In this present world....

I remember a long time ago I was at a women's meeting and the speaker's whole devotion was on how people lived 100 years ago. I have since heard that used as an illustration many times in different settings and it has always drove me crazy. I guess it's one of my pet peeves, we all are allowed one or two. In Titus 2:12 the Bible says "Teaching us that denying ungodly and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world". God commands us to live in this present world. Today! With whats on T.V. today. With the way people dress today. I don't need to read a history book to find out how I should live , all I need is the Bible. Are things getting worse? No Doubt but the Word of God and the Holy Spirit are just as relevant today as it always has been. As wicked sinners our hearts will always bend toward evil if left unchecked. We will invent new ways of doing evil, take things that were meant for good and make them bad. Why? Because we are! We are all hopeless rebels bent on doing evil every minute of everyday without the constant help from the Lord. Maybe I'm just carnal, but I think its hard enough to stay straight today let alone looking back to history and add more don't to my list. The Lord is "gracious, full of compassion" Psalm 145:8 He also says "Be ye Holy as I am Holy" LEV. 11:44 We should strive our very best by staying in God's Word everyday, and fleeing those carnal lusts that drag us down to "live godly in this present world." --Lois

Tis so sweet....

Why is it so hard to trust the Lord? Why no matter how faithful He is yet we still doubt and fret. Like the child who gets the proverbial hand slapping over and over again we continue to reach into the cookie jar of doubt. Knowing there really aren't any cookies in that jar at all. I guess this has come to an acute head for me since the onset of or should I say the displacement of any regular or promised income. With only $125 a month of promised income and a very blank schedule for the next 4 months on the outside things look bleak. But that is where the exercise in faith really begins, and that is unfortunately where my weakness grows by leaps and bounds. I can look at the past and see that God has never let us down, never let a bill go unpaid. We may have not had all we would like,but we've never done without. I do believe I am starting to get a little understanding into the phrase "Give us this day our daily bread." Living from God's hand to our mouth is a challenge in faith, but with rich rewards that will prepare for greater things.

New Year, New Diet....not!

New diet, I probably should go on a diet, but will I? Probably not. We are gearing up for Elizabeth's 1st birthday this Saturday, and then leaving for Disney World Sunday. We are finishing 2 great weeks in North Carolina. Which included preaching at 2 of our favorite churches. Gospel Light in Newton and Tri-City in Forest City. It also included a sleep over at our good friends the Crows, and a 6am triple coupon run with Sarah. That was definitely the highlight of my week. I got $91 in groceries for $27. Sweet! It also included a expensive repair job on our truck, ouch!
We had a party at Bubba's on new years day that was a lot of fun. We probably should move up here eventually since we have so many friends here. Olivia loves it, she gets torn between her friends here and her beloved Nan in Alabama. I would love to live more central than Mobile, its far away from everything. So only the Lord knows what 2009 will bring. My hope and prayer is that above all it will bring me closer to Him and honor and glory to the Lord Jesus.