Remember!

Scripture tells us to remember such things as, the poor, the words of the Lord Jesus, Lot's wife, that Jesus was raised from the dead, them that have the rule over you, from whence though art fallen, etc. We should remember where God found us and what shape we were in, and give thanks forever.
This weekend is memorial day weekend. All across the US and around the world, folks will pause and remember those who have given their lives for their country's freedom. It is good to render honor where honor is due, and honor is due these fallen men and women. Remember to pray for their families and loved ones. Their cost was great and they should be greatly remembered.

Snared By Your Word!

Sam Findley decided it was time to retire from the garment business. So he called in his son Mervyn and gave him the news and a bit of advice: "Son, it's all yours. I've made a success of this business because of two principles: reliability and wisdom. First, take reliability. If you promise goods by the tenth of the month, no matter what happens, you must deliver by the tenth. Even if it costs you overtime, double time, golden time. You deliver what you promise."

Mervyn thought about this for a few moments and then asked. "But what about wisdom?" His father shot back: "Wisdom is never making such a stupid promise."

The wisdom here is to be careful not to snare yourself with your words and promise to do or deliver something that you can not. It is a painful lesson to learn, but all must learn it or find themselves in situations of great stress. Let's all be careful to choose our words carefully and wisely.

The Spirit Of Truth!

A new business went in close to our home recently. We watched as the building was cleaned up and painted some. We wondered what was going in that small building, and then the day came when a sign went up. It was a very undesirable business from our perspective, a psychic readings business. I said to my wife, "now that just isn't good," and we prayed that God would close it down. Well the short version is, God did close it down. It didn't happen overnight, but it soon happened, and we just want to thank the Lord for that closing.

God's word in Leviticus 19:31 says, "Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God." This scripture makes it clear that we Christians are not to seek guidance from someone with a familiar spirit, such as Saul did in I Samuel 28. As we walk with God, he will make known his will to us. Jesus said in John 16 that the Spirit of truth (the Holy Spirit) is come, and he will lead us into all truth.

The Greatest Is Love!

Many will say that they love someone, but looked at closely, they don't really love the person as love is meant to be. Perhaps they say they love a person, but only if the person loved is able to do something for them. True love is not that way, and true love never fails, and true love comes only from God. It is easily read about in the Bible in I Corinthians 13. The last verse of that chapter says, And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. The greatest is always love, when it is God's love!

A Happy Heart!

An invisible man married an invisible woman. Their kids weren't much to look at either. In the KJV, Proverbs 17:22 says, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones."In the Amplified Version it says it this way, "A happy heart is a good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries the bones." I like this happy heart and cheerful mind stuff. It really is good for our health. I know that it is invisible to some, but don't worry be of good cheer, and go ahead and enjoy. Have a happy and merry weekend.

Let Your Moderation Be Known To All Men!

Philippians 4:5 says, "Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is at hand." In this case moderation means, unselfishness, considerateness, and a forbearing spirit. To prefer someone over ourselves would surely show unselfishness and considerateness. In Romans 12:10 it reads in the KJV, "Be kindly affectioned one to another, with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another." In the Amplified Version it reads, "Love one another with brotherly affection -- as members of one family giving precedence and showing honor to one another."

To be forbearing might be summed up best in the Lords words in Matthew 5:39, "But I say unto you. That you resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also." Being known as having moderation is no small matter. It is only God who accomplishes this in our lives. Let's all yield our lives to God for the needed surgery to become known as brothers and sisters who walk in moderation.

Trust

Trust is like a piece of furniture. It can be broken. It can be repaired. But the question is, "will it ever be the same?" I know from experience, that it is always right to trust the Lord. He is always reliable and trustworthy. God desires restoration and forgiveness when trust has been broken. The forgiveness should happen instantly, but the restoring of the trust takes a time of faithfulness. And as someone once wisely said, "it could happen."

Love In Deed And In Truth!

Ruth M Walsh wrote, "I was naked and you questioned my lack of modesty in my appearance. I was imprisoned, and you debated the legal aspects of interference. I was penniless, and you discussed tax-deductible donations from your wealth. I was sick, and you thanked the Lord for the blessings of your health. I was hungry and, you formed a club to study malnutrition. I was homeless, and you said God's love was shelter under any condition. I was lonely, and you left me by myself while you and your friends prayed. You seem so holy and close to God. Yet I'm still sick and alone and afraid!"
I John 3:17-18 says it this way, "But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."

Gratitude!

A man was watching his eighty-year old neighbor planting a small peach tree. He inquired of him as follows: "You don't expect to eat peaches from that tree, do you?" The old man rested on his spade. He said, "No at my age I know I won't. But all my life I've enjoyed peaches although never directly from a tree I planted myself. I'm just trying to pay back the other fellows who planted the trees for me."
Someone paved the way for us, I wonder if we are grateful to them, or do we feel like it was owed to us. Unfortunately that is the way many think and act. Hopefully not us!

How Much?

Psalm 37:16 says, "A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked." Another verse with a similar message is Proverbs 15:16 which reads, "Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble therewith." The writer of Proverbs 30:7-9 wrote, "Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal and take the name of my God in vain." God knows how much is enough for each of our lives. Will we trust him in this regard?
I hope and pray that we will!

When Is A Liar No Longer A Liar?

When is a liar no longer a liar? A liar is no longer a liar when he/she becomes a truth teller. (Ephesians 4:25) When is a thief no longer a thief? A thief is no longer a thief when he gets a job and works to help meet the needs of those who have needs. (Ephesians 4:28) The Apostle Paul speaking in Ephesians 4: 22, 24, talks about needed change in our lives. We are to put off the old man and put on the new man. If we were a liar, we must become a truth teller. If we were a thief, we must work so we will have to give to him that has need. In the life of a Christian, God wants to bring observable changes in the way we do things and the way we think about life. Ephesians chapter 4 lists a number of things that we need to look at to see if change is needed in our lives. Let's all take a peek at it and see if there isn't something to be changed in our lives. God in his great mercy loved us, saved us, and will change us as we yield to his word and way.

Do You Like Change?

This time of year always represents change for all of us. We have now gone through the winter season to the spring season, although someone forgot to get the message to several parts of the country. This is also the time when young people are graduating from High School and from College. These graduations represent great change for the individuals and families involved. Right in the midst of these human happenings, God continues to change us into the image of our Lord Jesus Christ. Do you like change? I do sometimes, but on many occasions change can be a hard thing to face and embrace. May the Lord help us all to face what is before us, knowing that whatever it is, He will be right in the midst of it helping us, all along the way.

Mother's Living Faith!

The preacher G. Campbell Morgan had four sons, all of whom were preachers. The youngest son, Howard, considered a fine preacher, once took his father's place on this side of the Atlantic while Dr. Morgan preached in London. Some came into the drawing room when the family was there and, thinking to find out what Howard was made of, asked a question: "Howard, who is the greatest preacher in your family?" Without a moment's hesitation he answered, "My mother." Sometimes men and women who never stand at a pulpit preach the greatest sermons through living out the Word in their daily lives. I hope you mothers will keep on living out your faith before all mankind, especially your children, for they are watching and learning what a living faith is all about.
Happy Mother's Day and thank you!

Mother!

Someone has said, "I finally found a Mother's Day card that expressed my feelings for my mother in real terms." It said, "Now that we have a mature, adult relationship, there's something I'd like to tell you. You're still the first person I think of when I fall down and go boom!" Or did you hear the following story, On Mother's Day a minister gave this perfect tribute: "My mother practices what I preach."
I hope all of you mothers have a great Mother's Day.

Such A Friend!

One could not but be moved by the story of the soldier who asked his officer if he might go out in the "No Man's Land" between the trenches in WWI to bring in one of his friends who lay grievously wounded. "You can go," said the officer, "but it's not worth it. Your friend is probably killed, and you will throw your own life away." But the man went. Somehow he managed to get to his friend, hoist him onto his shoulder, and bring him back to the trenches. The two of them tumbled in together and lay in the trench bottom. The officer looked very tenderly on the would-be rescuer, and then he said, "I told you it wouldn't be worth it. Your friend is dead and you are mortally wounded." "It was worth it, though, sir," he said. "How do you mean, 'worth it? I tell you your friend is dead." "Yes sir," the boy answered, "but it was worth it, because when I got to him he was still alive, and he said to me, 'Jim, I knew you'd come.'"

Do we have a friend such as this? The song writer wrote about our Lord Jesus Christ, "What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear!" Jesus himself said in Hebrews 13:5b, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So I figure that we do have such a friend.

The Lord Knows The Way Through The Wilderness!

Speaking of how the children of Israel fell several ways while in the wilderness, the Apostle Paul warningly says in I Corinthians 10:12, "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." It does seem like advice is least heeded when most needed. We have to walk with God according to his terms and conditions, not according to what we want or wish would happen. Some say that God's way is too hard, but it is really just God's way. When we yeild to his way, he helps us with what we view as hard. It is the Lord who knows the way through the wilderness, and not us. Shall we dare follow his steps and leading and venture out of our controlling comfort zones to get busy with the business that he has for each of us. He knows and we don't know, that is, until he tells us!

The Journey Of Life!

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not to thy own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Have you noticed that there is no itinerary for the journey of life, its a matter of trusting the Lord. God leads, guides, directs, corrects our paths. He loves to keep us on course for this journey of life. If we are having a difficult time figuring out what is going on in our lives, the answer is a prayer away. God answers yes, no, and wait. We probably aren't overly fond of the wait answer, and don't want to hear the no answer, but most always want the yes answer. We can go ahead and do anything we want, but the problem with doing what we always want is called rebellion and selfishness. Let's trust the Lord in our lives by acknowledging him in all our ways, then he will direct our paths and we will be safe on our life's journey. Remember rebellion and selfishness is the path to death, while trusting in the Lord is the path to life.