Good Morning All,
With all the news in the world, in our surrounding communities and the iconic deaths the past 7-8 days my thoughts have ventured into what Solomon said in Proverbs 27.1 “Boast not thyself of to morrow…” I am quite sure the 2 out of the four deaths that were reported within the celebrity rank and file had no thought as to the end of their life here on earth. It brings about this question: “How often do you and I truly think about our days on earth coming to an end?” In discussing this topic I hear the regular rebuttals like: “I am too young to worry about that now” or “Just enjoy the time you have, there are plenty of days to give thought to death”. Yet, just a hand full of days apart two well known people at the age of 50 died. Sure, one can surmise that the other had cancer and knew death was near and another was 86 and sickly. But what about the two that were 50? 50 years young I have to say? Furthermore, I have a lady in my church who just turned 92 and she drives herself back and forth from church every week. So despite one’s numerical age, death can still be a shock and a surprise.
Well, where do we go now? The thought is that no matter how old or young you may be, your life is but a moment…a twinkle in the eyes of time. James said in: James 4:14 “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” We are truly promised less than tomorrow, we are not promised the next second, in a moment, in the blink of an eye you or I could draw our last breath and then what? Friend, there are 24 hours in a day, which is 1440 minutes, which equals 86,400 second… close to 155,000 people die every day. Nearly 2 every second (1.7939814814815/sec). That is every single day. Then what?
Paul wrote in the book of Hebrews: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” Hebrews 9:27. Concerning the 4 celebrities lost to eternity, by all accounts known to the public to date: McMahon died a devout atheist, Fawcett a Roman Catholic (with no record or report that she gave her life to Christ – although what may or may not have occurred in the last moments is between her and God), Jackson a raised Jehovah’s Witness who ‘converted’ to Islam in 2007 and Mays I have no idea. Of a truth it is appointed unto men (everyone) once to die…but after this the judgment. It is a sad day to reflect on these lives that ended in a moment, whether known or unknown, because afterward came the judgment. Where do you think their judgment fell?
Words of encouragement, I know, not too encouraging are they? Well they can be, because if death’s door is opened for you today, you can enter in with all assurance that your judgment is paid for. We have been found guilty, but One took our place. Will you know today about that One? Do you know today that if you fall within the numbers of the 155,000 that your judgment was upon the cross of Calvary and in the shed blood of Jesus Christ? My prayer, my hope and my heart’s desire, that all reading this today will come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior through a heart that repents and believes on His name for eternal life. No we cannot boast ourselves of tomorrow, but in Christ Jesus our Lord we can of eternity. Think on these things today, for time is short.
Have a wonderful day.
Today in History:
1776 – Mission San Francisco de Asís is founded on the site of the future city of San Francisco.
1854 – Congress ratifies the Gadsden Purchase, agreeing to pay Mexico $10 Million for Parts of Arizona and New Mexico.
1925 – An earthquake levels much of downtown Santa Barbara, CA.
1953 – President Eisenhower signs legislation creating the Interstate Highway System
1995 – In a post-Cold War show of international cooperation, the shuttle Atlantis docks with the Russian space station Mir.
Til the Shout,
Dr. B.J. Stagner Jr.
Pastor
New Testament Baptist Church
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Weekly Words of Encouragement 6-22-09
Good Morning All,
I trust that everyone had a beautiful weekend. I have a thought I would like to share with everyone today if you would bear me the opportunity. In reading ‘today’s’ Proverb (22), the opening verse reads: “A GOOD name is rather to be chosen…” The verse continues on to say ‘than great riches’ and so on. My thought is in the first statement, “A GOOD name is rather to be chosen…” It is a choice to have a good name. That is our choice, not our neighbor’s, co-worker’s or even family member’s. We are living in a time right now where things are getting desperate and the old saying is ‘Desperate times calls for desperate measures’.
I would like to offer a different ‘saying’, “Desperate times calls for diligent measures.” It is a choice whether or not we have a good name, meaning we can choose right now what our next statement, comment, decision, plan of action and/or reaction, all of which will determine whether or we have a good name. The measures we take in this day and age should be diligent, not desperate, desperation will result in a name not pleasing to the Lord and usually embarrassing to the person, their family, business and other involvements. The only thing we truly have in this life is our testimony. For those who are saved, born again of the Blood of Christ we called Ambassadors for Christ (II Corinthians 5.20), which is a representative in a foreign land. How this world sees us, our choosing of our name, our personal testimony is how this world is going to view Christ.
Sure, there are desperate times right now and yes there is a sense of uncertainty from the economy to the grocery bill, but one thing is for sure. Today, you can choose how you address that uncertainty and a GOOD name is rather to be chosen. Let’s be the representative of that foreign land today in such a way that others would want to go with us.
Have a wonderful day.
Today in History:
1793 – One of the nation’s first important canals, the Middlesex Canal, connecting the Merrimack River and the port of Boston, is chartered.
1944 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the G.I. Bill of Rights, offering educational opportunities for WW II vets.
1945 – The Battle of Okinawa ends with an Allied victory.
1970 – President Richard Nixon signs a bill lowering the voting age to 18.
Til the Shout,
Dr. B.J. Stagner Jr.
Pastor
New Testament Baptist Church
I trust that everyone had a beautiful weekend. I have a thought I would like to share with everyone today if you would bear me the opportunity. In reading ‘today’s’ Proverb (22), the opening verse reads: “A GOOD name is rather to be chosen…” The verse continues on to say ‘than great riches’ and so on. My thought is in the first statement, “A GOOD name is rather to be chosen…” It is a choice to have a good name. That is our choice, not our neighbor’s, co-worker’s or even family member’s. We are living in a time right now where things are getting desperate and the old saying is ‘Desperate times calls for desperate measures’.
I would like to offer a different ‘saying’, “Desperate times calls for diligent measures.” It is a choice whether or not we have a good name, meaning we can choose right now what our next statement, comment, decision, plan of action and/or reaction, all of which will determine whether or we have a good name. The measures we take in this day and age should be diligent, not desperate, desperation will result in a name not pleasing to the Lord and usually embarrassing to the person, their family, business and other involvements. The only thing we truly have in this life is our testimony. For those who are saved, born again of the Blood of Christ we called Ambassadors for Christ (II Corinthians 5.20), which is a representative in a foreign land. How this world sees us, our choosing of our name, our personal testimony is how this world is going to view Christ.
Sure, there are desperate times right now and yes there is a sense of uncertainty from the economy to the grocery bill, but one thing is for sure. Today, you can choose how you address that uncertainty and a GOOD name is rather to be chosen. Let’s be the representative of that foreign land today in such a way that others would want to go with us.
Have a wonderful day.
Today in History:
1793 – One of the nation’s first important canals, the Middlesex Canal, connecting the Merrimack River and the port of Boston, is chartered.
1944 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the G.I. Bill of Rights, offering educational opportunities for WW II vets.
1945 – The Battle of Okinawa ends with an Allied victory.
1970 – President Richard Nixon signs a bill lowering the voting age to 18.
Til the Shout,
Dr. B.J. Stagner Jr.
Pastor
New Testament Baptist Church
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Weekly Words of Encouragement 6-15-09
Good Morning All,
Please forgive the delay in transmission…
The thought today is concerning faith… The Lord Jesus Christ said: “…If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Matthew 17:20 We all have daily challenges, whether they are great or small they do arise. But it is the many facets of faith that allows us, better yet, enables us to work through them and find peace and victory. None is exempt to the dry season of life, but it is faith that sees us through. Think about the avenues of faith:
By faith we please God…
By faith we believe on Jesus Christ…
By faith the just shall live…
By faith the Lord conquers our enemies…
By faith we are justified…
By faith we have access into the grace of God…
By faith nothing is impossible.
It is through faith that we can ‘do right’ even when we do not want to, trusting that the Lord will bless it and use it to His glory. Through a weary and worn out week, press on by faith, it will pay off in the end.
So no matter the situation (or mountain that needs removing) this day or this week, by faith address the issue. It is only then can and will the Lord work in our lives where the Father is glorified and the Son praise. Faith is not sitting on the sofa and doing nothing, thinking the Lord will just do it for you. Faith is putting ‘legs’ underneath your prayers and trusting the Lord to lead, guide and direct your every thought and action, in the middle of storms and seasons of refreshing.
I pray you have a wonderful day
Today in History:
1775 – Congress places George Washington in command of the Continental Army.
1804 – The twelfth Amendment, requiring separate electoral votes for president and vice president, is ratified.
1836 – Arkansas becomes the 25th state.
1846 – The Oregon Treaty sets the 49th parallel as the U.S.- Canada boundary.
1864 – Arlington National Cemetery is established.
1911 – The Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company, later renamed International Business Machines (IBM), is incorporated.
Til the Shout,
Dr. B.J. Stagner Jr.
Pastor
New Testament Baptist Church
Please forgive the delay in transmission…
The thought today is concerning faith… The Lord Jesus Christ said: “…If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Matthew 17:20 We all have daily challenges, whether they are great or small they do arise. But it is the many facets of faith that allows us, better yet, enables us to work through them and find peace and victory. None is exempt to the dry season of life, but it is faith that sees us through. Think about the avenues of faith:
By faith we please God…
By faith we believe on Jesus Christ…
By faith the just shall live…
By faith the Lord conquers our enemies…
By faith we are justified…
By faith we have access into the grace of God…
By faith nothing is impossible.
It is through faith that we can ‘do right’ even when we do not want to, trusting that the Lord will bless it and use it to His glory. Through a weary and worn out week, press on by faith, it will pay off in the end.
So no matter the situation (or mountain that needs removing) this day or this week, by faith address the issue. It is only then can and will the Lord work in our lives where the Father is glorified and the Son praise. Faith is not sitting on the sofa and doing nothing, thinking the Lord will just do it for you. Faith is putting ‘legs’ underneath your prayers and trusting the Lord to lead, guide and direct your every thought and action, in the middle of storms and seasons of refreshing.
I pray you have a wonderful day
Today in History:
1775 – Congress places George Washington in command of the Continental Army.
1804 – The twelfth Amendment, requiring separate electoral votes for president and vice president, is ratified.
1836 – Arkansas becomes the 25th state.
1846 – The Oregon Treaty sets the 49th parallel as the U.S.- Canada boundary.
1864 – Arlington National Cemetery is established.
1911 – The Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company, later renamed International Business Machines (IBM), is incorporated.
Til the Shout,
Dr. B.J. Stagner Jr.
Pastor
New Testament Baptist Church
Monday, June 8, 2009
Weekly Words of Encouragment 6-8-09
Good Morning All,
Yesterday, in between church services, my second oldest son’s baseball team (of which I coach) had a make-up game. It was versus the number one team in our league… Most of the players on our team have never played before, and in reality, early in the season they surely did not fair too well. Nevertheless they were having fun and that is what it is about. Lately, however, our team has really came together, we won against another team in our league that beat us 23-3 before. Even so, going into yesterday’s game, no one really counted on the fact that we would or even could win. All that changed after the 1st inning. We had a tremendous game, both teams enjoyed themselves, we exercised good sportsmanship, prayed before the game together and really had a great time. When the dust was settle, we won 20-19.
Having said all that, it is quite obvious that this week’s ‘words’ is not about baseball, but it is about being the underdog, the one who has been counted out and looked at without any hope whatsoever. I believe we have all been a situation, relationship or competition where we were the underdog. I am almost certain that at some point in each one of our lives we can look at a particular event where we were up against the wall…where everyone, including ourselves, considered the game over, the underdog loses.
The truth is, the Lord likes underdogs. He came into this world so the underdogs may have victory. Death, sin, the Devil and Hell have had the victory long enough. They have worked their way into the lives of so many, resulting in destroyed marriages, delinquent children and detestable lifestyles. As bad as it may have been and for so many people to count you out, there is one consistent character in our lives… That is the Lord Jesus Christ. It is He Who sees us through the storm…It is He who leads us in the darkness…It is He Who guides us in our weakest moment…It is He Who never fails, never ceases and never counts out the underdogs He came to save.
I Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
I John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
The next time you are looked upon as the underdog…as the one destined to lose, just look to Jesus Christ, the One Who gave us the victory. Despite our ourselves, it was and is Him Who saves, seals and sanctifies. In that fact we may trust, live and breathe in this one life we have.
Today in History:
1789 – In the House of Representatives, James Madison introduces proposed amendments to the Constitution that eventually become the Bill of Rights.
1861 – Tennessee secedes from the Union.
1887 – Herman Hollerith patents his punch-card calculator.
1948 – Texaco Star Theater, one of TV’s first hit shows, debuts with Milton Berlet as host.
1982 – In the first address by a president to a joint session of the British Parliament, Ronald Reagan predicts that Communism will end up “on the ash heap of history.”
Til the Shout,
Dr. B.J. Stagner Jr.
Pastor
New Testament Baptist Church
Yesterday, in between church services, my second oldest son’s baseball team (of which I coach) had a make-up game. It was versus the number one team in our league… Most of the players on our team have never played before, and in reality, early in the season they surely did not fair too well. Nevertheless they were having fun and that is what it is about. Lately, however, our team has really came together, we won against another team in our league that beat us 23-3 before. Even so, going into yesterday’s game, no one really counted on the fact that we would or even could win. All that changed after the 1st inning. We had a tremendous game, both teams enjoyed themselves, we exercised good sportsmanship, prayed before the game together and really had a great time. When the dust was settle, we won 20-19.
Having said all that, it is quite obvious that this week’s ‘words’ is not about baseball, but it is about being the underdog, the one who has been counted out and looked at without any hope whatsoever. I believe we have all been a situation, relationship or competition where we were the underdog. I am almost certain that at some point in each one of our lives we can look at a particular event where we were up against the wall…where everyone, including ourselves, considered the game over, the underdog loses.
The truth is, the Lord likes underdogs. He came into this world so the underdogs may have victory. Death, sin, the Devil and Hell have had the victory long enough. They have worked their way into the lives of so many, resulting in destroyed marriages, delinquent children and detestable lifestyles. As bad as it may have been and for so many people to count you out, there is one consistent character in our lives… That is the Lord Jesus Christ. It is He Who sees us through the storm…It is He who leads us in the darkness…It is He Who guides us in our weakest moment…It is He Who never fails, never ceases and never counts out the underdogs He came to save.
I Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
I John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
The next time you are looked upon as the underdog…as the one destined to lose, just look to Jesus Christ, the One Who gave us the victory. Despite our ourselves, it was and is Him Who saves, seals and sanctifies. In that fact we may trust, live and breathe in this one life we have.
Today in History:
1789 – In the House of Representatives, James Madison introduces proposed amendments to the Constitution that eventually become the Bill of Rights.
1861 – Tennessee secedes from the Union.
1887 – Herman Hollerith patents his punch-card calculator.
1948 – Texaco Star Theater, one of TV’s first hit shows, debuts with Milton Berlet as host.
1982 – In the first address by a president to a joint session of the British Parliament, Ronald Reagan predicts that Communism will end up “on the ash heap of history.”
Til the Shout,
Dr. B.J. Stagner Jr.
Pastor
New Testament Baptist Church
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)