Do You Know What Slop Is?

When I was a boy on the farm in Alabama we used to feed the pigs left over scrapes, etc. We called it "slopping the hogs." It wasn't the most pleasant looking food but the hogs didn't seem to mind. But for me, slop was nasty. Can you imagine eating something like that?

In Luke 15: 11-24 we have the story of the prodigal son. This was a young man that left home to "find himself." He asked his dad for his inheritance and took off for new adventures. Well, his adventures led him to the pig pen. He spent all of his inheritance and got to the point that he had to take a job "slopping" the hogs. From riches to the pig pen. Things got so bad that he was thinking about eating some of the slop. This young man had sunk to the bottom.

Sometimes it is when we are at the bottom of our life that we come to our senses as the prodigal son did. He said I'll go back home and see if my dad will hire me as one of his servants. He was willing to now serve, instead of receive. When his dad saw him coming he ran to him and gave him a big hug, a robe to wear, and threw him a big party.

Have you ever been in the pig pen? Has your life sunk so low that you felt like there was no hope, that you had made such a mess of things that you might as well end it all? Well, I've got good news for you. God wants to give you a big hug, clean you up, put a new robe on you, and throw you a party. All you have to do is confess your pig pen ways, believe that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead, and you shall be saved.

What are you willing to do? The Father is looking down the road for you to come home.

'Til the storm passes,

Pastor Gary

Peace At Last

In his book, Day by Day, Billy Graham shares this insight into peace...

"The sea was beating against the rocks in huge, dashing waves. The lightning was flashing, the thunder was roaring, the wind was blowing; but the little bird wsas asleep in the crevice of the rock, its head serenely under its wing, sound asleep. That is peace -- to be able to sleep in the storm! In Christ, we are relaxed and at peace in the midst of the confusion, bewilderments, and perplexities of life. The storm rages, but our hearts are at rest. We have found peace -- at last!" (Romans 14: 19)

In Christ, there is peace. Not only peace, but lasting peace. Peace that is there when I hurt, am lonely, struggling. He is my hope and my peace.

'Til the storm passes,

Pastor Gary

Not My Strength

There is a verse in Zechariah 4 that offers encouragement to God's children. It says, "Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, saith the Lord of hosts" (v.6).

Sometimes we struggle with waiting. We live in a microwave society that wants things to happen right away. We want answers, solutions, resolutions, etc. now. I think we have been so accustomed to having so much readily available to us that when it's necessary to "wait upon the Lord" we have a hard time. One of the things we need to understand is that God does things in His time, not ours.

I like what Paul the apostle said. "When I am weak, then I am strong." Our strength is not in our capabilities, but in God's. If we can learn to wait on God, we will find that it was worth the wait.

'Til the storm passes,

Pastor Gary

What Can Be Done About Our Past?

The Bible Says that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever more. It also means that His Word is the same as He is. This means that the Word you read today is able to heal your yesterday. One of the most difficult healings is our past. Our closets are full of past hurts, mistakes, unforgiveness, etc.

What can be done about our past? It depends on our past. ! John 1: 9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins." If you have bitterness towards someone, connect with them, forgive, confess your bitterness, and ask God for healing. If you've done something in your past that you are having a hard time forgiving yourself for, rest assured that God's forgiveness takes care of it. Accept that and move on. I know it's hard for us to forget but with God's forgiveness comes assurance that we can move on in our life.

God's Word today works for healing on yesterday's hurts. As the song says, "Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey."

'Til the storm passes,

Pastor Gary

Debt Free: Is It Only A Dream?

Is it possible to be out of debt? The answer is yes. I want to introduce you to a good book by Dave Ramsey called "The Total Money Makeover." It describes in seven plain and simple steps how to get out of debt and stay out. It's not a scheme or a quick fix. Depending on how far in debt you are depends on how long it will take to get out of debt. The idea is to take one baby step at a time. The very first thing you must do is set up a written budget each month. This is truly a must. All your income must be budgeted so you don't over spend. And, QUIT BORROWING! Your days of going in debt are over....... Now, here are the baby steps:

1. Save $1000 Cash as a Starter Emergency Fund

2. Start the Debt Snowball by paying off one debt at a time starting with the smallest and paying the minimum on the other debts.

3. Finish the emergency fund. Save enough in case your income stops for 6 months.

4. Invest 15% of Your Income in Retirement

5. Save for college (if you have kids at home). If not, skip this step.

6. Pay Off your Home Mortgage

7. Build Wealth

Now these are very simple directions. You need to read all the detail for each step plus debt myths in detail. Read the book and if you really want to get out of debt, get to work.

Hope this helps. Also check out Dave Ramsey's website: www.daveramsey.com.

Have a blessed day,

Pastor Gary

God's Way Is The Only Way

Jesus said, "I am the way," meaning to eternal life. There is only one way to heaven and it is God's way. Many people live "good" lives but have never accepted Christ as their Savior. They are trying to get to heaven their way, but it's not going to work.
Charles Stanley said, "We cannot begin to build a truth-based life until we accept God's way as the only way."

Have a blessed day.

Pastor Gary