God's phone number

I know people do things differently, but WOW; A math equation for a phone number? How freaky is this? Since I am not good with math, I asked my friend Bruce Arnold for the solution. This is what he gave me:

01. (900-24). (900-100) x 10 = 01. 876. 8000 Since the ad is from Switzerland or UK, that's a legitimate phone number.

I am very glad that God is a little more straightforward:

Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says Yahweh, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end.
Jer 29:12 You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
Jer 29:13 You shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.

World English Bible

If you picked verse 12, you were right; verse 13 is for emphasis! All you need is a desiring heart, persistence and the knowledge that God will listen. Did I hear a ring? Got to go, maybe its someone returning my call! I wonder WHO IT COULD BE?

Upside down

I frankly have no idea how this picture was made, but it says "upside down" to me. In a way, it like what is happening in the United States. Actions that were reprehensible in the 50's are now the norm; its as if good is bad and bad is good. Listen to the news, you will hear about corruption at every level of society! When I saw this picture I thought of the following passage of scripture from the book of Acts:

Act 17:1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis, and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews.
Act 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in to them, and on three sabbaths reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Act 17:3 Opening and alledging, that it was needful that Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach to you, is Christ.
Act 17:4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas: and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
Act 17:5 But the Jews who believed not, moved with envy, took to them certain vile fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city in an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
Act 17:6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren to the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down, have come hither also;
Act 17:7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying, That there is another king, one Jesus.

The Webster Bible

There is another king and his name is Jesus. But, today the name of Jesus is being eradicated from our schools, government, and the very streets of the nation. How can this be? Complacency is the answer. America places too much emphasis on possessions, sex and the acceptance of other world views and not enough on the proclamation of Christ in every aspect of our society. This nation has allowed the media, the courts and the schools to attack the Christian message. The world is being turned upside down, but in the wrong way. There is hope, however and it begins with each of us as individuals. Each one of us can change things, but we have to be serious about what we believe and find something to do about it. How you turn the world right side up is up to you, but here is a clue to getting started: Jesus and he alone is king, find a way to let that be known and just do it. Leave the photography to someone else!

Stop, but don't stop!

OK, you come to this stop sign and what do you do? Which sign takes precedence? Good question! If you obey one, then you disobey the other; no matter what you do, you are wrong! There are a lot of things like this in life and sooner or later you will encounter them. For instance, how to discipline your children without breaking the current laws, how to handle someones else's road rage, or what to do if someone butts in line ahead of you at the local Wallmart? The examples could be endless, but I think you get the idea. There are times when we simply don't know what to do. Then what? Consider just a few verses from the Bible:

Jdg 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Joh 1:49 Nathanael answered and said to him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

The Webster Bible

The answer to these situations is both complex and simple. Complex in that every situation is different, yet one thing is certain, everyone can't be right (Judges 21:25). The simplicity of it begins with the realization of who Jesus is (John 1:49) and what that means to us. Once John 1:49 really impacts our lives, we are no longer without direction, but have guidance in our lives. A good question to ask ourselves is: What would Jesus do? What about the conflicting signs? Well, the bottom sign probably means there is to be no stopping along that stretch of road for safety reasons and the top sign means STOP!! So, STOP, but don't STOP (park) on the side of the road. How do I know this? Well, Jesus always looked for the reasons BEHIND WHAT WAS HAPPENING, that's how. Get to know him and try to think like him... you will learn to find the answers. That's why followers of Jesus are called disciples, (which means those who learn) they learn from Jesus. Stop, but don't stop (learning)!

A simple twist

A black and white picture;Why? Because some things are like that! At first this picture just looks like a person, but then if you rotate it counter-clockwise it spells out the word "Liar". The truth is like the picture; straightforward and in black and white. However, when you twist it, it becomes something different, something distorted. Now look at the following passage from the book of John:

Joh 8:12 Then Jesus spoke again to them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Joh 8:13 The Pharisees therefore said to him, Thou testifiest concerning thyself; thy testimony is not true.
Joh 8:14 Jesus answered and said to them, Though I testify concerning myself, yet my testimony is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
Joh 8:15 Ye judge after the flesh, I judge no man.
Joh 8:16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
Joh 8:17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.
Joh 8:18 I am one that testifieth concerning myself; and the Father that sent me, testifieth concerning me.
Joh 8:19 Then said they to him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also.
Joh 8:20 These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him, for his hour was not yet come.
Joh 8:21 Then said Jesus again to them, I am going away, and ye will seek me, and will die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
Joh 8:22 Then said the Jews, will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. Joh 8:23 And he said to them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
Joh 8:24 I said therefore to you, that ye will die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye will die in your sins.
Joh 8:25 Then said they to him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith to them, Even the same that I said to you from the beginning.
Joh 8:26 I have many things to say, and to judge of you: but he that sent me, is true: and I speak to the world those things which I have heard from him.
Joh 8:27 They understood not that he spoke to them concerning the Father.
Joh 8:28 Then said Jesus to them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
Joh 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
Joh 8:30 As he spoke these words, many believed on him.
Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on him, If ye continue in my word, ye are my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 8:33 They answered him, We are Abraham's offspring, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say to you, Whoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the Son abideth for ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Joh 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham's offspring; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
Joh 8:38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
Joh 8:39 They answered and said to him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith to them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
Joh 8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard from God: this did not Abraham.
Joh 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We are not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
Joh 8:42 Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do: he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Joh 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
Joh 8:46 Which of you convicteth me of sin? And if I speak the truth, why do ye not believe me?
Joh 8:47 He that is of God, heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
Joh 8:48 Then answered the Jews, and said to him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a demon?
Joh 8:49 Jesus answered, I have not a demon; but I honor my Father, and ye dishonor me.
Joh 8:50 And I seek not my own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.
Joh 8:51 Verily, verily, I say to you, If a man shall keep my saying, he shall never see death.
Joh 8:52 Then said the Jews to him, Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man shall keep my saying, he shall never taste death.
Joh 8:53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
Joh 8:54 Jesus answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing: it is my Father that honoreth me, of whom ye say, that he is your God:
Joh 8:55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I should be a liar like you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
Joh 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
Joh 8:57 Then said the Jews to him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
Joh 8:58 Jesus said to them, Verily, verily, I say to you, Before Abraham was, I am.
Joh 8:59 Then they took up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

The Webster Bible

They looked Jesus right in the face and yet they could not see the Son of God before them because sin had twisted their perception of the truth. Sin does that; it changes things, it twists the truth so that it becomes something evil. In the end the Jews knew what Jesus was saying was true but simply refused to change their evil hearts and believe. Once exposed, they lashed out in violence as evil always does. Let the truth of God always be as plain as black and white; look it square in the eye and see Jesus for who he truly is, the Son of God and be free from sin!

Surprise!

Anything can happen! In high school I was awful at math and science; took Algebra twice and dropped out of Chemistry. Yet I spent almost three decades working in various types of chemistry labs. I remember that in the 8th AND 9th grades when I had to give the terrifying "oral report" that I was so nervous I dropped my notes and in the process tore my pants from the front to the back BOTH TIMES. I can still here the laughter of 13-15 year old girls even after all these years. I took zero's rather do another speech for the rest of my high school days. Yet in 1977 I delivered my first sermon entitled "famous last words" (on the book of 2 Timothy). I graduated from preaching school and to my surprise found that I loved to preach. So, you just never, ever know what is going to happen in life! Consider the following passage from the book of Matthew:

Mat 19:16 And behold, one came and said to him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?
Mat 19:17 And he said to him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Mat 19:18 He saith to him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Mat 19:19 Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Mat 19:20 The young man saith to him, All these things have I kept from my youth: what lack I yet?
Mat 19:21 Jesus said to him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Mat 19:22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Mat 19:23 Then said Jesus to his disciples, Verily I say to you, that a rich man shall with difficulty enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 19:24 And again I say to you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Mat 19:25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
Mat 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said to them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

The Webster Bible

When will a rich man get to heaven? When Hell freezes over, that's when! Surprise, its cold out there! God can do ANYTHING!

Whoops!

Relax, this picture isn't real; not yet anyway. Mistakes can be very dangerous, especially when it comes to programming DNA! In Florida we have "love bugs"; genetically engineered little bugs, but they have a nasty little side effect... if you don't clean them off quickly enough they can destroy the paint on your auto. OK, so they are a minor irritant, but what if the scientists try fiddling with human DNA; can a "master race" be far behind? With these things in mind consider just two verses from the book of Genesis:

Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping animal that creepeth upon the earth.
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

The Webster Bible

If God is perfect and we are made in the image and likeness of perfection, then why would we want to change it? However, right now, there is probably someone trying to change God's design into something better. I am just afraid of an occasional "whoops" which would force us into renaming the picture of Fido into something else... maybe Fred? The world would really be going to the dogs then!

LARD

Lard, now there is a health food! Not really, because we now realize it is very bad for you, but at one time this ad was common. As a society, Our understanding of what is good for us changes over time and in this case its a good thing. However, not all changes in human understanding are for the better. Some time ago, there was a concept put forth that Science could solve everything; that the intellect of man had no boundaries. Well, look at the world around us... we have technology that even as little as fifty years ago would have seemed like science fiction. Yet, there is more cruelty in the world than ever before. Wars are common place and its obvious to even the casual observer that our society is not what it used to be. There is an answer and it lies in what God has given us:


1Co 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but to us who are saved, it is the power of God.
1Co 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
1Co 1:20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
1Co 1:21 For when in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1Co 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek wisdom:
1Co 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness;
1Co 1:24 But to them who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
1Co 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1Co 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called:
1Co 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are:

The Webster Bible


God knows what is best for man and man does not. Simple as that! We need more changed hearts and a little less science, please! So, get the LARD out of our diet and substitute it with the Word of God; try something that is really good for you!

A really BIG MOUSE!

I confess; my friend Marge has made something of a cat lover out of me! Ironic, because for years I have teased her about her cat! The cat in the picture above caught my eye because of the earnestness of its "prayer". If I were a cat, what would I be praying for? Perhaps a REALLY BIG MOUSE??? Well, I am glad that I AM NOT A MOUSE, because this is one very determined CAT! But as a human, what SHOULD I BE PRAYING ABOUT? Read what Jesus had to say about the matter:

Mat 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret, will reward thee openly.
Mat 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Mat 6:8 Therefore be ye not like them: for your Father knoweth what things ye need before ye ask him.
Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

The Webster Bible

God is not Santa Claus! He is someone with whom we are meant to honor, love, obey and rely on for help and guidance. If all we do is JUST ask for things, then something is wrong with our prayer life! It is NOT wrong to request things of God, but it should not be the ONLY aspect of our prayer life. Remember, God is a person and wants a relationship with each one of us. Sincerity, humility and the desire to be closer to him should be our goals! And, oh yes, please may I have a really BIG COMPUTER (aah, I mean a mouse for my cat)!!!!!

Perspective

It was 1984 when this was first described to me by my good friend, Sy Touretsky. It was funny then and it still is. Now, however, I resemble them more than I did then. The drawing does have an important message, though. We don't see the faults in others that we have ourselves. Its human nature, but we tend to play down our own problems and blow up the problems of others. Here is what Jesus had to say:

Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and the measure which ye give, shall be measured to you again.
Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thy own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thy eye; and behold, a beam is in thy own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thy own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

The Webster Bible

Basically, if you must judge, take a good look at yourself first and then consider others. I think if I do this, I will be far more lenient with others and that is how it should be. I really like the cartoon, but I wish they didn't put a scale in it; it makes me uncomfortable. Well, I suppose it could have worse... they could have put in a truck scale.

The Fine Print

This sign is a very dangerous one, not because of its sharpness, but because you have to look very closely to see its real message. However, most people probably wouldn't even notice the fine print and would be in danger because of it. This sort of thing has been around since the beginning of man and the Devil is its author; consider this passage from the book of Genesis:

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made: and he said to the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Gen 3:2 And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
Gen 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Gen 3:4 And the serpent said to the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Gen 3:5 For God doth know, that in the day ye eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened: and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Gen 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise; she took of its fruit, and ate, and gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.
Gen 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked: and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made for themselves aprons.
Gen 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
Gen 3:9 And the LORD God called to Adam, and said to him, Where art thou?
Gen 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden: and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
Gen 3:11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, that thou shouldest not eat?
Gen 3:12 And the man said, The woman, whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.
Gen 3:13 And the LORD God said to the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I ate.
Gen 3:14 And the LORD God said to the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field: upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Gen 3:16 To the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children: and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
Gen 3:17 And to Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Gen 3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou shalt return to the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and to dust shalt thou return.

The Webster Bible

Satan told Eve one thing, but held back the consequences of her actions. Adam wasn't very bright either and as a result there has been untold suffering. Think about what might happen the next time someone tries to persuade you to do something doubtful and look for the fine print in what you are being told, you may just save yourself a lot of grief.