Man sees the world through the lens of his own wants. Jesus was just the opposite of that because His life was about others and His goal was the cross. He knew life was very short and had an eternal purpose. How many times did He try to teach that to His disciples? They, in turn, made it clear to us.

Acts 2:23

This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 

Ephesians 2:10

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Psalm 144:4

Man is like a breath;
His days are like a passing shadow.

Seeing as we all live on a dead-end road, what should you do?

Give it some thought.

Gary

She had been married five times and now she just had a significant other. For her, that marriage thing just didn’t work. However, we can extrapolate from the account that her latest fling was a loser also.

What was taking place at the old waterhole that day would live forever.  If it were a country and western song, it would go like this: “Picking up the pieces of shattered dreams and schemes.”

After meeting Jesus, this messed-up individual made the most significant statement that a human can make:

John 4:29

 “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” 

He sure was and those that heard her were so convinced that they made the journey to see for themselves.

What about your encounter with Him? Where did it take place? What were the circumstances? How did it influence others? Will future generations be reading about it?

Think about it.

Gary

Charlie Brown was talking to Snoopy, his dog, about their great future together. Bored, Snoopy was half listening. Charlie asked, “What would you say if I told you I was going to devote the rest of my life to making you happy? We’ll go for long walks in the woods and romp around in the yard. You’ll sit on my lap; I’ll scratch your ears. We’ll watch TV and I’ll give you cookies.” At the mention of cookies, Snoopy perked up and replied, “What kind of cookies?”

We are so much like Snoopy. Spending time with the Lord in His Word and in fellowship can be mundane. However, heaven and a new body would be great. We need to ask ourselves the question: How much of the divine revelation do we really appreciate?

2 Kings 17:14-15

However, they did not listen, but stiffened their neck like their fathers, who did not believe in the Lord their God. They rejected His statutes and His covenant which He made with their fathers and His warnings with which He warned them. And they followed vanity and became vain, and went after the nations which surrounded them, concerning which the Lord had commanded them not to do like them.

The comic strip really wasn’t funny to me for it kind of reminded me of the relationship many have with our Owner. Like Snoopy, they ask, “What’s in it for me?”

Give it some serious thought.

Gary

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Lightning doesn’t strike in the same place twice.” The truth is the Empire State building gets hit on an average of twenty-five times a year. Many believe every part of the human body can repair itself. However, that is not true of teeth, for only a dentist can repair them with a foreign material. Someone once told me that the Bible says the Lord helps those who help themselves. Truth is the Bible makes no such statement.

The Bible is a repository of truth, and one should be very familiar with it so as not to be led into error.

Matthew 22:29

But Jesus answered them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.

1 John 1:8

 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Life is too short and eternity is too long to be wrong about spiritual things.

Give it some serious thought.

Gary

I’m sitting here today with a jealous heart. I’m studying the book of Daniel for a Sunday sermon and jealousy crept up on me. You’ll understand my emotions when you read this portion of Daniel chapter one.

As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 

Now I can’t interpret a vision or a dream. I lack knowledge in multiple areas. Possessing skill, no, that doesn’t describe me.  Studying has always been hard work and never pleasure for me. So now you understand my situation.

However, I rest in the fact that my situation in life, opportunities, deficits and IQ are from God and all I have to do is rest in that fact. I’ll never be a Daniel, but by the grace of God, I can be me and serve God in the capacity He has seen fit to equip me for.

What about you? Are you jealous? Don’t ever let it stop you from serving.

Think about it.

Gary

“Some men die by shrapnel

 some go down in flames

but most men perish inch by inch

playing silly little games.” 

Do the silly games include watching sitcoms from the sixties, enjoying old John Wayne movies, and looking at old yearbooks? What a waste of time! Like the line in an old song, “No, I can’t go back there.”

It might be a reach, but it certainly is a Biblical reach.

Philippians 3:13

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,

Don’t be dragged down by the past. Reach for the future while the candle still burns.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Jackie Robinson, the world-famous baseball star, once said, “Life is not a spectator sport. If you’re going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion, you’re wasting your life.”

Jackie was not a theologian, but he certainly saw that life had a grand purpose for every individual. The Bible describes it as running a race and boxing the opponent.

Hebrews 12:1

All these many people who have had faith in God are around us like a cloud. Let us put everything out of our lives that keeps us from doing what we should. Let us keep running in the race that God has planned for us.

1 Corinthians 9:26

In the same way, I run straight for the place at the end of the race. I fight to win. I do not beat the air.

You need to figure out why you’re here and the best way to accomplish that is to open the Scriptures.

Give it some thought.

Gary