It is said that first-century Jewish rabbis referred to wisdom as “salt”—something that is both a preservative and is tasty (attractive). A “covenant of salt” (2 Chronicles 13:5) suggested a permanent (preserved) bond between the parties involved. Jesus, as a Teacher, may have been using that same metaphor when He said, in Matthew 5:13, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”

There is more to salt than meets the taste buds. Salt has been used in many cultures as a valuable commodity. The word “salary” actually comes from an ancient word meaning “salt-money,” referring to a Roman soldier’s allowance for the purchase of salt. Someone who earns his pay is still, in 2024, said to be “worth his salt.” Salt has also been used to express promises and friendship between people. It was even considered by the Greeks to be divine. Today in many Arab cultures, if two men partake of salt together they are sworn to protect one another—even if they had previously been enemies. In some cultures, people throw salt over their shoulders when they make a promise. Who knew sodium chloride was so important?

In the ancient world, ingesting salt was a way to make an agreement legally binding. If two parties entered into an agreement, they would eat salt together in the presence of witnesses, and that act would bind their contract. King Abijah’s speech, mentioned earlier, in 2 Chronicles 13:5 mentions just such a salt covenant: “Don’t you know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?” Here, Abijah refers to the strong, legally binding promise of God to give Israel to David and his sons forever.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Colossians 4:6

Paul was more than likely combining all these ideas when he wrote that Christians’ speech toward outsiders should be gracious and “seasoned with salt.” He said something similar in Ephesians 4:29, saying that our speech should be edifying and a source of grace to those who hear our words. He also warned about the opposite of such speech in Colossians 3:8—crude, carnal speech, not befitting a follower of Christ, speech neither of permanent value nor attractive.

Listen to what Peter, in his third epistle, wrote, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.” 1 Peter 3: 15 – 16

How do we, Christians, talk when we are around non-believers?

Do we speak like the world, trying to fit in and not make waves? Or do we speak graciously in ways that build up our hearers? Are our words attractive, conveying love and grace? Or do our words cause division and strife?

How we speak to and around non-Christians is just as important as what we say to them.

- ALAN MURPHY

You see the signs and hear the chants…”My Body. My Choice.” That is most certainly correct. The problem seems to be that those making these broad statements don’t truly understand what they are saying.

Yes, you do have control of your body. This has been true and will continue to be true. Keep in mind that includes controlling your body so that you don’t find yourself in the position of becoming pregnant in the first place. (Birth Control) Self control.

You see, the real problem here is that you want full control over another life that you created because you lost control of your body. There is no reason to become pregnant if you don’t want to become pregnant. (I understand rape to be an exception) 

If you don’t want to get pregnant and start a family, don’t engage in activities that lead to pregnancy. That’s pretty simple. Your desire for a few brief moments of physical pleasure should never result in the death of an innocent baby.

Understand that the new life inside of you is not responsible for your bad choices. There are several ways of controlling your body and preventing the forming of a new life. Failure to utilize one of these methods should not be blamed on that new “innocent” life.

That new life – it’s NOT your body – it is a new body growing inside of you. And it is a life, not just a collection of tissue. A human embryo's heartbeat can be detected as early as six weeks into gestation, or about 22 days after conception. It is at this stage, an ultrasound can detect a rhythmic heartbeat of around 110 beats per minute.

In Psalm 139:14 ,King David said, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; …” That new life inside of you is a gift from God.

The Bible does teach that life begins at conception. Every culture’s view of when human life begins changes as society’s values, moral standards, and knowledge about the process of embryonic development change. Prior to the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that allowed abortion on demand, developing embryos were considered unborn persons.

Even science tells us that human life begins at the time of conception. From the moment fertilization takes place, the child’s genetic makeup is already complete. Its gender has already been determined, along with its height and hair, eye and skin color. The only thing the embryo needs to become a fully-functioning being is the time to grow and develop.

More importantly, God reveals to us in His Word that not only does life begin at conception, but He knows who we are even before then (Jeremiah 1:5). King David said this about God’s role in our conception: "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb . . . your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" (Psalm 139:13, 16).

While the world around us continually seeks to devalue the lives of the unborn, creating its own definitions of humanity based on distorted views of morality, the undeniable fact is that life begins at creation, and a human is created as soon as he or she is conceived. God is present at our creation; He is, in fact, our Creator. Our value as human beings created in His image is conceived even before we are.

- ALAN MURPHY

We are so blessed as children of God. He gives to us so abundantly and yet we often do not fully appreciate His generosity. There are two short phrases that I would like you to consider. The first is “Out of,” and the second is “According to.” Do we truly understand the depth of these words? I don’t think so.

I won’t be long, but I would like to share just a little of God’s Word on this subject.

In Matthew 12:35 we read, “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.”

And in Matthew 13:52 scripture records, “Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.”

Luke 6:45, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”

There are hundreds of references to “out of” in the Bible.

Scripture tells us in 2 Corinthians 13:10 “Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.”

In Ephesians 1:5, the Apostle Paul would write, “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,”

And in Ephesians 1:7, Paul penned, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”

Ponder these as well.

Ephesians 3:16, Ephesians 4:7 and Philippians 4:19.

Meriam Webster dictionary defines “according to” as: 1: in conformity with, 2: as stated or attested by, 3: depending on

That really doesn’t give us the depth of these words. Let me give you an illustration that just might put it in a better perspective.

If Elon Musk walked into a room and handed you a signed check, with your name on it, written out for 10 million dollars, you’d be thrilled, as would any of us. That 10 million dollars is “Out of” Elon Musk’s worth. He is worth so much more than $10,000,000, thus “out of” his total worth he is giving you a limited portion. (Which I would gladly accept by the way).

Now, if Elon Musk walked into a room and handed you a signed check, with your name on it, and the amount was left blank for you to fill in, that would be “according to” Musk’s total worth. No limit has been placed.

That is the way it is with God, His mercy, His power, His love for us, His forgiveness, His grace, His riches are limitless and He offers us ALL that we need. We are not limited to just a portion of what He has, we have been given access to ALL of it, we just need to fill in the amount.

Don’t be afraid to ask for the moon. Don’t limit yourself. Don’t be afraid that you are asking too much. He wants to give to His children and His resources are limitless. Accept that ‘blank check’ from God today.

- ALAN MURPHY

Let me start with a quick question.

Do you know how to share the Good News of Christ?

A recent Lifeway Research survey shows that 66 percent of Christians “are not familiar with any ‘methods for telling others about Jesus.’” On top of that, 70 percent of the Christians interviewed admitted that they “have never shared with a stranger how to become a Christian in the past six months.”

According to John Sorensen, president of Evangelism Explosion, “Now, perhaps more than ever, people are open to conversations about faith, yet this study reveals very few Christians actually take the opportunity to engage in personal evangelism.”

I’ll admit that finding the right words to say to share the Gospel may be a little intimidating. But there is no big, dark secret to telling others about Christ. You don’t need to memorize a bunch of scripture (although I encourage it) you don’t need to know doctrine. All you need to know is what Jesus did for you.

How are you different today from the way you were before as a result of meeting Jesus Christ.  

When we, Christians, demonstrate Christ’s love to each other, the unsaved recognize a difference in us. It is through the way we live, the things that we do and the things that we say that people see Christ in us.

Why not make a commitment, today, to perform an act of love toward someone and shine a light on the love of Jesus. Tell them what Jesus did for you.

- ALAN MURPHY

As we move full speed into summer, I thought I would spend a little time talking about our call to show compassion. The Bible clearly tells us that we are to have compassion toward others. In fact it is a command from Jesus.  1 John 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

The Apostle Paul would write in Romans 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. And to the church at Philippi, Philippians 2:4, Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Compassion is one of the characteristics that stands out the most when reading the four gospels (the life of Jesus).  We often struggle to understand how Jesus could be both 100% God and 100% man, but we can identify with His humanity.  We read about times when Jesus was obviously very tired and wore down from traveling around from place to place with His disciples and often having large crowds follow Him.  And yet, He unwaveringly shows an amazing compassion for the lost, for the sick, and for the entire world.

Compassion is fundamental a part of spirituality. The definition of compassion is: “a feeling of deep sympathy or sorrow for another who is stricken with misfortune, accompanied by the strong desire to alleviate the suffering.”

Matthew 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
 

Matthew 14:14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

Mark 6:34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

See also: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Colossians 3:12-13,  Deuteronomy 16:17, Zechariah 7:10, Galatians 6:2, Ephesians 4:32, 1 Peter 4:10 and 1 Peter 3:8.

If we truly want to be more Christ-like and desire to do those things which are pleasing to the Lord, can we do any less than show compassion like Jesus? Isn’t that our wish; to emulate the life of Christ? That’s what Christian means = Christ-like.

Compassion boils down to helping others who are less fortunate than ourselves. Jesus spoke about this often…

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Matthew 25:35-40 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Luke 3:10-11 10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?

11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

Luke 12:33-34 33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

That’s why we do many of the things that we do. That is why we do the Back-to-School Backpacks, VBS, Summer Camp and other youth activities. That is one of the reasons we do the Senior Luncheons, Men’s Breakfast, Women’s Brunch and various other church functions. That is why we give to Missions.

It’s what Jesus tells us to do.

- ALAN MURPHY

What will you do when you get to heaven? Interesting question don’t you think? What will you do? Well, I can tell you this for certain, if you have not been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, you will stand before Christ and give an answer for what you did in life and hard as it is to hear, if your name is not in the Book of Life, you will be tossed into the lake of fire. That’s not my words, that’s what God says in His word. Revelation 20:15, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” Also Matthew 25:41 “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” Those words coming from Jesus Christ. This is serious business.

Now, if you are saved, your soul purchased by the blood of Christ, what will you do when you get to heaven? You will meet your Savior face-to-face and receive your rewards for the service that you gave to the Lord. You will be given crowns. There are many crowns mentioned specifically in scripture.

Proverbs 4:9   She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

Isaiah 28:5   In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,

1 Peter 5:4   And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

1 Corinthians 9:25   And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible (crown).

1 Thessalonians 2:19   For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

 2 Timothy 4:8   Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

James 1:12   Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Revelation 2:10   Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

So, the question begs, how do we obtain these crowns? Excellent question! We get these crowns through our service to the Lord. What do you do for the Kingdom? Do you witness on a regular basis? Do you win souls for Christ? Do you serve the Lord as an Usher in your local church? Are you a teacher in your church’s Sunday School program? Are you a Pastor, Associated Pastor, Youth Pastor, Worship leader or music director? Do you serve through the media department or through the dramatic programs that your church produces each year? Do you sing in the choir? Do you help keep your church clean? Do you do the lawn service for your church? Do you work in the nursery? Do you play a musical instrument in your church? Do you go out on visitation? Do you serve on any committee or hold a church office? All of these things are vital to the service of the Lord and the life and health of your church.

I believe there will be many crowns handed out in heaven. Besides those already listed, I believe there will be a crown of hospitality and a Pastor’s crown and a servant’s crown and a soul winning crown and a crown of ministry and a missionary crown and a steward’s crown and the list goes on.

After we receive these crowns, are we going to put them on display so everyone else in heaven can see what wonderful things we did for Jesus? Nope!

We are going to lay them at the feet of Jesus because nothing we could ever do for Him compares to what he has already done for those who believe. Jesus gave up His life so that we could live.

What crown(s) will you be placing at the feet of your Savior and Redeemer?

- ALAN MURPHY

Matthew 28:19–20 contains what has come to be called the Great Commission: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Jesus gave this command to the apostles shortly before He ascended into heaven, and it essentially outlines what Jesus expected the apostles and us do in His absence.

The Great Commission instructs us to make disciples while we are going throughout the world. Acts 1:8, I believe, is part of the Great Commission as well: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” The Great Commission is enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are to be Christ’s witnesses, fulfilling the Great Commission in our cities (Jerusalem), in our states and countries (Judea and Samaria), and anywhere else God sends us (to the ends of the earth).

By the way, the word “both” means ‘at the same time.’

Do you know how to share the Good News of Christ? According to a recent Lifeway Research survey, 66 percent of all Christians “are not familiar with any ‘methods for telling others about Jesus.’” On top of that, 70 percent of the Christians interviewed “have not shared with a stranger how to become a Christian in the past six months.”

Finding the right words to say to share the Gospel can be very intimidating. But when Christians demonstrate Christ’s love to each other, the unsaved recognize a difference in us. It is through our actions that people see Christ in us. The best way to share the Gospel is your story. Tell others what Jesus did for you and how He changed your life. You don’t need to have bible verses memorized. You don’t need to know doctrine or theology. You only need to know what happened in your life as a result of accepting Christ.

Alan Murphy

Let’s face it, none of us likes to be told what to do, right? We didn’t like it as a child and we don’t like it as an adult. I mean really, who do these people think they are that go around telling us what to do all the time?

“I didn’t like it when mom and dad told me what to do. I don’t like it when my spouse tells me what to do and I sure don’t like it when a stranger tells me what to do and how to live my life.”

Sound familiar? Sorry, maybe I was typing what you have been thinking. Maybe I struck a nerve or a tender spot. Didn’t mean to. Well, actually I did. That’s the point of this message. We have to stop thinking that we have all the answers and don’t need anyone telling us how to live or what to do or how to act.

One of the common remarks heard in the majority of churches today is, “I’m not letting some preacher tell me how to live my life.” It is probably true for the older members of the congregation, but the younger have the same attitude. "It's my life and I will live it as see fit."

They won’t let “some preacher” tell them what to do or how to live their life, but they sure do listen and pay attention to the TV ads. Do you think all those infomercials would be paying all that money (millions of dollars)  to run 30 minutes ads or one hour infomercials  if it wasn’t profitable for them? Of course not, they are in it to make money and they do, hand over fist. These shows are making someone very rich by telling us how to live our lives.

We won’t let “some preacher” tell us how to live, but we listen and pay attention to the Hollywood crowd. People try to model their lives after some movie star or soap-opera character that they watch on TV. Really? Have you paid attention to the Hollywood divorce rate? Those people get married at the drop of a hat and divorce just as quickly. They live together, have children and then go their separate ways. What can they possibly know about how to properly live our lives?

People won’t listen to “some preacher” but they will allow a backslidden relative or a carnal-minded Christian to serve as a life instructor. What’s up with that? Does that even remotely make sense?

Still others refuse to take wise counsel and listen to their own selfish heart instead. Who is it that we are letting repress the voice of a Spirit-filled, God-anointed man of God that loves them and cares about their spiritual well-being?

Do you know why you don’t want to listen? Probably because there is some sin in your life that you enjoy and don’t want to give up. Satan is telling you that you don’t have to listen and that it’s perfectly alright, everyone is doing it. After all you’re not hurting anyone.

Well, listen to what the writer of Hebrews says… (Hebrews 17)

7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Who are these that have rule over us? The Pastor, that’s who. With a few (some notable) exceptions, these men have been called by God to preach the Word and lead a flock and to watch over the souls of others. These men are called and will give an answer, to God, for how they performed their duties.

Granted there are some preachers out there who are in it for personal gain, but I believe the majority are called by God to lead a church. I use myself as an example. At one time, I thought I wanted to pastor a church, but I have never felt the call of God to take that step. As a result I remain a faithful member of my local church. I serve several functions in our church including but not limited to teaching a Sunday school class and serving as the Church Clerk. I support my pastor because he IS called to pastor.

If you say, “I don’t have a ‘God-called, Spirit-filled’ preacher, then go out and find one. Find a church where the man of God will stand up, preach and proclaim “Thus saith the Lord,” no matter what others may think or say.

The sinful you might want someone that can be pressured and manipulated, but your redeemed soul wants a “man of God.”

If you don’t have one, FIND ONE.

- ALAN MURPHY

Have you ever given thought to your name? I don’t mean your ethnical origin or heritage, but your name. Who you are. Your name is perhaps the single most valued possession you will ever own. You might think that would be your home or your car. Maybe you think it is your intellect or your bank account. Fact is, the most important thing you own is your name.

When your name is mentioned, what is the first thing that comes to someone’s mind? Do they automatically think “godly,” “dedicated,” “caring,” ”religious,” or “loving” or maybe “cheater,” “liar,” “lazy,” “procrastinator,” or “unreliable.” Maybe their first thought is “hard-worker,” “trustworthy,” or “family man.” You can rest assured that your name evokes some thought or idea in the mind of the one who hears it.

How does that happen? Why does that happen? Simply because each and every thing that you say or you do creates an image of who you are in that person’s mind. That image tells that person who they think you are and what they think of you. This image is very hard to change and almost impossible to erase from their mind.  The significance that other people place on your name will indicate how they will treat you.

It will come as no surprise to learn that the most frequent reference to the word ‘name’ has to do with God’s name. God’s name is used throughout the bible. God’s name stands for mercy, justice, faithfulness, love, compassion, honesty, grace, intelligence, life, power, supply, etc. “O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name is all the earth!” Psalms 8:9. You can also take a look at these verses. Psalm 8:1, Psalms 29:2, Psalms 102:15,   1 Chronicles 17:24, Psalms 54:6, Psalms 138:2, Isaiah 25:1, Isaiah 63:16, and Isaiah 9:6. You get the idea.

The Bible has a bit to say about our name and I’d like to take a look at just a few and give you a few additional references that you can look up on your own. The first verse that pops into my mind is from Solomon and can be found in Proverbs, chapter 22 and verse 1. “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches…” This comes from the wisest man ever known other than Jesus Christ. Your name is more valuable than all the gold in Fort Knox.

When you do good, when you do the right thing, your name will bring up thoughts with a positive vibe. When you do bad or wrong things, your name will not bring very pleasant thoughts or memories. In fact your name might even be forgotten all together. If your name brings out undesirable thoughts in someone’s mind, you have no one to blame but yourself.  This is also found in Proverbs 10:7. Solomon wrote “The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.” Also read - Proverbs 21:24, Ecclesiastes 6:4, Ecclesiastes 7:1, Song of Solomon 1:3, Acts 24:16, 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, 1 Timothy 3:7, Matthew 6:16-18, Acts 22:12-13 .

Your name means something to others, what will that be? The choice is yours. Will it be good or will it be not so good?

Your name also means something to God.  

What does God think of when He thinks of your name? (Sobering thought)

- ALAN MURPHY

Today, I want to talk about your words.

Proverbs 30:5 says “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”

There are thousands of references to the validity and truthfulness of God’s Word which has been preserved for us in the King James Bible. The Word of God is always honest. God’s Word can be trusted without hesitation.

God’s word can be trusted, our words on the other hand are not always truthful and they often cannot be trusted. Our tongue is a wicked thing and it gets us into trouble. We must constantly be on guard to ensure the value of the stuff that comes out of our mouth.

Words are important to God.

Revelation 22:18-19  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

So, what are some of the sins that proceed out of our mouth? The list includes pride, unthankfulness, gossiping, arguing, bad-mouthing, bragging, lying, back-talk, unkind remarks, deceit and the list goes on, but I’m sure you get the idea. It is interesting that three of the Ten Commandments pertain to our tongue. Our tongue can be used for good or it can be used to sin. Our tongue is an unruly beast.

Read James 3:5, 6, and 8.

Here are some other verses for you to look up: Psalms 15:3, Psalms 52:2, Psalms 64:3, Psalms 73:9, Prov 15:2, Prov 6:17, Prov 21:6, Prov 18:21, Prov 26:28, Prov 30:5.

It is clear that our tongue is behind much of our sin. What is the answer? Be careful what you say. Your tongue can be controlled. Your tongue should be controlled.

Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Psalms 34:13. That’s pretty clear isn’t it?

We are going to be held accountable for the words that come out of our mouth. We will have to answer for each and every word that we say. Jesus tells us in Matthew 12:36 “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”

We must be constantly aware of the words that we say. Our words can be for good or for not-so-good.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the believers at Colossi, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”  Colossians 3:17. See also Psalms 35:28, Prov 10:20, Prov 14:15, Prov 15:4 and 1 Tim 4:12

Our tongue was part of God’s creation, but it was never planned for us to use the tongue to sin against God. If you are a born-again believer, you should endeavor to control what comes out of your mouth. Some of the best advice I ever got was from my mom. She said “If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all.” If your desire is to please God and bring honor and glory to His name, watch your tongue.

- ALAN MURPHY

Quite often we are overwhelmed by the circumstances of life. We watch the news or read a newspaper or even observe the world today and it easy to get discouraged. The world seems to be spinning out of control. Hatred is running rampant across our country and across the globe.

Our country is more divided now than at any other time in our history. It seems the devil has us at each other’s throats. We are constantly bickering about one thing or another.

It is a short step to depression, despair and hopelessness. But there is good news. There is an answer to all of this madness and it is found in Scripture. There are a couple of short two-word phrases in which we can find comfort and hope. These are: “stand still” and “be still.”

The word “still” carries the notion of being silent, being quiet, being at rest, being calm, being relaxed. So, God’s Word says that we should silence those inner thoughts that threaten to hurl us into depression. We are to relax; stop being so tense. And when we do that, take time to think about God and His awesome power to deliver.

Here are four of these commands.

In Job 37:14 we read this, “Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.”

In Numbers 9:8 the Bible records, “And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you.”

And while facing the Red Sea in front of them and Pharaoh’s army behind them, the Hebrews were distraught and headed into depression. But in Exodus 14:13 Moses said unto the people, “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.”

And one of my favorite scripture verses, Psalms 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”

God is awesome and He is still in control.

- ALAN MURPHY

As I was going to get my wife’s coffee this morning, a wonderful thought flooded my mind and I’d like to share it with you because I think it will be a tremendous blessing. Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesian believers. Then my thought.

2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Before God placed the stars and the planets in space. Before God created the most unique planet in the universe. Before God created all the trees and plants and flowers, before He created all the animals and even before He made Adam. He was thinking about YOU.

Do you realize the significance and the worth of that statement?  Before God made all that we know and even more that we don’t know, YOU were on His mind, He was thinking about YOU.

What a truly humbling thought. Before it all, God was thinking about ME.

How much do you think about Him every day?

Is He the first thing on your mind in the morning and last thing you think about at night before going to bed?  

How much thought do you give to God?

- ALAN MURPHY

When Jesus died on the cross of Calvary, did He immediately go to heaven?  Did He descend into hell to free those held captive by sin?  Was He in a state of limbo, purgatory, or in hell?  We do know that Jesus’ died, we know He was buried, and on the third day He was resurrected, but where was He for the three days after His death and burial and before His resurrection?

There are those who thinks Jesus went to heaven to wait out the three days that were prophesied. This of course can’t be true because when Mary was at the tomb and saw Him, He told her, “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” John 20:17

Then there are those who say Jesus descended into Hell to witness to the (pre-flood) inhabitants there. We also know that not to be true because there was no point in preaching a gospel message to those souls because “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” Hebrews 9:27. Some say that those in Noah’s time did not get the opportunity to hear the gospel and therefore Jesus went to preach to them during those three days. This is also non biblical since they had the same opportunity to know and trust God that Noah had; they simply chose not to do so.

And there are those who feel that Jesus went to the old saints of the Old Testament who were in Paradise but not yet in heaven because Jesus had not made atonement for them yet.  Remember what Jesus said to the Thief on the Cross: “Today you will be with me in Paradise (Luke 23:43)” and Jesus did NOT say “Today you will be with me in heaven.”

I think the final authority on where Jesus was for those three days is Jesus Himself. We can read in Mathew 12:40  “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” The heart of the earth does not indicate a tomb carved out of the rock, but a place deep inside the earth. I don’t about you, but I think that’s pretty clear.

1 Peter 3:18-19 states, "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison."

While the Bible isn’t totally clear what exactly Christ did for the three days between His death and resurrection, we do know for sure is that Jesus was not giving people a second chance for salvation. The Bible tells us that we face judgment after death (Hebrews 9:27), not a second chance.

The word "preached" as used in verse 19 is not the customary word we find in the New Testament used to describe the preaching of the gospel. It literally means to “herald a message.” So, Jesus suffered and died on the Cross, His body being put to death, and His spirit died when He was made sin. But His spirit was made alive and He returned it to the Father.

It appears that upon His death, the Lord Jesus parted from His body and descended into Hades (at the heart of the earth) for three days and three nights to proclaim His victory over the Devil and all his fallen angels (demons).

At Christ's resurrection, the Bible tells us that "many bodies of the [Old Testament] saints" also resurrected and went out from their graves, walked again upon this earth (Matthew 27:52-53) and eventually went to Heaven together with all the saints as Jesus transferred them from Hades to Heaven (Acts 1:11; Ephesians 4:8-10).

After the Lord's Resurrection, He remained on Earth for 40 days, showing Himself in His resurrected body. When He ascended back to Heaven (Acts 1:11), He emptied the Paradise in Hades, taking all the saved (Old Testament saints) back with Him to Glory. Ephesians 4:8-9, "Now that he (Christ) ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth...Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he (Christ) lead captivity captive (those in Paradise to Heaven), and gave gifts unto men."

In 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 we are told that Paradise is now in Heaven.

Today, when a Christian dies, they go immediately to Paradise to be with the Lord in Heaven. As the Apostle Paul said, "we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:8). At death, the Christian only changes his location. Therefore, leaving his body behind, he (his soul and spirit—the real "you") enters the glories of Heaven! Truly, for born-again Christians, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).

- ALAN MURPHY

Question. How do we cultivate a sense of God’s presence? Perhaps you have never really given much thought to that subject.

It’s important that we (you) begin and end each day with the Lord, making time for a little silence, (Psalm 46:10 – “Be still and know that I am God.”) Bible reading and study, and personal prayer. Between getting up in the morning and going to bed at night, we should learn to pray quietly about whatever comes our way. “Lord, bless this phone call.” “Lord, help me relax and get some rest on this flight.” “Father, encourage that poor sad face I just passed on the sidewalk.”

Meister Eckhart was a medieval German preacher whose primary subject was the presence of God. He wrote: “I am as sure as I live that nothing is so near to me as God. God is nearer to me than I am to myself; my existence depends on the nearness and the presence of God.”

Let’s face it, we live in troubling times. Our world seems to be unraveling as we watch. Everything appears to be out of control and the devil is racing full speed ahead. There are many times when things simply seem hopeless.

If the evil in the world distresses you, imagine, for a moment, how it hurts the Lord to see it too. But, rest assured, we’re not alone. We have a faithful Defender, Friend, and Confidant who walks with us through this life. He will guard us and protect us from the evil one.

I like what the Psalmist wrote in Psalms 73:25-28

25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

We have the presence of a faithful God surrounding us day and night.

It is that thought in which we can put our feet up and relax.

- ALAN MURPHY

Anna Kay Scott, born Mildred Anne Hasseltine Judson Kay, was an American medical missionary in India and Shantou, China. Of her experience, she wrote: “I slept in a little side room of the chapel…Though there were two or three cats in the chapel the rats scampered over my bed and through the little room all night. Had it not been for my mosquito net I think they would have made personal attacks upon me. One of our young lady missionaries was careless and put her foot outside of the net and a rat gnawed her big toe!”

Despite such awful conditions, God gave Anna a joy and peace that, when her retirement came, she returned home and told her supporters, “I am sixty-nine years old, it is true, but I am strong and vigorous and I fully believe I can do a good work for at least another term of six and one-half years.”

And that's exactly what she did!

Folks, let’s be honest with ourselves. We all have a lot of rats running around our lives—disagreements, rifts, separations, trials, conflicts, disappointments, frustrations, setbacks —all of which could very easily nibble away at our peace.

But we are not defenseless. The Lord gives us a passionate peace that the world simply cannot understand; a peace that the world can never take away from us!

- ALAN MURPHY

Why are you afraid?

Do you fear that your 401K will lose value?

Are you afraid you won’t have enough to retire?

Are you afraid of spiders?

Are you afraid your car is going to break down and you can’t afford to buy a new one?

Do you fear losing your job?

Are you afraid of heights?

Are you afraid what might happen as a result of health issues?

Are you afraid you won’t get an annual pay raise?

Are you afraid of snakes?

Are you afraid your house is going be destroyed or severely damaged in a hurricane or some other storm?

Are you afraid…….?

Why are you afraid? Is it the unknown that frightens you? Is it the known that you fear? Why then do we fear? As children of God, we are told not to be afraid.

The Bible has nearly 200 admonitions to not be afraid. Not just a couple times. Not a  dozen times. 200 times we are instructed to “fear not.” I won’t list all 200, but I do want to highlight just a few.

God had told Abram that he would have many descendants. Abram started to worry because he and Sarai had no children. God reassures Abram that it would come to pass. Genesis 15:1

Abram sent Hagar and her son away with little else than a jug of water. She and her son wandered in the wilderness for a while and the water eventually ran out. Hagar was afraid that they were going to die. She placed her young son under a shrub in the shade and wept. God responded to her cry. Genesis 21:17

Joseph’s brothers were facing starvation and were afraid what might be done to them as a result of their actions against Joseph. But Joseph calmed their fears. Genesis 50:17-20

Let’s face it and be honest, we all have fear. We are, after all, human. At various times throughout our lives we fear one thing or another. Some fears seem rational but many are not. When the Israelites were afraid to enter into Canaan, Moses told them that their fear was unfounded.  Deuteronomy 31:6-8

Israel was told not to fear. Joshua was told not to fear. Ruth was told not to fear. Samuel told David not to fear. Elijah told the widow not to fear. Elisha told Gehazi not to fear. David told Solomon not to fear. Jacob was told not to fear, Daniel was told not to fear. Jesus’ earthly father was told not to fear, Mary was told not to fear, Zacharias was told not to fear, the shepherds in the field were told not to fear, Peter was told not to fear, Paul was told not to fear. Do you see a pattern here? We are told not to fear.

In Luke, chapter 12:7 “But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

Matthew Chapter 14: 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

Matthew Chapter 17:7 “And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.”

We are told time and time and time again not to be afraid. We have nothing to fear.

In the New Testament alone we are told nearly 30 times not to be afraid. So why are we afraid?

I think it the unknown that we fear. I also think it those things over which we feel we have no control that we are afraid. Just a quick reminder, it’s not about us. It is all about Him. We don’t have to have control, we need to know the One who has the control.

As believers in Christ, what do we have to fear? There is nothing that we need to fear. That doesn’t mean to act foolishly. This is not to say that you just pick up that snake that is in your yard and deposit it over the fence. That might be a foolish things to do. Having no fear doesn’t mean you pick up that black widow you found in your magnolia tree and put it in a jar. That would be a foolish thing to do. Having no fear doesn’t mean you can just walk across a busy street without looking both ways for oncoming traffic. That would be a foolish things to do.

Yes, we know that the Lord will protect us, but that does not mean be reckless. We still need to do the smart thing. Grab a shovel for that snake, grab a can of spray for that spider and look both ways before crossing any street.

Fear not means that through doing the right thing and living the right way and staying close to God and His word, we don’t need to fear what MIGHT happen. We must trust the Lord and know that He knows what is best, and when it is time to go home to be with Him, nothing will keep you earth-bound.

God has had this thing all planned out for a very long time. We have no reason to fear, when we rely fully on our Savior; when we put our lives in His hands.

The final ‘fear not’ came to the Apostle John while on the Isle of Patmos. During the Revelation of Jesus, John wrote these words…

Revelation Chapter 1:15-18

15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance [was] as the sun shineth in his strength.

17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

18 I [am] he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

What are you afraid of?

- ALAN MURPHY

When we take the time to look back over our lives, some of our greatest disappointments involve moments when we broke a promise that we made to someone. In many cases, we made promises that we simply were unable to keep. However, there were other occasions where we found it was expedient to make the promise in the moment, but we hadn’t really taken the time to think through the consequences. Sometimes we just shrug off our unreliability as just what is normal or expected. But there are times that we’re haunted by our unreliability and failure, especially if we disappointed someone.

As we spiritually grow in Christ, we gain an understanding of the purity of promises, in fact the Bible is chock full of them, and we have faith in each one. We also become more Christ-like, growing to be faithful as He is faithful.

Far too many people today are unreliable, untrustworthy, fickle. They simply don’t honor their word, whether it involves their workplace, their relationships, or their marriage. There is no doubt that we can do better than that. It is important to remember that God is faithful, and we can count on every word in His Book!

- ALAN MURPHY

Medieval readers often used bookmarks like silk ribbon or parchment tabs to mark frequently consulted portions of text. The opening of new passages in these medieval manuscripts is commonly highlighted with text in red ink to stand out from the page for the notice of readers. This practice is called rubrication and it comes from the Latin “ruber,” or “red”. Fast-forward now to 1899, when the first modern red-letter edition of the New Testament was published, printing the words of Jesus Christ in red ink.

If you have a red-letter edition of the New Testament, Matthew chapters 5–7 (except for the first two introductory verses of Matthew 5) are in red ink. That’s because they are Matthew’s record of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. He summarized this lengthy teaching in Matthew 7:24-27 by referring to “these sayings of Mine.”

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Anyone who hears these teachings “and does them” will be like “a wise man” who built his house on solid rock instead of shifting sand. Any such a firm foundation will withstand all the storms of life.

The key to such immovability is not just hearing Jesus’ words but doing them. Remember what James (the half-brother of the Lord Jesus) said in James 1:22-23, “22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:”

Build a strong life by not just hearing the Word of God, but by doing what the Word of God says to do.

- ALAN MURPHY

There is a lot of confusion regarding what Easter Sunday is all about. For some, Easter Sunday is about the Easter Bunny, colorfully decorated Easter eggs, and Easter egg hunts. Most people understand that Easter Sunday has something to do with the resurrection of Jesus, but are confused as to how the resurrection is related to the Easter eggs and the Easter bunny.

Biblically speaking, there is absolutely no connection between the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the common modern traditions related to Easter Sunday. Basically, what happened is that in order to make Christianity more attractive to non-Christians, the ancient Roman Catholic Church mixed the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection with celebrations that involved spring fertility rituals. These spring fertility rituals are the source of the egg and bunny traditions.

The Bible makes it clear that Jesus was resurrected on the first day of the week, Sunday You can read the account in Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2,9; Luke 24:1;  and John 20:1,19. Jesus’ resurrection is most worthy of being celebrated. While it is proper for Jesus’ resurrection to be celebrated on a Sunday, the day on which Jesus’ resurrection is celebrated really should not be referred to as Easter. Easter has nothing to do with Jesus’ resurrection on a Sunday.

By the way, the resurrection of Jesus is one of the most documented events in human history. And not just religious writings but secular. Noted historian Josephus wrote quite a bit about the resurrection.

As a result, many Christians feel strongly that the day on which we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection should not be referred to as "Easter Sunday." Rather, something like "Resurrection Sunday" would be far more appropriate and biblical. I, for one, agree wholeheartedly. For the Christian, it is unthinkable that we would allow the silliness of Easter eggs and the Easter bunny to be the focus of the day instead of Jesus’ resurrection.

By all means, celebrate Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday. Christ’s resurrection is something that should be celebrated every day, not just once a year. Meanwhile, if we choose to celebrate Easter Sunday, we should not allow the fun and games to distract our attention from what the day should truly be all about—the fact that Jesus was resurrected from the dead, and that His resurrection demonstrates that we can indeed be promised an eternal home in Heaven by receiving Jesus as our Savior.

- ALAN MURPHY

We are living in an ever-changing world. We are becoming more and more self-centered every day. More people are claiming they not only don't sin, but they don’t believe in sin at all. 1 John 1:8 reminds us, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

With the rapid rise of notion that religion should not be involved with the ordinary social and political activities of this country, the concept of sin is rapidly fading away. We are becoming our own gods. Remember this? “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).

This is a huge problem with the world today, refusing to see Jesus Christ as king, and everyone does what is right in their own eyes.

If there’s no God—at least, no personal God—then there are no divine rules to govern us. So why feel guilty? One person said, “I came to the realization that I don’t believe in sin. I still admire Jesus a lot.” That poor lost man didn’t even recognize the contradiction of his own statement.

Evangelist, publisher and founder of the Moody Church, D.L. Moody said, “You have to get people lost before you can get them saved.” In other words, if people don’t realize they are lost, they won’t sense their need for salvation. That’s why we must preach the “whole counsel” of God, including its demands, warnings, and judgments.

In times like these, it’s a dangerous thing to ignore the reality of sin. But how wonderful to embrace the grace of God’s full and free forgiveness!

- ALAN MURPHY

We go to the gas station and fill our car with gas and when the pump shuts off automatically, we know our tank is full. When we fill our water bottles before heading to the tennis court, or morning walk or a session at the gym, they are full. When we pack the dishwasher with soiled pots, pans, plates, glasses, bowls, and utensils, it is full—there is room for nothing more. We understand what it means for something to be full; it has reached its capacity and nothing more can be added.

Notice what Paul wrote: “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” Colossians 2:9-10

The apostle Paul used the idea of fullness to express the truth that, in Christ, we are full of God Himself. First is the “fullness of the Godhead”—there is nothing lacking in God. He is perfect, full of deity. There is nothing that can be added.

Then, Paul says that the fullness of God dwells in Christ in “bodily” form. Again, full, complete with no room for adiditions.

Finally, if we are in Christ, then all the fullness of God dwells in us: We “are complete in Him.” If we have Christ, there is nothing more of God’s presence and reality to receive. To search for something more of God outside of Christ is a vain search for some sort of fulfillment.

Don’t let Satan tempt you by all the religious propaganda out there that seeks to give you something new. Colossians 2:8 says, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

If you are in Christ, and Christ is in you, then you have the fullness of God. There is no room for anything more. You are complete!

- ALAN MURPHY

What do you spend the most time thinking about? What is it that occupies the majority of your thoughts throughout the day? Do you spend time thinking about the weekend coming up? Do you think about your next vacation? Do you think about your family? 

Let’s face it, we all do a little of this from time to time, do we not? It’s a natural thing to do. And it’s okay to think on these things because they are important. But we can’t afford to obsess ourselves with these things or make them a priority in our lives.

What takes priority in your life? What is the most important thing in your life? Is it your family or your career or saving money for a rainy day (retirement)? Perhaps you make a priority of getting that next promotion, or changing jobs. Maybe it’s getting a new car because yours is almost three years old already.

If any of these things are the most important thing in your life then you are an idolater. Yes, I said it. As hard as it is to hear and as painful as it is to admit, you are guilty of idolatry. Whatever takes the top spot in your heart is that thing which you value above all else. These are not my words, Jesus said this in…Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

God gave us a set of rules by which to govern our lives. We know them as the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:3 “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

Hey, that’s rule #1. It must be important if it makes the top of the list. Like the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted List. We do the same thing when we make lists. Generally the most important thing goes first and then the rest follow in order of importance.

Solomon wrote in Proverbs 15:16 “Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.”

The wisest man ever says it is better to have a little and revere and honor the Lord than to have great wealth and the headaches and pains that come with it. So, I ask again, what is important to you?

There are thousands of churches across this great nation that no longer have a Sunday evening service. And far too many churches no longer hold mid-week services. WHAT? Why is that? The new pastor at my previous church said it was so that we could spend time with our families. I couldn’t help but think, “Hey, Pastor, we ARE your family. You are the shepherd and we are your sheep.” I am with my earthly family every day. Do I really need a couple more hours with them?

Don’t get me wrong. I love my family. I love my wife dearly, but I am not going to stay away from church and God’s people to just to spend a little more time with her. Want to know how I get around this little issue? I take her to church with me. Of course she wants to be there as much as I do.

Don’t stay home to spend time with your family, bring them to church. Bring them kicking and screaming if you have to. If you have family visiting and they won’t go to church with you, tell them to have a good day (you go to church where you know you should be) and tell them that you will see them after services. Simple enough.

The Apostle Paul reminds us that we (believers) are family. We even refer to each other as ‘brothers and sisters in Christ.’ We are family, God’s family. We must spend time together in fellowship and in worship.

Here’s a passage for you to think about while we are on the subject of family. Luke 14:26 “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”

Now, that’s intense! What is Jesus saying? He says the love that we have for our human family should be like hate compared to the love that we have for Jesus Christ.

The family that matters most is God’s family. When we place God first and focus on Him and His family (the church – body of believers) then our priorities will be in the proper order. Don’t let anything get in the way of God.

What’s your priority?

- ALAN MURPHY

Have you ever had one of those days when all of a sudden a thought pops into your head: "I can't do this on my own"? Has that ever happen to you?

Well, I had one of those days recently. And when the thought snuck its way into my mind, I realized that God never asks or tells us that we are to do it on our own. That gives me peace. Psalm Psalms 118:8 says, “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”

I'm so grateful that I can't do this life by myself.

Proverbs 3:5 imparts wisdom to its readers: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” There is a big difference between trusting in the Lord and trusting other persons or things. Our trust is not in angels or people or rituals or methodologies but in the Lord alone. And, as Solomon point out, our trust is not in our own understanding.

To trust in the Lord with all our heart, we must completely rely upon God’s promises, wisdom, power, and love to help us in every circumstance. Human understanding is subject to error. God, on the other hand, sees all and understands all. He is the One we can lean on and trust. We should trust the Lord with all our heart because human understanding is stained by sin, limited wisdom, impulsive assumptions, and faulty emotions.

Solomon goes on in verse 6 to say, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

The fact is, if I could do it on my own then I may very well be tempted to think that I didn't need God’s strength or power at all. If I had the ability to do it by myself then there is a great possibility that I may forget that it's the Gospel of Jesus that has changed my life.

It is a wonderful thing to trust in God with all your heart and to have Him direct your paths!

So, it is my prayer that wherever you are and whatever you're going through that you can get to that point where you realize "I can't do this on my own", because that was never God’s plan for our lives.

- ALAN MURPHY

Along the road of life, I think it safe to say that all of us have made mistakes. Some more than others. I know I’ve made my fair share of missteps. We have said things that we should not have said. We all made wrong choices as we went along. Some are minor, some are monumental and some border on epic. We have all been there. Trust me when I say "I am a charter member."

Many years ago there was a discussion in the breakroom where I worked, and the chatter was about what they would go back and change: “If I could go back to 16, I’d fill-in-the-blank.” “If I could go back to 21 one more time, I wouldn’t have fill-in-the-blank.” “If I could go back, I wouldn’t have fill-in-the-blank.” And the list went on and on around the room. Some were sincere regrets that they would like to set right. Some were to get out of a bit of trouble. Some were to not marry this person or that. Everyone contributed with what they would like to go back and change.

Then the conversation turned to me, since I had not added anything to the discussion. They asked me what I would change. Well, I thought about it for a few moments and said, “Nothing. I wouldn’t go back to any age and change a single thing.”

As you can imagine, everyone was under the impression that I thought I was somehow perfect. Needless to say, I had some explaining to do.

I am comfortable in my skin. I like who I am. I like the man that I have become. If I went back to “correct” some error that I had made in the past, no matter how epic or insignificant, it would fundamentally change who I am today. What would I do in place of that mistake? I proposed my own question. "If you went back to 16 and didn't do something, what would you have done instead and how would that change things?"

Changing one thing might very well have resulted in me not meeting my current wife. Perhaps a change would have resulted in me not accepting Christ and getting saved. I'm sure I wouldn't be teaching my Sunday morning Bible study. And, changing a past mistake would have a profound affect on other people as well.

How many lives have I impacted that would be drastically different?

Something to think about as you scroll your past mistakes through your mind and dream about your life would be different if you could just go back and change something.

- ALAN MURPHY

Faithfulness is a big deal. There are many references to being faithful in the Bible. Let me give you just a couple real quick.

Proverbs 11:13 “A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.”

1 Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

Matthew 25:23 “His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”

1 Timothy 1:12 “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;”

Colossians 1:2 “To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ… “

God wants us to live faithfully before Him at all times, not just when other people are looking. He is always watching over us, and He is glorified by our reflection of His faithfulness and His truthfulness.

Robert “Bobby” Jones Jr. was an American amateur golfer who was one of the most influential figures in the history of the sport; he was also a lawyer by profession. Jones founded and helped design the Augusta National Golf Club, and co-founded the Masters Tournament. Jones was the most successful amateur golfer ever to compete at a national and international level. During his peak from 1923 to 1930, he dominated top-level amateur competition, and competed very successfully against the world's best professional golfers.

In the first round of the 1925 U.S. Open at the Worcester Country Club near Boston, his approach shot to the 11th hole's elevated green fell short into the deep rough of the embankment. As he took his stance to pitch onto the green, the head of his club brushed the grass and caused a slight movement of the ball. He took the shot, then informed his playing partner Walter Hagen and the USGA official covering their match that he was calling a penalty on himself. Hagen was unable to talk him out of it, and they continued play. After the round and before he signed his scorecard, officials argued with Jones but he insisted that he had violated Rule 18, moving a ball at rest after address, and took a 77 instead of the 76 he otherwise would have carded. Jones's self-imposed one-stroke penalty eventually cost him the win by a stroke in regulation, necessitating a playoff, which he then lost. Although praised by many sports writers for his honesty, Jones said, "You might as well praise me for not robbing banks."

Faithfulness was on Paul’s mind when he wrote the book of Colossians. He called them “faithful brethren in Christ” (1:2), and he wrote about faithful Epaphras (1:7), faithful Tychichus (4:7), and faithful Onesimus (4:9). It is my hope that we are all part of that group!

I have said it often, and I’m sure I will say it again at some point. Faithfulness is like character; it is who you are when you are all alone and no one is watching.

- ALAN MURPHY

There is a secret to getting your prayers answered. There is a certain amount of truth to the idea that God answers all prayer. I have even said it myself from time to time. God answers prayer in one of three ways: 1- Yes, 2- No, 3- Not now. But the key to getting one of those answers is still an important one.

Here are ten biblical instructions concerning prayer:

1) Pray to the Heavenly Father (see Matthew 6:9). We don’t pray to false gods, to ourselves, to angels, to Buddha, or to the Virgin Mary. We pray to the God of the Bible.

2) Pray for good things (see Matthew 7:11).

3) Pray for needful things (see Philippians 4:19).

4) Pray from a righteous heart (see James 5:16).

5) Pray from a grateful heart (see Philippians 4:6).

6) Pray in the authority of Jesus Christ (see John 16:24).

7) Pray persistently (see Luke 18:1).

8) Pray unselfishly (see James 4:3).

9) Pray in faith (see James 1:6).

Here’s the secret. Your prayer must be in accordance with God’s will. That is the secret.

10) Pray according to the will of God (see 1 John 5:14). An important condition to prayer is that it is prayed within the will of God. Jesus prayed this way all the time, even in Gethsemane: “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). We can pray all we want, with great sincerity and faith, for this, that and XYZ, but, if God’s will is ABC, we pray amiss.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was facing the most difficult thing anyone could ever face – a Roman crucifixion. He was about to undergo the most agonizing, excruciating event you can ever imagine. And in Luke 22:42, while in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus made this prayer, “… Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

In essence, Jesus said, “Dad, I am facing a tortuous event, that I would rather not have to go through. If there is any other way to accomplish my purpose, can we do that instead? Nevertheless, not as I will but let Your will be done.”

The secret to answered prayer is the will of God. Is your request within the will God?

- ALAN MURPHY

John D. Rockefeller was asked, “How much money does it take to make a man happy?”  His response is revealing of society as a whole. Rockefeller said, “Just one more dollar.”

Why is that? Why are we always looking for that “one dollar more?”

We have been blessed, by God, with abundance and yet we seek “one more dollar.” God has given us life and we want more. God showers us with blessings every day and we want more.

The Apostle Paul knew a thing or two about not having “stuff.” He was berated, mocked, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, thrown into prison and yet he never lost heart. Paul knew where his ‘bounty’ came from.

In the 4th chapter of Philippians, Paul says that we should rejoice in the Lord always. And he said, ‘Don’t worry about anything. But in everything give thanks.’

In verse 12 Paul said, “I know both how to be abased, demeaned, belittled and humiliated, and I know how to abound, to thrive, to prosper and to flourish.” And yet he concluded with this from verse 11, “… in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”

That is great advice today. Be content with what you have. In the book of Hebrews, Paul emphasized many ways that Jesus is superior and worthy of our faith and love. After recounting a cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1) who gained approval through their faith (Hebrews 11:39), Paul, once again, challenges readers with a command to be content with what we have: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).

Because of God’s great provision of grace, we can be content with what we have. We are told to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and His provision for us. While we are often tempted to focus on what we need or want, Jesus reminds us that our Heavenly Father knows what we need and cares deeply about us. He will provide for us what we really need (Matthew 6:25–33). Because God cares so deeply for us, we can trust that, if we seek Him first, He will take care of us.

Now, it is important to keep in mind that God’s promise of provision does not mean that we will always get what we want. Instead, He promises to provide in our lives that which will help us be more conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:28–31). This means that, even when we are encountering difficulty and when we sense that we are lacking things we need, God is still faithful. He is providing what we need in order to grow, with the ultimate outcome being our Christlikeness.

- ALAN MURPHY

Have you ever considered yourself an enemy of God?

I know, right? What kind of silly question is that? Of course I’m not an enemy of God.

That title is reserved for Satan. Right?

Wrong!

As born-again followers of Christ, we live in a rather peculiar place. We live in a cursed world, a world controlled by Satan (Prince of this world). Get out your concordance and look up Prince of this world and you will see.

The fact of the matter is we live our earthly existence in a place that hates us, yet our sinful nature keeps us focused on the things of this world. We (humans) have a tendency to appreciate the things that this world has to offer. It is appealing to us and we want it. It’s human nature. It’s what we do and who we are. Yet the exact opposite is true. We are not of this world. When we accepted Christ, we were taken us out of the world. Of course we are still here, but spiritually we are elsewhere.

John 15:19   If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

John 17:14   I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

John 16:33   These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

John 17:16   They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Sad to say, but even after being saved from this world, it still holds an attraction for us. There are many things that are appealing: food, drink, clothes, cars, careers and positions of power just to name a few. But the Apostle John reminds of what these things are.

1 John 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Now go back one verse…

1 John 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

That is a sobering thought.

So what’s the big deal if we like some of the things that this world has to offer? What harm is there is wanting nice things? When you embrace the world and what it has to offer you, which by the way can never begin to compare to what God has to offer you in heaven, you make those worldly things idols. You relax your position in Christ and become a friend of the world. That may sound a little harsh, but it is true. We are told not to get comfortable in this life. The Apostle Paul exhorts us…

Romans 12:2   And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

As we read earlier, we may be in the world but we are not of the world.

So, what’s the big deal? Pay close attention to what Jesus’ brother tells us.

James 4:4   Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

- ALAN MURPHY

Are you doing your part? Are you helping or hindering the Lord’s work? We all have a part to play in the advancement of the Lord’s work. This is part 2 of a two part devotional.

Last week we looked at  7 ways to help the Lord’s work. And today we are going to look at 5 ways to hinder that work. What part are you playing?

How to hinder:

1. Dishonesty:

Romans 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

1 Thessalonians 4:12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

Hebrews 13:18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.

2. Murmuring:

Numbers 14:27  How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.

Philippians 2:14  Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

3. Refuse to be humble:

1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

4. Go back in the world:

Proverbs 14:14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

1 Corinthians 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

1 Corinthians 7:32  But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: 33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please [his] wife. 34 There is difference [also] between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please [her] husband. 35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle [you].

2 Peter 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

5. Love to have preeminence “Yeah Me”:

3 John 1:7 Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth. 9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth [them] out of the church.

Colossians 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Let’s face the facts as they are. We all have a tendency, from time to time, to put ourselves first. The key is to recognize that and turn from it. Only one deserves the top position in our lives. Only one deserves to have dominance in our lives. Only one deserves to have supremacy over all things. That one is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

It’s not about “ME,” it has never been about “ME.” It is about “HIM.” To Him alone be the glory.

- ALAN MURPHY

We will do YOUR PART - pt 2 next week.

This is Christmas day, a day that we (Christians) celebrate the birth of our savior. There has been much controversy over the actual day that Jesus was born. I believe, and many noted theologians also believe, that Jesus was born sometime around September 11th. Let me give you my reasoning. And we’ll see if you agree.

First, it could not have December because, according to Scripture, the shepherds were out in the fields watching over their flocks by night, and that would have been mid-winter. No one would allow their flock out on a wintery night. Even the census that was demanded would have been virtually impossible. How could they have mobilized an entire nation in the middle of the winter? They couldn’t.

We believe that life begins at conception. Some disagree, but, by large, most agree that life begins at the moment of conception. So, with that being said, Jesus’ life on earth would logically begin at the moment He was conceived in Mary’s womb. Now, if you count out nine months from December, you arrive at September.

The importance of this Holy day is the gift that God gave mankind. God sent His Son to earth to save us from our sins. God’s gift to us was the most precious thing He had, His only Son. The Second person of the Trinity. If God gave us His best, how can we do any less?

Let’s give God our very best this year and every year. What’s the most precious thing you have? It’s your life. God gave us His Son and I think it only fitting that we give ourselves to God.

- ALAN MURPHY

Are you doing your part? Are you helping or hindering the Lord’s work? We all have a part to play in the advancement of the Lord’s work. This is going to be a two part devotional.

The first part is 7 ways to help the Lord’s work. And part two is 5 ways to hinder that work. What part are you playing?

How to help:

1. Prayer:  It is our responsibility to prayer for those who need it. It is our job to pray and to support our brothers and sisters. It is our job to pray for our pastor and his family. It is our duty to pray for our local church and our communities. Never underestimate the power of prayer.

2 Cor 1:11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

That was the Apostle Paul writing to the church at Corinth on behalf of Timothy and himself, thanking them for their continued prayers. Paul was recognizing the importance of prayer in the Christians life.

2. Witness: We are been given a responsibility to witness to those around us. We are to be about sharing our testimony with those around us. We have to be about the business of New Converts. Our love for Jesus should compel us to share what He has done for us and let others know that He can and will do the same things for them.

3. Promote joy: We should be constantly be stimulating joy in our fellow believers. Let’s be honest. We are not always upbeat and bubbly. We are human and we have up days and down days. Sometimes the world just beats on us relentlessly. It is in those times that we have a job to do; encourage our brethren.

4. Keep unity of spirit: We must not be divisive, leading to separation and division among our fellow believers. We have to maintain the unity of spirit with one another and within our churches. We should be reminding ourselves that we are all in this for the same reason – to list the name of Jesus. We cannot afford to let our petty differences to disrupt the church. Remember it is not about you. We are the body and the body needs all of its members in order to function properly. See Philippians 4:2

5. Encourage the front lines: There are those who are in the public eye. These would include our pastors and greeters and ushers and teachers and nursery workers and choir members. There are those who work quietly behind the scenes. These include the elders of the church, the deacons and trustees, the various church officers and members of the prayer chain. These are ALL front line workers and need encouragement on a regular basis. These folks work and work and work. When was the last time you said “Thank you” to any of them. Why not write a quick, short note to let them know that you recognize their contribution to the work of the Lord? See Romans 16:3

6. Stand up for the Truth: We must stand up for the truth at all cost. The ‘truth’ for the world today is a matter of personal interpretation. We know that is not the case. We, as Christians, have an obligation to stand up for what we KNOW is right, no matter what the world tries to tell is okay. You might hear someone say “the truth is not that black and white.” I tell you it IS that black and white. There are no gray areas when it comes to the truth. It is true or it is not, plain and simple.

7. Respond:  We NEED to respond or answer His call. Jesus has things for us to do. If we listen hard enough and drown out the world, listening to the Holy Spirit inside us, we will be told what we are to do. See Acts 16:9

The Apostle Paul was called to go to Macedonia. Paul responded to that call. Paul answered the call. He and Timothy went to Macedonia as the Lord had asked.

We are to respond to that call as well. When God calls, don’t let it go to “voice-mail” and certainly don’t put Him on hold. Answer the call. He has something for you to do.

Next week we will look at the ways to hinder the Lord’s work.

- ALAN MURPHY

Danger, danger! Lift your eyes, woe is coming!

WOE:   a condition of deep suffering from misfortune, affliction, or grief;  ruinous trouble :   agony, anguish, excruciation, hurt, misery, pain, rack,  torment, torture, travail, tribulation, distress, wretchedness.

Woe might very well be headed in your direction if you are involved in any sort of sinful activity. Stop it before it’s too late. A price will be paid for iniquity. That price might be immediate or in eternity.

The word woe is mentioned 106 times in 98 verses in the King James Bible. We will look at just a few of them.

72 references are in the OT, 34 are in the NT, and interestingly all but two are in either the Gospels or the Book of the Revelation. Those 2 are found in:

1 Cor 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

Jude 1:11  Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

The bible warns of woe that is coming to nations as well as to individuals. Countries that are not concerned by their sin, or even flaunt or brag of their wickedness are headed for woe. These nations have the same warning as did biblical nations. Isaiah 3:9

And for those countries who legalize their sin… Isaiah 10: 1-2 

Sin is a serious business and there are warning to individuals also:

To those who are not saved … we all know this verse:

Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

There are also warnings to those that practice sin. Jeremiah 22:13

We live in a world where Christians want to be like the world and they look to the world for approval. Jesus has a warning for them:

Luke 6:26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Woe is coming to those who are drunks: Isaiah 5:11

Woe is coming to those who help others to drink to excess: Habakkuk 2:15

Woe is coming to those who approve of sin: Isa 5:20

Woe is coming to those who think they are so clever and they have all the answers and an excuse for each of their wicked behaviors.

And woe is coming to pastors and teachers who promote beliefs contrary to God’s Word. Jer 23:1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.

Woe is coming to those with filthy, ungodly speech. Isaiah 6:5

Woe is coming to trouble-makers. Micah 2:1

There was a stern warning to Judas, the man who turned against Christ. This warning came from Jesus in Matt 26:24  The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

I wonder if that same warning would apply to those who oppose and attempt to discredit Christ even today.

Since God is the same today as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow, and He has not changed since He had men record these warnings, it only makes sense that these warnings apply today just as much as in the time that they were written. God left these warnings to remind us that we are headed for the same woe if we don’t cease from our iniquities.

Stop sinning and heed God’s warnings.

- ALAN MURPHY

Jesus Christ is our cornerstone. Ephesians 2:19-21

19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

So, what is a cornerstone? What exactly does that mean?

The cornerstone (or foundation stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure. The cornerstone gives direction and strength to a building. If the cornerstone isn’t set properly, the building will not be stable.

The Book of Isaiah has several references to the Messiah to come where He is referred to as “the Cornerstone,” such as in Isaiah 28:16-17

16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. 17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

Look again at what he wrote in verse 17: I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line. God is speaking to scoffers and boasters when He refers to the Cornerstone—His precious Son—who provides the firm foundation for their lives, if they would but trust in Him. Isaiah uses construction terminology (measuring line and plumb line) to make his point; these are things the people would understand. A measuring line is used for measuring proper and precise lengths.  A plumb line is a simple tool used to determine whether or not something is perfectly vertical—upright.

In the New Testament the cornerstone metaphor is echoed. This time, however, the apostle Paul is preaching to the Ephesian Christians for the purpose of helping them know Christ better. Let’s look at Ephesians, chapter 2, verses 19-21, the comparison between Jesus and Cornerstone becomes very clear:

19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

Reminds me of the old Hymn “How Firm a Foundation.”

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!

What more can He say than to you He hath said—

To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

“Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,

For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.

“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;

For I will be with thee thy trouble to bless,

And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,

My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;

The flame shall not harm thee; I only design

Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

“The soul that on Jesus doth lean for repose,

I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”

Our foundation is God’s Word and our cornerstone is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, in 1 Peter 2:6, what Isaiah said centuries before is affirmed in exactly the same words. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

As believers, our cornerstone (Jesus) is a comfort, but it (He) is an offense and something to trip on for those who don’t believe.

Praise God for our Cornerstone!

- ALAN MURPHY

In case you haven't noticed. This world is in a mess and it is getting worse by the day. We have somehow come to the point where we accept that there are multiple genders (not biblical), that personal pronouns are a matter of personal preference (also not biblical). Society tells us that babies in the womb are not real people and can be aborted (murdered) up to the day of delivery. What has happen to our world?

When asked about our societal issues, Pastor Tony Evans recently said, “Our identity is to be rooted in the Imago Dei, in the image of God. But we’ve gotten so ingrained in the thinking of the culture, that we wind up being parakeets to what the society is saying, rather than taking a solid, loving but clear stance on what God is saying.”

Boy, that’s the truth! Our current culture can be deceiving and misleading and devious and a total sham. Instead of sharing biblical truth, society spreads falsehoods. It practices deceitfulness; it does not glorify God. Instead, it has begun glorifying dishonesty and a lack of any godly standards. Just watch the nightly news. Read your local newspaper. It’s everywhere.

The answer to all this nonsense is found in 1 John 4: 1 – 6. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”

The Apostle John recorded these words of Jesus, in John 14:16-17, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

That is our answer folks. When we encounter deceit—knowingly or unknowingly—our Helper, the Holy Spirit, points us to the Truth—God’s Word.

If you are feeling confused by all the “truth” that’s out there in our world today, call upon the Helper today for support; the real Truth will be revealed to you.

By the way, my personal pronoun is “Child of God.”

- ALAN MURPHY

Thanks to modern technology, we see the joy and celebrations of life that occur all over the world, but we also see the heartbreak and despair—most recently in 2023 we watched as Hamas attacked Israel. Cities were demolished; babies were beheaded; grandmothers were raped and burned alive, hundreds were kidnapped. And we see those images daily in the news. It is easy to be discouraged and disheartened by such events. These struggles threaten to tear us loose from our moorings in God whom we know to be good and just.

In Romans 5: 3 – 5, the Apostle Paul wrote, “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

In Hebrews 6:16–20, Paul intends to impart steadfast hope in his readers to keep them from drifting about aimlessly through the Christian life. He does this by identifying three wholly reliable sources of hope as an anchor for the soul: God’s Word, God’s character, and God’s Son.

The Lord not only gives us the promise of salvation and eternal life (John 3:16), but He reinforces it by binding Himself with an oath “so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind” (Hebrews 6:17). God’s Word and nature are rock solid. He is trustworthy, and “it is impossible for God to lie” (Hebrews 6:18). The dependability of God’s promise and His character bolster our faith so that we can “take hold of the hope set before us” and “be greatly encouraged” (verse 18).

We have an anchor that keeps us in place regardless of how powerfully the winds of trouble blow: hope. This is not “I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow” hope. Rather, it is “an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:19). It is a better hope than any other, and it is brought through Christ (Hebrews 7:19), offered to all (Hebrews 6:18), based on God’s faithfulness (Hebrews 10:23), and mediated by the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

Just as an anchor stops a ship from drifting with the winds and currents, keeping our eyes on the hope of heaven (2 Corinthians 4:16–18) and the “pioneer and perfector of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2), who is Jesus Christ, will prevent our souls from wavering and wandering in times of pressure and turmoil. God has “caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials” (1 Peter 1:3–6).

The hope set before us as an anchor of our soul is that Jesus Christ has already gone before us into the holy of holies where God dwells in glory. God’s Word promises that we will be with Him there one day. That future reality is already secured by the finished work of Jesus, our High Priest. He is also our Great Shepherd who “through the blood of the eternal covenant” equips us “with everything good for doing his will” while we are on earth (Hebrews 13:20–21; see also Ephesians 2:8–10). This hope as an anchor holds us steady in this life and secure in the future because it is firmly attached to the eternal throne of God.

As disheartening as life can be at times, hope never disappoints (Romans 5:5). In this ever-changing world, let your hope remain fixed on the never-changing God.

- ALAN MURPHY

I would like for you to create a mental picture. Create in your mind a picture of you going for a nature walk with someone that you love. Okay, now this can be on the beach, in the mountains or out in the woods, where ever you choose will work just fine. Got it? Good.

Let’s face it, we all enjoy going for a walk and enjoying the wonderful world that God made for us. I never get tired of God’s creative hand. Nature fascinates me. I can’t get enough of it.

Now, take the hand of your loved one and let’s go for a walk. Most places that we go have established paths to follow. This makes it much easier to stay on course and it shows that many people have some this way before and have worn a path in the direction that they chose to take.

As you walk along, you walk side-by-side, holding hands and enjoying your surroundings. Every once in a while the path gets a bit narrow and you walk single-file still holding each other’s hand. Then the paths widens up again and you once again walk side-by-side.

Sounds pleasant enough right? It’s almost enough to make you stop what you are doing and go for a walk.

Inevitably there will come a time when there is some sort of an obstacle or detour on the path. Perhaps there is a stand of trees up ahead and the path that goes around the trees to the left has become a bit overgrown and can be somewhat difficult to maneuver. The area to the right of the tree looks to be much clearer, even though there is no established path. You decide to stay on the path and go around the trees on the left side. Your partner on this walk, however, decides to go to the right because it looks like an easier way to go. So you let go of each other’s hand and go your own way.  It take a few minutes to get around the trees and when you finally come together again, you discover that the one who went to the right instead of the left had come in contact with poison ivy and was stung by a bee.

While you went to the left, and stayed on the path, it did take you several minutes longer to get around the trees, but there were no adverse circumstances on your journey.

Okay, now let’s think about this in respect with your walk with Jesus. Jesus holds our hand and we walk side-by-side through life. Sometimes the path is smooth, sometimes it’s rough. We need to rely on Christ to guide us on our walk together. David wrote:

Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Psa 27:11 

Do you lead or follow. We all have a tendency to want to take the lead from time to time. It’s just the way we are. That is seldom a smart thing to do. We must ask for guidance and direction if we are going to make it through. God knows what we need and what is best for us in light of eternity. Psa 139:3  Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

Sometimes it gets a little dark and hard to see clearly. That is when we need to fully rely on God.

Psa 119:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

As humans, we have a hard time letting go, but there are times that we simply must.  There is a story of a man who had fallen off the side of a cliff and was sliding toward certain death. Somehow this man managed to grab hold of a tree root that had grown out of the side of the rock and the man grabbed and held on for dear life. The man started to pray and ask God to get him off the side of the mountain. The man pleaded an asked God to save him. God told the man that in order to be saved he needed to let go of the root. The man said that didn’t make any sense, if he let go of the root, he would surely fall the rest of the way down the mountain and die on impact. God told him again “Let go of the root.” The man once again started to argue with God at the foolishness of His request. God again told the man, “Let go of the root and you will be safe.” The man was slowly losing strength in his arms and out of desperation let go of the root. The man dropped about a foot and came to a stop. He had landed on a ledge just below his feet and was able to safely descend off the mountain.

God never promised us that the path would be easy. In fact He said just the opposite. God looks at our life with eternity in view, we look at our life with tomorrow in view. That’s a big difference. God sees it all and knows it all. When we go for a walk with Him, it is always us that let’s go of His hand, not Him letting go of ours. We are the ones who are weak and suffer from narrow-vision.

Jesus said the path that is easiest and smoothest is not the best. The wisest choice is often the path that is narrow and bit rough to travel.

Matt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Matt 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

So when you come to that obstacle on your path, and the way to the right looks smoother and easier to travel. Tighten your grip on God’s hand to take the path to the left and know that God knows what He is doing.

Enjoy your walk with the Lord.

- ALAN MURPHY

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul penned these words in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

I wonder if he thought about the stoning of Stephen as he penned those words. You’ll remember at the stoning of Stephen, that great Deacon of the early church, Paul (then Saul) agreed to the killing of this man of God. He was on a crusade to rid the world of these “Christ followers.”

It is hard to truly accept those God-inspired words when we look around us. We see the evil that man is doing to his fellow man. When we look at the conflict and renewed fighting in the Middle East (especially Israel and their fight with Hamas), it looks like Satan is control.

But we know that is not true. God is in control. And He has a plan for His people. He has a plan for you. Stephen’s death did more for the cause of Christ than a hundred of his best sermons could ever do. Over the centuries millions have taken comfort in that man’s life and sacrifice.

The concept of the control of God over everything is called the “sovereignty” of God. Nothing gives us strength and confidence like an understanding of the sovereignty of God in our lives. God’s sovereignty is defined as His complete and total independent control over every creature, event, and circumstance at every moment in history. Subject to none, influenced by none, absolutely independent, God does what He pleases, only as He pleases, always as He pleases. God is in complete control of every molecule in the universe at every moment, and everything that happens is either caused or allowed by Him for His own perfect purposes.

God isn’t finding out what’s going to happen as events unfold. He is continuously, actively running things—ALL things—here and now. But to think He needs our cooperation, our help, or the exercise of our free will to bring His plans to pass puts us in control over Him, which makes us God. Where have we heard that lie before?

The book of Job is a clear illustration of just who has the sovereign power and who doesn’t. Satan came to God and, in effect, said, “Job only serves you because you protect him.” So God gave Satan permission to do certain things to Job but no more (Job 1:6–22). Could Satan do more than that? No. God is in control over Satan and his demons who try to thwart God’s plans at every step.

No matter what is going on in your life, no matter how futile things may see, no matter how difficult the circumstance may be, take comfort in the fact that God is in control. And He cares for you. Remember these words of Jesus from Matthew 10, ”29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

Unlimited in power, unrivalled in majesty, and not thwarted by anything outside Himself, our God is in complete control of all circumstances, causing or allowing them for His own good purposes and plans to be fulfilled exactly as He has foreordained.

Fear not child of God, He has it all under control. Trust him!

- ALAN MURPHY

Make no mistake friends, we are at war. We are at war with Satan and his demonic forces. And they are wreaking havoc. In this modern era of terrorism, drugs, rampant sexual license, crime run amok and world-wide unbelief, the end is near. We, believers. Must be prepared and engaged in this battle. To do so we must heed the words of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:14-18, “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

We must get back to that because over the years Satan has somehow managed to muddle the minds of many. And that includes some good-intentioned Christian educators. Hard as it is to fathom, they have systematically changed Paul’s armor to fit their narrow view of God’s world.

They have, is essence, reworded this passage of Scripture to read as follows:

“Having your loins fixed about with an open-minded search for truth, and having on the breastplate of value-sensitivity and your feet shod with the gospel of academic tolerance, diversity, equity, and inclusion;  Above all, taking the shield of accreditation and legal protection, with the helmet of economic security and the sword of evolutionary thought: praying always to the Department of Education and your academic peers;”

This unyielding compromise is no kind of armor for the Christian.

Over the past several years we have seen ‘human rights’ supplanted by ‘gay rights’ and ‘animal rights.’ We have seen abortion become a daily occurrence that barely gets noticed. Babies are murdered by the thousands across this country and hardly anyone cares. After all, it's the mother's choice, right? When did we take God out of this equation?

We have outlawed drinking and driving and yet we continue to sell alcohol at virtually every convience store and gas station in America. We have banned cigarette smoking almost everywhere, yet we have legalized marijuana. We want to ban guns and seize guns, but we don’t want to punish anyone or put anyone in prison for using a gun to commit a crime.

We have allowed the Ten Commandments to be removed from our public schools, and Halls of Justice, we have banned school prayer and Bible reading in our schools and then we are somehow amazed that these things have been replaced with mass shootings, pedophile teachers, rapist teachers and mayhem in our classrooms.

We, as a nation, have denied God and His Son in an attempt to be more politically correct or to separate Church and State (so, so misunderstood) and yet we allow Allah to be promoted in our society and in our schools and Universities.

And don’t even get me started on this whole Transgender nonsense. WHAT? Someone explain this to me so that it makes sense. And when did we all of a sudden come up with more than two genders? And what in the world is happening to personal pronouns?

All of this got me to think about Scripture and what God says about all this.

The wisest man ever wrote…

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. (Eccl 8:11) Left alone and without God, we will do evil continually.

God’s Word tells us that, before Jesus returns, the attitudes and actions of man will be the same as it was before judgement fell on the world of Noah and of Lot.

All you have to do is watch a little “prime time” television to see where we are. Practically every network sitcom has a gay or lesbian character and homosexuality is openly promoted as normal and acceptable. Watch the commercials and you will see two men rearing a child, you will see two women serving their child breakfast. Hollywood exploits and aggrandizes homosexuality in brightly colored neon. Homosexuality is promoted everywhere you turn. Sounds a bit like Sodom and Gomorrah doesn’t it?

And look at what is happening at our universities where young people are protesting Israel defending itself and defending the actions of Hamas; a terrorist organization whose sole intent is to eliminate the Jews from the face of the planet.

With all the increased evil activity in the world, I can’t help but think on Genesis 6:5 and 6…

“And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”

As a result, God brought judgement on this world…the flood.

And Genesis 18:20 & 21 …

“And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;  I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.”

Things are not going to get better over time if man is left to his own devises. The world is already filled with the same sin as Sodom and Gomorrah. Men are becoming more effeminate and woman are emphasizing their masculine qualities. God’s prearranged role and appearance for men and women is gradually being reversed. Evil grows daily. Evil men do evil things every single day. These evil men are even getting our own young men and women to join their evil cause and wreak havoc on the world.

Our Lord tells us that this would be the case. (Matthew 24:37-39) “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

We are there folks, we are there, that time is now and our Lord’s return can’t be far off.

Are you ready to meet your Lord? I am.

- ALAN MURPHY

Backsliding is not an instantaneous event. It is very subtle and starts out very slow. It is a gradual, methodical progression. And it all starts when we stop paying attention to God’s Word. It comes from a desire to do things our own way and in our own time. You can read the pattern in Psalm 81.

God’s Word is gradually transformed from commands to suggestions. We just slowly stop obeying God. We stop submitting to God. And we no longer comply with God’s simple declarations in His Book. God’s will for our lives suddenly is open to change and becomes conditional on our own will.

It often starts by skipping an occasional Wednesday evening service because that’s the night of the play-offs, or it’s League Night at the bowling alley, or any number of other weak excuses. Then it progresses to missing one or two Sunday evening services a month. Next thing you know it is one or two or more Sunday Morning Services. And it grows from there to stop reading God’s Word and only attending church services a couple times a month.

Backsliders were once devoted followers of God, but have stopped. Sadly they start to do those things that they know are wrong. They hang with the wrong people, go to the wrong places, listen to the wrong music, watch the wrong TV programs and simply do the wrong things. After that, they put away the things of God; they stop going to church, they stop reading their Bible and they stop praying.

God does not force us to trust Him. He doesn’t force us to obey Him, He doesn’t force us to serve or love Him. God has granted us free will. And when free will gets in the way of God’s will, we stop serving God and start serving ourselves. When we stop seeking the counsel of God, we will follow the counsel of our own hearts and start doing what we think we want and should do.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Don’t give into the devil, resist him and he will flee from you. Stay strong, God has a plan for you.

- ALAN MURPHY

What will you do when you get to heaven? Interesting question don’t you think? What will you do? Well, I can tell you this for certain, if you have not been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, you will stand before Christ and give an answer for what you did in life and hard as it is to hear, if your name is not in the Book of Life, you will be tossed into the lake of fire. That’s not my words, that’s what God says in His word. Revelation 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Also Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: Those words coming from Jesus Christ. This is serious business.

Now, if you are saved, your soul purchased by the blood of Christ, what will you do when you get to heaven? You will meet your Savior face-to-face and receive your rewards for the service that you gave to the Lord. You will be given crowns. There are many crowns mentioned specifically in scripture.

Proverbs 4:9   She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

Isaiah 28:5   In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,

1 Peter 5:4   And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

1 Corinthians 9:25   And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible (crown).

1 Thessalonians 2:19   For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

2 Timothy 4:8   Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

James 1:12   Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Revelation 2:10   Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

So, the question begs, how do we obtain these crowns? Excellent question! We get these crowns through our service to the Lord.

What do you do for the Kingdom? Do you witness on a regular basis? Do you win souls for Christ? Do you serve the Lord as an Usher in your local church? Are you a teacher in your church’s Sunday School program? Are you a Pastor, Associated Pastor, Youth Pastor, Worship leader or music director? Do you serve through the media department or through the dramatic programs that your church produces each year? Do you sing in the choir? Do you help keep your church clean? Do you do the lawn service for your church? Do you work in the nursery? Do you play a musical instrument in your church? Do you go out on visitation? Do you serve on any committee or hold a church office? All of these things are vital to the service of the Lord and the life and health of your church.

I believe there will be many crowns handed out in heaven. Besides those already listed, I believe there will be a crown of hospitality and a Pastor’s crown and a servant’s crown and a soul winning crown and a crown of ministry and a missionary crown and a steward’s crown and the list goes on.

After we receive these crowns, are we going to put them on display so everyone else in heaven can see what wonderful things we did for Jesus? Nope. We are going to lay them at the feet of Jesus because nothing we could ever do for Him compares to what he has already done for those who believe. Jesus gave up His life so that we could live.

What crown(s) will you be placing at the feet of your Savior and Redeemer?

- ALAN MURPHY

There are a large number of people who think, believe that everybody goes to heaven. People have differing ideas about heaven. Many have no understanding of God at all, but still like to think of heaven as the "better place" where we all go when we die. Ideas about heaven are often no more than vague hopes, along the lines of "maybe I’ll win the lottery someday." Most people really don’t give heaven much thought until they attend a funeral or a loved one dies. It is popular to refer to heaven as the place where "the good people go." And of course, everyone they know and love is included in the category of "good people."

Today it’s popular to say, “Everyone’s going to heaven” or “All roads lead to heaven.” There are many who think they can have heaven without having Jesus. They want the glory, but they don’t want to be bothered by the cross, much less the One who died there. Many don’t want to accept Jesus as the only way of going to heaven and are determined to find another path. But Jesus warns us that no other path exists and that the consequence for rejecting this truth is an eternity in hell. He told us that “whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36). Faith in Christ is the key to going to heaven.

In one sense, they are right. Everyone does go to heaven. The real question is will you stay there? The Bible has a lot to say about life after death, and it contradicts popular opinion. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Then in verse 36, Jesus goes on to say, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them." Hebrews 9:27 says, "It is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment." According to these verses, everyone dies, but not everyone goes to heaven to stay there (Matthew 25:46; Romans 6:23; Luke 12:5; Mark 9:43).

When we die, we go to heaven. Some will stand before God and give an account of their lives. And if their name is not found in the Lamb’s Book of Life, they don’t stay in heaven. When we stand before God one day, we cannot beg entrance to heaven based on our own merit. We have none to offer. Compared to God’s standard of holiness, not one of us is good enough.

In Revelation chapter 20, the Apostle John records…

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

In short, those who don’t know Christ, those who have not placed their trust and faith in Jesus Christ, will not stay in heaven, but go to a place called Hell.

Then there are people who go to heaven and stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ and account for their Christian life. These are the ones who stay in heaven because they are the ones who know they are sinners  and who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:12; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9). They have recognized their need for a Savior and humbly accepted God’s offer of forgiveness. They have repented of their old ways of living and set their course to follow Christ (Mark 8:34; John 15:14). They have not attempted to earn God’s forgiveness but have served him gladly from grateful hearts (Psalm 100:2). The kind of faith that saves a soul is one that transforms a life (James 2:26; 1 John 3:9-10) and rests fully on the grace of God.

Do you want to know for sure that you will be among those who will go to heaven? Ask Jesus to come into your life and into your heart to be your Savior. He will save you and make a place for you in heaven.

As amazing as heaven will be for those who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, hell will be that much more awful for those who reject Him. One cannot read the Bible seriously without seeing it over and over again—the line is drawn. The Bible says there is one and only one way to heaven—Jesus Christ. Follow Jesus’ command: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13–14).

Faith in Jesus is the one means of going to heaven. Those who have faith are guaranteed to get there.

Do you trust in Jesus?

- ALAN MURPHY

Is there anything God can’t do?

Now, before you jump to an answer too quickly, think about that question for a moment. Those who have heard me speak on this before…no cheating!

Is there anything that God cannot do? We all know that God is all-powerful, He is omniscient, He is omnipresent, He is all-loving and all-wise, So, with that in mind, let’s look at just a few things God did that no one else could ever do. I think the best place to start is at the very beginning.

Ø God spoke and the universe was created ex nihilo, that is to say He created everything out of nothing. Refer to Genesis, chapters 1 and 2

On a clear night, go outside and look up at the stars in the sky. Genesis 1 records that God made all of them! Imagine the power in just one star! Our sun is actually a star. There are billions of stars in our universe. But it is not just about raw power. There is intelligence and design packed in our universe from the smallest DNA strand, down to the smallest subatomic particle. God’s power and wisdom are beyond our comprehension. That is why the LORD said to Abraham in Genesis 18:14, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” That is why the LORD said to Moses when Moses questioned how God could possibly supply meat to several million Israelites in the wilderness, “Is the LORD’s arm too short?” (Numbers 11:23). That is why Jonathan told his armor bearer that the LORD didn’t need a lot of soldiers to get a victory (1 Samuel 14:6).

Ø When the whole world was gone the way of evil, God destroyed the entire world by a divine Flood and miraculously saved Noah, his family and representative land-dwelling, air-breathing animals in the Ark. See Genesis, chapters 7 & 8

Man has never figured out how to control the elements like that.

Ø A world of one language instantly transformed into a world of many languages. See Genesis 11:1-9

Ø The sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed. Genesis, chapter 19

Only God could bring fire down from heaven.

Ø Supernatural Conception—Isaac conceived by very elderly Sarah and 100 year old Abraham. Genesis, chapter 21

Abraham was visited by three men one day; the men turned out to be unusual guests, to say the least, and the visit was life-changing for Abraham and Sarah. Genesis 18:1–2 says, “The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.” Abraham showed immediate hospitality to the three men, inviting them to rest under a tree and preparing a big meal for them.

When the Lord announced to Abraham, “By this time next year, Sarah will give birth to a son,” Sarah overheard and laughed in unbelief. The news was so astonishing to the 89-year-old Sarah that she doubted God’s word and His promise. Then God asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

God countered Sarah’s rhetorical question (“Can an old woman like me have a baby?”) with one of His own: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” In other words, God answered Sarah’s unbelief with His assurance: “Nothing is too hard for me!”

Ø The ten plagues of Egypt. Exodus 7:20-12:30

Ø Red Sea divided at just the right moment; the nation of Israel passes through on DRY GROUND. The sea then violently consumes the Egyptian army. Exodus. 14:21-31

Ø Manna sent daily to feed the Israelites. Exodus, chapter 16

Ø God supplied water from a rock at Rephidim Exodus, chapter 17

Ø The Jordan River was divided so that Israel could pass over on dry ground. Joshua 3:14-17

Ø The sun and moon stayed motionless (longer day) to enable the Israelites to win a critical battle. Joshua 10:12-14

God stopped the earth’s rotation for more than a day. That is something that only God could do.

Ø Balaam’s donkey protests and speaks. Numbers 22

Ø The widow’s flour and oil increased. 1 Kings, chapter 17

Ø Elijah carried up into Heaven. 2 Kings, chapter 2

Ø The shadow of the sun goes back ten degrees on the sun. 2 Kings 20:9-11

God not only made the earth’s rotation stop, He made it reverse. We are not capable of doing that. Only God could do that.

Ø  Jesus’ birth. No one has ever been born like Him and no one ever will.

Ø Healing of the blind, lame, dumb, deaf and dead throughout the bible

There are some 124 miracles listed in the Bible and many more that simply were not documented, we will not cover them all, but this short list we just went over gives you an idea of what God is capable doing. If you are a saved, born-again, redeemed sinner by the grace of Christ, you know what God did in your life.

Look at Jesus feeding thousands with almost nothing and walking on the water and calming the sea. These are amazing things. Coming out of the grave after three days is mind-boggling.

God makes no mistakes. His perfection and greatness simply don’t allow for mistakes: “Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.” (Psalm 145:3).

God’s ability to do all things and comprehend all matters also prevents Him from making mistakes: “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit” (Psalm 147:5). Again, Scripture shows that God is infallible. Limited knowledge leads to mistakes, but God has unlimited knowledge and makes no mistakes.

God has made no mistakes in His creation of the world. God’s infinite wisdom, infinite power, and infinite goodness combined to produce a perfect world. At the end of six days of creation, God surveyed all He had made and pronounced it “very good” (Genesis 1:31). There was no exception or qualification or disappointment. Just the statement “very good.”

Some claim that Scripture shows God having second thoughts about His creation: “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, ‘I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them’” (Genesis 6:5-7). Don’t allow yourself to jump to the conclusion that God made a mistake.

It’s important to understand the word regret in this passage. When used of God, regret incorporates the thought of compassionate grief and an action taken. God was not showing weakness, admitting an error, or regretting a mistake. Rather, He was expressing His need to take specific, drastic action to counteract the wickedness of mankind: “Everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil” (Genesis 6:5). The fact that God did not consider His creation a mistake is proved by the world’s continued existence. We’re still here, sinful though we are. Praise the Lord for His grace: “Where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (Romans 5:20b), and “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8).

So the question remains, is there anything that God cannot do?

How many say ‘no?’  Raise your hands. Come on put them up. Okay, now put them down.

The surprising answer is YES there are things that God cannot do.

God CANNOT lie. Why? Because God is truth.

God CANNOT make a mistake because He is perfect.

God CANNOT sin because He is Holy.

God CANNOT learn anything new since He is omniscient.

God CANNOT be tempted…see Jesus in the wilderness.

God CANNOT stop being God.

God CANNOT stop loving you.

God CANNOT fail.

Surely our God is an awesome God...unchanging, eternal, unlimited in power, in majesty, in knowledge, in wisdom, in love, in mercy, and in holiness.

We live with our mistakes, big and little, petty and disastrous, and we get used to making them. But we serve an infallible, mistake-free God whose greatness cannot be fathomed. Psalm 40:5 says, “Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.” It’s good to know that God’s in charge and that He who makes no mistakes can more than compensate for ours.

In short, God just can’t do anything that goes against Who He is.

- ALAN MURPHY

We wrapped up our VBS a couple weeks ago and one of the questions that comes up during VBS is “Why did Jesus die?”

That is an interesting question and got me to thinking, “Why DID Jesus die?” It sounds like it would be a straight-forward, simple answer, right? He died for our sins. But there is much more to it than just that simple little fact.

He didn’t die just to pay for our salvation and make us happy people. He died to pay the sin debt that we owe and are unable to pay on our own. He also didn’t die just for those who decide to believe on Him; He died for the whole world.

The Scripture says, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Evidence supports that the sinless Jesus bled and died on a cross. Most importantly, the Bible explains why Jesus’ death and resurrection provide the only entrance to heaven.

God created earth and man perfect. But when Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s commands, He had to punish them. A judge who pardons law-breakers isn’t a righteous judge. Likewise, overlooking sin would make the holy God unjust. Death is God’s just consequence for sin. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Even good works cannot make up for wrongs against the holy God. Compared to His goodness, “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6b). Ever since Adam’s sin, every human has been guilty of disobeying God’s righteous laws. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sin is not just big things like murder or blasphemy, but also includes love of money, hatred of enemies, and deceit of tongue and pride. Because of sin, everyone has deserved death – eternal separation from God in hell.

You see, Jesus died so we should not live just for ourselves, but live for Him. Jesus died to deliver us from this present evil world that surrounds us. Jesus died because God loves us. See John 3:16 and 17. Jesus died so that we would have access to heaven.

Remember, the holy God cannot let sin go unpunished. To bear our own sins would be to suffer God’s judgment in the flames of hell. Praise God, He kept His promise to send and sacrifice the perfect Lamb to bear the sins of those who trust in Him. Jesus had to die because He is the only one who can pay the penalty for our sins.

- ALAN MURPHY

Have you ever considered yourself an enemy of God?

I know, right? What kind of silly question is that? Of course I’m not an enemy of God.

That title is reserved for Satan. Right?

Wrong!

As born-again followers of Christ, we live in a rather peculiar place. We live in a cursed world, a world controlled by Satan (Prince of this world). Get out your concordance and look up Prince of this world and you will see.

The fact of the matter is we live our earthly existence in a place that hates us, yet our sinful nature keeps us focused on the things of this world. We (humans) have a tendency to appreciate the things that this world has to offer. It is appealing to us and we want it. It’s human nature. It’s what we do and who we are. Yet the exact opposite is true. We are not of this world. When we accepted Christ, we were taken us out of the world. Of course we are still here, but spiritually we are elsewhere.

John 15:19   If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

John 17:14   I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

John 16:33   These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

John 17:16   They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Sad to say, but even after being saved from this world, it still holds an attraction for us. There are many things that are appealing: food, drink, clothes, cars, careers and positions of power just to name a few. But the Apostle John reminds of what these things are.

1 John 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Now go back one verse…

1 John 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

That is a sobering thought.

So what’s the big deal if we like some of the things that this world has to offer? What harm is there is wanting nice things? When you embrace the world and what it has to offer you, which by the way can never begin to compare to what God has to offer you in heaven, you make those worldly things idols. You relax your position in Christ and become a friend of the world. That may sound a little harsh, but it is true. We are told not to get comfortable in this life. The Apostle Paul exhorts us…

Romans 12:2   And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

As we read earlier, we may be in the world but we are not of the world.

So, what’s the big deal? Pay close attention to what Jesus’ brother tells us.

James 4:4   Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

God wants to be your friend. Won’t you send Him a Friend Request today?

- ALAN MURPHY

To “walk” in the New Testament often refers to the daily conduct of one’s life. Ephesians 2:10 says God has ordained that His children should “walk” in good works. Paul similarly encourages the Colossian believers, praying that they would “walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (Colossians 1:10–12. Paul assures the Christians in Rome that all whose faith rests in Christ have been baptized into His death and buried with Him, and that now, “just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4.

The word worthy has the idea of “matching up”: our actions should match our words, and our outward presentation should match our inward convictions. To “walk worthy” of our calling means to live up to that calling, to live in such a way as to honor God as we complete His course of action for us. In Colossians 1, walking worthy is tied to four personal characteristics:

1) being fruitful in every good work

2) steadily increasing in the knowledge of God

3) using the power of God to joyfully endure and patiently persevere, and

4) giving thanks to the Father for what He has done.

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”  Colossians 3:1

Oswald Chambers’ classic devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, has been treasured by millions since it was first published by his widow in 1924. In the devotional for February 11, Chambers wrote a simple sentence that has inspired many to live for Christ: “Remember whose you are and whom you serve.”

Many a parent has sent a young adult child off to college, or out into the world, with a similar exhortation. When the road gets rough or the waves get strong, remembering whom we belong to, and thus whom we serve, can be a compass to keep us on the right path. The New Testament says something similar to Christians. We belong to Christ and serve Him as Lord; therefore, we have all the motivation we should need for living in a way that honors Him. The Apostle Paul put it simply: “Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (Ephesians 4:1). Christ gave His life for us; walking worthy of Him means living our life for Him every day.

If you are in Christ today, let every thought, word, and deed be worthy of Him.

If you are a Christian seeking to walk more closely with Christ, pray and ask for direction. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). Don’t feel as though God is “too busy” or has more important things to do. When you are a child of God, He always has time for you.

If you are not yet a Christian, I encourage you to pray to God, confessing your sin and placing your faith in the crucified and risen Lord Jesus. Begin your Christian walk and have the assurance that you have eternal life.

“Remember whose you are and whom you serve.”  Oswald Chambers

- ALAN MURPHY

Samuel Chadwick was one of the greatest preachers of English Methodism. Born in Burnley in a strong Methodist home, he worked in a cotton mill 12 hours per day as a youth, and was minimally educated. He was converted at the age of ten, and immediately began praying three times a day. He began preaching at the age of 16.

Chadwick developed fifteen sermons and preached with all his might. When no one was converted, he noticed something was wrong. After a major awakening and deepening of his faith in his late twenties by the way of a personal epiphany after which he burned all his early sermons, he moved on to larger congregations and greater popularity.

A biographer said, “He realized that God must be in control of everything. Then came surrender, which brought him to realize Christ’s full salvation, a fresh vision of the Almighty, and a heartfelt yearning to see people saved.” The very next day Chadwick led seven people to Christ, and it was the beginning of a fruitful ministry that lasted for decades and led thousands to Christ.

Chadwick's book, Pathway of Prayer, is marvelous, as is his Way to Pentecost, a book on the Holy Spirit which is a collection of articles drawn from the Joyful News magazine that he edited for 27 years.

Like Chadwick, we also must come to the point where we are willing to surrender our will to the will of God. Make no mistake, our world is a battleground. Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, the world God created has been in conflict with Him. Satan is called the "god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4), and due to Adam’s sin, we are born on his team (Romans 5:12). John Bunyan pictured this conflict in his allegory The Holy War. Prince Emmanuel besieges the city of Mansoul to snatch it from the power of Diabolus. Unfortunately, the citizens of Mansoul are blindly committed to Diabolus and fight against Emmanuel, to their own harm.

When we reach the age when we can make moral choices, we must choose whether to follow our own sinful leanings or to seek God. God promises that when we seek Him with all our hearts, we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). When we find Him, we have a choice to make: do we continue following our own preferences, or do we surrender to His will?

Surrender is a battle term. It implies giving up all rights to the conqueror. When an opposing army surrenders, they lay down their arms, and the winners take control from that point on. Surrendering to God works in the very same way. God has a plan for our lives, and surrendering to Him means we set aside our own plans and eagerly seek His. The good news is that God’s plan for us is always in our best interest (Jeremiah 29:11), unlike our own plans that often lead to destruction (Proverbs 14:12).

There are different levels of surrender, all of which affect our relationship with God. Initial surrender to the drawing of the Holy Spirit leads to salvation (John 6:44; Acts 2:21). When we let go of our own attempts to earn God’s favor and rely upon the finished work of Jesus Christ on our behalf, we become a child of God (John 1:12; 2 Corinthians 5:21). But there are times of greater surrender during a Christian’s life that bring deeper intimacy with God and greater power in service. The more areas of our lives we surrender to Him, the more room there is for the filling of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). The more we surrender to God, the more our old self-worshiping nature is replaced with one that resembles Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Here are just a few Bible verses on surrender:

James 4:7 - Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Romans 12:2 - Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

James 4:10 - Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Proverbs 23:26 - My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.

Romans 12:1 - I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

As we worship God and give Him glory, He does mighty works on our behalf. It’s not our skill, but His strength; not our will, but His willingness; not our ability, but His capability.

Let our work for the Lord flow from our worship of Him—and we will find power.

- ALAN MURPHY