GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN

I have to admit, I was a bit surprised by the history of this song - but I was also delighted. Don't get me wrong.  I love my country very much.  But if I'm honest, we have some flaws.  Slavery was one of them.  But even out of those trials come some of the neatest things.  Oppression often breeds faith.  Negro slaves may not have had much going for them, but they did have faith.  With that faith came music.  With that music came wonderful expressions such as "Go Tell It On the Mountain."

This extremely popular Christmas Carol was once a Negro Spiritual written by someone altogether unknown, but its infectious tune and lyrics that were pregnant with biblical truth offering a hope that only a heart of faith could know was soon spread throughout slavery.  The author is credited to John W. Works, III.  However, in 1907, as a negro professor, he compiled a book entitled "Folk Songs of the American Negro" in order to "preserve and promote African American Folk-Work."2  Dr. Works' efforts sent the song's popularity skyrocketing across the country and across the country's racial barriers.  Music has a way of doing that, and knows no boundaries.

The original song lyrics have been changed many times over.  The lyrics of today's carol are not the only lyrics the tune knows.  However, they are the most famous.  Peter, Paul, and Mary rewrote the lyrics in the 1960's, and Simon and Garfunkel also have a rewrite out.2  Still, the version in the hymnbooks across America are the most widely known and faithful to both the Lord and the song's author.


DEVOTION

Put yourself in the place of the Shepherds and sing this song.  Picture the the wonder of the annunciation, the spectacle of the angels, and the miracle of the virgin birth, baby in a manger, and prophecy all wrapped up in a single moment.  Imagine the fear and trembling swelling up inside, then giving way to a delight and hope, and finally a sense that everyone needed to hear the news!

Such a journey fills the heart of all who hear the story told by the Shepherds that night - a journey from fear and trembling to delight and hope that the Sovereign Creator God has given us His Son for a blessing and sacrifice for our sins!  Indeed, we have been saved from our sins!  Next, desiring that all might know this truth as we do - and trust Him for the forgiveness of their sins as well.

Do YOU know Jesus as YOUR Savior and Lord?  Do YOU delight in His Salvation like the shepherds did?  It matters NOT what station you have in life.  You have nothing but your soul to lose for keeping quiet.  Proclaim Him to a world that needs Him.  Go, Tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere that Jesus Christ is born!

And that's Just A Thot for today!  Merry Christmas!





1 - From the Internet:  http://www.sharefaith.com/guide/Christian-Music/hymns-the-songs-and-the-stories/go-tell-it-on-the-mountain,-the-song-and-the-story.html, 12/10/2015.

THE FIRST NOEL

Sometimes, history swallows up the facts for future generations.  Some things simply come about without record; nothing is known about them.  The origin of today's Christmas Carol is just such a thing.  The tune and original words came from somewhere, but it seems history has swallowed up the facts about where.  However, the modern version of the carol is not the only version.  In the 17th Century - 1823, William B. Sandys (1792-1874), and Davies Gilbert (1767-1839) edited and added lyrics to create the version we sing today.  This carol seems to have stemmed from France, and then came to England - and so we have two spellings of the word "Noel" (Fr.) - "Nowell" (Eng.).  Indeed, there seem to be three varieties of the lyrics.  However, most of our Hymnals contain the English version.  

DEVOTION

What I like about the carol is it's rolling tune and articulate lyrics.  Simply put, the joy of the first Christmas is melded together with the wonder of it all!  God has come in the form of a person!  He has done so to save us, to unite us, and He announced it through a host of Angels to a field of poor shepherds.  

Have you heard the story?  I know you have - at least you've heard the carol, most likely.  What I mean is this, "Have YOU experienced the joy of knowing Jesus has come to YOU?"  It's never enough to have Jesus come to someone you know or love.  God wants peace with YOU!  He sent His Son to YOU!  He wants to cleanse your heart of YOUR sin.  He wants to live forever with YOU.  That first Noel, the star shone the light, pointing to the True Savior of the world.

I know we have plenty of people who do not believe that God exists, much less that He cares enough to choose a means of showing it that is far better than a Hallmark Card.  God, did, however, send the very best.  Faith is not what makes it true or not.  Faith is only the means by which we choose to receive what is already true - Jesus Christ!  Such darkness of unbelief is only dispelled by the light of Truth!  Will you not simply believe with your head, but also your heart?  Will you follow that star to the Shining Star of Bethlehem - Jesus Christ?

And that's Just A Thot for today.  Merry Christmas!



1.  From the Internet:  http://www1.cbn.com/devotions/the-first-noel, 12/8/2015.
2.  From the Internet:  http://www.sharefaith.com/guide/Christian-Holidays/holiday-songs/the-first-noel-the-song-and-the-story.html, 12/8/2015.
3.  From the Internet:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_First_Noel, 12/8/2015.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FAITH IN TODAY'S WORLD

John 16:25-33

History tends to "repeat" itself.  That is true for civilizations, communities, churches, and families.  That "repeat" is really a cycle of growth and decline.  It is a repeat of numbers and morality, faith and secularization, financial stability and poverty, political processes and procedures.  Each grows and declines - repeatedly.

One such repetition is what happens to the Church in the world.  Jesus warned his disciples that belief would be necessary - trust in Him - if they were to survive the world's opposition.  That eternal connection to Christ is far more than a title (being CALLED a Christian).  It is a spiritual connection that comes from trusting and serving Jesus Christ.  Being a Christian in name only will not work in a world that tries to find fault in your faith.  Only those whose faith rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ can endure the opposition of the world.  The time is upon us that we again face what Jesus promised would happen to his disciples.

Jesus told his disciples they would be scattered, unable to gather together (John 16:32).  In that time, they will not be able to gather with the man we know as Jesus, either.  He was speaking of the time he was to be arrested, falsely accused, and publicly crucified.  To be associated with him was to risk similar treatment.  The cycle continues, and again, Christianity is no longer popular - Christians will and are being scattered.  And yet, because of their relationship with Jesus, the disciples would be able to have peace.  The world would bring tribulation, but the heart would be full of peace.  The world might seem like it was winning, but it has already lost - to Jesus.  The world hopes to send people to God's judgment, but through the disciples' relationship with Jesus, that judgment will not happen - Christ's crucifixion paid that for all the disciples who trust and know Jesus.  Jesus promises it, and God backs Jesus in this (John 16:27). 

Of course, this passage reveals that it is more than just being CALLED a Christian, it is a deep awareness that Christ is ONE with God - He is Divine - MORE than just a man.  He came from God.  He is more than a good teacher, He is God.  He is more than a mere prophet, He came from God.  He is more than a platitude dispenser, good moralist, or powerful preacher - He is the MESSIAH promised in the Old Testament.  Therefore, we can trust Him completely.  He is not to be compared with anything in creation, for He is the Creator of all that is.  He is more reliable than the sunrise and sunset.  His words are Faithful and True.  And those who trust Him, His words, and His deeds do so because they know that He came from the Father as He said!  Serve Him alone, and His victory over the world will be yours.  And that is faith - serving Him.

Do you have faith?  It doesn't take a quantity of faith.  It isn't how much you believe.  It's the quality of your faith - who you trust and by your trust who you serve.  If you say you trust Jesus, then prove it by serving Him - no matter what.  In today's world, that means serving Him when the world says you are not allowed to.  It means serving Him when no one is watching.  It means serving Him when you are isolated from everyone.  It means serving Him when jail, job loss, or death may be the penalty.  Is YOUR faith of that quality?  Then you can have peace with God, for Christ promises you are loved by God!  As John later said, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God." (1 John 5:13). 


Do YOU have saving faith?  Saving faith is serving faith!

And that's Just A Thot for today.  Please comment, share, and grow by it!

GOD SEEKS A MAN!

Ezekiel 22:30 (NKJV) So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.

When the Prophet Ezekiel penned these words under the inspiration and dictation of the Lord, great evil was being done throughout the land. This verse follows a long list of wrongs done by God's people - including other prophets. God was speaking through the Prophet Ezekiel, looking for a man who would have faith in God in spite of the storm of public opinion to the contrary. God has always wanted better for mankind than mankind wants for himself. And that is true for you, too. God wants better for you than you want for yourself, too often.

So God is looking for a certain kind of man. He is looking for a man of faith. The man of faith would have to be willing to do some things that the world might find strange, even offensive. He would have to buck the culture. He would have to articulate God's goodness to a world that otherwise couldn't see it. He would have to warn the world about God's justice to a world that otherwise didn't believe it. That kind of man is needed today.

That kind of man is needed in our homes. Our children are being thrust into indoctrination camps we call public schools five days a week. Our children come home with strange new ideas they've heard from their teachers and peers only to sit in front of a screen for hours of follow-up indoctrination through the TV or internet. Who will have the courage to take measures in the homes to stand in the gap? Moms? But the kids need DAD to do it, too. His example and active influence is unparalleled. If he is disinterested, Mom's influence is diminished greatly. If he is uninvolved, Mom's influence is diminished greatly. If he openly opposes faith, Mom's influence can be removed all together. Dads need to stand in the gap between God and the world to protect their families.

That kind of man is needed in our public square. All corners of the square, from business, to schools, to medicine, to law, and everything in between face the temptations and morays to serve self rather than truth. God is truth. There is a great move to get God and His morals out of the public square. And so corruption moves in. Who will be a man and stand in the gap? We need a man of faith, a man who trusts that God will both protect and provide for him as he stands before his community to declare that God is real, good, and just. No wrong will go unpunished, and no good unrewarded. Who will be that man?

That kind of man is needed in global society and politics for the same reason as in the public square. He is needed in the courts for the same reason. He is needed wherever corruption, blasphemy, and paganism rule, for God is not mocked, and will pour out His indignation on them for their wicked disregard for His Holiness and Truth. They will learn of their lies at the judgment, and then pay for their deeds. Their only hope is that someone, some man, will stand in the gap and warn them of this in time for them to repent and turn to God's only Hope for Mankind - Jesus Christ, God's Son. 

What Jesus did on Calvary's Cross was to take the full wrath of God upon Himself for these sins of corruption and faithlessness. All who will receive Him as Lord of their life (Commander in Chief) and turn from their wicked ways to follow Jesus' ways, will be spared the wrath of God. Those who will not turn to follow Jesus will face God's wrath themselves.

What kind of man will trust God and love his fellow man enough to stand in the gap and warn his fellows, his family, and his friends?  Will YOU be that man?

And that's "Just A Thot" for today.

May the Lord bless you as you heed His Word today!

HANG ON TIGHT!

Hebrews 10:23 (NKJV) Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Most Christians will "say" that God is faithful.  Yet, the pressures of the world, academia, and the media to forsake the clear teachings of the Bible in order to "accommodate" the ideas of this world is really a pressure on the idea of whether or not God really IS faithful.  Bible-believing Christians are not immune to this pressure, and all too often, they succumb.

The passage today challenges us to "hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering."  That is a huge challenge.  The "confession of our hope" is the hope that God will be faithful and keep His word to us regarding our salvation.  That part is easy.  But the gospel is continually being undermined in churches, pulpits, homes, and communities around the world under the pressures of ridicule, arrogant unbelieving false logic, nonspiritual religious leaders, and non-Christian religions. 

I remember a time when my salvation was deeply attacked by none other than a handful of people ("deacons" and lay-leaders) who tried to use the Bible to convince me that one can "lose" one's salvation.  As a young believer, I did not have the skills with the scripture to argue the case that Jesus saves eternally or not at all.  This is my hope.  If my salvation were entirely up to me, I would have no hope at all.  I did not waver, though I had to simply stand my ground and refuse to give in.  Eventually, they gave up their efforts.  Later, I learned well enough how to deal with this from the Bible.  You see, had I trusted their false teaching, I would have undermined the idea that God is faithful.  Indeed, our salvation is entirely dependent upon that point alone - the faithfulness of God, not OUR faithfulness. 

The attacks against the faithfulness of God include attacks on the authority of Scripture, the literal accuracy of the Scripture, the proper interpretation of the Scripture, and the inerrancy of Scripture.  But it is not just the Bible under attack.  Tests in the lives of Believers reveal attacks against the faithfulness of God happen daily.  Persecution is a great example.  But there is also the market-place of ideas that so subtly seek to persuade Believers to lay down their hope in Jesus and the faithfulness of God.  Daily events cause us to choose to trust the Lord or doubt Him.  These are tests that are designed to show us whether or not we actually do "hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering."

How about you?  Can you see areas of your life that you may be tempted to compromise the clear teachings of the Scriptures because something you have seen or learned in this world has caused you to doubt the Bible says what It means?  If God didn't mean what He said, does that undermine your salvation?  Of course.  Your trust in God to mean what He said about salvation will waver when you begin to distrust Him about other things. 


Beware, my soul, lest you be led astray.  "Hold fast the confession of your hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful."

Going Home

"Arise, and depart." -

Mic_2:10

When will it be, Lord, when you call me to arise and depart from this land of earthly existence to the land that you have prepared for me in your Heaven? I shall not fear death, for you have conquered it, and I am yours. You have crossed it yourself, and returned victoriously. Your return again is promised, and the signs are clear that the time is nearing rapidly. As the world plunges into darkness, your light seems all the more appealing to me today.

It is a marvelous thought that your joy and peace is waiting on the other side of this journey, and that the pleasing sights cannot be exhausted in an eternity. How spectacular will be the streets of gold and the crystal sea! Fantastic is the scene in your throne room, where mighty and glorious creatures, majestic people and the sheer number all together bowing before you - the greatest sight of all. You alone are worthy of worship, and forever will that be impressed upon me.

I thank you, Lord, that eternity is not simply a preference as some are led to believe. I have put everything into your hands and trust you with it all - relying on you for eternity. Thank you that you have truly prepared a heaven for me, and for all who believe. I only pray that this journey open up to invite far more than seem to be on it today.

No evil exists in your land, and no shadow of it is cast. No doubt or fear can assail us there, as we face daily here. Your willingness not only to point the way, but to walk it with us is a comforting truth. What a world of bliss have you made for us - and the toil of travel is worth it all. May your travelers never turn back from the journey you have for them.

---

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What is the vine?

1/22/08

"Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?" - Eze_15:2

Can I claim the fruit that is produced through me? If there be any patience, is it mine? Where did it come from? Is there any growth? Am I responsible for it? Have I any intellect? Ability? Knowledge? Understanding? Who gave it to me? What am I among all the people of God? Is my position of my doing? Is my service and station in life because of ME? Would not others do as well or better? Who chose me? Am I more fit for heaven than another? Do I face fewer temptations because of my own righteousness? Are my debts fewer and smaller than those of others? Is my sin of less consequence than the sins of others?

The vine is dependent upon the tree, as I am dependent upon the Lord. The vine grows as the tree grows, and the Lord provides all that is needed. Should the root be puffed up over the leaf? Without either, the tree dies. The fruit grows only as it is attached to the branch, and the branch attached to the tree. So I must be attached to Christ, immersed in His Spirit, living and feeding from Him. My own character will be fruitful and cleansed from sin. Death and decay await should I allow myself to be separated from the Lord.

I am humbled by this thought time and again. How dare I think, even for a moment, that it is my greatness that allows me the privilege of seeing souls saved, attendance at church rise, my leadership that people rally around. It is foolish to think such thoughts. These thoughts should be separated, and die. It is the glory of God, that I should be allowed to serve and be useful in such a position. Let God receive the credit for all fruit that grows in me, and let it be abundant - that whatever hinders it may be evidently removed. God is the great husbandman - and so I ask him to please prune my life that it may be as fruitful as He has made me to be.

Cast Aside Doubt

Bible Reading: (1 Samuel 27:1)

And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

---

Our lives tell the same story as David's - often enough. As believers, our trials press, and our faith fails, yet, the mercy of God never does. David's trials led him to express this moment of doubt, but the anointing of God upon him never failed. Through all the perils and difficult situations that God allowed David to enter, God's hand never left protecting, empowering, and leading David to the other side. Death was not, nor ever, the end for David. God's way of escape was. God never forsook David, though David momentarily thought He had.

How often it is with us - and how often we need reminding of the faithfulness, mercy, and grace of God in our own lives. As C. H. Spurgeon said, "David could not put his finger upon any entry in his diary, and say of it, 'Here is evidence that the Lord will forsake me,' for the entire tenor of his past life proved the very reverse." It is for this reason that we need to take the time each day to count our blessings, to consider the mercies of God in our lives, and to commit or way to Him. We will grow in our confidence that God is able to preserve His own, to protect and to promote them according to His glory and grace. Proof is in the diary, and possibilities are in the believing. Let us cast aside doubt and delight in our wonderful Savior!

On What or Whom Do You Trust?

Bible Reading: (Romans 3:26) To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

---

Mark told Jesse after his aunt's funeral, "I hope that when I die, I'll go to heaven."

"You don't know?" asked Jesse.

"No. But I hope my good deeds outweigh my bad ones." answered Mark.

And so the doubts, disbelief, confusion, and concern rages in the hearts of people everywhere. The reason Christ died is so that those who put their trust in Him might have no condemnation, so that they might know they are going to heaven, and so that they might rest with the knowledge that their great sin has been completely forgiven by Jesus.

The thought that Jesus is the "JUST" is a beautiful thought. He did no wrong. He is the only sinless one. The greatest lawyers could find no fault with Him. His accusers had to lie to charge Him. Of all faiths to choose from, only Christ is perfectly Just. It is no fairy tale. History bears it up. My Savior is Just! Hallelujah!!

Now, this Just One is also my JUSTIFIER. He has the right to judge my soul. He has shown the law to be of no effect. Death could not hold Him. He is greater than all, and not even sin can conquer Him. His death, burial, and resurrection are ample payment for my sin if He so chooses to accept such as justification. He has substituted Himself for Me. He has taken the place for all who believe. Satan cannot charge us, though he tries. We are justified in Christ, and Christ will not let anyone lay anything to the charge of God's elect.

My faith is no longer in some work I do, some ritual I perform, or some membership I hold. My faith is not in a gamble of whether or not my good deeds outweigh my bad. As C.H. Spurgeon puts it,

"My hope lives not because I am not a sinner, but because I am a sinner for whom Christ died; my trust is not that I am holy, but that being unholy, he is my righteousness. My faith rests not upon what I am, or shall be, or feel, or know, but in what Christ is, in what he has done, and in what he is now doing for me."

Are You a Believer? Trust Christ and Christ alone. His person, His work, and His nature are ample to save all who will trust in Him. When God says He loves us, providing such a Savior as His Son, Jesus Christ is truly a righteous love. He has backed up His love with grace. We are eternally justified and cannot become unjustified.

Bro. Greg

From Where Does Your Aid Come?

Bible Reading: (Ezra 8:22) For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

---

From where does our aid come? The Christian response is always, "God, of course." But is that where we are looking for help?

In a recent conversation with teens, I discovered that their beliefs are a long ways from the Scriptural teachings. One, they believe that money comes from the government, and not God. I suppose that is somewhat understandable, since our money contains governmental logos.

Ezra didn't even want to ask the King for help lest his faith seem hypocritical. He has preached that God can help - and has the power to protect His own. Would that be true? Then why ask the King for assistance? Would that not be the same as doubting God's abilities?

Yet, the argument is given that God can use whom He will in His provision and protection. While that may be true, it is also true that these sources of provision and protection are the objects of one's faith rather than God in too many cases. One gives faith in God lip service, while expecting that the government, friends, or family are the only means by which the aid must come. They trust the creature rather than the Creator. In so doing, they rely on the wrong source, and testify of the wrong God.

May we be jealous of God's glory enough to trust Him rather than these fleshly arms of support. See if He is not able to supply your needs abundantly!

Bro. Greg

Today's Devotion

Bible Reading: Mark 1:41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.

One of the attractions of the mystic "religions" such as Wicca, atheism, Hinduism, Buddhism, is that they offer in some way some power over the world around them. In Wicca, for instance, the power of witchcraft is seductive because it involves power over others using the spirit-world. Atheism is seductive in that it involves self-actualization (really, this is humanism) and overcoming others to succeed before death finally fully overcomes. Hinduism and Buddhism offer a self-earned victory over the this stage of life in hopes of a better "next" life on the path to a "nirvana" of sorts.

What a contrast to the picture Jesus offers us. The Scriptures not only declare, but give specific examples of Jesus' deity - and all creation needed to seek Him for any hope of relief of current circumstances. All things are in His power, not ours. Our submission to God is the way to victory, not creation's submission to us. The leper and the possessed, the fisherman and the emperor all must submit to Christ if there is hope of salvation. Jesus was made sin for us, though He was no sinner Himself. Faith and submission to His will is the way to letting Him take our sins and cleanse us. It is His will that we do this.

Jesus' will is sovereign. He is creator. He is judge. He is the justifier of all who put their trust in Him. He is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, putting men on thrones and taking them off again. He is over all, and He cares for you. Moved with compassion upon this lowly, deformed person, said, I will; be thou clean. When He wills a thing, it cannot be stopped. No power on earth or in heaven is greater; no power can thwart the power of God. He who is saved is saved to the uttermost. He who is forgiven is forgiven of all, forever. He who is clean is spotless, without blemish.

Blessed is the one who has learned to lean upon Him, upon His will, upon His word. Will you trust Him today, and not your own powers? Will you learn to accept His will for you as good? What a relief it is to NOT force our will in this world, for in taking His will for our own, we see His mighty power at work accomplishing it always before our eyes.

Bro. Greg

Today's Devotion

Bible Reading: Isaiah 51:5 My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.

Our comforts and technology, our wealth and prosperity have ruined us. We have lost our spiritual mooring, and it is our ease of living that has been the tool to bring it about. Through comfortable living, we learn to trust what adds comfort and removes trouble. It is the human way, and the trap is easily set. No one wants to work harder, go through more trials, carry more burdens.

Yet, we are told in the Scriptures that we are to trust the Lord. Hard work, trials, and burdens make the storms of life - and it is in these very storms, when we are at the ends of ourselves, that we get close to God and trust in Him. For some reason, we need to be without all other resources before we'll give over to the Lord completely. We put prayer as a last resort, not a first resort. Money solves many problems. Science and Medicine many others - especially if we have enough money. Lawyers solve other problems, and politicians answer several more. Where's the Lord in all this? He is there, waiting for us to turn to Him. He wants to draw us near to Him, so He strips us of these other resources to reveal Himself to be there, trustworthy, powerful, effective, and patient.

Troubles, then, serve us best when, in the midst of them we open our eyes to the Lord, and see His mighty hands at work on our behalf. We get to know Him more deeply then than at any other time. Let's be strong and believe, glorifying the Lord in these trials and storms of life. Let's Honor Him by being courageous and confident in Christ. Show the rich how God does more than money for the poor. Show the intellectual how much more the Lord knows and teaches the uneducated. Show the strong and powerful what God can do for the week as He supports and carries you through to valiant and mighty deeds in His name.

Bro. Greg

A Snapshot In Time

I know my blog is usually devotions. Good that it is. The focus should be on the Lord. But sometimes we need to see where we live - the Bible calls it "walking circumspectly." So I'd like to share with you a little of how un-Christ-like thins are today.

Scanning the headlines of my two favorite Christian Internet News Networks (CNSNews.com and OneNewsNow), I found the following headlines. They aren't much individually, but taken together, they can tell a remarkable story.

CNSNews Headlines:

• Morning News Shows "Promoting" Democrats, Study Finds - this should be a "no brainer, but I suppose seeing it in writing establishes the fact. We all know about liberal media bias. This just shows how "in your face" they can be.
• Controversial Arab School to Open Next Week - do you suppose a local government would also sponsor a Christian school? Not hardly! I guess we should just hand our nation over to the Muslims and be done with it.
• Anti-gay Remarks Cost Mayor His Seat on Tourism Board - Of course this just means that the homosexuals get to run our country while everyone else moves over. I guess it's not just the Muslims who want our nation. What's going to happen when the Muslims and the Gays have to duke it out for power?
• Lesbian Could Head Episcopal Diocese - So the mainline denominations have finally and completely put their Bibles away and decided that they want a religion rather than a relationship with Jesus Christ. The homosexuals love that. It's old news, but one "priest" has even said that she's both Christian and Muslim. I suppose this is a political move to keep her priesthood when the Homosexuals and Muslims start fighting for power. Either way, her job is secure. She's embraced both - for now!

OneNewsNow.com Headlines

• California Teacher Offended by 'Manipulative, dishonest' NEA Tactics - the educators of America are united in their secretly destructive philosophies to ruin our children through immorality, smut, and the homosexual agenda.
• Holiday Inn Dumps Christian Banquet; Group Says "Anti-Christian" discrimination at play - Just one more way to put down the Christian and promote the homosexual agenda.
• Illinois School Pushes Smut on Children - Is this really a surprise (See NEA above). But making this smut a requirement for summer reading - it's no wonder the homeschool movement is growing in our country.
• TV Ministry Watchdog Calls Televangelists' Divorce Terrible Testimony - and so do I. The attacks on Christians by unbelievers is strong - yes - but so are the attacks on the family by the unseen world. It almost seems like the enemy is winning. Fortunately we know the rest of the story. I only wish that so many people would not be put in doubt by these unfortunate events. This is why holy living is so important.

Some might think some of these stories to be a bit exaggerated. However, the sheer number of stories like this tell us that there is something bigger happening than any one of these stories tells. There is a spiritual darkening moving across the land. Christians need to not only live holy, but speak boldly. There is only one hope - Jesus Christ!

Bro. Greg

Morning Devotions - The Mercies of God

Bible Reading: Psa 51:1 - To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Our God is a merciful God. We should learn to rely upon that - and when His mercy is shown to us, we should be overflowing with gratitude, not take it for granted. How our hearts need and yearn for mercy when sin has overcome us. And then we continue in our sin because we have a merciful God - as though He were merely overlooking it.

David found mercy in the Lord. But David also had consequences on earth to pay. That, I believe, is the evidence of the Lord's mercies. I mean, the mercy of God is such that His eternal penalty is blotted out. Our account with others must still be paid. The alcoholic has an account with his liver. The meth user has an account with his brain. The gambler has an account with everyone. The murderer as much as the liar has hurt others and owes a debt to them. God's forgiveness does not mean the forgiveness of others. David's household was troubled from then on. So it is for the blended families because people would not marry and stay married. All excuses aside, most divorces are for convenience and selfishness - a lack of conviction and commitment. Many children are the product of illicit sex, and the parents having these kids out of wedlock have a debt for their sin as well - to their kids.

One of the greatest things about David is that he admitted his sin, and called it his - not blaming others. He confessed it to God, and was willing to take his licks. Do you want the grace of God in your life? Then cast yourself at His feet, and allow Him to determine what licks you receive. You will be surprised at His Holy mercy and grace that He gives you - and the strength you'll have when the licks come. Like Paul, you'll be able to hear "My grace is sufficient." What a tender, merciful, gracious Savior we have!

Bro. Greg