Don’t Buy Trouble

From: firstlight@billriceranch.org

Proverbs 26:17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. Don't Buy Trouble Recently a friend asked me if I had ever been kicked by a horse. Well, the answer is "yes;" I have been kicked by a horse. As it turns out, the horse wasn't aiming for my leg, but for another horse. Unfortunately, he was a bad shot, and I went down like a bowling pin. Trying to break up a horse fight is not a very good idea and is a good way to get hurt. Sometimes people get hurt because they try to break up a cat fight, a dog fight, or maybe a couple of neighbors who are fighting. Proverbs 20:17 says, "He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him is like one that taketh a dog by the ears." That is to say that buying trouble that you could get for free is not a very good idea. All of us have trouble because we are people, and people have conflict with other people. It is generally not a wise thing to try to step in when two people are fighting, to buy into a fight that you don't own. The Bible says that when I step into trouble that doesn't belong to me, it is just like a man who takes a dog by the ears. If you would like to do something really dumb today, and I don't think you do, then go home and throw a raw steak to your Rottweiler, Brutus. Once he gets his fangs dug deep into that steak, grab him by the ears. You have two hands, for now, and he has two ears; so just pick him up off the ground and see what happens. What is going to happen is that he is going to get his steak whether it is on the floor or the front of your face. It is not a good idea to pick up a dog by the ears. When you meddle with trouble that doesn't belong to you, you don't know the facts. It is best to know what is going on before you jump in the middle of it. Also, many times, jumping in to the trouble doesn't remedy the real problem. All of us have friends who are having trouble, and I think it is fine and wise to give counsel at times when it is asked for and God gives us the guidance to do it. But we need the good sense to know when a fight is worth joining and when it is not a matter of conviction, but of pride or personality. In such cases it is not wise for me to take ownership of something that does not belong to me. Prayer Requests: - Meetings this week in Park Rapids, MN Enjoy more devotionals, sermon audio, and articles on our website! Read Past Devotionals This message was sent by firstlight@billriceranch.org Bill Rice Ranch 627 Bill Rice Ranch Road, Murfreesboro, TN, 37128

What was the most powerful question of all time?

By the late Sumner Wemp

Subject: Jesus asked the most powerful question of all time

Jesus, God manifest in the flesh, asked Peter, maybe the greatest of the twelve,  the greatest question, when He said, ""Peter, son of Jonas, Lovest thou me?" Jn 21:15. In fact He asked Peter three times, "Lovest thou me?" The sad, sad part is that Peter never did say, "I love (agape) you" but said, I like (phileo) you. I personally believe it broke Jesus' heart.

Several things about this strikes me.

1. Jesus, God in the flesh,  wants to hear us say "I love you".

When I was courting Celeste, I remember the night so very well. I told her, "I love you." It was not hard to do. BUT, Celeste said, "I have never said this to another  man, I love you."  Folks, that was one of the most precious moments of all my life. Can you realize how Jesus wants to hear us say, "I love you" to Him? WOW. After 61 years, I have never gotten tired of hearing her say, "I love you".  NEITHER DOES JESUS.

2. God, Himself, said, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all of your heart... And thou shall teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall talk of them when thou sittest...when thou walkest...when thou liest down, when thou risest up." Deut 6:5-7. Oh my, it must be pretty important to God that we say it to Him.

3. God the Holy Spirit, a very real Person, must get a "rush" when we tell Him," I love you". Got a verse for that?

4. Your wife, your husband, your, mother, your father, your children MUST hear you say personally to them, "I love you". It is the most manly thing you can say to your wife and children.

5. EVERY day, in my prayer time, I say to God, My Father, "I love you". Every day, I say to my Lord and Savior, Jesus, "I love you". Every day I say to the Holy Spirit, my Comforter (and the 60 things I gave about Him a year ago) "I love You". Seriously, it is  the highlight of my prayer time.  "Go thou and do likewise" ABC Sumner

Tracts in your pocket, your tract rack, will help you stay forcused on getting the gospel to EVERY person. Mk 16;15. Call 1-877-872-2871 and order "Your ticket to Heaven" "the easiest tract I have every given out" from one of you. If you as a pastor will, your people will. "Lay up treasures in heaven." One easy way to do it. TRACTS given to lost people.

"They rehearsed all that God had done with them" Acts 14:27. They were not boasting. They were telling what God did. How we need to do that today and for it to be just as normal as breathing. When have you seen "a demonstration of the power of God" in your life? We need to tell about it to encourage others to hunger for it. Call 1-877-872-2871 to order my tract "Your Ticket to Heaven" We are seeing the power of God as we use it.

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CREEPS AT THEIR BEST

JUDE 12-16

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS  [v. 12]

 

1. Stand Outs of Selfishness [v. 12, 1 Tm. 1:19-20, Acts 20:28]

 

2. Clouds Without Water [v. 12, Eph. 4:14]

 

3. Trees Without Worthwhile Fruit [v. 12, Mt. 15:13, Ez. 17:9]

 

4. Raging Waves of Foam for all to See [v. 13]

 

II. THEIR CONDEMNATION [v. 13-15]

 

1. Shame [v. 13a, Dan. 12:2]

 

2. Blackness of Darkness Forever [v. 13b, 2 Peter 2:17]

 

3. Judgment [v. 14-15]

 

III. THEIR CHARACTERISTICS [v. 16]

 

1. They are Murmurers not Praisers [Hebrews 13:15]

 

2. They are Complainers not Thankful [2 Timothy 3:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:18]

 

3. They are Self-centered not Christ Centered [2 Peter 2:18, Philippians 2:1-11]

HORRIBLE HEROES

JUDE 3-4, 8, 10-11

 

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

It is important to have the right heroes in your life. The Bible makes much of men and women of faith (Heb. 11) while cautioning us to avoid their short-comings. Paul said, “Follow me as I follow Christ”. Of course we can follow Christ without qualification. The Bible also gives us the lives of some as “bad examples” or “horrible heroes” if you will. As Jude writes of some creeps he tells us “Woe” is upon them because of three of their horrible heroes. He says these creeps follow in:

 

I. THE WAY OF CAIN [v. 11, Gen. 4]

 

1. Cain’s Way Is Faithless [Heb. 11:4, 6; Eph. 2:8-9, Rm. 10:17]

2. Cain’s Way is Bloodless [Heb. 9:12, 22-28]

3. Cain’s Way is Worthless [Proverbs 14:12, Jn. 14:6] it is worthless because it is Christless

 

II. THE ERROR OF BALAAM [v. 11]

 

1. To Be Motivated by Greed instead of God [2 Peter 2:15, 1 Timothy 6:10]

2. To Cast a Stumbling Block Before Others [Rev. 2:14, Mark 9:42, Is. 56:11]

3. To Desire Earthly Reward rather than Heavenly Rewards [v. 11, Matthew 6:19-20]

 

III. THE GAINSAYING OF KORAH (CORE) [v. 11]

 

1. Rebellion Against God-given Authority [Num. 16]

2. Replacing God-given Authority with Themselves [3 Jn. 9-11]

3. Results in Destruction for Both Leader & Followers [Matthew 21:40-42, Num. 16:32-35]

QUESTION OF THE WEEK - THE WILL OF GOD - CAN I BE SURE?

From: office@dwministries.org

THE WILL OF GOD - CAN I BE SURE?  YES!!! Believers really do want to live in the will of God. Perhaps that is why I am so often asked the question in conferences, crusades and special meetings by so many people… "How can I know the will of God?"   We would all like to be -  "......as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart" Ephesians 6:6   Like Jesus, we often pray, "… not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42). Yet, we often have real difficulty knowing what God would have us to do. Allow me a minute to share three ways that God has used in my life to help in this area. I have also included some safeguards that might be helpful:   #1 - When you feel impressed to do something, check it out in light of God's Word. God will never lead you to do anything that is contrary to the plain teachings of His Word. If possible, find a verse or scripture passage that deals with the issue you are facing.   #2 - However, not every decision we have to make is covered in the Bible. At these times we must be dependent upon the leading of the Holy Spirit. Many times we can discern the leading of the Holy Spirit by an impression He makes upon our heart.  However, sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference in our own personal desires and the leading of the Spirit. When this happens, it is wise to pray and to wait.              Our own desires usually fadeaway with time, but the leading of the Spirit grows stronger.   His leading can become so strong that there is no longer any doubt regarding the will of God.   #3 - A powerful and practical way of knowing the will of God is by "open and closed doors".  There are are times when more than one door is open to us, and we are puzzled at which way to turn. Usually, if we wait and pray, we will come to know that some of the open doors are not God's will for us. In time, some of these doors will close. Others may open, adding to the confusion, but caution, waiting on the Lord, and prayer will help to determine how God is leading.    A final word: Determining the will of God is a relationship builder!  An opportunity to know HIM better!   What a wonderful way to start a new year [Originally sent Jan. 5th]– beginning every day with an open heart that says to our Heavenly Father , "I really want to do Your will today".   David A. Wood

This message was sent from: David Wood Ministries | office@dwministries.org | David Wood Ministries | www.dwministries.org | PO Box 1490 | Panama City, FL 32402

   

John R. Rice Quotes of the Week

Infidels in the pulpit are leading America to Hell! We need to come back to preach a Christianity that has an inspired Bible and has a divine Christ in it, a Christ who will call men to judgment if they do not repent. We need to preach to Christians to clean up and live like Christians. - John R. Rice

God has good things ahead for everyone who turns to trust in Jesus, Jew or Gentile. - John R. Rice

So, the coming of Christ is imminent. It may be at any moment. Jesus could come today. Oh, glad day, glad day! I won't have to halt and walk slowly nor stagger when I meet Him. I would take off these earphones. I wouldn't need these glasses anymore. Oh, it will be wonderful! And Jesus may come today. I will be so glad to see Him. But meantime, we must do what He said - watch for Christ's coming. - John R. Rice

What I am saying is that it is a sin for a man to defile his body. You would not need any other argument that that. What is wrong with cigarettes? If they defile your body, which is the temple of the Holy Ghost, then there is plenty wrong with them. - John R. Rice

Every Christian ought to feel this way: "If Jesus Christ lives in me, if the Holy Spirit of God lives in me, if I am God's church house, then what a sin to defile the body!"
That is what is wrong with dirty language. That is what is wrong with a lewd mind, with beer, with drunkenness. That is what is wrong with adultery. In a sense all sins are against God. but do you see that any sin which defiles this body is, in a special, intimate way, a sin against God because He dwells there? Don't you see what a sin it is for anybody to defile his body? - John R. Rice

God intended men to take the lead and for men to be as pure as anybody else. God never intended a woman to be more chaste than a man. God intended men to take the lead and to live clean. God intended your thoughts to be just as clean as any woman's. If you don't live like God intended you to live, then you are a hypocrite, a quitter, a slacker. Any man who expects a woman to live a purer and cleaner life than he lives is not trustworthy, not honest. If you don't live like you talk; if you have one set of moral standards for yourself and a higher one for your wife, you are plain crooked, an insincere hypocrite. God intended that men should live toward God with the body as something holy. "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands." - John R. Rice

Did you know that the man ought to stand in the place of God in his home? May God give you the grace to do it. - John R. Rice

Listen Before You Answer

From: firstlight@billriceranch.org

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Proverbs 18:13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him. I doubt there is a parent alive who doesn't know what it is to referee a fight between two siblings. One is speaking in one of mom's ears, and the other is speaking in the other ear. It can be confusing. All of us are wired to do something when confronted with a problem. We want to get rid of it, get it out of the way. Oftentimes, that means we act before we think; we answer before we hear. Proverbs 18:13 says, "He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him." Boy, have I ever been ashamed at times when I gave an answer before I really heard what the question was. I made a judgment before I really stopped to consider what was being presented. You cannot give a judgment until you have heard both sides of an issue. Until you hear both sides you have a bias, and making a good judgment comes from weighing the facts. That means listening before I answer. Sometimes we are flattered when someone comes to us with their question or problem. They think we have enough wisdom to give them an answer. The truth is, a wise person knows what it is he does not know. That does not mean that we don't give help if we have it. It does mean that we don't make up answers, or feel compelled to quickly or tritely give an answer to someone merely because they have asked us. The bottom line isthat you can't give a good answer until you give a good ear. People who give wise answers are people who think first, and people who think first are people who listen so they have something upon which to think. The book of Proverbs is but an example of the infinite wisdom of God in the practical issues of our everyday life. When I listen well, I can give answers that are worth hearing. Prayer Requests: - Meetings this week in Mansfield, OH and Evansville, IN Enjoy more devotionals, sermon audio, and articles on our website! Read Past Devotionals This message was sent by firstlight@billriceranch.org Bill Rice Ranch 627 Bill Rice Ranch Road, Murfreesboro, TN, 37128

Prelude to Doomsday

REVELATION 15

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. THE VISION OF THINGS TO COME [v. 1-2]

 

1. Plagues [v. 1]

 

2. Victory [v. 2]

 

3. Heavenly Musicians [v. 2] God does not have a problem with musical instruments properly used

 

II. THE SONG TO COME [v. 3-4]

 

1. The Song of Moses [v. 32, Ex. 15]

 

2. The Song of the Lamb [v. 3b, Rev. 5:8-14]

 

3. The Song of the Manifestation [v. 3c-4, Ex. 15:11, Rv. 5:12 cp. w/Rv. 13:4, 7]

 

III. THE SEVEN VIALS TO COME [v. 5-8]

 

1. The Resumption of the 7^th Trumpet [v. 5-6, 11:15]

 

2. The Revelation of the 7 Vials [v. 7]

 

3. The Restriction of the 7 Vials [v. 8]

Quotes of the Week

Worry about nothing, pray about everything, and thank God for anything. - D.L. Moody

...the Devil's work. He is a liar and the father of lies and his most subtle form of deception is to imitate the things of God. God has His wise virgins, Satan has his foolish ones; outwardly they appear alike. God sows good seed, Satan sows tares. God plants the true vine, Satan plants "the vine of the Earth." God has a bride, Satan has a harlot. God has a city, the New Jerusalem; Satan also has a city, the corrupt Babylon. God has a Man, the Lord Jesus Christ; Satan has a man, the Beast-King. God's Man is the Son of God; Satan's man is the son of perdition. Finally, God is manifested in the form of the Holy Trinity; Satan is manifested in the form of the Trinity of Evil. - William L. Pettingill

Romans 2:8-9 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
Note the fearful progress in these words: wrath-stored up but possibly appeasable; indignation-more personal, at sin persisted in; tribulation-the attack, finally, upon the impenitent, of poured-forth fury; anguish-the eternal, terrible effect! - William R. Newell

The "God" of Modernism, Universalism, Russellism, Spiritism, Christian Science, in short, the "God" the world dreams of, does not exist. The "god of this age" is Satan. He has blinded the minds of them that believe not. Men are in a fool's paradise who prate of the God of the Bible not being such a one as will punish sin! - William R. Newell

We must stand for the Word of God, stand for the work of God, stand without wavering, without flinching and without faltering. - Lee Roberson

I am not interested in religious exercises! They annoy me, provoke me, and destroy within me that which should cry after the Lord. There may be a meaning to religious exercises (mere form of reading the Bible and praying or reciting creeds), but I don't know what it is. - Lee Roberson

THIS IS CERTAIN

JUDE 4-10

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. CERTAIN MEN [v. 4]

 

1. Creeps [v. 4, Galatians 2:4, 2 Tm. 3:5-6]

 

2. Condemned [v. 4, 2 Peter 2:1-3]

 

3. Corrupt [v. 4, Galatians 1:6, 2 Peter 2:1, 1 John 2:22-23]

 

II. CERTAIN CONDEMNATION [v. 5-7]

 

1. Unbelieving men [v. 5, Hebrews 3:18 & 11:31]

 

2. Unfaithful Angels [v. 6, 2 Peter 2:4, 1 Corinthians 6:3]

 

3. Unnatural Uses [v. 7, Rm. 1:24-28]

 

III. CERTAIN SINS [v. 8-10]

 

1. Defile the Flesh [v. 8, 2 Peter 2:10, 18]

 

2. Despise Dominion [v. 8, 2 Peter 2:10, Ps. 2:1-3]

 

3. Defame Dignities [v. 8-10, 2 Peter 2:2, 10, 12]

THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT

2 COR. 1:3-4, ISAIAH 40

 

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. THE GREAT COMFORTS [v. 1-11]

 

1. The Comfort of the Saviour [v. 1-5, Phil. 2:1 speaks of -consolation in Christ…comfort of love, fellowship of the Spirit]

 

2. The Comfort of the Scriptures [v. 5-8, Rm. 15:4]

 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

 

3. The Comfort of the Shepherd [v. 9-11, Ps. 23, Zechariah 10:12]

 And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.

 

II. THE GREAT GOD [v. 12-25]

 

1. The God of Creation [v. 12, 26, 28]

 

2. The God of Knowledge [v. 13-14, 26-28]

 

3. The God of Uniqueness [v. 15-25]

 

III. THE GREAT BENEFITS [v. 29-31]

 

1. Power to the Faint [v. 29a, 2 Cor. 4:1, 16]

 

2. Strength to Them with No Might [v. 29b, 2 Cor. 12:9, 13:4]

 

3. Watching Him Work in your Life as you Wait on the Lord [v. 30-31; Ps. 25:3-5, 21, 27:14, 130:5; Proverbs 20:22]

Question of the Week: Does Your Pastor Avoid Genesis?

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What If My Pastor Avoids Genesis? Why are Adam and Eve some of the last people to visit our churches? After all, Genesis is the starting point and foundation of God's revelation about redemption! Well, if you really want to open doors, you need to know the stumbling blocks pastors must overcome.   Learn How You Can Help →   Get Equipped Ready to Return: Bringing Back the Church's Lost Generation Purchase the New Book by Ken Ham 〉

Is Homo naledi a New Species of Human Ancestor? From God's Word we know "nature" did not experiment "with how to evolve humans." We do not believe evidence supports a Homo designation for Homo naledi. Already Gone We can now identify the real answers as well as the causes affecting young people who leave the church. Meet Me at the Coming Virtual Event Never been to our Creation Museum in the Cincinnati area? I will bring you to the museum—at an upcoming virtual event! Aliens in the Creation Museum? Rather than focus on the promotion of evil this Halloween season, kids under 12 will be admitted free to the Creation Museum this October.

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