GOOD NEWS - The Gospel according to God!

HALF NOT TOLD! [Matthew 26:42; Hope, Peace]

Paul Harvey relates half the story to get his listeners’ attention, to stimulate their curiosity … then he tells “The rest of the story.”

The Queen of Sheba didn’t know she had only heard half the story. She told Solomon, “the half was not told to me” … but the half which was told greatly stimulated her curiosity.

The similarities between Sheba as a seeker of truth and spiritual seekers of every age is amazing. There have been times when the half of the gospel has been told and searchers have come from all over to get “the rest of the story”: Moody, Finney, Edwards, Luther, Wesley, Whitefield, Calvin, Spurgeon, Graham … etc. And countless multitudes have followed their lead.

Haven’t you found the Good News to be much more than you were told? It was told to you that you would peace that passes understanding, but the peace was better than you imagined!

Weren’t we told Jesus would never forsake us or depart from us? We believed that but didn’t understand the half of it! Isn’t hope a by-product of the Good News? But the hope we have is beyond description.

Half the story was the best thing we’d ever heard … until we heard the rest of the story! We can’t exhaust the wonders of God … the finite cannot but hear less than all the truth!

CONSECRATION - AKA: spiritual surrender!

SOWING ROTTEN SEED! [Matthew 13:1-23; Consecration, Giving, Nature (old vs. new), Surrender]

If at one of our church potlucks the cooks decided to serve us leftovers, how would we feel?

Say they prepared a scrumptious feast but instead of serving it to us they set the best aside for themselves and served us what was left?

Say the pastor’s wife took the new sack of potatoes home for her family, then mashed the old spuds under the sink, the ones with the mold, for the guests?

In far too many ways the church is treating God in much the same way? How often do we set aside the best for ourselves and give God what’s left over?

Oh some will say, “I always write my tithe check first.” But let’s ask them, “What about your service to the Lord? Do you serve Him first before you serve others or yourself?” Let’s ask them, “What about your talents? Does He get the best of your ability and your intellect?

The Church must remember the main point of the “widow’s mite”? Recall that the Lord’s focus wasn’t the amount which was given, it was the heart attitude before, during, and after the act.

NAME - Who should we say that You are?

NOT YOUR ORDINARY MESSENGER! [Various; Legacy, Word]

Though there is not as much as there was ten years ago, graffiti still abounds. It irritates the sensible among us. Doesn’t it?

But consider how temporary their message is? How impermanent the artist’s name is? First, the name disappears; then, the message passes into oblivion.

History has taken the names and the words of most, but not the name above all names nor the message He brought to mankind.

OBEDIENCE - It is not negotiable!

THE CHIEF’S COMMAND! [Various Scripture; Church, Discipleship, Sanctification, Service]

During WWII the North African Campaign was in a mess and General Montgomery was sent to clean it up. I’m told his first order was as follows: “The orders of the Commander-in-Chief will no longer be open to interpretation ... just action.”

God will not bully or threaten those He has chosen. No gun will be put to anyone's head; no one will be dragged, kicking and screaming into heaven.

We may choose to obey or disobey. Yet there are those who insist they’re obedient, but clearly are not! Such is the problem of the twentieth century.

Were I chosen to write the epitaph for the church of this century, I would write: CLAIMED GREAT PROCLAMATION; PROCLAMATION LEFT UNPROCLAIMED.

[Editor's note: apologies to whomever I acquired this from; I’ve long forgotten its source]

HELL - No, not the one on earth!

ANOTHER GULF WAR! [Luke 16:19-31; Bosom of Abraham, Boundaries, Sheol, Signs]

In March of 1995, two American businessmen crossed the border between Iraq and Kuwait. Though they claimed they didn’t know the border was there … or that they might be arrested … they were arrested.

The border (the one they did not know about) was clearly marked by a continuous, uninterrupted ditch, ten feet deep and ten feet wide with a 15 foot berm on one side. Signs were also posted at several intervals, in several languages.

While stewing in an Iraqi prison, they pleaded for help from the outside. They implored those on the other side of the border they crossed to come to their aid. Help finally came; they were released and sent home.

Similarly, ignoring the gulf between himself and God, the rich man went about his business, disregarding the signs which clearly warned of the danger.

When the time came to pay the Piper, he claimed he didn’t know he could be imprisoned for all eternity, that it was a mistake that he hadn’t understood. He pleaded for assistance from the other side. And so, too, many will come on that same day, saying, “Lord! Lord!”


DEATH AND DARKNESS! [Luke 16:19-31; Other topics - Damnation, Darkness, Death, Eternity, Hopelessness, Perdition]

Carol Fuller was a 72-year-old grandmother living alone in West Hollywood in 1995. During a home invasion robbery she was locked in a closet, her home was ransacked and her car was stolen. All of this took place without anyone knowing. But the worst part followed.

Days later, investigators found her dead in the closet, her fingers worn literally to the bone, trying to claw her way out.

Sadly, Carol Fuller left this world experiencing much the same horror many will experience for the rest of eternity. Try as they might, claw as they might, they will only have death and darkness as their companion.

FAITH - Living or simple!

BEWARE TWO OF A KIND! [Matthew 7:14-27; Believers, Nonbelievers]

Driving down the street one night I saw a peculiar optical illusion: two identical cats were sitting on the sill in a lighted front window. At first, I thought they were statues; they were both coal black (the absence of light compromises color at night) and indistinguishable in size and shape … except they were facing each other.

Then the cat on the left turned to look at my truck as it drove past. That slight motion quickly told me the cat on the left was sitting on the outside sill while the other cat was sitting on the inside sill. Until there was movement by one or the other, I was incapable of distinguishing between the two; the glass separated the one from the other; preventing them from doing whatever cats desire to do together at night.

The crux of this tale is that in it we see the importance of a Christian’s public witness. Until there is movement by one or the other, believers are virtually indistinguishable from nonbelievers. The Bible clearly teaches that believers are known by their actions and not their words [James 1 & 2].

Some might say both must move in order to know one from the other. However, by default, we know both could be nonbelievers … for we are all sinners and have fallen far from the grace of God [Romans 3:23]. Only when one of God’s fallen accepts Jesus as Lord, does he become a new creation; then and only then, do we see his actions as those of a believer. The second party must be supposed a nonbeliever until some action on his part provides evidence of his faith in the God of our fathers.

At one of his crusades Billy Graham said, “I assume everyone is lost until they confirm to me otherwise.” (my paraphrase) We should never believe anyone is a believer solely on the basis or his or her personal assurance.

“Whatever [a believer does] in word or deed, [he should do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus” [Colossians 3:17]; thus, his words and deeds are recognizable as a believer’s words and deeds.

Jesus clarified the importance of words over deeds in Matthew 7:14-27 when He specifically said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.” He added, "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?”

Care must certainly be taken not to prejudge everything sitting in a window as a statue, but greater care must be taken before we judge everything sitting in a pew a believer. Like the glass in the window, Jesus Christ separates believers from nonbelievers … a believer’s actions will distinguish him from his counterpart.

GOD WILL DO JUST FINE WITHOUT YOU! [Sovereignty]

One night when a diplomat and his valet were required to sleep in the same railcar, the valet noticed his boss having trouble sleeping. “Whazzzzup?” He asked (things have changed). “Oh, I have so many things on my mind; the responsibilities I have to bear.”

“Look, I want to get some sleep, so let me ask you: do you think God was governing the world okay before you were born and don’t you think He'll manage after you're dead and gone?” “Absolutely!” “Okay then, let’s get some sleep, cause He’s gonna do just fine while your alive … right?"

[Adapted from e-Sword Ministries - 2000+ Illustrations, "Faith"]

I SEE YOU! [Matthew 8:5-13]; other topics - omniscience, sight, trust]

A dad stood in the cellar looking up at his son standing at the edge of a trap door. He called up, “I’m right here son, go ahead jump down to me."

The boy hesitated, in uncertain fear. "I can't, dad; I can't see you." Up came the answer, "I know you can't, but I see you!”

We may not see our Father but He sees us!

SINKING IN A SEA OF SIN! [1 Timothy 2:5; Deliverance, Grace, Salvation]

The movie Titanic was a big hit in the last decade. One can almost see and hear the people struggle in the deadly waters of the frigid Atlantic.

Faith links man, who is sinking in a sea of sin, to God, who is our Anchor and our Hope. God uses this link to provide man a way of salvation (Grace); once the link is established, a relationship exists.

The drowning man doesn’t reject a rescue ship’s lifeline in order to grab a pallet which happens to float by ... why? Because the pallet offers only temporary deliverance, whereas the line connects the man to the ship offering deliverance from the jaws of certain death!

God offers the lifeline of faith (in His Son); promising to credit His Son’s righteous to us if we will but trust Him. Abraham did and was reckoned righteous in just this way.

Though faith seems a thin thread to many, in reality it’s an unbreakable cable held by the hands of Almighty God, whose infinite power slowly and surely draws all men to His heavenly shore. [a loose paraphrase of Spurgeon]

There must, of necessity, be a relationship between the drowning man and the rescue ship … the lifeline … or there is no hope of deliverance. Notice, however, it can’t just be a drowning man, a ship, and a lifeline; someone must be on board to pull the man from the water.

THE WINNER’S CIRCLE [1 Kings 3:15; Involvement, Love (of the Father), Parenting]

Gilbert was eight years old and a Cub Scouts for only a short time. Handed a sheet of paper, a block of wood, and four black plastic tires, he return home and gave it to “dad”.

Not an easy task, dad wasn’t real receptive to doing things with his son. But Gilbert tried. Dad read the paper and chuckled at the idea of making a pine wood car with his son. Gilbert’s “stuff” remained untouched for weeks.

Then mom stepped in and the project got underway. Mom had no carpentry skills so she simply read the directions and let Gilbert do the work. He did! Within days the block of wood was becoming a pinewood car; a little lopsided, but looking fine.

Gilbert was feeling quite proud of his “Blue Lightning”; a pride that came from doing something himself. Then came the big night. With his hand full of blue pinewood car hand and his heart filled with pride, he and mom headed to the big race.

Once there, mom saw her son’s was most likely the only car made entirely by a child. All the other cars had cool paint jobs and sleek body styles, perfect for speed. Some children giggled when they saw Gilbert’s wobbly, homely vehicle.

Adding insult to injury, Gilbert was the only boy without a man at his side. A couple of boys from single parent homes at least had an uncle or grandfather by their side.

The race was by elimination. You kept racing as long as you didn’t lose. As you might guess, in the end it was between Gilbert and the sleekest, fastest looking car. As the final race was about to start, mom’s proud but shy eight year-old asked if they could hold the race for him to pray. They smiled at the request but held up the race. Gilbert kneeled in front of all, clutching his funny looking block of wood, and prayed. He prayed for a minute and then stood, smile and said, ‘Okay, I’m ready.”

The crowd cheered. The sleek car roared down the ramp while Gilbert’s wobbled but with surprising speed, reaching the finish line a fraction of a second ahead of the other car. Gilbert leaped in the air and shouted, “Thank you.”

In the “Winner’s Circle,” the Scout Master said, “So you prayed to win, huh, Gilbert?” The small lad answered loudly, “Oh, no sir! That wouldn’t be fair! I just asked God to make it so I don’t cry when I lose.”

Wasn’t it Jesus who said, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it at all”? [Luke 18:16-17] And wasn’t it Solomon who asked God for wisdom to rule His people when he could have asked for riches or power? [1 Kings 3:5-15] And wasn’t it James who said, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures”? [James 4:3]

Perhaps we have something to learn from our children; maybe even how to be better fathers and role models ... at a minimum, better prayer warriors?

TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN [James 2:17; Other topics - Good News, Gospel]

An old preacher was fond of saying, “There are two parts to the Good News; the first is believing and the second is behaving.” The one who hears but does not do is the one James describes as having dead faith.

WITHOUT EXCUSE! [Romans 1:19-25; Common sense; Experience]

During WWII an American bomber, night flying over North Africa, was chased by an unusually strong tailwind. They weren’t buffeted or threatened, they were simply blown along much faster than they realized.

Unfortunately, the crew calculated distance traveled using fuel consumption and time in the air, ignoring their experience and common sense. This resulted in irrevocably overshooting a course change, which caused them to miss their landing site.

Eventually, they exhausted their fuel and crashed; years later the wreckage was discovered in the Sahara Desert. The crew died because they refused to trust what they had all been trained to trust … their professional discipline founded on experience and common sense.

We too are blown along by a blast, the tailwind of scientific and secular reasoning. Man calculates his position in this world by the things of this world [1 John 2:15,16], ignoring history and his own God-given common sense. This decision can result in an irrevocable journey. However, unlike the crew of the bomber we are terribly buffeted and threatened!

The Bible says, all men must make a course change in their lives [John 3:3] it also says “that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them” [Romans 1:19] and continues:

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

We must trust what God has given us, living by faith [Habakkuk 2:4] and not by sight!

Giving

THANKS FOR COMING – THAT’LL BE $117.50! [Exodus 25:1, 2; other topics - Heart-health; Law -vs- Spirit; Sanctification; Tithing]

Church leaders who are frustrated with members who won’t tithe may take notice of this story.

A synagogue in New Jersey is suing some members for back dues. One member who settled out of court this week says the entire matter is “morally and ethically wrong.” According to CNSNews, when joining, members signed a contract for goods and services in the form of annual dues which cover synagogue expenses. In the mid-90s, a court ruled a synagogue is free to sue its members for non-payment of dues; but cases like this are apparently extremely rare. [Excerpted from www.agapepress.org, December 2000]

Thank goodness it’s rare … perhaps it should be extinct? If I’m not mistaken the Old Testament, like the New Testament, teaches the righteous man lives by faith [Habakkuk 2:4] not by dues … and “gives” out of the heart, not from coercion.

Paul teaches payments are like wages; are we to now believe worship of Jehovah includes the delivery of goods and services for which His people must pay?Would someone call the Commerce Department and see if we can get the latest GSP (Gross Spiritual Product)?

TSUNAMI GIVING

I've been watching the mad race to one up each other with reports on tsunami giving. Haven't we learned by now that it's not the size of the gift but the motive behind it that really matters? Evidently not!

One sixth-grader's gift-giving motives came into question this past year. The AP reported on this recently .

It seems a middle school teacher in South Carolina discovered, during a parent-teacher conference, that the cubic zirconia necklace given to her by the parent's son was actually a one-carat diamond necklace the sixth-grader had pilfered from his mother's jewelry box. The boy probably was suffering from puppy-love and, though the end didn't justify the means, his intentions were probably genuine.

We don't need to be questioning one another over the amounts we've given to assist in the relief of the suffering ... if the motives are genuine.

One benefit of the national and international brinkmanship is that it's driving up the totals.

GRIEF/MOURNING: Reserved for Those Left Behind!

Heavy-laden Pebble Droppers [Matthew 11:28-29; Love, Weariness]

Barney Visser lost a son to an inherited illness. It devastated him. To compensate for the grief he wrote and published a memorial booklet in his son’s honor. The book is titled Chad and is authored by “Dad.” In the book Visser shares a poignant illustration concerning the handling of grief; the following paraphrases that ...

Grief is like carrying a backpack filled with pebbles. Each pebble is like an particle of grief. “We must carry that pack the rest of our lives,” Visser says. “There are pebbles in some … pockets we’ll never … get rid of.”

The objective for the grieving is to get through each day, one day at a time, dropping pebbles as we go, and one pebble at a time. If we don’t, we will become stooped and heavy-laden, unable to accept other burdens life has to offer. As time goes on, we will feel the load grow lighter.

[Barry Visser, Chad, © Barry Visser, 1998, p.11]

How Deep Is Your Grief [Revelation]

Watching the second episode of NBC's new mini-serial, Revelations, was not as "edge of the seat" as episode one, but the personal reward was worth the whole television season.

Co-star Dr. Richard Massey, an astro-physicist, (co-star Bill Pullman) is patiently hearing-out a nun he'd just met, when the subject of death comes up. Massey offhandedly refers to his daughter's murder at the hands of Satanists, expressing the grief he feels.

The nun, a close friend of Sister Jo (co-star Natascha McElhone), responds, "Grief is God's way of letting us know the true depth of the love we have for the one over whom we grieve. To the extent we love, that is the extent to which we grieve." [my paraphrase; I refuse to buy a transcript and I don't have Tivo].

This is deep, introspective, and reflective. Think about those who do not grieve when loved ones die; may we say they do not grieve because the did not love? Think about those who grieve deeply and long; may we say they loved deeply and genuinely?

Think now about the Son of God on the Cross of Calvary dying for the sins of the whole world; may we say that the Father grieved perfectly over the death of His son because He loved perfectly? How deep is that love?

TIMES GONE BY! [2 Samuel 12:19-23; other topics - Death, Guilt, Regret]

I was told of a woman who had been hung up on by her best friend; she was so shocked that she sat for a long time just listening to the dial tone. It wasn’t until the phone company determined the line was dead and disconnected her that she broke down and cried.

Some people are like that when they lose a loved one. They just can’t accept what has happened, so they go through each day listening to a line that has gone dead.

Death definitely separates the dead from the living, but some of the living are hanging on for dear life. They evidently regret things said, things not done, or times gone by. It’s not until something breaks their grip on the dead that real crying and grieving begin, and then it’s deep and passionate.

We must understand that it’s before our loved ones die that we must apologize to them, love them, forgive them, and enjoy them … not after. It’s too late after the connection is severed.

SANCTIFICATION - Our hand in His hand!

AIMING FOR THE CENTER OF HIS WILL! [Matthew 7:13,14; other topics - Walk, Way (The), Will (of God)]

In order to keep my car in the middle of the lane, I was taught (by a farmer) to “aim” the vehicle down the road.

The Christian walk is like that: God doesn’t want us veering to the right or the left; He wants us on the straight and narrow. Paul says we should focus on things above and in so doing we’ll keep right in the middle of His Way. For me the narrow gate figuratively represents “things above.”

Praise His holy name. (added 2/15/2006)


AIR SPEED! [James 4:4-10]

All winged aircraft have one thing in common, they must maintain air speed or they will go into a stall and nose-over. From time to time, our walk seems to nose-over, our forward progress being insufficient to sustain the "lift" needed. We must

1. be prepared for His presence
2. respond to his presence, and
3. experience His presence!

HEAVEN ON EARTH! [Various; Life (True), Heaven]

Heaven may be compared to the dining hall of a great king. Where, for now, we’re all outside his castle waiting to be let into the Great Hall. Everyone has received an invitation to come to the royal table and join in consuming his royal feast, only not all will accept his invitation. [Mark D. Roberts, After I Believe (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2002), 19]

The interesting aspect is the Christian life this side of eternity future; its like the “Heavenly Cook [letting] us stick our fingers into the batter of heaven while it’s being prepared. The Christian Life happens not just in the future but right now.” (added 2/15/2006)


HUMAN BOOKCASES! [James 1:22-25; other topics - Knowledge; Word; Works]

When I was in elementary school I recall the big deal my mom and dad made over money, how tight it was. But then they bought a set of Collier’s Encyclopedias on an installment plan because they thought my sisters and I could use the knowledge.

The buyer received a complete set of books at the time of purchase, with updates coming every year. You also received a small doubled-shelved, wooden bookcase. It was designed specifically for the books.

I was about 22-years old when those books went for $10.00 at a yard sale. I don’t ever remember opening any of them; I don’t ever remember my sisters opening any of those books.

In fact, I don’t ever remember my mom or dad opening any of those books ... except the first couple of nights, to show us how they were full of facts and knowledge and other useless stuff.

Sadly, many Christians are like that little bookcase. They’re crammed full of information, facts and knowledge ... but it never gets applied.

Christianity is intended to be applied. Like those books filled with all that powerful knowledge, Christians whose heads are full of knowledge are useless, unless some of that learning seeps down into the heart, where knowledge gets applied.

MASTER BUILDER! [Romans 6:19]

A master shipbuilder steps out into his yard and looks around him. There are vast skeletons of ships in the process of completion; there are others nearing completion. But there is nothing in the scene to satisfy, nothing is as he envisions. The big hulls are at present good for nothing. A thousand hammers pounding a thousand rivets into place like a thousand woodpeckers from hell. The yard is strewn with scrap and jigs.

And a short distance is the public harbor, with its fancy and not so fancy boats, of every size and shape; and near it is the grave yard ... decaying, rotting, half-sunk craft ... abandoned and doomed to one day be taken away to a fiery pit.

Yet the owner stands content amid the imperfection. He never thinks of doubting the process he commands. In his mind he knows the ideal, the perfect ship, and he justifies these imperfect vessels by imputing to them that ideal.

God is like that master shipbuilder. The ideal servant exists in His mind. He has the Blueprint; man is jut the image of what is to be. When God looks at him He does not despair, because He knows what the Perfect Man is like and smiles at the thought of His Son.

Attribution: e-Sword Ministries' (2000+ Illustrations)

PARADOX OF CHRISTIAN GROWTH! [John 3:30; Discipleship, growth, humility]

Someone once said they knew when a believer was growing because:

1. he more and more elevated his Lord
2. he less and less spoke of himself and more and more spoke of his God, and
3. he became smaller and smaller in his own eyes … “until, like the morning star, he fades away before the rising sun.” [Bonar]

John the Baptizer understood this timeless truth when he said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

SPIRITUAL NAVIGATION SYSTEMS! [Romans 1:18-20; other topics - Attributes (of God), creation, discipleship, nature, revelation, witnessing]

“Get ready! You’re going to have fewer excuses for getting lost on the road.” This sure sounds like it might be from a tract on the Roman Road, doesn’t it?

No, it isn’t! Actually it’s ad copy from an Internet advertisement for “on-board navigation systems” from the automobile industry. These “NAVS,” as they are called, use GPS (Global Positioning Satellite technology) to locate a position precisely; the same technology used recently by scientists to determine the exact height of the Washington Monument.

As model years pass, more new cars are being offered with onboard navigation systems, which help you map your route to important meetings, or to that favorite vacation spot near grandma’s, or to a restaurant whose address you’ve forgotten. NAVS can even help direct you to a local automated teller machine (ATM) or nearest hospital or your next job interview.

Now there’s no real excuse for getting lost, even if you’re one of those guys who refuses to ask for directions.

God has been far ahead of modern technology. In Romans 1:19 Paul says,

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

God’s plan has always been to provide man with a spiritual navigation system. In fact, Paul clearly says just that. God has given mankind all they need to know to know where they are in relationship to Him: general and special revelation - not to mention the conscience, which the Holy Spirit uses to convict us and guide us.


THE LORD’S LEASH! [Luke 15:17a; Discipleship, discipline, obedience, submission (surrender)]

Recently, I took my dog for a walk just as I do every morning. When I leave the entrance of our housing development, I always look both ways to see who else is out walking their dog. A few are pests: both owners and dogs.

Up the block, I saw the man with the golf cart and his little grey poodle; both are regulars. I noticed his dog was off the leash again, so I crossed the street and walked the other way. When I reached Foothill Boulevard, two blocks away, I crossed to the other side and headed home.

That’s when I heard an anxious voice calling a dog. I looked up and saw this vicious, bloodthirsty, 9½ lb. grey speck burning rubber in my direction, a block away, his owner in hot pursuit. I tried to scare the little speck away but he made an end-run, stood up, danced over, put his paws on my dog’s face, and bit him on the forehead. Well, my dog, Buck, doesn’t like to be bit, but he likes boy dogs even less.

I was able to pull the little dog from Buck’s mouth before he swallowed but not before the little fur ball twisted and tore the back of my hand up. As bad as my hand was, what the poodle got for his efforts was much worse.

The moral: don’t covet being off the Lord’s leash or even at the end of his leash (Parents, pay special attention: don’t let your kids off their leash until you’re certain they have the spirit God wants for them.).

Moving farther away from your Master than your Master gives you leash is not wise at all: not only might you get hurt, or killed, but you’ll certainly bring pain and suffering to others. This latter point is worthy of emphasis.

Too often, we are lulled into seeing the Leash of the Lord as “for our benefit alone,” we rarely give thought to the benefits others reap from our being tethered. Consider that my dog was on a leash and we were both minding our own business, yet we were both bitten and I’m out over $100.

Also, consider the consequences to the owner of that little beast; he’s out over $600. And my dog? He’s real upset that I interrupted his meal. And Shadow (that’s the perpetrator’s name)? Well, he is just now able to face the great outdoors.

Look back, beloved, at all the time off the Lord’s Leash and witness the devastation of that time.


THE JOY OF THE JOURNEY! [Romans 6:19-22]

George, let’s call him George, was a very busy and very successful younger man. In fact, he had done so well that he decided to surprise his wife with a trip to Tahiti over the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend. On his lunch hour, he hurried to his agent’s office and picked up the tickets.

In early December George stopped at the dry cleaners on his way home to pick up his suits and was surprised when the manager handed him an envelop with two unused tickets to Tahiti. After he had purchased the tickets he had put them in his jacket pocket and immediately went back to his normal routine … he forgot the entire event.

Many people are just like George. They pray to God for forgiveness and promise to do better but immediately, they forget what they’ve done and return to their normal routine. Even some genuine believers accept a ticket to eternity, put it away, and never seem to experience the marvelous journey laid out before them.

The salvation event ought to be like the ideal marriage event, where two distinct and independent individuals agree to unite and journey through life together. Instead, far too many salvation experiences are like far too many marriages: the uniting occurs but the couple never experiences the journey’s joy, and often end in separation.

It is true that all we must do is “call upon the name of the Lord” [Romans 10:13], but God never intended the journey to end there, just as a marriage is not supposed to stop on the trip home from the honeymoon.


VOLCANO STEW!

On the isle of São Miguel, in the Azores, a powerful and popular dish, cozido, is prepared in an interesting way: mix beef, chicken, pork, sausages, and vegetables together in an aluminum-cooking utensil, place this in a cloth bag, bury it all in the ground near Lake Furnas, and let it steam naturally for approximately six hours.

The volcano Furnas created Lake Furnas when it erupted thousands of years ago; soil surrounding the lake can reach a temperature of 208 degrees Fahrenheit, providing villagers with an unique natural oven. [Adapted from National Geographic; cited in Reader’s Digest, “Notes From All Over, p.204, nd.]

God could have chosen another way to deal with rebirth, perhaps taking us up to glory immediately. For reasons He and He alone knows He decided to leave us where we were to prepare us according to His receipe and His time. Perfect in the end!

TAGS: Bible, Christianity, Illustrations, Sanctification, Sermons, Religion

TRUTH: Don't Leave Home Without It!

ALL TRUTH OR NO TRUTH! [Acts 4:12]

When you need a 24' ladder to rescue your family from a burning building and all you have is an 18' ladder ... well, you're short, deadly short! You might as well have no ladder!

Any truth which isn’t ALL truth is NOT truth at all!

The Lord Jesus made it clear He was “the way, the TRUTH and the life” [John 14:6a]. He said, “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” [John 8:32] and greatly encouraged His followers with these words, “If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.” [36]

Jesus also said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Luke quoted Peter as saying, “there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.” [Acts 4:12]

The “ladder of success” the world is climbing is infinitely short of that needed to find what they are really after and really need.

IRRELEVANT EXPLORATION! [Various]

Someone searching for gasoline by digging holes in the ground will be horrible disappointed when he finds only crude oil … if he’s lucky.

If its gasoline you want, the ground is the wrong place to be looking … that’s why we have gas stations every few blocks.

The world needs to know their search for happiness and satisfaction is much like searching for gasoline in the ground.

Man in his search for meaning is looking in all the wrong places; searching the world for what comes from God alone is futile.

THE SOURCE OF ALL! [John 8:32; 14:6]

During the era of gold rushes in this country (USA), the cry was: GOLD! GOLD! Men from all over the world came to search, search, and search. But for the most part, their hard work paid off in traces, traces, and traces … signs, signs, and signs! They found trace (flakes and nuggets), they found sign (small veins), yet mostly they heard rumors.

Then there was "fool's gold" and "salted" mines (fakes). They re-mined old mines, some had been mined many times before; and they followed every rumor ever spoken by the lips of man. But search as they might, they never found the Mother Lode, the source of all the gold.

Likewise, men in every age, from all over the world, have rushed to and fro, here and there ... searching for truth; seeking the source of all truth. Two thousand years ago, Jesus resolved that issue forever, He said, “I am the truth.”

Once you’ve feasted on the sweetness of this Truth, you can’t avoid it. It’s as the memory of your mother or your first real love … a constant memory … it becomes part of your life … part of your living … part of the real you.

Once you’ve been set free by the real truth, you are free indeed, a freedom, like it’s twin sister Peace, that passes comprehension.

END TIMES / ESCHATOLOGY: The Really Last Days!

As & Cs ARE HERE, BUT THE Bs ARE MISSING (Where Will All the Flowers Go?) [1 Thessalonians 4:17; other topics - Pre-Trib, Rapture] (New 31 May 2007)

A recent report by Joel Garreau, a WaPo Staff Writer, gives us some food for thought. I found this very interesting ... explains how God could bring about an end to runaway Western materialism. Garreau writes ...

In "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," just before Earth is destroyed to make way for a hyperspatial express route, all the dolphins in the world disappear, leaving behind just the message: "So long, and thanks for all the fish."

Now, around the world, honeybees are vanishing en masse, leaving their humans engaged in a furious attempt to figure out the meaning of their exodus. Entire colonies are following the Shakespearean stage direction, "Exeunt omnes." They're flying off and not returning. Commercial beekeepers open their hives and find them empty except for a queen, a few immature bees and abundant honey and pollen. The rest of the bees are simply gone, leaving behind not even dead bodies.

A third of our food supply - including much of the boredom-relieving stuff, from cranberries to cucumbers - is dependent on animal pollinators like the honeybee. As a result, this mystery is rapidly joining the all-star ranks of millennial end-time run-for-your-lives threats, right up there with Y2K, mad cow disease, West Nile virus, SARS and avian flu.

Of equal note is the way the bees are setting a new standard in human emotional resonance. Absolutely no one yet knows why the bees are checking out, though not for lack of abundant effort on the part of the world's scientists. This dearth of data allows us to project our greatest anxieties onto the bees.

No bees, no pollen; no pollen, no flowers; no flowers, no agri-business; no agri-business, no shirt ... and as the old saying goes, no shirt, no service.

Source link >>>

TAGS:
Bees, Great Tribulation, Left Behind, Rapture, Science

DEVELOPED NATION’S PROBLEM [2 Timothy 3:1ff; Sin; Social & Moral Values; Youth]

In a poll conducted by NBC News and The Wall Street Journal “three out of four respondents said they didn’t trust politicians when they talked about social and moral values."

The public’s apparent contentment with the state of the nation and its economic prosperity appears to have been shaken, partly as a result of a spate of murders by students at public schools from Pearl, Miss., in 1997 to last April’s massacre in Littleton, Colo. "Youth violence" was ranked highest among respondents’ personal concerns about American society.

“By a lopsided margin -83 percent- the Americans surveyed in the poll agreed that ‘parents not paying enough attention to what’s going on in their children’s lives’ has become a ‘very serious problem.’

“More than two out of three poll respondents said that ’the influence of sexually explicit or violent media on children’ has become a ‘very serious’ social problem. And 63 percent identified ‘the high rate of divorce and the breakup of families’ as a very serious problem for American society.

“When asked what change in American society over the past 15 or 20 years has most disturbed them, the highest number of respondents cited ‘the lack of respect for authority and elders.’

“The NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey was conducted by pollsters Peter Hart and Robert Teeter. They surveyed 2,011 adult Americans between June 16 and June 19. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 2.2 percent.”

I was told many years ago that third world and underdeveloped nations don’t have the problems with their children like we have with ours.

[Adapted: Tom Curry, MSNBC, June 24 (1999)]

FEATHERED STOWAWAY [Matthew 22:11-14; other topics - Day of the Lord, Wedding Feast, Preparation]

Steve Harvey writes a weekly humor and miscellany column, “Only In LA,” for the L. A. Times. In his July 24th column he tells the story of a fine-feathered friend who found himself in a place where he was not welcome.

It seems the small bird stowed away on an Air Canada flight before leaving Los Angeles International Airport. He either had help or imitated a passenger so well no one noticed. Once discovered, the pilot announced the unwelcomed guest would be put off upon landing and the door would be shut forever to reentry.

In another place and another time, there will be those who will want to join a wedding party; they will be denied entry ... because they won’t have the right ticket. Others will attempt to gain entry through stealth, but their clothing will reveal them as uninvited guests. They, like the bird above will each and every one be put out and the door will be shut forever to entry.

NO ESCAPE! [1 Thessalonians 5:1-3; other topics - Day of the Lord, Judgment, Second Coming]

Recently, The Los Angeles Times (May 7, 2002, A10) reported on a Palestinian thief who has single-handedly embarrassed the entire Israeli security service. Mahmoud abu Jamous, 31, a kind of local folk hero and jailbird, recently escaped from an elaborate security effort while being transported from one jail to another. Abu Jamous was locked inside a special cage, inside an armored police van, with leg restraints and handcuffs, and watched by no less than 10 prison guards. What’s more, his vehicle was preceded and followed by two other security vehicles.

The sad but comical part of this fiasco is that none of the security personnel noticed the felon was missing. A motorist called the local police and reported that he saw Abu Jamous drop from a barred window of the van and run away. He’s not been seen since.

Paul tells of another day when all of the world’s security systems will fail. He writes:

“Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” [1 Thessalonians 5:1-3]

There will be no folk heroes among the unrighteous who will escape; no one is going to slip out a window unnoticed.

NOTHING BUT THE SKIN ON YOUR BACK [Revelation 13:1; other topics - Nakedness, Old Nature, Sin]

Reuters News Service reported “a naked man was found dead [July 6, 1999] on the back of a killer whale in the tank at SeaWorld Orlando.” The man was found laying nude on the whale’s back - absent any signs of trauma. He evidently hid until after the amusement park was closed.

Many in the world think life is just one big amusement park, where they can play and play to their hearts content. They think they can play with the beasts and hide while they do it. But like this man, they will end up naked and dead on the back of a beast that has risen up from the sea.

SOME PEOPLE ARE REALLY HARD HEADED! [Matthew 5:30 & Revelation 6:15-17; Hope, Hopelessness]

CNN recently reported on a Pennsylvania construction worker who inadvertently severed his hand with a power saw; then repeatedly shot himself in the head with a nail gun, apparently hoping to stop the pain. The young man had no fewer than a dozen 1-inch nails protruding from his skull, reports said. Thankfully, surgeons reattach his hand. The twenty-five-year old was hospitalized in stable condition. [excerpted from CNN, 25 January 2001]

This is no joke. More than once construction work supported my family while a bivocational pastor … personal experience reminds me how easy one can be injured in this demanding work. Thank God He made some of our heads harder than others.

The shock and despair at the moment of a severe injuries are extreme; first a sense of stupidity arises, then despair … the more serious the injury, the greater the despair. Obviously, this fellow’s despondency exceeded his wound.

When Christ comes again, however, more than a few people are going to wish they had severed offending hands, when they had the chance; their despair will be so great they’ll hope more than a nail gun to assaults their heads.

VEILED: [Hebrews 10:19-20; other topics - Separation, Veil]

A lens cover not only protects a camera's lens but it prevents the camera from seeing the scene right in front of its eye.

In the same way, the veil between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies prevents anyone seeing the scene right in front of them.

Remove the lens and voilà, the panorama unfolds as a image within the camera. Likewise, remove the veil and there is no more separation between man and God. [New 20 February 2007]

TAGS:
Christianity, End-times, Separation, Veil

DEVOTION - What our sinful carnal nature abhors!

GUARANTEED FOR LIFE! Romans 12:1; other topics - Behavior (as in carnal), Commitment, Knowledge (of God)]

We’ve all seen those late night commercials which say: “BUY NOW … ONLY $19.95 … LIFETIME GUARANTEE, NO COMMITMENT – NOW OR EVER!”

According to survey results from the Barna Group, and others, many in the church think the gospel is like that … “NO COMMITMENT – NOW OR EVER!” They fail to grasp these two eternal truths: (1) the Father created us so, as the potter owns the pot, He owns us; (2) the Son gave His life as ransom for our redemption while we were yet sinners, He deserves our devotion and surrender.

Commitment or devotion to another comes through in-depth knowledge of that other. Many who go by the name of Christ know little if anything of the Lord they claim to serve. How then, one must ask, can they behave in any other way than as they do?

TAGS: Apostasy, Barna, Christ, Christian, Commitment, Devotion,
Discipleship, Gospel, Lordship, Sanctification

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM! [Deuteronomy 6:4-7; other topics - Love, Spiritual gifts]

A few years ago a man gave his wife a new Cadillac Catera for her birthday. For weeks she babied and pampered that car; washing and waxing it every couple of days … cleaning it inside and out, everyday … the windows looked like crystal … she sprayed it with “new car” fragrance to keep it smelling new.

So, what’s the problem?

Well, the one who gave it to her is feeling neglected; after all, it was out of love that she received the gift.

Are we so intent on the gifts of God that we’re neglecting the Giver of Gifts?

TAGS: Christ, Christian, Committment, Devotion, Discipleship, Holy Spirit

Warnings

WACKY WARNING LABELS! [John 3:3; other topics - Bible, Word]

Close to 100 warning labels were entered in the Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch's “Wacky Warning Labels” contest recently. The winner: “Shin pads cannot protect any part of the body they do not cover.”

Every Bible should also have a warning label: “Open at your own risk.” However, the real warning is inside: “You must be born-again or you shall not see the Kingdom of God!”

How fearful and horrible is the thought that some will not see the Kingdom of God simply because they will not “see” the kingdom of God [or the King of the kingdom] when a glimpse is offered.

Courage

IT’S THE WAY YOU THINK! [John 16:8-11; other topics - Discipline, Sanctification

The Six Shooter was an extremely popular western, broadcast on NBC radio from 1953-54. Jimmy Stewart starred as Britt Ponsett, a Texas plainsman.

On one broadcast (“The New Sheriff”; 6/10/54 - Radio Spirits) Britt called a bully’s bluff … even though his gun was several feet away on a dresser.

In his signature style, Stewart (as Ponsett) told the tough he could draw his gun anytime he wanted. The surprised crook stammered, “B-b-b-but you a-a-a-ain’t got your six-shooter.”

Ponsett stepped toward the thug and drawled, “Things might not work out the way you think they will.” The Six Shooter’s bold confidence made the rascal turn and run.

Fantasies concerning life and its living are common to all people … one of mine is stepping toward the next illogical, irrational, relativistic humanist and saying, “Things might not work out the way you think they will.”

Only in my vision the rascal doesn’t turn and run; instead he comes under conviction, drops to his knees and pleads for God’s forgiveness.

Clearly, there is a present need for more boldness amongst the Body of Christ. Jesus didn’t die in order for us to become doormats for every godless heathen we encounter. After all, Jesus was no wimp! [Luke 19:45-47; John 2:13-17]

I fear many of our brothers and sisters have become so fearful of the world and its minions they’ve rendered themselves powerless in the battle for souls.

Britt Ponsett, Christianity, Courage, Discipline,
Illustrations, Jimmy Stewart, Sanctification,
Sermons, Texas Plainsman, The Six Shooter

EASTER - The day to end all days!

BEHOLD, THE LAMB OF GOD! [John 1:29, 36; Other topics - Humility, Jesus, Lamb of God, Salvation]

A few years ago our church decided to change the traditional Easter decorations in the sanctuary.

My wife, Rita, volunteered to find a ceramic lamb for the altar decoration. She searched and searched every craft and church supply store in the area; she spent days looking; she found standing lambs, knelling lambs, and grazing lambs but not one like we wanted. Ours would be a lying down lamb, a cute and “innocent” little, reposing lamb.

Being a Shepherd, I decided I might add just the right spiritual element as she headed to the last store. We examined every self in the place; hoping perhaps one might be hidden behind something. Frustrated, we both headed for the exit, dejected, heads down … then we saw it, on the floor, in a corner, under a shelf, unattended, dirty, ignored, alone. It was perfect! And it was on sale!

The world has also been searching for a lamb to save them from their sins. They’ve been looking for 6,000 years.

They too are looking in all the wrong places, heads up, proud, money no object. They’ve found all kinds of saviors: standing ones, knelling ones, grazing ones and many others as well. But not one turned out to be the “perfect” one!

We have to give them credit, they have looked everywhere imaginable. But, it is only when they seem to have lost all hope, when their heads are down, humbled, and through with doing it themselves that they find Him … Jesus, the Lamb of God!

Jesus was likewise rejected and ignored, the world trying to shove Him out of the way, into a corner or under a shelf.

How much does the Lamb of God cost? The tag says, “Priceless.” He has paid it Himself. This Lamb gave His life for those who rejected Him.


BLESSINGS TOO NUMEROUS! [Psalm 107:31; other topics - Blessings, Conviction, Self-examination]

Pastor Jack Hinton from New Bern, NC was leading worship music at a leper colony in Tobago; time allowed for one more congregational selection. A woman in the congregation, who’d been turned away, turned to face Hinton, revealing a most “hideous” face. The lady’s nose and ears were gone; most of her lips had worn away as well. She lifted a hand, more stub than hand, and asked, “Can we sing ‘Count Your Blessings’”?

Overcome by the situation Hinton fled the room, followed by another team member. The man tried to comfort the distraught song leader, “I guess you’ll never be able to sing that song again”? “Oh, yes I will,” he responded, “but never the same way.”

Warren Wiersbie is credited for saying, “Life is a school in which God trains us for eternity. Trials are ... God’s textbooks in this school of Christian experience.” It often takes the deficiency of another to reveal our own; but in the revelation, we can find fruit for nourishment.

Pastor’s Update; FMB of the Southern Baptist Convention; Richmond, VA, May 1996, p.4; Sermon-Illustrations-Each-Week, 991004-6]


MORE THAN AN IMAGE IS NEEDED! [1 Peter 1:14-19; Atonement, Lamb of God, Blood (the)]

Evidently Peruvian authorities have begun dressing up walls along their nation’s filthiest streets with pictures of Jesus Christ; the purpose seems to be to shame those illegally dumping trash along the streets.

Apparently, just the image of our Lord is believed to have such importance among the general Peruvian population.

Oh that the mere image of the Lord would clean up the streets of our minds and hearts. But it takes the precious blood of the Lamb to cleanse the heart and mind of a sinner.

Oh that it had not been necessary for the Son of God to give His life an atonement for man’s sins … but it was.

The Father tried everything; but we rejected His miracles, rejected His word, killed His prophets, and turned our backs on Him … it was oh so necessary to send His Son.

You see, an image could never pay the ransom … the Jews tried that in the temple for centuries … only the priceless and spotless Lamb of God in person was worthy [Revelation 5:12].

Jesus (the Christ)

Bad News – Good News [John 3:16, 17; other topics - Judgment, Redemption, Second Coming]

The Grabouw Journal, a South African news journal, reports the story of Roger Russell, an activist crime-fighter. In August, 1999, Russell began a 2,800-mile walk around South Africa to focus attention on the nation’s infamous crime rate; his second day out he was mugged. He wasn’t out to judge the guilty, just bring an end to crime.

The Journal said, “It was either an awful start or the best one he could have hoped for.” You see Russell is down but not out; he’s coming back to finish what he started.

God announced in various ways, over hundreds of years, He wanted to relieve man of his sin-burden; He told us in advance He would send a Savior, a Deliverer, a Redeemer, a Shepherd, and a Messiah. When He did, He sent His Son, who came in the flesh and dwelt among us [John 1:14], to focus attention on the world’s infamous sin rate. He didn’t come to judge the world but to save the world.

At the Lord’s first attempt to reach sinful man, man attacked Him rather than receive Him … oh, He was down but not out; He’s coming again to finish what he started, only this time it’ll be to judge the world [John 5:29; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 14:6,7].

[Adapted from “Reality Check for Anti-crime Trekker” by Ian Fisher, NY Times on the Web, (September 11, 1999)]


Fire Power [Acts 4:12; Lordship, Sovereignty]

In a world where numbers and possessions mean power, is it any wonder the subject of Jesus receives a cool reception?

Many are uninterested in the Good News because Jesus does not command divisions or carry a gun or have his stock listed on the NYSE or hold a Ph.D. or have a corporate title. The world doesn’t want to know who Jesus is; they want to know how much fire power He possesses.

THIS LIGHT CANNOT BE STOPPED … THANK GOD! [John 1:9; other topics - Christ; Sovereignty]

The New York Times reports researchers have slowed light to a dead stop, stored it, and then released it, as if it were an ordinary material particle. These reports are fascinating for anyone who knows a little about light but … there is another Light, a True Light, and no scientist will every exist who can stop Him … let alone treat Him as if He were “ordinary material particle”!

The is nothing ordinary about the True Light!

Prophecy

A BRUISED HEAD CRUSHES NO MORE! [Genesis 3:15; other topics - Good News; Protevangelium; Satan]

Recently a South African newspaper reported a man escaped the crushing grip of a python by biting it. He told reporters, “I decided the only way to save myself from this monster was to bite it just below the head.”

This man must have read Genesis 3:15, subconsciously imitating the Lord.

Commitment

AN ARMY OF ONE! [Ephesians 4:4-6; other topics - Perseverance, Sanctification, Spiritual warfare]

The U.S. Army unveiled a new recruitment slogan recently. The “Be All You Can Be” line, a cultural icon since the 1980s, was retired and replaced with “An Army of One.”According to reports, the Army hopes the slogan will appeal to a generation less attracted to military service than its predecessors.

Paul says the church has had that slogan for 2,000 years …“There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”Thus we know and proclaim, “I am an army of One in Christ Jesus … undefeated and unbeatable; overcoming and victorious!”

God (Decree of)

IF IT AIN’T WHERE YOU WANT IT, MOVE IT!
Jeremiah 5:22 [Omnipotence, Sovereignty]

A neighbor of mine in the mountains above Santa Cruz, California, used to ignore our boundaries and use everyone’s property like it was his own.

Man can neither create or stop the weather, yet man is far more troublesome and unruly than the worst ocean tempest nature can send us.

The sea obediently keeps its boundaries. Is it the sea’s obedience or the belt of sand which stops it from overwhelming the shore? Mighty as it is, the sea heeds an unheard tongue, remaining in its place … it hears and obeys. The sand is simply a line drawn by God; though raging with storm, the earth’s oceans respect that voice. And the sea, with never-ending constancy obeys the laws of God and nature.

Man neither comes nor goes at His command, but sullenly prefers to do his own thing.

Every molecule of water feels the power of law, and yields or moves at once.

Self-willed man, on the other hand, shakes his fist at heaven and burdens the earth with his unrighteousness.

What a wonder it would be for man to conformed to God’s will; think of the awesome power of all men complying to even infinitely smallest degree?