lighten up!

Super-squirrel? I don't think so! However, there is something worth noting here; its what's on the inside that matters. Most people don't open up and let you know what they are really like on the inside because that would leave them vulnerable. Christianity is different because Jesus encourages each one of us to let our light (our inner self, or the goodness within us) be shown to others. Read the following passage from the sermon on the mount and I think you will see what I mean.

Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a close vessel, but on a candlestick: and it giveth light to all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

The Webster Bible

If there is goodness in you, let it shine! People aren't stupid, they know good when they see it and most people will give God the credit for it. Don't worry; people will like you for what you really are, so get rid of the Clark Kent (or in this case Clark Squirrel) mode and do some good; having a big stash of nuts is optional!

Time out

Its hard not to look at this picture and not think of Jeff Foxworthy. Actually, some of his jokes are funny, unless you actually happen TO BE A REDNECK, of course. Then, its not quite so funny! How easy it is to make fun of those who we consider unsophisticated, uneducated or perhaps a little on the "simple" side; yet God has chosen them to be part of HIS GREAT PLAN TO REDEEM THE HUMAN RACE. Read the following passage and I think you will see what I mean:

Mat 26:67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him,
Mat 26:68 saying, "Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?"
Mat 26:69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, "You also were with Jesus the Galilean."
Mat 26:70 But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you mean."
Mat 26:71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth."
Mat 26:72 And again he denied it with an oath: "I do not know the man."
Mat 26:73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you."
Mat 26:74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, "I do not know the man." And immediately the rooster crowed.
Mat 26:75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly

English Standard Version

Galileans were considered "rednecks". They were the backwater people of their day, yet God chose to use THEM. Take a "time out" and think about it; God can use anyone HE desires to accomplish HIS WILL. Don't let the duck tape of this world hold you back; do whatever you can to further the cause of Christ; just don't talk too loud, your accent might give you away!

Too much of a good thing!

This picture looks like something from a Mel Brooks movie. Three tablets, not the standard two and written with Roman Numerals and what appears to be Greek. Ok, apart from the inconsistancies, it does raise and interesting subject: What if God had given "XV" commandments at Mount Sinai instead of the designated ten? Listen to what the apostle Paul said in the book of Galatians:

Gal 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
Gal 3:2 This only would I learn from you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Gal 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Gal 3:4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it is yet in vain.
Gal 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he this by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Gal 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Gal 3:7 Know ye therefore, that they who are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
Gal 3:8 And the scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel to Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
Gal 3:9 So then they who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse: for it is written, Accursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
Gal 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Gal 3:12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live by them.
Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Accursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The Webster Bible

The Galatians were starting to go backward; from a faith based religion to one of works and Paul corrects them. If we had MORE commandments, then we would have MORE to obey and since none of us can obey PERFECTLY, then we would have even MORE problems. Don't misunderstand, there is nothing wrong with ANY COMMANDMENT THAT GOD GIVES, but for human beings, more commandments would be just too much of a good thing! I am very thankful for Grace because I fail sometimes and would be lost without the flexibility that the Grace of God supplies. Besides, who writes in stone now anyway?

Vroom, Vroom

No golf carts for me! I'll bet I could get this baby up to 90 MPH on the open road! This jet engine on wheels does say something about the future, though; we should look forward to it with a positive attitude! What lies ahead CAN be better than the past, even in our older years. The apostle Paul had become aged, and he knew he didn't have much time left, but he could still pen these words:

2Ti 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
2Ti 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me at that day: and not to me only, but to all them also that love his appearing.
2Ti 4:9 Do thy diligence to come shortly to me:
2Ti 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and hath departed to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
2Ti 4:11 Luke only is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
2Ti 4:12 And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.
2Ti 4:13 The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.
2Ti 4:14 Alexander the copper-smith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
2Ti 4:15 Of whom be thou aware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
2Ti 4:16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
2Ti 4:17 Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
2Ti 4:18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me to his heavenly kingdom; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The Webster Bible

I find it interesting that even though Paul had accomplished more than most of us ever will, that he was looking forward to life AFTER DEATH. Something better was waiting for him, something worth waiting for, something he had wanted all his life. This something was actually to be in the presence of God; to fellowship with God on an eternal basis. Now that I think of it, that's way better than some souped up wheel chair, but I can't help but wonder what God would say about this contraption, anyway? Perhaps... Vroom, Vroom?

What's next...

This fire reminds me of what must have happened yesterday aboard the plane that went down near NYC. Everything was fine and then wham; fire! Fortunately, everyone was OK, but it could have gone the other way too. When I was young, it seemed like I would live forever, but now I know better. Life can be taken away in an instant, so each moment is precious. Even the bad days have life and where there is life there is hope. Priorities change when you think this way; money becomes less important and the time remaining to you and how you live becomes everything. Listen to the words of Jesus in Luke chapter 12:

Luk 12:16 And he spoke a parable to them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
Luk 12:17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to deposit my fruits?
Luk 12:18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I deposit all my fruits and my goods.
Luk 12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast abundance of goods laid up for many years; take thy ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
Luk 12:20 But God said to him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?
Luk 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.
Luk 12:22 And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say to you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

The Webster Bible

Learn from the past, live for the moment and plan for an eternity; truly, only the things that last forever have real value. What's next for you? I guess that depends where your riches are?

True evil

It is easy to see evil when it is staring you right in the face! However, for true evil to behave this way is stupid. If evil is so easily recognized, then why would anyone fall prey to it? The “smart” thing to do is to mix goodness with it so as to disguise it, then we would become more likely to fall prey to all sorts of wickedness. Consider the following passage from the book of second Corinthians:

2 Cor 11:1-15
1 I earnestly wish ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very greatest apostles.
6 But though I am rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.
7 Have I committed an offense in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God without reward?
8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so will I keep myself.
10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11 Why? because I love you not? God knoweth.
12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them who desire occasion; that in what they glory, they may be found even as we.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also are transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

The Webster Bible

The true evil of Satan (and his followers) will always be disguised and so the picture above may be true evil, but its not the everyday sort. Seeing evil amid truth may not always be easy, but we do have guides; common sense, The Scriptures and the Holy Spirit. God has supplied us with everything we really need to avoid evil; it up to us to just do it! By the way; no, I won’t stare at this picture before I go to bed tonight, I might regret it!

Mother, may I?

The relationship between this couple is off to a shaky start, Isn't it? Looks like the groom is asking one of those "Mother may I" questions. I would like to say that there is a "normality" in marriage today, but I can't. People seem to think marriage isn't very important; they often get married after several years of living together or if they have several children together, or if its convenient or if its something they would like to try "to see if it works". Commitment is a thing of the past, whatever feels good is today's new standard. In the book of Genesis, God puts the first man and woman together and I think that's a good place to begin to consider how things should be!

Gen 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it, and to keep it.
Gen 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest of it thou shalt surely die.
Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone: I will make him a help meet for him.

Gen 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.
Gen 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, he made woman, and brought her to the man.
Gen 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man.
Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Gen 2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

The Webster Bible

Man needs woman and the reverse is true. Neither party should put their spouse on a leash, but love and respect one another. Face it, life is not a piece of cake and neither is marriage. However, if the Biblical pattern is followed, then a Biblical marriage is the result. If there are problems (and there will be) give them over to God and let him work on on both of you. "Mother may I" is not the way to get started, "God may I" is far better.

Yes!

We could never see this happening in real-time, but it is happening. A lot of things in life are like that, we can't necessarily see it happening, but we know that it is occurring. Take starting your car for instance; you turn the ignition key and trust that the battery is charged and the spark plugs will fire and that no one has attached a stick of dynamite to your vehicle. This trust when applied to spiritual matters is called faith, but lets just read a few verses from the book of Hebrews:

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Heb 11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which appeared.
Heb 11:4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained testimony that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. Heb 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated, that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

The Webster Bible

Faith: Yes, you can't see it. Yes, you can see the results of it by what you do. Yes, it involves life and death. Yes, Yes, Yes! It is our way of saying, Yes to God! It is the spark of belief, the beginning of hope and the goal of life. It gives light to an otherwise dark and mysterious life. It has been revealed in Jesus and offered to you. The questions is: Will you see what you can't see?

When Advertising meets Reality

The graphic says it all: how many times have I seen wonderful TV ads and then reality showed the truth, junk. This is especially true in the movie previews, as oftentimes the only good parts of the movie WERE THE PREVIEWED PARTS! This isn't restricted to just TV, it occurs in real life; take the following passage from the book of Acts, for instance:


Act 8:9 But there was a certain man called Simon, who before in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
Act 8:10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
Act 8:11 And to him they had regard, because that for a long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
Act 8:12 But when they believed Philip, preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women.
Act 8:13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
Act 8:14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John:
Act 8:15 Who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit:
Act 8:16 (For as yet he had fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
Act 8:17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Act 8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
Act 8:19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.
Act 8:20 But Peter said to him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Act 8:21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
Act 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee.
Act 8:23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
Act 8:24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

The Webster Bible

Simon advertised himself as someone great, when in reality he was nothing at all. What a corrupt mind he had! Because he was a trickster, he thought everyone was just like him. When the false "great one" met true greatness he was put in his place, just as it should be. In fact, there is only one God, one Great One, one for whom no advertising is required. Reality is that He sent Jesus and Jesus sent the Holy Spirit and that's that; no embellishment required.

One Way!

This picture reminds me of the Menlo Park Mall area in central New Jersey! If you follow the signs carefully, it does make sense; just don't try to take it in all at once. In a way, life is like this street; there are signs all over the place, all pointing you in different directions. They just have different names; Mother, Father, teachers, coaches, spouses, bosses.... etc.. If you try to follow them all you will just go nowhere and feel very lost. One of the reasons I like Jesus is that he just doesn't beat around the bush... he is straightforward. John chapter 14 says:

Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Joh 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Joh 14:5 Thomas saith to him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me.

The Webster Bible

When Jesus says "I am" in verse six above, he is saying "I, myself am". He points to himself as the way, the truth and the life; notice the repetition of the word "the". This is a definite article, in other words it points to one thing and one thing ONLY. People are either alive or dead, you either have truth or you don't or you have a way to God or you don't. Humm, all of a sudden the "One Way" signs in the picture have just a little more meaning to me. There is only one way to God, not many; make sure you follow the correct "One Way" sign!