Hymn – “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine”

Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!  Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!  Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

chorus:

This is my story, this is my song,  Praising my Saviour all the day long;  This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Saviour all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,  Visions of rapture now burst on my sight:  Angels descending bring from above Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest,  I in my Saviour am happy and blest:  Watching and waiting, looking above,  Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Fanny J. Crosby,  1820-1915

Mrs Joseph F. Knapp, 1839-1908

-posted by Tim A. Blankenship

Behind the Scenes or Out Front

The Creator of this Universe and all within it has called me to be a preacher of His Word, and the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I am not a type A personality; you know; one of those who like to be in the front of everything, and seen by everyone.  That ‘s not me.

If I could choose to be something anywhere it would be a back row usher, or the maintenance guy, or the cleanup person.  I can do some things and not expect any recognition for it.  There is one place I want to be seen; and that is while driving an automobile down the road.

Some of these type A personalities are probably ones I meet of the mornings who don’t have the headlights on in their cars; when they ought to be on.  Let me tell you something; just because you can see, doesn’t mean you are seen.  Headlights on your automobile are an integral part of visibility for you in dark, night time driving; but also for being seen by others who are on the road.

It is the state law in Missouri that you turn on your headlights if you run your windshield wipers.  For me, when its cloudy my headlights are on.  When it is still slightly dark outside my headlights are on.  It is a safety issue.  Be seen by others while driving.

Just two days ago as I was driving my School bus to pick up children; at 6:20 a.m. I met two people driving without headlights on; no lights at all; not even parking lights.  Yes!  It was light enough they could see; but I could not see them without some effort.

To me these are idiots, and stupid people.  I am sorry for the terms, but that’s what you are if you drive without your headlights on in those twilight hours.  O, and those auto headlight switches are made to operate manually.  Use your head, and think while you drive; about driving.  It will be safer for everybody on the road.

Working from behind the scenes, to be seen on the road.  I want to be along the banks of Flat Creek a little longer; and I would think you would want to be around a little while longer too.  TURN ON YOUR HEADLIGHTS.  It doesn’t take too much effort; just thinking, and then doing.

-Tim

Going to Church

Some would think, “Well, You’re the pastor.  Of course you would go to church.”  I was going to church long before I ever became a pastor.  It is really not “Going to Church”; it is going to worship.  It is going to worship with others our Lord Jesus Christ; Savior of the world, and Lord and Master of the Universe and all that He has made.

My wife and I attend and are members of Carr Lane Baptist Church, down near the Arkansas and Missouri border in Southwest Missouri.  A country church with warm, loving people.

I am thankful today to be returning, because we were gone this past Sunday for our annual family get together.  I did get to hear a good sermon last Sunday by my brother in law; my sister’s husband.  It was good to be there with all our kids and grandkids; with the exception of one family.

It won’t be long and the wife and I will be getting in the car and heading for Carr Lane to worship.  Prayerfully, we worship Him everyday.  It is wonderful, however, to join other brothers and sisters in Christ to worship as oft as we can.

Writing from the banks of Flat Creek.  God bless you today and everyday.

-Tim

What a Wonderful Day

Every day is a wonderful day, however, today is wonderful because we are celebrating the 235th anniversary of the United States of America, and freedom from Great Britain.

I am thankful to Almighty GOD for raising up such a nation as this.  A nation free to believe in God, or not believe if that’s what one desires.  If you choose, however, not to believe in GOD please don’t think you have the right to stop me from believing, and I won’t believe that I have the right to stop you from believing what you do.  We also have the right to debate, discuss, and even argue vigorously over our beliefs, without attacking one another verbally or physically.

For 235 years this nation has lived by the grace of God.  She will only continue by that same grace of God.  Oh, how we need His mercy; and we have it.  Oh, how we need His grace; and we have that as well.  Let us rejoice in God’s grace and mercy today, thanking Him for the blessings He has bestowed upon us.

-Tim

A Sunday Afternoon

The wife and I returned from worship service at Carr Lane Baptist just minutes ago.  We had a great worship service, with patriotic songs, the pledge to “old glory” and the message on 2 Corinthians 3:17;

 “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

To begin the message I read Patrick Henry’s address to the House on March 23, 1775 where he said, “As for me; give me liberty, or give me death”.  This was said as there was debate in the house about whether to face the invading British military in battle or surrender and be enslaved to them.

The only liberty available to mankind can be found in Jesus Christ.  Without Christ you can be free yet bound.  With Christ you can be bound yet free.

Thank God for the freedoms we have in this nation.  It is He who has given them to us.

-Tim

The Fruit of the Ground

Yesterday morning I went out after breakfast and dug some potatoes.  We never planted any potatoes this past Spring, but we had potatoes growing from last year; so I endeavored to care for them, maybe a little too late; but I started to do so anyway.

I may have gotten 10 pounds of small to smaller ones.  Even among a few people I know who planted potatoes they have reported harvesting small potatoes.

After I dug the potatoes, I went and borrowed a pickup truck, and a chainsaw to cut a limb off a gate which goes into our family cemetery.  A week or so ago we had a strong wind come along and a limb broke off crushing one of the two metal gates, and resting on top of them both.  I cut the limb into wood chunks, and threw the brush from the limb over the hill side.  It looks much better now.

In the  afternoon I replaced a missing shingle on our house, which was due to wind damage some time ago.  That’s done now.

I am thankful for the Fruit of the Ground which the GOD of all creation has provided, and the labor that goes with it; especially the strength to do it, along the banks of Flat Creek.

-Tim