THE BEST COMPANION

The best of friends, you bet.

They are supposed to be.  They claim

they are.  They are husband and wife.

No.  I did not ask them if I could use

their picture.  That is my granddaughter and

her husband.  They throw their pictures all

over Facebook just like you do - so why

ask them?

But even more, I am proud of this couple.

True, by my standards they are just a couple

of kids growing up.  But they love the Lord

Jesus Christ and are living for and serving 

him the best they can.  And I do not know

many people that way.

However they are not my subject.

Companionship, fellowship, camaraderie

come closer to my thinking.

Way back at the beginning of the human race

it looks to me like God let mankind live a  lot

longer so he could populate this earth in a hurry.

And one of these early guys really stands out

to me.  His name was "Enoch".

Let me tell you about Enoch.

"When Enoch was 65, he had a son,

Methuselah.  After that, Enoch lived

in fellowship with God for 300 years

and had other children.  He lived to

be 365 years old.  He spent his life in

fellowship with God, and then he 

disappeared, because God took him 

away."

(Genesis 5:21-24 GNT)

Did you get that?  Enoch lived his life

in fellowship with God almighty, the 

very creator.

O God.

My I spend the rest of my days in 

fellowship or companionship with you.

May I be at one with you as Enoch was

until you take me home. 

THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE

We live in an age when the thinking is;
attempt great things for God, think positive
about it, hook your wagon to a star, if you
don't set goals you will never reach them
etc. etc. etc.  Even the "Church" has
swallowed this kind of thinking regarding
work for the kingdom of God.

It seems that God in his mercy has granted me
a new lease on life.  And my desire is to make
what time is left count for the Lord.

So one day I was setting thinking about my own
accomplishments for the Kingdom of God.  I do
not need to tell you that I felt totally insignificant.
No accomplishments.  An absolute failure.  Zilch.

While setting there feeling completely washed out
the Holy Spirit clearly indicated to me that God has
not called me to accomplish great things for him -
BUT, to be faithful to him.

In fact the Bible no where asks us to "attempt" great
things for God.  In the King James version the word
"attempt" is not even in it.  But there are several dozen
references to being faithful.

The Lord brought an incident to mind that illustrates
how little things can be more important than big things.
And, how I am to walk with, and serve him.

Thirty years ago last month the pastor of the church
wanted me to go with him to a major southern
city to a big name Christian conference.  There were
several big time Christian leaders there with outstanding
nationally known ministries.  We also visited a well
know church with an outstanding pastor who had a
national outreach ministry.  Most of these guys had
doctorates.  Real impressive.  Right?

Do you know what I remember from all their preaching
and teaching.  NOTHING.  Not a word.

But I do remember a lady setting at the table with us
for lunch one day.   She was just bubbling over about
Jesus.  She was a custodian in some school district.
That's right, a janitor.  But as she told us about her
heavenly Father's love and provision for her - I was
shamed, but encouraged.  And I remember it and it's
lesson to this day.

Now who had the most lasting ministry??????

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine."

MISSING THE POINT

You guessed it.  That is "The Weather Channel".  It say's so in the 

little blue box over on the left side.  And that's the weather for when 

ever.  Yes, that was all it would show me, no matter how long I waited

this morning.

I do not know about you, but when I go to "The Weather Channel"

it is for data or information.  Information about the weather.  You know.

Is it going to rain today?  Can I wear a short sleeved shirt, or do I need

a jacket?  What can I expect, or what happened here or somewhere else.

Over the last few months I have made an observation about "The Weather

Channel".   Every time they have "upgraded" [Ha, ha, ha or LOL or 

snicker, snicker.] it has downloaded slower.  Yes, every time.   They

have been spending their time trying to "pretty" it up.  And that adds more

data for the poor old computers to download.

This may only be true of us on satellite or wireless.  It might not effect

"dial up" and other forms of internet service.

But "The Weather Channel" is missing the point.  Most of us do not go

to "The Weather channel" for wallpaper for our computers.  Nor for art

work, or pretty pictures or pleasing backgrounds.  BUT DATA.  Weather

information to be exact.  When "The Weather Channel" was not so pretty,

at least I could get the information I as after and get it in short order.

However, am I doing the same thing with my life???

Trying to impress others?  Or accumulate a bunch of stuff that I cannot 

take with me anyway?  Or squeeze all the fun out of life that I can?

In short, clutter my life up with stuff that does not count in the end?

Ed McCully, one of the five missionary martyrs in Ecuador said,

"It's hard to keep our primary purpose in view when

we get so swamped with secondary things."

-Ed McCully September 1953.

I believe it was C.T. Studd who said,

"Only one life 'twill soon be past, only what's

done for Christ will last."

Am I focused on my purpose of being here and the day I stand before

God to give an account of my years spent here?  Or am I dragging in a

lot of unrelated material and effort?

SATISFY THAT LONGING

I used to work with a man who always wanted to 

travel some place else.  He was never satisfied with

where he was.  If he was not on vacation, he was

pouring over maps trying to see where he wanted to

go.

That seems to be our human nature.  Never satisfied

with what we have or are.  We are always longing 

for more.

Some of us always wanted more speed.  We wanted

to go faster than the other person.  That is, until we

went so fast it killed us.

Some always want more; money, fame, power, love,

enjoyment, rest.  You name it.  But we want more.

There never is enough.  But the cost is always high.

Contrast this with God's invitation to those in need 

and his desire to satisfy that need or longing.

"The Lord says,

'Come everyone who is thirsty-

here is water!

Come, you that have no money -

buy grain and eat!

Come! Buy wine and milk -

it will cost you nothing!

Why spend your wages and still be hungry?

Listen to me and do what I say,

and you will enjoy the best food of all.

Listen now, my people, and come to me;

come to me, and you will have life!"

(Isaiah 55:1-3 GNT)

I KILLED IT DEAD

That was a tree or sapling, what ever you want to call it.

It was in the way so I cut it off.

You know what happened.  It sprouted all over and begin

to grow again.  So I cut off all the sprouts.  And as you know

even better than myself.  It sprouted again.

This has got to stop.  Under other conditions I would use a

"come-along", my truck or a sky hook and pull it out - roots

and all.  But you can see it would tear up a bunch of "stuff".

And to spread any poison on it was out of the question.  That

is in a garden bed that is already planted.

I am not smart enough to think of this, so I assume God gave 

me the idea.  I drilled a hole down the middle of the "stump"

about four or five inches.  The hole was a size that I could fit

the funnel tightly into.  Then I put bad stuff for plants into the

funnel.  And for several days it just soaked up the bad stuff.

The picture was taken one week later.  And you can see that

the little tree or sapling is dead, dead.  And there is nothing 

spread into the garden bed.  Thank God for that.

In this case, that little funnel is a head for that sapling.  And

filling the head with "bad stuff" killed it.

I am no different.  If I fill my head with bad stuff it will kill me

too.  Put the wrong stuff in my big mouth and it will kill my 

body.  Soak in the wrong stuff with my eye's or ears and it 

will kill me spiritually.

What kind of trash are we putting into our heads?

"In conclusion, my friends,

fill your minds with those things that

are good and that deserve praise;

things that are true, noble, right,

pure, lovely, and honorable."

(Philippians 4:8 GNT)

COMFORT IN DEATH

First realize that this Scripture passage is taken out of context.

As it is said, a Scripture taken out of context is a pretext.

This then raises the question who is "good"?

Good according to God, or something that

a person has concocted in their own mind.

In this case it is someone who has been walking and

living with and for God.  And in todays time setting,

that would be someone who has been born of the

Spirit of God.  That is, born again and living with

and for God.

If that describes you,

then this Scripture is for you when  that day comes.

"Good people die, and no

one understands or even

cares.  But when they die, no

calamity can hurt them.  Those

who live good lives find peace and

rest in death."

(Isaiah 57:1,2 GNT)

"Death has nothing terrible which life

has not made so.  A faithful Christian

life in this world is the best preparation

for the next."

- Tryon Edwards

GOD'S REFRESHMENT

I met a man a few nights ago who works long hard days -

seven days a week.  Right now he is young (By my standards.)

and strong.  But you and I both know that in time it will kill

him.  Then, who gets his farm?

That is the why they work political prisoners so hard in slave 

labor camps.  They work them to death.

When I was a kid I worked in what we called a packing house.

This one packed the growers lemons.   One of the "bosses" told

my dad that by giving the women a ten minute break in the 

morning and another one in the after noon, they got more work

out of them than if they did not have a break.

Years ago I read that Andrew Jackson said he could march his

men further in six days than he could in seven.  Are you getting

the point?

Even Jesus said,

"The Sabbath was made for man, 

and not man for the Sabbath."

-Luke 2:27 NKJV

What is the "Sabbath"?  A day of rest.

Hey!  God himself rested on the seventh day.

And he made you so that you need a day of rest.

I am not pushing for some particular day over another

as a Sabbath or day of rest.  Nor am I pushing for a

return to the old Jewish laws.  If you will look it up

the "Sabbath" was given even before the "Law" that

was given up on the mountain. 

But I am asking you why you insist on pushing yourself

into a premature death when God wants you to take a

break every week?

GREAT OR FAITHFUL

photo courtesy of: www.bigfoto.com

I was setting in the other room pondering how insignificant I 

am.  And wanting my remaining time to be used for the Lord,

it seemed I am not making much headway.

You know even better than myself that the prevailing mind set

is to "attempt" great things for God.  This thought comes from 

the missionary William Carey, not the Scriptures.  Keeping this

thinking in the context he was speaking in - he is correct of course.  

But our tendency is to think of it as planning great things to do  

for God.  Then give it our all.   Hey!  We simply can't do it.

However it seemed that the Lord was telling me that he has not

called us (me) to do great things, but to be faithful in what he has

given us (me) to do.

In fact, I cannot even find the word "attempt" in the Bible.

Well, at least the King James Version.  But two instances

come to mind that make a real impact on myself.  And even

more so because it is two individuals simply living a real

Christian life.

Many years ago, perhaps around 1985, the pastor and I went to

a big Christian conference in another state.   There were some
big name Christian leaders there as speakers and teachers.  Do
you know how much I remember of their sermons or teaching?
Nothing.  That's right - nothing.

But I remember sister Elizabeth.

We were in the cafeteria of the hotel having lunch or something.
Sister Elizabeth was sitting on my right and she poised the question
if we (I - whoever) had been to Israel.  You have got to be kidding
sister.  I cannot afford to go to Israel.

Sister Elizabeth was a custodian in some school district and she was
not plush with funds either.  But she explained.  If she needed shoe laces
she ask her heavenly father for them.  If she wanted to go to Israel she
ask her heavenly father to send her.  At that time she had been to Israel
three times.

Now who preached the best sermon?  In my book, sister Elizabeth the
custodian who was simply sharing her life of faith.  [And, putting me
to shame.]

I just read a post on blogger that really spoke to me.
"The Day I was Supernaturally Healed"
Here Sarah was ministered to by another custodian used of God.
I have included the link to her post.  Read it.  It will bless you.

http://simplelifeabundantlife.com/

Here are two custodians that "preached" more enduring sermons
than any preacher by being faithful in living for Christ.  With
God's help I will simply try to be faithful to any task he gives me,
big or small.

RENEW YOUR STRENGTH

I want to share my experience with you hoping it can be
an encouragement to you.

I have what they call "Aplastic Anemia".   My body just plain
and simple quit making blood a little over a year ago.  God in
his mercy has allowed the medicines to help and my body
seems to be making some blood now.  But  I am still dependent
on frequent transfusions.

But it is "strength" that we want to consider right now.  I lost all
my strength with this sickness.  For a while I was so weak I could
not get out of my chair with out pulling on something or someone
helping me.  Of course any work was out of the question, period.

BUT -

God said,
"...they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,..."
-(Isaiah 40:31 RSV)

Some versions use the word "trust" instead of "wait".  Take your
choice.  And I would stress that I do not feel God gave me that as
a promise.  Simply, he said it.  And I tried to wait, trust, walk with
God looking for an increase in strength.

Strength was very slow in coming, if any at all.   So slow that I was
complaining to God about it.  But, a short time back I got more serious
with God over the issue.  You know, "God, where is this strength you
promised?"

Shortly after that inside of just a few days I felt like my old self.  Did
not feel sickly at all.  No I have not regained all my strength back - yet.

The image above is a garden bed I am working on.  You cannot see
how deep it is.  But what you see in it is old damp horse manure.  It
was loaded the other night and made my little old truck squat down
like a dog doing something on the lawn.  I had to drive home in only
the lower gears.   It was too heavy to get into one of the high gears.

The point I'm making.  Yesterday morning in about two hours I unloaded
that stuff, a shove full at a time, into that garden bed.  Yes, it pretty much
wore me out for the day.  But even two months ago I could not have
thought about doing that little bit.

It's God I'm thanking.    Have you lost your strength?  Turn to the one who
gives life and strength to start with.  Jesus Christ.  Get real close and know
him personally very well.  You will not be sorry.