PASTOR D. L. GOULD MUSINGS (2020) 2064

Sunday, May 31, 2020

05/31/20 THINK ON THESE THINGS

05/31/20 THINK ON THESE THINGS

Media undertow is deadly.
It sucks you out to sea and drags you down in a maelstrom of anger and fear.
Fill your mind with God's word.

Philippians 4:4-9
4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

James 3:13-18
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Most people don't know how dangerous the undertow is until it is too late. It starts unnoticeable. By the time you realize you need help, it is often too late.

Rip tides will pull you out and whirlpools will pull you down.

05/31/20 FROM SIX YEARS AGO

05/31/20 FROM SIX YEARS AGO

Shared a memory.
From six years ago.
Don't follow a world gone mad. Follow Jesus.
Go forward on the path of God.

WHY WOULDN'T A PERSON CHOOSE THE PATH OF GOD?
God tells us to ponder the path we will take in life, and to stay on that path.
Proverbs 4:26-27
(26) Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
(27) Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

Only a fool would choose the path of futility; only a blind man would choose the path of misery; only a madman would choose the path of destruction. In my comment box below I give a list of at least 17 characteristics of the path a Christian takes. I hope you at least glance at it, and maybe meditate on these great truths.

The "On Ramp" to the Path of fulfillment is to receive Christ as your Lord and Savior (Jn:14:6).

GOD'S PATH
Proverbs 4:25-27
(25) Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
(26) Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
(27) Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

I have titled and quoted some of the Passages that tell us something about the Path of God.

PATH OF LIFE
Psalms 16:11
(11) Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Psalms 23:3
(3) He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

THE LORD'S PATHS
Psalms 25:4
(4) Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.

PATHS OF MERCY AND TRUTH
Psalms 25:10
(10) All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

PLAIN PATH
Psalms 27:11
(11) Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

FRUITFUL PATHS
Psalms 65:11
(11) Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness (are abundant).

MORAL PATH
Psalms 119:35
(35) Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

LIGHTED PATH
Psalms 119:105
(105) NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

PREPARED PATH
Psalms 139:3
(3) Thou compassest (You prepare) my path and my lying down (my bed), and art acquainted with all my ways.

PATHS OF THE RIGHTEOUS
Proverbs 2:20
(20) That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

CHOSEN AND DIRECTED PATHS
Proverbs 3:6
(6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

PATHS OF PEACE
Proverbs 3:17
(17) Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

RIGHT PATHS
Proverbs 4:11
(11) I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.

SHINING PATH
Proverbs 4:18
(18) But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

OLD PATHS
Jeremiah 6:16
(16) Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

STRAIGHT PATHS
Hebrews 12:13-15
(13) And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
(14) Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
(15) Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

05/31/20 FOLLOWING CHRIST IS NO GAME

05/31/20 FOLLOWING CHRIST IS NO GAME

"Follow The Leader" is a child's game, with various leaders.
Following Jesus is a full-time, lifelong, love relationship with Him.

05/31/20 COSTLY DISCIPLESHIP

05/31/20 COSTLY DISCIPLESHIP

Following Jesus requires a willingness to leave vocation, family, home, wealth, self.
It is costly but refusal is more costly.

05/31/20 EARLY OBSTACLE TO SALVATION

05/31/20 EARLY OBSTACLE TO SALVATION

God's 1st call to Abraham was leave homeland and kinfolks.
Sadly, folks choose home, heritage, culture, family and refuse God's call.

05/31/20 RATIO OF CHRISTIAN POPULATION

05/31/20 RATIO OF CHRISTIAN POPULATION

Surveys have said Christians are around 25%(+-) of population. I've always said 5%. Barna says only 6% have Christian world view.

That is why i was surprised at latest Barna report. It recognizes the idea and significance of a "Christian world view." This is important for assessing the validity of a true Christian. I will try to post the Barna link.

05/30/20 BEING EXTREME IS BASIC TO CHRISTIANS

05/30/20 BEING EXTREME IS BASIC TO CHRISTIANS

The most extreme Christian action is to walk in basic Christian light.

05/30/20 CHANGES ARE COMING

05/30/20 CHANGES ARE COMING

Life won't continue as we knew it. Christians can't continue as they have.
Desperate times require desperate measures.

Romans 13:10-14
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

1 Corinthians 15:34
34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

Ephesians 5:6-20
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

05/29/20 BREAK THE CHAN OF RACISM

05/29/20 BREAK THE CHAN OF RACISM

Pride and confidence in your flesh (WHATEVER COLOR), is the way to hell. Believers better wake up and break the chain of racism.

05/29/20 YOU LEAD THE WAY

05/29/20 YOU LEAD THE WAY

Black or white, if you herd with racist and bigots, you are leading your family and friends to destruction.

05/29/20 IT IS YOUR CHOICE

05/29/20 IT IS YOUR CHOICE

Some day, you will draw your final breath in this world and open your eyes in eternity. It will be too late to choose Christ then.

Joshua 24:15
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.