The Truth...You can't handle the truth!!

Do you remember that line spoken by Jack Nicholson, "The Truth...You can't handle the truth!!"  A line to be remembered throughout all ages.  The fact is what he said was absolutely right.  People can not handle the truth.  People get upset when the truth is spoken. 
     This past week I was questioned on my worship of God by the prosecutor.  The question he asked me was a question that could be placed in the Left Behind Books.  He asked me whether or not I and my family were going to continue to worship on Sunday on our property with my family and friends even thou the City prohibits us to do so.  I have given my word that I would tell the truth so I had no choice but to tell them the truth.  THE TRUTH is Yes.  As long as I have a neck on this body I will worship the Lord every Sunday with whomever God places in my life.  The city did not like that.  Of course they will say to me that I have the right to worship but it can not be wherever I want and whomever I want.  It must be in their controlled enviroment with their approval.  Sounds funny folks but it is the truth to them.  It is a truth that we can handle despite persecution from them and them breaking the law.  Despite the fact that they are breaking the law by prohibiting me and others to come to our property for worship we have no choice but to allow the lot to fall where it may.  I will die for my faith.  So if I will die for my faith I will begin by living for my faith. 
     In the courtroom I began to think about all the prophets, apostles and even our Lord being in the same place as I am.  Falsely accussed of things that I do not condone and am against.  They said I was an agressor, a troublemaker, a neighbor hater and even called our worship on Sunday as a nusinace to the community and the neighborhood.  As I was listening to all that, I was such at peace because I was counted worthy of persecution for our Lord.  I have been nothing but nice and kind to my neighbors.  I have been considerate and always tried to keep the line of communication open despite our differences.  Even thou there has been disagreements I have never taken it personally.  I mean who are they fighting with anyway.  They are fighting with God.  The only thing me and family have done is go and hide behind our Fathers back and let him fight our battles.  God is not blind and He is the only one we need to follow.  There are times I wish I would have not said things like calling my neighbor JERK for flipping me off but it was already done.  I have learned just to walk away and not even handle this type of insults. 
     As a Pastor and a human it is very hard to hold myself to a higher standard especially when people are accussing you of false things, yet I die daily for God.  I must subject my body and my emotions and bring all things into subjection.  It is so much easier when you have the support of other brothers and sisters in Christ and the power and Guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

Act 5:41-42


(41) And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

(42) And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

 
Thank you Jesus.        

Halloween and Christians

     I have always had a view that Christians should not celebrate Halloween or even look like they celebrate it.  I know that there are people out there who say things like, "Oh come on it is all in fun."  I understand their point very clearly.  I remember as a child my mother used to dress us up and we used to go out and collect candy.  We never danced around the fire or did a chant around a pentagram, we just had fun.  So what is the deal and why are we so uptight about Halloween?
     When we did these things we were ignorant to Halloween and what it really means and how we should have acted.  Halloween promotes death and fear.  That is why when Halloween comes around horror movies are on television.  The masks and costumes are mostly darkening, scary and death.  Evil, death and fear are exalted during this holiday.  What are Christians supposed to do?  Should we participate in this?  Should make light of it?  What does the Bible say? 

Ephesians 5:11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather reprove them.

The word reprove means that we should rebuke it or hate it.  In other words don't participate in the deeds of darkness but rather stand up against it.   

Does dressing up and going to a church costume party during Halloween a reproving?  Does dressing up and going out to a halloween party and collecting candy because it is fun, reproving the works of darkness?  How are you standing against the deeds of darkness while you yourself are dressed up and going to a halloween party?  How are you standing against the works and deeds of darkness while you are handing out candy?  If a child dressed as a ghost , ghoul or vampire comes to your door and you give them candy, what is the message you are giving? 

This is a lot to think about so I will comment more on it later.  Meanwhile Christians need to stand against the works of darkness and show the light of God. 

The Busy Life

People get so busy doing nothing.  I mean when we think about it why are people working so hard to accomplish.  I have learned that whatever you are excited about now will soon diminish and what you are also sad about now will also diminish.  God has made life a balance so that we can always just focus on Him.  No matter what happens in life whether good or bad we need to rememebr that God is in control. 

God Bless You,

Pastor Michael Salman

Camping & New Audio

     Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.  This weekend after worship my family and I went camping.  It was very nice.  The weather was in the 80's and the low was about 50.  It was very nice.  Much better than last time we went.  Less Bugs and More Help!!  Pastor Toby and Sandy went along with us.  One of the funniest encounters occurred at 2 am in the morning.  I had to use the restroom which was about 100 feet away.  I tried to find the flashlight which was hidden somewhere but to no avail.  Since it was a full moon I thought I would make it without the flashlight.  I could not find my knife or pepper spray just in case something were to attack so I decide to take with me a Mashmallow Roaster, a clorox wipe to clean the seat and a lot of prayer.  When I got to the restroom I realized that once the door was shut it became pitch dark.  So I prayed even harder there was nothing there, in the toilet.  When concluding my trip I reached for the toilet paper.  Now, what I forgot was that I had the Mashmallow Roaster in my hand which is about 2 feet long.  While I reached for the toilet paper it snagged a plastic garbage bag that rustled and moved and let me just say I jumped so fast I would have made Michael Jordan look like an ameature.  To say the lest I then realized that I was the person responsible, finished quickly, washed my hands and with a slight bit faster walk made it back to the tent.  Now that was probably one of the closest encounters I had with wildlife.  When I think about this it makes me realize that many of the fears we have are self driven.  Fear that we have caused ourselves because we decide to take with us doubt.  Let go of doubt and hang on the promises of God and you will find that the fear you have will all go away.  If God be for us who can be against us!!!  More to come......There is a new audio sermon - Matthew 17.  Check it out!  You will be blessed.  The Grace of our Lord Be With You!