Why are there never programs like: Buddha: Man, Mystic or Misanthrope? Confused Confucius. The Koran: God’s Word or Man’s Word? Hinduism–Sacred Bull? Atheism is Illogical! (Atheism positively affirms that there is no God. But can the atheist be certain of this claim? You see, to know that a transcendent God does not exist would require a perfect knowledge of all things–i.e. omniscience–thus making the atheist claim to be god.)

Acts 17:32 “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.” If the claims concerning Christ’s death, burial and resurrection are false, I have lost nothing. However, if they are true and you reject those claims, then you have lost everything.

I Corinthians 15:1-4 “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

Don’t mock Christ! The question today is, “What will you do with Christ?” Someday, the question will be, “What will Christ do with you?”

Pastor Terry K. Hagedorn
Calvary Baptist Church
PO Box 282 Reedsville, WV
Ph. 304-864-3870

http://mountainmanna.com

“Pointing Mountaineers to Mount Calvary.”

Romans 11:33

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Psalm 100:4

N is for No. Use it. And, mean it!

Exodus 20 “Thou shalt not….”

O is for Over-reacting. Give your child a break. Be firm but don’t act as if the world is coming to an end. Remember that they are, but flesh…like you!

Psalm 78:39 For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

P is for Pressure.Reduce the pressure on your child but insist that they do the best they can.

Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Q is for Questions.Pay attention to their questions and give simple answers unless they demand more.

1 Peter 3:15 Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

R is for Respect. Show respect, teach respect and command respect.

Ephesians 6:2,4 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; …and, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

S is for the Scriptures.
Deuteronomy 6:6-8 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

T is for Togetherness. The family that prays together-stays together!

1Timothy 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

U is for Uniqueness. Understand the uniqueness of each child, and let that child be who he or she is.

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

V is for Voice. Tone of voice can convey more to a child than the words spoken.

Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

W is for Work. Teach your child the work ethic. No one owes him or her anything.

2Thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat …now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

X is for eXamine. Examine yourself and your child constantly-be aware.

2Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Y is for You. Take care of yourself mentally, physically and spiritually. A happy parent helps a child to be happy.

2Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Z is for Zowie! Who would have thought they would grow up so quickly? Tempus fugit!

James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

NOTHING BUT LEAVES

Pastor Terry K. Hagedorn, Calvary Baptist Church, Reedsville, WV

Matthew 21:18,19 Now in the morning as he returned into the city,he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found NOTHING thereon, BUT LEAVES only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

The fig-tree in the Holy Land, is a genus of the polygamia triaecia class of plants. The trees seldom grow more than twelve feet tall sending off from the bottom many spreading branches. The leaves are of a dark green colour, more than a foot long, smooth, and divided into from three to five deep rounded lobes; and the fruit grows on short and thick stalks, of a purplish colour, and contain a soft, sweet, and fragrant pulp, containing small seeds. The fruit is formed in its immature state before the leaves are seen.

If the words, ‘for the time,’ etc., are read as a parenthesis, they then become a reason why Jesus Christ should look for fruit, because the season for harvesting had not fully come, it would remove all suspicion that the fruit had been gathered.

If there are leaves, then there should be figs! The Lord knew that there were no figs on the tree–He is omniscient. Has it ever occured to you that nothing ever occurs to Him? Why then did Jesus go to this barren fig tree? It is a spiritual lesson. Israel had all the outward trappings of religion; however, it was inwardly spiritually empty–devoid of any evidence of a relationship with the Lord..

Many Christians are in the same condition. They have all the outward appearances of Chrsitianity; yet, they have no fruit to back up that profession. They have “nothing but leaves”. If you have leaves–the outward trappings of a Christian’s profession, then you should have fruit–the proof of your faith’s possession. Jesus said, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Matthew 7:20 Do you have fruit or “nothing but leaves”. Every Christian should have the following fruit in his or her life:

THE FRUIT OF GOOD WORKS:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; (Colossians 1:10)

THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5)

THE FRUIT OF HOLINESS

But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (Romans 6:22)

THE FRUIT OF GIVING

26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. 28 When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain. (Romans 15:26,28)

THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. (Hebrews 12:11)

THE FRUIT OF PRAISE

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. (Hebrews 13:15)

THE FRUIT OF SOUL WINNING

Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. (Romans 1:13)