Southside's Blog

"You were loved in heaven before you were known on earth. You aren’t an accident. You are being made into God’s image. You are a diamond, a rose, and a jewel, purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. In the eyes of God you are worth dying for. Would you let this truth find its way into your heart?"

From Mike: Notice Max writes that "when" we say "yes" to God he will stoke our fire. Saying "yes" to God is not just a one time action but an everyday event. I'm finding that many people believe a one time statement of belief will carry them forever. A  fire not tendered will extinguish itself. Don't allow yours to go out! Nurture your fire with scripture reading and prayer!

The following article was written by John Gray and published on the preaching group that offers these articles.

As you read the article, examine your life. Do you always make your “deals” with God, or do you occasionally work a side deal with Satan? We can rationalize that a deal with Satan every once in a while won’t do damage or will it. If that’s your attitude, pay close attention to John’s fourth paragraph. Once you make one side deal with Satan it becomes easier to make more and more until you are only dealing with Satan. This article is a good reminder for everyone and excellent reading for young people.

God Bless!

GRANDPA SAYS – “THINK ON THESE THINGS”: The road best traveled is the road less traveled --- “Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.” (Mat 7:13-14).

DEVOTION ASSERTIONS: (1) Good times tend to make us hard of hearing. We learn more in hard times because we are more ready to learn. (2) Choose wisely who you are going to partner and dance through life with because it is a decision with eternal consequences. (3) Satan is the father of lies and deception – “… for he is a liar, and the father thereof.” (Joh 8:44).

     Since the dawn of creation, mankind has always wanted to do things their own way.  Folks, going your own way without the right compass can have disastrous side effects which not only impact us directly, but also our loved ones and others we encounter - choices have consequences.

     Every day there is someone who enters into a pact with the devil and believes that it will be the best thing that ever happened to them.  Making a pact with the devil may seem like a good decision at first. But eventually, payment will be demanded (by Satan) as we painfully realize that the price which must be paid is much greater than the promised benefits --- “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”  (Mar 8:36).  Satan is good at blinding us with the promises and pleasures of sin – for a season (Heb 11:25).

     Folks, God loves us so much that He offers us a “Sincere Deal”. He will save our souls, giving us everything our hearts truly needs for eternity, in exchange for nothing but our obedient faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. In a great exchange, Jesus has appeased God’s wrath for us, taking our sin and its penalty upon Himself (1 John 4:10; 1 Pet 2:24). In Christ, God will make us alive, and He will fill our futile lives (on this side of eternity) with meaningful work and joyful anticipation of eternal bliss.

     Before we are saved, we are all in bondage to the devil, as 1 John 5:19 says --- “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” Praise the Lord, we have a new Master, One who can break the chains of any sin and set us free (1 Cor 6:9-11; Mark 5:1-15).

     Let us make all or our “Deals” with God! He keeps his promises!

If you want to contact me, I have a new email address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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"Or, in your case, what will happen now that your job is gone? Or your health has diminished? Does God have a message for his people when calamity strikes? He certainly had a word for Isaiah. The prophet wrote, “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up…” (Isaiah 6:1). Uzziah’s throne was empty, but God’s was occupied. He was, and is, alive, on the throne, and worthy of our endless worship."

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). It is one thing to have an opinion; it’s something else to have a fight. Let’s reason together. Let’s work together. And if discussion fails, let love succeed. If love covers a multitude of sins, can it not cover a multitude of opinions? Resist the urge to shout."

From Mike: Our politicans are acting just like they are on the playground!! I'm afraid that's leaking over to some Christians. We cannot control how the politicians act but sure must contol ourselves as Christians. We must show "deep love to everybody". We are to pray for the politicians even those that we abhor! Think about it!

If you want to see believers search for words, ask, “Who is the Holy Spirit?”

The Bible makes more than a hundred references to the Holy Spirit.  Jesus said more about the Holy Spirit than he did about the church or marriage. The Holy Spirit is central to the life of the Christian.  Everything from Acts to Revelation is a result of the work of the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit came alongside the disciples, indwelled them, and gave the early church the push they needed to face the challenges ahead.

After Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit became the primary agent of the Trinity on earth.  He will complete what was begun by the Father and the Son. “Keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). He directs and leads; you must obey and follow.

From Mike: Max's closing statement is absolutley correct but we must allow His direction and leadership. He is not going to force his guidance on us. Don't just give the Spirit lip service but actively seek His help as we live our lives. He loves us and cares about us. Trust Him!

Odds are that you know what it means to be at home somewhere. To be at home is to feel safe. The residence is a place of refuge and security. To be at home is to be comfortable. You can pad around wearing slippers and a robe. To be at home is to be familiar. When you enter the door, you needn’t consult the blueprint to find the kitchen.

Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you” (John 15:4). Our aim is to be at home in Christ. He is our place of refuge and security. We are comfortable in his presence, free to be our authentic selves. His roof of grace protects us from storms of guilt. His walls of providence secure us from destructive winds. His fireplace warms us during the lonely winters of life. He is our home.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

from Begin Again

Water. All Noah can see is water. Water to the north. Water to the south. Water to the east. Water to the west. Water. For forty days it has rained. For months they have floated. For weeks Noah has been wondering, How long is this going to last? Can God re-create this world? Is he able to start over? Can he, and we, begin again?

Finally the boat bumped, and the rocking stopped. The hull of the ark was resting on ground, but the ground was still surrounded by water.

Noah sent a raven on a scouting mission; it never returned. He sent a dove. It came back shivering and spent. Then, he pulled a dove out of the bowels of the ark and ascended the ladder. With a prayer he let it go and watched until the bird was no bigger than a speck.

All day he looked for the dove’s return but all he sees is water. Water to the north. Water to the south. Water to the east. Water to the . . .

You know the feeling. You have stood where Noah stood. You’ve known your share of floods. Flooded by sorrow at the cemetery, anger at the disability in your body, fear of the uncertainty of a pandemic. You’ve been on Noah’s boat. And you’ve needed what Noah needed: hope.

Hope doesn’t promise an instant solution but rather the possibility of an eventual one. Sometimes all we need is a little hope. That’s all Noah needed. And that’s what Noah received.

This is how the Bible describes the moment: “When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf!” (Gen. 8:11).

An olive leaf. This leaf was more than foliage; this was promise. The bird brought more than a piece of a tree; it brought hope. For isn’t that what hope is? Hope is an olive leaf—evidence of dry land after a flood. Proof to the dreamer that dreaming is worth the risk.

To all the Noahs of the world, to all who search the horizon for a glimpse of hope, God proclaims, “Yes!” And he comes. He comes as a dove. He comes bearing fruit from a distant land, from our future home. He comes with a leaf of promise that he can make all things new.

God didn’t tell me, “Clean up before you come in.” He offered, “Come in and I’ll clean you up.” It’s not my grip on him that matters but his grip on me. And his grip is sure. So is his presence in my life. Christmas presents from Santa? That’s nice. But the perpetual presence of Christ? That’s life changing.

God is always near us. Always for us. Always in us. We may forget him, but God will never forget us. We are forever on his mind and in his plans. He called himself “‘Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’)” (Matthew 1:23).

Not just “God made us.” Not just “God thinks of us.” But God with us. God where we are: at the office, in the kitchen, on the plane. He breathed our air and walked this earth. God…with…us!

In all abide, in all abound.” ~ (Thomas Gibbons)

What If?

I’ve known people who like to go through life asking, “What if?” Going through the exercise of asking the question much of the time is worthless. You can’t change the past this way. Asking the question to make an analysis for future decisions can be useful.

Matthew 26 records Christ’s three prayers requesting for God to deliver Him from the crucifixion. Each time Christ ended His prayer asking that God’s will be done not His. What if Christ had stuck to His guns and demanded that He not go through the awful crucifixion? Would God have honored Christ’s prayer? What about our hope if Christ was not crucified. Would God have found a different way to save us? I’m sure He could have but not one that would have not been as meaningful.

The giving of His Son was the ultimate act of love! Christ’s manner of death was a demonstration of  just how much love God has for us. Would you give your only child to go through the same death for the world? Probably not! Be thankful for not having to ask, “what if”! It’s a worthless question in this case! Spend your time giving praise, glory and honor to God and Christ!

A Time to KIll

In the movie by the same title, Matthew McConaughy, the attorney, used a very effective means of getting the jury to consider their verdict. He got them to close their eyes and picture in their minds the molestation of the little girl.

Try the same method as you think about Christ’s crucifixion. My mind sees Christ walk into the garden, fall to His knees then to His face and cry. He pleads with God, His Father, to not make Him go through the crucifixion. Picture your own child with the same pleas.

They put Christ on trial telling lies about Him. When He refuses to answer their lies, they begin beating Him. They beat Him till His face is misshapen. I believe His face was a bloody pulp then they spit in His face. For me, there is no greater show of disrespect than to spit on someone, especially in the face.

The whips come out creating more pain and blood. A crown of thorns is crammed down on His head, and He is mocked as “King of the Jews”. Thorns are extremely painful, and the scalp is very tender.

The cross, about 180 pounds, is laid on His back with orders to march. People surround Him jeering, mocking and cursing. He’s too weak to make it all the way so the Roman’s spare Him until they reach Golgotha. Once there He’s laid on the cross and nails are pounded through His hands and feet. They raise the cross to shove it in the hole jarring the cross and ripping His flesh.

While He suffers, the mocking and cursing continues. He asks for something to drink and to further mock Him they give a mixture of vinegar and other bitter drink. He hung there for six hours which seems like forever when you are suffering and dying.

Finally, Christ dies but not before He cries out in a loud voice asking God why He has forsaken Him. Christ not only suffered physically but emotionally. To feel alone and forsaken especially while suffering death is indescribable and unimaginable.

God did not sit in heaven watching and listening Christ’s execution without also suffering right along with His Son maybe even shedding a tear.

In the movie one of the jurors shed a tear as Matthew described the little girl’s molestation. It’s ok to shed one as you think about Christ’s molestation after all His molestation was for YOU!

Christ then spent three days in the tomb but then was raised to increase our HOPE!

Praise God and Christ!

Thanks!

Mike   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This probably seems like a strange subject for the Christmas season but this the result of a conversation this past week. A lady thinks that COVID is happening because God is unhappy with us. I agree that God is most likely unhappy and disappointed given the shape of the world, but I do not believe he is the author of this terrible disease. It seems very possible that Satan is using it to his advantage.

My assumption is that if you are reading this you are already a Christian or at least say you are. Hopefully, this is an encouragement to you in the war for your soul.

Who is Satan?  Why does he hate me so much that he wants to drag me down to hell to be with him for eternity? Most leaders in the world, especially military leaders, believe that you should know your enemy and know what he/she is capable of so you can defeat them. If someone were out to destroy you and your family, you would do everything in your power to find out about them in order to defeat them. Well, that person exist, Satan, Lucifer, the devil or whatever name you choose, he is real and wants to destroy you. 1 Peter 5:8  “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

I thought writing this would be easy, short and sweet but found out different. When the subject of the devil is Googled, the science of the devil comes out immediately. Data about his reality and his believers came out initially and it took several clicks to find a Biblical and commentator discussion about the subject.

The Hebrew name Satan (pronounced SA-tan) actually means "adversary", Greek diabolos, also means "adversary". So, he’s NOT your friend.

References to Satan: Genesis 3:14 - “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly, and you will eat dust all the days of your life”

Isaiah 14:12 outlines the destruction of Babylon and its wicked king: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!”

Revelation 12:9 “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”

Satan is God’s enemy, but he cannot attack God directly, so he attacks those made in God’s image, and dearly loved by him. Satan knows his doom is sure, and wants to bring as many people down with him as he can.

The Bible describes him as crafty, sneaky, clever, cunning, subtle, intelligent and shrewd. Satan is a clever devil who is very good at what he does. Satan never takes a holiday like Christmas. I even wonder if he doubles his efforts when we are trying to come closer to God.

Here is Max Lucado’s description of satan:

“Want to read his rap sheet?”

“Satan . . . incited David” (1 Chron. 21:1 NIV).

“Satan has asked . . . to sift you [Simon] like wheat” (Luke 22:31 TLB).

“The devil . . . persuaded Judas Iscariot . . . to turn against Jesus” (John 13:2 NCV).

“This woman . . . Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years” (Luke 13:16 NIV).

“He has “blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. As a result, they don’t see the light of the Good News” (2 Cor. 4:4 GOD’S WORD).”

“He rules the world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn’t obey God” (Eph. 2:2 CEV).

“Satan incites, sifts, persuades, binds, blinds, and rules.”

The following is a paraphrase from the internet: “The devil is responsible for all the sin, sickness, sorrow, suffering, crime, poverty and death on this earth. Everlasting fire is prepared for the devil and his angels.  Evil men and women are his angels and do his bidding. Look at any news headline whether TV or computer and there’s no doubt that evil things are happening all over the world. And despite our desire for peace, evil seems to be increasing day by day.“ I’m not comfortable with idea that Satan is responsible for all sickness. In searching for a Bible verses that clearly gives that thought, I could not find one. The theologians have very different views about the origin of sickness.

Ok, you already knew all this, so this is a reminder of both our war and who the enemy is, Satan. “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12).

So how I do I win the war with Satan? The beginning is found in Acts 2:38 – “And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized every one of you qin the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” The Spirit is a gift because he ALWAYS stands ready with us to defeat Satan.

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). The word “if” is very important because we must live by Him not just say we do.  We must walk the walk! “With so much soap, why are there so many dirty people in the world? Christianity, like soap, must be personally applied if it is to make a difference in our lives.” Billy Graham

Pray without ceasing! Invite the Spirit to control your life always! You have to care and want to win! This war you don’t want to lose!

Thanks!

Mike   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

FYI - Max Lucado’s Daily Devotional for December 16. 2021:

We Know He Came

Spiritual beings populate the stories of Scripture. Angels singing. Demons infecting. Heavenly hosts fighting. Ignore the armies of God and you ignore the heart of Scripture. Ever since the snake tempted Eve in Eden, we’ve known there is more to this world than meets the eye.

We know less than we desire about these beings. Their strategies and plans we can only imagine. If Satan could preempt Christ in the cradle, there’d be no Christ on the cross. Don’t you think he tried?

The conflict was, no doubt, far grander and more dramatic than anything we can fictionalize. But while we can only imagine if such a war occurred, we can be sure of this: we know who won. Because we know he came.

“There has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). The Greek word used in this verse is Kyrios. It signifies one who rightfully holds a position of authority. Jesus was born with this title. He has a lawful right to rule over every sphere, star, galaxy, and gulf. He is the Lord of legislators, liberators, light bearers, and laborers. He bears the signet of the highest office and wears the insignia of “Lord of both the dead and the living” (Romans 14:9).

"Congress doesn’t run the world. Cancer doesn’t control your destiny. Death doesn’t have the last word. The faceless hand of fate isn’t directing history. The Lord Jesus is. You have a Lord to lead you."

From Mike: I'm very grateful for what Max wrote in the last paragraph! Just need to keep that mind every day!

 Jesus’ earthly father is a small-town carpenter who lives in Nazareth. Why Joseph? A major part of the answer lies in his reputation, and he gives it up for Jesus. Nazareth viewed Joseph as we might view an elder, deacon, or Bible class teacher. Now what? His fiancée is blemished, tainted; he is righteous, godly. The law says stone her. Love says forgive her. And Joseph is caught in the middle. Then comes the angel’s announcement, “She carries the Son of God in her womb.” But who would believe it?

Joseph makes his decision. “Joseph…took to him his wife, and did not know her until she had brought forth her firstborn Son” (Matthew 1:24-25). He swapped his Torah studies for a pregnant fiancée and an illegitimate son and made the big decision of discipleship. He placed God’s plan ahead of his own.

From Mike: I made Max's last point bold because we need put God's plan ahead of our own. Life can often be difficult so our plan does not include difficulty but we need to trust God. It may not feel good but have FAITH!

God did what we wouldn’t dare dream. He did what we couldn’t imagine. He became a man so we could trust him. He became a sacrifice so we could know him. And he defeated death so we could follow him.

It defies logic. It’s a divine insanity. Yet, it is the very impossibility of it all that makes it possible. For only God could create a plan this mad. Only a Creator beyond the fence of logic could offer such a gift of love. What man cannot do, God does.

So, when it comes to goodies and candy, cherub cheeks and red noses, go to the North Pole. But when it comes to eternity, forgiveness, purpose, and truth, go to the manger. Kneel with the shepherds. Worship the God who dared to do what man dared not dream.

Read more Christmas Stories: Heartwarming Classics of Angels, a Manger, and the Birth of Hope

“Your ‘Point-of-view’ determines a lot of things. Everyone you meet or know needs Jesus. Everything in your life is an opportunity to worship, honor, and glorify God.”

“PEOPLE WILL NOT REMEMBER WHAT YOU SAID OR WHAT YOU DID BUT THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.”  (Maya Angelou)

 “Come, and hear, all ye that fear God, And I will declare what he hath done for my soul.” (Psa 66:16).

     Everyone you meet is living in want of some joy.  Consequently, they are thirsty for good feelings.  What an opportunity to share Jesus with them.  Folks, Christ left me better off than when He found me. When you are acted upon by Christ, you are inevitably and irresistibly left better off than you were before you met Him.  The Spirit’s regeneration sets off an alert system that lets us know things have changed. Sinful behaviors that we once found comfortable no longer are. The old way of life passes away --- “Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new.” (2Co 5:17). 

     I believe in leaving people better off than when I found them by leaving them with thoughts about Christ and His great love.  Leaving people better off than when you found them is one way you can connect the gospel to real life. But how to do this does not come naturally because it’s a spiritual discipline --- “For they that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.”  (Rom 8:5).

     Folks, we are immersed in a world system that trumpets its own ideals and slanders anyone who disagrees. Before we are saved, we accept what the world says without even thinking about it. We don’t know anything else. After we are saved, our eyes are opened to the truth, and we can perceive the lies of the world. Being a Christian is difficult because we are swimming upstream against the current of the world around us.

     How can we make a difference in the lives of those struggling? As you go be an encourager – love intentionally, redeem the time, be a blessing to others and leave folks better than you found them. Leave footprints of love and kindness wherever you go. Be an encouraging builder of hope – just like Jesus. Be someone who makes everyone feel like a somebody by letting the beauty of Jesus be seen in you and make a positive difference in someone’s Life.  Never underestimate the power of planting the seeds of the Gospel or encouragement --- “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Mic 6:8). Don’t just tell folks the story of Jesus - show them the beauty of Jesus in your life!

From Mike: I put the last paragraph in bold because it is important for all of us to be an encourager. We may not have many talents but we can develop oursselves into a person that will encourage others in their struggle. God wants us to be an encourager! Take to heart Grandpa's words!

Do you recall the question God asked Abraham and Sarah? He promised them a son, though both were past child-bearing age. Sarah laughed at the thought of bouncing their newborn on her knee.

Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘I am too old to have a baby’? Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Gen. 18:13–14 NCV)

That is what we need to ask. Is anything too hard for God? Does he ever give up because the problem is too great? Does he ever throw up his hands and quit? Does he ever shake his head at the sound of a prayer request and say, “I can’t handle that problem”?

The answer, the welcome answer, is, “No, nothing is too hard for the Lord.” You must start here.

Don’t measure the height of the mountain. Ponder the power of the One who made it. Don’t tell God how big your storm is. Tell the storm how big your God is. Your problem is not that your problem is so big but that your view of God is too small.

Accept the invitation of the psalmist: “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together” (Ps. 34:3 KJV).

Our tendency is to magnify our fears. We place a magnifying glass on the diagnosis, the disease, or debt. Stop that! Meditate less on the mess and more on the Master. Less on the problems and more on his power.

- Excerpt adapted from You Were Made for This

From Mike: I believe we often short change God by not asking for things because our minds discount what God can and will do. I pray every day that He will take COVID away and that there be no more deaths. That in my mind is a huge request but He has the power. Remember what what Max says: "Your problem is not that your problem is so big but that your view of God is too small." Give your problems to God. He may not answer them in the exact way you requested but He cares about and loves you!!

GRANDPA SAYS – “THINK ON THESE THINGS”: Even the appearance of evil gives Satan an opportunity.”

“IN EACH OF US, TWO NATURES ARE AT WAR – THE GOOD AND THE EVIL. ALL OUR LIVES THE FIGHT GOES ON BETWEEN THEM, AND ONE OF THEM MUST CONQUER. BUT, WITHIN OUR HANDS LIES THE POWER OF CHOICE – WHAT WE WANT MOST TO BE – WE WILL BECOME.”

 “abstain from every form of evil.” (1Th 5:22)

 “neither give place [opportunity] to the devil.” (Eph 4:27)

    Folks, there will always be someone who thinks that something you are doing is wrong, or that it looks wrong to them. Paul wrote --- "Just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts" (1Th 2:4). Folks, our goal is to live righteously before God - not to please others --- “But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak.” (1Co 8:9). Keeping this in mind, we know that when Paul told us to “Abstain from all appearance of evil,” he was strongly urging you and me to put distance between ourselves and any appearance of evil, i.e., put great distance between ourselves and suspicious-looking situations.

     Christians must be willing to sacrifice a liberty or suffer a wrong for the sake of a soul --- “For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing.” (1Pe 3:17). | “Nay, already it is altogether a defect in you, that ye have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather take wrong? why not rather be defrauded?” (1Co 6:7). | “Wherefore, if meat causeth my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh for evermore, that I cause not my brother to stumble.” (1Co 8:13).

     To avoid the appearance of evil, or every form of evil, means to stay far away from evil. We need not become legalistic about what others may perceive to be evil, but we do need to remain aware of our witness to the world and of our duty to support fellow believers.

     Avoiding the appearance of evil, or abstaining from every form of evil, means to live in God’s light by the power of the Holy Spirit and we guard the integrity of our own walk (with Christ) by avoiding every kind of evil, and we strive to --- “make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires” (Rom 13:14).

Virtue consists not in abstaining from vice but in not desiring it.

From Mike: John makes an interesting statement to close his article. The definition of virtue is behavior showing high moral standards. Both abstinence and not desiring are virtue!

Also, to what extent do you take 1 Corinthians 6:7 and 8:13? What about MY rights most of us want to know.

As John says: “Think on these things”!!