Our stand with Him

While it’s still fresh on my mind, I wish to blog about our stand.   I discovered this thought while writing about our walk. (see the blessing of the walk blog)   But before we can walk we have to stand and then move toward our designated direction.  Some can start walking from the sitting position, eventually you have to become up right in a near standing position and then you walk.  The runner in a race will almost kneel at the start of his race only to become up right while in the run and increases speed toward the goal.  (and by-the-way kneeling in prayer is a good place to always start, but that’s another blog some day J).   But, we must STAND first and then make that step.    But how do you stand with the Lord?? How is your standing with Him?? For our stand will dictate our walk and literally the direction we go with Him.  The bible says in the New Testament in Ephesians therefore stand for Him.  The Apostle Paul had seen the gear and the armor of the soldiers and knew about the helmet, the breastplate and shield.  But he said we should STAND and literally hold your ground.  And our stand needs to be on a firm foundation and that is the rock, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Our hope is built on nothing less, the Jesus’ blood and His righteousness!!  Truly, all other ground is sinking sand. 

But dear friend, there are many things in life, but the first thing is salvation with the Lord. You must be saved and you must be born again. As earth dwellers and creations of God, but we must call on the name of the Lord for salvation. This is for our justification and our redemption.  John 5:24 says “²⁴ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”   Matthew 6 tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. 

So first stand then walk, first be saved then serve Him.

God bless you friend,

RevDanSam

The Blessing of the Walk

The walk that we have is either our physical walk on this earth or our spiritual walk with our Lord.  After being in the hospital and having gout in my feet, I have learned the blessing of the walk.  It's a necessary part of your life.  It is very easy to take-for-granted.  Some has a fast walk, some have a slow walk, some have a normal walk, but it's different for many based on age.  Children have an energy walk, parents have a steady walk and older people have an enduring walk. 
It has come to my attention the blessing of the walk. That natural thing that we all do.  Where we stand up and then step into the direction that we need to go.  But when you are unable to WALK, you or perhaps myself, see walking in a different light.  When you see so many doing it so easy and you are unable to do that easy task or that even a necessary task to function, it makes me think what a blessing that it really is and I do not want to take it for granted. 
So it is with our spiritual walk with the Lord.  It's really easy,  prayer,  bible study and fellowship with believers.  But that leads to living a separated life and doing a service for Him.  Our walk will determine, what we do, where we go and how we do it.  It will determine our relationship with God, with people and with our self.  And when the three are in line we can attack life and live for Him.
The bible says Noah walked with God, also Abraham and Moses, David and Daniel.  The Lord Jesus walked with God also Peter, John and Paul.  They took an easy natural task and made it their meaning of life.  WOW! Is their a lesson there FOR US to learn?  It's really the blessing of the walk.

I do want to walk with the Lord. And I want to just take a walk in a park.  Both seem very hard for me right now, but in either case, I know the Good Lord will help me !! Turn ye unto God and He will turn unto you !! Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart.  In ALL thy ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path.

But dear friend, you must be born again, this day salvation needs to come to your house.  For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

As for as our walk, the song "Trust & Obey" says, when we walk with the Lord in the light of his word, what a glory it sheds on our way.  Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but trust and obey.

God bless friend, thank you for your time,
RevDanSam

Waiting and Watching

My son and I are Rail Fans and my wife has caught on too.  Many times you can find us waiting at a designated spot by the railroad tracks waiting to take a picture of trains.  Mainly a steam trains and some diesels trains too.   Norhfolk Southern, CSX , Union Pacific or BNSF we like them all.  While waiting for the train to come by is what made me think about writing this blog.  The first thing you learn to do listen for the train whistle.  Then you know the train is near and you need to get your camera gear ready.  Some of the times you hear a false sound.  A car horn or a big truck horn which lets you down because you know it’s not the real thing.  Many times false prophet will make a false sound concern the coming of Christ or even the end of the world.  They will give a designated time and place then say the Lord will return.  In my years of ministry I have seen this from time to time, but we just continue on because of our love for the Lord.  To help us in our rail fanning, we decided to buy a radio scanner so that we can hear the conversation of the engineer or hear the maintenance check from a rail unit indicating no defects.  Usually a unit will be at a certain mile maker and it will sound a defect if there is a problem such as a bad wheel or ball barren.  And this helps us to get ready, meaning setting up our cameras or getting to our designated place to take a picture of the coming train.  Spiritually, I think sometimes we need to turn on a spiritual radios and raise our in antennas try to hear from signals heaven.  For God is telling us to get ready and go to our designated place then get ready to hear from Him.  What is He trying to talk to you about??

Many get the call for service confused with the call of salvation.  The Lord always calls you before He uses you.  See Noah, Abraham and Moses in the Old Testament then Peter and Paul in the New testament of the bible.  Really, the Lord’s more interested in making you a son than using you as a servant. He wants to establish a relationship with you first, and then He can use you.  And it’s during that time that He separates the men form the boys.  Besides it’s your relationship with Him that will get you through the rough and restless times.

WOW, how did I get from rail fanning to hearing and waiting on Him??  Well, they are much the same in a certain way.  With trains and the Lord we have to be watching, waiting and hearing.

Mark 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

First call on Him today and then He will use you.

God Bless you Friend,

RevDanSam

Heavenly Daddy

I had a moment with the Lord while at work.  In the test and repair business, there are times when you repair a product and then allow the test to run.  It was during the testing cycle, when I sat back in my chair at my bench and pondered the words of Lord.  A phrase in the New Testament is found in the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew chapter six was in my mind and heart.  “Our Father which art in Heaven” I heard a favorite preacher of mine say that the word father speaks of relationship.  Then that made me think of Romans 8.  Where the bible says “we cry Abba-father”, which means papa or daddy.  Then that reminded me how my brother-in-law told me one time that at a bible study a fellow Christian had the closing prayer and he addressed God as “Daddy”   So when I put it all together, the words came to me, Heavenly Daddy. 

And Dads enjoy giving to their children.  My earthly/natural Dad was not a wealthy man, but a friend of mine reminded me that my Dad would have given me more if he could have afforded it.  It was an enlighten moment for me and made since.  Even now as a dad of my son, I want to do more for him, but many times money is an issue.  But Our Heavenly Father (Daddy) owns the cattle on thousand hills. 

And as I thought about all of this, tears came to my eyes, as I cried to my Heavenly Daddy for the help that I needed.  I need spiritual, physical and financial help.  It just came alittle down on me. But I am glad He’s there and can hear my prayer. I am eager and excited about my Heavenly Daddy and what He will do.

But first my friend, you must be birth into the family of God. You must be born again to be apart of the family of God. Call on Him today, for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

God Bless you,

RevDanSam

Home with the Lord

Well, I was saddened to hear about the death of a fellow Christian that I have known since the late 70s.  One of my child hood friends’ dad passed away Friday morning.  I had heard that he was in the hospital and not doing well.  And we thought I could go by there tomorrow to see him there in the hospital, the wife even said you need to go by there, but he passed away before I went by there.   William “Willy” Snyder got his family in church; I think it was around 1978, his son and I became friends through other friends in the neighborhood.  Three families lived right next to each other and we all went to church and school together.  They lived next to the high school and I could park my car there for free.  That also, caused us to miss several days of school, but that another blog someday.  WE all went to the victory Baptist church, were my future father-in-law was pastor, one of the greatest church that I ever belonged to.  We did great things, Missions, bus ministry, youth group, VBS, choir singing, revivals and camp meetings, just to name a few things, not counting the radio ministry and convalescent home ministry, TRULY A GREAT TIME IN MY LIFE!!!   But my friend’s dad got his family in church.  One of the first things that I remember was he joined the church choir and was faithful to sing, then he became a bus driver in the bus ministry, he would laugh and sing with the kids.  He would go on visitation with our pastor and became a church officer and later a deacon of the church.  A man, who when he was called upon responded faithfully and with a smile. My friend and I went different paths after Bible College.  And then life happened.  He got married and I got married, though both of our wives and we were in the same youth group and same home church, but we went different ways.  And life can do that with friends sometimes.  I lost touch with them only to meet occasionally for we lived in the same town and hoping/wanting to get back together someday.   But now, it seems that we only get to meet together at weddings and funerals.  The bible says in Hebrews 9:27 that it’s appointed a man once to die, it’s an appointment that we all must meet.  BUT, dear friend, there’s also the judgment afterwards.  And are you ready for that time?? The bible says to be absent from the body and home with the Lord.  I hope you are ready for that day.

My friend’s dad, Brother Willy, was ready, but are you?? For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have ever lasting life.  For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Brother Willy is home with the Lord, he has already made a lap around glory avenue, seen his pastor and love ones who has gone on before him and most of all he has seen Jesus.

"there will be a happy day in heaven I know, when we meet our savior and love ones that we know, truly, that will be a glad reunion day!!!"

God Bless you,

RevDanSam

revdansam@gmail.com

How will He find us

An interesting thing happened at work this week and I thought I would share it with you.   I was on the Internet with my designated PC that I use for Emails, logging work and testing.  My boss came up to me and asked what I was doing as He found me researching (googling) and gathering information instead of testing and repairing.  And it was made clear to me that I needed to be found doing the work I was assigned to do rather than doing anything else.  I admit my pride was hit by the correction but that's business.  And the bible does teach us to be good servants (employees and respect those in authority)  Now, this happens with this boss from time to time, but when I thought about it and I wondered, how does Jesus want to find us when He returns. 
Of course the bible, in the New Testament, teaches about the soon return of Jesus.  In John Chapter 14, He said And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.  Then in Acts chapter 1,  This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.
And this is a "watch and be ready" thing as of the truth, what a wonderful day that will be when Jesus comes again. (as so the song goes)
But how will He find you and how will he find me?? It's much like one of the parable where the Master goes off to a far country, and to comes back to find the inactivity of  his servants.   Very similar with our bosses, who will check on us as we do our work, or the work that we think that we are suppose to do. And sometimes, we try to justify it, but are we really doing what we are suppose to be doing??  Granted, our Lord Jesus, very gracious to us, but is He and will He be??
While on this earth, I want to be about my master's business, I want to serve in my life.  I learned a lesson that day on the job, mainly, to do my assigned task, BUT, what is our assign task for the Lord, but to Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost John 20:21 As my Father sent me so I send you.  ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

But dear friend salvation will always come before service, you must be born again / be saved first.  Then God can use you, you must become a child of God first.  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons (children) of God:  But you can call on Him today, for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

God bless you friend,
RevDanSam
revdansam@gmail.com