Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.

2 Samuel 1:23-25

On September 11, 2001 we received a reminder of the brevity of life and the presence of sin and evil in our world. For a brief period after this tragedy many people showed a renewed interest in spiritual things. That did not last long, however. Soon, most returned to the same careless approach to life despite the reminder that should have focused their attention. That does not have to be true of us.

It is proper that we pause today to remember those who were killed on that day, and the thousands who have died during other wars. While we grieve for those who perished, this reminder of the brevity of life and the certainty of death should also cause us to examine our hearts. Are we living in such a way that we are prepared to meet God? Are we living in such a way that our death would be a cause for genuine sadness rather than fleeting regret? Are we living in such a way that we are honoring and glorifying God?

None of the people who were killed in that terrorist attack were planning on their lives ending that day. They had plans for the future and hopes not yet fulfilled. Today we should commit ourselves again to living each day with the realization that it could be our last—and so that if it is, we will not be filled with regret.

We must never forget the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom, and we must never forget that God is our only sure defense.

The Biggest Room I Ever Seen

“ I press toward the mark for the prize the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”- Philippians 3:14

“ The status quo,  “ the norm” , “the way we are” - these phrases are replete with the spirit of defeatism. The Student must understand that there is always room for growth and improvement .

            God’s Word commands us to grow “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord “ (Ephesians 6:4) . In I Peter the Bible says that we are to grow from spiritual babes on a diet of mild, to spiritual adult son a diet of meat. The Apostle Paul , at the end of his ministry ,was not content to rest and reflect while sitting in a prison cell. He asked his faithful follower Timothy to bring him the books and especially the parchments.

Even while his earthly ministry was dwindled to its few final days , this giant of the New Testament wanted to continue to grow, to learn and to sharpen himself.

Those who truly understand the heart of the Lord and the mind of Christ realize the necessity for contend growth and learning . This growth goes beyond the boundaries of academia into skills and character qualities as well.

My dear pastor friend of mine  Troy Kelley while in his eighties was often still studding his Greek on a daily basis, memorizing verses and reviewing the thousands of verses he had previously committed to memory challenged me. I ask him why he continued to study Greek at such an advanced age. He said , “God tells us to occupy until He Comes”

Every instructor, whether parent or teacher must realize that potential is a word that , while sometimes overused ,is also frequently never realized…

Doctrine: God Part I

The Bible does present any argument for the existence of God; it takes the FACT of God for granted. God is the infinite and perfect Spirit in whom all things have their source, support and end.
The Word of God reveals God to us. Because God is infinitely beyond our human comprehension, the Bible often "couches' God in Human langue to help us understand the edges of who God is..

WHO MADE GOD?

Answer: No one! God is eternal. The fact that we cannot grasp this does not make it not so. (We many not understand how electricity works completely - but we do not sit in the dark until we figure it all out..)

Hebrews 11:6 .."Those that come to God must believe that he......IS..."

To first start to understand God you must believe that he IS GOD..

WHO IS ON THE LORDS SIDE?

Exodus 32:25-27

A. There are only two sides ..

            1. The Lord’s Side

            2. The Enemies’ Side

B. These two sides may be indiscriminately mixed up ..

            1. Jehovah’s worshipers in Israel’s camp

            2. The Idolaters worshipers in Israel’s camp

C. The need of Separation

            1. It was called for -II Cor 6:17

            2. Reason for it ..V27..Judgment

            3. Response to it ..Faithful took a stand

D. The Blessing of it

            1. Public knew where they stood for the Lord

            2. They knew where they stood with the Lord 

Wisdom from the Word

"The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?"

Proverbs 18:14

Viktor Frankl was a prominent Jewish psychologist in Vienna during the 1930s. During the Holocaust, he and virtually all of his family members were rounded up and placed in concentration camps. One by one they perished at the hands of the Nazis. By the time the American army liberated the camp Frankl was in, the only surviving member of his family was a sister who had fled to Australia before the war started.

After the war, Frankl wrote a book about his experiences called Man’s Search for Meaning. He detailed the suffering he endured, but he also noted the vital importance of attitude and outlook to whether a person survived that awful experience. Though Frankl was not a believer, he had hit upon an important truth found in Scripture. The spirit of man—our inward thoughts and emotions—plays a vital role in our success or failure in life.

Certainly Daniel had a great deal about which he could have complained. His nation had been conquered, and he had been carried far from home and placed in a training program designed to destroy his allegiance to God. Rather than allow his circumstances to dictate his outlook, he kept his spirit right. On the night the handwriting appeared on the wall in Belshazzar’s palace, the queen described Daniel this way: “an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding… were found in the same Daniel” (Daniel 5:12).

We do not have to let what is going on around us dictate our inward thoughts and attitude. Paul wrote, “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). As believers we have access to a source of strength and power that will allow our spirit to overcome injury and trouble.

Principle: 

Guard your spirit well—keep it in submission to the Holy Spirit, and life will not overcome you.

JOSHUA: Training for Leadership

Joshua 1:1-8

Much of our learning comes through the power of examples. Therefore, the wise Christian will deliberately find godly examples and follow them. In  Joshua we see a man who spent years in preparation under a great leader, and so became fit to become the leader himself in God's own time..

We think of Joshua as a great warrior, whose power and success were due to the blessing of God on his life. At the same time , it is important four us to see that Joshua was a trained and prepared man as well. God used Joshua's time of training under Moses to prepare him for the leadership of the nation . If we will take  the time and effort to become prepared, God will be able to use us more effectively as well..

Monday Moment

Being controlled by the opinions of others is a guaranteed way to miss God’s will for your life. — Author Unknown