Nations change, people change and religion changes with the times. However, there is something that remains the same and that is the Word of God. The repository of truth is not found in religion or spiritual movements but in the Ancient Words.

Isaiah 55:11

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

According to the Scriptures, God has a purpose and a plan for time and eternity, and it is centered in His written revelation. I’m going to place my faith in Him and let the unfolding of history take care of itself. How about you?

Think about it.

Gary

I’ve heard statements from individuals that go like this: “I’m not going into a nursing home when I get old.” How come so many people have that fate and that person decides he won’t have to?

Moses discussed facing a mountain of difficulty in Exodus 33 and here is the record of what he said to God.

Exodus 33:15

Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 

I wouldn’t want to be placed in a nursing home either, but if I have to, I want the presence of God. I don’t want cancer, but if that happens, the presence of God would be a must. I don’t think divorce is in my future, but if it was, I certainly would need the presence of God. I don’t want to experience the death of a loved one, but I know from experience His presence will get me through.

To tell you the truth, like the old hymn states, “I need him every hour” as life unfolds daily in the present. How about you?

Give it some thought.

Gary

Genesis is called the book of beginnings, but not because it is the first book of the Bible, or the beginning of creation, or of life itself. It is the root of all doctrine found in the Bible.  We can discover death, sin, salvation, and the very presence of God in the every-day lives of individuals.

It will take the average person about three hours to read this Book. The journey will be longer if you take the time to meditate on some things. If interest is stimulated, the challenge will be even longer if you are willing to take notes.

This could be the most profitable endeavor you might ever undertake. For some, this can be life-changing.

2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Why not start today?  Keep me informed as to how it’s going.

Think about it.

Gary

The book of Philemon is an interesting short story. This is the account of a man who ran away from his master to get lost in the metropolis of Rome. While in Rome, he found his true Master. His true Master desired that he return to his old master and submit to his authority. He had a mediator by the name of Paul who worked out the details. Read about it in the book of Philemon.

Have you submitted to the Master or are you still on the run? He wants you to know the impossibility of hiding from Him. He desires you to be discovered by His agents and have you submit to those in authority over you.

Romans 10:3

For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

1 Peter 2:13

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake,

God shows His work in us when we submit to those over us. God always provides someone to work out the details.

Give it some thought.

Gary

It’s the day following New Year’s Day of 1970 and my buddy and I are hitchhiking through Maine after spending a week in Connecticut.  A somewhat-compassionate state trooper had put us off the interstate and we had to make it on secondary roads where there was little traffic. The temperature was below minus twenty and no one was stopping to pick up two half-frozen, young men.

Finally, in desperation I said to him, “It must be your face; let me be the first one they see.” He agreed, but my face didn’t improve our luck. One hundred thirty miles from home, broke, cold and in the dark we humbled ourselves and called his mother to come to our rescue. We literally had two cents left after the phone call.

I can’t remember thanking her for her love for her son or my reprimanding him for getting us into such a precarious situation. That was over fifty-one years ago and we are both doing well.

Now back to the benefits of humility.

Proverbs 22:4

By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.

1 Peter 5:5

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Humility is a hard thing for a proud people, but God knows how to get it out of us.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Vladimir John Ondrasik III, known by his stage name Five for Fighting, sang the song Superman.  It is far from a Christian hymn but reveals the inner feelings of many a man. My son introduced it to me saying it was really funny but meaningful. He was right.

The song is about a man who feels as though he is unable to live up to others’ expectations. He can’t possibly be all that other people want him to be. He comes up short of expectations placed on him and believes, at times, he looks absolutely ridiculous. Knowing that society says, “Don’t bleed,” he grapples with the human need to do so. He misses something called home that doesn’t exist on earth. The battle rages inside of him and the relief valve doesn’t seem to want to function.

I can’t stand to fly
I’m not that naive
I’m just out to find
The better part of me

I’m more than a bird, I’m more than a plane
I’m more than some pretty face beside a train
And it’s not easy to be me

I wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
‘Bout a home I’ll never see

It may sound absurd, but don’t be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed, but won’t you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
And it’s not easy to be me

Up, up and away, away from me
Well it’s all right
You can all sleep sound tonight
I’m not crazy or anything

I can’t stand to fly
I’m not that naive
Men weren’t meant to ride
With clouds between their knees

I’m only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me

Inside of me, inside of me, yeah
Inside of me, inside of me
I’m only a man in a funny red sheet
I’m only a man looking for a dream
I’m only a man in a funny red sheet
And it’s not easy
Oh, it’s not easy to be me

Once you give up on the idea that you’re not superman but a mere man, there is hope. God created us to be men and not supermen.

Genesis 1:27 

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Give it some thought, take your place, and please don’t try to fly.

Gary

In preparing for my MRI, I had to answer a series of questions posed by the technician. It seems like if you have any metal on you or in you, it can create serious complications when they hit the switch. When he asked if I had had any abdominal surgeries, I replied, “No.” Everything stopped halfway through the banging process of the machine. Through the earphones I had on, the tech asked, “Gary, did you have gallbladder surgery?”

Oops, I forgot about that. I would have been the first person ever born that was missing a gallbladder.

I have always had a problem with half-listening when answering uninteresting questions. This defect in personality can be an embarrassment when the truth is revealed. We should always focus when others are trying to communicate with us, especially about our future role on the planet.

John 4:24

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

A lie is still a lie even though it is said unintentionally. If you caught me in one, I’m sorry; it is just the way I am.

Romans 3:14

Let God be true and every man a liar.

Think about it.

Gary