Are you READY?

In our Thursday night Men’s Bible Study in Edgewood we have been focusing on the little letter of Amos in the Old Testament. The blunt and outspoken Amos was not a professional prophet. He was a sheep herder and a horticulturist who took care of sycamore trees. Yet, while he was tending the sheep the Lord spoke to him to go prophesy to the people of the northern kingdom, Israel.

The lifestyles of the people of Israel were a stench unto God. They had not one leader that was good or obeyed the Lord God throughout their entire history. They achieved their prosperity at the expense of others. The sold the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes. They trampled impoverished people into the dust. A man and his father would share the same girl in bed and thus profane God’s name. Nothing religious was considered sacred. They lived in mansions and had both summer and winter homes. They reclined in beds of ivory and sang their own special music. They rubbed their soft bodies with special cosmetic preparations. The feasted on gourmet foods, and drank wine from goblets. But not once did they consider God or his laws. And because of this the judgment of God was about to fall upon them.

Amos 3:7 says that God will always give a warning before judgment, “surely the sovereign Lord will do nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” Not only did God send Amos warning the people of Israel of the judgments to come, He also sent a series of “natural disasters” to sound the alarm and tries to get the attention of the Israelites. He gave them drought, famine, pestilence, and plagues. He overthrew some of their cities like Sodom and Gomorrah. Yet, they refused to repent and change their ways. They stared down at the dust of the drought and said “tough luck” when they should have looked to heaven and seen the “tough love” of God. As always, those who WILL NOT see are worse than those who cannot see. Their problems were not to be compared with the problems they were about to have. SO, Amos cried out with OUR BIBLE BOOST for today. It’s found in Amos 4:12, “prepare to meet your God, O Israel.”

The message of Amos is tailored made for you and me and for America. You know we are prepared for just about everything but meeting God. We prepare for school, graduation, work, vacations, retirement, and even our funerals and burials. But even though we have made all these preparations when have not prepared to heed the call of Amos, “prepare to meet your God”. The poet puts it this way:

When the great plants of our cities
Have turned out their last finished work.
When the merchants have sold their last yard of silk
And dismissed their last hard clerk
When the banks have raked in their last dollar
And paid out their last dividend
When the judge of the earth calls…closed for the night.
And asks for the balance…WHAT THEN!

Remember, Amos 4:12, "Prepare to meet your God..."
Are you ready?

I am praying for you and your family,

Don't forget to assemble!

Our Bible Boost for today comes from the New Testament Book of Hebrews, chapter 10 and verse 25. “Not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.”

Have you ever grilled with those charcoal briquettes? You know, you piled all the briquettes in a huge heap. They are cold and dark until you put lighter fluid on them or use a charcoal starter to heat up the briquettes. Then after a period of time the briquettes begin to turn white hot. Then you take the briquettes and spread them around to spread out the heat. But you keep them close to each other so that they don’t lose their heat. Keeping those briquettes close together allows them to retain their heat because they are close to each other.

You know sometimes we are just like those briquettes. We drift away from attending church and fellowshipping with others and we become dark in our moods and cold in our relationships. So we need a little fire starter in our lives. Attending a Bible believing, Bible teaching and Bible preaching congregation will help light our spiritual fires. We may feel like we are all alone, bills piling up, nobody cares, trying to solve our problems all by ourselves and it just seems like we are swamped with the events of every day life. Well, friends, being with individuals at a Bible believing, Bible teaching and preaching congregation can help steady the load in our lives.

Do you know that there are 35 One Another’s Mentioned in the Bible. One Another’s like “love one another”, “pray for one another”, “bear one another’s burdens”, “and honor one another”. WOW! Can you believe it? 35 of those. We need each other. Not only do we need the Lord Jesus Christ, our Heavenly Father and His blessed Holy Spirit but we need each other.

Remember those briquettes I was talking about earlier. What happens when you move one of those white hot briquettes away from the others? YEP! You are right. The white hot briquette turns black and becomes cold. Same thing happens to us in our spiritual journey. When we stop hanging out with fellow believers we become cold and we lose our fire for the Lord. The Bible says in Proverbs 27:17, “as iron sharpens iron so does one man sharpen another.” We need each other to encourage one another, hold each other accountable and to support one another.

So, don’t forget our bible boost for today comes from the New Testament Book of Hebrews, chapter 10 and verse 25. “Not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.”

I am praying for you and your family.

Run the race with endurance!

Our Bible boost today centers around verses found in Hebrews 12:1-2, “let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”

I have a friend who is an “ultra marathoner”. I never knew there was such a thing until he ask me to go a “run” with him. Now you have to understand. I’m not a real runner, I’m not even a jogger, I am more of a plodder. I just plod along at my standard pace, getting exhausted and sweaty, but not trying to knock off my heart in one run.

Well, an ultra marathoner is one who goes on a run for 50, 100, 150 miles. Do you know what that means. He doesn’t run from block to block he runs city to city.

Here’s my point today. When we would go on runs called races there were always people along the way who would come out to the curb and cheer. That’s right. They would cheer us on. As we ran along we heard words of encouragement like, “you can do”, “not much farther”, “you’re looking strong”, “you are almost there”.

Even my friend who is ultra marathoner would leave me far behind on these “runs”. But as I was just getting to the half way point those gazelles of super athletes would come back us plodders and run along side of us to encourage us as we plodded to the finish line.

Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that so easily trips us up. AND, let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith”.

There you have it. We are on a spiritual journey in this life. We need encouragement to help us stay the course and remain faithful. Much like those folks who came out from their houses to cheer us on as we ran our 5-K’s, 10 K’s, we need to cheer each other on, fellow companions in this race called life.

I can’t tell you how many times when I felt down or discouraged that someone would come along side me and give me an encouraging word by a telephone call, a letter or a up beat cheery card in the mail. WOW! What a great pick me up. I was truly blessed but more importantly I was encouraged to continue on in this journey called life.

Look around. There are many folks all around us who are running with us. Let us be an encouragement to them. So may I come along side you today and remind you of the words of Hebrews 12:2, “let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.”

Don't give in. Don't give up and NO COMPROMISE!

I am praying for you and your family,
Leonard

God or Man?

Today’s Bible boost asks the question; are we pleasing God or pleasing people. Ever notice how most politicians feel that pleasing people is the key to getting elected. Focus groups and lobbyist provide information about what the people want, and if they don’t give it to them, somebody else will. It is not uncommon for politicians to change their “convictions” upon election. However, those who study God’s Word, the Bible, even in politics God rules in the kingdoms of men and allows and appoints those who are in those governmental positions.

Paul in Galatians 1:10, states, “obviously, I am not trying to win the approval of people but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be a servant of Jesus Christ.”

Paul faced tremendous pressure to change his message, to go along with tradition and even to change the entire gospel of Jesus Christ. But he didn’t. As Paul made mention, if we seek to please men, we are not the servants of Jesus Christ.

Our focus needs to be on eternity for the souls of men. Our focus needs to be on obeying God’s Word in the here and now. It is not foolish to give up things we cannot keep, to gain things we cannot lost.

Here are some questions for you: Should Noah have taken a poll before building the ark? Should Moses have given the people a ballot to vote for God or for the golden calf? How about Daniel and his Jewish friends? Should they have taken a survey among all the captives to see whether they should obey the king’s servant or God’s instructions? It’s absurd to believe that Jesus should have asked for a show of hands about whether to go to Jerusalem to die? Of course, the popular opinion among the disciples was, “don’t go”. But he steadfastly turned his face to Jerusalem to accomplish the task of going to the cross, bleeding and dying for our sins.

Abraham Lincoln was once asked if he felt that God was on his side and the side of the north on the slavery issue. Lincoln correctly responded that he was not concerned whether God was on his side, but he was overly concerned that he was on God’s side.

It seems that we are more concerned about being politically correct than in being God correct.

Do you remember when Peter and the apostles were arrested and thrown in prison in Acts 5? Their crime. Of course, for healing the sick, the afflicted and preaching about salvation in no other name but Jesus Christ. They were given strict orders to not preach in the name of Jesus Christ or tell how he died. Here’s Peter and the apostles respond to this charge. They said, “we must obey God rather than men.”

So my friends in a world that seems to only want to hear things that are “politically correct” it would behoove us to remember the words of Peter and the apostles which is our Bible Boost for today…

Acts 5:29, “We must obey God rather men!”

I am praying for you and your family,

Our Strength? The joy of the Lord!

You have probably heard the phrase, “inquiring minds want to know”. Well the answer to that statement is our bible boost for today. In the book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament Nehemiah chapter 8 and verse 10 we hear these words for God’s people, Go eat of the fat, drink of the sweet and send portions to him who has nothing prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH.” To appreciate that statement we have to understand a few things.

Remember now, the children of Israel had been in captivity in Babylon for 70 years. There were 3 major times when people returned to their homeland and Jerusalem. The first time was in 536 B.C. under Zerabbabel when 0ver 42,000 returned. Ezra led a group in 457 B.C.

By the time Nehemiah arrives in 444 B.C., almost 100 years had passed and still the walls of Jerusalem lay in shambles. It is incredible, and almost miraculous to discover in the book of Nehemiah that under his leadership those walls were rebuilt in only 52 days according to Nehemiah 6:15.

So, the inquiring mind will naturally want to ask, “What happened?” What inspired these people who for decades had done nothing to all of a sudden come alive with ambition and energy? We probably can answer that completely beyond our finite minds, but we can make some observations in light of what we read in Nehemiah.

We can see where after the wall was completed that Nehemiah and Ezra gathered the people together for a study of God’s Word and a time of reflection and rejoicing. It was in this context that the people were told to quit mourning and weeping. Instead they were told to have a banquet and eat and drink. They were to share their exuberance with those who had nothing.

For generations these people had been beaten down and oppressed. Seventy long years of captivity had given them a slave mentality. Though they had now been free for almost 100 years they still had not escaped the atmosphere of failure and oppression.

Then one day a dream was born in the mind of a man who was the cupbearer to the King, Nehemiah. Nehemiah surveyed the city of Jerusalem and a plan emerged which would turn shambles into a citadel of strength. His optimism was contagious. Soon the men who had shown no imitative or will now were busy about God’s business.
Nehemiah said the people had a mind to work. And work they did. Rebuilding the walls in 52 days.

You know friends, we can look around us and feel beaten down, oppressed with all the national and international events that trouble our minds. Lack of jobs, tumbling economy, threat of nuclear war, and strained relations between countries troubles us. Maybe, we even have strained relations at home or at work.

But, let us remember how the people of Nehemiah triumphed. “The Joy of The Lord was their strength.” Finding strength in the Lord help them accomplish more in 52 days than what their ancestors had accomplished in 52 years.

So, remember our bible boost for today is from Nehemiah 8 verse 10. “The joy of the Lord is our strength.”

I am praying for you and your family,
Leonard

Praying for our Nation and her Leaders

Prayer is an important part of every Christians walk. Especially, when there are activities and legislation that goes against what is morally right and many times a direct violation of God’s Word. In fact, God’s Word gives us a COMMAND to pray for our leaders and those in authority. (I Timothy 2:1)

However, I believe II Chronicles 7:14 is the key verse in our prayer efforts for ourselves and for our nation. In order to affect our culture in a positive and Biblical way we must begin with ourselves. You’ll notice that God says, “if MY people who are call by my name will humble themselves and pray”. He’s talking to believers those who have a relationship with the Father. So we can’t expect the non-believers, non-followers to present their case before God the Father.

The call is for believers to seek God’s face, repent and turn from OUR evil ways. As believers we come to God to confess our sins (He already knows them, we are just agreeing with Him as to what we have done to strain the relationship). We acknowledge our sins, the sins of our families and the sins of our country.

Remember, Nehemiah’s prayer in Nehemiah 1:6b-7, “I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my Father’s house has committed against you. We have acted very wickedly against you. We have not obeyed commandments, decrees and laws your servant Moses gave us.”

So the call to prayer begins with each one of us individually. The nation cannot be what our communities are not. The nation cannot be what our families are not. The nation cannot be what I am not. The prayer seeking divine intervention begins with me and my house. Each family tuned in to our failures, sins, apathy and complacence. Bringing God to bear upon the culture starts with me. It is an individual issue.

BUT, see the promise that God gives in II Chronicles 7:14, “then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and HEAL their land”. This is one of God’s numerous “if – then” statements. IF we humble ourselves, pray, repent and confess THEN God will hear, forgive and heal.

So, the prayer effort must begin with ME and then we encourage others in our household, family, and community to unite together to “humble ourselves, pray, repent and confess”. When is the last time that we united our neighborhood, congregation, community just to meet to PRAY. It must begin with ME.

The call is not, “if we agree with the president we’ll pray for him”, the call, yea the commandment, is to PRAY for him no matter what the circumstances. Remember, when Paul wrote the words to Timothy that they were under a slave, dictatorial society ruled by Rome. Yet, Paul admonishes Timothy to “pray for all those in authority”.

So, dear friends, let us bring together our families, congregations, friends, and community to fast and pray for healing in our land. God is faithful and God keeps His promises. HE WILL HEAL OUR LAND IF…

I am praying for you and your family,
Leonard

STAND FIRM!

Our Bible boost for today is the word, STEADFAST. The dictionary defines steadfast as “firmly fixed in place or unwavering”. It comes from to words, sted which means place and fast which means “held tight or fixed”.

I have chosen this word because of the scriptures that tell us that when we stand for that which is Biblical and do the right thing we WILL have trouble and be persecuted. Jesus says in John 15:20, “remember, the word that I said to you, a slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you.” For those who stand for right, truth and righteousness Jesus says THERE WILL BE PERSECUTION.

I recently returned from a Mission trip to India. Persecution is very real there. Preachers are having their homes destroyed, their churches burned and members of their congregations scattered into the jungles with no food and little water because of their stand for the Lord Jesus Christ and Christianity.

One evangelist from India told me that his wife was raped by eight men while they made him watch. Another evangelist told me that he and his wife were riding their motorcycle on their way to a doctor for her when 6 other motorcycles carrying several men cut in front of them. Both the evangelist and his wife were beaten severely. The pastor was beaten so badly that he was in a coma for 2 days. When he awoke from his coma in ICU his uncle was sitting at the foot of the bed. The uncle told the beaten pastor that his wife was beaten so savagely that she died and they had her funeral that morning while the pastor was in a coma.

Jesus said, “there will be persecution”. Just in the pass couple weeks a California pro-life counselor and Pastor, Walter Hoye received a jail term for peaceful work outside an abortion clinic to try to save the lives of unborn babies.
Hoye was found guilty of violating a local ordinance that dictates that he must stay at least eight feet away from anyone entering the clinic. He was found guilty, even though video demonstrated that he did not violate the law. Hoye was ordered to jail for 30 days, fined $1,130, and placed on probation for three years.
Have you heard about the Philadelphia eleven? 11 Philadelphia-area Christians were arrested after peacefully protesting a homosexual event called Outfest on a public sidewalk.
Eight charges were filed against them, including three felonies and five misdemeanors. The charges were: criminal conspiracy, possession of instruments of crime, reckless endangerment of another person, ethnic intimidation, riot, failure to disperse, disorderly conduct, and obstructing highways. The judge referred back to Defense Attorney Scott Shields' reference to William Penn, the Founder of Philadelphia who came to America to escape religious persecution, saying that "here, of all places" the right of free speech had to be protected.
Thankfully a clear headed judge threw out the case against the 11.
So, here’s our bible boost for today. It comes from I Corinthians 15:58, “therefore, my dear friends, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is NOT IN VAIN IN THE LORD”.