children

FRANKLY SPEAKING,

11 But King Jehoshaphat of Judah asked, “Is there no prophet of THE LORD with us? If there is, we can ask THE LORD what to do through him.” ~ II Kings 3:11

MY Way or YOUR WAY? {Forgetting GOD} ~ How can I go days without praying? Honestly, I don’t understand how I can become so self-absorbed, focused on my perceived highly important tasks, oblivious to what’s most important. I find myself saying these words while I am alone with GOD after finally realizing that it has been days since I truly sought HIS presence. Do you remember when you first realized that you were lost without GOD? There was a time when I thought I was in good standing with GOD because I was a good person. Then, I found out I needed to be saved, redeemed, and born again. JESUS came into my life and changed everything. HE saved my soul and cleaned up my life. And now, there are times when I just leave HIM out of my daily life because I forget to seek HIS presence. WOW! ☹ ~ Heaven forbid!

In the verse above, King Joram, Ahab’s other son, has been disrespected by another king. So, he calls his friends, other kings, to ask them to help him go to war. He says to them, “THE LORD has brought the three of us here.” However, there is no time when he actually talks to GOD. King Joram has not prayed seeking GOD’S wisdom or counsel. Whose fault is this I wonder? We could blame his mother and father since they both “did evil in the sight of the LORD.” After all, they did not teach him the deep truths of GOD. They did not take him to church or Bible Study when he was young. They never showed him the right thing to do! Sounds familiar, right? Too many of us stopped gathering for GOD when COVID started and haven’t been back. Our children are growing up in an UNGODLY culture! They need to learn GOD’S WAY!

This illustrates the problem with modern American Christianity! Many of us are so busy telling everyone that GOD is on our side, while we neglect to actually seek HIS presence. We have decided that we can legislate morality based upon what we think instead of what the BIBLE says. Steve Irwin often said it all too well… “Danger… Danger… Danger!” Let’s gather & grow again!

Living in THE SHADOW of the CROSS

Blessings in CHRIST

Pastor Wes

I Peter 3:15

Have we forgotten ***GOD***?
²⁴Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. ²⁵And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of HIS return is drawing near. ***(Hebrews 10:24-25)***

FRANKLY SPEAKING,

43 In everything he followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in THE EYES OF THE LORD. The high places, however, were not removed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. ~ I Kings 22:43 NLT

Break Every Chain! I have been working with some of the most inspiring people over the last twelve years who are called “teachers.” These gifted individuals realize that the greatest opportunity before them is to shape the moral character of children who have been chosen to enter their classrooms. I am thrilled to have the privilege to invest is so many lives. We, teachers, are in the unique place of molding and guiding others toward lives of hope, joy, and fulfillment. Last year, I saw one of my previous fourth graders at Publix. He greeted me with his very deep voice by saying, “Do you remember me?” It took a moment, and I told him that it was difficult because he did not have a beard in my class. 😊 He and His family love JESUS! He is definitely one of those success stories! PTL!

Sadly, I have a few other stories which are not going as well. We are also parents who have the much greater responsibility to “train up a child in the way he or she should go…” The promise that follows says, “And, when he or she is old he or she will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) If you take a moment to read the verse at the heading of this post, you will see that “he followed the ways of his father.” Parenting is the greatest responsibility we have. As a teacher, I stand in the gap and point true north to JESUS unashamedly! I wish there were no regrets in my parenting past! I am plagued by my failures and frustrated moments of whining and complaining (especially as a pastor)! You may be experiencing the same feelings…

So, what about the past? We can’t change it. However, we can change the present to mold the future! I am moved by the film, “I Can Only Imagine.” Dennis Quaid portrays Bart’s father as a wretched man. Nevertheless, the change in his life is something only JESUS could have done. Let’s rededicate ourselves and our children’s lives to JESUS! PRAY to Break Every Chain!

Living in THE SHADOW of the CROSS

Blessings in CHRIST

Pastor Wes

I Peter 3:15

readyforafreshstart

Bold thoughts from a bruised theologian with a touch of balderdash

My Way or YOUR WAY? {Forgetting GOD}

Break Every Chain!