TODAY'S QUOTE

"We have a feed-me-first fixation.  Christianity

today is stuck in a rut of self-development.  It is

a me-and-mine style religion that survives on 

and endless diet of books, cassettes, conferences

and seminars.

"This fat-head faith has produced a generation

of Christians who know all the answers but won't

cross the street to help a neighbor in spiritual

distress.  This demonic reasoning goes, 'Me first-

after all, I can't help others until I help myself."  

Y.P. Yohannan in

The Road To Reality

TODAY'S PROMISE

"Show me the right path, O LORD;

point out the road for me to follow.

Lead me by your truth and teach me,

for you are the God who saves me.

All day long I put my hope in you.

Remember, O LORD, your compassion

and unfailing love,

which you have shown from long

ages past,"  

(Psalms 25:4-6 NLT). 

HOW TO SUCCEED

HOW TO SUCCEED

First, if your idea of success is either fame or

fortune, you are totally deceived and on the 

road to self destruction.

This morning while reviewing the news on the 

internet I read of a man who gave millions to 

one thing or another.  He was only in his fifties,

but he jumped to his death from some building.

I guess that is the happy dance.

The other morning while reading my Bible and

in a mood of prayer, because I want to finish out 

what ever life I have left hand in hand with God,

and looking for answers to my remaining days

I was reading in Luke.  In chapter five where Christ

is calling his disciples I noted several things.

It is recommended that you read for yourself

this section of Scripture if you have a Bible,

that is, Luke chapter five verse 1 to 16.

However I noted for my self the following.

1.  The disciples had worked hard all night and 

caught nothing.  Now I can relate to that.  Doing

things the way I think they should be done and

accomplishing nothing.

2.  When they did the same thing the way Jesus

told them to do it, they were swamped with

success.

3. They left everything and followed Jesus.  How

often we try to drag "stuff" along in living for 

God.  It does not work well.

4. Even Jesus himself often would go away alone

to pray to the Father.  Now if Jesus needed to 

pray often, how do you think we are going to

make it without a lot of prayer.

TODAY'S QUOTATION

"I am convinced this so-called higher education

'to serve God and live for Him' is one of he greatest

deceptions of our time."

- K.P. Yohannan in

The Road To Reality

MY WIFE DIED LAST NIGHT

MY WIFE DIED LAST NIGHT

Yes, my wife did die last night.  I do not know when 

during the night she passed away.  It could have been

from about six to twelve hours ago.  All I know is that

when I went in to see why she had not gotten up, she

was dead.

The police, the coroner and the funeral home people

have all been here.  So, why am I trying to write 

something to you while I am mourning?  It is because

I feel compelled to share with you the hope that is 

within me and keeps me going today.

You see, my wife knew Jesus Christ personally.  Years

ago she recognized that she was a sinner and headed

for a Devil's hell.  So she invited Jesus Christ to come

into her life and take over.  And in her own way she

had been living for him all these years since.  She was

a different woman.

Consequently I know that she is in heaven with her 

Lord and God right now.  I miss her.  Right now things

hurt bad.  But she is in the arms of Jesus and out of the

suffering she had in her body and the cares of the world.

As old as I am, I cannot live a whole lot longer.  But, 

when my time is ended here on earth I will be joining

her with Jesus Christ.  Then we will be together again

FOREVER.

"And just as each person is destined to die

once and after that comes judgment, so also

Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take

away the sins of many people.  He will come

again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring

salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him."  

(Hebrews 9:27,28. NLT)

TODAY'S PROMISE

"And I will give you a new heart, and I will put
a new spirit in you.  I will take out your stony,
stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive
heart.  And I will put my Spirit in you so that
you will follow my decrees and be carful to obey
my regulations."
(Ezekiel 36:26,27 NLT).

HEARING FROM GOD

I am in the process of tearing down an old house.

Yesterday one of my great grand sons wanted to

help me.  That of course means he wants to take

a hammer and bust up everything he could.

The boy is only six years old and he had his mouth

turned on.  You have been around people like that.

I noticed that even when I was gone from the house

and on another part of the property, he was still 

talking to me.

There must be a lesson in that.

Someone once said,

"You cannot learn anything while you are talking."

You have seen that happen.  When their mouth is

turned on, you cannot tell them anything.

A lot of us want to hear from God.  But are we

willing to listen?  Or is our mouth just turned on?

A.C. Valdez in his book "Fire on Azusa Street"

when talking about hearing from God said;

"Before that, it had been hard for me to hear Him,

because I was doing all of the talking and none

of the listening."

Jesus himself when talking to a group of people

said;

"Anyone with ears to hear should listen

and understand!"  

(Matthew 11:15 NLT)

I do not know about you, but more than likely

I spend too much of my day rattling off a bunch

of request to God, but not taking the time to just

be with him and listen.

TODAY'S QUOTE

"Before that, it had been hard for me to hear Him,

because I was doing all of the talking and none of

the listening." 

- A.C. Valdez in

Fire on Azusa Street

WHERE IS YOUR THINKING LEADING YOU?

It was William James who said;

Man can alter his life by altering his thinking."

Now Mr. James may think he had discovered

something new but back before Mr. James was

born, before you were born or even before I was 

born - in fact about 930 years before Jesus Christ

was born, king Solomon said it this way;

"Be careful how you think;

your life is shaped by your thoughts."    

(Proverbs 4:23 GNT)

[I know.  Other versions say it differently.

But this is what it means.]

You and I both know that at times the things we

have been thinking about has gotten us into 

trouble.

The Apostle Paul puts it this way;

"Those who are dominated by the sinful nature

think about sinful things, but those who

are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about

things that please the Spirit.  So letting your

sinful nature control your mind leads to death.

But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to

life and peace."  

(Romans 8:5,6 NLT)

Latter he says;

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of

this world, but let God transform you into

a new person by changing the way you 

think.  Then you will learn to know God's

will for you which is good and pleasing

and perfect."  

(Romans 12:2 NLT)

For a true Christian Paul continues;

"Since you have been raised to new life with

Christ, set your sights on the realities of 

heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor

at God's right hand.  Think about the things of

heaven, not the things of earth, for you died

to this life, and your real life is hidden with

Christ in God."  

(Colossians 3:1 - 3 NLT)

I know professed Christians who seemingly can

only think about the things of this life, even at

Church.  Christ himself tells us that "out of the

abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."  Frankly,

I fear for such people.  Their mind seems to be 

constantly on the affairs of this life.  Does Christ 

whom they profess to serve even have any part

in their life?

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one

final thing.  Fix your thoughts on what is 

true, and honorable, and right, and pure, 

and lovely, and admirable.  Think about 

things that are excellent and worthy of 

praise."  

(Philippians 4:8 NLT)

I do not know about you.  But when I fail to 

do this and allow my mind to wonder where 

it should not, is when I get into trouble with

God.

"Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!

Praise the LORD!"  (Psalms 150:6 NLT)

That even got this ape to thinking.

EARTH'S GREATEST EVENT EVER

Most of us like to see a big event of one kind or another

once in a while to break the dulness of life.  Well, hang

on to your hat.  The biggest event this world has ever 

seen, or will see, will be taking place in a few short 

years.

Yes, you an I both will see it.  Everyone who has ever

lived on this earth is going to see it.

The Holy Bible has made hundreds of prophecies

and they have been being fulled in detail right on 

schedule.  And this one will be too.  It is about

Jesus Christ.

"BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS,

and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him;

and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.  So

it is to be Amen."   

(Revelation 1:7 NASB). 

There will be two sides at this event a little like two teams

clashing to see who wins.  

One side will be those who are looking forward to the

coming of our Savior, Lord and King Jesus Christ.  That

is the time that he will reward his followers.

Notice the other side.  The entire rest of the world will

be in mourning.  Why?  They have rejected Jesus Christ

and now they are going to have to pay the price, a terrable

price.

We know who will win this event, Jesus.

I'm on his side.  Who's side are you on?

TODAY'S PROMISE

"Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters.

Hasn't God chosen the poor in this world to

be rich in faith?  Aren't they the ones who will

inherit the kingdom he promised to those who

love him?"   

(James 2:5 NLT)

IS YOUR WORLD FALLING APART?

IS YOUR WORLD FALLING APART?

There are times that life just gets to be too much

to bear.  The reasons are many.  They can be from

physical problems, financial problems, family

 problems, work problems, emotional problems

or even just plain old every day boredom.  But,

regardless of the reasons we become tired of the

whole thing of life.

There is an answer.  Jesus Christ practically begs

us to take them to him.  He wants to help us with

the load in our lives.

I have found for myself that as I take each day

and it's problems to Jesus Christ - things just

plain and simple work out better.

"Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all of you

who are weary ad carry heavy burdens, and I

will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you.  Let

me teach you because I am humble and gentle

at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I

give you is light.'"    

(Matthew 11:28 - 30 NLT)

Roll that burden or problem over on to Jesus

Christ and see if He doesn't do a better job

of handling it than you can.

TODAY'S QUOTATION

"Someone has said that there are more than 1,000

commentaries on the book of Acts in the English

language - but not 100 Christians living with the 

power of the New Testament Christianity.

"All too often it seems, we're willing to be students

of Christianity rather than disciples of Christ.  The

fact is that most of us are substituting learning and

information for practical obedience." 

 

-K.P Yohannan in

The Road To Reality

DOING IT OUR WAY.

I know.  I did not do a real good job on this snap shot.

This picture is one of my great grand daughters taken

about eight or nine years ago.  What I want to emphasize

in this post is her "red hair".  Of course that was not the

focal point of the snap shot.

At that time in all honesty, and not because she is my

grand daughter, she "HAD" the most beautiful red hair

I have every seen on any woman or girl in my life.

A little while ago she drove in with her boyfriend.

She is eighteen now.  I do not know whether to laugh

or cry.  She still has a full head of hair.  I guess it is

"sorta" red.  But ugh.  She is a teenager and has had

to mess it up trying one thing and another - like a 

teen ager would do.

Remember God created Adam and Eve.  They were

perfect in every way.  That is, until they wanted to get

smart eating something they were not supposed to,

and the human race has suffered for it ever since.

My real question is, how much of my life have I

messed up because I wanted to do it my way 

instead of God's way?

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do,

and he will show you which path to take."

(Proverbs 3:5,6 NLT)

Found another poor image,
but you get the idea.

TODAY'S PROMISE

"Seek the LORD while you can find him.

Call on him now while he is near.

Let the wicked change their ways

and banish the very thought of doing

wrong.

Let them turn to the LORD that he may 

have mercy on them.

Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive

generously."    

(Isaiah 55:6,7 NLT)

TODAY'S QUOTE

George Muller once said;

"There was a day when I died, utterly died, died to

George Muller and his opinions, preferences, tastes

and will, died to the world, it's approval or censure

died to the approval or blame of even my brethren 

and friends, and since then I have studied only to

 show myself approved unto God."