Category: Get Together Writings

GET TOGTHER- Happy Thanksgiving
Col 1:3 ¶ We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, (NKJV)

J.J. and I are praying that you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. We are so thankful for the mercy that we have received from the Lord Jesus Christ. We are thankful that as Paul wrote in Ro 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (NKJV) We are so thankful for the Blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses us from all unrighteousness. 1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.(NKJV)

J.J. and I are so thankful that God has blessed us with a wonderful family. We are also thankful that He has blessed us with so many wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ. We are so thankful for so many wonderful friends. Thank you for loving us despite our imperfections. Thank you for praying for us that God will work in those imperfections. Thank you all so much!

Let us Pray
Lord, we thank you most of all for dying on the cross for our sins. We thank you for our family. We thank you for these wonderful friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ. Lord bless them in a very special way this Thanksgiving. And may we grow in our thankfulness for what You have done and are doing for us.
In Jesus Name
Amen
Love you all!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Your Friend/Kinfolk

Get Together – HERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS!
Ps 121:7,8 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore. (NKJV)

I must admit I really needed the Holy Spirit to bring this Psalm by me this morning. There have been a lot of troubling things going on in our nation and in the world. I know that we are to be informed about what is going on in the world, but sometimes if we listen to so much of the bad news it can really get us in a defeated mind set.
` Also I have had a cold the last week. And I hate having a cold. And in case you have been around me I tested negative for Covid and the flu. The weather has been really cold here in Hamilton the last few days and so I have been making sure that I praise the lord on a cold dreary day the same as I have been on these beautiful Fall days. And one more thing. I have had cell phone issues and have been without my cell phone for over a week. So I have been a little out of sync on a few things.
So, this morning I heard the Holy Spirit speak to me from Psalm 121. I think that I learned that Psalm from when we had devotional time in elementary school when I was in public school many years ago. So, with that said let’s look at some of the promises for us as New Covenant children of God that are in this Psalm. Remembering what the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth 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.
When things may not look so good in the natural there is one place that we can look for help. We can look to God. The Jews could lift their eyes to the hills They could be reminded of God’s faithfulness to Abraham at Mt Moriah. They could be reminded of God’s faithfulness at Mt Zion. When I read Ps 121:1,2 I will lift up my eyes to the hills-From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” I am reminded that we can lift our eyes to Mt Calvary. It is there where Jesus paid the ultimate price for us to walk in victory over sickness, death, and in every situation and circumstance in our lives. In our weakness He is made strong.
We can always look to Him. From Him we will always get help. We are told in Ps 46:1 ¶ God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. In Heb 4:16 we are reminded that we can come before His throne when we need his help. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (NKJV)
We are reminded in Psalm 121 that our God never slumbers and that He never sleeps. So, no matter what time of day, or night that we need to come before Him for His help He is always there for us.
To be honest with you there are times that it looks like and the enemy will certainly try to convince us that evil is winning. But we have been given a promise in Ps 121:7 “The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.” The Apostle Paul tells us in Ro 8:31 ¶ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (NKJV) God is for us.
In the Bible there are many times that it looked like the enemies of God were winning. The Egyptians, The Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Romans they all thought that they were invincible, and it looked bleak for the people of God. But we can look in Ps 121:8 and know that the Lord Jesus will preserve us no matter how things may appear in the natural. ”The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore. I like that forevermore part! We have this promise in Joh 10:27,28 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know t hem, and they follow Me. “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
So today with all the bad news that is going on in our culture. Be assured that if you have put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior that He is with you. Be assured that He is your keeper. Be assured that he will preserve your going out, and your coming in. Be assured that He will preserve your soul now and forevermore. I am comforted and reminded of these words from Matthew 20:20 “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (NKJV) He is with us!!

Let us Pray
Lord Jesus, we thank you that You are with us. We thank You that You preserve our going out and our coming in. Today help us to draw near to you. We know that You are bigger than any adverse circumstances, or situation that we may encounter. We know that You have promised to be with us always. Even to the end of the age. Help us to continually advance Your Kingdom upon the earth until that day that You return.
In Jesus Name
Amen
Love you all!
Your Friend/Kinfolk
Preston
PS For those in Northwest Alabama our Broadcast Redeeming the Time comes on at 9:30 A.M. AND 9:30 P.M. on Sunday morning and Sunday night. That is on Spectrum Channel 10. In Jasper, it is on TV 16.

Get Together – HIS PEACE IS ETERNAL Joh 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (NKJV)

Yesterday there were several things going through my mind that were things that would attempt to be robbers of the peace that Jesus promises us. As we look at a lot of the events in our culture there are certainly some things that we need to be concerned about. On the other hand, we cannot allow those concerns to rob us of the peace that Jesus promises to those who follow Him.
On the night that He would be betrayed by one of His disciples. A night after a powerful time when the Lord instituted the Lord’s Supper and washed His disciples feet. A night when one of His most faithful disciples would deny Him three times. On a night that He knows that the next day He will be taking the sins of the world upon Him at Calvary’s cross. On this night He knows that He will be beaten and rejected by His own people. On this night He tells the disciples that He is leaving His peace with them.
You see Jesus was looking at things from an eternal perspective. In Joh 14:1-3 he tells them “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” He tells them to not let their hearts be troubled. There are as I said earlier lots of things in our current time that can trouble our hearts. My heart was troubled about something Wednesday that I won’t go into here. But during the day I kept hearing the Holy Spirit speak this word to my mind and to my spirit from Joh 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Wow!
I have prayed that passage and believed that passage many times when praying for people that may have been going through a time of challenge in some way. And I truly believe that the Holy Spirit honored that and gave people peace. On the other hand sometimes, it is a bigger challenge to our faith when we pray that, or some other promise from God over ourselves.
And yet God is faithful to His word and to His promises. As I was on my way home last night I was listening to a message on the radio and that same passage that the Holy Spirit had speaking to me was in the Preacher’s message.
I think that what God was saying to me is that in these uncertain times that we live in is that Jesus Christ will give us a peace that the world cannot give us. The world will tell you that you can find that peace in drugs, alcohol, unholy relationships, money, your favorite sports team.
For many of us we have tried to get peace from personal setbacks, or current events that bother us in the ways that the world offers peace. But peace didn’t come. The only thing that came was things that brought more trouble upon us.
I am sure that the disciples thought about Jesus words many times . They thought about them the day that He was crucified. They thought about them on that Sunday morning when He came out of the grave. They thought about them on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on them. They thought about them as they would face persecution and death for their faithfulness to Jesus Christ. And I am sure that they have thought about them and talked about them for close to two thousand years as they have experienced that perfect peace of being with the Lord in Heaven forever and ever.
I challenge you as well as myself that no matter what we may experience in these times of great uncertainty that we will receive and live out that peace that He has promised His followers no matter what the circumstance may be, or situation.

Let Us Pray
Lord Jesus we know that there are many things that can come and attempt to rob us of our peace. Lord help us to stand on your promise that your peace You have left with us. Help us to not try to get that false peace in some way that the world offers it. But help us to be drawn to you so that the world can see what true peace is.
In Jesus Name
Amen.
Love you all!
Your Friend/Kinfolk
Preston
PS For those in Northwest Alabama our Broadcast Redeeming the Time comes on at 9:30 A.M. AND 9:30 P.M. on Sunday morning and Sunday night. That is on Spectrum Channel 10. In Jasper, it is on TV 16.

GET TOGETHER- What Are You Speaking?

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. 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)

Wow! After last week’s message I must admit that I had to repent for something that came out of my mouth.   I shared something with someone else that was public knowledge, that was in the media about someone that I disagree with. It was something that they are involved in that promotes an agenda that contrasts with a Biblical worldview. 

Was I speaking the truth? Yes, I was. Was I speaking it in love? I am not so sure. Why did I repent then if what I spoke about this person was true and public knowledge? Well, my concern was that as a pastor and as a Christian that I feel like my concern about this person was something that I needed to be praying for that person about. I also felt like if the person that I shared this with would not have known this about the person if I hadn’t shared it with them. They had not read the article that I had read concerning this person’s views that I consider to definitely contrast with a Biblical worldview on this particular matter. 

Jesus always spoke the truth in love. The words that He spoke were life giving words. Even when He called someone out, He was releasing life.  When He forgave the woman caught in adultery in John Chapter 8, He graciously forgave her. And He graciously told her to go and sin no more. And He was always led by the Holy Spirit. As I mentioned last week there are a lot of things in our current culture that are being advanced and celebrated that go against a Biblical worldview. On the other hand, when we address these things we always want to be instruments of redemption and grace.  We want our words to be words that are spirit and are life. 

I am reminded of what I once heard about preachers who preach about Hell. Hell is a real place where the unsaved will spend eternity there forever. There are times that Holy Spirit has me to preach on the topic of Hell. And quiet often He has me to mention Hell in my sermons. When we as preachers are preacher preaching about Hell are we preaching with tears in our eyes because we don’t want people to go there. Or are we preaching about Hell because we  would be glad that the unredeemed are going there. I pray for all of us that it is with tears in our eyes and to see the unsaved come to the cross of Christ.  

Paul tells us in 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.  The Greek term for corrupt in this passage is sapros.   It means worthless, or rotten. When we speak are the words that we speak bearing fruit, and giving life? Or are they worthless, and rotten? Jesus words gave life and they came from the Holy Spirit. I believe that in this hostile culture to the word of God that He will give us words of life through the Holy Spirit that He will give us words to say that give life. These words won’t compromise the truth. But these words will be a different way than the way that the world uses words.  I pray that the words that we all speak will be words that build up our fellow believers. I pray that they be words that the unsaved would see Jesus Christ in us and be drawn to the cross of Christ. 

We are told in Col 4:6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.(NKJV)  Jesus said we are called to be salt and light. So even when we disagree with someone may our conversation always be seasoned with salt. Paul tells us in Tit 3:2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. So, we are not to say demeaning things about those who oppose us. Certainly, we should stand for the truth, but the way that we speak is to be different than the way that the world speaks. 

Let Us Pray

Lord forgive us when we have responded more like the world in our words, thoughts, and actions than how you responded.  You always spoke the truth. But Lord you always spoke the truth in love. Help us in this challenging time when it is not popular to speak the truth to speak as You did. May our words be words that are spirit, and that are life.

In JESUS NAME

AMEN

Love you all!

Your Friend/Kinfolk

Preston 

PS   For those in Northwest Alabama our Broadcast Redeeming the Time comes on at 9:30 A.M. AND 9:30 P.M. on Sunday morning and Sunday night.  That is on Spectrum Channel 10. In Jasper, it is on TV 16.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preston Headrick 

Evangelist 

Real Party Ministry 

P O Box 2302

Hamilton, Alabama  35570

Get Together – Don’t let The Enemy Rob You of Your Joy.
Joh 15:10,11 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
There is much that is going on in our culture that really concerns me. There is much going on that makes me angry. As a person that believes that life begins at conception. The Psalmist says it this way Ps 139:13 “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.” God spoke to Jeremiah about the office that He was called to even before he was formed in his mother’s womb. Jer 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” While not all of us may have a calling to be a Prophet. We all have a calling and purpose that God has ordained for our lives.
As a person that believes that marriage is between one man and one woman, and that God created us male and female. I get angry at the deception that is going on concerning the Holy institution of marriage. God made the decision on our sexuality. Ge 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Ge 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. The Hebrew term for wife here is woman ishshah, ish-shaw’. So, we know that a husband is a man. And a wife is a woman. And the husband is joined together with the wife.

I believe that we are to speak the truth in this, but we also called to speak the truth in love. One of the devices of the enemy with what is going on in our culture is to draw us into a fleshly argument with those who hold an unbiblical worldview on sexuality and marriage.
While we are to speak the truth in love. And while we can certainly have a righteous anger about these things. We must not let the forces of evil draw us into those fleshly battles that we are told in Eph 4:31 to not be a part of our witness for Jesus Christ “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.” (NKJV)
We can’t let the enemy put bitterness in our spirit. We can’t let the desire for revenge be in our spirit. As we see churches that stand for the truth on the issues that I just mentioned being firebombed and vandalized we can’t let the enemy still our joy. We are to stand for truth.
We look to Jesus Christ as our example. Remember what He told His disciples. In the verses following our opening verse He had this to say to them: Joh 15:18,19 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” Remember He was facing persecution from the religious leaders. He would also be nailed to a Roman cross. The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Ephesians from prison. So, while we are to speak the truth in love concerning some of the ungodly things that the culture would attempt to shove down our throats we are called to be different than the way the world reacts against us.
We are told in 2Co 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.” We pray we fast,we encopurage one another. (NKJV) We do as Jesus told us to do in Mt 5:44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” The Apostle Paul who faced beating, imprisonments and being run out of town had this to say concerning how we are to view those who hate us and oppose us. Ro 12:19-21 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good. (NKJV)
As we live in a culture that calls evil good and good evil may we allow the Holy Spirit to so govern our lives so that we to never compromise the truth. But by they same token may we never allow the enemy to draw us into fighting the way that the people who are under the influence of Satan fight their battles.
Now back to that joy thing that I titled this message with. Jesus who was going to be crucified was speaking to disciples who would face severe persecution and martyrdom. But He tells them that in Him their joy would be full. The Greek term for joy here is chara, khar-ah’. It means cheerfulness, calm, gladness. We can be calm. We can be cheerful because we know that He told us the following “Joh 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (NKJV)
Hell is throwing it’s most perverted and evil shots at the Blood bought Church of Jesus Christ at this time. And as we speak the truth in love we can rejoice and be of good cheer because in Jesus Christ we have overcome the world. So let us speak the truth in love. Let us pray for our enemies. By the way God loves to turn His enemies into friends. Can you imagine what God could do with some of the people that have been deceived and advocate for philosophies that go against the word and will of God should they come to repentance and be saved? So, speak the truth in love. Don’t be drawn into fleshly battles and let the joy of the Lord be your strength for such a time as this.
Let Us Pray
Lord Jesus, we ask you to help us during this time when we live in a culture that promotes so many things that go against your word, and Your will. Help us to speak the truth. Help us to speak the truth in love. And we thank You that no matter what in You our joy is full.
In Jesus Name
Amen
Love you all!
Your Friend/Kinfolk
Preston
PS For those in Northwest Alabama our Broadcast Redeeming the Time comes on at 9:30 A.M. AND 9:30 P.M. on Sunday morning and Sunday night. That is on Spectrum Channel 10. In Jasper, it is on TV 16.

GET TOGETHER- THE POWER OF THE CROSS
Col 2:14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Yesterday I experienced one of those very special Holy Spirit sacred moments. I was babysitting our three-year-old granddaughter Hannah. I had gone on YouTube and put on a Veggie Tales episode. I was thinking that when that episode finished that it would just go on to another episode.
Well, what happened it went to the Gaither’s, and they were singing When I Survey the Wondrous Cross. I expected Hannah to tell me to put it on something else that would have been more appealing to a child her age. Wow! To my present surprise she moved toward the Television and watched and listened to the whole song. I believe that it was the anointing of the Holy Spirit that was on that song. And I thought about how special that the Holy Spirit could speak to the spirit of a child in such a way to hold her attention. I truly believe that God was depositing something into her spirit!
That same Holy Spirit that I believe drew her to the TV set and captivated her attention is capable of drawing to the cross those who like I was at one time are living in sinful lifestyles and are not living in the will of God. That is why we pray for those who have not yet come to the cross. There are some wonderful passages about the cross and the power of the cross. Here are a couple and what I believe that the Lord is saying to us through them.
At the cross we see that Jesus humbled Himself and took the punishment that we as sinners deserved. Paul writes in Phi4:8 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. These lyrics in that great Hymn by Issac Watts describe that suffering:
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
They also describe the love that our Lord has for sinners and His willingness to suffer unto death in order that we might be saved from Hell, delivered from the power that Hell has had over our lives, and healed from the damage that Hell has inflicted upon our lives.
In the passage at the beginning of this message Paul tells us in Col 2:14 “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Every charge has now been dropped. We are free from the condemnation of our sinful pasts. We can now live as people reconciled to God, by the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ!
That brings to mind this verse from that hymn :
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
His death on the cross was costly. His love for us is so great that words cannot explain it. The gift that He grants us is free and yet we give Him all of our lives to serve Him. We do this not to get saved, but because we are saved. Perhaps when we hear that song sung, we should just as our granddaughter Hannah did just get lost in it and allow the Holy Spirit to love on us and for us to love Him back. By the way I am putting the link to the Gaither’s singing that song on here. Pick you out a good time and do what I just said. And never forget the love that was poured out for us by Jesus suffering and shedding His precious Blood for us on Calvary’s cross.

Let Us Pray:
Lord Jesus we thank you for going to the cross for us. We thank You for paying our sin debt. May we surrender all of our being to You in a way that brings glory to Your Name.
In Jesus Name
Amen
Love you all!
Your Friend/Kinfolk
Preston
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross [Live] – YouTube
https://www.youtube.com › watch

PS For those in Northwest Alabama our Broadcast Redeeming the Time comes on at 9:30 A.M. AND 9:30 P.M. on Sunday morning and Sunday night. That is on Spectrum Channel 10. In Jasper, it is on TV 16.

GET TOGETHER Walk In The Holy Supernatural.
De 18:10 “There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, Ac 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

There is a lot of interest in the supernatural during this time of year. As I ride around town and in other places, I see decorations portraying witches and other evil things. There are many very good people who probably don’t understand or believe that witchcraft is real and is practiced in many places including our own country.
A person shared with me recently about going on a mission trip to another part of our country about how that witchcraft was openly practiced in that part of the country. During my time in the ministry, I have encountered witchcraft on mission trips to other countries and I know that it is not something cute or make believe. And yes, there have been times particularly this time of the year that I could discern that there were demonic assignments against God’s people here in our own country. It is a means by which Satan uses people who practice that to conjure up and to stir up things in the demonic. I believe that where we see good being called evil and evil being called good is an example of where witchcraft is at work in our nation. With that said I would like to share with you some things from the word of God with you that will help us to walk in victory over any and all demonic assignments that come against us through witchcraft.
We are told in Ac 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” The Greek term for power is dunamis- It means the potentiality to exert force in performing some task or function. The word power is used in 116 verses in the New Testament. The phrase power of God is used in 12 verses of the New Testament. This time of the year there is a lot of focus on the Supernatural. During this time of year there is certainly a lot of demonic activity associated with Halloween and other pagan rituals so people can get real curious about the Supernatural.
I want to talk to you about the Supernatural power of God. Jesus operated in the power of the Holy Spirit while He was on this earth Lu 4:14 ¶ Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.Lu 4:36 Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” Lu 5:17 ¶ Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
We have an adversary who has supernatural power. His Name is Satan, and He has demonic forces under his authority. Paul describes this hierarchy in Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. exousia exousia, ex-oo-see’-ah the right to control or govern over;the domain or sphere in which one has authority to govern or rule
Demons rule or govern where they are invited in and/or allowed to stay. That is one reason that I would never put up a portrayal of a witch, or anything else that desensitizes one to the kingdom of darkness. It is also an invitation to those forces of evil to come and take up residence in that place.
We have the authority and the power to not allow those spirits to rule and remain. Jesus told those that He sent out in Lu 10:19 “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. I believe that we as believers in Jesus Christ have that authority as well. Paul knew about the power of God and why God gave this power to His children: Ro 1:16 ¶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Paul uses that Greek term dunamis for power that is used in Acts 1:8

Let’s look at the term Salvation here and what it means in the original language of the New Testament soteria, so-tay-ree’-ah. It means to rescue from danger and to rest or to a present state of wellbeing. There is power in the Name of Jesus by the Blood of Jesus through the Holy Spirit to do that. It also means a state of having been saved. There is power in the Name of Jesus to do that by faith in His blood. It also means an ongoing work. I am saved. I am being saved and I will be saved!! Saved! Saved! Saved!
We are saved from Hell. We are being saved from the power that Hell has had over our lives. We are saved being healed from the damage that Hell has wrought on our lives. There is unlimited power to do this in all of us and through all of us. That is why we certainly don’t want to open a door for, engage in, or do anything that might either glorify occultic practices, or believe that these are just mythical beings. The only supernatural that we want to partake of and glorify is the work of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit The Great Three in One !
This power comes from on high to us and through us. It is not our power ,but it is God’s supernatural power Ac 3:12 ¶ So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? This power is exercised through faith. Ac 6:8 ¶ And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.
I want to conclude by assuring you that although the enemy has power that He who is in us is greater than he that it is the world. I had three of our grandchildren repeat this yesterday. We can draw close to Christ, walk in the power of the Holy Spirit and there is a jillion times greater power waiting to be unleashed in us and through us than what the enemy, and those who practice witchcraft may have. The word of God tells us in Ac 10:38 “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Ac 26:18 ‘to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.‘1Jo 4:4 ¶ You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Yesterday when I told those three grandchildren that witches are real I assured them that we don’t have to fear because of what I have written here today. On the other hand, we don’t want to open doors that allow the demonic entrance into our lives. And just as the Apostle Paul did when he and Silas were approached by the girl with a spirit of divination in Acts 16 we have to enforce the victory. Let us this time of year celebrate the God that created the universe that sent His only begotten Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. Let us celebrate that He has given us the word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit to walk in victory over all the forces of evil.

Let Us Pray
Lord Jesus, we thank You for filling us with the Holy Spirit. We thank you for enduing us with power and authority over the forces of evil. Help us today to discern things in the spirit realm, because we know that they have earthly implications. Give us wisdom not to allow things to come into our homes that would make those evil spirits feel welcome there. We pray for all people who read this to walk as Spirit filled followers of Jesus Christ and to walk in victory over our adversary.
In Jesus Name
Amen

Love you all!
Your Friend/Kinfolk
Preston

PS For those in Northwest Alabama our Broadcast Redeeming the Time comes on at 9:30 A.M. AND 9:30 P.M. on Sunday morning and Sunday night. That is on Spectrum Channel 10. In Jasper, it is on TV 16.

GET TOGTHER – Which Prize Are You Passionate About?

1Co 9:24,25 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

Well, this is something that I really didn’t want to say, but it is something that I have been pondering. I have been pondering the question of if the Apostle Paul were alive today what would he say if he attended one of our athletic events with us? I am sure each of you have your own opinions about that and some of that if we discussed it would be better over a cup of coffee, or lunch. On the other hand, there are a few things that I believe that the Holy Spirit has put on my heart to write about.
As someone who played, coached, and had children and now grandchildren involved in sports. I enjoy watching various athletic contests. I think that sports can either be a gift from God. Or that it can be an idol in our lives. At one time in my life, it was an idol. An idol is anything that we give a higher loyalty, affection, and more time to than to God.
I can remember when I was first asked to teach Sunday School. and also about that time J.J. was working with the youth where we attended church. We had to make a choice were we going to commit to being there in the Fall. At that time, we had season tickets to football games at one of our major Universities. With games being played at so many different times of the day we had to make a commitment one way, or the other. Again, I have been to many ballgames with our son coaching and at other times. But when that came up, we had to make a choice. I believe that if I had not taught the Sunday School class that my affection for my football team would have been an idol.
As much as I enjoy sports, I know that there is a more important race to run. I also know that it is easy for sports to become too big and to be an idol in our lives. I don’t want my love for sports to keep me from meeting with my brothers and sisters in Christ in corporate worship.
Can I be honest with you about something? When I was in Guatemala this past Summer, I thought about the Christians that I met there and what they did on the weekend. They either met in corporate worship or were at work in ministry in some way. Their main concerns were not who was going to win the championship or beat their rival. Their main concern and passion was serving the Lord Jesus Christ.
I don’t want to be a hypocrite. I still watch ballgames. I attended a college game a few weeks ago. But my thoughts often run like this when I do. I think about how many of the souls that are in the stadium that day will spend eternity in Heaven. How many of us may be more concerned about a temporary prize such as the score in the ballgame? Are we concerned more about where our team is ranked than we are for souls to come into the Kingdom? Are we more concerned if our team will beat our rivals than our concern for how our adversary the devil is getting such a foothold in our culture?
Jesus said in Mt 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;”but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. I won a trophy in high school and I am not sure where it is now. We had a softball team that won a lot of trophies. I haven’t seen them in years. There is nothing wrong with doing your best and trying to win. I would be a liar if I said that losing was fun. But I praise God that Jesus has told us that there are things laid up for the faithful servant of God that neither moth nor rust can destroy.
What prize do you have the most passion for? Is it a temporary prize? Or is it a prize that will last for eternity? Do you approach sports, and any other recreational activity as a gift from God? Or is it an idol in your life? It has been said many times all of these can be good things with the right approach, or they can become gods to us. And I can tell you from experience that they make very poor gods.
Let Us Pray

Lord, you have given us some good things like sports in our lives. These are things that we can experience You in. On the other hand, Lord, we know that these things can become idols in our lives and take on too much importance. Lord help us to no matter what we do to do it all heartily unto You. Help us not to be overconsumed with the prize that is perishing but empower us to strive for the crown that never perishes.
In Jesus Name
Amen

Love you all!
Your Friend/Kinfolk
Preston

PS For those in Northwest Alabama our Broadcast Redeeming the Time comes on at 9:30 A.M. AND 9:30 P.M. on Sunday morning and Sunday night. That is on Spectrum Channel 10. In Jasper, it is on TV 16.

GET TOGETHER- WHAT TIME IS IT?
Ec 3:1-12 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away;
A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;
A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.
What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

There was a song that came out in 1970 by a group called Chicago. The name of it was Does Anybody Really Know What Time It is? I think that in the song that there is a line that says does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care?
I think that the first time that I ever heard the passage from Ecclesiastes read was on Monday November 25th 1963 when it was read by a Catholic Priest at President John F. Kennedy’s funeral. In 1965 a Rock Group by the name of the Byrd’s used some of this passage in a song Turn, Turn, Turn.
As I read this passage it makes me ponder and think about what time that it is for us who are believers in Jesus Christ. I personally think that it is a critical time in the Kingdom. And in our nation. Many polls and surveys indicate that those who faithfully follow Jesus Christ in our nation are in a decline.
For all of us who have called on the Name of Jesus Christ to save us from our sins and beginning with me it is a time to really examine our hearts and to evaluate our commitment level. Three years ago, the Lord had me to step aside from the Pastorate at Christ Community Fellowship. But as all believers we do not retire from serving the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord may have allowed Christians to retire from their places of employment in order that we might serve Him in a greater way.
When I ponder what time it is. Here is what I think about. Jesus said this about the time and season as we get close to His return in Mt 24:12 “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. I am no expert on end times theology. But we can see lawlessness abound and even celebrated. We also see the love of many growing cold. Which leads me to this. Lord please don’t let my love grow cold. Lord please don’t let our family members that are saved grow cold. Lord, please light a fire under Your people.
In 1Ch 12:32 we are told of the sons of Issachar; of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command.”
As believers in Jesus Christ with a calling in the Body of Christ we need to understand the times.
In the Book of Esther we see that she had a calling for the time that she lived in : Es 4:14 “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”(NKJV) If you have ever called on the Name of Jesus Christ this is a time to be just as faithful as Esther was and risk it all by trusting God for what God is calling us for at this critical time in the Kingdom. It may cost us position. It may cost us popularity, but we are called for such a time as this.
I know that one day we will all give an account to the Lord. I don’t want to hear Him say to me Preston, I kept you in good health into the later years of your life so that you could serve me. Why didn’t you understand the seriousness of the time that you were living in?
Jesus has given us a commission 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.” Amen. (NKJV) Has there ever been a greater need in our culture and throughout the world than now for every believer in Jesus Christ to heed His voice and obey what He commanded us to do? As I have heard it said before. This wasn’t the great suggestion, but the great commission.

When I read this verse, it tells me that every human deep down has a desire to live forever. Ec 3:11 ¶ He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. It also tells me that He can take the worst things in our lives and make something beautiful out of it.
So what time is it? It is the time to take the Gospel to a lost and hurting world. Only Jesus Christ can give eternal life. Only Jesus Christ can make all things beautiful in His time.
Will we like the sons of Issachar have an understanding of the times and fulfill the purpose that God has for us living at this time on the earth? Will we be like Esther and risk it all for the Gospel’s sake? It is my prayer that we will. There are souls hanging in the balance as to where they will spend eternity. What type of culture should not the Lord return first that our descendants will live in depends upon our commitment level now.

Let Us Pray

Lord forgive us for when we have been lukewarm in our commitment to You and not doing what You have called us to do. Help us to understand the times and to be faithful to our calling at such a time as this.
In Jesus Name
Amen

PS For those in Northwest Alabama our Broadcast Redeeming the Time comes on at 9:30 A.M. AND 9:30 P.M. on Sunday morning and Sunday night. That is on Spectrum Channel 10. In Jasper, it is on TV 16.

GET TOGETHER- WHAT TIME IS IT?
Ec 3:1-12 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away;
A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;
A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.
What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

There was a song that came out in 1970 by a group called Chicago. The name of it was Does Anybody Really Know What Time It is? I think that in the song that there is a line that says does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care?
I think that the first time that I ever heard the passage from Ecclesiastes read was on Monday November 25th 1963 when it was read by a Catholic Priest at President John F. Kennedy’s funeral. In 1965 a Rock Group by the name of the Byrd’s used some of this passage in a song Turn, Turn, Turn.
As I read this passage it makes me ponder and think about what time that it is for us who are believers in Jesus Christ. I personally think that it is a critical time in the Kingdom. And in our nation. Many polls and surveys indicate that those who faithfully follow Jesus Christ in our nation are in a decline.
For all of us who have called on the Name of Jesus Christ to save us from our sins and beginning with me it is a time to really examine our hearts and to evaluate our commitment level. Three years ago, the Lord had me to step aside from the Pastorate at Christ Community Fellowship. But as all believers we do not retire from serving the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord may have allowed Christians to retire from their places of employment in order that we might serve Him in a greater way.
When I ponder what time it is. Here is what I think about. Jesus said this about the time and season as we get close to His return in Mt 24:12 “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. I am no expert on end times theology. But we can see lawlessness abound and even celebrated. We also see the love of many growing cold. Which leads me to this. Lord please don’t let my love grow cold. Lord please don’t let our family members that are saved grow cold. Lord, please light a fire under Your people.
In 1Ch 12:32 we are told of the sons of Issachar; of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command.”
As believers in Jesus Christ with a calling in the Body of Christ we need to understand the times.
In the Book of Esther we see that she had a calling for the time that she lived in : Es 4:14 “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”(NKJV) If you have ever called on the Name of Jesus Christ this is a time to be just as faithful as Esther was and risk it all by trusting God for what God is calling us for at this critical time in the Kingdom. It may cost us position. It may cost us popularity, but we are called for such a time as this.
I know that one day we will all give an account to the Lord. I don’t want to hear Him say to me Preston, I kept you in good health into the later years of your life so that you could serve me. Why didn’t you understand the seriousness of the time that you were living in?
Jesus has given us a commission 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.” Amen. (NKJV) Has there ever been a greater need in our culture and throughout the world than now for every believer in Jesus Christ to heed His voice and obey what He commanded us to do? As I have heard it said before. This wasn’t the great suggestion, but the great commission.

When I read this verse, it tells me that every human deep down has a desire to live forever. Ec 3:11 ¶ He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. It also tells me that He can take the worst things in our lives and make something beautiful out of it.
So what time is it? It is the time to take the Gospel to a lost and hurting world. Only Jesus Christ can give eternal life. Only Jesus Christ can make all things beautiful in His time.
Will we like the sons of Issachar have an understanding of the times and fulfill the purpose that God has for us living at this time on the earth? Will we be like Esther and risk it all for the Gospel’s sake? It is my prayer that we will. There are souls hanging in the balance as to where they will spend eternity. What type of culture should not the Lord return first that our descendants will live in depends upon our commitment level now.

Let Us Pray

Lord forgive us for when we have been lukewarm in our commitment to You and not doing what You have called us to do. Help us to understand the times and to be faithful to our calling at such a time as this.
In Jesus Name
Amen

PS For those in Northwest Alabama our Broadcast Redeeming the Time comes on at 9:30 A.M. AND 9:30 P.M. on Sunday morning and Sunday night. That is on Spectrum Channel 10. In Jasper, it is on TV 16.

GET TOGETHER – Speaking the Truth In Love

Eph 4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head–Christ–(NKJV)
The Apostle Paul is writing to the church at Ephesus. According to my studies the church at Ephesus was made up of Gentile converts some who had perhaps worshipped the goddess Artemis, the Greek name, or Diana the name that the Romans gave her when they accepted her into their pantheon of gods and goddesses. And there were also Jews who had been brought up in the Synagogue but had now come to know Jesus Christ as the long-awaited Messiah.
Chapter 4 deals a lot with the way that a Christian and follower of Christ is to conduct themselves. For example, we see in Eph 4:17 that we are to walk in a way that is different that the way that the world walks. “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind.”(NKJV) In Eph 4:1,2 Paul talks about what it means to be a prisoner of the Lord. “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.” And by the way the only way that one can have true freedom is by being a prisoner of the Lord.
So back to our main subject. It had to be a challenging time for those early believers in Ephesus. I am sure that they had family members and friends who still worshipped the goddess Artemis. As I surf the internet, I see that there are people who still do that today. It had to be a challenge for those Jewish believers in Jesus Christ when some of their family members and friends did not believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah and thought that maybe they had gone off the deep end.
And today in the United States of America we are challenged as Christians in the United States never have been challenged before concerning God’s truth. Which is the only truth that is true. And yet we are just as the Ephesians were told to do to speak the truth in love.
If we truly love people, we will speak the truth. If you were going down a road where the bridge is out, and I knew that it was out, and I didn’t tell you that would not be love. There are a lot of philosophies being forced on our culture that are a road that the bridge is out on. Paul warned about being swayed by the philosophies that will lead to where the bridge is out. Col 2:8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”
I never thought that I would see so many basic truths be challenged and denied in our culture. It is a basic truth that God created us male and female. Jesus said it this way Mt 19:4,5 And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,'”and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? Marriage is between one man and one woman. And God chose us and created us as either a male, or a female. Ge 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
The culture that we now live in is a culture that desires to change the language. Our children and grandchildren must be taught at home at an early age about how God created them. We are told in Ps 139:15,16 “My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.” The Youth Pastor, the Sunday School Teacher and Pastors are called to teach and preach the truth on this, but the primary teaching on this has to be done in the home.
Certainly, there are children that have been brought up in the instruction of the Lord who have gotten on the highway that leads to the bridge that is out. But we have this promise from God as we pray for those that have that they will come out of that deep dark place and get back on the road that the Lord has for them : Pr 22:6 ¶ Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. Pray for them, love them, and expect them to return to the Father’s House. And yes, we have many homes now where there is not a biblical worldview on this so that is a challenge for us in the church on how to do this in love to help those who don’t come from a home with a Biblical worldview.

Which leads me to this. I believe that if we will prayerfully do what Jesus has commanded us to do in Mt 28:19,20 with a whole lot of prayer that we can see God move in a way that will remove the confusion and the lies about a person’s identity, and their sexuality and concerning when life begins as well as other things in our culture that go against the word of God. “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.” Amen.”
I will say this about those who promote these ungodly agendas they are committed. They have a high level of commitment. How much higher should our commitment level be to speak the truth in love?
I love people. As Christians we are commanded to love people. Jesus answered when He was asked what the greatest commandment was Mt 22:37-39 “Jesus said to him,” ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’’ This is the first and great commandment.” And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
As I said I love people. I think about what awesome Christians that some of these people that are committed to an ungodly cause would be. That is why we are to not only speak the truth in love, but we are to pray for those who oppose us. Jesus said in Mt 5:44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” We pray for those who oppose us. We don’t seek to see them get canceled. We seek for them to know the truth, come to the cross and just as He did for us that their sins be canceled.
So not only do we warn people not to go down the road where the bridge is out, but we are also to be there to help them to get out of the deep place that they have fallen into. The Apostle Paul had this to say to those in Corinth. Corinth was a very sensual and carnal city. There were many in the church that had been bound up in various types of sin. He said this in 1Co 6:9-11 “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”
When I look at the lifestyles that Jesus delivered those in Corinth out of I can say thank You Jesus for delivering me out of the sinful lifestyle that I was living in. The truth in love says that we can be forgiven and saved from Hell. The truth in love says that He can deliver us out of a lifestyle that leads to Hell. The truth in love says that He can heal us from the damage that Hell has had over our lives. How good it is to be washed in the Blood of Jesus! How good it is to know that we have been sanctified and set apart for Him. How good it is that true transformation takes place in our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Apostle Paul said it this way in Ro 12:,2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Let Us Pray
Lord Jesus we know that You love those who are in opposition to the Gospel as much as you love us. Today we pray for those that have been deceived and confused by the principles of this world and the current culture. We pray that just as You brought us out of lifestyles that we once walked in we pray for those that they will come to the Cross of Jesus Christ and know who their identity is in Jesus Christ. Lord forgive us for sinful thoughts, and for any other way that we sin. Help us not to go back into any sinful lifestyle that we may have lived in before we met You.
In Jesus Name
Amen

PS For those in Northwest Alabama our Broadcast Redeeming the Time comes on at 9:30 A.M. AND 9:30 P.M. on Sunday morning and Sunday night. That is on Spectrum Channel 10. In Jasper, it is on TV 16.

GET TOGETHER – Speaking the Truth In Love

Eph 4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head–Christ–(NKJV)
The Apostle Paul is writing to the church at Ephesus. According to my studies the church at Ephesus was made up of Gentile converts some who had perhaps worshipped the goddess Artemis, the Greek name, or Diana the name that the Romans gave her when they accepted her into their pantheon of gods and goddesses. And there were also Jews who had been brought up in the Synagogue but had now come to know Jesus Christ as the long-awaited Messiah.
Chapter 4 deals a lot with the way that a Christian and follower of Christ is to conduct themselves. For example, we see in Eph 4:17 that we are to walk in a way that is different that the way that the world walks. “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind.”(NKJV) In Eph 4:1,2 Paul talks about what it means to be a prisoner of the Lord. “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.” And by the way the only way that one can have true freedom is by being a prisoner of the Lord.
So back to our main subject. It had to be a challenging time for those early believers in Ephesus. I am sure that they had family members and friends who still worshipped the goddess Artemis. As I surf the internet, I see that there are people who still do that today. It had to be a challenge for those Jewish believers in Jesus Christ when some of their family members and friends did not believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah and thought that maybe they had gone off the deep end.
And today in the United States of America we are challenged as Christians in the United States never have been challenged before concerning God’s truth. Which is the only truth that is true. And yet we are just as the Ephesians were told to do to speak the truth in love.
If we truly love people, we will speak the truth. If you were going down a road where the bridge is out, and I knew that it was out, and I didn’t tell you that would not be love. There are a lot of philosophies being forced on our culture that are a road that the bridge is out on. Paul warned about being swayed by the philosophies that will lead to where the bridge is out. Col 2:8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”
I never thought that I would see so many basic truths be challenged and denied in our culture. It is a basic truth that God created us male and female. Jesus said it this way Mt 19:4,5 And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,'”and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? Marriage is between one man and one woman. And God chose us and created us as either a male, or a female. Ge 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
The culture that we now live in is a culture that desires to change the language. Our children and grandchildren must be taught at home at an early age about how God created them. We are told in Ps 139:15,16 “My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.” The Youth Pastor, the Sunday School Teacher and Pastors are called to teach and preach the truth on this, but the primary teaching on this has to be done in the home.
Certainly, there are children that have been brought up in the instruction of the Lord who have gotten on the highway that leads to the bridge that is out. But we have this promise from God as we pray for those that have that they will come out of that deep dark place and get back on the road that the Lord has for them : Pr 22:6 ¶ Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. Pray for them, love them, and expect them to return to the Father’s House. And yes, we have many homes now where there is not a biblical worldview on this so that is a challenge for us in the church on how to do this in love to help those who don’t come from a home with a Biblical worldview.

Which leads me to this. I believe that if we will prayerfully do what Jesus has commanded us to do in Mt 28:19,20 with a whole lot of prayer that we can see God move in a way that will remove the confusion and the lies about a person’s identity, and their sexuality and concerning when life begins as well as other things in our culture that go against the word of God. “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.” Amen.”
I will say this about those who promote these ungodly agendas they are committed. They have a high level of commitment. How much higher should our commitment level be to speak the truth in love?
I love people. As Christians we are commanded to love people. Jesus answered when He was asked what the greatest commandment was Mt 22:37-39 “Jesus said to him,” ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’’ This is the first and great commandment.” And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
As I said I love people. I think about what awesome Christians that some of these people that are committed to an ungodly cause would be. That is why we are to not only speak the truth in love, but we are to pray for those who oppose us. Jesus said in Mt 5:44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” We pray for those who oppose us. We don’t seek to see them get canceled. We seek for them to know the truth, come to the cross and just as He did for us that their sins be canceled.
So not only do we warn people not to go down the road where the bridge is out, but we are also to be there to help them to get out of the deep place that they have fallen into. The Apostle Paul had this to say to those in Corinth. Corinth was a very sensual and carnal city. There were many in the church that had been bound up in various types of sin. He said this in 1Co 6:9-11 “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”
When I look at the lifestyles that Jesus delivered those in Corinth out of I can say thank You Jesus for delivering me out of the sinful lifestyle that I was living in. The truth in love says that we can be forgiven and saved from Hell. The truth in love says that He can deliver us out of a lifestyle that leads to Hell. The truth in love says that He can heal us from the damage that Hell has had over our lives. How good it is to be washed in the Blood of Jesus! How good it is to know that we have been sanctified and set apart for Him. How good it is that true transformation takes place in our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Apostle Paul said it this way in Ro 12:,2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Let Us Pray
Lord Jesus we know that You love those who are in opposition to the Gospel as much as you love us. Today we pray for those that have been deceived and confused by the principles of this world and the current culture. We pray that just as You brought us out of lifestyles that we once walked in we pray for those that they will come to the Cross of Jesus Christ and know who their identity is in Jesus Christ. Lord forgive us for sinful thoughts, and for any other way that we sin. Help us not to go back into any sinful lifestyle that we may have lived in before we met You.
In Jesus Name
Amen

PS For those in Northwest Alabama our Broadcast Redeeming the Time comes on at 9:30 A.M. AND 9:30 P.M. on Sunday morning and Sunday night. That is on Spectrum Channel 10. In Jasper, it is on TV 16.