The Bird Nest

The Bird nest story

Many years ago, at my first church, the grounds keeper and I were standing on the front porch of our church building.  It was after a morning service, and we were looking at the church ground for future events.  Then we heard a stirring going on, on top of one of the columns. It was a bird and she had built a nest there.  My grounds keeper said I'll get a ladder and knock it down. I said OK, thinking he was only doing his job. Then immediately God spoke to my heart and mind.

 

The bird chose our church for the home of her babies.  No doubt, and even with animal sense, she was looking for a peaceful place, protected place and a Place to feed her young ones.  OMG !! WOW !! and what are we looking for in a church. A peaceful place where we can come and worship the Lord in spirit and truth. A protected place where can sing, shout and rejoice to the Lord.  A place to be feed spiritually in song, sermon and scriptures.  Were we have fellowship with the believers in Christ. Just a good place to be.  :-)

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So, I said to our grounds keeper, NO, let's leave it there until she raises her young ones, and they all leave the nest. I must admit that he did a double look at me and with a smile. But then next Sunday morning he fully knew what I was talking about when I preached a sermon on the "THE BIRD'S NEST" 

Last Saturday, while I was grilling burgers and hotdogs, I noticed a bird's nest on the gutter of our house.  I thought the mother bird wanted to raise her young ones next to our family. And I thought what an honor for her to choose our home, but in many cases the good Lord watches over the birds and perhaps He led her there.  The song says, "His eyes are on the sparrows, and I know he watches me !!"

In the gospel of Luke, it says

Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

 

 There are many lessons here to learn here from the birds. But I like the lesson on raising your young ones at the church. (Although much can be said about the bird's provision and protection, but that's another blog post someday) :-)

But dear friend, are you saved??  Are you born again?? Have you ever accepted Jesus Christ as you Lord and Savior.  If not, you can today, right now.  Believe on the Lord Jesus Chrisy and you can be saved, for with the Heart man believes and with mouth confession is made.  Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your understanding, acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path.  For whosoever shall call on the mane of the Lord shall be saved!!

 

God Bless you friend, have a great day and very great day!!

RevDanSam

 

When our Faith becomes in sight

Our family hobby is in Trains. My son likes model trains, my wife enjoys the scenery work and painting buildings and I enjoy the tracks and engines.  Along with model railroading , comes rail fanning. Where you go to a designated site take pictures or video the big live engines as they go by your spot.  We particularly love steam engines and enjoy photographing them when we can and where they are in operation.

   

Well for years, our favorite steam locomotive was the Southern 2-8-2 Mikado 4501.  The flagship train of the old Southern Railroad from years ago.  My son has it as a model and we ran it many hours on different layouts.  And there are many historical stories and special runs and double header that are very enjoyable for us too.

 

Many years ago, they took 4501 out of operation and was about ready to scrap her but the Tennessee Valley Museum bought the engine and would make plans to restore her back to be operational.

So for years they reworked and restored parts and gears. Many were awaiting the day when she would come back on the scene. Many were waiting, hearing stories, she is almost ready to come back, but then no.  Many had to wait a little longer. Then funding became an issue and their were other setbacks, but this would only tarry her return. Months, weeks and days went by then finally she was ready !! She came back in ALL of her glory, a new coat of paint which looked shinning and new.  A sight to behold !!

Our family went to Chattanooga that weekend. We were all so excited. The train that we had heard so many stories and we had a model of in our home. "IT BECAME SIGHT " and then God started to speak to me heart and mind.  We have heard and read about our Lord for many years,  and we trust and believe in Him by faith. But one day out faith shall become SIGHT.  For we shall see Him as He is !!

The song says "when He returns in power and glory, we shall see Jesus just as He is"

John 14 says
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.

then, in Acts 1 the Angels tell us,
⁹ And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. ¹⁰ And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; ¹¹ which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

 Our Faith shall become sight, either in His return or in Death as we appear before Him.  But my friend, are you ready ??  Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior??  For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For with the heart man believes and with mouth confession is made. Confess your sin and confess Him as Lord. For there's no difference all have sin and come short of the glory God.  For God so love the world that He gave his only begotten son that who so believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.


Sometimes experience earthly lessons with heavenly meaning, truly what we saw and heard became sight.

God Bless you.

RevDanSam

 

The bible story in YOU

A famous local writer once said, in regards to writing, we all  have a novel with in us to write. And I say, we all have spiritual lesson or Bible story in us.  I guess the best tool to use for witnessing a lost person or testifying to another believer is our personal testimony of salvation.   The Apostle Paul talked about his conversion on the Damascus Road at different time in his writing and perhaps we should too.  Even in the old testament God reminded Moses in his writings to remember their deliverance of out of Egypt which is a type or lesson of salvation for the believer.



But God said to remember your great salvation experience. And if it's in your heart and mind, perhaps you will share it with family, friends and fellow workers.  Literally, a bible story or religious story in you.  It can be personal and practical for you to use and tell, even perhaps write.

 

The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 15
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, ² by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
³ For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, ⁵ and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. ⁶ After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. ⁷ After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. ⁸ Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

With Witnessing and sharing sharing the gospel, "when in doubt, just tell it out " your salvation experience.
It's that bible story with in you !!

But dear friend, do you have an experience of salvation ???  Has their ever been a time and place where you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior ?? If not, TODAY right NOW, you can !!

The bible says in the book Acts now is the acceptance time, Today is the Day of Salvation !!

For whosover shall call on the name of the Lord, after the leading of the Holy Spirit,  shall be saved !!

The Holy Spirit will lead you and the scriptures will show you, and with your heart you believe and with your mouth confession is made,  for whosoever shall call in the name of the Lord shall be saved !!




God Bless you, be saved today and become that bible story.

RevDanSam

The Fake Flower

Recently , I read a comment on social media that said "the unfortunate inconveniences of having to replace a fake flower in a vase with a real flower".  And God started to speak to my heart and mind. :-)



Being a preacher and although it was in a sports section and a church youth worker, I said " may I add, and Jesus replaced ALL the fakes"   I'm really sure how my statement was received but I did receive a "smiley face"


It may seem to be a hard statement in these days and times, but Jesus basically said the thing when He spoke about other foundations in Matthew 7

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

Many will seek the conveniences of the fake, but choosing the real and true is the way to go.

The song said. " I took Jesus as my Savior, you take Him too"  While He is calling you.

For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, believing by faith, shall be saved, for with heart man believes and with mouth confession is made,.

 
God Bless you friend, call on Him today.

RevDanSam

The Moon Christian

Recently we had the moon appear as the Super Moon, A supermoon is the coincidence of a full moon or a new moon with the closest approach the Moon makes to the Earth on its elliptical orbit, resulting in the largest apparent size of the lunar disk as seen from Earth. I copy and pasted the last sentence :-).




The brightness of the moon actually woke me up out of sleep one night. I went out to the back porch and tried take a picture of it , but I could not capture the beauty and boldness of the moon that night.  And then God started to speak to my heart and mind.  In my preaching ministry, whether it was in class or in a sermon I remembered the phrase "Moon Christian"  For if we study the moon, we realize it does not produce any light but it reflects the Sun's light !!  And what a great natural lesson for us as believers of Christ. We need to reflect the Son's light,  the (S-O-N light)  In Matthew 5:16, Jesus said Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  And yet, the source of our light needs to be from the S-O-N light.





It's a great lesson, the Moon shines on the world and our light our needs to shine to the world.  The moon cannot produce light but it reflects light, we cannot produce the light but we as Christians need to reflect His light, especially to  a dark world.

John 8:12

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 

Are you reflecting the SON's light ?? or are you only reflecting your own.  In order for you to be that servant of the Lord, you have to reflect the Light of Christ on this lost / dark world.

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; phil 2:15

The song goes like this " Oh ye Christian soldiers as you march along, Be a light for Jesus, be a light, be a light for Jesus everyday, be a light, be a bright shining light, be a light for Jesus everyday"  :-)

But before you can shine, you need to be "quicken" made alive, and my friend you can do that by calling on the Lord, and this is done when you pray.  For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved Romans 10:13



God Bless you Friend, have a great day, just a great day.

RevDanSam
:-)