In “ALL” Circumstances

1 Thessalonians 4; 1 Thessalonians 5; 2 Thessalonians 1; 2 Thessalonians 2; 2 Thessalonians 3

Scripture

1 Thessalonians 5:18

“give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Observation

I think we need to understand what this verse says and what it doesn’t say. Paul says that we need to give thanks in all circumstances, but he doesn’t say give thanks for all circumstances. We don’t thank the Lord for a tragedy, but we should be thankful to the Lord while we go through the tragedy. We don’t thank God for a terrible automobile accident where several of our family members were injured badly, but we are thankful to God that He will help us endure the crisis and see us through it.


Application

I need to look around today and be thankful for what God is doing in my “circumstances” right now!



Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to have a thankful heart. Thank you for being with us no matter what we go through. We never go through any circumstance alone; you are always with us, guiding and strengthening us.



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May Your Love Increase and Overflow!

Matthew 28; 1 Thessalonians 1; 1 Thessalonians 2; 1 Thessalonians 3

Scripture

1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.”

Observation

When a toilet overflows it is not a good thing, but when a heart overflows with God’s love that is a very good thing. Paul is praying a blessing asking that their love increase and that it overflow. It is a good prayer for you today.


Application

I will pray this prayer of blessing today to the folks that God brings to my mind.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, may our church staff’s love increase and overflow to all of our church members today. May You strengthen our staff’s hearts so they will be blameless and holy in Your presence.



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A Gift 100% Free, Yet Very Costly!

Psalm 125; Matthew 26; Matthew 27

Scripture

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

Matthew 27: 27-31

“Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.”

Observation

A gift has to be completely free for the person that receives it or it is not a gift. Jesus offers us salvation/eternal life and it doesn’t cost us anything, yet it cost Him everything! He was nailed to a cross for me and for you. He suffered for me and for you. It is the Christmas story!

Application


This weekend we begin our Mission’s Conference. Missionaries will tell their story and we will experience “Christmas”. On Wednesday, Dec. 6th we have the opportunity to bring our Lottie Moon offering and present it to Him. It is His birthday that we celebrate at Christmas so next week is really Christmas for us.



Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me bring you an offering worthy of a King. May our church give sacrificially and may our offerings honor you.



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For Out of the Overflow of the Heart the Mouth Speaks!

Matthew 11; Matthew 12; Matthew 13

Scripture

Matthew 12:33-37

"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."


Observation

Have you ever heard someone defend another person's mean or ugly comments by saying, “Oh, they really don’t mean what they are saying”? Sorry, but Jesus says, “for out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks”. So when a person blurts out with a mean, hurtful, or thoughtless remark they are just expressing what is already in their heart.


Application

I am going to think about what I say today and how I say it.


Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me guard my heart today. May the meditation of my heart and the words of my mouth be pleasing to you today!


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Simple as a Cool Cup of Water!

Matthew 8; Matthew 9; Matthew 10

Scripture

Matthew 10:40-42

"He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."

Observation

In Heaven we are going to receive rewards for what we do down here for others in the name of Jesus. As we worked in Gulf Port, Mississippi repairing homes and a Baptist Church I thought about this verse. We just went to help out, but we went in the Name of Jesus, as Christ-Followers. Now if our hearts were right as we did the work in Mississippi then when we get to Heaven we will be rewarded for the things we accomplished.


Application

Serving others is serving Jesus; when we are do things with the right motives!


Prayer

Heavenly Father, search my heart and show me anything that is not right so I can confess it to You and have a clean heart. Help my motives for serving You today be from a pure heart. Help me touch someone’s life today for you!



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Hey! What's That Sticking Out of Your Eye?

Matthew 5; Matthew 6; Matthew 7

Scripture

Matthew 7:3-5

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Observation

It is so easy to pick out the faults in other people and miss the major shortcomings in our own lives. Jesus says that we shouldn’t worry about the speck of sawdust in someone else’s eye until we get the plank out of ours. I can visualize someone walking around with a big board sticking out of one of his or her eyes as they criticize someone else. It is so easy to be critical because it is how our flesh operates.

Application

I am going to look for any planks in my eyes today and try hard not to be critical of another brother!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me today to only see the good in the people I encounter today, give me your eyes today. Thank you for the decisions made in church yesterday. May you continue to help the new believers grow that you have brought to our fellowship. Use us to help them grow!



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Gulf Port, Mississippi Mission Trip!

Fulfilling The Great Commission!

NO NEW BLOGS UNTIL SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH

Job 35; Job 36; 1 Corinthians 7; 1 Corinthians 8

Scripture

Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Observation

This week we will be traveling to Gulf Port, Mississippi on a mission trip to help rebuild houses and churches that were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina! Pray that we will be a strong witness for our Lord while we are in Gulf Port. Pray that we will have opportunities to share our faith as we work.


Application

“Go”



Prayer

Heavenly Father, help us as we go to be effective in sharing our faith and help us to share your love with the people of Gulf Port!

8 Team Members

James Hartley
Jose Crespo
Wayne Varnes
Keith Bonner - Pastor West Hillsborough Baptist Church
Barry Huffman
Frank Chillura
Pam Chillura
Eddy Williams



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Never! If We Set Boundaries...

Job 34; 1 Corinthians 4; 1 Corinthians 5; 1 Corinthians 6

Scripture

Sexual Immorality

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

"Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 "Food for the stomach and the stomach for food"—but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." 17 But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.



Observation

A television pastor/evangelist once again makes the headlines with involvement in sexual immorality. Evangelists and pastors need to realize that sexual immorality will destroy them and they have to set boundaries so they don’t fall into sin. It is said that Billy Graham will not even enter an elevator alone with a woman. We must make sure that we have people that will hold us accountable so that we are not ruined by sexual sin. I will not be with a woman alone. I will not be in a car alone with a woman unless it is my wife, or one of my daughters. I will not meet a woman for a business lunch or dinner meeting alone. All of us are tempted and if you say you don’t have a problem with temptation then you are either “dead” or a “liar”!

Application

I realize that Satan wants to destroy me and the ministry that God has called me to so I will be very careful with my relationships.


Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me set and maintain boundaries that will keep me from falling into sexual immorality. Keep my mind pure and my thoughts free of sexual ideas that would cause me to sin. Help me keep the men around me accountable and help them to keep me accountable so my life and their lives will be pleasing to you.




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I Can Only Imagine!

Job 33; 1 Corinthians 1; 1 Corinthians 2; 1 Corinthians 3

Scripture

1 Cor. 2:9 “However, as it is written:
"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him"

1 Cor. 3:16 “Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?”

Observation

God loves us so much that He has even decided to live in us! We are the temple of God! We can’t even imagine what God has prepared for us. It is beyond our comprehension! Paul is saying in these first 3 chapters of 1 Corinthians that we don’t need to be fighting with each other. God is doing a work in us and we need to realize that He is the main thing and that we should not let anything divide us.


Application

I can’t wait to see what God is preparing for us. But while we are here on earth, He wants us to be Holy. He wants us to keep our bodies clean because they are His dwelling place.


Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for preparing something for me that is beyond my wildest dreams. Help me to keep my body clean from sin and a place where You have total control. Show me anything that I need to change, any sin that I need to confess, so that I will be a clean useable vessel for You.


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THEREFORE!

Job 31; Job 32; Galatians 5; Galatians 6

Scripture

Doing Good to All

Galatians 6:1-10

"Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5for each one should carry his own load.
6Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

Observation

Someone told me a long time ago that when you come across a “Therefore” in the scriptures you need to look and see what it is “there for”! Looking at verse ten we find a “Therefore”. Paul is finishing up his letter to the Galatians and his last word to them is a word of encouragement; “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers.” In verse nine he says that we should not grow weary of doing good because one day we will reap a harvest if we don’t give up!

When we do good stuff, but we moan and groan about it while we are doing it then we probably need to check our motives. But sometimes we grow weary because we don’t see the fruit or the harvest, we don’t see that it is making a difference and that is why Paul says that we should not give up.

Who needs a word of encouragement this week? Who needs a phone call? Who needs a note from you this week? Who can we encourage?


Application

Therefore! Let’s look for someone to encourage this week.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me do some good things this week for someone that really needs to be encouraged. Place that person in my path or on my heart so I will know they are the ones that need to be encouraged. Thank you for sending people into my life to encourage me. You are so good to me.



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We are so Rich!

Job 30; Psalm 120; Galatians 3; Galatians 4

Scripture

Gal. 4:1-7

"What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

Observation

We have full rights as sons of our Heavenly Father! We are Heirs of the Kingdom of God. Everything that God has belongs to his children! As believers, we are very rich! Can you imagine being an heir to some billionaire, well that is nothing compared to being an heir to everything that God possesses! We have lots to enjoy now and lots to look forward to in the future!

Application

I need to act like I am the child of “The King” and quit thinking about what I don’t have! I have everything! I don’t lack any good thing!


Prayer

God, thank you for allowing me to become your son. I don’t deserve it. Thank you for allowing me to be your heir! Thank you, that today I do not lack one good thing. I am very blessed.


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The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

Job 26; Job 27; Mark 15; Mark 16

Scripture

The Death of Jesus

Mark 15:33-39

“At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
35When some of those standing near heard this, they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah."
36One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said.
37With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
38The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!"

Observation


Mark 15:38 “The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” The curtain of the temple kept ordinary people from having access to God. The high priest was the only person able to pass through the curtain. Anyone else that entered would die. Jesus death on the cross now removes the barrier between us and God and gives us direct access to our Heavenly Father. It is a very big deal even though we don’t think about it very much. I can talk directly to God and I don’t have to go to a priest to have him intercede for me. My Intercessor is the Lord Jesus Christ and it is through His death on the cross that I have direct access to the Father!

Application

My conversation with God is possible because Jesus Christ gave His life for me. I desire to live for Him today. It is important to know that the curtain was torn from the top to the bottom. God is always reaching down to man!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me live for you today. Help me to think about your kingdom today and to focus on your Will. Reveal to me the important things that you want me to do. Thank you that I don’t need to go to a priest to talk with you. Thank you for hearing me today. You are Awesome!



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"We have left everything to follow you!"

Psalm 121; Mark 9; Mark 10

Scripture

Mark 10:28-31 Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"
29"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

Observation

I like the first part of this passage. The part that says that everyone that has left family, homes, fields etc will receive a hundred times as much in this present age, I like. I don’t like the last part…and with them, persecutions!

Kathy and I are celebrating our 37th wedding anniversary today, November 1st! It is hard to believe that she has put up with me that long! She deserves a medal! Kathy is my best friend. She is the best wife any guy could ever ask for. She has been a tremendous support to me during our ministry. I received a card this week from Kathy. She mailed it to my office here at church.

She wrote, “I am proud to call you “my” pastor. Your love for God and the people you are called to serve is an inspiration to me. I wish everyone could see your heart the way I do.” WOW! Isn’t she great! I am very proud of her. She is the very best wife, the very best mom, and the very best Grandma, in the world!


Application

I am going to spend Thursday and Friday with Kathy at the beach to show how much I appreciate her! God has blessed us with so much. We have been away from our families for most of our married life. We have moved many, many times. We have sold all of our possessions 4 different times, but God has blessed many times over as we have served Him. So when we experience a little persecution we need to remember that it just goes with the calling and ministry!



Prayer

Father, bless Kathy today! Continue to use her in my life to keep me focused on you and to keep my life balanced. She is a wonderful gift from you. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy these 37 years together with her in marriage! I am so blessed! Bless her with health and continue to use her to touch the lives of my children and my grandchildren in their walk with You!



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