September 2023
God is even in control of beauty…
Ecclesiastes 3:11 He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
The world this year has had a very hot summer. Some areas are breaking current records. With the hot days come fires and other natural disasters. Many are blaming it on climate change based on man’s influence. When I read the Bible, I understand that God is in charge of everything, and that man can’t understand why God allows things that are out of our control, God claims in this world that “to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”. Most of these things we have no control over.
Trusting God to make everything beautiful in His time is difficult, even for those who are saved by the blood of Jesus. This world and it’s people will not always be ugly with sin as it is today. God will make everything beautiful one day and for all eternity. It must be in His time.
April 2023
The Lord’s Supper or communion is just before Easter Sunday morning. Easter Sunday is when Jesus rose from the dead ensuring at all those who believe in him will have everlasting life. Jesus commanded those same believers to take the Lord’s Supper until He returns again. Then we will take the same Supper in the kingdom of God. It is important for us to remember that Jesus commanded his followers to take the supper in remembrance of his body and blood that was broken and shed for us.
Easter or Resurrection Sunday is a time of celebration and not mourning. When Jesus rose on that Sunday we now have a Savior who can fulfill all the promises to man of grace, forgiveness, eternal life, and a victorious future. Believer, I hope that no matter what is happening in your life now that you will remember with great appreciation what was accomplished before, during, and after that old rugged cross.
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
February/March 2022
Seasons
The new moon for this month will come around March 2nd and 31st this year in New Mexico. In the old testament, God made certain commands for his people to obey. Here are some of these commands:
Psalms 81:1 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto our God of Jacob. 81:2: Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. 81:3: Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed on our solemn feast day.
Psalms 104:19: He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth it’s going down.
God is in charge of every season of life. He wants us to rejoice in the knowledge that nothing happens without his hand in it. All things work out good to them that love the Lord.
February 2021
Vision for Tower Road Baptist Church
Many people are afraid to step out on faith because of the unforeseen dangers that may happen if they do indeed take such a risk. The founders of this church body stepped out in faith when they began Tower Road Baptist Church. They had a vision that regardless the chance of failure, they would start this work in the name of the Lord. I am very thankful that they overcame these fears and difficulties by keeping their eyes focused on the vision given to them.
There are many things that could be done for the Lord, if we would all seek the vision of an all knowing God. Potential works for God have either never started or have failed early because of the lack of a clear vision; faith to start that vision; and courage to carry it out. We need to understand that with risks, are the potential of great rewards. All of the great accomplishments which God has given unto man, were completed by people who were willing to suffer the risks in order to gain the rewards. God will never ask us to do something in which he will not provide us the ability to accomplish.
In this new year, let us have a clear vision of what we should accomplish while we have the time. Don’t waste any more time listening to the devil or your own personal fears. God has given us a clear vision to win and train as many souls of men as possible. Will you be part of this great and worthwhile vision?
ACTS 16:10 (KJV) And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
January 2020
Proverbs 28:18 No vision and the people perish…
Our theme for our upcoming Anniversary Sunday is “20/20 Vision”. I’m sure many organizations are using this theme because it makes sense in this new decade. Having a clear vision for the future of a church is important, but I don’t if this is all God had in mind when he made this statement.
According to God’s word, if we don’t have a vision which loves His way, we will perish. The word “perish” is a word that means out of control until we are destroyed. Not having a Godly vision is not only wrong for one person, but for all of mankind. How do we get a vision that will keep us from perishing? God said, the answer to this in the same verse is to love God’s law. It says that man is happy which is the opposite of perishing. It is interesting how the world’s vision for the future is very negative—from end of the world climate change to gloom and doom for humanity. As a believer and one who loves God’s word, I see the future as a positive thing and loving God’s word means believing that Jesus truly can keep me from perishing. It also means that if I love the Law of God, I want God’s vision, and not man’s vision for the future.
December 2019
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
There have been great writers throughout the centuries who have caught the imagination of readers. I am one of those who have loved these stories. There are also men and women who are wondrous story tellers. I heard one of them when I worked at the Tamaya Resort, who was a Native American story teller. He could keep the attention of all ages. The thing about many of these stories is that they were wonderful, but fictional. My imagination and emotions were charged by something that was not real.
The greatest story ever told is a true story. In fact, it is only effective if it is told only in all it’s truth. It has made it’s greatest effect on all of today’s society. It supersedes all other the other great stories of man’s history. It is a story that should be heard by all mankind, yet many desire not to hear it. The greatest story ever told is the story about Jesus’ birth. The rest of the story continues with his life, death, resurrection, and all of it is true. None of the biblical account is made up. Remember to tell others about the greatest story ever told. It might just change their life as it had changed mine.
October 2019
So much is made of the time known as Halloween. It is not a nationally recognized holiday, though you wouldn’t know that from the material sold in the stores. The national chains and hardware stores make sure their shelves are stacked up with Halloween merchandise. Every year these sales types take up more and more space on their shelves. We as Christians know what Halloween means, yet many just see it as harmless fun. The Bible has something to say about a thing that only appears as evil, but is promoted as harmless fun…
1 Thessalonians 5:22-24 22 Abstain from the appearance of evil. 23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
From reading this passage, and many others in God’s Word, I believe God wants his Son promoted above any of this. When we promote October, we should point people to the last harvest of the year that only God can make happen; not some vision of something evil. Do you even understand what evil means anymore? I know that our forefathers did. That is why they refused to recognize Halloween as a holiday.
August 2019
Throughout our history , people have stated complaints about uncertain days ahead. In America, we have had the revolutionary, Civil, Vietnam, World 1 & II, Kuwait, and Iraqi Wars. I ‘m sure during all these events people felt fear about uncertain days.
Today in America we currently are not fighting a war against another country. I wonder if people still worry about uncertain days. The economy – war on drugs, potential wars with North Korea and Iraq, these and many other things to worry about.
Charles Schultz, the creator of Peanuts and Charlie Brown, talked about worry using his wit. “ Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia.” Also he stated “all worrying today does it take away your joy”.
Jesus made it plain not to worry about the future, but let God take you through life day by day. When you plan for the future, make sure God is included. He knows the future. Matthew 6:34 “Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day in the evil thereof.
October 2018
Hot air balloons work because hot air rises. By heating the air inside the balloon with the burner, it becomes lighter than the cooler air on the outside. This causes the balloon to float upwards as if it were in water. Obviously, if the air is allowed to cool, the balloon begins to slowly come down.
Science of Hot Air Ballooning – Virgin Balloon Flights
God created the ability for hot air to rise so that when heat builds up within the balloon, it can rise into the heavens taking passengers to see things they would not see otherwise. When we pray, we want our prayers to rise up to the throne of God and be heard. We learn from the scriptures just as the balloon needs the hot air inside it to rise. We also need something that strengthens our prayers to rise to God. We need something that is greater than the sin and hatred of this cold world. It is something that actually improves our prayers, so that God will accept them. The Bible states that we need the help of the Holy Spirit, without which our prayers would not rise up and be improved to a holy God. I thank the Lord Jesus that after we are saved, he gives us the Holy Spirit for this reason, and many others.
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26)
September 2018
The United States Navy has over 700 ships that comprise of what is called the “Mothball Navy”. These vessels are anchored in various harbors around the country, and receive regular maintenance to prevent rust. But they are just sitting there, doing nothing, even though they all require a considerable sum of money and effort to maintain them
Ask any pastor and he will tell you that one of the frustrations of the ministry is that there are so many “Mothballed Christians” in the church. They sit harbored there – week in and week out. They require maintenance, especially when they have a problem or need. But they are not doing anything to serve the Lord. Pastors call this the 80/20 rule., that 20 percent of the Christians do 80 percent of the work. But this should not be! If Christ has saved you from your sins, then out of love you should be zealous to serve him! For Jesus said “For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered, but to minister and give his life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). If we are growing to be like Jesus, then our focus in life should be to serve him.
