Saturday, March 31, 2007

Respect, Responsibility, Reverence...

I've had the opportunity this week to talk to many people, and on topic that has reoccurred several times is: Respect!

Our society here in North America is very much lacking in respect. We don't respect our parents, our parents don't respect our children, we don't respect the elders, the elders don't respect the youth, the people don't respect the government and the government doesn't respect the people!

wwweeewwww That was a mouth full! ***stops to take a deep breath, and collect his thoughts***

OK.

The Bible gives us a truth that almost every family in North America has set aside in some form or fashion. Some more than others, but none the less we are all guilty of breaking this truth!

Ephesians 6:1-3; Colossians 3:19-21

Ephesians 6

1CHILDREN, OBEY your parents in the Lord [as His representatives], for this is just and right.

2Honor (esteem and value as precious) your father and your mother--this is the first commandment with a promise--(A)

3That all may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth.

Cross references:

  1. Ephesians 6:2 : Exod 20:12

Exodus 20:12 (Amplified Bible)

12Regard (treat with honor, due obedience, and courtesy) your father and mother, that your days may be long in the land the Lord your God gives you.

We must learn to respect or we will (this is a definite promise) not live a long prosperous life!

Have you ever wondered why so many young people are dying in the past few years?

Go back up and re-read the verses given!

The Bible clearly states that if we will honor, obey and respect our parents that we will live long on the earth. I'll let you in on a little secret that people try to get around and avoid. When God gives a promise, there is always another side to the coin! If we don't obey, honor and respect our parents we will not live long on the earth!

Parents this is also a mark against us! We must instill respect, honor and obedience into our children. As one of the verses above says, we must not provoke our children to wrath and anger. Too, often we are not willing to get down on our children's level and understand where they are coming from. We must respect our children if we expect them to respect us!

I firmly believe that the rebellion that is seen in this world is a direct result of a generation of bad parenting! This is due in part or in whole to the fact that we have disliked how our parents brought us up so we in turn rebelled from the "old ways", and now we have sired a generation that is totally lacking in respect and honor. Everyone is out for themselves, and no one cares about anyone else!

Well I better stop my ranting as I could take the rest of the day here! However, I think and hope you've gotten the point!

TEACH THEM TO RESPECT BY LEADING THEM! RESPECT AND YOU WILL GAIN RESPECT! Save this generation before it is too late, and the land begins to spew us out!

Yours for a revival of respect!
Pastor Fred

Sunday, March 25, 2007

A tribute to the reader!


Well I'm back in the saddle as it were! It was a long busy week, but it is finally over, and now we are starting a new week.

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you, each and every one of my readers, for your friendship, tolerance, and the fact that you have returned on a number of occasions.

I met one of you this last week. I was at work, I am sorry if I seemed a little stand off-ish - I was having a rough day, but I am taking this opportunity to acknowledge you my readers.

This is the day I pay tribute to people who care about other peoples opinions! You acknowledge that we might have something important to say. Thank You!

Also, I want to take this opportunity to share with you some news, and updates which will be forth coming in the near future!

1. There will be more video content. some of which will contain yours truly.
2. I am endeavoring to become an active member of the Canadian Bible Society. In which case I will be offering Bibles in your native language.
3. I am trying to start a prize department for every so many visitors. (i.e. The 1,000 visitor may receive there own personal Bible for free!)
4. I will be asking for you to send a prayer for a country on my counter. (we currently have at least 51 countries to pray for and we have only prayed for about 5 of them!)
5. I will open up a testimony section for you to send me your testimonies of God answering your prayers!

These are just some of the things that will be offered to you the reader in the near future!

As always I will continue to write thoughts which the good Lord gives me, which I hope will enrich, motivate, and inspire you to have a closer walk with Jesus!

In closing here is a scripture that I preached from this morning. Meditate on it and see what God tells you!

Romans 13:11-14 (Amplified Bible)

11Besides this you know what [a critical] hour this is, how it is high time now for you to wake up out of your sleep (rouse to reality). For salvation (final deliverance) is nearer to us now than when we first believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ, the Messiah).

12The night is far gone and the day is almost here. Let us then drop (fling away) the works and deeds of darkness and put on the [full] armor of light.

13Let us live and conduct ourselves honorably and becomingly as in the [open light of] day, not in reveling (carousing) and drunkenness, not in immorality and debauchery (sensuality and licentiousness), not in quarreling and jealousy.

14But clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and make no provision for [indulging] the flesh [put a stop to thinking about the evil cravings of your physical nature] to [gratify its] desires (lusts).

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword!

Mat 26:52 ALT Then Jesus says to him, "Put your sword back into its place! For all the ones taking up a sword will die by a sword.

What is going to kill you?

Crazy question? Not really!

As Jesus put it: If you live by the sword you will die by the sword!

I want to live by God's Word, and in His Spirit. If it kills me so be it!

What do you live for? Work, Money, Fame, Glory? You will die by what you live for!

If you live for work, you will work yourself into the grave!
If you live for money, you will die trying to get money!
If you live for fame, you will die while attaining that goal!
If you live for glory, you will probably be assassinated!

I would rather live for the cause of Christ, and die on my way to heaven than any other foolish, irresponsibles, vain or frivolous things we live for.

May this be a motivation to live for Jesus, rather than this world!
You will die by what you live for!

Pastor Fred

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Ever Wonder?

Have you ever wondered:
  1. Why there is some much crap going on in the world today?
  2. Why are there wars and famines?
  3. Why are there homeless, and shut-ins?
My list could go on and on, but I'll let you think about the possibilities. Have you ever thought about these things? I'm sure you have, most everyone I've ever talked to has at some point in time thought about world hunger, famine, dying children and the homeless.

Let me share a couple scriptures with you before I explain.

Leviticus 26:3-13
(vs 3 and 4)
If ye walk in my statutes and keep my commandments, and do them; then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
Also read:
Deuteronomy 28:1-14
Deuteronomy 30:1-14

The above verses describe the blessings of God upon His people if they will follow in His ways.

BUT

There is another side to the coin! If we will not walk in God's ways He will put on us all the curses, and more until we repent and come back to God!

Read:
Leviticus 26:14-46
Deuteronomy 28:15-68
Deuteronomy 30:15-20

These scriptures are for the children of God you say.....sure here are some for those who are not "children of God."

Leviticus 18:24-30
God will command the land to spew out the inhabitants who defile themselves with unholy things and activities!

The simple answer is "SIN".

We have let down our standards, our beliefs, our convictions, our faith and let society and modernism dictate to us what is right or wrong. The only problem is that society things all the wrong things are right, and all the right things are wrong!

We must get back to God, repent and live according to Holiness and pleasing God!

Yours for righteousness,
Pastor Fred

Thursday, March 08, 2007

Learning from their mistakes

In studying for the Home Bible Study I teach weekly, another one of God's purposes has become very clear. It is so very important, yet we often neglect it because of our own stubborn natures. "Pride comes before a fall, and a haughty spirit before destruction." This is a quote from the wisdom of king Solomon, and is the reason we miss out on many of the simple straight forward truths of the Word of God.

Our study this week was a survey of Israel's entering Canaan, conquering it and dividing the inheritance. We ended with the reign of the first three kings Saul, David and Solomon. However, before we can get to any of the above events we must first study Moses' last sermon. Parts of which are in Deuteronomy 28 and 30.

Moses gives a blessing and a cursing upon Israel. A blessing for obedience to the commands and laws of God, and a cursing for the disobedience of those commands and laws. He presented life and good, death and destruction. It was up to Israel to choose which path to take.

Moses died, and Israel, under the leadership of Joshua, divided and conquered the land of Canaan.

The Bible tells us in Judges that Israel served God throughout the life of Joshua, and throughout the lives of the elders who out lived Joshua, but soon after the final elder died, they left God's ways and followed the pagan, unholy ways of the peoples around them. Israel looked around and saw the ways of the people they were living among, and began to serve their gods.

Guess what happened? Exactly what Moses told them would happen! The Bible tells us that God punished them until they were sore distressed, and cried out to God. And as Moses said, when they cried out to God for help, He gave them a judge to deliver them. This happened 16 times until the time of Samuel. After whose time Israel asked for a king, which is another message altogether.

1 Corinthians 10:5-12 tells us that we must learn from their mistakes so that we don't fall in the same way!

Here is the moral to the story.

1. Follow, Trust and Obedience brings life, health and prosperity.
2. Neglect, Doubt and Disobedience brings death, sickness and poverty.

People often wonder why they are going through the circumstances they face, and the simple answer my be that God is trying to bring them to repentance for the sin and evil in their life! Don't blame the devil for every bad thing that happens. Instead, repent of your sins and turn to God, and He will prosper your path!

Yours for following the ways of God,
Pastor Fred

Monday, March 05, 2007

A strange time to study!

The Holy Spirit leads in mysterious ways and at mysterious times! Sunday is our unofficial day of rest. We all have a nap or relax during the afternoon. I personally don't usually take a nap as it usually messes me up pretty badly. However, my wonderful wife asked me to have a nap as I had to go to work for the evening. So, I complied. Needless to say I was majorly messed up!
I got home about 12:30 am after working for 8 hours scrubbing and waxing a floor, and was very energetic. ( I slept from 1pm - 4:30pm!) I tossed and turned in bed for many hours unable to sleep. My mind continuously turning. Finally, about 2:30am I got back up, and came down to the computer to do some work. The Holy Spirit had been working me over about doing a study for someone who had been emailing me as of late. So for the next hour I studied! I went back to be around 3:3o am after doing a fairly lengthy study about the Holy Spirit and why it is so very important and essential.

(Here is the link, it is also above in the new section.) The Necessity and Importance of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus moves upon us in mysterious ways, and at mysterious times. The important thing isn't why, when or what for, but how we will react when the call comes. If I had not have gotten up and done the study my inspiration and train of thought would have been gone. When Jesus calls we must answer and go quickly!

Yours for the mysterious ways of God,
Pastor Fred

Saturday, March 03, 2007

Happily Married Ever After.....


I believe I've discovered on of the greatest Marriage tips. I've known about it in the back of my head for awhile, but I actually got to the place where it worked for me! It is so secret that your spouse doesn't even have to know that you are doing it!

What is this powerful weapon of marital success? What is this secret that is so subtle in its approach that the recipient won't even realize it?

PRAY and Living in the Presence of Jesus!

What? I pray and still don't get along with my spouse.... Your are wrong! No I'm not wrong! Just sit back and read. Let this simple truth sink in and take root.

Pray as most people know it is simply a forum for us to bring our complaints to Jesus; our needs, wants and desires. However, true prayer isn't just a forum for us to talk about us, and other people's needs, rather prayer is a meeting, conversation, relationship of time spent between two friends. Time well spent between a Father and child; that is true prayer!

Prayer is a time of relationship between Jesus and you. The more time you spend in the presence of Jesus the more you will become like Him! If you let His Spirit come in, and wash over you the light of His presence will make you see things differently! The Holy Spirit and The Word of God will work together, and grow you into a new spiritual creature in Christ Jesus!

Now I'm not talking about just a few minutes here and a few minutes there. I'm talking about relationship prayer; prayer closet prayer. I am talking about taking time out each day to be with Jesus; 30 minutes to more than an hour. This type of relationship prayer spills over into the rest of your day and life. You will find yourself spontaneously bursting into praise, prayer and worship throughout your day!

Then, when your spirit becomes in tune with His Spirit your life will be changed.

Now, how does this effect your marriage? Well, those little things that we all dislike our spouses doing, no matter how small become insignificant. Instead of seeing those negative qualities, we begin to focus on the wonderful things, which made us fall in love with that person in the first place. We are no longer finding ways to pick a fight, but instead we are finding ways to love.

The Bible tells us that, "perfect love casts out all fear," and "Love covers a multitude of sins." If we truly have the presence of Jesus in our lives we will have this "true" love, and it will spill over into your marriage!

So if you are having marital problems, sure go find a counselor to help, but also try to get close to Jesus who will in turn help you get close to your spouse! Pray like you've never prayed before! Stay in your closet of prayer until you feel His presence, like arms enfold you! Make it your lifestyle!

Then you will be happily married ever after!

Yours for a great marriage,
Pastor Fred

Something to Laugh About!

Pastor Fred Online: Sermons & Puppets

Our Prayer Family: A List of Prayer Requests

  • Newfoundland & Labrador! That a wave of God's Spirit would flood this great province!
  • Your Neighbors, that Jesus would save their souls!
  • Springdale, Newfoundland: Pray that God's Spirit would awaken souls to their need of salvation and continued spiritual growth. Also, pray that Pastor Fred can teach many Home Bible Studies.
  • Pastor Fred and his family: Pray for Health, Strength, Inspiration, Revival and that God will lead him to many hungry souls
  • The Country You Live in: Pray for Salvation, Revival, Missionaries and the Moving of God's Spirit

Weekly Prayer for A Country on my counter:

Please pray with me for the country that is in focus each week. Thank You and may God richly bless your prayer life.


--------------------------------------------------


A Prayer for Canada:



This week Lord Jesus we bring the country of Canada. Let the revival of your Word and Name sweep across this vast dominion. Let all ethnic groups that now call this great land home become hungry for something more, and find YOU! Let the Church arise to become the bastion of Truth that it is meant to be. Let you people become the light and power that spreads your Gospel throughout all this land!
We ask this all in the Name of Jesus Christ -- Amen!