EVANGELIST

2012-01-06T14:53:00.001-06:00

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jongroves

2011-12-05T07:12:00.000-06:00

2011-09-24T19:43:00.001-05:00

2011-09-24T08:51:00.000-05:00

An atheist was seated next to a little girl on an airplane and he turned to her and said, Do you want to talk? Flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger. The little girl, who had just started to read her book, replied to the total stranger, what would you want to talk about? Oh, I don't know, said the atheist. How about why there is no God, or no Heaven or Hell, or no life after death? As he smiled smugly. OK, she said. Those could be interesting topics but let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff - grass. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, but a horse produces clumps. Why do you suppose that is? The atheist, visibly surprised by the little girl's intelligence, thinks about it and says, Hmm, I have no idea. To which the little girl replies, do you really feel qualified to discuss why there is no God, or no Heaven or Hell, or no life after death, when you don't know crap?

2011-09-21T10:32:00.001-05:00

HORRIBLE CONSCIENCE!

Ps 51:1-3

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

David's sin haunted him night and day! It was ever before him. He interpreted everything through the filter of this sin. Every conversation was scanned for clues that he had been found out. Every event, whether good or bad, was measured by his own personal and persistent knowledge of his sin. He understood the proverb which says: "The wicked flee when no man pursueth" Proverbs 28:1.

Lady Macbeth imagined blood on her hands which she could not wash away. She had convinced her husband to kill King Duncan and so she became queen ofScotland. This blood, seen only to her, prompted her to wash her hands obsessively and to utter the famous soliloquy: "Out, damned spot!"

Jer 2:22

22 For though thou wash thee with nitre, [mineral potash effervescing with acid] and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.

David knew what was required to wash away his sin and to cleanse his mind. He asked that his transgression be blotted out – that his iniquity might be washed – that his sin might be cleansed! In verse 7 he mentions being purged with hyssop which is a reference to the Passover custom of dipping hyssop, a bitter herb, in sacrificial blood and striking the lentil and the doorpost to protect against the avenger. Oh, the blood of Jesus, it washes white as snow!

Nothing But The Blood

Words and Music: Robert Lowry

What can wash away my sin?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

What can make me whole again?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

Oh! precious is the flow

That makes me white as snow;

No other fount I know,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Dear Lord, wash my conscience in Thy blood and let me cease from being chased by the ghosts of past sins! AMEN

Borrowed from my friend Ron.

2011-09-20T20:53:00.001-05:00

President Obama's finance team and Nancy Pelosi are recommending a 1% transactiontax on all financial transactions.
It is true. The bill is HR-4646 introduced by US Rep Peter deFazio D-Oregon and US Senator Tom Harkin D-Iowa.
Their plan is to sneak it in after the November election to keep it under the radar.
See what Nancy has to say about this wonderful idea!
http://tinyurl.com/24dn5ud
It's only 1%! This is a 1% tax on all transactions to or from any financial institution i.e. Banks, Credit Unions, Mutual funds, Brokers, etc.
Any deposit you make will have a 1% tax charged.
Any withdrawal you make, 1% tax.
Any transfer within your account, a transfer to or from savings and checking, will have a 1% tax charged.
Any ATM transaction, withdrawal or deposit, 1% tax.
If your pay check or your Social Security is direct deposited, 1% tax.
If you carry a check to your bank to deposit, 1% tax.
If you take cash in to deposit, 1% tax.
If you receive any income from a bond or a dividend from stock, 1% tax.
Any Real Estate Transaction, 1% tax.
This is from the man who promised that if you make under $250,000 per year, you will not see one penny of new tax! Remember, he is completely honest and trustworthy.
Keep your eyes and ears open.

Folks, Nancy says this would be a minimal tax on the people, but 1 percent every time you pay a bill or make a deposit is not minimal. This would no doubt tax investment transactions as well as bank account transactions.

Copied

The Green Thing

2011-08-08T08:12:00.000-05:00

In the line at the store, the young cashier told an older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.

The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day."

The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment."

She was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled.

But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.

But he was right.. We didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that old lady is right; we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana ..

In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us.

When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

No, we didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water.

We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.
But we didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service.

We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

2011-07-12T11:56:00.001-05:00

HEALTH MESSAGE:

1. If walking is good for your health, the postman would be immortal.
2. A whale swims all day, only eats fish, drinks water and is fat.
3. A rabbit runs and hops all the time and only lives 15 years.
4. A tortoise doesn't run, crawls along slowly, doesn't really do

anything...yet lives for 450 years.

AND YOU TELL ME TO EXERCISE????

2011-06-13T13:30:00.001-05:00

WHY MEN ARE SELDOM DEPRESSED:
Men Are Just Happier People -- What do you expect from such simple creatures?

Your last name stays put.
The garage is all yours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
You can be President.
You can never be pregnant.
You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
You can wear NO shirt to a water park.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.
The world is your urinal.
You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character.
Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100.
People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.
New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
One mood all the time.
Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
You know stuff about tanks.
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
You can open all your own jars.
You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
If someone forgets to invite you,
He or she can still be your friend.
Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
Three pairs of shoes are more than enough..
You almost never have strap problems in public.
You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes..
Everything on your face stays its original color..
The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
You only have to shave your face and neck.
You can play with toys all your life.
One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons.
You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look..
You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife.
You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.
You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives
On December 24 in 25 minutes.
No wonder men are happier.

   Men Are Just Happier People

NICKNAMES
·          If Sheila, Candy and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Sheila, Candy and Sarah.
·          If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Bubba and Wildman .

EATING OUT
·          When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it's only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back.
·          When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

MONEY
·          A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.
·          A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need but it's on sale.

BATHROOMS
·          A man has six items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel.
·          The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify more than 20 of these items.

ARGUMENTS
·          A woman has the last word in any argument.
·          Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

FUTURE
·          A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
·          A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

MARRIAGE
·          A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
·          A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, but she does.

DRESSING UP
·          A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail.
·          A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

NATURAL
·          Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.
·          Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

OFFSPRING
·          Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.
·          A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!

2011-05-26T08:28:00.001-05:00

WOMEN WHO KNOW THEIR PLACE

Barbara Walters, of 20/20, did a story on gender roles in Kabul , Afghanistan , several years before the Afghan conflict.

She noted that women customarily walked five paces behind their husbands.

She recently returned to Kabul and observed that women still walk behind their husbands. Despite the overthrow of the oppressive Taliban regime, the women now seem happy to maintain the old custom.

Ms Walters approached one of the Afghani women and asked, 'Why do you now seem happy with an old custom that you once tried so desperately to change?'

The woman looked Ms Walters straight in the eyes, and without hesitation said, "Land mines."

Moral of the story is, no matter what language you speak or where you go,

BEHIND EVERY MAN, THERE'S A SMART WOMAN!

Help Us Pay Off The Bus!

2011-05-16T18:23:00.002-05:00

http://www.gofundme.com/payoff-the-bus

How to understand women. Part 1

2011-05-14T20:30:00.001-05:00

2011-05-14T20:28:00.000-05:00

WHEN DID HE DIE?

2011-04-23T21:52:00.000-05:00

The Jewish calendar year consists of 360 days. Every seventh year, the Jews have what is called a Sabatical year to which they add an extra month. A Jewish month cycles from moon to moon.

Our Roman calendar, consisting of 365 1/4 days however, is based upon the earth's rotation around the sun. Roman calendar offers a leap year every 4th year.

Note: In Jewish culture, there were two passovers; a yearly passover and a weekly passover.

Note: The Jews count their days from 6pm to 6pm. See Genesis 1:5.

This information is based upon the Jewish calendar.

TUESDAY NIGHT-

around 7:00pm - Christ eats the passover with his disciples. Matthew 26:19,20

around 8:00pm - Jesus washes the Apostle's feet. John 13:3-12

around 10:00pm - Jesus and his disciples go to the Mount of Olives. Matthew 26:30,31

around 10:20pm - Jesus goes to Gethsemane for the first time. Mark 14:32-34

around 11:20pm - Jesus finds the Apostles sleeping. Mark 14:37

around 11:30pm - Jesus goes to pray the second time. Mark 14:39

WEDNESDAY-

around 12:30am - Jesus prays and finds the Apostles asleep again. Mark 14:41

around 1:30am - Jesus is taken prisoner. Mark 14:42,43

around 2:00am - Jesus is taken to Annas the cheif priest. John 18:12,13

around 2:30am - Peter and another disciple follow Jesus. Matthew 26:58, John 18:15

around 3:00am - Peter denies the first time. Luke 22:57, John 18:17

around 3:00am - Peter sits by the fire. Mark 14:48

around 3:00am - Jesus is questioned by cheif priest Annas. John 18:19

around 4:00am - Jesus is mocked. Luke 22:63

around 4:00am - Peter denies Christ the second time. Luke 22:59

around 4:30am - Jesus is bound and sent to Caiaphas the high priest. John 18:24

around 4;30am - Peter denies Christ the third time. John 18:25

around 6:00am - Jesus is taken to the Sanhedrin. Matthew 27:1, Mark 15:1, Luke 22:66 (Note: Morning)

around 7:00am - Judas returns the thirty pieces of silver. Matthew 27:3-7

around 8:00am - Jesus is questioned by Pilate. John 18:28 (early in the day) Luke 23:1, John 18:29,

Luke 23:5-7

around 9:00am - Jesus is taken to Herod and questioned for a long period. (many words) Luke 23:8,9

around 10:00am - Jesus is taken back to Pilate. Luke 23:11,12

around 10:15am - Pilate's wife tells of her dream about Jesus. Matthew 27:19

around 10:30am - Pilate is asked to release Barabbas and kill Jesus. Matthew 27:20-26, Luke 23:18

Luke 23:24,23

(NOTE: Jewish custom of crucifiction begins with whipping)

around 10:45am - Pilate gives his sentence and Jesus is whipped. Mark 15:15

around 11:45am - After the scourging, Jesus receives the crown of thorns. Mark 15:16-19

John 19: 4-17

12:00pm - The Sky Turns Dark and Jesus is led away. Luke 23:44,45, Mark 15:33

around 12:30pm - Jesus is stripped of his purple garments. Mark 15:20

around 1:00pm - Jesus is given the cross to carry. John 19:17

around 1:30pm - Simon of Cyrene carries Jesus cross. Mark 15:21, Luke 23:27-32, John 19:18

around 2:00pm - A title of 3 languages was placed on the cross. John 19:19,20

around 3:00pm - Jesus hangs on the cross

Mark 15:24,25 - This is the completion!

Mark 15:34-37 - Eli Eli Lama Sabachthani

Matthew 27:49-54 - HE DIED.

Church Humor

2011-03-30T09:10:00.001-05:00

A LITTLE BOY IN CHURCH FOR THE FIRST TIME WATCHED AS THE USHERS PASSED AROUND THE OFFERING PLATES.
WHEN THEY CAME NEAR HIS PEW, THE BOY SAID LOUDLY, "DON'T PAY FOR ME DADDY I'M UNDER FIVE."

2011-03-14T21:00:00.001-05:00

SOME OF YOU MAY APPRECIATE THIS AND SOME OF YOU MAY NOT.

I DO NOT APOLOGIZE FOR SENDING THIS BECAUSE OF IT'S TRUTH.

If any other of our presidents had doubled the national debt, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, in one year, would you have approved?

If any other of our presidents had then proposed to double the debt again within 10 years, would you have approved?

If any other of our presidents had criticized a state law that he admitted he never even read, would you think that he is just an ignorant hot head?

If any other of our presidents joined the country of Mexico and sued a state in the United States to force that state to continue to allow illegal immigration, would you question his patriotism and wonder who's side he was on?

If any other of our presidents had pronounced the Marine Corps like Marine Corpse, would you think him an idiot?

If any other of our presidents had put 87,000 workers out of work by arbitrarily placing a moratorium on offshore oil drilling on companies that have one of the best safety records of any industry because one foreign company had an accident, would you have agreed?

If any other of our presidents had used a forged document as the basis of the moratorium that would render 87000 American workers unemployed would you support him?

If any other of our presidents had been the first President to need a Teleprompter installed to be able to get through a press conference, would you have laughed and said this is more proof of how inept he is on his own and is really controlled by smarter men behind the scenes?

If any other of our presidents had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to take his First Lady to a play in NYC, would you have approved?

If any other of our presidents had reduced your retirement plan holdings of GM stock by 90% and given the unions a majority stake in GM, would you have approved?

If any other of our presidents had made a joke at the expense of the Special Olympics, would you have approved?

If any other of our presidents had given Gordon Brown a set of inexpensive and incorrectly formatted DVDs, when Gordon Brown had given him a thoughtful and historically significant gift, would you have approved?

If any other of our presidents had given the Queen of England an iPod containing videos of his speeches, would you have thought it a proud moment for America ?

If any other of our presidents had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia , would you have approved?

If any other of our presidents had visited Austria and made reference to the nonexistent "Austrian language," would you have brushed it off as a minor slip?

If any other of our presidents had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with people who cannot seem to keep current in their income taxes, would you have approved?

If any other of our presidents had stated that there were 57 states in the United States , wouldn't you have had second thoughts about his capabilities?

If any other of our presidents would have flown all the way to Denmark to make a five minute speech about how the Olympics would benefit him walking out his front door in his home town, would you not have thought he was a self important, conceited, egotistical jerk.

If any other of our presidents had been so Spanish illiterate as to refer to "Cinco de Cuatro" in front of the Mexican ambassador when it wasthe 5th of May (Cinco de Mayo), and continued to flub it when he tried again, wouldn't you have winced in embarrassment?

If any other of our presidents had burned 9,000 gallons of jet fuel to go plant a single tree on Earth Day, would you have concluded he's a hypocrite?

If any other of our presidents' administrations had okayed Air Force One flying low over millions of people followed by a jet fighter in downtown Manhattan causing widespread panic, would you have wondered whether they actually get what happened on 9-11?

If any other of our presidents had failed to send relief aid to flood victims throughout the Midwest with more people killed or made homeless than in New Orleans , would you want it made into a major ongoing political issue with claims of racism and incompetence?

If any other of our presidents had created the position of 32 Czars who report directly to him, bypassing the House and Senate on much of what is happening in America , would you have ever approved.

If any other of our presidents had ordered the firing of the CEO of a major corporation, even though he had no constitutional authority to do so, would you have approved?

So, tell me again, what is it about Obama that makes him so brilliant and impressive?

Can't think of anything? Don't worry. He's done all this in 24 months -- so you have that much time to come up with an answer.

Every statement and action in this email is factual and directly attributable to Barrack Hussein Obama. Every bumble is a matter of record and completely verifiable.

2011-03-08T21:25:00.001-06:00

The author of this was Muslim and now is a Christian. Please read.
These are troubling times.  This was written by a woman born in Egypt as a Muslim.
Make sure you read the paragraph (in red) toward the end.



Joys of Muslim Women
by Nonie Darwish

In the Muslim faith a Muslim man can marry a child as young as 1 year old and have sexual intimacy with this child, consummating the marriage by 9. The dowry is given to the family in exchange for the woman (who becomes his slave) and for the purchase of the private parts of the woman, to use her as a toy.
Even though a woman is abused, she can not obtain a divorce.
To prove rape, the woman must have (4) male witnesses.
Often after a woman has been raped, she is returned to her family and the family must return the dowry. The family has the right to execute her (an honor killing) to restore the honor of the family. Husbands can beat their wives 'at will' and the man does not have to say why he has beaten her.
The husband is permitted to have 4 wives and a temporary wife for an hour (prostitute) at his discretion.

The Shariah Muslim law controls the private as well as the public life of the woman.

In the Western World ( America ) Muslim men are starting to demand Shariah Law so the wife can not obtain a divorce and he can have full and complete control of her. It is amazing and alarming how many of our sisters and daughters attending American Universities are now marrying Muslim men and submitting themselves and their children unsuspectingly to the Shariah law.
By passing this on, enlightened American women may avoid becoming a slave under Shariah Law.
Ripping the West in Two
Author and lecturer Nonie Darwish says the goal of radical Islamists is to impose Shariah law on the world, ripping Western law and liberty in two.

She recently authored the book,Cruel and Usual Punishment: The Terrifying Global Implications of Islamic Law.

Darwish was born in Cairo and spent her childhood in Egypt and Gaza   before immigrating to America in 1978, when she was eight years old. Her father died while leading covert attacks on Israel . He was a high-ranking Egyptian military officer stationed with his family in Gaza ..
When he died, he was considered a "shahid," a martyr for jihad. His posthumous status earned Nonie and her family an elevated position in Muslim society.

But Darwish developed a skeptical eye at an early age. She questioned her own Muslim culture and upbringing. She converted to Christianity after hearing a Christian preacher on television.

In her latest book, Darwish warns about creeping sharia law - what it is, what it means, and how it is manifested in Islamic countries.

For the West, she says radical Islamists are working to impose sharia on the world. If that happens, Western civilization will be destroyed. Westerners generally assume all religions encourage a respect for the dignity of each individual. Islamic law (Sharia) teaches that non-Muslims should be subjugated or killed in this world.
Peace and prosperity for one's children is not as important as assuring that Islamic law rules everywhere in the Middle East and eventually in the world.

While Westerners tend to think that all religions encourage some form of the golden rule, Sharia teaches two systems of ethics - one for Muslims and another for non-Muslims. Building on tribal practices of the seventh century, Sharia encourages the side of humanity that wants to take from and subjugate others.

While Westerners tend to think in terms of religious people developing a personal understanding of and relationship with God, Sharia advocates executing people who ask difficult questions that could be interpreted as criticism.
It's hard to imagine, that in this day and age, Islamic scholars agree that those who criticize Islam or choose to stop being Muslim should be executed. Sadly, while talk of an Islamic reformation is common and even assumed by many in the West, such murmurings in the Middle East are silenced through intimidation.

While Westerners are accustomed to an increase in religious tolerance over time, Darwish explains how petro dollars are being used to grow an extremely intolerant form of political Islam in her native Egypt and elsewhere.

In twenty years there will be enough Muslim voters in the U.S. to elect the President by themselves! Rest assured they will do so... You can look at how they have taken over several towns in the USA .. Dearborn Mich. is one... and there are others...

I think everyone in the U.S. should be required to read this, but with the ACLU, there is no way this will be widely publicized, unless each of us sends it on!

It is too bad that so many are disillusioned with life and Christianity to accept Muslims as peaceful. Some may be, but they have an army that is willing to shed blood in the name of Islam. The peaceful support the warriors with their finances and own kind of patriotism to their religion. While America is getting rid of Christianity from all public sites and erasing God from the lives of children the Muslims are planning a great jihad on America ..

This is your chance to make a difference!
Pass it on to your email list--or at least those you think will listen.

2011-02-17T15:28:00.000-06:00

Young Mr. Spurgeon

Matthew 5:1-48

How Would This Innovator Be Received Today?

By the middle of 1852, a young minister serving in the quaint and pastoral village of Waterbeach, located just a few miles from Cambridge, England, was becoming a minor local celebrity—a prologue to a much bigger story to come. There was a chapel in another hamlet not far away, overseen by a faithful servant of God who was well more than 80 years old. The congregants purposed to have a special service to mark their pastor's anniversary at their church.

Who better to invite to speak on the important occasion than the popular young preacher?

The old pastor never had met the guest minister; and he paced the floor before the appointed hour, waiting for him to arrive. He barely noticed when a round-faced lad of 17 came through the door. "Surely this can't be the preacher," he thought. When it was confirmed to him this was indeed the person tasked with delivering the homily that special day, the old man did not try all that hard to hide his disdain bordering on disgust. He muttered something about young boys who began preaching, "Before their mother's milk was well out of their mouths." In fact, he was somewhat embarrassed to attend the service; but he did, dutifully.

The young preacher took the shoddy treatment in stride. He already had developed a bit of a thick skin, tending not to shy away from responding to those who despised him because of his youth. Wise beyond his years, he began his address with some careful remarks about the local pastor and the "hoary head" being a "crown of glory." The octogenarian was moved by this and soon warmed up to the younger man. Then he actually found himself impressed. When the sermon was done, he remarked to the young preacher: "You are the sauciest dog that ever barked in a pulpit!" ------

READ THE FULL ARTICLE NOW AT PREACHING.COM --- here's the direct link:http://www.preaching.com/resources/articles/11645824/

Sent from my iPhone

Can you say 'Depths of Hell'

2011-02-14T23:44:00.001-06:00

This weekend, the Memorial DrivePresbyterian Church in Houston along with Christian communities in Atlanta, Seattle, and Detroit will initiate a series of sermons that have been designed to produce an ecumenical reconciliation between Christianity and Islam.
In addition to the sermons, the Sunday school lessons will center on the inspired teachings of the Prophet Mohammad.
Qurans will be placed in the pews next to the Bibles.
The concept of Chrislam, now embraced by such preachers as Rick Warren and Robert Schuller, appears to have emerged from a program on the meaning of "love your neighbor" at Grace Fellowship Church inAtlanta, Georgia
http://thelastcrusade.org/2010/11/04/chrislam-spreads-throughout-america/

Just recently, Rick Warren, founder and pastor of Saddleback Community Churchin Orange County California, addressed the convention of the Islamic Society of North America. Warren stated that Muslims and Christians must work together to combat stereotypes, promote peace and freedom, and solve global problems. Christians and Moslems – faith mates, soul mates and now work mates! Chrislam!
http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/blog/?p=1366

The off-base Emerging Church is encouraging pastors to embrace an ecumenical concept of combining Christianity and Islam, actually partnering with Islam, to launch a new religion called…Chrislam—which would combine the two. So far, they have managed to gather 130 Christian leaders who collectively state that Muslims and Christians worship the same God. No they do not!
Brian McLaren , the leader of the Emerging Church Movement wrote on his five-part blog entry why Christians should join with Muslims in the Ramadan fast. As to be expected, another leader in that Emerging Churchmovement is Dr. Tony Campolo. Campolo says he is not convinced that Jesus lives only in Christians. In his distorted view, an Islamic "brother" who has fed the hungry and clothed the naked clearly has a personal relationship with Christ, only he doesn't know it. How's that again?
http://www.cc.org/print/6430

Dr. Jon

Touching Hearts,

Increasing Hope

2011-02-06T07:12:00.000-06:00

Truth Is A Person
Then said Jesus . . . And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:31–32
So we learn that Truth is not a thing for which we must search, but a Person to whom we must hearken! In the New Testament, multitudes came to Jesus for physical help, but only rarely did one seek Him out to learn the Truth. The whole picture in the Gospels is one of a seeking Savior, not one of seeking men.

Dr. Jon
Touching Hearts,
Increasing Hope

2011-02-05T09:38:00.000-06:00

Going Out In Style

Unable to attend the funeral after his father died, a son who lived far away called his brother and told him, "Do something nice for Dad and send me the bill."

Later, he got a bill for $200.00, which he paid. The next month, he got another bill for $200.00, which he also paid, figuring it was some incidental expense.

Bills for $200.00 kept arriving every month, and finally the man called his brother again to find out what was going on.

"Well," said the other brother, "you said to do something nice for Dad. So I rented him a tuxedo."

Dr. Jon

Touching Hearts,

Increasing Hope

2011-01-13T09:36:00.001-06:00

Love Without Measure

Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love.Jeremiah 31:3

On this earth a mother will love the son who has betrayed her and shamed her and is now on his way to a life in prison. That seems to be a natural thing for a mother. But there is nothing natural about this love of God. It is a divine thing. It is forced out by the inward pressure within the heart of the God of all grace. That is why He waits for us, puts up with us, desires to lead us on—He loves us!

This should be our greatest encouragement in view of all that we know about ourselves: God loves us without measure, and He is so keenly interested in our spiritual growth and progress that He stands by in faithfulness to teach and instruct and discipline us as His own dear children!

Dr. Jon

Touching Hearts,

Increasing Hope

2010-12-30T08:48:00.001-06:00

Isaiah 55:7

"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

Dr. Jon

Touching Hearts,

Increasing Hope

A. W. Tozer - Mornings with Tozer

2010-12-30T08:38:00.001-06:00

God's Sovereign Plan

Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God . . . For he must reign. 1 Corinthians 15:24–25

Many people continue to live in daily fear that the world "is coming to an end."

Only in the Scriptures do we have the description and prediction of the age-ending heavenly and earthly events when our Lord and Savior will be universally acknowledged as King of kings and Lord of lords.

God's revelation makes it plain that in "that day" all will acclaim Him "victor"!

Human society, generally, refuses to recognize God's sovereignty or His plan for His redeemed people. But no human being or world government will have any control in that fiery day of judgment yet to come.

John's vision of things to come tells us clearly and openly that at the appropriate time this world will be taken away from men and placed in the hands of the only Man who has the wisdom and authority to rightly govern.

That Man is the eternal Son of God, the worthy Lamb, our Lord Jesus Christ!

Dear Lord, I pray today for the remaining people groups in the world who have not yet heard the gospel message. Without knowing You, Father, many will be lost eternally when the end of the world comes. Lord, raise up specific individuals to take Your Word to those remaining peoples.

Sent from the Mornings with Tozer, by A. W. Tozer. For devotionals like this one for your iPhone, visit us at 43rdElement.com

Dr. Jon

Touching Hearts,

Increasing Hope

2010-12-09T19:10:00.000-06:00

The Bathtub Test

During a visit to my doctor, I asked him, "How do you determine
Whether or not an older person should be put in an old age home?"

"Well," he said, "we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a
Teacup and a bucket to the person to empty the bathtub."

"Oh, I understand," I said. "A normal person would use the bucket
Because it is bigger than the spoon or the teacup."

"No" he said. "A normal person would pull the plug. Do you
Want a bed near the window?"

Dr. Jon

Touching Hearts,

Increasing Hope

2010-12-06T23:03:00.000-06:00

Ok. Admit it. It's funny!

2010-11-15T09:36:00.000-06:00

Frenemies!

A few years ago I heard someone say, "Oh, she's my 'frenemy'." I chuckled at first, but later I got thinking about it and realized that it was a pretty sad thing! To have such a volatile relationship with someone that you consider a close friend must be extremely exhausting and overwhelming.

God tells us to choose our friends wisely because they have a tremendous impact upon our potential. Yesterday, after I got done talking about how to choose wise friends, one of our regular attenders came up to me and shared one of his favorite quotes. "Show me who your friends are and I'll show you your future." – great quote!

Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."

Copied.

Dr. Jon

Touching Hearts,

Increasing Hope

2010-11-06T23:39:00.001-05:00

It's been said, the world's greatest physician is optimism. All of us have two choices in the way we look at things. It's like the little poem says, "Two women behind prison bars; one saw mud, the other saw stars." We're told there is always time to look at the dark side. But I've observed such a time never comes to those who have removed their tinted glasses and looked at the bright side.

I've noticed through the years that things always go better for an optimist, no matter what the circumstances. Certainly, there are necessary negatives in the Bible and life. But they are few in comparison to all the positive promises. Let's face it; the Word of God is an eternally optimistic Book. And so should we be, if we profess to believe it (2 Cor.1:20).

No Christian who believes Romans 8:28 can remain a pessimist.

Dr. Sandlin

Dr. Jon

Touching Hearts,

Increasing Hope

2010-11-05T17:32:00.001-05:00

Tell your kids they cant just show up at my house,, looking for you!!

2010-11-05T11:20:00.000-05:00

If you don't know GOD, don't make stupid remarks!!!!!!!

A United States Marine was attending some college courses between assignments. He had completed missions in Iraq andAfghanistan . One of the courses had a professor who was an avowed atheist and a member of the ACLU.

One day the professor shocked the class when he came in he looked to the ceiling and flatly stated, 'God, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15 min utes.' The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop.

Ten minutes went by and the professor proclaimed, 'Here I am God. I'm still waiting' It got down to the last couple of minutes when the Marine got out of his chair, went up to the professor, and cold-cocked him, knocking him off the platform. The professor was out cold.

The Marine went back to his seat and sat there, silently. The other students were shocked, stunned, and sat there looking on in silence. The professor eventually came to, noticeably shaken, looked at the Marine and asked, 'What the heck is the matter with you? Why did you do that?' The Marine calmly replied, 'God was too busy today protecting American soldiers who are protecting your right to say stupid stuff and act like an idiot. So, He sent me.'

And all God's people said -- AMEN!

Dr. Jon

Touching Hearts,

Increasing Hope

The will of God is....

2010-11-04T08:36:00.000-05:00

Jim Elliot said, "The Will of God is always bigger than we bargained for." This is true in more ways than one; for God's will, to the surprise of many, affects not just us, but others. As Oswald Chambers writes, "If we obey God it is going to cost other people more than it costs us." We cannot prevent the suffering of others if we are going to do God's Will. To attempt to relieve their grief will only grieve the Lord. Allow Him to deal with all the consequences resulting in our obeying Him.

When the wise men followed God's plan for their lives, the result was that untold numbers of children, under the age of two, were killed by Herod. How do you suppose the parents, grandparents, and siblings of those little ones felt toward the three men's brand of Christianity? And what about James and John who left their old father sitting in a boat, leaving him alone with a business he had built-up for his sons to take? The two had left all to follow the Galilean, of whom there was such controversy that people were divided everywhere He went.

In the movie entitled, The Untouchables, there is a great scene that illustrates my point. Eliot Ness, played by Kevin Costner, wants to bring down Al Capone. He asks a regular cop on the beat named Malone, played by Sean Connery, how to do this. to which the seasoned cop answers by asking the question, "What are you prepared to do?" "Are you willing to go all the way?" What about us, what is our answer?

God's Will is about God, not about us and others!

Dr. Sandlin

Dr. Jon

Touching Hearts,

Increasing Hope

2010-10-12T10:16:00.001-05:00

Kenneth Gangel says, "the one who rows a boat seldom has time to rock it." It is better to serve in the church than to criticize others.

Dr. Jon

Touching Hearts,

Increasing Hope

2010-10-09T15:22:00.000-05:00

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING IN YOUR FAMILY?

2010-10-01T22:44:00.000-05:00

Made you laugh!

THE CHURCH THAT WAS DEAD AND DIDN'T KNOW IT

2010-09-30T23:53:00.002-05:00

THE CHURCH THAT WAS DEAD AND DIDN’T KNOW IT

REVELATION 3:1-6

There is nothing in the world like attending a church that is winning the lost, living for God, and whose services are uplifting in spirit. And, there is nothing like attending an old dead church.
Its building may be magnificent, it may have all the required services and go through all the forms, but if it is not on fire for God and for a lost world, it is a stench in the nostrils of God.

Five Points Written to Sardis:

1. THE CONDITION

* Had a name that it lived, but it was dead.
Example: After Samson’s hair was cut, he knew not that the power of the Lord had left him.
Once they were happy and active in service, today they live in cold neglect of their Christian duties.
Once they could hardly wait to go to church, now they consider every visit a chore.
Once their heart sang with joy, but today they are full of cold ashes.
Revelation 2:4 ..... Thou hast left thy first love.
* They are Deceptive.
Flowers are beautiful to gaze upon...... then as we draw nigh, we find that they are mere images, which are actually fake flowers.
What went on in the Sardis Church?
- They Prayed..... but it was mere recitations.
- The Music..... But it touched no ones heart.
- The Tithe..... Gave out of a sense of duty not love of Christ.
A church that went through the motions, but a church that was dead spiritually.

2. THE COUNSEL
A. Be watchful.
Christians are to be on guard always, lest sin and the world creep in and rob him of his spiritual power.

B. Strengthen the things which remain.
All the works that they were doing remained, but now they must put life to them. They must do them out of love of Christ and a sincere heart.
The church had quantity, but no quality.
Do you worship or do you just come and listen to the songs and sermon?

C. Remember all the things that they had received and hold them tightly.
Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

D. Repent.
If you have grown cold toward the things of God, you are also called to repent.

3. THE CONSEQUENCES
* They must repent or He will come upon them like a thief in the night.
A man who is ready to face Christ can be happy about it.

4. THE CHRISTIAN
Searching out the good in the church, Christ finds this:
“Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.”
FAITHFUL FEW - they really love Christ and kept Him in their hearts and worshiped Him in sincerity and truth.
Separated in :
A. Prayer
B. Witnessing
These people were:
A. The few among the many.
B. The spiritual among the worldly.
C. The pure among the vile.
D. The active among the inactive.
E. The living among the dead.
F. The saved among the lost.
G. The victorious among the defeated.

5. THE COMPENSATIONS
Those that overcome:
A. Walk with Him in white.
B. Assurance that they will never be lost.
C. Confessed before God and His angels.

The Armenians were cruelly tortured by the Turks. Then the Americans came and set up relief camps for the refugees. One who came to camp was a young girl. Her dark eyes were full of pain and her body hardly seemed able to stand the strain of waiting for the doctors. Someone said to her, “Have you been hurt?” And she answered, “I am bearing the cross. I bear in my body the cross of Jesus Christ. Now I know how He suffered.” They didn’t understand her, but in a few minutes a nurse came up to her. The girl slipped her loose, dirty dress from her shoulders and revealed a cross that had been branded with hot irons into her shoulder. The wound was burning with fever, swollen and infected. The girl then explained, “Every day they would say to me, ‘Mohammed or Christ?’ When I said ‘Christ,’ they brought the iron and branded a cross on my shoulder. I thought I would die before relief came. Now as long as I live I will bear the cross and someday when I see Jesus I will be glad.

2010-09-30T01:03:00.001-05:00

Please pray for my dear friend, Pastor Jeff Davis. As he stood before the church and announced just how sick he really is; my heart broke! His smile truly speaks for his heart. A man's man and a preacher's preacher!

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CHRISTIAN REPENTS

2010-09-29T14:27:00.002-05:00

Psalms 51

What happens when a Christian repents?

1. ATTITUDE CHANGES ABOUT SIN
vs.1,2 "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2.Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin."

2. AN INWARD WORKING TAKES PLACE
vs.6 "Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hiden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom."

3. A DESIRE FOR GOD'S FORGIVENESS
vs.4,9 "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. 9.Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities."

4. GOD FORGIVES
1John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

5. GOD RESTORES
vs.12 "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvaton: and uphold me with thy free spirit."

WHAT DOES SIN DO TO THE CHRISTIAN

2010-09-29T14:07:00.003-05:00

Psalms 51

What does SIN do to the Christian?

1. SIN SOILS THE SOUL.
vs. 1,2 "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2.Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin."

2. SIN FILLS THE MIND
vs.3,4 "For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4.Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest."

3. SIN DEPRESSES THE HEART
vs.10 "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."

4. SIN BRINGS CHASTISEMENT
vs.11-13 "Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12.Restore unto me they joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 13.Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee."

5. SIN GRIEVES THE HOLY SPIRIT
vs.14 "Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness."

6. SIN DEPRIVES US FROM OUR WITNESS
vs.15 "O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise."

A 1934 prophetic cartoon

2010-09-28T10:53:00.000-05:00

Reflections

2010-09-19T09:21:00.000-05:00

Oh how good our God is!

Prayer

2010-08-28T23:32:00.002-05:00

Luke chapter 11 opens a window of information as to how prayer is to be offered.
The disciple's request for Jesus to teach them about prayer may seem strange, considering that they knew John had already taught on this same subject.

Consider these:
1. How Do We Pray?
2. How Does God Answer?
3. What Happens?

How To Pray:
1. Talk to the Father. vs.2
2. Speak in Jesus Name. Rev.19:13
3. Take you time.
4. Take time to listen.
5. Be on your spiritual knees.
6. Focus on God.

Note: Prayer is directed towards God on behalf of man; against the devil.

There are three ways that God speaks to us:
1. Through the Bible
2. The Holy Ghost
3. Circumstances

When we speak to God:
1. Gratitude ( Be Thankful )
2. Be in Agreement with Him
3. Prayer

Although there are three types of requests; 1. Petition 2. Suplication 3. Intercessory; there are also conditions for our prayers.
When we pray, we must pray in:
1. Faith
2. God's Will
3. Pure Heart
4. Forgiving Spirit
5. In the Holy Spirit
6. Sincerity
7. Proper Fellowship with God

Prayer is much like the Trinity in that it is To the Father, Through the Son, and In the Spirit.

When we Pray we must be sure that we enter into the presence of the Father first by the Blood, and second by the Holy Spirit.
We must also make sure we are talking directly to the Father.

Note: True earnest prayer is not man made but comes through the Holy Spirit.

It gets really HOT in Texas.

2010-08-25T01:34:00.001-05:00

Sandy Creek Revival

2010-08-16T14:03:00.000-05:00

You may not believe this, but the greatest revival in the history of America, a story of unparallel success and Holy Ghost power, is known by only a handful of Americans.

I am talking about the profound revival of the Separate Baptists of North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina. That revival began in 1755 and did not relent for 100 years. The Separates went out from North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia, and were the first to preach the gospel in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, and Illinois. Their legacy is responsible for the gospel being preached in Missouri, Arkansas and Texas.

Who began this great revival? An obscure Connecticut preacher, whose heart was stirred for salvation and soul winning under the ministry of George Whitefield. His name: Shubal Stearns. Stearns was a “new-light” congregational church preacher after his conversion under Whitefield. His study of the Bible led him to embrace Baptist principles and so was immersed by Wait Palmer at the Baptist Church of Tolland, Connecticut early in 1751. Stearns was ordained as a Baptist in May of that same year. He felt impressed of God to move to some place in the south and west of New England to preach the gospel to the large number of migrating Americans moving into the pioneer south. He found his place to serve at a crossroads in western North Carolina called Sandy Creek and settled his infant church with 16 members on June 13, 1755.

Within 13 years, 17 men surrendered to the gospel ministry and fanned out across the north and south and west of Sandy Creek. The immediate results were astonishing for the frontier era. There were over 900 baptized in the first three years for the Sandy Creek congregation alone. No one knows how many in the branch churches. At the time of Shubal Stearns death in 1771, there were 47 churches birthed from those original 17 preachers. The Sandy Creek association began in 1758 and was effective in organizing more new churches. By 1772 three associations had formed from the original and the vision and burden of winning the lost, baptizing the saved, and birthing new churches into existence was a part of the make-up of nearly all of the Baptist churches of the south. It is estimated that the Sandy Creek Revival directly resulted in the birthing of over 1,000 churches.

This is astounding. So why is it that no one knows much about it? Why the cover-up?

Some thoughts:

1. The Separate Baptist Revival was much too Baptist for the “evangelical alliance” that emerged in the mid to late 19th century.

The revival era of the 19th century was featured by an ecumenical spirit, which was possible at that time to practice without a lot of compromise. The revival era that produced the “evangelical alliance” was not a time for discussion about infant baptism, Baptist heritage and Baptist distinctives.

2. The way the Revival was continued was far too convicting for the next generation to report it. These people were bold:

“On the 4th of June, 1768, John Waller, Lewis Craig, James Childs, &c. were seized by the sheriff and hailed before three magistrates, who stood in the meeting house yard, and who bound them in the penalty of one thousand pounds, to appear at court two days after. At court they were arraigned as disturbers of the peace; on their trial, they were vehemently accused, by a certain lawyer, who said to the court, “May it please your worships, these men are great disturbers of the peace, they cannot meet a man upon the road, but they must ram a text of scripture down his throat.” Robert Baylor Semple, History of the Rise and Progress of the Baptists in Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, 1810, p. 15.

3. For some Calvinists, it wasn’t sovereign enough. The aggressive soul winning of the Separates was difficult for the “Particular” aka “Regular” Baptists at the time to accept. It is still hard to accept among all classes of dead Christians. With Baptist preachers of today abandoning bold exhortations and altar calls, let our brethren realize that the fathers of our movement, the Separates, were among the first to use the altar for a place of serious contemplation of their spiritual condition. G.W. Paschal quotes from the History of the Grassy Creek Church, p. 68:

“When the preacher had finished his sermon he would come down from the pulpit and while he and the brethren were singing an appropriate hymn he would go around among them shaking hands. After the singing of the hymn he “would extend an invitation to such persons as felt themselves to be poor, guilty sinners and were anxiously inquiring the way of salvation to come forward and kneel near the stand, or if they preferred to do so they could kneel at their seats, proffering to unite with them in prayer for their conversion.”—G.W. Pascal, History of the North Carolina Baptists, Raleigh, North Carolina, 1930, p. 298.

4. The Separate Baptist Revival illustrated the true and hard road of the fulfilling of the Great Commission. In a real sense, the simple plan for revival in America was lost during the "era of revival" in America, because we have forgotten about the greatest and most scriptural revival in our history.

The method of the separates was scriptural and it basically came down to this:

a)preaching the gospel to everyone at every available occasion

b)baptizing the believers by immersion

c)having a constant aim to birth and organize new churches

Point “a” and point “b” of this methodology has been taught in fundamentalist and Baptist colleges all during the 20th century, BUT, point “c”, has never been tremendously emphasized as a tenet of the great commission. To this day, in the best of our Baptist colleges, the idea of birthing churches is a casual reference. Why is it?

The reason can only be that the fundamentalist and Baptist college movement in America had its roots in the “evangelical alliance” movement of the 19th century and our history departments simply do not know about the Separates. In addition, our mentality was (and still is) a super church mentality based on the huge successes of a handful of preachers in the 20th century. There is a great problem in that, most preachers are never going to build that big ole’ huge church they dreamed about in college. So in frustration most preachers never even think that perhaps God could use them to birth a bunch of smaller ones.

If we would use illustrations about Stearns more often than Moody maybe we would start thinking like Stearns and his new Testament model. Don’t misunderstand me, I am not criticizing Moody or any great evangelist, or even the great Baptist church builders of the 20th century like Dr. Norris, Dr. Vick or Dr. Hyles. I am saying that they were so unusual and unique, most cannot do what they did.

If we would tell more illustrations about Daniel Marshall than Sam Jones maybe we would start thinking like him. If we would use Samuel Harris more often in our illustrations than William Booth, maybe our preacher boys would get the right idea about soul winning and church planting. If we would just talk about Abraham Marshall and John Waller and John Gano and William Hickman and Joseph Murphy and Tidence Lane and Elijah Craig and well, you get the picture…

A vivid illustration of this is in our web magazine 21tnt.com this very month (March 2002).There is posted the wonderful sermon on revival by the incomparable Vance Havner. He gives such forceful arguments for revival and it is obvious the power of God is all over the man as he preaches this vital sermon. However, the Baptist Havner, does not use a single Baptist revivalist or church planter or evangelist in his illustrations of revival. There are references to Moody and Whitefield and William Booth and Jonathan Edwards…all great men. And I am not saying this to be critical of Vance Havner, we all know what a tremendous man of God Vance Havner was, but he was only saying what he heard. He was simply telling us all he knew about, that is, what he was taught by the legacy of the “evangelical alliance” of the 19th century.

Don’t you think it’s about time we changed this behavior?
copied

PASTOR, WE’RE LEAVING THE CHURCH

2010-08-11T14:16:00.002-05:00

PASTOR, WE’RE LEAVING THE CHURCH

Many times, these are the saddest words a pastor hears. For the church, it is much like losing an arm or leg from your body.
I Cor.12
Although , Freedom of Religion is great for our country.... It has caused a moral decline Spiritually.
Excuses: “We want something more for our teenagers than you have here.” “WE don’t agree with your stand on the Bible.” “No one has shaken my hand lately.” “You have guest preachers or singers we don’t like.” “I’m just not getting anything out of the services.” “We don’t like preaching against other religions.”
Reasons why people bail out of church:

1. Hard preaching that sometimes offends. John 6:60-66
Jesus teaching on the Bread of Life didn’t sit well with some of the disciples. Many.... walked no more with him.
Jesus asked.... Doth this offend you?

2. Disagreements among saints. Acts 15:36-40
Acts 9:26-27...Barnabas is instrumental in discipling Paul.
Acts 11:25-30 ... They serve together as teachers at Antioch.
Acts 13:1-4....God called them together to be missionaries.
Acts 15:36-40... They disagree over minor issues.

3. Love of the world. 2 Tim. 4:10
Paul’s close companion was Demas. Demas was with Paul when Paul was imprisioned in Rome. Col.4:14
Paul called Demas a “fellow laborer”.... Philemon 24
Later Demas leaves Paul ... Having loved this present world.

4. Never fully behind the church to start with. 1 John 2:19
Many who join the church are really unsaved or not dedicated to the work of the ministry.

5. Fear of association. 2 Tim. 1:15-16
Men leave because of association with a “chain” of believers.
“Street-preachin’, hell-stormin’ , sin-hatin’ , hand-raisin’ , Amen-shoutin’ , aisle-runnin’”

Reasons to leave:
1. God’s calling to full-time ministry in another field. (Pastor, missionary)
2. Major doctrinal heresy within the church.
3. Immorality in the church.
4. God’s direction to relocate to another geographical area.

What Is An USHER?

2010-08-11T14:03:00.000-05:00

WHAT IS AN USHER?

I. A WATCHMAN
A good usher will watch over the service like a mother hen over her chickens. He will anticipate problems as they come up, and he will watch for disturbances and quiet them in the quickest, most diplomatic way possible. He will say to himself, “If this service is to be carried out in the right manner, it is up to me to see that the people are well cared for and that they may be able to hear without disturbance or distractions.” He will watch for the comfort of the people at all times.
*Isaiah 21:6 “For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.”
*Ezekiel 3:17 “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the
house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.”
*Ezekiel 33:6 “But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.”

II. A DAD
An usher must be a dad to many boys and girls who come without moms and dads. He must watch over them as he would watch over his own children. He must see that they behave as he would see his own children behave.
*Proverbs 22:6 “ Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

III. A DISCIPLINARIAN
An usher must learn how to discipline children and teenagers in a firm yet kind, loving way. Children and young people respond to love. When they recognize that they are being disciplined in love, then there will be no problems. All young people want to be made to do what they know they ought to do. Many of them are able to do what they want at home or at school, but when they come to the church, they should be made to behave as they should. Many times it is very difficult to discipline a child, but the need of the service and the need of the child must be considered.
*Proverbs 10:13 “ In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.”
*Proverbs 22:15 “ Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.”

IV. A SERVANT
An usher is chosen and is in his place for one reason, and that is to serve the people.
*I Kings 12:7 “ And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.”

V. A HOST
Just as a man tries to make a guest in his home feel welcome and comfortable, he also must see that the visitors in his church feel welcome and have as comfortable a place as is possible. He should make every visitor feel welcome as a honored guest.
*Proverbs 17:17 “ A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
*Proverbs 18:24 “ A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”

VI. THE CHURCH
When people walk into a church for the first time the usher that greets them is, to them, the church. The opinions they are forming of the particular usher who is helping them are the opinions they are forming of the church. The visitor will be in a much better attitude and frame of mind to hear the sermon if he has been warmly greeted by an usher. He will have formed a good opinion of the church soon after his arrival because of the polite gentlemen who helped him as he came in.
*I Corinthians 16:20" All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.”

THE HEAD USHER

In order to have a successful group of ushers you must have a wisely chosen head usher. He must be a man of God dedicated to the church and to his service for Christ. He must be faithful to the pastor and to the entire program of the church. He must possess definite qualities of leadership that would allow him to meet problems which arise in the church services. He must also be able to deal with matters pertaining to the ushers. The head usher must be an enterprising gentleman who believes in detailed planning for and training of his staff.
Because the pastor works so closely with a person in this position, it is very imperative that he be given the leadership in selecting the head usher. A pastor will be more careful to select a man who is first of all spiritual and who has the services of the church at heart.
There are at least six areas in which a head usher has to work and over which he needs to have complete control. This makes his job a little more demanding; but he was chosen for this service, and he should understand when he assumes the job of head usher that he will have a great responsibility.

I. TRAINING
Helping to train his staff is one of the most important tasks of the head usher. Each new man who is enlisted should not be expected to have learned to do this job well observing from the pew while attending the services. He should be given specific instructions. This not only helps him to do a better job but also helps him to see that it is an important task and should be done well. The head usher should supply each new usher with a written set of guidelines. These can be studied at home and later reviewed by the head usher and the new enlistee. The new man should have some practical instruction in a private session with the head usher.

II. MORALE BUILDING
The head usher must be a morale builder. He should help to instill in his staff a deep sense of responsibility to the task for which God has chosen to use them. In occasional meetings with the ushers the head usher can give words of commendation, inspiration, and devotion that will help to knit his group together and cause them to do a better job.

III. CHECKING EQUIPMENT
All materials and equipment needed for the service should be checked prior to the services by the head usher. If there is usually a crowded condition, he should see that there are enough extra chairs for late comers or for the overflow crowd. The head usher is responsible for seeing that all is in readiness.
It would be a good idea for the head usher to check with the pastor before each service to see if there are any particular or unusual matters to be taken care of in the service. He should see that all church bulletins, visitors’ cards and other materials are in place and that there is a sufficient supply. The head usher should be in the auditorium early enough to see that the heat and ventilation are properly adjusted. A great deal of discomfort and many disturbances can be prevented with a simple check of the temperature of the room. He must make sure that all the reserved sections are properly roped off and that an usher is in charge of each section.
If the ushers wear any sign of identification, the head usher should see that they are in sufficient supply and that each usher is equipped with his particular identification badge. He must make sure that the offering plates are in place and that there are enough to care for the crowd.

IV. SPECIAL SERVICES
Many times during special services such as revivals, Bible conferences, etc., it is evident that no one has thought about ushers for these special meetings. It is the hob of the head usher to check with the pastor when he is aware of any special meeting to see that the ushering is properly cared for.

V. SCREENING MESSAGES
All messages to the platform after the service has begun should be carried by the head usher. All other ushers should be instructed to channel these messages through him. Man interruptions can be prevented if the head usher has an opportunity to go through these announcements and screen them before carrying them to the platform.

VI. SECURING SUBSTITUTES
A good idea for the head usher is to have a list of substitute ushers. Some men who are not able to serve in this capacity on a full-time basis could occasionally substitute if they are properly trained and notified ahead of time. They could slip into the place of an usher who finds it necessary to be away. All substitutes should be notified as far in advance as possible. All regular ushers can be given their assignments of a week-to-week basis.

THE USHER’S ATTIRE

In almost every case, and especially in the Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening services, the proper dress for an usher would be a tie and a suit coat or sport jacket. This is not to say that an usher is to be expensively dressed, but he is to be neat at all times with his hair combed and his shoes shined and with coat and tie. An usher is not only a representative of Jesus Christ but also a representative of his church, and he should be prepared at all times to make a good impression.
Dressing properly could be quite difficult in some cases when ushers come directly from their jobs to weekday evening services. With proper provision and help from family members coming from home, articles of clothing can be brought and changes can be made before the services begin. If on any occasion an usher finds it impossible to get into a tie and coat, then he should have someone who is properly dressed substitute for him in that service.

SEATING VISITORS

Before the service begins, crowds of people come in at once and should be allowed to go immediately to their seats with a smile or a hello from the usher. But after the service starts people should be met at the door as individuals. The ushers should shake hands with the men but not with the ladies unless the ladies voluntarily extend their hands. If there is an article such as a bulletin or an announcement sheet to be given to the people as they come in, it should be offered with the left hand while shaking hands with the right.
An usher should always watch the entrance, especially after the service begins, to meet late comers. Many people will come to the door and stand just outside and look in. If they cannot see an empty seat immediately, they stand there embarrassed that they do not have a place. These people must be cared for in short order.
Each visitor should be met at the door and shown directly to a seat.. The usher should know the location of vacant seats at all times. On his return trip to the back of the auditorium after showing one person to a seat, he should notice the vacant spaces. This allows him to know exactly which place to show other visitors. On some occasions ushers have pointed out a seat from the rear of the building, and the visitors have tried to negotiate space for themselves. This should never be.

An usher should always smile and look pleasant so that the people might know that this is a happy place and these are happy people. Remember, those first impressions are very, very important and often very lasting. A smile is very important because many times a cheery greeting and a warm smile may be the first such pleasantness that some people have experienced that morning.
An usher should also learn to call people by name. Ushers should train themselves to remember names and should be alert enough to call visitors by name at the close of the service. An usher should never be partial in his greeting of visitors or members. He should be careful to greet and welcome those who are total strangers as warmly as he does those who are old friends.
When an usher seats a visitor he should introduce that visitor to someone near so that he feels more at home. Of course this can only be done prior to the beginning of the service and should always be done in a very diplomatic and reserved manner.
An usher should never get far ahead of those he is trying to seat. It is very embarrassing for an usher to find himself near the front of the church only to look around and see that the visitors have been seated as the rear of the church. If he watches to make sure that the visitors are close behind him, and if they hesitate or stop for any reason, then he may check with them before continuing. If they have chosen a seat in another section, he may quietly show them to this particular place; or he may indicate that he has already chosen some seats for them that are readily available.
The visitor should never be left to push his way past people to a seat on the interior of the pew. The usher should quietly ask those seated near the end to move toward the center to help the visitor to be seated quickly.
Courtesy is the watchword for an usher. Some people may attend a service and remember more than any other thing the courtesy of the usher who helped them find a seat.
No matter how late the visitor may come, an usher who is watching the door should immediately step to him, welcome him, and show him to a seat. This limits disturbance during the service.
During a special number, the Scripture reading, or a prayer, the late comers should be asked to wait with the usher until this part of the service is finished; then they should be shown to a seat.

PASSING OUT VISITORS’ CARDS

The ushers should come immediately to the same positions from which they start taking the offering and face back toward the congregation. It is much easier to see hands raised when looking into people’s faces than when looking from the back. If there are several people on one pew, the usher should immediately estimate the number of cards, hand them to the person at the end of the row, and go quickly to the next visitor.
On some occasions visitors are asked to stand. If it takes a long time for an usher to get to them with the visitors’ cards, they have a tendency to sit down or become greatly embarrassed. The passing out of the visitors’ cares should be the most rapid thing that an usher does. There are two words that should describe the action of an usher when passing out these cards: MOVE QUICKLY
It is very important that a church keep a record of all the visitors because this is the best list of prospects for soul winning that any church can have. This is why effectively getting cards to every visitor is imperative.

TAKING THE OFFERING

An usher should step very briskly to the position to which he is assigned when it is time to take the offering. The plate should be carried at his side in his right hand, cupped in the same way as if he were carrying a Bible.
When taking the offering, the usher should hand his plate to the person sitting next to the aisle and then step to the next seat. He should look directly to the back and watch out of the corner of his eye for the plate to come back to him. The whole body and the eyes should be pointed directly toward the back of the church.
The reason for this is to keep people from thinking that the ushers are watching to see how much each person gives. Many people come to church with the feeling that the church is a place where people talk about money and “grab” for as much as possible. Of course this is not true, but many of them are looking for any excuse or reason to stay home. Many of these have come out of respect for their family, because they were invited repeatedly, or because of some special day. When an usher stands and looks directly down the pew, then they feel that the usher is watching to see how much they give. Therefore, it is imperative that the usher keep his eyes pointed directly toward the back of the auditorium.

KEEPING ORDER

In order to maintain discipline as usher does not have to be always “calling someone down”. He can be helpful in many other ways. For instance, a mother with a crying baby may not know the direction to the nursery or may not know if such a place exists; therefore, and usher should slip to the end of the pew and say as quietly and as politely as possible, “May I show you to the nursery?” or, “We have a very beautiful nursery, and the ladies would love to take care of the baby for you.” Just such a statement will in many cases cause a mother to move quickly to the nursery, and the service will not be disturbed any more than necessary. This may be quite difficult the first time, but the more it is repeated the easier it will become.
Any child leaving the service without an adult should be sent back to his seat. When one child sees that another gets out without being stopped, then he, too, will try it, and before long......chaos!
Several things can be done to prevent disturbances before the services begin. Mothers with small babies can be directed to the nursery as they enter the vestibule of the auditorium. Small children not accompanied by adults should be stopped at the rear of the auditorium. This prevents running down the aisles. Although many other things could be mentioned these are two notable examples.
Talking children should be called down and warned that they must not talk during the service. Many times this has to be repeated, and in some cases an child who is not accompanied by an adult needs to be taken out.
It is sad to say that on many occasions teenagers whisper, chew gum, write notes, and are generally inattentive. If this persists then they, too, should be reminded by an usher that they must be quiet. Again, let it be repeated that an usher should be firm and yet kind. A real genuine love will show through the firmness.
An usher should always handle emergencies in a common sense manner. Even in the face of embarrassing situations like the dropping of an offering plate, the vomiting of a child or the fainting of someone in the pew, and usher should maintain great composure and poise.
One “rule-of-thumb” that an usher should keep in mind when handling unusual situations is, “What would the preacher want done about this situation?”
An usher who is faithful to his task will be greatly rewarded in Heaven for the work that he does for the cause of Christ.
He will also get a great deal of personal satisfaction from knowing that he has made the services run more smoothly. It should be the goal of every usher to serve Christ in this manner and to do his best in the local church.
Never forget that the job of an usher is an honorable one and brings glory to the Saviour. This should be the only real motive of a good usher.

2010-08-11T13:32:00.002-05:00

"Shall We Have A Great Revival" - to the tune of "Shall We Gather At The River"

Shall we have a great revival
Shall we glorify the Lord
Shall we win the lost to Jesus
By the power of His holy word

Yes we'll have a great revival
A glorious - victorious revival
A Holy Ghost - Heaven sent revival
Coming down from the throne of God.

Graduation Day!

2010-06-10T21:20:00.001-05:00

2010-06-01T16:26:00.002-05:00

I have to constantly remind myself that the Bible is a condensed book. What I mean is, I'm prone to forget the fact that there is often a time lapse between events recorded. And of these intervals, many times, we are told nothing. That leaves us, more or less, "to read between the lines." Meaning simply, read what is implied but not expressed on the surface.

To site just one illustration of this would be the eighteen silent years in Jesus' life. I'm speaking of that period from being a boy of twelve till a man of thirty. From other scriptures we can assume He regularly attended the Synagogue, learned the carpenter trade, and was an obedient child. But we are not told all the little everyday things that transpired in His life, as well as any crisis events.

This is a very important truth for us to grasp. If we do not, we will try to live "condensed lives." We'll try to squeeze everything into one main event, leaving out all the incidentals of life that are so important and necessary. The unimportant is as important to God as the important. Many times, those things never recorded or known of a person's life tell more about that individual than the highlights.

Someone very wise once said, "Life is made up of a lot of insignificant ingredients; leave out just one of them, and it loses its rare taste."
DRS

I'd like to open my preverbal 'box' of conedensed life in order to become more transparent. Those everyday incidentals have made me who and what I am today.

Inside my box is found a multitude of failure and heartaches that nearly destroyed my self-worth. Amazingly enough, God has always had bigger plans for my life than what I could have ever imagined. After many years of turmoil and waiting for God to open doors; my past has become my current reward. My oldest son and name-sake, Jon II, joined The Groves Family in evangelism on May 22, 2010. We are excited to have him with us, finally!

When we prayed the Lord would provide a bus, we had no idea that the third bunk would soon be filled with such a huge blessing. God's ways are always right!
Jon II has a fantastic testimony and adds so much to the ministry. He is born again and has surrendered to preach and travel in evangelism. Jon also can sing and is a very accomplished pianist. He is currently leading the music in our meetings.

I trust that you will welcome him with open arms and make him feel as much a part of your church family as you have us.

Thank you all for your prayers and support,
Jon, Julie, Henry, George and Jon II, Groves.... Evangelist.

Thanks!

2010-03-15T22:19:00.003-05:00

"If he offer...the sacrifice of thansgiving..." A number of the Levitical offerings were mandatory, but the thank offering was voluntary. It was not "when ye offer", but "if ye offer." As far as I can find, no one offered this volunary sacrifice of thanksgiving until David - not Moses, not Aaron, or anyone else. For close to 500 years, God had not smelled a sweet savor of a thank offering. Is it any wonder this shepherd boy, who became a man of God, had wiggled his way into God's heart? How pleased the Lord was with such sacrifices.
God seems to have an affinity for those who are most appreciative. The Scriptures abound with the subject of thanksgiving. "In everything give thanks", "Always giving thanks..." "Come before his presence with thanksgiving." If the Bible did not teach the giving of thanks, common courtesy would demand it for all God's goodness to us. "O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good." In Jesus' prayers, He said, "I thank thee, O Father..." That's an excellent example to follow. Let me suggest the next time you have the hum-drums, to try thanksgiving.
God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you"? rs

ARROGANCE OR CONFIDENCE

2009-11-22T14:39:00.003-06:00

This post is borrowed from a friend of mine: Jamey Ragle. It is so fitting for so many situations today. Enjoy!

"There is a fine line between arrogance and confidence - and often that line is blurred. Two main factors help make the determination:
*Intent,
*And who's doing the labeling.

If You're Trying to Be a JERK (expletive deleted), You're Probably Succeeding

Sone people thrive on their own arrogance. They're self-important, holier-than-thou, know-it-alls who seize every opportunity to make others feel small. The funny thing about these kinds of people is that they're:

*Often wrong,
*Actually don't know what they're talking about,
*And use arrogance to mask their lack of confidence.

"BUT THEY WILL INEVITABLY ANNOUNCE THAT THEIR RANTING IS A TEACHABLE MOMENT TO THE POOR RECIPIENT OF IT ALL"

Like bullies, when they're called on it, they back down. Though sometimes they fight harder - since any resistance will shed more light on their weakness. So they slather on a big ole' jar of criticism, and use it to cover their inadequacies.

Anytime someone tries to appear more powerful by belittling others - that's obvious arrogance.
Arrogance is in the eye of the beholder.

If you're confident in your position, and have the expertise to back it up, someone is going to call you arrogant. That's almost guaranteed. They may even call you worse.

It's a sad fact that many people live their lives from a position of fear. They easily feel threatened, so they lash out.

As an expert, you are usually brought in to fix something. Something that someone else broke. If that person is still around, they're going to feel threatened by you. Unless they too are confident, and just happened to have made a mistake.

It takes courage to be an expert. You're there to provide results, not to make friends. As a person of experience, you are hired to provide your expertise and knowledge to others - plain and simple. But you have to treat others with respect.

If you value others, while utilizing your expertise to get the job done - that's confidence. No matter what the threatened may call you. Be Who You Are, and let others do the same.

If you do just a bit of soul searching, you'll know if you're being confident or arrogant. The way you treat those around you is a good indicator.

Being sure of yourself and knowing that you have what it takes to get results - whole providing others with the respect they deserve - is what sets an expert apart from a JERK! "

Pray For The Tent Crusade

2009-06-03T10:18:00.000-05:00

Dear Praying Friends,I could only try to describe to you how awesome God is. We began a two week Crusade here in Kentucky this past Sunday and already God has so moved upon the hearts of His people.We have seen one soul come to know Christ and so many gaining victory over issues they've faced for years.Last night's service was no small piece of the pie. I can't say that I've ever had an "out of body" experience, but if I've ever come close to doing so, last night as certainly close.As the message built, the devil fought yet God won the battle. There were 12 men who's hearts God touched during the message, that stood up and made their way to the altar before the invitation had even began. Hearts were broken and tears fell like rain!A holy hush fell as the band began to play a song and still many more made their way to the altar. Wow!It's all about HIM!
Please continue to pray for the continuation of this crusade!God Bless and we love you all

SW SW SW SW

2009-03-02T22:06:00.002-06:00

Acts 18:1-10

By-Products of Persistent Evangelism
1. Companions. vs. 1-5
a. In Labour
b. In Witnessing
2. Consequences. vs. 6-8
a. Rejection of some
b. Acceptance of some
3. Comforts. vs. 9-10
a. Presence of God
b. Promise
c. Power
d. People

Now if you are wondering what the SW title means, allow me to share a message God has used to change our waivering witnessing .
SW - Some Will
SW - Some Won't
SW - So What
SW - Someone's Waiting

Preach The Word

How To Stop Gossip In Your Church

2009-01-21T22:01:00.001-06:00

Mildred, the church gossip, and self-appointed monitor of the church's morals, kept sticking her nose into other people's business. Several members did not approve of her extra curricular activities , but feared her enough to maintain their silence. She made a mistake, however, when she accused Frank, a new member, of being an alcoholic after she saw his old pickup parked in front of the town's only bar one after noon. She emphatically told Frank (and several others) that every one seeing it there WOULD KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING ! Frank , a man of few words, stared at her for a moment and just turned and walked away. He didn't explain, defend, or deny. He said nothing. Later that evening, Frank quietly parked his pickup in front of Mildred's house ...walked home.. . .and left it there all night !!!
(You gotta love Frank !)

Just For Laughs

2008-12-28T22:10:00.001-06:00

"Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings. "

2008-12-16T10:48:00.001-06:00

A Terrible Tragedy
A newlywed farmer and his wife were visited by her mother, who immediately demanded an inspection of the place. While they were walking through the barn, the farmer's mule suddenly reared up and kicked the mother-in-law in the head, killing her instantly.At the funeral service a few days later, the farmer stood near the casket and greeted folks as they walked by. The pastor noticed that whenever a woman would whisper something to the farmer, he would nod his head "yes" and say something. Whenever a man walked by and whispered to the farmer, he would shake his head "no" and mumble a reply.Curious, the pastor later asked the farmer what that was all about. The farmer replied, "The women would say, 'What a terrible tragedy,' and I would nod my head and say, 'Yes, it was.' The men would ask, 'You wanna sell that mule?' and I would shake my head and say, 'Can't. It's all booked up for a year.'"

Crazy? I Think Not!

2008-12-03T11:47:00.000-06:00

One definition of the word “institutionalize” is: “to place or confine in an institution.” And one of the meanings of “institution is, “a place characterized by drabness, uniformity, and impersonality.” We say of certain people that they have been institutionalized. I believe this could also be said of a vast amount of Christians in our day.

But it seems to me that more and more of God’s people are breaking out of their little cubicles and observing everything from “outside the box.” They refuse to have a monastic mindset. It is no longer a “me, my, and I” they hold to. They have found there is more to it than my family, my church, my school, my ministry, etc. “Jack” has jumped out of his box and is finding out how the rest live.

Beware of any institution that tries to institutionalize you. You can always spot them. They will tell you only those who look out through their institution’s bars are sane. And all those who are free and at liberty on the outside are crazy. It’s this sort who said of Jesus that He was “beside himself,” and of one of his devoted followers that he was “mad.” As for me, I’d rather be on the outside looking in, if you don’t mind. Let them say and think what they will.

CORN OR HUSKS

2008-12-03T11:46:00.000-06:00

One need no longer go into the “…far country” to feed on husks. A person has only to travel a short distance across town to any one of several churches to find a plentiful supply of this non-nutritious food. Stacks of it can also be found horded in Christian schools and book stores. A husk, (or shuck, as my Kentucky grandmother used to call it) is the dry covering, or outside shell, of an ear of corn.

It seems many ministries today are attempting to feed God’s people with a diet of externals. But feeding on nothing other than outward husks only leads to tastelessness or bitterness. And there is no incentive to digest either. Husks may satisfy those who live in a pig sty, but never sheep who long for green pastures. Substance always takes precedence over form.

When one comes hungry to “The Father’s house,” he expects, “…corn from heaven,” not dry husks from the prodigal’s place.
cpd

Waxing BOLD!

2008-10-19T14:33:00.003-05:00

I'm sitting on my couch in the bus, this Sunday afternoon, going over a message that I am preparing to preach the following Sunday, and I've found a perfect example of a preacher that I crossed swords with just over a month ago.
For the sake of time and length of this post, I will shorten the story of what took place during the complete 'revival' meeting.
After the moring service of that Sunday, my wife told me there was a man and his fianc'e who needed to speak with me. They inquired of salvation and we took them through the scriptures in leading them to Christ. Amen! Meanwhile, the pastor sat on the back row of the church with his arms crossed.
That afternoon during lunch, I excitedly made the statement that this was certainly the way to start a revival; by having two get saved the very first day.
The pastor shook his head and said that God COULDN'T save those two because they were living together. His opinion of salvation is that one must clean their life up before God can save them. My Bible tells me "it's not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to His mercy He saved us"...
It was very plain throughout the entire revival meeting that he disagreed with my preaching of salvation, although he never stood up and stopped me from preaching.
(if he believed that what I was preaching was hericy, then why not be man enough to stand up and asked the visiting preacher to step down?) All week, he gave his personal opinoin on the matter, but never gave any scripture to back it up.

Then final night came and just as the service was beginning to start, the pastor got up and opened with these words: "I guess you all know that I don't like Bro. Groves anymore. I can't have anyone preach in my pulpit that my people like more than me. So, I wan't you all to know that the Groves won't be coming back."
I could see the Devil working through him and trying to disrupt the service even before it all got started.
Not wanting to allow there to be a damper on the entire service, when I stepped up to the pulpit to preach, I simply said this: "Now folks don't think that the pastor is being serious about all that. He and I joke back and forth and he knows better than that. Any pastor that is worth his salt has enough since to want someone in his pulpit who his people enjoy and receive the Word of God from. Your pastor had me come this week and preach because he knows that I don't preach my opinion but let the scriptures do the teaching."
Needless to say, there were plenty of folks that saw right through what was going on and were not fooled into believing that it was a joke at all. (Some even shared with me that they were planning on leaving that church to find one that stood for the Bible and not opinoins of men). Good for them!

Today, I came across this passage of scripture; Acts 13:41-46.
verse 44-46a "And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold,...."

It was necessary, as Paul said, that the word of God should first be preached!

I pray that that pastor will come to understand what true salvation really is and that it is God that cleans one's life up; not we ourselves.

Evangelistic Adventure Almost Gone BAD!

2008-10-15T17:25:00.001-05:00

I'm sharing this story with you so that you will be encouraged to continue praying for our family as we travel.
There are many dangers on the road that we face each day. Every time a car passes or a truck barrels through, we are within five or six feet of death.
Many of the dangers are seen and obvious, although the hidden dangers sometimes surprise you when you least expect them.

Some of you are aware that God recently blessed us with tires for the front of the bus and how He took care of us as we traveled on the bad tire for so many miles. I believe an angle just wrapped himself around that tire and kept it together for us. Thank the Lord!
We left Alliance Baptist Church (our home church) on Saturday evening when my wife and the other ladies returned from their retreat. We arrived at our next church destination after dark. Although we were tired we looked forward to the next day of preaching. Now, it goes without saying that the Devil was mad that we had seen eight people saved in the past three weeks and we were looking for the bump in the road. Little did we know that our "Bump" would come in a much hidden and surprising way.

About Six O'clock Sunday morning, the bus began to shake which woke us up wondering if we were about to experience a storm. Julie lifted the window curtain and said that she saw a man moving around outside the bus. (There is a man in that church who is very much a prankster and I assumed it was him.) I pulled my sweat pants on and went outside. As I rounded the back of the bus without a shirt or shoes, I came face to face with a man who we suspect was either high on drugs or possibly drunk. I yelled, "What are you doing?" which brought about a reaction that I was not ready for. The man hit me so hard it knocked me back into the sticker bush we were parked next to. With stickers in my feet and legs I got up and hit him with all the power I could muster at six in morning. With my adrenalin now rushing through my body, I picked him up off the ground and through him away from the bus onto the black top. As he stood to his feet, I faced that demon with everything I had and demanded that he leave the property.

The humorous part of this story is what he said to me. He looked me in the face and told me that I must not know that we were in the country and that he was a redneck. I couldn't laugh then, but I did respond to his statement by telling him that he didn't know that I too was a redneck and that I was fixing to beat the devil out of him if he didn't leave.

While the fight was on, Julie was fixing popcorn and selling tickets. No, just kidding! Julie called the police and within just a few minutes there were two police cars on the scene. This man had made the decision to leave before they arrived, but exclaimed loudly that my pretty wife and I would NOT leave there safely.

One of the officers found the man and arrested him. As I told the story to the other officer, he asked me if I wanted to file charges against the man for his actions and his harrassing threats. I told him that I had to preach in just a few hours and that I wouldn't have time to go downtown to file paperwork, but if they would just hold him until we were able to leave that would be a blessing.
Needless to say, he spent that day in jail adding to his criminal record and coming down off of whatever it was that he was addicted to.

The officer who booked the man into the jail is a member of the church we were ministrering in that day. He pulled me aside after church that day and asked me a couple of questions about what took place and if there was any damage to the bus. Before we parted, he said, "Brother Groves, I'm curious to know if you beat that man with a baseball bat." I told him, "No, why". He laughed and said, "Well, to look at him in the light, he sure looks like you did."
I guess we don't realize how much strength we have when we absolutely need it.
It's awesome to know that in time of trouble, God's strength is what we truly can rely upon and not our own.

I'm a little tender inside these days, but thankful that he didn't win that battle.

After everything was over, I questioned what he could possible be doing. The officer at the church told me that he was trying to break into the engine compartment and steel the battery cables. The cables have copper in them that he was going to sell to buy more of his sin.

I'm thankful that things turned out for our best interest, and especially thankful that I didn't take my gun outside with me.
To those who may expect to get away with foolish things such as this; BEWARE, next time I may shoot first and ask questions later. Isn't that what we rednecks do anyway?

Smart Car

2008-10-09T22:21:00.001-05:00

Just for short trips

APOSTACY

2008-09-29T14:18:00.001-05:00

Seven Steps to Apostacy:

1. Man Knows God
2. Man Rebels
3. Man Becomes Proud
4. Man Does Not Think Straight
5. Man's Heart Is Wicked
6. Man Becomes Foolish
7. Man's Spirit Is Apostate

2008-09-29T14:11:00.000-05:00

SIN IS NOT WHAT YOU ARE..... IT'S WHAT YOU DO!

2008-09-29T14:08:00.002-05:00

For those TV preachers that preach you must be saved again and again and again, because you've lost salvation... Q: When was the last time you saw one of them admit to being lost and needing to be saved again?
Does TBN have a special dispensation for them other than the one we all live in?
Funny that God never says "NO" on TBN TV.

2008-09-29T14:06:00.000-05:00

Our ministry should not be one of imitation but of incarnation allowing God to work 'through' us.

2008-09-29T14:05:00.000-05:00

Learn to hate Satan more than you hate what he does with your people.

May 3, 1685

2008-09-29T14:02:00.001-05:00

May 3, 1685 - A law was passed requiring the locking of church doors during services. It seems that too many people were leaving the services before they were over.

How did you come to church today?

2008-09-29T14:00:00.001-05:00

A congregation brings an atmosphere with it.
The atmosphere is either a barrier through which the preacher's words cannot penetrate, or else it is such an expectancy that even the poorest sermon becomes a living flame.

2008-09-29T13:59:00.001-05:00

"O you high-flying professors, whose wings are fastened on with wax, beware of the sun that will surely pour its heat on you. Fearful will be your fall from so great a height!" --C.H.Spurgeon

2008-09-29T13:58:00.000-05:00

"No Christian can rise higher than his concept of Christ". -- A.W. Tozer

2008-09-29T13:55:00.004-05:00

"It is not thy hold on Christ which saves thee; it is Christ.
It is not thy joy in Christ which saves thee; it is Christ.
It is not even thy faith in Christ, though that be the instrument; it is Christ's blood and merit."
--C.H.Spurgeon--

2008-09-29T13:55:00.002-05:00

Depression - Pro-longed thinking about a problem you should have given to God a long time ago.

2008-09-29T13:53:00.001-05:00

The issue of FAITH is not so much whether we believe in God, but whether we believe the God we say we believe in.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

2008-09-29T13:44:00.001-05:00

The great task of the church is to get sinners into Heaven, and the saints out of bed.

2008-08-21T19:57:00.000-05:00

"Isn't it sad that we endeavor so hard to remove people from the BONDAGE OF SIN and then work just as hard to move them into the BONDAGE OF LEGALISM."
Leon Sikes

Blondes and Brunettes

2008-08-11T00:21:00.000-05:00

Two bowling teams, one of all Blondes and one of all Brunettes, chartera double-Decker bus for a weekend gambling trip to LouisianaThe Brunette team rode on the bottom of the bus, and the Blonde teamrode on the top lev el. The Brunette team down below really whooped itup, having a great time, when one of them realized she hadn't heardanything from the Blondes upstairs. She decided to go up andinvestigate.When the Brunette reached the top, she found all the Blondes frozen infear, staring straight ahead at the road, clutching the seats in frontof them with white knuckles. The brunette asked one of the Blondes,'What the heck's going on up here? We're having a great timedownstairs!' One of the Blondes looked up at her, swallowed hard andwhispered..........YEAH, BUT YOU'VE GOT A DRIVER........

Have you seen this woman?

2008-07-28T12:59:00.000-05:00

A man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him.
He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.
The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.
As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer.
The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed and placed in a holding cell.
After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.
He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. "I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'What Would Jesus Do'bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday- School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk.
Naturally... I assumed you had stolen the car."

We are so Blessed!

2008-07-27T17:59:00.000-05:00

During the month of June we received a few phone calls from pastors that we were scheduled to hold meetings for throughout the month of July. These calls all seemed to lead to one thing; a reschedule/cancellation. Now, to a family that lives on the road and depends upon those meetings for their livelihood, we were beginning to wonder what God was getting ready to do.
When you face the deepest darkest trials of your life is usually when you fall to your knees and plead to God to show himself. And to be honest, that’s exactly what we did. Little did we know, that while we were falling to our knees that God was picking us up to show us something wonderful.
At the end of June, if you remember, we were headed to the state of Illinois for a meeting. When we arrived in Illinois, God showed himself by using a family there to give us the vehicle that God wanted us to have to pull behind the bus. A 2001 Chevy Tracker that matches the colors of the bus perfectly. It could only be God! We were able to park the bus in one location and commute to churches from there using our new car. Amen!
Thanks to the generosity of our good friends The Chosen Ones (their link is on our website) we parked our bus in their driveway ; which they had a fifty amp service, sewer and water put in for us. God showed himself again by providing the means for our living.
On the last weekend of June, a small rural church called us and asked if we would consider preaching for them that Sunday due to them being without a pastor. I agreed and we went. At the end of the service that morning, a man and his wife met with us and shared how discouraged they had been but during the invitation they had surrendered to follow God’s leadership and decided to be encouraged to continue on serving God in their church. Amen, God showed himself.
I received a phone call which once again brought me to my knees. The pastor on the other end of the phone asked me to pray with him about a very serious situation that could change the ministry structure of several families. I promised him that I would pray every day that week until I spoke to him again. This situation would also affect my family, so I especially took note to what was going on. During the week, a local pastor in the area called me and asked if I would be available to fill in for him on the first Sunday of the month of July. (Keep in mind that our July had become empty from meetings and we had begun to pray that God would fill our calendar once again). We were happy to help this pastor out and so we made plans to fill his pulpit that Sunday. Now, I’ve been asking God to reveal himself through the situation that I had been asked to pray about. While I was on the phone with the pastor, he said to me that he really appreciated our ministry and that we had helped him out tremendously in the past. He asked me not to ever give up but to keep on encouraging pastors like himself. And God showed himself once again. I had my answer!
During the second full week of July, we traveled to Michigan with our friends The Chosen Ones to sing and preach at a youth camp. It was a long and tiresome trip, but so well worth it. We were able to meet several new pastors from that area as well as other states. Like a good evangelist would do, I gave our business cards to Henry and George and said, “Go pass these out”. Who could say no to a little kid giving them a picture of themselves and asking them to pray for their family. We had several of those pastors come and talk to us about our ministry and ask what our availability was in the future.
I began to pray about where we would seek a ministry opportunity that following Wednesday night. And God showed himself again. The phone rang and a pastor on the other end told me that he would really like to go with his church kids to camp but that he needed someone to fill in for him that Wednesday night. Guess what! We knew it was God.
Now don’t get too upset with me when I tell you that we don’t just minister in Independent Baptist churches. The Chosen Ones do some advertising for us while they are in concert. They have passed out our business cards all over the U.S. Thank God for friends. Due to their advertisement, a pastor in a Bible church about two hours from where we are parked called and simply said that he needed a break. He shared with me some of his ministry burdens and that he was just exhausted. His request was to know if we would be available to come to his church that next Sunday even though it was short notice. You’ve got to know how excited we were to see God do this!!!! When we got there, the pastor asked us to park the bus out in front of the church along side of the street. He said it would make for good advertisement for the next morning. So, we parked out by the road and spent the night. That Sunday couldn’t have been any more wonderful. The place was completely packed out. Even the overflow sides were full and the people were just enthused about being in church. We sang, I preached, the invitation started and people came forward! The altar was full. Literally there was no room to stand. The pastor has sent me several e-mails since that day sharing how God is still using that day to bless him and his church family. Oh if that isn’t God showing himself then I don’t know what it is!
The economy has had it’s affect on everyone and our ministry is not exempt. I remember that God called us in to this ministry before diesel cost a dollar a gallon, and when diesel went up to two dollars, God kept us going. I may have complained when diesel went to three and even four dollars a gallon, but God hasn’t changed his call. Our fuel may eventually go over five dollars a gallon but that’s when God shows himself and supplies our every need according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus!
I said all that to tell you this. There’s rumor that we may be discouraged about our bus project and that the funds may not come in as was promised and expected. I just remind myself that man’s extremedy is always God’s opportunity! Pastor Terry and I were talking on the phone the other day and sharing our ministry burdens. One of mine is the finances of the bus project. I explained that it has been by faith that God has called us and by faith that God has supplied and by faith that God will continue to provide. Now, that sounds like a bunch of words to some but to us it is our everything… our life… our being… our survival.
Yesterday while I was praying over our ministry, my phone began to ring. Normally I would not have answered it during that time but I saw a number that intrigued me. When I said hello, the man on the other end of the phone said, “Bro. Jon, God laid something on my heart and I want you to know that we are planning a gospel music benefit to raise some money to help towards paying off your bus.” AND GOD SHOWED HIMSELF AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can I just clean off a spot and have a spell for a minute…… Shout Shout Shout…
Ain’t God good!
Be encouraged Church, God is still on the throne.
Please keep us in your prayers. The fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth MUCH!

Push On The Rock!

2008-07-07T13:45:00.000-05:00

There is an old story of a weak, sickly man. The man was very weak and sick, but he could not afford to go to town and see a doctor. The man lived in the deep back woods, in an old log cabin and his condition seemed to be getting worse. Out in front of the cabin was a massive rock. One night he dreamed that God told him to go outside and push on the huge rock all day long, day after day. The man got up early the next morning, and with great excitement he pushed on the rock until lunch, then he rested a while and pushed the rock until his evening meal. The man loved pushing against the rock, it gave his life meaning and hope. The dream had been so real, so something great was about to happen. Day after day he pushed. Days rolled into weeks and the weeks rolled into months. After 8 months of pushing the rock, the weak, sickly man was getting tired of pushing the rock. In his tiredness he started to doubt the dream. So one day he measured from his porch to the rock and after a day of pushing he measured again. After 2 weeks of pushing and measuring, he realized that he had not moved the rock at all. The rock was in exactly the same place as when he started months ago. The man was so disappointed, he thought the dream had been so special, and now, after 9 months he saw his work had accomplished nothing. He was tired and cried and cried on his porch. He had invested many hundreds of hours into nothing. Nothing, it was all for nothing! As he sat on the porch he fell asleep. In his sleep he had another dream. Jesus came and sat down beside him on the porch and said, “Son, why are you crying?” The man replied, “Lord, You know how sick and weak I am, and in a dumb dream you gave me a false hope by telling me to push on this rock. I have pushed with all I have for over 9 months and that dumb rock is right where it was when I started.” Jesus was kind and said to him, “I never told you to move the rock, I told you to push against the rock.” The man replied, “Yes, Sir, that was the dream.” Jesus told the man to step in front of a mirror and look at himself. As an act of obedience the man stepped in front of a mirror and looked at himself. The man was amazed, he had been so sickly and weak, and what he saw in the mirror was a strong muscular man. The man realized that he had not been coughing all night. The man started thinking of how well he had felt for the last several months and the strength he now had built up by pushing on the rock. Then the man realized that the plan of God was not for the rock, but for him.

Chris Livengood, My Brother in Law

2008-05-23T22:31:00.002-05:00

So many of you have continued to ask about my brother in law, Chris. Here is a small portion of his latest testimony.

"Saturday, March 22Today marks the one year anniversary for my surgery! I cannot believe all the Lord has brought us through (or maybe I can); God is good all the time! I remember waiting early in the waiting room, and then hearing my name called to walk back with two other individuals to prepare for the long anticipated time when my tongue would be removed. I remember the cold sterile room where they would wheel me on a table back to the surgeon's team. It was cold in there! The mood was surreal. I asked if I could see a mirror in order to see if God answered our prayers of healing and surgery would not be necessary. I never saw the mirror or my tongue for that matter; the anesthetic very quickly took effect and I was out like a light. I can only imagine what Helee and the girls and so many others in the waiting room that day experienced those next ten hours. Thank you so much for being there and supporting my family during that time! When I awoke, all I remember is being very tired and seeing Helee right there by my side; she never left. Thank you all so much for coming to visit! I was overwhelmed with how many people came to see me. I wish I would have been able to talk with many of you. For some, only pictures remind me of your visit. For others, I am glad I had that etcha-sketch pad.Now, things are very much back to the way they were before surgery, only better."

Thank you all for your prayers for him.

FAMILY

2008-05-10T21:37:00.000-05:00

Clovis Chappell, a minister from a century back, used to tell the story of two paddleboats. They left Memphis about the same time, traveling down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. As they traveled side by side, sailors from one vessel made a few remarks about the snail's pace of the other. Words were exchanged. Challenges were made. And the race began. Competition became vicious as the two boats roared through the Deep South.
One boat began falling behind. Not enough fuel. There had been plenty of coal for the trip, but not enough for a race. As the boat dropped back, an enterprising young sailor took some of the ship's cargo and tossed it into the ovens. When the sailors saw that the supplies burned as well as the coal, they fueled their boat with the material they had been assigned to transport. They ended up winning the race, but burned their cargo.
God has entrusted cargo to us, too: children, spouses, friends. Our job is to do our part in seeing that this cargo reaches its destination. Yet when the program takes priority over people, people often suffer. How much cargo do we sacrifice in order to achieve the number one slot? How many people never reach the destination because of the aggressiveness of a competitive captain?

2008-05-09T15:26:00.001-05:00

Do you know that there is a story behind the flowers that are presented on Mother's Day. A story from over 100 years ago - a true story about a mother who loved all her sons and the sons of all other mothers too - and about her daughter - who many years later helped convince the President of the United States of America to pass a law stating that today - the Second Sunday of May - would be known as Mother's Day.

Let me tell it to you. Way back in the days before computers and televisions, why even before the first car was built or the first refrigerator made your drinks cold - over 150 years ago - there was a great war in The United States of America. Some say the war was about bringing freedom to slaves - and some say the war was about less noble causes - but the fact remained that many good men who believed in a good God began to fight - and while there such a thing as right and wrong - and we all got to pay attention to that stuff - another fact remained - many good men, and indeed many good boys, teenagers - hardly old enough to have a drivers license - if they had had cars back then - were dying.And only as a mother can - a mamma by the name of Mrs. Anna Reeves Jarvis felt the pain that all mothers feel when they see their children suffering and dying - and so she organised a special day for mothers who had sons fighting on both the opposing sides. A day of prayer. A day for peace. A day for bringing comfort to those who were hurting - and a prophetic challenge to live as one family in peace. And so it was. The day was declared and meetings held and prayers were offered - prayers for mothers - and prayers for their children.Later during the war, another woman, Julia Ward Howe, who wrote a great and rousing hymn, "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord", organised a Mothers' Day meeting in her home town of Boston. And it was a great success in bringing people together and reminding them of what is important. (See Julia Ward Howe's 1870 Proclamation calling for a congress of women to meet)And this kept on happening down there in the "U S of A", even after the war ended, until - in the year 1907 - Anna Jarvis, the daughter of the Mrs. Anna Reeves Jarvis suggested a national observance of a day each year - a day to honour all mothers. Indeed, she began a movement to make it an American national event. Within the next few years, the idea of a day to honour mothers gained popularity, and Mother's Day was observed in a number of large cities in the USA. Finally, On May 9, 1914, by an act of Congress, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. He established the day as a time for "public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country." And it has been so, not only there in the US of A - but in many other countries as well.And the flowers - these carnations that we give - well, Anna Jarvis loved her mother Anna Reeves Jarvis deeply. After her mother died, at a memorial service for her mother that was held on May 10, 1908, she gave a carnation (which was her mother's favourite flower) to each person who attended. Well that idea caught on because Anna Reeves Jarvis was a special mother - and because Anna Jarvis turned out be a special daughter - and by the time the President made Mother's Day a national event it everybody had more or less developed the habit of giving and wearing carnations on Mother's Day. White carnations are worn to honour mothers who have died and red ones to honour mothers who are here with us. Of course we get rainbows of colours too - because colour is just so colourful.So that is the story of the flowers - given to honour mothers - and that is the story of mother's day started first by a woman who cared for all mothers and for all their children and wanted them to live in peace.

Billy Graham...WOW!

2008-03-20T14:49:00.001-05:00

In what might prove to be the crowning achievement of an illustrious Career in ministry, the 87-year-old evangelist, Billy Graham shocked The 16,300 in attendance at the Celebration of Hope crusade in New Orleans Arena on Sunday Night. Touted in advance as possibly his last Evangelistic crusade, Graham invited the packed house of evangelical C hristians and the hundreds of new converts to join him on the one Mile walk from the arena to New Orleans' infamous Bourbon Street.
"While we have seen God do tremendous things here the past couple of Evenings. Yes, it is true that a great healing and a great many salvations Have occurred within the confin es of this auditorium. Still yet, there lies A great mountain in this city which needs to be conquered."
Then taking from the Biblical Book of Joshua Chapter 14 he read, "I am This day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the Day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my Strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, Give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day," his voice Suddenly sounding more forceful than during his 22 minute sermon.
"I last preached in the City of New Orleans in 1954 and I felt then that There was some unfinished business. Tonight, in what very well might Be my last evangelistic service, I aim to finish that business and lead As many of you that would follow me to the multitude of lost souls that Fill Bourbon Street tonight. That is my mountain ! That is where we shall see the harvest!" said Graham as the stadium Erupted in cheers that lasted the next several minutes.
Utilizing a waiting mobility scooter, the elder Graham joined his son And heir to the ministry, Franklin across the Arena floor and through the Opened doors leading towards the French Quarter. In a show of Solidarity and determination reminiscent of civil rights marches of the 1960's, nearly the entire capacity crowd joined in the 20 minute trek While singing, "When the Saints Go Marching In".
As the march crossed Canal Street and headed northward towards Bourbon Street, many onlookers stood in stunned silence as the massive Crowd Of people began singing in unison the Christian hymn, Amazing Grace. Upon entering the west end of Bourbon Street, Billy Graham was soon Recognized by partiers.
Soon those joining in the march began to approach those partying on Bourbon Street with the Gospel message that they had heard preached Just a half hour before. Graham himself joined with a group of local Street evangelist in ministering to a man who had survived Hurricane Katrina in the lower 9th Ward.
Within 30 minutes the entirety of Bourbon Street was pa cked with Christians and the once blaring music of nightclubs and strip joints Had been replaced by weeping and worship as people poured out their Drinks and sought prayer from the Christians who were now reaching out To them.
"I have never seen anything like this in my life," said 20 years New Orleans Police Department veteran, Tom Phillips. "This is unbelievable! We thought a riot was going to break out, but this looks more like a Revival than a riot!"
Two hours later, a glowing Graham sat back down on his scooter and smiled. "Now I know how the Apostle Paul must have felt at the end of his ministry. Do the w ork of an evangelist; make full proof of thy ministry. For I am Now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have Fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."
Hours later hundreds of Christians remained on the street ministering to The many people eagerly waiting to receive prayer and ministry. New Orleans will never be the same. And the press remained mute on This "news item?"
Did anyone see it on TV/hear it on radio/read it in the paper? Why are we not surprised? Can't have THAT just prior to a major Election, now, can we? Well, just on a whim, spread the news, anyway.

It cost our elder brother, Billy Graham, more than any of us know to make that effort. The least we can do is publicize it. JESUS IS LORD!!

2008-03-06T16:03:00.000-06:00

Solution to save Gasoline

2008-03-06T16:02:00.000-06:00

Bush wants us to cut the amount of gas we use..... The best way to stop using so much gas is to deport 11 million illegal immigrants!
That would be 11 million less people using our gas. The price of gas would come down.....
Bring our troops home fromIraq to guard the Border....
When they catch an illegal immigrant crossing the border, hand him a canteen, rifle and some ammo and ship him to Iraq ..
Tell him if he wants to come to America then he must serve a tour in the military.... .
Give him a soldier's pay while he's there and tax him on it.....
After his tour, he will be allowed to become a citizen since he defended this country..... .
He will also be registered to be taxed and be a legal patriot..... .
This option will probably deter illegal immigration and provide a solution for the troops in Iraq and the aliens trying to make a better life for themselves.. ....
If they refuse to serve, ship them to Iraq anyway, without the canteen, rifle or ammo.....
Problem solved.....

2008-01-24T08:37:00.001-06:00

A MINNEAPOLIS COUPLE DECIDED TO GO TO FLORIDA TO THAW OUT DURING A PARTICULARLY ICY WINTER. THEY PLANNED TO STAY AT THE SAME HOTEL WHERE THEY SPENT THEIR HONEYMOON 20 YEARS EARLIER. BECAUSE OF HECTIC SCHEDULES, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO COORDINATE THEIR TRAVEL SCHEDULES.SO, THE HUSBAND LEFT MINNESOTA AND FLEW TO FLORIDA ON THURSDAY, WITH HIS WIFE FLYING DOWN THE FOLLOWING DAY.
THE HUSBAND CHECKED INTO THE HOTEL. THERE WAS A COMPUTER IN HIS ROOM, SO HE DECIDED TO SEND AN EMAIL TO HIS WIFE.
HOWEVER, HE ACCIDENTALLY LEFT OUT ONE LETTER IN HER EMAIL ADDRESS, AND WITHOUT REALIZING HIS ERROR, SENT THE EMAIL.
MEANWHILE, SOMEWHERE IN HOUSTON , A WIDOW HAD JUST RETURNED HOME FROM HER HUSBAND'S FUNERAL. HE WAS A MINISTER WHO WAS CALLED HOME TO GLORY FOLLOWING A HEART ATTACK.. THE WIDOW DECIDED TO CHECK HER EMAIL EXPECTING MESSAGES FROM RELATIVES AND FRIENDS.AFTER READING THE FIRST MESSAGE, SHE SCREAMED AND FAINTED. THE WIDOW'S SON RUSHED INTO THE ROOM, FOUND HISMOTHER ON THE FLOOR, AND SAW THE COMPUTER SCREEN WHICH READ: TO: MY LOVING WIFE SUBJECT: I'VE ARRIVED DATE: OCTOBER 16TH 2004I KNOW YOU'RE SURPRISED TO HEAR FROM ME. THEY HAVE COMPUTERS HERE NOW AND YOU ARE ALLOWED TO SEND EMAILS TO YOUR LOVED ONES. I'VE JUST ARRIVED AND HAVE BEEN CHECKED IN. I SEE THAT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR YOUR ARRIVAL TOMORROW. LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THEN. HOPE YOUR JOURNEY IS AS UNEVENTFUL AS MINE WAS.
P.S. SURE IS FREAKING HOT DOWN HERE!!!!!

2008-01-23T16:39:00.000-06:00

How to start each day with a positive outlook:
1. Open a new file in your computer.
2. Name it "Hillary Rodham Clinton"
3. Send it to the trash.
4. Empty the trash.
5. Your PC will ask you, "Do you really want to get ride of "Hillary Rodham Clinton?"
6. Firmly Click "YES."
7. Feel better?

2008-01-23T16:21:00.001-06:00

Prepare to laugh! This was sent to us from a friend.

I have 2 large dogs and was buying a large bag of Purina at Wal-mart and was in line to check out. The woman behind me asked if I had a dog? DUH? On impulse, I told her no, I was starting The Purina Diet again. Although probably shouldn't because I'd ended up in the hospital the last time. But I'd lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes everywhere and IVs in both arms. I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and the way it works is to load your pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete so I was going to try it again. I have to mention here that practically everyone in line was now enthralled with my story, particularly a tall guy who was standing behind her. Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food poisoned me? I told her no, I'd been sitting in the street licking my butt and a car hit me. I thought the guy standing behind her was going to need help as he staggered to the door laughing.Life is short. Break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love deeply, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile.

PRAISE THE LORD FOR MIRACLES!

2008-01-20T21:52:00.000-06:00

2007-12-30T01:18:00.000-06:00

A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said,
'Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.'

The Lord led the holy man to two doors.

He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.

The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful. But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.

The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.

The Lord said, 'You have seen Hell.'

They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The holy man said, 'I don't understand.'

It is simple,' said the Lord. 'It requires but one skill. You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves.'

2007-12-22T16:15:00.001-06:00

You always hear the usual stories of pennies on the sidewalk being good luck, gifts from angels, etc. This is the first time I've ever heard this twist on the story. Gives you something to think about. Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house. The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely. As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment. Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny. He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up? Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She casually mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value. A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this? "Look at it." He said. "Read what it says." She read the words "United States of America " "No, not that; read further." "One cent?" "No, keep reading." "In God we Trust?" "Yes!" "And?" "And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful! When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, "In God We Trust," and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message. It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful! And, God is patient.. All you do is - Simply say a small prayer for the person who sent you this, (Father God bless this person in whatever it is that you know he or she may be needing this day.) and send it to some others to be blessed.Thought for the Day:If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it.He sends you flowers every spring.He sends you a sunrise every morning Face it, friend - He is crazy about you!Send this to every "beautiful person" you wish to bless.God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way. Copied

2007-12-14T00:45:00.001-06:00

A bi-polar to most Christians is anyone who has more emotional ups and downs than they do.

Valuable info

2007-12-13T10:24:00.000-06:00

I will continue to forward this every time it comes around! STROKE: Remember The 1st Three Letters.... S.T.R. My nurse friend sent this and encouraged me to post it and spread the word. I agree. If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks. Seriously.. Please read: STROKE IDENTIFICATION: During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) .....she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 pm Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die.... they end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead. It only takes a minute to read this... A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke... totally . He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough. RECOGNIZING A STROKE Thank God for the sense to remember the "3" steps, STR . Read and Learn! Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke . Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions: S * Ask the individual to SMILE. T * Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (i.e. It is sunny out today) R * Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS. If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 999/911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher. New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue.. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other , that is also an indication of a stroke. A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved. JT

Let Bygones Be Bygones

2007-11-27T09:39:00.000-06:00

The maniac of Gadara did not spend the rest of his life in the grave yard once he was forgiven. He buried his former life there in the tombs and then threw away the shovel. He never even returned to put flowers on that miserable gravesite. Evidently he knew digging up unpleasant memories of the past gives out a worse stench than when originally buried.

We should not constantly be remembering things which God said He has forgotten. I’m told most patients in mental institutions are there because of something they cannot forget in their past. Thus, it drives them crazy. Certainly there are consequences for past sins, but never is there condemnation once we have asked for forgiveness.

We cannot move on with our lives still wrapped in our grave clothes. Leave them in the grave. Both Lazarus and Jesus did! rs

A New Look For Old Truths

2007-11-23T22:04:00.000-06:00

“[W]hich bringeth forth out of his treasure both new and old.” The new without the old is novelty; the old without the new is moldy. To separate the two can be disastrous. They are to always go together. To contend for the new at the exclusion of the old is to lose your way. To insist on the old at the expense of the new is to lose your vigor.

Some are fearful of the new while others are frightful of the old. Jesus was good at putting new looks on old faces. To be uncomfortable with the one does not justify the condemning of the other. The old message stays the same, but new methods are always needed. Keep the old experiences, but don’t do away with new experiments. It’s refreshing to see old truths in new garb. We are not to be content with old discoveries. There is new gold yet to be mined.

Everything old was new at one time and considered progressive and contemporary. R.S.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T11:33:00.000-06:00

2007-11-18T22:35:00.000-06:00

TOP TEN THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR NOSE WHEN YOU’RE BORED…
10) Look down it at somebody (Pride)
09) Poke it into someone else’s business (Strife / Dissension)
08) Snoop around with it (Nosey / Gossip)
07) Get it out of joint (Anger)
06) Cut it off to spite your face (Bitterness)
05) Pay through it (Materialism)
04) Find something right under it (Love / Salvation)
03) See past it (Eternity / Hope)
02) Keep it clean (Humility / Obedience)
AND THE NUMBER ONE THING TO DO WITH YOUR NOSE…
01) Get it stuck in a book (The Bible!)

WHAT REVIVAL IS ALL ABOUT

2007-11-11T00:54:00.000-06:00

WELCOME TO THE E.R. (emergency revival)

2007-11-02T00:55:00.000-05:00

We are very excited to be back at our home church.
Welcome to the E.R. is our message for the first night, and the spirit is already moving about us.
Thank you to our church family for the warm welcome home.
We love you all.

Critiquing the Critics

2007-10-31T12:57:00.000-05:00

There is both a destructive and constructive criticism. The effect of the former is discouragement; the result of the latter is encouragement. The first always comes from a position of superior attitude and the second from a humble spirit. It is sad, but many times a Mr. Hyde is disguised in a Doctor Jeckels scrubs when feigning to help one correct something in his or her life.

But you can be certain who the imposter is. He will make you want to give up; while the other, who is interested only in your welfare will stimulate you to go on. It is always wise when offering criticism to offer it as though we were on the receiving end (Gal.6:1). You know, like our Lord said, Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.

Let us remind ourselves when sitting in the critics seat that what goes around comes around.

(Borrowed from a friend - Richard Sandlin)

YOUR VACANT PULPIT

2007-10-27T15:53:00.001-05:00

A church was in need of a pastor. One of the deacons was interested in knowing just what kind of a minister they desired. He wrote the following letter, as if he had received it from an applicant, and read it to the pulpit committee. It read as follows:

“Gentlemen:
Understanding that your pulpit is vacant, I should like to apply for the position. I have many qualifications that I think you would appreciate. I have been blessed to preach with power and have had some success as a writer. Some say that I am good at organizing. I have been leader in most places I have gone.
Some folks, however, have some things against me. I have some things against myself. I am over 50. I have never preached in one place for more than three years at a time. In some places I have had to leave town after my work caused riots and disturbances. I have to admit I have been in jail three or four times. My health isn’t good. I have to work at my trade to make ends meet. All my churches have been small, although located in large cities.
I haven’t gotten along too well with the ministerial associations in the different churches where I have pastored. In fact, some of them have threatened me, taken me to court, and even attacked me physically.
I am not too good at keeping records. I have been known to forget whom I have baptized. However, if you can use me, I shall do my best for you, even if I have to work to help with my support.”

The deacon, upon reading the letter, asked the committee if they were interested in the applicant. They replied he would never do for their church. They said they were not interested in an unhealthy, contentious, trouble-making, absent-minded jailbird, and that they were insulted that his application had ever been submitted. When they inquired of the deacon the name of the applicant, he replied, “The Apostle Paul”.

EVANGELIST

The Green Thing

Help Us Pay Off The Bus!

How to understand women. Part 1

WHEN DID HE DIE?

Church Humor

Young Mr. Spurgeon

Matthew 5:1-48

Can you say 'Depths of Hell'

A. W. Tozer - Mornings with Tozer

Frenemies!

The will of God is....

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING IN YOUR FAMILY?

THE CHURCH THAT WAS DEAD AND DIDN'T KNOW IT

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CHRISTIAN REPENTS

WHAT DOES SIN DO TO THE CHRISTIAN

A 1934 prophetic cartoon

Reflections

Prayer

It gets really HOT in Texas.

Sandy Creek Revival

PASTOR, WE’RE LEAVING THE CHURCH

What Is An USHER?

Graduation Day!

Thanks!

ARROGANCE OR CONFIDENCE

Pray For The Tent Crusade

SW SW SW SW

How To Stop Gossip In Your Church

Just For Laughs

Crazy? I Think Not!

CORN OR HUSKS

Waxing BOLD!

Evangelistic Adventure Almost Gone BAD!

Smart Car

APOSTACY

May 3, 1685

How did you come to church today?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Blondes and Brunettes

Have you seen this woman?

We are so Blessed!

Push On The Rock!

Chris Livengood, My Brother in Law

FAMILY

Billy Graham...WOW!

Solution to save Gasoline

PRAISE THE LORD FOR MIRACLES!

Valuable info

Let Bygones Be Bygones

A New Look For Old Truths

Happy Thanksgiving!

WHAT REVIVAL IS ALL ABOUT

WELCOME TO THE E.R. (emergency revival)

Critiquing the Critics

YOUR VACANT PULPIT