Thursday, June 16, 2011

Integrity

 
Bill Rice Ranch - First Light Devotionals 

II Samuel 20:9-10  "And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.  But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib. . . ."

 

 

 

Integrity is defined as "the virtue of being innocent, complete, and simple."  In short, integrity is doing the same thing with both hands!  Joab was a man who did many good things, but his life did not add up.  What was the missing ingredient?  Integrity.  This truth was never better illustrated than in the story of Amasa in II Samuel 20.

 

With one hand, Joab would pat you on the back; with the other hand, he would stab you in the back!  "But," you say, "weren't there good things about Joab?"  Yes, of course.  That is what makes a lack of integrity so confusing!  In your life, how sharp does a person have to be to believe and understand you?  Are you innocent, complete, and simple?  Do people have a true and complete picture of you?

 

I can't imagine trying to shake Joab's hand after this incident!  I would always wonder what was coming next when I wasn't looking!  Do people view you the same way you would view Joab?  The farther from the truth you are, the less integrity you possess.  So, how wide is the gap between you and the truth in your life?  How wide is the gap between your words and your actions?  How wide is the gap between your character and your reputation?  How wide is the gap between the "real" you and the "Facebook" you?

 

In the technological age in which we live, it is easy to forsake integrity in your home, at work, and online.  Don't live today doing one thing with your right hand and something different with your left hand!  Can the words innocent, complete, and simple describe you?  Is your life defined by integrity?

 

 

 

 

 

Camp Quotes...

"The Holy Spirit can give life, liberty, and lasting change." (John 7:37-39)

-Evangelist Chris Miller 


 

 

Prayer Requests: 

1. Salvation of unsaved teen, junior, and deaf campers

2. Safety for staff and campers

 

 

 

 Looking for more devotionals? Visit the archives here

 
 
 
Bill Rice Ranch | 627 Bill Rice Ranch Road | Murfreesboro | TN | 37128
Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

3 GREAT QUESTIONS

MARK 4:35-41

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. DOES JESUS CARE? [v. 35-38]

1. Asked in Ignorance [John 13:7]

Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

2. Answered in Advance [v. 34-35]

3. Answered in Action [v. 39, Rm. 5:8, Jn. 3:16]

II. WHY FEAR? [v. 39-40]

1. The Power of God [Romans 1:16]

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
1 Corinthians 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

2. The Peace of God [Isaiah 26:3]

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

3. The Purpose of God [Rm. 10:17]

III. WHAT MANNER OF MAN IS JESUS? [v. 41]

1. The Master in the Storm

2. The Master in Control

3. The Master to be Obeyed [John 13:13-17, Luke 6:46]
Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH ...

The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration, as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. 
 
The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a holding cell.  After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.  
 
He said, ''I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'Follow Me to Sunday-School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk, so naturally....I assumed you had stolen the car.'' 
 
Priceless..  
 

Posted by at No comments:

Monday, June 13, 2011

Quotes of the Week

Children need the wisdom of their elders; the aging need the encouragement of a child's exuberance. - Corrie ten Boom 

One legislator accused me of having a nineteenth-century attitude on law and order. That is a totally false charge. I have an eighteenth-century attitude. That is when the Founding Fathers made it clear that the safety of law-abiding citizens should be one of the government's primary concerns. - Ronald Reagan 

 Finished the laundry, did some shopping, dinner & a movie w @thewritetwit, ruined my daughter's life. It's been a full day. - Jonathan Haskell 

 You cannot give the Bible to the wrong person. Missionary Brant Holladay 

 Some of the people who come [to our new tea room bookshop in Scotland] are atheists, but I tell them God doesn't believe in atheists. - Missionary Graham Forbes
Posted by at 1 comment:

Sunday, June 12, 2011

DELAYS ON THE ROAD OF LIFE

Psalm 70

Pastor Rick Jackson

Jeff and I enjoy reading his brother’s comments on his FB page. The other day he wrote;
Apparently it's frowned upon to walk into a bank shouting "It's my money and I want it now!" Thanks a lot J.G. Wentworth!
It is true that we don‘t like delays isn‘t it? We want it now, or even better, yesterday. In Psalm 70 David expresses his desire that God NOT delay in answering his prayer. And yet, sometimes God does delay in answering our prayers, in sending us resources, in answering our questions… “Why?” being a big one. Why does God delay?

I. GOD IS WAITING UNTIL WE ARE SPIRITUALLY MATURE ENOUGH TO HANDLE IT

Gen. 28:13-15 God delayed 20 years before bringing Jacob back into his land.

“The right thing given at the wrong time can be a curse to us.”

II. GOD MAY TEST THE SINCERITY OF OUR DESIRE BY WITHHOLDING THE OBJECT

James 1:6-8, 4:3, 8

How bad do you want it? Why do you want it? How does it fit with God’s will for your life?

III. GOD USES DELAY TO STRENGHTEN THE QUALITY OF OUR CHARACTER

James 1:3-4 People pray for extra money but abuse their credit cards and then misuse the money when they get it. You know, God can give us more or He can teach us to live on less.

God used a 25 year delay in Abraham’s life to draw him into a closer communion with Himself.

Has God delayed in granting your request? Grant God the acceptance of knowing what to give us, when to give it, and in whatever fashion He deems best.
Posted by at No comments:

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Question of the Week: Did miracles really happen?

 
Answers Weekly

answersingenesis.org | newsletter archives | contact us
June 11, 2011

a weekly look at answersingenesis.org

top leftIn this issue . . .

Q: Did miracles really happen?

A: Miracles were done for a specific purpose—pointing to God and demonstrating His power—and they were often performed before witnesses. The reactions and accounts of these witnesses are mentioned in Scripture. For those who take the Bible seriously, this is absolute proof these miracles happened. Indeed, if we started from the premise that miracles could not happen, this would undermine our belief in Scripture since so many important events were miracles worked by God.
Those who start with the presupposition that Scripture is not true have a difficult problem with miracles as well, because of the large number of miracles specified. Often, non-believers want to infer that miracles are listed for symbolic purpose. But, if this were true, then the symbolism would be lost because otherwise reliable witnesses would actually be deceivers or deceived. It is not satisfactory to claim that good moral lessons are taught from events that never happened, related by people who lied or were deceived! It is difficult to accept that all these witnesses could be wrong when we look at the caliber of the witnesses, such as Abraham, Moses, Daniel, Luke, and especially Jesus. Even members of the Sanhedrin, who were strongly opposed to the gospel message, admitted Peter and John had performed a "notable miracle" (Acts 4:16).
Continue reading to find out more about how miracles are used in the Bible.

News to Note Quick Look

"Evolving" E. coli: Highly virulent strain of Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli continues to wreak havoc. Read more.
The Martian runt: Mars is a runt because it formed quickly and was lucky enough to stay out of the way of on-coming traffic. So goes the latest step in the planetary shuffle. Read more.
Also:

Biblical Authority Devotionals

Answers ... with Ken Ham radio program

After Eden

After Eden

Network with Us!

Facebook logo Twitter logo
Answers in Genesis Answers in Genesis
Creation Museum Creation Museum
Ark Encounter Ark Encounter
Answers Magazine  
Note: Facebook and Twitter are both social networking sites with user-contributed content. Children should not visit the sites without parental supervision.

iPhone image Free app for iPhone / iPod Touch / iPad

top leftThis Week . . .

Video On Demand

Video On Demand
Dating Fossils and Rocks, Part 2
Watch Video

Ken's Blog

Prayer Requests

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

Resources

Monthly Specials
Check This OutCheck This Out (6 animated mini-videos on 1 DVD)
Already CompromisedAlready Compromised - Book
Body of EvidenceBody of Evidence (8-DVD/Book Combo)
Answers Magazine Subscription: United StatesAnswers Magazine Subscription: United States
More current bestsellers

Upcoming Events

Job Opportunities

Answers Weekly Apologetics Mega Conference 2011
the material in today's blog was graciously provided by:
Answers in Genesis
2800 Bullittsburg Church Road, Petersburg, KY 41080
Customer service: 1-800-778-3390
Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, June 09, 2011

True Friends

 
Bill Rice Ranch - First Light Devotionals 

II Samuel 15:37  "So Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem."

 

True Friends

 

Who is your best friend?  Your best friend is probably the one who is there at your worst times.  Such was the case in II Samuel 15 as David fled for his life.  Absalom, his son, was a rebel and had overthrown David's kingdom.  The Bible mentions "Hushai David's friend."  Never was that title more important than this time in David's life!

 

What defines a friend depends on where you are at in life.  Until now, King David had many "friends."  Several things make many friends for you: palaces, possessions, power, popularity, and politics.  When David went from being a shepherd to being the king of Israel, I imagine the "friends" came out of the woodwork!  Everyone wants to be a friend of the king.  The bandwagon of popularity was probably full after David killed Goliath.  The women of Israel even made songs about the might of David! 

 

While palaces, possessions, power, popularity, and politics all make you friends, problems will reveal your true friends.  You would not choose problems over popularity or power, unless you realize that when you have problems, you find out who your true friends are.  The "friends" deserted David when Absalom overtook the throne.  The bandwagon was deserted.  No one was singing in the streets while David fled for his life.  True friends were worth more than anything David had!

 

The same principle is true in your life.  While you may seemingly have "friends" when life is going well and your popularity and power are at their peak, problems will reveal the true friends who are left standing.  Don't despair about problems-one thing they will do is reveal who is a true friend!  Even when it seems like no one is a true friend, you have a "friend that sticketh closer than a brother" in the Lord Jesus!

 

Finally, be a friend when it is needed most.  Hushai was a friend to David.  Who are your true friends?  Who needs you to be a true friend?

 

 

 

Camp Quotes...

(regarding Ephesians 6:5-8...)

"Look to your boss for your assignments; look to the Lord for your reward."

-Evangelist Troy Carlson


 

Prayer Requests: 

1. Camp orientation and training for summer staff this week

2. Safety and health for staff 

3. A special word from Brother Rice about summer staff needs...

 

 

 

 

 Looking for more devotionals? Visit the archives here

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 






 
   
 
Bill Rice Ranch | 627 Bill Rice Ranch Road | Murfreesboro | TN | 37128
Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

THE POWER OF BEING SINGLE-MINDED*

JOHN 9

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE MESSAGE OF THE SINGLE-MINDED [John 9]

1. The Message of God’s Saviour [Jn. 9:25]

2. The Message of God’s Salvation [1 Corinthians 2:1-6, Rm. 1:16]

And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

3. The Message of God’s Security [1 Peter 1:5]

Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

II. THE PURPOSE OF THE SINGLE-MINDED [Phil. 3:13-14]

1. It is a Purpose that Forgets the Past

2. It is a Purpose that Focuses on the Present

3. It is a Purpose that Forges the Future

III. THE NEED OF THE SINGLE-MINDED [Luke 10:38-42]

1. It is a Need that Supersedes Others

2. It is a Need that Solicits Choice

3. It is a Need that Satisfies Christ

*Inspired by Mike Calhoun
Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Other Preachers

Days of Praise
Other Preachers
 
"What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." (Philippians 1:18)
 
This verse seems to conflict with warnings about false teachers (2 Peter 2:1) and another gospel (Galatians 1:6-9). The key is identifying what Paul is allowing on the one hand and condemning on the other.
 
Some teachers of his day (probably both in Philippi and in Rome) appeared to be taking advantage of Paul's imprisonment to enhance their own reputations. Indeed, some were trying through their public preaching to "add affliction to |his| bonds" (Philippians 1:16).
 
Even though some with ungodly motives stood out among those preaching of "good will," Paul was able to rejoice that "Christ is preached" (today's text) by both categories, and therein is the source of the "power of God unto salvation" (Romans 1:16).
 
The stern denunciation of "another gospel" (Galatians 1:6) exposes the untruth of all hybrid messages, whether human or angelic, that would attempt to preach anything other than "Christ, and him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2).
 
Here is the message for us. When the full gospel of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection--according to the Scriptures--is preached (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) by whatever means and even under sometimes questionable motives, the "good news" is cause for rejoicing. It is the gospel that has power, not the messenger.
 
However, when some people attempt to change that gospel to make it seem more attractive to those who wish to continue in sin, or change its message to allow for human works, we are to see such preachers as dangerous and under condemnation. May God keep us from both mistakes. HMM III
 
Print this article | More Days of Praise articles
 
 
Institute for Creation Research | 1806 Royal Lane | Dallas | TX | 75229



Posted by at No comments:

Monday, June 06, 2011

Quotes of the Week

The worst enemies of apostles are not the opposers but the appeasers. - Vance Havner

The world is going to Hell religiously. It was true in Jesus's day and it's true today. - Missionary Carl Evans

Singing it don't cut it. If you can't walk it- don't talk it. - Evans

If you're a child of the King and you hit rock bottom- you're still on the Rock. - Brother Dave [last name unknown]

Build solidly. Prepare thoroughly. Never be satisfied with superficial answers. God's Word can stand the most difficult problems, but seek to bring the facts to light, for God's Word and God's World will never contradict one another. - Dr. Robert Dick Wilson

The "flesh" ends in emptiness, burn-out and failure. - Evangelist Chris Miller

Discouragement never comes from God. a pastor Chris Miller heard

David Platt said, "The goal of the American dream is to make much of us. The goal of the Gospel is to make much of Jesus Christ." - Missionary Marty Starling

The Bible has become a concealed weapon. - Starling

God has no problems- just plans. - Corrie ten Boom
Posted by at No comments:

Sunday, June 05, 2011

GOD’S ANSWER FOR SATAN’S ATTACKS *

EPH. 6:10-18

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE BELT OF TRUTH [v. 14a] vs. Satan’s lies- John 8:44

II. THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS [v. 14b] vs. Satan’s accusations-

2nd Corinthians 6:4-8, Zechariah 3

III. THE FOOTWEAR [v. 15] vs. Satan as the Serpent- Gen. 3, Revelation 20:2

Be prepared for his strikes

IV. THE SHIELD OF FAITH [v. 16] vs. Satan’s temptations to not trust God- Rm. 10:17

Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

V. THE HELMET OF SALVATION [v. 17a] vs. Satan’s deceptions- 2 Corinthians 10:5

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
1 Thessalonians 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

VI. THE SWORD [v. 17b] vs. Satan the Dragon- Matthew 4, Revelation 12:4

VII. PRAYER [v. 18] vs. Satan’s attempts to cut off our communication with God

Lk. 22:31-40, James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.



*Inspired by Sinclair B. Ferguson and James Montgomery Boice
Posted by at No comments:

SAME OL‘, SAME OL‘

II CHR. 29:1-5

Pastor Rick Jackson


I. TURNING OUR BACKS TO GOD

1. Turning From His Way [v. 6a, Isaiah 53:6]

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all

2. Turning from Him [v. 6b, 30:9]

3. Turning from His House [v. 6c-7, 1 Timothy 3:15]

But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

II. GOD TURNS OUR CIRCUMSTANCES [v. 8-9]

1. To Trouble in God’s eyes- He removes His protecting hand to some degree]

1 Corinthians 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

2. To Astonishment in Our Eyes - we’re astonished at the bad things happening to us

3. To Hissing in the Eyes of Others [Jeremiah 19:8]

And I will make this city desolate, and an hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished and hiss because of all the plagues thereof.

III. REVIVAL-TURNING BACK TO GOD

1. Restoration of Purity [v. 4-5, 11, 15-16, I Jn. 1:9]

2. Rendering of Praise [30:21, 26]

3. Renewing of Practice [31:1, 10 cp. To 29:7]

*Inspired by J. Don Jennings
Posted by at No comments:

Saturday, June 04, 2011

Question of the Week: Did Mary remain a virgin after Jesus was born?

 
Answers Weekly

answersingenesis.org | newsletter archives | contact us
June 4, 2011

a weekly look at answersingenesis.org

top leftIn this issue . . .

Q: Did Mary remain a virgin after Jesus was born?

A: Mary, the mother of Jesus, was an incredible woman. In fact, precious few women's names could even be mentioned to give her a "run for her money." In fact, God honored Mary in a way that all other women could only dream about. The Lord favored her for an event that had been long awaited since the Genesis 3:15 prophecy of the Seed of a woman (i.e., the Virgin Birth).
Luke 1:28–35 describes how Mary was a virgin who was to conceive by being overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and give birth to the Son of God. Few in Christian realms would deny Mary was a virgin and remained a virgin through pregnancy and the birth of Christ. This was the ultimate fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14.
However, Mary's virginity after the birth of Christ can become a heated debate in some circles. Though some may think this is a Roman Catholic versus Protestant view, it is not. Many Protestants, including people like Martin Luther and John Calvin, have held to Mary remaining a virgin for the duration of her life.
Continue reading to look at the issue in more detail.

News to Note Quick Look

Mystery of the missing mass: Some of our mass is missing. Or not. Read more.
Transgender clownfish: Transgender clownfish, transgender people—what's the difference? Read more.
Also:

Biblical Authority Devotionals

Answers ... with Ken Ham radio program

After Eden

After Eden

Network with Us!

Facebook logo Twitter logo
Answers in Genesis Answers in Genesis
Creation Museum Creation Museum
Ark Encounter Ark Encounter
Answers Magazine  
Note: Facebook and Twitter are both social networking sites with user-contributed content. Children should not visit the sites without parental supervision.

iPhone image Free app for iPhone / iPod Touch / iPad

top leftThis Week . . .

Video On Demand

Video On Demand
Dating Fossils and Rocks, Part 1
Watch Video

Ken's Blog

Prayer Requests

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

Resources

Monthly Specials
Gold Rush VBS: T-shirtsGold Rush VBS: T-shirts
Ice Age: Only the Bible Explains It (The)Ice Age: Only the Bible Explains It (The)
4 Power Questions to Ask an Evolutionist4 Power Questions to Ask an Evolutionist
More current bestsellers

Upcoming Events

Job Opportunities

Answers Weekly Don't Call Us Young-Earth Creationists
this information graciously provided by:
Answers in Genesis
2800 Bullittsburg Church Road, Petersburg, KY 41080
Customer service: 1-800-778-3390
Posted by at No comments:

Friday, June 03, 2011

John Mueller's real secrets of life for retired people:

[at least that's the way it was sent to me before I edited it slightly- Rick]

Go to bed when you want to, get up when you want to. Don't make any appointments before noon.

Eat what you like and don't worry about getting fat...the days of beauty contests are over.

Be nice to everybody...that way people won't have a lot to talk about when you're gone.

Don't worry about money...if you don't spend it all, your kids will.

Smile and laugh as much as you can...no one will ever know what you're thinking.

Be kind to animals...they'll stick with you after everyone else has gone.

Drive carefully; it'll scare the rest of the people on the road.

Be grateful to be alive...think of the alternative.

Don't resent young people...they still have to go what you've already been through.

Before making any decision remember that you're retired and you don't have to make any decision right now...the world isn't going to end. [at least not when Harold Camping says-Rick]]

Say "Thank you, God for letting me start another day" in the morning when you wake up and "Thank you, God for letting me get through another day" before you go to sleep.

Don't worry...nobody's gotten out of this life alive yet. [Well, not many... - Rick]
Posted by at No comments:

The Secret of the Lord



Days of Praise
The Secret of the Lord
June 3, 2011
 
"The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant." (Psalm 25:14)
 
This is an amazing promise. The word for "secret" means the "inner counsel," evidently of the triune God Himself.
 
But how can those who fear the Lord really know the secret counsels of the Godhead? The answer can only be by divine revelation to God's prophets. Thus the prophet Amos affirms: "Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but [unless] he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7).
 
When these ancient promises were given, however, much of God's revelation, though already "settled in heaven" (Psalm 119:89), was still not revealed to men. Then Christ came and promised His disciples, "The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost . . . shall teach you all things" (John 14:26).
 
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son" (Hebrews 1:1-2). In addition to the twelve disciples, God then also called the apostle Paul, and through these men, the Son would convey to those who fear Him all the rest of His revelation. "By revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (. . . Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit" (Ephesians 3:3-5).
 
Finally, "the secret of the Lord" was completed in written form by John, the last of the apostles, with nothing else to be either added or deleted (Revelation 22:18-19), that "the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets" (Revelation 10:7). All we shall ever need to know of God's eternal counsels is now available to all who desire to know, in the Holy Scriptures. HMM
 
Print this article | More Days of Praise articles
 
 
This information provided by Institute for Creation Research | 1806 Royal Lane | Dallas | TX | 75229



Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, June 02, 2011

Stunted Growth in Carnal Christians

Days of Praise
Stunted Growth in Carnal Christians
June 2, 2011
 
"And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able." (1 Corinthians 3:1-2)
 
The apostle Paul here makes a clear distinction between "spiritual" Christians, controlled and led by the Holy Spirit, and "carnal" Christians, still controlled by the desires of the flesh. A carnal Christian is a baby Christian. Baby Christians are a cause of great rejoicing when they are newborn believers, just like baby people. But if they remain babies indefinitely, they become an annoyance to hear and a tragedy to behold.
 
Each born-again believer needs urgently to "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). That spiritual growth comes only through study of the Word, accompanied by belief and obedience. First there must be "the sincere |or 'logical'| milk of the word" (1 Peter 2:2), but that is good only for the first stages of growth. "For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Hebrews 5:13-14). Scripture encourages us to grow to maturity and then to continue growing.
 
Carnal Christians are not necessarily pseudo-Christians, although they should examine themselves to determine whether their profession of faith in Christ is genuine (2 Corinthians 13:5), but they should not be content to remain spiritual babes. Every Christian should be able to say with the prophet Jeremiah: "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts" (Jeremiah 15:16). HMM
 
Print this article | More Days of Praise articles
 
 
Institute for Creation Research | 1806 Royal Lane | Dallas | TX | 75229



Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, June 01, 2011

WHEN SOLDIERS GO TO WAR

EPHESIANS 6:10-12

Pastor Rick Jackson


I. WHEN SOLDIERS GO TO WAR THERE SHOULD BE A CAUSE

1. The Cause Is Just [I Sam. 17:29]

2. The Commander is Jesus [Joshua 5:14]

And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?

3. The Enemy is War-mongering [ Rev. 12]

II. WHEN SOLDIERS GO TO WAR THERE IS A COST

1. It Is Difficult [ 2 Timothy 2:3]

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

2. It Is Demanding [ 2 Timothy 2:4]

No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

3. It Should Be Devotion [Luke 14:31-36]

The war may cost you to lose popularity, friends, your job, etc. “I’m sorry, there’s a war going on”

III. WHEN SOLDIERS GO TO WAR THERE ARE CASUALTIES [Heb. 11:36-40]

1. Land (possessions)

2. Limb

3. Life Itself [John 15:13]

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

*Inspired by Raymond Hancock
Posted by at No comments:
Newer Posts Older Posts Home
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
 
mobile='yes'