How to find your way out of the "woulds."

Some church members are hopelessly lost in the "woulds." I would go to Sunday School today, but I enjoy a little extra sleep on Sunday morning... I would take my children to Sunday School and Church, but Sunday is my only day off... I would teach a Sunday School class but my job doesn't leave time for that... I would witness to others about Christ, but I don't know what to say... I would give more to the church, but there's nothing left after paying the bills. The only way out of the "woulds" is to set you eyes on Christ and follow Him. He will show the way!
James 4:17 says, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." i.e. it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
In this context, "to do good" is to take God into every aspect of our lives, to live in moment by moment dependence on Him. If we know we should do this, yet fail to do it, we are clearly sinning. Of course, the principle is of broader application. In any area of life, the opportunity "to do good" makes us responsible to do it. If we know what is right, we are under obligation to live up to that light. Failure "to do" so "is sin" against God, against our neighbors, and against ourselves. It is sin to doubt whether an action is right and yet go ahead and do it; it is also a sin to know what is right and yet not do it.
So my beloved, don't get lost in the "woulds."

My Father’s Legacy

This past Sunday was Father's Day and I had the opportunity to enjoy my children (except for Daniel who's in Spain right now). Amanda, Heather and Daniel are such a blessing to me and I love them deeply. However, I would not be the father I am today without the example of my godly father, Dr. Mance R. Cason. This picture of me, Daniel and Daddy was taken about four years ago while I was pastoring in Glennville, Georgia at the Ebenezer Free Will Baptist Church. The picture simple reminds me of my great and godly father and the responsibility I have to be the kind of father for my children that my father was for me. Thank you Daddy for being a God called man, kind, compassionate, loving, selfless and generous. You have given me mighty big shoes to fill. Thank you for being an example of a godly father.

Finish Well

Sunday's reminds me of a family reunion. In my family, June is the month when the Cason clan gets together for a "family reunion." However, I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God! So that make's every Sunday a "family reunion." Don't miss the "family reunion" this Sunday!!!

Well, I woke up this morning with another thought on my mind for today's email, but during my Bible reading and devotions, the Lord redirected my thinking.

I was reading from 1 Kings 11 about Solomon. May I paraphrase? Solomon loved many foreign women. The Lord clearly instructed the people of Israel, You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods. Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord. In his old age, they turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the Lord his God, as his father, David had been. The Lord was very angry with Solomon, for his heart had turned away from the Lord. He had warned Solomon specifically about worshipping other gods, but he didn't listen to the Lord's command. So now the Lord said to him, Since you have not kept my covenant and have disobeyed me, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you. Because of Solomon's sin I will punish the descendants of David, though not forever.

No one is immune to becoming spiritually sidetracked. Some of God's greatest servants have experienced failure and been restored. Dr. Bobby Clinton of Fuller Theological Seminary said, "In a study of 100 of the more prominent leaders in the Bible, less than 30 finished well. This means more than 60 of them were sidetracked by such sins as the abuse of power, pride, illicit sexual relationships or the improper use of finances."

Clarence E. McCarthney called Solomon "the wisest fool that ever lived." He ruled a nation but had no rule over himself. He had wisdom for everybody else but would not apply it to himself. The man who wrote Proverbs 4:23 did not obey it. "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

It is one thing to know the Word but quite another thing to do it!

Solomon obviously got right with God in the end. God used him to pen the Book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. But how much better it would have been had he obeyed the Lord. Are you living by what you know is right? Or, is it just something that is in your head and not in your heart! (cf. Proverbs 4:23) All of us know how God wants us to live, but how many of us are obeying from the heart? James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

I will close with these words from Solomon. "He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls." (Proverbs 25:28) "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecc. 12:13)

Brayden Helps PaPaw Cut Grass

Today has been a great day! It started early this morning seeing the Lord bless a young lady in our church with successful surgery at UNC! Then visiting a lady at Wake Med. who has been very, very sick and seeing the Lord's healing in her life. We serve a great and gracious God.

After a little shopping and lunch, we headed home for the afternoon and evening. I finished putting together a shelf and cleaned out the garage. A much needed project that I've been needing to do for weeks. I've actually got my car parked in the garage for the first time ever. I hope I can remember when I parked it in the morning.

Jonathan, Heather, Luke, Amanda and Brayden came over and we were chilling and grilling. It was a beautiful evening and after supper, me and Brayden took to the yard to cut the grass.

However, the highlight of the evening was talking to Daniel in Spain via Skype. We all gathered around the little web cam and had a family reunion. It was great. Daniel is doing good. He said their services have been about two hours and seems to be enjoying the people. The custom in Spain is to greet one another with a holy kiss. He said he was with some folks the other day and they greeted someone they knew. They kissed Daniel, so he said he kissed them back. He was so funny! He will be there for 44 for more days and we are counting down the days. We miss him so much, but we are thankful he has this opportunity. He is experiencing a lot of history. He said he's not staying very far from where Christopher Columbus was before leaving to discover America. I'm looking forward to hearing all about it when he gets home. He said he may get a chance to go to Rome, Italy before he comes home.