BANK VAULT FAITH

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We are “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17).

I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. If I could have only one book of the bible, it would be Romans. As a young preacher (young in the Lord)I would tell you that you shouldn’t preach from Romans 7 and 8 until you’ve been in the ministry for 8-10 years. I know 99% of most folks would disagree with me on that statement but here’s my reasoning. You may have book knowledge of the truths, but you will not have actual first hand knowledge of that kind of faith and relationship with the Lord until you have had all the dross burned out of you.

  All is held in trust for us in Christ, our new position, and becomes our condition as we are taken forward, step by step, in faith. Growth in the Lord, growth in godly wisdom is His ultimate plan for the believer

When we are able to receive and appreciate the benefits of the riches of Romans chapters One through Five, then He is free to take us into the reality of the wealth of Romans chapters Six through Eight.

When we are firmly established in the positional truth of Christ dying for our sins and rising again for our justification (Rom. 4:25), then we are prepared to see our position and enter into the benefits of our having died and risen with Him (Rom. 6:5).

When you know that the answer to conquering sin is faith in your death, the crucifying of yourself. When temptation comes the answer is not more faith, it is faith that you have been crucified with Christ and your body does not have to be alive to sin. Then you are a mature Christian believer.

God bless from scumlikeuschurch@gmail.com

Remember Olivia in prayer, that the cure isn’t worse than the disease.

Remember Allen our Aryan pastor friend who is trying to walk a path of love and not hate and bring his church into that realm as well.

Salvation for Oscar and Cristina, Mona r, Norma Perales and family, Tara, Anne,, Lauren, Nicole, Tim s, and Robert Mokina.

Ricky r, still sober

Tommy M, still on parole and still doing great.

Sherry M, she is doing amazing in her walk with the Lord. It just took 20+ years of the church praying for her.

DOWN, THEN UP

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Whereas justification has to do with birth, identification has to do with growth, which is to continue until we see Him face to face.

After salvation I can’t think of two more important facets for the Christian to understand. We are totally justified (made right) with God, through the death, resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus into heaven, where he makes constant intercession for us.

And identification, growing more Christ like, we are hidden in Christ, God does not see our sins. We are buried and resurrected with Christ, and through the power of the Holy Spirit we are in the image of Christ. Think of a die, striking a coin and leaving an imprint (Hebrews, chapter one). The coin now bears the exact image of the die. Likewise through trials, temptations, desert wanderings, tribulations, we grow. We are struck by the die and bear it’s image.

Growth is painful, that why it happens in small increments. By the measure of the faith that has been given us so goes the trial. If you are a Christian and life has been a bed of roses, then pray for God to test you. That you would not know joy again until you know holiness. Most people are to timid, faithless and yes,, frightened to pray such a prayer. Pray that prayer if you dare, but be ready to be tested. Iron sharpens Iron.

Oh, but the blessings, the joy of being scorched, bruised, smitten, maybe even near death. And then see God succor you and strengthen you and then bless you. There are no mountain tops unless there is first a valley.

Strong Christianity, not for the faint of heart.

God bless from scumlikeuschurch@gmail.com

Pray for Roger S, he’s re-dedicated his life to the Lord and His service.

Pray for Gordon W, 78 and a bush pilot still flying supplies to missionaries in Africa, home to Texas for a few months.

Pray for single moms, struggling with kids, debt, health issues and so much more.

i would because i should

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  It is this new life, our Christian life, the life that is already hid with Christ in God, that we are to yield, to consecrate, to set apart unto our Father. It is the only acceptable life—the life that He has already accepted in His beloved Son. In consecration we are carrying out our responsibility of responding to that which He has already done, of willing according to His will, of gladly yielding to Him that which already belongs to Him. In the matter of life, it is “yield yourselves unto God … and your members as instruments of righteousness” (Rom. 6:13). In the matter of service, it is “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable” (Rom. 12:1).

  Consecration is based upon reckoning (Rom. 6:11). We turn from the old man by counting ourselves to have died unto sin and self. We turn to our position in the risen Lord by counting ourselves as new creations alive unto God in Christ Jesus. Abide above!

I know that there are those who think abstaining from anything is legalism or works and that we are free in Christ, heck, the Apostle Paul said all things were lawful for him. Of course some don’t read the whole verse; All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.(NKJV).

But a restriction is never seen as a negative when it is done in love. I behave in my marriage because it is a bible commandment, but what motivates me is the love I have for my wife. Ergo, it should be similar with Jesus, I behave in my Christian walk because I love Jesus.

God bless from scumlikeuschurch@gmail.com

Pray for Paige, she had an MRI, CT scan, complete blood panel, EKG, the other “E” one that I can’t remember, ultrasound, saw 7 doctors and a psychiatrist, all to prepare her for what’s coming next in the illness that has befallen her, she’s 14 years old.

Pray for her parents, Larry and Beth Ann.

Remember Bill Warneke in prayers, depression, dementia (beginning) and chronic neck pain.

Pray for Doreen. She has the worse luck in men. I told her that next guy we would just draw his name out of a hat, and she would have better luck.

Remember Olivia in your prayers, health and wellness, remember baby Eli, the miracle baby.

Salvation prayers for Elena, Veronica, Cristina and Oscar,, Norma perales and husband rick and adult son rick jr. Tara, Lauren, Nicole, and Anne.

Cure All! YES

In my 40 plus years as a pastor and Christian Psychologist, I can’t think of one problem that can’t be cured with Bible Memorization.

Let me give you a couple of examples that you might not think about; laziness, the Puritan work ethic comes from scripture. Have a lazy Christian memorize the right scriptures and he will either become a better worker or just quit altogether until God really gets a hold of him.

Unsaved, read to them, mail them, email them, speak to them the same scriptures over and over and see what happens.

Overspending, jealousy, anger, and about 4000 other topics, just pick one.

Battle depression, thoughts of suicide, OCD, dementia, it will even improve your Bridge game.

Plus as we’ve mentioned in several devotions, praying the scriptures.

So with that in mind.

How to Be a Success at Scripture Memory

Ask God to better enable you to memorize His Word, and ask Him to increase your desire for this discipline.

Work at it every day. Train your memory. It is good to try to set aside the same time and meet at the same place to work at Scripture memory.

Don’t overload yourself. Be content to do a little.

Take pleasure in what you do… enjoy involvement with the Scripture.

Learn with the idea of never forgetting. Don’t cram just to be able to quote a verse to someone you are accountable to.

Never take up a verse to memorize until you have thoroughly mastered a previous one.

PRINCIPLES OF MEMORY

1. Fixity of thought or attention.

1. Learn something you are going to use in the future. Be sure that what you memorize has practical value for you.

1. Close your eyes.

1. Practice reading the verse with the idea of concentration.

1. Have a clear concept of what you are memorizing—understand it. It may help to write it out in your own words.

III. Analyze what you want to learn.

1. Use associations.

2. Write them down, 3×5 cards, still work for memorization, whether it’s bible verses or your Greek vocabulary.

1. REVIEW!!!!!!!!! Develop a system in which you review daily, weekly, and monthly. Always return to daily review any verses you fail to quote correctly.

HOW TO SUCCEED!

1. Recognize that there is no magic way to do it.

1. Realize that the average mind is lazy and must be stirred to action.

III. Determine to make the mind an obedient servant.

1. Understand that first attempts are the most difficult.

1. Do thorough, rather than slipshod, work.

1. Retain by review, review, review.

VII. Consider it a joy and pleasure to get the Word of God within you.

“It’s hard for the flesh to think God thoughts. It’s hard to concentrate on spiritual concepts. The brain doesn’t like to think, especially if its on spiritual matters. We like to sit down in a nice, soft chair in a cool breeze and float to heaven on a flowery bed of ease. I’m that way and I know that in life, there are a lot of things that come easy, but getting the Word of God on your heart through memorization isn’t one of them. Its spiritual. Anything spiritual is work, and my flesh and blood doesn’t like work. But it can be done, and we can do it!”

God bless from scumlikeuschurch@gmail.com

Questions, comments, agree or disagree, prayer requests, send to the email address. NOTE; we don’t look at our emails until about 11pm CST.

If you don’t want your name mentioned at all please say so. We can use first names, nicknames or just mention the prayer request in general.

If you need a phone call for counseling, it will take me one or two days to get back to you. So if it’s a 911 kind of situation, call a hotline.

Prayers for healing, yes, I believe in divine healing, mentally, spiritually and physically. I believe the same God of the New Testament church is the same God today.

And in keeping with the theme of our devotion, often healing comes from memorizing bible verses. AND, download YOUBIBLe and you can play the scriptures while you are driving. For some that’s 2-3 hours a day of scripture. STOP listening to AM talk shows, they are all anger and fear mongers.

THIS MUCH

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It’s been a while since I’ve posted a sermon, so here we go.

This sermon, based on Psalm 103, uncovers and reminds us of God’s endearing love from one of the Old Testament’s most stirring passages.

Introduction

Several years ago, a student in seminary class stood to his feet and announced to the professor, “I don’t believe in God!” The professor, unraveled, replied, “Describe this God you don’t believe in?” After the student had described an unlovely and vengeful God, the professor confessed, “I don’t believe in that God either. My God is a God of love.”

1. The description of God’s love (vv. 8, 11, 13, 17)

How do you describe a rose to a blind person? How do you describe Handle’s Hallelujah Chorus to a deaf person? How do you describe the thrill of down hill skiing to one who has never walked? How do you describe the impeccable, infinite love of God to impure, finite humans?

One of the most vivid characteristics of God is that he is a God of love. The Psalmist was descriptive in recording the love-nature of God. He stated that he was “full of faithful love” (Psalm 103:8), “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His faithful love toward those who fear Him” (Psalm 103:11), “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him” (Psalm 103:13), and “But from eternity to eternity the LORD’s faithful love is toward those who fear Him” (Psalm 103:17).

1. The definition of God’s love (v. 2)

The point is not simply that God “loves,” but that he is love itself. Love is not merely one of his attributes, but his very nature. The Scripture say, “And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him” (1 John 4:16). To say that God is love, is not to imply that love is God. There is a difference like there is a difference in me saying my dog is a girl and my girl is a dog. God is love means that God wants the very best for you. God has your best interest in mind. He wants to give you good gifts and provide you with “all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2, NIV).

III. The benefits of God’s love (v. 2)

The Psalmist uncovers all the phases of life that God’s love has touched and in turn benefited and blessed the recipient.

1. Spiritually (v. 3, 12)

Spiritually God’s love removes the barrier that separates us from him by canceling the debt of our sin so that we can enjoy a loving relationship with him. God’s love removes our sins as though they never existed.

1. Emotionally (v. 3)

Much of our physical and emotional illness is due to moral failure. In removing the sin and guilt from our lives God’s love brings healing to our emotional life.

1. Eternally (v. 4)

The pit is the pit of death. God’s love rescues us, fallen humanity, from our own bent on destruction, and grants us eternal life.

1. Authoritatively (v. 4)

God’s love places a crown of royal glory and authority on us. God’s love “. . . made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father” (Rev. 1:6). He have been crowned with his love and given a new citizenship on this earth and in heaven.

1. Physically (v. 5)

Like a father he desires to give us good gifts of strength and endurance. Jesus, the embodiment of God’s love came enjoying life, and he wants his children to do the same.

1. Judicially (v. 6)

Here we find a major difference between divine love and what so often passes for love among people. Often, love is expressed as that virtue that accepts everything. But, God’s love always makes judgment calls. Divine love hates what is wrong and embraces what is right.

1. The knowledge of God’s love

What do I know of God’s love?

1. God’s love is all consuming

God’s love touches every part of our life. Nothing – no calling or circumstance, no adversity or advancement, no pain or promotion, no status or station – escapes the brush strokes of God’s love. God’s love bleeds into every fabric and fiber of our lives.

The number of times the three-lettered word “all” is used in this text reminds us that God’s love is all consuming. His love touches every area of our lives. There is nowhere we can go to escape his love. There is no problem that we will encounter that is not touched by his love. There is no advancement that we will make where God is not already there. Even when our world falls apart, we can say, “God, I don’t know why this is happening. I don’t understand it, but I’m sure glad to know you love me.”

We are like the little boy who got separated from his mother in the mall. He was looking around for his mommy, and getting scared. He began to cry because everyone was a stranger and everything looked so confusing and every store was packed and he didn’t have his mommy. But all of a sudden, his mother found him and picked him up. He is eyes began to dry, not because his surroundings were changed, but because of whose arms he was in.

When you have someone who loves holding you, it doesn’t matter anymore what everyone else does or what the circumstances are or what the future holds. When you are in the arms of a loving God, when you have been consumed with his love, you share in his benefits. It’s all right.

1. God’s love is personal

The Bible cuts through all the philosophical abstractions and declares that God is a Person. As a personal being God is capable of loving and being loved. And as a personal being he loves each one of us intensely personally. God’s love is not simply for mankind as a mass. It is not a sentimental, vague, diffused feeling – something like Charlie Brown’s attitude when he says, “I love mankind; it’s people I can’t stand.” God really likes individual people.

Notice again in Psalm 103 the number of times the personal pronouns “me” and “my” are used.

When Karl Barth, the famed German theologian, visited the United States, a student at a seminary supposedly asked, “Dr. Barth, what is the single most important truth you have learned as a theologian?”

Barth replied, “The most important thing I have learned is this: ‘Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.'”

“Jesus loves me” is the central affirmation of the Christian faith and the cornerstone of the nature of God.

When God says I love you, he is saying that you matter to him. You are a person of worth. You are valuable to him. Regardless of what others think, in his eyes you are wonderful.

1. God’s love is beyond comprehension (vv. 13-14)

Amazing, isn’t it? God knows me and still loves me. God knows that I am a sinner, yet he forgives; I am diseased, yet he heals; I am in a pit, yet he pulls me out; I am ungrateful for his good gifts, yet he gives them anyway; and I deserve justice, yet he grants mercy.

Like a father’s love for a wayward and rebellious son that waits anxiously for him to return home so he can grant him a new start, is God’s love for us. It is beyond comprehension.

Vietnam veteran and Air Force Colonel John Mansur tells about an eight-year-old orphan girl who was wounded after a misdirected mortar attack. An American Navy doctor and nurse were called. They surmised that the little girl would die if a blood transfusion did not take place. A quick test showed that neither American had the correct type, but several of the uninjured orphans did.

The doctor spoke some pidgin Vietnamese, and the nurse a smattering of high-school French. Using that combination, together with much impromptu sign language, they tried to explain to their young, frightened audience that unless they could replace some of the girl’s lost blood, she would certainly die. Then they asked if anyone would be willing to give blood to help.

Their request was met with wide-eyed silence. After several long moments, a small hand slowly and waveringly went up, dropped back down, and then went up again.

“Oh, thank you,” the nurse said in French. “What is your name?”

“Heng,” came the reply.

Heng was quickly laid on a pallet, his arm swabbed with alcohol, and a needle inserted in his vein. Through this ordeal Heng lay stiff and silent. After a moment, he let out a shuddering sob, quickly covering his face with his free hand. His occasional sobs gave way to steady, silent crying, his eyes screwed tightly shut, his fist in his mouth to stifle his sobs.

The medical team was concerned. Something was obviously very wrong. At this point, a Vietnamese nurse arrived to help. Seeing the little one’s distress, she spoke to him rapidly in Vietnamese, listened to his reply and answered him in a soothing voice.

After a moment, the patient stopped crying and looked questioningly at the Vietnamese nurse. When she nodded, a look of great relief spread over his face.

Glancing up, the nurse said quietly to the Americans, “He thought he was dying. He misunderstood you. He thought you had asked him to give all his blood so the little girl could live.”

“But why would he be willing to do that?” asked the Navy nurse.

The Vietnamese nurse repeated the question to the little boy, who answered simply, “She’s my friend.”

That’s a glimpse of the kind of incredible, incomprehensible love God has for us.

“No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). If you want a visible definition of love, look at what God did for us in Christ. “But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us!” (Rom. 5:8). If you really want to understand love, don’t listen to love songs, or people who throw the term love around. If you want to get to the depths of what it means to love and be loved, look to the cross of Christ, because there God’s love came to mankind. The cross is the ultimate expression of God’s incomprehensible love to mankind.

If you ever wonder if God loves you look to the cross. The cross is God’s way of saying, “I love you this much,” with his arms outstretched. God’s final words to us are etched on a Roman cross. They are blood red. They scream to be heard. They say, “I love you.”

Jesus loves me this I know, it may be a simple little song but it is what we must cling to as we deal with all of our short comings, sin and problems.

God bless from scumlikeuschurch@gmail.com

STUFF

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I picked up an acquaintance of mine from the mental hospital today to take him home. He got off his meds and went a little berserk. Now I know it’s not PC to use the term mental hospital but trust me I’m anything but PC. But that’s not the point.

The point is, I’m not this man’s friend, nor his pastor, not hunting buddies, nor business associates. He hangs out at a bookstore I frequent and one day he asked me about my ball cap saying I’m a veteran. Turns out he wanted to join the military but because of mental illness he couldn’t. but he’s never stopped hoping someday, maybe.

I was surprised when he called me and told me what had happened, and could I pick him up and take him home. I asked him how he got my phone number and he said it was in a book I gave on military history. I’ve learned early in my pastoring there are no coincidences, so I said yes.

I was a little surprised when I got to the mental hospital, they asked me to come in and set in on his outpatient briefing. Turns out he told them I was his counselor. So when they said Dreg Greg do you have any questions or input, I just said I would get him home and we would have a talk.

We got in the car and he said he hoped that I wasn’t mad at him. I assured him I wasn’t but was curious why he would call me, not his dad or mom or other friends. (he’s not a Christian). He said because I knew you wouldn’t yell at me or judge me and we could do what we always do, just talk. So for an hour and half we just drove and talked.

I always keep copies of the “Restoration Bible” in my car. So I went over with him a reading plan and asked him to think good things, hang with the right people and read this bible and always feel free to call me and that I would probably see him at the book store next week.

Ok, I’m 5’6 on a good day and he’s 6’6 built like a tank. I put out my hand to shake his and he just picked me off the ground and hugged me and cried.

I asked him if he was ok and said yes, that everyone that knew he was mentally ill, just got fed up with all his ‘stuff’ and they either yelled at him or acted like he was invisible.

Fed up with his stuff, I guess a good number of people are still barbarians. The only story in the news is gender bias and president bashing. We still won’t talk about mental illness. It’s ok to tell someone you have cancer but not that you’re mentally ill.

There’s a church 60 some odd miles from me, where the pastor is in prison (rightfully so) a homeless veteran who is mentally ill stopped at the church for help. Counseling, $5 bucks and someone to talk to. The pastor had him set in a chair and then began to beat him with his bible saying that the ‘sword of the Lord’ would chase the demons out of him. Put the man in the hospital with a major concussion and a broken jaw. Tell me who was the mentally ill person here.

Ok, I’ve got to quit my blood pressure is going up.

Jesus called us to be salt, light and love. 3 simple things. Do you know why the world is in the shape it is now, especially America. We have completely failed to do all three things, we haven’t preserved godly values, we haven’t exposed sin, and we love only ourselves. And God will give us what we deserve.

God bless from scumlikkeuschurch@gmail.com

Pray for Christian, my new buddy, that no one causes him harm. And that as he reads his bible God will transform him into his name sake. Amen.

better prayers

Well you know me and lists. So here’s another one to add to your collection.

Doesn’t it seem like David never ran out of things to pray about? What about you? Are you like David and always know what to say to God? Or do you sometimes find yourself struggling to know what to pray about? If so, consider using one of these 20 prompts:

1. What am I most grateful for this week?

2. What hidden sin do I need to confess today?

3. Who in my life do I most want God to bring to salvation?

4. Who have I forgotten to ask God to heal physically or emotionally?

5. Is there a ministry or organization that could use God’s blessing?

6. What country has persecuted believers who need my prayers?

7. What war or violence is going on in the world that I can ask God to end?

8. What injustice should I plead with God to overcome?

9. What leaders in my community have I forgotten to pray for recently?

10. Which of my social media connections should I be praying for?

11. What habit do I want God to help me overcome?

12. How should I pray for my pastor?

13. Which children and elderly believers should I pray for?

14. Who is struggling with their finances and needs me to take it to God?

15. Which long-forgotten friend from childhood can I ask God to bless?

16. Have I asked God for daily provision and thanked him for all I receive?

17. What needs of young mothers and fathers in my community or church can I pray about?

18. What have I avoided praying about because of fear or shame?

19. How can I better pray for the spread of the gospel?

20. How should I, like David in this psalm, pray for God’s divine leading?

Remember Caliste Burt in prayer, no fear of her inoperable brain tumor causing any problems, physically or mentally(emotionally).

Our salvation list, Mona R, who is very antagonistic, always comes back with more questions.

Sherrie M. still the good girl, this is probably her longest run on good behavior.

Remember Olivia in prayer, struggling with an illness that the medicine is almost as bad as the disease.

I spent another day at the VA hospital, good news, no tumors and the new medicine they are trying out on me as reduced my pain by quite a bit. MRI and CT scan clean.

Sally H, encouragement.

Paul K is doing very well and appreciates the prayers.

Paul C, still MIA on the church front. Pray he’s behaving.

UNCLEAN LIPS

LOVE HURTS

If you’ve been in the church for any amount of time you’ve heard a sermon about controlling your tongue. You’ve also heard that it is near impossible, unless the Holy Spirit helps.

I don’t know why I thought about it today, it was probably more than 20 years ago. I hurt someone with no intention of doing so. And in fact I didn’t say anything directly to them that hurt them.

My grandfather was dying of cancer. I had gone to an attorney and had everything they needed drawn up; wills, power of attorney, durable health care, revocable living trusts, the works.

I flew home to see them and was setting on the couch explaining everything to my grandmother, with my grandfather sitting across the room.

All of a sudden he stood and started cursing, something he never did. He was looking directly at me and I said “Pop’s what’s wrong.”

I’ll never forget his response; “I’m not dead yet.”

I realized that both by physical position and dialogue I had acted with the best of intentions but had excluded him from the conversation and in the act of explaining everything to my grandmother I had indeed carried on the conversation as though he had already passed on.

It took him 3 days to get over his anger and speak to me.

I realized then that yes, there was some anger directed at me but also at the fact that death was lurking close by and his life was cut short early because he refused to take precautions in his profession and just shirked them off.

I’ve spent 35 years working in Charitable Estate Planning as my primary job as I pastored many small problem churches and have done many Stewardship campaigns for different denominations and churches. I have never forgot to be more sensitive about the “why” of estate planning and the emotional issues that go along with it.

Hopefully, at least in that manner I never verbally hurt someone like that again. It changed the whole way I conducted that topic for the rest of my career.

The tongue is indeed often a source of trouble and hurt. But we’ve been forgiven and as mentioned earlier, the Holy Spirit does help us.

I am encouraged that the prophet Isaiah said that he was a man of unclean lips, I believe that he too had a problem with cussing and probably a foul temper. But God knows how to deal with that issue.

God bless from scumlikeuschurch@gmail.com

love abounding

Philemon 1:16

no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

CHRISTIAN LOVE

The complete transformation of all relationships in Christ is illustrated by Paul’s statement that Onesimus is now Philemon’s “beloved brother.” “Beloved” is from the Greek word for the highest form of love (agapēg), of which God is the source (cf. 1 John 4:7, 8), and “brother” is the word denoting blood kinship. They are now brothers; their spiritual kinship has been forged by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

How much more effective would the Christian Church be if every person in the church said every member treated me honestly in work and in business.

How about filling the church, more likely to happen when you know they all see the best in you and want to help you develop those gifts God gave you.

How about growing a church based on gratefulness. A thankful church sure beats a crumpy church. A church that is filled with gratefulness, blessing others, seeking to help others and not coming to church with an attitude of what will you do for me. A grateful church produces servants.

How about a church that bears one another’s burdens. You don’t have to ask. People that God has blessed want to bless you. People that have been given much and are serving God realize that God gave to them so they could give to others when in need. (this isn’t socialism or forced distribution of wealth). It is a generous heart overflowing with goodness and wanting to bless. This in turns to seeking the welfare others.

Having a church filled with many spiritual grandparents, teaching younger generations to be godly husbands and wives and families.

The church is a family, how healthy is your church family?

What makes a great church? The above

What qualities want to make you come back? Same answer

What measurement do you use to check for vitality. Again the same answer.

God bless from scumlikeuschurch@gmail.com

First Adam vs. Last Adam

  The believer must learn by two means the fact that the self-life is unimprovable. (1) Specific Scripture: God never intends to improve the old man, because “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God … neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14). Further, “the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other” (Gal. 5:17).

Everything of the first Adam is unalterably opposed to everything of the Last Adam (Christ). Self is implacable in its attitude toward God, having the very essence of the Enemy. “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. 8:7).

(2) Personal experience: One’s daily life proves beyond a doubt that the sinful Adamic source within never changes. The awakened and honest believer must admit that self is as capable of sin after fifty years of the Christian life as it was before he was saved—sometimes, it seems, even more so!

  No, our Father can accept nothing of the Adamic life, no matter how “good” or “religious” it may seem in the natural realm. And when the believer sees that God has taken all the old life to the cross and crucified it with Christ, he will likewise count (reckon) it crucified, and take his place of consecration as alive unto God in Christ Jesus.

Every believer must realize that when God looks at us, He sees His Son, as we are hidden in Him.

The modern church, the ‘emerging’ church, the Joel Osteen cult followers would have us believe that God is lucky to have us.

God bless from scumlikeuschurch@gmail.com

Remember Olivia in prayer, that the doctors find a better way to treat her illness.

Pray for Bill Warnke, chronic pain, depression and a touch of dementia

Thank you for all the prayers, feeling pretty good.

Caliste says thanks, her quarterly MRI has shown no growth to the brain tumor.

Pray for Susan H, having joint problems and sight problems. She is going to have to stop traveling as much, which for her is just about impossible

Salvation list, Mona r, Tara, Lauren, Anne, Cristina and Oscar, Norma Perales and her family. Elena.