Selah ~ Listen Up!!!

Today's Scripture:

Always be willing to listen and slow to speak. Do not become angry easily.

James 1:19

Think how much time you spend trying to explain yourself - trying to make your parents see your curfew issue, telling your friends or coworkers how you feel, making your case in a class discussion. Everybody wants to be understood. You want to express your opinion, and even if people don't agree with your view of things, you at least want them to know where you're coming from. I tell others often that it is OK for us to agree to disagree. I want them know where I stand on the issue.

The Bible teaches that your first move should be to listen, not to talk. I have been told "God has given you and I two ears and one mouth, and to listen twice as much as you speak." I know for some of us young and old this is a very difficult task, regardless of where you come from Grantham or the Great lakes. When you're talking, it feels like you're getting the upper hand in a discussion. We have seen this play out daily on the political issues voiced by various candidates (not too pretty). But if we are honest you gain knowledge by opening your ears, not by opening your mouth. And knowledge is power, isn't it?

A willingness to listen doesn't reflect weakness. It reflects the strength of wisdom.

Listening demonstrates a willingness to arrive at a conclusion that makes sense for everybody involved. And if it's necessary to "win" an argument, by the way, listening before talking is excellent strategy. Thinking before you speak is not a bad idea either. But if you're wise, winning is rarely your first concern in a conversation. I know for me my wife Jennifer has helped my understand this much better over the last 22 years.

Selah people' and friends, if you listen - if you seek to understand - you will be slow to anger. Talking has a tendency to convince you of your own rightness (even if it doesn't convince the person you're talking to) and self righteousness makes you impatient with other people's opinions and quick to anger. So listen. Understand. Then you'll be ready to make yourself understood. Stop by our church website for upcoming events or to listen to our online audio sermons at... www.selahchurch.com

Next time you find yourself running off at the mouth, stop, look, and listen.

"Peace be with you as you open your ears to listen and open your hearts to Christ. Grab someone else and as you listen to them share God' s love with them."

Your pastor,

Rev Muston (PreacherPatrick)

Waiting for Everyone

Today's Scripture:

The Lord is not slow in doing what he promised ~ the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. He does not want anyone to be lost, but he wants all people to change their hearts and lives.

2 Peter 3:9

Peter addressed the complacency developing in the early church. He explained that God's timetable was a benefit, not a problem. Your concept of time is different from God's. In your life everything has a beginning and an end. God is timeless, able to be in all time ~ past, present, and future. When Jesus left the earth to return to his Father God, he promised he would return soon to establish the kingdom of heaven on earth. Many of his followers believed his return would be in their lifetime.

When the first generation started questioning when Jesus would return. This opened the door for all kinds of doubt. With the door open, false information crept in as is most often the case and it didn't stick to the Scripture and teaching established by the first-generation believers. Peter wanted the church to be patient and wait for God's timing.

Peter's reasoning included the fact that the longer they waited for God to return, the more time there was to spread God's message. More people could join the family of God. This isn't the time to sit around and wait for God to return.

It's the time to be intentional about telling everyone young and old that you know about God.

At some moment in time God is going to return. When he does, it will be too late for any person who hasn't come to know God. Prepare today to go to heaven and take as many people as you can with you.

Selah people' and friends I have included a photo taken this foggy morning that shows a "No Parking" sign, which is a reminder to both you and I that God has not called us to sit and wait, but instead to go out into his fields and labor until he comes. Is there someone you love or care for who has still not accepted the invitation to become a part of God's family? Perhaps, you are holding out are in need of rededicating...Extend the invitation to them today and take up his cross and in doing so secure you ticket to paradise. Stop by www.selahchurch.com to see what Selah Christian Church is up to, view photos or look at what we are about. If you missed worship or would like to listen to sermon on link click this link for recent messages from Selah: http://cid-af7ecca57d126f50.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Selah%20Christian%20Church%20Sermons%202008

"Peace and Joy to you and all who await God's triumphant return."

Your pastor,

Rev Muston (PreacherPatrick)

It's Worth Telling About

Today's Scripture:

I don't care about my own life. The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me-to tell people the Good News about God's grace.

Acts 20:24

Paul prepared to go to a place where he knew he would be imprisoned and beaten, maybe even killed, for his beliefs. None of these things deterred him from going. Paul would rather face pain and imprisonment that give up his task of telling people about Jesus. To Paul life was worthless if he couldn't be telling others about Jesus.

Paul knew that without Jesus in their lives, people would be separated from God forever. And being separated from God prevented them from living life to the fullest. It was the most important thing people needed to know.

In some countries today there are places where it is illegal to talk about your faith in Jesus. The Christian Church functions in underground home churches. There are even places where pastors and Christians are imprisoned for talking about their faith. At the same time, the number of new Christians is growing at an astounding rate in these places. The people in those countries know it is worth risking their lives to spread the love of God. They know that God introduces forgiveness and mercy into life as they embrace the unconditional love he offers. In good times and in bad,

The assurance that a person's life counts for something ~ that there is a God who loves them ~ is the greatest gift.

Selah people' and friends please know that someone is dying to know about the love of God. Before my son Luke was born one of my employees who is a twin and shares that she is a prophetess :Martha Carlton(her sister is Mary), anyway she came to let me know that my son would be a far greater preacher than I and would reach thousands more people and that it was my calling to train him up and prepare to share his gift. I'm not sure what God's plan is but I respect when he gives someone a word to share and they do just that. I will continue to train my son regardless if is called into ordained ministry or not. I challenge you as I do him, my daughter, my wife and all my church family to; Share what you know about God. However small and insignificant you may think it is God will take it and multiply it and his kingdom on earth as well as in Heaven.

"His peace I leave with you today, take that same peace as you share it with another." Stop by http://www.selahchurch.com/ and if you've missed our service listen online at : http://cid-af7ecca57d126f50.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Selah%20Christian%20Church%20Sermons%202008

Your pastor,

Rev Muston ~ (PreacherPatrick)

Good Things

Today's Scripture:

Every good action and every perfect gift is from God. These good gifts come down from the Creator of the sun, moon, and stars, who does not change like their shifting shadows.

James 1:17

It is important to be clear about what comes from God and what does not. The good that happens in life comes from God. The bad comes either from Satan or from your choice to do something opposite of what is pleasing to God. What comes from God is a result of his flawless judgement and is given from a pure spirit of love.

The greek word for perfect in James 1:17 is defined as "finished, wanting for nothing, brought to an end, complete."

God's good may be a process rather that an immediate response or action.

That is, this process may involve a complex set of actions and events to bring your good to fruition. If you rely on God while you endure what may seem like a bad process, you are likely to find that when it is over you are more complete and wanting for nothing.

The kind of good that God gives is distinct from the good anyone else would give. The kind of good that comes from God encompasses not just right now, but all space and time. His good is based on more than the circumstance you might find yourself in. In the midst of a painful situation, you may question why all this bad stuff had to happen to you. What you may or may not realize is that God did not cause any of the bad stuff to happen, but that he can use the bad stuff for good if you allow him to.

Selah people' and friends please don't let the bad stuff in life make you doubt for one moment the goodness of God. His plan is to give you the best things in life. Please stop by our Selah Church website at www.selahchurch.com and you can listen to past sermons online at this link: http://cid-af7ecca57d126f50.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Selah%20Christian%20Church%20Sermons%202008

"Peace be with you and be sure to share God's grace and peace with someone else today."

Your pastor,

Rev Muston (PreacherPatrick)

An Eagle Scout

A special court of honor for a special young man Jonathan Jones at Smith Chapel UMC.

We wish our congratulations and blessings to him and his family.

Rev Patrick Muston

God's Plans Are Good...

Today's Scripture:

We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him. They are the people he called, because that was his plan.
Romans 8:28

Imagine Jake's surprise when, in his junior year of high school, his parents announce that his dad will be interviewing for a new job. Jake is a star quarterback on his football team and a leader very involved both on and off the field at school. He has a great group of friends who are looking forward to doing their senior year up in a big way. It's tough to see how a move to another city during his senior year could possibly be in Jake's best interest. For me this story really touches close to home growing up in the military specifically the United States Marine Corps, it is a given that you will have to move and that you will have no power or say in when or where. For me personally it is why I moved to North Carolina from Texas.

Romans 8:28 refers to the kind of good that ultimately glorifies God. If a situation causes you to draw closer to God, it can be identified as good. Paul wrote this in a letter to a group of people in Rome who believed in Jesus but whom he had never met. He wrote the letter to encourage them and to clearly state the truth about Jesus. He wanted to affirm to his readers that God was good and that all of the things that happen in life play a part in God's plan.

God's goodness for you includes more than just temporary happiness or granting your immediate wish.

God's good is for the long term. It might include a lesson in patience and endurance during a time when you are being tested. God's good may even include suffering that results in a stronger character or a more compassionate heart. God takes every part of your life and uses it for the ongoing good of your life and his plans.

Selah people' and friends like jagged chunks of colored glass, God puts the pieces of your life together to form a radiant and beautiful stained glass window. God can make your life a work of art. Stop by our Selah Church website at www.selahchurch.com and check back here tomorrow as we will update at link to our sermons online.

"Peace be with you as you remember God's plans are good and we must grab someone and share just how much God loves them."

Your pastor,

Rev Muston (PreacherPatrick)

Follow Jesus...

Today's Scripture:

We know that a person is made right with God not by following the law, but by trusting in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus, that we might be made right with God because we trusted in Christ. It is not because we followed the law, because no one can be made right with God by following the law.
Galatians 2:16

Think about the rules that govern our behavior in your school or at your job. They help teachers, managers and administrators maintain order by giving them a standard to hold students' and employees conduct against. Most students are there to learn and to get along with their peers, but for those who don't share that attitude, the rules serve as an external motivation to behave as if they did. If all students and workers treated their teachers, bosses and fellow students with love, always treated others the way they would want to be treated themselves, there would be no need for rules.

Of course, since as young Miley Cyrus sings as Hannah Montana'~ "Nobodies Perfect", rules are necessary. But even if the rules can cause people to behave well, no set of rules can make much change on the inside of a person. Not even God's laws do that. God's laws are a standard for how you should behave toward other people. If you follow the laws of God, you will be doing your part toward creating a just and orderly world.

If you obey God's laws perfectly, you will behave like a perfectly loving human being that was created in his image.

Selah people' and friends the laws of God also serve another purpose. They show you how far you have to go. Every time you break one of God's laws - and you will - you are faced with the fact that you can't do it on your own. You see that you need a new heart. Only God can reach into your life and make you into the kind of person that laws say you ought to be.

Trust Jesus to give you a new heart ~ a heart that truly desires to follow God's laws. Remember to stop by and visit our church website at http://www.selahchurch.com/ and to take time to share the Jesus in you with the Jesus in them.

"God's peace I leave with you as we continue to follow and share Jesus!"

Your pastor,

Rev Muston (PreacherPatrick)