Just Another Normal, Ordinary Day!

Just Another Normal, Ordinary Day!

Today I would like to think back to that calm, beautiful, ordinary normal day thirteen years in the past. On that fateful morning there were thousands of people who woke up at the same time they always did. They got the kids ready, fed the dogs, fixed lunch for everyone, maybe they did their morning prayers and devotions. They got in their cars or boarded the bus or train just as they had been for the past 15 years. They ate the same breakfast, drank the same morning coffee. It was just another normal, ordinary day. The last thing from their minds was the fact that by the end of that day their lives would come to a screeching end! I wonder if any one of them looked to that beautiful sky that morning and thought of our Lord coming to get them? Although there may have

been a few who may have thought this I imagine it wasn't many! There is no way that ANYONE on that day could have imagined what was about to take place. Early that morning around 7:40am 81 unsuspecting souls boarded flight 11. At around 8:30am those running late finally filed into the World Trade Centers, rushing to the elevators. THEN IT HAPPENED! 8:46:30am Flight 11 at 466mph
crashes into the north face of the North Tower between the 93rd and 99th floors! LIFE = LOST! At least 100 people stranded above the 99th floor jump to their deaths! Phone calls are made, last words are spoken, hearts are broken, terror rang loud, lives were lost! 09:03:02am Flight 175 crashes into the south face of the South Tower between the 77th and 85th floors at 590mph! LIFE = LOST! 09:58:59am The South Tower Collapses! 10:28:22am The North Tower Collapses! The world, according to all who were there and witnessed the devastation and all who watched on television, was seemingly coming unraveled! Thoughts of the

apocalypse,  the return of Christ, WWIII, all these thoughts, which were so far from our minds just one hour earlier, begin to flood our hearts and minds! That normal, ordinary day will forever be burned into our memories as a day like no other! The truth is that every single day is a day like no other! Somebody woke up this morning and started their routine and now they're in eternity! Someone woke up this morning and on their normal route something happened, someone crossed the center line, and now they stand before their God! Someone went to bed last night and before morning woke up before the throne! Maybe you woke up today, did the same ole thing, went to the same ole job, drove the same ole car, and never took one moment to think "what if today is the day?" What if the Rapture happened today? What if your life ended today? Today may have started as another normal, ordinary day but it just may not end that way! The end is near, though it's uncertain when, it's certain to be! Take thought today concerning your soul, your eternity! It could be your last chance to do so! Just another normal, ordinary day!

2 Corinthians 6:2King James Version (KJV)

2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Mark 13:32King James Version (KJV)

32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

The Church And The Revolving Door!

 The Church And The Revolving Door!

Have you ever just sat in church and looked around and thought about who was there last week, last month, last year, or times before? I remember doing this as a young convert and being flabbergasted. I mean, I couldn't wrap

my brain around where they had all gotten to and even  more confusing was why they would choose to walk away from something as amazing and incomprehensible as GRACE! I recall thinking how, if all the people who had been to our church in the last decade would all show up for a Sunday Worship, a building ten times the one I was in would in no way contain them. So again, I ask WHY? Well, the answer is as easy as opening a book, the only living book, The Bible! In the Gospel's we find a parable spoken by Jesus to the crowd, I like Matthew's account in chapter 13 because later in the

chapter Jesus himself describes the parable. Through this parable we can learn an invaluable lesson, not everyone that kneels at an altar or experiences some religious encounter will be transformed by the renewing of their minds! In all honesty, the statistic that Jesus gives is startling to say the least. In His account of the Word being sown and accepted three out of every four will fade away, never to produce fruit and thus unprofitable. And we all know what the scripture says about the unprofitable servant and the fruitless tree, they will be cast out and thrown into the fire! To me, as a Pastor, I typically blame myself for those who fade, like if my Preaching we more attractive, or if my personal skills were better, or if our ministry had more to offer they would stick in the fight. Then I read Matthew 13, from the lips of my Savior I was enamored  with truth, we are all free mortal agents and we each choose our own path. As long as I follow the leadership of the Holy Ghost I can do no more! If the Holy Ghost can't keep them, if the cross isn't attractive enough, if Grace isn't all consuming then nothing I could say or do could ever make them stay. Those by the way side are those who just don't understand, those who never seek scriptural and spiritual maturity(thus the importance of reading and studying scripture) and in ignorance are carried away by the deceptions of the Devil. Those that receive on stony ground(stony heart) are those that with immediate joy receive the Gospel but when tribulation or persecution(hard times) come because of the Word(could be from truth being preached as it pricks the heart) they dry up and die spiritually and fade into the dark(to me, this is the most common)! Next are those sown among the thorns(cares of the world), who after receiving the Gospel continue or fall into the lusts of worldly material. In searching for those treasures the true treasure has no light to grow thus perishing under the weight of the thorns(jobs, homes, false gospels, friends, success, etc.) of this life! But last are those to whom the seed falls on good ground and in time produce fruit(fruits of the spirit which are love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance) some thirty fold, some sixty, and some a hundred. Notice the only variable is the ground on which the seed(Gospel) falls. What does the ground represent? The intent of the heart! If you break up the fallow ground of your heart, seek scriptural and spiritual knowledge, and cast off the cares of this world, you'll be rooted in the good ground! Never give up, never give in, never look at those who fade as an expectation of yourself or others. We are called to be ambassadors of the Gospel, lets help those whom we cross paths with get their ground good and fight the good fight of faith!

Matthew 13 King James Version (KJV)

13 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

53 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

55 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Galatians 5:22-23King James Version (KJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

God's Not Winking; Ignorance Isn't Bliss, It's Damnation!

God's Not Winking; 

Ignorance Isn't Bliss, It's Damnation!

Acts 17:30King James Version (KJV)

30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

I normally save the scripture until the end but for today I thought it necessary to go ahead and put it out there. Have you ever met someone who liked to use scripture against you or to justify their life, speaking in complete ignorance? I see it all the time, especially in our days of social media, people throwing scripture around without knowing the context, the linguistics or culture of the day, and thus having zero knowledge of what the particular scripture means. Understand one thing, I don't claim to know it all, be a master theologian, or have it all figured out but I desire to know the riches of God's Word. I don't use it to justify my life but to transform my life. This living Word is to be a mirror in which we see our faults and thus seek the Holy Spirit and ask Him to transform us into the person we're supposed to be! Imagine with me if you will, how many days would you go without looking in the mirror? If you went as much as four days, never once looking in the mirror, what do you think you'd look like? Pretty rough are the words that came to my mind. I want you to understand that this is what we look like spiritually when we fail to look into the mirror of the Word for several days, disheveled, unkept, ignorant (all spiritually). I've come to realize that the whole world seemingly knows Matthew 7:1 "Judge not" but have failed to read the entire text and missed out on Matthew 7:21 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven" or 1 Peter 4:17 "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that

obey not the gospel of God. And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator." Everyone knows 1 John 4:8 "God is love." but have never allowed themselves to see Colossians 3:6 "the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience." In many things in life, ignorance is bliss but when it comes to God and His Word He has given us everything necessary to overcome to the point that we are without excuse! When Hilkiah found the Book in 2 Kings, King Josiah was so taken back by what was written therein that he rent his clothes in humility, knowing that he had failed God! We

can twist the Word into any fashion to fit, justify, and go along with our lives but in our heart of hearts, we know! Everyday that you don't learn from the Word is a day wasted! Get the Book, open it, read it, and ask God to reveal it unto you. He said He'd give unto ALL men liberally! When you stand before Him, He won't be winking, He'll be judging!

Acts 17:30-31King James Version (KJV)

30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Romans 1:20King James Version (KJV)

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Matthew 7:15-23King James Version (KJV)

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

2 Kings 22 King James Version (KJV)

22 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.

2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.

3 And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the Lord, saying,

4 Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of theLord, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people:

5 And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches of the house,

6 Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.

7 Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.

8 And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord.

10 And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.

11 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.

12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying,

13 Go ye, enquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.

15 And she said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,

16 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:

17 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.

18 But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;

19 Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord.

20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.

Transparency; The Healing In Confessing!

Transparency; The Healing In Confessing!

As a child, did you ever do something wrong and you knew if someone found out, that there would

be trouble? For days you avoided certain subjects and people, living in complete turmoil, no sleep, just worried to death. Then it happens, they found out! And instead of the world coming to an end all was forgiven and time went on. Looking back we realize that there is power, peace, and freedom in confession! As a child who grew up in a protestant family, I was taught the importance of confessing my sins, but only to Jesus. I'm sure, if you're not Catholic, confessing your sins to anyone other than Jesus seems foreign, embarrassing, and down right scary. Most of us are taught to hold it all in but sin is like dynamite, it's volatile and destructive when under pressure! Confessing to Jesus is an absolute, without doing so we would all be lost, but if no one else knows about it then there's no accountability, there's no humility, no recognition of the pain sin really causes! We need not confess to a priest for spiritual forgiveness, that's completely irrational and non scriptural but in this doctrinal difference we've lost the empowerment, peace, and freedom that comes in confessing our sins one to another. When we
become transparent, we begin to realize we can
never keep the standard we like to think we keep, we realize the humanity in others when they sin and we become less judgmental and more compassionate! I'm not saying to broadcast your sins to the world or on social media, what I'm saying is to find yourself a brother or sister in Christ whom you can confide in, in confidence, and allow them to be your accountability, your sounding board, your reality check and confess your sins one to another! You won't believe the liberation, the freedom, when everything is out on the table and the love of Christ remains, your humility will grow, your compassion will flourish, your power will increase to more Godliness and you will become more and more Christlike, and when others see this, they'll listen! If you want spiritual power, if you want spiritual influence, if you want to have a lasting testimony, then break the barrier of you facade, be transparent, resolve to truly repent, acknowledge your faults one to another, the prayer of a righteous man availeth much!

James 5:16King James Version (KJV)

16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Psalm 32:5King James Version (KJV)

5 I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Proverbs 28:13King James Version (KJV)

13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

1 John 1:9King James Version (KJV)

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Nehemiah 9:1-3King James Version (KJV)

9 Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.

2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.

3 And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the Lord their God.