LESSON FROM THE OLD TRUCK

You have seen old trucks before.  Even I know that.

And, there is nothing special about this one.

This one is an old 1979 Dodge Power Wagon.  I

used it for many, many years.  But I wanted something

smaller and lighter so this thing was set aside.  Then

after buying a newer smaller truck I just gave it to a

neighbor up the road a ways.

He used it to go fishing a lot around the various

farm ponds in the area.  But the point I want to 

make is how he spent a lot of time telling me what

a great hot rod he was going to make out of it.  He

was going to take the cab off and change a dozen 

other things.  That was fine with me.  But I knew

my neighbor.  After sitting at his house for a long

time he talked someone into painting it with a 

spray can.  That is what you see in the image above.

And that was as "hot rod" as it ever got. Then it sat 

and sat and sat.

I finally saw it hauled off on a wrecker.  My guess

is he traded it for a six pack of beer.

The same old truck with a little make up on the out

side.

The lesson.  I see what seems to be a lot of professed

"Christians" who seem to have changed the outside

some, or give a real good talk.  But, in actions they

seem to have the same old insides, mind, thoughts,

 attitudes and desires.

If truly we will turn our selves over to God and allow

him to work in us, it will make that "hot rod" out of

us.  But just being "churchy" will not do it.

THE WAY THEY WALK

Image courtesy of: www.Pixabay.com   

You have noticed it to.  The way he/she/it walks tells

you what it is.  For example, in the distance you see an

animal but you do not know if it is a dog or something

else.  When it starts to walk, trot or run, you know that

it is a fox.   Because that is the way a fox walks or runs.

You see a very small animal where you cannot get a good

look at it.  When it moves, if it hops, it's a rabbit. etc.

In this day and age it often is difficult to tell whether a

person walking down the side walk is a male or female.

But if you will observe for a little bit you usually can

tell if it's a male or female because there is just something

different about the way they walk.

I am finding a lot of confusion about people today.

In days past the way some people walked, i.e. lived,

and talked did not match up.  Or we would say that 

their walk did not match their talk.   They talked a 

real good story.  But their life showed and entirely 

different story.

I am not a real social person.  I have a few good solid

friends and am content with that.  But lately I have 

been involved in the so called social media, i.e., Facebook

in particular.  Wow!  What an eye opener.  It seems that

there are a lot of people out there that can talk a real good

talk.  They will say something, or share a post that could

have came right out of the Holy Bible it's self.

Then the next six posts from the same person could have

come right out of the pit of Hell it's self.

Jesus Christ said,

"For whatever is in your heart determines

what you say"  

(Matthew 12:34 NLT)  

 Now which talk or walk am I to believe?

Something seems hypocritical in this.

I suppose the answer is found the Holy Bible.

Be patient with me.  I will include a long portion

of Scripture to make my point.  See if you do not think

these are the days we are living in.  The last sentence

is really the one I am after so I will capitalize it.

"You should know this, Timothy, that in the last

days there will be very difficult times.  For people

will love only themselves and their money.  They

will consider nothing sacred.  They will be unloving

and unforgiving; they will slander others and have

no self-control.  They will be cruel and hate what

is good.  They will betray their friends, be reckless,

be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather 

than God.  THEY WILL ACT RELIGIOUS, BUT

THEY WILL REJECT THE POWER THAT 

COULD MAKE THEM GODLY."

(2 Timothy 3:1 - 5 NLT)   

With God's help I want to seek the power from

Him to live a "godly" life and walk the walk that 

would match  a godly talk.

IT'S JUST TALK

Image courtesy of: www.Pixabay.com   

You know people that way.

They say they are going to do a lot of things or

make promises and none are ever fulfilled.

It's just talk.

This morning while reading my Bible I read of 

a woman who had a need.   To her it was a real,

hurting, desperate need.  And her prayer was a 

prayer of desperation.  Of course God answered 

it.

That made me reflect back over a long life and

the answers to pray.  True, many of my prayers 

are answered that are simple little prayers with

out much thought.  But the ones that were  answered

with a pure miracle from heaven it's self were

desperate prayers.  Not just talk, or chatter, but

a prayer of desperation to God almighty.

A few years ago I was in the barber shop waiting 

my turn.  I was talking with one of the local 

pastors and he told me that every miracle that

he personally knew about was the result of a

desperate prayer.

What's the point.

When you pray, if you do, are you just talking,

or serious and getting ahold of alrighty God?

TALK, TALK, TALK

Image courtesy of: www.Pixabay.com

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.

JUST TALK

Many years ago I had one of those old Dodge Power

Wagons.  The thing was a good old solid truck.  It 

was like nothing could stop it.  But, it sure could 

drink the gas.  So, I bought a newer small pickup.  

It has served me very well also.

Being the old thing it was, I just gave the old Dodge 

to a man who lived back on one of the dirt roads 

in our area.

He was happy and proud of it.  And I was glad

someone could use it.  In fact, for a while he 

used it to drive back to the fishing holes and

ponds in the area for fishing.  Then he parked

it.  That was O.K.  It was his.

For years he kept telling me what he was going

to do with it.  BUT, it just sat there.

I think it was last year he came to my house 

to tell me what as great "hot rod" he was going

to make out of it.  "O.K.  Fine, it's yours."

Believe it or not, he got it running again

driving it up and down the road for about

a week.  Also someone took a spray can

and painted some of it with primer.  I guess

that was what made it a "hot rod".

But, I see it has gone back to just setting.

Talk.  It is (was) all just talk.

So much like many people today.  They

talk about all the great things they are 

going to do.  But years pass, and nothing

happens.  It's just talk.

That is the way it is in the "Spiritual"

world too.  Some start off with a "bang".

Then - that's it.

Jesus tells us about some that way.  They

hear the word of God:

"And these in like manner are the ones

sown upon rocky ground, who when

they hear the word, immediately receive

it with joy; and they have no root in

themselves, but endure for a while; then,

persecution arises on account of the 

word, immediately they fall away."

(Mark 4:16 RSV)

Makes me wonder.  Is my religious or

spiritual talk, just talk.  Is there any 

depth to my confession?

POLITICIANS AT WORK

images courtesy of www.Pixabay.com

"There is more hope for a stupid

fool than someone who speaks

without thinking."

(Proverbs 29:20

IT'S ALL JUST TALK

(All images courtesy of:www.Pixabay.com)

You hear them too.

Friends, relatives or neighbors who are constantly telling

you what they are going to do - but it never happens.  It is

just so much talk.  You have heard it so many times that

you could recite it just as well as they do.

And even more in the political realm.

ALL the politicians are telling you what they are going 

to do for you.  How they are going to clean up corruption

or bad situtions and so forth.  But it never happens.  The 

only thing that happens is that you lose more of your 

freedoms and your taxes increase.

Our words do us no good if they are not backed

up by action.  St. James when talking about faith

said what could just as well apply to words we talk.

"My friends, what good is it for one of you to

say that you have faith if your actions do not

prove it? ...... So it is with faith: if it is alone

and includes no actions, then it is dead."

(James 2:14,17 GNT)

Talk is cheap.  Or is it.

Consider this.  One day both you and I are going to 

stand before the God who created us - whether we 

like it or not. Then we are going to give an account of 

our lives.  Every bit of it.

The one who created the heavens and the earth, and gives you life it's self said,

"You can be sure that on the Judgment Day

you will have to give account of every useless

word you have ever spoken.  Your words will

be used to judge you - to declare you either

innocent or guilty."

(Matthew 12:36,37 GNT)

All of that cheap talk may end up coming

at a very high price.

"Everyone must be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to become angry"

(James 1:19 GNT)

Solomon the wisest man who ever lived 

gave this advice,

"Think before you speak, and don't

make any rash promises to God.  He

is in heaven and your are on earth,

so don't say any more than you have to."

(Ecclesiastes 5:2 GNT)

Someone said,

"Wisdom has two parts:

1.  Having a lot to say.

2. Not saying it.

Rochefoucauld said,
"As it is the characteristic of great
wits to say much in few words, so 
it is of small wits to talk much and
say nothing."

ARE YOU LISTENING?

There is someone I have known for years.

We have a very good relationship that I want

  to continue.

However.

You know how life is.

This person has one annoying habit.

And has had it for as long as I can remember.

Were it not for this one annoying habit, 

this person would no doubt be perfect.

Well, almost.

We can be within talking distance of one another,

not even saying or doing anything. And all I have 

to do is open my mouth and start to say something.

I will not even have my first sentence finished 

until this person has "butted" in and started 

talking about who knows what.

Starting to talk is like waving a red flag

in front of a bull.

Now that's not too bad, but it can be several

times during the same conversation.   If you

can call a one sided conversation a conversation.

This only takes two or three times until I shut

up and do not even try to tell them what I started

too.

I suppose it was while thinking about this that 

the Lord let a thought come into my mind.

When God is trying to speak to me, do I start

talking to him instead of listening to him.

When the Holy Spirit is "trying" to minister

to me, do I start reciting my "give me" list?

"He who has an ear, 

let him hear what the Spirit says....."

(Revelation 3:22 GNT)

A FACT OF LIFE

Living a full life has taught me several things.

One is,

Most people do not communicate,

they only turn their mouth on.

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)

MESSENGERS WITHOUT A MESSAGE

In the time of king David of Israel there was a man named

Ahimaaz.  His name was almost as funny as some of our names.

But his actions were much the same as ours.

A very important battle had just been won.  Ahimaaz wanted

to be the one to run and tell the king the outcome of the battle.

But some else was sent.

Ahmaaz kept insisting that he should run and tell the king.

Finally he was allowed to run with the news to the king also.

Ahmaaz out run the first runner and delivered the following

message to the king.

"Sir, when your officer Joab sent me,

I saw a great commotion,

but I couldn't tell what it was."

(2 Samuel 18:29 GNB)

Now what kind of information is that????

How informed did the king become from this message?

  

I love the ease of finding information on the internet as vs.

buying a book or card files in the library.

But I have learned something.

If you really want to learn something - stay away from forums.

Some of the people who post on the forums have no concept of

what they are talking about.  They simply want to say something.

Many others are only guessing, but also only want to say something.

And a few - very few - know what they are talking about and

have useful information.  That is, if you can be patient enough

and keep digging through the rest of the postings.

Forums have become a last resort for myself.

If you watch videos you have found much the same thing.  A

lot of the videos were made by people who do not know what

they are doing.  They just want to make a video.  I have even

seen some that have never even done the task they are trying 

to teach you about.

Should we even mention Facebook and the stupidity that is

posted daily there?   

Yes, there are some good posts even on Facebook. 

But you will have a warped mind by the time you get to it.

Those of us that try to blog are sure that blogging is much
different.  Isn't it? 

Should we leave the use of these things alone?

"You can be sure that on the Judgment Day you will

have to give account of every useless word you have ever

spoken.  Your words will be used to judge you - to declare

you either innocent or guilty."

(Matthew 12:36,37 GNB)

WHAT'S THE POINT?

Photo courtesy of adailygoodthing.com

One Sunday

the pastor was out of state holding meetings.  That's a good thing.

The pulpit was filled (Is that the proper way to say it?) by one of the other ministers.

That's a good thing.

I don't remember the way he said it, but this brother had something that was bubbling up in him.  Something that was burning.  Something that would not let go, and he was wanting to share it with us.

Now that is a great thing.

Bring it on brother, I was in need of something from the Lord.

What was it?

I DO NOT KNOW.

The sermon must have been a good one.  I did not go to sleep.

The sermon filled about the normal amount of time, or a little more.

Plenty of time to get a point across.

But at the end of the sermon, I did not know what the point of the sermon was.

The next day (Monday)

early in the morning while mulling the sermon over in my mind - I still did not know the point of the sermon.

My point.

I strongly suspect that the reason was,

the point of the sermon was buried under an avalanche of words.

You know, like too much water for one tea bag.

The tea is diluted to the point you cannot tell what the flavor is.

Photo courtesy of www.dmcoffee.com

"Think before you speak, 

and don't make any rash promises to God.

He is in heaven and you are on earth,

so don't say any more than you have to."

-Ecclesiastes 5:2 (GNB)

"The more you talk, the more likely you are to sin.

If you are wise, you will keep quiet."

-Proverbs 10:19 (GNB)