Cheerios Problem

 

There’s nothing like a problem at 5:30 am.  Let me explain.  My dear wife likes to take Cheerios to dialysis in a zip lock bag.  Cheerios are relatively healthy to eat (except for the added phosphorus) and she eats them one at a time to break up her three-hour dialysis session.  But Friday morning, the Cheerio box ran out.  And when it ran out, I got the Cheerio sawdust in the bottom of the box in the zip lock bag.  Not good.  So, I dumped the bag into a cereal bowl and carefully refilled the bag leaving the sawdust in the bowl (and into the trash).  But the bag still wasn’t full, and Kathy needs all the Cheerios she can get to take up her time in the dialysis chair.  So, I finished filling the bag with my Honey Nut Cheerios.  But I didn’t want her to eat all of the sweet Cheerios on the top (Honey Nut Cheerios is code for sugar-coated Cheerios) and have bland Cheerios at the end, so I sealed the bag, tumbled the two Cheerio kinds, and mixed them up.  Then I opened the edge of the zip lock bag and pushed the surplus air out of the bag so that it would fit into the little side pocket of Kathy’s dialysis bag.  Then I had to rush because I was late.  But in the whole scheme of things, my Cheerio problem wasn’t very big.  The weary clients going into a three-hour dialysis … now that’s a bigger problem.  God told his people in Isaiah 41:10, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”  And if you belong to the Lord, He will uphold you today too!  God will meet your needs, Cheerios or not!  Remember, you can trust the Lord today!

Extra Feature

 

My wife and I like to keep the house cold at night (68°).  We think it makes for better sleeping.  A cool room and cozy blankets make for good night’s sleep.  So, I have taken to wearing long-sleeved tee shirts so that my arms will stay warm.  And I have this long-sleeved tee shirt that is a spoof on Star Wars.  Instead of saying May the Force be with you, it reads, May the Lord be with you.  Sort of clever, I think.  But last night after I turned off the lights, I realized for the first time that the words glowed in the dark.  A neat feature.  I have had this tee shirt for two years and never knew that it glowed in the dark!  Hey, there are many features of my relationship with Jesus Christ that I have never realized either.  And there are even more things that I will experience in the future that I cannot even imagine are true!  Paul said in I Corinthians 2:9, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”  I can’t even imagine what I will experience in heaven!  Hey, have you been born into God’s forever family?  If you have been, you have a fantastic future ahead of you!  If you haven’t been born into God’s forever family, now would be a great time to make that decision.  Message me and let’s chat.

Marbles

 

When I was a kid, the craze was playing marbles.  The boys in Old Post Elementary school had drawstring bags full of marbles.  Those kids not so rich (like me) had their marbles in old socks.  My dad wouldn’t let me play marbles at school because he said that the game was gambling.  I suppose he was right.  Here’s how it went: someone drew a circle in the dirt and each of the two players would put the same number of their marbles into the center.  Then each boy would take turns using his shooter marble to hit the marbles out of the circle.  When he did, the marble went into his bag.  The game was over when the last marble was hit out.  No real winner, someone’s bag just got fatter.  Bad players would go home with no marbles, hence the expression, “They lost all of their marbles”.  During a game while you were aiming down at the marbles to shoot, sometimes your shooter would accidentally roll out of your hand.  If you yelled “slipsies” before the other player did, you could have a do-over.  Hey, in life, have you ever wanted to have a do-over?  Sometimes your slipsie might have been a dumb mistake.  But sometimes your slissie might have been a divorce, a DUI, a broken friendship, an affair.  You see, some slipsies are not just slipsies, they are life-changing sins.  John said in I John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  You can’t have a do-over for sins, but you can be forgiven of your sins.  Oh, you will live with the scars of those sins, but you can have a clean heart before God.  Thanks to Jesus, your sins can be made as white as snow!

A Longer Weekend

 

I wake up early and post on Facebook.  Then I turn on a small lamp to let my wife wake up slowly.  I am a morning person, and my wife likes to stay up late.  I jump out of bed in the mornings but my wife eases into the morning.  But this past Friday morning, she got up early.  I was surprised and asked her about it.  She said, “If I get up early, I can get ready earlier and get to dialysis earlier.  If they see me in the lobby early, they might take me in early and I can get off the machine early, and I can get my weekend started ten minutes early.”  Good thinking, Kathy, good thinking.  OK, let’s take a vote: who would like to have ten extra minutes added to your weekend?  I think the vote would be 100%!  Ten minutes extra on the weekend is not much, but it is better than ten minutes less!  That’s because we all like the weekend.  Hey, we may find a few moments of diversion on the weekend, but true rest still eludes us because we must start the same grind all over again Monday morning!  True peace can’t be found after five pm on Friday; true peace can only be found in Jesus Christ.  Paul said in Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  We may find temporary rest on the weekend, but real rest is found only in Jesus.  And you can rest in Jesus twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week!  Yes, you can!

Bad Decision

 

Have you ever made a bad decision that led to another bad decision and then another bad decision?  Let me explain: I found a band saw for sale on Facebook Marketplace up on Sand Mountain.  It was only $75 – a real bargain.  But after a 90-mile trip, the saw wasn’t at all what I wanted.  The man said, “I think I have another one over under my shed.”  We went to another location and started digging around in his shed.  And buried under a lot of stuff, we found a tilting head Craftsman band saw (in rough condition).  He said, “I’ll let you have this one, table and all, for $50.”  A real bargain!  So, I took it.  I didn’t want to drive all the way to Sand Mountain and come back with nothing.  But back home, my bargain became a money pit.  I found new rubber sleeves for the drive wheels on eBay and a new blade and blade guides on Amazon.  Dixie Electrical Motor Service located a motor that would fit the bolt pattern.  After soaking everything in WD-40, I got all of the moving parts moving again and finally, the bandsaw was running.  I was so proud of my work!  But when I attempted to cut a piece of wood, I had to go so slow.  The motor was too small.  And a thicker board just wouldn’t go through at all.  It was like putting a lawnmower engine into a car.  I ended up giving the band saw away to a friend (or former friend).  Hey, in life, one bad decision often leads to another bad decision to get out of the first bad decision.  But at some point, we must wake up.  Stop, go back, and make the first bad decision right.  If we would just pray about decisions first!  Solomon said 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.”  And I’m still looking for a band saw.  Does anyone out there have a good, used band saw?  Ha, ha!

Selfish or Kind?

 

It used to be that folks would park their fancy car far away from the store where the parking lot was empty.  No danger of door dings there.  But now they park close to the store and just take up two spaces to give them extra room.  I understand that they want to protect their car, but to do so, they steal someone else’s space!  How selfish!  Selfish people are not happy because they think only of themselves.  Hey, kind people are not wimps, they just want to be nice instead of rude.  Paul said it best in Philippians 2:3, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”  This verse holds the key to happy living: in your mind, put others above yourself.  Verse five goes on to say that putting others first is what Jesus did, and Jesus is our supreme example.  Hey, do you want to be liked by others?  Do you want to be happy?  Then follow the example of Jesus Christ: be a servant; be humble; be obedient to God the Father.  You’ll be glad that you did.  Really.

Miscommunication

 

The summer of 1994, I was in Romania for a month.  On the drive back to the Munich airport, we overnighted in Salzburg, Austria.  I had gone a month without a haircut, so I found a barbershop, sat down in the chair, and greeted the hairdresser.  She spoke no English and I spoke no German.  I gestured with my thumb and finger (see picture) as I told her that I wanted a half inch off the top.  She smiled and nodded.  I sat down, she wrapped me with a cape, and she got her clippers out.  As I settled into the chair, I felt the clippers on the back of my head.  Before I realized it, she had cut a path from back to front over the top of my head LEAVING a half inch!  I was speechless, but it was too late to do anything about it!  I had a runway down the middle of my head!  I left the shop with a very short G.I. haircut!  Hey, have you ever had a miscommunication with someone?  It’s one thing to misunderstand someone, but it’s quite another thing to misunderstand God.  But there should be no misunderstanding God.  God has clear expectations for us plainly written in His Word.  So, we must read the Bible with an open mind to understand exactly what God expects of us.  Read it slowly, read it often, read it carefully, but read it … because the Bible is the written Words of God!  Hey, take time to read your Bible right now!  You’ll be glad that you did.

Stunned!

 

About twenty years ago, John T. asked me to install a couple of outlets at his house.  His house had most of the wiring overhead, so I went up into the attic to drill down through the top plate into the wall to fish down the wire.  I plugged a noisy drill into an existing outlet in the room, went to the breaker box in the garage, and turned off breakers until the drill stopped running.  I had the right breaker (or so I thought).  I went back up to the attic with my six-inch needle-nosed pliers to cut the existing wire to install a junction box and a new wire down to the new outlet.  But the instant I cut the wire, there was a fireball and a loud boom!  The wire was hot!  The pliers were insulated, so I was safe, but stunned.  Today, I have an electrical tester so that just such accidents won’t happen.  But that was back when I was younger and reckless.  I came out of the attic and found the breaker that had just tripped and turned that breaker off … the right breaker.  But there was an unintended benefit to my accident: the needle-nosed pliers had a notch burned into the cutter jaws that was just perfect for stripping the plastic covering from 12 and 14 gauge wire!  Not the best way to achieve my new stripping tool, but it worked nonetheless!  My experience reminded me of Joseph’s speech to his fearful brothers in Genesis 50:20, “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.”  Joseph’s brothers had sold him into slavery.  But God had a plan to rescue Jacob and his entire family.  But God had to get Joseph to Egypt and into prison in order to meet Pharoah’s butler so that Joseph could ultimately interpret Pharoah’s dreams.  And when Joseph became the second in command of all of Egypt, he was as surprised as I was with my electrical fiasco!  Hey, let the dear Lord work in your life today.  And I hope it turns out better for you than my day did twenty years ago!

Monument Park, Budapest, Hungary

 

Many of you were not around when the Berlin Wall came down.  Actually, many of you have no idea what the Berlin Wall was all about!  In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev used the Russian term glasnost, which meant openness.  He wanted to promote transparency in government.  And that was a dangerous decision in a country that had been under complete control for seventy years.  This led to perestroika, which meant restructuring.  Gorbachev wanted to bring the Soviet Union up to speed with the western economies.  But Russia was so far behind that this relaxing of control led to the complete collapse of the communist regimes.  In the fall of 1989, the Berlin Wall came down and East and West Germany were reunited.  One after another, the communist bloc countries collapsed.  I traveled to Romania in 1990 only eight months after Nicolae Ceausescu was overthrown and executed.  In Budapest Hungary, the communist era statues were torn down and dragged off to an empty field outside of the city.  When tourists sought out the field, the Hungarians realized an opportunity.  They stood the statues up, built Monument Park, and charged admission to see the dishonored statues.  To me, it was instructive to see these likenesses of former world leaders who were now gone.  Hey, God is in control, and the good Lord lifts up whom He will and pulls down whom He will.  David said in Proverbs 21:1, “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”  You may stand up against God … but you will be crushed.  Or you can submit to God, and you will be blessed.  Your choice determines your destiny.

On the Way

 

Brother Jamie told a great story Sunday at church.  Years ago, his family went to Maryland for a visit.  They got out the Rand McNally Road Atlas (years ago) and plotted the trip from Lafayette GA to Baltimore, MD.  After an hour of riding in the car, five-year-old Daniel asked, “Are we there yet?”  Well, the answer was no because they weren’t to Knoxville yet … not even out of Tennessee on a twelve-hour trip!  If you have children, you know the feeling.  After another half hour, little Daniel asked again, “Are we there yet?”  And the answer was, “No, we’re almost to Bristol.”  As the day wore on and Daniel became more and more anxious, his questions came closer together.  Finally, halfway up into Virginia, Daniel exclaimed, “We’re never going to get to Maryland!”  Pastor Jamie went on to say that we are exactly like Daniel as the Lord leads us through life.  You see, as Brother Jamie was driving, he knew the road, but Daniel only had a relationship.  Brother Jamie knew where they were going, but Daniel only knew who he was riding with.  Hey, we are on our journey to heaven, but only the dear Lord knows the way.  We know where we are going, but only the Lord knows the road to get us there.  Solomon said in Proverbs 16:3’ “Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.”  We know the ultimate destination, but we must trust God to get us there.  And He will!  God will take us to heaven, safe and sound.  Hey, you can trust the dear Lord today!  Yes, you can!

Amaryllis Bulb

 

My daughter and son-in-law got me an amaryllis for Christmas.  It was covered in red wax, decorated with sparkles, and sitting on a wire stand.  The amaryllis is a bulb grown to brighten the dreary winter days.  It needs nothing.  No water, no soil, and no sun.  Within a week, a green shoot sprouted.  And in three more weeks, three beautiful red blooms popped out on top of the foot-high green stalk.  With other green shoots coming out of the bulb, there is the promise of more stalks and blooms.  The amaryllis reminds me of the Lord.  He needs nothing from us.  He doesn’t need our work; He doesn’t need our help; He doesn’t need our assistance: God is self-sufficient.  As Paul told the Athenians on Mars’ Hill in Act 17:24&25, “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.”  The Creator of everything doesn’t need us; we need Him!  Hey, Let the all-sufficient God be your focus today.  Like my amaryllis bulb, enjoy God’s beauty.  Serve Him, and someday, you’ll be glad that you did!

Chinese Church

 

In December of 2015, I spoke at Greater Grace Christian high school in Budapest, Hungary.  Hungarian Parents wanted their children to learn English, so Greater Grace took the opportunity to evangelize using English as their platform.  Bilingual Hungarian teachers taught English to elementary children, with English only in middle and high school.  I spoke four times to different upper classes on Biblical Creationism.  Grahm King, a teacher from England, was my contact at the school.  Later, he invited me to speak at his Chinese mission church on Wednesday evening.  There are hundreds of Chinese nationals who work in the “bag district” in Budapest making knock-off ladies’ handbags.  I spoke in English, Brother Grahm translated into Hungarian, and a Chinese brother translated from Hungarian into Chinese!  Within just a few minutes, we were comfortable with the system, and I felt right at home with my Chinese brothers and sisters in Christ!  Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”  Whether you are American, British, Hungarian, or Chinese, if you are a Christian, you have a kindred spirit!  You have the same Father, and you are brothers and sisters in Christ.  Hey, show some Christian love to someone today.  They will be blessed … and so will you!

Time is Money

 

Life is a trade-off.  I hate to scrape my upper lip with a sharp razor, so I grew a moustache.  Now I don’t have to take the sime to shave my upper lip.  But then I have to take the time to trim my moustache and keep it clean.  I think that I save time growing a beard because I don’t have to take the time to shave my face every day.  But then I have to take extra time in the shower to shampoo my beard.  Every day that I go to work, I trade 8 hours of my life for so much money.  So, every time that I go to the store and buy something, that money represents a part of my life that I have exchanged for the item that I bought.  I spend money and it is gone.  And that part of my life that I used to earn that money is also gone.  James said in James 4:14, “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”  Hey, use your money wisely, because it is part of your life.  And use your life wisely because someday, you will give an account of your life to the Lord.  Sobering thoughts.

Chip Bag

 

Last night, my wife had a taste for Panera tomato soup.  So, I hopped into the car and drove to Panera Bread Company.  I gave the cashier my phone number so that I could get the bonus points.  But when she looked up the number, she sheepishly said, “Katherine?”  I said, “No.  Katherine’s my wife.”  She smiled, a little relieved.  Then she asked if I wanted baguette, apple slices, or chips to go with the soup.  I said baguette and walked down to the pick-up counter to wait for my name to be called.  Yep, you guessed it.  Before God and everyone, the server called out, “Order for Katherine!”  Then it was my turn to look sheepish.  When I got home and opened the bag, they had given me a baguette and chips.  Bingo!  My wife did not want the extra stuff, so I lucked out again.  The baguette was delicious, but I couldn’t seem to get the chip bag opened.  I pulled at the top to no avail.  Then I squeezed the plump bag to pop it open.  Again, no luck.  I finally rummaged around in the pencil drawer, found a pair of scissors, and cut off the top of the chip bag.  But I had already wrestled with the bag so much that the chips were mostly crumbs.  I hate to open cereal bags for the same reason.  And the Chick fil-A after-dinner mints are the same way.  And getting a fork out of the plastic wrapper at Hardee’s is almost impossible!  Hey, I’m glad that salvation isn’t hard to access.  The Lord made salvation so simple that a child could do it!  Matthew 19:14, “But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”  I’m glad that the Lord made it simple.  Now if Panera Bread Company would make the chip bags …

Post-It Note Witness

 

I went by the gas station Tuesday afternoon to top off the gas tank.  When we go to dialysis at 5:15 am and it’s only 6°, I don’t want to run out of gas.  So, at the gas pump, I slipped in my credit card, selected the grade, and reached for the pump nozzle when I saw a tiny Post-It note stuck conspicuously beside the nozzle.  Take a moment to look at the picture.  It was a handwritten witness note inviting me to church on Sunday.  I was proud to see it but was a little disappointed that I hadn’t thought of it myself.  I was impressed that someone had taken the time to hand write the invitation.  Then I was impressed at the cleverness in their choice of location.  And finally, I was impressed by their short personal note at the bottom, which read, “We were made not to glory in ourselves but God.”  Good thought, good witness, and good idea!  Paul said in I Corinthians 1:18, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”  That little Post-It note is powerful information!  Bless the one who put it there!  Hey, be a witness for the good Lord today.  You may have a part in changing someone’s eternal destiny.

Silly Birds!

 

Sunday morning, I went out to warm up the car.  When I opened the door and stepped out onto the back deck, the birds on the three birdfeeders scattered.  The doves on the ground flew up to the safety of the fence and the squirrels fled to the protection of the big pine trees.  I had startled them all.  Silly animals!  They fled in fear, not realizing that I was the one who had hung up those bird feeders for them!  I regularly buy birdseed and suet at Tractor Supply to keep the feeders filled so that the birds and squirrels will have food to eat.  But they were afraid of me!  Then the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart.  Why do I not trust the dear Lord?!  So often I choose to go my own way rejecting the will of the Lord.  God tells me how to live my life in the Bible, but I just don’t trust God.  I choose to go my own way.  And like the birds in my back yard, I fail to realize that God has only my best interests at heart!  David said in Psalm 18:30, “As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.”  Hey, trust God and follow His will today.  Don’t be afraid of the Lord.  He wants only what is best for you.

Really?

 

When someone begins with, “I think that God would not …” and then offers their opinion, they are breaking the second commandment.  They are actually committing idolatry.  They are not speaking of the true God of the Universe; they are making a god of their own mind.  They are saying what they want God to be, not how God really is.  It’s like me saying that your favorite color is red, your favorite football team is Tampa Bay and your favorite pet is a parakeet.  Just because I say those things does not make them true.  You are who you are, not who I say that you are.  And God is not who we say He is.  We must read the Bible to find out Who God really is.  Solomon said in Proverbs 30:5, “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”  The Bible is not just a collection of wisdom that we may or may not follow; the Bible is the Word of God.  Read it for good information about God.  Read it often and obey what you read.  You’ll be glad that you did!

Landmarks

 

The summer after I turned thirteen years old, I worked off and on for a farmer near Churchville, Maryland.  Mr. Briney was a fair man and got his money’s worth when I worked for him.  It wasn’t that I worked that hard for him; it was that he worked me that hard.  He had a two-hundred-acre farm and grew clover hay on his front field.  His brother Crawford lived on the adjacent farm, and often, Mr. Briney and I would help Crawford with his work.  Crawford also had clover planted in his field, so I didn’t know where Mr. Briney’s field ended and where Crawford’s field began.  When I asked Mr. Briney about it, he said, “Do you see that pile of stones beside the road?”  I saw three baseball-sized stones stacked up near Glennville Rd.  Mr. Briney went on, “Well that pile of stones is the line.  Don’t ever move those stones.”  So I didn’t.  Not a very permanent property line marker, I thought, but it worked.  Solomon said in Proverbs 22:28, “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.”  Solomon was thinking of a memorial stone set in a field to remind each generation of some important event in the distant past.  And like Mr. Briney’s field marker, the ancient landmark should not be removed.  Hey, it’s good to remember important events in the past.  Remember the place where you were born.  Remember where you were married.  Remember when you accepted the Lord Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  What?!  You haven’t trusted Jesus Christ yet?!  Well, now would be a good time to make that decision.  And after you do, write today’s date in your Bible.  That would be a good ancient landmark for you to remember.  Right?!

Our Help

 

When Our country was first founded, there were thirteen colonies that became thirteen states.  And when those states approved the Constitution in 1787, the federal government’s primary responsibility was to protect the states from foreign invasion.  Today, the federal government has swollen to oversee transportation, education, health, agriculture, commerce, … and the list goes on and on.  The federal government reaches into every facet of our lives.  From the cradle to the grave, we get everything from the government.  Hey, what is your source of help?  Is it a social security check?  Is it food stamps?  Is it student aid loans?  Is it welfare?  Is your source of help FEMA?  Or is your help from the Lord in heaven?  David said in Psalm 121:2, “My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”  Over the years, governments have failed and politicians have broken their promises, but the dear Lord has never failed!  Hey, get involved in government and vote in the next election, but realize that God is the ultimate source of your hope.  Yes, He is!

Switchback

 

There’s an old joke: how far can a dog run into the woods?  Answer: only half-way.  After half-way, he’s running out of the woods.  That happened to my dear wife in Romania in 1992.  We were traveling from Cluj to Suceava, almost to Vatra Dornei and were driving through the Carpathian Mountains.  With no rest areas, gas stations, or restaurants, we had to stop and use the toilet in the woods.  My wife and her friend Wilma were modest, so they went extra far into the woods (remember the dog in the story above).  But, unbeknown to us, the road ahead made a switchback to climb the hill behind us.  A big truck passed us, followed the switchback, and was soon behind and above us. Moments later, I heard the truck’s horn honking followed by the ladies squealing.  The further that they went up the hill into the woods, they were coming out of the woods on the other side of the switchback.  Hey, have you ever been surprised in life?  It could have been a humorous situation like Kathy and Wilma.  But it could have been a surprise diagnosis of an illness.  You may have been surprised by a divorce or by the sudden loss of a job.  It could have been a phone call from a teenage child in jail late one night.  Did you know that the dear Lord knows where you are?  He is never caught off guard by your surprises.  As a matter of fact, God uses setbacks caused by Satan to shake us up.  Paul said in I Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”  Hey, look for that escape hatch that the dear Lord has put there right along with the difficulty.  You are not alone.  Trust God.  He will never forsake His own!

Boundaries

 

Often, we think that boundaries are restrictive.  But in reality, boundaries give us security.  When we know that we have limits, we are secure.  When Kathy and I were first married in 1971, we lived in Kelso Mobile Home Park in Hixson, Tennessee.  Our first child was born while we lived there.  And then the second and then the third.  The children liked to play outside in the tiny yard, but they really liked to ride their tricycle and Big Wheel in the driveway.  But it was impossible for them to know where our driveway ended and where the street began.  One was safe and the other was dangerous.  So I painted a white line to mark where the driveway ended and the street began.  And I warned Becky and Phillip about crossing that line.  I didn’t paint the white line to be mean to my children; the white line was to keep them safe.  Hey, God’s Ten Commandments may be restrictive, but their purpose is to keep us safe.  And when we realize that we can’t keep the Ten Commandments, we realize that we need a Savior to redeem us!  Paul said in Romans 2:4, “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”  The dear Lord’s restrictive law brings us to repentance and brings us back into fellowship with our Creator.  Hey, embrace boundaries!  They are good for us!  Yes, they are!

Bet on a Sure Thing

 

I was clicking through the TV channels last Tuesday when I came across some college football games.  I was curious because I thought that college football games were only played on Saturdays.  Then I discovered that the game was recorded on Saturday and replayed on Tuesday.  Which was great for me because I already knew who had won!  I could watch the game in total confidence knowing the outcome.  Hey, that’s the way the Bible is.  We know the ending.  We know who wins, and it isn’t Satan, it’s God.  Hey, would you like to be a part of a sure thing?  Would you like to be a part of a winning team?  If you keep on your sinning ways, YOU WILL LOSE.  If you choose Jesus Christ and repent of your sins, YOU WILL WIN.  Don’t gamble on a recorded game.  That would be stupid.  Make a sure bet.  Trust Jesus, you can’t lose.  Revelation 1:18, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”

Our Hope

 

Often people say something like, “A loving God wouldn’t send one of His children to an eternal hell.”  Actually, they are correct.  God would never send one of HIS children to hell.  But God would condemn a sinner masquerading as one of his children to hell.  The same people say, “God is love and God will let us all into heaven.”  What they fail to realize is that God is not only a God of love, but also a God of justice.  Most folk think that they are not that bad.  Hell is reserved for really bad people like Hitler and Stalin.  Again, they fail to see the pure holiness of God.  Habakkuk said in 1:13, “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity…”  Paul said in Romans 3:10, “…There is none righteous, no, not one.”  And in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”  Some people sin more than others and some people sin less than others, but we are ALL sinners and guilty before a holy God.  It sounds hopeless, doesn’t it?  Well, actually, it is.  We can’t do anything to earn our way into heaven.  But God the Father sent His dear Son Jesus to pay for our sins and to offer to us the gift of salvation.  Again, in Romans 6:23 Paul said, “For the wages of sin is death (that’s the bad news); but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (that’s the good news).”  We can’t make it to heaven on our own.  None of us!  We are all hopelessly lost.  But Jesus offers us the gift of salvation through His sacrificial death on the cross of Calvary.  Hey, trust in Jesus and you’ll make it to heaven!  Reject Jesus and you will face God as your judge someday.  And make no mistake, you will be judged guilty.  Any questions?  Refer to the verses above.

Our Hope

 

When someone says that if so-and-so gets into office, our country is finished, that tells me something.  That tells me where their hope is.  Their hope is in a certain political party.  Actually, their hope ought to be in the God of creation Who can not only deliver our lives but can deliver our souls.  Psalm 42:5, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.”  When the dear Lord’s face shines upon our country, nothing can go wrong.  Even bad things that happen to us are within God’s Providence and are ultimately for our good.  Hey, don’t trust in the Democrats.  They will let you down.  Don’t trust in the Republicans.  They will let you down.  Read the motto on our coins: “In God WeTrust”.  He will NEVER let you down!

Dilemma

 

Friday morning, I faced a dilemma.  Let me explain: I got up at 4:45 am to take my dear wife to dialysis.  I had gotten to bed late Thursday evening, then tossed and turned for another hour before finally drifting off to sleep.  So just as I was getting comfy under the toasty covers, my alarm went off.  I dragged myself out of bed, posted my facebook post (thank you, very much), and went through my morning routine.  And after I dropped Kathy off at dialysis, I faced the dilemma: Go straight home and get into bed … hungry, or get a biscuit at Hardee’s and then go home tummy full … but wide awake.  So I went to Hardee’s, got a biscuit, and went straight home to get a needed nap.  But then I had this story swirling in my head and had to write it down before I could go to sleep.  Oh, well … but I am in good company, because Paul faced a dilemma too (although his dilemma was much more serious than mine):  He couldn’t decide if it was better for him to go to heaven and see the dear Lord, or to stay on earth and do the work of the Lord.  Paul said in Philippians 1:23&24, “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.”  One way was better for him, while the other way was better for his church in Philippi.  And fortunately for all of us, Paul decided to stay … and to go on to write four more books of the New Testament, including the verses for today!  And that was much more important than my post.  Ha, ha!

Entropy

 

Six years ago, I bought a bird feeder.  And then my battle with the squirrels began.  Then I bought a second bird feeder and soon a suet holder.  I didn’t want the woodpeckers to feel left out.  Finally, two weeks ago, with my old bird feeder deteriorating, I bought a replacement feeder.  But before I could retire the old one, a windstorm came and totally destroyed my second feeder.  The old one had to wait and serve a little longer.  Yesterday, I bought a second birdfeeder and finally traded the old original one out.  Hey, the birdfeeder in the picture was brand new … six years ago.  The weather, bird poo, and UV rays eventually destroyed the bird feeder.  Hey, nothing lasts forever, unless you believe in evolution.  Evolution actually teaches that things get better over time.  But my bird feeder didn’t!  Evolution just isn’t true.  Things wear out, from bird feeders to people.  Yep, I’m wearing out too.  But before you laugh, you are wearing out too!  Hey, Entropy is a law in nature.  Meditate on these unique verses: Hebrews 1:10-12, “And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.”  Great words about a Great Creator.  Do you know Him?

Unaware

 

Last week my grandson said, “Hey, Granddaddy, how did you get that huge hole in the front of your jacket!?  To which I replied, “What hole?!  Where is it?”  And he showed me a big hole burned in the front pocket of my thermal jacket.  The hole went through the hand-warmer pocket in the front and into the inner part of the jacket.  I’ll have to inspect my shirts to see if one of them has a hole that matches the one burned through my jacket.  I can’t recall any burning episode, so I don’t know exactly when it happened.  But I suspect the grinder that I used to cut off the key fobs from the steel rod was when it happened (See my post on December 21).  I had to look closely to make sure that the cut was square, and sparks flew from the cutting wheel on the angle grinder.  It’s amazing that I burned such a big hole in my jacket but had no idea that I was on fire!  Hey, often we have close calls in life without knowing how close they really were.  How many times does our guardian angel change a traffic light to red to keep us from encountering a drunk driver ahead?  Or we forget a cellphone and have to go back to retrieve it and miss a tragic accident by a minute?  The dear Lord knows every day of our lives!  And He keeps us safe until our final appointment with death.  Sound a little too farfetched?  Psalm 37:23, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.”  Are you content in the way that the Lord is leading you?  Are you trusting the Lord to lead you each day?  Think about it and thank Him right now.  Hey, I’m thanking the Lord for His protection each time that I poke my fingers out of that hole in my jacket!

As the Deer ...

 

Years ago, in college, I was a lifeguard for one summer.  I had to pass the lifesaving course taught by the American Red Cross.  And one of the things that they taught us was to avoid getting into the water to save someone if at all possible.  Throw them a life ring; throw them an air mattress; throw them anything that might float, but avoid getting into deep water with them.  But Why?  Well, when someone is drowning, they are so desperate for a breath that they will climb on top of their rescuer in order to get their head above water just get a gasp of air.  Instead of one drowning, two will drown.  In Psalm 42, the deer is being chased and is so tired that it just wants to pause and get a breath of air.  It just wants to stop and get a drink of refreshing water.  Psalm 42:1, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”  And just like a panting deer or a gasping swimmer, we Christians need the breath of heaven!  We need a fresh touch from the dear Lord.  We need God.

High Efficiency

 

We have one of those high efficiency washing machines, but it doesn’t have an agitator.  It uses a swirling action of tub, water, and clothes to clean the clothes.  But after the cycle is finished and the clothes are spun out, the arms and legs of the clothes are hopelessly entangled.  They are so twisted from that swirling action that it is hard to pull them out of the washer to put into the dryer.  Often my life seems that way too: all tangled up.  But God knows what He is doing and what ultimate purpose He is up to.  Paul said in Romans 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.”  Although it may seem tangled to me, the Lord is working His will in the tangled mess that I call my life.  Never doubt it; God is in control.  I can trust my heavenly Father to work out everything for my best and for His glory, and you can trust your heavenly Father too.  Yes, you can!

Probing

 

A few years ago, I had a small lump removed from the inside of my forearm.  You wouldn’t have really noticed it if you didn’t know it was there.  The dermatologist said it was a baker’s cyst and probably not cancerous, but I just didn’t like it there.  On the day of the surgery, the surgeon came in and began to examine the area.  He marked each edge with a special pen, and then began to numb the marked area with lidocaine.  The first prick hurt a little, but I felt nothing after that.  Good thing.  I began to get curious as the doctor and the nurse worked carefully.  Don’t wimp out on me - I’m going somewhere with this story.  He made an incision and began to probe.  He pulled out some tissue and clipped it off.  Then he probed again, pulled out some more tissue and clipped again.  He did this about five times, the nurse dabbing between each snip, and he was done.  After three stitches (and some time), I was as good as new.  Hey, that’s exactly how the dear Lord operates on my heart.  Except that God is probing for sin that lurks deep inside.  If I let Him, He will reveal evil that hides, and together, the Lord and I  can remove them.  God will reveal, convict, and forgive IF I will let Him.  David said in Psalm 139:23&24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Cough Drops

 

What a night!  Last night, I just couldn’t seem to stop coughing long enough to go to sleep.  It was a dry cough that doesn’t remove any phlegm, it just has a tickle in my throat that keeps me from sleeping.  So I used an old trick: I put a Luden’s wild cherry lozenge in my mouth and used my tongue to push it up between my first and second molars and my cheek.  The cough drop melted ever-so slowly soothing my dry cough letting me drift off to sleep.  Each time that I turned over in bed, I shifted the cough drop to the upper side of my mouth.  It lasted about 3 ½ hours!  But this morning, I realized that between my cheek and teeth is exactly where most people put snuff (I plead the fifth amendment on how that I know this)!  While one helps me sleep, the other is a nasty habit.  One has a soothing flavor while the other causes you to spit.  One helps your breath while the other causes your breath to stink.  What a contrast!  I am so glad that I never picked up the tobacco habit (thanks to a “mean” mother and a “mean” father).  The worst that I do is Luden’s wild cherry.  Solomon warned in Proverbs 25:28, “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”  Hey, ask the dear Lord for self-control today.  You’ll be glad that you did!