“Bless the Lord, O my soul: bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities: who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Psalm 103:1-5
 
To God be the Glory!

 I was saved at the age of thirty-six. I was working at a factory.  I, like so many others, was the chief of sinners.  Almighty God did a glorious and wondrous work in my heart and soul at my home one night through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.  I relate to the publican in the parable found in Luke 18:13, “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying , God be merciful to me a sinner.” I cried out and God did not tarry, He saved me! I was born again!  I left that factory one man and returned through the door a new creature in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17.)  Glory to God forever and ever!  

My co-workers saw a new man. The Holy Spirit was doing a mighty work in me. I took in God’s Word like a famished man who had gone far too long without nourishment. My friends scattered and some asked if I had joined a cult. I was growing from the inside out and everyone was beginning to notice. The devil at times was relentless in his attacks, but Almighty God was, and still is faithful. I am grateful that the armour of God does not wear thin or wear out.  I was told; I needed to, “lighten up.” I was told, “You are taking this serious.”  I had one man tell me, “Don’t get too deep in the Scriptures.”  I plowed forward with the Word of God lighting my way and the Holy Spirit empowering and enabling me to live in victory each step of the way. Amen and Amen!! God was stirring a white hot fire that the devil and his angels couldn’t extinguish. The day came when God called me out of that factory; it was a huge step of faith.  I was still a somewhat new believer, and common sense, and many others told me I was making a mistake.  It was not easy, but I followed the Lord’s direction; To God be the Glory!

God put it on my heart to start a lawn care and small jobs business. I look back all the years later and I am still amazed at the goodness and faithfulness of Almighty God!  I desire that whoever may read this to be encouraged and strengthened by the testimony of God’s Power, Might and Grace. I have wanted nothing more than for God to be glorified and myself minimized. I have wanted nothing more than to be a tool in the hands of God Almighty so that His will would be done through me.  I have seen hot and humid days when my clothes have been drenched in sweat and covered in dirt, but God was faithful.  I have shoveled snow and worked out in the winter when the temperatures were in the teens, but God was faithful.  I have felt weary, worn and a little beaten down, but God is more than faithful!

 With all that said, it is not about cutting grass, it is about planting seed.  It is about sharing the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I remember leading a woman to Christ in a busy office building with grass on my pants and sweat upon my brow; To God be the glory!  I think of all the people who I have asked, “If you were to draw your last breathe do you have assurance that you would be going to heaven?” and then sharing the good news; To God be the glory!  I think of all the Gospel tracts that have been given out; To God be the Glory! I think of being covered in sweat after trimming a yard full of shrubs and bushes and praying with a man who had been dealing with the unimaginable pain of his son’s death; To God be the Glory!  I think of being called to preach and God opening door after door to preach His Word in His Power and Strength! To God be the Glory! I remember preaching a Sunday evening service when there were only five people in attendance and God moved powerfully; To God be the glory! The Lord allowed me to preach one Sunday morning to a crowd of nearly five-hundred; To God be the Glory! I think of all the times I have gone and preached at local nursing homes; To God be the Glory!  I think of this ministry, “A Call to the World” that God has brought to pass and how He has provided all that is needed to do what He wants to do; To God be the Glory! Souls saved and lives changed! Prayer requests have come in through our ministry from literally around the world and God has shown himself powerfully and Mightily in the answering of many of those prayers! To God be the Glory!  I am a nobody who is trusting God with the totality of his life!

Dear believer, what is it that God has put on your heart? What burden has He placed in you? You certainly want to test to see if it is God’s will.  If you have the assurance that it is God’s plan and will for your life, what is it that is stopping you?  Only you can answer the question.

I was a factory worker who deserved hell.  I did not deserve God’s Grace or Mercy. I am a nobody who is trusting God with the totality of his life.  I am a child of the Most High King…To God be the Glory!

I am looking forward (Lord willing) to 2016 and all that My God has planned for our ministry. I am looking forward to meeting some of my friends who I have met through social media along the road as I travel in the matchless name of Jesus!  Let's Desire to bring Glory to God! Let's Desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit! Let's Desire to pray without ceasing! Let's Preach and Proclaim the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ! Let's pray one for another! Revival can be a Reality!

Thanks for visiting and thanks for praying,
Bro. Tracy

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he with- hold from them who walk uprightly.  O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.”
Psalm 84:11-12
 
On June 25, 1865, James Hudson Taylor at thirty-three came to the great crisis of his life and his faith. The place was Brighton beach on the south coast of England.  There on a quiet Sunday morning he took a step of faith in response to a simple spiritual principle he had just discovered.  He was surprised that this truth had so long eluded him.  “If we are obeying the Lord, the responsibility rests with him, not with us!”  Months of struggle were over, and the way ahead was clear.  To obey the Scriptures and trust God to be faithful to his pledged Word was not rash.  Throwing caution to the wind, Hudson Taylor formed the China Inland Mission. That is true living and living at its best.

Never allow the lack of faith of another lessen the fervor in your heart for trusting the Lord.  There will be times that your biggest stumbling block might very well be you and your lack of trust.  But don’t be surprised when it is another Christian.  The Bible says, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8).   When we no longer choose to live solely for the purpose of pleasing man God will be able to do that which he has purposed us to do.  I believe many have stopped short of what God’s plan is for their life by allowing their trust in man to override their trust in God’s Word and God’s will for their life.

God is worthy of our trust!  Whatever He has called you to do simply obey Him and allow Him to provide all that is needed to do that which He has called you to do. I believe with all of my heart someone, somewhere needed to be reminded of this. To God be the GLORY!

Thanks for visiting and thanks for praying,
Bro. Tracy

"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."  II Corinthians 8:9

It is well past time for Christians to approach each and every day with an excitement. It seems most believers live far too often in the land of frustration instead of in the courts of anticipation. Instead of living empowered lives we walk around as a punching bag for the devil and the world to pound on. Dear believer, you should be living in victory in Christ Jesus. You should be anticipating what God will be saying to you through His Word. You should be expecting the Holy Spirit to do a powerful work in and through you today for God's glory and for the good of those around you.
Yes, sin came in, but Christ came down. What Grace! What Goodness! What Love! What Mercy! What Kindness! What a Saviour!! The Lord Jesus Christ came down from on high and won the greatest victory in all of history. The NFL, NBA and the NCAA have never known such a victory. Calvary was a battle ground and Christ our Victor was victorious over hell, sin and the grave. Those are shouting words!  Allow these words to be hallelujah fuel for your spiritual tank, "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:6-8.) Stop and let that sink in to the very depths of your being.

For the born-again our excitement is not based upon mere emotion it is based and built upon our unchanging Saviour and His enduring Word.  Drink deep and long from our verse. Get excited; live in the victory and in the spiritual wealth that is yours in and through Christ Jesus!

This has been a blog that seems to have gotten alot of attention.  I felt led to post it again. I pray that God is glorified and many will be encouraged.
Bro. Tracy

Oswald Chambers writes, “Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One Who is leading.  It is a life of faith, not of intellect and reason, but a life of knowing Who makes us “go.”  Our response to God’s plan for our lives says a lot about our trust in God.   I have learned that we never have knowledge of every step we will be taking.  This is a blessing in that as we will rely on the Lord every step of the way we will grow closer and closer to the Lord.   His will can be accomplished and there will be a depth to our relationship.

I wasn’t saved until I was thirty-six years old.  I had no idea what faith was or what it even looked like. God put me through what I like to call faith boot camp, and I admit it was not easy.  I felt led to start a lawn care and odd jobs business.  The question that I seemed to be asked the most was what plan did I have for work in the winter.  I believed that I was in God’s will and that He would provide the work.  I had to completely trust the Lord for work week to week to pay the bills and have food to eat.   I could not see ahead of time the work that God had prepared for me and so I had to trust Him. It has been said, “The faith that hasn’t been tested can’t be trusted.”  The more God tested me the deeper I sunk my trust in Him.  God was faithful! I dug into God’s Word and that was where I found the substance of my faith (“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” Romans 10:17).  God’s Word told me He would never leave me nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5). I look back on that winter as a great time that God taught me what it was to live by faith.  I cherish the memories of seeing God working so mightily.

Noah’s unsinkable faith was based on the fact that he had a word from God (read Genesis 6:8-22) and so Noah trusted God and was obedient to God.   God had warned Noah of an impending judgment in the form of a flood (a global flood) yet they may have never seen rain in Noah’s day.  The Bible says in Genesis 2:6 “But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.”  Noah’s unsinkable faith was on display for all to see.   It wasn’t raining when the first beam was cut for the ark, but that did not detour this man’s faith in God.   Put down your binoculars and trust God.

I pray that you approach today and everyday by wringing and squeezing every ounce out of every minute, out of every second, out of every moment for the cause of Christ.  Be filled with the Holy Spirit while feeding on God's Word. Be still and know that God is God. Seek His face, seek His direction and seek His will for your life.  Hunger and thirst after righteousness and look to do good in a world full of evil and hurting people. Pray while believing and believe while praying.  Desire to make your life count for the Lord Jesus Christ.  In all things give thanks.  Paul said, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:14). Desire to make God's purpose your purpose and you will live a life of purpose.  Build and root your life (as the Holy Spirit enables you) in the Words and the life of the Lord Jesus Christ and your life will be built and rooted on a solid rock and not upon the shifting sand of the flesh, the world and the devil. Proclaim, promote and present the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Accumulate over the course of your life a legacy that points directly to the God of Heaven and in doing so God will be glorified and you will be minimized and many will be reached with the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that you get started, at this very moment!

Thanks for visiting and thanks for praying for our ministry.

In Christ,
Bro. Tracy

A Word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

Proverbs 25:11

Words can break or words can build, but when brought in the power of the Holy Spirit words can minister in countless situations and scenarios.  I often pray in the morning, “Lord give me the words to say today in any and every situation; let my words be your words.”  We should have a desire that our words will count for the glory of God and for the good of those whom God brings across our path as well as our loved ones.  Our words should be anchored in and seasoned liberally with the precepts and truths that are found in the Bible.

Shamefully I say to you that before I was saved my tongue was wicked and my words were sprinkled with filth and garbage that spewed out of me at an alarming rate.  It’s been said, “In the country they say what’s down in the well comes up in the bucket.” Though simple this old saying has a ton of truth to it. But glory to God I am a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. One of the first things that God did was to change my vocabulary.  Just one example of God’s mighty power!

I want to simply and plainly put some scripture in front of you in hope that God works powerfully through His precious word and meets with you personally as you take time to meditate upon it. You have an opportunity for God to do a powerful work through you- in your home, your church, on the job, in the streets and in the stores.  We don’t live in a pew.  It is time to get out of the salt shaker and be salt and light in a lost hell bound and hurting world.  We are called to go and so we should carry with us those things that are preached and taught from the pastor and the preachers out into the world. It is time to build up our brothers and sisters in Christ, but not at the expense of the truth.  I am speaking of everyday living.  Make an impact with your words for the cause of Christ.

Consider:

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

II. Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad. Proverbs 12:25

III. By long forebearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh bone.  Proverbs 25:15

"At this special time of year, we all renew our sense of wonder in recalling the story of the first Christmas in Bethlehem, nearly 2,000 years ago. Some celebrate Christmas as the birthday of a great and good philosopher and teacher. Others of us believe in the divinity of the child born in Bethlehem, that he was and is the promised Prince of Peace. ... Like the shepherds and wise men of that first Christmas, we Americans have always tried to follow a higher light, a star, if you will. At lonely campfire vigils along the frontier, in the darkest days of the Great Depression, through war and peace, the twin beacons of faith and freedom have brightened the American sky. At times, our footsteps may have faltered, but trusting in God's help, we've never lost our way. ... So let this holiday season be for us a time of re-dedication. ... Tonight, in millions of American homes, the glow of the Christmas tree is a reflection of the love (of) Jesus. ... Christmas means so much because of one special child."


Taken from President Ronald Reagan's 1981 Christmas address, televised and broadcasted on the radio from the Oval Office for the entire nation and world to hear.
 

In the busyness of life I want to challenge you to set aside some time and find a quiet place and get alone with the Lord and simply praise Him and thank Him as you read:
Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah 9:6
Micah 5:2
Matthew 1:18-25 Chapter 2
Luke 2:1-35

When we revisit scripture we will be reminded of God's wonderful truths and it will rekindle our love and praise for Him.

Sometimes we can lend a hand; make a purchase or lift our voice to the heavens on one’s behalf.  We can send a card; make a call or take time to make a visit.   We have always lived in a “me” world but I have found the best remedy for too much of me is looking around and tending to those in need.  The Lord’s blessing will follow those who fill the void of the lonely and down trodden.  God will be with us in our own times of trouble.

I pray that during this time of the year our hearts will be even broken for those who are despondent in spirit while dead in their trespasses and sins.  The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is soul saving salve to every such case.  I pray that we will be sensitive to the Holy Spirits guidance when it comes to our brothers and sisters in Christ in their time of great need.  The beauty of being a blessing is in the joy of being Christ like.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shown round about them:  and they were sore afraid.  And the angel said unto them, Fear not:  for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  Luke 2:8-11

I find it interesting that God did not choose to send the angel of the Lord to the so called elite, the well trained or the so called religious leaders of those days with the wonderful announcement of the birth of the Saviour.  God instructed the angel to enter the field of the shepherds as they were working the night shift with the greatest news ever.  This speaks of the whosoever of the Bible.  The shepherds would not have been a part of the so called 'in" crowd. They certainly would not have cared about any social ladder of the day. God had a plan and these everyday, common, hard working men were a part of the most historical night in the history of the world.  It was a grand announcement given for all people to a group of everyday people.