On Saturday night the pastor said, commenting on the Pharisee and the publican, "a skunk thinks it smells better when it finds a garbage can!" The comparison game that the Pharisee played when he compared himself to the publican may have made him think he was better but he wasn't. He was still a sinner in need of mercy.
Yet sometimes even Christians get into the comparison game to feel better. We, when convicted about a sin, often find someone who has 2 sins; when neglecting a service we find someone who misses 2 services; It doesn't change the wrong but we try to feel better.
Next time, why not confess the wrong, ask for mercy, and be cleansed. It's God's way so it should be our way.
Skunks don't smell better when compared to a garbage can - They both stink!

In yesterday's message about discipleship I said that all that's needed for building a life of discipleship is provided by Jesus. He has given us the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) for our courage and power, the Scriptures for our construction and blueprints (2Timothy 3:15,16), and the Saints for our companionship and help (Galatians 6:3-10).
All of what Jesus provides for our building and battle is of no use however if we are not filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 4:18), reading and doing the Bible daily (Joshua 1:8,9), and attending the fellowship of the believers (Hebrews 10:25). It's like going to a gas station, not filling up, and then wondering why we run out of gas!
Awesome, isn't it, that Jesus referred to us as His personal, present, possessive disciples!!

Yesterday's messages were good and nobody said I like your tie! Yet as I sit here Monday morning I ask myself if I received the Word as the Holy Spirit wanted me to receive it. What fruit should result from the hearing of the Word yesterday? How will I measure it?
The Bible says the fruit can be up to 100% in my life or maybe 50% or as little as 25%. Yet the important fact is that the is fruit if I have received the Word.
So how did a message about prayer effect my life Do I look for a longer time spent in prayer, a different way to pray, or perhaps a change in my attitude of prayer. I will look for something new in my prayer knowledge and begin to put it into practice.
What about being God's man for God's time? Will I seek to be like David and slay the giants in my life? Will I seek to live up to the calling God has given to me? I can learn from the man after God's heart.
The question of this sequel is about the hearing of the Word. Should we be able to see visible fruit result from the Bible every time we hear it? Or will it just naturally be produced in our live over time and show itself to others? One thing is for sure....the Bible will produce fruit in us! What do you think?

Yesterday as I preached I pointed out the fear of the disciples. It's true that the storms of our life often bring fear with them when we think that we are in danger of perishing. It's a natural reaction to real or imagined danger. Yet with Christ in the vessel we are safe and in His time the storm will pass and peace will return.
Yet it was the "fear" that came when the disciples realized who it was that was in the boat with them that was the best fear of all. They were in the presence of the almighty creator God, the all powerful one, the eternal, all-wise, never late, holy God and master Jesus Christ. It was in His presence they felt the awe, wonder, reverence of the dirty creature before this awesome God. It was this fear that caused Manoah to say "we are doomed to die, we have seen God", Isaiah to cry out "unclean", and John to fall at His feet as dead. What a wonderful (awesome, fearful) day it will be when we experience this "fear" in the presence of our resurrected Lord and faith becomes sight.