Posted by admin on January 24, 2012
If you were to ask someone, “How would you define true worship?”
Most people would answer by talking about a style of music, various elements of a worship service, or they will start talking to you about their church, or their view of religion.
People are certainly confused about this subject. Worship is something that is internal yet many times manifests itself externally. True worship has to do with the heart. Yes, I hope, we do worship as we pray, as we hear the Word of God read and proclaimed, as we give, and as we sing. However, we can do all of those things and never really worship at all. They can all be just window dressing to an empty life.
Let me give some simple positive principles about true worship.
First, True Worship is God-Focused rather than man focused. God is the “audience of One”. It is not about entertainment or “showing off” our churches talent.
Secondly, True Worship impacts our daily life rather than being detached from daily life. The individual who truly worships will be transformed in their living. Our worship will be 24/7 because God becomes our focus instead of ourselves.
Finally, True Worship involves giving God our best. Since God is above all, we are called to honor Him by giving Him the best we have. This includes ourselves, our time, our finances, our all!
“God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:24
Posted by admin on December 20, 2011
These comments made in 1955 were sent to me via an email forward (which I usually do not open) I cannot give a source because there was no source given in the email. Enjoy the read.
Comments made in the year 1955!
I’ll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it’s
going to be impossible to buy a week’s groceries for $10.00.
Have you seen the new cars
coming out next year? It won’t be long before $2,000.00 will only buy a
used one.
If cigarettes keep going up in
price, I’m going to quit; 20 cents a pack is ridiculous.
Did you hear the post office is
thinking about charging 7 cents just to mail a letter.
If they raise the minimum wage
to $1.00, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store.
When I first started driving, who
would have thought gas would someday cost 25 cents a gallon. Guess we’d
be better off leaving the car in the garage.
I’m afraid to send my kids to the
movies any more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying DAMN
in GONE WITH THE WIND, it seems every new movie has either HELL or DAMN in it.
I read the other day where some
scientist thinks it’s possible to put a man on the moon by the end of
the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing
for it down in Texas .
Did you see where some baseball
player just signed a contract for $50,000 a year just to play ball? It
wouldn’t surprise me if someday they’ll be making more than the
President.
I never thought I’d see the day
all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They’re even making
electric typewriters now.
It’s too bad things are so tough
nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make
ends meet.
It won’t be long before young
couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they
can both work.
I’m afraid the Volkswagen car
is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.
Thank goodness I won’t live to
see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I
sometimes wonder if we are
electing the best people to government.
The fast food restaurant is
convenient for a quick meal, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch
on.
There is no sense going on short
trips anymore for a weekend. It costs nearly $2.00 a night to stay in a
hotel.
No one can afford to be sick
anymore. At $15.00 a day in the hospital, it’s too rich for my blood.
If they think I’ll pay 30 cents for a haircut, forget it.
My comment: Have a Happy New Year and keep your focus on the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.
Dennis
Posted by admin on June 22, 2011
The below is the first chapter of a novel I am attempting to write. I have seven chapters done and would like your opinions and thoughts on this first chapter. Please comment.
Leather and Graced Come Together Chapter One
Pastor Mike McIntyre turned onto Jackson Street and made a sudden swerve to avoid the emergency vehicles blocking the road. Parking his motorcycle in a small opening Pastor Mike headed over to a police officer attempting to control the gathering crowd.
“Hi officer, I’m Pastor McIntrye from the Gospel Chapel, can I offer any spiritual help”
The police officer nodded and said, “Go and see Detective Oakes over there.”
As Pastor Mike closed in on Detective Jim Oakes he caught the stench of stale beer and smoke on his brown sport coat. Sticking out his hand he quickly introduced himself to the clean shaved, sandy haired man and asked if he could be of any service. It was obvious to Mike, from the once over he was given by the Detective, that he did not meet Oakes’ idea of what a pastor should look like.
“What church did you say you were with?” asked Oakes.
“The Gospel Chapel, over on First Street, right across from the elementary school.” said Pastor Mike. “A lot of the people call me the Harley riding preacher. What happened here?”
“Oh, that’s you, huh.” said Oakes. “Some lady backed into a parked motorcycle that belonged to a member of the Sons of Lucifer Motorcycle gang. Five of them got carried away and savagely beat her. We’re not sure that she’s going to make it. The ambulance should be here any time. Could you go over and see if you can comfort her?”
“No problem.” said Mike As he turned towards the scene, Detective Oakes grabbed his arm and said, “Her face is so mangled that she can’t talk. The five gang members fled taking her wallet with them and we haven’t been able to identify her.”
Pastor Mike removed his leather jacket before he knelt down to comfort and pray with the victim. It was hard to look at the woman’s bloody and distorted face so he looked square in her eyes. As the beaten woman looked back into his, shivers ran up his back and terror struck his heart. Before Pastor Mike could get his composure the EMT’s were shoving him out of the way. Within minutes they had her loaded into the Ambulance and were headed toward the hospital. Still in shock, he stood staring at the ambulance as it raced off. After what seemed like an eternity, reality sunk in when Detective Oakes handed the pastor’s jacket to him and asked,
“Were you able to give her any comfort?”
“That’s my wife!” said Pastor Mike. “I need to get to the hospital.”
Before Oakes could say anything, Pastor Mike was strapping on his helmet and mounting his bike. Racing to the hospital weaving in and out of traffic the pastor’s mind also raced as he thought of life without his beautiful wife of 15 years. He knew that they did not have the perfect marriage but it had to be close to it. They had worked hard to keep God first in their lives and marriage. They spent many hours counseling couples on what a biblical marriage was all about and they did their best to apply the Word of God in their own relationship. No way would God take Pam away yet! They still had years of life and ministry together. Pastor Mike knew the hospital like the back of his hand having spent hours with others ministering to their needs so he rushed directly to the emergency room just behind the ambulance carrying the woman of his dreams. He stood just off to the side as the doctors and nurses attended to Pam. No one asked him to wait outside since he was a familiar face to most of these men and women who worked in the ER. They had seen him many times with moist eyes and a comforting arm around a loved one as he silently prayed for them. One nurse even remarked to the ER doctor,
“It looks like Pastor Mike beat the family here for this one.”
The Doctor seemed to ignore her as he placed his stethoscope on Pam’s chest and yelled “We need to get her to the operating room, stat!” The ER emptied fast as they wheeled Pam into the elevator to the third floor leaving the Pastor standing alone.
After a few minutes Pastor Mike turned and walked to the surgery waiting room and informed the volunteer why he was there and that he would be down the hall in the hospital chapel.
“I will call the hospital chaplain to meet you.” the volunteer said.
Mike knew no one would come; he was the chaplain on call. The blue green of the stained glass, behind the cross, shimmered from the dim light of candles burning on the table to the right of the altar. The four pews were empty as the pastor walked to the front of the all too familiar chapel.
One hour earlier…
“Hi honey, how’s work going?” Pam said.
“Hey Babe, it’ going good, I almost have my Sunday outline ready and will be fleshing it out later today. How about your day?”
“Not so good. Mary lost the baby and I just left her house. It brought back a lot of memories that I need to address.”
“I will meet you in an hour Babe. Could you meet me for lunch at JW’s on Jackson Street? Why don’t I bring the bike and we can go for a good ride and cry after we eat.”
“Ok Mike, but we will have to talk about the baby again.”
“I know babe, I will see you at noon. Love ya.”
“I love you too, bye”
Pastor Mike kicked back in his chair as he wiped his tears. He and Pam had lost their only child in Pam’s second trimester over five years ago and it still hurt. He knew that they would gain their strength as they meditated on God’s Word and sought Him in prayer. Pam’s favorite place to pray was on the back of the Harley Davidson Fatboy with the wind in her face.
Back at the Chapel…
Pastor Mike knelt at the Altar.. “Our Gracious, Heavenly Father, Almighty God, I am at a loss for words this time. It’s Pam she has been hurt and is in bad shape, she may not make it Lord, if you don’t intervene.” Pastor Mike wept uncontrollably as he thought about losing his wife. “God”, he prayed, “If you will spare her I will do anything you ask, I will go anywhere you want me to go. Just don’t let her die you know that she’s my life. Where would I be without her? Lord, please I beg of you…”
Just then he felt a hand upon his shoulder. Looking up he saw the doctor and the look on his face…
Posted by admin on July 22, 2010
We seem to hear a lot in the news about the Christian symbol of the cross. However, most of the news is about taking the cross down for various reasons. One reason many want the cross taken down is because it offends them. Such as the case of the Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial Cross, when one man filed a lawsuit stating that the cross offended him. In 2004 a Federal Judge ruled that the cross be covered by a plywood box while the case was on appeal. We find this type of lawsuit on a fairly regular basis in our great country. So, what is the “problem” with the cross?
In some circles it is offensive because of the way it deals with human wisdom. 1 Corinthians 1:18 states, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” Then in verse 25 we read, “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
When we get caught up in the philosophy of human reasoning being above God’s wisdom we get offended when we are faced with an absolute truth. The message of the cross is an absolute truth and that is something that many will not tolerate. Those who are offended by the absolute message of the cross are basically saying that they are wiser than the Word of God and that human reasoning and tradition is all that counts. Belief in the simplicity of the cross is out of the question.
The message of the cross teaches us that man cannot save himself. It does away with our human ability and our own strength to get through this life and into life everlasting. Our society teaches us that we can do anything our little hearts desire, we can pull ourselves up by our own boot straps and that there is good within everybody and we just need to bring it out.
The message of the cross says that we are totally depraved and are dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1-4). The Apostle Paul in his struggles with this very issue says in Romans 7:18, “For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.”
George Bennard penned these words “O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world, has a wondrous attraction for me; for the dear Lamb of God left His glory above to bear it to dark Calvary. In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, wondrous beauty I see; for ‘twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died to pardon and sanctify me.”
The cross of Calvary is more than a mere symbol of religion or Christianity. Christ dying on the cross, shedding His blood to pay for our sins is the central focus of the Christian faith. The Crimson line of Christ is found from beginning to end in the Bible. Without the message of the cross there would be no Christian faith.
We can also rejoice in that the story does not end with the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. The story picks up again three days later when Christ was resurrected from the grave. In the resurrection we see that Jesus Christ conquered death and those who put their trust in Him need no longer fear death. Victory is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord who gave His life a ransom for sin. (1 Corinthians 15:51-58)
From the beginning our country has been built on the Christian faith and the principles found in the Word of God. Why would we want to remove “in God we trust” from our money or take “One Nation under God” out of the Pledge of Allegiance? It is for the same reason that one man’s intolerance of the cross caused it to be hidden behind a strange looking plywood box. It is because “the wisdom of God is foolishness to them who are perishing.” Just because the cross offends a few does not mean we let the tail wag the dog.
Posted by admin on July 19, 2010
I recently had a number of days to reflect, meditate and talk with the Lord as I waited for my son, Lance Corporal Josh Snyder, to return back to the States from Afghanistan.
I began my travels to 29 Palms, California with the intent of a six day stay as the 3rd Battalion 4 Marines returned home from the War on terror. Unfortunately, a volcano in Iceland spit out some ash that kept our boys from flying out of Kuwait and I ended up extending my stay for an extra five days. A changed airline ticket, longer car rental and five more nights in the motel stretched my budget way past the breaking point. Out of my 12 day stay I was able to spend a total of twelve hours with my son.
I had to ask myself, was it worth it? My answer is a resounding yes! After seven months and numerous missions involving weapon fire, I was able to give my Marine the “man” hug that I so desperately needed.
As I thought about the situation that I found myself in, 2,000 miles away from my lovely wife and great church family, I began to dwell on the mind and what we put into it. The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 10:5
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
What Paul was telling us is that we need to be intentional about focusing our minds. We need to take charge over what we think about. If we don’t, it will control us. Paul also wrote in Philippians 4:8-9,
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
Paul tells us to think about the pure (that which accurately reflects God) and to focus on the right (or the righteous . . .that which pleases God.) It is not natural for us to think godly thoughts. We have to put forth an effort in order to do it. We need to put the correct information into our minds the same way we must put information into a computer before it is of any use to us.
Since our desire is to think about what reflects God accurately, then the place to start is with the Word of God. As we think on God’s Word we are attaching ourselves to a truth that does not change and is not subject to the whims of human opinion. God’s truth is God’s truth yesterday, today and tomorrow. The Bible does not change simply because our culture and society changes. We need to do more than simply read the Bible, we must get to know the Bible. We must think on God’s truth and apply His values and direction to our life.
As I reflected on the circumstances I found myself in, as I waited for my son to return, I decided I could do one of two things. I could either become negative or positive. It would be easy for me to feel sorry for myself and get all down in the dumps. One of the things that causes the greatest anxiety in our lives is drawing premature conclusions to the circumstances in which we find ourselves. I decided instead of getting negative that I would remain positive and take my thinking captive and make it obedient to Christ.
I have long been a believer that we choose the way we respond to any given situation or circumstance. Why should I allow any circumstance to control my mood? We can focus on our inability or God’s sufficiency. It is ultimately our choice how we are going to think.
We do not need to be negative thinkers, we can be godly thinkers. We ought to want to inject life into the circumstances and people around us rather than drain the life out of the situation and ourselves. We ought to desire to stand for what is pure and not lay down for that which is not. We need to stand firm on the Word of God and keep its truth saturating our minds. We need to focus on the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ.
Posted by admin on April 22, 2010
The Nation israel is out in the wilderness for just a short time and they begin to complain to and against Moses because they had it so much better back in Egypt. They saw a full meat pot and bread coming out of their ears. It sure does not take us long before we forget how bad the good “ole days” really were. Irsrael did not have it better in the hands of Egyptian bondage than they do as a free nation under the hand of God. Neither do we! Freedom in Christ under the hand of God is far better and sweeter than any place we could be in life without Jesus Christ, the true Bread out of Heaven (John 6)
The Lord hears their cries and tells Moses that He will give meat at night and bread in the morning to see if the people will follow His commandments. Most of the folkks do what htey are told but there are always some who push the limits. Some gathered more than they should have trying to hoard and save themselves time and the manna gets worms, rots and stinks by the next morning. The Lord says OK on the sixth day gather enough for the Sabbath as well so you have something to eat on that day of worship. Most do but some decide that they will just go our on the Sabboth morning and gather. Sorry, no manna today you should have gathered yesterday for today.
Interesting every pother day if they gathered too much it went bad. So what is the difference on the sit=xth day—-The Lord! He is simply showing the people trhat He is God and they are not.
Posted by admin on April 15, 2010
No sooner do the Israelites get their song of praise out of thier mouths they begin complaining once again. It is amazing how quick we can forget who God is and what He has done for us.
The water was bitter so the people complain to Moses. I realize that this is just the beginning for complaining, murmuring and whining for the Israelites and I have to say that Moses handles it correctly this time. He goes to the Lord and the Lord supplies the answer.
I was eating in a resturant yesterday and saw a sign on the wall “Whining costs and extra $5″ If Moses had charged $5 for every time the Nation whined he could have retired early. Let us try to keep our grumbling down to a dull roar. We will be better off if we remember that God loves us and desires to care for us.
Posted by admin on April 13, 2010
Once God saved the Israelites from the Egyptian army they break into song basically telling the story of their salvation form their enemy.
I think that even if cannot carry a tune in a bucket, when the Lord works in our lives such as He did in these peoples’ lives He also puts a song in our hearts. I believe that the right music helps us to focus on the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus christ. After all He is the One who has saved us and given to us eternal life. We ought to have a song in our hearts.
Posted by admin on April 12, 2010
You have the Egyptian army to the back side and the Red Sea in front and no where to go — you are between a rock and a hard place — what do you do?
The people of Israel raked Moses over the coals and let him know that they were not well pleased with dying in the wilderness — read verses 10 & 11
Moses responds back to the children of Israel with “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD…” Then Moses cries out the the Lord and the Lord gives the way out. Raise your rod and walk on dry land to the other side.
Some have tried to say that the Red Sea was no more than a swampy area where the Israelites could have walked across without God’s help. According to the Scripture that is just not so. First the waters were parted with huge walls of water on both sides. Then the Israelites marched across dry land not some wet marsh and finally when the people of Israel were all across Moses raises his staff one more time and the Egyptian army is completely wiped out under the mass of water drowning them. Just one more miracle of an Almighty God who takes care of His own.
As verse 31 says “Thus Israel saw the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses.”
We also need to respond to God in the same way “praise Him for His marvolous blessings upon out lives through His Son Jesus Christ.
Posted by admin on April 8, 2010
Once Pharaoh let the people go He led them into the wilderness. This was to keep them from changing their minds because they would have seen war in the land of the Philistines. So they went toward the wilderness of the Red Sea and they did it in an orderly fashion. As the people left Egypt they fulfilled an oath they had made to Joseph and took his bones with them.
The LORD led them as a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. As long as the Israelites kept their focus on the LORD they would be led where He wanted them to go.
Likewise today, as we keep our focus on the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ, he will lead us where He wants us to go. Far to often we want to do things our way in our time when it is always better to do things His way in His timing.