Girl of God, as I watched you tonight, I wished for an opportunity to talk with you. I watched your beautiful face as you sang and worshipped. You reminded me of myself seven years ago. And then, after Church, I watched you as you got into that car with a boy who does not know God. Oh, yes he was at Church tonight. He even went to the altar and shed a few tears. I am sure that you would not accept the idea that, for him, this is just a means to an end.
Seven years ago I was in your shoes. I had known God since my early teens, and had grown up under God-anointed preaching and teaching. I didn't lack boy friends or dates, as is so often the case in Churches where the girls outnumber the boys. Some very wonderful, consecrated young men came my way. But Satan, who watches diligently and waits patiently to ensnare a soul, saw me one day as I was lukewarm. Oh, I was still going to Church and playing my accordion and singing and doing all the right things outwardly. But I had never really had that special moment with God when His will and mine were made one.
I met the young man at work. And before long, without anyone else's knowing it, I felt I couldn't live without him. He knew about my Church, and when he attended with me, he went to the altar and cried. And so I married him, while my family and those who loved me wept and agonized.
It was just six months later that I realized my soul was in danger and that I had to have a touch from God. I prayed through and got a grip on God. Then the battle began. No, he wasn't going to Church anymore. I could count on my fingers the number of times he went during the last seven years. Before I married him, the thought of living without him was unbearable. "How lonely it would be!" I thought. But now I know what loneliness really is, and I'd like to tell you about it.
Loneliness is receiving a blessing from God and going home to a man you can't share it with. He isn't interested; he's watching television.
Loneliness is going to a Church social alone and watching the young couples enjoy God's blessings together. You can go alone or stay home alone; he has other interests.
Loneliness is feeling the urgency of Christ's coming and knowing that the one you love most on this earth is not ready, and shows no sign of caring.
Loneliness is seeing two children born and knowing that if your influence is to outweigh his, it will be a miracle.
Loneliness is going to a General Conference and seeing young couples everywhere who are truly one and dedicated to God's work. And there goes the young man who loved you once and wanted to marry you. He's preaching the gospel now, and he has never married. Oh God! Help me! I mustn't think of it!
Loneliness is lying awake struggling with the suspicion that he's unfaithful. Then comes the unbelievable pain of knowing for sure. He doesn't care if I know. She even calls me on the phone. After a time, he makes an effort to break it off. I vow to do everything humanly possible to keep this marriage together. I will love him more and pray for him more. Seven years of my life are involved in this! There's a little girl and a little boy!
Loneliness is now. My children and I will go home to a dark, empty apartment that will be my home until the lawyer says it's all over. I, who have always been afraid to stay alone, now welcome the peace and solitude.
As I look in the mirror; I see that seven years haven't changed my face so much. But inside I am old, and something that was once alive and beautiful is now dead. Of course, this is not an unusual story. The remarkable thing about it is that I am still living for God. I am thankful for my family and their prayers of intercession for me.
Oh, I am praying for you, girl of God! Please believe me when I tell you that no matter how wonderful he is, how loving, how tender, you cannot build a happy life upon disobedience to God's Word. You see, no matter what the future holds for me, I have missed His perfect will for my life. I will never stop paying for breaking a commandment of God! Don't let it happen to you!
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?"
2 Cor. 6:12
- Author Unknown
Monday, September 29, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
If I Pray
If I pray "OUR",
then my faith must make room for others and their need.
If I pray "FATHER",
then I must demonstrate this relationship to God in my daily living.
If I pray "WHO ART IN HEAVEN",
then my interests and pursuits must be above earthly things.
If I pray "HALLOWED BE THY NAME",
then I must be striving for God's help to be holy.
If I pray "THY KINGDOM COME",
then I must be willing to accept God's rule in my life.
If I pray "THY WILL BE DONE",
then I must not be resentful of having it in my life.
If I pray "ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN",
then I must be truly ready to give myself to God's service here and now.
If I pray "GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD",
then I must be expending honest effort for it an cannot withhold from my neighbor the bread I receive.
If I pray "FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US",
then I cannot continue to harbor a grudge against anyone.
If I pray "LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION",
then I must choose not to deliberately remain in a situation where I am likely to be tempted.
If I pray "DELIVER US FROM EVIL",
then I must be prepared to fight with my life and my prayer.
If I pray "THINE IS THE KINGDOM",
then I must be willing to obey the King.
If I pray "THINE IS THE POWER AND THE GLORY",
then I cannot seek power for myself or my own glory first.
If I pray "FOREVER AND EVER",
then I need not too be overly anxious about each day's affairs.
If I pray "AMEN",
then I must honestly say "Not MY will, but THY will be done", so let it be.
then my faith must make room for others and their need.
If I pray "FATHER",
then I must demonstrate this relationship to God in my daily living.
If I pray "WHO ART IN HEAVEN",
then my interests and pursuits must be above earthly things.
If I pray "HALLOWED BE THY NAME",
then I must be striving for God's help to be holy.
If I pray "THY KINGDOM COME",
then I must be willing to accept God's rule in my life.
If I pray "THY WILL BE DONE",
then I must not be resentful of having it in my life.
If I pray "ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN",
then I must be truly ready to give myself to God's service here and now.
If I pray "GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD",
then I must be expending honest effort for it an cannot withhold from my neighbor the bread I receive.
If I pray "FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US",
then I cannot continue to harbor a grudge against anyone.
If I pray "LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION",
then I must choose not to deliberately remain in a situation where I am likely to be tempted.
If I pray "DELIVER US FROM EVIL",
then I must be prepared to fight with my life and my prayer.
If I pray "THINE IS THE KINGDOM",
then I must be willing to obey the King.
If I pray "THINE IS THE POWER AND THE GLORY",
then I cannot seek power for myself or my own glory first.
If I pray "FOREVER AND EVER",
then I need not too be overly anxious about each day's affairs.
If I pray "AMEN",
then I must honestly say "Not MY will, but THY will be done", so let it be.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Rev. Charles - Raise Your Children Right
For those of you who don't know, Rev. Charles is one of my favorite YouTube preachers. Here is another example of why.
Desperate Times
Wednesday night, my wife saw Pat Oliphant’s cartoon spoofing Sarah Palin’s "speaking in tongues” on the Washington Post website http://wpcomics.washingtonpost.com/client/wpc/po/2008/09/09/. 
She complained for a few moments about how the liberal view of tolerance applied to everyone’s beliefs and lifestyle except the conservatives and Christians. The lament continued over the fact that a cartoon ridiculing Muslim beliefs, ethnic traditions or homosexual tenants would never be published online or in print by the mainstream media for fear of backlash from one of those communities.
And thennnn...she found the Katy Couric interview with Matt Damon.
As she watched the YouTube clip she became visibly frustrated and began speaking to the computer screen – and trust me, it was not in tongues. She grilled Matt Damon with a few of her own choice questions, ones that I am sure would not have fit into the agenda of Katy's line of questioning.
Oh, I probably should mention here that she was already unhappy with Senator Obama’s "lipstick on a pig" comment before this evening’s episode began.
As I was sitting there watching her (hey, who needs TV when you have your own personal HBO right in front of you), I could not help myself, I just started laughing. Hindsight being 20/20 and all, I realize now that laughing at the scene before me was probably not one of my more brilliant moves. However, in my defense, I was not laughing at her or the “attacks” she felt that she was personally enduring.
She spun around in her chair and with anger formerly reserved for Oliphant, Damon and Obama, she demanded, "How can you be laughing about this?"
Here's the thing, while many become outraged by lipstick comments, tongue talking cartoons, Matt Damon rhetoric and so on...I am just laughing long and hard. Though I certainly don't approve of these things, I do recognize them for what they are...signs of desperation. They are pitiful jabs of a campaign and party that is losing a "sure" thing and can't figure how to right the vote…I mean boat.
Three weeks ago, the entire left side (politicians, media and special interest groups) walked into Denver assured in their own minds that nothing could stop them and that this would be an easy victory. Counting on a post acceptance speech bounce that would carry them through November, the "rabbit" filled the stadium and prematurely congratulated itself. After all, they had a celebrity and “everyone wants a celebrity,” not Wilfred Brimley McCain.
Suddenly out of nowhere, comes a turbo-charged tortoise that passes by the DNC so fast that it leaves the Magnificent Hare looking more like a Mexican Hairless. The RNC now has a celebrity also, only she is more articulate, attractive and approachable. Then again, the fact that she actually has some executive experience doesn’t seem to hurt anything either. Her selection breathes life into the party and campaign; grabs the attention of undetermined independents and disgruntled democrats; and appeals to women and minority voters.
How does one attack the vice-presidential candidate without drawing attention to the fact that their own candidate has the same glaring weakness and yet he wants to be president? It was easy for Obama’s team to spar with Hillary, but when it comes to Sarah…well, that’s different. After all, everyone knows it isn’t proper to hit a lady and from every account, this mother of five is certainly a lady, even if they did nickname her the “Barracuda.:
So, all that’s left to attack is moose hunting, speaking in tongues and personal beliefs about the age of dinosaurs. After all, we understand that anyone who prefers Intelligent Design instead of Mysterious Explosion (either way, one must accept by faith a scientifically unproven theory), that person must not be a sensible enough person and to carry “the football.”
When the liberal candidates and pundits speak of desperate times, it is no longer political rhetoric to get them elected. For them, these truly are some mighty desperate times. And so out come the most indefensible arguments. Grasping for anything that might slow the leak, they hurl accusations and insults. Each appears more ridiculous than the previous, all appear more desperate than before..
Speaking of desperate times, would somebody please stop emailing these links and stories to my wife. I can’t afford the pay-per-view.
She complained for a few moments about how the liberal view of tolerance applied to everyone’s beliefs and lifestyle except the conservatives and Christians. The lament continued over the fact that a cartoon ridiculing Muslim beliefs, ethnic traditions or homosexual tenants would never be published online or in print by the mainstream media for fear of backlash from one of those communities.
And thennnn...she found the Katy Couric interview with Matt Damon.
As she watched the YouTube clip she became visibly frustrated and began speaking to the computer screen – and trust me, it was not in tongues. She grilled Matt Damon with a few of her own choice questions, ones that I am sure would not have fit into the agenda of Katy's line of questioning.
Oh, I probably should mention here that she was already unhappy with Senator Obama’s "lipstick on a pig" comment before this evening’s episode began.
As I was sitting there watching her (hey, who needs TV when you have your own personal HBO right in front of you), I could not help myself, I just started laughing. Hindsight being 20/20 and all, I realize now that laughing at the scene before me was probably not one of my more brilliant moves. However, in my defense, I was not laughing at her or the “attacks” she felt that she was personally enduring.
She spun around in her chair and with anger formerly reserved for Oliphant, Damon and Obama, she demanded, "How can you be laughing about this?"
Here's the thing, while many become outraged by lipstick comments, tongue talking cartoons, Matt Damon rhetoric and so on...I am just laughing long and hard. Though I certainly don't approve of these things, I do recognize them for what they are...signs of desperation. They are pitiful jabs of a campaign and party that is losing a "sure" thing and can't figure how to right the vote…I mean boat.
Three weeks ago, the entire left side (politicians, media and special interest groups) walked into Denver assured in their own minds that nothing could stop them and that this would be an easy victory. Counting on a post acceptance speech bounce that would carry them through November, the "rabbit" filled the stadium and prematurely congratulated itself. After all, they had a celebrity and “everyone wants a celebrity,” not Wilfred Brimley McCain.
Suddenly out of nowhere, comes a turbo-charged tortoise that passes by the DNC so fast that it leaves the Magnificent Hare looking more like a Mexican Hairless. The RNC now has a celebrity also, only she is more articulate, attractive and approachable. Then again, the fact that she actually has some executive experience doesn’t seem to hurt anything either. Her selection breathes life into the party and campaign; grabs the attention of undetermined independents and disgruntled democrats; and appeals to women and minority voters.
How does one attack the vice-presidential candidate without drawing attention to the fact that their own candidate has the same glaring weakness and yet he wants to be president? It was easy for Obama’s team to spar with Hillary, but when it comes to Sarah…well, that’s different. After all, everyone knows it isn’t proper to hit a lady and from every account, this mother of five is certainly a lady, even if they did nickname her the “Barracuda.:
So, all that’s left to attack is moose hunting, speaking in tongues and personal beliefs about the age of dinosaurs. After all, we understand that anyone who prefers Intelligent Design instead of Mysterious Explosion (either way, one must accept by faith a scientifically unproven theory), that person must not be a sensible enough person and to carry “the football.”
When the liberal candidates and pundits speak of desperate times, it is no longer political rhetoric to get them elected. For them, these truly are some mighty desperate times. And so out come the most indefensible arguments. Grasping for anything that might slow the leak, they hurl accusations and insults. Each appears more ridiculous than the previous, all appear more desperate than before..
Speaking of desperate times, would somebody please stop emailing these links and stories to my wife. I can’t afford the pay-per-view.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Bible Reading Plan for Growth and Freshness
The following is a plan of Bible reading and study that I believe will be a blessing to you, should you choose to implement it in your own life.
Begin your study each day by reading a chapter of Proverbs. If you start at the beginning of the month and read a chapter each day, you will read through the book every month. On the few months that have less than 31 days, you will need to read a little extra to keep on track and read through it each month.
Read the chapter of Proverbs first, because Proverbs contains the distilled spirit of wisdom, and is written and structured in a way that reflects the way God thinks—cause and effect, black and white.
Reading the book of Proverbs does for your mind what running a comb through tangled hair does; it gets the “rats” out and prepares you to receive illumination from the Word.
I find that the Scripture seemed to speak more clearly to me when I begin each day’s study with Proverbs. It seems to focus the mind to receive from the Word.
Next, read at least one chapter from the Gospels. We need to read about the words and deeds of Jesus every day to keep the mind and focus Christ-centered. It is difficult to spend too much in the Gospels, and there is inexhaustible thought material there.
The third place to read from every day is the book of Acts. The book of Acts contains not only much doctrinal material but a tremendous amount of faith building Scripture. Signs and wonders and healings abound. Apostolic structure and Apostolic authority permeate the chapters of the book. It is critical to keep these things fresh in your mind and prominent in your thinking if you want to have a true Apostolic ministry and live apostolic lives. Read the book of Acts continually and it will pay dividends in your ministry. Reading the book of Acts lends itself to living the book of Acts; living the book of Acts lends itself to Apostolic results.
In addition to Proverbs, the Gospels, and Acts, read from the epistles every day. The epistles contain solid instruction regarding church government, sanctification, doctrine, eschatology, and ministry. We need this.
The epistles also stretch you intellectually, especially the writings of Paul. John’s epistles are a personal favorite of mine because of his love for exalting the deity of Jesus Christ. You need a steady diet of the Epistles.
Thus far, most of the reading plan has consisted of the New Testament, but don’t neglect the Old.
The Old Testament can be divided into History, Law, Prophecy, and Wisdom Literature.
Try to always be reading through at least one book in the Old Testament at any given time to encompass a wide scope of these categories.
There are advantages and benefits to reading from a broad range of Scriptural settings at a given time. You tend to reach toward what you read, and with this type of reading plan, there is a broad range of subject matter in the forefront of your thinking that God can speak through and that you can draw from. This keeps you from becoming stymied and repetitious in your ministry and walk with God.
If you don’t have some kind of structured plan for your reading and study, your tendency will be to read over and over again those books and passages that are your “favorites.” If you fall into this pattern, you will have a hard time generating fresh and versatile material for ministry.
Always read and study the Bible with the motive of feeding your soul; and out of that will come substance that will feed and bless others.
I certainly don’t believe this is the “only” way to study the Scriptures, or even the best way. It is just something that has been a blessing to me, and will hopefully provide some inspiration and guidance for others who want to profitably study the greatest Book ever written.
2 Tim 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
KJV
Begin your study each day by reading a chapter of Proverbs. If you start at the beginning of the month and read a chapter each day, you will read through the book every month. On the few months that have less than 31 days, you will need to read a little extra to keep on track and read through it each month.
Read the chapter of Proverbs first, because Proverbs contains the distilled spirit of wisdom, and is written and structured in a way that reflects the way God thinks—cause and effect, black and white.
Reading the book of Proverbs does for your mind what running a comb through tangled hair does; it gets the “rats” out and prepares you to receive illumination from the Word.
I find that the Scripture seemed to speak more clearly to me when I begin each day’s study with Proverbs. It seems to focus the mind to receive from the Word.
Next, read at least one chapter from the Gospels. We need to read about the words and deeds of Jesus every day to keep the mind and focus Christ-centered. It is difficult to spend too much in the Gospels, and there is inexhaustible thought material there.
The third place to read from every day is the book of Acts. The book of Acts contains not only much doctrinal material but a tremendous amount of faith building Scripture. Signs and wonders and healings abound. Apostolic structure and Apostolic authority permeate the chapters of the book. It is critical to keep these things fresh in your mind and prominent in your thinking if you want to have a true Apostolic ministry and live apostolic lives. Read the book of Acts continually and it will pay dividends in your ministry. Reading the book of Acts lends itself to living the book of Acts; living the book of Acts lends itself to Apostolic results.
In addition to Proverbs, the Gospels, and Acts, read from the epistles every day. The epistles contain solid instruction regarding church government, sanctification, doctrine, eschatology, and ministry. We need this.
The epistles also stretch you intellectually, especially the writings of Paul. John’s epistles are a personal favorite of mine because of his love for exalting the deity of Jesus Christ. You need a steady diet of the Epistles.
Thus far, most of the reading plan has consisted of the New Testament, but don’t neglect the Old.
The Old Testament can be divided into History, Law, Prophecy, and Wisdom Literature.
Try to always be reading through at least one book in the Old Testament at any given time to encompass a wide scope of these categories.
There are advantages and benefits to reading from a broad range of Scriptural settings at a given time. You tend to reach toward what you read, and with this type of reading plan, there is a broad range of subject matter in the forefront of your thinking that God can speak through and that you can draw from. This keeps you from becoming stymied and repetitious in your ministry and walk with God.
If you don’t have some kind of structured plan for your reading and study, your tendency will be to read over and over again those books and passages that are your “favorites.” If you fall into this pattern, you will have a hard time generating fresh and versatile material for ministry.
Always read and study the Bible with the motive of feeding your soul; and out of that will come substance that will feed and bless others.
I certainly don’t believe this is the “only” way to study the Scriptures, or even the best way. It is just something that has been a blessing to me, and will hopefully provide some inspiration and guidance for others who want to profitably study the greatest Book ever written.
2 Tim 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
KJV
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