Run your roots deep in the Lord

Greetings:
The roots of a tree are essential for its growth and survival.
Roots obtain water, oxygen and minerals from the soil to feed the tree.
The root system serves to guarantee the existence of the whole tree. Without roots, a tree simply could not even survive. One of the roots' functions is to anchor the tree in the soil, providing stability and a firm base for the entire structure of the trunk, branches, leaves, and fruit.
Our Christian walk is much the same. We have to develop roots that stand firm and run deep.
It takes time and effort to establish Christian roots.
Both the Old and New Testaments draw on images of the plant world to describe God's people and teach us valuable lessons about our spiritual condition. Nature surrounds us. Its images are familiar to us.
The prophet Jeremiah expressed a powerful analogy in the Old Testament, comparing the faith-filled person with a strong, flourishing tree:
 In Jeremiah 17:7-9 (The Amplified Bible) we read: “[Most] blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in, and relies on the Lord, and whose hope and confidence the Lord is. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear when heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease yielding fruit.”
In the New Testament, Jesus knew the value of using parables from nature for his listeners. He often spoke about the organic cycle of life, fruit-bearing, and death to illustrate the truths of the life of the spirit.
In Mark, Chapter 4 we read about the parable of the sower and the seed.
Jesus said we need to see the importance of developing a deep-rooted connection with God to be rooted securely in him to sustain life and bear fruit:
In Mark 4:5-6 we read: “Other seed [of the same kind] fell on ground full of rocks, where it had not much soil; and at once it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil; And when the sun came up, it was scorched, and because it had not taken root, it withered away.”
These seeds put down roots, and the roots struggled to find anchorage, but the soil was rocky. Finally the plant withered and died, because the roots found no source of water and nutrients.
As Jesus explained in Mark 4:16-17,  “And in the same way the ones sown upon stony ground are those who, when they hear the Word, at once receive and accept and welcome it with joy; And they have no real root in themselves, and so they endure for a little while; then when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Word, they immediately are offended (become displeased, indignant, resentful) and they stumble and fall away.”
As we go forth today, let us see how important it is that our roots run deep in the Lord, being anchored firmly in faith, and sustained by our daily fellowship with him.

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Time to get back to the Christian basics

Greetings:
We read a lot in news reports about bullying and threats of violence in our schools, in the workplace and even in social media, like Facebook.
Many school teachers are complaining about the character and destructive habits of so many of the children they are assigned to work with and are trying to teach.
We hear about foul mouthed language, resentful attitudes toward anyone in authority and arrogant disdain for learning.
Some parents give their children little or no support at home.
 The disintegration of families, absentee parents and a general absence of discipline have created a situation that left unchecked will only get worse.
What form of education is molding our child’s thought patterns?
In Ephesians 5:15-16 we are warned, “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”
Have our schools taken the opportunity to shape minds, morals and characters to love their neighbor as themselves, doing unto others as they would want to be done unto?
Are our schools teaching respect for God, respect for parents, respect for people and property?
We must remember the words of Psalm 111:10, which reads, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
Have our schools been pouring fuel on the fire by teaching that man is a product of evolutionary chance? Have they replaced Bible education with sex education?
We have allowed the government to remove prayer and teaching that violence is an acceptable solution to the problem of an “unwanted pregnancy” by killing the pre-born baby through abortion.
Why do we continue to promote situation ethics, values clarification and alternative lifestyles, which are contrary to biblical teaching?
We have allowed the rejection of the truth of Creation, absolute standards of right and wrong, the Ten Commandments, the teachings and Golden Rule, and the meaning, purpose and ethical foundations that comes from Christian education.
It is secular humanist education that has taught our children “you come from nothing, you are going nowhere and life is meaningless.
Our children are being taught there are no moral absolutes” and a philosophy that cannot possibly understand the problem of bullying, violence and disrespect.
Historically, only Christianity with its teaching on the inherent sinfulness of man can diagnose the problem, and prescribe the solution.
Look at Deuteronomy 6:7 – 9. It reads, “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.”
Nearly 500 years ago, the great German reformer, The Rev. Martin Luther, warned: “I am much afraid that schools will prove to be wide gates to hell unless they diligently labor to explain the Holy Scriptures, engraving them on the hearts of the youth. I advise no-one to place his child where the Scriptures do not reign paramount.”
We as parents are responsible before God to disciple our children.
Are we doing everything possible to ensure our child, or children, are learning to love and obey God?
Are we disciplining our children or grandchildren, by instruction and by example?
Do we regularly pray for your children? Do we regularly pray with your children?
There are all good questions that parents should ponder and pray about.
If we as Christians stay passive and remain quiet, the situation is never going to improve.

These morning messages are now available by email. Simply write me with you email address at schneider.nick@gmail.com, and I'll be happy to forward them to your in-box.

Thank You for the Cross Lord

Today is a day to pause as a nation and a family and give thanks to our Almighty God.
This Thanksgiving Day we can find comfort in a God who has blessed us with more than we deserve, but we are grateful to serve a mighty, merciful and forgiving God
Each day of life and good health is a blessing to be cherished and enjoyed.
A loving family and great friends are a blessing.
In our community the pocketbooks of some may not be as full of cash as they would desire, but few go hungry, or are homeless or don't have enough clothes to place on their backs.
Sometimes, that's because of the goodwill and help from those who reach out and help those in need. Today, many in our communities got up early to help prepare a Thanksgiving meal for those less fortunate displaying the Christian spirit of giving in a special way.
We are thankful that we have a job that helps on most days to buy groceries, pay our bills and buy some fuel to pump into our energy-dependent vehicles.
I find it hard to express real personal thanksgiving without reference to and acknowledgment of God.
Look at what God's Word –– the Bible  –– says about being thankful.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (The Amplified Bible) we  read: “Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].”
In Colossians 3:15 (The Amplified Bible), we read: “And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].”
Nestled in the middle of a comparison of our life before salvation and what our life after salvation should be like is this command to be thankful. Thankfulness is a sign of a changed life.
Even in simple things we should be thankful. Don’t reserve your praise to God for only the big things in life. Recognize that God is the giver of all good gifts in our life, great or small.
Let us give thanks that God does not slumber or sleep. He always watches over us. We are ever in His hand, ever in His care. The Lord is our shepherd. We shall not want for any good thing.
A thankful heart can change the whole way you see life. It is a flood-gate opener to blessings, joy peace and all sorts of goodness. With thankful hearts, we can even touch the very heart of God, and King David even told us that when we approach God, enter into His gates with thankful hearts!
Psalm 100:4-5 (The Amplified Bible) reads: “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting, His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations.”
If you want to develop a thankful heart, then meditate and think about the good things God has blessed you with.
On this day, thank God for what his son Jesus did on the cross.
 Healing, prosperity, joy, peace, and deliverance are all parts of what Jesus did for us. God's Word tells us that ear has not heard, nor eye seen the great things that lie ahead for those who love God.
Even on the worst day that we see with our eyes, every one of us does reason to be thankful.
If we see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies within us.

Today, enjoy this praise song by Hillsong, "Thank You Lord for the Cross"

These morning messages are now available by email. Simply write me with you email address at schneider.nick@gmail.com, and I'll be happy to forward them to your in-box.

There is much to be thankful

Greetings:
Tomorrow is the recognized day of celebration of the yearly Thanksgiving Day holiday.
It's a day to gather around a table stocked with more food and eatable goodies than we ought to have, but nonetheless, it's a traditional day of devouring, fellowship and a good time with those we love and care for.
However, truth be known, every day ought to be Thanksgiving Day.
We ought to wake every morning and the first thing that out to be uttered from our lips is “Thank you Lord for another day”.
For those of us who have a relationship with Jesus Christ, we have so much for which to be thankful each and every day. We have been set free by the redeeming power of Jesus Christ, who died on the cross. We have been forgiven for our many sins and can experience a freedom that no amount of money cannot buy. We can never  do enough good works to earn what we have.
This is illustrated in Psalm 103:1-5  (The Amplified Bible) where King David reminds us: “Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul; and all that is [deepest] within me, bless His holy name! Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all His benefits—Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities, Who heals [each one of] all your diseases, Who redeems your life from the pit and corruption, Who beautifies, dignifies, and crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercy; Who satisfies your mouth [your necessity and desire at your personal age and situation] with good so that your youth, renewed, is like the eagle’s [strong, overcoming, soaring]!”
These are truly words of thanksgiving.
American philosopher Eric Hoffer had it right when he said, “The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.”
So as we gather tomorrow, let us do more than simply say 'thank you'.
Let us follow the words written in Psalm 100:1-5
“Let us shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
Hebrews 13:15 (The Amplified Bible) tells us: “Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name/”
So tomorrow, before we dig into to that big Thanksgiving Day meal, let us pause and thank God, not only for who he is, but for all of the things in our lives. Look around the table and recognize God’s hand and his goodness. We truly do have much to be thankful.

These morning messages are now available by email. Simply write me with you email address at schneider.nick@gmail.com, and I'll be happy to forward them to your in-box.

God's glory is our choice

Greetings:
Have you ever pondered your purpose, or the purpose of mankind in general?
In the good days it's much easier to get a handle of what God wants of you and from you. But when times are bad and trying, to catch a glimpse of your purpose is more of a challenge.
Look at Psalm 8:3-6 to get an idea of what King David thought in the good times. God's glory was easy to proclaim. The passage reads: “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?  You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet.”
In Job 7:16-18 we see a contrasting view expressed by Job, who was downcast and stripped of God's pleasures. Job felt like there was no hope.
The passage reads: “I hate my life and don’t want to go on living. Oh, leave me alone for my few remaining days. What are people, that you should make so much of us, that you should think of us so often? For you examine us every morning and test us every moment.”
We see that David was simply overwhelmed by the awesome, unspeakable majesty of God's glory and purpose for man. He expressed thankfulness in grateful praise to God, who created him.
How many of us have been on the mountaintop and glorifying God in the good times?
In contrast, suffering Job protested that man seems too insignificant to justify God's perpetual concern and asked God to just leave him alone in his misery.
We have to remember that in the first book of the Bible, God gave man dominion over His earthly creation—an awesome responsibility that mankind has..
We need to grasp in our hearts and minds what the glory of God really is and how we fit into that picture.
We can grab some insight about the glory of God from a sermon delivered by Professor Charles G. Finney many years ago on Dec. 20, 1843.
He stated, “Nothing can make us stable Christians, but to behold his glory, a revelation of Him to us. No excitement, no intellectual acumen, no strength of logic, nothing can secure us but a revelation of God to our souls. We should therefore persevere and insist that this be done for us, that we see God's glory, and be fixed on Him. The church should pray for ministers and for candidates for the ministry, that God would reveal to them the deep secrets of his love and mercy; that He would open to them the ever flowing fountains of exquisite and perennial blessedness to let them drink therefrom and never thirst more. O do the churches think and feel how much they can do for their ministers, by praying the heavens open, and letting down on their hearts such rays of glory as shall forever enrapture and hold them in awful apprehension of God's presence and character, as that the spirit of the Highest shall come upon them, and the power of God overshadow them, and transform them from men of clay, to angels of mercy and power to a fallen world? Why do they not pray? Brethren, why do you not pray--pray that God would show you, the community, the whole church in the land, and in the world, his glory?”
Do we possess the mindset of King David or Job? That's something to pray about.

These morning messages are now available by email. Simply write me with you email address at schneider.nick@gmail.com, and I'll be happy to forward them to your in-box.

Who is God?

Greetings:
God.
Three simple letters, but they mean so much in our personal lives.
Have you ever really thought about who God is?
Read through the pages of Scripture that make up the Holy Bible and you become amazed almost overwhelmed by his magnitude, his power and influence on all that is, was or will be.
When we talk about the attributes of God we are talking about His nature—who God is in His manifested character.
Describing God is almost beyond words. The attributes of God are many.
Here is my list of how I view God. I am sure you can add to this list.
God is the Trinity –– three persons, the Father, The Son (Jesus) and The Holy Spirit, not three Gods.
God is love in the truest sense.
God is omnipotent (all-powerful).
God is omniscient (all-knowing).
God is omnipresent (present everywhere).
God is self-existent. If not, who created God?
God is holy.
God is the creator of all.
God is alive.
God is supreme.
God is giving.
God is forgiving.
God is compassionate,
God is approachable.
God is creative.
God is merciful.
God is understanding.
God is honest.
God is capable.
God is accepting.
God is not judgmental.
God is wise.
God is hope.
God is mercy.
God is grace.
God is truth.
God is righteous.
God is consistent.
God is ever-present.
God is powerful.
God is the one who satisfies.
God is compassionate.
God is just.
God is a healer.
God is a redeemer.
God is able to deliver.
God is the King above all kings.
God is kind.
God is gracious.
God is sovereign.
God is eternal.
God is unchangeable.
God is the one who renews our mind, spirit and soul.
God is faithful.
God is caring.
God is beyond compare.
God is good.
God is the Alpha.
God is the Omega.
The list of 'God is' could go on and on.
We can read in Bible in Isaiah 45:5 says there is only one God. It reads: "I am the Lord, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God.”
As we see the sunsets, the regularity of the seasons, the laws of nature, we are drawn to the fact that God is behind all of it.
We can be thankful that God chose us.

 These morning messages are now available by email. Simply write me with you email address at schneider.nick@gmail.com, and I'll be happy to forward them to your in-box.

Forgive, even when it hurts

Greetings:
Nothing can pain, stunt or curtail Christian growth like unforgiveness.
Not being able to forgive someone who has wrong you or being able to forgive yourself for past sins and shortcomings is a definite hinderance to Christian growth.
And yes, forgiveness and the word forget go hand in hand.
The Bible uses the term "forget" in the sense of "escaping notice." 
For example, the Apostle Paul could remember his earlier sins, yet he boldly proclaimed "to forget" (not take notice of those things) that were behind in order to press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
In Philippians 3:13-14 we read,  "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
We know that Paul was formally a persecutor and blasphemer...yet he found mercy in the Lord.
Some folks try very hard to forget and fail!  Because it is next to impossible to forget things that happen.
Yet, we can and should not to have them effect our relationship to others.
Memory plays a good function in that we can remember what we before God saved us.  It helps us appreciate and be thankful to God for saving us from that life style and sin.
We are to forgive and not let the memory of past sins against us effect our love for the brethren.
In Matthew 18:21-22, we read that the apostle Peter asks Jesus if he should forgive his brother seven times.
What did Jesus reply? The Lord told him to forgive his brother seventy times seven.
Dr. Johnnie Blount in is book, “Be the Word” says this scripture is telling us to forgive people who have hurt us, wronged us and spiritually release them, because if we don't we hinder and imprison ourselves.
“Envy, jealousy, hatred, bitterness and resentment always bring on sickness, infirmity, poverty and lack,” he writes.
Sir Walter Scott, a Scottish minister, historical novelist, playwright, and poet, had difficulty with the idea of "turning the other cheek' and walking in forgiveness.
But Jesus' words took on special meaning one day when Scott threw a rock at a stray dog to chase it away.  His aim was straighter and his delivery stronger than he had intended, for he hit the animal and broke its leg.
Instead of running off,  the dog limped over to him and licked his hand. 
Sir Walter never forgot that touching response.  He wrote, "That dog preached the Sermon on the Mount to me as few ministers have ever presented  it."  Scott said he had not found human beings so ready to forgive their enemies.
In the Lord's Prayer, which Jesus told his disciples was the 'way to pray', we say, “Forgive us our  trespasses (sins) and those who trespass (sin) against us.”
That's a declaration or a promise to God that we are going to forgive others, just was we have been forgiven in our shortcoming – our sins.
The Rev. R. T. Kendall in his book, “The Lord's Prayer” writes, “Forgiving those who have been unjust, wicked, evil and vile is the hardest thing in the world to do. Not only that, you have to keep doing it  –– days later, weeks later, years later.”
Forgiveness is a basic Christian principle that each of us has to walk. It's not easy, but the freedom it provides is a real joy.

These morning messages are now available by email. Simply write me with you email address at schneider.nick@gmail.com, and I'll be happy to forward them to your in-box.

Stepping stone or stumbling block

Greetings:
How many of you have ever cried out to God and said you are so tired of enduring trials, tribulations and tests.
My prayer has been, “God, please no more. Have I not passed this test? Please have mercy. God, I am weary, please give me rest.”
Believe me, my family and I have lived through some very difficult trials in our walk with God, but God has shown me that it is even harder to grow in Christian maturity without them.
Like many others, we've battled illness, finances, disappointments, transitions, new surroundings and personal character attacks that have brought us to our knees in prayer.
We don't have to like some of the mountains we have to face in life, but we do have to climb them as part of God's plan. It's taken me a long time to realize that we must do it in his way and in his timing.
That's the difficult part.
God's purpose when we face any trial from him is to give us endurance, to make our faith and character stronger.
In James 1:2-4 we read, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
The way we approach our trials is ultimately our own decision. We are the key to determining whether our trials are viewed as stepping stones or stumbling blocks.
I was looking out the window in the back of our home the other day and my attention was drawn to a rustic walkway of stepping stones that has been positioned leading from our deck to a small shed.
The stones have been laid in sort of winding fashion. Some are laying flat and level, while other are raised a bit to align with the contour of the ground.
Life is like that pathway. The path is not always smooth, but it does lead us to where we are going.
God does know what is along the path, even if we do not.
How do we turn adversity into a stepping-stone and not a stumbling block?
How can we make a bad experience become a learning experience?
 Part of the answer lies in perspective. How we choose to lead our lives and how we make faith part of our lives ultimately helps us face the challenges that come to everyone in this earthly existence.
There are many days that I have had to rely on my faith alone to get through, but looking back, God has always brought me through – and he continues to do it.
Our hope in Christ tell us there are better days coming.
There is a difference in knowing there is a light at the end of the tunnel and only hoping that to be the case. God's promise that our trials will make us stronger and always work for our good, regardless of the circumstances, should impact the way we approach life; mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.
God has a plan prepared to allow our trials, successfully endured, to become a positive benefit, not only to each of us individually, but also to others.
The Word says we overcome by what?  We overcome by the The Word of our testimony.
Trials are testimony builders.
Let our testimony be words that are stepping stone and not stumbling blocks for others.

These morning messages are now available by email. Simply write me with you email address at schneider.nick@gmail.com, and I'll be happy to forward them to your in-box.