Month: March 2018

GET TOGETHER- THE BLESSINGS OF FELLOWSHIP

1Jo 1:3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

Today as I went to lunch the Holy Spirit gave me a wonderful blessing. When I walked in another brother walked in while I did. When we were going through the buffet line the waitress asked us where we were going to sit and were we together I replied no, and she set our drinks at separate tables as we went through the line.

I knew this man. He is a Pastor in another part of the Body of Christ than the part that I serve in. I have always had a respect for him although I have not been around him that much. I don’t know why exactly that I said no we aren’t together. I wasn’t sure that, but what I might be imposing on him if I had answered different.

As I sat down at my table I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to ask him if I could join him at his table. He said yes, and I really enjoyed our conversation. We didn’t ask how many either one of us had in our service last Sunday or have any big time theological conversation we mainly talked about family, and life. By the way that is theological. After I left I thought about what a great blessing it was to just enjoy having a meal with this brother.

In our country today, we often talk about how our youth are so into their cell phone and computers that they are missing the blessing of just a good casual conversation with someone else that is with them in person. And to be honest I have caught myself a lot of times preferring to be engaged with an electronic device rather than flesh and blood that is right there with me.

Sometimes in the church and I have been guilty big time of it as not regarding fellowship as being spiritual. I believe that a true Spirit filled walk with Jesus Christ will lead us to true fellowship. We will love God and we will love people.

The Greek term in this passage for fellowship is koinonia, koy-nohn-ee’-ah. It means to have an association involving close mutual relationships and involvement. It also means social intercourse. Our services start at 10: A.M. on Sunday morning. People may think that we are starting late because we don’t begin prayer, or worship until around 10:10. One reason is because the people are speaking to each other, laughing together, and some may be hugging one another. This is not unspiritual. If you think it is try preaching in a church where the people don’t speak to each other. You will see some spirituality there of the wrong kind.

So today I encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to give you some fellowship time with Christians in the place where you worship. Ask Him to arrange times of fellowship with other believers as He did for me today.

Then ask Him to give you some time with some non-Christians so that they can see just how real that you are and that there is something different about you. Jesus did that and it worked well for Him. Mr 2:15 Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. Fellowship, the early church knew the importance of it, and I pray that we will as well.

Let Us Pray

Lord we thank you for the gift of fellowship. We know that deep down everyone desires true fellowship. Some are looking for it by joining gangs. Some are looking for it by joining clubs and organizations. As Your blood bought children help us to experience true Godly fellowship and offer it to others.

In Jesus Name

Amen

Love you guys. One day we will all fellowship together in that place of perfect fellowship

Your Friend/Kinfolk

Preston

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Lu 15:22-25 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.’ And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; ‘for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry. “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

GET TOGETHER- REAL MARCH MADNESS

 Ro 5:6 -8 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 

This past Saturday it was cold and damp where we live just outside of Hamilton, AL.  J.J. and I did something that we rarely do. We did nothing.   Well we did do something. We both read books that were with Christian themes, but weren’t so much on what we are doing right, or doing wrong in ministry, but what I would call recreational reading. We also watched the basketball tournaments being played by the various Division I Conferences.  That was relaxing for us because we really didn’t care so much which teams won in most of the games.

For two weeks March Madness has been going on in college basketball and will continue throughout the month. I want to talk to you about another kind of March Madness.  The last Friday of this month is what we Christians Celebrate as Good Friday. That is the day when Jesus Christ the Incarnate Son of God died as our passage above tells us for the ungodly.  Now that is really madness.

Think about it. God came to earth in the form of a man. God the Son the Lord Jesus Christ who was with out sin and who was pure and holy came to die for the impure and unholy. The Book of Hebrews tells us that He came for the ungodly Heb 7:26 “For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens.” Once again that is madness.

Many people feel like there is no hope for reconciliation to God. Some may feel that the sins that we committed in our past are to bad to be forgiven from. I don’t know about you, but I had some bad ones. On that Friday He took those sins to the cross at Mount Calvary. 2Co 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (NKJV) Now that is really madness.

On that day He paid the price that there is no sickness, or disease that we cannot be healed from. Peter knew that very well.  He wrote about it in 1Pe 2:24 “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness–by whose stripes you were healed.” (NKJV) That sounds like madness when the Dr. gives you a bad report with a stone cold look on his, or her face.  Paul describes it like this in   1Co 2:13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

 

On that day he paid the price for us to be free of addictions and walk in victory over all of Satan’s demonic forces no matter which ones, or how they try to come against us: Col 2:15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. Once again that is madness to those who are not in Christ. 1Co 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

As we were watching one of the championship games Saturday afternoon I couldn’t help but notice the passion that the fans of one of the teams had for their team. Those that couldn’t get in the game filled an outdoor entertainment venue to watch and pull for their team.  There is nothing wrong with pulling for your team with a strong desire to see them succeed. On the other hand, during March I must say that my utmost passion will be directed to the One who went to the cross on that Friday on a Hill outside of Jerusalem and died for the sins of a lost and hurting world.

  All the teams that are playing in the NCAA Tournament will be playing for a trophy that one day will not exist.  During this month let your strongest passion be for the One that has paid the price for us to obtain a crown that will never perish:  1Co 9:25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.   To some people that is real madness to think that we can live forever.  May the world see us in the following manner and desire to become like us : 1Co 4:10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!  Be a fool for Christ, that is real madness to a lost and hurting world that needs Him so much.

 

Let Us Pray

Lord this month we will remember the day that You died for our sins. And on the first day of next month Lord we will celebrate You rising from the dead. Help us to worship you with a passion that exceeds anything else that we may have a passion for because Lord You have given us eternal life, and life and life more abundantly.  No matter how much we may enjoy an athletic contest, or any other temporal thing none of them can do for us only what You can do.

In Jesus Name

Amen

 

Be a fool for Christ!

Your friend/Kinfolk

Preston

 

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Lu 15:22-25 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.’ And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; ‘for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry. “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

 

 

 

GET TOGETHER- REMEMBER WHO THE BATTLE IS WITH

Eph 6:11,12 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Today we live in a culture that is highly secularized and often opposed to a Biblical worldview. People who believe that God ordained marriage as between one man and one woman are often labeled “haters”. And people who believe in the sanctity of life in the womb are often termed as being backward and as anti-women.

Sadly, sometimes Christians have been lured into getting into fleshy battles over these things by resorting to name calling etc. and playing right into the enemy’s hands. I believe that drawing Christians into fleshly battles is certainly a wile of the devil to attempt to hurt the Christian’s testimony and to draw he, or she into a battle using weapons that we are not to fight with.

We are told in this verse that we are not battling against flesh and blood. We are battling against demonic forces in the spirit realm. If you retaliate by calling someone a name that is calling you a name you are playing right into the enemy’s hands.

This doesn’t mean that we don’t speak the truth. But we speak the truth in love. Jesus said it this way Joh 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (NKJV) This past week the Holy Spirit Has been given me the names of prominent talk show hosts, entertainers, leaders of nations, and CEO’S of corporations that oppose the Gospel and has had me to begin to call out their names for their salvation.

This past week as I watched a couple of specials on the life of Billy Graham I saw how when he went into places that were hostile to the Gospel he never compromised the truth, but you could also see that he had a love and a concern for the souls of those who opposed the Gospel. That included political leaders that he probably didn’t agree with on a lot of things, talk show hosts, the Russian Politburo and many other challenging places.

What if that next hostile talk show host became an evangelist? What if those political leaders that are so hostile to the Gospel were convicted of their sin? Remember our battle is not against flesh and blood.

I think Stephen is a great example. He didn’t compromise a word of truth. It got him was stoned to death. But as he was being stoned to death these were his last words “Ac 7:60 Then he knelt and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (NKJV) Well we know of one guy that would get saved as a result of that prayer. Ac 8:1 “ Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”

We see that Stephen knew that his real enemy was not those who were stoning him, but the forces of evil who were behind it. One man would eventually get saved that would write at least thirteen Epistles of the New Testament. He would go on three missionary journeys’. Billions have been saved due to Saul of Tarsus becoming the Apostle Paul. The church was scattered, but as they were being persecuted they began to explode in growth. Perhaps the Holy Spirit is allowing some of this persecution to come so that we have a greater passion for Christ and leading others to Christ than our favorite sports teams, or other things that we have a greater passion for than Him and His call upon our lives.

Do you see those who oppose you as people who could possibly be as fervent serving Jesus Christ as they are opposing Him? That is what happened to Paul. I am glad that Stephen didn’t get drawn into a fleshly battle that day. And don’t forget he did preach the truth, but he preached the truth in love. Jesus had this to say about how we should respond to those who hate us for the Gospel. Mt 5:44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.”

That is how you battle in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Paul had this to say about how we are wage the battle in 2Co 10:4 “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.”(NKJV) We walk in victory by praying, fasting, loving, worshipping, and serving God and others.

Let us Pray

Lord I am not denying that there is a battle. It is a battle for the souls of men, women, a nation, and the world. Fill us so much with Your Holy Spirit Lord that we are fully armed with those upside down weapons of love that win people rather than defeat them.

In Jesus Name

Amen

Coming in a few weeks! I am rereleasing the Real Party Is At Daddy’s House. This time they will only be $10.00. plus $5.00 Shipping

Your Friend/Kinfolk

Preston

Lu 15:22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.23 ‘And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let u

GET TOGETHER- WISDOM: WE NEED IT HE GRANTS IT

Pr 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding; (NKJV)

I can remember very well when I first got acquainted with this verse. I had gone back to college after being out of college for over two decades. My previous academic record was poor to say the least. During my second term I had a Professor that was very intimidating. And although it was not a religion course there were times that I could tell that he and I had totally different views on the Bible.

One time during a break in our class I went out to the chapel that was nearby the building that we were taking this class in. In the chapel there was a round altar. In the middle of the altar there was a Bible. The Bible was opened to Pr 2:6 “For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” That passage became a key life passage for me during the rest of my academic career. And I must say that it is still one today.

The Bible has much to say about wisdom. In the book of Proverbs there are forty-nine verses that use the word wisdom. In the Bible there are at least two hundred and fourteen verses that use the word wisdom. In the New Testament there are fifty.

In this passage the Hebrew term for wisdom is chokmah, khok-maw’. It can mean skill in war, wisdom in administration, shrewdness that can only come from God, and it is also one of God’s divine attributes.

The good news for us is that God does not withhold it from His children. To receive this wisdom according to James all we must do is to ask. “Jas 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (NKJV) According to the Book of James God is not stingy with His wisdom.

Out of His mouth comes knowledge. The Hebrew term for knowledge here is da`ath, dah’-ath. It can mean skill in workmanship, prophetic knowledge, and knowledge with moral quality possessed and taught by God. The Hebrew term for understanding is tabuwn, taw-boon’. It means -discretion, reason, skillfulness, understanding, wisdom. So, you can see what James meant when he said that the Lord gives with liberality.

Wisdom is something that we never out grow the need for. We may have degrees hanging on our walls, but if we don’t have wisdom we will not be effective in what God has called us to do. And if you are a Christian I believe that no matter what you do in life that it is a calling whether that is as a parent, businessperson, teacher, coach, attorney, beautician, or no matter what your vocation might be.

First of all the Lord uses His word to give us wisdom. Then He uses our life experiences. We also need to have people who God will use to impart His wisdom to us in our lives. We don’t ever get to that place where we can’t gain Godly wisdom from someone who has plenty of Godly wisdom. I am thankful that there have been so many in my life.

So today no matter what you are doing whether it be some way that you are serving God in whether it be as an educator, student, businessperson, parent, political leader, mechanic or whatever you are doing in life ask God for wisdom. The Bible promises us that He will give us all that we will need.

Let Us Pray

Lord we thank You that You are not stingy with wisdom. We thank You that as Your blood bought children that all we must do is ask and that you will give us the wisdom that we need in all situations and circumstances. I pray for all that are reading this that each will ask and receive the abundant wisdom that you give. Lord I pray over all who read this Eph 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,

In Jesus Name

Amen

Love all of you guys!

Your Friend/Kinfolk

Preston

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Lu 15:22-25 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.’ And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; ‘for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry. “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.