OUT ON THE RANCH..........6-16-09

6-16-09
OUT ON THE RANCH it is another gorgeous day!! I didn’t make it up for the sunrise this morning…….SURPRISE…SURPRISE!! But I am up early enough to do my devotions and drink some coffee before the day begins. We have the Community Church from Elk City out with us for a few days. Robert and Becki Chaney are leading the group. The group spent the afternoon in the pool yesterday. This morning they are going to go paintballing. I played one time. There just isn’t enough oxygen on the ranch for this fat boy to be running around on sand hills in the heat. Today the heat of summer begins, according to NOAA. The next three days we are going to be near 100 degrees. Air conditioning and the swimming pool become a necessity from now till September.
The Bermuda grass is going crazy with all this moisture, sunshine, and warmer temperatures. Living on the ranch brings alive some of the descriptions used in Scripture.
John 8:12
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." NKJV
IT IS THE LIGHT OF THE “SUN” THAT BRINGS LIFE TO MY BERMUDA GRASS AND IT IS THE LIGHT OF THE “SON” THAT BRINGS LIFE TO MY SOUL.
John 6:35
35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. NKJV
IT IS THE RAIN THAT QUENCHES THE THIRST OF MY BERMUDA GRASS AND IT IS THE “SON” THAT QUENCHES MY THIRST FOR SPIRITUAL LIFE
Matt 11:28-30
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
NKJV
What a gift God has given us in the person of His Son Jesus Christ. He brings warmth and comfort to our needy soul. He quenches our thirst for spiritual drink. He is also the “Bread of Life”. He fills us with Himself. More and more I “understand” that He is all that I need. We think we need the bread of this life, but God knows we need the bread of LIFE.
John 6:51
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."
NKJV
GOD BLESS
ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND
RIDGE

6-10-09
OUT ON THE RANCH it is raining sheets and sheets of rain. A minute ago it was raining so hard we couldn’t see to the other side of our front yard. We have a pergola that buckled under the force of the wind. I guess I am going to have to amend my prayers, and dial them down just a tad. I have been praying for rain, but not Noah’s flood. I am not complaining just trying to be humorous. I will take a buckled pergola for a good soaker (THANK YOU JESUS). This country is all about the rain. If we get rain it a lush land, and without it we soon become a desert. We are on the fringe. East of us they get a lot more moisture and West of us they hardly get any. This spring has been marvelous for moisture and everything is bright and green.

Last night we had a couple of young ladies stay on the ranch with us from Holland. They were both Medical Doctors in their twenties. They had been to a medical conference in Chicago, and were doing the Route 66 adventure to Amarillo. It was a joy to have them with us. They were personable, bright, beautiful, and wonderful in conversation. It really was a delight. I told them they were sent by God to encourage us. It really is amazing how getting out of yourself and serving someone else can lift your spirits. And these girls were so precious they were easy to serve. I wish we could keep them in Western Oklahoma, but we will be satisfied with a return visit some day in the future.

1 Peter 4:9
9 Practice hospitality to one another (those of the household of faith). [Be hospitable, be a lover of strangers, with brotherly affection for the unknown guests, the foreigners, the poor, and all others who come your way who are of Christ's body.] And [in each instance] do it ungrudgingly (cordially and graciously, without complaining but as representing Him).
AMP

GOD BLESS
ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND
RIDGE

6-9-09
OUT ON THE RANCH this morning I was impressed with the writings of Spurgeon.

"The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad."— Ps 126:3
Some Christians are sadly prone to look on the dark side of everything, and to dwell more upon what they have gone through than upon what God has done for them. Ask for their impression of the Christian life, and they will describe their continual conflicts, their deep afflictions, their sad adversities, and the sinfulness of their hearts, yet with scarcely any allusion to the mercy and help which God has allowed them. But a Christian whose soul is in a healthy state, will come forward joyously, and say, "I will speak, not about myself, but to the honor of my God. He has brought me up out of an horrible pit, and out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings: and He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. The Lord has done great things for me, and I am glad." Such an abstract of experience as this is the very best that any child of God can present. It is true that we endure trials, but it is just as true that we are delivered out of them. It is true that we have our corruptions, and mournfully do we know this, but it is quite as true that we have an all-sufficient Savior, who overcomes these corruptions, and delivers us from their dominion. In looking back, it would be wrong to deny that we have been in the Slough of Despond, and have crept along the Valley of Humiliation, but it would be equally wicked to forget that we have been through them safely and profitably; we have not remained in them, thanks to our Almighty Helper and Leader, who has brought us "out into a wealthy place." The deeper our troubles, the louder our thanks to God, who has led us through all, and preserved us until now. Our griefs cannot mar the melody of our praise, we reckon them to be the bass part of our life's song, "He has done great things for us, and we are glad. (MR. SPURGEON)

The enemy of our soul delights in our misery, and if he can convince us how “sorry” our life is, he has the battle half won. I was walking a couple of days ago and began to try to think of everything I had to praise God for. I stated with the green grass, the wonderful rain, the cool crisp morning and went on to my beautiful wife, friends, and most of all my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The walk lasted about 45 minutes and I never ran out of things to praise Him for. What was really amazing was how wonderful I felt inside when the walk was over. We can have a million things “right” in our life and the enemy reminds us of the one or two things that are challenging us. Most of the negative things that come to our mind never come to pass anyway. Our lives would be so much sweeter if we would heed the advice of Scripture:
Phil 4:8-9
Meditate on These Things
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
NKJV
Meditation upon the positive things of live is a simple concept, but extremely hard to master. You must have faith to believe this, because it is sooo…. Difficult!!! The only way we can accomplish the practice is by the power of Jesus Christ. We can accomplish a great deal by our so called “strong will”, but we will always fail unless undergirded with the power of the Spirit. The “Good News” is that by the blood of Christ we can take every thought captive, and become a non-worrying positive person. The rewards from cultivating this discipline are totally awesome, and I encourage you to begin today!!!
GOD BLESS
ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND
RIDGE

6-1-09
OUT ON THE RANCH it is the first day of June, unbelievable. I was looking at the radar a couple minutes ago, and rain is on the way. God has been so good to us this spring in providing abundant moisture, after a very dry winter. We took our Lorene out for a sandwich tonight, or rather she treated us. What a blessing she is. I can’t imagine what the last 22 years of my life would have been like without her. She has been there time after time when I need someone to talk to. Tonight Elizabeth and I both needed a pep talk, and she was there for us. There surely is a great reward waiting for her in heaven. She is amazing in her consistency. Here we have an 88 year old blind woman giving two healthy, reasonable stable Christians a pep talk. Makes me feel like the spiritual weakling I am……..At least at times.

On our way home after being encouraged by Lorene we stopped by to welcome some new neighbors into our area, and offer them borrowing rights. They will soon be our closest accessible neighbor. Our neighbors across the river may actually be closer as the crow flies, but you can’t get there from here. Our newest residents will only be about one and a half miles away. We are turning into a regular metropolitan area. To give you some insight into our area, there are less than 20,000 people in our entire county. We rely rather heavily on the internet and Old Route 66 for traffic to the Red River Ranch Retreat. It is amazing how many tourists travel Old Route 66 in the summer.

This Scripture came to my mind about our evening.
2 Cor 1:3-5
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. NKJV
GOD COMFORTED US USING LORENE AS HIS VESSEL, AND WE WERE ABLE TO COMFORT OUR NEW NEIGHBORS AND WELCOME THEM TO THE AREA. I told Elizabeth that it sure would have been nice for some of our neighbors to welcome us when we moved here. When we first moved on the ranch we were not only not welcomed, but made to know that we were not wanted here. It brings joy to my heart to extend the hand of hospitality to our newbies, that they may feel welcome.

GOD BLESS
ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND
RIDGE

The Mystery of The New Birth

SERMON
10-21-07

MYSTERY OF THE NEW BIRTH

Mark 4:1-20
4:1 The Parable of the Sower
(Matt 13:1-9; Luke 8:4-8)
And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2 Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:
3 "Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."
9 And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
10 The Purpose of Parables
(Matt 13:10-17; Luke 8:9,10)
But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11 And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12 so that
'Seeing they may see and not perceive,And hearing they may hear and not understand;Lest they should turn,And their sins be forgiven them.'"
13 The Parable of the Sower Explained
(Matt 13:18-23; Luke 8:11-15)
And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble. 18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."
NKJV

1. TO HEAR AND SEE INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD ONE MUST BE BORN AGAIN
John 3:1-9
3:1 The New Birth

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."
3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
4 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"
5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." YOU CANNOT SEE SOMEONE BEING BORN AGAIN, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE WIND OF THE SPIRIT BLOWING THROUGH THEIR LIVES --- YOU CAN’T SEE THE WIND, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE LEAVES BLOWING --- WHEN THE WIND OF THE SPIRIT BLOWS THROUGH YOUR LIFE, SUDDENLY YOU BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE

THE WIND WAS BLOWING THROUGH PETER’S LIFE
Gen 1:1 - Matt 16:19

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"
14 So they said,"Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered and said,"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
NKJV

As a child I wondered where God lived in outer space and how long it would take to get there. Far beyond intergalactic space with its billions of swirling nebulae and novas lies another dimension. Some speculate it's the fifth dimension. Wherever it is and however far out, the Bible calls it the highest of heavens.
You cannot go there in a rocket ship. That's because heaven exists beyond even speeded-up time. Traveling at a zillion miles per hour might catapult you instantly to the edge of our universe, but to take a step into the third heaven requires something different, for our flesh and blood cannot enter it. You must be born again or you cannot, as Jesus warned, "see the kingdom of God."

n Joni Eareckson Tada,

Eph 2:1-13
2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

11 Brought Near by His Blood

Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh — who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands — 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
NKJV
When translator Des Oatridge, working in Papua New Guinea, came to the words "born again" in John's Gospel, he asked his native co-translator to think of a good way to express it. The man explained this custom:
"Sometimes a person goes wrong and will not listen to anybody. We all get together in the village and place that person in the midst of us. The elders talk to him for a long time. 'You have gone wrong!' they say. 'All your thoughts, intentions, and values are wrong. Now you have to become a baby again and start to relearn everything right.'"
It was the answer Des was looking for. Today the words of John 3:3 in Binumarien reads "No one can see the Kingdom of God unless he becomes like a baby again and relearns everything from God's Word."

Titus 3:1-8
Titus 3

3:1 Graces of the Heirs of Grace


Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. 3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
NKJV

Yesterday morning I was on the phone with our daughter who lives with her husband in North Carolina. We were having a great conversation. I was using a wireless phone, and suddenly the phone went dead, and her voice was cut off. I heard only static. I looked at the phone. A little red light was on, and I realized the battery had run out. Suddenly there was no contact.
God created us with the capacity to hear and send signals back and forth to heaven, but sin ruined that. It deadened the batteries of the soul. And Paul, in modern-day terminology, might say we're people with dead batteries. We have the ability to commune with God, but we can't because we're dead. Someone has to recharge the battery. Someone has to put a new battery in.

1 John 5:1-5
5:1 Obedience by Faith


Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
NKJV

IT IS ALONE WITH JESUS THAT THE MYSTERIES ARE EXPLAINED TO US --- YOU MAY BE IN A CROWD BUT THE REVELATION IS GIVEN BY JESUS IN THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Mark 4:34
34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
KJV
3. YOU WILL NEVER KNOW IT ALL --- NOR SEE THE PICTURE CLEARLY, CONSISTENTLY (IT IS A MYSTERY)
IT IS ON PURPOSE THAT THE MYSTERY IS LEFT

The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that He sunk Himself into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding.

In what way, or by what manner of working God changes a soul from evil to good-how he impregnates the barren rock with priceless gems and gold-is, to the human mind, an impenetrable mystery.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)

It is not necessary that we should be able to tell where or how we have been converted, but it is important that we should be able to tell that we are converted.
Dwight Lyman Moody (1837-1899)

The Trinity, the Incarnation, and the Resurrection: your faith and my faith must include these three mysteries. They are difficult to understand. They are not unintelligible-God understands them. But for us there is an element of mystery. The greatest error anyone can make is to think they can fully understand these three mysteries. It makes a mockery of faith.
Mortimer Jerome Adler (1902- )

-- Martin Luther in Table Talk

We gathered this past September for my mother's 80'th birthday party. She had always wanted to go to Hawaii --- So we brought Hawaii to her. That's my mom in the blue lei, sitting next to one of my sister's. She has been a blessing and inspiration to this son. I could tell a thousand stories of her love and devotion to her children. I was very mindful of my mother's yesterday, as it was Mother's Day. My other mother, Lorene MacKenzie is 86 and going strong. God has blessed me with two very special ladies in my life. Thank You Jesus!!

SERMON
5-13-07

05/11/PM

"Only be thou strong and very courageous."
— Josh 1:7

Our God's tender love for His servants makes Him concerned for the state of their inward feelings. He desires them to be of good courage. Some esteem it a small thing for a believer to be vexed with doubts and fears, but God thinks not so. From this text it is plain that our Master would not have us entangled with fears. He would have us without carefulness, without doubt, without cowardice. Our Master does not think so lightly of our unbelief as we do. When we are desponding we are subject to a grievous malady, not to be trifled with, but to be carried at once to the beloved Physician. Our Lord loveth not to see our countenance sad. It was a law of Ahasuerus that no one should come into the king's court dressed in mourning: this is not the law of the King of kings, for we may come mourning as we are; but still He would have us put off the spirit of heaviness, and put on the garment of praise, for there is much reason to rejoice. The Christian man ought to be of a courageous spirit, in order that he may glorify the Lord by enduring trials in an heroic manner. If he be fearful and fainthearted, it will dishonour his God. Besides, what a bad example it is. This disease of doubtfulness and discouragement is an epidemic which soon spreads amongst the Lord's flock. One downcast believer makes twenty souls sad. Moreover, unless your courage is kept up Satan will be too much for you. Let your spirit be joyful in God your Saviour, the joy of the Lord shall be your strength, and no fiend of hell shall make headway against you: but cowardice throws down the banner. Moreover, labour is light to a man of cheerful spirit; and success waits upon cheerfulness. The man who toils, rejoicing in his God, believing with all his heart, has success guaranteed. He who sows in hope shall reap in joy; therefore, dear reader, "be thou strong, and very courageous."

Spurgeon's Morning & Evening, PC Study Bible
ONE OF THE WAYS THE ENEMY COMES AT ME IS CONCERNING MY IMPERFECTIONS --- MY WAYWARD WAYS --- AND I DON’T NECESSARILY MEAN DEPRAVED SIN --- BUT MORE MY FAILURE TO SPEND “ENOUGH” TIME WITH THE LORD IN “SERIOUS” PRAYER --- IN “SERIOUS” BIBLE STUDY
OFTEN IT IS A VAGUE FEELING OF UNWORTHINESS --- BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE THE ENEMY COMES AT ME WITH THE IDEA THAT I AM NOT WORTHY TO RECEIVE THE BLESSINGS OF GOD

THIS PAST WEEK SOMEONE WAS RELATING THE STORY OF A CHRISTIAN THEY KNEW THAT WENT TO THE BAR AND HAD A FEW TOO MANY DRINKS AND CRASHED THEIR CAR ON THE WAY HOME --- THEY RELATED TO THIS PERSON THAT THEY WERE REALLY BLESSED THOUGH THAT GOD HAD PROTECTED THEM FROM SERIOUS INJURY --- HIS COMMENT TO THEM WAS “NO” GOD LEFT YOU ABOUT THAT THIRD OR FOURTH DRINK --- ELIZABETH AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THE INCIDENT AND OUR FAITH THAT GOD WOULD INDEED PROTECT THEM EVEN IF THEY HAD IMBIBED TO MUCH ---

Heb 13:5-6

5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." 6 So we may boldly say:

"The LORD is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?"
NKJV

2 Tim 2:13
13 If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself. NKJV
THAT DOESN’T MEAN WE CAN CONTINUE IN OUR SIN AND NOT EXPECT TO REAP WHAT WE ARE SOWING --- BUT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ACTS OUT OF LOVE TO HIS CHILDREN, HE NEVER
REACTS --- EVEN HIS ANGER IS WITH THE BEST INTEREST OF HIS CHILDREN IN MIND

IF THE PEOPLE IN THE CAR WRECK HAD INJURIES --- IT WOULD NOT BE GOD’S WRATH BUT HIS LOVE WORKING TO DRAW THEM CLOSER TO HIMSELF

IT DOESN’T MEAN THAT GOD DOESN’T GET ANGRY --- WE SEE CLEARLY IN SCRIPTURE THAT HE DOES!!

NOW I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU --- BUT I DON’T WANT JESUS ANGRY AT ME
HE WAS ANGRY AT THE PHARISEES:
Mark 3:1-6
3:1 Healing on the Sabbath
(Matt 12:9-14; Luke 6:6-11)
And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3 And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward." 4 Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent. 5 And when He had looked around at them with anger , being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
NKJV
1. ANGRY BECAUSE OF THE HARDNESS OF THEIR HEARTS
2. UNFORGIVENESS IN OUR HEARTS MAKES HIM ANGRY

Matt 18:21-35

Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"

22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' 27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

28 "But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' 29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' 30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' 34 And his master was angry , and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."
NKJV

1. JESUS WAS ANGRY AT THE HARDNESS OF THE PHARISEES HEARTS --- EVEN IN THAT IS GOD’S LOVE --- BECAUSE TELLING A HARD HEARTED RELIGIOUS PERSON THAT JESUS LOVES THEM IS NOT GOING TO MOVE THEM --- JESUS WAS SOFT AND GENTLE WITH EVEN THE WORST OF THE SINNERS --- BECAUSE HE KNEW IT WAS HIS KINDNESS THAT WOULD BRING THEM TO REPENTANCE --- THE HARD HEARTED PHARISEES NEEDED A SLEDGE HAMMER, NOT A SOFT ARM OF COMFORT
2. GOD’S ANGER AT UNFORGIVENESS --- HIS LOVE UNDERSTANDS THE DANGER FOR HIS CHILDREN IN HOLDING ON TO UNFORGIVENESS
In his book, Lee: The Last Years, Charles Bracelen Flood reports that after the Civil War, Robert E. Lee visited a Kentucky lady who took him to the remains of a grand old tree in front of her house. There she bitterly cried that its limbs and trunk had been destroyed by Federal Artillery fire. She looked to Lee for a word condemning the North or at least sympathizing with her loss. After a brief silence, Lee said, "Cut it down, my dear Madam, and forget it." It is better to forgive the injustices of the past than to allow them to remain, let bitterness take root and poison the rest of our life.

n Michael Williams, Morganfield, Kentucky

TODAY IS MOTHER’S DAY AND I WAS MEDITATING ON THE LOVE THAT A GOOD MOTHER HAS FOR HER CHILDREN
1. MY SISTER AND I WENT OUT DRINKING ONE NIGHT AND WERE IN A TERRIBLE CAR ACCIDENT --- I DON’T THINK MOTHER EVEN ASKED IF WE HAD BEEN DRINKING --- SHE WAS THERE FOR US AT THE HOSPITAL TO SEE US THROUGH THE DIFFICULTY --- FORTUNATELY GOD HAD MERCY ON US AND WE HAD NO SERIOUS INJURIES
2. I LOST MY MOTHER’S FARM IN MY WHEELING AND DEALING OIL DAYS --- SHE LET ME MOVE IN WITH HER AND SHE GAVE ME HER KING SIZED BED, WHILE SHE SLEPT ON A BUNK BED --- THERE WAS NEVER A MENTION OF WHAT I HAD LOST --- NO TRACE OF UNFORGIVENESS
3. MOTHER’S ANGER CAME OUT ONCE WHEN I WAS DRINKING HEAVILY --- TELLING ME I WAS RUINING MY LIFE --- BUT HER ANGER WAS AN ANGER OF LOVE BECAUSE SHE KNEW I NEEDED A WAKE UP CALL OR MY LIFE WOULD BE RUINED

A mother is God's deputy on earth.
Rachel L. Varnhagen

A mother understands what a child does not say.
Jewish Proverb

An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy.
Spanish Proverb

Countless times each day a mother does what no one else can do quite as well. She wipes away a tear, whispers a word of hope, eases a child's fear. She teaches, ministers, loves, and nurtures the next generation of citizens. And she challenges and cajoles her kids to do their best and be the best. But no editorials praise these accomplishments-where is the coverage our mothers rightfully deserve?
James C. Dobson (1936- )
And Gary L. Bauer (1946- )

God can't always be everywhere, and so he invented mothers.
Sir Edwin Arnold (1832-1904)

In the eyes of its mother every beetle is a gazelle.
African Proverb

No man is poor who has had a godly mother.
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

Thank you, God,
For pretending not to notice that one of
Your angels is missing and for guiding her to me.
You must have known how much I would need her, so
You turned your head for a minute and allowed her to slip away to me.
Sometimes I wonder what special name you had for her.
I call her "Mother."
Bernice Maddux

The God to whom little boys say their prayers has a face very like their mother's.
Sir James M. Barrie (1860-1937)

A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.

My thirteen-year-old daughter is perhaps having more trouble than some teens "discovering who she is" because she is adopted from South Korea and we have no idea who her birth mother might be.
Recently Amy received braces on her teeth and she was more and more uncomfortable as the day wore On. By bedtime she was miserable. I gave her some medication and invited her to snuggle up with me for awhile. Soon she became more comfortable and drowsy. In a small voice that gradually tapered off to sleep she said, "Mom, I know who my real mom is, it is the one who takes away the hurting."
Margaret H. Cobb

I HAVE HAD SOME TREMENDOUS REJECTIONS IN MY LIFE

BUT GOD HAS BLESSED ME WITH TWO MOTHERS THAT LOVE JESUS AND THAT’S ENOUGH
About 6:00 A.M. on a Wednesday morning James Lawson of Running Springs, California (in the San Bernardino mountains) left home to apply for a job. About an hour later his thirty-six-year-old wife Patsy left for her fifth grade teaching job down the mountain in Riverside--accompanied by her two children, five-year-old Susan and two-year-old Gerald--to be dropped off at the baby-sitter's. Unfortunately, they never got that far. Eight and a half hours later the man found his wife and daughter dead in their wrecked car, upside down in a cold mountain stream. His two-year-old son was just barely alive in the forty-eight-degree water. But in that death the character of a mother was revealed in a most dramatic and heart-rending way. For when the father scrambled down the cliff to what he was sure were the cries of his dying wife, he found her locked in death, holding her little boy's head just above water in the submerged car. For eight and a half hours Patsy Lawson had held her beloved toddler afloat and had finally died, her body almost frozen in death in that position of self-giving love, holding her baby up to breathe. She died that another might live. That's the essence of a mother's love.

GOD’S LOVE IS REFLECTED IN THE FACES OF MOTHER’S

REMEMBER LAST WEEK’S MESSAGE AND THIS ADMONITION
A small church's most effective tool for creating a good church reputation may be its willingness to help those in need.

A Tree Planted By The Living Water

5-7-07

Elizabeth (pictured here) and I went for a ride today. It was the only way we could look our flooded ranch over. Pictured are some trees that may be uprooted by the flooding North Fork. The Living Water, Jesus, will never uproot us if we abide by Him.

SERMON
5-6-07

Gen 1:9-13

9 Then God said,"Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

11 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth"; and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.
NKJV
A SIMPLE PRINCIPLE --- PEACH TREES HAVE PEACHES FOR FRUIT --- APPLE TREES HAVE APPLES AND APPLE SEEDS --- THAT PRODUCE MORE APPLE TREES --- WHAT KIND OF A TREE ARE YOU??

Matt 7:15-20

15 You Will Know Them by Their Fruits

(Matt 12:33; Luke 6:43-45)

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
NKJV

Matt 12:33
"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.
NKJV

Mark 11:12 THE HYPOCRITE FIG TREE

Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again."
And His disciples heard it.
15 Jesus Cleanses the Temple
(Matt 21:12-17; Luke 19:45-48; John 2:13-22)
So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 16 And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 17 Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"
18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching. 19 When evening had come, He went out of the city.
20 The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree
(Matt 21:20-22)
Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away."
22 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
NKJV

TESTIMONY OF THE NEW TREE FOUND ON OUR PROPERTY IN THE DEEP DARK WOODS
1. LEAVES INDICATE IT IS
A. BLACK LOCUST
B. BLACK WALNUT
C. BUTTERNUT (WHITE WALNUT)

2. BARK ELEMINATES THE BLACK LOCUST
3. I WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE FRUIT TO DETERMINE FOR SURE IF IT IS A BLACK WALNUT OR A WHITE WALNUT --- OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT THE COMPUTER DIDN’T TELL ME

OUR FRUIT (WORKS) IS PROOF OF OUR RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST --- PROOF OF WHAT KIND OF TREE WE REALLY ARE --- A JESUS TREE OR A DEVIL TREE

James 2:14-26

14 Faith Without Works Is Dead
(cf. Gen 22; Josh 2:1)
What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
NKJV

The upper galleries at Versailles are filled with portraits, many of them extremely valuable and ancient. These are the likenesses of the greatest people of all lands and ages, drawn by the ablest artists. Yet more visitors wander through the rooms with little or no interest. In fact, after noticing one or two of the more prominent pictures, they hasten through the suite of chambers and descend to the other floors. Notice the change when the sightseers come to fine paintings like those of Horace Vernet, where the men and women are not inactive portraits but are actively engaged. There the warrior who was passed by without notice upstairs is seen hewing his way to glory over heaps of slain, or the statesman is observed delivering weighty words before an assembly of princes and peers. Not the people but their actions engross attention. Portraits have no charm when scenes of stirring interest are set in rivalry with them. After all, then, let us be who or what we may, we must push ourselves or be mere nobodies, chips in the porridge, forgotten shells on the beach. If we would impress we must act. The dignity of standing still will never win the prize; we must run for it. Our influence over our times will arise mainly from our doing and suffering the will of God, not from our office or person. Life, life in earnest, life for God--this will tell on the age. But mere orderliness and propriety, inactive and passionless, will be utterly inoperative.

n Charles Haddon Spurgeon


Ps 1
Psalms 1

1:1 The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,Nor stands in the path of sinners,Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water,That brings forth its fruit in its season,Whose leaf also shall not wither;And whatever he does shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so,But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
NKJV
1. WE BEAR FRUIT WHEN WE REMAIN CLOSE TO THE LIVING WATER (JESUS)
2. WE BEAR FRUIT WHEN WE MEDITATE UPON HIS PRINCIPLES AND LOVE THEM

Our faith becomes practical when it is expressed in two books: the date book and the check book.

n Elton Trueblood.

John 5:31-40

31 The Fourfold Witness


"If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. 33 You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. 35 He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. 36 But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish — the very works that I do — bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. 37 And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
NKJV

1. JOHN BORE WITNESS
2. HIS WORKS BORE WITNESS
3. THE FATHER BORE WITNESS
4. THE SCRIPTURES BORE WITNESS

IF JESUS WAS WITNESSED TO BY HIS WORKS --- DOESN’T IT MAKE SENSE THAT OUR WORKS ARE GOING TO BEAR WITNESS TO WHO WE ARE

A small church's most effective tool for creating a good church reputation may be its willingness to help those in need.

An illustration of the balance between faith and works lies hidden within any tree. Leaves use up nutrients in the process of photosynthesis. As the leaves consume nutrients in the sap, a suction is formed, which draws more sap from the roots. Without the sap, the leaves and branches would die. But the continual flow of this sap comes only as it is used up by the work of the leaf.
Likewise, through faith we draw life from Christ. But a continual supply of fresh spiritual nutrients depends on our willingness to "consume" the old supply through our acts of obedience, through our works.

1 Tim 6:17

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
NKJV

While serving with Operation Mobilization in India in 1967, tuberculosis forced me into a sanitarium for several months. I did not yet speak the language, but I tried to give Christian literature written in their language to the patients, doctors, and nurses. Everyone politely refused. I sensed many weren't happy about a rich American (to them all Americans are rich) being in a free, government-run sanitarium. (They didn't know I was just as broke as they were!)
The first few nights I woke around 2:00 A.M. coughing. One morning during my coughing spell, I noticed one of the older and sicker patients across the aisle trying to get out of bed. He would sit up on the edge of the bed and try to stand, but in weakness would fall back into bed. I didn't understand what he was trying to do. He finally fell back into bed exhausted. I heard him crying softly.
The next morning I realized what the man had been trying to do. He had been trying to get up and walk to the bathroom! The stench in our ward was awful. Other patients yelled insults at the man. Angry nurses moved him roughly from side to side as they cleaned up the mess. One nurse even slapped him. The old man curled into a ball and wept. The next night I again woke up coughing. I noticed the man across the aisle sit up and again try to stand. Like the night before, he fell back whimpering.
I don't like bad smells, and I didn't want to become involved, but I got out of bed and went over to him. When I touched his shoulder, his eyes opened wide with fear. I smiled, put my arms under him, and picked him up. He was very light due to old age and advanced TB. I carried him to the washroom, which was just a filthy, small room with a hole in the floor. I stood behind him with my arms under his armpits as he took care of himself. After he finished, I picked him up, and carried him back to his bed. As I laid him down, he kissed me on the cheek, smiled, and said something I couldn't understand.
The next morning another patient woke me and handed me a steaming cup of tea. He motioned with his hands that he wanted a tract. As the sun rose, other patients approached and indicated they also wanted the booklets I had tried to distribute before. Throughout the day nurses, interns, and doctors asked for literature.
Weeks later an evangelist who spoke the language visited me, and as he talked to others he discovered that several had put their trust in Christ as Savior as a result of reading the literature. What did it take to reach these people with the gospel? It wasn't health, the ability to speak their language, or a persuasive talk. I simply took a trip to the bathroom. (GOOD DEEDS AND WORKS PREPARED BEFOREHAND BY THE LORD)

-- Doug Nichols, Bothell, Washington.