During the month of July, the United States celebrates FREEDOM.  But before you can celebrate “freedom”, you must first know what it is.  Freedom is defined as: “the power to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint, the absence of subjection, and the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.” Well, everyone wants to be free, right?  But whose freedoms are being taken away by us exercising OUR freedom? Continue Reading »

There is a lot of discontent in the world today.  People are being downright obnoxious to each other, and even CHURCH people are not walking in love toward one another many times.  Now the Apostle Paul had somewhat to say about being content, in Philippians 4:11-13, Continue Reading »

A band called the Beatles had a hit record back in around 1963 called, “Do you want to know a secret?”  Everyone wants to know a secret, right? And the Bible is chock full of them, called “mysteries”.  But the Lord Jesus gave away some that had been kept hidden from the foundation of the world. Continue Reading »

This morning I woke up and asked the LORD what to write about today, and He said, Philippians 4:13.  There was no delay whatsoever in His reply.  What does it say?  “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Let’s pick that simple verse apart;  He says I CAN.  That word “can” is causative, not permissive, that means I am ABLE to.  I don’t have to seek permission, it is already ordained that I CAN.  DO;  that word signifies “action”, not just intent.  All things; how many is “ALL”?  That signifies the “total amount of” the THINGS; that which I choose to do.  THROUGH CHRIST  now it gets interesting. We have to ask, “What things would Christ have me do, since I am able to do all things?”  Has He empowered us to “do our own thing”?  Or is there a higher calling for our life?  WHICH STRENGTHENETH ME; well, seeing it is clearly CHRIST which strengtheneth me, then that empowerment is clearly to do Kingdom of God work, not my “own thing”. Continue Reading »

It is natural to get discouraged from time to time as the devil hurls his arrows at us, and he uses that to distract us from our main purpose in life, and that is to daily grow closer to the LORD.  It is written in Hebrews 12:1-2,
1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Continue Reading »

How is your relationship with the Lord Jesus today? Does it sizzle, or fizzle?  Usually I work my way up to the subject, but today I want you to realize we don’t have time to waste.  We know Jesus is coming back, but when?  It could be today, it could be in several hundred years, but each of us have our own “expiration date”, and it could be right now, we just don’t know.  Do you have a guarantee of tomorrow?  I don’t, and neither do you.  So we should be taking care of the most important matters in our lives FIRST, and our soul is our most important possession. Continue Reading »

One day while traveling, I saw a billboard that said, “GOT JESUS?”  That got me thinking about all the people who tell me they “have Jesus”.  It’s amazing how many people claim Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior, yet nothing has changed in their life.  They are living the same life they were before being “born again”, so I really have to wonder, what happened, or more accurately, what DIDN’T happen? Continue Reading »

We all make plans, no matter what our race or where we live, we all plan our days, don’t we? Most of the time our “plan” is centered around what WE want to do.  Maybe it’s as simple as finding something to eat, or shelter;  a place to call home.  We all have our hopes, our dreams, but sometimes the best laid plans don’t work.  Then what? Continue Reading »

THIS IS A NEWSLETTER FROM YEARS AGO THAT APPARENTLY HAS BEEN LOST FROM THE WEBSITE, SO I’M POSTING IT AGAIN.

5-22-08
GOD LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT
By Jerry Baysinger
How many of you remember as a child wondering if you were loved by your girlfriend or boyfriend?  Maybe you would pick a flower, and pull off the pedals one by one, saying, He loves me, he loves me not…  And you would rely on what the last pedal told you.  Did the flower always tell the truth?  Well, about fifty percent of the time it was right.  But what about the times it wasn’t?  You might throw away a wonderful relationship that could have lasted a lifetime, or you could have pursued one that was never meant to be in the first place.  All because of a pedal on a flower that has absolutely no wisdom whatsoever.  Either way, there’s a fifty percent chance you will go wrong.  I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound like very good odds to me. Continue Reading »

Once upon a time you could tell a Christian from someone who was not.   A Christian was positive, usually had a smile on their face, and a kind word no matter what their circumstances were.  They were absolutely upright in everything they did.  But these days, Christians seem to be going “undercover”, blending in so well with non-Christians that it is becoming hard to know the difference.  Driving down the road yesterday, at the posted speed limit, I saw a car fly by me so fast I could barely read the “Follow me to church” bumper sticker as they disappeared in the distance.  Wow! I guess they couldn’t wait to get to church….. Continue Reading »