You cannot put one little star in motion;

You cannot shape one single forest leaf,

Nor fling a mountain up, nor sink an ocean,

Presumptuous pigmy, large with unbelief!

You cannot bring one dawn of regal splendor,

Nor bid the day to shadowy twilight fall,

Nor send the pale moon forth with radiance tender;

And dare you doubt the One who has done it all?

–       Sherman A. Nagel, Sr.

Psalm 16:11 

“You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Psalm 23:4

 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

Give it some thought.

Gary

She was a bus driver and janitor at our school many years ago and was well known for her antics. She loved us kids and we weren’t all that lovable. Her attendance at ballgames was 100%. This unique individual would show up at these events with an old jug with a cork stopper. Standing in front of the bleachers, she removed the stopper and the crowd would cheer loudly. Then she would put the stopper back on the bottle and everyone quieted. That crowd was moved by just the actions of a lady with an old jug and a wild sense of humor.

When we think back on other influences in our lives, what do we come up with? Could there possibly be a pied piper who led us down some lonely and dangerous trail? How many times were we easily manipulated?

Hopefully, now we’re led by a more realistic entity.

Isaiah 58:11 

And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Isaiah 48:17 

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go.

Pull the top off of that and respond to Him. Give it some thought.

 Gary

There are other ways for explaining the origin of man. Dr. Lawrence S. Dillon, associate professor of biology at Texas A and M College, says that man is not an animal but a plant which evolved from brown seaweed. Now maybe you have been looking in the wrong place for your grandpa and grandma. Some folks have been looking up a tree. Now we are told that we should be down at the beach pulling out seaweed because that is grandpa and grandma! Some of this speculation really becomes ridiculous.

–       By David J. Stewart 

Years ago, the smartest man in the world knew better and offered this:

“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”
—Physicist, Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

Hebrews 11:3 

By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

Genesis 1:26 

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

 Give it some thought.

Gary

We had just turned thirteen, finished the seventh-grade school year, and were ready for new adventure. I told my buddy that in the adjoining town there were French girls just waiting for us. There was a dance that Friday night and we would dress our best, splash on a little aftershave, and make our entrance.

We hitchhiked down there, walked up to the door of the dancehall and were refused entrance. They told us in no uncertain terms that we didn’t belong to their town and wouldn’t be admitted. In my mind’s eye, I can still see two dejected and downcast individuals heading back to where they came from. The adventure had imploded.

Rejection is a challenge for all of us. However, that emotion was the most felt by our Savior. He came to His own and His own rejected Him.

1 Peter 2:4 

As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,

John 1:11 

He came to his own, and his own people did not receive Him.

Think about that the next time you are rejected.

Gary

P.S.

We got even with them. Years later we each married a French girl from that town.

As the story goes, a pollster walked up to a house, rang the doorbell and was greeted by a man, his television blaring in the background. After introducing himself, the pollster asked this question: “What is the biggest problem in our nation today _ ignorance or apathy?”

Just before he slammed his door in the pollster’s face, the man answered, “I don’t know and I don’t care!”

I’m almost certain most Americans feel this way, and unfortunately, so do most Christians. However, we must take note as to what the Bible has to say on the subject.

Revelation 3:16 

So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Give it some thought unless apathy has you in its grip.

Gary

Joe Louis was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 until he retired in 1949. In 1946 Louis prepared to defend his title against a skilled fighter named Billy Conn. Louis was warned to watch out for Conn’s great speed and his tactic of darting in to attack and then moving quickly out of his opponent’s range. In a famous display of confidence, Louis replied, “He can run, but he can’t hide.”

God said the same thing about you:

Jeremiah 23:24

“Can a man hide himself in hiding places, so I do not see him?” declares the Lord. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the Lord. 

Luke 8:17

For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.

Like Adam, stop hiding from God. It didn’t work for him, and it won’t work for you.

Think about it.

Gary

Bob Vernon, formerly with the Los Angeles Police Department, tells of how the department would test bullet-proof vests—and demonstrate to rookie officers their value—by placing them on mannequins and then shooting round after round at them. They’d then check to see if any of the rounds penetrated the vests. Invariably, the vests would pass the test with flying colors. Vernon would then turn to the rookie officers and ask, “So who wants to wear it now instead of the mannequin?”

When faith is put to the test, and even though there is much evidence to support its results, the heart can fail. How can you refuse to practice what you profess to believe? The answer is that you need to step out and prove it. People have a lot to criticize about Peter walking on water, but as far as we know, apart from Christ, he is the only one who ever did.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 

But test everything; hold fast what is good.

James 1:3 

For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 

Proverbs 17:3 

The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.

The test will come, but are you ready to challenge it?

Give it some thought.

Gary