Tool Time scene: When Tim comes home with a portion of a table still stuck to his forehead, his wife, Jill laughs at him. Tim couldn’t be assisted when he went to the Emergency Room.

He explains, “They said I wasn’t a priority.”

Jill laughs and responds, “Why? Was there a guy with a whole table stuck to his head?”

Humor, does God have it? Glad you asked.

Psalm 2:4 

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

Psalm 37:13 

But the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.

Psalm 59:8 

But you, O Lord, laugh at them; you hold all the nations in derision.

God’s humor should be taken seriously and He’s not even Irish.

Give it some thought.

Gary

A missionary friend sent me the following statement: “Satan calls us by our sins; Jesus calls us by our name.” The Bible has a lot to say about our name and the name He is going to give us.

Proverbs 22:1

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold. 

Ecclesiastes 7:1

A good name is better than precious ointment,

 Revelation 2:17

And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except Him who receives it.”

He knows our name now and for eternity. Imagine a name written down in glory, one that is in the Lamb’s Book of Life!

Revelation 21:27

But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Think about it and check to see if your name is there.

Gary

Most Bible scholars believed that the Apostle Paul traveled over 10,000 miles on his three missionary journeys. This took up the last 32 years of his life.  These endeavors were powered by burning up 692,000 to 1,000,000 calories. He left behind thirteen books, inspired by God, to give light to believers over the last two millenniums.

The question is how many calories are we using in promoting the Lord Jesus Christ? It is a reasonable thought, considering what He gave for us.

1 Peter 4:10 

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 

Mark 10:45 

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Give it some thought and start walking.

Gary

“And I still have other smothered memories, now unfolding themselves into limbless monsters of pain.”

                                                                                 – Vladimir Nabokov

What a statement!   We all have those hideous characters that can never, in this life, be erased from our memory. They haunt us at the most inappropriate times and are a drag on our progress. Almost every character in the Scripture has a testimony relating to this very subject. Yes, the Bible addresses it.

Philippians 3:13-14

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 12:13

and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

If God uses scared individuals like Abraham, Jacob and Paul, He certainly can work through you.

Give it some thought.

Gary

He looked her straight in the eye and said, “I’ve seen salads dressed better than you.”

That was probably a true statement, but wasn’t one that could be digested. However, the Bible does have something to say about the way we dress.

1 Timothy 2:9 

Likewise, also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire,

Leviticus 19:28 

You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord.

Yes, God is concerned about the way we present ourselves.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Eliphaz was not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he made an astute observation about investing.

Job 15:31

Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless,
for he will get nothing in return.

Be skeptical if investment opportunities come with guaranteed high returns and low or no risks. The return is that it goes from your pocket to theirs.

Let me give you some strong advice. The things invested in eternity will never lose their reward.

Colossians 3:23-24

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Ephesians 6:8

Knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.

Give it some thought and then start investing.

Gary

Nobody in pulpit or pew needs a revival more than a bitter-spirited fundamentalist with his dispensations right and his disposition wrong.

–Vance Havner

That statement was made well into the last century. However, it is as relevant today as it was then. Be fundamental, but stay away from the character that closes all communication with a lost world, especially characters who would lead you to attack the capitol of the United States.

Here’s what Scripture has to say about conduct.

Proverbs 10:9 

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.

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.

1 Corinthians 15:33 

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

 Give it some thought.

Gary