Check It Out Yourself

A mere six months ago, we were complaining about the 100 plus degree-days and a severe drought to go alone with them. Two months ago, it started cooling off and raining. Today we’re complaining it’s too cold and praying it won’t rain during this freeze we now find ourselves in. As long as the wind settles down and it doesn’t snow I’ll be all right. Hey, I moved 1800 miles south to avoid such weather and I don’t get all excited when a few snowflakes are floating in the air. This January’s weather pattern hasn’t been experienced for many years around here and it certainly doesn’t fit in with the “Global Warming” phenomenon. I’m still riding the other train when it comes to all the hoopla over this climate thing. I’ve looked at the pros and cons and feel I’ve reached a rational thought about this. There are scientists who are actually in hiding out of fear for expressing their theory on the warming trend the earth has been experiencing the last decade. They have concluded that the sun is going through a cycle of extreme activity, thus putting off more radiant heat. In just the past six months this activity has slowed dramatically and a more normal weather pattern has developed around the world. I for one can’t accept the fact that man can pump more pollutants into the air than the seven or so active volcanoes around the world on any given day. And, I’m told the worst of the “greenhouse gasses” is CO2. Isn’t that what plants use to grow? If I remember right, growing plants expel oxygen, you know, the stuff we breathe. If we need to reduce the CO2 content of our atmosphere, stop cutting down the rain forests and plant more trees. Instead, people are, once again, exploiting the common man, and getting rich with lies.
A Minister announced to his congregation, “Next week I plan to preach on the sin of lying. To help you understand my sermon, I would like you all to read from the book of Mark, chapter 17.” The following Sunday, as he prepared to begin his sermon lesson, the minister asked for a show of hands. He wanted to know how many had read Mark 17. Every hand in the audience went up. The minister smiled and said, “The book of Mark has only sixteen chapters. I will now proceed with my lesson on the sin of lying.”
[Acts 17: 1-13] Paul and Silas were traveling, after being released from prison in Philippi, and teaching the hope of salvation from the already existing Scriptures used in the Jewish synagogue. They taught that Jesus is indeed the Christ, the promised one of God. He had suffered and died at the hands of jealous men and had risen from the dead. Some believed, but there were still those who, for fear of losing their prominent position, made up stories, causing confusion, even riots, and then blaming the believers for the trouble. Paul and Silas were helped to escape that city and went on to Berea. It’s interesting that the Holy Spirit would show this contrast in people by stating; “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” When was the last time you opened your Bible and actually read and reasoned for yourself what was being taught to you, concerning the church and the plan of salvation, to see if it was true and according to God’s Word? Are you working out your own salvation through God’s plan, or are you trusting the teaching and theories of someone who’s words you like to hear? (Philippians 2: 12-13) It is God who saves you.