Who Brought the Rain?

 

Psalm 65:2  "O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come."       Recently, the head cowboy on the Ranch asked us to pray for rain that we desperately needed.  The small pockets of grass that remained after a hot and dry summer had nearly withered away, and that is not good when you have dozens of hungry mouths to feed!  Well, wouldn't you know it?  Not only did we get some rain, we got constant rain for several days!  I smiled and thanked the Lord for the rain as I watched our cowboy look after the horses in a downpour!   The temptation is to look at this event and see a weather forecaster or an application on your phone.  It would have been easy to anticipate the rain since our local stations had been predicting it for several days.  Was my first thought to thank God for answering our prayer, or did I explain away God's working on our behalf as some force of nature?  In the day in which we live, it can be hard to attribute what happens to God's power.  God is the One who hears prayer and to Whom all flesh comes.   If you are like me, you check the weather every morning.  You can access the forecast on your phone, online, on television, and in the newspaper.  None of those things are wrong, but they can draw your attention away from the fact that God answers prayer.  We needed rain; a cowboy asked God for it; and God gave it!   It is easy to live a life disassociated from the power of God.  God didn't just create the universe and then step back.  No sir!  He is actively involved.  Psalm 65:9 says, "Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it."  God doesn't just send the rain; He brings the rain!  We see a hurricane system and Doppler radar; the psalmist saw a powerful God who cares and answers prayer.   We ought do what Psalm 29 encourages us to do: "Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness."  When you see the events of life-even rain showers-as coming from the hand of God, you will have no other choice but to give God the glory due his name.  Don't fail to see God's power, and don't fail to come to Him for what you need.           Looking for more devotionals?  Visit the archives here

Bill Rice Ranch | 627 Bill Rice Ranch Road | Murfreesboro | TN | 37128

November 14 - The Marvel of Design

The Marvel of Design November 14, 2011   "And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another." (Genesis 43:33)   When creationists calculate the extremely low probability of the chance origin of life, many evolutionists scoff at the calculation, alleging that any one arrangement of the components of a simple, living molecule is just as likely as any other arrangement, so it is no great marvel that the components fell into this particular arrangement.   This is a puerile argument, of course, quite unworthy of the intelligent scientists who use it. There are at best only a few arrangements that will contain the organized information necessary for reproduction, compared to "zillions" of arrangements with no information at all.   This fact is beautifully illustrated in our text. Why should Joseph's brothers "marvel" when they were seated in chronological order of birth by a host who (presumably) was entirely unaware of that order?   The reason why they marveled was because there are almost 40 million different ways (calculated by multiplying all the numbers, one through eleven, together) in which the eleven brothers could have been seated! It seemingly couldn't happen by chance.   Maybe an evolutionist would not "marvel" that this unique seating arrangement happened by chance, since he somehow believes that far more intricately organized arrangements than this happened by chance to produce our universe and its array of complex systems. Anyone else, however, would immediately have realized this, and so the brothers of Joseph "marvelled one at another." So also, when we behold the wonders of design in the creation, we should "lift up |our| eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things" (Isaiah 40:26). HMM   Print this article | More Days of Praise articles     Institute for Creation Research | 1806 Royal Lane | Dallas | TX | 75229

REVIVAL KILLERS

PROVERBS 6:16-19

Pastor Rick Jackson

About a century ago God raised up Charles G. Finney to bring about many revivals Finney said, “A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God.” He was right of course. Someone says, “Oh no. Revival is when lost people get saved.” It is true that God commands lost people to be saved [Acts 17:30] but when Christians obey God lost people are more likely to be saved. It is not an either/or proposition.

How can someone stop revival? There is always the opposite of what it takes to have a revival. Don’t pray. Don’t attend faithfully. Don’t witness. Don’t invite others to the revival meetings. Don’t listen. Try to distract others during the service.
Then again, if revival is obey God- doing what He wants us to do then to kill revival-emulate what God hates.

I. A Proud Look –

“God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” [James 4:6]
The original sin that caused Lucifer to fall

II. A Lying Tongue- the Devil is a liar and the father of it

Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.

Proverbs 13:5 A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.

III. Hands that Shed Innocent Blood- murder, abortion

IV. A Heart that Deviseth Wicked Imaginations

Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

V. Feet that be Swift in Running to Mischief

VI. A False Witness that Speaketh Lies

Proverbs 14:5 A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.

VII. He that Sowth Discord Among the Brethren

We must get our hearts right with God or we will kill any chance of personal revival and possibly church-wide revival.

ARE YOU PREPARED?

LUKE 16

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. ARE YOU PREPARED TO INVEST WISELY? [v. 1-13]

1. Invest in Your Future [v. 1-8]

2. Invest in Eternity [v. 9]

3. Invest in God’s Will [v. 10-13]

II. ARE YOU PREPARED TO BE REVEALED? [v. 14-18]

1. God Reveals your Heart [v. 14-15]

2. God Revealed His Word [v. 16-17]

3. God Reveals His Will [v. 18]

III. ARE YOU PREPARED TO BE DEAD? [v. 19-31]

1. Death Comes to All [v. 19-23]

2. The Destination is Final [v. 24-26]

3. Death Does Not Change Your Mind [v. 27-31]

Question of the Week: Wood from Noah's Ark?

 

answersingenesis.org | newsletter archives | contact us November 12, 2011 a weekly look at answersingenesis.org
In this issue . . . Q&A: Wood from Noah's Ark? Video On Demand: All Creatures Great and Small, Part 1 (Sidebar) Ken's Blog (Sidebar) News to Note Quick Look Answers ... with Ken Ham After Eden Network with Us! Job Opportunities at Answers in Genesis (Sidebar) Q: Wood from Noah's Ark? A: On April 25, 2010, a press conference was held in Hong Kong to announce to the world the potential discovery of the remains of Noah's Ark on Mt. Ararat in Turkey by a joint Chinese–Turkish team of explorers. Both before and after this press conference, representatives of the discovery team had cautiously been seeking to make contact with sympathetic scientists whose positive support they hoped to enlist. These Chinese members of the discovery team wanted to determine if AiG geologist Dr. Andrew Snelling would be sympathetic to their claims, and able to participate with them in their planned press conference, to appear as an "expert witness" to corroborate their potential discovery. He would have seriously considered their request if they could convince him that this discovery was genuine. However, Dr. Snelling was already skeptical because the Bible tells us the Ark landed on "the mountains of Ararat" halfway through the Flood on day 150 (Genesis 8:4), rather than on Mt. Ararat itself, which is mostly a recent volcano that has erupted numerous times in recent history. Continue reading as Dr. Snelling reveals why this discovery cannot be the remains of the biblical Ark. News to Note Quick Look Saber-toothed "squirrel": A small extinct saber-toothed mammal dubbed Cronopio dentiacutus has paleontologists excited about the features it combines. The two partial skulls and jaws were recently freed from their stony tomb of Cretaceous rock in Argentina. Read more. Peacock-o-saurus: The Society for Vertebrate Paleontology's annual meeting in Las Vegas has provided a forum for paleontologists to share their latest findings, including another reputation rehabilitation for Oviraptor. Alberta graduate student W. Scott Persons IV presented his research on the misunderstood dinosaur's tail, producing a visual image sure to make it into animated fantasy features. Read more. Also: Invasion of the brain snatchers Laetoli: party of four Vive la différence! And Don't Miss . . . Answers ... with Ken Ham radio program Legless lizards . . . not proof of evolution! A day in its context—it's important! Dinosaur fossils—they're all a fraud? Six days—why did God take so long? Skunks—brilliantly designed by the Creator! After Eden Network with Us! 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.  Free app for iPhone / iPod Touch / iPad	This Week . . . Feedback: Are the Laws of Logic Really Laws? (Nov 11) Chapter 4: The Short Road to Irrelevance (Nov 10) Is the Wood Recently Found on Mt. Ararat from the Ark? (Nov 9) Salt and Light (Nov 8) InSite, November 2011 (Nov 7) Sending Truth to the Front Lines (Nov 6) Video On Demand All Creatures Great and Small, Part 1 Watch Video Ken's Blog Thinking of Veterans Day 9,000 Miles from Home Answers in Genesis at Women's Conference Your Love for Him Shines Forth Thousands Attend AiG Conference in Modesto Answers Radio's New Format Previous entries Prayer Requests Visit our prayer site to keep track of and pray for current ministry needs. Resources Answers Magazine Subscription: United States Answers Book For Teens Begin IndoctriNation (public schools documentary) More current bestsellers Upcoming Events California Answers in Genesis Conference, January 21–23 BERMUDA Answers in Genesis Conference, February 5–6 Kentucky Sunday Speaking, February 26–26 South Carolina Teach Them Diligently Conference, March 15–17 Alabama Answers in Genesis Conference, April 1–2 More events Job Opportunities Seasonal Customer Service Associate Internship Opportunities Mail Processor Seasonal Food Service Support Staff Seasonal Security Console Operator Seasonal Warehouse Specialist
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The Eleventh

1 Kings 11:11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

At this moment, the 11th second of the 11th minute of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year 2011 we are reminded from the 11th verse of the 11th chapter of the 11th book of the King James Version of the Bible that even kings must answer to the King of Kings.

Is this your 11th hour? Do you know for sure? Are you bound for glory? Are you living your life for His glory?

PRAYING FOR REVIVAL

II CHRONICLES 7:14

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. PRAY FOR SELF [II Chron. 7:14]

1. Be Sure

2. Be Clean

3. Be Open

II. PRAY FOR SAINTS [II Th. 1:11-12]

1. To Be Right [v. 11a]

2. To Be Yielded [v. 11b-11c]

3. To Be Working [v. 11c-12]

III. PRAY FOR OUR SPEAKER [II Th. 3:1]

1. God’s Man

2. God’s Work

3. God’s Way


IV. PRAY FOR SINNERS [I Tm. 2:1-8]

1. To Be Able to Hear the Message [v. 1-3]

2. To Be Able to Respond to the Message [v. 4-6]

3. To Be Able to Continue After the Message [v. 7-8]

Nuggets of Truth - Precious

Just reading in my devotions this morning in I Peter and came across this verse:

1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Earthly gold, at the appearing of Jesus Christ, will be worthless. But the faith of His own dear child- that has been tried in the furnace of persecution, perniciousness, or penury- that will be worth something indeed. It will be of worth to the person who stood faithful and to the One for whom he stood. What are we doing with our faith?

But wait- the Holy Spirit had the Apostle Peter use this word two other times in his epistles.

1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Again, the use of gold, and now with silver added, as a counterpoint to something more precious. Infinitely more precious in this case as it it that which saved us from our sins- the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ! How foolish men are to think that giving a pittance to church or some noble cause could earn them a seat in glory! Heaven's view of gold is that the finest of it is good for paving! It cannot redeem. It cannot save. It cannot buy one soul from Hell or the non-existent purgatory. But that person who places his faith in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ will find himself with Christ one day!

Once more though, the Spirit has Peter use the term "precious":


2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

This time to describe the very promises we are looking at this morning- and thousands besides. Here Peter echoes the sentiments of the Psalmist from Psalm 19

7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

May we count as precious what God counts as precious.

Quotes of the Week

To fight a bull when you are not scared is nothing. To fight a bull when you are scared is really something. - Unknown bullfighter

When God is left out of our lives, enjoyment becomes enslavement. - Warren W. Wiersbe

We are saved by God's grace, and grace is love that pays a price. - Wiersbe

In the far country the prodigal learned the meaning of misery; but back home, he discovered the meaning of mercy. - Wiersbe

"I never forgive!" General Oglethorpe said to John Wesley, to which Wesley replied, "Then, sir, I hope you never sin!" - Wiersbe

Anybody can become angry. That is easy. But to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose and in the right way- that is not within everybody's power and is not easy. - Aristotle

Brother Vineyard, you have a good reputation for starting these junior churches. That's not the way to do it. The kids need to be in here with you. They need to hear their pastor. They need to hear you preach to them. That's the way to do it. - Lee Roberson

The Goodness of God

 

Psalm 52:1 "Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually."    Isn't it amazing how many prominent people brag about how wicked they are? A bad man who is famous because of an athletic skill he has will not only brag about how wonderful he is, but also about how bad he is. You can read interviews with celebrities and powerful people, and they almost gush when discussing wicked deeds they've done. Not only is there no shame in it, but there is also boasting about it!   Psalm 52 reminds us that the goodness of God is greater than the mischief of men. "Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually." That is good and comforting to know! No matter how bad people seem and how much they seem to be getting away with, the goodness of God is still greater. If a man speaks evil and "deviseth mischief," God's goodness is greater. If a man "loveth evil more than good," God's goodness is greater.   God's goodness transcends man's wickedness. If you are the wicked man mentioned in Psalm 52:1-7, be warned that God's goodness is greater than your mischief. God will win. If you are discouraged in doing right by people who are wicked, be encouraged that God's goodness is greater than man's mischief.   In our world, good news doesn't sell; bad news does. The very best news is that God's goodness is stronger and lives longer than man's wickedness. "The goodness of God endureth continually." The words endureth continually means "to be warm; to be hot." In other words, God's goodness is hot all day long! Tomorrow it will be the same. Next week it will be hot as well. His goodness "endureth continually."   Evil men impose on God's goodness and mercy; good men trust God's goodness. There is no reason for a man to brag about his wickedness because God's goodness endures continually. God will win. Be encouraged and trust in God's goodness if you are doing right, and be warned if you are full of mischief!     Prayer Requests: - Services tonight in Dublin, Ireland; Valparaiso, IN; West Horn Lake, MS; and Greer, SC      Looking for more devotionals?  Visit the archives here

Bill Rice Ranch | 627 Bill Rice Ranch Road | Murfreesboro | TN | 37128

WE, US, & THEM

HEBREWS

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. HOW “WE” BECAME “US”

1. God Gave His Son [1:2]

2. God Gave His Word [2:3, 4:12]

3. God Gave His Promise [4:1-2]


II. WHAT “US” SHOULD DO

1. Let Us Labor [4:9-13]

2. Let Us Hold Fast [4:14]

3. Let Us Boldly Pray [4:15-16]


III. WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR “US”

1. God Has Given Us a Holy Goal [6:1]

2. God Has Given Us Hope [6:18-20]

3. God Has Given Us an High Priest [7:24-28]

THE ACCUSATION JESUS LOVES

LUKE 15:1-2

Pastor Rick Jackson

Luke 15 is one of the most well-known chapters in the Word of God. It contains three parables all told with the same end- to show the attitude of God toward lost sinners. It is true that God is angry with the wicked every day [Ps. 7:11] but it is equally true that God loves sinners [Rm. 5:8] and desires to reclaim them all from sin, self, and Satan. Note the two first verses of this incredible chapter.

I. THE PORTRAIT OF THE SHEPHERD [v. 3-7]

1. His Concern for the Lost [v. 3-4]

2. His Compassion for the Lost [v. 5]

3. His Comparison of the Lost [v. 6-7]

II. THE PORTRAIT OF THE WOMAN [V. 8-10]

1. Her Diligence [v. 8]

2. Her Delight [v. 9]

3. Her Details [v. 10]

III. THE PORTRAIT OF THE FATHER [v. 11-32]

1. The Sinning Son [v. 11-21]

2. The Loving Father [v. 20-24]

3. The Self-Righteous Son [v. 25-30]

4. The Loving Father [v. 31-32]

True Confidence

 

Psalm 7:8 "The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me."       What if someone today knew everything about you that God knows about you? Would that be a good thing? The truth is, no one on this earth could know you the way that God knows you. That just demonstrates how critical it is what God knows about you! David said in Psalm 8, "Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me." What a bold prayer!   David's boldness was a result of his sincerity, honesty, and integrity. Integrity means that there is only one "you." Integrity is the opposite of duplicity and hypocrisy. Integrity means that your character is the same, whether you are at church or on vacation, in person or behind a computer. Other people may not know everything about you but God does! And God knows the real "you"!   The bottom line is that integrity brings confidence. There should be a level of consistency in your Christian life which will cultivate confidence. People may misrepresent and misinterpret what you do, but when you live a life of integrity, you can have confidence in knowing that "the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins."   No one can hurt your character but you. Friends may misunderstand you and enemies may persecute you, but a life of simplicity and integrity produces true confidence. How you live today will affect your capacity to live in confidence tomorrow. Can you say with David, "Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me"? May it be so today!     Prayer Requests: 1. Services tonight and this weekend in Marana, AZ, and Dublin, Ireland 2. Services this weekend in Valparaiso, IN; West Horn Lake, MS; and Greer, SC      Looking for more devotionals?  Visit the archives here

Bill Rice Ranch | 627 Bill Rice Ranch Road | Murfreesboro | TN | 37128

Out of Place

 

II Chronicles 34:31 "And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book."       A guest preacher was late for church Sunday morning, so he walked in during prayer. During the congregation song that followed, the pastor leaned over and whispered, "Who are you?" The guest preacher discovered he was in the wrong church! So, during the next verse, he marched right back out to his car and drove down the road about a mile to the right church! Have you ever felt like this poor preacher? Have you felt in the wrong place or out of place? It's a bad feeling!   In II Chronicles 35, during King Josiah's reign, everything got back into place. This movement from the wrong place to the right place all started with leadership-with King Josiah. He "stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD . . . to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book." Then Josiah "caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it." He put the priests in their correct place and brought the ark of the covenant back where it belonged. Everybody and everything had been out of place!   Our world is filled with utter chaos. Men are not taking their place in the home. Ladies are not taking their place because the men are not taking theirs. Preachers aren't taking their place; church members aren't taking their place. Things and people are out of place!   When a person returns to his place, and God's Word is returned to its place, everything is back in place! We find our place in life when we give God His place. How could you possibly know your place if God doesn't have His place? And how could God have His rightful place if His Word doesn't have its place? It sounds like a cliché, but we give God His place when we give place to His Word.   To give God's Word its place means to read it, preach it, and do it. Don't just bemoan the fact that prayer, the Bible, and the Ten Commandments are not allowed in a classroom or public building. The real question is, do you read the Bible? Does your family pray? Do you follow God's Word in your home? When you give God His place and His Word its place, you will find everything else falls into place.         Looking for more devotionals?  Visit the archives here

Bill Rice Ranch | 627 Bill Rice Ranch Road | Murfreesboro | TN | 37128

THE LORD IS STILL TEACHING

LUKE 14

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. The Lord Teaches on Compassion [v. 1-6]

II. The Lord Teaches on Humility [v. 7-11]

III. The Lord Teaches on Motivation [v. 12-14]

IV. The Lord Teaches on Excuses [v. 15-24]

V. The Lord Teaches on Discipleship [v. 25-35]

My Lord and My God

My Lord and My God   "And Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God." (John 20:28)   Thomas has been called "doubting Thomas" because of his initial reluctance to believe in the Lord's resurrection, but neither the Lord nor the other disciples ever viewed him in such a light. His later ministry, as the first missionary/martyr to India, speaks clearly of his great faith.   It is only in John's gospel that we have any specific insight into Thomas' character. When the other disciples sought to dissuade Jesus from returning to Jerusalem, it was Thomas who urged, "Let us also go, that we may die with him" (John 11:16). Thomas understood the dangers awaiting them, but was ready to go wherever Jesus desired him to go.  In the upper room when Jesus spoke of going away, Thomas, still willing to go with Him anywhere, was the only one to ask, "Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?" (John 14:5). Then, just a few hours later, the Lord had been crucified, and soon "the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews" (John 20:19) as they hid  themselves in the upper room.   But Thomas was not hiding! The Scriptures do not say where he was when Jesus appeared in their midst, but he was not hiding there like the others. He may well have been out working or witnessing, doing whatever he could to follow the Lord, but he (like the others) had failed to understand Jesus' promise that He would rise again.   When the other disciples reported that they had seen the resurrected Lord, Thomas, realizing the tremendous significance of such a miracle if it were true, insisted he must see the proof firsthand. Then, when he saw the Lord, he showed a higher comprehension of what had taken place than any of the others, as he whispered in awe: "My Lord, and my God!" HMM   Print this article | More Days of Praise articles     Institute for Creation Research | 1806 Royal Lane | Dallas | TX | 75229