Heaven: Our Heart and Our Home (Part 6)

SERMON GMT15-032

SERIES: Topical Messages: Heaven

SETTING: North Kelso Baptist Church

SERVICE: Sunday AM (October 11, 2015)

SUBTITLE: Heaven: Our Heart & Our Home

SCRIPTURE: Selected Scriptures

SUBJECT: The program in Heaven

SUMMARY: Believers will be active in heaven

SCHEME: To prove that believers will be actively engaged in activity rather than sitting around on a cloud.
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Stand by for an important announcement

Stand by for an important announcement that will be released in Tuesday's Post! You will not want to miss this very important public service announcement. Set your dial to this blog and tune in this coming Tuesday, October 13th, 2015.

What Should Be Our Utmost Concern?

I read this quote today on FaceBook from a friend of mine:

After reading R.A. Torrey's book on "Personal Work"; I am reminded that the souls of people are what needs to concern us the most. In Proverbs we read: "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise." Have a great day in the Lord. Pastor Everett.

You know me, I am going to think through and analyze a quote like this. And I did. Here is what I think:

After reading, Jesus of Nazareth book, the Bible; I am reminded that the glory of God is what needs to concern us the most.

Rev 4:11 - Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Re 5:13 -   And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

I think that all other things will be the automatic by-product of the one who is seeking and working to give God the glory in all things including the souls of people.

Mind you I am not trying to denigrate my friend or his philosophy, I just like to get it straight. God is all about His glory. Everything He does including the redeeming of sinners is for His glory. I think we mis-lead people when we say that anything other than the utmost glory to God is the most important concern for us.

Happy National Poetry Day

Apparently today is National Poetry Day. Don't feel bad, I didn't know either until I read my friends blog. So, in honor of today, here are two or three samples of my poetry. Hope you enjoy! Please leave a comment, would love to hear what you think. Thanks!

Heaven: Our Heart & Our Home (Part 5)

SERMON GMT15-031

SERIES: Topical Messages: Heaven

SETTING: North Kelso Baptist Church

SERVICE: Sunday AM (October 4, 2015)

SUBTITLE: Heaven: Our Heart & Our Home

SCRIPTURE: Selected Scriptures

SUBJECT: The perfection of Heaven

SUMMARY: Heaven is comprised of absolute perfection

SCHEME: To prove that heaven provides absolute perfection.
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There They Go Again....

Once again I am floored by the lack of confidence and poor attitude that some people have toward the Bible. I just find it so irritating and mind-boggling that a so called believer would even make such a statement. Don't people who consider themselves to be believers actually think before they speak?

I was reading the so called "apology" of Mark Driscoll to charismatic false teachers and also to Joel Osteen. The interviewer, Brian Houston gave Driscoll the opportunity to share his feelings on "name calling" particular people for differing views or practices.

Of course Driscoll uses the video-op for a platform to show he is rehabilitated. He offers statements of his humbling and humility. He speaks of now knowing it was wrong to call out various people. Then he makes the statement that just set me on edge. It is such a celebrated statement that most people never take the time to analyze it and see just how ludicrous it really is.

Driscoll purports that he realizes he no longer has the right to call out people regarding false or incorrect doctrine or practices because, "after all, he doesn't have all of the truth either." Of course I do believe he wants to get across that he doesn't know it all either so what right does he have to condemn or criticize someone else.

You say, what is so wrong with that statement or sentiment? Well, forgoing all of the references, imperatives, warnings, and exhortation to hold to sound doctrine and expose those who hold to false doctrine, it denies the absolute sufficiency of scripture.

Driscoll may believe he does not have all the truth, but I do. I have all the truth that God deemed fit for me to have. Recognizing that only the original manuscripts were inspired and without error, I have all the truth that God deems I need. My problem is that I don't understand all of the truth that I have. I must apply myself diligently to correctly interpret, understand, and apply the truth that God has given us. This I am working on as we speak. But to say we don't have all of the truth, or at least all of the truth that God determined to give us, speaks against the scriptures.

I will grant you the fact that Driscoll probably did not mean to denigrate the scriptures. I would like to think he does think that they are fully adequate, complete, and sufficient. I just wish he would either think about what he says or simply not say anything.

Each Time I Had to Call

Each Time I Had to Call

Gregg Metcalf

A couple of girls came up to me

In the Dollar Store parking lot

I knew what they wanted before

They asked, they wanted a five spot

I told them the truth that out late at night

I didn’t carry a wallet, nor a single dime

I couldn’t help them so they moved along

But that made me think of another time

I remember when times were hard and low

We didn’t have a single dime to our name

No food in the fridge and no gas in the tank

Even thought we might be put out in the rain

I cried to the Lord and asked what was up

Here I am doing what you want I thought

I was scared thinking I’ve made a mistake

Surely it wouldn’t be that God had forgot

With a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes

I fell to my knees and began to make my plea

I reminded the Lord about all of our troubles

I ask him please, Lord could you remember me

How foolish I must have sounded to our Lord

Like some little child who had lost his way

How easy it is to forget just who He really is

It’s too easy to complain than it is to pray

It has been nearly 40 years since I lived those times

I’ve been to a lot of places and done many a thing

I’ve never gone hungry, nor had to live on the street

Never missed what I needed while serving the King

God has been so good I can’t count every blessing

And I can’t describe living this amazing grace

Undeserved, unmerited, never rating these gifts

Behind the dark clouds was always His smiling face

So Lord let me take just a few lines to tell

How much I love you and I’ve appreciated it all

I wouldn’t trade a single trial or one of those days

Thank you for being there each time I had to call