HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY WONDERFUL WIFE

I LOVE YOU MORE WITH EVERY PASSING YEAR. I WOULDN'T KNOW HOW TO GET THROUGH A DAY WITHOUT YOU!




Where we met.



Where we honeymooned.


Valentines Day.


Same Valentines Day.


Daytona Beach Vacation.


Not ours...but I don't have any pictures of ours, so these will have to do.

THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER Part 2

Week #2 – The Form of Prayer - Luke 11:1-4 & Matthew 6:5-15

There were two great faults the scribes and Pharisees were guilty of in prayer, against each of which we are here cautioned—vain-glory (v. 5, 6); and vain repetitions, v. 7, 8.I. We must not be proud and vain-glorious in prayer, nor aim for the praise of men.

Although the disciples had walked and talked and slept with Him, they did not know how they should pray. Luke’s account has them asking Jesus how it should be done.

Luke 11:1-4 The Verses

1. The disciples saw Jesus praying and wanted to know how they should pray.
2 – 4 Jesus gave them what we call “The Lord’s Prayer” (more correctly called, “The Disciples’ Prayer”).

Matthew 6:5-15 The Verses

5. “Our…” He is not an abstract god, He is personal. The word “Our” denotes that he belongs to us (if we belong to Him through Christ). “Father” denotes the relationship he has to us and we to Him. Think of the best father you have ever met. He is a better father than that.

6. “…in heaven…” As the “head” of the God-head, He abides in heaven, not in a church building. We call this “God’s house,” and it is, in the sense that we have given it to Him; dedicated it to Him. But it is not His home.

7. “…hallowed…” The adjective form “hallowed,” as used in The Lord's Prayer, means holy, consecrated, sacred, or revered.

8. “…thy name…” The Bible puts a lot of stock in names, especially the name of God. In the Old Testament Hebrew, the writers would not even say His name, but used a combination of Yahweh and Elohim, from which some conclude we get the name, Jehovah.

9. “Thy kingdom come…” (Matthew 6:33, “Seek ye first…”). Effective prayer sees God’s kingdom as our highest desire.

10. “…Thy will be done” Remember Jesus in the garden as he prayed for God’s will to be done. His will WILL be done in heaven, it SHOULD be done here on earth.

11. “Give us this day our daily bread…” Now we get to our needs…not our wants, our needs. (Matthew 6:25-32). We tend to think of our God as our magic genie in the sky. We also tend to miss the “these” of Matt. 6:33. It is a definite pronoun with specific antecedents: clothes; food.

12. Then we have a complete though, which cannot be divided up: “Forgive us our debts in the same way that we forgive others theirs.” A dangerous thought.

13. God does not lead us to temptation (James 1:13). This is about praying to be able to withstand satan (the evil one).

14. The traditional close to the Model Prayer does not appear in the oldest manuscripts. That does not mean it was not included, just that it did not appear in the oldest manuscripts. That’s all it means.

15. Most of us think prayer is just “talking to God,” but it is much more than that. It is recognizing who He is and submitting to Him in all areas of our lives. Anything less is just religious superstition and misguided babble.

THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER Part 1

A Six Weeks Study about What Prayer Is and How To Engage In It

Week #1 – The Nature of Prayer - Luke 18:9-14

The Verses

9. Jesus was specific with regard to whom this parable was directed: the self-righteous and the condescending.

a. A self righteous person is one who is convinced that his goodness qualifies him/her as an evaluator of others’ behavior and/or beliefs.
b. Looking down on people is a violation of Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves”

10. This is a contrast between the most “loved and respected” Pharisee and the “hated “ tax collector. Which do you suppose “looked down on the other?”

11. The Pharisee’s prayer was very self-oriented and very condescending of others.

a. While he thanked God that he was not like other men, he actually was very much like other men.
b. Remember Jesus’ words in the Beatitudes? (Matthew 5:20; Matthew 5:22; Matthew 5:28)

12. The Pharisee tried to explain his virtues to God. He thought his standing before God was determined by his religious actions.

13. The tax collector expressed the essence of Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23.

a. He realized his standing before God.
b. He cried out for mercy.

14. Jesus proclaimed that it was the tax collector that went home justified (that is placed in a position “just as if he had never sinned”).

a. If we seek self-aggrandizement, we reap the humbling of God…which, trust me, we don’t want.
b. When we humble ourselves, we exemplify what Paul was writing about in Romans (especially chapter 6) when he told us to “die to self.”

“The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16)

What is the “much” that a proper prayer availeth?

1. The subject is prayer for the sick, therefore the “much” refers to that related to sickness.
2. Read James 5:1-16

So here are some things we can say Biblically about prayer:

1. Prayer must be directed toward the greatness of God
2. Prayer must be humble.
3. Prayer must be real (in terms of our standing in God’s eyes).
4. Prayer must emanate from righteousness (right standing before God…accomplished through Christ).
5. Prayer must be “effectual;” i.e.: producing or capable of producing an intended result.
6. Prayer must be “fervent;” i.e.: characterized by intense emotion.

Mr. Simon
by Ken Medema

HE IS ALIVE!

"Why seek ye the living among the dead. He is not here, He is risen as he said." (Luke 24:5)

I Corinthians 15:12-58 RESURRECTION!

I Corinthians 15 is a pivotal chapter in the New Testament. It addresses on of the early heresies of the church: that there is no bodily resurrection.
The fact is, the resurrection of Christ is the most important part of the gospel, for as we will see, if there is no resurrection, there is no salvation.

The word resurrection is from the Greek: ανάστασις (anastosis) the standing up of a corpse. The resurrection is always referring to the physical, not the spiritual.

There were three prevailing philosophies: Stoicism (the soul merges into deity at death); Epicureanism (totally materialistic); Platonism (immortality and transmigration of the soul).

The Verses

Verses 12-19 Paul presents a series of seven “ifs.” (Seven is the number of completion and/or perfection) Paul is using logic here to present both a physical and a spiritual truth. (Remember how logical he was in Romans?)

Verses 20-28 Christ is the “firstfruits.” Firstfruits was a Jewish feast held in the early spring at the beginning of the grain harvest. It was observed on Nissan 16, which was the third day after Passover and the second day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Firstfruits was a time of thanksgiving for God’s provision. Remember Romans 5:12-14? Death is the final enemy we face on this earth. And that has been conquered by Christ’s resurrection. Verse 28 tells us that Christ will return to his place in the Godhead after the millennial reign.

Verses29-34 The whole of I Corinthians 15 concerns the resurrection from the dead. Paul cites the example of those who were baptized as a proof of the resurrection. Their actions symbolized their hope that they would live again. The resurrection is the hope of the dead. Baptism illustrates the hope of the resurrection. One who is baptized rises out of a watery grave, symbolic of the resurrection. Paul is thus saying, "What good is it to be baptized if we do not rise in a resurrection from the dead?” Why then should one be baptized for a hope that would never come true?" However, Paul affirms that, because Christ died and rose again, we have this true hope, the resurrection, to look forward to.

Verses 35-42 Think of yourself as a seed. You have all of the requisites for life…indeed, in a sense, you are alive but you are not what you will be. A seed must “die” and be buried to become the plant it is to be. If we do not die, we cannot become what Christ has willed us to become. If you sow wheat, wheat comes up, not corn. If Christ sows you as saved, you are saved to the uttermost.

Verses 43-49 We perish, our resurrected body won’t. We are weak, but we will be strong. Verse 44 contrasts the natural with the supernatural. We’ll have a totally different kind of body…one we cannot imagine.

Verses 50-52 We cannot inherit God’s kingdom if we do not first give up our present form. The “mystery” mentioned here is that which is now revealed. In the Old Testament it was unrevealed. In the New Testament it is revealed. A twinkling of the eye is faster than a blink. A twinkle is the reflection of a light ray, and travels at 186,000 miles per second! That’s fast.

Verses 53-58 We’re going to be changed! If we are not changed, we cannot be in Heaven with God. But we do not need to fear death! The grave would like to win, but it will not! Christ has already walked the waters of death for you and me. He’ll bring us into eternity! In Christ, we are victors!

THE TRIALS OF JESUS

The night of Jesus’ arrest, He was brought before Annas, Caiaphas, and an assembly of religious leaders called the Sanhedrin (John 18:12-14; 18:19-24 & Matthew 26:57).

After this He was taken before Pilate, the Roman Governor (John 18:28), sent off to Herod (Luke 23:7), and returned to Pilate (Luke 23:11-12), who finally sentenced Him to death.

There were six parts to Jesus’ trial: three stages in a religious court and three stages before a Roman court. Jesus was tried before Annas, the former high priest; Caiaphas, the current high priest; and the Sanhedrin.

Do you know who Annas was? In addition to being the former high priest, he was the one in charge of the sale of items for sacrifice when Jesus overturned the tables in the Temple. It was a sort of sacrificial flea market, called “The Bazaar of Annas.”

He was charged in these “ecclesiastical” trials with blasphemy, claiming to be the Son of God, the Messiah.

The trials before Jewish authorities, the religious trials, showed the degree to which the Jewish leaders hated Him because they carelessly disregarded many of their own laws.

There were seven illegalities involved in these trials from the perspective of Jewish law:

(1) No trial was to be held during feast time.
(2) Each member of the court was to vote individually to convict or acquit, but Jesus was convicted by acclamation.
(3) If the death penalty was given, a night must pass before the sentence was carried out; however, only a few hours passed before Jesus was placed on the Cross.
(4) The Jews had no authority to execute anyone.
(5) No trial was to be held at night, but this trial was held before dawn.
(6) The accused was to be given counsel or representation, but Jesus had none.
(7) The accused was not to be asked self-incriminating questions, but Jesus was asked if He was the Christ. A “yes” answer would have proven blasphemy.

The trials before the Roman authorities started with Pilate (John 18:23) after Jesus was beaten.

The charges brought against Him were very different from the charges in His religious trials. He was charged with inciting people to riot, forbidding the people to pay their taxes, and claiming to be King.

Pilate found no reason to kill Jesus so he sent Him to Herod (Luke 23:7).
Herod had Jesus ridiculed, but wanting to avoid the political liability, sent Jesus back to Pilate (Luke 23:11-12). This was the last trial as Pilate tried to appease the animosity of the Jews by having Jesus scourged.

The Roman scourge is a terrible whipping of 39 lashes.

In a final effort to have Jesus released, Pilate offered the prisoner Barabbas to be crucified and Jesus released, but to no avail.

The crowds called for Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be crucified.

Pilate granted their demand and surrendered Jesus to their will (Luke 23:25).

The trials of Jesus represent the ultimate mockery of justice.

Jesus, the most innocent man in the history of the world, was found guilty of crimes and sentenced to death by crucifixion.

OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES OF JUSUS’ TRIALS

1. Accused by false witnesses (Psalm 35:11; Matthew 26:59-61)
2. Mute before accusers (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 27:12-19)
3. Wounded and bruised (Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 27:26)
4. Smitten and spit upon (Isaiah 50:6; Micah 5:1; Matthew 26:67)
5. Mocked (Psalm 22:7,8; Matthew 27:31)
6. Fell under the cross (Psalm 109:24; John 19:17; Luke 23:26)
7. Hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16; Luke 23:33)
8. Crucified with thieves (Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 27:38)
Made intercession for His persecutors (Isaiah 53:12; Luke 23:34)

WHY IS A FIRE ENGINE RED?

Answer: Because there are twelve inches in a foot.

Say what?

"What does twelve inches in a foot have to do with fire engines?" I hear you asking.

Well, I'm glad you asked.

Carefully follow the reasoning:

A foot is a ruler.

Queen Mary was a ruler.

The Queen Mary was a ship.

Ships go to sea.

There are fish in the sea.

Fish have fins.

The Fins fought the Russians.

The Russians are Red.

That's why a fire engine's red...'cause they're always rushin'.

SOME ST. PATRICKS DAY HUMOR FOR YOU

Paddy was driving down the street in a sweat because he had an important meeting and couldn't find a parking place. Looking up to heaven he said, "Lord take pity on me. If you find me a parking place I will go to Mass every Sunday for the rest of me life and give up me Irish Whiskey!" Miraculously, a parking place appeared.Paddy looked up again and said, "Never mind, I found one."

Father Murphy walks into a pub in Donegal, and asks the first man hemeets, "Do you want to go to heaven?" The man said, "I do, Father."The priest said, "Then stand over there against the wall."Then the priest asked the second man, "Do you want to go to heaven?""Certainly, Father," the man replied. "Then stand over there against the wall," said the priest.Then Father Murphy walked up to O'Toole and asked, "Do you want to go to heaven?"O'Toole said, "No, I don't Father." The priest said, "I don't believe this.. You mean to tell me that when you die you don't want to go to heaven?"O'Toole said, "Oh, when I die , yes. I thought you were getting a group together to go right now."

Paddy was in New York .He was patiently waiting and watching the traffic cop on a busy street crossing. The cop stopped the flow of traffic and shouted, "Okay, pedestrians. " Then he'd allow the traffic to pass.He'd done this several times, and Paddy still stood on the sidewalk.After the cop had shouted, "Pedestrians! " for the tenth time, Paddy went over to him and said, "Is it not about time ye let the Catholics across?"

Gallagher opened the morning newspaper and was dumbfounded to read in the obituary column that he had died. He quickly phoned his best friend, Finney. "Did you see the paper?" asked Gallagher. "They say I died!!""Yes, I saw it!" replied Finney. "Where are ye callin' from?"

An Irish priest is driving down to New York and gets stopped for speeding in Connecticut . The state trooper smells alcohol on the priest's breath and then sees an empty wine bottle on the floor of the car. He says, "Sir, have you been drinking?""Just water," says the priest.The trooper says, "Then why do I smell wine?"The priest looks at the bottle and says, "Good Lord! He's done it again!"

Walking into the bar, Mike said to Charlie the bartender, "Pour me a stiff one - just had another fight with the little woman." "Oh yeah?" said Charlie , "And how did this one end?""When it was over," Mike replied, "She came to me on her hands and knees.""Really," said Charles, "Now that's a switch! What did she say?" She said, "Come out from under the bed, you little chicken."

Patton staggered home very late after another evening with his drinking buddy, Paddy. He took off his shoes to avoid waking his wife, Kathleen. He tiptoed as quietly as he could toward the stairs leading to their upstairs bedroom, but misjudged the bottom step. As he caught himself by grabbing the banister, his body swung around and he landed heavily on his rump. A whiskey bottle in each back pocket broke and made the landing especially painful. Managing not to yell, Patton sprung up, pulled down his pants, and looked in the hall mirror to see that his butt cheeks were cut and bleeding. He managed to quietly find a full box of Band-Aids and began putting a Band-Aid as best he could on each place he saw blood.He then hid the now almost empty Band-Aid box and shuffled and stumbled his way to bed. In the morning, Patton woke up with searing pain in both his head and butt and Kathleen staring at him from across the room. She said, "You were drunk again last night weren't you?"Patton said, "Why you say such a mean thing?""Well," Kathleen said, "it could be the open front door, it could be the broken glass at the bottom of the stairs, it could be the drops of blood trailing through the house, it could be your bloodshot eyes, but mostly ..... it's all those Band-Aids stuck on the hall mirror.

MONDAY MUSINGS FROM OUR FOUNDERS-Francis Scott Key

Francis Scott Key

U. S. ATTORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA; AUTHOR OF THE “STAR SPANGLED BANNER”

[M]ay I always hear that you are following the guidance of that blessed Spirit that will lead you into all truth, leaning on that Almighty arm that has been extended to deliver you, trusting only in the only Savior, and going on in your way to Him rejoicing.

Exodus 5 - 7

The following is an overview of Chapters 5 - 7 of Exodus. The purpose here is to show how God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, prepared for the coming of Mesiah

Chapter 5

The Verses

1. Why was it Aaron who spoke to Pharaoh? The Lord wanted His people to have a festival to Him.
2. Pharaoh did not know the Lord and so did not relate to their need to worship. People in Lehigh Acres don’t know the Lord and can’t relate to what we do here.
3. The people knew that it was a dangerous thing to “mess” with the Lord.
4. Verses 4-9 tell us about Pharaoh’s determination to make Israel obey him. Despots always seek power and control. They rule by fear, intimidation and punishment.
5. Verses 10 –21 Tell us about Pharaoh’s belief that the people were lazy. The people wanted God to judge their leaders for making their work more difficult. Sometimes we work harder at satisfying the world than we do at satisfying God.
6. Verses 22-23 Contain Moses’ blaming God for their issues.

Chapter 6

The Verses

1. God reiterates His promise to Israel.
2. God uses His personal name here. The text should read I am Yahweh.
3. Verses 3-8 God identifies Himself and once more reiterates His promise to Israel.
4. In verses 9-12 Moses reports what God has said, the Israelites didn’t believe him and Moses gets discouraged.
5. Verses 14-25 is a genealogy used to establish Moses’ identity and a link to Jesus.
6. Verses 28-30 Ensure that we know that we are referencing the right Moses and Aaron. They are of the line of Levi. This establishes Moses’ credentials.

Chapter 7

The Verses

1. “I have made thee a “god” to Pharaoh” is a comparative thing. One who represents God has an important post.
2. Aaron represents Moses; Moses represents God.
3. Both Moses and Aaron were up in years when they brought “proof” of God to Pharaoh.
4. In verses 8 – 13 The staff becomes a snake. The Egyptian sorcerers did the same. Why? What is going on in these plagues? Are they just magic acts and whoever does the best magic wins?
5. I want you to know, the upcoming plagues are a set-up. God is establishing in Pharaoh a particular mind set such that when He finishes them, Pharaoh will have no excuse for defying God.
6. As the plagues increase in awfulness, God sets the stage for the coming of Messiah by means of the greatest gift of all: the Passover.

You see, Israel did nothing to deserve God’s favor…He gave it freely to them. And at the Passover God spared His children by the shed blood of a lamb. At the final Passover, God spared His children by the shed blood of THE LAMB…JESUS.

O, WHY?

Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby" when babies wake up every two hours?

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are flat?

Why do banks charge a fee on "insufficient funds" when they know there is not enough?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Whose idea was it to put an "S" in the word "lisp"?

What is the speed of darkness?

Are there specially reserved parking spaces for "normal" people at the Special Olympics?

If the temperature is zero outside today and it's going to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold will it be?

If it's true that we are here to help others, what are the others doing here?

Do married people live longer than single ones or does it only seem longer?

Do you cry under water?

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?

Did you ever stop and wonder......

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze
these pink dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?"

Who was the first person to say, "See that chicken there... I'm gonna eat the next thing that comes outta it's bum."

Why do toasters always have a setting so high that could burn the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?

Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?

Why do people point to their wrist when asking for the time, but don't point to their bum when they ask where the bathroom is?

Why does your Obstetrician, Gynaecologist leave the room when you getundressed if they are going to look up there anyway?

Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs!

Can blind people see their dreams? Do they dream??

If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?

If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables,then what is baby oil made from?

If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

Why do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?

Stop singing and read on . . . . . . . . .

Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at
you, but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

Does pushing the elevator button more than once make it arrive faster?

MONDAY MUSINGS FROM OUR FOUNDERS-James Kent

James Kent

JUDGE; LAW PROFESSOR; “FATHER OF AMERICAN JURISPRUDENCE”

My children, I wish to talk to you. During my early and middle life I was, perhaps, rather skeptical with regard to some of the truths of Christianity. Not that I did not have the utmost respect for religion and always read my Bible, but the doctrine of the atonement was one I never could understand, and I felt inclined to consider as impossible to be received in the way Divines taught it.

I believe I was rather inclined to Unitarianism; but of late years my views have altered.

I believe in the doctrines of the prayer books as I understand them, and hope to be saved through the merits of Jesus Christ. . . .

My object in telling you this is that if anything happens to me, you might know, and perhaps it would console you to remember, that on this point my mind is clear: I rest my hopes of salvation on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Exodus 2:23 – 3:20

Exodus is a continuation of what was begun in Genesis. Joseph died and Exodus tells us that the entire generation of Joseph also died. Israel multiplied and became a great nation. A king who did know anything about Joseph came to power. He feared Israel and so instructed the midwives to kill boy babies. That was the law when Moses was born, and we know the story of Moses and the bulrushes, his birth and his being raised by an Egyptian. Finally this king of Egypt died.

The Verses

Verses 23-25 (Moses is a partial picture of Christ, but not a perfect one. Moses was a murderer; Christ is a Savior. In verses 20-22, we find the rejected Moses receiving a bride. We live in an age that rejects Christ, but He will take a bride, the church.) The Israelites “groaned” or “sighed” because they were slaves.

God heard them, “remembered” His covenant and set in motion His plan to deliver Israel. God always hears His people. When we are hopeless, God provides Hope.

God has redeemed us for the same reason He kept His covenant with Israel not our merit (Romans 3:23-24), but because of our drowning in sin.

Chapter 3:1-6 Moses was tending sheep. He saw a bush on fire but not consumed. This should bring to mind images of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the furnace but not consumed. This should remind us of Israel’s going through fiery times but not being consumed. This should give us confidence that in times of trials we can count on Christ to get us through one way or the other…and we must decide to be content, regardless of how He does it.

The angel of the Lord who appeared to Moses is none other than the pre-incarnate Christ.

The taking off of the shoes was a way of demonstrating respect. What are some ways we show respect for one another? What are some ways we demonstrate our respect for God?

God called from the bush. I thought I said the angel represented Jesus! I did. God and Jesus are one and the same.

Chapter 3:7-10 God proclaims His intent to rescue Moses and the Israelites from Egypt (Egypt represents the grip of sin on our lives).

Using hindsight and the Word of God, what role was God going to give Moses in delivering the Israelites from Egypt?

What two challenges to faith did God place before Moses? (He had to believe God cared and he had to believe God could)

As we move out of our comfort zone into a new era of the ministry of First Baptist Church, how can we apply these challenges to ourselves?

Chapter 3: 11-18 Here we see Moses struggling with his call and recognizing his weakness (verse 11) and God revealing Himself as the Great I Am. We also see God’s instructions to Moses.

Verses 19-20 God laid out His plan to save Israel.. He did not tell Moses that it would be easy…in fact He told him it would be hard. Salvation is not easy, it had to be purchased with a terrible price: the death of Jesus and the laying of the sins of the world upon him.

MONDAY MUSINGS FROM OUR FOUNDERS-William Samuel Johnson

William Samuel Johnson

JUDGE; MEMBER OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS; SIGNER OF THE CONSTITUTION; FRAMER OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS; PRESIDENT OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE; U. S. SENATOR
"[I] . . . am endeavoring . . . to attend to my own duty only as a Christian. . . . let us take care that our Christianity, though put to the test . . . be not shaken, and that our love for things really good wax not cold."

Fifteen Bases for Church Growth

In my previous article, Steps to Church Growth, I presented a series of physical steps a church can take to help its growth.

In this article I will present some philosophical and theological positions that will result in growth, physically and spiritually.

1. The church’s core beliefs must conform to the scriptural teaching of one God, existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; that He is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient, is sovereign and that He is our judge and Redeemer.

2. The church must recognize that the Father is not the Son and not the Holy Spirit, but is God; that the Son is not the Father and is not the Holy Spirit, but is God and that the Holy Spirit is not the Father and is not the Son, but is God.

3. The church must understand and teach that Jesus Christ is “God with us,” fully God and fully man and is the personification of the gospel, God’s plan for man’s redemption, by actually taking upon Himself the sins of mankind and experiencing their consequences. The church must know that salvation comes through faith in, and only in, the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

4. The church must experience the power of the Holy Spirit as “God in us,” empowering mankind to live in the church and in the world in such a way as to honor and glorify God through the use of spiritual gifts.

5. The church must realize that the Bible is God’s revelation of His character, His love for His creation and His plan for its redemption; that it is the final authority for all belief and practice; and that it must be interpreted, not by proof-text, but in view of its entire context.

6. The church must engage in worship that involves Christians in a personal and corporate encounter with God for the purpose of glorifying Him. It must realize that worship is not about personal preference and desire but is all about God and His desires for us.

7. The church must develop ministries: that enable members to learn the Word of God (the Bible); that provide opportunities for personal growth through service; that emphasize missions study and activities relating to the local community and around the world; that engage members in Christian fellowship

8. The church must come to realize that a church that is not growing is already dead. It must deliberately understand that the Bible requires us to grow in order to fulfill the Great Commission and to emulate the results of Pentecost and other New Testament examples of the church.

9. The church must follow the leadership of its called ministers and lay leaders who have the gifts of faith and vision for the church. It must respond positively to the enthusiasm of its leaders while recognizing that each individual is called to be a minister.

10. The church must accept that it is to be “credible” in its witness and behavior, realizing that Jesus is the Sacrificial Lamb for all of mankind, regardless of station in life, cultural, national or racial differences, or any other social factors. The church is to be a “healing station” for all people, as well as a source for the truth of the gospel. Church members’ love for one another and for those who might be considered “outsiders” must testify as to the truth of that gospel.

11. The church must involve itself in missions both actively and passively. That is: the church should give regularly to missions; engage in local mission teaching and activities; provide mission trip activities to enable members to experience missions around the world.

12. The church must organize for growth, recognizing that we serve a God who is supremely organized and has given us multiple examples of organization in His Word. This organization should include, among other things: small groups for study and fellowship; Bible study classes; the frequent formation of new groups as growth occurs; the provision of adequate space for growth; a staff that meets the growing needs of the congregation and community and an acute awareness of the expectations of their target group(s).

13. The church must reject the so-called “small church” mentality, recognizing the factors needed to make the facility a place that enhances growth through the effective and creative use of such things as: the audio/visual systems; church bulletins and newsletters; adequate heating and cooling; a great “first impression;” good maintenance of both buildings and grounds and other things that characterize “professionalism” in the sense of providing the best possible experience for members and guests.

14. The church must find ways to introduce “changes” in such a way as to help “traditionalists” understand why they are necessary and to help “progressives” understand why not all changes can take place all at once, but must be approached logically, systematically and under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

15. The church must understand that programs do not grow churches, people do. It must come to grips with the truth that ministries are there to provide for the spiritual needs of the members and to help them become significantly involved in service to God. In this way they will experience the fullness of the joy in Christ available to church members.

No doubt there are other philosophical and theological factors that may be considered, but implementing these fifteen will go a long way toward making solid, effective growth possible both spiritually and physically.

STEPS TO CHURCH GROWTH

Church growth means more than just increasing numbers, it also means maturing the numbers (which represent people) that you already have.

There are four main ways a church experiences growth:

1. Personal contact

2. Advertising

3. Serendipity

4. Constant Prayer

Personal Contact

Statistics indicate that up to 90% of most churches’ visitors are invited to come by someone they know.

The trouble with this is the low percentage of attendees who are inviting friends and neighbors to come visit their church.

Growth by personal contact requires that the number of personal contacts made by members and regular attendees increase.

How can the number of personal contacts be increased?

a. Discovery – Develop a way to discover potential attendees.
b. Make contacts deliberate – There must be some method of assigning contacts to people that they will accept and follow up on.
c. Accountability – Establish a method of recording those contacts.
d. Follow-up – Several different regular methods of follow-up need to be put in place.
e. Coordination – The effort for growth must be coordinated, perhaps through an existing organization (such as the Sunday School) or through a person, group or committee.

Advertising

Saddleback Community Church, under the leadership of Rick Warren, made heavy use of advertising in its early years.

Advertising pays for itself in that when it results in a new attendee, that person is likely to make a contribution to the church, thus covering the per person cost of that advertisement.
To be effective, advertising must do three things:

1. Attract the attention of the viewer/hearer.
2. Hold the attention of the viewer/hearer long enough for him/her to know what it’s about.
3. Elicit a response from the viewer/hearer.

Advertising that is cluttered with too much information will be ignored.

There’s an old adage in advertising: White space (space where there are no words) sells.

That means that peoples’ eyes need to be immediately focused on the point of the advertising.

Advertising must be clear, stating the who, what, where and when of what the viewer/hearer needs to know and perhaps one or two significant draws (such as a concert and its performer).

An effective web site is one form of advertising that will be frequented by the more contemporary prospect.

Remember these things about web sites:

1. A web site should be easy to find, easy to read, and easy to navigate.
2. Fancy or tricky elements in a web site should be avoided at all costs. They might be artistic, but they will quickly drive people away.
3. Remember the white space sells adage and avoid a cluttered web site.
4. Burying information behind a series of links will discourage the reader from pursuing information online. Necessary links should be on the front page of the web site.
5. Really important information should be on the front page of the church’s web site.
6. Frequent side bar information on a web site should feature special events, which will frequently change.
7. Every document produced by the church should have the web site URL printed on it, as should all other advertising.

A well designed, attractive and highly visible sign at the church site can be an effective form of advertising, again remembering the white space sells rule.

Serendipity

Some people will find your church by driving by or by some other “accidental” means.

There must be some mechanism in place to discover them, greet them, give them information about the church and help to find their way around in it.

Greeters should be in place to recognize visitors, encourage them with sincere smiles, and hand them pertinent information about the church, perhaps in the form of an introductory brochure.
An active reception area (vestibule) that gets their attention would be helpful.

The reception area might include:

1. A “Visitor Welcome Station,” where nametags could be handed to visitors.
2. A missions center showing a continuous DVD of recent mission trips
3. A continuous DVD showing various ministries of the church, such as the Youth Ministry, SAM, AWANA, Children’s Church, Sunday School, Christian growth opportunities, choir, etc.
4. Ushers prepared to actively help visitors find a place to sit comfortably.

Constant Prayer

Prayer is listed last, but should be practiced first.

Prayer should not be focused on numbers, but on discovering God’s vision for the church and how it is to reach people with the gospel for Him, teach people about Him and grow people in Him.

In other words, prayer should be about discovering what God is doing and getting on board with Him to get it done.

MONDAY MUSINGS FROM OUR FOUNDERS-Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson

SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE; DIPLOMAT; GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA; SECRETARY OF STATE; THIRD PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
"The practice of morality being necessary for the well being of society, He [God] has taken care to impress its precepts so indelibly on our hearts that they shall not be effaced by the subtleties of our brain. We all agree in the obligation of the moral principles of Jesus and nowhere will they be found delivered in greater purity than in His discourses."

Mark 14:1-72

The Verses

1. Verse 1 This was before Passover (which includes the Feast of Unleavened Bread). See pages 2 & 3.

2. Verse 2 Religious officials wanted to kill Jesus, but not during Passover, lest the people be stirred up.

3. 3-9 Jesus is anointed at Bethany. Nard (Nard has intense, warm, fragrant, musky notes, similar to the aromas of humus. It exhibits a wide range of fragrances among the root-type perfumes). Who do you supposed objected to the anointing of Jesus with this valuable perfume? (John 12:3-5) Why? (Are we Christians guilty of “counting the costs” of service Jesus?)

4. 10 – 11 Was the anointing of Jesus the impetus for Judas’ betrayal of Him?

5. 12 – 26 Jesus reiterates that He is going to die, this time with more detail and with the reason(s) why.

6. 27 – 31 Peter contradicts Jesus’ prediction that they will all “fall away.”

7. 32 – 42 “Abba” is an endearing Aramaic term for “Father,” that could be translated, “Daddy” or “Papa.” Jesus committed himself to the Father’s will. We must do the same when we pray. What is the significance of Jesus finding the disciples asleep three times?

8. 43 – 51 Who is the betrayer? Why a kiss? Who cut off the ear of the servant of the High Priest? (John 18:10)

9. 52 – 65 The ancient Jewish court system was called the Sanhedrin (Which translates: “Assembly”). The Sanhedrin judged accused lawbreakers, but could not initiate arrests. It required a minimum of two witnesses to convict a suspect. Up until 30 AD, the Sanhedrin could impose capital punishment.

10. 66 – 72 Peter denies that he knows Jesus. What is the lesson for us to learn from this series of events? Is it easy to follow Jesus? Do we ever find ourselves in situations when we’d just as soon nobody bring up “religion?”

What were the disciples in general thinking during this time?

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Sign over a Gynecologist's Office:
"Dr. Jones, at your cervix."
**************************
In a Podiatrist's office:
"Time wounds all heels."
***************** *********
On a Septic Tank Truck:
Yesterday's Meals on Wheels
At a Proctologist's door:
"To expedite your visit, please back in."
**************************
On a Plumber's truck:
"We repair what your husband fixed."
**************************
On another Plumber's truck:
"Don't sleep with a drip. Call your plumber."
**************************
On a Church's Bill board:
"7 days without God makes one weak."
**************************
At a
Tire Shop in Milwaukee :
"Invite us to your next blowout."
**************************
At a Towing company:
"We don't charge an arm and a leg. We want tows."
**************************
On an Electrician's truck:
"Let us remove your shorts."
**************************
In a Nonsmoking Area:
"If we see smoke, we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action."
**************************
On a Maternity Room door:
"Push. Push. Push."
**************************
At an Optometrist's Office:
"If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place."
**************************
On a Taxidermist's window:
"We really know our stuff."
**************************
On a Fence:
"Salesmen welcome! Dog food is expensive!"
**************************
At a Car Dealership:
"The best way to get back on your feet - miss a car payment."
**************************
Outside a Muffler Shop:
"No appointment necessary. We hear you coming."
**************************
In a Veterinarian's waiting room:
"Be back in 5 minutes. Sit! Stay!"
**************************
At the Electric Company
"We would be delighted if you send in your payment..
However, if you don't, you will be."
************** ************
In a Restaurant window:
"Don't stand there and be hungry; come on in and get fed up."
**************************
In the front yard of a Funeral Home:
"Drive carefully. We'll wait."
**************************
At a Propane Filling Station:
"Thank heaven for little grills."
**************************
And don't forget the sign at a
CHICAGO RADIATOR SHOP:
"Best place in town to take a leak."
**********************
Sign on the back of another Septic Tank Truck:
"Caution - This Truck is full of Political Promises"

JUST IN CASE YOU NEED A LAUGH:

Remember it takes a college degree to fly a plane, but only a high school diploma to fix one; a reassurance to those of us who fly routinely in our jobs.

After every flight, UPS pilots fill out a form, called a 'gripe sheet,' which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems, document their repairs on the form, and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight.

Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor.

Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by UPS pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers.

(By the way,UPS is the only major airline that has never, never, ever, had an accident. )

P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.
*
P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.
*
P: Something loose in cockpit.
S: Something tightened in cockpit.
*
P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on back-order.
*
P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200-feet-per-minute descent.
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.
*
P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S:
landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.
*
P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believable level.
*
P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That's what friction locks are for.
*
P: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
S: IFF is always inoperative in OFF mode.
*
P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you're right.
*
P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.
*
P: Aircraft handles funny. (I love this one!)
S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right and be serious.
*
P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.
*
P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.
*
And the best one for last
*
P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from the midget.

Mark 13

There are no miracles recorded in this chapter, but there is the typical “action” of Mark. It’s all future action.

The Verses:

1 – 4. The questions by the disciples.

a. Jesus had pronounced a coming desolation upon the temple.
b. John 2:18-19 (Jesus is referring ultimately to Himself).
c. Disciples were caught up in the physical entrapments of the buildings.

5 – 7 A panorama of this age.

a. Two types of impersonators: psychologically ill; satanic/demonic
b. Wars; earthquakes; famines (Africa, India & Asia) Key: increase.

8 – 13 Persecution preceding the Great Tribulation

a. Christianity is held in low regard by politicians, schools, etc.
b. Not “if,” but “when” you are arrested. Can we stand for Christ?
c. The Holy Spirit must lead you in that time. (Romans 8:1-3)
d. Only those truly saved will stand firm (Verse 13)

14 – 23 Prophecy of the Great Tribulation

a. “Abomination of desolation” (Daniel 9:27; 11:31 & 12:11)
b. Matthew 24:15 – The Holy Place is for Jews; Christians don’t have a holy place, no matter what you may have heard.

24 – 27 Proclamation of the Second Coming of Christ

a. Times will be tough beyond imagination.
b. When Christ returns He will come with power & glory (Nobody will miss the event.
c. The “elect” refers to born again believers. This is NOT the rapture of the church – there are no angels then.

28 – 33 The parable of the fig tree.

a. There is disagreement over whether the fig tree refers to Israel. I, personally, believe it does. At the very least, Jesus is talking about spiritual seasons. “The church age (this generation) will still be going on when this happens. Matthew Henry writes: “when ye see the Jewish nation embroiled in wars, distracted by false Christs and prophets, and drawing upon them the displeasure of the Romans, especially when ye see them persecuting you for your Master’s sake, and thereby standing to what they did when they put him to death, and repeating it, and so filling up the measure of their iniquity, then say that their ruin is nigh, even at the door, and provide for yourselves accordingly.’’
b. The Greek word used for “heaven” in verse 31 is ouranos and means “sky.” God’s Heaven is not going anywhere.
c. The Word of God: This means both scripture and Jesus, Himself, the Living Word.

34 – 37 The instructions to God’s people.

a. I do not know what could possibly be unclear about “No man knows…,” but some people make an effort to twist the phrase.
b. The key here is to BE READY: spiritually; emotionally; physically; awake or asleep. Be certain of your relationship to God through Christ RIGHT NOW. DON’T WAIT! DON’T PUT IT OFF!

A PUN MY WORD

The ability to make and understand puns is considered to be
the highest level of language development. Test your pun
comprehension:

1. A vulture boards an airplane, carrying two dead
raccoons. The stewardess looks at him and says, "I'm sorry,
sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger.”

2. Two fish swim into a concrete wall. One turns to the
other and says, "Dam!"

3. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit
a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once
again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

4. Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says, "I've lost my
electron." The other says, "Are you sure?" The first replies
"Yes, I'm positive."

5. Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain
during a root canal? His goal: transcend dental medication.

6. A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel and
were standing in the lobby discussing their recent
tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came
out of the office and asked them to disperse. "But why?",
they asked, as they moved off. "Because," he said, "I can't
stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer."

7. A woman has twins and gives them up for adoption. One of
them goes to a family in Egypt and is named "Ahmal." The
other goes to a family in Spain , they name him "Juan."
Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth
mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband
that she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. Her husband
responds, "They're twins! If you've seen Juan, you've seen
Ahmal."

8. A group of friars were behind on their belfry payments,
so they opened up a small florist shop to raise funds. Since
everyone liked to buy flowers from the men of God, a rival
florist across town thought the competition was unfair. He
asked the good fathers to close down, but they would not. He
went back and begged the friars to close. They ignored him.
So, the rival florist hired Hugh MacTaggart, the roughest
and most vicious thug in town to "persuade" them to close.
Hugh beat up the friars and trashed their store, saying he'd
be back if they didn't close up shop. Terrified, they did
so, thereby proving that only Hugh can prevent florist
Friars.

9. Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the
time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his
feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail
and, with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This
made him ... a super callused fragile mystic hexed by
halitosis.

10. And finally, Patriot Humor sent ten different puns to
their subscribers, with the hope that at least one of the
puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.

VERBage PART 01

Studies have shown that more than half of the errors made in the English language involve the use of verbs.

Verbs come in three forms: the present tense; the past tense and the past participle.

They express an action or a state of being that is either happening now, happened in the past or is combined with an auxiliary verb such as have, has or had and expresses a completed action.

In the sentence: I drive; the action (drive) occurs at the present time.

In the sentence: I drove; the action occurred in the past.

Finally, in the sentence: I have driven every day this week; driven is the past participle and expresses an action that is completed.

How one forms sentences with verbs is determined by whether the verb is a regular verb or an irregular verb.

With regard to verbs, "regular" means "normal" or "usual."

With regular verbs, the tenses are formed in the regular way. For instance one normally expresses the past tense by adding "ed" to the verb. That's the regular way to turn a present tense verb into a past tense verb.

Not only that, but the Past Participle of the verb is formed in the same way as the Past Tense.

So, the regular verb, call is turned into the Past Tense by adding "ed." Therefore, the Past Tense of call is called.

Because call is a regular verb, the Past Participle is also formed by adding "ed."

These can form sentences as follows: I call. That's the Present Tense. I called. That's the Past Tense. I have called. That's the Past Participle.

Irregular verbs are called irregular because they do not form their Past Tense and their Past Participle in the regular way.

There are more regular verbs than there are irregular verbs, so it is easier to learn the irregular verbs and assume all others to be regular.

The following list of verbs deals with some common irregular verbs. They are listed in the order of Present Tense; Past Tense and then the Past Participle.

sing - sang - sung
drive - drove - driven
begin - began - begun
go - went - gone (This one is strange because each one is totally different from the other.)
burst- burst - burst (This one is strange because all three are the same.)

Next time we will examine how to use the principle parts of regular and irregular verbs.

Mark 3:1-6; 5:33-42; 10:14-16

Here we will look at a few key verses from the earlier passages of Mark that we missed.

Mark 3:3-5

1. Is it possible that the Pharisees planted this man there to trap Jesus?

2. Some of the religious leaders wanted to see whether Jesus would heal on the Sabbath. Why do you think they cared? What do you think? How does what you think jibe with Mark2:25-27? How do you think the man with the paralyzed hand felt about the religious leaders?

3. Jesus stood the man where everybody could see him. This probably surprised the Pharisees and made them more than a little angry. If He was accused and arrested, a lot of people would know the truth.

4. Why didn’t the Pharisees answer Jesus’ question? Could it be they saw that they had backed themselves into a theological corner?

5. Jesus was much more interested in the man’s need than in following some imagined rule about the Sabbath Day.

Mark 5:33-34

We know this story of the woman with the issue of blood whose issue was “incurable.” This comes in between the beginning of the healing of Jairus’ daughter.

33. The woman “told Him the whole truth.” What was the whole truth? Why was she fearful and trembling?

34. Her faith healed her. Does this mean that lack of faith prevents healing?

Now we continue on with Jairus’ daughter.

35-36. Word came that Jairus’ daughter had died. How did the friends of Jairus react?

37-42 No big crowds wanted here. There would be enough commotion when they got where they were going.

Mark 10:14-16

What does it mean for YOU to have a child-like spirit in order to have the Kingdom of God belong to you?

VMTPN

Reading the title of this post might prompt you to exclaim: "What the...?"

As it turns out, VMTPN are the first letters of each of the ways in which subjects and predicates must agree in sentences.

They stand for: Voice; Mood; Tense; Person and Number.

When I was in ninth grade, my English teacher, Mr. Bush, gave us an aid by which to remember this.

WARNING! This might be considered by some to be a bit graphic (although by today's standards it is pretty mild).

Mr. Bush taught us that the first letters of Voice, Mood, Tense, Person and Number are every other letter in the words, vomit pan (VoMiT PaN).

Don't say I did not warn you!

You will remember that, though, won't you?

Have you ever heard someone say something like: "I seen him go into the store..."?

Of course that person should have said: "I saw him go into the store..."

Of the five points of agreement between subject and predicates, Tense might be the most complex, at least as it relates to verb usage.

There are five "types" of verbs: verbs of "being;" "regular" verbs; "irregular" verbs; "progressive" verbs and "emphatic" verbs.

That can be daunting.

There are six tenses of each of the verb forms. In addition, there are special forms of verbs called: progressive verbs, as well as the present participle of verbs.

Just to complicate matters a little more, there are special cases of verbs, for example: shall and will (Do you know when to use which of them?) and should and would.

There is the issue of when to use "have" and when to use "of." "They might of warned us" is incorrect, while "They might have warned us" is correct.

I believe that schools should begin the serious study of verbs in about the fifth grade, when children are able to begin understanding language concepts and that each form and type of verb should be studied for at least one week each year.

How many of us understand the use of the future perfect tense, for instance?

"I shall have been calling..." is an example of the future perfect tense.

Verbs can be in: the active or passive voice; the indicative, the imperative or the subjunctive mood; the first, second or third person - singular or plural.

In a sentence, the predicate (composed of verbs and their respective forms and/or modifiers) and the subject (composed of nouns, pronouns and their respective modifiers) must almost always be in agreement.

There are some special literary cases in which this need not be but as a general rule, agreement is the name of the game.

Over the next several weeks I will use my Wednesday posts to examine the part of speech we know as verbs.

Mark 10:1-52

We have seen Jesus perform miracles, teach his disciples about his impending deaths, burial and resurrection, and about the child-like faith his followers must have.

Get your Bible out and follow the verses.

The Verses

1. They were on their way to Jerusalem where Jesus would be crucified (just like he had told his disciples).

2. This was a trick question. If Jesus answered, “No,” he would be contradicting Moses and Herod (who had divorced his wife and married his brother, Phillip’s wife.). Jesus’ death was not to be determined on this issue. If He said, “Yes,” He would stand accused of being lax in His teaching. It was not an honest inquiry about a spiritual truth.

3. His response was once again a question, “What did Moses command?”

4. Reference Deuteronomy 24:1-2. The Law of Moses allowed divorce, and later it was interpreted as super-easy…even for burning the biscuits. If the Pharisees had really wanted to get tot he heart of the issue, their question would have been, “What is the basis for the reason for marriage?”

5. Whose hearts were hardened, that the Mosaic Law was such?

6–8. Jesus takes them back to God’s ideal at the beginning of creation. Divorce was not in His plan. Neither was murder. But murderers can be forgiven. In many “Christian” circles divorced persons cannot be. This is more about marriage than it is about divorce. The thing counselors need to deal with is not, “Why do you want a divorce?” The thing counselors should be dealing with is, “Why do you want to get married?”

9. God makes marriage, not man.

10–12. A parallel passage is in Matthew 5:31, which includes the “fornication” issue. Matthew was writing to Jews, who knew the Law, Mark was writing to Romans, who did not know the Law of Moses.

13-16. This is NOT a change of subject! Who gets hurt the most in divorce? The children. Jesus uses children as an example of how we come to Him. Look back at Mark 9:37.

17-31. Keeping the Law was not good enough to save a person. Does verse 21 remind you of Romans 6:7 or Romans 6:11? Some people never experience the joy of salvation because (1) they were never saved to begin with; and (2) they never put Christ ahead of self and possessions. Why is it hard to “enter the Kingdom of Heaven?” Very few are willing to commit and submit to Christ.

31. Does this remind you of the squabble the disciples were having among themselves back in Mark 9:33-37?

32–34. Jesus once again tells the disciples that He is going to be put to death.

35–40. Can you believe this? The disciples are STILL hung up on some pecking order. We all seem to seek some kind of recognition for what we do, even the things we do for Christ. Remember, the disciples had given up their livelihoods to follow Christ. They wanted something in return. Quid-pro-quo…I give you something, you give me something. What the disciples did not realize was the cost Jesus was going to have to pay for the joy of your salvation.

40-45. We are to have a servant’s heart and attitude.

46-52. I love verse 50, because it illustrates the confidence Bartimaeus had that he would receive his sight and would be able to find his cloak.

MONDAY MUSINGS FROM OUR FOUNDERS-James Iredell

James Iredell

RATIFIER OF THE U. S. CONSTITUTION; ATTORNEY GENERAL OF NORTH CAROLINA; U. S. SUPREME COURT JUSTICE APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON
"For my part, I am free and ready enough to declare that I think the Christian religion is a Divine institution; and I pray to God that I may never forget the precepts of His religion or suffer the appearance of an inconsistency in my principles and practice."

BE ON THE LOOKOUT

The United States Border Patrol

is asking citizens to keep on the lookout for

a red 1951 Chevy that they suspect is being used to

smuggle illegal immigrants across the border from

Mexico and into points along the U.S. Border.

If you see the vehicle pictured below

and have reason to believe that it is the suspect vehicle,
you are urged to contact your local

police department or the U. S. Border Patrol.

IS GRAMMAR DEAD?

No, I'm not some readneck wondering whether my grandmother is feeling well.

It's just that there are so many people who don't seem to get that words have meanings, that words are used to convey thoughts and ideas and that words are crucial to our interpersonal relationships.

If we are to communicate well, we must use words and sentence structure similarly.

Recently, as I watched a local "newscast," I heard the anchor proclaim: "A man robbed a bank full of people with a gun."

What?

If each of those people had a gun, how on earth did the man get away with the robbery?

I read a blog the other day whose author did not know the difference between "their," "there" and "they're."

Do you?

Do you know the correct usage of "lay," "lie," "lied" and "lay?" (Hint: "Lay" is what hens do with eggs, unless it happened in the past.)

One of my pet peeves is the use of the plural "their" for the singular "his" or "her."

In the sentence, "Neither of the men had his tools," the proper word of possession is "his," not "their." "Neither of the men had their tools" is incorrect. In fact, it does not even make sense.

Since "neither" is singular and "of the men" is a prepositional phrase (and cannot be used as the subject of a sentence), the agreement of the subject with the possessive "his" (or "her") is necessary.

On the other hand, since the following sentence has a plural subject, "several," the use of "their" is proper: Several found their cars unlocked.

The correct use of "I" and "me" seems to confuse some people, especially when used as a compound subject or in the objective case.

When used as the subject of a sentence, or in the "subjective case," "you" is always combined with "I," not "me."

On the other hand, when used as the object of a sentence, or in the "objective case," "you" is always combined with "me," not "I."

Is that confusing? It's not really hard at all.

If you drop the first part of the compound subject or object and then say the sentence, it will become obvious which is correct.

For example: to determine whether one should use "you and I" or "you and me," simply drop the "you" and say the sentence.

Would you say, "Me went to the store" or "I went to the store?"

If you would say, "I went to the store," then the combination "You and I" would be correct (assuming you both went to the store), and you would say, "You and I went to the store."

If you would say, "The books were given to me," then "The books were given to him and me" would be correct (not "The books were given to him and I").

Grammar really does make sense. It is very logical. People who can't figure out how to use good grammar probably have trouble with logic in general, and their conclusions about things might be suspect, at best.

So, is grammar dead?

I hope not.

Mark 9:31-50

Jesus had been performing miracles of provision and miracles of healing.

Once again we will see that the disciples did not understand what was going on.

The Verses

31. As they were on their way to Capernaum, Jesus was telling the disciples about His impending death.

32. Their lack of understanding caused them to be afraid…once again.

33. Jesus often used questions to make His points. How would you have felt if Jesus had asked out of the blue what you were arguing about? Do we ever argue among ourselves about things concerning our faith? Why do we sometimes set ourselves up as better than others? (Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”)

34. What was their response?

35. What is the meaning of verse 35, in your opinion?

36. How do we become as little children? How does that relate to Jesus’ telling us to grow in the faith? (Hebrews 5:14; 6:1 & James 1:4)

37. Jesus introduces the phrase, “…in my name…” Who is honored when we welcome those “of lower estate” than us?

38. John used the phrase “…in your name…” What does that phrase mean? Not everyone who claims the name of Christ belongs to Christ.

39. The great commentator, Matthew Henry, said: “Two reasons Christ gives why such should not be forbidden. (1.) Because we cannot suppose that any man who makes use of Christ’s name in working miracles, should blaspheme his name, as the scribes and Pharisees did. There were those indeed that did in Christ’s name cast out devils, and yet in other respects were workers of iniquity; but they did not speak evil of Christ.”

40. You are either for Christ or against Him. You are free to choose. You are not free not to choose. You are NOT free to choose the consequences of your choices. Your choices choose for you.

41. What reward is Jesus talking about in the last part of verse 41?

Mark 6:35-52

Mark was an eyewitness of Jesus’ life and ministry.

The book is clear: It is all about Jesus. Mark makes no references to himself.

Up to this point, Mark has told us about: John the Baptist; The calling of the first disciples; Jesus’ power over evil spirits; His healing ministry; His prayer life; and many other events in the life and ministry of Jesus.

Some highlights include: the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath; the parables of the sower, the growing seed, the mustard seed, calming a storm, and healing a demon possessed man, a sick woman and a dead girl.

Jesus and the disciples had taken a boat across the lake to get away from the crowds (v-32). But the people saw where he was going and got there ahead of them (v-33). Jesus had compassion on the “sheep-like” crowd and began teaching them (v-34)

Questions to consider about today’s verses:

35. What were the disciples’ concerns about where they were?

36. What did the disciples want to do? What do we want to do?

37. Which of the people’s needs did Jesus want to meet? What was the disciples’ response? Do we sometimes just want to throw money at a problem (in the church, not in politics. We already know that’s a politician’s answer to everything.

38. Why do you suppose Jesus asked the disciples to report on what provisions the people had? Remember, they had rushed to follow Him across the lake without thinking that they might be there quite a while.

39. Jesus directed the people to sit down.

40. What do you notice about how the people were instructed to sit? Why do you suppose he grouped them like that? We need to learn the lesson of grouping people in our churches in order to facilitate being fed the Good News.

41. What was the significance of breaking the loaves? (Mark 14: 22; Matthew 26: 26;Luke 22: 19) In your mind’s eye, how did Jesus divide the two fish into enough parts to serve twelve to fifteen thousand people?

42. What did it take to satisfy the people?

43. How great is God’s provision when we do things His way? How great is God’s provision when we “lean to our own understanding?” (Proverbs 3:5)

MOBILIZING FOR HAITI

Southern Baptists are mobilizing to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.

They will be among the first relief groups to arrive and typically provide food, shelter and medical aid to those affected by the 7.0 quake.

No doubt there will be many other church, charity and humanitarian groups joining in the effort as well.

Eventually, the U.S. federal government will arrive, but if past performance is any indication, they will arrive unorganized, will not have what is needed and will engage in in-fighting over what must be done where.

(Note: In the first several weeks following hurricane Katrina, more actual aid and money was provided by church and charitable groups than all the money spent by the federal government and all the actual aid provided by the federal government on initial relief efforts.)

Pray for the relief efforts of those going to Haiti, yes, even the U.S. government.

Romans 15 20-33 & Romans 16:1-27

Paul has taken us from sin to heaven in the book of Romans.

He has shown us what sin is, how serious it is, how permeating it is, and how it is revealed to us.

Paul has magnified the holiness of the Law while explaining to us how we can never hope to begin to keep the Law, let alone achieve salvation through it.

He has shown us the history of the Jews, the disobedience of the Jews, the fact that the Jews are and always will be God’s chosen people, that one day a multitude of them will come to faith in Christ.

Paul has shown us that the only way to become acceptable to God is by trusting in and only in the finished work of Christ at Calvary and by believing in His resurrection.

Paul has charged each of us with the responsibility of becoming living sacrifices, wholly acceptable unto God, and has shown us what that will look like in us when we achieve it by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Verses

20 & 21 Paul wanted to preach the gospel. Not some social injustice, not some political principles, not some pious pontification, but the gospel: the good news that salvation has come in Christ for all who will believe in Him and Him alone. He did not want to preach where people had already heard the gospel, but where it had not yet been heard. He wanted those people to hear and understand it, too.

22-29 Paul wished fellowship with believers in Jerusalem and in Spain. He had an offering to take to Jerusalem…just like we helped our missionaries, Paul wanted to help those where he used to persecute them. Paul puts his stamp of approval on his trip…assurance that he was in the will of God. There is an interesting principle revealed in the whole of Scripture: one measure of whether you are in God’s will is how much turmoil you are enduring. If there is no turmoil, there may be no “will of God.”

30-33 Paul asks for intercessory prayer that he might accomplish what God has in store for him. Praying for others is important for you, for the others and to God.

Romans 16

The Verses

1-16 Here is Paul’s blessing on the work people have done to further the gospel of Christ.

17-19 He reminds us that we will face problems from people and that we should not have a part with those who would cause divisions among us, nor should we be involved in causing them. Those who are involved with causing divisions will eventually be crushed.

21-24 Paul demonstrates again how we should relate to one another in love, dignity, respect, and appreciation. And here we catch a glimpse of some of the service Christians can be seen providing as they offer themselves as living sacrifices.

25-27 A great doxology of praise. As we read it, let’s try to catch the enthusiasm with which Paul wrote it. Then let’s apply the same enthusiasm to ourselves and our service.