We stood for opening prayer and welcomed the new visitors with our handshake song. "I want that Mountain."

Our choir presented a special song "Written in Red."

"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil." Job 1:1.

Job was that man. He was a real person. He was perfect, to define "perfect" means to be complete, made full, be entire, to finish, perfecto, mature.

He was upright. Upright means to stand! One of the first things you learn to do in the Armed Forces is you learn to stand. It matters that you know how to stand correctly. Before you learn to charge a battlefield--you need to know how to "stand." First! Before you learn to handle a rifle--you need to know how to "stand." First! Before you learn to pilot a $40 million F-18--you need to know how to "stand." First!

Before you learn to do the undoable--you need to know how to "stand." First! "To stand up"-- to be counted for, to volunteer. "He will know me by my colors." Ephesian 6:11 states, "Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Once stood, able to weather the storms that follow. "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesian 6: 13.

You have often heard me and others pray for a hedge of protection or thorns about folks but you may not have known where we get the idea from, even though you might like it. One lady told me she loved it when I prayed that because it gave her great comfort. Hedges can be great comfort depending on what they are made of, why they are there, who put them there. Some can be bad news and not having one at all can mean disaster.

The first mention we have of hedges is in the Scripture of Job (Job 1:9-11).

Job was a righteous man and was doing quite well in life. Indeed, when God can call your name to the devil for an example of a man God in whom approves you know he had to be quite a fellow. Of course, that ticked the devil off and he accused the Lord of buying him. He said God hedged him in from all the trials and tribulations of life so no wonder Job loved God. "Tear down that hedge and see what happens," said the devil.

Note that God never agrees with the charge. He never said he treated Job differently than anyone else. Job may have been merely reaping the rewards of a righteous man versus ending up with the hard life and way of an unbeliever or backslider.

Proverb 13:15, Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard. KJV

Nevertheless God allowed the devil to go after Job. If God didn't have a hedge around Job before He did now. He placed a small one around him so that satan could not touch his life. That was a good hedge to have and it was impregnable since God placed it there.

Some hedges we put up ourselves and they are not so wonderful, though they are as nearly as impregnable.

Proverbs 15:19, The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain. KJV.

Have you ever heard someone complain about that they can never seem to get ahead in life? They can never pay their bills; keep a job and a long list of other problems. Often, when you get down to the root of it, they are lazy. No matter what advice you give them, they always find excuse for not doing it. You tell them about jobs and they don't apply or wait until it is too late. They complain if they do not get hired or promoted so you tell them what they need to pursue in either education or experience and they never get it done. There is always a difficulty or as scripture puts it, "a lion in the way, a lion in the streets." (Proverbs 26:13)

They toss and turn on their beds because they have anxiety over their condition or just because they don't do enough to be tired. (Proverbs 26:14) You tell them where food can be procured and they want you to go get it or they don't want it because it is too hard to prepare. You wonder how they find the energy to even eat and if they want to be spoon fed. (Proverbs 26:15)

Their life is hedged in by thorns of their own making. They might have the natural ability to succeed, but not the diligence or determination to make it happen. They may even ask for God's guidance but they don't move. We all know it is much easier to steer a moving vehicle that is on, than one that is parked. They want God to tow them to the ideal job or to keep feeding them like fledglings in the nest. Every bird has to grow and fly or like the eagle, God will push them out of the nest at some point if we continue to enable their laziness in the name of grace or familial love.

As this week begins, do you have God's hedge of protection around you?

We would love to see you at First Baptist Church in Pineville.

Please come join us for church. Sunday school is at 9 a.m., immediately followed by morning worship at 10 a.m. The Nursing Home Ministry meets at McDonald County Living Center in Anderson at 2:30 p.m., every other Saturday. We will continue our AWANA's program for another three weeks. AWANA's meet every Wednesday starting with dinner at 6 p.m. Wednesday evening Bible study begins at 7 p.m. WMU meeting is the second Tuesday of the month.

May is flower month. Don't forget your secret pal gift.

If you have no home church of your own, we would love for you to join us at First Baptist Church off the Northeast side corner of the square in Pineville, just behind the US Bank. No friendlier, down-home church can be found in the four-state area. Please check out our FBCP Teen Group Facebook Page.

All Bible Verses are from the KJV, The King James Version of the Holy Bible.