MINISTERING TO THE SICK IN THE HOSPITAL

"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27).  The Greek word for "visit" means, "to inspect, to relieve."  What James is saying to us today is that we are to inspect and relieve the troubles of those in need.  We as Christians are to be a minister.  Paul extends this to everyone he wrote, "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10).

How do I go about this ministry?  Well, I have some suggestions to help you as you minister to the sick and needy.  This first article will be about visiting the hospitals.  The following is not exhaustive by any means but will give you a starting point as to the how.

Before You Go...

• Cooperate with the hospital staff
• Avoid visiting between 8-10:30am due to doctor's rounds and tests.  Also, the patient is very worn out in the early morning hours.
• Honor "No Visiting" signs and leave a note for the patient at the nurse's station.
• Always knock before entering - especially if the door is closed.

During the Visit...

• Be cheerful but not fake.
• Do not let your face or voice show alarm at what you see.
• Bring a little something for the patient if you can.
• Stand or sit where the patient can see you without straining.
• Do not stand with a bright light behind you.
• Do not sit on the bed and be very careful not to bump the bed.
• Speak to everyone in the room but place your focus on the patient.
• Speak in a normal tone never raise your voice or yell.
• Never talk about the patient as if he/she is not present.
• Remember that the patient is not himself/herself. He/She may be cranky or irritable because of pain.
• Listen to them.  Don't do all the talking.
• Do not talk about depressing subjects.
• Do not talk about yourself unless asked by the patient.
• Do not give a false hope. 
• Be optimistic.
• Do not play the part of the doctor or criticize treatment
• If a nurse or doctor walks in the room offer to step out
• Do not stay longer then 5-15 minutes unless the patient is lonely and asks you to stay.
• Do not promise what you cannot deliver
• Always offer to say a prayer with him/her.
• If appropriate, leave with a smile and let the patient and family know that you are praying for him/her.
• Offer the patient's family a phone number so they can give you updates on the patient's condition or needs that the family and/or patient might have.

Let us continue to be a Minister with a Message...

What Does That Bible Verse Really Mean?

How many times have you read someone's post on social media about a verse in the Bible?  The posts sounds wonderful and so very thought provoking.  But is what you are reading truly what the Bible verse meant to convey?  Or did the well meaning person just take that favorite verse out of context?  The posts or internet articles that your friends share sound so beautiful and many times are given to us in times of true despair.  But as of late, I have read many posts from those that have not fully understood the passage.

Before we get into one of the most abused verses in the Bible, we must all come to the same conclusion: The Bible is the final authority from God.  We all must be willing to submit to it and it alone.  Paul wrote, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV).  We cannot deny one verse and lift up another part just to prove what we believe.  The real issue is this; Don't go into the Bible with a preconceived belief system and try to prove what you think is true.  Go into the Bible with the understanding that it is God's Word and that I will let it guide my thoughts. 

It was hard to choose just one verse in the Bible that is abused by the masses so this will not be the only article on the topic.  The first passage that I would like to address is Ephesians 2:8-9.  This has been so twisted by those in the denominational world and for so long that even those in the church have started to accept the error of interpretation.  God breathed out these words to Paul, "For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Eph. 2:8-9 ESV). 

So what is the problem?  The masses on social media and countless websites try to assert that this passage means that "works" is talking about baptism.  This is very interesting because the word baptism is not in this passage.  But what are the "works" that Paul is discussing?  Well if we stop at the end of verse 9 we can put anything that we want into the passage to fit our belief system.  But let's read on further in the passage to get the true understanding of Paul's message to the church at Ephesus. 

"Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called 'the uncircumcision' by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands - remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace," (Eph. 2:11-15 ESV). 

What is the "law of commandments?"  This is the law of Moses, the ten commandments.  This is the "works" that Paul says you are not saved by.  Remember that the Jews converted to Christ continued to pressure the Gentiles into certain laws or works of the old system.  One of those laws being circumcision.  This was the same conflict going on in the churches of Galatia.  "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.  Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.  I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law.  You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace"   (Galatians 5:1-4 ESV).  The work of circumcision could not save any of the Gentiles nor could doing any other work of the old law.  Trying to be justified by the old law would cause the Christian to fall from the grace of God. 

Another verse in the letter to the Galatians, really opens up the meaning behind the question, "what are the works."  "Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified" (Galatians 2:16 ESV emphasis jer).  Paul really helps us understand what he was talking about to Christians in Ephesus.  Paul encourages the Gentiles to have faith.  But not a faith working in the works of the old law but that of an obedient faith in Jesus Christ.

Let us all continue to minister the message of God's Word correctly.

NOW IS THE TIME...

“Show up an hour late in Brazil, and no one bats an eyelash.  But keep someone in Switzerland waiting for five or 10 minutes, and you have some explaining to do”

(“Clocking Cultures”, by the Editors of Scientific American. Volume 23, No. 4 Autumn 2014, p. 48). 

How do you view time?  Do you rule time or does time rule you?  The world does not view time the same way that you or I might.  You might not think that time is all that important and are late to most events.  I on the other hand hate to be late to any event.  I would rather arrive an hour before anyone else than be just a few minutes late. 

In a book entitled, “A Geography of Time,” Robert V. Levine writes that based on the variables of “walking speed on urban sidewalks, how quickly postal clerks could fulfill a request for a common stamp, and the accuracy of public clocks” not every country views time the same.   Levine’s conclusion was that the five fastest-paced countries in the world are, “Switzerland, Ireland, Germany, Japan and Italy; the five slowest are Syria, El Salvador, Brazil, Indonesia and Mexico.  The U.S., at 16^th, ranks near the middle” (ibid. p. 49). 

Does God view time the same as we do?  As time is relative to the world, God is not bound by time.   God’s not being bound by time, in its broad meaning, is best summed up in 2 Peter 3:8, “but, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”  Peter means that God does not hold to time like we do.  Time will cease to exist at the Judgment Day.  There is a “longsuffering toward us” at the present but it will end in God's time.

The apostle Paul wrote, “For He says; ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’  Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2).  Paul is telling us that God has not guaranteed us a lot of time to do whatever we want.  Time as we know it could end at any moment in time.  “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain” (2 Cor. 6:1). 

You must think about your salvation at this time.  Not tomorrow!!!  God is in control of time and has promised us that it will cease at the end of His longsuffering.  Now how will you minister this message? 

BOOK REVIEW: "MUSCLE AND A SHOVEL"

I have seen many people today try to review the book, "Muscle and a Shovel" by Michael Shank.  But most of the reviews have been bias and with an agenda.  Many have tried to discredit the author by saying that there is no way this could have happened.  While others have stated that the results from the book are inflated.  But neither argument takes away from the truths found in this enlightening book.  So with all the criticisms and praise for the book, I want to look at the content.

Michael Shank starts his story at the end and just before you see the conclusion he jumps back in time to show just how he and his wife got to that point.   This is a clever and productive way to draw you into what he is about to recount.   "Muscle and a Shovel" (Muscle) is on location in Nashville, TN.  It tells the story of how one man's courage to teach the Bible leads another man on the soul-changing journey of a life-time.  The man of courage is Randall and the journeyman is Michael Shank.  This eight month trip through spiritual turmoil drives Michael from one extreme to the other.  This is the same journey that so many Christians today have traveled.  And it is why this book is not only relative but an essential tool for evangelism.

The trip Michael took started with an unlikely friendship and for the better part of the next year would cover almost every type of emotion one could experience.  I for one love the pure honest truth in the book.  How Randall never backs down and always has a scripture to back up his teaching.  In fact Michael mentions that there are over 1,000 individual verses referenced from the KJV Bible.  It seems like every page of Muscle has the inspired Word of God mentioned. 

The Muscle book puts all the verses of the Bible that help you understand what must be done for salvation into a nice organized package.  You only need to have an open mind and search for yourself.  Michael would ask Randall a serious question and then Randall would give a biblical answer.  No need to second guess what Randall was saying all you have to do is look it up.  In the back of the book is listed every verse that is used in each chapter. 

I cannot find fault with this uplifting book.  I have read the reviews both positive and negative.  One said, "In the book, Randall says that everyone that is not church of Christ is going to hell."  That is not exactly what he said.  In fact the one quoted to have said that was a fellow named Kirk.  Kirk is seen to not like Randall very much and really hates religion.  On page 50, Kirk says, "You know that guy Randall believes that Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Catholics - everybody but his church are all going to Hell?"  Michael confronts Randall with this statement and Randall's response is not only loving but honest.  Randall says after telling Michael that God is the final Judge, "from my understanding of God's Word, if you're a member of a denomination, whether it be Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Mormon, any church that Jesus Christ did not establish and buy with His blood, there's no question that you're headed toward eternal destruction" (page 52).  You see, Randall once again calls on God and His word to be the final judge. 

The difficulty with people and their opinions about this book is that most will not go into it with an open heart.  But these are the same people that find faults with God's Word and don't search His book with an open heart.  Now before someone goes on a tangent and says that I am placing Muscle on the same level as the Bible let me say in all caps, THIS BOOK IS NOT ON THE SAME LEVEL AS THE BIBLE.  THE BIBLE IS FROM GOD AND MUSCLE AND A SHOVEL IS FROM A MAN.  Ok, did that clear it up.  But one thing that Muscle has is over 1,000 verses from God's word.  I would say that Muscle is a really good read. 

Have you read the book?  Take a look, and read the book.  Decide for yourself.  And as one said that Michael quoted on the back of the book, "This story provoked me on spiritual levels I didn't know existed!  Everyone who reads this story should be prepared to "fight or flee" - Muscle and a Shovel is one of those rare books that will raise your blood-pressure.  You'll either give it to everyone you know or put it into a shredder - there's no middle-ground.  This book just might turn the religious world on its ear! (Baptist Minister of 18 years). 

If you desire a copy of the book Muscle and a Shovel to read for yourself then email me with your address and I will mail one to you for FREE.  smellchristlike@yahoo.com

This truly is a book that ministers with a message.

THE PICTURE MESSAGE OF 1 PETER 3:20-21

 

In Genesis 7, we can read about Noah and his family being saved from destruction by the ark that God commanded him to build, "Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did" (Genesis 6:22).  Those that were in the ark found salvation.  Anyone found outside the ark was lost. 

Peter uses this as an example of salvation, "who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water" (1 Peter 3:20).

Peter then writes, "There is also an antitype which now saves us - baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:21).  We must enter the ark of Christ which is salvation.  The only way to enter that ark is through the "antitype"; "baptism."  When one believes (essential for salvation) in Christ he/she is going toward Christ.  When one repents (essential for salvation) of his/her sins they are going toward Christ.  When one confesses that Jesus is the Son of God (essential for salvation) he/she is going toward Christ.  But they are not in Christ until baptism (essential for salvation). 

In Galatians 3:27 Paul writes, "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ."  Look at the picture above.  Baptism puts you into Christ.  There is no passage of scripture that says that faith alone puts you into Christ.  There is not a single scripture that says if you pray a "Sinner's Prayer" that will put you into Christ.  You cannot find in the Word of God that you must "ask Jesus into your heart" and then you are in Christ.  But to be placed INTO CHRIST you must be baptized thus re-enacting His death, burial and resurrection (Roman 6:2-4).

Paul paints this picture so well when he wrote, "But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered" (Romans 6:17).  Here he points back to what he just wrote about in Romans 6:2-4, "Certainly not!  How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? (obedience to the death of Christ on the cross - "form of doctrine") Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death (obedience to the burial of Christ in the tomb - "form of doctrine"), that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (obedience to the resurrection of Christ from the tomb - "form of doctrine"). 

There is no other way to enter the body of Christ except through baptism.  And there is no other way to obtain salvation except being in the body of Christ.  Therefore, there is no other way without being baptized to obtain salvation. 

May God continue to bless you as you Minister His Message.

DID JESUS HAVE A WIFE?

We continue having to defend the life of Christ and rumors about Him.  The picture above comes from a piece of papyrus thought to be from the 4th century A.D.  In it there is a line which reads, "Jesus said to them, 'My wife...'".  So the question that is now being circulated throughout the world (again) is, "Did Jesus have a wife?"  But I believe a better series of questions should be directed at the piece of papyrus, i.e., "Is this an authentic rendering of the first century life of Christ?"  "Where did this come from?"  "Who is its author?"

Harvard Divinity School historian Dr. Karen L. King has been the driving force in sharing this piece of papyrus to the world.  But even though she has fueled the excitement fire, she is quoted to say, "that although this may be the first source from humanity’s distant past to mention Jesus having a wife, the text was most likely written long after Jesus had lived. Though exciting, the document is not proof that Jesus had a wife" (Prachi Gupta - Historian decodes ancient papyrus that says Jesus had a wife -  www.salon.com/topic/jesus).  Craig Blomberg, Denver Seminary's distinguished professor of New Testament said "(The papyrus,) even if a genuine 4th-century document, is likely a deliberate invention and distortion by an unorthodox Christian group 400 years later" (Electa Draper - Denver theologians weigh in on meaning of "Gospel of Jesus' Wife" - www.canoncitydailyrecord.com).

Before going any further I have provided the line by line translation of the papyrus.  Each line is designated by a hyphen.

- not [to] me.  My mother gave to me life
- the disciples said to Jesus
- deny.  Mary is worthy of it
- Jesus said to them, My wife
- she will be able to be my disciple
- Let wicked people swell up
- As for me, I dwell with her in order to
- an image

(http://www.hds.harvard.edu/faculty-research/research-projects/the-gospel-of-jesuss-wife)

Do you notice that there are no complete sentences or thoughts.  We have no way of knowing what the original author had in mind.  What is presented to the world is only a small section of a much larger document.  But I cannot help but continue the questions: Was the writer actually talking about Jesus Christ the Savior?  Was this author an unbeliever that maybe wanted to stir people up?  And on and on I could go.  When we understand that these questions are impossible to answer we must therefore turn to another source that is complete to remedy the proposed dilemma.  The only logical place to look for trustworthy remedies to these and all other inquiries about Jesus Christ is the inspired Word of God.

As I turn the pages of Scripture, I find not a single verse that even gives a hint to the idea that Jesus was married.  What I do see is the purpose of Christ coming to this earth, and it was not about being married.  The purpose of Christ coming to the earth was to "seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10).  He did not come to start a physical family with a wife called Mary.  He does have a spiritual family called the church.

He came to be the ultimate sacrifice for all mankind.  All the prophecies of a Messiah, in the Old Testament, point to the purpose and life of Christ.  Isaiah wrote,  "Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors" (Isaiah 53:12, ESV)  One of the best known verses in the New Testament reads, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16, NKJV).  Again, I don't see any mention of the wife that some want to convey on Christ.

This notion of Jesus being married is not new in our secular society.  One of Hollywood's best selling movies, “The Da Vinci Code" put this issue in the minds of skeptics.  The atheist, the agnostic, the unbeliever, the deceiver and the deceived will prolong this knavery of Jesus' life.  This ancient papyrus has started the discussion once again.  But when we are focused on God and His word as truth, then we have the way to put an end to all of this.  Conclusion: Jesus did not have a wife!

IT IS TIME TO RESTORE THE CHURCH OF CHRIST

Some 2000 years ago in the town of Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, the church of Christ was born.  In Acts 2, it is recorded for us that Peter preached a gospel message like none other.  He told the people in attendance about Jesus the Christ.  He preached unto them about Jesus' death and resurrection (Acts 2:23, 24).  Peter might have literally pointed his finger at the people when he said, "let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ" (emp. jer Acts 2:36).  Finally after all of this their hearts were "cut."  This means that their spiritual hearts were pierced and they now believed.  Their response was humbling as they cried out "men and brethren what shall we do" (Acts 2:37).

Now this is the point at which 2000 years later the religious world goes off the beaten path.  Some say that Peter's answer to them was "do nothing but believe."  Others claim that he said to them, "grace alone will save you."  Still others argue that Peter's response was not complete and another testament of Jesus had to be written.  But when I read the scripture here in Acts 2:38, I see revealed to me this response from Peter, "Repent and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

I could stop there and it would be enough because it was God through the Holy Spirit who gave these words to Peter.  But the next verse shares even more with us about what we should be teaching today.  Peter tells the people not only what to do but who is to do it and for how long it would last.  In Acts 2:39 Peter says, "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."  This is essential to understanding the length of time and to whom God was speaking.  This message, the gospel saving message, cannot change.

We have far too many denominations, and religious groups that have somewhere in the last 2000 years veered off the Gospel path and onto the unauthorized path of creeds and beliefs.  The apostle Paul saw divisions happening when he wrote, "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgments" (1 Corinthians 1:10).  This is the plea to restore the church back to the original.  Back to its spiritual roots.  In an outstanding article written on this subject the author wrote, "calling for a return to the Bible, for abandonment of denominational names and creeds, and for obedience to the authority of Christ" (Alan Highers, "Our Purpose and Our Plea," The Spiritual Sword, vol. 28 no. 2, January 1997).  We must become exactly what God wants the church to be.

Who will join this restoration plea and drop all denominational names, creeds and everything else that Christ has not authorized?  Let us once again become the New Testament church!  I will be writing more about just how we all can become part of this restoring effort.

Minister with this message!!!

CONVENIENT CHURCH

Thirty minutes or less... Have it your way...  Next day service guaranteed....  These are just a few of the modern conveniences that we hear come across our TVs.  But have you ever heard of "convenient church?"  In our churches today we are hearing more and more of this.  But what is "convenient church?"  This is when we "don't have time" for worship services on Sunday or Wednesday so we sing a couple of memorized songs, read a quickly picked out verse in the Bible and finally say a little prayer then go on to our "whatever" activity.  This is being practiced more and more by those claiming to be Christians.  But what is this type of attitude saying to God?  It says that we have more time for us then we do for Him.  I know the argument, "but I am doing my part and worshipping God."  Are you really? 

Worship to God is being presented like it is an option in our lives, rather than a necessity.  What happened to the Israelites in the Old Testament when they gave the left overs to God.  Was He happy?  No He was not!  Look at the following from Malachi 1:6-8; "“A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts To you priests who despise My name.  Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’ “You offer defiled food on My altar, But say, ‘In what way have we defiled You?’  By saying, ‘The table of the Lord is contemptible.’  And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil?  And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?” Says the Lord of hosts.  When we participate in "Convenient Church" we offer to God our blind as a sacrifice.  We have defiled and despised the name of God.  

So, God is not happy today when we give Him our left over time on Sunday because it would be too inconvenient to go to worship Him.  "You know, we have basketball games, fishing tournaments, golf outings, family visiting,"  and on and on and on the argument goes.  I am very disappointed in our Christian family today.  They don't care about God anymore.  Oh, they will say they are dedicated to God.  But this is only lip-service.  

What if your spouse treated you like you do God?  What if you treated your jobs the same way you treat God?  What if one day you look for your children in worship and they are gone?  You ask them where were they and they say, "oh dad, Johnny had a basketball tournament on Sunday so we said a few get-by prayers."  Ken Hamm wrote a book entitled, "Already Gone."  In it he details the modern teenager in the pew.  He proves that many teens in the pews today are "already gone" from God.  Why?  One reason is that their parents have handed them the example that God, church, worship and everything else that is spiritual, is only an option and not necessary.  

Parents, brethren, WAKE UP!!!  You are going down a dark path that does not have a happy ending.  This is satan's pathway.  Jesus said that there are two roads in this life, one that leads to everlasting life and the other that leads to everlasting destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).  Worship is not an option for the Christian.  And until we see it that way, we will continue down the path of destruction.  So what if Johnny does not play basketball at Kentucky.  So what if you are not able to win that prize at the weekend fishing tournament.  And so what if you can't go golfing with your "buddies."  If you are the right example then Johnny might just go to heaven and so will you.

Minister your message...

SETTING UP A BOOTH AT THE COUNTY FAIR # 2

I want to continue my thoughts about setting up a successful county fair booth.  Far too often these booths go unnoticed or passed on by.  So with the experience of others you can make your booth spiritually successful.

3) Get people to sign-up for Bible Correspondence Courses.  We live in a time where people do not want to be bothered with the word of God.  They believe that they are ok in their walk with God and don't want you and me interfering.  But we have to find a way to break through and reach their hearts.  I have tried different methods over the years and have found a few that worked and some that did not.  One way was in having a give away.  Those that would pass by would be drawn by the sign that said, "Free Bible Give-away."  All they had to do was sign a card with their name, address and a phone number.  This was not a raffle.  No one gave us any money for the "chance" at a new Bible.  But on the card we also placed an area for them to sign up for a in home Bible study, Bible Correspondence Course, and/or looking for a new church.  They might not have thought about wanting to participate in a study before, but given the opportunity they sign up anyway.  Sharing with people that come up to your booth that you offer such things as this is also very helpful.  We do not want to run people off with a high pressure type of attitude, but we are in this to win the lost to Christ.

4)  Information to give away.  Never miss the opportunity to give people reading material on salvation. But there are some important things to always remember;  first, get up-to-date looking tracts.  The worst thing that a church can do is give out tracts with pictures of people from the 50's on the front.  These are not very attractive and can draw people away from.  The best set of tracts that I have found come from House-to-House Heart-to-Heart.  You can view a list of these as well as order them from housetohouse.com.  Another great give-away is from the World Video Bible School (WVBS).  They have outstanding DVDs on salvation, evil/pain/suffering, along with a host of other material to draw people in.  Many people today will watch a DVD rather than read a tract, so have this option as well.  If you buy these DVDs in a somewhat larger quantity the price is drastically lower.  Many work out to only $1-$2 per DVD.  There website is wvbs.org.  Finally, make sure that people know where your building is located.  Have a map showing its location or a tract about the congregation with a map placed on it.  Do also have times of services and the church phone number.  It is not beneficial to have the minister's home number.  I have found this to be problematic.  My number is already in the public phone book.  If you have a favorable contact then give them your card.

5) Volunteers at the booth.   Having members for the congregation is an essential part of your booth.  Never underestimate the talent that you have at your disposal.  The members know the people that are walking by and can sometimes relate better than the minister can.  But there are some things that the local church must set up in the way of rules for your volunteers.  First, never argue with those that come to your booth.  Far too often people just want to see if they can get you angry.  If questions arise at the booth then have the following exchange with them, "That is a great question.  If you would like we can set up a Bible study either in your home or at the church building."  This disarms the person that just wants to fight and if the person does want to study they have the opportunity to sit down one-on-one.

Second, tell your volunteers to be very positive.  This is not the place for gossiping, trash talking the other denominations and especially not the place to say anything negative about the church.  If someone hears these things you possibly could lose the chance to teach them the Gospel.

Finally, make sure that those who work the booth are dressed modestly.  This is the worst first impression from those of the church.  I prefer no shorts but due to the temperatures sometimes this is not possible.  If you must include (or allow) shorts, then set the rule for knee length.  But if at all possible suggest that no one wear shorts for the booth.  Look around, the other booths of businesses have volunteers without shorts (for the most part).  Again, our best foot forward.

There are many other things that could be said about setting up a booth at the county fair, but this will get you started and help make for a successful experience.  Don't forget to pray about this effort before you begin.

With a booth at the county fair we can Minister our Message....

SETTING UP A BOOTH AT THE COUNTY FAIR # 1

Tis the season for county fairs all over the country.  Some county fairs are going on with one major presence missing, the church.  The church must be very active in the community.  One outstanding and easy way to accomplish that goal is to set up a booth at your local county fair.  I want to give you some ideas that have helped me over the past 20 years.

1) Plan, plan, plan and plan some more.  You will fail in attracting people to your booth if you have no idea what you want to do.  The main focus for a booth is to reach people with the gospel of Christ.  And let me be the first to tell you that there is so much that can be done in that arena.  Your planning must have the focus on the goal of reaching lost souls.  It is essential to have your times of services but you must try to reach out to their hearts.  It is great for the community to meet your preacher but the main goal is for the community to meet up with Christ.

One of the first steps in planning is to find out what sizes are available at you county fair.  It is a waste of money if you have too much space and no plans to fill it.  It is also difficult to get your word out if your space is too cluttered.  Many booth sizes are six to eight feet standard.  Let's say yours is six feet.  Somewhere back at the building, set up a six foot table with all the information that you want to give out.  Get others in the congregation to give input as to the look of the table.  Ask them, "if you were passing by a booth like this would it attract you or repulse you."  Have them write out suggestions and place them in a box.  Then look through all the suggestions and (with an open mind) make the table better.  Go to the fairgrounds early and locate where you booth will be set up.  Make sure that if you need something plugged in that you have a power source nearby.  Take measurements of the space to make sure you have the right size that you paid for.

2) Pick a theme for your table.  You might be asking, "I thought that the gospel is the theme?"  The gospel is what you are trying to spread.  But if you have a theme then you will draw people to your table quicker.  Each year we have an overall theme to our booth.  Two years ago this theme came from our VBS, which was from Apologetics Press about the days of creation.  So we painted large boards as a back drop that had the days of creation on them.  We also were able to get some dinosaur eggs from Oriental Trading which the kids went crazy over.  This year our theme is "Walking with Jesus."  We are planning on giving out necklaces with "I love Jesus" on them.  Also, we have bags with "Walking with Jesus" printed on them.  I mentioned that we ordered stuff from Oriental Trading.  This is a great place to buy in bulk.  But as with anything, watch the prices.  Discount stores such as Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, Ollies and the like might have similar items cheaper.  But no matter what having a give-a-way is a great way for people to remember you and the booth.  If possible place a sticker on the back of everything that you give out.  On this sticker have the name of the congregation, the address of the church building, a contact number and the times of services.

In the next article, I will discuss how to get people to sign up for Bible Correspondence Courses.  


To be continued... minister your message daily...

Are You A True Friend?

I cannot even begin to count all the many blessings that God has given.  One of the great blessings is that of friends.  When I mention friends I do not mean those that you have on Facebook, although some might be your true friends.  The kinds that I am discussing are those like Jesus.

How do I know when someone is a true friend or how can I be sure that I am being true friend to someone else?  We know that we are friends of Jesus if we do that which Jesus commands.  Jesus said, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:14).

I have come up with a simple way to help you know if you are a true friend.

A true friend is one that:
    F orgives wrongs (Colossians 3:13)
R equires truth (Proverbs 12:22)
I mitates God (Eph. 5:1)
E ncourages at all times (Phil. 2:3-4)
N ever speaks evil (Matthew 5:22)
D esires to share the gospel (Romans 10:15)

Continue ministering your message.

THE DISCIPLINING FATHERS

I am a Christian father with two children.  I have a son who is a teenager and a daughter who wants so much to be but is only a pre-teen. So before I get yelled at for not understanding what I am talking about, let me clear up that issue. Let me clear up another issue, my wife and I are not our kids BFFs. We are our children's parents. That is our position in their lives and we take the God given position and  responsibility very seriously. We are not perfect and have learned many things, sometimes by trial and error. But we have learned how to be a father and a mother, and not exactly from other parents but from our heavenly Father.

Paul wrote, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). Discipline has to do with boundaries and correction.  I give guidelines to my children and if they go beyond the boundaries that are set, then correction is warranted.  This correction is not done out of a lack of love for my children, but just the opposite.  I love my children and God has given me the responsibility to direct them in the way they should go.  As Father's Day is approaching we must remember that as fathers we are to be engaged in the home.  To be engaged means that we are the ones that administer the discipline.  We are to be the spiritual leaders.  We are to protect and even die for our families.

Far too often fathers have left the home without even moving out of the dwelling place.  What do I mean?  Well, some fathers do not take a stand and guide the family in the right direction.  The direction that leads his family to God.  Remember what the wise king Solomon wrote, "Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him" (Proverbs 13:24 ESV).  The rod of the shepherd in the Old Testament was used for two purposes when it came to his sheep.  First, this rod was used as a guiding tool.  If the sheep would stray from the fold or start to tread into a dangerous place, then the shepherd would give the sheep the needed amount of force with the rod to redirect it.  So, as a Christian father when my children go in the wrong direction or start to tread in dangerous waters, I redirect them with the tools at my disposal.  This does include spanking, grounding, timeouts, etc.  Of course father must never cross the line and physically abuse the child.  The punishment that is used is for guiding them back to a God-lead direction.

Second, the rod used by the shepherd was also a tool to protect.  If a wolf or other dangerous animal wanted to do the sheep harm, then the shepherd could use this rod to strike the intruder with enough force to protect his sheep.  The fathers in the home must also do whatever it takes to protect the spiritual and physical well-being of his children.  Use of the rod in this case can be the teachings of the Bible that give direction to the children.  The rod of protecting them from evil speech, immorality at school (such as the public dances), and the humanistic teachings that continue to be expressed in the public school systems.

Whatever goes on is the world around us fathers, just remember that we have the God given duty to protect our children with the discipline that God ordained.  Continue to minister the message of God...

HYPED-UP WORSHIP?

I have started to hear this term being thrown around a little these days.  But this term is not a new one.  What "hyped-up worship" means simply is that a church must make their worship so exciting that everyone that comes leaves worked up "for Jesus."  This type of worship is not limited to praise bands and the like, but also to what is called a "spirit filled" sermon that "rocks" the crowd.  According to dictionary.com, "hyped-up" means, "intensively or excessively stimulated or exaggerated."  These worship services become a place where the person gets intensively stimulated or overly excited.  What is wrong with that?

The problem with this type of mind set is that they change the focus of worship from all about God, to some about God but mostly about them.  You see the worship is not "good enough" unless I get all worked up about it.  Does this make biblical sense?  Is this what God had planned for us in our worship?  Now don't get me wrong, if I leave the worship service excited about service to God then I am blessed.  But my worship is not about me.  This "hyped-up worship" is a me-centered worship rather than a Christ-centered worship.

If I don't have the best singing in worship, then it was not good enough.  If I didn't have the sermon that made me just jump out of my seat and run out the door screaming about Jesus, then it was not good enough.  Jesus said, "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (emp. jer John 4:24).  Does the modern day "hyped-up worship" fit with this pattern?  Some will try to pull the word "spirit" out of its context and define it as such.  Ok, let's define the word in this passage and see.

 Wayne Jackson writes, "True worship must be in spirit. Genuine worship involves the plunging of one’s spirit into the act (cf. Romans 1:9; 1 Corinthians 14:15) in a humble and sincere way (cf. Joshua 24:14). This disposition eschews the superficial, the ostentatious (cf. Matthew 6:1ff), the self-centered (Luke 18:9ff), and the hypocritical (Matthew 5:23-24; 15:7-9)" (christiancourier.com/articles/282-jesus-and-the-samaritan-woman).  The "hype-up worship" does not fit into the pattern of worshiping God.  This type of worship is all about self.  Even though many claim that they are all about God.

I have studied with people that have said, "I just don't like the way they do worship."  Do you see the pronoun?  They want a worship that pleases themselves rather than God.  It has to be all about God with the removal of self.  Do we really believe the song that is sometimes sung, "None Of Self, And All Of Thee?"  Worship God, not self.  Continue to minister with your message... 

EATING POLLUTION

Editor's note:

The following article is from "Creation Moments." You can find this and other articles at www.creationmoments.com. This is a very good source for young earth, creation of God teachings. I just wanted to share this one with you. Continue to minister your message.

Psalm 119:99

"I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies [are] my meditation."

How would you like to live in a neighborhood where garbage was never collected and taken away? What if there was no provision in the creation for getting rid of waste? By now the Earth would have become a filthy mess!

Our sewage and other waste does not break down all by itself. Without microbes, waste would Eating pollutionsimply continue to pile up. But if you were designing a world in which waste would have to be "taken away," how would you do it? It's hard to imagine a solution to the problem that is better than the solution God provided. The creatures that dispose of our waste are microscopic – an improvement over our big, noisy garbage trucks. But microbes don't simply break down garbage into harmless materials. In His wisdom, God designed them to turn useless garbage into useful substances.

We are now beginning to make more use of what God has designed. A West German corporation now markets a ceramic sponge that is home to countless organisms that not only love highly polluted water, they turn the pollution into useful things like natural gas and alcohol. Scientists say that the bugs eat almost anything, even pollutants that cannot easily be handled by usual sewage treatment.

Whether we recognize it or not, we humans continue to learn at the feet of the Creator who made us – which is, itself, an argument against evolution.

DOES GOD APPROVE OF "INTERRACIAL" MARRIAGES?

You might be thinking, "why even bring this topic up?" Was not this settled so long ago? Ok, I will ask the question, "was it?" As you look around the country there are still many pockets of those that believe that "interracial" marriages are wrong. Even sadder is the fact that this sediment is in the church today. People still are trying to say that God does not approve of interracial marriages. So we need to continually bring up the question and find out the truth, according to God's Word.

Let me first define the term that we are going to discuss. Interracial is defined as, "Relating to, involving, or representing different races" (thefreedictionary.com/interracial). So the interracial marriage would be, a marriage representing different races. One example of this would be (but not limited to) "white" marrying "black." I use this example because when you get down to the meat of the matter, those who oppose interracial marriages only seem to oppose this arrangement.

Before I can answer this question I must answer another important part of the question, where do the "races" come from? You might be thinking, "why is this so important in answering this question?" Let me share with you this, that if you understand where the "races" come from then you will be able to answer this and every other "racial" question that comes our way.

First, nowhere the Bible do we find the term "races," only nationalities, therefore there is only one genetic "race", the human "race." But for the sake of this article I have used the term "race(s)." The Bible is very clear to show us from where we all started. God created one man and one woman. In Genesis 3:20 Moses wrote, "And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living." This means that every man and every woman can trace their ancestry back to Adam and Eve. Not just the "white race" or the "black race," but every single person living. Paul wrote, "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth" (Acts 17:26). See, "from one blood every nation" and not a bunch of different races or bloods.

I am not a scientist nor do I have a college degree in the scientific field, but I have read at great length what others have researched on this subject. One of the best explanations that I have found was written by the staff at Apologetics Press:

Melanin does far more than simply provide the body with pigmentation. Its most important role is in protecting the body by absorbing ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight that falls on the skin. UV radiation can damage the skin and produce skin cancer if not filtered out by the melanin. People who have large amounts of melanin in their skin are generally very resistant to the effects of UV radiation. People with only small amounts of melanin may suffer badly if exposed to too much UV light. The energy of the UV light penetrates deeper into their skin and can cause damage to the skin tissues.

In humans, production of the skin coloring agent melanin is controlled by two pairs of genes. We can designate them Aa and Bb, the capital letters representing dominant genes and the small letters recessive genes. A and B, being dominant, produce melanin very well; being recessive, a and b produce melanin to a lesser degree.

If Adam and Eve had been “heterozygous” (AaBb; two dominant, two recessive genes), they would have been middle-brown in color. And, from them—in one generation—racial differences could have occurred quite easily.

(apologeticspress.org/apPubPage.aspx?pub=1&issue=422)

I know the previous paragraphs give us a sizable amount of information. The simple explanation is that Adam and Eve were created with all the genes necessary to produce all the different shades that humans beings possess. In other words, we are all of one "race" no matter how much "melanin" we have in our skins. Also, to divide people into "color" categories is disingenuous. Take those that are said to be "white." If I were to line up everyone that claimed to be "white," then I would see all shades. In fact, very few, if any, would actually be "white" as we understand the color.

God designed the "color" through melanin in order to protect us. As we live in areas that have higher concentrations of UV rays, more melanin is needed to protect us. Just the opposite is true for those that live in areas of the world with less UV rays. The closer you live to the equator the more UV rays you receive thus the more melanin you need. The further you live from the equator the less you receive thus the less melanin you need. Can you see God's perfect design?

Finally, God has never classified people into different races. We only read of different nationalities, i.e. where people live. Therefore, since God has not condemned the intermarrying of different nationalities, we are free to marry whom we wish; within the God ordained ordinances of marriage (one man and one woman for life).

Let us look at the people of this world as God does, without partiality. And let us all continue to teach as the Bible teaches, that God does approve of "internationality" marriages because God created us all as one human race. Let this be your ministering message.

DOES CHRIST'S LOVE COMPEL YOU TO DO ANYTHING?

I recently read a story about a man that was continually late to his dentist appointments. One day he call up the doctor's office and told them that he was going to be about 15 minutes late and if that would be ok. The receptionist said, "no problem, but we will not have time to give you the medicine needed to numb you before your procedure." He arrive early for that appointment. I do not know about you but this would motivate me or compel me to arrive on time, every time.

Does Christ's love compel you to do anything? Does what He did on the cross for everyone of us motivate you to obey Him? I pray that your answer is yes to both questions. In 2 Corinthians 5:14, Paul writes, "For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died" (emp. jer). According to an online dictionary, the word "compel" means "to drive or urge forcefully or irresistibly" (merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compel). One author wrote, "The idea is that Christ's love completely controls and dominates Paul so that he has no option but to preach" (biblegateway.com). So I must ask you, does this love that Christ has already shown to us dominate us completely?

If the love of Christ dominated us and made it irresistible to serve Him, then why are there so many "Christians" still out living for the world? Why do so many ministers preach themselves instead of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:5)? Now, do I sin? Yes. Do other faithful Christians sin? Of course they do. That is not the issue. The problem is that we are not willing to take a stand and preach Christ and Him crucified. We are not willing to share with people the meaning of "loving Christ" completely.

There are three things that I believe the love of Christ compels us to do. First, it compels us to change our hearts. Before one becomes a Christian he/she has a heart so full of evil and sin. Full of stuff that needs washed out before he/she can start serving God. So, through baptism that "stuff," that clogs the heart, is washed away (Acts 22:16).

Second, the love of Christ compels us to change our focus. We are no longer focused on the things of the world but the spiritual attributes that God demands. Where do we get these attributes? From God Himself. Paul wrote, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). But this only comes to those in Christ. Those whom have put on the spiritual glasses in order to see. When something comes into focus we can see it much better. When we understand the love that Christ has for us and have seen it propelled into the world through His death on the cross, then everything around us is seen for what it truly is.

Finally, the love of Christ compels us to change our location. Again, Paul wrote, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Before becoming a Christian I lived in and for the world. But now that I am in the kingdom of Christ, I have a new dwelling place, a new location. In my life I have lived in about 22 different places. Moving from one town to the next or one house to the next. But as a Christian I have had only one home or location and that is in Christ Jesus my Lord (Galatians 3:27).

Remember that we are "ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:20). Let this be your continual message of the minister.

THE TREASURE IN JARS OF CLAY

Last summer my wife and I bought a great number of pots in order to separate an aloe plant that was growing crazy. As we headed back home I had to make one quick stop. After I dropped her and the kids off at home I went to take some materials to the county fair. I forgot that these pots were round and might roll around a little bit in the back of my Suburban. When I opened the back hatch, they came tumbling out on top of me. The one very large pot that my wife like so much (it was the last one in the store) rolled out first and broke on the concrete drive. And just like that I had a mess and a pot that, I thought, was beyond repair.

When I got back home I was a little hesitant in telling my lovely wife of 16 years that I broke this pot. But I could not in all good conscience blame the kids, so I told her. She went out to the vehicle and retrieved the damaged goods and actually was able to salvage the one that she liked so much. Now you might ask, how did she do that, and did it not look awful? Maybe at first, but once she cut away at it and then placed a plant into the pot, no one noticed. The reason that no one ever noticed was because of the life or treasure inside the pot.

This reminds me of what Paul wrote to the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 4:7, "we have this treasure in earthen vessels." That treasure is the preaching of the gospel of Christ. What is more important, the gospel or the person? Paul argues that the most important is the gospel. He writes, "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord," (2 Corinthians 4:5). I have heard preachers talk more about themselves in a 30 minute lesson then that of the gospel. This is a sad commentary on that preacher. He needs to re-read 2 Corinthians 4:5. Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and that you may glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). Jesus did not say that we shine our lights to glorify self. In fact the light is not even of us. John wrote, "God is light..." and that I must walk in that light (1 John 1:5-7).

So, let us always remember that we have a treasure on the inside of the jar of clay. When we preach this then we are ministering with the message of God.

I WOULD LOVE TO SHARE MY TALENTS WITH YOUR CONGREGATION!

Every person has some sort of ability or talent that they can use to glorify God. The problem is that many are not using that talent or have become ashamed of their talent. It reminds me of the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. Each one of the men was given a portion of the master's wealth to invest. But each one of the men was not given the same amount. Why? The reason being that they all did not possess the same ability to handle the responsibilities given.

We have abilities that God wants us to use. But not all of us have the same talents. God does expect us to use these abilities to further the gospel of peace into the world. I feel that it is very important for me to get out there and use mine.

Here are some of the areas that I know I can assist you in your growth process:

1. Spiritual Growth - This is a seminar on the different levels of spiritual growth that we all go through. And it teaches us to watch out for the pitfalls that will hinder that growth. Also, how to recognize these different levels in your church family. And how to help everyone grow to the ultimate level of our ability.

2. Ministry Development - Many congregations have struggles developing different programs of work. This program helps the congregation to look for and develop the talents that each member has and use that ability to evangelize their community. Developing programs such as: Outreach; Youth Ministry; College Ministry; Senior Ministry; Visitation Programs, Foreign and Domestic Missions and etc.

3. Personal Evangelism Seminar - We give the congregation the understanding that Personal Evangelism is not as difficult as once thought. We share tools, i.e., door knocking, DVD ministry, home bible studies, correspondence courses, and etc. Confidence is key in developing these types of evangelism.

4. Financial Seminar - With a B.A. in Economics and experience as an Accountant for a Bank, I will share with your members the simple ways to help organize their finances from balancing a check book to getting out of debt.

5. Community Outreach - This is a "how to" seminar. We take a look at your community and the events, demographics and needs, then develop ideas and a game plan to reach out with the gospel. Some of the possibilities include but are not limited to; Fair booths, community meals, panty/food banks, advertising an event, youth rallies, campus ministry, and etc. Also included in this seminar are ways to look beyond the normally used outreach programs and create ways to get into places that others have not thought about.

6. Solving Congregational Problems - The saddest event in a congregation's history is when problems arise that lead to a division. But if you were to investigate the root of this problem it seems to be an inward struggle. I heard a preacher once say, "It is not the woodpecker that destroys a house but the termites from within." If we would continually inspect for "termites" in the church, then we might be able to rid the varmints before they destroy. This is why I am putting together a team to come in to your congregation and inspect for termites and help rid you of your problem before it gets too severe. We only come in to mediate the situation in the absence of elders.

7. Marriage and the Family - This seminar is aimed at the newly married, engaged couples and those of college age (18-25). This program will set out the Biblical guidelines to marriage, and how to handle some of the major difficulties that couples face, i.e.; birth control, children, the in-laws, financial issues, communication and etc. I am not a marriage counselor (even though I have done marriage counseling), but having been married for over 16 years and raising 2 children, I have the experience to discuss how to overcome rocky points. How couples can head off problems before they surface.

8. Church Growth - A seminar on different ways to grow the congregation. This is not just numerical growth but more importantly spiritual growth (which leads to numerical growth). This series of lessons combines the outreach with solving internal problems. Also, it dives into the development of church organization, programs, and the essential elders and deacons. The minister's responsibility to the growth process as well as each member's responsibility.

9. Youth Events - One area that I enjoy, is speaking to young people and teens. We need to encourage our youth to remain faithful to God. I speak on topics such as "The Three D's: Dating, Dancing, and Drugs," "Overcoming Discouragement", "Teaching Teens Outreach", "Leadership Training (Boys only)" "Remaining Pure in an Impure World" among others.

10. College Events - I was a Campus Minister for over 6 years. I know that this area of work is being neglected in many areas of the country. Some churches have a major university in their back yard and either are unwilling or unknowing to start the work. There is a misunderstanding about Campus work. Some think it is all play. I am here to tell you that it is very hard work and needs the total support of the leadership of the congregation. But with a successful organized work you can reach hundreds if not thousands. I love to speak to college students many who are coming to your Bible Studies not because they have to but because they want to. They are searching for the truth.

If you would like me to come to your congregation then please contact me at smellchristlike@gmail.com. God's continued blessings as you minister to those around with the message.

RUN THE SPIRITUAL MARATHON WITH GOD

Can you imagine running a marathon, coming in first place and then being told that you were disqualified because you broke the rules? Of course I have trouble imagine running to the mailbox nonetheless running a marathon. But before I get off topic, this actually happened recently. Scott Downard ran in the Cowtown Marathon in Fort Worth, TX and won the event (at first) until it was revealed that he never really entered the event. He put on the number for his friend Jerry Faulkner who was unable to compete that day. Now I will say that Downard never tried to deny the truth and was stripped of his first place trophy.

Another example of an athlete not competing by the rules happened in England. Rob Sloan started the race and then dropped out part way through it. He then boarded a bus that took him further up the course. Finally he jumped from the bus and reinserted himself back into the race and was crowned third. Again the rule breaker was found out and stripped of his third place finish.

The final example is most likely the most famous of all. Rosie Ruiz crossed the finish line in the 1980 Boston Marathon in what appeared to be a first place finish and a world record. But the truth quickly came out that she actually only joined the race in the last mile or so. She of course was also stripped of her crown.

The obvious similarity is the not competing by the rules. We have so many people in the world that are not competing by God's rules. There are some that truly believe that their actions are valid and pleasing before God. But at judgement day they will be shown for what they really are; rule breakers. Paul wrote to Timothy, "An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules" (2 Timothy 2:5, ESV). A spiritual athlete is not crowned unless he/she competes according to the rules of God. We can look around us and see so many groups that call themselves Christian who are not competing according to the rules that God set forth.

One major example of this is what the denominational world preaches about salvation. There is a pattern or rules in the Bible that one must follow in order to get to heaven. This is not earning your salvation but competing in the race the way that God wants. We find one passage that shares the pattern of sound words, Mark 16:15-16. Mark writes, "And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.'" The gospel is the good news that Jesus came to this earth and died, was buried and rose again (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). We must share the gospel ("Go...preach") with those in the world so that they may also complete the race victorious. Then those that have heard the gospel must believe that it is true (He who believes...). Next, obey the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ through baptism (Romans 6:2-5) ("and is baptized will be saved").

Now, you are in the race and must run according to the rules in order to get the crown. Jesus said in Revelation 2:10, "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." In other words, "run the race by the rules and you will be victorious." Finally, this race is an enduring one. Paul told the church at Corinth, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58). And then as Paul was nearing the end of his "race" told Timothy, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:7-8 emp. jer).

What race are you running? The race that is set before us by God or the one that satan has lead so many into? Minister to the world with this message...

HAND TO HAND COMBAT

I recently attended the youth event in Gatlinburg, TN called Challenge Youth Conference (CYC). I was very impressed with this year's theme of "Hooked." I felt that the speakers really challenged the teens and others at this event to be very careful about satan trying to get them hooked on sin. But something that jumped out at me this weekend was a statement by one of the speakers that got me thinking. We as Christians are in God's army. And there are many weapons that we must carry along with us. These weapons are mention in Ephesians. But there is one type of fighting that we must also include in our arsenal; "hand to hand combat."

Now I know that this sounds funny. And some might not understand what I am trying to impress upon you. So let me help you visualize it more clearly. Take your right hand and then take your left hand, place them together and interlock your fingers. Now you have the "hand to hand" part. The combat is when we go to God in prayer in this position. Is there a better way to combat satan than to pray and ask for God's help? Trying times are all around us. We need His help.

In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Paul writes that we can receive comfort from God. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God" (emp. jer). Can you see just how much love is recorded in the above two verses with the word "comfort?" Five times this word is used. But it does not mean what we normally think that the word comfort means. According to an online dictionary, comfort means, "a state of ease and satisfaction of bodily wants, with freedom from pain and anxiety" (www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comfort). Now, if this is the Biblical meaning for comfort then we can say that God promises us freedom from all pain. That we will always be in a state of ease and not having to work. But God has not promised us that we will be without any pain or that we will have a life of ease and relaxation. So, the Biblical definition has to mean something else.

The word “comfort” in 2 Corinthians 1 comes from a greek word meaning, “to call near” (www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/paraklesis.html). The word has in its meaning the idea of strength as well. So to be comforted by God means not an absence of pain and suffering but the strength to endure anything that satan or life throws at us as we draw closer to God. This is the comfort that Christians will receive. This is an ability to find strength in times of physical and spiritual pain and tribulation. This is accomplished once we use our "hand to hand combat" and pray. A wonderful verse that helps us fully comprehend this is found in 1 Peter 5:7, "Casting your cares upon Him for He cares for you." We "pray" our cares away to God. So, continue to pray for this type of comfort for yourself and others around you. Make this your ministering message.