In a daring escape from a Sydney, Australia, jail, a prisoner climbed underneath the hood of a truck. At the truck’s next stop, he clambered out and found himself in the yard of another prison four miles from the first.

Judas, thousands of years before this event, found himself in a similar situation. He decided Jesus was not the Savior of the nation and it was time for him to cut his losses. Days later he would be found with his guts hanging out and a rope around his neck.

Life might not be what you planned for, but be careful, a new plan might be worse. Why not let the plan of God be the driving force in your life?

Esther 4:14

Perhaps you were born for such a time as this.

Romans 8:28

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

How many times have we heard the statement, “It seemed like a good idea at the time.” By the way, time is running out.

Give it some thought.

Gary

A pastor was giving the children’s message during church. For this part of the service, he would gather all the children around him and give a brief lesson before dismissing them for children’s church.

On this particular Sunday, he was using squirrels for an object lesson on industry and preparation. He started out by saying, “I’m going to describe something, and I want you to raise your hand when you know what it is.” The children nodded eagerly.

“This thing lives in trees (pause) and eats nuts (pause)…” No hands went up. “And it is gray (pause) and has a long bushy tail (pause)…” The children were looking at each other, but still no hands raised. “And it jumps from branch to branch (pause) and chatters and flips its tail when it’s excited (pause)…”

Finally one little boy tentatively raised his hand. The pastor breathed a sigh of relief and called on him. “Well…,” said the boy, “I know the answer must be Jesus… but it sure sounds like a squirrel to me!”

Are you confused by the obvious because of your theological surroundings?  There is an account in John’s Gospel about a man born blind who was given his sight back by Jesus. His parents were happy but fearful of being put out of the synagogue.

John 9:22

His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.

I would say, “Look at the evidence. Do you really need the synagogue?”

Some might be better off reading their Bibles at home than going to church.

Give it some thought.

Gary

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