Pleasant Grove Baptist Church December 04, 2018 at 03:15AM

from Pleasant Grove Baptist Church https://ift.tt/2AQuYTF
via IFTTT Stories of old, stories of people from another time, another place. But not just stories, these are beautiful paintings on the canvas of life. These are wisdom, to keep us safe in our own storms. We may call it "old testament" but it is in fact, our future! The stories in the Bible are real life parables. Each one is a rich assortment of wisdom to be revealed. Layer after layer of truth and guidance for us today. Some may say that we live in a different time so those are outdated images of the past. NO! Times may change, but humans are the same more importantly God never changes! The principles at work in these old stories are as relevant to our lives today as ever. Wisdom is based on principles, not details. It is the process of stripping away details and seeing the principles that parables are made of. Jesus spoke in many parables. The stories of the old testament are a continual string of parables. It's the same thing! The value of the stories is in the principles. "He who has an ear, let him hear". Do you have an ear? Can you read through those old stories and see guidance for your own daily life in every word? Is the old testament an exciting and overwhelming collection of depth? If not, perhaps our ears could use some cleaning! We can have ears to hear and eyes to see, but they do not come from man's process of study. Eyes and ears come through God's grace and gift of the Holy Spirit. Only God Himself can open our eyes and ears. Seek Him first, and you will find wisdom. It's not analysis, study, searching, academic reasoning. No. Wisdom is found in those quiet moments alone with God. Ask Him to reveal His wisdom to you. Ask Him to open your eyes to truth, to principle. Ask, and you shall receive! Then the Bible comes alive! The life is not in the words themselves, but in the spirit that lives within you as you read or hear the words. God's spirit is truth and wisdom. He will open your eyes if you ask Him diligently. Not once, not twice, but constantly. Seek Him daily. Remember Lott's wife, and remember all those stories we memorized as a child. Return to the Bible and read them again, but ask God to open your eyes to see deep. He will! And you will never be the same!

Pleasant Grove Baptist Church December 03, 2018 at 03:12AM

from Pleasant Grove Baptist Church https://ift.tt/2QtG3nH
via IFTTT Envy blinds the eyes, but exposes the heart. The Scribes and Pharisees had a life mission of reaching their people with the love and Holiness of God. Yet because their hearts were cold and dead, they spent the days praising and pleasing themselves. Their heart was contrary to their mission. When Jesus came along with a pure heart, but the same mission, people responded in huge crowds! Instead of repenting, the Scribes and Pharisees grew envious. Instead of rejoicing, they grumbled. And that envy exposed their true heart. It wasn't about the people at all to them, it was all about themselves. Today we read these stories and easily see the error of their ways. But do we see our own? How is this different from church leaders who seek to build their Church as a business? Who read books about increasing church attendance. Who offer fun, exciting lures to attract people. Who fret over the bank account more than the lost. Where is your heart? Our bookshelf should be about how to reach the lost, how to achieve Holiness, how to please God in daily life, how to die to self, how to walk in faith. Our calendar should be full of moments of prayer set aside, regular private Bible reading, visiting people who are hurting. Our bank account should have more deductions than deposits, giving to those in need instead of buying for ourselves. Our life should be one of sacrifice, not pleasure. Visiting not vacation, caring not wanting. It's the heart to matters. Where is our heart? And it's not just church leaders... No no. Everyday people have the same call! Last time you received a raise or bonus, what was your first thought? Was it about what you can spend it on for yourself? Or was it about who you could now give to? When you last had a day off, did you rejoice because you get to relax and play, or because you finally can spend an entire day in prayer? You see, we humans are hopeless on our own. We are the same as the Scribes and Pharisees. Our own thoughts are continually on our own life and pleasure, not furthering God's kingdom! We are envious of others gaining riches, glory, bonus, ease, because WE want that stuff for ourselves! No matter how holy we portray to those around us, we are imperfect. Down inside, out thoughts and emotions betray who we want to be. The answer? Jesus. Let His purity of heart expose our own darkness. Stop trying to be Holy and instead seek His Holiness. We can never change our own heart. But through honestly realizing our own depravity, and repenting... Honestly admitting to God that we are evil inside and seeking His help... Only then can our hearts be changed. The world takes an opposite approach. The world says " you're not so bad, look on the bright side, see all the good you do and be happy". That is not God's way. See the evil inside us. Feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Let His light expose our own darkness. Then give it all to God for redemption. Don't ignore, don't downplay, but redeem, change! Become holy by repenting of trying to become holy! Just relax and admit the truth, and let Jesus do what we can not. Flock to Him with the sin inside and repent as a broken son or daughter at His feet. Let Jesus purify our heart.

Pleasant Grove Baptist Church December 01, 2018 at 03:34AM

from Pleasant Grove Baptist Church https://ift.tt/2SoOpdh
via IFTTT Give up all your possessions? All? Yes! That is God's call to us. Give it all. Quite a far cry from the popular message of today. Some struggle to give the "required" 10%. Others give to get. Still, others concentrate on accumulating wealth and comfort as their goal. And all this within the "church" where Jesus said, "give it all!" How can this be? How can we be so far off target? Following Jesus, serving God is not a means to riches or comfort in this world. Jesus said over and over, this world is nothing. It is evil. It is but a fleeting moment in eternity. Following Jesus means turning our backs on everything in this life. The "good" as well as the bad, counting it all as worthless before a holy God and eternity. Is it a sin to be rich? No. It is a greater sin to SEEK to be rich! How many more of us are guilty of seeking riches than having them ! How often do we follow the allure of a better job, bigger house, more fun, vacations, things, bank accounts, nicer clothes? Give it all up! Stop wasting precious minutes seeking that which is worthless! Life is not about getting ahead, not even about keeping up. It is about serving! If you have "things" count it all as God's and you are but managing it for Him. Will you truly take of God's riches, entrusted to you, and use some on yourself? Just who do you think you are? Did you "earn" that? NO! God blessed you in spite of the sinful nature inside. It is His blessing, not yours. It is His riches, not yours. You are like the bank teller, handling accounts for others. Will you go to lunch on another's money? It's all in the attitude. Whatever you have, whatever you find yourself with control over, give it to God. Seek to serve Him with it, not yourself. Not to gain a reward! But to serve the one who put those things into your hands. Riches are a test. What will you do? Will you spend as you wish? As if you own them? Or will you honor your pledge at salvation to give everything to God? It is a test indeed. Do you pass? Give it all to Jesus. Not to receive more, but because you recognize it all as belonging to Him. Because He is worthy. Holding on to control over anything, anything, means we are not yet following Christ.