P R A Y E R !

P R A Y E R !
When Life gets too hard to stand... kneel before HIM and Pray

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Spiritually Minded and Earthly Good...

We are not to wear our Christianity on our shirt sleeve, nor is it to be sheltered or hidden from public view. Christianity is to be shared from the heart with unconditional Love and genuine concern for all those He puts on our path. Our Christian testimony isn't what we say it is; our Christian testimony is what we show it is. Through our generosity, our charity, our prayers and our sharing the Fruit of the Spirit that God so richly blesses us with when living a Godly Spiritual life.  We must show the world our Love for our Christian brothers and sisters, and then share that love with those around us that have not yet met the Master. He - Christ commanded it! 

I have a friend at work that tells me not to get a narrow vision of God’s character. He reminds me of that, because I often bask in God's Love and Grace, and that probably dominates my conversations and writings. However; I do believe that He is more than just “the big loving man upstairs”. Yes, there must be balance in recognizing, acknowledging and understanding all the attributes of God (that we can know). Balancing our meditation and worship, knowing He is both Loving and Just. Understanding that those same arms that offer His children tenderness, can and will also deliver justice and wrath to those that deny the Son. 

In the end it is that understanding and balance in our Spiritual life that allows us to revere Him and understand our rightful place, “positional truth” in the Kingdom. However; his 1st and 2nd command to us in Matthew 22 was to LOVE the Lord our God, and to LOVE our neighbor. We are to share the TRUTH and LOVE that He put in us through the indwelling Holy Spirit; it is required of every Christian, not just pastors, deacons and teachers. Matthew 22:37-40; (37) He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all of your mind. (38) This is the greatest and the first commandment. (39)The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (40) The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” Galatians 5:22-25; (22) In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (24) Now those who belong to Christ (Jesus) have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. (25) if we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit. (26) Let us not be conceited, provoking one another, envious of one another. 

These two passages set the tone for our service, to love our neighbor while exhibiting the Fruit of the Spirit that lives within us! Exhibiting Meekness (strength under control), restraining ourselves when confronted and offering charity to those around us(our neighbors). How can we march ourselves into Church every Sunday, sing the hymns, listen to the message and offer worship and praise to Almighty God, when we can’t even speak to our neighbors? Unconditional Love HE took to the Cross, no and, no if, no but, HE willingly carried your name to the cross and paid the price that you could not. 

The Father demands that you accept His Son’s sacrifice and payment to have access to them and Heaven, and that we love our neighbor / brother / sister as HE loved us. It really seems so simple reading it, hearing it, talking about it – but practicing it, well that’s another story for some folks. For submission and yielding escapes us – for we have conditions to let people in, or to share or to love. God’s Son – Jesus Christ set the example, HE quite literally, spread His arms and died for EVERY MAN, He then offered a transaction to the Father, (in my words) My blood for their souls Father. Then the Father sealed the deal, and Christ told us in John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”.   There are no other ways, but through Christ and the spiritual cleansing through His final Blood sacrifice – Period. 

So there you have it, the Gospel message, and the challenge to do right by Christ, The One that freely gave you eternal life as a joint heir with Him. Salvation is free, simple and easy to receive, however; practicing the Master’s commandments and statuettes laid before us – well, that put’s us squarely into the spiritual battle. Once in the battle it is easy to duck out and sideline ourselves, falling into the old ways and mindsets. 

I challenge you this Saturday, the 11th day of July 2009 to make a difference for Christ! Get back into the battle, go tell your neighbor you love them, and ask them if they need any help with anything around the house. Or better yet, take over a fresh batch of cookies or pie and greet them with a smile and ask them what’s on their mind today. Look at them through Christ’s eyes, then; let them see HIS eyes in yours! Love your neighbor with a Charitable Christian Heart! 

 “Dear Lord, help us see those you put on our path through YOUR eyes, help us greet them with YOUR heart, help us love them with YOUR compassion. Through these acts of submission to YOUR will, grow us Lord to want to strive for YOUR Righteousness and YOUR Holiness. As we conduct ourselves in YOUR likeness, may the Heavenly Father give us strength to stand up to the fiery darts that will follow from finding ourselves back in the battle! Help us Lord wear the Spiritual Armor rightly, and use it fearlessly. Dear Father, help us display to the world and to our neighbors the Fruit of He (Jesus)that lives in our hearts! May my neighbors see Christ in every aspect of my life, through Your Spirit and Your Strength. Comfort us Lord when we inevitably receive rejection or confrontation in Your name, rush peace to our hearts and minds and we will readily accept Your comfort and recharging of our Spirit. In these things Father we pray in your Mighty Son, Jesus Name, Amen” 

 God Bless – Walk in Christ, RC

Saturday, November 21, 2009

This worlds wisdom? ©

1 Corinthians 1:19-21 (19)For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. (20)Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? (21)For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God; it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 

That day is fast approaching when Christ is going to come in the clouds and take His Church away. Then seven short years later, it’s going to be “everybody out of the pool – the free swim is over”. Christ will intervene for Israel, they will finally recognize him as Messiah, and the world as we know it is going to stop for about a thousand years. Man’s infinite desire to express his wisdom and knowledge will find it entirely finite and worthless in the presence of the One True God. 

The wayward men, who have spent the last 2000+ years trying to explain away God, will be staring at Him on His rightful thrown. Bowing the knee and acknowledging Him as King and Lord, and Justice. True wisdom comes from the Truth of God. Very few are they that carry it without misplacing their way. A few, Martin Luther, John Wesley, Charles Spurgeon, Matthew Henry, C.I. Scofield, and a few I think qualify today that I will leave nameless have carried the wisdom of God’s truth to men. 

In researching those men you will find a common string of Faith, Humility, Reverence for God and a burning desire to learn and then share the gospel. They all sought God’s wisdom, and in many cases throwing the current wisdom of their day to the wind. They understood their place in God’s plan; then they ran their race to the best of their ability. They weren’t perfect, but they were servants of the One that was Perfect. Charles Spurgeon once said “if you can’t trace the hand of God, then trust His character”. 

God’s wisdom is perfect, His will is perfect and His power is complete. Dear Father, please teach us as a people to 1st trust your Heart, and then to seek your wisdom and will in our lives. Help us always weigh man’s wisdom of the day against your Truth of eternity. Thank you in all things Father, in Your Son’s name, Jesus we pray; Amen.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

A peace that passes all understanding ©

PEACE... I belong to a Christian On-Line Community, called the "Gaither Community". Over the last 12 months or so, I have met some new friends. These people are warm, loving and tender hearted. Their love for Christ and His people leaps of the screen through their words of comfort and caring. I am deeply indebted to Mr. & Mrs. Gaither for providing an opportunity to meet Christian brothers and sisters on a global scale. I read a book by Mr. William Gaither awhile back, while it may have been a hard chapter to write, my favorite chapter is "Keep on pumping". The Chapter has at it's center, his Father pumping an old well, in the middle of emotional conflict. Before I read the book, I had sent an email to Mr. Gaither, with a few questions. The biggest question, "did he find himself sometimes going through the motions" he answered the email, and suggested I read his book. I did, and what a blessing. Thank You Mr. Gaither! Through some trials in my own life, I have learned to "keep on pumping (or keep at it, keep going) - even through the tears", and I appreciate your candor and tender heart Mr. Gaither in that chapter of your book. I can't express how much I appreciate your ministry and the wonderful music you bring to God's children. I have made it to every concert that you have brought to State College. Many times over the years I heard one of the Vocal Band's, or one of the old friends song's on the radio just at the exact time I needed to hear it, displaying God's divine providence in our lives. At that moment, the Spirit of God calmed my Spirit as though He was giving a hug of reassurance, or as though one of His strong arms were on my shoulder. Our Precious Heavenly Father offering that peace of the Spirit that passes all understanding. My Pastor has a similar phrase he offers quite often, he encourages us to "keep going". Your Friend In Christ, RC Hall

Saturday, November 7, 2009

What is life, if you lose it due to lack of participation? ©

Together with my closest friend on this earth, we teach a High School / Colleged Aged Sunday School together. The tag team teaching arrangement originally started out years ago as protection from accusations since we had a majority of young teen girls. As things progressed, we began to get better and better material and the class began to take on a new dynamic. We decided that we would teach these teens how to think on their feet and defend the faith in the real world. We informed the kids and our Pastor that we took it as a personal mission to teach these kids to think – and question things from a Spiritual Perspective. We challenged them to participate, to risk engaging even if they thought it may be a funny question. We have not looked back once, but we have encountered a few minor stepping stones along the way. The worst of those are the famous “eggs” that occur occasionally when the class and I are not in sync for one reason or another. Through the lessons I ask a lot of questions to generate a mental exercise that produces spiritual results. We have a couple of kids that are home schooled, one or two in a Christian private school and the rest are in the local secular – public schools. These kids have learned to engage at a new and exciting level, asking tough questions that I don’t always have the answers immediately. So they give me to the following Sunday to get the correct answer and back it with the references. Well, we have this one teen that on most Sundays, would sit with their head down and for the most part non-responsive. Not really willing to risk involvement or participate. My buddy and I talked about this a few times, and always came back to – “oh well – that’s just the way they are wired” and left it go! A few months back our class took one Sunday lesson, and kept it the main topic for four weeks……. The teen that was always on the side lines began to participate and answer and ask questions. I would look at my buddy and smile; hey this was cool, right….. The particular Sunday that changed the tide the specific material was on “dating relationships - & God’s Word”. The material specifically dealt with “post modernism”, and the entire class was energized. We moved off topic slightly to discuss the variety of teen sub cultures in America – more specifically those found in local schools and churches today. They began to participate because the discussion hit them close to where they lived! It was now worth the risk to become engaged, to question the status quo and investigate why some of their friends were the way they are. Thanks to the folks at Regular Baptist Press – my teen Sunday School Class found new life. They looked at some things differently, which gave my buddy and I new energy to challenge them even further – to “expand their circle of friends and influence beyond those they were close with”. My friend and I now had a name to put on the life style choices we saw in the surrounding community. Our teens Sunday School Class introduced us to: (1) Ghetto, (2) Punk, (3) Skater, (4) Prep, (5) Gothic and the (6) Godly (or Jesus freaks). These were terms or classifications for different types of kids, or sub cultures of teens today and as the following 3 Sundays played out – it was my friend and I that ended up with the education. These kids were all participating in the discussions and debates, from what appeared to be firsthand experience. I found it intriguing and ask a ton of questions. Then I began to realize – it was me that had missed the mark on participation with these kids. They needed to trust, in a world and Christian culture where trusting doesn’t come easy anymore. The situations and issues that the kids today are dealing with are 100 times more difficult and volatile to deal with than we knew as young people. We, the parents and Christian teachers and leaders need to embrace and engage these wonderful kids or Satan will certainly win. Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. I don’t want to take this passage out of context, but how are these kids suppose to figure it out on their own – when a lot of the churches in America are worried about the political correctness of the message? Shame is on us for not taking the message to the streets, and our work places and educational institutions. It’s a spiritual battle, and the casualties of war may be our own children because we were too busy or too proud to engage. Who is winning the cultural war in this country – and the world? Engage, read the papers, no matter how horrid it sounds, Satan is in this war up to his eyeballs and he wants to win. The great commission was not just for Pastors, Preachers and Teachers – it was for all of us to grab as many on the way through as possible. Not to rest, not to stop along the way so that the world’s ways become our ways and we end up losing our way in the sea of sin. Repentance is a 180 degree turn, a complete change in our way of life, our outlook on the world and our investment of resources. I see Romans 12:2 as a challenge to participate in the Christian life, and engage in the Spiritual Warfare that is going on around us. Allowing ourselves to become spirit filled to where He can work through us to prove out His perfect will. It’s not always as a mouth piece, a lot of times it is best served as a doer, then finding the right time to speak the truth in love. Christians, engage – hold onto those promises of God, and share the gospel with someone this week. Reach out to a kid in your neighborhood and let them see Christ’s love in your eyes. In the process He will allow you to see them through His eyes! If they turn away, don’t be discouraged – practice continuance and as my Pastor keeps reminding me – KEEP GOING! They are worth it, God gave His best for them, why should we think any less – you may be the Christ that child, co-worker or neighbor may ever see! Dear Precious Father, let us purge the worlds way from our minds, renewing the regenerated Spirit that lives within us. Help us prove ourselves as faithful and good servants to You and Your Son. We will give the praise and honor to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit – in your Son’s strong name we pray – Amen.