THE BATTLE FOR THE SOULS IN A NATION!

July 3, 2022 / readyforafreshstart / Leave a comment

“O LORD, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that YOU, O LORD, are GOD and that YOU have brought them back to YOURSELF.” ~ I Kings 18:37

The Battle for the Souls in a Nation! ~ When you travel to Israel and reach the top of Mount Carmel, you’ll find a compass overlooking the surrounding areas and cities. It was atop this mountain that THE LORD GOD shocked the nation of Israel with consuming fire. Imagine waiting all day for something spectacular to happen as hundreds of people put on their very best show. For hours, the prophets of Baal were chanting, singing, and dancing. These magicians, dramatizers, and actors put on the best show they could muster for all the people of Israel. Around lunchtime, the show grew old.

At this point, The Prophet Elijah challenged these four-hundred fifty prophets of Baal and four-hundred prophets of Asherah by asking them where their god was. He asked if he was too busy to listen to them ~ not omnipotent. He asked if their god was too far away to hear them ~ not omniscient. Then, he asked if their god was asleep or merely daydreaming. Finally, he told them that their god maybe in the bathroom on the toilet ~ not a god at all. They did not take this humiliation well. These prophets began to cut their bodies and mutilate themselves until blood coated the altar. THE WORD OF GOD says that there was “no sound, no reply, and no response.”

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it but because by it, I see everything else.” ~ C. S. Lewis

As we celebrate our national freedom, let’s remember the cost of our spiritual freedom ~ JESUS! Make no mistake, GOD is at work just as HE was on Mount Carmel that day. HE is proving HIMSELF to you today. Be very careful! It’s easy to be like one of the Israelites who said they believed, but there was no living-proof of that belief. Real Christianity results in life-change! Remember, JESUS is the ONE WHO gave HIS life for you. HE is the ONE WHO is actively leading ~ The Battle for the Souls in a Nation!

Living in THE SHADOW of the CROSS

Blessings in CHRIST

Pastor Wes

I Peter 3:15

The Battle for the Soul of a Nation ~ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/17/us/biden-trump-soul-nation-country.html

CHOICES! ~ THE BOOK OF I SAMUEL

March 20, 2022 / readyforafreshstart / Leave a comment

FRANKLY SPEAKING,

22 But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to THE LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to HIS voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. ~ I Samuel 15:22-33

CHOICES! We make decisions everyday because we have so many CHOICES. Think about your daily routines for a moment. Do you shower in the morning before you leave your home, or do you shower the night before to save time in the morning? Next, do you eat cereal at home, or do you drive through somewhere for coffee and your morning feast? Which route do you take: the fastest or the most scenic route? By the way, how did you decide what to wear today? What kind of mattress did you sleep on? Did you wear your favorite PJ’s or just the usual? Which side of the bed did you sleep on? Why?

Clearly, we make so many CHOICES without even considering why we chose what we did not to mention the potential benefits or repercussions of the choices we make. For example, how do you choose to enjoy entertainment? Do you go to a movie? If so, how do you choose which movie? Do you trust Rotten Tomatoes and their scoring system, or do you trust fan favorites?

Admittedly, I make far too many of my decisions by the wonderful process called “winging it.” You might think that pastors spend hours praying about what kind of toothpaste to buy or where we ought to get our fried chicken. However, most of us do not. Truthfully, many of the decisions/CHOICES we make do not appear to have eternal consequences. However, we will meet two men who make their decisions in entirely opposed ways in the book of I SAMUEL. During the next two weeks we will observe two men who were anointed to become kings of ISRAEL. It reminds me of the old Goofus and Gallant characters in the HIGHLIGHT’S children’s magazines. One chooses to do the right thing all the time and one does not. It won’t take much for us to see a very clear application for each of our lives. Enjoy the journey. 😊

Living in the Shadow of the Cross

Blessings in CHRIST,

Pastor Wes

I Peter 3:15

Where Do You Live?

June 24, 2014December 12, 2021 / readyforafreshstart / Leave a comment

FRANKLY SPEAKING,

“…but he who does the will of God abides forever.” ~ I John 2:17b

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? ~ I love the English language! This sentence has more than one meaning. For instance, someone could ask you about your thoughts and focus at any given moment. However, these days this literal question causes you to try to explain where you hang your clothes, microwave food, and watch TV. Next, you have to explain to the person how to get to your home and what your house looks like. For a simple question, it’s a lot of work!

Last week, I had the privilege of visiting a man’s house which was a little less opulent than many I have stopped at in the past. In fact, his house was an older model trailer. Now, before you correct me and explain that it’s politically correct to either say manufactured home or at least mobile home take a moment to picture his residence. It had a spacious living room with a pool table right in the middle. This abode had great ventilation for those cool summer breezes. The best part was his low monthly mortgage payment. Are you jealous yet?

Paul Harvey would say, “And now, you’re going to hear the rest of the story.” The gentleman I’m referring to is one of the many homeless in America today. His trailer is broken apart with missing walls, no running water, and no electricity. In fact, it’s not his trailer. It’s just an abandoned wreck in the middle of the woods. Not jealous anymore are you? I wasn’t either. There’s no way for me to paint an accurate picture which would reflect the sights, sounds, and smells we encountered.

Cheryl, Ashleigh, and I, spent the week ministering to people who had fallen on tough times and found themselves without a home. Most of them were just like you and me. They weren’t angry. They were merely trying to figure out how to make it day to day.

While talking with one of the leaders at a ministry called THE SANCTUARY, we discussed the fact that once we trust JESUS, then heaven is our real home. Everything and anything we have here on earth is merely temporary. It’s all passing away. The only thing we can look forward to with certainty is our relationship with CHRIST. So, with that in mind… where’s your focus and plan for the future leading you these days? I guess I could simply ask… WHERE DO YOU ABIDE?

Living in the Shadow of the Cross…

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Wes

I Peter 3:15