WANTING THE HONOR

The company I worked for was bought by a new owner and we moved into different facilities. I do not know why, but I was anxious to see the new business cards.

No, I was not going to have any. My position did not require business cards, but most of my coworkers did.

The day the new cards came I grabbed one of my manager's cards. At first glance of the new card something went all over me. Like a chill, a premonition or a scare.

It was obvious. The pride of the new owner overshadowed everything else. Clearly the business would fail. Why?

The Scriptures say, "Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall." - Proverbs 16:18 (GNB)

The business started with a bang. Perhaps it would be better to say a big splash. And as you already guessed, a few years latter ended with an unpretentious end.

God hates pride and arrogance. See Proverbs 8:13 and other Scriptures.

The Scriptures teach us, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." - James 4:6,10 (GNB)

If we want to be lifted up, exalted, honored, praised, we have to humble ourselves before God. He will lift us up in his own time and way.

The loftiest position a human can attain on earth, is flat on their face in humble submission to God our creator.

THE LORD'S HERITAGE

I can still see it.

That small casket

there in Oakdale

Memorial Park.

In that casket was

Priscilla. My first

born. My own flesh

and blood.

About a year latter

there was another

small casket at Oakdale Memorial Park.
It was my second born, Patrick.

Both had been "still born". Young fellow that I was, it still was

not obvious to me that God was dealing with me. That is another

story. But in time it was settled when I yielded and permitted Jesus

to not only be my saviour, but my Lord.

By this time it became a question to the wife and I if we could even

have children.

But there is also another scene in my mind. I can still see that small

room where we met for prayer and Bible study before Sunday

School.

I do not know who was leading that morning. Nor what they said.

But I do remember the two chapters that were used and the portions

of them that God used to speak to my heart.

"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb

is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children
of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they
shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate."

-Psalms 127:3-5 (KJV)

"Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house:

thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

Behold that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD."

-Psalms 128:3,4 (KJV)

You almost know the rest of the story. The Lord gave us children.

And you know kids. They grow up and have kids.

But the chapter did not stop there. It's last verse says,

"Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children and peace upon Israel.

-Psalms 128:6 (KJV)

By the way,

I have seen my children.

I have seen my children's children.

And I have seen my children's children's children .

Praise God for that.

ISN'T GOD GOOD?

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GOD TO THE RESCUE - AGAIN

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not rely on your own insight.

In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths."

-Proverbs 3:5,6 RSV

I use eBay sometimes when there is something that
cannot be acquired locally, or I do not want to pay
the new price.

My habit is to keep track of the item I'm interested in. Then if the bidding

is to my liking, jump in at the last minute.If I win the bid, I want to pay as

soon as I win. Then I "Owe no one anything," and can forget the whole

process until the item shows up at my door step.

My last purchase was not quit that simple. ( Yes I had prayed about it.

And possibly, like yourself, it was more to get the Lord's permission than

to find his will.) After winning the bid I tried to pay. And tried to pay.

And tried to pay. The seller's system simply would not except my input.

What should have been about three clicks of a mouse and a password

had grown to forty-five minutes of frustration. (Yes I'm an old, OLD

man.) I finally gave up in total exasperation.

Later in the day while burning trash I sat on a log and prayed even more

fervently. The Lord put a thought in my mind. So I went up to the house,

pulled out the lap top, and tried the idea.

You know as well as I do what happened. First time it went right through.

I had been relying on my insights instead of properly acknowledging HIM.

We have a great, wonderful, loving God who wants to lead us aright - if we

will but let him.

ADMONITION TO PREACHERS

Hey "Preacher"! Can you

stop talking long enough

for some advice from old

men? It will only take a

minute.

A short time ago a church within driving distance had a series of meetings with a renowned teacher
preacher. This brother had enough degrees, titles and experience to satisfy the most discriminating. Due to the distance, and personal circumstances, I decided to attend only the first meeting. Even the offering for him was decided before hand. [This was something between the Lord and I over another matter. It simply needed a recipient.]

The renowned brother was extremely interesting. He was a very learned Bible teacher, and presented the teaching of the Scriptures in a most persuasive way. Although I had decided to attended only the first service, after about thirty minutes of his teaching I begin to consider coming to the rest of the meetings, despite the distance and personal circumstances. In fact after an hour he was still holding my interest [That is a miracle.] and I was still of the same persuasion.

However. By the time one hour and forty-five minutes had elapsed, the pendulum had swung the other way. No way was I coming for three more meetings. And I was giving serious consideration to giving the offering somewhere else - any where else. I'm weird. I know it, I confess it. But I'm in good company.

"Mark Twain is credited with a story about an overlong sermon. At the end of twenty minutes he was so favorably impressed he decided to put in five dollars when the offering was taken. Twenty minutes later, he decided that two dollars would suffice. After another twenty minutes, the proposed contribution shrank to one dollar. When eventually the sermon ended, Mark Twain awoke from a doze and placed a dime on the plate." -Speech: DYNAMIC COMMUNICATION by Milton Dickens pp. 318,319

The apostle Paul said, "For the kingdom of God is not

a matter of talk but of power.

- 1 Corinthians 4:20 NIV

Brother James said, "Everyone should be quick to listen,

slow to speak,..." - 1:19 NIV.

"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not

keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and

his religion is worthless." - 1:26 NIV

"... but no man can tame the tongue." - 3:8 NIV.

Just the thinking of some old men.

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ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A MINISTRY?

"You will never be short of ministry -

evangelistic or otherwise -

as long as you are full of the Word of God."

-Reinhard Bonnke

Charisma

Dec. 1993, page 26

HOW TO GET WISDOM

"How I love your law!

I think about it all day long.

Your commandment is with me all the time

and makes me wiser than my enemies.

I understand more than all my teachers,

because I meditate on your instructions.

I have greater wisdom than those who are old,

because I obey your commands.

I have avoided all evil conduct,

because I want to obey your word.

I have not neglected your instructions,

because you yourself are my teacher.

How sweet is the taste of your instructions -

sweeter even than honey!

I gain wisdom from your laws,

and so I hate all bad conduct."

-Psalms 119:97-104 TEV

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LEARNING FROM MOTORCYCLES

When it comes to motorcycles, we do not all like the

same thing. You are glad of that. Right? Otherwise

everyone would want one like yours.

Years ago I bought an old Honda Goldwing with the

intended purpose of stripping it down. The reasons at

this point are not important. I call it my Hebrews 12:1

Motorcycle.

It started off looking like the motorcycle below. Many

people just love it that way. But to my self it looks too

much like a moving van coming down the road.

It was stripped down in stages. About the first week end I had it, I took of the barn door in front. Both linen closets on the sides. And the kitchen sink off the back.

That was a loss of 71 lbs the first week end. It went into the next stage as my work bike for many years.

But that still was not were I wanted it. Being retired now and not needing it for work every day it could be stripped further. The Lord helped my get it to the point of the picture below. It's almost were I want it. Some more
to go, or you could say it is still under

construction.

Why is it my Hebrews 12:1 motorcycle?

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud

of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin

which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance

the race that is set before us, "

-Hebrews 12:1 RSV

I want all "the dead weight" off the motorcycle. The less weight, the faster. Or if you prefer, less dead weight burns less gas.

Now you may never get your motorcycle into a race.

But if you are a Christian you are in a race. AND, the Lord wants us to remove all the dead weight from

our lives. For us dead weight comes in many forms.

In our day the Lord's comment comes as a real warning.

"but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches,

and the desire for other things, enter in and choke

the word, and it proves unfruitful."

-Mark 4:19 RSV

Cares, riches, desires all can become weight that

holds us back, presses us down and makes us lose

the race.

Like the motorcycle above. We will always be under

construction in this life. The Lord is shaping us up

for himself. But if we are serious about living for

Christ, it is up to us to remove the dead weight

from our lives.