Zechariah 6:12-13
“Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out… And shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”

The Bible speaks of the riches of the grace of God. Grace is a word that refers to God’s giving nature. James 1:17 puts it this way, “Every good and perfect gift comes from the father of lights in whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” Certainly, life is filled with gifts given from heaven to earth. When we gaze into the face of nature, or a new born child, we cannot help but think of the grace of God. Nevertheless, every other gift pales in comparison to the gift given on the first Christmas morning. God wrapped His Son in human flesh and gave Him to mankind to be Savior and Lord. The young Child who was born in a stable, and laid in a manger, would grow to become what the apostle John called, “the propitiation for our sins, and not ours only but the sins of the whole world” (1John 2:2). As the years went by, He would move from a manger to a cross, where He would die, to pay the debt of sin, and reconcile man to God. As you give and receive gifts this Christmas, it is our prayer you would receive the greatest gift ever given, and put your trust in Christ, as Savior and Lord.

Merry Christmas, Pastor Jim
Old Testament:
Zechariah 5- Curses
Proverbs 25- Truth Bearer

Proverbs 24:11
“Deliver those who are drawn toward death,
And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.”

Salvation is a free gift given to man from God. Jesus Christ became a man and offered Himself as a willing sacrifice on the altar of Calvary, in order to pay mankind’s debt and wash away all sin. This salvation, while freely given, must be received. John wrote,

John 1:12
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name”

When we recognize we are sinners and Christ is the Savior, and we put our trust in His work on the cross to save us, our sins are washed, and we become the adopted children of God. This is an individual decision. It is not something we can make for another. Parents cannot receive Christ for their children or children for their parents. As much as we may desire for our spouse, siblings or neighbors to receive Christ, we cannot force them to make that decision. Coercion, manipulation, nor brute force, are the methods that will save a soul. That being said, Solomon exhorts us to do what we can to deliver those who are heading toward death and destruction.

There are many things we can do to influence the decision of another. First, we must make the decision ourselves. A very common, and unsuccessful parenting method, might be called the “do as I say, not as I do” method. Often, parents put standards on their children which they do not follow. A parent who commonly uses profanity, will chastise a child who uses it. However, that parent will find, as the child grows, they will talk much as their parent does. The same is true of relationship with Christ. Jesus explained, we are the light of the world. People are watching, and as they see a life committed to Christ, they too, will be drawn to Him.

Second, we must pray for those who have not yet decided to receive Christ. Prayer is the most powerful and least used weapon in winning others to Christ. It is through prayer we will see hearts soften, doors open, and the message of the Gospel take root. When praying for our loved ones, pray that whatever the enemy is using to blind their eyes to their need for Christ, would be removed. Pray, just as you saw your need for Christ, they would see their’s. Pray they would come to church or outreach events with you, and they would make a decision to surrender to Christ. Pray right now!

Third, we must share the truth. Paul explained that the Gospel is the power of God that will lead to salvation (Romans1:16). It is important to be loving, kind, friendly, considerate, compassionate and relatable, but if we do not share the message of the cross, people will have no idea why we are the way we are. Paul declared, he desired to know nothing among others except Christ and Him crucified (1Corinthians 2:2). In other words, it was of the highest importance to him, to explain to others the way of salvation. Sometimes, the best way to do that is over a meal or a coffee. Other times, it may be through inviting someone to church, or after church to invite them to bring their questions to the pastors. We might send them a CD of a morning message, or a link to a live feed or last weeks Bible study. Whatever door the Lord opens, be sure to take it.

While salvation is the decision of every individual, let’s be sure to do our best to influence them to decide for Christ.

Pastor Jim

Old Testament:
Zechariah 3- Filthy Garments05
Zechariah 4- Source Of Strength

Proverbs 23:4-5 “Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven.”

Riches are not evil in themselves. The Bible does not teach that money is the root of all evil, but that “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1Timothy 6:10). Throughout Proverbs, Solomon listed instructions that will increase our chances of being successful. He speaks of honesty, integrity, and diligence, while warning against folly, laziness and getting involved with the wrong people.

That being said, Solomon also warns against thinking that money will solve all of our problems. He writes poetically of the inability of riches to really meet our deepest needs. He states that riches make wings and fly away. Have you ever watched a young child attempting to catch a butterfly? With each step the child takes toward the winged creature, it simply flies off to the next bush. Step after step, she thinks she almost has it, but again and again it simply flies away. Riches are like that. In one sense, they are aloof, but we think with just a little more work we will finally catch them. If memory serves me, it was Rockefeller who, when asked how much money was enough, responded, “just a little more than you have.”

There is another sense in which riches have wings. Not only are they difficult to catch, but riches will never provide what they promise. Often, we think that the solution to our problem is cash. If we had a few more dollars we could get out of debt, take that vacation we always wanted, replace the hunk-of-junk car we drive, or a host of other things. While I would agree that having is more fun, than not having, we all must realize riches have wings and cannot satisfy the real issues of life. The headlines remind us of that. We often read of wealthy actors, entertainers, athletes or business men, who have marital or substance abuse problems, are on anti-depressants or even take their lives. The reason is, riches have wings. They are unable to meet the deepest needs in the heart of man. In contrast to this Solomon writes,

Proverbs 23:18 “For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.”

The real solution to the issues of life, is a spiritual one. We need to realize, we will only be satisfied when we are in a right relationship with God. Jesus promised, all who received Him would have torrents of living water rushing through their lives (John 7:38), providing peace, joy, and love for God and others. We need to be sure, while we are in pursuit of “getting ahead,” we do not neglect to make investments in our relationship with the Lord.

As the new year approaches, resolve to accept Christ as your Savior and Lord, make daily investments in your walk with Him by reading the Word, and commit to regular attendance at a good Bible teaching church.

Pastor Jim

Old Testament:
Zechariah 1- Return
Zechariah 2- Problems and Solutions

Proverbs 22:3
“A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished.”

Prudent means to be wise or even shrewd. The prudent man is the one who looks carefully down the road he is walking, in order to avoid falling into sin and away from the Lord. The simple, or foolish man, keeps walking, never aware of the danger he is in until after it has overtaken him. Obviously, Solomon is exhorting us of the need to be watchful. The Greeks were expert story tellers. They had established a vast system of gods, heroes, and villains, to help explain the unexplainable, and instruct the generations to come, regarding morality. One of my favorite stories is of a man whose name means forethought, who was given guardianship of a box that contained all the evil of the world. On one occasion, he left the box in the care of of his brother, whose name meant afterthought, and instructed him to not allow his wife, Pandora, to look inside. After his brother departed, Afterthought was influenced by Pandora to open the box, allowing evil to spread throughout the world. It was not until after he had allowed her to open the box, he realized the danger of his decision. There is a modern proverb that declares much the same truth,”fools rush in…”

If we walk through life not aware of the dangers, pitfalls, snares, and sins that await us around the corner, we will be destined to fall, time and time again, into the same sins. Paul exhorted the Ephesians to “walk circumspectly” (Ephesians 5:15). That means we must be aware of the dangers surrounding us if we are going to avoid a fall. The prudent man realizes how slippery the slope is, in which we walk, and travels carefully.

I have some friends who enjoy backpacking. They take vacations to hike along mountain ridges. I have noticed, before they go, they are certain to purchase the right equipment. Instead of marching out in sandals or ice skates, they purchase proper hiking boots. If they are going to be in the ice or snow, they even use crampons, to ensure they will have  firm footing. We can be no less cautious when it comes to walking with the Lord. Looking around at how others have fallen, or looking back at how we have stumbled in the past, is more than enough empirical data to prove the dangers the narrow road contains. Success in our walk will be closely connected to behaving like the prudent man and avoiding evil before we face it.

Pastor Jim

Old Testament:
Haggai 1- Consider Your Ways
Haggai 2- Greater Glory

Proverbs 21:9
“Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
than in a house shared with a contentious woman.”

Proverbs 21:19
“Better to dwell in the wilderness,
than with a contentious and angry woman.”

Proverbs 19:13
“. . . the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping.”

Solomon seems to be an expert on dealing with a contentious wife. He speaks of living with her as being like a dripping faucet, or a leaky roof. He suggests that it is better to find a corner of the housetop to live on, rather than be in the house with her. He later states, you are better off homeless and living in the wilderness, than remaining in the home with her continual nagging. Solomon’s statements serve as a good illustration of what not to do in a marriage.

First, we find clear application for the wife. Simply put, do not be contentious. The word contentious means to be argumentative, quarrelsome or even combative. It speaks of someone who is always finding fault in what another is doing. Paul explained that the role of the wife is to honor and support her husband. A wife should be actively involved in building her husband up, so he can become the man God intended him to be. Constant nagging, belittling, and opposing, undermines the work God wants to do, rather than accomplishing it. Peter put it like this,

1 Peter 3:1
“Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives”

Second, we find application for the husband. It may be true that living on the roof or out in the wild is better than living with constant contention, but it is also true that it is much better to live in a house without it. If we examine the life of Solomon we find that perhaps he was the cause of the contention. Scripture instructed the king to have only one wife. That was always the plan of God for mankind. Solomon ignored the Word of God, as it related to marriage, and multiplied wives unto himself. In addition to his many wives he also had a long list of girlfriends. It is no wonder his wife was contentious. If a husband does not treat His wife the way the Bible describes, he has little to complain about when she does not treat him the way he desires. Instead of multiplying wives, Solomon should have been multiplying the expression of his love toward the wife he had. In the same way, a husband should not be looking at what is wrong with his wife as an excuse to mistreat her, but instead should be desiring that his wife be the most loved woman on the planet.

If husbands will seek new ways to express love to their wives, and wives will seek to build up their husbands, we will have a whole lot less contention in the home, or men living in the wilderness.

Pastor Jim

Old Testament:
Zephaniah 1- Privacy Please
Zephaniah 2- Meekness

Proverbs 20:9
“Who can say, ‘I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin?’”

Sin is a plague that has infected every man. As Paul explained to the Romans, it was by one man (Adam) that sin entered the world, but that sin spread to all men because all have sinned (Romans 5:12). David, looking out at the world, and looking in at his own heart, declared, there were none righteous, not even one (Psalm 53:3). Most of us are familiar with the story of the woman who was caught in an adulterous relationship and brought before Jesus. After hearing the charges brought against her by her accusers, Jesus responded by inviting those in the crowd who were without sin, to throw the first stone. One by one her accusers dropped the rocks and departed, for they were all sinners (John 8:3-4). The truth that we have all sinned, makes Solomon’s question all the more striking. Is it possible for anyone to proclaim that their heart is clean, and they are pure of all sin? Scripture boldly declares that it is.

When Jesus hung on that rugged cross, He bore the penalty for all sin, and shed His blood to provide atonement. It is at the cross where the sinner can be cleansed of all sin. No matter how deeply we may have been submerged under the weight of sin, it is at the cross where the weight is removed and we are washed and forgiven. David rejoiced over the blessedness that comes with the forgiveness of sin when he declared,

Psalms 32:1-2
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.”

Forgiveness and cleansing from all sin, can be found at the cross. No matter who we are, or what sin we are bound by, when we come to the cross, the blood of Jesus washes us white as snow, and we are forgiven. It is then, and only then, that we can proclaim, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure of all sin.” Sadly, many make the mistake of ignoring, justifying or explaining away sin, rather than coming to the source of cleansing. We are not made clean by our own declaration, but by receiving the One who washes sin away.

Will you come to the cross today? Will you confess your sin, and allow His blood to wash you clean? If so, then you can declare, “I am pure from my sin.”

Pastor Jim

Old Testament:
Habakkuk 1- Misguided Theology
Habakkuk 2- Stand Watch
Habakkuk 3- Prosperous 

Proverbs 19:2
“Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, and he sins who hastens with his feet.”

Marketers have realized that people are impulsive by nature. As a result, it is common to find a variety of “impulse items” located near the checkout stand in just about every store. These items are things we did not plan to purchase, but bought on a whim, and include items like gum, candy or DVD’s. For the most part, these are not high dollar purchases, and getting caught up in the moment, will not break most budgets. Buying an unplanned Snickers bar on the way out of the convenience store, will probably not have long lasting economic repercussions on your life. If however, you purchase big ticket items, without giving adequate time to consider all the ramifications, that can be very costly.

The same is true with all decisions in life. You do not need to call a church prayer meeting, or spend time fasting, when you are determining whether to order chicken or fish. The big decisions, like who you will spend the rest of your life with, should however, be considered slowly, carefully, and with wise counsel. Solomon is reminding us, when we rush into things that we should walk slowly towards, we will end up in sin.

“Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, and he sins who hastens with his feet.”

Notice the contrast he makes between impulse and knowledge. Knowledge is something acquired over time, with careful study, examining correct resources. I remember a cartoon as a child where Bugs Bunny spent the day explaining the story of the founding of the United States to his nephew. He told wild stories of rabbits influencing the greatest moments in American history. His nephew was an avid student, hanging on every word Bugs shared. The next day he came home from school with a dunce cap on his head. It was not that he didn’t acquire knowledge; it was that he went to the wrong source. The same can happen to us. If we want to avoid making foolish, hasty and impulsive decisions, we need to look into the Word of God for guidance. It takes time to uncover the path God would have you walk, but it is worth the time it takes. Before making another big decision, and perhaps another big mistake, take time to consider the Word and to get some healthy Biblical counsel.

Pastor Jim

Old Testament:
Nahum 1- Jealous
Nahum 2- A Good Defense
Nahum 3- Exception

Proverbs 18:24
“A man who has friends must himself be friendly,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

Friendship is one of the most important parts of life. We were not designed to live in isolation or face all the struggles of life alone. We have some wonderful examples of friendship in Scripture. We are told that when Jonathan met David, he loved him as his own soul. He expressed this love by taking his armor and giving it to David (1 Samuel 18:4). As the son of the king, this action showed he believed David was chosen, by God, to reign in the land. From that time forward, Jonathan lived to encourage David to be the man God had called him to be. His actions illustrate Paul’s words to to the Philippians.

Philippians 2:3
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”

Barnabas, in the New Testament, is also a great example of friendship. When Saul of Tarsus first met Christ, no other Christian would have anything to do with him. The church basically thought his conversion was an elaborate ploy to get close to Christians, in order to imprison or kill them. It was Barnabas who risked it all and befriended Paul. After meeting with him and seeing he had, in fact, given his life to Christ, Barnabas stood up for Paul to the other church leaders (Acts 9:26-27). Later, Paul was given opportunity to serve the Lord alongside Barnabas.

Both of these examples reveal the benefit of godly friendships. All of us long to have someone in our lives who would act like a Barnabas or a Jonathan. Solomon gives a practical tip as to how to develop and keep godly friendships. He writes,

“A man who has friends must himself be friendly,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

If we desire friendship, we must be friendly. Instead of looking for someone who will come alongside and support us, we should be looking for those whom we can come alongside and support. One of the simplest ways to do this is at church. It is not uncommon for people to enter a church, sit by themselves, and leave without ever making contact with any other believers. After weeks and weeks of this, they may start to think the church is an unfriendly place, because no one has reached out and befriended them. While that may be true, it is equally true, they have not reached out to anyone else. One of the best ways to establish friendship, is to look for someone who is sitting alone and join them. Ask them if they want to grab a coffee or get a meal after church. I am not suggesting you use the church as a place to get a date, but as a place where you can establish godly friendships, which will help you walk with the Lord. instead of looking for someone to be the friend you need, look to be the friend someone else needs.

Pastor Jim

Old Testament:
Micah 6- Complaints
Micah 7- I Will Arise

Proverbs 17:22
“A merry heart does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones”

Solomon is contrasting the physical effects of joy and sorrow. He explains that joy is like a medicine to the body, actually providing a healing element, while deep sorrow can negatively effect our health. Solomon is making this observation, not as a medical professional, but from watching others, as well as from his own personal experience. He came to realize that a joyful heart is much healthier and more productive than a broken one. I think we would all agree. If we had to choose, we would rather be merry than broken. The question is, “How do we avoid a broken spirit and gain a merry heart?”

Paul declared, the fruit of the Spirit is love and joy (Galatians 5:22). A merry heart is the bi-product of a life connected to Christ. Jesus said, when we abide in Him, we would bear fruit in our lives that remains (John 15:16). If we want a heart that is filled with joy and merriment, the first step is to receive Christ, and the next is to walk step by step with Him. The more we invest in our relationship with Christ, the more this joy will fill our lives, replacing sorrow and becoming in us, a well spring of life.

In one sense a broken spirit is important, even necessary for the believer.

Psalms 34:18
“The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.”

Here, the broken spirit refers to one who has realized his sins, and is coming to God for pardon. That is critical. Without being broken, we can never be saved. Solomon is speaking of another kind of brokenness, though. Not the brokenness caused by realizing we have sinned, but the brokenness caused by being in sin. Sin causes sorrow because it breaks fellowship with God. Jesus said He came to give us abundant life. The devil, on the other hand, came to rob us of that life. Whenever we choose to be involved in the things the Bible forbids, we are actually robbing ourselves of joy, and taking steps toward a broken spirit and dried up bones.

The closer we walk with Jesus, the more our hearts will be filled with the healing medicine of merriment.

Pastor Jim

Old Testament:
Micah 4- Peace On Earth
Micah 5- Standing Out

Proverbs 16:3
“Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.”

Paul referred to the believer as a soldier, and compared the Christian life to a battle ground. One of the reasons the Christian life is often difficult, is because we are fighting on two fronts. A large part of our battle is seeking to see others impacted for the Kingdom of God. We enter the arena to fight whenever we pray for the unsaved or the backslider. Scripture tells us our weapons are not carnal but they are mighty and able to pull down strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4). The weapons we have been given are prayer, the Word of God and our personal testimony. When those are used together, we will find that we become effective in impacting others for the kingdom of God.

The other front on which the Christian engages in battle is within. We are told the devil shoots fiery darts into the mind of the Christian (Ephesians 6:16). The darts often take the form of fear, doubt, lust, envy, covetousness, pride or even self-loathing. If we are going to succeed in our walk with the Lord, we must win in the battlefield of the mind. Solomon’s insights here give us a tactical advantage.

“Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.”

Jesus explained that our actions will be produced by what is in our hearts (Matthew 15:17-19). Solomon adds, our actions will produce what goes on in our minds. If everyday, you choose to drive by the new car lot and stare at the cars on the showroom floor, it is no wonder you will have a great longing for a new car. You will find yourself unsatisfied with your current mode of transportation and preoccupied with how to get that new car. Choosing a different route to work, where you do not see the new cars everyday, will lessen the temptation. Wanting a new car is not necessarily sinful, but it illustrates the principle Solomon is presenting. If we are going to win the battle against temptations of the flesh, we must win the battle in the mind. If we are going to win the battle of the mind, we must make some changes in our actions. If we are constantly filling the mind with images that produce the desires of the flesh, we will never win that battle.

Let’s make sure that today we,

“Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.”

Pastor Jim

Old Testament:
Micah 1- Prophecy Fulfilled
Micah 3- Fully Charged