Tis the Season

"Tis The Season"

 

When we see this little phrase we all have our own idea of what should follow these words. Some people will say "Tis the Season to be Jolly", others may say "To be Happy" or "To get Gifts". There are those who will with a chuckle and a wink say "Tis the Season to Get Hammered", or "To get Drunk", or "To get Waisted". Still there are yet other people who will say "Tis the Season to Go Into Debt" or "To somehow Out-Do the Joneses"!

'Tis the Season"... What does that statement mean to you? What does this mean to your family? Do you automatically start thinking of the latest gift idea for you or a loved one? Do you think of the Lights, the songs, the sights and the smells of Seasons past? What do these words bring to your minds eye?

Christian, what does this mean to you? Now wait just a minute there... I am not looking for a "Knee-Jerk" reaction from anyone, I really want us to truly think about this little phrase. I know that we all could sit there and look down our "Pious" noses and spout off a ton of things that would make us all look and feel "Religious"... "THAT" is NOT what I am asking for at all.

What then what exactly am I asking? Well, I am glad you asked.

This week, I have been doing a great deal of "Honest, Thoughtful Contemplation" about many things. This phrase is just one of the things that I have been thinking on. We all know what the "Text Book" answer for this question is. We could quote the Christmas story forward and backwards. We could tell you anything that you would want to know dealing with Bethlehem, the stable, the animals, the manger, the shepherds, the angel, the proclamation, the heavenly Choir... All of it.

What I am actually talking about has nothing to do with the Story of Christmas and the birth of Jesus. You see this phrase gets used mainly during the Holiday Season, both Christmas and New Years. We hardly ever hear it used at any other time of the year.

I believe that we need to use "Tis the Season" all through the year! I am basing this statement on Isaiah 55:6-7  "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

In these verses we see a command... "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found". When you look at this, you can see what I am talking about. GOD the Father is speaking here through the prophet Isaiah and when he says we need to:

1. "SEEK" the LORD, he is not making a subtle suggestion. This is a command from GOD to ALL of us. I say, "Tis the Season to Seek the LORD!"

Then that verse goes on to tell us to "... call ye upon him while he is near:" Here we see that GOD is near, or close by. He is right HERE!! Isaiah then tells us what GOD said for us to do next:

2. "CALL" on Him. Again, this is a command from GOD to ALL of us... "Tis the Season to Call out to GOD." Being the He is NEAR NOW! This passage of Scripture is NOT just for the people of Isaiah's day, it is for us as well. GOD wants us ALL to draw near to Him NOW! Not when we "Feel Like It", or even when we "Finally Get Around To It". He said NOW!

In verse seven we see two more commands:

3. "Forsaking of Sin". If we are going to really Seek Him then there has to be a wholesale Forsaking and Repenting (or Turning away.) from Sin. Most Christaians never get past this point because they do not want to admit they have sin in their lives. All we need to do is look into the "Mirror" called the Bible and we can see OUR sin. In I Corinthians 13:12  "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." It is hard to see in a mirror in a dark room, but when we can see it clearly we will then see all the scars and imperfections.

4. "Return" to the LORD. Start by looking at Isaiah 44:22  "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee." Here we see where GOD has "Blotted Out" the Sins, then we are told to "Return" to Him.

"Tis the Season to Seek Him, to Call Upon Him, to Forsake Sin and to Return to the LORD!"

Christian, Today is the right time to be making this a part of your everyday life! While He is Near!


May God Bless you,

Evangelist David Dunn

"Don't QUIT till you cross the Finish Line!"

I came across this graphic when I was "Perusing" the Internet this week and it reminded me of a message that I preached a few years ago.

The title of the message was the "The Amazing christian Race".

The Amazing Christian Race

Philippians 3:13 -14,

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

II Timothy 4:6-7,

"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:"

What does it take to run the race of life all the way to the Finish Line?

1. It takes COURAGE to run. (Proverbs 28:1 “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.”)

** John Wayne - When asked by a reporter what his definition of "True Courage" was, he paused a moment then looked the man straight in the eye and said: "Courage is being scared to death-and saddling up anyway."

We are living in a day and age when it is definitely NOT popular to be a Christian. It's not easy to be a Christian an Courage is a much needed item in the lives of Christians the world over. What's more, we are fast approaching the day when it will be a "Crime" to be a Christian... yes, even in the "Good Old USA". Oh come quickly Lord Jesus!

2. It takes STRENGTH to run. (Isaiah 40:31 - “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”)

No one has ever watched the Olympics on TV when the Track and Field events started and ever heard the announcer say "Now in the 200 meter race, running for the country of Germany, will be a 400 pound Fat guy named Gunter!" That will never happen! In order to be on any Olympic team you MUST be strong, In shape, ready and able to represent your country and WIN!

Christian, this life is no different for us. We must be Strong in the Lord and in His Word

3. It takes COMMITMENT to run. (Psalm 37:4-6, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.”)

Many a Christian has met Jesus Christ as Savior, but they have refused to make a "Long Term" commitment to live their life. In II Timothy 1:12  "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." God is asking for us, you and I, to make a life long commitment to serve Him, to tell everyone we can about what He has done for us all.

If we could take just a few moments and be completely honest before the Lord, most of us would have to confess that all we got at Calvary when we were saved was "Fire Insurance". Oh Christian... Take Courage, Be Strong In The Lord and Commit Yourself to Serve The Lord with everything you have for the rest of your life!

Remember, the Finish line does not come until either death or the Rapture comes!

RUN THE RACE ALL THE WAY TO THE FINISH LINE!

May God Bless us as we Run!

Evangelist David Dunn

Forgotten Tools

  

                            

Forgotten Tools

It has been a very, very long time since I last posted anything to this blog. First of all, I want to apologize for not continuing to keep this updated. There has been so much happen since my last post in February of 2010, it would be impossible for me to go back and even try and bring it all to my own memory, much less try to write it all out so you can hear ALL that God has done.

I can testify to you that there have been many battles... some losses but mostly there has been Victory Through Christ. Souls have been saved and lives have been made whole and many people have seen God transform their homes, lives, children and marriages into something that pleases and honors God.

Again, I give my deepest apoloiges to you and to The Lord for staying away and thinking I was just too busy to keep this going.



Now getting back to the title of "Forgotten Tools". This blog is just that, it is a "Tool" that we have to use in helping to be a witness for Jesus Christ and also using it to be a help and an encouragement to Christians. In the passage from Jeremiah 23:29  "Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" We see here that the Bible is just that... it is a Tool that the lord uses every day to reach people on earth.

Fire has many different uses, Fire can of course destroy, it can also be used to cook food, warm the house, light the way, purify, melt, heat and bend steel. it has many uses. If it is not handled carefully then it can do a lot of damage. Then Jeremiah goes on to speak of the Hammer that breaks the rock in pieces. The Bible can and will break through that stubborn hearted person, weither a Christian who has hardened their heart in some way or even the sinner who has a heart of stone that must be broken in order to receive Christ as their Savior.

This is what the Bible CAN DO... unless we set it down and do not use it!

This is what this Blog CAN DO... unless I make some excuse for NOT using it!

God has given us some incredible tools to use in our day. This medium of using the Internet to spread the message of all that God has done for us and is continuing to do on our behalf is an instantaneous way for us to reach the lost, and provide encouragement to the children of God.

Let none of us forget that WE have a responsibility before God to get the word out to everyone that He is God, He paid our debt, He has a home in heaven for us, but until that day comes WE must KEEP WORKING and using ALL of the Tools that we have in order for us to "Occupy" until He comes to take us home.

In His Highest Service,

Evangelist David Dunn