We Need Men Who Are .......

(Here are some devotional notes from our men's Prayer Breakfast presented by Bro. Stinnett Ballew on August 22, 2009 at our church.)

We need men who are.......

1. Fixed in their Salvation
2. Forgiven of all Sin
3. Fortified with the Scripture
4. Fervent in Supplication
5. Filled with the Spirit
6. Faithful in Service
7. Friendly in their Separation
8. Free in their Sharing
9. Following the Shepherd
10. Fruitful in Soulwinning

Or Would I?

If I had been Adam
When temptation was nigh
To disobey God’s command,
I would have obeyed, or would I?

If I had been Lot,
From wickedness I would shy,
I’d have never pitched my tent,
Toward Sodom, or would I?

If I had been Cain,
To God I would not lie,
I’d bring the proper sacrifice
To please God, or would I?

If I had been Jonah,
When sent to Nineveh to cry,
I would not have run away,
Or tarried, or would I?

If I had been Peter,
On me God could rely,
I would not have denied the Saviour,
Or forsook Him, or would I?

If I had been Demas,
Why, I’d rather die
Than to love this present world,
And forsake God’s work, or would I?

If I had been the rich young ruler,
There would be no reason why
I wouldn’t sell all to follow Christ,
I’d give Him my all, or would I?

Written by Harry Todd

If you don’t walk with God, you’re walking in the wrong direction!!!

ETERNAL INVESTMENTS

Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Are we living for this present world or for the world to come? Are we investing in things that are temporal, or in those that are eternal? Jesus tells us that we are either laying up "treasures upon earth" or "treasures in heaven." One day, we all will depart this life. Thank God, through our faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrificial death for our sins, we are promised an eternal home in Heaven. What will be there in Heaven when we arrive? According to the Bible, we can make investments in Heaven while we are living here below. The Scripture encourages believers to live mindful of the world that awaits us. We are not to be like those in the world who live only for the temporal pleasures and rewards of this brief life. The Bible tells us that our lives are like a vapor that appears for a short time and then vanishes away. In fact, everything in this world will one day be destroyed.

One promise we have concerning eternal investments is the permanence of those treasures, compared to the fleeting life of earthly investments. Another benefit of investing in eternal things is the immediate return in our lives. Although investing in Heaven will bring rewards for eternity, we are also promised that having our treasures in Heaven makes our hearts more heavenly minded. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Most of us can relate to this principle, having found ourselves mindful of things in which we have personally invested our time or treasure. This matter of eternal investments is something that relates directly to our life of faith. We make daily decisions based on our priority of serving the present or future world.

How is it that we can make investments in Heaven? We do so by giving of our resources, our money and time, for the cause of the Gospel and the salvation of the lost. These investments will last forever. As we invest our treasures in eternal things, we are learning to live for that which will never pass away. In turn, we find our hearts will be there also.

A devotional thought by Pastor Smith of Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Salvation or Religion: Which do you Have???

Religion is not salvation!!! You may be religious and morally upright and still be a stranger to salvation. There are many people who build their salvation on religion. They think if they observe religious ordinances and do the best that they can, God will have to accept them. This will never give anyone eternal life or scriptural salvation.

You may belong to a church, be a church officer or a churchgoer, be an active church worker or trying your best, striving to do right; you may have been taught in God's Word, baptized in water and confirmed; you may have partaken of the Lord's Supper, taught Sunday School, preached, read the Bible - yes, and all the rest; but if you haven't been converted (Matt. 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.), you are still in your sin and are a stranger to the Lord Jesus Christ.


Romans 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

There is only one way you can be saved, and that is by trusting Jesus Christ as Saviour.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Perhaps you believe that Christ died on the cross for you and your sin, but you haven't trusted Him as your Saviour. Then you have not made use of what He has done for you.

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Perhaps you have been trying to do your best but still have a longing in your heart for true peace with God. This peace will be yours as soon as you trust Christ to save your soul.

Just now, friend, trust Jesus as your Saviour and let Him save your soul!!! Religion is not salvation; only Jesus can give you SALVATION!!!

A PREACHER’S BROKEN HEART FOR HIS COUNTRY

(This was posted by a preacher earlier this week who has given me permission to share with others.... Pastor Danny Bezet of Baytown, TX)

We stand as free Americans today, though there is turmoil in our land
God help there to be a prayer on our lips, thanking Him for a land so grand

My heart still pounds as I see our flag, it’s beat quickens beneath my hand
I owe a great debt to so many, who for freedom took a stand

In anger I gaze upon those that would divide, self and power is all that they can see
It will take courage to stem the tide, but America’s still worth it, seems to me

It’s not skin color or a a party line, it’s a nation of free people and their desire to remain
While some fight, blame, accuse and whine, the brave and true will look to God again

It is sad that we have to protest and take to the streets or get on the TV
With our future at stake and our faith put to the test. Its time for good men to agree

We have dismissed our God and ignored His call and wonder why we are in such a mess.
His Word is rejected or not heard at all, such a people, such a nation, He will not bless.

It’s time to stop and take a long look, at where we once were and where we have come
To pick up the Bible, And lift our eyes to Heaven, where mercy and help is from

The enemy is not a leader that is a louse, nor is the enemy those that distort the news
The enemy is not the Godless in the White House, Its the blind that sit in our Church pews

While we wait to see what will be, let us do what we should have done before the race
Ask the God of Heaven for another opportunity to humble ourselves and seek His face

Let us plead for God to protect our birthright, and to give us courage that knows no gender
To walk in His Word and the power of His might and stand for right, and never surrender

Look past your stomach and pocket book, pray for God to smile on our nation again
Give God and your children a fresh look, and God's favor to regain

These are fearful days I must confess, and what will happen I cannot tell
I can only trust and in the Lord rest, and know that He does all things well

Our own will and way put us in this place, a place of deep sorrow and dreadful shame
I bow before my God and trust His grace and I suggest that you and yours do the same

THE RIGHT FRIENDS

Proverbs 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

We are reminded in this Scripture that it is very important that we be selective about our friendships. Friends can be the source of great encouragement and positive influence, but they can be a negative factor as well. God clearly warns us of the effect that wrong associations can have on us: "a companion of fools shall be destroyed." Many have been deceived about the destructive influence of the wrong friends. This mistake is commonly made by young people, but adults should also recognize this warning. It would be wise for young people to respect and honor their parents' wisdom in respect of the choice of their companions. Sometimes others are able to see attributes or character flaws which we may not recognize. The Bible says, "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners" (I Corinthians 15:33). Whether they are negative or positive, it is natural to learn the tendencies of our friends. The familiar adage is usually true, "you become like those with whom you associate."

Not only should we make certain that our choice of friends is pleasing to the Lord, but we should also strive to make every effort to contribute to meaningful friendships. In every relationship we have responsibilities. It would be very selfish to think that we could have a good relationship with others but not have to contribute to that cause. For instance, Proverbs 17:17 says, "A friend loveth at all times." A true friend will be there in good times and bad. We are to be faithful to our friends. If we want to have friends, we must be friendly toward others. "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly" (Proverbs 18:24).

True friendship also involves the willingness to give and receive reproof. "Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend" (Proverbs 27:5, 6). We should want to have the kind of friends that will help us become all that God wants us to be. A godly friend will be concerned for our spiritual progress. Likewise, we should want to be able to help them in their spiritual pilgrimage, encouraging and supporting them. Of course, the best Friend we can ever have is our Savior. He is our constant Companion and Source of encouragement, counsel, and support.

A devotional thought by Pastor Smith of Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Down in the Dumps (and Out of Them)

Psalm 42:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

When God's servants get into the dumps, we always find God points the way to deliverance.

1. When Elijah got under the juniper tree, the angel told him to "arise and eat." I Kings 19:5
2. When Paul was threatened with shipwreck, the Lord told him to "be of good cheer." Acts 27:25
3. When John was banished to the island of Patmos, the Lord revealed Himself to him. Rev. 1:11
4. When Jonah was in the belly of the whale, the Lord gave him deliverance as soon as he said, "Salvation is of the LORD." Jonah 2:9
5. When Joshua was on his face through defeat, the LORD said unto him, "Get thee up." Josh. 7:10
6. When Samson was grinding in the prison, the LORD caused his hair "to grow again." Judges 16:22, 28
7. When Israel was "groaning" in Egypt, Jehovah made them glad by bringing them out of it. Ex. 6:5

Christian friend, if you are currently "down in the dumps," look unto these examples above from God's Word and allow God to lift you up and begin serving Him again with a refreshed and renewed spirit!!!

EXCEPT THE LORD BUILD THE HOUSE

Psalm 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

One of the most devastating evidences of the spiritual decline in any culture can be seen in the home and family. A nation's homes will, in many ways, determine the condition of churches, communities, and ultimately entire societies. We have witnessed tremendous changes, mostly not for the better, in America's families. There are no more important human relationships than those formed and fostered in the family.

In looking for reasons for the decline in the average home, one needs only to seriously consider our Scripture. "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it." Without God, our families will never be what they were planned to be. As our society has rejected the authority of God and His Word, the effects have become obvious. It is not possible to experience God's best in our families without the help of God. This Bible passage gives us assurance that God is interested in our homes. "Except the LORD build the house" teaches us that God can build our families to be what He wants them to be. Whatever your family situation might be, God wants to work in that relationship.

To see Him work, we must be willing to follow His guidelines for the home, beginning with Scriptural order. God has clearly established that the husband or father is to lead the home. There is confusion in many families because of a lack of biblical direction. This does not mean that the husband is to be a dictator or a tyrant, but rather should provide loving protection and leadership. The wife is to be in submission to the husband, recognizing and respecting his God-given position; and the mother's priority should be the home. Children are to obey and honor their parents. This order has been greatly rejected in modern society.

Not only do we need order in our homes, but also we desperately need love in our families. Love that is kind, forgiving, patient, selfless, and attentive binds the hearts of our families together. Having a loving and caring home that is filled with peace and is a refuge in this troubled generation is still possible. But, it takes God to "build the house." If we are going to see true revival, it must begin in individual hearts and in our homes.

A devotional thought by Pastor Smith of Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Out of Commission!!!

I know that I have very few regular readers of my blog, but in case you have wondered where I might be...... well, it seems as if I have been hit by a computer breakdown; well, my HP is just over six years old, and it has seen many numerous uses during the days of raising six children and finding valuable coupons and "specials" for my darling wife. Now, I have back-upped some valuable files in the past, but that only works if you are able to retrieve the actual CD with the copied files.... now I know it is around here somewhere. Anyway, I have lost all my email addresses so I cannot contact anyone.... unless of course you send me your address by means of a comment. I will not post the comments publicly if they contain that kind of information. I'd love to hear from you if you get a chance. I will get my valuable files off the hard drive when I can afford it; I have many Bible studies and discussions and notes that I miss being able to access, but in time, I will get these things back.

Some things of interest since I have been gone.....

1. My beautiful daughter Courtney, married last October, is expecting..... yep, this young fellow who writes this blog is about to become a PaPa!!!!!
2. Stephen and Becky are continuing to enjoy their newly married lives and are staying active in our church.
3. Joshua has left home recently to attend a Bible college located in Iowa, praying for wisdom and direction for the Lord's will in his life.
4. Rachel and I are beginning our 20th year of homeschooling with our other three children, with Caleb in the 12th grade, Bethany 8th, and Anna 5th.
5. We enjoyed Bro. Stinnent Ballew preaching a Missions Conference at our church several weeks ago... our Faith Promise giving committment increased from just over $1200/week to just over $1800/week.
6. Things are picking up at the mine, especially our export business during the last few months and looking to hold steady here in September; I'm looking forward to returning to five day work weeks and full pay after being on four days since the middle of February. However, even at reduced salary, God has supplied our every need for my family, just as He promised He would..... we serve a Great and Good God!!!!!

I hope to be able to return to some regular postings soon..... I pray that all of you and your families are doing well.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by from time to time and read my blog!!!!!