Teague Bible Church

The Mighty Columbia
My first trip to the NW, to see about my first pastoring job, included a visit of the Columbia Gorge. We traveled about 40 miles east of the Pacific Ocean, down the Columbia river. Its headwaters begins in Canada. The majority of its flow runs the length of Washington State, making the Washington/Oregon border. Its total length is 1,243 miles.
Forty percent of all wheat exported from America is at one time or another barged down the Columbia. Its deep gorges are unbelievable in depth and beauty. The only place I know where you can windsurf in both directions, on the same day. Simply pick a side and you are off!
I was 28 at the time. Three men from the Puget Sound Baptist Association were with me. We stop at the outlook featured in the picture above. We also stayed a while at Multnomah Falls.
On the return trip, the oldest man in the car that day, related how he had spent over 40 years in the NW, preaching the gospel. He had been bi-vocational, and had worked as a barber all those years. His wife had been a school teacher. They had come from another region of the country. Knew nobody here when they came.
My adventure was about to begin in 6-weeks. I was coming in; and he was retiring because of illness. I was in the front seat. He leaned up and laid his shaky hand on me and said, “God is faithful, my wife and I wondered what we would do as we got close to retirement, not by choice, but because our bodies could not bear the heavy load of pastoring any longer. We had very little savings,,,,( a man in the car interrupts saying, ‘Yea, because he gives a lot away to needy people’).
He continues, ” We did not know what we were going to do, we decided to sell everything and hope that lasted till we were gone from this earth. The very night of that decision an old friend of mine called and said he knew we had to be close to retiring. He said he had enough money for us to retire in great comfort for over 20 years, and more if needed.”
An all- stop moment, all of us cry, all of us laugh, a few biblical jokes, perhaps a guy thing. I don’t know, but I do know that was a moment I needed.
So, while cruising down the Mighty Columbia, I hear of this Mighty God, faithful to the very end to one of his servants. So whether you are 28 or 100 plus or regions in between, remember the faithfulness of God. Don’t fret.

Psalms 37:23-26 “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way. When he falls he will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds his hand. I have been young and now I am old. Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging for bread. All day long he is gracious and lends, and his descendants are a blessing.” 2/8/18 JWP

TEAGUE BIBLE CHURCH
( A youth group fun game; Adults don’t do much better at it)

HOW MUCH EMOTION DO I SPEND ON THAT SITUATION ?

Each person is given a turn. Each has about 10.00 worth of various coins. Not that I don’t trust you, but you will be searched, fingerprinted, and checked with a metal detector if I don’t get my coins back. Lol. You find yourself in one of the situations below which will be read to you.
After the situation is described to you, pause for a moment, then lay down a coin that would represent how much emotion that would draw from you.

25 cents = Major events

10 cents = Less major events

5 cents = Slightly important

1 cent = Trivial

******************************************************SITUATIONS******************************************

I don’t like the way I look, of course, but my friend had lypo and cosmetic surgery and now looks like the Taco Bell dog. Explain how much emotion that drew from you and why?

Car rides my bumper all the way to Mexia.

Car won’t start.

Somebody made fun of me, but did not know I overheard.

News broadcast said a mom made her 7- year- old shoplift items from a store, then child gets caught and mom abandons child and escapes. (true story)

Your future son or daughter gets married under ideal conditions.

My future child lied to me.

My future child admitted to me that they cheated (even though not caught, they confessed anyway); now he/she will not be on the team for a while.

Got speeding ticket.

I did not get the promotion.

I did get the promotion.

My future kid struck out each time at bat ,,,last 4 ballgames.

A close family member may be terminally ill.

Someone close died, as I receive the news, my future kids are looking to see how I react. How much emotion do you spend on that situation, at that moment.

A friend of my future kid comes over to play, and cleans my kid’s room.

My friend actually does what he says he is going to do.

I find myself, more and more, thinking about how I can make life a little better for others.

If you could spend more time with your future kids, but will have to make a lot less money to do so, would you do it? How much emotional energy do you give that one in deciding this?

( All the youth said whatever it takes to be with the kid; do that!) Many adults I gave this to were undecided for a long time! Sad.)

Please join us in today’s word. And let us know what you think….either in our comment section or in person at our next service. Join us every Sunday at our new worship times–9:30am for Sunday School and at 10:45am for Worship Service. We’d love to see you here!

Please join us in today’s word. And let us know what you think….either in our comment section or in person at our next service. Join us every Sunday at our new worship times–9:30am for Sunday School and at 10:45am for Worship Service. We’d love to see you here!

I Single-Handedly Found A Solution For World Peace; Correction; Swirled Peas

I would have a word with all who make lists. I think it is a good thing. Aim at nothing and that is what you get, every time. Let us discuss “when” we do our list.
I notice I feel compelled to make “mental” lists, about the time I decide to carve out time to pray; first thing in the morning. I did not plan to make a “mental” list at that time, but I might as well, I thought, because the wonderful, godly, important things seem to get on that list. It never occurred to me that my enemy would love for me to do this wonderful thing, just about the time I get ready to pray.
You have an enemy. His motto is, “Anything but prayer!” If he were a soldier it would be his repeated motto. It would be on his helmet, and on his gun, and on his locker and on his clothing. Not for himself would it be written; but printed out to remind him of what to do to you. To keep you from prayer.
So back to the lists. When I pray I remove all distractions. But my enemy brings to mind all the things I need to get done on that day. It happens every time I pray. So I keep a paper and pen handy.
The devil really does flee if you resist him. And this list-ready paper and pen will help you as it helps me. I am amazed at how wonderful my list is! How subtle the enemy is, to want me to think on the most self-sacrificing, loving, powerful and wonderful things to do; but he wants me to do this to keep me from prayer. The mental lists that comes up in our minds is not bad, it is just the wrong time to think about it. A lot of sin is acted out by doing a good thing at the wrong time. Did you really catch that last statement?
So I keep that paper and pen handy. I stop for no more than a minute, write down the good things, which may really be from God, then back to spending time with God in prayer. He keeps reminding me I am a human “being,” “becoming” something wonderful in Christ, and not just a human “doer””
of lists. As one man told me, ” We worry about our ‘to-do’ list and not our ‘to-love’ list.
My list have solutions for world peace, poverty, reversing the second law of thermodynamics, how to have changes in my life by doing absolutely nothing to get those changes, how to look awake but be totally asleep, how to swirl peas in mayonnaise and not crust a one! I bet your list is even better.
“Anything but prayer.” Know your enemy. No, it is not Mr. McDougall down the street, it is a subtle voice that says, ” Do you really have time to pray with all the good things you need to do today? Look at that great list! You can pray later!” JWP

” But He would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.” Luke 5: 16
Luke 6:12, 9:18,28, 11:1, 18:1-8

PSALMS 139 WHAT IS MY MOTIVE

Please join us in today’s word. And let us know what you think….either in our comment section or in person at our next service. Join us every Sunday at our new worship times–9:30am for Sunday School and at 10:45am for Worship Service. We’d love to see you here!

PSALMS 2018 Various selections

Please join us in today’s word. And let us know what you think….either in our comment section or in person at our next service. Join us every Sunday at our new worship times–9:30am for Sunday School and at 10:45am for Worship Service. We’d love to see you here!

Please join us in today’s word. And let us know what you think….either in our comment section or in person at our next service. Join us every Sunday at our new worship times–9:30am for Sunday School and at 10:45am for Worship Service. We’d love to see you here!

I knew a man who wanted to leave his two boys something to remember him by, years after he was gone. So when the boys were older teenagers he bought them both very expensive handguns. Both guns had their own fancy cases,both of the guns were chrome- plated with scroll work along the sides. Neither of the boys had done any hunting or shooting in years, but I knew what this father really wanted.
This man said that the boys appreciated the gift, but did not seem all that thrilled about it. He ask me why that was. I told him it was because no part of his life was “living through” those guns. “Nothing in those new guns reminded them of you,” I said.
I told him about a man I knew in Texas who had lost his father. The Texas man and I were just beginning to talk about things he remembered about his dad. He stopped abruptly in mid-conversation and said, “Let me show you, instead of just tell you.”
We go into the garage and there hanging on the wall was an old hand-saw, something from the 50’s. It had a broken handle, kerf- poor from wear, dull as a lying politician, and all taped back together.
He said, “This is what he left me.” At first I assumed he meant that statement as a slight against his dad for leaving him so little. As I looked into his eyes I realized he meant something totally different. He began to cry. And as all men know, when one man is crying ,other men do not look him in the face, or be too quick to comfort. We stood silent for a while.
He said, “Put it in your hand.” I did so with reluctance, realizing I was on holy ground. “What do you notice?” He said. “Well, I realize this thing is deeply embedded with someone else’s hand.” He said, “Yea, but it fits my hand perfectly! It was meant to be; it fits my hand perfectly! ”
He continued to tell how his dad was a carpenter. How the sound of that saw working, in his father’s hand, strengthened him just to hear it in action. How that sometimes, after his father had passed, when no one else was around, he would put his hand into that saw and cut a piece of wood, just to remind Him of his dad.
I said, “This is not really about a saw at all, is it?” He said, “No, not really, it is just a symbol of all the encouragement and grit my father transferred to me even if I did not know what he was doing, or how he did it. My dad knew, the whole time, I mean the whole time, he knew what he was doing! He used this thing to example to me many things about life. He wore himself out in life just for me. He gave and never ask me to give back to him, but rather to give to others. My dad knew what he was doing.”
That last statement stuck with me. “My dad knew what he was doing.” Your Father knows what he is doing. Even when you are not doing so well in your walk, still things are being caught by you, from your Father; because He knows what He is doing in your life. Philippians 1:6
If we want to know God’s will for us this year it will take us becoming like our Father. Spending time with our Father. That means spending time in the Word. Learning what His heart is like, instead of always seeking our own misguided, short-sighted attempts to find happiness apart from the Father. We have to trust His heart for our good, and not our own heart for our good. He is asking us to walk where Jesus walked, in our daily experience. Our hands were made to fit into His hands.

ROMANS 8:14-16 ” For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.”

ROMANS 15:1-6 ” Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written,’ THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU, FELL ON ME.’ For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” JWP

Please join us in today’s word. And let us know what you think….either in our comment section or in person at our next service. Join us every Sunday at our new worship times–9:30am for Sunday School and at 10:45am for Worship Service. We’d love to see you here!