LIFE IS A GRIND.

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Life is a grind.

If you have not found that out - you have not 

lived very long.  Even the rich and the famous 

have their share of problems.  Perhaps different

ones than you and I have, never the less, problems.

There are two purposes for problems.  One of course

is to show us that we are not capable of handling life

by our selves.  They are supposed to make us take our

eyes off of ourselves and look up to God for help.  I 

have encountered this one far to often in life.  Yet I 

am much better off because of it.

The other one I want to mention is true only of those

who have come into a relationship with God.  No,

not joined a church or gone through some ritual or 

stood on their head trying to be "spiritual" or some

thing.  But come into a personal relationship with

God.   Which by the way does not get you out of 

conflict like some would try to teach you, but may 

increase problems - for a purpose.

Considering problems or suffering in whatever form

it may come, consider this quote of A.B. Simpson.

"Are you living in the crucible?  Then take heart!

Some thing beautiful is about to happen at the hands

of your creator".

"Crucible" is a word I do not hear much any more, but

one of the definitions of "crucible" is:

"3. a severe test or trial, esp. one that causes a lasting

change or influence."

But even more importantly is God's opinion on the 

matter, consider one of numerous passages:

"My friends, consider yourselves fortunate 

when all kinds of trials come your way,

for you know that when your faith succeeds

in facing such trials, the results is the ability

to endure.  Make sure that your endurance

carries you all the way without failing, so 

that you may be perfect and complete, lacking 

nothing."

(James 1:2 -4 GNT)  

But what is the outcome?

This is really where I am wanting to come.

"I consider that what we suffer at this present

time cannot be compared at all with the glory

that is going to be revealed to us.  All of creation

waits with eager longing for God to reveal his

children."

(Romans 8:18,19 GNT)  

Did you catch that?

If we are in a true relationship with Jesus Christ,

every thing we suffer here on earth will turn out

to our glory.  Even nature it's self is waiting to see

this.

TODAY'S QUOTE

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"A season of suffering is a small price to pay

for a clear view of God."

-Max Lucado

THE MAJORITY

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One of the sad facts of life is that generally the majority

is wrong.  This has been shown time after time.  One of 

those that stand out to me is when the apostle Paul was

being transported to Rome as a prisoner.   They were on

 a ship when the weather turned against them.  The apostle

recommended that they travel no further.  But, "... the

majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there,"

Interesting to me is that in the "majority" were the "experts";

a centurion, pilot and the captain of the ship.  If you have 

ever read the account you know that the trip ended in total 

disaster for the ship.  Note that the one man on the ship who 

was walking and living with God was the apostle Paul who's

advice was ignored.

Two quotes stand out to me.

"One and God make a majority."

-Frederick Douglass

and

"A man in the right, with God on his side,

is in the majority though he be alone."

-H. W. Beecher.

Give me the Holy Bible and a relationship

with Jesus Christ  and I'll forget the majority.

JOY IN THE MIDST OF TROUBLE

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It has been rainy all week long.  A time when the arthritis

and a gloomy attitude want to take over.  A time of longing

for spring and some sunshine.

Yesterday when I was finishing up a project on a piece of 

equipment my wife pulled up to the shop door in her car

to speak to me.  About the time she rolled her window down

we both begin to smell something electrical burning.  At first

we did not know if it was the equipment I was working on,

or her car.  It was her car.

It ended up that the problem was the compressor for the 

air conditioning system had locked up.  This "fried" the

clutch [cause of the smell] and broke the serpentine belt.

"O joy"  That was a play on words.  That was anything but

good news to me.

I have the equipment to repair it.  But, I burned out on

working on cars twenty years ago.  That was not a task

I was looking forward to.  I wanted a break from problems.

However,  last evening I noted something.  A joy, a real

honest to goodness joy was springing up in me.  Not 

something put on trying to put on a happy face and pretend

that everything will get better.  But a real joy or happiness

that I did not have to generate.  I knew what it was, I have

experienced it before.  We call it the joy of the Holy Spirit.

This joy that comes from God himself does not come from

going to church, or joining a church, or having the correct

doctrine or theology, saying a certain pray, or doing some

ritual, but simply being in relationship to God himself.

When we yield ourselves to Jesus Christ and have him

come in and take over our life his Spirit - the Holy Spirit -

moves into our life and that is the source of the joy that

springs up in us when things are tough.

That joy has strengthened me and given me the confidence

to dig into this problem - ready or not.

Thank you Jesus.

TODAY'S PROMISE

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and 

his righteousness; and all these things shall

be added unto you."

(Matthew 6:33)  

PRAYERS THAT WORK

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This morning I was reading about one of the miracles that was

the result of pray in the Bible.  This made me reflect on some 

of the miracles in my own life that were the result of pray, i.e.

real prayer.

First it would be right to mention a couple of "facts of life."

One, God is God and his will or purpose is going to be done

whether we like it or not.  So, don't expect him to turn this old

world into heaven just to please you.

Two.  If I were a child wanting something that my parents

could not afford, I would not expect to run up to the big 

house on the hill where the people had lots of money and 

make my request to them.  I do not belong to their family.

So, if I am living for the Devil, why would God be expected

to dish it out for the Devil's kids?

Back to prayer.  I have had hundreds of prayers answered

that are the "say a little prayer" type of thing.  I live in that

realm.  But that does not always bring the desired result.

If you had a dump truck stuck in the ditch, you would not

go get a motor scooter to pull it out would you.  Prayer can

be the same way.  Some times it takes more than a motor

scooter.

A short time back I had one like that.  I had a problem that

I fought nearly all after noon.  And there must have been a

good number of "say a little prayers" go up to God.  But the

problem whipped me anyway.

By the next day I had changed.  I was whipped and broken.

I was like pointed out in the 51st chapter of Psalms were it

says:

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

A broken and contrite hear, O God,

You will not despise."

(Psalms 51:17 NASB)   

You guessed it.

Just one serious broken hearted prayer to God and the

problem was fixed in an instant with our my even touching

any thing.

On a closing note.

Years ago in the barber shop I got to talking with a local

pastor of one of the Churches.  He told me that the only 

miracles he had ever seen were the result of DESPERATE

prayer.

TODAY'S QUOTE

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"The readiest way to escape from our sufferings is to be

willing they should endure as long as God pleases."

-John Wesley  

JESUS THE MECHANIC

The lawn mower above had been abandoned for a long time.

It allegedly had major engine problems so it's owner gave it

to Fort Rock Family Camp.  I volunteer some for the camp so

I had them bring it to my shop making it easier for me to work

on.

After getting it started it had a bad problem all right, but not

too difficult to repair.  I started and run the engine several times 

while checking it out.  Then I tore into it only having to take the 

top off the engine for the repair.

  After I had the engine reassembled it was time to test it out.  

But all that would happen was the starter would spin and not

 engage - and I had not even touched the starter.

Working with engine starters is not a new thing to me.  I was

a professional auto technician for over twenty five years.  Which

means I started working on starters back when we had to take them

apart and fix them ourselves.  And being retired, they still keep 

coming into my life.

So I took the starter off to see what was wrong.  When the starter

was off of the engine it would work fine.  Put it back on the engine

and it would only "spin out".  I did this three times and could not 

do anything  to make it work.  I wasted almost a full after noon

trying to make it work, all to no avail.  By then I was in a very

"UnChristian" attitude and quit for the day.

This afternoon I went back down to the shop to work at it again.

But before even touching it I had a serious prayer meeting with

Jesus.  I reached over, turned the key and it "banged" right off.

It has been working every time since.

PRAISE GOD AND THANK YOU JESUS.

The image below is of the starter.

USELESS, UTTERLY USELESS

If I were as young as you, my prospective would be 

entirely different.  But, mine is different for this reason.

I had lived out a full life span, then got sick and should

have died.  That would only have been the normal routine.

BUT GOD.  When he enters the picture, everything changes.

But God in his mercy choose to restore a measure of health

to me.  So a number of years latter I am still "plugging" along.

Now when you are living on "borrowed" time things look a 

lot different.  And nearly everything is now viewed from a 

different prospective.  The prospective that everything I do,

think, or use is something that I use for my "eternal reward" 

and will have to give an account of, or it will be squandered.

This causes me to be overwhelmed by the squandering of 

time and resources I see by people who should know better.

Present time and resources that could be used for their own

eternal benefit, but instead squandered for the fun or pleasure

of the moment.  The reality is, that makes their time and 

resources - useless, utterly useless - when it could have been

better for them used other ways.

A little different thought.  But over a full life time of seeing

many people receiving "inheritances" I have notice that 

nearly all of them get squandered.  Dad and mom should have

used the inheritance on themselves because the kids are just

going to throw them away anyway.

God gives everyone of us; life, time and some resources,

no matter how meager.  Am I using them for God's purposes

and my eternal benefit or for the moment?

If I am using them only for the present time I am turning 

them into something that will be "useless, utterly useless.

TODAY'S PROMISE

"The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger:

but they that seek the LORD shall not want

any good thing."(Psalms 34:10)  

POSSESSIONS

TODAY'S QUOTE

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"It is distinctive of the Christian life, that while it

grows more conscientious, it also grows less and less

a task of duty and more and more a service of delight."

-Newman Smyth   

IS YOUR FIRE BURNING LOW?

This is my "burn barrel".

You have one too don't you?

They keep your house from filling up with trash.

If we did not have a "burn barrel" we would have 

had to get out of the house years ago.

I am tempted to ask you, what do you do with your 

trash.  But perhaps I best not ask.

But, in the top image it is obvious the fire is not burning

well at all.  It has smothered from all the ashes and is

 about to go out.  However, after stirring up the mess of 

stuff in it, the burnable material is brought to the top and

as you can see below, burns well again.

Sometimes my spiritual life gets like the smothered fire above.
Then it's time to stir up the fire in me.  For my self that generally
means getting closer to God and refocusing on the important
things of life.

Jesus Christ tells us of three things that will smother our fire,
or keep us from being productive in life from God's view point.

a.  The cares of life it's self, if given undo concern.
b. The delight in riches, or wealth.
c. Pleasures.

Which of these is smothering out your fire?

FAKE CHRISTIANS

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Being born in a "Christian country" does not make you a
Christian.  Being born into a "Christian family" does not
make you a Christian.  Going to a "Christian Church" does
not make you a Christian any more than living in a garage
would make you a car.

Going through rituals, routines or traditions does not make
you a Christian.  It only puts you in the position of those
Christ was speaking about when he said:

"He answered and said to them,

"Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites,

as it is written:

'This people honors Me with their lips,

But their heart is far from Me.

Teaching as doctrines the commandments

of men.'"

(Mark 7:6,7 NKJV)  

Jesus Christ, the very creator of the universe, the
one who gave you life it's self said:

"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is
born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter
the Kingdom of God."
(John 3:5 NKJV) 

A Christian is one who has not only been born
into this world, but in addition been born of the
Spirit of God himself too.

He makes it simple enough.
Recognize that Christ in his love for you died
as a sacrifice in your place - if you will accept
it.
Confess to God your utter sinfulness and need.
Submit yourself to Jesus Christ asking him to
come into you and take control of yourself.

The most scary portion of Scripture I know is:

"Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord,
have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out
demons in Your name, and done many wonders
in Your name?"
(Matthew 7:22,23 NKJV) 

These folks did lots of "Religious" stuff in the name
of Jesus Christ.  But- he did not know them.  That is.
They never came into a relationship with Jesus Christ.
And without that personal relationship, they plain
and simply are not "Christians".

TODAY'S PROMISE

"For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

`the LORD will give grace and glory: no good

thing will he withheld from them that walk

uprightly."

(Psalms 84:11)  

REAL PREACHING

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SORRY, that is not the way it was done in the

original New Testament Church.  You know how

it works as well as I in today's Church.  You 

gather the Christians together, then "preach" to

them to get them saved. (?)

Look at the picture below.  These "critters" "preach"

in the New Testament way.

My wife put out a couple of bird feeders a few weeks

ago.  It took a little while.  But finally a bird showed

up.  My wife told me it would go and tell the others

where the feed was.

It took a while, but today they are flocking in.  Today

I had to fill the feeders twice because so many birds are

coming in.  When one found the feed it passed "the good

news" to the others who passed it to others who passed it

to others.  That is the way it was done in New Testament

times.

"Now Saul was consenting to his death.  At that 

time a great persecution arose against the church

which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered

throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, EXCEPT

THE APOSTLES." ......(v. 1 Emphasis mine.)

"Therefore those who were scattered went 

everywhere preaching the word."(v.4)

(Acts ch. 8:1 & 4 NKJV)

TODAY'S QUOTE

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"The greatest proof of Christianity for others is not

how far a man can logically analyze his reasons  for

believing, but how far in practice he will stake his 

life on his belief." - T.S. Eliot  

JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

Jesus said;

"Beware of the scribes who like to walk around

in long robes, and like respectful greetings in

the market places, and the chief seats in the

synagogues and places of honor at banquets,

who devour widows' houses, and for appearance's

sake offer long prayers; these will receive great

condemnation."

(Mark 12:38-40 NASB)

CHRISTIAN FANTASY LAND

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Reading in the book of Isaiah this morning a passage

of Scripture really stood out to me.  It is so realistic of

 the modern heresies that are in the "Christian Church" of 

today.

There are at least three of the most popular doctrines

in the Church that really are not taught in God's Word.

That is, unless you take the Scriptures out of context

and spin them around putting them in the order you

want, while ignoring other passages dealing with the

same subject.

It is just like when God said to the nation of Israel;

"For this is a rebellious people, false sons,

Sons who refuse to listen To the instructions

of the LORD; Who say to the seers, 'You must

not see visions"; And to the prophets, ' You 

must not prophesy to us what is right, Speak

to us; pleasant words, Prophesy illusions."

(Isaiah 30:9,10 NASB)  

The common thing I note about all of these heresies

is that they are more pleasant to us than the truth.

May I suggest that we take God's word just as it is

written - ALL OF IT.

TODAY'S PROMISE

"The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,

To the person who seeks Him."

(Lamentations 3:25 NASB)