Ecclesiastes 12:10

It seems anymore that when I take the young people to any outing, the business will require me get signed waivers. This use to be common with more “extreme” activities but it seems anything now requires one. It doesn’t seem to keep anyone from going, (It fact one young person commented, “ If you have to sign waiver you know its going to be good ”), but it becomes quite a hassle. The reason for them is simple: lawsuits. Companies are terrified of being sued over any injury or accident so they make you sign away any liability even when the only way you could get hurt is if you were being totally foolish.  They know that your foolishness won’t keep them from getting sued, and sometime even losing.  It worries me because it seems we have slowly taken away any sense of personal reasonability from our lives. No matter what happens, it is someone's fault, but not ours. Some even hold that attitude towards God. Romans 2:6-9 warns us that we will all be judged not for what others do, b...

This week for the third strait year our home has been select to participate in the Nielsen TV ratings. We are sent a diary to fill out of all the programs we watch in a given week and these are used to help determine which shows have high enough ratings to continue on to the next season. Each year we have written down all our favorite shows, given them high praise and then they in turn get canceled. It makes us wonder why we even spend the time fill in the diary! Often times it feels like no one listens to you even when they claim to. But God is always willing to listen. I Peter 5:7 says, “casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. ” God listen, cares, and acts. Even though we may not see or know how, God shows his care for his people.

I was shocked when I read about a web site called InformationAgePrayer.com that offers, for people too busy to speak to God themselves, a daily service of invocations using voice-synthesizing software. Each prayer is voiced individually with the subscriber's name on the screen, and set up for the individual specific beliefs. (For Muslim prayers, the computer's speakers point toward Mecca) The cost varies depending on the type of prayer. (Hail Marys are 70 cents a day, the Lord prayer or Islamic Fajr is $3.95 a month.)  As I read about this service, I couldn’t help but think about what Jesus said in Matthew 6:7, “ But when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.” It probably wasn’t what Jesus had in mind when he uttered those words but it sure fit. We are to a continually praying people but not at the expense of meaningful prayer. True prayer requires the heart of man not just a voice.

Author Herman Rosenblat became another in a growing trend of authors whose books are being pulled off shelves when parts of supposedly true stories are proven to be false. Even after the heartbreaking story of his non-imprisoned future wife lovingly tossing apples to him over a fence at his concentration camp, was shown by historian to have been not physically possibly, Rosenblat said, "It wasn't a lie. Even now, I believe it, that she was there and she threw the apples to me. In my imagination, it was true."  Unfortunately this ability to choose fiction over fact isn’t an unusual phenomenon. Scripture tells us man has “ exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25).   The world today is full of created religions and man made plans of salvation. Even with the truth of the word of God, people will trust their own views and experiences over what God has clearly said. The imagination of man won’t save, only...

Once again this week I found myself yelling at my TV, “Enough with this story already!” Have you noticed how the news media in recent years have found themselves obsessed with certain stories? Day after day, week after week, they pour over every detail, explore every facet and just when you think nothing more can be said, they start in again. Why do they do it? The answer is simple, people will watch it.  As much as we cry foul, ratings go thru the roof over such stories because people become fascinated and demand more. So the news delivers what they want,  even though it has no real news value anymore.  It happens in religion as well. In 2 Timothy 4:3-4,  we read, “ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. ” People often grow weary of truth and reali...

It’s that time of year when all the stores start putting out the lists for school supplies. Parents everywhere will be scrambling to find the right items their young ones will need to do their best in the upcoming year. The right supplies might not make them do any better but we want to give them every chance to succeed. But what their spiritual education?  The best item any parent can supply their child in order to help them grow in the knowledge of God is a Bible. It amazes me how many students come to Bible class without a Bible. Young people need to have and bring their own Bible to church every time the doors are open. Parents need to make sure their children are well equipped when they seek to gain a deeper understanding of God’s word. A Bible doesn’t have to be expensive to be a good study Bible. A good word for word translation that a child can read and comprehend is vital. Children need to understand that God’s word is something they can read and understand for themselves....

Australian Marcus Einfeld was a lawyer, former federal judge, prominent Jewish community leader, and was once decorated as a national living treasure for his work. But in 2006, he was given a $77 ticket for speeding. Rather than pay the fine, he began a series of 4 different detailed schemes to “prove” he was not driving the car that day. His original defense (that he had loaned the car to a friend who had since conveniently passed away) was accepted by the judge, but dogged reporting by Sydney's Daily Telegraph revealed that lie, plus subsequent elaborate lies to cover each successive explanation. Curious why he would be so quick to lie, reporters began deviling into his past and found even greater lies. (His college degree was bogus and he had been cheating the government by double billing charges.) By 2009, he was sentenced to prison and his life sat in ruin, all because of one speeding ticket. In reality, it was the all the lies that he assumed he had “gotten away” with that de...

  Most people can remember what they were doing on days that historically significant events happened, i.e. Kennedy Assassination, the OKC bombing, or 9-11.  So, what were you doing on January 25 th 1995?    You can’t remember what you were doing when the US and Russia almost started a World War 3? Well most folks don’t remember the significance of that day because they never realized what had happened. On that morning, The U.S and Norway test launched a rocket. The U.S had sent the Russians a memo telling them about the launch, but in 1995 the Russian government wasn’t what it used to be and the word never reached the top. So when their radar detected a missile that was behaving much like a nuclear weapon would, the army went into combat mode. The Russian President even went as far as to activate his “nuclear football” and, according to some, was left with less than 5 minutes from cancelling a counter attack. Luckily, the mistake was realized and nothing happened....

Some units of currency were well worn and about to be taken out of circulation. As they sat together pondering their lives, the hundred dollar bill spoke up, “It was a good existence, I traveled the world, I was spent in some the finest shops and restaurants. I was used to buy the best items, attend premier events and gain access to the things few will ever experience. What was it like for the rest of you?” The twenty dollar bill responded, “I was constantly spent but I never travel far from my hometown. I was used to take care of the day to day things. I bought the groceries, visited the hardware store, and paid the laborers. It was me that filled the car with gas, paid the bills and got dinner for the family. Finally, the lowly one dollar spoke up and said, “That all sounds great, All I ever did is go to church, go to church, go to church.” There might be some truth in that old joke. But Jesus told us a very important truth in Matthew 6:21. “ For where your treasure is, there your he...

  The preacher and the van driver for the church both died the same day. In heaven, they were greeted by an angel that informed them that their accommodations in heaven were ready and they would be taken to them. They were first taken to a lavish mansion that was for the van driver. The preacher however, found himself confused when his new residence was rather modest when compared to the van drivers. He turned to the angel and asked, “Sir, I don’t mean to sound ungrateful but why did he get such a more splendid place?” The angel replied, “Well. Your home’s splendor is given in proportion to how close you brought people to God on Earth.” The preacher, now dumbfounded, remarked, “How can that be? I preached sermons for thirty years; all he ever did was drive the van! The angel answered, “When you preached people slept, but when he drove they prayed.”   I’m not sure that this is quite how heaven will work but I wanted to tell that joke because it reminds us of how sometimes we fo...

A 22-year-old man was arrested in Kitsap, Wash., after tossing a barrage of rocks at people, leading some to chase him until police intervened. The man explained that he is preparing to enter an Ultimate Fighting Championship contest but had never actually been in a fight and wanted experience at getting beaten up. Judging by his action he should have just asked, I'm sure plenty of people would have obliged. His conduct why rather absurd, isn’t that uncommon. Many people, even when they know certain sinful behavior is dangerous and wrong, are tempted to try it for “experience sake.” Satan often used the “it won’t hurt to try it once” motto to pull many people into web of destruction. Remember the Proverbs 7:23 say about sins seduction, “As a bird hastens to the snare, So he does not know that it will cost him his life.”

  In September, a judge in Stuart, Fla., was about to sentence “pastor” Rodney McGill for real estate fraud, but McGill was undaunted, addressing a courtroom prayer for his enemies. He prayed as follows, " Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, for every witness called against me, I pray cancer in their lives, lupus, brain tumor, pancreatic cancer. " I’m pretty sure that's not what Jesus had in mind in Matthew 5:44 when he said pray for your enemies.    This fellow missed the vital truth in that passage. A continued reading will shed some light on what Jesus really meant. In Matthew 5:45-48 we read, “ so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you a...

George Morrison had a great career in the NHL but he probably will be remembered for an event in his rookie year he would just assume be forgotten. While playing for the St. Louis Blues that year, he had not seen much time on the ice. So when he had finished what he assumed would be his last shift for the evening and finding himself rather hungry, he caught the attention of a vendor and traded one of his sticks for a hot dog with the works. His plan was working out rather well until the coach ordered him on the ice to cover a penalty kill. So he shoved the hot dog into his glove to hide it from his coach and took the ice. His ruse was discovered however when another player cross checked Morrsion and sent his glove, the hot dog, mustard, relish and ketchup flying across the ice.  There are a lot of lesson that one could learn from this tail, but the one I think of is being prepared. We, like this hockey player, may think we have plenty of time to engage in other less than appropriat...

It seems today people think they have the right to be rude. If someone blocks their way in traffic, well then they have a right to blare their horn. If somebody says or does something that might temporarily inconvenience them, they have the right to tell them off. If a decision is made that doesn’t “work” for them, they have a right to complain to everyone in earshot. Whenever something is amiss in their eyes, watch out, because they can behave however they want until it’s “right”.  This right to be rude seems even to have been extended to Christians. But it’s a right we should refuse. Romans 12:17 says “ Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. ” Others mistakes, perceived or real, don’t give us the right to behave unbecomingly.

No matter what you do, someone is going to find fault with it. When I feel unfairly rebuked, I remember what was said about a speech of Abraham Lincoln.  The Harrisburg Patriot and Union said of his speech, “ We pass over the silly remarks of the President; for the credit of the nation we are willing that the veil of oblivion shall be dropped over them and that they shall no more be repeated or thought of.” The Chicago Times said, “ The cheek of every American must tingle with shame as he reads the silly, flat and dishwatery utterances” and the London Times remarked, “ Anything more dull and commonplace it would not be easy to produce.” Well you might have heard of that speech, it is now know as the Gettysburg Address, one of the most famous speeches in American history. It just goes to show that the critic doesn’t always have any idea what they are talking about.  Paul understood that. The Corinthians said of Paul, “ his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech c...

 Inmate Sylvester Jiles was recently hospitalized for heavy loss of blood that resulted when he fell into the razor wire around the prison in Brevard County, Fla. The odd thing about this story was that Jiles was a former inmate. He wasn’t trying to break out of the prison; he was trying to break in! The man said he wanted back in jail for protection from threats to his life he had received since he had been released.   I guess he found out prison isn’t safe after all. Unfortunately, many people are as foolish as this inmate in term of their spiritual condition. We read about them in 2 Peter 2:20-22, which says, “ For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment han...

In Daniel 9:2, we gain some insight into this great man of God. This verse tells us that while reading the Bible (in this instance the book of Jeremiah) Daniel is able to understand the plan of God in regard to the future of Israel. Because of this study, Daniel learns more, is drawn closer to God and is further blessed by God. Not just here but in the entire Bible we see the same story. Studying God’s word is always a great benefit to his people. It is a lesson we know, but don’t put into practice. Take any given Sunday and look at our Bible class numbers compared to worship attendance. Some want to draw near to God by worship, but fail to realize that the Bible study that goes on before that is what will lead to that goal. The church needs people that are looking to what God says in order to be closer to him. We can’t be that kind of people if we miss the study of his word!

Proverbs 14:4 gives us some special insight in a unique way. It is says “Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.” Its' message is simple. If you are going to have an ox, it is going to make a mess, but the ox will help you do many good things. The message may be simple but the profound wisdom it in goes far beyond the barn. Many times I hear an idea or work proposed in the church, but before it can even get off the ground, it is stopped by those that can only see the “mess” it will create. We need to balance this with what the idea will be able to do. If the work is productive enough, it may be worth putting up with the “mess” it creates. The wisdom in this proverb tells us to look at both sides of the idea before we dismiss it.

One summer in my teen years, a group of us were discussing religion. The conversation had started when my friends had asked me where I had been that morning. I had told them I had gone to church, and one of the girls told me she would have gone but her “church” didn’t have service that day. When I asked why her why, her response was, “Well we take off from services in the summer, since everyone is so busy and traveling it’s just easier to not have church.” Even to this day that answer still blows my mind. I guess at least it was honest. Unfortunately, many wouldn’t officially adopt the policy but do the same thing in practice. Summer vacations and recreation pull people away from regular attendance. The worship of God and the building up of his people is something He has commanded us to do, not just when it is easy or convenient but each week. A true relationship with God is not something we should ever “take off” from.

Many of us are trying to “eat right”, but it can often be difficult to figure out what is really good for you. Products have all kinds of healthy claims on the label but how do you figure out which ones are really true? Well, that is why the FDA has a website that lists qualified health claims so you can find out for yourself. For an example, do tomatoes help fight cancer? Well this is what they have to say about it, “One study suggests that consuming tomatoes does not reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer, but one weaker, more limited study suggests that consuming tomatoes may reduce this risk.” Well that certainly clears everything up! In religion much like our diets, many are also searching for real answers. But in many modern day religions they find half truths and contradictory advice. Their message is as convoluted and vapid as those FDA claims. Jesus was never that way. He spoke as one having authority. (Mark 1:22; Luke 4:32) His commands were clear. (John 8:24, Mark 16:16) He fo...

A few months back I had a leak in my shower. As I attempted to fix the problem the issue grew bigger and bigger until this last weekend, I found myself renting a jackhammer to take out the floor of the shower.  I had never used this type of tool before and I was expecting a lot of work. Even in such a small area, I envision the hours of work necessary to chip off inch by inch the concrete floor. I quickly learned however that it wasn’t all that difficult to do. While the entire floor as one piece was strong and immoveable, once I put a few cracks in the floor with the tool, it broke apart rather easy. It reminded me of the body of Christ. When it is bonded together in a spirit of unity, it is strong and steadfast. But when it is cracked with gossip and arrogance, fractured with complaining and infighting, or split with accusations and agenda, it quickly crumbles. Ephesians 4:3 tells us “ be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”    Without uni...

  Little Johnny’s teacher asked him to stay after class. She looked at him and said, “Johnny, I know that you cheated off Suzie on yesterday test, if you confess I will go easier on you.” Johnny snapped back to the teacher, “What makes you think I cheated!” She remarked, “Well, one of the first questions was who was the first president of the United States, Suzie put George Washington and so did you.” Johnny replied, “Well that’s an easy one, everyone knows that!” “But on the second question,” she continued, “What president freed the slaves, Suzie put Abe Lincoln and so did you.” “Well so what?” Johnny piped, “Lots of people called him Abe!” The teacher sighed and said, “Yes, but on the third answer “What president was also a chief justice of the Supreme Court, Suzie wrote, “I don’t know” and you put “me either.”   Lots of folks are like Johnny when they are caught in error, refuse to admit what they have done. God, like Johnny’s teacher, is never fooled. Hebrews 4:13 tells us...

Two Manchester men, Ali Abdullah and Muqtar Nuren, came up with a scheme to take driver's license tests for people (both the driving test and written) even though it is illegal to take a driver's license test for another person.  Between them, they had 35 clients and took 43 tests but failed 33. They passed only seven driving tests and three written.  Their scheme didn’t impress their clients and certainly didn’t impress authorities who sentenced them to four years in prison. I guess people foolish enough to cheat on a test designed to protect their safety and others, would also be foolish enough to hire these two. People make even worse decisions with those they trust to take care of their souls! Many folks make spiritual decision on “What my pastor says” or “What the church I grew up in taught” rather than looking to the Word of God. Many religious authorities are as ignorant in what the Bible truly says as these two men were about the driving rules. Those that trust them to...

  Many times you will hear the argument given by the homosexuality movement that Jesus never condemned homosexuality.  That lack of condemnation is then skewed as acceptance.  However, a closer look at scripture leads to a different conclusion.     In Luke 10:12, Jesus is denouncing those that refused to believe the message about the kingdom of God when he says, " I say to you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city."    Why would Jesus say that?    Well, Sodom was the best example of the worst place, and Jesus used it to emphasize that the unbelief of the city would be punished even more severely than wicked Sodom.  Sodom was a byword for wickedness that will be punished throughout the Bible.    What sin was Sodom know for?  Jude 1:7 tells us that,  “ just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went afte...

As I was moving boxes during the move, I ran across one labeled “unmentionables.” It caught my attention because that word struck me as rather old fashion. In our modern world, it seems, nothing is unmentionable. Watch any television program and even the commercials are filled graphic content. Last week, I walked into Wal-Mart and the first display as I came in was filled with a movie that had swear word in the title. It appears we have lost any semblance of what is appropriate and dignified. It reminds me of what was said by the prophet in Jeremiah 6:15 “ Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done? They were not even ashamed at all; They did not even know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; At the time that I punish them, They shall be cast down," says the LORD.” When a society gets to the point it can’t even be embarrassed because nothing is left unspoken, that society is ripe for a fall.

Every so often we feel the need to complain. Things aren’t what we want. People haven’t acted the way they should. A problem is not being corrected. Next time, before you do consider the following questions: 1.    Is this something I can fix myself? Lots of problems don’t need to be complained about. They need to be fixed. Since you know about the problem, you can be the one that is solving the problem rather than the one complaining about it. 2.    Do I really know what’s going on? Someone may already be fixing the problem, there may be some circumstances effecting things that we are unaware of, or maybe everything has been tried and nothing is working. Before we complain we should make sure we are not wasting our time and other’s patience on ignorant complaints 3.    What are the consequences of my complaint? Everything has consequences but especially complaining. You may get want you want but it may come at the expense of hurt feelings, bad attitudes and...

It’s that time of year when school starts back and with it extracurricular activities as well. It won’t be long till parents are driving across town to make practices, get to games and attend recitals. It is amazing the schedules many have just to try and keep up with it all. These activities can be great but I am reminded of 1 st Timothy 4:8 which says “f or while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come .” I wonder what a difference it would make in the church and the world if parents spent as much time in spiritual exercise as they do in physical.

If you are like me, you hate driving over speed bumps. No matter how careful you try to drive over, it jars the vehicle, skips your cd, and makes you think about how far out of alignment your car has just become. We have to have speed bumps for safety, right? Well, it turns out that speed bumps are less safe than we thought. A recent study in Boulder, Colorado found that for every 1 life a speed bump saves, it kills 85 persons in the delays that they cause to emergency services. So why do have so many? Well they seem safe, so people accept them. It’s much like what Paul said of man-made commandments that people add to the word of God in Colossians 2:23.  “ These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.” The religious rules humans create often seem to make for better spirituality, but in practice they cause much more harm than they do good a...

In the 1970’s feminist Gloria Steinem popularized the quote “ A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle ”.  It represented the growing notion that the traditional role of man being a leader in the home and family was outdated and absurd. Since then we have seen a reduction in the role men play in American family and with that the many social ills that accompany this philosophy. We shouldn’t be surprised with this. All we have to do is look to the Scriptures to see when men don’t take on their God given responsibilities as leaders, tragedy follows. When Adam didn’t take the moral lead when his wife was tempted, it got them kicked out of the garden. When the great man of God Eli didn’t restrain his sons, it caused misery for his family and Israel.  Almost without fail when you see families struggling in the Bible, it comes from a man not assuming the role God had intended. It doesn’t matter if it’s in society, the church, or the home, when men don’t take on the responsibil...

It seems today that our world has many moral problems that Christians are concerned about. Imagine the church could band together to solve those problems. For example, abortion is a moral plague on our country. Millions of innocent children have been killed in the name of convenience. So imagine that the church would focus all its energy and effort on eliminating this heinous practice. Imagine that it was completely successful. Would our world improve? Of course. Would it mean the world would go to heaven? No. There are many things we could focus on that would make our world a better place. Eliminating the drug problem, protecting the sanctity of marriage, restoring moral practices would all be wonderful improvements to our world, but they wouldn’t save anyone. If we focus ourselves into evangelizing the world, we could save souls, but the other effect of our efforts would be that these problems would also disappear. As we make disciples, the moral problems would disappear as people su...

What does every Elder & Deacon have to have that Jesus and Paul didn’t? Give up? The answer is a wife. The scriptural qualifications for both offices require “ the husband of one wife ”. Ever wonder why that is? Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7:32-33 that the unmarried are free from concern and can serve the Lord without any divided interest but a married man must think about the concerns of his wife. So why would God make the overseers and servants in the church be married? If you want a practical answer, just ask a man that serves in one of these roles. Every deacon and elder has at times needed the support and love of a godly woman in their efforts. She has to be a patient, loving, understanding woman of not only her husband but of the church as well. The wife of a deacon or elder is a unique position for which we often forget to show our support and appreciation. We should never forget the special women and the important role they in which they serve.

Over the years I have visited churches in many towns and places.  In every place, I find myself drawn to the tract rack or some comparable place where literature is found. Over the years I have noticed that I can usually get a better sense of the church from their tract rack than any other measure.  You see some churches don’t really have any kind of tract rack at all. They are happy in their ignorance and don’t really want to change anything. Other have something, maybe a pamphlet about the church or salvation, but it has yet reached its full potential.   Some churches have a tract rack but it died a long time ago. The tracts are discolored and old and have fused together over the years because no one has ever taken one. Others have plenty of tracts but all they teach is about the why everything is wrong and nothing that would build up members and visitors. On the other side, you have those that are full of tracts of various subjects but they contain de...

I was working on a project at the church with little success. The pieces I was trying to get together were not working as they should. I realized what I needed was a little WD-40 ® . I search the building and to my dismay I couldn’t find any. “How can we not have any WD-40 ®, ” I exclaimed exasperatedly.“It’s good for everything.”    Not only can you use it to lubricate pieces, WD-40 ® can clean metal, remove grease, paint, gum, rubber adhesive, stickers, and rust stains. It can also lubricate locks, hinges, rehydrate paintbrush bristles, remove stiffness from dried out leather gloves, keep bathroom mirrors from fogging, keep pest from garbage cans & fenced gardens and keep mosquito eggs from hatching in stagnant water.    Before you wonder if I own stock in the company, let me tell why I’m telling you all this. An interesting note about WD-40 ®    is how it got it name. Its creator Norm Larsen was setting out to make a W ater D isplacing spray. Attem...

Last year Donald Williams was to publicly sworn in as a judge in Ulster County, N.Y., on Jan. 2. What makes this story odd is that because the main offices were closed, the Bible used in the swearing in ceremony was unavailable. They looked for a Bible but couldn’t find one. So he was sworn in on a dictionary. I guess the Bible really is missing from our courts.  All joking aside, I know the pain of not being able to find my Bible. I have so many one is never too far out of reach, but it does remind me of an important verse. Psalm 119:11 says, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” When we take the word of God out of the book and into our hearts and minds, it can never be taken from us. It will never be out of reach or lost. The power and wisdom that is in the Bible will never be too far away.

In 2004, Colby Nolan was awarded an MBA degree by Trinity Southern University. This caused quite a stir when he received this degree, not just because he had claimed to have only taken courses at a community college and had listed his only job experience as babysitter and fast food worker yet was still awarded the title, but mainly because Colby Nolan is a cat. A deputy attorney general looking into fraud degree programs had used his cat’s I.D. while investigating several “degree mills” for fraud. Why should a state official care if a cat can get an M.B.A.? Well officials know if degrees can be obtained by no merit or study, it causes all such degrees to lose their value and degrades all the legitimate work done to receive it. The title has no power anymore.  It is similar to what people have done to the forgiveness of God. Rather than see it for the great gift for us and sacrifice of God, many use it as a license to sin. That attitude of willful sinning devalues the sacrifice of s...

I had a frustrating day a few weeks back and decided I was going to pick up something for dinner rather than go home and cook. As I called in the order the person on the other end didn’t have the best “phone voice” and was difficult to understand. After I thought I had finished the call, I made a disparaging remark about how this place needed to get someone that could speak to answer the phone. It was then I realized that my phone was still turned on. I don’t know if the person heard me or not but I sure avoided eye contact when I picked up my order and double checked to make sure my food was in proper shape. It reminded me of Ecclesiastes 10:20 which says, “F urthermore, in your bedchamber do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known. ” We all must be careful in what we say because we never know who might hear it. A careless word can not only cause us embarrass...

In 1 st Chronicles 19, King David hears the news of the death of the King of the Ammonites.  In order to continue the good relations with the son as he had with the father, he sends a funeral delegation as a sign of respect. The new king’s officials misjudged the messengers as undercover spies seeking to facilitate the overthrow of his kingdom. His response is to degrade and humiliate the men and send them back to David. David is offended by this act and the Ammonites respond by hiring an army to protect themselves from his wrath. David then responds to this “arms” race by mobilizing his forces. The Ammonites counter by seeking the aid of their neighbors the Arameans.  In the end, war ensues and the Ammonites are crushed and their allies are forced into peace. This comedy of errors serves a warning to us today that we must be careful how we perceive others actions toward us.   How many relationships have been ruined when one took offense at an action the other never atte...

  A man was enjoying a relaxing day in the city park when he noticed two workers. One of the workers was furiously digging a hole. The other worker would come along a few minutes after the first had finished and just as furiously fill it back in. The man stared in disbelief wondering what was going on. After several moments, curiosity got the better of him and he walked up to the workers and asked why they doing something so worthless. “Worthless?” the worker quipped, “If anybody on this crew is worthless, it is the guy who plants the trees, he didn’t even show up for work!”    I wonder if the work crew in this joke isn’t what happens in the church. Many are hard at work but it seems their work is in vain. The real problem lies not in them but in those that are not doing their job. When one part is not performing its function, it causes the whole to be less productive. It is similar to what we read in 1 st Corinthians 12 when Paul compares the body of Christ to the human...

  22 year old graffiti tagger Joshua Vasquez thought he had found the perfect place to leave his mark when he came to glass door at a local Aquatic center in Los Angeles. What he didn’t know was that behind the reflective surface were 100 Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies in a meeting about chasing suspects. They didn’t get to use their new training however, since when 40 deputies crammed through the doorway to get him, Vasquez tripped over his own feet and fell, and was easily arrested.   We can laugh at the foolish young man, but many make similar mistakes. We post online things we think no one will see, we make remarks about others thinking they won’t hear, we act in the darkness thinking it will never come to light. Jesus said in Luke 8:17 " For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” We must not be foolish because God is behind the glass watching what we do. Lets be proud of what people see us doi...

The hardest thing for a teacher to overcome isn’t the intelligence of their pupils, a boring topic or even a lack of resources. It is simply a lack of desire from their students. When those you teach don’t have any desire to learn, it is almost impossible to be a good teacher (or at least feel that way).  The result is not good for the teacher or the students. The constant pulling and prodding to attempt to drag interest will wear anyone out.    I think God feels the same way. In Psalms 32:8-9 we read, “ I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.  Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, Otherwise they will not come near to you.” Just as no teacher wants to “force” his students to learn, God doesn’t either. We need to willfully and eagerly approach God and the lessons He has for us if we want the best for ourselves.

Anyone that has ever read this column knows that I am a terrible speller. I must have been sick the day they gave out the ability to spell at school because I have always struggled with it. It really bothers me because over the years I have noticed that many people associate spelling with intelligence. Spell too many words wrong and people will assume that you are not very smart. Now I can see the correlation in some regards but I feel I am an intelligent person (Maybe there’s my problem) and I think people will misjudge me on an assumption. People have a tendency to do just that. Something will have a relation but not in every way. For example, a faithful Christian will be faithful in attendance.    But a person may be in the building every time the doors are open but still not be living a life outside that is not pleasing to God. We may assume one leads to another but it is not always the case. In judging ourselves we need to base our thinking on what is rather than what we ...

A wife called her husband frantic because she saw a report on the news about a driver that was going the wrong way down the highway he usually used. When the husband picked up the phone, she warned, “Honey be careful, there is one crazy person driving on the wrong side of the road” He agitatedly replied, “One! There are dozens of them!”   It is hard to be unbiased when we look at ourselves; sometimes we are a bit too hard but more often than not we have an attitude of arrogance. We are right even if it means the world is wrong. Paul reminds us in Romans 12:3,  “ For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith .” Before we jump to how everyone else is wrong it might be a good idea to check ourselves first.

   If I have learned anything as I have gotten older, it is when people tell you that they are not going to do something, it probably means they are. If the speaker says he going to try not to bore you, you will be bored. When someone tells you they “don’t want to tell you what to do”, they are about to do just that. If the boss says “I won’t interfere”, expect some interference. I don’t think people mean to be dishonest; it just seems they can keep their own truth.     True honesty isn’t just not telling lies but holding to the truth. Saying you will or won’t do something and not keeping your word, is little different in practice than telling an outright lie. As the faithful we need to, as we read in Ephesians 4:25, “ lay aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.”

Have you ever read this headline? “Man wins Nobel Prize, Alcohol use suspected” I guessing not. Because any time you read an article that says something about alcohol use suspected it is usually it a tragedy, a crime or some foolish and dangerous action. Statics bear this out. Alcohol abuse was a factor in forty percent of violent crimes committed in the U.S.  Alcohol is implicated in more than 100,000 deaths annually. Forty percent of convicted rape and sexual assault offenders said that they were drinking at the time of their crime. Alcohol plays a part in up to half of water-related fatalities of adolescents and adults each year.   It is no wonder the Bible speaks it against it. Proverbs 20:1 tells us what statics have borne out “ Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise. ”

No man knows everything but every man knows something. Those that think they know everything know nothing but those that realize how little they know,  they know quite a lot. With that in mind let’s compare two verses. Jeremiah 4:22  "For My people are foolish, They know Me not; They are stupid children And have no understanding. They are shrewd to do evil, But to do good they do not know." Romans 16:19  For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. In each verse, we have people lacking in knowledge. But one group is praised, the other is condemned. Why? Because of what they know. Knowing a lot about evil things isn’t a good thing! But not know about God is true ignorance. It’s better to know something about God than everything about the world.

When some attorneys pointed out to Seattle residences that a fee on their water bill for servicing hydrants should be taken from the general tax fund and not placed on their water bill, the residents banned together to sue the city. The Washington Supreme Court agreed and ordered customer refunds averaging $45. However, Seattle then discovered it had insufficient general funds to pay for hydrant service and thus imposed a water surcharge of $59 per customer. The most likely reason the surcharge was higher is that the city had to pay $4.2 million to the attorneys who filed the account-shuffling lawsuit. In the end it all comes back to you anyway. I feel bad for Seattleites but I understand why this happens. We are all tempted to take the easy road and find a shortcut but often this path ends up putting us in more peril. This is very true in spiritual things. We can not sow without reaping. Wide paths and cheap grace may sound good but lead to destruction. Godly people need patience to ...

It’s somebody else’s fault. This seems to be the cry of our society. A great example of this occurred in a recent court appeal where a New Jersey worker claimed that breathing a co-worker's perfume one day in 2004 had made her permanently disabled and tethered to an oxygen tank. The appeal was filled when the lower court had dismissed her claim by deciding that it was far more likely that her disability was caused by her 43-year, pack-a-day cigarette habit. Like this woman has done, it is often far easier to blame others for problems than look at ourselves. Parents, teachers, the system all become the controllers of our life, never ourselves. But God will judge us not what everyone else does but what we do. Romans 14:10-12 tells us, “But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God .For it is written, "AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE ...

Power of a good name   The voters of Sodaville elected Thomas Brady Harrington, 33, mayor in November, notwithstanding his criminal rap sheet showing robbery, eluding a police officer, felon in possession of a gun and other crimes. Most feel his electoral success came due to voters' confusing him with his father, a respected town elder. I’m afraid that good name won’t be of much value after the son gets thought with it.    In, 1 Peter 4:16 we are told, “ but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name . I wonder if sometimes Christ is the one that should be ashamed we carry his name. When we fight, complain, and bicker, when we cheat and lie and steal, when we gossip, scheme and degrade, do we not sully the good name given to us as followers of Christ? Let us seek to live up the name we have been given.

Have you ever seen a sign in the window that declares “Help Wanted”?   What if the church had one but rather than help wanted it said “Help NOT Wanted”.    It might look like this: Help Not Wanted Manager : A person that will not do any work themselves but will tell everyone else how to do it and keep them in line. Critic : They will make sure and point out everything that is not up to their personal standards. Score Keeper : They will keep a detailed list of every slight someone in the church may have given them. Reporter : This job is to make sure that everyone knows everyone else’s business   Judge : This person will make sure to look down on everyone else Historian :  They will help everyone remember how much better thing were “back in the day”. While these jobs make be good and vital in the business world, they are not very productive in The Lord’s Kingdom. Before we sing up for these or any other job let’s ask ourselves, “How will this benefit the church...