Every morning when I  wake up, I read my Bible.  I drive to work listening to a Christian radio station.  My truck has two Christian stickers on the rear window.   I can pray openly anywhere I want.  I have the freedom to stand on the court house steps and pass out religious material, without  fear of imprisonment.

This is not true in 51 countries.   In many countries the dictator is the only one to be worshiped.   To some, other religions, Christians are a threat.  You can’t mention the name of Jesus Christ, in Iran or Afghanistan.  You won’t see an Ichthous (fish) on a car bumper in Turkey. And  I don’t think you’ll see the Gaither Vocal Band in Red Square, Russia.

I often wonder how many  Christians there would be if some how our society were to be over turned and Christ were outlawed.  Would you go to church Sunday, if the police were in the parking lot, ready to arrest anyone that showed up? The point I’m trying to make, is we do have freedoms like no other nation, and we need to pray for those who don’t have these freedoms.

November, 8th is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.  Continually pray for those living under persecution but especially on November the 8th, Posted Steve Waltrip

I look forward to the changes of the seasons, fall brings cooler weather, and beautiful colors from nature.   There’s a smell in the woods unlike summer.  You can smell dirt in the woods in the fall.  With all the foliage gone, you can hear things better, I think sound travels farther.  The sky seems clearer and the stars brighter.

I work at a power plant and during the spring and fall the demand for power is lower.  The board of directors, use this lull as a time to rebuild wore out parts in the plant.  This means long working hours, I’ve been on seven-ten hour days.  Last week I worked seven night, 4pm to 2:30am.  We do abnormal jobs that, we don’t normally do, so to say the least I’m very tired.  I hurt in places I did not know existed.

When your mentally and physically tired, your brain works over time.  Usually toward the negative, you take offence to things that you would normally just pass off.  Sometimes you say things you don’t really mean.  I do two thing to prepare myself.  The Bible say’s, Phil.4:8, Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. First, I don’t always trust what my mind is thinking, so I don’t (trust my mind).   Second, if what I’m hearing is true, but is not honorable, I just ignore it.  This may sound crazy to some, but it works for me.  I have a healthier out look during these times and I’m not flying of the handle at little things.

I have found that adversity is going to come in life, it’s how we handle these times that reveals Christ to others.  Do people see Christ in you?  It’s easy to be a Christian in the good times, what kind of a Christian are you when things go rough.   Posted by Steve Waltrip

October the 19, I went with a friend to a church work shop, in the area.  I took two class on Discipleship.  This is what I learned.

Matthew 28: 19 “Go therefore and make Disciples…”    The last command that came out of Jesus mouth,  the last message He conveyed to us, was not going to church(which is important), was not read your Bible(very important), but make disciples.  It has been my experience the last words that come out of a persons mouth when leaving this earth, are probably the most important words they have ever spoken.

Our Churches are lacking and I have failed.  I plan to do better.  I plan to help my church rectify the problem. What about you?  You may be a Christian, but are you a Disciple?

The picture above is one of an English Mastiff,  a loveable breed of very large dogs, that sober profusely.  They are very protective of their master.  Most all breed of dogs are eager to please their master.  This is the true definition of a disciple. Posted by Steve Waltrip

I want you to know up front I am not a surfer.  Never have and probably never will.  But just because I have never surfed doesn’t mean I don’t have an imagination.  One time, when I was about 16 the family went to Florida for a vacation.  While there, I tried my hand at body surfing.  I wasn’t very good, but there is an art to catching the wave just right.  We never went very far, because we didn’t go out very far.  Just enough to feel the power of being carried along by some outside force.  If you committed to early the wave just went over you, to late and you just bounced over it.

At church our pastor has been delivering a series of messages on “Catch the Wave”.  Which got me to thinking.  Finding God working, is a lot like surfing.  You need to keep your eyes open, study the timing and hop on at the right time.  To early, and it will swallow you, to late and you just bounce over it.  To be very good it will take practice.  Your not going to catch the wave just right without work .  Sometimes you going to catch the wave just right and you’ll ride inside the curl, then sometimes you’re going to wipeout.  But take it from me, your hard work will be rewarded. Posted by Steve Waltrip

I know I’ve talked about Ro. 8:28 before, “All things work together toward good to thoses  who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.”  But this verse is the pillar of my faith.  It was by this verse that I was saved, and it is by this verse that I live every day.   I woke up this morning at 2 a.m. to lightning and thunder, but I knew everything was going to be OK.  When my alarm went off at 3:30 a.m. I set up, with sore muscles, a stiff neck, and I knew everything was going to work out.

You see, through all the trials we go through in life, all the knocks, bumps and bruises we receive, God’s ultimate goal is for us to be Christ-like.  When a co-worker stabs you in the back or a loved one says the wrong thing to you.  How do you handle it?  Are you able to turn the other cheek?  Are you able to love your neighbor as yourself?  Can you walk the extra mile for the one in need?  Until you can, you are not Christ-like!  I think in the last few years I have made great progress in this area.  I have a way to go, but I use to be very selfish. 

I have learned that everything has a purpose to mold me into Christ likeness.  To Him be the glory.   Posted by Steve Waltrip

Men,  have you ever pulled up to a stop light on a four lane highway, with a car beside you.  All a long your thinking you could beat this guy to the next light.  I know I have.  It really doesn’t matter what your driving.  It could be the little six cylinder Rambler American I owned at 16.  While many would call these thoughts childish, I think in most men there is a natural level of competition.  I think that is why a lot of young men enjoy football, baseball and not to forget basketball.  In high school I enjoyed being a hard hitting lineman.  I can honestly say I enjoyed hearing the sound of the shoulder pads clapping as you punished your opponent.

While I think these emotions are typical male, many are God given, some are not.  I think as a Christian I have the responsibility to keep these emotions under check.  I think this racing to the next stop light is one of the reasons the U.S. was the first to step foot on the moon.  Many times I picture Jesus in a particular situations and I try to realizes seeing Him handling the situation.  For instance, I can not see Him in a hot rod racing to the next stop light.  But I think I can see Him in a peaceful march protesting abortion.  How do you keep your emotions in check?  Posted by Steve Waltrip

In 1775, Daniel Boone blazed a trail called, The Wilderness Road.  This road starts in Virginia, rounds down through the Cumberland Gap, and ends at Fort Boonesbourgh, Kentucky.   At one point it goes near London Ky. where I spent a few of my childhood years.  Levi Jackson State Park to be specific.   

Later in life someone asked Daniel if he had ever been lost.  His answer, was said to have been something like this, “I’ve never been lost, but I have been perplexed for a few days.”   I can say that I’m going through something like that right now.  I’m not lost, I’m just perplexed,  I thought I knew how something was going to turn out, but when it didn’t, I just thought OK now what Lord?   I know that God works things toward my good (Ro. 8:28).  I guess I forgot He’s working on His time table not mine. 

It is exciting being a Christian, I know of no other religion that claims a personal relationship with a living God.  And remember, one of the key principle to survival, is when you get perplexed(lost), first, stay calm, second, back track, try to pick up the trail again. Posted by Steve Waltrip

“Oh that a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a Heaven for?”

…Robert Browning…

“TEMPUS FUGIT” is a famous Latin saying meaning “Time Flies.”  Each of us as men plan to honor God and to work for Him.  Our intentions are sincere and often great.  But “time flies.”  We have to work for a living.  We have to support our children at ball games, swim meets, and dance recitals.  We have to care for parents and elderly family.  Life just gets busy, and “time flies.”  Time with God and for God never just happens.

It is time for real men of God to REACH UP and REACH OUT!  To REACH UP to God is to shake hands with Him and join Him in God’s heart desires.  A passion for God means spiritually joining hands with Him.  Read the Bible.  Pray.  Worship.  Get in a group with other godly mean.  Don’t just be a man of God.  Be a mighty man of God.

To REACH OUT is for real men of God to start ministry for Christ.  Reaching out for Christ is a sign of spiritual maturity.  For Christian faith to reach others, men of God are needed who will speak out.  Our church, like most churches, has a multitude of ministries that need men of God.  If a new ministry is needed, most churches will start it.

TIME FLIES!  Before what seems a short time, we will be standing before Christ giving an account of our Christian life.  Will we receive a “Well done, good and faithful servant” or will we stand before him with excuses?  TIME FLIES!

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*** Thanks to Steve for all the great challenges.  Keep up the good work! ***

Bro. Ray

From time to time the subject of Christ origin comes up.  People may ask, did Christ always exists or was His first appearance in Matthew?   While in the old Testament the name Jesus Christ does not appear,  there are descriptions that point to the Trinity.  It has been referred to as the Crimson Thread.  Aaron and Jeofery, father and son singing group, sing my favorite depiction of the second member of the Trinity Jesus Christ.  This song can be heard on Youtube.  I have transferred it to this blog.  The specific scripture verses are simply suggestions I found on the Internet, use your heart when you look for Jesus, in the Bible. 

Genesis 1:1 The breath of life     Exodus 12:5 The Passover Lamb    Leviticus4:6  Our High Prest   Numbers 9:15-16 The Fire by Night    Deuteronomy 6:4-5 The Voice of Moses   Joshua 24-15 Salvation’s Choice     Judges3:15 Lawgiver     Ruth 4:14 Kinsman Redeemer     1&2 Samuel22:32 Trusted Prophet     1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles  He is Sovereign     Ezra 3:11 True and Faithful Scribe     Nehemiah 1:5 Re-builder of broken walls and lives     Esther 4:14 Mordecai courage     Job 19:25 The Timeless Redeemer     Psalms 96:1 Our Morning Song     Proverbs 8:1 Wisdom’s Cry     Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 The time and seasons     Song of Salomon 4:1 He is the lovers dream     Isiah 9:6 The Prince of Peace     Jeremiah 2:2 The Weeping Prophet     Lamentations 1: A cry for Isreal     Ezekiel 2:35 The call from sin     Daniel 3:25 The Stranger in the Fire     Hosea 1:7 He is Forever Faithful     Joel 2:28 The Spirits Power     Amos 7:8 Arms that carry us     Obadiah 1:17  The Lord our Savior     Jonah 1:2 The Great Missionary     Micah5:2 The Promise of Peace     Nahum 1:7 Our Strength and our Shield     Habakkuk & Zephaniah  He is pleading for revival     Haggai 2:7-9 He restores the lost heretiage     Malachi 4:2 The Son of Righteousness Rising in His Wings      Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John  He is God  Man  Messiah     Acts 2:3 The Fire from Heaven     Romans 3:24 The Grace of God     1 & 2 Corinthians The Power of Love      Galatians 3:13 Freedom from the curse of sin     Ephesians 1:17 The Glorious Treasure     Philippians 2:5-11 He is the Servants heart     Colossians 2:9 God Head Trinity     1 & 2 Thessalonians Our coming King     1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon Our Mediator and Faithful Pastor      1&2 Peter He is our Shepherd     1,2 & 3 John, Jude  He is The Lover Coming for His Bride   And in Revelation 19:16 He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords      So no matter how you say it, God in the form of Jesus Christ has existed since before the beginning of time.   Posted by Steve Waltrip

A few weeks ago I took a day off from work and went to Kentucky Lake to do some fishing.  I’m not very good, but you know what they say, a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work.  It was a nice day, rained a little but I was under a boat dock, so I stayed dry.

I was there about an hour, when a man in a fishing boat came into my little cove.  The boat was one of those expensive bass boats.  It was equipped with a Johnson motor, trolling motor, and probably depth finder.  I was quickly out classed.  He was pretty good, casting his bait like a professional, catching more in five minutes than I did all day.

I think often about the number of times fishing is mentioned in the New Testament.  Luke 5:1-11 is a story of Jesus teaching, the crowd grew larger so He got into a boat and casted out a little.  4  And when He was finished, He said to Simon, “ Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”   5  And Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but at Your bidding I will let down the nets.”  6  And when they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish; and their nets began to break;

To me this story is saying, I don’t care what you think you know or what you’ve done, listen to what I’m telling you this time. Listen closely to the still small voice!  Posted steve Waltrip