Olympic volleyball

While watching the Olympics, particularly the men’s volleyball, my mind went back to my junior high days and P.E. class. After our exercises, the coach would let our two classes play volleyball on a full basketball court, we usually had 15 on each side and it was a lot of fun.  Well, we had to serve the volleyball from each end of the court, so you had to at least send the ball half court to get it over the net.

I had been a great server. I mastered the underhand serve. This is where you would hold the ball with you left hand and hit it with your right hand up in the air. It worked very well for me, as the team selected me to start the serve for our team playing full court volleyball.

Well, I immediately over analyzed the situation and thought, since I need to serve the ball so far, I thought I would change my serve to the over hand style. Where you hold the ball up and hit it with your fist, it was kind of new to me but I had not mastered it.  Well, needless to say I failed miserably and the volleyball barely made it to the net.

The team would rotate people to serve and my turn came fifteen serves later.  But I notice one my friends did very well and he used the under hand style of serving.  He used what he knew and did not change just hit the volleyball a little harder. So when it was my turn to serve I did the same and very well.  The team thought I was done, so bad and so over, but I came back with what I knew, and did it way that worked for me. And we won!!

I still remember that day, how my humble friend did what could, with what he had and with what worked for him and it show me what I needed to do.  I think it was a great life lesson.

But with the Lord, David said show me your ways, teach me and lead me.  It's all that we could ask for, but when we think or analyzed based on our own thoughts, many times we fail. BUT, if we trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding, if we acknowledge Him, HE shall direct our path.  And His way is the right way if we follow Him.

For His way is right for salvation, his way is right for serving Him and His way is right for our future.  So call on Him today, for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

God Bless you,

Rev. Dan

Put your hand into the hand of the man

The other day, the Good Lord brought this song back to my heart and mind.  I have to admit, it was not one of my favorite songs years ago.  It had a catchy tune and I remember singing it in elementary school, it was suppose to be one of those safe religious songs that you could sing in a secular public school.  Later I would see TV actors sing it when they wanted to be / show they were religious. Well, that was just my observation. :-(

Then the other day, in the stillness of my morning ride to work, in my Ford F-150  pickup truck, God started to speak to me again about this song.  First, we see an invitation .  Come to Jesus by putting your hand into His hand.  And this is what we did at salvation, we put our sinful life into the hand Jesus for salvation.  There something about a hand shake or a deal consummated by a hand shake.  Yet this song invites us to spiritually and literally put our hand into His hand, which  is, by the way,  very open for you.

But secondly, this song is an identifier,  as it says put your hand into the man that "stilled" the waters and calmed the sea.  Well, the application is there.  In the old testament in Psalms 23, "lead us by still water", we would learn later that sheep liked stilled waters, and what better place is there, than to drink by stilled waters for you thirst.

Then that hand, His Hand not only stilled the waters, but it calmed the sea, especially the raging sea and the stormy sea.  As He lifted His hand and said peace be still.  Oh truly, we have a wonderful Savior, we see His power, his peace and His passion for His people.

Then thirdly, we see a great insight, for when you take a look at yourself, after you accepted His hand, you will look on others differently.  Your insight and perspective to life will change.  A change that only The Good Lord can change. By taking the hand, accepting the man of Galilee.

SO PUT YOUR HAND INTO THE MAN FROM GALILEE !!

WOW, I had to repent and I see the message in the song. It's there and it's for me and for you. PRAISE - THE - LORD  !!

So today, will you take the hand of the man that stilled the water, will you take the hand of the man that calmed the sea.  This man, the man, The Lord Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, second part of the holy trinity.

OH, please, call on Him today !! For with the heart man believes and with mouth confession is made, for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

God Bless you,
Rev. Dan

The Olympics

The Olympics

The Olympics games have been around for many years.  The Apostle Paul observed this in his biblical writings.  Where he talked about the end goal, which was in that day a green olive branch which was worn the head of the victorious Athletic as they marched through the city. He obviously noted their training and toughness. Then He concluded for what?? All that training and all that toughness for a temporary crown??  When all that work and energy could be used for the Lord’s work. Which gives an eternal crown and eternal benefits.

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. See 1Cor.9:24-25

A perishable wreath and that does not sound like very much.  Also, only one receives the prize.   Compare that with those working for the Lord, where all receives a prize (reward) and all receives an eternal prize (crown) for your work for the Lord. That is all that are saved, all that are children of God. We may be creations of God and we are not ALL children of God, we must be saved, we must be born again.

So let us count for Him, let us strive to live for the Lord and work for Him.

For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

God Bless you,

Rev. Dan

Our path

Our Path that we walk

Last week I had to do a funeral for a close family member.  Having not done a funeral in a couple of years, I first thought to turned to the "Pastor's manual"  It's a book for pastors with helps and suggestions.  But I could never get satisfied nor have peace about anything that I found.  Since it was, what we call in the south, "a grave side service" the pastor's manual gave some suggested scriptures.  Well, it suggested Psalms 23, but I could still did not get peace about it , although it was close and God was tugging on heart trying to show me the way.  Finally after much prayer and seeking Him, God gave me the scriptures and it was one so familiar to me. Proverb 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him,and he shall direct thy paths. 

And so the good Lord showed me the that I need to talk about our PATH. And I would like share this with you today.   Your Path certainly  tells a story of your life.  Past, present and future.  This might be a good time to consider where you come from, where you are and where you are going.  And did you know God wants to be apart of your path. Somewhere in your path of life, you will be brought a place of decision.  Many times it will be that place of salvation, where you will be given a chance to follow Him.  For the way of the cross leads home. (to heaven) God will show you an open door or bring you to that life decision place for you to have an opportunity to hear and receive the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The question is what will you do??

Well, I had many bible helps and many pastor helps.  Which, truthfully, was man's help. I just turned them all way  and started to listen to God and the sermon and words all came to me. ( I thank the Lord for it)

If we take the letters P-A-T-H, perhaps we could see what God is trying to says to us. First, the "P", the place of decision, many times your path will start there or is that place where He can talk to you.  Secondly, the letter "A" acknowledge.  This is something the world does less and less in these last days. Acknowledge His words, work and ways.  Your path will have that place and the needed acknowledgement from you. Thirdly, the letter "T" Trust, Trust in the Lord !!, it will be in your path, first at salvation and then in service for Him, also many situations where you will need Him.  The lastly the letter "H" Home as yout path will need to lead you home, to heaven.
Jesus said in John 14 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 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.

Where is your path leading you?? and does it tell a good story ?? That may be all you have for someone to speak about of you.  Why not trust Him and call on Him today and start that path with His words and His ways.

God Bless you,

Rev. Dan