Be Yourself.

Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. --Daniel 1:12

There’s a story told about a man who visits a church in Puerto Rico. He does not speak Spanish so he decides to do whatever the man next to him does. The Pastor starts speaking and the man sitting next to him stands so he does too. Everyone laughs. After the service the Pastor comes and asks if he speaks Spanish and the man confirms that he doesn’t. “Good,” the Pastor replies, “I announced that Tia Rosa had a baby and I asked for the father to stand” This humorous story illustrates the danger in following the lead of a person or a crowd as opposed to finding the courage to follow your beliefs.

In our scripture 4 young Hebrew boys – Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego have been asked to eat the king’s food --food that according to their religious customs had been defiled. Daniel resists and asks if they can eat their own food for ten days to prove that they will fare as well as the boys eating the king’s food. After the ten days are up, they appear to be healthier and better fed than the others. In our society the pressure to conform is great both for the young and the old. It is easier to follow the crowd and not risk being singled out, ridiculed, branded or ostracized. Trust God to fight your battles and to count your obedience as righteousness. Be yourself in the Lord and don’t let anyone cause you to deny what you know to be right.

Resist the temptation to follow the world. What the world seeks is temporary and meaningless. Set your sights on things eternal and be yourself today.

Deacon Larry Woodard

It's All Good.

“They took him and threw him into the well. The well was empty; there was no water in it. Genesis 37:24

“If it wasn’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all” is the refrain of a popular country song. We sometimes make the mistake, as Christians, of believing we can differentiate between good and bad things in our lives. As we gain a deeper understanding of the scripture and the nature of God, we begin to understand that God has the power to make even those things that are meant for evil turn into blessings.

In the scripture Joseph is thrown into a well by his brothers. Even at this low point in his life, we see the hand of God. In the 18th verse, they were actually plotting to kill him. One of his brothers (Reuben) in an attempt to save him, pleads with the others to throw him into a well. In verse 24, we learn that the well has no water in it. This begins a series of events that we would consider going from bad to worse: He is sold into captivity. From a slave, he becomes a prisoner. All this leads to him become a ruler and saving his family during a great famine. As Christians, the Biblical account of Joseph should be both inspiring and encouraging. As we face obstacle after obstacle which seem to take us deeper and deeper into despair, we should hold tight to the account of Joseph and how he was able to say after the entire ordeal, “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good…” (Genesis 50:20)

After you have prayed today, believe that whatever happens to you today God intends for it to be for good according to His will for your life.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Come Down.

And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house. Luke 19:5

As I kid I often wondered why cats got stuck in trees. After all they are great climbers and they seemed to go up the tree so effortlessly. I researched it and learned that cats have claws that curve the right way to ascend, but the wrong way to come back down if they try it head-first, which is the only way they can think to do it. As Christians, we too easily find our way into situations, but have a difficult time figuring out how to get out.

Zacchaeus climbed a tree to get a better look at Jesus. He had heard about him and wanted to see for himself. Jesus called for Zacchaeus to come out of the tree so he could go to his house. Zacchaeus went up the tree one way but came down another. As Christians, when we find ourselves in situations that we can’t extricate ourselves from, we must also listen for the voice of the Master and heed his instructions. We have to repent. We have to confess our sins. We may have to repay. So how do cats get outof trees? The same way we can get out of trouble: We have to come down looking up.

If you have climbed a tree of sin and find yourself high in its branches today and are afraid , look heavenward and find your way down.

Deacon Larry Woodard

On Earth.

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant, 1 Corinthians 13:4

When someone is not pretentious and is easily approachable, we like to say they are “down to earth”. When someone has achieved more than the average person and can back up their “talk” with their “walk”; we are pleasantly surprised and impressed when we learn they are approachable and self-effacing. When God blesses us with talents, we must learn to keep them in perspective and ourselves in check in order to continue to be useful to God and in touch with His people.

The 13th Chapter of 1 Corinthians is perhaps the most complete description of the qualities of love ever written. It describes love by the characteristics visible to the human eye. It challenges Christians by assuring us that our actions speak louder than our words. It condemns those who insist they love others but fall woefully short when held up to the reflection of true love. It is so simple that you can’t escape its indictment…love is patient; love is kind; love does not envy or boast or puff itself up. Confronted with instructions so simple it is nearly impossible for us to claim ignorance. As the Bible states, we all fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) But they will know we are Christians by our love (John 13:35)

If you have let yourself start to feel superior to others because of gifts God has given you, today would be a good day to come back down to earth.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Which Way?

There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. Proverbs 14:12

Martin Frobisher was an English explorer who sailed to the New World in search of the Northwest Passage. On two of his three trips he found what he believed to be gold ore and carried over 1,550 tons of it back to England. It turned out to be iron pirite, a worthless ore. Headed back to England with the ship’s hull heavy with the insignificant rock, Sir Martin must have been convinced he was soon to be a wealthy man. Instead he became famous for a phrase coined for his folly: Fool’s Gold! How many times do we see something that not only entices us but continues to look good after we use every test we have at our limited disposal? The Christian must be extraordinarily careful to make sure we don’t let our opinions and assessments lead us down the road to destruction.

The writer suggests that our reasoning can be faulty concerning the things of God. Our situational ethics, compromises, willingness to “turn a blind eye” and the clouding of our vision because of emotions all make us poor spiritual navigators for our souls. We must admit that if left to our own devices we will be at the least inconsistent and more than likely at odds with God’s will - - more often than not. The Bible states that we should not depend on our reasoning but instead bring everything before God who will help us be consistent. (Proverbs 3:5,6)

Today as you go about your day remember to include God in your decision making. Ask him for guidance before you decide what you believe you should do. Allow Him to direct your path.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Think Again.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8

We live in a world filled with turmoil. There are wars, the threat of terrorism is everywhere and predictions of catastrophic damage to our way of life, our country, even our world abound. Add to that our personal problems, be they physical, financial or emotional and it is understandable why sometimes it is difficult to think positively. It is important for the Christian to understand the power that comes from a positive outlook on life and from keeping our thoughts on the things of God.

In Philippians, Paul exhorts the church at Philippi to be united, joyful and to stay prayerful. He tells them that if they do, the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard their hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. It is in these words that we begin to understand that negative thoughts are divisive and positive thoughts promote unity and only a united church will prosper. Similarly, a Christian with his eyes on good things is invariably pointed in the right direction.

We all have challenges; many of you are experiencing trying times right now. My prayer for you is that you will be able to constantly remind yourself that our God is a God of peace and that His Grace is sufficient to grant you peace even in the midst of the storms of life.

If you start to have negative thoughts today…think again.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Don't Wait.

And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” Acts 8:36

I have a great procrastination story to tell you, goes an old joke, but I’ll have to get back to you in a while. It seems we are always involved following our own plans and priorities. They fill up our days, weeks and months. For the Christian, the danger is that we will crowd out God’s will, replacing it with our own. And if that is not bad enough, then we begin to ask God to help us get our plans done. Sometimes we even promise Him, in so many words, that if He will help us with our plans then we will help Him with His. If He blesses us, we will bless others. If He makes our way smooth, then it will be easier for us to serve Him. It should come to no surprise to us that the scripture says God never changes (Mal 3:6). So our attempts at defining our lives are futile. As Christians, we must work at aligning our will to God’s.

In the 8th chapter of Acts, the Ethiopian Eunuch upon hearing the Gospel, asks to be baptized right away in the first body of water he sees. The response of the Ethiopian to the Word of God should guide our actions as well. There are so many things fighting for our attention at our jobs, in our homes, our communities and the world at large. But God wants us to seek the Kingdom of Heaven first and then everything else will come in an ordered way that is ordained by God.

Consider God today and put it in front of everything else you do.

May God grant you the Peace that passes all understanding.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Wake Up.

Are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." (Mark 14:37)

A comedian once said, “I can never seem to sleep as comfortably at home as I do at church” This humorous story becomes tragic when we really think about the consequences of not being available for use by God because we are not paying attention at the very time we could be useful. The Christian is called on to watch as well as pray (Luke 21:36) and to work while it is day (John 9:4) The Bible puts a high premium on being ready when it is time to take action.

In Mark’s account of Jesus, Peter, James and John in the Garden of Gethsemane; it was drawing close to the hour when Jesus would be arrested and put on trial and he had asked the disciples to watch while he went to pray. They couldn’t stay awake so he admonished them and made the statement about the flesh being weak. We must realize that in our current state as physical beings, we lack what we need to fight spiritual battles by ourselves. Waking up requires that we put our trust, confidence and faith in God to provide us with the spiritual nourishment we need to stand during our periods of test and trial. If we attempt it on our own, we like the disciples will fall short of what is required to stand the test. Don’t ever attempt to confront your obstacles without praying for the help to overcome them.

Before you begin your day in earnest, pray for the strength to overcome the limitations of the flesh. Stay awake today.


Deacon Larry Woodard

Alignment

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. (Acts 2:14)

George Labovitz and Victor Rosansky wrote a business book entitled The Power of Alignment. In it they propose that once a business has the proper “alignment” i.e. the proper relationship between strategy, processes, people, and customers, it will maximize operations and profit. In the Bible, Peter when on his own, denies Jesus three times (Mark 14:69-72) The third time he even adds a swear word to bring authenticity and greater believability to his denial. However, in the relatively short period between the crucifixion of Jesus and His resurrection, Peter somehow becomes sufficiently convinced and strengthened to boldly claim his relationship with Jesus and publicly preach the gospel. As the authors of the Power of Alignment talk about “alignment” they describe a complicated process by likening it to landing a plane where air speed, altitude, angle of approach, wind speed, direction and a host of other things affect how the pilot must adjust the plane. For the Christian alignment simply means connecting to the power of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.

After Peter and the Disciples encounter the Holy Spirit in the upper room on the Day of Pentecost everything changes. They are now in proper alignment and they no longer are thinking about self preservation or the opposition of the crowd. Now they see souls that need to be saved. Now they see the opportunity to spread the Good News. Now they see work that needs to be done. Now they are in agreement about the job at hand. Everything becomes clear as we focus on prayer and are properly aligned to God, through Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. As Christians, we must always understand that God cannot be pulled into service for us that we rather must be aligned to service for God.

Today consider the impact of your activity. Are you falling short of accomplishing the tasks you set out to do? Are you finding yourself angry to the point of pointing fingers at others? Do you find yourself ready to quit and do something else? Check your alignment with God through prayer.

How To Be Blessed.

21 the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. Genesis 39: 21-23

We like to believe that everything we get we consider good is a blessing. When we have material gain for example, we like to believe it is of God and we protect it at all costs. As Christians we have to be careful. Nothing is worth compromising our walk with God.

In the 39th chapter of Genesis, Joseph is prospering even while in captivity. He is head of Potiphar’s household and has the trust of Potiphar to run the house as if it were his own. This unprecedented freedom must have seemed to Joseph as if he were rich and powerful. When Potiphar’s wife begins to pursue Joseph, he attempts to reason with her and avoid her until finally she corners him and aggressively propositions him. She grabs his clothes and Joseph runs away to flee the temptation. Potiphar’s wife claims Joseph tried to rape her and he again loses everything and is thrown into prison. Where God promptly begins to bless him.

Even if we think there is no good way out of a situation, there is never a situation where it is okay to relax your Christian values. Our greatest temptations in this life will come when we are trying to hold on to the things of the world and to the things of God at the same time. God has made a stand; He will not accept our service of God and the things of this world. The world has made a stand; opportunity only knocks once. If the blessing is from God, it can come again and again and again.

Trust in God who can bless you in any situation.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Learn to Wait.

I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined to me, and heard my cry. Psalm 40:1

The idea of waiting has been lost in this generation. We call the 21 century the “Information Age” With the internet, the cell phone, services like Push to Talk, text messaging and satellite TV. We can no longer wait for anything. We will pass up a good meal for the drive thru because it is instant. We microwave because apparently fire is now too slow. As Christians, we must guard ourselves from letting the failings of this present age seep into our spiritual lives. Our inability to be patient might hurt us in our secular lives, but it is altogether inconsistent with a relationship with God. God never changes and works in His time,not ours.

David endured many trials. His experience with God involved years of patience. When God anointed him King he was still a boy, tending sheep for his father’s Jessie. It was 15 years before he would become a king and 5 more years before he would be king of all Israel. When you pray and wait on God’s deliverance, you are displaying trust. God never fails and when he acts it is complete and perfect. As Psalm 40 continues, David describes how God sets his “feet on a rock” and puts “A new song in my mouth”. As we face trials, obstacles and ongoing struggles in our lives, it is imperative we pray and trust. But it is also important to remember to learn to wait. When God answers our prayers, in His own time, we will not only be able to rejoice but our faith and resolve will have been strengthened and we will be stronger for the next battle.

Be strong in the Lord,

Deacon Larry Woodard

Real Real.

Test everything. Hold on to the good.1 Thessalonians 5:21

According to published reports in the mid 1980’s U.S. Intelligence discovered that North Korea had acquired a sophisticated printing press called the intaglio. The press is similar to the ones the US uses to print money. The US government believes North Korea has been using this press to print counterfeit money so high quality it fools experts. Millions of the fake dollars officially known as Note Family – C14342 are believed to have been circulated worldwide. As Christians, we must be careful to make sure we are followjng sound doctrine.

Listening is a passive act. There is no action required. If you are within earshot of something being said, the sound reaches you. Reading, studying, praying and seeking out instruction all require action on the part of the believer. We live in a world filled to overflowing with ideas, theories, philosophies and doctrines. Many of these are contrary to the teachings of the Bible and ultimately lead to destruction. Make sure before you accept what is being said you test it against the word of God and try it by the Holy Spirit which is within you.

My prayer for you today is that you become an active rather than passive Christian.

Deacon Larry