Some of Our October 2009 Articles (Download October Full Issue PDF)

People Who Scare Me To Death!

PEOPLE WHO SCARE ME TO DEATH … Galatians 4:1-11
Galatians 4:11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Some of PEOPLE scare me to death. I’m not afraid of danger THEY might do to ME, but I AM afraid of danger that THEY might do to THERESELVES.

I. PEOPLE WHO REJECT SALVATION SCARE ME TO DEATH
2 Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation) Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

· Time here is so fleeting
· Torment in hell is so fierce

II. PEOPLE WHO REBEL AGAINST THE SPIRIT OF GOD SCARE ME TO DEATH
Acts 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

· To rebel against the Spirit of God is to defy your own Creator
· To rebel against the Spirit of God is to despise your own Comforter
· To rebel against the Spirit of God is to defile your own conscience

III. PEOPLE WHO ROB GOD SCARE ME TO DEATH
Malachi 3:8-9 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

· You curse your own finances when you rob God
· You curse your own family when you rob God
· You curse the family of God when you rob God

IV. PEOPLE WHO RUN FROM SERVING GOD SCARE ME TO DEATH
Jonah 1:1-3 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. 3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

· Because of its effect on your church
· Because of its effect on your children
· Because of its effect on your chastisement
· Because of its effect on your crowns in glory Pastor Rodney Ricketts

See You In Church Pastor Rodney Ricketts

Thoughts, Desires and Motives

Thoughts, Desires and Motives By Ellis Bartley

Scripture: Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
II Corinthians 10:5

We are dealing in this issue with the subject of “Bringing your thoughts into captivity.”
Let’s look at the last phrase of our Scripture again. The Word of God says “bringing into captivity (or control)
every thought to the obedience of Christ.” You may say, “That’s impossible, thoughts just happen.” Now, let’s
consider, our thought life, how can we control our thought life? How can we bring every thought into the
obedience of Christ?

First of all let’s consider, every evil, every sinful thing, every crime, every murder, every theft, every wrong thing ever committed upon this earth had it’s beginning in someone’s thoughts. They began to think about it,…… for instance a young person begins to look at things, a nice car, money, nice clothes, being accepted by his peers. He begins to “think” how nice it would be to have these things. Then he begins to plan a method of getting these things, he considers all alternatives, a good paying job, he can’t find one, his parents can’t afford to buy these things for him. He continues on thinking about these nice things and his “desire” is so great that he goes out and commits robbery to get these nice things and all he is able to get is a long time locked behind iron bars, but all this began with a thought and developed into a sin and crime.

The only way to control wrong thinking is to replace it with right thinking—let me repeat— Now catch this—

“The only way to control wrong thinking is to replace it with right thinking.” You try that….it will work, for example, while eating you begin thinking of gross, unclean things which destroys your appetite, replace those thoughts with beautiful things, like, as my mother taught me to think of a big field, full of beautiful flowers all in bloom with a heavenly fragrance. That will work, I’ve used it for years. That system will work when we have thoughts of sinful things also. The Word of God is much help in shaping our thought life. Notice what The Word says in Hebrews 4:12 “...the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Notice it says that the Word of God is a discerner which means to be able to tell the difference between two or more things. The word of God will help us to make good decisions concerning our thoughts and intentions

May Your Day Be Special

One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers.

That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said about that individual. On Monday she gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. "Really?" she heard whispered. "I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!" and, "I didn't know others liked me so much," were most of the comments.

No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. She never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn't matter.The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another.
That group of students moved on. Several years later, one of the students was killed in Vietnam and his teacher attended the funeral of that special student. She had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. He looked so handsome, so mature.

The church was packed with his friends. One by one those who loved him took a last walk by the coffin. The teacher was the last one to bless the coffin. As she stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to her. "Were you Mark's math teacher?" he asked. She nodded: "yes." Then he said: "Mark talked about you a lot." After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates went together to a luncheon. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting to speak with his teacher. "We want to show you something," his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket. "They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it." Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. The teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which she had listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him. "Thank you so much for doing that," Mark's mother said. "As you can see, Mark treasured it." All of Mark's former class mates started to gather around. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, "I still have my list. It's in the top drawer of my desk at home." Chuck's wife said, "Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album." "I have mine too," Marilyn said. "It's in my diary." Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. "I carry this with me at all times, " Vicki said and without batting an eyelash, she continued: "I think we all saved our lists."

That's when the teacher finally sat down and cried. She cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again. The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be. So please, tell the people you love and care for, that they are special and important. Tell them, before it is too late... Remember, you reap what you sow, what you put into the lives of others comes back into your own.

MAY YOUR DAY BE AS SPECIAL AS YOU ARE.




Bookends of Life

In life, we have two bookends
A beginning and an end
The things amid do fill the gaps
Whereby, our lives do blend.
The volumes which are written
Reveals the light of men
The print upon the pages
Contain the breath within.
The chapters stack so neatly
Are bounded at the seams
And filled with aspirations
Our failures and our dreams.
The many happy chapters
Hold sorrow in-between
The valleys and the mountains
Are parts of life’s great scheme.
The fiber of our being
Is glue that makes it stick.
The text that fills the pages
Are choices we did pick.
It takes a set of bookends
To make one’s life complete
The content comes together
When both the ends do meet.
One day upon completion
Our lives will be made whole
When Jesus reads our memoir
The mirror to our soul.
We cannot change the content
Once written, nevermore
It’s stored amongst God’s archives
Upon that golden shore.




October Mist

Homesick in this month, October, for old friends I now most yearn, take me back to that warm hearth where my soul seeks quick return... Trapped here in this asphalt jungle, longing for fresh air and field, farm with bulging barn and silo storing many crops of yield... October mist on morning meadow, calming peace at early day, recalls to mind the harvest season, life lived in a better way... Ccowbells clanging on far paths, heavy chores by morning sun, weary heads that rest on pillow when a long day’s work is done... Soon the weather will be changing, time to linger, rake the leaves, cut firewood, mend the fences, thoughts that force my heart to grieve... Take me to that place I wandered, carefree dreamer, just a child, let those memories be my future, take me from this city wild… Tamara Hillman - ©2005

Thank God that here in East Tennessee we have the wonderful luxuryof the mountains, lakes and meadows that so many places not longer have.We take so much for granted, God has been so good to all of us with His amazing Grace and all the beauty that we have right here in our own little corner of the world. Have a blessed fall and don’t forget where it came from.

Riddle N Rhymes From Bible Times

“Riddles “N” Rhymes From Bible Times” By Pastor Mike Owens

She looked real good - as in the window she stood - with her face painted and dressed to kill. Then he rode in - and looked up with a grin - the prophet's words he was sure to fulfill.

And when he asked who - he found there was two - who would do just what he would say. So they threw her down - below to the ground - where she died there on that day. The horses did trod - her into the sod - and her blood was left there on the wall.

Now everyone knew - her wicked reign was through - and they were glad to see her fall.

He told them to hurry - her body to bury - for that's just what you do with the dead.

But when they got to the ground - all that they found - was her feet, her hands, and her head.

Who was she?          ANSWER (unscramble): BLEZJEE



God Never Looses Even One

GODd NEVER LlOSES EVEN ONE

Oh little one within the womb

Our Heavenly Father did not send you to earth to meet your doom.

Your pathway has been carefully planned and designed.

Whether you walk it out on the earth or spend it with Jesus all will be fine.The Word tells us Jesus knew you before you were born.

He tells us your days have been recorded in the book of lifewhere pages are never torn.

Some of you have been discarded and called just "tissue."

Don't worry little one - with God that's not an issue.

Our Father's plans for you will not go astray.

How precious your life is we will still convey.

If you are allowed to complete your journey here on the earth,Either way my child your existence is recorded as a birth.

If you have not been allowed to minister to those our Father designed for you here,your place with Jesus has already been marked for you so have no fear.

Jesus tells us the angels will teach you the oracles of God and His ways.

He will prepare you and you will still recognize and welcome that mother and father in only a few days.

Forgiveness is waiting for those whose heart is heavy for the deeds they have done. For you see sweet child

God Never Lloses even One~~Sharon Llambkin~~2 Timothy 2: 14 - 18

Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. [15] Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [16] But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. [17] And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; [18] Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. [19] Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

The Undeserved Gift

I grew up in a small town in Ohio. There was a man in town that everyone seemed to know. Bob was uneducated and couldn't talk plain. It seemed that because he was good natured and not very smart that every one teased him. I guess he was an easy mark. One day when I was sitting on the porch he came walking by. I was about 12 years old and thought it would make me feel grown up to tease him like some adults did in the town. He asked how I was doing. I told him that my father had lost his job, and that we were short of money. I could see my friends laughing in the background so I poured it on pretty thick. I had him fooled so completely that every time he asked me a question, I would make the situation seem worse and worse. I knew he scratched out a meager living doing odd jobs, so it seemed funny when he asked me if we needed anything. I told him that we didn't know if we would have enough to eat. He replied, "You poor thing. I will pray for you." That night I heard the door rattle softly. I thought it was the wind whipping against the door so I didn't pay much attention to it. Later when I opened the door to go outside, I found a box of groceries. I knew who had given the foodstuff. I looked through the small box of canned food with tears in my eyes. I felt ashamed, and wanted to return the groceries. My father would not let me take the box back. He said it would hurt Bob's feelings. Each day when we would have dinner my father would ask, "What side dish are we having from the gift box today?" It was hard for me to eat the food. I knew Bob had given sacrificially. I did not deserve the gift, but he gave the best he had. It reminds me of the gift that God gave, long ago, when He gave us His Son. It was a gift we did not deserve, but He gave us His best.