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
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4000th blog view

Well, I have made it to another milestone, the 4000th blog view !!  PRAISE-THE-LORD !!  Triple digit readers from Russia and Germany with views from over 12 different countries from around the world, double digits in 80% of them.  And of course, a couple of thousand from here in the states.  I wish that I could say 4000 souls saved, but I know that I am just planting the seeds of the gospel, God will give the increase, and besides my Lord keeps a record !!

I hope that many will see Christ in my stories and experiences with God. You see many times God will speak to my heart and mind.  The Truth is that after many years of bible study and service for the Lord, God starts reminding of his words ans ways.  Truly He speaks in a still small voice.  But most importantly I must emphasize, that it comes from reading and learning His word, the Bible.

Remember the story of Peter after the Lord's death.  Many of the disciples and Peter, decided to go back to fishing.  They were not doing well and Jesus, whom they did not realize, said try on the other side of the boat. And when they did, they caught many, and Peter knew immediately, hey that's the Lord !!  Well, God does that for me many thing times.  I will be riding along in my pickup truck or have life experiences and God will speak to me. It's a great and thing wonderful thing that I have with the Lord.  And I know it's Him.

But dear friend, you can have the same thing too. First be saved, born again, accept Christ as your Lord and Savior into your heart. Get baptise, Live the life of Christ and God will speak to you too.

Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart, for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord SHALL be saved !!   (oh, by the way, saved first, then baptised, keep it straight) :-)

God bless you,
RevDanSam

Following the rules

1 John 5:13 - These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

These things are written that you may KNOW !!  Especially those that believe !!

The bible is our (the Christian's) manual, map and mandate for our lives. Really words or rules to live by.

The other day I had one of those God moments in my pick-up truck, where God seems to speak to my heart and mind at many different times.  I was taking my son to school and we had notice that many parents where letting their children out in the back of the building, which was frown upon by the school administration.  They would rather you drop off your child in front of the building.  But the back of the building seem so easy and practical and many parents where doing it.  But it was the end of the year and perhaps this was not an important issue.  And I kept asking my son can we do that, can we go to the back of the building to drop you off for school??  Then my son said something rather interesting, "let's just follow the rules Dad"  And my mind went back to my favorite choir director and friend at my home church. Who would always say "follow the music and it will never lead you wrong!!"  And again, with my youth director, as we were exiting a church parking lot, The signs said exit a certain way, and though it look like we could, I heard him say, let's just follow the rules.  And we exit the church parking lot and went to lunch.

First John 5:13 says these were written for you, that you may know.  They are words for life, words for love and words for living.  And somewhere in your Christian life you will have to take the bible as real and perhaps rules to live by for Christ.  And as you yield to Him, you yield to the spirit and say within yourself, let's just follow the rules. Let's just follow the words of life, His word !!  In the secular world they say it's "situational ethics" I say, just do right!! Don't do wrong, do right!!  (thanks Dr. Bob Jones Sr. :-] ) And just follow the Lord. Trust in Him today.

But first, my friend you must be saved, you must be born again, see John 3.  Born from above, you must except Jesus Christ into your heart as your Lord and Savior. For whosoever  shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved,   For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. see Romans 10:10

It's always better to follow Him, it's always better to follow the rules.

God Bless you friend,
RevDanSam

God answers again

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Phil, 4:6

A couple of weeks ago, our family went through a down time spiritually and financially.  Sadness is so often attached to finances.  An extra cost came and the payment was debit from our bank account and we did not think that this would happen.  Beyond that, our son could not get a prom date. He being an high functioning autistic boy, perhaps it might be hard for him. Anyway, we were down and sadden which means it's-time-to-pray !!  (the super spiritual one may say, you should have been praying already)  I say, at least I had sense enough to pray.  Well, it was a Tuesday, my wife prayed on her way to work and I prayed on the way to my way to work, but we did not know this at the time.  The tears flowed from both of us, it's what we call a come-to-Jesus- moment.  So my wife got to work composed herself and started looking for cell phone for she heard it ringing earlier.  While looking in her purse she found a twenty dollar bill in the bottom of her purse.  WOW praise the Lord !!  And the phone ringing was my son, excited that a young girl friend accepted his invitation to go to the prom !!   Wow, the Lord is good !!

It may not mean much to anyone else, but it was very big in our family's life.  And it's all because God answered our prayers.  We prayed, we let our request be made known to HIM.  It doesn't always happen this way, but the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  see James 5:16

Dear friend, I don't know what you are going through in you life, but did you take it to the Lord in prayer?? Some say it's a waste of time or what's the use!  but friend that's the time to pray, that's the time to make your request known to Him. :-)

But first, be saved, accept the Lord Jesus as your Lord and Savior, accept Him into your heart and He will save you and make you a child of God.  For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

God Bless you, I hope this was a blessing,

RevDanSam

We Have Bread !!

I had an experience at work that touched me and I would like to share it with you today.  Our Bosses, management, will occasionally bring in bagels for the employees for a breakfast snack.  A variety of  bagels with a variety of cream cheeses.  (don't tell me wife that I got the sea salt covered bagel with veggie cream cheese)  So it's not something they do weekly, but it is very nice when do.   It was around 8:00am and we had came in that morning at 6:00am so I was a little hunger.  The line boss announced there were bagels in the break room and we rushed to get one.  As we lined up I heard someone say in with their broken English, "WE HAVE BREAD !!"  And we all laugh together.  But then, God started to talk to my heart and mind.  Indeed we do have bread !! We have the Bread of Life, the Lord Jesus Christ.  As the bread came down from heaven (manna) to feed the children of Israel in the Old Testament book of Exodus, so to did Jesus come down from heaven for us.   Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believes on me shall never thirst. The children of Israel rejoiced in their day and we do rejoice today.  WE HAVE BREAD !! and you can have that bread today. 

Dear Friend, is God speaking to you today as you read this blog.  What is missing in you life?? It is the Lord?? Why don't you call on Him today and accept Jesus Christ as you personal Lord and Saviour.  For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:9.10,13

Israel was taught to remember the miracle of the Bread, that blessed them with while in the wilderness out from Egypt in the Passover.  And Jesus taught us to remember Him with the Bread in the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion and that blesses us.  But through it all, "WE HAVE BREAD !!"

God Bless you,
RevDanSam