ALL IS QUIET ON NEW YEAR'S DAY

In a few days, we celebrate the beginning of a new year. We sometime look at this as a symbolic wiping of the slate, clearing away all that came along in the previous year, and beginning again with a fresh outlook and a promise on our lips to do better this time around.

Le 23:27 "The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to the LORD by fire.
Le 23:28 Do no work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the LORD your God.
Le 25:9 Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land.


This is the way God wants us to celebrate the new year.
Not with empty “resolutions” that we break almost as soon as we make them, but with atonement which is a reconciliation between God and man, such as forgiveness and repentance of sin.

So, got any resolutions for this year?

SUNDAY FUNNIES

IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD

Acts 17: 22 – 34


You here them everyday. Stories of people who felt an unknown presence in their lives, just when they needed it. Not all of these people are Christian, and not all of them know that there is a good.
Their stories usually end with the phrases, “I knew it was going to be alright”, “It was like a miracle or something”. At this time of year we may see on TV a story of a “Christmas Miracle”, where something, or someone, unknown has changed the lives of an individual or family.
In Athens, Paul was looking at the places and articles of worship, when he found a small shrine dedicated to an unknown god.

22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.
23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.

Paul went on to proclaim the Glory of God to all standing there, and as we often find today, most scoffed and walked away, while a small group wanted to know more.
Like I've said in the past, everybody wants to know about a god. Even the Atheists, and Secular Humanists know and fear Him. They know that once their own members have children, these people have a tendency to leave the movement in search of the presence of God in their lives.

So while many search for and feel His presence when they need him, few remain to seek him further.

Today is the eve of the day we achieved victory. As the book of Isaiah tell us, unto us a child is born.
That child was the living embodiment of the living God. Sent to redeem the world. So today, and whenever we get a chance, we should tell the people who tell us of the “miracle” times in their lives, of the one true God, that “unknown god” that Paul described to the men of Athens.

Paul said that God is at work among people of all nations “so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:27-28).
We should be alert for the Lord’s presence where we least expect to see Him. Jesus may invite Himself to any Christmas party. After all, it’s His birthday.

INVISIBLE?

John 14: 5 – 20


Seeing is believing. I must have heard that phrase a million times, maybe more, and I must admit I have taken it as a truth. Now comes the interesting bit. I believe in God, yet I have never seen Him. Some how these things don't seem to add up.
I know that I have felt the presence of God in my life, and have seen the changes that he has made in the lives of others. I guess what I am saying is that I, if not all of us, have the same feelings and experiences the Apostles had.

5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.
7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
9 Jesus answered: "Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

That whole seeing is believing thing just keeps raising its ugly head doesn't it?

We must remember that God is not like the “Invisible Man” from those old movies. He is not playing some great game of hide and seek, taking off his outer wrappings and disappearing from our sight.
We perceive that God is distant, far off, inaccessible, and hidden. But we need a God who is accessible, and we wonder how to have a meaningful relationship with Him.
We will never fully comprehend what God is like. Yet He Himself is accessible to us. In part, that is why Jesus came, to “show us the Father” and to bring us close to Him, because “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation”
Our God is an invisible God, beyond our limited comprehension. Thankfully, Jesus came to show us how near to us He really is. 

MIRACLES

Revelation 22: 1 – 5

1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.
4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

December is a month when people celebrate miracles. The Jewish tradition of Hanukkah, the Holiday of Lights, commemorates the time when a small amount of oil lasted 8 days and kept the light in the temple from going out. And Christmas celebrates the coming of the “Light of the World,” God in human form, Jesus.
A miracle is generally thought of as something that contradicts nature. But a true miracle is the introduction of God’s supernatural power into our world in a way that suspends the laws of physics as we understand them.

God is always in control. It is rather odd, don't you think, that December is the month chosen to celebrate miracles of the old, and new testaments about the coming, and establishment, of the light of God?
In the secular world, song writers and poets, have used the months not only to show the passing of a year, but also the stages of life, (Ever heard about a May, - December relationship? )
when we reach the December of our lives, we look forward to our coming time with The Lord. Even those who are not saved hope for the next life in heaven.
Deep down we all want to think of the end of death disease and pain.
So isn't it cool that God, who understands all our needs and desires, should put a book filled with such comfort at the end of his word to us. Yeah I know Revelation can be kind scary too with all it's prophecy of the end to come, but it is there as a warning, a last gasp plea as it were for us to repent and to come to Jesus.

Let's enjoy our December celebrations. Let us also remember the miracles behind them.
Now that advent is over, I can truly say-

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

SUNDAY FUNNIES

PRAYING FOR OTHERS

Ephesians 1: 15 – 23

I have a daily thing, where I set the clock on my I touch to ring every hour. This give me the opportunity to pray for those people around me. Rarely do I pray for myself in these times. Now I don't mean to be speaking pridefully by telling you this, all I want to do is show by example what Paul was talking about in his prayer for the Ephesians.

16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

Doing things like this(praying for others) recharges our batteries. There is an old saying in AA , If you need help to get through the day, help someone else. You'd be surprised how well this principle works. God works in many and mysterious ways, through people and other supernatural ways, and knowing that the steps and principles of 12 step recovery programs are Biblically blessed, I can't help but think that the simple deed of praying for others kinda helps us too.
(That was a long sentence)

18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,
21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

God bless you .


I'll be praying for you.

HIDE AND SEEK

1 Corinthians 2: 6 – 16


One of my favorite games to play, when I was a small lad, was hide and seek. I liked to hide, but then my insecurities would take over if I wasn't found, and I would think that everyone else was off doing really really fun things without me.

Enough with my childhood neurosis.

What I really liked was to be it. I loved the sense of the hunt, the splendid anticipation of who I would be able to find first, and maybe gain the knowledge of a new place to hide for the next time around.
As I grew older I found that I liked to untie knots. What I mean is, I liked a good mystery. I liked trying to find the secret thing before it was revealed. In the 70's, there was a great TV show about a detective named Ellery Queen. On this show there was either a murder, robbery, or some crime to be solved. Just before the end of the show, the actor, who played Ellery,would look towards the camera and say; “You have all the clues. Have you figured it out yet”? Then the show went to commercial. The anticipation of wondering if I got it right, and with the right clues not just by dumb luck, just spurred me on.

6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
7 No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.Secret wisdom? How delicious! Another knot to untie, another mystery to try and solve.
As Sherlock Holmes would say; “Come Watson. The game is afoot”!

God could have revealed to us all knowledge to us at once, but, where's the fun in that. I know that for myself, if it comes easy, it just doesn't have as much value than what I have to work for. But, God chose to reveal himself gradually because he understands that about our nature, we value things more when we have to search and wait for them.

God is not playing a cruel game of hide-and-seek. He is allowing us to enjoy the process of discovering who He is and what He is up to in the universe. So don’t be discouraged over what you don’t know about God. Be excited about unwrapping all there is yet to discover.  

SUNDAY FUNNIES

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There have been changes to the posting section of this blogpage.

As soon as I figure out how to make the edits I need ,I will post again

THE OLD BLOCK RIDES AGAIN

This morning as I pondered a way to vent my rage and just be humerous, I decided to become a blogger again.
So if you are interested in my mindless wanderings, go to;

http://ranchoderoadblock.blogspot.com/

PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKk9rv2hUfA

SIN SICK AND WEARY

Mathew 1: 18 – 25

I read this in ODB this morning;

As we approach Christmas, it’s good to remember why Jesus was born. The Son of God did not come to establish a nostalgic, family-oriented, commercially successful holiday. The angel told Joseph: “[Mary] will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).

Other than that scene from a Charlie Brown Christmas, I think the above statement is something that must be passed along. We need to bring the message of relief from our sins.
I've been trying for a while to determine just exactly what sin is. I know that according to Paul, we all suffer from this condition and fall short of the glory of God. I also know that if we try to look up a definition, it seems to be a willful act. Looking into it further still, we find that he word sin, in the new testament, comes from the Greek word hamartia which means to miss the target. I think I like that one the best.
I used to play darts and I developed a good eye for the bullseye. Just like all the good target shooters, I had a way to center myself, aim at the target, and throw the dart at the same speed, with the same arc and spin, every time. Because of the mechanics of what produced a bullseye in the past, it was assumed by me that I should hit the bullseye every time, yet I would miss more than I hit.
Why? My routine never varied. I was a dart throwing machine, yet I would miss the target. So, to win all my games, I needed someone to change all my misses to bullseyes, just like I need a savior today to forgive my sins as if they didn't even happen.
We are created to each be the apple of God's eye. He loves us and wants to spend eternity with us.
The problem is that sin separates us from God, so he sent His Son to save us, and remove our sin by His sacrifice.
With His help, it's like we hit the target every single time.

He came into this world a babe,

This world that He Himself had made;

He came to do the Father’s will,

That ended on dark Calvary’s hill. —Newstrom

Jesus came to earth to repair our sin-damaged lives.

THE BOSS IS COMING.

Joshua 7:16 – 25

There is a very silly bumper sticker out there that reads;
“Jesus is coming”! “Look busy”.
Rather foolish, but it gets a sad point across.
Today, many computer games come with what is called the “Boss button”. While plating a game at work, if there is someone that you don't want to know you're playing a game comes near, press the boss button and the computer screen immediately changes from the game to something that looks work related.
We always like to hide our secret sin from other people, and if we think that we have done a good enough job, we are also hiding that sin from God.
Achan was like that, hiding his secret under his tent.

19 Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and give him the praise. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me."
20 Achan replied, "It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I have done:
21 When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath."

These were items that Achan, and his family, could have used, if they knew what they had. But, Achan had disobeyed God, and his sin was made public by Joshua.
The punishment may have been a bit excessive, but we do know that God was instructing his people about his holiness, and our need to obey him.

24 Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold wedge, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor.
25 Joshua said, "Why have you brought this trouble on us? The LORD will bring trouble on you today." Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.

If you’ve been disobedient, it’s time to come out of hiding. God is lovingly calling you and offering His cleansing, forgiveness, and restoration.

SUNDAY FUNNIES

WALKING WITH GOD

Genesis 5: 18 – 24

18 When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch.
19 And after he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters.
20 Altogether, Jared lived 962 years, and then he died.
21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah.
22 And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.
23 Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years.
24 Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.

I love those little tidbits that God put in the Bible where out of nowhere, while I'm just trying to get through some genealogy, up pops something with great significance that I had previously missed.
The first time that happened was with the prayer of Jabez, and I thought; “ Wow isn't that cool”.
To me, there is great wisdom throughout the Bible, but these little biographies are like finding “Easter eggs” filled with goodies.
Time after time we are heard to proclaim, state, or otherwise say, that we walk with God. Or, that we are working on our walk. Even that we are walking our walk. But, what does that mean?
Webster's says that walk comes from the old English meaning; to roll, toss, knead (as in bread), or move about. To move about in a visible form. To move along by foot.
To pursue a course of action, or way of life.

Now there's some stuff we can work with!

Walking isn't just a form of exercise or the ability to move about. That whole tossing, rolling, and kneading thing sounds like the “sparks are going to fly” Iron sharpens Iron theory. While trying to get ourselves into relationship with God, we are going to suffer our bumps and bruises along the way.
So to be said to be walking with God, as Enoch was, must have meant that he stuck out like a sore thumb among the people of that time. And the fact that before and after Enoch's biography people were recorded as dieing at the end of their lives, while he was said to be taken away by God, and was no more, is kind of significant in a scary good kind of way. So much so that He was singled out for his faith in God.
Wouldn't it be nice if it was said of us that we walk with God, by the people who witness us in our daily lives?

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO, HMMM.

Isaiah 53: 1 – 6

Okay, a quick show of hands.
What does Jesus look like?

The truth is we really don't know. All those pictures we see of him every day on the walls of a church like Jesus knocking on the door, or Jesus praying at a rock, or even Jesus with the little children, those images that are burned into our minds were painted in the 40's.
Even the people who were with him every day, didn't take the time to tell us what he looked like.
The only clues that we have come from the book of Isaiah.

2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

To me, that doesn't sound like what I would expect to find in the King of kings.

Did you ever watch the lost in space episode where two aliens land on the planet that the Robinson's are stranded, one was very handsome while the other was quite ugly?
Everyone thought that the handsome one was filled with truth, honesty, and power, and the other evil. Just because of the way they looked. Yet in the end, the reverse was true. The ugly one was good and the handsome one was the evil bad guy.
That's the problem with us as a race. We judge people by their looks, and we are attracted to pretty people and have a tendency to follow them, just look at our latest presidential election. McCain was described constantly as old, while Obama was said to be the coolest guy at the party.
So, what does God do? He sends His Son to us so that we will be attracted by the message He brings, not His outward appearance.
But, the next time Jesus comes, there will be no doubt. He will return as the sovereign King of kings and Lord of lords.

A WIN'S A WIN

Philippians 1: 12 – 21

15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
16 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.
18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,

I should say up front that I love sports. If there is a game on TV, I'll probably watch it, especially if it's baseball or football. In sports there is an attitude that it doesn't matter how a team ends up with a win. A win is a win, and it doesn't matter if the team wins well or wins ugly.
Winning well would be the team playing even with, or dominating the other team, while winning ugly would be a poorly played game by one or both teams.

Paul is talking about the same thing here. To him it doesn't matter how or even why the Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached, as long as the word is brought to the people. We have to remember that He is in prison for the Gospel, in Rome, and that most people thought that keeping him in chains would prevent the spread of Christianity. By that time, it was too late. The Gospel was being taught. The motive of people who brought the word may not have lined up exactly with the way Paul did it, but his only care was that the good news was taught to the people all over the world.

12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.
13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.
14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.

When it get to the bottom line, it doesn't matter if the Pats win big, or just squeak out a victory in the last minute. It also doesn't matter why we hear bout Jesus as long as we do.

20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

JOYFUL

2 Corinthians 4: 8 – 18

Ps 30: 5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Don't you just love that verse? It gives us hope that whatever is plaguing us is short lived compared to the joy we will experience in eternity.
The first time I saw the above verse was in a meeting room in a rehab. They used it there as an example of living one day at a time. How short sighted was that? Yet I fell for it as I didn't know the Lord in those days.
Now we are not talking about Psalm 30, we are dealing with what Paul said in 2 Corinthians. What is made very clear is that Paul's writing says the same thing as the Psalm, I guess that's because Paul didn't have the New Testament to preach from, after all it was he who wrote the letters to Corinth.

8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

Just like in that rehab, Paul shows us that although we are down, but not out, beaten and bloody, but not dead yet. It seems that wherever we look, there are things ready to pounce on us with out warning.
Yet Paul reminds us that all these things are temporary in the face of eternity.

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

I know in my life that there are times when I just want to lay down and cry. The pain and discomfort become too much, all my worries seem to overwhelm me, and I want to cry out, to complain, to cry foul, and feel sorry for myself.
I forget the teaching of the Bible as I am sure that many others do as well. For now, those of us who weep can dwell on hope instead of hopelessness and anticipation instead of sorrow. It may be nighttime in our hearts, but just ahead lies the dawn of eternity. And with it, God promises the endless joy of heavenly morning.

SUNDAY FUNNIES

COMFORT

Mathew 16: 24 – 26

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Now having read the above verses, and seeing the way some Christians act, not to mention the churches that appear to have the same attitude, I feel compelled to ask myself this question;
“Where in the scripture does it say that our faith is supposed to be convenient or comfortable”?
I know that when I came to know the Lord, I thought that my life was going to get a lot easier, that all the turmoil would cease, and riches would come my way, after all I was now friends with Jesus, and I found a church that reinforced attitude.

Every Sunday I heard a lot of “Jesus loves you”, and not enough “Thou shalt not”.

I felt very comfortable hearing all those pretty songs and felt good about myself after listening to every message that the Pastor taught. The church offered services that were convenient to my schedule, and I felt comfortable with my once a week acknowledgment of a higher power.
I was happy with my faith, and my life seemed to go along nicely. I got to act the way I wanted during the week, then felt the presence of God in my life each Sunday.
Life was good.
I'm sure that we have all seen people and churches like this. The churches usually have packed parking lots every week and the Pastors are quite charismatic and likable. All the congregants smile as they leave the coffee counter, Bibles tucked firmly under their arms, wishing everybody a good week as they get in their cars and drive home and away from God.
There is nothing here that requires any effort. It is quite a convenient and comfortable religion. But we know that following Jesus is a lifestyle and not a Sunday-only convenience. Being a “disciple” calls for giving up our lives for Him. It’s about living as Jesus calls us to live, daily giving up our plans and purposes for His. A relationship with Him causes us to be concerned with our thoughts, decisions, attitudes, and actions, all to make our life joy-filled for us and pleasing to God.
It ain't easy I tell ya, but the change in your life is worth every bit of it.
I guess that thats about all I have to say on the subject. I hope you are able to apply the scripture to your life.

THANKSGIVING

Psalm 100

3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

Psalm 100 is one of the best songs of thanksgiving in the Bible. It reminds us that we belong to God, our maker, and we are to praise him gladly for his goodness mercy and truth.

2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

One of the things I do, is to get to church early each Sunday and walk the perimeter of the sanctuary praying for the pastor, the worship team, and for every person and seat in the church. I consider it my job, as I pray, I also read Psalm 100 praying it over the singers and band.
As I said, I consider it my job.
A job.

Where is the gladness that I have in serving God?

There are times when we all fall into the pit of ordinary worship and service. We go to church, smile at the people near us, listen to the service or Mass, then we shake hands and go home.
But, God wants us to worship with gladness
Oswald Chambers put his finger on our unthankful attitudes when he said: “The will of God is the gladdest, brightest, most bountiful thing possible to conceive, and yet some of us talk of the will of God with a terrific sigh—‘Oh well, I suppose it is the will of God,’ as if His will were the most calamitous thing that could befall us. . . . We become spiritual whiners and talk pathetically about ‘suffering the will of the Lord.’ Where is the majestic vitality and might of the Son of God about that!”
True thankfulness is more than being grateful for what we possess. It’s an attitude that permeates our relationship with the Lord so that we may serve Him with gladness and joy.

5 For the LORD is good and his love endures for ever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Today we gather as family and friends to give thanks to God, for all the blessings he has given us in our lives. One day out of 365. Shouldn't we do this more often?
So, why don't we?
Take the lessons in this Psalm to heart, meditate on it and apply it to your lives. Give thanks and serve Him with gladness every day.
Go ahead. Smile. What's it going to hurt.

GONE FISHING

Romans 6: 15 – 23

When I go fishing, which has been many years by the way, I go for the relaxation of it all. I love the meditative aspect of sitting by the waters edge and waiting to see what happens on the end of the line. Now let me say that although there have been times when I have eaten what I have caught, I have usually practiced the catch and release method. I catch the fish, remove the hook as gently as possible, and let the fish go. I have no interest in taking the fishes life for my pleasure, and I really don't like torturing the helpless creature.
It would be wonderful is Satan practiced catch and release, but he doesn't. Once he hooks you, he won't let you go without a fight.
We may think we can deliberately sin in a limited way for a short period of time and then get ourselves free. But as Jesus teaches us, even “little” sins lead to greater and greater unrighteousness. Sin becomes the consequence of sin. We find ourselves entrapped and enslaved, and like a luckless trout, we cannot wriggle free.
I used to live my life that way, thinking that I was okay with my little sins that never hurt anybody. I was caught, hooked straight through the lip, and could not admit my fate. I was a slave to my sin.
Sin enslaves us. But when we yield ourselves in obedience to Christ and call upon Him for the strength to do His will, we are “released.”

16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey— whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.
18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

To paraphrase the book of John; those whom the Son has set free, are free indeed.
As we approach a holiday dedicated to giving thanks to God for what He has done in our lives, I am thankful that I have been set free from the sin that almost destroyed me.

Christ releases us from sin’s slavery into salvation’s liberty.

JEALOUS AGAIN

Psalm 73

26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.

There have been times when I have looked upon other people with envy. I know it's wrong and I shouldn't do it, but sometime I just can't help it. I see them with their wealth and good times, with all the money in the world. I get all jealous inside wishing and hoping that I could live their lifestyle with all it's apparent rewards and pleasures.

2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.
5 They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.

When I come to my senses, I realize that those I envy are enjoying their reward here and now, while I await mine in heaven. Where I put my faith in God, they have theirs in themselves.

16 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.
18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!

Ever hold the hand of a child? It is one of life's simple pleasures. We hold their hands not so much for affection, but to guide and keep safe the child under our care. We can help them walk across the street, keep track of them in a crowd, and steer them clear of danger.
God will sometimes guide us by holding us by the hand. I know this because I have read it in His word, and I have experienced it myself as He helped me through my troubled times.

21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterwards you will take me into glory.

So, next time you stumble, remember that the powerful hand of God is holding your hand and walking you through life—all the way home!

NOPE, AIN'T HAPPENIN.

Mathew 19: 16 – 26

24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

I don't know about you, but there have been times in my life when I tried to accomplish what I first thought to be an easy task that turned out to be an impossible venture that defeated my earnest attempts at success. Then I turned my efforts over to Jesus and was able to overcome the obstacles that were set in my path.

26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Two thousand years ago, a young ruler asked Jesus an “impossible” question: “What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” After an intriguing exchange, the man “went away sorrowful” when he realized he would have to give up his wealth—the very thing he valued more than a relationship with Jesus.
That's harsh.
The things I was talking about that I was trying to do had nothing to do with my eternal soul. I just wanted to quit smoking and couldn't do it without leaning on God. I felt terrible and defeated every time I lit up. I just wanted to go away, continue smoking, and deny ever having tried to quit claiming that it was my final decision to stay a smoker. I can't even come close to imagining how the young ruler felt knowing that he could not put down the thing that Jesus said that he must. The knowledge of what his actions meant and shame he must have felt had to be devastating.

21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

This upright man had kept the letter of the law, yet had fallen short. “Who then can be saved?” asked the astonished disciples (v.25). Jesus answered, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (v.26).
The One who created this universe out of nothing has a history of accomplishing the impossible. When we forsake what this life has to offer and follow Him, He does the impossible once again.

He gives us eternal life!

SUNDAY FUNNIES

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE

1 John 4: 7 – 21

8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Did you ever notice that some people who call themselves Christians sometimes don't act like Christians?
They can be seen in church every Sunday. Some will complain about the selection of the music, while others will say that they feel like they are being treated unfairly because their talents are being exploited, or wasted. They become grumpy and talk behind the back of the leaders of the church and complain about the way the church is run. There are other things that I am sure that yo have noticed that need not be listed here.
Show me the love people!
We're like this mostly because we are fallen and the enemy is loving every minute of it. He loves to make us think that we are loving caring people while watching us just fall deeper and deeper into our selfish sins, because we have forgotten the basic tenants of our faith.
As Christians, we must stand for truth as spelled out in the Bible.
18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us.
20 If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

As we read 1 John 4:7-21, we see that God’s love seeks to transform our behavior. In His love, we don’t react disdainfully toward others simply because we don’t agree.

Jesus said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Do others see the love of Jesus in you?

SURPRISE

1 Samuel 16: 1 – 7

I loved the movie Planet of the Apes. Not the remake with Marky Mark, but the original with Charlton Heston. Of course one of my favorite scenes, and favorite quotes, was when Heston's character yelled; “Keep your filthy hands off me, you damned dirty ape”.
The reactions of the apes in the scene were priceless. They had never seen a human that could talk. They couldn't believe their eyes or ears.
We have all had those moments in our lives that were similar, something so surprising we are stunned, it just wasn't expected, we didn't see it coming, or any other epithet that can be thought of.
The Bible is filled with such things. One of which was the story of David.
David was the second king of Israel. Compared to Saul, David was nothing. The Bible tells us that Saul was the tallest man in Israel, David one of the shortest, Saul was handsome, David not so much. Yet David was the king that God sent Samuel to find.

7 But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

How many times are we taken in by outward appearances? Don't we have the tendency to believe the good looking people rather than the homely? Aren't we surprised when we see a strong body builder type, turn tail and run when confronted with the slightest danger? Yet when a small not so handsome guy goes charging to the front, when somebody stays at your side when you most need it, we are taken aback.
Why?
Why do we continue to look at the outside, why aren't we learning the lessons we are taught in the Bible?
Martin Luther King said it best when he said that he looked forward to the day when a man was not judged by the color of his skin, but by his character, and I agree. We need to look deeper into the person and not just go with the shallow, cursory looks we give most folks.

If we judge others only by their outer appearance, we might miss the wonderful surprise of what’s in their heart.

WISE COUNSEL

Proverbs 17: 22 – 27

When I first became a Christian, a Pastor friend of mine told me that I should surround myself with men of God who could give me wise counsel. As I would often have questions, I would go to one or more of these men and ask for advise as to how I should proceed.
I had yet to read much of the Bible and was filled with mis information about it. I had also heard that there was a book written by the wisest man of all history called the Proverbs.
Wisdom for those who need it, how cool is that?

22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

24 A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

27 A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.

Three verses three great words of advice. Solomon knew what he was talking about, so he was included in my circle of men of God that I will go to for wise counsel.
I'm beginning to ramble a little here, so lets get to the meat of the matter.
As we interact with others, disagreements are inevitable. The discerning believer understands his own heart and takes steps to deal with conflict diplomatically.
Proverbs 17:27 tells us: “He who has knowledge spares his words.” This means keeping in check a multitude of opinions that could ignite further anger in others. Someone who displays wisdom will think before speaking, and then will share only insights likely to be helpful.
The Proverbs also give us wise counsel on the emotional side of controlling our frustrations. “A man of understanding is of a calm spirit.” A mature person exhibits understanding by keeping cool in conflict. Problem-solving is enhanced by an even-tempered approach.
The next time you become angry, stop and prayerfully reflect for a moment. Ask God for a calm spirit and the right words to say. (ODB)
I leaned heavily on ODB today, it made more sense then I was when I started, and it was saying essentially what I wanted to say anyway.
Read the proverbs, theres one for each day of the month, read them often, one a day, every day.

ROBBERY BLUES

Acts 5: 1 – 11

After the final episode of the 2002 TV program Survivor: Africa, a wrap-up special focused on the final contestants. The show’s host Jeff Probst said that the victor won “mostly by sticking with his principles.” The champion later explained that he wanted to win while retaining “dignity and self-respect.” He elaborated that you don’t have to lie, cheat, or do underhanded things to win. You can be competitive, yet still be truthful and nice. In short, he permitted no discrepancy between image and reality.

1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
8 Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?" "Yes," she said, "that is the price."

We know that both Ananias and Sapphira both lied about the price they got for their land and were struck dead by the Holy Spirit. Was it because they kept back a part of the money for themselves?
No, it was because they lied and said that they gave the full price.
They cheated.
They wanted to be recognized as a generous couple, but they were not what they appeared to be. This gap caused them to lie to the Holy Spirit and to the faith community. They paid a terrible price—death. Their example stands as a stark warning to us all.

We hear all the time that; “Cheaters never prosper”. That may well be true in the long run, but it never seems that way at the time, Cheaters mostly appear to do well. Just watch any reality game show. Lies and cheating abounds as people claw and scratch their way to victory. Because of examples like this we tend to forget the example of Ananias and Sapphira, all we get are negative life lessons, and are told that it's how to play the game.
So, if the only example of what happens to those who cheat God are two people, how can we use it when we are overwhelmed by images to the contrary?

The easy thing to do is not always the right thing, and the right thing to do is not always easy, but there lies the difference between winning at all costs, and being victorious in the end.
Why be struck dead when we can stand victorious?

Keeping our integrity in all the things we do, doing what is right, being who we say we are, being transparent in everything we do, these are the things that separate us from the world.
What discrepancies have we permitted in our lives? We must confess them and close the gaps.

Integrity means never having to look over your shoulder.

SUNDAY FUNNIES

TEACH YOU CHILDREN

Exodus 12: 13 – 17, 25 – 27

It began to hit me about twenty years ago while I was at a party. I was talking to a friend about music when this younger guest, who over heard us, said; “Who are the Beatles”. My first reaction was to think that either I'm really old, or this kid is really young, or this kid is just a fool who needs some schooling.
The problem is that it didn't stop there, I was at work the other day when my supervisor admitted that she had never been to a drive in. she said that she had heard of them, but had never even seen one. Another co-worker said that she had never heard of Gilligan's Island.
Ask your kids if they know about something that you took for granted that everyone knows, and see their reactions.
This is not a recent phenomenon. God knew that knowledge would be lost unless the children were taught and reminded of the significant events of the past.

13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

26 And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’
27 then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’" Then the people bowed down and worshipped.

When our children ask us about our values, lifestyle, prayer in decision-making, Bible-reading, church attendance, and worship, we have a responsibility to answer them. We are followers of Jesus. We must retell the story of how He became our Passover Lamb. His blood is the marker over our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin but are free to serve the Eternal One of heaven.

It's just that simple I guess. Let your children know the past and what's important to you and of benefit to them.

When it gets to the bottom line, a parents life is a child's guidebook.

WHO DO YOU TRUST

Philippians 3: 1 – 11

Ayn Rand, an American philosopher who died in 1982, gathered a sizable following who read her books and attended her lectures. An avid individualist, she had this to say: “Now I see the free face of god and I raise this god over all the earth, this god who men have sought since men came into being, the god who will grant them joy and peace and pride. This god, this one word, I.” When asked if she believed in God, she answered, “This god is myself, I.” Egotism—faith in oneself—that’s what this philosopher believed in.

Just as it takes a chef to mess up a really good meal, it takes a philosopher to mess up the belief in God. Would any one trust that I could save their eternal soul? Would I trust myself, or anyone else?
Which one of you would bow down at the temple of Roadblock?
These things are of course ridiculous. Even though I do believe that we should have faith in ourselves, so as not to cower in the corner when called on to act in the service of God, I do not believe that there is anything to boast of in this. Like Paul I put my trust in Jesus Christ who is God incarnate, the true God of love and mercy.

1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.
2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh.
3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh
4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:

7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

Now, I ask you, who do you put your trust in; God, or yourself?

We are saved not by what we do but by trusting what Christ has done.

IN SEARCH OF

2 Kings 22: 3 – 11

Ever watch that old show with Leonard Nimoy called “In search Of”? The hook of the show was that each week, they would talk about something of legend like Nessie, UFO”s, Big Foot, and on and on. Once the subject of the week was established, clues and interviews were shown to try to establish the existence of the weeks subject. Maybe it was found, maybe it wasn't. The key is, they searched, they looked for what it was they wanted.
King Josiah wanted to worship God. The Temple was in disrepair, the people had strayed, and the law of Moses was lost to antiquity.

3 In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple of the LORD. He said:
4 "Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and make him get ready the money that has been brought into the temple of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people.

As the temple was repaired, the search for the book of the law was productive. There it was in the Temple and Hilkiah had to have his secretary Shphan read it to him. Once he knew what it was that was found, the book was brought to the King to be read.

8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD." He gave it to Shaphan, who read it.
9 Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: "Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple."
10 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.
11 ¶ When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes.

We all started on a search for fulfillment, at least I know that I did. There was a hole in my heart and I looked everywhere for something to fill it. I have heard so many stories from people that have found God, that their searches brought them from one false spirituality movement to another, from UFO”s to Buddha, nothing worked.
But, we we finally found Jesus, we fell on our knees and wept, for we knew that we had found the fulfillment of the book of the law of Moses. We found him in the Bible.

The Bible is old, but its truths are always new.

VETERANS DAY

john 15: 9 – 17

In Melbourne Australia, they built a war memorial after the first world war, on which they have written the names of all those brave soldiers that gave their lives in service to their great nation. Included in this memorial is a large stone with John 15:13 written on it;

13 Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Also there is a mirror placed to reflect the sun so that on the 11'th hour, of the 11'th day, of the 11'th month (the day and time that ended the first world war), the word “love” is lit up with the reflection of that mirror.
All over the world memorials are erected to honor those who have given their lives, today we have set apart a day in which we are able to honor those warriors both living and dead for their sacrifice.
Today, if you run into a veteran, thank him or her for their service to this country so that we can remain free, and live in safety.
Jesus was teaching his disciples about the love of God and the love that he wanted them to show the world.

9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
17 This is my command: Love each other.

Jesus told his men this the night he was to be arrested. The night before he was to give his life as sacrifice for the sins of the world.
His death was not for freedom from political tyranny but freedom from the penalty of sin. His death was not just to give us a better life, but to give us eternal life.
It is important to remember those who have given their lives for their country—but may we never forget to praise and honor the Christ who died for a dying world. Truly, there is no greater love than this.

SUNDAY FUNNIES

HEROES

1 Corinthians 1: 18 – 31

When I was a teenager, I played the drums. To be truthful, I played them into my early thirties. I loved the sound different drums produced, the rhythm that came from them that held up and drove the rest of the music was amazing. Now if I am to be completely truthful, I wasn't very good. Oh, I could hold my own, I played with a few bands and thought that I would make it as a musician one day, but that was a drug fueled illusion.
But, the point here is that I had a hero who played the drums like no one I ever heard before or since, Buddy Rich. I bought his records listening to every nuance and break while I tried to copy his technique. Every time he was on TV, I would watch focusing on his hands to see if there was something he did that I could do.

HE WAS THE BEST!

One day, I saw in the paper that Buddy was coming to Boston with his quartet, rather than his Big Band, to play in the “Intimate” surroundings of Paul's Mall. I bought tickets and was the first one in line to get in. when Buddy and his band took the stage, I was amazed at how old he was. Gone was the vital man I saw on TV and album covers and in his place was a skinny, frail, old man, who had trouble keeping up with the tempo of the rest of the quartet.
After the show, I saw him at the bar, drunk and pounding down drinks.
My hero was gone.
But his legend remained. I would still listen to his records, but with a different ear. Buddy was not some super hero of the drums, he was a normal guy with many flaws that inspired me to become a better drummer than I was, even if I didn't go anywhere with my limited talents.

26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.
27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

In the Bible we see that God consistently used people who were far less than perfect. That shouldn’t surprise us. God is glorified by showing Himself strong through our weaknesses. It shows us that He desires to work through our lives not because we are perfect but because He is. And since He uses weak and foolish things it means you and I are prime candidates for His work.

The Lord isn’t looking for superheroes. He uses those of us who are flawed and frail, so that He can show His strength and grace. He wants those with a willing and available heart.

WAITING

Psalm 70
1 Hasten, O God, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me.
5 Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay.

I don't know about anyone else, but I am impatient. I hate waiting; in lines, in traffic, for the train or bus, I even hate waiting for the movie to begin. There are times when I think that I am the only one that feels this way as I see others waiting with me appearing to be comfortable passing the time.
Reading Psalm 70, I come to the conclusion that David was like me; impatient. David pleads with God to come quickly and not delay. He wants God to act, and act right now!
Don't we all?
We pray to God for our circumstances and that he would intervene when we ask him to, but, God knows better than we do, and he knows how and when to act on our behalf.
What we wait for, however, is far less important than what God is doing while we wait. In such times He works in us to develop those hard-to-achieve spiritual virtues of meekness, kindness, and patience with others. But more important, we learn to lean on God alone and to “rejoice and be glad” in Him
Ain't that boogie a mess?

4 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, "Let God be exalted!"

My head knows, and my heart understands that patience is not a virtue, it's a gift of the spirit, but when I'm in the thick of it, I want action and I want it now. I want God to race to my aid, I hate it when he does things in his time not mine, yet I know that the teaching, the lessons for life, happen while waiting to see what God will do for us, and we have to be ready to accept the results of his actions both good and bad as we perceive them to be.
Have patience. Know that God is in Charge.

Ps 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

READ THE WORD

1 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no-one will fall by following their example of disobedience.
12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.
16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY

Joshua 24: 14 – 25
Today is the day we choose the political leaders for our local communities and our nation. We have been blessed by God to have a choice in choosing our leadership, in other words, we are going to choose who we are going to follow.
Not everyones favorite is going to win but every voter has a choice.

14 "Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD!
15 "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

Unlike a political election in which the majority rules, each of us is given the opportunity to select our personal leader each day. In the spiritual election deep within our hearts, our choice will stand no matter what others may decide.
Something inside me really wants to go into this conservative Christian rant about our choices for president today, but I will refrain. We must all search our hearts and make a choice for president that most fits our own spiritual and moral beliefs.
We are at a cross roads as to the direction that our country is about to take so I pray that we will all choose wisely.

You may be a construction worker working on a home,You may be living in a mansion or you might live in a dome,You might own guns and you might even own tanks,You might be somebody's landlord, you might even own banks
But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeedYou're gonna have to serve somebody,Well, it may be the devil or it may be the LordBut you're gonna have to serve somebody. (Bob Dylan)

I love the words of Joshua when he declared that he and his family would serve the Lord. If you look around my house you can see that verse displayed in many places because it is such a powerful statement of faith. I pray that you will make that same choice.

CATALOGS

John 17: 20 – 26
I love catalogs. They may be the most perfect reading material known to man. A catalog comes in the mail for free, just the right size and shape, all shiny and filled with pictures of things I didn't know I needed, or even that these items on the pages existed. When I get them, I immediately put them on the book shelf in the bathroom leaving them there to wait for that time when I go have my morning sit down. There I can read the little articles that describe the items on the page in such a way that it makes me want to buy all of them, on every page, and it doesn't matter where I begin to read a catalog, I can start at the end, the beginning, or the middle, and a catalog can be read over and over. I really want what's on every page of a well put together catalog, the feeling can be overwhelming.
The people who make these catalogs, put them together in such a way as to make the illustrations desirable to all who would look at them.
In a way, we as Christians are God's catalogs.
We are His illustration to the world of what He has to offer. His work in our lives makes us a picture of qualities that people may not know they need or want until they see them at work in us.

20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,
21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:
23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
24 "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
25 "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me.
26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

Jesus prayed that His followers would be unified so the world would know that God sent Him and loved them as God loved Him. When Christ is alive in us, we become examples of God’s love. We can’t manufacture love. God is the manufacturer, and we are His workmanship.
As you browse through catalogs, consider what the “catalog” of your life says about God. Do people see qualities in you that make them long for God?

SUNDAY FUNNIES

ME, ME, ME, ME.

James 3: 13 – 18
13 Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts.
16 Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats.

There are times when I read the Bible and it grates against my nerves, I sometime feel angry, other times embarrassed, and still other times resentful. I wonder, sometimes aloud, where is the comfort strength and hope I should be getting from the word.
Why does this happen?
The word of God will point to my weaknesses, and to my character defects, by putting my life up to a mirror so that I can see the way I live and act are not the way I should be.
We all have it in us, that ego driven way we see our lives.
We think that we're okay and living the way we should, believing that we have it all licked, and are examples of the way others should be. Then we get knee capped by the word, and we realize we are living in ways that are in direct opposition to the word.
I don't know about you, but I can get pretty sick of this whole “Iron sharpens Iron” stuff.
It hurts, and the sparks scare me.

17 Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced.
18 You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

It never stops!
I'm a good guy, and I'm sure that you are too.
So, why does the word point out our flaws?
Why doesn't it just tell us what we want to hear?
I have come to the conclusion that we are flawed beings, and that left to our own devices, we will fall prey to Satan and the lies he tells us daily. That whole free will thing is a trap that we set, and spring, ourselves. Living the way God wants us too is harder than the way we want to. But, it can be easy if we allow it to be and get our egos out of the way.
I choose to follow the precepts of God rather than the lies of my ego.
It is not always the easy thing to do, but sometime the right thing is a hard thing to do.

ONE HAND ONE HEART

Deuteronomy 6: 1 – 6
1 These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess,
2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.
3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.

There it is, laid out in front of you for you to read and make your own opinions so that you may apply it to your life. There is not a lot of wiggle room for what the scripture says here.
There is only one God.
He loves us.
We must love him in return.

BY FAITH...

Hebrews 11: 1 – 6
Does God exist? If he does, do I believe in God?
These are questions that are asked hundreds of times a day by many people around the world. Some come too the conclusion that God does not exist, and weep. Others find out that he really does and rejoice.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
In Hebrews 11:6 we are told that to find God and please Him, we first have to believe that He exists. How can we prove that God exists? Finding God is a matter of faith—confidence in Him and commitment to Him. This confidence and commitment should remain strong even though the objects of our faith are unseen. The writer of Hebrews and the apostle John agree that ultimately the way to find the Lord and please Him is by believing in His Son Jesus.
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6).
Finding God is solely a work of God. Those who seek Him will find Him because God will give them a heart to recognize Him as Lord
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."(Jer. 29:13-14).
I must say that there was no time in my life when I did not believe in God. Even at my worst I believed that there was something out there that was on a higher level than me. I wasn't sure who or what God was, but I knew it was there.
I did doubt at one time that he was caring and loving. I thought like many that he was judgmental and just waiting for me to mess up to bring chaos to my life which was out of control already. It took me getting sober to begin to realize that there was a loving God, which was the beginning of belief.
Faith is a wonderful thing. I have found it to be of great comfort and strength. I could go on forever.
Look, just seek, and he will be found.
You won't regret it.

GETTING IN YOUR HEAD

Galatians 1: 6 – 9

God be in my head, and in my understanding;

God be in my eyes, and in my looking;

God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;

God be in my heart, and in my thinking.
Sarum Primer

Sounds a little weird, doesn't it? We often accuse those people who try to make us confused as playing with our heads, Psychiatrists with getting inside our heads, and we think that cult leaders get into peoples heads also. So why pray that God be in our heads? I mean it's bad enough that people we know think of us as closed minded fools and that are brainwashed in our political views, and our views of the world, and even into the way we act. But, then I thought that if I'm to experience the emotional parts of a relationship with Jesus Christ, why must I check my mind and my thinking at the door?
After all I am a free thinking citizen protected by the constitution.
We get lead in all different directions by all sorts of things in this world. We can get so confused and twisted by TV, music,the Internet, extra-marital affairs, cars, jewelry, politicians, etc., etc., that it messes up our compasses so much that we can't find true north anymore. It's amazing that the word of God can compete at all.
That's why Paul warns us in his letter to the Galatians about being lead astray by false teachers and prophets.

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!
9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

I used to live my life by simple principles, “If it feels good, do it”, and “The one who dies with the most toys wins”. As I look around the room, I see many heads nodding in agreement so I can only think that I am not the only one who has had a major change here. In reality, the one who dies with the most toys, STILL DIES!! And Paul once again reminds us that all things are available to do, but not all things are expeditious, in other words, just because we can do something, doesn't mean that we should.
After saying all that, I really want God to be in my head as much as I want him in my heart. Using a nautical term, I want to “box my compass” (calibrate) so that I can find true north and be able find my way through the mine field that is my everyday life.