Hope as the Anchor of our Souls

I was thinking the other day about the hope and how people hope for many things. They may hope their kids go to college. They may hope to buy a new car or that their husband remembers their birthday. If the things we hope for do not come to pass, it can be even more disheartening than if they are just put off for awhile. Proverbs 13:12: Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. There is a record in the book of Acts of some men whose ship was caught up in a great storm like a hurricane. They had lowered the sails, cast overboard all of the ship’s cargo, cast out all the furnishings and had let the storm drive the ship in the hope that they might survive. This went on for days with no end of the storm in sight. Finally, it says in Acts 27:20: Acts 27:20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. We as born again believers should never be in the position that we have no hope. We may not see our immediate desires come to pass, but if we keep our mind’s eye on the hope of Jesus Christ’s soon return, that can bring joy and peace in the midst of less than perfect situations. Job was a man like that. He had lost all of his wealth: his cattle and his sheep and his camels. He had lost all his sons and daughters, he had lost the affection and respect of his wife and sores wracked his body. That was not all. Job also declares in chapter 19 that his relatives had failed him, his intimate friends had forgotten him, those that lived in his house and his maids considered him a stranger, his breath was offensive to his wife and children despised him. Yet in Job 19:25-27a, Job declares: Job 19:25-27a: And as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God; Whom I myself shall behold (on my side, another translation says as a friend) And whom my eyes shall see and not another… (NASV) Through all these trials, the anchor of Job’s soul was, that even though all the hopes he may have had of this life on earth were gone, there was still another day coming when his Redeemer was coming to stand on the earth and Job would see him as a friend. What a hope in the midst of trials, what an anchor for a person’s life! Heb 6:19: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Hebrews 11:1 also tells us that believing is the title deed of things hoped for. And in Romans 15:13: Rom 15:13: Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (NASV) It is God’s desire to fill us with joy and peace in believing that we may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. The hope of Christ’s soon return becomes an anchor to our souls, as it was to Job’s, as we believe it in the depths of our hearts. Then the God of hope can fill each of us with joy and peace so that we can abound more in hope even in the midst of less than perfect circumstances.

Some Things In Life Never Change

If you have received this letter, at least the post office is still working after the “millennium.” A week ago we were not quite sure what would be working and what would not after the first of the year. That is the way of life many times. Situations change and people change, and they sometimes seem to change in a heartbeat. Circumstances or situations that we find ourselves in can be a lot like the weather. We wake up in the morning to rain, but by afternoon the sun is shining again. But there are some things in life that never change: God, His Word and His son, Jesus Christ. These are faithful, and they are the same day after day. In rain or in sunshine, in the cold of winter or in the heat of summer, God is always faithful to His Word. He never changes and in Him is no shadow of turning. We do not have to wonder if He will still be there when we get up in the morning or if speaking in tongues will still work next week. No matter what the new millennium brings, no situation or circumstance will change the promises in God’s wonderful Word. They will not change the nature of God nor cause His son to become unreliable. Just as God has met our needs in the past, He will continue to do so. Just as He has kept His promises in the past ,back to the days of Adam, He will keep his promises in the years to come and beyond. Because we live in such uncertain times, it is comforting to know that our God is a solid rock, that His Word is sure, and that His son is a solid foundation upon which to build our lives. All the rest of the world may or may not be in turmoil, but whatever the circumstances, we can be at peace on the inside. For God said by way of the prophet Isaiah: Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance (a quiet confidence or serenity) for ever. This righteousness that God gave us at the time of the new birth is not affected by clocks or the actions of people. It is permanent and it is genuine. Many things in life may change, but because God is faithful to His Word, we can manifest that peace and quiet serenity on the inside in spite of the circumstances around us. God has truly given us a wonderful life. Peace in the midst of turmoil AND the hope of even better days yet to come with the return of Jesus Christ. What a life!

Can You Pawn Your Eternal Life?

If, you buy a home in Oklahoma, you only own the surface of the land. Someone else more than likely owns the minerals or oil below. They can drill on your land and pay you hardly anything for all the minerals they take from the land. I do not know if Oklahoma is unique in this, but it must have been a conniving schemer who figured people would pay full price for the surface rights while being denied the right to the minerals that lay beneath it. Can you imagine what it would be like if we could sell our spirit separate from our bodies and souls? What would it be like if you were in a really tight jam, and you could pawn your eternal life to get enough cash to see you through till you could redeem your spirit? Some sharp sucker would buy up the unredeemed holy spirits, bundle them up in even lots of 100 each and sell them on the futures market. Then if God still wanted us for sons and daughters, He would have to redeem us all over again! Fortunately, this is impossible. We cannot be separated from the holy spirit we received at the moment we were born again. God cannot jerk it out or reclaim it if we are bad. We cannot pawn it if we are broke, and no one can steal it if we are not paying attention! It cannot be sold out from under us. God’s gift to us of holy spirit is permanent. What a blessing! Jesus Christ did a perfect work of redemption. Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, And as if saying it once in Ephesians were not enough, God says it again so we cannot say it was just an odd verse. Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Sealed—that is pretty clear. We live in the greatest administration yet. Adam lost his spirit; Saul lost his, but ours is sealed. We cannot sin it away. We cannot misplace it. We will never see it for sale on the futures market. No one can separate us from our gift of eternal life. Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Not even a sharp attorney with all the legalese in the world can separate you from your father. Galations 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption (sonship, or that we might be placed as sons by name and by birth) of sons. Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption (sonship) of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, God changed the rules concerning adoption. When He places a person as a son or daughter, He does it right! Placed as sons by name and by birth!!

Wake Up!

As God’s children, we are involved in a war whether we like it or not, whether we choose to admit it or recognize it.  The only way to understand the battle is to go to the Word of God and see what our Father has to say.  What He says may not be the popular opinion of the moment, but it is still the truth.

 

     Ephesians 6:11-12

         Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

 

Some folks look at bad situations and ask, “Why do these things happen?” 

Some folks say evil in the world is caused by poverty, or lack of education, or other inequalities in the world. Some say, “Well, it is just a difference of personalities.”

 

We learned that all evil can ultimately be laid at the feet of the prince of the power of the air, the Devil. The Devil is the god of this world, and until he is put out of business we have to deal with his shenanigans.

 

God’s Word is a handbook on how to live in this present evil world victoriously through Jesus Christ. We cannot stop all evil from coming our way, but we can determine how we will handle it in our minds. 

 

The Apostle Paul had some tremendously evil things happen to him in his life as he endeavored to move God’s Word.  When evil came his way, he did as many believers have done in the past; he called upon The Almighty for help. 

 

     2 Corinthians 1:8-10

     For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:  Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

 

Paul wrote by revelation in the book of Romans that we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  In every situation, we can call upon God our Father for help, and then we can see His grace at work in our lives. 

 

We may be cast down at times, but we are never destroyed because God has given us the victory through Christ Jesus our Lord.  We may not know the details of each battle that we have yet to fight; but having read the end of the book, we know that the cause of all evil dies to live no more, and we live to never die.  So put on your armour, wake up and fight!

 

Yours in Christ,

 

Till the devil, death and hell are cast into the lake of fire,

The Circuit Rider

People Don't Change Much

People Don't Change Much

I have been thinking what motivates people to stay in politics on the
Federal level. They do not stand for any type of priniciples but they sure
love to be on tv and to be quoted.
You can watch them on TV and they love the attention.
I think this is section of scripture has the answer. People have not changed much.
You could make a comparison on almost every line.
Mat 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
Mat 23:2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
Mat 23:3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do;
but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
Health care is for you, but not for them!
Mat 23:4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them
on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their
fingers.
Heavy burdens? Huge fines for not having health insurance and inforced by 12,000 additional IRS agents.
Mat 23:5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad
their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
They love to bang that gavel and give endless speeches. (Reminds one of Castro)
Mat 23:6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the
synagogues,
Mat 23:7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men,
They do not bother to read the bills because that is not their primary
interest.
They live for all the attention they receive from their staff, their party, their constituents, their committies and especially the sound bites for TV .
Mat 23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ;
and all ye are brethren.
"Senator" "Representative" "Mr. President"
Mat 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father,
which is in heaven.
Mat 23:10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
Mat 23:11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
This is an idea that is foreign to most elected officials.
Mat 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that
shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Mat 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut
up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves,
neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
Our elected officail have so institued new taxes so as to keep us in servitude for ever.
Mat 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour
widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall
receive the greater damnation.
They take our money throught emormous taxes and then make great speeches as to how righteous their actions are with great pride.
People don't change much apparently.

Mat 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass
sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold
more the child of hell than yourselves.

Transforming Education with Government Help

Along with the Senate Health Care bill the House passed last night, an education reform funding package that was included in the Senate version.

Now anyone who wants a school loan will have to go before a government board to get it.



Interesting.



It will be interesting to see who receives approval for these loans, as most people involved at all levels of public education are socialist/progressive/democrats. Now since all prospective college applicants needing school loans can no longer go to their local banker but must apply to a socialist/ progressive/ democratic government for school loans



In the normal business world loans are made on the ability to pay and the prospect for success of the venture. But some in the current obama administrations have said now that: "those that have been raised with privilege (ability to pay) will have to step aside for those who have not (don't have the ability to pay) so the less fortunate can share some of the success of life"



So we can expect our colleges to be filled with those that were formerly rejected because of inability to pay and probably those of lower test scores. The business world should be celebrating!



Many years ago some people looked at public education 1-12 and opted out. They saw the extreme liberal policies and politicizing of the schools by the NEA and said I can do better. This was the birth of the modern Home School movement.



At first Home Schoolers were thought of as kooks, and those in the public sector tried to marginalize and outlaw them,but eventually the public opionion of them changed. When we started teaching our children at home in Oklahoma, the state owned universities stance was that we don't want Home Schoolers and would not admit them. But by the time our kids graduated from high school the state owned universities has changed their tune. They actively recruited my oldest child as a National Merit Scholar. These schools found that these Home Schooled kids made them look good.



They made better grades, had lower dropout rates, came to class more conistently, and generally made the university look better with better statistics.



There is a good possibility that these new loan laws will prompt some to begin to do more College-at-home and because of the sad state of universities actual education of young people, business may take a longer look in a few years at that idea of self directed college. After all results are what business is after.



In the future, business may take a liking to College-at-home applicants over those that were formerly "outside the pale" that gained their government education at government schools with government funds.



In the long run government schools may be extremely marginalized by the free market.



The Circuit Rider

Does God Have A Plan For Your Life? NO!!!

I hear this quite frequently that “God has a plan for your life”. Yet many people are left wondering what that plan is for their life. Does He Want me to marry and who to? What kind of job does God want me to have? Does he want me to be a missionary, a preacher or an auto mechanic?

Each person has freedom of will to make his or her own decisions in life. We have the freedom to choose whether or not to believe God raised Jesus Christ from the dead and to accept him as lord. So also we have the freedom to choose what we will do with the rest of our lives. You might ask then, “what input does The Almighty have in my day to day life?”

When I was growing up, I never heard anyone except the crazy people in court say that God talked to them. It was just never mentioned. But now, all over Christianity, it is much more common to hear people speak of this subject. God never lost His tongue; we have just become more aware of His voice.

As we live our lives and plan our days, we make many plans. As we plan and prepare, God is right there with us to help, to lead and to direct just as He has done with others throughout history.

Acts 16:6-9 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.

Paul really wanted to take God’s Word to the gentiles in Asia. It was part of what Paul had planned to do on his itinerary. But as he carried out his plan, God said, “No, Macedonia is where I need you next.” Later he went into Asia, and then, when the time was right, he established churches in Ephesus and Colosse and other cities of Asia.

Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: But the Lord directeth his steps.
Proverbs 16:1 The preparations of the heart in man, And the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.

E.W. Bullinger has an interesting translation of Proverbs 16:1. “To man pertain the plans of his heart; but from Jehovah comes the final decree (the last word).” This is exactly what happened in the Apostle Paul’s life. He was an individual who understood that as a son of God, he had the freedom to choose which path in life he wanted to take but as he went about his daily work, he was attentive to his Father’s still small voice. God is at work within us to will and to do of His good pleasure. It is up to us to remember to listen to His still, small voice, to listen to His wisdom, to go with His sense of timing, to let Him have the last word. He is just as able and willing to talk to us today as He was in the past with Moses and Samuel and with Peter and Paul.
God has never stopped talking; we have just learned to listen.

So make some plans, just remember to listen.

The Circuit Rider

Why Do Bad Things Happen?

Some folks look at bad situations and ask, “Why do these things happen?”
Some folks say evil in the world is caused by poverty, or lack of education, or other inequalities in the world.
Some say, “Well, it is just a difference of personalities.”

The Book of the ages tells us we are involved in a war whether we like it or not, whether we choose to admit it or recognize it. The only way to understand the battle is to go to the Word of God and see what God has to say. What He says may not be the popular opinion of the moment, but it is still the truth, even if it is an ancient truth.

Ephesians 6:11-12
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

In The Timeless Book we learn that all evil can ultimately be laid at the feet of the prince of the power of the air, the Devil. The Devil is the god of this world, and until he is put out of business we have to deal with his shenanigans.

God’s Word is a handbook on how to live in this present evil world victoriously through Jesus Christ. We cannot stop all evil from coming our way, but we can determine how we will handle it in our minds.

The Apostle Paul had some tremendously evil things happen to him in his life. When evil came his way, he did as many have done in the past; he called upon The Almighty for help. And help He did.!!!

Paul wrote at one point that he wanted the people of his time to know about the trouble he had in Asia, that he and those that were with him were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that they despaired even of life: But he also wrote that they did not trust in themselves to get out of the situation, “ but in God which raiseth the dead. This great Apostle also wrote that we are more than conquerors in every situation through him who loved us.

We may be cast down at times, but we are never destroyed because God has given us the victory through Christ Jesus our Lord. We can claim that victory in our lives every moment of the day. We may not know the details of each battle that we have yet to fight; but having read The Book and having read the end of The Book, we know that the cause of all evil dies to live no more, and we live to never die. So put on your armor, wake up and fight!

Till the devil, death and hell are cast into the lake of fire,

The Circuit Rider