Tis the Season

"Tis The Season"

 

When we see this little phrase we all have our own idea of what should follow these words. Some people will say "Tis the Season to be Jolly", others may say "To be Happy" or "To get Gifts". There are those who will with a chuckle and a wink say "Tis the Season to Get Hammered", or "To get Drunk", or "To get Waisted". Still there are yet other people who will say "Tis the Season to Go Into Debt" or "To somehow Out-Do the Joneses"!

'Tis the Season"... What does that statement mean to you? What does this mean to your family? Do you automatically start thinking of the latest gift idea for you or a loved one? Do you think of the Lights, the songs, the sights and the smells of Seasons past? What do these words bring to your minds eye?

Christian, what does this mean to you? Now wait just a minute there... I am not looking for a "Knee-Jerk" reaction from anyone, I really want us to truly think about this little phrase. I know that we all could sit there and look down our "Pious" noses and spout off a ton of things that would make us all look and feel "Religious"... "THAT" is NOT what I am asking for at all.

What then what exactly am I asking? Well, I am glad you asked.

This week, I have been doing a great deal of "Honest, Thoughtful Contemplation" about many things. This phrase is just one of the things that I have been thinking on. We all know what the "Text Book" answer for this question is. We could quote the Christmas story forward and backwards. We could tell you anything that you would want to know dealing with Bethlehem, the stable, the animals, the manger, the shepherds, the angel, the proclamation, the heavenly Choir... All of it.

What I am actually talking about has nothing to do with the Story of Christmas and the birth of Jesus. You see this phrase gets used mainly during the Holiday Season, both Christmas and New Years. We hardly ever hear it used at any other time of the year.

I believe that we need to use "Tis the Season" all through the year! I am basing this statement on Isaiah 55:6-7  "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

In these verses we see a command... "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found". When you look at this, you can see what I am talking about. GOD the Father is speaking here through the prophet Isaiah and when he says we need to:

1. "SEEK" the LORD, he is not making a subtle suggestion. This is a command from GOD to ALL of us. I say, "Tis the Season to Seek the LORD!"

Then that verse goes on to tell us to "... call ye upon him while he is near:" Here we see that GOD is near, or close by. He is right HERE!! Isaiah then tells us what GOD said for us to do next:

2. "CALL" on Him. Again, this is a command from GOD to ALL of us... "Tis the Season to Call out to GOD." Being the He is NEAR NOW! This passage of Scripture is NOT just for the people of Isaiah's day, it is for us as well. GOD wants us ALL to draw near to Him NOW! Not when we "Feel Like It", or even when we "Finally Get Around To It". He said NOW!

In verse seven we see two more commands:

3. "Forsaking of Sin". If we are going to really Seek Him then there has to be a wholesale Forsaking and Repenting (or Turning away.) from Sin. Most Christaians never get past this point because they do not want to admit they have sin in their lives. All we need to do is look into the "Mirror" called the Bible and we can see OUR sin. In I Corinthians 13:12  "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." It is hard to see in a mirror in a dark room, but when we can see it clearly we will then see all the scars and imperfections.

4. "Return" to the LORD. Start by looking at Isaiah 44:22  "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee." Here we see where GOD has "Blotted Out" the Sins, then we are told to "Return" to Him.

"Tis the Season to Seek Him, to Call Upon Him, to Forsake Sin and to Return to the LORD!"

Christian, Today is the right time to be making this a part of your everyday life! While He is Near!


May God Bless you,

Evangelist David Dunn

"Don't QUIT till you cross the Finish Line!"

I came across this graphic when I was "Perusing" the Internet this week and it reminded me of a message that I preached a few years ago.

The title of the message was the "The Amazing christian Race".

The Amazing Christian Race

Philippians 3:13 -14,

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

II Timothy 4:6-7,

"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:"

What does it take to run the race of life all the way to the Finish Line?

1. It takes COURAGE to run. (Proverbs 28:1 “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.”)

** John Wayne - When asked by a reporter what his definition of "True Courage" was, he paused a moment then looked the man straight in the eye and said: "Courage is being scared to death-and saddling up anyway."

We are living in a day and age when it is definitely NOT popular to be a Christian. It's not easy to be a Christian an Courage is a much needed item in the lives of Christians the world over. What's more, we are fast approaching the day when it will be a "Crime" to be a Christian... yes, even in the "Good Old USA". Oh come quickly Lord Jesus!

2. It takes STRENGTH to run. (Isaiah 40:31 - “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”)

No one has ever watched the Olympics on TV when the Track and Field events started and ever heard the announcer say "Now in the 200 meter race, running for the country of Germany, will be a 400 pound Fat guy named Gunter!" That will never happen! In order to be on any Olympic team you MUST be strong, In shape, ready and able to represent your country and WIN!

Christian, this life is no different for us. We must be Strong in the Lord and in His Word

3. It takes COMMITMENT to run. (Psalm 37:4-6, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.”)

Many a Christian has met Jesus Christ as Savior, but they have refused to make a "Long Term" commitment to live their life. In II Timothy 1:12  "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." God is asking for us, you and I, to make a life long commitment to serve Him, to tell everyone we can about what He has done for us all.

If we could take just a few moments and be completely honest before the Lord, most of us would have to confess that all we got at Calvary when we were saved was "Fire Insurance". Oh Christian... Take Courage, Be Strong In The Lord and Commit Yourself to Serve The Lord with everything you have for the rest of your life!

Remember, the Finish line does not come until either death or the Rapture comes!

RUN THE RACE ALL THE WAY TO THE FINISH LINE!

May God Bless us as we Run!

Evangelist David Dunn

Forgotten Tools

                                                 

Forgotten Tools

It has been a very, very long time since I last posted anything to this blog. First of all, I want to apologize for not continuing to keep this updated. There has been so much happen since my last post in February of 2010, it would be impossible for me to go back and even try and bring it all to my own memory, much less try to write it all out so you can hear ALL that God has done.

I can testify to you that there have been many battles... some losses but mostly there has been Victory Through Christ. Souls have been saved and lives have been made whole and many people have seen God transform their homes, lives, children and marriages into something that pleases and honors God.

Again, I give my deepest apoloiges to you and to The Lord for staying away and thinking I was just too busy to keep this going.



Now getting back to the title of "Forgotten Tools". This blog is just that, it is a "Tool" that we have to use in helping to be a witness for Jesus Christ and also using it to be a help and an encouragement to Christians. In the passage from Jeremiah 23:29  "Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" We see here that the Bible is just that... it is a Tool that the lord uses every day to reach people on earth.

Fire has many different uses, Fire can of course destroy, it can also be used to cook food, warm the house, light the way, purify, melt, heat and bend steel. it has many uses. If it is not handled carefully then it can do a lot of damage. Then Jeremiah goes on to speak of the Hammer that breaks the rock in pieces. The Bible can and will break through that stubborn hearted person, weither a Christian who has hardened their heart in some way or even the sinner who has a heart of stone that must be broken in order to receive Christ as their Savior.

This is what the Bible CAN DO... unless we set it down and do not use it!

This is what this Blog CAN DO... unless I make some excuse for NOT using it!

God has given us some incredible tools to use in our day. This medium of using the Internet to spread the message of all that God has done for us and is continuing to do on our behalf is an instantaneous way for us to reach the lost, and provide encouragement to the children of God.

Let none of us forget that WE have a responsibility before God to get the word out to everyone that He is God, He paid our debt, He has a home in heaven for us, but until that day comes WE must KEEP WORKING and using ALL of the Tools that we have in order for us to "Occupy" until He comes to take us home.

In His Highest Service,

Evangelist David Dunn

A Conversation With The Lord

Just today, a friend of mine put something on her Facebook page which caught my eye. I clicked on it and read it through. i want you to read it too. (Now, Don't read it and "Freak" when you see the words "holy man". just read it and watch for the "Truth".)

"A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said.

"Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.

The Lord led the holy man to two doors.

He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in . In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.

The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful. But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.

The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.

The Lord said, "You have seen Hell".

They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.

The holy man said, "I don't understand."

"It is simple," said the Lord.

"It requires but one skill. You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves."
 

When Jesus died on the cross, He was thinking of you."

You want to know the part of this that spoke to me?? In reading this story, I can see the Christian Church of Today! This is describing "US"!!!

I cannot tell you just how often this same scene is played out in church after church all across this country and yes, even around the world.

The main reason that I wanted to talk about this particular story is due to the fact that in my personal opinion, Christianity, our modern day Christianity, is a "Selfish Christianaity". I know that may sound a tad bit "Harsh", but many times the truth is just that... "Harsh"! In our Churches today we see "Cliques" and just some downright "Hateful" people who call themselves "Christians". I am inclined to wonder if some of these folks have acctually received what they "Claim" to "Posess". Again, "Harsh" I know, but is it the truth?

How about your Church? Do this, on Sunday, before your main service begins, just take an "Honest" look at the people in your Church. Do you know anybody in the room who is in a "Clique"? Sadly, you might have to answer that you yourself are NOT what you claim to be.

Following in line with this thought from the above story, I am reminded of a simple little word that when it is applied to any situation in life, it can and will make a "Huge" difference! This word is simply... "Compassion"!

In Webster's Dictionary the Word "Compassion" is defined this way:

COMPASSION, n.

Is a suffering with another; painful sympathy; a sensation of sorrow excited by the distress or misfortunes of another; pity; commiseration. Compassion is a mixed passion, compounded of love and sorrow; at least some portion of love generally attends the pain or regret, or is excited by it.
In the story we see that in the second room, everyone was in the same "Predicament" as the first room, they were using the same "Instruments" as the others, but with a totally different "Outcome". What made the difference? "Compassion" did!

How did this make all the difference? Think with me about it. The story told us that the people that were "Dying" in the first room, were "Dying" because of "Selfishness"! Selfishness has absolutely nothing to do with Compassion! You see, on order for the people in that first room to begin to be fed, they must learn to work together in reaching the common goal.

Now take our Churches for example... We also need to learn this very vital lesson. We ALL must work together to reach the entire world with the gospel of Jesus Christ and what He did in dying on the cross for our collective and our individual sins.

I am reminded of a passage of scripture that talks about this very subject.

Acts 4:31-35
(31) And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
(32) And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
(33) And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
(34) Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
(35) And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

In this portion we read where the "Church" had revival when the Lord showed up (vs 31). The effect of this reviving showed itself in vs. 32, "... they had all things common." Then we see in vs. 34, "Neither was there any among them that lacked:". Lastly from vs. 35, "... and distribituion was made unto every man according as he had need."

These three facts, or results from being revived, (or made alive again.) were able to be written down in The Bible as "Truth". How was all this made possible?? The answer is very simple... When God comes and openly shows Himself in a mighty moving of the Holy Spirit, the end result is a complete change in the way "Christian" mankind walks through life.

Here in Acts chapter 4, we see such a change in the Christians that were there. We see everyone, not just the rich, but everyone (i.e. "...the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul:") All of them joined in from a heart of "Compassion" for others.

I know that there are still those today who want to accuse these folks in the Church there in Acts 4 of just getting "Emotional"... I say your "Nuts"! When God is the One who is conducting the movement in our hearts, there is no way that HE will allow "Emotion" to cause someone to foolishly sell all that they have and give it away. Notice I said "When God Is The One"! Do you remember what The Bible says in  Mark 10:28-31?

Mark 10:28-31
(28) Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
(29) And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
(30) But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
(31) But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

We need to remember that God does not do anything "Foolish"! God did not cause the disciples to act rashly or foolishly when He called them into service. I know that "Man" sometimes like to accuse Christian Brothers or Sisters of acting foolishly, however, I must stand and say that if God has called someone to service, then who am I, or who are you for that matter, to say that God did not call them.

We must use "Compassion" in dealing with everyone! We are commanded to take the message out to a lost and dying world. Why would we do that if not because of the "Compassion" of Jesus in coming and dying, shedding His Blood for ALL SIN!!?? You see, Jesus is our first example of this business of "Compassion", He performed it in His death, Burial and resurrection. Then here in Acts chapter 4 we see His Church performing under the same guidelines of "Compassion". We need to wake up to the truth that we also MUST live with this same guiding principle in our collective and individual lives too.

If we would live with "Compassion" for others as our guiding principle, we will all be able to get our eyes off of ourselves and help "Feed" those who are seated at the table with us. 


Think About It,

Evangelist David J. Dunn

Philippians 4:9 "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."

A Parenting Keyword - "Responsibility"

"Responsibility"

Today I want to talk about this simple word... "Responsibility". This word is one of those that we are all a little guilty of overlooking in life. We will watch a show on TV where we can sit ane we will critique the actors for NOT being responsible in one way or another. We will often watch shows where families NEVER do anything together and their collective lives are in "Shambles"! I know that in my own life as a parent that far too many times I have neglected my part in this area of being "Responsible" for my own kids. In the day and age in which we live we all too often allow the TV or the Internet to be the "Baby Sitter" even though we are in the same house!!!

What does the word "Responsible" actually mean? Well, acording to Webster's Dictionary it means the following:

RESPONS'IBLE, a. from L. responsus, respondeo.

1. Liable to account; accountable; answerable; as for a trust reposed, or for a debt. We are all responsible for the talents entrusted to us by our Creator. A guardian is responsible for the faithful discharge of his duty to his ward.

Look at the word's that are mentioned here about this business of "Responsibility". Word's like: Accountable, Answerable, Trust, Faithful Discharge of his Duty.

Simply put, the word "Responsible" means that we as parents ARE "Accountable" to someone for the watchful care of our children. We are also "Answerable" to someone for what we allow our kids to do, what they watch, what they listen to, who their friends are, and the places they are allowed to go. We have been given a "Trust" by God in the raising of our children. In this Trust that we have been given, it is up to us to be "Faithful" in the care of our kids. Parents, it is our "Duty" to know what is going on in their little lives.

I know there are people who will argue that their kids deserve their "Personal Space". I have news for you... you are seriously asking for a heartbreak!!! Kids do not need space, they need Mom and Dad to wake up and show that they actually care about the influences that are in thier lives. Mom and Dad need to be in their kids social scene. I myself have six children, and their mother and I are both "In The Know" of who they talk on the phone with, who they text, chat, and Facebook with!

It is our "Responsibility" to know these things. Why just this past week our daughter, who normally asks if she can "Befriend" someone on Facebook, accepted someone that my wife and I both know, but this time she did not ask permission. Well, my wife got on her Facebook account and checked things out and sure enough she came across this person. We had to have a talk with our daughter and explain to her that this particular person, had she asked our permission, would not have been allowed to be her friend. Why?? Because this man is an alcoholic!

You may say this is an invasion of her private life... My daughter is 12... I believe with all my heart this is OUR, my wife and myself, it is OUR "Responsibility"!

I have a "God Given" Duty to raise my kids right... And guess what Parents... SO DO YOU! Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Let's raise the kids God gave us in a "Responsible" manner, after all, God is watching!

Evangelist David J. Dunn