The Marvelous Message

     It has been a while since my last update concerning my family and the ministry here in York. I intended to have an update ready by Christmas. I intended to keep writing articles each week on my blog. I also intended to work a while with Clear View Cleaning. Of course, many of our intentions, no matter how noble, hardly ever come to fruition. Plans can change and expectations can fail. Proverbs 16:9 states, “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” Far too many times we tell God we will follow Him in faith, but then end up spending each day trying to analyze where we are headed and striving to fully understand the why’s of our walk. Rather than rest confidently in God’s love and wisdom, we want to question His own motives for us! We are like Israel in the wilderness quibbling over God’s ways. What our your intentions God? Do you really know what’s best for me? Are you angry with me and just stringing me along to punish me? What joy wou...

I will, Lord willing, continue my study on the pitfalls of Saul, but for now, I want to touch base on a subject that is of grave importance for the church. Concerning the coming of Christ, John the Baptist once declared to the the crowds that he baptized,  “I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire ( Matthew 3:11 / ESV ).”  Just before His glorious ascension into heaven, Jesus told all His disciples, “... for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now...But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:5, 8 / ESV).” Indeed this mighty outpouring of power and holy fire would take place on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). In his book,  Impossible People , ...

Go and make disciples is the Master's call Go and tell the world that He is Lord of all Don't just sit idly by, while you wait for His return Don't be like a Jonah, anticipating the world to burn A true believer will proclaim the news of God's salvation A true believer humbly wears the scars of persecution To mag nify the name of Christ and redeem the time To invest for eternity and shine His glorious light So why do we rarely seek for ways to spread God's Word Why is it that our speech is only filled with politics, fashion, or sports Why do we fight and toil when it comes to making money But grumble and trudge around when it comes to witnessing Do we really believe what God said is true? Perhaps, we want to “have our cake and eat it too” We must learn that to be a disciple is to bear the cross of Christ To further the gospel through a holy testimony and a faithful life

We have our spiritual programs, concerts, and conferences We have mounted our doctrines, promoted our denominations, and pushed our preferences We have booked calendars, busy lives, and countless bibles We have bumper stickers about faith, T-Shirts with scripture, and a mass marketed message of the gospel Yet, there is a steep decline in church attendance, a constant scorn for holy living, and a growing disdain for one's fellow man There is confusion over identity, carelessness over eternity, and an increase of biblical incompetence Perhaps it is because Christians have sought the favor of man above the fullness of the Spirit We have heralded our denominational differences, rather than proclaim the gospel to all who will hear it We mask our fear of complete surrender by hiding in a pew and handing over a tithe We timidly wade the surface of Christ-likeness rather than willingly take the glorious dive We must come ...

Proverbs 25:25 states,  “As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.”  Most Americans do not realize the privilege in simply having clean, cold water accessible in their home. When I fill a glass of water, to my shame, I hardly ever think about the millions of people who have died because they have no reliable source of water. Of course, in verse 25, Solomon was illustrating a bigger point than just quenching someone’s physical thirst. He revealed that “good news” can be refreshing and reviving to one’s soul. Do you remember what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman by the well? He declared, “ But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life  (John 4:14).” There are millions of lives spiritually thirsty. They are destitute of  the water of everlasting life.  They need the love and lig...