Thursday, October 14, 2010

GOD TO THE RESCUE - AGAIN


"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths."
-Proverbs 3:5,6 RSV

I use eBay sometimes when there is something that
cannot be acquired locally, or I do not want to pay
the new price.

My habit is to keep track of the item I'm interested in. Then if the bidding
is to my liking, jump in at the last minute.If I win the bid, I want to pay as
soon as I win. Then I "Owe no one anything," and can forget the whole
process until the item shows up at my door step.

My last purchase was not quit that simple. ( Yes I had prayed about it.
And possibly, like yourself, it was more to get the Lord's permission than
to find his will.) After winning the bid I tried to pay. And tried to pay.
And tried to pay. The seller's system simply would not except my input.
What should have been about three clicks of a mouse and a password
had grown to forty-five minutes of frustration. (Yes I'm an old, OLD
man.) I finally gave up in total exasperation.

Later in the day while burning trash I sat on a log and prayed even more
fervently. The Lord put a thought in my mind. So I went up to the house,
pulled out the lap top, and tried the idea.

You know as well as I do what happened. First time it went right through.
I had been relying on my insights instead of properly acknowledging HIM.
We have a great, wonderful, loving God who wants to lead us aright - if we
will but let him.

Monday, August 30, 2010

ADMONITION TO PREACHERS


Hey "Preacher"! Can you
stop talking long enough
for some advice from old
men? It will only take a
minute.

A short time ago a church within driving distance had a series of meetings with a renowned teacher
preacher. This brother had enough degrees, titles and experience to satisfy the most discriminating. Due to the distance, and personal circumstances, I decided to attend only the first meeting. Even the offering for him was decided before hand. [This was something between the Lord and I over another matter. It simply needed a recipient.]

The renowned brother was extremely interesting. He was a very learned Bible teacher, and presented the teaching of the Scriptures in a most persuasive way. Although I had decided to attended only the first service, after about thirty minutes of his teaching I begin to consider coming to the rest of the meetings, despite the distance and personal circumstances. In fact after an hour he was still holding my interest [That is a miracle.] and I was still of the same persuasion.

However. By the time one hour and forty-five minutes had elapsed, the pendulum had swung the other way. No way was I coming for three more meetings. And I was giving serious consideration to giving the offering somewhere else - any where else. I'm weird. I know it, I confess it. But I'm in good company.

"Mark Twain is credited with a story about an overlong sermon. At the end of twenty minutes he was so favorably impressed he decided to put in five dollars when the offering was taken. Twenty minutes later, he decided that two dollars would suffice. After another twenty minutes, the proposed contribution shrank to one dollar. When eventually the sermon ended, Mark Twain awoke from a doze and placed a dime on the plate." -Speech: DYNAMIC COMMUNICATION by Milton Dickens pp. 318,319


The apostle Paul said, "For the kingdom of God is not
a matter of talk but of power.
- 1 Corinthians 4:20 NIV

Brother James said, "Everyone should be quick to listen,
slow to speak,..." - 1:19 NIV.
"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not
keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and
his religion is worthless." - 1:26 NIV
"... but no man can tame the tongue." - 3:8 NIV.
Just the thinking of some old men.


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Tuesday, August 24, 2010

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A MINISTRY?



"You will never be short of ministry -
evangelistic or otherwise -
as long as you are full of the Word of God."
-Reinhard Bonnke
Charisma
Dec. 1993, page 26

Monday, August 23, 2010

HOW TO GET WISDOM



"How I love your law!
I think about it all day long.
Your commandment is with me all the time
and makes me wiser than my enemies.
I understand more than all my teachers,
because I meditate on your instructions.
I have greater wisdom than those who are old,
because I obey your commands.
I have avoided all evil conduct,
because I want to obey your word.
I have not neglected your instructions,
because you yourself are my teacher.
How sweet is the taste of your instructions -
sweeter even than honey!
I gain wisdom from your laws,
and so I hate all bad conduct."
-Psalms 119:97-104 TEV



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Sunday, May 16, 2010

LEARNING FROM MOTORCYCLES

When it comes to motorcycles, we do not all like the
same thing. You are glad of that. Right? Otherwise
everyone would want one like yours.

Years ago I bought an old Honda Goldwing with the
intended purpose of stripping it down. The reasons at
this point are not important. I call it my Hebrews 12:1
Motorcycle.

It started off looking like the motorcycle below. Many
people just love it that way. But to my self it looks too
much like a moving van coming down the road.

It was stripped down in stages. About the first week end I had it, I took of the barn door in front. Both linen closets on the sides. And the kitchen sink off the back.

That was a loss of 71 lbs the first week end. It went into the next stage as my work bike for many years.

But that still was not were I wanted it. Being retired now and not needing it for work every day it could be stripped further. The Lord helped my get it to the point of the picture below. It's almost were I want it. Some more
to go, or you could say it is still under
construction.


Why is it my Hebrews 12:1 motorcycle?
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud
of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin
which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance
the race that is set before us, "
-Hebrews 12:1 RSV

I want all "the dead weight" off the motorcycle. The less weight, the faster. Or if you prefer, less dead weight burns less gas.

Now you may never get your motorcycle into a race.
But if you are a Christian you are in a race. AND, the Lord wants us to remove all the dead weight from
our lives. For us dead weight comes in many forms.

In our day the Lord's comment comes as a real warning.
"but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches,
and the desire for other things, enter in and choke
the word, and it proves unfruitful."
-Mark 4:19 RSV




Cares, riches, desires all can become weight that
holds us back, presses us down and makes us lose
the race.

Like the motorcycle above. We will always be under
construction in this life. The Lord is shaping us up
for himself. But if we are serious about living for
Christ, it is up to us to remove the dead weight
from our lives.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

STRETCHING THE GAS


A few years ago I rode one of my motorcycles
out to the west coast to visit with my kids. This
particular motorcycle has only a five gallon gas
tank on it. It's not like that land yacht you drive
around town with a huge gas tank. With only
five gallons you learn to measure out your gas
stops, and often. So I worked on about
one hundred and fifty miles between gas stops.
This gave me a margin of safety.
I left the Ozarks the last day of February. So
it would have been the first day of march that I
was out in west Texas. It was a Sunday afternoon.
In that part of Texas it can be a loooooong way
between towns, and the wind was blowing like
crazy. When I went through Pecos on Hwy 20,
it was so windy I had to lean the bike into the
wind just to stay on the road. Now if you drive
anything other than a golf cart, you know that
can be real hard on gas mileage.

I was getting low on gas. But seeing a sign that
another town was only about fifteen miles or so
ahead, I decided to push on to it. That would
leave me a little extra gas for that real long
stretch coming up.
When I pulled into that little town I found two
gas stations. One was boarded up. The other
was locked up. Ouch.

So I pulled back up onto the Hwy. looking for
a sign to see how far to the next town. Ninety
miles - almost out of gas, and no place to turn
around.

By now I was praying at about the same pace
I was breathing. I needed to go back to Pecos.
But could I make it?

The Lord let me see a small side road that went
back to the last small town. Then He let me find
a place where I could ride on the dirt over to that
small road.

As I was returning on that small road I noticed
something. The sun had come out. AND the wind
had quit blowing. Praise God. So I continued to
ease - as in eeeeease very carefully - back to the
small town and back up onto the return side of
Hwy 20.

All the way back to Pecos the sun shone. There
was absolutely no wind. It made a beautiful
Sunday after noon (but slow) ride, with lot's of
prayer.

The Lord let me get back to Pecos and find a
gas station. While the gas nozzle was in my
tank filling up - the wind returned so hard it
almost blew my bike over just setting there.
Praise God. He even controlled the weather
to help this little old guy.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

MULTI-TASKING CHRISTIANS ?


It began several decades ago. Some friends
declared that talking while they work did not
effect their work. So I began to watch.
I noticed that when they were working and talking, they had to begin again and redo
things a lot more than when they were not talking. Maybe it's just in the definition!!!!

Today it has become very popular to "multi-task".
But does it work? Consider an article from the
Los Angeles Times back on July 19, 2004.
"Multi-tasking, for most Americans, has become a
way of life."...

"But researchers peering into the brains of those
engaged in several tasks at once are concluding what
some overworked Americans had begun to suspect:
that multi-tasking, which many have embraced as the
key to success, is instead a formula for shoddy work,
mismanaged time, rote solutions, stress and
forgetfulness. Not to mention car crashes, kitchen
fires, forgotten children, near misses in the skies and
other dangers of inattention."

It comes as no surprise that there are a huge number
of articles about multi-tasking not working, at least
well. Each time we add a task to the one we are doing,
we are distracted to a greater degree from the task at
hand. The solution is obvious. FOCUS.

A couple of quotes from the business world. Their
interest is success in business, or finance. But the
trues apply in the spiritual realm as well.

"The secret of success is focus. It is the one secret
that ties everything together. According to the law
of attraction, what you focus on is what you get."
-Enoch Tan in Dream manifesto.

Terri Zwierzynski in Solo Entrepreneur states,
"O: 'How to stay focused?'
A: One easy way to get and stay focused is to
have less to focus on!"

The girl is right on. It is so obvious it is almost
funny.

What does all of this have to do with living for God?
A Christian wants to get close to God. As it were, to
walk hand in hand with Him through life. (I hope.)
So God tells us how.

"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
Cleanse our hands, ye sinners; and purify your heats,
ye double minded."
-James 4:8 KJV (Emphasis mine.)

See that "double minded". Dear old brother James
Strong tells us that double minded is,
"Two-spirited, i.e. Vacillating (in opinion or purpose)"
Hey. That's multi-tasking. That's unfocused.

The apostle John says's it a little different.
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in
the world. If any man love the world, the love of
the Father is not in him."
-1 John 2:15 KJV

When we have divided interest; money, ambition,
success, enjoyment, toys, honor, entertainment,
more things, fun etc., etc., etc. And trying to live
for God. We are multi-tasking. AND IT DON'T
WORK.

Jesus said,
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness;"
-Matthew 6:33 KJV
The apostle Paul was such an outstanding success
in living for and serving God because; his attitude
and example was,
"... but this one thing I do..."
-Philippians 3:13 KJV

Yes, I had to follow Terri's advice. Drop some things
so that there would be less to focus on. I do not need
every thing my little heart or mind desires. I do not
need every comfort or convenience there is. BUT I DO
NEED JESUS.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

NEVER TOO OLD

This will not mean a thing to you kids
who have not even reached retirement
yet. But some of us older folks need
encouragement too.

Thursday of last week a brother in the
Lord turned ninety-two (92). Being the
pastor's grandfather, the pastor had him
preach. He has being preaching for the
Lord seventy-three years now. And still
out preaches most of the young preachers.
This brother over the years has been used
to bring hundreds to Jesus Christ. Praise
God for that. But one of the discouraging
things about it is that literally hundreds
that he won to Christ were "church members".
Yes, some of the converts were even preachers
who had never had an encounter with the living
God. It is such a sad commentary on the church
of today.

Just being in the presence of someone that
old - still on fire for Jesus - and being used of
God yet is an encouragement.
I pray that with God's help I might be on fire
for Jesus Christ as long as he gives me breath.

"The righteous will flourish
like palm trees;
they will grow like the
cedars of Lebanon.
They are like trees planted
in the house of the
Lord,
that flourish in the
Temple of our God,
that still bear fruit
in old age
and are always green and
strong."
-Psalms 92:12-14 TEV
[Emphasis mine]

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

A LESSON FROM CHINA





Many of you remember the name,
Wang Ming Tao, one of the great house
church leaders of China. He spent twenty
three years in prison for his faith. He
passed away back in about 1991. But his
example of living for God carries on to
challenge us.

Here is a quote from him out of an old
Open Doors publication.

"You ought to make a prison cell for yourself.
When I went into prison, I was broken. I was
an evangelist and wanted to hold campaigns
throughout China. I was a writer and wanted
to write books. I was a preacher and wanted
to read my Bible and write sermons.

"But I didn't have a Bible or a pulpit, a
congregation, a pen or paper. I could do
nothing. Nothing except get to know God.
For 20 years, this was the most beautiful
relationship that I have ever known."

Later he add.
"I was put in a prison cell, but you will have
to do this yourself. Make your life simple, so
that you have time to get to know God."

Thursday, January 7, 2010

GOD'S SECURITY FORCE



During this time of sever weather when God seems
to be making a mockery of the "Global Warming"
hoax, his protection is sorely needed. With ice and
snow abounding, the potential for injury has
multiplied. Not to mention evil on every hand.
Terrorism, more idiots than ever AND our own
stupidity.

Quite a few years ago I begin to pray daily that
God would give his angels charge over our family
for protection. Thank God, I have not regretted it.
I have no idea how many times we have been
spared because of it.

This subject was covered by "Faded Ladies" a
a short time back. Go back to their post
"Spiritual Visitors - Part V". You will really
enjoy seeing God's angels in action in this
post. But it comes again to my mind now while
the need is amplified and to remind us of God's
provision.

Consider, after God had given the law to the
nation of Israel, he told them;
"Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you
on the way and to bring you to the place which I
have prepared....When my angel goes before you,"
-Exodus 23:20 & 23 RSV
The thought is also expressed in,
Exodus 14:19, 32:34, 33:2
And my favorite,
"Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
the Most High your habitation,
no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near your tent.
For he will give his angels charge of you
to guard you in all your ways."
-Psalms 91:9-11 RSV

This is the Scripture the Devil quoted to Jesus
in the great temptation. But it is open for all
who make the Lord their refuge.
Ask God to have his angels protect you and your
family. You will not regret it.
"Lord give your angels charge to protect all who
make you their refuge. Thank you for giving us
their protection because of your love for us."

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

TOO SMART FOR OUR OWN GOOD

Personally I would
rather not be around
ignorant, dumb or
stupid people. That
means anyone more
ignorant, dumb, or
stupid than myself.
[If other people think
like that. It may
account for them not bothering me!]

I do not know of any place in the Scriptures that
puts a premium on, ignorance, stupidity, or
dumbness. (You draw the lines of demarcation.)
And I am not trying to advocate them.

But have you ever thought about how sometimes
we are too smart for what we are doing? Too
smart for our own good?

Any time we think we can handle things, or
depend on our own abilities, we are too smart for
our own good. Jesus said,
"for apart from me you can do nothing."
-John 15:5 RSV

The Apostle Paul said,
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,
to show that the transcendent power belongs
to God and not to us.-2 Corinthians 4:7 RSV
We are only the container. It is supposed to be
God who is seen in us. Not us and our skills or
abilities or knowledge.

Look what happened to Moses. He was raised by
Pharaoh's daughter in the palaces of Egypt.
"And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of
the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words
and deeds."
-Acts 7:22 RSV

And you know God could not use him that
way. Moses had to spend forty years in the desert
unlearning what he had learned. But when God
got through with him. He was the meekest man
on earth and God was able to use him in a mighty
way.
"Now the man Moses was very meek, more
than all men that were on the face of the earth.
-Numbers 12:3 RSV

[Hey! what happened to his self esteem???]
See this vessel (container).
That is the way we are
supposed to be. It is cheap,
fragile and no good for any
thing. It's purpose is only
to display the cheesecake.
It's all about the cheesecake,
not the container,
Even what little stands
out on this crummy
container, is advertising
for the cheesecake.

That is the way we are supposed to be. Full of
God, and whatever anyone can see in us is only
about God in us.

K.P. Yohannan in his book "Dependence Upon the
Lord" on page 41 gives us this quote from Mother
Teresa.
"I am convinced that when I am gone, if God finds
a person more ignorant and useless that I, He will
do greater things through that person because it
will be His doing."

"Lord help us to only show you and not ourselves.
May you increase while we decrease."