Americans are getting warned to death. Manufacturers are growing increasingly wary of being sued when their products are misused, so they are attaching warning labels to hundreds of items.

For example, a Batman outfit bears this caveat: “Parents, please exercise caution—FOR PLAY ONLY. Mask and cape are not protective; cape does not enable user to fly.”

A faulty belief system can lead to some terrible consequences. Deciding what is real and what is make-believe is a challenge for every generation.

The book of Jude gave such warnings:

These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

Warning: These people can harm you and take away what should only belong to you.

Think about it.

Gary

The park ranger is warning some hikers about bears:

“Brown bears are usually harmless and avoid contact with humans. So, we suggest you attach small bells to your backpacks and give the bears time to get out of your way. However, grizzly bears are extremely dangerous. If you see grizzly bear droppings, leave the area immediately.”

“How do you know if they are grizzly bear droppings?” asked a hiker.

“Easy,” replied the ranger, “they are full of small bells.”

We, as Christians also live in a dangerous place and need to be careful of our surroundings.

Proverbs 27:12

The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.

Proverbs 14:16

One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.

Hebrews 11:7

By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Ephesians 5:15

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,

To be circumspect is to be wary; the word comes from a Latin word literally meaning “look around.” “Walk circumspectly” is Paul’s way of urging Christians to look very carefully at how they live and behave.

 Give it some thought. Some people “barely” make it.

Gary

Can you smell that? If you can’t, then you have a condition called anosmia. A friend of mine didn’t know he’d been sprayed by a skunk until he entered the house and his wife quickly told him. He had a bad case of anosmia.

A Dutch museum recently took advantage of the sense of smell by surrounding a Jan Willem painting, “The Battle of Waterloo” with a unique fragrance. The combination of gunpowder, sweat, and a perfume called 4711 Eau de Cologne, which is the one Napoleon wore. The painting was enhanced by the smell.

How should we smell?

2 Corinthians 2:15

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,

2 Corinthians 2:14

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

Do we pass the smell test?

Think about it.

Gary

Vance Havner put it best when he wrote, “We need a heart warming…The early Christians did not need a shot in the arm every Sunday to keep them going. They knew Jesus and they upset the world and worried the devil and gave wicked rulers insomnia and started something the jails couldn’t lock up, fire couldn’t burn, water couldn’t drown, swords couldn’t kill.”

Somebody took the truth and made it just a religion. Believing pageantry and ceremony would direct a lost and lonely soul, they seriously erred from the truth.

It is only by getting back to a personal relationship with Christ that we can bring a real change in this world. He is looking for broken people who see their situation for what it really is.

Luke 18:13

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

To paraphrase it, Jesus said that tax collector had it nailed. How do you see yourself?

Give it some thought.

Gary

Italian artist Salvatore Garau created an artwork that must be seen to be believed. Only, you can’t see it. It’s invisible. Still, that didn’t stop him from successfully selling the nonexistent artwork to someone who saw enough there to shell out $18,300.

Heaven’s Gate’s leader, Marshall Applewhite, believed that God was an advanced alien travelling in a spaceship behind the Hale-Bopp comet. The bodies of Heaven’s Gate’s leader, Marshall Applewhite – also known as “Do” – and 38 members were discovered on March 26, 1997. The group had been part of a mass suicide which they believed would earn them access to a spacecraft following Comet Hale-Bopp.

What do these two events have in common? They make us ask, “Are you nuts?”

There is a Book containing ancient words that communicates to us what is visible and invisible:

Romans 1:20

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Colossians 1:16

For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him.

Think about it.

Gary

Did you know this body of ours is just rented? Also, did you know that someday soon we will be getting an eviction notice?

Some believe erroneously that this mechanism to get through life belongs to them personally. In my youth, I returned my brother’s pickup truck with the tailpipe wrapped around the muffler. He gave me a lecture on ownership and what this would cost.

Some promote a great future if anyone would adopt their belief system. Unfortunately, in the end many find it to be very expensive now and forever.

The Bible addresses this:

II Peter 2:19 

While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.

I Cor. 6:19-20 

 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? ²⁰ For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

There is a massive amount of information on how to use the body He gave you as you journey through life.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Playing church can get boring. You learn the routine; you do the same thing every Sunday. After a while, it’s not very exciting anymore, so mentally you drift off to find more stimulating pursuits. You don’t leave, but it just doesn’t do anything for you anymore. You now explore other interests.

There’s bound to be a pot of gold at the end of that rainbow. There’s bound to be a better life just over that hill.

Grandpa Tell Me About The Good Old Days

Judds

Grandpa, tell me ’bout the good old days
Sometimes it feels like
This world’s gone crazy
Grandpa, take me back to yesterday
When the line between right and wrong
Didn’t seem so hazy

Isaiah 5:20-21

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!

The Bible teaches right from wrong. Give it some thought.

Gary