MAGNIFY THE LORD

Psalm 34:3 O MAGNIFY the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

We sometimes get our definition of magnification confused when it comes to magnifying the Lord. There are basically two types of magnification.

When we look through a microscope we look at something small and insignificant and make it look larger than it really is. That is the way many people try to magnify God in their lives. They want to look at every little particle of God's word and try to disect it, analyze it and expose it. It is much like a man said about a certain preacher, "He really thinks he's deep but he just muddies the water so it looks deep."

On the other hand there is the telescope. When you look through it it makes something unimaginably great become clearer and look like what it really is. It brings it closer and makes it more real for us. I believe that is the way we are to magnify God in our lives. We are to make Him clearer and seem more real to a world that finds Him unimaginable.

Today would be a good day to magnify the Lord. We should strive in some way to make him clearer and more real to a world that seems to be gazing at him afar off. We can do this by allowing Him to be more real in our lives.

BE A PROMOTER

STRONG'S CONCORDANCE defines the word edify as the act of one who promotes another person's growth in Christian wisdom, piety, happiness, holiness.

Someone once said that in society there are two types of people, the builders and the wreckers. That is also true in the Church and the Christian community. The wreckers are the ones who criticize, complain, and become barriers to those who are trying to accomplish something.

Wouldn't it be much better to be a builder. One critical or insulting remark can wreck a persons day, disrupt a meeting, break up a friendship, and alienate people. It is certainly true that everyone doesn't always do things the way we would like them too. Without a doubt most of us can stand a lot of improvement. It is hard to improve something by tearing it down.

If you are looking for ways to build up yourself and to grow in your Christian life why not start by building up someone else. Share a blessing with a friend. Compliment someone who is not expecting one from you. Let someone know how much you admire something about them. Encourage someone who is trying something new or difficult.

You will be surprised how much difference it will make in your own life. You will be more positive. You will gain strength from those you strengthen. You will feel better when you build someone else up. Let us edify one another.

MIRRORS AND WINDOWS

James 1:23-24 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: (24) For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

Sometimes I am surprised when I look in the mirror. For the last few years I have been a little disturbed each day when I go in to shave and look into the mirror and see my dad staring back back at me. My mind still tricks me into thinking of myself as looking like I did when I was a young man but the reflection in the mirror does not lie.

Sometimes we need to take a good look into the mirror of the Bible which also shows us what we really are instead of what our minds trick us into thinking we are. The mirror can be a great tool to help us improve ourselves. We look in the mirror and see the smudge on our face that needs to be removed, the hair that is standing up in a spot that needs to be tamed, the spot we missed shaving and many other imperfections that we need to fix. The Bible works the same way. It reveals our shortcomings so that we can work on them a little at a time. The mirror is an important tool but so is the window. If we were inside and all we had were mirrors we would only be able to see ourselves. Windows help us to look out and realize that we are not the primary focus. There are usually a lot more windows in a home than there are mirrors.

We can look out at God's creation and it should cause us to think of him. As we improve our own lives we can look through windows and see that there is a world out there filled with people who need us, people we can help. As we use the mirror to help improve our own lives we can use the window to see the world that we are to share that improvement with.

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THEY WANT ECHOES

Eze 12:2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have EARS TO HEAR, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.
I read an illustration about a golf instructor trying to teach a man to play better golf. Everytime the golf pro would suggest something the student would explain why he did it the way he did. He never took any of the golf pro's advice. The golf pro took his money at the end of the session and he left a very satisfied person. An observer mentioned to the pro, "He didn't learn a thing. Every time you tried to tell him something he would still wind up doing things his own way." The golf pro just smiled and shook his head, "I learned a long time ago that you don't try to sell answers to a person who just wants echoes."
In the ministry I have found that to be true. People will go to the pastor with a problem in their life and too often instead of wanting an answer they just want him to condone what they are doing. When he does give them a scriptural answer often they will leave angry or frustrated, especially if they have sin in their life that they don't want to give up. They often want someone to give a stamp of approval to behavior that is destructive to them. They don't really want answers. They want echoes. I used to ask my brother about something and his answer was often, "Do you really want the truth or do you want me to make you happy?" I didn't need to pursue the question any further. I had my answer. Sometimes you just can't do both.

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THEY MUST BE MISERABLE

(Job 4:8) Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.
Have you ever known one of those people you just almost hate to come in contact with? I am talking about the person who somehow always makes you feel worse about something. It might be the one at work who always seems to do less than everyone else but does his or her best to make sure they get credit for everything they do. It could be the person that seems to take pleasure in hurting other peoples feelings or embarrassing anyone when they have an opportunity.

Maybe there is someone at church who always complains or finds fault with something and it just robs you of your joy and puts you in a bad mood. There are also the ones that get on your nerves trying to outdo you or trying to take advantage of you in some way.

We all know not only one but many people like that. Have you ever thought about how miserable those people are? Do you ever think about praying for that person. Put them on your prayer list, and after you have earnestly prayed for them for a couple of weeks let them know you have been praying for them. Make sure you do it in a spirit of love and caring. When they come to you again with their destructive attitude you can then say something like, "I have been praying for you lately. I know it's none of my business but you seem unhappy, (or insecure or angry, or whatever negative vibes they are sending), I just want you to know that I am concerned and I am praying for you."

They might get upset with you but it will give them something to think about and who knows, it could help them to change their lives.

HOME IS WHERE YOUR GOODS ARE

I have heard a lot of people describe home. I think the best is probably the old saying, "Home is where the heart is." "Home is where you hang your hat," is another that I have heard quiet often. The idea there is that the person can make themselves at home wherever they happen to be. One of my friends always tells everyone to "Make yourself at home, if you can't do that here you should have stayed where you could." I just read a story by Patrick McManus, one of my favorite writers and one of the funniest authors I have ever read. The story was entitled "Home Is Where Your Stuff Is." I read the story and it made a lot of sense about how we feel about our earthly home. When we are away we miss our stuff. We miss that comfortable recliner and sleep better in our familiar bed. We know where to find the things we need or want and all we have to do is just get up and get them. We don't have to wait until someone offers them to us or we have to humble ourself to ask for them. We like to be near our stuff. People used to refer to their belonging as "goods". Even the Bible refers to worldly possessions as goods.
Lu 12:18-19 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. (19) And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
In all truth our worldly goods, stuff if you prefer really doesn't mean much. Out of all the stuff there is not much that we could really call treasure. Jesus said:
Matthew 6:19-20 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: (20) But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
If we are motivated out of love for Jesus, the things we do will be treasures that are laid up in heaven. Wouldn't we look forward so much more to going to our eternal home if we were laying up treasures there? Don't get feel too at home where your goods are. Make your home where your real treasures are and just keep laying them up.

Welcome

Welcome to the Inspirational page for Shiloh Baptist Church in Kosciusko, Mississippi.

We are just beginning this ministry so please bear with us until we get set up.

May God bless you in all things and we pray you will have a closer walk with Jesus as a result of this ministry

Come and vist us in our Services
Sunday School 10:00 am
Worship Service 11:00 am