TODAY'S PROMISE

"...The hand of our God is upon all them for good

that seek him; but his power and his wrath is

against all them that forsake him."

(Ezra 8:22)  

MY DELIGHT

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We delight over different things.  Often many things.

If I suggested "chocolate" many would join me in 

voting for it.  But what is it that is the deep controlling

delight that drives us?  The main delight that controls

our life and longings?

The delight(s) of our life effect the productiveness, wellbeing 

and especially our relationship to God himself.

Jesus Christ tells of some that had the Word of God,

but:

"As for what was sown among thorns, this

is he who hears the word, but the cares of

the world and the delight in riches choke the

word, and it proves unfruitful."

(Matthew 13:22 RSV)  

This very truth is the driving focus of many Churches

today.  We delight in the things God can provide for us.

And people love to hear about it.

However, it's end result is disaster.

But consider a man who is a hero to this day.

King Dave.  A man whom God himself said

was a man after God's on heart.

Where was his delight?

"I delight to do thy will, O my God;

thy law is within my heart."

(Psalms 40:8 RSV)

With the help of God I want to shift my

delight from the things of this world to 

doing the will of God.

TODAY'S QUOTE

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"God brings men into deep waters not to drown them,

but to cleanse them."

-John H. Aughey

TRUE SUCCESS

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I would bet that you are caught in the same trap

that I often am.  We are not satisfied with the results

of our service for God.  He has done so much for me

and I want to do more for him.

Consider this.

One time Jesus Christ sent out seventy "preachers".

Things went great for them.  They came back a happy

bunch.  We read:

"The seventy returned with joy saying, 'Lord, even

the demons are subject to us in Your name.'"

(Luke 10:12 NASB)     

   Can you top that?

Of course you can not or have not.  If you had you 

would have let the world know about it.

But how did Jesus respond?

"Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits

are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are

recorded in heaven."

(Luke 10:20 NASB)

Do you catch that?

Christ is more concerned about our relationship

with him than our service for him.

I need to spend more time loving him and

less "slaving" for him.

PERSPECTIVE

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This morning I again had to reflect on how facing death

can change a person's view point.

Up until we are faced with death, we only think of the

things we can acquire and our own comforts and pleasures.

But having faced death a few years ago I see that these things

are meaningless.

  What I face after death is far more important than the fame,

fortune or accumulations I might now acquire.

Is it any wonder that Solomon [The wisest man who ever lived.]

said:

"It is useless, useless, said the Philosopher.

Life is useless, all useless."

(Ecclesiastes 1;2 GNT)   

 And of course this is true of the "natural" or normal person.

But Solomon does come to the point when he concludes:

"After all this, there is only one thing to say:

Have reverence for God, and obey his commands,

because this is all that we were created for.  God

is going to judge everything we do, whether good

or bad, even things done in secret."

(Ecclesiastes 12:13,14 GNT)   

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

"Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting."

(Psalms 107:1 NASB)  

"Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,

And for His wonders to the sons of men!"

(Psalms 107:15 NASB)   

DECEIVED

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"Your wisdom and your knowledge, they have deluded you;"

(Isaiah 47:10 NASB)  

These people he was talking to felt smart, secure and 

even had power in their spells.

But, they are roasting in the Devil's hell today.

I have to ask myself.  Is my wisdom something I have

figured out by myself?  Or, is it based on the revealed

Word of God, the Holy Bible?

TODAY'S QUOTE

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"Have you ever thought that our disappointments

are God's way of reminding us that there are idols

in our lives that must be dealt with?"

-Erwin Lutzer

THE ARGUMENT

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Did you ever argue with God over something?

"Woe to the one who quarrels with

his Maker -" 

(Isaiah 45:9 NASB)  

HEALING

I know, it's a poor image and it means nothing to you.

But to me, let me tell you about it.

Just a couple of years ago that calendar would have been

full.  Full of doctors appointments.  By full I mean about

three every week.  But the image above shows only one

on the first day of the month.  And that one was only for

a six month check up.

What happened?

This is what happened;

"Is anyone among you sick?  Then he must call

for the elders of the church and they are to pray

over him, anointing him with oil in the name of 

the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will

restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will

raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they

will be forgiven him."

(James 5:14,15 NASB)  

Yes, I ask for prayer and anointing.  It did not 

happen over night.  But the healing begin.

And, well you see the calendar.

PRAISE GOD FOR HIS HEALING TOUCH.

TODAY'S PROMISE

"The righteous man will be glad in the LORD

and will take refuge in Him;

And all the upright in heart will glory."

(Psalms 64:10 NASB)

MINISTRIES

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HELP

I seem to be missing something.

I have read my Bible from cover to cover as they say.

But, I cannot find anything about:

John the Baptist ministries,

or

Jesus of Nazareth ministries,

or

Simon Peter ministries,

or 

Saul of Tarsus ministries

or

etc. etc. etc

Didn't these guys know how to do it?

Or,

perhaps the Scriptures had a different out look.

Consider;

"And his gifts were that some should be apostles,

some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors

and teachers, to equip the saints for the work

of ministry, ..."

(Ephesians 4:11,12 RSV)  

My friend,

every born again child of God is a minister.

Just a thought from "grandpa's ministries".

TODAY'S QUOTE

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"God will either give you what you ask

or something far better."   

- Robert Murray McCheyne

TALK, TALK, TALK

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TALK, TALK, TALK.

Do you really want people to hear what you have to say?

Perhaps some of us talk too much to be heard.

I know people who talk so much that we tend to let it go

in one ear and out the other.  Then latter they say, "I told

you..."  Of course they did.  But by then I had quit listening.

You have seen it happen.

You go to some meeting - perhaps church - and the speaker

simply will not quit talking.  You quit listening and looking

around, you see most of the others have quit listening too.

God's word has some good advice.

"Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, ... "

(James 1:19 RSV)  

"Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart

be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in

heaven, and you upon earth; therefore let you words

be few."

(Ecclesiastes 5:2 RSV)

"The more words, the more vanity,

and what is man the better?

(Ecclesiastes 6:11 RSV)

Enough said.

End of sermon.

IT JUST HAPPENED ALL BY IT'S SELF

It is hard to believe.  But here is the proof.

Evolution must be true.

You can see the back of the house and the garage.

It has been like this for years and years.  [Less than a 

million or two years.] That is other than the bicycle 

and the flower pots moving around at random.

But,

one day I noticed a collection of metal and wood

molecules accumulated near the back door.  Being

smart I realized that these molecules were a missing

link in the beginning of the evolutionary process. 

This process is far too complex to have a designer

or builder.  Something this intricate has to just happen.

You know, be a accident that came from nothing.

Sure enough.  With some time, plus some heat, plus some

cold and the accumulation of more metal molecules and 

even some aluminum molecules.   That mass of material

became an awning.  Just from lots of nothing and lots and

lots of time.

It makes a person feel extra smart to realize that so much

can happen all by it's self with out a designer, creator

or builder.

Or, perhaps instead as

Stuart K, Hine said it so well when he penned the words;

"O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder consider

all the worlds Thy hands hath made, I see the stars,

I hear the rolling thunder, Thy pow'r throughout

The universe displayed;"

TODAY'S PROMISE

"He who tills his land will have plenty of food,

But he who follows empty pursuits will have

poverty in plenty." 

(Proverbs 28:19 NASB)

I'M A CAR. I'M A CAR. I'M A CAR. I'M A CAR

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I'M A CAR.  I'M A CAR. I'M A CAR.

I spend several hours a day in the garage so

I'M A CAR.

Lady, it don't work that way.

I one time knew a man who apparently had a 

different outlook on life than his wife.  So,

she lived in the house, and he lived in the garage.

BUT, it did not make a car out of him.

You may go to a church.  But that does not make

a Christian out of you.  The creator of mankind 

said:

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is

born of water and the Spirit he cannot

enter into the kingdom of God." 

(John 3:5 NASB)

TODAY'S QUOTE

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"Men try to fix problems with duct tape.

God did it with nails."   

- UNKNOWN 

TO VALUABLE TO USE.

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TO VALUABLE TO USE.

In the motorcycle world I noticed something.

The more the motorcycle cost - the less it is rode.

Take an expensive custom bike.

Pay $50,000.00 to $100,000.00 for the motorcycle

and you will not see it on the road.  There is too much

chance it might get scratched, or heaven forbid, get

some dust or dirt on it.

Take the junk motorcycle below.

The owner will ride it everywhere and just have

a blast riding it.

If it gets a scratch or a dent.  Well, it just got

more character.

The expensive motorcycle.
The only time you will see it on the road is on a trailer
on the way to a motorcycle show.

Am I saying, "Get a cheap motorcycle."  NO.
I am saying we have missed placed values.

A short time back I saw a "baseball card" up for auction.
The current bid at that time was $21,500.00.  If you could
get it at one tenth of that price, what on earth good is it to
anyone?  Well, except to care for and protect it.

Or,
a shelf full of inexpensive "nick nacks".  What is their
value?  Just something to dust and keep from breaking.

A mess of "stuff" is not life.

God said,
"Beware, and be on your guard against every form
of greed; for not even when one has a abundance
does his life consist of his possessions."
(Luke 12:15 NASB)

EXPERT MECHANICS

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As a retired professional auto technician I am constantly

amused by teen age boys and cars.

You have noticed it too.

Let a teenage boy learn a few automobile terms like;

engine, crankshaft, camshaft and piston.  And then 

possibly even have had the experience of changing a

tire.  Well, Wow.

Let there be a couple of girls around and the boy

suddenly becomes a full fledged ASE certified auto

technician.  He knows everything and can fix anything.

The same thing is true in "Religion".  And in particular

"Christianity".  Let people learn a few "Christian" terms

or "rituals" and they think they know all about "Christianity".

Or are a "Christian".  Especially if they have gone to "Divinity 

School" and learned some big "Christian" words.

What they fail to recognize is that "True Christianity" is

not beliefs or rituals or precepts - But a relationship with

God himself.   

The next time you hear someone spouting of about Christianity

consider that their knowledge may only be something out of

their head, not from the reality of a relationship with God.

TODAY'S PROMISE

"The fear of the LORD prolongs life,

But the years of the wicked will be

shortened."

(Proverbs 10:27 NASB)  

MISS JUDGING

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For many years I worked for a luxury auto dealership.

Understandably most of our customers were older, 

"well to do" people.  They were the kind of people

who once their decision was made about the car they

wanted did not ask "How much a month will that be?"

But, "How much do I make the check out for?"

But there was one habit they had that used to get under

my skin.  These old geezers would talk to me all right.

But it seemed that they always looked down their nose

at me.  You know, as if to say, "Why are you polluting

my air space?"  Or, "What rock did you come out from

under?"

But I learned something.

The first pair of bifocals I got, I learned that if I wanted

to see someones face clearly - I had to jack my nose up 

in the air to see though the bifocals.

"Do not judge so that you will not be judged.

For in the way you judge, you will be judged;

and by your standard of measure, it will be 

measured to you."

(Matthew 7:1,2 NASB)