Exercising your gift

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelist; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.  Eph. 4:11-12

Paul has much to say in his writings about the gifts of the spirit.  Each Christian is given certain talents and abilities.  The gifts of encouragement, administration, prayer and giving are just as important as the gifts of evangelism, preaching or teaching.  When each of us use our gift others are blessed, the ministry of the church is moved forward and the body of Christ edified.

In this passage, Paul reminds us that not only are talents and abilities a gift, but the person exercising them are a gift as well.  Your Sunday school teacher is a gift from God.  So is that person who shares a word of encouragement.  God gives the church those people who are needed to complete the body of Christ.

When we see our fellow Christians we see a gift from God.
Rev DB

Paul's desire

Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. Rom. 10:1

It is was the desires of Paul’s heart that made him a great evangelist.  He knew what it was to be outside Christ.  To be dependent on one’s own righteousness rather than the righteousness of Christ.  To be a slave to the law rather than a son of grace.  He remembered who he had been and who many of his kindred still were.  His desire was for them to be saved
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It is the desire of our heart that will make us effective witnesses for Christ.  We know what it is to be lost.  To live under the condemnation of the law rather than being set free by grace.  To be called to repentance and to respond in faith.  We remember the joy of coming to Christ and know there are many who are still lost.

It should be our desire for them to be saved.
Rev DB

On my heart

While it’s on my heart

 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

In this part of my life, I have concluded these thoughts, based on the bible, God’s word, I am striving for three things.  

First, my invest time in my personal relationship to God, as I am His son and He is my Heavenly Father.  I want to be right with Him.  I want Him to speak to me and that’s through His word.  And I want to speak to Him and that’s through my prayer and prayers

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Secondly, I want to minister to my family (the Home). As a man, I want to be a good husband to wife and a good Father to my son. And I want to support them, financially and spiritually. I want to provide for my home.

Thirdly, I want to serve God in promoting the gospel of salvation. Jesus said I am come to seek and the save that which is lost. Truly this is part of the Father’s business for He is not willing that any should perish but that ALL should come to repentance.

So moments with God, minister to the family and the message to the world !! Amen.

RevDan

Tragedy in the Church House

Tragedy in the Church House

Matthew 5:14-15

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot  be hidden; 

15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it giveslight to all who are in the house.

Every Sunday countless people all over the world sit in church buildings with a false sense of security. They assume that their morality, lifelong church membership, or baptism will earn them a place in heaven. While many of these folks sincerely desire to please God, they are confused about what the Christian life is all about. They think in terms of doing rather than being. So they imitate the actions of good Christians: going to a weekly service, praying, reading the Bible, and trying to be decent people.

However, salvation is not the product of good works. We come into the world with a corrupt nature, and all our wrongdoing is born of a heart turned away from the Lord. Because we are sinful people, we sin. It's that simple. The good news is that in the salvation experience, we are given a brand-new nature (2 Cor. 5:17). Our sin is wiped away because Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself for us. From the moment we trust in Him, the Holy Spirit dwells in our heart so that we can live righteously.

The world values action, but the Father prioritizes relationship--specifically a right relationship with Him. People who scurry about flaunting religiosity are missing out on the deeply satisfying and joyous intimacy between a believer and the Lord.

We can help turn others' tragic misunderstanding into triumph by being ready to explain why we have hope (1 Peter 3:15). Speak of the personal relationship with Christ that's possible when a person admits his need and trusts in the Savior. 

If your light shines, it reflects well on the church.

Rev CS

His Mother's love

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother.  John 19:25

While Jesus suffered on the cross, the Bible records some of the people who were there.  The soldiers who nailed him to the cross, the rulers who mocked him, the two thieves who died with him, the curious and the deranged.  Mary Magdalene was there.   So was John.  John records Jesus’ mother stood by the cross.

Apparently, the other disciples were not there.  Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead, is not mentioned.  Nor are many of the other people Jesus healed and helped along the way.  But His mother was there.  Her heart broken.  But she stood with her son as he died on the cross.

Forsaken by many, his mother’s love abides.
Rev DB

Mother's influence

When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that is in thee also.  2 Timothy 1:5

It is said the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.  It is hard to estimate the influence a mother has over her children.  The scriptures tell us Timothy’s father was a gentile and most likely an unbeliever.  Yet, Timothy was a devoted Christian and a trusted minister of the gospel.

In this verse, Paul acknowledges the influence Lois had upon her daughter Eunice and subsequently the influence Eunice had over Timothy.  Timothy became the man of God he was in large part because of the faith of his mother and grandmother.   We all have those people in our lives whose faith influenced our own.

For many of us, it was a mother's influence that helped bring us to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

RevDB

Go and Tell

Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee.  Mark 5:19

He had lived in a cemetery. He had been a wild man.  Possessed by demons, he had abandoned all social ties.  Then Jesus came and set him free!  He wanted to board the ship and go with Jesus.  Jesus said no.  He told him to go home to his friends and tell them what the Lord had done for him. Why?

Maybe there were friends and family who had prayed for him.  They needed to know their prayers had been answered.  Maybe there were friends at home who needed Jesus and he was to go tell them.  Maybe Jesus was teaching us mission work begins at home - right where we are.

Do you have friends at home who need to hear the great things Jesus has done for you?

Go home and tell them.
RevDB

Jesus increased

Luke 2:52

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

(Hey, I found something here, perhaps a gold nugget while going back to the Greek)

Jesus increased – G4298 – pro-ko-to – to advance to strike forward and cut forward a way. It comes from two Greek words pro and kopto (G4253 and G2875)

προκόπτω prokóptō, prok-op'-to; from G4253 and G2875; to drive forward (as if by beating), i.e. (figuratively and intransitively) to advance (in amount, to grow; in time, to be well along):—increase, proceed, profit, be far spent, wax.

Much like one clearing a path, Jesus did this from His youth and during his youth.  There were many philosophies of that Greek, Roman and Jewish, and even as a child, Jesus was plodding the way by beating down main line ideas and plodding a course to his adulthood and eventually our Lord and Savior. 

Help us Lord, the trod a path to your way with your words and wisdom.  We too, have many ideas and philosophies in our day, help us Lord, to drive forward through the wrong and find your way.

Rev Dan

Favor with God and Man

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52

A few years ago I read a book by Rev. Keith Allison entitled “Bible Truth for Marriage and the Home.”  One section of his book dealt with the challenges of parenting.  He used this verse to set forth 4 goals every parent should have for their child:

1. Wisdom.  For the child to grow intellectually by providing and supporting the child’s education.
2. Stature.  For the child to grow physically by providing healthy foods, medical care and activities.
3. Favor with God. For the child to grow spiritually by church attendance and family devotions.
4. Favor with Man.  For the child to grow socially by teaching good social and communicating skills.

What more could a parent hope for than to see their child grow as Jesus did?

Rev. DB

Daniel purposed in his heart

Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank. Daniel 1:8

It seemed Daniel had no control over his life.  Taken as a child from his family and everything he knew in Jerusalem, he had been thrown into a culture that placed no value on his heritage or his faith.  Renamed by his pagan captors, he was forced into training for service to the Babylonian king.  Yet, he purposed in his heart not to defile himself with the king’s meat and wine.  In this, he would not sin against God.

There are many things in life over which we have no control – the loss of a job, sickness, or the death of a loved one.  

Like Daniel, we can control our response to these events.  Daniel placed his trust in God and purposed in his heart to obey him.  Daniel took what life had given him and excelled!

God honored his obedience and blessed him with knowledge and skill.

Rev DB