Paul warned us:

Acts 20:29-30

 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

Jude warned us:

Jude 4

For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ

Jesus warned us:

Matthew 16:6

Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

I’m reminded of E. B. White’s comment: “People have recut their clothes to follow the fashion…People have remodeled their ideas too — taken in their convictions a little at the waist, shortened the sleeves of their resolve, and fitted themselves out in a new intellectual ensemble copied from a smart design out of the very latest page of history. When slavery to fashion invades the church, our latest ideas are yesterday’s fads. We adopt the world’s agenda — just a few years too late. Many churchmen sport theological bell-bottoms. ”

When the church gets crazy, as has often happened, take large doses of Scripture to counteract the malady.

Give it some thought.

Gary

I’ve discovered, after spending almost seven decades on this particular planet, that some people can be extremely hard when it comes to spiritual things. On the other hand, I’ve been pleasantly surprised that some difficult individuals can be reasoned with. I find success, not in my forceful spirit of debate, but in the chosen words coming from Scripture that make a difference.

The false shepherds of Israel seemed to gain the total attention of the nation. However, God was telling Jeremiah the Words given to him had overcoming power.

Jeremiah 23:29

“Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord,
“And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

As New Testament believers, we must realize the influence we have on others doesn’t come from our personalities but from divine truth. The Word we handle must be loosened on a deceived populace. It can burn up presuppositions and break down arguments.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Can you imagine the 7th grader telling the science teacher, “You’re wrong about how elements are arranged on the periodic table.”? (Yes, that is being taught now in seventh grade. Glad I’m not there.)

Now God has been managing this universe since He brought it into being and He will continue until the new heavens and the new earth. You, Donald Trump, Nancy Pelosi or Joe Biden will not cause Him to deviate from His purpose.

Isaiah 45:9

“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator.
    Does a clay pot argue with its maker?
Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying,
    ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’
Does the pot exclaim,
    ‘How clumsy can you be?’

Don’t be a Monday-morning-quarterback when it comes to the things of God. Don’t be critical of His ways and questioning His authority. Just submit and respond appropriately.

Give it some thought.

Gary

I can’t repay all the people I owe in my time on the planet.  With some, a heartfelt thank you would have been enough, but they died before I could say it. Many others would say you don’t owe me anything, but I do.  I tried to pay a meal for a friend yesterday because I owed him money from our youth. You guessed it, he figured a way to get my attention away from the bill and he paid it.

The One I owe the most to is the One who placed me here for this time period. Here is a poem that expresses the way many like me feel about our relationship.

Leftovers are such humble things,
We would not serve to a guest,
And yet we serve them to our Lord
Who deserves the very best.

We give to Him leftover time,
Stray minutes here and there.
Leftover cash we give to Him,
Such few coins as we can spare.

We give our youth unto the world,
To hatred, lust and strife;
Then in declining years we give
To Him the remnant of our life.

– Source unknown

2 Corinthians 9:7

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 

In whatever time we have left, let’s give Him some quality time.

Give it some thought.

Gary

American artist James Whistler, who was never known to be bashful about his talent, was once advised that a shipment of blank canvases he had ordered had been lost in the mail. When asked if the canvases were of any great value, Whistler remarked, “Not yet, not yet.”

So it is with every life. We come into the world with nothing and begin our painting on life’s canvas. How is the project going with you? Can you use some touchup before you reveal it to the public?

Life is a leaf of paper white
Whereon each of us may write
His word or two; and then comes night.

Though thou have time
But for a line, be that sublime;
Not failure, but low aim, is crime

• “Life” by: James Russell Lowell

Acts 17:11

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 

Those Bereans paint us a pretty picture.

Give it some thought.

Gary

I have witnessed people talking to Alexa and giving her commands just like Mr. Baxter of old, asking Hazel, the maid, to do his bidding. Of course, we all know Alexa is just a computer generated voice. Don’t we?

However, there is One we should be talking to, and He is not an invention of man’s imagination. That is the One who formed us and placed us here at this exact time according to His purpose.

Israel had it backwards just like many people today.

Isaiah 29:16

Surely you have things turned around!
Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay;
For shall the thing made say of him who made it,
“He did not make me”?
Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it,
“He has no understanding”?

God is not just there to do our bidding. We need a heathy realization that He is the Creator and we are the created.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Tell a man there are three hundred billion stars in the universe and he’ll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it and he’ll have to touch it to be sure.

How we struggle with one of the most important facts of life! Those truths that motivated many of the Old Testament believers are available for us today.

Psalm 139:7

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

Exodus 33:14

And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Psalm 16:11

You will make known to me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Go out today and live in His presence. You don’t need paint on your finger.

Give it some thought.

Gary