“Pancho and Lefty” is a story song, one of the finest of the genre. It tells of a Mexican bandit named Pancho and his friendship with Lefty, the man who ultimately betrays him.  Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard made the song famous with their 1983 duet.

Poor old Pancho left what he could have been for what he could never be. So many individuals throughout time have made the same delusional trade. Dreams turn into nightmares when you’re on the road that runs contrary to society’s values.

Living on the road my friend
Was gonna keep you free and clean
And now you wear your skin like iron
And your breath as hard as kerosene

Weren’t your mama’s only boy
But her favorite one it seems
She began to cry when you said goodbye
And sank into your dreams

The Bible also gives advice about taking a road that leads to life. It describes the pitfalls and snares that can trip up a young man and bring about destruction.

Proverbs 1:8

My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother;

Proverbs 1:10

My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent.

Proverbs 1:15

My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path;

What are you thinking, Boy?

Give it some thought.

Gary

Someone might describe you as a jackass, but you’re not one. People could say you are a snake, but that wouldn’t be true. They might even say you resemble a monkey; however, a DNA test would disprove that hypothesis. Only smile when you are referenced to as a turkey.

No, God has created us in his image and we are to rule over the animal kingdom with respect. WE ARE UNIQUE and unlike the animals have a superior intelligence. We were created to reflect God’s greatness.

Genesis 1:26
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Every creature has a specific purpose in God’s grand design. However, the only one that can have a personal relationship with Him is the human being and only if that person so desires.

Give it some thought, you wise old owl.

Gary

When I was a lad going along the highway searching for returnable soda bottles was the only way to make money. Seeing two or three bottles together in a ditch was like finding treasure.

The gold rushes of centuries past were made up of men with gold fever seeking treasure.

The account of Noah in the Old Testament is about a man who found treasure. It was called grace:

Genesis 6:8

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

That treasure was enough to save him and his entire family from the coming judgment.  We also, thousands of years later, can find this treasure and make it our own.

2 Corinthians 4:7

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

How about you? What is the value of your stuff?

Think about it.

Gary

This is certainly the age of information. The Information Age is the idea that access to and the control of information is the defining characteristic of this current era in human civilization. More technological changes, such as the development of fiber optic cables and faster microprocessors, accelerated the transmission and processing of information.

You can have all the information the world contains, but missing this one piece of information can steal your eternity.

Case in point:

Luke 12:18-20

“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.  And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

When God calls someone a fool, we need to sit up and take notice. The information this man was missing was critical.

Don’t be a fool.

Think about it.

Gary

“The Heavenly Vision”, also known as “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” is a hymn written by Helen Howarth Lemmel. Lemmel first published the hymn in England as a pamphlet in 1918, and then included it in a 1922 collection called Glad Songs.

O soul are you weary and troubled
No light in the darkness you see
There’s light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace

His word shall not fail you he promised
Believe him and all will be well
Then go to a world that is dying
His perfect salvation to tell

2 Corinthians 4:17

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

The statement that strikes me the most is “the things of earth.” All the stuff of earth can’t be taken to heaven. The business, insecurities, motivations, and just the general waste of time pale in heaven’s entrance.

Think about it.

Gary

Children come into the world and parents have the responsibility to care for them.  Some say it takes a village to raise them, but the village usually fails without the parents. There is something about the way God ordained the family that has to be taken into consideration.

Case in point is the early days of the life of Moses as it is recorded in Exodus. The law of the land was that Hebrew babies had to be thrown into the Nile River. The day came when it was Moses’ turn.  His mother who knew about God’s guiding hand placed him in an ark in the river. Then she had his sister watch from a hiding place to see what would happen. You know the rest of the story.

The Faith of Moses

Hebrews 11:23

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command.

Exodus 2:1-3

 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

We are bringing children into a dangerous world. Faithful parents who believe in the invisible hand of God and act accordingly are critical.

Think about it.

Gary

Charlie Brown is seen at bat. “STRIKE THREE!” He has struck out again and slumps down on the players’ bench. He says, “Rats! I’ll never be a big league player. I just don’t have it! All my life I’ve dreamed of playing in the big leagues, but I know I’ll never make it.”

Lucy turns to console him. “Charlie Brown, you’re thinking too far ahead. What you need to do is set yourself more immediate goals.”

Charlie Brown looks up and asks, “Immediate goals?”

Lucy responds, “Yes. Start with this next inning when you go out to pitch. See if you can walk out to the mound without falling down.”

Many a person has set the bar too high. We are here for such a short period of time and our goals can be elusive. Why not enter into the Creator’s plan for our lives?

Proverbs 16:3

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.

Proverbs 19:21

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Why don’t you just, in the will of God, make it to the mound without falling down? Our dreams can turn into nightmares, but God has designed us to succeed in His perfect will.

Think about it and go out there. After all, you are the pitcher.

Gary