Morning Thought with Pastor Tim

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What do you want Me to do for you?

So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” Matt 20:32

This question was asked to two blind men. Can you guess their response?

That’s an easy answer. They’re blind and want their eyes opened so they can see.

They didn’t ask for impractical things. They didn’t ask for a new car or a large home.
Their request wasn’t for great riches or three meals a day.
They didn’t ask out of excess – they asked out of honest need.

What do you want from Jesus?

Some want healing, while others may want a job or better marriage. Someone might want a blessing for some homeless person or salvation for a family member.

Still there are those that want God to help them win the lottery, promising to give a portion back to Him.

Jesus granted the blind men their request and it says,

they followed Him. Matt 20:34

They had already declared that Jesus was the “Son of David”, that is, the Messiah!

They believed in Christ, the Savior.

Though after this story nothing more is said of these two men, I am willing to believe they spent their days declaring what Jesus had done for them.

You can do the same thing today – declare what Jesus has done for you!
It’s not so much what the Savior can do for you, but what He has already done!

Abba, I too often forget the many, many blessings I have. I will speak of Your great goodness toward me. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Nothing New!

Christians are unpopular; viewed as haters, hypocritical, intolerant, bigoted, smug, and self-righteous.

Teaching about sin is unpopular and is viewed as judgmental.

What I find ironic is the amount of hatred that is directed toward Christians by the same one’s that call them haters.

And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. Matt 10:22

And the hatred is far surpassed by anything a Christian might be guilty of doing. After all, if I preach what the word of God says about fornication and perhaps there is a couple living together outside the bounds of marriage, then I am told that I am passing judgment and out of touch with the way the world is now.

The way the world is now is not new. Sin is sin and has existed since that day in the Garden of Eden when the first couple decided to go against God’s word and will.

God gave commandments concerning adultery because it existed and was a problem.
Paul talked about fornication because it existed and was a problem.

God reveals:

there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us. Eccl 1:9-10

Hypocrisy is not new. Gossip is not new. Murder is not new. Cursing is not new. Child molesters are not new. Homosexuality is not new. Alcoholism is not new. Bestiality is not new. Drug abuse is not new. Nothing is new – it has already been done.

But sin will kill those that commit it.

The soul who sins shall die. Ezek 18:4

The wages of sin is death Rom 6:23

But praise God for His gift to us – eternal life through Jesus!

Abba, give me wisdom to always say the right thing to share the Gospel message of salvation in a loving way. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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What it takes to believe!

What does it take for someone to accept that Jesus is the Savior? What is the trigger?

I preach every Sunday and many times there are those listening that need to turn to the Lord but they leave without making that decision.

I recall my own salvation, which wasn’t until I was almost eighteen. I was witnessed to by a young man several years before and even told him I was going to hell. Yet I walked away from that encounter with no change in my life.

For me it took an understanding of my sinful condition and what God had done to remedy it.

Some react quicker to it than others.

In the Bible was a man that, after one encounter with Jesus, found a friend and shared some news with him.

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” John 1:45-46

Philip believed Jesus to be the long awaited Messiah.
Nathanael doubted it.

Philip believed quickly. Nathanael met Jesus and believed. However there were many others that also met Jesus and walked away unchanged, unsaved, unforgiven, and unbelieving.

What would it take for you to believe?

Abba, I pray for those I meet today that don’t know Jesus as Savior. I pray that I may say the right words to lead them to believe. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Feeding

Yesterday, at the radio station, a listener stopped by bearing gifts of deer sausage, both link and pan. He had heard the morning show make a reference to it on the air a day or two before.

This morning I cooked the sausage and eggs and Susan brought biscuits. Top it off with some ribbon cane syrup and we had a feast at KSWP.

I have never met Thomas, the listener that brought the sausage. And I may never run into him again. But he blessed us! Not only with the sausage but just his generosity in driving to the station to deliver his own sausage.

I saw some scripture in a new light.

Jesus and the disciples had just finished breakfast when Jesus asked a question of Peter.

“Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” John 21:15

That can be spiritualized and you can say that Peter was to “feed” the word of God – to preach and teach the doctrine of Christ.

A missionary once told me that people hear the Gospel better on a full stomach.
There is a lot of truth in that.
The church should not limit herself to just preaching but in also feeding others. And if the church does not have the resources to do it alone then she should give aid to those that do.

This has been on my heart lately. It’s not just food and preaching the word, but clothing and basic toiletries also.

When Jesus commanded us to

Go therefore and make disciples Matt 28:19

I believe the method in doing that is in His example of feeding, healing, and preaching!

Abba, I want a servants heart to feed Your lambs. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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The Election

Yesterday was Election Day.

My polling place happens to be my church. Linda and I always go vote right before the polls close so I can lock up the church.

Yesterday I was the last person to vote – #104. There are around 350 voters in this precinct and I was number 104.

Evidently voters did not see this as an important election. Let it be a presidential year and many more will turn out to vote.

Give diligence to make your calling and election sure. 2 Peter 1:10

The church I was raised in was a small country church. One thing I remember is there were 168 on the church roll but only about 40 or 50 ever came to church, that is, unless it was Mother’s Day or Homecoming.

It seems the elect of God are like the electorate of the country – only show up at self-determined important times.

I also remember that if there was some dissension over the pastor and it was time for a business meeting, that people I had not seen in church for years would show up for the vote.

I do not believe any of this is pleasing to the Lord.

He gave us the fellowship of His church so we could grow in faith and knowledge.
He gave us His word so we could read and learn more about Him.
He gave us each other to encourage and be encouraged; to pray with and pray for, and for accountability.

The American voter should show more concern about the election of government officials in the country.
Likewise, God’s people should be more diligent to show their calling and election by being more involved in church, Bible study, and fellowship.

Abba, I vote for church. I choose fellowship and Bible study. I elect to follow Jesus. YES&AMEN

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Persevere

Yesterday morning three women answered phone call after phone call to sign up thirty-one children to sing Christmas carols on the radio.

It took a couple of minutes with each caller to get the needed information. It took over an hour to sign up all thirty-one.

After it was over I checked the call logs and there were over 1,500 phone calls during that time. That’s not 1,500 individuals – it’s 1,500 calls with many parents calling over and over trying to get through.

In checking the logs one individual called 146 times!

I could tell from the time line that he called, got a busy signal, hung up, and tried again.
His persistence paid off. He did get through and signed up his children.

Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord — that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. James 5:11

Likewise, God blesses perseverance! It shows commitment as a strong characteristic.

In fact the Bible says,

tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; Rom 5:3-4

These days there are not many people that can persevere, endure, and commit – whether it’s going to church, holding down a job, or being married.

You will be rewarded in any situation for your moral and ethical perseverance. Do not give up. Keep pushing, reaching, and moving forward!

Paul gives his own example for you to keep going.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Phil 3:12

Abba, I press on in Jesus name. I put one foot in front of the other and keep going! I know You will bless me as I keep going. YES&AMEN

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Whatever you do

He has done it again!

Last night Nik Walenda broke two world records by tightrope walking between three skyscrapers in Chicago, the windy city. One walk had a nineteen degree slant and the other walk he did blindfolded.

The event was promoted very heavily on other channels. In fact, my daughter, Kimberly and I watched one, which is how I knew about it.

The promotion highlighted some of Nik’s other accomplishments.

When he walks the tightrope, Nik can be heard saying, “I praise You, Jesus” and other accolades and prayers to God.

Kimberly misunderstood what he was saying. She thought he had said, “Crazy! Jesus!”, thinking he was telling the Savior that what he was doing was crazy.

To many it is! Both the tightrope walking and the calling on the Name of the Lord!

But Nik is following the scripture, which says,

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Col 3:17

It would be well for all of us to heed the same today and praise Jesus in all we do!

Abba, I praise You for this day. I praise You for my job, my family, my church, for the talents You have given me. May I always use it for Your honor and glory. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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The Holy Spirit and False Doctrine

Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor 12:3

At the risk of being called judgmental, I often see someone that makes a claim of salvation but I see no evidence of it in their life.
I hear a minister read from the Bible and yet teach something contrary.

It seems to me that every Christian reads the same Bible, praises the same Father, and is filled with the same Spirit.
We may go to a different church but all the same things should apply.

But there are some that are on the edge of being sacrilegious – even blasphemous. The Bible says,

the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 2 Tim 4:3-4

The time is here. Unsound doctrine is here. False teachers are here. Even those with their doctrine, which will curse the name of Jesus. These things are not possible with someone filled with the Holy Spirit.

Your only defense is to know what the word of God says through the power of the Holy Spirit. And the only way to know this is to read your Bible every day.

Abba, reveal truth to me. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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The Holy Spirit leads!

I recalled last time how I felt the Holy Spirit leading me to sing with a couple and I didn’t!

That seems to be one of the great characteristics of the Holy Spirit – to lead you.

He’s not only going to lead you to do something positive but to also lead you to do something that seems negative.

They were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. Acts 16:6

I can never emphasis enough that the Holy Spirit is not going to lead you to do drugs or lead you into multiple failed relationships and marriages.

This may cause some discontent but the Holy Spirit is not going to lead you to divorce since the Bible is clear that

the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce, Mal 2:16

But that’s not the purpose of today.

The Holy Spirit forbade the early evangelists from going into Asia, thus sending them more towards Europe.

So in reality this wasn’t a negative movement – it is a positive leading of the Holy Spirit to send the Gospel towards the heart of the Roman Empire, at that time.

Dallas Holm had a song years ago that was called Look for a Window.
The lyrics said:

Hot on the trail of God’s will
And getting warmer still
Got it together this time around
There’s nothing to stop you now

Stopped by the slam of a door
God, what’d You do that for
Sometimes we just don’t understand
How He wants to let us in

When God closes a door, look for a window
Oh look for a window
Don’t stand at the door, there might be a window
Oh look for a window

Responsibilities change
And so do our pathways
One way God shows which way to go
Is to let the old road close

Repeat Chorus

There’s no point in getting down on yourself
God is only point you somewhere else

Please open yourself to allowing the Holy Spirit to lead on what to do today and what not to do today!

Abba, lead me in all ways. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Do not quench the Spirit

When you listen to the Holy Spirit you will find it in conflict with your carnal side – your worldly side.

The Holy Spirit will lead you to do things that your natural being will not be comfortable with.

The Book of Acts is filled of the accounts of the early church under the direction of the Holy Spirit.
The first encounter leads bystanders to believe that the church is a bunch of drunks.

That did not stop the spread of the Gospel or the salvation of thousands.

Do not quench the Spirit. 1 Thess 5:19

I have! I recounted a story from years ago in which I felt led to help an elderly man and his wife sing. He was really struggling that evening. The Holy Spirit told me to go and stand with them and sing.

I quenched it. I justified it. I sat there.

That man died the very next day.

I don’t know if my helping them sing would have spared his life but it would have shown both of them that I cared and loved them.

When you quench (extinguish or put out) the Holy Spirit – it doesn’t just affect you but those around you!

Don’t be like me and fight Him. You will never get that opportunity again.

Abba, I am still convicted by that night and ask Your forgiveness. I forgive myself for my shortcoming and I learn from it. I will strive to listen to You. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN