Better than a Box of Cracker Jacks

         Most people like to receive a gift.  It doesn't have to be big.  It just has to be something you don't expect like a secret decoder ring in a box of cereal.  Most of the time, I had to send a small amount of money and at least two box tops in order to get the ring.   Do you remember Cracker Jacks?  We used to get a box of them for a nickel.  The flavor of the caramel corn mixed with peanuts was good but that wasn't the best thing about the treat.  It was the small prize that was buried somewhere down at the bottom of the box.  I used to turn the box upside down when I opened it in hopes of finding the prize right away.  Sometimes, it worked but not always.  Then, when you got the prize, you may have liked it and then again, you may not.  They were usually something small and of very little value.  In some way, every morning is like a box of Cracker Jacks.  You can be sure of some special prize somewhere buried in the day.  There is one application that the Psalmist has made in regard to each day.  Psalm 118:24 says, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."   
        There may be things that we like and things that we dislike in every day, but it is still a day that the Lord has made.  It may be a little different for each person, but it is still the day that the Lord has made.  That special prize might be a beautiful rose that you come across, or the morning sunrise or evening sunset, or that letter that came in the mail or the phone call from a family member.  Sometimes, there are many more prizes in each day.    That's what makes them more special than that one cheap prize in the box of Cracker Jacks.  We may not know a lot about the day that is coming but we do know that it is going to be a day that the LORD has made.  If you were able to get up, then you are able to praise God for what He has in mind for you today.  So, as you begin each day, just remember that word from the Psalmist that reminds us that today is a day that the Lord has made.  One thing for sure, we should just rejoice and be glad in everything that takes place.  Praise God today that He is still making your day.  Every time I utter those words, a little chorus comes to mind.  Maybe you are also singing it.

The Resurrection

      There are a lot of things that we know and a lot of things we don't know.  I know, that sounds like a very profound statement.  I know how to make pancakes and how to get from one place to another and I know how to type, but, to be honest there are somethings that I just don't know.  One thing that is foremost in this area is what happens when you pass from this life to the next.  We know that the Scripture says that we are absent from this body and present with the LORD, but there is a lot of things connected with this that we don't know.  The best way to find out would be to talk to someone who has experienced it.  There are very few legitimate people who actually experienced this event such as Lazarus.  The Lord Jesus Christ raised Him from the dead and if we could speak to Lazarus, we would perhaps find out some interesting things.  That, however, is not possible because Lazarus died a second time.  Luke 24:27 says, "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself."   
       We have only one example of a person being raised from the dead and that is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.  The above verse comes from the account of the "two on the Road to Emmaus" that we read about in the Gospel of Luke.  They were perhaps caught unaware and assumed that the person walking with them was just another person on the same road.  After the blessing of the food, however, they realized Who it was that had been walking and sitting with them.  They were so excited, they ran all the way back to Jerusalem to tell others.  The Lord Jesus Christ did give them some information as this verse tells us that "...He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself..."  It must have been quite an account as He began with Moses and went through the prophets.  I wonder what we would have said or what questions we would have asked had we been on that same road that day.  The word for "expounded" is the same word from which we get the word, "hermeneutics."  He explained and opened up the Scripture to them.  We might proclaim that this would be great for us and we would have loved hearing what He had to say.  Well, we do have the same opportunity because we have a copy of God's Word.  I think we would love to have someone spoon feed us the message when we have it all the time right in our own possession.  We can glean all we need to know about the experience itself and the outcome by just looking and reading the Word of God.  Many of us, however, are much like Thomas who would not believe anything about the resurrected Christ until he would have actually touched the wounds with his own hands.  We know, however, what happened when Thomas saw Jesus himself.  He simply proclaimed, "My Lord and my God."  Praise God today that He is our Shepherd and leads us into green pastures.

There is One God

        Halloween is a popular day in America.  Prosperity seems to have taken a wrong turn in our history and we have forgotten where Halloween came from.  Our property in Indiana had an "abandoned" out house on it, but Dad used it to store tools such as shovels and rakes and other garden items.  Every year, it got tipped over.  We often wonder about the surprise of the loud noise of it crashing on its side and what the "tippers" thought was in there.  Every year, on the day after Halloween, Dad would go out and stand it upright in its place and there it would remain until the next year's group of "tippers" came on the scene.  The day we call "Halloween" has become a profitable time for businesses.  Stores in malls, which remain vacant all year, suddenly come to life for 60 days with all kinds of items for the average home owner to decorate their homes with the popular orange and black decorations.  Costumes are a large part of the festivities and people, young and old, try to see just how awful and disgusting they can look.  Imitations of death, goblins, ghosts and anything demonic can be seen being worn by many of the children in the neighborhood.  Even the church has tried to come up with something to do during this time of the year so the kids won't "miss out" on the feast of "treats" that the others seem to bring home in bulging pillow cases.  First Corinthians 8:6 says, " But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him."   
        Corinth, as other pagan cities, had places of worship for idols and meat markets were located near the center for idolatry.  Only small portions were used in the actual sacrifice, so the rest was sold to anyone who wanted a cheap steak.  The new believers in Corinth, however had a problem with that since a portion of the meat had been offered as a sacrifice to some idol.  Paul seems to shift the attention the the Lord in the above verse with the familir, "but to us" phrase.  The attention is turned to the fact that there is but One God.  Our attention should be focused on Him rather than the imitation of things evil in the world.  It should be obvious to us that the placement of Halloween is where it is as November 1 is "All Souls Day" in the liturgical scheme of things therefore the world thought it proper to focus on the evil of the world the one day before All Souls Day.  We don't have to come up with an alternative just because it exists.  Our focus should be continually on God and His kingdom 24/7/365 and not on the things of the world.  Matthew 6:22-24 remind us to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.  Praise God for Who He is and for what He has done for you.

Mistaken Identity

          Every now and then you hear about a case of mistaken identity.  That is, someone is mistaken for someone else.  I have been mistaken for another Baptist preacher twice in my life.  He is famous.  I am not.  Mistaken identity  can happen.  I remember as a very little boy that I was assigned to sit on the front step while my parents got ready to go out.  I had already been cleaned up so they didn't want me to get messed up again.  While on the front steps, I looked down the right and saw what I presumed to be a small frog.  I was fascinated with it and was about to play with it when my mother came out.  She took one look at it and knew that it wasn't a frog.  It was a small garter snake.  While the snake is harmless, no snake could come that close to my mother without causing great alarm.  Naturally, Dad was summoned to take care of the snake.  As far as I was concerned, the head of still looked like a friendly frog.  We often do mistake some things for other things.  The question now is, Do you resemble a Christian?  John 17:21 says, "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."  
         We often assume that the Christian is one who looks like one in that he or she has a certain type of Bible, the necessary amount of bumper stickers or crosses that would indicate that we are believers in Christ.  However, as we have often mentioned about this verse, a believer is noted by the unity of the believers and not by the size of the Bible.  Oh, that doesn't mean that we agree on every small point, but we are in agreement on the big issues such as the inerrancy of Scriptures, the virgin birth, the substitutionary work of Christ on the Cross, the deity of Christ and many other major doctrines.  There are many things in the Bible that are very clear and don't require a lot of interpretation.  If we want to have a good witness then there should be a sense of unity with the brothers and sisters in Christ.  The result of such a witness will be the testimony to the world that the Father indeed did send the Son.  Praise God for sending His Son to die for our sins on the cross of Calvary.  Are you a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ or is it just a another case of mistaken identity?

When Things are not OK

       Right after a person greets you, they may ask something to the affect as to how you are doing.  When it happens to me, which is many times, I usually answer with those two letters, "OK."    I may substitute something like, "all right" or "fine" but it all has the same meaning.  In reality, I may not be doing so well but people really don't have the time to sit an listen to all of the things in your life that are getting you down.  Many things that happen to all of us are what we consider part of the territory.  That is, this is what happens when you live and get older.  Some may even turn their backs upon God and due to embarrassment decide to abandon church or church people.  Deuteronomy 4:30-31 says, " When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them."
        I knew a man who had been a member of a church for a long time and who was rather faithful in attendance.  Something happened with one of his children and the man began to refrain from coming to church.  He probably was a little ashamed and felt that it would lower people's estimation of him if they found out so he just stayed away.  It finally got so bad that the individual took his own life.  When things happen to us that need the comfort of God and even other believers, we should turn to the LORD faithfully and not be concerned with what others think.  We don't have to respond with the typical "OK" when asked how we are.  We can tell it like it is.  We have times in our lives when we just fail to express our feelings at the time and so don't want to take up people's time and would rather just say "OK" than tell them how it really is.  Deuteronomy instructs us to respond in a certain way when tribulation comes upon us, and it does.  Tribulation happens in many lives each day and people seem to be at a loss as to what to do.  God has spoken the answer.    Moses wrote that we need to turn to God instead of turning away from Him.  Moses went on to say that God was and is a merciful God.  Nothing surprises Him and so we can cry out to Him during those days of tribulation.  Are you feeling just a bit under the weather, or bothered by some relationship, or wondering why this or that took place?  When someone asks you how you are doing, do you think, "Do you really want to know?"  If so, then always remember that you can turn to God who just a prayer away, which certainly isn't very far.  God has already said that He will never leave us nor forsake us and He is merciful. We don't deserve it, but He is still merciful.  Turn to Him today.  Praise God today that He is always there and He always keeps His promises.

The Garden

          Have you ever wondered what your place was in the scheme of things?  Every Spring, my Father would set out to place a garden at our home in Indiana.  We never had a tiller, nor did anyone come to plow it for us.  Dad used a shovel and foot by foot would overturn the soil.  Then he would start the raking over and over and over again until the dirt was smooth.  Soon, he would begin laying out the rows with a string on two stakes, one at either end of the plot of freshly turned soil.  He used a hoe to form the trench and then carefully put in the seeds.  They were covered and watered.  Soon, my part was visible.  You see, I had to start pulling out the weeds which would come up quickly.  Weeding was a process that seemed to be eternal in that there were always weeds present in the garden.  That was my part in the scheme of the garden plot.  If I had not done my part the young plants would all be choked by the weeds and no fruit would appear, or at least it would be reduced size and quantity.   First Corinthians 3:6 says, " I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase."   
       We can think about the scheme of things in regard to the church, the Body of Christ, and find out that we have an important part in that particular ministry.  Paul talked about the planting and then the eloquent preacher, Apollos, would water the new crop but it would be God that would give the increase.  The increase was going to be spiritual growth and in some cases it would be new believers.  We can ask the question, "Which job is the most important?"  Both are equally important.  If there was no planting there would be no seeds to sprout and no plants to appear.  Equally true, if there was no watering of the garden plot, there would be no increase.  So, both are equally important and dependent upon each other.  However, we notice that in the scriptural passage, it was God who gave the increase.  I have seen tomato plants that were covered with beautiful leaves and not a single tomato.  They may even have had blossoms but for some reason, no fruit appeared.  You see, it is up to God to give the final increase.  He makes sure the garden produces the fruit and that the ministry also provides the fruit.  We sometimes want to forget God in the process of the ministry, but when you do that, you are headed for trouble.  Your job in the scheme of things is but one phase of the process and in the end, it is God Who determines the fruit.  You might be the one who prepares the soil, or who plants the seed or who waters it from time to time, but it is going to be God Who does the final work and provides the increase.   Praise God that He allows us to be a part of His Garden.

No New Things Under the Sun

        I have never found anything that is completely new to civilization.  Everything that I have encountered in my life has already been there and known by someone in some place at some time or another.   I have found a lot of things that are new to me, but nothing that is new to the entire world.  I have never invented something new. The basic principles of life have always been there.  I was once reading a newspaper on the deck of our home and heard a sound of something getting louder and louder.  I slowly put the paper down and found myself looking eye to eye with a humming bird.  The back of the newspaper had a lot of red on it and I believe it was mistaken for some red sugar water.   Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun."
       Both the hummingbird and the bumblebee have lessons for us in the area of flight.  Many have thought that that the bumblebee should not be able to fly but it does.  The hummingbird remains what seems to be motionless as its wings beat and a fast rate.  The principles of flight have been there all the time and we used these same principles to create such things as helicopters and 747 planes.  The 747 shouldn't fly either, but it does.  The whole point of this is that Solomon said there is no new thing under the sun.  It is interesting that the phrase, "under the sun" appears 29 times in Ecclesiastes and no where else, that is, in the KJV Bible.  So, it should provoke us to examine closely when someone says this or that has been wrong since the beginning of time and now we have something new.  Right at the beginning, we should recall the words of Solomon and that there is not a new thing under the sun.  We can redress it, change the color, modernize it, but it is still something that has always been there from the start.  We just couldn't see it or understand it but it was always there.  That is one of the more amazing things about the Bible.  The truth has always been there and still is present in the pages of Scripture.  When Job described the earth as hanging upon nothing, he described space to a world who still believed that the world was flat.  God's lecture to Job  is amazing in all of the things the God explains to Job that Job did not know existed.  When a single person such as a leader of a cult comes around, one should take great care in discerning what they are saying.  People like Russell, Eddy, Smith and a host of other gurus of spiritual things, are trying to come up with something new which is contrary to the Word of God.  Praise God today that we can always stand on ALL the words of the Word of God.

It Can't Be That Bad!

         There have been people who have said to me "Oh, it won't be so bad."  They told me this just before I boarded a roller coaster.  For some, the roller coaster is a thing that offers a short period of thrill as it zooms up and down, around curves and plunges almost vertically down to oblivion.  I am not a roller coaster person.  Some may think, "How bad can it be?"  To the person who doesn't go above the third step on a six foot step ladder, it is indeed really bad.  I find that people generally think that most things in life are not so bad.  There are, however, some things that have not been experienced but that are in the future regardless of what we think.   Revelation 20:14-15 says, "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.   And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." 
     We may have a tendency to underrate some things.  Our picture of God is what we often make in our own minds.  Since famous painters have pictured Him as a great grandfather on the ceiling of some chapel, it remains in our mind that He is a grandfather to us.  God, in His infinite wisdom has created a wonderful place for believers to remain for all eternity.  Painters have painted the scene and many have gravitated towards that scene thinking, "Hey, that's not half bad."  What the world has failed to notice is the alternative.  The simple words of the above passage reminds us of the destiny of those who refuse to take heed to God's instructions.  We choose to live our own way, build our own pictures of God's world for us in the future.  Some have even come to their own conclusion that there is nothing after death and so we will just float off into eternity.  The inspired Word of God does mention in detail the fact of eternal punishment for those who simply have not believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.  It would seem obvious that if there is an eternal heaven, there is also an eternal hell.  We know the Bible teaches that there is a narrow way to salvation and a broad way that leads to destruction.  Perhaps, we have put that picture in the back of our mind.  Maybe we think "Oh, it won'd be so bad."  If we think that, we have forgotten the picture of eternal punishment as described in the Scriptures, because the knowledge of that very punishment should be an incentive to help keep people from ending up in such a place.   There may have been times when you have said something in regard to a terrible situation, "Oh I wouldn't wish that on anyone."  That should be our reaction to hell, the lake of fire, the blackness, the eternal separation of God and all that is good.  We may not wish it upon anyone, but we let people go there by not sharing God's Word with them.  We sit idly by with the wonderful message of the Gospel and yet fail to mention it to someone who is slipping slowly from this life into eternity.  God's Word should motivate us to share His message of salvation.  If you are not motivated, then perhaps your heart has grown cold and you are saying, "Oh, maybe it won't be so bad after all."  Guess again!  Praise God for His wonderful, glorious salvation.  Now share it with someone.

Life's Changes

     Has your life changed in the last month?  Even more, has your life changed in the last hour?  We often find that things enter our lives that promote changes.  We didn't count on them and we didn't plan on them but nonetheless, they are there.  Coping with change is often quite difficult for most people.  Change often promotes distress in a person.  A number of years ago, the Reader's Digest published an article that included a list of changes that can occur in a person's life.  Some were greater and some were small and seemingly insignificant.   You could check off the ones that applied to you and then add up the score.  If you reached a certain level in your score, you were considered to be under a lot of stress.  Stress is a topic that a matter of big concern to people.  Undue stress can cause heart attacks or ulcers or other health issues.  That list is still around and you can still see how changes such as the death of a spouse or a move or a job change all promote some sort of change and stress in your life.  How are your going to cope with it all?  Matthew 11:28-30 says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  
      The world has its own way of trying to relieve stress in a person's life.  They try to reduce it with candles, massages, diet or even purchasing something new for your home.  The verses  from Matthew 11  are always a comfort.  People are looking for a place to rest where they can get a fresh breath of fresh air and take a look at their problems from a distance.  Then, maybe they can get through them.  But, that place is hard to find in the world.  It is not hard to find, however, if you look at the Lord Jesus Christ.  There are some times when we are indeed laboring and are heavy laden with the cares that have been heaped upon us.  It is in those times that we like especially to turn to Christ and enjoy the fact that He is carrying our burdens.  We can trust in His plan for our lives and realize that tomorrow we will look back and see how we got through today.  So, don't fret, just trust the Lord and lean upon Him.  It turns out that God is the best stress reliever.   Praise God today that He is carrying your burdens and He knows all about them. 

Standing and Falling

         There have been times in my ministry where I have had to do unpleasant things.  One of the most unpleasant is confronting another believer about some blatant sin in their life.  In one particular case it was an open sin which had been observed by many and the task of confronting the individual fell on me.  I was not alone at the time of confrontation but the responsibility fell on me because of the involvement of the individuals in ministries of which I was the overseer.  I didn't like it and it did turn out for the better in the end but it was still an unpleasant thing in which to take part.  First Corinthians 10:12-13 says,"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.  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."   
      We have heard the expression, "Well, it's like the pot calling the kettle black."   the example of the pot and the kettle is that they are both the same color.  The illustration is that we can all be found guilty of one sin or another because we are all still growing in the LORD.  None of us are perfect but we do need to be aware of issues that are affecting the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and take care of them before they cause undue injury not only to the individuals involved but also to the church.  We are familiar with verse 13 and use it many times to discuss the temptations in which we are involved.  We are probably not as familiar with the preceding verse or at least, we separate them from each other.  There are those in the Christian faith who think they are above reproach and that they lead exemplary lives and could face any accusation that anyone could muster against them.  When you have that attitude, you had better start remembering verse twelve and take heed lest you fall.  We know that Satan loves to take Christians down a notch or two and to ruin their testimony.  In the ideal situation, each and every believer would be aware of the dangers in which they are courting disaster and take care of them.  We don't however, live in an ideal universe, nor world, nor life in the church.  In reality, we are all sinners and need help at times from other believers to be corrected when the need arises.  For many, the process is already at full throttle in the mind and is about to explode so let us take heed to the words of verse 12, lest we fall.  Praise God for forgiveness.

The Reason for Missions

      We were in a conversation concerning missions recently and I woke up in the middle of the night with a statement ringing in my head that was said about missions by John Piper.  He stated, "...worship is the goal and the fuel of missions: Missions exists because worship doesn’t"  This quote come from a sermon delivered October 27, 2012. Psalm 22:27 says, "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you."
         Unfortunately, the American church spends most of its resources on the inhabitants of their own community.  Many churches do not have a mission program at all but merely send a token gift  here and there to those involved in reaching the lost of the world.  I once heard a demonstration of this very fact when a missionary was feeding bread to the front row of the church.  Then, someone would stand up in the back and say, "I want bread."  The missionary would keep feeding the front row even after countless people would stand and declare a need for bread only to have it fall on deaf ears.  We keep sharing the gospel with those who have heard it over and over and over again while the larger masses of the world don't hear it at all.  One preacher declared, "Why should anyone hear the gospel message twice until all have heard it at least once?"  People often declare that we should just leave the heaven alone and that they are better off without the gospel message.  We, however, know the full story.  We know what is going to happen in the end.  We know the benefits of salvation and the terrible results of the Great White Throne Judgment.  God desires worship and we should be about that business in everything that we do.  So, missions does have an end.  It can stop being a priority in the life of the believer when every soul bows the heart before God.  Missions can stop when everyone is worshiping God as stated in the Bible.  At the rate we are going, the responsibility for having a thrust for missions won't stop anytime soon.  We will spend more on entertainment and dog food that we do on missions.  It is really surprising that we, who know the full story of the Bible, still refuse to be involved in missions.  The usual statistics bear the story.  Only four percent of the church in America will be supporting the 96% of the mission thrust while 96 % of the church supports only four percent of the work.  It's backward, true, but we have an obligation to send the message out with both finances and prayers and prayers being the most important item.   Remember the reason for missions.  "Missions exists because worship doesn't."   Praise God that someone brought the message of salvation to you and me.

No "Do It Yourself" Possible

        We quite often use little acronyms to describe something rather than writing them out.  One of the new fads is DIY.  It simply means, "Do It Yourself."    You can find videos of how to change a washer in your faucet or how to lay a patio in your back yard.  You can fix your own roof or install various systems in your home.  You can go to the nearest Lowes or Home Depot and pick up a list of the items you need to install or build almost anything you want.  It is a "Do It Yourself" kind of world in which we live.  I couldn't read the small print instructions that came with my one watch and so found it on the internet and was able to reset the time with no trouble.  There is however, one thing that you can't do yourself and that is to provide your own way to heaven.  You can't build it.  You can't make your own way.  You can't go to Lowes and build a stairway that will reach heaven.  Acts 4:10-12 says, " let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well.  This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.  And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."   
      Peter and John were before the council and Peter  began by making the above statement.  The council wanted to know how the man that was crippled, was healed.  So, Peter tells them.  Peter's statement also includes a lot of charges against the leaders.  He tells them that the Stone was rejected by them and that they were the ones that crucified the Lord Jesus Christ, but God was the one that had raised Him from the dead.  The final blow is the declaration that if a person is going to find salvation, that it is going to come from this same person, The Lord Jesus Christ.  Everyone may like the idea of Doing It Yourself, but it isn't going to be possible in the area of salvation.  The Lord Jesus Christ, in His teaching, reminded the disciples that there is only one way to heaven.  John 14:6 records the words, "I am the way..."  No "DIY" book can take the place of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary for your sins and for my sins.  If you want to go to heaven, then there is only one way in which to get there.  As Peter has said in this portion, "...there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."  Praise God for the salvation that He has provided.  Believe in Him.

In The Last Days...

         There have been times in my life where I was involved in a conversation with a person about things of the LORD.  Some of those times, even quite recently, left me feeling as if I wouldn't know where to begin.  Now, I know that I am not a whiz on knowing spiritual things but the evidence in those conversations  were all over the Bible and had no connection with each other.  As one pastor once said, there are many people who regard spiritual things as a cafeteria and they can just go and pick and choose what they want and then leave the rest.  We know that to be an untrue statement in that we cannot just pick the good things and then push that which we don't like to the side and forget about it.  People like to think that everyone will end up in the same place and that they will all enjoy an eternity with a loving, grandfather like, god.  They like heaven, but they leave out the fact of judgment.  They also leave out the reality of hell and of the large number of people who are going to end up in that place of eternal torment.  Second Timothy 3:1 says, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." 
         You all remember this passage quite well and know that it is just the beginning statement of the passage which goes through verse five.  The passage, Second Timothy 3:1-5 is a picture of today's society and their willingness to forget God and His instructions for us.  Verse 5 does remind us that the people will have a form of godliness.  There will be an occasional reference to God here and there.  They will be small bits of truth but surrounded with a large amount of false theories.  Our buildings will be majestic and our music will be superb with the sounds of choirs and large numbers of musicians on various instruments.  Our Clergy will look spiritual decked out in great robes and hats and carrying large scepters of gold and silver.  Oh, it will look like the real thing and people will flock to be a part of it all.  They will quote a part of a verse here and there and will proclaim that "God is love."   As Paul wrote so many years ago, it is merely a form of godliness.  As you read the entire passage, verses one through five, just reflect on what is taking place around you today and in the days to come.  It is clear that we are in the last days and have been for some time but the church today has become numb to the sin around it and now even inside of it.  People are slipping into eternity all around us.  Are you praying for them?  Are you praying for those around you that do not know the Savior?  Are you concerned about the final Great White Throne Judgment?  Are you willing to pray, to speak a word, to do a deed for those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior?  Praise God for salvation and for His Word to us, the Holy Bible.

Examining the Message in Light of the Word

         How is your Bible knowledge?  Many people know many things about the Scriptures and can mention certain facts about the many of the narrations of the Scriptures.  I was sitting on the platform with a recently graduated seminary student.  He made the comment that when he went into seminary he thought he knew all there was to know about the Bible.  After graduating from the same seminary, his conclusion now was that He felt he knew nothing about the Bible.  It is a continual growth process and the longer it goes, the more we feel a lack of knowing what we should know about the Bible.  Historically, there was a time when the average home may not have had a copy of God's Word.  We can thank men like Wycliffe and Tyndale for their efforts in making the Bible available for people like you and me.  Now, we have the Scriptures but what do we do with the copies that we have.  Acts 17:11 says, " These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."
           The historical account of Paul's journeys find him entering Thessalonia and then being forced to leave and he went down to Berea.  The people of Berea checked out Paul's statements by searching the Scriptures.  At that time, all they had was the Old Testament as the New Testament was in the process of inspiration so most of the things to which Paul referred were from the Old Testament.  Apparently the people of Thessalonia took what Paul said and didn't check it out but the Bereans checked out everything Paul said.  I recently wrote a devotion on acts 20 and my finger slipped an wrote Acts 29.  Well, there is no Acts 29.  Maybe some of you found that mistake but I only heard from one man who stated that I had put the wrong chapter number in the devotion.  I will say that you all have quite often made corrections for my spelling and even wrong words.  We had one man here in our area that upon being saved, began reading his own personal Bible only to discover that over 50 pages were missing.  It was a publisher's error for that one copy but do you know you have all of God's Word in your hand.  That former preacher told the congregation that they should be diligent in reading their Bibles to make sure their own copy was all there.  Be like the Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily.  Praise God today for sending us His Word.

Amazing Grace How Sweet the Sound

        The subject of God's grace is always important to us.  It is an area in which I like to think.  It makes me praise God for the fact that I don't have to depend upon my own strength and works to possess eternal life with God.   Much has been written about the grace of God.  When you go to your local Christian book store, you can locate many books that have been written about God's grace.  But, it is not only books but music.  John Newton wrote the words to "Amazing Grace" which seems to have crossed even the religious lines.  It has become a popular song to the extent that it is used even at funerals especially those that are accompanied by a group of bagpipes.   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."   
      John Newton knew full well about the grace of God.  The words of the song are not just idle words but they are the words that describe the life of John Newton and his own salvation experience.  He knew what his life was like before salvation and he also knew that if he was to be saved it was going to be 100% of God's work and nothing of himself.   The verses in Ephesians remind us of the fact that we are saved solely by God's grace through faith.  Definitions have often been formed with acronyms that state God's Riches At Christ's Expense.  We also hear that God's grace is complete unmerited favor.  We soon get the point even as Paul stated in Ephesians.  Grace is what God does and if there is any work involved at all, then it isn't grace but works.  Many will think, "Yes, I know about God's grace.  What does that have to do with me today?"   God's grace is still working in our lives.  It wasn't something that was manifested only in salvation.  God is still working in your life and in mine and is still showing His grace to us.  It is only by God's grace that you have what you have this morning as you read this devotion.  It is only by God's grace that you have a place to live and food to eat.  Colossians 1:17 says,  "And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."   God is keeping you in His hands at all times.  As the verse just stated, "...all things consist."  through Him.  Whatever difficulty that lies before you today will be under God's direction.  There are no surprises to God so don't think that He will be caught off guard when it comes to your life.  Praise God today for the fact that He is in control of each and every thing and that His grace is all that you need.

Whose Message Will You Preach Today

         Every now and then your teacher would have to leave the room.  During the teacher's absence, you were to behave like she or he was still present in the class room.  Well, that was the idea but that's usually not what would take place.  Chaos would begin slowly and then the door would open and kids would scramble to get into their seats.  I seemed to know that If I was misbehaving at that time, I would get caught.  How much better it would be to behave as if the teacher were still in the room?  How much better it would be for us if were to live our lives as if the Lord Jesus Christ was going to return at any moment.  What then should we be doing in this life?  How should we act and what is it that is more profitable than anything else?  What would you prefer that Jesus found you doing at the time of His return.   First Corinthians 15:1-4 says, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.   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 had a mission to preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to all the world.  The above section of Scripture shows us exactly what the Gospel message is.  Paul goes and defines it in the verses that follow.  He starts off saying that he declares the gospel and then says in verses three and four what comprises the Gospel message.  What message is it that you desire to leave behind when God calls you home?  Would you be teaching people how to make a white sauce or a pumpkin cheese cake or how to invest in the stock market or how to play a bassoon?  These things might be well and good but they don't have eternal benefits attached to them.  Sharing the Gospel message is a worthwhile message since it declares the eternal message of salvation.  As we all go out into the world today, may we be taking the eternal message of salvation with us and to not be ashamed as we share a bit here and there.  If you would be willing to share how to make the best mac and cheese in the world, may you also be ready and willing to share the message of salvation.  Praise God today that He send His Son to die, to be buried and to rise again!

Real Truth

          You may have had a time or two in your life when you found that you were having to find out what is really true about something you read or heard.  Webster in one of his earlier dictionaries define truth as, " Conformity to fact or reality; exact accordance with that which is, or has been, or shall be. The truth of history constitutes its whole value. We rely on the truth of the scriptural prophecies."  I receive a lot of things in my email and some of it is true and most of it is not true.  I find that I try to check out those things that are suspicious but then the question comes, "is that source true in their explanation of the story?"  I have had to go back many times trying to determine if something is true or is it false.  I often think of those people who tell me something and then look at me to see my response and finally say, "Oh, I was only kidding."  Then, I wonder why they said it in the first place.  When we ask the question about the search for truth, you know that there is only one place to go.   John 17:17 reminds us, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." 
        There it is.  The plain statement is the declaration of that which is truth.  "Thy Word is Truth."   Truth matters when eternal things are at stake.  Truth matters when you are depending on where you are going to spend eternity.  Truth is not going to be guaranteed by the age oft he institution, person or book.  Truth is not going to be determined by tradition, quality of music, amount of incense or the height of the stained glass windows.  As it was stated in the Gospel of John,  "....Thy Word if Truth."    I have stood inside of many churches and some of them were distinct in their design and had great stories behind them.  I was in one church which did not have a single nail in it.  It had been built entirely with wooden pegs.  Oh, and there was no mention of doctrine or truth, just that no nail had been driven into its boards.  I stood in churches that were built in the 12th Century but no mention of truth.  I stood in churches where the acoustics were the best and you could hear a pin drop, but there was no mention of truth.  Truth comes from God's Word and not from anywhere else.  If the Gospel message is being preached from a flat rock, they you have truth.  If the message of salvation is coming forth from God's Holy Word in the bow of a ship, you have truth.  Acts 17:11 says, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."  The Bereans checked the Scriptures and they found truth.  On whose word to you claim eternal life?  If it is anything other than the Word of God, the Holy Bible, then you have not found truth at all.  Praise God today for the Truth that He has given to us.

God's Power

          I had another sick day yesterday and spent time at home while my wife went to church.  I did tune in to a service at one of the local churches here in our area and heard a very challenging message.  He was sharing some scriptures from Revelation 5 and gave an outstanding message which has been on my mind ever since hearing it on Sunday morning.  It reminded me of a book I had read about 40 years ago having to do with the courses that we teach in school.  At least, we used to teach them in school but sometimes wonder if they are still begin taught at all.  History for example was really, His Story.  The author was stating how every topic could be taught in respect to the Bible, the Word of God.  The sermon brought this out and especially gave evidence how we have overlooked the main Center of the universe, God Himself.   Genesis 1:1 says, " In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." 
        The inclination of man since the fall in the Garden of Eden has been to go as far away from God as possible.  We don't seek after God and we don't seek after His ways in anything that we think about nor do in our lives.  We get excited over things that don't matter.  We get excited over football even though the so called professionals fail to stand up for the National Anthem.  We get excited over celebrities who because of their looks and actions have been declared experts on everything.  We get excited over the thrills of a powerful motor on land, on the water and in the air.  We get excited over the ability of a hand held computer that tracks and records your every movement.  We have however, lost the excitement of God.  We no longer get excited about the words of God as recorded in the Bible.  We no longer get excited over the miracles  such as the creation itself as seen in Genesis 1 and 2 and Colossians one.  We no longer get excited over the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the grave.  We no longer get excited over the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ into heaven from the Mount of Olives.   We have come to the point that we wonder what is going on in today's society and yet the answer is right before us and always has been.  We have tried to remove God from the picture.  You see, I do believe that God created the heavens and the earth and that Noah built an ark and the worldwide flood and the tower of Babel.  I do believe in the Israelites crossing the red Sea on dry ground and the virgin birth of Christ and the payment for our sins and the resurrection, ascension and soon coming again of Christ.  In Revelation 4, you get a picture of God's throne room and in Revelation 5, you get to see the Only One Who is worthy to open the seven seals.  It is time for us to make sure we know who did what in His story.  To God be the Glory.  Praise Him today for His awesomeness.

Take Heed to the Warnings!

         Have you noticed that once you get accustomed to something, that it's significance begins to fade away?  Even signs that express danger can finally have no meaning if they are overused. The county in which we live does not have red fire engines.  Now, they are bright florescent green. While working in a certain company years ago, we were plagued with an abundance of warning labels and signs on the equipment.  Soon, the meaning began to be lost.  Each time a new warning label came out, it had to either be bigger or bolder or in a different color than the one which preceded it.  It is possible to see something and not take notice of it.  At the same time, it is possible to hear something and also not take notice of it.  God used a similar illustration when speaking of the rebellious people of the nation of Israel.  Ezekiel 12:2 says, "Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house." 
        The Israelites had eyes, ears and a mind, yet they ignored the warnings.  They no longer had any meaning to them and they figured that they knew best and that God wouldn't do anything anyway.  They soon found out that God does mean what He says and that judgment will come.  The same can be said of us.  How often we see warnings in the Scripture and still ignore them thinking that God is not going to do anything about them.  For years, we have read the morning paper or listened to the news and were frustrated at what was going on in the world.  Things began to change in our minds when we have been bombarded with how good something is even though it is just the opposite.  We begin to accept the cults because they seem to be doing good but no one remembers their doctrines.  Basically, sin has become acceptable in society.    God is not mocked and the warnings will be heeded either now or later.  This does have a flip side.  Since God is faithful in His judgments, it brings assurance that He is also faithful in His blessings.  All of the blessings that He has promised to us will also come to pass just as He said.  So, don't become numb to the sights and sounds of the Scripture.  Rather rejoice in what God is doing in your life each day and look forward to more new and wonderful things.  Praise God today for His Word and keep to the Standard.

Faith, Trials and Patience

          These are the days when patience grows thin.  By this, I mean that we don't seem to possess a lot of patience.  We have a difficult time waiting for anything.  With me, it all began with the Lone Ranger Decoder Ring which cost me twenty-five cents and two box tops from some type of cereal.  Then came the long process of waiting for it to arrive in the mail.  it seemed like days would go by before the little box arrived in the mail.  These days, we have the ability to order something and then to watch it go from the loading dock to the delivery company and then every stop it makes as it winds its way across the country.  I had ordered some items from Krogers and waited for the box to arrive.  It said it was coming yesterday.  Then, I took a nap and went to the computer afterwards and there was an email that the package had been delivered.  I opened the front door and there it was. We still like to have things take place sooner than expected because of our impatience.  James 1:3 says, " Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience."
          Patience is something that is often sought for but no one wants to get it especially when we know how it is going to come.  God just doesn't give us a basket full  of patience.  It is produced by certain actions that take place in our lives.  We have often read how that tribulation produces patience and who wants tribulation.  This verse puts it in another light when it says that patience is going to be produced by the trying of your faith.  That sounds like more unpleasant things taking place in our lives.  As we go through life, the trial of our faith produces patience and it also produces an increase in our faith.  God starts out small in our lives and the daily experiences find us being challenged more and more producing more faith and more patience.  It seems that everyone is at a different level in regard to the trying of their faith.  Some believers are facing the possibility of losing their lives because of their faith while others are trying to cope with insults from other people.  Both are experiencing trials in their faith but they are certainly at different levels.  Your faith may undergo some trials today.  We could better say that since you are a believer, your faith will undergo trials today because that is how you are going to grow.  Praise God that He is not finished with us yet and we are indeed growing day by day. 

Repentance

           Have you ever heard the expression, "Just wait until your Father gets home."  You know what that meant.  For me, it meant that I had done something wrong and when he got home, I was going to get it and that meant some type of punishment from him.   My Mother never wacked me yard stick, but I got a couple of whippings from my Father.   A recent posting of "grace quotes' led me to this section of Scripture in the Book of Acts where Paul was preaching on Mars Hill in Athens.  The Greeks in that area seemed to be conscientious of spiritual things and had erected numerous statues of gods whom they probably worshiped.  The one that caught the eye of the Apostle Paul was the one that was inscribed, "to the unknown god." Perhaps they didn't want to miss any so had erected a monument to the unknown god.  This is the One that Paul was going to present to them.  Acts 17:30-31 says, "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:   Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead."
        Paul's message was that of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The meaning of the word "wink" in this verse is that of "overlooking."  God had not judged them at that moment but had "overlooked" their sin.  Notice, however, that the "overlooking" was not going to continue.  God had commanded them to repent of their sin because a day had already been  appointed when judgment will occur.  We don't know when that day will occur but we can be assured that every day that passes puts us one day closer to the impending judgment.  We may look at the message of Mars Hill and conclude that God is still overlooking sin since nothing has happened that we can determine and so we think we are getting away with all of it.  That is not the case.  The appointed day is approaching.  What then, are we to do?  The obvious thing is to take heed to what Paul said in Athens.  We are to repent of our sin.  After all, it was our sin that caused our Savior to die on the cross.  We often think that it was the sin of the whole world and by thinking of it in a broad sense, we escape the personal side of the statement.  It is true that Christ died for all of the sins of the whole world but more explicitly, He died for my sins and for your sins.  Then, it becomes personal.  Our disobedience to God caused Him to send His Son according to John 3:16 to die on Calvary and to suffer and pay the price that was demanded.  Victory came three days later and we rejoice in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Have you repented of your sins?  Praise God that He sent His Son to pay for our sins.

The Biggest Change Ever

        I recall from my childhood that I seemed to have had a quest for religious satisfaction.  That might be a funny way to put it, but the Scriptures say that no man seeks God so there was something going on in my life that needed some answers.  There were those who just brushed me off with a "I don't have time for that right now" type of attitude and those who tried to offer some type of answer that really wasn't an answer at all.  Then, in April of 1972, I was saved.  Was my life then a sparkling example of discipleship?  It wasn't any where near to what it could have been.  I have always felt as did Paul in Romans 7 where he declared that the things he wanted to do, he didn't do and the things he didn't want to do, that is what he did.  What was different?  It was the spiritual act of rebirth, of being born from above.  It was "the change."  Second Corinthians 3:18 says, " But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."   
      The word "changed" is used in two other sections in the scriptures.  It was the word used in both Matthew and Mark to describe what happened on the Mount of transfiguration and it is also the word that is used in Romans 12:2 where we are said to be "transformed."  The gospel accounts are translated at "Transfiguration."  It is the word from which we get "metamorphosis."  We use it a lot to explain what happens when a worm is in a cocoon.  The once ugly worm all of a sudden comes out as a beautiful butterfly.  A change, or a metamorphosis has taken place.  For the believer, there is that time in their life when a "change" took place.  It is that split moment when, like lightning, the change takes place and our names are inscribed in the Lamb's Book of Life."  It takes longer for us to say the prayer of salvation than it does for the actual act to take place.  Oh, yes, my quest for religious satisfaction was quenched but more was accomplished in that split moment than we can possibly fathom in this life.  Songwriters pen the words, "salvation reached me"  Likes sparks from smitten steel."  As Paul said to the Romans, we were "transformed."  Your life has been changed in that moment of salvation and then you got what I call the RIBS.  You were regenerated by the Holy Spirit, Indwelt by the Holy Spirit, Baptized in the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit and Sealed by the Holy Spirit.  It is OK to shout "Hallelujah" at this point.  Praise God for His changing of our lives in that moment of salvation.  A metamorphosis has taken place.