I sat at the table of a friend who was facing his last days. He slid a one hundred dollar bill my way and said, “Gary, you preach my funeral service.”

My reply was, “No, there will be no money involved.”

His dogmatic statement was, “You will take that and you will officiate my funeral.” He left no room for compromise, and had I refused, he would have been insulted. Everything was carried out according to his plan.

How many make plans that include dying and the results of that sure event? Have you?

Romans 14:8 

For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 

And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Give it some thought, and if I’m involved, there is no charge.

Gary

I don’t charge to do weddings. However, there was a construction contractor who wanted me to officiate at his son’s wedding. He wouldn’t accept the fact that I didn’t have a bill for that service.

Finally, I responded, ”Okay, how about a load of gravel?”

On the day of the outside ceremony, rain was in the forecast.  The contractor asked me, “Can you do anything about the rain?”

I kiddingly responded, “Sure, but that would be another load of gravel.”

Never miss an opportunity.

Galatians 6:10

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

2 Corinthians 5:12

For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. 

Give it some thought.

Gary

“Days of Elijah” is a song written by Robin Mark back in 1994. This is his statement about the song.

The song is generally and principally a song of ‘hope’. The themes it explores are to do with the fact that, although raised a Methodist, I attended a lot of Brethren or Gospel Hall meetings as a small boy and somehow the theology of Old Testament stories and characters being, either as themselves or by their actions, ‘types’ or ‘examples’ of Christ and the Church got stuck in my head.

This makes me realize that spiritual truth, properly taught, can leave a lasting impact on the youth.

The song declares the truth: There’s no god like Jehovah.

Psalm 83:18 

That they may know that You alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.

Isaiah 12:2 

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

Give it some consideration.

Gary

People are pouring across the U.S. border at an unprecedented rate. The reason being, this is a land of opportunity and freedom. However, they will eventually die here because we all do. But think of this, there is a land we can go to that is perfect and harbors no death.

Philippians 3:20-21

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Hebrews 13:14

For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. 

Ephesians 2:19

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

Give it some thought and keep that border in sight.

Gary

Come on now, you really can’t pray because you don’t have time? You don’t know what to say? You feel like prayer is not of primary importance? Then your ship must always be sailing in smooth waters and you have no need of God.

Good news! One does not have to have a large vocabulary to communicate with God.

Matthew 6:7 

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Get alone. Spend some time with Him. Your Father is waiting.

Give it some thought.

Gary

 Twenty-three thousand Americans died while surrounded by the German 26th Volksgrenadier. For six weeks and at temperatures below freezing, the soldiers held their ground.  A combined-arms-force of airborne infantry, armor, engineers, tank destroyers, and artillery conducted a successful defense of the Belgian crossroads town of Bastogne in late December of 1944. 

I heard an old soldier who had been there say, “Every time life would throw something hard my way, I would say to myself, ‘At least you are not in Bastogne.’”

Every believer facing life’s challenges, which can be taxing, can always say, “At least I’m saved.”

Ephesians 2:8 

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Believers, no matter what happens, we make it and we should never forget the assurances given us in His Word.

Give it some thought.

Gary

The little word “now” is a very interesting word. The word means, “at the present moment of time or without any further delay.” The Holy Spirit moved the writers and translators of the Bible to use that little word quite often throughout the Scriptures.

Hebrews 9:26

He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

It was a one-time event that paid in full the condemnation that we all deserve. Don’t you appreciate that “now” event?

Give it some thought.

Gary