4Winds: March 2010

Sunday, March 28, 2010

My Hero!

My brother, Joel, is one of my heros. He has been a minister of the gospel for almost 30 years. He is currently the Sr. Pastor of First Christian Church in Langley, OK.

We come from a long line of preachers. Our grandfather, dad, uncles and a bunch of cousins are all preachers. God has greatly blessed so many in our family with the ability to preach - the charisma to lead - and the ability to touch people's hearts for Jesus Christ.

As talented as are many in our family, as big as the churches they pastor, I think that my brother is the most truly spiritual of the bunch.

And, he is a GREAT dad, who very much loves his children. Joel was divorced when his 4 children were still very young and he raised all 4 of them. I'm sure he is not a perfect Dad, nor are they perfect children, but I now he always did (and still does) his best and they are all turning out pretty well, with families and kids of their own.

One year ago, today, Joel's 20 year old son, James (everybody called him "Spudd") Daniel Rutherford, died in a car wreck.

Joel and James were SO close! As close as any father and son could be.

More than 850 were at James' memorial service. I had the very great privilege of doing the service. He was a great young man - greatly loved.

I know that this year has been so hard on Joel - and that today, must be especially so.

I love you, Joel!

You are in my prayers!

You are my hero!

Jimmie

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

What is the Bible to you?

This video is both funny and sad!
(check out more of these at www.skitguys.com)

Did you know that most Christians only read their Bible in church?

I have found that when I'm reading my Bible every day, that life goes MUCH better.

I think that is true, because in reading God's Word each day, you are inviting God into your life.

You are allowing His Word into your heart and mind.

God gave us His Word for a purpose. There is POWER in His Word.

Imagine God speaking directly to you, offering words of wisdom to you each and every day - that is what happens when you read the Bible!

If you don't read your Bible every day - you ought to give it a try.

Just do it for one month - just read one chapter from Proverbs each day - 31 chapters - 31 days - and see for yourself, if your life is not going much better than it was before you started letting God speak a little wisdom into your life each day.

Love in Christ Jesus,

Jim

How to Find Jesus

GOD LOVES YOU AND WANT TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU!

The BIBLE says… "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16, NIV).
"This is good and pleases God our Savior, for he wants everyone to be saved and to come to understand the truth" (1 Timothy 2:3-4, NASB).

OUR DILEMMA
The problem is that people choose to disobey God and go their own way. This results in separation from God. The BIBLE says… "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23, NIV).

"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear" (Isaiah 59:2, NIV).

CHRIST’S DELIVERANCE
God sent His Son to make the way for you and I to come back to God. Christ did this by paying the penalty for our sins when He died on the cross and rose from the grave. The BIBLE says… "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8, NIV).

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…" (1 Timothy 2:5, NIV).

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23 NIV).

YOUR DECISION
You take the step to come into relationship with God, to become a Child of God, when confess Christ as Savior and Lord. The BIBLE says… "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12, NIV).

"That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9, NIV).

HOW TO ACCEPT CHRIST AS SAVIOR AND LORD

A. Admit that you are a sinner in need of forgiveness.

B. Believe that Jesus died for your sins on the cross and rose from the dead.

C. Confess Jesus as your Savior and Lord (use the suggested confession of faith below).

"God, I admit that I am a sinner in need of forgiveness. I believe that Jesus is the Christ, your living Son. I want to turn from my sins, to be forgiven of my sins and to accept Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you, God. Amen."

Decide to follow Jesus for the rest of your life.
An example of this would be to get baptized right away.

Why Be Baptized?

1. To follow the EXAMPLE set by Jesus.
"At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan" (Mark 1:9, NIV).

2. Because Jesus COMMANDED it.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."
(Matthew 28:19-20, NIV).

3. It DEMONSTRATES belief in action.
"…many…who heard him believed and were baptized" (Acts 18:8, NIV).

4. It ILLUSTRATES what saves us.
"Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life" (Romans 6:3-4, NIV).

Key Scriptures to Read Acts 22:16; Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21; Galatians 3:26-27

If you have failed in following Christ and you are sorry and ready to come back to Him, what must you do?

1. Confess your sins (1 John 1:9)

2. Surrender your life to Christ in the following areas:

Read your Bible daily (Colossians 3:16; Psalm 119:11).
Pray daily (Philippians 4:6, 7; 1 Peter 5:7).
Attend church weekly (Hebrews 10:24-25; Acts 20:7).
Become part of a Bible study fellowship (Acts 2:46, 47).
Find an area in which to serve (1 Peter 4:10, 11; Romans 12:4-8).

3. Rely daily on the power of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:16-25).

As you begin to grow closer to God, you will begin to see the fruit of the Spirit being developed in your life (Galatians 5:22-23).

Perhaps you can identify one or more aspects of the fruit of the Spirit which are lacking in your life. Are you ready to ask God to work in you to help you grow toward Christ-likeness? If so, you may want to pray the following prayer or a similar one:

"Heavenly Father, I want to be like Jesus. I commit myself to you and ask you to work in my life to develop the fruit of the Spirit so I may become more mature in my faith."

Sunday, March 28, 2010

My Hero!

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

What is the Bible to you?

Jim Rutherford

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