He was in my living room the other day. We were just two old guys talking and enjoying each other’s company. We discussed some of the finer points of Christianity.

Seems like just yesterday he was a redheaded kid walking home from school with me. He was a little younger and I tried to communicate the ways of the world to him, seeing I had much more experience, being a junior in high school and all. Our grandfathers were brothers and I wonder what they would have thought of our conversations back in that day. They probably would have said, “My grandson’s as dumb as yours.”

One generation passes and another takes its place. While we’re still here, what are we to do?

Psalm 71:18

So even to old age and gray hairs,
O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
your power to all those to come.

Old guys need to pass on the truth.

Think about it.

Gary

It’s called Casey Brook Hill. When I drive over the top, my hometown comes into view. The two rivers are seen joining hands there. Also, the island where my forefathers first settled can be seen in its entirety. One mile later is the old schoolhouse where I spent thirteen years of my life. Traveling on, I pass all the old swimming holes of my youth.  If Joe South were singing “Don’t It Make You Want to Go Home Now” on the radio, I think I would burst into tears.

Geographically, nothing has changed. However, the generation before mine is in the cemetery, along with some friends I grew up with, and we, like the song says, are “knocking on heaven’s door.”

1 Peter 1:24-25 

For “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you. 

James 4:14 

Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

Think about it.

Gary

A man once bought a new radio, brought it home, placed it on the refrigerator, plugged it in, turned it to WSM in Nashville (home of the Grand Ole Opry), and then pulled all the knobs off! He had already tuned in all he ever wanted or expected to hear.

Some people use the Bible the same way. They have a few verses on salvation and don’t desire any more information, especially about Christian living. Unfortunately for them, that’s not the way God works.

Sampson is the great Scriptural illustration of the fallacy of that belief system. Listen to his closing prayer as he was about to bring the house down after a wasted life.

Judges 16:28-30

Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.”  And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other.  And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. 

Don’t end like this. Don’t wait to pray at death’s door. Think about it. Life is too short to waste on your fleshly desires.

Gary

When Robert Ingersoll the notorious skeptic, was in his heyday, two college students went to hear him lecture. As they walked down the street after the lecture, one said to the other, “Well, I guess he knocked the props out from under Christianity, didn’t he?”

The other said, “No, I don’t think he did. Ingersoll did not explain my mother’s life, and until he can explain my mother’s life, I will stand by my mother’s God.

                                                   – James S. Hewett

The Bible has a great deal to say about the walk of the believer proving the existence of God.

Ephesians 5:8 

For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

Proverbs 13:20-21 

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Disaster pursues sinners, but the righteous are rewarded with good.

Give it some thought and if you can’t prove it to others, at least walk it.

Gary

My brother was a paratrooper back in the 60’s. I remember that he’d sing a song the paratrooper trainers taught the recruits before their first jump.

There was blood upon the risers,
there were brains upon the ‘chute.
Intestines were a-dangling
from his paratrooper suit.
He was a mess, they picked him up
and poured him from his boots.
And he ain’t gonna jump no more

Gory, Gory, What a hell of way to die
Gory, Gory, What a hell of way to die
Gory, Gory, What a hell of way to die

There is more to the song, but that gives you the idea. Now they had to sing that before their first jump. Most jumped anyway, some were pushed and a few fought to stay on the plane.

Christianity had a similar speech before the great commission even started.

 Matthew 24:9-10

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 

The disciples went anyway and I’m thankful they did.

Think about it.

Gary

PS

My brother jumped anyway, and he’s glad he did and so am I.

Many years ago, Chinese farmers theorized that they could eat their big potatoes and use the small ones for seed. Consequently, they ate the big potatoes and planted the small potatoes. As a result of this practice over the years, nature eventually reduced the size of all the potatoes they harvested to marbles. A new understanding of the law of life came to them. They learned through this bitter experience that they could not have the best things of life for themselves and use their leftovers for seed. The law of life decreed that the harvest would reflect the planting!

–       Unknown author

Does the Bible address this principle? It sure does:

Luke 6:38 

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Galatians 6:7 

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

Give it some thought and sow the best you have.

Gary

Do It Anyway!

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. – Love them anyway!

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. – Do good anyway!

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. – Succeed anyway!

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. – Do good anyway!

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. – Be honest and frank anyway!

The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest minds. – Think big anyway!

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. – Fight for an underdog anyway!

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. – Build anyway!

People that really need help often attack you if you help them. – Help people anyway!

Give the world the best you’ve got and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. – Give your best anyway!

–       Quote. (John Maxwell)

Does the Bible teach this? It sure does.

James 1:1-27 

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. …

Think about it and give it your best shot.

Gary