Hello Everyone,
You have a health scare, you get bad news at work, or a member of your family is hurt. Have you noticed how a bad situation makes you think about the things that matter most in your life. When we experience bad things we naturally are drawn closer to our faith and our family. Over the past year I have realized how God allows adversity and forms of persecution in our lives to open our eyes, minds and hearts. I hate to quote one of our President's advisors when he said "don't let a good crisis go to waste" but it does ring true when we face adversity we must use those times as times to get closer to the One who is truly in control.
When we are faced with bad things in our lives we should live as Job and seek God's love, wisdom and promises. He has promised throughout the Bible that he would never leave us nor forsake us.
1 Kings 8: 56-58
56 “Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. 57 May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake us. 58 May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors.
I have read the book of Job several times and each time I read throughtthe first chapter I am struck by the very last verse. In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. He had just lost all of his wealth, his flocks, and his family but still he praised God.
Adversity in our lives can be a revival of Faith.
Have a blessed week!
Billy
Job 1: 18-20
18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised.”
22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Life changing, no world changing ideas!
Hello Everyone,
This week we are going to start a new series that I think will not only change our lives but the way we see our world around us.
The most important things today are the people and relationships we have with them. In our jobs, in our churches today we have become content with seeing filled seats and knowing that a job is getting done.
Pastors do you know who sits in row 4 seat 7. Bosses do you know who stocks the shelves in store 25? Because of the world we have literally dis-connected ourselves from the important things in life, people.
Do you know that one of your employees may have cancer, do you know that one of the people in your congregation even though they are in a loving church environment is still too humble to let you know he recently lost his job.
This week take the time to find out who stocks the shelves in store 25, introduce yourself and get to know the person in row 4 seat 7.
The pharisees had heard of Jesus teachings and the following that was growing. They sent someone to test him. The pharisee asked him what is the greatest commandment of all. Jesus' answer is below to LOVE one another. If we ALL lived our lives by this commandment we would live fuller lives, our businesses would thrive and our relationships would be full of peace.
Matthew 22: 33-40
The Greatest Commandment
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Please take the time to read and pass it on to anyone you think would get something out of it.
Have a blessed week!
Billy
This week we are going to start a new series that I think will not only change our lives but the way we see our world around us.
The most important things today are the people and relationships we have with them. In our jobs, in our churches today we have become content with seeing filled seats and knowing that a job is getting done.
Pastors do you know who sits in row 4 seat 7. Bosses do you know who stocks the shelves in store 25? Because of the world we have literally dis-connected ourselves from the important things in life, people.
Do you know that one of your employees may have cancer, do you know that one of the people in your congregation even though they are in a loving church environment is still too humble to let you know he recently lost his job.
This week take the time to find out who stocks the shelves in store 25, introduce yourself and get to know the person in row 4 seat 7.
The pharisees had heard of Jesus teachings and the following that was growing. They sent someone to test him. The pharisee asked him what is the greatest commandment of all. Jesus' answer is below to LOVE one another. If we ALL lived our lives by this commandment we would live fuller lives, our businesses would thrive and our relationships would be full of peace.
Matthew 22: 33-40
The Greatest Commandment
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Please take the time to read and pass it on to anyone you think would get something out of it.
Have a blessed week!
Billy
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
One question!
Hello Everyone,
This week I am going to pose a question for everyone to think about.
If you knew beyond any doubt that Christ is the Son of God sent to give you everlasting abundant life, how would you live you life?
I had this question come to me and nothing else would come to me to write along with it. This is a very busy week with work, church and my family life so the stress was starting to show itself. When I feel the stress coming like that I always ask God to speak to me and take away the stressful situations. I know he does because he told us he does in the book of John.
John:14 13-17
13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. 15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
So on the way into work I stopped at the local Walmart to get some things that I needed. I know early mornings in Walmart you run into some fun characters as there is nothing else open. As I was looking for something in the aisle an older gentleman that reminded me of my Uncle Kenneth, you would have to know him to know how he interacted with people always having fun but very unpredictable, so I was ready for anything. The gentleman immediately said " I know you" I said "you do from where". He said " I know where you are from, your mother". As you would guess I was caught off guard and tried to laugh with him, when he said" I just like to see people smile as it is better to have a good attitude than a bad one and to treat people right."
The next part didn't even seem like me talking as I am a devout Christian but don't always discuss God in the world like I should. I said" You're right God meant for us to love one another not treat each other bad." That is when the door was opened and he began to tell me what was bothering him. It turns out his wife is ill and his stepson doesn't believe in Christ and that is bothering his wife. When we started to part he asked me to pray for his wife I asked her name so I could later as that is what I normally do. He told me her name Pearly Cooper but that is when I did something I can say I hadn't done before. I aksed if he would like to pray for her together right where we were. We prayed for her and I walked away from him with a completely different feeling. I still had all the things that I had to do but they weren't weighing on me as they were before.
So as you can see a question was put for me to ask and I had no idea why or what I was going to write to go with the question. After yesterday morning I know he speaks to us in many ways and has a way he wants us to live. All I can say is I am ready to listen!
Have a blessed week,
Billy
This week I am going to pose a question for everyone to think about.
If you knew beyond any doubt that Christ is the Son of God sent to give you everlasting abundant life, how would you live you life?
I had this question come to me and nothing else would come to me to write along with it. This is a very busy week with work, church and my family life so the stress was starting to show itself. When I feel the stress coming like that I always ask God to speak to me and take away the stressful situations. I know he does because he told us he does in the book of John.
John:14 13-17
13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. 15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
So on the way into work I stopped at the local Walmart to get some things that I needed. I know early mornings in Walmart you run into some fun characters as there is nothing else open. As I was looking for something in the aisle an older gentleman that reminded me of my Uncle Kenneth, you would have to know him to know how he interacted with people always having fun but very unpredictable, so I was ready for anything. The gentleman immediately said " I know you" I said "you do from where". He said " I know where you are from, your mother". As you would guess I was caught off guard and tried to laugh with him, when he said" I just like to see people smile as it is better to have a good attitude than a bad one and to treat people right."
The next part didn't even seem like me talking as I am a devout Christian but don't always discuss God in the world like I should. I said" You're right God meant for us to love one another not treat each other bad." That is when the door was opened and he began to tell me what was bothering him. It turns out his wife is ill and his stepson doesn't believe in Christ and that is bothering his wife. When we started to part he asked me to pray for his wife I asked her name so I could later as that is what I normally do. He told me her name Pearly Cooper but that is when I did something I can say I hadn't done before. I aksed if he would like to pray for her together right where we were. We prayed for her and I walked away from him with a completely different feeling. I still had all the things that I had to do but they weren't weighing on me as they were before.
So as you can see a question was put for me to ask and I had no idea why or what I was going to write to go with the question. After yesterday morning I know he speaks to us in many ways and has a way he wants us to live. All I can say is I am ready to listen!
Have a blessed week,
Billy
Monday, January 10, 2011
Broken Resolutions
Hello Everyone,
It is the second week of the New Year and many of us have already broken those resolutions that we set for ourselves on January 1st. Why is it we set these what seem attainable goals only to make it a week or maybe a month before we find ourselves right back to our old habits, kicking ourselves for not being able to keep our resolutions.
If it makes you feel any better God knew we wouldn't be able to hold to our resolutions before we made them. See God knows that alone we can not accomplish the goals that we set. But he never intended for us to go it alone. His intention was for us to share our lives in fellowship with him. He wants us to include him in our lives. Any resolution that you spent time praying on and asking God's guidance and assistance on is an attaniable resolution. That doesn't mean that you won't stumble or have some hiccups as " all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".
Even though Adam brought sin into the world, God reconciled our relationship when he came to our world and lived as we live and was crucified for the ultimate attonement for ous sins. In doing so he opened the door for an everlasting life a life of abundance. We need to seek God in our all that we do. If we do this we can have the life that is promised. Any time we take on the world without God in our corner we will fail. But God is there every time we fail. His love is ever enduring. No matter how many times we stumble he is there eager to forgive with open arms to bring us back like the prodigal son.
This week as you are thinking about those things you decided to change in 2011 seek God's help with them and you will be amazed at the great things that will happen.
Have a blessed week!
Billy
Phillipians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Luke 15: 11-32
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
It is the second week of the New Year and many of us have already broken those resolutions that we set for ourselves on January 1st. Why is it we set these what seem attainable goals only to make it a week or maybe a month before we find ourselves right back to our old habits, kicking ourselves for not being able to keep our resolutions.
If it makes you feel any better God knew we wouldn't be able to hold to our resolutions before we made them. See God knows that alone we can not accomplish the goals that we set. But he never intended for us to go it alone. His intention was for us to share our lives in fellowship with him. He wants us to include him in our lives. Any resolution that you spent time praying on and asking God's guidance and assistance on is an attaniable resolution. That doesn't mean that you won't stumble or have some hiccups as " all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".
Even though Adam brought sin into the world, God reconciled our relationship when he came to our world and lived as we live and was crucified for the ultimate attonement for ous sins. In doing so he opened the door for an everlasting life a life of abundance. We need to seek God in our all that we do. If we do this we can have the life that is promised. Any time we take on the world without God in our corner we will fail. But God is there every time we fail. His love is ever enduring. No matter how many times we stumble he is there eager to forgive with open arms to bring us back like the prodigal son.
This week as you are thinking about those things you decided to change in 2011 seek God's help with them and you will be amazed at the great things that will happen.
Have a blessed week!
Billy
Phillipians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Luke 15: 11-32
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Saturday, January 1, 2011
A year devoted to serving God
Hello Everyone,
I hope you all had a blessed 2010. My family and I have truly been blessed this past year and wish everyone a blessed year ahead.
I have been a believer since I was a child but this past year I actually became a follower of Christ. Let me explain, I have always believed in God and the Bible and that if you were a good person you would go to heaven. I had been saved in 91 after my Mom passed away but didn't truly understand what being saved meant , but this past year I actually started putting what Christ teaches to work in my life and made him my Lord and Saviour.
I can't say that I am a perfect follower but now I know that I do not have to be perfect and that I am saved by my Faith and His Grace. I continue to seek God and to find ways to serve him and ask him into my life.
We all can serve in whatever it is we do in our lives at work with the people we meet, with our families in how we teach our kids, and with our friends.
In 2011 I feel as a group of believers and as a country we need to get our focus on the importance of serving God. We need to show our praise and worship in everything we do. If we want to have God bless us as a nation we need to not be ashamed to declare Christ as our Lord and Saviour. In Deuteronomy 28: 1-6 God tells us how he will bless us if we follow his commands.
1"And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God to observe and to do all His commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth;
2and all these blessings shall come on thee and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God:
3"Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
4Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy herds, the increase of thy cattle, and the flocks of thy sheep.
5Blessed shall be thy basket and thy stores.
6Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
Later in that same book he tells us what will happen if we fall away from God.
Deuteronomy 28:45-50
45Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee and overtake thee till thou be destroyed, because thou hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded thee.
46And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.
47"Because thou served not the LORD thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things,
48therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies whom the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger and in thirst and in nakedness and in want of all things; and He shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until He have destroyed thee.
49The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth, a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand,
50a nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old nor show favor to the young.
I think no one can argue that as a country we have fallen away from God. In order for us to ask blessings from God we must remember him in our lives. I would urge everyone to devote their hearts to truly putting God first in your life. I know that if we do we will become the people and country our forefathers and Creator intended us to be.
Have a blessed week!
Billy
I hope you all had a blessed 2010. My family and I have truly been blessed this past year and wish everyone a blessed year ahead.
I have been a believer since I was a child but this past year I actually became a follower of Christ. Let me explain, I have always believed in God and the Bible and that if you were a good person you would go to heaven. I had been saved in 91 after my Mom passed away but didn't truly understand what being saved meant , but this past year I actually started putting what Christ teaches to work in my life and made him my Lord and Saviour.
I can't say that I am a perfect follower but now I know that I do not have to be perfect and that I am saved by my Faith and His Grace. I continue to seek God and to find ways to serve him and ask him into my life.
We all can serve in whatever it is we do in our lives at work with the people we meet, with our families in how we teach our kids, and with our friends.
In 2011 I feel as a group of believers and as a country we need to get our focus on the importance of serving God. We need to show our praise and worship in everything we do. If we want to have God bless us as a nation we need to not be ashamed to declare Christ as our Lord and Saviour. In Deuteronomy 28: 1-6 God tells us how he will bless us if we follow his commands.
1"And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God to observe and to do all His commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth;
2and all these blessings shall come on thee and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God:
3"Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
4Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy herds, the increase of thy cattle, and the flocks of thy sheep.
5Blessed shall be thy basket and thy stores.
6Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
Later in that same book he tells us what will happen if we fall away from God.
Deuteronomy 28:45-50
45Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee and overtake thee till thou be destroyed, because thou hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded thee.
46And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.
47"Because thou served not the LORD thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things,
48therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies whom the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger and in thirst and in nakedness and in want of all things; and He shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until He have destroyed thee.
49The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth, a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand,
50a nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old nor show favor to the young.
I think no one can argue that as a country we have fallen away from God. In order for us to ask blessings from God we must remember him in our lives. I would urge everyone to devote their hearts to truly putting God first in your life. I know that if we do we will become the people and country our forefathers and Creator intended us to be.
Have a blessed week!
Billy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)