In Acts chapter sixteen, we see the Apostle Paul using the miraculous gifts given him by the Holy Spirit. Some exorcists tried to imitate what Paul was gifted to do and the results were disastrous.

Acts 19:15-16

And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”

 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 

The people of Ephesus quickly discerned between God’s representatives and those that belonged to the Devil. Even the evil spirits knew Paul by name.

What kind of preachers have you been watching or listening to lately.

Give it some thought.

Gary

There are things that need attention at some future time. There are things that never have to happen. Then there are the things that must be done now. Jesus had a “must” list.

Luke 2:49

And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

John 4:4

And He must needs go through Samaria.

Luke 4:43

And He said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.

John 9:4

I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

Matthew 16:21

 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.

Do you have a “must” list?

Think about it.

Gary

I’d like to share how God has led in the past forty-four years. Mountain View Bible Church is going thru the Bible in thirty-nine months. This will be the fifth time we have done that in our adult Sunday school class. After this month, I will have completed a book report on all sixty-six books of the Bible. We have done word studies with about seven hundred words found in the Scriptures. We’ve had nursing home ministries at two local nursing homes in our area that required a different preparation. Since Covid 19, these devotionals have been going out for two years.  On top of that, I couldn’t keep track of the weddings and funerals that needed clear presentations.

In a nutshell, I have binders full of illustrations and a lifetime full of experiences in my head. I’m not ready to hang it up, but I see the porch light in the distance.

Thank you for the many who take the time to read these short thoughts from the Word. I especially thank those who have prayed for this ministry and responded on occasion. Some of you have caused me to believe these are meaningful.

1 Peter 5:1-4

The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;  and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Please excuse me, but another old song from my past came uninvited to my frontal cortex. It was sung by Skeeter Davis in 1962 (I was 10). It’s about a woman who placed all her eggs in one basket and all were broken. Nevertheless, the sun kept on shining, the stars kept on glowing, and the sea kept rushing to the shore. Her world ended, but the real world kept on going like nothing was wrong.

Why does the sun go on shining?
Why does the sea rush to shore?
Don’t they know it’s the end of the world?
‘Cause you don’t love me any more

Why do the birds go on singing?
Why do the stars glow above?
Don’t they know it’s the end of the world?
It ended when I lost your love

I wake-up in the morning, and I wonder
Why everything’s the same as it was
I can’t understand, no, I can’t understand
How life goes on the way it does

Why does my heart go on beating?
Why do these eyes of mine cry?
Don’t they know it’s the end of the world?
It ended when you said, “Good-bye”

No one seems to really care, except the one with the broken heart. That’s not right because God always cares. He cares for sparrows and there are 1.6 billion on the planet. Who cares if one falls to the earth? God does.

Matthew 10:29

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.

Matthew 10:31

Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

You may lose a love, but you can never lose a world under the watchful eye of the Creator.

Think about it.

Gary

Two caterpillars were crawling across the grass when a butterfly flew over them. They looked up, and one nudged the other and said, “You couldn’t get me up in one of those things for a million dollars.”

What he was saying is, I want to stay here and never be found up there. Many in our world would prefer to stay here than to take wings and fly. It reminds me of the old hymn, “I’ll Fly Away.”

Some glad morning when this life is over
I’ll fly away
To a home on God’s celestial shore
I’ll fly away

I’ll fly away, oh, Glory
I’ll fly away
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by
I’ll fly away

Just a few more weary days and then
I’ll fly away
To a land where joy shall never end
I’ll fly away

You don’t have to be one of the Wright brothers to know flight is possible.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

Come on, Orville and Wilbur, get ready to fly.

Give it some thought.

Gary

The old story is told about the young preacher who strutted to the pulpit, expecting to wow the congregation. He humbly walked out of that area after the sermon bombed. “What happened?” he asked a senior minister. The wise, seasoned preacher counseled, “Son, if you would have gone up to the pulpit the way you came down, you would have been able to come down the way you went up.”

Humility is a word that characterized our Lord while He was here on the earth and it should characterize us.

Isaiah 57:15

For thus says the High and Lofty One
Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

“ I dwell in the high and holy place,
With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,
To revive the spirit of the humble,
And to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 

2 Corinthians 8:9

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

Pride characterized Satan. Sadly, it also describes many of us. However, humility characterized our Lord.

Give it some thought.

Gary

We were in Billings, Montana, and looking for a restaurant. The GPS offered one on the screen and our goal was to make it our destination. Upon arriving at a vacant lot, our group experienced some confusion. Where was the eatery that was promised? There was nothing here but leveled gravel.

The question: Do you have a goal and will you be disappointed when you get there? What looked promising for us was empty.

Proverbs 21:5 

The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.

Courage, brother! Do not stumble,

Though thy path be as dark as night;

There’s a star to guide the humble,

Trust in God and do the right.

      Norman Macleod (1812-1872)

 If you are hungry, make sure you’re heading for a place where you can be fed.

Give it some thought.

Gary