I looked in the review mirror and watched that state trooper walking up to my car. In my mind I’m thinking, this is going to be at least two hundred dollars.  My quick, mental calculation of a lifetime of speeding gave me comfort for the time I’d saved during past transgressions. Discussing my experience on those previous highway miles would not be brought up by me.  My hair wasn’t gray yet and I didn’t know him personally, so I didn’t have much hope of influencing the outcome.

The officer stated that I was speeding and asked, “Did I have any reason for such egregious view of the law?” Maybe not in those exact words but that’s how I interpreted his question.

Looking him right in the eye with a sad expression on my face, I said, “No, Officer, I was speeding and there is absolutely no excuse for it.” He didn’t pull his Glock, spray me with mace, hit me with that wooden stick at his side, or give me a ticket. He just said, “Slow it down.” Then he returned to his cruiser and drove away.

Some people tell a lie to make money. In this case I told the truth and didn’t lose any money.

The Scripture says the following about the truth:

3 John 1:4

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

That old fellow that is always a passenger with me would have had me say, “Tell him your mother’s in the hospital and wants to see you before she expires. Tell him your speedometer doesn’t work. Tell him you were thinking of joining the state police and needed to talk to a trooper. Tell him your chest hurts, pain is radiating down your left arm, you’re diaphoretic and you have jaw pain.”

The new man with me said, “No, tell him the truth.

Think about it.

Gary

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength.”—Corrie Ten Boom

There’s enough constructive stuff that can keep one occupied today to cloud out that beast that torments us, often referred to as worry. My parents were worried about the possibility of the Russians attacking because that’s what Americans were supposed to do in the fifties. The Soviets never showed up. Someone actually built a bomb shelter in a small town in northern Maine. The Russians had no plans to attack that small community. All that time worrying was wasted.

I was always worried that I wouldn’t be promoted to the next grade. So many of my friends had to repeat and lost a year of their lives. It never happened to me because all I had to do was my homework.

My great concern was not being tall enough to do well playing basketball, when height had little to do with the sport.

Matthew 6:27

Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

The Bible clearly addresses this useless endeavor that we engage in:

Matthew 6:25-26

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

I don’t have this one beat yet, but it sure helps to go over the Scriptures referring to it.

Think about it.

Gary

You have seen pictures of race horses or old westerns where teams of horses pull a stagecoach. Have you ever wondered why blinders have been placed on the head of the animal? The blinders cover the rear vision of the horse, forcing it to see only in a forward direction and keeping it on track. Blinders are also useful to reduce the chances of the horse’s being spooked from the side and making a run for it while still attached to the wagon.

This illustrates the way in which God desires us to view things. We can worry about the past catching up to us or many scary things broadsiding us. However, the Holy Spirit desires us to focus on the future and what God has in store.

Luke 9:62

Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Colossians 3:2

 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Go to the great optometrist and have Him improve your vision with spiritual devices that work.

Give it some thought.

Gary

“Flowers on the Wall” is a song made famous by American country music group, The Statler Brothers. Written and composed by the group’s original tenor, Lew DeWitt, the song peaked in popularity in January 1966, spending four weeks at No. 2. I’ll mention one stanza to give you an idea of the uselessness of the life mentioned in the song.

Counting flowers on the wall, that don’t bother me at all
Playing solitaire ’til dawn with a deck of fifty one
Smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo
Now don’t tell me I’ve nothing to do

When God placed Adam in the garden, he gave him a job to do. That was to dress it and keep it. Adam certainly failed in the second part of the responsibility.

God didn’t save us to be a wallflower or a potted plant. His desire is that we work out what He has worked in.

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.

Ephesians 4:28

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

Don’t be like Adam and fail to keep what God has given you to do. You will suffer if you are negligent and so will many others because of you.

Give it some thought.

Gary

I was driving a tractor trailer when I had to make a sharp right turn onto a different route. My side of the highway had two lanes, but a big rig needs both lanes to make the maneuver. Someone in a car decided he had the right hand lane and moved in. If I hadn’t anticipated his lack of knowledge, it could have been a bad day for both of us. A police officer saw what had happened, chased the person down with lights flashing and siren wailing, and pulled him over. I’m sure a good lecture on highway etiquette was taking place when I slowly passed both vehicles.

There is an insurmountable amount of information to accumulate to travel life’s highway safely. Unfortunately, not all of it can be assimilated before we venture out. Some has to be picked up along the way. Titus had it right when he gave the following advice:

Titus 3:14

Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.

Don’t try and take advantage of a situation when confusion is in the air.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Are you ready for a change?  The dictionary tells us change implies making either an essential difference, often amounting to a loss of original identity or a substitution of one thing for another. We change locations. We change clothes. We change cars. Presidents are replaced. Sometimes we even change the locations of the furniture. The old neighborhood has been replaced by other people. Sadly, our body is changing and not for the better. Keep coloring your hair, but the roots will reveal the truth.

My gallbladder is gone, and I say, good riddance to that. There is a vein that used to reside in my leg, but my heart needed it more. I have to take a pill everyday so I can continue drinking coffee and having pizza. The bag boy asks to carry out my two little bags of groceries out to the car. McDonalds’ offers me the senior discount. I look forward to funerals so I can meet up with old friends.

How to adapt to a new situation and face the fact that the old situation has no plans of returning is a challenge. Joshua faced such a dilemma in Joshua chapter one. His advice was inspired by God. His statement inspired courage, strength, the need to face reality, and motivation to move forward.

Joshua 1:9

 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

The past is history, the future is a mystery, today’s a gift, and that’s why we call it “the present.”

Think about it.

Gary

When I was a student at New Brunswick Bible Institute, Mr. Robins taught the book of Philippians along with other subjects. I really appreciated him and a lot of what I do in ministry can be traced back to his influence on my life.

As we were seated for one of his classes, someone from staff came in with a tape recorder. This was a taped class because Mr. Robins was going to be away that day. As the recording began, he said, “Good morning, class.” Chuckling, all the students replied, “Good morning, Mr. Robins.”  There was a long pause and we thought the tape had stopped. Then there was a louder, “Good morning, class.” Everyone shouted, “Good morning, Mr. Robins.” This was followed by, “That’s better, class.”  No one spoke a word throughout the rest of the lecture because we believed he was in the room, observing our every move.

His motive was to gain and keep the class’s attention for sixty minutes.  He was a committed and devoted servant of the Lord.

God has in the past used many an interesting method to get our attention and keep it. At one time he washed the disciples’ feet to teach spiritual truth. Another scene is His cooking breakfast for defeated, tired and confused disciples to teach them they must provide spiritual nutrition for others.

John 21:17

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

God instructs me to feed you. How does it taste?

Give it some thought.

Gary