| Thought For The Week August 2003 |
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| 3 to 9 August With Prayer - All Is Possible |
| Everyone is aware of the problems we have been facing here at our church. The local government has sent inspectors to see what they can find wrong with our building. Now if it were a frayed electrical wire, yes, it is good that it was pointed out and we would fix it. But a curtain that is not fire proof or retardant that covers a small closet? Next we will be told that we must remove our table cloths because they may catch fire. They want a key to the building so they (the government) can have access to our church when no one is here. Would you give them a key to your home so they could get in when you were not there? Did Bill, I, and so many others give part, and in some cases, all of our lives to protect our rights accorded us in the Constitution only to have the government trample them underfoot? Do you know another time this has happened? J.L. Sager 1But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 2And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samarian, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end is a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Nehemiah 4:1-2 Now Sanballat and those with him tried to, first, shame Nehemiah and later, planned the death of him. But no matter what they did, Nehemiah and those who believed, loved, and feared God continued to work at restoring the walls of Jerusalem and the moral and civil rights of those who had been oppressed. And how was it done? First and above all, they sought out the face of God by going to him in prayer. And with his help, they overcame a corrupt government and restored all that they had set their hearts and minds to. Nehemiah knew that he could not do it alone. But with prayer, with the help of God, he could do anything. J.L. Sager 13Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, make haste to help me. 14Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it, let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil. 15Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha. 16Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: Let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified. Psalm 40:13-16 |
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| 10 to 16 August The Hardest Commandment To Keep |
| I was sitting with some people I know when the discussion turned to the commandments of God. I asked the question, "What is the hardest commandment to keep?" After all, Satan sets many traps in our path to trip us up and there are more commandments then the 10 given to Moses. We are told to help the oppressed and assist the widows and orphans. (Isaiah 1:17) Not to be drunkards and not to put great stock in our earthly desires. (Luke 21:34) And there are many more. Well, each one had an opinion as to what they believed was the hardest to keep and they covered most of the commandments. I quietly listened to each one as they spoke their minds. Then one of them looked at me and asked that, since I had brought up the question, which did I believe was the hardest to keep? "That is simple." I answered. I looked at each of them and said, "There are times when someone says or does something that upsets me. There are those in Vietnam that killed friends of mine. Satan also tries to trap us with the desires to have things, to have more then others. So the hardest commandment, I feel, is the one spoken of in John. For us ro love each other as he loved us. In this way we keep all the commandments. J.L. Sager A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. John 13:34 |
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| 17 to 23 August Open Your Heart |
| The man walked out of church that Sunday with the Pastor's words still ringing in his ears. He remembers the statements as how it is our responsibility to let others know what God's words are. How He wants us to let others know that they have been forgiven and all they have to do is open their hearts to the Lord. To ask Him to come into their lives, to guide them, to hold them and love them. He thinks, "I want to tell others about the Lord. About what He has given to us. But I am afraid. I don't want to be called a Bible pounding zealot. To be told to be quiet and not tell about how Jesus died for us." He feels confined in his mind by his fears. He looks about for something, anything, to comfort him. But he finds nothing. Suddenly he remembers something his Pastor said. Something that had almost slid by him. He kneels down and, for the first time, he opens his own heart to the Lord. J.L. Sager 55But I called upon thy name, O Lord, out of the low dungeon. 56Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry. 57Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not. Lamentations 3:55-57 |
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| 24 to 30 August 2003 Did You Hear? |
| "Did you hear about Joy?" Brenda asked. "No." answered Deb. "What happened now?" "Well, I heard that she's pregnant and she's not even married!" Brenda said. "She hasn't been seeing anyone that I know of." stated Deb. "Any idea as who the father is?" Brenda shook her head. "I don't know for sure, but there are two guys in church that she seems to be fond of. Someone said that she was seen with Ted at her doctor's office. It could be him." The following month the Pastor ended his announcements with, "I was able to finally talk with Joy and she has agreed to come back to church. First I want to let everyone know that she was not pregnant. That was just a rumor going around. We need to praise the Lord today however as she is recovering from minor surgery. Ted had gone with her to her doctor's office to support her. She had a tumor, but it was found to be benine. The doctor told me that he had got the whole tumor out." The Pastor looked over the congregation. "Now that everyone knows the truth about Joy, I think it is time I gave a sermon on gossip." As people of Christ, we should never allow gossip to spread. If you are about to begin a sentence with "I heard....." or with "Someone said....." it would be best to close your mouth and keep the statement to yourself. It is best to find out the truth first. Anything can sound true without the facts. But if you search out the facts first, then you will know the truth. J.L. Sager He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him. Proverbs 18:17 (KJV) Gossip can devide friends and can even drive a person away from the church. God warned us of this Himself. A forward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends. Proverbs 16:28 (KJV) Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:16 (KJV) We are warned not to even keep company with those who gossip. He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. Proverbs 20:19 (KJV) |
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| 31 August to 6 September 2003 Is It In The Contract? |
| "Well, it's time to quit for the day." Larry said. "Grab your stuff. I'll meet you at the truck." "Don't we have to clean up the mess we made first?" Carl asked. "After all, they are having a meeting in here tonight." "Na. If they want it cleaned up, they'll do it or the boss will send someone else to do it. We were hired to install this system. Not to be janitors and besides, it's not in our contract." Larry looked at the new employee. "You'll have to remember that after you get your license and join the union, you only do what they pay you for. Only what is in your contracgt. Nothing more." Carl looked around. "I don't know. It just don't seem right to leave it like this. Shouldn't we at least sweep up the floor first?" Larry gave Carl a disgusted look. "You want to clean up before you leave, go ahead. But you won't get paid for it. They have ta pay me extra if they want me to clean up and it has got to be in my contract." Are you like Larry? If you see something that needs attention, do you have to be paid to take care of it? Did we have to pay Jesus to save us? Was it in his contract to pay him extra to save us? J.L. Sager Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Work hard, but not just to please your masters when they are watching. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free. Ephesians 6:5-8 |
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