Friday July 8, 2011 Back To The Basics 4

In the beginning "God"! ----- In the beginning was The Word, and The Word was with God, and The Word was God. ----- The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. Amen

Good Friday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. It is a beautiful morning here at the Southern Location of the North Pole, and we are thankful this morning because we woke up, we had rain overnight, and we had/have a roof over our heads to shield us from God's rain... Oh, and I forgot to tell you that back in early June I had picked a tomato. And yesterday I picked another. Yep went right to that food store, walked up to the tomato stand and picked'em right up. Those at the store even have extra fiber. Yes, they do, if you eat the sticker on them. Friday is the day we sent our major prayer support to all those working in the fields of Harvest for Jesus. You are on that prayer list right?

One thing we could all learn in church is that we should carry the message of our pastors to others who might not come to church. I am sure you have all heard about this by now, the Crystal Cathedral filed for bankruptcy. Fifty Million in debt... Makes me believe that God does not want "show places". He wants places of Worship. As we see more and more "mega" churches being built, with their big, big stages and all the lighting, it is more like going to a theater than a church. While I think it is great for churches to grow, I think that going into major debt is wrong. I can remember years ago a pastor telling me that we should not have credit cards, and now the same church (different pastor) takes credit cards to get into the shows that they put on. Anyway, I sort of drifted away there for a minute, but I am back on track and we should be praying for all those who work for God. Today let's also pray for those who don't work for God so that they also might share the load. Remember we have been told the Harvest is ready, but the workers are few. GO TO WORK FOR GOD, it's fun and the rewards are Heavenly. How about that!!

Back To The Basics Day 4: Geneses 1:1 - In the beginning God! 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. (NIV)

Now I don't think it can get more basic than that... Today I am taking you way back to the beginning, and where best to get that information about the beginning but from the book that states it, right? I want you to notice that it does not say, in the beginning it was already in place, for that would not be the beginning...

One thing I am trying to do is relate the messages about the basics of the Bible to the basic way of living. In the beginning was God. It seems to me, and I should have see this a long time ago, in the beginning we should be teaching our babies about God. After all who made the baby and entrusted him/her to you? Who made this finely tuned little piece of life and put it in the womb?God did. In the beginning of all the children stands the hand of God. God made them man and woman. God made them man and woman in the beginning and He is still doing it today. As we go through the old testament we see how God talked to people, He walked with Adam and Eve in the garden, for as you recall they tried to hide from God... Today I want you to try and hide from him, just for a second or two... It just cannot be done and that should scare you and I can tell you now, that when I look back over my life I should have been scared to death sometimes, well a lot of times, because I was not always living a life that would please God. So God talked later on with Moses, and with Noah of course and gosh, what would you think today if God would call upon you and say to you, I want you to build me a fire proof structure, not an ark, but a fire proof structure about the same size as the ark? He would tell you how to make it, and you would start by clearing off the land. And then you would dig down into the earth and start sending for those big cement mixers and the steel riggers. Anyway, don't wait for God to tell you what to build, He has already told all of us. We are to build His church, yes, get people ready to go to heaven, we are to tell the world the Good News and get them to the feet of Jesus... WE ARE TO BRING IN THE HARVEST. Look around you, when was the last time you saw a farmer let his crops stand in the field and rot? Folks, look around you again and tell me you don't see some of God's people standing in the fields rotting away because we are not going back to the basics and telling them to come to Jesus. If the farmer has a big farm, he hires workers to harvest the crop. Jesus has a big farm, a lot to harvest and He basically has tried to hire us to do that work for Him. We need to bring in the crops.

In the beginning it was God, and it still is... Later as we see in John 1:14 God sent His Son... The word became flesh and dwelled among us. Jesus walked among us, God sent His Son Jesus to save us from ourselves, from our sins, but along the way He taught us how to live. Next week, God willing, we are going to be looking into the things Jesus taught us... and why we should follow those instructions even today. You see, THE WORD, NEVER CHANGES... AMEN.

Dear God, Dear Word, Dear Father, Dear Jesus, help us live to Your standards and not ours... Take us safely through this weekend and help those who are working for You. Give us all the tools we need to help bring in the lost... As the farmer needs his tools, so we who work for You also need ours. Furnish us with The Word, books of the Bible that we might share with others... Give us the food to feed others, both in body and mind and soul... in the name of Jesus we give thanks and honor and glory to You. Amen.

Now go forth and share your blessings... Have a safe, and wonderful weekend, and may the good Lord bless and keep you, and may he cause His face to shine upon You, and give You peace... love ya, Pastor Dan.