The Coin Collector

           My Father was a coin collector and so am I. He got me interested in it in my early 20's and I still have some of it here and there. I would get my pay check and take five dollars and go to the bank and get ten rolls of pennies. I would take them home, look through them and then roll them back up, take them to a different bank, cash them in to get the five dollars back and go to a third bank to get ten more rolls of pennies. Every now and then I would find a penny that was just a tad rare but they were few and far between. I think it was the hunt for something rare that kept me looking. I always checked the change in my pocket to find if there was a “wheat” penny or perhaps a 1950-D nickel. I ended up purchasing that particular nickel in order to complete my Jefferson nickel collection at the time, but only after years of looking for one in roll after roll of nickels. The odds of finding a rare coin are pretty but it was something to look for and every now and then something might turn up such as the man who got two uncirculated pennies in change one day, one of them being an uncirculated Indian head penny, which was very, very rare indeed. Matthew 17:27 says, “ Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee."

       Talk about rare catches. I never experienced anything like this. The only thing I ever found in a fish's mouth was either my hook or a piece of another fish, but never a coin. In this account, it isn't just any fish, but the first one that comes up on the hook and then to open the mouth of the fish and find enough money to pay the required tax for both Peter and Jesus was a rare find indeed. The most prominent way of the fishermen was using the net as you would have more of a chance of getting a larger catch than using a hook. The hook would only accommodate one fish at a time. The first one caught on that day had the money in it's mouth. The lessons for us include, “Whatever God says, do it.” Secondly, God provides in ways that are above the ways of mankind in all cases. Our inclination at this point is to go out, get a fishing rod, and try to pay off our bills. That is not going to work, however, Philippians 4:13 will work and Ephesians 2:8-10 will work and Acts 16:31 will work. The promises that are given in god's word will work because it is God that said it and those promises are for us. I could see Peter grumbling just a little as he goes out to cast for that one fish, the first fish, with money in its mouth. I have to admit that I would be just a tad skeptical about that venture. My ways are not God's ways and divine intervention is always a surprise even when I don't expect it to happen to me. Perhaps you are wondering how you are going to do something today or in the near future. There just might be a task that seems to be overwhelming right now or a physical condition that seems unbearable. Put your faith in the One Who could control a fish with money in its mouth to still bite on a simple hook just because God said so. Praise God today for His great power.

The Apple of His Eye

          I have given myself insulin injections for the past 25 years and so I am accustomed to sticking myself with a small syringe. I can go all over my abdomen and arm or thigh and not be bothered about plunging the needle in to deliver the insulin. Even though I am accustomed to this, my ophthalmologist once said that I may have to have an injection into my eyeball. Now that is something quite different for me and instant fear came upon me. “Yikes. My eyeball?” It didn't take place but it made me realize a bit more about the eyeball and the tenderness of it and how that would be something hard for me to do. The eye is something that some have said is the “window into the soul.” Zechariah 2:8 says, “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.”

       We have perhaps used the expression “the apple of his eye.” It usually refers to something that is very close to the person. It would be his favorite object, person or thing that the person possessed. It is probably used more of close relatives than of any material object. A child is sometimes referred to as the “apple of his eye.” The phrase comes up several times in the scriptures and usually refers to the relationship between God and Israel. You don't want to mess with the “apple of His eye.” The words that are used in the Scripture seem to point to the “pupil” of the eye as being the “apple.” This is where the image comes into the eyeball itself and then is transferred to the brain through the optic nerve. The phrase occurs some 5 times in the Old Testament and is not found in the New Testament in those words. It is comforting to us to know that God protects His own. His love for the people whom He chose is a pattern for His love for each believer. The important fact of Hebrews 13:5 has always been a comfort to me and probably to many believer for it says that God will never leave us nor forsake us. Also, the very core thoughts of John 3:16 express God's love for us even when we are not worth loving. He loves us so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins. You can look at a person's eyes and almost tell how they are feeling even thought there may be a smile on the lips, but the eyes are empty. One observation that can be made about the eyes is that when you look into the pupil of a person's eye, you can see a small reflection of yourself in that person's pupil. The comforting thought of God's protection is one that carries us through the trauma that a day can bring. No matter how severe the problems of the day, we have the comfort that God is greater, He is always with us and that He is always able to overcome the calamities of the day. Praise God that He is with each and every believer.

The Sabbath Oven

        There is a “religion” for everyone. You can get any flavor of religion that you want somewhere in the world today. It also seems that anyone can get involved with religion in one way or another. I recently purchased a new kitchen range manufactured by General Electric. In looking at the manual, some models come with a “sabbath” feature. When the sabbath feature is turned on, the stove will not beep as all of the alarms are silent and certain features are turned off. The manual says, “Sabbath mode disables all sounds (the control will not beep when a button is pressed), Convection, Broil, Cook mode can only be used with Bake. This feature conforms to the Star-K Jewish sabbath requirements.” I don't know all that his entails but apparently the stove will only cook a certain way and no sounds will be allowed. I don't think my model has this feature which is probably a good thing for me. I am so glad that the beeping of my stove will not affect my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. James 1:26-27 says, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

        James points out what true religion is. The first one would be easy to do as it simply involves visiting two classes of people that perhaps are often forgotten in the world, the “fatherless and the widows in their affliction...” The second one while sounding easy is perhaps the most difficult of the two requirements. You need to keep yourself unspotted from the world. This is a great part of the epistle of James. This is the practical side of your faith. It is one thing to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and then it is necessary to live the Christian life which is keeping yourself unspotted from the world. Simply said, to be unspotted, is to be free from stain or spot, which comes out to be unblemished in any way. In speaking about the church in Ephesians 5:27, it is the Lord Jesus Christ that presents the church to Himself completely unblemished, or without spot. At this point in our physical lives here on earth, we can still be affected by the world around us. James exhorts to be unspotted or without blemish in our own personal lives which is a life long process of sanctification. One slip of the tongue or one wrong “rolling of the eyes” can place a spot in your character in a moment. You may wonder at the time, “Why did I do that, or Why did I say that?” The world is ever present all around us to throw as many spots as it can. True religion is a life long process of spiritual growth and will never be perfected until we step into glory when God calls us home to be with Him for all eternity. At that time, your profession and your possession will be at the same level. While your oven may not beep during the sabbath doesn't really affect your religious state. We do however, live out our faith in our daily lives and it does involve visiting the fatherless and the widows in their affliction and keeping ourselves unspotted from the world. James said that this is true religion. Praise God for His Word.

Search the Scriptures

         You may have used the term, “the last resort” in your life and one time or another. The dictionary defines “the last resort” as “something done only if nothing else works.” The origination of the phrase probably came from a “French language phrase.” We get the idea of its meaning and it usually implies turning to something that is the last possible choice of things to do or to try. It is as if all other routes have failed and there is just one more thing to try and so it is called the “last resort.” There are some who are willing to try the “last resort” before they have tried everything else. This is especially true in the study of God's Word. I have a large library for a country boy and it contains a lot of books that are labeled as “commentaries.” The books contain the comments of various authors as to the meaning of a particular passage of Scripture. For me, they serve the purpose of being “the last resort.” The sad thing about commentaries is that you can almost find any opinion on a passage from the Bible. They are still the comments of an author and not inspired in and of themselves. Some people will believe anything while others have a completely different method to find out what the Bible is saying. 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 group of people mentioned in this verse were from the town of Berea. When Paul came to speak with them, they in turn, searched the scriptures to find out if what he was saying was true or not. This is a practice that we often neglect when a gifted speaker comes to speak at your local church. We think that If it sounds good, then it must be true. The Bereans would search the Scriptures, which in this case were found in the Old Testament and they substantiated what Paul said by looking at the Scriptures themselves. We should learn the lesson of the Bereans. Some have the tendency to skip this part and go immediately to the last resort which are the shelves lined with commentaries to find out what other people have said about the passage. Once you start following the principles of “Bible Study” you find that there are some practices that are very important in you finding out what God's Word is saying. It is basically being immersed in the Scriptures in every way possible and cross referencing what the passage is saying. Scripture always defines Scripture. The shelves of commentaries are and should always be your “last resort.” The input of the Bible is far more important than what another person thinks it says. As always, the final conclusion is based upon a steady intake of the Scriptures. Your commentaries, and notes by such men as Scofield, Ryrie, Thompson, MacArthur, Calvin and others are still just notes from men and don't even come close to the value of the writers of the Bible who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Matthew Henry is great, but the Gospel of Matthew is better. John Calvin was great but the Gospel of John is better. Praise God for His Word which has the answer to life's questions.

The Banned Book

            I have a book in my library that was a “banned” book while I was a student at Washington Bible College. It was banned because you could not purchase it until you had graduated from the school. It is called “Hans Parsing Guide of the New Testament.” It has every noun and every verb in the New Testament and completely parses each word which tells you a lot of information about the word and what it means in translation. I have often remarked how there are no imperative verbs in the first three chapters of Ephesians and then there are 38 imperative verbs in the last three chapters. I am not a Greek scholar, but the book easily points out each imperative verb. This is why you couldn't own it while in school. You can find out which form of the word is used at any given verse of scripture. Second Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

          Galatians 4:4 reminds us that the Lord Jesus Christ came to put on flesh at a particular time in history. It was the perfect time and the language was Greek. The New Testament was written in Greek and the descriptive language tells us exactly what God said through the inspiration of the Holy Bible. English often was similar words such as “know” and “love.” In the Scriptures however, God chose to use different words for “know” and two different words for “love.” A vivid description of this is seen in the discussion that Peter had with the Lord Jesus Christ after breakfast on the seashore of the Sea of Galilee after the resurrection. Both words are used throughout the passage and have important meaning for us today. I sometimes have problems with what men say in their writings especially if it was written by someone who is trying to keep from putting any blame on themselves in regard to a product. I often get done reading such a paragraph and have no idea what they said or what I am to do with the instruction that was given. There is no problem with the Scriptures. The words and phrases are clear and all you have to do is to be obedient to what has been written. “Ye must be born again.” The sentence is clear and there is no debate as to what it says. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved...” is also clear. “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life...” is also very clear. There is no mistaking what God meant to say when He said what He said. One of the major difficulties with people seems to be their fear of reading the Bible because they try to make it say something that it doesn't say. Most people start at the beginning, which is the Book of Genesis and can't figure out what to do with the first eleven chapters of the book. God meant to say what He said, by what He said and so I accept what He said in the first eleven chapters with no doubt in my mind. The Hebrew words are just as precise in the Old Testament as the Greek is in the New Testament. The next problems is simply a failure to read for ourselves what God has said in His Word. If you are not in the Word on a regular basis, begin today and see for yourselves what God has said. Praise God today for what He has said in His Word.

The Instructions

         I recently purchased a set of mirrors for my car that wwould give me a better view of my blind spots.  It was obviously made in China and the English directions for installation were humorous to me.  The choice of words was just a tad unusual.    The world is filled with all kinds of instructions.  You can purchase a manual that will tell you how to do almost everything.  A manual or set of instructions are valuable only if you use them in the way that they were intended.  I used to purchase these small pieces of furniture such as a book case, a microwave stand or even an entertainment center and evenmy set of new mirrors. These were usually very simple things to assemble so I would start by putting together the pieces where I thought they should go.  In almost every case, I had to take it apart and start over.  There may have been a part that needed to be installed right at the beginning that I missed or I would put a shelf in upside down.  It looked good, but the holes wouldn't line up later.  I would finally turn to the instructions and start over.  I have now learned to start with the instructions first.  It usually saves me a lot of time.  Our Christian lives are no different.  We have the best set of instructions in the Holy Bible that has been given to us by God.  James 1:22 says, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."  
        James here reminds us that we are not only to know the instructions but that we are to do them.  There is a difference.  A person can know many things about the Word of God but they may yet not be a part of that person's life.  The problem has come in the area of application.  The Bible is filled with all kinds of instructions that need to be heeded by the reader.  It is true that some people have to learn the hard way.  It may be like trying to assemble something without looking at the enclosed instructions.  If you want to get it done right the first time, then it is best to read the manual.  In this case, you had better read God's Word and then begin doing what it says.  The Book of Ephesians is a good example of a set of instructions that need to be heeded.  Take a look at the last three chapters of the book and begin to apply them to your life.  Are you tenderhearted?  Do you forgive others easily?  Are you walking the worthy walk?  May we all be "doers" of the Word.  May we always praise God for His instructions to us through His Holy Word.

A Sound Mind

        Well, I just finished the AARP driving course that was 8 hours of online activities. It told me some new things, and also told me some old things that I already knew, like my mind is changing and I may have the tendency to forget things more and more. I may have known that but forgot about it. It did remind me of the importance of the mind and how it has to multi task things as you drive taking in information from sight, sound, feeling and how all of this can be affected by your emotions. You are the greatest advisor on things concerning your own mind. God has made some statements about your mind through the writings of the Apostle Paul. Second Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

        The word that is translated here as “sound mind” also has the meaning of “sobriety, self control and discipline.” When you put the thoughts together, you come up with a “sound mind.” We used to use a term about other people called, “scatterbrained.” It meant that you never knew what they were going to do next. We might also say that they had bats in the belfry. In other words, as God has said, they were not in possession of a “sound mind.” In this case, it is God that is doing the evaluation of your mind. We should be concerned about our minds status, of course, but God has done something wonderful for us and as Paul has mentioned to young Timothy, He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a “sound mind.” Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should have an attitude of self control and discipline in their lives. There are some people who go through life continually joking or playing the joker or always being the showman or the center of attention but when trouble comes to another or there is a catastrophe people who know the joker will not go to them for help or for counsel or for advice and certainly not for prayer. Those will be the times you search out a person who has the qualification of a person with a “sound mind” or one who is in control and well disciplined. It should be our desire to be that type of person. When I want answers to life's questions, I go to a person who manifests the characteristics of one who is in possession of a sound mind or self control or of Christian discipline. So, how do you get to be a person like that? You begin and maintain a regular input of God's Word. John MacArthur once said that you should be in the Bible so much that when you are cut, you bleed “Bible.” You get the idea. Our lives here are short when compared to history and certainly short when compared to eternity. You probably have less than a hundred years to use your “sound mind” for the things of God. My Father, though not a preacher, seemed to always get it right when a decision had to be made or when someone came for help or when he discipline an unruly son. I mentioned before that I had found his Pocket Testament League New Testament with his name in it. The name was placed on the decision page in 1933. He was a man that exhibited “sound mind.” His last thoughts in death were, “Who is going to take care of Mom.” His life, more in his latter years, was filled with an input of God's Word as he would sit in his chair with the earphones on listening to God's Word for hour. May our lives be filled with the input through reading, listening, meditating, memorizing and even hearing God's Word. In the end, you will become more and more a person who possesses that sound mind. Praise god today for the wonderful gifts that He has given to us, especially the power of a sound mind.

The "A" Word

         Do you ever wonder if there is something in your life where you just plain got it wrong? Grammar was never my best subject in school. I didn't even like it to begin with and preferred math, history, geography and recess to grammar. There was one word that most of my teachers hated with a vengeance. It was the “a” word, commonly spelled out as “ain't.” During my childhood, it seemed like it was a real word but my grammar teachers soon informed me that it wasn't even a word and should not be used. Some of my elementary teachers even had spies on the playground and you would find yourself chastised if you even used the word while playing with your friends. A great fear arose over ever saying the word, “ain't.” 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.”

        Grammar mistakes compare nothing to getting it totally wrong in regard to salvation. No where does the Bible say that it is incorrect to ever use the word, “ain't.” Although we did have a grammar teacher in college that assumed that she had the responsibility of instructing all preachers on proper use of the King's English and she often gave a grade that was an F to the minus 6. Salvation is one thing where you don't want to get it wrong and that is why this passage for today is so important. The truth of the verse is that salvation is a gift from God. Usually at this point, many people will say, “but...” There are no additions that can be applied to the business of salvation. We cannot add anything, because we have nothing to offer in regard to salvation. There are no works or deeds or whatever you want to call them that will help in this area of salvation. It is totally up to God and it has been labeled as a gift from Him. You may have to write sentences 100 times if you used the word, “ain't” but a mistake in salvation has eternal consequences. Some have criticized the notion that is a free gift from God saying that it results in easy believism. That is why I included verse ten because it goes on to say that “because of our salvation,” we do good works. Our reply to God for this great salvation is to do those things which are righteous acts to meet the needs of another. We are not trying to earn our salvation but we do those things that are righteous “because of our salvation.” If I were to ever have a verse for the year, it might be Hebrews 2:3 which tells us, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;” How great is your salvation? The term, “so great salvation” shows us the magnitude of the salvation that we have as a result of simple faith in Christ. For you to add one thing would mess it up because there is nothing that you can add to that which is perfect. God's perfect plan is not only the best plan, but it is also the only plan you have to spend eternity with Him. The payment for your sin has been made on the cross at Calvary and there is nothing you can add to perfection. Praise God today for His finished plan for eternal life. It is the best and only plan.

The Wealth of John 3:16

        I was rummaging through some drawers at home when I was young, and found a Pocket Testament League New Testament that was given to my Father when he went into the Civilian Conservation Corp during the depression. I looked at the cover inside and out and saw his name written in it and read the few verses that were inside of the cover. That was it. I can't say I understood a word of it, but thought the size of the little testament was really something. It actually fit into your shirt pocket. During the fifth grade, I got my own copy from the Gideons at school. That was probably in the early 50's and it was much later in my life that I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. At that time, I probably only knew one thing and it was the truth of the following verse. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

        At salvation, that is about the only thing I really knew. Oh, I may have thought I knew a lot about the Bible but that didn't make it so. Things that I had thought about in the past began to be made clearer but it seemed like I was peeling an onion, one layer at a time. As time went on, people would ask me if I was a Calvinist or not. I am not sure I can still answer that question, but I know what John 3:16 says. I don't fully understand the minor prophets even though one professor instructed us to draw what we saw in the Book of Zechariah. When a preacher or teacher stands in the pulpit and says, “I think this means...” I am immediately turned off. If you don't know what it means, then don't preach it, or teach it until you do. So, what do you know about God's Word? Well, I know that God loves me because John 3:16 says so. I know that the Father sent the Son, because John 3:16 says so. I know that if I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, I will have eternal life because John 3:16 says so. We have begun to label people with such terms as “mainline denomination”, “Independent Baptist”, UMC, Missouri Synod, Calvinist, Arminian, Pre Trib, Amillennial, eternal security, sinless perfection and the list goes on and on. People stand up and try to teach something that they are not sure of themselves, but say, “I think this means...” If you know the truth of John 3:16, then preach it. If you know the answer to the question, “What must I do to be saved,” then preach it. When your neighbor or friend asks you about what makes your life different, then tell him or her your testimony of what God did for you and is doing in your life today. We all have a unique testimony to tell to others. Tell them the simple truth of John 3:16. I can't fully understand all the ramifications of Calvinism or how the rapture is going to take place or how big the dinosaurs were in the ark or how Moses parted the Red Sea or all of the visions in Zechariah or what Ezekiel saw but one thing I do know, I have eternal life because I have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as it says in John 3:16.

         I have twelve bookcases of books, none of which are fiction, but about the Bible, by great teachers and preachers through the ages but therer is no substitute for knowing God's Word. The most important single book in your library should be The Holy Bible. How well do you know that single Book? Praise God for the simplicity of the message of salvation and especially for John 3:16.For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The Oasis

           We learned in school years ago about an “oasis.” I have never been to one nor have I ever seen an oasis in our country. From what I have been told, it is a place where water can be found even in the middle of a parched desert. You know that the task of putting up hay usually comes in the summer time when the temperatures are so hot you cold fry an egg on the hood of the tractor. You go out to the field and your body seems to lose all of its liquid in sweat and as soon as you get the load of hay on the wagon and head for the barn, one of the first stops is the “horse tank.” You can lay down in the horse tank but getting the cold water from the windmill is all you need. I would let it run down my arms from the elbows to the tips of my fingers and then drink until I could drink no more. That's closest thing I ever came to that was like an oasis. Psalm 42:1-2 says, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?”

        Deer, among most other animals, like to come to a place of cool, running water. They need it to survive and it is always a place of refreshment for them. The Psalmist make a vivid comparison between a thirsty deer and a believer. We have been told that you can go without food for about three weeks but you can only go three days without water. Now, compare your craving for water with your craving for God. How long can you go without having a drink of water and how long can you go without the spiritual water from God's Word? How long can you go without having to come to God for spiritual matters? You may have heard the little expression, “Seven days without God makes one weak.” It is a play on words but the point is rather accurate. A deer would be weak without having any water for seven days. In the same comparison, a believer is will also become weak after going seven days without any contact with God. For some believers, that is the extent of their spiritual refreshment. They may come to church one day a week and then try to get all gassed up for the coming week only to find that they run into difficulties around Wednesday or Thursday because of a lack of spiritual refreshment. Humanly speaking, we probably came up with the Wednesday evening service to try to get people refueled knowing that a person cannot go past three days without water. That's putting it right on the border of a spiritual crisis every week. Going back to the “hart” or the “deer” remember that he craves the water so we should be craving or panting after a time of refreshment with God. Harry Ironside wrote a daily devotional book called the “Continual Burnt Offering.” It was meant to be used every day. You may be a person who has never missed a Sunday service and still wonder why you are not growing as you should. It should seem logical that when you spend one day with God and seven days without God that your growth is just a tad stunted to say the least. Since God's Word is for our edification and teaches us how to know God and to have a relationship with Him, then we should take heed to the lesson of the “hart.” When was the last time you “panted” after God? Do you pant after God when there is no catastrophe in your life, or do you wait for the heart attack, the sudden loss of a loved one or an unexpected sickness to draw your attention to God? Songwriters have written songs with titles like, “I Need Thee Every Hour” and “Moment by Moment” and “Day by Day.” In other words, we need God with every breath we take. There is not a moment when we don't need God. So, Praise God today as waits for you to come to Him as the deer pants after the water brook.

Seeing is Believing

          We had a man in La Porte, Indiana who had an unusual gift and I didn't believe that he could do what he claimed until I saw him do it on Ripley's Believe it or not show years ago. Railroad box cars have a large number on the side of the car usually six digits or more. This gentleman could sit at a railroad crossing and add up the numbers on the box cars as they slowly rumbled past him. I never saw anyone else do it and I don't know how he did it, but, after all, “seeing is believing.” John 20:25 says, “The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe." 

       This verse speaks of poor Thomas from whom we get the phrase, “doubting Thomas.” It has been a phrase for about 2000 years because of this event mentioned here in the latter chapters of the Gospel of John. Some of the other apostles had seen the risen Christ and were telling him of their encounter with the Lord but Thomas would not believe it and was so strong on it that he would not believe until he thrust his hand into the side of the Lord Himself. Fortunately, we have the rest of the story and at the next encounter with the Lord, Thomas was present. The Lord Jesus Christ, knowing the doubt that had been expressed by Thomas stuck out His hands and told Thomas to go ahead. He told Thomas to touch his hands and to thrust Thomas's hand into His side. Thomas, after seeing the Lord Jesus Christ right before him, simply said, “My Lord and My God.” After all, seeing is believing. It is a shame that people today can't have the experience that Thomas had. It is a shame that they can't see the print of the nails and the wound in His side of the Lord Jesus Christ. We do, however, have a reliable account of that event. It has been authenticated and published for years and years and it is called the Holy Bible. The Bible is not a book of fables or myths or stories that inspire but the authentic Word of God Himself to a needy people and that people includes you and me and our family and friends and all those in our field of work and recreation. This account is free to all who will but read it and believe what it says. Christianity hangs on one event and one event only. It is authenticated by the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. As First Corinthians 15 says, if Christ did not raise from the dead, then we are all still in our sin and in misery and with no hope. Since He did rise from the dead, then we are assured of every promise in the Scripture. We are assured of an eternal home with God when we believe on the finished work of Christ on the cross for our sins. Every born again believer is a testimony of the resurrection of Christ as people are changed into a new creation. Old things are passed away, behold all things are new. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (First Corinthians 5:17). Praise God today for the resurrection of His Son. The tomb is empty, and “seeing is believing.”

The Lesson of the Ant

          At one of the churches where I was on staff, we had a large paved parking lot. I was going out to the car one day and my eye noticed a medium sized ant carrying a piece of something that was about 5 times bigger than the ant. I don't know exactly where it was going but wherever it was, it had to be a very long way for the ant. I kind of felt sorry for the little critter but was amazed and proud at the same time because the ant was taking his treasure home wherever that was. I never knew if it made it but kind of hope that it got there eventually. Each generation seems to have it easier than the one before. I had to bale hay when I was a kid. The farmer had the bales set to about sixty pounds and I could barely get them up to the wagon bed. That's why I drove the tractor that pulled the wagon. We had one farmer that assisted us who was a giant of a man whose first name was “Leo.” His last name was Polish and I have no idea how to spell it. He could hoist a 90 pound bale up to the top of the wagon load of hay which would get up to about 5 layers. All of the loaders would walk the entire field hoisting the large bales on to the wagon and then, eventually to the barn where they would get them into the hay mow for winter storage. Proverbs 6:6-8 says, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,  Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.” 

         Some work is really physically demanding. It may be like the working of the hay fields or it may be like the little ant that was struggling to get his prize to his home. Ants prepare for the future while the grasshopper lives for the present and provides nothing for the future. The Book of Proverbs often speaks about and to the “lazy” person. The perpetual procrastinator wants to wait until tomorrow to do something and will not take advantage of the time that he or she has during this day. This easily gets applied to spiritual things because we have that notion that we can begin our spiritual matter tomorrow when we start a new day. Oh, we have time today to begin it, but our thinking is that we will begin it when we have a fresh start and so make the plans but then find out that God had something else planned for you on the morrow. If God has placed a burden upon you today, it is best to take care of it today than to wait until a more convenient time. God often gives us lessons from nature whether it be the ant, the wood duck or the goose, they all have spiritual lessons in the way that they do things. A hard worker may sometimes be referred to as an “eager beaver.” Are you putting something off for a more convenient time when you could and perhaps should get it done today? God gives us lessons through His Word with the lion, the lamb, the wolf, the fox, the asp and even the ant. Take heed to the lessons that He gives and praise Him today for His Word. As Paul said to the Ephesians, “Redeem the time.”

Riches

           Acquiring a lot of material things can present a problem to some people. With others, it doesn't make a whole lot of difference. There was a man I knew a number of years ago named Harold Stevens. Harold was a former missionary that would go around speaking to different churches about their mission program. Harold had a deep heart for missions around the world and would give everything he had to missions. He was given a Mercedes to drive around from church to church but the owner said that he would not give Harold the title to the Mercedes because Harold would sell it and give the money to missions. That was just the way Harold was. He practiced what he preached and would often comment that America spends more on dog food than it does on world missions and that the whole mission effort was being funded by just 4 percent of church people. We have a tendency to be both rich and still do a little bit for God here and there. Matthew 19:21-22 says, “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.”

       The rich young man asked the question of the Lord Jesus Christ of what he needed to do in order to inherit eternal life. However, when Jesus answered his question he walked away, sad at the answer he had received. Jesus touched the real issue in the young man's life. Wealth was important to him. It was so important that he would rather forfeit eternal life than to do the one thing that Jesus said for him to do. He was instructed to sell all that he had, give the money to the poor and then to follow after the Lord Jesus Christ. At least the passage says that he was sorrowful but that wasn't going to stop him from walking away from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. We find that in Second Corinthians 8 and 9 that there are about 24 guidelines for giving. Right at the beginning of the list is that a person needs to first give their own selves to the Lord. Second Corinthians 8:4 says, “And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.  The rich man failed to do this. God was not as important to him as was his wealth. For the believer, God is the most important; even more important than everything that he has accumulated. There is not one possession that you will take with you to heaven. You can be buried in your Mercedes but your spirit will go back to God Who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7). We often feel that by giving 10% of our income to God, that we are relieved of our responsibility for spreading the Gospel message around the world but God often requires more and you will know when God pricks your heart with a project that you can help achieve. So praise God for all that He has given to you and remember that it all belongs to Him and that you are just the steward of it while you are here on earth.

Deceitful Hearts and Living Water

        A lot of data gets plugged into my memory bank these days in which I really have very little interest. We usually like to know the weather forecast and in trying to find out that information, we also learn about the latest breakup in the Hollywood group of the latest and more horrific crimes committed upon humanity. We used to have a game similar to “Can you top this?” Each one's story gets more magnified as each tries to outdo the other. Society seems to be bent on trying to produce a more horrible event and so we get the barrage of news comments that really do not interest me. To me, the obvious answer lies in a change of heart. That is simple to say but we realize that it isn't going to happen because man's heart is bent on going another direction. Jeremiah 17:7-9 says, “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

        A change of heart could take place but that will only occur when people come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. There was a withered tree at Washington Bible College and a fellow student and I would look at that tree as waited for our entrance into a class and compare it to Psalm 1. We would say that it's roots were not reaching the water and therefore was destined to eventually die. Jeremiah makes the same comment as did the Psalmist in that a person who receives nourishment from God is one who will be fruitful and one who will grow not fall apart when the going gets tough. Jeremiah brings that out in verse 7 and 8 but then goes on in verse 9 to present a big problem and that is the condition of the heart of mankind. Trees can't move themselves to the water and so will die unless something happens in which they cannot control. We could transplant them or give them a water source and thus make them fruitful. I was in a mining town in Chile in the desert, a part of the Anaconda Copper Mines and every tree had a pipe coming to it with a continual water supply. If you wanted the tree to live, then it had to have water. We know where our water source is because we have experienced the Living Water. If hearts are going to be changed from their wicked state, then Living Water has to be applied. Who is going to do that? It's going to up to believers to share the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Living Water, to unbelievers. We keep on proclaiming the old, old story over and over again and it is the story of how the Lord Jesus Christ came to die for our sins. It is our testimony of what Christ did for us. It is the story of John 3:16 or First John 5:11-13. It is the story of salvation. Man's ways are certainly not God's ways and so a change needs to be made and only God can do that. Praise God today that He saved you and me and many others and that He alone is the answer to the problems of our culture today.

Do You Want to Ride The Comet?

        Temptations always look good at first.  Years ago, I was tempted to take a ride on a roller coaster, named, “The Comet.”  Our high school band would make an annual trip to Riverside Park in Chicago which was a really big park for a kid from the country. The roller coaster went and always came back so I began to talk myself into going on the short ride. After all, the rest of the group was doing it so it seemed like a good thought to me at the time.  It would be over in a couple of minutes so how bad could it be. 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.  Realize that at this point, this kid is afraid of the third step on a step ladder. Since that time, when I am tempted to ride a roller coaster, or any other dangerous ride of any type, I remember the experiences of my youth and the temptations, while there for only a few seconds, soon flee away.  We deal with all kinds of temptations in our lives almost every day that we live.  Most of the temptations that we encounter have consequences and we seem to brush them off and began to rationalize that the act is only a one time thing and what could possible happen. 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.  Next, 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.  We cold say “no” and walk away. God gives us that road to victory midst 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.   It is no wonder that 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.

Of What are You Ashamed?

         I didn't come from a wealthy family. Dad provided for us, gave us a roof over our heads, a good car to drive and never refused to get us anything that we needed including 2 bassoons while I was under his roof. When the house burned, he almost single handed, built us a house on another part of the property. It was built in stages and we lived in the “finished” basement for six years. This was not a bad thing in northern Indiana as we were safe from the common tornadoes that hit us almost every summer. I once met a young lady whose father was an executive with Standard Oil and I went to her home. Then she insisted on coming to my home but I was ashamed of where I lived and tried the best I could to discourage her from coming, but she came anyway. She was quite cordial, but that was the last I saw of her. It wasn't even close to the luxury in which she lived. That was about the only time in my life where I felt ashamed of something and in the end, it didn't even matter anyway. Since then, I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior and my list of priorities eventually got turned upside down. Romans 1:16-17 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” 

        There may have been some early Christians who were ashamed of their relationship with Christ. Nicodemus was a follower in secret. Peter would sometimes duck out of a crowd when certain people would come into his presence. Paul, however, put it square when he plainly said through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “I am not ashamed of the gospel...” Here was a man who had been a very zealous persecutor of Christians and who now was a devoted follower himself. The personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus found him turning his life around, or rather, God turned his life around. He was not afraid of his former co-workers or the Pharisees or the leaders of the Sanhedrin nor even Kings and those in power in Israel at the time. He spoke the words of the Lord wherever he went and even though it would sometimes result in him being in jail, he still did it because he was not ashamed. He let everyone know where he stood on the issue of Christianity and was not afraid to tell them so regardless of their position in life. It reminds me of another man who I think is still living, Bob Porter who was well known in Alexandria, Virginia as he proclaimed the Gospel message on King Street in Alexandria. He even went into the court house and spoke to whomever he could including the judges. They all knew Bob and they knew he was not ashamed. How about you and me? I pray that we use every opportunity to spread the Gospel message to those we meet. Since God is in control of each and every life and encounter, there are no accidental meetings and perhaps your kindness or you act of charity or the words that you said will be a witness to a lost soul. I will not be ashamed of the Gospel because Christ was certainly not ashamed of me on His cross when He died for my sins. Praise God today because God is not ashamed of us.

In God's Presence

          Our Navy destroyer, on its voyage around South America, had the opportunity to dock at Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Our first day on shore was a bit rainy and cloudy but the chief petty officer and I decided to take the cog railway trip to the top of Mount Corcovado which as a huge statue of Christ. After getting to the top, we discovered that we were in the clouds and you could see the statue, but the top portion was just barely visible due to the fog and clouds. I took some pictures anyway but we did not have the opportunity to take in the view of Rio from the top of the mountains. It was only later, when we purchased some post cards, that we could see just how high we were. It was truly a magnificent sight to behold, even on a post card. The staff band at the music school had the opportunity to be in the presence of many a famous dignitary. Playing music in the presence of famous people or important world leaders pales in comparison to that which is available to every believer on the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

        It is that little thing called "prayer." We bow our heads and say grace at meals and say "good morning" to the LORD when we get out of bed and bring our petitions to Him and probably don't think too much of where we are when we utter our prayers to Him. We come boldly to the throne of grace. I have mentioned a few times before how one of the youth groups in which I was involved had constructed a large replica of the tabernacle in the gym of our church. During the day, I went down and walked into the holy place and then was hesitant to go into the area designated as the holy of holies. Even the replica reminded me of a place where the high priest would only go once a year and then he had to follow very strict guidelines One mistake and he would be dead. Now, the veil has been broken and we have full access to God's throne through prayer. This is far more important than the "oval" office or the throne of important world leaders. The passage goes on to say that we can obtain mercy and to find grace to help in time of need. When do you have a time of need? It would be easier to ask the question, "When do I not have a time of need." It seems that we are always a "needy" people and there is something that we can put before the LORD in prayer. Then, we can go on and think of that time when Revelation 4 and 5 will be a reality for us as we are a part of the voices that offer praise to God as we sing, "And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” (Rev. 5:13) Perhaps a personal need has come to mind as you read this and you can have the assurance that you can approach the throne of grace. What a privilege it is to serve the LORD GOD and to be able to in His presence each and every day, every hour and every moment. Maybe you haven't been in the oval office or Buckingham palace or the Taj Mahal, but if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you have been in God's throne of grace. How wonderful is that? Praise God today for His desire to meet with us again and again and again.

How Valuable is Your Phone?

         How much value to you put on the material things in your life? The summer months have been especially warm and people are being continually warned about leaving children in a closed car. In order for a person to avoid doing this, some have suggested that if you put something valuable in the back seat, like your phone, you will not forget your child. Do you see something wrong with that thinking? Which is more valuable, your child or your phone? Apparently in this society, in this sin cursed culture, a mobile phone is more valuable than your child. It should be reversed. If you want to remember where your phone is, put it next to your child. That is not the case today. Stories flood the news about another child found dead in a locked car while the adult is doing something else probably with their phone in their hand. People today have misplaced values on their personal possessions. The child seems to be of much lesser value to a parent today than many of their frivolous possessions such as a phone, computer, car or even their dry cleaning. It is no surprise then to notice that man has even less regard for his own soul. Matthew 16:26 says, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” 

        The question posed by the Lord Jesus Christ so many years ago is relevant today in so many ways. It points out that people certainly have misplaced priorities when placing value on the items in their own lives. Sure, a lot of old people die, but so do a lot of young people. We hear of those who are athletes that pass away on the court or mysteriously in a hotel room. God is not a respecter of age. We would think that there would be an age priority on death, but that is not the case. When God calls, you go. There is not opportunity to say, “Could you wait a moment?” Why, even rich people pass away. Their massive amount of money cannot buy them one more second. In the passage above, Jesus points out that the comparison of the possession of the whole world, would not be compared to a soul. The misplaced values of today's “earth dweller” is upside down. They think that the soul is way down on the list, somewhere after money, possessions, power, prestige and so on. Then comes the soul. What is the most important thing in your life? You might want to replace your phone with your Bible. People will say, “Oh, I have the Bible on my phone” but that only gets turned on during church service in between checking their text messages. Start a list of those things that are important and put the most valuable at the top and the least valuable at the bottom. The things that absolutely cannot be replaced should be on the top such as your soul then your relationship with God and then your relationship with your family. Your phone, which some people seem to think would be the perfect way to remember where your children are, should be way down on the list, perhaps at the bottom. Even if you could win Publisher's Clearing house, it will not be sufficient to exchange for your soul. Praise God that He has reminded us of that which is the most important thing in our lives, our own soul.

Neglect

         There are some times when you don't want to “neglect” something that is important. The word is only used about 5 times in the New Testament and has the meaning of not regarding something or ignoring something that should be considered to be important. I knew a man in Spain that attended our classes on the New Testament. This individual had been a missionary for a large church but had never studied the Bible. One would think that a person who is going to be a missionary would have a basic Bible background, but he had never even studied New Testament survey. At that point in his life, he was hungry for the scriptures. It is hard for us to understand why some people neglect that which is foundational in their lives. Another example of neglect was a young lady who had driven a car for over 300 miles with the “check engine” light on. She “neglected” the light and had in fact put a band-aid over the light so as to not be bothered by the yellow symbol on her dashboard. I had two warning signs of an impending heart attack, but ignored them because I didn't know what was happening, nor did I tell anyone else about the signs. There are somethings you just don't want to neglect. Hebrews 2:3 says, " How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;”

        The Book of Hebrews is filled with many profound statements and this is one of them. We can think about the greatness of salvation but one of the things that comes to my mind today is that people “neglect” the salvation that is right before them. The statement is a rhetorical question. The point is, that there is no escape when we neglect this great salvation. We can think about the statement, ponder the statement, disregard the statement and go our own way and end up missing salvation. When certain conditions are neglected there are going to be results that you may not desire. To put it another way, “if you neglect this great salvation, there will be no escaping the consequences. To put a band-aid on a warning light will have its consequences for sure. Our problems with neglect often begin with having no regard for the Word of God. The Bible has become merely a book of moral platitudes to many and they have neglected knowing and applying the Bible to their lives. A missionary needs to have a solid background of the Word of God. A preacher needs to know the Bible from cover to cover. If you neglect brushing your teeth, you will soon have dental problems that won't be very enjoyable at all. If you neglect checking the oil in your car, you will have mechanical problems with your engine. If you neglect greasing an axle, your wheel will freeze up and eventually fall off. If you neglect this great salvation, you will end up in an eternity without God. It is just as the verse says, there is no escaping it. The message of salvation was clearly taught by the Lord Jesus Christ and it has been passed on to us by those who heard Him. We have the words of the the Lord Himself and their words but we may still simply neglect what they say. Praise God today that he has clearly given us His Word. May we not neglect, or disregard, what it says.

From Mashed Potatoes to Bassoon Player

    My memory only goes back so far. I don't recall anything from my birth until I was about three years old and then, there are only certain events that have stayed in my memory bank. During that period of my life, I have to rely on the accounts mostly of my parents and that based only on what they told me. We had a dining room during my infant years that was carpeted. The story goes that Granddad Freeland came over for dinner and wondered why I had to eat in the kitchen, with the linoleum floor. My mother explained to him that after I finished eating what I was going to eat, I would turn my plate upside down on top of my head, thus messing up the floor, so I was not allowed into the carpeted dining room. Twelve years later I was playing bassoon in the newly formed La Porte Symphony orchestra. God sometimes takes a mess and makes a rose out of it. We often look at the newly born infant and say that they will be a good doctor or lawyer or piano player or that they are going to break someone's heart because they are so cute. Only God knows the plan for each individual. Psalm 139:13-14 says, " For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

       God knows the plan because He knew us from the moment of conception. The word “reins” originally referred to the kidney but figuratively referred to the mind, or the inner most self. The whole passage gives us evidence that God knew everything about us and He knew that I would go from having mashed potatoes on my head to playing a bassoon or singing in a church or figuring out the problem in a down telephone circuit. God knew and still knows every cell, every nerve, every bone, every muscle and every hair on my head. Not only that, God also knew and still knows every thought and every word that I say or am about to say. We may have a problem figuring out the future, but we have rather good hindsight. We can look back and see where God performed a miracle in our lives because of the people that were put in our path that made a difference such as the salesman who came into my life in the fourth grade and because I could tell the difference between two notes, persuaded my parents to purchase a clarinet for me to learn music. Some may have looked at the infant with mashed potatoes on his head and wondered if he would ever turn out to be anything more than a clown but God had a plan. God has also known and still knows each of you. He knows every word that you are about to say or think. He knows the troubles, the discouragements, the difficulties and the problems that you are going to face and above all, He knows that His grace is going to be sufficient to get you through each of them. God knows even at conception which infants are destined to be doctors, missionaries, dentists, preachers, teachers, givers of mercy and hospitality. Just as God knows you, He knows your children, your grand children, great grand children and so on. What my grandfather didn't understand, God knew. So praise God today for the fact that each of us are fearfully and wonderfully made.