ONE MORE !!

What in the world does that mean? As I drive around Woodward, I see ONE MORE sign’s in front yard ‘s all over town. I have one in my yard and have people that know me, ask me all the time what it means. Our Pastor Sheldon Riley, came up with this as a way for us to look for that ONE More out there. He challenges us to get out of our comfort zone and look for the one more that has not heard the word of GOD.
It reminds me of the movie that says “if you build it they will come”. If you build a excitement for people to be saved, People will be saved. As Pastor Sheldon said in one of his sermons “God moves forward and if we stay in our comfort zone we could be left behind. It kind of reminds me of room’s in our life. As we move from room to room there is a hallway and however long it takes us to go to the next room is how long we wander around in the hallway getting farther away from god. God opens the door but sometime its hard to go in a new room because of the change it might make in our lives. It’s easier to go back to our comfort zone and think everything is great. And I must admit I have a problem with change and try to stay out of the lime light, but I realized that I was getting luke warm and didn’t even realize it. I have been teaching or helping teach children’s Church every since I got saved 23 years ago and LOVE GOD and that’s enough …right? I am a good person and don’t drink, smoke, cuss so I’m ok …right? As my kids grow up and, some move away, I wonder if I did everything that I could to get my kids to love Jesus as much as I do and realized how many mistakes I made through the years. I missed so many teachable moments and didn’t even know it.
So now back to my comfort zone. As I was at church every Sunday helping teach the kids and doing puppets it came to me I was doing a “Job”. So I started looking for a way out. Novell and I had been teaching, driving the bus, helping mow the church yard once a month every since we started going to church and didn’t really have a time to get to know GOD. So as I tried to get out of teaching the 1st and 2nd grade children’s church we quit going to church on Sunday nights because we needed our time to relax. It took a couple of years to get out of the job of children’s church. It wasn’t till we got out that I realized that I had let the Devil convince me that I was unhappy and keep me from using the talent that he had given me. God hadn’t changed …I had. Once I saw the bigger picture I tried to get back in touch with God and be what he wanted me to be. I decided to help teach the k – 1st grade class. I found out once you become luke warm…it really hard to get back to the place GOD wants us to be. So for years we helped teach but still didn’t go to church on Sunday evenings. We went through quit a few preachers and I was in my comfort zone, serving God and feeling good about myself. UNTILL…….
Our new pastor came and was here for a few month’s . I started hearing lots of people saying great things about Pastor Sheldon. I was curious what was going on. I decided to check it out one morning and it was like someone had shaken me. I realized how far I had slipped into my comfort zone and realized that I needed to move (Out of my comfortable room). I went to a new place and see things from a different view.
I love the Lord and can’t wait till Sundays (Mornings to teach the kids and evenings to hear the word of GOD). I ask GOD everyday to guide me and help me to find the ONE MORE that needs to be shook up like I was. I ask him help keep me from ever getting Luke warm again. I know that I was a ONE MORE 2 times so I thank God for my ONE MORE chance to get it right.
Mat 18:16
But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.'
Mar 12:33
And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
PS: Don’t fault me for grammar and spelling…It was my worst subject 

Flappable?


Men want to give the impression that we are manly men.. who don’t cry
(unless our sports teams lose), and only tolerate romantic movies if they
mix in a great car chase. Real men are not afraid of the dark, they are the
head of their homes, and real men DON’T EAT QUICHE! In summary.. Real men
are UNFLAPPABLE.

I often fall just two letters short of being unflappable, but missing those
two little letters U and N leave me ... flappable. AND.. in the words of
Maxwell Smart.. "missed it by this much."



Good news is that ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ Now if I will
allow my mind and heart to realize this perfect truth of God I then.. can
earn back those two little letters UN and stop my twisting in the wind.

BUT.. while striving to be unflappable please do confuse this with being
calloused. This Life on Earth is filled with sadness, money issues,
sickness, death, and other trials that require a tender heart and caring
service.

We must be passionate, compassionate, and diligent in response to life’s
unfortunate circumstances, and the needs of others.

May God bless each of you today with His answers to life’s trials, and
bless you in ways that are beyond your dreams. Love God, love others, and
the rest is trivial pursuit. Remember ‘If God is for us, who can be against
us?’

I am off to PICK A FIGHT

This is one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movies..
‘BraveHeart’.. not to be confused with BraveBird. The story of William
Wallace who fought for Scotland against England for their FREEEEDOOOMM!

At one point in the movie the Scots who were greatly outnumbered by the
English are about to do battle. The well armed, well trained English did
not take this rag-tag Scottish army seriously. Then at a peaceful moment of
negations between the two sides before battle, William Wallace (Mel Gibson)
rides his horse into this little meeting after announcing calmly.. “I am
off to PICK A FIGHT.”

I won’t get into the details, but he did taunt and mock the English until..
yes THERE WAS A FIGHT… and the Scots won!


To me this movie is significant in the message of doing what is right no
matter the cost (even life), and while not looking for a fight also we need
NOT BEING AFRAID TO FIGHT. What.. Christians fight? No, no, not the
Crusades again…THERE WAS A LOT OF BAD PRESS ABOUT THE CRUSADES. But I
believe we need to know when to fight. Our Christian Faith we need to be
willing to stand up and fight for.

A while back there was a news item that I believe is an interesting
example. The legislature of South Dakota voted in a state law that
prohibits almost all forms of abortion, and the governor signed it. Woooo..
so politically dangerous. Hmmmm, how will that affect the Republicans
chances in the next elections? Will there be negative fallout for the
party? This will obviously go to the Supreme Court!! The media is going to
have a field day, and then all the fear stories of the dangerous religious
right will be the evening mantra to the public. And to quote Piglet (from
Winnie the Pooh fame) a devout pacifist.. “Oh d-dear, oh d-dear!!.

But I do have an answer for that concern. WHO CARES.. it is TIME TO PICK A
FIGHT. This is not a republican versus democrat issue.. this is a choice of
RIGHT AND WRONG.

No, not abortion clinic bombings, or threats to Planned Parenthood, BUT it
is time to quit apologizing like we are wrong. Of course you can tell by
this email I have the political savvy and wits of the infamous ‘bull in a
china shop’. But again.. WHO CARES.. I’m here TO PICK A FIGHT.

So.. are you a Republican or Democrat? Liberal or Conservative? Big
government advocate or libertarian? Fundamentalist or Radical? Pacifist or
Zealot? If I must have a label.. then how about.. Christian. I am a
follower of Jesus Christ.

I believe in the God of my Bible and not just any god. I believe the
teachings of the Bible are unchanging, and should NEVER be subject to man’s
so-called enlightenment.

SO PICK A FIGHT WITH ME. I hope it’s not a fist fight, because I bruise
like a peach. Now when in a fight don’t pretend you know it all, but don’t
apologize for what you do know and believe. All the labels above are man’s
labels, and all are subject to God’s truth. So let’s all as believers at
least agree on the Bible as God’s word for man… then we are ready to PICK A
FIGHT.


I am not recruiting any right winged or left winged or buffalo winged cause
(though I prefer buffalo wings to either political side). Christians are
called to be tolerant & compassionate, but never milk-toast wimpy believers
afraid to share AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH to Oprah-like followers that there is
only one God. God calls us to be happy, confident, with a healthy
self-esteem in who we are in Christ, and then PICK A FIGHT even with
giants.

No need likely to bloody a nose, but no need either to EVER back down to
anyone that defies the teachings of our Bibles. Picking a Fight is more
than standing strong on issues like abortion, gay rights v marriage, drugs
& alcohol, the cancer of porn, but also include the fight for THE NEEDY,
and the LOST? Be strong, be compassionate, be obedient, and then you are
ready to PICK A FIGHT for your God and for others who need Him.




May God bless each of us today as we pursue God’s truth. May God smile at,
and bless our sincere efforts to serve Him and others with love… and may
God bless us and use us in ways that are BEYOND OUR DREAMS.

Am I saved ?

(I FOUND THIS ON THW WEB. PASTOR SHELDON WILL BE UPDATING THIS BLOG SOON)

"Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." (Isaiah 45:22)

May I ask you a question?
If you were to die today, would you go to Heaven to be with God?
Hopefully, you have answered yes, but if not, please read on as we would like to show you that you can know.

People feel that they will go to Heaven for many different reasons. For example, some think they will go to Heaven because they go to church every Sunday while some think that they are a good person and that good people go to Heaven. We'll, let's see what God has to say.
In the Bible you can find both bad news and good news. The bad news is something about you and the good news is something about what God did for you.
Let's take a look at the bad news first....

Bad News #1
The Bible says, you are a sinner.
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." (Romans 3:23)
Even if you are a pretty good person overall, in God's eyes you are still a sinner. In fact, God says there is no good person who does not sin.
"For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin." (Ecc. 7:20)
Being that God is Holy and perfect, He cannot allow sin in His presence in Heaven. So, therefore sin is what keeps you from getting to Heaven.
The bad news gets even worse...

Bad News #2
The penalty for sin is death.
"For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23)
Because of sin, death has been earned. Not just physical death but a spiritual death. In this spiritual death a person will suffer eternal punishment and torment and be eternally separated from God.
God is a just God and sin must be punished. We can do nothing about it on our own...so the good news is that God provides a solution for our sin.

Good News #1
God loves us and sent His Son Jesus Christ to take all of our sin upon Himself and die in our place. His death paid the penalty for ALL of our sins.
"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us." (2 Corinthians 5:21)
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace..." (Ephesians 1:7)
Then on the third day, Jesus rose again [came back to life] and defeated death. He is alive today!
That sure is good news, isn't it?
The good news gets even better...

Good News #2
You can be saved from having to pay the penalty of your sin through faith in Jesus Christ.
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved..." (Acts 16:31)
"To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins." (Acts 10:43)
So, as you can see from this good news, God made a way out for us. He sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins and take the penalty for us. If we believe in Him as our Savior, He washes us clean from all our sin and gives us eternal life.
"He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." (John 3:36)

So, after hearing God's Word here today...Do you believe?

Eternal life is a gift purchased by the blood of Jesus and offered freely to those who put their faith in Him.
If you have now put your faith in Jesus to save you, let us help you word a prayer you can pray right now (realize it's not the prayer that saves you, it's your faith in Jesus Christ).
"Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I believe you died for my sins and rose again. Please forgive me of my sins. I am trusting you, and you alone, to take me to Heaven when I die. Thank you for saving me. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen."

If you have come to know the Lord after reading God's Word here today please email us and let us know. We would like to pray for you and send you some more information.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8,9)