Wednesday, July 31, 2013

SHARING THE WORD 3

Psalm 40:8-10 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. (9) I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. (10) I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
 
SHARING GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS
 
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
 
Wow!  That pretty much eliminates us from preaching a message about ourselves or anyone else.  We spend a lot of time comparing ourselves with those around us and sometimes it makes us feel a little better about ourselves.  We might think that we are just as good as some people but the problem is that we are just as bad as everyone.  We have no righteousness of our own.
 
The only righteousness that we can preach about is the righteousness of Jesus Christ.  It is only Him and His blood that can cleanse us and the rest of the world of the unrighteousness  that we all have.
 
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We have compiled an E-book of our devotionals in .pdf format. We will send them to you attached to an email.
Email us atshilohkosciusko@gmail.com \
We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

SHARING THE WORD 2

Psalm 40:8-10 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. (9) I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. (10) I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
 
KNOW THE WORD SO YOU CAN SHARE IT
 
Is God's Word written within your heart?  Have you prayed and studied enough so that when you get the opportunity to share God's Word or His plan of salvation that you already have the scriptures in your heart?
 
Many times we fail to share God's Word with others simply because it is not ours to share.  We don't know the right scripture.  We are not sure what the Bible says about a subject.  When it comes time to the spiritual food that we need to share with others we are like Old Mother Hubbard, our cupboards are bare.
 
The only way we can be available to share the Word is to study it and pray about it.  It will then be written on our hearts so that we will have it to share with others.
 
FREE .PDF E-BOOK
We have compiled an E-book of our devotionals in .pdf format. We will send them to you attached to an email.
Email us atshilohkosciusko@gmail.com \
We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Monday, July 29, 2013

SHARING THE WORD 1

Psalm 40:8-10 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. (9) I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. (10) I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
 
SHARE WITH DELIGHT
 
I must confess that while I try to do God's will that sometimes I do it reluctantly.  I am sure my ministry and my life in general would be a lot better if I would delight in doing God's will. One thing we need to remember is that the world is watching us and it is not a very good witness if they think that we are not finding any joy in our service to God.
 
Sometimes what I call my "druthers" get in the way.  I "druther" (I'd rather) be doing something else instead of what God has commanded me to do.

One of the things I have learned is that when I delight in doing the will of God I am always truly blessed and my joy is much greater.
 
Witnessing is one of the things that is often not one of our "druthers".  It is however God's will that we share Him and His Word with the world.  I think we would be much more effective if we would delight in witnessing to others.  Let them see the joy that doing God's will brings you and they will be much more likely to want what you have.
 
FREE .PDF E-BOOK
We have compiled an E-book of our devotionals in .pdf format. We will send them to you attached to an email.
Email us atshilohkosciusko@gmail.com \
We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Christian Music 5

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual SONGs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

WHO ARE WE SINGING FOR?
 
In our final devotional in this series on music there is one point that we should all consider. Who are we singing for?  Are we singing for the congregation so that they can see how talented we are?  Are we singing for ourselves so that we can be the center of attention for a short time? 
 
Thankfully even though this happens it is the exception rather than the rule.  When we sing we should be singing to God.  The song leader is the director, we are the performers and God is the audience. (Actually that is the case with the entire worship service.  The preacher is the director, the congregation are the performers and the God is the audience.
 
Some of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard were not sung by people with great talent. They were sung by people with a great faith and a great love for God.
 
Email us atshilohkosciusko@gmail.com \
We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Christian Music 4

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual SONGs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

MUSIC SHOULD BE SCRIPTURAL
 
As we select the songs from our songbooks we should make sure that they conform to the Bible.
Even in our hymnals there are songs that have a message that I personally believe are not Biblically sound.
 
One of our problems is that we sing songs over and over and many times we don't take the time to read the words and understand what they are really saying.  I won't mention but one by name and that is "Build Me A Cabin In Glory Land."  Jesus said in His Father's house are many mansions.  He did not say a word about a cabin and even though the sentiment is humble and in a way touching it is just not scriptural.
 
I have mentioned some songs to people that I did not feel were scriptural and were truly not appropriate for church.  Many comment, "I think that is a pretty song...I like that song...they sang that at Grandma's funeral...they played that the night I was saved...etc"
 
These are not criteria for selecting scriptural music.  Does the message agree with the teaching of the Bible?  That is the main question that we should ask ourselves when deciding on the music we use.

Email us atshilohkosciusko@gmail.com \
We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Christian Music 3


Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual SONGs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
 
MUSIC AND THE MESSAGE
There are certainly many types and styles of music that can be used to worship.  The verse of scripture above mentions three of them, psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.  Sometimes no words are needed at all.  There are many instrumentals that can help us to meditate and concentrate on God and His glory.
 
In one church I used to pastor as we would take up the offering and the musicians would play, it was almost as if it was break time and people would turn around and start visiting with one another.  It took me a while to teach them that this was a time of worship. It is a time to worship by giving and a time to meditate on God.
 
Christian music should cause us to focus on God and His Son Jesus.  Music is a teaching tool. If you will notice many children of pre-school age beginning  to learn of Jesus and many stories from the Bible by singing and learning the songs.  This is not new.  Many of the psalms and songs in the Bible were written to teach others of God and how He had worked in peoples lives.
 
I wouldn't presume to tell you what to sing and what music to use but I would suggest that if there is not a message that you can understand it might be better to leave that one out.

Email us atshilohkosciusko@gmail.com \
We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Christian Music 2

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual SONGs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
 
MUSIC MINISTRY
 
Music can certainly be a ministry and is very much a part of the worship service in most churches today.  Sometimes I am afraid that we get ourselves so bogged down in a schedule that we fail to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us through a worship service.  Just remember that the schedule in the bulletin is not written in stone.  We should be flexible enough to allow God to direct us even if it means a change from our regular routine.
 
People who are responsible for the music are also responsible to be students of the Word of God.  It is only through study and prayer that we can let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly.  If music is a ministry then it should be Christ centered and Biblically sound.
 
It takes more than an good voice or the ability to play a musical instrument to qualify a person to be in the music ministry.  A person must have a desire to put Christ in the center of the ministry and be willing to allow the music and the message to be the main focus, and not their talent.

Email us atshilohkosciusko@gmail.com \
We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Monday, July 22, 2013

Christian Music 1

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual SONGs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
 
I am writing a few devotionals on something that I am absolutely not an expert on.  Christian music.  Let me start off by saying that I am really old and I like the old fashioned hymns and gospel songs and most of these are my opinion and what I like to think are my convictions.
 
I love singing in church (in spite of the fact that I have not been blessed with a great singing voice).  Songs have a way of touching our emotions.  Some songs bring us to tears, some cause us to smile, and some make us want to clap our hands and shout.
 
Some of the newer songs actually make me cringe and I have problems with some of them because I don't like the tune and I have no idea what they are saying, I just know it is loud. (As I said I am really old).  I try not to be critical of music because God called me to preach and I figure that if He calls others into the music ministry he probably prepares them for it.
 
In these next devotionals I want to share some things that I really believe Christian should be and should not be. 
 
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If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Friday, July 19, 2013

STAND IN THE GAP

Ezekiel 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
 
I remember when I was a young boy we had some cows that were pretty stubborn and when we would try to herd them to the barn they would run in all different directions.  It would take all of us to stand in all the openings to keep them from running through a break in the hedgerow or through a gap in the fence.  Once my mother was helping us and one of the cows charged directly at her.  It scared her so bad that she took off running and scaled an 8 foot fence and ran up on the back porch.  My stepdad and I were laughing so hard that we were almost in more danger than my mother ever was from the cow.
 
People today are more stubborn than those old cows we had.  They are doing their best to head in all directions on their way to destruction.  Sometimes standing in their way is a scary situation and we have a tendency to scale the fence and run for the porch.
 
Our entire nation is headed on the path of destruction and it is time for God's people to take a stand.  We must proclaim the Truth of God's Word and be willing to stand up to the onrush of the stubborn crowd.
 
Can God find people today to make up the hedge and stand in the gap to warn people of their wickedness and the sin that is taking our country closer to destruction?

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We have compiled an E-book of our devotionals in .pdf format. We will send them to you attached to an email.
Email us atshilohkosciusko@gmail.com \
We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

SEND ME?

Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
 
There are people who are hurting and need someone to show them some compassion and share a scripture with them.  Whom shall the Lord send? Who will go for us?
 
There are people who are sick and need someone to sit with them a moment and lead them in a word of prayer.  Whom will God send?  Who will go for us?
 
Young children are being raised in communities that have forsaken God and never have an opportunity to see the love of a Christian community.  They never have an opportunity to hear about Jesus and how much He loves us.  Whom will God send?  Who will go for us?
 
These are only a few of the opportunities for Christians to reach out and minister.  Too many times when these questions are asked it is easy for us to say, "Here am I, Lord.  Please send someone else."
Often we are afraid to get more committed to the Lord's work because we know that it will require us to make sacrifices.  We are comfortable and we don't want to get out of our comfort zones.
 
The world is in a terrible shape and there are many who need to hear about the saving grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the only answer to what is troubling the world.  Whom will God send?  Who will go for us?
 
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We have compiled an E-book of our devotionals in .pdf format. We will send them to you attached to an email.
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We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

HIGH THOUGHTS

Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. (9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
 
That pretty much settles it for me.  God is smarter than man.  I had suspected as much for a long time but here it is in the Bible and I for one believe that the Bible is true and is the final word on the subjects that are covered there.
 
In our fast paced multi-cultured world people think because our technology has come so far that we are evolving into smarter beings.  I don't believe man is any smarter than he has ever been, we just have more experience to draw on.  Men like Thomas Edison have been responsible for much of our advancement today and others have just built on their discoveries.  We are not smarter. We just have more facts and figures available to us.
 
Regardless of how smart men might think they are it is foolish to think they know more than God. His thoughts and ways are much greater and higher than ours.  If we are to reach our fullest potential as our Creator intends us to we must stay in the Word, the Bible, and get to know what His ways and His thoughts are.
 

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We have compiled an E-book of our devotionals in .pdf format. We will send them to you attached to an email.
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We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

ABUNDANT PARDON

Isaiah 55:7 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.
 
I once read of a king who was touring a prison and as he walked by the cells,  all the prisoners were begging him for pardon because they claimed to be innocent. 
 
He finally came to a prisoner who was sitting quietly in his cell. The king said, "I suppose you were falsely accused and you are innocent of any wrong too."
 
The prisoner hung his head in shame and said, "No your highness.  In stole from another and I was caught.  I am guilty, I am ashamed and I deserve my punishment."
 
The king called to the guards, "Guards, turn this guilty criminal loose at once. If we keep him here he will only corrupt all these fine innocent men."
 
All men need to confess their guilt. We need to recognize the terrible wickedness of sin and ask God for mercy.
 
I see on the news where sinful people are crying out to get what they deserve.  Many times they are the champions of an ungodly cause yet they want people to not only tolerate and accept them but to openly embrace their lifestyles.  If they ask for what they deserve instead of mercy and pardon, they are in for a terrible shock.
 
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We have compiled an E-book of our devotionals in .pdf format. We will send them to you attached to an email.
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We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Monday, July 15, 2013

IT'S TIME TO MAKE A CALL

Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
 
We live in an amazing time technologically.  It seems that everyone from children up to the senior citizens are connected.  If you are in a store shopping, in a waiting room of any sorts, even sometimes at church it is not unusual to hear a phone ring.  When one rings, usually, there are several people who check to see if it is theirs.
 
People call, they text, they tweet and they post on Facebook constantly.  I am sure that this period in history will never be called the dark ages because people don't have access to what is going on in the world.
 
You can carry on a real time conversation using several different methods (at no extra charge) with people all over the world.
 
It seems unreal that with all the information readily available at people's fingertips that so many are out of touch with our Creator.  There are multitudes who are seeking light and direction from everywhere except from God who is the only one who can truly give it to us.
 
Many are calling out for help.  They call upon their idols.  They call upon government or upon the kindness of those who are charitable but in their stubborn way they refuse to call upon God and to call upon Jesus to save their souls.
 
There will come a day when it is too late for many.  God asks us to call upon Him before it is too late.
 
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We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Friday, July 12, 2013

WHY DO THE HEATHEN RAGE? 3

Psalms 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
 
The heathen rage because they are not satisfied with a Holy God and they refuse to accept His Word to them.
 
They rage because they are self centered and feel that the world revolves around them and that God should change Himself to conform to their ideals and their desires.
 
They rage because sin has a built in penalty and they don't think it is fair.  They feel wronged because their own actions will not bring them joy or peace that can only be found in a right relationship with Jesus Christ.
 
The heathen rage and will continue to rage simply because they think they are smarter than the God who created them.
 
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If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

WHY DO THE HEATHEN RAGE? 2

Psalms 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
 
By nature we as Christians are a passive people even when we are passionate about something. It seems that our voices have been drowned out lately by the raging voices of those who seem to be determined to silence Christians completely.
 
It is a vain thing that they imagine.  They imagine that if they can silence our calm rational voices with their demonstrations, ranting, raving and name calling that any objection to their destructive lifestyles will go away.  A very sad day is coming when they will be rid of us once and for all because Jesus is coming back for His own and I believe it will be soon.
 
We will be gone.  There will be no restraining power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Christians to hold them back from all their carnal desires.  They will be left to their own sinful lusts and their own actions will be to their destruction. That will not be the worst of it.  They will still rage and finally they will face something that no man can stand against, that is God's Holy Wrath.
 

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We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

WHY DO THE HEATHEN RAGE? 1

Psalms 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
 
I could not find a suitable definition of heathen from the online dictionaries that fit what I believe to be the biblical definition of heathen. In the old testament everyone but the Jewish people were considered heathen.  In the new testament Christians were not considered heathens and as far as I can tell the Jews were still not considered heathens.  As far as I can tell this would leave everyone except Christians and Jews to be considered heathen according to the Bible.
 
I am sure the above paragraph would anger a lot of people if they were to read it.  As a matter of fact I am sure that it would enrage many.  Why do the Heathen rage?  They rage because they are not willing to accept that without a relationship with Jesus Christ they are not acceptable to God.
 
If a person rejects God's Son, then they will be rejected by Him.  Many are angered and accuse Christians of being narrow minded because we believe the only pathway to God is through His Son Jesus.  It seems to me that they are the ones who are closed minded.  God offers salvation to all who will accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  If they refuse, the decision is theirs.
 
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We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

DELIVERED ME FROM FEARS

Psalms 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
 
I can remember that as a young boy I used to fear going to sleep at night and dying in my sleep.  The child’s prayer that had the line "If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take" was a frightening choice of words to me. Because of sin somehow I realized that if God took my soul in my sleep that it would be so rotten that he would cast it away.

I never shared those fears with anyone.  I didn't want anyone to know how worthless I really was.  I was the only one in the world who really knew me and I think I even fooled myself sometimes.
When I finally realized that there was nothing I could do about it on my own I gave my worthless soul to Jesus and trusted Him to do what I could not.  "He washed it white as snow."

At that time God delivered me from the terrible fear of what He would do with my soul.  He cleaned it up and made it worthy of spending eternity with Him.  That is something I could have never done myself.  Only Jesus can do that.
 
 
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If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Monday, July 8, 2013

SINS OF IGNORANCE

1st Peter 1:14-15 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: (15) But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
 
Ignorance is a state of being uninformed (lack of knowledge).
 
I have a lot of experience making ignorant mistakes.  I have done things wrong simply because I did not know the right way to do them.
 
Probably everyone reading this can look back and laugh at some silly mistakes you made just because you didn't know better.  I am reminded of the young man who said that his new bride obviously thought the smoke detector was the timer for when she was cooking.  Hopefully a little experience and some cooking lessons helped her.
 
We all lack knowlege in some areas and none of us know all there is to know about God's Word.  Sadly many are content to remain ignorant of what the Bible says is sin and go on living unholy lives.  Matters are made worse because those who are ignorant of God's Word often become vicious and attack those who have an abiding love for the Bible.  We are the ones who are accused of ignorance when in fact the reverse is true.
 
I believe the smoke detector is already screaming and it is time for us to take some lessons from God's Word on living holy lives for Him.  We can never do this until we begin to accept the Bible as God's Word and try to incorporate it into our lives by studying it and by trying to live according to what God says.
 
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Email us at
We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.
 
If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.
 

Friday, July 5, 2013

WE MUST STRIVE TO REACH OUR SPIRITUAL GOALS

Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

We often do not reach spiritual goals simply because we don't set any. The first step to spiritual victory is trusting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You must become a Christian. Secondly you should publicly profess Him and identify with His death burial and resurrection in baptism.
When you are saved and baptised that is not the end of our spiritual quest, it is the beginning. You should be united with a Bible believing and Bible teaching church that is not willing to stray from God's teachings.
Once these things have been done you can then be working on your spiritual goals. You need to learn, you need to grow spiritually, you need to bear fruit and be a soul winner yourself. There might be many other goals you want to set spiritually and work toward them. Pray and study and seek God's guidance as you do so.
What are you doing about setting spiritual goals so that you might be better able to glorify God?
If you are doing nothing, when do you plan to start?
If you have no goals, you are not truly being victorious the way you should.

FREE .PDF E-BOOK
We have compiled an E-book of our devotionals in .pdf format. We will send them to you attached to an email.
Email us at
shilohkosciusko@gmail.com \
We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

VICTORY IS OURS FOR THE ASKING

James 4:2-3 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. {3} Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Lust is that carnal desire for physical satisfaction. Sometimes we want more than we have and we make ourselves miserable trying to get it. We live in a generation that has not learned the difference in what we want and what we really need and sadly many will go to extremes to get what they want to satisfy the desires of the flesh. Sadly this does not satisfy what they really need.
We should be seeking a close fellowship with God. A relationship in which we seek to please Him with our actions and we seek to know and feel His presence in our lives. We were created to serve and worship Him and we are saved to Glorify Him in our daily walk.
So often we are seeking His hand when we should be seeking His face. The greatest things we can desire are the spiritual things and not the carnal things of this life. We might not be possessing God's best because we are trying to grab ahold of the wrong things to begin with.
How long will you fail to live the victorious life because you desire the wrong things?

FREE .PDF E-BOOK
We have compiled an E-book of our devotionals in .pdf format. We will send them to you attached to an email.
Email us at
shilohkosciusko@gmail.com \
We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

VICTORY IS OURS

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

VICTORY HAS ALREADY BEEN WON FOR ALL WHO WILL BELIEVE


When Jesus took the punishment for our sins on the cross and was buried with them and rose up victorius over death, He won that victory for all believers.
We have victory over death. If someone tells you that I have died don't believe a word of it. I will then be more alive than I have ever been because for a Christian to die means to be absent from this body but to be present with the Lord. There are a lot of churches that spend more time bickering over their cemetery and who can be buried there than they do trying to reach lost souls. That cemetery is just a patch of dirt and the spirit of those saved people who are buried there has already gone on to be with the Lord.
I am kind of afraid that at my funeral someone will say what one young preacher said, "This is not him, it is just the shell, the nut has already gone on." We have victory over death and the grave through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We don't even have to fear hell, Jesus overcame that for us to. If death can't keep us dead, the grave can't hold us and Hell can't reach us, I would say that is Victory.
We also have victory over the trials that will come our way in life. Regardless of the hardships we might face in this life, we know that something awesome is coming in the future. Eternal life with King Jesus. Live victorious. Jesus won the victory for you.

FREE .PDF E-BOOK
We have compiled an E-book of our devotionals in .pdf format. We will send them to you attached to an email.
Email us at
shilohkosciusko@gmail.com \
We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

SELLING OUT TOO CHEAP 5

EVE WAS THE FIRST TO SELL OUT

Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree good for food, and that it pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

SHE GAVE THE FRUIT TO ADAM
 
 
 

The Bible tells us that Eve was deceived. The serpent beguiled her. This verse does not tell us that she had to go anywhere to find Adam. This verse says he was with her. I believe he was there all along while this was going on. He was doing just what we men are good at, just standing there watching to see what would happen and not doing anything to intervene.
 
Eve then gave the fruit to Adam and he ate it. How many times have you ever had someone who was supposed to be a friend talk you into doing something you knew you should not do. You probably can not even count the times. One thing is for sure. When people get enticed into a sinful thing they want other people to join them in their sin. If misery loves company sin revels in it.
 
When you sell out at as Eve did, you also sell out those you love and those who depend on you. Eve sold mankind for a bite of fruit. That seems pretty cheap doesn't it?
 
FREE .PDF E-BOOK
We have compiled an E-book of our devotionals in .pdf format. We will send them to you attached to an email.
Email us atshilohkosciusko@gmail.com \
We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.



 



Monday, July 1, 2013

SELLING OUT TOO CHEAP 4

EVE WAS THE FIRST TO SELL OUT

Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree good for food, and that it pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.


SHE ATE

I can imagine Eve in the Garden as she took the fruit and held it in her hands. I believe it was beautiful or as the above verse says it was pleasant to the eyes. I believe it probably even felt good in her hands and was perfectly ripened. In my imagination I can almost smell it.
Fruit has a wonderful smell to most people. That is why you see fruit scented air freshners and fruit scented candles. I notice that I have never seen a turnip green or cabbage scented candle.
Eve was enticed by all the fruit's qualities and it is almost possible to visualize her as she holds the fruit to her lips and takes a bite. An immediate change comes upon her. Just as God will ask them later "What have you done?", I believe at that moment she asks herself, "What have I done?". That is the question we ask when we sell out so cheap and lose our innocence.

FREE .PDF E-BOOK
We have compiled an E-book of our devotionals in .pdf format. We will send them to you attached to an email.
Email us atshilohkosciusko@gmail.com \
We welcome questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.

If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know.  Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus.  I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.