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Bible Baptist Church

Bradenton, Florida

From My Heart

April 2008 - Posts

  • From My Heart April 27, 2008

     

    Two explorers were on a jungle safari when suddenly a ferocious lion jumped in front of them.  "Keep calm," the first explorer whispered.  "Remember what we read in that book on wild animals?  If you stand perfectly still and look the lion in the eye, he will turn and run."  "Sure," replied his companion.  "You've read the book, and I've read the book, but has the lion read the book?"

    There is nothing much worse than paralyzing fear.  Sometimes we become so afraid that we do nothing.  We are afraid to go one way or the other, so we just stand still.  On the other hand fear can be both instructive and helpful.  J. Hudson Taylor, that great missionary to China, once said, "Fear is the mother of foresight."  Fear makes us think through a matter and take steps to remove the fear.

    What does God have to say about being afraid?  The love of God can so fill your soul, so that you cannot be afraid.  The Word of God says, "Perfect love casteth out fear."  Just what does this verse mean?  It means that if you are truly convinced of God's love and you fully trust in His plan for your life, then there is nothing to fear.  Romans 8:31, 38 & 39 says, "What shall we then say to these things?  If God be for us, who can be against us?  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

    Do not let fear conquer your soul.  As a child of the King, walk in His footsteps and put all your trust in Him.

     

     

  • From My Heart March 23, 2008

     

    A great Presbyterian evangelist of the early 1900's was William E. Biederwolf.  Read his word on Christ's resurrection:

     

                  If Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead, how do I know that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life?

                  How do I know that he that believeth on the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved?

                  How do I know that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin?

    How do I know that He has gone to prepare a place for me and that He will come again and receive me unto Himself?

    How do I know that the Spirit of God who raised Jesus Christ from the dead shall also quicken my mortal body?

    How do I know that when He shall appear I shall be like Him?

    How do I know that "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in me"?

    How do I know that the promises of this Book are worth any more than the ink it took to print them or the paper it takes to hold them?

    I don't know.  There is no way to know.  If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then I have nothing to do but to take a chisel and hammer and go out to the grave of my loved ones and chisel away the beautiful words, "I am the resurrection and the life," and cut in their place the cold, icy and heart-breaking words, "I do not know; I have no way to tell."

    "If Christ be not risen," Paul says, "our preaching is in vain, and your faith is vain also," and "of all men we are most miserable."

    But, thank God, He did rise!  They sealed His tomb, but it couldn't hold Him.  He lay there cold and dead in the grave.  All earth had given up hope, but all Heaven knew better.  I think Gabriel must have said to the celestial choir, "Hold your breath a minute now, for you'll need it"; and as the minute of the world's mightiest miracle ticked off, the breath of God swept through the sleeping clay; and like a flash of light, His glorious Son was on His feet again, while Heaven's angelic choir rose tier upon tier and row upon row and shouted, "Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!  Christ is risen!  The Son of God is alive!"

  • From My Heart March 30, 2008

     

    Recently someone gave me a little something that I thought you  might enjoy.  It is entitled:

    "All I Really Need To Know I Learned From Noah's Ark"

    • Don't miss the boat.
    • Don't forget that we're all in the same boat.
    • Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.
    • Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone might ask you to do something REALLY big.
    • Don't listen to critics, just get on with what has to be done.
    • Build your future on high ground.
    • For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
    • Two heads are better than one.
    • Speed isn't always an advantage...the snails were on board with the cheetahs.
    • When you're stressed, float awhile.
    • Remember that the ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic was built by professionals!
    • Remember that woodpeckers inside are a larger threat than the storm outside.
    • No matter the storm, when God is with you, there's a rainbow waiting!

    This morning I will preach a message entitled "40 Years."   This milestone birthday that I will have on Tuesday I enter with no depression or woe.  I am where I am in life strictly by the grace of God, which is true for each of us.  God has allowed me to do so many wonderful things in life.  May I also say that there are so many other things I can't wait to do.  May I personally thank some loved ones:

    • My wife April
    • My children - Carissa, Autumn, and Boaz
    • My parents
    • My church

    God truly has been good in my life.

     

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