VIDEO: PREPARE THE WAY IN 2015

1. COMING TO GOD WITH THE WRONG MOTIVES IS LIKE NOT COMING TO GOD AT ALL. THEY WERE COMING OUT TO BE BAPTIZED BY JOHN BUT WHY?
SOME OF THEIR MOTIVES WERE NOT RIGHT BECAUSE:

• LOOK WHAT HE CALLED THEM—“You brood of vipers!”
• LOOK AT THE QUESTION HE ASKED THEM—“Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
• LOOK AT WHAT WAS MISSING—“Bear fruits in keeping with repentance.” 
• WHAT DOES “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance.” MEAN? SIMPLY PUT, IT IS A “lifestyle change to give evidence of a true change of heart (repentance).”
• LOOK AT THEIR WRONG ASSUMPTIONS—“And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.”
• LOOK AT THE WARNING JOHN GIVES THEM—“9  Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” [MORE IN VERSE 17FF]

2. IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO ASK GOD FOR DIRECTIONS AND FOLLOW THEM, YOU WILL NEVER CHANGE. 

3. AND IF YOU NEVER CHANGE, THEN YOU WILL FACE HIS JUDGMENT OF WRATH.

THERE ARE THREE PICTURES OF BAPTISM IN VERSE 16 THAT YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF:

1. WATER—“AN EXTERNAL SIGN OF AN INTERNAL CHANGE” 

2. HOLY SPIRIT—“INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT” 1 Corinthians 12:13; Acts 4:31 

3. FIRE—“PURIFICATION” 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 

THE “GOOD NEWS” ISN’T GOOD NEWS IF YOU REJECT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!

I AM NOT GOING TO WISH YOU A "HAPPY" NEW YEAR.

Yes, you read that right. I am not going to wish you a "happy" new year and the reason is I believe there is something much better, much more important, than a "happy" new year.

Think about how we use the word "happy".

• "I would be happy if..."
• "I deserve to be happy."
• "Whatever makes you happy."

There are several things wrong with that kind of thinking such as...

• The focus is on yourself when all you are worried about is being "happy".
• The method of being "happy" is dependent upon getting to be or do what you want or think you deserve.
• Being "happy" is only temporary.

Think of it this way, you may be happy this week or you may be sad, hurt or worried. People who are hurting don't feel too "happy" right now because of what they are going through. So what is better than "happy" new year? Having a BLESSED NEW YEAR. [By the way, these two words, "happy" and "blessed" are often in translating verses such as Psalm 1:1 but the word "happy" does not have the same focus as the examples above. To be "happy" in the Lord is to be content in the Lord.] 

So why is "blessed" better than "happy"? Notice the contrast of these three statements compared to the ones above.

• The focus is on God from Whom all blessings flow. 
• The method of being "blessed" is being content in the Lord regardless of your circumstances. [Philippians 4:11-12]
• Being "blessed" is eternal.

So I am wishing you a "Blessed New Year"... one that will be filled with days of God's blessings upon you regardless of what your current circumstances are. Focus on God. Live for God through His Son, Jesus Christ and then see what happens.

ARE WE GOING TO KEEP WASHING OUR NETS OR LET THEM DOWN?

I just saw this pic from Logos Bible Software and I had to share it. Why? Several reasons...

One, because one of the themes in that passage is RECOGNITION. Peter recognized that there was something about Jesus that got his attention. This passage begins in Luke 5:1 (ESV)  On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2  and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3  Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. Peter and the other fishermen were washing their nets after an unsuccessful night of fishing. Jesus was teaching a large crowd and as the crowd gathered in, Jesus wound up on the shore and was running out of room so He got into Peter's boat and asked him to move out into the water enough that He could still teach the crowd. And Peter did what Jesus asked him to.

Has Jesus gotten your attention yet? Do you realize how different He is from everyone else?

Two, because one of the themes in that passage is SUBMISSION. Look what happens in verse 4. Jesus said "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Imagine that you are Peter and you are washing your nets and are disappointed in the fact that you didn't catch anything and now a teacher is going to tell you, the professional fisherman, how to catch some fish. Many of us would have said something like, "Look, man, you are a teacher and i am a fisherman. You take care of your stuff and I will take care of mine." but Peter didn't do that. Look at what Peter said to Jesus.  Luke 5:5 (ESV)  And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 

"Master"? Peter had heard enough of His teachings to realize that they weren't on the same level, didn't he? He gave Jesus a quick report of the fishing conditions from the night before ("we toiled all night and took nothing"), but then says "Because You say so, I will let down the nets." Wow! Can you imagine how much that took for a man like Peter to say that? We find several places in the Bible where Peter says some things that get him into trouble with Jesus but not this time. He submitted himself to Jesus. 

What about you? Have you submitted to Jesus yet or are you still trying to do things your way? Peter didn't catch any fish the night before. Maybe things in your life are not going so well either. Submit your life to Him and watch what happens.

Three, because one of the themes in that passage is OBEDIENCE. Now we see that Peter did what Jesus told him to and Jesus was absolutely right about catching some fish! Luke 5:6 (ESV)  And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7  They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. They not only caught some fish, but they caught so many that their nets were breaking! Think about that for a moment. These men are not just some guys who fish occasionally as a hobby, they are professional fisherman who do this for a living. They must have had the type of nets that professional fishermen would use and yet these nets were breaking because of the number of fish being caught. 

They caught nothing the night before but because they obeyed Jesus, they caught so many fish that they needed the other boats to help them bring the fish into shore. As if that wasn't dramatic enough, verse 7 says that the boats were so full of fish that they were beginning to sink! I can' help but smile at that one. When you obey Jesus, BIG things happen!

Are you obeying Jesus? If not, what's keeping you from doing what you are supposed to be doing? Excuses like "we toiled all night and took nothing"? Rebelling by saying "but we have already cleaned the nets for today"? Or maybe "What do you know about my life? I know what I am doing."

Fourth, because one of the themes in that passage is CONFIRMATION. How do you respond when something like that happens? What should you say? What should you do? Look what Peter did. Luke 5:8 (ESV)  But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Peter recognized the power of Jesus and acknowledged his sins. He knew that he was not worthy to be in His presence but remember? Jesus came to him. Jesus sat down in his boat. Jesus asked him to pull away from the shore Jesus told him to let down his nets. 

Luke 5:9 (ESV)  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10  and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11  And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.  These men were so amazed at what had just happened that when Jesus said "Follow Me", they left it all. They didn't say, "Wait, can we sell these fish first?" They just walked away from it all and followed Jesus.

That is why that picture is so powerful to me. As we prepare for this new year, we need to ask ourselves if we recognize His holiness and power? Are we willing to submit to Him as we should? Will we obey Him with all of our lives like never before? I hope so. What about you?

Would you pray right now and ask God to forgive you of any unconfessed sins that you may have? Then would you commit to serving Him this year, even if it means "letting your nets down again"?

WE CAN'T WAIT ANY LONGER

The time is now. We can't wait any longer. We must begin at this very moment. We must seek the Lord while He may be found.

Isaiah 55:6 (ESV)  “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7  let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 

We need to decide today to wholeheartedly seek after God, not waiting until New Year's Day to make resolutions that we don't keep. Now. If there is anything in our lives that is not pleasing to God, let us repent (reject that sin and turn around to God) which is shown in verse 7 "let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD,". 

We must ask God to forgive us. We must seek His compassion and His pardon (forgiveness). If we don't, we will still be in our sins and our prayers will not be heard. Psalm 66:18 (ESV)  If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. "Cherished" means "loved" and "iniquity" means "sin". So that verse is saying if we love our sin, then God would not listen to us. Why? Because we chose that sin over God.

BUT we must realize what our sins will cost us. Judgment. Punishment. Eternity in hell. Every time we sin, we EARN something. Romans 6:23 (ESV)  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. "Wages" are what you earn or deserve for your work. Your sin and my sin have earned us death BUT God has given us an opportunity to have eternal life instead. Not by being "good" or being "nice". Not by some rituals or routines. God will give us eternal life if, and only if, we have received it through Jesus Christ.

This opportunity is a "free gift". You and I don't deserve it. We can't earn it. We can't achieve it on our own. We must ask God to give us that eternal life through Jesus.Ephesians 2:8 (ESV)  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9  not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  We can only receive this eternal life by putting our faith in Jesus.

How do we put our faith in Jesus? Great question. It is not easy and it is not a quick-fix to our problems. Putting our faith in Jesus requires our total commitment and our lifetimes to develop. 

First, we must recognize that we are sinners and apart from God's gift, we are headed for hell. Not because He doesn't love us but because we REJECTED Him. 

Second, we must ask God to forgive us of all our sins and to rescue us from the penalty of our sins by giving us eternal life through Jesus Christ. 

And third, we must commit our lives to Jesus and live our lives in accordance with His Word, the Bible.

Again, it's not easy and that is why we are blessed with other believers to help us and teach us and warn us when we are off track. We find these other believers in our churches. When we gather together, we are to seek God as we saw earlier in Isaiah 55. We are to focus on God and not ourselves. We are to ask Him to teach us, guide us and make us more like Jesus everyday. 

Have you put your faith in Jesus yet? If not, we would like to help you. You can reach us at brucenichols@rollingforkbaptistchurch.com  Please don't begin this new year without God. 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM RFBC (WITH THROWBACK PHOTOS)

Tony Sidebottom and me during a fellowship gathering

It's hard to believe how fast each year goes by. 2015 is just weeks from now. As we prepare for our Christmas celebrations at church this weekend, I want to praise God for the opportunity to be part of the RFBC family. I am so thankful for our church family and I look forward to what God has in store for us this next year.

Merry Christmas to you. Here are some "throwback Thursday" photos for you to enjoy...

Blake watching Claudia and Sis play Chinese Checkers

Jin and Santa

Skippy and Geneva

Cody looks like he's up to something

JR teaching Blake to behave?

Mary Sue giving him her Christmas list

Marie and Jesse

Sierra, Rhonda, Katlyn and Matthew

Naomi and Sarah

"HEY, MOM, I POURED OUT THE RED WATER FROM THE CANDLE FOR YOU"

Throughout our house, we have candles sitting around and some of them are various forms of cinnamon which is my favorite scent. When we light them, the house smells so good. When I saw one of those candles today, it reminded me of a funny story that features our son, Blake. Blake has always been know as a caring person. He loves to help others. Rhonda and I have been told for years what a loving young man he was and still is. 

One night, Blake said to Rhonda, "Hey, Mom, I poured out the red water that was in the candle for you." At first, we laughed because little Blake Thomas called the melted wax "water" but then quickly asked "WHERE did you pour out the red water???"

The candle that he was talking about was in the bathroom and he poured the "red water" into the sink. Still being warm, it poured very easily and he felt confident with his good deed. But as you know, when wax cools, it hardens. And it did. It clogged up the bathroom sink. After the pipe was cleaned out, Blake apologized for what he did. He really thought he was doing a good deed. 

We still laugh about that now but there is a very powerful lesson in that story. Sometimes we think we are doing something good but God shows us that we should always ask Him first. Isaiah 55:8 (ESV)  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. 9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. From our perspective, our choices usually make perfect since but God sees the whole picture at the same time and only He knows what is the right choice or not. 

That is why we should constantly be asking God for wisdom. Look at what James writes in James 1:5 (ESV)  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. God wants to give you wisdom. God wants you to do the right thing. God wants you to fully trust Him.

Proverbs 3:5 (ESV)  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7  Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.  Remember, His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways. We need to trust Him with all of our heart instead of leaning upon our own knowledge, talents and resources. If we acknowledge Him continually then He will lead us the right direction. Instead of thinking we know so much, we should focus on God with all of our attention, respect and worship. 

So the next time you see a red candle, think about the Light that God is shining in your life. He will direct you the right way. Just like Jesus said in John 8:12 (ESV)  Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 

DO YOU HEAR WHAT MARY SAID?

I know that some of you are grading my grammar on that title, thinking that I typed it wrong but I didn't. When reading Luke 1:38, do you hear what Mary said? Do you really understand what the total impact on her life would be because she said “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”?

To help you hear what she said, let's go back to Luke 1:26-38 (ESV)  In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27  to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28  And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29  But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30  And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

Mary was a virgin engaged to Joseph and God found favor on her. Don't lose sight of verse 29 when it says that she was "greatly troubled at the saying". This wasn't a casual conversation that you have every day. An angel had appeared to her and it frightened her.

Oh, the beautiful words of verse 30... "Do not be afraid". We see them often in scripture but yet how many times is God telling us not to be afraid? [Before you read any farther, is there some area in your life that has you frightened that you could pray about right now and ask God to give you peace?]

After the angel said that Mary had found favor with God, he began to describe an amazing event that was about to take place in her life that would not only change her life forever but also everyone who would be saved by His life, death, burial and resurrection.

31  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33  and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” If you were Mary, I am sure that this news would have surprised you too. Because she didn't know what she was supposed to do, she asked "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" in verse 34. The angel answers her by saying “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36  And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37  For nothing will be impossible with God.” 

Now comes the statement that I don't want you to miss. A statement so bold, so powerful, so full of faith! She said "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." Can you sense the tension in what she said? A virgin woman agreeing with becoming pregnant in such a way that most folks would never believe how she got that way. What if they tried to stone her because they accused her of adultery?  Agreeing  to becoming pregnant even though she didn't know how Joseph would handle that situation. And what about all of those details about Him being the Son of God? What did that mean? And yet she said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." 

Today, are you a totally-committed servant of the Lord? Are you willing to lay down your life to serve God and accept whatever He puts in front of you? What is holding you back from full obeying God?

May it be said of you and of me that we are willing to say "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word."    

IS CHRISTMAS NOT THE RIGHT TIME? OR IS IT?

In 2015, I will be taking two teams to the Philippines to preach and teach the gospel plus offer medical camps on the second trip through a partnership with the hospital in Davao City. This task is great and requires lots of resources. I am so thankful to everyone who partners with us. 

I am often challenged by some of my friends about the way we think about things such as “Why do we do things the way we do them?” or “Why do we believe that?”. Last night, one of my friends told me last night that “Christmas is not a real good time to be trying to raise funds…” Is Christmas not a good time for raising money for a mission trip… or is it?

WHAT IS CHRISTMAS? 
Many, if not most, people think about Christmas trees with lights and ornaments plus lots of presents under the tree. I remember a time in a K-mart store that a woman was showing her little boy a manger scene and she said something like “Look at that Christmas scene.” The little boy was confused and looked up at his mom and asked, “But where is Santa Claus?”

The true meaning of Christmas is the birth of Jesus as announced in Luke 1:30 (ESV)  And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33  and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

So if it is His birthday, shouldn’t we be focused on Him and what He would want us to do? Think about His words in Luke 19:10 (ESV)  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”. Or how about His words in Acts 1:8 (ESV)  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”?

I know you have seen the “WWJD” bracelets signifying “What Would Jesus Do?” but how about these questions:

WWJHMD?
“What Would Jesus Have Me Do?” Think about the original question in this post, “Is Christmas not a good time for raising money for a mission trip… or is it?” If Jesus came to “seek and to save the lost.” and we are the body of Christ, shouldn’t we be doing what He has been doing all along? Should we stop supporting missions in December so we can spend lots of money on material things?

How about these verses? Luke 2:10 (ESV)  And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. The angel told the shepherds not to be afraid because he brought them what? “good news of great joy”! And what is that “good news”? The Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

So “What Would Jesus Have Me Do?” Simple, stay focused on what He was focused on. Seeking and saving the lost.

HMTDWH?
Another question to consider is “How Much Time Do We Have?” Look at the international news stories and you will quickly recognize that we are much closer to the end of time as we know it than we have ever been before. Do we have enough time to take December off?

Ephesians 5:15 (ESV)  Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16  making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Paul said we need to make the best use of time. Time is going by very quickly as if you hadn’t noticed. The next trip is in the spring and the second is in late summer. It won’t be long for it’s time to minister.

WAYWTD?
Last question for you in this post. “What Are You Willing To Do?” Are you willing to support a mission trip like ours as a gift this Christmas? A gift that sharing the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ? If so, visit www.gofundme.com/hmd2p8 and make your donation of any size. Some are giving so much a month. Whatever you give, thank you for helping us spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas.

SOME MORE VERY OLD PHOTOS OF RFBC

TODAY'S MESSAGE: HE SEES YOU WHEN YOU'RE SLEEPING

1. GOD IS WATCHING US AND HE KNOWS IF WE ARE RIGHTEOUS OR NOT.
LOOK CLOSELY AT VERSE 6  And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 
• they were both righteous before God
• [they were both] walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.

WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE THIS MINUTE AND CONSIDER WHAT VERSE 6 WOULD SAY IF IT WAS WRITTEN ABOUT YOU? WOULD IT SAY THAT YOU WERE RIGHTEOUS OR IN RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD? WOULD IT SAY THAT YOU ARE WALKING BLAMELESSLY IN ALL OF GOD’S COMMANDS AND STATUES?

1 Corinthians 11:23-29 (ESV)  For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24  and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25  In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27  Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28  Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29  For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 

2 Corinthians 13:5-6 (ESV)  Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! 6  I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test.

2. GOD IS LISTENING TO THE PRAYERS OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 13  But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard
• CONTRAST THAT WITH THESE VERSES
Psalm 66:18 (ESV)  If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. 
Proverbs 15:29 (ESV)  The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. 

3. GOD HAS A CALLING FOR YOUR LIFE ALSO.
GOD HAD A POWERFUL CALLING ON JOHN’S LIFE.
15  for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16  And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17  and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

4. GOD DOESN’T LIKE IT WHEN YOU DOUBT HIM.18  And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
DOUBT IS THE OPPOSITE OF FAITH.

WHY DID ZECHARIAH DOUBT WHAT THE ANGEL SAID? BECAUSE HE WAS THINKING ABOUT HIS OWN ABILITY AND NOT THE LORD’S.

5. GOD PUNISHES THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE HIM. 20  And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 

BECAUSE OF HIS DOUBT, ZECHARIAH WAS UNABLE TO SPEAK FROM THAT MOMENT UNTIL AFTER THE BIRTH OF HIS SON.
Luke 1:59 (ESV)  And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60  but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” 61  And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” 62  And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. 63  And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. 64  And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.

6. GOD REWARDS THOSE WHO HAVE FAITH IN HIM.24  After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25  “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” 

Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)  And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

GIVE ME THAT OLD TIME RELIGION

Here are the words... come on and sing with me...

Give me that old time religion
give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
It's good enough for me

Makes me love everybody
Makes me love everybody
Makes me love everybody
It's good enough for me

It was good for Hebrew children
it was good for Hebrew children
It was good for Hebrew children
And it's good enough for me

It was tried in the fiery furnace
It was tried in the fiery furnace
It was tried in the fairy furnace
It's good enough for me

It will do when I'm dying
It will do when I'm dying
It will do when I'm dying
It's good enough for me

It can take us all to heaven
It can take us all to heaven
It can take us all to heaven
It's good enough for me

Give me that old time religion
give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
It's good enough for me

You saw an old photo of our church at the top of this post. Here are some more old photos of RFBC...

Irene Gaslin is in the middle and Mary Sue Holt is on the right.

How long has it been since you heard about 'that old time religion'? Pastor Ronnie Floyd is now the president of our Southern Baptist Convention and he is calling all of us to prayer. Here is what he wrote recently...

"There is no great movement of God that has ever occurred that does not begin with the extraordinary prayer of God’s people. The time is now for us to come together before God in clear agreement, visible union, and in extraordinary prayer for the next Great Awakening and for the world to be reached for Christ. 

For the sake of our nation and the spiritually lost around the world, it is time to humble ourselves before God. For this, I plead with all Southern Baptist pastors, missionaries, laypersons, denominational leaders, churches, denominational entities, conventions, colleges and universities; from student to adult, regardless of age, vocation, or status. 

As we come to God in humility and repentance, entering into this special season of extraordinary prayer, we plead with God for spiritual revival personally, revival in the church, and the next Great Awakening in the United States. As Martyn Lloyd-Jones writes: "And in movements of the Spirit the first thing that happens and which eventually leads to a great revival is that one man or a group of men suddenly begin to feel this burden and they feel the burden so much that they are led to do something about it." [Revival: Martyn Lloyd-Jones, p. 163]

I am pleading with each of you to join in this spiritual movement to pray for the next Great Awakening so the Great Commission will escalate to its rightful priority and accelerate to its completion in our generation."

Will you join us in prayer? Pray that our churches will be filled with people who are more concerned about God's approval than man's applause. Pray that we would be the light and the salt that Jesus told us to be Matthew 5. America needs to hear that old time religion.

THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS TREE OF ALL TIME!

Looking back now, I realize it was the best Christmas tree ever although I hated it then. At first I laughed at it because I was shocked that my dad would do such a thing. Now I wish I had a picture of that tree because it illustrates how much we get out of focus during Christmas time.

Since I don't have a picture of it, I can only describe it to you. Perhaps you have seen one of these trees too. I don't remember what year it was but I think it was around 1979 or 1980. Our tree was not the shiny silver tree that we had used for so many years prior to that Christmas. This tree didn't come from a store and it wasn't an evergreen tree that we picked out and cut down. It started with a block of wood for the base and part of a wooden broom handle that stood about three feet high. The broom stick was painted silver and had many holes drilled in it so that various lengths of metal coat hangers could be cut and inserted as "branches". As if we thought that didn't look bad enough, Dad brought out the next step. Packing peanuts! Packing peanuts like those pictured below...

 

Without making too big of mess, we were to push these packing peanuts onto the wires that were inserted into the silver broom stick that what was cut and fastened to a block of wood so that it would stand up. Got it? Well, guess what? THERE'S MORE TO THIS STORY!

Again, as if that wasn't bad enough, the final pieces of the Christmas tree were the nastiest, ugliest, fuzziest, green, plastic balls to used as ornaments to hang on the cut pieces of metal coat hangers covered by packing peanuts sticking out of a painted broom stick with lots of holes drilled in it and mounted to a block of wood to stand up. There now you get the picture, right?

When I first saw it, I just laughed at it and thought "there is no way that is really our Christmas tree this year!" BUT IT WAS. Dad had put all of that together to show us that we were missing the whole point of Christmas because we were so focused on the tree and the presents. I hated that tree... THEN... BUT NOT NOW. Now I realize it really was the best Christmas tree ever put up. 

IT REALLY IS ALL ABOUT JESUS.

Luke 2:8 (ESV)  And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10  And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 15  When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16  And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17  And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18  And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19  But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20  And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 

PRAY FOR RACIAL RECONCILIATION

Kids in Alabama during a clothes delivery after a tornado

Here we are at the end of 2014 and the news is covered with racism-related stories. Skin color is not what decides if a person is "good" or "bad". Character or lack of character determine whether a person is good or bad. People of any skin can have integrity and be seen as a "good" person and people of any skin color can have a lack of integrity and be seen as "bad" people.

Filipino children from our last mission trip

In Luke 10:25 and following, we find a lawyer who tried to test Jesus by asking Him “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” and Jesus answered "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” The lawyer had a great answer, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus told him that he had answered correctly and then He said "do this, and you will live.” But then what happens?

Not satisfied with the discussion, the lawyer tries to justify himself and asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus began telling him a story about a man who was traveling and got robbed along the way. Not only was he robbed, but he was beaten up and left half dead. Then Jesus describes three people who walk by and see the man who was beaten up. The first man was a priest but instead of helping the man who was hurt, the priest walked to the side of the road. The second man was a Levite and if you were hearing this story told by Jesus, you would probably have thought, "The priest didn't help him but surely the Levite will." But he didn't. When he saw the injured man, he also passed on the other side of the road.

Then comes the third man... a Samaritan. The Jews didn't like the Samaritans. The Jews didn't talk to the Samaritans because they were considered "half-breeds". If you were hearing Jesus tell this story, when you heard the word "Samaritan", you would probably have thought, "There is no way that the Samaritan would do the right thing and help him." But this is what Jesus said, "But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back."

Then came the moment of truth. Jesus asked the lawyer in Luke 10:36 (ESV)  Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” Jesus did ask him, "Which of these three men did a nice thing for the man who was hurt?" He asked "Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”

The lawyer had no choice but answer, "The one who showed him mercy.” That lawyer had asked "who is my neighbor?" and now he had his answer. The Samaritan had done the right thing in spite of an racial pressure that was common between the Jews and the Samaritans. Then Jesus finished the conversation by saying "You go, and do likewise.” 

So let me close this post with a verse from the apostle Paul's writing, Romans 10:12 (ESV)  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. and a few words from a song that kids have sung for years, 

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Red and yellow
Black and white
They are precious in His sight.
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE SAMTSIRHC!

It is not by accident that the picture above is loaded backwards. I did this intentionally because that is how our world views Christmas... BACKWARDS. The way that so many of us celebrate Christmas is so backwards and unbiblical. Keep reading, you will see what I mean. I know that this post may push your buttons a little but it might give you something to think about as well.

THINKING BACKWARDS ABOUT JESUS
I know you have heard this passage many times but read it one more time and this time slowly.

Luke 2:10 (ESV)  And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 

Do you see anything in this passage that could make us think backwards about Jesus? How about verse 12 "you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger"? Sure Christmas is about the birth of Jesus and yes, He was "a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths" but Jesus wasn't just a baby. He was and still is a "Savior" and He is still "Christ the Lord"! So while it is true in one sense, Jesus was a baby who needed to be taken care of like other babies but then on the other side, this baby was and is the Son of God, the Messiah, the Anointed One, He is the Christ.

This Christmas when you see a manger scene, don't underestimate the power of Who He is. He is more than just a baby laying in a feeding trough. This is the King of kings and the Lord of lords! (Revelation 19:16)

THINKING BACKWARDS ABOUT THE GIFTS
If it is Jesus' birthday, and it is the day that we celebrate it, then why are we not giving Him gifts but giving each other gifts instead? I will admit it now and always will, I have been as guilty in this as anyone else... being so focused on the gifts that I was anxious to open my presents. Thankfully, as we get older, we start to understand some things much better than we did when we were younger.

Dave Ramsey said it very well when he said "We buy things we don't need with money we don't have to impress people we don't like.'' 

• How many of us buy way too much stuff for the kids or for our spouse? Or our friends? Instead of getting a simple gift or two, we try to keep up with everyone else.
• How many of us have lots of stuff sitting around that we will never use? That is why retailers are so busy the day of Christmas because so many people are returning their gifts for something that they really want.
• How many of us are going deeper into debt trying to buy gifts for everyone we know?
• Each year, how many people did you buy a gift for only because you felt you had to? If you didn't buy them a gift, they would be offended or what if they bought you a gift and you didn't have one for them?

It's Jesus' birthday, what are you giving Him this year? And there are plenty of other areas that we could look at and discuss how we are thinking backwards with those but let's look at a very important question...

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE KEEP THINKING BACKWARDS?
If we don't stop thinking backwards at Christmas time, we will keep thinking that Christmas is all about us and miss the point of Christmas totally. Look at verse 14 one more time and see what they said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Two things I want you to see.

1. The glory belongs to God, not us. It is not about how many presents you got, how big your tree was, how many lights are on your house or anything else about you... it is all about God and His wonderful Son, Jesus!
2. The ones who experience real peace are those with whom God is pleased. If we are not pleasing God, we will not have true peace.

I close with a quote that you have heard many times but this time, please read it with a new mind... JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.