A.I.

 

A.I. (artificial intelligence) is popping up everywhere.  I always forget, but I can ask Alexa anything.  I can ask her to play a favorite song or ask her what the weather is going to be tomorrow.  My son was searching for his TV remote at his house, frustrated that he couldn’t find it.  So he said out loud, “Alexa, where is my remote?”  Alexia answered, “Have you looked between the couch cushions?”  John paused a moment, slid his hand between the couch cushions and … there it was!  How did Alexa know where the remote was?!  Well actually, she didn’t.  She was programed by someone who had lost his remote before and knew where it probably was.  Hey, God is like that programmer, except infinitely wiser.  Does God know everything?  Yes, He does.  Does God know what is coming our way tomorrow?  Of course, He does.  So, doesn’t it make sense to put our trust in Someone Who knows the future?  Of course, it does!  Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived, said it best in Proverbs 3:5 &6, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”  Don’t put your trust in A.I.; put your trust in God, and you’ll never be sorry that you did.

DNA

 

One molecule of human DNA is about three billion nucleotides long.  Rather huge!  I haven’t counted them myself for two reasons: first, they are too small to see, and second, I haven’t the time to do it.  So, I’ll take the expert’s word on it.  The DNA coils up to duplicate itself and can be seen as the chromosomes during this cell division, but normally, the DNA molecule, if stretched out would be about six feet long!  We get half of our DNA from our father (sperm) and half from our mother (ovum).  David said in Psalm 139:14, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”  What a thrilling statement, because God has three billion choices to use as He is putting you together in that first unique cell that forms you!  The dear Lord’s choices are truly “marvelous” and He makes no mistakes in making you!  Bask in the Lord’s goodness today and use your day for your Creator’s glory.

Heaven or Hell?

 

Jesus Christ Himself spoke of hell more often than heaven.  In Mark 9, three times Jesus said, word perfect, “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”  (44, 46, 48)  Hey, if Jesus said it once, we should take heed, but three times … duh!  And, interestingly, in verses 43 and 45, Jesus said, “… the fire that never shall be quenched.”  The word for “quenched” in the Greek is ἄσβεστος and is literally “asbestos”.  Sound familiar?!  In hell, the unrepentant sinner will be suffering, but his body will be “fireproof”.  They will live in torment forever.  That is not my opinion; that is what Jesus said Himself.  Hey, as long as the followers of Jesus live in heaven, the rejecters of Jesus will live in hell.  A sobering thought for those who are not saved, and a serious responsibility for those of us who are saved.  Trust Jesus now, and you’ll never be sorry that you did … and take others with you!

Study to Be Quiet

 

Our pastor mentioned a verse Sunday night at church that got me to thinking: I Thessalonians 4:11, “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.”  Brother Jamie went on to say that we must “study” to be quiet.  An interesting word in the verse.  The fact that we must study to be quiet means that being quiet doesn’t come easy.  You must work on it.  Little children have no filter; they say what they are thinking.  They say the first thing that comes to their little minds.  They must be taught to weigh their words before they speak.  Hey, that sounds like good advice for us adults too!  When I was young, my brothers and I would hurry home from school in the afternoons to watch Art Linkletter’s “House Party” television show.  One of the segments on the variety show was when Linkletter interviewed four children.  One of the questions that he asked was, “What did your parents tell you not to talk about?”  And the innocent child would tell all.  Hey, today, before you say something that might be unkind or negative, stop and think.  Weigh your words and then “study to be quiet”.

Joseph

 

Genesis 45:1-8 is the most tender passage in the whole Bible.  Just my opinion, mind you, but let me defend my claim.  Joseph’s brothers had done him evil.  How could they sell their own brother into slavery and then lie to their own father about it?!  But they did.  Joseph was only 17 years old when this terrible travesty unfolded.  But Joseph remained true to God.  Things got worse.  Joseph was faithful to his new master, but his master’s sleazy wife slandered Joseph, and Joseph was thrown into prison.  There he languished another two whole years … still faithful to God.  But when Pharoah had a dream and needed interpretation, Joseph was remembered and brought up.  God gave Joseph supernatural powers of interpretation, and Joseph was soon the second in command of the most powerful nation of the ancient world!  And when Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to buy grain, they had no idea that it was Joseph who they were dealing with!  Joseph could have taken revenge, but he did not.  Joseph tested his repentant brothers finally revealing to them who he really was.  Joseph said in Genesis 45:5, “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.”  And in verse 8 Joseph said, “So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God …”  Did you get that?!  It was not the brothers mistake that sent Joseph to Egypt; it was God’s divine hand!  Hey, when you come to the realization that God is behind every event in your life, you have just grown up in the Christian life!  Hey, things don’t just accidentally happen to you.  God is moving you around on His giant chess board making everything work out for His master scheme of things.  Paul said it best in Romans Rom 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  And when you realize that, you are finally at one with the Almighty.  And what a wonderful place to be!

Wisdom and Understanding

 

I have been going to cardiac rehab for six months now, and the good Lord has reminded me to count my blessings.  As I go into Memorial Hospital MWF and up the stairs (of course, I do not take the elevator), I pass the cardiac surgery waiting area.  And since I arrive at 6 am, I see folk waiting for their heart procedure, just like I did six months ago.  No one is smiling or laughing because they are facing heart surgery.  But the good Lord reminds me that I am on the other side of that surgery.  And as I begin my morning exercises, I see the newbies come in to the 6:45 am class.  They have just had heart surgery and are getting their strength back at cardiac rehab.  They wait for the nurse to take their blood pressure and show them where to place the 3 contacts for their heart monitor.  The nurse shows them how to take their Oxygen level, pulse, and weight.  The nurse explains the speed of the treadmill, the incline of the treadmill, and the time on the treadmill.  And the treadmill is only one of the twenty machines in the room!  But I have been in cardiac rehab for six months and I know all about them.  Hey, I am an old hand at cardiac rehab, and I am an old hand at the Christian life.  And the Lord reminds me of my responsibility as an older Christian to teach younger Christians.  Us older folk should not intimidate new Christians; we should bring them along in the faith.  Paul reminds older men and women to be teachers in Titus 2:2-4.  Job said in Job 12:12, “With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.”  I praise the Lord for taking me through heart surgery, and I praise the Lord for taking me through 68 years of the Christian life.  May I encourage others along the way, is my prayer.

Use Life's Tragedies

 

When I was a youngster, my dad built our home.  But before he did, we lived in a 40 ft. trailer.  First, dad bought property in the country and moved the trailer onto the site.  When the property was paid for, he built the front part of the house with the trailer connected to the back.  Finally, he moved the trailer finishing the back half of the house.  The back had a full basement under it made of concrete blocks.  The week before my dad poured the basement floor, we had a big rainstorm.  I was so disappointed to see our new basement full of water.  But dad was not disappointed at all.  He said, “The dear Lord sent the rain so that I could level up the floor.  Gerald, go get some wooden stakes, my big hammer, and meet me downstairs.”  I gathered up the materials and we waded into the water.  Dad drove in the grade stakes all around the basement exactly to the top of the water, which was perfectly level throughout the whole basement!  When the water dried up, he poured a perfectly level basement floor.  Hey, do you have what you think are disasters in your life?  God could be using your so-called disasters to teach you valuable lessons.  Hey, don’t look at problems, look for what God is teaching you through your problems.  Joseph had it right in Genesis 50:20.  His brothers had sold him into slavery, but God had used it to put Joseph where he could eventually be in charge of all of the land of Egypt!  Joseph told his brothers, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” Hey, God will take care of you … if you let Him.