A spirit led Mother

Proverbs 1:7-9

⁷ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
⁸ My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
⁹ For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

Sometimes, Moms lead the way spiritually.  I've seen this time and time again.  And praise the Lord for a God fearing, God honoring and spirit led Mom !!!  Many  families will go through a spiritual down time.  Dad gets down, of course that's who the devil tries to wear down, and many get in the what's the use mode.  Before you know it the whole family is down and not going to church.  We see this all to often.  Then the Holy Spirit will work on Mom.  She knows what's right, she knows what to do.  She knows at-least-get-back-God.  Dad knows about this too.  But he is reluctant to do anything and prideful.  God will work on her heart and she will get ready then go to church on Sunday.  Dad will agree within himself and go with her.  A great thing to see, at least for me, is to see a praying Mother.  I've seen a Mom pray for her husband what seem like every Sunday, then He got back in church.  Later he would work in the Bus ministry and was called to preach, then later, pastored a church.  Thank God for a praying MOM !!! 
So it was for my family.  Dad was a son of a preacher and Mom was a daughter of a preacher.  They both knew that they needed to be in church and that they needed to have their children in church.  My Mom was a nurse and she had a christian co-worker.  Who believed in God and attended church weekly.  She invited my Mom to church.  She went and carried my sister with her.  Then my brothers and I.   And Dad finally got in, too.
It's years later now, and my wife and I were just reflecting on my families past.  One of my brother became a minister, the other was ordained as a deacon and works in the children ministry.  My sister became a Sunday school teacher and then married and her husband became a deacon.  Two nephews were called to preach and nieces are church workers and in church.   Praise the Lord for a spirit led Mom !!! 
Praise the Lord for the Christian ladies who has kept the faith and stayed with GOD.  Heaven will truly reveal your rewards for following God.
But dear friend, you have to be saved, born again, see John chap 3. in the bible.  You have to be saved for God to put his love in your heart. For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. see Romans 10:13.  Also, Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart, proverbs 3;5

God Bless you neighbor,
Rev. Daniel Samples
revdansam@gmail.com

I wish I could preach that

Psa. 119:172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.

At my first church that I pastored, in the 1990s, we would work with Missionaries to financially and prayerfully support them.  In the day, we had 25 missionaries that we supported for 25 dollars a month.  (that was the going rate back then, but it worked)  I later found that most missionaries said they would rather have a bunch of small churches with small but consistent support. It was a great time with a GREAT blessing to our church and me.  We would have "MISSION SUNDAY"  where we would have Missionaries teach our Sunday school classes and one would teach "FAITH PROMISE GIVING" in the sanctuary class for the adults.  Then we would have lunch & dinner with the missionaries.  It was really a GREAT TIME!!!   I remember in my home church, the 3 & 4 year old Sunday school teacher would have "Mr. Missionary"  And the children were taught to give their quarters, nickels, dimes and pennies to Mr. Missionary. What a great life lesson.  One of the young preacher boys was Mr. Missionary and he became a missionary and now is pastoring a church.  ;-)  Great times and great memories !!!
    On one particular Mission Sunday a missionary stood and spoke to our congregation about missions.  He was and still is a missionary to Indonesia, but He shared his heart and said sometimes I will prepare a sermon in English and I will wish I could preach that in Indonesian and sometimes I prepare a sermon in Indonesian and I wish I could preach that in English.  He said that with a tear in his eye and brokeness in his voice.  I thought what a statement, what a great love !!!  Especially for his people and for the Lord.  A desire to preach and share the gospel message in English and another language.

 The 1980s and 1990s  were great times, for we were in Bible college together the 80s. And then became Pastors and Missionaries in the 90s. Truly we were laborers together with God !!!

Dear Christian friend, we need to be about our Father's business.  Go ye into All the world and preach the Gospel.  I am thankful for technology that allows preacher boys like me to share the gospel on the WORLD WIDE WEB, (www)  literally fulfilling Gods word to go into all the world. 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that whosoever believes in him shall perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

God bless you neighbor,
Rev. Daniel Samples
revdansam@gmail.com

   

Turn on your light

I started out early one morning, right at day light time.   I notice that a driver decided NOT to have his head lights turned on that morning,   Which I was rather concerned and wondered why the gentleman did not have his lights on.  As usual,  I was in my pickup truck, where I seem to meet God, there alot.  And I heard that still small voice there in my Ford 150 Pickup.  Anyway, God moved on my heart and mind.  How many Christians do not let their light so shine.  In this day and time that we live in, The redeem of the Lord needs to stand and say so.  We need to stand and be a testimony to a lost and dying world.   We need stand let the unchurched and lost man see how God is working in our lives.  Let's learn from the lampstand.  The lampstand has a wick and oil.  The oil fuels the wick.  As the oil works through the wick, then light becomes so bright.  To the bible student, oil is a type of the Holy Spirit.  As the spirit of God moves on us, He helps us to shine, sing, shout and serve.  The energy of the flesh will fail you and make you burn out quick.  A wick with out oil.  And cannot shine, serve or shout.  The spirit of God  moves and energies us. We need to shine to the lost world.  They need to hear and see His love in us. They need to see our work of faith and labor of love. 

The song in the Red Back hymnal says, "be a light, be a light, be a light for Jesus everyday, Be a light, be a bright shining light, be a light for Jesus everyday".  But first friend YOU have to be saved, born again.  Ye must be born again !!!  For the grace of God  brings salvation.   Call on the name of the Lord Rom 10:13

God Bless you neighbor, LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE !!!

Rev. Daniel Samples
revdansam@gmail.com

Keepers of the Flame

Keepers of the Flame

Matthew 5:14-16

¹⁴ Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵ Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

I was watching a baseball history show the other day.  And they were talking about the lost / forgotten teams of baseball.  One of which was the St. Louis Browns.  The second  professional baseball team that tried to start up in St. Louis in the American league.  Well, we all know the Cardinals won out in that deal and the Browns went away.  And I think they they moved to Baltimore.  Although, in the time that they existed, they developed a fan following and a couple of their players broke some baseball records and those records lasted until the year 2000s.  An Asian baseball player from Seattle broke one of the records that was held by one of the Brown's player.  One of the sports writer said no one knows about the record because there was no "keepers of the flame for the St. Louis Brown"  Wow, what a statement !!!  God started moving on my heart and mind.   One day, will there be a need for a keeper of the flame for Christianity???  I know God's love and light is eternal. And his word is everlasting.  But when the day comes will we be ready to be the keepers of the flame of Christ.   My bible college professor, use to say to the preacher boys, we need to fan- the- flame-of- evangelism.  (what a great memory )  For it seems that now I find myself doing just that in these years of my life. Fanning the fire/flames of evangelism.  My heart goes out to the unchurched and those who do not go to Sunday Church.   I am not trying to open up anything here, Saturday has always been the Sabbath for the Jews, God rested on the seventh day, Saturday, I have no problem with that.  But the for the Christian, it's the first day of the week, commemorating Christ's resurrection, on the first day of the week.  (well, that's debate is for another blog) :-)
But let's be the KEEPERS OF THE FLAME FOR CHRIST.  Let your light so shine, that MEN may SEE.

Dear friend, first be saved, be born again, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.  For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved, Romans 10:13, For God so love the world, John 3:16.
Trust in the Lord with all your Heart, Proverbs 3:5

God Bless you Neighbor,

Rev. Daniel Samples
revdansam@gmail.com

The Five Dollar Blessing

Proverbs 3:5-6
 ⁵Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
 ⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

It was the mid 1950's and the Mother with two sons needed to go to  the doctor for one of her two boys was running a very high fever.  There was a free clinic in Atlanta and Mom had just enough money to take a bus to get there and back.  So she prayed and trusted God for guidance and they rode the bus from that small northern metro town of Atlanta and arrive at the hospital building and went in.  The mother told her oldest son of ten years, stay here in the lobby while I take your brother upstairs to the doctor's office.  So they entered the elevator as she carried the three year old brother to see the doctor.  Well, thirty minutes lead to an hour and an hour lead to two hours.  It was a very long time to wait for the little boy and he became very anxious and tired.  Mother could not leave her sick three year boy but the ten year old boy  to his credit stayed at his designated place that was set by mom on the couch in the lobby.  The boy, like many little boys, got to rolling around and laying down on the couch. Then to his great surprise he found a FIVE dollar bill in the cushions of the couch.  His eyes got very big and heart was filled with excitement.  I must tell Mom he thought, but no, I must stay here until his mother returns. And he did as he was instructed.  Mom finally came down with his brother and they were ready for the return trip home.  The young lad showed his mother the five dollar bill and said look what I found in the cushions of the couch.  The mother being a Christian lady knew it was a gift from God.  She knew that God works in mysterious ways.  By this time the young lad was tired and hungry so he asked his mom could they go to the local grill for a coke and a hamburger, which they did very happily.  The lad would grow up and become a successful business man selling insurance.  In 2005 he made the million-dollar-round-table selling insurance and financial services.  But through all his success, through all the hard times, He still remembers the miracle of God that day of his youth.  He can still taste the cola and the burger that he ate, because of the FIVE DOLLAR BLESSING.

His Mother was a Christan, she believed in God and you can too.  God can provide a five dollar blessing to you. I believe God can provide an equal amount today. What was five dollars back then, could equal 50 to 100 today, who knows should we put a value on it???   Phil 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. God can provide.

Dear Friend, God wants to bless you.  Trust in the Lord TODAY !!! Call on HIM right now !!! Accept Him as your personally Lord and Savior.  Romans 10:13

God Bless you and God loves you neighbor.

Rev. Daniel Samples
revdansam@gmail.com

THE STAR FISH STORY

I heard the star fish story for the first time in the mid 1980's on a Sunday night service from a missionary on his way to Alaska, to win souls and do a work for God.  I will tell it here and then give some closing thoughts.

One day a man was walking down the sea shore picking up Star fish that had washed  ashore on the beach and throwing them back in the ocean.  It seem harmless but a doable task and the Star fish could die as he is and in his position on the beach. So the man walk down the beach and pickup the star fish and threw them  back in the ocean.  A friend saw him and went to him and asked what was he doing. The man said throwing star fish back in the ocean.  The friend looked and measured the great task and said but that are so many, does it really matter ??? The man stop for a second, then reached down grabbed another star fish and threw him back in the ocean, then said to his friend, it does to this one. He grabbed another starfish and threw back in and said again, it does to this one , repeating the same act several times and saying it does to this one, it does to this one. 

Jesus saves us one at a time. But when the Devil comes by and says" DOES IT REALLY MATTER ??? Jesus will say as He open heavens gate and point, IT DOES TO THIS ONE ! then He points to another IT DOES TO THIS ONE, IT DOES TO THIS ONE !!!

Well that's me too, I was saved on February 17th, 1974 at the Victory Baptist Church, 202 Canton Road, Cumming, Ga.  I confessed my sins and accepted Jesus Christ in my heart to be my Lord and Savior. You better believe it, it did matter to me.  I can tell the time, I can show you the place where the Lord saved ME!! AND even if I forget, if my mind goes bad, MY Lord keeps a record of those who are saved. 

Dear Friend, we need to be about the Father's business, Preaching, teaching and soul winning. Mark 16:15 says to go ye in ALL the world, Jesus said, as My Father hath sent me, even so send  I you, John 20:21.

First, be saved, whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved.  Rom. 10:13, Then hear His call and serve Him to the best of you ability.

God Bless neighbor, with another blog,
Rev. Daniel Samples
revdansam@gmail.com

A Peaceful Success

As you guys have notice I forward some of Dr. Charles Stanley's Daily Devotions on my Google Blog spot from time to time.  Today is another one from earlier this month.  So I'll copy and paste a recent daily devotional and then give my closing comments at the end of this blog.   Besides, we are laborers together with God.

What Is Your True Purpose  1 Samuel 16:6-13
What do you live for each day? A pay raise? Retirement? Then perhaps you've discovered the reality that basing aspirations on getting ahead in this world typically ends in disappointment. People with a misguided sense of direction often wonder why they feel unfulfilled.  Maybe you've already realized a goal of saving for the future or moving up the corporate ladder. You give to charity and volunteer at church, but somehow still feel a sense of insignificance or aimlessness. If so, there is a truth you need to hear: God gives each of us life for a very specific reason: to serve Him. Nobody finds inner peace without reconciling this fact. Our society teaches us that pleasure, prosperity, position, and popularity will make us happy--but living in the service of self always leaves an emptiness no earthly reward can fill.
Besides, worldly philosophy won't stand the test of time. Few of us are going to live even 100 years. So whatever we'll become in this life, we're in the process of becoming that right now. Consider David: he was anointed king long before actually assuming the role (1 Sam. 16:12). He spent many years serving the purpose of God in insignificant places while developing into a great man. As his story shows, discovering God's purpose for your life is the surest path to success.
Our heavenly Father's purpose for our lives comes from His heart of love--which is perfect. None of us can foretell the great things He has in store for us, but we can trust His plan completely. Surrender to Him today and say, "Not my will, Lord, but Yours be done."

Dear Friend, there's nothing like the peaceful success in serving God.  It is very satisfying and honorable.  But one has to be saved first, born-again. For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.  Romans 10:13  The way it goes is be saved, be called and serve Him.  There's call to salvation and a call to serve.  God works in many ways at many times.  Become a child of God, born into his family and most definitely YOU will hear the call and want to serve HIM.

God Bless neighbor,
Rev. Daniel Samples
revdansam@gmail.com