The video Series
America’s Godly Heritage
by David Barton
Wednesdays @ 7:00 PM
Learn from our founding father’s what they intended America to be!
Everyone loves and wants to be loved. So often we start out with a quid pro quo type of thinking. This is the type of thinking that says “What have you done for me lately?” Moreover, it is usually void of any forgiveness.
This is the opposite of the love that God has for us. God wants our best and since He is the one that created us, He knows us better than we know ourselves.
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Easter is a time to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. The reason for our faith is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Jesus not be raised, our faith is in vain. It is safe to say that all people have faith in something. However, misplaced faith is no help at all. In fact, it can hurt.
Our faith must be in Christ alone!
I whom or it what have you placed your faith?
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RELENTLESS LOVE
His Love Never Runs Out
“See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. Deuteronomy 30:15-16 (NASB)
The song “One Thing Remains” by Jesus Culture has a line that is incredibly important to remember as they sing about God, “Your love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on me”. What can love do in a person’s life? Melvin Newland tells the following story:
When Robert Browning came into her life, Elizabeth Barrett was a 39-year-old invalid. Daughter of a jealous & dominating father, her first 4 books of poetry had been published when she was just 12 years old. At 15 she injured her spine, & the resulting confinement in London affected her lungs, & she came to be regarded as a permanent invalid, doomed to spend her life in bed. But still she kept writing.
As time passed, the grief caused by the drowning of a brother, & her father’s refusal to allow any of his children to marry made her a recluse. Nearing 40, she seemed destined for a life of helplessness & gloom.
But the publication of one of her books brought about a correspondence with another poet, a man by the name of Robert Browning. He visited her, & then they wrote often to each other, with him encouraging her to try to get out of bed & make every effort to resume a normal life. But this met with strong resistance from her parents. And they resented Robert for even suggesting it.
They refused to allow him to visit her again, but the correspondence continued, & soon they were in love. Finally, more than a year later, she escaped the possessive vigilance of her father & they were secretly married. They immediately moved to Italy, & in that sunny climate it wasn’t long until she was strong & active once again.
Her parents disowned her, but she wrote almost every week, telling them that she loved them & longed for a reconciliation. After 10 years of writing to them, she received a huge box in the mail that contained all the letters she had ever sent. Not a one of them had been opened!
Although these “love letters” have now become a precious part of English literature, it’s sad to know that they were never read by her parents. Had they looked at just one, the broken relationship with their daughter might have been healed.
But no, they wouldn’t & they didn’t. We hear a story like that & we think, “Oh, what a pitiful story. What a pitiful thing for her parents to be like that.” You’re right. But let me ask you, “Is it possible that as far as God is concerned, that some of us are acting exactly the same way that her parents did?” How often has God made His love known to us?”
Today’s Prayer
Dear Lord,
There have been many times when I was blinded by my determination to get “things” accomplished! Please help me to know Your love and give me the courage to love others. You always want my best, but give me the freedom to choose less. Thank You for the reminder of how constant Your love is. In Jesus Name, Amen.
RENTLESS LOVE
Unconditional?
“The LORD your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. “And you shall again obey the LORD, and observe all His commandments which I command you today. “Then the LORD your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground, for the LORD will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers; if you obey the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul. Deuteronomy 30:7-10 (NASB)
Love is seen in our world today as acceptance. Acceptance of anything one chooses to do regardless of the morals used or lack thereof. The standard for right and wrong is no longer blurred; it has all but been erased! We now live in a world where what used to be right is wrong and what used to be wrong is becoming totally accepted. Moreover, if someone chooses not to accept today’s version of “right”, they are seen as haters.
When we consult the Bible, we get a much clearer picture of what love is, but hang on, it is not the typical understanding of today. We are told in I John 4:8 (NASB) that, “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” He continues in verse 16 with “We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” It is extremely easy to walk away with the idea that the love of God for us is unconditional and that we must unconditionally love everyone else, even what they do. However, you would be wrong!
God tells Israel in Deuteronomy 30:8-9 “And you shall again obey the LORD, and observe all His commandments which I command you today. “Then the LORD your God will prosper you …” Moreover, Jesus in comforting His disciples in John 14:15 says, “”If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” While the love is God is unconditional meaning He always wants the best for us, but He demands something from us. If we choose to disobey Him… If we choose to do it our way… there are consequences. God’s love, or at least His blessings on us is conditional.
It seems so simple when you think about it. Every design in life has a purpose. We build our houses to a certain standard because we expect them to be safe, secure, and last a lifetime. We were created to last an eternity. Instead of trying to change the standards by which we live, let us live by the standard by which we were created!
Today’s Prayer
Dear Lord,
I thank You for loving me. I can never stray so far as to escape your love. I also understand that every choice I make has consequences. Help me to live my life so that my consequences will always be your blessing! In Jesus Name, Amen.
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2014
The Bible says "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ~'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ~'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ~'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' Matthew 25:34-40 (NASB) On Saturday, May 3rd, Beulah Baptist Church went out into the community to share the love of God in some tangible ways.
Thank you for responding to His Call.
RELENTLESS LOVE
Prone to Wander
“So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the LORD your God has banished you, and you return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, then the LORD your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. “If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. “The LORD your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. Deuteronomy 30:1-5 (NASB)
It has been in our nature since the “Fall of Man” to wander away from God. It is clearly seen in the life of Israel, God’s chosen people. In times of adversity, they would cry out to God for salvation. In times of prosperity, they would have a false sense of security in material possessions instead of trusting the God from whom their blessings came. It is so obvious to see it happening in the Israelites as we read the Bible. It is even fairly easy to see it when it happens to my neighbor. However, it is incredibly hard to see it happening in me. Yet I know that it is my nature just as it was in Adam to trust in the creation rather than the Creator!
Kenneth W. Osbeck in 101 Hymn Stories tells the story behind a favorite hymn that deals with wandering away from God:
“Robert Robinson had been saved out of a tempestuous life of sin through George Whitfield’s ministry in England. Shortly after that, at the age of twenty-three, Robinson wrote the hymn Come, Thou Fount.
Come, Thou Fount of ev’ry blessing, Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.
Sadly, Robinson wandered far from those streams and, like the Prodigal Son, journeyed into the distant country of carnality. Until one day—he was traveling by stagecoach and sitting beside a young woman engrossed in her book. She ran across a verse she thought was beautiful and asked him what he thought of it.
Prone to wander— Lord, I feel it— Prone to leave the God I love.
Bursting into tears, Robinson said, “Madam, I am the poor unhappy man who wrote that hymn many years ago, and I would give a thousand worlds, if I had them, to enjoy the feelings I had then.” Although greatly surprised, she reassured him that the “streams of mercy” mentioned in his song still flowed. Mr. Robinson was deeply touched. Turning his “wandering heart” to the Lord, he was restored to full fellowship.”
Moses reminds the Israelites when “these things have come upon you” to return to the Lord. God is relentless in His love towards us. He is faithful to do what He promised.
Today’s Prayer
Dear Lord,
Forgive me for my sin, my pride of self-sufficiency. I know Your Word is true and You have created all that I am or have. I know that You will restore me or anyone who turns from sin and comes to you. Help me to live my life honoring You with every choice I make. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Gates County, NC
Tuesday, May 6th
Polls open 6:30 AM till 7:30 PM
On Tuesday, we have a privilege for which most people in the world long. We have the opportunity to elect the people who will govern us. This is the first of a two step process. On Tuesday, May 6th, we will choose the people who will run in the General Election to be held on November 4, 2014. Please take time to vote Christian Values this election day. If you don’t, who will?
If you are unsure who is running for the different offices, you can find a helpful voter guide at http://c3.thevoterguide.org/v/nccve14/build.do.
Faith in God will create a lifestyle of involvement with God’s people and in God’s causes. The question we must ask ourselves – “Is my faith useless?”
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National Day of Prayer
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)
The following is something I have shared before. Even though this was written 18 years ago, it is still relevant. Moreover, this is my prayer today.
A NATIONAL PRAYER OF REPENTANCE
Joe Wright is the pastor of Central Christian Church in Wichita, KS. On January 23, 1996, He was asked to be the guest chaplain for the Kansas State House in Topeka. He prayed a prayer of repentance that was written by Bob Russell, pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. According to an article in the Kansas City Star from January 24, 1996, his prayer stirred controversy, and one member of the legislative body walked out. Others criticized the prayer.
The controversy didn’t end there. Later that year in the Colorado House, Republican representative Mark Paschall angered lawmakers by using Joe Wright’s prayer as the invocation. Some members there also walked out in protest.
Paul Harvey got a hold of the prayer and read it on his program. He got more requests for copies of it than any other thing he had ever done. Here’s what he prayed:
“Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, “Woe to those who call evil good,” but that’s exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values. We confess that:
We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism.
We have worshipped other gods and called it multi-culturalism.
We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it a choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.
We have abused power and called it political savvy.
We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the airwaves with profanity and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of Kansas, and who have been ordained by You, to govern this great state. Grant them Your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of Your
will… Amen
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