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“THE EARTH IS FULL”

By Jeremy B. Stopford

April 8, 2018

TODAY’S FUNNY:

“A River Funny”
A lady standing by the river sees another lady on the opposite bank.
Lady #1: “Yoo-hoo! Hello over there! How can I get to the other side of the river?”
Lady #2: “HELLO — you ARE on the other side of the river.”

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever felt depressed? No, I don’t mean the kind where you need to spend thousands of dollars for a therapist. But have you ever been so overwhelmed by life that you fail even to see the hand of God on your every day? The other day as I was reading my Bible, a phrase stuck out – and I was so surprised to find the times it appeared in Scriptures. And I had never noticed it before. I hope this is an encouragement to you as to how BIG our awesome God is! PRAYER

THE EARTH IS FULL …

#1 OF GOD’S UNFAILING LOVE (Psalm 33:5)
* This is our introduction to the phrase “the earth is full”.
* What other versions call “unfailing love”: lovingkindness; goodness; faithful love; grace; His loyalty/covenant love; constant love; mercy; affectionate satisfaction.
* Any one of these phrases is sufficient. But note “covenant love” – God is in an agreement with the world that He will love the world – and on the cross He displayed that love. A covenant means that God is obligating Himself to show His unfailing love! And “affectionate satisfaction” caught my attention – I am in a daily battle to be satisfied, to have my hunger and thirst quenched. And when I realize that my true hunger and thirst is for Him, He readily quenches them. He satisfies. But the one which REALLY caught my attention is “mercy” – for without the cross, there is no true mercy!
* The heart of this psalm: Note v. 7: “He gathers the waters of the sea into jars”; and v. 9: “He spoke, and it came to be”. Dr. Ken Ham of the Creation Museum fame said that Christians shoot their arrows at the by-products of unbelief (such as abortion, euthanasia, and other “issues”). The world shoots its arrows at the foundation: creation. If they can disprove that the Lord is Creator, then there is no need to trust Him.
* Note how the psalm ends: v. 21-22 a trust, a prayer for God’s unfailing love to be our daily hope! The earth is full of unfailing love – now if only we look!

#2 OF GOD’S CREATURES (Psalm 104:24)
* Psalm 104 is often called the psalm of creation. All the days of creation are on display in this psalm.
* V. 1 and vs. 33-34 are bookends in this psalm. The unnamed psalmist begins with praise (v. 1). He ends in hope (vs. 33-34). He looks forward to a world where God is honored, and sinners are no longer the controlling voice of the world.
* Let’s zero in on our text, v. 24. “The earth is full of your creatures.” In fact, at the start of the verse the psalmist says that God’s works are many!
ILLUSTRATION: Spring is coming. Well, sometime here in the northeast. Perhaps before July. And with spring comes many different creatures. I’ve already seen evidence that moles and other creatures have found warmth in our backyard. Squirrels are once again putting away for next winter – my cat and I watched two squirrels fighting for the same food! And pretty soon flowers and other intricate evidences of God’s hand – along with, yes, WEEDS, will be in the yard. And instead of plowing snow, grass will have to be mowed. NY State is quite the place to see daily evidence of God’s creatures.
ILLUSTRATION #2. I was talking to one of the older residences at Norwich Rehab. He was fascinated with all the different creatures that have been discovered many thousands of feet below the water’s surface – yet many seem to be making their way to beaches. Our creation scientists would remind us of the many creatures that disappeared as a result of both the flood and of the ice age. And many are making a comeback.
The psalmist would remind us, not to shy away in fear, but to be still in awe at the earth being full of His creatures!

#3 OF GOD’S LOVE (Psalm 119:64)
Psalm 119 is God’s ode to His own Word, the Bible. Each of the 176 verses in this psalm has something to say about a specific part of the Word of God.
Note v. 62, one of my favorite of this psalm. How many of you are up during the middle of the night and can’t sleep. So what do you do? Count sheep? Play games on the computer? Count to 100, then back again? The psalmist said he does what? Gives thanks to God! The time is well spent, perhaps in reviewing the many unappreciated evidences of God’s help on display during the previous day. And the time is well spent in thanking God for His help for the coming day. Wow. Worship at midnight!
And then the psalmist declares (v. 64) that the earth is filled with God’s love. WHAT? All I see is hate. Prejudice. Rebellions. Riots. Protests. Refusal to work. Sit-ins. Movements for a cause. Denials of history – and then the attempts to re-write or even destroy history – when it concerns slavery or any other subject which shows the dark sides of man.
But the psalmist says WHAT? That the earth is filled with God’s love! Is it possible that we are so inundated with the hatred by the world that we fail to see God’s love in the world?
But while you’re dwelling on that, look how the psalmist applies this truth! IF I am looking for God’s love on display throughout the earth, then I should seek to be taught to obey God’s word. Sometimes I’m so quick to yell I fail to listen to be taught. God wants to teach me. Am I a good student?

CONCLUSION

As we come to today’s communion service, I was both overwhelmingly yet pleasantly surprised where this phrase appears one more time. Isaiah 6:3: “the whole earth is full of His glory.”
Look at the context. Isaiah was in mourning. King Uzziah had died. And while no doubt Isaiah was contemplating the transitions of the kingdom, the Lord Himself shows Isaiah the true kingdom – God’s kingdom.
The whole earth is full – not only of God’s unfailing love, and of His creatures, and of His love. But it is also full of His glory!
This passage would simply be perhaps another random passage except for a New Testament connection. In John 12:41, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John tells us that this passage in Isaiah is talking about none other than the Lord Jesus Himself.
The whole earth is full of the glory of the Lord Jesus! He is on display! His grace, His mercy, His unfailing love, His constant love, His affectionate satisfaction; His creation. His love which begs to be heard.
Jesus is on display! As we come to the communion service, the heart of the service is that the Savior is on display – and directly at the cross!
He would ask of us today, “am I on display in your heart, in your walk, in your love, in your appreciation of and attention to the details of His display in a world which is blind to His display?” Is He?

Close in Prayer

Inviting and Accepting
Blogs, John Grant

Wisdom

Week Fifteen, 2018

Wisdom

By Senator John Grant (Retired)

Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days. Job 12:12

When I was in school, they were my favorite musical group and not mine alone, they were number one across the world for years until they were passed by The Beatles. They were known as The Kingston Trio, an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to late 1960s. They rose to international popularity, fueled by unprecedented sales of LP records, and helped to alter the direction of popular music in the U.S.

They started in 1958 with the release of their first album and its hit recording of “Tom Dooley”, which sold over three million copies as a single. The Trio released nineteen albums that made Billboard’s Top 100, fourteen of which ranked in the top 10, and five of which hit the number 1 spot. The Trio was described as “the most envied, the most imitated, and the most successful singing group, folk or otherwise, in all show business” and “the undisputed kings of the folk singing rage by every yardstick.”

Everyone knew who they were and most could sing their songs. Recently, when I heard that they were coming to town, I rushed to get tickets, as did a lot of my era.

Today, the millennials have never heard of them. When I mentioned to our young music minister that I was going, he asked, “What’s that, are they from Jamaica?”

We old folks know a lot that the younger generation don’t know and they don’t know that they don’t know it. When I was young, I now wish I had listened to the wisdom and advice of the older generation. It would have saved me from a lot of heartache and trouble.

The Bible extols the wisdom of maturity. Ancient Israel’s 12 tribes split into two competing factions — Israel in the north and Judah in the south. This rancorous rupture of a once-united nation occurred for one simple, primary reason: the new king listened to the bad advice of his youthful companions and rejected the sound counsel of the older men of Israel.

Proverbs 20:18, tells us to get good advice and you will succeed; don’t go charging into battle without a plan. A wise man or woman is one who listens to advice. This is in contrast to a fool, who looks to himself as the source of wisdom.

But it’s not just advice that we need. Rehoboam got advice from his young companions, but it was wrong advice! It led to catastrophe for the king. So remember, it’s not just counsel, but good counsel that we need from others.

The Scriptures give a number of illustrations where that good counsel is likely to be drawn out of the older men and women, who have lived a long life and learned many valuable lessons. And by “older”, I mean those significantly older than the one seeking advice.

As a younger, do you seek and follow advice from more wise and experienced elders? As elders, do you take time to counsel with and impart your wisdom to the younger generation? That’s what the Bible tells us to do.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

PRAYER

C. S. Lewis from his book, “God in the Dock”, offers this interesting bit of dialogue regarding prayer.

“Praying for particular things,” said I, “always seems to me like advising God how to run the world. Wouldn’t it be wiser to assume that He knows best?”

“On the same principle,” said he, “I suppose you never ask a man next to you to pass the salt, because God knows best whether you ought to have salt or not. And I suppose you never take an umbrella, because God knows best whether you ought to be wet or dry.”

“Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord.

Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.” – Habakkuk 3:1-2

–o–

JEHOVA’S WITNESS

Saturday morning the weather was too bad to play golf. I was bored with nothing to do. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. I opened it to find a young, well- dressed man standing there who said:

“Hello sir, I’m a Jehovah’s Witness.” So I said, “Come in and sit down.” I offered him a fresh cup of coffee and asked, “What do you want to talk about?” He said, “Beats me. Never got this far before..”

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

There is no right way to do a wrong thing. —Norman Vincent Peale

If Jesus Possesses Absolute Authority, then He Is Worthy of Absolute Allegiance. He has authority over the physically uncleaned, the ethnically outcast and over demons. As Christians, we need to trust wholeheartedly in His ability, rest peacefully in His sovereignty, submit completely and rejoice gladly in His eternity. —Ken Whitten

Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning”. Ex 20:20

***

Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

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 2018.

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

Evidence that Demands a Verdict

TODAY’S FUNNY

“Fear of Flying” There was a religious woman who had to do a lot of traveling for her business. Flying made her very nervous, so she always took her Bible along with her.
One time, she was sitting next to a man. When he saw her pull out her Bible, he gave a little chuckle and smirk and went back to what he was doing.
After awhile, he turned to her and asked, “You don’t really believe all that stuff in there do you?”
The woman replied, “Of course I do. It is the Bible.”
He said, “Well, what about that guy that was swallowed by that whale?”
She replied, “Oh, Jonah. Yes, I believe that, it is in the Bible.”
He asked, “Well, how do you suppose he survived all that time inside the whale?”
The woman said, “Well, I don’t really know. I guess when I get to heaven, I will ask him.”
“What if he isn’t in heaven?” the man asked sarcastically.
“Then you can ask him,” replied the woman.

INTRODUCTION

Years ago, a book was written entitled, “Evidence That Demands a Verdict” by Josh McDowell. It has recently been updated by Josh and his son, and the new title is “Evidence That Demands a Verdict: Life-Changing Truth for a Skeptical World”. With apologies to the McDowells, I use the same title to describe what our Savior has shared in this one of several chapters dealing with His resurrection. For if we are given truth, and it is presented as truth, each of us must make a personal decision as to what to do with that truth: accept it, reject it, or without reservation apply it to our lives. So the question before us today is: what will we do with the evidence for the resurrection of our Lord Jesus? What will you do? PRAYER

EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT

#1 The first day of the week (v. 1) The timing of our Savior’s resurrection was perfect. It was the day after the sabbath. It was Sunday. Today. The Bible says that an amazing thing happened that first Resurrection Day: a) The veil being torn in two, the Jewish rituals no longer had any need. Every man, woman, boy and girl could enter into God’s presence by way of the cross. And the early church took note of that: they fellowshipped on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7: “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.”. Yes! I still have more time to preach! The Bible also says the early church took up their collections together on the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:2: “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.” Why do you suppose Paul made that distinction? Why do yo suppose he didn’t say, “on Monday”, or “whenever convenient”? Because the first day of the week is the Resurrection Day. The early church knew it. And so should we!

#2 The ladies were given a place of honor (v. 1ff) to be among the first eyewitnesses of the evidences of the resurrection. We learn from John 4 that women in Jesus’ day were, if you will, second class citizens. But not so to our Savior. And not only that, they were reminded to “remember” what the Savior said about “the third day”. The Bible records at least 10 instances in which the Savior told His disciples that He would be crucified, buried, and on the third day rise from the dead. And in each case, the pattern was the same: unbelief, uncertainty, and a change of subject. For example, see Luke 9:43-48. In verse 43, He foretells the events of the cross. By v. 46, the disciples were concerned about who would be the greatest in His kingdom. So for these women to be among those early eyewitnesses, this was special. AND their visit was full of faith, in contrast to the disciples, as in our text, v. 11, “they did not believe the women” and their words seemed like nonsense to the disciples – those who had heard the prophecies and those who should have believed first. What does the Bible have to say about this? 1 Cor. 2:14 says, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” Is the Bible confusing to you? Are its words even like foolishness to you? Then you are verifying that the Bible is true! You need to be like these ladies – trust that what the Bible says is true, then see where it must be applied to your life! In Romans 10:9-10, 13 the Bible says, “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The truth of the resurrection is life changing – and these ladies knew it! Do you?

#3 Everyone is in a search for God. Look at v. 12, “But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.” When you first heard the comment, “Jesus loves you, He died for your sins, and He invites you to trust Him – He alone is worthy of your trust” – what did you think? Religious mumbo-jumbo? Foolishness? Well, once again, you are verifying at least two truths! First, each one of us – like even Peter! – is on a journey for truth. The Lord meets you right where you are. Sometimes your answers are found right away. Sometimes you think through the questions of the heart. That is your journey to true faith. Because true faith is not a religion. It is not church. It is not ritual. It is a relationship with the living God – you know, the One Whose resurrection we celebrate today and declare, “He’s Alive!”. But secondly, you are verifying that the Bible is foolishness to those who don’t believe. The Bible even says that of itself! Look at 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, in particular vs. 18,21: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.:21
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” Everyone is in a search for God – and invariably, that search will either take you to the cross and the death, burial, and resurrection of the Savior, AND to a living relationship with the living God – or it will take you away from the cross and to an empty journey. Where are you today?

#4 Moses, the Psalms, the Prophets all spoke of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (v. 27, 45-46). V. 27 was the theme verse of the Bible School from which I was first graduated in the 1970’s.
Moses (Deut. 18:15) said to look for the true Prophet, and the NT identifies that as Jesus.
Micah 5:1-2, a most obscure OT prophet, not only tells that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, but that He is eternal, literally “from days of eternity”. Only the eternal Savior could fulfill this prophecy.
The Psalms talk about Jesus’ death. Psalm 22 talks about the crucifixion of the Messiah, years before the Romans ever invented crucifixion as a means of capital punishment.
Psalm 49:15 talks of the Messiah’s resurrection.
Psalm 69 give intimate details of Jesus’ crucifixion which only a prophet would know (through the Holy Spirit’s inspiration!)
Isaiah 50-53 tell how the Messiah would die, not for His sins, but for those of the world (“He was wounded for my transgressions; He was bruised for my iniquities” “as a sheep before his shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth” “all we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all”. Pretty personal – have you applied this?

CONCLUSION

Like Mr. McDowell (and now his son) before us, the Bible has evidence that demands a verdict. Let’s be reminded of just a taste of the evidence that the resurrection chapter tells us:
#1 The resurrection was on the first day of the week – and all of history immediately changed as a result!
#2 The ladies on that first Resurrection Day were given a place of honor – those who were normally put down by society were examples to us today that EVERYONE can be an eyewitness of the resurrection – by way of faith in the written Word of God.
#3 The Bible tells us that we are on a journey, but the journey has an Object which can be met: the Lord Jesus. Not a ritual. Not an empty religion. But a relationship with the living and true God.
#4 Throughout the Scriptures – from Genesis through Revelation – there is demanding evidence of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Savior Who is eternally God Who became man – that He might have a body with which to die for the sin of man. The Scriptures invite us to trust the living God and His written Word. Have you?

The Bible has a wonderful invitation

John 1:12-13 say, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

It is Easter time, but like Christmas time of a few months ago, the Bible invites us to receive a gift – a relationship with the living and true Savior, even the Lord Jesus.

How about you? Where are you in your journey of faith? What do you say to this introductory evidence – and there is so much more – that demands a verdict?

What is your verdict today?

Close in Prayer

This Easter Message was delivered at the 
SonRise Service, April 1, 2018
by the Reverend Jeremy Stopford, Pastor
First Baptist Church,  
9 West Main St. Earlville, NY 13332
Inviting and Accepting
 
Blogs, John Grant, Uncategorized

Read the Word

Week Fourteen, 2018

READ the WORD

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

How to Read a Book is a book by Mortimer Adler, written in 1940, which gives guidelines for critically reading good and great books of any tradition. Adler explains why he was compelled to write the book. He asserts that very few people can read a book for understanding, but he believes that most are capable of it, given the right instruction and the will to do so.

It is his intent to provide that instruction. He takes time to tell the reader about how he believes that the educational system has failed to teach students the art of reading well, up to and including undergraduate, university-level institutions. He concludes due to these shortcomings in formal education, it falls upon individuals to cultivate these abilities in themselves. It is a classical guide to intelligent reading.

I thought about this applies to Bible reading. One in five Americans – 20% – read the Bible at all, and 39% – a little more than a third – of Christians read the Bible regularly. The number one indicator of spiritual growth is a habit of daily Bible reading. No one else can read the Bible for you and create spiritual growth in your life. A choice to read your Bible daily will do more than just about anything else to create the conditions for spiritual growth in your life.

Not only do you need to have the will, but, you need instruction to know how. Bombard the text with questions and look for answers and seek to integrate the parts and put them together. Seek the Holy Spirit to guide you. The natural person cannot understand, but the spiritual man understands and praises all things.

Ponce de Leon was looking for the fountain of youth, but the Bible provides a fountain of life. When we spend time in the Bible it becomes our joy, because the Bible meets the challenges of life in a Biblical way. It has been said that the Bible is so deep that theologians cannot touch the bottom, yet so shallow that babies in faith cannot drown. We need to come to the Word of God by the person who wrote it.

We have to have the will to read and the knowledge and know how to do it. If enough Christians made that choice, think about the impact that could have on the church. If you are concerned about the direction of our country, the spiritual atmosphere of your home, your ability to influence your kids … then start with your own habit of Bible reading. That’s the 5% you control, that no one else can. And this habit is a game-changer.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

TEEN ALCOHOL:

• Ten alcohol kills about 4,300 people each year

• Alcohol is a drug and is still the number one drug choice of youth

• Children start thinking about alcohol by age 8

• One of three eight graders have tried alcohol

• One of two 10th graders drink alcohol

• One in seven teens binge drink

• Only one in one hundred parents think their teenage child binge drinks

• The human brain is not fully developed until the early 20’s

• The last area of the brain to develop controls judgment, planning, decision making and self-control

• Every two minutes someone is injured in a drunk driving crash

• Every fifty-one minutes someone is killed in a drunk driving crash

• Annually drunk driving injures 290,000 people

• Two out of three people will be impacted by drunk driving in their lifetime

–o–

Ken Whitten on Joy:

• Joy is evident when the flag is flying because the King is in residence in our heart.

• We don’t give to God, we return to Him.

• Happiness is what comes to us. Joy happens within us

• You can have joy without happiness.

• Joy doesn’t come from a place. It comes from a person.

• Happiness is external. Joy is internal.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place in the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way. Richard Gonzmart

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” – Theodore Roosevelt – 26th President of the United States from 1901 to 1909 – Excerpt from the speech “Citizenship In A Republic” delivered at the Sorbonne, in Paris, France on 23 April, 1910.

If perfect love casts out fear, why are so many people battling with anxiety, stress and worry. Foundational to freedom and healing of these issues is an encounter with The Father’s love. All of us need to have the healing experience of The Father’s Love. May it change you! (Operation Lightforce)

***

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 2018

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

Almon Bartholomew, Blogs

THE MIRACLE OF THE AGES”

“THE MIRACLE OF THE AGES”

TEXT: I Corinthians 15:12-22

The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead is the central miracle of the Bible. There is no doubt that the virgin birth of our Lord is a monumental miracle. Miracles confirmed his deity throughout his short three years of ministry. This included turning water into wine, raising the dead, healing the sick, casting out demons, multiplying a school boy’s lunch to feed a multitude, walking on water and silencing a raging tempest on the sea. But, if after all this, despite his prophetic word that he would rise from the dead, if he should remain lifeless in the tomb the rest would be only a footnote in history.

Jesus died on the cross. There is no doubt about that. He was buried in a tomb. The record supports that. The religious leaders knew that Jesus said he would rise in three days. In order to circumvent any mischief from his disciples to steal his body away, and fabricate a story of resurrection, they insisted that the tomb be sealed and a Roman guard be posted under the tightest possible security. Their request was granted. And, the bereaved loved ones mourned his death.

Think of it! The heavenly host of angels, seraphim and cherubim had sung his praise. But now, he was dead. They wore black armbands and had no song to sing. Heaven was silent.

Now Jesus didn’t need an alarm clock to wake him up! Suddenly the silent angels saw a ripple life flow through those grave clothes. The Son of God rose in power and majesty and the angels sang again. He had risen from the dead, never to die again! “Death could not keep its prey, Jesus my Savior, He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord! Up from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph o’er his foes. He arose the victor from the dark domain, and he lives forever with his saints to reign. He Arose! He Arose! Hallelujah; Christ arose!

An angel had smitten the guards and they, overwhelmed with fear, were as dead men. When they recovered from their stupor, the tomb was empty. They were shocked to see that the stone sealed by Rome was compromised and the stone was rolled back. They were facing court martial for dereliction of duty. When they reported these matters the chief priests, they were paid off to say that while they were sleeping, Jesus body was stolen. The chief priests then promised to bribe the senior officers to let the guards off the hook. This is the lie that was circulated around the city. Not one bit of this conspiracy worked. Evidence mounted that Jesus Christ had indeed risen from the dead.

In the text, the Apostle Paul recounts those who had seen him in his risen state. He was seen by Cephas. He then was seen by the twelve. He was seen by more than five hundred at once. He was seen by James and then by all of the apostles. Special attention was given that Peter should see him. Thomas would not believe until he could place his hands in the scars on his side and in the nail prints of his hands. Last of all, Saul of Tarsus the great persecutor of the church, saw the risen Lord as he was smitten by his divine presence on the Damascus Road.

Simon Peter was the blunderbuss. It is true that when Jesus asked the disciples whom they thought he was, Peter had the right answer. “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God”. Yet in the same chapter when Peter took offense at the thought of Jesus dying, the Lord rebuked him, saying to him, “Get thou behind me Satan”. Peter promised that though all else would fail Jesus, he would give his life for him. He drew a sword and severed the ear of the servant of the high priest when Jesus was arrested. He was a better fisherman than a swordsman. He went for the head and only got the ear. The last miracle of healing on earth by the tender hands of Jesus was made necessary by the act of a bungling disciple. Jesus healed the servant, restoring his ear.

Still filled with bravado, Peter must have been shaken when Jesus said, “Before the rooster crows’ tomorrow morning, you will have denied me three times.” As Jesus was being led away to his appointed cross, Peter warmed himself at a strange fire. Three times when challenged Peter denied he knew Jesus and in the final denial, sealed it with a curse. Just then, the roosted crowed and Peter ran for cover.

The risen Christ gave special instructions to summon Peter. He would restore him in a most remarkable way. Peter the denier became Peter the proclaimer. On the day of Pentecost he was the spokesman for the new believers now filled with the Holy Spirit. As he preached, giving the first altar call of the New Testament church, 3,000 were converted.

Believe me, Peter would never have returned if the resurrection was but a fabrication. Nothing but the reality of this miracle would have turned him around. It is absurd to think anything would have turned him around other than Jesus resurrection from the dead. It had to be proof positive for the apostles and others to risk their lives. Men will die for convictions. They will not die for a concoction! They will die for a faith. They will not die for a fable. They will die for a mission. They will not die for a myth!

Look at this clearly. If the resurrection of Christ was a hoax, never happening, where would we stand today? The Apostle Paul clearly tells us in the text.

  1. Our preaching would be empty, in vain, just worthless speech.

  2. Your faith would be empty, in vain. It would have no substance, no fact.

  3. We would be false witnesses, promulgating a lie.

  4. We would still be in our sins. What a deplorable state!

  5. Our faith would be futile.

  6. All who fallen before us will have perished. They would have believed a fairy tale!

  7. We would have no hope of resurrection ourselves.

  8. We would of all men be most pitiable, most miserable. Such would be the case if Jesus did not rise from the dead!

  9. Adam got us into the grave; Jesus got us out of the grave.

  10. In Adam came our ruin. In Jesus came our redemption.

  11. Adam put us in a hole in the ground. Jesus lifts us though a hole in the sky.

  12. Adam’s sin took men to Hell. Jesus love takes us to Heaven.

I refuse to accept a perversion of gospel truth. Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. I have no doubt of it! I close by repeating a previously stated position.

“Men will die for a conviction. They will not die for a concoction. They will die for a faith. They will not die for a fable. They will die for a mission. They will not die for a myth.”

This is not fake news. Jesus resurrection from the dead is the real deal.

This message delivered by

The Reverend Almon Bartholomew

Retired pastor Almon Bartholomew, with wife Joyce.

A.W. Salay, Blogs

My Friend

THINK

On These

Things

  

My Friend

Philippians 4:8

The First Time

O, many times I’ve tried to pray

With just a fleeting thought.

My heart was never in it and

My words just came to naught.

And then one day, when sore oppressed,

I sank down on my knees.

I talked to God straight from my heart,

Without a thought to please.

‘Twas then He heard for the first time.

God placed His hand on mine.

He lifted me above my woe

And made the sun to shine.

From that day forth I knew the Lord

Would make His presence felt,

If faith and love and earnestness

Were with me when I knelt.

Remember now! Do not despair

If life has gone awry,

For through your faith and honest prayer

God lifts you to the Sky.

Come, Listen

Come, listen, all my friends, to me,

A tale I have to tell,

Of worldly woe and human strife

And how God makes all well.

The plot may hold most any one.

He may be rich or poor,

A merchant or a miser or

A humble laborer.

Into each life a time does come.

When things do not go well:

When men and kingdoms, great and small

Deeds evil can’t expel.

When all is lost and hope’s on wane

And life seems not worthwhile,

Then turn to God, O petty man,

And see His holy smile.

For only when we ask His aid

Can God become our guide.

Our faith and trust in Him, alone,

Can bridge the gap so wide.

My Friend

I have a new found friend today;

A loyal one I’m sure.

We’ve met. Oh many times before,

But never did concur.

The fault that we have joined but now

Is mine alone I know,

For He has tried so many times

His Spirit to bestow.

I’ve met Him in the shining sun

That follows wondrous rain.

I’ve come upon Him bending low

O’er buds burst forth again.

I’ve seen Him on a winter night

When stars their lights did show.

He walked with me for many hours

Across the silv’ry snow.

I always knew that He was there,

But never looked to see

That every time our paths did cross

His arms stretched out to me.

I waited long to pay Him heed –

Until I met with woe.

And then I sought Him out myself.

I’d nowhere else to go.

I have a new-found friend today.

His name is God, you know.

He taught me hope and charity

As He dispelled my woe.

The Lord and I shall always walk

Together, through my days.

I have a friend – the greatest friend –

A friend I love and praise.

(AWS – March 1954)

“He sought me and He bought me

with His redeeming love.”

03/18

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

www.BlessedMan.net [email protected]

Blogs, Jeremy Stopford, Uncategorized

“WE HAVE NO KING BUT ME”

“We Have No King But Me” (Matthew 21:1-11)

Delivered Palm Sunday March 25, 2018
By Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor

TODAY’S “SPECIAL”: “A Palm Funny”

It was Palm Sunday but because of a sore throat, 5-year-old Johnny stayed home from church with a sitter.
When the family returned home, they were carrying several palm leaves. Johnny asked them what they were for.
“People held them over Jesus’ head as he walked by,” his father told him.
“Wouldn’t you know it,” Johnny fumed, “the one Sunday I don’t go and Jesus shows up.”

INTRODUCTION

I am so glad that, as a minister of the Word of God, I have God’s full assurance that every time I open up this book before you, He shows up! And I know that He has promised, in Isaiah 55, that when His Word is read or heard, it will accomplish some profound eternal purpose – both in the one proclaiming His Word, and in the ones reading or hearing His Word. Wow! So as we meet together, I have the full assurance from God that He is meeting with us – and He wants to do a work in each of our hearts. What work? Well, perhaps you in your journey of faith have never trusted the Lord Jesus as Savior. You’ve trusted the Church, the pastor, the nice people in the church – but have you ever trusted the Savior as your Savior? That’s a good purpose. And as we look at our text today, I’m trusting God to encourage all of us to see Palm Sunday in a fresh light – and when we do, we will have our hunger met in a hurry – that He be the King of all of our lives! There – now that you know what is coming, you can go back to sleep!
PRAYER

#1 THE PRESENTATION OF JESUS AS KING (Matt. 21:9-11)

A. Promotes instant obedience (and, no doubt, marvel) (vs. 1ff)
Isn’t it an amazing thing that there are several moments of instant obedience in this passage? First of all, the ones who were asked to go get the donkey and colt. They could have said, “WHAT? Who are You kidding? Nobody in their right mind gives up personal property like that!” But they had unquestioned obedience. Then how about the owner of that donkey and colt? He willingly gave them to the one who said, “the Lord has need of them”. Oh that we were so quick to obey the promptings of the Lord in our lives!

B. “Your King comes to you, Zion” (v. 5)
Jesus is offered as King to Israel – but just days later, they reject His Kingship, His Lordship. Ephesians & Romans say that then Israel is set aside so that His Kingship can be offered to the Gentles in the church age. Those Jews who trust Him as Savior are now Christians and part of the church!
Rev. 19:11-16 records He will one day rule as King of kings!
But until then, the last words spoken about the Messiah’s relationship with Israel is found in John 1:11, “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” He offered Himself to them as their King, and they rejected His offer.

#2 THE HISTORY OF THE REJECTED KING

A. Matt. 2:1-3 the occasion of Jesus’ birth
Herod: there is no king but ME
Magi: there is no King but Jesus, and we worship Him!
B. Matt. 5:35 Jerusalem is the city of the Great King (Jesus)
C. Matt. 18:23ff The rejected King is a king of mercy
D. John 18:33,37,39 The rejected King is the King of Truth
E. John 19:3,12,14,15,19,21
The rejected King is in charge (19:11)
The accepted king of the day nurtures faith in oneself with no need of the true King (19:15)
The rejected King’s title is settled, as is His Word (19:21-22)

CONCLUSION

The cry of Palm Sunday is two-fold. Can you hear both cries? The first cry is: “Your King comes for you.” While that kingship was offered to Israel, it is also offered to us.But that kingship can be rejected – just as the crowd yelled “we have no king but Caesar”, so we yell, “we have no king but ME – what do we need a King for? We do just fine without Him.”
So in your journey of faith, where are you? Are you with the crowd at Calvary yelling, “we have no king but ME”?
OR are you with the group on Palm Sunday, and listening, hearkening to the cry, “your King comes for you.”?
It is written of the Lord Jesus, following the declaration of His being rejected by His people Israel, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12)

Which group are you in today?

Close in prayer

Blogs, John Grant

Cleaning Out

By Senator John Grant, FL (Retired)

Week Thirteen, 2018

CLEANING OUT

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:1-2).

Our refrigerator has hung around our kitchen and has served us well, but when it was time recently for her to depart to the great scrap yard in the sky, we shopped for and purchased a new one.

When it was time for the new one to be delivered, my bride and I cleaned out the about to be departing one. My, what surprises we found tucked on the corners and hidden by other items. We began examining each item and I soon discovered that when the discard date ends in BC (Do I get a rebuttal in this assessment? – Beverley), that is not a good sign. Some of what we had been cooling was just plain expired junk and needed to be thrown away.

Our lives are much like that. We harbor junk, some of which we don’t even realize, yet it is deeply imbedded in our subconscious and affects our daily behavior. The prophet Isaiah (1:16) said “Go home and wash up. Clean up your act. Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings, so I don’t have to look at them any longer.”

Sometimes our morning room table gets cluttered. For one, it’s a big table. It actually takes up so much space in our morning room that It’s become the easiest place to set stuff. Toys. Mail (JG’s mail). Homework (BG’s Bible Study). Cups. More cups. The generous tabletop makes it simpler to just move things around rather than move them away, and after a while, it accumulates a swath of unrelated, inordinate objects into one centralized location, which is called clutter, which can be a lot like life. (So we took out the leaf. Now there is less table top!!)

We are constantly piling on one thing after another onto the tabletop of our lives. There are always more things we should be concerned about, and give attention to, and make room for — somehow. Before long, it’s a life full of clutter. It’s a whirlwind of good intentions, but bad directions — maybe a load of participation, but a litter of purpose. And it stays this way until God’s arm intervenes, mighty to sweep, and clears the table.

Paul told the Romans to not be conformed to the world, yet in this digitalized, technology driven world it is so easy to get conformed to this world and not even realize it. Yet, we are called to present ourselves holy and acceptable to God.

How about you? Have you cleaned out the outdated, immoral and other junk out of your life? If not, do so today and begin living a renewed life.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Reminders

“To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” – Jude 1:24-25 NIV

Reminders are all round us…

We have Calendar Pop-up Reminders on our phones and computers. We have alarms that serve as reminders. We have Post-It Notes and pocket notecards that can serve as reminders. We can even get phone calls from friends or a service to remind us of a special day or appointment. Facebook, Instagram and others can remind us of special dates, days, anniversaries and birthdays. Some of us have Spouses and Office Assistants who remind us all the time of places we need to be, people we need to see and when.

Sometimes… we need a reminder of who He is, what He has done (and continues to do), and the glory, majesty, power and authority that He has and deserves.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

While we are in awe of famous people, it is easy to forget the unique and wonderful ideas that the very people that surround us possess. 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 2018

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

Keep the “My” After the “Thy”

Matthew 6:11-15

“Teach Me to Pray” Series – Part 3, March 18, 2018

Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor

TODAY’S “SPECIAL”: “Dad’s Car”

A young man comes home and says, “Dad, just got my driver’s license and would like to use the family car.”

Father replies, “OK, son. But FIRST, you have to get good grades in school, keep your room clean, make sure the yard is neat, and cut your hair. Come back in a few months and then we’ll see.”

Well, several months pass and the young man comes into the house with his report card in his hands. “DAD, I got great marks on my report card. I’ve been keeping my room as neat as a pin, and the yard is always ship-shape. How about letting me use the car?”

Father replies, “That’s all true, but son you didn’t cut your hair.”

Son says, “But dad, JESUS had long hair.”

Father replies, “Yes, son, you’re perfectly right. And He walked everywhere He went.”

INTRODUCTION

Palm Sunday next Sunday, and Easter is April 1st. To prepare our hearts for these special days, I have initiated a season of prayer every Thursday at 7 pm throughout this month.

I really hope you can come – or take an evening a week to pray at home.

But how do I pray? Today is the last Sunday we are looking at a most familiar piece of Scripture where the Lord Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray. LAST WEEK: “Keep the THY before the MY”. TODAY, a follow-up:: “Keep the MY after the THY”. (I worked really hard on those titles!) PRAYER

#1 LET’S REVIEW!

A. A fresh relationship – “our Father in Heaven” Jesus is opening a new avenue of prayer, not only for His immediate disciples, but for all future ones as well (including us!). This is an expression which is tender – “OUR” Father. Jesus is including His children under the umbrella of sharing His tender relationship with His Father, with those who love Him as well!

B. A tender reminder – “hallowed be Thy name” Jesus is reminding His disciples that the characteristic of His Father which governs all others is His holiness. We are invited to come to Jesus as we are – and when we do, we are reminded that the One to Whom we are coming is in Himself holy.

C. A fixed resolve – “Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done”. There is no “Jeremy’s kingdom” or “FBC kingdom.” All is focused on “THY” kingdom. Doesn’t that relieve a lot of stress is trying to build up YOUR kingdom? AND it relieves the stress on the church, for Jesus said “I will build MY church”. FBC is not OUR church, it is JESUS’ church – and He will build it up as we do those things and be those people that He so enjoys! And the Father’s will? It is found both by prayer AND in agreement with His written Word. He does NOTHING apart from His Word. Should that not encourage us to be children of the Book? I hope you are! NOTE: the “THY” before the “MY”

#2 LET’S BE SPECIFIC!

Jesus introduces the second section of this prayer by a change in personal pronouns. In the beloved KJV, “THY” is the word of choice of the first section. And the second section the word of choice is “MY” (or “OUR”). In order for the second part to be effective, it must come AFTER the first part. PLEASE KEEP THE “MY” AFTER THE “THY”!

A. Our daily bread (v. 11)

Two emphases here:

First, DAILY – unlike a budget, God wants our focus to be on TODAY!

ILLUSTRATION: A prayer we learned through Word of Life: “Good morning Lord, I love you Lord, what do you have for TODAY – let me be a part I pray.”

CF. Matt. 8:20 (and surrounding verses) – provision produces discipleship!

Second, BREAD – the center is on our need, not on our wants. What does it produce? Contentment!

B. Our debts forgiven (v. 12, 14-15)

Note 5:23ff The Lord Jesus considered relationships the heart of forgiveness!

C. Our temptation (v. 13)

I like the NIV – it is more than just evil that one is seeking deliverance from – it is the evil one, even Satan himself. Let’s keep 1 Cor. 10:13 as a base; and let’s remember Matt. 4 (referred to in Heb. 4:14-16) – the Savior confronted allurements to evil, and He met them head on, not with His Deity (as He could have) but with…Scriptures. Just like we can!

CONCLUSION

1. Review the prayer!

2. Not intended to be rote, but lived!

3. Note NIV comment on “not in original”: the NIV is based on the “Westcott & Hort” text (considered an older text), whereas the KJV & the NKJV are based on the “Textus Receptus” (a newer and more pure text). Sometimes older is NOT better. The point is: get in the Word! And pray through the Word!

Obey what we have before us! Pray what we have before us!

Closing Prayer

Jeremy Stopford is pastor of the First Baptist Church, Earlville, New York

Friendly and Inviting

Blogs, John Grant

Spilled Milk

Week Twelve, 2018

SPILLED MILK

By John Grant

Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him. – 2 Samuel 14:14

There are all kind of special holidays. Many of which you probably haven’t heard of. For example last month on the 11th, it was National Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day. When I saw that, it started my thinking. While I haven’t cried lately over spilled milk, I have fretted over a lot of other things I cannot change.

The spilled milk line is an old saying that reminds us that just like spilled milk cannot be put back in the glass, there are many events in life that are irreversible and cannot turned back, so why fret about that which you cannot change?

We cannot put the milk back in the bottle, but with expectation we can strive for and look forward to the next glass of milk.

2 Samuel 14:14 reminds us that some things we cannot control are in the future and we should not worry about them. For example, we are all going to die, so we should not worry about it. Rather prepare for it, be certain of your eternity and look forward to the greater life.

Jesus pointed out, we cannot change anything by fretting and worrying! (Matthew 6:27) No amount of worrying can add a single hour to your life. If we are willing to receive it, He will give us the grace to laugh instead of worry, to rejoice in all things, and to joyfully trust Him no matter what.

Paul opines to the Church at Philippi: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:16)

God encourages his followers to fear not 365 times in the Bible, one for each day of the year, emphasizing that He didn’t intend for Christians to spend their days preoccupied with anxiety and worry.

Learn from your past mistakes, but don’t dwell on them. Instead, set your mind on things above. Look forward and with God’s help, finish strong.

Start today and take small steps today toward living fully free from anxieties, don’t worry about the things you cannot change (like spilled milk) and don’t underestimate the power of God to make you whole again.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Religion……..

• Doesn’t go deep enough.

• Doesn’t go far enough.

• Doesn’t go high enough.

–o–

We love God …………………………… We love people

We worship God……….. OR ………. We worship people

We use things …………………………..We love things

–o–

THE BOOK:

Did you know that the Bible is not simply one book? It is 66 books in one, composed and compiled by more that 40 human authors over a period of more than 1,600 years. Its human writers included kings, fisherman, diplomats, prophets, shepherds, lawyers, doctors, soldiers, historians and many others.

Furthermore, the Bible addresses hundreds of subjects, including life, death, marriage, the family worship, truth, and eternity. Yet despite its many authors and countless topics, the Bible is in perfect harmony from cover to cover, is entirely consistent within itself and proves its supernatural origins through its supernatural unity.

No wonder it is the most widely published and the best selling book of all time.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

God does not grade on the curve. He grades on the cross. —Ken Whitten

What distractions hinder you as a leader from recognizing opportunities? If you can minimize distractions and focus on mission accomplishment, you will soon move forward in obtaining the goals you set in strategic planning. —General Dick Abel.

Enjoy your day, no matter what it brings! —Kathy Merlino.

Christianity is a fact-based religion. —John 20:27.

***

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 2018.

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

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