FROM THE PEN OF BRO. BEN:

09/23/07

-BRO. BEN BLANTON

09/16/07

--BRO. BEN BLANTON

08/05/07

Ephesians 5:19  speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;. For those of the church who missed the 5th Sunday night sing, you really did miss an opportunity to see the power of God, hear the power of God and feel God's awesome presence in this place. There were hymns, songs, and testimony. Not only were there so many that offered their voice before the Lord, but even Hank & Alex, and a boy named Luke sang. Their small voices thundered before the feet of Jesus and were heard by the angels and we got to hear it too. A blessing to Jesus and he blessed it down on our ears too. We are the family of God and we are in choir practice here in this place preparing for the day we will sing before the Throne of Jesus Christ the King. There will be no fear to sing as we feel here in front of our friends, here God only expects us to sing with joy. Psalm 100:1-2 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Don't miss the next 5th Sunday night sing, come to receive a blessing from the Lord, He is faithful to give it.

-Bro. Ben Blanton

07/29/07

The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7 You can count on Jesus to know the difference in those who lip service and those who truly trust. It isn't too hard to tell among people those who have a great and proven trust of the Lord. It becomes obvious during hardship, it is seen in the reflection of the person who has to endure burden and tribulation. It is seen in the smile of an individual when the weight of the world is pressing against them. It is present in the attitude of one who has to face insurmountable odds. It can be best observed by those who understand that cancer and life ending illness only take the body and not the soul. Trusting the Lord is a process in which each day we give to the Lord more of our troubles and place less faith in self to manage our life. Trust is strongest when the participant exercises self preservation the least. How many people do I know who worry about the ills of eating, working and lack of recreation and forget that our life can be over in the blink of an eye. The Lord is good and in Him I trust, my day of trouble was before I met the Master, each day now is blessed in Him.

--Bro. Ben Blanton

07/22/07

It was time for the nation of Israel to cross over Jordan, but God said Moses could not cross, he could only look over into the land of promise. Moses selected Joshua to be the new leader of the nation. Moses had to lay his hands on him to show the people he had the blessing from God and they were to now follow Joshua. Joshua had to admonish the nation to be strong and of good courage and to follow the law which had been given them to obey. Joshua told them not to turn from it to the right nor turn from it to the left, so that they would prosper wherever they went. Today we have the same advice from Jesus. If you turn neither right or left, you keep going straight, if you haven't turned at all, then you are still in the center. That is where God wants us to be in our obedience, our giving, our service, and in our faith. Today we are to follow God's plan for our life just as God had a plan for Israel too. When it was time to recognize Jesus as the Christ, the Salvation of the world, the nation of Israel rejected Jesus as the King of Kings. Today the spirit has pointed you to the truth, will you reject or will you accept Jesus? God has given us the choice.

--BRO. BEN BLANTON

07/15/07

Vacation Bible School 2007 has now past, but how far will it reach? That is something only the Lord knows, but for us, we can only hope that something learned during this years event, will follow with those who attended all their life.  Think about this; what if there was a young person saved and this young person grew up and had three children. This parent were to tell their 3 children and others about Jesus and they became saved. And that generation spoke to of Jesus and others became saved. Sounds like wishful thinking doesn't it? Then think about the farmer who plants seeds in his field to produce his corn crop if he had just 1 acre of land 208.71 ft x 208.71 ft. If planted on 30" rows he could get 83 rows, and if the plants were 3 inches apart, he could plant 69,292 seeds each making a single plant. He has irrigation so he looks to make 3 ears per plant. On an ear averaging 13 rows with 32 kernels you would get apx. 416 kernels per ear, times 3, equaling 1,248 kernels per plant. If you have 69,292 plants with 1,248 kernels, you would harvest 207,876 ears or 36,476,416 kernels. A 525 % return is a corn crop, how many souls have you touched? Is your return 10, 30 or 100%?

-BRO. BEN BLANTON

07/08/07

Priorities, how do you deal with what becomes a priority? Today we are as busy as ever and sometimes the day just doesn't have enough hours in it. How do you place importance on the events and activities that fill your days? Our clothes dryer bit the dust this week right in the middle of an already busy week. It has taken a back seat to other things that have to get done first. It has taken us to the end of the week and piles of dirty clothes that will occupy the new dryer once we get one. It will test the new machine to it's limits until caught up. Life test us the same way sometime. The Lord may let things pile up on us to see where our heart is. He may place things in our paths to see what is important to us. He loves those who love Him, where is our love? Luke 12:34  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. And what is in your heart will also be the things you love. Jesus said to put Him first and all the other things will come in their time. Jesus loves his children to spend time in fellowship with him just as we as parents love to have our children visit and share what is important in their lives. Priority one: Jesus, then you will get the others right.

==BR0. BEN BLANTON

07/01/07

On the 4th of July, we celebrate our independence from England and declare to be free. We take the day off to cookout, watch fireworks or maybe go out of town with friends. Do your remember the day, when your freedom, salvation from the Lord, was granted? Should we remember the day when Jesus came into our hearts and celebrate it? Yes we should. Jesus gave us the Lord's Supper to observe, to remember the sacrifice of blood and body to atone for our sins. We should also  remember the day when Grace covered us and Salvation was imparted to our soul. We need to remember the path since that day and remember where we have been. We should take the time to look inside to see if the Lord has been given our all to work with. Our task is to tell others how he saved us, our personal experience. We are the mouth piece that holds the gospel of Christ. Share it with others in your daily conversations. Share it with them in your daily example. Share it with them in spirit by opening the bible and letting scripture speak to them. The Christian can claim to be free in Christ. We have independence from satan and sin. Our freedom from the world was because of Jesus. Celebrate him in Praise & Worship.

--Bro. Ben Blanton

06/24/07

Sin and hot peppers can be compared to how we as individuals respond to both. The bible says "All have sinned" so with that, we wonder what motivates our response to it. Peppers contain the substance called capsicum which varies in amount with the variety of the pepper. It is both a stimulant and an irritant and produces a burning sensation to all flesh, inside or out. Many people cannot tolerate the effects, while many push the limits to see how hot they can stand. For some, it's the pure love of the pepper, for others, it's the love of the endorphin rush that comes with eating HOT. We tolerate sin the same way. Many abhor sin, even in very small doses, while others seem to go for everything that can cause them pain. Sin is forgivable, the effect is similar with the peppers, the heat goes away. The Holy Spirit reminds us that sin is harmful to our spiritual experience. Just as the burning should remind us that the plant designed the sensation as a way to keep mammals from eating the pepper pods. Eating peppers rarely damage the body, but sin always does, even in small amounts. Unconfessed sin without Jesus will produce an eternal burning. Jesus can cure the burn.

-BRO. BEN BLANTON

06/17/07

Gen 27:9-10  Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savory meat for thy father, such as he loveth: and thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, so that he may bless thee before his death. It sounds almost like a fathers day cookout and indeed it was a day that blessed Isaac. Isaac like most fathers are blessed by their children and sharing a meal is a long time tradition. Even though we know more about the story and the two sons, fellowship with your sons and daughters are the crown jewels for a father. To look upon the neck of your offspring, and know the fruit you have born will carry the world into the next  years, is awesome. To know they will carry the torch of all you have taught to their offspring, which are your grandchildren, is the path of life. To know there has never been a break in life since the first father and mother, makes life a very precious thing. Today is another chance to mend the broken fellowship with your father, do it. Each day Jesus waits for his people to mend the brokenness with Him, do it. Happy fathers day to all fathers living and a nod of respect to fathers now past.

-BRO. BEN BLANTON

06/10/07

During this time of year, kids are out of school, people take time to travel and visit relatives and places that they want see. It's a time in which we can see the vast beauty of this place in which we live called earth. Even earth in it's cursed state is God's way of reassuring us that He has provided us with all of the physical needs we have. You cannot name one thing that we eat, live in, or use that doesn't come from the same ground we came from. God also uses the creation as a witness of His greatness even when we fail as children of God to testify of His Greatness and Glory. As we travel the summer road, let us take every chance we have to share a faithful testimony of what Jesus has done for us. Salvation through faith in Jesus should in comparison, pale the creation in it's beauty. What a marvelous thing God has done on Calvary. He overcame death and was not only just raised from the dead but was resurrected from the dead. That meaning, He came back glorified, in the new body, a body no more burdened with the physical demise we all live with once born to this world. He gives us hope that we will also receive what He has prepared. Praise Jesus.

--Bro. Ben Blanton

6/03/2007

Acts 10:42  And he charged us to preach unto the people, and to testify that this is he which is ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. Where does your conversation begin and end with a person to whom you are talking? Each time I speak to a stranger, I try to throw in a word or two for them to respond to. If they respond in a positive way, I like to make a claim of the greatness of the Lord and how good he has been to us. It slowly progresses into a conversation where I ask of their church involvement, which leads to my sharing my witness of Jesus Christ. People don't like to think about the judgment that is coming. Many just plainly don't understand the judgment and what it involves. Others choose to bury their heads in sand, hoping that it will go away. The bible says it is certain and is coming to all. To share your witness with someone who is a believer is an edifying event, to share it with an unbeliever is overwhelming. To be in the lineup of folks who have helped in Lord's work to bring this person to salvation is heavenly. It only happens when we testify and share our witness to those around us. Jesus will speak through the faithful.

BRO. BEN BLANTON

5/27/2007

If you think the fires and smoke in Florida and Georgia is bad, wait till you see hell! We often time hear from folks that deny hell exists and say God would not cast people there to that place if He is a loving God. The answer to that is correct. God is a loving God and doesn't want any to perish there. But for Him casting them allows us the choice of heaven or hell and honors our wishes to be where we want to be. God does choose who goes to heaven because only He knows if the heart truly believes the truth about Jesus being the son of God, the sacrifice for sin and Jesus' resurrection. 2 Thess 2:13-14 says that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth; whereunto he called you through our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. God would like us all to be redeemed. We choose God or the world, and we live and die according to what we have found to be truth. Through the Word of the Gospel we find truth. When we find truth, we have to do something with it. We can believe it and it will become our salvation, if not, it will become our damnation. Believe in Jesus!

BRO. BEN BLANTON

5/20/2007

If you were traveling and you got lost, what would you do? The obvious answer would be to ask someone how to get to where you are trying to go. Beware, for all don't know the way. Some may even guide you the wrong way to cause you harm. Isaiah tells us in chapter 30:21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, "This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to the right hand or when you turn to the left hand. Many times we listen to the directions of man without also listening to the Holy Spirit and the Holy Scriptures. A person of God can give you good direction but, only when you have heard the voice behind you, the Holy Spirit, can you be sure of the quality of the instruction. On directions less than obvious we can turn to the scripture which will point in concert with the Holy Spirit the direction we are to follow. The sad news of today is many of the flock don't know what the Masters voice sounds like. The bible says in those days many will be deceived by false prophet and those hearing that the Christ is here or there. There is only one way to heaven and the map is clear. It is by your belief in the resurrected Jesus who went by the way of Calvary.

--Bro. Ben Blanton

4/22/2007

What does the world see in you? A better question may be, what do we see when we look in the mirror? The bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:12  For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I have been known. When looking at our image, does it reflect the Godly qualities that Jesus desires we reflect to others? Can you look into your face and see the joy that we are to have in Jesus? Do you see distress? Where then is the trust? Do you see despair? Where then is our hope? Can you see in the lines of your face compassion and love? I challenge you to stand before a mirror and look at every detail that is on your face. Discard the vanity and the idea of so called beauty and really look close and observe. What we sometime overlook is always seen by others. If there is no smile, if there is no compassion, if there is no hope, if there is no joy, then the world sees our pain, distress and agony. The world does not want more of the same. People are looking for the truth If Jesus can't deliver us from the world, there is no faith, hope or love. Without faith we betray Christ in defeat, instead, lift Christ in Victory by living your faith with Joy!

--Bro. Ben Blanton

04/15/07

Today is the dreaded tax deadline for most. More than likely if you have a refund, you have already filed early, if not you may have waited till the last hour of the last day. We find Jesus who was asked if it were lawful to give tribute unto Caesar. He asked for them to show him a penny and look to see who's image and superscription was on it. They answered, "Caesar's." Jesus said to them to give to Caesar's what was due him and to give to God what was his, and they marveled at his answer. We do not cheerfully give our portion of tax to our own government and neither do many of us give cheerfully to God's work. It is a carry over from how we feel inside. All things belong to God. If you want to know what belongs to you, look inside a casket at the next funeral you attend. Even the garment on you will stay in the grave! The point is; if we cannot give back the things that are not ours like money, how can we give things like love, affection, visitation of the sick and families of those who are in turmoil and strife. The most dreaded day may be judgment day, when Jesus will ask an accounting of all that he gave us to give to others, our testimony and witness!

--Bro. Ben Blanton

04/08/07

Just when you think things cannot get any worse, they kill your teacher, your leader and friend. You are also under suspicion and subject to arrest along with your friends. Already this sounds a little like the day in which we live. These days of terrorism, suspicion, and fear are taking a toll on the church, the people of God. We are servants of the Jesus who God raised from the dead. The Jesus who walked on water, the Jesus who healed the sick, the Jesus who restored sight to the blind, Jesus the Christ who has become our savior, the Jesus who has conquered death and granted life to those who believe on Him, so why are we troubled? We are heirs of the King of Kings so who can be against us? Jesus has called us to be bearers of light and workers in the fields white unto harvest. Our fears should be channeled into service, our service be made into the completion of God's will, that all might hear the gospel and the word unto salvation. Then the unbelievers will hear, the widows, orphans and fatherless will be served and our eyes will not be distracted from Jesus. He Lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

--Bro. Ben Blanton

04/01/07

Today is the day pranksters love. It's a time when children play April fools on an unsuspecting friend. Everyday the old' serpent, the devil, loves to try and pull a fast one on God's children. To avoid this, we must recognize the direction we're being lead. We all wish for knowledge and wisdom and to know what is right. Proverbs 1:7  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction. I recently talked with a friend, a man of God, who answered a comment I made about a feeling I had inside. The word he spoke was the same message that I had read in the bible, he just said it a different way. The point is, if hadn't recognized the message, I wouldn't have been sure the direction it would have lead me in. God speaks through the Holy Spirit, His Holy Word the bible, He speaks through persons, places, situations and things.  When God speaks through speaks through persons, places, situations and things.  When God speaks through someone it is wisdom and instruction. Be careful not to despise the correction God is telling you. When you see a message in situations, know that God cares enough to try and correct your path, so you won't be an April fool, any month of the year.

-Bro. Ben Blanton

03/25/07

Are you happy? Do people like to meet you and see how things are going? Or, are you that one, when people see you coming, turn to avoid? 

A happy person is a person with a glad heart, a heart filled with hope, a thankful heart. It is said of happy people in Psalm 126 that, "We are like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations. ""The Lord has done great things for them."" The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad." God has done great things for us, wouldn't you agree? For those who are constantly sad the same Psalm gives this hope, "Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seeds for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."

When we look at the world we can become hopeless and sad, but when we look at the world through Jesus, we see the Son is always rising. Every moment we live through Jesus is like a new sunrise bringing a new day and a new opportunity to see the hope that salvation brings to all of us. Be happy and smile, it's contagious and is never fatal.

--Bro. Ben Blanton

03/18/07

When we look out at the world, are we seeing what is really there? How much good and how much evil do we see as we gaze upon this creation?1 Peter 5:8-9 Says,"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world." The point is; don't be discouraged by what you see, be encouraged what the bible teaches. James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from thee. When we submit ourselves to God, we are entrusting our lives to Him. Proverbs 18:10 says, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." We tend to get blinded by satan's deceptions, the world is still under the control of Jesus Christ. The mission of the church is to reach the lost with the words of the Gospel of Jesus and help the widows and fatherless. We are to exemplify and testify the name of Jesus by our love one to another. We are to embrace hope and share that hope with those who are hopeless. Share Jesus today.

-Bro. Ben Blanton

02/25/07

Have you ever wondered how we can please God? I know, living right, not drinking, not smoking, not partying, just being good and keeping your nose clean, isn't that it? Psalm 147 say's, "The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those who hope in his mercy." God is pleased by our fear? Yes, fear, not that God will wipe us out over our sin, but fear, that God will do all he said he would do and says he will do in the bible. In Isaiah it says that, "Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. This people have I formed for myself, they shall show forth my praise. Hebrews states, By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Hebrews also says, But without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. If you want to please God, fear him in a healthy way, give him praise for making us, worship God and honor him, and be strong in your faith. It will please Him.

-Bro. Ben Blanton

01/21/07

If you can look at a newborn baby and say you have never seen a miracle, you have missed one of the most obvious of miracles.  The odds are great against a babe ever becoming a life sustaining child.

When you behold the helpless cry, or hear the coo's, or see the persistent stare of the new babe looking at it's mother, you see God's amazing touch in His created beings.  God has wonderfully adapted this world to provide our every need just as a mother provides for every need of her newborn child.  Jesus has seen our needs and provided.

Jesus came as a babe just the way we do today.  Jesus didn't have prenatal care and the technology of medicine as we have today.  But he had the same loving mother as many of us have had.  We look to the life giver of our own existence and then we look just a little farther and see Jesus with His loving arms wide.  He sees us as we are, how we will be, how we will become.  He saw us as we could have been without Him.  That is why He died on Calvary.  He lived to die so we could live instead of dying in sin.

Bro. Ben Blanton

01/14/07

When Jesus asked Simon Peter, "Doest thou love me more than these?" Peter said, "Yes Lord, You know that I love You." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."  Today the message is the same to each of us.  "Do you lovest thou more than these?"

We are quick as Peter to say, "Yes Lord we love You."  But how do you show your love?  Are we feeding the sheep?  Are we the sheep that need feeding?  Today we have more education about Jesus than the disciples that walked with Jesus every day.

Are we tending to each other?  Do we have any compassion or tender care?  Will we love others as Jesus teaches us to love?  What will we say in that day when Jesus will ask, "Brother or Sister, do you lovest thou me more than these?"  Then why have you not fed my lambs?"  Are you feeding from God's Word?  Have you come to drink from the fountain?  What will you say to Jesus when He asks you why you have not fed His lambs?

Bro. Ben Blanton

01/07/06

The times are changing and the hustle and bustle of life causes us to forget how short the days become.  The pace of life often hurries us faster than we want to go and we soon think it is normal and becomes our life.

The Bible says life is but a vapor, life is likened to tender grass which is today but tomorrow is withered and dry. Jesus wants us to have a plentiful life, full of blessing and fulfillment, not as the world would think, but rich according to the will God has for your life.

We wander through life without Jesus, but with Jesus we are led by the still waters, made to lay down in green pastures and have nothing lacking in our physical being.  We walk through the rough places with a guide and are sheltered from the harshness.  We walk through the valley of the shadow of death but fear no evil.  Don't let the fast pace of life rob you of the joy God has for you in every moment.  Live for Him today.

Bro. Ben Blanton

12/31/06

With the New Year comes new resolutions, which are not so resolute.  The fact remains that because Jesus was so resolute in His purpose, He made it so we could have resolution in the choice of eternal life with Him.

Because of His resolution, we have the view of life with a resolution equal and better than High Definition TV.  We have resolution under Jesus that even the individual hairs of our head are numbered.  Can't get that with HD TV.

In my final year end resolution, I am resolute in the idea that we need a more resolute resolution to be more resolved in being resolute with any and all decisions that we make as resolutions in 2007.

If you have not resolved to be more resolute in your resolutions, then it is time to do so.  Never put off until tomorrow the things you can do today.

Bro. Ben Blanton

12/24/06

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.  When what to my surprise did I find, but a family bible, with the pages folded and bent.  As I looked closer I could see, passages marked and notes that were made.  I even found a note on a page, of a prayer that was answered and so many more notes that were made.

There was a tree with lights all ablaze, there were packages with bows all arrayed.  To my wandering eye did see, a folded church bulletin and an open Daily Bread.  I thought it may be sugar plums and fairies dancing in my head, but no!  There were signs all about that led me to believe that they knew Jesus and that was an encouragement to my soul.  I knew they had a balance of the giving spirit with the Santa craze, but knew Christmas is the birthday celebration of Jesus who saves.

As I made my way North, back to the pole, I had been blessed to find a Christian witness in thes home and it felt good way down in my soul.  Merry Christmas to all.

Bro. Ben Blanton

12/17/06

During this time of year we tend to be more giving and the days seem special.  When we hear of injuries and death, it seems to sadden us a wee bit more.  At Christmas you seem to feel the loss more so than at other times of the year.  It is not that the love is no different or the loss less than it is at other times of the year.

It's because when Jesus was born, hope was born with Him.  Next to Jesus, we feel how much we need Him and without Jesus how hopeless this life would be.  It's the time of year when we realize how much we have even when it is just enough.

If you feel it in your heart to give, by all means give it.  God challenges us to prove Him wrong and see if you can out-give God.  He will open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings larger than we can receive.  Think what Jesus gave, He gave it all so we could have it all.  What has he given to you?  Try giving it away!  He will give it back to you thirty, sixty or a hundred fold.  Give Jesus this year, the world is waiting.

Bro. Ben Blanton

12/10/06

This is the time of year, when our hearts should embrace Jesus' birth.  For many, it's Santa and gifts, even the love of St. Nick is shoved aside.  The deceiver has obscured our eye and we all have arrogant pride.

No longer does our love suffice, it takes a gift that is twice as nice.  it has become the hustle and bustle of parties, the opening of presents and gifts.  Our focus is on self and no longer honoring the birth of the baby King.  The virgin birth is the matter of speculation instead of steadfast belief.  The Sheppard's and wise men, are to some, just characters of a story sweet.

For it is easier to believe in a man with a white beard and red suit, than to believe that Jesus came as a babe, lived without sin, and went to the cross, for those of us who would find salvation, through that same belief.  Jesus gave the seasons best gift when He gave us forgiveness and Saving Grace.

Bro. Ben Blanton

12/03/06

When Joseph and Mary found themselves with child, they had the same concerns as many may have today.  However, with Mary and Joseph, they knew they had done no wrong and they knew the Lord had spoken to them.

In today's world, many have no concern for the things that are wrong because they are accepted as normal for our day and time.  The things we do may be hidden from others, but not from the eyes of God.  We need, more that ever, to walk in truth, in honesty, in purity and in Godliness.

Jesus came to live with us and experience everything that man has to bear.  Jesus walked the narrow path to Calvary, and there died for us, the payment for our sin. During this season let us remember His birth, during this season let us not forget why He came here. John 3:17, "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

Pray for those that need the touch of Jesus in their lives.  In Jesus' Love,

Bro. Ben Blanton