Posts Tagged ‘meditate’

The Pleasures of Hunting

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

Monday, November 30, 2009, is the first day of deer season for rifles. Archery season has been in and is over for 2009. Personally, I didn’t get my licenses this year. My feet swell too much from prescription medication, and it is really painful to walk for any distance.

It has been said (and I believe) that those who are avid hunters are actually addicted to the scent of the kill … the smell of blood. I never was ‘hooked’ on hunting to that degree … just enjoyed spending time in the woods with my son. He’s the one who taught me all I know about hunting.

The only interest I have in ‘blood’ is the blood Jesus shed for all who will believe on Him. It’s His shed blood that cleanses us from our sins and provides protection from the enemy’s attacks. We enter into a blood covenant with God when we believers accept the sacrifice Jesus made for us. In that covenant, it’s like God is saying, “What’s yours is Mine and what’s Mine is yours.” Meditate on that for a while and it will change how we view our relationship with God. It goes along with what Jesus taught us to pray, when He said, ” … Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Have you ever thought how it is in heaven? What would it be like on earth, if it was like it is in heaven? The answer to those questions could take folks on a ‘hunting expedition’ through the Bible. That’s a pleasure that is available to those in a free society. I urge you to take advantage of this freedom while you can.

The Pleasures of Going to Church

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

My wife and I drive about 45 minutes to get to our church – My Father’s House (MFH) – in McConnellsburg, PA. And we’ve been doing it for over 9 years. There’s an obvious question that follows those opening comments. With a church on every corner in your hometown (it seems), why are you driving 45 minutes to attend one?  Here’s my answer: we were invited to a special service on a Wednesday night at MFH in June, 2000.  After attending the special service, we felt led to visit a regular service the following Sunday. We’ve been going there ever since.  Why?  Well, we really believe that God led us to this fellowship for a lot of reasons.  The Pastor – Bill Chilcote – is as down-to-earth as a preacher can be. He is consumed with the desre to KNOW God, to hear His voice (John, Chapter 10, verse 27  : My sheep ((us)) hear my voice and I (God/Jesus) know them, and they follow Me.), and to do what God says.  As Pastor fellowships with God and meditates on God’s Words, it is clearly visible in his life and conduct that he sincerely wants to please God.  He is an example to the congregation of what a God-seeking individual is like.  His behavior has inspired us to get closer to God.  Though God is invisible in the natural, I believe He is totally accessible for fellowship, for praise, for worship, and for receiving our thanks for all He has done and is doing.  Other reasons for attending are because we are being prepared for the work of the ministry, for the maturing of the believers, and for the building up of the body of Christ, so that we can get along with all the various churches, regardless of doctrinal differences, etc.  According to Jesus’ teaching, “love” is the great commandment: love God and love one another.  We at MFH want to receive God’s love toward us, then turn around and give it away to everyone.  Are we perfect?  Nope!  But, we’re seeing lives being changed and that brings pleasure to God.