Wait

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Wait

 

This is a rewrite of an article I wrote on May 20, 1997. In reading through some of my old articles, I was drawn to share it. Hope you enjoy.

 

Before I was old enough to go to school, I had a baby-sitter that would come to our house and watch me until my mother got home from her teaching job. Her name was Gussie, and she was a small, older woman who was very kind and I loved having her around. One day I was ready to go outside and play. Gussie always went out with me and we had a fun time. This day, however, Gussie was still folding some clothes and told me to go on out to the carport and she would be out in a minute. I went on out and was playing, but it was taking Gussie too long. I went to the door to tell her to hurry, but when I reached for the door, there was the biggest, black spider I had ever seen right on the handle. I was trapped outside and only Gussie could save me. I started yelling for her, but she would not come. It was taking her forever to finish those clothes. I decided I was going to have to take action myself. I looked around and there was the mop, drying after Gussie had mopped the kitchen floor. I picked up the mop and thought I would hit the door handle and knock the spider off. Now, only being 4 years old, my aim was not that accurate. I swung the mop, but instead of hitting the handle, I hit the glass on the top part of the door. The glass broke and came crashing down, making an extremely loud noise. It scared me so bad I started crying. Gussie, hearing the crash, finally came to my aid.

 

We all get tired of waiting. We even get tired of waiting on God to do something. We ask Him for something or to help or give us an answer and many times we have to wait. We may even get tired of waiting and try to handle a situation on our own. When that happens, something always goes wrong because we didn’t wait on God’s timing. It’s not easy to wait, but sometimes that’s what God wants us to do. As we wait patiently, knowing that God hears our prayers, we trust in Him and know that His timing is always perfect. We may not want to wait, but we must have faith that He will answer our prayers. He always answers and always provides.

 

I don’t remember what happened when my parents found out about the broken glass. If I had just waited a little longer, I wouldn’t have broken the glass and wouldn’t have gotten in trouble. If you have asked God something and have not received an answer, remember, “Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.” Proverbs 20:22b

 

“I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears. In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; He saved me from all my troubles.” Psalm 34:4, 6

 

Bro. Paul Reed

 

Tuesday, October 25, 2022



That Old Phone

That Old Phone

Dear Friends,

One of the pieces of memorabilia that I have in my office is an old Western Electric rotary dial telephone circa 1941.  This was my grandfather’s desk phone for years and somehow ended up in his home after that.  Every time I walk into my office at church, I see that phone and think of him.  He was born in 1915, one of nine children.  His family was not wealthy by any means and he told all the typical stories of how hard they had it compared to these younger generations.  He became an adult during the Great Depression and somehow found a job working for Sanitary Grocery Stores (later Safeway Stores) as a meat cutter.  He worked for them for forty-nine years until he retired.  His generation was shaped by the hardships of the Depression, World War II and the Korean War.  He lived half his life during a time of racial segregation and struggled with understanding civil rights, clinging to prejudices taught to him by the previous generation.  He wondered how our society would ever survive the 1960’s, and he loved his grandson, me, fiercely.  Others in my family don’t remember him as fondly as I do and knowing what I know now, they are certainly justified. But he was my granddaddy and I thought he was wonderful!

One of his favorite sayings to me, as he sought to mold me into the man he thought I ought to become was, “The Bible says, ‘God helps those who help themselves.’” It wasn’t until I was in Bible college that I realized this particularly popular phrase, often quoted, is not found anywhere in the Bible. The saying is usually attributed to Ben Franklin, quoted in Poor Richard’s Almanac in 1757. In actuality, it was first published by Algernon Sydney, an English political theorist, in a 1698 article titled “Discourses Concerning Government.” 

Whomever originally coined this phrase, the Bible teaches the exact opposite. God helps the helpless! Isaiah 25:4 (NLT) declares, “But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O LORD, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat…” Romans 5:6 (NLT) tells us When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.”

In terms of salvation, we are all utterly helpless and infected by sin. Romans 3:23 (NLT) For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” Because of that sin we are all condemned, Romans 6:23a (NLT) For the wages of sin is death…” Our only hope is God’s grace, unearned and undeserved, Romans 6:23b (NLT) “…but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Thankfully, God is the helper of the helpless, Romans 5:8 (NLT2) “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Jesus paid the penalty that we were incapable of paying, 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT2) “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” God provided the help that we all need precisely because we cannot help ourselves.

I don’t think my grandfather ever really believed me when I tried to convince him of my discovery.  Unfortunately, I am uncertain of his eternal destination.  I certainly hope that I will see him again beyond the pearly gates.  I am grateful that my grandfather taught me many things that have served me well and allowed me to help myself in this life.  That old phone reminds me every day.  However, I am eternally grateful that God chose to help a spiritually helpless, hopeless sinner like me into eternity with Him!

Only by Grace!

Pastor Mike



Looking Out My Back Door…Again

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Looking Out My Back Door … Again

 

Have you heard enough about me looking out the back door of my office? Well, I have to share something else. For the past several days, I’ve noticed some small birds that seem to be feeding just outside the glass doors of my office. You’d have to put two side by side to be as big as my fist. The top feathers are medium brown in color with lighter, more tan colored feathers on the breast. There is a small white line above each eye and their beaks are slender, and almost as long as their head. I wanted to know what kind of bird they are and decided to search online, but found that there are a multitude of little brown birds in the world. Correctly identifying these little guys is almost impossible. They seem too big to be a sparrow, and their beaks are the wrong shape to be a finch. The best I can tell, they are a type of wren. It’s very difficult to determine. It’s so easy to recognize a cardinal, a blue jay, a blue bird, or a robin. But there are so many different types of little brown birds from the pictures I found on the internet, that determining exactly what these are is not something I can accomplish. Plus, when I try to get a good look at them, they don’t always stick around very long, especially when I walk towards the door.

 

The very first time I saw them and watched them foraging, I thought of how God was feeding them and taking care of them. I may not know the exact species of bird they are, but God does. He made them. And I’m sure He knows how many feathers are on each of their little bodies as He knows how many hairs are upon my head. I thought about the Scripture where it tells of how God the Father feeds the birds. In Matthew 6, Jesus is still teaching His sermon on the mount that began in chapter five. He begins to teach that we are not to worry about what we need for everyday life. When you come to verse 25 and 26 of chapter 6, He says, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life – whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to Him than they are?” So many people worry about these things every day. I dare say some of us might worry too, at times. But we shouldn’t. All it takes is for us to stop and look out and see some birds. If we let Him, the Spirit will remind us of this passage. Then we can be comforted with His word and His promise that He will take care of all our needs.

 

I look out now as I’m writing this and there is another one of God’s precious creations. No bright colors, but simply beautiful shades of brown. This little bird doesn’t look worried or anxious. It is simply looking around on the ground, in and out between the blades of grass, until it finds something to eat. Then it quickly darts its head forward, snatches the morsel in its beak, and continues searching for more. We can learn from this little bird. It is living its life as its Creator intended. We can live our lives the way our Creator intended for us, and simply trust Him as we obey His word, follow His leading, and watch Him provide all our needs.

 

“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

 

Bro. Paul Reed

 

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

 

 



Don’t Leave Me

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Don’t Leave Me

 

“Do you want to stay and play with me?”, she asks. “Yes, I do, but I have to go to work.”, I respond. We had the wonderful opportunity of having our granddaughter stay with us overnight. She is always such a joy to have around. She was so talkative and happy that morning, and we had fun playing with some blocks. She enjoys using one as a camera and was taking Debbie and my picture with it. She then let me take a picture of her and her BeeBee, which is the name she calls Debbie. We then went outside to swing until I had to get to work. But it was so difficult to have to leave. It reminds me so much of when my boys were younger and I had to tell them the same thing, “Yes, I want to just stay home and play with you, but I have to go to work.”

 

As parents, we’ve all had to do this with our children at some point, even if you are a stay-at-home parent. There are times that we are not able to stay with our children because of work or other obligations. “Don’t leave me” is a cry we have all heard as well, as children are sometimes afraid we won’t come back. But we reassure them that it will only be for a little while. There’s a sadness that comes from that separation. We enjoy being together with our family. And I’m sure we can all remember the feelings we had when we were children ourselves.

 

Jesus knew His disciples were going to feel this separation anxiety when He left them for the cross. But just like we never leave our children alone, Jesus told them they would have someone with them all the time. He says in John 14:16-17a, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit.” What a wonderful gift! Even though Jesus had to leave the earth and would no longer be with them in person, they would not be left alone. They would have the Holy Spirit indwelling them. And this same promise is for every believer, every disciple, which, of course, includes us today. God Almighty is always with us and will never leave us. What a wonderful Father! Plus, Jesus also promises to return. In John 14:1-3 He says to His disciples, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me. There is more than enough room in My Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am.” Our wonderful Savior and Lord has promised all of us that He will come back and take us with Him to be with Him for all eternity. We have this hope because of His promise. And He always keeps His promises. And until that time, we have God in the form of the Holy Spirit living within us, so we are never alone. Jesus reminds them of this again in John 16.

 

Many mornings I’ve had to go through the difficulty of leaving for work with my children waving goodbye. Thankfully, I have always been able to return home to be with them. I know that is not always the case for some. But we all have this hope, that if we train up our children in the way of the Lord, they can become followers of Jesus and always have the indwelling Spirit within them, too. Then, when everything is ready, Jesus will come and get all of us to be with Him where no one will ever have to leave.

 

Bro. Paul Reed

 

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

 



Wait and See

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Wait and See

 

I remember when I was a little boy with great excitement going to ask my mother about my birthday present or a Christmas present, usually wanting to know what it was and trying to figure it out. No matter how I phrased my question; “Is it this?”, “Is it that?”, “Can I play with it outside?”, “Is it something I can hold?”, “Is it something that I can throw?”; she always answered, “Wait and see.” That would drive me crazy sometimes because of my anticipation. I needed to know and couldn’t wait. As I got older, I would ask her questions about life and what might happen or how things may work out. The same reply would come, “Wait and see.” The older I got, the more I realized how much wisdom was in those three words. Now that she has passed from this life, I think about this phrase, and others like it that she would frequently say, and I quickly hear her voice say them in my mind.

 

Many people are very concerned about this hurricane that seems to be heading our way. There are a lot of questions that are being asked and some are frantically searching for someone to give them a definitive answer. The difficulty with that is nobody really knows. There are so many different paths and scenarios with this storm that no one can predict exactly when and where it will hit or what it will bring. With any of these storms, we don’t know exactly what will happen until it happens. We can be wise and prepare for it. But ultimately, we simply have to wait and see.

 

Waiting is never easy. I don’t know anyone who likes to wait. Waiting requires patience. And patience requires faith. I may not know what will happen tomorrow, but God knows, and I have faith in Him. And since my faith is in Him, I can be patient and wait because I know He has everything under control. I may want something sooner, but it will be in His timing that things come into being or things are revealed, and that will be exactly when it needs to happen. Because God is in control and I am in His hands, and my faith is in Him, I can be patient and wait and see.

 

“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him.” Psalm 62:5

 

“The Lord is good to those who depend on Him, to those who search for Him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.” Lamentations 3:25-26

 

“O my people, trust in Him at all times. Pour out your heart to Him, for God is our refuge.” Psalm 62:8

 

There is great peace and comfort when we wait in the Lord. He gives us rest. We can lay everything at His feet and trust Him to take care of it all. Then we can sit back in our spirits and watch Him do great things. Wait and see.

 

Bro. Paul Reed

 

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

 



FrBC Deacon Nominations/Qualifications

FrBC Deacon Nominations / Qualifications:

Dear Friends,

It is that time of year again when we begin looking forward to the leadership postings for the next calendar year.  The Nominating Committee is currently making calls and securing commitments for committees and ministry teams.  Let me urge you to pray about how God would have you serve the church and His kingdom in this coming year.  We all have different skills, talents and passions that the Lord has graciously gifted us with.  Please don’t be guilty of allowing another year to pass without speaking up or stepping up to serve the body of Christ.  If there is a role you would like to fill or that you have a passion about, let us know!  Likewise, if you are in a role that you are not passionate about or are not gifted to serve in, allow someone else the opportunity to fill that role while you move into something more suited to you.

Our church bylaws provide for the nomination and election of deacons every year.  The process is this; all active members are given the opportunity to nominate men that they feel are qualified and befitting to be part of our deacon team.  The deacons of Frederica Baptist Church hold a special place and purpose in this body.  Collectively, they do not wield any administrative leadership power.  The name “deacon” comes from the Greek word for servant and that is a large part of what they do.  They are servants of and in the church.  Furthermore, the deacons act as an extension of the pastoral staff, caring for the flock and assisting the pastors in matters pertaining to the spiritual well-being of the congregation.

This is not a popularity contest.  Not every man in our congregation is well suited to this type of ministry.  Please be prayerful in making your nominations.  Below is a look at qualifications for the position of deacon that you should be aware of before nominating.  After the nominations are collected, the pastors will consider them in light of these qualifications and other known considerations and form a list of those to be asked to serve.  A final panel of men who are willing to serve will be presented to the congregation for a vote of approval at a church conference.

Qualifications from the FrBC Church Constitution:

  • Professing, baptized believer for at least 5 years.
  • 25 years of age or older.
  • An active church member for at least 1 year (12 calendar months)
  • Honorable, true servants of God who encourage unity in the body.
  • Conform in character and practice to 1 Tim 3:8-13, Acts 6:1-6

Qualifications drawn from 1 Timothy 3:8-13:

  • Male
  • Well Respected
  • Known for Integrity and Honesty
  • Not a lover of money
  • Not heavy drinkers
  • Committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ (born-again)
  • Have a clear conscience (through confession and forgiveness of sins)
  • Their wives should be well respected, not slanderers (gossips) exhibiting self-control and faithfulness in all they do. (Does not negate the candidacy of a man who is unmarried)
  • Faithful to his wife. (*Please see the footnote on divorce at the bottom)
  • Manages his children and household well.

Qualifications from Acts 6:1-7:

  • A Servant in the church already
  • A recognized Leader in the church
  • A Protector of the pastor’s time and ministry
  • One who is a Teacher in both words and actions
  • An Evangelist ready to Boldly share the gospel with the lost

Additional Scriptural Considerations:

Titus 3:

  • Subject to rulers and authorities (Law abiding)
  • Obedient
  • Devoted to doing good
  • Not a slanderer / gossip (honest)
  • Peaceful, Considerate and Humble (not argumentative)
  • Willing and able to confront sin individually and in the congregation

Acts 20:17-21:

  • Servant Attitude
  • Transparent Integrity (it is easily seen and expected)
  • Godly Character
  • Faithful Biblical Teacher

Other Logical Considerations:

  • Hold fast to the Truth and Reliability of God’s Word above all
  • Regular Attenders (as much as possible) to FrBC services and events
  • Financial supporters of FrBC in accordance with Biblical mandate
  • Promoters and supporters of FrBC, its pastor and ministries
  • Physically able to do the work of a servant in and around the church
  • A unifier not a divider always working to pull the body together
  • Reliable and can be counted on

* Footnote on Divorce in regards to deacon qualifications:  This can be a divisive issue in many conservative churches.  The confusion lies in the interpretation of the phrase in 1 Tim. 3:12, “the husband of one wife.”  The literal rendering of the Greek phrase would actually be “a one-woman man.”  Adding to the confusion is the fact that there are two other Greek words that Paul uses elsewhere that truly, literally mean “divorce.”  So, why use an ambiguous phrase when he could have used an obvious and clear word with no confusion?  Paul was writing to Timothy in Ephesus which was the capital of worship for the Roman goddess Diana.  This particular goddess was worshipped by visiting temple prostitutes.  That would certainly exclude a man for spiritual office.  Also, while not as widespread, there existed the practice of polygamy, of having more than one wife.  Again, that man would have been excluded by this phrase.  Certainly, the Bible tells us that God hates divorce (Mal. 2:16) and Jesus takes the Pharisees to task for allowing easy divorce numerous times (Mat. 19:8, Luke 16:18).  Divorce is a division of what God has put together but is it always the man’s fault?  What of a man who was divorced before he was saved, before he knew the Lord? Is the divorced man any worse than other sinners saved and forgiven by grace?  The best interpretation to my mind is that this text focuses on moral purity not on marital status.  Mat. 19:9 and 1 Cor. 7:12-16 give Scriptural exceptions for divorce (infidelity, abandonment, abuse) so I think it would be unusual for a blanket divorce exclusion.  The first qualification of a deacon is to be “above reproach” (1 Tim. 3:2).  If the divorce had no biblical grounds, then the man has damaged his testimony in the church and community; the “above reproach” qualification should exclude him from the deaconate rather than the “husband of one wife” requirement.  Use your best prayerful and Biblical judgement to determine how you will nominate and possibly vote on candidates.

I hope this helps everyone to make prayerful and informed nominations for the deacon positions in our church.  It is a position to be sought after and honored.  In this coming year we will reinstitute our deacon family ministry and hopefully expand our personal ministries as well.

Thank you for taking the time to make prayerful and considered choices when nominating men to be deacons in the church.

Only by Grace!

Pastor Mike



Lookin’ Out My Back Door

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Lookin’ Out My Back Door

 

Many of you might remember an old song by Credence Clearwater Revival (CCR) that came out in 1970 with the same title as above. It’s a fun little song with some crazy lyrics. But what made me think of it was looking out my back door. I’m not talking about at my house, though. I’m talking about my office. Most people do not have a back door in their office, but I do. I’ve mentioned it before as I enjoy looking out through it as I think, meditate on God’s Word, or write. The scenery can be very inspirational. As I was looking out my back door late yesterday afternoon, I was given a treat of seeing six deer grazing in the field. There were four doe and two younglings that were enjoying a meal. I’ve seen many deer on the property since we have moved into the building, and even before everything was completed. They are beautiful creatures and seem therapeutic in a way. As I watch them, I am still, thus slowing my heart rate and calming my mind. I can focus on watching their movements and observing their actions and let any frustrations or stress that I’m dealing with simply fade away.

 

I watched them for several minutes and noticed when most of them had their heads down, at least one of the older ones had their head up looking out for danger. This would take place also when the younger ones would be running and jumping around in a playful way. The older ones would alternate which would have their head up, of course, so that all of them were able to eat. Yet they maintained at least one watching for protection. We’ve all seen this with animals if one has ever watched a wildlife show before. It is a safety mechanism. At least one animal will be a lookout while the rest of the group is able to relax and graze with their heads down. Taking turns being a lookout ensures everyone is able to eat. That one is responsible for the safety of the entire group at these times.

 

It made me think about how God watches over us. We can be living our lives, many times with our “heads down” and not paying attention to the dangers that are all around us. Yet, our Good Shepherd is always watching and protecting us. In His own way, maybe through His still, small voice, He alerts us that we need to be ready for an attack. And even though our God is always watching over and watching out for us, we ourselves need to be watchful. Peter writes in 1 Peter 5:8, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” Our enemy is always trying to get to us to harm us. He can’t take us away from God, but he can cause us grief if we aren’t watching and fall to his crafty temptations and distractions. Jesus warned His disciples in Matthew 26:41, “Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” We need to remember that our enemy is out there and trying to harm us in any way he can. But God is with us and can give us strength and help us to stay alert and watch for anything and anyone that may harm us.

 

I noticed throughout the rest of the evening these deer basically stayed in the field until it was dark. They may have wandered out of the field some, but only for a minute or two before returning. They continued diligently watching to stay safe and to stay alive. We would do well to learn from their example, as well as remembering the warnings found in God’s Word.

 

Bro. Paul Reed

 

Tuesday, September 20, 2022



The Full Armor of God

The Full Armor of God

Dear Friends,

Satan counts on us forgetting that this world in which we live is a battlefield.  Day by day, hour by hour, we face a spiritual war and a real enemy whose main aim is to steal, kill, and destroy. The forces of darkness don’t wait for us to be ready and prayed up for their attack. They are ruthless, determined, and cunning.  

God has given us his Word and Spirit so that we’ll have the wisdom and protection to stand against the enemy. This enemy we face, no matter how cruel and vicious his schemes, can never bind our spirits if they have been set free by Christ. We can only be defeated in battles; we can only be silenced if we forget to use the tools that God has given us.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:10-18

The Belt of Truth: A soldier in Paul’s day had a leather belt that he tightened about his waist to hold his tunic together and to carry his weapons.  In our Christian armor, it is our integrity that holds everything else together. If we don’t have integrity in the big and small things of our lives, we are going to lose the battle.

The Breastplate of Righteousness: The breastplate of a soldier covered the soldier’s vital organs. For the Christian soldier, the breastplate is the sanctifying righteousness of Christ. The enemy wants to attack us with lies, and impurity to get into our hearts and minds.  He is always looking for a crack in our armor.  We must make sure that our righteousness, our connection with Christ is always in good repair.  If not, then we cannot win the battle.

The Shoes of Peace: A Roman soldier’s sandals would have had hobnails on the sole, very much like football cleats because when they were fighting, they needed solid footing. In war, slippery footing will not give a soldier peace of mind.  When Satan comes against a believer, he throws out doubt and discouragement to cause us to stumble. Unless we have solid footing grounded in the gospel we cannot have peace, then we cannot win the battle.

The Shield of Faith: The legionnaire’s shield measured approximately two feet by four feet.  It protected the soldier from arrows shot by the enemy.  Satan and his agents, both human and supernatural, are going to fire flaming arrows at us. He knows a spark can ignite a big fire.  Our Christian shield is made of our faith.  A resolute faith will stop and extinguish the fiery arrows of attack that are aimed at us.  Without faith we cannot win the battle.

The Helmet of Salvation:  A soldier used a helmet to protect his head because if his head was wounded, he wouldn’t be able to think. A helmet gives us a sense of safety. One of the most important pieces of armor that a Christian has is an assurance of salvation. If we don’t know that we are saved, that our salvation is assured after this earthly life, then we cannot win the battle.

The Sword of the Spirit:  In Paul’s day the most effective offensive weapon was the soldier’s sword.  The believers most effective weapon is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Jesus modeled the use of this weapon during His temptation in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13).  Bible Study and memorization of God’s Word can turn the strongest of Satan’s lies and attacks, without it we cannot win the battle.

Most of us live busy lives.  It’s easy to forget what kind of world we live in.  All too often we race through busy, hectic days, ill-equipped, unprepared, or simply not aware of what we’re up against, or who the real enemy even is. 

Believers are called to be salt and light in this dark world.  Satan doesn’t want that so we cannot expect to go for very long without encountering obstacles and attacks thrown in our direction. This battle is real, it’s intense and it has eternal consequences. Remembering that we live in a battle zone, putting on His armor daily, staying alert, and praying, will help us to “stand strong.”

Only by Grace,

Pastor Mike

 



Stuck

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Stuck

 

This past Saturday I and a few others were helping someone move. There wasn’t a lot of big stuff, but a small, enclosed trailer was going to be just right to make it easy to load and haul it in one trip. I made arrangements to borrow a trailer and had made my way to its location early that morning. I knew the trailer was parked in the yard behind a house. As I located the trailer, I began looking at the ground. Now, we have had a lot of rain lately, and my concern was driving my truck through the yard in order to reach the trailer. Then, being able to get back out. I surveyed the ground and even though it was quite wet, the grass was very thick and there were tree roots along the top of the ground in several places that gave me confidence that the ground would hold up. I have to admit, there was a little voice inside me that was not sure, but I still felt that I could make it. So, I decided to take the plunge and headed off the drive into the yard. It was wet, but we were making progress and things were looking good. I had gone about seventy-five feet and slowed my speed just a little bit and that was a mistake. That’s when we began to sink into the ground and were no longer moving forward. I got out and saw that my tires had sunk into the ground several inches. I looked around to try and find anything that I could put underneath the tires to lift and keep them out of the mud. I found some square concrete steppingstones that I wedged behind my rear tires to try and get traction to back out. I was able to back up onto the stones, but they quickly sank into the ground and my tires began to spin on them. I put a few more in front of them to see if I could get enough movement forward to have momentum to get to a little higher ground, but those stones sank into the ground as well and the tires began to spin on them. I tried to reposition the stones but found they had sunk into the ground so far that I was unable to pull them out. I knew then that I couldn’t get out on my own. I was stuck.

 

I called several towing companies before one finally answered their phone. The man was very nice and said he could be there in fifteen minutes. Sure enough, after that time had passed, he pulled up to assess the situation. I was very thankful he didn’t laugh at me or ask me, “What were you thinking?” He just smiled and said, “It happens, especially with how much rain we’ve had lately.” He quickly hooked up the winch cable to my back bumper and pulled me out in less than five minutes. I thanked him and paid him, then headed toward the one we were helping move. We were thirty minutes late, but were able to haul everything in the back of my truck and a couple of mini-vans. We accomplished what we needed to do, with only the extra expenses of paying a tow truck, putting some good-sized ruts in a yard, possibly losing several steppingstones, and having to wash a lot of mud off my truck that afternoon.

 

I was upset with myself. I had not listened to the little voice of reason that told me the ground was too wet and would be too soft to drive on. Because I didn’t listen, I got myself stuck. I think we all do this from time to time in other areas of our lives. We decide to do something or buy something without listening to the small voice inside that is trying to guide our decisions. We neglect to listen, or just decide to ignore it, and move ahead. It’s only after we have gotten ourselves into trouble that we will acknowledge that we should have listened and followed that voice. God has given us, His children, that wonderful voice of reason to guide us in every aspect of our lives. Jesus tells His disciples and tells us in John 14:16-17, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” The Holy Spirit lives within us. If we will just acknowledge Him and ask for His help, He will help us stay out of trouble and certainly can keep us from hurting ourselves. He is always with us, ready to instruct and guide us in every decision we have to make. And if we will listen and follow, it will always be the best. And God is so good, even when we don’t listen, He still loves us and pulls us out of the mud, back to where we belong. It will cost us because we have disobeyed, but He will restore us and will never leave us.

 

My advice to anyone right now, don’t go driving any vehicle off solid ground until we’ve had a few weeks to dry up around here. And remember, in any decision you need to make, big or small, make sure you ask the Holy Spirit to tell you what you need to do or not do.

 

Bro. Paul Reed

 

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

 



Labor Day

“REED” This

 

Labor Day

 

All my life I’ve never fully understood Labor Day. As a child, I only knew it to be a national holiday where people didn’t have to work, and I didn’t have to go to school. As I got older, I realized a good number of people still had to work on that day. Another thing I noticed was a lot of people worked around their house if they did have a day off from their jobs. Labor Day seemed to truly be a day of labor, just in a different place. So, I decided to look up the origins of this holiday.

 

Labor Day is understood to have started in 1882 when one of the unions in New York City wanted to celebrate their members. They decided to have a parade on the first Monday in September and have their union members walk in the parade to be recognized and celebrated. They actually had to take a day off from work with no pay to be in this parade. Other unions and other cities liked the idea and began holding their own parades. Over the next decade, with many states adopting it as a holiday, many were promoting the idea of this being a national holiday to celebrate labor and workers. The president and lawmakers in Washington agreed. President Grover Cleveland signed an act to make the first Monday in September a federal holiday, calling it “Labor Day”, and it passed on June 28, 1894. Over the years, the parades of union workers fell to the wayside and it simply continued to be a holiday that gave people a day off, unless you had a job that didn’t recognize it as such. Along the way, it also became the official end of summer, so no more wearing your white summer vacation clothes.

 

A lot of folks like to take trips over the holiday weekend, going to the beach one last time before summer ends. But I usually just stay home. And I usually will try to not labor too much. Maybe a few odds and ends around the house, but nothing major. I like to try and make it a day of rest. Labor Day, as my son put it, should be called “No Labor Day”. Isn’t it supposed to be a day off from work? But in the truest sense of the holiday, it simply is meant to celebrate labor. It celebrates those who work. Wouldn’t it make more sense to have someone labor on a holiday celebrating labor? Yet, it’s the opposite. Because you labor, and laboring is good, then you can have a day off from labor.

 

To labor was what mankind was intended to do. Even in the Garden of Eden God gave Adam the job of taking care of the garden in which he was placed (Genesis 2:15). From then on, everyone was to labor in order to have food or provide for themselves and their families. God Himself set the example for the work week and then gave us instructions for us to continue in it. “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, … For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day.” (Exodus 20:9-11) It is good for us to labor, to work. We should not complain about it or neglect it. We were created to work, to labor and earn a living. But, we are to take days of rest. And not just once a year, but once a week. We need our day of rest. We need time for our bodies to recuperate from our labors. We need time for our minds to rest from thinking about things. We don’t need to labor all the time. We need a day of rest.

 

I hope you had a good Labor Day and did what you needed to do. If you needed to rest, I hope you got rest. If you needed to labor, I hope you were able to accomplish what needed to be done. And may we all be actively working for the Lord in whatever way He has called us. We can also recall the old hymn that says:          “To the work! To the work! We are servants of God,

            Let us follow the path that our Master has trod;

            With the balm of His counsel our strength to renew,

            Let us do with our might what our hands find to do.

            Toiling on, toiling on, toiling on, toiling on;

            Let us hope, and trust, let us watch, and pray,

And labor till the Master comes.”

 

Bro. Paul Reed

 

Tuesday, September 6, 2022



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