How to Kill Your Church.

Greetings,

 I realize I haven't posted much on here nor on Newberry.  I

have been rearranging my routine so as to be more focused

and to keep God in the forefront. I've been putting in some

OT at Brinks as well as going to the gym that I have been

packing dinner as well as lunch and have been eating dinner

in the breakroom at the coin vault before heading to the gym.

Haven't been getting home until 8pm most nights and at

ten-thirty PM on Mondays which are my laundry nights.

Anyway, on with my topic.

 I came across a small tract in the church office one Sunday

as I was getting ready to prepare the church for Sunday

School and the main worship service. The tract was titled:

How to Kill Your Church. Hmmmm?  I thought to myself,

That'll be an interesting read. After getting the coffeemakers

ready and the coffee cookies laid out, I went back into the

church office to read this tract.

Here's the list that this tract contained on as to how to kill

your church:

1. Don't come, accept on certain well-known holidays.

2. If you do come, come late and make a lot of noise

getting settled.

3. When you come, come in a bad mood.  At every

service ask yourself, "What do I get out of this?"

4. Never accept any office. It is better to sit back

and criticize.

5. Visit other churches frequently to show your

pastor that you are not tied down to him.  There

is nothing like independence.

6. Let the pastor earn his money, he should do all

the work.

7. Never sing. If you have to sing, sing out of tune

and a word or two behind everybody else.

8. Never pay in advance, especially for religion. Wait

until you get your money's worth, and then wait a bit

longer.

9. Never encourage the preacher, if you like a sermon

keep quiet about it. Many a preacher has been ruined

by flattery. Don't you be the cause of his downfall.

10. It is good to tell visitors and new members all about

your pastor's many faults; it may take them awhile to

find out on their own.

11. Of course, you can't be expected to get new members

for the church with such a pastor as he is.

12. If there happens to be a few enthusiastic workers in 

the church, make a tremendous protest against it being

run by a clique.

13. If your church unfortunately happens to be harmonious,

you must remedy the situation by gossiping and spreading

rumors about church members and staff.

   

Notice that there's thirteen in all. Thirteen! Now isn't that a lucky

number? Not!  You would think that Satan wrote this tract as if

he was giving certain folks ideas. Satan didn't write this tract of

course, but he can certainly put these ideas in your head and in

your heart if you are not aware of all this. Read this real good

if you want to keep your church alive.

I leave you with this quote of scripture from Hebrews 10:

"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as

the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and

so much the more, as you see the day approaching."

(Hebrews 10:25)

Have a blessed day.

Jesus Lives!

He lives in those who have accepted Him as Savior. 

Let's Not Forget Thanksgiving.

Greetings,

You know, any more it seems we just jump right
from Halloween to Christmas. I heard in some
cities they start playing Christmas music right
after Halloween and as of late some cities
already have their street decorations up.
 In fact along the street where I live folks
are already getting out their Christmas lights
and decorations.
 Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for the
Christmas holiday. But what about
Thanksgiving?  Has Christmas become so
commercialized and idolized that we forgot
another holiday which is just as holy if not more
so? It's a patriotic holiday as well as the Lord's.
 I fear we have become an ungrateful nation when
we fail to give thanks to the One who  REALLY
 helped bring this great country up.  We need to
be thankful every day for what God has allowed us
to have. 

Though I am a man of modest means, it is the Lord
who has met my needs and has even been gracious
to allow me to do certain things that I enjoy.  They
may not be much as far as the world is concerned
but God has given me richly those things to enjoy.
It is for that  I can give thanks to God. Little is
definitely much if the Lord is in it. And I want to be
thankful for the One who supplied my needs
according to His riches and glory.

Let us not forget this special day. Give thanks to the
One who blessed this great country we live in.
Give thanks that you have a job, shelter, food and
clothing.  I can't say that for a lot of people in this
economy.  Let us not take for granted what the
Lord has blessed us with.

I leave you with these verses of scripture;

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord!
 Call upon His name,
Make known His deeds among the people."
(Psalm 105:1)


"In everthing give thanks; for this is the will
of God in Christ Jesus for you."
(1 Thessalonians 5:18)


Have a blessed day.

The Small Joys That I Enjoy II: The Highlights of a Single Christian Man.

Greetings,

 My original post, the one at the beginning of the blog
was a topic on the small joys that I like. But there is
something else I wish to add. Small joys are actually
my highlights. I say that because as a single, Christian
man who likes the quiet, no-frills life I take pleasure

in little things, even things which by world standards

seem insignificant.

 My biggest highlights, the ones I consider the ultimate,

are the church activities as well as the main church

worship services. Any fellowship activities like our
Fellowship Sundays and the flock group meetings

A flock group meeting is a fellowship gathering at a

member's home where we fellowship, eat, and

talk about that day's sermon.

 Then there's my favorite, our church's pinewood

derby.  From the build night to the race itself are

my most favorite of highlighted joys. It is also

where I get the opportunity to mix my hobby of

scale model auto building with church activities.

 As a single, Christian man, I do not need much

to be happy, I find more joy in church events

than any big time sports event or partying, the

latter two I don't even partake in.

I leave you with these verses:

"That you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to

mind your own business, and to work with
your hands, as we commanded you."  
( 1 Thessalonians 4:11)

Have a blessed day. :)

"Turn! Turn! Turn!" Ecclesiastes III:I-VIII: The Spirals of Life.

Greetings,


Some weeks ago at work while taking my lunchbreak in my car I tuned into
an AM station that played oldies of the 1950s to the 1970s. I had originally
wanted to eat outside and under the pine tree where I usually sit under but
I felt drawn to turn and walk back toward my car, so I did.
I usually listen to a Christian station but this time I didn't do that and as I
tuned to the oldies station an old tune titled, "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by the
1960s pop group The Byrds came on. When the group began the vocals
I immediately thought about the spirals of life which an elder friend and I
had talked about recently during a counseling session we had together.
the words to the tune, 'Turn! Turn! Turn!' immediately got me thinking
about the spirals in the spirals of life because as in the title of the said
tune that was playing on my car's stereo, a spiral does indeed turn, turn
and turn.  Oh, was the Lord ever shining His light on me just then!

 As of recent I have had certain issues which had gotten me down
spiritually which really shouldn't have and the song I just heard had
remided me of what my church elder friend was counseling me on.
This old classic pop tune just helped to make it abundantly clear
that there was a time for everything be it good or bad.
 The trouble with me was ( and still is sometimes) is that I very often
idolized the good things no matter how big or small they were that
when certain thing changed or even seemed to me to change for the
worse (I often perceived the worst) well, I don't handle it well. The
incident in question nearly broke me emotionally and the worst part
was, it was more perceived than it was real. Like I wrote in my one
post about the quaking aspen tree, I 'quaked' at the slightest issue.
Not healthy, is it?

 Now I had gotten over that issue in question and always kept in
mind the things my elder/counsellor had talked about, but when
that old pop tune came on it enlightened me even more and a
great peace had swept over me that day. I find that the Lord
can even use old pop tunes to speak to us.  Who said that
rock and roll was the devil's music?  It isn't if the Lord uses it.
I actually had two blessings that day, peace and the opportunity
to gain more wisdom. Thank you, Jesus!


Have a blessed day.

Hebrews II vs. III-IV: How Shall We Escape?

Greetings,

On Wednsday night services, our church has a work night
as well as devotional services.  One of the tasks we do is
changing the lettering on the church road sign out in the
front of our church.  The one in the pic above is the
latest message, which brings me to the topic.

 This has to be a scary verse if the word escape is used
in it and it seemed like an excellent message to put out
for everyone to see.
 So then, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a
salvation if it was spoken by God Himself and confirmed
to us by those who heard Him?
 It would seem quite clear because the salvation spoken
of was delivered by an even greater Messenger than the
angels, which was Jesus Christ Himself. In verse four
of Hebrews chapter two it is mentioned God made it
clear by signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the
Holy Spirit. Seeing all that, how can we as believers
neglect so great a salvation? I could safely say we would
be without excuse.
 I believe the message here is to make sure your salvation
is sure. There are a lot of professing believers out there
believing they are saved and on their way to heaven but
may find out the hard way that they were not truly saved.
How shall we escape indeed?!?
 That answer lies in Hebrews chapter one and that is to
give earnest heed to the things we heard, or we will drift
away.  (Hebrews 2:1)
 After all the signs and wonders, how could one not drift
away?  But it can happen, that is why the author of Hebrews
warned the believers then.  That holds true for believers today
as well, hence the message on our church sign.
 I admit I have questioned my own salvation so I was glad
for that passage of scripture. I believe we must all search
ourselves and make sure each day our salvation is sure so
as to not neglect it or drift away.  We as believers have
heard from the Lord because we have heard the gospel
message. We must not neglect to hear it or we will drift
away.  And I need it as much and probably more as
some others.
 Let's not neglect our salvation. It is too priceless.


Have a blessed day. :)

The Quaking Aspen: Shaking at the Slightest Issues.

Greetings,


So far I 've been enjoying the early fall season here
in southwest Ohio and took full advantage of it by
taking walks up and down the street where I live on
and watching the trees along the street changing colors.
The trees' branches reach out almost over the street to
form a sort of tunnel and in the fall it is something to see.
 Speaking of trees a story from the spiritual guidebook
Our Daily Bread titled 'Quaking Aspens' got my attention.

 In this story the author tells of a story of certain trees
whose leaves fluttered at the slightest breeze while the
other trees around them appeared calm and steady.
 When the author pointed them out to his wife she told
him those were called quaking aspens. The aspen
leaves are so flat that even the faintest breeze makes
them shake, hence the name quaking aspen.
 Reading this story really hit home with me as I have
had some issues some weeks back which were really
quite minor and perceived as something worse and
like the said aspen tree that quaked at the slightest
breeze, I "quaked" at the slightest issue.
 But it was the issues in question which helped me take
a good long hard look at myself and where I stood in
my faith. Sad to say, I wasn't standing very strong.

While in counselling with a church elder who is also
 a close friend, I found out that I idolized the good
in life to the point that when bad came , well, I
couldn't handle it. And these were slights, too.
Idolatry often does that.
 My church elder friend then illustrated to me the
spirals of life where it curves up (good) then down
(bad). Kind of like being on the mountaintop then
down in the valley. There was a hymn that we sang
at a church I attended before moving here in Cincinnati
that spoke of being in the mountaintop and down in the
valley. I forget the title of that hymn but the spirals of
life illustration my friend drew made me think about that.

 This also reminds me of the Old Testament book of Job
in chapter two when Satan strikes Job with boils from head
head to toe and his wife tells him to curse God and die.
Here is how Job replies:

"You speak as a foolish woman. Shall we only accept
good from God and not adversity?"   Job 2:10


One thing about Job, he wasn't like me, the author of the
ODB story or the quaking aspen tree, and his issues were
far worse than what I had experienced, yet Job was stead-
-fast in his faith.

Two Thessalonians 3:16 reads:

"Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace
always and in every way."

Phillipians 4:6 reads:

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests
be made known to God. And the peace of God, which
surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts
and your minds in Christ Jesus."

True peace is the presence of God in a conflict, not
the absence of the conflict itself.  And it is because
of that reason that I haven't withdrawn from the faith
nor left the church. I have my elder friend and other
church family to be thankful for this as well.


P.S.  Just to let everyone know that the issue in
question that I went through was not a church
issue, it was personal. There is no cause for
concern.


Have a blessed day. :)