The Gifts God Gives

     I am setting down this month to write my column and my heart is both joyful and heavy. Joyful because God has given me so many gifts in my life and I cannot thank Him enough. Heavy because sometimes one doesn’t realize the gift that you had until it’s gone.

     I lost a friend this week, a friend that was closer to me than I ever realized. He always wanted to go four wheeling with me, hunting with me and always greeted me with love and affection. He was a terrible hunter though and was too big to ride double with me on the ATV, so he’d just follow along, the same as he would when I took the horse out for a ride.
     He was as good a friend as you could ever want, but most times I just took him for granted, even fussing at him for being in the way. Whenever friends or family came over, there he was, in the middle of everyone and everything, playing with the kids or trying to be the center of attention.
     We were friends, buddies and pals for almost twelve years, but he seldom was in my house. He preferred to be outside, no matter the weather and I worried about him many a winter night, although he did have a house of his own and would go into if he was cold enough.
     He thought the world of my wife Lisa also, greeting her at her car door whenever she came home from work, and sit with her on the porch, both watching me do yard work from the shade.
     Every Christmas there is an ornament on the tree with his name, and on Mother’s Day he would give Lisa a card, even though she insisted she was not his mother!
     My friend was my black Labrador retriever. He was given to me by my sister when he had just been weaned. At the time I fussed, not knowing what to do with him because I didn’t want a dog at the time. Lisa and I had just gotten married and still lived in a garage apartment in West Point and had just bought the property here in Dyer, or shall I say a cow pasture. I had enough on my plate, building a home here without a puppy that wasn’t even house broke!
    But because we couldn’t talk my sister out of giving him to us (but look how cute he is!), we kept him. So, if he was going to stay with me, he had to have a good name. Being a western history buff, I officially named him General George Armstrong Custer! But we called him “Custer” for short. It seemed strange coincidence when we found out our mailing address wasn’t Dyer, but Custer, Kentucky. Maybe God knew something I didn’t.

     As dogs and humans do, he became old and developed emphysema and arthritis. He slowed in body, but not in spirit, always wanting to go to the woods with me, but now I was waiting for him to catch up. Lisa started affectionately calling him “Old Man”, and I did too. I also started getting her ready for the possibility his time was coming to leave us. Unbeknown to me, I hadn’t prepared myself.
     On Monday morning he wasn’t around. I went looking for him and found him in an adjoining field, unable to get his back legs under him. He looked like he’d had a stroke. I had to pick his eighty plus pound body up and carry him home. It was the hardest and last ride we took together. If you’ve ever seen “Old Yeller”, you know what had to be done. I have never had such a hard thing to do, nor do I ever want to again, but I couldn’t bear to see him in such pain.
     I know God has a lesson in every heartache we experience in life. Just recently by life was torn with the near loss of my wife. It seems to me the lessons are to treasure all those gifts God gives, no matter how great or small they seem. Someday that gift may be gone before we realize what a true gift it was.
     My friend is buried in our back yard now; he was and will always be part of this property and our home. My sister and God gave me a great friend and Christmas gift for twelve years and I thank her and give God all the praise and glory for my time with my dog and buddy.
     So long old pal you’ll be missed this Christmas, but I know God put you here for the lesson you taught me, unconditional love.

     Merry Christmas to all my Christian Brothers and Sisters and may you enjoy your gifts great and small this season!

Am I Thankful?

In response to the above question; you know I am!



After the events of the last couple of months with the illness of my wife, I’ve felt the strain. Not only her situation, but the loss of a next door neighbor who was also a member of our church, and the constant prayers for the pastor and his wife, friends, family and neighbors have pulled me spiritually and physically down. But I know that with Christ, I can do all things, even if it’s just asking God for a few more minutes of His uplifting hands.

I’ve been in so much constant conversation with the Lord; I get guilty thinking I haven’t taken the time to pray, forgetting I haven’t stopped talking to Him these last few weeks. It’s amazing, but not unexpected, how the devil will still try to make you feel unworthy of God’s attention, when you’ve had His attention all the time!

Sometimes I find I’m not thankful enough for all the blessings in my life. Before I knew better, I thought being blessed was the amount of STUFF one had, and having plenty of money in ones pocket showed you were REALLY blessed! Come to think of it, many Christians think that today, thanks to the false prosperity preachers. But now, I find I wish I didn’t have most of this stuff piling up in the house and barn. Stuff I thought I HAD to have years ago is now just in the way.

What I’ve found, through God revealing Himself, is the blessings in life are wrapped around fellowshipping and worshipping Him. Praying with my wife and having her by my side through thick and thin is my blessing. Having a wonderful and caring church family is my blessing. Having loving family members is another blessing. Being content with trusting God God to know what’s best for me is a blessing. To know I can turn to God during my times of trials, weakness, tears and misunderstandings and He will always be there for me is my greatest blessing.


Am I thankful? You bet I am. I’m thankful that He would come down here as Jesus Christ the Savior and save a wretch like me. I am thankful for the most important thing in my life, my relationship with my Lord, Savior and King Jesus.

Isn’t it great when you finally see how you are truly blessed and what to be truly thankful for?



Matthew 6: 18That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

19Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:



PSALM 30: 12TO THE END THAT MY GLORY MAY SING PRAISE TO THEE, AND NOT BE SILENT. O LORD MY GOD, I WILL GIVE THANKS UNTO THEE FOR EVER

PSALM 35: 18I WILL GIVE THEE THANKS IN THE GREAT CONGREGATION: I WILL PRAISE THEE AMONG MUCH PEOPLE.

I've been away for a while..

I'm sorry for the lack of updates, but due to a serious illness with my wife, I had to take care of her. But, thanks to the prayers of many devoute Christians, the Lord has seen to make her bettert and back on her feet. I thank all those who prayed for her at her time of illness, and all the prayers for me. I will post a new update today.


God Bless You,
Terry

In Christ Alone

     If we proclaim to be Christians, then we are compelled to believe in only one truth, one way to a relationship to our God and one way to Heaven. That way is through Jesus Christ alone. Jesus Himself proclaims in John 14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Unless you believe this, then you believe in something other than Christianity.
     You may warm a pew in a church every Sunday, you may tithe, memorize bible verses, sing in the choir and fish with the Pastor, but if you believe there are many ways to Heaven, then you aren’t a Christian. Being born to Christian parents no more makes one a Christian than sleeping in a barn every night makes one a horse. Believing Christ died as a Holy Lamb for your sins, repenting from and asking for forgiveness of sin and accepting Him as your Lord and Savior guarantees you an invitation to the wedding supper with the Bridegroom, there is NO other way.
     I am being direct this month because I see the devil deceiving so many into new age thinking, humanistic beliefs and the anti-Christ religions luring our newer or weaker Brothers and Sisters into false compromises under the guise of political correctness or “being more open minded”.
     If Christ is not taught as the only and final sacrifice by the shedding of blood for our sins, is God made flesh who dwelt among us and defeated death by rising from the grave on the third day and has now ascended to Heaven and sitting at the right hand throne of God interceding for us, then it is a false and anti-Christ religion.
     Guard your heart and your Christianity dear reader and remain faithful; I believe the spiritual warfare has only increased in intensity.

Let’s Go Fishing!

When Lisa and I moved to Dyer eleven years ago, we owned a pontoon boat because I loved to fish. At one time my family owned a water front cabin on Rough River and days off or vacations found me at my “home” away from home on the water fishing, swimming or just boat riding. After my dad developed Parkinson’s disease, the family decided to sell it.


Moving to Breckinridge County, I told myself I could go fishing anytime I wanted and still sleep in my own bed every night. WRONG! My daily drive to work in New Albany, Indiana and my schedule caused me to leave home before daylight and return home at sunset. Weekends saw me mowing and doing chores I couldn’t do during the week. I moved the boat just to mow under it, never seeing Rough River. After a couple of years of this, I decided to sell our little used boat to pay off some bills and after being brought up by my dad to hunt and fish, my fishing days pretty much ended.

Fast forward to present time and now I fish for the Lord. I don’t need a boat or water, but just like catching real fish, I need to know how to do it, when is the best time to present the gospel, when do I set the hook, even where do I cast ?

There are days when you know the fish won’t bite. There are areas where there aren’t any, but you learn these things over time and under the direction of someone who knows. Looking back, I needed my dad to teach me the what, when, where and how of being a successful fisherman. I also need Jesus to teach me these same skills if I’m going to be successful in explaining the salvation Christ offers to those who turn to Him.


The bible is the instruction book and the Holy Spirit is the one who draws you to someone. Rejection will be the norm, just as a fish may reject your lure on any given day. It is up to the fish if it wants to bite your lure, and it is the person’s free will to accept or reject the Gospel. Only God knows why you were prompted to speak to a particular person, it is only ours to obey His Great Commission. We plant the seed and we may see the result or we may not. It is not important how many we have on our stringer, to use a fishing term. It is only important to cast our line into the sea of lost souls and let the Holy Spirit draw who He may.

There will be times when you get discouraged, but, just as in fishing, the time you decide to reel in your line to go home, the big one bites! God tells us the harvest is much, but the workers are few. We are to be fishers of men and there is a lot of water before us. But, unlike fishing for fish and coming home empty handed, we are never “skunked”. As long as we are in God’s will, it is a good day to fish and God’s word comforts us by letting us know Jesus’ words as we enter heaven; Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. I’m glad to be fishing for my Lord.

By the way, after 8 years, I have also dusted off my rods again!.

Do You Celebrate an INNER-Dependence Day?

I hear people use the excuse for rejecting Christ and salvation as being too restrictive. After all, there are all those “Thou shalt nots!”


Yes, it is true there are commandments we are to follow, they are the basic tenants to just being a good neighbor, family member, and member of society. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is pretty basic, but covers all trespasses, both spiritually and socially. It covers everything from hurting another’s feelings to crime.

Becoming a Christian also leads one to a dependence on God. We learn, through trials and blessings, to lean on the eternal grace and strength of God. We also must accept His son Jesus Christ as the only path to righteousness back to the Father. But we have the freedom to reject it all, but at a terrible price, for there is a punishment for every transgression, just as there is a punishment in life for rejecting your earthly parents. Reject your earthly father or mother and the result is separation and hurt in the long run. Separation from God results in an eternal separation. That separation is called Hell.

Read about hell in the bible, see where our idea of fleshly freedom leads to eternal bondage!

There is a freedom one cannot express when one gives their life to Christ, a freedom and joy that surpasses all understanding, a freedom derived from knowing you have eternal life through Him in heaven forever! Happy Inner-Dependence Day!

The Father in Heaven

Those of us whose father has passed sometimes treat the Father’s Day celebration as more of a memorial day than a day of thankfulness for the sacrifices they made. Though our earthly father may be gone, we still have a watchful and caring Father in Heaven.


Have you ever really paid attention to the Lord’s Prayer as Jesus taught us? In Matthew 6:19, Jesus starts the prayer “Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name..” He doesn’t say pray to MY Father in heaven, He says to pray to OUR Father in Heaven! Jesus wanted us to know we can look to God as a Father as well as our Creator and Lord.

You might ask, “He is in Heaven, I’m down here, who will take care of me in my time of need?” In Matthew 7:11 we are told “If ye, then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father in heaven give good things that ask him.” In Psalm 68:5 God is described as “A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in His holy habitation.”

God is there if you miss your father. He understands the hurt that empty chair may bring or that missing feeling when you look at a photograph. He knows loss; He lost a Son for a short time on a cross. He knows your pain. But if you lay that pain at the foot of that cross and give it to Jesus, the peace will come.

For those who are celebrating with their earthly father this year, praise the Lord for another year with them! Remember God places high regard on parents and even gives us a commandment with a blessing attached! Exodus 20:12 states “Honour they father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”

And here’s to the stepfathers who all too often love just as strongly and provide just as well as the missing parent, but never seem to get the credit they deserve, remember Jesus had a stepdad who loved Him also.

God Bless all the fathers this year as we honor them for helping mold us into who we are, and thank you God for those who have been taken home, their job done. Amen

Here is a Bro. Beauregard Message from June '07

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ; we are never satisfied. We complain of cold, then complain it is too hot for the season. Then in April we saw the effects of a late freeze and complained. Now we complain of the heat and insects. We have not learned anymore than the children of Israel did after their exodus from Egypt. The Lord blesses us daily, but we allow Satan to only remind us of when we are a little uncomfortable. Did you ever think the Lord might allow the discomfort; to see if you will keep your eye on him, thanking Him and praising Him for all He has done for you?


Numbers 11:1 “And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.

Sometimes the fire is literal, sometimes the fire is spiritual, and sometimes it is a physical condition. Have you ever known someone who complained all the time, was never happy, and brought the mood of those down with them? They seem to relish the fact that THEY are miserable, and so should everyone else be miserable. When you find yourself in this condition, or among those who are bringing you down, there is hope! For Verse 2 tells us “And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire of the Lord was quenched.”

Once again, pray to God, tell him everything, confess everything, repent and pray for others. A few minutes on your knees will extinguish a lifetime of fire.

Peace be with you, Brother Beauregard

Jesus had a mother

We Protestants hear very little about Jesus’ mother unless we are hearing a Christmas sermon or a sermon about Him turning the water into wine. While these two stories are certainly important in our understanding of the life of our Savior, a little reflection on Mary seems appropriate this time of year. While we do not hold Mary as divine or an intercessor; we seem to shy away from looking at what the bible tells us about her. Let’s look at what happened to her in her life.


As a girl of about 14 or so, she was visited by an angel: scary! Then she is told she will bear the Messiah, conceived without a husband: scandalous! Thankfully, with that same angel’s help, her betrothed accepts the situation: sigh of relief! Then, almost ready to bear her son, she is told the government says she has to take a trip, on an ass no less, and ends up giving birth in a stable: sense of humor running a little thin? But then some shepherds come to see your newborn because that same angel spoke to them also: not looking her best!

Soon after three magi appear at your door bearing gifts: things are looking up! But they warn them to leave immediately as the king wants the baby dead: spoils the moment doesn’t it? They relocate in Egypt: HOT!

Twelve years later, while on a trip, she thinks Jesus is with friends in the caravan. She suddenly finds He is missing: “ATTENTION Kmart shoppers, we have a lost little boy here”! She finds Him teaching some adults a thing or two: don’t they all. When she expresses her worry about Him being gone, He asks her questions: see the big doe eyes here?

A few years down the road, and now a widowed single parent raising more children, she and Jesus are invited to a wedding feast: finally, a break from housework! But during the party, the wine runs out. Knowing her son’s secret, she asks Jesus for a little help for the embarrassed groom: a mother’s work is never done! With this first miracle, Jesus’ ministry starts: “He never calls”.

With Jesus on the road so much, she starts to follow Him: aren’t mothers always the biggest fans? She sees attendance to his sermons reach into the thousands: “That’s my boy, just like His Father”!


After some time, she begins to learn the authorities are after him. She becomes concerned. Then comes the night He is arrested. She sees her boy lied about, spit upon, beaten and scourged. Those who proclaimed to love Him abandon Him. Her heart is in agony, broken to a thousand pieces. She had heard the scriptures, but she never realized how many told of this moment also. All she can see is her child in pain and agony. As one of His disciples helps her to the foot of a cross, her son tells her that now this same disciple will be her son.

She hears Jesus cry out to His true Father in Heaven as he dies. A mother’s worst nightmare comes true; her child has died before her: what has God done? Mary has lost her son Jesus at the ripe old age of about forty-eight. A mother shouldn’t have to bury her children.

I have injected some humor into the biblical highlights about Mary’s life. She was a human mother, like any of ours; with trials and troubles, dreams and aspirations, worries and fears, joy and happiness. I have also shown the tragedy of her losing a child. Jesus was not an ordinary child, but we must remember He was her child also, to be born and raised by her. God chose her to care for Him, the same as He chose all our mothers. She is an example for all those mothers.

The bible tells us God knew us before we were born. Well, He had to know our mothers also. Think about that. God chose your mother for a reason.

The wonderful ending to Mary’s story is she saw Jesus after he rose from the grave. What a happy ending. That same ending can apply to all our lives. You can see mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, children and family again in Heaven. But you must accept Mary’s son, God’s only begotten Son first. Will you accept Jesus today?

Music Video "I've Got To Get Away" Now posted on Youtube and other sites

My music video "I've Got To Get Away" is now on Youtube and other Christian sites. You can now go directly to them by hitting the link under Lisa and my picture. Please pray God uses me for His glory. I ask nothing for these other than they be a blessing to you.

God Bless,
Terry

What Easter is really all about

Matthew 28


1In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. 2And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 3His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: 4And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. 5And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 6He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Let Me Be The Rain

DeAnna McCord, one of the talented members of the Preston Family Singers and a cherished member of our church, wrote and sings a song called “Let Me Be The Rain”. It is a moving and touching song asking God to let her be the rain on the seed that someone else has planted.


So many times those of us in the ministry seem to think we must see souls come to the alter before we close a service, or we are failures. We tend to forget we are not in a numbers race, for only God is in it for HIS glory, not ours. We are only a vessel He uses. We may never know until we get to heaven if we were a seed, or the ground, or the rain that God used to bring that person to Christ. John 4:37,38 says And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. Christ is the one who plants the seed, the “WORD”, in an ear by using us. But someone else may be the rain, the nutrients and the sunshine to help save a soul to Him.

We should never be envious if someone comes to Christ. God may have used our prayers, patience, love, forgiveness or any number of ways or people to bring one to His Salvation. We may never see the results of our testifying to someone, that is until we get to heaven. Many years ago as I was standing beside a dumpster at Ft. Knox, a man pulled up in a car and simply said, “I’m supposed to tell you God loves you.” Whoever this was just drove off and I never knew who he was or ever saw him again.

I hope that person comes up to me in heaven so I can thank him! I have never forgotten the feeling of being shaken, convicted and the love I suddenly felt that day. Now, when DeAnna sings her song, I remember that stranger. I had been told about Christ before; maybe this man was the rain!

Bro. Beauregard from 3/2010 Newsletter

Psalm 14:22 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

     My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, the Holy Bible does not mince words concerning those who do not believe in His existence. It plainly says that no matter the amount of good works, compassion or charity they do, it is abominable to God, just filthy rags. The same judgment is made for those who reject Jesus Christ.

     There is no grey area, no riding the fence. You both accept Jesus as your savior and repent of your sins, or you are doomed to eternal hell fire. There are only straight paths to heaven, not crooked ones. I say this with love to all who reads this, You MUST truly believe Jesus can forgive your sins and take Him as your savior, and repent from those sins, or you will not enter into the gates of Heaven, no matter how many good works you do. You must accept or not, believe or not, God has given you the choice. It is a choice that will resound for eternity.

     God has sent His Son because He loves you. He doesn’t want you to suffer forever, but once you die, it is too late for repentance. Jesus stands with open arms to embrace you and welcome you to the fold. But YOU must make the choice, and you should make it today, no one is promised a tomorrow.

     In Christ’s love lays the secret of our existence, to have an eternal fellowship with our God the Father, but only through His sacrifice. The time is drawing neigh, what will your choice be?

Now go and be a good witness for Christ,             Bro. Jonas Beauregard

New music video from my album "Feet of Clay"

Howdy to my brothers and sisters in Christ!

Among the many projects I've been working on lately is a new album of my songs about Christian life. There is a music video of "Welcome Son" on Youtube. It is easier to just go to Google and type "Terry Ames on Youtube". A results box should appear with a shortcut to the video. Enjoy!

Ephesians 6:20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

This is the verse I live by, either by preaching, writing or song.

God Bless!

Terry

The Word of God Will Forever Stand Strong

     I’m a Biblicist, someone who believes the Bible is true and inerrant from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21. It is not only a book of history, wisdom, life, happiness and sorrow; it is God’s written letter of love to the sons and daughters ofH  His original creations, Adam and Eve.

     The anti-Christs throughout the ages have come against God’s word, throwing every new idea, plot and plan into the fray, thinking that if enough people were deceived, the book would fade away. It never has succeeded, and it never will.

     The bible prophesied the Messiah throughout the Old Testament. Jesus told the Pharisees that very same thing. They couldn’t see; their eyes were blinded to the Son of God standing before them. The same as those whose eyes are blinded to God’s promises available to them today.

     In America, family Bibles collect dust, or are nonexistent today. In Africa, people dance with joy and praise God when the Book is given to them. They are hungry for God’s word; many in America are trying to shut it up. How we have changed in a few short years, when we were founded upon God’s laws.

     John R. W. Stott once said “A man who loves his wife will love her letters and her photographs because they speak to him of her. So if we love the Lord Jesus, we shall love the Bible because it speaks to us of him.” If we proclaim to be Christian, this should be true of ourselves.

     Hell and its minions will continue to come against the Word of God and will increase in ferocity as the return of Jesus draws nearer. But be fearless, for the battle is already won. Christ has paid the price for our sins; the attacks are just the thrashings of a defeated foe.  1 John 2:22 tells us “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.”

There is a time for everything

Ecclesiastes 3 gives us great insight into the happenings of the world, blessings and disasters, all under God's control. Just the first three verses tell us;

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

We wonder why God allows disaster, even to those who are Christians. We must remember that there are 2 reasons for the Saint, and two reasons for the unsaved. Disaster to the Saint is either to prune him or her, or it is to call that person home through death. That is our ultimate goal isn't it, to be with the Father and our Savor eternally?

Disaster to the unsaved is a call to repentance or judgment. They both point to the Cross. Everything God does in our lives points to the Cross. There is no other name above the name of Jesus to which one can be saved.

God loves us and provided a way for us to escape eternal hell fire and return to a loving relationship with Him. But ONLY through His Son. There are NOT many ways to God, only one, Jesus the Christ.

There is a time for everything. Now is the time to seek Jesus and forgiveness through Him. Remember, God said there is a time to be born, but He also said there is a time to die. What is your state of your eternal soul?

In Christ's love

Love, that’s what it’s all about

     February is the month of love, sweethearts and valentine’s cards, candy and flowers. But our love for another, no matter how real, is still imperfect. We may, in a moment of human emotion, say or do something that may hurt another. We may miss something our loved one has tried to tell us. We may even overlook praise or encouragement when it may uplift their spirits. Why? Because we are human, and live in the bounds of our worldly lives.

     Work, daily pressures, finances or a multitude of things real or perceived affect our relationships with those we love. But when it all is boiled down, washed away, swept clean, the truth is we all just want to be loved and someone to love. There is an innate desire to be wanted and accepted by those who are important to us. Once again, could this be just another bit of evidence that there is a God?

     One may try to say even animals have a love for it’s offspring, so that doesn’t prove anything. A dog will defend, care for and play with it’s pups for a time, but notice after a certain age, they are forgotten and treated no different than the rest of the pack. But we humans have a special love for each other that lasts till death and beyond. Could we get this from God? God did say in Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:

Of course we do, only our love has been corrupted by the fall of Adam and Eve. To see perfect love, we must turn our faces to God.

     We know that God created us for fellowship with Him. He loved us so much; he created us with free will to love Him back, or not. He didn’t want robots, but those who would freely walk and talk with him. But, of course, Satan and sin entered the picture, breaking that bond with our Lord.

     Did God just give up on us? His love said NO! So, in His perfect plan of salvation, he decided to come to earth in a form we could relate to, and show us we did not have to sin, that we could withstand whatever the world threw against us, and we could persevere even unto death. The stipulation was we had to accept the gift of salvation and a restored relationship through Jesus Christ, the Great I AM incarnate on earth. If He loved us enough to send Jesus to earth and die for our sins, then we should love Him enough to accept Jesus as our savior. No other name will do.

     The Old Testament’s blessings, judgments, trials and plagues are all about His love for His people. It’s called tough love, perfect love.

     The New Testament is all about Jesus Christ, the sermons and parables, the beatings and crucifixion, the letters from the apostles and their martyrdoms; it’s called tough love, perfect love.

     I have often referred to the bible as God’s Love Letter to us. God shows an overwhelming abundance of love and passion for us in every page.

     Jesus said in John 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.  There it is in black and white.  LOVE! That’s what it’s all about!

God Bless You!

In Christ's Love

When I Hurt, I Put My Eyes on Jesus

This past Thursday I had throat and nasal surgery. While it was needed, I truely can say the warnings of pain and misery were very understated. With a throat that feels like the worst case of strep throat I can imagine, and a nose blocked by swelling to boot, my little world is miserable this week.

But, I put this out on the web, not to complain or ask for simpathy, but to give a little personal testimony of the love of Jesus. For even as I was waking up in the recovery room, I was asking Jesus to be with me, and I knew He was. I could feel his presence through the pain. Thursday night, after I got home, was the most miserable night of my life. But I kept thinking if Jesus could go through what he did on the day of calvary, the beatings, scourgings and nailed to a cross, then what I was suffering was nothing. For I could see His bloody and beaten face smile down on me, a man who was once lost in sin and corruption, and  now saved by His love and grace.

Pain is a horrible thing, as the people of Haiti and others around the world suffer daily. Pain was brought into this world by sin, and only Jesus can alieve it. The bible tells us that one day our suffering will end, if we know Jesus as our Lord and Savior. If we don't, then our suffering will never end. For those judged will be cast into eternal torment.

Matthew 13: 49-51 tells us:So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

Pain is sometimes a reminder of the fragile, fleshly bodies we live in. It reminds us that we are not invincible and will not live forever in this present state. Pain should remind us of our eternal state of affairs, and the most important question; are we ready for eternity?

It's not easy to write columns like this , because there are those who will curse me for even suggesting God will allow people to suffer for eternity. But God doesn't, you see, you allow yourself, if you reject what has been offered. Jesus' on words speak of pain. His sacrifice included the pain of the world.

Isn't it time to ask Him to come into your life and ease your pain? There really is only one, the name of Jesus.

God bless you.

A appropriate sermon from Bro. Beauregard from January '07

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, (as I am holed up under the snow of a western blizzard, my mind reminding my taste buds that too many left over Christmas cookies will increase my girth,) I ponder on the new coming year. Will this be the year of many miracles? Will the Lord move people to a great revival? What does the Lord have in store for His children? Whatever it is, we can be assured it follows His perfect plan. Isaiah 66:23 says “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.”

I believe this is God’s ultimate goal, a return to what Adam was created for. A time when we can once again walk with our Creator, talk with our Creator, and worship Him forever. To feel and know God’s love as it was intended, undefiled by sin and corruption, and to sing praise and worship to His holy name. Micah 6:8 says “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy GOD? “

To walk humbly with thy GOD..That is what my soul cries out for. What joy it would be to walk with God. If you believe in the scriptures, then you must believe God wants you to WALK WITH HIM, in fact he requires it. Beloved, take that first step and find your peace with Him through His son Jesus Christ. Then boldly walk with him in faith, He will reward you with a walk in the heavens!

The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, Brother Jonas Beauregard

Another Year come and gone......

Where has time gone? It seems like only yesterday. Why I remember when.., In my day..

We hear those words a lot this time of year. I used to laugh at what I considered the old folks when they would say those things. Now I find myself saying them more and more. I would laugh at my mother’s music from the 1950’s as they played on the golden oldies stations. Songs such as Little Eva’s “Locomotion” and Chubby Checker's “The Twist” were songs I made fun of. But now I hear what we called the ‘80’s Big Hair music as well as some ‘90’s music on classic radio. I myself was a “Sony Crockett of Miami Vice” type guy. I admit it did get cold here in Kentucky in the winter running around without socks, wearing “linen” suits. But the world keeps changing. New generations come and go. Music trends we thought would never end prove seasonal. The one thing I have found that does not change is the Word of God. He and His Word remain the same forever. I find that knowledge comforting in a fast paced world. How about you?

Isaiah 40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

^{Ephesians 5:1-2} Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour

Now go and be a good witness for Christ