It’s “Snow” Walk in the Park!

Sunday evening, our family had been “snowed in” for the better part of four days, other than morning worship at Trinity Baptist, and a brief trip to the grocery store. With a bad case of “cabin fever”, I decided we needed to do something different: “Let’s all go take a walk!”

There is always something about our family walks. We can each just be sitting around the house — reading, watching tv or playing video games — but the minute we step outdoors and walk, we all start talking and telling stories and laughing. I think it is one of the things we most enjoy together as a family. But this was going to be an “adventure”, in these conditions. Probably 3-4 inches of snow had fallen over the weekend, with a pretty thick layer of ice underneath. Plus the temperatures had been well under freezing — as low as 9 degrees! “Well just see how far we get”, I said. “Maybe just a few feet; let’s at least try to stretch our legs.” So we all bundled up, and out we went.

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Every Encumbrance

Hebrews 12:1 exhorts us: “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Here the writer not only encourages us to lay aside “sin”, but also “every encumbrance.” Sins are those things which are rebellion against God’s commands and are outright evil. But “encumbrances” may be a little more tricky for us. They may include things which most would consider to be “good”, but which may slow us down in the Christian race.

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Strengthen Yourself In Your God

In I Samuel 30 we find a little-known episode, but one of the greatest crises David ever faced. It was before he ever became king, and could have derailed everything. While he and his men were off on a mission, the Amalekites made a raid on David’s camp and captured all of their families. Verse 6 says: “Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.” Notice what David did in this crisis: Continue reading

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“The Little Condo on the Prairie” (12-04-13)

It’s about the holidays this week — Thanksgiving, Christmas, as well as some of our typical family fare!

SNOWBOUND
Michael was “bummed” about having to miss church services due to an early (late November) snow here in Oklahoma. He bemoaned: “It’s not just the worship; I will miss the Christian fellowship”
Cheryl: “We are Christians; fellowship with US!”
Michael: “That is like going to the prom with your mother!”

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Popular Praise: Blessing or Bane?

SO many people would give almost anything to have the kind of renown and fame that David received from the people of Israel after he killed Goliath, but as we see in I Samuel 29:5, it is not always such a good thing. The enemies of David quoted the Israelites’ song of David’s praise — “Saul has slain his thousands, but David his ten thousands” — in order to demean him. This is now the second time that hymn — intended in his honor — had been used by an enemy to slander David. People often dream of such praise and fame, but as we see here it can be a curse instead of a blessing. Continue reading

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Run With Endurance

Hebrews 12:1 exhorts us: “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
It is significant that the author adjures us to “run with ENDURANCE.” As has been often said, the Christian life is no “sprint”; rather it is a marathon. Many have seemed to begin well, only to falter and quit, demonstrating that theirs was no real commitment to The Lord (see Matthew 13 and the Parable of the Sower). Continue reading

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Do Not Confuse Disobedience With “Mercy”

In I Samuel 28:18, Samuel speaks to Saul from the grave: “As you did not obey the Lord and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the Lord has done this thing to you this day.” Here the prophet reminds the distressed king of why God is punishing him: because he “let up” on the punishment which God had specifically commanded him to level on the nation of Amalek (I Samuel 15:3).

There is a good lesson for all of us here: we must be as precise in our execution of God’s commands as He was in giving them.

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How Sweet Are Your Words?

In Psalm 119:103 the Psalmist exclaims: “How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
Are they indeed? How would we demonstrate the truth of this verse, if it were so in our own lives? Perhaps in some of the following ways:

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Learning to Hate Evil

Psalm 119:104 says: “From Your precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every evil way.”
Psalm 97:10 admonishes us: “Hate evil, you who love the Lord.” One of the salient problems of God’s people in every age is that we do not hate evil; instead we tolerate it, compromise with it, and indulge in it. But how do we learn to hate evil, instead of tolerate, or even secretly love it? Continue reading

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A Word of Thanksgiving

Psalm 111:1 says: “Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart, in the company of the upright and in the assembly.” Here we find several truths about thanksgiving:

— “I will give thanks …” We all know that this is important — but it is also important that it is done according to the next qualifiers:

— the word “LORD” here is literally “Yahweh.” It is HE to whom we should give ultimate thanks for everything. Not just “I’m thankful” in general, or to everyone in general, but to Yahweh, the God of the Bible! Our success and blessing is not due to general conditions, or other gods or philosophies, but to HIM!

— “with my whole heart” – no half-hearted thanks; no rote or routine. If we are not thankful from our hearts, then we need to go back and review again what the Lord has really done for us!

— “in the company of the upright; in the congregation” – this means in publicly; in church and other opportunities to share with others. This glorifies God in their eyes, and is a witness, a ministry, and a challenge to them. It is important that we do not keep our thanksgiving to ourselves — but share it publicly!

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