were 39 million unchurched Americans compared with 75 million currently. (2004)
  
• 7 out of 10 protestants age 18-30 have dropped out of church by age 23.
  
• 34% said that they had not returned even sporadically by age 30.
  
• 22% moved away from their church
  
• 22% wanted to spend more time with friends away from church.
  
• 27% wanted a break from church
  
• 51% said churchgoers were judgmental
  
• 44% used the word hypocritical
  
• 41% said church members were insincere
  
• 58% were unhappy with the members or the pastor
  

Beliefs

• 64% of the unchurched say that Satan is not a living being but is a symbol of evil. (2006)
  
• 63% of unchurched adults state that a good person can earn his or her way into Heaven. (2006)
  
• Slightly less than half (48%) of the unchurched define God as the perfect, all-powerful, all-knowing Creator of the universe who continues to rule His creation today. (2006)
  
• 51% of the unchurched assert that when Jesus Christ lived on earth, He committed sins. (2006)
  
• 27% of the unchurched firmly believe that the Bible is totally accurate in all that it teaches. (2006)
  
• 18% of people said that completely understanding and carrying out the principles of their faith was the highest priority in their lives. (14% of men versus 18% of women) (2005)
  

Why are people so unhappy with church? At various times in my life I have been unhappy with church as well. I have always loved God but not always loved church. From the stats above I see that I haven't been alone. I’ve always wanted church to be a good place. A place where you can feel God’s touch and have a sense of family. It hasn’t always been that way. There have been times I felt that not even the Pastor cared about my life. There are two large reasons that I have always gone to church even when I didn’t want to: one is that I knew that God had a great pure love for me, the other is the power of the Holy Ghost. God gave me something that no church ever could. It is still powerful in my life today. As I read many of the reasons that people stopped going to church I realized that they had not experienced this truly life changing power. If you haven’t experienced the fulness of God you can because He loves you with a pure love and wants to be an important part of your life.

So, how do we make church a place that people actually want to be? If you don't like church tell me why. I look forward to your comments!

Hallelujah Anyhow

Recently, I thought of a song we used to sing in church years ago. It is a very fitting song when we face times of trouble, as we all do at one time or another. It goes like this:

“Hallelujah anyhow
I never let my troubles get me down
Whatever storm clouds of life might bring
I hold my head up high and sing
Hallelujah anyhow”

We need to praise God during times of trouble in our lives. It may seem at times like we have plenty of reasons to be down and distressed. Life throws us a curve ball every now and then. There are also those unfortunate times in life when tragedy strikes. Whatever the trouble may be that tries to sap our strength, we have reason to praise God. The 27th Psalm tells us that when the Lord is the strength of our life we need not fear anything that life can bring. Our foes will stumble and fall. We can have confidence in God’s grace. Do you know Jesus as your savior? If so, you have reason to be optimistic.

The enemies of righteousness will fail. They have no power against us except what we give them. If we sulk and feel sorry for ourselves we feed the negativity that will take over our minds. If we will say “hallelujah anyhow” and praise God in every situation, we will feel strength and encouragement from Heaven. When we look out and see an army of problems forming against us we can know that God raises up His banner on our behalf. We have no reason to be fearful. We are bolstered in God’s love.

Jonah was a prophet of God. He was told to go to the city of Nineveh and preach that they needed to repent of their sins or God would destroy the city. Nineveh was known to be hard on preachers! Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh and got on a boat headed in the other direction. Jonah ended up in the water and was swallowed by a great fish that was prepared by God. Can you imagine what was going through Jonah’s mind? He couldn’t have been in a worse circumstance. But Jonah did something that changed his circumstance. He called out to God. Because of that Jonah was expelled on to dry ground. Prayer changes things. Hallelujah anyhow! From a deep dark place Jonah cried to the Lord. When we cry out, God hears our voice. It looked like the end for Jonah, but God is a deliverer. Don’t think that circumstances are bigger than God. People struggle with all kinds of things because they think that their circumstance is bigger than God. In what circumstance do you find yourself today? Is it divorce, alcoholism, or sickness? If you will put your trust in God He can change your situation. Call us today and we will pray with you whatever your need may be.

Psalm 20:7 says:
“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”

Don’t put your trust in the things of this world that wither away. God is the rock that will endure forever. Put your trust in Him.

Oh the Blood of Jesus

Hebrews 10:16 through Hebrews 10:23

Our salvation is a matter of the heart. We don't have to be bound by cold ritual any longer. It seems that many churches still cling to rituals that they think God desires of them. The blood of Jesus was shed to free us from religious bondage. Oh the blood of Jesus! It takes us where we have never been before. We can actually enter into His presence when we worship. He gave us a new and living way so that we could actually feel something from heaven when we praise and worship the living God. God has spoken to me to preach about the wonderful difference that God makes in our lives. Because of this message, and the power of the gospel, my life has been changed. I saw the love of Christ in people who had a real realationship with Him. Their genuine praise and worship impacted me and gave me a hunger for God. I have been changed by the power of the Holy Spirit from the awfulness of sin that was in me to the ideal that I am trying to live every day.

There are always those who seek a sign. For you, life will be a constant disappointment because God will not provide a sign to convince you that He is real. The answer is simple. Feast on Jesus and you will never hunger or thirst again. He has the table spread and wants to satisfy the deep hunger that is in your soul.

Where are you at today? Are you seeking a sign or do you want to feast on the bread of Life?

A Tribute to my Mom

I just got home from my mom's funeral in Missouri. She went home on October 15, 2007. My mom lived a good, long life of 82 years. She was a committed Christian which made her funeral a time of celebration for the life she lived. Sure we cried because we will never see her again in this life, but we rejoiced because her journey here on earth is complete and she is now with God. The service was a fitting tribute to Mom. There was a slide show with pictures of Mom throughout her life along with the family as it has expanded over the years. Many spoke of her life and how they were affected by her witness of Christ. My Mom had a testimony that said "Live for God". Here message to all that she knew was to commit completely to Jesus Christ. I am here today because of her faith. Because we are long distance my four sisters cared for her, especially my oldest sister, Leola. She was very close to Mom and gave her wonderful care. She held her hand as she transitioned from this life to the next life. Thanks Sis. My other sisters, Angie, Jane, and Jeanette also helped care for Mom as often as they could since they also had to travel. They were all wonderful. I want to thank my wife,
Susan, for all of her support. She has held up my arms for over 31 years. I couldn't get along without her. Thanks for everything Mom, We'll see you in heaven.

Wecome to my blog!

Welcome to my blog. My intention is to post things that are uplifting and will let you know how great God is to us all. It is ironic that as I compose for the blog for the first time I learned some very sad news this morning. My mother passed away after a long battle with cancer. I want to thank all who prayed for her. It was truly a miracle that, though she was full of cancer, she was virtually pain free. What a blessing! The best part is that she was ready to meet her Savior. Death is not the end for any of us. We step from this life into eternity. Are you ready should you meet God today? You can be!