When man landed on the moon Neil Armstrong exclaimed "One small step for man, one giant step for mankind." The President exclaimed that the greatest event in human history was when man placed his foot on the moon.
However, the greatest event in human history was when God almighty came to dwell upon the earth. We call that the incarnation. We call that Christmas morning. Isaiah put it this way "For unto us a child is born, unto us a child is given."
How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given.
So God imparts to human hearts, the blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming but, in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will recieve Him still, the dear Christ enters in.
That is what Christmas is all about. Please understand, not to understand means you do not have the key to human history. How sad it would be to know biology and not know the "Giver of Life"; to know astromony and not know the "Bright and morning star"; to know geology and not know the "Rock of Ages"; to know botany and not know the "Rose of Sharon"; or to know history but not understand the story of Jesus. It has been said a wise man is ignorant, a rich man poor, and a strong man weak until he knows the Lord Jesus. Jesus Christ is the centerpiece, the focal point of all human history. He is called in John's gospel "The Word". What is a word? It is an expression of an idea. Jesus is the expression of God. That's why the scripture calls Him "Immanuel, being interpreted God with us!"
The cradle, the cross, and the crown are woven together. The little baby in Bethlehem was the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!
As the scripture says "Thou shalt call His name Jesus for He shall save His people from their sins." Our forefathers, for the most part, believed that. Today why not thank God for His unspeakable gift - Himself!
Take time to thank Him for His gift to you, that of eternal salvation.
God Bless! See you Sunday!
Pastor
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Merry Christmas!
I love Christmas! I never tire of the joys of the holiday season!
Since I was a young boy growing up in New Jersey, Christmas has been special. I still remember the Christmas Eve my Dad and I ventured out to get our tree. It was the real McCoy!
The house would be full of the aroma of fresh pine needles. Before we put the tree up we had to put down the Lionel train track. We had permanently secured the track on a large piece of plywood. It was oval, and we only brought it out of the attic for the week of Christmas. Playing with those trains is one of my fondest memories. The engine had smoke coming out of the stack. The caboose had a policeman chasing a hobo. It also had a milk car. When the train stopped, it would load and unload bottles of milk.
I also enjoyed decorating the tree. In those days we used large lights. Then, after the ornaments were carefully placed, we would cover it with tinsel. I mean the kind made out of lead. It's probably outlawed now! The finishing touch was when my Dad put the angel on top of that masterpiece. I believe he has the same angel to this day!
We would all sit around the tree and my father would read the Christmas story while we sipped on hot chocolate and listened to the crackle of the fire.
Early Christmas morning we were up opening gifts! We would each have two or three gifts. It truly was, as the song says, "The most wonderful time of the year!"
Personally, I think we all have a little child-likeness in us at this time of year. I know I do, and it is probably why I still delight in the joys of the season!
I have tried to pass along similar traditions to my children. Things change, but the story and wonder of Christmas endures.
I encourage you to establish some holiday traditions of your own. Make this season special for those around you, for it is truly a time to rejoice and celebrate! As the carol says,"Rejoice, rejoice, Immanuel has come to you O Israel!"
Christ has come to a world of folly,
Light the tree and lets be jolly!
I wish each of you dear, blessed ones the merriest Christmas ever and a blessed New Year!
See you Sunday!
Pastor
Pastor
Since I was a young boy growing up in New Jersey, Christmas has been special. I still remember the Christmas Eve my Dad and I ventured out to get our tree. It was the real McCoy!
The house would be full of the aroma of fresh pine needles. Before we put the tree up we had to put down the Lionel train track. We had permanently secured the track on a large piece of plywood. It was oval, and we only brought it out of the attic for the week of Christmas. Playing with those trains is one of my fondest memories. The engine had smoke coming out of the stack. The caboose had a policeman chasing a hobo. It also had a milk car. When the train stopped, it would load and unload bottles of milk.
I also enjoyed decorating the tree. In those days we used large lights. Then, after the ornaments were carefully placed, we would cover it with tinsel. I mean the kind made out of lead. It's probably outlawed now! The finishing touch was when my Dad put the angel on top of that masterpiece. I believe he has the same angel to this day!
We would all sit around the tree and my father would read the Christmas story while we sipped on hot chocolate and listened to the crackle of the fire.
Early Christmas morning we were up opening gifts! We would each have two or three gifts. It truly was, as the song says, "The most wonderful time of the year!"
Personally, I think we all have a little child-likeness in us at this time of year. I know I do, and it is probably why I still delight in the joys of the season!
I have tried to pass along similar traditions to my children. Things change, but the story and wonder of Christmas endures.
I encourage you to establish some holiday traditions of your own. Make this season special for those around you, for it is truly a time to rejoice and celebrate! As the carol says,"Rejoice, rejoice, Immanuel has come to you O Israel!"
Christ has come to a world of folly,
Light the tree and lets be jolly!
I wish each of you dear, blessed ones the merriest Christmas ever and a blessed New Year!
See you Sunday!
Pastor
Pastor
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Behold the Lamb
"Mary had a little lamb; its fleece was white as snow."
Long ago and far away, another Mary had a little lamb. His fleece was white as snow. In fact, he was God's perfect lamb - sinless, faultless, blameless, and pure. His beginning was not at Bethlehem. On creation morning, the Lamb was there. He enjoyed the real splendor of heaven. However, love constrained Him to come to this sin-cursed earth in human form.
Through the miracle of the virgin birth He entered the human race. His mother, Mary, presented Him to the ages from a stable in Bethlehem. One day thirty years later the roads were full of Jews with their Passover lambs going up to the temple in Jeruselem.
The great John the Baptist cried out "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world." He was speaking of Jesus, God's lamb.
Three years later, approximately 3,000 people stood on Mt. Calvary to watch the execution of three men. Two were convicted felons; the other - the Lamb.
In ancient Israel, the priest sprinkled the blood of the lamb on the annual Day of Atonement. Calvary was God's great Day of Atonement. On that day the people cried, "His blood be on us and our children." After six hours He bowed His head and expired with the words "It is finished". Because of the work of the Lamb we can go to heaven.
Enjoy the presents, remember the Lamb.
Please know how thankful I am for each of you!
See you Sunday!
Pastor
Long ago and far away, another Mary had a little lamb. His fleece was white as snow. In fact, he was God's perfect lamb - sinless, faultless, blameless, and pure. His beginning was not at Bethlehem. On creation morning, the Lamb was there. He enjoyed the real splendor of heaven. However, love constrained Him to come to this sin-cursed earth in human form.
Through the miracle of the virgin birth He entered the human race. His mother, Mary, presented Him to the ages from a stable in Bethlehem. One day thirty years later the roads were full of Jews with their Passover lambs going up to the temple in Jeruselem.
The great John the Baptist cried out "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world." He was speaking of Jesus, God's lamb.
Three years later, approximately 3,000 people stood on Mt. Calvary to watch the execution of three men. Two were convicted felons; the other - the Lamb.
In ancient Israel, the priest sprinkled the blood of the lamb on the annual Day of Atonement. Calvary was God's great Day of Atonement. On that day the people cried, "His blood be on us and our children." After six hours He bowed His head and expired with the words "It is finished". Because of the work of the Lamb we can go to heaven.
Enjoy the presents, remember the Lamb.
Please know how thankful I am for each of you!
See you Sunday!
Pastor
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving!
We've all read the story of Ed Spencer who jumped into the icy waters of Lake Michigan to save seventeen people when the ship "Lady Elgin" sank. After he brought seventeen people to shore he collapsed. Throughout the night he lay in the infirmary. Witnesses said he kept mumbling "Have I done my best?" Edwin Young heard of it and wrote that immortal hymn "Have I done My Best for Jesus?". As Paul Harvey says,"Now the rest of the story".
Ed Spencer gradually recovered from his exposure and exertion. However, it broke his health, from which he never recovered. He moved to California where he spent the rest of his life in seclusion. When he died at the age of 84, a paper told the story and stated that not one of the seventeen he had saved ever thanked him for what he had done.
Oh! How that story should convict us. I read one time that an ungrateful man is like a hog under a tree eating acorns but never looking up to see where they came from. Each day we are the recipients of God's favor and His blessings. Psalm 68:19 tells us that "God daily loadeth us with His benefits".
Please know how thankful I am for each of you. I appreciate your kindness toward myself and my family. Each of you are a true blessing. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Enjoy the food, festivities and family. Remember where it all has come from and thank Him for it. God bless you dear and wonderful people. I love you dearly!
See you Sunday!
Pastor
Ed Spencer gradually recovered from his exposure and exertion. However, it broke his health, from which he never recovered. He moved to California where he spent the rest of his life in seclusion. When he died at the age of 84, a paper told the story and stated that not one of the seventeen he had saved ever thanked him for what he had done.
Oh! How that story should convict us. I read one time that an ungrateful man is like a hog under a tree eating acorns but never looking up to see where they came from. Each day we are the recipients of God's favor and His blessings. Psalm 68:19 tells us that "God daily loadeth us with His benefits".
Please know how thankful I am for each of you. I appreciate your kindness toward myself and my family. Each of you are a true blessing. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Enjoy the food, festivities and family. Remember where it all has come from and thank Him for it. God bless you dear and wonderful people. I love you dearly!
See you Sunday!
Pastor
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Preparation for the Journey
My wife and I recently took a trip to visit our daughter who is away at college. We got the suitcases out and excitedly packed for a four day excursion. My wife packed like she was going for 6 months! But that's another story.
I packed my clothes and a few necessities. Then I packed a few things I thought I might need; The camera, fishing rod, a book, I-Pod and the list goes on and on.
What I thought would be a simple and quick task turned into a marathon. Packing had become a minor moving job! Then a thought occured to me. If we spend this much time to get ready for a short trip, how much time should we spend to get ready for eternity? Someone has said "Life is a dress rehearsal for a role on the stage of eternity." If we are fortunate we will live to be 70 or so. If we are really blessed, we may have 80-85 years. However, sooner or later life will end. We will be in eternity forever. Think of any vast number of years you can imagine. After that time period, eternity will still last forever. The mind cannot accept it, it boggles the brain. We have no vision capable of seeing or comprehending eternity. However, according to the Bible, eternity is real and every person will spend eternity in heaven or hell.
Therefore, in light of the length and importance of the trip, a man would be hard put to spend too little time in preparation.
How much packing time for that journey have you spent recently? Think about it. It makes sense to be prepared.
See you on Sunday!
Pastor
I packed my clothes and a few necessities. Then I packed a few things I thought I might need; The camera, fishing rod, a book, I-Pod and the list goes on and on.
What I thought would be a simple and quick task turned into a marathon. Packing had become a minor moving job! Then a thought occured to me. If we spend this much time to get ready for a short trip, how much time should we spend to get ready for eternity? Someone has said "Life is a dress rehearsal for a role on the stage of eternity." If we are fortunate we will live to be 70 or so. If we are really blessed, we may have 80-85 years. However, sooner or later life will end. We will be in eternity forever. Think of any vast number of years you can imagine. After that time period, eternity will still last forever. The mind cannot accept it, it boggles the brain. We have no vision capable of seeing or comprehending eternity. However, according to the Bible, eternity is real and every person will spend eternity in heaven or hell.
Therefore, in light of the length and importance of the trip, a man would be hard put to spend too little time in preparation.
How much packing time for that journey have you spent recently? Think about it. It makes sense to be prepared.
See you on Sunday!
Pastor
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Don't Be A Draft Dodger
In a bold and daring move Franklin Roosevelt selected an unlikely candidate to lead the Allied Forces in the effort to crush Hitler. The obvious choice would have been either Douglas MacArthur or George Patton. Either was supremely qualified to handle the assignment. However, the rumor in the White House was that each of these men was more concerned with his own reputation than the success of the mission.
So Roosevelt chose a young General from Kansas. Dwight D. Eisenhower wasn't as dynamic as the others, but he was selected to be the man of the hour, and he got the job done in outstanding fashion.
It is important for us to recognize, as Eisenhower had his time and place in history, all of us have a time and a purpose as well. You and I were not accidents. When God formed you He threw away the mold. Contrary to popular opinion, there are no two people who are exactly alike. There is no one quite like you.
In all of us there is a uniqueness which is known only to God, a uniqueness with which He has deliberately endowed us for a particular purpose. In other words, God has specifically designed a work for you to accomplish, but He has also specifically designed you so you could accomplish it! Do you realize that God has a sovereign plan and purpose for your life and mine? Do you realize there is something God has for you to do that no one else can do?
F.B.Meyer put it this way: "From the foot of the cross, to the brink of the river where we lay our armor down, there is a pathway which God has prepared for us to walk in." From generation to generation God has prepared for each of us our role in His kingdom.
Often God uses the least likely's, the never-want–to-be's and the who-me's to accomplish His work. Ehud was chosen because he was left handed; Gideon because he was the least of his father's house; Nehemiah was a food taster and Jonah was full of prejudice. Each one had a uniqueness which God used to fulfill His purpose.
Time is moving on, we will soon depart. Do you want God to use you? You need not be a trained theologian, or skilled craftsman. All you have to be is available.
Don't be a draft-dodger. God has a job for you - do it!
See you on Sunday!
Pastor
So Roosevelt chose a young General from Kansas. Dwight D. Eisenhower wasn't as dynamic as the others, but he was selected to be the man of the hour, and he got the job done in outstanding fashion.
It is important for us to recognize, as Eisenhower had his time and place in history, all of us have a time and a purpose as well. You and I were not accidents. When God formed you He threw away the mold. Contrary to popular opinion, there are no two people who are exactly alike. There is no one quite like you.
In all of us there is a uniqueness which is known only to God, a uniqueness with which He has deliberately endowed us for a particular purpose. In other words, God has specifically designed a work for you to accomplish, but He has also specifically designed you so you could accomplish it! Do you realize that God has a sovereign plan and purpose for your life and mine? Do you realize there is something God has for you to do that no one else can do?
F.B.Meyer put it this way: "From the foot of the cross, to the brink of the river where we lay our armor down, there is a pathway which God has prepared for us to walk in." From generation to generation God has prepared for each of us our role in His kingdom.
Often God uses the least likely's, the never-want–to-be's and the who-me's to accomplish His work. Ehud was chosen because he was left handed; Gideon because he was the least of his father's house; Nehemiah was a food taster and Jonah was full of prejudice. Each one had a uniqueness which God used to fulfill His purpose.
Time is moving on, we will soon depart. Do you want God to use you? You need not be a trained theologian, or skilled craftsman. All you have to be is available.
Don't be a draft-dodger. God has a job for you - do it!
See you on Sunday!
Pastor
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Catching Up
My apologies for not posting a blog last week. I made a quick trip to Florida to attend the Southwide Baptist Fellowship sponsored by Trinity Baptist Church. It just so happens that my daughter attends Trinity Baptist College in Jacksonville, so we killed the proverbial “two birds with one stone”. It sure was good to see Emily and see how she's adapting to college life. She stayed with Jeanette and me at night and we enjoyed talking about her life in college: her academics, playing on the volleyball team, etc. She's getting involved in singing groups, and I even met some boy who seemed to keep hanging around us. I thought he was a pretty good guy - as guys go!
It is a real eye-opener to see your children mature. It causes you to praise the Lord and breath a sigh of relief that just maybe you did something right. I am looking forward to Thanksgiving when, Lord willing, I will see her again.
I really enjoyed the Pastor of the church in Jacksonville. He has done a wonderful job with that ministry. The preaching at the conference was richly inspiring. Between the music and the preaching we had a veritable spiritual feast for two days. I also attended a couple of workshops that really gave me some insight into the ministry.
We left Monday around noon and were back home Thursday evening. It was a quick trip but very much worth it. Thank God for traveling mercies!
Forgive me for being so personal, but I just wanted to share my blessings with you.
Please know I sure do love and appreciate you dear, wonderful people.
God is love and Jesus is wonderful! Lord willing I will see you Sunday!
Pastor
It is a real eye-opener to see your children mature. It causes you to praise the Lord and breath a sigh of relief that just maybe you did something right. I am looking forward to Thanksgiving when, Lord willing, I will see her again.
I really enjoyed the Pastor of the church in Jacksonville. He has done a wonderful job with that ministry. The preaching at the conference was richly inspiring. Between the music and the preaching we had a veritable spiritual feast for two days. I also attended a couple of workshops that really gave me some insight into the ministry.
We left Monday around noon and were back home Thursday evening. It was a quick trip but very much worth it. Thank God for traveling mercies!
Forgive me for being so personal, but I just wanted to share my blessings with you.
Please know I sure do love and appreciate you dear, wonderful people.
God is love and Jesus is wonderful! Lord willing I will see you Sunday!
Pastor
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