From Gary... Don't leave the job undone

Now, here is something that I haven't seen in awhile: FALL!!!  Such COLOR!!!  I can almost feel that dry cold of late Autumn!!!  But, wait, something is wrong here... look at the steps.  Someone started to clean them off but did not finish.  Makes you wonder why, doesn't it?  For me, the "why" is answered in two passages of scripture, as follows...

2 Kings, Chapter 13

14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness of which he died: and Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over him, and said, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” 

  15  Elisha said to him, “Take bow and arrows”; and he took to him bow and arrows.  16 He said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow”; and he put his hand on it. Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands.  17 He said, “Open the window eastward”; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot!” and he shot. He said, “Yahweh’s arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Syria; for you shall strike the Syrians in Aphek, until you have consumed them.” 

  18  He said, “Take the arrows”; and he took them. He said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground”; and he struck three times, and stopped.  19 The man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times. Then you would have struck Syria until you had consumed it, whereas now you shall strike Syria just three times.” 

AND...

Luke, Chapter 18

  18  A certain ruler asked him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 

  19  Jesus asked him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one—God.   20  You know the commandments: ‘Don’t commit adultery,’ ‘Don’t murder,’ ‘Don’t steal,’ ‘Don’t give false testimony,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’” 

  21  He said, “I have observed all these things from my youth up.” 

  22  When Jesus heard these things, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have, and distribute it to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Come, follow me.” 

  23  But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich. 

  24  Jesus, seeing that he became very sad, said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God!  25  For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.” 

  26  Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 

  27  But he said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” 

Two seemingly unrelated passages of Scripture have something in common- in both of them someone did not possess the heart to follow God fully.  They only half-heartedly obeyed God- they left the tasks before them undone.  Their problem was not with opportunity, it was obedience.  Today, things are not different.  People follow God as long as it doesn't cost them anything.  When a genuine call to commitment and obedience presents itself  they fail to obey God.  You many hear about God, and believe that HE exists, but if you don't do what he has commanded and TURN FROM SIN and OBEY HIS WILL, you will never truly become a Christian, let alone enter the pearly gates.  At this point, open your Bible and read Acts chapter two, then obey as they obeyed.  And keep on doing the other examples of obedience you will find in the New Testament; don't stop until we meet in heaven!!!  Remember, don't leave the job undone!!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... Rocks and Shadows

Rocks and Shadows

I'm revisiting this older piece. Recently I've seen vindictiveness, spite, arrogant self-righteousness combined with a demonic grin in what we across the Atlantic call a "sleekit" person [one with a devious, sly, cunning demeanor]. I confess it shook me and tempted me to profound cynicism but maybe more dangerously it made me think there is darkness even darker than the darkness in me. Be that as it may, it also reminded me of the host of people who come right out of Isaiah 32:1-8.

I've told God many a time—when we were alone—that if he thought as I did he'd have absolutely nothing to do with me. And in his Story the Spirit assured me that that is precisely the point—God isn't me or anyone like me! And that truth's one of the faces of the gospel. As my life gains speed on the downward slope of the years I think I'm beginning to get a better grasp on that truth; but I still have a long way to go.

If God is as great as I think he is (and he's infinitely more), would you tell me why he bothers with us at all? Any of us!

Would I choose a relationship with a cockroach? I could see that I might, if I were the Dumas' "Man in the Iron Mask" or Byron's "Prisoner of Chillon" but would I do it under normal circumstances? Sometimes in my melancholy I think I must make God less or Man more if I'm to allow God to choose a relationship with us. But I can't make humanity more—look at us, for pity's sake; the best of us, we're pathetic. It isn't that we're all violent monsters, rapists and barbarians—the kind that stun us when we hear about or catch a glimpse of them. I'm sure I'm supposed to say that that's the worst case scenario but sometimes I wonder, for many of the rest of us seem to care so little; seem to be more than willing to settle for less, so we drift like leaves in a stream.

It's true that Jesus came to convict us of our sins but, as people as far apart as Fosdick and Brueggemann have taught us, he came also to convict us of our possibilities. What I see in and around me is not only the possibility and/or practice of gross evil but the general blasé approach to life; a sort of "who-gives-a-damn-unless-it-affects-me-or-mine?" attitude.

Can you even imagine the din if every sick attitude, every brutal act, every crushing verbal insult, every abuse of power at a service counter or government office, every racist slur could be heard? We'd be able to hear it at the edges of the expanding universe! What if we could hear every groan of a little nation, or smell every cellar that a rapacious landlord calls a house and charges top rates for, or sense the terror of every child suffering in silence—if we were burdened with all that would it not drive us to lunacy?

I've done our business with the same bank for twenty-five years and just this past week I've experienced treatment that set my teeth on edge. Combined with Ethel's pain and health concerns and other such things this bank experience weighed more heavily with me than it would if it were isolated. She and I were discussing it and we began to think of the teeming millions who—as you read this—endure insult and disdain day after day after day without reprieve. We thought of millions who stand in lines for hours but never get taken care of, who lie in hospital corridors on the floors for days on end without anyone attending them, or asking them if they are holding together, or even what their name is. They're burdened with so many things so how do they remain sane? As we reflected I felt my heart sinking—as it does now and then if I don't stay busy.

Is this as good as it gets? Is this what Christ has accomplished in two thousand years—this?

That's why passages like Isaiah 32:1-8 are so precious. It blows the whistle on all that corruption, abuse, indifference and scorn. The passage is filled up only in the completed work of Jesus. We know that and that's why we sing,

A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord

A wonderful Saviour to me 

He hides my soul in the cleft of the rock 

Where rivers of pleasure I see.  

He hides my soul in the cleft of the rock 

That shadows a dry thirsty land 

He hides my life in the depths of his love 

And covers me there with his hand.

But the passage promises more than that. A day is coming, the prophet tells us (32:2), when in the likeness of Jesus, "Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land." We're to be part of the healing of the world.

The imagery is vivid and powerful. It's about people travelling through a desert, beaten to exhaustion by a howling wind that just won't let up, they find a cave in the rocks and take shelter from the storm that rages all around them. The imagery tells us of people right on the edge of death for lack of water, and look—astonishing, glorious sight—they stumble on a stream bubbling right up out of the sand—defying the desert conditions. The imagery is of people so hot they're sure they can bear it no longer—sun blasted and heat afflicted they see a huge rock rising up out of the desert floor; is it a mirage? Their strength's almost gone but they make it to the shadow of his massive rock formation and there in the cooling shade their life returns. It wasn't a mirage—it was real! Blessedly real!

We're not to forget what the imagery points to. These are images that are used to describe men and women. The prophet said in the days when a king would reign in righteousness every man (person) would be like something. George Adam Smith was right; it's true that history is more than great men and women but great men and women make us believe that goodness is possible! Those who know the deserts well tell us that if you find even a small pool somewhere and you put a good sized rock near the edge of it that before long, on the leeward side of the rock, protected from the wind, a little garden will appear. Faithful and strong people are like that; they're people we can hide behind and get shelter from the wind when we're vulnerable and with their help a lot of us will take root and grow.

Smith makes that point. At various times in history men and women stood up and faced the scorching winds—people like Noah and Deborah, Abraham and Ruth, Jeremiah and Moses' mother along with a host of unknowns—and by God's grace they kept us alive. The drift of the moral desert choked them of course but where they bravely stood and finally fell, Jesus came and stood and still stands and behind him a vast people takes refuge and grows until that day when he comes to make this world all new in righteousness and joy.

Until that day when everything is made right, when the howling winds of evil and apathy have beaten us so off track so that we're almost despaired of finding a straight path we catch the sight of a gorgeous woman, strong and assuring and she becomes a refuge for the rest of us. When parched near to death what a relief it is to meet someone whose life under God is water to the soul; it's more than relief—it's redemption! And in the burning heat of life what an inexpressible pleasure it is to meet someone who soft as a shadow, without glare and fierceness and incessant demands, cools our fevered hearts and minds.

To meet such people is to be blessed forever. To be such a person…is that "heaven"? Maybe not; maybe it's something better than heaven. Maybe it's to be Jesus to someone, to a whole church, to the community you live in, to strugglers everywhere who can't stop thinking that if they dreamed of you and hoped for you, you must exist somewhere.

The thought of people like you keeps people like me alive with hope! You save us from unbroken melancholy and certainly from a peevish and disbelieving cynicism.

You in your handfuls are a promise that one day this world is going to be filled with people like you!

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com

From Mark Copeland... The Parable Of The Growing Seed

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

               The Parable Of The Growing Seed (4:26-29)

INTRODUCTION

1. Of the many parables taught by Jesus, there is one found only in
   Mark's gospel...
   a. It is "The Parable Of The Growing Seed"
   b. Recorded in Mk 4:26-29 (Read)

2. The setting of this parable is the same as when Jesus told...
   a. The parable of "The Four Soils" - cf. Mk 4:1-20
   b. The parable of "The Mustard Seed" - cf. Mk 4:30-32

[Let's begin by taking a closer look the parable itself...]

I. THE PARABLE ANALYZED

   A. WHAT IT REVEALS ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD...
      1. It describes how the Word of God produces fruit (i.e., how the
         kingdom grows)
         a. The "seed" is not identified in this parable as the Word of
            God
         b. But it was defined as such in the parable of "The Sower"
            - cf. Mk 4:14; Lk 8:11
      2. The growth produced by the Word is a mystery - Mk 4:26-28a
         a. The sower can sow the seed and see it sprout and grow
         b. But the growth is beyond his comprehension, and even grows
            by itself
      3. The growth produced by the Word is gradual - Mk 4:28b-29
         a. It doesn't all occur at once
         b. But step by step:  first the blade, then the head, then the
            full grain
         c. But through such growth the harvest eventually comes - Mk 4:29
      -- So the kingdom grows mysteriously and gradually by virtue of
         God's Word

   B. COMPARING THIS PARABLE WITH "THE FOUR SOILS"...
      1. The parable of "The Four Soils" emphasizes human responsibility
         a. The seed did not produce the desired fruit unless it fell on
            good soil
         b. It takes "a good and noble heart" for the seed to produce
            fruit! - cf. Lk 8:15
      2. The parable of "The Growing Seed" stresses the divine power
         within the Word
         a. A "good and noble heart" cannot bear fruit by itself!
         b. It takes Seed that has within itself the power to germinate
            and grow in good soil
      -- This parable emphasizes the need to trust in the power of the
         Seed (God's Word)

[Yes, the Word is the "seed" which contains the power for spiritual life
and growth when planted in the soil of a good and noble heart!  We may
not fully comprehend the true working of that power, but the parable
illustrates how we can still use it!  And for that, let's now
consider...]

II. THE PARABLE APPLIED

   A. THE WORD OF GOD IS A POWERFUL "SEED"...
      1. It can cause us to be "born again" - 1Pe 1:22-25; Jm 1:18
      2. It can help us to "grow" - 1Pe 2:1-2
      3. It can indeed "save your souls" - Jm 1:21
      4. It is living and powerful, filled with Spirit-giving life - 

         He 4:12; Jn 6:63
      -- Never underestimate the power of the Word of God!

   B. TWO WAYS TO UTILIZE THE POWERFUL "SEED"...
      1. By receiving it into our own hearts (for spiritual growth)
         a. Here we are talking about the growth of the kingdom of God
            in our lives
         b. Of course, we must receive it properly
            1) With a good and noble heart - Lk 8:15; cf. Ac 17:11
            2) With meekness - Jm 1:21
            3) As babies longing for their mothers' milk - 1Pe 2:2
            4) "Laying aside" those things that would "choke" the Word
               - cf. Jm 1:21; 1Pe 2:1
         c. When so received, growth will occur
            1) But remember the parable, for the growth will be gradual
               - Mk 4:28
            2) Therefore the need to feed daily on the Word, "that you
               may grow thereby" - 1Pe 2:2
      2. By sowing it as far and wide as we possibly can (for kingdom
         growth)
         a. Here we are talking about the growth of the kingdom of God
            in the world
         b. Like the sower in the parable of "The Sower", we must sow
            the seed everywhere
         c. But like the sower in the parable of "The Growing Seed", we
            must remember...
            1) Growth comes through the divine power of the seed
               a) It is God who gives the increase - cf. 1Co 3:5-7
               b) We are simply "seed-throwers" and "water-boys"!
            2) Growth comes in stages, not all at once
               a) There will be days when all we seem to be doing is
                  "sowing"
               b) There will be days when all we seem to be doing is
                  "waiting"
            3) Like the farmer, then, we must be patient - cf. Jm 5:7
      -- In our lives and in the world, spiritual growth occurs only
         through the Word!

CONCLUSION

1. The general lessons in the parable of "The Growing Seed" are these...
   a. In the kingdom of God, as in the kingdom of nature, we are
      laborers together with God
   b. The results depend on Him, and for the perfection of these results
      He takes His own time

2. That being the case...
   a. Our duty is to sow the seed, it is for God to give the increase
      - cf. 1Co 3:6-9
   b. Having sown the seed, we must wait for God's Word to perfect the
      growth - cf. Php 1:6

3. Therefore this parable teaches us to trust and hope in power of the
   Word of God...
   a. Do we trust in its power to save the lost?
      1) Or do we look to gimmicks designed by men?
      2) The gospel is God's power to save! - cf. Ro 1:16-17
   b. Do we trust in its power to save your own soul?
      1) Or do we look to self-help methods that promise but really
         can't deliver?
      2) The Word of God is what is capable of saving our souls! - cf.
         Jm 1:21

Are you sowing the seed of the kingdom, brother?  Both in the world, and
in your own life as well...?

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

 

From Gary... Don't pull on your towel

We have been taking care of buddy for two weeks now and he is doing fine.  Last week I gave him a "bath" in the driveway, but Linda said that just wasn't good enough, so this time WE used the large sink in the laundry room.  Much to our surprise, he loved it!!!  But he did NOT love being dried off by the towel.  So, when he was completely dry, he attacked the towel.  Of course, he didn't realize being dried off was a GOOD THING, so being the aggressive little dog that he is-- HE ATTACKED!!!   Sometimes, humans don't know what is good for them either; even the most spiritual among us...

2 Corinthians, Chapter 12

  1 It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.  2 I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I don’t know, or whether out of the body, I don’t know; God knows), such a one caught up into the third heaven.  3 I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don’t know; God knows),  4 how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.  5 On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.  6 For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me, or hears from me. 7 By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively.  8 Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.  9 He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me. 

Why do bad things happen to good people?  Sometimes we cause the "bad" by our own foolishness or stupidity, but at other times God is obviously at work in our life to perfect us.  Buddy pulled and pulled and pulled on that towel and tried to "get it" for what it did to him, not realizing that being dry was a "GOOD THING"!!!  As we go through life, look for God's teachings and direction- if you really look, it will amaze you!!!  And just one more thought for today - DON'T PULL ON YOUR TOWEL!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... Questions Arise

Questions Arise

When it comes to suffering at a serious level questions arise about God. We wonder why he does this or that or why he allows this or that. The questions wouldn't arise if we knew beforehand that he was cruel and got his kicks out of seeing people suffer. We protest and question because our pain pries our lips open.

Even if we knew he was cruel we'd still gasp out our questions. In the movie Color Purple the cruel man of the house wanted to have his wicked way with his wife's young sister. The girl thoroughly rejected his outrageous advances and for this he drove her out of the house. It wasn't the house she was going to miss and it certainly wasn't his attentions she would miss. But her sister was dearer to her than life and it was this that crushed her and led her to shout at him as he drove her off, "Why? Why?" It wasn't information she was looking. She knew very well why he was doing all this. He was bitter because she rejected him, vindictive because he was cruel and cunning because he knew this separation from her sister would be the worst pain of all.

But Jesus Christ has persuaded us that God loves us with a tireless love and it's that in part that creates our perplexity. If he were cruel we'd know why he hurts us or allows it. But if he loves us then why this or why that?

So you mustn't think that your sense of disappointment is nothing more or less than a bad attitude. He is your Holy Father and your pain and loss makes it difficult for you to see why he wouldn't make things easier for you. You feel like you ought to walk away from him and yet you can't help believing that there's some good answer to it all if only you could find it.

What you feel in your bones is correct. Hang on and he will prove you right.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... Take Heed What You Hear

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                   Take Heed What You Hear (4:21-25)

INTRODUCTION

1. When we have opportunities to hear or read the Word of God...
   a. Are we aware that we will be judged by we how give heed?
   b. That the blessings we receive are proportionate to how we hear?

2. During His ministry, Jesus began teaching in parables...
   a. To the public He would tell the parables - Mk 4:1-2
   b. In private He would explain them to His disciples - Mk 4:10-12,
      33-34

3. In "The Parable Of The Four Soils" Jesus...
   a. Illustrated how not all receive the Word as they should
   b. Ended with the cry, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" - Mk 4:9

[After explaining the parable, Jesus exhorted His disciples to "Take
Heed What You Hear" (Mk 4:21-25).  Let's first consider Jesus' words...]

I. AS CHARGED TO THE DISCIPLES

   A. THAT WHICH IS HIDDEN IS TO BE MADE KNOWN...
      1. Jesus asked rhetorical questions involving a lamp - Mk 4:21
      2. What was hidden would be revealed, what was secret should come
         to light - Mk 4:22
      3. The context regards His use of parables and the ultimate
         intention of His teaching
         a. Jesus spoke publicly in parables at the time - Mk 4:11
         b. The meaning was explained privately - Mk 4:33-34
         c. But His teaching was meant one day to be proclaimed abroad
         d. His disciples would be involved in publicly proclaiming it
            - cf. Mt 10:27
      4. Thus they were to pay close attention to what He was saying
         - Mk 4:23
      -- Jesus intended one day for all to hear and know His teaching

   B. TAKE HEED WHAT YOU HEAR...
      1. Jesus charged His disciples to take heed what they hear - Mk 4:24a
      2. The importance of taking heed is repeatedly stressed - Mk 4:
         24b-25
         a. "With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you"
         b. "To you who hear, more will be given"
         c. "For whoever has, to him more will be given"
         d. "But whoever does not have, even what he has will be take
            away from him"
      3. This is illustrated in the parable of The Talents
         a. Talents given according to each person's ability - Mt 25:15
         b. Those who utilized their talents received more
            responsibility - Mt 25:20-23
         c. The one talent man lost that which he did not utilize - Mt25:24-28
         d. "For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will
            have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he
            has will be taken away." - Mt 25:29
      -- Jesus promised more for those who take heed to what they hear,
         utilize what they have

[Jesus spoke these words to prepare and motivate His disciples for their
future service.  Let's now reflect on His words...]

II. AS APPLIED TO US TODAY

   A. THAT WHICH WAS HIDDEN HAS BEEN MADE KNOWN...
      1. Things kept private were to be made public after His
         resurrection - cf. Mk 9:9
      2. The Spirit would be given to guide the apostles into all the
         truth - Jn 16:12-13
      3. They were to proclaim the gospel and His commandments to all
         - Mk 16:15; Mt 28:19-20
      4. The apostles (including Paul) were faithful to their charge
         - Ac 20:27
      5. What was once a "mystery" has now been revealed - Ro 16:25-26;
         Ep 3:3-5,8-9
      -- In the New Testament, that which was hidden can now be known by
         all!

   B. TAKE HEED WHAT YOU HEAR...
      1. The need to take heed to what we hear is still the same
      2. Consider the importance of listening carefully:
         a. To be blessed - cf. Mt 13:16-17
         b. To have faith - cf. Ro 1:16-17; 10:17
         c. To bear fruit - cf. Lk 8:15; Col 1:6
         d. To prevent apostasy - cf. He 2:1-3
         e. To avoid rejection and condemnation - cf. Mt 10:14-15; 

            Ac 13:44-49; Mt 12:41-42
         -- For more, see "How Well Do You Listen?"
      3. The principle of measure remains the same - Mk 4:24-25
         a. "With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you"
         b. "To you who hear, more will be given"
         c. "For whoever has, to him more will be given"
         d. "But whoever does not have, even what he has will be take
            away from him"
      -- For those willing give careful heed to the Word of God, they
         will be richly blessed!

CONCLUSION

1. There is a well known maxim:  "You get out of something what you put
   into it."

2. Does this not explain why many get little out of religion and the
   Bible in particular...?
   a. They have little interest in spiritual matters
   b. They make little effort to learn what the Bible says
   c. Their interest in spiritual things declines with time

3. Yet Jesus promises for those willing to "Take Heed What You Hear"...
   a. "With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you"
   b. "To you who hear, more will be given"
   c. "For whoever has, to him more will be given"

That is why some never stagnate in their spiritual growth, why their
faith is refreshed and renewed daily (cf. 2Co 4:16).  And so together
with Jesus we offer the following admonition:

              "If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."
                               (Mk 4:23)

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

 

From Gary... A new joy

Sometimes, the simplest things in life are the best. You know, a kiss from a very young child, a golden sunset, that first taste of strawberry cheesecake you have been wanting for so, so long.  How about a beautiful big "unpoppable" bubble???  I haven't tried this mixture myself, but I just may do it someday.  Why? Because I remember the pleasure it gave me as a child.  Now, I know I can never be young again, but that doesn't mean I can't have fun and find enjoyment in something or someone.  This thought applies to those who call themselves Christians as well... 

2 Corinthians, Chapter 5

17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. 

Philippians, Chapter 4

1 Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. 

Christians have new Joys: First and foremost is pleasing God and second is loving our fellow Christians!!!  OK, we still might blow the occasional bubble as this can be  a joy; especially when it is made from joy dish soap. Oh, yes, kids and dogs are not immune to fun either!!!