STRETCHING THE GAS

A few years ago I rode one of my motorcycles

out to the west coast to visit with my kids. This

particular motorcycle has only a five gallon gas

tank on it. It's not like that land yacht you drive

around town with a huge gas tank. With only

five gallons you learn to measure out your gas

stops, and often. So I worked on about

one hundred and fifty miles between gas stops.

This gave me a margin of safety.

I left the Ozarks the last day of February. So

it would have been the first day of march that I

was out in west Texas. It was a Sunday afternoon.

In that part of Texas it can be a loooooong way

between towns, and the wind was blowing like

crazy. When I went through Pecos on Hwy 20,

it was so windy I had to lean the bike into the

wind just to stay on the road. Now if you drive

anything other than a golf cart, you know that

can be real hard on gas mileage.

I was getting low on gas. But seeing a sign that

another town was only about fifteen miles or so

ahead, I decided to push on to it. That would

leave me a little extra gas for that real long

stretch coming up.

When I pulled into that little town I found two

gas stations. One was boarded up. The other

was locked up. Ouch.

So I pulled back up onto the Hwy. looking for

a sign to see how far to the next town. Ninety

miles - almost out of gas, and no place to turn

around.

By now I was praying at about the same pace

I was breathing. I needed to go back to Pecos.

But could I make it?

The Lord let me see a small side road that went

back to the last small town. Then He let me find

a place where I could ride on the dirt over to that

small road.

As I was returning on that small road I noticed

something. The sun had come out. AND the wind

had quit blowing. Praise God. So I continued to

ease - as in eeeeease very carefully - back to the

small town and back up onto the return side of

Hwy 20.

All the way back to Pecos the sun shone. There

was absolutely no wind. It made a beautiful

Sunday after noon (but slow) ride, with lot's of

prayer.

The Lord let me get back to Pecos and find a

gas station. While the gas nozzle was in my

tank filling up - the wind returned so hard it

almost blew my bike over just setting there.

Praise God. He even controlled the weather

to help this little old guy.

MULTI-TASKING CHRISTIANS ?

It began several decades ago. Some friends

declared that talking while they work did not

effect their work. So I began to watch.

I noticed that when they were working and talking, they had to begin again and redo
things a lot more than when they were not talking. Maybe it's just in the definition!!!!

Today it has become very popular to "multi-task".

But does it work? Consider an article from the

Los Angeles Times back on July 19, 2004.

"Multi-tasking, for most Americans, has become a

way of life."...

"But researchers peering into the brains of those

engaged in several tasks at once are concluding what

some overworked Americans had begun to suspect:

that multi-tasking, which many have embraced as the

key to success, is instead a formula for shoddy work,

mismanaged time, rote solutions, stress and

forgetfulness. Not to mention car crashes, kitchen

fires, forgotten children, near misses in the skies and

other dangers of inattention."

It comes as no surprise that there are a huge number

of articles about multi-tasking not working, at least

well. Each time we add a task to the one we are doing,

we are distracted to a greater degree from the task at

hand. The solution is obvious. FOCUS.

A couple of quotes from the business world. Their

interest is success in business, or finance. But the

trues apply in the spiritual realm as well.

"The secret of success is focus. It is the one secret

that ties everything together. According to the law

of attraction, what you focus on is what you get."

-Enoch Tan in Dream manifesto.

Terri Zwierzynski in Solo Entrepreneur states,

"O: 'How to stay focused?'

A: One easy way to get and stay focused is to

have less to focus on!"

The girl is right on. It is so obvious it is almost

funny.

What does all of this have to do with living for God?

A Christian wants to get close to God. As it were, to

walk hand in hand with Him through life. (I hope.)

So God tells us how.

"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

Cleanse our hands, ye sinners; and purify your heats,

ye double minded."

-James 4:8 KJV (Emphasis mine.)

See that "double minded". Dear old brother James

Strong tells us that double minded is,

"Two-spirited, i.e. Vacillating (in opinion or purpose)"

Hey. That's multi-tasking. That's unfocused.

The apostle John says's it a little different.

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in

the world. If any man love the world, the love of

the Father is not in him."

-1 John 2:15 KJV

When we have divided interest; money, ambition,

success, enjoyment, toys, honor, entertainment,

more things, fun etc., etc., etc. And trying to live

for God. We are multi-tasking. AND IT DON'T

WORK.

Jesus said,

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his

righteousness;"

-Matthew 6:33 KJV

The apostle Paul was such an outstanding success

in living for and serving God because; his attitude

and example was,

"... but this one thing I do..."

-Philippians 3:13 KJV

Yes, I had to follow Terri's advice. Drop some things

so that there would be less to focus on. I do not need

every thing my little heart or mind desires. I do not

need every comfort or convenience there is. BUT I DO

NEED JESUS.

NEVER TOO OLD

This will not mean a thing to you kids

who have not even reached retirement

yet. But some of us older folks need

encouragement too.

Thursday of last week a brother in the

Lord turned ninety-two (92). Being the

pastor's grandfather, the pastor had him

preach. He has being preaching for the

Lord seventy-three years now. And still

out preaches most of the young preachers.

This brother over the years has been used

to bring hundreds to Jesus Christ. Praise

God for that. But one of the discouraging

things about it is that literally hundreds

that he won to Christ were "church members".

Yes, some of the converts were even preachers

who had never had an encounter with the living

God. It is such a sad commentary on the church

of today.

Just being in the presence of someone that

old - still on fire for Jesus - and being used of

God yet is an encouragement.

I pray that with God's help I might be on fire

for Jesus Christ as long as he gives me breath.

"The righteous will flourish

like palm trees;

they will grow like the

cedars of Lebanon.

They are like trees planted

in the house of the

Lord,

that flourish in the

Temple of our God,

that still bear fruit

in old age

and are always green and

strong."

-Psalms 92:12-14 TEV

[Emphasis mine]

A LESSON FROM CHINA

Many of you remember the name,

Wang Ming Tao, one of the great house

church leaders of China. He spent twenty

three years in prison for his faith. He

passed away back in about 1991. But his

example of living for God carries on to

challenge us.

Here is a quote from him out of an old

Open Doors publication.

"You ought to make a prison cell for yourself.

When I went into prison, I was broken. I was

an evangelist and wanted to hold campaigns

throughout China. I was a writer and wanted

to write books. I was a preacher and wanted

to read my Bible and write sermons.

"But I didn't have a Bible or a pulpit, a

congregation, a pen or paper. I could do

nothing. Nothing except get to know God.

For 20 years, this was the most beautiful

relationship that I have ever known."

Later he add.

"I was put in a prison cell, but you will have

to do this yourself. Make your life simple, so

that you have time to get to know God."

GOD'S SECURITY FORCE

During this time of sever weather when God seems

to be making a mockery of the "Global Warming"

hoax, his protection is sorely needed. With ice and

snow abounding, the potential for injury has

multiplied. Not to mention evil on every hand.

Terrorism, more idiots than ever AND our own

stupidity.

Quite a few years ago I begin to pray daily that

God would give his angels charge over our family

for protection. Thank God, I have not regretted it.

I have no idea how many times we have been

spared because of it.

This subject was covered by "Faded Ladies" a

a short time back. Go back to their post

"Spiritual Visitors - Part V". You will really

enjoy seeing God's angels in action in this

post. But it comes again to my mind now while

the need is amplified and to remind us of God's

provision.

Consider, after God had given the law to the

nation of Israel, he told them;

"Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you

on the way and to bring you to the place which I

have prepared....When my angel goes before you,"

-Exodus 23:20 & 23 RSV

The thought is also expressed in,

Exodus 14:19, 32:34, 33:2

And my favorite,

"Because you have made the Lord your refuge,

the Most High your habitation,

no evil shall befall you,

no scourge come near your tent.

For he will give his angels charge of you

to guard you in all your ways."

-Psalms 91:9-11 RSV

This is the Scripture the Devil quoted to Jesus

in the great temptation. But it is open for all

who make the Lord their refuge.

Ask God to have his angels protect you and your

family. You will not regret it.

"Lord give your angels charge to protect all who

make you their refuge. Thank you for giving us

their protection because of your love for us."

TOO SMART FOR OUR OWN GOOD

Personally I would

rather not be around

ignorant, dumb or

stupid people. That

means anyone more

ignorant, dumb, or

stupid than myself.

[If other people think

like that. It may

account for them not bothering me!]

I do not know of any place in the Scriptures that

puts a premium on, ignorance, stupidity, or

dumbness. (You draw the lines of demarcation.)

And I am not trying to advocate them.

But have you ever thought about how sometimes

we are too smart for what we are doing? Too

smart for our own good?

Any time we think we can handle things, or

depend on our own abilities, we are too smart for

our own good. Jesus said,

"for apart from me you can do nothing."

-John 15:5 RSV

The Apostle Paul said,

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,

to show that the transcendent power belongs

to God and not to us.-2 Corinthians 4:7 RSV

We are only the container. It is supposed to be

God who is seen in us. Not us and our skills or

abilities or knowledge.

Look what happened to Moses. He was raised by

Pharaoh's daughter in the palaces of Egypt.

"And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of

the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words

and deeds."

-Acts 7:22 RSV

And you know God could not use him that

way. Moses had to spend forty years in the desert

unlearning what he had learned. But when God

got through with him. He was the meekest man

on earth and God was able to use him in a mighty

way.

"Now the man Moses was very meek, more

than all men that were on the face of the earth.

-Numbers 12:3 RSV

[Hey! what happened to his self esteem???]

See this vessel (container).

That is the way we are

supposed to be. It is cheap,

fragile and no good for any

thing. It's purpose is only

to display the cheesecake.

It's all about the cheesecake,

not the container,

Even what little stands

out on this crummy

container, is advertising

for the cheesecake.

That is the way we are supposed to be. Full of

God, and whatever anyone can see in us is only

about God in us.

K.P. Yohannan in his book "Dependence Upon the

Lord" on page 41 gives us this quote from Mother

Teresa.

"I am convinced that when I am gone, if God finds

a person more ignorant and useless that I, He will

do greater things through that person because it

will be His doing."

"Lord help us to only show you and not ourselves.

May you increase while we decrease."

HOW TO BE FRUITFUL

Most Christians want to know

how to be more fruitful for

God. Not being an expert on

such matters I want to say,

"I don't know how. It beats

me."

However the Lord has drawn

several things to my attention

in the last few days. One is a

thought put forth by Oswald

Chambers. In part he said,

"The people who influence us most are not those who

buttonhole us and talk to us, but those who live their

lives like the stars in heaven and the lilies in the field,

perfectly simply and unaffectedly. Those are the lives

that mould us.

"If you want to be of use to God, get rightly related to

Jesus Christ and He will make you of use unconsciously

every minute you live."

-My Utmost For His Highest, p.101

That tree in the top photo

is not real, as you know. And

the "fruit" (Let's call it that.)

obviously is just "stuff" my

wife hung on it. (You know,

just like Religion.)

Not good to eat.

This next photo (Poor as

it and the tree are.) is

the real thing. A real

tree with real fruit.
 And the fruit would be eatable

- if you could stand it.

What did the tree do to produce fruit. Just

existed as a tree and the life of the tree flowed

through it producing fruit. To bear fruit for

God, we simply connect to him and let his life

flow through us. Then the fruit comes.

I want to relate one incident in my life that

illustrates how God can use us without even

trying.

When I was in High School a new boy moved

in the area. His family had been living out

of the country and returned home. So he had

some adjustments to make.

All I remember is I liked the guy. We were both

Christians. He was a nice clean cut fellow. And

when our little group would get together for

Bible study at school (Yes, back then we could.)

he would be, in my estimation, a spiritual

leader - if we even had one.

I had a car. He, didn't. I had a motorcycle, he

didn't. So sometimes I would be taking him to

various Christian functions in my old Ford. We

even cut class together one time. We took my

motorcycle and went up in the mountains. I

think we made it back before the next class. But

my transmission went out in the ordeal. Wow,

what fun for a couple of teenagers.

In short, we were just two Christian teenagers

having a good time together. He went on to

college and got smart. I got married. And of

course our ways parted.

I would hear of him from time to time. He went

on to pastor a church. Then got a doctorate. And

the last I knew was apparently a professor in one

of his denomination's colleges. [I don't know

what he professed. But that's what professors

do, isn't it? Profess.]

Fast forward about thirty five years.

One day leaning against my bench at work a

Christian brother, from another church, came

ambling across my work area. He called this

0ld friend by name and ask if I knew him. Yes.

He ask me if I would be interested in the paper

my friend mentioned my name in. Of course.

I want to quote most of his comment,

"I personally, as a high school student, moved

from the edge of tumbling into the wasteland

of becoming a drop-out into the rich and

productive life I have experienced as a minster

of the gospel, all because a ------ ----- gave me

the most priceless of human gifts - friendship."

Hey! I didn't even try. But God let me be a help.

Jesus said,

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who

abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears

much fruit, for apart from me you can do

nothing."

-John 15:5 RSV

There we have it. Just abide - stay - in Jesus.

Let his life flow through us and grow where

he planted us.