To Everything There Is A Season...

 
     I strongly believe that everything comes to pass in God's timing. Thus, having said that, after my previous pastorate (7 years), with prayer and study of God's word a decision has been made to go into an evangelistic  ministry. This will be a ministry in/of word and song. Aided by my wife Doni we will be looking to be available to smaller churches for pulpit supply, revivals, or concerts. If you know any pastors of small churches (or deacons, workers, or members) that would like to have us come on a wed. or Sun. day/night please comment on here! leave a way to contact you. I am...

                                                                                                       Grateful for Grace,
                                                                                                               Gregg Hall 
    
   

AWAKE O' SLEEPER

Yes...rising from his slumber, the DOGpreacher is back to post again.

I went to the "True Church Conference" @FBC Muscle Shoals, Alabama this year, and have since listened to 40+ sermons by Jeff Noblitt, Paul Washer, Charles Leiter, Mack Tomlinson, and Voddie Baucham that have chastised, invigorated and challenged me so much. More later.

His Not Mine

His, Not Mine

Oh, the joy,
Of love Divine,
Such peace and assurance,
To be His, and not mine.

Twas wretched and poor,
Once enslaved to sin;
'Til His light shone all about me,
And His grace reeled me in.

Now a slave to righteousness,
Oh what joy to be;
In the service of my Lord,
The One who rescued me.

From the day to day horror,
Of a lost and helpless soul;
To adoption, yes, a child of God,
The One from whom all things flow.

Unmerited favor (?),
Yes, now I understand;
I am born again, not of myself,
But by the touch of the Master's Hand!

Touched,
The DOGpreacher

Malnutrition......In A Land Of Plenty...Part 2

So...Whats In Your Pantry ?

It might be that you have already performed this exercise, however once is not enough for what we are doing here. This must be something you eventually do continually. You will, in time, progress to a point where this exercise will progress to a 'preventative maintenance' type of work, instead of a 'spring cleaning'.

Okay, let's all do this together. In keeping with the theme of this series, let's open our pantrys for inspection. No, I won't be looking, just you...& Him. Just so we all are on the same page, the PANTRY I am referring to is the variety of places you frequent (home [library, T.V. room, etc.], work, recreational areas, church,...etc.) in which you are fed mentally/spiritually. This should include (for example) what you READ, what you VIEW, what (& who) you LISTEN to.

At this point, some of you have already felt that old familiar rebellion rising up within you (yes, that is rebellion), that brings forth from your lips your favorite battle cry (text), "Judge not lest you be judged.."! If that isn't the first cry, it will only be because you have first sounded off about 'legalism'. But, that's alright, stay with us here and see that this is applicable to you just as it is to all of us.

I could make this long and draw it out to be a long post, but I will not. I will get directly to the point.

How many of you would be appalled if you answered the knock at your door, and found a few people who said, "Hi, I hope you don't mind if we come in. We would like to curse and swear, make blatant inuendos of a sexual nature, show you some graphic violence and murders via this slide show. Don't worry, we brought our own projector. Now, for a little mood music, could you play some Eminem, Beastie Boys, Spice Girls, Korn, AC/DC, Prince...or basically anything that glorifies illicit sex, violence and death, you know, anything opposite of what God would approve of you consuming. Oh, c'mon, even if YOU don't have anything like that in the house, we know your children do. Speaking of them, have you seen the commercials for the sadistic (rated T for Team, M for mature, and WORSE) games for their PlayStation or whatever that is that YOU bought them for Christmas, and then allowed it to be in their room w/their own TV?! WELL....it's been nice entertaining you for the evening...now, pay up! You surely didn't think this kind of entertainment would be free, did you?"

Just the thought of someone barging in your home with this filth and degradation is appalling to consider, isn't it? We might react, saying, "I wouldn't stand for that in my house, I would throw them out.

NO, YOU WON'T.....instead, YOU call THEM up and INVITE them out, and PAY them to come into your home. Is it local cable you have, or is it satellite, transmitting all of this "junk food" into your home.

No, I am not saying that the TV is Satan in a box. The TV is neither righteous nor evil. It is you & I...humans. WE are the ones who choose the sexually suggestive programs we watch, the vanity promoting magazines we read, the suggestive (violence, sex, rebellion) lyrics we listen to, and repeatedly pound into our heads.

Have you caught yourself laughing at the sexual inuendos (all outside of Gods intentions for sex) of your favorite sit-com, de-sensitized to the multitudes of brutal crimes (Assault, rape, murder, etc.) that we watch on the hour-long dramas, OR, the complete assault on your mind with the pooling together of these with the Names of our Saviour and God being continuously & flippantly taken in vain, in the Movies we watch?

Philippians 4:8-9....."(8) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things (are) honest, whatsoever things (are) just, whatsoever things (are) pure, whatsoever things (are) lovely, whatsoever things (are) of good report, if (there be) any virtue, and if (there be) any praise, think on these things. (9) These things which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

One must be very selective in their consumption of the various media outlets of this world, if they intend on keeping their mind on the things we are urged to keep them on in Philippians. Personal Holiness is not a real popular thing today....but, it should be. It amazes me how Christians today lament the fact that they are worried (finances, children, job, etc.) so much, and seem to have 'no peace of mind'. As the aforementioned scripture stated, "...the God of peace shall be with you."...WHEN you put your mind on the things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good report, virtuous, & praiseworthy...THEN the God of peace WILL be with you, and 'peace of mind' will be yours.

We all know what GIGO stands for, right? Yeah, that's right, garbage in.....garbage out. That's right, what we feed on (whether physically, or spiritually/mentally)WILL make up who we are. THEN, what is inside us, will come from us in our actions.

NEXT.....Pt.3, Manna From Heaven!

Feeding On The Word,
The DOGpreacher

My Conversion.....And Yours!

GRACE

I was born in sin,
a curse of "the fall",
Not I alone.....
but humanity.....all.

My trajectory was downward,
As only it could be;
'Til His hand caught my falling soul,
Graciously revealing Himself to me.

I saw my sin...
my state...my plight,
Then turning from darkness,
I ran to light.

By grace, through faith,
I have been set free;
No longer a slave to sin,
But to the One Who's blood bought me.

Before the foundation of the world,
He chose me, in Him to abide;
Then with irresistable grace,
Did draw me to His side.

And so, fearing not,
I now stand;
So safely cupped,
In those nail-scarred hands.

With God for me,
Whom shall I fear;
As He preserves me,
I persevere!

In His Hand,
The DOGpreacher


Yes, this is my conversion I wrote about, but it easily could have been yours also. Notice that there is nothing personal about this testimony to God's saving grace that links it only to me (or anybody else). Quite frankly...this is simply what happens to every one who has ever been born from above (born again).

Malnutrition......In a land of plenty Those Who Have, & Those Who Have Not You have all seen the pictures I am sure. A Child...with swollen belly and frail appendages. How can this happen, we ask. The answer is Malnutrition. Merriam Websters Collegiate Dictionary/10th Edition defines malnutrition as "faulty or inadequate nutrition". BOTH of these defining points play a part in these children we see in the aforementioned condition. An inadequate supply of food combined with the fact that there is not the right kinds of foods for balanced nutrition, and the contamination factor (water & food), ALL contribute to the malnutrition we see in these commercials...asking for us to help.....to help get the right foods for a balanced nutrition. They must get the PURE (uncontaminated) water & bread to these little ones, or they have NO HOPE !!
Now...take the time to look around you. We live in a land of plenty. For most, there is an adequate supply of food here. For most it is clean & contamination free food & water. We have in this Country (for the most part) exactly what is needed for balanced nutrition. And yet, this Country is one of the most obese and out of shape in the world, not to mention the most wasteful. This is to our great shame.

From The Physical To The Spiritual

This country does have its malnourished. In this country (for the most part) there are no excuses. In a land where we have an abundance of food & water that is uncontaminated and is perfect for supplying the body with the needed nutrition for good health.....look at us. One has the accessability to the proper diet, but prefers to ingest the things that will slowly lead their body...their health, to physical ruin. Is this an example of insanity ? That IS a fair question.
Those of you reading this who watch what you eat very closely, and have probably been in agreement with all I have written so far.....what's your excuse ? Yes, YOU! When it comes to physical food you have been wise, and have taken care of your body by regulating what your dietary intake will be. How much more should you regulate your spiritual/mental intake ?
There are many types & brand names of food in the grocery store competing for your loyalty as a consumer. Yet, you resist an urge to buy 6 Twinkies & 3 Turtle Fudge Cheesecakes by the reasoning that this would not be good for your body. This is much the same as it is in the field of Religion. There are new marketing strategies every day it seems, to entice you to be a loyal consumer of their brand. However...this is a part I will wait to comment on for awhile.


So.....You Think You're Sane Do You ?

Didn't some one say that the definition of insanity was to do the same thing over and over, the exact same way.....and expect different results ?
Oh, YHWH our God, let us be transformed by the renewing of our minds, help us to put on the mind of Christ (Yeshua). Then, we will be of sound mind.
I will get right down to the issue at hand. 1 John 2: 15-17 says, "(15) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (17) And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God abides forever."

OK, I will pause for those who wish to repent & clean house now.......

What kind of mental/spiritual "food" are you feeding on daily ? Have you 'counted the cost' of grazing at the feeding troughs of the world ? As you 'sip the wine of the wrath of her fornications' you are desensitized and deceived as to your spiritual state.
Alright, let's get down to the crux of the matter.
The "Churches" of today are disobedient & a stench in His nostrils. Oh, I know...not you & yours...it's those "others". My advice unto you (as unto myself) is to "examine yourself", and all that entails. Humble yourself before the Almighty, and ask Him to point out any wicked way in you (me). Do this (pray) right after you have read 1 John 2: 15-17, and then read it again.
No one that He loves will be exempt at this point from the chastising conviction of the Holy Spirit of God upon your heart/mind. Will you be found guilty of loving this present world more than the One who redeemed you ? Or will you be righteous in your own eyes ? Be careful Mr. Pride, & think this through.
When you "feed" on the things of this world instead of His 'manna' from heaven, you will be the baby christian who is so pitiful & sad. With a bloated spiritual belly from the worlds contaminated food & drink that you are ingesting, you have no strength to stand when needed. You are weak in all areas, especially the mind. The Church is FULL of this because the Church is FULL of the WORLD!!
The passage says, "...if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

Accounting/Inventory Department


Do you Love this One who died that you might have life ? It is time to take inventory. It is time for an accounting. When you rationalize the few sex scenes, and the nudity as a MUST for making a good movie (huh?), and the MANY times God's name is taken in vain (not just the times it is linked up with damn.), as well as the barrage of sexual innuendos, ask yourself, "Am I even remotely pleasing to God BY these actions, or is He displeased with my choice of entertainment ?" I assure you He will NEVER approve of your preference for the world over Him as a way to spend your time. That would be contradictory to His Word. Oh, you may hear a still small voice say, "it's okay, you're a good boy/girl....". Guess what ? That wasn't God!! That was your wicked and deceitful heart trying to justify the sin you love so much.
Well....this is the Accounting/Inventory Department.....excuses and self righteous 'feelings' carry NO weight around here.


Final Thoughts On Part 1


So.....how are we doing out there ? There's only two types (and that is INSIDE the Christian camp) that are reading this. One says (with bowed head), " search me dear God, and reveal to me my wrong ways, and help me to know you more, and my ways to be pleasing to you." Then there's the other type. I know him well. I used to be him. He already had a hundred thoughts of self-justification for his ways before half-way finishing the post. He is angry at such [legalistic] nonsense. I am free he says. I have Christian liberty. My friend, look around you...right now, in your own home/room/desk/bookshelves/magazine racks/cd-dvd changer/your mind.....ooh....see. THAT isn't free. That is displeasing to Almighty God.


....Stay tuned for Part 2: So.....What's In Your Pantry ?


Eatin' Gooood Kibble,
The DOGpreacher
11/8/2005

Check out....."The Gift" !

Those of you who know what it is like to come to an understanding of God's electing grace by which He called you, and drew you to His Son......check out the post called "The Gift",
@ http://hesinmyheart.blogspot.com/ !!
If you know someone you might be studying with (or trying to) concerning the doctrines of grace/sovereignty of God in salvation, THEY SHOULD SEE THIS !!

Knocked off MY donkey on MY road to Damascus,
The DOGpreacher

aahhhh.....the Holy Days...oops...I mean Holidays!

I know, I know...just from the Title of my Post, you must know already what a killjoy I am, right ?
Well, truthfully...I hope that by shedding some light on this area, I would actually be doing the Father's will (glorifying Him) and thus bringing true joy to the party, instead of some facsimile that the world has sold you !
So.....what willyou be doing for 'Halloween'? Are you one of those bold (or uneducated?) enough to say, "I'm a Christian, and I don't see what the big deal is.....Halloween is 'what you make it', right?" At least these have an out...ignorance. Then there are the Christians who say, "We don't really do 'Halloween'.....our Church has a "Fall Festival". Some others call this a "Harvest Service", and yet others a "Hallelujah Festival". Well.....ignorance...no, I already used that once...anyway these are some of the worst. Who do you think you are kidding? This is pragmatism at its worst. Then there is the "Reformed (ing) Crowd" (O.K., I'm preaching to the choir!), who will be calling theirs 'Reformers Day' or 'Protestant's Day' or something like that, and singing the old chorus that goes, "95 theses nailed to the wall, 95 theses nailed, take one down, pass it around, 95 theses nai....." Well, you get my drift #:-)
(1) First group: So you're going to go to church on Sunday and say that you trust in God, you'll read the Holy Bible that you are so sure is God's Word to us (you know, the Book that says that those having to do with familiar spirits or sorcery, witchcraft, or the like should be put to death), and then on Monday dress your kids up like ghouls and goblins, witches and warlocks, and say, "Lighten up, it's harmless fun". By the way, that goes for any other sweet little costume (princess, cowboy, ballerina, clown, or Spiderman, etc.) either! I guess you aren't so sure about that "Word" after all, are you?
(2) Second group: Okay...you Fall Festival folks: I am not known for my subtlety, so here goes: You are guilty of instituting "traditions of men" of your own making. I know, you'll say, " We can reach more people for the Lord this way, especially the young people", won't you? Get real, this is pragmatism at its worst. What's next? We will have a Harvest Festival at the local First Baptist (of course, this is an evangelistic outreach program for young people.....OH PLEASE!!) and the next thing you know there will be a "Mardi Gras Mania" Sunday night, lest we loose anybody to that perverted celebration either!! Churches using "Halleluyah Festival" need to know what the word 'halleluyah' means. It means "praise to Yah", or "praise God". I have been to a few, and saw little praise directed heavenward. Most of what I saw was games and folly. They turned church out on Sunday night to have that.
(3) Third group: The intentions are good, but we are doing close to the same thing. Yes, I have preached on Halloween Sunday about Martin Luther and the protestant reformation. I do not do that now. I will be preaching in John 10, because I finished John 9 last Sunday night. Fellow reformING Christians, let us not feel that we must provide a "religious" substitute for every pagan holiday that hurtles down the humanistic highway. Those of us in this group should be setting an example for non-believers, and "believers" in groups 1 and 2.
To the Christian, this October 31st should only be one thing.....Monday! Let us not conform to the world in trying to get worldly people to conform to Christ. Let us show them the Christ in us, preach the Word, and pray that God blesses His Word!
May Monday find you dwelling on the things of God instead of perpetuating this pagan principle one more year.

No candy here kids,
The Dogpreacher

P.S. As for that "trick" business, MY GOD is bigger than your god. So there!!!

C'mon Bud...they are waitin' on the Dogpreacher

C'mon Bud

Be patient Bud, .....they'll be comin' round for the meat of the word shortly!

Be patient Bud.....