Category: Get Together Writings

GET TOGETHER- IT IS ALWAYS BETTER WITH HIM

Ps 84:10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

A couple of Fridays ago while I was teaching at a discipleship ministry that is primarily targeting people that have been caught up in substance abuse and addiction, I shared with them about a time that something very traumatic happened to me and our family. I told them although it was a very hard day, it was still better than any day that I had ever experienced before becoming a Christian.

That might sound strange. Did I hurt that day? Yes, I did? Did I have lots of questions that day? Yes, I did. Did it take some time to grieve and mourn what happened that day? Yes, it did.

On the other hand, I have often thought about how I would have reacted if I had not been walking with Jesus Christ and had not been filled with the Holy Spirit. In my old days I would have tried to numb the pain with drugs, or alcohol. But praise God that there is a Comforter that is with us when we experience terrible situations.

Now let me shift gears here a little bit. Wickedness is marketed, approved of and exalted in our culture today to a greater degree than I have ever seen it in my lifetime. Television commercials and television shows are designed to appeal to the sinful nature of humanity. All sin comes in one of these three categories: 1Jo 2:16 For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not of the Father but is of the world. (NKJV)

The tents of wickedness are made to look so glamourous. The world will try to convince us that if we are not dwelling in the tents of wickedness that we are just not with it. This is not a new thing. Adam and Eve fell for it. Ge 3:4-6 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. “For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”¶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

King David a man after God’s own heart even fell for it after he took his eyes off the Lord. 2Sa 11:2-4 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” T hen David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. David would repent of his sin, but he also suffer some very serious consequences from his act of sin. His one night in the tent of wickedness had some very serious ramifications. Thank God that he repented and was restored and would get to enjoy the blessings of being in the House of the Lord.

As I mentioned earlier, we live in a culture that can make sin look more glamorous than at anytime in human history. And yet it is still the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, and the lust of the flesh that will try to draw us into the tents of wickedness.

There will be times in our walk with the Lord that the enemy will attempt to entice us to come into the tents of wickedness. Remember that it is better to be a doorkeeper in the House of the Lord than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. One day in His courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I have dwelt in the tents of wickedness. I can honestly tell you that what the psalmist says here is so true. I would not exchange the most challenging day that I have ever experienced as a Christian for the temporary pleasures of sin that at once so controlled my life. We can look to these words from David as an assurance for those who have been born again by faith in the precious blood of Jesus Christ Ps 23:6 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.”(NKJV) Now since when we can dwell there why would we want to ever dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Let Us Pray

Lord Jesus we thank You that You are with us in the most terrible situations, but You work for good in them. We also thank you that we can experience the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Take any and all desire that any of us would have to even sample what is in the tents of wickedness.

In Jesús Name

Amen

Love you all! Let me say this there have been so many awesome days with the Lord that only when we get to Heaven will there be time to share each and everyone of them. But praise God we will have that time! Love you all!

Your Friend/Kinfolk

Preston

GET TOGETHER- SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT HELL

Mt 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

As a preacher it is one of the topics that many of us least like to preach about. On the other hand, it is very important that people know and understand that hell is a place of everlasting torment for those who die without Christ.

I can still remember as a young boy hearing a Methodist preacher by the name of Oscar Hyche preach about Hell one night. My response was that I joined the church. I thought that would keep me from going to hell. Later on, I would live a life in rebellion against God and I felt like that I was going to hell and that I might as well have a good time on the way.

In February 1990 I was born again and I knew that I had been reconciled to God and forgiven of my sins : Ro 8:16 “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” In 1993 during a county wide revival in Jasper, Alabama I heard a strong message about Hell from one of Jesus parables in Luke Chapter 16:19-31. It was about a rich man that was in hell and the torment that he was living in. Our children were saved during that revival. It also put a burden on my heart to begin to pray for the unsaved.

In 1996 we had a Revival at Bethlehem United Methodist Church. The preacher Brother Jim Baccus a Methodist preacher preached probably the strongest message that I had ever heard on hell at that time. I remember him saying in that message that there would be some preachers in hell. That got my attention. I knew that I was saved, but it was also a reminder that we are saved by the work of Christ on the cross and not by what title that we hold. It was also a reminder to always be sure that my motives lined up with Jesus motives. The Bible tells us in 2Pe 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble.”(NKJV)

Now before I go any further let me assure you that I don’t believe that God is sitting up in Heaven with lighting bolts just waiting for someone to strike. On the other hand, we do know that there is a real place called hell. Jesus talked about hell often. He told us who hell was prepared for Mt 25:41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: (NKJV). Jesus describes this place as a place of everlasting torment Mr 9:43,44 “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched “where ‘Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.”

In our opening passage we are told to fear Him who can destroy both body and soul in hell. The Greek word for fear is phobeo, fob-eh’-o. It means to have such awe, or respect for a person that a measure of fear is involved. I loved my parents. They loved me. I know that they wanted to do good for me and my brother. On the other hand, there were lines that we could not cross. My daddy was a coal miner. I didn’t want to wake him up while he was sleeping after a night working on the hoot-owl shift in the coal mines. My mother worked at the drugstore she loved, us but it was tough when me and my brother would get in a fight and she would drive to Hull camp from the drug store and get a hickory and use in on our bare legs. But it was good for us. God does not desire for any to go to Hell. We are told in 2Pe 3:9 ¶ The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (NKJV) On the other hand out of His great love for us He gives us the choice as to where we want to spend eternity.

I wonder if the mass murderer really believed that he or she was one breath away from spending eternity in Hell if we would have as many killing as we do? I wonder if the those that take any form of human life from conception to the grave really understood the eternal consequences of their actions if they would continue to do that. I wonder if those who mock the poor and the down trodden knew of the eternal consequences of those actions would our culture be different. I wonder if those that have tried to redefine what God has defined concerning human sexuality would do if they knew the consequences of those actions. And for those of us who were at one time mired in sin and living in rebellion against God how can we be so apathetic in our relationship and commitment to Him?

The good news for all who read this is that Jesus stands ready today to forgive, restore, and to grant eternal life to all who repent of their sin and put their faith and trust in Him. Ro 5:9,10 “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

Let Us Pray

Lord we know that there is a place of eternal torment for those who reject you. We pray today for anyone and everyone who reads this that may have not accepted your free gift of salvation. For those that have Lord remove all lukewarmness, Don’t let us neglect such a great salvation. May we never forget what You have rescued us from. We pray for all that we love that may not know You to accept You as their Lord and Savior and to be rescued from the power of darkness and be conveyed into Your Kingdom.

In Jesus Name

Amen

Love you all. God loves us so much that He wants all to walk with Him and to live with Him forever!

Your Friend/Kinfolk

Preston

GET TOGETHER-   He Loves Too Much to Leave Us As We Are.

 

Mt 9:9 -13 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

I will never forget the night that three men from a church in the town that I lived the first half of my life in knocked on my door and came to see me.   I was sitting at home at my altar. My altar was my coffee table. On my altar there were lines of cocaine, a bong pipe and to the best of my memory a Michelob in the can. 

 I am sure that these three men came to see me out of love for God and for a concern for where I would spend eternity. I am sure that they prayed for me before they came. It must have taken them a lot of courage to do that.  I was very rude to them that night, but I praise God that the seed that they sowed others would water, and someone would get the harvest. It would be ten years later before I got saved, but still their visit had an impact. 

I am glad that they loved me enough to come and see me and to voice their concern about my spiritual condition. People often like to make reference to the fact that Jesus ate and drank with sinners. I am so glad that He did. I am so glad that He was not like the Pharisees and felt like sinners were unredeemable. 

With that said I am even more glad that He does not want to leave sinners in the condition that He found us in.  He loves us too much to do that. He loves us too much to affirm our sin.  I heard a good message yesterday on the radio. The Preacher made this statement in his message. He said that truth without love is harsh. On the other hand, he said that love without truth is soft. Meaning that it is just flimsy.  Jesus was full of love.  He was also full of truth. The Bible says it like this Joh 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

We can thank God that while we were living in sin, or if you are living in sin currently that Jesus loves us.  He loves us in such a way that like in the account from Matthew He is willing to seek us out. He is willing to take risks and come to us no matter where we are. On the other hand, He loves us to much to leave us in the condition that He found us in.  Notice He said that He came to call sinners to repentance.  The Greek term for repentance in the original language of the Bible is metanoia,  met-an’-oy-ah. It means a change of mind and a change of heart. The sinner who repents will no longer think, or believe as they have in the past. 

 

I am so thankful that the three men that came to see me that night did not come there to affirm my sin. I am so glad that they loved me enough to speak the truth. As I  said earlier I sure was rude to them.  We live in a culture that is trying to convince us that things that the Bible speaks plainly against are outdated.  As a Christian we have to love people enough to tell the truth. As a Christian we need the grace to speak lovingly the truth to those that we love. Where people spend eternity will depend upon it. My roots are in a stream in the Body of Christ that taught that there was grace before we got saved that kept us from getting so far away from God that we perished. There was that grace that brought us into relationship with God through a born-again relationship with Jesus Christ. And then there was the grace that was at work in our lives rooting out sin and perfecting the image of Jesús Christ in us. We can’t affirm sin and allow that grace to work in our lives. 

That day Matthew got up and followed Jesus. He left a lifestyle as a Tax Collector. Tax Collectors were known for extorting from their own people. It would one day cost him his life. But I am sure over two thousand years later that he would tell you that it sure was worth leaving his lifestyle of sin with all of the financial perks that were involved in it. When we leave our lives of sin it is worth it as well.

Let Us pray 

Lord today we thank You that You seek out sinners. Lord we thank you that You change the lives of sinners. We pray for that read this today that we will walk and follow you in such a way that the world will no longer define us. In a way that the devil has no sway over us. And that we will go from glory to glory being remade in your image.

In Jesús Name

Amen

 

 

Love all of you very much!

 

Your Friend/kinfolk

Preston 

Joe 2:16,22-26 Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room. Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field; For the open pastures are springing up, And the tree bears its fruit; The fig tree and the vine yield their strength. Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you-The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame.

 

The Southern Kingdom of Judah had experienced the pain of seeing the Babylonians destroy the Temple and the city of Jerusalem ransacked and pillaged.  Their idolatry, and gross sin had led them into judgment. The most talented and gifted had been taken to Babylon. There they would be mocked for their faith and live in captivity to the Babylonians.   I am reminded of these verses in Psalm 137 :1 -3 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion. We hung our harps Upon the willows in the midst of it. For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, And those who plundered us requested mirth, Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

However, we do see a promise for God’s people if we come to Him with a repentant heart.  Just like Israel we have all gone astray in some way in rebellion against God.  We are told in Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (NKJV) And in the New Testament the Apostle Paul said it like this in Ro 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Some of us may have lived, or are still living in sinful lifestyles that are in open rebellion against God and His Word.   In Judah they engaged in idol worship that often-included sexual acts as a way to appease the false gods and idols that they were worshipping.   By the way those false gods still desire that worship.  The prophet Jeremiah described their spiritual condition in this way: Jer 13:27 I have seen your adulteries And your lustful neighings, The lewdness of your harlotry, Your abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! Will you still not be made clean?”(NKJV) For some of us it could have included substance abuse and other rebellious acts. 

 For others it could be the false peace that we are good moral people and we don’t have to repent of our sin. Those may feel like their own morality has put them in right standing with God.  No matter what our spiritual condition may be there is good news for the sinner that will turn from rebellion and live for God. The Greek term for repentance is metanoia. It means to have a heart change, and a mind change. We make a decision that we will not continue to live our own way, or in a way that the current culture says it okay.  But we will live God’s way and according to His Word.

God promised through the prophet Joel that He would restore the land. He promised that He would give back seven times what the enemy had stolen.  Rain will fall upon the land again. God will supply abundantly what His people need.

I like the part that says that He will restore the years that the enemy has stolen. I can testify as a person that lived in gross sin for forty-one years that God has been faithful in doing just that in ours lives. There are too many for me to list here. I have seen him restore relationships. I have seen Him restore from where the enemy attacked finances. I have seen Him restore where the enemy has tried to attack our children. 

You read what God promises to do in Joel Chapter 2. What he was willing to do for Judah He is willing to do for the believer  and follower of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul reminds us in 2Co 1:20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Memorize it! Pray it! Declare it! Stand on it! He is that faithful! But remember that He does this for those who repent of their sins. He does this for those who seek His Kingdom first. Don’t buy into what the culture is trying to sell you now.  Surrender to God and trust Him to restore!

Peter quoted from Joel Chapter 2 on the Day of Pentecost Ac 2:16-18 “But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:’And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.

God desires to restore you! If you are on drugs repent and come to Him and He will restore you! If you are in any sexual relationship outside of marriage between a man and a woman, He will restore you!  If you are separated from God in any way, He stands ready to forgive and restore! Repent and believe for the Kingdom of God is at hand!

Let Us Pray:

Lord Jesus I pray that Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in every person’s life that reads this. For those that need to come to that place of repentance we pray for the Holy Spirit to bring them to that place. For those that have and all that do we pray a complete giving back seven times over each one from what the enemy has stolen!

In Jesus Name

Amen

We love you all! Thanks for your prayers for us!

Your Friend/Kinfolk

Preston 

 

GET TOGETHER- GOING UPON THE MOUNTAIN

Isa 55:12 “For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” Mt 17:1 -6 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.

My friend Bill Hubbell and I returned from our trip to Guatemala about 2:00 A.M. this past Friday morning. It was a very fruitful trip. We had the great pleasure of serving with Eyes Wide Open Ministry and ministering in three churches while we were there along with several other ministry opportunities.   I want to thank all who prayed for us and all who gave into this mission trip.

On Monday night we went up around 3300 feet to a church in the mountains. For the most part as Christians we use the term mountain top when we feel that things are going really good in our walk with the Lord and maybe when we have experienced some very special time with the Lord. On the other hand, in the Gospels we see the word mountain used twenty-seven times. And on some of those occasions on the mountain were some spiritual challenges for example : Lu 4:5 “Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.” With that saidlet’s look at the mountain as a place where we do experience something very special from God for as we see in our opening passages.

Let me share just a few thoughts that I believe that the Holy Spirit gave me as we were on our way up the mountain to the church where we would be ministering. The road we were on was very narrow.  Daniel McIntyre with Eyes Wide Open is a very skilled driver. If we had gone off the road three feet in certain places, we would have not have made it up the mountain.    That reminds me of some more words that our Lord Jesus gave us.  Mt 7:13,14 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.”Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.  Can I be honest with you?  Even though Daniel is a very skilled driver much prayer went into our journey up the mountain.   For you and I to continue in our journey with the Lord it takes a disciplined prayer life.

Not only was the road going up the mountain narrow, but it was also rough in certain places.   There were times that if we were not being very careful, we could have bounced out of the road.  In our journey with the Lord there are some times that we hit some rough places in life.  We may feel like we are about to bounce out of life’s road.  We need to know at those times that God has us in His hands.  The scriptures are solid about God being faithful to His people: De 31:6 “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

I could say much more about our trip up to the church on the mountain. The people showed us so much love and appreciation for coming. We were the ones that were blessed.  We had the opportunity to pray for so many people about some very serious situations and needs. But I also want to point out that although the trip up the mountain was challenging, we could also see the beauty of creation. To think that our God could speak that into existence it was assurance that He would not only get us up to the mountain and back down the mountain, but that we would have a mountain top experience while we were there.  The whole time that we were in  Guatemala I kept hearing the Holy Spirit whisper these words Isa 55:12 “For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”

Today the road may seem a little bumpy to you. The mountain may appear to be too steep for you to climb. The road may appear to be narrow and you think that you are about to be bounced off. If that is the case draw closer to God.  Let Him put His arms around you. The Holy Spirit will empower you to reach the top. And if you are there on the mountain top today. Never forget who got you there. Be sure that you give Him the glory and help others as they are headed in that direction.  When you do you can expect great and mighty things and know that the mountains and hills will burst into singing before you and all of the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Let Us Pray

  Lord Jesus we thank you for paying the price for us to be mountain climbers. We thank you for the blessed Holy Spirit that empowers us when the road up the mountain gets challenging. We thank you Father that You love us and desire us to enjoy the blessings of the journey as we walk the this walk.

In Jesus Name

Amen

Your Friend/ Kinfolk

Preston

  PS: Again, thanks for your prayers and support of Real Party Ministry. You can visit our website at  https://therealpartytalk.wordpress.com/

GET TOGETHER- Graceful Words

Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. (NKJV)

I don’t know if you have ever done this or not, but yesterday I said something that I knew grieved the Holy Spirit. That is the last thing that I ever want to do because my whole life every part of it flows out of my relationship with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. I certainly would not have said what I said if Jesus had been sitting right there with me. Well on the other hand He was. He was there by the Holy Spirit. 1Co 3:16 ¶ Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? NKJV)

I didn’t think that it was any coincidence when I turned on the radio this morning and two different sermons, by two different preachers were dealing with when we say something about other people. Right now, in our country we have a big-time war of words going on. I am not trying to give the impression that we should not in a Godly way speak the truth and stand up for what we believe. But on the other hand, as Christians we need to be sure that the way that we are saying what we say brings glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We also need to be sure that we never forget that the staunchest opponents to our faith are potential followers of Jesus Christ. Here are just a few examples. You can read about the Apostle Paul in Acts Chapter 8 and Chapter 9. How about John Newton a former slave trader who wrote that wonderful hymn Amazing Grace? That hymn has been sung through the last several centuries in many different tongues and nations. Or how about Preston Headrick who one time when I was drunk yelled insults at two street preachers in Fort Walton Beach, Florida when they were on the streets preaching the Gospel? Or how about you before you came to Christ? We are told that all of us were once enemies to God. Col 1:21 “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled.”

The Greek term in this passage for corrupt is sapros, sap-ros’. It means being harmful in view of being unwholesome, and corrupting. Are the words that we use going to corrupt what someone thinks about a person. Are they words that would somehow hinder us in establishing a relationship with them that might help them to become a Christian? Are they words that if they are a Christian and they may have gotten into error would hinder us from helping them to get out of error and back on the right path? Are they words that would be more like the words of the world than like the words of a follower of Jesus Christ? In verse 30 we are told that these kinds of words grieve the Holy Spirit. Eph 4:30 “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (NKJV)

In verse 31 we are also told of two other forms of speech that would grieve the Holy Spirit clamor and evil speaking. The Greek term for clamor means to cry out against someone or shout at them in a disrespectful manner. The Greek term for evil speaking is blasphemia, blas-fay-me’-ah. It means to speak against someone in a way that will bring harm, or injure his or her reputation.

I know that I am saved by grace and will live with Jesus forever. On the other hand, I take very seriously a Bible verse that a Holiness Professor that I had one time who also believed in being saved by grace would often quote. Mt 12:36 “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.” (NKJV

When the Holy Spirit brought conviction to me about the idle words that I spoke yesterday I quickly repented and renounced that type of speech. I am so thankful for His forgiveness. But I am also thankful that I know that through the power of the Holy Spirit that He will help me not to speak corruptly, or disrespectful about another person. I know that He will help me to not speak evil of another person. I know that He will help me and all of us who will let Him to heed the words that are spoken by James Jas 4:11 ¶ “Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.”

But more than that He will give us words of grace. He will impart through us words of life. We want to be more like Jesus and speak the kind of words that Jesus said that He spoke. The Holy Spirit will give them to us. Joh 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

Let Us Pray

Lord Jesus we thank you that the Holy Spirit helps us to not get off the path. We thank you that You give us mercy when we ask for mercy. We thank You that You have sent Your word and the Holy Spirit to help us to know when we do something that grieves the Holy Spirit. We also thank You that in the sane way that you will transform us in such a way that we do not continually sin in this way. We thank You that through Your power that we will go from glory to glory and become more like you. Help us to speak words of life. Help us to impart grace to the hearer.

In Jesus Name

Amen.

May God bless all of you in a very special way. Keep us in your prayers.

Your Friend/Kinfolk

Preston

GET TOGETHER- THE BLESSING OF SERVING

Mt 20:26-28 “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. “And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave– “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

 

           This past Saturday at lunch I felt like the Holy Spirit gave me the topic and the illustrations for this week’s message.  I double checked it because my wife J.J. absolutely never seeks glory for herself and does not crave attention for anything that the Lord has her to do.   I also made sure that I was not doing a make up call for Sunday night after she had gone to sleep in her recliner for turning up Johnny Cash and his mother singing Uncloudy Day a little loud on my cell phone and waking her up. She is not big on being woken up prematurely.     She normally can sleep through some pretty strong stuff.  But she didn’t Sunday night.

            This past Saturday she prepared this awesome tomato pie out of fresh vine ripened tomatoes.   She prepared this along with several other outstanding dishes for lunch for me, and for Jessye , Shaun, Judah, Micah, and  Eden.  For those that don’t know that is our daughter, son-in-love, and three of our grandchildren.

            Here is what the Holy Spirit impressed upon me through the tomato pie. For right now, and I say for right now because I believe that J.J.’s healing will manifest.  The Dr has told J.J. that she cannot eat tomatoes.  I thought about how unselfish that was. She always enjoyed tomato pies, but for now she can’t eat them. What an act of unselfishness and servant hood for her to do that for us. She had already cooked squash, fried green tomatoes which she could not eat and several other wonderful dishes. Yet she did that to bless us.  But she got the blessing out of blessings and serving us.

            That reminds me of the example that Jesus has given us. He left the perfect place. He veiled His glory to come to earth to serve. The Apostle Paul says it like this in Php 2:2-8 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

            We often hear of how that consumerism has become prevalent in the church. Many times, people may have the attitude of how can I be served in the church rather than having the attitude of how can God use me to serve Him and others. 

            Jesus came and gave His life as a ransom so that you and I can one day live in the glorious place that He voluntarily left.  He came and lived on this earth as a bondservant. He came also that we might experience life and life more abundantly (See John 10:10).  Part of abundant life is the blessing of serving others.

            He suffered and died for us on the cross at Calvary. He left a place where He was adored and worshipped to come to the earth where He was mocked and scorned by men and women. But because He humbled Himself and became a servant look how He has been blessed!  When one sinner turns from sin and puts their faith and  trust in Him He is blessed. Isaiah prophesied this over seven hundred years before He came to the earth! Isa 53:11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.(NKJV) .  Think about how many have done this since His death and his resurrection from the dead!  He is blessed when one of His servants is healed in our physical bodies “ Isa 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. (NKJV) He is blessed when we serve one another out of love for Him and out of love for one another. Joh 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

            Well I took a lunch break while I was writing this. I had the last piece of that tomato pie. It was still real good today.  So not only did J.J. get to bless her family Saturday, but I was still being blessed by her sacrifice today. On the other hand, as I just said I ate the last piece. That tomato pie is gone for good.  But the good news for you and I is that God’s blessings are eternal. We begin eternal life when we come to Christ. And we will experience the blessings of eternal life forever. And what great joy it will be to one day be with the King who became a slave so that you and I could live and reign with Him forever.  He tells us how to serve and to also receive the blessings. Mt 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (NKJV)

 

Let Us Pray

Lord Jesus we thank You that you left the throne room of Heaven and took the form of a humble servant. You did this not only to redeem us from Hell and the snare of the devil, but also to model for us what true servanthood is like. Today we ask You to bless those servants who have sacrificed so much. Help us while we are here on this earth and forever to serve You and others with great joy.

In Jesus Name

Amen

 

 

 

  Thanks for your prayers for the Tabernacle services. Please keep our upcoming trip to Guatemala in your prayers as well.

 

Your Friend/Kinfolk

Preston 

 

GET TOGETHER- REFLECTIONS AFTER A NIGHT IN THE TENT

Lu 12:29-34 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. “For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. “But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. “Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Last night the Lord gave me the wonderful opportunity to minister in a different setting. I preached at the Tabernacle in the Wilderness just north of Jasper. As J.J. and I were getting waiting for the service to start several thoughts went through my mind. It was very hot. I have got to where I like air-conditioning more and more each day. But on the other hand, the presence of God was there in a powerful way.

I then thought about how that there had been other times at places where it was hotter than that. I have tailgated at football games and have sat in the stands at 1:P.M. kick off times when it was in the high 90’s. Please don’t take this as me saying that it is a sin for someone to go to a college football game. But what I am saying is what people have a passion for is that they are willing to be in a setting that is either very hot, or very cold to see their passion realized. Check out fans up north who are willing to sit in sub-freezing temperatures to pull for their favorite team.

People do that because they have a passion for those things. And for many, not all that would be where their treasure is. I know that at one time my treasure was in things like that and I often had a misdirected passion for some things that would not have been necessarily bad, but they had become idols in my life. We once sat through the fourth quarter of an Auburn – Alabama game in Birmingham in the early 80’s when a tornado had been spotted not very far from the stadium. That was where our treasure was, and that was where our hearts were.

Last night the Holy Spirit moved in a very special way in the service. We prayed for people for over two hours. It is my belief that when we become seekers of His Kingdom first above all else that we will see the Holy Spirit move in a wonderful way. Jesus knows our needs. We don’t have to seek after them first. He has promised us that if we will seek first His Kingdom the other things will be added unto us. Mt 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (NKJV)

There is a risk involved when we do this. Last night as we were in a setting where the gifts of the Holy Spirit were operating, we saw people get healed, someone get saved, and someone delivered from addiction. When you begin to minister in the gifts of the Holy Spirit there is the risk that people will think that you are a fraud. You take a risk when people come to you for healing and deliverance. You have to do what the word of God says, have faith, and leave the results to God. They misunderstood what was happening on the day of Pentecost. Ac 2:13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”(NKJV) Many people are praying for revival in our nation. Revivals can get messy. Go study some of those in the past and you will see what I mean.

There is also the risk of people getting prideful when God begins to move in a very special way. That is why we need to be sure that we are seeking His Kingdom and not trying to build our own. That is why we need to be sure that our heart is in tune with His heart. When we do this, I believe that we will see God change people, God change communities, God change churches, God change our nation and God change the world. I am not sure what God will do tonight. But I am going seeking first His Kingdom. Expecting to see people get saved, healed, delivered, and encouraged!

Let Us Pray

Lord Jesus we thank you that You are the same yesterday, today, and forever! We thank You that You still save! You still heal! And You still deliver! Give us a passion for what You have a passion for.

In Jesus Name

Amen

God loves us unconditionally, but He loves us to much to leave us in the condition that we are in.

Your Friend/Kinfolk

Preston

GET TOGETHER- TRUE FREEDOM

Joh 8:32-36 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

“And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.

“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

This Thursday we that live in the United States will celebrate our country’s independence from Great Britain. I believe without a doubt that our country was founded on Judeo Christian values. I believe that it is God’s desire that every country have those values. That is why that Jesus said in Mt 28:19,20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”(NKJV)

We cannot force people to become Christians. That is the Holy Spirit’s work. However, we are His agents in taking the Gospel to the nations. And that includes our own communities as well.

Freedom can be temporary in some places. Dictators and different forms of governments rise up and attempt to strip men and women of their freedom. However, there in one freedom that cannot be stripped from any of us. That is the freedom that we experience over the power of sin in our lives through a born-again Spirit filled relationship with Jesus Christ.

In this passage from John’s Gospel Jesus addresses the Pharisees who did not believe in Him. They have already made some false claims. They said that they were Abraham’s descendants and that they had never been in bondage to anyone. They had actually been in bondage to Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, at some time and now they were in bondage to Rome. But Jesus is going deeper than they realize. He is talking about the bondage that all human beings are born into no matter where they live, or their ethnicity. That is the bondage to sin.

The Bible tells us that all have sinned Ro 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”(NKJV) Jesus tells us that sin brings bondage. When we serve sin, we become slaves to sin. But in Him he offers forgiveness from sin and deliverance from the power that sin has had over our lives. Let’s read these words again from Joh 8:36 “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

I remember when I first gave my heart to the Lord that our Pastor at Aldersgate UMC in Dora, AL Mike Irons preached from Romans 8:1-16. He said that was God’s Declaration of Independence for the Christian. Here are a couple of verses from that passage that I believe that will help us to experience what Jesus said when He said that whom the Son sets free is free indeed. Ro 8:1 ¶ There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. The accuser of the brethren no longer has a legal right to taunt us with the shame and condemnation of our past sins. When we come to the cross of Jesus Christ by faith in His precious blood, we are free from the condemnation that our past sinful lifestyles had brought upon us. The power of the Holy Spirit will help us to not go back into the bondage of living in sin.

You can read all of Romans 8:1-16, but here is the other passage that I wanted to share with you: Ro 8:16 “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” (NKJV) I can remember being a church member and not knowing if I was a child of God. I can remember being a Board Member at the church and not knowing if I was a child of God. But on the first weekend in February 1990 I was born again and I knew that I was a child of God. The Holy Spirit of God confirmed it. That is the kind of freedom that men and woman cannot take away from us. As the Lord Jesus said “ Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!”

Let Us Pray

Lord Jesus we thank you that You came to set the captive free. I pray for all who read this that you have set free. I pray that it will lead them to celebrate their freedom from the power of sin in a greater way! For any that are reading this that still have not been set free I pray today that by the power of the Holy Spirit that you will lead them to make that Declaration of Independence from the power of sin in their lives as You have promised.

In Jesus Name

Amen

Happy 4th of July to all of you who live in the United States. And for our friends in other countries may God bless your country in a very special way.

Your Friend/Kinfolk

Preston

I want to invite all of our friends in Walker County and the surrounding area to come to our service at the Tabernacle in The Wilderness on Johnsey Road just off of Highway 5 Northwest of Jasper July 8th-11. Services start at 7:P.M. Also please be praying for our trip in July to Guatemala.

GET TOGETHER- The Voice of Assurance

Ro 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, Joh 10:27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. (NKJV)

The Lord has a couple of wonderful opportunities coming up in the near future. I will be preaching at the Tabernacle In The Wilderness just off Highway 5 near Jasper. I will be going to Guatemala later in the month and I will also be working an Emmaus Walk in the Fall. One thing that I have learned is that when God is getting ready to do something really good that the enemy will always show up with the voice of condemnation, ridicule and discouragement.

Yesterday afternoon one of those spiritual attacks came my way. This morning the Lord woke me up about 4:15. I had a wonderful time in prayer and I could literally feel that yoke of oppression leaving me. I spent a couple of hours later picking blueberries and cutting grass. During the time that I was doing this I heard the voice of the Lord real plain.

We live in a house that we purchased from our daughter and son-in-law. When we bought the house, we were blessed in the fact that there were already blueberry bushes on the property. As I was picking, I was reminded of how faithful that God is in providing for His children. The Holy Spirit brought to my mind words from the following passages about vineyards that Israel did not plant. Yet they would be theirs : De 6:10 “So it shall be, when the LORD your God brings you into the land of which He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, 11 “houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant-when you have eaten and are full.” What a blessing it is to hear the voice of God and to be reminded that you are in a covenantal relationship with Him. You see the enemy was trying to convince me that I was out of the will of God and that I would not be hearing the voice of God anymore.

Last week I got stung by a wasp. When I looked up, I saw that there was a nest of them on the door of our supply house. I immediately went in our house and got the wasp spray and gave them a fatal dose of what was in that can. Well this morning I looked up and there was more wasp on the nest. This is when I heard the Holy Spirit speak the word of God to me again. Lu 11:24 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came 25 “And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. 26 “Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” Well I got the spray and killed all of the wasp again. This time the Holy Spirit told me that I needed to knock the nest down. That is what needs to be done when a person is delivered. That person needs to be sure that when those spirits come back that not only is the house filled, but the nest is destroyed as well.

Not only will God speak to us and give us His assurance that we are His children, but He will also teach us spiritual principles that line up with the Word of God if we will listen to Him. When we begin to move forward in our journey with the Lord, we will often find opposition in the spirit realm. That is why that it is important to spend time in the word of God. That is why that it is important to spend time in prayer. When we do this, we will hear His voice. We will have the assurance that as His children that He has given us victory over all of the forces of Hell that attempt to keep us from fulfilling what God has called us to do upon the earth.

Let Us Pray

Lord we thank You that your Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. We thank you that we are Your sheep and that we know Your voice. Please help us to respond to Your voice in a way that brings glory and honor to Your Name.

In Jesus Name

Amen!

I want to invite all of our friends in Walker County and the surrounding area to come to our service at the Tabernacle in The Wilderness on Johnsey Road just off of Highway 5 Northwest of Jasper July 8th-11. Also please be praying for our trip in July to Guatemala. One more thing! A dear brother in the Lord gave me a beautiful knife when I retired from the pastorate. When I felt in my pocket, I realized that it was missing. The Holy Spirit directed me to where it was. I had thrown it away in an old pair of grass cutting shorts and the knife was in the pocket in the trash can. God is good!

Your Friend/Kinfolk

Preston