This weekend marks an amazing milestone for me personally, I became a “Christian ” on July 31, 1966 in Northboro,MA. I was a young 14 yr old boy and now that I’m an older man I can honestly look back with absolutely no regrets. It was the best decision that I ever made in my entire life. I would like to acknowledge the man who played such an important role in my young life, his name was Franklin Faull, a faithful gospel preacher. I was fortunate enough to travel with him on some of his revivals he held. Those were and still are “big moments” in my young life. He was such a powerful speaker in the pulpit, he certainly kept my attention. There were so many “teachable moments”, and he had such compassion for the Lord and it came through I feel in his voice. This man was in fact the one who taught me about the “birds and the bees” Something I never learned from my father who worked all the time to support his family of thirteen people.So as I look back over these last forty-five years, I’m overwhelmed and overjoyed that my God has loved me so unconditionally. Although God has always been faithful towards me, I have not always been faithful to him. As life as we all know, has it’s twists and turns it doesn’t always turn out the way you thought it should. Let me share what I mean, I never ever thought that I would end up being “divorced” or that my Christian wife would cheat on me ( at least with the preacher) that I would have my children taken from me and sent to live three thousand miles away.Starting in around 1980 I lost my mother to cancer then two years later I lost my sister to a brain tumor and then two years later I lost my father to a heart attack, so needless to say I was not in a frame of mind where I was “praising the Lord” those were difficult times as you can imagine.As a result of these times I fell away from the Lord and his church,in essence I was in a backslidden condition. My pain, heartache, confusion, anger, resentment, was all to real. My life just seemed to spiral downwards and down I went, it seemed to the bottom of life how could I not feel more rejected, hurt, lonely, depressed, and the “big question” in my mind was “Where’s God?” This is not fair, what have I done to deserve all this pain and sorrow, somebody has to explain this to me.So for about four years of my life I was running away from God not wanting anything to do with Christianity. I avoided people who where concerned for me, who tried very hard to love me and tried to reach out to me but I refused their every attempt. So in my anger and confusion I turned to the world and what they were offering. What they offered was a good time, i dated a lot, slept around, got drunk,(alcohol never touched my lips until I was 33 yrs. old) I smoked weed (marijuana) on several occasions, I wasted a lot of money on “sex drugs and rock in-roll” and then on June 2nd of 1985 in Tampa, FLA. I was arrested on a DUI charge something I’ve always regretted. But, praise the Lord those days are far behind me now, I want to share with you about a very special lady in my life that to this day I thank God for her, her name is sister”Frances Hastings” a godly woman who had served the church for years ( her husband was an elder)she became my “prayer warrior” I recall an incident that took place in her home that still gives me goose-bumps when I just think about it,after she had fed me some lunch she asked if I would kneel down by her chair because she wanted to pray for me. That was a “huge moment” in my life, when sister Hastings prays for you in her own godly manner you almost feel like your being knighted by the queen, that day I will never forget as long as I live. I guess I should tell you as well I’m grateful for her letters she wrote to me, from time to time I enjoy reading them all over again.So all these years later I’m proud to say that God is blessing my life in ways I couldn’t imagine, I recently spent about eight years teaching in a Christian Academy, I ‘ve been privileged to serve about four congregations as their preacher, I’ve traveled to hold revivals, youth conf., church camps, I’ve been blessed to travel overseas: Australia, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic. As I look back and recall as a young boy, the only thing that I’ve ever wanted to do is ‘PREACH THE GOSPEL” and that is precisely what I’m currently doing in the kingdom of God. I have so much to share the memories, the people, the congregations, the traveling, just the incredible way that God has worked behind the scenes to show me that he has a purpose and a plan for my life. Remember my friends, “GOD IS FAITHFUL” to God be the glory. So until next time my friends, Godspeed!!
Monthly Archives: July 2011
“MILK AND MEAT”
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Milk and Meat
By Kevin Cauley
Date written: March 31st, 2007
Scripture ref: 1 Corinthians 3:1-3
SUBJECT: Christian Growth
TITLE: Milk and Meat
PROPOSITION: When considering milk and meat we notice 1) the content of milk and meat is similar, 2) the consistency of milk and meat are different, 3) the consumption of milk and meat is different as well.
OBJECTIVE: That we would know how to discern between spiritual milk and meat so that we may become spiritually mature as Christians.
INTRODUCTION:
1. Read: 1 Corinthians 3:1-3
2. About the Text:
1) The church at Corinth had problems.
2) They were divided into groups.
3) Paul wrote to them to correct these problems.
4) Because of their un-spiritual behavior he had to deal with them as children.
5) Because of their child-like spirituality, he had to feed them with milk because they couldn’t handle meat.
6) Milk is for the spiritual babe in Christ.
7) Meat is for those who are spiritually mature in Christ.
8) Let’s consider a few things about milk and meat this morning.
3. A word about the meaning of this milk and meat.
1) Paul is speaking of teaching and learning truth.
2) Learning the gospel is like drinking milk and eating meat.
3) Let us consider this as we study about milk and meat.
4. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.
DISCUSSION:
I. The Content of Milk and Meat is Similar
1. Consider their makeup.
1) Both milk and meat have protein.
2) Both milk and meat have fat.
3) It’s not unusual that this would be the case since they both originate from the same source.
4) So, the content of milk and meat is, basically, the same.
2. This principle holds true in the educational world.
1) Reading, writing, mathematics, history, etc.
2) From grade school through college, the same things are taught only with increasing complexity.
3. The content of spiritual milk and meat is basically the same as well.
1) Spiritual milk contains the same teaching as spiritual meat.
2) That is to say that the same spiritual nutrition is contained in both.
3) All teaching comes from the word of God, the scriptures ( 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
4) It is the only source for spiritual milk and meat.
5) 1 Corinthians 10:3-4 teaches us the source of our spiritual food and drink is Christ.
4. By drinking the milk of the word and eating the meat of the word, we grow.
1) This is the process of learning from God’s word.
2) Jesus says to take his yoke upon us and learn from him ( Matthew 11:29).
3) In order to learn, we must know God’s will for our lives.
4) The Psalmist wrote, “Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments” ( Psalm 119:73).
5) Jesus said, “ Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” ( Matthew 5:6).
5. So we note, whether milk or meat we still study the same basic truths.
II. The Conditions of Milk and Meat are Different
1. Consider their physical properties.
1) Milk is a liquid.
2) Meat is a solid.
3) Milk is easy to handle, to divide, combine, transport, distribute.
4) Meat is much more difficult to transport and process, divide and distribute.
2. Spiritual milk and meat are similar.
1) Spiritual milk is teaching that is easy to understand and handle.
2) Whereas spiritual meat is teaching that is more difficult to divide and process.
3. The Bible teaches that there are both simple teachings and difficult.
1) There are first principles of the doctrine of Christ as recorded in Hebrews 6:1-2 “Wherefore leaving the doctrine of the first principles of Christ, let us press on unto perfection; not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the teaching of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.”
2) There are also things harder to understand. Peter wrote, “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” ( 2 Peter 3:15-16 )
4. Spiritual milk and meat may also be discerned through presentation of truths as well.
1) Take for example how Paul writes in 1 and 2 Thessalonians.
2) In 1 Thessalonians he speaks gently to the fledgling church. 1 Thessalonians 2:7 says of Paul’s manner, “But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:”
3) In 2 Thessalonians Paul reiterates some of his teaching while he was with them, “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” ( 2 Thessalonians 3:10).
4) Paul taught them this same truth while with them according to verse 10.
5) His manner of teaching was as a nurse with children when he first worked with them.
6) However, in 2 Thessalonians, he dealt with them abruptly and directly.
7) This also marks a difference between milk and meat.
III. Consumption of Milk and Meat is Different.
1. There is a difference in how milk and meat is consumed.
1) Milk is drunk, it goes down easy.
2) Meat must be chewed well which requires teeth.
3) Babies drink milk because they have no teeth to chew.
4) Adults, however, can eat meat because they have teeth.
2. Spiritual food is similar.
1) Spiritual milk is given to babes in Christ so that they can grow. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” ( 1 Peter 2:2).
2) Spiritual meat is given to full grown Christians. “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” ( Hebrews 5:14)
3. Problems occur when we partake of the wrong spiritual diet.
1) You don’t give meat to babes.
a. Just as babies need to drink milk to grow, so also new Christians must have milk to grow.
b. We teach the fundamentals.
c. Hebrews 6:1-2 teaches us that there are first principles: faith, repentance, baptism, laying on of hands, resurrection, and eternal judgment.
d. In order for new Christians to grow, they must learn these things first.
e. To give meat to babes and expect them to survive is to kill them.
f. The same thing will happen spiritually.
2) You don’t only give milk to adults.
a. While we give some milk to adults, that isn’t the only thing they need.
b. Mature Christians need mature spiritual food—meat.
c. If mature Christians do not get such food they will become spiritual babies once again.
d. Hebrews 5:12-14 states, “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
e. To demand milk when one ought to be eating meat, according to 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 is to return to carnality.
f. Folks who have been Christians long enough ought to know these things and has no excuse not to receive the meat of the word.
4. If we are to grow, our babes need milk and our matur Christians need meat.
CONCLUSION:
1. We have teaching in the Bible that is characterized by milk and meat. Let us understand the following…
1) The content of milk and meat are similar.
2) The conditions of milk and meat are different.
3) The consumption of milk and meat is different also.
2. If we want to grow let us partake of the correct spiritual food.
“THE INAUGURAL ISSUE”
A BRIEF BIO ON MIKE COLLINS
WELCOME BACK FRIENDS!!! NAME: MICHAEL D. COLLINS BORN: JULY 22 1952 PLACE:WELCH, WV. FAMILY:7 BOYS & 4 GIRLS EDUCATION: MARLBORO, MASS. & LAKELAND, FLA. & DENVER, CO. (college) COLUMBIA, SC. (FURTHER TRAINING) MARRIED: MAY 14,1988, FOUR CHILDREN, AGES RANGE FROM 20-35 CAREER: TAUGHT IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL FOR 8 YRS. COACHED BASKETBALL & BASEBALL. I’VE ALSO WORKED WITH FOLKS WHO HAVE DISABILITIES AS A “JOB COACH” THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY CAREER. I’VE BEEN BLESSED TO TRAVEL AS WELL. AUSTRALIA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, & JAMAICA. I’M CURRENTLY PREACHING TO A SMALL CONGREGATION OF PEOPLE HERE IN WV. SO THAT’S ENOUGH FOR TODAY MY FRIENDS SO UNTIL NEXT TIME!!! BE SAFE GODSPEED!!!
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— I LOVE THE QUOTE BY JOHN MAXWELL, “PEOPLE DO WHAT PEOPLE SEE” MY FRIENDS THERE’S A LOT OF TRUTH IN THAT STATEMENT, “DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE?”
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Good evening and welcome to my new blog site I’m excited to be able to come and share with you about life, family, some great stories, hopefully some humor from time to time. This whole social networking is still new to me so I ask your patience with me as I figure this whole thing out. I’m looking forward to our journey together as we discuss topics from all angles, your welcome to ask me about anything, I just hope I know the answer. There will be many spiritual topics as well being that I’m a preacher, teacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So once again let me say to all my readers and fellow bloggers ‘WELCOME TO THE VERTICAL VIEWER” I pray that God Almighty will be honored, blessed and lifted up.
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