A recent car ride with a friend brought these thoughts to mind. How far does your influence go? The answer is simple. We will never know this side of eternity.
I'm going to relay a story to you. Its about a man of faith and courage. That man was William Woodson.
At the age of 19, he was converted out of denominationalism by a man named Gus Nichols. Brother Nichols told the young Woodson "You are going to Freed Hardeman and you are going to be a gospel preacher". Well, brother Woodson did just that. He eventually returned to FHU to be the head of the Bible department. Later, Lipscomb hired Him to come and write an entire graduate program in Bible so they could become a University. Brother Woodson preached for 60 years. He had impacted so many men through his work in Preacher workshops and teaching in Bible colleges. and that impact is still felt in the lives of those men, myself included. And we are still passing his words down to the next generation of faithful men! Through the efforts of Gus Nichols, brother Woodson will have an influence and impact that is unfathomable in this side of eternity.
Now if you will, a personal story. My mentor, W Gaddys Roy. The impact this man had on my life is unexplainable. As a young boy, sitting at his feet during worship, sitting in his office as he explained how to preach, listening to him explain Bible topics as I followed along behind the trailer picking up limbs in his pecan orchard and being "baptized" in the same orchard as he showed me how to baptize someone in Christ. This man molded me into the preacher I am today. He started when I was 12 years old. At 18, because of his failing health I had the honor and privilege to serve beside him as assistant minister. 2 years later, at the age of 94, 6 weeks after preaching his last sermon, brother Roy went on to his reward with the Father, leaving me to continue on his work at the congregation where we served. The instruction this man provided me has been invaluable. His words keep coming back to me and will continue to do so as long as God gives me the strength to stand and proclaim His message.
The impact he will have because of the interest he showed in my will never be calculated this side of eternity.
But why do I share these things? Because you can be that person in someones life. You can be the one that makes a difference in their spiritual life. And one day they will look back and thank God upon every remembrance of you. Be that person. Be that example. Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:2- what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. That word "entrust" there literally means to "put it alongside for safe keeping". Has someone made a difference in your life? Don't let their influence and impact stop at you! Pass it on! Entrust it, commit it to someone else. Make a difference in the life of someone today.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
Houston we have a problem...
The title of this post is very well known. Captain Jim Lovell of the Apollo 13 crew, calling in to Houston, when the motor had failed. We have a problem.
I have chosen this title for this post because, I am noticing a huge problem in Christianity today.
But, allow me to start like this...
Have you noticed whats going on in the food world today? The food industry has gotten into the "more, faster, is better" mentality that we have found ourselves in here in this country of late.
For example: Did you know that know the chicken in the grocery store that you buy off the shelf went from hatching to butchered in 49 days? That's right! 49 days! These birds are so genetically altered that they basically swell up like balloons! They grow so fast that their bones and organs cannot keep up. They are dying in droves in the chicken houses daily. They take four to five steps and have to stop for rest.
Another example: That 10 piece fast food chicken nugget you ordered, or that fast food burger, did you know that they are POURED into a MOLD!!!! Yes! They are liquid!
Corn growers across America won't eat the products they grow because the products are not yet fit to eat! They leave the farm to be treated and processed into food!
In short, we are fed genetically modified meats grown on genetically modified grains that have no nutritional value whatsoever and our bodies are suffering for it.
But, you might say- "Hey, I thought this was a Bible blog!" It is. I tell you these things to bring about this point: We are doing the same thing spiritually in our congregations across the world! We are starving the people of the word of God!
The mentality now is "Pack them in the churches, feed them filler to make them feel good and give artificial growth" and it has left Christians floundering and dying with no exposure to the SON just as a chicken in a chicken house!
We are robbing the vital nutrients of the word of God. The nutrients that give us true growth. Peter says to desire the SINCERE, the PURE milk of the word that what, you may grow thereby! 1 Peter 2:2.
What do we do? Start realizing that we have forgotten the sufficiency of the scriptures in our lives. If we ever dare to think that the Bible is neutral in any aspect or area of our lives we are thinking like a humanist. But enough of what I say, what does God say? 1 Tim 2:15- Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. What do we study? The word of truth! Why? To make us workman that needeth not to be ashamed! It tells us how to live! 2 Tim 3:16-17 tells us it is PROFITABLE for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be COMPLETE, PERFECTLY furnished unto EVERY good work. Jesus tells us in Matthew 4:4 that man shall not LIVE by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
How do we start producing healthy, happy Christians that are not floundering in their faith? We give them the pure gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul said he wasn't ashamed of the gospel and that he was ready to preach it. We are so worried that people will be offended by preaching and teaching on sin that we are willing to offend the gospel by watering it down.
Lets be real here. God creates us, in His image. He puts us on this earth and says live holy lives for I am holy. How do we know what to do? Does God expect us to guess? And if we guess wrong He punishes us for us? No, God is a just God. He wrote us a book! Detailing how we are to conduct ourselves! We must realize that it speaks to every aspect of our lives.
If all you had to interpret the things around you with was the Bible and not the worldviews around us, would your life be radically different? Your entertainment? Your worship? Your relationships? Your life? Try it. It hurts. Oh believe me it hurts! But the word of God is a two-edged sword! Its not a feather duster, its sharp, it cuts, it hurts! When seriously applied to our lives. Jesus tells us that we will receive persecution because of Him. Are we? If not, I will be so bold as to say that we are not living as Christians but as humanists.
God calls us to be different in this life. We must answer that call. Its time to stand up and say "Give me the Bible, that holy message shining!" It's time to let the ministers and elders of our congregations know that we want the word that is able to save our souls! We want it as it is and as it says. Because we are willing to do what we have to do to be Christians.
We have a problem. But God is on our side and we can overcome this famine in the land. God says "My people are destroyed by lack of knowledge!". It's time to bring that knowledge back into our lives.
We have a problem, but we can overcome it.
I have chosen this title for this post because, I am noticing a huge problem in Christianity today.
But, allow me to start like this...
Have you noticed whats going on in the food world today? The food industry has gotten into the "more, faster, is better" mentality that we have found ourselves in here in this country of late.
For example: Did you know that know the chicken in the grocery store that you buy off the shelf went from hatching to butchered in 49 days? That's right! 49 days! These birds are so genetically altered that they basically swell up like balloons! They grow so fast that their bones and organs cannot keep up. They are dying in droves in the chicken houses daily. They take four to five steps and have to stop for rest.
Another example: That 10 piece fast food chicken nugget you ordered, or that fast food burger, did you know that they are POURED into a MOLD!!!! Yes! They are liquid!
Corn growers across America won't eat the products they grow because the products are not yet fit to eat! They leave the farm to be treated and processed into food!
In short, we are fed genetically modified meats grown on genetically modified grains that have no nutritional value whatsoever and our bodies are suffering for it.
But, you might say- "Hey, I thought this was a Bible blog!" It is. I tell you these things to bring about this point: We are doing the same thing spiritually in our congregations across the world! We are starving the people of the word of God!
The mentality now is "Pack them in the churches, feed them filler to make them feel good and give artificial growth" and it has left Christians floundering and dying with no exposure to the SON just as a chicken in a chicken house!
We are robbing the vital nutrients of the word of God. The nutrients that give us true growth. Peter says to desire the SINCERE, the PURE milk of the word that what, you may grow thereby! 1 Peter 2:2.
What do we do? Start realizing that we have forgotten the sufficiency of the scriptures in our lives. If we ever dare to think that the Bible is neutral in any aspect or area of our lives we are thinking like a humanist. But enough of what I say, what does God say? 1 Tim 2:15- Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. What do we study? The word of truth! Why? To make us workman that needeth not to be ashamed! It tells us how to live! 2 Tim 3:16-17 tells us it is PROFITABLE for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be COMPLETE, PERFECTLY furnished unto EVERY good work. Jesus tells us in Matthew 4:4 that man shall not LIVE by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
How do we start producing healthy, happy Christians that are not floundering in their faith? We give them the pure gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul said he wasn't ashamed of the gospel and that he was ready to preach it. We are so worried that people will be offended by preaching and teaching on sin that we are willing to offend the gospel by watering it down.
Lets be real here. God creates us, in His image. He puts us on this earth and says live holy lives for I am holy. How do we know what to do? Does God expect us to guess? And if we guess wrong He punishes us for us? No, God is a just God. He wrote us a book! Detailing how we are to conduct ourselves! We must realize that it speaks to every aspect of our lives.
If all you had to interpret the things around you with was the Bible and not the worldviews around us, would your life be radically different? Your entertainment? Your worship? Your relationships? Your life? Try it. It hurts. Oh believe me it hurts! But the word of God is a two-edged sword! Its not a feather duster, its sharp, it cuts, it hurts! When seriously applied to our lives. Jesus tells us that we will receive persecution because of Him. Are we? If not, I will be so bold as to say that we are not living as Christians but as humanists.
God calls us to be different in this life. We must answer that call. Its time to stand up and say "Give me the Bible, that holy message shining!" It's time to let the ministers and elders of our congregations know that we want the word that is able to save our souls! We want it as it is and as it says. Because we are willing to do what we have to do to be Christians.
We have a problem. But God is on our side and we can overcome this famine in the land. God says "My people are destroyed by lack of knowledge!". It's time to bring that knowledge back into our lives.
We have a problem, but we can overcome it.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Good quote on modesty...
I ran across this post on modesty and thought I might share:
"You wonderful girls , dress modestly and keep yourselves physically clean. Be cheerful and happy . Be positive about life . Then the Holy Spirit will cause you to be more beautiful and attractive. And when a faithful priesthood bearer comes to carry you away on his white horse- -which might be an ' 84 Ford - -to the temple, you will be prepared in every way ."
F. Melvin Hammond
"You wonderful girls , dress modestly and keep yourselves physically clean. Be cheerful and happy . Be positive about life . Then the Holy Spirit will cause you to be more beautiful and attractive. And when a faithful priesthood bearer comes to carry you away on his white horse- -which might be an ' 84 Ford - -to the temple, you will be prepared in every way ."
F. Melvin Hammond
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