FUTILE EFFORT

"Unless the LORD builds the house,

those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the LORD watches over the city,

the watchman stays awake in vain.

It is in vain that you rise up early 

and go late to rest,

easting the bread of anxious toil;

for he gives to his beloved sleep."

(Psalms 127:1,2 RSV)

****************

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THE HOLY BIBLE

Go to the link below for a free
download of the
Updated King James Version.

Would you like a free download of

THE HOLY BIBLE

Go to the link below for a free

download of the

Updated King James Version.

www.oocities.org/updatedkjv

NO WAY

Image no. 1

Some where a  team of engineers designed these 

vehicles.  It is obvious a lot of thought and design 

effort was put into them.  They are very complex.  

But that is what designers are for.  The best I know, 

the owners are completely happy with them, for 

what they want.

Image no. 2

Not as complex as image no. 1.  But I know two

 ladies who put a lot of thought into how this house

was to be built.  Then a designer (architect) went to 

work putting their thoughts into the design and building

of it.

Image no. 3

Image no. 3 is an old house built back in the 50's.

I personally know the man that designed and built

it.  Herman told me that after he "precut" everything -

they put it up in one day.  That was back when they 

still had "barn raisings" around here.

Image no. 4

Image no. three.  Less complex that the others, 

but it still required some thought.  That is what 

is left of an old "pole barn" that Carl built.

Image no. 5

Image no. 5.  Yep, less complex yet.  I am the one

 guilty here.  A bench was needed to hold a 

motorcycle engine while we worked on it.  So I

gave it some thought and put it together out

of "stuff" laying around.  It has been real handy.

Image no. 6

Image no. 6.  Yes it is just a pile of wood.  But even

then I had to decide where it would be out of the way

and how to stack it so it would not scatter.

Not much "designer" here.  But it still took some intelligence.

Image no. 7

Image no. 8

Image no. 9

Images 7, 8 and 9.

NOW WAY.

Far too complex to have a designer.  Anything 

this intricate could not have a designer behind

it.  It would have to be a pure accident or chance.

Or perhaps enough "nothing" got together and 

moulded into something over millions and 

billions of years to become something.

Then "something" got smart enough to put

itself together into another form.

TODAY'S PROMISE

"For what nation is there so great,

who has God so close to them,

as the LORD our God is

in all things that we call upon

him for?"

(Deuteronomy 4:7 AKJV)

******************

"The promises of the Lord can be trusted;

they are as genuine as silver refined

seven times in the furnace."

(Psalms 12:6 GNB)

1. Meditate on God's Promises.

2. Plead the Promises at the throne of Grace.

3. Act in Faith that God Will Perform His Promises.

(William Gurnall)

GOD'S PLEA

"The LORD said, "I was ready to answer
my people's prayers, but they did not pray.
I was ready for them to find me,
but they did not even try.
The nation did not pray to me,
even though I was always ready to answer, 
'Here I am; I will help you.'
I have always been ready to welcome my 
people, who stubbornly do what is wrong 
and go their own way;..."
(Isaiah 65:1,2 GNB)

HOW IS YOUR LENS?

Off the shelf.

I have mentioned before, I am not a photographer.

But I enjoy playing with cameras.

But which camera to get??????

If you will look on ebay, where I have bought any

cameras bought since I was a kid, there are anywhere

from 56 to 60 THOUSAND cameras offered for sale.

And all with more megapixels than the other guy.

Storm is coming

I am indebted to Ken Rockwell, a professional photographer,

for an over looked truth.  The megapixels do not matter.

That is just a selling point.  What matters is the lens and sensor -

as far as the camera goes.   And even more importantly the

"Photographer".

If you are interested in photography, you would enjoy Ken's

site at:

www.kenrockwell.com

With this in mind I have followed up on some cameras where 

the image quality has actually deteriorated when they increased

the megapixels, or went to a "newer and better" camera.  Go 

figure.  No matter how many megapixes, if they see through

a poor lens - you get a poor picture.

You know, like using powerful binoculars or a telescope -

through a real dirty or distorted window.

Looking over the back fence

Consequently, I have been wanting to get an old, low

megapixel camera to play with.  But with a good lens.

The back yard

Because grandpa likes to play, I bought a camera off ebay

for $9.99 to take these pictures.  [The lighting is poor on each

of these images.  Even the outside images.  A storm was coming.

It was overcast and the sun was not up yet.  But I was in a hurry.]

It is the cheapest digital camera I have ever owned.   It is very low on
 megapixels, 2 (two) if you are counting, but, supposed to have a
good lens.  (We will see.  But beginning to doubt this lens.)  It will
 not be any good for wall maurals or life size portraits.  If that is your
goal - go buy a hand full of  megapixels.

Small dead fly.

Incidentally, the fly is still dead.

But what about your lens?  Your personal lens?

Your "lens" will effet how you see everything.

Distorted or clearly.

God said,

"The eyes are like a lamp for the body.  If your eyes

are sound, you whole body will be full of light:

but if your eyes are no good, your body will be

in darkness.  So if the light in you is darkness,

how terribly  dark it will be!

(Matthew 6:22,23 GNB)

God often refers to our ability to comprehend, or
understand, as seeing with our eyes.  For example
Jesus said,

"This people will listen and listen, but not
understand; they will look and look, but not see,
because their minds are dull, and they have stopped

up their ears and have closed their eyes..."

(Matthew 13:14, 15 GNB)

They look, but will not snap the shutter.

"How clearly the sky reveals God's glory!

How plainly it shows what he has done!"

(Psalms 19:1 GNB)

Does it register with you that this old world

and the heavens are the work of GOD?

Or has God's enemy clouded up your lens

so that you cannot see that we are all the

work of God?

TODAY'S PROMISE

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
and lean not to your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will direct your paths."
(Proverbs 3:5,6 AKJV)

************

"The promises of the Lord can be trusted;

they are as genuine as silver refined

seven times in the furnace."

(Psalms 12:6 GNB)

1. Meditate on God's Promises.

2. Plead the Promises at the throne of Grace.

3. Act in Faith that God Will Perform His Promises.

(William Gurnall)

WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD

"No mater how much you dream,

how much useless work you do,

or how much you talk,

 you must still stand in awe of God."

(Ecclesiastes 5:7 GNB)

HOW DO YOU SMELL?

What is your odor?

Last year when I took possession of a piece of property, 

that had been abandon for twelve to fifteen, years the 

garlic above was the only green thing on the place.

That was on January the 15th.  So every thing else was

dead for the winter.  But it was not in a former garden,

but on the side of a ravine in the woods.

How it got there, only God himself knows.

One of the things that amazes me about garlic is the 

way it will "hang in there".   Even under my care -

where every thing else I try to help - dies.

Garlic reminds me of two Scriptural truths.

l.  One of course is it's tenaciousness.   Despite some

church doctrines, from Genesis to Revelation the 

Scriptures have a constant, reoccuring theme.   

For example, Matthew 10:22.

"...but he that endureth to the end shall be saved."

2.  Then there is the odor.  Now that comes in two ways.

a.  If it is on some's breath -- well that is not so good.

b.  But if you are hungry, and some garlic bread is being

made -  Wow!  We will not even mention the health

benefits.

What has that got to do with our life???

If we are a Christian,

"For we are like a sweet-smellng incense offered

by Christ to God, which spreads among those who

are being saved and those who are being lost.

For those who are being lost, it is a deadly stench

that kills, but for those who are being saved it is a

fragrance that brings life...."

(2 Corinthians 2:15,16 GNB)

Our life should be such that it produces,

a deadly smell to the world because of our godliness,

but a sweet smell to the kingdom of God.

  

TODAY'S PROMISE

"The LORD is righteous in all his ways,

and holy in all his works.

The LORD is near to all them that call upon him,

to all that call upon him in truth.

He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him:

he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

The LORD preserves all them that love him:

but all the wicked will he destroy."

(Psalms 145:17-20 AKJV)

******************

"The promises of the Lord can be trusted;

they are as genuine as silver refined

seven times in the furnace."

(Psalms 12:6 GNB)

1. Meditate on God's Promises.

2. Plead the Promises at the throne of Grace.

3. Act in Faith that God Will Perform His Promises.

(William Gurnall)

THEIR FAILURE ENCOURAGES ME

  

Most of you will not even be able to comprehend what I am

trying to get across.  That is because every thing you have

ever endeavored to do for God, or He has directed you to do -

you have completed successfully and timely.  Then simply said,

"What is next LORD?"

But there are one or two of us (perhaps in each country) who

have not completed our task or ministry.  We might even have

put it on the shelf - for the time being.  Or run off,  pulling a

Jonah.

The Scriptures tell us about two fellows who failed in their

God given task.  Now that encourages me.  Because it makes

me feel superior?  ABSOLUTELY NOT.  But because I 

can relate to them.  That's the part of life I know best.

In Acts chapter fifteen Paul and Barnabas were getting ready

for another mission trip.  Barnabas wanted to take Mark

with them, that is John Mark.  But Paul did not want to

because Mark had not stayed with them to the end of 

another mission.  Mark turned back and left them.  We

do not know why.  Perhaps the going was too tough, or 

fear.  The Scriptures do not tell us.  That is because it

was for the same reason you did not complete your God 

given mission that time.  But if the Scriptures told us 

what is was, the other guy would think he was off the 

hook.

There was another fellow named Demas.  At one point

he left Paul in a bind and returned somewhere because

he had fallen in love with the world.  We are not told

what it was he loved more than God's work.  It might have

been, opportunity, fame, money, things or whatever.  But

it was the same thing that you and I love more than God's

work.

How much later does not matter.  But later the Apostle Paul

is in Prison.  That is where he wrote his "prison epistles".  And

in the closing portion of two of these epistles, Colossians and

Philemon as he is giving his greetings, two of his co-workers

are mentioned.  You guessed it, Mark and Demas.  Hey!

They are restored, back on the job, doing their ministry or

task.

Over the years I have read of many a person who has failed or

fallen.  Some failed miserably.  But God forgave and restored

them to places of usefulness or ministry.

Perhaps the reason is the same as the troubles the apostle

 Paul was going through.  Then he was able to say,

"He helps us in all our troubles, so that we

are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles,

using the same help that we ourselves have received

from God."

(2 Corinthians 1:4 GNB)

How glad I am that God,

loves, forgives, restores.

WHY?

I have this dandy little camera.  I've had if for about 

five years.  Convenient is perhaps it's best description.

It will even fit into my shirt pocket.  As a result most of 

the images that show up on this post come from that 

slick little camera.  And it is a point and shoot to boot.

That let the cat out of the bag.  I've had it that long and

cannot take any better pictures than that?  The reason is

simple.  You ladies have a camera to take pictures with.

But I am a man.  To me a camera is a neat gadget to play

with.  You know.  A toy.  And if it takes pictures,

 so much the better.

Now all these years I have had an occasional problem 

with this camera.  Sometimes the flash is just toooo much.

I have even gone through all the menus to see if I could

turn it off.  And I hate menus.  So I would block the flash

with my finger.  Then everything gets red.  I have put 

several layers of scotch tape over the flash to soften it.

That helps a lot.  I have taped it off with black electrical

 tape.  That works.  But all these are a nuisance.

Consequently, I decided that today might be a good

day to make a little gadget to block the flash when I 

did not want it.  Something easy to carry with me.

THEN I had this God given thought.  It had to 

be God given because I was not smart enough to

think of it all by my self.

"READ THE INSTRUCTIONS."

Well, right there it was on page 15.  One little 

button on the back of the camera to push.  Now

who would have ever thought of something that

simple?

Now I should be embarrassed.  But I am not.

You do the same thing.

God gave us an instruction manual about life.

THE HOLY BIBLE.

But do you read it?

Or just stumble through life on your own?

TODAY'S PROMISE

"The LORD is near unto all them that call
upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him;
he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
The LORD preserves all them that love him;
but all the wicked will he destroy."
(Psalms 145:17-20 AKJV)

*****************

"The promises of the Lord can be trusted;

they are as genuine as silver refined

seven times in the furnace."

(Psalms 12:6 GNB)

1. Meditate on God's Promises.

2. Plead the Promises at the throne of Grace.

3. Act in Faith that God Will Perform His Promises.

(William Gurnall)

LEARNING FROM NATURE

"Even the birds and animals

have much they could teach you;

Photo courtesy: www.bigfoto.com

Photo courtesy: www.bigfoto.com

"ask the creatures of earth

and sea for their wisdom.

Photo courtesy: www.bigfoto.com

Photo courtesy: www.bigfoto.com

"All of them know that the LORD'S

hand made them."

(Job 12:7-9 GNB)

Photo courtesy: www.bigfoto.com

Photo courtesy: www.bigfoto.com

It is like the song says,

"O LORD my God!

When I in awesome wonder

Consider all the works Thy hand hath made;

I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,

Thy pow'r throughout the universe displayed;

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to thee,

How great Thou art!  How great Thou art!"

I am indebted to Sassy Granny for todays thought.

See her blog at:

sassygranny.blogspot.com