AMERICA IS THE PLACE WE LIVE

Therefore I have a very hard time understanding why there is such a problem in having 'In God! We Trust' on our money and having 'God' in the Pledge of Allegiance.

QUESTIONS I ASK MY SELF PART FOUR

Six Questions I Try To Keep In Front Of Me -
This series based on 11 Timothy 2:15

#1 - Am I giving God my absolute best?

#2 - Am I More Concerned About God Or Others?

#3 - Does God Approve?

#4 - Am I Being slothful?

#5 - Is There Anything I Am Ashamed Of?

11 Timothy 2:15 “…who does not need to be ashamed…”

One of the VALUES that Christian leaders MUST frequently place in front of them is the value of personal integrity.

“Is there anything going on in your life privately that, if it became public, would disqualify you from ministry?”

Fellow friends we’ve GOT to be SERIOUS about integrity! Yes, we are in a battle…but

I Corinthians 10:13 tells us there is a way out of temptation…that we do not have to bow down to it but rather through Christ we can stand up under it!!!

We don’t need any more pastors/ministry leaders making horrible moral decisions! Seriously…we should be willing to take whatever steps necessary to guard ourselves!

One thing I know about God…He doesn’t play! Galatians 6:7 says He will not be mocked…and to the ministry leader that pretends all is well but has sin issues that he refuses to confess and repent of…bro, God doesn’t play games!

So…what steps are you taking to safeguard yourself? Some of mine are…

• I do not handle the money at Rivers of Joy Baptist Church
  
• I do not counsel women without my wife presence
  
• I will not ride alone with a woman in a car other than Charity or my children
  
• I will not have lunch or dinner (or breakfast) alone with a woman other than Charity or my daugher
  
• Basically I will not spend time alone with a woman other than my wife and daughter!
  
• Am I legalistic about this? YES!
• I keep my Computer where my wife can see me on line, and she can see the last 300 sites that i have being on.
  
  I have friends that ask me whether or not I am handling my life and preaching and money and time responsibile

These are just a few of the things.

• I’ve learned that the person responsible for my personal integrity is me…no one else. And that I’ve got to realize where my greatest temptations are and then plan accordingly to not place myself in those areas.

There is TOO MUCH AT STAKE for me (and YOU) to fall!

Part six next........

SOME WISE COUNSEL GIVING FOR LIVING

Kodak's cartoon effect

Tonight's bible study was very good. Enjoyed the fellowship with the folks tonight.

SOME WISE COUNSEL FROM THE ECCL. CHAPTER SEVEN

I. HONOR IS BETTER THAN LUXURY (7:1a)

A. "A GOOD NAME IS BETTER THAN PRECIOUS OINTMENT"

B. WHY THIS IS SO...


II. YOUR DEATHDAY IS BETTER THAN YOUR BIRTHDAY (7:1b)

A. "THE DAY OF DEATH THAN THE DAY OF ONE'S BIRTH"

B. HOW THIS IS SO...
Job 14:1; 3:1-3 and Jer 20:14-18
2. But for the righteous, the day of one's death is the beginning
of eternal bliss! a. - Isa 57:1-2 Php 1:21-22 Rev 14:13

III. A FUNERAL IS BETTER THAN A PARTY (7:2-6)

A. "BETTER TO GO TO THE HOUSE OF MOURNING THAN TO GO TO THE HOUSE
OF FEASTING"

2. Why? The Preacher tells us why...
a. "For that is the end of all men" cf. Heb 9:27

b. "And the living will take it to heart"

B. "SORROW IS BETTER THAN LAUGHTER"
cf. Hebrews 12:11

C. "IT IS BETTER TO HEAR THE REBUKE OF THE WISE THAN...TO HEAR THE
SONG OF FOOLS"



IV. THE END IS BETTER THAN THE BEGINNING (7:8)

RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH INSIDE VIEW

RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH SERMON BY PASTOR CHARLES E. WHISNANT

RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH MINFORD OhioINSIDE

Pastor/Teacher Charles E. Whisnant and Charity

Pastor William "Bill" Bower and his wife Mary Bower

Rivers of Joy Baptist Church, Minford Ohio. 139 and Shady Lane
Our primary focus is the teaching of the Word of God
and pointing people
to God and Jesus Christ,
and practice the presence of
the Holy Spirit

The Hawk On Charles Walk

ACCOUNTABLITY TO THE TASK OF PASTOR

Six Questions I Try To Keep In Front Of Me - pt 3

#1 - Am I giving God my absolute best?

#2 - Am I More Concerned About God Or Others?

#3 - Does God Approve?

#4 - Am I Being Lazy?

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, A WORKMAN…”

One of the biggest temptations for a leader is to become lazy and the begin to expect God to do what HE has clearly commanded the leader to do.

1. It is my responsibility as a leader, and pastor to make sure I am prepared to preach God’s Word every Sunday, and Wednesday. Three messages on Sunday and one on Wednesday is a task.


2. It is my responsibility as a leader to make sure that I am growing in my faith and in my leadership abilities. This is by reading the Word of God. Reading material that helps me process leadership.


3. It is my responsibility as a leader to work hard, to put time, effort and energy into the things God has called me to lead.

One of the most dangerous things a leader can do is put their leadership on cruise control. God didn’t call us to cruise…He called us to create…and that ONLY comes through us being willing to roll up our sleeves and WORK HARD.

CHARLES AND CHARITY SITTING IN A TREE

No, we have not set in a tree, but we do like each other a lot. Well, its more like loving each other. No we do not agree a lot with each other. I say its the death of Christ that saves us, she says its the blood of Christ that saves us. And we are both right. They both say the same. We are saved by the shedding of the blood and His death on the cross. I could name a few other points, but you get the point.
.
But Becky took this photo of us Sunday February 22, 2009 after we came home from church. And I believe this photo captures our love for each other. What you see, is what we have for each other, now for thirty nine years and counting.

LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT GOD'S APPROVAL Pt 2

SO TRUE!

When my head hits the pillow at night I’ve got to know that I have tried my best to honor HIM and HIS calling on my life…which IS NOT EASY in a world where everyone seems to have an opinion and a website!

BUT…focusing on them doesn’t allow me to focus on Him! (BTW…it isn’t helping you either!!!)
Paul said it best in Galatians 1:10 we have a choice…I have made mine and will not look back…there is way too much at stake!

#3 - Does God Approve?

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved…”

This kind of overlaps with the last question; however, I believe the conclusion is slightly different.

Whenever I am wrestling with a decision and I think I have came to a conclusion the final filter I run it through is, “Is this a good decision or a God decision? Does God approve of this?”

I have a philosophy…could be debated I guess…but I think that I am right! I am all about getting as many people around me as possible to help make a decision. The book of Proverbs speaks over and over again of not trying to make leadership decisions alone…

However…I believe there are certain times in a leaders life when God will reveal to him the right decision that needs to be made…and he, at least for a while, will feel all alone when it comes to his conviction.

Remember David in the cave? Saul is after him, wants to kill him…goes into a cave and David “just happens” to be in there? It looked like the right opportunity! His men were telling him to go for it– they even had a verse!

BUT…David knew that God would not approve of him killing Saul (even though Saul was in an incredibly vulnerable position!)

If I ever as a leader try to make everyone around the leadership table with me happy and ignore God in the process…that makes me a poor leader.
Now, before I move on from this let me clearly say that in the nine years NewSpring has existed there has been LESS than five times EVER that I have disagreed with my entire leadership team.

AND…each time that happens I don’t ever pull the authority card. A few times we have tabled the decision to seek the Lord more…and at least once I asked them to trust me because I really felt like I had heard from the Lord.

(If you are pulling the “God told me” card every week and never allowing the leaders at the table to speak…you’ll run off your best leaders!)

I’ve said it for the longest time–leadership is as easy as listening to God…and if we listen and obey–He approves. It is THAT simple!

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST IN YOU

GOOD MORNING, FOLKS. LET THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE EVERLASTING GOD, BE IN YOU, LET HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT IS IN YOU BE THE FRUIT OF YOUR SPEECH TODAY. SHOW TO ALL THOSE WHOM YOU ARE WITH TODAY, THE FRUITS OF YOUR LIFE IS THAT OF THE RIGHTEOUSESS OF CHRIST, WHO IS OUR SAVIOR AND LORD.

THE QUESTIONS I TRY TO FOLLOW

This series based on Second Timothy 2:15 tells us this.

Questions I Try To Keep In Front Of Me - 2 of 6

I am trying to ask myself six questions based on this verse…

#1 - Am I giving God my absolute best?

The first three words are both demanding AND convicting…DO YOUR BEST! (God makes is VERY apparent about how He thinks about odds and ends in Malachi 1:6-14)

There are times as a church leader, pastor, teacher, elder, I am tempted to coast…to make the trouble-free decision instead of the right one…to get out of the meeting rather than deal with the problem…to let things slide rather than hurt someone’s feelings. Not often but there are those times who I would just rather say, “Let’s pray.”

BUT…as a Shepherd God has called me to honor Him by giving Him my absolute best…and that means going the extra mile in every single area of my life.

#2 - Am I More Concerned About God Or Others?

Scripture is very clear, “Do your best to give present yourself to God…”

When “the end” is here I will stand before God and will NOT answer as to… Eccl 7:1-6

• Whether or not I kept people contented.


• Whether or not I appeased the bloggers.
  
• Whether or not I preached sermons that people WANTED to hear.

I will answer for whether or not I was faithful to WHO He called me to be and WHAT He called me to do!

Craig Groeschel that says, “The quickest way to forget what God says about me is to become obsessed with what others say about me.”
SO TRUE!

When my head hits the pillow at night I’ve got to know that I have tried my best to honor HIM and HIS calling on my life…which IS NOT EASY in a world where everyone seems to have an opinion and a website!

.

BUT…focusing on them doesn’t allow me to focus on Him! (BTW…it isn’t helping you either!!!)
Paul said it best in Galatians 1:10 we have a choice…I have made mine and will not look back…there is way too much at stake!

#3 AND 4 later...

WHY MEMBERS ARE MEMBER LOCAL CHURCHES

THE MINISTRY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH

WHY CHRISTANS ARE MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL CHURCH
IT IS WITHIN THE CHURCH PARTICULAR THAT WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH FELLOW BELIEVERS AND SUBMIT OURSELVES TO ACCOUNTABILITY, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES. IN THIS ASSEMBLY OUR CHRISTIAN CHARACTER IS SHAPED. IT IS THE CONTEXT IN WHICH OUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE DEVELOPED AND EXERCISED. IT IS THE FAMILY WHOSE TIES CANNOT BE BROKEN. IT IS THE TRAINING CAMP THAT DISCIPLES AND EQUIPS BELIEVERS TO BE GOD’S PEOPLE AGAINST THE WORLD AND FOR THE WORLD.

Dale Earnhardt Tribute Video

DALE EARNHARDT SR DIED IN 2001

677 races run over 27 years

We were living in Lexington Ky in 2001 and after church a group of us men, about 15 went to a friends house and watch the Daytona 500. We watch the whole race. We watch the crashed. But we left without knowing Dale had died. After church that night, we were watching the TV and about 9 p.m. we learned that Dale had died in the crash. Talk about a shock, such so that the feeling is still with us today. I had been a fan of NASCAR and Dale since the 90's. And it has not been the same since.

2001: Earnhardt dies in Daytona 500

Racing legend Dale Earnhardt died today in a crash during the Daytona 500. “The accident happened a half-mile from the finish of the NASCAR season-opener as Earnhardt’s newest driver, [Michael] Waltrip, and [Earnhardt’s] son Dale Earnhardt, Jr. were in front racing toward what should have been the most triumphant moment in the brief history of Dale Earnhardt Inc.,” reported The Frederick Post on February 19, 2001. Earnhardt was trying to place third when driver Sterling Martin bumped the back of his stock car. Earnhardt’s vehicle then fishtailed, cut across the track and hit Ken Schrader’s car. Both smashed into the concrete wall head-on at roughly 180 miles-per-hour before sliding back into the infield of the track. Earnhardt was cut out of his car and taken to Halifax Medical Center where he was pronounced dead due to head injuries.

RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH MINFORD OHIO

OUR NEW WORSHIP LEADER SONG DIRECTOR AT RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH
OUR BIBLE STUDY FELLOWSHIP ROOM

ANOTHER VIEW OF OUR BIBLE STUDY FELLOWSHIP HALL

The view of Rivers of Joy Baptist Church in Minford Ohio were I am the Pastor/Teacher.

NETWORKING WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY, FOLLOWERS, FOLKS.

CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THE CHURCH, CHRIST, AND US.

While it is true you are being connected with us through the Internet, via the social/church networking as it is called, the purpose is two-fold at least.

ONE: It is great to have this almost instant communication with people literally all over the world in seconds. And now you can talk live with each other. Just amazing, isn't it?

TWO: You can have one 150 letter statement (Twitter) updated anytime you desire.

THREE: If you so desire you can have a group of FaceBook "friends" read what you want which

1. Gives me valuable connection to people from my past.


2. Exposes a different audience to my blog posts (through Facebook Notes) and my tweets (through Facebook status updates Is more personal.)


3. Gives me a connection with people.

FOUR: Then there is Blogger:

1. Gives me an outlet for writing. Writing gives me energy and renews my passion. Blogging gives me that outlet.


2. Is a great journaling tool. I'm not a journal guy -- but I see and appreciate the value in journaling. I can look back at a few years of blogging and re-live some of my journey along the way.


3. Is easy to archive. Pretty much anything I've ever blogged is easy to find and retrieve. All 910 posts, or articles.


4. Helps me stay connected to the thoughts of my friends, my staff, my leaders, and my mentors. I get a glimpse into their hearts and minds when I read what they've been blogging.

FIVE: THE INBOX - E MAIL Electronic mail,

• Quick. Today you can just about do anything in an email. Photo. Audio and Video.


• I like this method the best in that I can send one email to one person or a dozen.

WHAT IS YOUR HABIT OF COMMUNICATION WITH PEOPLE:

Maybe there are yet some who comunicate over the Phone, Cell Phone, Letters via USPO. And I haven't even touched the real world of communication.

THEN THERE IS THE CHURCH CONNECTION:

• The Cloud Network is a web-based tool for churches who want to do ministry online. Churches are able to upload mp3’s, post events, create social networks, send emails to people or groups in their church, manage their music, stream audio, podcast, blog, post job classifieds, gather additional visitors using our online network and other valuable options.
  
• I was amazed at the number of networks that have the church connection. Your church family can be connected over the Internet with easy access. If they all had the High Speed Internent that would be wonderful.

I remember back in 1966 when working in Danville, VA, as a Youth Director and working in the church office, I would send out post cards each week to over 100 people in the church. Communication has changed over the last 40 years, wouldn't you say.

THE DUTY OF EVERY PASTOR/TEACHER

OUR CHURCH IS ELDER/PASTORAL LED. THUS WE HAVE A PLURALITY OF PASTORS WHO WORK TO ACCOMPLISH THE OBJECTIVES THAT CHRIST HAS SET FORTH IN SCRIPTURE.

THE PURPOSE OF THE PASTOR/TEACHER IN THE LOCAL CHURCH........







FROM THE TIME I ATTENDED THE SHEPHERD'S CONFERENCE IN 1982, 1990, etc. THE GOAL HAS BEEN TO TEACH, FEED, LEAD THE PEOPLE WHOM THE LORD ALLOWS ME TO BE THE UNDERSHEPHERD.

1. to feed the flock (John 21:15-17)
   


2. to proclaim the whole will of God ( Acts 20:27)
   


3. to present everyone perfect in Christ (Colossians 1:28-29)



4. to prepare God’s people for works of service (Ephesians 4:12)


5. to equip God’s people to be fisher’s of men (2 Timothy 4:5)



6. to keep watch over oneself until the task is complete (1 Timothy 4:16)

FOR ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST

"Too many people convert to a church style or Christian culture rather than to Christ."

Really have you notices. People are more into church style rather than into Christ. Yet Christiantiy is Christ, not church.

My outline from Philippians 1:21 "For ME to live IS Christ, and to DIE is GAIN." You take out "Christ" and "Gain" you have "For me to live is to die." Living without Christ can lead to anger about living.

Church life, is of no value if we are not living to live for CHRIST.

DIVINE SIDE AND THE HUMAN SIDE OF SALVATION

The following excerpt is from "The Father's Will," a sermon first published in 1873. We start with the text Spurgeon was preaching from:

"This is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:39-40).



The two phrases set forth the divine side of salvation and the human side of salvation.

You know, beloved friends, that the general custom is, with the various sects of Christians, to take up one part of the Bible and preach that part, and then it is the duty of all divines on that
side of the question not to preach anything but that. Or if they find a text that looks in rather a different direction, these gentlemen are expected to twist it round to suit their creed, it being supposed that only one set of truths can possibly be worth defending, it never having entered into the heads of some people that there can be two apparently irreconcilable truths which
nevertheless are equally valuable.


Think not that I come here to defend the human side of salvation at the expense of the divine; nor am I desirous to magnify the divine side of it at the expense of the human; rather would I beseech you to look at the two texts which are together before us, and to be prepared to receive both sets of truths. I think it a very dangerous thing to say that the truth lies between the
two extremes. It does not: the truth lies in the two, in the comprehension of both; not in taking a part from this and a part from that, toning down one and modulating the other, as is too much the custom, but in believing and giving full expression to everything that God reveals whether we can reconcile the things or not, opening our hearts as children open their understandings to their father's teaching, feeling that if the gospel were such that we could make it into a complete system, we might be quite sure it was not God's gospel, for any system that comes from God must be too grand for the human brain to grasp at one effort; and any path that he takes must extend too far beyond the line of our vision for us to make a nice little map of it, and mark it out in squares.


This world, you know, we can readily enough map. Go and get charts, and you shall find that men of understanding have indicated almost every rock in the sea, almost every hamlet on the land; but they cannot map out the heavens in that way, for albeit that you can buy the celestial atlas, yet as you are well enough aware there is not one in ten thousand of the stars that can possibly be put there; when they are resolved by the telescope they become altogether
innumerable, and so far exceed all count that it is impossible for us to reckon them up in order and say, that is the name of this, and this is the name of that. We must leave them: they are beyond us. There are deeps into which we cannot peer; even the strongest glass cannot show us much more than a mere corner of the starry worlds.

Thus too is it with the doctrines of the gospel: they are too bright for our weak eyes, too sublime for our finite minds to scan, save at a humble distance. Be it ours to take all we can of their solemn import, to believe them heartily, accept them gratefully, and then fall down before the Lord, and pour out our very souls in worshipping him.

CHARLES H. SPURGEON..............

THE TEACHING OF THE DOCTRINE OF GRACE IS NEEDFUL TO OUR PEOPLE.

MY MOM, WHO LOVES TO EAT

First photo taken in her bed when she didn't feel like getting back up. Her mouth was FULL of food! Cute!

Second photo in the early evening when she was determined to make it back to the table, the exact spot where just earlier the death angel stood.

Thanks to my sister Ellen for this photo of our Mom.

Love you Mom

OUR GANG HEART THUMPS IN 1937

Our Gang Hearts Are Thumps 1937
Uploaded by lilrascalman

The Little Rascals was still on in 1950's when I was a lad, and I watched them every day, if I could find a friend or neighbor who had a TV.

THE DARK SIDE OF LIFE SHOWN

The real me sitting at my desk at 4 a.m. Web cam does good.


Truth is the foundation of learning so we need to learn truth. John 18:36-38



NOTE THEN Ephesians 6:13-18

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Ephesians 6:13-18

HOW DO WE SEE TRUTH?

KEEPING UP WITH THE NEW GENERATION

KEEPING UP WITH THE NEW GENERATION OF NETWORKING IS GOING TO BE GREAT

I have finally joined FACEBOOK I beleive on Monday of this week.

COMPUTER MICROPHONE MONITER HOLSTER/LAPEL CLIP

• On Wednesday February 11, 2009 I bought a Cyber Acoustics computer microphone. ($8.45) And what is cool, I have the brains to figure this out. Googled Cyber and they gave me instruction how to turn on the Sound Recorder, which was already on my computer. The amazing coolness was, I could read and follow those instructions. Save the file and then go to GrowByLearning.com and put my very first recording on the opening page. And the recording will play auto when you are on the site, and you will only hear my voice. That is coolness.

AWAKEN GENERATION.COM

• This morning as I was viewing FaceBook Ray Prichard link us over to this Awaken Generation a networking for those 18-24 age group. So I joined. I have not listen to anything yet. So I will later. Its free but you have to sign in.

IN FUTHER UPDATES I WILL REPORT.

SOCIAL NETWORKING OR BIBLICAL EVANGELISM BETTER

SOCIAL NETWORKING OR BIBLICAL EVANGELISM BETTER

Now I understand a little why Bloggers might have a little trouble with have people stop buy and reading their posts FaceBook and MySpace might be two reasons. They are a free-access social networking website

I believe the idea of these two places is to provide a more personal email inter exchange of conversation.
=

I am not real sure that knowing that John Tuck is watch a TV show is what I desire to know. But than again you might be on my site and learn that I am doing as well. So who knows.
]

A social network service focuses on building online communities of people who share interests and/or activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. Most social network services are web based and provide a variety of ways for users to interact, such as e-mail and instant messaging services.
/

Social networking has created new ways to communicate and share information. Social networking websites are being used regularly by millions of people, and it now seems that social networking will be an enduring part of everyday life. The main types of social networking services are those which contain directories of some categories (such as former classmates), means to connect with friends (usually with self-description pages), and recommender systems linked to trust. Popular methods now combine many of these, with MySpace and Facebook being the most widely used in North America.

So the idea of social networking, created ways to communicate and share information. That is a new idea.
.

These early communities focused on bringing people together to interact with each other through chat rooms, and share personal information and ideas around any topics via personal homepage publishing tools which was a precursor to the blogging phenomenon.
.

Social Networking might be at Church on Sunday, now there is an idea. Funny uh! Sorry about that.
.

Now we can reach friends in Altoona, Chanute, Neoesdah, Fredonia Kansas. And over the last three days, and connected with those who we have not seen in 10 years.
.

WE ARE JUST ONE BIG FAMILY UH!
.

Nevertheless, I like posting on Blogger. Of course you really have to want to visit the site. One good thing, all 900 posts are still there. So you can wait a month to read them, or look at the photo or view the Video.
.

Then there is the cell phone or land line phone, do we call anymore, just get on a social network.

We really are having a great time. Now I need to really learn how to net work with members of my family and those of the church.
.

Let's have a great time and keep it clean. lol as they say.
.

Thanks for the interaction, its as really really being good.
.

And of course the idea of these social networking maybe a little too much for us older folks. So sticking to the email is a challenge enough for some of us too.
.
.BUT WE REALLY LIKE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR MINISTRY, AND LOVING PRAYING FOR JESUS CHRIST'S RICHES BLESSING FOR YOU.

ACTIONS THAT I SHOULD HAVE LEARNED

1. A relationship is more important than a check
2. Forgiveness is the #1 thing been most like Jesus
3. The only good thing about us is Jesus
4. Christ gathered unto Himself the OUTCASTED.
5. Sin destroys sensitivity. Destroy your sense to the power of the conviction of God.
6. We do not do well in excess.
7. He is all that He should be, but none in excess. Not one thing dominant.
8. We need to do well, without letting it hurt or life to excess
9. Living in Excess: Limits You. Label’s You. Lead You. Loads You Down.
10. Learn to divorce lessen your emotion from your life work.
11. DARE TO LIVE WITH PURPOSE.
12. AIM AT WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS THE PURPOSE OF GOD AND HEAD THAT WAY WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT
13. WITHOUT PURPOSE YOU DRIFT
14. SET YOUR SAIL IN A NOBLE DIRECTION.
15. Security: equals TRUST
16. DISCIPLINE: EQUALS NO FEAR
17. The church is determined by its concern not by its size
18. There will always be a time when you will put yourself in position where you will have to restrain yourself
19. Don’t your senses control your actions?
20. Self-control is the root of all VIRTRUE
21. You have never become a man until, you have master the art of restrained.
22. Restrained looks to a great appetite
23. Key to Success. Others.
24. Losing your grip on leadership: People seeing your nakedness.
25. Your first start to quitting is to start being critical of others, and things.

A HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIC AND BECKY

THIS IS POST NINE HUNDRED AND ONE.........SINCE August 2006

FEBRUARY 1O,2009

WE WANT TO WISH OUR SON ERIC

AND DAUGHTER BECKY

AN GREAT BIG

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

AN A VIDEO IS COMING AS

SOON AS I CAN GET CHARITY

SANCTIFICATION MEANS CONCENTRATION ON GOD

“Faith, in all its degrees, still reads the inscription, ‘The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin;’ and if at times the eye is so dim that it cannot read these words, through blinding tears or bewildering mist, faith rests itself on the certain knowledge of the fact that the inscription is still there, or at least that the blood itself (of which these words remind us) remains, in all its power and suitableness, upon the altar unchanged and uneffaced.

God says that the believing man is justified: who are we, then, that we should say, ‘We believe, but we do not know whether we are justified?’ What God has joined together, let not man put asunder.”
– Horatius Bonar, The Everlasting Righteousness; or, How Shall a Man be Just with God? (Carlisle, Pa.: Banner of Truth, 1874/1993), 23

I AM TEACHING FROM FIRST THESSALONIANS, I AM NOT YET IN CHAPTER FIVE, BUT I WILL GET THERE, SO HERE IS A LITTLE TASTE OF WHAT IS IN CHAPTER FIVE.

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly. First Thessalonians 5:23-24

When we pray to be sanctified, are we prepared to face the standard of these verses?

We take the term sanctification much too lightly.

Are we prepared for what sanctification will cost? It will cost anintense narrowing of all our interests on earth, and an immense broadening of all our interests in God. Sanctification means intense concentration on God's point of view. It means every power of body, soul and spirit chained and kept for God's purpose only. Are we prepared for God to do in us all that He separated us for? And then after His work is done in us, are we prepared to separate ourselves to God even as Jesus did? "For their sakes I sanctify Myself."

The reason some of us have not entered into the experience of sanctification is that we have not realized the meaning of sanctification from God's standpoint.

Sanctification means being madeone with Jesus so that the disposition that ruled Him will rule us.

1. Are we prepared for what that will cost? It will cost everything that is not of God in us.


2. are we prepared to be caught up into the swing of this prayer of the apostle Paul's?


3. Are we prepared to say - "Lord, make me as holy as You can make a sinner saved by grace"?

Jesus has prayed that we might be one with Him as He is one with the Father. The one and only characteristic of the Holy Ghost in a man is a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, and freedom from everything that is unlike Him.

1. Are we prepared to set ourselves apart for the Holy Spirit's ministrations in us?

The Autobiography of Charles H. Spurgeon

The Autobiography of Charles H. Spurgeon By Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Susannah Spurgeon, Joseph Harrald:

""The last thing Dever left us with at the pastor's conference was a quote by Charles Spurgeon to illustrate how he viewed his role as a shepherd of God's people.

I am occupied in my small way, as Mr. Great-heart was employed in Bunyan's day. I do not compare myself with that champion, but I am in the same line of business. I am engaged in personally-conducted tours to Heaven; and I have with me, at the present time, dear Old Father Honest: I am glad he is still alive and active. And there is Christiana, and there are her children. It is my business, as best I can, to kill dragons, and cut off giants' heads, and lead on the timid and trembling. I am often afraid of losing some of the weaklings. I have the heart-ache for them; but, by God's grace, and your kind and generous help in looking after one another, I hope we shall all travel safely to the river's edge. Oh, how many have I had to part with there! I have stood on the brink, and I have heard them singing in the midst of the stream, and I have almost seen the shining ones lead them up the hill, and through the gates, into the Celestial City.

FACEBOOK A FORM OF SMALL TALK

FACEBOOK

How I sign up for Facebook? I wonder why? But its the new idea of small sound bite communication I guess. I must admit the forty friends on the first day was a suprise, of course I believe they were on my e mail list, well most were.

Well its 3 a.m. and have being up since 2 a.m. Charity is trying to sleep and get over her cold.

This form of Blogging in my case is one way, since there is no comment link, even though you could e mail my in box. But I see that could happen over at FACEBOOK.

So what MYSPACE? Oh know.

OKAY NOW ITS 9:04 P.M. I have being away for a while today.

So what is the purpose of FaceBook? I am really clueless. But I do know this, I enjoyed some of the comments made. I am not so sure I want everyone to read what I say. Wait a minute, what about this Blog? Oh! I have contol of this Blog.

EVANGELISM SHOULD NOT BE ANNOYING

Things We Can Mistake for Evangelism

1. Annoyance

We mistakenly take evangelism to be manipulation. But that's what the world says. In truth, we're not trying to impose our beliefs on anybody. Biblically, we can't impose our beliefs on anybody. Force and coercion cannot finally bring about the change that God demands. You can't expand Christianity by the sword. Evangelism is not some sort of intellectual imposition.

To believe that something is true and to share that with others is not coercion. We don't impose when we evangelize. We freely offer it to all and do not, cannot, force it on anybody