Am I Succeeding?

         When you have a job to do, you should want it to come out the way that it was intended.  When I had to unload that wagon load of corn, it was finished when the last ear went into the corn crib.  I never left a few ears in the corner of the wagon.  Sometimes you would have to spend hours doing a particular job, but the satisfaction finally came when the last pass, or the last furrow or the last row of corn was cultivated.  Then you could say that you had success in doing what you had intended to do.  Joshua 1:8-9 says, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.  Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."   
       Webster, in his early addition of a dictionary defined "success" as "The favorable or prosperous termination of any thing attempted; a termination which answers the purpose intended;..."  The "successes" of a believer are determined by the Word of God.  The world, on the other hand, has its own measure of success and seems to be more determined by the amount of money accumulated or fame acquired rather than the Biblical description of success.  The prescription for success has been set forth in this passage and one can soon see the difference for the Biblical description and the world's description.   Prosperity and good success will be determined by how well you observe the instructions in verse eight.  Simply put, we are to meditate of the Word of God both day and night.  Everything that we do needs to be measured by the standard of the Scripture.  Now, in the case of Joshua, he was going to have to meditate on the "Book of the Law."  That's all he had at the time.  He was going to be immersed in God's instructions in the first five books of the Bible.  We have that as our guideline today.  If you want to know how to please God, just take a look at the first five books of the Bible.  Certainly, we have more than that as we now have the full Scriptures in our possession.  The difficulty comes when we make our own definition of success.  Most people want to end up being successful but how are you going to measure whether you are successful or not?  Take a look at God's Word and you will find whether or not you are succeeding  in life.  Praise God today for His Word and for His recipe for success.

Just Where is Home?

       While I was in the U. S. Navy for 9 years, I was not that fond of the ocean, nor was I that fond of living on a ship that was 300 feet long, about 30 feet wide and about 30 feet deep.  The captain once told one of our seasick band members that "we were never more than a mile from land, straight down."  As I would walk out on deck I could see nothing but blue water all around me.  I would sometimes think, "I hope someone knows where we are."  It was amazing when some mornings when I would wake up, that land could be seen in the distance.  We were arriving somewhere.   Ecclesiastes 12:7 says, " Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." 
       Ecclesiastes 12:1-8 used to be in the sophmore literature book and was required to be memorized and recited in class which I did.  I didn't understand the impact of that section of Scripture until the last 20 years of my life.  It is a description of the process of aging.  What is the most interesting for me is verse 7 which describes the process of death.  The body, so the verse says, returns to the earth.  The chemical composition of bone and flesh deteriorates and goes back to be mixed with the earth, "But, the spirit returns to God Who gave it."  That has to be a comfort to each and everyone of us.  It is comforting to know that Someone, in this case, God, knows where we are going.  He knows the place of arrival.  The older you get, the closer you are to home.  Life's journey can take us to many different places and we can have many different experiences on the way, but in the end, we will be arriving to the place where it all began.  So, what is your spirit?  It is that which makes you the type of person that you are.  Each one of us are different in so many ways.  Well, we might have the same number of eyes, ears, arms and other body parts, but the spirit is different in fact unique.  There is no one like you.  While you have the same number of parts, your make up is again unique.  There is no other DNA like yours.  Some might be close but not identical.  You may well ask the question, "Does anyone know where I am going and why I am here?"  The answer is "yes."  God knows your destination because He has your course plotted and someday you will be with Him. For believers, it is a comfort because we will be spending that eternity with God in a place called, "heaven."  Praise God today for His comfort, protection and guidance in this life.

Meditation

      One thing leads to another.  I have been watching a lot of old English mysteries and they seem to always be drinking tea.  I thought I would try some tea so looking in the cabinet, found that we had an ample supply but decided to add a few other types.  I figured that green tea would be healthy even though our son said it had more caffeine than other types of tea.  I got some green tea with lemon, had a cup in the middle of the afternoon, and woke up at 1:20AM, 2:40 AM and 4:30 AM.  I figured it might have been the tea.  So, went back to some milder tea the next day.  I was thinking that it was hard to get to sleep, so went back to my usual spiritual exercise as I lay there in the bed.  I began quoting Scripture.  After three verses, I don't remember any more until about 6:00 AM.   Psalm 1:2 says, "But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."  
        Psalm 1 has some interesting lessons in regard to our Christian behavior.  We see the progression that takes place in verse one as the person goes from walking, standing and sitting with the wrong crowd.  Then, there is the contrast that we see in verse 2.   This verse describes what the believer should be doing during his average day, in fact, all of his days.  We hopefully think about that which pleases us.  The believer should be pleased with the Scriptures.  The believer is so pleased with them that he thinks about them both day and night.  Well, that covers your whole day.  You may think that you can't possible think about the Word of God all day long and still do your job.  You can make decisions, answer the phone, drink your coffee, chew on a donut and still think about the Word of God.  Your brain is able to do many processes at the same time, many of which you do not even think about.  We talk about the five senses and various aromas, sounds, tastes, visions and feelings all have input into your life at the same time.  Some or all of these things can be influenced by the Word of God.  You are the subject of God's creation.  You and I have been created in His image and naturally, His Word is vitally important to our daily living.  When troubles come or when difficult situations arise in your life, turn to the Word of God and meditate on what God has said.  God has covered all situations and will not leave you without help.  Praise God today for Scripture and prayer to conform us to the image of God.

Putting a Muzzle on the Roaring Lion

        When you are only eight years old and riding a bicycle you have that fear of dogs that you know are living at certain houses.  We had such a dog about a quarter of a mile from our house.  it was what seemed to me to be a monster as it was a large tricolor Collie that really liked to chase my bicycle.  The dog was in a big yard and I could hear him coming as the barking got louder and louder.  He could always catch me and would start nipping at my feet.  I was heading down to the gas station to get a Royal Crown Cola and a Moon Pie and nothing was going to stop me from that quest.  I would peddle as fast as I could and then when he got close I would life my feat and hope I could coast out of his domain.  He usually stopped when we began to get out of perimeter of the house.  I think he got me one time with a little nip but his bark was worse than his bite.  First Peter 5:8 says, " Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:"   
     We need to be forever reminded of Satan's tactics as he goes about seeking his unsuspecting prey.  He is seemingly just around the corner in your Christian life.  He will attack when you least expect it.  We have those mountain top experiences where things are just wonderful and you realize the Lord's presence and then all of a sudden you get attacked.  Things might be going well just before he roars and jumps on you.  You might try to pull your feet up and coast by but that's not going to work with him.  One of the things that is helpful is to know his tactics.  Satan is going to be attacking the truth with his half lies.  Satan is going to be working to tear down all of the truth in your life that makes you a believer.  Satan will start by making you doubt your salvation and to doubt that God cares or that God can take care of your problems.  We sometimes think that if we pet the lion, he will like us and not harm us.  I never tried to pet that tricolor Collie especially when I was speeding by on my bicycle.  Psalm 1 paints a very good lesson for us.  Verse 1 says, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful."  The one who is in trouble first walks with the ungodly, then stands in the way and finally takes a seat with them.  So, our prevention is to stay as close to God as we can and we can do this by  Scripture and Prayer to conform us to the image of God.  Praise God today for His putting a muzzle on the Roaring Lion

Wonderful Grace of Jesus

         There are some thins in this life that we need to be reminded of and one of them is the wonderful grace of Jesus.  Perhaps you have had those things in your life where your mother, wife or some friends, where you get constantly reminded to do something or to not forget something.  They are such things as, "Did you lock the door?"  "Did you turn the oven off?"  The list of familiar things goes on and on.  Well, the topic for today is one of things of which I need to be reminded.  I know its there and always available, but sometimes I just need to be reminded of it.  The subject of which I need to be reminded of is that wonderful grace of Jesus.    Second Corinthians 12:9 says, "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."  

       We know the story.  We have heard it time and time again how Paul had a thorn in the flesh and that he prayed three times and finally God said to him that His grace was sufficient to deal with the problem at hand and basically, God was not going to remove it.  Can you even imagine that God told Paul, "No" to his prayer request.   We would probably think that all of Paul's prayers would be answered in the affirmative.  We know for sure that this one was not answered in the affirmative but God didn't leave Paul without the adequate resources to get the job done.  The thorn wasn't removed but God's grace was sufficient to deal with the problem.  Now, what does that tell us?  Well, we can be assured that whatever takes place in our lives, especially the really bad things, that God's grace is just as sufficient for our problems as it was for Paul's problems.  That's the lesson of which I need to be reminded.  I need to never forget that God's grace is sufficient and to write that word means that it will take care of each and every thing that takes place in my life.  It works on disease, relationships, changes and whatever else goes on.  Over the last 19 years of this devotion, this is probably one of the most used verses and it is because I need to remember the sufficiency of God's grace and so do all of you.  Whatever takes place in your life today, just remember the words that God uttered to Paul after his prayer, "...my grace is sufficient for you..."  Praise God that He has bestowed His grace to all believers.

The Beginning

         Reunions are fun times.  You get to see everyone from the family in one group setting and then to get caught up, so to speak, about all of the events of the previous year.  When i lived in Indiana, we had a reunion every year.  Certain relatives were always making sure that we would be able to get together.  It used to be outside, but now, when it is held, it is inside.  We had one man who had a window shad all rolled up and he would bring it every year.  On that shade was the genealogy of the family.  You could look at the shade and see your name and then the names of your children printed underneath your name.  The creator of this window shade had kept it going for years and was very careful in putting the names in the right place. In essence, you could go back several hundred years and find out the names of the husband and wife that started it all.  Colossians 1:12-13 says, " Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:"   
       We often come up with the question, "Who started it all?"  In this case, we are thinking of going back a lot more than a hundred years but to the beginning of things even before Adam and Eve.  Colossians 1:12-23 gives us a lot of information as to Who started it all and why it was created in the first place.  It is the "why" and "how" of creation.  The above verse gives us the beginning of this event.  It was all traced back to His "dear Son."   Colossians chapter one is our "window shade" showing us just how creation took place.  We sometimes ask the question, "Why am I here?"  Well, we can find out the answer in this passage of Scripture.  Just look at every pronoun in this passage and notice that it all refers back to "His dear Son."  We are not coincidences in the history of life.  We just didn't pop up out of a primitive pool of chemicals.  When we keep going back far enough, we find out the reason for all of us to be here.  What a joy it is to know that we have purpose in life and that God's plan just doesn't stop with our short period of life but goes on throughout all eternity.  In that eternity, all people will live forever, but the destination of your abode will be determined with the decision you make in this life.  To reject this wonderful spiritual life is the course of the fool.  On the flip side, we have the wonderful truth of John 3:16.  "believe in Him and never perish."  Now that's something to praise God about.  So, praise God today for His wonderful and complex creation as we read it in His letter to us.

Real Hope

         One of the things we like to have is "hope."  We can hope for a lot of things, some of them will come to pass and others are probably not going to happen.  I used to send in all of the Publisher's Clearing house requests but have since stopped even opening up their mail.  I don't see any hope in Publisher's Clearing House prizes.   Possessing hope in a hopeless world while being confronted with hopeless situations can be one of the greatest blessings of all.  Men and women today are plagued with more problems and difficulties in life than perhaps any other time in our history.  We have created a fast paced society in America where we often find our schedules packed to the brim with meetings, appointments, schedules and things that we would like to do.  When plans go wrong, many find themselves faced with feelings of despair and wondering just how they can get out of the situation in which they find themselves.  Paul wrote about the grace of God that indeed offers hope to a hopeless people.  Titus 2:11-14 says, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."  
       In fact, of the 122 times that grace is mentioned in the New Testament, Paul mentioned it 85 times.  It is also only mentioned twice in the Book of Revelation, in chapters 1 and 22, mostly in the greeting and the closing of the book.  Paul reminded Titus that he should be looking for "that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ..."  No matter what is going on around us, we can always rely on this truth.  Our problems and our worries, our sufferings and our concerns, whatever we might call them, will all fade away when Jesus will come again.  It is a hope that transcends everything else around us.  It won't matter how many things are left on your "to do" list, or how many appointments you have that day.  It won't matter how many bills are unpaid, how many X-Rays you need nor where you will get the money for your taxes.  When Jesus comes, it won't make any difference.  You won't have time to get dressed up, put on a tie, a new dress or fix your hair.  When Jesus comes, you will stop everything and your eyes will be focused upon Him.  All of this to say, that your problems today, your concerns, the things that you have to do, your sufferings, or whatever else might be plaguing today, means very little in light of the "blessed hope" that we have.  So, if you are gasping for air and thinking that you are going down for the third time, take a deep breath and focus your attention on the wonderful grace of God.  Praise God that He gives us real hope that we can count on.

God is Still Working!

        Do you ever get critical about your church?  You might say, "Well, they don't do things the way we used to do them."  Plus, one of the things of course by which we evaluate our churches is by the number of souls saved each week, each month or even each year.  You can put a lot of "counters" on your computer.  I had one that told me many different statistics each minute.  I could tell how many chickens were killed, how many bicycles were made, how many people died, how many people were born and how many people became believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Wow!  That's a lot of information.  Acts 2:41 says, "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."   
       When the church began, there was only one location and it was in downtown Jerusalem.  The disciples were gathered together and Pentecost occurred.  Peter, the one who often found himself in trouble, stand us and preaches a short message which results in 3,000 souls being saved.  We read that and then notice in the next chapter that 5,000 more were saved and then they stopped counting and said it was just so many that they couldn't count them anymore.  We look at that and say, "Wow.  What's wrong today?  Why aren't we seeing souls saved like that today.  Actually, there are more people being saved today than there was on the day of Pentecost.  We only see what's happening in our own neck of the woods.  What we don't see is what's going on in Roanoke, Lawrenceville, Chicago, Philadelphia, Miami, Lima, Moscow, Berlin and literally thousands of cities around the world.  We don't see the preachers and missionaries who are giving out God's message faithfully around the world.  There is not a moment when the gospel is not being proclaimed.  On one such computer clock, there is one new Christian every second.  That's 60 new believers every minute, so ten minutes equals 600 new believers.  There are 1440 minutes in a day and the number of new believers every day is 86,400.  Now, How great is your God?  Praise God today for the preachers, missionaries, church workers, believers who are all sharing the wonderful Gospel, the Good news of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Great Protector

  I am not a fighter.  That is, I don't engage in "fisticuffs" if I can avoid it in any way.  I do recall some times on the playground when the local bully shoved me once too often and I let him know that I was not to be bullied anymore.  He got the message.  I will, however, seek the peaceful route even to the point of avoidance of an individual that is going to cause me trouble.  I am not wealthy enough to be able to afford a body guard and then I found this verse that tells me that I already have one.   Psalm 34:7 says, "The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." 
        I don't know just how God does this but I am sure glad that He does.  The word "angel" in this verse is just one of 212 different references in the Bible.  When you begin looking at just some of those verses, you begin to realize just busy those angels are.  Some people seem to require much more protection than others but it is certainly good to  know that there is an angel protecting you.  When you look at this verse, you can see that the act of this angel is much like an umbrella.  An umbrella will protect you from the rain as long as you are under it.  If you leave your umbrella in the car on a rainy day, then you are going to get wet.  If you walk with your umbrella at your side, then you are going to get wet.  You may have access to the biggest and best umbrella in the world, but if it is not over your head, you are going to get wet.  When you look at what the verse says, you notice a little phrase, "...that fear Him..."   This has the sense of being reverent towards God.  You have respect for God and you endeavor to please Him in your life.  When you are doing this, then the angel of the LORD is there as your protector.  There are many people who step out from under His protection by dishonoring God in the breaking of His laws.  How do you respect God in your life?  Are you like the Psalmist who wrote Psalm 119 and who have a great love for the Word of God?  Does God's Word occupy a prominent place, yes, the first place in your life today?  We will probably have to say "no" in many of those cases but we endeavor to keep growing in His Word day by day.  Romans 12:1-2 remind us, " I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."  Praise God today for His protection.

Interpreters

      First of all, I would like to thank all of you who read this devotion and in your mind, make the necessary corrections for the words that are not spelled correctly or where letters are left out or arranged differently than they should be.  You are "interpreting" what I say and doing a pretty good job of it.  When I don't spell a word correct, a little red line appears.  That is helpful but it doesn't get all of them.  For example, "Tot he" is listed as being correct when it really should be "To the"  You have been very understanding and for that I thank you very much.  I try to get it right the first time, but sometimes it doesn't appear that I did too well.  In the days of Nehemiah, the people came back to Jerusalem after a captivity of about 70 years.  There was not a lot of time spent in reading God's Word during those 70 years.  If you leave the Bible out of your life for 70 years, you may have a problem remembering all that God wants you to do.  When they got back to Jerusalem, a copy of God's Word was found and Ezra the Scribe gathered them all together to hear what God had to say. Nehemiah 8:3 says, " And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law."  
        They stood when God's Word was read and they stood for the entire time of about three hours.  Others were present at this time to help explain what was being read.  Ezra read probably in Hebrew while the people were accustomed to the language of Babylon.  There were others who were there to give the sense of the word to the people.  They were like walking commentaries on the Word of God.  You may have times in your own life when you neglect the Word of God for a spell and you begin to forget the message of God.  In Ezra's day, this was a whole new generation unfamiliar with Hebrew and with God so they were learning something new and it was very important to them.  May we respect those who stood for over 3 hours to hear God's Word and then to begin to understand what it said to them.  Don't neglect the reading of the Bible in your own life.  It is easy to put off reading it until a more convenient time but you will find that the zeal for His Word begins to fade.  May we praise God today for His provision of His Word for our lives.  It will lead us to heaven and instruct us on the course of our lives.

         

Disagreement

       Do Christians always agree with one another?  We often try to maintain a good will between one believer and another, but it doesn't always work out that way.  The church was young in the days of Paul and Barnabas.  We sometimes refer to it as the "primitive" church.  It is where all things started and in the nearest time from the ascension of Christ from the earth.  We may think that this would be the perfect time in the life of the church.  I seem to find myself in situations where someone has a much different opinion about my actions or disagrees with me in one thing or another.  We go to a new church as we have done many times in our ministries and there is what is called the "honeymoon."    This is the time that you have a perfect relationship with everyone in the church. It is indeed, the "honeymoon."  Things, begin to change however, when you start promoting something, teaching something or just generally start making changes in the church.  We often found that it was then that you could say, "Well, the honeymoon is over."  In our section today, Paul and Barnabas had already made their first missionary journey and were about to embark on the second journey.   Acts 15:37-38 says, " And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.   But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work."  
        Barnabas really wanted  Mark to go along with them on the second journey but Paul was steadfastly against taking Mark on the second trip.  Since Mark had not completed the first journey, but went back to Jerusalem, Paul didn't want to take him on the second journey.  What is interesting and important here is that two believers, Paul and Barnabas, had a disagreement that was so sharp that they went their own ways.  There is no discussion as to who was right and who was wrong.  They had a disagreement.  Have you ever had a disagreement with another believer?  We probably all have had a disagreement at one time or another.  We learn from other Scriptures that Mark ends up being important to Paul in the latter years of his ministry so his opinion had changed over the usefulness of mark in the ministry.   Praise God today that He uses us in His ministry to reach the lost souls in the world.

Roller Coasters and Other Temptations

          Temptations always look good at first.  Years ago, I was tempted to take a ride on a roller coaster.  Now, I am afraid of heights.  I don't even go above the 4th step of a step ladder, in a house, leaning against the wall. The rest of the group was doing it so it seemed like a good thought to me at the time.  After all, in a couple of minutes it would be all over.  Temptations always look good in the beginning.  I got on the ride and as it went slowly up that first hill, I asked myself over and over again why I had talked myself into doing this in the first place.  Since that time, when I am tempted to ride a roller coaster, I remember the experiences of my youth and the temptations, while there for only a few seconds, soon flee away.  Actually, when I look at the roller coasters of today, I have no desires to ride them.  Roller Coasters are one thing, but certainly there are many areas in our lives when we face temptations.  We deal with all kinds of temptations in our lives almost every day that we live.  First Corinthians 10:13 says, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 

      This verse of Scripture, while a general verse on temptation, is important as it is saturated with various principles of the victorious Christian life.   First of all, temptation is common to everyone.  You don't need to feel bad just because you are tempted.  Second, we can learn that God is faithful.  In fact, He is always faithful in all things.  There is not one thing nor one time that God will not be faithful.  We can always count on Him.  Third, He won't allow us to be tempted above our capabilities.  He knows our limits and He can control the amount of temptation that we get.  There is also, a way to escape.  This fourth item is very important.  The avenue of escape is there and God provides that.  He gives us that road to victory amidst of the temptation.  The problem often comes when we don't accept the road that He has provided.  Now, this is a general verse on temptation and there is something else that is quite important.  You need to know the Scriptures in order to use them during your temptation.  Avenues of escape are always present especially in God's Word.  If you know 1 Corinthians 10:13, then you probably know many other verses of Scripture that can be used in your hour of temptation.  So, it is always good to be in God's Word and memorizing it in order to use when you are tempted to do something that you shouldn't.  When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness in Matthew 4 and Luke 4, we notice that He quoted sections of Scripture for each temptation that Satan brought forth.    We need to do the same thing.  Get involved in a good Scripture memory program and begin putting verses away in your temptation arsenal.  You won't regret it when the occasion arises.  Praise God today for the Bible and that it has the answers to all of life's problems.

Repentance and Conversion

       Getting people out of a predicament is always good news.  When coal miners are trapped deep into the earth and some if not all are brought out safely, the world applauds.  Eyes were glued at the news in connection with the rescue attempts for the soccer team trapped deep in a cave in Thailand.  Everyone was concerned about their safety as day by day went by and with another rain storm on the way, the attempts were catching the eyes of the world.    When they were brought out safely people applauded the acts and bravery of those that were the rescuers.  What about rescues  of those who are on their way to a Christless eternity and to be doomed in eternity?  We hear nothing of these events.     Acts 3:19 says, " Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;"
       There is no fancy equipment necessary for this rescue.  The only thing one needs is the Bible and to be able to lead a person to spiritual safety.   There are two very important words in this text.  The first one is "Repent."   Repentance is not being sorry you got caught in your sin, but rather to be truly sorry that you offended God in doing the things that you did.  Repentance is also endeavoring to not keep on doing the same things over and over.  Being sorry about your sin is one thing, but the next main word is vitally important.  It is to be "converted."  I good example of conversion can be found in the first chapter of First Thessalonians where the Thessalonians  turned from idols to serve the Living God.  There are countless thousands of people who are out in the highways and byways everyday to seek to find a soul headed in the wrong direction and to have them repent of their sin and to be converted, to forever be following after the Lord Jesus Christ in all that they do.  No one applauds when a soul is converted.  That is to say, no one applauds on this earth, but angels applaud in heaven and there is great rejoicing over the conversion of one soul.  The results of this salvation last for an eternity.  Five missionaries died in Ecuador about 50 years ago even though they could have defended themselves with a rifle.  Thy had a vow that they would not take the life of a native as the natives were not ready to enter into eternity.  They had not heard the gospel message.  So praise God today for the repentance and conversion of souls each and every day

Taking Time to Remember Him

          We live in a fast paced life style these days.  Even at my age, I have to keep track of appointments, usually for doctors, and places where I am supposed to be.  When you are coping with a fading memory  it sometimes seems hard to keep track of everything.  I guess this is why the doctors call you up with a recording reminding you of your appointment.  It's good to come to Sunday service where we now attend for worship.  It is just a tad different and every Sunday morning at 9:30 AM, the people gather to come silently into the small, plain sanctuary to begin the service.  No one is in charge and no one has an agenda.  Songs are sung, prayers are said, exhortations are made and it is always culminated in the main purpose of the service, the Lord's Supper.  People often say that you will get tired of doing this every Sunday and that it will lose its meaning or impact.  This past Sunday, I was meditating on the verse, Romans 5:8.  " But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." 
      I don't think I will ever get tired of reading that verse and thinking about what Christ did for us.  I was just thankful for the opportunity to take a moment out of our life to remember Christ and what He has accomplished for us on the cross.  First Corinthians 11:24-25 says, "And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me."   The whole purpose of our gathering in such a way is simply to "remember Him."  The Apostle Paul emphasizes this to the Corinthians when he mentioned it in connection with the breaking of the bread and the blessing of the cup.  Even many communion tables contain the words on the front, "This Do In Remembrance of Me."  I sometimes wonder if we really do remember the Lord Jesus Christ or are we just trying to fit Him into a very tight schedule.  Today promises to be another one of those busy days with some being more busy than others.  I have two things scheduled for this afternoon which is a conflict but will try to focus my attention on that which is important in spite of the conflict.  I will endeavor to try to "remember" what Christ did for me and for all believers.  He died for us.  Praise God today for such a wonderful salvation.

This Little Light of mine...

      It would seem that darkness goes hand in hand with deception.  It can play tricks on your mind.  I have mentioned how that a trip to the trash pile one night while we were living in the country, proved to be rather exciting.  I shined a light into the darkness, but only saw two, what I thought were, eyes peering back at me.  Judging by the distance between the two eyes the creature had to be very large.  Not wanting to kill it, I fired a couple rounds of bird shot from my rifle with no results.  The two eyes turned out to be the curves in my son's tricycle handlebar which he had parked near the trash barrel.  I recently purchased one of those fancy flashlights that are supposed to be used by the military.  This light illuminates the darkness and you can see everything.  I can find things in drawers, in the bottom of my closet, under the couch and many other places that I didn't know contained so many items.  John 1:5 says, " And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."  
      The greater the light, the greater the exposure of sin.  John the Baptist wrote that he wasn't that Light and was of course referring to the Light as being the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.  If you dare, you could compare your daily life to that of Christ.  You will soon find out what is True Holiness.  As great as John the Baptist was, he still realized that he was nothing and that Christ was everything.  Revelation 21:23 says, "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof."  We know how much light comes from the sun and the moon.  On a cloudless night sky, one can still see because of the light of the moon and the stars.  The day time is far brighter than we could imagine yet the Lord Jesus Christ is brighter than all of them put together.  Second Corinthians 4 reminds us that we are reflectors of the Light in our lives.  We know the difference between light and darkness and as you go out into the world today, you are going as light to a vast people who are living in darkness.  The sun may be shining today wherever you are, but people are still living in darkness.  As you go out, may you and myself included, be reflectors of the Light to a lost and dying world.  Praise God for giving us the Light.

I Stand Alone on the Word of God, the B I B L E

        There was an energy crisis in USA and people were trying to come up with ways to conserve energy, especially gasoline.  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.  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, however,  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.  We should not try to altar God's law just because society deems something acceptable today that was against the law yesterday. 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 always have confidence in the Word of God when the things of this life seem to contradict 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 "celebrity 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.

"Sound the Alarm!"

        A number of years ago, it became a law that a person could not go into a crowded theater and shout "Fire!"  Someone could be killed if such a thing was done and there was no fire.  There may come a time in your life when it is necessary to sound an alarm.  Take for instance a burning home where you notice the fire.  What should you do?  Should you walk by and ignore what you have seen or should you sound the alarm?  Obviously, you should sound the alarm as loud as you can.  Most courses teach in fire safety that the most critical time is the first three minutes  After that time, it could be out of control.  There are times when warnings are necessary.  The practice of setting a guard or a "watchman" was a practice that Israel utilized.  You never knew when an advancing army would appear so watchmen were set and were ready to sound the alarm should the enemy appear.   Ezekiel 33:5-6 says, "He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.  But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand."  

         We have taken this section of Scripture and given it an indirect application to all of us.  As a believer, you know the "end of the story."  You know how things are going to turn out.  You know that Satan will be defeated and that the unbelieving will be cast into the Lake of Fire.  You also know the terrible wrath that is going to come upon every person that doesn't believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Now comes the choice.  You have to decide whether to sound the alarm or not.  There are many who are ignoring the position of "watchman."  They are comfortable in their salvation and for one reason or another, don't see the need to sound the alarm.  For some, we say, "Well I made it.  You are on your own."    What would it take to increase our awareness of the severity of the final judgment?  It may be that some people need to spend some time thinking on what it will be like to go into an eternity without God.  That is, what would it be like to spend the rest of eternity without Christ, without God, without light and without the blessings of heaven?  Check what it says in the Bible about eternal judgment.   When you read the book of Revelation, you soon find out all of the wonderful things that will be in heaven.  The opposite is also true.  If you do not go to heaven, then you will go somewhere.  That "somewhere" is the Lake of Fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels.  Would you be God's watchman today?  Will you sound the alarm and let those around you know that the enemy is coming and in fact, is here among us?  Praise God for your salvation and be prepared to share it with others.

Freedom Indeed

          As national holidays go, Independence day is probably one of the most observed and thought of.  It has no religious overtones.  It celebrates the dependence from a foreign power and the birth of the nation.  Many great quotes come from the founding fathers of the country.  They all longed to be free from tyranny and to go their own way.  Freedom is something that is important to every individual.  One could say that we all long to be free and sometimes that freedom will be from different things.  When we think of political freedom, we think of one country being free from another and not wanting to have any connection with the old country in any way shape or form.  The Bible also speaks of freedom.  There is that longing to be free from sin and from the power of sin.  John 8:36 says, " If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."  
      We can look at the Declaration of Independence and stand in awe of the people, men and women, boys and girls, who fought to make our country free.  Freedom came with a price and men and women were ready and willing to give their lives for freedom.  There is that sense in which the Bible is our declaration of independence.  The freedom of every believer came with a price.  The price of freedom for the believer was the blood of Christ on the cross at Calvary.  We may try to compare the two freedoms and probably wonder how the sacrifice of One individual could possibly pay the necessary price for that freedom.  It is because of the perfect sacrifice.  The Lord Jesus Christ went to the cross to pay the price that God the Father had set for the satisfaction for our sin.  As the apostle John wrote in his first epistle, Christ was the propitiation, or the satisfaction, for the sin debt.  We cannot add one thing to the payment.  There is nothing that will ever act as a supplement to the salvation and the freedom that we now possess as a result of Christ dying on the cross for our sins.  You and I cannot add one iota to the act of Christ dying on the cross.  One songwriter wrote, "Jesus Paid it All."   John wrote that the payment for our sins satisfied the requirement.  You may be thankful for your political freedom, but you should be even more thankful for your freedom as a believer.and to realize the truth of the words in John 8:36 that the Son can make you free indeed.  Praise God today for giving us freedom.

In The Last Days...

       I never saw my grand parents drive a car.  I didn't know my father's parents but did know my mother's parents and stayed with them every summer.  They didn't have a car but depended on the kids to get them to the store or to bring whatever they needed.  Grandfather Vermilyer didn't have a car but did have a shotgun. My father borrowed it once to go hunting and upon shooting it had it fall into three pieces.  Grandpa simply told him he was holding it wrong.  I saw grandpa shoot a goose from his rocking chair as it flew overhead.  It was cleaned and prepared for dinner that evening.  They seemed to have the things that they needed and Mom and Dad would bring two packs of Beech Nut each time they visited.  Life seemed to be so simple in those days.  Things have changed in this present time and not everything is for the good of mankind.  Second Timothy 3:1 says, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come."  
     It doesn't take long for us to realize just how perilous these times are.  All we need to do is to listen to the news and it seems to be a running commentary of Second Timothy 3:1-5.  All of the characteristics of this passage of Scripture are being played out every day.  There is comfort in all of this in knowing that it isn't a surprise to God.  He knew it was going to happen.  God knew before how things were going to get because He knows our mind and our flesh and our spirit.  He knows how we are going to react and how we are going to go astray.  He knows how we are going to respond to the events that we are going to confront today and in the days to come.  God was not caught unawares but had a plan even from the beginning.  Galatians 4:4 describes how that in the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son.  God knew we were going to need help and so provided our salvation in His Son.  Second Timothy 3:1-5 certainly shows our need and John 3:16 shows our answer.  No matter how terrible the news is on your channel, God has the answer.  God is always there even during the terrible crimes of humanity.  God has given us His Son and His Son won the victory by coming out of the tomb.  The greatest event in history has won the victory for each and every believer and has become the answer as to what the world needs even in light of the events that take place each and every day.  So, Praise God today for the message of John 3:16.

Let's Sing a Lot!

        Well, I praise God that no one has ever told me that I cannot sing.  You may also come to the point that tunes are running through your head even though you are not singing "out loud."  I like to sing and sooner or later a tune is going to come out somewhere, somehow.  I started singing in school.  I guess you could say that I began in earnest in high school as I was a member of the "glee club."  Even in high school, I began singing for weddings.  O, I didn't do a lot of them but did a couple.  I just liked to do it.  I have sometimes repeated that I sang a voice solo at contest time in the Indiana school system and then had to sing the same solo down at state contest in Indianapolis.  My father was there and simply said, "Well, it was loud."  Psalm 104:33 says, " I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being."
         My Grand Daughter, Rebekah, made me wonderful plaque for my 80th birthday that had Psalm 13:6 on it.  That tells why I sing.  The Lord has dealt bountifully with me.  I began looking up the phrase, "I will sing"  in the concordance and found eighteen references in the Bible, fourteen of which are in the book of Psalms.  I think that is appropriate as the Book of Psalms is the hymn book of the Jewish people.  There are times when you may not feel like singing.  There is the verse that says that the Israelites hung their harps on the willows in Psalm 137:2.  They didn't feel like singing when they were heading to captivity.  There may be those times in our lives when the urge to sing leaves us.  So far, I haven't had that urge.  Singing is an expression of what is going on in my life.  There may be those times when I sing in a minor key, but not too often.  It's like the song says, "I sing because I'm happy."  I may sound really bad to a lot of people, but that doesn't stop me from singing.  I am growing fond of the expression, "I sing by letter.  I open my mouth and let her fly."  A bit of humor sometimes explains the quality of my singing.  I could say, "Well, I haven't had any training in singing, and maybe that explains why it is not up to par for many educated singers."  Music is mentioned a lot in the Bible and I am sure that it is important for us to sing praises to God for what He has done, what He is doing and what He is going to do.  You can hear the melody rise up in your head when you say the words, "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me."  Praise God for the ability He has given us to sing praises to Him.  Don't be silent