Coming Soon!

I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you something that is coming to the area later this summer. It is the Museum of Earth History Mobile Museum. The Mobile Museum will be at the Latona Church of Christ in Wheeler, IL on June 24 thru 29 from 6—8:30 each evening. For someone who believes in the relevance of science in our lives and the truth of Scripture, organizations like the Creation Truth Foundation help those of us who are much less than scientific to integrate science with the truth of Scripture. Thanks to the Latona Church of Christ for bringing the museum to the area! For more information on the Museum you can go to the Creation Truth Foundation homepage at http://www.creationtruth.com/. Go to the “Ministries” tab on the top left of the page and drop down to “Mobile Museum” link...you can also call the church at (618) 783-3718.

Technology vs. Prayer

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”     Matthew 7:7-8

As I write I am watching and listening to a live stream of the Kansas West Annual Conference. I watch it because in two weeks I will be attending our own annual conference and even though theirs is two states away, we do have several issues in common. I’ll be honest, I am also listening because, like during General Conference 2012, of the wonders of technology. With the ability to watch a live stream from wherever and to see tweets or posts from others who are interested in the event, if not there, truly brings our worlds closer together…technology is enabling us to become the Body of Christ in real time! I mention this because as instant and wonderful as today’s technology is, it is old school when compared to our ability to connect with God thru prayer. Not only do we have instant access to the throne room of God, we have His ear. That is not always the guaranteed answer we want to hear, but better than that it is a promise from our Lord and Savior that the Creator of the universe, the Great Physician, the Eternal Heavenly Father, that God Almighty responds to our cries and questions.

Choose This Day

"But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”    Joshua 24:15

I want to share with you from The Fire of the Word, by Chris Webb. He writes, “Being ‘holy’ doesn’t seem very desirable to many people in our contemporary society. Those who speak up for virtue are often derided as moralistic, sanctimonious or holier-than-thou. The media reacts sharply against ‘preachy’ public figures who presume to tell us how to order our private lives. And those who appear to be living lives of moral rectitude are treated with suspicion: can they really be so pure?” (pg. 163). Sad but accurate commentary on today’s world isn’t it? So many have abandoned the way and will of God that it is no longer the goal we seek. Instead we have placed self on the throne and anything that might even suggest a better way to live is dismissed as foolishness. Could that be because many who talk of holiness do not live it? Too often church people are the reason others don’t attend church…it’s not that they’ve gotten into an argument or dispute with God, but with one of His children! Admit it, at times we are witness not to the goodness and power of the Risen Lord, but to the lord of this fallen world. Remember the saying, “You might be the only Jesus someone will ever see?” It’s true. Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 1:27, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise…” Sounds like a second chance for many of us! Let’s allow God to use us to show the world (or that specific person) what being ‘holy’ really is…not perfect but surrendered and set apart for the glory of God regardless of what our society says.

What Would You Do?

“Those who say that they live in Him must live the same way He lived” - 1 John 2:6 GWT

I’ve taken a few weeks off from blogging to mostly do some reading. I had already planned to start sharing again today and I had a supposedly profound thought to give you (but perhaps God thought not so much)…however I felt the Spirit of God really wants me to share this: I had a car wreck last week and it was my fault. Not really a big deal…no one was hurt; both our cars received damage; and I made a mistake that caused the accident. Now, here’s what is bugging me. There were no witnesses to this accident and I am not sure why that matters, but I continue to run into people who, when they find this out, say they are surprised that I would so freely admit to being wrong. Forgetting it is the truth, either this is a statement on my credibility (could they be so surprised that I would admit fault…I mean do I appear to be the lying thief type?) or it is an indictment on society’s inability to stand for truth and be held accountable. I pray you are not still dwelling on my credibility and have moved on…on to the sad fact that people have told me I should not have admitted fault. Two of these are supposed Christians (thank God not from Beulah)! HELLO! Does anyone else see the red flags waving? Why is it we resist being held accountable? If it is acceptable practice, at least by some both in and outside the church to justify our every action…even when we know it’s wrong, it is no wonder people will not confess sin. And if we are willing to lie about something as insignificant as this, will we not lie about things with greater consequences? I ran across 1 John 2:6 the following day and when someone questioned me I shared it with them. They just looked at me as if I were crazy. God help us!

Tony Mac Crusade

Join us for a community Crusade with Tony Mac here in Sumner on May 3, 4, & 5 at the Sumner school gymnasium. Services begin at 7pm each night and everyone is invited. Here is just the first part of five parts of his testimony. If you want to hear more, go to YouTube for parts 2 thru 5.

That Changes Everything!

Great Friday!

As I write this note, I have just returned from carrying the cross throughout Lawrence County with 25 others. What an awesome experience it is! As I carried the cross, God spoke to me using the words of an ancient hymn. With the weight of the cross bearing down on my shoulder (which is likely less than half the size of Jesus’ cross) God impressed upon me that I could not physically bear the weight of my own sins: my own laziness, my own disobedience, my own pride or lust, my own anger or deceit. Yet, Jesus bore the weight of my sins along with the sins of all humanity. His sacrifice was sufficient for all sin…even mine and yours. All we need do, all we can do is to trust in Him. As Augustus Toplady wrote so long ago, “Not the labors of my hands can fulfill Thy law’s demands; could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow, all for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone.” My prayer is that you will hide yourself in the Rock of Ages and this Easter fully know the power of the Resurrection!