Bounty from the Word

Bounty from the Word September 17, 2010 "Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word." (Psalm 119:17) Materialism is so prevelant that it is sometimes difficult to not associate words like "bounty" or "blessing" with earthly riches. This psalmist wasn't concerned with physical prosperity, but rather that God would reveal to him what his own heart sought--"that I may live, and keep thy word." He requested spiritual insight: "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law" (v. 18). Without hint of greed or self-centerd aggrandizement, he only longed to understand the "wondrous" insights of the torah (law). We lack "bounty" if we neglect studying God's inerrant Word. We often forget that we are "stranger in the earth" (v. 19). Once adopted into God's family (Ephesians 1:5), our citizenship (Philippians 3:20) is transferred from this earth to God's "city" (Hebrews 11:10). Thus, the psalmist begged for God not to "hide" the commandments from him because his "soul breaketh for the longing" (v. 20) he had, in every season, for the judgments of God's Word. He remembered God's swift justice against the "cursed" (v. 21) who "err" (wander, stray) from the Word, since the "princes" (chiefs, leaders) of the land resisted his effort to obey God (v. 23). Nontheless, he was determined to demonstrate his "delight" in the "counselors" within God's testimonies (v. 24). Many who claim to be evangelicals today boldly scorn those who trust that "every word of God is pure" (Proverbs 30:5). May God keep us from "the fear of man" (Proverbs 29:25) and embolden our resolve to "worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name" (Psalm 138:2). HMM III Print this article More Days of Praise articles Institute for Creation Research 1806 Royal Lane Dallas TX 75229

Question or Answer?

Acts 6:8 "And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people." Some people live their lives as a question mark. That is, they don't understand anything and always ask why. Life is like a big question mark hanging in the back of their minds and always troubling them. I would say, let your life be an answer! We have an example of this kind of life in Stephen. The Bible tells us that we are to "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." (I Peter 3:15) That verse aptly describes Stephen when he was asked in Acts 7:1, "Are these things so?" What follows is the longest sermon in the book of Acts, and his sermon cost him his life! We can learn how Stephen's life was an answer by looking at what characterized his life. Acts 6:8 tells us that Stephen was "full of faith and power." Faith and power go together. You do not have faith because you have power; you have power because you have faith. Furthermore, the power you have is not your power to begin with! The high priest and the council could deny that Jesus Christ was risen, but they could not deny seeing Christ in the life of Stephen. All of Acts 6-7 was possible because Stephen was "full of faith." By faith we understand; by faith we know; by faith we do. Verse 8 continues to tell us that Stephen "did great wonders and miracles among the people." The miracles he did could not be denied! Unbelievers could not deny that yesterday's lame man was today's healthy, strong man standing next to them. Again, the power by which he did these miracles was the power of the living Christ! Stephen was simply a servant whom God used. When the religious leaders could not stop Stephen, they stoned him, yet that could not stop him. (Remember who was holding the coats the day Stephen died?) Stephen had power because he was trusting the Lord. The power he had could not be denied and could not be stopped because it was power from on high! Stephen's life was not a question mark; it was a declaration. Don't live your life as a question mark today. Trust the Lord for the power you need today to please Him. When you live your life as an answer, you'll find that it invites questions from those who need help. May your life today be like Stephen's in Acts 7:10-"And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake." Prayer Requests: 1. Services tonight in Land O' Lakes, FL and Catalina, AZ 2. Deaf Rally in Chesapeake, VA tomorrow 3. Ranch evangelists preaching this weekend in Chattanooga, TN; National City, CA; Hoopeston, IL; Eastlake, OH; and Owensboro, KY Browse our fall events schedule on our website: billriceranch.org

Bill Rice Ranch 627 Bill Rice Ranch Road Murfreesboro TN 37128

The Prodigal Son in the Key of F

Feeling footloose and frisky, a feather-brained fellow forced his fond father to fork over the farthings and flew to foreign fields and frittered his fortune, feasting fabulously with faithless friends.

Fleeced by his fellows in flooy, and facing famine, he found himself a feed-flinger in a filthy farmyard. Fairly famishing, he fain would have filled his frame with foraged food from fodder fragments.

"Fooey! My father's flunkies fare finer," the frazzled fugitive forlornly fumbled, frankly facing facts. Frustrated by failure and filled with foreboding, he fled forthwith to his family.

Falling at his father's feet, he forlornly fumbled, "Father, I've flunked and fruitlessly forfeited family favor!"

The farsighted father, forestalling further flinching, frantically flagged the flunkies to fetch a fatling from the flock and fix a feast. The fugitive's fault-finding brother frowned on fickle forgiveness of former folderol.

But the faithful father figured, "Filial fidelity is fine, but the fugitive is found! What forbids fervent festivity? Let flags be unfurled. Let fanfares flare" And the father's forgiveness formed the foundation for the former fugitive's future faith and fortitude.

To compare with the actual story, go to Luke 15:11-32

By Unknown

WHEN GOD SPEAKS

1 Samuel 1:24-28

Pastor Rick Jackson


I. MISTAKES OF THE IGNORANT [3:1-8]

1. Think it is the Voice of a Man [v. 1-5]

2. Fail to Recognize It For What it Is [v. 6-7]

3. Insist they are Right When They are Wrong [v. 8]


II. CORRECTIONS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE [3:8-23]

1. Listen to the Guide [v. 8-9]

2. Listen to the Lord [v. 10-15]

3. Stay True to the Word of God [v. 16-21]


III. THE SPEECH OF THE CROSS

1. The Cross says God loves Me [Jn. 3:16]

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

2. The Cross says That God is In Control Even When it Doesn’t Look Like It [Acts 2:23]

Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

3. The Cross says God Will Win [Romans 8:34-9]

Thou Shalt Be Saved!

Thou Shalt Be Saved! September 15, 2010 "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." (Acts 16:31) This was Paul's answer to the trembling jailer's question: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (v. 30). To our modern sophisticated ears, such terms as being "saved" may sound strange and oldfashioned, but there is no more accurate term than this to describe the miracle that happens when a person becomes a real Christian and is "born again." Before being saved, he is under God's condemnation because of sin, destined for hell; but when he believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, he is "saved from wrath through him" (Romans 5:9). Not only is he saved from eternal wrath, he is saved to eternal life. Christ is "able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). This great salvation is not achieved by good works of any kind or number, "for by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Titus 3:5). Although being saved is God's gift to man, its cost was infinite to Christ. "If, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life" (Romans 5:10). The price of our salvation was the shed blood of Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and the greatest of all sins--the one for which there is no forgiveness--is that of rejecting Him. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). He is our great redeeming Savior, and only He can save! HMM Print this article More Days of Praise articles Institute for Creation Research 1806 Royal Lane Dallas TX 75229

The Imperatives of Redemption

The Imperatives of Redemption September 14, 2010   "From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day." (Matthew 16:21)   The little word "must" (Greek, deon) conveys urgency and necessity and is frequently used in connection with the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ. When He was just a lad, He told the learned men in the temple: "I must be about my Father's business" (Luke 2:49).   But then the first time this key auxiliary verb is found in the New Testament is in the comprehensive prophetic statement of His mission, as given to His disciples in our text. He must go to Jerusalem to suffer, and die, and be raised the third day. As He was moving toward that climactic event, "he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent" (Luke 4:43). Furthermore, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work" (John 9:4).   He had much preaching and much work to do in that brief threeyear interim in world history. But then He must die!   And why must He die? Because "the scriptures must be fulfilled" (Mark 14:49). "These are the words which I spake unto you . . . that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me" (Luke 24:44).   And how must He die? "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up" (John 3:14). But then, of course, "he must rise again from the dead" (John 20:9).   To what purpose must He be lifted up on the cross to die and then be raised again? Why, because "there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). HMM   Print this article | More Days of Praise articles     Institute for Creation Research | 1806 Royal Lane | Dallas | TX | 75229

We Are His Witnesses

Acts 5:32 "And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." We Are His Witnesses Do you remember the sheer delight of being given a message by your dad to give to your brothers and sisters? If they questioned you, you had the three sweetest words for a sibling to say:"Dad said so!" Speaking for your dad gave you authority and power that was not yours. In other words, Dad was speaking to your brothers and sisters with you. When you speak for God, He speaks through you. That is a pretty good deal, isn't it? When you speak for someone else, you will not have the power that you need. The wonderful truth this morning is that when you speak for God, He speaks through you and promises the Holy Spirit for your exact needs. The Lord Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come (John 16) and that this Comforter would help a Christian in many ways. One way the Holy Spirit will aid you today is helping you recall (John 14:26). God can bring a verse of Scripture to your mind exactly when you need it. The right verse at the right time will not "magically" appear in your brain; God will bring to mind what you have put your mind to. He can help you when you are witnessing or when you are helping a believer find help from the Bible. Another way the Holy Spirit will aid you is helping you retell. He will help you witness to the truth of Jesus Christ (John 15:26-27). A witness simply retells what he already knows. When you speak for God, He will help you witness to the truth of the Gospel. God's plan is to use Christians to be witnesses for Him. You can confidently know that when you speak for God, He will speak through you. The Holy Spirit will help you recall and retell God's message. What will it take for sinners to be convinced of their need to trust Christ? It will take God's Spirit and God's Word...but it will take somebody's mouth! Will you be His witness today? Prayer Requests: 1. Services tonight in Tigard, OR; Land O' Lakes, FL; and Catalina, AZ 2. Deaf Rally in Chesapeake, VA this weekend (9.18) Browse our fall events schedule on our website: billriceranch.org

Bill Rice Ranch 627 Bill Rice Ranch Road Murfreesboro TN 37128

The Power You Need

Acts 4:8 "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel" The Power You Need Have you ever asked the wrong question? Or have you ever asked the wrong person the right question? Sometimes you can just mention something in passing and someone can take the topic and run with it! In Acts 4, we are reminded that the disciples--Peter and James in this particular case--had a one-track mind. Everything that they thought about and spoke about came back to Jesus Christ! Some religious leaders, who were infuriated by Peter's message and his healing of a lame man, asked him in verse 7, "By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?" Talk about a loaded question! The answer came before Peter had even spoken a word: "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost. . . ." The answer to his power was not what he said but how he said it! These religious leaders got more than they bargained for when Peter said, "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified. . . ." Peter's answer cut to the heart of their problem and declared the simple truth that salvation is in Jesus Christ alone (verses 10-12). What does this all mean for you today? The power that you need today is the power that God has. I don't know what you lack this morning, but God has it. The same power that healed the lame man in the book of Acts is the same power available to you in 2010! God's power can do things that we cannot do, and He wants to use us to make a difference in the world around us. At the end of today, if what you accomplished can be explained purely in terms of your abilities, your day was a failure because you did not rely on Christ to do in you, through you, and more than you could do. However, the encouraging news is that the power you need is the power Christ has. The power of God to save men, women, boys, and girls is not diminished in this century! The power you need to serve is likewise available, just like as it was for Peter and John (verse 13). The question is, do you have the power you need? Prayer Requests: 1. Services tonight in Tigard, OR and Land O' Lakes, FL 2. Deaf Rally in Chesapeake, VA this weekend (9.18) Browse our fall events schedule on our website: billriceranch.org

Bill Rice Ranch 627 Bill Rice Ranch Road Murfreesboro TN 37128

WHEN IGNORANCE SPEAKS

JOB 3-4

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE AGONY OF JOB [3:1-26]

1. Job Curses His Birthday [v. 1-10]

2. Job Curses His Life [v.11-26]

3. Job Does NOT Curse God [1:5, 11, 22, 2:5, 9]

II. THE ACCUSATION OF ELIPHAZ [4:1-21]

It should be noted that though the Book of Job is inspired the words of Satan, Job and his friends are not. The Book of Job faithfully and accurately records their misspoken words.

1. “You Did Good “ [Job 4:1-4]

2. “The Righteous Don’t Suffer” [v. 5-11, 2 Timothy 3:12]

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

3. The Vision of Eliphaz [v. 12-21, 1 John 4:1]

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

“Just because something is spiritual doesn’t mean it’s of the Holy Spirit”

CONFESSION OF FAITH - THE SECOND COMING

Acts 1:1-12

Pastor Rick Jackson

We believe in the visible, personal, and premillennial return of Jesus Christ.

I. THE VISIBLE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST [v. 9-12]

1. The Visible Return is Predicted [Mt. 24:25-30]

2. The Return in the Air is Visible to Believers [I Th. 5:15-17]

3. The Return to the Earth is Visible to All [Revelation 1:7]

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

II. THE PERSONAL RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST [v. 9-12]

(not the Holy Spirit, or Sun Myung Moon, etc)

1. The Rapture is Personal [I Thess. 4:17]

2. The Re-entry is Personal [Jude 1:14]

And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

3. The Return to Earth is Personal [Zechariah 14:4]

And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

III. THE PREMILLENNIAL RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST [v. 9-12]

1. It Is Premillennial

2. It Is PreTribulational [I Thes. 5:1-9, Revelation 6:16]

And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

3. It Is Providential [Matthew 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

Question of the Week: Was a dead plesiosaur found near New Zealand?

 

answersingenesis.org | newsletter archives | contact us September 11, 2010 a weekly look at answersingenesis.org
In this issue . . . Q&A: Was a dead plesiosaur found near New Zealand? Video On Demand: Biblical Creation, Part 2 (Sidebar) News to Note Quick Look Ken's Blog (Sidebar) Museum News (Sidebar) Answers ... with Ken Ham After Eden Network with Us! Job Opportunities at Answers in Genesis (Sidebar) Q: Was a dead plesiosaur found near New Zealand? A: In April 1977, the Japanese fishing trawler Zuiyo-maru operating off the coast of New Zealand snagged a large carcass at a depth of about 1,000 feet. The carcass was brought to the surface and onto the ship. The dead creature was about 33 feet long and weighed about 4,000 pounds. The ship's company was unsure about the identity of the carcass, and ultimately, no one could identify it for certain. The captain did not want this rotting creature on the ship for fear of spoiling the fish catch, so he decided to release it back into the sea. One of the crew had a few minutes to examine the creature. He took a few photographs and even managed to obtain pieces of horny fiber from an anterior fin. Then the carcass was returned to the sea. Upon returning to Japan, the tale was related to company officials, and the photographs were examined. A press conference was held to announce the finding, leading to widespread coverage of the discovery of this "sea monster." Several scientists in Japan strongly suggested that the creature was, in fact, a plesiosaur. Other scientists were less enthusiastic about this identification, and stated so publicly. In creationist circles, this news was greeted with great enthusiasm. What could be more exciting than finding evidence of an allegedly extinct species still alive today! Far and wide, creationists proclaimed that a plesiosaur had been found. That rallying cry continues to this day. What did they really find? Was it a plesiosaur? Does it really matter? Continue reading take a closer look. News to Note Quick Look What was the hobbit?: The hobbit of Indonesia are back in the news again, and this time, the spotlight is again on scientists who think the hobbits were fully human. Read more. Did we descend from metals?: Whether it's mica sheets or meteorites (or both), evolutionists have come up with theory after theory—most untestable, all unproven—about how life on earth got started. Here's the latest. Read more. Also: Lively speculation The museum marches on Natural resources And Don't Miss . . . 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 Cyanide poison . . . produced by a millipede! Orderly design—it rattles big bangers! Married to secular science? Watch out! Blind and deaf . . . yet knowing God! Shock absorbers . . . and bighorn sheep! After Eden Network with Us! Answers in Genesis Answers in Genesis Creation Museum Creation Museum Answers Outreach Answers Outreach Answers Magazine   Answers VBS   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 . . . FRIDAYARTICLE (Sep 10) Canyon Rapids and Rapid Formations (Sep 09) Chapter 31: Doesn't the Order of Fossils in the Rock Record Favor Long Ages? (Sep 09) The Geology of Israel within the Biblical Creation-Flood Framework of History: 1. The pre-Flood Rocks (Sep 08) Didn't a Fishing Boat Find a Dead Plesiosaur? (Sep 07) No Country for Ol' Creationists (Sep 06) How Does "Biblical Authority" Affect Your Everyday Life? (Sep 05) Video On Demand Biblical Creation: Strengthening Your Defenses, Part 2 Watch Video Resources Answers Magazine Subscription: United States Hearing Ear and the Seeing Eye (The) 4 Power Questions to Ask an Evolutionist Answers for Kids Student Handout Set More current bestsellers Ken's Blog FRIDAYBLOG Answers for Women A Sad Day for the Assemblies of God Denomination Woeful Response from the Church Museum Talk Previous entries Museum News Over 150 Deaf guests and families at Creation Museum Deaf Day! Enjoy the Fall Colors Deaf Day 2010 is coming together! Previous entries Upcoming Events Florida Answers in Genesis Conference, September 10–12 Kentucky Deeper Conference (registration is required), September 17–18 Kentucky Answers for Pastors Conference, September 21–23 New York North East Pastor's Conference, September 27–28 New York Special Speaking Engagement, October 8–11 More events Job Opportunities Armed Public Safety Officer A/V Technician Bookstore Sales Associate Constituent Data Administrator (CDA) Cook Food Service Assistant Manager Graphic Designer Housekeeping Staff Senior Database Administrator (Senior DBA) Video Editor/Animator/VFX Warehouse Specialist Web Designer Web Store Technician Zoo Keeper
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Daily Devotional for September 10, 2010

 

Amos 5:18-19  "Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.  As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him?"                                                                                                                                                 From Bad to Worse   Do you know the meaning of the phrase "from bad to worse"?  Do some examples come to mind?  Bad is walking on thin ice; worse is falling in!  The Bible gives us another example of bad to worse in Amos 5: while running for his life from a lion, a man runs into a bear!  And when he finally gets to the safety of his house, there is a rattlesnake ready to strike him!  I don't know what you think of when you hear "from bad to worse," but that scenario is pretty rough!   What is even worse than the story above-and what the passage this morning is getting at-is thinking, "I can't wait until the Lord judges this wicked world," when a little bit of the wicked world is in your heart.  God says, "Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light."  Bad to worse is thinking that you want God's judgment on this world if you are not right with Him yourself!   The people in Amos were more concerned with going to a place to worship the Lord, while He was (and is) concerned about the heart.  These folks thought that they could pacify God with the religious things they were doing, yet their heart was not right with Him.  God says of their religious deeds, "I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell. . . . I will not accept them. . . . Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear. . . ." (verses 21-23)   They thought that worship was something you have in your hand or a place to which your feet go, but worship is in the heart.  They were sacrificing, going to Bethel, and even making beautiful music, but they were also taking bribes and oppressing the poor (verse 12).  They were not right with God because their heart was not right. All the good deeds they did and the sacrifices they made could never justify their wicked hearts.   God is not impressed by what you do, if your heart is not right.  A right heart begins with how you treat others.  You are not right with God if you are not right with other people.  No amount of good deeds can make up for a wicked heart toward others.  Wishing for God's judgment on the wicked when your heart is not right is going from bad to worse!   We should live a life that does not need to fear the coming judgment of the "day of the Lord."  The way to live that kind of life is to have a heart that is right with God and right with others.  That is the kind of heart that God will respond to and provide everything that is needed.   Browse our fall events schedule on our website: billriceranch.org

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

Cleansed by the Word

Cleansed by the Word September 10, 2010 "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word." (Psalm 119:9) Psalm 119:9-16 provides key instructions for those who would seek to please their Creator with a godly life. "Taking heed" (Hebrew shamar--guarding) God's Word is the foundation upon which a godly life is built (vv. 10-11). The psalmist sought God with his whole heart and pleaded with God to prevent him from wandering (Hebrew shagah--to stray through ignorance). That plea was then turned into a confirmation and an understanding: "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee" (v. 11). With the assurance of these foundational elements, the psalmist promised the Lord that he will organize his life so that he "will not forget thy word" (v. 16). Similar to the apostle John's assurance in his first epistle, the psalmist recognized behaviors that he was already exhibiting. His "lips" have "declared" the judgments of God (v. 13). He knows that he has "rejoiced in the way" (v. 14) of God's revealed testimonies as much as the ungodly have boasted of gaining wealth. He is no stranger to godly living and loves the way of God, seeking to excel in holiness (1 John 5:3). The section closes with two "I will" promises, surely based upon his earlier commitment to cleanse his way. The psalmist promised to "meditate in [God's] precepts, and have respect unto ways" (v. 15). This assumes time, study, and careful thought about the purposes and intent of God's message. It is not a promise to sit comfortably and "clear one's mind" of cogent thinking, waiting on some voice to reveal truth. The psalmist can then "delight" in the statutes of the Word (Psalm 119:16; Romans 7:22). As we seek to know God's great Word, may His works refresh our hearts and delight our lives. HMM III Print this article More Days of Praise articles Institute for Creation Research 1806 Royal Lane Dallas TX 75229

Poem of the Week - The Bar

THE BAR

The name of each saloon is bar,

The fittest of its names by far.

A bar to Heaven, a door to hell;

Whoever named it, named it well.

A bar to manliness and wealth,

A door to want and broken health.

A bar to honor, pride, and fame,

A door to grief, sin, and shame.

A bar to hopes, a bar to prayers,

A door to darkness and despair.

A bar to honored, useful life,

A door to brawling, senseless strife.

A bar to all that’s true and brave,

A door to every drunkard’s grave.

A bar to joy that home imparts,

A door to tears and aching hearts.

A bar to Heaven, a door to hell,

Whoever named it named it well.

FROM PROPHET TO PROFITEER

II PETER 2:15-16

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE WAY OF BALAAM [II Peter 2:15-16]

The way of Balaam is the covetousness of the one who does religious work for personal profit. - J. Vernon McGee

1. The Wrong Root [1 Timothy 6:10]

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Colossians 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

2. The Wrong Love [1 John 2:15]

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

3. The Wrong Master [Matthew 6:24]

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

II. THE ERROR OF BALAAM [JUDE 11]

The error of Balaam is thinking you can get away with this kind of rebellion. - Warren Wiersbe

1. Sin will take you further than you want to go [Num. 22:1-22]

When the plain sense makes good sense- seek no other sense.

2. Sin will keep you longer than you want to stay [Numbers 24:25]

And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
Numbers 31:8 And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

3. Sin will cost you more than you want to pay [Joshua 13:22]

Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them


III. THE DOCTRINE OF BALAAM [Rev. 2:14-16]

The doctrine is to teach you can violate your separation and get away with it. - Wiersbe

1. There can be no Common Fellowship [II Cor. 6:14]

2. There can be no Common Ground [II Cor. 6:15] sumfwvnhsiß sumphonesis, soom-fo'-nay-sis; from 4856; accordance:--concord.

3. There can be no Common Worship [II Cor. 6:16-18]

God's Persistence

 

Amos 4:8  "So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord."                                                                                                                                                 God's Persistence   One day when Weston was just a little guy, I reminded him to thank his mother for the lunch he had enjoyed, but he refused to do it.  Now, that is a silly thing to get in trouble for, and he sure did get in trouble for it!  The "thank you" was not the point; the refusing was.  It was a little uneasy for me as a parent, but there was a definite change after that.  Weston's will had to be broken.   Having your stubborn will broken is something that is necessary but not fun.  We learn in Amos that God matches our stubbornness with His persistence.  When we are stubborn in our will, He is persistent in His love to pursue us.  In Amos 4, God had allowed His people to go hungry and thirsty because He loved them, while they stubbornly refused to return to Him.  The problem was not the idolatry, the immorality, or the oppression; the problem was, they would not return to God.   God was persistent to pursue His people, and He will be persistent to pursue you today.  God is not about "beating you over the head"; He is about having you turn to Him!  Have you ever known someone that was running from the Lord?  All the "coincidences" they notice are really God's persistence!   Your will is the battlefield.  Your problem really is not gossip, thanklessness, or a bad attitude; your problem is your will.  And the solution to your problem is turning back to God!  If I, as a sinful father, would be persistent with Weston about being thankful, don't think that God will do less with His children.  Remember that God will match our stubbornness with His persistence.     Prayer Requests: 1. BRR Elementary Retreat this weekend (9.10-11) 2. West Branch Regional Youth Conference in Goodyear, AZ this weekend (9.11)   Browse our fall events schedule on our website: billriceranch.org

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