How much do you Care?

Acts 5: 27-28

Your life should make it clear to everyone who knows you that you are a follower of Jesus Christ.

In the past week, I have had a lot on my mind.  Eternity has been the biggest things.  Did you ever come face to face with the thought “I wonder have I done my Best for Jesus?”  Or “I wish I had given Him more?”   I have to say that at the age of 68, I often get frustrated with myself.  I want to do for others; I want to be a blessing to those around me.  My life has changed drastically in recent years.  I tried very hard to keep up with my ministries, like teaching my Sunday school class, but often I let them down, especially after I had a second heart attack…. I just didn’t have the strength to do as good of a job.  It took a while, but I finally accepted it. Philippians 4:11 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content” I had to do what I could, where I was. I can still talk ladies, and that means I can talk about the Lord.

A couple years ago, there was a theme going around, “Bloom where your planted.”  I never used that theme, I am one of those people that like to be different, and God did bless and give me ideas and the Ladies at Eifel Baptist helped so much in carrying out my plans.

What I’m trying to say is…you and I must do what we can, where we are, and realize that often, God sends people into our lives and we have that one opportunity to make a difference in their life.  Do you understand what I’m getting at?  Let me share something that happened to me many years ago.

I was in High school, already a Christian, and carrying my Bible every day. Another student, Tommy, (changed his name) was in my homeroom all four year of high school.  Well the second day of my freshman year, he ask if he could carry my books. (This was a first for me)  Anyway, I handed him my books, with the Bible on top.  He let me know he liked me.  He even went so far as to make a huge poster saying, “I love Jimmiedean!” and held it up for everyone to see.  I let him know that I did not appreciate this.  In later years os school, he frequently ask me out on a date.  Every year, he would ask to carry my books, and continued to send my notes.  We graduated, and I lost touch with him.  It wasn’t long before I heard that he had died. 

I was shocked.  I realized that Tommy was dead, and I had never one time told him that I was a Christian.  I carried my Bible every day.  I think of what a hypocrite I was.  I have thought of him often over these 50 years…and I hope that someone else shared the Gospel with him.  God gave me hundreds of opportunities to tell this guy about Jesus and I blew it. I truly believe that he loved me…and I didn’t care enough to tell him about the One who loved me and died so that I could go to heaven. I had chance after chance to share the Gospel with him.  Will I ever be able to fix this?  No.  And I may have been the only one who could have told him. Remember the story of the rich man in hell calling out for someone to go tell his brothers…so they would not come to where he was. Do you have sisters and brothers who need to know how they can go to Heaven?  Tell them, first of all, let them know that you love them and never want to see them go off into eternity without knowing Christ as Savior.  If you need Scripture verses, contact me via email.  herbandjd@aol.com

I wrote a true story many years ago called, “I thought it was the Preacher’s Job.”  Ladies, it’s not just the Preacher’s job.  It’s my job, it’s your job.  Perhaps one day I will share that story with you, but right now, today, I want you to think about your best friend, someone you love or care about.  Have you ever told them about Jesus?  Have you told them that you are going to Heaven one day?  Pick up some tracts from your church, bring them home, and share them with others.  I know for certain that I have at least two people who have died that I spent a whole lot of time with, but never told them about the Lord.  I know that their blood in on my hands. Below I’ve closed with a poem. I think you’ll find that it’s words hit home.  I know it touched my heart.  Do others see Christ in me?  Do I let them know that the best thing that ever happened to me was not marrying my husband, or ever having my three sons, the best thing that ever happened to me was the day I accepted Jesus Christ as a Savior.  Let’s love our friends enough to tell them about the Lord.

Is your life the window through which others see

The Christ Who died for you and me?

Or is it smudged by the dirt of sin,

No longer a beacon of God's love within?

by

M. Elaine Fowser

I am posting a letter that I think all mothers need to read.  Especially if you have young sons and daughters that are using a computer, or will be soon.  I am seeing so many bathroom and bedroom pics being posted, Girls that I know, even girls that I have taught in the past, posting seductive pictures of themselves on Face book and other social net works.  I know we are living in the “Information Age” and that is fine.  I love it that often I have a question, or need to know something, and I can find it on the computer.   I think kids out to be able to use a computer, its the way of the world, but there are things that none of us need to see.  The only way you can keep your sons and daughters from being a part of this is to control the computer.  Please read this:

A Concerned Mother’s Letter to Teenage Girls

September 10, 2013Entertainment

After seeing pictures of her sons’ friends online and being shocked by how provocative they were, one mother wrote a wise letter to all teenage girls online. Read her original post below:

Dear girls,

I have some information that might interest you. Last night, as we sometimes do, our family sat around the dining-room table and looked through the summer’s social media photos.

We have teenage sons, and so naturally there are quite a few pictures of you lovely ladies to wade through. Wow – you sure took a bunch of selfies in your skimpy pj’s this summer! Your bedrooms are so cute! Our eight-year-old daughter brought this to our attention, because with three older brothers who have rooms that smell like stinky cheese, she notices girly details like that.

I think the boys notice other things. For one, it appears that you are not wearing a bra.

I get it – you’re in your room, so you’re heading to bed, right? But then I can’t help but notice the red carpet pose, the extra-arched back, and the sultry pout. What’s up? None of these positions is one I naturally assume before sleep, this I know.

So, here’s the bit that I think is important for you to realize. If you are friends with a Hall boy on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter, then you are friends with the whole Hall family.

Please know that we genuinely like staying connected with you this way! We enjoy seeing things through your unique and colorful lens – you are insightful, and often very, very funny.

Which is what makes your latest self-portrait so extremely unfortunate.

That post doesn’t reflect who you are at all! We think you are lovely and interesting, and usually very smart. But, we had to cringe and wonder what you were trying to do? Who are you trying to reach? What are you trying to say?

And now – big bummer – we have to block your posts. Because, the reason we have these (sometimes awkward) family conversations around the table is that we care about our sons, just as we know your parents care about you.

I know your family would not be thrilled at the thought of my teenage boys seeing you only in your towel. Did you know that once a male sees you in a state of undress, he can’t quickly un-see it? You don’t want our boys to only think of you in this sexual way, do you?

Neither do we. We’re all more than that.

And so, in our house, there are no second chances with pics like that, ladies. We have a zero tolerance policy. I know, so lame. But, if you want to stay friendly with our sons online, you’ll have to keep your clothes on, and your posts decent. If you post a sexy selfie (we all know the kind), or an inappropriate YouTube video – even once – it’s curtains.

I know that sounds so old-school, but we are hoping to raise men with a strong moral compass, and men of integrity don’t linger over pictures of scantily clad high-school girls.

Every day I pray for the women my boys will love. I hope they will be drawn to real beauties, the kind of women who will leave them better people in the end. I also pray that my sons will be worthy of this kind of woman, that they will be patient – and act honorably – while they wait for her.

Girls, it’s not too late! If you think you’ve made an on-line mistake (we all do – don’t fret – I’ve made some doozies, even today!), RUN to your accounts and take down the closed-door bedroom selfies that makes it too easy for friends to see you in only one dimension.

Will you trust me? There are boys out there waiting and hoping for women of character. Some young men are fighting the daily uphill battle to keep their minds pure, and their thoughts praiseworthy – just like you.

You are growing into a real beauty, inside and out.

Act like her, speak like her, post like her.

Mrs. Hall

Good Seed

Good Harvest

Jan 20th. 2014

Tell the Story

By M. Elaine Fowser

How can one be saved

If he does not know he's lost?

It's up to us to tell the story

Of Jesus and the cross.

Note to Elaine….this 4 liner was perfect for todays devotion  thank you!

Matt: 13:24  “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field (25) But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. (26)”But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. (27) So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in they field? From whence then hath it tares? (28) He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?  (29)  But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. (30)  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Many farmers buy a certain brand of seed...a favorite.  There is a small piece of paper in the bag with the seed.  It will say…. 95 % pure, or perhaps 98% pure.  What that means is…there is almost 100% pure seed in this package, but still, a small amount of something else, probably some sort of seed that is a weed may in in that last 5 or 6 percent, making it almost pure, but not wholly pure.  I have seen my dad open a package of seed, maybe a pound bag of seed, but always that declaration is included.  So, he knows that a tiny amount of weed seed, or tares as the Bible calls them will surely be there too. 

I think about us Christians, we need to use Pure seed…. the Holy Bible is pure seed.  Yes I know some of you reading this don’t use the King James Version, but I do. I think it’s the right Bible to use. How do I know?  Well, that’s another message for another day, but I will tell you this.  One day my Husband and I were eating dinner in Germany and there was another couple with us.  They were/are Greek.  They grew up in Greece; they became Christians because a Missionaries who went to Greece to give the message of Christ dying to pay for our sins.  As we talked to this couple, the husband (a preacher) said, “as I read the Holy Bible, the KJV, I compared it with my Greek Bible and the translation was right on target…the English King James Bible matched the Greek Bible.”  Now I was sitting there listening to these two preachers talking, listening, not saying much, being a quiet wife…but I got so excited when the Greek man said this.  I wiggled and squirmed…I was about to bust.  I wanted to shout...hearing a Greek confirm what I knew, what I believed.  I mean...what was one of the languages the Bible was originally written in?  Greek!  Here was a Greek, who knew how to translate the Greek into English…saying that the KJV was a match.  Remember the KJV was translated into English in 1611.  So this is the pure seed.  Hurray!  Amen!

As Christians, we are not seeing as many souls saved as in years past. Many times we see someone go to the alter, say a brief prayer, but there is no change.   The Bible says, when we get saved, we are a new creature…. old things are past away, behold all things become new.  Do we see much of that anymore?   Recently Preacher was at one of our supporting churches; we hadn’t been there in more then 5 years.  Preacher said that everything had changed.  He said the music had changed, the Bible was different, and the dress styles had changed.  None of the men wore a tie, and everyone was carrying around a Starbucks mug, and even one of the deacons was sipping on a bottle of coke right in the service and sitting up on the stage, and came to the pulpit.  Am I wrong, but where is the respect and reverent behavior gone to? He said seeing anyone get excited about the Word of God was harder then pulling Chicken’s teeth! 

Let me encourage each of you to return to the old ways.  I hear the complaints all the time.  What is happening to America?   People it’s not the fault of Washington.  It’s “We the People”.  Moms get back to praying for your children, and know what’s going on with that phone their all carrying, and what and to who are they texting?  Keep the computer in the living room…and know what sites your kids are looking at.  And you stay in their lives…know what’s happening. Or one day…it will be too late to turn them to the Lord.

Twenty years ago, the Gay movement had less then a 20% approval rate…recently it reached more then a 65% approval rate.  Do you know whom the Gay rights movement wants to reach?  No me!  And if your over 40, not you either, but I tell you this…. look at your children…. That’s who they are after.  Does that scare you?  It better.  Guard those babies.  They are your responsibility.  Read them the Bible, tell them Bible stories. Teach them what’s right. Take them to church.  Don’t let them watch shows that promote homosexuality and don’t watch that kind of stuff your self!  “But it’s funny.” You say.  It may be funny to you now, but one day you wake up and see that you were tricked.  It’s making the world get use to it…first they make you laugh, then one day, you will find yourself starting to accept it.  “Getting use to the dark.”  I know I’m making some of you mad, but I’ve decided that  in 2014, I’m going to be more up-front…more blunt.  I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feeling, but I also don’t want to one day be accused of keeping quiet when I might have been able to help spare someone heartbreak, or worse, by keeping my mouth shut, someone cast eternally into Hells fire. 

 Let me get back to the parable and then I’ll close…Verse 30….’in the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them.  (unsaved…in hell)  “…But gather the wheat into my barn.”  (Wheat is the saved, and the barn-heaven)  Are you saved…are you the wheat?  Or are you the tares…among the wheat?  We are seeing more and more tares in the church.  People Not truly saved, tares among the wheat.   Often I have seen people come and join the church, saying they are saved.  I remember a family that came to the church we recently served, and they professed to be saved.   I questioned the wife…. and asked her when she got saved.  Her quick reply was…’Oh I’ve always been saved.”  I had my answer.  There is a song that I love; it’s an old-time hymen.  “I can tell you the time, I can take you to the place where the Lord saved me by His wonderful Grace.”  We are born …. with a sin nature, Christ died for our sin, so that if we understand what He did for us when He died on the cross at Calvary, dying to make the payment for our sins, and we understand that we are sinners, we have lied, hated others, disobeyed our parents, and far more…that is all sin.  Christ paid with His life for our sin.  If we will repent (turn from our sins) confess those sins, and believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, the Bible says Romans 10: 9 & 10 Thou Shalt be saved.    

Ladies, let’s read the book of Romans, memorize John 3:16,  John 3:36, and share the pure seed of His holy Word with a lost and dying world.  Jesus is coming soon…. the harvest is white  unto harvest…. let’s love others, live for Jesus, and hand out tracts and tell the story of jesus.  I just ordered 500 KJV tracts to give out this year.  I’m hoping that in a few months, I’ll need to place another order.  I am leaving you with a verse of a song I love.

Until next week. 

 Mrs. C (Jimmiedean Curriden)

Ye must be Born Again

A ruler once came to Jesus by night

To ask Him the way of salvation and light; The Master made answer in word

True and plain, “Ye must be born again.”  “Ye must be born again; I verily, verily say unto thee.

“Ye must be born again.”

We need to be in the Word of God

I know that most of you understand most everything there is to know about Salvation, but how often do any of us share what we know?  Ouch!  Am I stepping on toes?  Hey mine were the first ones I stepped on.  I am currently reading through the  One Year Bible KJV.  I do this every year. I made a decision on 12/31/13 to also read daily the entire book of James once a day.  Just in case you didn’t know…there are only 5 chapters, but it’s a wonderful book. After the first week, I am so excited to begin each day reading it.  It is just what this gal needed for 2014.  My theme verse (actually I have two)  for 2014 are:

James 1: 5  “IF any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”  The older I get the more I understand that I need to understand and be able to apply God’s Word to my own life.  I lack wisdom, but according to this verse.  See where is says…” Let him ask of God what giveth to all men liberally. He won’t (upbraideth) scold, criticize, chide, revile, but will give us what we ask freely, generously.  Isn’t that wonderful!   

James 1:22 “But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”  Here is where I’m weak…I read the Word of God, see where I’m coming up short in my obedience…and say to myself, yeah, I need to change this…tomorrow.  I put it off, or to be honest, I often put it out of my mind.  I know what I need to be doing, but I store that conviction as they say “in file thirteen”.  Or “ Out of sight, Out of mind.”   Hey, I’m being honest…so jump on board, I know I’m not all by my self in this area. 

Let’s be Doers, and not just Hearers.  Actions speak louder then words. 

Sharing a recent poem from my favorite poet.

M. Elaine Fowser of Quinton, NJ is the author of the following poem.  I hope you will enjoy it and ponder the thoughts therein.  My friend is a prolific poet, being published frequently over the past two decades.  

Make Me Complete

 

 

Are you in the complete will of God?

Some people seem so sure.

I, too, want my heart fully His;

Yet temptation lingers at my door.

 

How do God's children stand the test

When worldly glitter bars the way?

The Bible holds the answers for all;

"His grace is sufficient, trust and obey".

 

M. Elaine Fowser

 

How’s the daily Bible reading going?

Jan 7th.

Genesis 16: 1-18:15

Matthew 6:1-24

Psalm 7:1-17

Proverbs 2:1-5

Jan 8th.

Genesis 18:16-19:38

Matt. 6:25-7:14

Psalm 8:1-9

Proverbs 2: 6-15

Jan. 9th.

Genesis 20: 1-22; 24

Matt. 7:15-29

Psalms 9:1:12

Proverbs 2:16-22

Jan. 10th.

Genesis 23:1-24:51

Matt. 8:1-17

Psalm 9:13-20

Proverbs 3:1-6

Have you got your Ticket? 

Ever take a trip?  I think most of our have at least gone to a movie, or to an amusement park.  You had to make plans.  First you had to decide where you wanted to go…. then decide what day, Then buy the tickets…and make sure you could get the tickets.  You know…like have enough money to pay.

Well to start 2014 off right, I want to share something really important.  It’s about Heaven.  Have you done all you need to do to make sure you have a reservation?   That’s right…have you taken care of business?  Truly, have you got your ticket?

Let me backtrack…. have you finished High school yet?  If not, that’s okay…. you too need to read this. Every single day we make decisions…should I go shopping?  What should I cook for dinner? …  Etc. Yeah not a very big decisions.  What about who should I marry?  Okay, is it time to start a family?   These are huge decisions, but ladies there is another decision that is far more important, way more vital.  Who plans for life after death?  Whoa!  That’s heavy huh?  But ladies, it’s important.  Won’t you stick with me this one time and read what I’m talking about?  Please.

Now is the time to think about death, none of us know when our life will end.  None of us escape death…but it’s what awaits us after we die that we need to think about today.  Romans’ 6:23 “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. Did you say, that you really aren’t a bad person, probably you are.  But you’re still a sinner.  Have you ever lied?  Lost your temper?  Argued with your husband, disobeyed your parents when you were growing up?  Told a different story to your boss when you took a day off and said you were sick, but really wanted to stay home since your sister was visiting?  These are only a few of the sins we do frequently, but the bottom line is…we are all sinners.

I’m going to break this down…making it easy to understand.

!.  YOU MUST ACCEPT THAT YOU’RE A SINNER.

  Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:10  “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.” These two Bible verses tell us that no one is perfect. No one has ever lived up to God’s perfect standard.

2.   YOU MUST ACCEPT THAT AS A SINNER, YOU OWE A DEBT

“For the wages of sin is death Romans 6:23

The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”  EZ. 18:4

This death is described in the Bible as the second death.

“Death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” Rev. 20:14

If we pay what we owe as sinners, we must spend eternity in the lake of fire.”

3.    YOU MUST ACCEPT THAT JESUS CHRIST HAS ALREADY PAID OUR SIN DEBT.

Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” 

Hebrew 2:9  “”…that He by the Grace of God should taste death for every man.”

Christ was not a sinner and the Bible teaches that God took all our sin and placed it on Jesus Christ, His son. While Jesus Christ hung on the cross, paying our sin in his body, God allowed him to pay the punishment for our sins, so we might go free.  God didn’t say Jesus would pay for our sins, He said Jesus had already paid for our sins.  Let’s look at a verse you probably already know.  John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have ever lasting life.  Ii Cor. 5:21 “He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 

4.   YOU MUST ACCEPT BY FAITH (BELIEVE) WHAT JESUS CHRIST DID FOR YOU.

JOHN 3:36  “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:  and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

There are more then 90 times where the word believe is written in the Gospel of John.   Ladies get this…think about this…those that believe have ever lasting life, and if they don’t truly believe…they shall not see life.  Think about the word believe….it means to trust, to depend on, or to rely on.  If you will believe on Jesus and that He died for you, for the sins you have done…. you know you are a sinner, but Christ paid your debt for you, and are willing to go one step further and be willing to accept that Jesus paid for your sins and you believe totally that now your sin debt is paid, and will ask the Lord to forgive your sins…He promises to save you.   Let’s look at one more verse.  John 5:24  “Verily verily I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that SENT me, hath everlasting life.”

If you realize that you’re a sinner and need to become saved, won’t you bow there at your computer and pray this prayer.   “Dear Lord Jesus,  I know I’m a sinner, and I have a debt of sin.  I do believe that you died for me, and for my sins. Please forgive me.  Today, as best as I know how, I am accepting you as my Savior.  I believe in you, I am depending on you from now on for my salvation.  Help me live for you for the rest of my life.    Amen.

What a way to begin 2014.  I recommend that you find a good Baptist church and begin to faithfully attend.  Tell the pastor that you have recently been saved.  I can help you find one, if you need help.  Or I can tell you where to look on the web.

God bless you and Happy New Year.

Mrs. C