Extra Weights

        When you go walking these days, you often see people walking around with little weights in their hands.  Personally, I have enough weight to carry around so I don't add any more.  They use the weights to exercise their arms while they walk.  You can even get little weights that attach to your ankles.  Usually, I have enough weight to carry around of my own without going and purchasing more to carry.  When baseball batters get ready to swing, you can often see them swinging a bat around with a large ring on it.  This added weight gets them used to a heavier bat.  Then, when they get to the plate, they take the weight off and the bat feels temporarily lighter.  It is always important to take the weight off when you get ready to bat or when you get ready to race.   Hebrews 12:1-2 says, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."  
       The writer of Hebrews makes it clear that we are also to strip off the extra weight that we have if we are going to do well in the race that we are in.  The writer has likened this life to the race and our sin as the extra weights.  Obviously, we need to take the extra weights off so we, too, can be successful.  The extra weight just slows us down and we won't perform well while carrying it.  The extra weights, which are our sins, can be those things that plague us through our Christian life.  It might be that unforgiving spirit that you have against a fellow believer or it might be your lack of patience with your present work situation or your family or even someone in church.  It can also be that envious attitude that you have towards a person who has something that you would really like to have.  The list can go on and on but we all know what little weights are always keeping us from running the race the way we should.  So, do as the writer of Hebrews has said.  "...let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us..."  See you fast you can run the race today.  Praise God for His working in our lives.

Real Peace

     Wow!  The world today really is in a mess.  I guess you could say that almost every day that you wake up.  It is hard to say that today is worse than yesterday, but it seems as if it is.  I received a magazine called "Cornerstone" and was reading an article about why the writer loves to attend the mid week prayer meeting.  One of the reasons states, "It is a time of spiritual refreshment in the midst of a hostile world.  All week long we are confronted with this world.  Its constant assault can dull our spiritual senses and wear us down in spiritual apathy.  The prayer meeting is a great way to get refocused on the thing that really matters."  Countries are testing their missiles and everyone says that they can reach the United States with them.  What on earth are we going to do?  Well, we are not at a loss at all.  John 14:27 says, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
      We know that mankind has been at war for centuries if not ever since the beginning of our population.  We see evidence of war in the the Book of Genesis and from there on, all through the Bible.  In our own lifetime, we have seen countless war.  In 1985 and article in the local Spanish newspaper in Madrid, cited that there were over 58 wars going on throughout the world.  We find anger prevalent in the lives of men and women from road rage to nuclear bombs.  Neighbors are yelling at neighbors, hate seems to be in everyone's heart and world peace seems next to almost impossible.  In the midst of all this, the Apostle John wrote, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the above verse of Scripture.  The words of the Lord Jesus Christ proclaim that there is peace available in the world, but it only comes in one way.  It comes through Christ Himself.  The Lord Jesus Christ was preparing to leave and He was giving the disciples some lessons on what to do in the world when He left.  One of the lessons was the fact that we can have peace in our hearts even in the midst of road rage and a nuclear bomb.  Christ didn't mention those particular items, but He does mention that His peace is something that the world cannot offer.  The U. N. cannot offer what Christ can give and no treaty with any country can grant lasting peace to any people.  It is only through the Lord Jesus Christ that we can possess peace in our hearts.  Praise God for giving us a way to have peace in our lives even in the world in which we live.

The Right Way

    What is the right way to do something?  I have recently found out that I peel a banana the wrong way, I crack an egg the wrong way and I open an avocado the wrong way.  Are those the only things that I do wrong?  No, there are countless other things that go right along with them.  It has been observed that a monkey, when eating a banana, will always open it at the small end rather than the stem end.  We know that to open the banana at the stem end usually ends up crusting the banana at that end and the stem splitting causing a big mess.  The monkey has never had that problem.  There has only been one time that I got up on a horse and at least I was coached by the owner to mount the horse on the left side and not the right side.  It seems as if mankind has a problem in doing things the right way.    Romans 3:21-23 says, " But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" 
     Daily living has been a problem since the time of Adam and Eve.  We want to do things our way and not God's way.  In our stubbornness, we seek to please ourselves rather than do something the way that God said we should do it.  The result can be seen in the passage for today.  The result of doing things our own way ends up with the classification of sin in our lives.  We also see by the passage that everyone is guilty.  In this sense, God has given us a standard by which to live while we have chosen our own standard which of course, leads us down the path of sin.  Fortunately, we have a choice to accept the payment that was made for those sins in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary.  He paid it all.  I might get an injured banana by opening the wrong end, but I would end up in a Christless eternity by refusing to take the way of salvation that God has offered to us all.  In other words, trying to fix our own sin problem our own way will not work.  The Bible is clear on that.  We need to make the choice of taking His Word and following the directions as written instead of trying to bend them to our own way of thinking.  Praise God that He has the right way to possess eternal life.

The Real Thing

     I have been on a diet with one of the leading producers of diet plans and food.  The precooked food comes in a box or plastic bag with a beautiful picture of the main course.  I guess that is what it is supposed to look like when it is done.  When the food is finished cooking according to the directions, the end result certainly looks nothing like the picture on the package.  One is often left wondering after they read the ingredients of a product that they have just eaten.  This is especially true when you are on a diet.  The list may contain a bunch of things that are "unnatural."  That is, they are man made products that are used to make the product taste like the "real thing."  They contain no sugar and no salt but they do have artificial coloring and flavors.  They resemble the original food item but in reality, are quite different.  There is one thing in this life that needs no substitution.  It stands alone and not mixed with any thing.   It is the Word of God.  Second Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:   That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
        I was surprised to learn that there are many so called "religious leaders" in our country that do not believe in the inerrancy of the Bible nor do they believe in such things as miracles such as the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Obviously, they don't believe in the Bible as being the Word of God.  There can be no substitute for the Word of God.  We can be confident that what we hold in our hands is a true copy of God's Word and that we can believe wholeheartedly the message that it contains.  Our lives are filled with "artificial" items that are made to look like the original.  Upon purchasing a pair of shoes, you may find that they are not really leather, but just look like leather.  Plastic is shaped and molded to resemble many things.  Man made fibers also become a large part of our clothing.  But, there is no substitute for the Word of God.  We can be thankful that God has preserved His Word through the ages and that what we have is His true message to us.  If you want to be refreshed, try reading a portion of God's Word.  If you want to find good counsel concerning a problem, turn to God's Word.  If you want to turn your life around, turn to God's Word.  The Bible will never let you down.  In fact, it will lift you up.  Praise God today for His Word and then spend some time reading it.

No Condemnation

       One morning many years ago, the school bus rolled into the parking lot of my school.  It looked strange, because all of the students were standing outside and no students were going into the building.  Upon exiting the bus, I was told that the students were on strike against some of the actions of the principal of the school.  Somehow, my mother had learned of the ruckus that was going on and found a way to get to the school.  She found me, grabbed my by the hand and led me across the street to a friends house, where we stayed clear of the events that were unfolding at the school.  She was going to make sure that I didn't get involved in anything inappropriate or say anything that might get me into trouble.   She was going to be sure I was innocent.  Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." 
         In all of the things that go on in the world today in which we are involved, we find that we definitely need Someone to take care of us, take us by the hand, and keep us from trouble.  How can we be declared innocent?  This is the major question which seems to be answered in this verse.  If you are in Christ, you are, indeed, declared to be innocent.  There is no condemnation that can be brought against you.  We also learn that the person who is in Christ is not only free from condemnation, but that they are walking after the Spirit and not after the flesh.  They are following the steps of the Lord Jesus Christ in whatever they do.  When we follow after the flesh, we do that which feels good, seems right to us and leads to destruction.  To walk after the Spirit is to go in the way that Christ would go in each and every circumstance.  Before we are saved, we are walking in a way that is contrary to the direction that God wants us to go.  We are following after the flesh because that is the only way we know.  Christ, however, provides a new direction for us and we are not bound to walking in the path of the flesh.  Parents will often do whatever needs to be done in order to keep their children from harm.  God does it even better through the guidance of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  As you go out into the world today, just remember to follow in the footsteps that he has outlined and walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh.  Praise God today that He still guides and protects.

Updates

        Computers are wonderful when they work the way they are supposed to work which does not occur as much as many people would like.  I use a computer at church for my power point presentations and the occasional video.  I often have some problems with one thing or another.  I brought the church computer home as it needed to be updated with revisions to the basic operating system.  It took almost 24 hours for the download, the installation and getting it restarted back to where it was.  In the middle of the Wednesday service, in the middle of the video presentation, it locked up and had to be restarted which broke the continuity of the lesson.  Once the computer gets updated, it invariably requires several days to settle in with the new program and you can count on all kinds of glitches.   Psalm 5:3 says, " My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." 
      God has a much better way of updating our processors and memory.  It is the Bible and Prayer.  When we were at a church in Bethel Baptist Church in Parkersburg, WV, there was the motto that was on everything.  It was, "Scripture and Prayer to conform us to the image of Christ."  Our systems, which consist of our heart, mind, soul and strength, needs to be updated all the time.  They might be considered to be automatic updates and God is doing it through Scripture and prayer.  The Psalmist says that God shall hear his voice in the morning.  Do you cry out to God in the morning and proclaim, "What update do you have for me today?"  We may not put it that way, but God does have something for us everyday.  In fact, it is every hour and every minute of every hour.  His updates will instruct us on how we are to improve our relationship with God and with other people.  Computers simply lock up when not properly updated.  When a believer fails to go to God's Word for his guidance, they too, may lock up and end up going in the wrong direction.   So, as you get ready to go out for the day or the weekend or something, remember to get God's latest update from His Word.  Oh, the message is not a different one and it has always been there.  We may just fail to get it into our system.  Remember to hear, read, study, memorize and meditate on the Word of God each and every day.  Praise God that He has an update for us each and every day and probably more often that that.

The Lost Sheep

         How far will you go to find a lost animal of any kind?  I recall one rather cold, windy and snowy day when I went to work at the Hollett farm near our home in Indiana.  I was surprised to find Flora Hollett in the kitchen with a newborn calf wrapped in a blanket and feeding with a bottle.  It seems as if the mother didn't want to look after the calf or there was something wrong with her milk, so the task was up to Flora who stayed up all night with the calf.  There are times when one of your animals, be it the family pet or some other animal, gets lost and you spend a lot of time searching for it.  You may think that you can never find it, but you keep on looking and calling and waiting for it to come walking up to you.  Such is the case with our cat which walks off now and then to places unknown to us.  While we search for our cats and dogs and nurse little animals back to health, we can be thankful that the Lord Jesus Christ did the same for us.  Luke 15:6 says,"And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost." 
        Christ reminded the people about God's searching for them when He told the story of the lost sheep.  In the above account, the owner rejoices when he finds that which was lost and in this case it is that wandering sheep that decided to take a wrong turn and ended up lost.  We should be able to associate with the lost sheep because we take a lot of wrong turns in our life and then need to be rescued.  In our case, we are the animal that is lost and the Bible often refers to our ways as those of a lamb.  We are defenseless, overloaded with extra weight, going where we shouldn't go and ending up so lost we can't even begin to find our say back.  Philip Keller reminds us of how sheep can be "cast down."  The extra wool, and being over weight, sometimes forces the sheep to lie down in a small gully in order to scratch its back.  The only problem is that it can't get back up without the help of the shepherd.  The blood soon leaves its legs and if not found soon, it will die.  He also said that once a sheep does it the first time, it will do it again.  It just doesn't learn.  Sound familiar?  Yes, we do the same thing in our own way.  The pleasures of sin seem to be good at the beginning and so we find ourselves often repeating the same thing over and over.  In each time, we cry out to God and the Great Shepherd comes and gets us back on our feet and heading in the right direction.    Praise God that He takes care of each and every wandering soul.

The School of Hard Knocks

         Approval means a lot.  When you purchase an electrical device, you will usually find a little tag on it that says that it has been approved by the Underwriters Laboratories.  I never knew exactly where the underwriter laboratory was, but it made the product look like it was trustworthy.  Meat products in a grocery store will usually have a little tag saying, USDA.  Our U. S. Navy ship could not take beef from Argentina into Panama because that was an   American possession at the time and the beef did not have the USDA label on it.  So, we ate it before we arrived.  The USDA label simply means that it has been approved by the United States Department of Agriculture.  Medicines are usually cleared by the FDA or the Federal Drug Administration.  Everyone seems to have their own group for either the approval or the disapproval of any given item.  This way, the consumer has at least some small comfort knowing that somebody has taken the time to approve the item you are about to purchase.  As a young boy, we lived near the Studebaker Proving Grounds in Indiana .  Every now and then you could see a new car or even an experimental car dart in and out of the road that made up the proving ground.  A new product was being tested so it was determined if it was satisfactory or not.  God has put you on the proving ground also. James 1:2-4 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;   Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.   But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”  

        The word “trying” in the above verse is that word which means to “prove.”  When the believer says that they have “faith in God” then He puts that faith to the test.  You see it happening everyday in your Christian life.  It seems that not a day goes by when some area of your life is challenged.  This is when your faith is being “tried” or “tested” or “proven.”   What’s amazing is that once a certain test is completed, then another one begins perhaps even in the same area of your life.  What is equally amazing is the fact that the tests do not often come just one at a time, but several may come at once.  There is a comfort in all of this.  Once you have passed the test, God seemingly stamps you “approved” and then you go to the next test.  To be honest, it doesn't seem like a process that we particularly like.  It's like being tested to see how much pain we can endure before we cry out, "Uncle."  In the end, we simply realize that we have gone through a lot and the pain was worth it.  There is an expression that I am not particularly fond of that says, "No pain, no gain."  We can praise God that He is continually working with us and that we are growing in our Christian experience.  So, no trials, no growth.   So, praise Him today for His working in your life.  Ask God what He has in store for you today.

Thank You

     It's always easy to say "thank you" for something nice.  It is always easy to say it when the waiter just filled your glass of ice tea or when someone opens the door for you.  It's easy to say it when you find a helping hand to carry a load of books, or equipment or your groceries into the house.  Those are the easy times to say "thank you."  I have had some good days now and then and I find that it was easy to say "Thanks" for what took place during those days, even to God.  After all, He was responsible for it all in the first place.  I played a Saxophone solo yesterday and mentioned to my friend out West of here in Illinois, that I didn't pass out.  At my age, that is always a possibility but I made it through just 3 and a half minutes of playing.  Of course, the lips were worn out but I made it through and can honestly say "Thanks" to God for allowing it to be.  Yes, that's the easy part.  First Thessalonians 5:18 says, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."  
       Of course, there is another side of the coin.  You still need to say "Thanks" but the scene changes to the doctor's office who informs you of a new problem with hard consequences to accept.  The scene might also be in Houston, Texas or Miami, Florida or your own hometown that just underwent a terrible storm.  I was thankful to Trixie, my dog, who danced on my chest while the house was burning getting us all out alive.  I can also be thankful for the surgeon that held my heart in his hands and repaired it.  Things are not always comfortable and can sometimes be very perplexing to us as we don't know how things are going to come out.  There are those times of just plain spiritual heaviness where we cry out for prayer sometimes not even knowing why or what the problem is.  Still, we go back to the words of the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians when he said, "...in everything, give thanks...."  You may be under pressure today.  You may know why or you may not know the reason, but still, there is that basic need to thank God for the situation knowing that He takes care of us because He loves us and knows what's best for us.   Rest in Him and trust Him for His leading in your life.  Praise God and give thanks to Him today for His working in your life.

The Best Glue

     Sometimes it is necessary to use something to hold things together.  If something gets broken, we get out a bottle of glue.  We have glue for glass, leather, wood and plastic.  It comes in different colors so you can't tell that the original item was even broken to start with.  I had a special coffee cup one day and the handle just broke off.  So, I took a dab of that "super glue" and put the handle back on.  The cup seemed to be working just great.  It lasted about six months.  One day, a friend of our daughters was drinking a cup of coffee from that same cup and all of a sudden, the cup just fell on the floor and he was standing there with the handle in his hand wondering what had just happened.  I found out that sometimes, superglue only works for about six months.  It is not a permanent fix by any means.  What is the glue that is holding your life together?  Matthew 11:28-30 says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." 
      There certainly are times when you feel as if things have become unglued in your life.  Lives are in shambles and it is going to take a lot more than a bottle of Elmer's glue to put it back together again.  Fortunately, people do have to opportunity to get things back together and it is far better than glue.  the Lord Jesus Christ is the One that puts our lives back to where they are supposed to be.  He is the Only One Who can give us lasting peace, hope, love and an eternal destination into heaven itself.  Unfortunately, people have a tendency to look for their own cures in various other avenues first but that kind of glue doesn't take.  In fact, after a short time, it falls apart again just like the broken coffee cup.  Man made glue doesn't do the job that only the Lord Jesus Christ can do.  You recognize the cracks that are forming in your life and the Spirit of God tells you when things are not right.  So, take heed and turn to the Only Real One, the Lord Jesus Christ.  All the kings horses and all the kings men, couldn't put Humpty Dumpty back together, but the Lord Jesus Christ can put you back together.  Praise God today for His daily working in our lives.

Change

     Some years ago, the nation was trying to conserve energy so it lowered the speed limits to 55 miles per hour.  Most states participated in this act.  Then, as the energy supply seemed to increase and the cost of gasoline came down, the speed limits were raised in some states.  In our state, the interstate speed limit is now up to 70 miles per hour.  It had been 55, then 65 and now 70 mph.  As of this date, 70mph is the speed in our state,but some states may have gone even higher.  The laws had changed.  What was once illegal, now became legal.  If you were caught driving 70 mph when the law was 55, you would get a ticket and it would cost you both money and points against your drivers license.  If you kept it up, you would lose your driving privileges.  Now, however, the same speed would not cause you to get a ticket nor points.  The law had changed.  We find that true in different areas of our society.  Sometimes, that which was illegal during one period of time has now become legal.  There are some laws that do not change.  God's law doesn't change nor does His "doctrine" change from one day to the next.  That which comprises sound doctrine is the same from one time period to another.  We can be thankful that God's doctrine doesn't change from day to day.  Paul wrote about shifting doctrines which are not of God but are the inventions of men who think that they have come up with something new.  Ephesians 4:14 says, "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;"
        We need to realize that doctrines don't change from day to day.  There may be a gradual understanding of a Scriptural doctrine that was once unclear but has become more clear through time.  But, the doctrine remains the same.  All of this is to say that we can have confidence in the Word of God when the things of this life seem to contradict the Word of God.  In a world of change there is only one constant and it is the Word of God.   Things come and go, even in the church, but the clear teachings of the doctrines of God remain the same and you can put your confidence in them.  You don't have to be the victim of all of the "experts" that are around today but you simply have to put your trust into that which God says in His Word.  The doctrines were sound during the times of Christ and the Apostles are they are sound today.  Praise God for His unchanging Word.

The Mark

     People often advertise things about them by the amount or type of jewelry they wear.  I have not worn a lot of jewelry in my lifetime.  I did have my Dad's Civilian Conservaton Corps  ring with a green pine tree on it and I purchased a ring at Wall Drug in South Dakota that had an agate stone with some moss in it.  While working at A. T. and T., we were discouraged from wearing any type of jewelry while working on circuits.  There was the story going around of a broker who was purchasing 5,000 bushels of soybeans and just as he placed the order, a communication worker shorted out two lugs on the frame causing the order to jump up to 50,000 bushels.  All employees were told not to wear anything that could ground out two lugs on the frame of any circuit.  I have also noticed that there are a lot of high church officials who wear what is called a Pectoral Cross which is rather big, shiny and tells everyone what they are.  It is not, however, what we wear that tells of our Christian faith.  John 17:20-21 says, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;  That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."
       Francis Sheaffer wrote a book called, "The Mark of the Christian."  In the Book he spends a lot of time pointing out what doesn't define a Christian and the true characteristic of a Christian.  It wasn't the jewelry that tells the difference.  People may wear crosses, rings, carry large Bibles, have messages on the bumpers of their cars and all the other like gimmicks, but they still haven't established who they are.  The book goes on to say that the true mark of the Christian is defined in the above passage of Scripture.  In fact, there is a great commission or reason for that mark and it is the testimony that goes out to the world that the Father sent the Sonl.  The reason for that belief is found in the few words before which state, "..l.That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee..."   The difficulty often lies in the fact that Christians have a hard time getting along with other Christians.  It should not be that way but in all honesty, it is.  What statement are you making in your life as you go out into the world today?  Praise God today that He indeed sent His Son to pay for our sins.

Be Careful Little Feet Where You Go!

     Before moving hay balers, we had "haystacks."  The tractor would bring hay into an area and pile it up to be baled  Proverbs   Once the haystack was established, men would use pitch forks to toss it into a baler, usually run by a tractor with a long belt.  The hay stacks made nice places to play before the baling took place.  We would hollow out a space and then lay some hay loosely over it and once a person would step on that spot, they would fall into the hole and be covered with hay.  If you didn't know it was there, you fall into the trap very easily.  Spiritually speaking we have the same problem.  Proverbs 4:26-27 says, "Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.  Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil." 

      The verse preceding this section spoke about the eyes which we mentioned a few days ago.  The thought continues but this time focusing on the feet.  Perhaps you have heard the words, "Look out!" just before you stepped into a hole or tripped over something that was in you path.  The same thing happens to us when we are walking our spiritual walk.  In the Book of Ephesians, five different walks mentioned and one of them is the "circumspectful" walk.  This is the "careful" walk, or the "wise" walk as mentioned in Ephesians 5:15.  You all know where your temptations arise.  It would not be wise for a person who has trouble with alcohol to walk into a bar just to find out what time it is.  It is not wise for a person who is on a diet to go to a large buffet restaurant.  We often say to ourselves, "Oh, I can handle it."  Then, an hour later say, "Why did I go in there in the first place."  This passage reminds us that we should refrain by deviating off the path that the Lord has given to us.  We often read and hear God's Word and then do not do what it says.  It wasn't the fault of the Word, the fault lies in the fact that we have already made up our mind that we are not going to obey it in the first place.   You may already know what your plans are for today but there may need to be some different routes in accordance to God's Word.  While we may think we don't know about them, we actually do.  We just fail to walk the way God has given us instruction to walk.  The little song mentioned before, "Be careful little eyes what you see" also has the verse, "Be careful little feet where you go."  Praise God that He has not left us alone with no guide book.  We have His Holy Bible to guide us in every circumstance.

The Fork in the Road

 

          We have all come to "forks in the road."   I used to live right on the fork of two roads, U. S. Route 20 and Bootjack road.  When you came around the curve, you had to decide which way you would go.  These represent times when we can either turn to the right or to the left.  We can follow the road down one route or we can decide to take another.  These forks can exist both physically and spiritually.  The physical ones are easy to see and we usually have a road map to direct us either to the right or to the left.  Spiritual forks may not be as obvious but they still exist.  There is always that little phrase, "What if..."  What if we had taken this course in our life instead of the one we actually took.  Where would we be?  What would we be doing?  Would I be working in a different job or even living in a different country?  These are all part of the big "what if" questions that can crop us.  The Psalmist uses the same example in the following verses.  Psalm 124:1-3 says, "If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say; If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us:  Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:"  

       If the Lord had not been on their side when they had gone into this particular battle, then they would have been consumed and probably non existent.  That's a big "what if."  Have you ever thought where you would be if the Lord was not with you?  Were there certain events that occurred in your life where the Lord's presence was very obvious?  After thinking a moment about our lives, it doesn't take long for us to realize that if the Lord was not with us, there would have been a different outcome during a number of crisis moments in our lives.  If the Lord had not been with you, you may have died in an accident.  If the Lord had not been with you, your job might be quite different and you might find yourself in a very dangerous situation.  If the Lord was not with you there might be many things that might now be very different.  The fact, however, is that the Lord is with us.  Hebrews 13:5 says that He will never leave us nor forsake us.  The Lord is by our side.  He is strengthening.  He is protecting and He is guiding.  Yes, we can think about the "what if's" in life but we can also think about the "Since the Lord is with me..." times also.  Praise God that He is your guide.

Be Careful Little Eyes What You See

 

        Sergeant Schultz was known for saying, "I see nothing."  That just meant that he was not going to remember what he had just seen and pretend that he knew nothing about it.  The eyes are an open highway into our mind and everything that transpires afterwards.  The eyes are quite capable of beholding many beautiful and wonderful things.  We are able to see the grand accomplishments of God and to behold great and might acts that he does.  At the same time, the eyes become an avenue for sin.  Such was the case with Eve when she saw the fruit.  It was also true of Achan when he saw the gold and the Bablylonian garment and the wedge of silver.  We also see it with King David as he "saw" Bathsheba.  The result of these examples tells us of the folly of sin and how it begins.  Proverbs 4:25 says, "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee."

          The writer of the Proverb simply reminds us that we are to keep our eyes straight ahead and not to look at the things along the way.  They tend more to take our attention away from the goal and to divert it to something or even someone, different.  When marching, you have to keep your eyes looking straight ahead or else the lines become crooked and our path is not straight.  I often remark about plowing that first furrow in a field where we are to keep our eyes focused on an object at the end and we never look to one side or the other.  God knows our inclinations and he knows the power of the senses in our own bodies.  As for the eyes, we are to keep them focused on the object that is in the direction in which we are going.  As for believers, that Object, is God Himself and everything that pertains to Him.  It is, however, very easy to be diverted with the many attractions that occur on our journey.  Our continual lack of contentment often leads us to coveting something that is our of our reach but we pursue it anyway which causes sin to enter our lives.  Solomon was right, obviously, when he said for us to keep our eyes "right on."  The list of those who fell prey to the sights around them is indeed great as it is one of the chief ways in which we are tempted.  Even the Lord Jesus Christ was tempted in this manner when Satan showed Him the kingdoms of the world.  Christ, however, stood firm in the Word of God.  We too, should stand firm on the Word when those times of danger come before us as a result of that which we see.  So,  keep your eyes ahead.  That is, keep your eyes on the LORD in all that you do.  You won't go wrong.  Praise God for the fact that He gives us a way out of every temptation.

Multitasking

 

     Sometimes our lives get so busy that we feel like that man years ago who kept 12 plates spinning on poles and every time one would start to wobble, he would run to it and give it another spin.  There may be times that we don't feel as if we can do all that needs to be done.  A new word has come about which is "multitasking." It refers to doing more than one thing at once.  I now have ball point pens that do more than write.  One of them has a light in the other end.  A second pen has a light, a laser and a soft tip for using on electronic screens.  Our computers can have several programs running at the same time and we don't even know it is happening except when it breaks.  Philippians 4:12-13 says, "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  

      The human body, which was designed and created by God is the greatest of multi taskers.  When you drive a car your brain is doing a lot more calculating just in order to steer the car down the road.  Information from the eyes and ears give us input that is needed to make quick decisions.  It is true, that there are limits.  When the eyes are taken off of the road and put on something else, there is that chance for a terrible accident.  This passage reminds us of our capability with God.  God has His own way of protecting our system.  He knows just how much we can do and it is often more than we might think.  Our problems often comes when we panic at the thought of doing something that seems to be above our capability.  I often thought that I would never be able to stand in front of my school class and recite a poem, a passage or even a song.  The fear was for nothing, as when it was all done and  over, even I was surprised.  So, you see, God has given us the ability to stand, to speak, to see our audience, to hear sounds that are going on and even to detect aromas all at the same time.  Now, what computer can do that?  Praise God today for His design plan for us.  Truly, I can do all things through Christ Who gives me the strength to do so.

Helpers

 

     Diane and I had our pictures taken recently for a new church directory.  Cameras are wonderful things and can convey a number of characteristics in the various poses that the photographer uses.  This last set of photos was like being in a photo shoot as about 50 pictures were taken of each of us.  Cameras have come a long way over the past 100 years.  The digital age makes it possible to shoot several thousand pictures on one memory card.  That is quite a change from the use of plates for a single shot or even a roll of film that went from 12, 24 or even 36 shots per roll.  Missionaries are able to tell more of there work to the supporters back home by using the camera.  What did the Apostle Paul use?   Romans 16:3-6 says,"Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:  Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.  Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.  Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us." 

       This is but a small sample of the content of Chapter sixteen.  Almost the entire chapter can be called Paul's snapshot of the evangelical team that helped him in various ministries.  In some cases, this is all we know about that person, but their names are recorded for all eternity in God's Word.  The ministries that we have have always been influenced by those who are around us at that time.  I can give praise for people like Levi and Erma, Pastor Randy and Zoann, Flint and Mary Ann, Monroe and Lois, Gary and Rita and the ministry they had in their house.  When we look at the sixteenth chapter of Romans, we may go over it quickly thinking, "It is just a list of names."  The list contains the names of those who were Paul's coworkers and we can do the same thing today.  At times, we even do it with the camera as pictures from the past tell of the ministries that have gone on through the years.  You nor I can do everything.  We need help.  Right on the top of the list is the help that come from God and then the list expands to include those in our lives that have become blessings.  They are blessings, not only to us, but to the countless people they blessed by their influence and presence in their lives.  So, praise God today for giving us all coworkers for the ministries in which God has placed us.  Write your own "sixteenth chapter" and list the people who have been helping in your ministries.

God's Power

 

       There have been wars going on for most of my life.  I was a small child during World War 2 and then in high school during the Korean war.  I have been around during conflicts in Grenada, Panama, Viet Nam, Iraq, Afghanistan and a host of other battles that didn't directly affect our country.  In thinking about the human race, we are not what you would call as a peaceful people.  Everyone is fighting for their own space in the world and in history.  It goes back a long way even to the book of Genesis.  War was there in the beginning in one way or another.  Man seems to think that He can do great and mighty things that will exalt him to the top.  Why, they even built the Tower of Babel so they could reach up to heaven itself.  God took care of that.  Psalm 2:1-4 says, " Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?   The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,   'Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.'   He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision." 

       When you think about the amount of energy that is manifested in our biggest bombs, it falls short of God's energy in one hurricane.  We once had a hot dog stand in Indiana which my Father was building.  The boads were all "toe-nailed" and yet the LORD used one storm in about 5 seconds to pull apart every board.  Pieces of the aluminum siding were found a couple of miles away.  Only one 2 X 4 was broken but the hot dog stand lie in a heap at the end of the driveway.  Men and women can rattle sabres and make a lot of noise, but they should watch out for the power of God.  Have you ever noticed what one bumble bee can do in your car while driving down the road?  God fought an army by using hornets under their armor.  Yes, God has His ways and they are far more powerful than the ways of man.  When it comes right down to the bottom line, we had better take heed to God's Word for in it we find the hope of salvation and eternal life.  That is far more important.  Praise God today for His power that is manifested all around us everyday.

Renewed Strength

 

        I have never been what a person would call to be a muscular person.  I got by in life and could carry the load that I was supposed to carry but often looked for ways to that the lighter path.  While in The Navy music program, we often had opportunities to play in various parades or along the side of the street when a visiting dignitary would come to town.  In Washington, D. C., that was quite often.   I asked the band leader what instrument I should play.  He replied, "Anything you want to play is O K with me.  So, I chose the Piccolo.  It was the smallest, lightest and most easy to get to the bus and back.  The saxophone was just too much to lug to the job and back.  As the years have gone by, I am at the age where lugging my saxophone around is getting to be a tad too much.  My physical strength is now less than it has ever been and I am still looking for ways to ease the load such as my new collapsible hand cart for hauling the bird seed and cases of water to the house from the car.    Isaiah 40:31 says, "but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

       On the spiritual side of things, we can be thankful that our strength in the Lord does not depend on us. My spiritual strength is renewed quickly as I wait on the Lord.  Of course, that is the basic act that we are to be involved in.  We need to wait for the LORD.  There is that little word, "wait" that causes the problem.  Most people don't like to wait for anything nor do they like to wait for any person.   I guess you have figured out by now what the doctor's office has a "waiting" room.  The military often had the term, "Hurry up and wait."  We did a lot of that.  It didn't help us in our later years however, because we still hate to wait for anything.  Once we give our problems to the LORD, we just simply need to wait for Him to act.  We can look at the Scriptures and see the examples of those people in the Bible who waited on the LORD to do great and mighty things.  The same should be true for us.   We may not be able to carry the big load physically, but we can wait for the LORD to accomplish great things in our lives.  Praise God today that He is the One Who strengthens us.

Don't Throw That Away

     Some people find it hard to throw something away.  I had a boss in one of my jobs whose name was Dick Russell.  He had a motto that went, "If you haven't used it in the last year, throw it away."   I never had gone and followed him around to see if he did what he said, but it sounds like a good principle in some respects.  You may have the attitude, that you never know when you are going to need a washer exactly that size to fix something.  I guess that is why we have coffee cans or other containers with an assortment of nuts, bolts, washers and some things that have names that we can't remember.  Some things you just simply need to throw away while others you need to keep.  First Thessalonians 5:21 says, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." 
       Paul gave the Thessalonians a list of things in the closing chapter of First Thessalonians that they were to do.  One of the things was to hold fast to that which was good.   Paul is not talking about ball point pens, nuts, bolts or any other physical things, but things which pertain to the spiritual life.  If thee is any thing that pertains to your spiritual life, then those are the things that you need to keep and to not let them drift away from you.  You want to keep on reading the Bible.  In the Scriptures, you find life everlasting and you also find out how to live in this crazy, mixed up world.  You want to hold onto your prayer life.  You need to have that communication with God each and every day.  Yes, God is even stronger than the leaders of countries that are bent on destroying the world.  The storms that we have are not due to "Mother Nature" but God Himself and He is able to things that are beyond our imagination in a matter of seconds.  We also need to hold fast to our relationships with other believers in what we call, "fellowship."  Believers coming together support each other and are evidences of God's working in their lives.  We also hold fast to our desire to share with others this precious thing that we have, our life in Christ.  So, yes, there are things to throw away but there are also things to keep so take the admonition of the Apostle Paul when He says to hold fast to that which is good.  Praise God today that He is taking care of all of us and remember that he knows each and every hair on your head.