Lam. 3:24

"The LORD is my portion, says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him" Lam. 3:24

It's not unusual. It happens all the time. Two little boys fight over the biggest piece of cake. Two little girls struggle over who has the most candy. Even adults have their own version of the same conflict. It is not unusual for an employer to tell a trusted employee, "Don't tell the others what kind of raise you received." Inevitably the information "leaks" and someone is offended. "How could he get that kind of raise? I have been here twice as long as he has." We all seem to want the largest piece of the pie whether it is figurative or literal.

Jeremiah has his own version of the eternal battle over portion size. "The Lord is my portion" Therefore I hope in Him." In this short poetic sentence the prophet puts to rest the struggle for himself, and sets the example for us. Let's look at what he means.

First, Jeremiah says that God is enough for him. He will not participate in the selfish frivolities of the average man. He is content with what God wants him to have. He may be given a luxury villa on a prestigious street in Jerusalem. Or, he could live in a humble shack on the edge of the Kidron Valley.

Paul said something similar, "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content" (Phil. 4:11) Both Paul and Jeremiah have learned the key to success in God. Be content with whatever God give you.

Second, Jeremiah has placed his expectations for the future in the God who supplies his every need. "I hope in Him." He doesn't place his trust in the Jerusalem Stock Exchange. He doesn't insist on a large MPF to provide for his retirement. He isn't looking to climb over anyone's back to reach the next rung on the "prophetic" ladder. Jeremiah has placed his total dependence on God who brought him safe thus far.

There is great peace in Jeremiah's position. Think about it. That confidence in God prevents ulcers. Prilosec, eat your heart out. Jeremiah didn't worry about anything. He trusted God, God was his portion, his provision, his all-in-all. What did he have to worry about? He didn't need to wonder whether the rain would water his crops. He didn't have to worry when the boss invited him into the office for an "update." ("Is he downsizing me? How will I pay the bills? How will I feed my family? Why did he have to set the appointment five hours from now?") Jeremiah took life one day at a time knowing where his provision came from. He knew that if something happened to him, God would provide for his family.

We can learn a lot from Jeremiah's simple statement. If we can learn to trust in the Lord like he did, we won't have a worry in the world, but most of us continue to seek our provision in our own efforts. We work hard at worrying ourselves into reflux city. Then we complain to God that we can't sleep at night because the antacid hasn't kicked in. It would be wise if we would, with Jeremiah, say that God is our portion therefore we will have hope (trust, confidence) in Him. Amen and Amen.

Esther 4:16

"Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!" Esther 4:16

Preparation is the key to success. The more complicated the task, the more preparation is needed. It takes very little preparation for me to clean the floor of the house. All I have to do is to sweep the floor. It took more preparation for us to say go camping. We had to get the tent, the sleeping bags, the air mattress, the food, clothing. And this is just the big stuff! It took hours to prepare for this short trip - and then we forgot a few things!

Esther was getting ready to put on the performance of her life. Everything depended upon what she did - not just for herself, but for all the Jews in all of captivity. Even though she was queen, she knew she had to prepare. She dolled herself up. She ordered special food to be made ready - that means the cooks had to get all the ingredients and tools to do Esther's wishes. She cleaned her quarters. Her maids pressed her best dress. But this was just the outward things.

Esther knew she had a lot of spiritual preparation to do as well - and she could not do it alone. She asked all the local to fast and pray with her and her maidens. This was all out war for the welfare and lives of hundreds of thousands of Jews. After the three days of spiritual warfare through fasting and prayer, she was ready to walk in on the King - something that was very dangerous. If the King was not pleased - she would die immediately.

What preparation are you making for your life? No, I'm not talking about the Inland Revenue Department and the children's educational fund. I'm asking about the spiritual battles you are facing - or are soon to face. Do you spend any time fasting? Praying? Studying the Word? If you should come under spiritual attack today, would you have the strength needed for the battle? Are you interceding for your kids' spiritual lives? Do you spend time in prayer for your Church services each week? Or do you just show up on Sunday morning hoping that something good happens. When is the last time you prayed and fasted for your community? Your country? Your national government?

I'm afraid that most of us just stroll through life, taking it as it comes, with little or no preparation. We wouldn't do our employer that way, but we seem content to let our spiritual lives develop as they may. And our spiritual lives are much more important than our jobs - jobs are temporary, life is eternal. How many jobs have you had in the past 10 or 20 years? How many lives will you spend in eternity? See what I mean? We take it for granted that we will get to heaven, but we make little preparation to get us there. Amen and Amen.

Gen. 1:11

"Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth"; and it was so" Gen. 1:11

"Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" That philosophical question has its roots buried deeply in evolution. The biblical answer is simple, God spoke and it happened. Just as Adam was created out of the dust of the earth, vegetation and animals came into being at the spoken Word of God, that was the seed.

The Word of God has always been the seed. Jesus tried to tell us that when He spoke the parable of the soils. When the disciples admitted that they did not understand what the Master was talking about, He told them. "The seed is the Word of God." (Luke 8:11) Of course Jesus had an allegorical message hidden in His earthly story - because the soil was the hearts of men.

Again, we could return to John 1 where we discover that "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." In verse 14 John makes it clear that the Word of creation is the Son of God, Jesus. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among men." The Word planted the vegetation in the soil at creation and the seed of God was again planted in earth before Caesar Augustus announced a worldwide census. And that seed became Jesus, the son of Mary, the Savior of the world!

Isn't it amazing what God can do with the spoken Word? He spoke and there was light. He spoke and the light separated from the darkness and the heavens were formed. He spoke and plants sprouted on the face of the earth and produced fruit after their own kind WITH SEED IN THEM. At the spoken Word, the order of the earth came into being that caused the seed to drop into the ground and sprout and bring forth carbon copies of the parent plants.

Amazing, simply amazing, and "modern" scientists are seeking to discover how to make life. The story is told about a conversation between God and a mighty scientist. The two were talking about life and its origin when the scientist told God that he could produce life just like God did. "I can take a lump of clay and plant certain chemicals in it and it will bring forth life, just like you did." With this the scientist knelt on the ground and began his work. "Wait a minute," God said, "make your own clay."

While science is discovering that they can "create" life via cloning, they have yet to discover how to make the cell they empty and the DNA they inject into it. They need donors for both parts of the process! And where did the donors come from, don't let them fool you; they really don't know. But you and I know. They came from God who SPOKE them into existence!

Let us remember that Jesus is not only the LIGHT of creation, but He is the WORD that spoke the light into being. As such, He can shed His light on our darkness and speak into being His likeness in us, He can re-create us into His image again and restore us to God's fellowship, the fellowship broken when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. We can, and we will walk with the Father and talk with Him face to face because the Word has purified us and planted His seed in us, His Holy Spirit. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Prov.8:19

"My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver" Prov 8:19

I've been to the one of the local supermarkets and seen some fruit that is like Solomon's in today's verse! It sure seems like the cost of living keeps rising by the week.

But that is not the fruit that Solomon is talking about. He is talking about the same thing Paul was writing about in Galatians 5, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." (Gal 5:22-23 NKJV) These are the fruits that have a value far greater than gold for several reasons.

1) Each fruit can only be raised at great expense. Ever found a "love" tree from which you could pick a bit of love and put it in your basket? Of course not. Love is expensive. It costs the human spirit a great deal to acquire. It can only be purchased by giving it away. That's right, give love away and you are sure to gain more than you give. The same is true of joy, peace, all of the fruits. They are acquired at great cost to the collector.

2) Each fruit has value that cannot be counted in gold. What price would you put on a pound of love, or a quart of peace? The giver of love is relinquishing something that has cost him blood, sweat, and tears. The person who receives it receives a great honor as well. Love is not thrown to the wind to be sown on the roadside. It is planted with love, suffering, and pain. It is literally the very life of the giver. And peace comes right with love - especially the love that comes from the Father, for that love is the most costly of all.

3) Each fruit is in such demand that the cost is high. Not that there is a shortage of supply! No, there is sufficient for everyone to get all he or she wants and needs. The problem is that few people want to give up what they have. Many are there who are "fruit hoarders"! They get a little love, peace goodness, gentleness, and it's like they put it in a fruit jar with a tight lid. Then, then the jar is full, they clamp down the lid and bury the jar and all in some dark, dank hole. The only problem is that when the gifts are treated so, they rot away. When the hoarder returns to his cache, he finds nothing there but an empty jar.

Indeed, my fruits, your fruits, our fruits are much more valuable than gold. And the income from them is much more valuable than silver! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

2 Cor 1:20

"For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us"2 Cor 1:20

Some things in life have to be predictable. Imagine a world where the forces of gravity change every morning. One day you get out of bed and can't move because you weigh 600 pounds. The next day you weigh 35 pounds and can jump 100 feet high! Or, suppose from one day to the next the traffic laws changes. Today you drive on the left side - tomorrow you drive on the right. Imagine the turmoil when we forgot which day was which.

We have come to expect some consistency in our lives. Without it chaos would reign supreme. Now think about our world as it exists today. Moral values are based upon what the "majority" (more likely a group of people who choose to be the morals police of the nation) of the people think they are. When I was a youth - back in the dark ages - TV standards didn't allow people to get into bed with each other. Even husband and wife slept in separate beds or always appeared with one foot on the floor. Now, because people have changed their moral foundation to meet their present expectations. Anything goes on TV. Husband and wife, boy friend and girlfriend, man and man, woman and woman, it makes no difference, they get into bed together - and not just to have a nice conversation!

Not so with God. Today's verse says that when He makes a promise, He keeps it. Whether it is a promise of blessing, or a promise of discipline, or a promise of destruction, God keeps his promises. You can count on it. You can also count upon His grace and mercy tempering the promises of evil. God is very patient with us - He gives us sufficient warning - but He always follows through. Ask the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. Ask King David. Ask Ananias and Sapphira.

Isn't it good to know that something - no - Someone in this world is consistent? Amen and Amen.

Prov. 6:2-3

"You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth. So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend" Prov 6:2-3

Ben Mattlock is famous for it. Perry Mason and even Denny Crane used it as a tool quite frequently. Sure, these are characters in made for TV dramas, but the truth is still there. These men use the guilty person's words to trap them and force a confession.

We certainly have been trapped by our own words in times past. I know I have. That little white lie, the bending of the truth to satisfy my own desires, the twisting of a story to shed the best possible light on my position, all of these are traps that we lay for ourselves. Do you know what the biggest problem liars have? Keeping track of their lies! I'm reminded of the verse that says, "be sure your sins will find you out." That is never more true than with lying. Lies will eventually get you into deep trouble. One particular politician, no names mentioned has gotten himself in many jams with his stretching of the truth.

There is only one cure for lying - tell the truth. That is Solomon's advise. If you are caught in a trap of your own words, go to the person you lied to and confess your sin to him. Plead with him to forgive you. Swallow your pride and admit your guilt.

Ouch! That hurts! We don't like to swallow our pride, it sticks in our throats like dry cornbread. We hate being humbled. But, I ask you, "Which is worse? Being humble before the one you sinned against? Or being caught in a lie (or more likely a series of lies) and have your dishonesty made public in a court of law?" I think Solomon had a good thing going. Best not to stretch the truth - but if you do, confess it quickly. Honesty really is the best policy! Amen and Amen.

Phil 3:20-21

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself." Phil 3:20-21

I've said it before and I'll say it again. We cling far too hard to this life. We all claim to want to go to heaven - but not today! We become ill with a possibly terminal disease - and we fight it with all our resources. We want to stay alive. Why?

There is the need of family and responsibilities. We want our children to grow up with a mother and a father - and that is good. We want to make sure our children and grand-children are able to go through university if they want to - and that is good.

There is the need of excitement. I don't know what life has to offer tomorrow, but I want to try it. I've not done all the things I want to do yet. I haven't tried sky diving, or bungy jumping. I haven't seen Spain, or Greece, or Israel. I haven't even been to Singapore, although it is not too far from Hong Kong.

There is the need of fulfillment. I don't think my life is finished. There is still a lot of work to do. I have a house to build, a boat to buy, a job to finish. We could even be spiritual - I haven't had time to become a missionary yet. I haven't preached the perfect sermon yet. I haven't . . . and the list could go on and on and on.

The simple fact is this: if we didn't cling so hard to this life and all its needs, and clung instead to God, maybe we would be living life fuller. We have our life mapped out. But don't you think that God could map you a more exciting route? I suspect He could - and would if we let Him. We want so much to get from point A in our lives to point B, that we forget that God may have some special things for us along the way. If we will let Him be our guide, if we will claim our citizenship in Heaven instead of on earth, if we won't cling so hard to this life, then God will make our lives much richer than we could ever dream possible. And all that stuff that keeps us on earth? It is nothing compared to what God has in store. The BEST is yet to come. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Prov. 22:17-18

"Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge; For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips" Prov. 22:17-18

Our elders used to say, "Be careful what you say, you may have to eat your words." At least twice in the Bible prophets had to eat a scroll or book. Ezekiel had to eat a scroll in Chapter 3 of his book. John ate a book in Revelation 10. In both cases the word was the Word of God. Also in both cases the taste was like honey - sweet. However, John's book gave him a stomach ache! I have had to eat my words - and they didn't taste like honey either. Few of us like to admit that we said something that was wrong. Another proverb tells us that it is better to be silent and thought a fool than to open our mouths and prove it!

I admit. I used to be a know-it-all. (Carmel, hush. Don't you dare tell them that I still am!) OK, she is right. But at least I try to keep my knowledge to myself unless it is asked for. It is times when I open my mouth and volunteer my "wisdom" that I get into trouble.

Solomon has a bit of wisdom for us. If we will listen to his advice, and if we will seek knowledge, and if we keep his advice, it will be pleasant for us. I don't know about you, but that kind of struck home with me. Solomon was, and is, the wisest man to ever live. Why don't I read more of his words? Proverbs is not on my favorite reading list. There are some who read a chapter of Proverbs every day - there are thirty-one chapters and about half of the time there are thirty-one days. That makes for a nice combination. But it has been years until now that I have read the whole book. I sometimes pick and choose what I want to read from Solomon's little book of wisdom. We should all read Proverbs. That way we would be getting some of the wisdom that Solomon has to offer us. Amen and Amen.

1 Peter 1:8-9

"Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls" 1 Peter 1:8-9

"Stop it!" she cried indignantly. "I will not do that! Now go away and leave me alone." Silently, ashamedly, dejectedly, the interloper backs out of the door, but a smirk crosses his face as he turns to leave, "I may go now, but rest assured, I will return." He whirls and saunters down the hallway to the bank of elevators.

The struggle this woman faced is one we face every day...the trying of our faith. It may have been a perverted temptation that caused our heroine to cringe. It could have been the temptation to lie or steal or cheat or speak falsely, but she was victorious... this time. Will she be equally firm when temptation visits again? She did the right thing. She stood firm. She denied the tempter entrance into her domain. How long can she hold out for surely the visitor will return again ... and again ... and again? If she continually turns her back on the fatal attraction, she will find her faith and her resolve strengthened and the accuser will visit less frequently. But he will use the time to devise more subtle temptations. Will she be in tune with her God enough to see the new attempts and flee from them?

Ah, the troubles and trials of the believer in Jesus. Have you ever wondered why God doesn't save people, let them preach in their newfound zeal for a few months, then "take them home"? I have. Many of the people I have ministered to in the past have. It is not an uncommon thought - one that often comes to us after a failure. That's when I ask "why?" We don't like to fail. We don't enjoy falling. When we sin, we feel miserable wondering if we will ever "get it right." Those are times when our faith is tested. Those are times when we must dig deep into our spiritual reserves and find the strength to start over again. We all struggle with temptation. We all stumble from time to time. We all fail to meet God's expectations... that is what sin is.

The difference is this: God forgives and forgets; we degrade ourselves and ponder the nature of our sinful lives. It isn't God who condemns us. He forgives. It isn't the Holy Spirit that makes us feel like failures. His lifts us up and leads us into righteousness. We are the ones who cast condemnation upon ourselves because we listen to the accuser of our souls. The accuser would have us cast ourselves upon the spear of blame and impale ourselves condemned to die in the lost condition from which God redeemed us through Jesus Christ.

The object, the goal, of our faith is salvation. We need to take our sight off of our failures and focus on the beaming face of God as He sees us, as He wants us to be - perfect. And if He sees us whole and blameless, we must believe that, that is what we are through the blood of Jesus. In this way our faith is made whole and strong and perfect and we are victorious. Amen and Amen.

Psalm 81:7

"You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah." Psalm 81:7

It's scary! It's a disease that most men have. It seldom seems to strike women, and little children are totally immune to the infection. The disease is known by its scientific name,

"Honeyicantseemtofinditanywhere."

Women, you know what I mean. I can put something down and return to pick it up in ten minutes - and it is gone. After careful non-scientific analysis and observation, I have come to the conclusion that what I am looking for is not what I see. I may be looking for my wallet - black, flat, about 3-4 inches square. But, if I have placed my wallet on the nightstand and it slides off an item there and lands - in plain sight - on its side on the nightstand top, I can't find it. It is there, totally visible, but I am looking for a flat, black, square not a black item about 3-4 inches LONG and a half inch thick! Carmel walks in after my frantic, fifteen-minute search and finds it in ten seconds. How does she do that?

Sherlock Holmes, in one of his masterful mysteries, finds a stolen letter that has eluded the meticulous and repeated searching of Scotland Yard - and he does it in one short visit to the perpetrator's home. That's right. It was hidden in plain sight. The obvious is often overlooked.

Asaph, in today's verse, tells us that God sometimes hides us in a place we will never recognize: "in the secret place of thunder..." In a different Daily Word, I discussed the way God hides us FROM the storm. Today we see that we can be hidden IN the storm.

"That's crazy!" I can hear you already. "Why would God hide us in the middle of the storm? I need protection from it and God puts me IN it?"

Can you think of a better place to hide? Who in his right mind would hide from the storm IN the storm? Oh, but God has a purpose. He uses the storm to make us strong. When we are vulnerable, we learn to trust the Father. That total trust, that total confidence in the Father is something that will serve us well in coming adventures. But that trust is not learned in the comfort of our living rooms. We don't develop it in the pew on Sunday morning. We will never grasp this gift if we are always in our "comfort zone". No, we learn trust when we have no other choice - in the storm.

Asaph continues by telling us that God tests us "at the waters of Meribah." Meribah means "place of strife". In that place where trouble seems to be all around us, God proved us, He tried us, He strengthened us. You see; God never promised us a life of ease and luxury. What He did promise is that He would "be with us always." When we are in the midst of great trials and tribulations, instead of asking God to deliver us, we should ask the Father to teach us and make us strong! He gives us refuge in the storm for that very reason. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Psalm 57:1

"Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by" Psalm. 57:1

We've probably all watched a mother and father bird bring food to their young as they cry for nourishment in the nest. I had, as there is a pair of swallows on our veranda. The parent creatures always seem to care more for their young than they do for themselves.

On the other hand, turtles given no concern for their young. After mating, the female will dig a hole in the mud, lay her eggs, cover them with a mound of sticks, mud, and/or sand... and waddle away never to see her young hatch. Fortunately for us, God is not like the turtle. He even describes Himself in terms of winged fowl. God has wings!

That's what David says in today's verse. "... in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge ...." What a perfect picture of protection. David wrote this psalm after he fled from Saul. In particular, it was after David had hidden in a cave to elude his pursuer only to watch Saul enter the mouth of the cave and use it for his personal restroom. He was so close to David that our young hero took his knife and cut a piece off the hem of Saul's cloak!

David realized that he was not hiding in the cave. It was not the darkness that protected him. It was not his wit that kept him from harm. David realized it was the protection of God that hid him from the clutches of a deranged king. "Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, For my soul takes refuge in You ..." David realized there was only one hiding place for the soul - in the presence of God.

Most of us are just "chicks" in this world. The term is not used in relationship to "age." It is used in relation- ship to our ability to take care of ourselves. Oh, we try. We gain great amounts of knowledge and think we have something. We achieve great heights in our field of expertise and believe we have climbed a great mountain and have acquired greatness. We work hard and retire with sufficient wealth to live the remainder of our years in comfort and leave some for the kids, and we feel that this is what life is all about. But we are just fooling ourselves. We cannot work out anything of lasting value. Where is our wealth when we die? Where is our success in business, or education? Are we remembered a generation or two after our death by anyone other than a random great grandchild? Few of us are.

No, our measure of success is determined by what lasts for eternity. What have we done for Jesus? What have we accomplished for God? How have we allowed the Holy Spirit to lead us? Those are the questions we must ask. And the answer always returns, we are nothing ... except for God. And when the times really became rough, we hide in the shadow of His wings. As Twila Paris wrote: "They don't know that I go running home when I fall down, they don't know who picks me up when no one is around; I drop my sword and cry for just awhile. 'Cause deep inside this armor the warrior is a child." Amen and Amen.

1 Peter 1:13

"Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" 1 Peter 1:13

Do you want to win? Do you really want to win? Then you must train. No boxer will enter the ring without proper training. It would be suicide. So with us, if we want to win the important battles, we must train.

Fortunately, Peter gives us a training schedule - the things that need to be worked on the most if we expect to win. First, gird yourself for action. This involves putting on the proper garments - We need to be wearing the full armor of God. We must prepare our minds with the weapon of our warfare - the Word of God. We must allow it to flood our thoughts so that we may fight effectively with our best weapon.

Second, keep sober in spirit. This doesn't mean that we can't have fun. It means that while we go through our lives, we need to keep alert. Like a soldier on the field of battle, we must keep our spiritual eyes always open - always looking this way and that for sneak attacks from the enemy.

Third, fix your hope completely on the grace of Jesus. There is nothing more important than realizing that the battle is ours. No matter how out numbered, how under powered, how grim the vision is, our hope and our faith is to be in Jesus Christ. If we will keep that in mind at all times, we shall remain strong in Him. And the battle will be ours - we will WIN!

You say you have no vision of grace? Sure you do. It was given to you the day you accepted Jesus as your Savior. Remember it? Remember how clean and fresh you felt that day? It is still there. Look to it. Attach your hope to it. It is a lifeline that you will never consume - it will always be there. Follow these three steps and victory is assured. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Eccl. 2:11

"Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun" Eccl 2:11

Solomon was an amazing man. As a young leader, he renounced gold and power in favor of wisdom when God offered him a choice. He chose wisdom so he could lead his nation in right paths. He thus became the wisest man ever to live. In the process, he was granted both wealth and power. And what did he do with it?

Read the book of Ecclesiastes and you will certainly have your eyes opened! He squandered it all in search of pleasure. He had more wives than any man could enjoy. He topped that with concubines to serve his every wish. He amassed great wealth and spent it upon himself. He built beautiful cities as monuments to himself. He spread his influence around the known world - to draw attention to himself. All of this and more did he do - to please himself.

Near the end of his life, he penned the words to this revealing book. Multiple times he repeats some variation of today's verse. "All was vanity." There was no profit in it. It served no lasting purpose. After all. Where are all of Solomon's buildings? In ruins. And his military accomplishments? In dust. His great wealth? Gone with the wind. Even the majestic Temple he built as a dwelling place for God was destroyed, smashed to bits, plundered, and hauled away by Israel's enemies. In the end, Solomon realizes that all earthly things are "vanity."

The only thing that lasts is what a person does for God. Serve God. Live for Him. Spend all the energy you have in His service and you will be building up great treasures - not on earth, but in Heaven where it really counts! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Amos 5:4

"For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: "Seek Me and live" Amos 5:4

A question has been inside my head lately. I've thought a lot about it. I've asked others about it. I'll ask you about it. " OK, Pastor Edwin, what's the question?" Thought you would never ask. Here it is: "Who are you living for?"

To be honest, I have to say that I live a large part of my life for myself. I'm not proud of that fact. I'm rather ashamed, to be honest. If I were to add up the minutes of my day on a ledger with two columns the first being labeled "The Lord's Minutes" and the second "My Minutes" - well, come midnight, I don't really think I want to check the totals. I'm not trying to lay a guilt trip on myself or you or anyone else, but I do have to ask myself these questions:

1.. "How many minutes a day do I read my Bible?"
2.. "How many minutes a day do I pray?"
3.. "How many minutes a day do I share my faith with others?"
4.. "How many minutes a day do I thank the Lord for His kindness towards me?"
5.. "How many minutes a day do I sing His praises?"
6.. Then there are these questions: "How many minutes a day do I over eat?"
7.. "How many minutes a day do I think about what I want?"
8.. "How many minutes a day do I do what I want to do?"
9.. "How many minutes a day do I promote myself?"

Well, that's enough questions because they reveal too well that I tend to live for myself much more than I live for Jesus. What about you? Amen and Amen.

Psalm 103:13-14

"As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust" Psalm 103:13-14

Wouldn't it be a scary thing if our God was not compassionate? Could you imagine the fear we would live in if our God were mean like the false gods? You borrow a penny from your wife's purse without her knowing. Is it stealing? Will God strike you with lightning - or worse yet - a lingering fatal illness? You say an angry, hateful thing to your mother. Do you duck for fear of some celestial punishment? Talking about living in fear, that would do it.

Fortunately our God had great compassion on those of us who have a healthy fear of Him. That fear is a healthy respect for, not a breath wrong and you die type of fear. Because of this great love, we live in peace knowing that forgiveness is always available should we sin.

Unfortunately, many of us have forgotten that God can be a severe judge. We take for granted that He will love us no matter what. We have not seen an Ananias and Saphira type of incident in our churches lately. So what is there to fear. We can neither see God nor feel Him nor hear Him with an audible voice. This all gives rise to the question "Does he really exist? And even if He does, is He really interested in what I do? "Sure, we never really ask those questions. But we all too often live like we did. Think about it. What do you really think about God? Who is He really? What is your real relationship with Him? Do you really know Him? Do you really care about what He says? I urge you to honestly answer these questions. If you do, you may be surprised about how much you have to grow in your spiritual life. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Psalms 103:12

"As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us" Psalms 103:12

Something strange happens when we are forgiven. Though God forgets, we don't forgive ourselves. How often we think about our past sins. How frequently we pray, "God, I've sinned the same thing again!" All we are saying is that we haven't forgiven ourselves. We still have our eyes set upon our past. Don't get me wrong. It is not bad to look at the past. We must learn from our mistakes. We must realize how we got into the mess that caused us to "fall" into sin. If we don't, we are condemned to continually repeat our sins. The truth is that we must remember our past, but in remembering, we must grow beyond it.

The thing that is wrong is dwelling upon the sins of the past - continually feeling condemned because of those sins. After all, when you are forgiven, YOU ARE FORGIVEN! Get that? The psalmist says that God removes our sins "as far as the east is from the west." Think about it. Can you ever go so far east that there is no longer an east before us? Absolutely not! We can never come "full circle" and become reattached to our sins. Can't be done. Our problem is that we cling to them. Perhaps they are a crutch we think will help us hobble into God's ways. Maybe we hold to them as a lifeline - thinking that if this "God thing" doesn't work out that we can follow that line back to the old ways. We might even think that we need to punish ourselves by pondering what we were, constantly whipping our spiritual selves so that we can be forgiven. We may even think that we can straddle the fence and live a bit in both worlds. WE CAN'T!

It is time to realize that when God forgives us, we need to forgive ourselves and quit dragging up those sins. It is time that we understand that when we ask to be forgiven, the guilt is gone. Any further guilt we fell is not conviction which leads us to reconciliation with God, but is condemnation which comes to us from Satan and leads to eternal damnation.

If you've sinned, ask God to forgive knowing that He will. Then move on into the future knowing that God is your right hand, your strength, your salvation. All things past are forgiven. All things are made new. This day is like God's grace. It is new, fresh, and clean just waiting for us to make it into a good day! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Isaiah 6:4-5

"And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts" Isa. 6:4-5

Oh, sinner man, where you gonna run to?
Oh, sinner man, where you gonna run to?
Oh, sinner man, where you gonna run to?
Oh, sinner man, where you gonna run to all on that day?
Traditional Folk Song

I am positive that this is the way Isaiah felt when he saw the vision of the Lord. He wanted to hide. You and I would have wanted no less. Being in the presence of God would be a frightening event - and Isaiah knew more than anyone that he was a "sinner man"! He even recorded his thoughts for us to read nearly 2500 years later. "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." He was ready to die. He knew the consequences of seeing God. He knew it was death - it always had been. And it would have been this time except for one very important action. An angel flew to him and touched his lips with a burning coal taken from the altar of the Lord. The burning coal cleansed our budding prophet and made him fit for an audience with the King of Kings. (I'm certainly glad that I have been redeemed by the blood of the Messiah. I'm not sure I am ready to have my lips touched with a burning coal from anything!)

Isaiah made himself available when God called for someone to go for Him. "Here am I, send me." We know Isaiah as one of the "Major Prophets," the author of one of the most read of the Old Testament books. In his writings, he foretold the coming of the restoration of Israel, the coming of the Messiah, and the nature of the new Kingdom of God. In the process, he tells us part of the history of the world and the nature of the conflict of which the earth and its human inhabitants are the prize to be won. Isaiah is a great man! But it wasn't always that way.

He was just a simple man like you and me. He was a sinner looking forward to the saving Messiah, "sometime," and until the Messiah came he was prepared to offer his peace offerings to the God of Abraham in order to roll his sins back for another year. That all changed when God called him. And Isaiah's response to God's call was the moment that Isaiah ceased being a "simple sinner man" and became a "mighty man of God."

That event is the only thing that makes Isaiah different from you and me. He answered the call. Then again, you and I may have already answered the call of God. I know I have... several times, for the call of God is seldom a one-time event. And it is seldom static. When God finds a person willing to be used of Him, He continues to use that individual for many other events. The only two questions remaining for us are these: 1)have we heard the call, and 2)are we willing to say "Here am I, send me"? Amen and Amen.

2 Tim 1:5

"When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also" 2 Tim 1:5

There are many accounts of "little people", the common man or woman, being used of God in mighty ways. We could talk of many of the prophets. We obviously recall a young woman, Mary, and her betrothed, Joseph. We might call them "salt of the earth" type of people. James and John, Peter and Andrew, fishermen with no other life in sight until Jesus walked down the beach near their boats and called them to follow Him and He would make them "fishers of men." Stephen, the disciple who became a deacon and suffered martyrdom for his preaching and Phillip the evangelist transported from the wilderness to the heart of another revival are two more of the small folk made huge by the call of God.

There is one more individual I believe we should look at. He was the offspring of a Jewish woman and a gentile man, raised in a gentile nation to follow God's laws. Timothy was called by Paul to be a companion and a student. He had little to offer except willingness to learn and the heritage of a godly mother and a godly grandmother. As a youth he began to serve Paul the Apostle. He followed him throughout the Middle Eastern and European countries of the day, absorbing the vast knowledge stored by God in the heart of Paul. Finally, Paul began to send Timothy on errands of great import until Paul made Timothy the pastor of a church that needed a gentle but firm hand.

Timothy was on his own, but not without the prayers and instruction of the great Apostle. We are fortunate to have two of the letters Paul wrote to Timothy because in them the Apostle taught Timothy, and the church as a whole, how to organize and grow a powerful local congregation. In due season, church history tells us that Timothy became a very influential bishop (elder/pastor) of the whole region, leading the churches and training men in the ways Paul was taught by Jesus in the wilderness.

Timothy had one major asset: a willingness to serve ... to be used... by God. He apparently had no great wealth. He had just a basic education. He was nothing outstanding to the world, but Paul saw something in him and assisted God in bringing it out in the open. God can do the same for and through you. He takes the simple things and makes them great. A few small fish and a handful of little loaves fed 5,000 men. A simple gold coin was used to teach about taxes and God's will for His children. A little child was the object of a lesson on the simple faith. A grain of mustard seed taught about the kingdom. A grain of salt taught us about how important we are in the world around us. And twelve simple men started a church on the Day of Pentecost.

You, my brothers and sisters in Christ, are the salt of the earth, and God wants to use you to enhance the Kingdom in your neighborhood, your state, your nation, and your world. He will take whatever small offering you have to give and multiply it over and over until multitudes are fed from what you give. But you must give it in order for Him to multiply it. You must be willing to be an offering, poured out, so that He can fill you with His glory. You must obediently raise your hand and place it in the nail-pierced palm of Jesus so He can lead you in the ways only you can tread. You ... must ... willingly... yield ... yourself ... to ... Jesus. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Heb. 11:3

"By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible" Heb. 11:3

I've heard it and I'm sure you have too. "You must step out in blind faith." I've always wondered what "blind faith" is. Is it limited to those who are physically blind? Does one have to be totally blind to reality to have it? Exactly what do people mean when they use the term and is it a biblically based concept?

I had a dream once. I was walking in a pitch-black night. Nothing could be seen; even my hand was hidden from sight if I held it inches from my face. As with most people, after a while I became totally disoriented and was afraid to move anywhere. This was especially true when I heard the sound of rushing waters immediately in front of me - or was it all around me? The sound seemed to move from front to back to side and back again. Darkness does that to a person's senses. It seems like I prayed in the midst of that dream for I heard a voice saying, "Take one step at a time." I questioned the wisdom of that advice ... until I looked down and saw a faint glow on a rock immediately in front of me. I stepped out and the light became brighter illuminating the single step I was to take. As I moved each foot forward, a light illuminated the next step, and the next. Never was more than one step lit. Always the light glowed as I took the next step. I don't recall reaching a destination, but I do know I was filled with a peace knowing that the Light, which I know is Jesus Christ, directed each step of my path.

Was that "blind faith"? Some might say it was. But I know the truth. My faith was founded on two things. The first was the Voice. The second was the first glimmer of the faint light on the first rock. No, this was not blind faith. It was faith in Someone I had confidence in.

The Hebrews writer tells us that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Heb. 11:1) He would assure us that there is no such thing as blind faith. In today's verse, he tells us that our faith, our confidence, is in a power much greater than ourselves. We look at the world around us and know that it was made by the spoken word of God out of apparent nothingness. Liberal thought would have us believe that the world "just happened" when for some reason a single particle of something unexplainably moved out of its predetermined path and struck another particle of something - they call it the "big bang theory." Yeah, sure. And where did the particles come from? And why did one of them deviate from its ageless path? The answer is vague stammering because there is no answer in neither scientific nor philosophical thought.

True faith is never really blind. It is founded upon the power and authority of one we can trust - the God of creation. While it may seem to be "blind" at times, the truth is that faith is based upon a reality that is more real than the keyboard I am using to write this epistle. When we have learned to trust in God, the most outlandish sounding command from Him is nothing but a foregone conclusion. He has made it possible. He will make it come to pass. All we have to do is take the first step... and the next ... and the next... until we reach the destination He has set for us.

Blind faith? The world might think so. But you and I know that the faith we have is never blind, but built upon the creator of all reality. Go ahead. Take the first step. See the light glowing dimly? Trust in the God who created the light and the rock and the river and you. He works all in perfect harmony. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Prov. 23:23

"Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding" Prov. 23:23

In a Beatles song, the wizards of rock sang these words, "Money can't buy you love." Despite the truth of these words, most of us continue to accumulate wealth hoping that we can buy, if not love, at least happiness. It amazes me how fast purchased happiness drains into the mundane then into the realms of drudgery.

Solomon, in his vast wisdom, tells his son that two things can, and should, be bought - truth and wisdom. The two are not the same, though many people try to make them that way. Nor is wisdom gained at the same time that knowledge is attained. Wisdom is based upon truth. Wisdom is the life application of knowledge in a good and just way. Money can buy knowledge; that is why we send our children to the best university we can afford. We want them to gain knowledge, vast amounts of knowledge, because we know that they will need it in the every day life of adulthood.

Wisdom is purchased with a currency that is not printed by the Government of Hong Kong. Nor does any government or set of government coin that currency. The currency with which one buys wisdom is time. Effective use of the time currency begins at birth as the mother and the father begin the decades long instructions that will mold an infant into a productive adult. The parents invest the initial currency because Junior has nothing to invest. He is more interested in eating, sleeping, and dirtying diapers. Eventually Junior learns to sit on Daddy's knee and listen to stories that Daddy and Mommy tell about their youth. He is now investing his own currency. If everything works out right, Junior will gain the seeds of wisdom in these precious moments. In due course, Junior will have gained enough wisdom in this manner to be able to water the seeds planted by his parents and reap sufficient harvest along the way to keep himself in God's paths. All the time he continues to gain more wisdom because wisdom begets wisdom.

Sad is the youth who ignores "the old man" and grows into adulthood as a fool. He saddens the heart of his parents. He makes a mockery of all that has been invested in him by family, teachers, pastors, and friends. His currency is wasted on debauchery and self-indulgence.

Let us buy truth and wisdom. It is never to late to begin our collection. Our collection can never be too big. And wisdom never goes out of date nor does it "spoil"! Amen and Amen.

Prov. 11:4-5

"Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death. The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright" Prov. 11:4-5

We've probably all heard the story of the two men who paused to pay their respect to an approaching funeral procession. As the men took off their hats, they watched as the hearse quietly rolled by followed by an armored car with the name "Brinks" painted on the side. One respectfully noted to the other, "I didn't think you could take it with you, but Mr. Brinks is sure going to try."

There is an old song that says, "Money can't buy you love." And that is a very true saying. Money can buy companionship. Money can buy a false sense of friendship. Money can buy health - to a certain extent. Money can buy lots of things that make life easier on this sparkling blue orb we call "Earth," but money can't do a thing for the man who is bound for hell. Money won't buy an air conditioner there. It won't purchase a drink of cool water. It won't even buy friendly companionship in that overheated dwelling of the ever-dying sinner. Solomon tells us that riches are worthless in the day of wrath ... the day of judgment.

On the other hand, righteousness won't buy pleasures on earth. It won't buy a fast car. It won't purchase the goods that men seem to lust after. But it will buy peace of mind, and happiness, and contentment. It will buy what money can't - it can buy love. What's more, righteousness will deliver the owner from the eternal death of hell and deliver him into the glories of eternal life in Heaven with Jesus.

In the days of the ancient kings, runners would precede the king's travel by weeks. They would tell the local residents that the king would arrive in their village on such-and-such a day. The village chiefs would arrange work crews to travel the length of the roadway to make the paths smooth for the king. Potholes would be filled. Rough road would be smoothed. Valleys would be filled and hills would be cropped off so the king would have a safe and comfortable ride through the village lands. This is what the king's influence bought him.

Our righteousness - and that is a gift from our King - is what makes our paths smooth and safe and comfortable. Certainly, I am not talking about a "pain free life." Quite the contrary, the life of the true believer might be fraught with great trials producing physical and emotional pain. Some of us might even lose our lives because of the choice we have made to follow in the footsteps of the King. But, all the while, we are comforted by the knowledge that this life is nothing but a passing vapor compared to the vast riches of eternity. All the suffering we endure on earth are just "hiccups" on the way to the rewards offered by the King of Kings to those who overcome.

If we can keep this in mind, we will be at peace ... because of our righteousness in Christ Jesus - and such a comforting thought it is! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Eph. 1: 7-8

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence" Eph 1:7-8

We all love to have things lavished on us. Women love to be loaded down with diamonds, furs and chocolates. Men adore a woman who buys them tools, remotes controls, gizmos and gadgets and they love to use these items with us. We all love Christmas and birthdays (yes, even those over 50 - but we just don't show it as much). Why? We love the attention we get on those special days.

God has lavished gifts on us as well. He gave us the gift of redemption - He paid our penalty for our sins - through His Son, Jesus. He has poured forgiveness on us. Why, because He loves us. It comes from His vast, immeasurable storehouse of grace.

Perhaps you have never accepted that great gift of salvation. Do it now. Perhaps you have lost that gift sometime in the past. He is still offering it to you. Take it . . . again. Maybe you think your sins are too great for God to forgive. Your sins cannot be bigger than God's grace. He loves you so much that if you were the only sinner, He would still have sent His Son to die for your sins. Accept His forgiveness now, today! It is free for the taking. (I know you are thinking "it can't be that easy." It is, He offers it freely. The hard part is humbling yourself to take it - it is easier to give than receive.)

There has never been a sinner who called on God who has been turned away. God's arms are open wide for all who seek Him. He doesn't play "hide and seek" with you. He says "seek Me and you shall find me. Call upon me and I will answer." Today is your day! Seek, call and receive! Amen and Amen.

Are YOU Right with God?

True Christianity is not about attending a particular church, or how your parents raised you, or what country you were born in. Being a Christian means that you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, that He is your Savior. It's not good enough that your priest, pastor, mother, or aunt knows Jesus, you must know Him for yourself. They cannot believe in Him for you, you must believe for yourself. They cannot repent for you, you must repent for yourself.

Jesus is everywhere all the time. He can hear you now if you ask Him for forgiveness. Please turn your life over to Him NOW. Time slips by so quickly, don't miss this opportunity. If you want to pray and ask Jesus to be your Savior, you can say a prayer something like this:

"Jesus, I know that I have sinned against you. I know the truth is that I have sinned by my own choice, and I am the one responsible for it. I know that I have earned punishment from You, and that the fair punishment would be death. Jesus, I believe that You died in my place. Forgive me for my sin. I cannot cover or take my sin away, I am relying totally and only on You. You are the only one who can save me. I reject my sin, I turn away from it, I repent. Come into my life, take away my sin, and show me how to live my life in a way that is right and pleasing to You." Thank You Jesus, Amen

If you have prayed this, YOU ARE SAVED! You are now completely forgiven, a new creation, innocent in the eyes of God, please e-mail me and let me know and I will guide you toward Fellowship and Baptism. Welcome to the family of God! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Gal 5:24

"And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" Gal 5:24

This is my thought about today's verse. When a man is crucified, he's dead. And when you are dead, you're dead! Those of us who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh. We are dead - dead to the flesh - dead to our passions - dead to our desires - DEAD!

Now if this is true, why do I still have ungodly desires? If this is true, why do I still yield to the flesh and it's passions? Because these things still bother me, does that mean that I am not one who belongs to Jesus? Am I a failure as a Christian? Are my adoption papers not in order? Do I really belong to Satan and not God?

Perhaps you think the same way. Have I struck a nerve? I suspect that all of us feel that way at times - perhaps more often than not. Rest assured, you are still a child of the King if you have called upon the Name of Jesus. The intent of the Apostle is not to discourage, but to encourage.

What is dead is the strings that attach us to these fleshly desires and passions. They no longer bind us. They are cut loose - destroyed - by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of the Lord. Can we still relish in them? Yes. Do we? All too often. Can we break free? Absolutely! All we have to do is choose to be free - to enjoy the freedom our Savior, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ has given us. If you are bound today with bonds that have been broken, you are free - you just need to realize it, accept it, and refuse to be bound again! That choice is yours because the old bonds have been crucified - they are dead! And when they are dead, they are dead FOREVER. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

1 Sam. 17:48

"So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine" 1 Sam. 17:48

I had never seen something in this verse until a visiting preacher mentioned it one day in his sermon. "David ran quickly toward the battle line." I don't know how many times I've preached on this topic, but I never saw that David ran.

I don't know about you, but I can just see a few people giving David advice about the upcoming encounter with Goliath. The first gentleman probably suggested that David take it slow and "sneak up on the fellow." Good advice that is. Surely if David were to advance stealthily toward the foe, he could then get close enough to do some serious damage by stabbing the giant in the back.

Another more seasoned soldier may have suggested that David wait for the proper time to attack. What was the hurry? After all, the Israeli army had waited forty days already. Why rush into matters. It could be hazardous to David's health.

Saul himself suggested that David prepare himself for battle by wearing a good coat of arms. And whose would be finer than Saul's armor? David certainly couldn't proceed into battle without some kind of protection. Oh, and did David know how to properly throw a javelin? And could he use the fighting sword effectively. This would surely be a major battle. Perhaps a bit of practice with the equipment would be good.

Another fellow gave perhaps the advice most of us would take. "Run for your life! Run back to your father!" Sounds good to me! Who am I to face the giant? What has he done to me?

But, praise God, David had other thoughts. From his experience as a shepherd, he knew that danger meant destruction. The sooner he met the enemy, the fewer sheep he would loose. David was used to rushing into battle. And this battle was no different. Nor would he take time to study the man. He already knew the man's weak point. This man was making fun of David's God, and God would fight the battle. That was Goliath's weakness. As for preparation, he needed nothing more. He had face the lion and the bear head on. He would meet this beast of a man in the same manner. And the armor? All he needed was his trusty sling and a few good, round river stones. That was what he used on the lion. The bear could not defeat that foe. The God-given projectile brought both of them to the ground. They would do the same for this giant of a man.

So David rushed into battle. He swung his sling round and round building up great speed. Then, at just the right moment, he released the stone. It arched high overhead and, true to its mark, struck the giant in his one physically vulnerable spot. The stone sank deep into the forehead of the foe knocking him unconscious. With a thud he hit the ground and David pulled the giant's own sword from its sheath and beheaded his foe.

Are you cowering behind the rocks in the presence of your enemy? Are you waiting for the right moment to attack? Have you put on someone else's armor and feel that it just doesn't fit? Have you turned tail and headed for home for your father? STOP! Jesus is your right hand. He is your shield and buckler. He has given you all that you need to win this battle you face. Now, today, run into the fray for the victory is yours! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Acts 9:3

"As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven" Acts 9:3

Saul was on his way to Damascus to persecute a distant batch of believers in Jesus. He had no love for them because they were a threat to his precious Judaism. On the way he had an interesting experience. A bright light shown about him and, evidently, he looked at it. After a voice spoke to him with instructions on what to do next, Saul found himself to be blind. We recognize the light to be God. And Saul was blinded by the glory of the Lord.

The story would be pointless and not worth recording if it stopped there. But Saul followed the instructions, was prayed for by Ananias, and was healed of his blindness. Still, that is not the end of the story. Saul began to preach the very Gospel he had formerly despised - and became the persecuted Apostle of Jesus Christ. Of course we know Saul as Paul and owe our salvation to his wonderful works among the European gentiles.

Paul's experience points out something that none of the other examples of "viewing the face of God" seems to make. Paul was radically changed. He even underwent a name change to demonstrate the changes made in his life. When we look on the face of God, we too will be changed. The unfortunate thing is that we often look around for God. We sometimes even enter His presence. But few of us ever take the bold step to gaze into the face of the Father. Oh, we will never be able to make out the features - the glory is far to blinding for that. We will, however, be changed forever. We will never be the "old man" we were. We will never be able to do the things we did once we have seen God.

Maybe that is why we look for Him and never find Him. Perhaps that is why we look around Him but never at Him. We don't want to be changed. We want to remain in total control of our lives. We just want to enjoy a bit of the glory while we continue in our old paths. We want to sit on the spiritual "fence" and balance precariously between Heaven and Hell. The really weird thing is that we honestly believe we can do it! Amen and Amen.

1 Sam. 17:40

"Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine." 1 Sam. 17:40

Sometimes smaller is better. When some people fish for large fish, They use a large lure. When they are fishing for smaller fishes, they use a small hook with a small bait. Fishes such as crappie have a small, delicate mouth that needs a deft touch. Large fishes have very large mouths with a rather touch lip. When they are hooked, the fish will put a great amount of stress on the tackle and their own mouths. The tackle used for fishing is dependent upon the type of fish that one is fishing for. Larger is not necessarily better. Smaller can be just as effective - and a lot more fun - ask anyone who has caught a four-pound fish while fishing ussing light gear for a one-pound fish.

David was offered the weaponry of King Saul in the quest to eliminate an enemy of God - Goliath. I chuckle at the sight of little David waddling around in the massive armor of King Saul who stood head-and-shoulders above all of his kinsmen! That must have been a sight. Wisely, David removed the king's armament and used the tools most familiar to him. He walked to a stream, bent down looking for a familiar shape, found five, and placed the small round river stones in his leather pouch. With these, his sling, and his shepherd's rod David ran to meet his foe.

Goliath laughed in derision. A little boy with small stones against the best they had to offer? Preposterous! Goliath smelled a great victory at hand for his country. He would crush this little lad in his huge paws. David stood his ground, loaded his sling, and sent the stone flying - straight into the forehead of Goliath. I can almost hear the gasp as the giant fell like a mighty Redwood tree. Their hero, their savior, their mighty warrior was dead - killed by a little boy and a small stone. God used these little things to win a might battle that day. And the little fellow was to become the mighty king of Israel.

Perhaps your skills are limited. All you have to offer is the ability to patch clothes. You have learned nothing else. God can use that skill to bring down strongholds. Maybe you have nothing to offer but the skills necessary to clean house. The house of the Lord is always in need of house keepers. Whatever you have to offer, God can use. And what you don't have, He will provide when the time comes. I know. As a boy, I had little to offer. I was less than a stellar student. I had no particular abilities. But I was willing. God has used my humble offerings in so many whys that I have become known as a "Jack-of-all-trades." The Lord took what I handed Him and made it into something He could use. He can do the same with whatever you have. All you have to do is offer it as a holy sacrifice to Him. Amen and Amen.

Mark 14:27

"Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: "I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered." Mark 14:27

It's interesting what happens when a leader falls. In most cases his following breaks apart. It may take a while. There may be a power struggle among his sub-leaders, but sooner or later the breakup will occur. It happened to Alexander the Great. It happens on the modern battle field. And it happened to the 12.

Jesus fell - He was arrested, imprisoned, beaten, judged and crucified. Of the 12 apostles, only one was found at the foot of the cross - John. Peter denied the Lord and went out and wept bitterly. Judas, filled with remorse, flung the 30 pieces of silver in the faces of the priests and hanged himself. The others fled in their own way.

Only the women seemed to be clinging to the last bit of hope. Some how, some way the remaining 11 and the women and a few other disciples made their way back to the upper room . ...but the mood was gloomy. "What will we do now?" was a common question. Doubt filled their hearts. Depression filled their minds.

Even the women were figuring out how they would get into a sealed tomb to finish the embalming process that was cut short by the sunset and beginning of the Sabbath. They were scattered, lost, lonely, and fearful. Jesus' words were true - as always. But something was different about this scattering.

The Leader would not remain dead. The embalming spices would not be needed. Even Thomas' doubts would be erased. The Leader would raise from the dead. The Shepherd would gather his scattered flock. The seemingly derailed move of God would once again be on track.

Even today, the Church, the Flock, seems to be scattered. In most towns in the world there are Churches on every corner - all proclaim the Good News that Jesus is alive - but they refuse to fellowship with each other. Pastors of differing denominations gather in ministerial alliances - and argue about doctrine. Baptist is turned against Baptist. Methodist against Methodist. Lutheran against Lutheran. Backbiting and distrust permeate the relationship so that the world views a Church that is far from the united powerful organization that God intended. Come Lord Jesus. Unite your Flock again. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Eph. 4:30

"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Eph. 4:30

Sometimes it just happens. It isn't necessarily something big that causes it, sometimes it is. Grief happens. A little girl cuts her own hair with a pair of "play" scissors. Momma cries the cry of the grief-stricken. A grown woman sees a billboard with the picture of an aborted baby - and weeps copious tears. An aged man looses his driver's license because he is no longer safe on the road - his grief is expressed in anger. Grief doesn't have to be caused by the death of a loved one. Grief can strike anyone at any age for the simplest of reasons. But the grief is
just as strong.

Paul tells us that we should avoid grieving the Holy Spirit. We all know we do that by committing some great, grievous, "unpardonable" sin. Right? Not always the case. Look at the context of this verse. That's right, it is in the middle of a discussion of our speech habits - our word usage. It is not the great and horrible things that grieve the Holy Spirit, it is the little day-by-day things that we say and do. It is the little jab we direct towards a friend in jest. It is the petty theft of paper and toner as we make personal copies on the company copy machine. It is the long distance call we "forget" to log on the company phone. It is the glance on another's paper in the middle of a test. It is the "off color" word we use indiscriminately in our daily conversations.
These are the kinds of things that grieve the Holy Spirit.

So what happens when the Holy Spirit is grieved? Like the little girl that lost a favorite dolly, He cries. He withdraws from the offense. He withholds His blessings. He eventually ceases to communicate with the offending party. While the Holy Spirit is God, His reactions are much like ours - no, our reactions are much like His. We are made in the image of God, not the other way around.

So you want evidence of this statement, do you? Remember Ananias, and his wife Sapphira? They told a little white lie to Peter - the representative of the Holy Spirit - and they died. How about King Saul? He continually broke the express directions of the Holy Spirit as related through the prophet, Samuel. The result was the departing of the Spirit of God from the king - and eventual death. Even King David broke the commands of God and ordered a census taken of all the men of Israel. The Holy Spirit withdrew from David and thousands of Israelis were killed by the angel of the Lord.

Hummm, I don't think I want to grieve the Holy Spirit. Do you? But I do; and you do, and we will. So how do we quit this destructive pattern? We ask the Spirit to put a seal on our lips to prevent us from speaking harshly. We ask the Lord to lead us to conviction when we do those offending acts. And, we seek to be warned when we think about doing them and ask for strength to forgo the committing of offending actions. Lord, give us strength! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Eph. 4:25

"Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another." Eph. 4:25

You must quit lying.

"Hey, Rev. Edwin. You do not even know me. How can you say thatI am a liar?" That is easy. We are all liars, myself included. "How can you know that? You have never asked a question of me that I have answered." I know it because I know how most people in the world answer one simple question. "How are you?" Did you answer, "Fine?" Is that your automatic response answer? Are you really fine? Are you always fine when you answer that question in this way? See what I mean?

Most people are chronic liars. We all have a chronic habit of presenting our "best face forward." We have built up a persona that we want the worldto see - including our best friends. We may want them to see us as "sweet and innocent," or "rough and ready," or "tough as nails," or "in total control of our own situation." Some of you ladies "paint" yourfaces to cover "flaws" that you know exist in the surface of your natural appearance, or to make yourself more attractive than you really are.

While some of those flaws are real, most are imagined or at least exaggerated. Men, please don't feel smug. We all do the same thing. Have you known someone who combed his hair over the top to cover a bald spot? Do you know a friend who dyed his hair to cover up his white hairs? Do you have a friend who wears a full beard to "hide" a recessed chin, or a childhood scar, or an imagined flaw? How many of us"suck it in" when a pretty lady walks buy, but let it "all hand out"when with our wives?

We are liars. We answer, "fine" when we have a miserable headache,or an aching back, or a breathing problem, or a cold, or... well you get the point. We just don't want people to know what we are reallylike. We want them to see what we want them to think we are. But by doing so we are not being honest.

Dudley Moore, in the 1998 movie "Crazy People," started an advertising business in the asylum where he was committed. All of their advertising had one rule, it must tell the truth. TheVolvo is "boxy" but built to last. A Big Mac might be labeledas "full of fat, but tastes great!" The premise of this flick was that most advertising is not honest.

What would the world be like if all of us were honest? No, let's change that. What would our world be like if Christians were honest? Perhaps we wouldhave fewer feuds in our churches if we were honest and up front in the very beginning. "Rev. John, I really don't like the colour of the carpet we have chosen for the sanctuary. Could we perhaps compromise and go with this color? I know it is not my favorite nor yours, but it has a bit of both colors and is quite attractive." That might shocka few pastors!

Then again, returning to our original question, "How are you today?" imagine the possibilities if the response was, "I have a bit of a headache. Would you pray with me about it?" Or, "I'll tell you the truth, Terry. James and I just had a serious blowout. Will you help me seek God on this matter? I am willing to let the Holy Spirit change me if that will fix the problem." Hmmmmmmmm. Imagine the potential. Amen and Amen.

Ephesians 6:17

The Word of God is the only offensive weapon mentioned in the list of armor. Since Paul used hema instead of logos for "word" in Ephesians 6:17, I believe Paul is referring to the spoken Word of God. We are to defend ourselves against the evil one by speaking aloud God's Word.

Why is it so important to speak God's Word in addition to believing it and thinking it? Because Satan is a created being, and he doesn't perfectly know what you're thinking. By observing you, he can pretty well tell what you are thinking, just as any student of human behavior can. And it isn't difficult for him to know what you're thinking if he put the thought in. But he doesn't know what you're going to do before you do it. He can put thoughts into your mind, and he will know whether you buy his lie by how you behave.

Satan can try to influence you by planting thoughts in your head, but he can't read your thoughts. If you're going to resist Satan, you must do so verbally so he can understand you and be put on the run.

You can communicate with God in your mind and spirit because He knows the thoughts and intents of your heart (Hebrews 4:12). Your unspoken communion with God is your private sanctuary; Satan cannot eavesdrop on you. But by the same token, if you only tell Satan with your thoughts to leave, he won't leave because he is under no obligation to obey your thoughts. You must defeat Satan by speaking out. The good news is that most direct attacks occur at night or when you are alone.

One night some years ago I woke up absolutely terrified for no apparent reason, and I knew it was an attack from satan. Without lifting my head from the pillow, I applied the two-step remedy suggested in James 4:7. In the sanctuary of my heart, I submitted to God. Then I was able to resist satan with one spoken word - "Jesus" - and the fear was instantly and totally gone. I went back to sleep in complete peace. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Gal 3:23

"But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed." Gal. 3:23

There are all kinds of custody. There is child custody. Most parents have this type - by birth. No, not the parent's birth - the birth of their child! There is protective custody. To enjoy this one a person must have WITNESSED something terrible and be willing to testify to it at serious personal risk . Oh, there is police custody - that generally means a person has DONE something wrong and has been taken to jail, not for his protections, but the community's protection.

In today's verse, we see that there is another type of custody: Law custody. It sounds a lot like police custody - and in many respects it is. Law custody means we are under the protection or oversight of the law. Law in this case is defined as the "Law of Moses" - the Old Testament Law handed down from Mt. Sinai to multiple generations of Jews and Christians. Most religions have a set of laws that also fit the bill here. And if there is no religion in an area, the state does the honors. The goal is to keep us, relatively speaking, "out of trouble."

The Law serves another purpose as well. It defines what is acceptable and what is not acceptable. How would we know to drive down the correct side of the road - unless there was a law that told us? Can you imagine driving down an expressway at 70 miles per hour without a law that directs us in the correct lanes for a certain direction? In this sense, the Law is our protector.

It is also the instrument that defines what is WRONG. It is the law that keeps me from robbing $1,000,000.00 from my bank. That would be robbery - STEALING AS PER THELAW! I don't have that much money in my account. It would be someone else's money. That fact is defined by LAW. And it is that definition that keeps me on the right paths - the penalty for breaking that law is long-term police custody with all expenses paid by the Government of the land.

Paul tells us that the Law had us in custody - until FAITH came. Faith in what or whom? Faith in Jesus Christ; no, faith through Jesus Christ. It is that saving faith received as a gift from Jesus that releases us from the Law. That doesn't mean I am now free to do what I want. It DOES mean that I am free from the burdens of the Law that points out my errors, and that I am now under a new law: the law of love.

Where once I was told to "not lie," now I want to tell the truth because of the law of love. Love dictates that I must be honest - no, that is not a must. That would make it legalism once again. No, love puts it in my heart, my personality, my very essence to BE honest. That is the difference. One says I MUST. The other creates the WANT.

I like living under the law of Love - it's bonds are much more comfortable than the Law of Sin and Death - the Law of Moses. If you are not living under the Law of Love now, I encourage you to take the step. All you have to do is ask, and Jesus will enter your life and fill it with love - and love will fill you with the WANT to be good. Now I have a simple question for you.

Are YOU Right with God?

True Christianity is not about attending a particular church, or how your parents raised you, or what country you were born in. Being a Christian means that you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, that He is your Savior. It's not good enough that your priest, pastor, mother, or aunt knows Jesus, you must know Him for yourself. They cannot believe in Him for you, you must believe for yourself. They cannot repent for you, you must repent for yourself.

Jesus is everywhere all the time. He can hear you now if you ask Him for forgiveness. Please turn your life over to Him NOW. Time slips by so quickly, don't miss this opportunity. If you want to pray and ask Jesus to be your Savior, you can say a prayer something like this:

"Jesus, I know that I have sinned against you. I know the truth is that I have sinned by my own choice, and I am the one responsible for it. I know that I have earned punishment from You, and that the fair punishment would be death. Jesus, I believe that You died in my place. Forgive me for my sin. I cannot cover or take my sin away, I am relying totally and only on You. You are the only one who can save me. I reject my sin, I turn away from it, I repent. Come into my life, take away my sin, and show me how to live my life in a way that is right and pleasing to You." Thank You Jesus, Amen

If you have prayed this, YOU ARE SAVED! You are now completely forgiven, a new creation, innocent in the eyes of God, please e-mail me and let me know and I will guide you toward fellowship and Baptism. Welcome to the family of God! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen

Acts 5:12

"And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch." Acts 5:12

We are an excitable people. We get excited a soccer games. We get excited at movies. We get excited at weddings. There is not much we don't get excited about. The early Christians got excited about miracles - I guess nothing has changed. The apostles did many things through the power of the Spirit of God - all of them exciting. There is something about miracles that we need to remember. To the best of my understanding, every miracle in the New Testament happened with the express purpose of opening the door to the preaching of the Gospel.

Never did a miracle happen just so a miracle could take place. I have observed that we often forget that little fact. We tend to follow the miracles. We get excited about them. We honor the miracle workers. We televise their meetings. We devour their books. We forget about the teaching that accompanied the miracle. You don't? In that case you are the exception to the rule. Some of our brothers and sisters in the Charismatic movement often do not feel a service is complete unless there are miracles taking place during the "altar call." When we leave such a service we comment on the miracles - because they take the predominant place in a service - the end.

But take a look at the miracles in the Bible - especially the Book of Acts. When did they take place? At the beginning of a service. The Apostles and disciples were in the upper room on the Day of Pentecost. There was the sound of a mighty rushing wind and they spoke in tongues. Only after the crowd was gathered do we see the reason - Peter's first sermon - and 5000 men were added to the Church. The lame beggar at the Temple gate was told that he would not receive silver or gold. He was told to stand up and walk! Then the preaching took place - and 3000 were added that day. (By the way, do you realized how many times Jesus walked by that beggar and never healed him? This fellow was lame from birth and his family took him to the Temple every day from his childhood. He was there every time Jesus entered the Temple - and He never healed him. Some healing's are delayed for God's glory!)

Perhaps, if we are really "In the Spirit" we should have our "healing services" at the beginning of the meeting. Then we have real praise and worship, then we will have real preaching. I think our "altar calls" will have the desired effect then - people saved. After all, that is our reason for existing as Christians - to win souls to Jesus (see Matthew 28:19 & 20.) It's about time that we take our eyes off the miracles and put them on the Miracle Worker, Jesus Christ, the Messiah! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Eph 4: 26-27

"Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil." Eph. 4:26-27

"What do you mean? You spent the entire paycheck on a computer? But we already have three computers, and they all work FINE!"

Do you sense some animosity in the above paragraph? Try this one.

"Honey, you know I love you, but this meatloaf just doesn't taste like Mom's. Are you sure you followed her recipe?" asked the new husband.

"You don't love me, do you? I should never have married you. I can't compete with your MOTHER. Why didn't you just marry HER! I can't do anything to please you. I don't put enough starch in your shirts or I put too much in them. I buy the wrong kind of ketchup. I squeeze the toothpaste in the middle and you roll it from the end. I can't even put the toilet paper on to please you! I HATE YOU! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" and she slams the door, breaking its glass as she screams the last words so the whole world will know of her hatred.

Sound familiar? Sure. We have all had those moments. Are these outbursts "anger"? You bet. Do they spell the end of a relationship? Depends. Anger is a natural thing. If we don't vent it in some way or another, it seethes and boils and eventually destroys. Anger is not sin. It is not even a bad thing.

Sometimes anger drives us to do incredible feats. Anger can drive a grieving mother to launch an organization against drunk driving - and save hundreds of thousands of lives. Anger can cause a man to protest an abortion clinic and save the lives of innocent babies.

Anger can also destroy. Two angry boys vented their pent up anger in a destructive way in a school in Tuen Mun. Angry mobs destroyed millions of dollars worth of property in Los Angeles, California. Anger drives a man to murder his wife and children in Tin Shui Wai. Anger destroys.

But it is not the anger that does good or evil, it is our handling of anger that does the trick. Paul tells us that it is OK to be angry. But we should not allow that anger to drive us to sin. If Paul left us here, we could not understand this apparent oxymoron. But he does provide the answer "Do not let the sun set on your anger."

The principle is simple. Go ahead and vent that anger when it appears - but don't dwell on it. Get it over with and get on with life. The key to being angry and not sinning is simple. When the sun sets, let it go. If we carry our anger into the next twenty-four hours, we have allowed it to build pressure. If we carry it into the next week, that pressure approaches the danger level. If we carry that anger into the next year, the pressure exceeds the "manufacturers recommended safety levels" and we explode destructively.

Perhaps you are an "angry" person. It seems that everyone and everything is against you. hatred boils up in your soul like a volcano blowing up. You have no outlet, no release of the pressure. Now is the time to get rid of this disease that is seeking to destroy you and the people around you. I'll make one suggestion. Give your anger to God, asking Him to take it away. And, once your have let Him have it, don't let it build up. Lay it down at the end of each day. This will not only soothe the angered spirit, but helps you sleep at night as well! Amen and Amen.

Mark 9:24

"Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" Mark 9:24

Most of us have been there. Some dramatic problem has entered our lives and we need help. The only problem is that our great faith, the one we used in helping dozens of other people facing problems, has gone as weak as the stem of a week old wild flower. Our knees are rubbery, our pulse is racing, and our faith is dead. "God, where are You when I need You?" we cry.

We search for answers in the places we expect to find them, but all our searching produces a list of exactly "zero" solutions. We talk to our friends; they shrug their shoulders and have no answers. We seek the experts, and they give us all types of hypothetical reasons for our predicament, but they only confuse the issue. Where is a man, or woman, to turn? What can we do?

The father in today's verse had a similar problem. He had heard about the wonderful things some Carpenter from Nazareth was doing. And He had a problem. His son was sick. The doctors had given no hope for a cure. The rabbi suggested that he, the father, had committed some great sin. The neighbors talked about him behind his back. Maybe this Miracle Worker could do some good. He was supposed to be teaching on a mountainside some ten miles away.

He packed a lunch for himself and the lad and lifted the boy into his arms and began the long trek up the road. Would he find what he wanted? It was a long shot, but he had to try. What did he have to lose but a few hours sleep and another long walk? Arriving at the mountain, he found no teacher. He had left hours before. But His disciples were there. Maybe they could help. Shouting, commanding, working, sweating, nothing produced the result. Now the disciples were discouraged. They were giving up. If only the Teacher would return. Surely He could help.

Darkness begins to descend upon the valley and no Teacher. Disillusionment swept through his soul like a Roman chariot. He turns to leave when he hears a voice, a sweet voice like none he had heard before. "May I help you?" " Rabbi, your disciples could not heal my boy. He is very sick. Can you help?" An almost pleading voice accompanies the words. "Do you believe I can help your son?" asked the Master. "Indeed You can, Sir, with all the faith I can muster. But if it is not enough, please help my faithlessness to be enough." And it happened. The Rabbi took the son, lifted him up, and made him whole!

In your distress, stop. Quit running around like the proverbial chicken. Turn immediately to the source of all help and call upon Him. With the little faith you have, call out and ask. Ask that He will take what little bit of faith you have, multiply it a thousand times or more, and ask for resolution of your conflict, your trial, your trouble. Just ask. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

John 11:38-39

"Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days." John 11:38-39

As Jesus approached the foot of the cross, it is imperative that we take a look at this event - the resurrection of Lazarus. If you recall, Lazarus had become sick while Jesus was in a distant area. Martha and Mary had sent for the Master - and He had delayed His return to Bethany. After several days, He tells the disciples it is time to go while they argue that it is not safe. Jesus finally says bluntly, "Lazarus is dead." At this point, the journey begins and takes a few interesting twists along the way. Eventually, the mourning party of friends and curious on-lookers makes it's way to the tomb where Lazarus is laid. At this point our verses begin.

"Remove the stone." That is Jesus' first words at the site. Martha is rather upset. She appears to believe Jesus is on His way into to tomb to grieve the loss of His friend. "Lord, it has been four days. Lazarus has decomposed to the point he stinks something awful." Didn't she think that the Master knew this? Mary had previously announced to Him that Lazarus had been dead for days. And, after all, they DID know that He was the Messiah. Or did they? Apparently the knowledge they had all acquired in their heads had yet to reach their hearts. They KNEW it. They just didn't BELIEVE it.

Jesus repeats the order and the stone is rolled away. Perhaps the Lord had move a step or two in the direction of the tomb, or maybe He had simply stood His ground, but all eyes were on Him and the gaping hole in the side of the hill. Some were sure He would endure the stench to pay His last respects to the beloved friend. Others thought He was proving that He was rather loose in the head. Martha and Mary were probably shocked at the new development. "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" That sounds a bit assertive for one who had just been crying. You WILL see the glory? Mighty powerful words. What was the Rabbi planning? Everyone wanted to know. Most were crowding around, jockeying for position to see both Jesus and the opening to the cave where Lazarus lay. Some, if they had cell phones, would have been calling home, "Hannah, you should have come. This is incredible! Wait ... the Rabbi is about to speak again!"

Others would have flipped open their executive phones - the ones with color video capabilities - and been whispering to the authorities on the other end, "Are you getting this? He is helpless to do anything. He is pathetic. Watch as this upstart orders the grave opened ... did you see it? Look, I'll show you His face. Isn't that sad? Our plans are about to come together. Hang on; I'll put point the phone in His direction. He is about to say something even more pathetic ...watch!"

Anticipation is eating the crowd alive. They all want to know what happens next. Fortunately we already know. The question for us is do we believe in our hearts what we see with our eyes - or read in His Word? Are we allowing the things in our minds to travel the twelve inches or so to our hearts where they will really do some good? Talk to you later, Amen.

Psalm 104:9

"You have set a boundary that they may not pass over, That they may not return to cover the earth" Psalm 104:9

Oh no! Not those cement posts again! Yup, here comes more on boundaries.

I find it interesting that God refers to boundaries in various ways. They are indeed property markers. Dueteronomy states that the man who moves his neighbor's property marker is cursed. Pretty strong words! We have a phrase that makes reference to property markers: "good fences make good neighbors."

God, according to the psalmist, has set boundaries for the seas. "The sand is the boundary for the waters so that they may not overtake the land again." Interesting that a few grains of sand can keep the ocean back! What power! But, God has decreed it and it is so. Only on a few occasions has the waters failed to obey that rule - and it always returned to it after the failure. Of course the most famous is Noah's flood. Then there are occasional flooded rivers, lakes, streams - oh, don't forget oceanic floods from hurricanes, typhoons and tidal waves. Still, the law is even tually enforced and the waters return to their boundaries.

God has set boundaries for the widows. God loves widows and orphans. He has a special place in His heart for them. Though they may be poor, they are rich in God's protection. So rich that He commands us to take care of them with such priority that they supersede fasting.

We need boundaries - not just the physical but the spiritual as well. We call them laws - the Ten Commandments being the most obvious. When we break from those boundaries, we cause damage to ourselves and those around us. We cause ourselves to be separated from God. We find ourselves alone in a crowded room. Though there are fellow sinners all around, but, we keep looking for a relationship that will last. Not finding it, we suffer from loneliness.

Unfortunately, when we break loose from the boundaries of the law, we can not return. It's like getting tooth paste back into the tube. Tough job! But there is good news. God has provided a way to do just that - no not the tooth paste - the return to boundaries. He gave us His Son, Jesus. He caused Him to be born of a virgin. The Father allowed Him to live a perfect life - though tempted in every way that we are. Then, the unspeakable happened. God allowed Jesus, His Son, to die on the cross to complete the process that can bring us back into a relationship with Him. Through the blood Jesus shed on the cross, our sins are forgiven. We are placed back within the boundaries God set up. We are back into a right relationship with Him! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.