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Good Sunday Morning!!!
We recently hatched a few chicks. We kept them in a cage to protect them from the other chickens until they were big enough. As they grew, we realized two of them were roosters, which we don’t need, so we let them out to free-range. Now they were free to go wherever they wanted, but what did they do? They hung out by the cage. This is understandable, since this is where they were fed and had the company of the other chickens. They eventually began venturing farther and farther out, and now they spend most of their time exploring.
While this is understandable chicken behavior, it isn’t a good idea for people who have given their heart to Jesus. We were once lost in the prison of sin, but Jesus sets us free when we give our hearts to the Lord, and we are to leave our old life and start a new life as a new creation. We may be tempted to go back to our old places of sin and hang out with our old friends, but this isn’t wise. When Jesus sets us free, we don’t toss it aside for what used to seem comfortable. Venture out and be all you can be for Jesus by making new friends, serving the Lord, and being an Ambassador for Christ. Witness to our old friends, absolutely, but never place yourself back into a situation where you can be tempted to fall back into your old life. Surround yourself with God-fearing, loving Christians who will encourage and strengthen you.
2 Corinthians 5:17 states, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
Romans 6:6-7 “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.”
1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”
2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?”
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Great things going on at the Karen Peck and New River Homecoming!
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Good Sunday Morning!!!
Someone asked me what it was like to be retired. I joked, “Well, now I have 6 Saturdays and a Sunday.” Yet in reality, I still work and stay active because there is always plenty to do when you live in the country. There are animals to take care of; fences to mend, buildings to maintain, grass to cut, trees to trim, and the ever-present honey-do list. Yet I do have more time to enjoy my hobby of oil painting. Someone also asked me, when I said I had retired from pastoring, whether I can ever retire from being a pastor. You can retire from being an active pastor of a church, but you never retire from being a pastor or from the ministry. I still run revivals, preach when needed, and send out a daily devotion. I still actively minister, but in a different way.
What many people miss is that they think ministering is what you do, when, in reality, it is an expression of who you are. God may use you in different ways throughout your life. I have pastored, served as headmaster of a Christian school, authored books, hosted a television show, and served as a Christian counselor. Nothing to brag about, but just to show, I have always ministered in various ways as the Lord led me. Don’t see yourself as a position or a job title, but as a servant willing to do whatever the Lord leads you to do. From the time you are saved until you die, you are a minister with the primary goal of reaching the lost with the gospel. Anything else God chooses to do through your life is up to Him and will always be a blessing. Believe me, God will use you in ways you never dreamed of. Just be available.
Romans 12:6-8 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
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Through these devotions, I try to encourage believers to be their best for the Lord. In doing so, I am often speaking to myself, for there are areas in my life that can improve for the Lord as well. Our view of ourselves is often shaped by comparison. In our sin, we may think, at least I am not as bad as that other person, or we may think our position or opportunities somehow make us superior to others. On the other hand, we may look at those we see as successful or more spiritual and feel we could never attain what they are. We make a big mistake when we compare ourselves with other people.
Now, there is a place for role models and mentors who can give us good examples to follow, but when it comes to comparison, there is only one thing to compare ourselves to: that’s God’s Word. How we measure up in the eyes of others will always be subjective and often inaccurate, but how God sees us is how we really are. Don’t be inflated or sidelined by what others think of you, but honestly judge yourself based on God’s Word for real improvement. Let’s be quick to see our faults and weaknesses and ask the Lord to help us and strengthen us. We never look better than when we are pleasing to God.
1 Corinthians 11:31: "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged."
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
2 Corinthians 10:12 Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
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Do we ever confuse God? You know, when half the church is praying for snow, and the other half is praying it doesn’t snow. Or when Alabama is playing Auburn, half the church is praying for Alabama and half for Auburn. Or how about when people pray for Jesus to come back now, and others are praying for Jesus to wait until their children are saved. It must really be confusing for God to know what to do, right? Not! God is never confused, but I wonder about how He may feel about some of our prayers.
We as Christians sometimes express our wants in prayer without always considering the will of God. We, in our immaturity, think God is there to answer whatever self-centered desire we may have. As I have gotten older, I have noticed my prayers have changed. They are no longer so egocentric, but rather with a heartfelt desire to see God’s will done in every situation. Yes, I still pray from a personal desire from time to time; we all do, and yes, God is concerned about every area of our life. However, I have also learned that our time is short on this earth, and we do not need to waste so much of our time and prayer life on temporary wants or desires. There are so many more important things to pray about than our favorite sports team winning, and we do well to learn our wants are not always the best for us in the long run. I guess that is part of maturing in Christ, and by understanding God is sovereign and it is His will that truly matters, we will then be the best servant of God we can be.
James 4:3 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
1 John 5:14-15 says, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”
Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
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Welcome to “Getting To Know You with Host Paul Pitts” and his special Guest Clarke Beasley. Clarke is the Executive Vice President of the National Quartet Convention. You will enjoy today’s interview as Paul and Clarke discuss the National Quartet Convention, family, and Clarke’s attendance at the Southern Gospel Promoters Association’s Memphis event this week.
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Good morning and welcome to “Getting To Know You with Host Paul Pitts”. A couple of weeks ago on May 30th we would have been celebrating the birthday of our friend Jeff Stice. Jeff was a great musician and Gospel Music artist that left us back during the Pandemic and we miss his funny character and his music. I went back and pulled up the last interview I did with him at the Roopville Baptist Church in Roopville, Georgia. I hope you enjoy listening to Jeff and his thoughts on his career in Gospel Music.
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This Sunday Morning on “Getting To Know You with Host Paul Pitts” will be Clarke Beasley, Executive Vice President of the National Quartet Convention. We will get an update from him on the National Quartet Convention, his family, and being part of the Southern Gospel Promoters Association’s Memphis TN event next week. Tune in Sunday Morning!!
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Welcome to “Getting To Know You with Host Paul Pitts” and his special guests – The Mylon Hayes Family. Based out of Hudson, North Carolina, the family’s roots are all about the Lord, Gospel Music and edifying the church. Myron and Wendy got married in 1995 and we have been able to not only watch them but also watch their children Conner, Bailey, and Kennedy grow up on stage. They are a wonderful and dedicated Gospel Music Family and we talk about their history, the family, and their music today. We hope you enjoy getting to know them better today and be sure and follow them on social media and their website TheMylonHayesFamily.com.
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Our special guests Sunday on “Getting To Know You with Host Paul Pitts” will be the Mylon Hayes Family. They have a tremendous sound and you will really enjoy getting to know them better Sunday. Thanks to our friends at Gospel Music Roadshow for providing this great video of them !!!
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Multi-award winning family group The Hoppers have been singing to global audiences for over 60 years with appearances ranging from presidential religious inaugural ceremonies and New York’s Carnegie Hall to singing conventions and church platforms. They have performed throughout the United States as well as...
