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Blogs, John Grant

Get out the word out

Week Eight, 2018

GET OUT THE WORD OUT

By John Grant

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. – Matthew 28:19-20

The annual Super Bowl is one of the most watched events each year. Millions view it. What drives it is not the people purchasing tickets to sit in the stadium, but the advertisers who pay vast sums of money to reach the viewing public.

This year, advertisers paid up to five million dollars for a thirty second ad and that doesn’t even cover the cost of production. It takes the sale of a lot of razor blades or whatever product being advertised to cover the cost. At no other time during the year does any business obtain that extensive amount of viewership. Super Bowl Sunday has power! Power to draw viewers; power to capture attention; power to make consumers sit up and watch commercials.

Why do they do it? They do it because it works. Advertising has been defined as the most powerful, persuasive, and manipulative tool that firms have to control consumers all over the world. It is a form of communication that typically attempts to persuade potential customers to purchase or to consume more of a particular brand of product or service.

Its impacts created on the society throughout the years has been amazing, especially in this technology age. Influencing people’s habits, creating false needs and distorting the values and priorities of our society, advertising has become a poisonious snake ready to hunt its prey. However, on the other hand, advertising has had a positive effect as a help of the economy and society. The point is that it is a powerful tool to influence the public.

Jesus told His disciples to advertise and go to all nations to share His Word. Have you ever thought of the advertising power the Christian church has? There are 2.3 billion Christians on planet earth. That’s one of every three. What if each one led someone to the Lord, one on one.

Frank Laubach was a distinguished minister, a graduate of two ivy league schools came up with the “Each One Teach One literacy program and with that, he taught much of Africa to read and write. It has been used to teach about 60 million people to read in their own language. An estimated 2.7 million people worldwide were learning to read through Laubach-affiliated programs.

He also used it to teach people all over the world to love Jesus. Why did he do it? He did it because it works.

I was privileged to meet this wonderful man shortly before his death and was spellbound as I heard him say how easy it is to teach and influence people one on one. Who is your “one” for Jesus?

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Ken Whitten on Following God:

Jesus is worthy of total abandonment and supreme adoration, because when you meet Jesus, everything changes. Followers often don’t know how, but they know who. He must have total dominion of our lives. It involves leaving comfort for discomfort and leaving cover for uncover. We must give Jesus free direction in our lives. The process moves from abandonment to adherence.

–o–

Words Do Have Meaning!

In the book, Champions For Life, Bill Glass related how a negative remark his mother made to him as a child stayed with him for the rest of his life. It was not his mother’s intent to hurt him, but she forgot the incredible power and the long term influence our words can have. Does this mean that we have to be so careful with what we say that we have to tiptoe around every subject for fear of offense? Perhaps we should, or at least understand the power of our tongue and our words as we are warned in James 1:26. If we do not bridle our tongue, it can lead to both vanity and hubris which causes us to forget that everybody is somebody. Dwight Short

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Our fear of what could happen is often worse than what does happen. Nehemiah 3-4

President Abe Lincoln: “Have malice toward none and charity for all”. This is an excellent way to build respect.

Whenever you make a commitment to the Lord, the enemy will vigorously oppose your every attempt to spirituality advance. —Ken Whitten

You don’t get to choose the life you have, but you do get to choose who you are going to be in it. —Unknown wise person

How will young people learn to love the Lord if they don’t see that love being modeled for them? —Dwight Short

***

Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com and Thoughts-About-God.com. You can subscribe directly to those on their respective websites.

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to be taken off the mailing list a simple e-mail will do it. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2017

©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618
Blogs

“Who is like you?

A message from the Pastor

First Baptist Church

9 West Main St. Earlville, NY 13332

Inviting and Accepting

Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor

“Who Is Like You?”

(Exodus 15:11-13)

February 11, 2018

TODAY’S SPECIAL

“A Wedding Funny”

Little Emily was at her first wedding and gaped at the entire ceremony. When it was over, she asked her mother, “Why did the lady change her mind?”

Her mother asked, “What do you mean?”

“Well, she went down the aisle with one man and came back with another one.”

INTRODUCTION

How are you doing on your Bible reading this year? I’ve shared with you that I am reading 3 chapters a day and 5 on Sunday. During this past week’s reading, my heart wondered about the phrase read in our text. It is a wonderful phrase – not used much, but with deep insights into God and ourselves. PRAYER

#1. THE WORLD HAS NO SONG (Exodus 15:11-13)

A. What gods? (v. 11a). Turn back a few pages to Ex. 7, beginning with v. 14. The descriptions are great. What was the purpose of the plagues? Simply to prove that the God of the Israelites is greater than Pharaoh? NO! Look again at the plagues:

* Blood (7:14ff) – against the Nile, worshipped by the Egyptians

* Frogs (showing God’s majestic sweep of power)

* Gnats (distinguishing trust in the true God vs. trust in the occult magicians) * Flies and Livestock (distinguishing Egypt from Israel)

* Boils (key word: dust – God’s tool of creation)

* Hail (see 9:19 – a call to trust God’s Word)

* Locusts (a test of Pharaoh’s hard-heartedness vs. the reason of his officials-v. 7 and 20)

* Darkness (JESUS is the light of the world, and the rest of the world is in darkness (vs. 22ff – how long? THREE DAYS – symbolic of Jesus’ time in the tomb)

* The firstborn (ch. 11 and 12 – symbolic of God’s ownership, and of His one day giving His firstborn – one and only Son). THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE GOD!

B. Mighty in battle (v. 11b, 12) and marvelous in leading (v. 13). The psalmist Asaph (Ps. 73:23-24) contemplating these same issues broke out in song “Whom have I in heaven but Thee! And there is NONE upon I that I desire beside Thee!”

Scripture’s first use of the phrase “who is like you” shows us a mighty truth: There is no comparison: THE WORLD HAS NO SONG!

#2. GOD’S PEOPLE HAVE A SONG! (Psalm 89:8)

A. We could have looked at two other passages in the Psalms:

(1) Psalm 35:10 (David speaking): “My whole being will exclaim,“Who is like you, Lord? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them.” Our great God is a helper to the helpless. He DOESN’T help those who help themselves! Rather, He helps those who have no help! Ponder that one the next time you don’t know where to turn, what direction to go. Who is like God Who helps the helpless?

(2) Psalm 71:19 (the verse following our church’s “Verse for 2018”, v. 18): “Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God?” The unnamed psalmist could only burst out in uncontrolled praise when he pondered the uniqueness of our God! Verse 7 says, “I have become a sign to many; you are my strong refuge.” How can we possibly know how many people are looking to us for encouragement at any given moment?

ILLUSTRATION: there was a fellow classmate in Bible school named Charlie. While we were in our late teens and early twenties, Charlie in his late 50’s felt led of the Lord to come to Bible School. He ultimately graduated from my class and later pastored in the “North Country” of New York State. But Charlie had one distinguishing trait: he was a prayer warrior. OH, we knew how to pray. But we knew that when Charlie prayed, God heard and God answered! He was a sign to us that God was his strong refuge! We believed it – and he lived it! And because Charlie lived it, when after graduation we all went our separate ways, we, too, knew: who is like God, our strong refuge!

B. Psalm 89:1 teaches a song: The old KJV vs. one says these words which have been put into a wonderful chorus: “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever; with my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness to all generations.”

And verse 8 echoes the same heart: “Who is like you, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.”

The psalmist had a song – and he knew that not only was God mighty, but God was not a God Who is a far off! His faithfulness is on display every day!

And God’s faithfulness could be considered the theme of Psalm 89. Look at verses 2, 5, 14, 33, and 49. In addition to the two we’ve looked at, the psalmist could not stop singing about God’s faithfulness.

So when was the last time you thought on God’s faithfulness?

HAS GOD GIVEN YOU A SONG?

CONCLUSION

We have learned today that the Scriptures remind us of two great truths: the world has no song that has any eternal value; and the Christian has a song which reaches to heaven rejoicing in the faithfulness of the living and most personal God.

But there is one more verse that we must close with.

Deuteronomy 33:29 says “Blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will tread on their heights.”

Near the end of his life, Moses could look back and exclaim that not only was God unique; God’s people were unique, too. That’s how God looked at Israel. That’s how God looks at you and me. He has made an eternal investment by purchasing us with the blood of His Son at Calvary. He sees us as unique, one of a kind. “Who is like you?” God says of us!

He asks of us, “if I see that in a world that is lost and without hope, you are my eternal investment, will you do this for me: have no other gods before Me. Then repeat daily, “WHO IS LIKE YOU?” – when you think of the only living God!”

Perhaps you can’t carry a tune in the shower! But God has given each of us a new song – He is faithful. There is none like Him!

Sing out your song this week loud and clear!

Prayer

Blogs

Just Beneath the Surface

Week Seven, 2018

JUST BENEATH THE SURFACE

By John Grant

Do ye look on things according to the outward appearance? If any man trust himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s. – 2 Corr. 2:7

While riding down river through the Amazon Jungle, noticed how murky the water. It was so murky that one could not see a hand below the surface. I didn’t even try because I have heard what creatures swim in those rivers just below the surface.

I thought about how that relates to sin, which often lurks just out of sight and just below the surface of our everyday lives. Often is subtle and the sin is small. Why would I not want to stick a finger below the water just to see what it is like? Look at Lot. He started with small sins which grew and grew and then he failed.

The reason Lot failed is illustrated by an event that happened on June 5, 1976. On that day, under clear skies, without warning, the massive Teton Dam in southeastern Idaho collapsed, sending a torrent of water surging into the Snake River basin. There was extensive property damage and loss of life. It seemed to happen so quickly. Some workers on the dam barely had time to run for their lives.

But it really didn’t happen suddenly. Beneath the water line, a hidden fault had been gradually weakening the entire structure. It started with just a tiny bit of erosion. But by the time it was detected, it was too late. No one had seen the little flaw; no one got hurt by it. But everyone saw the big collapse, and many were hurt.

That’s what happened to Lot. He allowed little sins in his life to go unchecked. They weren’t major, shocking kinds of sins–just “little” sins. But they were steadily eroding his moral character, until finally the sordid incident recorded here burst the dam.

Keep your hands out of the murky water, for you never know what sins are lurking there to hook you into a life or progressive sin.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Obituary:

Joe’s wife passed away and he wanted to keep the obituary as short as possible, so he penned “Sally Smith died.” When the funeral home told him that the minimum wordage was six words, he added “Car for sale.”

Jesus is Lord. And that changes everything.

–o–

During the course of administration, and in order to disturb it, the artillery of the press has been leveled against us, charged with whatsoever its licentiousness could devise or dare. These abuses of an institution so important to freedom and science are deeply to be regretted, inasmuch as they tend to lessen its usefulness and to sap its safety.” —Thomas Jefferson (1805)

–o–

In grammar school they taught me that a frog turning into a prince was a fairy tale. In the university they taught me that a frog turning into a prince was a fact. —Ron Carlson

–o–

C. S. Lewis wrote, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.” Focus on those you serve and witness the new found value.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Lord God, I praise You today for burdens lifted, sins forgiven and hope restored.

Pain can be used for good. It causes us to pause and ponder what’s really important. Mark Merrill

In what appears to be his last tweet, on Dec. 1, 2017, R C Sproul wrote about his belief in eternity: “When God writes our names in the ‘Lamb’s Book of Life,’ he doesn’t do it with an eraser handy. He does it for eternity.”

Lord Jesus, what a thrill it is to know You call me friend! It is a bigger thrill to know that You will never unfriend me!

Lord God, I praise You that Your love for me is based on Your character, not on my performance. How great You are!

Keep your face always toward the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you. Walt Whitman

***

Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com and Thoughts-About-God.com. You can subscribe directly to those on their respective websites.

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to be taken off the mailing list a simple e-mail will do it. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2017

©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618
Blogs, Uncategorized

“WHAT IS A SERVANT OF GOD?”

“WHAT IS A SERVANT OF GOD?”

Acts 6:1-7
Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor

TODAY’S SPECIAL: “A Super Bowl Funny”

A woman had 50 yard line tickets for the Super Bowl. As she sat down, a man came along and asked  her if anyone is sitting in the seat next to her. “No,” she said, “the seat is empty.”
“This is incredible,” said the man. “Who in their  right mind would have a seat like this for the Super Bowl, the biggest sporting event in the world, and not use it?”
Somberly, the woman  says, “Well… the seat actually belongs to me. I was supposed to come here with my husband, but he passed away. This is the first Super Bowl we have not been to together since we got married in 1967.”
“Oh I’m sorry to hear that, that’s terrible. But couldn’t you find someone else – a friend  or relative, or even a neighbor to take the seat?”
The woman shakes her head, “No, they’re all at the funeral.”

INTRODUCTION

This is an interesting question: “what is a servant of God?” And perhaps an understandable follow-up, “where does a servant of God come from?” In our text in Acts 6, the newly-formed, Spirit anointed church is at a crossroads. It has a problem, and the leadership needs help. PRAYER

A. TRUE SERVANTS ARE THE PEOPLE! (vs. 1-3a)

1. The first church recognized the work of ministry – these verses showed servants coming from..the people!
2. This is the pattern of Ephesians 4:11-13 – leadership training the people to do the work of the ministry
3. Illus. Rev. Dr. Ken Beres passed away this week. Almost 7 years ago on his Facebook page he wrote, “Hello, everyone… I am a member of the clergy who just happens to be a die-hard Moxie aficionado… Earlier this week I celebrated communion with a can of Moxie and graham crackers… Y’all should try it sometime!” I think I would have liked him! When interviewed 9 years ago about receiving his doctorate at age 49, he said these wise words: “One of the things that I focus on is the value of mentoring in ministry and in leadership of the church. I try to instill in the people of my congregation that they’re each in ministry, that ministry isn’t limited to the guy who stands in the pulpit and wears the big robe and preaches the big sermon. Ministry is also the person who takes a home cooked meal to their neighbor or who helps their neighbor by shoveling out their walkway.” Spot on!

B. TRUE SERVANTS GROW IN CHARACTER (v. 3b)

1. Note that there are only – get this – TWO qualifications for a true servant of the Lord: “full of the Spirit and wisdom”
2. Why just two? There are other passages on the qualifications of deacons. But the key word here is servant. It might not be a position in the church (although it might be an office). Rather, a servant is a person of godly character ministering with the gifts God has given him or her, and where God has wisely planted him or her.
3. “Full of the Spirit” – a complete reliance on the operation of the Spirit of God to do the work which God has designed for you to do. We could go into an extended study in the Spirit of God – and maybe some day we will. But for now it is sufficient to know that God’s Spirit is operating in you. And all He desires is your…SURRENDER to Him. Daily. Moment by moment.

ILLUSTRATION:

I was asked to officiate a “Celebration of Life” service yesterday. Before Friday, I didn’t even know that the deceased was one of my neighbors, although I’ve known him by his nickname for years. The Spirit of God is allowed to orchestrate the details of our lives for the glory of the Lord Jesus, even at a moment’s notice. Can we yield to such a wise Holy Spirit?
4. “Full of wisdom” Notice the Word doesn’t say full of “SMARTS”. True wisdom comes from a daily stillness, quietness before the Word of God. PERIOD. There is no other source of true wisdom. NONE! To be an effective leader, you must be one who is walking daily with the Lord.

C. TRUE SERVANTS ARE BLESSED TO SEE OTHERS SERVE (v. 5)

Just a quick note on what is said in verse 4. There is no doubt from what we read in the gospels and through the rest of the book of Acts: the original disciples served with MORE than just “prayer and the ministry of the word.” But that was the core of their accountability. And the follow up is that those who weren’t ministering as such were blessed by God and happy to be used where the Lord had wisely put them.
God’s work has no “favorites” nor “levels of accomplishment”. There is only ONE standard for God’s work. Do you know what it is? 1 Cor. 4:1-2: “So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove… FAITHFUL.”
Faithfulness is the only standard. Day in, day out, plug along. God’s servants – regardless where God places them – must be FAITHFUL!

CONCLUSION (v. 7)

The conclusion comes appropriately in verse 7. There was a widespread influence of the church, and the number of those who served increased as well. Yes, the numbers increased. That will come when the principle is met: “whatever you so, you will reap”. If we sow much, we will reap much. And God gives the increase! Wow.
So, are you a child of the King? IF SO, God has called you to be a servant of God! He desires your SURRENDER to the operation of the Spirit of God in your life. And He desires your daily walk with the Lord. That’s it!

Prayer

May the Lord give grace where He has wisely planted each of us in our exciting ministry here in Earlville.

Uncategorized

Comebacks from Setbacks

Week Six, 2018

COMEBACKS FROM SETBACKS

The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? – Psalm 27:1

Every day we face obstacles and necessities, and we spend much of our time doing things that we must do, often things we would rather not do, again as often not doing things we wish to do. Yet we must try to do them in some way that is right, according to some standard of right that is both outside and above the details of our lives but also implicit in those details.

No matter how hard we try, sometimes we will make mistakes, big mistakes and little mistakes, all of which set us back. Sometimes we are the victim of things and events beyond our control that set us back. Our enemy will come against us simply because of our faith in the Lord. It is discouraging enough to face trouble because of a mistake you made, but what about the times when a storm hits you for no apparent reason?

The question is how we can turn those setbacks into comebacks. The Bible is full of people who had setbacks and made them into comebacks.

Consider Joseph. Through no sin or fault of his own, Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and endured years of false imprisonment. At all times, Joseph maintained his integrity and his faith in God. Even while he was subjected to such injustice, God was preparing him for a great future.

Eventually, God caused Joseph to rise to prominence as the most powerful official in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. From this position, Joseph was instrumental in preserving the people of Egypt and the surrounding region, including his own family, through a time of great famine. When Joseph had the opportunity to take revenge on his brothers, he chose forgiveness and mercy instead, understanding that all that had happened to him was God’s way of preparing him for his destiny. If Joseph made a comeback, you can too.

Job represents what is certainly one of the greatest comeback stories in all of Scripture. Job lost everything. In one day he lost his wealth, his health, and his family. All he had left was his faith in God, and that proved to be enough. God had allowed Satan to test Job’s faith and integrity to the very limit, and Job passed the test. What the devil meant for Job’s destruction, God turned to Job’s good.

Struggles come in all shapes and sizes – fears, addictions, persecution, and worries can all seem to take over our thoughts. God tells us that we will face trials, but that we should not lose hope! Be encouraged, God has called you an overcomer!

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Willie Taggart Lives His Dream:

Before making one of the most agonizing decisions of his 41-year-old existence, Willie Taggart sought lots of advice about leaving Oregon and going to FSU, but the most profound advice came from the oldest of his three kids. Will, a lanky 16-year-old who bears a stunning resemblance to his dad, approached Taggart and wife Taneshia as they were sitting on the sofa contemplating a move to Florida State after less than one calendar year in Eugene, Ore.

“Out of nowhere — I didn’t expect this — he said, ‘Dad, I know you’re struggling with this decision, and I know this is your dream job. You always tell me to chase my dreams and don’t let anyone get in the way of ’em. I don’t think it’s right for me or anyone else to stop you from chasing your dreams.’ And he said, ‘I don’t wanna leave, dad, but if you’re gonna chase your dream, I’m gonna ride with you.’ “

With that, Taggart said, he and Taneshia broke down.

***

US life expectancy declines for a second straight year– “…more evidence of the toll the nation’s opioid crisis is exacting on younger and middle-aged Americans, experts said.”

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Reflecting on the past is healthy, but dwelling on it keeps you stuck in the past. Stay positive with a focus on the future. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is a mystery and that is why today is called “the present.”

A man never discloses his own character so clearly as when he describes another’s.

Interruptions don’t produce character, they reveal it. Ken Whitten

The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say no to almost everything. Warren Buffett

***

Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com and Thoughts-About-God.com. You can subscribe directly to those on their respective websites.

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to be taken off the mailing list a simple e-mail will do it. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2017.

©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618
Uncategorized

The Peter Problem

THINK

On These

Things

The Peter Problem

Written by Alexander W. “Brother Al” Salay

Philippians 4:8

Peter!  First called Simon;

A disciple of Jesus Christ;

With brother Andrew, the first called to follow the Lord;

“And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew His brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers.  And He saith unto them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’  And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him.” (Matt 4:18-20)

A man bold enough to ask to walk on water;

“And Peter answered Him and said, Lord, if it be thou bid me come to thee on the water.” (Matt 14:28)

A man blessed by the Father with the direct revelation that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God;

“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God.  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven.” (Matt 16:16)

A friend close enough to be invited to the Mount of Transfiguration;

“And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them; and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.” Matt 17:1

A follower quick to proclaim his loyalty;

“Peter answered and said unto Him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.” (Matt 26:33)

A chosen prayer partner at Gethsemane.

“And He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.” (Matt 26:37)

Yes, Peter was a blessed man, a great man, a prominent man in the months that Jesus ministered on Earth. His name is mentioned in the Word 158 times, more than any name other than Jesus. Along with the brothers James and John, he was part of the inner circle of disciples that was with Jesus constantly.

Yet Peter, poor Peter, received the most stinging rebuke Jesus is recorded to have uttered. The Word says Jesus “turned, and said unto Peter,

‘Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense to me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.’” (Matt 16:23)

PETER!

Disciple,     Called,         Bold,       Blessed,

Friend,       Loyal,      Chosen.

Satan, an Offense.

Poor Peter. He wanted so much to love and serve Jesus, yet he still fell short. His human viewpoint trapped him. He savored the things of men more than the things of God. He was more focused on the physical well‑being of his friend Jesus than he was in the eternal plan of God the Father. Even after such a stinging rebuke, he persisted in his attempts to save Jesus from his destiny. He knew of the world to come, but his thought processes and his actions were solidly rooted in this world.

I believe that each Christian is, to some degree, “Peter.”  We know that the Jesus‑standard is to place the things of God above the things of man. The words of Matthew 6:33 , “But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you,”  come easily to our lips. But like Peter, we seem all too ready to slip into our foolish and temporal concerns, sometimes forgetting completely that there is a kingdom to be sought.

In Matthew 16:17, you can sense the rejoicing in Jesus’ words when He says, “Blessed art thou, Simon Bar‑jona: for flesh and blood have not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven.” Jesus was excited for His friend. He was joyful because of Peter’s spiritual success. When the voice of God speaks to you more loudly than the voice of the world, you are blessed.

In Matthew 16:23 , you can sense the revulsion in Jesus’ words when He says, “Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense to me:” How strong, how painful a statement! What a stinging rebuke! In the vernacular of today, you might say, “Get out of here. You make me sick!”

The primacy of God, His Word and His plan over the things of the world is the rock bottom issue of Jesus’ life and teachings. Even as He agonized at Gethsemane, Jesus was still submissive to the plan of the Father. The Word was His standard. The world was nothing.

Let us be clear: Peter’s act was not an act of rebellion. It was an act of human passion and compassion. It was an act of misguided love. His was not an unwilling heart. His was an improperly focused mind.  As a result, he unwittingly became Satan’s mouthpiece, as that enemy tried to weaken Jesus’ resolve.

 As Peter demonstrated so clearly:

When we listen to the Spirit, we are blessed. (Matt 16:17)

When we listen to the flesh and the mind we are used of Satan. (Matt 16:23)

Today, we may be saved, we may live a somewhat obedient life, we may honor God and speak to others about His love and His grace. But where are our concerns? Are they in this temporary world? Or are they in the Kingdom of God? Surely we would not want to hear our Lord say to us, “Get thee behind me Satan: thou art an offense to me.”

BUT, Do we savor the things of God

Above the things of man?

Really?

Peter’s victory is seen as he later advised his readers, “Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you . . .” (1 Peter 1:13)

01/18

Presented by Brother Al Salay – Blessed Man Ministries Inc.

1093 A1A Beach Blvd. #273, St. Augustine, FL 32080-6733

www.BlessedMan.net [email protected]

Blogs

In or Out?

Week Five, 2018

IN OR OUT?

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. – Revelation 3:15-16

Recently, my bride and I went to a spot on planet earth that was 0-0-0 Latitude. Located in Ecuador, it is literally the middle of the planet. A yellow line depicts the dividing line between the Northern and Southern hemispheres and is commonly referred to as the Equator. It is depicted literally by a yellow line.

One can straddle that line and be half in each hemisphere. Many Christians live their lives that way, half in and half out. John speaks of that in Revelation saying that we have the option of being either hot or cold, but we should not straddle the middle and be lukewarm.

I am not a poker player, but I understand that when a player feels lucky, he can bet the farm, by shoving all his chips to the middle of the table and saying, “I’m all in.” It is either win the table or lose all he has.

Jesus’ words to the church at Laodicea can be confusing. The vibrancy of the church is best to be hot, but cold is better than lukewarm. What this says is that it is better to be an indifferent pagan than to be a backslidden Christian. It is better to have never heard the Gospel than to have heard, accepted and fallen away. The one who has never heard has an excuse, but the one who has does not.

What is your spiritual temperature, hot, lukewarm or cold? Are you all in and not straddling the middle line?

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

A crowded Southwest flight was canceled because of a mechanical problem. A single gate agent was re-booking a long line of inconvenienced travelers.

Suddenly an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket down on the counter and said, “I HAVE to be on this flight,”

The agent replied, “I’m sorry, sir. I’ll be happy to try to help you, but I’ve got to help these people first, and I’m sure we’ll be able to work something out.”

The passenger was unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear, “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?”

Without hesitating, the attendant smiled and grabbed her public address microphone: “May I have your attention please; may I have your attention please” she began – her voice heard clearly throughout the terminal. “We have a passenger here at Gate 14 WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him find his identity, please come to Gate 14.”

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Remember to give thanks and not be afraid of difficulties ahead.

True freedom is not freedom from responsibility to God and others, but freedom from ourselves in order to live for God and others. John Stott

***

Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com and Thoughts-About-God.com. You can subscribe directly to those on their respective websites.

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to be taken off the mailing list a simple e-mail will do it. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2017

©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618
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NOW !

THINK

On These

Things

Now !

Philippians 4:8

In the book of Acts, Chapter 3, there is the remarkable story of a man who had been lame from birth and was healed in just a moment.

“Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said,

‘Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.’

And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God: And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.”

It is a great testimony to the power of Jesus Name and to the instantaneous power that the faith of a man like Peter can have in that Name. It is also an anecdote about how the apostle got one more opportunity to share the Gospel with the citizens of the day. All this is wonderful indeed.

As we rejoice, let us take a few moments to look at the situation from the viewpoint of the man who was healed. The Word says he was lame from his mother’s womb. It also says he was a man, an adult. At first, we are not told his exact age. Was he 20 years old? 30? 50? We don’t know. What we do know is that he had been lame for a long time – his whole life. (Later on, in Acts 4:22 it is revealed that “the man was above 40 years old.”)

As he sat there that day at the Gate Beautiful, he was not seeking healing. Such a thought was probably not even in the realm of his most hopeful thinking.

He was seeking alms to sustain himself. His hope was for food and perhaps shelter. His life was a settled one without hope of change. It had been the same for more than forty years.

Beg,

Buy food,

Beg some more.

What a cruel existence it must have been. He was totally dependent on others. He was not even able to bring himself to the gate. He needed others to do it for him.

But at a special time, a time called “NOW” in verse 1, a time appointed by God, his whole life changed.

NOW, Peter and John came by.

NOW the Name of Jesus Christ was invoked.

NOW he was instantly and totally healed.

NOW he could run and walk as he had never in his life been able to do.

NOW he was

Standing,

Walking,

Leaping,

Praising God.

Have you ever heard of such exuberance? Oh what joy he felt, what astonishment, what unexpected ecstasy!

It all took place at a moment in time that God had chosen. It didn’t happen 5 years or 5 days earlier. Not a month later. It happened NOW, in the fullness of God’s time. It was the day of God’s visitation, a day of deliverance.

We are accustomed to the idea that those who believe will receive gifts from God. Here is an example of one who received his gift and then believed. Grace upon grace.

Yes, as magnificent as his healing was, the greatest gift that day was his own new, dynamic, exuberant belief.

“And all the people saw him walking and praising God: And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.” And He Gave Testimony!

Could it be that God has a NOW time for some of us and our needs and infirmities?

Perhaps your NOW time has not yet come. Your need or problem may be an old one. You may not even have been expecting a solution. You may be focused on just making do with the way things are, just as the lame man was.

  • God’s NOW time for you may be on the way.

  • Wait for it.

  • Watch for it.

  • Anticipate it.

  • Recognize it when it comes.

  • Seize it with all spiritual vigor.

  • Respond to it in a fashion that enables it to change your life. Let it galvanize your faith.

  • Rise up and run about in the public place giving Him praise and testimony.

  • Allow your victory to be the means by which a multitude of others discover the love of the Savior.

No act of God’s love

Is too small for us to rejoice,

In the temple and in the marketplace.

12/17

Presented by Bro. Al Salay, Blessed Man Ministries Inc.

1093 A1A Beach Blvd. #273, St. Augustine, FL 32080-6733

www.BlessedMan.net [email protected]

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“What’s in Your Wallet? Part 2

First Baptist Church

9 West Main St., Earlville, NY 13332

Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor

January 21, 2018

Series: “WHAT’S IN YOUR WALLET?”

Part 1: God Owns It!” (Psalm 50).

PART 2: “You’re In Charge of It!” (Genesis 41).

TODAY’S SPECIAL

[Courtesy of Senator John Grant (Retired), Thoughts on Life, http://www.frankbecker.com]: A crowded Southwest flight was canceled because of a mechanical problem. A single gate agent was re-booking a long line of inconvenienced travelers.

Suddenly an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket down on the counter and said, “I HAVE to be on this flight.”

The agent replied, “I’m sorry, sir. I’ll be happy to try to help you, but I’ve got to help these people first, and I’m sure we’ll be able to work something out.”

The passenger was unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear, “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?”

Without hesitating, the attendant smiled and grabbed her public address microphone: “May I have your attention please; may I have your attention please” she began – her voice heard clearly throughout the terminal. “We have a passenger here at Gate 14 WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him find his identity, please come to Gate 14.”

INTRODUCTION

Last week we began a 3 week series entitled, “Stewardship Series 2018”. If you get on our church website [www.fbcearlville.org], you’ll find the original series posted as “Stewardship Series 2011. This year’s abbreviated version is given with the knowledge that, while our church’s finances are “just fine” (according to the studious treasurer), our personal finances might be in need of a little encouragement.

“Stewardship”: according to the dictionary, this term means “the conducting, supervising, or managing of something; especially, the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care”. Last week we learned from Psalm 50 that God owns everything – even everything in our “wallet”, I.e., our finances and everything we possess. This week takes us to the next step: While God treasures (no pun intended) His ownership, He delegates the care – or “charge” or “stewardship” of what He owns to…us! Let’s look at stewardship in action through the life of that OT saint, Joseph.

PRAYER

There are several key words or phrases in our text which help point us to God’s heart on our “stewardship” of what He entrusts to us:

#1 Qualities of a wise steward

A. He trusts the Lord (41:16). Let’s be careful interpreting verse 14 to meaning that God wants all of His godly men to be clean shaven and wearing a change of clothes all the time! Joseph’s declaration in verse 16 shows that in his giving glory to his heavenly Father, he is showing his unreserved trust in all his Father is doing in his life. Remember his compassionate words to his brothers in 50:19-21. He advised them that all that happened in his life happened under God’s eternal purpose – to save lives (and ultimately, the creation of the nation of Israel!). Joseph trusted God. And if we are to be a wise steward, so should we.

B. He is “discerning and wise” (41:33) While Joseph was recommending to Pharaoh the kind of steward Pharaoh should appoint, he was saying 2 things: #1 I, Joseph am of that character; and #2 the steward is someone who, while recognizing God’s Lordship and Ownership, is also one who recognizes that the Lord has put people in charge of what He has provided. And to be that discerning and wise steward, he must be able to determine what is right and what is not right. Check out Psalm 1 for yourself!

So do you trust the Lord, or are you simply “churchy” in your living? Do you trust the Lord even in your finances? And are you seeking His counsel in the wise and discerning use of what He has wisely placed in your hands?

#2. Pharaoh’s name for Joseph shows…VISION – God’s vision!

It was typical of un-Biblical rulers in Biblical times to give pet names to those who served them. As in Daniel, often the rulers’ purpose was to cause those who served to forget the God the servant worshipped and to put a false trust in the false gods (LITTLE “g”) of their land. Remember, Joseph’s mother, Rachel, gave him the name “Joseph”, which means “God will add” (implying first another son, and then long-range, the nation of Israel).

Notice the name (41:45) that Pharaoh gave to Joseph. Pharaoh’s pet name for Joseph was “Zaphenath-Paneah”. If you are at a loss for names for your future children, here is a good start. Perhaps he called Joseph “Z-P” for short. But what does the name mean? It means “God speaks and He lives.” WHAT? What is Pharaoh saying? He is saying this: every time he looks at Joseph and calls him “Z-P”, he is bowing to the truth that the TRUE God of eternity not only speaks and lives, He speaks and lives through His stewards who are in submission to God’s ownership of all that they own! Pharaoh is thus recognizing the true God’s uniqueness.

So every time someone sees you or me, do they recognize in us that God is speaking through our oversight of what He is entrusting to us? Do they recognize that God is living through us by way of our wise care over what He has placed under our watch? And in the BIG picture of things, that is…VISION!

CONCLUSION

We have looked at some of the qualities of a godly steward, mainly that he trusts the Lord in all that he does and is; and, that by character he is both discerning and wise. God is on display through the pattern of a godly steward’s life.

And we have seen through Joseph that when the world looks at a godly steward (as seen through the eyes of Pharaoh), the world sees, well, the living God Who through His Spirit and His Word speaks to that steward on a daily moment by moment basis. Wow!

But we must wrap this second message with one more word. Did you notice the description of the word in verse 49? During those 7 years of plenty, Joseph stored up the plenty. How much did he store up? Verse 34 says “a fifth of the harvest”. 20 %! I don’t think that is intended as a legalistic target for our finances. But it is an insight that Joseph was trusting God to enable him – on a national level, mind you! – to put aside 20% of the harvest, unused, for future living.

But the word for the day – and for our eternity! – is found in verse 56. Did you catch it? “When the famine had spread…Joseph opened the storehouses.” When was the last time you read the book of Malachi? What? Not recently? Listen to these amazing words from Malachi 3:10: “bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

We will learn more next week about our offerings. AND we will not be legalistic and say that the “storehouse” is the church. But by principle, God is saying through both Joseph and Malachi that the godly steward, the one whom God has wisely set in charge over what God owns, will have a vision for eternity in everything that God allows to come into his stewardship.

In other words, God doesn’t want simply casual overseers of what He already owns. One more time, look at the words we’ve learned today. God wants disciplined, wise, discerning, stewards who not only trust the Lord but who are visible evidences that God is alive and worthy to be trusted today.

Are YOU that one in charge?

Close in prayer

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WISDOM

Week Four, 2018

Wisdom

“… then listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom ” (Job 33:33).

Our education system tends to focus the importance of knowledge, but where do we find wisdom and what we understand about this? The dictionary has these definitions about wisdom:

1. Knowledge that is gained by having many experiences in life.

2. The natural ability to understand things that most other people cannot understand.

3. Knowledge of what is proper or reasonable: good sense or judgment

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10) What does it mean to “fear the Lord” and why is this fear the beginning of wisdom? What is “wisdom”? Who Is “the Holy One” and why is knowledge of Him “understanding”?

What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom? Knowledge is really about facts and ideas that we acquire through study, research, investigation, observation, or experience. Wisdom is the ability to discern and judge which aspects of that knowledge are true, right, lasting, and applicable to your life.

Wisdom is acquired by those who listen and learn from those who have traveled before, especially the elderly who often have gained wisdom through mistakes. Recently Pope Francis encouraged the younger to learn from the older saying,

“This is something very beautiful and important. The elderly are the historic memory of every community, a heritage of wisdom and faith to be heard, preserved, and valued.”

If we are young, we are encouraged to listen to the elderly and if elderly, to impart our wisdom to those who will follow behind us. A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not respond to rebukes. (Proverbs) 13:1

An unknown person once said, “To Be Old And Wise, You Must First Be Young And Stupid.”

We all, no matter what age need to seek wisdom from others, but also remembering that the greatest source of wisdom is the holy Word of God.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

A crowded Southwest flight was canceled because of a mechanical problem. A single gate agent was re-booking a long line of inconvenienced travelers.

Suddenly an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket down on the counter and said, “I HAVE to be on this flight.”

The agent replied, “I’m sorry, sir. I’ll be happy to try to help you, but I’ve got to help these people first, and I’m sure we’ll be able to work something out.”

The passenger was unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear, “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?”

Without hesitating, the attendant smiled and grabbed her public address microphone: “May I have your attention please; may I have your attention please” she began – her voice heard clearly throughout the terminal. “We have a passenger here at Gate 14 WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him find his identity, please come to Gate 14.”

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Reflecting on the past is healthy, but dwelling on it keeps you stuck in the past. Stay positive with a focus on the future. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is a mystery and that is why today is called the present. Brg. General Dick Abel

***

Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com and Thoughts-About-God.com. You can subscribe directly to those on their respective websites.

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to be taken off the mailing list a simple e-mail will do it. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2017.

©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618

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