I FOUGHT THE LAW, AND THE LAW WON. NOT!

Galatians 3: 19 – 29



Laws are strange things if we look at them.
No matter what the law is, or what it says, there has never been a law written that hasn't been broken.
Even if we are able to follow the law to the letter what does it gain us?
Does it mean that we can work our way to salvation?

19 The purpose of the law was to keep a sinful people in the way of salvation until Christ (the descendant) came, inheriting the promises and distributing them to us. Obviously this law was not a firsthand encounter with God. It was arranged by angelic messengers through a middleman, Moses.
20 But if there is a middleman as there was at Sinai, then the people are not dealing directly with God, are they? But the original promise is the direct blessing of God, received by faith.
21 - 22 If such is the case, is the law, then, an anti-promise, a negation of God’s will for us? Not at all. Its purpose was to make obvious to everyone that we are, in ourselves, out of right relationship with God, and therefore to show us the futility of devising some religious system for getting by our own efforts what we can only get by waiting in faith for God to complete his promise. For if any kind of rule-keeping had power to create life in us, we would certainly have gotten it by this time.


Just like the word says, if we could work our way out of our sin, you'd think that we would have gotten it right by now.

26 By faith in Christ you are in direct relationship with God.
28 In Christ’s family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ.
29 Also, since you are Christ’s family, then you are Abraham’s famous "descendant," heirs according to the covenant promises.

This may be the ramblings of a sleep deprived grandfather, but I know one thing for sure.
I'd rather be a member of the family by faith thereby inheriting my salvation, than working my way into the back door of paradise.



I love you guys.

OOOH, AAAH, OH!

Job 37: 1 – 18



I once told a co-worker, “How can you look around and not see the hand of God in creation?”
Okay. It wasn't a statement it was a question but what's the difference.
The important thing is that if we look at a sunset, see the complexity of a flower in bloom, or witness the birth of a baby.
Well all I can say is you can't get a prize like this in a box of Cracker Jack.


1 ¶ "Whenever this happens, my heart stops—I’m stunned, I can’t catch my breath.
5 His word thundering so wondrously, his mighty acts staggering our understanding.
10 It’s God’s breath that forms the ice, it’s God’s breath that turns lakes and rivers solid.
11 And yes, it’s God who fills clouds with rainwater and hurls lightning from them every which way.
15 Do you have any idea how God does it all, how he makes bright lightning from dark storms,
16 How he piles up the cumulus clouds—all these miracle-wonders of a perfect Mind?

Just take a look around.
Be amazed by what you see.




I love you guys.

ZAT YOU?

John 10: 1 – 6




I was in grade school.
My parents and I had gone shopping in a department store. While we were there I wandered off . When I went back to where I was supposed to be I saw my mother from the rear at the end of an aisle. When I got to her and spoke to her to tell her that I was back, the woman,s voice was not that of my mother's, it was just a woman who happened to be wearing a coat like mom's and had a similar hair cut. I was filled with anxiety and turned to run from her when I heard the voices of both my parents just one row over.
I ran to them with relief and didn't leave them for the rest of our visit to that store.
I felt safe and at home when I heard the voices of my parents and felt unsafe when I heard the strange voice of the other woman.
It's the same with Jesus.
People like us whom follow Him, know Him and know His word.
We are not easily led astray by fakes and charlatans.

1 "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.
2 The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep.
3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognise a stranger’s voice."
6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.

Be careful out there.
Don't fall for the fakers.
Listen to the voice of God.
Take comfort from it.

LOST

Mark 16 24 – 28



As I look over my life, I can see that there were times that I had no interest in my eternal existence.
I had the old reasoning that I wanted to go to hell because all my friends would be there.
Some fun right?
I thought that money, booze, drugs, women, and a cool bike was the ticket to a good life. And after all, if I didn't hurt anybody while living like this, if people thought that I was a good person, well then I'd go to heaven.
Wouldn't I?

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?

I had heard that that philosophy about gaining the world and losing my soul, but, I was just a ham and egger. I had no interest in gaining great power, and every thing I did, I did with a little soul.
What a fool I was back then.

27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.

Uh oh.
There's that old God's word goes against my ways again.
I had seen the old TV shows and movies where one character says that he just wants what he deserves according to what he had done and it always ended badly.
As I said, I thought being a good person was enough. But, I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that I would truly get what I deserved.
I was kinda scared of that one.
So, I was starting to look for ways to change my circumstances.

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.

Hey we all have our cross to bear, I just wasn't up to what that saying really meant.
Then as we look at these scriptures that phrase takes on a whole different meaning doesn't it?
Take heed
take heart.
Remember where we all came from.
We all got here by following different yet similar paths.
We have all come to walk the same path following God.

THAT'S A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW.

Joshua 1: 1 – 9



Rice had to follow Yaz. Yaz had to follow Williams. Somebody had to follow DiMaggio and Ruth. And so it goes. Each new guy had a lot to live up to. They had to work harder than their predecessors just to come in a close second until they were finally able to creep out of the shadow of the legend they followed.
I'm sure that during their early days replacing the known hero, the replacement was given encouragement from the Team owner and manager.
When we take the lead whether it's at work, in church, or with our families, we all are in need of time and encouragement to get through those early adjustment days.

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant:
2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites.
3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.
5 No-one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.

If we think we have it hard, imagine what it must have been like for Joshua taking over after Moses died.
Talk about following in the footsteps of a hero.
But, God knows what He is doing when He chooses a leader.

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

With encouragement like that, how can we fail? How can we not gain the trust of those who follow our lead?
Listen to God's command. He knows what He's doing.
Follow His commands.

VICTORY

1 Thessalonians 4: 15 – 18




15 According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord for ever.
18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.

Encourage each other with these words?
Boy Howdy!
Those words can, for the most part, be all the encouragement that I need.
To be able to boldly proclaim that we will spend eternity with the Lord.
A couple of years ago, it so happened that two people I knew passed away around the same time. One was saved the other not. When I spoke on the phone with the family of my unsaved friend there was sadness and fear in their voices as they wept and sadly told me of the funeral arrangements. I went to the wake to find a room full of sorrowful people.
When I spoke to the family of my saved friend, although the missed their family member, they said that there would be a memorial service at his church and that I should stop by. It should be a real good time.
What was the difference?
Christ.
As we are taught in Sunday school, Jesus is the answer to everything.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION DAY?

Philippians 4: 1 – 9



Nobody was more surprised than me to read about this weird holiday that I was this morning.
Ever hear of it?

Today is observed in many countries as International Conflict Resolution Day. Its purpose is to encourage people to use mediation and arbitration rather than the legal system to settle their differences. Because we as followers of Christ are not immune to conflict, we need to learn how to resolve our disagreements in ways that honor the Lord.
It has been said that “church fights are the worst fights,” perhaps because they break out among people who profess to believe in unity and love. Many Christians have been so hurt by a fellow believer that they walk away from the church and never return. (ODB)

I guess that's why God saw fit to have Paul write the letter to the church at Philippi. The conditions were ripe for an example of working things out within the church body with prayer and meditation.

1 Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!
2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.
3 Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

If we are found to be in conflict, here is an example of how we are to get out of it.
HAPPY CONFLICT RESOLUTION DAY!


I love you guys.

BE STILL

Psalm 46



Ever tell somebody to try and go to sleep?
Or maybe try to relax?
Have you ever said to someone, “I've been trying to sleep all night but I'm still awake.”
With sleeping or relaxing, I must quote Yoda in the movie, “The Empire Strikes Back,”
“No try.” “Do or not do.”
Trying wipes out the effect of sleep and relaxation.

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

The Psalmist gets it. He did not say try to be still, he said to be still.
It's sometimes called letting go.
Like letting go of this problem or that.
Releasing our burdens because God's yoke is easy.

1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah

Thank heaven for that.
I don't care what anyone says, or how strong they claim to be, we all need a place of refuge.
Someplace where we can let down our guard and let someone else provide the strength.
A place where we can feel safe, not where we try to be safe.

6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.

So relax. Take a deep breathe and be still. God is in control.

Do, or not do.
There is no try.

GOT IT GOIN' ON

1 Kings 10: 4 – 10


I'm sure that we have all heard the expression, “You may be the only Bible that some people read.”
Basically it means that we are to live as for Christ, and be examples of His love, peace, and strength.
Seeing how we live, and the joy in our hearts, there are people who will become impressed enough to want to praise God, and want to know more about Him.
I think that this is what was happening with the Queen of Sheba.

4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built,
5 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed.
6 She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true.
7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard.
8 How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!
9 Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness."
10 And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

I'd say that she was pretty impressed with Solomon, Jerusalem and it's people, and God.
Can we say that God has impressed upon our lives such power that our lifestyle is attractive to others? Can they say Praise to the Lord your God?

THANKFULLNESS

Philemon 1: 4 – 16



I really hate bad news.
I should probably rephrase that statement to I really dislike bad news.
I found out this morning that I may have to spend a significant amount of money to repair our septic system.
Of this, I wasn't very thankful.
To be truthful, I was feeling pretty sorry for myself.
I don't want to be giving thanks for this. Inside, I feel like I'm getting a raw deal and want to scream, “Why Me!” “why do these things always happen to me?”
But, God wants us to be thankful for all things, no matter how hard that may seem to be.
And to be honest, I am thankful that I don't have to build an outhouse, or call for a port-a-potty.
At times like this, I think of the word and wonder what comfort I can receive.

4 Every time your name comes up in my prayers, I say, "Oh, thank you, God!"
5 I keep hearing of the love and faith you have for the Master Jesus, which brims over to other Christians.
6 And I keep praying that this faith we hold in common keeps showing up in the good things we do, and that people recognize Christ in all of it.

This should be a goal that we all strive for. To be known for our love and faith that we have.
To be able to handle things that it can be said that we can be truly thankful no matter what the circumstances.

10 While here in jail, I’ve fathered a child, so to speak. And here he is, hand-carrying this letter—Onesimus!
11 He was useless to you before; now he’s useful to both of us.
12 I’m sending him back to you, but it feels like I’m cutting off my right arm in doing so.
13 I wanted in the worst way to keep him here as your stand-in to help out while I’m in jail for the Message.
14 But I didn’t want to do anything behind your back, make you do a good deed that you hadn’t willingly agreed to.
15 Maybe it’s all for the best that you lost him for a while. You’re getting him back now for good—
16 and no mere slave this time, but a true Christian brother! That’s what he was to me—he’ll be even more than that to you.

Philemon was to be thankful that his runaway slave was being returned, yet not as a slave but as an equal, while Onesimus was to be thankful for his possible return to slavery at the hands of his former master.
Now that's where faith and love come into play.
It's hard to give thanks at times.
But, we need to find a way.

To quote Bob Marley;
“Give thanks and praise to the Lord, and it will be all right.”

LISTEN TO ME!

2 Chronicle 24: 15 – 22



It starts as simple fun usually when we were younger. We play with a “Magic 8 Ball” or a Ouija Board.
Later on it's the daily Horoscope. A friend offers to read your palm, give you a Tarot card reading, then they tell you the latest fad about letting angels guide your life.
People all over are searching for spiritual fulfillment in any way they can.
The only trouble is, we sometimes turn our backs on the one true God and the peace we find there.

17 After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them.
18 They abandoned the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and worshipped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God’s anger came upon Judah and Jerusalem.
19 Although the LORD sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen.

It seems to me that this kind of behavior has been going on for a long time. For reasons I really don't understand, why do we abandon the truth for these foolish pursuits. The truth is right there in front of us, and we turn a blind eye.
I guess that it's just easier to bow down to an object where sins can be glossed over and we can tell ourselves that what we get away with is okay because we haven't been caught.
Then, comes one person who sees through the lies of what the entire community has come to believe.
Speaking the truth in love is a hard concept to handle.
Ever have someone tell you the truth in love? Ouch!

20 Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, "This is what God says: ‘Why do you disobey the LORD’s commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the LORD, he has forsaken you.’"
21 But they plotted against him, and by order of the king they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the LORD’s temple.

When we try to do this. When we warn the people of their sinful ways. We are shunned, then the entire populace seeks to discredit us or even try to destroy us and our message.
Speaking out to the majority ain't easy folks. It takes some hutzpah to stand on what you believe against the feelings and beliefs of those around you.
But we have to buck the tide. Swim against the flow.
We need to shout, “Listen to me!”

EMOTIONS

John 11: 32 – 44



God, in His wisdom, has given us many gifts. Some we readily accept, others we wish we didn't have to face, and all of them are beyond what we deserve. There are gifts that are easily visible such as possessions and then there are those that are invisible. The peace we feel, the love we have,
humble spirits, and yes our emotions.
There are those among us who try to hide the emotions that were given us. After all, a man is not supposed to cry. Right?

35 Jesus wept.

If Jesus is the example that we are to follow, then why do we try to repress our emotions when He didn't.

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.
39 "Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odour, for he has been there four days."
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

Yeah. We got 'em. All those gifts from God. And, they all serve a purpose to enrich our lives in relationship with Him.
We laugh, we cry, we feel love.
Thank you God for these precious gifts.

WISDOM

Proverbs 16: 16 – 22



One of the ways that I prepare to write these teachings is to read the “Our Daily Bread” devotional.
I get the scripture from them read it then see how close my ideas are to theirs.
Today was one of those times that my thoughts are way off from “ODB”.
Throughout the book of Proverbs Solomon pushes the benefits of wisdom. And through wisdom comes understanding. And as “ODB” says today, we all crave understanding and have a need to be understood.

22 Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools.

With this verse in mind, I guess that my conflict with another writer brings me to think that there can be a couple of ways to look at the Word.
I know. That's an obvious statement. All scripture is open to interpretation. So I have come to this conclusion.

16 How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life.
18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.
20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
21 The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction.
22 Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools.

There it is.
What does it mean to you?

BUSY, BUSY

Luke 10: 38 – 42



I'm sure that we have all heard the story of the Christian who complained to anybody that would listen that he were so busy, that he didn't have time to pray. Everything he tried to do in his busy day went wrong. The harder he tried the more things went all pear shaped and he ended up with more work then when he started.
Filled with frustration,he prayed.
He placed his attention on God.
His work immediately started going right and his day became less hectic.
With a change in his heart, he then began to tell anybody that would listen, that he was so busy that he made time to pray.
That's sort of the story of Martha and Mary. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, while Martha drove herself to exhaustion working and not paying attention to the Lord.

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.
39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.
40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
41 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things,
42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

This whole discussion confirms what a Pastor once told me when he said, “If the devil can't make you bad, he makes you busy.”
And that surprisingly is the key.
When we accept the Lord, we come under attack. Sometimes we are hated by other people and other times the enemy sends troubles our way.
The closer we get to God, the harder he attacks. So, the easiest thing that Satan can do is to take our focus away from our savior.
Be careful not to be distracted.
Spend time with the Lord everyday.

WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO DO?

Philippians 1: 19 – 26




In the 50's movie, “The War of the Worlds,” one of the character in the beginning of the movie was a pastor. When the Martians first began to leave their ships to start the invasion, this pastor walked toward the deadly aircraft his only thought was to bring the word, and love of God to the invaders.
While standing in front of an advancing vessel, he held up his Bible and recited the 23'rd Psalm as he was burned into non-existence by the Martian heat ray.
Okay.
I know it's a stretch.
I also know that what I described was an act of fiction.
I used it as an illustration of someone who is willing to sacrifice themselves for their beliefs.
Paul discussed this with the people of Philippi.

21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!

Having this knowledge floating around the back of your mind,the question is,
“Would you be able to sacrifice your life to advance the Gospel?”
It appears to be a win, win situation.
If we live, we have ample time to be in service to our Lord.
If we die, we live in the presence of God for eternity.

23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,
26 so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

I love Jesus, and look forward to being with Him in eternity. Yet, I love being in His service here on Earth.
In the song, “Give me just a little more time” Marty Stuart sings,
“I'm ready for you to call me.”
“But give me just a little more time.”
Thar's a good philosophy. Ready to go, yet loving being in God's service.
Are you willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for your fellow man, of to advance the word of God?

CULT OF PERSONALITY

1 Corinthians 2



Before coming to know the Lord, there were many of us who could be led astray by some fast talking huckster with a message of peace and love. (usually for profit)
For reasons that I can't quite explain, it seems that the more complicated the path to Nirvana is, no matter how complex the hierarchy, we think that because of these trials then this must be the true way of God.
Because of these complicated ideas of spiritual fulfillment, we can bring that attitude with us into our relationship with the Father. That is until we come to understand that faith in God is not a matter of doing, it is a matter of done.
Huh?
It really is simple. There is no trial or test to go through.

1 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.
2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,
5 so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

I came to know the Lord when I got sober and began to hear of the concept of a “higher power.”
This was a generic spirituality kind of like reading the horoscopes in the newspaper.
But, there was a simple trial that seemed to be needed to attain the serenity promised in the twelve steps,
“Let go.” “And, let God.”
Just vague enough to tempt us and put us on the path to Nirvana.
But, it was the concept of “letting” God provide my salvation rather than having to work it out or go through yet another test, that led the way for my being born again.

PRAISE GOD.

HE PUT MY FEET ON SOLID ROCK

Ephesians 5: 15 – 21



The first time I read Psalm 40, I almost fell over. The whole image of God taking me from the deepest dirtiest pit and putting my feet on solid ground and putting on my lips a new song.
Hokey Smokes!
I thought, that's how my life changed.
That's what made a difference to me.
Now every time I read that Psalm, or hear it read, I am brought to a place where I am filled with the love of God.
I see the world, and treat people just a little bit differently then I did before being reminded of His presence in my life. I guess that when I look at it that way, I really shouldn't treat people any differently before or after thinking of God. I should be consistent with my relationships at all times.
We have to allow God's will to done.
We must live consistently through his power.

15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,
16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

When I think about the old days, and we all have them, I look at how foolish I was, and then I can see how differently I am today, all because of God being in my life.
Non of us can live as we once did when this has happened.
We are changed.
We see, do, and live differently than we used to.

18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,
20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In a nutshell, be cause of Christ, we become filled with the Spirit, not spirits.
Living for him is better than living for me.
After all, He wasn't thinking selfishly when He gave His life for me.
And, it's the same for you.


I don't know if I really hit it with this one folks.
I feel as if I am scattered all over the place with my thoughts.
Sometimes it is hard for me to put the way I feel into written words.
I pray that this teaching touched you, and helped in your walk.

HUBBA, HUBBA, HUBBA, WHO DO YOU TRUST?

Mathew 7: 7 – 11



There is a scene in the Batman movie with Jack Nicholson, where he appears as Joker on TV and asks the people of Gotham city the above question,who do you trust?
He knows before the question was asked, the character of the people in that city.
Joker was betting that the people would act greedily and therefore he would be able to exploit them to his advantage.
Since the beginning, that has been the issue. Should Eve trust what God said, or the words of the Serpent?
How about Noah? Should he have listened to the mocking of his neighbors?
On and on it goes. Great heroes of the Bible constantly come up against trusting the Lord, or following what others have said, or even trusting themselves above the will of God.
It went on then. It goes on today. It will continue to happen tomorrow.
I think that is why Jesus, in the book of Mathew and the other gospels, taught about trusting God.
He was betting not on the greed of the people, but on the basic reasonable way we treat the ones we love.
That is something we all can relate too.

7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

When confronted with the question who do you trust, where will you place your faith?
Are we gonna be people who follow what Joker wants, or listen to the teaching of Jesus?

HUBBA, HUBBA, HUBBA.

FRIENDS

John 15: 9 – 17


There are friends, and then there are friends.
Some friends you might meet for a cup of coffee, or when you meet them in a store, you'll talk together for awhile.
Then there are the friends that you will have forever. The ones that we have that we will drop everything to help them when they call.
I've heard it said that if you have one friend like that in your life, you are truly blessed.
I guess that means that if you have more than one of these friends, Boy Howdy, you've got some blessings going on there.
Hopefully you get to marry one of these friends. I know that I married my best friend.
The only thing now is how to define what a friend is.
I think Jesus said it best.

12 This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you.
13 This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends.
15 I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.
17 "But remember the root command: Love one another.

A friend is someone that you would lay your life down for.
But if we love one another the way that Jesus loved us, well then, we must be willing to lay down our lives for everyone, because we are called to love our neighbor, and all folks are our neighbors.



I love you my friends.




Roadblock

BOND SERVANT

Colossians 4: 1 – 12



There are times when I hate that I have arthritis. For the most part I except it as part of my everyday life, one of those nagging tings that exist in the background that I don't even think about until I have a flare up. The thing that I hate is that it makes it very hard to get on my knees to pray. There are times when I can and others when I cannot.
It just frustrates me.
I have heard it said that there are three types of slavery. There are those who were born into it, those who were sold into it, and those who enter into slavery voluntarily.
The volunteers are known as bond servants. And, those of us whom have chosen that path are walking in some very good company.
One of the tasks that I and others have been called to perform for our master is prayer.

3 Don’t forget to pray for us, that God will open doors for telling the mystery of Christ, even while I’m locked up in this jail.
4 Pray that every time I open my mouth I’ll be able to make Christ plain as day to them.
12 Epaphras, who is one of you, says hello. What a trooper he has been! He’s been tireless in his prayers for you, praying that you’ll stand firm, mature and confident in everything God wants you to do.
13 I’ve watched him closely, and can report on how hard he has worked for you and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Now, if we look around. If we read our Bibles, we know that there are many giftings from the Holy Spirit that lay out jobs that need to be done for our King.
It has also been said that if you do something that you love, you will never work a day in your life. So don't choose a job that causes frustration. The only problem is, that as a bond servant, the choice is made for you by God.
Hence my frustration.
Fall into line. Enter into slavery voluntarily.

ONE MASTER OR TWO?

Mathew 6: 24 – 34



Here's another tough one for me. The word tells us not to worry about eating, not to be concerned about money, and never mind that you only have the clothes on your back.
After all, God treats grass and birds really well.
Okay. That's a good thing in concept, but I've grown fond of having the money to afford to have a roof over my head. Without food, I get really cranky and weak. And, lets not even consider what it would be like if I were to wander around without clothes.
I think what God is trying to get across here is that we should not be consumed by these things. Because it is very true that we cannot be pulled in two different directions and still be able to keep our true focus.


24 "You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can’t worship God and Money both.
25 "If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body.
26 Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.
31 What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving.
34 "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

So chill, right?
Just trust in God and go about your day. Work, buy food and clothes, just don't make that practice all consuming.

YES, IT'S...JUST...THAT...SIMPLE!

John 14: 12 – 14



It can't be that easy, we think.
We must have to do some kind of test or task.
There has to be a way to prove up. A way to show that we're ready.

Nah!
It don't work that way.
It comes down to trust.

12 The person who trusts me will not only do what I’m doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I’ve been doing. You can count on it.
13 From now on, whatever you request along the lines of who I am and what I am doing, I’ll do it. That’s how the Father will be seen for who he is in the Son. I mean it.
14 Whatever you request in this way, I’ll do.

See, it really is a simple thing.
Trust is essential to any fulfilling relationship. If a wife doesn't trust her husband, or the other way around, then that relationship will crumble. When that happens, all the promise that was there in the beginning, both parties will become so hurt and embittered that reconciliation is impossible.
But, it's the simple things that makes the difference. A short prayer can restore someones faith. An act of kindness can remind a person why they got into a relationship in the first place.


Trust in Him.
It's just that simple.




a

HOW SWEET THE SOUND

Revelation 5: 8 – 14




The imagery in God's word is awesome.
So, think about the worship team.
They're pretty good aren't they?
But, compared to what is coming when God unleashes His band.
Today is one of those days when I think that it is just better to hear what the Bible has to say.

8 The moment he took the scroll, the Four Animals and Twenty-four Elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb. Each had a harp and each had a bowl, a gold bowl filled with incense, the prayers of God’s holy people.
9 And they sang a new song: Worthy! Take the scroll, open its seals. Slain! Paying in blood, you bought men and women, Bought them back from all over the earth, Bought them back for God.
10 Then you made them a Kingdom, Priests for our God, Priest-kings to rule over the earth.
11 I looked again. I heard a company of Angels around the Throne, the Animals, and the Elders—ten thousand times ten thousand their number, thousand after thousand after thousand
12 in full song: The slain Lamb is worthy! Take the power, the wealth, the wisdom, the strength! Take the honor, the glory, the blessing!
13 Then I heard every creature in Heaven and earth, in underworld and sea, join in, all voices in all places, singing: To the One on the Throne! To the Lamb! The blessing, the honor, the glory, the strength, For age after age after age.
14 The Four Animals called out, "Oh, Yes!" The Elders fell to their knees and worshiped.


All glory to God in the highest.

SAWDUST

Mathew 23: 1 – 13



Used car sales men are rumored to be the most dishonest business men on the planet. It is said that they are capable of doing whatever it takes to sell a car no matter what condition it is in.
A little paint here, maybe some Bondo there it really doesn't matter does it. Sometimes, when there is trouble with the transmission, an old trick was to put a little sawdust in the transmission fluid. It helped the car run smooth as silk for a short time. Usually just long enough to to persuade the new owner that he got the deal of the century.
The car looked good, but under the hood, it is a piece of junk.
There are too many people with sawdust in them.
They look good, act like they have a direct line to God, say the longest loudest prayers, yet they are show. They'd rather look good than do good.

2 "The religion scholars and Pharisees are competent teachers in God’s Law.
3 You won’t go wrong in following their teachings on Moses. But be careful about following them. They talk a good line, but they don’t live it. They don’t take it into their hearts and live it out in their behavior. It’s all spit-and-polish veneer.
4 "Instead of giving you God’s Law as food and drink by which you can banquet on God, they package it in bundles of rules, loading you down like pack animals. They seem to take pleasure in watching you stagger under these loads, and wouldn’t think of lifting a finger to help.
5 Their lives are perpetual fashion shows, embroidered prayer shawls one day and flowery prayers the next.

This no time to have sawdust in our transmissions.
It's time to admit all of our defects and blemishes to God. And place our faith in Him.

11 "Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant.
12 If you puff yourself up, you’ll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you’re content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty.

Be yourself, not someone you're not.

HAVE I GOT A JOB FOR YOU!

Luke 5: 1 – 11



They say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting to get a different result. As they used to say, in my old Harvard square hippie days, “I grok.”
I can relate to the process of trying the same old thing and even praying to get just a slight change in what the outcome of my actions would be.
The one thing about Jesus though, is that He can give us a different result from our behaviors when we listen to Him, and do as He has asked us to do.
Get off your high horse, and do what you're told.

4 When he finished teaching, he said to Simon, "Push out into deep water and let your nets out for a catch."
5 Simon said, "Master, we’ve been fishing hard all night and haven’t caught even a minnow. But if you say so, I’ll let out the nets."
6 It was no sooner said than done—a huge haul of fish, straining the nets past capacity.

Belief in God, and following His instruction brings us great return. When we listen to what God says, and apply His word to our lives, the reward is beyond expectations.
We can sometimes become overwhelmed at the treasures God has given us, and we can hardly wait to share with others our good fortune.

7 They waved to their partners in the other boat to come help them. They filled both boats, nearly swamping them with the catch.
8 Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell to his knees before Jesus. "Master, leave. I’m a sinner and can’t handle this holiness. Leave me to myself."
9 When they pulled in that catch of fish, awe overwhelmed Simon and everyone with him.
10 It was the same with James and John, Zebedee’s sons, coworkers with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "There is nothing to fear. From now on you’ll be fishing for men and women."
11 They pulled their boats up on the beach, left them, nets and all, and followed him.

The only choice we have left after having such life changing experiences is to follow God and do as He says.
God shows us that we can take the talents and tools that we have been provided with and use them for His purpose, for our greater good. He shows us that by doing the same thing that we have always done, we can expect a different outcome when we work in faith to achieve our goals.

THINK ABOUT IT

2 Corinthians 10: 1 – 11



wil sumbody plez help me? I losed my brane wen I get Chrijen.

Throughout history, those of us whom have chosen to follow God are branded as week minded at best, ignorant fools, and just plain stupid.
Examples of this rally around the whole creation Vs. evolution debate. Evolutionist are painted as free thinking intellectuals and creationists are imbued with claims of being ignorant, fearful, Luddites stomping out any kind of progress.
We are accused of hypocrisy being one way in public and another way in private.
The saying, “Street angel, House devil,” is used by atheists and agnostic alike.
Paul faced that sort of scrutiny.

1 ¶ And now a personal but most urgent matter; I write in the gentle but firm spirit of Christ. I hear that I’m being painted as cringing and wishy-washy when I’m with you, but harsh and demanding when at a safe distance writing letters.
2 Please don’t force me to take a hard line when I’m present with you. Don’t think that I’ll hesitate a single minute to stand up to those who say I’m an unprincipled opportunist. Then they’ll have to eat their words.

He also knew, and wrote of, how the rest of the world looks at us.

3 The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will.
5 We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ.

I read in ODB today;

David McCullough’s biography of John Adams, one of America’s founding fathers and early presidents, describes him as “both a devout Christian and an independent thinker, and he saw no conflict in that.” I am struck by that statement, for it carries a note of surprise, suggesting that Christians are somehow naive or unenlightened, and that the idea of a “thinking Christian” is a contradiction.
Nothing could be further from the truth. One of the great benefits of salvation is that it causes the believer’s mind to be guarded by the peace of God (Phil. 4:7), which can foster clear thinking, discernment, and wisdom.

Get out there and show people that we are not of two minds.
Defend your beliefs (you have the ability, even if you don't think so)

GIVING IT ALL UP

Philippians 3: 3 – 12



There is an expression in twelve step recovery programs that goes, “Let go, and let God.”
Basically it means that we have to let go of all the things and ideas from our past, give all that junk to God, and let Him teach you a new way of life.
For some people in recovery it is a slow process while for others it happens in the blink of an eye.
The people that have the slow experience are afraid to completely give up what they relied on for their whole lives and as soon as they claim to turn everything over to God, they take it right back.
For those with the instant experience, the lesson is so profound that they are able to give up the old way of life and not look back.

8 Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ
9 and be embraced by him. I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God’s righteousness.

We all know of the experience Paul had on the road to Damascus.
Don't you wish that your clearing out process was that quick?
I know that I was one of the slow ones in both recovery and coming to know God. I just couldn't let go of the life I had known for all my adult life. It was the only way I knew and I was reluctant to give up my coping skills.
But when I finally did, Boy Howdy, my life really changed for the better.

4 even though we can list what many might think are impressive credentials. You know my pedigree:
5 a legitimate birth, circumcised on the eighth day; an Israelite from the elite tribe of Benjamin; a strict and devout adherent to God’s law;
6 a fiery defender of the purity of my religion, even to the point of persecuting Christians; a meticulous observer of everything set down in God’s law Book.
7 The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I’m tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ.
10 I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself.
11 If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.
12 I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me.

I like the fact that Paul admits that he doesn't have it all together. And, if we claim that we do, we're lying not only to others but to ourselves.
When I once told my twelve step sponsor that all I wanted was to get my crap together, then everything would be alright.
His wise reply was, If I was really able to get my stuff together, all I could do with it would be to show it to other people and say, “Here's my crap.” “Ain't it cool?”
All I know is, if Paul couldn't do it, I guess that I'm in good company.

Let go and let God.
Enjoy the ride.
It's worth it and it's really kind of a hoot.

FROM FATHER TO SON

Deuteronomy 6: 4 – 9



There are many families that pass on from one generation to the next something that holds sentimental value. Sometimes that value is real (just watch antiques roadshow), sometimes it is just something that was of importance to the family.
An example of this is; My father gave me a watch that was very important to him. It isn't anything special just a watch that was presented to him as a gift. He treasured that watch and wore it almost every day. I have had the pleasure of passing it on to my oldest stepson. My hope is that one day, he will pass it on to the next generation.
Whenever I wore that watch, I thought of my father, what a good guy he was, and how much I love him. I think that is the reason that Moses wrote about passing the word from one generation to the next.
People remember what is given them in love from their fore fathers.

4 Attention, Israel! GOD, our God! GOD the one and only!
5 Love GOD, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got!
6 Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you
7 and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night.
8 Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder;
9 inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.

As with that watch, I am also trying to pass on to my stepsons, the love I have for god. That's one of the reasons that I write this teaching, to pass on the word of God as I see it, in hopes that they will keep the word with them in their hearts.
I'm sure that we all have something that we will pass on to our children. It really doesn't matter what the worldly value is, as long as it has value to your heart.

Pass the word on.

WHY DO WE DO IT OVER AND OVER?

Mathew 20: 20 – 28


It must be in our nature to be jealous of others and to want to bring them down.
Knock 'em down a few pegs.
Who do they think they are?
You think you're better than me?
They only got there because they know somebody.
There are times when the battle of words stops and violence takes over. Unfortunately, we don't have to look to far or look very hard to find examples of this kind of behavior.
Sometimes it begins with a simple question or request to the boss. Sometimes it is just plain old jealousy with a dash of envy thrown in.
Mathew wrote about an incident in his book that resembles all of the above.

20 It was about that time that the mother of the Zebedee brothers came with her two sons and knelt before Jesus with a request.
21 "What do you want?" Jesus asked. She said, "Give your word that these two sons of mine will be awarded the highest places of honor in your kingdom, one at your right hand, one at your left hand."
22 Jesus responded, "You have no idea what you’re asking." And he said to James and John, "Are you capable of drinking the cup that I’m about to drink?" They said, "Sure, why not?"
24 When the ten others heard about this, they lost their tempers, thoroughly disgusted with the two brothers.

Looks like it's gonna be another example of Apostle on Apostle crime.
Once again it shows us that God's word is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. What happened thousands of years ago goes on today. And, Jesus reminds us that for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction, or consequence as it were.

25 So Jesus got them together to settle things down. He said, "You’ve observed how godless rulers throw their weight around, how quickly a little power goes to their heads.
26 It’s not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant.
27 Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave.

Then He led by example.

28 That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage."

Rough example, but, effective.

HONESTY

Acts 5: 1 – 11



My parents were a little weird. They told me many things (wise sayings) that we won't go into here, but one that stands out for me was when my father told me,
“You don't go to jail for robbing a bank.” “You go to jail for being caught robbing a bank.”
Kind of a twisted way to look at crime and punishment, but as I said, the folks were a little weird.
If we look around today, I'll bet we will find that most adults will confess to some small bit of larceny. Maybe they were in need of some staples at home and took them from the office. Perhaps a cashier gave them back the wrong change by accident, that was to their advantage, they went away smiling to themselves for the few dollars they just “earned,” or what my folks would refer to as “found money.”
There are so many examples of honest people doing dishonest things thinking that it's okay.
After all nobody got hurt, and the little things that they got away with will never be noticed, or at least, nobody will be able to point the finger of blame at them.

1 But a man named Ananias—his wife, Sapphira, conniving in this with him—sold a piece of land,
2 secretly kept part of the price for himself, and then brought the rest to the apostles and made an offering of it.
3 Peter said, "Ananias, how did Satan get you to lie to the Holy Spirit and secretly keep back part of the price of the field?
4 Before you sold it, it was all yours, and after you sold it, the money was yours to do with as you wished. So what got into you to pull a trick like this? You didn’t lie to men but to God."

When we commit these little criminal acts, we really are lieing to God.
Sin is sin no matter how we look at it, and God will show us the consequences of our actions.

5 Ananias, when he heard those words, fell down dead. That put the fear of God into everyone who heard of it.
6 The younger men went right to work and wrapped him up, then carried him out and buried him.

My advice would be to ignore the advice that my father gave me and follow the advice that God gives us all.
Live a life of honesty.
Show others that living for God, by example, is the way to go.




I love you guys.

NOT SURE WHAT THE TITLE SHOULD BE.

Psalm 119: 9 – 16



What do you do with the wisdom gained from this scripture?
If we are to apply the word to our lives, then we have some work to do.
I was once given this pamphlet about cleaning a house and about the junk drawer that we all have. In that drawer we keep all the things that we don't know what to do with and want to keep out of sight.
The house is an obvious metaphor for our bodies and our way of life. The junk drawer is that secret place in our hearts where all the sin we have lives.
To be blunt. We need to clean house.

9 How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word.
10 I’m single-minded in pursuit of you; don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted.
12 Be blessed, GOD; train me in your ways of wise living.
13 I’ll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from your mouth;
14 I delight far more in what you tell me about living than in gathering a pile of riches.

Hey. No pain, no gain.
If we keep checking a map, we won't get lost.
If we follow directions on what to do, well, the house eventually gets a good spring cleaning.

Our houses are worth it. So we can't let our junk drawers become overflowing with the things that we don't want others to see.

15 I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you, I attentively watch how you’ve done it.
16 I relish everything you’ve told me of life, I won’t forget a word of it.

IF I JUST HAD THIS, I'D BE SET.

Luke 12: 13 – 21



It happens every day.
People running, clawing, scratching, doing anything that they can to make a buck more than the next guy.
Unfortunately some don't care what they have to do whether it is legal or not.
I just read something that caught my attention, and really made me think.
Jesus taught more on the subject of money more than anything else.
Seems weird don't it?
When we think about Jesus and His teachings, we usually think about the “sermon on the mount,” or “My Father's house should be a house of prayer,” Even all the parables.
But, money?
It just doesn't seem kosher.

13 Someone out of the crowd said, "Teacher, order my brother to give me a fair share of the family inheritance."
15 Speaking to the people, he went on, "Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot."

What does it matter how much money we make? We're not going to be able to spend it when we die. Who will get the benefit of our labors?
Certainly not us.

17 He talked to himself: ‘What can I do? My barn isn’t big enough for this harvest.’
18 Then he said, ‘Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll gather in all my grain and goods,
19 and I’ll say to myself, Self, you’ve done well! You’ve got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!’
20 "Just then God showed up and said, ‘Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods—who gets it?’
21 "That’s what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God."

Take from this what you will.

WALK WITH ME A WHILE

2 Corinthians 1: 3 – 11



I've had some pretty miraculous things happen in my life which have left me with a lot of questions.
The most common question is, Why?
For instance, God healed me of a broken back, ribs, and internal bleeding, yet He allowed me to continue to suffer from Arthritis which will sometimes be so severe that I can hardly walk, and sleep is out of the question.
So, Why?
Paul wrote that God had told him that His grace was enough so I went along with that philosophy.
I can't possibly be alone in these feelings. I've heard many people utter those two little words,
“Why me?”

9 We felt like we’d been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead!

One of the reasons that we go through things is that we can help someone else through their hard time because we can relate to each other from common experiences.

4 He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.
5 We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.
6 When we suffer for Jesus, it works out for your healing and salvation. If we are treated well, given a helping hand and encouraging word, that also works to your benefit, spurring you on, face forward, unflinching. Your hard times are also our hard times.

No matter what, God has a plan for us. He works with us and through us to help others.
When we go through the storms of life, remember that God is walking along beside us and keep on walking.

ABOUT THAT UNANSWERED PRAYER.......

Luke 7: 1 – 10


Don't you just hate it when you perceive a prayer as going unanswered?
I mean, after all how long do we have to wait for some results to our request?
Is it us?
Are we out of line?
Is God listening?
Do we have enough faith?
These questions and more will rattle around our heads when we think that God has turned a deaf ear to us and our requests.
The thing is, we are depending on our own timing and selfish desires. Waiting is not really in our nature.
We want what we want when we want it.
I guess it really comes down to trust.
Do we have the faith to trust God and his judgment?

6 Jesus went with them. When he was still quite far from the house, the captain sent friends to tell him, "Master, you don’t have to go to all this trouble. I’m not that good a person, you know. I’d be embarrassed for you to come to my house,
7 even embarrassed to come to you in person. Just give the order and my servant will get well.
8 I’m a man under orders; I also give orders. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,’ and he goes; another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it."
9 Taken aback, Jesus addressed the accompanying crowd: "I’ve yet to come across this kind of simple trust anywhere in Israel, the very people who are supposed to know about God and how he works."

We don't have to run those crazy thoughts through our heads.
It's not about us and our fears and impatience.
It's about trust in God.
He knows what is best and when the timing is right.

IT'S ALL GOOD.

Romans 8: 31 – 39


Ever seen those clothes with the smiley faced stick figures that say, “Life is good?”
To me, that saying is a truth.
Life is good.
Especially if we have a relationship with the living God.
There are those who wear that clothing line just because the shirts and hats are cool. Or, they may be worn by someone who thinks that the figure on the clothes is funny.
But, when trouble comes to their door, well, life doesn't feel so good to them anymore.

31 So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose?
35 Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

No matter what comes our way, as long as we have a relationship with God, we can face the trouble without a worry. We know that God will help us through the storm and whatever the out come,
“Life is still good.”

36 They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
37 None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us.
38 I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow,
39 high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

Ho Daddy!
How many non-believers do you think can stand by and feel that everything is gonna be okay when going through this sort of trouble?
In his song, “There's a Rainbow,” Marty Stuart reminds us that,
“There's a Rainbow at the end of every storm.”
knowing these things.
Knowing what Scripture tells us.
Knowing that Deep in our heart's that we have a relation ship with the King of King's!
Life is truly good.
And, we don't need no t-shirt to tell us that.

THE HEAVENS DECLARE.

Psalm 19: 1 – 6



When the great physicist Albert Einstein was asked if he believed in God, he responded: “We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how. That, it seems to me, is the attitude of even the most intelligent human beings toward God. We see the universe marvelously arranged and obeying certain laws but only dimly understand these laws.” (ODB)


1 God’s glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.
2 Madame Day holds classes every morning, Professor Night lectures each evening.
3 Their words aren’t heard, their voices aren’t recorded,
4 But their silence fills the earth: unspoken truth is spoken everywhere. God makes a huge dome for the sun—a superdome!
5 The morning sun’s a new husband leaping from his honeymoon bed, The daybreaking sun an athlete racing to the tape.
6 That’s how God’s Word vaults across the skies from sunrise to sunset, Melting ice, scorching deserts, warming hearts to faith.


There are times, especially in the Autumn, that I sit in an Adirondack chair out in my yard and watch the sky as it turns from day to night. There is a special time called the Gloaming when the sun gives everything a kind of golden hue, then comes the dusk and finally evening. As I watch the sky change from blue to black and the stars slowly appear, I just marvel at the daily miracle God has provided for us to witness.
It is at times like this that I wonder, “How can some people doubt that God exists.”

The next clear night we have, go out and see the miracle of God written in the heavens.
You will be impressed.

THINGS JUST NEVER WORK OUT THE WAY I WANT.

Philippians 1: 8 – 18


Do you ever feel frustrated over plans that you made that just won't go the way you planned?
Funny thing is, when things don't go the way that we want them to, it's not always a bad thing.
God has a habit of making things work for His glory, all the while dragging us along for the ride.
And, what a wild wonderful ride that is.
Paul had times like that. He knew that God wanted him to go to Rome and bring the Gospel, he just didn't know that he would go there in chains.
God took advantage of Paul's discomfort (?) and used his imprisonment to spread the word to the Roman guard, to the faithful already in Rome, and to the preachers both true and false. It didn't matter to Paul how he was treated, or how the Gospel was spread to others, the fact that the word got out there,
was good enough for him.
And, by the way, it was okay with God too.


15 It’s true that some here preach Christ because with me out of the way, they think they’ll step right into the spotlight. But the others do it with the best heart in the world.
16 One group is motivated by pure love, knowing that I am here defending the Message, wanting to help.
17 The others, now that I’m out of the picture, are merely greedy, hoping to get something out of it for themselves. Their motives are bad. They see me as their competition, and so the worse it goes for me, the better—they think—for them.
18 So how am I to respond? I’ve decided that I really don’t care about their motives, whether mixed, bad, or indifferent. Every time one of them opens his mouth, Christ is proclaimed, so I just cheer them on! And I’m going to keep that celebration going

So, there it is laid out for us to see.
God makes sure that His truth gets out there by any means necessary.
There is an old saying that goes,
“If you ant to see God laugh, tell him the plan that you have for your life.”
There's another one that says,
“If you feel as if God is calling you to preach His word in China, it's probably because there is one baggage handler at Logan Airport, that needs to hear the Gospel.”
Go out there. Make the plans that you need to, and sit back and watch how God changes things for His agenda.

PATIENCE? I GOT YOUR PATIENCE RIGHT HERE!

Genesis 40: 1 – 14, 23


Patience.
That word really is a hard one for me. I dislike standing in line, sitting there with that restaurant buzzer hoping to get to a table soon, and waiting for a bus makes me grind my teeth.
Other things that really fry my bacon are the forgetfulness of others, and especially my own.

13 Within three days, Pharaoh will get you out of here and put you back to your old work—you’ll be giving Pharaoh his cup just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer.
14 Only remember me when things are going well with you again—tell Pharaoh about me and get me out of this place.
23 But the head cupbearer never gave Joseph another thought; he forgot all about him.

I can't even imagine how Joseph must have felt. Being in jail for something he didn't do is one thing, but having a way out and then being forgotten about. Well, for me, that would lead to anger, agitation and then depression.
It's the poor me's that get you in the end.
Anger can be managed, impatience dealt with, but the lack of perceived justice, can really “take the rag off the bush.” (Jed Clampett)

That's all for today.
Deal with patience and frustration.
We do it all the time, but we have to learn to do the dealing in a positive way.

A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT

Philippians 3: 12 – 21


13 Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus.
14 I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.

I've been sitting here trying to figure how I'm going to relate the whole run the race thing. Every time I have read this passage before I picture an Olympic stadium and guys like Michael Johnson running the 100 or 200 meters on the ¼ mile track, all gold Nike's and blinding speed. I'm talking trained to perfection athletes who are focused on breaking the tape at the finish line.
But, today, after reading the Message translation, I began to picture (Boston Billy) Bill Rogers the skinny little guy who dominated the Boston Marathon in the 70's.
He looked like a regular guy, not some steroid built muscular freak of nature. But, what he had made all the difference that set him apart from other people.
Billy knew his target, and once he left the starting line, he never looked back..

18 There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I’ve warned you of them many times; sadly, I’m having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ’s Cross.
19 But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.

I can't even count the different paths that I have run, looking to finish on “Easy St.” That was before I discovered my faith. Then I was given a map with a clearly defined route and a goal to attain.
No more running around all Willy Nilly searching for the road that will lead me to “Nirvana.”

As Satchel Paige used to say, “Don't look back. They might be gaining on you.”
So find the right marathon course, and go for it.
Remember life is not a sprint.

'TIL OUR DADDY TAKES THE T-BIRD AWAY!

2 Samuel 6: 12 – 23


I love to have a good time. Always have.
How about you?
If not, why not?
God wants us to have fun, He designed us that way.
The way that I have a fun time is to hang with my family. For example, every year on Christmas, we go to my cousin Marilyn's house for dinner. After we eat and the table is clear, we play games. It doesn't matter heat the game is, we just have fun. My stepson Steven becomes the game show host, (lately he calls on his inner Howie Mandel) and we play and laugh for hours until it's time to go home.
That's just one of the ways that I have fun. I wouldn't change those days for anything.
If the government made it illegal, I am sure that all of us would find some way to have a good time.
It's in our nature.
And, I don't care what other people think about how I behave when I am celebrating the joy of my life.
Even King David was willing to sacrifice his dignity to be able to rejoice in the presence of God.

14 David, ceremonially dressed in priest’s linen, danced with great abandon before GOD.
15 The whole country was with him as he accompanied the Chest of GOD with shouts and trumpet blasts.

As the song goes, “Every party has a Pooper”..

16 But as the Chest of GOD came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, happened to be looking out a window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before GOD, her heart filled with scorn.
20 ¶ David returned home to bless his family. Michal, Saul’s daughter, came out to greet him: "How wonderfully the king has distinguished himself today—exposing himself to the eyes of the servants’ maids like some burlesque street dancer!"

But nothing was going to dampen the joy David felt for God, not even the scorn of his wife.

21 David replied to Michal, "In GOD’s presence I’ll dance all I want! He chose me over your father and the rest of our family and made me prince over GOD’s people, over Israel. Oh yes, I’ll dance to GOD’s glory
22 —more recklessly even than this. And as far as I’m concerned…I’ll gladly look like a fool…but among these maids you’re so worried about, I’ll be honored no end."

That's what I call a good time.
To me, David has given us an example of letting go. Letting go of all the cares that were in his heart and just basking in the presence and dancing for joy in the sight of God.
I know that I want to rejoice like that and hope that I do.
How about you?

HOW DO I MOURN?

1 Samuel 1: 11, 17 – 27



11 Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them.

As I write this, I am listening to a podcast by Greg Laurie where he is sharing about the grief he experienced when his son died in a car accident.
To have a loved one taken from us hurts. Even though that loved person was saved and we know that hey have gone to heaven, we are happy for them, being in the presence of God, but we selfishly miss their existence in our lives. So we mourn.
There was a time when I had no clue what that was. When I was young, I lost both grandfathers. I witnessed the tears of my family, but I felt nothing. It was the same when my uncle and my cousin passed on.
I felt nothing.
I discovered drugs and alcohol at an early age, and found that I could more easily feel my emotions. But, what I felt was inappropriate emotions, rarely did it make sense when I laughed or cried.
When more loss came to my life, there was still no feeling of grief. So when there was no one else around, I would hit the bottle or whatever, then and only then was I able to express my sorrow.

17 David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan,
18 and ordered that the men of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):
19 "Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen!
25 "How the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
26 I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women.

Oh how I would have loved to able to feel those feelings when my father passed away, but I was a blank slate. I felt nothing.
It was with waves of crazy emotions when I got sober that I was finally able to feel sadness and mourning over the death of my father. Then those same feelings washed over me for all those friends and relatives that I lost. I had learned to grieve.
I learned that I could feel.

This story of David and the loss he felt over his king and best friend shows me once again that God knows how and what we are to experience in our life.
Mourning a loved one sucks! But, it needs to happen.
We have to be able to give them the respect of remembering their lives, not just shedding a few tears then moving on to somebody else.
I pray that you are able to feel the emotions that I was once unable to.

MOB

Mark 5: 1 – 20


Unruly crowds can show up any place at any time. Today, that's how the press is defining conservatives who disagree with the goals of the President's health plan.
If we call a large group of people a mob, how bad do you think it was for that one guy who was so filled with demons, that he called himself Mob?
Okay. So it wasn't the guy, but the demons inside him that spoke to Jesus, the issue here is that a riotous mob is a bad thing to have to deal with.

2 As Jesus got out of the boat, a madman from the cemetery came up to him.
3 He lived there among the tombs and graves. No one could restrain him—he couldn’t be chained, couldn’t be tied down.
4 He had been tied up many times with chains and ropes, but he broke the chains, snapped the ropes. No one was strong enough to tame him.
5 Night and day he roamed through the graves and the hills, screaming out and slashing himself with sharp stones.

This was a scary guy. Not only to the people who lived in the area who tried to restrain him, but he himself must have been frightened of what was happening to him.
Yet, as messed up and confusing his actions were, the demons within him saw and knew Jesus, and they were afraid of what He could do to them.

6 When he saw Jesus a long way off, he ran and bowed in worship before him—
7 then bellowed in protest, "What business do you have, Jesus, Son of the High God, messing with me? I swear to God, don’t give me a hard time!"
9 Jesus asked him, "Tell me your name." He replied, "My name is Mob. I’m a rioting mob."
10 Then he desperately begged Jesus not to banish them from the country.

We all know how this story ends. But, there was a time that we all may have felt the way that the mad man must have felt when our lives seemed to tumble and fall apart.
We didn't know how we were going to end up, but we prayed that it would end well.
When we first came to know God, we still weren't sure what was going to happen to us.
We knew what God looked like to us, and we were afraid of what He could do to us.
Thankfully, Jesus has treated us with the same compassion that He showed the mad man. He brought calmness to our “La Vida Loca”, which has helped us to live a better life.
The actions that God takes in our lives can lead us to follow him and fill us with the need to tell everyone about what He has done for us. Luckily, God wants us to tell everybody we know.

Anyway, I hope that this one made sense to you all.

AKATALUTOS

AKATALUTOS
Hebrews 7: 11 – 21


Endless, insoluble, indestructible, permanent, these are just a few of the Greek meanings of the above word. It is the life promised to us when we follow Jesus.
Hey this life ain't all skittles and beer, and we were never promised a rose garden, but, God will never leave us even to the ends of the earth, and we'll be right there with Him with our Akatalutos life.


11 If the priesthood of Levi and Aaron, which provided the framework for the giving of the law, could really make people perfect, there wouldn’t have been need for a new priesthood like that of Melchizedek.
12 But since it didn’t get the job done, there was a change of priesthood, which brought with it a radical new kind of law.
13 There is no way of understanding this in terms of the old Levitical priesthood,
14 which is why there is nothing in Jesus’ family tree connecting him with that priestly line.
15 But the Melchizedek story provides a perfect analogy: Jesus, a priest like Melchizedek,
16 not by genealogical descent but by the sheer force of resurrection life—he lives!—
17 "priest forever in the royal order of Melchizedek."
18 The former way of doing things, a system of commandments that never worked out the way it was supposed to, was set aside;
19 the law brought nothing to maturity. Another way—Jesus!—a way that does work, that brings us right into the presence of God, is put in its place.
20 The old priesthood of Aaron perpetuated itself automatically, father to son, without explicit confirmation by God.
21 But then God intervened and called this new, permanent priesthood into being with an added promise: God gave his word; he won’t take it back: "You’re the permanent priest."

I KNOW WHAT I KNOW AND THAT'S ALL THAT I KNOW

Ephesians 3: 14 – 21


20 God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
21 Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!

Do you know that this is true?
Do you feel the presence of the Holy Spirit within you?

Borrowing from ODB, I think of, “The Little Engine That Could.”
Remember that story?
At first he couldn't, then he thought that he might, then, finally, he knew that he could.
I felt like that little train when I first came to know the Lord. I was convinced that what I was about to do was foolishness. I saw those crazy church ladies on the Boston Common yelling at passers by that they should repent or go to hell. I didn't want to be like that.
As I began to read the word and “experiment” with the beliefs of my Grandmother, I thought that it was too much. There was no way that I could live up to what was required.
But, then again, maybe I could just dabble around the edges of this odd little faith.
Then one day, beyond what I could do.
Boy Howdy!
The Holy Spirit began a work in me, and I knew.
That's the only way that I can explain it.
I knew.
Suddenly God's word jumped from the page of the Bible I once found boring, I knew that there really was a Savior named Jesus, and he wanted to be with me. I knew that God loved me.
It had nothing to do with me.
I knew that there was no way that I could come to believe. But, with God I can do anything.
Today I know what I know.

Do you know?

IS IT THE WAY IN? OR, IS IT THE WAY OUT?

Mathew 15: 7 – 20



When I finally got married to my lovely wife, she was surprised that when she went to do the laundry, found out that a guy has more than the usual two states of clothing.
To her clothes were either clean or they were dirty.
She didn't know that to a man, there are varying degrees of clothing cleanliness.
Guys have clean clothes, dirty clothes, and a couple of degrees of cleanliness called “clirty.”
If I am to be truthful, she had the right idea. It was I who had the wrong attitude.
My question is, what makes my clothes become dirty?
A shirt can stay on a hanger for years and remain clean, but as soon as I wear it for a few minutes it becomes dirty. The only conclusion that I can draw from this information is that it is “me” that makes the clothes both clean, and dirty.

7 Frauds! Isaiah’s prophecy of you hit the bull’s-eye:
8 These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn’t in it.
9 They act like they’re worshiping me, but they don’t mean it. They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy."
10 He then called the crowd together and said, "Listen, and take this to heart.
11 It’s not what you swallow that pollutes your life, but what you vomit up."

Clothing covers our nakedness. When we first put them on, to the world, we appear to be fresh and clean. But, after we wear them for awhile, we no longer seem to be as fresh as we once were.

17 Don’t you know that anything that is swallowed works its way through the intestines and is finally defecated?
18 But what comes out of the mouth gets its start in the heart.
19 It’s from the heart that we vomit up evil arguments, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, lies, and cussing.
20 That’s what pollutes. Eating or not eating certain foods, washing or not washing your hands—that’s neither here nor there."

So in other words, it's not what we put on to cover our sins, it's the sin itself that makes us , and our clothing dirty.
I'm not saying that we are to walk around nude, but, we do need to live a cleaner life.

ZAT YOU SATAN?

2 Corinthians 11: 3 – 4, 12 – 15



Deception occurs everyday. If we were to go to a magic show, we would be amazed at the tricks and illusions the magician performs. He is able to performs such stunts by using misdirection. While we watch where he wants us too, we don't see what is really happening right before our eyes.

3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

Just like the magician, Satan uses misdirection.
Why?
Because if he came at us straight up, we would be able to see the lies almost before he tells them.
So he sends his minions to blaze a trail and he comes in looking for all the world like some western hero riding at the head of a column of the Calvary.

12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about.
13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

Be on guard my friends. Watch out for the false teachers.
Watch the left hand when the magician is showing you his right.
You'll see the trick every time.

COOL BABY, COOL.

Psalm 98



When I first came to know the Lord, for real, I was amazed to find out that there was music that gave glory to God that didn't suck. I began to think that this Jesus music was pretty alright, and wanted more.
I listened to Vineyard stuff (liked it), Hill song (liked that too) and others, each one lighting up a different phase in my life with God. I have listened to many local church worship teams that I really enjoyed.
Then yesterday, I was floored.
It was Sunday service at New Hope Chapel of Plymouth, which began as usual, then the worship team started to sing and play, I, along with the whole congregation, were lifted up and transported by a band that those others that I used to listen to, couldn't hold a candle too.

1 Sing to GOD a brand-new song. He’s made a world of wonders! He rolled up his sleeves, He set things right.
2 GOD made history with salvation, He showed the world what he could do.
3 He remembered to love us, a bonus To his dear family, Israel—indefatigable love. The whole earth comes to attention. Look—God’s work of salvation!
4 Shout your praises to GOD, everybody! Let loose and sing! Strike up the band!

WOW!
Where did this worship team and choir come from, and what did they do to our band?
We have a very good worship team at New Hope, but yesterday, something changed in them. They definitely sang brand new songs with shouts of praise. Maybe this means that my walk with God is getting ready to turn another corner and go down a new street?

5 Round up an orchestra to play for GOD, Add on a hundred-voice choir.
6 Feature trumpets and big trombones, Fill the air with praises to King GOD.
7 Let the sea and its fish give a round of applause, With everything living on earth joining in.
8 Let ocean breakers call out, "Encore!" And mountains harmonize the finale—
9 A tribute to GOD when he comes, When he comes to set the earth right. He’ll straighten out the whole world, He’ll put the world right, and everyone in it.

Sing a new song folks. Get ready for the change that life is bringing.
Shout, and sing a new song of praise to God.

RUN, RUN, RUN, AS FAST AS YOU CAN.......

1 Corinthians 9: 24 – 27



24 You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win.
25 All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally.
26 I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me!
27 I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.

I love the Message translation. There are times when it misses the mark, but then again, it hits the nail right on the head. Modern translations, some time, can be really silly when they attempt to male sense to contemporary readers, but I really think that the Message, if read with a southern accent, can be fun.
But, I digress.
How many people do you know that decided to run the Boston Marathon the day before the race?
I think we all know the answer to that. Now don't get me wrong, there is a group of runners that they call pirate runners. These guys just show up and after all the official runners leave the starting line, they start running. The problem is that many will run a few yards, run out of breath, and head for the side of the road so that they can puke before walking back to where they parked their car.
Paul's talking about that in the scripture.
You can't hear the word of God once and become a world class preacher the next day.
Paul had to learn by doing long before he got good at teaching effectively.
He committed himself to God, and began running.

Let's do it.
Start training so that we may get the prize that is talked about.
Win the race.

I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT

Joshua 7: 1, 19 – 26


There are lots of things in this world that happen to us that we have no control over. There are also things that happen to us that we caused and sometimes we do, and sometimes we don't have control once they are set into motion.
But, no matter what, there is going to be calamity one way or another.
Some of the things that we had nothing to do with are, natural disasters, fire, and even accidents caused by others.
The things that we did ourselves are what we call “SIN.”
Sin is everywhere. It hangs out on the street corner, down the road, in our cars, and even in our own houses. We can't escape sin and there are very severe consequences that go along with it.

1 ¶ Then the People of Israel violated the holy curse. Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah of the tribe of Judah, took some of the cursed things. GOD became angry with the People of Israel.
19 Joshua spoke to Achan, "My son, give glory to GOD, the God of Israel. Make your confession to him. Tell me what you did. Don’t keep back anything from me."
20 Achan answered Joshua, "It’s true. I sinned against GOD, the God of Israel. This is how I did it.

This sounds like what the crooks say after Monk gives his summation of the crime he investigated.
Sin sucks and so does what happens to us. Thankfully we have God who will forgive us for what we do, and will offer us salvation. But, even though we are forgiven, make no mistake, we will still have to pay the consequences for those sins.

25 Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? GOD will now trouble you. Today!" And all Israel stoned him—burned him with fire and stoned him with stones.
26 They piled a huge pile of stones over him. It’s still there. Only then did GOD turn from his hot anger. That’s how the place came to be called Trouble Valley right up to the present time.

Greed, or covetousness, is one of the hardest sins to resist. After all we all want more than we have, and when the object of our attraction is right there in front of us, we look in both directions to see if we are being watched then take it.
Then we have to hide the booty we took, and where's the fun in that?
So why bother doing it?

IT REALLY IS SIMPLE.

2 Corinthians 4: 1 – 6


Prayer, Care, Share. These are the three ingredients for meaningful discipleship.
If we ask ourselves, as Christians, how can we best improve our evangelistic skills and impact our nation with the Gospel?
To me, the answer is, Prayer, Care, Share.(Special thanks to Pastor Neil)

1 Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we’re not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times.
2 We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don’t maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don’t twist God’s Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God.
3 If our Message is obscure to anyone, it’s not because we’re holding back in any way. No, it’s because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention.

I just love the Message translation. Don't you?
God's word surely presents us with a dilemma here.
We should know the word, and that God has a plan for us all.
We are to present the truth of His word even if people refuse to see it, or hear what it is we have to say.

4 All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won’t have to bother believing a Truth they can’t see. They’re stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we’ll ever get.
5 Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we’re proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you.
6 It started when God said, "Light up the darkness!" and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful.

I have heard be said that God has no plan “B”. (Thanks Vance)
So, all we have to do is present our faith to the masses, and they will flock to us to hear more. Right?
I'd like to think that this would happen. We have an uphill battle on this one. I once said that the biggest trick the devil has pulled off is to convince the world that he doesn't exist.
People then think that if Satan isn't here, then using reverse logic, God ain't here either.
It is amazing how foolish we can be, isn't it?

Okay. I'm wandering and I have to get back to the point I'm trying to present.

If we enter into a time of prayer, God will give us the ability to bring the word, effectively, to others.
Then we can show that we care enough for others, we will be able to share the love of Jesus with other people.
It all boils down to caring enough for others to live the way we say we do so that we will believed when we talk to people.

Prayer, care, Share.

It's all there, we just gotta do it.