We had taken the teens to a ranch where you could ride horses. Once assigned a horse, Paula and her mount were placed in the back of the line. The man in charge made a mistake in the lineup because that horse had a history of being first. When the line began to move forward, her horse started galloping to the head of the line. Paula was definitely uncomfortable and tried to find the brakes on that thing. Sometime later someone asked me what I thought when I saw her passing everyone else. I stated, “I wondered how many sick days she had left.”

You never know what a day may bring forth. There are so many variables in the game of life. As much as possible, be prepared for the unexpected. When life gets out of control, just hang on till the situation comes to a stop.

Isaiah 41:10 

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

John 14:27 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Give it some thought and hang on, because it will be over soon.

Gary

Jesus told Nicodemus that he had to be born again. Peter told the early believers that as newborn babes they needed to desire the sincere milk of the Word. The trouble with many new Christians is that they want to be theologians before they are potty trained

John 3:3

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

1 Peter 2:2

as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,

Don’t be a baby about Christianity. Grow in grace.

2 Peter 3:18

but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Give it some thought and allow yourself to be pampered for a while.

Gary

Dean Martin could really belt it out, “I’m praying for the rain in California so the grapes can grow, and they can make more wine.” If that was this year, you could be led to believe Dean had access to God. However, even though Dean sang that song, we have no record of his praying.

This is what happens when you are in the will of God and you pray.

James 5:17-18

 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.  Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

God doesn’t just arbitrarily answer prayer, but when we pray according to His will, get out the umbrella.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Genesis 4 is the account of two groups of people, i.e., those who call upon God and those who don’t, individuals who make God an integral part of their lives and those who don’t.  Notice you can leave God out and still become successful in life. However, God acknowledges those who call.

Genesis 4:26

To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord.

Like the advertisement states, “Make that call.”

Give it some thought.

Gary

“therefore I despise myself,
    and repent in dust and ashes.”

Now who would make a statement like that? One who believed in God wholeheartedly. One who said he would never speak evil of God. One who was tormented by his ignorant friends who were actually enemies. One whose wife told him to curse God and die. One who had lost his children, wealth and health.

He had finally come to that reality because of the revelation that he was nothing and God was everything. God was in complete control of events and he was not. God had given him much, taken it away, then returned it more abundantly.

Job 42:6

therefore I despise myself,
    and repent in dust and ashes.”

What does it take to come to that conclusion?

Give it some thought.

Gary

Stephen Grellet (1772 –1855) was a prominent French-American Quaker missionary. Here is a tremendous quote from him.

“We shall pass this way on Earth but once.  If there is any kindness we can show, or good act we can do, let us do it now, for we will never pass this way again.”

John Wesley was an English cleric, theologian, and evangelist who was a leader of a revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism. This is his quote:

“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”

God’s Word:

1 Timothy 5:10

having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work.

Give it some thought and go out there and do it.

Gary

WHAT MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME

Unknown Author

My mother taught me RELIGION: When I spilled grape juice on the carpet, she instructed, “You’d  better pray the stain will come out of the carpet.”

My mother taught me LOGIC: From her decisive words, “Because I said so, that’s why.”

My mother taught me FORESIGHT: “Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident.”

My mother taught me IRONY: “Keep laughing, and I’ll give you something to cry about.”

My mother taught me about STAMINA: “You’ll sit there ’til all that spinach is finished.”

My mother taught me about WEATHER: “It looks as if a tornado swept through your room.”

My mother taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE: “I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.”

My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION: “Stop acting like your father!”

My mother taught me about ENVY: “There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have a wonderful Mom like you do!”

THANKS, MOM!

Proverbs 31:27

“She is vigilant over the activities of her household; she doesn’t eat the food of laziness.”

Proverbs 31:26-27

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Give it some thought.

Gary