I am about to ramble. I am about to vent a tad bit. Why? Because I must!
I came upon two paintings today. I was moved. Perhaps you will be moved as well. Take a look for yourself. I then suggest that you pass it along to your friends. It is an interactive painting. Very insightful as well as very painful.
http://www.mcnaughtonart.com/artwork/view_zoom/423
Let me now say that I am 100% aware that the only hope for America is the Lord Jesus Christ; but does it disturb you as much as it disturbs me that Christian’s, thousands of them, will complain, but do nothing? They will not even register to vote...and many thousands more are registered to vote but they will not vote! Over the years that I have been saved (it has been almost 39 years) I have heard so called “Bible Believer’s” say, “I am not voting!” Okay, this is still a free country (for the time being) so you have the “right” to abstain. I disagree 100%. That is my right also!
NOT VOTING is simply another vote for FOUR MORE YEARS of the destruction of the America we all knew, loved, grew up in, and defended by our service in the military. The America God established upon the word of God and the Lord Jesus Christ! I have heard Christian’s say, “I am not voting for a Mormon.” Okay, then don’t vote, and by doing so you ARE voting for a Muslim sympathizer, a Constitution obliterator, a Bible mocker, a Christian hater, an “I am above the law” man to be YOUR president and representative in government. Nice choice, Christian!
Personally, I am praying, fasting, and daily interceding before the Throne of Grace for my country. I pray for all those in authority. I will continue to do so. I will do all I can to be filled by the holy Spirit of God, obey the word of God with all of my heart, soul, spirit and mind; to act like a Christian, to live like a Christian every day of my life by the grace of God...and to do all I can to leave this world DOING something that is RIGHT, rather than sitting on my behind DOING NOTHING. BOB JONES SR SAID, “DO RIGHT! DO RIGHT UNTIL THE STARS FALL FROM THE HEAVENS!”
I have a godly, spiritual wife (I love you, Bonnie), four godly spiritual children (I love you, Tim, Shari, Kelly and Tina), my children’s four wonderful, spiritual spouses (I love you Stephanie, Pete, Mauro and Eric), and in just a few more months, 14 grandchildren (I love you, Jared, Andrea, Brandon, Alexander, Hannah, Julianna, Eric Jr., Nick, Connor, Ben, Derek, Josiah, Brady, and the next arrival coming in February). Thank you Lord!
However, I refuse to be a “do nothing” deadbeat husband, Dad, grandfather, Christian, who, like Hezekiah, said in Isaiah 39:8 “Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days”. His statement is also recorded in 2 KI 20:16-19 “And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD. 17 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. 18 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. 19 Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?
What Hezekiah was really saying was, “It’s too bad about the next generation, but as long as it’s okay for ME that’s all that matters!” He sounds like some lost folks and Christian’s in America today! They don’t care that a future generation (our families) will be carried off into “captivity”, just so long as THEY will be okay as they live their life in a “Disneyland” mentality. They will walk by lost folks without so much as a blink of and eye, and never say a word about the HOPE we have in Jesus Christ. They will sit on their hands and complain about how wicked the world is, yet do nothing to positively affect it, and effect it, for the Lord Jesus Christ, for good, and for righteousness. Help yourself if that is your mindset. On second thought, I say to you, No, please get up, arise from sleep, pursue righteousness, go forward, please do something for the Lord and others will you!
Will I vote? YES! Will I vote for a Mormon? As opposed to the alternative? YES! Will I be an ACTIVE CHRISTIAN? YES! YES! YES! The question is, Will YOU? Fill in the answer yourself! ______ .
Joshua 24:14-15 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. 15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
EVERY DAY I am praying for just one more day for my God to extend His mercy upon my nation, America. That is my prayer each and every day! And, I am not just praying, I intend to DO all I can to keep what God has given to me as a citizen of the country, and the government HE established here in the United States of America!
Lastly, you might also like to take a look at this site as well.
http://www.mcnaughtonart.com/artwork/view_zoom/353 It is another of his interactive paintings. Again, just place your cursor over different parts of the painting and read what the artist says about why he placed it in the painting.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
I Told You It Was "A Once In Awhile" blog...
It has certainly been a very busy summer. Busy but blessed by the Lord.
Camp meeting was a great week of preaching, singing & fellowship. Twenty-six years we have been having this Camp meeting and the Lord continues to bless it with souls saved and Christian's helped and encouraged to stay on course for the Lord Jesus Christ. I am so grateful to so many in our church family who labored tirelessly to minister to others during the entire week. Thanks FBBC! You are a wonderful church family!
Northeast Vision was again a blessed time as Solid Rock BC ministered to over 1600 folks ... pastors and their congregations who traveled to NJ from all over New England to attend and be helped at this 3 day meeting. I know that my wife and I were encouraged and spiritually refreshed once again. We are so grateful to the SRBC family as they demonstrated such a servants heart. I know the Lord will bless them! One key event that blessed FBBC and the Sturgeon family was the salvation of their daughter, Sarah! Praise the Lord! In fact, as you read the next paragraph you will see that the fruit continues to appear as a result of Sarah getting saved.
Teen Camps and youth events galore. The Lord continues to bless the labors, prayers, and involvement of Pastor Sparks and his youth helpers, the Sturgeon's and the Burhoe's. They have been traveling hither and yon and seeing fruit for their labors at every stop along the way. In fact, as a result of Sarah Sturgeon getting saved we have seen other teens get saved as well...just a couple days after Sarah was saved my grandson, Andrea Turrisi was saved. He told me the holy Spirit convicted his that he too was not saved and he too repented of his sin and called upon the Lord Jesus Christ to save him! Glory to God!
Oh! But it does not stop there. While our teens were in Maine at youth camp with Pastor Artie Dean's church another grandson, Alexander Turrisi was doing his morning devotions out of Colossians 3:1-4 and the Lord convicted him about him not being saved. Those verses say, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." Well, Glory to God for the work of the holy Spirit in a tender open heart. Christ IS now Alexander's LIFE!
But it continues...last Sunday morning our granddaughter, Julianna Turrisi was expressing doubts about her own salvation too. Her mom, our daughter, Kelly, asked my wife to speak with her about it. They talked during the Sunday School hour and yep, Julianna was saved also! Can you just go ahead and shout right there! Glory to God!
Bonnie and I were asked to speak and preach [Clarification...Bonnie spoke to the ladies and pastor's wives (Kathy Gipp affectionately calls it 'spreaching' , and I preached to all the pastors] at Pastor's School at Hope Baptist Church in Toledo, Ohio. This is another great yearly meeting that is alternately held for three days at both Treasure Valley BC in Boise, Idaho and HBC in Toledo. This year it was in Toledo. This meeting was attended by well over 100 pastor's from all over the country. Bonnie and I were both blessed to be able to attend and to minister and be ministered unto.
We returned home to our very own Vacation Bible School (age 3 to 6th grade) which just started on Monday. Every night has been jamb packed with kids enjoying preaching, teaching, food, candy, snacks, games, singing and competition. Attendance has increased each night and last night we had 49 children. We still have three nights to go so we are praying for the Lord to bring forth fruit in the lives of these young children. The kids are bringing "penny offerings" and the money raised will be used to purchase bikes for the national pastor's in Zambia, Africa, where John and Lorna Sarra have ministered for the last 18 years.
In two weeks Cornerstone BC of Brattleboro, VT will hold its first service. Buddy Sadlosky, who has just graduated from our Bible Institute this year has been led of the Lord to start a church there. For several weeks now a heap and gob of our folks have traveled up there on Saturday mornings to distribute tracts, John and Romans, and invitations to the towns folk to attend the opening service September 9th. Buddy has asked me to preach that first service and I am honored to do so. May the Lord be lifted up and glorified in Brattelboro in the days ahead until Jesus comes!
I still have a few busy times yet this year. I will be preaching two Friday and Saturday Family camps in September for Pastor Chuck Starr in North Woodstock, NH and Pastor John Kehoe in Alburgh, VT. Please pray that the Lord blesses those camps! Thanks! I just desire to be used to draw God's people to a closer walk with Him, and to be faithful to our Saviour in these last days.
We also look forward to Pastor James Knox preaching a five night meeting here at FBBC October 1-5, and also a Bible Conference with Pastor James McGaughey preaching a missions emphasis to us on October 28 - 31.
We also have two of our missionaries scheduled to come. Brother Nick Serino, a 30 year missionary from the north slope of Arctic Alaska will be with us September 16th, and Brother Mike Wolski, missionary to Poland for about 10 years will be here on November 4.
Last but not least, we will be having Pastor Campbell from Treasured Trials Ministry here at FBBC from December 2 - 5. On February 17th 2010 he went in for simple knee surgery and came out of that surgery with his life changed drastically. After a failed spinal epidural he would be diagnosed with a condition called arachnoiditis -- which is a life time of severe pain every day, with no cure. Realizing God makes no mistakes, Pastor Campbell, and his family, want to help you give God praise, honor and glory, through your trials, whether they be physical, emotional, financial or mental, and to realize they are treasures from God. Everyone has them. How will you handle yours? Read 1 Peter 1:7.
On the physical side of things we were able to remove the top section of the church tower that has caused years of headaches due to its constant leaking. We had to hire a crane, an 80' lift and Darren Maynes and his crew to remove it and install a new roof on the lower section. Darren did a great job! It looks GREAT! Praise the Lord, no more leaks! What a relief! We did discover that the steel framing was 5" out of square which, no doubt, attributed to the leaking problem because the top section we removed did not fit properly. AH! So glad that problem is fixed. It was costly (approx $8,000 so far, but we had $6,300 come in ahead of time so we still only need about $1,700 more to pay it off completely...can you help?)
Okay, enough "blogging" for now. Have a blessed day!
Camp meeting was a great week of preaching, singing & fellowship. Twenty-six years we have been having this Camp meeting and the Lord continues to bless it with souls saved and Christian's helped and encouraged to stay on course for the Lord Jesus Christ. I am so grateful to so many in our church family who labored tirelessly to minister to others during the entire week. Thanks FBBC! You are a wonderful church family!
Northeast Vision was again a blessed time as Solid Rock BC ministered to over 1600 folks ... pastors and their congregations who traveled to NJ from all over New England to attend and be helped at this 3 day meeting. I know that my wife and I were encouraged and spiritually refreshed once again. We are so grateful to the SRBC family as they demonstrated such a servants heart. I know the Lord will bless them! One key event that blessed FBBC and the Sturgeon family was the salvation of their daughter, Sarah! Praise the Lord! In fact, as you read the next paragraph you will see that the fruit continues to appear as a result of Sarah getting saved.
Teen Camps and youth events galore. The Lord continues to bless the labors, prayers, and involvement of Pastor Sparks and his youth helpers, the Sturgeon's and the Burhoe's. They have been traveling hither and yon and seeing fruit for their labors at every stop along the way. In fact, as a result of Sarah Sturgeon getting saved we have seen other teens get saved as well...just a couple days after Sarah was saved my grandson, Andrea Turrisi was saved. He told me the holy Spirit convicted his that he too was not saved and he too repented of his sin and called upon the Lord Jesus Christ to save him! Glory to God!
Oh! But it does not stop there. While our teens were in Maine at youth camp with Pastor Artie Dean's church another grandson, Alexander Turrisi was doing his morning devotions out of Colossians 3:1-4 and the Lord convicted him about him not being saved. Those verses say, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." Well, Glory to God for the work of the holy Spirit in a tender open heart. Christ IS now Alexander's LIFE!
But it continues...last Sunday morning our granddaughter, Julianna Turrisi was expressing doubts about her own salvation too. Her mom, our daughter, Kelly, asked my wife to speak with her about it. They talked during the Sunday School hour and yep, Julianna was saved also! Can you just go ahead and shout right there! Glory to God!
Bonnie and I were asked to speak and preach [Clarification...Bonnie spoke to the ladies and pastor's wives (Kathy Gipp affectionately calls it 'spreaching' , and I preached to all the pastors] at Pastor's School at Hope Baptist Church in Toledo, Ohio. This is another great yearly meeting that is alternately held for three days at both Treasure Valley BC in Boise, Idaho and HBC in Toledo. This year it was in Toledo. This meeting was attended by well over 100 pastor's from all over the country. Bonnie and I were both blessed to be able to attend and to minister and be ministered unto.
We returned home to our very own Vacation Bible School (age 3 to 6th grade) which just started on Monday. Every night has been jamb packed with kids enjoying preaching, teaching, food, candy, snacks, games, singing and competition. Attendance has increased each night and last night we had 49 children. We still have three nights to go so we are praying for the Lord to bring forth fruit in the lives of these young children. The kids are bringing "penny offerings" and the money raised will be used to purchase bikes for the national pastor's in Zambia, Africa, where John and Lorna Sarra have ministered for the last 18 years.
In two weeks Cornerstone BC of Brattleboro, VT will hold its first service. Buddy Sadlosky, who has just graduated from our Bible Institute this year has been led of the Lord to start a church there. For several weeks now a heap and gob of our folks have traveled up there on Saturday mornings to distribute tracts, John and Romans, and invitations to the towns folk to attend the opening service September 9th. Buddy has asked me to preach that first service and I am honored to do so. May the Lord be lifted up and glorified in Brattelboro in the days ahead until Jesus comes!
I still have a few busy times yet this year. I will be preaching two Friday and Saturday Family camps in September for Pastor Chuck Starr in North Woodstock, NH and Pastor John Kehoe in Alburgh, VT. Please pray that the Lord blesses those camps! Thanks! I just desire to be used to draw God's people to a closer walk with Him, and to be faithful to our Saviour in these last days.
We also look forward to Pastor James Knox preaching a five night meeting here at FBBC October 1-5, and also a Bible Conference with Pastor James McGaughey preaching a missions emphasis to us on October 28 - 31.
We also have two of our missionaries scheduled to come. Brother Nick Serino, a 30 year missionary from the north slope of Arctic Alaska will be with us September 16th, and Brother Mike Wolski, missionary to Poland for about 10 years will be here on November 4.
Last but not least, we will be having Pastor Campbell from Treasured Trials Ministry here at FBBC from December 2 - 5. On February 17th 2010 he went in for simple knee surgery and came out of that surgery with his life changed drastically. After a failed spinal epidural he would be diagnosed with a condition called arachnoiditis -- which is a life time of severe pain every day, with no cure. Realizing God makes no mistakes, Pastor Campbell, and his family, want to help you give God praise, honor and glory, through your trials, whether they be physical, emotional, financial or mental, and to realize they are treasures from God. Everyone has them. How will you handle yours? Read 1 Peter 1:7.
On the physical side of things we were able to remove the top section of the church tower that has caused years of headaches due to its constant leaking. We had to hire a crane, an 80' lift and Darren Maynes and his crew to remove it and install a new roof on the lower section. Darren did a great job! It looks GREAT! Praise the Lord, no more leaks! What a relief! We did discover that the steel framing was 5" out of square which, no doubt, attributed to the leaking problem because the top section we removed did not fit properly. AH! So glad that problem is fixed. It was costly (approx $8,000 so far, but we had $6,300 come in ahead of time so we still only need about $1,700 more to pay it off completely...can you help?)
Okay, enough "blogging" for now. Have a blessed day!
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