This is National Family Week. This is the sort of thing that should be on the TV all week promoting and supporting the families of the world. It seems to me there are only two kinds of families in the USA anymore, completely over the top involved in activities, and totally dysfunctional. I guess I shouldn’t be that critical, because I know there’s still a majority of solid family units that fall somewhere in the middle doing a wonderful job of nurturing the next generation into great leaders and defenders of truth and moral ethics. What I guess I’m trying to say, I see too many children today who have never been weaned and allowed to experience and deal with failure, while on the other hand there are children potty trained, weaned, and essentially left on their own to grow up into whoever, generally experiencing failure followed by more failure, with no guidance on how to avoid failure. Thursday, May 5th is National Prayer Day. Take time to pray for the family. Many misguided people are out to destroy the family and many children are suffering morally and ethically because of it. Friday, May 6th is Friendship Day. I hope you have a close friend and if you haven’t told them lately, thank them for being someone you can rely on and confide in. I’m getting down off my soapbox now.
Waylon Prendergast, 37, of Tampa, Florida, committed a spur-of-the-moment robbery on his way home from a late-night drinking session. A very inebriated Mr. Prendergast forced his way into the house through an open upstairs window, filling a suitcase with cash and valuables before setting the living room on fire to cover his tracks. He then made his escape out the back door, cutting across a few backyards to a street he recognized then headed for home, chuckling to himself. Then turning the corner onto his own street he discovered three fire engines outside his burning house. It was then he realized, that in his drunken state, he had in fact burglarized and ignited his own house. His only comment was, “I never realized I had so many valuable possessions.”
[Hebrews 11: 24-27] While we may never do anything that stupid, there are times when Christians need to stop and reflect, hopefully coming to the same conclusion that Mr. Prendergast did, “I had no idea I had so many valuable possessions.” From family and friends to material comforts, from our basic needs to the luxuries earlier generations never dreamed of, from the freedoms we enjoy to the jobs we hold, there is much we have been blessed with that we take for granted. Even beyond the physical blessings of life there is so much that God has given us through Jesus Christ. Paul wrote in the Ephesian letter 1: 3, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” The family is a part of God’s will, not only in this physical world, but also, as you study His word you’ll find the family is the backbone of the spiritual world. In verses 4 -6, God the Father is willing to adopt us as his sons, if we choose Jesus, through baptism, to become our brother. There are many “antichrist’s” in the world today (1 John 2: 18, 22 & 4: 1-3), trying to destroy the spiritual family also. The physical and spiritual family promote love, understanding, instruction, correction and survival. This week pray that those who seek to destroy the family are defeated. Take a moment this week to discover some valuable possessions, seen and unseen. “God forgive us for taking so much for granted.”
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Saturday, April 23, 2005
Round And Round We Go
At times life seems to be like riding a merry-go-round. The same things happen year after year and the older I get the more boring the whole thing gets. The seasons of the year never fail to produce their typical weather patterns. Birthdays and anniversaries, religious and national holidays, vehicle licenses and insurance on everything, and just about the time I think I’ve got it all under control, it’s tax time again. It’s said there’s only two things certain in life, death and taxes. We’re always demanding more, so we work ourselves to death to pay more taxes. Go figure. Round and round we go…
Some people just give up on life, rebel and buck the system only to end up spending most of their life in prison. If they serve their sentence or are paroled, a large percentage of ex-offenders find a way to get back into prison as soon as possible because life is too hard for them. Not that I’m thinking about dropping out or anything, but sometimes life just doesn’t make any sense. Think about it. In prison you spend most of your time in an 8x10 cell and at work you spend most of your time in a 6x8 cubicle. In prison you get three meals a day, at work you get one meal break and you have to pay for it. In prison you get time off for good behavior, but at work you get rewarded for good behavior with more work. In prison escort guards unlock and lock, open and close all the doors for you and at work you must carry around a security card and open all the doors yourself. In prison you can watch TV and play games, but doing that at work gets you fired. In prison you get your own toilet, but at work you have to share it with an idiot that won’t lift the seat before using it. In prison they encourage visits from family and friends, but at work you can’t even talk to them on the phone. In prison all expenses are paid by the taxpayer with no work required and you pay all the expenses to get to work and then they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for prisoners. Go figure. Round and round…
[1 Peter 2: 11-17] I write with tongue in cheek and humor in mind to illustrate what God has said about the ways of men being foolish. If everyone believed in God and the great rewards that wait for us in His presence, there would be no need for prisons. But on the other hand God has told us in His word that these things must be and that He has appointed authorities to handle such matters. If we obey the laws of the land and live as God has instructed we won’t ever be looking through prison bars from the wrong side. Of course if we don’t stand firm upon our faith in this country there may come a day we could find ourselves in prison for preaching God’s word. Well, I pray that never happens but if it does I pray I go with the faith and honor of Paul. That’s all I’m going to say about that. Round and round we go…where we stop nobody knows. That’s not what Jesus taught. If we want to waste our time going round and round in this world I’m afraid we’re missing the whole point of life. (Matthew 7: 13-14) We’re on a journey, lost and searching for the way home. Jesus says there is a small gate and a narrow road that will take us there safely but few will find it. Why? Because they’re too busy swinging open the big gates and following everyone else down the boulevard searching for a reward on this earth. There is no reward here. Pay your taxes and die! (Matthew 6) Seek first the kingdom of God. Jesus is the gate too small for most egos. The Word of God is the path too narrow for most materialists. I’m on the path straight to the Promised Land.
Some people just give up on life, rebel and buck the system only to end up spending most of their life in prison. If they serve their sentence or are paroled, a large percentage of ex-offenders find a way to get back into prison as soon as possible because life is too hard for them. Not that I’m thinking about dropping out or anything, but sometimes life just doesn’t make any sense. Think about it. In prison you spend most of your time in an 8x10 cell and at work you spend most of your time in a 6x8 cubicle. In prison you get three meals a day, at work you get one meal break and you have to pay for it. In prison you get time off for good behavior, but at work you get rewarded for good behavior with more work. In prison escort guards unlock and lock, open and close all the doors for you and at work you must carry around a security card and open all the doors yourself. In prison you can watch TV and play games, but doing that at work gets you fired. In prison you get your own toilet, but at work you have to share it with an idiot that won’t lift the seat before using it. In prison they encourage visits from family and friends, but at work you can’t even talk to them on the phone. In prison all expenses are paid by the taxpayer with no work required and you pay all the expenses to get to work and then they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for prisoners. Go figure. Round and round…
[1 Peter 2: 11-17] I write with tongue in cheek and humor in mind to illustrate what God has said about the ways of men being foolish. If everyone believed in God and the great rewards that wait for us in His presence, there would be no need for prisons. But on the other hand God has told us in His word that these things must be and that He has appointed authorities to handle such matters. If we obey the laws of the land and live as God has instructed we won’t ever be looking through prison bars from the wrong side. Of course if we don’t stand firm upon our faith in this country there may come a day we could find ourselves in prison for preaching God’s word. Well, I pray that never happens but if it does I pray I go with the faith and honor of Paul. That’s all I’m going to say about that. Round and round we go…where we stop nobody knows. That’s not what Jesus taught. If we want to waste our time going round and round in this world I’m afraid we’re missing the whole point of life. (Matthew 7: 13-14) We’re on a journey, lost and searching for the way home. Jesus says there is a small gate and a narrow road that will take us there safely but few will find it. Why? Because they’re too busy swinging open the big gates and following everyone else down the boulevard searching for a reward on this earth. There is no reward here. Pay your taxes and die! (Matthew 6) Seek first the kingdom of God. Jesus is the gate too small for most egos. The Word of God is the path too narrow for most materialists. I’m on the path straight to the Promised Land.
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Take Two Aspirin
I’ll bet the grandparents of every generation as far back as you wish to think has said, “We’re glad we don’t have to raise children in this world today.” But on and on the cycle of birth to death continues without fear of the future and the world a newborn will have to live in twenty years down the road. My son called the other day with the awaited news of the birth of his third child. For the third time he was filled with awe and crying in joy, exclaiming how blessed his life is. This birth was an awesome blessing for from conception he and his wife felt this would be their last child and wanted so much for this one to be a girl. I guess you could call me sentimental, but I just think it’s great when a father has a son and a mother has a daughter to nurture and relate to, because it’s kind of like getting to grow up all over again. Well, like I said, this pregnancy was special and from the beginning they vowed to not peek and leave it up to God the sex of the child. Prayer is powerful and prayers do get answered in faith. They have a baby girl.
Like I said, I wouldn’t want to try raising children in the world of today. But in some ways raising them never changes. You spend the first two years teaching them to walk and talk, then spend the next sixteen telling them to sit down and be quiet. Your children will seldom misquote you. In fact, they generally repeat word for word the things you should never have said. You must have at least one children’s party in your home just to prove to yourself that there are children more terrible than your own. If you can retain your sanity, God will bless you with grandchildren to spoil and send home pumped up on sugar and stories about their parents when they were kids. Just a little friendly advise though. Be nice to your kids because one day they may be choosing a nursing home for you. If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give your children wisdom and they haven’t taken it, don’t be hard on yourself. If God had trouble raising children, what makes you think it will be a piece of cake for you? Disobedience is nothing new. And finally, if you have a lot of tension and often have a headache, do what it says on the aspirin bottle. “Take two aspirin” and “Keep away from children.”
[Proverbs 22: 6] The birth of a child is a wonderful and awesome experience and the day that child takes charge of their future in a meaningful and rational way is a reward greater than any trophy on the mantel. My daughter refused to enter any higher education institution until she was ready and had a purpose to do so. Now a paralegal, working at a satisfying career, she’s fulfilling her need to help others. My son has the intelligence and charisma to be anybody he wants to be. Several times he has escaped the tempters snare, as he was lured into business deals only to find deceit and greed of which he wanted nothing to do with, because he knows where it leads. Another daughter simply loves being a wife and a mother. She works an office job, but lives her family. All of them and their spouses are God fearing and richly blessed by God, but not all are worshipful to the one who blesses them. In the world today too many point the finger and say, “I’m more righteous than they” and come away with a feeling of being saved. Not so, according to God’s word. As we work out our own career to our satisfaction we also must work out our own salvation to God’s satisfaction (Philippians 2: 12-13). Teach by example. Get up! Get dressed! Go to worship! Thank God for the blessings of life!
Like I said, I wouldn’t want to try raising children in the world of today. But in some ways raising them never changes. You spend the first two years teaching them to walk and talk, then spend the next sixteen telling them to sit down and be quiet. Your children will seldom misquote you. In fact, they generally repeat word for word the things you should never have said. You must have at least one children’s party in your home just to prove to yourself that there are children more terrible than your own. If you can retain your sanity, God will bless you with grandchildren to spoil and send home pumped up on sugar and stories about their parents when they were kids. Just a little friendly advise though. Be nice to your kids because one day they may be choosing a nursing home for you. If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give your children wisdom and they haven’t taken it, don’t be hard on yourself. If God had trouble raising children, what makes you think it will be a piece of cake for you? Disobedience is nothing new. And finally, if you have a lot of tension and often have a headache, do what it says on the aspirin bottle. “Take two aspirin” and “Keep away from children.”
[Proverbs 22: 6] The birth of a child is a wonderful and awesome experience and the day that child takes charge of their future in a meaningful and rational way is a reward greater than any trophy on the mantel. My daughter refused to enter any higher education institution until she was ready and had a purpose to do so. Now a paralegal, working at a satisfying career, she’s fulfilling her need to help others. My son has the intelligence and charisma to be anybody he wants to be. Several times he has escaped the tempters snare, as he was lured into business deals only to find deceit and greed of which he wanted nothing to do with, because he knows where it leads. Another daughter simply loves being a wife and a mother. She works an office job, but lives her family. All of them and their spouses are God fearing and richly blessed by God, but not all are worshipful to the one who blesses them. In the world today too many point the finger and say, “I’m more righteous than they” and come away with a feeling of being saved. Not so, according to God’s word. As we work out our own career to our satisfaction we also must work out our own salvation to God’s satisfaction (Philippians 2: 12-13). Teach by example. Get up! Get dressed! Go to worship! Thank God for the blessings of life!
Saturday, April 09, 2005
"Honk" ...To Everyone, Always
I think that kids today are bolder about asking questions and needing answers about all kinds of things that bother them. And I think why they’re bolder is because they’re more comfortable with adults than when my generation was growing up. Kids were seen, but not too often, and allowing them to express themselves was almost never allowed. I was taken by surprise when asked the other day by a young teen if I was in love, relating to my marriage. I said yes, but didn’t feel I always expressed my feelings adequately. The next question was is my wife in love. I said, “Definitely.” The next question was, “How do you know?” Without going too deep I simply stated that we work together well. We care for each other to a point we would do anything to see that the other is comfortable and cared for in all situations of life. A person doesn’t do that for someone they don’t love. Two lives become one life only through devoted love.
Being a migratory bird, geese travel thousands of miles a year seeking comfortable living conditions. FACT: As geese flap their wings they create “uplift” for the birds that follow. By flying in a “V” formation the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone. LESSON: People who share a common direction and sense of community get where they’re going quicker and easier when they lift each other up along the way. FACT: If a goose falls out of formation, it feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. So it quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it. LESSON: If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. FACT: When the head goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies to the point position. LESSON: It pays to share leadership and take turns doing the hard work. FACT: Geese flying in formation “honk”, encouraging those up front to keep up the pace. LESSON: It’s important that our “honking” be encouraging. Otherwise it’s just…well, “honking”. FACT: When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation, follow it down to help and protect it. They will stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. LESSON: When one of us is down, it’s up to every one else to stand by us in our time of trial or trouble.
[1 Thessalonians 5: 12-24] Planned right from the beginning, God the creator saw it was not good for man to live alone. God gave Adam a helpmate after there was no suitable helper found among all the animals of the world. Woman is of man and because of that they can understand each other and know what it takes to comfort each other. God has given everyone a spirit, so we all should learn and know about love of the spirit. I hear from the pulpit regularly that the New Testament of the Bible has very little to do with the organization and day to day operations of the Church, but has everything to do with our day to day relationship with each other in the spirit. In our Christian walk we are to defend the truth of God even to the death if necessary. That kind of love is to also be present in marriage defending the honor of a spouse. The Spirit teaches that the love for our brothers and sisters in Christ contain much the same attributes. The love of the spirit is hard for most because they aren’t comfortable with it. Study God’s word, be seen in the church, ask, seek and knock for spiritual help. “Honk”…to everyone, always.
Being a migratory bird, geese travel thousands of miles a year seeking comfortable living conditions. FACT: As geese flap their wings they create “uplift” for the birds that follow. By flying in a “V” formation the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone. LESSON: People who share a common direction and sense of community get where they’re going quicker and easier when they lift each other up along the way. FACT: If a goose falls out of formation, it feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. So it quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it. LESSON: If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. FACT: When the head goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies to the point position. LESSON: It pays to share leadership and take turns doing the hard work. FACT: Geese flying in formation “honk”, encouraging those up front to keep up the pace. LESSON: It’s important that our “honking” be encouraging. Otherwise it’s just…well, “honking”. FACT: When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation, follow it down to help and protect it. They will stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. LESSON: When one of us is down, it’s up to every one else to stand by us in our time of trial or trouble.
[1 Thessalonians 5: 12-24] Planned right from the beginning, God the creator saw it was not good for man to live alone. God gave Adam a helpmate after there was no suitable helper found among all the animals of the world. Woman is of man and because of that they can understand each other and know what it takes to comfort each other. God has given everyone a spirit, so we all should learn and know about love of the spirit. I hear from the pulpit regularly that the New Testament of the Bible has very little to do with the organization and day to day operations of the Church, but has everything to do with our day to day relationship with each other in the spirit. In our Christian walk we are to defend the truth of God even to the death if necessary. That kind of love is to also be present in marriage defending the honor of a spouse. The Spirit teaches that the love for our brothers and sisters in Christ contain much the same attributes. The love of the spirit is hard for most because they aren’t comfortable with it. Study God’s word, be seen in the church, ask, seek and knock for spiritual help. “Honk”…to everyone, always.
Saturday, April 02, 2005
God's Precious Word
A teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down in the space by their name. Over the weekend the teacher collated the compliments given to each student by their classmate. On Monday she gave each student their list and before long the entire class was smiling. “I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!” and “I didn’t know others liked me so much” were some of the comments. Well, no one ever mentioned those papers again. She never knew if her students discussed them among themselves or with their parents, but it really didn’t matter because she felt the exercise had accomplished its purpose. Several years later the same teacher attended the funeral of one of those same students, killed in Vietnam. The church was filled with his young friends one by one filing past his coffin. As she stood near the coffin a pallbearer soldier walked up to her, “I understand you were Mark’s math teacher.” She nodded, “Yes”. Then he said, “Mark talked about you a lot.” After the funeral at a luncheon Mark’s parents approached her. “We want to show you something”, his father said pulling a paper from a jacket pocket. “They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it.” It was two worn pieces of paper patched with strips of tape from opening and folding them back many times. The teacher knew immediately they were the papers she had prepared for Mark long ago. “Thank you for doing that” Mark’s mother said. “As you can see he treasured it.” Mark’s friends, her ex-students, began to gather around and tell her of the papers they still have from that enlightening Monday. The teacher sat down and began to cry. She had performed this exercise only once, with one class, but had no idea the impact it had on the lives of those involved. She now realized everyone needs to know they are loved and they need to be told so often.
[Romans 8:28-39] Do you have one of those keepsakes that came from someone with love? I do. It’s a paper my son wrote in an English class at the beginning of school in 1981. It’s personal and I’m not going to share it with you, but it still means a lot to me today. I’m probably the worst of the worst when it comes to telling anyone how much they mean to me or how great a person I think they are. But I’m trying to become more like Paul by telling all kinds of people that God loves them and is very concerned with their well being. I want people to know that God has given them something very precious in the Bible. God has seen to it that through His son mankind can understand that death is not the end of life. God is preparing a place right now to receive those who read and follow the precepts of living He has sent to us and has had recorded for us by righteous men He appointed. I thank God for Paul (Saul), because God’s love and power shines like a beacon in the letters he wrote. Did God truly send His only begotten Son to become a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind? (Acts 9:1-31) The conversion of Paul tells me YES! If God saw a great person in Saul, how great a person you must be in His eyes. How precious is God’s Word to you? Are the pages worn and perhaps patched with a piece of tape here and there? Do you treasure you Bible and keep it near? Read it often and discover just how precious you are to God. He loves you like nobody else can.
[Romans 8:28-39] Do you have one of those keepsakes that came from someone with love? I do. It’s a paper my son wrote in an English class at the beginning of school in 1981. It’s personal and I’m not going to share it with you, but it still means a lot to me today. I’m probably the worst of the worst when it comes to telling anyone how much they mean to me or how great a person I think they are. But I’m trying to become more like Paul by telling all kinds of people that God loves them and is very concerned with their well being. I want people to know that God has given them something very precious in the Bible. God has seen to it that through His son mankind can understand that death is not the end of life. God is preparing a place right now to receive those who read and follow the precepts of living He has sent to us and has had recorded for us by righteous men He appointed. I thank God for Paul (Saul), because God’s love and power shines like a beacon in the letters he wrote. Did God truly send His only begotten Son to become a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind? (Acts 9:1-31) The conversion of Paul tells me YES! If God saw a great person in Saul, how great a person you must be in His eyes. How precious is God’s Word to you? Are the pages worn and perhaps patched with a piece of tape here and there? Do you treasure you Bible and keep it near? Read it often and discover just how precious you are to God. He loves you like nobody else can.
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