THE CROWD FAVORITE

NUMBER ONE REQUESTED RE-POST FOR DEVOTIONS

WHO’S WITH ME, YOU WANT TO GROW UP AND BE A POTATO CHIP.

BETTER LET ME EXPLAIN, LAYS POTATO CHIPS THEY HAVE ONE THAT’S LABELED, ‘LIGHTLY SALTED; IN A WEIRD WAY IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT THAT EXPLAINS THE FOUR GOSPELS AND THE BOOK OF ACTS (NOT COMPLETELY BUT ALMOST).

GOD IS LIGHT, HIS SON IS LIGHT, AND WE ARE CALLED TO BE LIGHT. IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN IT SAYS THAT DARKNESS (EVIL, THE DEVIL) CANNOT OVERCOME THE LIGHT OR EVEN UNDERSTAND IT. THAT’S HOW POWERFUL LIGHT IS.

SO WE ARE CALLED TO LIGHT.

WE ARE ALSO CALLED TO BE SALT

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 5:13 SAYS WE ARE TO BE THE SALT OF THE EARTH. WE ARE TO BRING FLAVOR AND BE A PRESERVATIVE TO THE WORLD. BUT IF THE SALT LOSES ITS FLAVOR IT IS NO GOOD; AND THERE IS THE PROBLEM.

FOUR THINGS WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO AS CHRISTIANS.ONE, BE LIGHT, TWO BE SALT, THREE BE CHRIST LIKE, AND FOUR BE MATURE.

WE CAN’T LEAVE ONE PART OUT, WE ARE TO SHINE IN DARKNESS AND LET THE WORLD KNOW A RESURRECTED CHRIST; WE ARE TO HAVE AN INFLUENCE IN THE WORLD THAT ACTUALLY STOPS OR RETARDS THE PEOPLE AND THEIR SINS (CONVICTION AND THAT GOD LOVES THEM). BE CHRIST LIKE IN ALL WE DO SO THE LIGHT SHINES FROM US. AND GROW UP SO WE CAN GROW OUT.

SO HERE’S MY PROPOSITION, SPEAKING JUST ABOUT AMERICA, WE HAVE PRETTY MUCH FAILED IN EVANGELISM, WITNESSING AND SPREADING THE HOPE OF GOD. SO EVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG IN OUR COUNTRY IS PRETTY MUCH THE CHURCHES FAULT AND OF COURSE THE SINFULNESS OF MAN.

ONE WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER, THE OTHER WE DO. DON’T BLAME THE GOVERNMENT, OR POLITICIANS, THE QUESTION WE HAVE TO ASK IS ‘HAVE OUR LIGHTS GONE OUT AND IS THE SALT GONE FROM OUR LIVES.

HOW MANY FAMOUS TV AND BOOK PASTORS ARE SAYING THE BIBLE ISN’T HISTORICALLY RELEVANT, IT HAS NO PLACE IN THE PLACE OF MODERN MAN. HOW ABOUT ALL THE CHURCHES THAT HAVE ONE GOAL ON SUNDAY, TO MAKE YOU FEEL HAPPY AND GOOD ABOUT YOUR SELF (BIG NEWS FLASH, GOD DOESN’T ACTUALLY CARE IF YOUR HAPPY).

THERE IS A WELL KNOWN PASTOR NEAR HERE THAT TOLD ME HE HASN’T PREACHED A MESSAGE ABOUT SIN IN OVER 15 YEARS AND WOULDN’T BECAUSE HE THINKS THAT MESSAGE WOULD DRIVE THE CROWDS AWAY.

ASK YOUR SELF ‘WHY DO I GO TO CHURCH?’ HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE YOU’VE WITNESSED TO SOMEONE, OR TRIED TO HOLD A BROTHER OR SISTER ACCOUNTABLE FOR SOMETHING THEY ARE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH.

BE BIG

BE BOLD

BE BRAVE

SO TODAY WILL YOU RENEW YOUR VOW TO BE A POTATO CHIP, VOTE YES.

GOD BLESS FROM SCUMLIKEUSCHURCH@GMAIL.COM

PRAY FOR STEVE H, vitality and endurance, guidance for the church as they are seeking a pastor. Healing for his wife Pam, chronic knee pain.

Pray for my son Matthew, tomorrow (tues) he goes in for his second MRI to determine the size and scope of the mass in his back. We are believing God for complete healing.

PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT

OUTSIDE MY NORTH BEDROOM WINDOW

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit… New American Standard Bible: 1995 update

Jude exhorts the readers onward to faithfulness in the practice of Christian virtues. They should: (1) pray in the Spirit, (2) keep themselves in the love of God, (3) await the return of the Lord Jesus, (4) show mercy, (5) snatch others from the brink of disaster, and (6) avoid those who have fallen prey to false teaching. Some unbelievers will be won to Christ through tenderness and demonstration of compassion; “others we save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh” (v. 23). Attentiveness to the direction of the Holy Spirit in witnessing is crucial.

  Empowerment of believers: The indwelling Holy Spirit provides each believer with the power to “put to death the deeds of the flesh” and thereby overcome and resist sin (Rom. 8:2–4; Rom. 8:11–14; Gal. 5:16–24).

1. a) Intercession: The Holy Spirit prays on behalf of believers (Rom. 8:26–27). The omniscient Holy Spirit knows the mind of God and the will of God for each person; therefore, He is able to direct us in prayer so that we can pray in accordance with His perfect plan.

2. b) Divine guidance: The Spirit instructs and guides believers so that they may act in accordance to God’s will (Mark 13:11).

Praying in the Spirit is mentioned three times in Scripture. First Corinthians 14:15 says, “So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.” Ephesians 6:18 says, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Jude 20 says, “But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.” So, what exactly does it mean to pray in the Spirit?

The Greek word translated “pray in” can have several different meanings. It can mean “by means of,” “with the help of,” “in the sphere of,” and “in connection to.” Praying in the Spirit does not refer to the words we are saying. Rather, it refers to how we are praying. Praying in the Spirit is praying according to the Spirit’s leading. It is praying for things the Spirit leads us to pray for. Romans 8:26 tells us, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”

Some, based on 1 Corinthians 14:15, equate praying in the Spirit with praying in tongues. Discussing the gift of tongues, Paul mentions “pray with my spirit.” First Corinthians 14:14 states that when a person prays in tongues, he does not know what he is saying, since it is spoken in a language he does not know. Further, no one else can understand what is being said, unless there is an interpreter (1 Corinthians 14:27-28). In Ephesians 6:18, Paul instructs us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” How are we to pray with all kinds of prayers and requests and pray for the saints, if no one, including the person praying, understands what is being said? Therefore, praying in the Spirit should be understood as praying in the power of the Spirit, by the leading of the Spirit, and according to His will, not necessarily as praying in tongues, although the thought is not completely ruled out. .

6:18       With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

This verse introduces the general character of a believer’s prayer life: 1) “all prayer and petition” focuses on the variety; 2) “at all times” focuses on the frequency (cf. Ro 12:12; Php 4:6; 1Th 5:17); 3) “in the Spirit” focuses on submission, as we line up with the will of God (cf. Ro 8:26, 27); 4) “be on the alert” focuses on the manner (cf. Mt 26:41; Mk 13:33); 5) “all perseverance” focuses on the persistence (cf. Lk 11:9; 18:7, 8); and 6) “all the saints” focuses on the objects (cf. 1Sa 12:23).The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Eph 6:18).

God bless from scumlikeuschurch@gmail.com

Thanks for all the likes and shout outs from you all, I appreciate the emails and notes.

Questions, comments, prayer requests, just saying hello, do it here and send us an email.

lay me down to sleep

Stand up straight. Don’t slouch when you sit.”

For most of us, this is our first lesson in “correct” posture. As children we quickly learn there’s a right way (the way we are told to do it) and a wrong way (our natural slouch) to stand and sit.

So is there a correct posture for prayer, a proper way to position our bodies? No. Which is fortunate because the requirement to “pray continually” would be much more difficult to heed if we had to always assume a specific position, such as kneeling, before we could pray.

What matters is not the alignment of our limbs but the orientation of our heart. As evangelist Billy Graham said, “It is not the body’s posture, but the heart’s attitude that counts when we pray.”

When we look to the Bible, we find that God’s people engaged in a variety of positions when they prayed:

➤ Standing (see Ge 24:12–14)

➤ Bowing down (see Ex 34:8)

➤ Sitting (see Jdg 20:26)

➤ Placing the head between the knees (see 1Ki 18:42)

➤ Kneeling (see Mk 1:40)

➤ Looking upward (see Jn 17:1)

➤ Lifting the hands (see 1Ti 2:8)

As John Macarthur says, “True prayer is characterized by an attitude of humility before God—not the physical posture of the person praying.” Our bodies can even be at variance with what we feel inside. “There are moments when, whatever the posture of the body, the soul is on its knees,” said novelist Victor Hugo.

That the heart, rather than the head or knee, be bowed in submission is what matters most to God. But while there is no Biblically required position, here are three choices to consider for prayer:

1. Choosing a priority stance—Do we pray at our desk, as if checking off a task on our daily agenda? Do we pray in our car only when the commercials come on the radio? The problem is not the desk or the car, for we should be able to pray anywhere. The problem is that, when we do this, we might be slipping prayer only into the downtime between our other, more “essential” tasks, rather than choosing an intentional time to focus only on God.

2. Choosing whether to close our eyes—When we pray we tend to close our eyes because it helps us shut out distractions and focus on the Creator. Closing our eyes becomes such a habit, though, that we often assume the posture of our eyelids is sufficient to get us in a prayerful state. But what happens when we try to say our evening and morning prayers while lying in bed with our eyes closed? When the same posture we use for prayer is also used for “Now I lay me down to sleep,” it’s not surprising that we’d have trouble focusing on God. Close your eyes only when doing so won’t become a distraction itself.

3. Choosing to get on our knees—There is nothing magical about kneeling in prayer, of course. But kneeling has a way of revealing a humbleness of spirit. Indeed, the act of kneeling can reveal to us (for God already knows our hearts) how willing we are to submit in reverence to our King. 1 Kings 18:42

God bless from scumlikeuschurch@gmail.com

Please keep my son Matthew in prayer as we wait for Tuesday to come and find out (we hope) what exactly this mass is in his back.

Keep Nicole in prayer, 31 weeks pregnant and in the hospital with covid and on oxygen.

Keep Steve H in prayer, blessings and encouragement and his wife Pam with healing of her knees.

DELAYED ANSWERS

Let nothing ever lead us to doubt the certainty of His Word, though we may be utterly at a loss to understand the manner in which He may see fit to accomplish it. We shall then be able to testify, with Joshua of old: ‘Not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof’ (Josh. 23:14).

  Our Father often encourages the weak in faith by giving speedy answers to prayer; but the strong in faith will be further developed by God’s delays. Delayed answers to prayer are not only trials of faith, but opportunities of honoring God by our steadfast confidence in Him.”

  “For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen” (2 Cor. 1:20).

Every prayer is always answered, yes, no, wait.

Even though you may feel your prayers are not going beyond the ceiling, they always are heard in the throne room of God.

God bless from scumlikeuschurch@gmail.com

Please keep praying for my son Matthew, Tuesday we find out what is the mass that has appeared suddenly in his back.

Nicole, who is on our salvation list, has been taken to the hospital with covid and is on oxygen while being 31 weeks pregnant.

Continue to pray for Steve H, encouragement and guidance, blessings in his studies, confirmation of direction, healing of Pam’s knees.

Encouragement for all those of the Happy Zion Baptist Church of Missouri, as they wait on the Lord for a new pastor.

STAY THIRSTY

You will always encounter a mountain of problems when you seek to build God’s temple. Commenting on this point, Dr. James Boice said, “As I counsel with people in our day, many of them young people, I am convinced that one of their biggest problems is that they expect shortcuts” (The Minor Prophets [Baker], 2:510). He goes on to say that people want some simple principle to understand all the Bible apart from diligent study. They want some experience that will transport them effortlessly to a higher spiritual plateau, without daily discipline. They want a nearly perfect church, without the hassle of working through difficulties. But that is not the way God gets His work done.

Zerubabbel must have been thinking the exact same thing, “This project will never get done!” The work had begun over 20 years before. It would still take another four years. But God assures Zerubbabel (Zechariah 4:9) that his hands, which had laid the foundation of the temple, would finish it. Eventually, it was completed.

As I read the Bible I am amazed at how long God takes to accomplish His work through His people. God appeared to Abraham and promised to make him the father of many nations and to bless all nations of the earth through him. I wonder if Abraham thought, “Wow, I’d better start building a baby crib and Sarah needs to start sewing some baby clothes.” If they did that, those baby items sat around collecting dust for 25 years before Isaac was born! Isaac spent his life digging some wells out in the desert and raising Esau and Jacob. Jacob spent about 20 years working for Laban before he finally got back to the land of Canaan. But then the small clan moved to Egypt where they were enslaved for 400 years. Then came 40 more years in the wilderness. Later there was the Babylonian captivity and then 400 years without a word from God. He didn’t send His Messiah until 2,000 years after His promise to Abraham! Obviously, God isn’t in the hurry that we are in!

There are two ways to work for God. One is “by might and by power” (Zechariah 4:6). This refers to human energy and effort. G. Campbell Morgan paraphrases it, “Not by resources, not by resoluteness” (The Westminster Pulpit, Vol. VI, p. 53).

That is to say, you can utilize your human talent and be as determined as a bulldog and you will see some results. But when you stand before Christ, it will be as wood, hay, and stubble (1 Cor. 3:12), because it came from the flesh. When you work in the power of the flesh, you get the credit because the results were due to your ability and your hard work. God may get a tip of the hat, but He was not at the center and so He is robbed of glory.

The other way to work for God is “‘by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6). This does not imply that there is no toil and sweat when you labor in the power of the Holy Spirit. Zerubbabel and his men still had to clear away the same mountain of rubble and lay the same heavy stones. But when God’s Spirit motivates and energizes the work, there is conscious dependence on Him, and He gets the glory.

A woman asked D.L. Moody once, “Why do you talk so often about the need for being filled with the Holy Spirit. You always are stressing the need to be filled again and again. Why isn’t once enough to be filled?” Moody replied, “I leak.”

Every Christian receives the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation (Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:2,3). But we must learn to walk by means of the Spirit (Gal. 5:16), continually, repeatedly depending on Him.

Dr. Charles Feinberg (God Remembers [American Board of Missions to the Jews], pp. 74-75) points out the appropriateness of oil as a symbol for the Holy Spirit. He lists seven functions of oil. First, oil lubricates, thus minimizing friction and wear. Second, oil heals. The Spirit of God heals hearts wounded by sin and the sorrows of life. Third, oil lights. The Spirit illumines God’s Word and gives us direction in life. Fourth, oil warms. The Spirit melts cold hearts that are unresponsive to God. Fifth, oil invigorates. The Spirit gives divine energy and strength. Sixth, oil adorns. In the Old Testament, it was used to adorn the body at a time of joy. Even so, the fruit of the Spirit in our lives is God’s joy. Seventh, oil polishes. The Spirit smoothes the rough edges from our lives as He produces His fruit of kindness and gentleness in us.

As we continually open ourselves up to the abundant supply of God’s Spirit, we will be used of God to impart the benefits of the Spirit of God to others.

If we stayed filled with the oil of God our lamps will never burn out.

Like the beer commercial, “stay thirsty my friend.”

God’s commercial, “stay filled my friend.”

God bless from scumlikeuschurch@gmail.com

Many prayer requests; Anne, not only salvation but guidance for her doctors, she is seriously ill and it is a stack of illness and physical problems. The medicine is doing both harm and good. A necessary evil.

Pray for my son Matthew, a great Christian son, 3 weeks ago he went in for a MRI for lower back problems, nothing really wrong. Saw his doctor today and says he has a large mass in the same spot he was complaining about before. Very much in pain. Tuesday, hopefully we will see what the ‘mass’ really is.

Keep Steve H in prayer, bless his studies, bless his eyesight, vim and vigor. Keep praying for healing of Pam, his wife’s knees.

OH, LORDY I’M SO TIRED

I’m So Tired, I want To Get Home

by E.M. Bartlett

1922, Stamps Baxter music

1. 34 in Favorite Songs and Hymns

1 I am on my way to the land of day, I am going there I know,

I have journeyed long in this pilgrim way, I have suffered here below,

Now my time has come to enter in, Soon on earth no more I’ll roam,

I have come so far on this gospel road, I’m so tired, I want to get home.

chorus

I’m so tired, I want to get home, To that land of rest and peace,

Where I’ll live with loved ones forever more, ‘Mid the joys that never cease;

I have come so far on this gospel road That I long for Heaven’s dome,

I have borne these years, such a heavy load, I’m so tired I want to get home.

 

2 Long has been my stay and my work for God, He has blest me in the way,

He has kept me straight in the narrow road, Has been with me ev’ry day;

Now my voice to me is sweet indeed As He calls for me to come,

I am ready, waiting to leave this world, I’m so tired, I want to get home.

 

3 I have fought the fight, I have kept the faith, And my course is finished now,

This tired soul of mine longs for rest, sweet rest, To His will I can but bow;

Jesus calls for me and I must go, Soon I’ll land in Heaven’s dome,

These tired feet of mine will find sweet relief, I’m so tired, I want to get home.

Weariness, it is the curse of those in the ministry, first responders, nurses and doctors. Who refreshes us?

We hear a lot today about stress and burnout, especially in ministry. It’s a complex problem that includes many factors that I cannot delve into in this message. Sometimes burnout stems from faulty time management or from being over-committed. Sometimes it results from trying to do it all yourself and not delegating properly. Our text does not deal with these aspects of the problem, nor will I. But it does give us two principles that offer significant help in preventing spiritual burnout:

The work that God gives us is to be His lampstand, both corporately and individually. The only way that we can fulfill that task is by depending on the continual supply of the oil of God’s Spirit. In that way, we will burn for God without burning out.

Zechariah’s fourth vision (chapter 3) encouraged Joshua the high priest with the message: “God will cleanse His chosen people through Messiah and use them to serve Him.” His fifth vision (chapter 4) encouraged Zerubbabel, the civic leader, with the message: “The temple that you have begun will be completed and My people will become a light unto the nations under Messiah. This will not be accomplished by human effort, but by My Spirit.” In the fourth vision we saw the cleansing that is necessary before anyone can serve God. In the fifth vision we see the testimony that results from a cleansed and Spirit-filled life. While our text will ultimately be fulfilled with Israel in the Millennium, it also applied to God’s people in Zechariah’s day and it applies to us as we seek to be God’s light to the nations.

Zechariah saw a lampstand of gold with seven lamps and a bowl at the top, which served as a reservoir for the oil. Two olive trees, each with a branch, stood beside the lampstand. A golden pipe extended from each branch to the bowl so that the golden olive oil poured from the tree. Out of the reservoir or bowl (according to most commentators) came 49 spouts or pipes, seven to each of seven lamps on the lampstand. This lampstand was similar to the one that stood in the holy place of the tabernacle, with three exceptions: (1) the bowl on top of it; (2) the seven pipes to each lamp; and, (3) the two olive trees. These additions point to the abundant, continual supply of oil to the lamps. In the temple, the priests had to keep the lamps full of oil, but in this vision, the supply of oil flowed constantly without help from any man.

The lampstand signifies the important task that God gives to His people to be a light to the nations, to reveal God and His truth to those who walk in darkness. The oil that flows in continual abundant supply so that the lamps can go on burning symbolizes the Holy Spirit. The two olive trees represent the priestly and kingly offices in Israel, with the two branches being Joshua and Zerubbabel. Together these two anointed ones were a type of the Lord Jesus Christ in His offices of Priest and King. Jesus is God’s Anointed One (that’s what “Messiah” or “Christ” means), who provides the Holy Spirit in abundant supply to His people.

The Lord encourages Zerubbabel (4:7-9) by assuring him that in spite of the mountain of problems in rebuilding the temple, he would finish the task. This would confirm to all of God’s people that He had sent His Messiah-Servant (“me” in 4:9b), in the person of the angel of the Lord, to His people. The old timers, who were disparaging this temple in comparison to the former one, should not despise the day of small things (4:10). Under God’s perfect providence (the seven eyes of the Lord, which range over the earth to watch over His people), the project will be completed.

We tend to burn out when we lose motivation, and we lose motivation when we lose perspective on the importance of the work to which God has called His people. That work involves being God’s lampstand to the world (see Rev. 1:12-20). It involves building God’s temple where His light shines forth. The world ought to see Christ, the light of the world, both in Christians individually and in the church corporately.

We burn out when we run out.

The oil of God, the anointing work of the Holy Spirit, being filled with the Spirit.

1. Vernon McGee said it best, “sin will keep you from your bible and the bible will keep you from sin.”

I have a weird collection of antique yard sticks (rulers). Every hardware store in the nation had a yard stick with advertisements on them. Portable billboards.

Keeping a constant awareness of how full we are keeps us from burnout. An honest assessment, do we do devotions, do we do bible study, do we go to church, do we give generously to God, do we witness. Each one of those statements could have been a question. They are all increments of our spiritual life.

To me witnessing is the touchstone of all measurements. If you are full of the Holy Spirit, your mind filled with bible verses, an active and vibrant relationship with your Savior, then you will be overflowing with encouragement, and you cannot help but be witness to Christ.

One task of being a minister that I sincerely disliked was doing funerals for strangers. I did not do them often but occasionally it would happen. I had a family I did not know, who said they attended my church years before I came there, said their grandfather died and here was $200 to preach him into heaven.

You know you are in trouble when you have the mourners passing by saying things like; “did you know he was a Christian?”

So is your cup running over or is it half full or completely dried up?

God bless from scumlikeuschurch@gmail.com

Pray for salvation for Anne, Drew, Oscar, Cristina, Tara, Lauren, Cheyenne, Nicole, Tavon, Philip, Lubbock, James, Hunter, Garrett.

Pray for Caliste Burt, 4 brain tumors, 2 removed, 2 inoperable, for the first time in 5 years she is not smiling and unwillingly to talk about what is happening. Think about how well you would be doing with a time bomb in your brain.

VICTORY OVER DISGRACE

One of the most infamous incidents of sexual assault in the Bible is the story of Sodom and Gomorrah found in Genesis 18—19. The men of these cities were so wicked that they attempted to rape the two angels who, in human form, were visiting Lot. The men of Sodom were ready to beat Lot’s door down in order to assault his guests. Lot and his family only escaped because the angels blinded the mob and whisked Lot’s family to safety. Because of the sexual perversion of Sodom and the surrounding cities, God utterly destroyed them.

Sexual assault and all forms of sexual perversion are indicators of the wickedness of the human heart (see Jeremiah 17:9). God created sexuality to be a beautiful expression of love and unity between a husband and his wife (Matthew 19:6). But, in our depravity, we pervert everything God created as good. In our sinful world, God’s gift of sexuality is often used to dominate, victimize, and control, resulting in the crimes of rape, sodomy, molestation, and other forms of sexual assault.

God’s law He gave to the Israelites dealt with sexual assault. If a man raped a woman, that man had to take responsibility for her for the rest of his life (Deuteronomy 22:28–29). This ensured that, within God’s people, there were no throwaway daughters. None of His precious girls could be violated and then left defenseless. In a culture where virginity was a requirement for marriage, girls who had been violated had no recourse. They faced life without a husband or children or a way to provide for themselves. So, under God’s law, if a man took a woman’s purity, he would spend the rest of his life making it up to her.

One thing these graphic stories in the Old Testament tell us is that a world without God’s law is animalistic. This is why it is crucial we understand the Old Testament world, and why God gave the command to each leader of Israel, “wipe out nations that have no law and do not fear God as they are evil down to their very bone.” With no fear of God in our hearts, we view other people as less worthy than we or as a means to our own satisfaction. We use people and then discard them, as Amnon did with his half-sister Tamar after he raped her (2 Samuel 13). The Bible never downplays the actions of the people it features but uses their actions to teach us important lessons. From them we learn that sin has consequences, including sexual sin. We also learn that God cares about those who have been violated by sexual assault.

Psalm 34:18 says that the Lord “is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” The “brokenhearted” and the “crushed in spirit” can be those who have been victims of sexual assault. Victims are not invisible to God, and He cares about their future. When Sarai’s maid, Hagar, became pregnant with Abraham’s child, Sarai’s jealousy drove Hagar into the desert alone. Hagar felt abandoned by everyone, pregnant and without a husband. But God found her there and cared for her. She called Him “the God who sees me” (Genesis 16:13). He is still “the God who sees” every sexual assault, and He wants victims to know they are not alone.

Surviving sexual assault is doable, not easy, but it can become a victory and not a point of disgrace. One, treat it as a crime and you are a victim, nothing you wore or did or said made it ok to be violated. Two, treatment for the physical and was as the mental is vital. Three, persecute to the fullest extent of law the perpetrator no matter who they are, whether they were a stranger or your spouse. Four, tell your story until you are believed, never remain silent. Five, do not be surprised when friends and family turn against you rather than help you. Six, God is on your side, He very much wants you to be healed, whole, and happy. Seven, get qualified counseling.

God bless from scumlikeuschurch@gmail.com

Keep Steve H in pray and his wife Pam. Blessings and encouragement, Healing for Pam’s chronic knee pain. Blessings and encouragement on Steve as he studies for ministry.

Keep Happy Zion Church in prayer as they wait on God for a new pastor.

Pray for Paul K as he deals with chronic arthritis in his shoulders and knees.

Pray for Cheyenne a new employee and her salvation.

THINGS TO CHEW ON

THINGS TO CHEW ON

Miracles are reasonable and consistent with God’s nature and universe

Your worldview determines your view of miracles

Definition and nature of the believing and unbelieving worldview

No worldview is neutral

The believing and unbelieving worldview cannot be reconciled

One’s view of God determines one’s view of miracles

One must deny God and His power to deny the miracles of the Bible

One must affirm God’s existence to deny the miracles of the Bible

Denying the miracles of Scripture presumes the ultimate authority to determine truth

Denials of Scripture as true because miracles are “impossible” are worthless

Defending miracles by “natural” explanations affirms unbelief

Rebellion against God is foolish and doomed to defeat

GOD BLESS FROM SCUMLIKEUSCHURCH@GMAIL.COM

Questions, comments, prayer requests, send us an email please, if you do not want your name mentioned let me now.

No question is stupid, if you want your question kept private, let me now.

TROPHY HUNTER???

Dear Pastor, do I tell my boyfriend I’m not a virgin? I am 15 years old, and he is asking me.

I remember when the question most commonly asked was, “pastor, I’m a virgin and my boyfriend is pressing me to have sex what do I do”?

The times have really changed when at the age of 15 or much younger girls are no longer virgins.

Now in counseling I’ve had children referred to me as young as nine years old that were pregnant. We had a case in a nearby city where two 5 year old boys tied up and raped a four year old girl because of the pornography the father had in the house.

Put getting back to the question from this 15 year old girl about her boyfriend pestering her about the status of her virginity. I hate to say something like this but it’s a truth I’ve seen happen too many times if she says she’s not a virgin he will drop her because he’s what I classify as the teen predator or a virgin trophy hunter, he only wants to go to bed with virgin girls so he can boast about the fact that he’s the one that popped their cherry. A truly sad state of affairs.

But being also optimistic I’d like to run another possibility, that this young man is asking because he is himself a virgin and is afraid of his lack of experience and doing something wrong or awkward.

It’s also remotely possible that this young man is asking the question because she could be a possible future candidate for a wife and maybe he saved himself and his virginity and is asking to see if she qualifies as a possible godly mate for the future.

Whatever the case it is so sad a reality that Hollywood and all the social media slather on everything about sex. It is not even subtle anymore. I am shocked when I am at a church members house and they are letting their children watch the most prurient shows.

And you know I am not a prude, when part of my job is that of a sexual dysfunctional counselor and sex offender counselor. But we need to protect our children. And now with all the liberal nut jobs promoting the most ridiculous gender bending crap.

The one that blows me out of the water is the text book found in an elementary school that showed a drawing of parents standing over the crib of a 6 month old baby and the parents are saying what a good looking boy he is and the baby is saying to ‘itself’ “ oh, you have it wrong I’m really a baby girl.”

It is Romans chapter one, mankind with out God.

Again, downsize your home, home school your kid, it is the only way they are going to even have a chance in this satanic led world.

God bless from scumlikeuschurch@gmail.com

Remember Caliste Burt in prayer, still no change to the 2 brain tumors, which is good news.

Keep praying for Steve H, bless his studies, encouragement, vim and vigor, pray for healing of his wife’s knees, chronic pain.

Pray for Anne, they have found a tumor behind her tonsils and are thinking about ways to treat it. Tuesday she goes in for testing.

BOMBS AND ROSES

First let me apologize to the folks who follow on twitter, I just now figured out how to respond to certain messages. And this is my standard response, “hi, I’m a pastor and husband of 47 years, and I am still trying to figure out how to use twitter, if you have seen our scumlikeuschurch devotions I hope they are a blessing.”

I still do not know what all the abbreviations mean and have no desire to find out. I am on the internet maybe 15-20 minutes top each day.

Number one non spiritual question asked, “how do you manage to write everyday, for over 8 years a daily devotion with hardly ever missing a day.”

First, I have been a professional writer for over 30 years. Text books, encyclopedia articles, mentoring Ph.D.’s with their dissertations.

Second I have styles of writing, professional, staid, straitlaced, academic, (no mistakes). Works of fiction or biographies a little more casual, less formal. Devotional works, kind of sloppy, I do not always check them for grammar or even spelling, because I do not want to over think what I am writing because it is more from the heart and less from the head (not really) but kind of.

As a good friend of mine has said about my devotionals they cover the good, the bad and the ugly in content. Meaning some of the devotions are gems, some are coal, and others just stink.

Having read back through 40+ years of sermons, I some times think “oh, these dear poor folks, that had to sit through these.”

The wonderful thing about spiritual writings such as sermons or devotionals, you can think you have bombed, I mean really gutted the cat, and someone will come up to you and say “you have no idea how that blessed me” or “I feel like you have been looking in my windows”.

I have shared a pulpit with some powerful, famous, even legendary preachers and it is humbling and a blessing when a mentor or a leader comes up and says, “do not ever stop, you have the gift.”

So for all you folks just getting started I have one word of advice, “learn to be a perpetual student of all that is holy and of the Lord and your well will never run dry.

God bless from scumlikeuschurch@gmail.com