There is a word that brings the fear of God to everyone. The word is "Change." People may even be for it as long as it doesn't affect them. But, if it affects them, you may have a fight on your hands.
Have you ever heard the statement: "Nothing ever stays the same, but nothing changes?" What never changes is human nature, but things are always changing. We are changed by time and age. We are changed by weather and storms. We are changed by seasons, yes, even seasons in our lives.
Change really threatens our comfort zones. We may complain about the way things are but we are comfortable the way things are. We are creatures of habit and when our daily routines or work schedules change, we are not happy.
Change also brings inconveniences. If a road is changed we may have to travel a new way. The seasons bring inconvenience or bus schedules changing bring inconvenience. When store hours or restaurant hours or times of service at church change, not everyone is happy.
Deep down in our hearts we know that changes are unavoidable. They will come. Progress cannot be stopped in America. We are a progressive people driven by success and technology. We love new things but not always new ways. So, we grumble and complain. However like it or not, we do change with the times.
When the tractors came to the farms in the horse-drawn days, it was a hard transition. My grandfather forbid my father to bring a tractor on his farm. But as time went by and my grandfather saw the advantage of the tractor over the horses, he changed his mind. His world and love for workhorses was coming to an end, and he did not like it. But, change came in spite of what he didn't like.
Not all changes are bad, nor are all changes good. Methods are going to change, but there is the question of whether these changes will make us better men and women. Will these changes make us more productive? Will these changes bless or curse our families, and are these changes short-lived or for the long term?
People are always looking for a better way. Maybe even an easier way and, most of the time, a cheaper way. As people are driven to find an easier, better, cheaper way, it must bring change. The change may be machines replacing people. The change may be moving the factory. Whatever the outcome, some people will be happy and some will be upset and angry.
Here is the bottom line. Those who change with the process grow in many areas and become producers not complainers. Those who don't change will be eventually left behind and out of the know. Life must go on.
The key, then, is to make the most of your personal situation. Find a way to be happy and make a living for your family. Seek work that you enjoy. Pick friends and acquaintances that have your same interests. Try to always find joy in the years you are here on earth. Remember, life is just a test. You get out of life in direct proportion to what you put into it. Your rewards are because you met the challenges.
Chaplain Bud
Question: Why do we preach?
It's not to entertain or maintain. It's not to hold an assembly but to produce a harvest. The harvest is souls; saved and sanctified souls; souls on fire for Jesus Christ.
If fishermen went to sea day after day and caught nothing, what would we think? They may be good fishermen using the wrong kind of bate. Or, they may be good fishermen going where there are no fish. But they may not be good fishermen at all yet they still went fishing. The mission of fishermen is to catch fish, pure and simple.
Jesus sent His disciples out to be fishermen of people. To spread the good news that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. That was their main mission. Paul told Timothy to preach in season and out of season; when it was easy and when it was hard.
As long as we have people, the church is still responsible to preach the Word. As long as sin continues to destroy people, we are to preach the Word. Till Jesus comes back, we are to preach the Word.
We who are Christians once lived in darkness, but we saw the light and came out of darkness. The darkness is becoming a bigger and bigger influence in this present world. The truth is being distorted by false teachers. The churches are dying because of weak leaders. The darkness is overtaking the light and that's why we need to preach the Word.
God does not want a partnership with the church. He wants ownership of the church. When God opens the windows to heaven to bless us, that's when satan will really blast us. That is why we preach the Word and live the Word.
If we were half as intelligent and twice as spiritual, the world would be a better place. The church would be doing God's will instead of man's will. If we are going to do God things, it must be God's way, and in God's timing. There is a big difference between knowing God's will and doing God's will. The world is not waiting on a new definition of the gospel, but for a new demonstration of the power of the gospel.
Could it be that our abilities are our handicaps, and our talents our stumbling blocks? If we Christians are going to influence and change our world, the church must make some big changes. First, preaching of the Word must be our priority. True Bible, God-fearing preaching of the consequences of sin, produces conviction that produces change. Second, the church must surrender to the power of the Holy Spirit. We have grieved the Spirit too long. Third, the mission of the church must be "go make disciples", not just converts; disciples who reproduce other disciples.
C. G. Finny said years ago: "There is no revival when Mr. Amen and Mr. Wet eyes are not found in the audience".
Pray about these things and see what God might have in His plans for you.
See ya in church,
Bud
Whatever happened to good common sense? Whatever happened to good family values? What has gone wrong with the American dream? The last 50 years has sure changed America. Yes, some for the good, but so much for the bad.
We are better educated, better fed, better housed, better paid at our jobs, there are better ways of travel, better cars and airplanes, better medications, and better ways to communicate. Yes, things are better.
But, as things got better, we humans have lost our purpose and value system. We are not better morally. We are not better socially. We are not better workers. No, our living conditions got better, but we went downhill.
What happened to parenting? Children run the homes not the parents. When I grew up we understood; "children are to be seen not heard." Children today sass their parents, don't respect their parents, and grow up destined for trouble.
Parents are afraid to discipline children today because of our crazy laws. Undisciplined children are then unteachable children. They cause trouble in the home, the schools, and on the streets. Whatever happened to the teaching, "spare the rod, spoil the child?" Do we parents love our children too much or not at all?
We are losing generations of children not because they are born bad, but because we have weak parenting skills. Children need to learn from the cradle up about discipline. They need to learn responsibility and work ethics. They need to learn good manners and
how to show respect to adults and teachers. Their value system for their lives is established in the home. The Bible teaches: "The student becomes like the teacher."
We have a serious problem in this country and it's greater than our bad economy. It's our wasted future generation of children. We learn good family values from examples in the home. We learn the value of common sense in the home from the parents. Children who are being raised by constant violence on T.V., the computers, cell phones, and baby sitters are missing out on real parenting.
Then, add to this mix no spiritual training and we raise immoral people. Whether people believe in God or don't believe in God, is not the question. There is a God whether we believe or not. The Christian standards and principles in the Bible give us and teach us good guidelines for life.
There was a time in this country when people did not need to lock their doors. You could let your keys in the car and no one would steal it. A person's word was his bond. Marriage was till death do us part. Children grew up, got jobs, worked hard and took care of their parents when they got old.
This was all accomplished without all of our modern trappings. Do you think it may be time to stop and make some major changes in America? Our greatest contribution to our society is our children. It may be too late for some, but it's worth a try for the future generation. There is always hope for the future.
Chaplain Bud
The Christian Church at Cogan Station
God sent His son on a rescue mission; a mission of hope and victory. However, the Jews rebelled against Jesus as they had always done against the prophets.
But Jesus knew His mission and continued in spite of Pharisees and leaders of the Jews. His mission was to them but not for them only. Jesus had compassion on the common people also. They were the ones who responded to His teachings the best.
It was God's mission and Jesus was the missionary. God knew these people had hard hearts and rebellious spirits. He still loved them. God knew they would kill Jesus, but He still sent Him into the battle for men's souls.
It is the soul of people that to God have great value yet are wasted by sinful lives. When people are full of pride and unteachable, the future is predictable. The sins of these fallen people have great consequences and sad endings. The flesh is never satisfied and rebellion is the destroyer Jesus came to battle.
Since the creation of man, his basic nature has remained the same. Cultures and times have changed. Technology and modern conveniences are always changing. But, people have remained the same. We are born the same way as Adam and Eve's children. We live and breathe and bleed the same way. We have a mind, soul, and spirit. We can love and hate, be at war or live in peace, but we are human beings. We drink water and eat food for the body to live. So, for man, life goes on.
The soul or the will of man also has needs. The will of man is where the real trouble comes in.
Man's will drives him by greed and pride. Man's will is needed to live, but, out of control, becomes man's greatest enemy.
When man's will surrenders to the will of God, the man becomes a different man. Greed is replaced with love and compassion. God's will teaches generosity and forgiveness. God's will teaches good moral standards for man to live by. Yes, when God's will becomes the guiding force in the mind and heart of man he becomes a new creation.
So God sent Jesus as a teacher and example of what God wanted man to do and be. He died to purchase our souls by His blood. The very blood the evil wicked men shed by the use of the cross became the blood of deliverance. The victory was God's, not man's.
The blood and the Word became the foundation of the church of Jesus Christ. He paid for it and He is the head of His Church. And because God sent Jesus to a hostile world, we have hope today.
The same message Jesus had from His father is still calling men and women back to God. The same message is delivering people from the churches of the devil. Praise God for His love and sending Jesus with a missionary message. Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand.
See ya in church,
Bud