I remember many years ago sitting on the front porch of my grandmother's tar paper house built during the Great Depression in Hartwell, GA.  I can still remember the fifty coats of grey paint that was peeling from the front porch swing and the smell in the summer of her garden.  She had few amenities and was excited to get indoor plumbing in the 1950s.  She never drove a car and walked everywhere.  She worked diligently and she rarely complained about anything.  She always had a good word to say about everyone and never did she indulge in gossip.  She made ends meet on a limited income and managed to save and always gave her tithe to the Lord at church.  Did I mention, she walked to church almost every Sunday except when it rained and then friends gave her a ride.  Life was simple, not so fast.  She always read her Bible and prayed and took time to converse.  Her moral compass was leading her home to Jesus.  You see while a physical compass points north, our moral compass should always lead us closer in our relationship with Jesus which ultimately will lead us home to heaven and our reward.

Sunday in those days was for church.  Church in the morning and church at night.  In the middle was time for food, fellowship and family.  Everyone in the family came to Grandmother's house for lunch.  Fried chicken, green beans from the garden, macaroni and cheese casserole and biscuits from scratch.  There was laughter and catching up on the events of the week and just plain old conversation and relationship building.  Nothing like today, where a quick bite to eat while looking at our smartphones and not speaking a word and then on to the next task seems to be the standard of the day.

Jesus, church and family were always the Sunday agenda when our moral compass was fixed on Him.  What has happened over the years?  The American family is in decay, more marriages are ending in divorce, fewer and fewer people attend church, rarely do families come together to eat and fellowship and when they do more than half of the family is buried in a smartphone rather than conversation or relationship building.  Between the decay of the family unit and a lack of Christian discipline and principles like church attendance, America seems to be headed for self destruction....why?  The moral compass isn't pointed towards Jesus but towards the flesh or the things of this world.  Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and watch how things change....

Lord, help us stay fixed on You and keep our moral compass headed in the right direction.

Philippians 3:14 King James Version (KJV)14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Where will you be this Sunday?  Who will you invest your time with?
Be Blessed this week in Jesus name!

Horatio Spafford penned this hymn after tragedy struck in his life.  First, the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, ruined this formerly successful lawyer financially.  In 1873 the economic down turn continued to cause him issue, he planned to travel to Europe with his family on the SS Ville Du Havre.  In a late change of plans, he sent his family ahead while he remained to deal with zoning issues as a result of the fire in Chicago.  While crossing the Atlantic, the ship his family was traveling on struck the ship named the "Loch Earn" and the SS Ville Du Havre sank killing all four of Spafford's daughters.  His wife, Anna, sent the famous telegram, "Saved alone....".  While traveling to meet his wife aboard another ship, as Spafford passed by the area where his daughters died, he penned this hymn....

It Is Well With My Soul
(Original lyrics)[1]

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know,a
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well, (it is well),
With my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
A song in the night, oh my soul! b

a "know" (at the end of the third line) was changed to "say".
b "A song in the night, oh my soul" (last line)
was changed to "Even so, it is well with my soul".

Psalm 62:5 King James Version (KJV)5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.




Jesus is an ever present help in time of trouble.  He provides the peace that truly passes human understanding.  In the midst of triumph or tragedy, all praise, all glory and all honor belongs to God.  It is good to be reminded that no matter what problems I face in my life, someone else is facing tougher problems.  No matter the issue, God has everything under control.  I am alive because of Him and because of Him.... It is well with my soul.

Be blessed In Jesus Name!
Pastor Pilcher

Excellent message from Rev Charlie Dodd on Sunday.  If you missed it, shame on you because you made a choice to not attend church.  Sister Tiffanie asked a great question, "If you knew Jesus would be in church, what would your excuse be to miss?".  Of course, there is no excuse and OF COURSE JESUS IS IN CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY, this Sunday was no exception.  Rev Dodd preached on "Choices" and that we all make a choice.....

2 Thessalonians 2:10-11 King James Version (KJV)10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

We must first love God and loving God means loving God's Word and loving the truth.  If we don't we can be deceived and the scripture states that "God shall send them strong delusion".  We make choices every day, our first choice should be to serve and love God!!  We either choose God or we choose the world...It is very clear in the scripture.

John 10:10 King James Version (KJV)10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Satan is here to steal your joy, kill and destroy you.  After he does, he has no use for you.  It is on to the next soul to destroy.  God came, manifest in the flesh, Jesus came to bring life and bring it to you more abundantly.  You have a choice to make each day.  Choose life, Choose God!!!!

Joshua 24:15 King James Version (KJV)

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.