Is A PICTURE REALLY WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS?  With today’s Facebook-fascination, is the truth really there in the way a family vacation is portrayed?  Do you know about the fight over the flight arrangements?  Do you know about the way the kids grumbled or just took everything for granted with no appreciation shown?

Truthfully, unity and contentment are not always a reality, but what is pictured has to imply that all is well. It wasn’t like that in Job’s world and, I doubt, it is in yours.

Job 5:7

Yet man is born to trouble, As the sparks fly upward.

Job 14:1

“Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.

Over a thousand years later, Jesus made a similar statement:

John 16:33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

The promise Jesus made to the early believers was that what they couldn’t find in the world they would find in him.

Give it some thought and anticipate trouble.

Gary

SS Edmund Fitzgerald was an American Great Lakes freighter that sank in Lake Superior during a storm on November 10, 1975, with the loss of the entire crew of 29 men. When launched on June 7, 1958, she was the largest ship on North America’s Great Lakes, and she remains the largest to have sunk there.

I have listened to the song about the Edmond Fitzgerald maybe a hundred times in my life. It’s about a journey in a storm with a valuable cargo. In a moment of time, the cargo became worthless and the crew didn’t even have time to send an SOS. Its remains lie five hundred fifty feet down and broken in two; the bodies were never recovered.

We are being transported through life with hopes, goals and ambitions. However, that can end suddenly, and in a way many won’t understand. While we still can communicate, let’s stay in touch with others and especially the One who sent us on this voyage in the first place.

 Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Give it some thought as you sail through life.

Gary

A member of Alcoholics Anonymous once sent columnist Ann Landers the following:

We drank for happiness and became unhappy.
We drank for joy and became miserable.
We drank for sociability and became argumentative.
We drank for sophistication and became obnoxious.
We drank for friendship and made enemies.
We drank for sleep and awakened without rest.

After reading the letter and posting it in her column, Ann Landers made this comment:

People who drink to drown their sorrow should be told that sorrow knows how to swim.

On the subject of sorrow, the Bible has the following to say:

2 Corinthians 7:10

For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Give it some thought and the drinks will be on me.

Gary

Noah would catch the weather every night on the local channel and then turn to ABC for the evening news. The news wasn’t good because there were fights and rebellions all over his world. The environment of the day was saturated with immorality and a complete rejection of the Creator. His only consolation was that the weather was perfect for the coming week.

Then, out of nowhere, God appeared to him and made a powerful statement:

Genesis 6:13-14

And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopherwood;

This would result in ark dimensions of 525-624 ft x 87.5-104 ft x 52.5-62.4 feet or roughly the size of the aircraft carrier USS Independence. Noah had a hundred years to get the job done.

Not many people believed Noah or God and only eight made it out. This account is to instruct us that God will judge His creation. He is the One in control of the future and not man.

My question to you is, as you’re watching the news and weather, what is He saying to you?

Think about it.

Gary

While I was attending high school, there were times I would sense the need to ask one of my female classmates, “What do you want from me?” Her reply would be, “Just go away.” I understood that and usually would follow that request.

Many times, in the Scripture the word “go” was as simple to understand as in my youth.

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Matthew 6:6

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

 Matthew 28:19-20

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Is God asking you specifically to go somewhere?

Give it some thought.

Gary

A good friend of mine has an after-retirement job. Like some people, he prefers to keep working until his body gives completely out. This is a blessing for our country because we are deficient in individuals who are not allergic to work.

In any case, he works for the VA, traveling veterans to their various doctor appointments. He is the perfect employee because of his strength, intelligence and, especially, his sense of humor.

The other day he was transporting a blind vet. As he was putting him into the van, he asked a shocking question. He said to the veteran, “I’m sorry, but did I ask you if you would prefer to drive?”

The old man laughed and said, “I would like to, but I will tell you how to get where we are going.” This handicapped individual had every exit and distance recorded in his head and gave excellent directions.

My friend would tell people, “I had a blind man leading me today.”

Seriously though, what my friend did was not biblical:

Luke 6:39

And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?

Just out of curiosity, who is leading you?

Think about it.

Gary

The price of almost everything is going up almost astronomically. People are worried about not being able to continue with their present lifestyles. However, the possession of the greatest value is free.

Romans 8:32

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

Things could get challenging but put your full weight on the promises:

 Matthew 6:26 

‘Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?’

God is perfectly capable of taking care of you.

Give it some thought.

Gary