The Most Priceless Possession On Earth

     The sun has set on the last day of 2011, and with the setting the door closed on dreams and plans that once leaped within the hearts of individuals, at least for this year.  Hopefully, tomorrow will dawn, not only a new day but a new year.  I am so afraid that most people have not even tried to determine what life is all about and why they idly procrastinate while time, seemingly, comes and leaves us behind.
     In the dawning of the new year we would be better prepared to face the new year if we would take an inventory of the past year and see what, if anything, we have done that would make the world better for some of the folks we come in contact with.  The average person begins to offer an alibi for their shortcomings by pointing out the absence of things in their life that others have--if I had more I could do more.  To do this shows that we do not have a clue as to the most priceless possession we have- time.
     Time is the great equalizer.  Ultimately, the prince and the pauper reach the same point in their life, in which time has run out.  But, until we approach that moment, we are all the same.  The octogenarian and the baby have the same amount of time--the ever present moment.  Neither can accomplish a single thing, tomorrow, the next hour or even the next minute.  We are bound by the moment at hand.  Somewhere there is a young man entering college, a drug-addict trying to quit, a young couple planning their marriage, a godly saint waiting on the moment to cross over;  all live in the ever-present now.
     God has been gracious to allow me to be upon this earth for seventy-four of the New Years.  Along the way, I had thoughts as I suppose everyone does--"How much time do I have?"  There was the "now" of my graduaton from highschool, graduation from college, marriage to Doris, birth of our children, joys, pains, deaths they all had their now. Let me assure you, it is no small comfort to realize that I have as much time as I ever had--just now.  The obvious consideration for 2012 is how can I be of value to my God, my family, my community and my country?
Without comprehending the essence of time and the purpose of life, it matters not how many New Years your ever present now allows you to see.  It all will be in vain.  If you value life, don't squander time for that is the fiber of life.

I'm Dreaming Of A Right Christmas!

     The onslaught against Christians in general and Christmas in particular continues.  More and more stores are only showing advertisements with "Happy Holidays", no mention of Christmas.  Latest word is that the senators and representatives can not put the words, "Merry Christmas," on their mail.  We have no one to blame but ourselves.  To use a previously published phrase,  the opossum, Pogo, said, "We have found the enemy, and it is us.  Take a stand, now.  Let businesses know that if they are against Christmas, we are against them.  I'm dreaming of a right Christmas.
     I am dreaming of a Christmas in a land where it is normal for a family to not lock the door when they leave the house.
     I am dreaming of a Christmas in which parents are not afraid for their children to play outside unsupervised.
     I am dreaming of a Christmas when the simplest of gifts are deeply appreciated.
     I am dreaming of a Christmas where even adults believe in the spirit of Santa Claus.
     I am dreaming of a Christmas where Christ is the central theme of Christmas.
     I am dreaming of a Christmas where unknown people can meet on the streets and say, without fear of hurting some one's feelings, "Have a merry Christmas!"  After all, it's Christmas and has been for hundreds of years.  Those who are offended knew this was the custom before they came here.  They are free to go back.
     I am dreaming of a Christmas where everyone understands, that in Algebra,  an X stands for an unknown, and Christ takes the place in Xmas.  Perhaps, in that context X is appropriate for many who do not know the Christ of Christmas.
     I am dreaming of a Christmas where our president is unashamed to beseech the blessings of God upon our great nation instead of bowing to those who would wipe the  name of Christ from Christmas.
     If you are new to America or under thirty or forty years of age you are probably thinking, that is an impossible dream.  But it is not an idle dream; it is a recollection of Christmas' past in which many of us today still remember.  God do it again!

We Have Found The Enemy....

     Years ago in a comic strip the little opossum, Pogo, made this statement, "We have found the enemy and it is us."  That is the problem in about every imaginable situation.  We are our own worse enemy.
     The most dangerous enemy that confronts us, as a free nation, is found within our own borders.  We, as a nation, have come to the point- the same as a movie of a few years ago, "we are sleeping with the enemy."  Many of the enemy are encamped within the confines of Washington, D.C.  Congress is filled with men and women who have abandoned their promises of doing "the will of the people" and have their own particular agenda of promoting themselves.  Until a new constitutional amendment is passed that prohibits congress from making laws that affect the citizens of the United States and does not affect them or prohibits them from making laws affecting them that does not affect the citizens of the United States we will continue to have problems.  Congress needs to be under the same health care plan, retirement plan, and insurance plans as the average citizen of the country has.  If they want more let them pay for it like everybody else.
     The man in the White House is his own worse enemy.  He would like to blame his problems on everyone else, but he is his enemy.  He became irritated because of those who claimed he was born outside the United States.  This could have easily been avoided by producing a birth certificate in the beginning and releasing all of his records pertaining to his work and education.  He might also deflect much of the criticism about his being a Muslim by boldly declaring on national TV that he believes Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  That is the mark that distinguishes a Christian.  It is not if your name is on a church roll, or you follow a certain dogma, it is your belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
     The atheist crowd acts as if Christians were their enemy.  It is hard to understand how something that does not even exist (that would be God in their mind) can even disturb their imagination.  If that is not enough for them to worry about, try worrying about this.  In Christian America they are free to choose to believe in God or not, but should the Muslims take over the country some day, they will be forced to, at least verbally, say they believe in a god or die.  Who is the enemy here?
     Inside the ranks of Christians I find that here we have become our own worse enemy.  In our well intended attempt to live at peace and harmony with all men many have broadened our thinking and weakened our position by declaring that the Muslims worship the same God we worship.  Sorry about that, but the last time I checked, the Christian God had a son that was dearly beloved, his name is Jesus.  The Muslims deny that Jesus is their god's son.  How can that be the same God.
     It is time we recognize that we are our own worse enemy.  Sometimes it is the termites on the inside of the church that do more damage than the woodpeckers on the outside of the church.  They are so deadly because they are so quite about their work.  It is past time that we let the Word of God be true and every man a liar.  I MUST SAY IT!!!
  

Can you trust the snake?

     It is an often told story, but it won't hurt to repeat it again.  A traveler high up in the mountains in the winter came across a rattlesnake that was just about frozen.  The rattlesnake said to the traveler, "Pick me up and take me down where it is warm."  The traveler said, ""I am afraid you will bite me."  "Oh, no," said the snake, "I would never do that."  The traveler picked up the snake and placed him inside his coat where it was nice and warm.  When they got down to the base of the mountain the traveler felt a sharp prick in his side.  He unzipped his coat and saw that the snake had bitten his side.  "Why did you bite me after you promised that you would not bite?"  The snake replied, "You knew what I  was when you picked me up."
     I think it is time that Christians wake up to the fact that the entire world is at enmity with God.  I think everyone expects the atheist to oppose Christianity, but fail to realize that many of the other religions of the world also come under that category.  It is time that Christians take a good close look at the Muslim religion.  Remember the snake above.  Now take a look at the countries where they are in control and see how they treat people of other faiths.  So they arrive in a country of religious  freedom that is based on the Judeo-Christian concept.  A country that has stood for over 200 years under that concept and has provided a quality of living that is unsurpassed in the entire world.
     The news today carries the story of Muslim students enrolled in a Catholic university and are protesting the placement of the cross on their own property.  The poor mistreated Muslim students are offended by the cross.  I would suggest that they find a Muslim university to attend if they are offended.  If a Christian was in one of the Muslim countries he/she would not even have the freedom to complain about a perceived offensive object.
     Where ever they go, they make demands for things to be done that will accommodate their religion.  If they want any accommodations let them accommodate themselves.  The Catholics pay for all of the expenses of their own university and I hope and pray that they do not bow down to their stupid requests.  It is high time for us to "let God be true and every man a liar."
     They would like to be able to impose their laws so as to supersede the laws of our nation that enabled us to become great.
     If you are still reading, I probably will lose you here, but so be it.  President Obama is as guilty as any man, if not more so, in contributing to the downgrading of Christianity and the upgrading of the Muslim religion.  What is that he said, "America is not a Christian nation."  He downplayed a day of Christian prayer and honored a day of Muslim prayer.  The very idea of the president of a Christian nation bowing down to a leader of a lesser nation.   The question has come up on whether or not he is even a Christian.  That question could easily be put to rest by his acknowledgement that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  I have difficulty believing that a Christian could set under the filthy mouthed preacher as he set under for so many years and be classified as a Christian.  I use the term not as to his eternal destiny but as to his being Christlike.
     I know it is not politically correct and I fear no longer religiously correct to say this but, it is either Jesus Christ is God or he was a liar.  If he is not God then each one of us has helped keep a lie going for centuries.  I for one, believe that He is the Son of God.  Elijah challenged the religious world of his day on Mt. Carmel, the choice was whether Jehovah was God or Baal was God.  There was no mistake in the answer.  We have come once again to a Mt. Carmel and the question is the same, "Is Jesus Christ to be God in your life or is Muhammad, Buddha. or some other fake icon to take that place.

Just Saying It Does Not Make It So

     Years ago in New Orleans, while it was still unlawful for Catholics to eat meat on Friday, there lived a lone, solitary Jew in the midst of a Catholic neighborhood.  Each Friday he would fire up his outdoor grill and proceed to permeate the neighborhood with the aroma of the grilling steaks.  Thus, in defense of their sanity, the neighbors began a campaign to convert the Jew to the Catholic religion.
     After several months of fervently witnessing to the Jew their efforts were rewarded. The Jew joined the Catholic church.  The father, dipped a rose in water and sprinkled the Jew with the words, "You were born a Jew, you were raised a Jew, but now you are a Catholic."
     The community breathed a collective sigh of relief.  That is until the next Friday.  As they prepared to eat their fish, there drifted through the neighborhood the aroma of steaks being grilled.  They converged on the Jew-Catholic and immediately asked, "Don't you know you can't eat beef on Friday?"
     He responded, "What beef?  Then with a flair he dipped his brush into the barbecue sauce and said, "You were born as beef, you were raised as beef, but now you are fish."
     I fear that something like that happens regularly in the church world.  By adjusting key words here and changing intent there, we come up with the same type of logic.  I am thinking especially of the simple concept of baptism.  No seriously thinking person will try to convince anyone that the use of the word baptidzo (best I can do on an English keyboard) meant anything else than dip, plunge or submerge in a liquid.  Oh, I know, pouring is such a beautiful symbol of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and sprinkling is such a beautiful simple service that can be performed anywhere, but what about the fact that baptism is supposed to portray the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
     Make no mistake about it, when interpreting the scripture, "Let God be true and every man a liar."

Left versus Right versus "RIGHT"

     Sometimes I understand a little better the old adage, "A little learning is a dangerous thing."  A person must understand the entire spectrum of life instead of isolated instances that we would use to prove our point.  When a person gets the complete picture of the United States from it's foundation, as a "nation under God" based upon the precepts of the Bible, God's Holy Word to where we are today, you can easily see how far we have strayed.  This is reflected throughout the political spectrum today.  More than once you have heard some say, "They need to compromise."  It makes no difference which side might be making that statement, for it has been said often.
     There are some things that simply can not be compromised.  You see, there are some absolute truths and when any mixture of untruth is inserted the entire precept is not compromised, it is surrendered to a falsehood.  Perhaps we are where we are because of the "leavening".  Remember, "A little leaven, leavens the whole lump."  One of the political "hot potatoes" we deal with is the existence of Israel.  There is no room to compromise on the question of Israel.  The Iranians and the Palestians say they do not have the right to exist and nothing short of their annihilation will satisfy.  Where is there room to compromise on this issue?
     We are dealing with so many tantalizing problems in our nation; problems that have no easy solution, but have a right solution.  The illegal immigrant problem, which is contributing to the destruction of our economy, is one of those situations,which many would avoid by wanting to bring up the need for immigration.  The problem is not immigration; the problem is ILLEGAL.  The illegal part is what must be fixed.  Oh, I know, I  know, there are heart wrenching stories of, what about this or what about that.  No, those situations are an outgrowth of the ILLEGAL problem.  Fix the problem!!
     Paul said in the Bible, that he who did not work could not eat.  And for those who refuse to acknowledge the the Word of God in their life, for now, don't forget John Smith also issued the same edict.  However, we have grown an unacceptable number of people, who do not want to work and "expect" others to take care of them.  It is sad, when you remember, there once was a time if tragedy struck the family and community banded together to help with the problem.  I can recall many an instance where the last days of a person's life was spent at home, being cared for by his/her family.  Not so today, millions make no provision for anything out of the ordinary happening.  The dying process is not out of the ordinary.  But for those type of situations let the government handle it.  To not help seems cruel to most folks.  It is no different than trying to save a drowning man.  If you are the one in charge of the rescue, in order to keep from drowning yourself, you may have to render him unconscious.  The numbers that we are trying to feed and provide for today has reached the point that "the drowning man is going to pull the rescuer under."
     I think the political crowd is always on the side of the numbers, not on the side of right or wrong.  It is not the government's place to act as an intercessor when things go wrong in our life.  Let a hurricane come through and wipe out 5000 homes and the government steps in to put things back together again.  Let a tornado come through and wipe out your home and you will be told there is nothing that the government can do.  You should have had insurance!!  Yet your loss is just as great in a single home destruction as if it had been in the middle of the 5000.
     I still believe there is an American Dream:  a place where you can work your fingers to the bone and get ahead in life.  There are far to many whose "American Dream" is, if sit here long enough and raise enough noise someone will provide for me, not only my needs, but give me all of the desires of my heart.
     Any student of ancient history will tell you that the fall of Rome was greatly contributed to by the masses that depended upon hand-outs with nothing given back to the government in turn. 

The greatest thing that ever happened to me!

     Often we take time to reflect over the course of our lives on the things, both good and bad, that came our way.  When I allow myself, or force myself, to think along these lines; I see the inconsistency that is there.  You, see, the greatest thing that ever happened to me was the time two Baptist preachers came by the house to talk with my parents.  I broke up their discussion when I asked them to tell me how to be saved.  That was the greatest thing that ever happened to me.  I have heard hundreds of other who echo that particular statement.
     That being said, leads me to an all important question, If that be so, what would be the greatest thing you could do for someone else?  It is not see that they get an education, or have a new home, or a new car.  The greatest thing you can do for someone else is to introduce them to Jesus Christ as their own personal saviour.  Why do we not do this?  Is it fear of someone making fun of us?  Is it fear of saying the wrong thing?  Or as someone told me, I am afraid of  running them off.  Where are they going to go?  They are already lost.  They are already on the road to hell.  There is nothing that a person can do that will not help the situation.
     To have advance warning that a bridge was out and to fail to warn others is unthinkable.  How much worse is it to have the knowledge that will prevent someone from spending an eternity in hell, and to hold our silence.  It is unthinkable, yet it is done so often.

9/11 in Retrospect

     I remember, as many millions, September 11, 2001.  Many Americans were shaken out of their complacency.  Once again, we stood united as one great nation.  There was something about the magnitude of the numbers that were affected in such a short space of time that disturbed us.  Church attendance, for a short span of time, increased.  We were forced out of our comfort zone.  On a national scale we were forced to consider our frail position as humans in spite of all that we do.
     But, that is something that has been ingrained into us since childhood as individuals.  Teenagers think they are invincible.  Young adults will live for many decades.  Senior citizens have no end in sight.  When reality finally takes over, none of this is assured.  Our nation's security may be safer than our own individual being.  Chances are the survival of the United States of America will endure far beyond the time allotted to any of us alive today.
     The number that died on September the 11th, reminds me of the 3000 that died when God gave the commandments to Moses and he came down from the mountain.  It also reminds me of the 3000 that were saved and added to the church on the day of Pentecost.  The magnitude of numbers always gets our attention, but for each of us, the most important fact still remains:  what is your standing before God?
     Oh, I know, it is not the fashionable thing to say in today's "tolerant world", however, I must say it.  If a person does not accept the death of Christ as being his/her payment for sin, nothing else really matters.  Remember, man still becomes the loser if he gains the whole world and loses his soul.

If they had been here, you would have told them!!

     The First Self Righteous Church had a member who lived up to the church's name!sake.  He was not only self righteous, but considered himself to be the most humble member of the church.  Upon leaving the church after each and every service he always told the preacher, "You really preached to THEM today, preacher."  He never included himself in that number that was preached to.  There came the night when just at gathering time a terrible storm began and the only two people at church was this member and the preacher.
     The preacher decided that this was the opportunity to preach to the member where he would have to acknowledge where the message was directed.  He tried to touch on every perceived flaw which the member had, all to no avail.  When the service was over the member approached the preacher and said to him, "Preacher, if they had been here tonight, you would have really preached to them."
     In a day when Satan is destroying everything that is not nailed down and is pulling nails as fast as he can, we need to take an inventory of our own lives and see how we measure up.  The above mentioned church member could not see any need for any changes in his own life, yet saw there was need of plenty of changes in the life of everyone else.  It is a rare church indeed in which their Sunday Morning attendance is even close to 50% of those who are on the church roll.  The number one reason for this nonattendance, is a lack of commitment from the average church member.  We are committed to the house payment, the car payment, our many pursuits of pleasure, any type of excuse will find us missing church to take care of something else which we deem of more importance at that moment.   The preacher usually hears something like this, "Preacher, we are having a family reunion next Sunday and will have to put in our appearance.  You do understand don't you?"  Several years ago in a church service where I was pastoring, my wife had her family reunion one Sunday.  We always put in our appearance, after worship service.  This day, though, while making the morning announcements, I said, "Doris is having her family reunion today."  As I said that, I stepped out from behind the pulpit as if I were leaving and said,  "We are going to go on up there so we won't be late.  You folks do understand don't you?"  They had a strange look on their face so I said, "No you don't understand, I don't understand either when I hear it about your missing the Lord's service."
     Don't forget the admonition for us in each and everything we do, "Do it as unto the Lord."  Preacher's need to preach as if it were only unto God, himself.  Sunday School teachers need to teach as if it were only unto the Lord.  Our giving and church attendance needs to be as if it were only unto the Lord.
     The old song says it best, "It's not my farther nor my mother, but it's me, Oh Lord!  Standing in the need of prayer.  I cannot answer for you, nor can you answer for me.  We must each give an account unto the Lord for each of our actions.  That alone should motivate us to do greater things for God.  It is even of more importance when we consider our failures may result in someone else spending an eternity in Hell.

Don't Go to Sleep Before You Get There!

     The story has been told of the gentleman traveling the train who told the conductor to wake him up when they reached his destination.  The conductor said he would.  Then the man said, "I may put up a fight because I hate to be woke up, but be sure to get me off the train."
     When the gentleman awoke, on his own, he was a couple of hours down the track from where he was supposed to get off.  He was one more irritated gentleman.  He screamed at the conductor all of the way off the train and was still screaming as the train drove off.  Another passenger said, "I bet that guy was madder than anyone you ever had to deal with.  To which the conductor said,  "No, I had a man that was madder than that about two hours ago when I put him off the train."
     We are all traveling on the train of life.  We are not sure of the exact amount of time that we have to be on the train, but we know there is a place down the line where we will have to get off.  Along the way, you will find many a person that is asleep and will need someone to wake them up before they reach their destination.  There are others that spend their time idly wishing that the train would get them on down the track, certain that there will be happiness, fame or fortune awaiting for them at the end of the journey.  Pity the man that finds himself being put off the train before he is ready to get off.  There are a few on the train who have grown tired along the way and are eager to reach that final destination.  The end of the train trip is the thing we call death.  Millions of people are unprepared, spiritually, for this to occur.  Many, many more are spiritually prepared, but hold a tremendous fear of that happening to them.
     Watch this space for the news of a tremendously helpful book, Wings of Mercy, A Christian View of Death.

Hold the Lines, Men, I Am Going to Shout

     Once upon a time there was a church that had as it's humble beginning a group of men and women who were emotional in their worship of the Lord.  It was nothing uncommon for there to be sounds of amen, that's right brother or praise the Lord, throughout the preaching service.  But, as the years passed, so did much of the enthusiasm during the worship service.  It finally got to the point where old brother Brown was the only person that opened his mouth during the worship service.  When the preacher said something that Bro. Brown liked he would say, "Amen", or "Praise the Lord", or some other comment.  There were those, probably their emotions were not working, who were offended by the old gentleman's comments.  They appointed a committee to go talk to the old gentleman and try to get him to be quiet during the service.  The committee found him plowing in his garden with a team and plow.  They were rather blunt in their approach and simply said, "Bro. Brown, the church has sent us out here to get you to be quiet during the worship service."
     The old man wiped the sweat from his forehead and rolled a clot of dirt around with the toe of his shoe, and then said, "Brethren, I know I bother some of the folks at church with my remarks.  But, men, when I consider all of my old black sins and how Jesus died on the cross for me I just can,t help it."  With that said, he took the plow lines out from around his waist and said, "Here, hold these plow lines.  I feel like I am going to have to shout again."
     I like that.  In this day of glass-eyed, dry-eyed religion; it is good to see someone moved to the point of expressing their feelings with some emotion.  R. G. Lee said, "We are moved more when we see a dead dog or dead cat in the highway, than when we hear of the suffering of Christ on the cross.  It ought not to be so.  It makes no difference the greatness of our sins, his grace was greater than all of them combined.  Now, that is something to shout about.  All of my sins were laid upon his back.  It should have been me on the cross.  If that does not move us and touch our hearts we need to get on our knees.

The 'Land Of No More"!

     Joe and Bill were two friends who had played golf together for years.  They had often discussed if there might be golf courses in heaven.  They decided which ever one of them died first would get word back to the other one if there were courses in heaven.  In the course of time Joe went on ahead.  Of course for Joe, being in heaven, time meant nothing at all.  Back on earth time continued as always.  Finally, after Joe had been dead for five years he contacted Bill.  Bill said, "Well, Joe, can we play golf in heaven?"  Joe responded, "Bill, I have good news and bad news."  Bill said, "Man tell me the  good news."  Joe said, "There are some of the most beautiful golf courses here you can imagine."  To which Bill questioned, "What could the bad news possibly be?"  Joe answered, "You tee off on hole number 8, Friday at 10:00."
     So it is in ever life there is the good news and the bad news.  The life of man born to woman is "of a few days and full of troubles."  I have never met a man or woman who has spent much time on the road of life who had not had some misfortunes along the way. 
     Life is great, in spite of the annoyances that we experience.  However, most people never enjoy life to the fullest extent that God would have for them to enjoy.  There is not a pain, heartache, or sorrow which we experience that is not a direct result of the original sin we have inherited.  A lot of the modernists shun away from anything related to sin.  To many of them, sin is just an occasional setback as man evolves upward to reach a position like the angels.  Sin, to them, is a hiccup, not a death rattle.
     There is a path for man to follow that leads to the highest demands of his conscience.  That path was declared to the disciples by Jesus when he said, "I am the way...."  I prefer to think of the land at the end of that path to be the "Land of Nomore."  "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:  for the former things are passed away."  Revelation 21:4.
     Here we must blend together:  the pain and health, life and death, and joys and sorrow.  Now we see the great things dimly as thought looking through a darkened glass.  Now we know only in part and live a partly filled life, but not so in the "Land of Nomore."  But, oh, my soul, the joys that await those that travel the path that leads to this land.  If you don't know the way, get a map.  They are available everywhere.  It is called the Bible.

The Lord's Day Should be Holy

     The elderly lady was on the phone with the newspaper office and trying to be nice and polite as a Christian should be.  She asked in a very calm, pleasing voice, "Sir, could you give me an explanation as to why my Sunday paper has not been delivered?"  The gentleman on the other end responded, "I suppose the reason is, today is Saturday."  He heard her say, more to her self than to him, "I guess that is why no one was at church this morning?"
     The lady may have been confused on which day of the week it was, but she knew one thing for certain; Sunday is the Lord's day.
     There was not so long ago when most people treated Sunday as being a special, if not a Holy day.  When Sunday came it was time to cease from your labors.  In many a small town, only the pharmacy would be open, and if there were more than one pharmacy in the town, they alternated on being open.
     Many of the commandments that God gave to us to perform had an underlying reason that would behoove us to obey the commandment.  Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy, is such a commandment.  When God had completed his work of creation on the sixth day, he then rested from his labors.  That is a pattern he expects us to follow.
     There have been attempts to try to change the schedule of God, usually resulting in a disaster.  France experimented with a ten-day work week.  That experiment ended in failure for them.  Coal mines that used donkeys to pull the carts of coal to the surface discovered the donkeys performed better when they had the day of rest.
     I often hear people quote scripture for their reason for doing something, though that might be the only scripture they try to follow.  Such is the man who desecrates the Sabbath.  He very well may say, "The ox was in the ditch and I had to get him out."  Obviously that is true, but it ceases to be valid if we first push the ox into the ditch.
     There was a case in federal court, prior to Arkansas becoming a state, in which a man was charged with desecrating the Sabbath.  His offense was--burning a brush pile on Sunday.  Whether we understand all the reasoning behind the ten commandments, we must remember they are not the ten suggestions.  We speak about breaking the ten commandments, we really mean transgress against or violate the commandment.  You can't break the commandments, however, you may break yourself against them.
     Many a person scoff at the words of the Bible, but there is one truth they cannot deny, "It is appointed unto man once to die...."  Would it not be better to "...fear God and keep his commandments for it is the whole duty of man."

The Sin of Silence

     My daughter had on a shirt one day with the following printed upon it:  "I know I have the right to remain silent, but I don't have the ability."
     I will never cease to be amazed at the many ways that people have in getting their message across to other people: telephones, twitter, facebook, email, and the list goes on.  Quite a difference than a few years ago it was said, "The three most important methods of getting a message across are: telegraph, telephone, and tell a woman."
     With all the methods we have of communicating with others; the sound of us sharing Christ to a lost and dying world is deafening.  The greatest thing ever shared with me was when someone told me about salvation in Jesus Christ.  The greatest thing each of us can share with others is not the weather report, or the stock market report, but rather Jesus Christ.  Oh, yes, we have not only the right and the ability we also have an obligation.
     The great teacher of the Jews, Nicodemus, came to Jesus one night and inquired of him about what it took to get into the Kingdom of God.  Perhaps Nicodemus did not want to risk his standing in the Jewish community, was the reason he came at night.  Suffice it to be said that apparently he remained a secret, silent follower of Jesus until the day when Joseph of Arimethia came to get him to assist in the burial of Jesus.
     Could it be that we have many such secret disciples of the Lord today.  The reasons as to why so many are silent would be many.  Most of the reasons probably could be grouped together under the general heading of, "What would my friends think or say about me?"  If that be the case, if would be better to think, "What would my savior think of me because of my silence?"
     The Apostle Paul spake in a tremendous forceful voice each and ever opportunity he had to tell of what Jesus had done for him.  He traveled extensively in the large part of his world.  When he was finally put in prison where he could not come and go as he wished, he still conquered the minds of people by writing letters.
     The eternal destiny of a loved one or a friend may very well be hanging on such a small thing as your silence.

Marriage Should Not Be A Joke

     The marriage ceremony should be a very solemn occasion.  In spite of this being so, occasionally humorous things do happen that usually do not take away from the moment but add something that will be remembered years later.  I have a friend in the ministry by the name of Coy.  Many preachers get nervous at weddings and even more so when it is the first one that is being conducted.  This was the case, as it has been told, with my friend Coy.  It was the typical nervous first time service that Coy was conducting.  He had performed flawlessly until he comes to the point to pronounce them man and wife.  The choice of words that came to Coy's mind was not the usual, "I pronounce you man and wife, but, I now pronounce you male and female."  That produced an abundance of laughter among the crowd that day.
     Somehow, things look a little different in this day when traditions are thrown asunder and challenges are constantly being made to a way of life that has existed since the first man took the first woman to be his lawful cherished wife.
     I have difficulty believing that there are people in this world who think you can take something that is well defined and simply change the name and it will be different.  I think we are engaged in a far more complex battle than homosexuals wanting to have equal rights.  Most people I know, could not care less if two men or two women living together had the same tax advantages or any other advantages that are offered to married couples.  They can call it a civil union and I don't care.  It is not marriage, for marriage is between one man and one woman.  It appears that the forces in this country will someday have it where in every state two same sex people can be joined together and call it marriage.  But it will not be marriage.   I can call my old Chevrolet truck a Cadillac, but that does not change a thing.  I suppose I could go to court and have it's named changed to Cadillac as some people change their name.  But guess what, It is still a truck.  When I drive down the streets the average person is going to say there goes a truck.  So it will be with homosexual marriages, everyone, including those engaged know it is not a Cadillac--it is a truck.
    This is an attack at the institution of the family and not just a desire for equal rights for the couple.  Many a problem in America can be pointed to as being a direct result of the break up of the family.  No longer is the family unit intact, as a family unit, to provide the nurture and the admonition for the children to be able to face the trials of a cold, cold world. 
     To my friend, Coy, I would say, "Hang in there, you got it right the first time, keep on pronouncing them "male and female."

Be Careful Who You Follow

     Several years ago I was driving along U.S. Highway 67 through Arkansas.  I noticed an out of state car in front of me which was loaded down with luggage.  I followed this car for some distance then exited on one of the small rural roads.  The car that was behind me also exited and began driving down this small rural road.   The car behind me also had several bags of luggage attached to the top of the car.  I surmised that they must be close to the end of their journey because of the smallness of the road.  It dawned on me that there was a possibility that the car had been following the out of state car that was in front of me.  They were not paying close attention, since they were following, and just exited when I did.  You should have seen the look on the driver's face when I pulled to the side of the road and stopped.  He also stopped.  Sure enough he had been following the other car.  I directed him back to the place and the direction he should go in order to catch up with his fellow traveler.
     Something like that happens all the time in the real world.  We have those that are leaders and those that are followers.  If you are a leader, be careful where you lead.  If you are a follower be careful who you follow.
     Jesus boldly stated, "My sheep hear my voice, and follow me, and a stranger they will not follow."
Far too frequently Christians follow trends, fads and customs that lead them away from the direction that Jesus would like for them to go.  It is so vital that we study the Word of God in order to know they ways of God and the will of God.
     Each Christian should be aware of the fact that there is someone who is watching your life and using your life and decisions as pattern for their own lifestyle.  Years ago my youngest daughter rode home with a couple of the church members.  When the car stopped at the member's house, my youngest daughter pre-school age, exited the car with her sweater draped over her shoulder and said, "This is how Ms. Barbara wears her sweater."  The church member exclaimed, "I never new that anyone was watching me and noticing, even to how I wear my clothes."
     Wouldn't it be wonderful if all of the leaders would be like the Apostle Paul.  His concept of leadership would be, "You can follow me as I follow the Lord."  Such a contrast to the modern day leader who would lead by saying, "Don't do like I do, do like I say do."
     You have a choice, lead or follow, but get out of the way!

Christians are committed, but to what?

     The annual community Fourth of July picnic was coming up and the hen and the hog were discussing what they might contribute to the festival.  The hen said, "Mr. Hog, I think it would be well if we contributed ham and eggs to the festival this year."
     The hog responded to the hen, "Mrs. Hen, for you that would be a contribution, but for me it would be a commitment!"
     It seems as if far too often we find that more church members are content to just be a contributor instead of being committed to the cause of Christ.  That is difficult to understand when most church members who have had a definite experience with Christ will readily admit that the personal experience with Christ was the greatest thing that ever happened to them.
     So often we find that church members are committed to the house payment, the car payment, former loans that have to be paid--committed,  committed, committed.  We are committed to things of lesser importance than what should be our commitment to Christ.  After all, we contribute our time to the church on Sunday morning, some even contribute Sunday night and Wednesday night also.  We contribute our offerings to the church, even though many actually fail to contribute anything since the first ten percent already belongs to Him. 
     Perhaps the one thing that puts everything else in it's proper perspective is the failure of the average Christian to make a commitment to win others to Christ.  If the statement is true, the greatest thing that every happened to me was when I came to know Jesus as my personal saviour then, the greatest thing I can do for someone else is to introduce them to Jesus Christ as their saviour.
     A children's poem went something like this, "What can I give him, as poor as I am?  If I were a shepherd I would give Him a lamb;  If I were a wise man, I would do my part,  What can I give him?  I give him my heart."
     What will you give?  Ham or eggs?

 

The Judgement Is Not a Joke

     What do you say upon leaving a church service and shaking the preacher's hand?  Some say, "I really enjoyed your sermon today, Reverend.  However, it really was not the intent for the individual to "enjoy" the sermon.   One gentleman always said upon exiting the church, "Preacher, you really preached to them today."  He was never included in those to which the message was preached.  There came the Sunday evening when a torrential downpour and sever lighting struck just at the time for church.  No one showed up except the one gentleman, who thought the message was always for "them".  The preacher seized the opportunity and delivered a message especially designed for the needs and the faults of that gentleman.  After the conclusion of the sermon the gentleman, standing with the preacher in the vestibule said, "Preacher, if they had been here tonight you would have really give it to them."
     He must have been some kin to the lady who remarked as the band passed by,  "Would you just look at that. Everyone is out of step except my son, John.
     Their ancestors lived in Jesus day, and He scolded them in what must have been a humorous application of a very serious problem.  What He said, in today's language, went something like this:  I do not believe you are standing there with a 2 by 4 beam sticking out of your eye and criticizing the man who has a small splinter in his.
     We have blindly closed our eyes to the actual extend of sin.  We have different levels of sin, as to their severity.  First, there are the smallest of sins.  These are the sins I sometimes commit.  Secondly there are slightly larger sins than what I commit, and my friends are those who commit this type of sin.  Lastly, there are the extremely gross sins, which neither I nor my friends commit.  These are sins that when I mention them I always say that "they" commit.
     Even looking at a list of the ten commandments, I find that the sins we usually consider the more vile and terrible sins come in the second half of the list. In the order that God listed them, number one was having no other God before him.  Then he cautioned them about making graven images, taking his name in vain, remembering to keep the Sabbath, and even honoring our parents; all of those before he gets to our most important list.
     If that reasoning is not enough to capture our attention, consider He also said, "He that offends in one point is guilty of the whole law."  Could that possibly mean that my small sins which I commit make me as guilty as "they" and their enormous sins?  I think so.
     When each of us square off before God at the judgement, our thoughts of our own goodness or our judgemental attitude toward others will make no difference.  The books will be opened and we will be judged according to the things written in the books.  But, thanks be to God, your eternal home is not dependent upon how good you were or how bad someone else was; it is determined when the Book of Life is opened.  Whosoever's name is not written in that book is cast into the lake of fire.  Your name is not written there if you die without accepting Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
     The judgement is not a joke.

Do you attend a church or belong to a church?

      Bill's name came up in a discussion around the village coffee table.  Someone then asked the pastor of the First Baptist Church if Bill belonged to First Baptist Church.  The pastor responded, "Bill does not support any of the outside activities of the church, so his influence does not belong to the church.  He does not give any offerings to the church, so his money does not belong to the church.  He never attends, except Easter and Christmas, so his time does not belong to the church.  His name is on the church roll, but I can truthfully say, Bill does not belong to First Baptist Church."
     There is something special about the sense of "belonging".  The young man says to the young woman, "From this day forward, I belong to you."  There is a special feeling of being a part of a team, whether it be a sports team or some other form of unified effort.  Oh, just to be a part of something; to have the feeling of belonging.
     I fear that there are far too many "things" to which we may belong.  It very well could be that Bill belonged to several organizations or groups, to the detriment of the church.  God will not share first place in the life of an individual any more than he will take second place.  Remember, you can not serve two masters for you will love the one and turn away from the other.  Most people are going to have a master.  Either Christ will be your master or sin will be your master.  Which shall it be with you?
     I know from experience in my own life and from observing those around me, if you become a servant to sin it will destroy your life.  Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay and cost you more than you want to pay.
     To "belong" to the church puts you in the same group with the greatest names in the history of the world.  There has never been a movement as great as the church.  No other organization (though the church is more of an organism) has involved the movement of angels in such a manner as the church.  At the birth of the church's founder, angels announced his arrival.  At his death, angel's watched over his borrowed tomb much better than the Roman guards.  Shortly after his resurrection an angel announced that fact.  When he ascended into heaven, angels stood by and reminded the disciples he would come back in like manner.
     Our life will count for naught until we do what we ought.  WHERE DO YOU BELONG?

Special Education Is not Education

     An elderly farmer was seen standing in the middle of the road, staring intently at a piece of rope which he held in his hand.  Another gentleman walking by, stopped,, and inquired of the farmer, "What seems to be the problem you have?"
     The farmer, still staring at the rope responded, "I don't know whether I have lost a mule or found a rope."
     Something similiar to this situation is happening today in education.  Educational leaders are looking at what should be a good program and trying to decide if special education is either special or if it's even education.  What could have been a stepping stone to enable students to take an active part in society after school has become a stumbling block.
     In many situations the only thing "special" about special education is the treatment that the student receives and the manner in which he is entitled to behave. There should never be a case in which a special education student is allowed to be a disruptive force in the school system.  In far too many cases, the majority of discipline problems are the problems caused by special education students.  When asked about this situation, one special education teacher said their behaviorial problem was part of the learning disability.  Hogwash!  In the days prior to special education this was not so.  Go back even before integration, in both the black and white schools, you had students that did not learn as easily as others, yet they were not discipline problems.
     A prime example of the problem would be as follows:   A student in the nineth grade is in special education in math.  He/she is supposed to take algebra, but is given a course in math that would be equivalent to a third or fourth grade student.  Consider, this student cannot fail!  He/she is given a grade for performing at a third or fourth grade level in algebra.  Next year, we will put them in algebra II (they have not worked an algebra problem yet), and they will repeat the same third or fourth grade math content.  Repeat this for the next year in geometry, "graduate" him/her, give them pell grants, and send them on to college.
     The student may or may not attend school half of the time, but that makes no difference--they are in special ed!  Call it what you wish, but the student has not received an education.  We have failed the student in all of the special services that we have provided; we failed to provide an education.  The student has become dependent upon the system to give him/her an "education" and chances are he/she will be dependent upon society to provide the necessities of life.

Christian Loyalty Should Not Be A Joke

     The preacher was talking with Pat the Irishman and asked, "Pat, if you had two million dollars, do you love God enough that you would give him one of them?"
     Pat said, "Preacher, I am surprised that you would even ask me that.  You know I love God enough that I would give him a million if I had two million."
     Then the preacher asked, "Pat, if you had two black-land farms, do you love God enough to give him one of them?"
     Again Pat responded as if his feelings were a little hurt, "Preacher, you know I love God enough to give him one of the farms if I had two farms."
     To which the preacher continued, "Pat, if you had two Poland China hogs, do you love God enough to give him one of the hogs?"
     To which Pat quickly stated, "Now preacher, you knew I had those two hogs before you even asked."
     If we would be truthful, we all have had a little of Pat's attitude, much too often.  We think of what we would do if the situation were just right, if we suddenly had plenty of money, or if the right opportunity came along; then we would be a better witness for God.  Part of our problem is that we are unaware of the fact that God has already equipped us with the necessary tools to be a witness for Him.  It is not a question of our ability; it is a question of our availability!
     I recall a situation that occurred when I was between pastorates.  I wanted to be sure that I continued to be a witness and often prayed that God would give me an opportunity to be a witness for him.  I left the house one morning and it was raining "cats and dogs".  I drove by a car that was stopped on the side of the road with a flat tire.  About that time I again prayed, Lord give me an opportunity to do something good today.  It did not take an audible voice to get the message across to me.  The message was loud and clear.  I immediately turned around and went back to help fix the flat.
     There is no way to measure the value of eternal life that God has given to each of his children.  But, ever so often, we act as if the only purpose for Him granting us eternal life was so we could miss hell and make heaven.  He wants each of us to surrender totally and completely to Him.  He does not want a part of your life, He wants to be prominent.  To not allow him the prominence in your life is to share part of your life with another "god".  "You cannot serve two masters."  Many people have to have a second job to make ends meet.  We call this moonlighting.  God is not a moonlighting
God.
     The concept is no different than the Christian being a slave to Jesus.  He went into the marketplace of sin and paid the complete price in order to redeem us from sin.  But, you say, I don't want to be a slave.  You already are.  Without a complete surrender to Jesus you will become a slave to sin.  You will never know what complete happiness is until you change masters.  You cannot serve two masters.

     Christian loyalty is no laughing matter.

The Joke of Education

     The mother had arrived at school, mad and upset, because of something her daughter had said happened at school.  The teacher defused the situation when she said, "Mrs. Brown, if you won't believe what your daughter says happens at school, I won't believe what she says happens at home."
     There are thousands of jokes that center around the education system, but none of them compare to the joke of today's education, itself.  The education system is operating in a manner today that can only end in failure.  A generation ago a person received a diploma that announced, in so many words, "has successfully completed the course of study."  Others, who were not so successful, received a "certificate of attendance".  There was no stigma attached to the student while he was in school or after graduation.  For all practical purposes, when they entered the workforce there was no way of telling if they had received a diploma or a certificate of attendance.  No longer is this true.
     Today the school system has developed what is known as "special education."  Now most people would agree there is a need for a person to receive special aids and helps in order to achieve an education commensurate with their ability.  But, that does not mean the standard for education is to be lowered just so someone can receive a "diploma".
     It is possible, in many situations, that a student in special education can graduate with the same diploma as the honor students, having "completed" algebra I, algebra II and geometry, and they cannot even add, subtract, multiply or divide simple elementary math problems.
     Too often, once a child is labeled "special education", the school has established a pattern in which the child knows he does not have to measure up to the standard of normal educational levels,  they only need measure up to a standard established just for that student.  By the time the student reaches high school they understand the system and the difficulty the teacher has in giving him a failing grade.  They will boldly state, "You can't fail me!" The student actually becomes "special."  Rules and regulations are set for him in such a way that enables him to behave differently from other students.  Could that be the reason why there is a far greater percentage of "special education" students who create more discipline problems than the rest of the student body?  A special education student who has exhausted all disciplinary options the school may have, may be sent to the alternative education program.  I have seen cases where, accompanying the student to his new atmosphere would be the note, "will graduate in May."  Regardless of whether he passes an assignment, attends school, or behaves in the worse possible manner--"will graduate in May."
     Many special education students go on to college with financial aid.  Shall we continue the concept through college and graduate schools?  (I bet it would be a surprise to the heart patient if he were to find out his heart surgeon was a special education graduate from medical school!)
     Students who miss an enormous amount of days at school are given an opportunity to spend a few hours on the computer and recover those lost days.  Or, if they have failed a course over eighteen weeks of study, they can re-mediate that work in a few hours.  Did I say, Education is a Joke?  It is, and the primary jokester is the federal government.
     How about the government's innovation, "No child left behind?"  I am here to tell you, that is a program that is working.  Rest assured, no child is being left behind--we are leaving about thirty percent of the students back there with him.  The government operates under the misguided idea that everyone is equal.  As wise as Thomas Jefferson was, his statement--"all men are created equal", is totally wrong.  What about the blind man, what about the cripple child, what of those that are afflicted from birth with catastrophic illness?  Ask them or their parents if everyone is created equal.  You know the answer to that even though many a blind person has had a very successful life; many a crippled person have overcome crippling illnesses.  But, the government would handicap them to the extent that they could not succeed, and then destroy their will to succeed by making them dependent upon the state.
     The number one preoccupation in the school system today is the "test scores."  The current school is graded by how successful it is by the scores on the test material.  We are back to the notion that all of the students in all of the schools are the same; with the same opportunities.  What is wrong with the old fashioned idea that a school is judged, how successful it is by the productivity of the students which it sends out into society.
     The previous generation, without government interference, put men on the moon and brought them safely home.  The government is producing a generation that cannot even find the post office.
     Education is a joke, but no one is laughing.

That's My Fault

     The present generation has coined a phrase, "My Bad."  It is a short way of saying one of the more difficult things to say, "That's my fault."
     In a basketball game in the Mississippi delta a visiting girl's team thought they were being cheated by the referees.  The coach had ranted, raved, coaxed, and begged for a break.  He had called his last time out in an attempt to talk to the officials and also to encourage his girls to play harder.
     The team returned to the court with the home team putting the ball in play under the visitor's basket.  Number 23 on the visiting team assumed a guarding position on one of the referees and guarded him closely all of the way down the floor.  Finally, the much perplexed official calls an official time-out and approaches the visiting coach.  He said, "Coach, there is something wrong with your number 23."
     The coach questioned the official with, "What seems to be the problem?"
     The official answered, "She's guarding me!"
     "My goodness, ref," the coach responded, "That's my fault, I told her to get the one that was hurting us the most."
     There are times in the lives of every individual when he or she should say, "That's my fault."  Wouldn't it be great if every senator and representative would say, when confronted with the problems if the nation, "That's my fault."  Instead the Democrats want to blame the Republicans and the Republicans want to blame the Democrats.
     Each should say on the controversial health plan, "That.s my fault."  If they would have come before the nation and said that a health plan was needed and they were doing away with their own health care plan and  would now be under the same plan with the citizens, many would have looked at the plan differently.  The  condition of the social security program is another place where they should say, "It's my fault."  They expect a retirement program for themselves to be a lavish program and others get by on a meager existance.
     Don't you think it is about time that the professional politicians become public servants, as they started out shortly after the birth of our nation.  Congress should not be able to pass laws that affect the citizens of the United States without affecting them, nor, should they be able to pass a law affecting them that does not apply to the citizens of the United States.
     Certainly the same argument should be made in the Christian arena.  What's the problem with the local church?  What is the problem with the spiritual condition of our communities?  The old spiritual says it best, "It's not my father nor my mother, but it's me, oh, Lord, standing in the need of prayer."  If you really want revival to come to our nation, get down in your living room, draw a circle around yourself, then ask God to get everyone in the circle right with Him, then revival will come.
     I have heard many wanting to blame God for things in their life.  Confess to God like the coach said, "It's my fault!" 
    

Danger In Going To Far

     Everyone has seen the scene that is about to be described.  In a hotly contested basketball game, the coach jumps up from the bench and before he realizes it, he is a three or four steps out onto the court. The official is standing nearby and turns to look at the coach.  The official had heard of a previous game in which the coach was penalized a technical for each step it took to get back to the bench.  He says to the coach, "Coach, that will be a technical foul for coming onto the court and one for each step it takes to get back to the bench."
      The coach realized that his emotions had carried him to far, so he said to his team, "Boys, come get me!"  The players carried the coach to the bench, put him down facing the bench and when the coach took the two steps to get turned around was assessed two more technical fouls.
     Someone has so wisely said, "Sin will take you farther than you want to go; keep you longer than you want to stay; and cost you more than you want to pay."
     It would be a rare individual who has not gone to far in life, in some type of situation.  We, like the coach, did not intend to be in that situation.  And like the coach, we suddenly realize that we are going to need some help in getting out of the predictament.  The coach really did not gain much, if anything, since he used two steps to turn around.  His team, tried as hard as they could, but to no avail.
     In the area of obtaining a right relationship with God, we find ourselves identifying with the coach.  In the first place, the lost man's standing before God is one that he must first realize his lost conditiion.  "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God."  Romans 3:23.  He is afar from God from the moment of realizing right from wrong.  There is a sin debt that must be paid.  All attempts a lost person makes to, "get back on the bench",  leaves him short.  You can turn over a new leaf, join the church, be baptised, do all manner of works and you will still be facing the bench.
     Only a faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, believing in his blood atonement and resurrection will square things with God.
     Even after we are saved the quote in the beginning is still true for us:  "Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay and cost you more than you want to pay.'

What a Footwashing!!

     It happened in a rural community prior to electricity being installed in the homes.  Very few families had cars so they either rode in a wagon or walked to church each Sunday.  Following church the pastor of the Freewell Baptist Church always went home with a family for lunch and spent the afternoon with them. 
     This particular day the preacher was spending the afternoon with a family who had three boys and two girls.  Sunday afternoon, during this era, was spent leisurely relaxing.  Occasionally, a game of shoreshoes or washers might be played.  This was to be a special day for the members of the Freewell Baptist Church; they were going to have a footwashing at church that night.  You see, unlike most Baptist churches, who only have two church ordinances (baptism and communion), the Freewell Baptists have a third ordinance-- footwashing.  During the observance of the ordiance they would wash one another's feet.
     In anticipation of the upcoming event, the pastor took a pan of water to the back steps and proceeded to wash his foot.  While he washed his foot, one of the boys slipped the preacher's sock, carried it into the kitchen and put some suet into the sock.  He replaced the sock for the preacher without the preacher being aware of what had happened.
     Fast forward to the observance of the footwashing ordinance.  The preacher is seated in front of the congregation and removes his shoe and sock.  The newly washed foot is as black as the ace of spades.  There was an audiable gasp followed by an outburst of laughter.  Laughter is obviously uncommon during such a solemn occassion, but sometimes laughter can not be controlled, even in such a solemn situation.
     Everything that the preacher could possibly do to present himself in a pleasing manner, he did.  Yet in the moment of presentation, his appearance was totally unacceptable.  There is a day of judgement in which every person must appear before God.  I will not go  into a discussion of the various judgements, but just the fact that we all shall be judged.  Only those who have their name written in the Book of Life will be acceptable at the judgement.
     All attempts to make yourself presentable before God will leave a person as embarassed as the preacher at the footwashing.  Only this embarrasement will result in an eternity in hell.
     The old song says it best, "What can wash away my sin; nothing but the blood of Jesus, What can make me whole again, nothing but the blood of Jesus."

The Way of The Cross

The following is an excerpt from the book, So? Whatever!

The tent evangelist had just come into town and was setting up his tent.  A young boy watching the process was asked by the evangelist, “Do you know where the post office is?”  After the lad had given directions, the preacher said, “Son, come back tonight and I will tell you the way to heaven.”  The boy responded, “How can you do that when you couldn’t find the post office?”

Make no mistake about it, the boy had his priorities in the right order.  There are a lot of things in life you may not know, and because of the lack of information, life may be more difficult.  But the way to heaven is the most important piece of knowledge that you can obtain.  The way is well marked with a red thread that extends from Genesis thru Revelation, and that is the way of the cross.  When you come to a fork in the crossroad of life which way will you take -  the way of the cross or the way of the world?

Philippians 1:21    For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

 

An escort out of town is needed

     It happened during a  basketball game in Southeast Arkansas.  The home team thought they were being cheated by the officials and throughout the night the verbal abuse increased in volume and in content.  One large, burly guy was standing under one of the goals and was more vocal than anyone else in the entire gym.  Finally, one of the officials had all he intended to take.  He stopped the game and informed the superintendent that only after the removal of the fan would the game continue.  The fan was removed from the game.
     The rest of the crowd picked up the tempo in hurling abuse upon the official.  Mercifully, the game was finally over and the official made a hasty exit to the coach's office.  However, the crowd did not leave.  They continued milling around both in the gym and on the outside.  The referee said to the coach, "Do you think we might be able to get the sheriff to come and give us an escort out of town?"
     The coach responded, "I doubt it.  You see that was the sheriff that you had ejected."
     Now, the referee did not know he might need that large burly man when he had him ejected from the gum.  If he had. the ejection would never have taken place.
     After Jesus had cast out the legion of demons from the man in Gadera, the people asked him to depart from their coast.
     It is a sad day, indeed, when a country asks Jesus to depart from their coast.  I am so afraid that we have approached that point in America.  We bar his commandments from public places, prayer to him is forbidden in many numerous public places.  We would even bar him from our public schools.  He made us great as a nation in the past and we will need him if we are to remain great.
     Many an individual ejects him from most of the events in their life.  Take the referee's word--that is not a smart thing to do.  You will need him farther on down the road.