The Message

The phrase “I’ve gotta get a message to you” generally means someone needs to convey important information to another person, often with a sense of urgency. It certainly made a lot of money for the Bee Gees in 1968. However, I don’t think his wife got the message from her husband who murdered her lover and was now in his final hour on death row.

God has recorded thousands of messages for you. The question is how many have you received and how have you responded?

2 Timothy 3:1-7 

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. …

This is but one message of thousands. Give it some thought.

Gary

He Leads

The phraseHe leads through deep waters often appears in religious contexts, particularly within Christianity, and is frequently associated with the Bible verse Isaiah 43:2

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.

We’ve gone through some waters, and we know from experience, those conditions will be repeated. The knowledge that God is the same today, yesterday and forever keeps us on sure footing. When the outcome is death, for the believer, he or she has just been gathered home.  How about you? Give it some careful consideration.

Gary

Drama

A staggering amount of drama in a minimum amount of time is the way I would describe the Book of Ruth. She was someone, like the woman at the well recorded in the New Testament, who didn’t stand a chance at salvation.

This drama records what God does in the lives of the hopeless. Have you experienced such grace?

Ephesians 2:8-9 

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

James 4:6 

But He gives more grace. Therefore, it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Does your life reflect a staggering amount of drama in a short period of time?  Think about it.

Gary

Rescue the Perishing

When attempting to rescue a person who is drowning, one must approach the situation carefully. The reason being the rescuer is in danger of being pulled under by the one needing salvation. That is also true spiritually and Jude gives us the warning.

Jude 22-23

And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

Many are perishing, but be careful out there in your rescue attempts. Give it some thought.

Gary

Oddball #2

It was a line by Oddball in Kelly’s Heroes that came out in 1970.  He said, “Don’t hit me with them negative waves so early in the morning.”

Let me relate to you the waves that need to pass over us in the morning.

Psalm 143:8 

Let me hear in the morning of Your steadfast love, for in You I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul.

Psalm 5:3 

O Lord, in the morning You hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for You and watch.

You don’t have to be an oddball to appreciate what can roll over you in the morning. Give it some thought.

Gary

Oddball #1

It was a line by Oddball in Kelly’s Heroes that came out in 1970.  He said, “Don’t hit me with them negative waves so early in the morning.” Let me share some negative waves found in Scripture.

Ephesians 4:29 

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Proverbs 18:21 

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

You don’t have to be an oddball to appreciate these verses. Give it some thought.

Gary

Emptiness

People often complain of an emptiness deep inside. It’s not something that can be relieved with food, although some obviously attempt that. The gathering of stuff also doesn’t seem to do the trick because more greed and emptiness seem to be the result of that endeavor.  Does the Bible address this phenomenon? Glad you asked.

Ephesians 1:13-14 

In Him you also, when you heard the Word of Truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory.

Revelation 3:20 

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to Him and eat with Him, and He with Me.

“There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied by any created thing but only by God the Creator, made know through Jesus Christ.”                                                  ― Pascal

Is it possible that Pascal had that one right? Give it some thought.

Gary