http://www.ibcthreesprings.org/

Immanuel Bible Church, 22054 Starr Road, Three Springs, PA (2026)

06/17/2026

6-17-2026
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
2 Corinthians 1, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 2 Corinthians 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God”
2 Corinthians 1:9, “But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 2 Corinthians 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; 2 Corinthians 1:11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf. 2 Corinthians 1:12, For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.”
The Bible has a great deal to say about suffering. There are a variety of causes of suffering according to the Scriptures, however, this morning we can focus on 3 positive aspects that suffering can bring to believers. Paul lays them out clearly for us in these verses.
First, notice in verses 3 & 4 Paul indicates that one of the reasons for suffering is so that God can comfort us, and because God can comfort us, we become able to share the same comfort with others who may be suffering. This is the difference between sympathy and empathy. If you have suffered in a specific way, and found God’s comfort in the midst of your suffering, you are then equipped to share that comfort with someone who may be experiencing suffering similar to your experience. More so than someone who has not experienced your specific suffering.
Second, consider verse 9, where Paul says they suffered “…that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, which raiseth the dead.” It is no wonder that Paul wrote in Hebrews 12:2 that we should always keep our focus on “… Jesus, the author and finisher of faith.” He is our comfort. When we suffer, do we turn to Christ first, or is He a last resort? Suffering should draw us closer to the Christ.
Third, according to verse 11, the suffering experienced by Paul and his fellow workers provided the opportunity for ministry by the church to them. Paul notes his suffering caused the church to pray for him and his fellows as well as send a gift to provide hope and comfort them. While these verses are not an exhaustive study on suffering, they shed light on how we as believers can consider suffering, and look for the opportunities to comfort and care for those who may be suffering at the moment.

06/16/2026

6-16-2026
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Psalm 100:2, “Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.”
Some years ago President John F. Kennedy made this statement during a political speech. “Ask not what your country can do for you, but rather, ask what you can do for your country.” That’s not bad advice to Christians either. Rather than constantly focusing on what we want God to do for us, maybe we should spend more time asking the Lord what he would have us to be doing in service to Him and His church.
Once, a long time ago, a colleague of mine remarked that he believed there were going to be a lot of unhappy folks in heaven. That piqued my curiosity and I asked him exactly what he meant by that. He then quoted Revelation 22:3, “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:” My friend then observed that in his opinion about 10 % of the church performed 90% of the service, meaning statistically that those 90% probably would be miserable in the eternal order when they serve Christ. Now, he may have been being a little “tongue in cheek” with his observation, but he does raise a great point. We are saved to serve.
Ephesians 2:8-10 confirms the truth that we are to be involved in serving Christ and His church routinely, not off and on. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Each and every one of us who names the name of Christ is called to ask, rather than what God can do for me, ask what I should be doing for God? It was good advice to the country when John Kennedy gave it, and it is good advice for the church as well.

06/15/2026

6-15-2026
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Proverbs 18:13, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.”
I’m going to be honest with you here. Today’s verse is one that I have struggled with all of my life. The issue is this. Sometimes when we hear something that strikes us as so egregious that we feel the need to respond immediately, only to find out later that what we heard and believed was only part of the story. Or, we let if fester until one day we find ourselves exploding over something that really isn’t the way we perceived it to be. How many times have any of us come back with a retort or response we wish we could take back simply because we did not get the whole story? Think about it.
Here is what I am talking about. Somebody tells us their version of a story and we immediately feel that they have suffered an in justice. It could be a co-worker, a friend, even a family member that we love. Because we have a relationship with that person we may be quick to rise to their defense. Here is an illustration. You hear somebody did this or that, and immediately you feel the need to respond, and you do so, only to find out later that your response was premature. Turns out that you didn’t have the entire story. Then, when you hear the rest of the story, a la Paul Harvey, you realize your response was improper and now you feel regret. If we learn to follow this proverb, we can avoid the guilt and remorse over our reaction.
Sometimes we are in such a rush to see a perceived injustice or a perceived wrong made right, that we neglect to get all of the story. Someone once said there are three sides to every story. Yours, mine, and the truth. If we practice the wisdom of this verse always, then we will never rush to judgement about any one or any circumstance. When we wait to hear the entire matter, we can avoid looking foolish and save ourselves a lot of grief. Trust me, I’m still trying to learn this lesson.

06/12/2026

6-12-2026
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Psalm 37:12-13, “The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming”
The idea of God laughing is not one that gets much press among Christianity today. For some reason we often see God as an austere, strict, judgmental deity who sits behind a bench scowling at the world and at sinners in particular. I’ve never been sure how we came to this caricature of God, but it always seemed unpleasant to me. I may be wrong here, but I think Jesus laughed often and in good ways. I read a story somewhere one time about a pastor who kept a picture of Jesus in his office and in the picture Jesus has His head thrown back in laughter. Makes sense to me, after all, Jesus said he came “that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Again, I’m guessing here, but I bet there was a twinkle in his eye and a laugh in His heart when he stretched the giraffe’s neck in creation. I also can imagine Him smiling as he put an incredibly ugly face on the beautifully graceful turkey vultures. Seriously, what was he thinking when He made the Hippopotamus? I wouldn’t even be surprised if He smiled when the governor of the wedding at Cana drew water and ended up with wine. I personally believe He smiled when they brought little children to him. I know He smiled when He raised Jairus’s daughter, the widow’s son in Nain, and His dear friend Lazarus. However, there is another laughter, one that when God exercises it, it is not a good thing.
The Bible frequently mentions God laughing at the wicked when He will finally reveal their folly unto them. Today’s text is one of those occasions. Another one is found in Psalm 2:1-5, “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.” Once again we see the Lord God’s reaction to the folly of the wicked. He laughs at them, and then vexes them in His sore displeasure. And if that’s not depressing enough, here is one more for you.
Proverbs 1:24-26, “Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;” here again is the laughter of God, and it is clearly the laughter of abandonment. I find nothing humorous about it, and I cannot begin to imagine the fear in those folk’s hearts when they realize that their God and Creator has abandoned them to no hope and a Christ less eternity. That kind of laughing I could do without. So, having said that, why not give your heart to Jesus now, and as the angels rejoice over one sinner being saved, imagine Jesus with His head thrown back laughing for joy. Now there is a laugh we can enjoy.

06/11/2026

6-11-2026
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Psalm 37:23-24, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.”
Here are some encouraging words for all believers, especially those of us who stumble and fall on occasion. All believers know what the Psalmist is speaking about when he mentions being cast down. Who among us hasn’t at some time, and probably many times, stumbled and fallen short of what the Lord would have us to do? Sometimes it is something simple, other times it may be a catastrophic moral or spiritual failure. No matter what the case may be, this verse assures us that when we fall, the Lord never loses His grip on us.
Paul tells us in Galatians 5:17, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Here in lies the source of our failures and stumbles. The new man and the old man wage war. Sometimes the old man wins, and when he does, we generally feel like failures and become angry at ourselves for failing God. That is as it should be. Holy Ghost conviction when we fall or stumble is exactly how this works. Here is the rub, when we confess our sin, God restores us to fellowship immediately. Our problem is being able to forgive ourselves. We wonder why God puts up with our stumbles, and failures which seem to happen with more frequency than we would like. Here is the secret.
1 John 1:8-1John 2:1, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:” This is how the Lord continues to uphold us with His hand. The finished work of Christ is the means by which God never lets go of us, even when we stumble. When you hear people say, “salvation if all of Christ,” this is what it means. He who saved us, keeps us, and He never lets go of our hand, ever. How grand to know when all others may forsake us, He will never forsake us. There is something to be encouraged about, don’t you think?

06/10/2026

6-10-2026
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Luke 9:50, “And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.”
In today’s verse Jesus draws a very distinct line in the sand. There is no neutrality when it comes to our association with Jesus. One is either His, or one is not. There is no middle ground, there is no negotiating, no bargaining, and no equivocation. One is for Jesus, or against Jesus. Seems a strange thing for the Prince of Peace to say, but none the less, it stands true.
When Christ was born into the world, the angelic announcement to the shepherds and the world was Luke 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Christ is God the Father’s offer of peace to a lost and dying world. Those who put their trust in Christ alone, become at peace with God, and may then experience the peace of God. This is the meaning of Christ being our peace. However, while Jesus offers reconciliation and peace between God and men, He also makes it clear that He will bring division among humanity. Matthew 10:34-37, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Once again Jesus makes it clear that He is a divider, and division is not always bad. The very first divider was God the Father when he separated the light from the darkness. Jesus totally refutes the notion that we all need to compromise for the sake of getting along. Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 25 that one day He will separate the goats from the sheep, and He is the dividing line. This is a common doctrine throughout the Scriptures.
All the way back in 1 Kings 18:21, we see Elijah demanding Israel draw a line and decide which side they stand on. “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, how long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word”. Do not miss this truth. The people did not answer. No decision is your decision. If one does not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and trust His finished work for their salvation, they have in effect placed themselves against Christ. I’ll repeat this one more time, no choice, is your choice. Jesus made it clear, one is either for Him or against Him. Where do you stand today?

06/09/2026

6-9-2026
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Luke 6:46, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
You may notice I am using some stories this week to illustrate some of the Thoughts for the Day. Just my attempt to keep them interesting. I am not sure how long they will include stories, or with what regularity they may have a story, but for today, here is another one that addresses the text. In this text Jesus addresses the issue of hearing His word and then acting on it. It is one thing to know the word in our head, it is entirely another to live the word through our hearts. The following story illustrates this truth. This story is based on a Jewish tale.
As the Teacher was speaking with a group of children, a soap-maker attempted to embarrass him. “How can you claim that religion is good and valid when there is so much suffering and evil in the world? What good are all the books and sermons that your religion has produced?”
The Teacher motions to a small child to move through the crowd. “This is Eric,” the Teacher said, “He is three. He is also dirty. I ask you, what good is soap when Eric and hundreds of children like him are dirty? How can you pretend that,” the Teacher answered. “What a foolish argument,” the soap-maker protested. “If soap is to be effective it must be used.” “Precisely,” the Teacher answered. “If the teachings of our master are to be effective, they must be used.”
It has been observed that some folks would rather see a sermon than hear one. All of us should understand that old adage, actions speak louder than words.

06/08/2026

6-8-2026
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Luke 17:11-19, “And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” Luke records the healing of ten lepers and the fact that only one bothered to show any gratitude to the Lord Jesus for his cleansings.
Leprosy was a horrid thing in Biblical days. Anyone with this disease was quarantined and isolated from all of healthy people. This is why they were forced to live in “leper colonies.” If anybody approached them they were required to steer clear and cry out “unclean, unclean” to warn others of their condition. If one went to the priest to have their diagnosis confirmed, and were found to have the disease, they were not permitted to return home to their family and loved ones. All physical contact was cut off. So, when you understand this, you understand that what Christ did for them was life altering. You would think all would have been so grateful they would have returned and said thank you.
This text should cause each and every one of us to stop and consider if we show the proper “attitude of gratitude” to the Lord for our daily blessings. Psalm 68:19, says, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.” How often do we take the time to thank the Lord for our daily blessings? I once read an article that said that the poorest, homeless person living in America, was still wealthier than 76% of the world. Think on how much we take for granted. I usually start my day with a fresh brewed cup of coffee from my own kitchen. This is after I’ve slept all night in a well-constructed home that keeps me warm in winter, dry in the rain and cool in the summer heat. I shower and shave with clean water that I can afford. Dress, eat breakfast, all provided by the grace of God alone. I open my eyes and I can see, I can hear, I can taste, touch, and smell the fresh coffee brew and breakfast cooking. The fact that I could get out of bed under my own strength and move about in God’s creation is another reason to be thankful. None of my children or grandchildren need to be treated at St. Jude’s Cancer Hospital or any other hospital. There are those who cannot see, cannot walk, cannot hear, and do not have the means to enjoy even a simple cup of coffee or tea in the morning. There are those who have no roof over their head. I often wonder why God has been so generous to me, and I give thanks often and sincerely. In fact, I’ll let you in on a little “quirk” behavior of mine. I often utter a prayer of thanks when I take something off the shelf at the grocery store. I don’t wait until it’s on the table, though I do give thanks there as well. Whatever it is, God provided it to me, at the store, and when it hits the dinner table. I also ask the Lord to show me ways to share the blessings He has bestowed. In other words, I try to live life with “an attitude of gratitude.”
A simple question for all of us this morning. If we were ever accused of living with “an attitude of gratitude,” would there be enough evidence to convict us? If we can remember this verse, it shouldn’t be hard to do. James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

06/05/2026

6-5-2026
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
1 John 4:1, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”
John warns the church in this verse that all things are not always as they seem. He is specific in that he is speaking of false teachers and false doctrines. He warns the church that there are many false teachers and prophets in the world, and believers need to be discerning as to what is true and what is not. He instructs us to “try the spirits.” He then in subsequent verses begins to tell them what to look for. He tells them how to try the spirits. Many years ago, A. W. Tozer wrote an article on How to Try the Spirits. It is such a good piece I would like to share the several points he made, while giving Tozer all the credit for this wonderful guide.
While I will share a quick outline taken from Tozer I want to encourage all to go online and search A.W. Tozer + How to Try the Spirits and read the entire article. One of the reasons I wished to address this topic is because it is not uncommon for a believer to come to me and ask me, “Pastor, could you read this book and tell me what you think? Is it sound or not? Now, clearly, most pastors don’t have the time to read everything folks ask them to read, nor should they. The Bible is clear that all of us have a responsibility to be able to identify false teachers and false doctrine. Here are the guidelines Tozer offers to all believers.
1. The Test of God the Father—how does this teaching or doctrine line up with the true doctrine of God the Father as it is revealed in the Scripture?
2. The test of Christ, the Son of God—how does this teaching or doctrine line up with the biblical revelations about Jesus?
3. The Scriptures—Is this teaching in accord with the true Scriptures?
4. Self—how does this teaching or doctrine line up with Biblical truth about us as human beings.
5. Other Christians—how does this teaching or doctrine affect our relationships with other brothers and sisters in Christ?
6. The World—does this doctrine or teaching lead us to be worldlier or more like Christ?
7. Sin- what does this doctrine or teaching do to our understanding of sin? Does it lead us into holiness, or does it lead us into sin?
All of these methods of trying the spirits find their genesis in the Scripture. Study the Scriptures, not just on Sunday, but every day of the week, and sift any new doctrine or teaching through Tozer’s recommended sieve, and chances are you’ll quickly be able to tell what is sound, and what is not. Please, go and read Tozer’s entire article for a more complete understanding of Tozer’s instructions.

06/04/2026

6-4-2026
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
1 Corinthians 16:15, “I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)”
According to the news one of the greatest problems facing America and the world is the problem of addiction. Hardly a day goes by that we don’t hear of someone who suffering hospitalization from an overdose, or someone who died from one. Drug cartels are making a fortune on the backs of addicted individuals and they leave nothing but grief, heartache, and suffering in their wake. Addiction knows no boundaries. It is common among all social and economic strata without regard, and is no respecter of persons. Yet in this verse Paul writes of an addiction that we should all strive for. What might that addiction be?
Plainly stated, Paul says”…they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints.” The word “addicted” in the Greek language is the word “tasso” which means, to arrange in an orderly manner, assign or dispose, ordain, set. In other words, these folks were folks who gave considerable devotion and attention to the ministry of the saints. There was nothing haphazard about their work. They were organized and disciplined in their ministry. To the care of other believers. Now there is an addiction that we could all get behind.
How many of us, if we were accused of being addicted to ministry to the church and those around us would have enough evidence to be convicted? These were folks who sought out every opportunity to minister to one another, and to any and all who were a part of the church. The implication here is that they were highly involved in all aspects of the ministries of the church. Evangelism, worship, edification of the body, and generally caring for those around them. It may even be fair to say that their addiction to the ministry of the saints was their manifesto for service. One wonders what the world would look like if the saints of the church became addicted to the ministry as strongly as others become addicted to worldly things. Surely is something to think about..

Immanuel Bible Church

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