Discern the Truth

The Bible study verses are from 1 Corinthians 2:12-16

12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God. 13 We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people. 14 But the unbeliever does not welcome what comes from God's Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it because it because it is evaluated spiritually. 15 The spiritual person, however, can evaluate everything, yet he himself cannot be evaluated by anyone. 16 For who has known the Lord's mind, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

From our Life Values study guide.

The spirit of the world stands in opposition to God's will. Believers receive God's wisdom through the Spirit, and it affects how we live and what we say. Unbelievers may make fun of believers but their evaluations mean nothing compared to God's.

***

Children often make mistakes because their judgment is not fully developed. Even as young adults, our children make mistakes, sometimes serious ones, because they don't fully understand the implications of their decisions. They, and we, should not look to friends or family members as the final word on the important decisions we make in our lives, but let the Spirit of God guide us as well as His word.

Anyullyn: Empire of Elves and Gnomes

Chapter 1

A New Star

King Trellin scowled at his court astrologer and peered at the sky. "What do you mean, there's a new star in the Enchantress constellation?"

"I can't explain it, majesty," the astrologer answered, "but that star wasn't there last night."

"What does it mean?" King Trellin asked.

"I'm unsure, milord. Perhaps it's not a star but a new planet."

"From my chief astrologer," Trellin replied,"I require a definitive answer."

"I'm sorry, majesty," Drummond answered. His shoulders slumped & he cast his gaze at the king's feet. "This sign is unique in our history."

"Unique? What do you mean by unique?" the king asked. "Is it dangerous or benign--a vile omen or a blessed sign from the Creator?"

Drummond glanced up through thick eyebrows. "Some things are beyond knowing, my liege. I would recommend prayer and patience."

"Leave me!" King Trellin shouted. "Pray 'til you die. A jester has more wisdom. I'll seek my own answers to the riddle in the Enchantress."

Drummond bowed, turned and limped from the observatory.

"Bloody fool!" King Trellin swore. He yanked a braided cord to summon his steward.

"Yes, my lord?" the steward asked, entering the room.

"Ah, Patric," Trellin said. "Bring me wine...and a chart of the night sky."

"Wine it is, my lord," Patric said, turned and exited.

Trellin cupped his chin. "This phenomenon must be mentioned in some ancient text."

Emerald eyes scanned the spines of ancient tomes, settling on one bound in red horsehide. "Ah," the king observed, "Stars, Signs, & Magics." Ancient horsehide cracked but did not break as King Trellin opened the book. A musty odor tickled his nose as he leafed through amber pages. Gaunt fingers leafed through brittle pages of ancient knowledge & spells. Trellin paused & placed his narrow index finger on a brief entry.

The steward returned and silently set a goblet before the king. He lifted the cut crystal glass to his mouth and sipped. A smile leaked between the king's lips. "Excellent choice, Patric. Danyr Heath is my favorite."

He nodded. "You appeared morose, my lord."

"Always perceptive, eh, Patric?" Trellin said. He tilted the goblet up & sipped. "But you're correct. A deadly confrontation awaits I fear."

Trellin downed the remainder of the wine, rose & walked to the window again. "Assemble my council, Patric, & send word to my mage, Hansen."

The echo of leather soles against polished, red marble floors signaled the steward's exit. Trellin leaned against the sill and sighed.

"This bodes as ill as what I must do next," King Trellin mumbled. "King Kamiril of the Gnomes must be told despite how useless the effort."

Trellin slid a small, wire cage door upward, reached in & grabbed a messenger bird. He scribbled a note, tied it to the bird & released it. He watched the pigeon disappear between the crenelated stones of the tower. He frowned as he thought of how his message would be received.

Gnomes & elves had been antagonistic toward each other for a century & King Trellin expected little to change despite the impending disaster. Trust between gnomes and elves was not a statement of fact in Anyullyn, but a series of shared suspicions monitored by many a watchful eye.

Search Your Daily Routine for God

Malachi 1:11

11 "For my name will be great among the nations, from the rising of the sun to its setting. Incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name in every place because My name will be great among the nations," says Yahweh of Hosts.

From our Sunday School Life Values study guide:

In time, people from all around the world will recognize that God is the Lord of all. No matter where the nations are in the world, God will one day be worshiped there.

***

Is there a place in the world where you can go to hide from God? Of course not! But there are places on earth where the name of Jesus Christ has never been heard but that doesn't mean God is not there. Why don't those people recognize who God is? Maybe for the same reason that people in our country don't see Him--they don't want to. Please pray that eyes will be opened to see God for who He is.

Blessings!

Jerry

Passing on Your Legacy

Good morning,

Just finished hooking up my irrigation pump this morning. It's been disconnected for 8 years. Guess what God did? It's pouring rain now! Makes me think He has a real sense of humor.

Genesis 26:2-5:

2 The Lord appeared to him and said, "Do not go down to Egypt. Live in the land that I tell you about; 3 stay in this land as a foreigner, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these lands to you and your offspring, and I will confirm the oath that I swore to your father Abraham. 4 I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky, I will give your offspring all these lands, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring, 5 because Abraham listened to My voice and kept My mandate, My commands, My statutes, and My instructions."

From our Life Values study guide:

This portion of Genesis is about Isaac, Abraham's son. At this time he was considered a foreigner in the land of Canaan, the lands that God had promised to Abraham and his descendants. God instructed him to stay put; that He would bless Isaac's offspring and also the whole world through them.

***

Do you feel blessed by God because of your father or mother? Does it seem in this passage that God is telling Isaac that he will be rewarded because of his father's faith and obedience? What about his own faith and walk with God? Not mentioned here. This might make me feel inadequate, that I couldn't live up to my father's reputation. Isaac didn't feel that way. He served God in his own right. I think that God does bless our obedience, and as our children see our example, our legacy of the blessings of God can go forward into the future in the same way that Abraham's did. Follow God, follow Jesus, let the Holy Spirit work in your life everyday.

Blessings!

Jerry

You don't have a soul, you are a soul;
you have a body.
C.S. Lewis

Build on Your Good Starts

1 Samuel 1:27-2:1

27 I prayed for this boy, and since the Lord gave me what I asked Him for 28 I now give the boy to the Lord. For as long as he lives, He is given to the Lord." Then he bowed in service to the Lord there. 2:1 Hannah prayed, "My heart rejoices in the Lord; my horn is lifted up by the Lord. My mouth boasts over my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation."

From our Life Values study guide:

Build on Good Starts-

Hannah reminded Eli of who she was and what she had prayed for. She was keeping her promise to God, to present the boy perpetually for service in the temple. The horn is a symbol of power, like the horns of an animal. She sings because she is bursting with God-news.

***

How many of you could give your child to God through his priest at the temple right after he was weaned? I can't imagine what it must have been like, but not only did Hannah present the child to Eli, but she rejoiced over it! She rejoiced over God's blessing and she made certain that she followed through on her promise. How many times have we all made promises to God and after our prayers were answered, promptly forgot to follow through? Perhaps we should all ask forgiveness for promises not kept? What we should learn from Hannah is to build on the good starts that God has blessed us with. God continued to bless Hannah with more children as she continued to serve Him. What's next for us?

May God bless you and yours,

Jerry

Sunday School Preview for May 6, 2012 College Park Baptist Church

 
Deuteronomy 6:13-15

13 Fear Yahweh your God, worship Him, and take your oaths in His name. 14 Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you, 15 for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God.

From our Life Values study guide:

We are to deeply respect God and serve Him exclusively. We are to back up promises with His name only. God's demand for sole devotion is not to protect His feelings, but to preserve our lives.

***

Do not follow the gods of the people around you. When the Israelites moved into the promised land, they were not to worship the gods of the Canaanites. They had a very difficult time obeying this command. Many of them, many times, succumbed to the temptation of the people they lived among. God expects the same of us today, wherever we live. We are to follow Him and not stray away by following those people and things in our culture that would distract us from God's expectations. God doesn't change and his expectations don't either. (And neither do many of the attractions in our world that would sidetrack us from following God.) Guard your heart and keep God first!

In Jesus' name,

Jerry

You don't have a soul, you are a soul;
you have a body.
C.S. Lewis

Awaiting Youth Group

Saturday, at our home on Dunns Creek, our church youth group (College Park Baptist in Palatka, Florida) will be learning about service to others while they help us with gardening. They are raising funds for a summer camp in Daytona Beach, so their group will receive a monetary gift to help them with the cost. The youth director, Clay Price, wants the kids to see these "work days" as more about Christian service than making money.

Some of the jobs they will be doing are: pulling weeds, transplanting flowers, and mulching flower beds. Following the work, they will be treated to a cook-out and a time to try their hand at fishing from our docks.

I pray that God will bless these young people who are planning to give up a Saturday to help with tasks that are too close to the ground for me to easily accomplish anymore.