Sacrifice For The Greater Good

                It never ceases that God finds a way to speak to my heart through a song. As it turns out this one broke through all my defenses. The walls walls that encircled my heart were no match this time. I was at work on my lunch break and I started watching music videos on phone. Well I came a across a song called The Car by Jeff Carson. I listened to it a few times and my heart began to ache. Lunch ended shortly thereafter and I hustled to the area I was working in to hide my face from my coworkers. The song was about the relationship between a father and a son. I've been working long hours with lots of overtime for quite awhile and God gave me a revelation. I saw my daddy in me. For the majority of my childhood my daddy wasn't home and never had much time to spend with us because he worked long hours and lots of overtime. There was times he never had a day off for months. As you can probably already tell I'm very close to my daddy. As anybody that knows us will tell you if you've met one then you've met the other. I saw   the decision my daddy had to make as parent that day. I realized my dad had to choose between providing for us or spending time with us and he did what he had to do. It really hit home for me because I'm doing exactly what he did. He sacrificed his time and himself to take care my momma, my brother, and me. He went to work in some of the dirtiest places doing the toughest jobs industrial construction has to offer. In the end he sacrificed his health. He ended up paralyzed at the age of 45 because the love he has for us. Praise God that He made it possible for him to walk again. I was at work trying to run what is called a seamwelder machine and all of those thoughts were swirling in my head as tears poured down my face. It really made me think if how much I missed getting to spend time with him. I felt a longing to just clock out and go see him but  like him bills have to be paid and there's got to be food on the table and that came first. Then another thought entered the back of my mind my heavenly Father reminded me that He was missing time with me even more so than my daddy. Jesus said in John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down his life for his friends." God sacrificed His Son for all of mankind. He gave us His very best. I see the heavenly Father in my daddy. My daddy gave his all to doing the type of work he didn't enjoy doing to make sure I had clothes on my back, food to eat, and a place to sleep. The measure of a man is his heart. Not his wallet. How do you measure God? You can't. How do I know that? He's omniscient. He's everywhere all the time. In closing just remember to say a prayer of praise for your daddy. He's the only one you'll ever have. Lastly, lift up a prayer of thanks to the One who sent His Son to die for you. 

Have a wonderful day. God Bless

Taken Home on the Wings of Angels

             For I am ready to be poured out as a drink offering out as a drink offering and the time of my departure is as hand. I  have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 

2 Timothy 4: 6-7

             A dear friend and long time member of Fincastle Baptist Church received his promotion to heaven after 91 years of dwelling among us. I remember the first time I ever met Charles Judy was a couple years ago when the entire church went Christmas caroling and I ended up with the group who went to visit the senior shut ins of the church. Our last stop was Mr. Judy's house and I remember how his face lit up that night. After we sang a few carols for him he started talking with me. I don't recall the topics mentioned in our conversation but I remember his spirit. A man who still was focused on keeping on keeping on. I learned a lesson in faithfulness from this man. A man in his 90's who rarely missed a church service or choir rehearsal despite his ailments. I noticed when our church went to two Sunday morning services Mr. Judy would come to the early service when a lot of people around my age couldn't get there if we tried.There was times I would sit next to him in choir rehearsal and this little 100 pound man would sing with everything he had on every song. To me in my heart he was the anchor of the Fincastle Baptist Choir bass line. I learned more just last night that shows who his heart belonged to and about his faithfulness. He out lived his wife by several years. The last six years of her life she was extremely ill. He took care of his wife every minute never leaving her side those six years. He never even left there home. He had one last great victory. The youth started having an annual car show to support the youth program and the ministries it was involved in. Mr. Judy decided to enter his 1964 Ford Mustang. He hadn't done anything to it. It was all original. It was a stock mustang straight from Ford Motor Company. It was in showroom condition. He won First Place at the car show last year. That's one time I wish I could have been present to see the smile on his face. I can't wait until I see him in heaven with that huge smile on his face with his wife at his side. I know he's in heaven anchoring the bass line in Heavens choir. I just hope I remember the legacy Mr. Judy left with us. Always be faithful in serving the Lord in my church. Be a faithful husband to my wife until she takes her last breath. Just by doing these two things made him an inspiration to us all. Mr. Judy I just hope you know you are very much loved and greatly missed. 

Mr. Charles Judy March 23, 2012 

Safely Home 

It's Good to Have A One Track Mind

Psalm 1:2
But they delighted in the Law of the Lord meditating on it day and night. (NLT)

        I sit here and just think about meditating on God's Word. Our world is so busy I'm convinced that we put God in a box. We compartmentalize everything already. We try to fit everything in by giving it a time slot. I'm convinced we give God a two hour time slot in our lives on Sunday morning and think I've got my weekly dose of God for the week. We act like we've done Him a favor by sitting in Sunday School and Morning Worship. Then we hear on the news how much this nation has declined from a moral standpoint.We ask questions why is the divorce rate so high? Why is homosexuality and abortion considered to be okay? Why is a man and woman living and sleeping together outside the confines of marriage is just the norm in today's society? I could make a list of questions a mile long asking God why our nation is experiencing such moral decline but that's not what I'm being lead to focus on here.

        I learned that there's only one solution to the escalating moral decline in America; we Christians get right and get real about Jesus. Lastly after we get right and get real; you have got to get radical. If we (myself included here) people who call ourselves Christians would get as radical about serving Jesus as the lost world is about serving satan God through wouldn't just make hell backup. We would put the fires of hell out. The question is how do we get the kind of faith and courage to charge the gates of hell with a water pistol in one hand and a Bible in the other? I am convinced there is only one way possible to do so and that is to have a set daily quiet time. It's a MUST! There is no other way to walk purely in the eyes of the Lord. As Charles Stanley said do you honestly think you can go out and face the world, the flesh, and the devil without preparing yourself? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!! I remember a Methodist minister told me this while we were having dinner at two tables adjacent to each other and his word of advice to this young whipper snapper was keep your eyes up and your knees down. I can not post this without referencing Joshua 1:8-9 which says, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do all that is written in it. For then you will make your prosperous and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid , nor be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."(NKJV) Right here is God's formula for true success. Here's how to have victory. Here's how you can overcome addictions. There is NO OTHER WAY!!!! How can we sin if our minds are set upon God? This is how we rip the gates of hell down people. Here's the promise that comes with abiding in Him in Psalm 1:3, "They are like trees planted on the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never whither and they prosper in all they do."(NLT) My friends let this  be a reminder to us to call upon His holy Name daily and have fellowship with Him.

This post was inspired by my dear friend Uncle Skip. I may have only spent just spent few hours with you but you will forever be my friend. You are such an inspiration to me because you are a man after God's own heart. Meeting you has forever changed my life. You will always be one of my hero's of the faith because I haven't met any man up until now that loves our Savior like you. If I never get to see you again on earth I will long for the day we can have fellowship in throne room of God with Him together.

May God Bless you all. Goodnight.      

Welcome to 2012 and a New Chapter In Life

      Last night for some reason God laid upon my heart to watch the movie Saving Private Ryan. It seemed kinda strange at first to me but the movie is based on a true story and it is very touching to the soul. What caught my attention about it was a letter read by General George C. Marshall. The letter was originally written to a Mrs. Bigspie in Boston. She had seen five of her sons leave home to go to war for the republic know as The United States of America. This letter had been written to her by the current president Abraham Lincoln. He said the war department in Washington had brought it to his attention that her five sons had died gloriously on the field of battle. He wrote that he felt that his words were weak and fruitless to a loss so overwhelming.. He said he couldn't refrain from tendering to her the consulation of the republic they died to save. He prayed that the Lord remove the anguish of losing five sons and remember only the cherished memories of the loved ones lost. The solemn pride that must be hers to have laid such a costly sacrifice upon the altar of freedom. As I listened to this letter over and over again it really hit home. This woman raised five sons who were destined to die preserving something God created. God laid it on peoples hearts hearts to build a nation founded upon the   principles He laid out in His Word. A nation where freedom reigns.

I can't help but think what one Person gave upon an altar once for freedom. The person who sacrificed the most ever upon the altar of freedom of God Himself. His Son willingly came to this earth to be born just so He could die. I can't help but think about His sacrifice for us. He came to die for people who didn't love him. Who cared nothing for Him. If Jesus Christ had not come we would still be enslaved to sin. We would be still slaves to our flesh. We wouldn't be able to withstand the temptation of the devil. Without Christ we would still be separated from God for the law of God has condemned us. The chains of sin are gone. We've been set free. If you can recall chains are symbol of slavery. Christ died upon an altar of freedom for all of us. I think we all need to focus upon God, His Son and the sacrifice He made, and how the Holy Spirit has helped us overcome the evil one. In Christ we are free from sin. I have been reading in my Bible this year a couple of passages that have been really becoming a cornerstone for me. Galatians 5:1-6, 13-25 and Psalm 119: 9-10. Psalm 119: 9-10 says; "How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your Word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh let me not wander from You commandments. Keeping God's commandments are summed up in two main commandments that Jesus gave love God with all you heart, soul, mind, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. What will you choose to do this year? I pray that your decision is the same as mine. Let's live our lives according to His Word. May we forever changed knowing that Romans 12:1 says we are to present ourselves as living sacrifices to God. May our prayer be Lord You died for us as a sacrifice upon a cross. May we die daily until You call us home. In You Name, Amen.