CAMPFIRE MESSAGES from Pastors & Ministers of ICCAN

Comment

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on August 13, 2012 at 5:00pm

Please visit us at COWBOY COUNTRY CHURCH

JUST FOR TODAY: Do you Love to live? Do you desire to live a long time and have many good days? If so, read on and adhere to the following advise. Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; instead of looking for trouble, seek peace and chase after it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do good and He pays attention to their cry; the face of the Lord will be against you if you do evil. If you do good, the Lord will hear your cry and deliver you from ALL of your troubles. You may do good and still have many troubles, but God will deliver you from them all. The Lord redeems His servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in Him!! (Psalms 34:12-22) ~Walker

Comment by Pastor Lynn Kirkland on August 13, 2012 at 7:38am

Joh 11:1 A man named Lazarus, who lived in Bethany, became sick. Bethany was the town where Mary and her sister Martha lived.
Joh 11:2 (This Mary was the one who poured the perfume on the Lord's feet and wiped them with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was sick.)
Joh 11:3 The sisters sent Jesus a message:
"Lord, your dear friend is sick."
Joh 11:4 When Jesus heard it, he said, "The final result of this sickness will not be the death of Lazarus; this has happened in order to bring glory to God, and it will be the means by which the Son of God will receive glory."

Comment by Shane and Denise Jeter on August 13, 2012 at 5:25am

Apples of Gold, a devotional in Rhyme

August 13
Deuteronomy 15:7
"If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother."

Harden not thine heart
When you see the poor
The Lord will not be pleased
Nor bless you any more

For if you close your eyes
Or if you turn your back
It won't be long before
It's you that suffers lack

 

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on August 12, 2012 at 7:40pm

Please visit us at COWBOY COUNTRY CHURCH

JUST FOR TODAY: Oh, what JOY!! We can rejoice in God through Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. We are no longer enemies but FRIENDS of God!! With Joy we can now go boldly to His Throne with all of our petitions and prayers, with Joy we know that God hears and answers our prayers, with Joy we now can have a Loving Relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with Joy we understand and obtain His Mercy, His Grace, and His Righteousness!! PEACE AND JOY...."for sin shall not be your master." because you are not under law, but under Grace!!! (Romans 6:14) JOY, JOY, JOY, JOY, DOWN IN MY HEART...... ~Walker

Comment by Shane and Denise Jeter on August 12, 2012 at 11:28am

Apples of Gold, a devotional in Rhyme

August 12
1 Corinthians 2:14
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

The natural man can't understand
The wonderful things of God
For they need the Holy Spirit
Through these truths to trod

You must be born again
To get this perfect vision
So for Jesus today
Please make your decision

 

Comment by Shane and Denise Jeter on August 11, 2012 at 9:26am

Apples of Gold, a devotional in Rhyme

August 11
1 Corinthians 1:18
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."

Some call preaching foolishness
And do not want to hear it
We need to pray for those
The conviction of the Holy Spirit

But to us which are saved
It is power indeed
To strengthen and protect us
In our hour of need

 

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on August 10, 2012 at 9:29pm

Please visit us at COWBOY COUNTRY CHURCH

JUST FOR TODAY: Is there any room in your life right now for God's Son?? Is He having His wonderful way with you or have you carefully pushed Him to the side?? If you are guilty of ignoring God, chances are your life is a total wreck at this very moment. Do you really want a better life? Do want the very best that life has to offer? Then make room for Jesus right now- time and room for quiet, Holy Fellowship and oneness with the Father. There is absolutely FREE Hope, Grace, and Righteousness in Him. ~Walker

Comment by Don Adkisson on August 10, 2012 at 10:32am

"Don't ask me what's going on in the country.... Sometimes I just don't know what to think anymore...don't know what to say. All I know is that we seem to be getting away from decency and beauty and all the real values that made this country."

--John Wayne (interview, April 6, 1975)

"I am afraid that we in the church are making a great mistake by trying to make Christianity popular and pleasant. We have taken the cross away and substituted cushions."

--Billy Graham

What is the world is going on? Sometimes I wake up and wonder if I am really living in America. Has the American dream turned into a nightmare? I guess not if you are a welfare recipient and have no desire to work. When did this turmoil, this degradation, and reprobation begin? Now I am a realist and no matter what happens here it is only multiplied in other countries.

In my old age and in the few years that I have been around, ahem, I have noticed one very glaring change that has taken place. In trying to ponder so many reasons, I believe I have narrowed the problem down to one and the others may emanate from it, be a by-product of it, or simply a model or copy of it. That one glaring issue is this: Christians, and the church, have allowed the world to conform us to its image instead of allowing the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to transform us to the image of Christ.

No longer is there the great admonition of "be separate," "be holy." Those words are now frowned upon in many Christian circles. The church in America is succumbing to the very same thing that the people of Israel did, they became like those around them. What was once sin, and forbid we should use that term, is now only a failure for, after all, we're only human.

Perhaps we could look at the decade of the 1960s and into the '70s for the foundational change. The mood was anti-establishment, anti-system, a spirit of selfishness began to prevail. My rights, my freedoms, my life, became the cry and Christians sooner or later began to get involved in the same selfish attitude. Even though words of sacrifice, service, and ministry were thrown around there were often there to goad on one's ego.

Some of these people are tremendously involved in philanthropic works, but again for what reason? I read something from the late Tony Snow the other day that shows true Christianity, Christianity that is making a difference primarily in the spirit and soul of man and it will be this that can carry man through the evil days that are darkening the earth. Snow stated, "Christianity is making converts, especially in places and congregations that take Scripture seriously--and joyously."

In this world of evil, remember it is under the control of Satan, a person had better be grounded in the Word of God and not only recognize, but practice the things therein.

D. Adkisson

"and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars. But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done? Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out before you; but they will become as thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you."

--Judges 2:2-3 (NAS)

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on August 10, 2012 at 9:17am

JUST FOR TODAY: The Bible tells us that our old sinful nature was crucified on the cross with Jesus, that the body of sin might be done away with, and that we should no longer be slaves to sin and death. (Romans 6:6) It is the greatest moment in your life when you make the decision that sin must die in you; not restrained, not suppressed or counteracted, but crucified and KILLED just like Jesus died for the sin of the world. You must allow God to search you until you know exactly what the nature and level of sin is in your life. What is sin anyway?? Sins are the things that struggle against the Spirit of God...the things that fight against God's will. Then you must "reckon yourself to be dead indeed to sin" (Romans 6:11). That's when you, like Paul, can say, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me...." (Galations 2:20) I pray that Christ lives in you today. ~Walker

Comment by Pastor Lynn Kirkland on August 10, 2012 at 7:41am

Col 3:2  Keep your minds fixed on things there, not on things here on earth.
Col 3:3  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Col 3:4  Your real life is Christ and when he appears, then you too will appear with him and share his glory!

Comment by Shane and Denise Jeter on August 10, 2012 at 5:31am

Apples of Gold, a devotional in Rhyme

August 10
Romans 16:17
"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the docrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."

Would God tell you to avoid someone
Oh, yes indeed He would
For if they are causing division and strife
He knows they will do you no good

Not only should you avoid them
But mark them as well
For you surely don't want to follow them
Into the fiery pits of hell

 

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on August 9, 2012 at 5:06pm

Please visit us at COWBOY COUNTRY CHURCH

JUST FOR TODAY: None of us every "enjoys" being chastized, corrected, or repremanded by God. It seems very grievous to us at the time that it comes, but afterward we realize that it brings the "peaceable fruit of righteousness" into our lives when He "excercises" us with His chastening. (Hebrews 12:11) If your world is falling apart and you think God is responsible for it, you must do four things ASAP: Humble yourself and confess your wrongdoings, Pray about it, seek the face of God (look to Him to restore a Loving Relationship), and Repent (turn away) from your sin. God will respond in three ways: He will hear your cries for help, He is Faithful to Forgive you, and He will Heal the circumstances He created due to your disobedience. (2 Chronicles 7:13-14) These principles will work for an individual, a church, or a nation. Please, please pray for the USA. ~Walker

Comment by Don Adkisson on August 9, 2012 at 1:16pm

"Somewhere up ahead were towns where he had never been, country he had never seen. The trail stretched out before him, a line of possibilities worn in the sand."

--Louis L'Amour

"Well, a man can't spend his life in reflection,

Just thinkin' about the way things used to be,

So I'm going to take myself a new direction

And make myself some brand new memories."

--Chris LeDoux

I wrote about choices we have made in the past. Some of them were life-changing, some of them were maybe disastrous, and some of them may have left some scars--physical, emotional, and mental. Too often, I believe, we spend time looking at those choices and the consequences of them. Sure they are part of our lives and they helped bring us to this point on the trail. And that is the point!

We are to reflect on the past, remember the past, for that is seen over and over again in the Scriptures. However, we are not to dwell there; we are not to let the past control our lives. Reflection of the past should be the lessons learned, the character that was developed, the realization of what happened and how to avoid it again. Those choices that took us down the wrong trail in life are to be learned and now avoided.

I recall the story of a young man who wanted to be a cowboy. He was finally given his chance. One day, in the monotony of every day affairs he sort of snoozed, went to sleep on the jobs and a group of cows escaped and were never recovered. That cost the owner money. The boy told the foreman that he was going to quit and would leave the next morning. The foreman saw the making of a man in this youngster and said that all men have made mistakes in their lifetimes. If he had the opportunity in the same situation what would he do? The young boy said that he would stay awake and do his job! The foreman said then for him to put the notion of quitting aside. Learn from his mistakes and go on with life.

One of the greatest dangers of life is to let the past control us today. Sure, sometimes we still feel the effects of those decisions, but the worse thing we can do is quit and live there. There may be some disqualifications from past actions, but that does not mean a person is disqualified from life. That is what the enemy of your soul would have you believe.

The reflections that you have from the choices you made should make you into a better person. Living in that choice, getting caught up in the agony of past decisions does nothing to aid your progress today. Perhaps it is time to make some "brand new memories." There are places still yet to go, things to do and accomplish. Far too often we take the words of Paul too lightly when he says that we are a new creation.

D. Adkisson

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

--2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

Comment by Pastor Lynn Kirkland on August 9, 2012 at 7:20am

Joh 10:10  The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life---life in all its fullness.

Comment by Shane and Denise Jeter on August 9, 2012 at 5:24am

Apples of Gold, a devotional in Rhyme

August 9
Acts 10:34
"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons."

God is no respecter of persons
Whether rich or poor
His only concern
Is that we love Him more and more

So do not judge your brother
Based on worldly success
And don't compare them to yourself
Whether they have more or less

 

Comment by Don Adkisson on August 8, 2012 at 5:02pm

"You don't let the situation get out of hand, you don't let it boss your around. You take charge of the situation, no matter what's going on around you. You take command of yourself. You make the decisions you need to make, based on the best knowledge and training and heart you have...and then you live with the results."

--H. Jay Riker

"We define ourselves by our actions, and we do that every single day, in a hundred tiny choices made by thousands of people at every moment. Tell the truth. Work hard. Don't be discouraged. Help your buddy. Tend your duty. Believe. Obey."

--Ed Ruggero

We are constantly in the process of making choices. Why even not making a choice is making a choice. When I reflect on my life I can see some choice I made that altered my life--changed the direction that I was or was not taking. Some of those choices loom large in the scope of my life. These are not common, and come around only, thank the Lord, a few times in one's life, but they do confront us from time-to-time.

Most of our choices and decisions are not on that scale, however, but even in a normal day there may be a situation that arises. There will required a choice. We often stew and fret questioning whether we made the right choice. Often, the simple disobedience makes a simple choice into a major situation. For example, whether or not to drink and drive. Easy, simple choice, but if a person does not adhere to the principles of God's Word then havoc can result.

A few days ago I wrote about character. If you truly want to see a person's character then look at their choices. No only in the big things but in the common, ordinary things of the day. Look and see how many thieves are among us. Thieves? Sure, there are so many who steal time from their employers, or more serious, that steal time from God. So, you want to see character, look at how they treat the everyday situations that arise. Look at their actions and their reactions to the situations of life--they you will truly see their character.

To make right choices it is imperative to know God's Word. In knowing, obeying, believing, disciplining oneself in the Word is the way to make right choices whether they are daily decisions or life-changing ones. The situation should not dictate the choice; the principles that are founded solid in our soul should dictate the choice. It is also important to remember that refusing to make choices dooms you to two things: 1) someone will make them for you; and 2) you will lose control of your life.

D. Adkisson

"Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path."

--Psalm 119:105 (HCSB)

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on August 8, 2012 at 3:01pm

Please visit us at COWBOY COUNTRY CHURCH

JUST FOR TODAY: "LET US CONSIDER HOW WE MAY SPUR ONE ANOTHER ON TOWARD LOVE AND GOOD DEEDS." ~Hebrews 10:24. When God tells us to "consider" something that means that we better be thinking about it. How long has it been since you "considered" or thought of ways your could "spur" or drive yourself AND others on to a Loving Relationship and on into doing good deeds. Gentle nudges with spurs can urge folks to move in the right direction but beware of harsh hookin' folks with spurs; you might have a big fight on your hands or drive them away instead of heading them in the right direction. That's why you must always use your head before you use your spurs. Let's be gentle with one another out there. ~Walker  

Comment by Pastor Lynn Kirkland on August 8, 2012 at 7:37am

Mar 9:23 Jesus replied, "Why do you say 'if you can'? Anything is possible for someone who has faith!"

Comment by Shane and Denise Jeter on August 8, 2012 at 5:27am

Apples of Gold, a devotional in Rhyme

August 8
Luke 9:62
"...No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

Once you've started out
On the narrow way
There should be no looking back
No turning away

For as Peter said
Lord where would we go
For the way of truth and life
Only you, Jesus know

 

Comment by Lynn D. Walker on August 7, 2012 at 2:14pm

Please visit us at COWBOY COUNTRY CHURCH
JUST FOR TODAY: Because of one man's sin (Adam), you were born a sinner and given the free gift of DEATH. Not a very good present, huh? On the other hand, through one man's obedience to God on the Cross, you are given the much better gift of GRACE and RIGHTEOUSNESS. Grace and Righteousness have great power, but the only way you activate them is by your Faith in Jesus Christ. You didn't earn them and you don't deserve them, but you can recieve them AND the Power that comes with them through Faith!! Energy (Power) without direction is chaos. Stay focused on the one who gave you Grace and Righteousness and the Power within them will take you where you want to go in this life and all the way to eternal life!! (Romans 5:17) ~Walker

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