THE TABERNACLE- A PORTRAIT OF CHRIST (3)

I preached this message on Sunday night. It was supposed to be blogged then but for some reason it wasn't so here it is!

EXODUS 27

Pastor Rick Jackson

We have been studying for the last few weeks about the Tabernacle, “…a 15 by 45 foot house, constructed of 3 tons of gold, 5 tons of silver, 4 tons of brass, and an assortment of jewels, fine wood, and fancy tapestries. This… portable house of worship(’s)… unique structure and value… command our attention. Never before nor since has there been such a costly prefab structure, the epitome of simplicity to dismantle and to reassemble. According to the design of the Master Efficiency Expert, it could be moved quickly by 8,500 carriers when the cloud of His presence moved forward.” -Sumner Wemp

I. THE ALTAR OF BRASS [v. 1-8]

Wood=Humanity, Brass=Judgment

1. The size & shape of the altar [v. 1-2]

2. The Utensils for the altar [v. 3]

3. The grate of the altar [v. 4-5]

4. The staves & boards of the altar [v. 6-8]

The brazen altar was a hollow “box,” 7 ½’ wide and 4 ½’ high, made of acacia wood covered with bronze. …2 ½’ from the top, inside the “box” was a bronze grating on which the priests kept a fire burning and through which the ashes of the wood and the sacrifice fell. … The brazen altar takes us immediately to Calvary where the Son of God died for the sins of the world. -W.W.Wiersbe

II. THE COURTYARD “WALL” [v. 9-18]

Silver=Redemption, Brass=Judgment, Fine Linen-the righteousness of Christ,

Colors:

Blue=Heavenly, Red=earthly/death/sacrifice, Purple=royalty (as a blend of red & blue), White=perfect purity

1. The South & North “walls” [v. 9-11]

2. The West “wall” [v. 12]

3. The East “wall” and the gate [v. 13-16]

4. The Dimensions of the Courtyard [v. 17-18]

When a worshiper came to the tabernacle to offer sacrifice the first thing he met was a white lined fence, 150’ long and 75’ wide, that surrounded the tabernacle and created a courtyard area where the priests ministered. The tabernacle proper stood at the west end of this courtyard, and at the east end was a 30’ entrance to the enclosure. Here the priests met the people who came to offer sacrifices and examined each animal to make sure it was acceptable. … There was only one entrance to the enclosure and therefore only one way to get to the altar of God. When God puts up a fence and assigns the way in, nobody has the authority to question it or change it. Jesus claimed to be the only door and the only way to God. … In today’s pluralistic society, many people like to think that every way is acceptable to God, but that attitude leads to death. -Wiersbe

III. VESSELS, PINS & LIGHT [v. 19-21]

1. Vessels & Pins [v. 19]

2. Olive Oil [v. 20] Oil=Holy Spirit

3. Keepers of the Light [v. 21]

What A Wonderful World?

Just this last week two dear friends, both Christians, both undergoing some difficult times asked a familiar question which can be phrased many ways, "Why Me?" "What did I do to deserve this?" "Why is God punishing me?"

And just as the Bible assures us that sometimes our situation is a result of our actions, be they sins(I Cor. 11) or just foolishness (like eating too many green apples) that is NOT the topic of this particular blog. Maybe another blog, another time.

The Bible also teaches that sometimes bad things happen even when you haven't done anything wrong! Paul in the Philippian jail, Joseph in the Egyptian prison, Jesus on the cross... do you see a pattern developing here? If not, read the book of Job twice and if you still don't get this truth... that you can suffer when you haven't done wrong... then call me in the morning. Sometimes people suffer through no fault of their own. We live in a sin cursed world. This is not the world as God made it. God made it perfect. Man messed it up with sin. This is not Heaven. It is not perfect. This is not the reign of Christ on earth. This is the age of the Gentiles and its going to get worse before it gets better.

People are sinners. Even Christians still have their sin natures. Look around. Look at the newspaper. Look at the TV. Look in the mirror. Why? Because. That's why! Rm. 8, Gen. 3, Rev. 19-21

THE “I CAN-ER” WILL

PHIL. 4:13

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE “I CAN-ER” WILL REALLY STAND [Phil. 4:1-3]

1. Fast in the Lord [v. 1]

2. United in the Lord [v. 2]

3. Working in the Lord [v. 3]

1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

II. THE “I CAN-ER” WILL REALLY LIVE [Phil. 4:4-12]

1. A Joyful Balanced Christian Life [v. 4-5]

2. An Unworried Faith-filled Life [v. 6-7]

3. A Life Characterized by Right Thinking [v. 8-12]

III. THE “I CAN-ER” WILL REALLY POSSESS [Phil. 4:13-23]

1. The Power of Christ [v. 13]

2. The Grace of Giving [v. 14-17]

3. The Supply of Heaven [v. 18-23]

QUESTION OF THE WEEK! - Should we beware of philosophy?‏

Q: Should we beware of philosophy?

A: Newport Christian High School has something virtually unique among the various private, Christian schools around the country. It is an extraordinary feature of its required curriculum—a prerequisite for high school graduation which few other schools enforce. NCHS is unique in that it offers a philosophy course for its high school seniors.

There was a time when nearly every college and university required its students to take at least one introductory course in philosophy. Sadly, many colleges have lately altered such “old fashioned” notions about education and dropped their philosophy prerequisites for graduation. Not surprisingly, America’s colleges have been turning out graduates with little interest or proficiency in clear thinking, consistency, cogency, and depth of insight regarding a world-and-life-view. Those who graduate from Newport Christian High School are already a step ahead of many students from colleges which have amended their curriculum to suit the times.

But are they a step ahead with philosophy? An often abused test from the New Testament might suggest the opposite, at least upon first reading. In Colossians 2 Paul writes: “Beware lest there be anyone who robs you by means of his philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the elementary principles of the world, and not after Christ” (v. 8)—robs you, that is, of “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” which are deposited in Christ (v. 3). With this kind of warning in the New Testament, why would a Christian school want to require the study of philosophy? It might seem that we should rather avoid philosophy!

Is this Dr. Bahnsen’s conclusion—that we should beware and avoid philosophy? Find out by reading the rest of Beware of Philosophy!

News to Note Quick Look

Bullying AiG (no bonus for us!): Answers in Genesis has once again been bullied on the news media playground. Read more.

Proof of “evolution”?: Snails of today have longer shells than snails of yesterday—is it evolution in action? Read more.

Also: another source for stem cells; Charles Darwin, fashionista; Earth vs. the asteroid; more trouble in Texas; and don’t miss . . . . Read more.

Prayer Requests

View the current prayer requests to keep track of and pray for current ministry needs. Thank you!

Answers ... with Ken Ham radio program

All things bright and beautiful—really?
Grief counselors—a sign of failing!
Hindu gods—allowed in Grand Canyon?
Beaks or flower shapes—which came first?
Using tools—really a sign of intelligence?

After Eden

This information was provided by Answers In Genesis, an excellent source of material relating to Creation and evolution. Please visit their website using the link in the upper left.

Life is Funny--- People... not so much

Recently a man who has been visiting the church I pastor told me "I've learned more in the 9 months since I've been coming here than the 20 years in the church I was in before." This reminded me of when a long time member who is a senior citizen confided in me some time ago that she had learned more since I had become her pastor than in all her other years combined. Now lest you think I am getting the big head read on...

I have also had people leave our church saying, "Your preaching doesn't feed us." Wow! So what's the difference? A lot has to do with the attitude of the people coming. When someone comes with preconceived ideas or notions it can cloud their thinking or reception of the truths being presented. I have had people gush over the truth an evangelist presented like they never heard it when I preached the same truth just weeks before and they ho-hummed it. Paul faced the same thing. [2 Corinthians 10:10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.] His presentation made the truths hard to swallow to his listeners. Was it Paul's fault? No! If the truth is being preached brother the fault lies elsewhere. I'll let you figure that one out.

So should I get the big head when I hear the compliments? Should I shrink away and resign when I hear the criticisms? I think rather I should heed the Biblical advice of Dr. Lee Roberson, "Die to self! Die to compliments! Die to criticisms! Don't veer to the left, don't veer to the right! Go right down the line!"

Don't let the blood of lost people be on your hands.‏

Don't let the blood of lost people be on your hands.

Sumner Wemp [see link left]

Another GREAT statement by someone in the Bible, can you make it?

PLEASE keep Celeste in your daily prayers. She and I need it right now.

"I am pure from the blood of all men" Acts 20:26.

This is a result of Ez 3:18. "When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die and thou givest him not warning, his blood will I require at thine hand".

We really are to "preach the gospel to EVERY creature" Mk 16:15. God is saying, "Don't let him die and go to hell without giving him the gospel, You know how to Keep from going to hell and if you do not tell him, "his blood will I require at your hand. THAT IS AWESOME.

Paul is the only one I believe could have said that. I surely could not and I don't personally know anyone who could. BUT if we believe God, and that lost persons blood will be on our hand, it should make us live differently. We could change the world in a few short years. The tragedy is that most Christians don't even try to give the gospel to anyone.

This week I went into a store. The clerk was a very attractive and intelligent looking lady. After I shared the gospel with her she said she thought she was going to heaven because she had never hurt anyone. When I asked if she had ever lied, or stolen anything etc. she completely denied it. Guess what I did, I left her alone. God says "shake the dust off your feet." Remember, the Holy Spirit is to do the convicting, NOT YOU. I planted the seed and now I look for another person who is ready to hear the gospel. You and I cannot convict nor convince nor convert them.

We are to GIVE THE GOSPEL TO EVERYONE POSSIBLE. If he is leaving them alone, I might as well too and give the gospel to others and find those God is working on. Make sense? I find it works very well. BUT, if we do not try, their blood will be on our hand. THINK SERIOUSLY ABOUT THAT.

ABC Sumner

DAILY I keep fired up by giving people a "ticket to heaven" and see God working.

HOW HAVE YOU RECOGNIZED JESUS?

MATTHEW 8

Pastor Rick Jackson

How strangely similar our testimonies of Christ saving us and bringing us to this place in our lives and yet how unique and different is each story. Similar in that all of us were sinners, all of us were condemned under sins' dread wage, all hopeless, helpless and hapless. All saved by seeing that Jesus, God in the flesh had become man, paid the sin debt on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead and by placing our simple trust in Him and His finished work were gloriously saved and translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.

Different in that God used circumstances unique to us to bring us to that place. It may have been sorrow, or it may have been joy. It my have been from a life of deep sin or it made have been in the bloom of a child's faith. How gracious is God, how wise, how wonderful are His ways!

I. A LEPER [v. 1-4]

1. He Recognized Jesus’ Deity [v. 1-2a]

2. He Recognized Jesus’ Ability {v. 2b]

3. He had Reservations about Jesus’ Willingness [v. 2b-4]

II. A CENTURION [v. 5-13]

1. He Recognized Jesus’ Superiority [v. 5-8a]

2. He Recognized Jesus’ Authority [v. 8b-9]

3. He Received Jesus’ Commendation [v. 10-13]

III. A MOTHER-IN-LAW [v. 14-15]

1. He saw her need [v. 14]

2. He met her need [v.15a]

3. She Recognized Jesus’ Worthiness [v. 15b]

Perhaps for the first time she saw her son-in-law was right… here was one to be served! For Who He Is! For What He Does! For He is Worthy!

QUOTES OF THE WEEK!

I should have had these last week on St. Patrick's day but here they are anyway. FYI- Patrick was not Irish, he had been captured and enslaved by the Irish as a teen and went back to Ireland as a missionary as a young man. He was not catholic. He was a Bible believing, Bible-preaching missionary.

Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me. - Patrick

Before I was humiliated I was like a stone that lies in deep mud, and He who is mighty came and in His compassion raised me up and exalted me very high and placed me on the top of the wall. - Patrick

God is always advancing. - Hudson Taylor

The only hope for our country is revival. A revival is a new obedience to God. - Clarence Sexton

Revival is the church falling in love with Jesus all over again. - Vance Havner

The nearer I approach to the end of my pilgrimage, the clearer is the evidence of the divine origin of the Bible, the grandeur and sublimity of God's remedy for fallen man are more appreciated, and the future is illuminated with hope and joy. - Samuel F.B. Morse (inventor of the telegraph)

The secret to an evangelist's great ministry. POWERFUL

Sumner

Mar 23, 2009

The secret to a great evangelist's great ministry. Celeste is not doing well and we need wisdom to know what to do. PRAY, PRAY!

Jesse Hendly was a powerful and prominent pastor and evangelist some fifty years ago. I heard so many phenomenal stories of how God used him. Celeste and I went to a Bible conference and met about six couples from Colonial Hills Baptist Church just outside Atlanta GA. One couple became very close friends, Price and Willis Horton. Price was probably Jesse's right hand man. Every time we were with them, I would pump Price to find out what it was about Jesse that God used him so greatly. Thousands were saved under Jesse's ministry. Price would get exasperated with me and kept saying, "I don't know, God just used used him.

Jesse was a fabulous teacher of the Bible. He taught his people Greek and they knew the Bible better than any other Christians we knew. One evening, we had just had a big steak cook out in their mansion of a home and were just fellowshipping and was it rich. Once again as we talked about Jesse who was then in heaven, I asked Price, a very successful businessman, very well to do, What did Jesse do, what was the key to seeing God use him so much. Price, was almost fed up with me blurted out, "I don't know Wemp, all I know is that Jesse was madly in love with Jesus" and heaven came down in that room. We all sat there weeping for that was the key and we knew it. That was one of the greatest moments of all of my life.

Dear people, that is the key, the main key to being used of God, JUST STAY MADLY IN LOVE WITH JESUS. Do you love Jesus like that? Everyone who gets saved probably loved Him like that at first. Too many of us have left our first love" Rev 2. "Return and do the first works" and see that love restored.

ABC Sumner

THE TABERNACLE- A PORTRAIT OF CHRIST (Part 2)

EXODUS 26

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE FOUR COVERINGS [v. 1-14]

1. Fine Linen [v. 1-6]

The innermost covering picturing Christ’s righteousness [II Cor. 5:21]. Only visible inside the Tabernacle.

Blue=Heavenly, Purple=Royalty, Red=Earthly/sacrifice, Gold=deity

2. Goat’s Hair [v. 7-13]

The next covering pictured Christ as our substitute (the scapegoat)

Brass speaks of judgment

3. Rams skins [v. 14]

Dyed red speaks of sacrifice (remember the ram caught in the thicket?)

4. Badgers skins (possibly seal) [v. 14b]

The outer covering, seen by the unbelieving world. Isaiah 53:2 …he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

II. THE BOARDS [v. 15-30]

Gold=Deity Wood=Humanity Together=Incarnation Silver=Redemption

Psalm 96:6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

“The tabernacle proper was a solid structure over which the beautiful curtains were draped. 20 boards of acacia wood, 15’ high and 27” wide, overlaid with gold, formed the north and south walls, and 8 similar boards formed the west wall. Each of these boards stood upon 2 silver bases made from the shekels (“redemption money”) collected from the Jewish men of military age. Since the structure stood on uneven ground, these bases were necessary for stability and security. God’s sanctuary didn’t rest on the shifting sands of this world but on the solid foundation of redemption. The 48 boards were further strengthened by 4 long rods (crossbars) that ran through golden rings on each board.” -W.W. Wiersbe

III. THE HOLY PLACE & THE MOST HOLY PLACE [v. 31-37]

1. The Veil Between the Two [v. 31-33]

2. The Arrangement of the Furniture [v. 34-35]

3. The Veil For the Door [v. 36-37]

Hebrews 9:1-14, 23-28, 10:19ff

THE “I CAN”-ER DOESN’T

THE “I CAN”-ER DOESN’T

PHIL. 4:13

Pastor Rick Jackson

THE “I CAN”ER DOESN’T EXPECT A LIFE:

I. THE WORLD WILL UNDERSTAND [Phil. 3:1-3]

1. So he must Rejoice in the Lord [v. 1]

2. So he must Beware the Worldly Religionists [v. 2]

3. So he Worships God in the Spirit [v. 3, Jn. 4:24]

II. RELIGION WILL UNDERSTAND [Phil. 3:4-8]

1. So he may give up his religious birthright [v. 4-5a]

2. So he must give up his religious zealotry [v. 5b-6, Romans 10:2]

3. So he must give up “his’ religion” [v. 7-8]

III. LUKE-WARM CHRISTIANS WILL UNDERSTAND [Phil. 3:8-21]

1. So he finds Full Salvation in Christ [v. 8-9]

2. So he finds Full Strength (Power) in Christ [v. 10-14]

3. So he finds Full Satisfaction (Purpose) in Christ [v. 15-21]

1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK! - How have changing definitions confused the church?

Q: How have changing definitions confused the church?

A: If one were to ask around to see what kind of definitions people have of the word species or genus, most would respond by saying they have something to do with classification. In today’s society, the words genus and species are synonymous with the Linnaean taxonomy system.
In the early 1700s, if someone said something about a “species” or “genus,” it would have had nothing to do with classification systems. So, why is this important today and what can we learn from it? The word species and its changing definition were partly responsible for the compromise of the church in late 1800s. In fact, the church is still struggling over this change.

Let’s do a brief history review.

The English word species comes directly from Latin. For example, the Latin Vulgate (early Latin Bible translation), by Jerome around 400 A.D., says of Genesis 1:21:
“creavitque Deus cete grandia et omnem animam viventem atque motabilem quam produxerant aquae in species suas et omne volatile secundum genus suum et vidit Deus quod esset bonum” (emphasis added).

Species is also found in Genesis 1:24, 25 as well. The Latin basically meant the biblical “kind.” In fact, this word carried over into English and other languages that have some Latin influence. It means a “kind, form, or sort.” Another word that was commonly used for a kind in the Latin Vulgate was genus. This is evident in Genesis 1:11, 12, and 21. In both cases, these two words were used for the Hebrew word min or kind. For example, there is a dog kind, cat kind, and so on.

It made sense that Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish Christian, began using Latin terms for his new classification system. It was logical to use these common terms, which were a part of the commercial language throughout Europe (much in the way that English, for example, is a seen as a universal language in the world today for communication and so on). Linnaeus even wrote his large treatise, Systema Natvrae, and other findings, in Latin in the mid to late 1700s.

Continue reading about how semantic shifts undermined confidence in God’s Word at Fixity of Species.

News to Note Quick Look

“The inerrant Word”: Most of the clergy of mainline Protestant denominations are sitting on the left—in a manner of speaking. Read more.

“Evolving every year”: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times for Canadian creationists. Read more.

Also: “extraordinarily well preserved,” “muddies the waters,” “Reality as it really,” “Both ends of the stick,” “Might seem odd,” and don’t miss . . . . Read more.

Prayer Requests

View the current prayer requests to keep track of and pray for current ministry needs. Thank you!

Answers ... with Ken Ham radio program

The forbidden fruit—why was Adam blamed?
The New Earth—what’ll it be like?
Most theologians—they trust man, not God!
Christian education—is it “isolationist?”
Christian doctrines—can we defend them?

After Eden

This information was provided by Answers In Genesis, an excellent source of material relating to Creation and evolution. Please visit their website using the link in the upper left.

THE PLACE CALLED HEAVEN

JOHN 14:1-6

Pastor Rick Jackson

Tomorrow I preach a funeral for a woman I barely knew and I have no problem doing that. A funeral service should not be based on whether or not the preacher knew the person whose funeral it is but helping those gathered to know the One who makes it possible for anyone to go to Heaven following their own death. The lady whose funeral I am to preach, I have been told, had trust the Lord Jesus Christ as her Saviour. This makes my job much easier. I can give solid comfort to the family, and hope for a reunion on the basis of God's word.

Many years ago as a young preacher I asked the Lord to give me a "funeral" message that would honor Him. comfort the believers, and help the unbeliever come to Him. This is the message He gave me and He has seen fit, by His grace, to bless it and and untold number have come to saving faith through it including many members of my own earthly family--- some of whom have gone on to Heaven themselves only to have this message preached at their funeral!

There are many things I could say today that you would soon forget but I want to draw your attention to the Word of God and if you try these things can give you strength and help not only today but for the rest of your life. For these are not the word of some preacher but the Words of the Lord Jesus Himself concerning the place called Heaven.

I. Heaven is an Assured Place [v. 1]

2. Heaven is an Abundant Place [v. 2a]

3. Heaven is a Distant Place [v. 2b-3]

4. Heaven is a Prepared Place [v. 2c]

5. Heaven is a Populated Place [v. 3]

6. Heaven is a Reserved Place [v. 4-6]

1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

PICTURES OF THE WEEK

Warning...warning... danger... danger....

I don't know about you boys but I've see better film on teeth!

USE IT OR LOSE IT!

LUKE 19

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE PURPOSE OF THE PARABLE [v. 1-11]

1. The Salvation of an Unpopular Sinner [v. 1-9]

2. The Statement of the Saviour’s Purpose [v. 10]

3. The Situation Concerning a Misunderstood kingdom [v. 11]

II. THE PICTURE OF THE PRESENT AGE [v. 12-14]

1. A Kingdom Delayed [v. 12]

2. A Commission Delivered [v. 13]

3. A King Denounced [v. 14, Ps. 2:1-3]

III. THE PICTURE OF THE AGE TO COME [v. 15-27]

1. The Kingdom Received [v. 15a, Ps. 2:6-8]

2. The Service Reviewed [v. 15b-26, II Cor. 5:9-11]

We had best use the opportunity to serve Jesus or we will lose it and rewards associated with using what He has given us.

3. The Sentence for Rejection [v. 27, Ps. 2:4-5, 12]

Unsaved people had best use the opportunity to trust Christ whilst they have it or they will lose the opportunity and their soul itself!

POEM OF THE WEEK - "Just Keep On Scrappin'"

I heard this on a taped radio broadcast of Gospel Dynamite from Feb. 2, 1992. The host for the day was Dr. John Reynolds. I have been unable to ascertain the author of the poem and the closest I have come to even finding it are slightly different versions... so I offer up this one with the hope it might encourage others.

When you're sick and you think, What's the use?
And you're tired, discouraged, afraid;
And you keep asking why they don't let you die
And forget the mistakes that you have made;

When you're chuck full of pain and you're tired of the game,
And you want to get out of it all –
That's the time to begin to stick out your chin
And fight with your back to the wall!

And when you've done all you can to scrap like a man
But you can't keep your head up much more;
And the end of the bout leaves you all down and out,
Bleeding, and reeling and sore;

When you've prayed all along for the sound of the gong
To ring for the fight to stop –
Just keep on your feet and smile at defeat;
That's the real way to come up on top!

When you're tired of hard knocks and you're right on the rocks,
And nobody lends you a hand;
When none of your schemes,
The best of your dreams,
Turn out in the way you'd planned,
And you've lost all your grit and you're ready to quit
For life's just a failure for you,

Why, start in again
And see if all men
don't call you a man through and through
just keep on scrappin'!- Unknown

YOU could have led the nurse to Christ‏

Celeste had a procedure on her colon the other day. In the recovery room, just before we were to check out, I handed the nurse "Your Ticket to Heaven".

With a big smile on her face she said, "Oh I want that."

Knowing we only had a few more minutes before leaving, I said, "Mona, God loves you and He proved it when He let His Son, the Lord Jesus suffer and die for your sins. He was buried, then he rose from the dead and was seen alive by hundreds of people. The whole issue is did He pay for your sins too?"

It was beautiful the way her eyes showed it and she said, "Why, yes He did."

"Will you trust God that He paid for your sins too and receive Him right now as your Savior?"

With a serious but beautiful smile on her face she said. "Yes I will".

Well Glory, she prayed out loud with me to receive the Lord Jesus and looked up with tears of joy in her eyes and God gave her assurance she was saved. The harvest is plenteous, "God said so". Will you obey Him, give good gospel tracts to "every creature" you possibly can and just look for the ones God has ready?

YOU could have led her to Christ, she was so ready. WE MUST. So many of you have been with me for years. PLEASE remember one thing. I have done all I can to get you give every person you can a chance to go to heaven. You surely don't want their blood on your hands and you MUST want the joy and crown in heaven for leading someone to Christ so you can lay it at Jesus feet one day [Rev 4:10].

The results of the Dr.'s procedure showed there was nothing life threatening and it is treatable and we have been assured she will get her strength back. PRAISE THE LORD. I LOVE YOU DEAR PEOPLE AND LONG FOR YOU TO HAVE LIFE MORE ABUDNANTLY ALL TO HIS GLORY. ABC Sumner 1 Jn 3:2.

Go to www.sumnerwemp.com Call 1-877-872-2871 or write Good News Pub. 1300 Crescent St. Wheaton, Ill. 60187 USA to get "Your Ticket to Heaven" tracts. Invest in eternity. All the money goes to missions. Jesus is coming any minute now. PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD" Amos 4:12.

DO YOUR JOB!

ACTS 8:26-40

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE JOB OF THE WITNESS [v. 26-35]

1. Obey the Spirit’s Leading [v. 26-30a]

2. Explain the Way of Salvation [v. 30b-35]

3. Explain the Next Step [v. 36]

II. THE JOB OF THE HEARER [v. 37-39]

1. Trust Christ [v. 37]

Romans 10:9-13 That if thou 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. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

2. Obey Christ [v. 38]

Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

3. Rejoice in Christ [v. 39]

III. THE JOB OF BAPTISM [v. 37-39]

1. To Show Faith [v. 37]

2. To Show Obedience [v. 38a]

3. To Show the Gospel [v. 38b-39]

THE “I-CAN”-ER DOES

PHIL. 4:13

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE “I CAN”ER THINKS [Phil. 2:1-11]

1. With the Motive of Correctness [v. 1-3a]

2. With the Mindset of Compassion [v. 3b-4]

3. With the Mind of Christ [v. 5-11]

II. THE “I CAN”ER ACTS [Phil. 2:12-18]

1. By Working Right [v. 12-13]

2. By Doing Right [v. 14-15]

3. By Speaking Right [v. 16-18]

III. THE “I CAN”ER TRUSTS [Phil. 2:19-30]

1. That God Can Use Others [v. 19-23]

2. That God Can Lead Us [v. 24]

Psalm 23:2-3 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

3. That God Can Lay Others On Our Heart [v. 25-30]

Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK! - Should we fund embryonic stem cell research?‏

Q: Should we fund embryonic stem cell research?

A: The scientific and ethical debate regarding the use of stem cells in medical research has been raging for over a decade. With President Obama reversing the previous administration’s limits on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, this debate can only intensify in the months and years upcoming.

At the heart of this debate is something called a stem cell. Simply put, stem cells are the types of cells from which all the different tissues of the body are derived. To understand this, just picture what happens when a sperm fertilizes an egg. There is initially one cell; that cell divides into two cells; those two become four; and so on. From these first few cells, over 200 different tissue types in the body are made. These initial cells are called stem cells, and they have the ability to change into the various tissues required as the embryo develops. This process of stem cells turning into more specialized tissue is called differentiation.

As stem cells mature, they become more specialized. As a result of this process, the number of different tissues into which a stem cell can transform becomes limited. That is, after a certain point a stem cell may no longer be able to give rise to nerve cells or skin cells but may be able to produce blood cells or pancreatic cells. This loss of ability to differentiate is one of the key arguments in the debate over stem cell research.

The two primary types of stem cells involved in this field of research are embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are derived from embryos (typically four to five days old). A ball of cells called a blastocyst is disrupted, and the embryonic cells are harvested. These cells grow rapidly and have the potential to transform into any cell type in the body.

Adult stem cells are found in virtually every tissue in the body. However, they are found in relatively small numbers in these tissues. Generally, they only make the cells specific to the area in which they are located. These cells grow less rapidly in laboratory culture than embryonic stem cells (but this is not the disadvantage it appears to be—embryonic stem cells can grow so rapidly that they can be difficult to control). Theoretically, adult stem cells have less potential to produce all the needed cell types required for adequate medical research.

Read the rest of Dr. Tommy Mitchell’s examination of The Debate over Stem Cells.

News to Note Quick Look

Imagine less “religion”: A new poll conducted by Connecticut’s Trinity College resoundingly confirms our answer to what Ken Ham has asked audiences for years: is America growing more Christian or less? Read more.

Scientists “see” God: Scientists are once again reporting how the brain processes religion—or does it simply create it? Read more.

Also: Santino the Frustrated Chimp; a change we can’t believe in; as opposed to dead evolution?; “some religion here”; and don’t miss . . . . Read more.

Prayer Requests

View the current prayer requests to keep track of and pray for current ministry needs. Thank you!

Answers ... with Ken Ham radio program

Evolution—it’s actually a religion!
Genesis—why’s it first in the Bible?
Rampant violence—what’s the problem?
Homosexual behavior—it’s not the problem!
Abortion and social problems—what’s the solution?

After Eden

This information was provided by Answers In Genesis, an excellent source of material relating to Creation and evolution. Please visit their website using the link in the upper left.

GOD IS PRESENT

Mark 12: 27 "He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err."

God is Present

God is present. He is present in time and place. And when you fail to realize this, you fail to learn other important things.

Such was the case with the Sadducees in Jesus' day. They came to the Lord with a question in Mark 12:18. Their question was not square-they did not believe in the resurrection. They came up with a hypothetical question about one bride for seven brothers. In the story, the first brother marries her and croaks. So the second brother marries her and finds the same fate. And so on and so on until all seven brothers died. Their question in verse 23 was, "In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them?" Perhaps the seventh brother should have considered the following question: If six of your brothers married this woman but they all died, why in the world are you marrying her? Stop while you are ahead!

Fools can ask questions that wise men cannot answer. Even though you may not have the answer, the truth is still the truth. That is no excuse for laziness, but there are some questions you may not know the answer to. There is an answer-you may have to wait until Heaven or you may need to dig for it, but there is an answer.

The Lord Jesus answers in verse 24 by saying, "Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God?" Did these men not know the Old Testament? No, they knew what it said, but they did not know the God of the Scriptures. I have met folks like this before, that have learned much of the Scriptures for some religious exercise, but they do not know God.

The Sadducees also did not know the power of God. The two points go together: they did not know the Scriptures, nor did they know the power of God. The Lord puts great stress on what He said to Moses hundreds of years before. Verse 26 repeats those words: "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." The Lord stressed the tense: "I am." God is always present.

The crux of the truth is, God is present here and now, and you ought to live like it. God is the God of the living. His power is not diminished from Bible times. I thank God for any Christian who knew God and lived for Him. But you can see the same power of God in your life today because God is present.

D.L. Moody held great revival crusades that lasted for several weeks. I am reading his sermons from a particular eight-week crusade. How many preachers do you know today that could preach a different message each night for eight solid weeks? But Moody did not run out of Scriptures or power because God is present. But D.L. Moody is historical; that is, he was born and he died. He once said, "You'll read one day in the papers that D.L. Moody has died. Don't believe a word of it, for then I will be more alive than ever before." D.L. Moody is alive today in a real place called Heaven, and the reason is a real God Who is present.

God is present. The same God of Moses, the same God in Mark 12, and the same God of D.L. Moody is present today. If you fail to realize this, you will fail to learn other important things. Do not be content to just read about God working in the Scriptures. Ask God today to do what only He can. He is present.


Prayer Requests:

1. Revival services tonight in St. Matthews, SC and New Albany, MS
2. West Branch Men on the Move Conference in Williams, AZ today and tomorrow
3. Bill Rice Ranch Deaf Rally in Landrum, SC tomorrow
4. Evangelistic youth outreach in Starr, SC tomorrow
5. Ranch evangelists traveling to services this weekend in Franklin, TN; Kings Mills, OH; and Elizabeth City, NC

For more information about the Bill Rice Ranch visit our website: billriceranch.org

PICTURES OF THE WEEK

ARE YOU FULL?

Pastor Rick Jackson

Good or bad, right or wrong, skinny or fat, there is something I have noticed about Bradford Baptist Church fellowships where our people bring the food. If you leave hungry… it is your fault! There is always plenty of food available and left-overs enough to feed families for days after! The Bible clearly teaches the same is true in the spiritual realm. If you leave God’s table hungry… it’s your fault!

Now you may be thinking I am talking about leaving a church service without being fed and while that may apply in some cases that is NOT what I am talking about. God wants us to be full. He wants us to be full of good things not spiritual junk. Almost 100 verses in the New Testament use the term “pleroo” and obviously we don’t have time to look at all of them so lets just look at those which use it in a prayer request!

The world wants you to fill up on things, the flesh wants you to fill up on lusts, the Devil wants you to fill up on lies, the carnal Christian wants you to fill up on empty emotionalism, entertainment, and/or psychobabble BUT that’s not what God wants you to fill up on! God puts out a good spread with many satisfying “foods” and says “Be filled!”

1. JOY & PEACE [Romans 15:13] Note how this is accomplished!

2. GOD [Ephesians 3:14-19, 5:18]

3. FRUITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS [Philippians 1:9-11]

4. KNOWLEDGE [Colossians 1:9]

It is also worth noting that the Greek word for "filled" is the same as for "fulfilled." When a Christian is "filled" with all these wonderful realities, he becomes a "fulfillment," as it were, of God's purpose in creating and redeeming him. His ultimate goal, of course, is to measure up to "the fulness of Christ," Himself (Ephesians 4:13). HMM

Inspired by the Days of Praise devotional from INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH www.icr.org July 10, 2008.

Hillbilly's mule‏

Did you really do that?
Yep, and I'd do it agin too!

Maybe my sister needs her own blog. She sent me this one too. I appreciate it.

An old hillbilly farmer had a wife who nagged him unmercifully. From morning ‘til night she was always complaining about something. The only time he got any relief was when he was out plowing with his old mule. He tried to plow a lot.

One day, when he was out plowing, his wife brought him lunch in the field He drove the old mule into the shade, sat down on a stump, and began to eat his lunch.. Immediately, his wife began nagging him again.

Complain, nag, complain, nag - it just went on and on. All of a sudden, the old mule lashed out with both hind feet, caught her smack in the back of the head. Killed her dead on the spot.

At the funeral several days later, the minister noticed something rather odd. When a woman mourner would approach the old farmer, he would listen for a minute, then nod his head in agreement; but when a man mourner approached him, he would listen for a minute, then shake his head in disagreement. This was so consistent, the minister decided to ask the old farmer about it. So after the funeral, the minister spoke to the old farmer, and asked him why he nodded his head and agreed with the women, but always shook his head and disagreed with all the men.

The old farmer said, 'Well, the women would come up and say something about how nice my wife looked, or how pretty her dress was, so I'd nod my head in agreement.'

'And what about the men?' the minister asked.

'They wanted to know if the mule was for sale..'

WHY MEN ARE NEVER DEPRESSED‏

My only sister sent me these. She thought they were pretty funny. Some are!

Men Are Just Happier People-

Your last name stays put.

The garage is all yours.

Wedding plans take care of themselves.

Chocolate is just another snack.

You can never be pregnant.

Car mechanics tell you the truth.

You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.

You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.

Same work, more pay.

Wrinkles add character.

New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.

One mood all the time.

Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.

You know stuff about tanks and engines.

A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.

You can open all your own jars.

You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.

Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.

Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.

You never have strap problems in public.

You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.

Everything on your face stays its original color.

The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.

You only have to shave your face and neck.

You can play with toys all your life.

One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons.

You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife.

You have freedom of choice concerning growing a moustache.

You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.

No wonder men are happier. Share this with the women who can handle it and to the men who will enjoy reading it!

THE TABERNACLE- A PORTRAIT OF CHRIST

EXODUS 25

Pastor Rick Jackson

Sumner Wemp wrote, “Imagine a 15 by 45 foot house, constructed of 3 tons of gold, 5 tons of silver, 4 tons of brass, and an assortment of jewels, fine wood, and fancy tapestries. This was the tabernacle, the portable house of worship built by a horde of escaped slave. In the providence of God, the amazing project was financed by the farewell gifts to the children of Israel by their erstwhile captors, the Egyptians. Considering labor and materials prescribed by God Himself, such a building couldn’t be erected today for less than $10 million.

The unique structure and value of the tabernacle command our attention. Never before nor since has there been such a costly prefab structure, the epitome of simplicity to dismantle and to reassemble. According to the design of the Master Efficiency Expert, it could be moved quickly by 8,500 carriers when the cloud of His presence moved forward.”

I. THE PLAN OF THE TABERNACLE [v. 1-7]

1. The Planner [v. 1]

2. The Procedure [v. 2]

2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

3. The Provision [v. 3-7]

Exodus 12:36 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.

II. THE PURPOSE OF THE TABERNACLE [v. 8]

1. For the Presence [v. 8]

2. For the Pattern [v. 9]

Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God


3. For the Portrait [v. 9] “the tabernacle”

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

It takes infinite patience and love on God’s part to overcome man’s fear and doubt, so that we will trust Him to give us what we need. That is why God gave us this book. He starts us out in spiritual kindergarten. He starts with pictures and shadows, with visual aids, in order to show us what he is going to do someday. All the ceremonies and offerings of the Old Testament are shadows and pictures of Jesus Christ. Christ is as present in the books of Exodus and Leviticus as He is in the Gospels, but because He is present in symbols and signs, you must look carefully to see His image. Jesus is the focus of the Bible and Exodus is no exception. -Ray C. Stedman (paraphrased)

III. THE PATTERN OF THE TABERNACLE [v. 9-26]

Hebrews 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

Since God gave the pattern we should understand that everything has meaning. Throughout the Word of God we begin to note patterns given us.

Materials

Gold=Deity Wood=Humanity Together=Incarnation

Silver=Redemption Brass=Judgment Skins=sacrifice

Fine Linen-the righteousness of Christ imparted to His people

Colors

Blue=Heavenly Red=earthly/death/sacrifice

Purple=royalty (as a blend of red & blue) White=perfect purity

Substances

Oil=Holy Spirit Water=cleansing Incense=prayer

1. The Ark [v. 9-22]

The way God presented the Tabernacle to Moses was from His viewpoint! We would have started outside and worked our way in… which is indeed how we must come but God is reaching out to us so He begins in the Holy of Holies!

The ark was 45” long, 27” wide and 27” high (not counting the mercy seat)

It would eventually hold the tablets of the law (representing the Word of God and Christ’s holiness & righteousness), the jar of manna (Christ as the Bread of Life), an Aaron’s rod that budded (Christ’s resurrection)

It spoke of God’s presence. Where God would meet man. But how? By the blood applied to the mercy seat.

Psalm 85:10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

2. The Table of Shewbread [v. 23-30]

Christ the Bread of Life, the border (railing) speaks of security, 12 large loaves=12 tribes, 12 apostles, the Word of God for every individual

3. The Menorah [v. 31-40]

The only light in the Tabernacle! Christ the Light of the World [Jn. 1:4-9, 8:12]

The almond blossoms a reminder of our need to be the light of the world by the resurrection power of Christ (Aaron’s rod, also John 15 the lesson of the vine & the branches)

THE “I-CAN”-ER HAS

PHIL. 4:13

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE “I CAN”ER HAS FAITH [Phil. 1]

1. In the Person of Jesus [v. 1-2, 5, 8, 10-11, 13, 15-16, 18-21, 23, 26-29]

2. In the Power of Prayer [v. 3-4, 9, 19]

3. In the Performance of God’s Work [v. 6]

II. THE “I CAN”ER HAS UNDERSTANDING [Phil. 1]

1. Concerning Our Shared Compassion [v. 7-9]

2. Concerning Our Sincere Character [v. 10-11]

3. Concerning Our Saviour’s Commission [v. 12-18]

III. THE “I CAN”ER HAS CONVICTIONS [Phil. 1]

1. Rooted in Christian Living [v. 19-24]

2. Rejoicing in Christian Fellowship [v. 25-26]

3. Represented in Christian Service [v. 27-30]

QUESTION OF THE WEEK! - Where are all the bunny fossils?‏

Q: Where are all the bunny fossils?

My friend asked me this question “find me a fossilised bunny in the cambrian or any equivalent...just one. thats all you would need.’
What would be a good response to that.
—M.L., San Clemente, California

A: Thank you for passing along your friend’s question. So, where are all the bunny fossils? At first, it appears to be a riddle for creationists. The implication behind the question is that, if the fossil record isn’t an accurate record of millions of years of evolution, then why is there a neat order to it? If most of the fossil record was laid down all at once by the global Flood, then why are rabbits found only in “recent” Tertiary and Quaternary sediments rather than in the sediments belonging to the “ancient” Cambrian period?

First, we must look at the very validity of the geologic column. Is there actually a definable Cambrian period that exists in the sedimentary layers, independent of uniformitarian and evolutionary presuppositions? What we find is that the geological column is not nearly as straightforward as evolutionists suggest. For one thing, nowhere on earth is the entire fossil record visible. The schema is pieced together by correlating exposed rock layers from around the globe. So, it represents a composite picture, not an exact sequence that covers the globe. Radiometric dating and other evolutionary presuppositions are then applied to the composite column.

Instead, we see a tendency toward order. For example, when found at the same sites, marine fossils are generally in sedimentary layers well below dinosaur fossils. However, even this fact can be deceiving, because we don’t often find different kinds of fossils together. An incredible 95 percent of the fossils we find are of shallow marine organisms, like corals and shellfish—and sometimes we find those even in high sedimentary layers, even on top of Mt. Everest! The next 4.75 percent are fossils of algae, plants, and invertebrates (such as insects). That leaves only a quarter of one percent (0.25) of all fossils that are of vertebrates. But an incredible 99 percent of these fossils are only a single bone!

Continue learning how a global Flood explains the fossil record in Feedback: Where Are All the Bunny Fossils?

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News to Note Quick Look

Toeing the old-age line: A fossilized footprint found in Kenya—thought to be 1.5 million years old—doesn’t look its age. Read more.

The slow-and-gradual catastrophe: An ancient extinction wasn’t as sudden and catastrophic as once believed. Now, how does that reinforce the Flood model? Read more.

Also: paleontology isn’t brain surgery; maybe, maybe, maybe; praise him?; unhelpful terms; proving design; and don’t miss . . . . Read more.

Prayer Requests

View the current prayer requests to keep track of and pray for current ministry needs. Thank you!

Answers ... with Ken Ham radio program

Six days and gays—what’s the connection?
Gay marriage—is it biblical?
Gays and the church—what’s happening?
Jesus—did he address gay marriage?
Gay marriage—what did Jesus say?

After Eden

This information was provided by Answers In Genesis, an excellent source of material relating to Creation and evolution. Please visit their website using the link in the upper left.

Wendell Kempton as I remember him

QUOTES OF THE WEEK! - all by Wendell Kempton

Wendell Kempton was not flashy but he was also not a flash in the pan! He wore many hats in his lifetime--- not the least of which was "preacher of the Word of God" and "missionary statesman". I had the privilege to hear Brother Kempton speak in person while I was a student at Temple Baptist Theological Seminary in Chattanooga, Tn. and I can still hear the message in my mind if I try just a little bit. He was president of ABWE [www.abwe.org] from 1971-2001 but he touched lives wherever he was. He witnessed to the small and great including the champ Muhammad Ali while they were jogging together. One memory of Brother Kempton was a sentence in the letter I got from him when his first wife Karolyn has passed away one fall. The sentence revealed worlds about him, his faith and most of all, his Saviour. The sentence read, "Karolyn has gone home for Christmas." On January 6, 2008 Dr. Wendell Kempton went home too, and Heaven is sweeter because of his presence. -Rick

"He is the sovereign supreme ruler of heaven and earth and we are beholding His GLORY!” —Dr. Wendell Kempton

“Great things He hath done . . . over and over again.” —Dr. Wendell Kempton

“In order for us to continue in leadership we have to be totally dependent, 100 percent, upon God every day.” —Dr. Wendell Kempton

“If you have not been in the Word today, don’t start work until you do. It is the most important thing you can do.” -W.K.

“If you get close to the heart of God, you are going to get involved in missions. And the rest of your life, God is going to honor you and bless you as you, as an individual, promote the heart of God.” —Dr. Wendell Kempton

“As we look through the rearview mirror, all we can say is “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised. And His greatness is beyond human comprehension!” —Dr. Wendell Kempton

"most of the time, we are not cognizant that we are marching to Zion. We are on schedule. We arrived on schedule. And we are going to depart on schedule." -W.K.

"The greatest privilege we've ever had is to have a small part in world evangelism." -W.K.

“We are on the winning team. Let’s act as if we belong eternally to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.” —Dr. Wendell Kempton

“Spiritual success flows down a river called suffering and sacrifice and it impacts the world because . . . God uses it in a wonderful way.” —Wendell W. Kempton

“Michael, these people have suffered profoundly for their faith, and we must be prepared to take some risks to help them,” said Wendell Kempton to Michael Loftis in 1987 as they crossed Austria and Hungary aboard the Orient Express headed for communist Romania.

“Let’s occupy until He comes and let’s continue to invade enemy territory in the name of the risen Savior, knowing full well that we serve on this side of the resurrection.” —Dr. Wendell Kempton

PICTURES OF THE WEEK

I just think the smoke patterns are interesting looking.

IS GOD AMONG YOU?

Exodus 17:7 "And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?"

Is God Among You?

Have you left home before and felt like something was missing? Typically, you are only a few miles into the trip, but then you have a feeling that you forgot something. That can be a bad feeling!

Here in Exodus the children of Israel have left their old home in Egypt, but they are not sure if God is among them. They were without water in the desert, and Exodus 17:2 says, "Wherefore the people did chide with Moses. . . ." They were complaining against the authority God had placed in their lives; that is why Exodus 17:2 continues, "And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?" Were the children of Israel chiding with Moses or God? The answer is yes. They had no water, so they complained and then wondered, "Is the LORD among us, or not?" You can do without a lot of things, but God is not One you can do without.

We can see the reason they asked this. Why did they wonder if God was among them? Practically speaking, the reason was they had problems-they had no water. Does God's presence mean a lack of problems? Or (asked a different way) does the presence of problems mean a lack of God's presence? Absolutely not. In fact, sometimes when God works the most is the time when there are the most problems. The Devil has no vested interest in troubling you if you are not advancing the cause of Christ. In Acts 6, the early disciples were having problems in the church (widows were being neglected) precisely because they were preaching Christ and the number of disciples was being multiplied!

The children of Israel had every reason not to doubt the presence of God. He was the One Who led them from Egypt, parted the Red Sea, and provided manna in the wilderness. Often we think, "If I just saw God manifest Himself, if I could just see Him work a miracle, then I would. . . ." Really? You think so? The children of Israel saw great miracles, but they complained. The presence of problems does not mean a lack of God's presence.

We can also see how their question was manifest. They had a question: Was God among them, or not? But their question was manifest in complaining. Can't you almost hear the accusing tone in their chiding? Their complaining was the manifestation of what was in their hearts.

But their question is worth your consideration today. If God is not among you, then your sacrifice is a sham, and your service is empty and worthless. It is worth considering today if God's presence is with you. Moses did this in Exodus 33:15 when he said, "If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." That is a good way to face your day-recognizing God's presence in your life and acknowledging your need for His presence.

If God is not with you, stop and acknowledge His presence. The presence of problems today does not mean He is not near; come to God as Moses did and go into today confident in and reliant upon God's presence.


Prayer Requests:
- Revival services tonight in Harned, KY

For more information about the Bill Rice Ranch visit our website: billriceranch.org

WHO CARES?

WHO CARES?

Sumner Wemp (see link)

WHO CARES? When I landed in Wash. D. C. I found my next flight to Albany N. Y. was canceled. As I went up to the ticket counter, two men were right behind me who were also going to Albany. The agent rerouted the three of us. It was right at dinner time and I asked about getting a meal ticket. Back then he gladly gave us meal tickets.

WE ate together and I began to share the gospel. It was obvious one of the men did not have a clue what I was talking about. The other did. Now look what God did. I was ticketed to sit next to the man who knew what it was about. His heart was so open and he gladly prayed with me to receive the Lord Jesus as his Savior and then asked if I knew a certain Bible college. I said, "I know it well and that it was a wonderful Christian college. He said, "My daughter graduated from there and married a preacher and he now pastors in New Orleans. She has prayed for me and pleaded with me to accept Christ as my Savior. Wait unto I get home and call and tell her I got saved 30,000 feet in the air.

Who cares? There are many millions burdened for a loved one, praying for someone to lead them to Christ. Do you have a loved one you are burdened for, praying for and praying someone would lead them to Christ. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Then, like the rich man in hell, there are multiplied millions in hell pleading for someone to lead their loved ones to Christ lest they come to this awful place. You can be sure you sat next to a person who has a loved on in hell pleading for you to lead them to Christ. Did you? Will you? Who cares? Do you? WE ALL MUST CARE AND SHARE THE GOSPLE WITH THEM. Make sense? Only we can "change" America and turn it back to God. We must. And I LOVE you.

Keep praying for Celeste, she need healing from God.

"My religion is very simple -- my religion is kindness." -- the Dalai Lama. Excuse me kind sir but the Lord Jesus Christ suffered and died for your sins and mind, paid our debt in full, rose again and was seen by hundreds of people. God says we must trust and receive the Lord Jesus as our personal Savior.

WHY ASK WHY?

SOMEONE FORWARDED THESE TO ME. A FEW OF THEM ACTUALLY HAVE ANSWERS IF PEOPLE WOULD DO THEIR HOMEWORK.

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are almost dead?

Why do banks charge a fee on 'insufficient funds' when they already know there is not enough money?

Why does someone Believe you when you say there are four billion stars; but have to check when you say the paint is still wet?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard? [according to the books by Edgar Rice Burroughs Tarzan shaved with his knife]

Why does Superman [as played by George Reeves] stop bullets with his chest, but duck when you throw a revolver at him?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Whose idea was it to put an 'S' in the word 'lisp'?

Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?

Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?

Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?

Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?

Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?

How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?

When we are in the supermarket and someone rams our ankle with a shopping cart then apologizes for doing so, why do we say, 'It's all right?' Well, it isn't all right, so why don't we say, 'That really hurt, why don't you watch where you're going?'

Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?

In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

And my FAVORITE......The statistics on sanity is that one out of every four persons is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.
Now share this with your friends (if any) and let them smile too, because .A day without a smile is like a day without sunshine!

THE GOD OF THE BIBLE OR THE MAN UPSTAIRS?

EXODUS 24

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE PERSON OF GOD [v. 1-3]

1. He is Worthy of Worship [v. 1]

2. He is Worthy of Respect [v. 2]

3. He is Worthy of Obedience [v. 3]

II. THE PLAN OF GOD [v. 4-8]

1. Is always the Book [v. 4a, 7]

2. Is always the Blood [v. 4b-6]

3. Is always the Blessed Hope [v. 8]

1 Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

III. THE PERCEPTION OF GOD [v. 9-18]

1. A Vision of His Holiness [v. 9-11]

2. A Vision of His Uniqueness [v. 12-14]

3. A Vision of His Glory [v. 15-18]

Isaiah 48:11 For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.
1 Corinthians 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
James 2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

SUNDAY MORNING SERMON

BIG THOUGHTS, BIG PLANS, BIG DECISIONS

JEREMIAH 29:11 For I know the thoughts (well devised plans) that I think (weave) toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THOUGHTS OF PEACE

1. PEACE FROM GOD [Acts 10:36, Rm. 1:7, 16:20]

2. PEACE WITH GOD [Rm. 5:1]

3. PEACE OF GOD [Phil. 4:7, Col. 3:15]

II. NOT THOUGHTS OF EVIL

Not evil necessarily in the sense of sinful, but evil in the sense of something unpleasant happening to you.

1. DISOBEDIENCE BRINGS EVIL [Jer. 32:3]

2. NOT LISTENING/RESPONDING BRINGS EVIL [Jer. 35:17]

3. PUNISHMENT [Jer. 36:31]

III. AN EXPECTED (hoped for) END

1. A FORETOLD END [Is. 46:10]

2. AN ESTABLISHED END [Micah 4:1]

3. AN ETERNALLY BLESSED END [Ps. 62:5, 71l5, I Cor. 15:24-28]