The Fool

         The word “fool” is used 73 times in the King James Bible and 41 of those times are in the Book of Proverbs. When we were kids, we often called each other different name but I can't recall ever calling someone a “fool.” One dictionary defined the word “fool” as “a person who acts unwisely or imprudently; a silly person.” A number of the synonyms include being a “jester,” a “half-wit,” or a “nincompoop.” The word “stupid” also comes up in the definition in some cases. One can see that the definition of a fool is a person who does not act wisely in most circumstances. My Father used a German word at times with me which referred to a slang term for a donkey and he used it mostly when I was playing a card game which combined us as a team such as pinochle. The term takes on a different meaning or at least a meaning with greater consequences when considered in the Bible. Psalm 14:1 says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.”

         There are people in the world today who try to come to a conclusion that there is not God. The refuse to see the evidence that is around them everyday. They look at the universe and still proclaim that there is no God. They look at the flowers and the rest of nature and still proclaim that there is no God. They look a the forces of the weather and still proclaim that there is no God. The proclamation of Proverbs 14:1 is a terrible sentence upon a person who refuses to acknowledge God. Still, people often do so even when the evidence is overwhelmingly against them. They quietly say in their heart, “There is no God.” Now, there is the definition of a real “fool.” A person might do something wrong now and then such as play the wrong card in a game, or continue playing golf in a lightning storm or jump out of a car while it is still moving. You can probably name a lot of “dumb” things that have occurred in your life For the Christian, we can plainly see that there is a God and we know His name. He is the God of the Bible. We know the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We know of His divine creation and His sustaining the universe. We know of His Son, The Lord Jesus Christ, going to the cross at Calvary and dying for our sin that we would have a way of salvation through His perfect sacrifice. We know of His promises that are in the Scripture. We know of the fulfilled prophecies and of the few that are left to be fulfilled including the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Years ago, we called this day, April Fool's Day so you can see that even the fools have a personal holiday which is probably one of the saddest days in life. Most of the world refuses to worship God but instead worship everything in creation from trees to rocks, from fire to ice, even including their own lives. Mankind seems to desire to worship everyone and everything, except God which is a description of Romans 1:25. They worship the creature more than the Creator. Truly, there are many “fools” in the world today. If you are a believer, you can say, “I am not a fool.” Praise God today for the fact that He is THE CREATOR AND SUSTAINER OF ALL THAT THERE IS.

Be Quiet!

      Have you ever been told to be quiet? I try to be respectful of “quiet” zones. There was a time, especially in some churches, that when you opened the door to the sanctuary, you automatically became quiet. It was in a day that people would sit and think and pray to the LORD in the quiet of the moment. There were those times however, when I went into a room, talking in a rather loud manner, that someone would put their finger to their lips, scowl at me and do the traditional, “Shhhh.” I knew what that meant. I had to instantly be quiet. These last few weeks have been a “quiet zone” for many people. Our life styles have changed and in an instant, we have heard a message from God that reminds us to be quiet for a moment. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”

       We have read the verse many times but for many, have continued on, making our usual noise and sometimes calling attention to ourselves and that is when we have heard the heavenly “Shhh.” Some will grumble because they don't like to be shushed by anyone. They will keep on talking but perhaps a little lower but finally the message gets through and we can hear God saying, “Be quiet.” God's voice has a way of demanding immediate attention and we stop in our tracks whatever we are doing. Our attention is immediately focused on God. All of the schedules in your Day Timer and the things on your “to do” list all take second place to God. Of course, it should have always been that way, but you know how things are when you are busy and important in your circle of acquaintances. There seemed to have been things that we just had to get done. All of a sudden, God stopped the wheels of government, the assignments at school, the sports activities, the high payed celebrities and the parades. God closed the bars and the restaurants. God caused you to stand in the doorway and look at your neighbor and maybe say something to them over the back fence, but not too close. You suddenly find that you now have time for prayer and for Bible reading and family. God used something very small to change our life in a matter of days. God sometimes uses things that are small to accomplish great things. He even used some hornets to get into the armor of an invading army. That will cause you some dismay in a quick amount of time. We had the Psalm above in our Bibles for years but God now has our attention. What lesson is He teaching you today? If nothing else, remember the words of the above verse that go on to say, “...and know that I am God...” Praise God today in a way none like the other times. Praise Him all day long. Praise Him with song and with prayer. Just behold His glory.

The Spreading of the Gospel

        There are some things in life that are difficult not to spread. One of them is apparently a disease such as the virus that we are now experiencing. A germ can live for a long time on different surfaces unless intentionally killed by disinfectant. It can spread by touching or by even being closer than 8 feet from an infected source. In order to combat this virus, we have to remain in isolation in our own little protected bubble and hope that one little virus is able to sneak in on a shoe, a piece of mail, a package or whatever else may be lurking in the shadows. A virus however, is not the only thing that got spread in history. Acts 5:28 says, “saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.”

         To the Jews and the Romans, the spread of Christianity in the beginning was much like a virus to them. They couldn't stop it and even tried to suppress the source such as the preaching of the apostles. Peter's first sermon brought over 3,000 into the early church and his second sermon brought about 5,000 into the church. From then on, they couldn't count the number of people that were being converted. You might say that their faith was infectious and was spreading throughout Jerusalem. Peter's response was that they needed to obey God rather than men. You may be able to blockade a person in their home but you can't stop the spread of the Gospel even in today's society. Our voices carry further than eight feet and the proclamation of the Gospel can still go forward even in a day of “quarantine.” These devotions are another example of reaching out to people in a matter of microseconds when the “send” button is pushed. I made a video call to one of my former church members which was an encouragement to me and hopefully to them also. Many of our churches are utilizing social media for keeping the worship services going as well as daily devotions from them to encourage the people in this day. We may not hear the sounds of movement, or coughing, or the dropping of a pencil nor do we smell the fragrances or feel the piece of bread but the worship still remains. You can't legislate against the spreading of the Gospel because it just keeps going out no matter what you might do to try to suppress it. God still uses the voices to proclaim his message through the preaching of His Word and the singing of music. The prayers of the saints still go out to the LORD of Glory and He hears and answers. My the Gospel message keep going out and eventually fill the world with the message of salvation, hope, peace and love. Praise God that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Fitting In

         For the most part, people want to feel as if they fit in with the society around them.  They like to feel "accepted."  I have met few people who completely disregard what's going on around them.  It is true that every now and then you see someone who looks like they want to stand out and disregard everyone else.  They dress differently and act differently to the point that they stand out.  Often, inwardly, they wish they were accepted by everyone but feel as if they are not and so go to the other extreme.  As I was leaving the navy, I had a number of job interviews and one of them was with a large tech group. They had a number of tests for everyone to take to make sure they would fit in with the company. I passed on the electronic parts of the test but failed to “fit in” with the psychological part. I had noticed that all of the men wore basically the same style of suit, a trench coat and a brief case that looked like it was from the same company. We would say that they looked almost like they were clones of the boss. I was sad at first that I did not fit in, but glad later. In that same thought, people generally want to feel accepted by God and that we will be with Him for all eternity.  This is far more important than what we look like or how we act in our job. There is good news.  Ephesians 1:5-6 says, "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."  

         People can be accepted and it was made possible by the work of Christ on the cross.  In these verses, God has reminded us that He has is the One who has made us accepted in the Beloved.  Now, who is the Beloved?  It is the perfect Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.  He is the Beloved.  God the Father was the One who did the work and now we are indeed "accepted."  God has done the impossible by making us accepted who could not have done it at all by ourselves.  He is the One who has made us presentable to stand before Him.  If you are feeling a little low today just realize that this is one of the spiritual blessings that has already taken place in your life.  Reflect on that for a moment and rejoice in what God has done.  There is nothing that you have to do.  It is a completed work.  Praise God today for His working in our lives and for providing spiritual blessings in the heavenlies.

Being Lifted Up

         There may have been times where you have heard the expression, “Be careful, you are walking on thin ice.” The thought that there is danger ahead if you keep doing what you are doing. I have mentioned before about a pond in Christiansburg where we would spend a lot of time fishing. My son and myself went fishing there on one cold day around noon and the pond, which is really a small lake, was frozen over. We cut a hole in the ice at one point and began fishing. We didn't catch anything and so after an hour or so, decided to walk across the ice to the other side of the pond rather than taking the long route around the pond. The area where we were fishing was in the shade most of the day by some trees and the bank of the pond so the ice was thicker. Getting about 20 feet from the opposite shore we both heard a cracking sound and knowing what was happening, began to separate ourselves to relieve the pressure, but it was too late. The ice broke and we both went into the pond. It was about chest deep so I held my camera up above my head along with the fishing gear as we scrambled to get to the shore. Indeed, we had been walking on “thin ice.” James 4:10 says, “ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

          There are times in life when we need a “helping hand.” I have had many different illustrations in my life about being lifted up by someone else when I was in trouble. My parents did that a lot simply by taking my hand when crossing a street, getting out of a boat or even opening the car door too soon and almost falling on my head. Spiritually speaking we have the same thing going on in our lives on almost a daily basis. It is during those times that we need that helping hand that only God can give in order to make it through the hour or the day. We can find comfort from the Word of God in such passages as the Gospels, the Book of Psalms and the many examples in the Bible where God made a promise to those that had nothing and then provided for that very same promise in a way that was supernatural or as we may say, Divine. It took a lot of faith for Elijah to go to a brook and wait for a raven to come with the evening dinner. I have to admit that I don't know how that was accomplished as I would not be prone to eat anything that was dropped by a bird. I doubt that it was wrapped and stamped with an FDA approval. God, however, sustained Elijah for quite a time that way until the brook dried up. He then goes to a house where a widow woman is preparing her last meal with a bit of flour, just enough oil and a few sticks. Then, they thought they were going to die. Elijah made his request, and God supplied enough flour and oil to keep them all supplied. We often don't know how God does something, but for Him it is no big thing. To us, it is a Divine provision for which we have no explanation. God just did it. God quite often lifts us up when we are stumbling along in our daily walk. Again, we don't know how it is accomplished, but He does it. It is also worthy to note that in the passage for today, it begins with “Humble yourselves...” It is necessary for us to realize that we can not do it ourselves and that God is the One Who is going to do the lifting. God is our Fortress, our Mother Hen, Our Provider, Our Sustainer and He Who picks us up when we fall. Praise God today for His working in our lives each and every moment.

Friends

     I have heard the expression, “No man is an island.” I found that the original idea came from a poem that was written some 400 years ago. It had to do with “isolationism” and that we are really part of something and not totally independent from everything. That was the idea and it had to do with something that took place years ago and as we experienced life, we found that it is true. I lived in the country as a young boy and the nearest neighbor that had children was about a half mile away. The bicycle made it possible for us to “connect” from time to time. Fights would break out now and then but we never let them last too long. We would make up and then go back to doing whatever we were doing before the disagreement took place. That was life as a kid in La Porte county specifically in Wills township. We soon learn that it is indeed true that no man is an island but that we are connected to others. Sometimes, it is through family but as the family begins to die off, our connections belong to friends. In my case, many of those friends are associated with one church or another that has been a part of my life. My first church experience was the Rolling Prairie Methodist Church but went on from there to include many different churches in many different places. James 5:16 says, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

       After becoming a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, I found that we would build relationships with various people and many would become life long “friends.” They became so important that we would find that we would be sad when they were sad and happy when they were happy. We also found that we were concerned about their life and how they were doing and would lift them up in prayer when they specified that they had a spiritual or even physical need in their life. At some point in more recent years, I heard about the “one another” commands as mentioned in the verse for today. It certainly is true that no man is an island in that we are admonished to do many things, one for another. One of those things was mentioned above and it is to pray one for another. James actually includes two different “one another” commands in the passage, one referring to confessing your faults and the other involving prayer. Confessing your faults sometimes meaning to say that you are sorry about some offense that may have taken place between you and one of your friends. One person put it this way. “You can't stay mad at a person when you are praying for them.” Everyone has one or more needs in their lives and would appreciate prayers probably every day and not just during a catastrophe. You may find that you are in a different set of circumstances today and with a completely different time schedule. It is a good time for prayer. Of course, it is always a good time for prayer, but take advantage of some of the extra time in your life and do what James said almost 2,000 years ago. Pray one for another. Praise God that He still listens to our prayers.

Promises

         Some observed “not gathering” on Sunday while some others ignored the advice. To each his own, as the saying goes. For me, it was a time to listen to one of my favorite preachers in our area and during the sermon there was an occasion for the listeners to participate and the preacher walked off the platform. The space was empty for several minutes as us listeners were to think for a moment about the promises of God. It was an exercise when we were exhorted to put our minds in gear and focus on the promises that we recalled. One of the first that I typed in was from Hebrews 13:5 that God would never leave us nor forsake us. That has long been one of my favorite promises but not perhaps the “best” one that I can think of. For me, the best one is in the Gospel of John. John 14:2 says, “ and if I go and shall prepare you a place, I am coming again and shall receive you to myself, that where I am ye also may be.  and if I go and shall prepare you a place, I am coming again and shall receive you to myself, that where I am ye also may be.”

         In our modern day era, we may think of the famous General Douglas MacArthur who made the statement, “I shall return” as he left the Philippines in 1942. It was a comfort for the people to hear such a statement and eventually became one of his more famous quotes. There is however, a much greater statement that basically the same thing but it was made not by a man but the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. When Christ was teaching the disciples many lessons during that final week, He made the statement that we see in John 14:3. He said it a tad differently using the words, “I am coming again” as written in the King James Bible. All the translations that I have from Greek to Spanish to English all say the same thing. He said that He will come again. Now of all the promises given in the Scripture and there are many, this, to me is one of the greatest. No matter how severe the trials during this age or in any age, the comfort is there that someday, somehow, The Lord Jesus Christ will break through the clouds and receive the His Bride. There is also that part of that coming where His feet will again touch the Mount of Olives as mentioned in Zechariah 14:4 where it says, “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” What a day that will be when His glory I shall see. We can put our trust in the promises of God because He is the Standard for guarantees. He is the Example for each and every one of us. He is the Comforter in all situations based upon His promises in His Word. It was a good moment for me to reflect on His promises among which was this one. Praise God today for His promises that give us hope in a crazy mixed up world.

The Gig Line

        While in the navy, with the exception of boot camp and a short cruise, I spent the whole time at a “school” command. That meant that we had a lot of personnel inspection. We had one every Friday morning at 8:00 AM. Uniforms had to be just about as perfect as you could make them with creases in the right places and free from any spots or wrinkles. The navy jumper, the top worn in the traditional uniform had to have the flap evenly divided into four sections which meant that there were 3 creases in the flap, dividing it into four equal sections. If you had a shirt on, such as a chief petty officer in those days, the shirt had to be in exact line with the trouser fly. It was called the “gig” line because if it was off just a little bit, you got a “gig” which meant you had to do the inspection over on Saturday morning. When you arrived at the office before the inspection, you would not sit down until the inspection was over for fear of getting a wrinkle in the wrong place. Ephesians 5:27 says, “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

        The Scripture goes to great lengths to set the standard for the perfect sacrifice and indeed anything that is going to be presented to God. A lamb that was going to be used for the sacrifice could not have spot on it or a leg missing or an animal with spots all over it. It had to be perfect and therefore the best of the flock. It was setting the standard for what was going to come in the future. The Lord Jesus Christ was the Perfect Lamb in every way. This meant that He was the Only One that could make the sacrifice that would pay for our sins. This also means that the church, the Bride of Christ, will be that Perfect One that will be sufficient to be in heaven. It doesn't take us long to figure out that there is nothing that we can do to make ourselves clean enough for heaven and that we need to desperately have the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ in order for us to be cleansed. It will be then said that we are without spot or blemish. It is a life long work and one in which we sometimes get discouraged over as the more we try to be Christlike, the more we are evident of our imperfections. The closer you get to God, the more your blemishes become apparent. The greater the light, the more the exposure of imperfections. We are, however, not discouraged but still go on day by day, growing closer and closer to Him and the promised of someday being without spot or blemish keeps us on the right tract. Our spiritual lives are sometimes referred to as our “state” and our “standing.” Our “standing” with God is perfect because of our salvation while are current “state” might be far from perfect. At either death or the rapture the two will become perfectly aligned. The work will have been done in us even as Paul mentioned in Philippians 1:6. “ Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” Praise God today for the work that He is doing in your life today.

Never Alone!

          I recall as a youngster that when I got lost or separated from my parents, I would have an almost instant panic attack. I always had to have them in my line of vision and I could go on doing what I was doing but I had to have that assurance that they were in the room. I have mentioned before about being left in our car while my Father went in to Sears to pay on a bill and the storm came up. That was one of the times I felt that I was alone. I never felt like running away from home and may have thought about it once or twice but was back to normal in abut thirty minutes or so. We used to call being left alone as “homesickness.” There were times when it was hard to break the apron strings of Mom like when I joined the U. S. Navy. I had been away from home before, but never in the circumstance of not being able to return home. My safety was then provided by a chief petty officer who was not very friendly and who kept reminding me about tying a square knot. Hebrews 13:5 says, “ Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'”

          Apron strings may be now broken for most of us and we find that as we grow older, we are the ones who provide comfort to others. There is however, that natural concern about our own loneliness. Who is going to comfort us? How are we going to get through the darkest night or during one of life's terrible storms? The animals have ways of protecting their young but Who is it that protects us? The answer is found in the verse for today. It is none other than God Himself. Psalm 91 reminds us of one fact that God is compared to a mother hen who protects her young bu hiding them under her wings. The mother cat will gather up her kittens by grabbing them by the scruff of their necks and keeping them nestled around her. The Psalmist used two different descriptions in Psalm 91, one of which was the wings over us and the second was the fortress. There can be no earthly fortress that can be compared to the fortress that God provides for each and every one of His children. The two illustrations seem to be so dramatically apart, one describing His protection as a soft wing over us and the other being a stone wall all around us. Both of them however, show us the protection of God and that we are never alone. That is the assurance that we need in this day and in every day. Romans 8:39-39 reminds us of just how secure that protection is. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Do you feel isolated today? Are you longing for a hug that is secure and tight? Then, look to the One Who has you in His arms each and every moment. Hebrews 13:5 has a lot in it but those last eight words are perhaps one of the most comforting that any believer can have no matter what the circumstances in which you find yourself. You can even be in an ICU at a hospital or in a small apartment or even out in the woods and there is still no place where God will not be with you. Praise God today for His keeping power. He is with us and holding on to each and everyone of us.

The Shema

        While working at a retirement community I noticed an item on the door frame of one of the residents. It turned out to be a Mezuzah which I had heard about but had never seen before in person. The resident of the room, being Jewish, would come up to the door, kiss his hand and then touch his same hand to the Mezuzah. The Mezuzah is a door decoration that is hollow and contains a section of the Word of God. The passage is from Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and then a few verses towards the end of the chapter. This passage became known as the “Shema” for each Israelite. I talked to the resident trying to get more information about the item on his door frame but found that he didn't know too much about it. Over the years, the purpose of the Shema or the Mezuzah had become a bit more obscure. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 says, “ “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

          The content of the Shema is just as important to us today as it was to Israel back in the days of Moses. It would be just as important for every believer today to reflect on the words of this passage especially the part mentioned above which exhorts us to love the LORD your God with all your heart. This is one of those exhortations that is easy to say but really hard to do. We should be able to do so but we often find that the things of the world just plain get in the way of doing so. It is difficult for us to love the LORD with all of our heart when our favorite TV program is on, or when the ice cream truck comes down the road or we are offered a high paying job that would compromise our beliefs. This has become a personal thing for me and the more I try to love the LORD with all my heart, the more temptations seem to be in front of me. It would seem to be a natural thing to do, but is far from natural. It is more the opposite of being natural. When you pour water on the ground, it seeks the path of least resistance. It won't run uphill or over an obstruction. Many believers are much the same way. We will tend to take a path of least resistance rather than trying to swim against the prevailing current. Ministry seemed to be easier when my schedule was planned out for me. I would arrive at work, look at my daily schedule, do a Bible study with someone, visit here and there, go to the hospital or the funeral home for visitation and then get back home, tired and worn out. Now I am retired and my day is not consumed by a schedule. I can choose to do what I want, when I want and for as long as I want. It would be good for me to remember the Shema and to focus on the fact of loving the Lord my God will all of my heart. It is an exhortation for all of us in whatever situation we may find ourselves. Whatever amount of time we spend with God can and should be increased. The Shema should be a natural part of our lives. The Lord Jesus Christ said, “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.”. Matthew 22:37-38 Praise God for His Word and His desire to have us commune with Him.

Hoarding

          Hoarding is one of those things that has been around for a long time. There seem to be things that a human being doesn't want to be without. The recent virus outbreak has brought this to our attention once more as people try to stock up on extra supplies of the big three; toilet paper, bread and milk. The idea of hoarding was evident even in the time of Moses and his leadership trying to get the Israelites out of Egypt, through the wilderness and into the promise land. Having run out of food, they had to depend on “manna” from heaven and they had to have faith that it would be there in the morning. That didn't sit well with some people so they tried to get an extra bushel of the manna, “just in case.” Well, we know what happened, it spoiled and was full of worms. That took place on most days, except the day before the Sabbath, when they could get a double portion and that portion would not spoil. So, we know that God had control over the condition of the manna on every day. Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

          God's supply of things is something that fits every area of our lives. In the book of Philippians, they had given to Paul's need so much that they found themselves in want but Paul assured them that God would meet their needs. The same is true for us today. God will supply our needs. What is important during these times is our attention to be doing what God has commanded us to do. He desires us to keep building our relationship with Him which is going to be involving Scripture and Prayer to conform us to the image of Christ. We are also exhorted to keep doing the “one another” commands that are placed throughout the New Testament. We keep being involved in our growth from day to day and let God keep supplying what we need. He has ways of doing that which are far from our personal understanding. I have no idea how the medical profession bills patients. I usually pay a “co-pay” and they bill the insurance for some of it and the rest seems to disappear in adjustments. After it is all done, I sometimes get a refund for some bill that was paid months before. I never know when or if it is coming but when it does, to me, it is God's providing for something else as the time it is needed. As usual, God supplies. It was said of two missionaries that one had received an extra $10,000 and so gave to the other missionary with a note that said, “I don't need this at the time and maybe you do.” the two missionaries were Hudson Taylor and George Mueller. God has a way of moving things around so that all needs of every believer are met. It has always been interesting to me that God chose the exact words for the above text in that He will supply all of our “needs” but it doesn't say that He will supply all of our “wants.” We can praise God today for His supplying of our needs in each of our situations.

Miracle Food

          There have been times in my life when I thought I was really hungry and had nothing to eat. Then there was Aunt Edna who said to me that if you have a jar of mustard and a spoonful of sugar, you can make a snack. I used it many times after that. It was simply a spoon full of mustard on two slices of bread sprinkled with sugar. While it may sound inedible to some, it was good at the time. In school, about 2:30 in the afternoon, my stomach would begin its announcing that it was hungry and I was known to eat just a tad bit of glue. Even the crayons smelled good about that time of day. Mark 6:42-44 says, “ And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.”

        The account mentioned shows that there were a considerable amount of people and it was time for lunch and nothing to be found. The Lord Jesus Christ knew full well what He was going to do but He did question the disciples and none of them had an answer as to how they were going to provide food for such a large group of people. The amount of 5,000 people can also equate to about 5,000 women plus the amount of children present. It could have been a group of over 10,000 to 13,000 people God then provided the food which was not great thing for God. He had done it for 40 years while about 1.3 million people roamed the desert in the wilderness providing manna every day except on the Sabbath. I often wonder what the bread and the fish tasted like on that day when the Lord Jesus Christ fed them all. It must have been good and there is no record of anyone complaining about what they got to eat that day. When God prepared the lunch that day, it was perfectly baked with perfect ingredients and the fish were just about as perfect as fish can get. They all ate until they were full and then there was the clean up afterwards when twelve baskets of fragments were gathered up afterwards. There is no further information on what they did with the twelve baskets. Many like to think that there was a basket for each of the twelve disciples that were with Him that day but no indication that it was specifically for them. As usual, the lesson for us is that what God does is always the best. It was like the water to wine when the end result was the “best” wine. This is the first opportunity for them to taste bread and fish that were “out of this world.” I sometimes would purchase bread each day in Spain that was fresh from the oven. I would usually break off a piece before I got home because it just smelled so good. Whatever God does for us is always going to be the best no matter what it is. We usually end up getting the best from God when we run out of our own capability to get what we need by ourselves. In the end, God provides just as He did with the Red Sea, the manna, the water from the rock, the feeding of the 5,000 and the feeding of the 4,000. When God provides, you can be assured that it is going to be the best and far better than you could ever have thought about. Praise God today for all of the wonderful blessings that He has provided and will keep on providing in each and every person's life.

Beet Juice and Sin

          I have come to like a vegetable that I didn't care for in the past and it is the “beet.” I found a recipe for making “Harvard Beets” and made up a bunch of them and really liked them. The only problem is the beet juice. It would make a good clothing dye as it spreads everywhere quickly. It stained my sink, the knife, my hands and I even had a few spots on my shirt. I had beet juice everywhere. Some things are just prone to spread. I remember once putting a drop of black ink into a glass of water and watched as it slowly spread until the contents of the whole glass was made a different color. It is like the “plague” of the day. We always seem to have them and they come and go and trying to stop them from spreading is like trying to keep the ink from contaminating the whole glass of water or keeping the beet juice off of my hands. We do try to slow it down with our feeble attempts to control it but in the end, it just seems to pop up everywhere. Matthew 16:11-12 says, “ How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

           Germs are one thing and leaven is another but there are some similarities between the two. I sometimes ask myself, “Where did I get this cold?” They say that a cold germ can be contacted fourteen days before it manifests itself in your body. It could have come from the hospital visits, or the nursing home or one of the family members or the grocery store or even the gas pump. Somehow, one little germ got in and spoiled my night of rest with a runny nose and a sore throat and then the coughing that follows. The Lord Jesus Christ gave us an example of how things can spread when He used the comparison of sin to that of leaven. It could be the sin of false doctrine or any other sin that comes along in our daily life. Leavening and flour are interesting to watch. I put a little tablespoon of yeast into four cups of flour and the whole thing blows up and the longer I leave it, the bigger it grows. Sin has a way of doing the same thing in our lives. It doesn't take a large amount as a small sin will be sufficient. Just one little teeny, weeny sin makes a person unfit for heaven. It could be the smallest of sins maybe even an unkind thought about someone else or a hastily spoken word that harmed a person or the “theft” of the ball point pen from work that the company had paid for. Maybe it was not praying when you should have been doing so or maybe it was ignoring God last Thursday. Whatever the sin, it took place and now the whole lump is a mess. Fortunately for us, God solved that problem by sending His Son to make the full payment for not only that first sin, but every other one that we committed. We often sing the little hymn, “Jesus Paid it All,” and realize that it is true and reminds us that we were unable to make that payment. Perhaps there is some wisdom in trying to curb a virus from spreading and there is also much more wisdom in locating the cure for sin. The results of sin are far more devastating then any virus ever could be because of the eternal results that will follow. The “Z” pack for the problem of sin isn't found in a pill but in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise God that He has taken care of the problem of sin by sending His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to make the all sufficient payment for each and every sin. There is, indeed, Power in the Blood.

Judgment is in the Air

        Every now and then you are privileged to see blessings that come out of disaster. I grew up living in “tornado alley” in Indiana. They were frequent. At one time, while living in our finished basement, we looked out of the basement window and saw three tornadoes in a line bobbing up and down as they would touch the earth and then bounce back upwards into the clouds. We had one small one that came through our yard, took down an apple tree, went around the house and then took our hot dog stand and dumped it about 50 feet away in a pile of rubble. God's power is often just plain magnificent to watch when you get the opportunity to do so. The following verse shows what God was about to do to the nation Israel. Jeremiah 34:2 says, "Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:"

      Israel had lived according to God's direction for a long period of time, but then sin came in and their direction changed. They had been warned but they just ignored the warning and did what they thought was right for them and turned their back on God. The prophet Jeremiah was left in Jerusalem after the siege of Nebuchadnezzar and he saw the destruction and misery that was left. Lamentations records the picture of that city that had ignored the Word of God. Blessings, however did come later, the best of all was the arrival of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ some 400 years later. Of course, He was crucified, died, was buried but rose again the third day. Jerusalem was then destroyed around 70 AD but now, we have been privileged to see the rebirth of that country. In 1947 after almost 2500 years, Israel became a nation once more. Prophecies of today that were mentioned during Old Testament times are being fulfilled each and every day. I once saw a picture of a desert in Israel that was alive with strawberry plants as each one had an individual plastic cover over it and the condensation would water the plant. The desert was blooming just as the Bible had said it would. We have an expression in this country which goes, "A word to the wise is sufficient." The CDC reports that over 600,000 abortions are performed every year, at least for the past 5 years. When a nation cares more for sea turtles than a human being, you can be assured that God is going to do something, sometime and in some way. You don't have to be a "Jeremiah" to figure that out. The promise that was given to David about seeing his dead child gives hope and blessing to each aborted infant and there are souls in heaven from those that we have never seen here on earth. While God's judgment is certain, His blessing is also certain. You and I as believers here in this country need to be about the business of sharing the Gospel message. We have been privileged to possess the answer to life's questions, Where did I come from, Why am I here, and where am I going? The time to share what we know to be true is now. We might be in deep trouble now and we may end up suffering as a result of our actions, but we can still have hope in that God will not abandon His children. Praise god that He knows all about our "trouble" and that He always provides.

Do You Have a Secret?

        There used to be a television show with the name, “I've Got A Secret.” A person who had some special kind of secret would come on the show and the panel of experts would try to guess what the secret was through a series of probing questions. Having a secret seems to make a person feel special because they know something that no one else knows. The person who has the secret knows that when the secret is revealed everyone will respond by saying, “Wow.” I recall one person who's secret was that he was a sailor sleeping on the deck of an air craft carrier , rolled over and fell into the ocean. Surely everyone would say, “Wow” when they heard that and most did. Second Corinthians 12:2-4 says, “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”

        The Apostle Paul had a secret and shares quite a bit about it in this passage from the Scriptures. The passage goes on until it comes to the famous 9^th verse which speaks about the sufficiency of God's grace in every area of life. The believer in the Lord Jesus Christ seems to have a secret but it is one that they really want to share with everyone that they know and meet. The secret is that they know how to get to heaven. There are some in the world who seem to want to keep it to themselves and find it difficult to share with someone else. If getting to heaven were like a maze or labyrinth, it would be good to know the secret of how to get through it. If getting to heaven were like the formula for making a hydrogen bomb, then it would be good to know just how it is made. The way to get to heaven, however, is one of the most simplest ways possible. God didn't make getting to heaven like jumping through a bunch of spiritual hoops or finding the path through a maze. We can all remember the plea of the Philippian jailer that came up to Paul and Silas and asked what he had to be in order to be saved. The answer was one of the most simple answers. He simply had to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. There were no secret pathways, or no secret codes to break, or no labyrinth to overcome. He simply had to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. How simple is that? The believer should not be going around saying that they have a secret and it is how to get to heave. The believer should be telling everyone that they know and especially sending forth the Word of God that the world may know about this wonderful salvation. We should be sharing the account of Paul and Silas and what happened on that night so many years ago. We should be sharing the experience of the Ethiopian Eunuch as he came to experience salvation. Philip didn't tell him that he had a secret but proclaimed the Lord Jesus Christ from the book of Isaiah. We may have all kinds of secrets that no one else knows about but the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ should not be one of them. Praise God today for the way of salvation and how it has been made clear in God's Word.

The Perfect Place

          It's hard to find something that is perfect. The more you look at it, the more imperfections you will find. You can be overwhelmed by your first impression of something and then later on begin to find flaws here and there. We had a home in Alexandria, Virginia that seemed to be perfect, especially for us. Later on, when trying to hang something in the kitchen, I discovered that the distance at the top of a corner to the wall was different than the same place at the bottom. It was just flat crooked but was hard to see unless you had a tape measure in your hand. Somethings can appear as optical illusions but when examined closely the real thing is observed. Structures are prone to not be absolutely perfect and when examined closely the imperfection will be revealed. People are much the same way. You can't find a “perfect” person here on earth. Some may come close, but if you look long enough, you will find something that irritates someone else. A lot of people may seem to be perfect until you live with them for awhile. That's when you start to ignore the imperfections and see only the good in most everyone. It was said that the famous criminal Dillinger from Indiana had a mother who said, “He is a good boy.” Mothers are like that. They hardly ever see the imperfections in their children. Revelation 21:1 says, “ And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.”

         This is probably going t be the one place you will ever see that is perfect. There will be no crooked windows or doorways or gates. The color scheme will be absolutely perfect with every shade of the rainbow. The temperature will be just right. The view from your dwelling place will be perfect. The temperature will be absolute perfect. It will not be too noisy or too quiet. The singing will always be in tune. You won't have to worry about the rent as it will have been paid for in full for eternity. It will have been prepared by the Master Himself as He said in John 14:1-6. You will find yourself in a state of perfection in every way. That's coming in the future for the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Because of what lies ahead, we can cope with what is present. With the view of perfection on the horizon, we can put up with the imperfections of this present life. We can tolerate the intolerance of others toward us and perhaps a little persecution here and there. We can accept the temperature being not ideal on this or that day or in this or that place. We can forgive those who forget our names and our likes and dislikes. We learn to forgive others who step on our toes with accusations in regard to our own imperfection. We can do all of these things because of what lies ahead. Yes, perfection is on the horizon. Praise God for what He has prepared for His family.

Peace

          The world in which we live is not a world of peace and tranquility by any means. It would seem that anyone with any kind of authority wants to be the person who could broker a peace treaty between to warring groups such as Israel and the Palestinians or the Kurds and the Turks or even Russia and the U. S. A. Peace is not only affected by warring nations, but is also affected by what else is going around that would cause hysteria and misery and indeed fear. The famous Corona virus has almost caused panic as the world dons masks to keep from being infected. Then there is the flu that has become far worse than the Corona virus in the number of fatalities. These are just a few of the world conditions that infect us more with fear and misery than we might expect. After my heart attack, I would spend nights alone in the hospital after visiting hours and often wonder if my next breath was going to be my last. I read and and reread the book of Philippians over and over during the next 15 days. Comfort, as always, comes from the eternal Word of God. John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

         There are two types of peace. One is having peace with God and the other is having the peace of God. Peace with God comes the moment you accept His plan for salvation instead of your own idea. You suddenly realize that the Lord Jesus Christ died for your sin. In other words, it become personal. We often think of the sins of everyone else and how the death of the Savior took care of their sins but at the same time, fail to make it personal to us. You may not be able to recall every sin, but you can certainly recall some of the big ones that you did. We can all do that. Peace with God comes when you believe in Him for your personal salvation and the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is applied to you. You can sing about it with songs like “Victory in Jesus,” or “Jesus Paid it all,” or even “There is Power in the Blood.” That moment you believe, it becomes personal. It is Peace With God. There is however, the other type of peace which is the peace of God. This means that in the midst of the wars, fights, trouble, dismay, disease, Corona Virus, heart attacks, cancer plus the devastation of floods, tornadoes and hurricanes, you can still have peace. This is the peace that come from knowing God in the first place. The Lord Jesus Christ mentions it in the above passage from the Bible. It is the peace that only He can give to each and every believer. This peace comes, not to a political party, or to a specific country, or to a specific race or to a special social status. It comes to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ even mentions that it is a peace that the world cannot even come close to giving. This peace treaty was signed in the blood of the Savior. You may be discouraged or depressed today, but always remember what He has done for us and the sun rays will break through the clouds of doom and dismay. Praise God for the finished work of His Son on the cross at Calvary.

Fillinng the Pantry

         We, in America, like to be well stocked on any given item in our homes, “just in case.” I used to be a Safeway store clerk while in Bible School. When the threat of snow appeared, people would fill the store to purchase three things: bread, milk and toilet paper. Long lines could be seen from the front to the back of the store, at times, as people wanted to make sure they had enough to get through the storm. Being overstocked, which is what happens much of the time, ends up becoming waste as the bread gets moldy and the milk sours. Many have a “Sam's Club” mentality where we purchase in large amounts and then store it somewhere in the home. Three giant jars of peanut butter have lasted me over a year or more. Sometimes we don't use what we have. What about our Bible? Does it get used frequently? Is a Bible nearby that you can pick up and read? Psalm 119:11 says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

        Again, let's think about the average American, especially those who are reading this and perhaps a lot more, that have the opportunity to read Scriptures at any time of the day without fear, so far, of any repercussions from the government or anyone else for that matter. At what length would you go to read your Bible today? Would you be willing to risk your life to climb up a tree and put up a movable satellite dish to download a copy of God's Word so it could be played to a group of people who could not read? Perhaps you might be a person in a country that has a law against having a Bible. Would you read it anyway? We mention Psalm 119 many times because it shows how much the Psalmist loved the Word of God. Most of us are not that way. We don't have the attitude of the Psalmist but rather just aim for a small portion of the Bible, ten verses here and there, or a chapter now and then. We feel content to get a portion during times when we couldn't do anything else, so we pick it up and get a smattering of Scripture to appease our conscience. For some, the Bible will be very low on one's priority and probably after one is bored with Candy Crush. We attended a Wycliffe gathering recently and were once again challenged by the need in the world for getting the Scriptures to a lost and dying world and one in which so many people are still longing for the message of God in their language. Our desire to help others get the Bible is great but does it reflect our own love for the Word itself? Perhaps when persecution comes more people will long for the message of the Scriptures. One often does not value something that cost him nothing. Free courses have a high dropout rate, while a course that has a fee attached will have a lower dropout rate in the end. How much time will we spend in God's Word today or even for the rest of the week. You cannot become overstocked with God's Word. It should become a part of your daily life. It will in fact, change your life. Take time today to be in His Word and may we all hide a portion in our hearts today. Praise God for sending us His Word.

The Hymnal

         Picking out the right hymnal at a church can be as time consuming as picking out the stain glass windows. In the past years, I have been involved in the process of both activities. Hymnals were not always supplied by the church. I have a hymnal from one of my ancestors, that makes them older than grandparents, which dates back to 1889 and was in Wanatah, Indiana. It is written in German and the hymns do not have bar lines or time signatures. In one hymn, there were seven half notes and a bar line and then another seven half notes. They were written on a music staff and have a lot of half notes and the words written on each page. Every church member in day of Minnie Dankert, had to have their own hymnal if they were going to sing in the Lutheran church in Germany. It is old and has her name printed in gold on the cover of the little hymnal. In the days of my ancestor, there were no Bibles to carry to church as they were not mass printed as they are today. A lot of theology, however, was packed into the hymns of the church. Colossians 3:16-17 says, “ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

        Singing in church has always been an important part of worshiping God. The Apostle Paul mentioned three categories of songs in the passage for today, Psalms Hymns, and spiritual songs. The Psalms are obvious and refers to the 150 Psalms of our Bible today. Hymns, in my estimation, refer to songs that were specifically sung to God such as “Great is thy Faithfulness” or “How Great Thou Art.” The majority of the songs that are in most hymnals are from the category of “spiritual songs. These songs will usually have a personal pronoun in them such as, “I,” or “We” in the song such as “Victory in Jesus” which begins with “I heard an old, old story...” or “It is Well with My Soul.” Our singing of the Psalms is probably the least done in the church but there are a few selections in most hymn books that come from the Book of Psalms. A lot of theology has been packed in much of the music that is usually sung in the church. Singing is just as important today in our times of worship as we have an opportunity to express our feelings. Some things are just so great inside, that you feel you need to burst out I n song about them. You would have a hard time containing them inside and so just need to be expressed. So, we sing. There was one professor, not a musician as such, but he taught that the 4^th and 5^th chapters of Revelation were laid out in the form of an orchestral symphony. It had an introduction, a theme and several variations and a “coda” ending. G. F. Handel recognized it as it became the primary words of the final movement of “The Messiah.” I can't read the words without hearing the melody of that work. There was a time when the Isrealites did not feel like singing and hung their harps upon the willows. There may be those times in your life also but they don't stay for very long as you find that you have to proclaim the goodness of the Lord to you in mighty song. You may be singing in your car, your shower, or even in Wal-Mart as you journey on each day of your life. You have to let it out just as the chorus of one hymn expresses it, “Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, how great Thou art.” Praise God today for the hymn He has put in your heart.

The Silk Purse

         There are a lot of things in this world that have the label, “faux” before them. In English, we might be more used to the word, “fake.” In advertising, to put the word “fake” in front of something would discourage a person from purchasing that item. I once got a watch from a company as a prize for purchasing a shirt from them. The watch was a “faux chronograph.” It had three extra hands on the watch that didn't move. They were permanently glued to that spot. In other words, it was a “fake chronograph.” Who in their right mind would purchase a “fake” watch. So, we use the word “faux” which sounds a lot more sophisticated. Now, who would try to pass off a “faux” gospel? Well, perhaps you have heard the expression, "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear."  The obvious point of such a saying is that you can't make something nice out of something that isn't nice.  The quality of a pig's ear is such that it would never be good enough to be used to make a fine silk purse.  No matter what you did to it, the purse would still resemble the quality of a pig's ear.  There are religious groups around us today that are still trying to do the same thing.  While their beliefs are extreme and contrary to what the Bible says, they still try to gain respectability and thereby fool the people into believing that they are something that they are not.  In a sense, they are trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.   First John 4:13-15 says, "Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.  And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God."

         In the early church, this was a very important confession.  It was perhaps, broader in scope than we perceive in this present age.  To confess that Jesus is the Son of God is to confess that everything about Jesus Christ is true and that you have put your faith in Him to be your Savior.  No matter how you dress up a false doctrine or what works you do in order to make it seem good, it is still what it is.  All of the good advertising and promotion stunts won't change the fact of what it is.  False doctrine is exactly that, false doctrine.  You can try to candy-coat it but it still comes out to be the same in the end.  But, the truth is, many are being deceived as it seems to be respectable.  First John 4:1 reminds us, Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."  So, no matter how good something seems on the outside, remember that it is necessary to hold up the doctrine to the supreme standard, The Word of God.  Then you will know if it is a genuine silk purse or nothing but a sow's ear. Praise God today for the true Word of God.

Psalm 119 ....the word....

84, 90, 121, 122, 132

Corn Stalks in a Bean Field

       It was customary in the state of Indiana to plant about four different crops. They usually planted Oats, Wheat, Corn or Soybeans. The soybeans would be planted usually after a field had been planted with corn. One of my jobs was to walk through the soybean field and find any corn stalks that had come up in the soybeans and to cut them down. They didn't belong there and would be a problem when the beans were to be harvested. I would walk up and down every row with my machete, looking for the lone corn stalk. In one way, you were actually looking at every bean plant and looking for anything that was not a bean. I came to the end of one row of beans and discovered a line of corn plants about 20 feet long with no beans in sight. Thinking I had discovered a lot of corn to be cut down, I took my machete and cut down every stalk only later to find out that the farmers wife had planted two rows of sweet corn at the end of the field. Psalm 110:1 says, “ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.”

      Psalm 119 is a very special Psalm and you usually find a Hebrew character at the beginning of each 8 verse section. It goes through the Hebrew alphabet having eight verses for each of the 22 characters. It was a good device for the children to learn their alphabet at the time. Of the 176 verses in the Psalm, only five do not mention the Word of God in one way or another. Today's verse uses the word, “law” of the LORD. The rest of the Psalm will use words like “commandment,” “precept,”, “way,”, “testimony” etc. There are five verses in the Psalm that do not mention a synonym for the the Word of God. One task I had was to go through the entire Psalm and find those five verses. It is an exercise to find that which is different and stands out from all the rest. The good part of this exercise is to find out what the Psalmist thought about God's Word. The benefits then come from a greater appreciation for the Scriptures than before. We learn that the result is peace for the believer, “Great peace have they that love thy law.” We also learn that the Psalmist committed the Word to memory when he said that he hides them in his heart. Another reference refers to Word as a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. While the exercise seems to be a tad time consuming and may not care about the results anyway, it does create in us an appreciation for the Word of God. In thinking about the five verses that do not mention a synonym for the the Word of God, the verses themselves are still important but in a different way from the other 171 verses. I may ask you to find the corn stalks in the bean field in this case which are the five verses in Psalm 119 that do not mention the Word of God. It is a task to do so, but the reward is great as you learn how the Word of God is an important part of the life of the believer. Praise God today for the fact that has given us a copy of His Word.

God's Power

        When I was young, I like to do the things that kids do best, play with friends. We would do all sorts of wild things during the three summer months before going back to school in the fall. I didn't look forward to school because I had a speech problem. I stuttered. It was really bad and most of my relatives tried at one point or another to get me to say the most difficult words. My Aunt Hattie was adamant that I was going to say the word, “radish.” I sounded like a cheer leader with my strings of ra ra ra ra, but the word “radish” never came out. Aunt Hattie would get in my face just inches away and say the word louder and louder but it did not good for me. It just got worse. I avoided public speaking wherever I could including school, college, the Navy and my time with A. T. and T. Co. Exodus 410-12 says, “ And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.”

          Moses may or may not have been plagued with stuttering, but whatever it was, he felt that he was the most inadequate to be put in a position of leadership especially the top dog in getting the people out of Israel. After meeting with God in the burning bush scene, Moses tries to come up with every excuse possible to convince God that he was not the man for the job. Moses, however, was going to be the man that God wanted and it was going to be Moses that would eventually stand before the most powerful man in the world at that time, the Pharaoh of Egypt and then to demand that the Pharaoh let the people of Israel depart from the land of Egypt. We know the rest of the story which is filled with ups and downs of the Israelites as they leave the land and head for the promised land. We know it because it is history in the Word of God and has been put there for our learning. We can be sure that when God chooses you to do a job, He is going to make sure that you do it well. It won't be just adequate, it will be the best you have ever done anything before, because it has been empowered by God. In my own life, I might also mention that my stuttering became controllable once I decided to go into the ministry. I can't say anything else about how it took place or that my brain and my tongue were in sync or whatever else it might have been. I just know that now I can stand and declare the Word of God to others and that all the glory belong to God because He made it all possible. God has always done marvelous things with the people He has chosen to accomplish them. God has used men like Martin Luther, John Calvin, Tyndale, Wycliffe, Knox, Scofield, Chafer, MacArthur, Jeremiah, to proclaim the message that He has given them to proclaim to the people of their respective lands. They could have done nothing without the guidance and control of God in their lives. Some of them even gave their lives for what they were doing but they never recanted their faith in God to anyone. God may have directed you through His Word to be faithful in some task that He has given you to do. Be assured that He will give you the strength and the power to do it. In the end, when you will look back on it, you may find yourself surprised how God has used your simple tools in a sophisticated world. Praise God for His working in all of our lives to be His messenger wherever we are planted.

Not Just a Little Bit

      Every language has a set of idioms.  They are words that are used together which have kind of a special meaning.  The meaning is only good in that language and they often become snares for people trying to study that language.  We have a lot of "idioms" in our language.  One such phrase could be, "a little bit."  The primary use of this word is that which is put into a horse's mouth.   A later definition shows that it can also be a small part of something.  It could even be used to refer to a metal object you put in the end of a drill.   A waitress can offer you coffee and you might say, "Yes, I will have a little bit."  To a foreigner studying English, that might sound a "bit" confusing.  There is one thing we can know about God and that is that He does nothing with just a "little bit."  He supplies all of your need and He fills you to the fullest.  He just doesn't give you a "little bit" of grace but indeed you have all that you will ever need.  Second Corinthians 12:9 says, "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me"  
        This has to be one of the most comforting verses for believers.  While it was spoken to the Apostle Paul, we can learn by an indirect application that it applies to us also.    God's grace is sufficient to meet every need that we have had, are having and will ever have.  We can never run out of God's grace.  We can't even get down to half a tank of God's grace.  It is always sufficient no matter what situation we face in this life.  Not only do we learn that it is sufficient for every concern of life, but we also learn another peculiar characteristic of grace.  When we are at the weakest, grace is there to provide the strength that we need.  You may have thought at one time or another that you were not going to be able to get through a particular day.  It may have been the tragic loss of a loved one or new beginnings, a new town, a new job, new friends and perhaps even a new church.  No matter what the difficulty, God's grace was sufficient to get you through.  So, are you a bit apprehensive about the future?  Are you concerned that you may not be able to bear up under some load or another?  Rest assured in the fact that God's grace is indeed sufficient.  Hang in there.  You'll make it.  Praise God to day for His abundant grace.