[This is a Christian Nation, founded on Christian Principles, morals, values, and ethics from the Holy Bible. - Period! - End of Story! - And America will remain so, One Nation Under God! - If one doesn't like this, they should vote with their feet and leave.]

Oklahoma Howdy to Brother Love,

AMEN Brother!

The power and the greatness of America was the Glory of Almighty God, under God, through God, in subjection and service to God, in Prayer to Almighty God, in request for forgiveness from Almighty God, and in requesting strength, courage, wisdom, and guidance from Almighty God.

There is more than just a remnant wanting to return to the old America. Many would have to stand up and not worry about political correctness or hurting someone's feelings. As an example, This is a Christian Nation, founded on Christian Principles, morals, values, and ethics from the Holy Bible. - Period! - End of Story! - And America will remain so, One Nation Under God! - If one doesn't like this, they should vote with their feet and leave.

Brothers and Sisters, I feel that I am far too shy on this subject.

In Christ,
Tom

The Waiter:

A waiter brings the customer the steak he ordered with his
thumb over the meat.
 
"Are you crazy" yelled the customer, "sticking your thumb in my steak?!"
 
"What" answers the waiter, "You want it to fall on the floor
again?"

Martha Stewart's Holiday Calendar:
 
December 1 Blanch carcass from Thanksgiving turkey. Apply gold leaf, turn upside down and use as a sleigh to hold Christmas Cards.
 
December 2 Have Mormon Tabernacle Choir record outgoing
Christmas message for answering machine.
 
December 3 Using candlewick and handgilded miniature pine
cones, fashion cat-o-nine-tails. Flog Gardener.
 
December 4 Repaint Sistine Chapel ceiling in ecru, with mocha
trim.
 
December 5 Grind lenses for new eyeglasses.
 
December 6 Fax family Christmas newsletter to Pulitzer
committee for consideration.
 
December 7 Debug Windows '98
 
December 10 Align carpets to adjust for curvature of Earth.
 
December 11 Lay Faberge egg.
 
December 12 Take Dog apart. Disinfect. Reassemble.
 
December 13 Collect dentures. They make excellent pastry
cutters, particularly for decorative pie crusts.
 
December 14 Install plumbing in gingerbread house.
 
December 15 Replace air in mini-van tires with Glade "holiday
scents" in case tires are shot out at mall.
 
December 17 Blow glass Christmas tree ornaments. Cut tree in
Montana.
 
December 19 Adjust legs of chairs so each Christmas dinner
guest will be same height when sitting at his or her assigned
seat.
 
December 20 Dip sheep and cows in egg whites and roll in
confectioner's sugar to add a festive sparkle to the pasture.
 
December 21 Drain city reservoir; refill with mulled cider,
orange slices and cinnamon sticks.
 
December 22 Float votive candles in toilet tank.
 
December 23 Seed clouds for white Christmas.
 
December 24 Do my annual good deed. Go to several stores. Be seen engaged in last minute Christmas shopping, thus making many people feel less inadequate than they really are.
 
December 25 Bear son.  Swaddle.  Scent manger with homemade potpourri.
 
December 26 Organize spice racks by genus and phylum.
 
December 27 Build snowman in exact likeness of God.
 
December 28 Say it is good.  Rest for five minutes.
 
December 29 Dig up sand from quarry and make new chips for my four computers.
 
December 30 Float wicks in 4000 dishes of oil, place on lawn,
and spell out Happy New Year as a greeting to my friends on the MIR space station.
 
December 31 New Year's Eve! Give staff their resolutions. Call
one friend in each time zone of the world as the calendar
changes.
 
January 1 Stay out of jail.

Time for a groaner:

THE DANGER OF SWITCHING JOBS:

A passenger in a taxi tapped the driver on the shoulder to ask him something.

The driver screamed, lost control of the cab, nearly hit a bus, drove up over the curb and stopped just inches from a large plate glass window.

 For a few moments everything was silent in the cab, then the driver said, "Please, don't ever do that again. You scared the daylights out of me."

The passenger, who was also frightened, apologized and said he didn't realize that a tap on the shoulder could frighten him so much, to which the driver replied, "I'm sorry, it's really not your fault at all.

Today is my first day driving a cab. I have been driving a hearse for the last 25 years."

Hoekstra Devotion - October 13

The Source of Faith:

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.  (Heb_12:2)

In order to grow in grace, we must live by faith. "Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace" (Rom_4:16). We cannot progress spiritually by the use of our natural, Adamic faculties. We must walk by faith in the Lord and His word. "We walk by faith, not by sight" (2Co_5:7). Yet, where do we get faith? What is the source of faith?

Jesus is the source of our faith: "Jesus, the author . . . of our faith." If we have saving faith in Christ, it was brought into being by Him. Our faith was authored by Jesus in a revelatory and relational manner. He revealed to us the truth we needed to know (through sermons, personal witnesses, tracts, audio tapes, books, Bible reading, or whatever). Then, He invited us into a relationship with Himself.

First, He told us the truth about our need. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God . . . For the wages of sin is death" (Rom_3:23 and Rom_6:23). Then, He told us the truth about His loving work on our behalf. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom_5:. All the while, His Spirit was convicting us of the reality of these matters. "And when He [the Holy Spirit] has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (Joh_16:. Ultimately, Jesus invited us to trust in Him for the gift of salvation. "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest . . . the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Mat_11:28 and Rom_6:23). Basically, Jesus revealed Himself to us as one who could be trusted to save our souls, so we placed our hope in Him. Thereby, He authored faith in us.

Now, where are we to go for more faith (for the developing of our faith)? Jesus is the source for this need as well: "Jesus . . . the . . . finisher of our faith." The one who brought faith into being in us now wants to perfect our faith (to bring it on into mature development) in the same manner that He began it. Initially, we had to have Jesus revealed to us to have faith authored in us. Now, we must have a continuing revelation of Him through His word, if our faith is to be increasingly built up.

Lord Jesus, I praise You for authoring faith in me. Thank You for convincing me of my need of forgiveness of sins. Thank You for revealing to me Your great work on the cross. Thank You for inviting me to enter into a relationship with You. Please continue to reveal Yourself to me that my faith might grow and mature, Amen.

This board, however, is skewed so heavily to conservative evangelicals that it in no way represents the broader Christian picture.

Ebia,

That term may mean different things to different people, but maybe that's a compliment. If it's the opposite of liberal, anything goes, do your own thing, and if it feels good do it, THANKS! If it is on the other end of the scale from ice cold Christian, that just might be most of us.

Oklahoma Howdy to All,

OK, I know I'm not a woman, but let me share this story with you and I'll vacate.  

--------------

AM OLDIE, BUT A GOODIE.

One afternoon a man came home from work to find total mayhem in his house. His three children were outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard. The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog.

Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing. In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.

He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she may be ill, or that something serious had happened. He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.

As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked, "What happened here today?".

She again smiled and answered, "You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world did I do today?

"Yes" was his incredulous reply. She answered,

"Well, today I didn't do it."
-----------------------------

Send this page to another woman. I'm not a woman, but my daughter sent it to me anyway.

In Christ,
Tom

Hoekstra Devotion - October 12

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight:

We walk by faith, not by sight . . . while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  (2Co_5:7 and 2Co_4:18)

The Christian life is a walk. It is comprised of day by day steps from where we are to where the Lord wants us to go (both spiritually and geographically). This walk is undertaken by faith, not by sight. "We walk by faith, not by sight."

Walking by sight is the natural manner by which human beings walk. This is true both for literal walking, as well as for taking the proverbial journey through life. When engaged in physical walking, people rely upon visual data (along with input from other human senses: like sound, smell, and touch). Likewise, as the unredeemed are engaged in their trek through life, they set their course and proceed by that which their natural abilities provide. We who know the Lord Jesus Christ cannot walk in this manner in His kingdom. We must walk by faith, by depending upon our Lord, His word, and the work of grace by His Holy Spirit. Spiritual progress is made "while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen."

So often, things are not as they appear to be in the natural. Consider Joseph being sold to slave traders by his jealous and deceitful brothers. It did not look like Joseph was being groomed to be Prime Minister in Egypt. Think of Pharoah and his army closing in on Israel, as they were trapped beside the Red Sea. It did not look like Israel would be delivered, while the Egyptian army would be destroyed. Remember young David standing before gigantic Goliath. It did not look like the giant would be defeated, while David would enjoy a thorough victory. Only eyes of faith could really appreciate what was actually happening.

The cross of our Lord Jesus is undoubtedly the greatest example of things not always being what they appear to be. As Jesus hung upon the cross, it appeared that godless men had defeated the most godly man that ever lived. "Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst . . . Him . . . you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death" (Act_2:22-23). Yet, in fact, God was at work, preparing a resurrection victory over sin and death for all who would believe. "Whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it" (Act_2:24).

Heavenly Father, I want to walk with You by faith. I desire to respond to the circumstances of life by what You have said in Your word and by what You are able to do. Too many times, I have set my course by sight, relying upon the appearance of things. Teach me to trust in You more and more, in Jesus name, Amen.

My Favorite Web-Sites And Studies
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Grace Bible Church
1450 Oak Hill Road
Fort Worth, TX 76112-3017
(817) 451-0937

Gregg Bing, Pastor
Charles Wages, Pastor Emeritus
http://www.gracebiblechurch-fw.com/?subpages/default.shtml
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Timely Messenger

Oklahoma Howdy to Ambassador4Christ,

I was moved and happy to see this. The original name of Grace Bible Church was 615 College Avenue. The congregation grew and a larger church was built. My grandfather, Isaac Sidebottom, was the founder of the Timely Messenger and 615 College Avenue Church. This post brought back many precious memories. My dad also began his 60 year ministry in this same church. Both have gone home to be with the LORD. There is much more to the story about other churches and many sweet Christians who love the LORD. Thank you brother.

In Christ,
Tom  

Oklahoma Howdy to Ambassador4Christ,

ROFL - Super Bowl -    

In Christ,
Tom

Hoekstra Devotion - October 11

Great Blessings through Living by Faith:

Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: "For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him." But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.  (Heb_10:35-39)

Our present verses represent the third time that Habakkuk's pronouncement on living by faith is repeated in the New Testament. "The just shall live by his faith" (Hab_2:4). In Rom_1:17, it was connected with the gospel of Christ. In Gal_3:12, it was contrasted with living under the law. Here, it is seen as the pathway to great blessings like spiritual endurance, God-pleasing obedience, and pressing ahead in assurance.

The opening exhortation warns about forsaking bold dependence upon the Lord. "Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward." The loss of great blessing is the reason given. The Lord wants us to trust in Him without wavering, from the beginning of faith unto the end of our earthly pilgrimage. This makes us consistent partakers of the blessings of grace that are ours in Christ. "For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end" (Heb_3:14).

These blessings include endurance. "For you have need of endurance." The Christian life requires spiritual stamina. The journey of growth, trials, service, and battle can become wearisome. We can be tempted to slack off, to quit pressing ahead. Such is always vain thinking for us, and it is displeasing to the Lord. " If anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him." It is by faith that we persevere in the Christian race. "Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Heb_12:1-2).

Also, these blessings of faith include obedience and assurance. "You have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise." As we walk by faith, we are enabled to do God's will. Walking in obedience with Christ builds assurance that we will some day be in the presence of the Lord. "For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry." Meanwhile, by faith, assurance grows that we are not among those whose profession proves to be vain. "Now the just shall live by faith . . . we are not of those who draw back to perdition but of those who believe to the saving of the soul."

Dear Father, I need more spiritual stamina. I desire to please You by obedience. I long to walk in more assurance. I praise You that all this is ours in Christ, by faith, Amen.

[HOGWASH!]

Oklahoma Howdy to All,

HOGWASH! makes no sense at all, the pig simply gets dirty again minutes later, just like someone striving for self-righteousness under the law. The pig will always be dirty, regardless of how many times you wash it.

[BECAUSE HE LIVES AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR!]

Oklahoma Howdy to Jabez,

AMEN Brother! As children of God, we have peace, joy, and riches beyond imagination BECAUSE HE LIVES AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR!

In Christ,
Tom

Oklahoma Howdy to Paul2,

The writings of Paul are my favorite portions of the Bible because Paul reveals a mystery not known by men of other ages, The Gospel of the Grace of God. I would have to say that Ephesians and Romans are my favorite portions written by Paul because they detail the GOOD NEWS and explain why it is GOOD NEWS.

I have too many favorite Scriptures to list, so I'll simply mention several:

Titus 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Romans 1:17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Romans  11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Ephesians 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Philippians 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

------

Thanks brother, this was a great idea.

In Christ,
Tom  

Oklahoma Howdy to Paul2,

Thanks brother! That was a beautiful and moving story. I really appreciate you sharing this with us. It is so refreshing to hear GOOD NEWS like this instead of the normal dope and violence stuff. Paul2, it sounds like your son is a keeper. Give him an extra hug for all of us.

In Christ,
Tom