He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land, your grain, new wine and oil, the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.
Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters, I do pray you will be blessed this day, and I am sure you will. Tuesday and the day we pray for those cures for all those diseases, like, but not limited to, cancer, liver problems, heart problems, kidney problems, and even the common cold as we call it. Folks, we also know that God works through our doctors and they study and research lots of things. Right now, the flu shots are in. GET ONE!! Prayers please for Pearl Borst and her family and for Vicki. Also for Pastor Tony and Ruby and for the Saylor family. And for our new great, grandson Kade Lehman.
PRAISE REPORT, PRAISE REPORT. Janet Wotring has been released already from the rehab hospital and is home. She will do outpatient rehab, I am sure. How about a card shower for her? 911 Conley Road, Mechanicsburg, Pa., 17055. And please also one for my dear wife Dolores and you may address these to Mrs. Claus if you wish, at 16 Dewalt Drive, Mechanicsburg, Pa., 17050. Dolores is such a trooper, she really is, I mean even putting up with me can cause pain. Yesterday with all of her pain she was in the food pantry helping me pack up food for a new family.
Blessings 2: Deuteronomy 7:11 - Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today. 12 If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep His covenant of love with you as He swore to your forefathers. 13 He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land, your grain, new wine and oil, the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. (NIV)
Wow, what a scripture that God gave me today. First it is coming from our Bible and it is 7:11 and we have 7/11 stores, most of which are open 24/7/365 AS IS YOUR BIBLE. I just thought I would throw that one in. Let me also put this in, I am going to serve online communion on Friday of this week. I will remind you each day, so that on Friday you might have a tad of grape juice and a piece of bread in your lunch pail.
Now again as we look back to those scriptures from the original testament, I want to again remind you that Jesus is the same today, as He was back then and He will be the same tomorrow. And don't you dare say Jesus was not born yet, for indeed Jesus is God. In fact, let me review that with you right now from scripture... Come with me to the book of John.
John 1:1 - In the beginning was The Word and The Word was with God and The Word was God.
John 1:14 - The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, The Glory of The one and only, who came from The Father, full of grace and truth. (NIV)
Ok, now with that said, that God is Jesus, Jesus is God, let's move on. Let's look at those blessings that were promised to us, yes, to us, if we just follow the commands and laws of our Lord Jesus. Now you might say to me, Pastor Dan, I have not followed all of those commands and laws of God, so will I be blessed? Of course you will if indeed you take Jesus into your heart for you will be forgiven of those sins and you will get a fresh start. That is the reason Jesus came down in the flesh and blood and that is why His flesh and blood have been broken and spilled out. First of all, God really gives a lot of blessings to those who do not believe in Him. Think about it now, think of some of those great blessings we get like water, rain. Does it rain just on the land of those who have been born again? Of course not! Does the air we take in stop at the door of the non-believer? Of course not! And in fact sometimes we might think that those non-believers might be blessed more than we who are born again, but trust me on this, we are blessed here on earth, but our best blessing is heaven and the non-believer is just not going to get in there. Ok, back to the scriptures, and let's look at some of the blessings that we have been promised if we do follow those commands of the Lord... Look at these... He loves us! He will bless us! He will bless the fruit of your womb, ladies, and that means giving you and your husband children. He will bless the crops of your land! Not a farmer? He will bless that backyard garden, and yes, we will need to pull weeds because of the sins of Adam. He will bless your grain (food), your wine, and oil. Wine, yes, the Lord will bless it, but we are that ones that just might abuse it, and the oil, used for cooking back then, but today, we still cook with it and does He not bless it for we run our homes on it (heat and cooking), we run our cars, trucks buses trains, we make electric with it. Plastic is made from it. He will bless our calves and lambs! You say you are not a farmer, and neither am I but I have had already this morning one big glass of buttermilk and am now working on a glass of whole milk. Thanks to those who farm and milk like those running the big Mason/Dixon dairy farm we enjoy those blessings. And we enjoy those meats in a bun or on our plate. And the blessings do not stop with just the animals we use for food, we have pets. Let me talk about ours. We have a chicken, yes just one, and she lays us one egg a day, so twice a week we can have eggs if we want them. We have four pet goats and they are so much fun. They meet me at the fence and ask for treats. We have a really sweet very large white rabbit who is just fun to pet. We had one cat of our own, three more have come to eat and stayed and a few weeks ago our trash guys asked if we would take two kittens that they found in the trash. We did and have them scheduled to be repaired (fixed) next week. And of course you all know we adopt those senior dogs with handicaps. Now we have said we will take no more because of our age, we now have eleven. They are a lot of work, but a great blessing from God. Right now as I am typing this message, Martha is right at my feet under the desk, Marlo, our new one that cannot hear, is at my right side and Martin is right behind me. Two others are nearby. All are being still. Now folks, I know how many of you love your pets and think of them as blessings, for we have prayed for them over the years. We have Toby who comes to visit when our ministry partner, Pam, goes away for more than a day. We have prayed for him and for Jake.
Now I could go on with that scripture some more but it is time to close up for today. Let's go to prayer.
Dear Father in Heaven, we are so blessed, so very blessed, and I am just getting started with these messages you have planted on my heart. Lord, thanks for our blessings, and please, Lord, teach us to share them really good. Lord, please touch all those who work on cures for those diseases that cause pain and even death. Lord, thanks for blessing Janet with her being able to go home and please, Lord, keep touching her, and please, Lord, touch Pearl and her family, touch Pastor Tony and Ruby, and touch the Saylor family and Vicki, and Lord, please carry some of the pain of Dolores, or Lord if need be, let me carry it for her. Lord, thanks again for this line, and please, Lord, it is a blessing for me just to write it for You, and Lord, bless those who read it. Lord, please help me to spell better. Lord, I cannot blame my spelling on typing errors, I just have trouble spelling and would love You to help me more and more with that. Lord, now may we give this beautiful day back to You by living to please You... In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Now go forth sharing those blessings, and I will tell you now, if you share your blessings with someone, someone will share theirs with you, and God will bless you even more... We are blessed, and all who are blessed say AMEN... love ya, Pastor Dan.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
August 30, 2010 Blessings
Praise God from whom all blessing flow; praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the people on the earth will be blessed through you."
Good Morning my dear brothers and sisters, and I am shouting Praise God this morning for we have a brand new Great Grandson "Kade" Lehman. All are well... Praise God. If I am counting right I think this makes five greats! (We are getting old.) Sorry I am late, no excuse, it is the first day of school and I stayed in bed. For twenty-five years I worked putting school buses on the road each day and now on the first day of school, I can watch them pass by. But please, as school starts, pray for those bus drivers, and all the children they transport.
It is Monday and the day we pray for our leaders, veterans, current military, police, firefighters and all others who work to keep us safe and healthy. Pray also today for your family doctors and also for rehab hospitals. And pray for Janet Wotring who is in a rehab hospital doing better each passing day.
Blessings 1: Genesis 12:2 - "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the people on the earth will be blessed through you."
As you can see, I opened with what is called the Doxology. This little song, sung by many, many churches when the offerings are brought forth, but just a great little song to sing for we are so blessed and it tells us a lot... let's sing it again right now... Praise God from whom all blessing flow; praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
My scripture choice today is on the calling of Abram into service for the Lord, and I don't see any reason why it is not the same today, I mean after all, God, our Lord Jesus, is the same today as He was yesterday and He will be the same tomorrow, and that comes from Hebrews 13:8.
You know, once in a while I like to use some examples and while I can think of many, many men and women who were called into working for the Lord at a young age, I want to bring out three today that I know well and respect. These three, along with many others who have helped me so much got an early start in working for God, called to serve at an early age. I see no reason why this scripture could not have been sent for them and also for all of us to follow. You see, when we are called by Christ to work for Him, some answer the call, others might walk away. Now the scripture tells me that those who are called will be blessed and even their nation or country will be blessed. It tells me their name will be made great and that to me means that for those who follow the Lord, their name will also be made great and those called will be a blessings to others. Now let me bring out those three and again I want to say there have been many who I have looked at for guidance but none have blessed me more than these, except for the good Lord Himself.
Folks, and I have not contacted these men at all, but here they are. Duane Nicholson, Neil Enloe and Timothy Beitzel. Two of the men are my age, one is a puppy, ok, younger than me. All of these men have many things in common but yet all are different in their own ways. All sing and preach for the Lord, all have sung with the Couriers Gospel Group, two of them, Duane and Neil are originals with the group. These men have sung before people around the world, Duane and Neil have sung in Russia, and folks, they always, always leave a message of Salvation. While I look up to these men who have blessed me and also my wife and lots in our family, they also are under God and will always want to remain that way.
As I think these three men I mentioned, and I am not going to dwell on them more, for this message is about all of us, all who are called to do God's work and folks we, ALL OF US, have been called to work for Him and those blessings mentioned in the scriptures of today will be good for you and me. I know for a fact I have been blessed over and over again since I have come to the Lord, and I am not talking dollars here for we don't have dollars in the bank, but we have food in the basement to help others. I also want to bring out about how this blessing fits our nation, and are we not a blessed nation? And think of how this Nation of ours would be blessed even more if all came to Christ.
Dear Father in Heaven, I pray today that You keep using Duane, Neil and Tim, as they still keep singing and or preaching for You and keep them safe as they travel. Lord, bless those who hear them and bless those this line touches and bless all who speak up and out for You. Bless those on our prayer list today. And Lord, we give thanks for our many, many blessings that come our way. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Now brothers and sisters, if you do want to hear some good singing, look up Dave, Duane and Neil on your computer and check the schedule there. Get some Courier music past and/or present and play it over and over again. And remember, folks, to always share your blessings that come from God... love ya, Pastor Dan.
Now let's sing it again... Praise God from whom all blessing flow; praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the people on the earth will be blessed through you."
Good Morning my dear brothers and sisters, and I am shouting Praise God this morning for we have a brand new Great Grandson "Kade" Lehman. All are well... Praise God. If I am counting right I think this makes five greats! (We are getting old.) Sorry I am late, no excuse, it is the first day of school and I stayed in bed. For twenty-five years I worked putting school buses on the road each day and now on the first day of school, I can watch them pass by. But please, as school starts, pray for those bus drivers, and all the children they transport.
It is Monday and the day we pray for our leaders, veterans, current military, police, firefighters and all others who work to keep us safe and healthy. Pray also today for your family doctors and also for rehab hospitals. And pray for Janet Wotring who is in a rehab hospital doing better each passing day.
Blessings 1: Genesis 12:2 - "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the people on the earth will be blessed through you."
As you can see, I opened with what is called the Doxology. This little song, sung by many, many churches when the offerings are brought forth, but just a great little song to sing for we are so blessed and it tells us a lot... let's sing it again right now... Praise God from whom all blessing flow; praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
My scripture choice today is on the calling of Abram into service for the Lord, and I don't see any reason why it is not the same today, I mean after all, God, our Lord Jesus, is the same today as He was yesterday and He will be the same tomorrow, and that comes from Hebrews 13:8.
You know, once in a while I like to use some examples and while I can think of many, many men and women who were called into working for the Lord at a young age, I want to bring out three today that I know well and respect. These three, along with many others who have helped me so much got an early start in working for God, called to serve at an early age. I see no reason why this scripture could not have been sent for them and also for all of us to follow. You see, when we are called by Christ to work for Him, some answer the call, others might walk away. Now the scripture tells me that those who are called will be blessed and even their nation or country will be blessed. It tells me their name will be made great and that to me means that for those who follow the Lord, their name will also be made great and those called will be a blessings to others. Now let me bring out those three and again I want to say there have been many who I have looked at for guidance but none have blessed me more than these, except for the good Lord Himself.
Folks, and I have not contacted these men at all, but here they are. Duane Nicholson, Neil Enloe and Timothy Beitzel. Two of the men are my age, one is a puppy, ok, younger than me. All of these men have many things in common but yet all are different in their own ways. All sing and preach for the Lord, all have sung with the Couriers Gospel Group, two of them, Duane and Neil are originals with the group. These men have sung before people around the world, Duane and Neil have sung in Russia, and folks, they always, always leave a message of Salvation. While I look up to these men who have blessed me and also my wife and lots in our family, they also are under God and will always want to remain that way.
As I think these three men I mentioned, and I am not going to dwell on them more, for this message is about all of us, all who are called to do God's work and folks we, ALL OF US, have been called to work for Him and those blessings mentioned in the scriptures of today will be good for you and me. I know for a fact I have been blessed over and over again since I have come to the Lord, and I am not talking dollars here for we don't have dollars in the bank, but we have food in the basement to help others. I also want to bring out about how this blessing fits our nation, and are we not a blessed nation? And think of how this Nation of ours would be blessed even more if all came to Christ.
Dear Father in Heaven, I pray today that You keep using Duane, Neil and Tim, as they still keep singing and or preaching for You and keep them safe as they travel. Lord, bless those who hear them and bless those this line touches and bless all who speak up and out for You. Bless those on our prayer list today. And Lord, we give thanks for our many, many blessings that come our way. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Now brothers and sisters, if you do want to hear some good singing, look up Dave, Duane and Neil on your computer and check the schedule there. Get some Courier music past and/or present and play it over and over again. And remember, folks, to always share your blessings that come from God... love ya, Pastor Dan.
Now let's sing it again... Praise God from whom all blessing flow; praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Friday, August 27, 2010
August 27, 2010 Soap or Blood 5
"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood you have no life in you."
Good Friday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters, and what a beautiful day our good Lord has given us. Our weather folks tell us to enjoy it for another heat wave is coming in, but let me tell you this, at our age we now have learned to enjoy each and every day our good Lord grants us on this earth, while at the same time looking forward to living with Him some sweet day...
Today being Friday it is the day we pray for all those who work for our Lord Jesus, and yes, folks, I will say it again and again, we all need to be on this list for WE ALL SHOULD BE WORKING FOR JESUS either full time or part time, and for sure we need to be living for Him full time. Folks. if we do not live for Him full time then we are living fool time with and for the other guy. We need to keep praying for Pearl Bloost (I might have spelled that last name wrong). Pearl had a very bad fall and landed on her nose, she has been released from the hospital and is at home with round the clock care. We also need to pray for Janet Wotring, and an updated report from her husband is located at the end of this message. ALSO, please, please pray for the events at Washington DC tomorrow, pray the event will be well received, that no signs will be there. This event, started by Radio TV guy Glenn Beck, is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of people to Washington. Sarah Palin will be a speaker, along with Mrs. King, Martin Luther King's widow. Sadly, some people from our current White House are being dispatched to protest this. PRAY, WARRIORS PRAY, PRAY FOR PEACE FOR THIS NATION, PRAY FOR THE END OF ABORTION, PRAY FOR LOWER TAXES.
Soap or Blood? 5 John 6:53 - Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." (NIV)
And now folks listen to these words found in 1 John 1:7.
1 John 1:7 - But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and THE BLOOD OF JESUS, HIS SON, PURIFIES US FROM ALL SIN. (NIV)
Brothers and sisters, all week I have been talking about things that soap will clean up, soap will wash your skin, wash your clothes, and you can have one of those big front loaders put in soap and your clothes and run it all day and you can soak in the tub and wash and wash but the dirt on the inside remains until you take Jesus on as your personal savior and let His blood that He shed for you and for me on the cross wash you clean on the inside.. Blood's in, Dirt is out... Sounds much better then the Tide thing. So how do we drink of the blood and eat of the bread? Communion is one way to say you have done this, but it is not the way; it's like being baptized in water is just a showing of what is going on. What you must do is very simple, you must fall in love. Yes, like a teenager on a first date you need to fall in love with Jesus, and then remain in love with Him and let it grow. That teenage love or puppy love will more than likely fade or has faded long ago, but the love of Jesus must remain if you want to get into heaven. The real way to eat of the flesh and drink of the blood is again very simple, we must fall in love with Jesus and then, oh yes, there is more, of course there is more... We must fall in love with Jesus and then we must REPENT of our sins, and then, and yes, there is more, we must walk with Jesus in His Light and we must go to work for Him... That's it as I see it in the Bible... a four step program...
1 Fall in love with Jesus and confess that love... Romans 10 9/10
2 Repent of your sins (Turn and walk away from your past behavior)
3 Walk with Jesus (trying your best each day to live for Jesus and like Jesus did here on earth)
4 Go to work for Him as ordered in Mark 16:15 (you can do this in so many ways, and we will look at working for Jesus in the future)
Remember that the question of the week is Soap or Blood? Do you have your answer now... Folks it is BLOOD, The Blood of Jesus, that is what cleans us, and Jesus died on the cross to shed that blood just for you and me. Now, right now, will you come in prayer with me, forgetting all else for this minute, and confessing your sins to Jesus and renewing with Him through the power of the blood? Do you remember early in the week when I talked about traditions and how we need to forget them and that each service should end in a call for Christ? Here is the call folks, will you now join me at the Altar of Christ, right where you are at, if you can get on your knees please do, if not and you are at your desk, will you renew? If God were to call you right now, would you be going home or to the fire lake? Would you be going to heaven or hell? Your choice... let's pray and this is an I prayer, not a we prayer. You can pray for those on the requests later. Salvation is going on right now. Holy Spirit thou art welcome in this place, Holy Spirit thou are welcome in this place.
Dear Father I confess I am a sinner, I need You, Lord, I believe You died for me and that You have been risen from the dead. Wash me in Your blood today and clean me on the inside and help me to repent and walk in Your light and work for You. I ask in Jesus name that You book me for Heaven... Amen.
Go forth now sharing your blessings, repenting of your sins, and living for Jesus... If you need to talk about this or need more prayer, call me 717 991 0754 my cell phone. love ya, Pastor Dan.
Update on Janet Wotring from her husband Charles...
Sadly, Janet's progress is much slower than anyone had expected. According to insurance and hospital standards she is no longer eligible to occupy a hospital bed ! Do not get alarmed ... because ...... Tomorrow morning, hopefully, she will transfer to a live in rehab.
Today was better than yesterday ... because she walked, assisted, 60 feet ...... but fell asleep in the middle of the walk. This morning when I called on the phone I actually had a 1 minute conversation before she faded. She continues to be " OUT OF IT " most of the time but we expect a big difference tomorrow. She got off some real strong narcotic drugs sometime yesterday. Eating ..... Still almost nil. Of course ... none of the food was wasted. It tasted Good ! Of the 4 hours I spent with her today, her eyes were open maybe five ( 5 ) minutes, total !
She is still in The Harrisburg Hospital, room 1015. I am guessing, unless some great problem occurs during the night, a phone call to her room at 717 221- 4992 or a visit tomorrow ( Friday ) would be a nice gesture ..... but hopefully she will have moved, early in the day, to the live in rehab, located in Camp Hill, PA.
Good Friday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters, and what a beautiful day our good Lord has given us. Our weather folks tell us to enjoy it for another heat wave is coming in, but let me tell you this, at our age we now have learned to enjoy each and every day our good Lord grants us on this earth, while at the same time looking forward to living with Him some sweet day...
Today being Friday it is the day we pray for all those who work for our Lord Jesus, and yes, folks, I will say it again and again, we all need to be on this list for WE ALL SHOULD BE WORKING FOR JESUS either full time or part time, and for sure we need to be living for Him full time. Folks. if we do not live for Him full time then we are living fool time with and for the other guy. We need to keep praying for Pearl Bloost (I might have spelled that last name wrong). Pearl had a very bad fall and landed on her nose, she has been released from the hospital and is at home with round the clock care. We also need to pray for Janet Wotring, and an updated report from her husband is located at the end of this message. ALSO, please, please pray for the events at Washington DC tomorrow, pray the event will be well received, that no signs will be there. This event, started by Radio TV guy Glenn Beck, is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of people to Washington. Sarah Palin will be a speaker, along with Mrs. King, Martin Luther King's widow. Sadly, some people from our current White House are being dispatched to protest this. PRAY, WARRIORS PRAY, PRAY FOR PEACE FOR THIS NATION, PRAY FOR THE END OF ABORTION, PRAY FOR LOWER TAXES.
Soap or Blood? 5 John 6:53 - Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." (NIV)
And now folks listen to these words found in 1 John 1:7.
1 John 1:7 - But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and THE BLOOD OF JESUS, HIS SON, PURIFIES US FROM ALL SIN. (NIV)
Brothers and sisters, all week I have been talking about things that soap will clean up, soap will wash your skin, wash your clothes, and you can have one of those big front loaders put in soap and your clothes and run it all day and you can soak in the tub and wash and wash but the dirt on the inside remains until you take Jesus on as your personal savior and let His blood that He shed for you and for me on the cross wash you clean on the inside.. Blood's in, Dirt is out... Sounds much better then the Tide thing. So how do we drink of the blood and eat of the bread? Communion is one way to say you have done this, but it is not the way; it's like being baptized in water is just a showing of what is going on. What you must do is very simple, you must fall in love. Yes, like a teenager on a first date you need to fall in love with Jesus, and then remain in love with Him and let it grow. That teenage love or puppy love will more than likely fade or has faded long ago, but the love of Jesus must remain if you want to get into heaven. The real way to eat of the flesh and drink of the blood is again very simple, we must fall in love with Jesus and then, oh yes, there is more, of course there is more... We must fall in love with Jesus and then we must REPENT of our sins, and then, and yes, there is more, we must walk with Jesus in His Light and we must go to work for Him... That's it as I see it in the Bible... a four step program...
1 Fall in love with Jesus and confess that love... Romans 10 9/10
2 Repent of your sins (Turn and walk away from your past behavior)
3 Walk with Jesus (trying your best each day to live for Jesus and like Jesus did here on earth)
4 Go to work for Him as ordered in Mark 16:15 (you can do this in so many ways, and we will look at working for Jesus in the future)
Remember that the question of the week is Soap or Blood? Do you have your answer now... Folks it is BLOOD, The Blood of Jesus, that is what cleans us, and Jesus died on the cross to shed that blood just for you and me. Now, right now, will you come in prayer with me, forgetting all else for this minute, and confessing your sins to Jesus and renewing with Him through the power of the blood? Do you remember early in the week when I talked about traditions and how we need to forget them and that each service should end in a call for Christ? Here is the call folks, will you now join me at the Altar of Christ, right where you are at, if you can get on your knees please do, if not and you are at your desk, will you renew? If God were to call you right now, would you be going home or to the fire lake? Would you be going to heaven or hell? Your choice... let's pray and this is an I prayer, not a we prayer. You can pray for those on the requests later. Salvation is going on right now. Holy Spirit thou art welcome in this place, Holy Spirit thou are welcome in this place.
Dear Father I confess I am a sinner, I need You, Lord, I believe You died for me and that You have been risen from the dead. Wash me in Your blood today and clean me on the inside and help me to repent and walk in Your light and work for You. I ask in Jesus name that You book me for Heaven... Amen.
Go forth now sharing your blessings, repenting of your sins, and living for Jesus... If you need to talk about this or need more prayer, call me 717 991 0754 my cell phone. love ya, Pastor Dan.
Update on Janet Wotring from her husband Charles...
Sadly, Janet's progress is much slower than anyone had expected. According to insurance and hospital standards she is no longer eligible to occupy a hospital bed ! Do not get alarmed ... because ...... Tomorrow morning, hopefully, she will transfer to a live in rehab.
Today was better than yesterday ... because she walked, assisted, 60 feet ...... but fell asleep in the middle of the walk. This morning when I called on the phone I actually had a 1 minute conversation before she faded. She continues to be " OUT OF IT " most of the time but we expect a big difference tomorrow. She got off some real strong narcotic drugs sometime yesterday. Eating ..... Still almost nil. Of course ... none of the food was wasted. It tasted Good ! Of the 4 hours I spent with her today, her eyes were open maybe five ( 5 ) minutes, total !
She is still in The Harrisburg Hospital, room 1015. I am guessing, unless some great problem occurs during the night, a phone call to her room at 717 221- 4992 or a visit tomorrow ( Friday ) would be a nice gesture ..... but hopefully she will have moved, early in the day, to the live in rehab, located in Camp Hill, PA.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
August 26, 2010 Soap or Blood? 4
"What comes out of a man is what makes him unclean. For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly."
Good Thursday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters, please remember that it is Thursday and it means families day and schools day on the line. Remember to pray hard for this as schools are starting to open and Jesus is needed in our families and in our schools. Also please keep praying for Janet Wotring, I will ask her husband for a short update on her condition that I can send to you tomorrow. Prayers also for Eleanor Saylor, Dolores Lehman, and for Vicki, Pearl and her family, Pastor Tony and Ruby, Kathleen cancer, For Tom Sansoni and the retirement home ministry they are starting.
Soap or Blood 4: Mark 7:20 - He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him unclean. 21 For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean" (NIV)
Well now we are getting to the meat of the clean and unclean. Notice please that the things that the Bible talks about that come out of man have nothing to do with body waste. These things are much worse. In fact our Lord God when He made man built in a way to get the body waste out of our systems, for God made us good when He made us. Of course we messed up right from the start, right there in the beautiful garden He gave to us and then it got worse and He started us all over again with Noah and His family and look at us again.
I ask that as I go over the list, that you look at them real good, as I am going to also, and see over your life how many of them you were or are guilty of. Tomorrow we are going into the Blood part of the message for it is with the blood and only the blood and I am of course talking the blood of Jesus that can clean us from this unclean mess the Bible talks to us about. Tide will not take out these stains, neither will bleach, or that famous lie (lye) soap my mamma used to wash out my mouth when I said bad things as a child. Nothing but the blood of Jesus will clean the stains off, and are you ready to look them over? Nothing but the blood will clean you from sin, sins like these ----- evil thoughts, __ sexual immorality, __ theft, __ murder, __ adultery,__ greed, __ malice, __ deceit, __ lewdness, __ envy, __ slander, __ arrogance, __ folly __. Also did you Honor your father and mother __ love your neighbors __ not give to God's work __ cursing, __ talking on your cell phone while driving (ok I stuck that one in) Should I go on and on and on? No I think this is enough, please just look them over, maybe even print it and check the little line that I put in. This, folks, is between you and God and God and you, I do not want to know about these and more than likely some or maybe all of you have confessed them over to God already, but maybe you have slipped and fell into sin's traps again. Tomorrow we are going to clean them out with the blood.
Dear Father in Heaven, bless those on this line and bless those on our prayer lists please, help Tom with that new ministry, and Lord, help we in Carry The Light find and feed the needy. Lord, bless our families and schools, and Lord, I pray right now for Your family, the family of God. I pray today it grows in leaps and bounds. Thanks for trusting me to work for You and may I honor You this day by living to please You. In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Now go forth sharing your blessings, oops, I should have had that one on the list. Anyway, share those blessings and know this, Jesus and I love ya. Pastor Dan.
Sing this with me.
Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so, I am weak but He is strong, Jesus loves me all day long. Yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so.
(yes I know I change the words, I forgot them but these worked)
Good Thursday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters, please remember that it is Thursday and it means families day and schools day on the line. Remember to pray hard for this as schools are starting to open and Jesus is needed in our families and in our schools. Also please keep praying for Janet Wotring, I will ask her husband for a short update on her condition that I can send to you tomorrow. Prayers also for Eleanor Saylor, Dolores Lehman, and for Vicki, Pearl and her family, Pastor Tony and Ruby, Kathleen cancer, For Tom Sansoni and the retirement home ministry they are starting.
Soap or Blood 4: Mark 7:20 - He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him unclean. 21 For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean" (NIV)
Well now we are getting to the meat of the clean and unclean. Notice please that the things that the Bible talks about that come out of man have nothing to do with body waste. These things are much worse. In fact our Lord God when He made man built in a way to get the body waste out of our systems, for God made us good when He made us. Of course we messed up right from the start, right there in the beautiful garden He gave to us and then it got worse and He started us all over again with Noah and His family and look at us again.
I ask that as I go over the list, that you look at them real good, as I am going to also, and see over your life how many of them you were or are guilty of. Tomorrow we are going into the Blood part of the message for it is with the blood and only the blood and I am of course talking the blood of Jesus that can clean us from this unclean mess the Bible talks to us about. Tide will not take out these stains, neither will bleach, or that famous lie (lye) soap my mamma used to wash out my mouth when I said bad things as a child. Nothing but the blood of Jesus will clean the stains off, and are you ready to look them over? Nothing but the blood will clean you from sin, sins like these ----- evil thoughts, __ sexual immorality, __ theft, __ murder, __ adultery,__ greed, __ malice, __ deceit, __ lewdness, __ envy, __ slander, __ arrogance, __ folly __. Also did you Honor your father and mother __ love your neighbors __ not give to God's work __ cursing, __ talking on your cell phone while driving (ok I stuck that one in) Should I go on and on and on? No I think this is enough, please just look them over, maybe even print it and check the little line that I put in. This, folks, is between you and God and God and you, I do not want to know about these and more than likely some or maybe all of you have confessed them over to God already, but maybe you have slipped and fell into sin's traps again. Tomorrow we are going to clean them out with the blood.
Dear Father in Heaven, bless those on this line and bless those on our prayer lists please, help Tom with that new ministry, and Lord, help we in Carry The Light find and feed the needy. Lord, bless our families and schools, and Lord, I pray right now for Your family, the family of God. I pray today it grows in leaps and bounds. Thanks for trusting me to work for You and may I honor You this day by living to please You. In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Now go forth sharing your blessings, oops, I should have had that one on the list. Anyway, share those blessings and know this, Jesus and I love ya. Pastor Dan.
Sing this with me.
Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so, I am weak but He is strong, Jesus loves me all day long. Yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so.
(yes I know I change the words, I forgot them but these worked)
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
August 25, 2010 Soap or Blood? 3
"Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him unclean by going into him, Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean."
Good Salvation Wednesday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters... Please pray right now for Eleanor Saylor who has just left her home by ambulance to go to the hospital. Also please keep praying for Janet as she recovers from major back surgery. And please keep Vicki and her family on your prayer list daily, she has a very full plate and a lot, a whole lot of health issues. Also please pray for the unsaved and for God to use those of us who are Born Again to work the fields of harvest to bring in the Lost.
On a side note, I am again having computer problems, so if I am late, or you do not receive a message please let me know...
Soap or Blood? 3: Mark 7:14 - Again Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him unclean by going into him, Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean." (NIV)
Now at first look at this scripture we might start thinking about putting food into our mouth and eating it, and then about the way the unused parts come out and surely they would be unclean, but that is not at all what this scripture is really about. When His disciples questioned Him about this Parable, Jesus said to them.
Mark 7:18 - "Are you so dull?" He asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him unclean? 19 For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean. (NIV)
Folks, I want you to really think about this, I want you to think about things that come out of man that make him unclean, and where it comes out and some of the reasons why. Yes, I am going to let you think about it overnight and even read about it... hey an open book test... Mark 7:1/23.
Dear Heavenly Father, help us this day to get to work for You. We know You have commanded this in Your Word to us, and we pray this day that You clean us up before we go to work for You, for we want to be very sure that nothing unclean comes out of us when we are speaking for You, and in fact we want to be very sure that nothing unclean ever comes out of us. Lord, please heal Eleanor, Janet, and Vicki this day. Lord, also please touch my wife Dolores and take away the pain... Lord, give it to me if need be... In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Now go forth sharing your blessings and loving on Jesus. And dear brothers and sisters, please try each day to look at the best part of the day, and remember that when all else seems to be going wrong, Jesus is still loving you, He really is. Praise God for all things, folks, all things, even pain, and yes, Dolores and I both do that, even as we pray for Him to take it away, we praise Him for it... Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Good Salvation Wednesday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters... Please pray right now for Eleanor Saylor who has just left her home by ambulance to go to the hospital. Also please keep praying for Janet as she recovers from major back surgery. And please keep Vicki and her family on your prayer list daily, she has a very full plate and a lot, a whole lot of health issues. Also please pray for the unsaved and for God to use those of us who are Born Again to work the fields of harvest to bring in the Lost.
On a side note, I am again having computer problems, so if I am late, or you do not receive a message please let me know...
Soap or Blood? 3: Mark 7:14 - Again Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him unclean by going into him, Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean." (NIV)
Now at first look at this scripture we might start thinking about putting food into our mouth and eating it, and then about the way the unused parts come out and surely they would be unclean, but that is not at all what this scripture is really about. When His disciples questioned Him about this Parable, Jesus said to them.
Mark 7:18 - "Are you so dull?" He asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him unclean? 19 For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean. (NIV)
Folks, I want you to really think about this, I want you to think about things that come out of man that make him unclean, and where it comes out and some of the reasons why. Yes, I am going to let you think about it overnight and even read about it... hey an open book test... Mark 7:1/23.
Dear Heavenly Father, help us this day to get to work for You. We know You have commanded this in Your Word to us, and we pray this day that You clean us up before we go to work for You, for we want to be very sure that nothing unclean comes out of us when we are speaking for You, and in fact we want to be very sure that nothing unclean ever comes out of us. Lord, please heal Eleanor, Janet, and Vicki this day. Lord, also please touch my wife Dolores and take away the pain... Lord, give it to me if need be... In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Now go forth sharing your blessings and loving on Jesus. And dear brothers and sisters, please try each day to look at the best part of the day, and remember that when all else seems to be going wrong, Jesus is still loving you, He really is. Praise God for all things, folks, all things, even pain, and yes, Dolores and I both do that, even as we pray for Him to take it away, we praise Him for it... Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
August 24, 2010 Soap or Blood? 2
"You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."
PRAISE THE LORD, What a beautiful morning. We have several reasons to praise the Lord this morning beside all the things we should be praising Him for daily, like our needs being supplied. Janet came through her back surgery good and is now on her way to recovery... Kathleen's cancer numbers have improved. Both ladies still need our prayers... for Kathleen some complications have set in.
Good morning, my dear brothers and sisters, it is Tuesday and the day we pray for cures for all the sickness and health problems... Brothers and sisters be bold and respectful in asking God for cures, and please remember that a lot of times we add to our own health problems by our own behavior... Did I really say that? You folks know me by now, I do not hold back on my questions and the truth about God. I am sorry I am late this morning, I was up early and at the computer but the computer wanted to sleep in. It was going so slow that I would have two lines typed before they went on the screen and I do not type all that fast, I am some place over 70 words a minute (really).
Soap or Blood? 2 Mark 7:8 - "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." 9 And He said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions." (NIV)
"Tides in, dirt is out." Do you remember that commercial from years ago? We have so many commercials that talk about soap and how they take out dirt, each one claiming to be better than the others, yet none of them really get us clean! Yes, I said that and more than likely you will need to hang in with me all week to find out the reasons why... Just so you know that I did take a shower while I was waiting for the computer to wake up and behave and I used Irish Spring and some kind of shampoo to wash my hair and face. Yes I wash my face with shampoo, if you know me you know I have more hair on my face then the top of my head. Anyway, I washed and washed and washed but did I get all the dirt off? I am not going to tell you right now! Let's get to the scriptures above and what God has given me on them. Again I invite you to read Mark 7:1/23. It is the scriptures on clean and unclean. Which are you??
The scriptures above are worth repeating... Mark 7:8 "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." 9 And He said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions." (NIV)
My footnotes in my study Bible say this: "The commands of God...the traditions of men. Jesus clearly contrasts the two. God's commands are found in the scriptures and are binding: The traditions of the elders are not Biblical and therefore not authoritative or binding."
We need to be so careful, folks, and when I say we I am talking about all of us. I know I will upset some people here but so much of what we do in churches this day is traditions that have been passed down and not really in the Bible. While some of the services in those traditional churches are beautiful, just beautiful, are they teaching us about the Lord? I have sat through services in some of those churches over the years and when I look back I do remember all the traditions in the service, but what I don't remember is the pastor calling people to the altar to pray. I mean that and I was raised by a Christian mother who taught me about Jesus and so did my Sunday school teacher, but not once do I remember our pastor doing what we call an altar call at the end of the service. Not that you need to bring people to the altar each week, but there should not be a service by any pastor that does not either in the message or at the end of the service tell people the rules to get into heaven.
Recently at the Bridges just before I talked to them about salvation at the end of the service, I said this. "Some of you have heard this over and over again and those of you who really know Christ know why I do it, more than likely are already saved. Those of you who get tired of hearing it, might just be the ones who really need it." You see, folks, and I talk about it often on this line, we just do not know who is ready to receive Christ and when, or when people are wanting to come even closer to God and we really need to draw nearer and nearer to God each day.
Now while I do see nothing wrong with traditions if they are good and based on the Bible, a lot of them are not, and when we do the traditions and forget the Bible parts that is what Jesus is telling us in these scriptures. In short Jesus is telling us this. To tell more of the Good News of Jesus and spend less time on the pom-pom stuff. Again, and I want to be clear here, the traditions that are about God are great, but let's stick to them. I know of people who no longer even attend church, gave it up because they were not getting fed, so to speak, and watch some of the TV preachers.
Folks, we can have a good worship service if we have our Bibles, our song books and remember to invite Jesus in through the power of the Holy Spirit, and gosh, you can do that any place, because and regardless of what some might say, our Lord Jesus will come into schools if invited, into federal buildings, into the Capitol, and gosh we just need him and the word and we can get going.
Do I like to see some of the traditions of those churches, the Christmas plays, The Easter plays, and each week the lighting of candles, sure I like to see them, but not at the expense of leaving God out of the program, or making up things that are not in the Bible. Oh yes, I said that and in some churches it happens weekly.
Dear Father in Heaven, right now I ask You to always, always come into my heart and mind and help me with my writings and help me with services, I want them to always be the truth about You. Thanks for looking over our prayer lists and hearing our prayers. Please keep me and all who read this message on track today, with You being our rails... In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.
Go forth and share your blessings. Right now I am typing with Marlo on my lap, she is our newest dog and she cannot hear a thing. But she has a word for you... I am going to put her paws on the key board. kmijjjjjjjjjjjiuu, well there you have it. Love ya, Pastor Dan.
p;;;;;okkiu89kkcvcvk9
That last line was from Martin, he said if Marlo could say hello, he could also...
PRAISE THE LORD, What a beautiful morning. We have several reasons to praise the Lord this morning beside all the things we should be praising Him for daily, like our needs being supplied. Janet came through her back surgery good and is now on her way to recovery... Kathleen's cancer numbers have improved. Both ladies still need our prayers... for Kathleen some complications have set in.
Good morning, my dear brothers and sisters, it is Tuesday and the day we pray for cures for all the sickness and health problems... Brothers and sisters be bold and respectful in asking God for cures, and please remember that a lot of times we add to our own health problems by our own behavior... Did I really say that? You folks know me by now, I do not hold back on my questions and the truth about God. I am sorry I am late this morning, I was up early and at the computer but the computer wanted to sleep in. It was going so slow that I would have two lines typed before they went on the screen and I do not type all that fast, I am some place over 70 words a minute (really).
Soap or Blood? 2 Mark 7:8 - "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." 9 And He said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions." (NIV)
"Tides in, dirt is out." Do you remember that commercial from years ago? We have so many commercials that talk about soap and how they take out dirt, each one claiming to be better than the others, yet none of them really get us clean! Yes, I said that and more than likely you will need to hang in with me all week to find out the reasons why... Just so you know that I did take a shower while I was waiting for the computer to wake up and behave and I used Irish Spring and some kind of shampoo to wash my hair and face. Yes I wash my face with shampoo, if you know me you know I have more hair on my face then the top of my head. Anyway, I washed and washed and washed but did I get all the dirt off? I am not going to tell you right now! Let's get to the scriptures above and what God has given me on them. Again I invite you to read Mark 7:1/23. It is the scriptures on clean and unclean. Which are you??
The scriptures above are worth repeating... Mark 7:8 "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." 9 And He said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions." (NIV)
My footnotes in my study Bible say this: "The commands of God...the traditions of men. Jesus clearly contrasts the two. God's commands are found in the scriptures and are binding: The traditions of the elders are not Biblical and therefore not authoritative or binding."
We need to be so careful, folks, and when I say we I am talking about all of us. I know I will upset some people here but so much of what we do in churches this day is traditions that have been passed down and not really in the Bible. While some of the services in those traditional churches are beautiful, just beautiful, are they teaching us about the Lord? I have sat through services in some of those churches over the years and when I look back I do remember all the traditions in the service, but what I don't remember is the pastor calling people to the altar to pray. I mean that and I was raised by a Christian mother who taught me about Jesus and so did my Sunday school teacher, but not once do I remember our pastor doing what we call an altar call at the end of the service. Not that you need to bring people to the altar each week, but there should not be a service by any pastor that does not either in the message or at the end of the service tell people the rules to get into heaven.
Recently at the Bridges just before I talked to them about salvation at the end of the service, I said this. "Some of you have heard this over and over again and those of you who really know Christ know why I do it, more than likely are already saved. Those of you who get tired of hearing it, might just be the ones who really need it." You see, folks, and I talk about it often on this line, we just do not know who is ready to receive Christ and when, or when people are wanting to come even closer to God and we really need to draw nearer and nearer to God each day.
Now while I do see nothing wrong with traditions if they are good and based on the Bible, a lot of them are not, and when we do the traditions and forget the Bible parts that is what Jesus is telling us in these scriptures. In short Jesus is telling us this. To tell more of the Good News of Jesus and spend less time on the pom-pom stuff. Again, and I want to be clear here, the traditions that are about God are great, but let's stick to them. I know of people who no longer even attend church, gave it up because they were not getting fed, so to speak, and watch some of the TV preachers.
Folks, we can have a good worship service if we have our Bibles, our song books and remember to invite Jesus in through the power of the Holy Spirit, and gosh, you can do that any place, because and regardless of what some might say, our Lord Jesus will come into schools if invited, into federal buildings, into the Capitol, and gosh we just need him and the word and we can get going.
Do I like to see some of the traditions of those churches, the Christmas plays, The Easter plays, and each week the lighting of candles, sure I like to see them, but not at the expense of leaving God out of the program, or making up things that are not in the Bible. Oh yes, I said that and in some churches it happens weekly.
Dear Father in Heaven, right now I ask You to always, always come into my heart and mind and help me with my writings and help me with services, I want them to always be the truth about You. Thanks for looking over our prayer lists and hearing our prayers. Please keep me and all who read this message on track today, with You being our rails... In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.
Go forth and share your blessings. Right now I am typing with Marlo on my lap, she is our newest dog and she cannot hear a thing. But she has a word for you... I am going to put her paws on the key board. kmijjjjjjjjjjjiuu, well there you have it. Love ya, Pastor Dan.
p;;;;;okkiu89kkcvcvk9
That last line was from Martin, he said if Marlo could say hello, he could also...
Monday, August 23, 2010
August 23, 2010 Soap or Blood? 1
"These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."
Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. It is Monday and a beautiful day here at the Southern Location of the North Pole. Monday is the day we pray for our leaders, Federal, State, Local, Schools, etc. We pray for our Veterans, current Military, Police (all of them), Firefighters, and all those working to keep us safe and healthy. Please pray also for Janet Wotring as she has serious back surgery today. Pray for Vicki who has extreme pain. And please pray for the family and friends of Willie Fordham. "It is with extreme sadness that we write this announcement today, that our Museum of Bus Transportation member, volunteer and dear friend, Willie Fordham, the Negro Leagues Baseball player who has been the center point of the Bus Museum exhibit, passed away suddenly early Sunday morning at Holy Spirit Hospital in Harrisburg. He will be greatly missed. He was a true gentleman, a delight to talk to and a good friend. Willie had just turned 83 in July. His funeral arrangements are pending." This fine ball player was at the museum just last week talking to visitors and signing his name for fans and friends. Please pray for his family and also his very dear friend from the Bus Museum, Oliver Ogden. Folks, I must say this right now... I had a chance to talk to Willie last February when Oliver had a display at the museum for Black History Month. Willie and I talked about baseball and about Jesus, as you folks know me, I ask questions, and I asked him about his standing with Jesus. He is with Jesus now, for to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Willie got called home fast... HE WAS READY, ARE YOU?????? Baseball in heaven is going on NOW!! And all races play for the same team...
Soap or Blood? 1 Mark 7:6 - He (Jesus) replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites: as it is written, These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." (NIV)
Mark 7:1 - The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of His disciples eating food with hands that were unclean. (NIV)
I think it was this Scripture, Mark 7:1, that God directed me to today to cause me to look back over my life and think about the times that I sat down and ate a meal or just a sandwich and did not wash my hands. Again I look back at a mother who taught me right, wash my hands after going to the potty, wash my hands before we eat, and yes, I do wash my hands often when I am cooking, and I love to cook, even at cook-outs I take hand cleaner and paper towels to clean my hands. But let me drift back in time to when I was in my days of childhood (ok, who said I never did grow up?). Anyway in my younger days in the summer I would tell my mother I was going to the "Luce Street" playground and I would take my paper route bag, my morning route was done, I would jump on my bike, with ball glove on the handlebars and a ball in my newspaper bag and a bag across the handlebars. And sometimes a sandwich in the paper route bag. As the other kids, both boys and girls, would come we would pickup teams. It did not make a difference if I was on time, for I was the last one picked anyway... (I had a bad bat, it could never find the ball). But we would play ball and when we boys had to go, it was off to the woods to go. (Boys are plumbed for outdoors.) The girls would run home. Anyway. at lunch time out would come the sandwich and I ate it, and guess what, my hands did not get washed. At fourteen I started working at my brother's service station, and when it was time to eat, I would get out my sandwich and take it out of the wrapper and start to eat. If a car pulled up for gas, the sandwich would lay on the work bench and I would wait on the customer. No, my hands did not get washed and still do this day. I think a sandwich looks better with a big black thumb print on one side and four finger prints on the other. And folks, take it from me, that a tad of gas and oil on the sandwich did not spoil like mayo can. Now folks, that was back then and this is now, and yes, as I said, I wash my hands so often I think I am making up for lost time. Then I read this passage in the Bible and find out, it was ok to eat with dirty hands if you had to.
As we dig into this section of the Bible I invite you to read Mark 7:1/23 which is the story on clean and unclean. This week we are going to find out which gets you cleaner, washing with soap or being washed in blood. Would you tell me your answer and where you got it?
Dear Father in Heaven, I come to You today for a wash job, but today, Lord, I want washed from my sins. I will get in the shower soon Lord and get the outside cleaned, please Lord, clean the rest of me and, Lord, you know I need it. Lord, be with those on our prayer list, touch Janet and all who touch her today as she has back surgery, heal the pain of her back and the pain Vicki and Dolores have. Stop the tension between two of my friends and bring peace upon them. And Lord, bless Oliver and all of Willie's family as they suffer their loss and let them then rejoice in his home-going... In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Now go forth and share those blessings. Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. It is Monday and a beautiful day here at the Southern Location of the North Pole. Monday is the day we pray for our leaders, Federal, State, Local, Schools, etc. We pray for our Veterans, current Military, Police (all of them), Firefighters, and all those working to keep us safe and healthy. Please pray also for Janet Wotring as she has serious back surgery today. Pray for Vicki who has extreme pain. And please pray for the family and friends of Willie Fordham. "It is with extreme sadness that we write this announcement today, that our Museum of Bus Transportation member, volunteer and dear friend, Willie Fordham, the Negro Leagues Baseball player who has been the center point of the Bus Museum exhibit, passed away suddenly early Sunday morning at Holy Spirit Hospital in Harrisburg. He will be greatly missed. He was a true gentleman, a delight to talk to and a good friend. Willie had just turned 83 in July. His funeral arrangements are pending." This fine ball player was at the museum just last week talking to visitors and signing his name for fans and friends. Please pray for his family and also his very dear friend from the Bus Museum, Oliver Ogden. Folks, I must say this right now... I had a chance to talk to Willie last February when Oliver had a display at the museum for Black History Month. Willie and I talked about baseball and about Jesus, as you folks know me, I ask questions, and I asked him about his standing with Jesus. He is with Jesus now, for to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Willie got called home fast... HE WAS READY, ARE YOU?????? Baseball in heaven is going on NOW!! And all races play for the same team...
Soap or Blood? 1 Mark 7:6 - He (Jesus) replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites: as it is written, These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." (NIV)
Mark 7:1 - The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of His disciples eating food with hands that were unclean. (NIV)
I think it was this Scripture, Mark 7:1, that God directed me to today to cause me to look back over my life and think about the times that I sat down and ate a meal or just a sandwich and did not wash my hands. Again I look back at a mother who taught me right, wash my hands after going to the potty, wash my hands before we eat, and yes, I do wash my hands often when I am cooking, and I love to cook, even at cook-outs I take hand cleaner and paper towels to clean my hands. But let me drift back in time to when I was in my days of childhood (ok, who said I never did grow up?). Anyway in my younger days in the summer I would tell my mother I was going to the "Luce Street" playground and I would take my paper route bag, my morning route was done, I would jump on my bike, with ball glove on the handlebars and a ball in my newspaper bag and a bag across the handlebars. And sometimes a sandwich in the paper route bag. As the other kids, both boys and girls, would come we would pickup teams. It did not make a difference if I was on time, for I was the last one picked anyway... (I had a bad bat, it could never find the ball). But we would play ball and when we boys had to go, it was off to the woods to go. (Boys are plumbed for outdoors.) The girls would run home. Anyway. at lunch time out would come the sandwich and I ate it, and guess what, my hands did not get washed. At fourteen I started working at my brother's service station, and when it was time to eat, I would get out my sandwich and take it out of the wrapper and start to eat. If a car pulled up for gas, the sandwich would lay on the work bench and I would wait on the customer. No, my hands did not get washed and still do this day. I think a sandwich looks better with a big black thumb print on one side and four finger prints on the other. And folks, take it from me, that a tad of gas and oil on the sandwich did not spoil like mayo can. Now folks, that was back then and this is now, and yes, as I said, I wash my hands so often I think I am making up for lost time. Then I read this passage in the Bible and find out, it was ok to eat with dirty hands if you had to.
As we dig into this section of the Bible I invite you to read Mark 7:1/23 which is the story on clean and unclean. This week we are going to find out which gets you cleaner, washing with soap or being washed in blood. Would you tell me your answer and where you got it?
Dear Father in Heaven, I come to You today for a wash job, but today, Lord, I want washed from my sins. I will get in the shower soon Lord and get the outside cleaned, please Lord, clean the rest of me and, Lord, you know I need it. Lord, be with those on our prayer list, touch Janet and all who touch her today as she has back surgery, heal the pain of her back and the pain Vicki and Dolores have. Stop the tension between two of my friends and bring peace upon them. And Lord, bless Oliver and all of Willie's family as they suffer their loss and let them then rejoice in his home-going... In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Now go forth and share those blessings. Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Friday, August 20, 2010
August 20, 2010 Calming Life's Storms 5
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. "Stand Firm" then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Good go to the corners of all the earth and tell the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ Morning, to you, my dear brothers and sisters. You say you have been laid off from your job and you have been looking and looking for that job. Listen, why not go to work for God for a while, till He comes and opens another door for you on the work front, and He surely will do just that. God has commanded us to go to work in the fields of Harvest for Him (Mark 16:15). Did you think that God just might want you to step back from that great paying job and take something with less pay and less stress so that you might just have more time for Him? And for some of you who are sitting at home just waiting for someone to knock on your door to give you that job, why not go out and knock on doors for God? Do some "free work" in the name of the Lord helping others. You should not be surprised that when you really love our Lord, He works a lot through others who love Him. In other words some Christians really follow that scripture that I mentioned early this week that we need to carry each others burdens.
Galatians 6:2 - Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (NIV)
Today is Friday and the day we pray for all who work for our Lord Jesus, not just pastors, but all who work, meaning those road guys who sing for the Lord, those who study hard many hours just to be a Sunday School Teacher, those who help the Lord by feeding others, and cleaning churches and I could go on and on. Brothers and sisters, on this one we need to be praying for each other for indeed we all should be working in the fields of Harvest for Jesus. These fields have no age limits, we need to work from dawn to setting sun... AND SOMEONE SAID, Amen.
Calming Life's Storms 5: Galatians 5:1 - It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. "Stand Firm" then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (NIV)
Our Lord Jesus went to the cross to set us free of our sins, our burdens, and in life a lot of our storms are caused by our very own sins. Our burdens are often caused by our sins, and our sins of the past seem to come around and haunt us and haunt us. Folks, we have become in America slaves to sin, not all of us, mind you, but a lot and it is easy to get caught up in it. We have seen people of many church groups, who are taught as Jesus has taught us that abortion is murder, but still we see those elected officials and others who support abortion. We all have seen the line up for men to marry men and women to marry women and it is against God's will for men to be with men and women with women (think sex on this, not a good game of golf). This is a sin and our country and many in it want to give in. We have seen Jesus taken out of our schools and we have seen most of our schools fail. We have seen other places where Jesus has been removed or tried to be removed and we have seen them fail, and no bigger place than in our own government. Folks, if you have not looked, our government is failing. And a lot of us, me included in this one, has even failed in the past, our very own families. Yes I did that and I have told all of you that in the past...
All week we have talked about life's storms and about calming them, and again I say most of our storms have come from our own sins. Other of our storms of life have come from the death or loss of loved ones, and folks, you really need our good Lord to handle this. And for parents who have lost children, if that does not test our love for our Lord nothing else would. I just cannot even begin to think about what those folks have gone through, and I sure can't think of how they would have gotten through it without Jesus. I am sure people who lost a child, or loved ones and even parents never really forget it, but I do know the best way to handle it is to come nearer and nearer to God, who, by the way, gave His Son for us. I could go on and on about all the things we have already talked about this week...
As for the storms of life caused by the loss of loved ones, we need to always remember the good things we had in the short times we had these loved ones. And if we had a few bad days we need to put them behind us.
But the SLAVERY caused by our sins, we need to get over, give over to God and stand firm in our Lord Jesus and never again become a slave to our sins of the past or become a slave to new sins that we might be tempted to do. Cast over your sins today, get out of bondage and being a slave to sin and come on board with our Lord Jesus. I am telling you that no one, no one, I said no one will ever do for you what our Lord Jesus has done for you. While many have been willing to lay down their lives for us or even did lay down their lives for us, no one has come to this earth to do just that. No one has lived on this earth and done all of these things... been born to a virgin mother, raised to live a spotless life, set examples of how to live, give us laws and orders of just how to live and what to do with our lives. Then die for us in a fashion that no one would want to go through. Then went on to be risen from the dead, and go on to be with our Father in Heaven and become the Judge of our lives when it comes to getting into heaven. Not everyone will make it into heaven, in fact our Lord tells us the road is narrow. The rewards, folks, will be heavenly. Today as our Father waits for us in Heaven we have the Holy Spirit that is with us, our Lord Jesus is with us through the power of the Holy Spirit and He today wants to carry our burdens forever and ever. The choice is yours today, give them over, give over the burdens caused by sin fully to Him, and the other storms that are not caused by sin and yes there are many of those also, we need to give them over to God also and have His help to carry them. HAVE FAITH, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS... I made a mistake the other day when I said a statement, here it is correct. Prayer is the key to heaven, but FAITH unlocks the door... HAVE FAITH, for in a few short years, if we follow Jesus, we will be with Him and all of life's storms will be calmed forever... SOMEONE PLEASE, PLEASE SHOUT AMEN... Do it so loud that everyone in your house hears you, you can even startle the dog, but today Shout for God, not for me, but for God... AMEN.
Dear Lord, here are my burdens, I don't want them anymore, here they are, I have looked them over and now they are Yours to clear from my past and present. I have Faith in this and I never want to be a slave to my sins again... in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Now go forth preaching and teaching, singing and shouting the word of our Lord, and sharing those blessings that came from Him... Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Good go to the corners of all the earth and tell the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ Morning, to you, my dear brothers and sisters. You say you have been laid off from your job and you have been looking and looking for that job. Listen, why not go to work for God for a while, till He comes and opens another door for you on the work front, and He surely will do just that. God has commanded us to go to work in the fields of Harvest for Him (Mark 16:15). Did you think that God just might want you to step back from that great paying job and take something with less pay and less stress so that you might just have more time for Him? And for some of you who are sitting at home just waiting for someone to knock on your door to give you that job, why not go out and knock on doors for God? Do some "free work" in the name of the Lord helping others. You should not be surprised that when you really love our Lord, He works a lot through others who love Him. In other words some Christians really follow that scripture that I mentioned early this week that we need to carry each others burdens.
Galatians 6:2 - Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (NIV)
Today is Friday and the day we pray for all who work for our Lord Jesus, not just pastors, but all who work, meaning those road guys who sing for the Lord, those who study hard many hours just to be a Sunday School Teacher, those who help the Lord by feeding others, and cleaning churches and I could go on and on. Brothers and sisters, on this one we need to be praying for each other for indeed we all should be working in the fields of Harvest for Jesus. These fields have no age limits, we need to work from dawn to setting sun... AND SOMEONE SAID, Amen.
Calming Life's Storms 5: Galatians 5:1 - It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. "Stand Firm" then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (NIV)
Our Lord Jesus went to the cross to set us free of our sins, our burdens, and in life a lot of our storms are caused by our very own sins. Our burdens are often caused by our sins, and our sins of the past seem to come around and haunt us and haunt us. Folks, we have become in America slaves to sin, not all of us, mind you, but a lot and it is easy to get caught up in it. We have seen people of many church groups, who are taught as Jesus has taught us that abortion is murder, but still we see those elected officials and others who support abortion. We all have seen the line up for men to marry men and women to marry women and it is against God's will for men to be with men and women with women (think sex on this, not a good game of golf). This is a sin and our country and many in it want to give in. We have seen Jesus taken out of our schools and we have seen most of our schools fail. We have seen other places where Jesus has been removed or tried to be removed and we have seen them fail, and no bigger place than in our own government. Folks, if you have not looked, our government is failing. And a lot of us, me included in this one, has even failed in the past, our very own families. Yes I did that and I have told all of you that in the past...
All week we have talked about life's storms and about calming them, and again I say most of our storms have come from our own sins. Other of our storms of life have come from the death or loss of loved ones, and folks, you really need our good Lord to handle this. And for parents who have lost children, if that does not test our love for our Lord nothing else would. I just cannot even begin to think about what those folks have gone through, and I sure can't think of how they would have gotten through it without Jesus. I am sure people who lost a child, or loved ones and even parents never really forget it, but I do know the best way to handle it is to come nearer and nearer to God, who, by the way, gave His Son for us. I could go on and on about all the things we have already talked about this week...
As for the storms of life caused by the loss of loved ones, we need to always remember the good things we had in the short times we had these loved ones. And if we had a few bad days we need to put them behind us.
But the SLAVERY caused by our sins, we need to get over, give over to God and stand firm in our Lord Jesus and never again become a slave to our sins of the past or become a slave to new sins that we might be tempted to do. Cast over your sins today, get out of bondage and being a slave to sin and come on board with our Lord Jesus. I am telling you that no one, no one, I said no one will ever do for you what our Lord Jesus has done for you. While many have been willing to lay down their lives for us or even did lay down their lives for us, no one has come to this earth to do just that. No one has lived on this earth and done all of these things... been born to a virgin mother, raised to live a spotless life, set examples of how to live, give us laws and orders of just how to live and what to do with our lives. Then die for us in a fashion that no one would want to go through. Then went on to be risen from the dead, and go on to be with our Father in Heaven and become the Judge of our lives when it comes to getting into heaven. Not everyone will make it into heaven, in fact our Lord tells us the road is narrow. The rewards, folks, will be heavenly. Today as our Father waits for us in Heaven we have the Holy Spirit that is with us, our Lord Jesus is with us through the power of the Holy Spirit and He today wants to carry our burdens forever and ever. The choice is yours today, give them over, give over the burdens caused by sin fully to Him, and the other storms that are not caused by sin and yes there are many of those also, we need to give them over to God also and have His help to carry them. HAVE FAITH, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS... I made a mistake the other day when I said a statement, here it is correct. Prayer is the key to heaven, but FAITH unlocks the door... HAVE FAITH, for in a few short years, if we follow Jesus, we will be with Him and all of life's storms will be calmed forever... SOMEONE PLEASE, PLEASE SHOUT AMEN... Do it so loud that everyone in your house hears you, you can even startle the dog, but today Shout for God, not for me, but for God... AMEN.
Dear Lord, here are my burdens, I don't want them anymore, here they are, I have looked them over and now they are Yours to clear from my past and present. I have Faith in this and I never want to be a slave to my sins again... in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Now go forth preaching and teaching, singing and shouting the word of our Lord, and sharing those blessings that came from Him... Love ya, Pastor Dan.
August 19, 2010 Calming Life's Storms 4
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.
Good Thursday, my dear brothers and sisters, and it is families and schools day on the line.
First, this praise report in from Tom Sansoni who reports that his wife Kathleen's cancer numbers are down. While she still needs many prayers and God's healing touch, the news from the Sansoni Camp is good. Kathleen also has trouble breathing and while we pray for the cancer to leave her body and the body of Ron we also pray for breathing paths to be opened on Kathleen and also Oliver Ogden. Pray today for safe travel for Pam Bower, and pray for Janet Wotring as she readies for serious back surgery on Monday.
Remember today as we pray for our schools to pray for safety on the buses as they are hitting the road. Folks, big yellow is about to come back on the road. Remember to stop on those red signals and if you have children riding the buses tell them this. Get in, sit down and be quiet! When I managed the Central Dauphin School District Fleet, the drivers would report to me the greatest hazards were the noise from the kids and movement from one seat to another. Also folks, if you see a school bus driver talking on a cell phone while the bus is moving, REPORT IT TO THE POLICE. And remember this safety tip from this old safety man... HANG UP AND DRIVE!! You need your full attention on your driving, not your FOOL attention (like that slogan, use it.)
Calming Life's Storms 4: Psalm 68: 19 - Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. (NIV)
Storms of life and burdens of life are one and the same... Burdens, burdens! I want you to notice in the scripture above that God our Savior bears our burdens daily. God does not take a day off, he really does not and there is not a day goes by that we do not have some sort of burden or burdens to deal with. Think about it, how long has it been since you did not have a worry in the world? More than likely since you were a child, and I mean a child, back even before school started. Maybe when you were under six or seven years of age. I had no worries in school, no never, my parents were school teachers and I took the submarine course... SUBMARINE COURSE. Yes, you see all my grades were below sea level. And while preachers kids had the heat on them one day a week to behave, we teachers kids had to be good five days a week, and also get good grades.
Folks, one of the things that can cause us burdens is our lifestyle and that is in the Bible... Listen up.
Psalm 38: 3 - Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. 4 My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. (NIV)
Folks, is it not true when we do things wrong, we get our very own selves on guilt trips? And if you don't think you need to fear God, look this scripture over. God wants us to live daily for Him, and when we do He will bear our burdens, and if we don't some of those burdens that He will help us carry might just have come from Him. Brothers and sisters, sin is our number one burden of all, yes, sin is number one. And why did Jesus go to the cross and die? He did it to save us from our own sins, not the sins of others, but our very own. Remember this... Burdens were lifted at Calvary, and folks, Burdens are still being lifted at Calvary.
Dear Father in Heaven, help us daily with our burdens, but first, Lord, help us to repent from sin and live for You... In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Go forth sharing your blessings and helping each other with their burdens... love ya, Pastor Dan.
Do you need prayer to help overcome your burdens... Call our home 717 691 8200 or Call me 717 991 0754 or call Dolores 717 991 0763
Good Thursday, my dear brothers and sisters, and it is families and schools day on the line.
First, this praise report in from Tom Sansoni who reports that his wife Kathleen's cancer numbers are down. While she still needs many prayers and God's healing touch, the news from the Sansoni Camp is good. Kathleen also has trouble breathing and while we pray for the cancer to leave her body and the body of Ron we also pray for breathing paths to be opened on Kathleen and also Oliver Ogden. Pray today for safe travel for Pam Bower, and pray for Janet Wotring as she readies for serious back surgery on Monday.
Remember today as we pray for our schools to pray for safety on the buses as they are hitting the road. Folks, big yellow is about to come back on the road. Remember to stop on those red signals and if you have children riding the buses tell them this. Get in, sit down and be quiet! When I managed the Central Dauphin School District Fleet, the drivers would report to me the greatest hazards were the noise from the kids and movement from one seat to another. Also folks, if you see a school bus driver talking on a cell phone while the bus is moving, REPORT IT TO THE POLICE. And remember this safety tip from this old safety man... HANG UP AND DRIVE!! You need your full attention on your driving, not your FOOL attention (like that slogan, use it.)
Calming Life's Storms 4: Psalm 68: 19 - Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. (NIV)
Storms of life and burdens of life are one and the same... Burdens, burdens! I want you to notice in the scripture above that God our Savior bears our burdens daily. God does not take a day off, he really does not and there is not a day goes by that we do not have some sort of burden or burdens to deal with. Think about it, how long has it been since you did not have a worry in the world? More than likely since you were a child, and I mean a child, back even before school started. Maybe when you were under six or seven years of age. I had no worries in school, no never, my parents were school teachers and I took the submarine course... SUBMARINE COURSE. Yes, you see all my grades were below sea level. And while preachers kids had the heat on them one day a week to behave, we teachers kids had to be good five days a week, and also get good grades.
Folks, one of the things that can cause us burdens is our lifestyle and that is in the Bible... Listen up.
Psalm 38: 3 - Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. 4 My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. (NIV)
Folks, is it not true when we do things wrong, we get our very own selves on guilt trips? And if you don't think you need to fear God, look this scripture over. God wants us to live daily for Him, and when we do He will bear our burdens, and if we don't some of those burdens that He will help us carry might just have come from Him. Brothers and sisters, sin is our number one burden of all, yes, sin is number one. And why did Jesus go to the cross and die? He did it to save us from our own sins, not the sins of others, but our very own. Remember this... Burdens were lifted at Calvary, and folks, Burdens are still being lifted at Calvary.
Dear Father in Heaven, help us daily with our burdens, but first, Lord, help us to repent from sin and live for You... In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Go forth sharing your blessings and helping each other with their burdens... love ya, Pastor Dan.
Do you need prayer to help overcome your burdens... Call our home 717 691 8200 or Call me 717 991 0754 or call Dolores 717 991 0763
August 18, 2010 Calming Life's Storms 3
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life."
Salvation Wednesday, my dear brothers and sisters, Salvation Wednesday and the day we pray for the lost, and we pray that God will use us to help bring them in to be saved. The first thing I must do today is to pray for this computer. I cannot get connected to the internet to send my message and to read email. It worked fine last night, but, well something went wrong overnight, more than likely Satan trying to block the work of the Lord. But anyway, I am going forward with the message and maybe God will have it worked out till I get finished with it. So I am going to the Lord now... Lord, your hands on my sick computer would be appreciated. It will not hook up to the internet, Lord. I trust You to take care of it... thanks, Lord... In Jesus name. Amen.
Also today on our prayer is Vicki, and folks, we need to keep her there daily till she has her surgery in September, so if I forget to list her, please remember to pray for her. For Beverly who had a stroke, and for Jim who must go to a nursing home.
Calming Life's Storm 3: Matthew 6:25 - "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"
(NIV)
When I talk about Life's Storms and Calming Life's Storms I just need to tell you this... Worry, Worry, might be one of the things that causes a lot, maybe even most of Life's Storms and also might be just the hardest thing to give over to the Lord. The Bible tells us in Matthew 6:25/end that we should not worry. "Do not worry," Jesus tells us. I know that I have worried and worried and I have been in pain from worry over things, pain in the belly that would drop one to the floor. I would turn the worries over to the Lord as we are told to do, I have gone to the altar at church and laid them on the altar of our Lord. I would pray for God to carry them for me, and then, and then, and then, I would get up and pick them up and take them back. How many of you have done the same thing? Sometimes our worries are about things we have no control over, like the weather, other times it might be over family or maybe things we have going on in our lives. Folks, it is easy for me to say we need to trust the Lord and give the burdens and worries over to Him, yet I find this one hard to do also.
As I said, sometimes we worry about things we have no control over, and other times we might worry about things that we need not to worry about. We worry about food, clothes, you know our basic needs, and God has promised He would take care of them. Sometimes Dolores and I worry that we will have enough in the food bank to help others, yet when people show up for food we have never had to turn anyone away. NEVER, praise the Lord for that, for He is good.
Today I want to bring this one out, for our Bible tells us in many places we are to help others. As we trust God to take care of our needs we need to remember that needs of many are supplied through the hands of God's workers. We should not need, nor should others need to rely on the government to supply our needs, as we have a government that is broke and calls on us also, only they don't ask, they take. Folks, how can people trust the government and not the Lord? That is for another day. Today as we go to prayer and ask God to take our worries and help us with them, I want to point out his scripture...
Galatians 6:2 - Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (NIV)
Brothers and Sisters, we really need to help carry the burdens of others. One way we do this is by praying for them, others is to just sit and talk to them, still others we might need to help with a few dollars from time to time or with some food or clothes. Sometimes when one is at a dark point in their lives we might even need to babysit them. You will recall that just a few weeks ago I told you about those who helped me when I was at the bottom. Folks, we need to help each other, and we need to share our blessings, and folks, we need to share those talents that God has lent to us.
Think about this, maybe you do electric and I fix cars, we can help each other. Maybe you sew and can help people with that. Maybe you can read and someone else cannot. We have many ways, too many ways to even mention, that we can help carry the burdens of others. Talk to God about it and get your assignment on how to help others and also talk to Him about your worries and burdens. No one has no worries, and no one needs to carry their burdens alone. Go to God, and let's do it NOW.
Dear Father in Heaven, here we are, first wanting our assignment to help You in bringing in the lost and then we need Your help in taking the load off of our backs. Lord, help us, help us, and help us so we can help others and help You. Be with those on our prayer list. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Now go forth, unloading your burdens on the Lord, and yes, you may also let me know about them and I will see if I can help, and then go forth also sharing your blessings and helping others... Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Salvation Wednesday, my dear brothers and sisters, Salvation Wednesday and the day we pray for the lost, and we pray that God will use us to help bring them in to be saved. The first thing I must do today is to pray for this computer. I cannot get connected to the internet to send my message and to read email. It worked fine last night, but, well something went wrong overnight, more than likely Satan trying to block the work of the Lord. But anyway, I am going forward with the message and maybe God will have it worked out till I get finished with it. So I am going to the Lord now... Lord, your hands on my sick computer would be appreciated. It will not hook up to the internet, Lord. I trust You to take care of it... thanks, Lord... In Jesus name. Amen.
Also today on our prayer is Vicki, and folks, we need to keep her there daily till she has her surgery in September, so if I forget to list her, please remember to pray for her. For Beverly who had a stroke, and for Jim who must go to a nursing home.
Calming Life's Storm 3: Matthew 6:25 - "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"
(NIV)
When I talk about Life's Storms and Calming Life's Storms I just need to tell you this... Worry, Worry, might be one of the things that causes a lot, maybe even most of Life's Storms and also might be just the hardest thing to give over to the Lord. The Bible tells us in Matthew 6:25/end that we should not worry. "Do not worry," Jesus tells us. I know that I have worried and worried and I have been in pain from worry over things, pain in the belly that would drop one to the floor. I would turn the worries over to the Lord as we are told to do, I have gone to the altar at church and laid them on the altar of our Lord. I would pray for God to carry them for me, and then, and then, and then, I would get up and pick them up and take them back. How many of you have done the same thing? Sometimes our worries are about things we have no control over, like the weather, other times it might be over family or maybe things we have going on in our lives. Folks, it is easy for me to say we need to trust the Lord and give the burdens and worries over to Him, yet I find this one hard to do also.
As I said, sometimes we worry about things we have no control over, and other times we might worry about things that we need not to worry about. We worry about food, clothes, you know our basic needs, and God has promised He would take care of them. Sometimes Dolores and I worry that we will have enough in the food bank to help others, yet when people show up for food we have never had to turn anyone away. NEVER, praise the Lord for that, for He is good.
Today I want to bring this one out, for our Bible tells us in many places we are to help others. As we trust God to take care of our needs we need to remember that needs of many are supplied through the hands of God's workers. We should not need, nor should others need to rely on the government to supply our needs, as we have a government that is broke and calls on us also, only they don't ask, they take. Folks, how can people trust the government and not the Lord? That is for another day. Today as we go to prayer and ask God to take our worries and help us with them, I want to point out his scripture...
Galatians 6:2 - Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (NIV)
Brothers and Sisters, we really need to help carry the burdens of others. One way we do this is by praying for them, others is to just sit and talk to them, still others we might need to help with a few dollars from time to time or with some food or clothes. Sometimes when one is at a dark point in their lives we might even need to babysit them. You will recall that just a few weeks ago I told you about those who helped me when I was at the bottom. Folks, we need to help each other, and we need to share our blessings, and folks, we need to share those talents that God has lent to us.
Think about this, maybe you do electric and I fix cars, we can help each other. Maybe you sew and can help people with that. Maybe you can read and someone else cannot. We have many ways, too many ways to even mention, that we can help carry the burdens of others. Talk to God about it and get your assignment on how to help others and also talk to Him about your worries and burdens. No one has no worries, and no one needs to carry their burdens alone. Go to God, and let's do it NOW.
Dear Father in Heaven, here we are, first wanting our assignment to help You in bringing in the lost and then we need Your help in taking the load off of our backs. Lord, help us, help us, and help us so we can help others and help You. Be with those on our prayer list. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Now go forth, unloading your burdens on the Lord, and yes, you may also let me know about them and I will see if I can help, and then go forth also sharing your blessings and helping others... Love ya, Pastor Dan.
August 17, 2010 Calming Life's Storms 2
"Where is your faith?"
Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. Tuesday and the day we pray for a cure for cancer, diabetes, heart problems, birth defects, and all other diseases which are just too many to mention. While I do not know what caused all the diseases, I do know that some are caused by bad behavior. Still others are caused or added to by bad choices in life. Nevertheless, we go to God and ask for that cure, be it direct or through the hands of those who work on medications.
Calming Life's Storms 2: Matthew 4:23 - Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and HEALING every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News of Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. (NIV)
Luke 8: 25 - Where is your faith?" He (Jesus) asked His disciples. (NIV)
Today I want to talk to you about one of the biggest storms in our lives... Some might think when we talk about storms we are just talking weather, those twisters, hail, blizzards and I could go on and on, however I know how our family is and I think we are about the same as most families, and our storms in the most part are not weather related. So during the next few days I want to talk to you about some of them and tell you just who can be "Calming Life's Storms" for you. Of course we are talking about Jesus and I will tell you that right up front. When I look over our lives and look over those sending in prayer requests I think a good amount of life's storms are health related and the one I think that works most people is Pain. Yes, Pain... So let's talk about pain for a while today.
I know that some people carry a lot of pain and while each persons pain level might be different, their ability to manage that pain might differ also. Some people can handle it better than others. One way or the other pain will over time take you down, it really will. Now speaking of pain, I ask today that you pray for my dear wife Dolores and also for Janet Wotring, in fact Janet is having back surgery on Monday and we need to hold her up in prayer for that also. Vicki is another who is carrying a lot of pain, and I could go on and on. Back pain, leg pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, and I could go on and on. Women have that pain in childbirth and folks that was/is caused by sin, some of them also have heavy pain at their time of the month. Others have headaches and some are migraines and they can make people sick. Still other pain can be mental, depression, pain caused by a broken heart, maybe a wayward child, or a split in marriage. There is all sorts of pain and hundreds of pain relievers out there on the market.
Yes, you can go to the drug store and find all sorts of over the counter pain killers and a lot of those that need guarded, I use one of those and have for almost 20 years since a bad motorcycle crash. I want you to know right now that regardless of the medications that one might take to help deal with pain, I for one could not walk a foot without Jesus holding me up.
So today, today I want you to go with me to God in prayer and turn over one of life's biggest storms, pain. If you have pain in your body I ask you that while you pray with me on this that you place your hands where it hurts, and I want you to pray with me. And while we pray I want you to remember that scripture and in fact it is worth repeating right here, so you can read it again...
Matthew 4:23 - Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and HEALING every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News of Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering SEVERE PAIN, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and He healed them. (NIV)
Now we also know that if we do not have faith that Jesus is going to move on the prayers we might as well not pray. Prayer is the key to heaven, folks, but faith is what unlocks that door. We will talk about this more later this week. Hold that spot now.
Dear Father in Heaven, we are so blessed and we know that You have healed many parts on us before we knew they were bad, but right now, Lord, we bring to You our pain, that pain in our backs, in our knees, in our brains, wherever that pain is, we ask in the name of Jesus to heal that pain. The pain of Vicki, the pain of Janet and Dolores, my pain, and the pain of others, regardless of where the pain is and what is causing it. Heal us, dear Lord, heal us. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Now go forth having faith, claiming the healing and sharing the blessings. I do pray your pain is gone or less, I do believe in faith healing... Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. Tuesday and the day we pray for a cure for cancer, diabetes, heart problems, birth defects, and all other diseases which are just too many to mention. While I do not know what caused all the diseases, I do know that some are caused by bad behavior. Still others are caused or added to by bad choices in life. Nevertheless, we go to God and ask for that cure, be it direct or through the hands of those who work on medications.
Calming Life's Storms 2: Matthew 4:23 - Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and HEALING every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News of Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. (NIV)
Luke 8: 25 - Where is your faith?" He (Jesus) asked His disciples. (NIV)
Today I want to talk to you about one of the biggest storms in our lives... Some might think when we talk about storms we are just talking weather, those twisters, hail, blizzards and I could go on and on, however I know how our family is and I think we are about the same as most families, and our storms in the most part are not weather related. So during the next few days I want to talk to you about some of them and tell you just who can be "Calming Life's Storms" for you. Of course we are talking about Jesus and I will tell you that right up front. When I look over our lives and look over those sending in prayer requests I think a good amount of life's storms are health related and the one I think that works most people is Pain. Yes, Pain... So let's talk about pain for a while today.
I know that some people carry a lot of pain and while each persons pain level might be different, their ability to manage that pain might differ also. Some people can handle it better than others. One way or the other pain will over time take you down, it really will. Now speaking of pain, I ask today that you pray for my dear wife Dolores and also for Janet Wotring, in fact Janet is having back surgery on Monday and we need to hold her up in prayer for that also. Vicki is another who is carrying a lot of pain, and I could go on and on. Back pain, leg pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, and I could go on and on. Women have that pain in childbirth and folks that was/is caused by sin, some of them also have heavy pain at their time of the month. Others have headaches and some are migraines and they can make people sick. Still other pain can be mental, depression, pain caused by a broken heart, maybe a wayward child, or a split in marriage. There is all sorts of pain and hundreds of pain relievers out there on the market.
Yes, you can go to the drug store and find all sorts of over the counter pain killers and a lot of those that need guarded, I use one of those and have for almost 20 years since a bad motorcycle crash. I want you to know right now that regardless of the medications that one might take to help deal with pain, I for one could not walk a foot without Jesus holding me up.
So today, today I want you to go with me to God in prayer and turn over one of life's biggest storms, pain. If you have pain in your body I ask you that while you pray with me on this that you place your hands where it hurts, and I want you to pray with me. And while we pray I want you to remember that scripture and in fact it is worth repeating right here, so you can read it again...
Matthew 4:23 - Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and HEALING every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News of Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering SEVERE PAIN, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and He healed them. (NIV)
Now we also know that if we do not have faith that Jesus is going to move on the prayers we might as well not pray. Prayer is the key to heaven, folks, but faith is what unlocks that door. We will talk about this more later this week. Hold that spot now.
Dear Father in Heaven, we are so blessed and we know that You have healed many parts on us before we knew they were bad, but right now, Lord, we bring to You our pain, that pain in our backs, in our knees, in our brains, wherever that pain is, we ask in the name of Jesus to heal that pain. The pain of Vicki, the pain of Janet and Dolores, my pain, and the pain of others, regardless of where the pain is and what is causing it. Heal us, dear Lord, heal us. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Now go forth having faith, claiming the healing and sharing the blessings. I do pray your pain is gone or less, I do believe in faith healing... Love ya, Pastor Dan.
August 16, 2010 Calming Life's Storms 1
One day Jesus said to His disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake."
Good Monday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. It is a beautiful morning here at the Southern Location of the North Pole. Would you believe it, would you believe it, August is halfway over and school opening is just around the corner. High school sports teams are back at practice. Wait a minute, is something backwards here... What would be said if school districts would call in teachers early and say we are having two weeks of practice in Reading, Math, and English and sports would start later? Oh, silly me, that is right, education of our kids in Reading, Math, and English comes after sports and all those activities. Anyway, it is Monday and the day we pray for our leaders, our veterans, military, police, firefighters, and all others who work hard to help us including our doctors, nurses, etc.. Today let's add a few more groups to this. How about all those who work in retirement homes and nursing homes, those fine men and women who don't make much money but work to keep us going in our senior years? And just a few more groups, let's add in our trash people, you know those folks who show up rain or shine and grab your stinky can (the one at the end of the driveway, thank you) and haul off your trash. And today let's pray for Sue who for a long time wrote a daily for the Mountain Movers warriors. Sue has cancer and is need of our prayers... Add her to Ron and others who have cancer.
Calming Life's Storms: 1 Luke 8:22 - One day Jesus said to His disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." (NIV)
You more than likely remember this passage and how when Jesus and His disciples were out on the lake a storm came up and it looked like it was going to swamp the boat. The disciples got scared, woke up Jesus who was napping and Jesus calmed the storm. According to the Bible it went like this.
Luke 8:23 - As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, they were in great danger. 24 The disciples went and woke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25 "Where is your faith?" He asked His disciples. (NIV)
Now let's put this into our own lives today. We get up in the morning and we start with prayer, right? We talk to God for a while and we get ready to do what we are going to do for that day, some going to school, some going to work, some maybe in today's market going job hunting, others of us taking care of animals and our mates in life. Whatever your plans for the day, the day looks great, everything is going perfect and then the storm comes up. Folks, we cannot always hide from life's storms and do we know when they are coming? A few years back there was a storm that came in down in New Orleans; it was called Katrina and it was big, and people had a lot of notice to pack up and get out of the way, some did and some did not, and some who did not lost their lives. Some back then turned to the Lord for help and others turned to the government, some might have turned to both. Then some strange things happened, people were given lots of money by the government and they spent it on things other than replacing their homes... the governments also spent money on setting up all the gambling places and all those bad houses, etc. Maybe, just maybe, that is why God did not calm that storm in the first place. I don't know that for sure, but the people were warned to get out.
Now you heard a lot about that storm, but did you hear about this one? In Harrisburg Pa. there is a street called Cameron Street that in 1972 went under water, most people got out what they could and a lot of the businesses came back. Some like the city bus company at the time left all their buses instead of driving them to higher ground. Now let's go to last Thursday afternoon. We had some thunderstorms pass by, Harrisburg Pa. had one that really dumped some rain, over three inches of it in just a short amount of time. A railroad bank caved in and the coal dirt and mud came over a bank and went through the doors of Strawheckers Auto Glass, a company that went through the flood. They had time to move things in 1972, this time no warnings, and the shop is all but totaled. I know the family that runs this business and I am sure when they went to work in the morning the last thing they expected that day was a flood that would shut down their business. After all it had been very dry and the river which went to 36 feet in 1972 was just over 3 feet. But it was not the river that caused the storm. Meantime, the owners said they will work all weekend and be open by today.
Now why did I bring this out? You see, when we get up in the morning and start out we just never know when we might have a storm hit us or our family or friends. It could be a minor storm or a major one, and folks, what might be minor to one person could be a major storm in the life of another. We don't know and each handle a storm differently. We do all have one thing in common, we all have our Lord Jesus we can turn to in times of storms or troubles. Will Jesus calm the storms of our lives as He did in the boat that day with His disciples? Well, maybe not the exact same way, but He does calm us when we have storms if we just let Him and all so often after the storm in our life, we find we are much better off, for we have learned how to lean on our Lord and how to work with Him... Jesus had said, "Where is your faith?" to His disciples, and I do believe He asks us that more than once. Where is your faith, Jesus will get you through the storm if you just trust and believe and moreso trust and obey. It does amaze me sometimes and I was like this for a long time in my life, but it still amazes me how we can turn our backs on Jesus day after day and then when we do have a storm in our life, we might ask, Jesus where were you? After my motorcycle crash in 1990 when I was hit in the rear while sitting in traffic, some people who knew that I had now fallen in love with Jesus asked me. Where was your Lord Jesus and why did He not protect you? Well, Jesus did protect me, I was injured, not killed, I was down but not out, and if you know that scripture called -
Romans 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (NIV)
Now I loved and still do love Jesus, and when I look at my life then and now I know that although I have a lot of pain, I am now working for Jesus full time, not part-time and things are better. So, indeed Jesus did calm that storm, but I had to wait and watch for not all storms are calmed at once... Amen. We will be working this subject this week... Has Jesus calmed a storm or two for you? Will you share one with us?
Dear Father in Heaven, we do not know when we get up if we will have a storm in our lives or not, but we do know this, you will be there to help us get through it if it comes. Lord, bless all those on our prayer list today. Be with all those who work hard to keep us healthy, safe and free. To You Jesus, the calmer of all storms, we give You the honor and glory for another day... In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Now go forth, sharing your blessings with others and helping Jesus calm the storms in the life of others. love ya, Pastor Dan.
Good Monday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. It is a beautiful morning here at the Southern Location of the North Pole. Would you believe it, would you believe it, August is halfway over and school opening is just around the corner. High school sports teams are back at practice. Wait a minute, is something backwards here... What would be said if school districts would call in teachers early and say we are having two weeks of practice in Reading, Math, and English and sports would start later? Oh, silly me, that is right, education of our kids in Reading, Math, and English comes after sports and all those activities. Anyway, it is Monday and the day we pray for our leaders, our veterans, military, police, firefighters, and all others who work hard to help us including our doctors, nurses, etc.. Today let's add a few more groups to this. How about all those who work in retirement homes and nursing homes, those fine men and women who don't make much money but work to keep us going in our senior years? And just a few more groups, let's add in our trash people, you know those folks who show up rain or shine and grab your stinky can (the one at the end of the driveway, thank you) and haul off your trash. And today let's pray for Sue who for a long time wrote a daily for the Mountain Movers warriors. Sue has cancer and is need of our prayers... Add her to Ron and others who have cancer.
Calming Life's Storms: 1 Luke 8:22 - One day Jesus said to His disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." (NIV)
You more than likely remember this passage and how when Jesus and His disciples were out on the lake a storm came up and it looked like it was going to swamp the boat. The disciples got scared, woke up Jesus who was napping and Jesus calmed the storm. According to the Bible it went like this.
Luke 8:23 - As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, they were in great danger. 24 The disciples went and woke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25 "Where is your faith?" He asked His disciples. (NIV)
Now let's put this into our own lives today. We get up in the morning and we start with prayer, right? We talk to God for a while and we get ready to do what we are going to do for that day, some going to school, some going to work, some maybe in today's market going job hunting, others of us taking care of animals and our mates in life. Whatever your plans for the day, the day looks great, everything is going perfect and then the storm comes up. Folks, we cannot always hide from life's storms and do we know when they are coming? A few years back there was a storm that came in down in New Orleans; it was called Katrina and it was big, and people had a lot of notice to pack up and get out of the way, some did and some did not, and some who did not lost their lives. Some back then turned to the Lord for help and others turned to the government, some might have turned to both. Then some strange things happened, people were given lots of money by the government and they spent it on things other than replacing their homes... the governments also spent money on setting up all the gambling places and all those bad houses, etc. Maybe, just maybe, that is why God did not calm that storm in the first place. I don't know that for sure, but the people were warned to get out.
Now you heard a lot about that storm, but did you hear about this one? In Harrisburg Pa. there is a street called Cameron Street that in 1972 went under water, most people got out what they could and a lot of the businesses came back. Some like the city bus company at the time left all their buses instead of driving them to higher ground. Now let's go to last Thursday afternoon. We had some thunderstorms pass by, Harrisburg Pa. had one that really dumped some rain, over three inches of it in just a short amount of time. A railroad bank caved in and the coal dirt and mud came over a bank and went through the doors of Strawheckers Auto Glass, a company that went through the flood. They had time to move things in 1972, this time no warnings, and the shop is all but totaled. I know the family that runs this business and I am sure when they went to work in the morning the last thing they expected that day was a flood that would shut down their business. After all it had been very dry and the river which went to 36 feet in 1972 was just over 3 feet. But it was not the river that caused the storm. Meantime, the owners said they will work all weekend and be open by today.
Now why did I bring this out? You see, when we get up in the morning and start out we just never know when we might have a storm hit us or our family or friends. It could be a minor storm or a major one, and folks, what might be minor to one person could be a major storm in the life of another. We don't know and each handle a storm differently. We do all have one thing in common, we all have our Lord Jesus we can turn to in times of storms or troubles. Will Jesus calm the storms of our lives as He did in the boat that day with His disciples? Well, maybe not the exact same way, but He does calm us when we have storms if we just let Him and all so often after the storm in our life, we find we are much better off, for we have learned how to lean on our Lord and how to work with Him... Jesus had said, "Where is your faith?" to His disciples, and I do believe He asks us that more than once. Where is your faith, Jesus will get you through the storm if you just trust and believe and moreso trust and obey. It does amaze me sometimes and I was like this for a long time in my life, but it still amazes me how we can turn our backs on Jesus day after day and then when we do have a storm in our life, we might ask, Jesus where were you? After my motorcycle crash in 1990 when I was hit in the rear while sitting in traffic, some people who knew that I had now fallen in love with Jesus asked me. Where was your Lord Jesus and why did He not protect you? Well, Jesus did protect me, I was injured, not killed, I was down but not out, and if you know that scripture called -
Romans 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (NIV)
Now I loved and still do love Jesus, and when I look at my life then and now I know that although I have a lot of pain, I am now working for Jesus full time, not part-time and things are better. So, indeed Jesus did calm that storm, but I had to wait and watch for not all storms are calmed at once... Amen. We will be working this subject this week... Has Jesus calmed a storm or two for you? Will you share one with us?
Dear Father in Heaven, we do not know when we get up if we will have a storm in our lives or not, but we do know this, you will be there to help us get through it if it comes. Lord, bless all those on our prayer list today. Be with all those who work hard to keep us healthy, safe and free. To You Jesus, the calmer of all storms, we give You the honor and glory for another day... In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Now go forth, sharing your blessings with others and helping Jesus calm the storms in the life of others. love ya, Pastor Dan.
August 13, 2010 Sowing Seeds 5
"But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop." THEN "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."
Good Friday the 13th, my dear brothers and sisters, and what a blessing this day has already been, we are getting more rain, the humidity has been broken, and it is cool... PRAISE GOD. Folks, if we did not have the heat wave, would we really appreciate a nice cool August day? If we did not have big, big snow storms in the winter, would we appreciate the days when the sun is out bright? If we did not have some pain in our bodies once in a while, would we appreciate the days when we have none?
Today being Friday we pray for all God's workers, those going into the fields of Harvest as commanded by our Lord Jesus and sowing those really good seeds. Yesterday I had Dolores to another doctor and once again she was told, nothing they can do, but are sending her for tests to see how she might have broken her pelvis. Now folks, for all those who do not believe in the healing hand of God, ask them this, who heals broken bones? GOD DOES!
Sowing Seeds 5: Luke 8:15 - "But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop." THEN Mark 16:15 - "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." (NIV) (I added the "Then")
Ok, now it is time to look in the mirror and say today that we are the ones with the seeds and we have good seeds, so where are we going to go and sow them? First, let's just look right around our own homes. Have we raised our children in a Godly way so that when we plant these seeds of our good Lord in them they will stick and grow? So as we remember the command of Jesus as recorded in the book of Mark, chapter 16 verse 15, we are to take the good news to all creation, and folks, the last I looked part of that creation is in your very own home. Next, across the street and down the street and up the street... yes, they are also part of all creation. And you might note that each step I bring out today might get harder for you. This will cause you to get nearer and nearer to our Lord Jesus. Don't just stand back and toss the seeds, you need to plant them and then go back and work them. Then we have the work place, the water cooler, and sometimes this really get tough, some people might tell you to take a hike, but don't give up, for sometimes the way to plant seeds at the work place is to just live the life as Jesus did, being kind to all people and doing things for others. Then there are clubs and other things you might belong to. And I need to tell you about this one. For a long time years and years ago I would hear cursing at our monthly board meetings, then I talked to our president about opening with prayer and we have done that for years and the cursing stopped. Now someone comes on the board and complains about prayer, so the same person who stood tall for the Lord and gave the go-ahead now has bowed down to the new person and said we must do silent prayer. Folks, if I believe in a silent God then I would not be taking two hours a day writing this. People need to be real careful when they want to shut down God for it will just not happen. Oh, and one of the biggest sports in the United States of America starts with prayer each week and in all races. I am talking NASCAR racing. It starts like this, "please rise and gentlemen remove your hats" and then they go to the Lord in prayer, and it is not silent. At the cookout I had for our township the other day I opened it with prayer and all of them men, the tough road workers removed their hats and paid respect to our Lord and it was not a silent prayer.
So folks, how are you going to sow seeds for our Lord today, here are a few suggestions for those looking for ideas. Go to church and instead of just sitting in the pew, get involved in doing things.
Work with youth ball teams, etc., and let your colors stand out for the Lord. Boy and Girl scouts and clubs need help. Oh and if you have one of those talents on loan from God, retirement homes and nursing homes are always looking for people to come in. And folks, one of the things that start to go as we get older is our vision, and some who can no longer read the Bible would love to have someone come in a read to them. Arts and crafts, and folks as you do these things you can always talk about God. Even those living in retirement communities help each other, some that still walk well push wheelchairs and help in the food service area setting tables.
Now while I could go on and on about how to sow seeds for our Lord Jesus, I must end it with this one last one, as only I could say it... PLEASE SHARE YOUR BLESSINGS...
Dear Father in Heaven, we come to You this day thanking You for all the blessings You give us each and every day of our lives, and we ask that You help us to share them and help us as we want to start sowing those seeds of God's love every place we go. Open doors for us, dear Lord, and help us get the word into places where it has never been. Help us to be good soil to received the seeds from You and help us to find places to plant them, and then, Lord, help us to follow up and keep them growing for You... In Jesus' name, Amen.
Now go and sow those seeds and share those blessings. Love Ya, Pastor Dan.
Good Friday the 13th, my dear brothers and sisters, and what a blessing this day has already been, we are getting more rain, the humidity has been broken, and it is cool... PRAISE GOD. Folks, if we did not have the heat wave, would we really appreciate a nice cool August day? If we did not have big, big snow storms in the winter, would we appreciate the days when the sun is out bright? If we did not have some pain in our bodies once in a while, would we appreciate the days when we have none?
Today being Friday we pray for all God's workers, those going into the fields of Harvest as commanded by our Lord Jesus and sowing those really good seeds. Yesterday I had Dolores to another doctor and once again she was told, nothing they can do, but are sending her for tests to see how she might have broken her pelvis. Now folks, for all those who do not believe in the healing hand of God, ask them this, who heals broken bones? GOD DOES!
Sowing Seeds 5: Luke 8:15 - "But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop." THEN Mark 16:15 - "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." (NIV) (I added the "Then")
Ok, now it is time to look in the mirror and say today that we are the ones with the seeds and we have good seeds, so where are we going to go and sow them? First, let's just look right around our own homes. Have we raised our children in a Godly way so that when we plant these seeds of our good Lord in them they will stick and grow? So as we remember the command of Jesus as recorded in the book of Mark, chapter 16 verse 15, we are to take the good news to all creation, and folks, the last I looked part of that creation is in your very own home. Next, across the street and down the street and up the street... yes, they are also part of all creation. And you might note that each step I bring out today might get harder for you. This will cause you to get nearer and nearer to our Lord Jesus. Don't just stand back and toss the seeds, you need to plant them and then go back and work them. Then we have the work place, the water cooler, and sometimes this really get tough, some people might tell you to take a hike, but don't give up, for sometimes the way to plant seeds at the work place is to just live the life as Jesus did, being kind to all people and doing things for others. Then there are clubs and other things you might belong to. And I need to tell you about this one. For a long time years and years ago I would hear cursing at our monthly board meetings, then I talked to our president about opening with prayer and we have done that for years and the cursing stopped. Now someone comes on the board and complains about prayer, so the same person who stood tall for the Lord and gave the go-ahead now has bowed down to the new person and said we must do silent prayer. Folks, if I believe in a silent God then I would not be taking two hours a day writing this. People need to be real careful when they want to shut down God for it will just not happen. Oh, and one of the biggest sports in the United States of America starts with prayer each week and in all races. I am talking NASCAR racing. It starts like this, "please rise and gentlemen remove your hats" and then they go to the Lord in prayer, and it is not silent. At the cookout I had for our township the other day I opened it with prayer and all of them men, the tough road workers removed their hats and paid respect to our Lord and it was not a silent prayer.
So folks, how are you going to sow seeds for our Lord today, here are a few suggestions for those looking for ideas. Go to church and instead of just sitting in the pew, get involved in doing things.
Work with youth ball teams, etc., and let your colors stand out for the Lord. Boy and Girl scouts and clubs need help. Oh and if you have one of those talents on loan from God, retirement homes and nursing homes are always looking for people to come in. And folks, one of the things that start to go as we get older is our vision, and some who can no longer read the Bible would love to have someone come in a read to them. Arts and crafts, and folks as you do these things you can always talk about God. Even those living in retirement communities help each other, some that still walk well push wheelchairs and help in the food service area setting tables.
Now while I could go on and on about how to sow seeds for our Lord Jesus, I must end it with this one last one, as only I could say it... PLEASE SHARE YOUR BLESSINGS...
Dear Father in Heaven, we come to You this day thanking You for all the blessings You give us each and every day of our lives, and we ask that You help us to share them and help us as we want to start sowing those seeds of God's love every place we go. Open doors for us, dear Lord, and help us get the word into places where it has never been. Help us to be good soil to received the seeds from You and help us to find places to plant them, and then, Lord, help us to follow up and keep them growing for You... In Jesus' name, Amen.
Now go and sow those seeds and share those blessings. Love Ya, Pastor Dan.
August 12, 2010 Sowing Seeds 4
"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown."
Good families and schools day Thursday, my dear brothers and sisters. And thank You Jesus for the rain that is falling at the Southern Location of the North Pole as I start this message. Yes, God is watering our garden, our lawn, filling our well, and those taking care of a lot of our needs. God is so good, please take time to appreciate Him.
Yes, today we pray for our families and for our schools and indeed our schools are family and we should remember that. Do you not trust the folks at the school, in fact starting with the school bus drivers to take care of your children? Please as you pray for families and for schools and the workers there take time to teach your kids respect. Please take note of this, if all kids behaved and did not cause trouble, all kids could learn more. And principals could do work leading the schools instead of always being the heavy hand, speaking of which if school staff could use the heavy hand, more kids would behave. Back when I was a kid and sort of a brat (what do you mean sort of?) - Anyway if the teacher fanned my rear part, and my parents found out, rear part would get it again twice. Two shots for one. Now if a teacher would give a kid a smack on the rear part, the parent would either come in ready to fight or hire an attorney to sue. We need to put two things back in schools... God and the hickory stick, and someone said AMEN.
Sowing Seeds 4: Luke 8:5 - "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell on good soil. 8 It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." 11 "This is the meaning of the parable: But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop." (NIV)
Today we are going to take a look a what God gave me on this and how we can "root in" for God, and then tomorrow we are going to talk about how we can sow good seeds for God, and also when and where.
First of all, if we expect to be good seeds for God we need to get our soil in good shape. Let's see, if we work in the garden we get the soil in good shape by taking out those weeds we talked about yesterday, we need to get that trash, the weeds, out of our gardens, meaning our lives. When we get our gardens ready one thing we use is fertilizer, and one of the products that is very good for the garden and really works is Miracle Grow. So let's talk about that Miracle Grow for we know that our Lord God is also good when working with miracles. So if we get ourselves ready to take on the good seeds and get our soil or SOUL ready for this let's pray for a miracle to work us over. Let's face it, folks, and I never really looked at it like this before, but is it not the greatest miracle ever that we get born again?
Other things people do to get the garden ready is to read garden books and tips on how to grow the garden. When it comes to our soul and getting that ready, we have a manual for that, it is called our Bible. Now let's look at three books for us... The Bible should always take the lead, then a prayer book and a good hymn book and by the way, as I recall they were the three books used at prayer meetings years ago. Now when we work a garden we must always stay ahead of the weeds, and it is the same for us, we must stay ahead of evil to keep our soil or soul ready for the Lord. The best way of course is to stay tight with God, talk to Him often through His Son Jesus, and remember this, it does not do much good to talk to someone if you don't take time to listen and then act on the answer. It is no different with God, we need to take time to listen and we need to act on it.
So how do we keep those weeds down and stay from evil, and again I say we all need a good church, one where the COMPLETE WORD OF GOD is preached and taught, not part of it, but all of it, and it is not altered. As we know some churches pick and choose or they just get away from the complete truth. Some churches believe that gay marriage is ok, others and some of the big name main line churches support abortion rights for women. Still others will stay away from touchy subjects. You folks know me, I try my best to follow the word and I do not stay away from those touchy subjects, in fact I attack them in the name of the Lord. You also need good friends, people who also love the Lord, and although we need to love everyone, we do not need to "run around with" those who will give us cause to lower our thinking for God. We need to put that armor of God on each day to just stay safe.
If I were to compare my Christian walk with just one thing I might compare it with my driving. I was taught to be a defensive driver and I do that daily, and I need to do the same with God, I need to be on the defense and be ready for the attack from evil. Tomorrow we talk about where to go with our good seeds that are producing good things. We are told where in the Bible, do you know where it might be, and what it tells us...
Dear Father in Heaven, thanks for another day of life on earth and thanks for the early morning rain. Thanks for this computer which I can use for You, and thanks for the talent you lent me to use it. Thanks for protecting the computer and me from evil. Lord, bless this day please and bless our families and our schools, and most of all bless the family of God, Your family, Lord, and may we help it grow. Lord, again I ask that you heal my dear wife, and also the wife of my friend Tom Sansoni. Lord, heal also Pearl and protect her family also... and be with Ron and heal him and all others with cancer and all those other problems. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Go forth now sharing those blessings and take a look at this scripture one more time... "Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a HUNDRED TIMES more than was sown." Grow good crops and share them... love ya, Pastor Dan.
Carry The Light Ministries Inc.
16 Dewalt Drive
Mechanicsburg, Pa. 17050
Phones and yes you may use them.
Home 717 691 8200 Pastor Dan's cell 717 991 0754 Dolores' Cell 717 991 0763
Good families and schools day Thursday, my dear brothers and sisters. And thank You Jesus for the rain that is falling at the Southern Location of the North Pole as I start this message. Yes, God is watering our garden, our lawn, filling our well, and those taking care of a lot of our needs. God is so good, please take time to appreciate Him.
Yes, today we pray for our families and for our schools and indeed our schools are family and we should remember that. Do you not trust the folks at the school, in fact starting with the school bus drivers to take care of your children? Please as you pray for families and for schools and the workers there take time to teach your kids respect. Please take note of this, if all kids behaved and did not cause trouble, all kids could learn more. And principals could do work leading the schools instead of always being the heavy hand, speaking of which if school staff could use the heavy hand, more kids would behave. Back when I was a kid and sort of a brat (what do you mean sort of?) - Anyway if the teacher fanned my rear part, and my parents found out, rear part would get it again twice. Two shots for one. Now if a teacher would give a kid a smack on the rear part, the parent would either come in ready to fight or hire an attorney to sue. We need to put two things back in schools... God and the hickory stick, and someone said AMEN.
Sowing Seeds 4: Luke 8:5 - "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell on good soil. 8 It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." 11 "This is the meaning of the parable: But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop." (NIV)
Today we are going to take a look a what God gave me on this and how we can "root in" for God, and then tomorrow we are going to talk about how we can sow good seeds for God, and also when and where.
First of all, if we expect to be good seeds for God we need to get our soil in good shape. Let's see, if we work in the garden we get the soil in good shape by taking out those weeds we talked about yesterday, we need to get that trash, the weeds, out of our gardens, meaning our lives. When we get our gardens ready one thing we use is fertilizer, and one of the products that is very good for the garden and really works is Miracle Grow. So let's talk about that Miracle Grow for we know that our Lord God is also good when working with miracles. So if we get ourselves ready to take on the good seeds and get our soil or SOUL ready for this let's pray for a miracle to work us over. Let's face it, folks, and I never really looked at it like this before, but is it not the greatest miracle ever that we get born again?
Other things people do to get the garden ready is to read garden books and tips on how to grow the garden. When it comes to our soul and getting that ready, we have a manual for that, it is called our Bible. Now let's look at three books for us... The Bible should always take the lead, then a prayer book and a good hymn book and by the way, as I recall they were the three books used at prayer meetings years ago. Now when we work a garden we must always stay ahead of the weeds, and it is the same for us, we must stay ahead of evil to keep our soil or soul ready for the Lord. The best way of course is to stay tight with God, talk to Him often through His Son Jesus, and remember this, it does not do much good to talk to someone if you don't take time to listen and then act on the answer. It is no different with God, we need to take time to listen and we need to act on it.
So how do we keep those weeds down and stay from evil, and again I say we all need a good church, one where the COMPLETE WORD OF GOD is preached and taught, not part of it, but all of it, and it is not altered. As we know some churches pick and choose or they just get away from the complete truth. Some churches believe that gay marriage is ok, others and some of the big name main line churches support abortion rights for women. Still others will stay away from touchy subjects. You folks know me, I try my best to follow the word and I do not stay away from those touchy subjects, in fact I attack them in the name of the Lord. You also need good friends, people who also love the Lord, and although we need to love everyone, we do not need to "run around with" those who will give us cause to lower our thinking for God. We need to put that armor of God on each day to just stay safe.
If I were to compare my Christian walk with just one thing I might compare it with my driving. I was taught to be a defensive driver and I do that daily, and I need to do the same with God, I need to be on the defense and be ready for the attack from evil. Tomorrow we talk about where to go with our good seeds that are producing good things. We are told where in the Bible, do you know where it might be, and what it tells us...
Dear Father in Heaven, thanks for another day of life on earth and thanks for the early morning rain. Thanks for this computer which I can use for You, and thanks for the talent you lent me to use it. Thanks for protecting the computer and me from evil. Lord, bless this day please and bless our families and our schools, and most of all bless the family of God, Your family, Lord, and may we help it grow. Lord, again I ask that you heal my dear wife, and also the wife of my friend Tom Sansoni. Lord, heal also Pearl and protect her family also... and be with Ron and heal him and all others with cancer and all those other problems. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Go forth now sharing those blessings and take a look at this scripture one more time... "Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a HUNDRED TIMES more than was sown." Grow good crops and share them... love ya, Pastor Dan.
Carry The Light Ministries Inc.
16 Dewalt Drive
Mechanicsburg, Pa. 17050
Phones and yes you may use them.
Home 717 691 8200 Pastor Dan's cell 717 991 0754 Dolores' Cell 717 991 0763
August 11, 2010 Sowing Seeds 3
"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some seed fell among thorns which grew up with it and choked the plants."
Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters, it is Salvation Wednesday, the day we pray for the lost and also those of us who are saved that we get to work finding and bringing in the lost to the feet of Jesus. Also today please pray for traveling protecting for Charles and Janet Wotring, Pamela Bower, and Dan Saylor and his family. All will be on the road today.
Also an update on my dear wife Dolores. I have never seen anyone in such great pain, and she is a real trooper. Tomorrow afternoon we are going to a back doctor to see what should be done for this broken pelvis. Yesterday we were at the Bridges for our sing-a-long and it was the first time she gave in to the wheelchair to get into the building. However, once on that piano bench she did great.
Also today at 11:30 we are feeding the township (Silver Spring Pa) workers. I try and do this once a year to show our appreciation for their hard work. Please pray for the event.
Sowing Seeds 3: Luke 8:5 - "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, 7 some seed fell among thorns which grew up with it and choked the plants." 11 "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stand for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature." (NIV)
When I think about the seeds that fall in the thorns, I can look at our son Matthew on this one. Matthew has struggled with drugs and booze over the years and right now is doing really good, PRAISE THE LORD, and living at Sonshine Ministries in Perry County Pa. If Matthew stays with this he will do good, but if he comes out before he is really strong I think he will be caught up in the thorns. Let me tell you what I mean. Matthew truly loves the Lord and has for a long time, but all so often he tries to take the word of God where he is not strong enough to take it, and sometimes he tries to take it there alone. You cannot go back to the friends you partied with and try and bring them out and do it by yourself for they will grab you and pull you back in. It is noble that people want to do it, and they should, but they need to team up with their church and/or others who are born again to take along and help. If you have ever walked through the woods and fields you might remember how when you came out you had all this junk hanging on you and sometimes veins would grab you and drop you to the ground. Think of booze and drugs as those veins and thorns and when someone who is "on the wagon" goes in those places to try their best to share the word, that junk will pull them down.
Of course when we find the Lord and we do not fully trust in Him we also find we get pulled in. We let the past be cast against us and when what we really need to do is when someone casts up our past, we need to tell them point blank to take a hike for you are saved, you are different and you are now walking with God. All of us have a past, all of us have something in life they do not want on the front page or even on the back page of the paper. When we give it to God it is gone, don't let others get to you.
Tomorrow and Friday we are going to be talking about getting rooted in with Jesus, planting our seeds of life in solid ground and then feeding it and watering it with the love of Jesus. For three day we have discussed how we fail, now we are going to discuss how we win, and brothers and sisters, when we are with Jesus WE WIN, WE WIN, WE WIN, WE WIN, WE WIN... I read the back of the book, and yes, WE WIN, WE WIN, WE WIN... Lets pray.
Dear Father in Heaven, today we give thanks that we are saved and ask that You use us to seek out and find the lost and, remembering that we cannot save them, bring them into You. Protect us as we work for You for others will surely be trying to take us down or sometimes, Lord, take us out. Lord, be with those traveling, Pam, the Wortings, and the Saylors. And Lord, in the name of Jesus I call on You to heal my wife Dolores. Lord, also heal those with cancer, and Lord, be with Eleanor Saylor as she has some heart tests done... In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Now one short story about winning... a very old man was standing at a Pepsi Machine and he had about ten cans lined up at his feet. He was sticking in more coins when his daughter came and said, come on dad, let's go. He looked at her and said, not now, I have a winning streak going...
Folks, if we go with Jesus our winning streak will go on and on and on, for you just cannot lose when you travel with the King. And when you learn to share your blessings daily it gets even better, so get sharing. Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters, it is Salvation Wednesday, the day we pray for the lost and also those of us who are saved that we get to work finding and bringing in the lost to the feet of Jesus. Also today please pray for traveling protecting for Charles and Janet Wotring, Pamela Bower, and Dan Saylor and his family. All will be on the road today.
Also an update on my dear wife Dolores. I have never seen anyone in such great pain, and she is a real trooper. Tomorrow afternoon we are going to a back doctor to see what should be done for this broken pelvis. Yesterday we were at the Bridges for our sing-a-long and it was the first time she gave in to the wheelchair to get into the building. However, once on that piano bench she did great.
Also today at 11:30 we are feeding the township (Silver Spring Pa) workers. I try and do this once a year to show our appreciation for their hard work. Please pray for the event.
Sowing Seeds 3: Luke 8:5 - "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, 7 some seed fell among thorns which grew up with it and choked the plants." 11 "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stand for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature." (NIV)
When I think about the seeds that fall in the thorns, I can look at our son Matthew on this one. Matthew has struggled with drugs and booze over the years and right now is doing really good, PRAISE THE LORD, and living at Sonshine Ministries in Perry County Pa. If Matthew stays with this he will do good, but if he comes out before he is really strong I think he will be caught up in the thorns. Let me tell you what I mean. Matthew truly loves the Lord and has for a long time, but all so often he tries to take the word of God where he is not strong enough to take it, and sometimes he tries to take it there alone. You cannot go back to the friends you partied with and try and bring them out and do it by yourself for they will grab you and pull you back in. It is noble that people want to do it, and they should, but they need to team up with their church and/or others who are born again to take along and help. If you have ever walked through the woods and fields you might remember how when you came out you had all this junk hanging on you and sometimes veins would grab you and drop you to the ground. Think of booze and drugs as those veins and thorns and when someone who is "on the wagon" goes in those places to try their best to share the word, that junk will pull them down.
Of course when we find the Lord and we do not fully trust in Him we also find we get pulled in. We let the past be cast against us and when what we really need to do is when someone casts up our past, we need to tell them point blank to take a hike for you are saved, you are different and you are now walking with God. All of us have a past, all of us have something in life they do not want on the front page or even on the back page of the paper. When we give it to God it is gone, don't let others get to you.
Tomorrow and Friday we are going to be talking about getting rooted in with Jesus, planting our seeds of life in solid ground and then feeding it and watering it with the love of Jesus. For three day we have discussed how we fail, now we are going to discuss how we win, and brothers and sisters, when we are with Jesus WE WIN, WE WIN, WE WIN, WE WIN, WE WIN... I read the back of the book, and yes, WE WIN, WE WIN, WE WIN... Lets pray.
Dear Father in Heaven, today we give thanks that we are saved and ask that You use us to seek out and find the lost and, remembering that we cannot save them, bring them into You. Protect us as we work for You for others will surely be trying to take us down or sometimes, Lord, take us out. Lord, be with those traveling, Pam, the Wortings, and the Saylors. And Lord, in the name of Jesus I call on You to heal my wife Dolores. Lord, also heal those with cancer, and Lord, be with Eleanor Saylor as she has some heart tests done... In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Now one short story about winning... a very old man was standing at a Pepsi Machine and he had about ten cans lined up at his feet. He was sticking in more coins when his daughter came and said, come on dad, let's go. He looked at her and said, not now, I have a winning streak going...
Folks, if we go with Jesus our winning streak will go on and on and on, for you just cannot lose when you travel with the King. And when you learn to share your blessings daily it gets even better, so get sharing. Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
August 10, 2010 Sowing Seeds
"A farmer went out to sow his seed, as he was scattering the seed, some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture."
Good Tuesday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. Tuesday and now the day we pray for those who have cancer, kidney failure, heart problems, lupus, arthritis, diabetes, and all those other things that man, working under God with talent lent to them from God, are trying to find a cure for. So as we pray for those who have those things we on Tuesday now pray for the cures to be found. One of these fine days Jesus will be sent back for us and we will not need to care as it will be all made right. None of this junk in heaven, folks, none of them. Please pray for Tom and Kathleen (Kathleen has cancer really bad) but today we are praying for them and others as they start a church service in a retirement home in Clemons, NC, with members from River Oaks Community Church. Here is a good example, for as tired as Kathleen is, she is still going working for the Lord... Thank you Jesus.
Sowing Seeds 2: Luke 8:5 - "A farmer went out to sow his seed, as he was scattering the seed, (skip to 6) some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture." (NIV)
As you can see this week I am going to be cutting the scripture up a tad so I can keep reusing the lead in part of a verse. Now lets go to Luke 8:10 and then skip from there to 8:13.
Luke 8:10 - He said, "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away." (NIV)
Now what else that God is telling me here is those that fell on the rock, when they came up they had no moisture and although they received the word with joy they fell away. Sort of like going to a concert where the word in song is strong and the spoken word is strong and even though all were instructed to find a good church many did not. They were so excited at first, but the hot for Jesus soon became cold. It is sad when we see theses things happen. I know that when people come forward pastors will watch to see who comes and try and get their names and good pastors will follow up on them. This is why I tell you this... You need a good church to keep watered, keep receiving food to keep you going, and I am not talking about those church dinner parties or church socials. I am talking here on feeding on the word of God.
Dear Lord, as we get nearer and nearer to You, help us all to have our roots deep by keeping involved with good Christian brothers and sisters and a good church where the Bible is used for fact. Help us stay away from those churches where they are saying same sex marriage is ok, or abortion is ok. Help us to locate and get involved in a church where everything that is taught can be backed up by the word of God found in the Bible. And Lord, give us strength to ask questions of people who teach the classes, questions like this... Could you please tell me where you find that in the Bible? Lord, we need Your help so when it is necessary we can be very bold. Lord, please bless those who are looking for cures for all those things we mentioned and more. Lord, bring an end to cancer in everyone, and the same with kidney failure. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Now go forth sharing your blessings and sharing the word of God with each other, that will help you stay strong in Jesus and get those roots in deeper and deeper. Love ya, Pastor Danny (Did that one for my high school class mates on the line. )
Good Tuesday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. Tuesday and now the day we pray for those who have cancer, kidney failure, heart problems, lupus, arthritis, diabetes, and all those other things that man, working under God with talent lent to them from God, are trying to find a cure for. So as we pray for those who have those things we on Tuesday now pray for the cures to be found. One of these fine days Jesus will be sent back for us and we will not need to care as it will be all made right. None of this junk in heaven, folks, none of them. Please pray for Tom and Kathleen (Kathleen has cancer really bad) but today we are praying for them and others as they start a church service in a retirement home in Clemons, NC, with members from River Oaks Community Church. Here is a good example, for as tired as Kathleen is, she is still going working for the Lord... Thank you Jesus.
Sowing Seeds 2: Luke 8:5 - "A farmer went out to sow his seed, as he was scattering the seed, (skip to 6) some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture." (NIV)
As you can see this week I am going to be cutting the scripture up a tad so I can keep reusing the lead in part of a verse. Now lets go to Luke 8:10 and then skip from there to 8:13.
Luke 8:10 - He said, "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away." (NIV)
Now what else that God is telling me here is those that fell on the rock, when they came up they had no moisture and although they received the word with joy they fell away. Sort of like going to a concert where the word in song is strong and the spoken word is strong and even though all were instructed to find a good church many did not. They were so excited at first, but the hot for Jesus soon became cold. It is sad when we see theses things happen. I know that when people come forward pastors will watch to see who comes and try and get their names and good pastors will follow up on them. This is why I tell you this... You need a good church to keep watered, keep receiving food to keep you going, and I am not talking about those church dinner parties or church socials. I am talking here on feeding on the word of God.
Dear Lord, as we get nearer and nearer to You, help us all to have our roots deep by keeping involved with good Christian brothers and sisters and a good church where the Bible is used for fact. Help us stay away from those churches where they are saying same sex marriage is ok, or abortion is ok. Help us to locate and get involved in a church where everything that is taught can be backed up by the word of God found in the Bible. And Lord, give us strength to ask questions of people who teach the classes, questions like this... Could you please tell me where you find that in the Bible? Lord, we need Your help so when it is necessary we can be very bold. Lord, please bless those who are looking for cures for all those things we mentioned and more. Lord, bring an end to cancer in everyone, and the same with kidney failure. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Now go forth sharing your blessings and sharing the word of God with each other, that will help you stay strong in Jesus and get those roots in deeper and deeper. Love ya, Pastor Danny (Did that one for my high school class mates on the line. )
Monday, August 9, 2010
August 9, 2010 Sowing Seeds
"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path."
Good afternoon, my dear brothers and sisters. Monday and the day we pray for our leaders, veterans, current military, state and local police, Firefighters and first responders, and all others who work to keep us safe and healthy.
I am late today because I had Dolores at another doctors and we need to see some more. Your prayers are really needed for her...
Also for the young man with the brain stem tumor, his name is Nicholas Hippman. Nick is 5 years old. Also please pray for baby Allie as she will need to have some eye surgery, and also for Allison as she recovers from Chemo. The great news is Allison is free of cancer. Can we get a really big PRAISE THE LORD and a THANK YOU JESUS... Thank you, warriors.
Sowing Seeds 1: Luke 8:5 - "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; It was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up." (NIV)
As we look this week at the Parable of the Sower, we are going to look and find answers to what happens when you do not sow any seed, what happens when you sow it on the path or road, and other places where you might have put seed. Later in the week we find out just how and why we should be sowing and what seeds we should really be sowing.
Years ago when we walked to school we had a sort cut through a woods and field, it did not take long with all the kids walking that trail so to speak, that a path was cut in and things just did not grow on that path. The ground was packed down hard and even those dandelions which seem to grow anyplace did not take root on the path. So the seeds that fell on the path, even those that were sown by the winds, would get eaten up by the birds and bugs. So what does the first part of the Parable mean? Listen to these words of Jesus, first the seed is the word of God, I must point that out first. Now on to the meaning of the parable, and again, we will do this step by step.
Luke 8:11 - "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the world of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved." (NIV)
Ok, now what is God telling me about this? This one is simple, if your relationship with Jesus is rooted in, is not firm in your mind, in your heart and in your soul, the birds of prey will come and pick you clean. Birds of prey, yes, those would be the people who are rooted in Satan and would come to get you to come over to them and if you are not rooted in Jesus they will get you, just as the birds of the air cleaned off the seeds on the path.
Now again this message is two-fold, it is for the one who is sowing seeds and also the one who should be receiving the seeds or the message because they are the ones being picked clean and also for those who are doing the clean picking, or so to speak.
Dear Father in Heaven, we do not want to sow your word where it will not take root, so help us to plant your word on the ground that is ready, and Lord, for that I ask that You use us to go onto those paths and help prepare them for the good seeds. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Now go forth sharing your blessings, and don't be afraid to share them even to those who do not know the Lord, after all, brothers and sisters, is that not who we should be looking to bring in ... the lost? Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Good afternoon, my dear brothers and sisters. Monday and the day we pray for our leaders, veterans, current military, state and local police, Firefighters and first responders, and all others who work to keep us safe and healthy.
I am late today because I had Dolores at another doctors and we need to see some more. Your prayers are really needed for her...
Also for the young man with the brain stem tumor, his name is Nicholas Hippman. Nick is 5 years old. Also please pray for baby Allie as she will need to have some eye surgery, and also for Allison as she recovers from Chemo. The great news is Allison is free of cancer. Can we get a really big PRAISE THE LORD and a THANK YOU JESUS... Thank you, warriors.
Sowing Seeds 1: Luke 8:5 - "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; It was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up." (NIV)
As we look this week at the Parable of the Sower, we are going to look and find answers to what happens when you do not sow any seed, what happens when you sow it on the path or road, and other places where you might have put seed. Later in the week we find out just how and why we should be sowing and what seeds we should really be sowing.
Years ago when we walked to school we had a sort cut through a woods and field, it did not take long with all the kids walking that trail so to speak, that a path was cut in and things just did not grow on that path. The ground was packed down hard and even those dandelions which seem to grow anyplace did not take root on the path. So the seeds that fell on the path, even those that were sown by the winds, would get eaten up by the birds and bugs. So what does the first part of the Parable mean? Listen to these words of Jesus, first the seed is the word of God, I must point that out first. Now on to the meaning of the parable, and again, we will do this step by step.
Luke 8:11 - "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the world of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved." (NIV)
Ok, now what is God telling me about this? This one is simple, if your relationship with Jesus is rooted in, is not firm in your mind, in your heart and in your soul, the birds of prey will come and pick you clean. Birds of prey, yes, those would be the people who are rooted in Satan and would come to get you to come over to them and if you are not rooted in Jesus they will get you, just as the birds of the air cleaned off the seeds on the path.
Now again this message is two-fold, it is for the one who is sowing seeds and also the one who should be receiving the seeds or the message because they are the ones being picked clean and also for those who are doing the clean picking, or so to speak.
Dear Father in Heaven, we do not want to sow your word where it will not take root, so help us to plant your word on the ground that is ready, and Lord, for that I ask that You use us to go onto those paths and help prepare them for the good seeds. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Now go forth sharing your blessings, and don't be afraid to share them even to those who do not know the Lord, after all, brothers and sisters, is that not who we should be looking to bring in ... the lost? Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Friday, August 6, 2010
August 6, 2010 The Prodigal Son 5
"For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."
Good Friday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. Please join me in praying today for the family of Melvin Pope, Melvin passed from this earth yesterday. Also today please pray for Pearl, and her family. Pearl is getting very weak, now down to 72 pounds. I met Pearl a few years back when I purchased a bus from her, the bus had been used by her husband and her doing bus tours. Since that time I have come to know some of her children, even though the distance between where they reside and our home is somewhat far. Also please pray today for Sonshine Ministries and for our son Matthew who resides on the Ministry farm. Matthew has been doing real good since he moved in and is attending all their programs and doing work at the farm. And brothers and sisters, it is Friday and the day we pray for all who go out into the fields of Harvest and work for our Lord bringing in the lost. Also one more big prayer request, for my wife Dolores. Dolores is just not doing good, she has fractured her pelvis and she has no idea how she did it, but the break is completely through and she is in a lot of pain. There is nothing the doctors can do except give pain meds, it is up to God to put the bones back together.
The Prodigal Son 5: Luke 15:5 - "And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'" (NIV)
Luke 15:24 - "For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate." (NIV)
Brothers and sisters, as we wrap up the lessons on the Prodigal Son I would like to point out some of the high points of the Parable of the Lost Son that Jesus left with us. Here is a verse that will help us all understand some of this. Maybe you know a family or families where one of the children would drink, would do drugs, would always get into trouble, while the others always were around to help their parents. But when that wayward son or daughter would get straight even for a few weeks and come home saying they have found their way, good parents welcome them. Sometimes it is very hard to understand this... In the parable of the Prodigal Son the one son who had stayed home and worked all the time for his father got upset when his brother received a big welcome. He was very upset and this is what his father told him.
Luke 15:31 - "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'" (NIV)
Here are the lessons I pulled from what God is telling us in the Parable of the Prodigal Son and also added in the Parable of the Lost Sheep, they fit well together.
Lesson one. If we are the lost son or daughter when we do get straightened out, when we find our way and come back to God and ask Him to forgive us, God will put His big loving arms around us and welcome us home. While we might not always be welcomed back by our earthly friends and even family, and we need to be ready for that. And indeed some will even want to tramp us down. I have said before and I have heard preachers preaching on the subject that how our military always goes out to bring back the wounded, in fact our military tries to bring back those that were lost in battle, while the Christian Army so often wants to stand and jump on the wounded or lost. So do not be surprised, if you are indeed a prodigal son or daughter, that when you come back to Jesus, when you come back to God, when you come home that some people, maybe even those really close friends, will stomp on you. They will remind others of your past. When I was at Central Dauphin School District as a supervisor in transportation, I had several very, very good and certified driver trainers to train the new drivers. One of those not only would train the drivers but would tell them all about me and my past. They forgot that I had a very big thing happen to me, you see I was lost and came back to Jesus, but some had to tell others about that past. I did get the trainer in and tell them, the people will find out the trash soon enough, please just teach them the driving job and the rules. By the way, that trainer did listen and really did a great job. I pointed out yesterday how some will always want to cast up your past, maybe it is just an old friend who wants everyone to know they knew you when. Folks, this will upset you, it really will, but you need to be strong and you need to go to that person and tell them as I told that trainer, that your past is just that, your past. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT go to them and say to them, "I remember things about your past and if you tell people about me, I will tell them about you." Just remind them that you have changed and if it is good enough for Jesus it should be good enough for them. I know you might want to give them a punch in the nose or eye, but remember first we must turn the other cheek, we cannot strike back. We need to remember we are back with God, we have been welcomed home by Jesus. Now we need to share his love.
Lesson two. If we are not the one that left, but the one who stayed back, the one who did not drift from God, we learn here that we have always had God, we did not fall or fail and we should be happy for another soul being saved, and we should always remember this that sometime in our lives, more than likely, we have either been in those shoes or will be in them someday. We need to take our lessons from God, as we always should, and we should welcome home the lost. If it is family we should not get jealous, if it is at work and someone who was doing poor work was given help we should be happy that they are up to speed.
I think this might be a good idea for churches, and I would love to go to a church and help plan this. You see, Dolores and I have a flock, but it is within the walls of The Bridges. I think it would be a great idea for a church to go back over their records and get together the names of all who have left the church and/or those that they lost contact with. Then get those who have stayed with the church and with Jesus, do put on a really big party and invite all of them. Maybe invite those spouses that do not come to church with their spouse to come, but have a really big welcome home party, and remember the real reason for the party is to welcome them back to God. If a church in our area would like to do that, I WILL HELP WITH THE COOKING and it will be good, because one of the talents that God lent to me is to be able to cook (once in a while I mess one up). I mean this when I say it. A big welcome home party as in the parable of the Prodigal Son... Let's kill that fatted calf, well, let's go to the food store and get the beef, and let the butchering to someone else. Anyone out there like that idea? We have welcome home parties for those away at school and those away in the military, and folks, we should do this, we have birthday parties and all other types of parties, what about a big welcome back to the Lord party? How about it? And remember we should invite all the lost, not just the lost from that church...
Lesson three. Remember how God told us that the harvest is ripe and the workers are few, we need to look at Mark 16:15 and follow the command of Jesus to go into all the world and tell the good news. We need to remember the Parable of the Lost Sheep and remember how the shepherd put his flock in a safe place and then went and left those 99 who were not lost to find the one who was lost. This tells me that we need to be really looking for the lost, not just talking about it, but really looking for them. We need to put as much effort on looking for the lost as anything else we do in our lives. I mean that. Now folks, looking for the lost does not mean just looking for someone who once knew Jesus or was a church person, we need to have our eyes, hearts, minds, etc., open all the time looking for those who do not know our Lord. It is a very important job we need to do for Jesus.
So there it is my friends, I am done with this series, and I loved doing it and again I think God pointed this to me this week as I maybe was the one who needed it the most. Let's pray.
Dear Father in Heaven, please forgive us of our sins, and Lord, help us to get to work seeking out that lost sheep, let us when we find them rejoice for we know You are rejoicing. Help us to repent of our sins so that when we go into the fields of Harvest for You we go in clean. Lord, be with the Pope family today as they suffer the loss of a loved one. Be with Pearl and her family. Lord, we are not ready to give up on Pearl, and we would really appreciate your healing her and letting her with us. Lord, be with all those who are working in the fields of Harvest and Lord, please take away the pain that my wife carries today, heal her, dear Lord. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Now go forth looking for the lost, and while you are looking, working for Jesus, take time to share those blessings that God has lent to You. This Sunday, August 8, at 10:00 AM I will be preaching on the Prodigal Son. You are welcome to come, you are invited to come home if you have been away from the Lord, and you are welcome to come if you have been with the Lord. In plain words, you are welcome to come to church at the Bridges... Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Carry The Light Ministries (Inc.)
16 Dewalt Drive
Mechanicsburg, Pa 17050
Phones, Home 717 691 8200 Pastor Dan's Cell 717 991 0754 Dolores' cell 717 991 0763
E-mail icarrythelight4God@msn.com
Good Friday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. Please join me in praying today for the family of Melvin Pope, Melvin passed from this earth yesterday. Also today please pray for Pearl, and her family. Pearl is getting very weak, now down to 72 pounds. I met Pearl a few years back when I purchased a bus from her, the bus had been used by her husband and her doing bus tours. Since that time I have come to know some of her children, even though the distance between where they reside and our home is somewhat far. Also please pray today for Sonshine Ministries and for our son Matthew who resides on the Ministry farm. Matthew has been doing real good since he moved in and is attending all their programs and doing work at the farm. And brothers and sisters, it is Friday and the day we pray for all who go out into the fields of Harvest and work for our Lord bringing in the lost. Also one more big prayer request, for my wife Dolores. Dolores is just not doing good, she has fractured her pelvis and she has no idea how she did it, but the break is completely through and she is in a lot of pain. There is nothing the doctors can do except give pain meds, it is up to God to put the bones back together.
The Prodigal Son 5: Luke 15:5 - "And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'" (NIV)
Luke 15:24 - "For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate." (NIV)
Brothers and sisters, as we wrap up the lessons on the Prodigal Son I would like to point out some of the high points of the Parable of the Lost Son that Jesus left with us. Here is a verse that will help us all understand some of this. Maybe you know a family or families where one of the children would drink, would do drugs, would always get into trouble, while the others always were around to help their parents. But when that wayward son or daughter would get straight even for a few weeks and come home saying they have found their way, good parents welcome them. Sometimes it is very hard to understand this... In the parable of the Prodigal Son the one son who had stayed home and worked all the time for his father got upset when his brother received a big welcome. He was very upset and this is what his father told him.
Luke 15:31 - "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'" (NIV)
Here are the lessons I pulled from what God is telling us in the Parable of the Prodigal Son and also added in the Parable of the Lost Sheep, they fit well together.
Lesson one. If we are the lost son or daughter when we do get straightened out, when we find our way and come back to God and ask Him to forgive us, God will put His big loving arms around us and welcome us home. While we might not always be welcomed back by our earthly friends and even family, and we need to be ready for that. And indeed some will even want to tramp us down. I have said before and I have heard preachers preaching on the subject that how our military always goes out to bring back the wounded, in fact our military tries to bring back those that were lost in battle, while the Christian Army so often wants to stand and jump on the wounded or lost. So do not be surprised, if you are indeed a prodigal son or daughter, that when you come back to Jesus, when you come back to God, when you come home that some people, maybe even those really close friends, will stomp on you. They will remind others of your past. When I was at Central Dauphin School District as a supervisor in transportation, I had several very, very good and certified driver trainers to train the new drivers. One of those not only would train the drivers but would tell them all about me and my past. They forgot that I had a very big thing happen to me, you see I was lost and came back to Jesus, but some had to tell others about that past. I did get the trainer in and tell them, the people will find out the trash soon enough, please just teach them the driving job and the rules. By the way, that trainer did listen and really did a great job. I pointed out yesterday how some will always want to cast up your past, maybe it is just an old friend who wants everyone to know they knew you when. Folks, this will upset you, it really will, but you need to be strong and you need to go to that person and tell them as I told that trainer, that your past is just that, your past. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT go to them and say to them, "I remember things about your past and if you tell people about me, I will tell them about you." Just remind them that you have changed and if it is good enough for Jesus it should be good enough for them. I know you might want to give them a punch in the nose or eye, but remember first we must turn the other cheek, we cannot strike back. We need to remember we are back with God, we have been welcomed home by Jesus. Now we need to share his love.
Lesson two. If we are not the one that left, but the one who stayed back, the one who did not drift from God, we learn here that we have always had God, we did not fall or fail and we should be happy for another soul being saved, and we should always remember this that sometime in our lives, more than likely, we have either been in those shoes or will be in them someday. We need to take our lessons from God, as we always should, and we should welcome home the lost. If it is family we should not get jealous, if it is at work and someone who was doing poor work was given help we should be happy that they are up to speed.
I think this might be a good idea for churches, and I would love to go to a church and help plan this. You see, Dolores and I have a flock, but it is within the walls of The Bridges. I think it would be a great idea for a church to go back over their records and get together the names of all who have left the church and/or those that they lost contact with. Then get those who have stayed with the church and with Jesus, do put on a really big party and invite all of them. Maybe invite those spouses that do not come to church with their spouse to come, but have a really big welcome home party, and remember the real reason for the party is to welcome them back to God. If a church in our area would like to do that, I WILL HELP WITH THE COOKING and it will be good, because one of the talents that God lent to me is to be able to cook (once in a while I mess one up). I mean this when I say it. A big welcome home party as in the parable of the Prodigal Son... Let's kill that fatted calf, well, let's go to the food store and get the beef, and let the butchering to someone else. Anyone out there like that idea? We have welcome home parties for those away at school and those away in the military, and folks, we should do this, we have birthday parties and all other types of parties, what about a big welcome back to the Lord party? How about it? And remember we should invite all the lost, not just the lost from that church...
Lesson three. Remember how God told us that the harvest is ripe and the workers are few, we need to look at Mark 16:15 and follow the command of Jesus to go into all the world and tell the good news. We need to remember the Parable of the Lost Sheep and remember how the shepherd put his flock in a safe place and then went and left those 99 who were not lost to find the one who was lost. This tells me that we need to be really looking for the lost, not just talking about it, but really looking for them. We need to put as much effort on looking for the lost as anything else we do in our lives. I mean that. Now folks, looking for the lost does not mean just looking for someone who once knew Jesus or was a church person, we need to have our eyes, hearts, minds, etc., open all the time looking for those who do not know our Lord. It is a very important job we need to do for Jesus.
So there it is my friends, I am done with this series, and I loved doing it and again I think God pointed this to me this week as I maybe was the one who needed it the most. Let's pray.
Dear Father in Heaven, please forgive us of our sins, and Lord, help us to get to work seeking out that lost sheep, let us when we find them rejoice for we know You are rejoicing. Help us to repent of our sins so that when we go into the fields of Harvest for You we go in clean. Lord, be with the Pope family today as they suffer the loss of a loved one. Be with Pearl and her family. Lord, we are not ready to give up on Pearl, and we would really appreciate your healing her and letting her with us. Lord, be with all those who are working in the fields of Harvest and Lord, please take away the pain that my wife carries today, heal her, dear Lord. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Now go forth looking for the lost, and while you are looking, working for Jesus, take time to share those blessings that God has lent to You. This Sunday, August 8, at 10:00 AM I will be preaching on the Prodigal Son. You are welcome to come, you are invited to come home if you have been away from the Lord, and you are welcome to come if you have been with the Lord. In plain words, you are welcome to come to church at the Bridges... Love ya, Pastor Dan.
Carry The Light Ministries (Inc.)
16 Dewalt Drive
Mechanicsburg, Pa 17050
Phones, Home 717 691 8200 Pastor Dan's Cell 717 991 0754 Dolores' cell 717 991 0763
E-mail icarrythelight4God@msn.com
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