The Shepherd's Voice - Lewis and Shirley

THE RESURRECTION -THE UNDISPUTABLE EVIDENCE
July 4, 2023

I Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

The evidence that changed everything. The evidence that is undisputable and undeniable is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection validated everything that Jesus said, especially concerning who He said He was and that eternal salvation was paid for at the cross. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from death and the grave gives us a living hope, because Jesus is alive, and this living Savior is available for all His people today.

The resurrection separates Jesus from all prophets that have ever been. Jesus was more than a prophet, more than a good teacher. The resurrection is the proof that He is God. When you accept that Jesus died for your sins and that you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 19:9-10). You can know that your sins are forgiven and you have a hope in heaven forever.

God is presently with you and will be with you forever. And you have the promise that God will bless you with the desires of your heart. He encourages you to cast all your cares upon the Lord because He cares for you. Your past, your present and your future are secured by the resurrection of Christ. All power and authority are given to Jesus because of the resurrection. And because of His resurrection there is no other name given whereby men must be saved. Hallelujah and praise God for the resurrected Savior, Lord, God, and King, Jesus!!
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

THE RESURRECTION -THE UNDISPUTABLE EVIDENCE
July 4, 2023

I Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

The evidence that changed everything. The evidence that is undisputable and undeniable is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection validated everything that Jesus said, especially concerning who He said He was and that eternal salvation was paid for at the cross. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from death and the grave gives us a living hope, because Jesus is alive, and this living Savior is available for all His people today.

The resurrection separates Jesus from all prophets that have ever been. Jesus was more than a prophet, more than a good teacher. The resurrection is the proof that He is God. When you accept that Jesus died for your sins and that you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 19:9-10). You can know that your sins are forgiven and you have a hope in heaven forever.

God is presently with you and will be with you forever. And you have the promise that God will bless you with the desires of your heart. He encourages you to cast all your cares upon the Lord because He cares for you. Your past, your present and your future are secured by the resurrection of Christ. All power and authority are given to Jesus because of the resurrection. And because of His resurrection there is no other name given whereby men must be saved. Hallelujah and praise God for the resurrected Savior, Lord, God, and King, Jesus!!
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

GOD’S HOLY PRESENCE CONVICTS OF SIN
July 3, 2023

I Timothy 1:15 This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

From a human perspective, the apostle Paul’s record as a zealous persecutor of Christians should have precluded him from being in God’s service. Paul was known as the chief of sinners, a blasphemer, persecutor, and violent aggressor (I Timothy 1:13-15).

I remember telling a friend of mine about someone who would be great to come and speak at his church. He was a deacon so he asked me to tell him a little about the man. I said, “Well first of all, you need to know he is an ex-convict, he was kind of like a mafia kingpin. In fact, he was reasonable for having some people killed.” He said we don’t want anybody in our church like that. I told him I was talking about the apostle Paul. Paul’s testimony was if God could save him and use him, He could save and use anybody.

The truth is, the closer you get to God and His holiness, the more your sinfulness is exposed to you. The more time we spend in God’s Holy presence and His glory, the more we feel the same way Paul did. One evidence that you have really encountered God is conviction of sin, which is a good thing. Wherever God is there is conviction of sin. If you never feel conviction of sin, I would wonder if God was there. Some people are looking for a church where they never feel any conviction. It’s sad, but you can find that today easily. No conviction equals no God. When Paul said he was the foremost sinner, it was because he was in the presence of God. God’s holy presence convicts of sin.
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

WHEN IT’S GOOD TO TEST GOD
February 1, 2023

Malachi 3:10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

Our faith in God should affect every area of our life. Our Christian walk is more than just a few minutes in church on Sunday. The fact is, He is to consume every area of your life. As I began to seek to be a follower of Christ, I struggled to release compartments of my life. Honestly, I grew into tithing. But I found out, like most people, that God is true to His word.

Tithing is not only to test God’s faithfulness, but it’s also a test of your loyalties and values. Jesus said you cannot serve two masters. You cannot serve God and money (Matthew 6:24). Do you value God’s promises more than money? If you value God’s promise, you will be cheerful when the offering plate comes by on Sunday. People who value money more than they do God’s promise hold back from giving, making up excuses for not giving.

God promises to open up the windows of heaven and pour out blessings on you and your family. Do you value the promises of God more than money? Receive this promise and you’ll be excited next time the offering plate comes by. It’s good to put God to the test in the area of money.
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

DON’T LET OTHERS BEAT YOU DOWN
August 14, 2021

I Peter 4:16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

Some people have the misguided belief that if a Christian suffers it’s because they’ve done something to deserve it. Like Job’s friends, when he was going though a series of sufferings, they were doing good until they began to talk. As long as they sat in silence they were some comfort to Job. But they had the wrong belief that as long as you did good, and had enough faith in God, only good will happen to you. Or, if you do wrong, then bad things will happen to you. Maybe it’s normal to wonder why bad things happen to good, godly people, but it’s wrong to presume to think you know they have some hidden sin or they wouldn’t be suffering.

Verse 15 says, “Don’t suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer.” Our text is talking about a Christian who is suffering for no fault of their own. It’s really hard not to wonder why these bad things are happening to you. It may be because you are a follower of Christ, and others led by satan make false accusations, or they slander your good name. How should you handle suffering when you know you don’t deserve what you’re going through? Our text says to hold your head up, and give glory to God during your suffering. Praise God anyway! Don’t let others beat you down. Keep your head up and let your praises be heard.
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

Good Evening. I’m going to be off Facebook for a few days. Vertigo! I’ll miss y’all. Love and prayers for you all . Pastor Lew.

YOU’LL BE THANKFUL YOU DID
April 30, 2021

I Chronicles 16:34 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!

Are you a chronic complainer? And maybe you really don’t want to be because you’ve noticed complaining doesn’t change anything, but only brings you down and hinders your relationships. If perhaps that is you or someone you know, I’ve got the solution. Start thinking about things you are thankful for. Start before you get out of bed and continue thinking of things to be thankful for throughout your day. Count your blessings and be thankful. Why does that work? Because you can’t complain when you are thankful. It’s like trying to eat when you have your mouth full of food. You can’t complain when your heart is full of thanks. Try it, you’ll be glad you did.

I’ll be honest, sometimes I find myself thinking how bad things are. But then I start to think how good God is and has been to us, how often He has always provided for us. When I start thinking how good God is to us, my heart starts filling up with thankfulness. Start now and think how good God is and you’ll be thankful you did. Count your blessings and you’ll find they outnumber your problems.
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

JUST ASK PAUL
April 29, 2021

Philippians 14:9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me- practice those things, and the God of peace will be with you.

I used to think honesty, integrity and hard work were all you needed to succeed. I still believe that, but it’s a shame some people don’t operate that way. Many times it seems that the leaders of our country do whatever and say whatever they need to in order to be elected. After they are elected, then doing wrong is accepted, and then sadly, it is almost expected. We have come to expect our leaders to lie to us.

Yesterday we watched Baltimore, Maryland burning to the ground. Just listen to the leaders of that city and those connected to the White House. They fix the blame, not the problem. True leaders fix the problem not the blame. The Bible says the nation that forgets God, it’s cities will be turned into hell (Psalm 9:17).

I just love Paul’s confidence. He knew he was living right when he said, basically, do as I do and as I teach. How many leaders can say that? And then he says, if you’ll do what He says and follow my example “the God of peace will be with you.” It may be old fashioned, but it is what is needed today to fix the problems - honesty, integrity and hard work. Just listen to Paul.
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

STUDENTS OF LIFE
April 28, 2021

Psalm 119:93 I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life.

You know, it’s a shame but it’s true - “It takes all of life to figure out life.” The Psalmist realized the value in the teaching of God’s Word. How did David figure this out? I would suggest it was his failures more than his successes that taught him to seek and learn from God’s precepts. David was teachable. He was humble enough to know he needed to learn and he was wise enough to know that God is the best teacher. If anybody knows what life is about, it’s God who created it. David humbled himself and was seeking to learn from God’s precepts.

People come to church for different reasons. Some know they don’t know and they come to hear from the Lord. Some don’t know they don’t know and they come, but not seeking to hear a word from God. They play on their phones or their tablets or are busy whispering or writing notes instead of worshiping.

David was a good leader because he was teachable and good leaders are always teachable. David knew he could learn something from God, and he wanted to grow, therefore he was teachable. It doesn’t matter how good of a cook you are if the people are not hungry for what you are cooking. It’s sad, but you’ve seen the type. They are wrongfully placed in leadership, and no one, not even God, can tell them anything. A good leader is first teachable. God is our Teacher. May He help us be good students of life.
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

DON’T WASTE YOUR PAIN
April 27, 2021

II Corinthians 1:4-5 who comforts us, in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

Nobody likes pain. We naturally wonder where is God when it hurts? And why is this happening? The Scriptures tell us that suffering may occur from a variety of causes, including natural disasters, the consequences of our sins, including the affects of others’ sins against us. Whatever the causes and whether we ever figure it out, our response can include two things: turning to God for comfort and then comforting others who are in pain.

Author Zig Ziglar says, “God never promised a pain free life.” Some preachers claim God will give people unlimited prosperity and health, but those promises prove to be a cruel hoax to those who believe them. Instead, God promises that our pain will never be in vain. No matter what we experience and whether we ever learn the reason or not, God is willing to enter into our pain with us. The process may be short or long, but if we cling to God, we’ll experience His mercy and comfort. Then and only then will we be able to comfort others who feel just as much despair, emptiness, and heartache as we felt in the midst of our pain.

My wife, Sister Shug as I call her, will celebrate thirty-seven years cancer free this October. I have seen her comfort many others who receive the report that they have cancer. When this happens, I see this Scripture fleshed out. Don’t waste your pain. Comfort others who may be hurting.
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

WE ARE IN FOR A FIGHT
April 26, 2021

Ephesians 6:10-11 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Author C. S. Lewis said that we often make one of two mistakes about the devil. We either make too little of him or too much of him. We need to avoid these two extremes. In the book of Ephesians, Paul writes beautifully about our new life in Christ, and the way we work together as the body of Christ. He gives us clear directions about how to relate to God, to our family members, to other believers, and to those who don’t know Christ.

Now Paul addresses the issue of spiritual warfare. After you become a Christian and even after you’ve been a Christian for years, don’t be surprised if you find yourself in a fight. The enemy has done a good job at blurring the line of right and wrong. For example, if I ask the question I’m planning on asking my Sunday School class, “What is more important, truth or love?” Before you answer, think about this.

What if the person you love and that has promised their love to you, chooses to give their love to another, is that wrong? Why is it wrong? Now, I ask again, what is more important - love or truth? Don’t let the enemy talk you into laying down your armor of God which is held together by the belt of truth, that breastplate of righteousness which is to guard your heart. We are in a fight. Keep all your armor on!
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD

II Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

The Bible is no ordinary book. It is the living Word of God that will last as long as God will, and that makes it eternal. God breathed into man and he became an eternal soul. Someone has rightly said that every time you read the Bible the Author is present with you. When we study the Word of God we are studying the heart of God.

The Word of God is profitable for reproof, for correction, and training in righteousness. None of us like correction or reproof. Because of that, many ignore much of the Word of God. They treat the Bible like a buffet, just picking what they like and ignoring the rest. Can we not see the moral decline in our society? We are living in a day when there seems to be no absolute moral truth. That is left up to each individual, which leads to chaos. Could it be that even the church is ignoring much of the Word of God?

We need the whole counsel of God. Speaking for myself, there have been times I read the Bible and thought, ouch, I wish I had not read that. But I’ve also learned that if I want the abundant life that Jesus offers, I need His correction and rebuke at times. If I ignore the Scriptures that teach righteousness, reproof and correction, I would not know if I were headed in the right direction or not. We need the whole counsel of God. I for one am thankful for it all.
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

ASK AND ASK BIG
April 24, 2021

John 16:24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name, Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Jesus was teaching His followers at least two things. First, the Father is not a hard taskmaster. He is not sitting just watching for you to step out of line so He can slap you up side the head to straighten you out. He does not enjoy us suffering. He loves us and enjoys blessing us and answering our prayers.

I think sometimes we have the wrong impression of God and we are afraid to ask Him for anything. He loves us and He delights to bless. If He would give us His only Son to die on the cross for us, then is there anything we could ask that would be greater than what He has already given to us? Our text is telling us, encouraging us, to ask and ask big.

Secondly, Jesus is teaching us to pray in His name. Why is that? Because there is only one advocate with God the Father and that is Jesus Christ. Jesus is at the right hand of God making intercession to God for you and me. Praise God! Pray and ask in Jesus name and ask big. Our God is up to it. If not, why did He tell us to ask?
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

IT’S ME LORD THAT NEEDS PRAYER
April 23, 2021

Romans 2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. ( ESV)

One of the greatest fears we all have is being judged and/or rejected by others. I think perhaps this is one reason a lot of people stay away from church, and the reason some people leave the church. Simply stated, it’s the fear of rejection. All of our lives we are seeking approval. As children we seek the approval of our peers, the approval of our parents. And as adults we seek the approval of others. That’s reason enough for Paul to warn against judging others. Jesus also taught about judging in Matthew 7:1-3.

Yes, there is and always has been those who sit in judgment of others because it makes them feel better about themselves. I’m no psychiatrist, but if you will notice the people who normally do this have low self-esteem issues. Pointing out others’ faults, they think they are hiding their own. Paul said they are telling on themselves.

Have you ever noticed the ones hardest on smokers are ex-smokers? I don’t claim to know why it is, but we are quick to judge others’ faults that resemble our own. So if we’ll take inventory of our own faults, we’ll see we haven’t the time nor the energy to fix everybody else. Lord, help me not to judge others. Help me use my time and strength to better myself, to straighten myself out and leave others up to God.
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

HUMILITY BEFORE HONOR
April 22, 2021

Proverbs 18:12 Haughtiness comes before disaster, but humility before honor. (Amplified)

Haughty means disdainfully proud, snobbish, scornful, arrogant, supercilious. Don’t you just love people like that? You know the type that thinks they are better than anybody else, and they make sure you know it. They’ve made a little money, they’ve been blessed, and now they like to act like they are above others. To prosper is well and good, but some people can’t handle any kind of leadership position because they become haughty. Haughty comes before disaster. Some folks enjoy lording over other people and these people can be dangerous. But humility comes before honor.

There is an old saying “that a rising tide lifts all ships.” I just watched a young man from my hometown of Newport, N.C. win the world’s championship in the 250 class super cross racing. It was impressive when he was on the platform to thank everybody - his parents, his Savior Jesus Christ, everybody on his team. It really blessed my heart to hear this young man lift up everyone who helped him win the championship. Humility before honor. That has a good sound to it, but more importantly it’s true. May God bless all of us with a humble spirit. Lord, help me lift up others today.
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

PAID IN FULL
April 21, 2021

Isaiah 53:12b …because He hath poured out His soul unto death; and was numbered among the transgressors; and He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.

Jesus took our place. We are guilty, He was innocent. He was sinless, we are sinners, but yet a debt He paid for us. He was numbered among the transgressors for the transgressors. It’s hard for us to understand how He loves us so much that He took the place of the guilty. Jesus took on Himself our punishment so we could go free - free to worship God without guilt, free of fear of punishment. The law of sin is 100 percent satisfied by Christ Jesus. He stood in our place and paid our debt in full.

Imagine you’re about to stand before a judge for crimes you have done, and just as your fate is declared, your brother stands in for you and says let his guilt and punishment fall on me. The law only needs to be satisfied, so the judge agrees to let the law be satisfied and paid in full by the brother. Now your brother is numbered among the transgressors and you go free. That’s what Jesus has done for us. Praise be to God and thanks be to Jesus for all He has done for us. When you read or watch a movie of the crucifixion remember all that Jesus has done for you.

Jesus, our Intercessor. He paid our debt in full. Paid it in full!! Your debt is paid. Rejoice! You are free to worship because you are free of sin. Jesus paid your transgressions in full.
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

GOD SEES WHEN YOU GIVE
April 20, 2021

Matthew 6:1 Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

We are not to give or do our good deeds in order to be repaid, but I must say, it is great knowing that God see’s it and He will reward us for it. It’s a law of God, sowing and reaping. Some of the blessings you may be receiving now could be from God repaying where you’ve sown, repaying you for your kind deed that you thought nobody saw. The main One that needed to, saw it, and He is rewarding you for it.

I have had some give me a gift to pass on to others for them, but wanted to remain anonymous because they believe this teaching Jesus gave of God’s law. I’ve also known some who make sure everybody knows about their giving. When people do that I remember this text and think, well they just received their reward. I’ve had some suggest that the church post what everybody gives. That would go against what Jesus is teaching in this text. I understand some institutions reporting what people give, but according to Jesus, that should never be the practice of the church, because that would rob people of their reward.

The Bible says God loves a cheerful giver (II Corinthians 9:7). Giving should cause our hearts to be cheerful, because God is watching and it pleases Him so much that He rewards us for our good deeds. God blesses us when we bless others. It’s His law, and He is watching. God sees you when you give, so do a good deed today.
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

TRUST GOD AND PRAISE HIM
April 19, 2021

Isaiah 25:1 O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.

God has a plan. That’s great news when you are wondering what in the world is going on, especially when things look impossible, because that’s what God specializes in.

When God went to Moses and told him, “I’ve chosen you to deliver my people.” Moses told Him to hold everything and said, “You know I have trouble speaking. Surely I’m not the one for this job.” God said, “Moses, who made the mouth? Yes, I know you have trouble speaking and that is why I chose you.” Later on the Bible says, “God said my strength is made perfect in weakness.” God told Moses that He picked him because he lacked the wherewithal to do what He asked and therefore Moses would have to rely on Him. “Trust Me, Moses, I have a plan.”

We should follow Isaiah’s example and praise God and exalt Him, because we trust Him no matter what things look like, because He has a plan. He formed it long ago and no power can overthrow God’s plan. Isaiah knew God was always faithful. Praise God! Exalt Him because He is faithful. Trust Him, and praise His mighty name!
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

WE MAY SUFFER NOW, BUT GLORY LATER
April 18. 2021

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the suffering of this present time are not worthy comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

I wish it was the way that some preachers say it is, that if you’re living right and your faith is right, you will be exempt from suffering. I don’t know all there is to life, but one thing I’ve learned, if you live long enough you will have some suffering to do. Paul knew that and he experienced more than his share of suffering. What he learned to do was not focus on the temporary, but focus on the eternal bliss that will be ours as followers of Jesus Christ one day.

I believe suffering came upon all human beings in the garden at the fall of man. After the fall, part of the curse is suffering, and when Jesus takes us to heaven, our suffering is over. But for those who reject God’s salvation in Jesus’ death on the cross, their suffering is forever.

Sister Faye McCain, my Sunday School teacher, told us that her mother would rock in pain from severe arthritis. She asked her mother how she could be hurting so bad and still praise God. Her mother said, “Honey, it’s easy because all my suffering is going to be right here in this life. When I die I’m going to heaven and I won’t suffer anymore forever. So I praise God all my suffering is right here in this life.” Thank God we may suffer now, but glory comes later.
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

WISDOM FROM ABOVE
April 17, 2021

James 3:16-17 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

Have you ever known people who like to stir strife? There are people like that who love strife. They love it more if they can stir it and then watch strife between others that they orchestrate. People like that are instruments of satan. They may be a church member or even hold an office in the church. They may carry a five pound Bible under their arm, but the Bible doesn’t carry them.

Praise God, the wisdom that is from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruit, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. Haven’t you known people, or do you know people, who have wisdom from above? It’s a great way to want to live. Jesus said we are to be light in the dark world. James tells us in verse 17 what being light looks like. Some people don’t like the book of James because he pulls no punches when describing good and evil. Actually, with James it’s either black or white, there are no gray areas with James.

I pray God gives us wisdom that is from above. The world would be a better place - at least where we live would be a better place. May God bless us and grant us with wisdom from above.
Rev. Lewis Forsythe

YOUR LIFE WILL BE BETTER FOR IT
April 16, 2021

Colossians 3:13 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (NIV).

Some Christians compartmentalize their lives, like doing their church thing on Sunday, as if that’s all there is to being a Christian. They think they give God that one hour on Sunday, maybe read a Bible verse here or there, and listen to the Christian radio and that’s all there is to being a Christian. Paul was admonishing the Colossians to get deeper in their walk with the LORD.

The Christian life is a relationship with a person, Jesus Christ. He is all consuming. He is to be with you every day, not just one hour on Sunday. He is with you on the job, at the beach or in the mountains. He is with you in the good times and in the bad times, in the sad times and in the happy times. Paul is admonishing the Colossians that this new life in Christ is not only Christian activities, it’s about life with the person of Jesus Christ.

The Christian life is not playing church, it’s not a social club. It’s a life walking with Jesus every day. Remember WWJD (What Would Jesus Do)? Well, it’s living with that everyday. Many of us, including myself, only experience a small amount of what the Lord God is capable of doing in our life. Hear this admonishment of Paul: Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, and always sing songs of thanks in your heart unto God. Your life will be better for it.
Rev. Lewis Forsythe