THE CHRISTMAS LIGHT!

By Kingsley Baehr

And now the LORD says—
 He Who formed Me in the womb to be His Servant
  to bring Jacob back to Him and gather Israel to Himself,
   for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD
   and My God has been My strength—

He says:
 “It is too small a thing for You to be My Servant
  to restore the tribes of Jacob
  and bring back those of Israel I have kept.

 I will also make You a LIGHT for the Gentiles,
 that You may bring My salvation to the ends
  of the earth.”- Isaiah 49:5,6

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.
He came as a witness to testify concerning
 that LIGHT,
  so that through Him all men might believe...
 The true LIGHT
  Who gives LIGHT to every man
   was coming into the world. - John 1:6,7,9

When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said,
 “I am the LIGHT of the world.
   Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness,
     but will have the LIGHT of life.” - John 8:12

This Christmas season, won’t you consider the claims of the LIGHT of the world?
 Among all the artificial lights, won’t you make time for the true LIGHT?
   Jew or Gentile,
   JESUS CHRIST
      is your LIGHT!

ARE YOU ADOPTED?

By Kingsley Baehr

Since November is National Adoption Month, let me ask you;

“Are you adopted?”

 “Have you been chosen?”

  “Are you being deeply loved?”

   “Have the total expenses of your adoption proceedings been paid in full?”

    Are you God’s heir?

“Or are you still homeless, unwanted, unloved and wondering why it seems that way?”

Of course, I am not asking about your physical life.

“So,” you might think, “What in the world are you asking me about!?”

As you look deep into your heart and soul, have you been adopted, chosen, and deeply loved spiritually? Has the God of the Bible chosen, and adopted you? He certainly does love you deeply, since He sent His Son Jesus to pay the total cost for your adoption into His family. However, for your adoption to actually take place, you have to accept it. God, the loving Father, will not kidnap you and force you into His family. He waits for you to accept Him as your Father and experience all the benefits of becoming a member of His family.

“Benefits?” you ask. How about:

 Sins forever forgiven,

  An eternal home in heaven,

   Strength for the daily stress,

    Peace that does not depend on circumstances,

     Provision for daily needs

      His almighty arms upholding you, and I could go on and on.

So let me ask you again: “Are you adopted?” If not, why not? What could possibly be preventing you from accepting adoption from the gracious, merciful, loving Father God?

Please accept these adoption “papers” which God Who desires to be your Father is holding out to you.

God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:5

But when the right time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent Him to buy freedom for us … so that He could adopt us as His very own children. And because we are His children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba*, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are His child, God has made you His heir. Galatians 4:4-7

But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, “Abba*, Father.” For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are His children, we are His heirs. Romans 8:14-17a

Beloved, we are God’s children now; and what we will be has not yet appeared, but we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is. I Jn. 3:2

* “Abba” is a personal Aramaic word for “father”. It would be “Daddy” in English.

THE STRANGE ONE

By Kingsley Baehr

by Eileen Lageer in HIS magazine, June, 1965

Once there was a colony of ants with only five legs. Whenever they walked, they went one-two-hitch, one-two-hitch, all along the path. These ants lived on decayed banana leaves and nothing else. I shouldn’t say “lived,” for many of them died. Banana leaves, you know, especially in their rotten state, are rather hard to find—and so these ants had a very hard life. Many died young from over-exertion and starvation. Now it happened that one day a very strange ant was born among them. This ant had six legs! Everyone clicked his tongue in consternation. Many tried the best they could to console the parents on their child’s deformity. Some suggested that for the good of the community they ought to kill him in in-fancy. But the mother begged hard, so they let him live. Strangely enough, the little ant was soon rushing around faster than his elders. This was ominous. And worse than that, he had a very awkward way of walking. “Look,” they tried to tell him, “you don’t know how to walk right. You have to go one-two-hitch, one-two-hitch. Now try it properly.” But every time the little ant walked, that sixth foot would come down, and he would leave his teachers far behind. They gave up in disgust. When he was half grown, the elders noticed another peculiarity. He was eating bread crumbs! “Stop!” they cried. “They’re poison. You mustn’t do that. If you eat even two little mouthfuls, you’ll die!” But the little ant continued eating. They waited to see him fall over dead, but nothing happen-ed. Instead, as the days went on, he grew strong and big, bigger even than the biggest of the grown-ups. This was outrageous! But the real crisis didn’t come until he was fully grown. The colony had been told to move quickly from its home to another place, for dreaded driver ants were marching against it. The job of moving was very slow, for in order to move the nest, an egg had to be loaded onto the back of an ant. Then two other ants climbed on his back and rode along holding the egg in place. They had to keep it from rolling off at every hitch, you see. So the egg would be carried along, and the ant under the egg would be more dead than alive when they arrived. They had just started moving their eggs in this way, when they noticed the six-legged monstrosity coming toward them at a rapid clip. “Hurry up, you lazy thing,” they cried between puffs. “You have to work too.” They had barely gotten the words out of their mouths when he passed them on the double and was back again carrying an egg, of all places, in his two front feet. “You can’t do that!” they screamed. “You’ll break it. And anyway, you’ll never get there.” “I’ve already been there and back twice,” he replied, “and I haven’t broken one yet. Let me show you how to do it.” That was the last straw. Rage came up in their throats and choked them. They dropped their eggs in a heap and rushed at him. “He has a devil!” cried his enemies. “He is beside himself!” cried his friends. “He’s perverting the colony!” “He’s spoiling our nation!” “He is teaching others this perfidy!” “Away with him!” “Kill him!” “There!” they growled in grim satisfaction sometime later. “He’ll never try to teach us again. We’ll solve our own problems, thank you.” Then they went back to work. One-two-hitch. One-two-hitch. One-two-hitch.

May I seriously and lovingly ask you,

“Are you a five-legged ant?”

What have you done with the perfect Lord Jesus Christ Who came into your “colony” to make you whole and to show you the right way to live?

“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6

WHO IS YOUR PILOT?

By Kingsley Baehr

Recently, my wife and I took a week’s vacation in northern Michigan where three of the Great Lakes meet. We flew round-trip by airplane and took four boat trips. On all six trips, we entrusted our lives to six different human pilots.

PILOT/GUIDE:
  A person who leads or directs another’s way;
  who exhibits and explains points of interest;
  who directs another’s conduct or course of life;
  who acts as a guide in a way or course;
  who supervises, or influences, usually to a particular end;
  who superintends the training or instruction of his trainees.

Exodus 15:13 You in Your mercy have led forth the people whom You have redeemed; You have guided [piloted] them in Your strength to Your holy habitation.

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide [pilot] you with My eye.

Psalm 48:14 For this God is our God forever and ever: He will be our Guide [Pilot] even unto death.

Psalm 73:24 You will guide [pilot] me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

A PILOT:

1. Is in total control of the ship or airplane.
2. Knows exactly how and where to direct the ship or airplane to its desired destination.
3. Instructs the passengers as to their necessary behavior on the trip.
4. Explains the “why’s” and “where-fore’s” of the journey to the passengers as the trip is continuing.
5. Knows where all the hazards lie and how to avoid them.
6. Can pilot the craft through the sun glare, clouds, and darkness which make the way ahead totally unclear to his passengers.
7. Reassures the passengers when they are worried about what might be happening.
8. Has the passengers completely in his hands and is totally responsible for them.

IS JESUS YOUR PILOT?

1. Have you given total control of your life to Him?
2. Do you really believe that He knows the best way for you to live your life so that you will reach heaven as your final destination?
3. How often do you allow Him to speak to you through His Word about your behavior as a passenger on His ship/airplane of life?
4. Are you aware when He is showing you why He has piloted you as He has? Sometimes He will use counselors, mentors, or Christian friends to be His commentators on life.
5. Do you really believe that He knows better than you do what will be hazardous to you in your life, and are you willing to allow Him to steer you around or away from them
6. He does not always tell us what the future holds, but He is an absolutely trust worthy Pilot through it. Do you really believe that?
7. Are you looking to Himfor the reassurance and comfort that you need in times of difficulty?
8. Whether you like it or not, “[Your] life is in His hands.”

Can you think of any better hands to cradle your life? He is the Sovereign of the universe Who, in spite of our rebellion and sin, loves us so much that He Himself came to this tiny spot in His vast creation and gave His life for the likes of us to pay our penalty of eternal separation from His Father, and give us eternal life with Him as our Pilot.
If you have not yet boarded His craft and surrendered control of your life to Him, now is the time, right now, before you miss His ship through life and His airplane to heaven.

CHOICES!

By Kingsley Baehr

LIFE IS FILLED WITH CHOICES!

CONFIDENT CHOICES or CONFUSED CHOICES

CALCULATED CHOICES or CAPRICIOUS CHOICES

CAUTIOUS CHOICES or CARELESS CHOICE

CLEAR-CUT CHOICES or CLOUDY CHOICES

CREATIVE CHOICES or CLUELESS CHOICES

COMPASSIONATE CHOICES or CHILLING CHOICES

COURAGEOUS CHOICES or COWARDLY CHOICES

CORRECT CHOICES or CORRUPT CHOICES

CHASTE CHOICES or CARNAL CHOICES

COMMITTED CHOICES or CONDITIONAL CHOICES

or the

CHOICEST CHOICE

of all

which is the

CHOICE FOR CHRIST.

There are only two choices which, when made in this life, determine where you will spend eternity after this life—the choice for Christ or the choice to ignore Christ.

Which choice are you currently making?

For Christ = an eternity in heaven with the One Who loved you enough to sacrifice His own life for you.

Ignoring Christ = an eternity in hell with Satan who hates you and will do anything to keep you from choosing Christ.

So, once again, which choice are you currently making?

JESUS IN JULY

By Kingsley Baehr

JESUS	-born after Julius Caesar, for which this month was named in the Gregorian Calendar, but the One on Whose birth the whole calendar was devised! Julius was a conqueror of many uncivilized peoples. JESUS IS THE SAVIOR OF MULTITUDES OF LOST SINNERS    Have you asked Him to become your Savior?
UNIQUE	- though unappreciated as such. Born into this world, though eternall existing from ages past, the perfect God-man, the Servant-King, the Sacrificial Savior, the sole Conqueror of death, because He rose from the dead.   Do you appreciate Him?
LORD	- but unrecognized as such. As the Creator of all things, including you, He owns you. He can do with you whatever He desires. But instead of wanting to punish you forever for your rebellion and rejection of Him, He loves you so much that He punished Himself as your Substitute!   How are you going to respond to Him?
YARDSTICK	- the One by Whom you will be measured. Anything less than His perfection, His attitude, His devotion to God, His Father, His humility, His loving concern for His enemies, means that you do not measure up, and therefore, have no hope of heaven. But because He loves you, He desires to give you these things as a free gift, by becoming your Savior and your Lord.     Do you want Him or not?     He leaves it all up to you.   Accept the One Who went through hell for you and won the victory over it,     or   go to hell yourself. Your choice.   What will it be?

ARE YOU SAFE?

By Kingsley Baehr

The month of June is “National Safety Month.” It is also a month for celebrating many other things as well,
but June is National Safety Month.

So if I ask you, “Are you safe?” you might ans-wer:
“Of course. I live in a safe neighborhood.” Or,
“Sure. All my investments are doing well.” Or,
“Yes. My driving record is totally clean.” Or,
“I live in the U.S.A., don’t I? Why wouldn’t I be safe?”

But then I might reply, “All these answers deal only with physical life.
What about your spiritual life?
Are you safe there?
Will you be safe after death?
Are you safe for eternity?”

It is so easy to get caught up in planning and working toward providing for ourselves a safe and secure future,
 economically,
  residentially,
   socially,
    psychologically, and
     physically,
and yet ignoring what is necessary to be safe and secure spiritually.
And the strange part of it all is that we work hard, labor long, and spend our lives for this life’s securities which might last a lifetime, and yet

all the work has been done for us to provide eternal security!

We just have to want it enough to go to the One who has done the work and ask Him to give it to us as a love-gift.

JESUS CHRIST did the work.
His perfect Person is the guarantee.
Eternal security is His to give.
It only can come from Him. [Acts 4:12]

How?

1. Recognize that you cannot earn it. [Titus 3:5]
2. Admit that your sins have separated you from Him. [Isaiah 59:1,2]
3. Confess them to Him and accept His forgiveness. [1 John 1:9]
4. Rest in the safety and security for eternity which are His gifts to you. [1 John 5:11,12; Hebrews 13:5c]

If you will sincerely and from the heart follow these four steps, then, for the rest of your life on earth, you will be able to celebrate June as your personal Spiritual Safety Month, the month when you accepted the safety and security for all eternity offered to you as His gift by the
LORD Jesus Christ.

Prov. 18:10 – The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it, and are safe.

Prov. 29:25 – The fear of man brings a snare; but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

Prov. 1:33 – Whoever listens to Me will dwell safely, and will be secure without fear of evil.

Psa. 4:8 – I will both lie down in peace and sleep; for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

2 Tim. 4:18 – And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever.

Amen!

MAYDAY! MAYDAY!! MAYDAY!!!

By Kingsley Baehr

According to the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary; Tenth Edition, MAYDAY is “an international radio-telephone signal word used as a distress call (italics mine).

It’s origin is in a French phrase “m’aider” meaning “help me.”

Have you ever signaled God with this word?
Have you ever sent to Him this frantic distress signal?
“O God, help me! Help me!! Help me!!!”

But maybe you have not yet realized that you are in deep trouble?

“We are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteounesses are like filthy rags.
We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind have taken us away.” – ISAIAH 64:6

“ ‘May day!’ O God!
The waters have come up to my neck.
I sink in deep mud where there is no standing;
I have come into deep waters where the floods overflow me.”- PSALM 69:2 (altered)

If you do not like the sound of these words from the Bible, you truly are in deep trouble.

If you are willing to admit before God that your sins have separated you from Him,
then send your distress signal to Him right now, and you will discover that:

He will bring you up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay.
He will set your feet upon a rock and establish your steps.
He will put a new song in your mouth—
“Praise to our God!” - PSALM 40:2,3 (altered)

WINDY MARCH

By Kingsley Baehr

Many years ago before we began paying income taxes in April instead of March, the American humorist and poet, Ogden Nash, wrote:

  Inside and out, no one relaxes
  In March that month of WIND and taxes.
  The WINDS will presently disappear,
  But taxes last us all the year.

However, the Bible has more to say about WIND than about taxes.

“For behold, He who forms the mountains, and creates the WIND, who declares to man what his thought is,... the LORD God of hosts is His name.” – Amos 4:13

“Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the WIND in His fists?... Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, if you know? – Proverbs 30:4

“But He (JESUS) said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?’ Then He arose and rebuked the WINDS and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the WINDS and the sea obey Him?’” – Matthew 8:26

“The ungodly... are like the chaff which the WIND drives away. The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment...” – Psalm 1:4

“They (the ungodly) sow the WIND and reap the WHIRLWIND.” – Hosea 8:7

At this point, let me ask you a pointed question: “If GOD the SON created and controls the WINDS of the earth, do ungodly people have anything of which to be afraid?” Consider further:

“The grass withers, the flower fades, because the BREATH (WIND, same word) of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass.” – Isaiah 40:7

“... we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the WIND, have taken us away.” – Isaiah 64:6b

These last two verses make it personal, don’t they? They talk about us. So my last question is this:

ARE YOU STILL OUT THERE BEING WITHERED, DRIVEN, AND “BLOWN AWAY” BY THE WINDS OF LIFE?

    OR

ARE YOU IN THE BOAT WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST?

FREE INDEED

By Kingsley Baehr

IF THE SON MAKES YOU FREE, YOU SHALL BE FREE INDEED – John 8:36

The New Life Singers from Freedom Village U.S.A. visited our church a few years ago and presented a program of Gospel music and testimonies of how Jesus Christ had changed their lives. Here are some quotes from those testi-monies:

“By the time I was five years old, I was abused in every way possible and when I was ten, I was told that I would never be able to have children.”
“Until I was nineteen years old, no one had ever made a place for me.”
“I hated my life. I hated everybody. I hated my drugs and alcohol. I hated me.”
“I tried Satanism.”
“My parents were divorced when I was three.”
“My parents were alcoholics, but we went to church every Sunday.”
“My mother was a drug addict.”

But here they were,
 singing their hearts out,
  praising God and
   showing by their attitudes,
    their faces,
    their voices, and
    their joy
   how JESUS CHRIST had revolutionized their lives
    since they found that HE loved them and
     had made a place for them in HIS family.

What had produced such a dramatic change in their lives?

THEY CHOSE LIFE!
“JESUS SAID, ‘I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE...’” – John 14:6
THEY CHOSE JESUS CHRIST!

What will you choose?

“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you,
LIFE and DEATH,
BLESSING and CURSING;
therefore
CHOOSE LIFE...
THAT YOU MAY LOVE THE LORD, YOUR GOD,
THAT YOU MAY OBEY HIS VOICE,
AND THAT YOU MAY CLING TO HIM,
FOR HE IS YOUR LIFE.”
- Deuteronomy 30:19,20a

RESOLVED…

By Kingsley Baehr

… that when my mother calls me in, I’ll come right when I’m called, because my father bought a hairbrush. (He’s completely bald.) … that I’ll pick up my dirty clothes and throw them in the hamper, ‘cause if I don’t my mother’s mood becomes a smoth’ring damper. … that calorific, greasy junk food never sees my lips, ‘cause when it does the large results rest on my waist and hips.
… that I will focus more on others, (being kind and gentle), for if I want to have good friends; these two are fundamental. … that I will also share with them, (for this I do believe), that those who gladly share their funds will more and more receive. … that I will try to do the best I can in word and deed, for if I want to get to heav’n, good deeds are what I need.
I don’t know what kind of New Year’s resolutions you are in the habit of making, if any, but maybe you recognize one among those above.
Did you notice that there is a similar way of thinking in each one?
“I’ll be nice this year, because, if I am, it will be good for me.” or “What do I get out of it?”
This is not good.
God said in Isaiah 43:7 that He created us for His glory. What we need to resolve is whether we want to live for ourselves or for Him.
If your answer is the first, then you don’t need to read any further. But if your resolve is to live for God, here is what He says you must do:
RESOLVE…
… TO ADMIT YOUR SINFULNESS: All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. – Romans 3:23
… TO ADMIT YOUR HELPLESSNESS TO HELP YOURSELF: For I know that in me… nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. - Romans 7:18
… TO ACCEPT GOD’S GRACIOUS OFFER OF FREE SALVATION: For by grace you are saved through faith, and that faith is not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. - Ephesians 2:8,9
… TO DO GOOD WORKS, NOT FOR SALVATION, BUT BECAUSE HE HAS SAVED YOU: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. - Ephesians 2:10

THE CHRIST OF CHRISTMAS

By Kingsley Baehr

C

Citizens, awake! O, can’t you sense the danger?

Christ, the Son, left heaven’s heights for Bethlehem’s crude manger!

Came to earth, a volunteer for military duty,

Charged to liberate the men who saw in Him no beauty.

H

Heav’nly hosts announced His birth to shepherds—not to princes!

Humble people round the earth are those whom He convinces.

Herod, Pilate, Caesar, Priest, and unrepentant sinner

Have yet to see Him as He is, the World-wide, Sin-war Winner.

R

Refused by His human creations (He permits our choices),

Rejoicing in His awesomeness, His angels raise their voices.

Reflect on this, O citizens of this God-prospered nation,

Remain on course rejecting Him? We stay on His probation!

I

Instead of cute and cuddly child, we need to see Another—

In essence, infinite in might— not infant with his mother.

It is to Him we give account. [He fills you with revulsion?]

If I were you I’d really hate to face His just expulsion.

S

So, citizens, to us a timely wake-up call is granted.

September’s terrorist attack uncertainty has planted.

Serenity has quickly fled. (Results of bad behavior?)

Security forever can be found in Christ the Savior.

T

Turn to Him now, this Christ of Christmas, Who is The Redeemer,

To Him Who on the cross endured the taunts of the blasphemer.

Turn to Him now, while Christ awaits the time of your submission.

Then joyfully receive from your Commander your commission.

“Christ” is a name which means “Anointed One.” In Bible times, Prophets, Priests, and Kings were anointed when inducted into service.

Have you anointed Christ as your King to Whom you will give full allegiance?

Have you anointed Christ as your High Priest through Whom you have access to the presence of God the Father?

Have you anointed Christ as your Prophet through Whom God’s truth is communicated to you?

HALLOWEEN Thanksgiving CHRISTMAS

By Kingsley Baehr

HALLOWEEN	Thanksgiving	CHRISTMAS
Ghosts	Gourmets	Givers
Treats	Turkeys	Toys
Self-serving	Servings	Serving self
Ghoul-oriented	God-oriented	Goods-oriented

Basically, this is how America thinks of Thanksgiving.
Sandwiched between two huge money-making holidays, Thanksgiving is slowly being squeezed out of American society.
Except for traditional Thanksgiving food growers, there is little money to be made on Thanksgiving.
Halloween yard decorations are exchanged for Christmas yard decorations.
[When was the last time you saw a yard decorated for Thanksgiving?]
Television delights in feeding us the ghastly, ghostly and ghoul-ly glop of Halloween, followed by the glossy, glittery, gaudy glut of Christmas.
[When was the last time you saw a Television program devoted to appreciation of God for all His bounty to us?]
[Now that Norman Rockwell is no longer painting, how many public images have caught your attention about being thankful to God?]
Santa Claus and his parades have intruded upon Thanksgiving mornings.
Football games occupy Thanksgiving afternoons and evenings.
Even Thanksgiving dinners have come to occupy our thanksgiving thoughts more than giving thanks to God.

GOD IS NOT A COMMERCIAL COMMODITY.
HE CANNOT BE BOUGHT OR SOLD.
HE HAS CONQUERED ALL THE DARKNESS OF SATANIC POWERS AND OFFERS ETERNAL LIFE TO YOU AS A GIFT.

JESUS CHRIST, GOD’S SON
ACCOMPLISHED ALL THAT THROUGH HIS BIRTH, LIFE, DEATH, RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION BACK TO HEAVEN
WHERE HE IS PREPARING A PLACE FOR YOU.
HE IS THE DOOR. YOU MUST GO THROUGH HIM. WILL YOU?

THEN THANKSGIVING WILL MEAN SOMETHING TO YOU.
THEN YOU WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO THANK GOD FOR.
THEN YOU WILL TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT THANKSGIVING IS ALL ABOUT.

“WHAT’S THAT AGAIN?” – GOD

By Kingsley Baehr

What does God hear when we decide to take a minute out of our busy schedule to talk to Him?

Remember, the Bible tells us that

“God looks on the heart.”   Samuel 16:7

and that

“The LORD searches all hearts and under-stands all the intent of the thoughts.” 1 Chronicles 28:9

Would He hear something like the following:

“O Lord, nobody understands me; I find it hard to believe that You do.”

But what does God tell us?

O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. Psalm 139:1-4

Or maybe this is what He would hear:

O kind and easygoing Father, I have occasionally been guilty of errors of judgment, mostly because of my back-ground. Sometimes I have messed up, but I have done the best I could under the circum-stances. So I think I’m pretty normal. So, please, O Lord, be nice to me when I goof up. I admit I’m not perfect. Be tolerant as I expect you to be. As an indulgent Parent, allow me to continue to live a harmless and happy life from now on and to keep my self-respect.

But God has already told us:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Rom. 1:18

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.John 3:36

We cannot fake God out. We cannot deceive Him into believing our words when our hearts are saying something different. But what if God heard us pray from our hearts:

“O holy God, I am so sorry for my sin that is an offense to you. I am a sinner incapable of pleasing you on my own. I am helpless to save myself. I repent and throw myself upon Your grace and mercy and plead with you to forgive me of my sins, because Your Son Jesus gave His life to pay my penalty of death in my place. Thank You for Your love and gift of eternal life.”

His glad and joyful response would be:

“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you [to Myself]. Jeremiah 31:3

“And I give [you] eternal life, and [you] shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch [you] out of My hand.”  John 10:28

May I plead with you today— Do not try to fool God any more. Surrender to Him and experience the great joy of knowing that your sin has been forgiven and you are on your way to His home in heaven.He is waiting for you to call on Him right now.

The Dream Team

By Kingsley Baehr

Soccer!

 Baseball!

  Football!

   Cheerleading!

  Sports on TV!

If you are on a team you are expected to be on the beam if you want to be on a dream team!

   Requirements:

   Commitment

   Focus

   Concentration

Obedience

   100 % Effort

   If you are on The Dream Team, should the requirements be any less?

      There are differences

A Dream Team	The Dream Team
You earn your way on.	Christ earned your way on!
A new playbook with each new coach.	Same “Playbook,” same coach!
Your sport lasts for a season.	Your “sport” lasts forever!
Your fame fades fast.	Your fame is eternal!
Your rewards are limited.	Your rewards are infinite!

But, once you are on The Dream Team,

the requirements are the same.

To which team will you devote yourself this fall?

Into which team will you plunge your heart and soul?

When the two teams compete for your time and commitment,

which one will win?

Which one should win?

What are you going to do about it?

*The Dream Team is comprised of all people worldwide who have confessed to God their inability to play the game of life, and asked Him to forgive their failures, and accept them as members of His team, committed to His service now and forever.

AUGUST

By Kingsley Baehr

This month is about all that is left of Octavius Caesar!

He was something else in his day!

 He was the designated heir of his uncle, Julius Caesar.

 He defeated Marc Anthony at the Battle of Actium.

 He was declared the first emperor of Rome by its senate, when they conferred upon him the name of AUGUSTUS Caesar.

 [Augustus - From Latin "augere" = "to increase" Characterized by majestic dignity or gran-deurAdditional connotations = "consecrated,holy, sacred"]

 His name became the title used by all succeeding emperors.

 He ruled Rome for 44 years from 31 B.C. until his death in A.D. 14

 His rule was known for its peace and prosperity..

He was the most powerful ruler of his day!

He was the Caesar that enabled the Lord Jesus Christ to be born in Bethlehem; it was his taxation edict which forced Joseph and Mary to leave Nazareth and travel to Bethlehem, Joseph's patriarchal town

Christ Jesus!

In His days, He still is really something else! - [Hebrews 13:8]

 He is the Heir of His Father, God! - [Psalm 2:7-9]

 He defeated Satan and his hosts at the Battle of Calvary! - [Ephesians 6:12 with Colossians 2:15]

 He has been declared King of the Nations by His Father, God! - [Psalm 2:7-9]

 ["Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end!" - [Isaiah 9:7a]

 He holds by right infinite and eternal majestic dignity and grandeur! - [1 Timothy 1:17]

 He only is truly holy, consecrated and sacred in His character!] - [Hebrews 7:26]

 His name is the title by which countless followers have become known! - [Acts 11:26]

 He is the eternal ruler of the kings of the earth! - [Revelation 1:5]

 His millenial reign on earth will be known for perfect peace and prosperity! - [Isaiah 11:1-9]

 He is the most powerful ruler of all ages! - [1 Timothy 6:14-16]

WHAT DOES FREEDOM MEAN TO YOU?

By Kingsley Baehr

The Statue Of Liberty

 For the past ninety years the majestic statue “Liberty Enlightening the World” has towered above Liberty Island, near the entrance to New York Harbor, as a symbol of the freedom which we enjoy here in America.

 The famous sculptor, Bartholdi, gave twenty years of devoted effort to the work, personally superintending the raising of the subscription of $4,000,000 with which the French nation gave the statue to the United States. When the subscriptions lagged, Bartholdi pledged his own private fortune to defray the running expenses and practically impoverished himself over the work.

 At the start, when Bartholdi looked for a model whose form and features he could reproduce as “Liberty,” he received much contradictory counsel. One of the leading art authorities advised him that the statue should depict “figures of thought which are grand in themselves.” After examining outstanding heroes, Bartholdi chose as a model for the colossal masterpiece—his own mother.^[1]

   —Christian Victory

 Revealing isn’t it? That Bartholdi could find no better hero than his own mother as his model for liberty and freedom?

 The Bible, God’s inspired Word, tells us in no uncertain terms that God is extremely interested in the freedom of the human race.

 The Bible also gives us the best model for liberty and freedom.

Here is what it says:

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? – Rom. 8:31,32

  Notice that God is for us. He wants us to be on His side.

  Notice that God delivered up His own Son, that we might be delivered from slavery to sin.

  Notice that God wants to freely give us all things.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. – Gal. 5:1

For you... have been called to freedom; only do not use freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. – Gal. 5:13

True freedom is only possible through Jesus Christ Who can free you from the enslaving yoke of sin so that you can lovingly serve God and others. During this month when we celebrate our political freedom from England, why not celebrate your personal freedom from the bondage and penalty of sin by asking the Savior to save you? He will, you know, but you must ask. He will not force His way into your life.

References

1. Tan, P. L. 1996, c1979. Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : [a treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and Christian workers]. Bible Communications: Garland TX

GRADUATING TO DEPENDENCE

By Kingsley Baehr

When we think of June, graduations come to mind.

 When we think of July, independence comes to mind.

"Graduation" came into English from the Latin word "gradus" meaning "step or degree."

"Independence" came into English from the Latin words "in" meaning "not", "de" meaning "down" and "pendere" meaning "hang from."

So, when we graduate we step up by degree/s to the state of "not hanging down from" or "loosing ties with":

That old school ~ those old rules and regulations ~ that old way of living ~ and maybe even those old means of support!

But when we graduate from that old life of slavery to sin and Satan, not by our own work or design,

but because Jesus Christ chose to be dependent on His Father
 and because of His own work on the cross at Calvary and
  subsequent resurrection,

We step up, not to independence, but to dependence on Him for
 Life [eternally in heaven],
  Liberty [from the slavery to sin and self],
   and the Pursuit of Happiness [through His sustaining power].

Graduating to dependence on Jesus Christ is the greatest thing you can do in the life, because it is also good for your everlasting future!
   Will you try it?

MAY, THE MONTH FOR MOTHERS’ DAY.

By Kingsley Baehr

Mothers mean much to most of us. Minus mothers, where would we be? Missing in action!
Here is a story from the Bible about a magnificent mother, even though she was a slave, whose son would most definitely have been missing in action, if it were not for her Godly life!
It is found in Exodus 1:7 – 2:15; Acts 7:17-22; and Hebrews 11:23-26

The timing could not have been worse, must have been the thought plaguing Jochebed’s mind just about every waking minute. She would glance down at her growing abdomen and wonder if her unborn baby would be a boy or a girl. How long would she be able to hide her pregnancy under her loose-flowing clothing from Pharoah’s secret service men who were keeping a list of pregnant Israelite slave women for future reference.

Pharoah’s new edict to drown their newborn baby boys in the Nile River was causing her great stress. How should she pray? All around her, her people were abandoning the God of Israel Who seemed helpless to deliver them from their slavery.

But she would not do so! Her faith in Jehovah sustained her through the uncertain days of her pregnancy.

And yet, the timing, it seemed, could not have been worse!

“As for God, His way is perfect” the Bible tells us in 2 Samuel 22:31. Moses’ mother, Jochebed, had no way of knowing that as we do. She had no Bible. What was happening in her life certainly did not look perfect to her. Yet we know that she remained faithful to God. We also know that our times are in His hands [Psalm 31:15]. God’s timing is also perfect, even when it seems that it could not be worse!

The anticipated and feared day arrived. Jochebed held in her arms a magnificent baby boy! When he screwed up his face to cry, his whole family frantically tried to shush him. He just could not be heard outside the house! Jochebed knew as soon as she saw him that she would never be able to abort his life in the Nile River.

Acting quickly to put their agreed-on plan into motion, the parents were able to hide their new baby boy for three months! “How?” you might ask. I have no clue! But they did, and they succeeded.

Then even their ingenuity was not sufficient. They had to do something else. What? I am sure Jochebed pleaded with God for an idea of what to do.

Quickly it came! She took him to the Nile just as Pharoah had ordered. She put him in the Nile, but not just as Pharoah had ordered. He was in a waterproofed basket, floating gently among the papyrus reeds along the bank, just a little distance from where Pharoah’s childless daughter came daily to bathe. If God was with Jochebed, her son would be saved.

“O, God of my fathers, work it out, I beg You,” Jochebed prayed as she went about her work. “Keep him safe, even if I have to lose him. Protect little Miriam, standing watch out there.

Keep the crocodiles away. Thank you, God, for little Aaron and his hugs. I—”

   “Mommy, Mommy, you’ll never guess what happened!”

   “What, Miriam, what?!”

   “O, Mommy, Pharoah’s daughter found him—”

   “She did?!”

   “Yes, Mommy. How wonderful! She wants to keep him, and when I offered to find a nurse for him, she said yes! Mommy, come quickly! You’re the nurse! Come, she’s waiting for you!”

   And that is how Jochebed’s precious son was returned to her home and heart by no less than Pharoah’s daughter herself!

Since God’s timing is perfect, I am sure that this whole plan was His idea, communicated by Him to that faithful, praying mother. “Faithful,” and “praying” are words which should characterize each one of us if we desire to see God’s perfect plan worked out in our lives. This faithful, praying slave woman thwarted the most powerful potentate in the world at that time because of her connection to the God of heaven and earth!

We all know how Moses turned out. During his first three or four years that he spent in his mother’s home before she had to relinquish him to Pharoah’s daughter, she diligently taught him about her God and the history of her people, the Israelites. She crammed his head full of God and Israel.

How did she do as a teacher? About forty years later, after spending most of his life in Pharoah’s palace, being taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians and enjoying all the pleasures and treasures of that great country, Moses chose to suffer with God’s people—his own people—instead, and we know the rest of the story!

What a mother Jochebed was! What an example for us to follow! Are we trusting in God? Are we faithful to Him? Are we in constant communication with Him through prayer and meditation on His Word, the Bible? Only then can we see His perfect will and timing at work for His glory in our lives.

PEACE AND WAR

By Kingsley Baehr

What though wars may come with marching feet and beat of the drum,
 For I have Christ in my heart! What though nations rage as we approach the end of the age,
 For I have Christ in my heart!
God is still on the throne--
 Almighty God is He--
  And He cares for His own
   Through all eternity!
So let come what may, whatever it is, I only say
 That I have Christ in my heart!

I HAVE CHRIST IN MY HEART!

     - Words and music by Wendell P. Loveless

Jesus Christ said:
"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."
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God-- believe also in Me.
In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and pre-pare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."
"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
"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."

Are you on speaking terms with Jesus Christ?
Is He filling your life with His presence?
Have you received Him as the Savior from your sins?
If so:

You can experience the peace which Jesus Christ promises!