Decently And In Order

"Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:40) Prior to this verse, the apostle Paul speaks to the Christians at Corinth concerning the use of their spiritual gifts, during their time of worship. The main purpose is for edification. The body of Christ needs to be encouraged by the Word of God. They did not have the New Testament then, so teaching came through the ability of prophesying and speaking in tongues. There was to be respect for each one's time to exhibit these gifts, and truly share concerning God's Word, during their time together. There was never to be confusion, but peace. "Let all things be done decently and in order." (v.40) Even now when we have the written Word of God, this statement by Paul still applies.     I am one who believes strongly in a planned worship service, and Bible study. I believe the Holy Spirit is pleased when we put effort into planning our spiritual activities around a theme from the Word of God. In this setting one goes away, with a total message of encouragement and inspiration. Our God is not a God of chaos, but a God of order.
Why as His creation, should we be any different? GP
 Photo by Stuart Miles. Published on 10 October 2013 www.freedigitalphotos.net

He Knows Who You Are

"The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, you have well said, "I have no husband, 'for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband, in that you spoke truly." (John 4:17-18) Our lives are an open book to the Lord. He knows us better than we know ourselves. So why is it, that we think we know what is best for us, in our lives. The Samaritan woman was definitely trying to find happiness and satisfaction in her life. Nothing in the world was going to satisfy her. But Jesus who offered her "living water" could, and did. (John 4:14)
I am like a bucket that leaks. I need to come to the well and meet Jesus there, and take in what He has for me. I am in constant need of spiritual refreshment and replenishment. Without that spiritual well, where would we be. The "living water" contains all the blessings that God wants us to have. Eternal life, and eternal help, is apart of this blessing. Yes, Jesus knows who you are, and He knows what you are needing today. The question is, will we meet Him at the well, and submit our whole lives to His care? GP Photo http://clipart.christiansunite.com/

Overcoming The Overwhelming

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." (Philippians 4:6)

Can life become overwhelming? Indeed it can. You look around, and there is so much correction that needs to be done in your life.

There are people and circumstances that are turning your life into a train wreck. How can we deal with life, when it is so overwhelming, and discouraging?

The Apostle Paul gives us some very good advice in our text. To begin with, don't enter a panic mode; "Be anxious for nothing", and why? because, your life is in the Lord's hands. So let Him have you. Let Him have your problems, and your despair.

We are to pray, and bring our requests to God. We are to let Him know what we are dealing with. Even though He already knows, it is good for us to ask for help, and to express our trust, that God will help us through this difficult time.

And in our prayers, we are to be thankful. Whatever God has placed in our lives, He has placed it there, to help us be a better person in His sight. We do want to be stronger, and that is what God wants too.
We need to be thankful for His workings in our lives, and His providence to bring us to where He wants us to be.

Even though life can be overwhelming, with God's help, we can overcome. GP

Photo by Stuart Miles. Published on 12 March 2014
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Strengthen The Inner Man

“That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.” (Ephesians 3:16) The “Inner man” that the Apostle Paul speaks of is the seat of spiritual influence. It is there that faith and humility, love, patience, and other graces, find their home and productivity. But the only way that the “inner man” is strengthened is by the work of, and our submission to, the Holy Spirit.
It is the Apostle Paul’s prayer that the Christians at Ephesus (and us) are strengthened and understand full well the extent of the love of Christ. It is one thing to know about Jesus Christ.There are volumes of books and articles written about Him. But to really know Him, and the extent of His love for us, is in our connecting with the Holy Spirit. In this connection we study the Gospels, and are involved in consistent prayer. Through these two gates, the Holy Spirit leads us to a deep and wonderful relationship with the Lord. It is through our faith and submission that connects us to our spiritual Helper (John 16:7) I am so weak so much of the time in my “inner man”. And the reason is because I have not kept my connection strong to the one who is responsible (on His part) for my spiritual maintenance. We must remember as Christians, that for us to be strong Christians, we must heed the Apostle Paul’s advice. “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25) GP Photo by Stuart Miles. Published on 13 September 2014 www.freedigitalphotos.net

Who Do You Think You Are?

"Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud." (Proverbs 16:19) Have you ever had someone ask you this question: "Who do you think you are?" Maybe, jokingly, you were trying to imitate a celebrity, someone who is very popular in television, movies, sports, etc. that motivated this question. But seriously, Solomon tells us, that the best person to be, is one "of a humble spirit". To be like Jesus, who was the extreme example of humility, is what we should strive to be. It's hard to be around a proud, pompous, egotistical person. It seems that everything is about them. They feel as if they are indispensable. The world could not do without them. No doubt we are all important, but no one is more important than anyone else. In God's eyes we are all important to Him. No one is of  greater value to Him than another. The spoil of the proud of this world, may be a reward of riches, power, and position, but the dividing of it, is drenched with selfishness and greed. It is a competition for selfish gain, which leaves a terrible path of destruction. But the humble person, looks after the needs of others, and gains a peace, and a fulfillment, that the proud will never acquire. "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." (Romans 12:3) GP
Photo by stockimages. Published on 16 September 2013 www.freedigitalphotos.net

What We Do For Christ!

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8) During a Bible Study, I was looking at a pen I had picked up to take notes with, and noticed these words that were inscribed: "What you do for Christ, only that will last!" As Christians do we realize the influence we will make in all the things we do for Christ?
We can speak volumes about Jesus, in our conversation, our conduct, our treatement of others, our ministry to others, the way we react to trials. The disciples were called to be witnesses for Christ, not only in their place of residence, but to the ends of the earth. Today Christians are all over the world. And we have heard recently of Christians in Lybia, who have been martyred by the extremist Muslum terrorist group ISIS. I read that not one of the 21 who were killed, recanted their belief in Jesus Christ. What does that say to the world? Is Jesus worth dying for? He died for us! He gave His life, so we could have life, abundant and eternal. We may not be called to physically die for Jesus. But we are called to be a living sacrifice for Him. (Romans 12:1) And by our sacrificial life and service for the Lord, we testify to why He means so much to us. We testify to what He did, and what He can do for us, and the world. GP Photo by Naypong. Published on 05 November 2014
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Our Choice

"And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15) In Ephesians 1:4 the Apostle Paul speaks of us being chosen by God, to be His adopted children, before the foundation of the world. That should make us feel very special, and secure. But like it was in the time of Joshua, the problem of idolatry still remains today. We are worshipping the gods of this world. We can get specific, but they fall under the categories of Power, Position, Possessions, Popularity, and Pleasure. Knowing as Christians, that we were chosen by God, because of His sincere deep love for us, why do we struggle to keep the commitment that Joshua made before the people; to serve the Lord, and put Him first and foremost in our lives? To be honest, it's because of our sinful nature, that causes us to chase after the gods of this world, instead of placing our lives in the love and care of the true God of the universe. God made His choice, and we must make our choice. Jesus told us that "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24) What will be "Our Choice?" GP Photo by bluebay. Published on 21 February 2015
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"For The Sake Of The Call"

"And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Then they immediately left their nets and followed Him. (Matthew 4:19-20) A popular song recorded by Steven Curtis Chapman entitled "For The Sake Of The Call" challenges us to have the same desire and commitment that the disciples did, when they left their nets, to become apart of Jesus' kingdom outreach ministry. The question comes: Have we come to the place in our Christian walk, where we have truly accepted the call, to try and bring people to the Savior? When we go through the week, do we focus on our commission to share the Gospel, and make disciples of all nations? (Matthew 28:19-20) Has it become an urgent thing with us, or just an optional thing? Are we serious about this ministry, or do we leave it for others to do? If you and another person were in a burning house, and you knew of a way out, would you not quickly reveal the path to safety, and pursue that path, or would you say, and do nothing, and burn to death? Without Jesus, people have no hope. If they die without a saving relationship with Him, what will be their eternal destiny? If there is one thing that is clear in Scripture, it is God's plan for the salvation of man-kind. And we as Christians are apart of that rescue effort. We can't afford to think that there is plenty of time. For so many, time is of the essence! GP Photo by noomhh. Published on 18 April 2012
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How "Strong" Are We?

"I can do all things through Christ who strenthens me." (Philippians 4:13) What does it take to live the Christian life these days? There are many things that could be mentioned, but this one thing the Apostle Paul mentions in our text, is very essential, and that is "strength". It would be nice if we could do like the people at Staples (R), and hit the "easy button" when ever we had to deal with temptation or trial. Or to just speak the words, and in an instant an insurance agent appears out of nowhere and says that "we're covered" and that "everything is going to be alright." Most of the time, we are not taken out of our circumstances, but have to deal with them head on. That takes "strength". The Apostle Paul does not hesitate to mention to the Christians at Phillipi (and us) who the source of His strength is: It's Jesus Christ. He is our Savior, but He is also our sustainer. I believe He was the one who was with the three Hebrew boys, when they were thrown into the fiery furnace. (Daniel 3) To know that in all things we face that is difficult, the Lord will be present with us. His Word, His example, His sovereignty, should be a source of comfort to us. The Lord will truly do His part, but we have to do ours. To say in faith, "I can do all things" is the key to unlocking the door of blessings that comes from the Lord. Again, we stand in the grace of God, in Christ Jesus. And we stand there confident, because we believe that "all things will work together for good; because we love God, and we want to accpmplish His purpose for our lives." (Romans 8:28)
Yes, we are not strong within ourselves, but in Christ, we can do more than what we think is possible. GP I received inspiration from my mother in the writing of this article!   
Photo by Stuart Miles. Published on 06 March 2013
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Bearing With One Another

"Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do." (Colossians 3:13) I like this commercial on television, that is promoting an insurance company, and the girl on the commercial talks about when you bump into someone with your car, and because of it, they raise your rates. She says: "Why should we get punished for using our insurance?" "News-flash insurance companies, nobody's perfect." This is so true in our relationships with one another in the body of Christ. No one is perfect. We all are like buildings under construction. The Apostle Paul, says that we are to be "bearing with one another" The fruit of the Spirit "Long-suffering" (Galatians 5:22) comes into view here, as we talk about how we are to "bear" with the problems that people have in their lives. All of us, are not easy to get along with at times. There are times when we really must be patience with each other, and try to help each other with the selfishness, hurt, and discouragement that we deal with. No one is perfect, and all of us stand in the grace of God. We need to be in God's Word everyday, and we need the encouragement, and support of fellow Christians, as we face the troubles of the moments in our lives. To say to someone who is acting out of line with the will of God" I love you, but you need to listen!" is a proper approach. The struggle to keep one tied to the rope of God's love, and God's will, is worth it. If not they could fall to their death. GP Photo by stockimages. Published on 01 May 2014
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Playing With Fire!

I am preaching this Sunday on Sexual sin (Read Proverbs 5:1-23)
It was a shocking tragedy. A 15 year-old boy was strangled by the family’s pet. The slender youth had gone to an upstairs bedroom to play with an 11 foot Burmese python. Nobody is sure how it happened, but the supposedly tame snake turned into a killer that took the boy’s life. Why play with a powerful snake that can turn into a horrifying agent of death? Why even bring such a potentially dangerous creature into the house? This news story changes the adage “Don’t play with fire!” into a flashing warning signal. (Our Daily Bread/12/94) Being involved in sex outside of marriage is like playing with fire. We will not be the only ones to get burned, and to feel the affects of this act of disobedience. God intended sex to be between a man and a woman (Read Matthew 19:4-6) It makes the intimate statement that there is love for each another, a care for each another, a feeling of security, that we will be there for each other. Opposite this, in the act of adultery, is the selfish desire to find satisfaction in our sexual desires. And it doesn't go any further than that. To God the act of adultery is sin. It is breaking one of the ten commandments. (Exodus 20:14) It is like giving someone a present, all wrapped up in pretty paper, with pretty bows, and only to find nothing inside. God placed the act of sex in marriage, not to rob us, but to protect us, and to have the enjoyment of it, be right with Him, and us. (GP)
Photo by sumetho. Published on 14 June 2012 www.freedigitalphotos.net

Essential Access

"Let us draw nearer with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:22) Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, we have access to God, any time, and any where. The choice is ours to take advantage of this opportunity to draw near to God. We come to the cross, and we repent of our sins, and we place ourselves in the waters of baptism so our hearts can be washed clean from the sinful nature, and the evil conscience. The Apostle Paul made it clear in Romans 6:4 "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." This salvation process has prepared us for fellowship with the heavenly Father, now and forever. Because our life is in Christ, we can draw near to God, and enjoy His presence, and His provision. But again the choice is ours. The problem is that we have a lot of distractions, that the enemy is hoping we will take advantage of. Yes, you can say that your life is in Christ. Yes, you can say that you are a Christian. Just don't get so serious about it. Yes, it's important, but it isn't that important. Can you hear Satan whispering these words in your ear. When the golden scepter was held out by the king, one could come into his court. (Esther 4:11) Thanks to Jesus Christ, we have that access, let's take advantage of it! (GP)

Our Position With The President!

"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." (Romans 13:1) Today is "Presidents' Day." and I felt that I should write an article concerning the importance of honoring the office of the President. Although I don't always agree with the actions of the person who is serving as president, I am instructed by God's Word to respect the office, and try to subscribe to the rulings that are given. First and foremost, as Christians we are citizens of heaven. And first and foremost is the obedience to the instruction of God's Word. It is hard to submit to rulings that go against what is taught in the Word of God.
But instead of severe criticism, slander, and even violent protest, we are commanded to show love, and respect. It is not wrong to have a voice in this nation. but it is wrong to make that voice so angry, and hostile that it defeats the objective all together. From our text we are reminded that the authorities that exist, have been appointed by God. Whoever is in the office of the presidency, or any of the legislative positions, are there because God allowed it. For us it is not a question of why they are there. For us as citizens of heaven, and of America, the question is, are we going to act like responsible citizens, and strive to live in peace, instead of chaos and conflict. In my family, I did not always agree with my father. But I still loved him, and obeyed what he said. That same love and respect is to be shown, by us, who are apart of the national American family. Let's keep our leaders in our prayers! GP www.freedigitalphotos.com

Lust Or Love?

"But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."(Matthew 5:28) 
I have been hearing a lot about a movie entitled: "Fifty Shades Of Grey" based on a novel by E.L. James. I have not seen the movie, nor will I see the movie, because it features explicit sex, that I feel no one in the public eye should see. I believe that it gives both men and women opportunity to pursue their lustful feelings, connected with their human nature. Jesus said in our text, that if a man looks at a woman with lustful intent, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart, and that is sin. Pursuing our sexuality these days is a constant endeavor. Sex is everywhere. from TV shows, movies, books, songs, advertisements. All around us we see the allure of sex. I had a man in my church during a Bible study ask the question: "Do people know the difference between love and lust? When the quest is "to make love" are people really wanting to express real true sincere love, or be satisfied sexually? For married people, sex is not just the opportunity to receive a real good feeling, but an opportunity to express strong intimate love. Sex outside of marriage is like playing with fire. In some way, your heart is going to be damaged. Your relationships are not going to be right. God placed sex in its proper place in marriage for a reason. As Christians, we need to show the world, that God knew what He was doing. And in doing the right thing, according to His will, we can live in peace. GP
Photo by photostock. Published on 05 June 2011 www.freedigitalphotos.com

The Plans I Have For You!"

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) What do you do, when you make plans, and you think these plans are under the umbrella of God's will, and than to find out, that they were not what the Lord wanted? How do you deal with the disappointment? God spoke to the people through Jeremiah and assurred them that even though they would spend time in captivity, there would be a time when He would bring them back to their homeland, back to Jerusalem. After 70 years, this did happen.
No doubt, to liive in captivity for this amount of time, led to more than a feeling of disappointment, but great sorrow, and despair. What is a people to do? The most important thing to do, is to to keep having faith. and trusting in God's future plans. We don't know what God has in store for us in the future. Our responsibility is to be faithful in what He has entrusted us with today. To be and to do the very best we can, with what we know today is the call on our lives. Instead of putting our heads in the sand, we need to keep our heads up, and look to the sunrise. Today is a new day, with new opportunities, and a path to positiveness and productivity. With God as our pilot, we can stay confident in the ride, knowing that the future is in His hands (GP)
Photo by stockimages. Published on 11 June 2014 www.freedigitalphotos.com