Can You See Him?

Ezekiel 1:28

As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.

In this vision Ezekiel was trying to describe the Glory of God. He used the example of a Rainbow. We see God's Glory in so many ways. Through answered prayers, the birth of a child, the majesty of Natures portraits, or in a quiet moment when we sense the presence of God in our life. Sometimes a song will make us aware of God's amazing grace, patience, love, forgiveness,mercy. He speaks to us in so many ways. Are you Listening are you looking for God today? If so, I am sure He will make Himself known to you. I encourage you to click on the link below and see if you do not feel the presence of God

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzqbNuZMURs

Want to get Baptized?

Romans 6:4

Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

There was a travelling evangelist going from city to city preaching the Gospel. A young man asked if he could travel with him and learn. The evangelist agreed and at the end of each revival he would baptize all the new converts in the local river or lake. Each time he had one of these baptismal services the young man asked to be baptized and the evangelist would tell him that he was not ready yet. One day he finally agreed to baptize the young man. The young man was so excited as he waded out into the water. The evangelist placed his hands on him and lowered him under the water. The young man started up but the evangelist held him down, Then he started to panic and was struggling to surface but the evangelist held him under. Finally he pulled him up coughing and spitting and gasping for air. "Why did you hold me under", he asked. The evangelist asked the young man, "when you were under the water what did you want more than anything else?" AIR was the young mans response. The old man looked at him and said, "When you want Christ that much it is time to get baptized."

Valentine Day

James 1:27

Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

I remember one Valentines Day visiting a shut-in elderly lady. When I went in she had a deflated Valentine balloon proudly displayed on a chair. I mentioned it and asked who had brought the balloon to her for Valentines Day. She said, "Oh no this is from last year." She had taken the balloon folded and stored it and brought it back out to remember that someone loved her. We will be hurrying around to buy flowers and gifts for those we love. But, if you really want to make a difference in someones life this year go and visit someone who is a shut-in, or in a nursing home, or hospital. You will not only make their day but maybe their year. If you don't know someone contact me and I can help you. Happy Valentines Day.

"Valley Moments"

The 23rd Psalm goes on to say that I will fear no evil for You are with me. That You refers to the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ. He walks with us through the valleys. We all face difficult times and difficult situations. It brings me great comfort to know that during those moments that God is right beside me. I memorized the 23rd Psalm so that when I experienced a

"Valley Moment" I could recite the Psalm to myself and each time I have done that it has brought me great comfort. I would encourage you to do the same. Just print a copy of the 23rd Psalm and read it over and over, in waiting rooms, traffic, after lunch, on breaks, before you go to bed, and very soon you will have memorized this great passage. I promise it will make a very big difference in your life if you will do it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI9eNCWrUN4&feature=related

Can You Feel It?

Growing up my father loved to fly kites and he always included my brother and I when he went. He also taught us how to make our own kites. So, when I had children I did the same thing with them. One day we were flying kites and the wind was blowing just right. I got another spool of kite string and sent the kite way out. Then I got fishing line and tied it on and the kite was so small in the distance that you could hardly see it at all, then suddenly it disappeared all together. A neighbor came out and asked me what I was doing. I said, "I am flying a kite." The neighbor looked and strained and finally said, "I can not see a kite." I explained that I had attached so much string that the kite was now out of sight completely. After a moment they asked, "How do you know it's still there?" I looked over and smiled and said,"I can still feel the pull." That is how it is with God. Many people want proof of God's existence. I have several good arguments but eventually it takes a step of faith. Personally I know He is there because, I can still feel the pull. God tries to lead me and guide my life. Give me direction and purpose. Like a Good Shepard He tries to pull me away from dangerous areas and back on to the right path. I hope you will always feel that pull in your life and thank God each time you do, and if you get a chance on a nice clear day soon why not try flying a kite with the kids. I will never forget those times with my dad.

Check out this beautiful song by clicking on the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJt78dt7Tys&feature=related

Wouldn't That Be NIce

Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

Ever use this this button? I use it all the time. Make a mistake,delete. Don't like what you wrote, delete. Write something out of anger in an e-mail, delete. When you do it's just like you never did it, wrote it, said it. That is what David is asking God to do in this passage...Delete his sin, blot it out, forgive him for it. Well my friends I have good and bad news concerning this thought. God will Delete your sin as if it had never happened. It will not be held against you and that is good news. However, God does not blot out or delete the consequences of our sins. We still have to deal with those but, He will help us with that if we allow Him to. If you sin confess it and ask for forgiveness and for God to Blot Out your transgression and then, ask Him to help you deal with the consequences of your actions. If you don't like this Devotion you know which button to push.

What You Won't Hear

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

In case you have been living in a cave the Saints and Colts will play in the Super Bowl this coming Sunday

This week we will hear way more than we ever wanted to know about these two teams. They will be analyzed and talked about and interviewed for the next 7 days. But, here is what you will not hear about the two quarterbacks, Peyton and Brees. They are both Born Again Christians with a very strong testimony for Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior. Given the opportunity I am sure they will mention that if interviewed . I have included an interview with Drew Brees on the link below. I hope both of these players will take advantage of their position and popularity to share what is really important in life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0buCfbFuHw

Change Will Come

Psalm 46:1-3

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.

Change is inevitable. We have had a very cold winter here in Wilmington but when I look at pictures from up North of houses covered in snow it is not so bad. Thursday here was a beautiful day but we are expecting very cold weather and possible snow this weekend. We are ready for a change of weather. We would like to be with these guys in the picture...Lucky Dogs. On a more serious note I expect that the people of Haiti would like a change from what they have been going through for the past several weeks. People here in the United States who have lost their homes, retirements, and jobs would also like a change. Change is such a powerful word that I believe that one word might have won the last Presidential election. Be assured of this ...things will change. If you don't think so pull out your high school yearbook and take a peak at You and then the mirror. The Bible tells us in this passage that when things happen, when changes come, put your trust and Faith in God for He never changes. He will be there for you in the good times and the bad, and in your final moments of life as the change comes from temporary to Eternal God will lead you home if you have accepted Him as your Lord and Savior and Changed your status from Lost to Saved.

In God We Trust

Job 6:18

"The paths of their course wind along,They go up into nothing and perish.

We must allow God to chart our course. There is a way that seems right to man but it's end is destruction. Are we paying attention today to where we are going, if not we might end up just like this guy.

Enjoy this song, click on the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiYgpPB1kwU

Get Involved

Nehemiah 4:6

So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.

Nehemiah had returned to Jerusalem from captivity and found that the walls of the city were destroyed. He enlisted the help of the people and in a very short time the people had erected the walls to half their original height

Nehemiah 6:15

So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.

In 52 days the walls were re-built. Why? Because, the people worked with all their heart. As Christians we must get involved. We have seen what has happened to our country because we were silent. Prayer has been removed from schools. Our Nation has turned away from God and in the name of Political Correctness has embraced every form of godless ideology that has come down the road leaving the influence of Christianity a mere shadow of what it once was. It is said that we are a silent Majority, I believe we should be come an active Minority. If one person can remove Prayer from schools what can Millions of people who call themselves Christians accomplish if the GET INVOLVED.

It's all About the Dog Gone Fellowship

Hebrews 10:25

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

The Church is all about fellowship and encouraging one another, because the Church is all about people. We are told to never neglect the assembling of ourselves but it goes so much deeper than just Sunday Morning Worship. Take the guys in this picture for example, they are just enjoying being together. Sharing good moments and bad, praying for one another, making great memories together. Get involved at your Church. If you are just attending on Sunday morning you are missing so much of what the Church is all about.

You Think This Is Dangerous

Psalm 53:1

The fool says in his heart,"There is no God."

First please click on this link and watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIjC7DjoVe8

This has to be one of the most dangerous occupations a person could have. If you are like me it made you nervous just watching him crawl on those power lines. But, if you think that is dangerous, how would you like to stand before God and all of Eternity and know that you never believed in Him or accepted Christ. You were also aware that there were only two eternal destinations and that you had just been told you were not going to Heaven. Only a Fool has said in his heart there is no God.

Do You Have an Answer?

1 Peter 3:15

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Do you know how many Muslims are in the world? Do you know the country with the largest Muslim population? Do you know how many Muslims live in the United States? Is Jesus mentioned in the Quran? Do you know the two major divisions of Muslims in the world? Do Muslims believe in the virgin birth of Christ? Do Muslims believe in Heaven and Hell and a Day of Judgement? Well, if you have been attending our Wednesday night Bible Study the last 4 weeks you know the answers to all these questions and many more. Are we just studying for the sake of knowledge, no we are not. We are trying to learn so that when we are given the opportunity we can witness to people of other faiths more effectively. In addition Christians must know what we believe and why. Many Christians do not know their Bibles, can not explain the Trinity, have no idea how to lead someone to Christ. It has been said that only 5% of Christians will ever lead another person to Christ. I would encourage everyone to get involved in a Bible Believing Church, where the Bible is preached in Truth and Love. A place where the life Changing truth of Jesus Christ is preached and demonstrated. A Church where you can discover your Spiritual Gifts and how to use them to Minister to others If someone were to ask you why you believe in Jesus Christ....Do You Have an Answer?

If you need answers to these questions or others please feel free to visit our website:

http://www.abcwilmington.com/

There are over 1 Billion Muslims in the World, the most populated Muslim country is Indonesia, and Jesus is mentioned in the Quran.... many times.

Nothing Lasts Forever...Right?

1 Peter 1:24-25e) 24
For,"ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, 25 BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER " And this is the word which was preached to you.

I read an article today about a Sun that is burning out. It is 550 light years away from earth and you can see pictures of it if you google Chi Cygni or go to the following link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34944132/ns/technology_and_science-space/?gt1=43001

This sort of gives you an idea of what will happen one day to our Sun. As they say Nothing Lasts Forever....Right? Well the Sun may not but the Son will, at least that is what the Bible says. Each day I get up and have faith that the Sun will rise but the Truth is one day it will not. Each day I get up and have Faith in the Son of God and that if I believe in Him and accept Him into my life then I will have eternal life. I have much more faith in the Son than I do the Sun. For we walk by faith and not by sight. So even if the Sun does not RISE tomorrow if you believe in Christ You will.

Who Said It?

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom."

Whatever it is that we are called to do we must do it to the best of our ability. If we rescue people, teach children, lay brick, sweep streets, work on an assembly line do it as if you were working for God because as Christians our work reflects God. People watch us to see how we work, live, laugh and love others. We are a witness for God each day that we live. So, today whatever you do, give it your all and we can make a difference In the world and in peoples lives.

First quote: Martin Luther King Jr.

Second Quote: King Solomon Ecclesiastes 9:10

Make Up Your Mind America

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray without ceasing

There have been many rulings by our Supreme Court against Public Prayer. Our Government discourages prayer or references to God. There is an anti-Christian bias prevalent in today's society. No Bible, no prayer, no references to God. But, let something happen on a major scale and the liberal media and our Government and our Country goes running to God like a scared school child. Remember September 11,2001? All of a sudden everyone seemed to believe in prayer and everyone was calling on God for help. What a fickle group. Make up your mind America either you believe in God and Prayer or you don't. Take a stand one way or the other and that goes for Christians or people who call themselves Christians. God is not some kind of cosmic magician that we can call on when we are in a jam. I am not a prophet and I do not know what the future holds but I do know who holds the future. I believe it is time for each one of us who call ourselves Christians to declare as Joshua did :

15"If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

Joshua 24:15

Having a Bad Day?

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Alarm clock did not go off this morning, could not find your favorite tie, car would not start, kids giving you are hard time on the way to school, can't open your e-mail? I bet the people in these pictures would trade places with you. These are pictures from the earthquake that happened yesterday in Haiti. 3,000,000 people have been affected.

No way to know yet how many are dead, homeless, lives will never be the same. Massive relief efforts are being put together and I am checking how how we can help as a Church. I will let you know as soon as I find out. It is always so amazing to me that when a catastrophe happens like this everyone is talking about prayer and God. I will close with a quote from a Haitian Senator. Have a GOOD and THANKFUL day

Dr. Louis-Gerard Gilles, a former senator, said as he helped. "Haiti needs to pray. We all need to pray together."

Here is a video from this mornings today show be sure and click on it.



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/34838276#34838276

Got Steroids?

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

The Greek word for confess is homologeo. This word means, "to agree, admit, or acknowledge." In short, when used in the Bible it generally means to admit or acknowledge something that God already knows anyway. When we do that then God is able to forgive us and cleanse us and we can move on with our lives. Mark McGwire recently confessed to using steroids, something we all knew anyway. He broke the single season Home Run record held by Roger Maris. In 1998 McGwire hit 70 Home Runs breaking the Maris record of 61 that was set in 1961. Barry Bonds now holds the single season record with 73 Home Runs. He has not confessed, as of yet, to what the rest of America already knows. Now this is not a baseball lesson or a judgement against any of these players. This is an attempt to help each one of us understand that God already knows everything about us. He not only is aware of our actions but also our thoughts and motives. Who do we think we are kidding? If there is anything we have done that needs to be confessed to God DO IT TODAY so that you can receive God's forgiveness, and move on with your life with a clear conscience. If God sets you free you are free indeed. Oh yes, and Hank Aaron you are still "The Man."

Here's Your Sign

Ecclesiastes 10:3
Even when the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking and he demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool.

I heard a story about a man who came upon a sign just like this one. He read it and then decided that he would go ahead anyway and find a way through even though the message is very clear on the sign. He came to a bridge that had been washed out and realized that he had to go back. When he got back he found these words written on the back of the sign:

"Welcome Back Stupid"

I wonder how many of us are like that? As we read God's Word it clearly tells us what to do and not to do. Yet, we think we know best and so we proceed down roads that we know God would not have us travel. Then when it does not work out we try to blame God or others. How many times do we have to travel these roads before we begin to trust God's Sign-Posts?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X3bHLRU-2I

Something to Consider

The Bible tells us we should pray for our leaders. I would like to encourage you to do just that since it seems they have LOST THEIR MINDS. Or maybe simply do not care about the American public anymore. Our government is proposing stricter screening and increased security and new laws to protect us from terrorists. Here is an idea...why not simply enforce the laws on the books. I am attaching a video of Muslim extremists speaking on the streets of New York. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6dgGI-ZJY0 There are laws on the books that enable our government to expel anyone who is threatening harm against the United States or it's citizens in the form of violence and treason.

In addition I am against the use of taxpayer money to defend the terrorist that tried to blow up flight 253 over Detroit on Christmas Day. It appears his intent was to kill himself in order to support his beliefs; maybe we should honor his intentions.
New Jersey, and several other states, are about to pass legislation that would allow ILLEGAL Aliens to receive in-state tuition rates for College. What about legal citizens receiving the same courtesy since we are the taxpayers that support the educational institutions.

The CEOs of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have just received
Multi-million dollar bonuses for the great job they did this last year in running those two businesses. Does this not bother anyone?

Now my job as a minister is to preach the Gospel and not get involved in politics, that is my responsibility as a U.S. Citizen and, I do not want to blur the lines. So I am simply asking that you PRAY hard for these very confused, isolated, insulated, over paid, arrogant self serving elected officials. I know that very few of them read the legislation they impose on us but maybe some of them should at least take the time to read the Constitution. They are elected to Represent us and Serve the people. Maybe the American People should vote on their next pay raises instead of leaving that to them. I wonder how they would do?

In Christ,

Jeff