Bro. Bill Pritchett

2012-02-09T14:53:00.000-08:00

Peter, James, and John personally experienced the transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Hermon. Jesus was metamorphosed right before their eyes. This means that Jesus changed form. It says that Jesus' face shown like the sun. This was not a light shinning upon Jesus from without, but His deity shining forth from within. Dr. Herschel Hobbs writes it was "the wick of His essential deity, which from His birth had been turned down low, was suddenly turned up to burn in the brightness of His true glory." This was no hallucination, as some have said. Paul used this same verb to describe the transformation that is to come about in the believer's life. "Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2, HCSB). God changes you from the person you were into the person He wants you to be. However, this process takes place "by the renewing of your minds." Sadly, some believers still remain inside a cocoon because they will not allow God's Word to change the way they think. Make sure you regularly spend time with God in prayer. Make sure you regularly and systematically study God's Word. Make sure you also listen to the Holy Spirit as He seeks to teach you and show you how to apply God's truth to your life. As you do this, you will reflect the transformation taking place within you that will also shine so brightly out from you.

When Christmas is Really Christmas

2011-12-14T11:46:00.000-08:00

Christmas is observed by both Christians and non-Christians. For non-Christians, the focus is more about the decorations, parties, sharing gifts, and some much needed time off from work. It is largely a hurried holiday with very little if any spiritual emphasis. For Christians, Christmas is a time to focus on the birth of God's Son, Jesus Christ, and the salvation He provides for everyone who repents and puts their faith in Him. Sadly, many Christians give more attention to the decorations, sharing gifts, and enjoying time off from work than they do the real meaning and purpose of Christmas. In other words, Christmas is not really Christmas for many people.

How can we be awakened to the real meaning and intent of Christmas? Is there a way to reclaim and restore the real meaning of this season to our Christmas celebrations? Yes, there is! Christmas will really be Christmas when the biblical account of the reason for the season becomes the foundation for our observance and celebration at Christmas. Reading and studying the biblical account of the birth of God's Son can awaken us to God's meaning and purpose for this most wonderful season of the year-Christmas.

Christmas will awaken you to the real meaning and purpose of this season when you are numbered among the folks who sense glory's presence around you. "Then the angle of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified" (Luke 2:9, HCSB). While Joseph and Mary were taking care of their newborn son in a cave in Bethlehem, shepherds were taking care of their flock of sheep in the fields around Bethlehem. Suddenly, an angel appeared to them and shared the good news that in Bethlehem a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, had been born. Sensing the presence of glory around them heightened their sense of the true meaning of the event they had been told about. I pray that you sense glory's presence all around you this season and thereby are awakened to God's meaning for the Christ event.

Christmas will awaken you to the real meaning and purpose of this season when you are numbered among the folks who seek God's Son. "When the angels had left and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us'" (Luke 2:15, HCSB). The presence of glory stirred the shepherds to search for this Savior. Following the angel's instructions, these shepherds searched for and found the Christ Child. The Scripture says, "the one who searches finds" (Matthew 7:8). Not only can the Son be found, He has a great desire to be found. David told his son Solomon, "If you seek Him, He will be found" (1 Chronicles 28:9). The Bible also says that God "rewards those who seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). When a person senses glory's presence and searches for God's Son, God will reward the efforts of your search with the discovery of His Son, the Savior and Lord of humankind. I pray that you begin the search for God's Son, for He will be found by those who search for Him "with all their heart" (Jeremiah 29:13-14a).

Christmas will awaken you to the real meaning and purpose of this season when you are numbered among the faithful who share the Gospel message. "After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them" (Luke 2:17-18, HCSB). There are untold numbers of people who will be amazed when you share with them the gospel message. The truth is, they are waiting for someone to share Christ with them. I pray that you share the gospel message with others not only at Christmas but throughout the year as well.

When is Christmas Really Christmas? When Christ truly is the reason for the season. We know that we have been awakened to the Christ of Christmas when we sense glory's presence around us, when we search for God's Son, and when we share the gospel message with others. Sensing, seeking, and sharing will awaken you once again to the real reason for the season, the celebration of the birth of a Savior, God's only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas,

Bro Bill

The Greatest Way to Live

2011-11-28T14:58:00.000-08:00

While there are many approaches to life, only one approach allows you to truly make a difference. Many people have discovered the emptiness that results from trying to make a difference apart from exercising God's gifts through love. One of God's blessed gifts is patience. The apostle Paul connects this gift with love (1 Corinthians 13:4) but also says it is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). The Greek word for patience denotes delay, slow to be roused, like a pot that does not boil because the flame is keep on low. It is the quality that endures other's thoughtlessness and irritations without the lost of temper. It is the ability to be inconvenienced or taken advantage of by a person over and over again, yet without losing control. Such a virtue was not considered valuable in the first century nor is it today. However, it should be to every Christian. Every believer should be characterized by patience and love.

Paul writes, "I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience" (Ephesians 4:1, 2, HCSB). Every believer's daily conduct (walk) should correspond to his or her high position as a child of God and fellow heir with Jesus Christ. Let me offer three times when a believer should be patience. We should be patient when people inconvenience you, when they interrupt you, and when they irritate you. These can seem like small things but they are the proving grounds for developing patience in life, and when patience becomes a virtue in your life, then it will greatly benefit your life. In 2005, Jell-O turned 110 years old. The rights to mix fruit flavoring with granulated gelatin to make Jell-o was purchased by Pearl Wait from Peter Cooper in 1845. Pear and his wife, May, thought they could turn a quick profit, but it did not work out. Frustrated at the results of his new investment, Pearl sold the rights to Jell-O to a man named Woodward for $450. Woodward was more patient and in 10 years turned his $450 investment into a multi-million dollar business. Today, not one descendant of Pearl and May Wait receive one dime from the 1.1 million boxes of Jell-O that are sold everyday. I guess you could say that Wait could not wait. Impatience is very costly.

The greatest example of patience is our Lord Himself. Peter writes, "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9, NASB). God is patient in delaying the Lord's Second Coming for your benefit, so that you will come to Him through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. God is patient with the worst of sinners, but no one should presume upon or try God's patience. The prophet Isaiah writes, "Then he said, 'Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you t try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well?'" (7:13, NASB). It is possible for us to weary or to try God's patience. There comes a time when enough is enough and God will accept no more.

There is no better way to live than being a patient person. Let God's patience toward you cause you to be patient with others. But also, do not let God's patience toward you go unrewarded. God wishes that you come to repentance and faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Do not let His patience run out.