Please help this pastor!!!

I don't like petitions!!! But this is very important. An American pastor is jailed in Iran for starting house churches! USA needs to stand up and help this man of God. Please take a moment to sign and share this petition as it will be taken before congress this week!

Here is the link:
http://aclj.org/

Please do this I beg you, this man is bold enough to share the gospel! Pray for him too!

PMT

Right in his own eyes!

The title of this devotion is seen many times in scripture:





Deuteronomy 12:8

“You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes,



Judges 17:6

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.





Judges 21:25

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.







Proverbs 12:15

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.





Proverbs 21:2

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.



As we look at these verses all I can think of is today! It is just like today's society. Even the much of the church has this mindset. I highlighted that last verse because it is important we see what God does. He weighs the heart! He knows where we stand with Him. The Lord made a very important statement in this verse:



Isaiah 55:8

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord



The key here is God wants us to have his ways and thoughts! The mind of Christ. So anything that is not in line with God's will is wrong/sin. This is our problem. Many times we think we know more than God! Wrong! God's ways are the WAY! No way around it. Look at this verse:



1 Corinthians 2:16

“For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.



Is your mind in line with Christ? Are you right or is God right? This nation of ours better figure this out quick as we are facing consequences now for thinking we know more than God. It all starts with me and you! We have to get right ourselves before we work on others!



Tom

Just want to Praise God!

Approximately 6 months ago I asked for prayer for a young man named Garrett Spence. He was involved in a single car accident on a bad curve in Humphreys County, Tenn. He ran off the road at a bridge and crashed at the bottom of the creek where he was ejected from the vehicle. Only by God's grace did a man find him because he seen water on the bridge and found it strange so he turned around and went back and found Garrett lying there clinging to life. When I got the call that night I was told it did not look good and they questioned whether he would make it or not.



Skipping forward six months to last night. Garrett, who is still recovering and in physical therapy as he basically has has to learn everything all over both speaking and walking, came to youth last night and gave his testimony and praised God for allowing him to live. Garrett now knows he has a purpose with this accident and it is to tell others about Jesus and to give God the glory for sparing his life! It was an awesome night. I asked Garrett if 6 months ago before the wreck would he have ever got up before the class and talk about God? He replied "no way". God can take the bad and use for His glory and that is exactly what Garrett is going to do. Praise God!



This morning Garrett is having one of his eyes shown shut hoping it will heal more quickly and that he will regain sight in that eye! Please pray for him and the doctors and pray for his continued therapy in all areas!Also pray God will use him to bring others to Jesus!



If you want to see the story that was on the news about Garrett go here:



http://www.wsmv.com/story/21316466/football-player-injured-in-wreck-thanks-community-for-support



Tom

The Bible Series on History Channel Sunday nights

This was the most watched cable program on Sunday night this past week. Many have asked my opinion on the show. Overall I though it was very good. They took some liberties of course on how some of the interpretations may have played out. I didn't agree with everything that was played out but again overall I thought it was awesome. It is a great opportunity to bring to the world, God's Word. It shows both believers and non-believers the faith of our forefathers and how our faith should be in God. We are weak in our faith compared to someone like Abraham! You may say how can you say that! Well if God told to you to pack up and leave your home right now and not even tell you where you are going, would you do it? If God said sacrifice your child, would you do it? Like I said we are weak compared to our forefathers of the faith!



It was also a great time to get our families together and watch the Bible play out. My daughter asked many questions and made many comments during the show. It kept her attention. She is 9. Don't miss this great opportunity to spend time with your family and learn about God at the same time!



I heard many folks share their displeasure with the skipping of many parts of the bible. I wish they hadn't either but at the same time it is my understanding it is only 10 hours long. So it is very hard to get all that is in the bible played out in 10 hours. So we have to give them a little break on that.



So with that said, tune in this Sunday or record it like I did and watch the bible played out before your eyes! If you missed the first episode it will be on many more times and you can see it online to if I am not mistaken. It is a 5 part mini-series of 2 hour episodes.



It would be awesome for a revival to break out because of this show! Pray for it!



Let me know what you thought about I would like to hear!



Tom

Are you willing to do anything God asks?

Watching the Bible Series reminded me of what a great man of God Abraham was. He did so many things God asked that was way out of our comfort zones. This is the biggest in my opinion. God told Abraham to sacrifice his only son that he had with Sarah. Which brought me to this thought: Am I willing to do anything God asks of me? How about you?



Genesis 22:9-12

9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”



Abraham had such a faith in God that he was willing to do the hardest thing anyone could ask...sacrifice his son. Wow. Would I for God? I can say I would but would I? Abraham was willing and about to when God stopped him and provided a ram for the sacrifice!



This is a picture of what God has done for us in Jesus. Sending His only Son to die on the cross for our sins. God did not stop though...Jesus was sacrificed for our sin! I still am amazed by that. My sin....Jesus died for my sin not his own. All that God asks is that we ask Jesus to be Lord and Savior of our life. Many are not willing to do that let alone serve Him with their lives like Abraham.



God help us to be willing and faithful to do whatever you ask of us in our lives for you are worthy of our obedience!



Tom

Are you trying to live in peace?

My Pastor preached a message on this last night. It is a quality all followers of Christ have the ability to do! It is a fruit of the Spirit which we receive as soon as we ask Jesus to be Lord and Savior of you life:

Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

You see, God has given us the ability to live in peace with others. Now I never said it will be easy. I also want you to see this verse:

Romans 12:18
18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Did you catch that? If possible? There will be times where the other party will not allow peace. You are not responsible for them. But then the next words come...."so far as it depends on you", you have to do all within your power to live in peace with ALL people! It don't matter what color, what religion, what they look like, or anything else! Jesus loves the whole world and we are suppose to do the same and live in peace with them.

This is key, if you live in peace with others, they will see the love of Jesus in you and may just give you an opportunity to share Jesus with them! That is what God desires for all His followers!

Are to living in peace this morning? You can! God has given you the power to do so!

Tom

Believe or Relationship?

This is a very important point this morning for our faith in Christ. There are many folks who believe in Jesus, but their must be more than a simple belief. There must be a relationship, a trust in Jesus as your Savior. Let me show you what I mean:



James 2:19

19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!



You see here that even demons believe God and Jesus are one, but are demons saved? No! A simple belief that Jesus is God without trusting Him as your Lord and Savior is not enough. Now lets look at some evidence of what Jesus says:



Matthew 16:24

[ Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus ] Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.



Jesus himself says here part of what is required to be a follower....deny self, take up cross, and follow. To deny self is more that a simple belief that Jesus is God, you have to have a relationship with Him, a trust, a love.



Matthew 10:37

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.



With just a simple belief in Jesus, nobody will love Jesus more than family, it takes a loving relationship. Do you love Jesus more than your family? He is God after all!



Mark 10:21

And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”



With just a simple belief in Jesus no one would be willing to sell all they have and follow Jesus! Would you be willing too?



John 14:23

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.



Jesus makes it clear here that if we love Him we will keep His Word, His commandments! When we we do we will be loved and God will be with us throughout eternity! Oh what God news. But again you see the point, for us to be obedient to the Word of God takes more that just a ho-hum belief that Jesus is God, it takes commitment and deep faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior!



I hope I got this point across clearly. Many in the church and in society will say yes I believe in Jesus, but so do the demons. The key is have you put your faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior and committed you love, trust, and life to Him and Him ONLY!



Take some time to think about this, eternity is at stake!



Tom