The Little Things Do Matter!

     Many things in life seem to be insignificant.  Most people are born with an appendix, but the purpose of the appendix is often a mystery.  About the only thing it seems to bring is appendicitis.  There are small things all around us such as very small flowers, bugs of all sorts and even some birds.  We have some very small birds that like to hang upside down when they eat.  The hummingbird is another example of a very small creature.  There may be times when we wonder just how important these insignificant things really are in the scheme of things.  I've always thought that I could really get along without gnats and other small insects.  Then, I realized that there is an ecosystem that everything is involved in which is important in the big picture.  There are over 7.4 billion people in the world today.  That's a lot of people.  Would it make any difference if just a few of them fell through the cracks?  Matthew 18:10-12 says, "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.  For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?" 
     So, all the sheep are important to the shepherd.  He doesn't want to lose evern one of them.  When the sheep, that one that has gone astray or that is away from the flock, seems to get cast down, caught in a thicket, on a rocky precipice or whatever, He goes after it.  Even though there are 99 sheep in the flock, that one is still important.  To put another slant on this, suppose you are that one sheep.  Would you think of the Shepherd and plead for His help?  We all would do so.  The Shepherd would be our only chance for survival and we would be bleating at the top of our voices for Him to find us and to rescue us.  Yes, the little things, especially the little creatures  are all important.  That means that in our shoes, we are important to that Great Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Have anything to praise God for today?  How about praising Him for His care for each little lamb that has gone astray

Don't Let Yourself Rust!

  Is it easier to go down hill or up hill?  After we think about it for a short time, we naturally say that it is easier for a person to go down hill than it is for the same person to go up hill.  It requires a lot less effort and it seems more natural.  To go up hill requires one to put forth more strength and determination.  The same is true for most things in the world.  Any object that lays around unattended will so begin to fall apart.    We have a house near us where no one has lived for over a year. The paint began to peel, grass was growing everywhere and the home began to look terrible.  Finally, a man came in to repair the house and now it is beginning to look nice again.  When things are not looked after, they just slowly fade away, piece by piece.     A piece of iron left on the ground will soon begin to decay through rust.  It is a natural process.  Things left to themselves begin to deteriorate.  They don't get better.  It is a natural law that things left to themselves begin to decay.  The human being is in the same state.  The Bible says that we have some 70 odd years for our lives, some more, some less.  We are all in a state of decay.  But, even the spiritual realm of the human being is in a problem.  It is due to the heart of man.  Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"  

     While some people think that they are good and that God will weigh their good works versus their really bad deeds and find them acceptable for heaven, this is not the case.  God needs to have a person free from sin in order to enter heaven.  The natural heart, as we see in the above verse, is naturally wicked and deceitful.  The tendency for our hearts is to go more towards that which is wrong than that which is right.  We don't do naturally those things that would reflect righteousness.  Rather, we do those things which are deceitful and then try to cover them up so that we might appear to do things that are right.  So, watch out for your own heart.  When it is in conflict with the Word of God, make sure you choose the Word of God rather than the inclination of your heart.  Praise God that He is tending to us on a moment by moment basis and not letting us rust in a field.

Your Spiritual Diet

  An improper diet can cause problems.  Usually, when you go into a hospital, they determine what type of diet you should be on.  A person from the kitchen reviews the doctor's orders and comes to you with questions about what you would like to have to eat.  However, every now and then, a mistake is made.  My father had just had surgery for appendicitis  and was supposed to be on a liquid diet but a mistake was made in the kitchen.  For some reason, a tray was delivered with a steak on it.  When we arrived at the hospital, we were surprised to find my father trying to cut the steak as fast as he could through the rails of the bed feeling that someone would discover the mistake and try to take it away before he had a chance to eat it.  Spiritually speaking, we are also on a certain diet.  The Apostle Peter describes it as a diet of milk at the beginning.  First Peter 2:1-3 says, "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:  If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious."  When a baby is born, it's first food is going to be milk.  Since it has no teeth, it wouldn't be any good giving it solid meat to eat.  Spiritually speaking, we need to be on milk at the beginning of our spiritual lives.  Every believer, as soon as they are born again, are needful of spiritual milk.  What is spiritual milk?   It contains just the basics of the Christian faith.  A believer needs to know just what happened at that special time and how long it will last.  They need to understand the salvation that just came into their lives.  They need to understand about prayer and fellowship and witnessing about their new found faith.  These are basic things.  As a person grows in the Word of God, they start understanding about being saved by grace and what it means to be a member of the family of God and how they can now bring their prayers to God the Father.  After they grow for a time, then they need to go on and to begin some of the items in spiritual meat.  You find that you may have to chew on the spiritual meat for some time before it gets into your  life.  We can, however, praise God today that He knows exactly what should be in our diet and His prescription always includes the Word of God.

Follow the Leader

     It is a good feeling to be able to do anything you want to do.  I remember the first time I was away from home for any length of time.  it was "Boys State" in Indiana.  Most states have a similar program.  It was my first time away without the presence of my parents.  All I had to do was to follow the guidelines of "Boys State" and participate in the various activities but there was no one to check my hair or my shoes or anything else.  If I wanted to eat two apples and I had them, I could do it.  I felt free and even after a couple of days of being homesick, I managed to do my part.  Of course, it was helpful to know that my parents would be there in 7 days to pick me up.   Judges 21:25 says, "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes."  
       This verse is the last verse in the Book of Judges.  It is a pretty good description of "anarchy."  The Israelites had gone through a long period of Judges and at the same time were getting further and further away from God's leading.  It finally came down to this last statement.  Everyone and Anyone seem to be able to do whatever they wanted.  Rules or commandments had all been put aside.  Soon after, the Israelites go what they wanted.  They got a king like all of the other nations around them as they finally came to the point of rejecting the leadership of God and wanted an earthly king instead.  They were headed for a path of destruction and didn't even know it.  There are many people today that are in the same predicament as the people of Israel so many years ago.  Masses of people are rejecting the leadership of God in their lives and then following an imitator.  How about you?  Do we follow whomever looks like a guru of intelligence or do we desire to follow after God?    Joshua had come to the conclusion that he and his family were going to follow the leadership of God no matter what.  If we examine our own lives for a moment, we can come to the conclusion that we are not doing a very good job of making our own decisions without the Lord's guidance.  We should take the advice of Joshua by his example and follow after God.  We should put down the writings of the gurus of the world and get back to God's Holy Word.  We should quit trying to bow down to an idol of stone or wood that does nothing and get back to worshiping God in all that we do.  We don't want to come to the conclusion of our lives and follow the example of Judges 21:25, but indeed follow God and His leading.  Just think of this fact.  We have a copy of God's Word in our hands that will give us all of the instruction that we will need.  Praise God that He is our King and His guidance is the best of all.

Lifting Up Prayers for Others

    I now have many opportunities to give my opinion of a product and the seller of that product.  When I look for something to purchase, I am interested in what other people think about it.  I was going to purchase a saxophone several years ago and the price was really good, but was it worth it?  The reviews were good from other people, some of them supposedly professional and so I purchased it.  It was a good investment.  You want someone who has a good reputation and can give their true opinion of what you are about to purchase.  Exodus 17:12 says, "But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun."  
     We know the story mentioned in the above verses.  Moses would raise his arms and the battle would be in favor of Joshua but he couldn't stand there too long before they began to droop.  So, they set Moses on a rock and lifted his arms  and held them up.  Aaron and Hur were the ones who had been there to support Moses during the time of battle.  There are times in our lives when we need someone to "support" us.  This is especially true when we have a prayer request about something that is going on in our lives.  We really don't want someone who will only say that they will pray but that they will actually do it.  I am sometimes fearful that many people say they will pray but then forget to do so.  Moses could depend upon Aaron and Hur.  There are those in each of our lives in whom we can depend, especially in the area of prayer.  While it is true that the Apostle Paul must have had a very long prayer list as he mentioned so often that he was praying for the various churches  and individuals to whom he was writing.  Now it also come to pass that we need to be that someone who will lift up our hands to heaven in regard to the needs of someone else.  Do you have a "prayer list?"  Can people depend on you to pray for them when they request a prayer?  We need to fashion our lives like Aaron and Hur and be able to remember to pray for those who have needs in our family, our friends and our associates.  Praise God that He hears and answers prayer.

Full Plate

        Many people speak today about going out to a buffet.  There seems to be plenty of them around town.  You can go there and fill up your plate until it is overflowing, eat that, and then go back for more if you so desire.  We have adapted another saying in connection with the word "buffet."  Now, we say, "My plate is full."  Or, "you don't know how many things are already on my plate."  The indication is that a person has a "to do" list that is longer than the time that he or she has in the day to get it all done.  So, we say that our plate is full.  In the long run, we began to get concerned about what is going to happen tomorrow and the next day.  I find myself in that situation quite often.  Matthew 6:33-34 says, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."   
      In these verses, we see that Jesus points out that our first concern would be seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness in all things.  Second, we should not be concerned about the things of tomorrow.  Notice that Jesus stated that tomorrow will take care of itself.  We find that we can just keep doing the things that we have to do rather than worrying about all of the things we have to do.  However full our plate is we can still only get done those things on which we are working.  The things that we "worry" about never get done.  They will always be there because we are simply worrying about them and not working on them.  The main thought for today is that we should be working on the things for today, one thing at a time, keeping on the track and not to find ourselves thinking about all of the things that we will have to do tomorrow.  Is God working in your life?  Are His promises valid for you?  Of course they are so you don't really need to be concerned.  Let Him fill your plate with the things that He has for you and then just keep working on them one thing at a time.  Better yet, Let God be the one Who is filling your plate.  Praise Him today as you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

His Mercy Endures For Ever

     Ever had one of those days when the tribulation or pain is so great, you can't make any sense of anything?  Then, that voice comes from a parent, a friend, a pastor and reminds you over and over things will be all right.  They may just be saying, "be quiet, everything is going to be ok."  They keep saying the same thing over and over and soon you begin to hear what they are saying and a peace comes over you as you are comforted in the time of your need.  I look at Psalm 136 in that way.  Psalm 136:1 says, "O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever."  Hebrew poetry always has two thoughts in each stanza.  In this case the second thought is the same for every verse of Psalm 136.  It simply says, "...for His mercy endureth for ever."
      No matter what is going on you suddenly come to the realization about God's mercy.  It certainly does endure for ever and even above all else that is happening in your life.  All 26 verses have the same five words over and over.  We can find ourselves in deep trouble.  It can be a new symptom in your health, it can be in the death of a friend or a family member, it can be in the time of trouble or decisions and then you find that simple thought, "God's mercy endures for ever."  This is not a limited guarantee or warranty.  This thought endures for ever.  God's grace and mercy are two of the greatest subjects to think about especially during the trials of life.  Grace is receiving something, love, from God which we don't deserve.  Mercy is holding back judgment that we do deserve but God, in His mercy, holds it back.  We look at ourselves and realize that we are unworthy for either one of these items.  There is no way that we deserve His "Amazing Grace."  Only through Christ do we have grace or mercy.  If you suddenly find yourself in a troublesome time, turn to Psalm 136 and read it slowly and notice every verse that simply says, "His mercy endureth for ever."  You will then realize that there is nothing in this life that will overpower you or hammer you into the ground because God's mercy endures for ever.  There is no evil or tribulation that will be able to knock you off your feet because God's mercy endures for ever.  So, guess what?  Praise God today for His mercy....which endures for ever.

The Tool Box

       How does you tool box look?  Everyone seems to have tools of one sort or another.  Men have tool boxes that are filled with a large variety of tools.  Women have their tools, not in a box, but perhaps in a drawer.  I do a lot of cooking and have a large variety of spoons both wooden and metal, spatulas, knives and so on.  The question is, however, how do they look.  When my Father passed away, I became the recipient of a large tool box that was filled with all kinds of wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, files and things I don't know what they are or what they are used for.  My fathers tools had scratches, grease and all sorts of grime on them because they were used.  There was not one completely shiny tool in the whole box.  He used them all.  A tool is not of much use if it is never used.  On the spiritual side, we have tools also.  Colossians 4:16 says, " And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea." 
     The word "read" is used some 70 times in the Bible and many of those times refers to the reading of the Scriptures, the Word of God, The Bible.  Our "tool box" is a library of 66 books that all have a purpose in our lives.  We need to use all of them.  I have to admit that I have a lot of books on my shelves that look almost new as they have not been used that much.  My library is a reference library and can be used to research almost every book of the Bible.  My personal tool box has also been enhanced by the number of electronic books that are on my various devices.  One such tool has over 250 books in it.  While we can accumulate a large number of physical books and electronic books in this age, they are of no value if they are not used.  There is also one tool that you cannot be without and that is the Bible.  Perhaps you have a favorite Bible that is marked with pens and colored pencils and notes on the edges of the pages as you use this tool in your life and begin to apply the truths to what is going on in your life today.    So, how does your tool box look?  It shouldn't be dusty due to neglect or hidden under a pile of magazines or have pages stuck together because they were never read.  I know of one man, a pastor, that when he was saved many years ago, he began to read his Bible and discovered that almost 75 pages were missing.  Do you know if every page is in your Bible?  Well, use your Bible today and every day and praise God that He has given us the Best Tool of all, His Holy Word.

Storms of Life

  Storms cause problems in our lives.  I recall one time that my Father had taken me along with him to pay a bill at Sears and Roebuck in La Porte, Indiana.  While he was in the store, a storm came up with a lot of thunder and lightning.  It scared the daylights out of me and I begin to cry loudly with each clap of thunder.  At one of my loudest outburst, a lady happened to be walking by and noticed I was upset in the car.  She immediately went into the store and found my Dad and gave him a tongue lashing for leaving me in the car.  He came out and told me about it and wasn't too upset with me.  Storms whether physical or spiritual cause us, or can cause us to become upset with things around us.  When my "Father" was in the car, I wasn't bothered with the thunder or the lightning but if I was alone, I was terrified.  Our spiritual lives are very similar.   Second Corinthians 1:3-5 says, "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ."  
     Comforting others should be a part of our daily ministry to others.  As God has comforted us, so we can be a comfort to those around us.   I would imagine that there were many little children that were afraid of the storm on that hot Saturday afternoon but the only one that concerned me was my Father who was in the store during the storm.  In our lives today, we find that we are under the pressures of life and while we may think that our problems are unique and that we might be alone, there are others going through the same thing.  The instruction in the above passage reminds us that we can comfort those around us that are also going through the same tribulation that we have experienced.  This is why it is so important for believers to seek to be together in services at our own church even when we feel like staying at home.  Satan would live to have all believers to stay at home and to wallow in their tribulation and thereby not be any comfort to each other.  Well, we can praise God for the fact that He  comforts us in our tribulation in order that we might comfort others.

Patience and Perfection

       There have been a number of times in my life where I get a new product which requires assembly.  I pull out the instructions and then begin but I have this constant urge to skip a few procedures.  I used to build model airplanes which were made of solid wood.  The basic shape was there, but it required a lot of sanding so the finish would be smooth and the wings and tail tapered to a fine edge.  I don't think I ever completed that step and the finished product bore testimony to that fact.  I wanted to paint it and to paint it now.  Maybe I had a little bit of a problem with patience.    James 1:4 says, "But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." 
      Right at the start, we can be thankful that God doesn't skip a few steps in our lives.  It is a gradual process that takes place all of our lives.  We are striving for perfection or as we may call it today, "maturity."  You may find that you desire to skip a few steps and that you would like to go from immature to mature in a very short time.  Your patience may be saying, "Enough of this stuff.  Lets get to the mature level, NOW!"  Of course, once you say that or even think that, you should come to the realization that you need a lot more work in patience and in your own spiritual life.  As always, God has the best plan and His plan takes time.  When you think about it, you may not even notice a change from one day to another.  It seems that way because the process is so gradual you don't recognize that it is taking place at all.  Many states are taking old railroad beds and converting them to bicycle trails.  They are so nice to ride on because they seem to be perfectly flat.  There are gradual grades of 1 percent to 2 percent, but you don't know that they are there.  We might think that we are in the finishing stages of life and that God is now using the sandpaper to get us smoothed out.  We may, however, still be in the chipping stage where large chunks are being removed.  In either case God is always working in the perfecting of your character.  Someday, you will be able to look back and all of a sudden, realize that you just climbed a hill and you didn't even know it.  Praise god that He is in the business of perfecting our lives a little bit each day.

How Do You Get To Heaven?

          How do you get from one place to another.  Most of us use a vehicle of some sorts if the distance is more than 100 yards.  The question comes up as to how you would get to heaven.  There used to be a song that church young people sang that listed the various ways you couldn't get to heaven.  One of the verses said that you can't get to heaven in a Model-T.  It was a cute song and did underscore one important message.  The way to get to heaven is very precise.  Many people, however, still try to conjure up a way that will get them to "heaven."  Ephesians 2:8-10 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."   
     People will try to devise ways to get to heaven such as doing good works.  This will encompass a large number of groups.  They will be the ones that tell you that there is a certain list of things that must be done while you are here on earth in order for you to get to heaven when you die.  Now, this isn't something new.  It has been around for hundreds of years.  Martin Luther was against this type of thing when he attacked the sale of indulgences in the church.  The verses for today simply remind us just how salvation works.  It is by God's grace that we get saved.  Paul goes on to say that it is not of works in order than a person could make a boast that they received heaven on their own merits.  No, it is completely free and it is an absolute gift from God.  Now, a lot of things happen when a person gets saved.  If you could draw a line, you could not make it thin enough to indicate just when things take place in your spiritual life.  For instance, the moment that you are saved you are regenerated by the Holy Spirit, Indwelt by the Holy Spirit, Baptized by the Holy Spirit and Sealed by the Holy Spirit.  Now, that doesn't take place hours or days, or weeks after the salvation experience.  It takes place the moment you are saved.  You may ask, "How does repentance figure into this picture?"  Some have viewed repentance as a requirement prior to salvation while others may say that repentance then becomes a work.  Regardless of these two views, one thing is certain.  Repentance is necessary for it is an indication of  what has just taken place in a person's life.  Are you sorry for your sins or are you looking for fire insurance?   There is not going to be salvation without a conviction of sin.  Paul mentioned in Romans 3 that all were sinners and that there were none that were seeking after God.  So, how are you going to get to heaven?  Well, it won't be in a Ford Model-T.    It will be by God's grace through faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross for your sins.  Praise God today that you don't have to work for your salvation.

Did I Forget Something?

        It seems like men and women get to a certain point in their lives where they forget things now and then.  We carry around calendars filled with times and dates of certain important appointments so we won't forget them.  Well, that takes care of the appointments but what about your keys and half the items on the grocery list that you can't remember where you laid it.  Perhaps you have also forgotten names of friends or associates.  I recall that there was a practice years ago of tying a string around your finger when you wanted to remember something.  Hopefully, when you looked at the string, you would remember why you put it there in the first place.  I never tried it.  I guess I just forget to do it.   Luke 12:6 says, "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?"
       This verse reminds us that God is aware of even the sparrows and not one of them is ever forgotten before God.  The point of this is that God of course, never forgets us.  If He is aware of the sparrows, who are of such low degree, then surely He will remember us.  Now, our sins are gone from us as far as the East is from the West, but God never forgets us.  Now, you may feel as though God has forgotten you at times, but that simply isn't true.  Psalm 139 reminds us that God knows everything about us from when we get up and down and even every thought that is on our tongue.  God will not forget you during your time of sickness, nor will He forget you in your time of grief, nor will He forget to comfort you when you are discouraged or depressed.  He is always there and we can always count on Him.  We need no other resources because God has not forgotten us.  The sparrows and the lilies are all under his direction and control.  The songwriter expressed it when he wrote, His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.  As you go out today or in other days ahead, always remember that God doesn't forget you even though there are billions of people on this planet, We can praise God that each of us are remembered.

Learning

 

     There is that expression, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."  There ought to be another expression that goes, "You can't teach a cat any tricks."  We recently got a new kitten which is fun to watch and I have been trying to teach it to shake hands, or paws if you wish.  The kitten just gets an agitated look on it and walks away.  So far, the only thing it will do is to stand up for treats especially potato chips, bacon and a few other things.  Some animals are not in agreement with learning of any kind.  This kitten does know where the box is and the food and water dishes.  So, it has learned some of the basic necessities but no parlor tricks for the kitty.  Psalm 119:73 says, "Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments."  

      We should be a little different in our attitude for learning.  This verse reminds us that we have been fashioned by God in order to learn.  He has given us understanding and made us so that we might learn His commandments.  When we think of His commandments, we of course, think of the Ten commandments but there are also many other things that go into a finer detail as to how we should live this life and where our eternal destiny lies.   You won't see any animals sitting and reading a book.  You should, however, see people of God reading His Word that they might learn more about Him.  We have learned to waste time in many different ways while our Bibles are gathering dust on the end table, desk, car and night stand.  It doesn't take us long to find so many ways in our lives spend our time that do not necessarily glorify God especially when those times have replaced our desire to be in His Word.  We have twenty four hours in every day where approximately 8 of them are spent in sleeping.  Now, what are we going to do with the sixteen hours or more in which we are awake?  How will you be a man or woman of God without spending time learning about Him in His Word?   It is necessary for us to read the Scriptures in order to learn more about God.  We all can observe His handiwork on the golf course, in the fishing boat, mountain climbing or on the beach but we are not learning His commandments.  So, spend a little more time this week in His Word and learn of His commandments.  We can learn new tricks.  Praise God today for His Word.

Good News

          I can't afford to pay the fees for a non advertising email handler and since Google was going to shut me off for sending spam, I went to Yahoo.  When I open the program, I am confronted with a barrage of the sorriest news stories I have ever seen.  Actually, none of them seem credible and none of them are of any interest to me.  It reminds me of the time I would spend at supermarket check out lines and seeing the latest issue of "The National Enquirer."  This is the one that said, "Inquiring minds want to know."  It told the startling fact of the celebrities and their diets, who was "with child," and the fact that they had found a B-29 on the moon.  We are forever confronted with information that makes no real sense, is invaluable and nothing more than a nuisance.  What is "good news" and where can you really get it.  You know what my answer is going to be, you get good news from the Bible, God's Holy Word, our Guide book for getting through this life and then arriving at the next.  First Corinthians 15:3-4 says, " For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:" 
      The Apostle Paul spelled out rather clearly what "good news" really is.  The definition of the word "gospel" is "good news."  All of chapter 15 is good news but the core of it is contained in these two verses.  All three are necessary.  Certainly, Christ died for our sins.  He is the only sacrifice that was acceptable to pay the price for our sins.  Secondly, He didn't just pass out on the cross and become awake in the tomb later.  He died.  The Roman soldier thrust a spear into Him.  When He was taken down from the cross, He was physically and medically dead.  That, however, didn't stop Him and the plan for our salvation.  He conquered death and He conquered the grave.  He was resurrected and many were around for the next 40 days to testify to that fact.  So, the Good News cannot be found in the Supermarket check out lane or on Yahoo or Google, but in God's Word.  We can laugh at the feeble attempts to make you purchase a tabloid or use a certain search engine but real news, really good news, only come from God's Word.  Praise God today for the Risen Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Sextant

          Have you ever had the feeling that you were lost and didn't know which way to go to get home?  For the most part, I haven't been in that situation, but I have been in situations where I had no idea where I was were it not for a loudspeaker of the captain's voice telling me where we were.  I was on a destroyer in the South Atlantic while on a cruise with a navy band consisting of 13 instrumentalists and a leader.  When you are out in the ocean, there are no road signs, no trees, in fact, no roads at all.  There are no landmarks in the distance and all you can see is miles and miles of water that just fade into the horizon.  The captain would come on the loudspeaker every now and then and give us an update and other than that, the only one who knew where we were was the man with the sextant who would be out on the quarter deck in the middle of the night looking at stars.  Proverbs 3:5-6 says, " Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." 
     We have a Captain with us now that not only tells us were we are, but tells where we have been and where we are going.  He doesn't come up on a loudspeaker to inform us of our position but does tell us in His Book where we are and where we are going.  He guides us all along in our lives.  In our spiritual lives, we need to trust our Captain with our destination.  Our Captain is of course, God Himself.  There is no doubt that we need to trust the LORD with all of our heart and certainly not to look for any understanding that comes from us.  Being in the woods is somewhat like being in the middle of the ocean.  I was in a forest once while hunting and got turned around.  There was no trail to speak of and a lot of trees that, to be honest, all looked to be the same.  The sun was hidden, so that was no help.  I was lost and finally made it to high ground to see where I was and where I needed to go.  God does that for us in our spiritual lives.  We find the guidance that we need in His Word.  The Bible becomes our sextant and we have no need to follow the light of the North Star, but follow the Light of the Savior in all that we do.  So, praise God today that He is still in the business of guiding us.  He will always direct our paths.

The Humble Road

        I recently received a quote from C. S. Lewis in his book, "Mere Christianity" about pride.  He made the following statement:  "Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next person. We say that people are proud of being rich, or clever, or good-looking, but they are not. They are proud of being richer, or cleverer, or better-looking than others. If everyone became equally rich, or clever, or good-looking there would be nothing to be proud about... It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition is gone, pride is gone.   First john 2:16 says, "1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."  
     What C. S. Lewis says is so true.  If the competition was removed, there would be no pride.  It is so easy to become proud of our accomplishments and we begin to rate ourselves  in regard to our fellow men and women.   If we seem to become good in our accomplishments when compared to others who seem to fail, then we begin to follow the trail of pride in our lives.  We begin to proclaim, "Get out of the way world, here comes the expert."  It makes no difference in the area of expertise.  We seem to measure ourselves in regard to the person next door or the business in the middle of town and rate our achievements above theirs and so begins the trail of pride.  We might ask ourselves if pride is an issue with us.  Satan used the three issues in the garden of Eden that are mentioned in First John 2:16.  He also used the same three avenues to tempt the Lord Jesus Christ in the garden of Eden. Guess What!  Satan is using the same methodology today in the lives of humanity.  So, yes, pride is an issue.   It is difficult to find a person that is standing before others who is not battling with the sin of pride.  This is true in the area of performing arts, such as music.  We often say that a person is to strive for the opposite of pride which comes out to be humility.  This is a foreign concept for many as the world want us to think of ourselves as great and that we have pulled ourselves up by our own boot straps.  It is God, however, that does the exaltation and not us.  It may sound ridiculous, but there are those that, all of a sudden, become proud of their humility.  Hence, the circle begins once again.  Once you think you have gained humility, you have lost it.  The answer is to stay close to God and to follow His instructions in all that we do, to trust Him with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind and all of our strength.  Praise God that He is still working in our lives.

No Third Choice

      We may have a lot of choices in the world in regard to socks but there are only two basic groups.  You are going to wear socks or you are not going to wear socks.  The kind doesn't matter in socks.  You are either in or you are out.  There always seems to be two groups that exist in the world.  You seem to fit into one of those two groups.   When it comes to plans,  you are either in one group or you are in the other.  You are either a member or a non member.  And so the list goes on and on.  The same is basically true of religious things.  You are either saved or you are lost.  There is never a third group.  No matter how close you might be, you are still on the other side or in the case of Christ, you are still lost.  Psalm 53 begins with a familiar phrase that was also seen in Psalm 14.  Psalm 53:1-3 says, "To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David.  The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.  God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."   
     God looks at us and sees one of two conditions.  Either we are saved or lost.  One thing is sure as He has said in His Word, there is none that doeth good and elsewhere He has said that there is none that seeketh after God.  The fool, which may also be described as an atheist, is one who has said that there is no God.  If you can't get into the group in your own way, then just say that the group doesn't exist.  Of course, you are also saying that millions of people have become a part of a group that is following after someone who does not exist.  For the believer, there is no doubt nor is there any problem about God's existence.  You see, you can look around you and find testimony of the fact that God does indeed exist.  You can look at the smallest of God's creations and at the largest of God's creations and all of them will bear witness to the fact that God exists.  So, there are still two groups and you are either in or you are out.  You are either a Christian or a non Christian.  You are either a believer or a non believer.  The final destination is either heaven or hell.    Praise God that He does exist and that He is actively working in your life today.

Batteries Included

     When you purchase something that has to be turned on, or to run, there will be a little phrase that will say either, "Batteries included" or "batteries not included."   There are somethings that do come with batteries in them.  I recently purchased a "kitchen food scale."  When it came, there was a sentence on the box, "batteries included."  I did have to pull the plastic tab out which then made the batteries able to make contact with the metal tips.  It's nice when the batteries are included.  Without the batteries, there would be no power to run the device until you went out and purchased them or rummaged around in a drawer looking for the right type of battery.  Matthew 6:33-34 says, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." 
     The spiritual life won't use batteries, but it is comforting to know that there is One Who supplies the power that we need to make our "life" function in this world.  While it is true that we look forward to heaven and all of its wonderful attributes, God has not left us powerless  in this life.  We can function as we rely on Him.  The above passage simply reminds us that we have the assurance of being endowed with the things that we need in this life.  The passage also gives us a simple reminder that we are to trust God for all of these things in our lives and not to trust ourselves.  In this case, we are to seek God and His righteousness.  Sounds like a pretty easy thing to do especially with the rewards that would follow.  Food and raiment are important, that's for sure, but trusting God is all that we need to do.  What is so amazing is that as you do trust Him and seek His righteousness, we see Him working in our lives in ways that we never imagined.  Nor only is your own life blessed, but you become the blessing for others.  God may direct you to do something, share something or to help someone else and you may not know why, but that same individual has already sought to do God's will and to seek His righteousness in their life.  God's working in all of our lives is so amazing and above our comprehension but we still glory in what He is doing.  Praise God that He supplies all of our needs, all of the time.

The Gospel Message

       I recall one time when I had applied for work with a company, that I had to be investigated to make sure I was of sound enough reputation to be entrusted with the responsibilities that I would have if accepted.  The process took a long time and finally, I was admitted into the facility.  My new responsibility had entrusted me with a lot of different things.  We often find that our jobs will give us access to a lot of company information as well as material things.  We may even get keys to the building and the vehicles.  God has also entrusted us with something.  He has entrusted us with the Gospel message.  First Thessalonians 2:4 says, "But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts." 
      God has chosen to use men and women, boys and girls, to get the message out to those who do not know Him.  He has entrusted us with the gospel in order that our friends, our family and even people around the world might hear the gospel and be saved.  God could have done it another way.  He could have just saved all those He wanted to, if not every person on the face of the earth.  But, that was not His plan.  Instead, He chose to have the gospel message spread from one person to another.  Paul and Silas were in the city of Thessalonica and were preaching about the gospel to that city.  They spoke with the idea of not just pleasing men but pleasing God.  It was God who had trusted them with the message and so they had to please Him rather than soft coating the message to please the ears of the Thessalonians.  We have the same obligation today.  Our message is not one that will please men but it will please God if we keep to the facts of the Scripture.  There was a TV show years ago where the interviewing detective would say, "Just the facts, mam."  We need to make sure that we are giving just the facts about the Gospel message as God has given them to us.  We don't teach the message in such a way as to make the hearer feel good but rather to give them the chance to make a clear decision about the offer of salvation, by what we have said.  So, while we have a desire to be popular and well liked by all that we know, there is still the responsibility to give a clear gospel message.  Is your message clear to those around you?  Praise God today that He has given us the gospel, that Jesus died, was buried and rose again according to the Scriptures.