Ecclesiastes 12:10

   I don't know how He does it….    In all my years working as a minister, either as a preacher, youth minister or something in-between, the thing I have hated most about my job are the ones that fall away.  The people you taught, feed and worked beside, that later you hear that are no longer faithful.  When you ask about them and the response is: They aren't attending anywhere I know of , They left their spouse and ran off with someone else , They live now in some sin .      I hate looking back at the faces of all those I know knew the Truth, yet have somehow fallen in the error of the world.  It doesn't matter if I knew them for six minutes, six months or six years it hurts me.  But to be honest those I loved the most are always the hardest. Why? I know they believed! I know they cared! What happened? I know I taught them to watch out, there would be trying times. Why did they change? Why did they give up? Wha...

   Victor Lustigly was called the king of the confidence men.  With forty-five known aliases, the mastery of five different languages, and nearly fifty arrests in the United States alone, Lustig could swindle even the brightest of marks.  His signature con was the Money Box, a so called "money-printing machine".  He would demonstrate the capability of the small box to clients, all the while lamenting that it took the device six hours to copy a $100 bill.  The client, sensing huge profits, would buy the machines for a high price.  Over the next twelve hours, the machine would produce two more $100 bills.  After that, it produced only blank paper, as its supply of $100 bills became exhausted. By the time the clients realized that they had been scammed, Lustig was long gone.  He had gall as well, he once conned Al Capone. He was so good (or bad really) he even sold the Eiffel tower for scrap metal. Twice!    Victor Lustigly...

   When it comes to worship some will claim we need to have more emotion. More uplifting singing, better feel good lessons, an increased desire to praise the Lord.  It got me to thinking about the emotions that would be necessary for one engaging in the worship of the Almighty.  So I began to look at scripture that linked the two. In that research, I noticed an emotion that is regularly linked to worship, but isn't often brought up - Fear.    In all those that talk about increasing emotion in worship, I can't say I remember anyone exclaiming we need more fear in worship.  However let’s consider some verses: Psalms 2:11-12   Worship the LORD with reverence And rejoice with trembling .  Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him! Hebrews 12:28-29   Therefore let us be grateful for r...

    A week or so ago I was driving down the road chewing on the plastic lid to a soda bottle (don't ask me why, I have no good reason), when I was jarred after I hit a bad spot in the road causing the cap to go a little farther down my throat than I was expecting.  I coughed it out quickly but it caused me to realize how stupid of a thing it was to be chewing on a bottle cap.  Had I been a bit unluckier I could have died either from the choking hazard or the accident that would have surely resulted as I was trying to dislodge it.  Wouldn't that be a strange obituary? I could imagine my family trying to explain it to folks how I had died.  As I reflected on this bit of my own foolishness, it got me to thinking how many times a day, I could have almost died.    So for the next week, I did just that. Any time a car pulled out in front of me (or I pulled out in front of someone), anytime I went down some stairs, or unplugged some...