Wed. 10/31/12 Storms 3

Dear Father in Heaven, Thank You for stilling the storms down to a whisper.  Thanks for clearing our area, and we pray that as others clean up from the storm they remember who is in charge of the weather.  You and You alone control the storm, the paths, the beginning and the end of them, and Lord, I for one would not want it any other way.  Lord, comfort those families who lost loved ones, please help all to recover and Lord, as we all recover from the storm, may we all look over our lives and live more and more for You each day.  In the name of Jesus, I pray.  Amen.

Dear brothers and sisters, Good Morning to all of you from the Southern Location of the North Pole, where on November 2nd, this Friday, we will dedicate Santa's House to the Lord.  Yes, we are going to go forth with this work for God.  The service will be short with some singing and food, bring the kids, a small toy will be given to each with better things to come when they visit Santa nearer to Christmas.  Although we understand Santa and Mrs. C will be here to help.  Please do not eat first, we will have plenty, no cooking that night.  We are going to start the service at 6:00 PM, regardless of weather.  We will  have the door up to the food pantry and we will be eating afterward.  Please try and arrive a little early.  Location, 16 Dewalt Drive, Mechanicsburg, PA.  The road along the creek will be open, the flood waters gone.  There will be heat in the food pantry if needed.  Thanks to all who took the time to say "I am okay."  Trust me when I say I care about you.

Please keep praying for those who are out of their homes, even lost their homes, have no electric, no heat, and no food.  Also for those who have lost loved ones, and of course all those who are working on cleaning up the mess, and to those running the shelters, etc.  Please pray for the linemen, the tree service people, our troops, all of them as we see them spring into action here at home.  Also remember the election, please, keep praying and praying and listening to God for your answer.  Let me get to the message ...

Psalm 107:25 - For He spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves, 26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths, in their peril their courage melted away.  27 They reeled and staggered like drunken men, they were at their wit's end.  28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble and He brought them out of their distress.  29 He stilled the storm to a whisper, the waves of the sea were hushed.  30 They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven.  31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men.  (NIV)

Brothers and sisters, I invite you to dig into your Bible and read Psalm 107, all of it.

Some people say that the Lord does not cause the storms, they say we have an all-loving God who would not do this.  To those I say, please read the account of Noah in the Bible.  Also read the scripture of today.

Psalm 107:25 - For He spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves.

Listen to me, folks, God spoke all creation into being except making Adam and Eve, and I am sure you believe that, so with that said, He surely can speak up a storm now and then.  Big ones like this, and you do remember Katrina a few years back.  Yes, God spoke up that one, even if so many people tried to blame it on President Bush, and I think our Lord is telling us things when He hits selected places.  I mean the gambling  places and all that sex stuff was on Bourbon Street, and they were humbled for awhile, but is is back, look for that area to be hit again and again.  But what about this time, this big wide area?  Let's look at just a few reasons.  Abortions, small children being beaten, a football coach has sex with young boys, New York just approved same sex marriage, or had the defense of marriage act declared unconstitutional in state court and one or two of those other states also up in New England area have approved same sex marriage.  I think God is telling us that we need to all come to Him, or come nearer to Him if we already have Jesus in our hearts.

You might say, but all those people, not all could be bad.  You are correct, but over the years have not warnings been given?  Please read Genesis 19 about Sodom and Gomorrah and how they were destroyed by our Lord.  Warnings were given first.  Even in this storm, warnings were given first, people had time to get out.  However, the warnings I am talking about are found in our Bibles, taught in all GOOD churches, and while I could go through all the warnings, the one we really need to get out with each message is the warning that is really the GOOD NEWS OF SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.  Most pastors preach it, but all should, and all we who preach, teach, sing for Him, will be held accountable for what we say, sing, or do.  What we have seen here on the east coast is a ripe harvest field of the Lord being taken out by Him.  Why?  "His will," folks, that is all I can tell you for sure.  This storm, who some called the perfect storm, was angry, and since our Lord caused it, maybe He was angry, upset, upset with all of us.  Folks, we need to do more, we need to get nearer to God, we need to get the word out.  Over the years our government has so many people TRAINED to have government wait on them, they don't go out on their own.  During Katrina, President Bush took the blame for not having the United States Government in to help early on, yet the mayor at the time left the school bus fleet go underwater and the people stood and waited to leave.  Notice was also given on that storm.  Able-bodied people could have walked out before it hit, buses could move people, the warning was not taken.

BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I COULD GO ON AND ON.  Today, let me give all of you this warning given by our Lord Jesus.  TAKE HEART, FOLKS, AND LEARN.  John The Baptist said, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near."  Jesus said, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near."

John 14:1 - "Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in me.  2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you.  3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL COME BACK and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."  (NIV)

Revelation 22:12 - "Behold, I am coming soon!  My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done."  (NIV)

Dear Father in Heaven, please help us to get Your word out, the Good News of Your return ... Lord, help us to repent, repent, repent, and turn from sin and work for You.  In Jesus' name, I pray.  Amen.

Confess your sins to God, ask Him into your hearts, go to work for Him sharing your blessings and the Good News of Salvation through Jesus ... and this, folks, is the warning Jesus is sending through me ... Here it is ... HE'S COMING BACK, HE'S COMING BACK, HE'S COMING BACK.

I love you, folks, you have been warned.  Pastor Dan.

Tomorrow, the calming of the sea ...