Remember; don't forget!!!

America is aging; the baby boomers are older now and the effect on society is significant!!!  I saw this picture and remembered yesterday; when I found myself in a room and didn't have the slightest idea why I was in there.  No big deal!  I was a bit surprised and that was it; period.  An hour later I remembered what I was going to do and by that time I had thought up something to add to my task, so things turned out much better than they would have in the first place.  Some things can be forgotten easily at any age, but when remembered can really make a difference in your life.  Check out what the apostle Peter says about this...

WEB: II Peter Chapter 3

[1] This is now, beloved, the second letter that I have written to you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by reminding you; [2] that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandments of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior: [3] knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own lusts, [4] and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” [5] For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth formed out of water and amid water, by the word of God; [6] by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. [7] But the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. [8] But don’t forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. [9] The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The other day I watched the movie Armageddon again.  The opening scene in which you see a picture of the Earth and Charlton Heston says something like... it has happened before and it will happen again.  He was referring to the Earth being hit by a six mile meteorite which nearly destroyed the planet.  His words resonated with me because we humans tend to forget things; and in times of prosperity... God.  Today, more than ever, we need to remember the past; that apostasy has happened before, just as it has become prevalent in this culture.  But, God is patient with us and in his own good time will sort everything out and make all right.  Don't forget... remember who HE is and what HE will do and some day (perhaps even today) you will be eternally glad you did.  Surprise!  God will bless you; only don't forget HIM!!!

The Celebration of Christmas by Mark Copeland

http://executableoutlines.com/top/xmas.htm

What about the tradition? ... Gary

Free at what cost?

Who wouldn't want these things?  You can't buy them and you can't REALLY LIVE WITHOUT THEM.  Are they REALLY free?  Good question!  I don't think they really are.  There is a cost associated with them.  It takes a lot of work to hold a family together, or in reality any relationship for that matter.  All these things are indicative of a good life and that takes effort.  Its so easy to let the world get you down, to think negatively and spiral into unhappiness.  One easy (and at times, not so easy) way to avoid this is to think about what we do and more importantly, WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO!!  Living right (or perhaps more accurately, righteously) means living a life that eliminates sinful activity.  Living wrong (sinfully) leads to unhappiness.  The apostle Paul puts it this way...

World English Bible: Romans Chapter 6

[1] What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? [2] May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer? [3] Or don’t you know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? [4] We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. [5] For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection; [6] knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin. [7] For he who has died has been freed from sin. [8] But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him; [9] knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no more has dominion over him! [10] For the death that he died, he died to sin one time; but the life that he lives, he lives to God. [11] Thus consider yourselves also to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

[12] Therefore don’t let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. [13] Neither present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. [14] For sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace. [15] What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? May it never be! [16] Don’t you know that to whom you present yourselves as servants to obedience, his servants you are whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? [17] But thanks be to God, that, whereas you were bondservants of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto you were delivered. [18] Being made free from sin, you became bondservants of righteousness.

[19] I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for as you presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness for sanctification. [20] For when you were servants of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. [21] What fruit then did you have at that time in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. [22] But now, being made free from sin, and having become servants of God, you have your fruit of sanctification, and the result of eternal life. [23] For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Christians are bound to Christ; to live as he would have us to live.  And that life is NOT FREE; it cost Jesus his LIFE.  To us it is free, but it still has the cost of our obedience.  Consider all the things that you get when you obey and the cost is really NO BIG DEAL.  The cost of disobedience is much higher as the lives of adulterers, drug addicts, liars, murderers, thieves and all sorts of sinful activities will testify to.  So, as cute as the picture may be, I really don't agree with it, because if fact nothing is free; somewhere, somehow, someone is doing something to make these things happen.  And I am GLAD THEY ARE!  GIVE ME MORE, PLEASE!!!!!!

Managing Anger by Mark Copeland

http://executableoutlines.com/top/anger.htm

Learning this can avoid a lot of trouble in life... Gary

Good Morning!

This little fella looks happy!  Remember happiness?  Its being young and waking up on a warm spring day in the month of May... feeling great!!!  Perhaps its the day you bought your first car or house or maybe the day you became a parent?  Those things come and go, but this little passage from the New Testament says it all for me...

WEB: Philippians Chapter 4

[4] Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, “Rejoice!” [5] Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. [6] In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Many things have changed in my life, but God has not changed.  He is right where he has always been and the knowledge of that makes even the worst day something to remember.  If you can't say that right now, then perhaps its time to do something about the situation.  Take some time, reflect on where you are in relation to God.  Open the book, ask someone who says they are a Christian; do something about it.  You will be glad you did; maybe even as glad as the little guy in this picture!!!

Capital Punishment by Mark Copeland

http://executableoutlines.com/top/cap_pun.htm


This one is a "must read"... Gary

Bacon

Yesterday I made Lima bean soup, but with bacon.  Today, I am paying for having that extra portion of beans, but it was worth it, because I really like it better with bacon than with ham.  So, when I saw this picture, I related to it in a big way!!!  But, I do know that this picture describes a fleeting truth and not absolute one.  Here is how I know...

WEB: Matthew Chapter 6

[19] “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; [20] but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; [21] for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

[22] “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. [23] But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

[24] “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon. [25] Therefore, I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? [26] See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they?

[27] “Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? [28] Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin, [29] yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. [30] But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith?

[31] “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ [32] For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. [33] But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. [34] Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient."

Food, shelter, family; essentials all.  We know this and yet do we know that there is something more?  If we have eyes, ears and the native intelligence of a smart bird, then we can appreciate love, kindness and gentleness.  Characteristics of humanity, which of course find their perfection in Divinity.  I say: Enjoy all the good things that God has given you and be happy.  Only remember that GOD has given them to you and thank HIM.  And, oh, yes, don't overdo it on bean soup!!!