DOES HE REALLY MEAN WE LEAVE EVERYTHING?

I have been parked in Genesis 12 for a while,  and have come to a conclusion. God told Abram to leave his family, his land, everything that he knew and was comfortable with and would show him where to go. I don't care how you slice this.........realistically or metaphorically, that is a pretty scary word to receive from God. Leave everything. All your bud's and bud-ette's...all your hang outs and go. "Go where? For how long? Why? What will I find there?" That would be my way of handling it. I guess God knew best when he called Abram. The funny part is that God was serious. Why is it I do not really believe God requires the same of me? Is it because I'm not Chaldean or Hebrew? Is it because I'm not Jewish? Have I built a belief system concerning God that says, "Those things happened in the Old Testament. God doesn't do that today."

I don't think God has changed.
I don't think God's ways have changed.
Maybe we aren't listening as much as we should be.
Oh, I don't mean that God is going to uproot all of Christianity and send them on journey's all over the globe (although He does have the discretion to do so). What I do believe is at the heart of these verse in Genesis 12 is that there is a separation that is to take place between our old life and lifestyle and the new life and lifestyle God expects from us.
There is a separation that takes place through our salvation of being set aside holy unto God.
I Peter 2:9-10 reads:
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God's holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, now you are the people of God. Once you received none of God's mercy, not you have received his mercy.

I do know this.
God gave Abram instructions.
God said that if Abram followed them and obeyed God, then there would be some pretty neat promises poured out upon Abram. What's the point? The point is that when we obey God, doing what he tells us to, then we are under the grace of God and the blessing will follow our obedience. As a wise man once told me, "Salvation is free.........blessing are dependent upon our obedience." Made sense to me.

Is God calling us to a new land. A new place in which to be fruitful and settle down? No. But I do believe He is calling us to a new "life".
A place where we can grow and mature in our faith.
A place where the quality of our prayers changes and we see God act in ways we have never seen before.
That is my word for today.....
Grow up in God! All of us.
It's time we move out of God's nursery where we have remained babes in Christ, to take our rightful place as priests in serving God.

God on you........
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LOVE THE DARKNESS OR LOVE THE LIGHT

John 3:18-21
There is no judgment against anyone who believes in Him (God). But anyone who does not believe in Him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son.
And the judgement is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people LOVED THE DARKNESS more than the light, for their actions were evil.
All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.
But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.

These verses are truth that either draws people or drives them away from God.
Isn't it funny how sin can twist a person's brain into believing that they are actually in control of their own life. That they have the ability to decide what is right and wrong. Problem with this is that they get to decide the standard by which right and wrong are measured.

I'm pretty sure that a lot of folks would get all riled up by what I am writing and what I believe. Might even say I was filled with hatred and wanted to see those outside the church get their comeuppance when God comes back.
Some don't want to believe in the God of the Scripture because their view and understanding of God is skewered by their sin nature. To them, He is an angry old coot who has it out for "bad little boys and girls". Or they swing way over to a God who would never send people to hell. 

There in the John passage is a defining statement that pretty much sums up a life bound in addiction. But people LOVED THE DARKNESS more than the light. They loved the darkness to a degree that what was once promised to bring pleasure and relief from the stress of this world has now turned and become the master over the individual who has given in to it.

So what does a person get who rejects the truth of God to embrace the cold darkness?
#1- They are ushered into a false sense of reality. The "Feeling" the "High" becomes the place of a false peace.

#2 - The euphoria will soon be replaced with the screaming thought of "more...I need more.....I've got to have some more." Especially when the high wears off and the false reality is replaced with the truth of how life really is.

#3 - Without giving any thought to what they are doing, they begin to worship...that's right I said worship....at the altar of self. They have given themselves freely to a god of darkness who will use them until they are used up. In the process of being used, families will be destroyed....children abandoned...marriages shattered.....finances blown away like dust in a wind storm....for what? For a feeling. Nothing more than a feeling. But we will dance to that dark tune until we can't dance anymore.

Hear me on this....
The darkness promises you everything and delivers on nothing. Instead, it will take and take and take from you until all that is left is your very soul and body. In the end, it will take that too.
Sounds like a wonderful opportunity doesn't it?

I leave you with this.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son to die for us sinners, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life with Him.
That is a promise you can take to the bank.

God on you...
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TODAY'S LIVE STREAM FROM NORTHSIDE

LAST NIGHT'S RECOVERY CHURCH SERVICE

Here is the video from last night's service: 
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COME AND JOIN US TONIGHT! 7 PM @ ReCovery Church on Broad

Gonna be a good night! How do I know? Just feel it in my bones, soul, spirit, and other assorted parts and innards.
Looking forward to seeing you....
If you can't make it out, then join the live stream @ "The ReCovery Church On Broad Street" Facebook page.

God on you...
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CLOUDY DAY....CLOUDY WAY

Pondering today exactly how much I still don't know concerning God. Now before you say anything, I am completely aware that He is beyond understanding, and that any effort I make to do so is futile. Me, a mortal, trying to grasp the infinite deity of God is like trying to stop a transfer truck with a bowl of Jello. Maybe that wasn't such a good example.

Anyway, I was reading in the Message Bible and I came across a passage that kind of struck my fancy. Physiologically speaking, I have no clue where the "fancy" is located at in the human body.
Romans 11:33-36

Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep, wisdom? It's way over our heads. We'll never figure it out.

Is there anyone who can explain God?

  Anyone smart enough to tell Him what to do?

Anyone who has done for Him such a huge favor?

That God has to ask their advice?

Everything comes from Him.

Everything happens through Him.

Everything ends up in Him.

Always Glory!

Always Praise!

Yes, yes, yes!

So where does all this pondering lead me?

To the simple fact that I can't look at the world and events to gain my bearing or direction. I need only to look to the One who sits over this mess that we are currently experiencing, realizing that He has not lost control...........He has not been caught unaware by any situation.......and that His plans continue to mover forward with a "yes and amen" momentum that cannot be stopped by government of any kind or flavor.  Don't you know that we sometimes must look foolish to God as He looks on us, seeing us flex our muscle, shaking at fist at the heaven's loudly and proudly (albeit foolishly) proclaiming that "WE CAN RUN OUR OWN LIVES". How strange if God did indeed say, "Then go for it......have at it!" Now to me that is a scary thought.

I think I'll deny myself selfishness and take up that cross and follow Him.
Somehow I think life here and now (and definitely later) will turn out better than if I tried to steer and direct.

Kind of rambling I know, but maybe something that fell out of my thoughts made sense to you. Hope so.

Be sure to either come and join us tomorrow night for Saturday meeting / 7 p.m.

or join us life stream on Recovery Church Facebook page.

God on you...

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UNCOVERED

It has been a week of uncovering for me.
God showing me attitudes and sin that I needed to surrender.
Funny how you think (sometimes the mind set of believer's) that you are sin free and words such as forgiveness and repentance are only for the unsaved, not for the believer. After all our heavenly ticket has been punched and we merely are awaiting departure. We forget that as the apostle Paul stated, "we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling."

We run around under grace like children under a yard sprinkler. What we don't realize is that you can get dirty as you run around the sprinkler, especially when you get out from under the water. When we move out from under God's grace, we are on the path of sin. Yes, you can fall from grace.

Galatians 5:4
You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law. You have fallen from grace.

Grace is God's empowering presence in me that enables me to be who I have been called to be and do what I have been called to do. When I choose any other way, I forfeit the grace of God. Upon realization that I have done such, through confession and repentance, I am restored to the grace that enables me to walk in manner worthy of my calling.


One of the prayers that I am constantly praying for myself is...."Lord...don't let me get away with anything." Such a prayer will bring about an covering of sin and opportunity to repent and change. I am in need of the Holy Spirit to convict and uncover, but more than that, I am in need of the Holy Spirit leading me into all truth.

What falls under "ALL" truth? Every truth that is from God.
The greatest truth that the Holy Spirit reveals is who I am in the light of who God is. This uncovering not just of my deeds and behaviors, but of the motive that is in my heart that produced the deeds and behaviors. There is where real repentance can take place. Not a shallow, hollow confession of "I'm sorry for what I've done." No! Real repentance that leads to Godly, and a change of heart.
Come and undo all of us!

JESUS INDEED DOES SAVE!

II Peter 1:3
As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.

You have been trapped in a life of darkness and addiction.
You want out but lack strength and will power.
You have become a slave to the very thing you thought you controlled.
There doesn't seem to be an escape from this life of darkness and hell.
Now you want out.

You have tried different things.
You went to multiple rehab's.
You even went to AA meetings or NA meetings.
Nothing changed.
You prayed.
You cried.
You used again.
You hated yourself.
The cycle went on and on and on.
Each trip around, you grew weaker and weaker.
You quit caring and you may have even accepted you lot in life as the way it will be to the end.
But that thought......
That idea that seemed to settle down in your brain and heart, was straight from the pit of hell.
We call it False Belief #4 --- I am what I am and I cannot change.
When a person falls into this belief and lifestyle, it is a dangerous place.

But there is One who can do for you what you are unable to do for yourself.
He is known by many names.
Wonderful.........Counselor.......Mighty God.......Prince of Peace........The Everlasting God......The Lamb who took away the sins of the world........The Lion of the tribe of Judah......Messiah.....The Christ........The Deliverer.
Who would ever have these names associated to himself unless he possessed the power, character and authority...to free the lives of people trapped under the death penalty of sin?
For those who are addicted, the idea of Jesus being able to free them seen as almost a fairy tale.
How do you reconcile Jesus of Scripture into the life of someone addicted? Because the shed blood of Jesus at Calvary is the answer to every sin problem that plagues our life. In other words, the way has been opened for anyone under the curse of sin to be free.

Jesus, being the answer to our sin problem, in our minds, seems so out of touch with our society that we discount the idea that He is the answer we have been looking for.
We turn to psychology.
We turn to Eastern mysticism.
We look to ancient religions and claim that there are many paths to enlightenment.
In other words, we wallow in the vomit of the world trying to clean ourselves in an effort to free ourselves from our addiction.

We must realize that our problem lies within. Our addiction is a symptom of our living problem. What living problem? We have a broken relationship with Jesus.
That relationship was broken in Genesis 3 (Garden of Eden where woman and man disobeyed God).
Sin became the barrier that separated us from God.
Separated from God, we turned to our own desires and wants. We fed that nature inside of ourselves everything it demanded. We worshipped the sin nature by giving it whatever it wanted.
IF it demanded drugs, we got drugs no matter what it took. If it demanded sex, we found someone to fulfill that desire. We served the god of "ME". I had a god created in the image of me. Where has my god left me? Broken..........loaded under guilt and shame.........everything around me destroyed or broken.

What's the answer?
Jesus.
I know it sounds too simple.
Maybe it even sounds like a fairy tale or some kind of science fiction story.
But it is truth.
Romans 10:9 -  That if you confess with your mouth, the LORD Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

I can write these things because of what Jesus has done for me.
I know my history and how my life has changed since I was saved.
I have seen my marriage restored when it stood at the brink of divorce. Jesus saves.
I have seen every area of my life touched and changed. Jesus saves.
I have been given purpose where, in the past, I wandered from job to job. Jesus saves.
I have two wonderful godly sons. Jesus saves.
I have two beautiful daughters-in-law. Jesus saves
My grand children.......I love them beyond belief. Jesus saves.
My destiny has been sealed. No matter what happens in this life, heaven is my home. Jesus saves.
I want to close with some verses from I John Chapter 1:
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have handled concerning the Word of Life---
The life was manifested and we have seen and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us......

The things I share with you, I do so because of Jesus who has been manifested in my own life.
Thanks for stopping by today, and may the God of peace lead you into the saving knowledge of His son, Jesus.

God on you....
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HE'S COMING BACK

Revelation 22:12
And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.

II Thessalonians 4:16-18
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the sound of an arcangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

You don't hear much about the "2nd Coming Of Christ" anymore. Use to.  Back in the 80's that seem to be the topic of a lot of teachers. Of course such teaching also brought out the predictor's. You know what I'm talking about. Those who want to place a date and time on when Jesus will return. I'm sure there are a lot of those books that were written during that time about His eminent return laying around collecting dust. Probably surrounded by a couple of copies of "The Prayer of Jabez". 

Seems as though our focus, as believers, has drifted from a heavenward view toward more of an earthly view. You don't hear much teaching on heaven....the book of Revelation....or anything to do with Christ coming back.

Oh, I know that the "LEFT BEHIND" series of books were flying off the shelves, but even with this, there were several among the church who kind of "poo-pooed" the whole thing about a rapture. I think I've heard every argument possible about the rapture. Everything from pre-trib (Jesus takes the believers out before the great tribulation starts)....mid-trib (Jesus take believers out at the midway point of the great tribulation...to post-trib (Believers will have to endure the entire 7 year period in which the anti-Christ will rule). The views and opinions about what may or may not happen are endless. So what do I know? I simply know that He is coming back. I also believe that when we read about a so-called rapture of the church, that isn't the second coming of Christ. Why so? Because He doesn't return to earth...we rise up to meet and be with Him.
NO, when Jesus comes back for the second time (He was hear in human form..that was His first coming), He will be coming back in a different way than when He left. He will not be the gentle, risen glorified Son of God. He will be coming back as the Captain of the host of heaven. He will be the commander in chief who will be coming back to judge the world and to return to every person the reward or wages they have earned because of their belief's and deeds. There won't be much celebration in His second return. IN fact the Scripture speaks of a time when men will cry out for the mountains to fall upon them and hide them from the presence of Christ.

The one thing that I have been thinking about this week is I have a hope. I have a promise from God himself that Christ would return for me. I don't know if I'll be alive when it happens. Kind of think it would be real neat to be alive when the whole rapture thing happens, but I'm not assured of that. But whether alive or dead, I am smack dab in the middle of a win/win situation. Either state assures me that I am going to be with Christ. It's hard to wrap my brain around the whole "Caught up with Jesus" thing, but fortunately I don't have to rely on my brain for this one. It's all about the heart and my faith that God's promises are yes and amend.

This promise of receiving the final piece of my salvation is an incredible encouragement to me. It keeps me motivated to not quit or sit down....or even worse.....GIVE UP! It tells me that I need to keep one eye on heaven, and one here on earth as I move about in my daily routine. It also reminds me that there are many more out there who haven't heard the gospel. They are mired down under the judgment of sin and the accusations of our enemy the devil. I need to keep telling the story of what Christ has done, and continues to do to me.

It would be easy for me, at this point, to list all the things I see terribly wrong with this world. Anger, hatred, divisiveness...greed..the whole sexual identity thing....the whole sexual thing of redefining what marriage is....or those who would even discard marriage as being antiquated and of no use or purpose for such a modern society as we live in today. Dang..if we ain't progressive in our thinking then I don't know who is. When I look at the lack of a moral compass not only in the world, but also in the church, I ask, "How long Lord...How long is this going to continue to slide down that slippery slope of darkness?" Then I am reminded that the Lord is longsuffering, slow to anger and rich in love. His perfect will is that none should perish. As long as that is His will, then I have a call to tell those I meet about this God who truly loves them and wants to save them from themselves.

You see, as the years have piled up on me, there is a part of me that cries out for Jesus TO return. But quickly countered to that thought is the picture in my mind of all those who will enter into eternity outside the will and love of God because they rejected the message of salvation. Truth be known, I can't do anything except tell the story. I can't change anyone. I can't save anyone. I can only be faithful and share with those I meet. 

I know that today's posting wasn't about "addiction or recovery". But in one sense it was.
God's offer of real life here on earth, and of eternal life that takes us beyond death into His presence needs to be shared. IT needs to be proclaimed in our streets. It even needs to be shouted from the rooftops. That Jesus truly is LORD!

Like I said previously, I don't know the day or time of Jesus' return. But back in the 80's, George Creel use to describe the time we are living in this way. "IT's time we quit looking for signs....and started listening for sounds". 

God on you...
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THE REAL ME WAS NAILED TO THE CROSS

Luke 18:9 - 14
Then Jesus told this story to some who had great self-confidence and scorned everyone else. "Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a publican (Dishonest tax collector). The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don't sin, I don't commit adultery. I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.' But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humbled will be honored."

Great Story! Jesus had a way, or rather should I say...has a way, of bringing to light the uncovered heart of mankind. He reveals the true nature of man and how deceptive and destructive the human heart truly is. The heart is the storehouse of our beliefs and the accumulation of who we truly are. Proverbs tells us that "As a man thinks...so is he." In other words, the real "ME" comes from the belief's I carry around in my heart. Kind of weird when you think of what Jeremiah wrote in Chapter 17:9 - The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Kind of smacks in what how the world and our society (sometimes even our churches) views humanity. No one truly likes to think of themselves as being wicked or having an evil heart, but I have to keep returning to what Scripture tells me. I may not like it, but truth is truth especially when it comes to God's truth.

I think one of the greatest gifts God ever gave to me was an understanding of my own heart. By that I mean an understanding of what I am capable of without Him in my life. Such understanding makes me appreciate this gift of salvation He has given to me. I have made this statement on several occasions and it seems each time I do, it upsets some folks. Maybe they don't like to hear it because it reminds them of their own hearts. I will make the comment that within me dwells the possibility of behaving like the Apostle Peter. I have the capability of denying my Jesus! Some have told me that such things aren't possible if I have truly been saved. When I search myself and see that it is the Power of God's Holy Spirit that keeps sin at bay...that it is the blood of Jesus that has separated me unto His Kingdom and has removed me from loving this world, I understand the exact nature of depravity. As a friend told me once, "Without Jesus I'd just be an old stinking pervert!" You know what? He meant it. Without Jesus in my life, my old heart would run with every thought of evil it could produce.

I have nothing to boast of this morning except Jesus had mercy on me a sinner.
I have nothing to brag of except that today I have an understanding of what God expects of me. The Kingdom of God has been brought to me and through my salvation I have been changed from the inside out. My heart has been transformed. Maybe it's the fact that I do have an awareness of what I am capable of without Jesus that I stand like the publican....
"Have mercy on me today, Lord." It's not that I wallow in self pity or beat myself up in order to make myself feel some kind of worth. No! I fully accept God's salvation with a joyful heart. But as I am aware of God's Holy Spirit at work in me today, maybe it is He (the Holy Spirit) who reminds me of the danger of sin and how it seeks to destroy me at every turn. Sin would love nothing more than to destroy my testimony so that no one would ever listen to anything I have to say or write. Sin would love nothing more than to destroy my family, bring division and destruction. Sin would love nothing more than for me to crumble under the weight of tribulation and trials, lying there doubting and cursing God. Praise God for the love and power of Jesus, my Christ. He lifts me, spirit-body-soul, out of the muck and mire of sin. He sets me upon a solid rock where I can be who God created me to be.

Such things are why I get up every morning with a heart of gratitude that He has given me another day to be His son, to serve His kingdom and to love those around me.
God on you.....
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"PROVE YOURSELF A MAN"...

Here is the "Father's Day" Live Stream from Northside Baptist Church. A conversation between King David and his son, Solomon. Very relevant for today.
Enjoy
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LAST NIGHT'S LIVE STREAM FROM RECOVERY CHURCH ON BROAD ST.

Many thanks to the core leaders of ReCovery Church on Broad for letting me take the  night off to be with my family. You did good folks!
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THOSE HANDS

( reposting from previous Father's Day)

They were hard and calloused....
Years of work and labor defined and created every crack and wrinkle in those hands.
They had held plows.....
They had held rifles and shotguns....
Not for sport, but to put food on a table.
They had mended broken bicycles so that sons could be mobile once again.
They repaired more cars than I care to count.

They were tender enough to care for dogs that got caught up in barbed wire and had limped back home bleeding and almost to the point of death.
Those hands made basketball goals for the backyard...
They clapped at Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline when they came on the radio.
They slapped knees when a good yarn was spun or joke told.
Those hands never really rested, not till the end.

Those hands rubbed my head or rested on my shoulder when I had done something big.
Those same hands spanked me and put me back on the straight and narrow when I got to big for my britches.
They wiped sweat from the brow when the summer heat flooded a new plowed field. Those hands staked tomatoes and shucked corn. picked blackberries and baled hay. To a young boy, there wasn't anything those hands couldn't do. Those hands have cranked many a turn making home made ice cream. Those hands always deserved the first bowl when it was ready to eat.

Those hands held me and carried me from the car when we would come home late at night after being on a trip. Strong hands......safe hands....
Those hands were quick to help neighbors when something was needed to be done. The hands toted lumber and nailed nails to repair roofs and build back porches. I loved those hands.

Those were the hands of my father..........H.B. Bynum.
Blue collar to the core...
Worked hard all his life. That's just what a man did to support his family.
If my Dad had lived, I'm not sure he'd understand much of what is happening in this world today. He wasn't one to sit around and whine and cry about his lot in life or his lack of money. He worked. His advice to me..."Son, a man does what a man has to do to keep food on the table and a roof over his family." Those wouldn't be very popular words today...but that was my Dad.

Mom died in 1981 and Dad never seemed to recover from it. After they both retired, they reconnected as husband and wife. There seem to be more joy and peace as they shared time and life together. There were trips to the Smokey Mountains and visits with friends and family. I am grateful for the peace and love they found at the end.

Dad died in 1985, and not a day goes by that I don't think of him.
And on this day, of all days, one that honors fathers, I want to honor him.
For the love he showed me and the huge impact and influence he had on me.
I pray that in some small way, I have been half the man and father he was.
Thank you Lord for giving Father's to us....

Happy Father's Day, Dad.....
I love you....
I miss you.....

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QUOTE FROM A.W. TOZER

I've been reading BORN AFTER MIDNIGHT by A.W. Tozer, who just happens to be one of my most favorite preachers of all time. The basis of the book is that the longer you tarry with God, pushing through with prayer all the darkness that is within and without, there will be a lever of spiritual renewal that casual Christians will never experience.

I found this to be true when we would hold watch-night services at the church. We would gather with our Bible's and notebooks, have worship music playing, and basically sit up all night. There was no agenda, no program, nothing planned other than to simply be with God....read scripture, pray, and then write down any thoughts that we felt may have come from Him. I wish not to sound like I'm some kind of spiritual giant.....not even close. There were many times during our watch nights that my mind would wander and it was all I could do to pull it back into prayer. What I found interesting though was the fact that once we crossed midnight, the praying became more focused, the worship music seemed to go deeper within than it had...and the Bible verses we were reading seemed to stand up off the page as if God were saying, "Pay attention, I'm trying to show you something".

I found a quote by Tozer from the book I mentioned, and I would like to share it this morning.
"Unquestionable there is not another institution in the world that talks as much and does as little as the church. Any factory that required as much raw material for so small a finished product would go bankrupt in six months."
Could we say, "Ouch!"
Tozer never minced words about the condition of the church.
What I see, and something God has strongly disciplined me about, was the idea of taking culture ( or what speaks to the hearts of those who do not really know God) and using it to break down walls of the hearts of men and women. To do so is to simply construct a new type of vehicle from which the Gospel can be shared. The vehicle may change, but the message never does. The problem comes when the vehicle becomes more important than the message. When we have a false pride because we are "doing" church in a new way. This pride can truly hide a feeling of superiority over others who may still be stuck in the model they use to hold church.

So much time is spent in refining and dressing up the vehicle that the power of the message is lost. We think that maybe our light shows, our stage presence, our level of talent that we bring to worship, as well as the delivery of our message will simply mesmerize those who come to hear and "experience" God. Truth be known, the message is empty and has not nutritional value to a starving soul in need of redemption.

Here again, please hear me...
I'm not being critical of the any style of worship or model of church, except to those who have neglected the word in order to create an atmosphere where sinners are comforted.
I think maybe Jesus did not die on the cross so that sinners could be lured into a false sense of comfort, but rather they be led to Godly sorrow which produces repentance. This leads to confession and forgiveness. In other words........."SALVATION". Salvation is the first step to becoming a disciple, but that is whole other part that I will share later.

Have a great Saturday, and don't forget....
ReCovery Church On Broad is meeting tonight at 7 p.m.
Come on out and join us!

God on you.....
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REST IN PEACE CHRIS

Psalm 116:15
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

I will miss you my friend....
I know you had your struggles...some you overcame, some you didn't.
I will miss our conversations that went deeper than "How are you?"
I will miss your brutal honesty when it came to yourself.
You never minced words, or tried to white wash what was going on in your life.
At the same time, you never stayed in that dark place of inventory, but always were saying, "God is good!" You had hope. Not hope as the world gives, but a higher, purer, divine hope that can only come from God.

I have written way to many of these type postings over the years. But the one thing in common each posting had was a thought that always comes to me when I receive news of the death of someone I knew. What thought? That today, Chris knows the truth of what I only claim to believe.

All the questions on this side have been answered for Chris.
All the doubts and fears have been tossed aside.
As truthful as Chris was, he now stands before the ultimate truth.
I know this....
Chris loved his family
Chris loved God...
Chris loved helping others...

As I said at the beginning of this post, "I will miss you my friend."

God on you...
mbb

DON'T TRY TO "LONE RANGER" LIFE! GET CONNECTED AND TALK!

Short Video that hopefully expresses our  need to be connected to others especially during this dark time.

God On You....
Mbb

RECOGNIZE THE GIVER OF ALL GOOD THINGS THIS MORNING

This morning, don't let the noise of the day steal your hope....
Don't let the divisiveness of our nation fall upon your foundation, leaving you teetering on the edge of unbelief.
Do not let the darkness cover you with fear, doubt and uncertainty.
Know that The Lord our God is One with no equal.
Know that His word and His promises are "Yes" and "Amen".

What better prayer to offer to God this morning than to sing to Him, "Be Thou My Vision".
Enjoy the video below, and may these words, and this song right you this morning before you go out to face your day.

God on you....
mbb

KEEPING YOUR BALANCE

I Peter 2:21
For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you and example for you to follow in His steps.

As a kid, I use to love the game that is pictured above. 
Tilt it back and forth until you get the BB's to fit into the eye holes.
You'd work and work until you finally got one in, but as you started on the other BB, sometimes the one that you had placed would roll out and you'd have to start all over again.
It was all about the balance of the game.
It was about patience and not tilting too far one way or the other.

Isn't life like this?
A thing of balance?
A balance to the choices we make.
A balance to the way we view life.
A balance that enables us to keep from losing our place, and having to crawl back out of the proverbial ditch so we can start over.

The passage from I Peter is the balance that we all need in our lives.
Peter said that Christ has left us an example of how to live life here on this planet.
Simple instructions....
FOLLOW IN HIS STEPS.
Did you notice that it did not mention anything about the political climate ( Now when this was written, Rome was the big dog, ruling the world with its foot on the neck of humanity).
The passage did not saying about the religious side of life. Why? Because God seeks relationship, not religion. His desire is for us to simply follow where He leads, say what He tells us to speak, and love. Love others (the ones we want to, and especially the ones we don't want to) like it was nobodies business.

I truly do desire to live a life of balance.
To not be swept up by emotion, where choices I make are usually not very good.
To center myself in Christ and move out into the world to face my day.
Doesn't seem like a bad thing does it?

God on you...
mbb