SAFER IN IRAQ THAN WASHINGTON DC

SAFER IN IRAQ THAN WASHINGTON DC

An interesting letter in the Australian Shooter Magazine this week, which I quote: "If you consider that there has been an average of 160,000 troops in the Iraq theater of operations during the past 22 months, and a total of 2112 deaths, that gives a firearm death rate of 60 per 100,000 soldiers. The firearm death rate in Washington, DC is 80.6 per 100,000 for the same period. That means you are about 25 percent more likely to be shot and killed in the US capital, which has some of the strictest gun control laws in the US, than you are in Iraq Conclusion: The US should pull out of Washington D C." (Australian Shooter Magazine).

Promiseland Newsletter 3-10

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?
The day was beautiful. The sun was out offering a warm coating across my skin. The wind was mild providing enough movement that made the clouds looked like they were dancing. You could hear the laughter of the children playing all across the church parking lot. The chatter of adults offered just enough tone to secure any concerns this unusual day might offer. As I looked around, I was impressed at the massive crowd of church families who came out to the small pond that was situated in the back lawn of the church. Yes, today was the day Pastor Slaggle of First Baptist in Essex, Maryland had been pushing for more than a month.
However, as a kid of 12 years of age, I paid little attention to the significance leading up to this day with exception to the fact, I was one of the ones who was going to be baptized. You see, Pastor Slaggle and the church leadership had outlaid a month long vision of growing the church with the notion of adding 100 to the church membership. Baptism was the crowning ceremony of this month long vision.
I recall my mother being right there at my side while my father was caught up in the energy of the service and ceremony. “Well glory” you could hear him shout at times through his unique tearful expression he could share. I glanced over to see who Dad was talking with at the moment I saw him lightly slap the deacon on the chest with the back of his hand. It raised a small smile to my face as I was taken in from all the hundreds of people all over the parking lot and church grounds. “Wow, mom look at all the people,” I said.
There were more than 100 people that were lined up to be baptized with me. I still recall looking around trying to capture the picture of what all of this was about. My young mind was so enthralled by the whole event. Wow and I was a part of it. I felt like I was one of those who were making all this possible as I walked down into the water. I could feel my soul rise to this grandiose vision until I caught a glimpse of all the leaves in the water. I put my hand down under the water and realized how dirty the water was.
I can’t even remember the pastor taking me by the hand and reciting the baptismal words over me. My eyes were wide open when he put me under. I was totally engulfed in the “millions” of leaves as I was plunged under the water, looking up. He brought me up while my family was rejoicing, I could think of nothing except “all them leaves and this water is dirty.”
Amazing, when I recall that story it reminds me of so many today in the church. Some of the most dynamic moments God offers us each and every service and all we can see is the dirt. Shocking isn’t it that just when God draws us into his arms for a powerful experience we lose sight of the Vision because of the distractions that fills our surroundings. Just about the time we step into “our moment” that will make history, some dirt draws us away.
God knows how many times the Vision – the Big Picture is lost because of some stupid dirty mess around us knocks us off focus. How many have lost their footing just about the time they were about to reach their Mt Everest! Look at the marriages that came tumbling down the cliff just before they reached their apex all because of some filthy mess distracted them.
Don’t allow one dirty pond filled with nasty leaves ruin your once in a life time moment in God, church or life. Please, don’t allow the dirt around us knock us off focus from this God given VISION we have received. Stay focused on the event, not the dirt. Maintain your gaze on the next five years, not the next hour of trash. Don’t allow the five words of slander destroy 10 years of sermons. I know it might be hard, but resist the scaring pain from abuse wreck 20 years of marriage. Reject the poisonous thought of moving 10 hours away from your family to save 10 minutes of discomfort.
Yes, I agree with you, the water is dirty and the leaves are nasty. Please, don’t misunderstand me. I hate the filth too, but I refuse to through the baby out with the bath water. Let me ask you now, what are you looking at? The dirt, the leaves or the ceremony?
By Dr. Tim McClure

Fishing Preachers
There were three pastors, a Baptist, Methodist and Pentecostal all sitting in a boat, fishing. "I'm thirsty," said the Methodist. "I'm gonna go get myself a Coke." So he got out of the boat, walked across the water, and came back with his Coke. "Ooh, that looks good," said the Baptist and got out of the boat. He walked across the water, got his Coke, and came back. Surprised that they could be so supernatural, and he being a Pentecostal that was not going to be out done said, You're right, I think I'll get one too." He steps out of the boat and sinks like a rock. "Hey," said the Methodist to the Baptist, "should we tell him where the rocks are?"

Proverbs to live by:
Children need more models than critics.
Jumping to conclusions can be bad exercise.
You will not raise your reputation by lowering others.
Success is … more attitude than aptitude.
Behave as you wish your children would live.

COMING EVENTS
March 2010 – Vision – Theme for March, 10:30 AM Sunday’s
March 7 – Couple’s Social – Mark Gungor @ Promiseland Café – 6 PM
March 13 – Ladies Outing – for more info call 321-216-8030
March 16 – First Lady’s birthday (Jenny) – show her you appreciate her
March 19-21 – Fellowship groups – @ a place near you – call 321-216-8030
March 26 – Youth Fun night @ Promiseland Café – call Lena 321- 848-6001
March 26 – Young adults fellowship – call Tim Jr 321-591-6708
April 4 – Easter Play - In the Shadow of the Cross – 10:30 am - Promiseland

Promiseland Church
1855 Lansing St. Melbourne, FL 32935
www.promiseland.org
http://www.oikas.biz/blog.php?user=Timmcclure
http://www.thehomebusinessacademy.biz

EVIL AND GOD'S EXISTENCE

The Law of Opposites is just a variation of the Law of Unintended Consequences. Such an idea is easily seen in Hot and Cold, Rough and Smooth and millions of similar comparisons. Therefore, if there is good, then there must be evil. The other side of the coin of God is evil is one philosophical way of trying to understand the existence of evil.
Or from another perspective, because evil exists, good in humans and nature will manifest itself to help to prevent evil or assist with the effects of evil. Thereby solidifying the absolute need for God (good) in the earth that is plagued with evil. Because there is hatred in the world, this of necessity demands for love to exist. Without love, hatred would neither exist. This in some twisted way leave the world to be no more than a robotic, unchanging mass of existence. Such illogical existence would leave life void of reason or purpose.
However, evil is not the opposite of God. In this mythological science it would give way to the notion that evil is fighting God and God is fighting evil as if evil is the opposite equivalent to God. As love is the opposite of hate, hot is the opposite of cold, and so on, some assume that the opposite of evil is God – NO. One can say that the opposite to evil is good and that all good is created by God.
Good is a creation of God while evil was the creation of the devil and choice of mankind. Evil is not an omnipresence of eternal existence, but rather a byproduct of disobedience. No one has ever known of evil until the rippling choices of bad has manifested itself in one’s life.
Evil came into existence as a result of disobedience. Now evil becomes an adverse consequences of disobedience (bad choices). The evidence of this truth is found within the ability of one or society to chose good, create and develop laws that govern one or one’s family or one’s society. Upon the obedience to such laws of good, love, truth, kindness, joy, etc. then the one, family or society will live with the benefits of such.
If one chooses to “disobey” such laws of good, then evil is the reactive effect. Evil is not an eternal existence that “brings balance” to the earth, but rather a disease that is the result of disobedience from either the one or the many.

IF THERE IS A GOD, WHY THE EVIL?

We have all heard the famous quote, “If there is a God, why is there evil?” Truth is, for we who believe in the Bible find the answer readily explained. God is the creator of all that is good and perfect. And found within creation is what we call, Free Will. Even Angels had the power to chose and Lucifer chose to create pride within him (Ez 28:15). With this, Lucifer created SIN and from sin came all that is evil.
Lucifer (Satan) came into the Garden of Eden to tempt Eve and succeeded in having her and Adam to eat the forbidden fruit (Gen 3:1-6). From this, sin was born into the human family. From Sin has come everything that is evil (Rom 5:12-21). Through man’s choice does evil come upon all, whether they are good people or bad people (Matt 5:45). Sin is the cause of all “evil” that comes upon earth, whether that evil comes from nature, human behavior, whether premeditated or accident. Evil does not come as a decision of God, but as a reaction of SIN.
This truth is found within the laws that govern the universe. Take for an example the law of gravity. This law exists whether a person believes in gravity or not, or whether a person is good or evil. As an example, let’s say these two people (good and evil) are standing out on a ledge of a 40 story building and they both fall or jump. Which one dies? Both of them do. God didn’t make a decision to “kill” them, the laws of gravity holds the power to enact its repercussion upon violators of its law.
The law of gravity is not bias nor prejudice. It would not save the good man and kill the evil man. The law of gravity has no bias choice within itself. If I realize there is such thing as the law of gravity and learn to understand how it works and then respect it, then I reap the benefit from my respect. If I chose to ignore it or to disobey it, I will reap the judgment of its repercussion.
If I wish to say, God is the creator of the Law of Gravity and thereby credit him to such deaths to the good and evil person who suffered from their ignorance or arrogance, then my credit (though wrongfully assigned) may well be a twisted attempt to affix God as the “fault” of such tragedy.

TWO OR THREE

You’ve heard of or read the verse that reads: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matt 18:20). I have heard this verse of Scripture miss-quoted and miss translated my whole life. The typical translation sounds like this; “I know there is only a couple of us here, but the Bible says where two or three are gathered together, God is here.” For years many has justified their not attending church by trying to site this passage as their excuse. Truth is the verse has nothing to do with “attending church.” The focus is on a fellow Christian sinning against another Christian and refusing to repent. The instructions are given in Matthew 18:15-20 to address the sins of a fellow believer. The final step is to take the offending believer before the whole church to repent and if he will not, then the leadership is to separate the offending believer from the church. Like a disease, you must cut the disease out of the body in order to save the body. You do not save the disease and lose the body. And when the action is taken by the church leadership and the church body to separate the offending believer, Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered (pass judgment) in my name (representing me) there will I be in the midst of them (I will stand behind their judgment against the defiant offending member.” The passage is about authority, not church attendance.

Jesus Sat Down

“Jesus, after he offered one sacrifice for sins forever sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool” (Heb 10:12-13).

I have for near 50 years have heard Christians pray, worship, sing and even preach suggestive words of such requests, demands or even declaratives that Jesus is to go out and move on someone’s heart, save the lost or go and heal the sick. In other words, our theology sounds like we Christians are telling Jesus to go out into the field and do what Jesus told us to do.
Yes, I am saying that it is NOT truth that we Christians have any position to TELL Jesus to go out and do what he told us to go out and do. We have no more power, right or position to tell Jesus either in prayer, worship or sermon to go out into the highways and byways and save the lost, heal the sick or deliver the oppressed.
Ridiculous! It was Jesus who told we Christians to “go out into the highways and byways and … heal the sick, raise the dead, freely you have received, freely give” (Matt 10:1-5). The Bible fact is, Jesus came and DID his purpose on earth (written in the gospels) and died, buried and rose from the dead and ascended into heaven and SAT DOWN. No, Jesus is NOT going to get up and do OUR work for us. It was Jesus who SENT US OUT into all the world to win the lost, heal the sick and raise the dead.
I hope and pray that our misunderstanding or ignorant theology is the fault of our wrong belief and not our ineptness. I pray that our false allusion of Jesus being responsible of doing the work of the church is based on our miss guided teaching through the centuries and not our choice apathy. Yes, this is hard language, but after near 40 years of ministry worldwide, my words are mild to what I’m sure heaven is saying about the church’s lack of ministerial fulfillment. Let us all rise up from our couch of comfort and get to work for the Gospel of the Kingdom. “Jesus said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

Promiseland Newsletter 2-10

IN THE MARKETPLACE
It is quite clear that Jesus was in the temple every week on the Sabbath day (Luke 2:27). In fact, Jesus started His ministry in the synagogue (Luke 4:16). We find Jesus in the temple teaching the doctors at a very young age (Luke 2:46). The scriptures record very accurately that Jesus was faithful to the Temple of worship (John 18:20). However, when it came to Jesus seeking and saving the lost, He took his mission to the Marketplace. Jesus taught a parable about the Lord sending His servants out into the highways and hedges compelling anyone to come that His house might be filled (Luke 14:26).
The market place was where the people were. It was like our shopping centers and malls today. The marketplace was the place where people did business. The highways were where the commerce and trade took place. Jesus was teaching His disciples to get out from behind Church walls and to where the people lived on a daily bases. Where the people worked and did business was where Jesus had in mind for His disciples to reach the unsaved.
If any serious businessman today starting up a small business wishes to succeed, he knows he must go out to where the people are. Sad, but more than 80% of all small businesses that start up close down within 3-5 years. Why? They commit the ultimate sin: thinking that all one needs is get a shop, put a sign up and wait till customers come. Wrong! The same sin is for any church to believe that all is needed is to get a building, put a sign out and wait till people come. Worse, we Christians get a building, put up a sign and the tell God to go get the sinners and bring them to church. We religiously call this praying for a revival.
Marketplace evangelism was what Jesus originally used and is the only guaranteed method of the Bible. The perfect business success model is to find a need and meet it. The same is for the church. If we are going to succeed in growing the church (salvations) we must discover the needs, hurts, and desires of our local community and create a way to meet that need.
How is it that the early Church did their ministry of saving souls, healing hurts and meeting needs in the “streets” and we twenty first century Christians don’t? True, our culture provides great opportunities via civic buildings, such as performing arts, parks, theatres, malls, convention centers, etc. However, about 95% of all “Marketing” is done OUT WHERE PEOPLE ARE. We must get church out of church if we are going to make a dent in our mission.
Join me this year in becoming “Engaged” in Marketplace evangelism. Come go with me out into the streets where people are. Take a good hard look into the mirror of your soul and find the gifts and compassion to help others. I know inside everyone of you reading, there is a longing to reach out and offer to others what you wished someone had done for you. Some of us are where we are because there was someone who loved us to Christ and now we want to do the same for others.
2010 is the year of Opportunity. It is the year of multiplication. This is our year to do and become what our soul is crying to do. This is our year to leap from our coach and step out into the Marketplace and make our life count. Listen, do you hear that? It’s the hustle and bustle of hundreds and thousands of people reaching, looking and asking for someone to show them the way, answer their questions and offer them a way out from where they are to where they want to go. And you, yes I do mean you have exactly what they need. Come on, let’s go.
By Dr. Tim McClure

Ya Wanna Find Jesus?
A country drunk man stumbled into a church where there were baptisms being performed. The preacher noticed him and asked him if he wanted to find Jesus. "Sure," said the drunk man. "I'll find Jesus." So the preacher took the drunk man and dunked it into the baptismal waters. The drunk man jerk and swiveled and waved around till the preacher almost lost him. When he came up for air, he was sputtering and coughing. “Dag Gum It”, said the country drunk man. "Are you sure he fell in there?"

Hidden behind closed doors, by Tim McClure
Shall we keep truth hidden behind closed doors, While evil walks the streets for souls to lure? Shall we merely let the world see truth through stained glass, While sin freely lies in the streets for children to grasp? Let us rise and walk out into the streets, And share the love of Jesus Christ to everyone we meet.

COMING EVENTS
Feb 2010 – Relationships – Theme for February, 10:30 AM Sunday’s
Feb 7 – Super Bowl Sunday – Promiseland – 10:30 AM
Feb 14 – Couple’s Social – Mark Gungor @ Promiseland Café – 6 PM
Feb 19-21 – Fellowship groups – @ a place near you – call 321-216-8030
Feb 28 – SS Teacher’s Luncheon – Promiseland Café – 12:30-2:00 PM

Promiseland Church
1855 Lansing St. Melbourne, FL 32935
www.promiseland.org
http://www.oikas.biz/blog.php?user=Timmcclure
http://www.thehomebusinessacademy.biz