God Will Never Forget You

 

A young Spanish boy in Vigo who became a de­vout Christian was asked by an Englishman what had been the influence under which he acted. “It was all because of the odd sparrow,” the boy replied. “I do not understand,” said the Englishman in surprise. “What odd sparrow?” “Well, Señor, it is this way,” the boy said, “A gentleman gave me a Testament, and I read in one Gospel that two sparrows were sold for a farthing. And again, in Luke, I saw, ‘Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings?’ And I said to myself that Nuestro Señor Jesus Christ knew well our custom of selling birds. As you know, sir, we trap birds, and get one chico for two but for two chi­cos we throw in an extra sparrow. That extra sparrow is only a makeweight, and of no account at all. “Now, I think to myself that I am so insignifi­cant, so poor, and so small that no one would think of counting me. I’m like the fifth sparrow. And yet, oh marvelous, Nuestro Señor says, ‘Not one of them is forgotten before God.’ I have never heard anything like it, sir. No one but He could ever have thought of not forgetting me.” Everybody matters to God. He will never forget you.

[1 Peter 5:8] There are weeds dying at my house (in fact, many are already dead). I know because I had a big part in killing them. As I was in the process of spraying them with a certain herbicide, an interesting analogy came to mind - I was actually playing Satan. Notice these salient points: Someone once noted that a weed is simply a plant that is out of place. That leads me into my first point. I only picked the plants that were out of place. The ones that were where they were supposed to be, I left alone. Satan is the same way. He notices those who have veered off the "straight and narrow" and picks on them (sometimes he even lures them off of the path that leads to righteousness (James 1:14). Another thing to mention concerning the weeds and myself is that I deceived them. I sprayed them with mostly water. They thirstily drank it in and, if they could have spoken to me, probably would have thanked me for the refreshing liquid. But my intent was not to refresh them but to destroy them. Satan does no less. He wraps up sin in a pretty package. But he is a liar; a deceiver (John 8:42-47). The reason that I watered those weeds was to destroy them. You see, there was poison in the water (the herbicide). My whole purpose in spraying the weeds was to contaminate and kill them. Unbeknownst to the plants, as they drank in the water, they also ingested the poison. Satan works much in the same fashion. As we take in the pleasures of sin, Satan is secretly poisoning our lives (Romans 7:11; Ephesians 4:22). Something else to note is (because of the type of chemical I was using) it took the plants a while to die. For a few days, they went about their normal lives, but then all of a sudden, they started dying, and by then it was too late. That is Satan’s greatest hope for us - that we continue in sin oblivious to the consequences. Then all of the sudden, by the time we realize how great of sin we are in, it may be too late (1 Timothy 4:1-2; Hebrews 3:13). Finally, I would like to make the point that most of these weeds were good plants. A lot of it was grass that would have looked beautiful in my yard. Their mistake was that they put themselves in a vulnerable position by growing where I didn’t want them. They were not being useful where they were, so I got rid of them. Satan can't wait for us to get a little out of line so that he can poison us. Why would we ever desire to place ourselves in such peril? (1 Timothy 6:11; James 4:7). So, look out for Satan, he is trying to “round up” as many as he can so that he can destroy them. Don't be a weed, be a productive plant for God (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43; 15:13; John 15:1-6; Galatians 5:22-26). God is with you. He will never, ever, forget you (1 Corinthians 10:13).

God's Word Is Truth

 

Cultural critic Michael Medved said that by the time a child graduates from high school one has spent “vastly more time on TV than in all the classrooms [he’s] ever entered.” He goes on to make the point that we should care more about our kids being good, than just if they are looking good. He said that television hinders this, and it’s a huge problem with America’s children because it teaches “that the biggest crime in not being immoral but being unattractive.” The ‘times’ have changed. Culture has changed Technology has advanced. Today’s children are not only addicted to TV but now the internet, electronic games, texting, email, social media, and more. They have easy access to such things through devices like internet ready game systems, iPods, tablets, and smart phones. An increasing number of the very young are carrying smart phones. Hard to believe why they would even have a need for one. Millennials find it hard to imagine that the world once operated without the devices they possess today. While I certainly am not anti-television, technology, and the like, I am however concerned about who and what is rearing our children. When a young person can tell me more about the latest fashion trend, the newest gadget on the market, and who’s sexually active with whom on their favorite sitcom but can tell me very little about the Word of God, much less tell what Jesus has done for them and how they intend to live for Him, then – “Houston; We have a problem!”

A young boy was called as a witness for the defense in an important trial. The prosecutor asked a great many questions in his cross-examination and finished with one he was sure would destroy the boy’s credibility. “Your father has been telling you how to testify, hasn’t he?” The youngster answered without hesitation, “Yes, sir.” Casting a smug and knowing glance at the jury, the lawyer then asked, “And just what did your father tell you to say?” “Well,” the boy began, “My dad told me that you would try to confuse me with a lot of questions, but if I would be very careful to always tell the truth, you’d never be able to mix me up.” Truth is always timely, relevant, and appropriate.

[John 17:17] Fifty years ago, who would have ever thought that there would be such a change in our country and the world as we see today? “…How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing. See, your house is left to you desolate” (Matthew 23:37-38). Truth will never go out of style among honest people. God’s Word is truth, and it is by means of this truth that God saves one’s soul. Nothing else will serve that purpose. Wherever and whenever the truth is planted in honest hearts, the end result will be salvation. Wherever and whenever something other that the truth is planted in hearts, there may be many impressive results, but salvation will not be among them. How sad it would have been if that youngster had attempted to tangle with that lawyer on his own terms. What a powerful force he wielded by simply sticking to the truth. How sad it would be if God’s people tried to tangle with the devil on his own terms, but what a powerful force is brought to bear when they simply stick to the truth. No matter how well educated we are or how much we value our own or someone else’s opinion, God’s law and wisdom is greater and our only hope of reaching heaven. “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil” (Proverbs 3:7). We need to read and study God’s Word daily so we can know how to stand for the truth. Let’s not get caught up in the trap of thinking that if “good” people do good things through good living, God will accept it as one’s salvation. Devotion to God’s Word and baptism guarantees life eternal with God (Revelation 22:14-15).

Godly Supported Loyalty

 

A young executive was on the fast track to success. The corporate boss liked his drive and tenacity. To show his approval of the up-and-coming young man, the president ceremoniously gave him a lapel pin with the company's logo. Several weeks later they passed in the hallway and the pin was not on the young man's suit. The senior executive was troubled and asked, "Did you lose your pin?" The young, aspiring executive looked at his lapel and said, "Uh-oh, I must have left it on my pajamas." Loyalty is generally considered a noble virtue for a person to possess. The response of the young executive indicated that he was loyal to the company - even to an extreme extent. A strong loyalty to any person or organization is not intrinsically wrong, though such can be dangerous. How so? Well, what if the person or group you are loyal to begins to promote or engage in immorality? What if they ask you to do something wrong for them or with them? What then? One's loyalty may be cause for temptation in such cases. Abraham Lincoln is attributed with the following words of wisdom: "I must stand with anybody that stands right, stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong." President Lincoln believed that there is a limit to human loyalty.

As we celebrate our nation’s birthday this July 4^th the very thought of a total collapse of the Republic, that so many have fought for to maintain over the past 246 years, could actually become a reality, caused by disloyalty to its basic Constitution, which was ratified 234 years ago, absolutely sickens my heart. Our elected representatives are no longer trustworthy to listen to the majority of their constituents as to how they wish to live in freedom throughout this land which they cherish and love. Power has produced deaf/mute members of Congress and blind wondering Executives all of whom are being guided only by the smell of money. I don’t know for how much longer the law-abiding American citizens are going to put up with this lawless regime of illegal totalitarianism, (taxation without representation – just like under King George 246 years ago), but I do know that the future of this sovereign nation and the freedoms granted its citizens will hinge on our free elections this November. Pray for Devine intervention to stop this trail of destruction.

[Galatians 1:10] The apostle Paul wrote: For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. The founders of this great country, even though all were not devout religious men, were all believers in the God of the Bible and set out to please Him, not men, when forming a government by the people, for the people. The failure of our form of government this day is directly contributed to the fact that the Devine Ruler of the universe has been asked, dare I say been demanded, to leave Washington, D.C. for He is no longer needed. “We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic, not to find soil for their ploughs, but to secure liberty for their souls” – Robert McCracken. When asked about Independence Day, Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, and the spirit of men, and so it must be daily earned and refreshed – else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.” Abraham Lincoln stated: “I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.” You are being made to feel as though the righteous are in the minority by less than twenty percent of the population. Do you want to “follow the leader” for comfort or live under a righteous government? The fear of God needs to be in the heart of government – god-fearing citizens need to fully support it. Freedom must ring loudly!

Pride Causes Eternal Loneliness

 

An article in National Geographic several years ago provided a penetrating picture of God’s wings. After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to access the inferno’s damage. One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, the ranger reached out to knock the bird over with a stick. As he gently struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under the dead mother’s wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinc­tively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise. She could have flown to safety, but she refused to abandon her ba­bies. When the blaze reached her, the heat had scorched her small body, but the mother had remained steadfast. Because she had been willing to die, those under the cover of her wings had lived. “He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuse” (Psalm 91:4). Remember the One who loves you, and then be different from the masses of the world because of that love.

Life is filled with humbling circumstances. Some of these are instances that we bring upon ourselves, while others are out of our control. There are moments when the right thing to do is to swallow our pride and humble our spirit, yet to do so can be the most difficult of an entire ordeal. Pride is a strange emotion in that it often seems disconnected from logic and reasoning. People can be filled with pride when they can be either right or wrong …even when they don’t know if they’re right or wrong! It is the root emotion of peoples’ most negative and destructive motivations: envy, bitterness, rage, vengeance, and above all, rebellion. The opposite of pride is humility, which is rooted in the more practically defined spirit of submission. It is the willingness to give to another, even to the point of self-sacrifice. Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34); But He gives more grace. Therefore, He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). The Scripture could not be clearer concerning God’s view of pride – He hates it! He loves submission. In fact, a plethora of Scriptures make it abundantly clear that God actively works against the proud and promotes the humble. Perhaps this is why we are told to “rejoice in suffering” (James 1:2-4), in that such times provide us with opportunities to choose the path of humility. In the end, we need to thank God in our troubles, with gratitude, for opportunities to grow in humility.

[2 Corinthians 6:2] …Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We all have a problem with procrastination from time to time. Have you ever put off writing a term paper, paying a bill, purchasing Christmas gifts, mowing your yard, completing a house project, cleaning your house, doing the laundry, or filing your tax return? While procrastination in these and other areas will not cost you your life, there is at least one area where procrastination poses an extreme danger. Toward the end of Acts 24, we find Felix and his wife Drusilla wanting to hear Paul concerning the faith in Christ. (vs. 24). Paul preached such things as “righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come.” Felix stopped him and said, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you” (vs. 25). Did Felix’s procrastination cost him his soul? One’s soul is too precious to put off dealing with the sin problem (Romans 3:23). Half of 2022 is already gone, and I’ll bet some of your New Year resolutions haven’t even gotten started. Was one of them – returning to the Lord? Put it off no longer! Pride causes eternal loneliness.

Shopping For A Dad

 

“If I Went Shopping For A Dad” by Helen Kitchell Evans. If I went shopping for a dad, Here is what I’d buy: One who would always stop, To answer a little child’s “Why?” One who would always speak kindly, To a little girl or boy. One who would give to others, A bit of sunshine and joy. I’d pick a dad that followed The Bible’s Golden Rule, And one who went regularly, To church and Sunday school. I’d buy the very finest dad, To place on our family tree, And then I’d try to live like him, So he would be proud of me. Happy Father’s Day from me; TOM

 We are told that children learn many life lessons from their fathers. I am delighted to hear that more and more fathers are seeing the importance of their role in the upbring­ing of their children. A recent survey showed that nearly half of all fathers spend more time with their children than their own dads did with them, and they think that is still not enough. A good father will learn many things from his growing children. For instance: * A king-sized waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2,000 sq. ft. house 5 inches deep. * Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving. * You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is. * Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like hot ovens. * The fire department response time in one’s hometown can show to be surprisingly quick. Of course, this list is only a joke. But there are many important truths fathers have learned from their children. One of them is the importance of love and patience. The Bible says to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer (Romans 12:12). Raising children requires the patience of Job and the endurance of Paul. That’s no secret. It is rewarding when your children grow up and demonstrate that same patience with you. For example, when your health and strength and memory begin to fade, it is a blessing to have children who are patient with you. When we show patience to our children and our parents and to anyone else, we are imi­tating the example that the Heavenly Father shows to us. “But You, O Lord, are a God full of com­passionate, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth” (Psalm 86:15). Lord, thank you for Christian fathers and Christian sons and daughters who are patient with others. And thank you, Lord, for your patience. Amen!

[1 John 3:1] What does it mean to be loved by a father? The apostle John wrote: “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!...” “Behold…” – see, behold, and understand. God wants us to understand how He loves us and has shown His love toward us. God created man to be like Him – giving man an immortal spirit. God has always wanted man to be in His presence, but Genesis chapter three demonstrates just how unlike our Father mankind became. “…what manner of love…” When man chose sin and death, God refused to let his creation perish. God sent His Son to rescue men from darkness, hatred, and death, bringing them to light, love, and life, opening the way back to God (Romans 5:6-11). “…the Father has bestowed on us…” God reached out to man while man was still living in sin and presented a gift of His love; His only begotten Son, Jesus (John 3:16). This gift was designed that we should learn through Jesus to become more like our Father in heaven (Romans 8:29). “…that we should be called children of God.” We have become children of God by putting Christ on in baptism (Galatians 3:26-27). We are redeemed (Galatians 3:13). We are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). We now live as servants of righteousness (Romans 6:16-18). A good name brings privileges and wearing the name of Christ as a son of God means more than having the best human family name.