I am sending this blog to those who truly believe that God can answer prayers. The church that I pastor have a need that we need much prayer for. We just found out that we have a major mold issue at the building and that we are not sure that the insurance will cover the cost of getting things cleaned up before our August revival. We found out that our building has foundational leaks and that when it rains for several days that the water will come up through our drain lines to the outside, something called "back flow" problems. This is what has created the mold issues in the basement. Of course when you speak of mold, you are talking about something that usually cannot be cleaned up very quickly. Of course we cannot do the clean up ourselves with all the health issues related to this issue, so we just need your prayers to the Lord that he will provide the needed help and assistance that we need. We have contacted our ins. carrier and are awaiting a call from the adjuster, so until then we stand waiting. The building is an old building and I am sure that when constructed none of these problems were problems then. I don't mean to go on and on. We really need the prayers of all those that read this blog ! It may come to the point that we might have to ponder selling the building. If that is what the Lord wants then that is what we will do. I know prayer does change things. I have seen God take a man who had stage 4 cancer and reduce it to stage 2. I have seen the Lord take a lady who the doctors gave no hope to because of her cancer and after the saints began to pray, the doctors found no trace of it. So, what I am saying is that prayer works !( These things that I just mentioned has happened within the last few months .)
Please, please pray for and with us that God will open up the doors and pour us out a blessing. Not for ourselves to glory in, but that the power of the Lord will be shown in and around this community. We want to serve the Lord through good and bad circumstances and by His infinite grace that is what we will do !
Thank you,
Bro. Mark Crabtree
Pastor
Harmony Baptist Church
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Gone, But not Goodby.
It's Saturday, July 4, 2009, and the final weekend that we have with our oldest son Adam for a long while. Adam will be leaving Monday morning heading to Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri. What seemed as if a time that was so far away has now come upon us. While it is a sad time to see him go, we know that that is the plan that God had initiated for all man kind. Still it doesn't make it any easier to see him leave.
As his Dad, I often wounder if I have done enough to prepare him for what he will face in the real world. I have not tried to shield him from everything that is in this world because I feel as if shielding creates a false sense of security and does not teach the realities of what this world is about and the pitfalls that lye within it. Adam has seen what sin does and what problems that it creates and if that keeps him from experiencing those things then it's worth it. Eph. 6 tells us fathers to train them in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. While training and teaching they do need to know from what it is that God, and we, do not want them to do when they are old enough to go out on their own. All I can do now is pray that he uses the learning and the knowledge that I have tried to instill in him and not fall to the things that Satan would have him to fall to.
I ask for your prayers also for Adam as he starts out on the road of independence. Please pray for his mother and I as we continue to train and to raise our youngest son. That we take the lessons learned from rearing Adam and apply it to Jacob. He will be heading out on his own before we know it.
As his Dad, I often wounder if I have done enough to prepare him for what he will face in the real world. I have not tried to shield him from everything that is in this world because I feel as if shielding creates a false sense of security and does not teach the realities of what this world is about and the pitfalls that lye within it. Adam has seen what sin does and what problems that it creates and if that keeps him from experiencing those things then it's worth it. Eph. 6 tells us fathers to train them in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. While training and teaching they do need to know from what it is that God, and we, do not want them to do when they are old enough to go out on their own. All I can do now is pray that he uses the learning and the knowledge that I have tried to instill in him and not fall to the things that Satan would have him to fall to.
I ask for your prayers also for Adam as he starts out on the road of independence. Please pray for his mother and I as we continue to train and to raise our youngest son. That we take the lessons learned from rearing Adam and apply it to Jacob. He will be heading out on his own before we know it.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Following The Lord
I have found that what I may want to do is sometimes not necessarily what the Lord would have me do. Take for instance just a few weeks ago I had planned to go through the seven churches in Revelation and post what the Lord had given to me on this blog site. However, I found that the more that I wanted to do this, it seemed as if I did not have the liberty to carry out what I wanted to do. Of course, when I feel as if there is no liberty there, then the best thing for me to do is wait on the Lord and seek direction from him. And that's where I was wrong in the first place, not seeking the Lord before making a decision to move forward with my own ideas. How easy it is for any of us to make a decision and not first seek the Lords guidance. I find myself living out what I preach about so many times, and I feel as if the Lord allows me to live these things out so as to make me a better preacher, and a better pastor to the people that he has placed me over. One thing that I do know is that I am not without sin, or better to say, the sin nature. I have come across many preachers and pastors as well that live life as if they no longer have a sin nature. The bible is plain and clear about this subject matter. As long as we live in this world and in the flesh we still have a sin nature. As children of God we are no longer under the bondage and in captivity to this nature meaning that we no longer are held by its grasp because Christ has freed us from its hold through his shed blood and our belief and acceptance of him as our Lord and Savior. Paul said that we are now no longer under condemnation, meaning we no longer stand in judgement of eternal damnation, however we do at times stand before him guilty of sins that are in our life. The only way we can be cleared of this guilty standing is through the act of repentance. Thank God for the promise of forgiveness, I need it every day. We have to be honest with ourselves and more importantly, God!!!
So, with all of that said, I will not be posting any more on the seven churches of Revelation. unless the liberty of the Lord falls on me to do so. I want to be in his will.
So, with all of that said, I will not be posting any more on the seven churches of Revelation. unless the liberty of the Lord falls on me to do so. I want to be in his will.
A Great Week!
We had a great week in revival. What made it a great week? Two souls came to know the Lord as Savior. Many times we are impressed by the multitudes, and not so impressed by the small things or numbers, ( Jesus started the New Testament church with only twelve men.) I was very honored that the Lord would use me to preach and to bring the Gospel message to those that were there for the week. I pray that the people there will take the message forward and share it with someone else.
Please pray for our church as we will be in revival in the month of August with Evang. Brian Sharp. He will be bringing the messages through the book of Revelation that week. I ask for your prayers as the Lord opens the hearts and minds and the souls of men.
Please pray for our church as we will be in revival in the month of August with Evang. Brian Sharp. He will be bringing the messages through the book of Revelation that week. I ask for your prayers as the Lord opens the hearts and minds and the souls of men.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
The Persecuted Church
In our studies of the seven churches in Revelation, we now move up the road some 40 to 50 miles north of Ephesus and find a church whose name means "bitter".
Smyrna was a city of tremendous beauty. In fact it was known as "the beautiful" due to it's natural, commercial, and beautiful buildings. It was in part the rival of Ephesus. The roman laws against Christians were also very prominent here as well. Not much is said in the New Testament about Smyrna other than what we read here, but what is said here of this church is enough to know that they were a people that stood on their faith and belief in Jesus Christ. Now, let us look at what Christ said that he knows about this church.
I. Smyrna's Suffering.
A. Tribulation;
1. Tribulation derives from the Greek word "thlipsis", which suggests a pressing out of grapes for their juice. This church was feeling this "pressing out" because of their complete and open faith in Christ. Christ himself felt this "pressing out" in the Garden of Gethsemane.
2. Tribulation brings with it a time of discomfort. I don't know of anyone who would want tribulation. However, if we live an open faith and belief in Christ we need expect this to be part of our life.
B. Poverty;
1. Poverty is the lowest of both the physical and the spiritual scales. One either grows up in this place of their life or one gets their by unforeseen circumstances. This church, and when I use that term I am referring to the people not the building, suffered the loss of everything they had. Persecution was most often followed with confiscation of belongings. I know of a Missionary who was persecuted daily. His home was ransacked once or twice a week even while he was at home, but he never let that deter him from his calling to give that people the Word of God. II Cor. 8:9 tells us that though Christ was rich, he became poor for our sakes. What a wonderful message!
II. Satan's Synagogue.
A. Satan's Disciples;
1. We know that as God has his disciples, so Satan does as well. These Satanic disciples are called demons. Satan has been trying, and succeeding in many ways, to infiltrate the church. Here it is no different. A Judaizing movement was taking place here and these false preachers were teaching that Grace was accompanied with works of the old law. One could not really be saved by Grace alone, works were to be added as well. Eph. 2: 5 & 8 tells us that by Grace are we saved and Grace alone. Works are simply an outward showing of our inward condition, James 2: 2o. There are these same types of false preachers in the world today and many are falling to their traps. What are we doing to trip up these traps before others fall prey to them ?
III. Sanctified Saints.
A. Sanctified means to be "set apart". Christ is telling these Christians at Smyrna to be and to remain "set apart". It would have been easy to go the way of the false preachers to avoid any further persecutions, but the easy way is not always the best way. When we have a decision to make to either serve God or serve the world, and if serving God would mean untold troubles in our life, would we make that decision ? That is exactly what Christ told these people in verse 10. He told them to fear nothing of which they would suffer. Why, because He would be there just as He always had been. Salvation gives not a delivery from death, however, it does give us victory and triumph over death. We are promised the "crown of life", James 1:12. Christ can promise and fulfill this promise because He himself received this crown on that wonderful day of His resurrection! We as his children will receive this crown, but can also receive four more as well.
1. An incorruptible crown - I Cor. 9:25
2. A Soul winners crown - Phil. 4:1 & I Thess. 2:19
3. A Righteousness crown - II Tim. 4:8
4. The crown of glory - I Peter 5:4
Our goal should be to receive each and everyone of these crowns. We must strive to achieve as much for Christ as we can. Our time is drawing very short to win the lost to Christ. We can look at persecution in a positive light. When we are being persecuted and troubled then we are doing what Christ wants us to do. The Word of God has always offended some and will always do such as long as this world goes on. Rest assured that those that do the will of the Lord will be rewarded and that yours and my efforts for Him does not go unnoticed.
Smyrna was a city of tremendous beauty. In fact it was known as "the beautiful" due to it's natural, commercial, and beautiful buildings. It was in part the rival of Ephesus. The roman laws against Christians were also very prominent here as well. Not much is said in the New Testament about Smyrna other than what we read here, but what is said here of this church is enough to know that they were a people that stood on their faith and belief in Jesus Christ. Now, let us look at what Christ said that he knows about this church.
I. Smyrna's Suffering.
A. Tribulation;
1. Tribulation derives from the Greek word "thlipsis", which suggests a pressing out of grapes for their juice. This church was feeling this "pressing out" because of their complete and open faith in Christ. Christ himself felt this "pressing out" in the Garden of Gethsemane.
2. Tribulation brings with it a time of discomfort. I don't know of anyone who would want tribulation. However, if we live an open faith and belief in Christ we need expect this to be part of our life.
B. Poverty;
1. Poverty is the lowest of both the physical and the spiritual scales. One either grows up in this place of their life or one gets their by unforeseen circumstances. This church, and when I use that term I am referring to the people not the building, suffered the loss of everything they had. Persecution was most often followed with confiscation of belongings. I know of a Missionary who was persecuted daily. His home was ransacked once or twice a week even while he was at home, but he never let that deter him from his calling to give that people the Word of God. II Cor. 8:9 tells us that though Christ was rich, he became poor for our sakes. What a wonderful message!
II. Satan's Synagogue.
A. Satan's Disciples;
1. We know that as God has his disciples, so Satan does as well. These Satanic disciples are called demons. Satan has been trying, and succeeding in many ways, to infiltrate the church. Here it is no different. A Judaizing movement was taking place here and these false preachers were teaching that Grace was accompanied with works of the old law. One could not really be saved by Grace alone, works were to be added as well. Eph. 2: 5 & 8 tells us that by Grace are we saved and Grace alone. Works are simply an outward showing of our inward condition, James 2: 2o. There are these same types of false preachers in the world today and many are falling to their traps. What are we doing to trip up these traps before others fall prey to them ?
III. Sanctified Saints.
A. Sanctified means to be "set apart". Christ is telling these Christians at Smyrna to be and to remain "set apart". It would have been easy to go the way of the false preachers to avoid any further persecutions, but the easy way is not always the best way. When we have a decision to make to either serve God or serve the world, and if serving God would mean untold troubles in our life, would we make that decision ? That is exactly what Christ told these people in verse 10. He told them to fear nothing of which they would suffer. Why, because He would be there just as He always had been. Salvation gives not a delivery from death, however, it does give us victory and triumph over death. We are promised the "crown of life", James 1:12. Christ can promise and fulfill this promise because He himself received this crown on that wonderful day of His resurrection! We as his children will receive this crown, but can also receive four more as well.
1. An incorruptible crown - I Cor. 9:25
2. A Soul winners crown - Phil. 4:1 & I Thess. 2:19
3. A Righteousness crown - II Tim. 4:8
4. The crown of glory - I Peter 5:4
Our goal should be to receive each and everyone of these crowns. We must strive to achieve as much for Christ as we can. Our time is drawing very short to win the lost to Christ. We can look at persecution in a positive light. When we are being persecuted and troubled then we are doing what Christ wants us to do. The Word of God has always offended some and will always do such as long as this world goes on. Rest assured that those that do the will of the Lord will be rewarded and that yours and my efforts for Him does not go unnoticed.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
The Seven
Over the last several Sundays, I have been preaching on the seven churches in Revelations. I'm sure that there has been a lot of sermons and or messages preached and taught on this very subject. As one looks at these churches one can no doubt find themselves within these churches as a body of believers, (church), and as individuals. Over the next few weeks we'll examine each church and see if we can find ourselves both positive and negative in them.
1. Rev. 2:1-7, The Church at Ephesus:
A. Workers; Jesus said "I know thy works". He relayed this same message to each pastor, (angel), of the seven churches. How true a statement, that he, Jesus, knows our every work both good and bad. We do notice that Jesus says that they were a laboring people and a patient people. What we need in our churches today are laborers. It's amazing to me that very few are willing to go out and spend time for the Lord. The church can have soul winning classes and have a crowd, but, when it comes time to apply the knowledge learned, there are very few that will go. I do not know of a church that doesn't have this problem. It's universal to every church so we are not alone in this. We must be vigilant in our work and in our prayers for those that do not have a desire to work.
B. Defenders; Jesus also pointed out that this church was a church that saw people for who they were. There were "false apostles" in the midst of the church and they were pointed out and were seen to be what they were "liars". I believe that this is a problem in our churches today. People want to hold hands with those who do not have a like minded faith. They want to mix with every religion and with the world. The ecumenical movement is a movement that is straight from Satan. We cannot, and I stress, cannot mix ourselves in with people that do not see God for who he is, and should not allow those pastors of other faiths to stand in our pulpits! We as Christians need to quit trying to be politically correct and start being biblicly correct! We have a duty unto God to defend this word of God and keep our churches undefiled. II Cor. 6: 11-18 comes to mind regarding this subject.
C. Leavers; Where this a positive, there is usually a negative. Jesus first points out the positive things of the church in Ephesus, but, he directs his attention to the need of the church as well. We notice that this church "left their first love". The bible does not say they lost their love, nor does it make any claim of their losing their salvation. We know that when we are saved then we are sealed by the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption, Eph.4:30. What the scriptures in simply saying is that the church has left the love of former things that they were at one time on fire doing for the Lord. Could it have been that this church was at one time noted for the love between the brethren? Could it have been that at one time that this church was noted for the love that they showed to those around them, through visitation, or through the helping those that were in need? Whatever the case Jesus said that they had left it and were admonished for it but they were also prompted to return to it, vs.5, or he would come and remove the candlestick from it's place. Jesus is speaking expressly of repentance. Repent means to feel sorrow for and to feel anguish towards the wrong that one has done. To repent is the standard of God in our lives to regain fellowship with him. David lost this fellowship through sin but gained it back through repentance. We must realize that God does not overlook our sins, nor does he wink at it any longer, but commands us to repent. I thank the Lord that he gives us chance after chance to get forgiveness. That he does not immediately remove our candlestick, but allows our light to continue to shine if we come to him for forgiveness.
D. Over comers; How amazing is this word? Over comers, it is a promise from God that we can be or become over comers. I know in my life there are many things that I have had to overcome. I've had to overcome myself and that bondage of sin that held me and was able to do that only through the blood of Jesus Christ. I still have to overcome the temptations of Satan and what he would have me fall to, but can only succeed through the blood of Jesus Christ. The blood does not only cover, but washes away, cleanses me from the filth of this world. How wonderful is the blood of Jesus! The church in Ephesus was promised the "tree of life" if they would but overcome. He promises us this same tree as well. How amazing is our Lord!!!
1. Rev. 2:1-7, The Church at Ephesus:
A. Workers; Jesus said "I know thy works". He relayed this same message to each pastor, (angel), of the seven churches. How true a statement, that he, Jesus, knows our every work both good and bad. We do notice that Jesus says that they were a laboring people and a patient people. What we need in our churches today are laborers. It's amazing to me that very few are willing to go out and spend time for the Lord. The church can have soul winning classes and have a crowd, but, when it comes time to apply the knowledge learned, there are very few that will go. I do not know of a church that doesn't have this problem. It's universal to every church so we are not alone in this. We must be vigilant in our work and in our prayers for those that do not have a desire to work.
B. Defenders; Jesus also pointed out that this church was a church that saw people for who they were. There were "false apostles" in the midst of the church and they were pointed out and were seen to be what they were "liars". I believe that this is a problem in our churches today. People want to hold hands with those who do not have a like minded faith. They want to mix with every religion and with the world. The ecumenical movement is a movement that is straight from Satan. We cannot, and I stress, cannot mix ourselves in with people that do not see God for who he is, and should not allow those pastors of other faiths to stand in our pulpits! We as Christians need to quit trying to be politically correct and start being biblicly correct! We have a duty unto God to defend this word of God and keep our churches undefiled. II Cor. 6: 11-18 comes to mind regarding this subject.
C. Leavers; Where this a positive, there is usually a negative. Jesus first points out the positive things of the church in Ephesus, but, he directs his attention to the need of the church as well. We notice that this church "left their first love". The bible does not say they lost their love, nor does it make any claim of their losing their salvation. We know that when we are saved then we are sealed by the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption, Eph.4:30. What the scriptures in simply saying is that the church has left the love of former things that they were at one time on fire doing for the Lord. Could it have been that this church was at one time noted for the love between the brethren? Could it have been that at one time that this church was noted for the love that they showed to those around them, through visitation, or through the helping those that were in need? Whatever the case Jesus said that they had left it and were admonished for it but they were also prompted to return to it, vs.5, or he would come and remove the candlestick from it's place. Jesus is speaking expressly of repentance. Repent means to feel sorrow for and to feel anguish towards the wrong that one has done. To repent is the standard of God in our lives to regain fellowship with him. David lost this fellowship through sin but gained it back through repentance. We must realize that God does not overlook our sins, nor does he wink at it any longer, but commands us to repent. I thank the Lord that he gives us chance after chance to get forgiveness. That he does not immediately remove our candlestick, but allows our light to continue to shine if we come to him for forgiveness.
D. Over comers; How amazing is this word? Over comers, it is a promise from God that we can be or become over comers. I know in my life there are many things that I have had to overcome. I've had to overcome myself and that bondage of sin that held me and was able to do that only through the blood of Jesus Christ. I still have to overcome the temptations of Satan and what he would have me fall to, but can only succeed through the blood of Jesus Christ. The blood does not only cover, but washes away, cleanses me from the filth of this world. How wonderful is the blood of Jesus! The church in Ephesus was promised the "tree of life" if they would but overcome. He promises us this same tree as well. How amazing is our Lord!!!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
A Show Of Weakness !
Over the past few days, I have been listening to the talk radio show "News and Views" with Chuck and Larry Bates, (I can say that I recommend this program to those concerned about their country). On this program the hosts have been talking about what has been happening in our country, in particular, the President.
It has been very evident over the past few weeks just what the President has, as far as his real agenda, been showing the country. When he went over to the G20 conference, you would think that he would really establish a footing of what this country would and would not put up with. Especially after we have seen the so called "Pirates of Somalia" do to not only our ships but to other nations as well. However, even in that situation the White House was struggling to come up with some sort of response, HOW WEAK !!! If Teddy Roosevelt, or even Ronald Reagan had been in office we would have not even had the hostage issue for as long as we did. If when given the opportunity, President Obama should have put forth the statement that we, as a country, would not put up with such foolishness and he should have put out a firm commitment that if such things happen again, that there would be firm and decisive action taken against those that would put our people and our country into harms way. Sounds pretty good huh? But, instead of doing this, the President shook hands with Chavez, accepted a pro anti-American book that was written by a Marxist back in the 1970's. While on his overseas trip, he routinely apologized to the countries that the United States had some sort of conflict with in the past, HOW WEAK!!! Not only did he do this, but Mr. Hillary Clinton done the same thing in Mexico, HOW WEAK!!!
Evidently, President Obama does not realize that his office is not an office to increase his popularity. Nor is it an office to make sure that everyone in this wicked world like him at the expense of us as Americans! I really believe that he is a socialist and has been trained to be such throughout his entire life. Why do you think that the communist party did not have a candidate in the race this past election? It is because they already had their candidate running as a Democrat. What President Obama is doing however is he is making us look and become a weak nation. When he puts forth the attitude that we as a country want to light the camp fire and hold hands with everyone and sing Cum-by-yaw, then he puts forth a show of weakness that will not be over looked by radical factions and is really placing this country in a vulnerable state.
What can we do? Of course the Bible tells us to pray for those in authority, but we need to do more than that! We need to voice our opinion and more importantly what thus saith the Lord! We need not just sit back and do nothing! We have an obligation not only as Christians but as Americans to let our voices be heard. We as Pastors have an obligation to our congregations to not only preach the Word of God, but to keep them informed of what is going on in our country. It is sad to say that there were a lot of Christians that voted for Mr. Obama and for this "Change" that was ramped up on the news media. As Christians we have an obligation to serve the Lord faithfully. That goes for how we vote as well. I did not agree with everything that former President Bush had done, however, we as a people and other countries knew where he stood when it came to protecting our country.
We are certainly in the last of the last days. We see the Bible being fulfilled everyday. No other book contains more true words that that of the Word of God! We need to be diligent about our duties and responsibilities as Christians and as Americans. Do not complain if you do nothing!!
It has been very evident over the past few weeks just what the President has, as far as his real agenda, been showing the country. When he went over to the G20 conference, you would think that he would really establish a footing of what this country would and would not put up with. Especially after we have seen the so called "Pirates of Somalia" do to not only our ships but to other nations as well. However, even in that situation the White House was struggling to come up with some sort of response, HOW WEAK !!! If Teddy Roosevelt, or even Ronald Reagan had been in office we would have not even had the hostage issue for as long as we did. If when given the opportunity, President Obama should have put forth the statement that we, as a country, would not put up with such foolishness and he should have put out a firm commitment that if such things happen again, that there would be firm and decisive action taken against those that would put our people and our country into harms way. Sounds pretty good huh? But, instead of doing this, the President shook hands with Chavez, accepted a pro anti-American book that was written by a Marxist back in the 1970's. While on his overseas trip, he routinely apologized to the countries that the United States had some sort of conflict with in the past, HOW WEAK!!! Not only did he do this, but Mr. Hillary Clinton done the same thing in Mexico, HOW WEAK!!!
Evidently, President Obama does not realize that his office is not an office to increase his popularity. Nor is it an office to make sure that everyone in this wicked world like him at the expense of us as Americans! I really believe that he is a socialist and has been trained to be such throughout his entire life. Why do you think that the communist party did not have a candidate in the race this past election? It is because they already had their candidate running as a Democrat. What President Obama is doing however is he is making us look and become a weak nation. When he puts forth the attitude that we as a country want to light the camp fire and hold hands with everyone and sing Cum-by-yaw, then he puts forth a show of weakness that will not be over looked by radical factions and is really placing this country in a vulnerable state.
What can we do? Of course the Bible tells us to pray for those in authority, but we need to do more than that! We need to voice our opinion and more importantly what thus saith the Lord! We need not just sit back and do nothing! We have an obligation not only as Christians but as Americans to let our voices be heard. We as Pastors have an obligation to our congregations to not only preach the Word of God, but to keep them informed of what is going on in our country. It is sad to say that there were a lot of Christians that voted for Mr. Obama and for this "Change" that was ramped up on the news media. As Christians we have an obligation to serve the Lord faithfully. That goes for how we vote as well. I did not agree with everything that former President Bush had done, however, we as a people and other countries knew where he stood when it came to protecting our country.
We are certainly in the last of the last days. We see the Bible being fulfilled everyday. No other book contains more true words that that of the Word of God! We need to be diligent about our duties and responsibilities as Christians and as Americans. Do not complain if you do nothing!!
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