The squirrels and the corn patch

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Phil.4:19

I remember a story that an elderly preacher friend of mine told about his corn patch and the squirrels. He had planted for his family a corn patch, a designated area in his garden set aside for corn. Well, being a GM worker in Atlanta at the Doraville plant, he would work all day and come home and work in his garden to raise some vegetables for his family, (that is family of girls ;-)  Anyway, He got to noticing that his corn patch were slowly being ate by the squirrels. They ruin the whole patch. So he, being human and being upset and mad ask the Lord to kill the squirrels !! They're just little rodents that aggravate and eat his corn.  BUT then, God started speaking to his heart.  And the preacher repented that he had asked the Lord to kill the squirrels ask for forgiveness.  And trusted that God would provide and he trusted God.  Then God who was already working unknown the preacher revealed his great provision plan to him.  A neighbor who lived across the road meet up with my preacher friend and said how's your corn patch this year, the preacher said not good the squirrels got in it and ate it all up. The neighbor said well don't worry, I have bumper corp load of corn this year and I have extra, feel free to come over and pick all you want.  And he did with his wife and daughters ;-) Then another friend, a fellow church member, said come over we have plenty of corn too.  So that year my preacher friend had more corn than he would have with his corn patch and they were able to can many quarts of corn for the winter.  So every time he grabbed  quart of corn He remember the squirrels and the corn patch and how God provided for him and his family.
I think it was a repented heart that was the key here for God was already a working in his life. There was no need to be mad and upset and wishing God would kill one of his little animals. But it's a lesson that we need to trust God and believe that He will provide.  That's easier say than done, I mean, I truly know, but my God provided again.

Dear friend, is God working in your life, has things made you mad and upset, that we forget the goodness of God?? The bible says "but my God" First, He has to be your God, you first must be saved, born again, become a child of God, then my God, your shall supply all your need according to his riches in Glory, by Christ Jesus. I say A-Men and hallelujah !!!

God bless you friend, trust in the Lord with ALL your heart.

RevDanSam

The power in the church

The other day, my wife was reading her face-book page of where a preacher friend of ours, one that we have known for years and went to church together many years ago, posted a story or thought that touched us and obviously touched him.  He said it was this years Vacation Bible School.  Storms had been in the area and the power / electricity had gone off and the sanctuary was very dark.  A little boy, who had not attended church much in his life, tugged on our preacher friend's pants leg and said "There's no power in the Church!!"  WOW, what a clear & large statement from the mouth of babes, which has great praticle and spiritual meaning.

You see, we were raised in the era of great things happening in the church.  We have seen the drunker throwing away his bottle, the druggie giving up his bad habits, homes being restored and brought back together, life changing decisions to serve Christ and forsake the world, and on and on I can go. There was a great life changing power in the church.  The sad was made glad, the hopeless  gained  hope.  All because of the man, the message and the miracles of Christ as seen in the church.   Heaven came down and glory filled our souls.  Seeing  hundreds people laughing, crying and shouting in the same place, the CHURCH!!  The church had power and was really the place of power.

Much of this power came through prayer and praising God.  (It is amazing what praising can do!!)
When the church came together in one mind and one accord, hey, doesn't that sound similar to Acts chapter 2, there was great power and numbers there too. The Apostle Paul said in Romans 1:16 there's great power in the message, the gospel of Christ!! It's the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believes and listen to this, to the Jews and the Greeks !!  To the religious and the so called great minds.

But many years ago and even now from time to time, you will see great power in the church.  Some of us have seen it and experienced it and live for it.  It's like a well of refreshing water, you just got to have it.  Also, I can't leave Acts 1:8, receiving that dymanic power, for sure the Holy Spirit is the energizer, along with the word and the Lord.

But dear friend, the gospel is the power of God unto salvation, it all starts with salvation first. You must be saved, born again, to have the power of God. For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved, AMEN !!

Our preacher friend heard the little boy say there's no power in the church, and his prayer was, Lord help us to keep clean the power lines to the church. And indeed I say, AMEN !!

God bless you friend,
RevDanSam

( and God bless Brother Jason P. in N.C. for through his face-book page moved me to write this)

My Dad's Pastor

The other Sunday, I had an appointment to preach at a local church.  I don't seem to get appointments as much as I want, but that's in God's hand, He's my agent.  Anyway, after the service an elderly man who was in his early eighties, came up to me and the Pastor and said." you were my Dad's Pastor!!" Well, I looked around to see if he talking to another and no, it was me !!  Now I do not normally hear that from an 83 year old man, you're my Dad's Pastor, but I did that day.

Well, as it turns out, many years ago as a young preacher boy, in my late twenties, my wife and I were invited to start a Nursing Home ministry at the Local nursing home for the elderly.  I had filled in for a preacher friend of mine while he was down with his back and so the people wanted us to come back on a regularly basis. One the residents was the 83 year old Dad.  He was very instrumental in getting me to come there.  We had great meetings there, at the old nursing home, and I preached there for a few years.  Although, some say it was really my wife's piano playing and singing, but I would like to think those old folks just wanted to hear the Gospel preached.  (Hmmm . . .)

Well, it just makes you think about your life serving God.  Every once and while, I'll meet someone and they say, I know you, your the preacher, that  . . . and it could mean many things, from baptism or riding the Church bus, to preaching a sermon, just many things.   And they were GOOD THINGS!! The things done for the Lord.  I cherish them !! All the times that I have spent serving Him has been Great!! and I rejoice and do rejoice !!  I am in my mid fifties now, but I do not feel like my job is over.  There's still a work to do.  Serving Him while I can.  And I look forward to serving Him for 20 or 30 more years, TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!.

But dear friend, whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved, for with heart man believes unto righteousness and with mouth confession is made unto salvation, YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN !!.

I am glad to be identified as this 83 year man Dad's pastor. Only God knows how, that He will  continue to use me.  Is God using you??

God Bless you neighbor,

RevDanSam
Hey, it's 2019 now and I found another old picture of the Nursing Home and today I will add it.

The Dump Truck Driver

When I was Pastor of my first church, I always wanted to keep my members envoled and active.  One certain activity we did was a home prayer meeting at a elderly couples home who were members but could not come to church regularly. Perhaps the husband came one Sunday a month, but the wife could not make it.  So we decided to have a home prayer meeting or a "cottage prayer meeting" on a Saturday night.  We loaded up our 15 passenger white Ford church van and when over to sing and pray.  Naturally, we took some song books and my wife brought her piano keyboard so we had a great time singing, praying and testifying.  Little did we know that night but the elderly couples son, the truck driver, came back and was listening.  We close out the  meeting and the elderly couple thanked us and we were glad that we fun and fellowship while serving the Lord.  Well, Sunday after next, the whole family came to church. The Husband the wife and son, the truck driver.  After the message that day, He came to the alter and told me he had got saved and he wanted to be baptised.  Later he was testify that it was the cottage prayer that turned him to God.  He told how that he was there that night and when heard the singing, praying and testifying he realized that it was time for him to follow Christ.  I baptised him the following Sunday and though He was no small but He was taller and bigger than me.  Some worried, if I could do it.  But we had an in door baptism pool and I had him to put his left arm across his chest then grabbed his nose. I put my right hand shape like a "C" and grabbed his neck while grabbing his left arm.  Then I laid him down in the liquid grave and raised him to walk in newness of life !! I like to say when baptising "buried with HIM in baptism" then as I lift up I say "raised to walk in newness of life !!" of course, baptism don't saved you, but it identifies you with Christ and it identifies you with the church. (... but that's another blog :-) someday) for with the heart man believes unto salvation and with mouth confession is made, you must be born again!!

Well the son, the dump truck driver, got saved and got right with the Lord.  And I say "glory yo His name !!"  We won't win them all, but it's a great thing when it does happen.  And we were just serving the Lord. Having a home prayer meeting and God used it in a mighty way, truly I say, "GLORY - TO - HIS - NAME"

Dear friend, be saved and serve Him, trust in the Lord with ALL your Heart, for whosoever SHALL CALL on the name of the Lord, shall be saved !!

God Bless you,

RevDanSam
-___-