Tuesday, April 30, 2013
The Ant and the Grasshopper
A mother of a 9 year old boy, Mark, received a phone call in the middle of the afternoon. It was the teacher from her son's school.
"Mrs. Smith, something unusual happened today in your son's third grade class. Your son did something that surprised me so much that I thought you should know about it immediately."
Mother's seldom want to hear from their child's teacher in the middle of the day. The mother was uneasy and nervous by such a beginning to a phone call. "What now?" the mother wondered.
The teacher continued, "I have been teaching for many years and nothing like this has happened until now. This morning I was teaching a lesson on creative writing. And as I always do, I tell the story of the ant and the grasshopper. The ant works hard all summer and stores up plenty of food. But the grasshopper plays all summer and does no work.
Then winter comes. The grasshopper begins to starve because he has no food. So he hops to the ants house and begins to beg. 'Please Mr. Ant, you have much food please let me eat, too.' Now boys and girls your job is to write the ending to the story.
Your son, Mark, raised his hand. "Teacher, may I draw a picture?"
"Well, yes, Mark, if you like, you may draw a picture. But first you must write the ending to the story."
The papers came in. As in all the years past, most of the students said that the ant shared his food through the winter and both the ant and the grasshopper lived.
As always, a few children said, 'The ant said, "No, Mr. Grasshopper. You should have worked in the summer and not played. Now, I have just enough food for myself." So the ant lived and the grasshopper died.
But your son ended the story in a way different from any other child, ever. He wrote, "So the ant gave all of his food to the grasshopper; the grasshopper lived through the winter. But the ant died."
And the picture?
At the bottom of the page, Mark had drawn three crosses. "Jesus gave up his life so that we might live eternally."
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Power In Prayer
James 4:1-3 reveals the importance of praying with right motives. Motives are clear indicators of what’s in the heart. Although scripture tells us that if we pray and have faith we’ll receive what we’ve prayed for (Matthew 21:22), James 4:1-3 shows us there’s a prerequisite to praying and receiving – your motives must be pure. It’s a matter of the heart. It’s important to assess why you’re asking God what you’re asking Him for. Are you seeking self-pleasure or the will of the Father? Don’t allow flesh, self-centeredness or an unclean heart to become hindrances to your prayer life.
Sometimes the most powerful prayer is not the one that lasts 60 minutes; at times the most powerful prayer is the one where you say, “God help me!”
I don’t know what your story is; I don’t know all that you’re going through but I want to encourage you today and let you know that there is power in prayer. God doesn’t want you to worry about today or tomorrow; instead He wants you to pray about everything and to make your request known to Him with a pure heart.
I encourage you to take God up on His word. I can attest to the incredible power of prayer as I have witness God’s unmerited favor daily. Not because I deserve it; but simply because I went before His throne and asked. I come to tell you that God still answers prayer; that there is power in prayer. Just be diligent; consistent and have faith.
Don’t give up if you don’t get what you are praying for immediately and don’t allow the devil to play with your mind neither. As a God that’s all knowing, you have to trust and know that God answers prayer in His perfect timing.
However, until you see your prayer manifest, continue to believe, have faith and to thank God in advance for answering your prayer. Remember, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything else will be added unto you. Don’t lose hope child of God, there is power in prayer.
Sometimes the most powerful prayer is not the one that lasts 60 minutes; at times the most powerful prayer is the one where you say, “God help me!”
I don’t know what your story is; I don’t know all that you’re going through but I want to encourage you today and let you know that there is power in prayer. God doesn’t want you to worry about today or tomorrow; instead He wants you to pray about everything and to make your request known to Him with a pure heart.
I encourage you to take God up on His word. I can attest to the incredible power of prayer as I have witness God’s unmerited favor daily. Not because I deserve it; but simply because I went before His throne and asked. I come to tell you that God still answers prayer; that there is power in prayer. Just be diligent; consistent and have faith.
Don’t give up if you don’t get what you are praying for immediately and don’t allow the devil to play with your mind neither. As a God that’s all knowing, you have to trust and know that God answers prayer in His perfect timing.
However, until you see your prayer manifest, continue to believe, have faith and to thank God in advance for answering your prayer. Remember, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything else will be added unto you. Don’t lose hope child of God, there is power in prayer.
You just move on
A few years ago national attention was focused on a deep, dark cave in the mountains out in Colorado. A Scout troop had entered the cave to do a little exploring. Despite every precaution that had been taken to make it a safe and exciting adventure for all, one young man was separated from the troop and lost in the depths of the cave.
For several days rescue crews worked around the clock, searching every twist and turn in the underground cavern. With each passing hour hopes of finding the boy inside the cave dimmed, and new theories were advanced. Perhaps he had simply run away. Or maybe he had stumbled out some other entrance and was now lost in the mountains. Or perhaps he was already... well, nobody wanted to say it. But everybody thought it.
Everybody, that is, except the boy's parents.
"That wasn't an option as far as we were concerned," the boy's mother said. "Eventually we would find him -- safe and alive. We were certain of that."
There was little reason to cling to that belief. Those who were familiar with the cave claimed it had been thoroughly searched -- several times. Common sense dictated that time was running out and that other options needed to be considered -- like when to say "enough."
But like Kris Kringle himself says in A Miracle on 34th Street, "faith is believing in something even when common sense tells you not to." And the boy's parents had faith. They wouldn't give up, and they wouldn't let anyone else give up, either. And sure enough, the boy was found -- hungry, thirsty and frightened, but otherwise healthy.
And how did he manage to survive his ordeal in the cave?
"I prayed a lot," he said, "and I never stopped believing that someone would find me."
Of course, I'm aware that not every crisis ends so happily, no matter how much faith and belief is exercised. But how many tragedies have been averted because believing people refuse to be dissuaded or discouraged by common sense?
Many people view belief, faith and hope as the feeble stepchildren of knowledge. I understand that feeling. Sometimes I lean a little that way myself. But while it's true that the pursuit of knowledge is a value to be cherished, there always comes a point at which knowledge ends. Always.
That can be a scary place for those who have no faith in belief. But for those who have learned to walk in faith and to trust the power of believing, the absence of absolute knowledge isn't any more of a problem than life's other realities. You just move on -- in whatever direction you believe is best.
Your course may be uncertain and your step may be slow and cautious. But hopefully -- or maybe we should say "full of hope" -- you move on.
For several days rescue crews worked around the clock, searching every twist and turn in the underground cavern. With each passing hour hopes of finding the boy inside the cave dimmed, and new theories were advanced. Perhaps he had simply run away. Or maybe he had stumbled out some other entrance and was now lost in the mountains. Or perhaps he was already... well, nobody wanted to say it. But everybody thought it.
Everybody, that is, except the boy's parents.
"That wasn't an option as far as we were concerned," the boy's mother said. "Eventually we would find him -- safe and alive. We were certain of that."
There was little reason to cling to that belief. Those who were familiar with the cave claimed it had been thoroughly searched -- several times. Common sense dictated that time was running out and that other options needed to be considered -- like when to say "enough."
But like Kris Kringle himself says in A Miracle on 34th Street, "faith is believing in something even when common sense tells you not to." And the boy's parents had faith. They wouldn't give up, and they wouldn't let anyone else give up, either. And sure enough, the boy was found -- hungry, thirsty and frightened, but otherwise healthy.
And how did he manage to survive his ordeal in the cave?
"I prayed a lot," he said, "and I never stopped believing that someone would find me."
Of course, I'm aware that not every crisis ends so happily, no matter how much faith and belief is exercised. But how many tragedies have been averted because believing people refuse to be dissuaded or discouraged by common sense?
Many people view belief, faith and hope as the feeble stepchildren of knowledge. I understand that feeling. Sometimes I lean a little that way myself. But while it's true that the pursuit of knowledge is a value to be cherished, there always comes a point at which knowledge ends. Always.
That can be a scary place for those who have no faith in belief. But for those who have learned to walk in faith and to trust the power of believing, the absence of absolute knowledge isn't any more of a problem than life's other realities. You just move on -- in whatever direction you believe is best.
Your course may be uncertain and your step may be slow and cautious. But hopefully -- or maybe we should say "full of hope" -- you move on.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
The pastor no one liked
-His congregations always included someone that questioned his authority.
-There was a great dislike for any correction he would bring in his preaching or writing.
-Some people could not get over his past, not knowing that he had a hard time forgiving and forgetting it himself.
-Some church members wanted sinful acts in their families overlooked, but wanted him to throw the book at others.
-Some questioned the integrity of his calling, his preaching, and even why he reached out to the people he did as a minister.
-He was very controversial trying to minister to youth, dealing with marriage and pre-marital sex, lifestyle, and even communication issues they had with the older generation.
-He was constantly subjected to violence and uproar just for doing the right things the right way.
In spite of all this, when it came down to his last days, he said:
"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:6-8 KJV)
His name was Paul.
-There was a great dislike for any correction he would bring in his preaching or writing.
-Some people could not get over his past, not knowing that he had a hard time forgiving and forgetting it himself.
-Some church members wanted sinful acts in their families overlooked, but wanted him to throw the book at others.
-Some questioned the integrity of his calling, his preaching, and even why he reached out to the people he did as a minister.
-He was very controversial trying to minister to youth, dealing with marriage and pre-marital sex, lifestyle, and even communication issues they had with the older generation.
-He was constantly subjected to violence and uproar just for doing the right things the right way.
In spite of all this, when it came down to his last days, he said:
"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:6-8 KJV)
His name was Paul.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Beanies Galore
I have about 8 storage containers filled with Beanie Babies of all kinds that one time belonged to Hannah or Gracie. Looking at both of my granddaughters the other night made me realize how beautiful they are each and every day and how fast they are growing up. We have been truly blessed with both of them. One of my favorite pictures of all time was made in my old office in the UCOG parsonage when Hannah was sitting in my office chair surrounded by two X-Large Beanie Buddy's bigger than she was. What a hoot! I still have those two Bears and I believe Hannah still has one 12 years later.
Each one of these beanies means something to me because they relate to both of my girls. From the time they were born and old enough one or more of those little guys was with them. Whether it was in their crib, their toybox, or their bed, the Beanies made themselves at thome in the Stone household. In fact, Hannah and Gracie both seem to remember most of them even until this day. Every stuffed bear I look at bring back memories of their early years that I can cherish as I grow older.
Fads come and go and most Beanies are virtually worthless now. I saw an ad on Craigslist the other day and someone was selling a whole collection of them for about $ 00.10 per piece. Most Flea Markets are full of the old beanies now at a considerably less amount than what they sold for back in the day. So even though they aren't worth that much dollar wise today, they still are important to me for what they represent. They remind me of my granddaughter's early years. They remind me of simpler times and easier days when my hair was dark and so was my beard. They remind me of the good days when their greatest joy was just hanging out with MeMe and Poppy. Man, those were the days.
I took my grandson fishing late yesterday afternoon and at the age of 4 he reminds me so much of his big sisters. I put back the sunroof on the 4 Runner and drove slowly from the house over to the lake and he did just like they did back in the day. He stood on the console and stuck his head out of the roof like he was the King of the World. All I needed was the Titanic music and I would have been set. There was a time not so long ago that he would go into his sister's room at our house and look in the curio filled with Beanies and find him one that he could hold. I still remember everyone he has touched and/or played with in his lifetime. In fact, some have the teeth marks where he chewed on them (LOL).
If we live and the Lord tarries, Baby Gannon will have his turn one day. He will be the last Stone baby to find out about Beanies around our house. That day will be here sooner than we think because they sure do grow up fast. He will be like his sisters and brother wanting to know if he can take off the tag, wanting it to be his, and pitching a fit if he doesn't get it. And guess what? He will get it out of the curio because we we give it to him to hold and play with just like his siblings. Who would have thought a piece of cloth with pellets sewn in would bring so much joy for so many years?
Yes, there are beanies galore at our house and will probably be so until we pass on. I hope they continue to bring joy to the ones I love as much in the future as they have in the past.
Each one of these beanies means something to me because they relate to both of my girls. From the time they were born and old enough one or more of those little guys was with them. Whether it was in their crib, their toybox, or their bed, the Beanies made themselves at thome in the Stone household. In fact, Hannah and Gracie both seem to remember most of them even until this day. Every stuffed bear I look at bring back memories of their early years that I can cherish as I grow older.
Fads come and go and most Beanies are virtually worthless now. I saw an ad on Craigslist the other day and someone was selling a whole collection of them for about $ 00.10 per piece. Most Flea Markets are full of the old beanies now at a considerably less amount than what they sold for back in the day. So even though they aren't worth that much dollar wise today, they still are important to me for what they represent. They remind me of my granddaughter's early years. They remind me of simpler times and easier days when my hair was dark and so was my beard. They remind me of the good days when their greatest joy was just hanging out with MeMe and Poppy. Man, those were the days.
I took my grandson fishing late yesterday afternoon and at the age of 4 he reminds me so much of his big sisters. I put back the sunroof on the 4 Runner and drove slowly from the house over to the lake and he did just like they did back in the day. He stood on the console and stuck his head out of the roof like he was the King of the World. All I needed was the Titanic music and I would have been set. There was a time not so long ago that he would go into his sister's room at our house and look in the curio filled with Beanies and find him one that he could hold. I still remember everyone he has touched and/or played with in his lifetime. In fact, some have the teeth marks where he chewed on them (LOL).
If we live and the Lord tarries, Baby Gannon will have his turn one day. He will be the last Stone baby to find out about Beanies around our house. That day will be here sooner than we think because they sure do grow up fast. He will be like his sisters and brother wanting to know if he can take off the tag, wanting it to be his, and pitching a fit if he doesn't get it. And guess what? He will get it out of the curio because we we give it to him to hold and play with just like his siblings. Who would have thought a piece of cloth with pellets sewn in would bring so much joy for so many years?
Yes, there are beanies galore at our house and will probably be so until we pass on. I hope they continue to bring joy to the ones I love as much in the future as they have in the past.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Loving people isn't as easy as you think when they don't love you back
Some say love isn’t supposed to be easy. But whose idea was that? Who got to decide that love was something that you had to fight for? I would like to meet that person. I say that’s a lie because love is easy. That’s the problem. It’s too easy. People feel love so fast they become overwhelmed. The problem with love is how easily it comes to the human being. It rushes over us until we can’t stand it any longer. So love is easy. The hard part is loving people who never return the same to you.
When I was young the Beatles sang, "All you need is love." I was reminded often growing up, that I was wanted and loved even before I was conceived. I didn't grow up in a perfect family but I knew that I was loved by them even when I wasn't good.
There's a compelling feeling inside our hearts to love those who already love us— but what about those that don't show us love? How do we feel about the stranger or friend that stole from us or continually harms us? How do we respond to the poor orphan nearby or clear across the world? What about that family member that we haven't been at peace with for awhile? What about our employers and co-workers? How do we react to those that believe differently than we do?
We say we love people but if loving the unloveable is so easy why did God find it necessary to command us to love our neighbor as ourselves?
We say we love God but if loving God is so easy why did God feel the need to command us to love him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength?
Love isn't as easy as we think when it comes to the unloveable, cantankerous individuals we have to deal with today. Love is messy. Love is complicated. Love is exhausting. Love can cost a lot. I agree, in my mind the only answer is to remember Jesus' example and the commandment that he says is the greatest of all.
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
Do you have someone in your life that is unloveable? My suggestion is to love the anyway. Do good by them in spite of the way they act. God is keeping a record and one day it will be with it all.
When I was young the Beatles sang, "All you need is love." I was reminded often growing up, that I was wanted and loved even before I was conceived. I didn't grow up in a perfect family but I knew that I was loved by them even when I wasn't good.
There's a compelling feeling inside our hearts to love those who already love us— but what about those that don't show us love? How do we feel about the stranger or friend that stole from us or continually harms us? How do we respond to the poor orphan nearby or clear across the world? What about that family member that we haven't been at peace with for awhile? What about our employers and co-workers? How do we react to those that believe differently than we do?
We say we love people but if loving the unloveable is so easy why did God find it necessary to command us to love our neighbor as ourselves?
We say we love God but if loving God is so easy why did God feel the need to command us to love him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength?
Love isn't as easy as we think when it comes to the unloveable, cantankerous individuals we have to deal with today. Love is messy. Love is complicated. Love is exhausting. Love can cost a lot. I agree, in my mind the only answer is to remember Jesus' example and the commandment that he says is the greatest of all.
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
Do you have someone in your life that is unloveable? My suggestion is to love the anyway. Do good by them in spite of the way they act. God is keeping a record and one day it will be with it all.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
The Lassie Dog
As Kevin sat intently in front of the old 19 inch Zenith television set with 'rabbit ears' and poor reception, his mother watched her little seven year boy move almost theatrically as he cheered Lassie on. "Go get 'em girl, go get 'em!" He'd look forward to each episode as Lassie would save the day on each and every airing of this show. His mother had memorized Kevin's question as it was sure to follow at the end of every episode of "Lassie." Per usual, he quickly spun around while sitting 'Indian Style' on the floor and asked, "Mom?, Can I have a Lassie dog? Please mom!?"
As she gazed into his eager eyes she replied, "Honey, I'd love to give you a dog like Lassie, but I've said it before--dogs like Lassie like to be outside and run." Desperately trying to convince him she added, "Kevin, I have told you over and over again that our yard is too small for a Lassie dog!"
Kevin appeared pensive for a moment and then excitingly exclaimed, "I have an idea mom! I'll teach the Lassie dog to stay by me all of the time so she won't get lost or hurt!" His mother appeared surprised that Kevin could creatively think on his feet so quickly.
"That's a really neat idea sweetheart, but Lassie is what's known as a Collie and you can't teach a Collie to stay by your side all of the time because they're outside dogs and I'm afraid your Lassie dog would run away. Do you understand what I'm saying honey?"
Kevin looked down and was clearly disappointed by what he felt was his last ditch effort to gain his mother's favor as it would relate to his getting his youthful mind's hero -- a dog and friend like Lassie.
Months passed and Kevin stopped asking his mother whether or not he could get a dog like Lassie. She noticed his increasing quietness and sadness with each passing episode and thought back to her childhood. Her parents surprised her one Christmas with a little scroungy mutt that she adored. She got this ugly little dog that Christmas when she was about her son's age and the guilt of not allowing Kevin to have a dog to be his best friend finally got to her. One afternoon after yet another episode of "Lassie", she decided, right or wrong, to give in to Kevin's earlier repeated desire to have a dog of his own. "Kevin?", she asked, "How about us going down to the dog pound today and getting you a dog? The dog won't be as pretty as Lassie, but I know we can find a dog that you'd love."
Kevin's eyes lit up like a 50 watt bulb with no lamp shade as he exclaimed, "Really mom?! Yes, I don't care anymore about getting a Lassie dog! Can we go now?", he enthusiastically asked. "We sure can honey! Put your shoes on and let's go on down to the dog pound and find you the perfect dog!" Kevin jumped up and hurriedly put his shoes on and headed directly to the car.
Upon arriving at the dog pound, she asked the old man who ran the shelter which dog out of all of the dogs there would be the most loyal and well trained dog for her eager little boy. Without a moment's pause, the man replied, "Oh, that's an easy question to answer. Follow me back and I'll show you the perfect dog for your son."
Kevin and his mother followed the old man back to the last cage on the right. "There she is ma'am. This would be the dog I'd choose and I'd already have her myself but we have a half-dozen dogs at home and just don't have room for "Fire." She was taken back as she looked at this homely dog with little hair as the mutt looked like she had been badly burned. After she got over the initial shock of such a sight, she asked, "Has this dog been burned and are you sure this would be the right dog for Kevin?" The old man looked at Kevin and noticed his eyes were misting with tears. "Oh I'd bet my life on it ma'am!", he confidently replied.
"Ma'am?", he inquired, "Did you not hear about the dog that laid on top of the little girl during the forest fire up on Red Bird Mountain? This was the dog that they featured in the local paper. This rascal saved the little girl's life and just about lost her own by covering that little girl with her body!" She thought for a bit and answered, "Well of course I did! Are you telling me that this is that dog?" "Yes, it sure is. No one has taken her because of how she looks and I would have put her to sleep but it's hard to end a life that saved one!", he somberly replied.
"Do you want this dog Kevin? Sounds like you'd have yourself a hero like Lassie if we brought her home." Kevin's eyes had full-blown tears in them now. "I want her mom! Can we take her back with us?" She quickly glanced at the old man who was moved to tears himself at this point. "She's ours sweetheart."
They took "Fire" home and she never left Kevin's side and was his constant companion--never once even attempting to leave the yard or run out of the gate if mistakenly left open. Every night Kevin would say his prayers when his mother would tuck him in and he never failed to pray that "Fire" would be healed and get her hair back. After about five weeks, Kevin's constant prayers were obviously being answered as the once terribly disfigured mutt's hair rapidly began to grow back. Perhaps it was Kevin and his mother's imagination, but the more "Fire's" hair grew back, the more she resembled Lassie.
Kevin's mother opted to call the old man at the dog pound as her curiosity was overwhelmingly piqued. "Hello," the old man responded on the other end of the phone, "Corbin County dog pound. My name is Joe and how can we help you today?" "Hi Joe, I came in a month or so ago with my son and we got the dog you named "Fire." "Yes ma'am, he replied happily, "I'm glad you called... been wondering how old "Fire" has been doing. How can I help you?" She took a deep breath and asked, "Well Joe, I'm curious about just one thing and thought you might know the answer. What kind of mutt is 'Fire'?"
The old man softly chuckled before replying. "Ma'am", 'Fire' isn't a mutt." Confused she continued, "If she's not a mutt, what kind of dog is she?" He chuckled again and replied, "Fire's momma' and daddy are both show dogs. 'Fire' is a full-bred Collie."
As she gazed into his eager eyes she replied, "Honey, I'd love to give you a dog like Lassie, but I've said it before--dogs like Lassie like to be outside and run." Desperately trying to convince him she added, "Kevin, I have told you over and over again that our yard is too small for a Lassie dog!"
Kevin appeared pensive for a moment and then excitingly exclaimed, "I have an idea mom! I'll teach the Lassie dog to stay by me all of the time so she won't get lost or hurt!" His mother appeared surprised that Kevin could creatively think on his feet so quickly.
"That's a really neat idea sweetheart, but Lassie is what's known as a Collie and you can't teach a Collie to stay by your side all of the time because they're outside dogs and I'm afraid your Lassie dog would run away. Do you understand what I'm saying honey?"
Kevin looked down and was clearly disappointed by what he felt was his last ditch effort to gain his mother's favor as it would relate to his getting his youthful mind's hero -- a dog and friend like Lassie.
Months passed and Kevin stopped asking his mother whether or not he could get a dog like Lassie. She noticed his increasing quietness and sadness with each passing episode and thought back to her childhood. Her parents surprised her one Christmas with a little scroungy mutt that she adored. She got this ugly little dog that Christmas when she was about her son's age and the guilt of not allowing Kevin to have a dog to be his best friend finally got to her. One afternoon after yet another episode of "Lassie", she decided, right or wrong, to give in to Kevin's earlier repeated desire to have a dog of his own. "Kevin?", she asked, "How about us going down to the dog pound today and getting you a dog? The dog won't be as pretty as Lassie, but I know we can find a dog that you'd love."
Kevin's eyes lit up like a 50 watt bulb with no lamp shade as he exclaimed, "Really mom?! Yes, I don't care anymore about getting a Lassie dog! Can we go now?", he enthusiastically asked. "We sure can honey! Put your shoes on and let's go on down to the dog pound and find you the perfect dog!" Kevin jumped up and hurriedly put his shoes on and headed directly to the car.
Upon arriving at the dog pound, she asked the old man who ran the shelter which dog out of all of the dogs there would be the most loyal and well trained dog for her eager little boy. Without a moment's pause, the man replied, "Oh, that's an easy question to answer. Follow me back and I'll show you the perfect dog for your son."
Kevin and his mother followed the old man back to the last cage on the right. "There she is ma'am. This would be the dog I'd choose and I'd already have her myself but we have a half-dozen dogs at home and just don't have room for "Fire." She was taken back as she looked at this homely dog with little hair as the mutt looked like she had been badly burned. After she got over the initial shock of such a sight, she asked, "Has this dog been burned and are you sure this would be the right dog for Kevin?" The old man looked at Kevin and noticed his eyes were misting with tears. "Oh I'd bet my life on it ma'am!", he confidently replied.
"Ma'am?", he inquired, "Did you not hear about the dog that laid on top of the little girl during the forest fire up on Red Bird Mountain? This was the dog that they featured in the local paper. This rascal saved the little girl's life and just about lost her own by covering that little girl with her body!" She thought for a bit and answered, "Well of course I did! Are you telling me that this is that dog?" "Yes, it sure is. No one has taken her because of how she looks and I would have put her to sleep but it's hard to end a life that saved one!", he somberly replied.
"Do you want this dog Kevin? Sounds like you'd have yourself a hero like Lassie if we brought her home." Kevin's eyes had full-blown tears in them now. "I want her mom! Can we take her back with us?" She quickly glanced at the old man who was moved to tears himself at this point. "She's ours sweetheart."
They took "Fire" home and she never left Kevin's side and was his constant companion--never once even attempting to leave the yard or run out of the gate if mistakenly left open. Every night Kevin would say his prayers when his mother would tuck him in and he never failed to pray that "Fire" would be healed and get her hair back. After about five weeks, Kevin's constant prayers were obviously being answered as the once terribly disfigured mutt's hair rapidly began to grow back. Perhaps it was Kevin and his mother's imagination, but the more "Fire's" hair grew back, the more she resembled Lassie.
Kevin's mother opted to call the old man at the dog pound as her curiosity was overwhelmingly piqued. "Hello," the old man responded on the other end of the phone, "Corbin County dog pound. My name is Joe and how can we help you today?" "Hi Joe, I came in a month or so ago with my son and we got the dog you named "Fire." "Yes ma'am, he replied happily, "I'm glad you called... been wondering how old "Fire" has been doing. How can I help you?" She took a deep breath and asked, "Well Joe, I'm curious about just one thing and thought you might know the answer. What kind of mutt is 'Fire'?"
The old man softly chuckled before replying. "Ma'am", 'Fire' isn't a mutt." Confused she continued, "If she's not a mutt, what kind of dog is she?" He chuckled again and replied, "Fire's momma' and daddy are both show dogs. 'Fire' is a full-bred Collie."
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Motivation
How can we motivate without criticizing, nagging, berating or pushing?
I've learned a few important things about the finer points of positive motivation over 40 years of ministry and I'm still leanring.
First, the careful use of humor can work in any relationship to make the point in a way it will be heard. Sometimes we are so frustrated we know that however we say it, it will be bound to come out wrong. These are especially the times when humor may be needed.
Second, be polite and respectful. Sometimes it's more about how we say it than what we say. Too much of the world is run on the theory that you don't need road manners if you drive a five-ton truck. No one wants to be forced, pushed, run over, cajoled or manipulated. They want to be respected.
Finally, show appreciation. An author once had a publisher who boasted about the consistently exceptional work of his assistant. One day while visiting the publisher's office, the author struck up a conversation with the valued employee. He told her what her boss said about her work. "What's your secret?" he asked.
"It's not my secret," said the assistant, "it's his." She went on to tell him that her boss always acknowledges and appreciates everything she does, regardless how insignificant. That is why she finds it so easy to take pride in her work. The appreciation of her employer nudges her toward constant improvement.
These are a few of the finer points of positive motivation. And even if motivating is not your purpose, respect and appreciation, topped off with a little humor is bound to improve any relationship.
I've learned a few important things about the finer points of positive motivation over 40 years of ministry and I'm still leanring.
First, the careful use of humor can work in any relationship to make the point in a way it will be heard. Sometimes we are so frustrated we know that however we say it, it will be bound to come out wrong. These are especially the times when humor may be needed.
Second, be polite and respectful. Sometimes it's more about how we say it than what we say. Too much of the world is run on the theory that you don't need road manners if you drive a five-ton truck. No one wants to be forced, pushed, run over, cajoled or manipulated. They want to be respected.
Finally, show appreciation. An author once had a publisher who boasted about the consistently exceptional work of his assistant. One day while visiting the publisher's office, the author struck up a conversation with the valued employee. He told her what her boss said about her work. "What's your secret?" he asked.
"It's not my secret," said the assistant, "it's his." She went on to tell him that her boss always acknowledges and appreciates everything she does, regardless how insignificant. That is why she finds it so easy to take pride in her work. The appreciation of her employer nudges her toward constant improvement.
These are a few of the finer points of positive motivation. And even if motivating is not your purpose, respect and appreciation, topped off with a little humor is bound to improve any relationship.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Jesus really does love you!
Every Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at their church, the
Pastor and his 11-year-old son would go out into their town and hand out
Gospel tracts. This particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the
Pastor and his son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very
cold outside as well as pouring down rain. The boy bundled up in his
warmest and driest clothes and said "Okay Dad, I'm ready."
His Pastor Dad asked, "Ready for what?
"Dad, it's time we gather our tracts together and go out."
Dad responds, "Son, it's very cold outside and it's pouring down rain."
The boy gives his Dad a surprised look, asking, "But Dad, aren't people
still going to Hell, even though it's raining?"
Dad answers, "Son, I am not going out in this weather."
Despondently the boy asks, "Dad, can I go -- Please?"
His father hesitated for a moment then said, "Son, you can go. Here's
the tracts; be careful son."
"Thanks, Dad!" And with that he was off and out into the rain. This
11-year-old boy walked the streets of the town going door-to-door and
handing everybody he met in the street a Gospel tract. After 2-hours of
walking in the rain he was soaking bone-chilled wet and down to his very
last tract. He stopped on a corner and looked for someone to hand a
tract to but the streets were totally deserted.
Then he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk
to the front door and rang the door bell. He rang the bell -- but nobody
answered. He rang it again and again bit still no one answered. He
waited but still no answer. Finally this 11-year-old trooper turned to
leave but something stopped him. Again, he turned to the door and rang
the bell and knocked loudly on the door with his fist. He waited,
something holding him there on the front porch. He rang again, and this
time the door slowly opened. Standing in the doorway was a very sad
looking elderly lady.
She softly asked, "What can I do for you, son?"
With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up her world, this little boy
said, "Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I just want to tell you
that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU! I came to give you my very last Gospel
tract which will tell you all about Jesus and His great love." With that
he handed her his last tract, and turned to leave.
She called to him as he departed, "Thank you, son! And God bless you!"
Well, the following Sunday morning in church, Pastor Dad was in the
pulpit and as the service began he asked, "Does anybody have a testimony
or want to say anything?"
Slowly, in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood to her
feet. As she began to speak, a look of glorious radiance came from her
face. "None of you in this church know me. I've never been here before.
You see, before last Sunday I was not a Christian. My husband has passed
on, some time ago, leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Sunday,
being a particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more so in my heart
as I came to the end of the line where I no longer had any hope or will
to live.
"So I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic
of my home. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof then
stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my
neck. "Standing on that chair, so lonely and brokenhearted, I was about
to leap off when suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs
startled me. I thought, 'I'll wait a minute, and whoever it is will go
away.' "I waited and waited -- but the ringing doorbell seemed to get
louder and more insistent and then the person ringing also started
knocking loudly. I thought to myself again, 'Who on earth could this
be?! Nobody ever rings my bell or comes to see me!' "I loosened the rope
from my neck and started for the front door, all the while the bell rang
louder and louder. When I opened the door and looked I could hardly
believe my eyes! "There on my front porch was the most radiant and
angelic little boy I had ever seen in my life! His smile! Oh, I could
never describe it to you! And the words that came from his mouth caused
my heart, that had long been dead, to leap to life as he exclaimed with
cherub-like voice, 'Ma'am, I just came to tell you that JESUS REALLY
DOES LOVE YOU.' "Then he gave me this Gospel tract that I now hold in my
hand. As the little angel disappeared back out, into the cold and rain,
I closed my door and read slowly every word of this Gospel tract. Then I
went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing them
any more.
"You see, I am now a happy child of the KING, and since the address of
your church was on the back of this Gospel tract I have come here to
personally say, 'Thank you to God's little angel who came just in the
nick of time, and by so doing, spared my soul from an eternity in Hell.'"
There were now no dry eyes in the church. As shouts of praise and honor
to the KING resounded off the very rafters of the building, Pastor Dad
descended from the pulpit to the front pew where the little angel was
seated. He took him in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
Probably no church has had a more glorious moment and probably this
Universe has never seen a Papa that was more filled with love and honor
for his son, except for one: This Father, God, also allowed His Son,
Jesus, to go out into a cold and dark world. He received His Son back
with joy unspeakable, and as all of Heaven shouted praises and honor to
the King, the Father sat His beloved Son on a throne far above all
principality and power and every name that is named. There may be
someone, reading this, who is also going through a dark, cold and lonely
time in your soul. You may be a Christian, for we are not without
problems, or you may not yet know the King. Whatever the case, and
whatever the problem or situation you find yourself in, and no matter
how dark it may seem, I want you to know that I just came to tell you,
"JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU!"
The above story came as an E-Mail Ministry message. To le
Pastor and his 11-year-old son would go out into their town and hand out
Gospel tracts. This particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the
Pastor and his son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very
cold outside as well as pouring down rain. The boy bundled up in his
warmest and driest clothes and said "Okay Dad, I'm ready."
His Pastor Dad asked, "Ready for what?
"Dad, it's time we gather our tracts together and go out."
Dad responds, "Son, it's very cold outside and it's pouring down rain."
The boy gives his Dad a surprised look, asking, "But Dad, aren't people
still going to Hell, even though it's raining?"
Dad answers, "Son, I am not going out in this weather."
Despondently the boy asks, "Dad, can I go -- Please?"
His father hesitated for a moment then said, "Son, you can go. Here's
the tracts; be careful son."
"Thanks, Dad!" And with that he was off and out into the rain. This
11-year-old boy walked the streets of the town going door-to-door and
handing everybody he met in the street a Gospel tract. After 2-hours of
walking in the rain he was soaking bone-chilled wet and down to his very
last tract. He stopped on a corner and looked for someone to hand a
tract to but the streets were totally deserted.
Then he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk
to the front door and rang the door bell. He rang the bell -- but nobody
answered. He rang it again and again bit still no one answered. He
waited but still no answer. Finally this 11-year-old trooper turned to
leave but something stopped him. Again, he turned to the door and rang
the bell and knocked loudly on the door with his fist. He waited,
something holding him there on the front porch. He rang again, and this
time the door slowly opened. Standing in the doorway was a very sad
looking elderly lady.
She softly asked, "What can I do for you, son?"
With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up her world, this little boy
said, "Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I just want to tell you
that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU! I came to give you my very last Gospel
tract which will tell you all about Jesus and His great love." With that
he handed her his last tract, and turned to leave.
She called to him as he departed, "Thank you, son! And God bless you!"
Well, the following Sunday morning in church, Pastor Dad was in the
pulpit and as the service began he asked, "Does anybody have a testimony
or want to say anything?"
Slowly, in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood to her
feet. As she began to speak, a look of glorious radiance came from her
face. "None of you in this church know me. I've never been here before.
You see, before last Sunday I was not a Christian. My husband has passed
on, some time ago, leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Sunday,
being a particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more so in my heart
as I came to the end of the line where I no longer had any hope or will
to live.
"So I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic
of my home. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof then
stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my
neck. "Standing on that chair, so lonely and brokenhearted, I was about
to leap off when suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs
startled me. I thought, 'I'll wait a minute, and whoever it is will go
away.' "I waited and waited -- but the ringing doorbell seemed to get
louder and more insistent and then the person ringing also started
knocking loudly. I thought to myself again, 'Who on earth could this
be?! Nobody ever rings my bell or comes to see me!' "I loosened the rope
from my neck and started for the front door, all the while the bell rang
louder and louder. When I opened the door and looked I could hardly
believe my eyes! "There on my front porch was the most radiant and
angelic little boy I had ever seen in my life! His smile! Oh, I could
never describe it to you! And the words that came from his mouth caused
my heart, that had long been dead, to leap to life as he exclaimed with
cherub-like voice, 'Ma'am, I just came to tell you that JESUS REALLY
DOES LOVE YOU.' "Then he gave me this Gospel tract that I now hold in my
hand. As the little angel disappeared back out, into the cold and rain,
I closed my door and read slowly every word of this Gospel tract. Then I
went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing them
any more.
"You see, I am now a happy child of the KING, and since the address of
your church was on the back of this Gospel tract I have come here to
personally say, 'Thank you to God's little angel who came just in the
nick of time, and by so doing, spared my soul from an eternity in Hell.'"
There were now no dry eyes in the church. As shouts of praise and honor
to the KING resounded off the very rafters of the building, Pastor Dad
descended from the pulpit to the front pew where the little angel was
seated. He took him in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
Probably no church has had a more glorious moment and probably this
Universe has never seen a Papa that was more filled with love and honor
for his son, except for one: This Father, God, also allowed His Son,
Jesus, to go out into a cold and dark world. He received His Son back
with joy unspeakable, and as all of Heaven shouted praises and honor to
the King, the Father sat His beloved Son on a throne far above all
principality and power and every name that is named. There may be
someone, reading this, who is also going through a dark, cold and lonely
time in your soul. You may be a Christian, for we are not without
problems, or you may not yet know the King. Whatever the case, and
whatever the problem or situation you find yourself in, and no matter
how dark it may seem, I want you to know that I just came to tell you,
"JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU!"
The above story came as an E-Mail Ministry message. To le
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Refiner and Purifier
Malachi 3:3 "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver..."
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God ...
One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: ' He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.'
She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time.
The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'
He smiled at her and answered, ' Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.'
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.
Pass this on right now. This very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them. And, whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end.
One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: ' He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.'
She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time.
The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'
He smiled at her and answered, ' Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.'
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.
Pass this on right now. This very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them. And, whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end.
Airline Humor
You gotta love the Canadian sense of humour.
West Jet is an Airline with head office situated in Calgary, Alberta. West Jet airline attendants make an effort to make the in-flight 'safety lecture' and announcements a bit more entertaining. Here are some real examples that have been heard or reported:
On a West Jet flight (There is no assigned seating, you just sit where you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced, 'People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!'
On another West Jet Flight with a very 'senior' flight attendant crew, the pilot said, 'Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants.'
On landing, the stewardess said, 'Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have.'
'There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane.'
'Thank you for flying West Jet Express. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride.'
As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at the Vancouver Airport , a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: 'Whoa, big fella. WHOA!'
From a West Jet Airlines employee: 'Welcome aboard West Jet Flight 245 to Calgary. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised.'
'In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with more than one small child, pick your favorite.'
'Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than West Jet Airlines.'
'Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments.'
'As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses.'
And from the pilot during his welcome message: 'West Jet Airlines is pleased to announce that we have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!'
Heard on West Jet Airlines just after a very hard landing in Edmonton : The flight attendant came on the intercom and said, 'That was quite a bump, and I know what y'all are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendant's fault, it was the asphalt.'
Overheard on a West Jet Airlines flight into Regina, on a particularly windy and bumpy day: During the final20approach, the Captain was really having to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant said, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Regina. Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!'
Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: 'We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal.'
An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the Passengers exited, smile, and give them a 'Thanks for flying our airline.' He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said, 'Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?' 'Why, no, Ma'am,' said the pilot. 'What is it?' The little old lady said,'Did we land, or were we shot down?'
After a real crusher of a landing in Halifax , the attendant came on with, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Captain Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we will open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal.'
Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: 'We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of West Jet Airways.'
Heard on a West Jet Airline flight. 'Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to smoke, the smoking section on this airplane is on the wing. If you can light 'em, you can smoke 'em.'
A plane was taking off from the Winnipeg Airport . After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, 'Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from Winnipeg to Montreal .. The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax... OH, MY GOD!'
Silence followed, and after a few minutes, the captain came back on the intercom and said, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier. While I was talking to you, the flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!' A passenger in Coach yelled, 'That's nothing. You should see the back of mine.
[ Author Unknown -- from 'Buffalos Chips' (buffalos-g-jokes.yahoogroups.com) - Updated 2013 ]
West Jet is an Airline with head office situated in Calgary, Alberta. West Jet airline attendants make an effort to make the in-flight 'safety lecture' and announcements a bit more entertaining. Here are some real examples that have been heard or reported:
On a West Jet flight (There is no assigned seating, you just sit where you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced, 'People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!'
On another West Jet Flight with a very 'senior' flight attendant crew, the pilot said, 'Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants.'
On landing, the stewardess said, 'Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have.'
'There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane.'
'Thank you for flying West Jet Express. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride.'
As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at the Vancouver Airport , a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: 'Whoa, big fella. WHOA!'
From a West Jet Airlines employee: 'Welcome aboard West Jet Flight 245 to Calgary. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised.'
'In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with more than one small child, pick your favorite.'
'Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than West Jet Airlines.'
'Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments.'
'As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses.'
And from the pilot during his welcome message: 'West Jet Airlines is pleased to announce that we have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!'
Heard on West Jet Airlines just after a very hard landing in Edmonton : The flight attendant came on the intercom and said, 'That was quite a bump, and I know what y'all are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendant's fault, it was the asphalt.'
Overheard on a West Jet Airlines flight into Regina, on a particularly windy and bumpy day: During the final20approach, the Captain was really having to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant said, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Regina. Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!'
Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: 'We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal.'
An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the Passengers exited, smile, and give them a 'Thanks for flying our airline.' He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said, 'Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?' 'Why, no, Ma'am,' said the pilot. 'What is it?' The little old lady said,'Did we land, or were we shot down?'
After a real crusher of a landing in Halifax , the attendant came on with, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Captain Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we will open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal.'
Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: 'We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of West Jet Airways.'
Heard on a West Jet Airline flight. 'Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to smoke, the smoking section on this airplane is on the wing. If you can light 'em, you can smoke 'em.'
A plane was taking off from the Winnipeg Airport . After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, 'Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from Winnipeg to Montreal .. The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax... OH, MY GOD!'
Silence followed, and after a few minutes, the captain came back on the intercom and said, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier. While I was talking to you, the flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!' A passenger in Coach yelled, 'That's nothing. You should see the back of mine.
[ Author Unknown -- from 'Buffalos Chips' (buffalos-g-jokes.yahoogroups.com) - Updated 2013 ]
Friday, April 19, 2013
Be On Guard!
Matthew 24:3 says that the disciples came to Jesus and asked Him these questions: "What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” He gave two major commands in Hs response to them.
First He warned them against deception: "Watch out that no one deceives you” in Verse 4.
Then in Verse 42 He said, “keep watch."
What did Jesus mean when He said “keep watch”?
The disciples had asked him for a sign of His Second Coming and Jesus described several signs and events that would lead up to His return. After describing these things, He told them to “keep watch.” He also gave them an analogy as He had done so many times before. He said in Verses 32-34:
"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened."
-Watch, because it will be like the days of Noah-Verses 24:35-45
"As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?"
-Watch, because you do not know the time of His return.
"Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back--whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!"-Mark 13:33-37
"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." Matthew 25:13
Verse 25 "From what is written we can understand what Jesus means when He says “keep watch”? He is saying that there are many cares and concerns in this life which tend to distract and deceive us from the Kingdom of God. However, He expects His followers to remain alert and keep watch for the things He told us about. Then we will not be surprised by His return. Jesus even warns us saying, “See, I have told you ahead of time."
The Apostle Paul also warned us to “keep watch”, “be on your guard!”
Acts 20:26-31 "Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!"
First He warned them against deception: "Watch out that no one deceives you” in Verse 4.
Then in Verse 42 He said, “keep watch."
What did Jesus mean when He said “keep watch”?
The disciples had asked him for a sign of His Second Coming and Jesus described several signs and events that would lead up to His return. After describing these things, He told them to “keep watch.” He also gave them an analogy as He had done so many times before. He said in Verses 32-34:
"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened."
-Watch, because it will be like the days of Noah-Verses 24:35-45
"As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?"
-Watch, because you do not know the time of His return.
"Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back--whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!"-Mark 13:33-37
"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." Matthew 25:13
Verse 25 "From what is written we can understand what Jesus means when He says “keep watch”? He is saying that there are many cares and concerns in this life which tend to distract and deceive us from the Kingdom of God. However, He expects His followers to remain alert and keep watch for the things He told us about. Then we will not be surprised by His return. Jesus even warns us saying, “See, I have told you ahead of time."
The Apostle Paul also warned us to “keep watch”, “be on your guard!”
Acts 20:26-31 "Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!"
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Resist playing the Blame Game
Steve Goodier shared this story on his web page. I thought it was worth reprinting:
A mother heard the family cat yowl in pain. She knew where to look – she looked for her son, Mike. "Stop pulling the cat's tail, Michael!" she chided.
"I'm not pulling his tail," the boy retorted. "I'm just standing on it. He's doing the pulling."
He, of course, is no different than any of us. Often, our first impulse is to blame someone or something else for problems. It's the cat's fault. Or the school's fault. Or my parents' fault.
I once heard a story of a 40-year-old woman who was jogging in a U. S. state park when she was attacked and killed by a mountain lion. Her family immediately filed suit against the state because of its "failure to manage the mountain lion population" and because it didn't "react to reports of cougar activity in the area by posting warning signs."
But an interesting thing happened. Her distraught husband felt it was wrong to blame the state or anyone else for his wife's death, even though he stood to possibly win a small fortune. Against her family's wishes, he dropped the law suit. "Barbara and I have always taken responsibility for our own actions," he explained. "Barbara chose to run in the wild and, on a very long shot, she did not come back. This is not the fault of the state, and people should take responsibility for themselves."
I would like to meet that man. He no doubt believes that the Blame Game" is a no-win in the long run. He seems like a person who would rather spend time fixing what's broken than fixing the blame for it on someone else.
This isn't about law suits – it's more about whether we are essentially victims of life or whether we are powerful and responsible people. An important step in gaining mastery over your life is to resist the urge to make something or someone else responsible. Like novelist J. K. Rowling (of Harry Potter fame) said to graduating Harvard students, "There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction; the moment you are old enough to take the wheel, responsibility lies with you." Certainly background and circumstances have influenced who we are, but who is responsible for the person we become?
An important decision I made was to resist playing the Blame Game. The day I realized that I am in charge of how I will approach problems in my life, that things will turn out better or worse because of me and nobody else, that was the day I knew I would be a happier and healthier person. And that was the day I knew I could truly build a life that matters.
A mother heard the family cat yowl in pain. She knew where to look – she looked for her son, Mike. "Stop pulling the cat's tail, Michael!" she chided.
"I'm not pulling his tail," the boy retorted. "I'm just standing on it. He's doing the pulling."
He, of course, is no different than any of us. Often, our first impulse is to blame someone or something else for problems. It's the cat's fault. Or the school's fault. Or my parents' fault.
I once heard a story of a 40-year-old woman who was jogging in a U. S. state park when she was attacked and killed by a mountain lion. Her family immediately filed suit against the state because of its "failure to manage the mountain lion population" and because it didn't "react to reports of cougar activity in the area by posting warning signs."
But an interesting thing happened. Her distraught husband felt it was wrong to blame the state or anyone else for his wife's death, even though he stood to possibly win a small fortune. Against her family's wishes, he dropped the law suit. "Barbara and I have always taken responsibility for our own actions," he explained. "Barbara chose to run in the wild and, on a very long shot, she did not come back. This is not the fault of the state, and people should take responsibility for themselves."
I would like to meet that man. He no doubt believes that the Blame Game" is a no-win in the long run. He seems like a person who would rather spend time fixing what's broken than fixing the blame for it on someone else.
This isn't about law suits – it's more about whether we are essentially victims of life or whether we are powerful and responsible people. An important step in gaining mastery over your life is to resist the urge to make something or someone else responsible. Like novelist J. K. Rowling (of Harry Potter fame) said to graduating Harvard students, "There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction; the moment you are old enough to take the wheel, responsibility lies with you." Certainly background and circumstances have influenced who we are, but who is responsible for the person we become?
An important decision I made was to resist playing the Blame Game. The day I realized that I am in charge of how I will approach problems in my life, that things will turn out better or worse because of me and nobody else, that was the day I knew I would be a happier and healthier person. And that was the day I knew I could truly build a life that matters.
Monday, April 15, 2013
It's Happened Again
2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
It's hard to imagine the horror and terror once again placed upon our great nation with the tragedy that has taken place in Boston. So many individuals lives are altered forever by this horrible event. My heart and prayers go out for the families of the victims and the victims themselves of the pain inflicted by persons at this moment unknown to us all. May God have mercy on their souls if they are ever found.
The spirit of evil, Satan, is alive and well on our planet. It appears that as he gains more and more control over the people of this world his power of darkness brings pain, destruction, and great sorrow. Yet, I believe there are still enough people who will humble themselves and pray, seek the face of the Lord, and turn from the spirit of wickedness in our nation. In doing so we can hear from heaven and God can and will bring healing to our land.
In the past 12 years our great nation has undergone one turmoil after another. Somehow we have always seemed to overcome these extreme difficulties with the power of human determination and grit. But I believe this is a critical time in our nation where we must turn back to the faith of our Fathers. The people of Boston need our prayers as well as our whole nation because these acts of terror in spite of our best efforts seem to keep happening.
My prayer today is, "God protect my nation, my family, my leaders, and my freedoms. Help us to reestablish our faith in You and turn from the spirit of evil that seems to hang over us. We as believers repent for our nation and ask for You to expose those who would do evil against us. Heal the injured and comfort the hurting who have lost a loved one. Please Lord, help the people of Boston and America to know that You are still with us and can help us in a great time of tragedy. In Jesus Name-Amen."
It's hard to imagine the horror and terror once again placed upon our great nation with the tragedy that has taken place in Boston. So many individuals lives are altered forever by this horrible event. My heart and prayers go out for the families of the victims and the victims themselves of the pain inflicted by persons at this moment unknown to us all. May God have mercy on their souls if they are ever found.
The spirit of evil, Satan, is alive and well on our planet. It appears that as he gains more and more control over the people of this world his power of darkness brings pain, destruction, and great sorrow. Yet, I believe there are still enough people who will humble themselves and pray, seek the face of the Lord, and turn from the spirit of wickedness in our nation. In doing so we can hear from heaven and God can and will bring healing to our land.
In the past 12 years our great nation has undergone one turmoil after another. Somehow we have always seemed to overcome these extreme difficulties with the power of human determination and grit. But I believe this is a critical time in our nation where we must turn back to the faith of our Fathers. The people of Boston need our prayers as well as our whole nation because these acts of terror in spite of our best efforts seem to keep happening.
My prayer today is, "God protect my nation, my family, my leaders, and my freedoms. Help us to reestablish our faith in You and turn from the spirit of evil that seems to hang over us. We as believers repent for our nation and ask for You to expose those who would do evil against us. Heal the injured and comfort the hurting who have lost a loved one. Please Lord, help the people of Boston and America to know that You are still with us and can help us in a great time of tragedy. In Jesus Name-Amen."
The Bible is more than just a mini-series
God gave us the Bible as an evidence and illustration of His love for us. The term “revelation” simply means that God communicated to mankind what He is like and how we can have a right relationship with Him. These are things that we could not have known had God not divinely revealed them to us in the Bible. Although God’s revelation of Himself in the Bible was given progressively over approximately 1500 years, it has always contained everything man needs to know about God in order to have a right relationship with Him. If the Bible is truly the Word of God, then it is the final authority for all matters of faith, religious practice, and morals.
The question we must ask ourselves is how can we know that the Bible is the Word of God and not just a good book? What is unique about the Bible that sets it apart from all other religious books ever written? Is there any evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word? These types of questions must be seriously examined if we are to determine the validity of the Bible’s claim to be the very Word of God, divinely inspired, and totally sufficient for all matters of faith and practice. There can be no doubt that the Bible does claim to be the very Word of God. This is clearly seen in Paul’s commendation to Timothy: “… from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
There are both internal and external evidences that the Bible is truly God’s Word. The internal evidences are those things within the Bible that testify of its divine origin. One of the first internal evidences that the Bible is truly God’s Word is seen in its unity. Even though it is really sixty-six individual books, written on three continents, in three different languages, over a period of approximately 1500 years, by more than 40 authors who came from many walks of life, the Bible remains one unified book from beginning to end without contradiction. This unity is unique from all other books and is evidence of the divine origin of the words which God moved men to record.
Another of the internal evidences that indicates the Bible is truly God’s Word is the prophecies contained within its pages. The Bible contains hundreds of detailed prophecies relating to the future of individual nations including Israel, certain cities, and mankind. Other prophecies concern the coming of One who would be the Messiah, the Savior of all who would believe in Him. Unlike the prophecies found in other religious books or those by men such as Nostradamus, biblical prophecies are extremely detailed. There are over three hundred prophecies concerning Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. Not only was it foretold where He would be born and His lineage, but also how He would die and that He would rise again. There simply is no logical way to explain the fulfilled prophecies in the Bible other than by divine origin. There is no other religious book with the extent or type of predictive prophecy that the Bible contains.
A third internal evidence of the divine origin of the Bible is its unique authority and power. While this evidence is more subjective than the first two, it is no less a powerful testimony of the divine origin of the Bible. The Bible’s authority is unlike any other book ever written. This authority and power are best seen in the way countless lives have been transformed by the supernatural power of God’s Word. Drug addicts have been cured by it, homosexuals set free by it, derelicts and deadbeats transformed by it, hardened criminals reformed by it, sinners rebuked by it, and hate turned to love by it. The Bible does possess a dynamic and transforming power that is only possible because it is truly God’s Word.
There are also external evidences that indicate the Bible is truly the Word of God. One is the historicity of the Bible. Because the Bible details historical events, its truthfulness and accuracy are subject to verification like any other historical document. Through both archaeological evidences and other writings, the historical accounts of the Bible have been proven time and time again to be accurate and true. In fact, all the archaeological and manuscript evidence supporting the Bible makes it the best-documented book from the ancient world. The fact that the Bible accurately and truthfully records historically verifiable events is a great indication of its truthfulness when dealing with religious subjects and doctrines and helps substantiate its claim to be the very Word of God.
Another external evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word is the integrity of its human authors. As mentioned earlier, God used men from many walks of life to record His words. In studying the lives of these men, we find them to be honest and sincere. The fact that they were willing to die often excruciating deaths for what they believed testifies that these ordinary yet honest men truly believed God had spoken to them. The men who wrote the New Testament and many hundreds of other believers (1 Corinthians 15:6) knew the truth of their message because they had seen and spent time with Jesus Christ after He had risen from the dead. Seeing the risen Christ had a tremendous impact on them. They went from hiding in fear to being willing to die for the message God had revealed to them. Their lives and deaths testify to the fact that the Bible truly is God’s Word.
A final external evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word is the indestructibility of the Bible. Because of its importance and its claim to be the very Word of God, the Bible has suffered more vicious attacks and attempts to destroy it than any other book in history. From early Roman Emperors like Diocletian, through communist dictators and on to modern-day atheists and agnostics, the Bible has withstood and outlasted all of its attackers and is still today the most widely published book in the world.
Throughout time, skeptics have regarded the Bible as mythological, but archeology has confirmed it as historical. Opponents have attacked its teaching as primitive and outdated, but its moral and legal concepts and teachings have had a positive influence on societies and cultures throughout the world. It continues to be attacked by pseudo-science, psychology, and political movements, yet it remains just as true and relevant today as it was when it was first written. It is a book that has transformed countless lives and cultures throughout the last 2000 years. No matter how its opponents try to attack, destroy, or discredit it, the Bible remains; its veracity and impact on lives is unmistakable. The accuracy which has been preserved despite every attempt to corrupt, attack, or destroy it is clear testimony to the fact that the Bible is truly God’s Word and is supernaturally protected by Him. It should not surprise us that, no matter how the Bible is attacked, it always comes out unchanged and unscathed. After all, Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Mark 13:31). After looking at the evidence, one can say without a doubt that, yes, the Bible is truly God’s Word.
The question we must ask ourselves is how can we know that the Bible is the Word of God and not just a good book? What is unique about the Bible that sets it apart from all other religious books ever written? Is there any evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word? These types of questions must be seriously examined if we are to determine the validity of the Bible’s claim to be the very Word of God, divinely inspired, and totally sufficient for all matters of faith and practice. There can be no doubt that the Bible does claim to be the very Word of God. This is clearly seen in Paul’s commendation to Timothy: “… from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
There are both internal and external evidences that the Bible is truly God’s Word. The internal evidences are those things within the Bible that testify of its divine origin. One of the first internal evidences that the Bible is truly God’s Word is seen in its unity. Even though it is really sixty-six individual books, written on three continents, in three different languages, over a period of approximately 1500 years, by more than 40 authors who came from many walks of life, the Bible remains one unified book from beginning to end without contradiction. This unity is unique from all other books and is evidence of the divine origin of the words which God moved men to record.
Another of the internal evidences that indicates the Bible is truly God’s Word is the prophecies contained within its pages. The Bible contains hundreds of detailed prophecies relating to the future of individual nations including Israel, certain cities, and mankind. Other prophecies concern the coming of One who would be the Messiah, the Savior of all who would believe in Him. Unlike the prophecies found in other religious books or those by men such as Nostradamus, biblical prophecies are extremely detailed. There are over three hundred prophecies concerning Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. Not only was it foretold where He would be born and His lineage, but also how He would die and that He would rise again. There simply is no logical way to explain the fulfilled prophecies in the Bible other than by divine origin. There is no other religious book with the extent or type of predictive prophecy that the Bible contains.
A third internal evidence of the divine origin of the Bible is its unique authority and power. While this evidence is more subjective than the first two, it is no less a powerful testimony of the divine origin of the Bible. The Bible’s authority is unlike any other book ever written. This authority and power are best seen in the way countless lives have been transformed by the supernatural power of God’s Word. Drug addicts have been cured by it, homosexuals set free by it, derelicts and deadbeats transformed by it, hardened criminals reformed by it, sinners rebuked by it, and hate turned to love by it. The Bible does possess a dynamic and transforming power that is only possible because it is truly God’s Word.
There are also external evidences that indicate the Bible is truly the Word of God. One is the historicity of the Bible. Because the Bible details historical events, its truthfulness and accuracy are subject to verification like any other historical document. Through both archaeological evidences and other writings, the historical accounts of the Bible have been proven time and time again to be accurate and true. In fact, all the archaeological and manuscript evidence supporting the Bible makes it the best-documented book from the ancient world. The fact that the Bible accurately and truthfully records historically verifiable events is a great indication of its truthfulness when dealing with religious subjects and doctrines and helps substantiate its claim to be the very Word of God.
Another external evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word is the integrity of its human authors. As mentioned earlier, God used men from many walks of life to record His words. In studying the lives of these men, we find them to be honest and sincere. The fact that they were willing to die often excruciating deaths for what they believed testifies that these ordinary yet honest men truly believed God had spoken to them. The men who wrote the New Testament and many hundreds of other believers (1 Corinthians 15:6) knew the truth of their message because they had seen and spent time with Jesus Christ after He had risen from the dead. Seeing the risen Christ had a tremendous impact on them. They went from hiding in fear to being willing to die for the message God had revealed to them. Their lives and deaths testify to the fact that the Bible truly is God’s Word.
A final external evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word is the indestructibility of the Bible. Because of its importance and its claim to be the very Word of God, the Bible has suffered more vicious attacks and attempts to destroy it than any other book in history. From early Roman Emperors like Diocletian, through communist dictators and on to modern-day atheists and agnostics, the Bible has withstood and outlasted all of its attackers and is still today the most widely published book in the world.
Throughout time, skeptics have regarded the Bible as mythological, but archeology has confirmed it as historical. Opponents have attacked its teaching as primitive and outdated, but its moral and legal concepts and teachings have had a positive influence on societies and cultures throughout the world. It continues to be attacked by pseudo-science, psychology, and political movements, yet it remains just as true and relevant today as it was when it was first written. It is a book that has transformed countless lives and cultures throughout the last 2000 years. No matter how its opponents try to attack, destroy, or discredit it, the Bible remains; its veracity and impact on lives is unmistakable. The accuracy which has been preserved despite every attempt to corrupt, attack, or destroy it is clear testimony to the fact that the Bible is truly God’s Word and is supernaturally protected by Him. It should not surprise us that, no matter how the Bible is attacked, it always comes out unchanged and unscathed. After all, Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Mark 13:31). After looking at the evidence, one can say without a doubt that, yes, the Bible is truly God’s Word.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Grow In Faith
We are commanded in Scripture to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). This growth is spiritual growth, growing in faith.
At the moment we receive Christ as our Savior, we are born again spiritually into God's family. But just as a newborn baby requires nourishing milk for growth and good development, so also a baby Christian requires spiritual food for growth. "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good" (1 Peter 2:2-3). Milk is used in the New Testament as a symbol of what is basic to the Christi.
But as a baby grows, its diet changes to also include solid foods. With this in mind, read how the writer of Hebrews admonished the Christians: “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" (Hebrews 5:12-14). Paul saw the same problem with the Corinthian believers; they had not grown in their faith, and he could only give them "milk" because they were not ready for solid food (1 Corinthians 3:1-3).
The analogy between a human baby and a spiritual baby breaks down when we realize how each baby matures. A human baby is fed by his parents and growth is natural. But a baby Christian will only grow as much as he purposefully reads and obeys and applies the Word to his life. Growth is up to him. There are Christians who have been saved many years, but spiritually they are still babies. They cannot understand the deeper truths of the Word of God.
What should a Christian's diet consist of? The Word of God! The truths taught in the Bible are rich food for Christians. Peter wrote that God has given us everything we need for life through our (growing) knowledge of Him. Read carefully 2 Peter 1:3-11 where Peter lists character qualities that need to be added to our beginning point of faith in order for maturity to take place and to have a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
At the moment we receive Christ as our Savior, we are born again spiritually into God's family. But just as a newborn baby requires nourishing milk for growth and good development, so also a baby Christian requires spiritual food for growth. "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good" (1 Peter 2:2-3). Milk is used in the New Testament as a symbol of what is basic to the Christi.
But as a baby grows, its diet changes to also include solid foods. With this in mind, read how the writer of Hebrews admonished the Christians: “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" (Hebrews 5:12-14). Paul saw the same problem with the Corinthian believers; they had not grown in their faith, and he could only give them "milk" because they were not ready for solid food (1 Corinthians 3:1-3).
The analogy between a human baby and a spiritual baby breaks down when we realize how each baby matures. A human baby is fed by his parents and growth is natural. But a baby Christian will only grow as much as he purposefully reads and obeys and applies the Word to his life. Growth is up to him. There are Christians who have been saved many years, but spiritually they are still babies. They cannot understand the deeper truths of the Word of God.
What should a Christian's diet consist of? The Word of God! The truths taught in the Bible are rich food for Christians. Peter wrote that God has given us everything we need for life through our (growing) knowledge of Him. Read carefully 2 Peter 1:3-11 where Peter lists character qualities that need to be added to our beginning point of faith in order for maturity to take place and to have a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Friday, April 12, 2013
What Would You Do If God Had Not Showed Up?
Let me pose a few questions to you today.
-What would you do if God suddenly showed up at your house today?
-What would you do if God suddenly showed up on your job?
-What would you do if God suddenly showed up while you were on the telephone being critical?
What would you have done if He had never showed up?
Would you be able change anything, or would you just continue doing what you have been doing?
God has a way of doing things that we will never understand. We will never be able to understand the grace and mercy of God. We will never be able to
understand how God saved us. Maybe you were saved in a church setting or maybe you were saved on a dance floor when God spoke to you. Maybe you were saved when you were doing something very questionable. Whatever happened, God showed up at the right time just to meet your need. I wonder where you and I would be if God did not show up at the right time.
The Bible says in Romans 5:8, "but God commendeth his love or demonstrates his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
We all should be thankful because God showed up at the right time. And guess what- He is still doing that today.
-What would you do if God suddenly showed up at your house today?
-What would you do if God suddenly showed up on your job?
-What would you do if God suddenly showed up while you were on the telephone being critical?
What would you have done if He had never showed up?
Would you be able change anything, or would you just continue doing what you have been doing?
God has a way of doing things that we will never understand. We will never be able to understand the grace and mercy of God. We will never be able to
understand how God saved us. Maybe you were saved in a church setting or maybe you were saved on a dance floor when God spoke to you. Maybe you were saved when you were doing something very questionable. Whatever happened, God showed up at the right time just to meet your need. I wonder where you and I would be if God did not show up at the right time.
The Bible says in Romans 5:8, "but God commendeth his love or demonstrates his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
We all should be thankful because God showed up at the right time. And guess what- He is still doing that today.
Hope
The school system in a large city had a program to help children keep up with their school work during stays in the city's hospitals. One day a teacher who was assigned to the program received a routine call asking her to visit a particular child. She took the child's name and room number and talked briefly with the child's regular class teacher. "We're studying nouns and adverbs in his class now," the regular teacher said, "and I'd be grateful if you could help him understand them so he doesn't fall too far behind."
The hospital program teacher went to see the boy that afternoon. No one had mentioned to her that the boy had been badly burned and was in great pain. Upset at the sight of the boy, she stammered as she told him, "I've been sent by your school to help you with nouns and adverbs." When she left she felt she hadn't accomplished much.
But the next day, a nurse asked her, "What did you do to that boy?" The teacher felt she must have done something wrong and began to apologize. "No, no," said the nurse. "You don't know what I mean. We've been worried about that little boy, but ever since yesterday, his whole attitude has changed. He's fighting back, responding to treatment. It's as though he's decided to live."
Two weeks later the boy explained that he had completely given up hope until the teacher arrived. Everything changed when he came to a simple realization. He expressed it this way: "They wouldn't send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a dying boy, would they?"
The hospital program teacher went to see the boy that afternoon. No one had mentioned to her that the boy had been badly burned and was in great pain. Upset at the sight of the boy, she stammered as she told him, "I've been sent by your school to help you with nouns and adverbs." When she left she felt she hadn't accomplished much.
But the next day, a nurse asked her, "What did you do to that boy?" The teacher felt she must have done something wrong and began to apologize. "No, no," said the nurse. "You don't know what I mean. We've been worried about that little boy, but ever since yesterday, his whole attitude has changed. He's fighting back, responding to treatment. It's as though he's decided to live."
Two weeks later the boy explained that he had completely given up hope until the teacher arrived. Everything changed when he came to a simple realization. He expressed it this way: "They wouldn't send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a dying boy, would they?"
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Hurting Churches (Part 5)
Scripture says, “God resists, or opposes, the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6) Pride is a killer. It is one of the subtlest tools of the enemy. God actually resists the proud! Who would want to be opposed by God! Yet in the church we often do find pride, but it wears a different cloak than it does out in the world.
In Christian circles we know that pride in our position and possessions is not a godly thing. We scorn openly the pursuit of “fame and fortune” alone. Yet pride exists in our hearts and in our churches in two prominent ways that we often try to justify.
There is pride in standing for a “principle of righteousness” while walking away from reconciliation. Making such a stand is not wrong in itself; however it is very often accompanied by a lack of grace and a spiritual superiority that cuts off the Spirit of God from working in a situation. If you are ever tempted to “stand for righteousness” against another Christian brother or sister, check if your trademark of love is visible, make sure your heart is clean in all the secret places and that you have done all you can to live at peace (Romans 12:18). If the basis for your stand is your own pride be very careful, for God does resist the proud.
The second place pride plays a major role in the church is in the area of spiritual gifts. You may have a discerning heart or a prophetic gifting. God may reveal truth to you in a situation or even in the life of another. Again, be very careful. God calls us first to prayer and often, to nothing more. If words are to be spoken God will clearly reveal that, but the first task is to obey the call to prayer.
Much damage has been done in the church when someone feels they have received a word from God and simply talks, rather than prays, about it. If you think you sense something pray, pray, pray and God will reveal if there is anything else He requires. God’s whisper in our Spirit will never be in conflict with what He directs in His Word. When we speak in spiritual pride, the Spirit is grieved and we cut off that which God was at work doing in our lives and in the situation. (1 Corinthians 13) The simple question to ask before opening your mouth is: “Will this lift Jesus higher or will this lift me higher?”
Be slow to speak, especially words that sow negative seeds about another, and be quick to listen. Ephesians 4:29, 30 says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…”
In Christian circles we know that pride in our position and possessions is not a godly thing. We scorn openly the pursuit of “fame and fortune” alone. Yet pride exists in our hearts and in our churches in two prominent ways that we often try to justify.
There is pride in standing for a “principle of righteousness” while walking away from reconciliation. Making such a stand is not wrong in itself; however it is very often accompanied by a lack of grace and a spiritual superiority that cuts off the Spirit of God from working in a situation. If you are ever tempted to “stand for righteousness” against another Christian brother or sister, check if your trademark of love is visible, make sure your heart is clean in all the secret places and that you have done all you can to live at peace (Romans 12:18). If the basis for your stand is your own pride be very careful, for God does resist the proud.
The second place pride plays a major role in the church is in the area of spiritual gifts. You may have a discerning heart or a prophetic gifting. God may reveal truth to you in a situation or even in the life of another. Again, be very careful. God calls us first to prayer and often, to nothing more. If words are to be spoken God will clearly reveal that, but the first task is to obey the call to prayer.
Much damage has been done in the church when someone feels they have received a word from God and simply talks, rather than prays, about it. If you think you sense something pray, pray, pray and God will reveal if there is anything else He requires. God’s whisper in our Spirit will never be in conflict with what He directs in His Word. When we speak in spiritual pride, the Spirit is grieved and we cut off that which God was at work doing in our lives and in the situation. (1 Corinthians 13) The simple question to ask before opening your mouth is: “Will this lift Jesus higher or will this lift me higher?”
Be slow to speak, especially words that sow negative seeds about another, and be quick to listen. Ephesians 4:29, 30 says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…”
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Hurting Churches (Part 4)
It seems we have come to allow gossip, slander and anger to simply be overlooked and rationalized in our churches. We excuse the fractures among believers by telling ourselves that God is purging our church, He is bringing justice. We stand up and glibly say, “God is in control,” while heads roll and tears fall and tender spirits get bruised and crushed. We forget that God gives us a choice in how we deal with matters and that the enemy is alive and well, attempting to influence those choices. We forget that for God to be in control of the moment, the conversation or the situation, we need to say “yes” to Him in allowing His Spirit to work in us and through us. Psalm 15 depicts the marks of an authentic Christian. It says, “He casts no slur on his fellowman…. but honors those who fear the Lord.” In any given troubling situation we need to honestly ask ourselves, “Am I making choices that allow God to be in control here or am I taking control?”
Proverbs 3: 5, 6 tells us to “trust in the Lord with your whole heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.” If your own understanding is resulting in opinions and actions that bring division, be accountable for what is going on in your own heart.
God speaks harshly about the one who promotes division. (Titus 3:10) If you are prompted to speak to one who is causing division, remember the trademark and go in love and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Don’t be afraid to call or be called to accountability. We can run to God, our help. God is sovereign and He is the great redeemer. No matter how bad a situation is, if He is invited in, at any point, He will come in and redeem the situation, work things out for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28) and put a derailed train back on the tracks.
2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked (selfish) ways, then I will heal their land” (their church, their heart). It’s a sure promise!
Proverbs 3: 5, 6 tells us to “trust in the Lord with your whole heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.” If your own understanding is resulting in opinions and actions that bring division, be accountable for what is going on in your own heart.
God speaks harshly about the one who promotes division. (Titus 3:10) If you are prompted to speak to one who is causing division, remember the trademark and go in love and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Don’t be afraid to call or be called to accountability. We can run to God, our help. God is sovereign and He is the great redeemer. No matter how bad a situation is, if He is invited in, at any point, He will come in and redeem the situation, work things out for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28) and put a derailed train back on the tracks.
2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked (selfish) ways, then I will heal their land” (their church, their heart). It’s a sure promise!
Hurting Churches (Part 3)
The simple truth of the Word of God in the instruction from Paul to “not let the sun go down on your anger” is so profoundly elementary that we miss it.
The Bible often uses the picture of seeds and reaping and sowing. Seeds of irritations and annoyances, not plucked out and dealt with on a daily basis, grow in our hearts. When they are not dealt with as soon as we recognize them, they take root and each subsequent encounter with that same irritation, which will always be linked to some person, will cause that root to dig just a little deeper. The deeper it goes, the more bitter it gets.
Scripture tells us “a root of bitterness springs up and defiles many”. (Hebrews 12:15) When it finally spills out, or spits up, it defiles us and those around, and hurt is the result. When our own bitter roots spit up we hurt others. That is why Proverbs 4:23 tells us “above all else guard your heart for it is the well spring of life.” It is the very source of all we are. What is in our heart spills out of our mouth (Matthew 12:34), and it is by our very words that we often grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:29, 30), and love goes out the window. The trademark that identified us as His disciples vanishes and the world looking on can see no difference in us.
So guard your heart. Take stock every day. Holiness is really just truth in the inner part. Keep short accounts for your own heart’s sake.
If the root is only just beginning in your own heart and still undetected by others, go to God and ask for its removal. You know when it is there. Ask for grace to be poured out in your heart so that you will have all the grace you need to deal with that particular situation and person. 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, “God is able to make all grace abound to you so that in all things and at all times having all that you need you will abound in every good work.” If the root has already spilled out and hurt others, go and confess to them. Even if they do not receive you or do not own their part of the conflict, keep your own heart guarded and clean. You are only responsible for one heart. Unresolved conflict in the heart of another is God’s job to deal with.
The presence of God in a life and the degree of truth that is allowed in the inner part will be evident in the fruit of our lives. Watch the fruit in your own life and in the lives of others. The fruit gives us away (Matthew 7:20). If you have owned your part in a conflict and others refuse to do the same, give them grace, pray for them, and if necessary, distance yourself from the overflow of their bitter root until they allow God to do healing in their heart.
Always be alert to the seeds that you allow in your heart. They all eventually produce fruit of one kind or another. List the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness/humility, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22). Ask yourself the simple question: “What fruit of the Spirit is in short supply in my life right now?”
Then take an honest look at the seeds that may have begun to take root in your heart.
The Bible often uses the picture of seeds and reaping and sowing. Seeds of irritations and annoyances, not plucked out and dealt with on a daily basis, grow in our hearts. When they are not dealt with as soon as we recognize them, they take root and each subsequent encounter with that same irritation, which will always be linked to some person, will cause that root to dig just a little deeper. The deeper it goes, the more bitter it gets.
Scripture tells us “a root of bitterness springs up and defiles many”. (Hebrews 12:15) When it finally spills out, or spits up, it defiles us and those around, and hurt is the result. When our own bitter roots spit up we hurt others. That is why Proverbs 4:23 tells us “above all else guard your heart for it is the well spring of life.” It is the very source of all we are. What is in our heart spills out of our mouth (Matthew 12:34), and it is by our very words that we often grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:29, 30), and love goes out the window. The trademark that identified us as His disciples vanishes and the world looking on can see no difference in us.
So guard your heart. Take stock every day. Holiness is really just truth in the inner part. Keep short accounts for your own heart’s sake.
If the root is only just beginning in your own heart and still undetected by others, go to God and ask for its removal. You know when it is there. Ask for grace to be poured out in your heart so that you will have all the grace you need to deal with that particular situation and person. 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, “God is able to make all grace abound to you so that in all things and at all times having all that you need you will abound in every good work.” If the root has already spilled out and hurt others, go and confess to them. Even if they do not receive you or do not own their part of the conflict, keep your own heart guarded and clean. You are only responsible for one heart. Unresolved conflict in the heart of another is God’s job to deal with.
The presence of God in a life and the degree of truth that is allowed in the inner part will be evident in the fruit of our lives. Watch the fruit in your own life and in the lives of others. The fruit gives us away (Matthew 7:20). If you have owned your part in a conflict and others refuse to do the same, give them grace, pray for them, and if necessary, distance yourself from the overflow of their bitter root until they allow God to do healing in their heart.
Always be alert to the seeds that you allow in your heart. They all eventually produce fruit of one kind or another. List the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness/humility, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22). Ask yourself the simple question: “What fruit of the Spirit is in short supply in my life right now?”
Then take an honest look at the seeds that may have begun to take root in your heart.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Hurting Churches (Part 2)
We don’t like to focus on the devil. We don’t want to give him any glory. Yet, in failing to heed the warning of Scripture that the devil actually “prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour” according to 1 Peter 5:8. We find ourselves consumed (devoured!) by all kinds of irritations in one another and in the church.
How the new programs run, personalities of the leaders, and worship styles often become the focus of a quarrel, nor people who “just don’t get it” spiritually the way we do, all begin to rob us of our joy and steal our effectiveness as a body of believers. And we are so often oblivious to what is really going on in the spiritual realm. Scripture says, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers…” in Ephesians 6:12. When in conflict with another believer, we need to ask ourselves the question, “Am I wrestling against flesh and blood?”
The answer in these situations is usually “yes.” And the solution is so simple we miss it. As Christians we are in a wrestling match. But our opponent is in the spiritual realm. His mandate is to “kill, steal and destroy” (John 10:10). Instead of recognizing that, we put on the gloves and begin to engage in battle with one another, leaving scratches and scars, bruises and bleeding that sometimes takes years to heal and always leaves a mark. And the trademark of love becomes so faint, onlookers can hardly see it.
Scripture tells us in 1Peter 5:8,9 to “be alert”, “resist the enemy” and to be on your guard and “stand against the schemes of the devil” In Ephesians 6:11. So when irritation strikes know immediately who your opponent is and know immediately he has schemes and plans in place that will at best steal from you and at worst destroy God’s people and their effectiveness.
Any pervasive, downward spiral needs to be called what it is, so be alert to the red flags. Our human nature wants to defend and justify ourselves. God knows the propensity of our hearts to go their own way. That is why He calls us to pray for our enemies in Matthew 5:44 and to do good to those who spitefully use us in Luke 6:27. Only the “God strength” in our lives, His strength invited in at our point of weakness and frustration, can remedy this battle that is fought in the heavenlies, yet lived out in our churches.
Ephesians 6:18. says, "Be alert and always keep on praying." When prayer is no longer the oxygen of our spiritual soul or the heartbeat of our church, our defense is down. Praying for those who hurt us becomes something we don’t even want to do. Neglect in prayer and in the spiritual training of the Word leaves us with open doors for the enemy to turn the wrestling match on one another. It is so subtle and we can feel so justified, but the loss in our own hearts and in the Kingdom is an unnecessary tragedy. The stealing and robbing is done long before we have even recognized the enemy was at the door. Knowing he is prowling the neighborhood keeps us in a proactive state and able to recognize and withstand his tactics.
How the new programs run, personalities of the leaders, and worship styles often become the focus of a quarrel, nor people who “just don’t get it” spiritually the way we do, all begin to rob us of our joy and steal our effectiveness as a body of believers. And we are so often oblivious to what is really going on in the spiritual realm. Scripture says, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers…” in Ephesians 6:12. When in conflict with another believer, we need to ask ourselves the question, “Am I wrestling against flesh and blood?”
The answer in these situations is usually “yes.” And the solution is so simple we miss it. As Christians we are in a wrestling match. But our opponent is in the spiritual realm. His mandate is to “kill, steal and destroy” (John 10:10). Instead of recognizing that, we put on the gloves and begin to engage in battle with one another, leaving scratches and scars, bruises and bleeding that sometimes takes years to heal and always leaves a mark. And the trademark of love becomes so faint, onlookers can hardly see it.
Scripture tells us in 1Peter 5:8,9 to “be alert”, “resist the enemy” and to be on your guard and “stand against the schemes of the devil” In Ephesians 6:11. So when irritation strikes know immediately who your opponent is and know immediately he has schemes and plans in place that will at best steal from you and at worst destroy God’s people and their effectiveness.
Any pervasive, downward spiral needs to be called what it is, so be alert to the red flags. Our human nature wants to defend and justify ourselves. God knows the propensity of our hearts to go their own way. That is why He calls us to pray for our enemies in Matthew 5:44 and to do good to those who spitefully use us in Luke 6:27. Only the “God strength” in our lives, His strength invited in at our point of weakness and frustration, can remedy this battle that is fought in the heavenlies, yet lived out in our churches.
Ephesians 6:18. says, "Be alert and always keep on praying." When prayer is no longer the oxygen of our spiritual soul or the heartbeat of our church, our defense is down. Praying for those who hurt us becomes something we don’t even want to do. Neglect in prayer and in the spiritual training of the Word leaves us with open doors for the enemy to turn the wrestling match on one another. It is so subtle and we can feel so justified, but the loss in our own hearts and in the Kingdom is an unnecessary tragedy. The stealing and robbing is done long before we have even recognized the enemy was at the door. Knowing he is prowling the neighborhood keeps us in a proactive state and able to recognize and withstand his tactics.
Hurting Churches (Part1)
The hurting church is not an occasional dilemma. More and more we find people who have been hurt deeply within the family of God, leaving them worn and exhausted. More and more we find leaders in conflict within the body of believers, robbed of the joy Jesus promised in Him. When we find this hurt hanging on to our own bruised soul, it can make us want to leave the church and sometimes even want to “back burner” our God who seems to have allowed it all.
Sadly, we have come to accept that this is the way church is. There is an epidemic of fractured believers out there and we have actually come to accept this as the norm. So we either stay away and let our hearts become cold or we put on our Sunday best, call “forward march” and implement a new vision or program and hope the problems will just go away. The hurt in individual hearts and churches gets buried until it gets bumped again.
Can we break this cycle that happens over and over in heart after heart, and church after church?
I am continually amazed at the simplicity of God’s Word and the direct instructions He shares with us. The Father’s heart toward us, His children, is so open and loving as He instructs us in living in the day-to-day challenges of rubbing shoulders where the rubber meets the road.
The steps God gives us are simple, though not necessarily easy. They are steps that can help us move from being reactive in conflict to becoming proactive in guarding our hearts and our churches. And, as steps always do, they will take us to higher ground where we can live above disunity and confusion.
The framework these steps are built on is love. Love is also the handrail that helps move us along from one step to another. Without love, the steps move us from the fulfillment of right living that God calls us to, to self- righteous living, which is hollow and void of the power of the Holy Spirit. God says our trademark will be love. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)
Sadly, we have come to accept that this is the way church is. There is an epidemic of fractured believers out there and we have actually come to accept this as the norm. So we either stay away and let our hearts become cold or we put on our Sunday best, call “forward march” and implement a new vision or program and hope the problems will just go away. The hurt in individual hearts and churches gets buried until it gets bumped again.
Can we break this cycle that happens over and over in heart after heart, and church after church?
I am continually amazed at the simplicity of God’s Word and the direct instructions He shares with us. The Father’s heart toward us, His children, is so open and loving as He instructs us in living in the day-to-day challenges of rubbing shoulders where the rubber meets the road.
The steps God gives us are simple, though not necessarily easy. They are steps that can help us move from being reactive in conflict to becoming proactive in guarding our hearts and our churches. And, as steps always do, they will take us to higher ground where we can live above disunity and confusion.
The framework these steps are built on is love. Love is also the handrail that helps move us along from one step to another. Without love, the steps move us from the fulfillment of right living that God calls us to, to self- righteous living, which is hollow and void of the power of the Holy Spirit. God says our trademark will be love. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)
Saturday, April 6, 2013
I'm not the perfect pastor
The perfect pastor preaches exactly 10 minutes.
He condemns sin roundly but never hurts anyone's feelings.
He works from 8 AM until midnight and is also the church janitor.
The perfect pastor makes $40 a week, wears good clothes, drives a good car, buys good books, and donates $30 a week to the church.
He is 29 years old and has 40 years experience.
Above all, he is handsome.
The perfect pastor has a burning desire to work with teenagers, and he spends most of his time with the senior citizens.
He smiles all the time with a straight face because he has a sense of humor that keeps him seriously dedicated to his church.
He makes 15 home visits a day and is always in his office to be handy when needed.
The perfect pastor always has time for church council and all of its committees. He never misses the meeting of any church organization and is always busy evangelizing the unchurched.
The perfect pastor is always in the next church over!
If your pastor does not measure up, simply send this notice to six other churches that are tired of their pastor, too.
Then bundle up your pastor and send him to the church at the top of the list.
If everyone cooperates, in one week you will receive 1,643 pastors.
One of them should be perfect.
Have faith in this letter. One church broke the chain and got its old pastor back in less than three months.
He condemns sin roundly but never hurts anyone's feelings.
He works from 8 AM until midnight and is also the church janitor.
The perfect pastor makes $40 a week, wears good clothes, drives a good car, buys good books, and donates $30 a week to the church.
He is 29 years old and has 40 years experience.
Above all, he is handsome.
The perfect pastor has a burning desire to work with teenagers, and he spends most of his time with the senior citizens.
He smiles all the time with a straight face because he has a sense of humor that keeps him seriously dedicated to his church.
He makes 15 home visits a day and is always in his office to be handy when needed.
The perfect pastor always has time for church council and all of its committees. He never misses the meeting of any church organization and is always busy evangelizing the unchurched.
The perfect pastor is always in the next church over!
If your pastor does not measure up, simply send this notice to six other churches that are tired of their pastor, too.
Then bundle up your pastor and send him to the church at the top of the list.
If everyone cooperates, in one week you will receive 1,643 pastors.
One of them should be perfect.
Have faith in this letter. One church broke the chain and got its old pastor back in less than three months.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Waiting On A Special Occasion
If you are waiting for a special house guest or a special occasion to use something you cherish in your house, consider the following following article by Ann Wells that appeared several years ago in the Los Angeles Times:
My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister's bureau and lifted out a tissue-wrapped package. "This," he said, "is not a slip. This is lingerie."
He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip. It was exquisite; silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached.
"Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least eight or nine years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion. Well, guess this is the occasion."
He took the slip from me and put it on the bed with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician.
His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me. "Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you're alive is a special occasion."
I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that followed when I helped him and my niece attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected death.
I thought about them on the plane returning to California from the Midwestern town where my sister's family lives. I thought about all the things that she hadn't seen or heard or done. I thought about the things that she had done without realizing that they were special.
I'm still thinking about his words, and they've changed my life. I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting on the deck and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings.
Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to savor, not endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them. I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event--such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, the first camellia blossom. I wear my good blazer to the market if I feel like it. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties; clerks in hardware stores and tellers in banks have noses that function as well as my party-going friends.
"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now. I'm not sure what my sister would have done had she known that she wouldn't be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted. I think she would have called family members and a few close friends. She might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food. I'm guessing--I'll never know.
It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew that my hours were limited, angry because I put off seeing good friends whom I was going to get in touch with--someday. Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write--one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and daughter often enough how much I truly love them.
I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that the day is special. Every day, every minute, every breath truly is ...a gift from God.
Life is a precious gift from God, and he wants us to get the most out of it. Jesus came to give us life "to the full and abundantly" (John 10:10). In other words, he came so that we would live our lives abundantly-full of purpose, meaning, and joy.
What are you waiting for? If it's a special occasion or a "someday,"--- keep in mind that it may never come.
My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister's bureau and lifted out a tissue-wrapped package. "This," he said, "is not a slip. This is lingerie."
He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip. It was exquisite; silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached.
"Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least eight or nine years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion. Well, guess this is the occasion."
He took the slip from me and put it on the bed with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician.
His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me. "Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you're alive is a special occasion."
I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that followed when I helped him and my niece attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected death.
I thought about them on the plane returning to California from the Midwestern town where my sister's family lives. I thought about all the things that she hadn't seen or heard or done. I thought about the things that she had done without realizing that they were special.
I'm still thinking about his words, and they've changed my life. I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting on the deck and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings.
Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to savor, not endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them. I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event--such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, the first camellia blossom. I wear my good blazer to the market if I feel like it. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties; clerks in hardware stores and tellers in banks have noses that function as well as my party-going friends.
"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now. I'm not sure what my sister would have done had she known that she wouldn't be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted. I think she would have called family members and a few close friends. She might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food. I'm guessing--I'll never know.
It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew that my hours were limited, angry because I put off seeing good friends whom I was going to get in touch with--someday. Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write--one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and daughter often enough how much I truly love them.
I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that the day is special. Every day, every minute, every breath truly is ...a gift from God.
Life is a precious gift from God, and he wants us to get the most out of it. Jesus came to give us life "to the full and abundantly" (John 10:10). In other words, he came so that we would live our lives abundantly-full of purpose, meaning, and joy.
What are you waiting for? If it's a special occasion or a "someday,"--- keep in mind that it may never come.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
7 Ideas for How to Deal with Change
Ready for more joy and a greater sense of well-being and fulfillment? Follow the ideas below.
-Simply notice that you are in the midst of change and that change is a part of you.
This might seem like a no-brainer, but it takes some practice to become aware of change instead of subconsciously denying it. Don't try to run and hide. If you have a journal, write about changes you notice.
-Face your feelings about the change, especially when the change is imposed and beyond your control.
Get past "Why me?" "But I don't want to!" and "It isn't fair!" Figure out what your fears or worries are. That takes work. You don't have to be a victim, even when you are not in control of the change. Write about your feelings.
-Figure out when to accept and when to reject the change.
Have you heard the serenity prayer? Reflect on what you are accepting, what you are rejecting, and what you are doing something about. You will be amazed at how effective your choices are.
-Adopt an attitude of anticipation, and be grateful.
Welcome change as an opportunity. Find the benefit somewhere in the change. There is always a benefit and an opportunity. Start by keeping a written record for 3 days. Every day, note 3 things, large or small, that you are grateful for. You will notice a more powerful attitude of anticipation growing (hey! that might be a nice change!).
-Choose your thoughts and attitudes about each change.Negative thoughts block your creativity and problem-solving abilities.
Positive thoughts build bridges to possibilities and opportunities. Keep a record of the choices you make in your thoughts and attitudes.
-Learn to relax (more).
Deep breathing works for many people. Exercise helps most of us to relax. Choose the way that works best for you. Relaxation allows you to deal well with change.
-Set smart goals so you can consciously guide the change.
Smart goal setting helps you decide how to make the change happen and to recognize your successes. Write out your goals and your plans to meet them.
-Simply notice that you are in the midst of change and that change is a part of you.
This might seem like a no-brainer, but it takes some practice to become aware of change instead of subconsciously denying it. Don't try to run and hide. If you have a journal, write about changes you notice.
-Face your feelings about the change, especially when the change is imposed and beyond your control.
Get past "Why me?" "But I don't want to!" and "It isn't fair!" Figure out what your fears or worries are. That takes work. You don't have to be a victim, even when you are not in control of the change. Write about your feelings.
-Figure out when to accept and when to reject the change.
Have you heard the serenity prayer? Reflect on what you are accepting, what you are rejecting, and what you are doing something about. You will be amazed at how effective your choices are.
-Adopt an attitude of anticipation, and be grateful.
Welcome change as an opportunity. Find the benefit somewhere in the change. There is always a benefit and an opportunity. Start by keeping a written record for 3 days. Every day, note 3 things, large or small, that you are grateful for. You will notice a more powerful attitude of anticipation growing (hey! that might be a nice change!).
-Choose your thoughts and attitudes about each change.Negative thoughts block your creativity and problem-solving abilities.
Positive thoughts build bridges to possibilities and opportunities. Keep a record of the choices you make in your thoughts and attitudes.
-Learn to relax (more).
Deep breathing works for many people. Exercise helps most of us to relax. Choose the way that works best for you. Relaxation allows you to deal well with change.
-Set smart goals so you can consciously guide the change.
Smart goal setting helps you decide how to make the change happen and to recognize your successes. Write out your goals and your plans to meet them.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Change Is Hard
Change is so hard that most of us avoid it at all costs. But by avoiding change, we create even bigger problems, such as lost opportunities, broken relationships, or sometimes a wasted life. Millions of people who need to change are drifting along with no real purpose, no joy, feeling as if they're traveling a dead end street. Each time we need to make a change, fear attacks because we don't know what is coming. Like most people, we like predictability and thrive on sureness. Change means stepping into the unknown and losing your comfortable routine, and that creates fear.
Sometimes we even have to give up control and that's frightening as well. Sure, you prepare as well as you can, but you can't run everything. Change involves so many factors that you just can't manipulate all of them. When you're not in control, you lose your sense of invulnerability. You quickly realize you're not as powerful as you thought. That bravery you put so much pride in seems to evaporate when you realize you're not the one in charge any more. Family members and friends can help you change, but they have their own lives to lead and their own priorities. They can't do everything for you. Most of the time they're struggling so much in their own lives that they can't give you all the support you'd like.
God supplies everything you need for successful change, and when you make changes with his help, you stay changed. The unknown can overwhelm you, but God is omniscient, which means he knows all things, including the future. He can prepare you for the future in ways you can't prepare yourself, and he works all things for the good of his followers. God is the guide who is never surprised.
God is in control as well. The being who created the vast universe and keeps it operating in perfect harmony is also a personal God who intervenes in people's lives. He exercises his control to keep those who obey him in his will. When you feel weak in the face of change, God is omnipotent, or all-powerful. Knowing the invincible God is on your side gives you tremendous confidence.
The most important attribute God brings when you're making a change is his unconditional love for you. Unlike that of family and friends, his love never wavers. He wants only the best for you, and when change makes you suffer, as it often does, he stands closest to you, giving comfort and strength. Sometimes his love is the only thing that gets you through.
Change is very hard, but God sure does make it easier.
Sometimes we even have to give up control and that's frightening as well. Sure, you prepare as well as you can, but you can't run everything. Change involves so many factors that you just can't manipulate all of them. When you're not in control, you lose your sense of invulnerability. You quickly realize you're not as powerful as you thought. That bravery you put so much pride in seems to evaporate when you realize you're not the one in charge any more. Family members and friends can help you change, but they have their own lives to lead and their own priorities. They can't do everything for you. Most of the time they're struggling so much in their own lives that they can't give you all the support you'd like.
God supplies everything you need for successful change, and when you make changes with his help, you stay changed. The unknown can overwhelm you, but God is omniscient, which means he knows all things, including the future. He can prepare you for the future in ways you can't prepare yourself, and he works all things for the good of his followers. God is the guide who is never surprised.
God is in control as well. The being who created the vast universe and keeps it operating in perfect harmony is also a personal God who intervenes in people's lives. He exercises his control to keep those who obey him in his will. When you feel weak in the face of change, God is omnipotent, or all-powerful. Knowing the invincible God is on your side gives you tremendous confidence.
The most important attribute God brings when you're making a change is his unconditional love for you. Unlike that of family and friends, his love never wavers. He wants only the best for you, and when change makes you suffer, as it often does, he stands closest to you, giving comfort and strength. Sometimes his love is the only thing that gets you through.
Change is very hard, but God sure does make it easier.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Can you change?
How do you make changes in you life that last forever?
You decide to make a change and then you just do! Does that sound like a huge oversimplification? Well, it's not. It really is that simple. When the pain is great enough and you're tired of being unhappy, you simply wake up one day and decide to change your life forever.
People say every day that they're going to do things differently and become a different person, but very few people actually ever make those changes. You can make those changes today. You can be the change you want to see in the world. Remember that you can't do things differently until you see things differently. Your perspective will make the difference in the changes that you make.
Don't misunderstand me. It's not easy to make changes and not everything will necessarily improve, but you will be much happier if you make them. Anyone who expects to be happy all day every day may be expecting way too much, but if you are inherently dissatisfied with your life, you can change. You don't have to live this way forever. It can be anything from a simple change to a complete overhaul. Sometimes a simple change like doing volunteer work is enough to make you feel like you're giving something back and making a difference. Some changes may need to be a little more extensive to feel like you are becoming the person you were always meant be and fully reaching your potential. Whatever the case may be, it can be done if you want it badly enough.
Life is too short to spend your time being unhappy and adding to a long list of regrets. Put fear aside, really evaluate what you want out of life and how best to get it, and then go for it! You only get one go around, so do what you need to be satisfied with your life.
You decide to make a change and then you just do! Does that sound like a huge oversimplification? Well, it's not. It really is that simple. When the pain is great enough and you're tired of being unhappy, you simply wake up one day and decide to change your life forever.
People say every day that they're going to do things differently and become a different person, but very few people actually ever make those changes. You can make those changes today. You can be the change you want to see in the world. Remember that you can't do things differently until you see things differently. Your perspective will make the difference in the changes that you make.
Don't misunderstand me. It's not easy to make changes and not everything will necessarily improve, but you will be much happier if you make them. Anyone who expects to be happy all day every day may be expecting way too much, but if you are inherently dissatisfied with your life, you can change. You don't have to live this way forever. It can be anything from a simple change to a complete overhaul. Sometimes a simple change like doing volunteer work is enough to make you feel like you're giving something back and making a difference. Some changes may need to be a little more extensive to feel like you are becoming the person you were always meant be and fully reaching your potential. Whatever the case may be, it can be done if you want it badly enough.
Life is too short to spend your time being unhappy and adding to a long list of regrets. Put fear aside, really evaluate what you want out of life and how best to get it, and then go for it! You only get one go around, so do what you need to be satisfied with your life.
Monday, April 1, 2013
April Fool's Day Medicine-Top 50 Oxymorons
Top 50 Oxymorons
Act naturally
Found missing
Resident alien
Advanced BASIC
Genuine imitation
Airline Food
Good grief
Same difference
Almost exactly
Government organization
Sanitary landfill
Alone together
Legally drunk
Silent scream
British fashion
Living dead
Small crowd
Business ethics
Soft rock
Military Intelligence
Software documentation
New York culture
New classic
Sweet sorrow
Childproof
"Now, then ..."
Synthetic natural gas
Christian Scientists
Passive aggression
Taped live
Clearly misunderstood
Peace force
Extinct Life
Temporary tax increase
Plastic glasses
Terribly pleased
Computer security
Political science
Tight slacks
Definite maybe
Pretty ugly
Twelve-ounce pound cake
Diet ice cream
Rap music
Working vacation
Exact estimate
Friendly Fire
And the Number one top OXY-Moron,
Microsoft Works
Act naturally
Found missing
Resident alien
Advanced BASIC
Genuine imitation
Airline Food
Good grief
Same difference
Almost exactly
Government organization
Sanitary landfill
Alone together
Legally drunk
Silent scream
British fashion
Living dead
Small crowd
Business ethics
Soft rock
Military Intelligence
Software documentation
New York culture
New classic
Sweet sorrow
Childproof
"Now, then ..."
Synthetic natural gas
Christian Scientists
Passive aggression
Taped live
Clearly misunderstood
Peace force
Extinct Life
Temporary tax increase
Plastic glasses
Terribly pleased
Computer security
Political science
Tight slacks
Definite maybe
Pretty ugly
Twelve-ounce pound cake
Diet ice cream
Rap music
Working vacation
Exact estimate
Friendly Fire
And the Number one top OXY-Moron,
Microsoft Works
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