Sharing our light

Rain, rain go away!! I wish we could be saying that around our part of the world. Hopefully you are not experiencing our drought in your city. Hope your week was a good one full of laughter and joy.

Being out of town over the weekend, can't report on our Saturday activities, others will have to share their experiences.

Mondays and Wednesdays continue to be a blessing to us all. There was a nice article in our local newspaper about our afternoon activities, hopefully you all got to read it. If not, go to our Facebook page and you can find the link there.

Tuesday evening, the men of the community gathered for a time of reflection and conversations about how God is moving in their lives. Brother George led the evening continuing our conversations about darkness and light. We were challenged to spread the light of Jesus to all we come in contact with.

Thursday evening, was full of fun and families. A smaller than normal crowd got together in the chapel to hear Spencer lead the music and listened to Brother George share the Word. Brother George's church provided the meal. The Market and clothing room were steady with our community shopping all evening long.

Next Tuesday evening, Momma T and Ms Abbie will begin a new community women's Bible study based on the movie War Room. Come and join them at 6:30 in the Friendship room.

Our Fall Fest will be October 29th. Lots of games, food and music will be happening and we need your help to make it all happen. Set up will be around 4 and we need to clean up after wards.

Prayers for Ginellen. She had her doctor's visit Tuesday and unfortunately another surgery will take place. The doctor was encourage at her progress. He wants to get her completely healed, so he needs to do some more work on her to make it happen. Surgery will be next Friday the 23rd. 

Sharing the light. What is that, how do we do it, what does it look like? I clicked on search for references of light in the Bible, 9000 references came up! That's exaggeration of course, but obviously light is important to God!

I read starting in Genesis 1:3, God said let there be light and there was light. Then in verse 4, God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God likes light, doesn't like darkness!

When we choose to turn over our lives to Christ, the light in our souls begins to glow. As we become more in tune in God's ways, His Word, the light will grow stronger. As our light becomes brighter, we are commanded to shine our light so others can see it. In Matthew 5: 15, Luke 8: 16, Luke 11:33, all basically say the same thing, no one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden. Instead they put it on its stand so that those who come in may see the light.

When I first began to follow the ways of Christ, I was always scared to share my faith with others. Then I realized, my actions sometimes speak louder than words! I did not have to preach to someone about God, I could show. You can do the same. Some of us have the gift of words and can use them to share their light, but others do not, so show them! Giving out hugs increases the light, a smile will brighten the day, a word of encouragement with bring about hope. The simple things in life often make the greatest impact. One light, combined with other lights will drown out the darkness.

What good is it for us to hide our lights of Christ so no one else can see it? It does the Kingdom of God no good. We must continue to go out, get out of our comfort zones, go beyond what is expected of us, be bold in our faith and do the unthinkable and lvoe others as Christ has lvoed us! Guaranteed blessings will flow both for us and for those who get to experience our lights of Christ! Amen.

Hope you all have a great week. Let's get out and share the light of Christ with others to brighten their day and ours!

Ok to say No!

God is good . . .  all the time! He was good in our part of the world what about yours?

Leaving early on Saturday, I did not get see all of what God was up to. I did get to share with Momma T and her friend about some exciting plans for our prayer garden. The basketball team was busy practicing, our visits with our outdoor friends were happening, a good morning.

Mondays and Wednesdays continue to bring joy to us all. A great group of children gather to become part of our community. Snacks, exercises, reading, more snacks, games all happen every day. We could always use your help. Come and join us.

Tuesday evening, we celebrated National Night Out around our center. Thanks to Joey, Ardis, Vickie and Ms Abbie, we had a great time. There was good food, lively conversations, Bible study, basketball, music all happening in and around the center. A good evening of getting to know some of our neighbors.

A large turnout of community gathered for our Thursday activities. Willie and Ms Abbie got chapel started off by singing and praising God for 45 minutes! There were no words to see, but there were songs in our hearts. We sang and played until it was past time to go! George's church provided a yummy meal. We had friends from Centenary's lacrosse team and a fraternity helping us serve and clean up. We had Pastor Juan calling out the numbers for our Market as Joey checked them off the list. The clothing room stayed busy all night long. It was exhausting but a blessing to be a part of the evening.

Praises for Chuck and his wife Corrianne on the birth of their baby early Thursday morning! John Henry Taylor III weighed in at 7 pounds and 12 ounces!

Prayers for Lisa and her family as they gather for the celebration of the life of her mom this weekend. Prayers for safe travel as the Hunters travel to Dallas this weekend for their grandson's 4th birthday party.

Are we too busy to do God's work? I hear that all the time from folks involved in church. I sing in the choir, teach Sunday School, lead Bible study, have my small group, joined the men's or women's group, mentor the youth, go to work, take the kids to soccer practice, go to football games, attend dance recitals, where does it end? I hear, I don't have time to sit still and listen to God's quiet voice!

All those activities are good, don't get me wrong, but where does it end? Do we become exhausted, or burned out in trying to do God's work? Or is it of God?

When I first turned my life over to Christ, I did everything. I never said no to any request from the church. How could I? Someone from church, your pastor or a Bible teacher or a church friend, how can you say no? Doing church "stuff" is what we are suppose to be doing isn't it? I am not involved in activities I shouldn't be doing, but I was being a good little boy by doing all my church "stuff".

But at some point, you realize you can't do it all. We are part of a body, the hands, the ears, the toes, something but we are not whole part. We have to go to God and say, God what do you want me to do to build your Kingdom? What part do you want me to play? We often play the part we think we ought to be doing and ask God to help us. It should be the other way around. If we try to do it all, we do an injustice to someone else who is trying to be a part of the body.

It is hard to say no to your pastor or your church friend, but it is ok, they won't think less of you. It's ok not be on every committee at the church, people will still respect you just the same. We need to go to God first, not last, and ask where do you need me God? We need to be still and listen to that quiet voice and hear our answers. Then we need to perform our tasks. Amazing things will happen. Blessings will abound for you and God's Kingdom. Amen.

Let us take time this week to pray, listen and respond. Guaranteed the light of Christ will be the brightest it every has been in you! Have a blessed week.

What does your darkness look like?

Hope your week was full of joy and blessings. God is so good to us all!

A full Saturday of activities got our week started off right. Scott had a large group of nursing students join him on our outdoor friends visits. The group was led by none other than our long time friend, Icee Joe! I guess now we will have to begin to call him Nurse Joe or Dr Joe! Great to see Joe. Robert has lost hope in moving inside and is asking for a larger tent to combat the rain and cold weather coming. If you hear of someone having a 2 or 3 person tent, please let Scott or Brian know. Bread was wrapped, basketball team was fed, John and his group of servants worked on the Bright House II, a good morning to serve the Lord!

Monday and Wednesdays continue to be a blessing to us all. A big group of children join us each day wanting to eat, learn, play and be lvoed! A great time. Please join us between 3 - 5 and experience what God has given us to treasure and lvoe.

Tuesday evening, Brother George led our men's Bible fellowship by talking about light and darkness. The discussion was awesome, reading from Acts 26:18. Brother George asked us, what is your darkness? Never thought about that before? 

Thursday evening was a treat as usual. Chapel time was led by our own Tim and Ms Abbie. Tim talked about serving God. If we are not serving God than we are serving something else. Allison prepared the meal of lasagna, salad and watermelon, delicious. The clothing room and Market were busy all night long. We had lots of new faces from the community joining us for the evening. A great evening of laughter, joy and blessings.

Following our meal, Lisa held a short, yea, Board meeting! Lots going on. Our Board is busy attending classes, speaking to groups, involving other organizations with us, all very exciting. Our new newsletter will be going out shortly. A new servant booklet is going to print. Groups coming in. Classes starting up for our community, something for everybody! If you have a unique fundraising idea, let Lisa know. 

Prayers for the families who lost their love ones at the community college in Oregon. Don't understand why things like this happen? Prayers for Lisa and her family as they celebrate the life of her mother, next weekend, October 10th. If you want to do something for Lisa, please let Ardis or Momma T know.

This coming Tuesday evening, October 6th, the men's fellowship will again host National Night Out starting at 6. Hot dogs and all the fixins will be provided. Come and join us, hopefully meet some of our neighbors. Let Joey know if you have any questions.

Brother George, said his darkness and my darkness may not look the same?  I have been thinking about that statement all week long.  Each man was asked, what does darkness look like to you? Some said, not a place where I want to be or go. Others said, not of God. As I thought about that statement, I blurted out, I have been living in darkness and never knew it! That was scary.

I was raised in Lake Charles, attended First Methodist Church growing up. We went to the 8:30 service, sat in the balcony. Not sure why we sat there, maybe so I wouldn't disturb the others? Always enjoyed communion Sundays because the preacher didn't talk so long! Went to Sunday School after the service. Went by and picked up Aunt Merdie and Uncle Ed, no relations to us, just friends of my parents, that's what we called them. My younger sister and I would ride in the very back of the station wagon and we all went for a ride. Stopped for lunch somewhere, drove around some more and back home. We went to Wednesday night suppers at the church. I rode my bicycle to church during the week to see what the youth pastor was up to. Joined the Boy Scout troop at the church. My daddy sold some stock he got from his daddy and bought the church their first set of hand bells. I guess since my daddy bought the bells I was required to play them! We went around the state playing at different churches, once staying at Centenary. When I share my story, I say, when I graduated from high school and when away to college, I also graduated from religion.

Not until one Saturday, over 20 years ago, around noon, in the parking lot outside of the Grace offices on Bert Kouns, after attending a discovering your spiritual gifts class given by Pete, right before I got into my truck, I said to God, ok God I am yours, do what you want with me, did the scales begin to be removed from eyes and I began to see the light. I was living in darkness and didn't even know it.

It is easy to see some who are living in darkness by their actions, like the person in Oregon, a drug addict, an alcoholic, those living in prisons, darkness is their lives. But what about the person sitting next to you in church, teaching Sunday School, singing in the choir, serving the poor, working with the youth, are they living in darkness? Do they know they are living in darkness? I didn't.

I thought from experiences growing up in church, if I didn't kill anybody, didn't need a drink to get through the day, didn't use drugs, didn't fight, if I went to church, I was a good person and that was all I needed to do.

In the verse in Acts 26:18, it says, "to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God . . " I think the great deceiver is doing a great job. Satan is happy for us to go to church and then go home. What good is that? When does the hungry get fed?

Common Ground was founded on servants, shinning not their lights but the light of Christ. Common Ground continues to become a vital part of God's Kingdom because of those of you who now come, leading the way with Christ's light shinning through you. Common Ground is not about us but about God. This is God's Kingdom not ours. 

Over the past 20 years I have seen pastors come and go. !00% of the pastors love what we do and what we are about. All say, this is church. And all struggle with getting folks to join in to building God's Kingdom. When something is presented to their congregations to get them involved, the majority of the response, oh no, here is something else to add to my list of to dos!

For me, when I began to see the light inside of me get brighter and brighter, I couldn't do enough for Christ! We need to help others realize, the light of Christ that is them needs to be their center point and lead them in their journeys, not the other way around.Amen.

Have a great week. Hope you can make it by the center and experience God's blessings. If you are far away, please continue to pray for us. Thank you all for being the light of Christ in your part of the world!

Do you need a sign?

We are in the fall season, or so it says on the calendar. Our weather still believes it is summer! Hopefully you have gotten to experience some fall in your part of the world.

Being gone this past Saturday, don't have much to report on. Basketball, bread, visits, garden work all continued.

Monday and Wednesday afternoons you will find us busy with our children. Allison puts out a nice spread of healthy snacks for the children to enjoy when they arrive. Joey leads the children in a time of prayer. Chuck gets them to do some exercises. Then they break into small groups for their reading training. Great to see so many friends willing to take their time out to help our children. You will find groups of children in just about every room of the building!

Tuesday evening, Noel led the men's Bible fellowship reading from Colossians 1. Paul writes to the church in verse 3 and 4 saying, "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God's people." Isn't that nice to be thought of like that, a community made up of believers and lvoing others! Sounds like you all!

Thursday was filled with a packed house. Being the end of the month, there were no room in the inn! Chapel was full as we listened to Brother Chester and a new friend from another community, the Yellow House. Bryce led us in music and praise. We had Matt's nephew and his friends from Barksdale Air Force Base cook our meal, serve and cleaned up afterwards. Then we had Centenary men's basketball team join us to help out in the Market and work with our boys on the court. We had a nice visit with Pastor Juan's father, who was in town for a short visit. It was a packed house, full of joy and excitement. As one of our pastors would say, this was church!

Please keep Lisa and her family in your prayers as they deal with the passing of her mom. With family all over the country, the funeral will not be until Saturday, October 10th in Ringgold, LA. Visitation will be in Ringgold on Friday. Lisa can fill us in on the place and times of both as we get closer to that weekend.

Bare with me, I do have a point to this story. Do you need a sign?  I drive every day with a sign on my truck. This week I drove over to Bossier City with my signs on my truck. After I was finished with my job, I took my signs off and drove to the center. I caught myself driving different on the way back, why?  I find myself in traffic, making decisions that if they are wrong will affect more than just me. When I take my signs off the truck, then it is just me or is it?

If I run a red light, honk, don't let somebody in, drive fast when I have my company's sign on the truck, I represent more than just me. I let down my wife, my in laws, my extended family. I don't want somebody calling my wife or my mother-in-law saying, I saw one of your trucks run a red light! Or he cut that driver off going down the highway!

Why is it when my signs are not on my truck, I sometimes deviate from the way I drive? I caught myself saying, while driving back without my signs on the truck, wouldn't Jesus be sad in the way I am driving? You see people with a cross dangling from their rearview mirror or a fish decal on the trunk to signify they are Christians, but are they driving that way? Do I drive like I am a Christian, representing Jesus to everyone?

We are all children of God. We are His hands and feet in this world. He lvoes us. We are His. No greater community to be a part of then the family of believers. Paul prayed for the folks in Colossians because of their actions. Paul knew because of their faith they lvoed God. That is what can be said about our community of common ground. 

Let's not forget this week, who we are, whose we are! Let our actions let others know, we are children of God. Let our driving skills, let our life skills make someone call our office and say, that person must be a Christian!  Amen!

Hope you have a great week. God will be good because His is always good!

Busyness

We have come to the end of another week or I guess I could say, the beginning of a new week. I like the latter better, the beginning! Our summer weather has creeped back into our world, hopefully it hasn't in yours!

We got started off our last week, with some new friends from First Methodist joining us Saturday morning. This is the first time we have had adults join us. They worked hard all morning long in and around the center. Hopefully this is only the beginning of this relationship. Our visits went well, everybody trying to stay cool and keep hydrated. 

Sunday night we hosted Grace's Discovering Discipleship class. A good way for us to be able to share our community with others.

Monday and Wednesday afternoons you will find us busy with our new group of children from Atkins Elementary. We have been testing them so we can put them into groups. While they were being tested, others were involved in games, exercises and challenges. A new beginning of working with little ones wanting to do better in the classroom. We can always use your help. Please join us between 3 - 5 in the afternoons.

Tuesday evening, Rickie led our men's Bible study reading from James 1: 1 - 8, trials and temptations.  Verse 2 begins by saying, consider it pure joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds . . Where does the joy come from when we are in the mist of our struggles?

Thursday evening was packed full of adventure and fun. Brother George, Spencer and his friend Zach led us in chapel. Our long time friends from Clearview Church brought food, served and cleaned up. The Market was full of shoppers. The Clothing room was overflowing with community looking for bargains. A very nice evening.

The Hunters will be headed to Dallas, prayers for safe travel. Prayers for God's direction in our lives and in our community.

In one of Max Lucado's devotionals this week, said, "The key to spiritual growth isn't increased church attendance or involvement in spiritual activities. People don't grow in Christ because they're busy at church. They grow in Christ when they read and trust their Bibles".

Are you all a part of a Bible study group? Do you read your Bible every day? Do you take time to listen to God? Do you have quiet time with just you and God?

You all are such caring people, I worry you do not take time for yourselves. You are part of a community that puts you in the middle of the struggles of living in poverty. Because of your compassion for others, you want to help everybody, but you don't take time for yourselves. The demand on your time, your resources, your family can become overwhelming. It is easy to loose focus on where God is leading you and focus on the despair of your community. We must stay focused on God and His way for our lives.

In verse 5, "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God . . . We need to go to God for our answers, not others. We need to seek after Him through His Word.

Not taking anything away from what you all do, you are truly servants of Christ, but don't let your lvoe of others surpass your lvoe of Christ. We must stay grounded in our Lord, and His Word, then all things will be given to us. Amen.

In the coming week, let's find something in His Word, we have not read before. Let's find time to spend with Him. Amazing things will happen to us all! God is good . . . 

Doubt

It's Friday! How was your week? Has the weather cooled down a little in your part of the world? What blessings did God share with this week?

Our Saturday was a busy one last week. We had some new faces join us for our activities. Our new friends, tried to do it all, so they joined Scott on his first couple of visits, found their way back to the center to help Ardis and Ms Abbie finish with the bread wrapping, finishing up the morning helping Vickie serve lunch to the basketball team! Momma T and Tim were busy in the garden, John and his band of servants continued their work on the Bright House II. Lots of fun things to do every week, come by and join in on some of the fun!

Later that afternoon, our center hosted a family gathering of one of our community celebrating the passing of a family member. We received a nice thank you note from the family. I wanted to share it with those who made our center feel like home. From the Morgan family: "To the Common Ground Community Center, Friends, we the Morgan family thank you for your support of love and concern for our family during our bereavement. We will forever be grateful for your love and kindness."

Tuesday evening, Rickie led our men's Bible fellowship reading from Matthew chapter 8: 23-27, Jesus calms the storm. The disciples were scared for their lives as a furious storm came upon them out in the lake. They immediately went to Jesus and asked for help. Do we do the same, or wait to try and solve the problems ourselves?

Wednesday afternoon, Allison and Lisa hosted a gathering of our tutors for the coming school year. Following the session, Allison and Lisa hosted an open house for the parents of the children. Exciting times to get back with the little ones again. We will be hosting around 20 children with a long waiting list of others who want to come. We will start this coming Monday, with the children arriving around 3 until 4:45. Please join us, enjoying the energy and excitement our young children bring with them.

Thursday got started off with Willie and Wes sharing their gifts of song and Word.Willie shared his anxiety of having an operation this month and how God got him through it, inspiring. A long time friend of ours and his men's small group provided the food and service for the evening. Jennifer and her band of servants kept the clothing room organized and flowing. Pam and her shoppers kept the Market stocked and lively. Great to see our community coming and going all through the center finding treasures around every corner.

Where were you today, 9/11? Prayers for all who lost a love one, who continue to struggle with grief and trying to find answers. Prayers for one of our own, Allison Sauls or I should say Pastor Allison! Her brand new church will have their first worship celebration this Sunday! Prayers for our community, who continue to struggle with the challenges of living in poverty. Prayers for our children and tutors as we begin a new year of relationships.

Several weeks ago, I asked a pastor, what his sermon was going to be about. He answered, "doubt". Been thinking about that word and how it has not entered my mind? Doubt was is it? How does doubt play a part in our lives? Where does doubt come from? How doe we get rid of it? Is it of God? or Satan?

It maybe my simple mindedness but, can't say doubt has a hold of my life? I have no doubt the sun will come up in the morning. I have no doubt the birds will fly each day. I have no doubt our dogs will eat and bark today. I have no doubt, it's Friday and we will play golf this afternoon! So where does doubt come from? Why does doubt cripple us so in our daily journeys?

I was thinking about Moses. Didn't he argue with God, I am not worthy to lead my people, but he did not doubt? Noah being asked to build a boat out in the middle of nowhere. He questioned God but didn't doubt Him. Job, going though all his trials, he never doubted God. We have had a thousand questions as we have made our way along our journey, but have we doubted God's plan?

I clicked on "doubt" in my Bible app and up comes 20 different verses of doubt being used in the Bible. Willie shared in chapel, he has been a pastor for over 30 years, talked to God for hundreds of people, seeing miracles happen to them. Now when he faces an operation, doubt creeps into his mind of what is about to happen! Each one of us, has stories of what God has brought us through, but sometimes when the storms of life come upon us, doubt takes over and we loose our focus.

When I got back into reading the Bible, I could always identify with Thomas. He had been following Jesus during his ministry, knowing Jesus was going to die, realizing at some point Jesus would come back, but he didn't believe. In John 20, Thomas hears others has seen Jesus, but still he has his doubts. Unless I see Jesus, I won't believe. So in verse 27, Jesus says to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

Willie said, God has brought us this far, He won't leave us now. That can be said for common ground. We have come along way in a short amount of time. From giving out groceries in the back of our cars, to having a Market where our community can shop! From eating outside on the driveway to a building where there is air conditioning and heat. From being homeless, to a center where we can share God's lvoe with others. 

Looking through the verses with doubt in it, faith has a big part to play with how we deal with doubt. Matthew, you of little faith, he said, why did you doubt. James, you must believe and not doubt. Luke, why are you troubled and why do doubts rise in your minds. God has been with us every step of the way. He has brought us through the trials and will continue to do so. He has made a way for us, where there was no way to go.

 Believe! Faith! Perseverance! Obedience! Prayer! Relationships! Doubt has no room in our hearts to live! Amen.

 

Hope you can join us this week. If not please pray for us. Hope your week will be filled with faith and belief with no doubts!

What's important?

Another week in the books. Hope your week was filled with blessings and surprises!

Our week got started off last Friday morning with a bang! We had our first group of students from Centenary join us to organize, clean, paint, pull and laugh around the center. A great morning of relationships being formed. More trips will be coming.

Saturday was busy as usual. Visits, bread wrapping, gardening, practices, craft activities, lunch were all going on. Come and join us every Saturday morning for some fun.

Tuesday evening, Noel led the community men's Bible fellowship, reading from 1 Timothy chapter 4, talking about us following false prophets who look good, sound good, act good, but are not of God. Are we following the Holy Spirit or following our own desires? Timothy also wants us not to only be hearers of the Word, but doers of the Word. Verse 6 says, "if you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus. . . " Verse 12 says, ". . . but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." Our actions and words should lead others to Christ, do they?

Wednesday, we said goodbye to one of our community. Dawn had the opportunity to get a home of her own, the only problem, the home was in Florida. God's blessings to you Dawn, as you start a new chapter in your journey, you will be missed by us all.

Thursday was a day filled with laughter, joy and blessings. We had our old friends from First Methodist church, Derek and Heather and their pastor lead us in worship. Great to have them back and hopefully they will be joining us more often as time allows. The community was treated to a scrumptious meal prepared by Allison, Ms Abbie and Vickie. The clothing room was packed with community as well as the Market.

We are making preparations for our afternoon learning activities to begin. Allison and Lisa are busy putting the final touches on our schedules. There will be a training session Wednesday afternoon, September 9th.  The kids will start back Monday September 14th. There is a waiting list of children who want to come, so we can use all the help we can get. Please let Lisa know if you would like to become involved.

Prayers for our community who are beginning the school year. Prayers for all who seek violence to solve their problems and those families who suffer with those decisions. Prayers for Chris Broadwell and his family with the passing of his dad.

Last week we heard the media talk about it being 10 years since Katrina hit the New Orleans area. Saturday morning, Scott asked Turner about his experiences. Turner talked more than we have ever heard before. He was living in the 5th Ward area. The water started rising and they had to get out in a hurry. He said his area ended up with 20 feet of water. He made his way to the Superdome, spending several days there. Then when the authorities said it was time to get out of the Dome, he happen to get on a bus headed to Shreveport. He ended up at Hirsch Coliseum for a few days, then to the mission and then under the bridge where he is now.

Scott and I talked about his experiences, how sad  not knowing any one in Shreveport, fending for himself and trying to survive. We asked the question to ourselves, could we do it? Leading us to ask, if we had water coming into our houses and had a few minutes to get out, what would we take with us?  What is important to us? After the kids and our pets, what would come with us? The big screen TV, our car, our clothes, our jewelry, our golf clubs, our gun collections, what is important to us?

Several years ago, we had the opportunity to visit the memorial in Oklahoma of the office bombing. Very sad all those people loosing their lives. One room in the memorial is a room filled with individual glass cases of each person who died. These small cases were filled with items that were important to that person. God forbid, something happen to us, what would go in your glass case?

I remember a pastor saying, when he was asked to perform a funeral of someone he did not know, he would go to the house and go into the bedroom looking for the person's bedside table. The pastor would check out what was on the table. He said, usually what is important to that person would be there. What is on your bedside table?

What is important to you? Is it things or Christ? Does our lives reflect that? Do we lead others to Christ by what we do every day or turn them off? One of our men on Monday night said, as a child he went with his parents to visit one of the leaders of their church at work in the oil field. He was cussing, swearing, being a bully to others. He said, that made an impression on him, saying to himself why should I go to church if you end up talking and working with others like that? It took him a long time to get back into the Word.

The last verse in chapter 4 says, " watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." It is easy to fall from grace. It is easy to follow someone who is saying what we want to hear. It is easy for us to follow our pride and egos. But Christ is asking us to persevere, stay strong in our faith, live pure lives, be uplifting in our speech, slow to anger and lvoe, love, lvoe. If we do, great rewards will follow! Amen.

In the coming week, let's show others we are children of God by our words and actions. Have a blessed and joyous week!