Rock a bye baby, the church is asleep!!!

Praise the LORD!!!

   and wake the f*## up!!!

Now, did that get your attention???

"Rock a bye baby," what an unusual title(not to mention that second line) for a Christian blog. Let me say, "it's a warning of that which is to come."

For decades now, the BODY of CHRIST has been lulled asleep by the preaching from our pulpits. Ministers, proclaiming to preach the GOSPEL, yet only preaching that which the Christian receives and is in the eyes of the LORD. Nothing on that which the LORD has called us to do.

All in all, there is nothing wrong with the Christian knowing their standing before the LORD, but when all else that the LORD taught about is forsaken, then there's a problem. Due to this preaching, our eyes have been turned inside, no longer focused on those things the LORD set forth for us, to do out and about for a dying world. We gather once or twice a week, putting on our best of shows, only to walk out those doors and live no differently then the rest of the world. Those whom we were sent out(called) to be examples for.

Today, there is no longer a difference between a Christian and any other person of this world. Sure, there is for that day or two during the week, that we practice our religion, but the other five or six, NONE. Many want to use the excuse, "that we have to live in this world and survive," but isn't that statement wrong on so many points!?!

  "They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), [just] as I am not of the world.

 Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth."

~ John 17:16,17; AMP 

"Trust in the Lorde with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

       ~ Proverbs 3:5,6; NIV  

   " He who loves [and * takes more pleasure in] father or mother more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves [and takes more pleasure in] son or daughter more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me;

 And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [* cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me.

 Whoever finds his [* lower] life will lose it [the higher life], and whoever loses his [lower] life on My account will find it [the higher life].

~ John 10:37-39; AMP

There are those that will say that the church is not asleep, but is suffering from a state of "being lukewarm." Well, you've got to have a pulse to be "lukewarm," and when the church sees nothing outside of it's OWN focal distance, it's worse off than "lukewarm," it's asleep. Void of any cognitive functions, resting intently on that which it knows and HAS. In other words, ASLEEP !!!!!!!

It is time that the BODY, the CHURCH, woke up and turned their eyes upon the LORD. Focusing upon that which HE set forth before us to do and not that "goobly gook" that has been preached before us for so many years. It's time that action was taken, and not just thought about. It is time that our hands and feet began operating outside our circles and in the trenches where those that are in need of help are. It is time, that the CHURCH began resembling CHRIST and not just some foggy image upon a mirror.

Use these verses, but don't stop with them, cross reference and seek out GOD from within HIS WORD!!!

GOD bless and good day,
 Rev. Marshall Barth
 Vine of CHRIST Ministries

Laying hold

Praise the LORD!!!

   With the beginning of a new year many people's minds are focused on that which lays ahead and that which is behind. When really the matter that should be our primary focus, "is that which today holds."

   We are not promised a future day, but are given this one alone and that which we do within it's confines is up to us. Will we use it to the fullest to bring glory to the LORD??? Or will we use it for self gratification and the fulfillment of our lust??? The answer is one that only you can make and is totally dependent upon your relationship with the LORD!!! Have you taken up your cross to follow HIM??? Or do you maneuver around within this world as a fleshly entity, wrapped in Christian apparel??? "Forsake all and follow me" isn't just a suggestion, but a command of our LORD. One we must strive to bring about within our lives!!!

   The year that lays behind us should be considered, but not in a way that most would think. We must consider the "points" of our walks and those thing accomplished for the glory of GOD and leave behind those things that were worldly. We must also consider those places within the last year where GOD moved within our lives. Those places where HE was either leading us to learn from HIM a better WAY, or where HE was pruning us, teaching us those things that we needed to leave behind to perish in the winds of change!!! Many are those that will want to hold onto these things, when they're truly not for us to hold, only to reflect upon and learn the lessons of the LORD from within them.

   Let us each lay hold of this day, live it to the fullest. Living it to the glory of the LORD and praying that if we do well with this task at hand, HE may well bless us with more days ahead to repeat this task!!!  GOD has set a path before us. HE has placed people in our way, people we should interact with and lead towards the proper paths for their own lives. We can not carry them along with us, but they must make their own choices. The choices they make are dependent upon that which you do to guide them, but ultimately it rest in the hands of the LORD. HE is the one that has directed your paths to cross. HE is the one that has formed each of you into that which you are and it is HE that has purpose for these interactions between your lives. So do your best to listen and react with these others. Do your best to follow your guide. Do your best to leave an impression that will continue to lead them on. This my friends is the way, we make the most of that which we've been blessed with and can look forward to days ahead, if it is HIS will !!! :{)))


 GOD bless and good day,
 Rev. Marshall Barth
 Vine of CHRIST Ministries 

Proverbs 3:5,6;Trusting the LORD no mattter what

 Praise the LORD!!!

    This is a return to a verse which is one of my life verses. In unfamiliar with the term 'life verse,' these are verses that we focus our walks with the LORD and our lives upon. Proverbs 3:5,6 are two of the three that have been extremely important within my walk with JESUS. To be a fact, it was these two verses that I started this devotional blog out with.

   Proverbs 3:5,6

    

 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

 6 in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight.

    Oh, so sweet are these verses to my heart! For they reveal to me that if I am totally willing to trust the LORD during my life and walk for HIM, that HE'll lead me a guide me through all that comes my way. So very reassuring when difficulties come ones way.

   We face many difficult situations within our hectic lives, sometimes far more than even seems possible to with stand. If we're willing to take our eyes, heart and mind off of focusing on these the LORD is very willing to take care of us and lead us through them. Now this act, on our part, is quite hard to do fully. Because we've been so trained by life independent of GOD, to fully release all that we're facing. Here is where our faith steps in and plays a major role. If we've but little faith, we tend to release our problems into GOD's hands, but quickly take hold of them again. If we've a medium faith, we'll release them and then begin to dwell upon all the things that we can do to correct the problem ourselves. As our faith level goes up, we tend to rely more and more upon GOD's handling them, worry less upon them ourselves and begin to listen for HIS remedy to them and HIS leadership to carry us beyond them.

   I believe that the key to this state of being, lies in but three of the verse's WORDS, "your own understanding." Yes, our own understandings! Our own understandings about the problem? NO. Our own understandings as to how to solve the problem and overcome them? NO. Our own understandings of what then? Our own understandings as to WHO GOD is and that which HE is capable of accomplishing!!! In other words, what do you really believe about GOD. Do you believe HE is all powerful and nothing is beyond HIS scope of accomplishing it? Do you believe that HE loves you and cares more about you than any living thing in creation? An do you believe that HE is willing to reveal to you that which is needed to proceed with your life after these problems are solved?

   If you've been following me in recent days, you'll know that I've some problems on my hands. Having quit my only means of income and living in an area with few friends and no transportation. I've been a week now in this state and though my faith is strong, I must admit, that it was wavering a bit. Until last night when I was praying over these matters. I put forth the problems and many scriptures that related to them. Before I could even finish asking whether I should go back to work with these people, with the dollar pay increase, the answer came. It was a hard NO, sharp and clear, right to my heart! I started to ask if this was truly HIS leading and it came again, but even sterner!! You must understand that this wasn't my normal prayer time, that had been two hours earlier, when I was first going to bed. This was after all this time of trying to get to sleep and having my mind running full blast on steroids. After this second, conformation, I laid down, and I must say "still feeling a little antsy!"  Well the next thing I know my alarm is going off this morning. I need no greater verification than that! When my spirit has been so satisfied by an answer to prayer that I fall almost instantly to sleep, I realize GOD has given me the answer. Sure I don't know what the next several weeks hold for me. What I do know is that GOD has blessed me with this day and I'll do my human best, to bring glory, honor, praise and worship to the only one worthy, JESUS!!!!!!!

Use these verses, but don't stop with them, cross reference and seek out GOD from within HIS WORD!!!

Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org 

GOD bless and good day,

Rev. Marshall Barth

Vine of CHRIST Ministries

Proverbs 3:5,6 - Trust

Praise the LORD!!!
   It has been a busy day here for me. I've been working on graphics for the ministry and since I've no one but myself to do it, I worked on them all day. Plus having to thaw my computer out several times, it hates graphics:) So I put it to prayer and am going to post an earlier published devotional. Please forgive me if you've already read it, but with it just being myself in the ministry here in the states I've got to do it all. As soon as the weather here warms I may have to do this again, because I've several jobs to do and no one to help with them. Oh well, its the life of one totally sold out to GOD with no one else sharing the vision. I know this will change, but until it does, again please forgive me!!! You should be seeing the labor of my hands on the website before long. GBU!!! Rev. Marshall Barth


  
   Since this is the first of these devotionals, I guess there is no better place to start then at one of my life verses. Proverbs 3:5,6

       "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

         in all your ways acknowledge HIM, and HE will make your paths straight."

   I have been a Born Again Christian since January 7, 1995, when the LORD had finally had enough of my running from HIM. I was incarcerated for taking part in an armed bank robbery, I was the switch car driver. I had been in jail for three days and already arraigned, seeing what I was facing crushed my heart within me. Thirty five years total. All I could see was that I'd really messed up and my life as I'd known it was gone forever! Now more of the details on this can be found in my book, 'Out of the LIGHT', on the ministry's website so I'll not go farther in details.

   I had seen what directing my own life had gotten me and through CHRIST finding me at this time, I turned the reigns over to the LORD and I mean fully over to HIM! No longer would I seek to do things my own way, or through my own wisdom, but through prayer, I would allow GOD to guide me and teach me all that I needed to know. I was totally offering up my 'trust' in HE which, at the time I only had a small understanding of, had begun to totally change my life. Now, I will have to say that it is hard enough to place control over your life into the hands of another that you totally understand everything about. Yet to turn it over unto one that you've only the slightest knowledge of, is mind boggling. Kind of like giving the keys to your car to a perfect stranger and climbing into the passenger seat for a spin!

   Since this time and these events, I've not once regretted this choice. sure there were times that I had to wonder about what GOD was doing and why, but never have I regretted it. I have no stress at all within my life, at times its as if I'm weightless because of the lack of burdens that I'm carrying. At others, the weight might be great, yet I've no fear or worry as to the outcome of the events. I know that for some reason GOD has allowed all events within my life to form and shape me into that perfect vessel unto HIS glory. There are no doubts in my mind that everything that happens is allowed to by GOD, not always by HIS hand, but always allowed to happen. This, all to HIS ultimate glory, honor and praises. Each path that I walk down in life has been formed just for me and HIS purpose for me to bring attention unto HIS KINGDOM in some manor.

   It is like this 'daily devotional', I don't know where GOD is leading me through it, but I do know that HE has enlisted me to do so and I'll do everything as led to by HIM. You may ask, 'how I know this leading is of GOD?' All that I undertake is first prayed upon and then I await HIS leading. Either through and audible word, scripture reading or an impression upon my heart. Heart, not mind, for the heart is the seat of the HOLY SPIRIT within our bodies and not the mind. Our minds can be influenced in many ways not of GOD, so I don't trust it. Our minds are the seat of our problems throughout life. With our own understanding we determine what we are going to say and do. This is where Adam and Eve made their biggest mistake, allowing their understandings to govern the way they reacted to satan's suggestion. So seek not to allow what you see and think to govern your actions, but listen to your heart. To that very place where the HOLY SPIRIT dwells within you, to lead you and guide you in all that you ever say, do or think. In this way you will be allowing GOD to mold you and shape you into HIS very image. That which we are to be as Christians, CHRIST-like!!!

May GOD bless you and lead you all the days of your life!!!

Rev. Marshall Barth

Vine of CHRIST Ministries

Vine Ministerial Network International

p.s. to all those that read these, please let me know what you think of them. For I am seeking to bring glory to the LORD through them and would truly love to know if I am fulfilling that which HE has led me to do.