I’m Ready

The young man told his mother, “Mom, if something happens to me, I want you to know I’m ready.” Something did happen and I believe he was ready. I base that on the looks of his Bible and his comments on significant passages. He believed God.

I’ve seen Bibles of religious people who have departed and they look like they never were opened. How does yours look?

Psalm 19:7-11 

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Don’t leave the planet without opening His Word. After all, it’s the manual God ensured we’d have access to.  Give it some thought.

Gary

I Promise

With a downcast look on their faces, Mom and Dad stood at the foot of my hospital bed. Their seventeen-year-old son lay there with his face full of deep cuts, missing teeth and a broken jaw. I told them I would never drink again. It wasn’t a week after my hospital stay, and I was plastered one more time. Fifty-five years later, that still haunts me.

What neither I nor my loving parents could do is deliver me from my love of alcohol. Three years later God did what no man could do and I am eternally grateful. I’ve had relatives and friends that didn’t make it. The gospel singer belted it out best, “It is no secret what God can do.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Romans 12:2 

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Give it some thought.  It could change the trajectory of your life here on the planet.

Gary

Complain

A man in a bar is drinking whiskey and says: with what I have, I shouldn’t be drinking so much. Then he turns to the bartender and says: give me another one, even though… with what I have, I shouldn’t be drinking so much. As soon as he finishes drinking, he goes back to the bartender and asks for another whiskey, still murmuring: with what I have, I shouldn’t be drinking so much.
At that point, the bartender, intrigued, asks: what do you have that you keep saying you shouldn’t be drinking so much?
— What do I have? I only have 1 dollar!

Does the Bible address complaining? Glad you asked.

Philippians 2:14-15

 Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

Don’t be a complainer. Make our lives easier. Give it some thought.

Gary

French Teacher

I saw my old French teacher in the supermarket parking lot. I hadn’t seen him in decades. Gaining eye contact with him, I declared, I’m one of your old French students.

He responded, “Yes, the one who skipped the French test and was seen getting on the bus that afternoon to go play a baseball game.”

That happened in 1967 and I was that perp.

He’ll never forget that and confronted me again 57 years later. I must have left a real impression on him.

Now God, on the other hand, is capable of forgetting all my transgressions.

Hebrews 10:17

Then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”

Psalm 139:7

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?

My former teacher is a nice old man with a good memory. Thankfully, God chooses to erase some memories.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Fears

“Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.”                                                                                      – Les Brown

Isaiah 41:10 

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

2 Timothy 1:7 

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

You need not be afraid; live, knowing He will uphold you.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Dreams

Because of too many Albert Hitchcock movies as a kid, I still have nightmares. A recurring one is that I enter my house at dark and every light switch I try doesn’t come on. This is weird and I know something evil is watching me. I awaken and am thankful I am back to reality.

Speaking of dreams, does the Bible does address some? Glad you asked.

Ecclesiastes 5:7 

For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.

Matthew 27:19 

Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.”

Sometimes dreams have a reason, so we do need to consider them at times.

Give it some thought and pleasant dreams.

Gary

Don’t Stop

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”                     Thomas A. Edison

Joshua 1:8 

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Luke 16:10-11 

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?

Give it some thought and go for it.

Gary