The Word of God will make a difference in your life!

Chuck Colson, in one of his books, was talking about the fact that so many of us have Bibles, and yet the Bible doesn't change us. 81% of the people surveyed in a recent poll said that they were evangelical; and yet only 42% of them knew that Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount; and 48% of them could name the first four books of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Out of the 1382 people that were surveyed, less than 1% of them said that their lives were
directed and truly changed by what the Word of God said. In other words, many of us read it; but it doesn't always change us. Many are not really reading it and meditating on it.

I read a story about an inner city preacher was reading his Bible and preaching out of it. It was a New Testament. There was a drug addict who noticed the nice, thin paper of the Bible, thought how good it would be to roll up marijuana cigarettes, and asked the preacher for the Bible, "I would like to use the paper to smoke marijuana with." The preacher told him, "I will let you have the Bible if you promise to read it before you smoke it." The addict agreed. Sometime later, the evangelist was preaching a meeting, after the meeting a man came up to him and said, "I am the man who you gave the bible to" The evangelist remembered. "How are you doing?" The Evangelist asked. The man said, "Well I took the Bible I read Matthew then I smoked it, I read Mark then I smoked it, I read Luke then I smoked it, I read John, and it smoked me" THE WORD OF GOD WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE, IF YOU TRULY READ IT and MEDIDATE upon it!

I was reading recently about a guest lecturer at a university. The only thing they asked him before he made the lecture was not to talk about the Word of God, the Bible. He noted how strange it was to speak at the university and be asked not to talk about the Bible. Especially when that evening, he went to do prison ministry and the first words from the warden were, "As you talk to the prisoners, could you talk to them about biblical principles?"

That seems to me like the cart's before the horse. We're not supposed to share God's Word at the universities; but when we speak to prisoners, who've already messed their lives all up, then we can talk about it. It seems to me like we're building the hospital down at the bottom of the cliff instead of putting fences at the top. Seems to me that we don't really understand what the Word of God will do and how it can change our life.

The Bible was written over a 1600-year span. It was written by 40 generations, by over 40 authors from every walk of life including kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, and scholars. It was written in different places, including out in the wilderness, in dungeons, in palaces, inside prison walls, while traveling, on lonely islands, in the midst of war. It was written at different times, sometimes in peace, sometimes in battle. It was written during different moods, some writing from the heights of joy while others wrote from the very depths of sorrow. It was written in three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe. And it was written in three languages -- Hebrew, Arabic, and Greek. It covered subject matters including hundreds of controversial subjects, yet with harmony and continuity from Genesis to Revelation, there is one unfolding story, and the story is the redemption of man through Jesus Christ.

Ezra tells us in Ezra 7:10, four ways to take God's Word and apply it. Let me just read the passage. "For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it and to teach its statutes and ordinances to Israel."

1. Ezra prepared his heart to approach God's Word. Ezra literally prepared himself in the way that he approached God's Word. He wanted to make sure that he entered into the presence of God's Word in an appropriate manner.

2. Ezra prepared his heart to study God's Word. As Ezra read it, he allowed his heart to be tender and open to the voice of the Spirit.

3. Ezra prepared to practice what he learned. Ezra not only read it; but as soon as he read it, he practiced it. He began to apply it to his life.

4. Ezra prepared to share what he learned. Ezra not only learned it in his own life and practiced and applied it, but he took it immediately and he shared it with others, so they could apply it to their lives.

There are three simple things you have to do when you come to the Word."

Three key phrases:

1. Learn It.

It can't change you until you know it. "Learn it, and that deals with your head." Memorize scripture, that's the thing.

2. Love It.

You've got to begin to embrace the Word and let it embrace you.

3. Live It.

You've got to let the Word of God that comes into your heart go out through your hands, and you've got to apply it to others.

Question: What convictions should I have concerning the Bible?

Answer: I have learned to: learn , love, and live God's Word. No wonder the psalmist said, "Your Word I have hid in my heart so that I might not sin against you." Now what happens is, when we take the Word of God and learn it and love it and live it, we begin to develop biblical convictions. And there are three convictions about the Word of God that I want to make sure that we have today.

1. Even when I don't understand it, I'll trust what God said.

"It's not the parts of the Bible I don't understand that bother me," wrote Mark Twain. "It's the parts I do understand that give me fits."

Even when I don't understand it, I will take what God has said at face value. I will place my trust not in my understanding, but in God's Word. Naaman did that, remember? Naaman, the captain of the Syrian army, had leprosy, and his little servant girl suggested that he go to her country and see a prophet who could heal him. So off Naaman went to Elijah's house. He arrives in front of the house in his chariot, and Elijah doesn't even come out -- he just sends a servant out. And the servant tells Naaman that the prophet says for him to go down to the Jordan River and dip seven times in it. This ticks Naaman off. In fact, he says, "If I just needed to dip in the water seven times, I could go back to my own swimming pool in Syria. At least, the water's cleaner there." And off he goes. But then remember, his colleagues talks him into going down to the Jordan and dipping seven times, and when he comes out, his flesh is like a newborn baby's.

Now, what's interesting about this is how Naaman responded. He said, "I had thought the prophet would come out and wave his hand, and I would be healed (he had preconceived how God would answer his prayer)." But now, after his healing, he said, "Now I know that there's a God of Israel." Now isn't this interesting? Haven't we all done the same thing Naaman did? Haven't we come to God with a prayer request and told him how to answer it? We have this preconceived idea of how he's going to answer it, and we're just ready for it to be step one, two, three, four. Now, the first conviction is that the Word of God is very important. And that is, even when I don't understand it, I'm going to trust what God has said.

2. Although it seems illogical, I'll obey what God has said.

I will obey what God has said, even if it doesn't make sense. Remember Mary? In John 2, at the wedding in Cana of Galilee? They run out of wine, and Mary looks at the servants, and says, "Whatever he says to you, do it."

3. While human opinions vary, God's Word is right on every subject.

While human opinions vary, while others will have all sorts of answers, God's Word is right. One more conviction that'll change your life. I need the Word of God as much as I need food. And when I realize that the Word of God, which is the bread of life, is my spiritual staple that allows me to grow in my walk with him, it begins to change my life. And it begins to build convictions that help me to stand. I have five for you.

Convictions come into our lives when...

1. We have learned what the Word says on a given subject.

2. We choose to apply and obey the Word in daily life contexts.

3. We have exposed ourselves to a need in that area.

4. We have decided what is worth living and dying for.

5. We have settled the issue before we are forced to.

I am so thankful for the Word of God. Too many people say, "I prayed, BUT, I DIDN'T READ THE BIBLE" You cannot and will not be the victorious man or woman of God that you can be without daily spending time with God's Word. If you have a hard time reading, then listen to the Bible online. I was listening to the Bible just this morning. Here is a website that will allow you to do this: http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/audio/

Or, you can get the Word of God on CD or cassette tape. Just make a commitment to spend daily time with the Word of God. You WILL be changed for eternity!

I love you guys, and pray that you have a faith-filled, peace-filled, and hope-filled day! Blessings!

Pastor Rusty

God's Independence Day

This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. I hope you will as well.

We are on the "home stretch" of our two week vacation, and we have had a blast. I am so thankful for the great family time that we are having. God is good!

We have seen a lot of neat things on this trip, but yesterday was my favorite! We went to Presidents Park in Williamsburg. When I was a teenager, one of my hobbies was reading autobiographies (or biographies, whatever the case may have been for that individual President) and I learned to greatly appreciate the office of President of the United States of America. One of my favorites is George Washington. In the picture above, I am standing in front of a "bust" or sculpture of the first President of the USA. The park has a monument of every president, with information about his presidency. It was awesome.

As I walked through the park, I was so thankful for our great country and the freedom that we have. I had to pause several times to give God thanks for the great USA.

This morning I read a devotion by Beth Patch, on CBN.com, that I wanted to share with you. I believe it will minister to you!

I don’t know an American who hasn’t celebrated Independence Day in their lifetime. The smell of burgers and hot dogs sizzling on the grill outside and the bursting of fireworks in the sky become familiar on July 4th. We eat, maybe the Star Spangled Banner is played and then everyone watches fireworks and goes home. It’s a national holiday, so most people take the day off and go back to work the next day. I’ve rarely ever been in the midst of a July 4th party where much seriousness was given to the reason for the festivity.

I do know of an Independence Day celebration that’s coming up that will impress the whole world. I can’t tell you the date, and you shouldn’t believe anyone who tells you they can. But, no one on earth or in heaven will miss its importance, and it will mark a day of freedom from the greatest oppressor ever.

It is the day of the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! It is the beginning of real freedom, like no one has ever had before (except Adam and Eve before they sinned). Those who have believed in Christ’s atoning blood for their sins and have trusted and believed in Him, might have what an old preacher of mine used to call ‘a Hallelujah breakdown!’

This Independence Day will release Christians from the many sins that keep them entangled. Imagine, no more sickness, no more addictions, no more gossip, no more unkindness, no more anything that does not reflect the positive attributes of the love of our Father God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Currently, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us, to strengthen us, to comfort us, and to give us power through Christ’s death and resurrection. But, many Christians are still bound by one sin or another. When Jesus comes, all our negative baggage goes away. I can’t think of a better freedom than that.

Actually, the whole scene of Jesus’ return sounds so incredible that I don’t know if there are words that describe the immense emotional, spiritual, and physical response that people will have.

The Bible tells us that Jesus will return to earth just like He left, through the clouds (Acts 1: 11b), with his angels (Matt 16: 27), with the trumpet call of God and a loud command (1 Thess 4: 16). Scripture says we will be changed in a twinkling of an eye and Jesus will destroy all dominion, authority and power (1 Cor 15: 52).

Our earthly minds are limited in their comprehension of this miraculous time. It’s a God thing, and try as we may, we can’t peg down the details on how God will accomplish the return of Jesus Christ and the destruction of evil.

Picture in your mind the sky filled with God’s mighty angels, the sound of God’s trumpet, which has to be the most beautiful and loudest sounding instrument, and our Lord Jesus shining radiantly as He leads His mighty angelic troop in the earth’s sky.

Personally, I picture myself laid out flat on my face crying tears of joy and relief with my hands raised in praise because the promised day has finally come.

Picture Jesus shouting with a sound that our souls will recognize as the call of our Master as He draws us to Himself in the sky. Anticipate the warm feeling of peace and acceptance overcoming us as the presence of the Lord is before us, and we go to be with the Lord for eternity.
Envision getting to see the victory as Christ and his angels capture Satan and his demons and justice is completed. It will be more graphic and stirring than any riveting movie that Hollywood could ever think of producing.

They’ve been trying to depict the story of good versus evil for mankind and one fabulous day, God will show us the real thing on this Independence Day.

What do you picture? Are you excited about this day? How do you see yourself reacting?
Many theologians have studied the return of Christ and not all have agreed about the order of when things happen or exactly how they happen. These varied opinions on the return of Christ and the disappearance of believers from the earth have created divisions among believers who desperately want to cling to one decided order of the end times.

My response to such division is that it won’t matter how we interpret end times scriptures when God’s day of Independence comes. We won’t be divided on that day – we will all celebrate!
There may be those who are reading this who are stirred in excitement thinking about this holy Independence Day. There also may be those who aren’t sure they believe they will be part of the group that Jesus Christ will call to join Him.

My heart hurts for those of the latter group. I want you to know that you can know for sure whether you will be spending eternity with God. The Bible says we can know for sure.
1 John 5: 13 reads, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (NIV)

Believing goes beyond an intellectual acceptance of the historical facts and beyond just looking to Christ in times of tragedy or need. Believing involves a heartfelt acceptance that you are a sinner, and that Christ truly was sinless and gave His life in place of yours as payment for your sins. He rose from death after the third day, and ascended into heaven where He sits at the right hand of God until the day of His return.

It is the beginning of a love so deep that you want to know more and more about Christ and the Bible. It places a desire in your heart to change from a person seeking to please yourself to a person seeking to please God.

The down side of God’s Independence Day is that those who have not believed in Christ’s sacrifice for our lives, and have not chosen to devote their lives to loving Him will not be joining the celebration. They will be fearful and hopeless. The Bible says that condemnation and separation from God forever awaits those who refused the Messiah, Jesus Christ (John 3:18).

May we all be mindful that God promised this day will come, and it will be a day of division and completion. Pray for those who do not know our Savior and tell everyone you can about the salvation and love that comes from Christ.

The Independence Day of our God will come when we least expect it and we are instructed to be ready as if it were the next moment. So, in case it happens to be today, Happy Independence Day!


Blessings!


Pastor Rusty

Day 11 of our vacation "Homesick"

This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. I hope you will as well.

Well, we are beginning day 11 of our vacation. We are having a blast. We are in Williamsburg, VA. What a beautiful place, and we are enjoying every moment of our time in Virginia. Our experience with the state of Virginia is that it is a full of very friendly people. I have been impressed.
Today's agenda is: Going to Presidents Park, Water Country USA, then end the day back at Busch Gardens with their fireworks display.

Dorinda and I were talking a moment ago about how we are ready to come home. Mackenzie and Taylor yesterday said that they were "homesick." That got me thinking about our eternal home and the fact of Jesus' soon return.

Let me share with you some thoughts concerning this from Rick Renner, "Sparkling Gems from Greek."

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him. — 2 Thessalonians 2:1

When Paul wrote his second letter to the church of Thessalonica, he was exceedingly excited at the thought of Jesus' soon return. In fact, he was so thrilled about the prospect of Jesus' coming again that he devoted the entire second chapter of Second Thessalonians to the events that would occur in the last days. As Paul wrote this famous chapter about the events of the last days, he began by declaring, "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him."

Notice that Paul uses the word "beseech" in this verse. Normally the word "beseech" would be the Greek word parakaleo, but in this verse, Paul uses the word erotao rather than the word parakaleo. The word erotao means to ask or to make a strong request. This word calls upon the listener to cautiously listen to what is being said and to respond in a fitting manner to what has been heard. Because Paul is speaking of the coming of the Lord and uses the word erotao to appeal to his listeners, he clearly means for them to take his words seriously and to let these words make a strong impact in their lives.When we think about the coming of the Lord, it should make a strong impact in our lives. It should affect the way we live, the way we think, the way we carry on in our relationships, and the way we invest our money into the Kingdom of God.

It is simply a fact that Jesus is coming for His Church, and we should constantly live in the light of His coming. When we live with the awareness that Jesus is coming again, it changes our conduct and behavior. By using the word erotao ("beseech"), Paul is communicating to his readers that they have a responsibility to respond to his message about Jesus' soon return. They are to live in a godly, upright, and holy manner as they wait for "the coming of our Lord."

Then he begins to speak to them about the "coming of our Lord." The word "coming" is from the Greek word parousia. This word always places special emphasis on the Presence of the Lord — especially the Presence of God that can be tangibly felt among His people. Here it is used to describe the strong Presence of God that will be felt when Jesus returns to gather His people to Himself. The word implies that the Church will feel a phenomenal divine Presence when it is time for Jesus to gather His people to Himself at the end of the age.

This means that as we come closer to the return of Jesus, the parousia— the strong Presence of the Lord — will be strongly sensed among believers. In fact, the ever-growing, strong Presence of the Lord in the midst of the Church will be one of the signals that Jesus' return is close at hand. As His Presence gets stronger and stronger, we will know it is time for Him to return to "gather" us to Himself.

When Paul speaks about "our gathering together unto Him," the phrase "gathering together" comes from the Greek word episunagoge. This word is used perfectly in the apocryphal book of Second Maccabees 2:7, where it refers to that moment in the future when God will finally gather His people together to Himself. This is exactly how Paul uses it in Second Thessalonians 2:1 as he talks about that moment when God will finally gather His people together to Himself at the coming of Jesus.

In Second Thessalonians 2:1, Paul uses the word episunagoge ("gathering together") to describe that future moment when the Lord will quickly gather or collect His people together to Himself at the end of the age. At that divine moment, all of God's people will be quickly gathered together and collected in a common assembly to meet the Lord in the air. What a meeting that will be!

Considering the Greek words that Paul used in Second Thessalonians 2:1, this verse could be interpreted the following way:

"Brothers, I make this urgent, heartfelt request to you today, earnestly and sincerely pleading with you from the bottom of my heart to hear what I'm telling you and to do exactly as I say. The appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ is very near. In fact, it is so close that we can almost feel His Presence as if He were already here among us. The moment we have all longed for and waited for is almost upon us! I'm talking about that moment when Jesus will finally gather us together to Himself."

Jesus is certainly coming back for His people very soon. It makes me "homesick" how about you? Blessings!

Pastor Rusty

What God thinks about those who GOSSIP

This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. I hope you will as well.

We are having a blast on our vacation. What great memories we are making. I am enjoying my time with my wife and children. Savoring every single moment!

As I was doing my personal devotion this morning, I read something from "Sparkling Gems from the Greek" by Rick Renner. It was a powerful word concerning gossip. I would like to share this with you today:

When I was a young man, my family attended a church where the pastor was a fabulous Bible teacher. Wednesday night services were my favorite, because that is when he would really open the Word of God and teach us. But there was one aspect of the Wednesday night services that I absolutely despised — a gossiping church member who always started running her mouth as soon as church was finished!

This woman would stand to the side, peering at others and whispering about them behind their backs. But whenever the subject of her gossip approached her little clique, she'd stop whispering and smile at him or her so nicely and graciously. I hated the hypocrisy of this gossiper's behavior and never understood how she could talk so badly about people immediately after hearing the Word of God taught with such power!

I remember how this woman always looked so elated when she found a new choice morsel of information about someone else in the church that she could start broadcasting. Yet most of what she gossiped about was based on hearsay. She didn't even know if the "tidbits" she shared were factual. As long as they were enticing to hear, she knew she'd always have a small clan of devoted listeners. But even if the things this woman gossiped about had been factual, she had no business talking about them with others.

How does God feel about people who gossip? Ephesians 4:29 says, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." The following verse continues to say, "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God." The implication is that when "corrupt communication" comes out of a believer's mouth, it causes the Holy Spirit to be grieved.

You see, gossip is a sin that grieves the Holy Spirit. Did you notice that Paul calls it "corrupt communication"? This phrase comes from the Greek word phaulos, which refers to something that stinks or to something that is rotting, such as meat that is full of maggots. This kind of communication is dead, decaying, and it stinks. It is offensive to the Spirit of God, and it grieves Him.

Gossip is so destructive and offensive that Paul forbids gossip in Second Corinthians 12:20. In this verse, Paul says, "For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swelling, tumults."

Do you see the word "whisperings"? This is the Greek word psithurimos — which means gossip!

To make sure we know how evil gossip is, Paul lists it side by side with several other horrible attitudes and actions. He places gossip right alongside with:

Debates: From the Greek word eris, which depicts a church divided by church politics. It could be translated as the word quarrels or wranglings.

Envyings: From the Greek word zelos, which pictures a person so self-consumed that he fiercely fights for his own cause, not considering the needs or desires of others. It can be translated as the word jealousy.

Wraths: From the Greek word thumos, portraying a person who suddenly flares up and loses his control of some kind of unresolved, deep-seated anger. This is a person who literally boils over with anger and blows up, erupting in an ugly outburst that negatively affects other people.

Strifes: From the Greek word eritheia, depicting a selfish desire to promote one's own way even if it means splitting and dividing the church. This is a picture of people taking sides in the church and thus dividing, splitting, and splintering the church into opposing factions.

Backbiting: From the Greek word katalalia, meaning to talk down or to speak derogatorily about someone else. It can be translated as the word slander.

Whisperings: From the Greek word psithurismos, which expresses the idea of a gossiper. The reason they whisper is that they know this kind of talk is wrong and that they'd get in trouble for what they were saying; therefore, they whisper their tidbits of information to others in secret.

Swellings: From the Greek word phusiosis, which carries the idea of a person filled with pride. In fact, it can be translated to be puffed up. This is a person who is puffed up in pride about something that isn't even important; nevertheless, he has allowed this thing to delude him into a false sense of over- significance or of being better than others. This word could also be translated as the word arrogance.

Tumults: From the Greek word akatastasia, referring to anarchy, chaos, insubordination, or to some kind of attitude or action that creates upheaval, unrest, or instability. It describes the attitude or actions of a person who creates some type of disastrous disturbance.

I want you to notice that "gossip" is right smack dab in the middle of this list! What does this tell you about what God thinks of gossip and of those who are involved in the act of gossiping? Let's be sure we understand what the word "gossip" describes! It describes a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts, rumors, or reports of an intimate nature that are none of his business.

For instance, gossip would include:

• Talking about other people's business and things that do not concern you.
  
• Repeating what someone else said, even though you don't know whether or not it's true.
  
• Talking to others as if you were an authority about matters that are other people's business, when in reality you don't know what you are talking about.
  

In a certain sense, gossip is like a deadly poison. It hurts people; it kills relationships; and it destroys trust. In the workplace, "gossip" usually happens between two employees who have become friends and feel like they can truly "share" with each other. They are often people who have been offended or hurt by the one who is the subject of their gossip; therefore, every rumor they hear becomes a "choice morsel" to share with the other offended party. This is what Proverbs 18:8 (NIV) is talking about when it says, "The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts."

Gossip is usually based on hearsay; it is usually inaccurate; it creates suspicions; and it divides people. It is so evil that I absolutely forbid it in our ministry.

It is interesting to note that the Greek word for gossip means to whisper. This means that gossip almost always takes place in secret. Just think about it — where does gossip usually takes place? If you have engaged in gossip in the past, you probably listened to someone tell you information or hearsay about other people, which you then whispered to someone else:

• In the women's bathroom at the office.
• In your office when the doors were closed and no one was watching or listening.
• In the lunch-break room when it was only you and the person to whom you were talking.
• In a prayer meeting, where people often whisper about others under the camouflage of "prayer."
• In a corner where the boss, director, pastor, or subject of your gossip couldn't hear what you were saying.

You need to know that gossipers usually attract to each other like magnets. When they get together, they see things alike and therefore begin to think they are right. Thus, they form a little faction right inside the office or church, often concluding that they are doing God's business as they meet together to discuss all the problems going on in other people's lives, even though it isn't their business to discuss or solve these problems or to meddle in other people's affairs.

Since the word "gossip" really means to whisper, it would be good when you are about to tell something you've heard to first ask yourself: Would I say these things publicly? Would I say this in front of the person I am talking about? If your answer is no, you can conclude that you shouldn't say it privately either.

So I urge you not to allow the devil to snag you and drag you into the sin of gossip. James 3:8 tells us that the tongue is "an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." But you can refuse to be the source of gossip or to participate in it when it takes place. If you really love Jesus, why would you want to participate in something that will poison people's opinions and ultimately divide and hurt others? Think of it — if it were you whom people were talking about, wouldn't it be hurtful to you to discover that they were talking this way behind your back?

It's too hurtful to get into this business! If you have to whisper it, then you probably shouldn't be saying it at all. In fact, a good rule to live by is this: If you can't say it publicly, don't say it at all! Make the decision today to refrain from gossip and to stay away from those who practice it!

Blessings!

Pastor Rusty

Day Eight of our Vacation

Good morning! This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. I hope you will as well.

As I type this, I am sitting in Brad and Glenda's house in Alexandria, VA. We have just completed week one of our two week vacation.

Our first week was awesome: Niagara Falls, NYC, and Washington DC. We put 1800 miles on our car this past week. Now, as we begin week two, we are going to settle down and not drive as much. We leave tomorrow for Williamsburg, VA. We will spend a couple of days doing the "Amusement park" thing, and then a couple of days going through Colonial Williamsburg. The kids have greatly enjoyed our sightseeing, but they are ready to ride some roller coasters.

We went to a Gospel concert last night. The performers were Brandon Heath, Mandisa, and Toby Mac. It really was very good. My middle daughter, Mackenzie, is becoming quite the photographer. Let me share a few photos from last night's concert:

I was reading from Rick Renner's "Sparkling Gems from the Greek" this morning for my personal devotion. I would like to share with you a little of what I read.

Colossians 3:16, where it says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.”

What kind of reception have I given the Word of God in my life? I wanted to know:

Colossians 3:16 says,

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” The chilly reception I felt in that home caused me to look at my own heart and ask, What kind of reception have I given the Word of God in my life? I wanted to know:

• Have I given God’s Word the kind of reception it deserves, or have I ignored it and given it the “cold shoulder”?
• Does God’s Word feel at home in my life, or does it feel unwanted?
• Have I rolled out the red carpet and given God’s Word a grand reception, making it clear that I love the Word and am privileged to have it dwelling in my heart?

In Colossians 3:16, Paul tells us that the word of Christ should “dwell” in us richly. I decided to go get my Greek New Testament and study the word “dwell” so I could determine what kind of reception I had given God’s Word in my own life.

I found that the word “dwell” is taken from the word enoikeo. The word enoikeo is a compound of the words en and oikos. The word en means in, and the word oikos is the Greek word for a house. When the two words are compounded together, they form the word enoikeo, which means to dwell in a house.

This is the same Greek word used in both New Testament literature and secular literature to signify someone who takes up permanent residency in a home. The person is so at home and contented in this new location that he has chosen to make it his permanent dwelling place for the rest of his life.

So when Paul tells us to let the word of Christ “dwell” in us, he is beseeching us to give God’s Word such a grand, welcoming reception that it literally feels at home in us and therefore comes to take up permanent residency!

Does the Word have this kind of place in your life? Does it really “dwell” in you richly? Does it feel at home and comfortable in your life? Or is the Word of God treated like a stranger that is occasionally welcomed into your life as a visitor? Be honest!

Why not make today the day that the Word of God comes to take up permanent residency in your life? Throw the door open, roll out the red carpet, and welcome the Word of God as a new, permanent resident in your heart!

Blessings!

Pastor Rusty

New York City Day Two

This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. I hope you will as well.

We are about to begin day two of our New York City on our Family Vacation 2009. We are having a blast. I will post several pictures at the end of this blog.

We were on Times Square until around 11 pm last night, and the way that some people so casually view sex caused me to meditate on I Corinthians 6:19. I would like to share the following devotion that I received from Max Lucado this morning. Powerful truth.

“Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 6:19 NLT). Paul wrote these words to counter the Corinthian sex obsession. “Run away from sexual sin!” reads the prior sentence. “No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.” (v.18 NLT).

What a salmon scripture! No message swims more up-stream than this one. You know the sexual anthem of our day: “I’ll do what I want. It’s my body.” God’s firm response? “No, it’s not. It’s mine.”

Be quick to understand, God is not anti-sex. Dismiss any notion that God is anti-affection and anti-intercourse. After all, he developed the whole package. Sex was his idea. From his perspective, sex is nothing short of holy.

He views sexual intimacy the way I view our family Bible. Passed down from my father’s side, the volume is one hundred years old and twelve inches thick. Replete with lithographs, scribblings, and a family tree, it is, in my estimation, beyond value. Hence, I use it carefully.

When I need a stepstool, I don’t reach for the Bible. If the foot of my bed breaks, I don’t use the family Bible as a prop. When we need old paper for wrapping, we don’t rip a sheet out of this book. We reserve the heirloom for special times and keep it in a chosen place.

Regard sex the same way—as a holy gift to be opened in a special place at special times. The special place is marriage, and the time is with your spouse.

Casual sex, intimacy outside of marriage, pulls the Corinthian ploy. It pretends we can give the body and not affect the soul. We can’t. We humans are so intricately psychosomatic that whatever touches the soma impacts the phyche as well. The me-centered phrase “as long as no one gets hurt” sounds noble, but the truth is, we don’t know who gets hurt. God-centered thinking rescues us from the sex we thought would make us happy. You may think your dalliances are harmless, and years may pass before the x-rays reveal the internal damage, but don’t be fooled. Casual sex is a diet of chocolate—it tastes good for a while, but the imbalance can ruin you. Sex apart from God’s plan wounds the soul.

Your body, God’s temple. Respect it.

Blessings!

Pastor Rusty

Niagara Falls Canada

This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. I hope you will as well.

We are on our "Family Vacation 2009" and having a blast. We are currently enjoying Niagara Falls. Mackenzie, my 13 year old daughter, made the comment yesterday as we were looking at the Falls up close, "How can anybody doubt there is a God?" As I stood there looking at the awesome beauty, I found the words to the following song going through my head:

The splendor of the King
Clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice, all the earth rejoice
He wraps himself in light
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice,
And trembles at His voice

Chorus:

How great is our God
Sing with me
How great is our God
And all will see
How great, how great is our God

Age to age He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the End,
Beginning and the End
The Godhead, Three in One
Father, Spirit, Son
The Lion and the Lamb, Lion and the Lamb

Chorus:

Name above all names
Worthy of all praise
My heart will sing how great is our God

What a mighty, powerful, artistic, creative, loving God that we serve. He is worthy of every effort of praise that we can give to Him, and so much more. As I woke up this morning, I lay in bed meditating on the following verses:

Lamentations 3:21-26 But this I recall and therefore have I hope and expectation: (22) It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. [Mal. 3:6.] (23) They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness. [Isa. 33:2.] (24) The Lord is my portion or share, says my living being (my inner self); therefore will I hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him. [Num. 18:20.] (25) The Lord is good to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him, to those who seek Him [inquire of and for Him and require Him by right of necessity and on the authority of God's word]. (26) It is good that one should hope in and wait quietly for the salvation (the safety and ease) of the Lord.

Amen and amen!

Well, we are packing up this morning and heading to New York City! We meet up with Brad, Glenda, Macy and Mia tonight. We are very excited about seeing them and then touring the "Big Apple" the next few days!

I plan to blog in the morning and post a few more pictures. I hope you enjoy a few of the Niagara Falls pictures below.

Blessings!

Pastor Rusty