Well Done, Faithful Servants

Matthew 25:23 "His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant;"  Please pray for the Casias family. Missionaries for 29+ years, murdered Jan. 31, 2012, in Mexico. It will brings tears to your eyes, bless your soul, and make you wish you did more for Christ, when you read of person after person in their guest book they have served for God. http://casias.org/home.html

They came to our church (we support them) not too long ago, telling us of the serious problems in Mexico, and asking for prayer for their continued safety. Even though they knew it was dangerous to return, their love for God, manifested in their love for the people of Mexico, drew them to return to the field. Mrs. Wanda Casias' body (67) was found by her son, and Bro. John Casias (76) was missing, but soon found nearby, dead. We know their bodies may have remained here on earth, but they are in heaven tonight! They both died doing what they desired to do, serve the Lord faithfully. Thank God for faithful servants who bravely spend their lives in the service of Jesus Christ. Please sign their guest book with your condolences for the family. They leave ten children.

2 Corinthians 5:8 "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

Let us remember to always pray for our missionaries and their work on the field! 1 Thessalonians 5:25 "Brethren, pray for us."

About the Casias (from their website): "John and Wanda Casias are Strong Bible Teachers. John believes the preaching of the Bible to be God's ordained means of pointing people to Christ and of spiritually maturing believers. We believe in Evangelistic Singing. Music with a Clear Message. The special music and congregational singing are unmistakably songs of praise to God and of His salvation through Jesus Christ. Our Churches Display Compassion for All; Genuinely Friendly Atmosphere. John and Wanda truly care, not just for the Mexican people, but about all the people. Their desire to be used of God, and to be a blessing to all those who God puts in their path. We believe all born-again Christians need to be Faithful to the Gospel. We stay Active in Outreach ministries. Our ministry extends throughout Mexico and throughout the world by supporting missionaries through the “La Primera Iglesia Bautista Fundamental e Independiente” in El Cercado, Santiago Nuevo Leon Mexico. This is one of the first churches John and Wanda organized in the Republic of Mexico. (The First Independent Fundamental Baptist Church)."

Amazing Grace

John Newton signed on with a slave ship leaving from Africa with its “cargo.” He was an experienced sailor and navigator, but his cursing and blaspheming turned hardened sailors’ ears red. Soon the ship was caught in a horrible storm and was taking in water. The crew had to pump 24 hours a day to stay afloat. But the constant wind rocked the boat so dangerously that the sailors had to tie themselves to the deck to keep from being swept overboard.

At one point, several of the crew tried to throw Newton overboard. They figured that God was punishing him like Jonah of the Old Testament. The captain declared that the only way the ship would make it in to safe harbor was by God’s power. He commanded everyone—including Newton—to pray. “God, if You’re true,” Newton prayed earnestly, “make good your Word. Cleanse my vile heart.”

After four weeks of storms and constant brushes with death, the ship limped into an Irish port. John Newton, former “free thinker,” former slave trader and atheist, declared his faith in Jesus. He became a well-known preacher and writer. In fact, we chiefly know him as the author of the hymn “Amazing Grace.”

Have a great day,

Bro. Harry Shomaker

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Reasonable Service

http://www.barberville.net/sermon236.htm

Text: Romans 12:1 & 2
Introduction: What is reasonable? What does it mean? It means that it is achievable. It means that it is expected. It is God’s expectations for our lives. It is what He expects out of His children.
I. Living Sacrifice – V.1
Phil. 2:14 – 17 “14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 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; 16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. 17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.”
A. We are to bring ourselves to God. Putting our lives on the altar rather than dead animals.
B. God wants you.
1. Mind
2. Soul
3. Body
C. Our life should be a sacrifice for God and Others – example: Jesus
1. Time
2. Talents
3. Tithe
II. Holiness – V.1
A. Holy Living
Heb. 12:14 “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:”
B. Is Possible With God’s Help
2 Cor. 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:”
C. Requirement
III. Acceptable Living
A. Living God’s Way
B. Loving God’s Way
C. According to God’s Word
IV. Reasonable Service
A. Expected Everyday
B. Guide For Living
C. Motives
Conclusion: Is your life acceptable to God. How would you rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being acceptable according to God’s Standards not man’s.
Illustration: Ministry is giving when you feel like keeping, praying for others when you need to be prayed for, feeding others when your own soul is hungry, living truth before people even when you can't see results, hurting with other people even when your own hurt can't be spoken, keeping your word even when it is not convenient, it is being faithful when your flesh wants to run away.

Finishing Well

What do you think of when you hear the name Miriam? She was intelligent, resourceful, and a leader. I have known women to say of someone like this, "When she walks into a room, strength walks in". Miriam faithfully watched her little brother by the river's brink. She bravely offered help and wisely suggested her own mother to nurse baby Moses. In Exodus 15, we find her leading the other women in praise to the Lord. She was a prophetess according to verse 20, yet shortly thereafter, she oversteps her boundaries, speaks against her brother Moses, and God swiftly puts her in her place.

In Numbers 12 we read of a terrible humbling she endured. She spoke against Moses for marrying an Ethiopian woman, and then asks this question, "Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us?". Was she jealous of the attention Moses was getting? Did she desire a higher place of leadership? Was the complaint against his wife just an excuse used to tear him down in order to make herself look better? For whatever reason, the Bible makes a note of recording, "And the LORD heard it."

The Lord was not pleased with her attack on his servant, Moses. He made it very clear to her in verses 6-8: "...If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches..."
While the prophets saw visions and dreams, Moses spoke to God face to face! God's judgement fell on her, and Miriam became a leper. Even though Moses prayed and God removed her leprosy, she was shamed for seven days as a leper: "...the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again."

Miriam had held an honored place next to her brothers Aaron and Moses. She was a prophetess of God! The women obviously looked up to her, and followed her lead as she praised God. But after she faltered here, you never read of Miriam in the Bible again. Was she restored? Did she learn her lesson and go on to serve the Lord? It is important that we are careful not to think more of ourselves than we ought. Jesus was meek. Moses was meek. "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble".

As we serve Him, we need to be careful not to let pride, arrogance, jealousy, and bitterness ruin our testimony, shame us before others, and falter in the race God has left us to run. Rather, humbly and meekly we should serve the Lord, in our place, building up one another, and submitting to those in authority over us, so that we can one day say, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith".

..."the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong..."

We just returned from a trip around the US and were able to catch up with many old friends we had not seen in about twenty years, since graduating from Bible college in 1991. It was interesting to see that those who may have been written off humanly speaking, are often the ones who are at the forefront of the spiritual battle we are all fighting: pastoring churches, leading ministries, working in missions, etc.

Some of the people I thought were once on fire for the Lord, who had everything going for them, natural born leaders, wit, brains...people I could see leading a sweeping revival across America...are not even in the ministry anymore. Erasing every Christian identification from themselves, they work in a worldly field...promoting a cigarette company, selling casinos trinkets, or some other small task that they have settled to complete. They no longer serve the mighty King of kings, and their focus is no longer on working for their old Master until He returns.

The pilgrim way is rough..full of blessings, accomplishable in Christ, free from regrets...but it is still a hard way. There are pilgrims who leave the way, Christians who make shipwreck, and children who go astray and roam far from the will of God. Only God knows the heart. God knew who would follow Him, and who would serve Him all the days of their lives. He takes the weak things of the world and makes them strong building blocks that He works with here on earth to accomplish eternal works in heaven. It was sad to see some people I was so impressed by, who I thought could make great strides for God, wasted by the world into an ineffectual nothing for the Lord..but also encouraging to think that in Him we can do all things. He can take nothing, and mold it into something useable...someone who will allow Him to work through themselves and create a lasting work of God.