The Valley of Slaughter

There is a darkness in the eastern sky. A sickening haze hangs over the land where once tall buildings stood. An entire city and state, even all of mankind,  brought low by a single man's hand who took up a pen and signed into law the ability to take innocent life for no reason at all. This is evil in the eyes of The Lord and God will not be mocked.

Cuomo Signs Abortion Bill Amidst Cheers

The People of New York state should be ashamed, especially their governor, because they have not done what is right in the eyes of The Lord. And they seem not to care. In fact, they celebrated the signing. There are seven things The Lord hates and it seems to me that Governor Cuomo has done them all.

"There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, 19 a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community." - Proverbs 16:16-19

These are difficult times we live in. But news like this should not surprise us. We were told that in the end times things will get rough. Well, here we are.

Killing our babies is nothing new. We humans have been doing it throughout our history. And God has never liked it. Not one bit. Not once.

"1This is what the Lord says: “Go and buy a clay jar from a potter. Take along some of the elders of the people and of the priests 2and go out to the Valley of Ben Hinnom, near the entrance of the Potsherd Gate. There proclaim the words I tell you, 3and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, you kings of Judah and people of Jerusalem. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Listen! I am going to bring a disaster on this place that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle. 4For they have forsaken me and made this a place of foreign gods; they have burned incense in it to gods that neither they nor their ancestors nor the kings of Judah ever knew, and they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent. 5They have built the high places of Baal to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind. 6So beware, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when people will no longer call this place Topheth or the Valley of Ben Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter." - Jeremiah 19:1-6

This new law allows abortion of babies right up to the moment of their delivery. Literally one second's difference between life and death, between "health care" and murder.

Things will not go well for us unless we repent of things like what just happened in New York. We must repent and seek God's forgiveness. Otherwise there will be no hope when we stand before a just God who hates the very things we invent and celebrate.

"20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!" - Isaiah 5:20-21l

Abortion is not a political issue, it is a spiritual issue. Although politicians make the laws, they do so on our behalf. We The People are condoning these killings as we stray further and further away from God. Abortion is a sacrificial system that WE have created - sacrificing our children on the alter of convenience.

But all hope is not lost, even in this gruesome ritual. God is on His throne. Jesus will come and He will judge. And He is a just judge. For those who have placed their hope and trust in Christ there will be no condemnation. For those who kill there will be punishment. Though they may proclaim faith in God, their actions speak louder than their words. And the babies? Well, they're all with Jesus. And there are more and more of them in His arms every day.

If you are thinking about having an abortion, please don't. There are many people who would love to adopt your baby. And if you have already had an abortion, seek the Lord. He loves to forgive.

Unborn - Caitlin Jane
Save The Storks Website 

The Parable of The Basketball Coach

(Photo by Curt Mills)

My brother-in-law Curt takes some amazing photos. He has told me his favorite pics are the ones that actually tell a story all by themselves. Like this one. This is one of those amazing photographs and I'll tell you why.

First, I'd like you to take a look at this picture and tell me what YOU see. Do you see as many things as I do? Can you figure out what's going on?

Besides the obvious clues that the picture presents there is also something else going on.

A parable. Or perhaps even two!

These are the things I noticed:

1. The coach is teaching. He's telling the girls how to play basketball.
2. Maybe someone wasn't doing something right. He could be correcting them.
3. The coach could also be encouraging his players Why do I think that? Look at his wife (hand on back). She is supporting her husband. Or maybe the kids are just too darn cute.
4. The little girl in the pink shirt. She's not on the team but wishes she was. My guess is that the coach is her dad but I have no way of knowing.
5. Look at the team. They are all listening to their coach. They want to do exactly what he says, otherwise see #2 above.
6. All the girls on the team are different shapes and sizes. They have differing hair color and each one is numbered to set them apart from one another.
7. Look at the people in the background. Two are oblivious to what is going on but look at the two people in the middle. They are watching the coach and the girls.

And now for the parable(s) because there ARE two of them here. First the coach is someone we can view as spreading the Gospel. He knows it! The people he is telling it to are interested in hearing it. Even the little girl. HIs wife is supporting him. Why? Because she knows it too. Her husband would be supporting her if their roles were reversed. And people observing this spreading of the Gospel seem interested in it as well. But not all of them.

The second story I see in this picture is that of Jesus and His disciples. Jesus speaks and they listen. Not everyone who hears the Gospel will accept it. It's possible that several of these girls will not listen to what their coach says, If that is the case, the team will not do well. And what if the people in the background were Roman soldiers or the Pharisees? Things will not go well because of that.

So that is my story to go along with the picture. It's a good reminder of what we should be doing in our daily lives. Share the Gospel with others. Don't worry about converting someone or "saving" someone. That's not our job. We are to be seed planters. That's it. God's Holy Spirit will do the rest. It is God that softens heart, not us. But we can train up a child, we can spread the good news and we can make disciples. May each of us be the coach in this picture. That is our command, given to us by God.

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6

"19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:19-20

Open Your Bibles

Do you take your Bible to church? You should. How else are you going to know if your pastor is telling the truth or not? You might say, "My pastor wouldn't lie!" To that I ask, "How do you know?"

How can we tell if our pastors are telling the truth? The answer is simple. Do what the Bereans did in the Book of Acts.

"10As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men." - Acts 17:10-12

Each Sunday in the church I attend our pastor says, "Open your Bibles to . . ." and then gives us chapter and verse for the lesson that day. He teaches us right out of the Bible. He tells us the original Hebrew, Greek or Aramaic meanings and the context that each teaching was set in. Does your pastor do that? He should.

So many of today's pastors are interested in filling the pews and keeping the congregation from falling asleep. They tell stories of their own lives instead of stories about God. An occasional story is not bad if it is use to illustrate scripture but the true stories in scripture are always the best.

Many of the bigger denominational churches have a set service with prayers and liturgies that are repeated each week. Why do they do that when Jesus Himself said, ""In praying, don't use vain repetitions..." (Matthew 6:7)?

The pastor of the church I attend would be the first to tell you not to trust a single word he says. He would want us to read and study the scriptures for ourselves to see if what he says is true. Ask questions. Be good Bereans!!

Pastors can change and evolve in their teaching and not always for the better. Trust the Bible!! Trust God's teaching!!

There are many good pastors out there but they ARE getting harder and harder to find. If your pastor says something that doesn't line up with scripture, ask him about it. If he is a good pastor he will appreciate your asking. If he comes back at you with a "How dare you!" comment, run.

"5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. " - Proverbs 3:5-6

Vain Repetitions In Prayer? - Dr. Randy White
The Word - Sara Groves

And Just Like That

I saw a meme the other day that was kind of funny. It was a picture of Forest Gump and the caption read, "And just like that, we were all Rams fans." The first four words of that meme became all too real last night. It wasn't funny either.

I received a message last night from a member of a board of directors that I am part of. It was regarding our newly-elected chairman, Mark. Mark had just fallen down the stairs and cracked his head on the concrete floor. He was being transported to the regional medical center by ambulance. Wow! We had just met the night before at our board meeting . . . "and just like that" Mark was lying in a hospital bed.

Any day could actually be our last. We don't know what each new day will bring. My friend Mark was just going down into the basement! He could have easily died. Broken vertebrae, broken skull, face lacerations, surgery later today. Yeah. The question we have to ask ourselves is, "Are we prepared for an event like that?"

Are you prepared to face death? My friend Mark is prepared. He has placed his faith in Jesus and is ready to go at any time. Have you made that commitment in YOUR life? Are YOU ready?

If not, it's easy to do. Acknowledge the fact that you are a sinner and seek God's forgiveness for your sins. Place your faith in Jesus because only He holds the key to eternal life - life after death. If you do so, with all of your heart, you will be saved. That's it. That's the Good News of the Gospel.

I look forward to seeing my friend Mark again after his surgery. Everyone will tell him how lucky he was. It wasn't luck. I don't believe in luck. I DO believe in an amazing God however. So I think the correct phrase to use here is, "God's not done with you yet."

"13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." - Romans 15:13

God's Not Done With You - Tauren Wells

Naked and Afraid

Everybody does it from time to time. Maybe it will be your turn today. Hanging out with your friends, hiding behind a fragile curtain, and hoping nobody notices.

There is a television show called "Naked and Afraid." I've never watched it but the title of the show says quite a bit about us humans.

We like to put on a brave face. We don't want other people to know our pain. In reality though we go through life collecting scars. Sometimes the scars are visible but most of the time they simply can't be seen. And we often go to great lengths to keep those scars concealed. Rarely do we open ourselves up to others but that's exactly what we should do.

This past Saturday I was at our local food pantry. The volunteer work I do there allows me to interact with everybody who comes the place. I love it. God always seems to provide something or someone worthy of remembrance on any particular day. Saturday was no exception.

This month it was a grandmother - the mom of a mom. A friend for ten years. When I asked her how she was doing I received a smile. In most cases, this is the typical response for a human who is hurting but desires to keep it quiet. However I KNEW this person and I could ell something was not quite right, so I continued to press a bit and the curtain came down. Why? Because she trusted me.

I heard a story of her daughter, a mom with three kids, who has had a rough life. The dad in the family left her daughter and grandkids all alone. The layers of camouflage gradually fell away until my friend was effectively, emotionally, naked and afraid.

How many of the people that we meet each day actually carry pain and struggles like my friend's? More than we think, I think.

The Bible tells us that sharing one another's burdens is something that we should do (Gal 6:2). God knows that pain is something that should be treated. Even prevented. But we always try to handle things on our own - often for the rest of our lives. It's a pride issue. Leaving that pain untreated, the burden left un-shared, can cause other problems down the road.

We ourselves need to come before the Lord naked and afraid. We must remove our barriers in our prayers and reveal the pain we have in OUR lives. Jesus wants to share them, even remove them. But we must trust and not be afraid. We must open up our hearts to Jesus.

Before my friend left the food pantry that day I prayed with her. After I said Amen and opened my eyes, I watched as my friend wiped away her tears and looked up at me and said, "Thank you."

Chances are we will meet someone today who is hurting like my friend was. Will we take the time to find out what's wrong and to pray? And will that person be willing to open up and share? God knows.

Which ever role we play today - the person sharing or the person caring - let us do so boldly and unashamed. We might just find a life-ling friend. We might actually save someone's life without even knowing it. And we will for sure make God smile.

"9 Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:

10 If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.

11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?

12 Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." - Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Open Up Your Heart - Out of Eden

God's Timing

I am grateful for the calendar app on my phone. It keeps me on track and reminds me of all the places I need to be and when. Usually.

Friday morning I was scheduled to have a doctor appointment. I had gone on-line just to verify the time. 10 o'clock. I had it written down in my calendar app as 10 o'clock too. But when I arrived at the doctor's office I was told it was at 11 o'clock, not 10.

What? How could I make a mistake like that? I had checked. Maybe I was getting forgetful. Maybe? Here was living proof! Then I heard the main door sliding open and in walked the reason I was an hour early. Tony!!

Tony and I have known each other for 40 years. Tony was my boss when I was working. Now that I am retired I just don't see him anymore.

My friend is now on disability. He has some intestinal issues that doctors just can't seem to fix. Tony gets understandably down emotionally due to his condition. And why not. He has a beautiful wife and a wonderful family. He should be enjoying life. He loved skiing in the winter and doing all kinds of fun things with his wife and kids. Now he is limited in what he can do and that gets him down.

I visit the office where I used to work about once a week or so. Tony's office is always dark. I see his wife once in a while, who also works there. I saw her just this past Tuesday. She too is struggling because she loves her husband and hates to see HIM struggle.

What a blessing it was to see my friend! We talked in the waiting room for a bit and then I walked him to the front desk. After we hugged and said good bye we told each other that we loved one another, and then he left.

As I watched him go I thought about God and how good He is. My appointment was scheduled six months ago and here I had caught up with my friend. Amazing.

It's hard to say if I will ever see my friend again. He is so sick. But the gift I received yesterday - to be able to see my friend one more time - was truly from above. And I thank You, Lord, for that good and perfect gift.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." = James 1:17

Every Perfect Gift - Casey Darnell

The Parable of the Lighthouse Keeper

Why do you check your phone late at night? Are you looking for a friend, lost in the darkness? Or are you looking for a way out of that darkness for yourself?

The lighthouse keeper of old led a lonely life. His whole purpose was to keep a light burning in the lighthouse so ships at sea could navigate dangerous waters at night.

Most nights there was no need for the light. All was calm. But the light was lit anyway. You see, one never can tell who might be out there . . . who might need that light.

I can identify with the life of that lighthouse keeper. Keeping watch by night, In case someone needs rescuing.

It was two o'clock in the morning this past week. Just about everyone in Central Wisconsin was asleep. Except me. I could not sleep for some reason so I got up and walked into the living room.

I picked up my phone and checked my messages. The light from my phone lit up the entire living room. Usually there are no messages but that was not the case that night. There WAS a message - written at 12:55 AM. "Hello Bob," it began. The message went on to talk about a need for change in this person's life. Some un-named temptation was causing this person to stray into dangerous waters.

I quickly sent a reply (an hour late) but there was no reply. Did this person's "ship" run aground? Did it sink? I have absolutely no idea. So I sent out a search party.

Heavenly Father, I am praying this morning for all those souls who are "lost at sea" and are calling out for help. I pray for the people in their lives, that someone might answer their cry for help. I pray that the people in danger of drowning in this sometimes very dark world, I pray they would reach out to You. None of us is prefect and when we are in danger let us send out a May Day message for help and call on the Name of The Lord. You are our refuge and our strength, our ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). Answer the prayer of those who are lost and seeking refuge from their storm. Thank you, Lord, for hearing the prayers of Your children. It is in Your wonderful name I pray. Amen.

"15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it." - Romans 7:15-20

The Life of a Light Keeper

Turn Your Eyes

Do you ever get a song stuck in your head and it just plays on repeat? Over and over again it plays. Sometimes that can be really annoying but then there are other times that it is a welcome break in the monotonous lives we live.

For the past week or so I have had a song playing in MY head. I don't really mind. I often find myself singing it as I walk through my day. It's a good reminder for me and almost acts like a soundtrack for what's going on in my life right now.

A friend of mine lost her home to a fire this past week. She was seeking prayers for her and her family. I am meeting with another friend today who requested a meeting. Prayers offered up for him too. A young couple lost their vehicle and now have no way to get to their jobs. More prayers sent.

Then very early this morning I got up to go to the bathroom. Afterwards I decided to check my phone and there was a message from a young youth group friend, seeking prayers. Another young youth group friend is missing her mom who died from cancer this past year.

Each time I respond to the situations and prayer requests I find myself singing or humming my "song of the week".

Is there something I can pray for in YOUR life? I absolutely love praying to God on your behalf. Although my heart goes our to all my friends and loved one's who are hurting or find themselves sick, I love lifting you up in prayer.

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." - Hebrews 12:1-3

So, as we walk through this day, may we turn our eyes upon Jesus. The burden we walk with each day is always made lighter when we have someone n our lives willing to share the load.

"9 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up." - Ecclesiastes 4:8-10

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace"

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus - Alan Jackson

Rudderless

Do you know what Noah's Ark looks like? No one alive today has ever seen it. Lots of people have theories and educated guesses but no one really knows. Except God. And He had an amazing plan.

In Genesis we can read a description of it.

"13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. 14 So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. 15 This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. 16 Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks." - Genesis 5:13-16

That's it. That's the extent of the instruction manual. God told Noah the size of the ark but other than adding a door and some windows, Noah was left on his own to design and build it. It was basically a rectangular wooden box.

In God's instructions to Noah, do you notice anything that might be missing? The ark had no sail or rudder. How was Noah to sail the ship? That's just it. He wasn't supposed to SAIL the ship. It was an ark. So, what IS an ark?

There IS another "ark" in The Bible. The Ark of The Covenant. It too was designed by God and was also a rectangular wooden box.

10 “They shall construct an ark of acacia wood two and a half cubits long, and one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high." - Exodus 25:10-22

The Ark of The Covenant was used to carry the Ten Commandments and a few other things. This ark had handles on it so men could carry it. They carried it wherever God told them to.

That's the reason that Noah's Ark didn't have a sail or a rudder either. That was so Noah's Ark would go where God wanted it too. WITHOUT any input from man,

I have heard it said that Noah's Ark was a symbol for Jesus and the new covenant to come. If that is true, and I think it is, what item's did God intend to be put in the Jesus Ark?

Us. You and me.

Jesus is our Ark! Jesus was sent to earth to save all mankind. Jesus wasn't made of wood but He was designed to carry all mankind. He didn't have a sail or rudder either. But He always followed God and the will of His Father.

The key to our being saved is to get aboard the Ark - Jesus! We need to be "in Christ". It is only in Him that we can be saved from the flood of sin in this corrupt world.

Are you on board?

The Reality of Noah's Ark
Get On Board - Ark Noah

Hidden Treasure

Back in the early days of the Bible, when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and the rule of law that they were to live by, God did something pretty amazing. God did LOTS of amazing things back then but this one gets missed my LOTS of people.

In the book of Exodus God gives Moses a description for the construction of the tabernacle. The tabernacle was where God came down and met with the high priest and spoke to His people. A complete description of the tabernacle can be found in Exodus 26.

In Exodus 27:9-15 we can also find a description of The Court of the Tabernacle. The south and north sides were 100 cubits long and the east and west sides were 50 cubits. It was a rectangle.

Are you ready for some cool stuff? God tells Moses where he wants all of the people to camp around the tabernacle. There were 12 tribes - 3 tribes on each side. The Book of Numbers (Numbers 2) describes the layout of the camp.

On the north side were the tribes of Dan, Asher and Nephtali (157,600 people). On the east side were the tribes of Judah, Issachar and Zebulun (186,400 people). The south side of the tabernacle camped the tribes of Reuben, Simeon and Gad (151,450 people) and on the west side camped Ephraim, Manessah and Benjamin (108,100).

Any idea what that looked like from God's perspective - from the air? As the sun rises in the east (Jesus is The Son you know) a perfect cross is seen, like what this picture shows.

Do you see what I see? It looks like a cross to me! And in the middle of the cross was God - appearing in a cloud.

When Jesus was crucified, He too was in the middle of the cross. He too was God who came to earth to live with His people. What did God tell Mary his name was to be?

"The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us"). - Matthew 1:23

When God came down to "be with us" during those tabernacle days He was the literal embodiment of the meaning of Jesus' name - Immanuel. God with us.

I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried. It's perfect!

The more we read and discover things like this, the more we realize God's perfect plan, His perfect design through time for His people. His children.

God With Us - MercyMe

Doink!

Did you watch the Bears-Eagles playoff game last night? Oh, there were lots of disappointed Bears fans after THAT game. It all came down to the last play of the game. All the Bears kicker had to do was to make a field goal and the Bears would have won. Doink! That was the sound of the football hitting the upright. He missed.

All the blame for the loss can't be placed on the young kicker though. There were dropped passes, fumbles, penalties and bad calls by the referees. It just looked like this poor guy lost the game for his team. Maybe that's the way he feels this morning but he shouldn't and I don't think he does. Why?

The television cameras were so focused in on the "loser field goal kicker" that they zoomed in on him as he walked towards the middle of the field and knelt down to pray with other members of the Bears and Eagles teams. He'll be alright. He will win games for his team in the future.

In the following video you will see several things. After the missed kick the kicker, Cody Parkey, lowers his head in disappointment. You will then see a teammate lift him up in support. You will see Parkey point towards heaven. Then you will see him put his helmet on as he walks towards the center of the field to pray. It doesn't show him praying but he did.

Cody Parkey Missed Fieldgoal

As I watched that whole ending sequence - the try, the fail, the forgiveness of his teammates and the prayer - I thought, "the missed field goal is not the real story here." The best story is this:

We ALL fail in life. We all fall short in our attempts to live a perfect, sinless life. But just like the Bears kickers, we miss the mark. How sad it would be if we had no hope after all of OUR failures. Doink! How tragic.

Thank God for Jesus! He sent His Son to die for OUR sins. Because we all sin we have no hope of living the perfect life required to get into heaven. But Jesus lived that perfect life for us. He died on a cross for OUR sins, substituting Himself for us, giving US His righteousness.

We humans will ALWAYS fall short. But through faith in Christ, and through HIS sacrifice, making field goals to win games won't matter. None of this life will seem to matter anymore. That's because the next life, the one after this, is what TRULY matters. Our eternal life in heaven, the new earth.

"16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." - 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Jesus Messiah - Chris Tomlin

Evidence

This morning I woke up to the sound of a distant rumbling. Thunder perhaps? A jet flying high above? A tornado? Nope. I knew exact what it was as soon as I heard it. Then I waited. I was waiting for another sound. More evidence. And then, there it was.

The two sounds I heard early this morning are evidence. Evidence of things unseen. Based on things I knew to be true, I surmised that what I was hearing was a train was rolling down the tracks. The train engineer blew his whistle whenever he got to an intersection. How did I know that? Because that's what train engineers are supposed to do.

I also deduced that the train I heard was five miles away and to the north. How did I know that? Because that's where I knew there were train tracks. There are no other train tracks around here except for those.

I was also able to figure out the train was going from east to west. How? Over time the sound of the train whistle only came from the west. It was loud and then got more quiet. Thus the train was moving away from me.

All these things I have described are evidence that led me to the conclusion that there was a train (train whistle), it was moving down the tracks (I had seen them and knew where they were), And the diminishing sounds told me the train's direction of travel. All these things are true because I was a witness to them.

When my wife wakes up I can tell her that a train was traveling east to west at 6:00 AM. She will probably believe me. Why? Because she has heard the same sound before herself. If she believes me she will be placing her trust in my ears and their ability to hear. She will be relying on her own experience. and she will have faith in what I said is true. Why?

Well, why would I lie? She has come to know me over the course of the last 40 years or so that I don't lie. She trusts me. Therefore she believes me.

What about our faith in Christ? Is there enough evidence that He truly existed? Yes there is. The Bible, of course, is our main body of evidence but the are also extra-biblical writings that corroborate that evidence. The writings of Flavius Josephus for example, who referred to Jesus.

About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man.  For he was one who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Messiah. And when, upon the accusation of the principal men among us, Pilate had condemned him to a cross, those who had  first come to love him did not cease.  He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him.  And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared.

I can tell you that Jesus exists by the change His Holy Spirit has brought into my life but would you believe me? If you don't know me, why would you? Is there evidence in MY life that I have been changed by the teachings of Jesus? Is there evidence in YOUR life that Jesus exists?

We need to BE the evidence in a world that desperately needs the truth - Jesus. Be that evidence  today.

"13We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate a the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." - 2 Corinthians 3:13-18

The Case For Christ - Lee Strobel

Happy New You!

Yes, that's right. It's a new year. Nothing gets past this old man! It's 2019 now. For those of us who still write checks, it's our worst nightmare. Just when we had gotten used to writing 2018, now we have to change all that.

There are lots of people who make New Year's resolutions. I usually don't do that but this year I'm going to. How about you? Is there something about you that you'd like to change?

I was talking to a friend of mine last night. She wanted to make herself better. She wanted to change the way she is into something that's she's not. That's the problem with most New Year's resolutions. They require us to do work. They require us to change. That ain't always so easy.

It says in the Bible that when we receive Jesus into our hearts WE become changed. In an instant! But then, after that, we continue to change over time. For the rest of our lives. That's called sanctification.

Sanctification occurs as we learn more about God - through sermons, Bible studies and reading God's Word. But we need to actually do those things in order for us to grow. We need to do the work. Are YOU doing those things?

A follower of Christ should be worshipping, reading, praying and serving. We also should be growing. If we're stagnant we aren't doing ourselves any favors. We aren't doing GOD any favors either.

God has given us everything we need to grow. His Word, His Holy Spirit and Jesus. He has also given us friends and family to encourage us along the way.

Did you ever wonder why Jesus said, "The poor you will always have with you" to His disciples? Was He talking about the poor, as in the ones with no money? Or was Jesus talking about the spiritually poor?

Jesus doesn't want us to be spiritually poor. He wants us to be spiritually rich. He wants us to grow.

Have you ever read The Parable of The Talents? You should. God expects us to do something with this life we have been given. Something for HIS glory.

That sounds like an amazing New Year's resolution. Let everything we do, be done for the Lord.

New Year's Resolution #1 - "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31

God's Chisel - Skit Guys