Month: March 2013

  • DEVOTIONAL LANCASTER BAPTIST CHURCH

     

     


     
     

    The Wisdom of Silence

    By Paul Chappell

     
     
     
      Sunday, Mar 17, 2013

    "Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding."

    Proverbs 17:28

    One of Aesop’s fables concerned a turtle who envied the ducks who swam in the pond where he lived. As he listened to them describe the wonders of the world they had seen, he was filled with a great desire to travel. But being a turtle, he was unable to travel far. Finally two ducks offered to help him. One of the ducks said, “We will each hold an end of a stick in our mouths. You hold the stick in the middle in your mouth, and we will carry you through the air so that you can see what we see when we fly. But be quiet or you will be sorry.”

    The turtle loved the idea. He took hold of the stick and away into the sky they went. The ducks flew up above the trees and circled around the meadow. The turtle was amazed and overjoyed at his new perspective on the world. He marveled at the flowers on the hillside. Just then a crow flew past. Astonished at the sight of a turtle flying through the air carried by two ducks he said, “Surely this must be the king of all turtles!” “Why certainly…” the turtle began—but as he spoke, he lost his grip on the stick and fell to the ground below.

    While there are times when we need to speak out and take a stand, more frequently we find ourselves in trouble because we talk too much. As the old saying goes, “A closed mouth gathers no foot.” When we talk much, the tendency to brag and speak of things we should not grows. Instead we should cultivate the wisdom of silence and guard carefully the things we allow to come out of our mouths.

    Today’s Proverbs Precept: 
    Learn the wisdom of silence in situations where what you would say does not edify or enlighten others.

    Old Testament Reading
    Deuteronomy 30

    CHAPTER 30

    1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, 2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; 3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee. 4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: 5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. 6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. 7 And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee. 8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day. 9 And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: 10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.

    11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

    15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; 16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. 17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; 18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. 19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

     

    CHAPTER 31

    1 And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel. 2 And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the LORD hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan. 3 The LORD thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the LORD hath said. 4 And the LORD shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the land of them, whom he destroyed. 5 And the LORD shall give them up before your face, that ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you. 6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 7 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. 8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

    9 And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and unto all the elders of Israel. 10 And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, 11 When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12 Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: 13 And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

    14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation. 15 And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle. 16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them. 17 Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us? 18 And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods. 19 Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel. 20 For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant. 21 And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.

    22 Moses therefore wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel. 23 And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them: and I will be with thee. 24 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, 25 That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, 26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee. 27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death? 28 Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them. 29 For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands. 30 And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended.

    New Testament Reading
    Mark 15:1

    1 And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it. 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing. 4 And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee. 5 But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled. 6 Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. 7 And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8 And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. 9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. 11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. 12 And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? 13 And they cried out again, Crucify him. 14 Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.

    15 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. 16 And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band. 17 And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, 18 And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! 19 And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him. 21 And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.

    22 And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull. 23 And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not. 24 And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. 25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.

    Proverb of the Day
    Proverbs 17

    1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife. 2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren. 3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts. 4 A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue. 5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished. 6 Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers. 7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince. 8 A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth. 9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends. 10 A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool. 11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him. 12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly. 13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house. 14 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with. 15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD. 16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it? 17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. 18 A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend. 19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction. 20 He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief. 21 He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy. 22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. 23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment. 24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. 25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him. 26 Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity. 27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. 28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

     
           
       
     

    LA

  • JOKES

    Jokes of the day -  College jokes   

     A son is calling his mom from college, and telling her that he had just got his degree. The mother says: That's great honey! What kind of degree? And the son, almost squealing with excitement says: The best one ever, a Celsius degree!

          ______________________________________________

     

    A linguistics professor was lecturing to his English class one day. "In English," he said, "A double negative forms a positive. In some languages, though, such as Russian, a double negative is still a negative. However, there is no language wherein a double positive can form a negative." A voice from the back of the room piped up, "Yeah, right."

  • MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES

    I KNOW NO METHOD TO SECURE THE REPEAL OF BAD OR OBNOXIOUS LAWS SO EFFECTIVE AS THEIR STRINGENT EXECUTION. PRES. U.S. GRANT, INAUGURAL ADDRESS, 1869 Bro. Doc

  • JOKES

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    Little Rabbit FooFoo

    One day, Little Rabbit FooFoo was hopping through the forest, snatching all the mice, and bonking them on the head.

    A good fairy appeared. "Little Rabbit FooFoo, what you're doing is evil! Stop it, or Mother Nature will turn you into something gooney!" she said.

    Little Rabbit FooFoo just laughed and laughed.

    The next day, Little Rabbit FooFoo was again hopping through the forest, snatching all the mice, and bonking them on the head.

    Again, the good fairy appeared. "Little Rabbit FooFoo, I told you that's evil! Stop it, or Mother Nature will turn you into something gooney!" she said.

    Again, Little Rabbit FooFoo just laughed and laughed.

    The next day, Little Rabbit FooFoo was still hopping through the forest, snatching all the mice, and bonking them on the head.

    Mother Nature appeared, and, abracadabra! Little Rabbit FooFoo was turned into an ugly goon, never to terrorize mice again.

    The moral?

    Hare today, goon tomorrow...

    Political Correctness

    I think the political correctness is getting ridiculous. Today I overheard a little boy say he was going to go play a game of Cattle Management Specialists and Native Americans.

    How the Media Would Cover The Apocalypse

    USA Today:
    We're Dead

    The Wall Street Journal:
    Dow Jones Plummets As World Ends

    Microsoft Systems Journal:
    Apple Loses Market Share

    Sports Illustrated:
    Game Over

    Wired:
    The Last New Thing

    Rolling Stone:
    The Grateful Dead Reunion Tour

    Readers Digest: 'Bye

    Discover Magazine:
    How Will The Extinction Of All Life As We Know It Affect The Way We View The Cosmos?

    Tv Guide:
    Death And Damnation: Nielson Ratings Soar!

    Lady's Home Journal:
    Lose 10 Lbs By Judgment Day With Our New "Armageddon" Diet!

    Inc. Magazine:
    Ten Ways You Can Profit From The Apocalypse

    Pig With a Wooden Leg

    A traveler was driving through Arkansas when he lost his way and got off the main highway. As he drove by, he saw rows and rows of pigsties and pigpens and pigs running in fields and pigs wallowing in mud. Suddenly, his eye caught something really strange. He did a double take, muttered to himself and then looked a third time. He wondered if he had seen correctly - it looked like a pig with a wooden leg!

    He found the lane to the farm and drove up into the farmyard, where he was met by the farmer. "Excuse me," the traveler said. "I was just driving by and looking at all your pigs, and I noticed something that I just had to stop and ask about. Tell me, did I see right? Is there really a pig out there with a wooden leg?"

    The farmer smiled. "Oh, that would be old Caesar you saw. He's the finest pig a man could ever hope to have - and smart! Well, let me tell you a little about that pig. You see that barge down there on the river? That's a mining dredge, taking out platinum ore. Old Caesar sniffed out the vein and showed us how to set it up. Now that dredge brings me in about $120,000 every year.

    "There's another thing, too, a little more personal. One night a couple of years ago I got to drinking and I guess I had more than I should have. I passed out drunk, fell down and knocked over a lamp. That started a fire in the house and old Caesar smelled the smoke. He came in the back door, got the wife and kid out, roused me up and got me out.

    "There is no question about it - that night old Caesar saved all our lives and you know that is not the sort of thing a man is going to forget too easily."

    "Why," the traveler said, "this is all amazing! I have never heard of a pig like this before! This is fantastic! But tell me, how did he get that wooden leg? Was he in a wreck or something?"

    The farmer laughed and said, "Well, naturally, when you have a pig that smart, you don't want to eat him all at one time!"

  • DAILY QUOTE

    „Our heroes are people and people are flawed. Don't let that taint the thing you love.” Randy K. Milholland Bro. Doc

     

  • SABBATH INSPIRATION QUOTE

    Motivational Quote of the Day…

    "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

    Theodore Roosevelt

    Love Quote of the Day…

    “Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead..”

    Oscar Wilde

  • MOTIVATION QUOTE SABBATH

    LAWS GRIND THE POOR, AND RICH MEN RULE THE LAW. GOLDSMITH, THE TRAVELLER. Bro. Doc

  • T&M SABBATH WHOSE FAITH ARE YOU FOLLOWING"

    That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Heb 6:12

    Let me ask you a question today: Who is the most influential spiritual leaders in your life right now? Is there one leader whom you respect and admire so exceptionally that you would want to emulate him and try to be like him in your own life? Is there one certain leader producing the type of fruit you long to see generated in your own personal life? If so, who is that leader?

    You may wonder if it's right to follow someone so closely that you actually start emulating them. But the Book of Yahvah is replete with Scriptures that instruct us to be followers of spiritual leaders. One such Scripture is Heb 6:12: "That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

    Notice that this Scripture says we are to be "followers of them through faith and patience inherit the promises." The word "followers" is taken from the Greek mimetes, from which we get the English word imitate. Other words that are derived from mimetes are "mimic" and "mime." However, the best translation of this word is actually "actor."

    Therefore, the command to "follow" isn't referring to a casual type of following; rather, it implies an intentional study of the deeds, words, actions, and thoughts of another person in an attempt to fully understand that person and then to replicate his attributes in one's own life. This type of following enables a person to think like his subject, and act like his subject, mimic his subject's movements, make the vocal intonations of his subject, and act like his subject in a masterful way. However, this can only be achieved by those seriously committed to the act of replication. Such a commitment to act, mimic, or replicate a respected leader is the result of true discipleship.

    Therefore, you could actually translate this phrase: "...But skillfully and convincingly act like those who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

    The writer of Hebrews understood the power of imitation. That's why he said in essence, "If you want to walk in faith find someone who successfully walks in faith. Watch what he says, how he behaves, and how he lives--and then act like him!

    Putting on Messiah is a daily mindset-- a daily, hour-by-hour determination. So wake up and declare that you have the mind of Messiah! Find some righteous people who live according to who they truly are in the Holy Ghost--new creations with the nature, character, desire, and behavior of Yahvahosha Messiah. Study their lives and follow their example. In other words, ACTS like those who through faith and patience inherit the promises!

    PRAYER: YAHVAH, I NEED AN EXAMPLE THAT I CAN FOLLOW AND IMITATE! YOUR WORD COMMANDS ME TO IMITATE STRONG AND SUCCESSFUL SPIRITUAL LEADERS, SO I AM ASKING YOU TO HELP ME FIND THAT EXACT LEADER WHOM YOU WANT ME TO FOLLOW AND IMITATE. GIVE ME THE GRACE TO DO WHAT HE DOES, SAY WHAT HE SAYS, AND ACT THE WAY HE ACTS, UNTIL FINALLY I NO LONGER HAVE TO ACT BECAUSE I HAVE BECOME LIKE THE PERSON I HAVE BEEN IMITATING. HOLY GHOST, I WANT TO BE OBEDIENT TO YAHVAH'S WORD. SINCE YAHVAH TELLS ME TO MIMIC THOSE WHO THROUGH FAITH AND PATIENCE INHERIT THE PROMISES OF YAHVAH. I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE HELP ME RECOGNIZE THE PEOPLE WHOM I SHOULD LOOK TO AS SPIRITUAL EXAMPLES IN MY WALK WITH YAHVAH.

    MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

    I confess that I do not have to find my way by myself! By locating righteous examples, I can imitate these people's lives and produce the same fruit they produce in their lives. So right now I choose to follow the examples of those who have preceded me--acting like them and replicating both their acts and their righteous fruit in my life. Yahvah's Word says this is what I am to do, so I will do it as I am commanded. The Holy Ghost will help me know exactly who should be the supreme examples in my life, and He will help me follow their example as I ought to do. I declare this by faith in Yahvahosha's Name Halleluyah!
     Bro. Doc

     

     

  • INSPIRATION QUOTES

    Motivational Quote of the Day…

    "God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers."

    Rudyard Kipling

    Love Quote of the Day…

    “Bid me to love, and I will give a loving heart to thee.”

    Robert Herrick  Bro. Doc

  • DAILY QUOTE

    A woman can forgive a man for the harm he does her...but she can never forgive him for the sacrifices he makes on her account.” W. Somerset Maugham  Bro. Doc