In His Name Christian Fellowship

I'm back!

2010-07-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

Two years since I last blogged. Time is on the move, forward, always forward. It's time -- time's up -- what time is it? -- I wish I had more time.
God has made time stable, each day relatively the same. No excuse after 58 years to not be able to function within the time allotted each day. I have had a lot of practice.
Lord Jesus, I give You my time. My time is Yours. Now, all my time worries are solved. My time is His. He who created my time certainly will know how to use it most effectively. Jesus, I am grateful.

2008-10-27T17:05:00.000-07:00

If only I hadn't have done that! I shouldn't have bought it. Now money is tight and I've got this bill that I can't afford. I knew I shouldn't have done it, but I did it, even though the Holy Spirit was telling me not to. How can I expect God to bail me out? How can I expect Him to do anything for me? Maybe if I sell it for whatever I can get out of it God will again like me. He'll see that I have learned my lesson and the next time He talks to me He'll have my full attention. I have to fix my own problem; I cannot depend on God.

How easy it is to take our own failings and come up with a view of God and His responses to us. The fact is, God is faithful. When we are less than perfect; He is still perfect. When we are less than faithful; He is faithful. He is the God that is, not the God you create through your own failures. God is your source. All the time, God is your source. When you are faithful, He is your source. When you are unfaithful, He is your source. Your job is not to save yourself; that's His job. Number one, you are unable to save yourself. The other number one, He is able to save you, your soul, your finances, your everything. Trust God. J.C. Penny said, "Let go; let God."

The Worst or the Best of Times

2008-10-21T13:07:00.000-07:00

These are difficult times. The world's economy is reeling from all sorts of sin-related human issues. It affects everyone of us who are in the world.
Now, in the Kingdom of God, God's economy is not reeling. The fact that His economy is as stable as ever only affects those of us who have placed our treasure there. I'm not just talking about your soul, I am, as Jesus was, talking about your money. When Jesus said that where your treasure is there your heart will be also, He was talking about where you placed your earthly treasure, your money. When I have given the tithe, I have placed all my treasure in heaven, where it is not subject to the whims of forces outside my control.
Greed is why the world's economy is unpredictable; greed is why a Christian does not take advantage of God's stable economy.
It can be, "the worst of times" or "the best of times."

More Than I Am

2008-10-03T08:37:00.000-07:00

I wish I was more knowledgeable than I am, stronger than I am, able to be in more than one place. I am more often left wanting when contemplating myself. My good qualities aren't good enough; my bad qualities too numerous. Again, looking to be more than I find myself to be.
On the other hand, when contemplating Jesus Christ, I find He is omniscient, all-powerful, and omnipresent. He is perfect in every way and in every way you can use the word "perfect." There is no lack in Him.
Now, placing myself alongside Jesus is ludicrous, except He places me alongside Himself. The Bible says it this way: Ephesians 2:6, "and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." We are, in Him, where He is.
So, do I contemplate myself as I see myself or do I understand myself as the one who has been made more than I appear? Which would God choose? I see myself as the one made more through Jesus Christ, refusing to bring to nothing His work on my behalf.
"Your mission should you choose to accept it..."

Aren't You Glad?

2008-09-24T10:16:00.000-07:00

Aren't you glad you know Jesus? These are scary times and getting scarier. If you would have placed your trust in anything or anybody, if you would have been serving foreign gods, whether plastic or flesh and blood, you would be or should be shaking in your boots. But because you have placed your treasure in heaven where moth and rust cannot get at it, and because you have been seeking first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness, you are able to stand on what feels like a Rock while everyone else is trying to balance on sinking sand. (Sounds like quicksand, doesn't it?)
Hebrews 12:25-29
See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, [26] whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven." [27] Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. [28] Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. [29] For our God is a consuming fire.

All things temporary go the way of things temporary. Aren't you glad you have your heart set on things and the One that is eternal. Aren't you glad!!!!

2008-09-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

Try taking a picture of yourself. It's almost impossible to be satisfied with the results. The problem? We don't see ourselves the way everyone else sees us. If we did, we could take that picture and recognize the person in it. Instead we think: No, can't be. I can't look like that. I'd better take another picture -- which turns out just like the last one. Oh, well, I'm stuck with myself.
Now, try seeing yourself as the Lord Jesus see you. Oh, Jesus, don't look, I'm hideous! Again the problem, I am blind to see what He sees when He looks at me. What is my value to Him? Why does He love me?
Isaiah 55:9
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts."

All the things I don't see clearly He sees clearly, even me.
So, take that picture of yourself. Be satisfied that you are fearfully and wonderfully created by a God that calls His creation, "Good."

The Body of Christ

2008-09-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Sunday, the day set aside when the Body of Christ comes together after a week of being apart. I pray now as I pray always that the people who make up His body on this earth would come to the realization of what that truly means. Some do. Most do not. If they did, it would revolutionize their priority list. If they understood that His body, like our bodies, cannot operate in its full power at half strength. It is as if people would believe that they are unnecessary to the function of the Kingdom of God. Jesus gave the disciples the great commission. Why, if we're not an integral part of His plan? We choose to do anything but go to church; His body suffers as if it were weak and diseased. Can you imagine what it would be like if all who could, really could go to church, would go to church. The church would be full! The financial needs of the church would be met. The dynamic of the atmosphere created by the sheer numbers would be exciting. The expectations of the Christians would be raised; therefore, the faith of the Christians would be strengthened. But, sadly, that Sunday is never going to happen. I'm too tired today -- I want to go hunting -- I deserve a day to sleep in -- nobody care anyway if I'm not there. Have I found your excuse yet? Oh, that the people of God would realize who they are in God. For those who decide to be in church tomorrow, I will be thrilled to see you there. Your presence will strengthen me.

Courtroom or Hospital?

2008-09-04T13:21:00.000-07:00

A question that I recently read has rallied my resolve to make sure that In His Name represents the right answer to the question. The question: "Does your church resemble a courtroom or a hospital?" There can be no -- I repeat, no room for judgment in the house of God. We cannot judge people and claim we are just discerning the Spirit. We cannot look down on whoever God would bring through our doors. There were times in our own histories that would have been easy targets for judgment. We are surrounded by lost and dying people -- eternally lost and dying people. We must have our minds made up, that no matter what they look like or their experienced past, our hearts will reflect Jesus' love for them. In His Name Christian Fellowship will resemble a hospital. No one will ever stand before me and be judged. I am not commissioned to judge, but to love my fellow man.

Colonet

2008-09-02T01:36:00.000-07:00

As the pastor of a church, I am honored to meet very important people. These three men are Pastor Pedro and his helpers. They live and work for the Kingdom of God in Colonet, B.A., Mexico. Colonet is about 150 miles from the United States. Our church is in the process of helping these men and others build a Casa de Pan (house of bread). The Indians in Mexico are the poorest of the poor, live short, hard lives, and suffer under a system that cares little for them. We have been helping fund this particular effort in Colonet with the help of David Shebley (my wife's uncle who lives in Ensenada, B.C. Mexico) and the Pastor of a local Mexican church, also in Ensenada. Our plans are to be able to take members of our congregation down to Colonet and help at some point with the actual building. Right now our efforts are financial and prayer. "Out of bed, and on your knees" is our reminder that finances without prayer covering is ineffective in the Kingdom of God. We are blessed to be apart of God's plan for these people. We are blessed!

Time to Share

2008-09-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

The time to start is now.