A distraught senior citizen phoned her doctor’s office.   “Is it true,” she wanted to know, “that the medication you prescribed has to be taken for the rest of my life?”
“‘Yes, I’m afraid so,”‘ the doctor told her.
There was a moment of silence before the senior lady replied, “I’m wondering, then, just how serious is my condition because this prescription is marked ‘NO REFILLS’…”

Reality can be humorous to some, but when faced with it, sobriety kicks in. I once knew an ER doctor who would ask patients if they were ready to die. Most were not. I still wonder about his timing.

What does the Scripture say?

Ezekiel 18:32

For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!

Luke 23:46

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

The day is coming when there will be no refills.

Give it some thought.

Gary

The famous story of a young George Washington cutting down a cherry tree with his hatchet has captured the imagination of generations.  He confessed it to his father because he could not lie. Did Abraham Lincoln walk six miles to return a penny? Wasn’t Columbus discovering America a good thing?

History is being rewritten at such a pace we don’t know what to believe. Then we ponder at exactly who is doing the rewriting and where they are getting their material. Writers are even messing with the Bible to make it say what they believe.

I think I’ll stick with what is closest to the original.

Holy Words long preserved
for our walk in this world,
They resound with God’s own heart
Oh, let the Ancient Words impart.

Words of Life, Words of Hope
Give us strength, help us cope
In this world, where e’er we roam
Ancient Words will guide us home.

Ancient Words ever true
Changing me, and changing you.
We have come with open hearts
Oh, let the Ancient Words impart.

Holy Words of our faith
Handed down to this age.
Came to us through sacrifice
Oh, heed the faithful Words of Christ.

1 Kings 17:24

Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth.”

James 1:18

He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Give it some thought.

Gary

The Christian book market is a $1.2 billion enterprise, around 10% of the broader US publishing market. Christians buy more books and spend more money on books than the average reader. This explains why the big publishers have bought out many of the independent presses in this area.

It always amazes me how much of this genre of literature concerns end-times. It is like these authors have an understanding of Scripture that most of us cannot attain by reading the Bible on our own.

The most striking thing is how the vast bulk of Scripture is taken up with how we should live. In contrast, prophecy is a minuscule part as it relates to believers. Considering that most of us have so much trouble keeping ourselves on the straight and narrow path, we should focus on our day-to-day conduct and not on the great tribulation.

This is what Paul was inspired to write to folks who had such concerns for end times:

1 Thessalonians 5:14

And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

These four commandments keep me so busy I don’t have time to count the number of horses in Revelation.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Dean Gerard Winters (born July 20, 1964) is an American character actor.  He was consistently portraying “Mayhem” in a series of Allstate Insurance commercials. In one commercial, he would be the GPS with a distracted driver. In another, he would be a young child cutting up in the backseat with a distracted mother in the driver’s seat. Then he would be the weight of snow causing a collapsed roof. He was always Mayhem.

He could have played parts in Bible mayhem:

Romans 16:17 

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

Titus 3:10-11 

As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Proverbs 16:28 

A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.

Many will recall the plaintive call of Rodney King, the man whose vicious beating by members of the Los Angeles police department was caught on video. Mr. King cried out, “Why can’t we all just get along?”

The answer is as long as mayhem lives that will be impossible.

Give it some thought.

Gary

“Dennis the Menace” was a cartoon in the papers back in the 60’s. One cartoon had a couple visiting Dennis’s parents. With the mother’s back turned, she overheard Dennis say to the visiting wife, “Mom says you married for money. How much did you get?”

Have you ever said something about another person and the cat got out of the bag? Ouch!  Yes, I know the feeling. Scriptures give us a way to avoid that kind of situation.

Proverbs 11:12

 Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense,
but a man of understanding remains silent.

Proverbs 10:19

When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

Job 6:24

 “Teach me, and I will be silent;
make me understand how I have gone astray.

Been there and done that, but from now on obey the Word.

Think about it.

Gary

The man found a note from his wife. It was placed on the fridge and stated, “This isn’t working.” He concluded, “I’m not sure what she’s talking about. I opened the fridge door and it’s working fine!”

Humorous, but we find the same ADHD in the Scripture. Thomas had a bad case of it. After three years of intense training as a disciple, he still didn’t have it together.

John 11:16

So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

John 14:5

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

 John 20:24-25

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

For those of you with ADHD, don’t spend time being discouraged. The Lord kept working with Thomas and He’ll get you through. It may be that you are the twin to Thomas.

Give it some thought.

Gary

“Let’s Twist Again” is a song written by Kal Mann and Dave Appell. It was released as a single by Chubby Checker. One of the biggest hit singles of 1961, it reached number one. I was only nine at the time, but I spent the next few years doing the twist with anyone who would twist with me. You wouldn’t find me performing that today because I would look ridiculous.

However, there were individuals in the early church doing the twist. Peter had to address the subject because it was leading too many astray.

2 Peter 3:16
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

Chubby Checker probably didn’t hurt anyone with his new form of exercise, but new gyrations can be detrimental to the young. The twist promoted by false teachers that Peter addressed was hurtful, and today’s twist by false teachers is as well.

Think about it before it stimulates your soul.

Gary