That's Not Fair!

We are concerned by how often we hear a very nerve-racking phrase from children and adults alike (even caught myself saying last night), "That's Not Fair!". We are working on shaving that phrase right out of our family's vocabulary for the most part. The "epidemic of entitlement" has front billing in the world's philosophy and it is a stinky attitude to breed in our children. After a tiny bit of research, it didn't take long to see that is actually a phrase promoted in the schools, preached by the President and practiced by over-indulging parents. It is a sore disservice to our children if we continue in "the world revolves around me" philosophy that is present all around us. It is NOT biblical, ethical or even healthy according to some doctors. How would we learn to trust the Lord or direct glory to Him in the growing times if we all were allotted the same blessings and benefits? Let's recognize that we are so blessed to be created in God's image, with God-given possibilities and God's Perfect Gift of Salvation. I realize that we are up against "the system" in curbing "That's not fair!"talk. I understand that there are less fortunate according to the world's standard. I also KNOW that "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13 KJV)" That sounds about fair to me!

No Hunger Games With God!

• I need a volunteer from the audience, please!  YOU THERE, yes, you will be the perfect Vanna White for the job.  On the board beneath you is a list of 11 bible verses.  I need you to speed read the verses and see if you see a recurring "thought" in the passage . (that was a clue!). Ready, set, Go!!!!

• "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. "(Matthew 6:24-34 KJV)

• Great job!  Now, what is the phrase?  
• You say, "Take no thought"?
• The survey says... "YOU ARE CORRECT!"  
• This passage is from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and 5 times in these 11 verses, our sweet Lord, tells not to even THINK about our  earthly needs.  That's it!  
• Game over!  
• At least that's where our worry ends!  And before you can choose door #1 and say "God didn't save us to sit!", He orchestrates the perfect game plan and moves us to, "seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."                         
• Are you taking thought of your needs?
• Try Again!
•                             
• Are you Seeking God First?                                        
• YOU WIN!

"This Blessed Old Book That I Hold In My Hand". MUST BE READ!!!

I like to post Bible verses that are a blessing to me as Facebook or Twitter updates. Many times this is a verse effortlessly shared from an app on my tablet. However, today's verses are NOT from my Bible reader. These are from the beautifully soft, air-thin pages of my favorite KJV bible that had already been retired. I have read through this Bible and dedicated it to our 2nd daughter, but it has somehow made it's way back in circulation again. It was in hand this morning, but I wasn't reading it. I was worrying about things. The Holy Spirit broke into my thoughts with a question like this, "Well,...aren't you going to READ it?". So, I opened up God's Word and on my way to Proverbs 4 I "happened" upon Ps.119:169-176.  I almost laughed, because God seemed to be reminding me specifically that understanding any of life's dilemmas are found "according to thy WORD"!  Why do I forget this even for a moment? "Lord, help me NEVER neglect the READING of your road map for my life. I cherish your precious Word!" "Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord: give me understanding according to thy word. Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word. My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes. My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness. Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts. I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord; and thy law is my delight. Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments. (Psalm 119:169-176 KJV)"

Dr. Bobby Roberson

Walking With Giants from Lancaster Baptist Church on Vimeo.

Bro. Bobby is one of my Papa's best friends. This interview was such a blessing to me. Bro. Bobby shares testimony of times he spent with great men of God who have now passed on to glory. Dr. Harold Sightler was my Papa's pastor and if it wasn't for the burden God laid on his heart to send a missionary to the hills of Kentucky, then I don't suppose I would even be born. My Papa, Evertie Moore, heard his pastor share the burden then answered God's call to go. He moved his family to those Appalacian Hills and was there for 41 years. This is where my dad found his bride and you guessed it...here I am! Please enjoy this interview beautifully prepared by the Lancaster Baptist Church, Lancaster, California and Pastor Paul Chappell.

A Day of Rest

2

Genesis 3:2 "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made."



"How" did God rest on the seventh day? Did He take a nap or a walk? Maybe, but the Bible tells us that on the seventh day of Creation, He ENDED the Work which he had made, and praise the Lord He Finished the work of Redemtion when He died on the cross for me. He RESTED on that day, and for three days and nights he lay in that tomb and "rested" in death so I wouldn't have to die and spend an eternity in Hell. He BLESSED that first day of rest and in so blessing that day he blessed the rest of the days to come. On one of those days, Jesus was born, died and rose again! Because of Him, all of my days are blessed! On this New Year's "day of rest", I wish to bless some lost soul and lead them to that rest that is perfect in Jesus.

Happy New Year's Day of Our Lord's Rest 2011!

Clean

Leviticus 12:8
And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.


They say it was only in modern medicine that a sterile environment was encouraged in dealing with the ill. Doctors of the middle ages didn't see the need to sterilize surgical knives or even wash their hands between patients. I guess they carried the motto, " What you can't see, can't hurt you." It is too bad these ancient physicians failed to turn to the best medical journal ever, the Bible! They would have read the importance God put on cleanliness and even quarantines. The Lord was very specific about what the Children of Israel should eat, how they should deliver babies and especially how to deal with leprosy.

I should pay more attention to the laws God placed on his chosen ones for their own good and for mine. I am thankful, however, that I have been washed clean forever by the cleansing wave, the Blood of Jesus. I was unable to bring a lamb of my own righteousness. I had not enough good things to pay for my sins. Christ didn't demand of me a dove or a pigeon to pronounce me clean. Jesus, the Lamb, made atonement for me with his precious, perfect blood. Then He ,as High Priest Eternal, pronounced me CLEAN! He lifted me up out of the miry clay! He made me whiter than snow! Praise Him!

Are You Washed in the Blood?

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Refrain

Are you washed in the blood,

In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?

Are your garments spotless?

Are they white as snow?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Refrain

When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright,

And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Refrain

Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,

And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;

There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,

O be washed in the blood of the Lamb!

Refrain

Elisha A. Hoffman, 1878

Wise-Hearted Women

Ex 26:1-2

Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them. The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure.

Exodus 35:25 -26
And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen. And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair

I am the thankful owner of a brand new Sewing Machine! It was my Christmas gift from Mom and Dad. I have never had the privilege to sew the first stitch on any sewing machine, although "sew" many of my close friends and relatives sewed my whole life. I don't if anyone really trusted clumsy me with sewing! I can remember being warned against getting my fingers sewed together! It's no wonder I never gave sewing a try until now. To be honest, I'm still a little nervous about my first sewing project. I'm afraid that I won't know how to sew. There is a lot of complicated terminology in sewing. Selvage, wrong sides together, etc. Why, oh why didn't I take Home EC. in College?

It is because of my lack of know-how that my mom came over and stitched the cutest pair of curtains for my kitchen window. I helped her cut the fabric and measure the window, but that is as far as I assisted. Since, I was pretty busy with the rest of the kitchen remodel, mom created a pair of curtains for under $4.00. They look Amazing.

I was reminded of our recent sewing project while reading in Exodus this week. Wow, think of all those curtains that God ordered for the Tabernacle of the Wilderness. He was so specific in just the way they should be pieced together and exactly what fabric and color each should be. What a privileged it must have been to weave and sew those curtains. Can you imagine sewing a straight stitch on a seam that was as tall as a building? And all without a sewing machine. I don't believe the fabrics would have been very easy to work with textures ranging from fine-twined linen to goats skin! I don't think I would have been chosen to work on that special project!









I watched mom sew my little kitchen curtains and she had to stop and think, measure and remeasure just to make both panels match. It took "sew" much thought and brain power. Sewing these very important curtains in the Tabernacle required a team of extra dedicated workers. This team had to follow God's pattern down to the exact last stitch. I am excited to read that God used women! The Bible says that Women who were "Wise Hearted" worked on possibly the most beautiful drapes that have ever been.

I may not be on the sewing squad, but I want to be one of those wise-hearted women that is always available for any project where God could use me!