7/31/2022

Judges 2, tells a sad story about Israel. It starts out where an angel of the Lord tells the people that God brought them out of Egypt with the instruction to not make friends with the inhabitants and that you will destroy the false gods, their places of worship and have nothing to do with them. The angel ends verse two with, “but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?”

Then the chapter continues with the fact that the people of Israel served God until the last leader that had seen the works of God had died. Then in verse eleven states: “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim:” In other words they turned their backs on the one that delivered them and now they hear how they made God mad: verse fourteen states: “And the anger of the lord was hot against Israel. “

Today, when we follow God, we receive the blessings from God and many times we do not realize them: health, a roof over our heads, a job, a car that runs, food to eat, and the ability to attend the church of our choice. However, just as soon as we decide not to follow God our blessings begin to stop. Most of the time it is at this point that we get mad at God.

This brings several questions to mind. Why have we done this? Why turn from God? Why blame God for stopping the blessings? Why blame God when it is our fault.

Judges 2:2

And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?

C.I. Wilson

Heavenly Father, help us understand that we need You and that if we follow Your commandments that are in the Bible and we learn Your voice so that we can be better Christians, better workers in Your harvest field. Then we can praise Your name, no matter the problems that come our way. Amen.

7/10/2022

While traveling recently I heard about when the Israelites refused to do what God had instructed them to do; then went on after thinking it over and did it. I know that you probably thought like I did. Better late than never. However, that is not how God works.

Now I did the smart thing and said maybe I heard wrong, so I looked it up in my reference book (KJV Bible). It took me awhile because I thought it was in one place and it was in another. However, I did find it in Deuteronomy chapter 1. While reading this chapter, I found out that it was recapping what had transpired after the crossing of the Red Sea.

When God asks us to do something, He has the timing all worked out, where it is the best and most of the time easiest time for us to do that task. Whereas, by us trying to do it in our time, our way, and when we think is the best timing; we mess up and usually end up in more trouble than when we started. Notice the pronouns; God’s timing verses our timing. God knows best, therefore we should always follow God’s timing.

            God wants us to be obedient and willing to do what He asks of us. When we refuse to do what God asks, we are showing signs of unbelief and maybe rebellion. In this case, we find in verse forty-two they were not to do what they planned because as God told Moses to tell them: “Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you.” In verse forty-three, Moses tells them “So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord.” When we do not follow God’s leading, we are out of His will.

What we need to remember is that when we follow God’s leading that He is with us. Let us remember that being in God’s will is always the best place to be.

C.I. Wilson

Heavenly Father, help us learn to decern Your voice so that we can tell that it is You telling us to do something and where we cannot be fooled by the voice of the devil. Amen

7/3/2022

This week I have had new things come at me from several directions. If they were all good, would I have thanked the Lord for them? If they were all bad, would I have complained and whined to God that life was not fair? As it turned out I got good things and some that I am not sure about. However, this I do know. God is the supplier of all my needs.

The main thing I have to remember is that for my own good some of my needs are answered with “Name Brand” supplies, some with “Store Brand” supplies, and some with supplies that come from “Second Hand” supplies. Do I want anything else besides the “Name Brand” or am I going to praise God for supplying my needs? Let me give an example.

My old car breaks down. I would like a new car that should not break down. Sometimes in life this happens. Other times I have had to go without a car, or a friend or relative loans me a car or I get a used car. It should not matter how God supplies my need of a car as long as I thank Him for supplying my need.

It matters to God how we react when He supplies the need that we have asked Him for. Just like it matters to parents when their children have a need or want, and they are not able to supply the best and must supply the next best. Maybe it is because the child is getting spoiled or that the funds are not there, or they cannot find it. We need to be thankful even if the answer is no and not whine or complain because we did not get our way.

How do you react to the things in life that comes your way?

C.I. Wilson

Precious Lord I ask that you show us the best way to respond to the changes in our lives. Not as complainers, but as thankful for your goodness. Amen.

6/26/2022

Another IFGEA Camp Meeting has passed. It is one that you will not be able to attend. I will take this time to give you an idea of what you missed.

You missed our newly remodeled Fellowship Hall and the new restroom facilities. When you walk into the Fellowship Hall it is so bright. Sister Shepard found all the wall art and pictures that was donated over the years and displayed them. This gave the appearance of being bigger. Plan on being at our Camp Meeting 2023 to see for yourself.

Now to the good stuff. The services were something to experience. Sister Lynn Wingrove, with some assistance from Brother Wingrove led our opening choruses. If you like the old-time choruses from thirty to sixty years ago, you would have been blessed by her selection. For the younger generation there was some choruses for you as well. Thanks for the memories, Sister Wingrove,

Brother Gary Wingrove preached the opening service on Monday night. Then gave the morning services to a very capable Board Member, Sister Donna Stephens. She did a very good job of keeping the Ministers under the ten-minute rule so that we got to hear from every minister that attended the morning meetings at least once. Then in the evenings we heard from Brother Troy Slagle on Tuesday, Brother Johnny Manners on Wednesday night, Brother Dan Gibbs was Thursday night and Brother Daniel Gachuthi from Kenya, Africa and Sister Pam Shepard closed the Camp Meeting out on Friday night.

You will never be able to this year’s Camp Meeting. However, you can start planning to attend Camp Meeting 2023. Put it on your calendar, June 19 – 23, 2023. Start praying for it and saving your money so that you can attend. God will not only bless you, you will receive multiple blessing by hearing the good music, singing and preaching.

Seeing you next year for Camp Meeting 2023. June 19-23.

C.I. Wilson

6/19/2022

Recently, I was listening to Exodus on CD and when Chapter 8 came along, God started speaking to me about “One more night with the frogs.”

Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the Lord, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord. And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only? And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the Lord our God. Exodus 8:8-10

We all say that we want what Esther had, “A night with the King.” However, so many of us settle with “One more night with the frogs.”

We go to church and spend just a few hours in God’s presence and for many, they expect it to last all week or longer. I wonder how close we could get to that person that God wants us to be after spending a whole night in God’s presence? Not just once – many times?

Yet so much of the time we fail to go to Our Provider when we need something, we fail to go to Our Leader when we do not know where to go next, and we fail to go to Our Healer when we are sick. This indicates to me that we are like that Pharaoh, and we want one more night with the frogs and sometimes we want a lifetime with the frogs.

How many times do we go around worrying about a problem? We talk to our family members, our friends, sometimes we may even talk to our Pastor about something that is bothering us, yet we never really take it to the Lord. We would rather talk/complain about it and half heartedly say a quick prayer and expect God to do the work.

In other words, we are more like this Pharaoh than Esther. She wanted something from the King and went out of her way even to the point of fasting and stepping out in faith to get her answer. Yet so many of us would rather spend one more night with our problems, our sickness, our sins then to go to God in prayer.

C.I. Wilson

Dear Heavenly Father, help me to want more time with You and less with my problems. Help me to be an example of the lifestyle that You want all of Your children to have and less like Pharaoh. Thank you Lord for reminding us to turn to You for our help. Amen.