keep it holy

I finished up Exodus today. In some ways I'm glad. It can be overwhelming to read about all the dimensions and designs for the tabernacle... over and over again. However, try to look beyond the repetition and the monotony of it and look at what this is implying. Did God care how it was built? Absolutely. It seems ridiculous to think that he didn't when he went into such detail about each item no matter how seemingly insignificant. Yet He established something as "holy" that wasn't covered in gold - the Sabbath. This was a day to do nothing but honor God; no work, no stress, just a day to say "thank you". In Exodus 31:13 God said, "Tell the people of Israel to keep my Sabbath day, for the Sabbath is a sign of the covenant between me and you forever. It helps you to remember that I am the LORD, who makes you holy." What happens when we forget to honor God? Well, we might say that we forget what He's done for us, or what He's promised to do for us at Judgment Day. If we forget about his blessings then we may look around and see that others have things we want to be ours instead of taking time to thank God for what He HAS given us. Once our jealous and envious hearts want what other have long enough we'll be at risk of making compromises to our faith in order to get what they have. But as Jesus said in Matthew 16:26, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" However, we'll do it! We'll exchange the glory and blessings of God for garbage that kills us spiritually. After that we'll no longer look much different than the world and soon enough we'll completely lose our influence. Hmmmmmm, does that sound familiar? When Sunday became the day to honor God through His son Jesus, we were to commit the same standard from the Sabbath to the Lord's day. When did we give the Lord's day away? There was a time when things closed down for Sunday, not anymore. Perhaps our culture's rebellion against the day God set aside to honor him was more important than we must have thought. Our culture has suffered tremendously because of their lack of respect for God. What can you do about it? Try making it holy again.

3,000

Reading scripture is like reading a really good mystery, in that you can anticipate whatever you like, but you're surprised to see how it ends. With God, he doesn't change the story on us, and he doesn't make it where you can't understand the story; but he definitely has written his book in a way where you never run out of the need to read it anymore. Hebrews 4:12 says, "that the word of God is living and active...", if you're a "reader" then you know that's true. Over the last couple days I've read about Israel's amazing exodus from Egypt, God's display of his power, and also how rebellious the people were. As God threatened to destroy the Israelites for their lack of faith in his directions and their lack of confidence in his chosen leader I couldn't help but see that God means business. Although, more than business, he really wanted to see his people become truly free. While Moses was on the mountain getting the commands from God, the people were frolicking down below as they made false gods to worship. This was what brought God to a boiling point. Yet Moses interceded on the people's behalf. I like to think that God was wanting for Moses to stand up for his brothers and sisters, and demonstrate his loyalty to this motley crew. He didn't condone their behavior, but he was faithful to the cause. In fact Moses delivered a pretty severe punishment to all those involved in the idolatry. Moses was told to kill those people that committed this sin. In Exodus 32:28, Moses writes "on that day about three thousand of the people died." Some would read this and be mad at God for behaving so severely, but this was a form of discipline that helped people respect God's power. Hebrews 12:7-24, "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears. You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned." The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling with fear." But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel..." The point in many ways is that Jesus has given us a better incentive and opportunity to be "holy" in God's eyes. For the Israelites' unholiness at the presentation of the law, which Paul says "kills", 3,000 died because of the conviction of the law. On the other hand, when the Holy Spirit came, which was only possible because Jesus died to remove the guilt of our sins, 3,000 were reborn. Look in Acts 2:38-41 where Peter replied to the crowd's plea for help, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call." With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day." 3,000 die because they rebelled against the law several thousand years later 3,000 are reborn because of the spirit. Praise God for the Holy Spirit.

What's a "prayer warrior" look like?

Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray without ceasing”, but for some of us just keeping our mind focused on a 1 minute prayer may seem like a hard enough task. A sister in Christ shared this helpful prayer prompter with me, and someone else shared it with her. Even Jesus’ disciples needed help with knowing how to pray (Luke 11). It’s good to have supportive prayer warriors in our life. MONDAY - M-Missionaries, Mothers, Ministers TUESDAY - T - Trials and Temptations and the Troubled WEDNESDAY - W- Workers, Widows/Widowers, Wisdom THURSDAY - Th-Thanksgiving FRIDAY - F - Fathers, Friends & Family, Forgiveness SATURDAY - S- Society, Sisters and Brothers, Sick & Sorrowful SUNDAY – Sanctification The lines of communication are always open with God, give it a try…daily. Pray Until Something Happens (PUSH)

Not the way I remembered it

Have you ever revisited your school, or your old house, or some place that had a lot of meaning to you and it didn't seem the same. Not that it was bad, it just seemed smaller than the way you remembered? Or perhaps it wasn't as glamorous as you had thought it was. The same could be said about stories you hear, or events you were part of when you were younger. In yesterday's reading, I came across something that I hadn't seen before, or at least I didn't remember it this way. In Exodus 7-11 is the account of God delivering the Israelites from the hand of Egyptian slavery. However, I never realized how much Aaron was used in this process. Moses had complained to God in Exodus 3 about being unable to speak, unconfident in his own ability, and eventually God told him to bring his brother Aaron as the spokesman. So you may be wondering why this seemed like such a revealtion; but the truth is that Aaron basically shared the staff with Moses to bring out God's judgments upon Pharaoh. God told Moses to have Aaron bring the first three plagues: water to blood, frogs, and gnats. Ironically, Pharaoh's magicians could duplicate the plague, but they couldn't remove it. It was at the plague of gnats that the magicians couldn't do their tricks anymore. But it was also God that brought some plagues, well, I guess you could say that God brought all of them, but there's no mention of Aaron or Moses bringing the: flies, the disease on the cattle, or the death of the first born. Moses was told to bring the: boils, the hail, the locusts, and the darkness. Although that may not seem very deep at all, but as I started out, this was something I had always remembered Moses as being the catalyst for the plagues and Aaron did all the talking but as I read through this again, I realized that wasn't the case. Perhaps this shows us that God works in concert with us, but we have to do some work ourselves. Many may feel that sounds too much like "working your way to heaven", however, God wants us to be alive in our faith, which means we "don't just hear the message from God, do what he says" (James 1:22).

As the years went on...

Ok, so I've demonstrated that creating a new habit is much harder than they sound. It's been several days since I've posted on the exciting adventure of reading through the book that describes God's plan, his involvement, and his great love for all people. If you're not onboard yet, pick up reading either in Exodus, or start at the beginning and catch up (just 4 chapters a day) - that's not too hard is it? So far, for those keeping up, we've been introduced to Abraham, his son Isaac, his son Jacob (or Israel), and his 12 sons, of which Joseph is the hero at the end of Genesis. Now as we move into the book of Exodus, we see that there has been some time pass. Stephen said in Acts 7:6 that the Israelites were "enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years." If you do that math, Joseph was 110 when he died but he was around 33 years old when he brought his family from Canaan to Egypt to survive the famine. So he lived roughly 80 years after they got there. In Exodus 6:14-25 there's a brief family tree that confirms what Stephen said. Levi, one of Joseph's older brothers, lived to 137 years old. His son Kohath lived 133 years and he had a son named Amram. Amram lived 137 years and had a son named Aaron and Moses. So 80 + 133 + 137 + 80 (because Moses didn't do his thing til he was 80) that is 430 years. However, what I wanted to share was that once Moses began working for God, God reveals the itinerary for this trip. He says in Exodus 7:2-5, "Tell Aaron everything I say to you and have him announce it to Pharaoh. He will demand that the people of Israel be allowed to leave Egypt. But I will cause Pharaoh to be stubborn so I can multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. Even then Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you. So I will crush Egypt with a series of disasters, after which I will lead the forces of Israel out with great acts of judgment. When I show the Egyptians my power and force them to let the Israelites go, they will realize that I am the Lord." This may not be much, but it looks like how God and mankind's relationship would go from the time in Egypt to our eternal home in heaven. Moses would tell people about what they need to do, but the Pharaoh (people) would reject it, then they become so stubborn that problems would come for them (in the form of plagues). Finally, God will show people who He really is and what He's capable of, and those that belong to him will leave their world of slavery and be guided by God into the Promised Land. To me that's a pretty neat comparison to our own journey out of spiritual slavery. Praise God! Keep reading.

A lesson from Potiphar

What's it look like to trust in God? Well, I think we could look at Hebrews 11 to get a pretty good snapshot, however there's a guy by the name of Potiphar that shows us what it might look like. Although we don't have any indication he trusted in God at all, yet he benefited in trusting in someone that did trust in God. In Genesis 39 we're told that Potiphar realized that Joseph was blessed in whatever he did, so it made sense to Potiphar to turn everything in his house over to Joseph. Similarly, God tells us in Malachi 3 that if we'll give what we've purposed to give without reservation then he will "will open the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing so great [we] won't have enough room to take it in! Try it!" He says, "Let me prove it to you!" Potiphar got it, even though he probably never became a follower of God. Can other people see you trusting in God and be blessed by it? I think so. Paul said in Colossians 3:23 to "work as if we're working for the Lord", so we will be doing the best job we can, with the fullest of integrity, and the purest of motives. When we "commit our work to God" then Solomon says in Proverbs 16:3, "our plans will be established". That's kind of another way of saying, "you'll be blessed". Potiphar trusted Joseph, and he was blessed. Although Joseph is my hero, Jesus is my Savior and has a little more power. Praise God by giving something you've been afraid to give to someone for the glory of God. If Potiphar can trust a Godly person, I think I should be able to trust God himself. Have a great day.

Let's pass it on

I'm a bit late, but I've made a new goal to post some thoughts to this site more regularly. In fact, as I read through the bible in a year I'd like to put my impression of what I read on here. I'd also love for you to comment and do the same thing. Like I said, I'm a few days late, which means according to our bible reading schedule I'm pretty far along. But I'll share a few thoughts today starting with Noah's son. This is actually a copy of the bulletin article I published this week. Do you know anything about Daniel? David? Jonah? Or Noah? Chances are you do, but why? For most people we learned about those guys pretty early on, which usually means we didn’t read about them – we were taught them. How do you rank your parents, guardian, or teachers on their efforts? Paul recognized that Timothy had been given an “A+” education about biblical history, the 10 Commandments, and many other teachings that were bearing fruit in his life. Paul gives some of the credit to the teachings of his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice (2 Tim 1:5). This really magnifies the impact that we can have on a person’s life (especially our children and grandchildren) if we’ll take the time to talk about God’s word with them. Moses told the Israelites in Deut 6:6-7, “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” It must have been nice to hear about God’s mighty acts from Moses himself, who was instrumental in their exodus from slavery and Egypt. Remember that it was also Moses that wrote the first book of the Bible – Genesis. Although he wasn’t there when those events took place he was given help both by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and by the stories passed down thru the ages by people who had known people who had been there. As I was reading in Genesis last week, it came to my attention that Noah’s son most likely could have known Isaac, the promised son to Abraham in his old age. Shem, Noah’s son, was 98 years old when he stepped off the Ark; and approximately every 30+ years one of his sons were producing the next generation. There were 10 generations from Shem to Isaac, and Shem lived 500 years after his son Arpachshad was born. This may not be interesting to you at all, but to me this could have given every generation up to the fulfillment of God’s promise a chance to hear about God’s deliverance from an evil world first-hand. There are a lot of reasons God would have allowed people to live so long before the time of Abraham, but perhaps spreading God’s message was one of them. An eyewitness is always better than hear-sayers; however, as Rom 10:14-15 says, “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, ‘how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!’” That’s us! You and I may not have been there when God created the world, when he destroyed it with a flood, when he delivered his children from slavery, or when warnings and blessings were given, and we may not have been there when Christ gave the great commission, but we have a book that has been well-preserved that gives us the accounts of those that were there. Pass those teachings on to someone you know. It may be what changes their life… for eternity.

On Target

Amazing things happen when you're willing to talk about our creator. Although it may not seem that just mentioning Him, or his Son, or what they mean to you can make much difference; I can attest to you that it does. Several years back I was introduced to someone who is now a good friend but one of the things that fueled our conversations was our faith. Over the years we talked more indepth about our faith. It seemed like providence when he asked me to write a book based off of the things we talked about, which were also things I put in a weekly newsletter. I was excited, and nervous to take on what seemed like an impossible task. Yet with his help our conversations of faith are now available to anyone that has questions about issues of faith. Last week I had my first book published. It's called On Target: Devotions for Modern Life, a collection of devotionals and thought provoking perspectives on spiritual matters. Checkout the link below to take a look, and I encourage you to consider getting a copy for you and use this as a springboard into deeper bible study. http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/KBenson http://manyriversharbor.blogspot.com/p/mrh-books-at-online-bookstores.html http://www.lulu.com/shop/kelley-benson/on-target-devotions-for-modern-life/paperback/product-20377201.html http://kelleybenson.blogspot.com

the lines of communication

Have you ever considered how hard it would be to not be able to speak? For some reading this, they may. For most of us we can fathom the frustration of not being able to communicate what you want because of a lack of an ability to communicate. If you've ever been to a foreign country you may be able to understand the difficulty better.

Communication is one of the most prized abilities God has given us. To be able to share a dream, to voice a concern, to be able to say "I love you", are all part of communication. We miss it when we lose it.

In scriptures there are several times God's chosen people lost communication with their creator. Not because God turned it off, but because they failed to listen. When we ignore what God is trying to communicate to us we are the one's that suffer.

As you consider the value of communication in your life, be sure to check the lines of communication with God. Are they weak? Are they unused? God is always ready to listen to you, and beleive it or not he's speaking out loud and clear through his powerful, living and active words in the bible.

Start listening to him today.

The Sign Said "Stop". . . I Didn't

The sign said "Stop" - I didn't...

So I said to the judge:

"I feel everyone has the right to choose their own interpretation of this word.

"My father never stopped. If I were to stop, I would be condemning him."

"My family has always refused to stop. If it was good enough for them, it is good enough for me."

"I don't want to start stopping until I am sure I can keep on stopping from now on."

"My preacher says it is not essential for people to obey that sign."

"What about those people who have never seen that sign."

"When I was young, my parents crammed stopping down my throat, so now that I am grown, I just don't do it anymore."

"I believe that only going is important, stopping is optional."

"How do you know that word really means today what it did when the sign went up."

"I will stop after I get my life straightened out."

"I will stop when my spouse decides to stop; it will mean more if we do it together."

"It is not anybody's business whether I stop or not."

"Judge, I feel that as long as we are sincere, you will accept us no matter what we do."


The scripture said, "Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).

The scripture said, "Study to show yourself to God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15).
I didn't.

So I siad to THE JUDGE...

The world is full of one excuse after another when it comes to religious matters. We cannot read our Bibles today because we woke up late. We cannot attend services today because its too hard to get the kids ready, or its too early, I'm not sure if I want to make my salvation sure today becuase I don't know if I am ready to give up my lifestyle. And the list goes on and on.
Christ gave up the glory of Heaven to live a human life full of heartache and temptation to die an agonizing death on the cross as a blood sacrificce for our sins, yet we are constantly looking for ways to get out of serving Him and one another.
Maybe it is time we stop spending so much time looking for a way out, and simply spend a few minutes dedicated to thanking the graceous, merciful God, who so lovingly gave up everything for us.

Turn to God

Knowing who to turn to when life throws you some curve balls is priceless. Too many people don't feel they know what to do when a crisis happens therefore they don't do anything, or worse yet they follow bad advice that leads them into a nastier situation.

Peter reminds us that we must "humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt us at the proper time, casting all our anxiety on Him, because He cares for us." God has the power to bear our load.

Ask God for advice. He tells us that "he opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble". Turn to God.

What Are You Talking About?

So, what are the last words you say when you are leaving others? I find myself often ending a phone conversation with family members by saying, “Goodbye, I love you.” Those words are not just meaningless words, but are intended to remind those who are so precious to me that I cherish them.

Thinking about this led me to wonder what parting words were used by the writers of the epistles. I actually was amazed when I took time to look into this matter. Some of them ended their letters by sending greetings or expressing expectations to see others soon, but there is one phrase used consistently by Paul in his writings. Before reading more about the answer to this question, what phrase or phrases did Paul use as he ended his letters?

Paul’s parting words in his epistles. To the Corinthians, he said, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus” and “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ . . . be with you all” (1 Cor. 16:23-24; 2 Cor. 13:14). As he finished his letter to the churches of Galatia, he said, “Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” (Gal. 6:18). He had preached in Ephesus for three years and ended the epistle to them by saying, “Grace be with all of those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity” (Eph. 6:24). To the Colossians, he said, “Grace be with you” (Col. 4:18). The apostle to the Gentiles ended both letters to the Thessalonians with “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (1 Thess. 5:28; 2 Thess. 3:18). He used the same words in the three epistles to younger preachers, “Grace be with you” (1 Tim. 6:21; 2 Tim. 4:22; Tit. 3:15). He finished that very personal letter to Philemon by saying, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” The same idea is found in the last verse of Hebrews, “Grace be with you all.”

Paul’s emphasis on grace. Should there be any wonder as to why Paul magnified grace in his letters? He constantly had to deal with Judaizing teachers who tried to bind the law on Gentiles. Even more overwhelming was Paul’s realization that he, the chief of sinners, had received grace from God. The remembrance of His grace is the prime motivation for spiritual maturity (2 Pet. 1:8-9). He never wanted those around him to lose sight of the grace of God.

The emphasis of your words. What words, not just the parting ones, do people hear you mentioning most often? Do they ever hear a spiritual emphasis, or is it always on secular matters? One could not be around Paul without hearing about grace. What do those around you hear from you?

Jesus Believed Every Word of the Bible. . . . Do You?

When one reads the accounts provided of the life of Jesus in the New Testament, the knowledge and respect that He had for the Old Testament Scriptures ought to impress upon us the same urgent need to increase our own knowledge and respect for God’s Word.
Jesus believed the words of the Bible. When He taught about the resurrection of the dead, He quoted from Exodus, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,” to prove that “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Matt. 22:37). Jesus believed the words of the Bible. Do you?
Jesus believed the stories of the Bible. When He taught about the nature of His own death, He illustrated it by referring to when “Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness” (John 3:14). Jesus believed the stories of the Bible. Do you?
Jesus believed the prophecies of the Bible. When He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah in the synagogue in Nazareth, He read from Isaiah 49:8-9 and then said, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:16-21). Jesus believed the prophecies of the Bible. Do you?
Jesus believed the eternal truths of the Bible. When He was asked about the ever-important subject of marriage, He pointed His challengers to “the beginning of the creation” (when God created marriage) and quoted this everlasting precept of God, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (Mark 10:1-8). Jesus believed the eternal truths of the Bible. Do you?
Jesus believed even the “hard to believe” things in the Bible. There is a story in the Old Testament that tops every sceptics list as something they count to be “purely mythical” or “scientifically impossible.” In their estimation, “Jonah was never swallowed by a big fish, surviving three days in its belly before being extruded out on land none the worse for wear.” However, of all the ways to depict His burial and His resurrection on the third day, Jesus chose to use the story of Jonah for comparison. “…[N]o sign will be given...except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:39-41). Jesus believed even the “hard to believe” things in the Bible. Do you?
Do you believe in Jesus? If so, do you, like Him, believe every word of the Bible? Do you respect the Bible like Jesus did?

Close Enough

How often does the philosophy “close enough” impact your daily life? You pull into a parking space and you’re a little further to the right than you should be—close enough! You cut a piece of wood and it’s one-eighth of an inch off—close enough! You call your child by the wrong name but it’s still somebody in the family—close enough!

How do you suppose that philosophy works with God? Pick up your Bible and pick a Bible teaching. Is “close enough” good enough with God?

In order to become a Christian, God says that one must hear the gospel message (Rom. 10:13-17), believe the gospel (John 20:30-31), repent of his sins (Acts 17:30), confess his faith in the Son of God (Rom. 10:9-10) and be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16). Suppose someone looks at this, having already (in their minds) believed, repented and confessed, and he says, “Close enough!” Is it really close enough for God?

In order to win souls to Christ, God says that one must “let his light shine” (Matt. 5:16), be mindful of the works that others see in him (Matt. 5:16), put the church first in his life (Matt. 6:33), exhort others to worship God (Matt. 4:10; Heb. 10:25), demonstrate his faith by his works (Jas. 2:18), be holy in all his conduct (1 Pet. 1:15) and preach the gospel message to those who are lost in sin (Mark 16:15). Suppose someone looks at this, scared to death or embarrassed at the idea of actually teaching the gospel, and he says, “I’ve lived a good example before others. They can see Jesus living in me. That’s close enough!” Is it really close enough for God?

In order to go to heaven, God says that one must go through Christ (John 14:6), obey His will (Matt. 7:21), make his call and election sure by growing diligently (2 Pet. 1:5-11), and faithfully serve Him for life (Rev. 2:10). Suppose someone, on the day of judgment, looks at this, having never been convinced that they could actually lose their salvation once they had been baptized, and says, “Well, I was close enough.” Is it really close enough for God?

The philosophy “close enough” may work in some of the inconsequential situations we face in life (parking, woodwork, horseshoes, etc.). However, following the “close enough” philosophy can cost you your soul.

In Numbers 13, the Israelites came to the border of the Promised Land (couldn’t get any closer), but they failed to enter the land of rest. “Close enough” was not good enough with God. Read chapters 3-4 in the book of Hebrews. May God help us to not come short of our rest (Heb. 4:1; 12:15)!

Lock in 2012

The Stuart church of Christ is hosting our second annual LOCK-IN at our Outreach building on January 1st, 2012 starting at 2pm and ending on Monday, January 2nd at 9am.
There will be:
 Capture the Flag
 Youth lead worship
 Food
 Basketball tournament
 Board games
 Movies
 Baking contest
 More…
The theme for the night is “What happens next?”
We’ll be looking at how far reaching our decisions can be, who can help or hurt them, how they define how responsible I am, and what happens if I’m unprepared.

Matthew 25:11-12, “‘Sir! Let us in!’ they cried out. ‘Certainly not! I don't know you…’”

Call or email me for more info. Please RSVP by Dec 28th, 2011. See you there!

What are you doing to help?

Paul told Timothy that "The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." (2 tim 2:2) He also told Titus to have the older people teach the younger people on how to live and behave, (titus 2). How serious do we take that teaching? Was it just for those guys? I hope that you would agree that's for everyone.

We live in a culture that is growing more desperate for instruction and guidance but so few people will speak up to offer godly advice in a kind way. James reminds us that "if anyone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back again, you can be sure that the one who brings that person back will save that sinner from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins." (James 5:19-20)

We have such a tremendous opportunity to let our light shine and help be the guidance so many people are looking for but afraid to ask. In doing that we may find that we are helped as well.

Do what you can do to ensure that we don't resemble what Paul was so frustrated by in the Galatians. He said in Galatians 1:6
, "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel..." Don't desert God's instructions for Satan's, you will regret it.

"Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence." (Psalm 27:11-12)

What are "his ways"? Can we understand them? Eph 5:17 tells us that we aren't supposed to be "foolish, but understand God's will". If understanding is possible, then we CAN learn what will make our life easier according to his instructions. I like the way Solomon says it in Prov 22:3 "The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, but the naive go on, and are punished for it." Once we know what God wants from us then we can more easily recognize a plot to ruin our lives and we can hide ourselves from that.

Paul told us to "not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with Good", that should be our goal and by doing so we smooth out the issues we face in life.

God will help

Do not hide Your face from me; do not turn Your servant away in anger; you have been my help; do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take care of me. Psalm 27:9-10

It's wonderful to know that God longs to help us, let him!

Vacation Bible School 2011

Join us this Saturday, July 16th for our Vacation Bible School. It will begin at 9am and end at 2:30pm at the Stuart church of Christ in Stuart, OK right across the street from the school. The theme this year is "Believe it or not it's in the bible". Ages 2 through high school

Come discover all the amazing stories God's word tells us about and how those amazing stories help us in our amazing story. Come join us. It's not a vacation from the bible but a vacation with the bible.

Stuart's Zoo trip

A group from the Stuart church of Christ took a group of kids up to the OKC Zoo. What started out to be a questionble day as far as the weather goes, turned out to be the perfect day to go. Although the crowds were plentiful, it was still good fun. There was a walk for MS at the Zoo earlier in the morning.

Sometimes it seemed the fake animals were the bigger attraction than the real ones.

It was a day well spent with family and friends. At the end of the day many of the kids decided to take some of the animals home with them. Luckily they went with the plastic noisy ones over the large stinky ones.

Thank you for all the people that helped make this trip a success. Our next event is Lazer Tag in Ada sometime in May or June, let me know which you prefer.