Walter Brennon sang “Old Rivers” and it still touches me after all these years.

He’d say, one of these days
I’m gonna climb that mountain
Walk up there amoung the clouds
Where the cotton’s high
And the corn’s a-growin’
And there ain’t no fields to plow.

However in that song, the plan never materialized. How many plans never seem to work out?

This is what the Scriptures have to say about plans.

Proverbs 19:21

There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.

Give it some thought.

Gary

We make plans and sometimes they work out and sometimes they don’t.

When God has a plan, He bats a thousand.

Acts 2:23

 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;

Jesus wasn’t crucified because He drove the money changers out of the temple with a whip or because of the scribes and Pharisees. It was the plan of God before the foundation of the world.

Trust the one who bats a thousand.

Give it some thought.

Gary

They just sat in class and listened enough to pass the courses; however, after graduation, they just were not able to perform the work. These people could listen but couldn’t do.

James 1:22

 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

God expects us to translate the Word into productive experience.

Let’s go out there and present Christ to a world that is perishing.

Think about it.

Gary

When children come into the world, they already know life is about them. They need to be trained that crying won’t move the grownups every time and toys do need to be shared.

Paul was pointing out this fact to the believers at Philippi. You would think they would have known that principle because they were believers, but no, it needed to be stressed.

Phil 2:3-4

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. ⁴ Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

It’s not about me but it is about others.

Think about it.

Gary

Mick Jagger wrote and sang it in 1965, “I can’t get no satisfaction.”  He’s still singing it in 2020, some fifty five years later.

Contentment is only found resting in what God has to offer humanity. In spite of the unpleasant circumstances life throws at you, contentment can always be found in His presence and promises. 

Hebrews 13:5

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Don’t find yourself singing the same song for 55 years.

Think about it.

Gary

Were you ever punished for something someone else deserved the punishment for? I did, and let me tell you, it wasn’t a pleasant experience. The teacher got the right name but the wrong perpetrator.

But consider what the Lord Jesus did for us. We deserve the consequences for our sin; however, he took all our sins and paid the price.

2 Corinthians 5:21

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Give it some thought.

Gary

This is a nice place to live, but it’s just not home. Many a military person, long-haul truck driver, individual who lost a mate or college student far from home would make that statement.

The older we get as Christians, the more we realize we’re just biding our time until we arrive at our promised abode.

John 14:2

 I go to prepare a place for you.

The hymn writer expressed it well:

This world is not my home; I’m just passing through.
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open door,
and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

I think I can see the porch light from here.

Think about it.

Gary