A noted business leader once said, "An institution may spread itself over the entire world and may employ a hundred thousand people, but the average person will form his judgment of it through his contact with one individual."
This is nowhere more true than in the church. Large sums may be expended to build the church's image through radio, television, and newspaper ads. But family and friends will form their views of the church by what they see in you. They see the church as cold, friendless, disagreeable, or warm, friendly, helpful, as they see these qualities in you. Here is a type of personal evangelism which all can do; be sure that the church reflected in our lives is the church as God would have it. May each of us so live that we can say as the song suggests, "Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me."
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Marriage
A husband and wife reached a milestone in their marriage. They had been married for over 50 years. Their family and friends hosted a reception in their honor. The place was full to overflowing with well-wishers. Among this number were many people who were curious about their secrets to successful marriage.
Before the entire group of guests, the wife responded, "On my wedding day, I decided to make a list of ten of my husband's faults that, for the sake of our marriage, I would overlook."
Everyone thought about the wisdom of those words. Most of the guests had to admit that they had been unwilling to do that on their own. Like most people, they had been guilty of holding the faults of their spouse against them for some time.
One young lady was very curious about what the other woman had said. She and her husband had been having some difficulties recently and she wanted to do all she could to keep their marriage together. On the way out of the door at the conclusion of the event, she asked the older woman for some of the faults that she had decided to overlook.
"To tell you the truth, my dear, I never did get around to listing them. But, whenever my husband did something that made me hopping mad, I would say to myself, 'Lucky for him that's one of the ten!'" This wife was really saying that no matter what her husband did, she was not willing to give up on the relationship. Marriage is for life!
Before the entire group of guests, the wife responded, "On my wedding day, I decided to make a list of ten of my husband's faults that, for the sake of our marriage, I would overlook."
Everyone thought about the wisdom of those words. Most of the guests had to admit that they had been unwilling to do that on their own. Like most people, they had been guilty of holding the faults of their spouse against them for some time.
One young lady was very curious about what the other woman had said. She and her husband had been having some difficulties recently and she wanted to do all she could to keep their marriage together. On the way out of the door at the conclusion of the event, she asked the older woman for some of the faults that she had decided to overlook.
"To tell you the truth, my dear, I never did get around to listing them. But, whenever my husband did something that made me hopping mad, I would say to myself, 'Lucky for him that's one of the ten!'" This wife was really saying that no matter what her husband did, she was not willing to give up on the relationship. Marriage is for life!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Birthday
A few weeks ago someone asked me the question "If Jesus wasn't born in December, then when was He born and give me a bible answer?" I have to admit, I didn't have the answer to this question. During my search for an answer to the question, I discovered there is an answer to the question in the Bible although an exact month can't be found, we can determine that it wasn't December. Get your Bible and check this out.
In 1 Chronicles 24:10 we read where the priests were divided into 24 courses, These courses were for the purpose of fulfilling the responsibilities of the priests in the temple. Each course would serve for one week, twice each year, and then all of the priests would serve during the feasts weeks during the year. In Luke 1:5, we see that Zecharias was a priest who descended from Abia (Abijah). According to 1 Chronicles 24:10, the descendants of Abijah would serve as the 8th course in the order of the priests. Now if we check the Jewish calendar, we would learn that the Jewish year began with the month Abib, which corresponds with our calendar at the end of March and through most of April. Now count the weeks at this particular point, adding a week for the feast of unleavened bread (Leviticus 23:6), we learn that the first course of which Zecharias served each year happened during the first week of Sivan (which corresponds with the end of May on our calendars). There were 24 courses of weeks for the priests to serve, which meant that Zecharias had to serve a second week, and that second week in his course would be about the third week of Chisleu (which corresponds with the early to mid part of December on our calendars).
Now observe the text in Luke 1, where Zecharias was told that he would have a son named John, he was fulfilling one of the normal weeks of his priestly course, which means he was either serving in the first week of Sivan (late May or early June), or the third week of Chisleu (early to middle December).
After the angel appeared to him, and his duties were fulfilled, he went home and his wife conceived (Luke 1:23,24). Six months later another individual received a visit from a heavenly messenger telling her that she would also bear a son: her name was Mary (Luke 1:26-27, 36). Now if Zecharias was fulfilling his first course of the priestly responsibilities when the angel appeared to him, then he was working during the first week of Sivan (end of May to early June). Counting 9 months from his return home after this week, one finds that John the Immerser, cousin of Jesus, would have been born during our month of March: continue counting six months for the birth of Christ, he would have been born in September.
But if Zecharias were to be fulfilling the second course of his priestly responsibilities he was serving during the third week of Chisleu (early to middle December). Now, counting 9 months from his return home after this week, one finds that John the Immerser would have been born during our month of September: adding 6 months for the birth of Christ you would find him being born in March. Obviously the text would lead us to believe that Jesus was not born on December 25, but rather that he would most likely have been born either in March or September.
We should be thankful that Jesus was born into this world, but the center of our focus should not be His birth, but rather the death that He died for you and me.
In 1 Chronicles 24:10 we read where the priests were divided into 24 courses, These courses were for the purpose of fulfilling the responsibilities of the priests in the temple. Each course would serve for one week, twice each year, and then all of the priests would serve during the feasts weeks during the year. In Luke 1:5, we see that Zecharias was a priest who descended from Abia (Abijah). According to 1 Chronicles 24:10, the descendants of Abijah would serve as the 8th course in the order of the priests. Now if we check the Jewish calendar, we would learn that the Jewish year began with the month Abib, which corresponds with our calendar at the end of March and through most of April. Now count the weeks at this particular point, adding a week for the feast of unleavened bread (Leviticus 23:6), we learn that the first course of which Zecharias served each year happened during the first week of Sivan (which corresponds with the end of May on our calendars). There were 24 courses of weeks for the priests to serve, which meant that Zecharias had to serve a second week, and that second week in his course would be about the third week of Chisleu (which corresponds with the early to mid part of December on our calendars).
Now observe the text in Luke 1, where Zecharias was told that he would have a son named John, he was fulfilling one of the normal weeks of his priestly course, which means he was either serving in the first week of Sivan (late May or early June), or the third week of Chisleu (early to middle December).
After the angel appeared to him, and his duties were fulfilled, he went home and his wife conceived (Luke 1:23,24). Six months later another individual received a visit from a heavenly messenger telling her that she would also bear a son: her name was Mary (Luke 1:26-27, 36). Now if Zecharias was fulfilling his first course of the priestly responsibilities when the angel appeared to him, then he was working during the first week of Sivan (end of May to early June). Counting 9 months from his return home after this week, one finds that John the Immerser, cousin of Jesus, would have been born during our month of March: continue counting six months for the birth of Christ, he would have been born in September.
But if Zecharias were to be fulfilling the second course of his priestly responsibilities he was serving during the third week of Chisleu (early to middle December). Now, counting 9 months from his return home after this week, one finds that John the Immerser would have been born during our month of September: adding 6 months for the birth of Christ you would find him being born in March. Obviously the text would lead us to believe that Jesus was not born on December 25, but rather that he would most likely have been born either in March or September.
We should be thankful that Jesus was born into this world, but the center of our focus should not be His birth, but rather the death that He died for you and me.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Seasons
Have you ever notice how some people who would ordinarily be difficult to get along with suddenly become quite joyous this time of the year? Then there are others who are ordinarily very cordial and likeable who seem to become almost "scrooge-like" during this particular time of the year. During this particular time of the year it seems that almost all of our society tries to become somewhat religious, even to the extent that many will decorate their houses in a religious way. Why so? Why is it that most all the world well attend some type of religious service during the week of December 25, but never go back any other time except maybe Easter? Don't get me wrong, I think it is a good thing that many in our society recognizes the fact that the Messiah did come into this world, but I think that this semblance of spirituality falls short of what God would want from us.
There are some serious misconceptions about the birth of Christ. It comes as no surprise, as there is a great amount of misconceptions about all "religious" subjects. Over the next few days we hope to examine some of the misconceptions aboul the birth of Christ.
How many wise men do you see when you think of the wise men that came to worship Jesus? Almost always the answer will be 3, and the reason for this response is that the Bible tells us that these wise men delivered three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. However, the Bible never mentions how many wise men came to worship Jesus (Matthew 2:1). It could have been 3, or it could have been as few as 2, or it could have been as many as you care to imagine. Since the Bible doesn't tell us, we just don't know, and to be dogmatic with a particular number would be to go beyond what God has said.
And what about these wise men? Where did they go when they left Herod? As I just mentioned, most view the wise men as coming to Bethlehem to worship the newborn Jesus, and offering their gifts to Him, but once again this is not what Scripture reveals. When the wise men left Herod and found Jesus, he was no longer an infant, but was now a "child" who was living in a "house" (Matthew 2:11). And it is at this point that they offer the gifts of worship to Him of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And it is likely that by this time Jesus was getting close to 2 years old. You see, the wise men didn't return to Herod after their visit with Jesus, as Herod had requested. As a result of this, Herod calculated the time of the birth to the time it was then, and then had all the male children in the area from 2 years old and down put to death (Matthew 2:16). Jesus would have been in this range.
And what about the star? What do you picture when thinking of the star? Most will picture the newborn Jesus lying in his mother's arms in a manger while the wise men bow down to him, and the star is shining brightly above the manger. But, none of this is accurate according to the Bible. The star didn't tell Herod or the wise men the whereabouts of Christ's birth, but simply told them that he had been born, and then later led them to his "house", not the "manger" (Matthew 2:9-11). The truth of the matter is that the Scriptures revealed the place of the birth of Christ, and this is what these men had followed (Matthew 2:5; Micah 5:2).
Obviously it is not difficult to see that there are some discrepancies in how man relates the birth of Christ and how the Bible reveals His birth to us. Join in with us tomorrow and we well examine what the Bible has to say about the date, the time of year of the birth of Christ.
Copied
There are some serious misconceptions about the birth of Christ. It comes as no surprise, as there is a great amount of misconceptions about all "religious" subjects. Over the next few days we hope to examine some of the misconceptions aboul the birth of Christ.
How many wise men do you see when you think of the wise men that came to worship Jesus? Almost always the answer will be 3, and the reason for this response is that the Bible tells us that these wise men delivered three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. However, the Bible never mentions how many wise men came to worship Jesus (Matthew 2:1). It could have been 3, or it could have been as few as 2, or it could have been as many as you care to imagine. Since the Bible doesn't tell us, we just don't know, and to be dogmatic with a particular number would be to go beyond what God has said.
And what about these wise men? Where did they go when they left Herod? As I just mentioned, most view the wise men as coming to Bethlehem to worship the newborn Jesus, and offering their gifts to Him, but once again this is not what Scripture reveals. When the wise men left Herod and found Jesus, he was no longer an infant, but was now a "child" who was living in a "house" (Matthew 2:11). And it is at this point that they offer the gifts of worship to Him of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And it is likely that by this time Jesus was getting close to 2 years old. You see, the wise men didn't return to Herod after their visit with Jesus, as Herod had requested. As a result of this, Herod calculated the time of the birth to the time it was then, and then had all the male children in the area from 2 years old and down put to death (Matthew 2:16). Jesus would have been in this range.
And what about the star? What do you picture when thinking of the star? Most will picture the newborn Jesus lying in his mother's arms in a manger while the wise men bow down to him, and the star is shining brightly above the manger. But, none of this is accurate according to the Bible. The star didn't tell Herod or the wise men the whereabouts of Christ's birth, but simply told them that he had been born, and then later led them to his "house", not the "manger" (Matthew 2:9-11). The truth of the matter is that the Scriptures revealed the place of the birth of Christ, and this is what these men had followed (Matthew 2:5; Micah 5:2).
Obviously it is not difficult to see that there are some discrepancies in how man relates the birth of Christ and how the Bible reveals His birth to us. Join in with us tomorrow and we well examine what the Bible has to say about the date, the time of year of the birth of Christ.
Copied
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is the unofficial beginning of the Holiday season and it has different meanings to each of us. For most it is being with family and friends, having too much delicious food and watching some football. Let’s not forget the huge sale papers advertising the bargains to be had by the early shoppers on “black Friday.” Most everyone is familiar with the story of the “first” Thanksgiving with the pilgrims and the Indians but I wonder how many know about the Proclamation issued by George Washington in 1789 which called for a national day of thanksgiving? It is a historical document that would be considered so “politically incorrect” by the misguided judges of today that it cannot even be studied by our children in school. Imagine that, a proclamation by the first President of the United States that can’t be studied by our children. Here is the text of that Proclamation:
Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.
Copied from Rep. Joey Hensley Newsleter
Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.
Copied from Rep. Joey Hensley Newsleter
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Thanks to Preachers
History has shown that the only thing that will give hope to this pessimistic world is preaching. God has alwaysused someone to stand up and preach in times of trouble.
Where there is trouble, God always has a spokesman -someone who wjll stand in the gap and preach love, or judgement if that is what is needed, who will direct our hearts and minds to the truth.
Jude 14 records how God used Enoch as his spokesperson to preach to men who were causing difficulties in the world. He had to deal with the same problems and issues we encounter today. Enoch proclaimed judgement to the people.
What would have happened to Noah two generations later If it were not for Enoch? Would he and his family remained faithful? Or would he have followed the same direction as everyone else?
2 Pet 2:5 states that Noah was a preacher of righteousness. He needed 120 years to build the ark because his full-time job was preaching. Building the ark was only done in his spare time.
What David did with Bathsheba and to her husband was wrong but he felt no remorse or guilt until Nathan came and made him aware of what he had done. Would we have known anything about David today if there had not been a Nathan? If God had not had a spokesman to go to David it's likely that we would not see him in eternity one day.
God speaks to us today through the author of Ecclesiastes, where His name is mentioned 37 times. The author of the book writes about God, the difficulties in the world and his attempts to find peace and happiness in a world gone crazy.
The book of Ecclesiastes was written by "the preacher" (Eccl1 :1 ). Solomon did not want his name or his kingly title associated with the book. He wanted readers to know that he was a preacher who had come to understand life as such, not because he was a king.
After identifying himself as a preacher Solomon declares that life is like "vanity of vanities". He found no value in his life, even as a highly respected king. At the end of the day this accomplished nothing for Solomon.
He set out on a search for meaning and truth (Eccl1 :12), which is what an effective preacher does.
Solomon used everything at his disposal to try to find meaning to life. He concluded that life under the sun did not provide the answers, but faith in God. After reaching this conclusion he taught the knowledge he had acquired to the people.
The world today needs people to acquire knowledge and share it with others.
The Church in particular needs men like the preacher who wrote Ecclesiastes. Because without preachers the same thing could happen to us that might have happened to Noah and David.
Imagine what would have hap- pened if there had not been an Isaiah, Jerimiah or Daniel?
How beautiful are those men who stand up and bring Good News to the world today.
There is no time to wait.
We need men and families who are willing to pay the cost and preach, whose faith in God is strong enough, who sense that God needs them and respond.
Copied
Where there is trouble, God always has a spokesman -someone who wjll stand in the gap and preach love, or judgement if that is what is needed, who will direct our hearts and minds to the truth.
Jude 14 records how God used Enoch as his spokesperson to preach to men who were causing difficulties in the world. He had to deal with the same problems and issues we encounter today. Enoch proclaimed judgement to the people.
What would have happened to Noah two generations later If it were not for Enoch? Would he and his family remained faithful? Or would he have followed the same direction as everyone else?
2 Pet 2:5 states that Noah was a preacher of righteousness. He needed 120 years to build the ark because his full-time job was preaching. Building the ark was only done in his spare time.
What David did with Bathsheba and to her husband was wrong but he felt no remorse or guilt until Nathan came and made him aware of what he had done. Would we have known anything about David today if there had not been a Nathan? If God had not had a spokesman to go to David it's likely that we would not see him in eternity one day.
God speaks to us today through the author of Ecclesiastes, where His name is mentioned 37 times. The author of the book writes about God, the difficulties in the world and his attempts to find peace and happiness in a world gone crazy.
The book of Ecclesiastes was written by "the preacher" (Eccl1 :1 ). Solomon did not want his name or his kingly title associated with the book. He wanted readers to know that he was a preacher who had come to understand life as such, not because he was a king.
After identifying himself as a preacher Solomon declares that life is like "vanity of vanities". He found no value in his life, even as a highly respected king. At the end of the day this accomplished nothing for Solomon.
He set out on a search for meaning and truth (Eccl1 :12), which is what an effective preacher does.
Solomon used everything at his disposal to try to find meaning to life. He concluded that life under the sun did not provide the answers, but faith in God. After reaching this conclusion he taught the knowledge he had acquired to the people.
The world today needs people to acquire knowledge and share it with others.
The Church in particular needs men like the preacher who wrote Ecclesiastes. Because without preachers the same thing could happen to us that might have happened to Noah and David.
Imagine what would have hap- pened if there had not been an Isaiah, Jerimiah or Daniel?
How beautiful are those men who stand up and bring Good News to the world today.
There is no time to wait.
We need men and families who are willing to pay the cost and preach, whose faith in God is strong enough, who sense that God needs them and respond.
Copied
Friday, October 1, 2010
Worship
Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the Lord"..
When a person leaves a church worship service complaining about the quality of the singing, the length of the announcements, or a poorly delivered sermon, he himself may be the problem.
Getting little or no benefit from a worship service is somewhat like going into a huge department store and coming out with a 99-cent item. Literally hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of merchandise are available, but the shopper will take away with him only what he has come prepared to get.
If we enter the church worship service expecting a blessing, we have taken the first step to receiving one. If we participate with a genuine desire to hear God speak to us through the Scriptures, we will surely come away with our hearts filled. But we are bound to depart empty handed if we merely go out of a sense of duty, attend with a critical attitude, or bear ill will toward the minister or fellow members.
The next time you go to church, go in the spirit of the psalmist, who declared, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of Lord" (Ps. 122:1). Then the hymns of praise, the fellowship of believers, and the preaching of the Word will bless your soul!
To be spiritually fed, go to the worship service with a good appetite, not a bad attitude!
Copied...
When a person leaves a church worship service complaining about the quality of the singing, the length of the announcements, or a poorly delivered sermon, he himself may be the problem.
Getting little or no benefit from a worship service is somewhat like going into a huge department store and coming out with a 99-cent item. Literally hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of merchandise are available, but the shopper will take away with him only what he has come prepared to get.
If we enter the church worship service expecting a blessing, we have taken the first step to receiving one. If we participate with a genuine desire to hear God speak to us through the Scriptures, we will surely come away with our hearts filled. But we are bound to depart empty handed if we merely go out of a sense of duty, attend with a critical attitude, or bear ill will toward the minister or fellow members.
The next time you go to church, go in the spirit of the psalmist, who declared, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of Lord" (Ps. 122:1). Then the hymns of praise, the fellowship of believers, and the preaching of the Word will bless your soul!
To be spiritually fed, go to the worship service with a good appetite, not a bad attitude!
Copied...
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Ecclesiastes
A good name is better than fine perfume,
and the day of death better than the day of birth.
It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of every man;
the living should take this to heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter,
because a sad face is good for the heart.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
It is better to heed a wise man's rebuke
than to listen to the song of fools.
and the day of death better than the day of birth.
It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of every man;
the living should take this to heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter,
because a sad face is good for the heart.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
It is better to heed a wise man's rebuke
than to listen to the song of fools.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Pattern to Go By
"Almighty God, who has given us this good land for our heritage, we humbly beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people of Thy favor, and glad to do Thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning,, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in Thy name we entrust the authority of Government, that there may be peace and justice at home and that, through obedience to Thy law, we may show forth Thy praise among the nations of the Earth. In time of properity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble suffer not our trust in Thee to fail.
In Jesus name I pray AMEN
(Credited to George Washington)
In Jesus name I pray AMEN
(Credited to George Washington)
Saturday, September 11, 2010
PROVERBS
The proverbs of Solomon:
A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish son grief to his mother.
Ill-gotten treasures are of no value,
but righteousness delivers from death.
The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
Lazy hands make a man poor,
but diligent hands bring wealth.
He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son,
but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.
Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.
The memory of the righteous will be a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish son grief to his mother.
Ill-gotten treasures are of no value,
but righteousness delivers from death.
The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
Lazy hands make a man poor,
but diligent hands bring wealth.
He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son,
but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.
Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.
The memory of the righteous will be a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Working
Imagine an 18-year-old searching the want ads for a job. Because he likes the outdoors, his interest is drawn to an ad about a national wildlife and fish refuge. It lists several job openings, but instead of promising attractive benefits and lucrative pay, the ad warns that the work will include "exposure to heat, humidity, rain, mud, millions of biting mosquitoes, poisonous plants, barbed wire, and hard work." The pay is minimum wage.
Now imagine that the 18-year-old is a Christian looking for meaningful spiritual service. His eyes rest on the 6th chapter of 2 Corinthians. There he finds the apostle Paul describing the highest calling of all, an opportunity to work for the Lord. But again the job description is very candid about some of the stresses that go with the work. Although Paul's experiences as an apostle were unique, his words remind all readers that serving the Lord is not one big vacation. It requires great care and effort, and it takes the highest commitment.
Yes, the challenge of serving Christ is without parallel and will require sacrifice. But we are not in it alone, and that makes all the difference. No price is too great to pay for the privilege of working for the Lord!
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Now imagine that the 18-year-old is a Christian looking for meaningful spiritual service. His eyes rest on the 6th chapter of 2 Corinthians. There he finds the apostle Paul describing the highest calling of all, an opportunity to work for the Lord. But again the job description is very candid about some of the stresses that go with the work. Although Paul's experiences as an apostle were unique, his words remind all readers that serving the Lord is not one big vacation. It requires great care and effort, and it takes the highest commitment.
Yes, the challenge of serving Christ is without parallel and will require sacrifice. But we are not in it alone, and that makes all the difference. No price is too great to pay for the privilege of working for the Lord!
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Thursday, September 2, 2010
Time To Listen
Saturday evening I attended the benefit dinner for Heritage Christian University. The guest speaker was former first lady, Laura Bush. I do not consider myself a political person, but I always vote and do my part as a citizen for my country and for Jesus' sake. I was not there to be political. I was there to support the university and see what a very important person in the history of our nation had to say.
After her speech, she was asked several questions. One question in particular was, "What is something about your husband that you appreciate, that perhaps would not be known by the American people?" Her answer to this question, I believe, was the most meaningful statement of the evening.
Laura Bush stated that her husband has read the Bible completely through, from Genesis to Revelation, every year since 1987. I don't know about you, but I think that is absolutely fantastic. There are two main reasons why:
1. It is good to know when the leader of your country reads and studies the Bible. We pray for the president all of the time. We pray for the leaders of the world to seek the face of the Creator. We should be comforted when our leaders have not forgotten God.
2. It is humbling to consider that the man who is arguably the busiest man in the world still has time to read the Word of God. We excuse ourselves from the reading of the Bible because of all that is on our plate. We always promise that we will get around to studying; tomorrow, next week, or next month. If the president of the United States has time to read the Scriptures, so do we.
The key to our future, as a nation, and as a church, is knowing and obeying the will of God. If we do not read our Bibles, how can we succeed?
Copied from Pulaski St. Church of Christ Bulletin
After her speech, she was asked several questions. One question in particular was, "What is something about your husband that you appreciate, that perhaps would not be known by the American people?" Her answer to this question, I believe, was the most meaningful statement of the evening.
Laura Bush stated that her husband has read the Bible completely through, from Genesis to Revelation, every year since 1987. I don't know about you, but I think that is absolutely fantastic. There are two main reasons why:
1. It is good to know when the leader of your country reads and studies the Bible. We pray for the president all of the time. We pray for the leaders of the world to seek the face of the Creator. We should be comforted when our leaders have not forgotten God.
2. It is humbling to consider that the man who is arguably the busiest man in the world still has time to read the Word of God. We excuse ourselves from the reading of the Bible because of all that is on our plate. We always promise that we will get around to studying; tomorrow, next week, or next month. If the president of the United States has time to read the Scriptures, so do we.
The key to our future, as a nation, and as a church, is knowing and obeying the will of God. If we do not read our Bibles, how can we succeed?
Copied from Pulaski St. Church of Christ Bulletin
Monday, August 30, 2010
GOSSIP
My name is gossip.
I have no respect for justice. I maim without killing. I break hearts and ruin lives. I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age. The more I am quoted, the more I am believed. I flourish at every level of society. My victims are helpless. They cannot protect themselves against me because I have no name and no face. To track me down is impossible. The harder you try, the more elusive I become. I am nobody's friend.
Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never the same. I topple governments and ruin marriages. I end ministries set up by God. I ruin careers and cause sleepless nights, heartaches, and indigestion. I spawn suspicion and generate grief. I make innocent people cry in their pillows. Even my name hisses.
I am called gossip. Church gossip. Office gossip. Shop gossip. Party gossip. Telephone gossip. Online gosseip.
I make headlines and headaches!
Before you repeat a story, ask yourself: IS IT TRUE? IS IT FAIR? IS IT NECESSARY? WOULD I WANT IT DONE TO ME?
AUTHOR UNKNOWN
I have no respect for justice. I maim without killing. I break hearts and ruin lives. I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age. The more I am quoted, the more I am believed. I flourish at every level of society. My victims are helpless. They cannot protect themselves against me because I have no name and no face. To track me down is impossible. The harder you try, the more elusive I become. I am nobody's friend.
Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never the same. I topple governments and ruin marriages. I end ministries set up by God. I ruin careers and cause sleepless nights, heartaches, and indigestion. I spawn suspicion and generate grief. I make innocent people cry in their pillows. Even my name hisses.
I am called gossip. Church gossip. Office gossip. Shop gossip. Party gossip. Telephone gossip. Online gosseip.
I make headlines and headaches!
Before you repeat a story, ask yourself: IS IT TRUE? IS IT FAIR? IS IT NECESSARY? WOULD I WANT IT DONE TO ME?
AUTHOR UNKNOWN
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Worry
You know, it is amazing how some people who suffer a lot worry very little while others who suffer little worry a lot. How about you… Do you worry a great deal? Do you have a runaway mind that tends to gravitate towards the worries of life? In other words, are you a worrier? What does the Bible teach on the subject of worrying? The Bible instructs us not to worry. Jesus tells us in (Mt. 6:25) do not worry. In the original language, that phrase literally means stop being anxious. In (Phil. 4:6), The Bible tells us, Do not be anxious about anything.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
ISIAH
“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” That famous and beloved passage is found in Isaiah 40:31.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Changes Can Happen in a Split Second
We should never take for granted what we have. All we have is a gift form God. We must realize that anything we have in this life is temporary anyway. The people we have in our lives, the places we live, the jobs we do, the resources we have are all temporary. They can change in a moments notice. One day, one minute, one second our life can be one way, and in a split second it can be changed. The uncertainty of life is all the more reason why we need to cling to our daily walk with Christ. That time with Him in prayer, in the Word, helps us to keep our focus on the big picture so that no matter how the winds of life may blow, we are anchored to the Rock.
I do not mean to scare you today, or try to intimidate you in anyway into getting more serious about your walk with Jesus. I am simply trying to point out that so often we get comfortable in our life. We begin to take the blessings of God for granted. We get apathetic about the things that go on around us. In that process, we let our guard down and forget how dependent upon the Lord we really are. We forget that without Him, "we can do nothing"! We lose sight of the fact that He, not we, are in control of the things that go on around us. The storms of life can happen at any moment, and without warning. It is imperative that we always be prepared. Not in a paranoid sense of waiting for bad things to happen, but prepared spiritually knowing that no matter what happens, God is still on the throne. He is always in control. He permits and allows the things that happen to us happen. The logical question is why? The only legitimate answer is nobody knows but God. We must trust Him that no matter what, He has His plan and purpose at work, and it is our job to exercise our faith and trust in Him at all times.
For those that have had major, life-changing experiences recently, let me encourage you. The same God who has walked with you in the past, is the same God who will walk with you today. The same God that has delivered you from trouble before, is the same God who will deliver you from trouble today. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever! Now is the time to press into Him. Get closer to the Lord than ever before. He is our only refuge in times of trouble. His promises are true, and He will not leave you nor forsake you.
Jesus warned His disciples just hours before going to the cross that in this world they would have tribulation. He than encouraged them by telling them to "be of good cheer, for I have overcome this world." Amen! What a promise. That means no matter what you are facing in your life today, Christ has overcome that circumstance or situation. He has already won the victory. He will ALWAYS have the final word in every situation. Never forget, if you have accepted Jesus Christ by faith, and obedience to the Gospel, the Bible says that it is no longer your life any longer. It belongs to Him. So be prepared. Know that change can come at any second. Know that the unexpected will happen. Do not fear it, but embrace it since it is all part of God's plan. After all, our life is a life of service to our King. We need to be spiritually mature enough to pray as our Lord taught us, "not my will, but thy will be done."
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I do not mean to scare you today, or try to intimidate you in anyway into getting more serious about your walk with Jesus. I am simply trying to point out that so often we get comfortable in our life. We begin to take the blessings of God for granted. We get apathetic about the things that go on around us. In that process, we let our guard down and forget how dependent upon the Lord we really are. We forget that without Him, "we can do nothing"! We lose sight of the fact that He, not we, are in control of the things that go on around us. The storms of life can happen at any moment, and without warning. It is imperative that we always be prepared. Not in a paranoid sense of waiting for bad things to happen, but prepared spiritually knowing that no matter what happens, God is still on the throne. He is always in control. He permits and allows the things that happen to us happen. The logical question is why? The only legitimate answer is nobody knows but God. We must trust Him that no matter what, He has His plan and purpose at work, and it is our job to exercise our faith and trust in Him at all times.
For those that have had major, life-changing experiences recently, let me encourage you. The same God who has walked with you in the past, is the same God who will walk with you today. The same God that has delivered you from trouble before, is the same God who will deliver you from trouble today. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever! Now is the time to press into Him. Get closer to the Lord than ever before. He is our only refuge in times of trouble. His promises are true, and He will not leave you nor forsake you.
Jesus warned His disciples just hours before going to the cross that in this world they would have tribulation. He than encouraged them by telling them to "be of good cheer, for I have overcome this world." Amen! What a promise. That means no matter what you are facing in your life today, Christ has overcome that circumstance or situation. He has already won the victory. He will ALWAYS have the final word in every situation. Never forget, if you have accepted Jesus Christ by faith, and obedience to the Gospel, the Bible says that it is no longer your life any longer. It belongs to Him. So be prepared. Know that change can come at any second. Know that the unexpected will happen. Do not fear it, but embrace it since it is all part of God's plan. After all, our life is a life of service to our King. We need to be spiritually mature enough to pray as our Lord taught us, "not my will, but thy will be done."
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Thursday, August 12, 2010
DRIVING
One of the things most of us do each day is drive a car. It is the way we get around to do the things we do each day. Rarely, do we think twice about driving, it is just part of our life and something we do, almost instinctively. I am convinced from the Word of God, that there is no disease, no accident, not even a bullet that can take the life of one of God's children until that person's work here on earth is finished. Having said that, we are still responsible to be alert and to use the common sense the Lord gave us in our daily lives. That includes driving.
I doubt we ever really focus on the actual dangers we face when we get behind the wheel. First of all, seatbelts are a safety mechanism that have been proven to save lives. I don't care if you are going across the country, or across the block...WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS!!!! Also, remember why you are driving. It is to get you from point A to point B. It is not to listen to the radio, it is not to put on make-up, it is not to eat and drink, it is not to talk on the phone. There is nothing wrong with listening to the radio or tape deck, however set it up before you actually start driving. Do your make-up at home, not in the car. Eat at home or at your destination, not in the car. Take a break from the phone in the car. Why do I say this? Simple, Any of these activities while driving takes away from your ability to fully concentrate on driving your car, and takes away from your ability to focus on what is happening around you. Even if you are the best driver in the world, the problem is there are others on the road who may not be. Never forget. Every time you get in your car, you are putting your life in the hands of those other drivers. You are trusting them to drive safe and obey the rules. In all honesty, you often put more faith in strangers you have never met, than you do in God.
This Devotional is not meant to scare you, or to make you afraid to drive your car. Quite the opposite. It is intended to make you aware of one of the potential dangers you face each day, and to realize how important it is for you to be alert and focused every time you are driving. God has a wonderful plan for your life. We have a very real enemy out there that would love to hurt us. That is why we can never take things for granted, and must always remember that God is our protector and shield. We can not always avoid accidents in life, and we often have no good answers why those things happen. Our responsibility though is to do our best to not be the cause of an accident by being careless or not paying attention. Driving is an important part of our life and can also be very dangerous. Concentrating and being fully aware of the responsibility we have each time we drive a car is of utmost importance to protecting your safety as well as the safety of the other drivers you encounter on the road.
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I doubt we ever really focus on the actual dangers we face when we get behind the wheel. First of all, seatbelts are a safety mechanism that have been proven to save lives. I don't care if you are going across the country, or across the block...WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS!!!! Also, remember why you are driving. It is to get you from point A to point B. It is not to listen to the radio, it is not to put on make-up, it is not to eat and drink, it is not to talk on the phone. There is nothing wrong with listening to the radio or tape deck, however set it up before you actually start driving. Do your make-up at home, not in the car. Eat at home or at your destination, not in the car. Take a break from the phone in the car. Why do I say this? Simple, Any of these activities while driving takes away from your ability to fully concentrate on driving your car, and takes away from your ability to focus on what is happening around you. Even if you are the best driver in the world, the problem is there are others on the road who may not be. Never forget. Every time you get in your car, you are putting your life in the hands of those other drivers. You are trusting them to drive safe and obey the rules. In all honesty, you often put more faith in strangers you have never met, than you do in God.
This Devotional is not meant to scare you, or to make you afraid to drive your car. Quite the opposite. It is intended to make you aware of one of the potential dangers you face each day, and to realize how important it is for you to be alert and focused every time you are driving. God has a wonderful plan for your life. We have a very real enemy out there that would love to hurt us. That is why we can never take things for granted, and must always remember that God is our protector and shield. We can not always avoid accidents in life, and we often have no good answers why those things happen. Our responsibility though is to do our best to not be the cause of an accident by being careless or not paying attention. Driving is an important part of our life and can also be very dangerous. Concentrating and being fully aware of the responsibility we have each time we drive a car is of utmost importance to protecting your safety as well as the safety of the other drivers you encounter on the road.
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Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Is This Me ?
Somewhere along the way, we have missed the very essence of the Christian concept and the result is that we have the greatest accumulation of unused talent and the richest deposit of untouched ability of any group of people on earth. If we are going to be honest in our plea of restoration, it is time that we began to revolutionize our thinking so that every soldier will don the armor and every child of God will be active in ministering. Let’s quit being spectators and “get where the action is.”
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Old Glory
I am the flag of the United States of America.
My name is Old Glory.
I fly atop the world's tallest buildings,
I stand watch in America's halls of justice,
I fly majestically over institutions of learning,
I stand guard with power in the world.
I am with pride with every U.S. soldier, deceased and living.
My name is Old Glory.
I fly atop the world's tallest buildings,
I stand watch in America's halls of justice,
I fly majestically over institutions of learning,
I stand guard with power in the world.
I am with pride with every U.S. soldier, deceased and living.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Choice
"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt 7:13-14).
In our text our Lord points out two ways—one right and one wrong. Rest assured there is not a third choice. Each one of us is traveling one of these ways, thus we are either right or we are wrong. Some would not dare admit that they could possibly be wrong, but their actions prove this to be the case.
Let us first of all look at the broad way with the wide gate. It is evident from the description given that this is an easy way. There is no seeking involved; it is just a matter of following the crowd, going along to get along. It is evident that this is a very popular way because the Lord said, “…and there are many who go in by it.”. In trying to defend their actions, people have been heard to say, “How can so many be wrong?” Rather than basing their decisions on truth and right, they base what they do on what the majority is doing. It seems that far too many want to follow the “popular” path. This way is filled with worldly pleasure. Moses could have followed this course in life, but he chose “…rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin” (Heb. 11:25). Moses was more concerned about the future than he was the “here and now.” Sad to say, most people’s thoughts are in the opposite direction. The way under consideration is a way of liberty. Those who walk in this way can do as they please. They can believe anything and everything that they want to believe. There are really no restraints at all—one can do as he pleases.
I hope this will help someone make the right choice.
In our text our Lord points out two ways—one right and one wrong. Rest assured there is not a third choice. Each one of us is traveling one of these ways, thus we are either right or we are wrong. Some would not dare admit that they could possibly be wrong, but their actions prove this to be the case.
Let us first of all look at the broad way with the wide gate. It is evident from the description given that this is an easy way. There is no seeking involved; it is just a matter of following the crowd, going along to get along. It is evident that this is a very popular way because the Lord said, “…and there are many who go in by it.”. In trying to defend their actions, people have been heard to say, “How can so many be wrong?” Rather than basing their decisions on truth and right, they base what they do on what the majority is doing. It seems that far too many want to follow the “popular” path. This way is filled with worldly pleasure. Moses could have followed this course in life, but he chose “…rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin” (Heb. 11:25). Moses was more concerned about the future than he was the “here and now.” Sad to say, most people’s thoughts are in the opposite direction. The way under consideration is a way of liberty. Those who walk in this way can do as they please. They can believe anything and everything that they want to believe. There are really no restraints at all—one can do as he pleases.
I hope this will help someone make the right choice.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Children
Every parent should have a dream for their children. As our children grow, we dream of what they may become. We want to provide them with aspirations and goals. The heart’s desire of every parent should be for their child to become a Christian and remain a faithful child of God throughout life. In consideration of this, there are three things we need to consider:
1. You announce what you want your child to be by the way you teach him. The church is not a substitute for your role. The responsibility is yours as a mother and father (Eph. 6:4; Titus 2:1-5).
2. You announce what you want your child to be by the example you set (I Cor. 11:1). It is amazing how some parents put ball games, camping, golf, and fishing above attending worship, and then are amazed that their children leave the church (Heb. 10:25). Someone wrote, “What you are thunders so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.”
3. You announce what you want your child to be by the plans you make for him. In Psalm 127:1-5, children are compared to arrows. An arrow must be pointed and propelled—so must children. Your children know if something is really important to you. What are your spiritual dreams for them? By your plans, you have told them what is important.
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1. You announce what you want your child to be by the way you teach him. The church is not a substitute for your role. The responsibility is yours as a mother and father (Eph. 6:4; Titus 2:1-5).
2. You announce what you want your child to be by the example you set (I Cor. 11:1). It is amazing how some parents put ball games, camping, golf, and fishing above attending worship, and then are amazed that their children leave the church (Heb. 10:25). Someone wrote, “What you are thunders so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.”
3. You announce what you want your child to be by the plans you make for him. In Psalm 127:1-5, children are compared to arrows. An arrow must be pointed and propelled—so must children. Your children know if something is really important to you. What are your spiritual dreams for them? By your plans, you have told them what is important.
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Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Human Nature
Deceitful means insincere, hypocritical, underhanded, false, dishonest, treacherous, sneaking, double-dealing, tricky, cunning, and crafty. Such a person is altogether untrustworthy. As Jeremiah 17:9 says, our heart is desperately sick or weak, implying it knows better but deceives anyway. Who can fathom its corruption, manifested in the incessant transgression of this commandment?
Human nature is a reflection of the spirit of the prince of the power of the air, whom Jesus identified as the father or generator of lies (John 8:44). Satan had so deceived himself, he thought he could overcome his Creator! Proverbs 11:9 says, "The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous will be delivered." Satan is a destroyer who passes this carnal attribute along to those who will follow him. Unless the hypocrite repents, he destroys himself too. This is also the lesson of Proverbs 26:26-28. God will deliver the just person, however, because he yields to truth.
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Human nature is a reflection of the spirit of the prince of the power of the air, whom Jesus identified as the father or generator of lies (John 8:44). Satan had so deceived himself, he thought he could overcome his Creator! Proverbs 11:9 says, "The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous will be delivered." Satan is a destroyer who passes this carnal attribute along to those who will follow him. Unless the hypocrite repents, he destroys himself too. This is also the lesson of Proverbs 26:26-28. God will deliver the just person, however, because he yields to truth.
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Saturday, July 17, 2010
Sandpiper
I received this via my email and thought I would share it. It was written by an individual named Robert Peterson.
She was six years old when I first met her on the beach near where I live. I drive to this beach, a distance of three or four miles, whenever the world begins to close in on me. She was building a sand castle or something and looked up, her eyes as blue as the sea. "Hello," she said.
I answered with a nod, not really in the mood to bother with a small child.
"I'm building," she said. “I see that. What is it?” I asked, not really caring. "Oh, I don't know, I just like the feel of sand." That sounds good, I thought, & slipped off my shoes.
A sandpiper glided by. “That’s a joy,” the child said.
"It's a what?" “It’s a joy. My mama says sandpipers come to bring joy.”
The bird went gliding down the beach. Good-bye joy, I muttered to myself, hello pain, and turned to walk on. I was depressed, my life seemed completely out of distance.
"What's your name?" She wouldn't give up. “Robert,” I answered. “I’m Robert Peterson.”
"Mine's Wendy... I'm six." “Hi, Wendy.” She giggled “You’re funny,” She said.
In spite of my gloom, I laughed too and walked on. Her musical giggle followed me.
"Come again, Mr. P," she called, "We'll have another happy day."
The next few days consisted of a group of unruly Boy Scouts, PTA meetings, and an ailing mother. The sun was shining as I took my hands out of the dishwater. I need a sandpiper, I said to myself, gathering up my coat.
The ever-changing balm of the seashore awaited me. The breeze was chilly but I strode along, trying to recapture the serenity I needed.
"Hello, Mr. P," she said. "Do you want to play?" What did you have in mind?” I asked, with a twinge of annoyance "I don't know,” you say. “How about charades?” I asked sarcastically. The tinkling laughter burst forth again. “I don’t know what that is.” “Then let’s just walk.”
Looking at her, I noticed the delicate fairness of her face. “Where do you live?” I asked. “Over there.” She pointed toward a row of summer cottages. Strange, I thought, in winter.
"Where do you go to school?" “I don’t go to school. Mommy says we’re on vacation.
She chattered little girl talk as we strolled up the beach, but my mind was on other things. When I left for home, Wendy said it had been a happy day. Feeling surprisingly better, I smiled at her and agreed.
Three weeks later, I rushed to my beach in a state of near panic. I was in no mood to even greet Wendy. I thought I saw her mother on the porch & felt like demanding she keep her child at home.
"Look, if you don't mind," I said crossly when Wendy caught up with me, "I'd rather be alone today.” She seemed unusually pale & out of breath. “Why?” she asked.
I turned to her and shouted, "Because my mother died!" and thought, My God, why was I saying this to a little child? “Oh,” she said quietly, “then this is a bad day.”
"Yes," I said, "and yesterday and the day before and -- oh, go away!" “Did it hurt?” she inquired. “Did what hurt?” I was exasperated with her, with myself. “When she died?”
"Of course it hurt!" I snapped, misunderstanding, wrapped up in myself. I strode off.
A month or so after that, when I next went to the beach, she wasn't there. Feeling guilty, ashamed, & admitting to myself I missed her, I went up to the cottage after my walk & knocked at the door. A drawn looking young woman with honey-colored hair opened the door.
"Hello," I said, "I'm Robert Peterson.. I missed your little girl today & wondered where she was.”
"Oh yes, Mr.. Peterson, please come in. Wendy spoke of you so much. I’m afraid I allowed her to bother you. If she was a nuisance, please, accept my apologies.”
"Not at all! She's a delightful child." I said, suddenly realizing that I meant what I had just said. “Wendy died last week, Mr. Peterson. She had leukemia. Maybe she didn’t tell you.” Struck dumb, I groped for a chair. I had to catch my breath.
"She loved this beach, so when she asked to come, we couldn't say no. She seemed so much better here & had a lot of what she called happy days. But the last few weeks, she declined rapidly…” Her voice faltered, “She left something for you, if only I can find it. Could you wait a moment while I look?”
I nodded stupidly, my mind racing for something to say to this lovely young woman. She handed me a smeared envelope with “Mr. P” printed in bold childish letters. Inside was a drawing in bright crayon hues ---a yellow beach, a blue sea, & a brown bird. Underneath was carefully printed: A SANDPIPER TO BRING YOU JOY.
Tears welled up in my eyes, and a heart that had almost forgotten to love opened wide. I took Wendy’s mother in my arms. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry,” I uttered over & over, & we wept together. The precious little picture is framed now & hangs in my study. Six words --- one for each year of her life --- that speak to me of harmony, courage, & understanding love.
A gift from a child with sea blue eyes and hair the color of sand --- who taught me the gift of love.
NOTE: This is a true story sent out by Robert Peterson. It happened over 20 years ago & the incident changed his life forever. It serves as a reminder to all of us that we need to take time to enjoy living & life & each other. The price of hating other human beings is loving oneself less.
Life is so complicated with the hustle and bustle of everyday traumas can make us lose focus about what is truly important or what is only a momentary setback or crisis.
This week, be sure to give your loved ones an extra hug, and by all means, take a moment --- even if it is only ten seconds, to stop & smell the roses. This comes from someone’s heart, & is read by many & now I share it with you. Everything that happens to us happens for a reason. Never brush aside anyone as insignificant. Who knows what they can teach us.
May you, too, find your Sandpiper!
She was six years old when I first met her on the beach near where I live. I drive to this beach, a distance of three or four miles, whenever the world begins to close in on me. She was building a sand castle or something and looked up, her eyes as blue as the sea. "Hello," she said.
I answered with a nod, not really in the mood to bother with a small child.
"I'm building," she said. “I see that. What is it?” I asked, not really caring. "Oh, I don't know, I just like the feel of sand." That sounds good, I thought, & slipped off my shoes.
A sandpiper glided by. “That’s a joy,” the child said.
"It's a what?" “It’s a joy. My mama says sandpipers come to bring joy.”
The bird went gliding down the beach. Good-bye joy, I muttered to myself, hello pain, and turned to walk on. I was depressed, my life seemed completely out of distance.
"What's your name?" She wouldn't give up. “Robert,” I answered. “I’m Robert Peterson.”
"Mine's Wendy... I'm six." “Hi, Wendy.” She giggled “You’re funny,” She said.
In spite of my gloom, I laughed too and walked on. Her musical giggle followed me.
"Come again, Mr. P," she called, "We'll have another happy day."
The next few days consisted of a group of unruly Boy Scouts, PTA meetings, and an ailing mother. The sun was shining as I took my hands out of the dishwater. I need a sandpiper, I said to myself, gathering up my coat.
The ever-changing balm of the seashore awaited me. The breeze was chilly but I strode along, trying to recapture the serenity I needed.
"Hello, Mr. P," she said. "Do you want to play?" What did you have in mind?” I asked, with a twinge of annoyance "I don't know,” you say. “How about charades?” I asked sarcastically. The tinkling laughter burst forth again. “I don’t know what that is.” “Then let’s just walk.”
Looking at her, I noticed the delicate fairness of her face. “Where do you live?” I asked. “Over there.” She pointed toward a row of summer cottages. Strange, I thought, in winter.
"Where do you go to school?" “I don’t go to school. Mommy says we’re on vacation.
She chattered little girl talk as we strolled up the beach, but my mind was on other things. When I left for home, Wendy said it had been a happy day. Feeling surprisingly better, I smiled at her and agreed.
Three weeks later, I rushed to my beach in a state of near panic. I was in no mood to even greet Wendy. I thought I saw her mother on the porch & felt like demanding she keep her child at home.
"Look, if you don't mind," I said crossly when Wendy caught up with me, "I'd rather be alone today.” She seemed unusually pale & out of breath. “Why?” she asked.
I turned to her and shouted, "Because my mother died!" and thought, My God, why was I saying this to a little child? “Oh,” she said quietly, “then this is a bad day.”
"Yes," I said, "and yesterday and the day before and -- oh, go away!" “Did it hurt?” she inquired. “Did what hurt?” I was exasperated with her, with myself. “When she died?”
"Of course it hurt!" I snapped, misunderstanding, wrapped up in myself. I strode off.
A month or so after that, when I next went to the beach, she wasn't there. Feeling guilty, ashamed, & admitting to myself I missed her, I went up to the cottage after my walk & knocked at the door. A drawn looking young woman with honey-colored hair opened the door.
"Hello," I said, "I'm Robert Peterson.. I missed your little girl today & wondered where she was.”
"Oh yes, Mr.. Peterson, please come in. Wendy spoke of you so much. I’m afraid I allowed her to bother you. If she was a nuisance, please, accept my apologies.”
"Not at all! She's a delightful child." I said, suddenly realizing that I meant what I had just said. “Wendy died last week, Mr. Peterson. She had leukemia. Maybe she didn’t tell you.” Struck dumb, I groped for a chair. I had to catch my breath.
"She loved this beach, so when she asked to come, we couldn't say no. She seemed so much better here & had a lot of what she called happy days. But the last few weeks, she declined rapidly…” Her voice faltered, “She left something for you, if only I can find it. Could you wait a moment while I look?”
I nodded stupidly, my mind racing for something to say to this lovely young woman. She handed me a smeared envelope with “Mr. P” printed in bold childish letters. Inside was a drawing in bright crayon hues ---a yellow beach, a blue sea, & a brown bird. Underneath was carefully printed: A SANDPIPER TO BRING YOU JOY.
Tears welled up in my eyes, and a heart that had almost forgotten to love opened wide. I took Wendy’s mother in my arms. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry,” I uttered over & over, & we wept together. The precious little picture is framed now & hangs in my study. Six words --- one for each year of her life --- that speak to me of harmony, courage, & understanding love.
A gift from a child with sea blue eyes and hair the color of sand --- who taught me the gift of love.
NOTE: This is a true story sent out by Robert Peterson. It happened over 20 years ago & the incident changed his life forever. It serves as a reminder to all of us that we need to take time to enjoy living & life & each other. The price of hating other human beings is loving oneself less.
Life is so complicated with the hustle and bustle of everyday traumas can make us lose focus about what is truly important or what is only a momentary setback or crisis.
This week, be sure to give your loved ones an extra hug, and by all means, take a moment --- even if it is only ten seconds, to stop & smell the roses. This comes from someone’s heart, & is read by many & now I share it with you. Everything that happens to us happens for a reason. Never brush aside anyone as insignificant. Who knows what they can teach us.
May you, too, find your Sandpiper!
Friday, July 16, 2010
When I woke up this morning, I grabbed my iPhone, turned off the beeping alarm, and immediately updated my Facebook status. On the way to school I scrolled through my friends’ status updates, and again updated mine with the song that was playing on my iPod. At lunch, I took a picture of me and my friends and uploaded it via the Facebook utility that I downloaded from the app store. I’m lying in bed now with my laptop and chatting with my BFF (best friend forever) in Tennessee. Status update: “Good night all. I’ll text you in the morning.” Such is the day of a typical American young person.
Facebook has taken the cyber world by storm and our social lives forever in a different direction. Compete.com ranked Facebook as the most used social network in the world. According to Facebook’s own stats page, there are currently more than 350 million active users and 65 million people are accessing Facebook through their phones/mobile devices. They say the average user has 130 Facebook friends and spends more than 55 minutes a day on their site.
Facebook has opened doors of communication that didn’t exist in the past. It has united old friends, helped to keep families connected, and openly provided opportunities to teach the Gospel. Unfortunately, however, not everything that Facebook has brought us is good. In many ways Facebook is like a window into one’s soul. It allows others to see his hobbies and habits. They can see everything from pictures of his vacation to his favorite songs and websites. Truly, Facebook reveals more about us than we might at first realize. Sadly, the Facebook pages of some Christians bring shame on themselves and the Lord’s church.
Are there Biblical principles that should govern our use of Facebook and similar sites? Certainly! In Titus 2:3, Paul tells us that the way Christian women behave themselves could result in the Word of God being blasphemed. In First Timothy 6:1, he says that the way Christian servants behave toward their masters could result in people blaspheming the name of God. These and other passages teach us the way we conduct ourselves in our daily social affairs could result in reproach being brought upon the body of Christ. So what does this have to do with Facebook? Facebook is a “social tool,” and the way I conduct myself on that particular forum could help or hurt the cause of Christ.
What if Jesus were on Facebook? We know that such is not possible, but for the sake of illustration, pretend. What would you do? Would you have to look through your pictures to be sure you don’t have any immodest pictures of yourself or anything tasteless? Would you need to make sure you don’t have any pictures taken in inappropriate places? Would you go back over your postings to be sure you haven’t said anything crude or inappropriate? Would you scan through your list of favorite movies and music, and perhaps delete a few of them before you let Jesus on your site? What about the games you play? Quizzes you take? Is there anything there that would make you stop and say to yourself, “I think I’ll delete that before I let Jesus on my site?” If the answer is Yes to any of those questions, then why not go ahead and take it off now? The fact of the matter is, the Lord does look at our Facebook pages! He sees everything we post on Facebook (and everywhere else for that matter). Proverbs
There’s another part of this, even beyond the fact that God is watching me on Facebook, and that is that other people are watching me. Why does that matter? It matters because what they see on my Facebook site affects what they think about me, the church and Christianity. What if I have my “religious preference” listed as “church of Christ,” and then I have pictures posted of me at a nightclub or dancing or at the beach or some other place dressed immodestly or with an alcoholic beverage? What if my status update has the lyrics to the latest Lady Gaga song? Or maybe I’m venting and running someone else down with a generally ugly demeanor? We could give dozens of examples, but the question is, “What effect is it going to have on my non-Christian friend (or Christian for that matter) who looks at my site?” He might say to himself, “I do better than that and I don’t even pretend to be a Christian!” Or he might just think, “What a hypocrite!” Please don’t misunderstand our point. We’re not suggesting that you simply need to take these inappropriate things off Facebook. We’re not suggesting that you need to hide them better. We are not suggesting that you go to nightclubs (or anything else you say or do), but do a better job of keeping it a secret. Posting these things on Facebook for all the world to see makes it worse, because when a Christian advertises immorality, he hurts the church. What we’re suggesting is that you root these things out of your life and heart altogether (cf. Matt. 5:8; Phil. 4:8; 2 Tim. 2:22).
Sometimes Christians ask, “What do I do if I see another Christian posting something inappropriate on Facebook?” Perhaps I have seen a brother or sister in Christ use foul language in his/her status update, or maybe he has posted a picture of himself downing a Budweiser. What do I do? Jesus told his disciples to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” In other words, use wisdom and be kind. Second, the same Bible principles that apply elsewhere apply here. Galatians 6:1 discusses the fact that those who are spiritual should assist a brother who is overtaken in a sin. There may come a time, when out of love for my brother and concern for the church, I may need to address something a fellow Christian has posted on Facebook. Maybe I need to call him on the phone, or send him a private message. Facebook does not exempt us from our Christian duties.
What if we spent as much time each day in Bible study as we do on Facebook? The average person spends 55 minutes a day (nearly an hour) on Facebook. For some, it’s obviously a
lot more. What would your spiritual life be like if you spent that much time in Bible study and prayer?
Here’s a question? Are you a daily user of Facebook but you’ve told yourself you’re too busy to study your Bible every day? The answer may make you stop and think about your priorities. Jesus said, “but seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33).
The entire article can be viewed at http://www.seektheoldpaths.com/stop.htm
Copied
Facebook has taken the cyber world by storm and our social lives forever in a different direction. Compete.com ranked Facebook as the most used social network in the world. According to Facebook’s own stats page, there are currently more than 350 million active users and 65 million people are accessing Facebook through their phones/mobile devices. They say the average user has 130 Facebook friends and spends more than 55 minutes a day on their site.
Facebook has opened doors of communication that didn’t exist in the past. It has united old friends, helped to keep families connected, and openly provided opportunities to teach the Gospel. Unfortunately, however, not everything that Facebook has brought us is good. In many ways Facebook is like a window into one’s soul. It allows others to see his hobbies and habits. They can see everything from pictures of his vacation to his favorite songs and websites. Truly, Facebook reveals more about us than we might at first realize. Sadly, the Facebook pages of some Christians bring shame on themselves and the Lord’s church.
Are there Biblical principles that should govern our use of Facebook and similar sites? Certainly! In Titus 2:3, Paul tells us that the way Christian women behave themselves could result in the Word of God being blasphemed. In First Timothy 6:1, he says that the way Christian servants behave toward their masters could result in people blaspheming the name of God. These and other passages teach us the way we conduct ourselves in our daily social affairs could result in reproach being brought upon the body of Christ. So what does this have to do with Facebook? Facebook is a “social tool,” and the way I conduct myself on that particular forum could help or hurt the cause of Christ.
What if Jesus were on Facebook? We know that such is not possible, but for the sake of illustration, pretend. What would you do? Would you have to look through your pictures to be sure you don’t have any immodest pictures of yourself or anything tasteless? Would you need to make sure you don’t have any pictures taken in inappropriate places? Would you go back over your postings to be sure you haven’t said anything crude or inappropriate? Would you scan through your list of favorite movies and music, and perhaps delete a few of them before you let Jesus on your site? What about the games you play? Quizzes you take? Is there anything there that would make you stop and say to yourself, “I think I’ll delete that before I let Jesus on my site?” If the answer is Yes to any of those questions, then why not go ahead and take it off now? The fact of the matter is, the Lord does look at our Facebook pages! He sees everything we post on Facebook (and everywhere else for that matter). Proverbs
There’s another part of this, even beyond the fact that God is watching me on Facebook, and that is that other people are watching me. Why does that matter? It matters because what they see on my Facebook site affects what they think about me, the church and Christianity. What if I have my “religious preference” listed as “church of Christ,” and then I have pictures posted of me at a nightclub or dancing or at the beach or some other place dressed immodestly or with an alcoholic beverage? What if my status update has the lyrics to the latest Lady Gaga song? Or maybe I’m venting and running someone else down with a generally ugly demeanor? We could give dozens of examples, but the question is, “What effect is it going to have on my non-Christian friend (or Christian for that matter) who looks at my site?” He might say to himself, “I do better than that and I don’t even pretend to be a Christian!” Or he might just think, “What a hypocrite!” Please don’t misunderstand our point. We’re not suggesting that you simply need to take these inappropriate things off Facebook. We’re not suggesting that you need to hide them better. We are not suggesting that you go to nightclubs (or anything else you say or do), but do a better job of keeping it a secret. Posting these things on Facebook for all the world to see makes it worse, because when a Christian advertises immorality, he hurts the church. What we’re suggesting is that you root these things out of your life and heart altogether (cf. Matt. 5:8; Phil. 4:8; 2 Tim. 2:22).
Sometimes Christians ask, “What do I do if I see another Christian posting something inappropriate on Facebook?” Perhaps I have seen a brother or sister in Christ use foul language in his/her status update, or maybe he has posted a picture of himself downing a Budweiser. What do I do? Jesus told his disciples to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” In other words, use wisdom and be kind. Second, the same Bible principles that apply elsewhere apply here. Galatians 6:1 discusses the fact that those who are spiritual should assist a brother who is overtaken in a sin. There may come a time, when out of love for my brother and concern for the church, I may need to address something a fellow Christian has posted on Facebook. Maybe I need to call him on the phone, or send him a private message. Facebook does not exempt us from our Christian duties.
What if we spent as much time each day in Bible study as we do on Facebook? The average person spends 55 minutes a day (nearly an hour) on Facebook. For some, it’s obviously a
lot more. What would your spiritual life be like if you spent that much time in Bible study and prayer?
Here’s a question? Are you a daily user of Facebook but you’ve told yourself you’re too busy to study your Bible every day? The answer may make you stop and think about your priorities. Jesus said, “but seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33).
The entire article can be viewed at http://www.seektheoldpaths.com/stop.htm
Copied
Thursday, July 15, 2010
BP
Why does the US government appear to be in the pocket of BP?
The New York Times recently reported that:
Before the spill, BP had maintained a low profile in Washington relative to other companies, with its lobbying work and political contributions usually trailing other oil-and-gas giants like Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Conoco Phillips. Unlike many other companies with federal interests, BP kept most of its lobbying work in-house, although it had retained several prominent Washington lobbyists, including Ken Duberstein and Tony Podesta, to make its case on issues including tax incentives for gas production and climate control regulations.
A little clout can go a long way, however, and Timothy Carney, a conservative columnist at the Washington Examiner, recently argued that BP has been “a close friend of big government whenever it serves the company’s bottom line.”
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The New York Times recently reported that:
Before the spill, BP had maintained a low profile in Washington relative to other companies, with its lobbying work and political contributions usually trailing other oil-and-gas giants like Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Conoco Phillips. Unlike many other companies with federal interests, BP kept most of its lobbying work in-house, although it had retained several prominent Washington lobbyists, including Ken Duberstein and Tony Podesta, to make its case on issues including tax incentives for gas production and climate control regulations.
A little clout can go a long way, however, and Timothy Carney, a conservative columnist at the Washington Examiner, recently argued that BP has been “a close friend of big government whenever it serves the company’s bottom line.”
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Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Marriage
No less than three of the Ten Commandments—the fifth, seventh, and tenth—directly involve strengthening marriages and families and preserving their unity and sacredness. Of course, all of God's commands, if followed, will work to strengthen man's relationship with God and fellow man, but these three are aimed directly at securing these sacred bonds. When considering any of God's commands, we find that they are broad in scope and ordained, not just to regulate our physical relationships, but also our spiritual one with Christ.
The fifth commandment speaks directly to parents and children, laying the foundation of responsibility that each has to the other. When children submit to their parents, and parents provide a loving environment to nurture their children in lawful living, the children and society directly benefit from this command. Home government is the cornerstone of national government, and when the home is right, the social structure follows. When marriage and family unity are held in high esteem and a fear of violating God's standards is instilled, sin can be held in check. Hebrews 12:11 declares, "Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."
The seventh commandment—forbidding adultery, unfaithfulness by either spouse—stands against anyone who would defile the sanctity of the marriage covenant through sexual sins. Adultery is probably the most dishonest act against the binding contract of the marriage relationship; it is a betrayal of a most sacred trust. Not only is it a sin against one's companion, but as Paul teaches in I Corinthians 6:18, it is a sin against one's own flesh. It has destroyed many marriages and families. A marriage can stand against many adversities from without, but this sin destroys it from within, and few, if any, marriages can truly recover from such infidelity.
Jesus says in Matthew 5:28 that adultery begins in the heart. It is more than an outward action, but a lust that comes from within. Christ teaches us how broad the law is, and sexual acts outside of the marriage covenant—even just the desire for them—breaks this command. In other words, if the desire is there, yet only lack of opportunity has kept a person from this sin, the law has still been broken.
The tenth commandment—"You shall not covet your neighbor's wife" (Deuteronomy 5:21)—is likely a precursor for warnings against many other sins. It defends against anyone who would come between a man and his wife, and like the seventh, its breaking also begins in the heart. Unlike the seventh commandment, which looks to protect the marriage from within, in the tenth commandment God protects it from without.
Strong marriages can stand up to outside pressures of this sort, but weak marriages that are battling other issues may not. How many marriages have been defiled or destroyed by the coveting of another cannot be known, but since God included it in the Ten Commandments, its potential harm against the sacred bond of marriage must be high.
When he coveted Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, King David assaulted the marriage covenant, and disaster soon followed. Breaking this commandment led to adultery and then to murder. In our society today, similar lusts are leaving destroyed families in their wake.
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The fifth commandment speaks directly to parents and children, laying the foundation of responsibility that each has to the other. When children submit to their parents, and parents provide a loving environment to nurture their children in lawful living, the children and society directly benefit from this command. Home government is the cornerstone of national government, and when the home is right, the social structure follows. When marriage and family unity are held in high esteem and a fear of violating God's standards is instilled, sin can be held in check. Hebrews 12:11 declares, "Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."
The seventh commandment—forbidding adultery, unfaithfulness by either spouse—stands against anyone who would defile the sanctity of the marriage covenant through sexual sins. Adultery is probably the most dishonest act against the binding contract of the marriage relationship; it is a betrayal of a most sacred trust. Not only is it a sin against one's companion, but as Paul teaches in I Corinthians 6:18, it is a sin against one's own flesh. It has destroyed many marriages and families. A marriage can stand against many adversities from without, but this sin destroys it from within, and few, if any, marriages can truly recover from such infidelity.
Jesus says in Matthew 5:28 that adultery begins in the heart. It is more than an outward action, but a lust that comes from within. Christ teaches us how broad the law is, and sexual acts outside of the marriage covenant—even just the desire for them—breaks this command. In other words, if the desire is there, yet only lack of opportunity has kept a person from this sin, the law has still been broken.
The tenth commandment—"You shall not covet your neighbor's wife" (Deuteronomy 5:21)—is likely a precursor for warnings against many other sins. It defends against anyone who would come between a man and his wife, and like the seventh, its breaking also begins in the heart. Unlike the seventh commandment, which looks to protect the marriage from within, in the tenth commandment God protects it from without.
Strong marriages can stand up to outside pressures of this sort, but weak marriages that are battling other issues may not. How many marriages have been defiled or destroyed by the coveting of another cannot be known, but since God included it in the Ten Commandments, its potential harm against the sacred bond of marriage must be high.
When he coveted Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, King David assaulted the marriage covenant, and disaster soon followed. Breaking this commandment led to adultery and then to murder. In our society today, similar lusts are leaving destroyed families in their wake.
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Monday, July 12, 2010
Unknown Author
You can know all the scriptures, have Bibles in your reach,
But when push comes to shove, do you practice what you preach?
Anyone can go to church and collapse upon the floor,
But when Judgment Day comes, will you be at Heaven's door?
You can have a big fit and say the Holy ghost passed through,
But is that really reflected in all the things you do?
You can yell far and wide proclaiming your love for Christ,
But what have you given Him, when for you He gave his life?
You can lecture others about the wrong things they do,
But before you look at others, you need to look at you.
You can damn the sinners and tell them they're headed south,
But what have you done lately besides just run your mouth?
You call yourself a Christian, and spend your days at church,
But while you're praising God, are you going about His work?
You can boast of good deeds to show us the spirit's within,
But why show it to us? You should be showing it to Him!
You can memorize the Bible, know it from front to back,
But don't use it to regulate others, regulate how YOU act!
Take a good look at yourself, not at what others do,
Because when He comes to get his children....
Will He be coming for you too?
But when push comes to shove, do you practice what you preach?
Anyone can go to church and collapse upon the floor,
But when Judgment Day comes, will you be at Heaven's door?
You can have a big fit and say the Holy ghost passed through,
But is that really reflected in all the things you do?
You can yell far and wide proclaiming your love for Christ,
But what have you given Him, when for you He gave his life?
You can lecture others about the wrong things they do,
But before you look at others, you need to look at you.
You can damn the sinners and tell them they're headed south,
But what have you done lately besides just run your mouth?
You call yourself a Christian, and spend your days at church,
But while you're praising God, are you going about His work?
You can boast of good deeds to show us the spirit's within,
But why show it to us? You should be showing it to Him!
You can memorize the Bible, know it from front to back,
But don't use it to regulate others, regulate how YOU act!
Take a good look at yourself, not at what others do,
Because when He comes to get his children....
Will He be coming for you too?
Saturday, July 10, 2010
I Pledge
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG,
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ,
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS,
ONE NATION UNDER GOD,
INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!
Friday, July 9, 2010
OJ
Overcoming jealousy is like changing any emotional reaction or behavior. It begins with awareness. Awareness allows you to see that the projected stories in your mind are not true. When you have this clarity you no longer react to the scenarios that your mind imagines. Jealousy and anger are emotional reactions to believing scenarios in your mind that are not true. By changing what you believe you change what your imagination is projecting and you can eliminate these destructive emotional reactions. Even when there is justification for the reaction, jealousy and anger are not beneficial ways to deal with the situation and get what we want.
Trying to change anger or jealousy once you are in the emotion is like trying to control a car skidding on ice. Your ability to handle the situation is greatly improved if you can steer clear of the hazard before we get there. This means addressing the beliefs that trigger jealousy instead of attempting to control your emotions.
To permanently dissolve the emotions such as anger and jealousy in relationships means changing the core beliefs of insecurity and mental projections of what your partner is doing.
The steps to permanently end jealous reactions are:
1) Recovering personal power so that you can get control of your emotions and refrain from the reactive behavior.
2) Shift your point of view so that you can step back from the story in your mind. This will give you a gap of time in which to refrain from a jealous or angry reaction and do something else.
3) Identify the core beliefs that trigger the emotional reaction.
4) Become aware that the beliefs in your mind are not true. This is different than “knowing” intellectually that the stories are not true.
5) Develop control over your attention so you can consciously choose what story plays in your mind and what emotions you feel.
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Trying to change anger or jealousy once you are in the emotion is like trying to control a car skidding on ice. Your ability to handle the situation is greatly improved if you can steer clear of the hazard before we get there. This means addressing the beliefs that trigger jealousy instead of attempting to control your emotions.
To permanently dissolve the emotions such as anger and jealousy in relationships means changing the core beliefs of insecurity and mental projections of what your partner is doing.
The steps to permanently end jealous reactions are:
1) Recovering personal power so that you can get control of your emotions and refrain from the reactive behavior.
2) Shift your point of view so that you can step back from the story in your mind. This will give you a gap of time in which to refrain from a jealous or angry reaction and do something else.
3) Identify the core beliefs that trigger the emotional reaction.
4) Become aware that the beliefs in your mind are not true. This is different than “knowing” intellectually that the stories are not true.
5) Develop control over your attention so you can consciously choose what story plays in your mind and what emotions you feel.
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Marriage
We don’t have to look far to see examples of marriage conflict. Conflict can range from a minor disagreement over what to have for dinner tonight to the extreme of abuse.
It’s often easy to get into a pity party and to feel wronged or self-righteous when a marital conflict occurs. There have been times in my own marriage where I truly felt that I had given all that I could give and that it was his turn to change. I found through counseling and prayer that my heart and my motives were often far from right or noble and that I was very wrong in my attitudes and reactions to my husband. I’ve learned that my husband has much to say and it is often very correct.
There is an example in the Bible of a woman who had every reason to be angry with her husband, to be rude, to berate him, but she did not. She chose to be a peacemaker instead. Her name was Abigail and her husband’s name was Nabal. The story is found in 1 Samuel 25. Nabal did a foolish thing. He insulted David’s men and railed at them when David was in need of help. David was very angry and intended to kill Nabal and all his men. Abigail, rather than being angry at her husband and berate him for his stupidity, for having put all of them in mortal danger, acted in a constructive way and saved their lives!
A modern example of an Abigail attitude is that of a young couple where the husband left the church they were raised in and were married in, to go into the occult. Even though it tore at the heart of the young wife she did not let it escalate into out of control marital conflicts. She was patient with him and kind. Rather than criticize, ridicule and nag him about his choice, which would surely have driven them apart, she chose to continue to respond to him in love. Because of her attitude toward him, in time he saw the wrongness of his choice and returned to the church.
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It’s often easy to get into a pity party and to feel wronged or self-righteous when a marital conflict occurs. There have been times in my own marriage where I truly felt that I had given all that I could give and that it was his turn to change. I found through counseling and prayer that my heart and my motives were often far from right or noble and that I was very wrong in my attitudes and reactions to my husband. I’ve learned that my husband has much to say and it is often very correct.
There is an example in the Bible of a woman who had every reason to be angry with her husband, to be rude, to berate him, but she did not. She chose to be a peacemaker instead. Her name was Abigail and her husband’s name was Nabal. The story is found in 1 Samuel 25. Nabal did a foolish thing. He insulted David’s men and railed at them when David was in need of help. David was very angry and intended to kill Nabal and all his men. Abigail, rather than being angry at her husband and berate him for his stupidity, for having put all of them in mortal danger, acted in a constructive way and saved their lives!
A modern example of an Abigail attitude is that of a young couple where the husband left the church they were raised in and were married in, to go into the occult. Even though it tore at the heart of the young wife she did not let it escalate into out of control marital conflicts. She was patient with him and kind. Rather than criticize, ridicule and nag him about his choice, which would surely have driven them apart, she chose to continue to respond to him in love. Because of her attitude toward him, in time he saw the wrongness of his choice and returned to the church.
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Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Wisdom
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." — Theodore Roosevelt, American President
Monday, July 5, 2010
DASH
I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on his tombstone
from the beginning...to the end.
He noted that first came her date of birth
and spoke the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the “dash” between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth...
and now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own;
the cars...the house...the cash,
what matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our “dash”.
So think about this long and hard...
are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
that can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
to consider what's true and real,
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger,
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we've never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect,
and more often wear a smile...
remembering that this special “dash”
might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy's being read
with your life's actions to rehash...
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent your “dash”?
Copied
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on his tombstone
from the beginning...to the end.
He noted that first came her date of birth
and spoke the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the “dash” between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth...
and now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own;
the cars...the house...the cash,
what matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our “dash”.
So think about this long and hard...
are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
that can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
to consider what's true and real,
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger,
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we've never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect,
and more often wear a smile...
remembering that this special “dash”
might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy's being read
with your life's actions to rehash...
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent your “dash”?
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Friday, July 2, 2010
Independance Day
By the middle of the 1700s, the 13 colonies that made up part of England's empire in the New World were finding it difficult to be ruled by a king 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean. They were tired of the taxes imposed upon them. But independence was a gradual and painful process. The colonists could not forget that they were British citizens and that they owed allegiance to King George III.
A "tea party" and a "Massacre" were two events that hurried destiny. Along with general unrest these events united the colonists. In 1767 a tea company in India, owned by England, was losing money. To save the company, England levied a tax on tea sold in the colonies in 1773. Partly as a joke, Samuel Adams and other Bostonians dressed up as Indians and dumped a cargo of the India Company Tea into the Massachusetts Bay. King George III did not think it was funny, nor did he lift the tax on tea. In the Boston harbor, British soldiers were jeered and stoned by colonists who thought the soldiers had been sent to watch them. The soldiers fired into the crowd and killed a few citizens. The colonists exaggerated the number killed and called it a massacre.
Virginia took the first step toward independence by voting to set up a committee to represent the colonies. This First Continental Congress met in September of 1774. They drew up a list of grievances against the crown which became the first draft of a document that would formally separate the colonies from England. George Washington took command of the Continental Army and began fighting the British in Massachusetts. For the next eight years, colonists fought fervently in the Revolutionary War.
In the meantime, a war of words was being waged in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress presented & debated a second draft of the list of grievances, and John Hancock, the president of the Second Continental Congress, was the first to sign. The document, called the Declaration of Independence, was treasonous against the crown and the fifty-six men who signed it were in danger of being executed.
Independence Day is celebrated on July 4 because that is the day when the Continental Congress adopted the final draft of the Declaration of Independence. From July 8, 1776, until the next month, the document was read publicly and people celebrated whenever they heard it. The next year, in Philadelphia, bells rang and ships fired guns, candles and firecrackers were lighted. But the War of Independence dragged on until 1783, and in that year, Independence Day was made an official holiday. 1941 Congress declared 4th of July a federal holiday.
John Adams, a lawyer, the first Vice President and the Second President of the United States, was one of the members of the Second Continental Congress who signed the Declaration of Independence. He wrote to his wife, "I believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival... it ought to be celebrated by pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other..."
John Adams may have predicted the later Independence Day celebrations or perhaps he started traditions with his words. Every July fourth, Americans have a holiday from work. Communities have day-long picnics with favorite foods like hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, baked beans and all the fixings. The afternoon activities would not be complete without lively music, a friendly baseball game, three-legged races and a pie-eating or watermelon-eating contests. Some cities have parades with people dressed as the original founding fathers who march in parades to the music of high school bands. At dusk, people in towns and cities gather to watch the fireworks display. Wherever Americans are around the globe, they will get together for a traditional 4th of July celebration!
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Thursday, July 1, 2010
CHARACTER
Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels recently chose University of Florida star Tim Tebow as a first round draft pick. Tebow has been called a “religious fundamentalist, lightning-rod misfit” by the mainstream media. Various secular media voices have also likened Tebow’s Christian family and friends to Nazis.
McDaniels defended his choice by saying. “There are a lot of things he has that you can’t coach. And the things that we would like to improve…those are things you can coach.” Tebow wasn’t the only person picked by McDaniels for character. He also chose Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas over Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant as well. Brant had a reputation for a lax attitude toward team workouts, whereas Thomas worked hard to stay out of trouble.
Thomas said, “I didn’t want to be that guy that is always talked about that He’s a bad guy, so I put myself around the right crowd.”
McDaniels not only picks players who have character, he fires those who do not. He previously dumped problem athletes, including Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall who was a “pouty pain in the neck” according to the coach.
The character factor seems to be of increasing concern in the NFL. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Pittsburgh quarter back Ben Rothelisberger for six games after the Steeler allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct. Goodell ordered the punishment for “conduct detrimental to the league’s image.” Overall, the NFL is sending a message that character counts more than being able to throw, catch and tackle.
www.newsbusters.org.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
UNITY
Daily Devotional for Wednesday, June 30th, 2010
One of the great benefits and blessings of true Christianity is unity. The Lord expressed His fervent desire for unity in His prayer to the Father shortly before His crucifixion (John 17:20-23). This has always been the will of God and will remain so. Unity has become a popular subject in religious circles for the past several decades.
I Corinthians was written to develop true unity based on respect for the authority of God's Word, which is the only way people can be united in anything. There indeed is to be "unity in diversity" in the church, but not about doctrine. The desired “unity in diversity” relates instead to differences in talent and personality. The apostle Paul uses the human body to illustrate the unity and the relationships that are to exist among members. He wrote, “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. (I Cor. 12:12-14).
The church at Corinth was sorely divided over spiritual gifts. Many of the members were unhappy with their gifts and talents. They didn't feel important because they couldn't do some of the things others could do. There was envy and jealousy and a great deal of immaturity which led to division. The apostle Paul wanted them to know that each member was important and each member was different for a reason. They could operate more effectively that way. He wrote, “If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body” (I Cor. 12:15-20).
The apostle Paul wanted the members at Corinth to see the absurdity of having a body with only one member. It couldn't function. God has given each member specific talents and abilities to provide a certain function in the body of Christ. Each member is important and needed for the growth and health of the congregation. (See I Peter 4:11). No member should feel INFERIOR to any other member. But on the other hand, no member should feel SUPERIOR to any other member. Paul went on to say, “And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (I Cor. 12:21-26).
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One of the great benefits and blessings of true Christianity is unity. The Lord expressed His fervent desire for unity in His prayer to the Father shortly before His crucifixion (John 17:20-23). This has always been the will of God and will remain so. Unity has become a popular subject in religious circles for the past several decades.
I Corinthians was written to develop true unity based on respect for the authority of God's Word, which is the only way people can be united in anything. There indeed is to be "unity in diversity" in the church, but not about doctrine. The desired “unity in diversity” relates instead to differences in talent and personality. The apostle Paul uses the human body to illustrate the unity and the relationships that are to exist among members. He wrote, “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. (I Cor. 12:12-14).
The church at Corinth was sorely divided over spiritual gifts. Many of the members were unhappy with their gifts and talents. They didn't feel important because they couldn't do some of the things others could do. There was envy and jealousy and a great deal of immaturity which led to division. The apostle Paul wanted them to know that each member was important and each member was different for a reason. They could operate more effectively that way. He wrote, “If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body” (I Cor. 12:15-20).
The apostle Paul wanted the members at Corinth to see the absurdity of having a body with only one member. It couldn't function. God has given each member specific talents and abilities to provide a certain function in the body of Christ. Each member is important and needed for the growth and health of the congregation. (See I Peter 4:11). No member should feel INFERIOR to any other member. But on the other hand, no member should feel SUPERIOR to any other member. Paul went on to say, “And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (I Cor. 12:21-26).
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Sunday, June 27, 2010
Golden Gods
I read an artical in the news paper the other day about how the price of gold had went up and more people were hoarding gold as an hedge aginst inflation. It got me to thinking about the Israelites and the way they let gold become there master.
God had seized the attention of Pharaoh and the Egyptians with a series of plagues. Now they were dying to be rid of their Hebrew slaves. But God didn't want the Israelites to leave Egypt empty handed. After all, they had 400 years of wages due them. So they asked their former masters for articles of silver, gold, and clothing, and they got them. Exodus 12:36 says that the Israelites "plundered the Egyptians."
It wasn't long, however, until God's people fell into idolatry. They used their gold to make a golden calf, which they worshiped while Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the law (32:1-4).
This tragic experience highlights the tension that Christians are required to maintain in relation to their possessions. There is much in our society that we may enjoy. But material things can also pose grave dangers when we use them uncritically. Guinness says that we are "free to utilize" but "forbidden to idolize." We are "strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Heb. 11:13), and we must not become so enamored with "the riches of Egypt" that we grow complacent and forget our true calling.
Are we using our material blessings to serve the Lord or have we become slaves to them? Gold can be a helpful servant but a cruel master.
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God had seized the attention of Pharaoh and the Egyptians with a series of plagues. Now they were dying to be rid of their Hebrew slaves. But God didn't want the Israelites to leave Egypt empty handed. After all, they had 400 years of wages due them. So they asked their former masters for articles of silver, gold, and clothing, and they got them. Exodus 12:36 says that the Israelites "plundered the Egyptians."
It wasn't long, however, until God's people fell into idolatry. They used their gold to make a golden calf, which they worshiped while Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the law (32:1-4).
This tragic experience highlights the tension that Christians are required to maintain in relation to their possessions. There is much in our society that we may enjoy. But material things can also pose grave dangers when we use them uncritically. Guinness says that we are "free to utilize" but "forbidden to idolize." We are "strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Heb. 11:13), and we must not become so enamored with "the riches of Egypt" that we grow complacent and forget our true calling.
Are we using our material blessings to serve the Lord or have we become slaves to them? Gold can be a helpful servant but a cruel master.
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Friday, June 25, 2010
Thank You Lord
1. Every day I am thankful for what I have and who I am!
2. Every day I clutch my blanket and smile when the alarm goes off. Thank you, Lord that I can hear. There are many who are deaf!
3. Even though I keep my eyes closed against the morning light for as long as possible, thank you Lord for I can see. Many are blind!
4. Even though I huddle in my bed & put off rising, thank you, Lord that I have the strength to rise. There are many who are bedridden!
5. Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, toast is burnt, tempers are short, and my children are loud, thank you, Lord for my family. There are many who are lonely!
6. Even though our breakfast tables never looks like the pictures in the magazines, & our meal is sometimes unbalanced, thank you, Lord for the food we have. There are many who are hungry!
7. Even though the routine of my job is monotonous, thank you, Lord for the opportunity to work. There are many who have no job!
8. I thank you, Lord, for giving me life!
Look back and give the Lord thanks; look forward & trust Him; look around & serve Him; look within & find the Lord! Remember that God closes doors that no man can open & He opens doors that no man can close!
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Wednesday, June 23, 2010
The Stagecoach
The Story behind the Stagecoach
Who hasn't heard of the Wells Fargo wagon? The very name conjures up images of six-horse stagecoaches thundering across the American West, laden with gold, mail and merchandise. This indelible image is one piece of the Coach's rich history, which, spanning 150 years, tells the story of America's march to the Pacific coast.
Built high and wide with a curved frame that gave it strength, the Wells Fargo Coach sported perfectly formed, fitted and balanced wheels, just right for standing up to drenching mountain storms and parching desert heat. But what made the Wells Fargo
Coach a classic was the leather suspension that cushioned the horses as well as the passengers, imparting a gentle rocking motion, leading Mark Twain to call it, "An imposing cradle on wheels."
In the 1850s, Wells Fargo coaches delivered mail twice weekly between St. Louis and San Francisco, a 25-day journey across vast treeless plains, jagged mountain passes, scorching deserts and raging rivers cursed with quicksand. The coach stopped only to change horses or let passengers slug down a cup of coffee with their beef jerky and biscuits.
The Civil War forced a route change across the Great Plains through the Rocky Mountains and over the Sierra mountains, from California to Virginia City, Nevada, and from Virginia City to Salt Lake City, Utah.
Where the railroads ended
In 1869 at Promontory, Utah, dignitaries hammered in a Golden Spike, which joined the rails of the Transcontinental Railroad - and ended Wells Fargo's overland stageline.
However, stagecoaches continued rolling wherever the railroads did not. Wells Fargo contracted with independent stageline operators to carry treasure boxes and express, even into the early 20th century. Whether in Sierra mountain towns, northern Minnesota villages, Pacific Northwest coastal farms, or west Texas ranches, stagecoaches carried Wells Fargo customers' business wherever they lived and worked.
Wells Fargo Stagecoach on parade
As symbol of our image, heritage and values, the legendary stagecoach is priceless, and Wells Fargo strives to present it to our communities. Every year, people across the nation see the horse-drawn stagecoach of the Old West in their streets. You can experience the sight and sound of the Wells Fargo stagecoach rolling at parades and events. On special occasions, you may even take a ride in this amazing piece of American history!
Every stagecoach appearance speaks deeply to Wells Fargo's history, brand, vision, values and commitment to the communities we serve. It also tells our customers that we're here for them now and over time. As our former chairman Dick Kovacevich once said, "The stagecoach is the visual representation of our values and of coming through for our customers wherever they live and wherever they want to go."
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Information 1860
US National Debt in 1860 was $64,842,287.00
Population was 31,443,000
The year was 1861
USA
The US was in the throws of a civil war. President Abraham Lincoln needed money for the war and went with his Secretary of the Treasury Solomon P. Chase, to get loans. The banks offered the Union loans with a 24 to 36% interest. Lincoln refused.
An old friend of Lincoln's, Colonel Dick Taylor of Chicago was put in charge of solving the problem of how to finance the war. His solution is recorded as this.
Unofficial Version
"Just get Congress to pass a bill authorizing the printing of full legal tender treasury notes... and pay your soldiers with them and go ahead and win your war with them also." — Colonel Dick Taylor
There are two versions of how well this worked. The official version in many textbooks states that the union currency became worthless. The Unofficial version states that debts were paid and the money was accepted.
The American Civil War started and lasted until 1865.
Mention the American Civil War and the first thing that springs to mind is the emancipation of the slaves but which was started like so many wars for economic reasons.
The northern elite wanted economic expansion, free land, free labor, a free market, a high protective tariff for manufacturers and a Bank of the United States. The Southern slave owners opposed all that. They viewed Lincoln and the Republicans as making impossible the continuation of their pleasant and prosperous way of life.
The Civil War killed more than 2% of the population of the US.
Two percent would be approximately 628,860 killed.
The 1860 U.S. Census showed a population of 31,443,000
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Monday, June 21, 2010
Biltmore House
George W. Vanderbilt, youngest son of William H. Vanderbilt and grandson of "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, enjoyed visiting western North Carolina for its mild climate and spectacular scenery. During a visit in the mid-1880s, Vanderbilt was inspired by a view from Downtown Asheville so spectacular that he purchased 125,000 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains for his summer estate. His legacy is the Biltmore Estate, embodying his vision as well as that of architect Richard Morris Hunt, supervising architect Richard Sharp Smith, and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.
The centerpiece is the Biltmore House, a four-story French Renaissance manor designed by Hunt and completed in 1895. Exterior walls are Indiana limestone brought by rail to the site. Its steeply pitched roof has a copper roofline with Vanderbilt's initials repeatedly inscribed along the crest. Said to be the largest private house in the United States, the interior floor area of the 250-room house covers four acres. It was designed as a country retreat for Vanderbilt, his family and friends, and to showcase his vast collection of art and antiques gathered in world travels--a collection that remains intact today. At a time when bathrooms were virtually unheard of, Biltmore House had 43. There are 65 fireplaces and three kitchens, along with 34 bedrooms, a grand Banquet Hall and a Library containing 10,000 volumes. Frederick Law Olmsted designed the three-mile approach road and the estate's gardens including the Walled Garden, an Azalea Garden with one of the country's most complete collections of native and hybrid azaleas, a formal Italian Garden and a glass Conservatory.
Included on the estate's present 8,000 acres are vineyards that provide more than 250tons of grapes for the Biltmore Estate Winery, as well as farmland, pastures and forests. In addition to Biltmore House, the estate operates four restaurants, eight shops and its award-winning winery. The 213-room Inn on Biltmore Estate opened in spring 2001. Biltmore Estate is still privately owned and operated by George W. Vanderbilt's descendants.
The centerpiece is the Biltmore House, a four-story French Renaissance manor designed by Hunt and completed in 1895. Exterior walls are Indiana limestone brought by rail to the site. Its steeply pitched roof has a copper roofline with Vanderbilt's initials repeatedly inscribed along the crest. Said to be the largest private house in the United States, the interior floor area of the 250-room house covers four acres. It was designed as a country retreat for Vanderbilt, his family and friends, and to showcase his vast collection of art and antiques gathered in world travels--a collection that remains intact today. At a time when bathrooms were virtually unheard of, Biltmore House had 43. There are 65 fireplaces and three kitchens, along with 34 bedrooms, a grand Banquet Hall and a Library containing 10,000 volumes. Frederick Law Olmsted designed the three-mile approach road and the estate's gardens including the Walled Garden, an Azalea Garden with one of the country's most complete collections of native and hybrid azaleas, a formal Italian Garden and a glass Conservatory.
Included on the estate's present 8,000 acres are vineyards that provide more than 250tons of grapes for the Biltmore Estate Winery, as well as farmland, pastures and forests. In addition to Biltmore House, the estate operates four restaurants, eight shops and its award-winning winery. The 213-room Inn on Biltmore Estate opened in spring 2001. Biltmore Estate is still privately owned and operated by George W. Vanderbilt's descendants.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Father's Day
Have you ever been drawn into a debate about which parent is the most important, the mother or the father? The question is sometimes asked, "If you had to grow up with just one parent, which one would it be?" In reality, this debate cannot be won. Each parent brings something to the table by God's design that the other cannot provide. Parenthood is a team effort! The spiritual, psychological, and emotional nurture of children is dependent on both father and mother in order to achieve the desired results! It should therefore surprise no one that the major contributor to the turmoil in our nation is the steady disintegration of the God-ordained family.
The role of the father in America has taken some devastating blows in the last half century. As we celebrate another Father's Day, we are made aware once more that millions of our children have no idea who their father is. Millions more are estranged from them by divorce and or abandonment. One of the difficulties incurred in evangelism is the inability of many to comprehend the concept of the Fatherhood of God inasmuch as they have no earthly counterpart with which to relate it. Revival in America is a virtual impossibility apart from repentance in the hearts of derelict fathers. Abortion, the legalized murder of the unborn, has also contributed to the hostile national climate.
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The role of the father in America has taken some devastating blows in the last half century. As we celebrate another Father's Day, we are made aware once more that millions of our children have no idea who their father is. Millions more are estranged from them by divorce and or abandonment. One of the difficulties incurred in evangelism is the inability of many to comprehend the concept of the Fatherhood of God inasmuch as they have no earthly counterpart with which to relate it. Revival in America is a virtual impossibility apart from repentance in the hearts of derelict fathers. Abortion, the legalized murder of the unborn, has also contributed to the hostile national climate.
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Thursday, June 17, 2010
Helen Steiner Rice
Sometimes when faith is running low
and I cannot fathom why things are so,
I walk alone among the flowers that
grow and learn the answers to all
I would know.
For among God's flowers
I have come to see
Life's miracles and its mystery.
And standing in silence
and reverie my faith
is renewed to me.
~Helen Steiner Rice~
and I cannot fathom why things are so,
I walk alone among the flowers that
grow and learn the answers to all
I would know.
For among God's flowers
I have come to see
Life's miracles and its mystery.
And standing in silence
and reverie my faith
is renewed to me.
~Helen Steiner Rice~
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Lawrence Co. Tennessee
The Best Kept Secret in Lawrence County
Most Lawrence County citizens are probably unaware that
presently much of Lawrence County Tn. looks more like
Kansas than Kansas.
Short drives off highways 43 and 64 into the countryside
anywhere in Lawrence County one sees
endless fields of corn and grain.
The sight is most reassuring, not only does it confirm we
have a bountiful supply of food crops, it will also soon
provide the stuff we pump into our automobile's fuel
tank.
This was copied from a Lawrence Co. Tennessee website.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Reputation and Character
The circumstances amid which you live determine your reputation; the truth you believe determines your character.
Reputation is what you are supposed to be; character is what you are.
Reputation is the photograph; character is the face.
Reputation is what you have when you come to a new community; character is what you have when you go away.
Your reputation is learned in an hour; your character does not come to light for a year.
Reputation is made in a moment; character is built in a lifetime.
Reputation grows like a mushroom; character grows like an oak.
A single newspaper gives you reputation; a life of toil gives you character.
Reputation makes you rich or makes you poor; character makes you happy or makes you miserable.
Reputation is what men saw about you on the tombstones; character is what the angels say about you around the throne of God.
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Reputation is what you are supposed to be; character is what you are.
Reputation is the photograph; character is the face.
Reputation is what you have when you come to a new community; character is what you have when you go away.
Your reputation is learned in an hour; your character does not come to light for a year.
Reputation is made in a moment; character is built in a lifetime.
Reputation grows like a mushroom; character grows like an oak.
A single newspaper gives you reputation; a life of toil gives you character.
Reputation makes you rich or makes you poor; character makes you happy or makes you miserable.
Reputation is what men saw about you on the tombstones; character is what the angels say about you around the throne of God.
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Saturday, June 12, 2010
Stanford Reunion 2010
The 2010 Stanford reunion was a great success.
The picture is part of the 2010 group.
Left click on the picture.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Happiness
One day, one friend asked another, “How is it that you are always so happy, you have so much energy, and you never seem to get down?”
With her eyes smiling, she said, “I know the Secret!”
“What secret is that?”
To which she replied, “I’ll tell you all about it, but you have to promise to share the Secret with others. The Secret is this: I have learned there is little I can do in my life that will make me truly happy. I must depend on God to make me happy and meet my needs. When a need arises in my life, I have to trust God to supply according to His riches. I have learned most of the time I don’t need half of what I think I do. He has never let me down. Since I learned that Secret I am happy.”
The questioner’s first thought was, That is too simple! But upon reflecting over her own life she recalled how she thought a bigger house would make her happy, but it didn’t! She thought a better paying job would make her happy, but it hadn’t! When did she realize her greatest happiness? While sitting on the floor with her grandchildren, playing games, eating pizza or reading a story, a simple gift from God brought her true happiness!
Now you know the Secret too! We can’t depend on people or things to make us happy. Only God in His wisdom can do that. Trust Him! He will never let you down.
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Thursday, June 10, 2010
Stanford Reunion
SECOND SATURDAY IN JUNE 2010
LOCATION IS LORETTO CITY PARK
LORETTO, TENNESSEE
START TIME IS 10:30 A.M.
PLEASE BRING LAWN CHAIRS JUST IN CASE WE NEED THEM
PLEASE BRING SANDWICHES & DRINKS
WE CAN PLAN A MEAL FOR 2011
FAST FOOD AND RESTURANTS ARE CLOSE BY
HOTELS ARE AVAILABLE IN LAWRENCEBURG
RICHLAND INN 931-762-0061
CALL FAMILY MEMBERS
FAMILY FRIENDS ARE WELCOME
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, LET ME KNOW
TOM STANFORD 931-766-0319
PLEASE BRING PICTURES, ETC
LOCATION IS LORETTO CITY PARK
LORETTO, TENNESSEE
START TIME IS 10:30 A.M.
PLEASE BRING LAWN CHAIRS JUST IN CASE WE NEED THEM
PLEASE BRING SANDWICHES & DRINKS
WE CAN PLAN A MEAL FOR 2011
FAST FOOD AND RESTURANTS ARE CLOSE BY
HOTELS ARE AVAILABLE IN LAWRENCEBURG
RICHLAND INN 931-762-0061
CALL FAMILY MEMBERS
FAMILY FRIENDS ARE WELCOME
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, LET ME KNOW
TOM STANFORD 931-766-0319
PLEASE BRING PICTURES, ETC
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Potted Plants
This story is true—only the names and places have been withheld to protect the guilty! A congregation moved into a new building with gleeful delight and some degree of pride over the elegant surroundings in which they would worship. Someone supplied two beautiful five-foot plants to adorn the front of the new auditorium.
Some months following the opening service in the new building, to the dismay of the elders and building committee, the plants disappeared. Said elders and said committee sounded the alarm. The congregation was bombarded with announcements. Men were deputized to seek the where about of that which was lost. Apologies were made to the donors of the decorative plants. For two months the missing potted plants became the conversation piece of the church at worship and at home. The search was intensified and the announcements and pleadings seemed unending.
The quest ended quite abruptly when the local preacher dared to solve the problem. It took nerve to do it! Since the potted plants had not been found and obviously were not going to be, he arose following a long announcement about the lost decorations and said, “We have heard a great deal about the missing plants that were lost. For two months, at every service, announcements have been made and people have earnestly looked to that which is lost. For years we have known that sheep have strayed from the flock. Prodigal sons are away form the worship and the Bible declares that they are lost. Each soul missing here today is more valuable than the whole world—and yet we have not heard one announcement nor have we seen anxious concern about Mary Smith, John Brown, or Sam Jones whose eternal welfare may hang on our concern. If we had put forward one-tenth the energy in locating the lost souls of this flock that we have the lost potted plants, surely the angels in heaven would rejoice!”
Copied.
Some months following the opening service in the new building, to the dismay of the elders and building committee, the plants disappeared. Said elders and said committee sounded the alarm. The congregation was bombarded with announcements. Men were deputized to seek the where about of that which was lost. Apologies were made to the donors of the decorative plants. For two months the missing potted plants became the conversation piece of the church at worship and at home. The search was intensified and the announcements and pleadings seemed unending.
The quest ended quite abruptly when the local preacher dared to solve the problem. It took nerve to do it! Since the potted plants had not been found and obviously were not going to be, he arose following a long announcement about the lost decorations and said, “We have heard a great deal about the missing plants that were lost. For two months, at every service, announcements have been made and people have earnestly looked to that which is lost. For years we have known that sheep have strayed from the flock. Prodigal sons are away form the worship and the Bible declares that they are lost. Each soul missing here today is more valuable than the whole world—and yet we have not heard one announcement nor have we seen anxious concern about Mary Smith, John Brown, or Sam Jones whose eternal welfare may hang on our concern. If we had put forward one-tenth the energy in locating the lost souls of this flock that we have the lost potted plants, surely the angels in heaven would rejoice!”
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Monday, June 7, 2010
Screening Phone Calls
A dad explained to his young son how his office secretary helps him by screening his incoming phone calls. If the young boy’s mom phones the office the secretary would let her know what her husband was busy with and this way his mom could decide whether or not to disturbed him.
The dad continued talking to his son telling him that if he called the office his secretary would put him though immediately. He wanted his son to know that he had total access to his dad because he is his son.
Several days later, a phone call came in and the secretary immediately forwarded it to her boss. There was no screening necessary in this case because it was her boss’ son calling. The child’s father answered the phone immediately knowing it was his boy on the line. His dad asked him if anything was wrong! His son was merely testing what his father told him about his calls not being screened!
I said all of that to say this: Christians always have instant access to our heavenly Father! Our Father has no one screening our calls. There is no need to leave messages to Him so that He can call you back later. I am talking about our only means of communication with an awesome God. A God who loves His children so much that His line of communication is always available to us … no matter what time of day or night! This line of communication is called “prayer.” You will never have to wait, be screened by anyone, nor be put on hold. The Psalmist stated: “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to our cries.” (Psalm 34:15). Think about this for a moment. The world’s population is well over seven billion people and yet God will spend personal, quality time with each of us! We are never bothering Him. Each prayer call is most important to our Father.
Through His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus the Christ provided the way for us to communicate with Him. The Bible tells us that “we can approach God’s throne of grace with boldness.” Hebrews 4:16). Therefore, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” (Hebrews 10:22). Christians need to communicate with the Father often because He knows what help we need. Also remember that we should give God thanks for what He does for us too. Are you communicating with your heavenly Father?
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The dad continued talking to his son telling him that if he called the office his secretary would put him though immediately. He wanted his son to know that he had total access to his dad because he is his son.
Several days later, a phone call came in and the secretary immediately forwarded it to her boss. There was no screening necessary in this case because it was her boss’ son calling. The child’s father answered the phone immediately knowing it was his boy on the line. His dad asked him if anything was wrong! His son was merely testing what his father told him about his calls not being screened!
I said all of that to say this: Christians always have instant access to our heavenly Father! Our Father has no one screening our calls. There is no need to leave messages to Him so that He can call you back later. I am talking about our only means of communication with an awesome God. A God who loves His children so much that His line of communication is always available to us … no matter what time of day or night! This line of communication is called “prayer.” You will never have to wait, be screened by anyone, nor be put on hold. The Psalmist stated: “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to our cries.” (Psalm 34:15). Think about this for a moment. The world’s population is well over seven billion people and yet God will spend personal, quality time with each of us! We are never bothering Him. Each prayer call is most important to our Father.
Through His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus the Christ provided the way for us to communicate with Him. The Bible tells us that “we can approach God’s throne of grace with boldness.” Hebrews 4:16). Therefore, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” (Hebrews 10:22). Christians need to communicate with the Father often because He knows what help we need. Also remember that we should give God thanks for what He does for us too. Are you communicating with your heavenly Father?
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Sunday, June 6, 2010
Football Time in Tennessee
Tennessee completed its 2010 football schedule Tuesday with the announcement that the Vols are hosting UT Martin to open the season, marking Tennessee's first game against a member of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in 27 years.
“"The University of Tennessee always has placed a priority on scheduling FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) opponents in football,"” UT athletics director Mike Hamilton said. “"FBS buy games are becoming much more difficult to acquire. As we began to review the possibilities of playing an FCS opponent, it made sense to schedule a game against a school in the UT System and keep the money in state."”
“"While this will not always be a possibility, it worked for 2010 and we look forward to welcoming Skyhawk fans to Knoxville."”
Tennessee becomes the last Southeastern Conference member since expansion in 1992 to schedule an opponent from the FCS, formerly Division I-AA. The Vols defeated The Citadel 45-6 back on Oct. 1, 1983, in Memphis. Since then, UT has maintained a schedule of major college opponents.
The Vols also welcome Oregon, Florida and UAB to Neyland Stadium in September, and then host Alabama, Mississippi and Kentucky to complete the home schedule. Away dates are against LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, Memphis and Vanderbilt.
UT Martin finished 8-4 last season, 6-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference and just out of the NCAA playoffs. The Skyhawks are 21-14 in four seasons under head coach Jason Simpson and were 2006 league champions.
“"Coach Simpson and the team are looking forward to the challenge,"” UT Martin athletics director Phil Dane said. “"This is a great opportunity for our school. We look forward to the trip."”
Friday, June 4, 2010
FELLOWSHIP
Fellowship means "sharing," "communion with," "companionship with," or "association with." We have been called into an association—a companionship, a fellowship, a communion—with Christ. All these words are synonyms. The only difference might be the degree of the intimacy that is expressed. In addition, fellowship indicates people having things in common—they do things together because they share common interests. What we have in common is our love for Christ.
We are drawn to the brethren because of the common tie—the common love for the same Person. Even when we meet people in the church for the very first time, we do not feel as though they are perfect strangers to us because of that commonality. We recognize the spirit or attitude that emanates from them. It is almost something that we can feel or see because our senses seem to be attuned to it. This is why world travelers with the church say that they can go into another congregation and know that it is of the same Spirit as the one that they traveled from.
There is a bond or union between us because we love the same Person. To the Christian, then, Christ's friend is our friend. We are members of the same body. We are children in the same Family. We are soldiers in the same army. We are pilgrims on the same road. These same analogies are used many places in the Bible
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We are drawn to the brethren because of the common tie—the common love for the same Person. Even when we meet people in the church for the very first time, we do not feel as though they are perfect strangers to us because of that commonality. We recognize the spirit or attitude that emanates from them. It is almost something that we can feel or see because our senses seem to be attuned to it. This is why world travelers with the church say that they can go into another congregation and know that it is of the same Spirit as the one that they traveled from.
There is a bond or union between us because we love the same Person. To the Christian, then, Christ's friend is our friend. We are members of the same body. We are children in the same Family. We are soldiers in the same army. We are pilgrims on the same road. These same analogies are used many places in the Bible
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Thursday, June 3, 2010
A FACT ABOUT EACH STATE
ALABAMA.................. Was the first place to have 9-1-1, started in 1968.
ALASKA..................... One out of every 64 people has a pilot's license.
ARIZONA................... Is the only state in the continental U.S. that doesn't follow Daylight Savings Time.
ARKANSAS................ Has the only active diamond mine in the U.S.
CALIFORNIA.............. Its economy is so large that if it were a country,| it would rank seventh in the entire world.
COLORADO................ In 1976 it became the only state to| turn down the Olympics.
CONNECTICUT........... The Frisbee was invented| here at Yale University .
DELAWARE............... Has more scientists and engineers| than any other state.
FLORIDA................... At 759 square miles, Jacksonville is| the U.S. 's largest city.
GEORGIA................... It was here, in 1886, that pharmacist John Pemberton made the first vat of Coca-Cola.
HAWAII..................... Hawaiians live, on average, five years longer than residents in any other state.
IDAHO....................... TV was invented in Rigby, Idaho, in 1922.
ILLINOIS................... The Chicago River is dyed green every St. Patrick's Day.
INDIANA................... Home to Santa Claus, Indiana , which get a half million letters to Santa every year.
IOWA......................... Winnebago get their name from Winnebago County . Also, it is the only state that begins with two vowels.
KANSAS..................... Liberal, Kansas, has an exact replica of the house in The Wizard of Oz.
KENTUCKY................ Has more than $6 billion in gold underneath Fort Knox .
LOUISIANA................ Has parishes instead of counties because they were originally Spanish church units.
MAINE....................... It's so big, it covers as many square miles as the other five New England states combined.
MARYLAND............... The Ouija board was created in Baltimore in 1892.
MASSACHUSETTS...... The Fig Newton is named after Newton , Massachusetts .
MICHIGAN................. Fremont, home to Gerber, is the| baby food capital of the world.
MINNESOTA.............. Bloomington�s Mall of America is so big, if you spent 10 minutes in each store, you'd be there nearly four days.
MISSISSIPPI.............. President Teddy Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear here ... that's how the teddy bear got its name.
MISSOURI................. Is the birthplace of the ice cream cone.
MONTANA................. A sapphire from Montana is in the Crown Jewels of England .
NEBRASKA................ More triplets are born here than in any other state.
NEW HAMPSHIRE...... Birthplace of Tupperware, invented in 1938 by Earl Tupper.
NEW JERSEY ............. Has the most shopping malls in one area in the world.
NEW MEXICO............ Smokey the Bear was rescued from a 1950 forest fire here.
NEW YORK................ Is home to the nation's oldest cattle ranch, started in 1747 in Montauk.
NORTH CAROLINA..... Home of the first Krispy Kreme doughnut and Pepsi Cola (New Bern)
NORTH DAKOTA........ Rigby , North Dakota , is the exact geographic center of North America .
OHIO......................... The hot dog was invented here in 1900. OH !!!!
OKLAHOMA............... The grounds of the state capital are covered by operating oil wells.
OREGON.................... Has the most ghost towns in the country.
PENNSYLVANIA......... The smiley, :) was first used in 1980 by computer scientists at Carnegie Mellon University .
RHODE ISLAND......... The nation's oldest bar, the White Horse Tavern, opened here in 1673.
SOUTH CAROLINA..... Sumter County is home to the world's largest gingko farm.
SOUTH DAKOTA........ Is the only state that's never had an earthquake.
TENNESSEE............... Nashville 's Grand Ole Opry is the longest running live radio show in the world.
TEXAS....................... Dr. Pepper was invented in Waco back in 1885.
UTAH........................ The first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant opened here in 1952.
VERMONT.................. Montpelier is the only state capital without a McDonald's.
VIRGINIA.................. Home of the world's largest office building... | The Pentagon.
WASHINGTON........... Seattle has twice as many college graduates as any other state.
WASHINGTON D.C..... Was the first planned capital in the world.
WEST VIRGINIA......... Had the world's first brick paved street, Summers Street, laid in Charleston in 1870.
WISCONSIN............... The ice cream sundae was invented here in 1881 to get around Blue Laws prohibiting ice cream from being sold on Sundays.
WYOMING................. Was the first state to allow women to vote.
I hope you enjoyed this. I found it interesting
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