Results from this years Vacation Bible School

The Lord was gracious to us and gave us a great Bible School this year. Though we did not have as many accept the Lord as their Saviour this year as in years pasts, we seemed to have picked up some new people (kids and adults) that might actually "stick" this time. In years past, we had many kids who visited from out of town or other churches. And while we always will do whatever we can to get the Gospel to a child, it was nice this year to come away from the week with some prospects for the church.

Here is one story that I will share with you from last week:

On Monday night we led a young man to the Lord. Afterwards, he was so excited to be saved that he ran around his house and street when he got home telling everyone what had happened to him. Well, his daddy works with one of the men in our church and asked the next day at work what did his son mean by that he was saved. Well, the man from our church had witnessed to him many times before, and began to again. One of the questions that he asked was, "Well, did you read the pamphlet that we sent home with him explaining what happened?" His answer was no, but he would read it first thing when he gets home.

Now, in this pamphlet that we give out to a child who accepts Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour, it explains to the parent that we taught their child, from the Bible, the plan of salvation and they accepted it - then it gives the parent a chance to do the same. Well, the next day at work our church member goes up to him and begins to talk to him about the Lord again when this boy's dad says ,"I went home and read that pamphlet and believed it and asked Jesus to be my Saviour." They both, along with the mom and sister, came to church Sunday Morning and came forward during the invitation time and made public their profession of faith.

Well, the Lord laid it on my heart a couple of weeks ago to begin preaching on Sunday's about the miracles of Christ. I began the week before with the first one, and was preaching on the second one yesterday about the Nobleman's son who was healed. I preached, among many things, how it took this son to get the father to Jesus, and the rest of his house to believe - And Praise the Lord God allowed it to happen right before our eyes that day.

We serve a God who is still in the miracle happening business! Pray for me as I meet with this family to speak to the mother about her salvation, and that they will follow through in believer's baptism.

Vacation Bible School Begins Tonight

Sorry I have not posted more recently, but we have been very busy, and I was without Internet in the office for a couple of days now.

Please pray for our Vacation Bible School this week. Pray that souls would be saved, and children would be encouraged to live for Jesus and be faithful to the House of God.

We are asking the Lord to do great things and bring in many children. In years past we have had upwards to 30+ kids here. May we all pray together that the Lord may send us more this year?

I will be teaching the lessons this year, so pray for me that the Lord would use me as I proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that the Holy Spirit would bring conviction to the children who are lost.

And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

The title of today's entry is taken from the latter part of Acts 11:26. The disciples did not get together, form a committee, and bring a vote before the church on what to call themselves. No, the term "Christian" was given to them by those who were on the outside, looking in at Antioch. They noticed how the disciples carried themselves and deported themselves and gave them that name as a descriptive term.

What were they doing that caused the people of Antioch to place that name on them? They were following and being like Christ! Here is a statement I heard Evangelist Jayson Godsey make at Sr. High Camp at couple of weeks ago and the Holy Spirit has spurred me to preach a series of messages on the subject:

All Christians are saved, but not all the saved are Christians.

This may sound contradictory to you at first, but a person can repent of their sin, accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour, but not follow Him as they should and not make Him Lord of their life. Now, there are some who try to combat this by adding a step, if you would, to the process of salvation by saying something to the effect of, "You cannot make Jesus your Saviour if you do not make Him your Lord, too." This is what is called "Lordship Salvation," but yet it has no Biblical foundation.

There are many born-again believers who are not fully following the Lord, and thus, are not Christians according to the Bible definition of a Christian. My question to you today is two-fold:

#1 - Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour? If not, ask me how, and I would be glad to take the Word of God and show you how you can know for sure that when your life ends here on this earth, heaven will be your home for eternity.

#2 - Are you a Christian? Not by the world's standards, because to the world, everything that is even remotely religious is considered "Christian." No, I am wondering if someone can look at your life and say that you are a follower of Christ. That should be the goal of all of God's children, to be like Christ. And we should be more like Him today than we were yesterday, and want to be more like Him tomorrow than we are today.

Another week of Church Camp

Getting ready for another week of church camp, this time with the Jr High kids. And Darci and all three of the girls are going this time as well, so it should be exciting. Since I will be gone and away from the computer, there will not be any post this week, but I will leave you with this thought:

John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

This statement was made by John the Baptist and gives us a glimpse of his mindset. He was willing to serve in a cause greater than himself - and this is the mindset we need today as born-again believers.

Are you serving a cause that is greater than yourself, or is everything about you and what benefit you will get out of it? Commit your complete life to the Lord, and live a life that about something greater than yourself.

Videos of some Charlatan's

Here are some interesting videos to watch that should open your eyes as to the spiritual temperature of our country (Please remember, I am not responsible to what is said in the comment section, or other videos, this is only a link to someone else's videos):

Benny Hinn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7q0xynqcC4

Oprah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwGLNbiw1gk

Todd Bentley (A radio show, no video, just audio)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3hzVAXaW8c

This Generation - Part 2 and 3

{Sorry for the delay in posting. We had Sr. High Church Camp, and I picked up a cold while there and have not yet fully shook it off, so I am combining both Part 2 and 3.}

#2 - THIS GENERATION IS INDOCTRINATED – Matt. 3:7-8

We are living in a time when people are indoctrinated by false religion and have a false sense of security when it comes to their salvation.

CONTEXT: John is preaching repentance…many repented, were saved and baptized. The Sadducee's and Pharisees came and wanted to be baptized, but did not want to repent.

They were very religious, the most religious of their day…but they were lost!

They did not want to repent of their sin and turn to the Saviour; they just wanted an outward showing. Religion cannot and will not save you from the wrath to come.

Man’s Religion cannot do what it promises. Some church may tell you that you can join with them, be baptized there, or do good works through them and be saved. But salvation does not come by church membership, baptism, or good works.

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Many people tell me when I ask them if they are saved that, “Well, I was baptized…” But if baptism saved a person, John would have baptized them. But he tells them to bring the fruits of repentance – which is faith and trust in Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ alone for your salvation.

Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Many people today think they will go to heaven when they die based on what church they are a part of, but let me remind you of the words of our Lord when he said:

Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

This generation is Indifferent, Indoctrinated, and

#3 - THIS GENERATION IS IMMORAL – Matt. 12:34,39,39

Our generation today is no different than that generation – it is wicked, perverse, and immoral.
There is wickedness all around – so much so as now it is the norm.

God’s Word has a lot to say about wickedness:

Noah’s day - Genesis 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Sodom and Gomorrah’s day - Genesis 18:20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

Nineveh’s day - Jonah 1:2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

And I can’t help but wonder what God thinks of this generation today – there is no difference today from those days.

The Bible teaches us that man is depraved, degenerate, and lost:

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

And it is this wicked generation that is leading the entertainment industry, and Christian’s today are laughing along with them:

Romans 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Folks, the Bible is very clear and very blunt on the condition of lost mankind.
And because this generation is Indifferent, Indoctrinated with false religion, and Immoral,

CLOSE:

THIS GENERATION IS HELL-BOUND – Matt. 23:33

There are two paths to choose in this life:

Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: (14) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

This generation has chosen the broad path that leads to Hell. Will you choose the straight and narrow path that leads to Heaven?

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Christian, are you living like this generation? Has you fire for the Lord grown lukewarm? Are you being entertained by the sinfulness of society? It’s time to come out from among them, and be ye separate!

Matthew 11:16a - This Generation - Part 1

Matthew 11:16a "But whereunto shall I liken this generation?"

Jesus here is speaking to the multitudes about John the Baptist. John the Baptist was in jail for preaching to Herod that it was unlawful for him to take his brother’s wife as his own.

While in prison he hears of Jesus’ preaching and sends his disciples to ask Christ if He was the one. Two thoughts as to why he asked:

#1 – For his disciples sake, because John himself knew and he wanted them to hear for themselves.

#2 – He began to have some doubt. Maybe he wondered, “If Jesus is the Christ, than why am I in jail for preaching His Gospel…why hasn't he got me out...?” By the way, it is o.k. to ask God why when you go through trials, but you must be willing to accept His answer.

After this, Jesus tells this crowd that is following Him some great things about John the Baptist:

– 11:9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

- 11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist...

Then Jesus asks the question – but whereunto shall I liken this generation? He asks this to those who heard the truth from John the Baptist, but did not listen and were still lost, living in their sin. That was a generation that was bound for an eternity in a Christ-less Hell, and we are surrounded by people today in that same generation. People have not changed. Human nature is still the same today as it was when Adam and Eve first sinned in the Garden of Eden and sent all mankind into the downward spiral of sin.

Are you a part of this generation today?

In the next couple of post, I want to give you 3 things that the Bible says about that generation that are still true today about this generation. Today, we will look at the first one:

#1 - THIS GENERATION IS INDIFFERENT – Matt. 11:16-17

Jesus likened this generation to a group of children playing out on the street. Children are imitators. Jesus said this generation imitates two things: a dance, and a funeral.

Someone played music, and no one came.

Someone had a funeral, and no one cared.

They were indifferent to what was going on around them.

In spite of all the preaching of the Gospel, this generation is indifferent to the Bible. They are not indifferent to religion, which we will talk about in a later post, but indifferent to the Gospel of Grace.

And this indifferent attitude of the lost has rubbed off on many Christians today. They are neither hot nor cold – lukewarm. Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. This attitude of indifference has sent more people to hell than anything else.

You say you don’t care now – but you better start caring before it is too late.

Got to get them in the boat!

Today I was fortunate enough to go fishing with Tim O. and his friend from work Mike. Tim took out his boat to the Detroit River (here is a map...it is the yellow line in between Michigan and Canada. We fished in the lower part.) and we fished for white bass and walleye. Well, the only walleye we saw were not even bigger than your hand, but we had pretty good luck with the bass. Mike caught a really nice one to start off, and later Tim got a nice size Steel Head. I got my fair share of bass, and had many that were "quick releases." (A quick release is when you get the fish to the surface, but he spits the hook before you get him in the boat.)

But one in particular stands out for me. I caught a good size white bass, and Tim decided that he wanted to keep it. Mike had a metal, collapsible "cage" that had a one-way opening on to so that you could put the fish in, and they could not get out. It was tied to some rope and hung over the side of the boat in the water. Well, Tim pulled it up, and I tossed my fish into the cage....only to miss the cage opening and the fish to swim off!

That got me to thinking of how great those fish were...but it did not matter because I didn't get them into the boat. Then I began to think about the Great Commission that Christ gave His church:

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

It's great to win people to Christ, but we haven't fully completed the task that the Lord has given us until we, "Get them in the boat." We have to baptize them, then began to train and disciple them.

Let's go out and win the Lost to Christ....and "get them in the boat!"

Proverbs 16:18

Well, its not Monday, but here is what happened on Saturday at our Walk-a-Thon:

We had a group of teens and some adults meet at church, and then we drove to the Garden City Park. This is a large park with a large playground, ice rink, swimming pool, and multiple ball fields. There is a track that goes around the circumference of the entire park, and it totals 1.2 miles from start to finish. Well, one of the teenagers said before we got there that they would walk around 10 times, which if you do the math equals 12 miles. All the others said, "Oh yeah, we will do it too."

As the only adult that was walking around with them, well....I couldn't let a bunch of teens out walk me. Fortunately for me, another man, Al, came along and walked with me and the teens. He was late because that morning he already walked 3 miles at a Walk-For-Life event at the Tiger's ballpark in downtown Detroit. Long story short, as we continue to walk, the kids start quitting one after another until there were only two left - me and Michael, who will be a senior in High School next year. He finished eight laps, then stopped. Al and myself walk one more mile, then I turn to AL and say, "No more...or you'll have to carry me back."

At this point, I should probably back up and tell those who don't know me that I am not in the greatest of shape....well, I'm in shape - round! 9 laps, or approxiamtatley 11 miles was probably more than I've walked all year, so now my shins and feet were killing me. My head wanted to keep going just to prove to the teens that I could, but my body won over. I knew that if I didn't stop, I would not even be able to get out of bed the next day for church. As I was limping...I mean, walking back to the church van, I thought of this verse:

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

One more lap, and I would have fallen! I was letting my pride write a check that my legs were not willing to cash. Yet, so many people around us do this song and dance everyday. Many people know the truth of God's Word and know that Jesus Christ came and died on the cross for the atonement of sinners - yet they will not admit that they are sinners in need of a Saviour. And if they will not before the day of their death....than destruction awaits as they will fall into the everlasting flames of a God-less Lake of Fire for eternity: Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was caast into the lake of fire.

Here is a YouTube Video of my girls

Here is a short video clip my wife created and posted on YouTube of my three girls:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCo5krLVXzI

On another note, we had a Walk-a-Thon today for our teens who are raising money for camp...and I walked 11 miles! Non-stop! I will write more about this Monday...pretty interesting stuff!

John 19:11 "The Greater Sin"

Here is something our Lord said that you don't hear too much of today:

John 19:11 ...therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

I have often heard people, in trying to justify themselves, say something like, "Well, I know smoking is bad, but your not perfect either, so don't judge me....all sin is the same." And while that may be true in the sense of our need for salvation, the fact remains that not all sin is the same, and therefore not all abiding consequences are the same. If all sin was the same, then why did God choose to rain down Fire and Brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah? Does God mete out that same type of punishment when you don't read your Bible, or when you are not filled with the Holy Spirit?

Again, I am not talking here about the need for salvation: James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. We are all guilty and deserving of Hell: Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Jesus died on the cross and shed His precious blood for all the sins of all mankind - and all are in need of the Saviour.

But, the modern church has taken that truth and use it to justify their sinful way of building "their" church. "Lets just get everyone in the doors, and lets not offend anyone." We are going through the Bible during our Wednesday Night Services, and as we came to Exodus 16:20 I was reminded of this great truth again. When some of the children of Israel disobeyed God and tried to keep the Manna for the next day, the Bible tells us that Moses was wroth with them. Now, did those Israelites have a bad motive for saving for the next day? Not really - they just wanted to make sure there was enough for the next day. I am sure that some of the Israelites around them patted them on the back and said, "Way to go...wish I would have thought of that...you're so wise..." Yet, that was not God's plan. It was Evangelist Jayson Godsey who said, "Not all good plans are God's plans." God wanted them to live by faith and trust Him to provide for them daily. I believe that most modern Christians who take this attitude of "all sin is the same, etc." mean well - but they are still wrong. People need the truth, and as it has been said many times - the truth hurts. The Bible teaches us that we need to preach and teach the truth about sin, and do so in love.

But imagine if Moses was a pastor of a church in today's society - he would be looking for a new church because they would have fired him on the spot and kicked him to the curb. "How dare you rebuke those who 'slipped up'?! It was only a small indiscretion. We are to just love everyone, and not be so judgmental." We have forgotten Paul's warning to Timothy in 1Tim 5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. I once heard a preacher tell me, "Open sin deserves an open rebuke." We need to love people, but we are to hate sin. True love instructs in the ways of righteousness, and warns those that are going down the wrong path. That is why we are commanded to declare the whole counsel of God - even the parts of it that deal with sin and right and wrong.

You may not like it, but it comes straight from the Lord's mouth. He lets Pilate know that he has sinned...but Caiaphas' sin is greater. Don't try to water down the effects and consequences of sin. And if you choose to live in open, rebellious, gross immoral sin - their are abiding consequences that you will have to deal with for your greater sin.

First Blog

Well, this is my first blog....here. I started blogging on Yahoo360, but that kept changing, and everyone bailed on it. Then I tried MyChurch, but did not like the features there. So, here goes...

I will post regularly on different Bible topics, noteworthy news, and church and personal updates for my friends and family. Check back soon.