Too Late

While driving on a four-lane highway this week something happened that can best be described by the words, "That was close."

The car in front of me and I were slowly passing an SUV, and the semi in front of him. Situation normal. Nothing to see here, right?

Suddenly, from under the semi, came an entire shredded tire. The SUV next to me had no choice but to run over it. Which he did. Boom!

The SUV driver had no choice because he was following too close behind the semi. And traveling at 70 mph, he had no chance to step on the brakes either.

A few moments later we all saw a car parked on the right side of the road. The driver was jacking up his trailer, which was missing a tire.

This situation could have ended really badly. Thankfully it didn't. But it made me think. How quickly life can change.

A former youth group kid was living a good life. Suddenly, she learns one of her children has leukemia. Boom!

My brother in law wasn't feeling good last month so he went to the doctor. Boom! Open heart surgery has been scheduled.

We don't really think about stuff like this but it happens everyday to someone. Sometimes someone we love.

Do you know Jesus? Is He the Lord of your life? Have you submitted to His will and given up your own? I pray that, if you haven't surrendered your heart to Jesus, that you would do so today. Because one day....

Boom!

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." - John 3:36

"Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." - 1 John 5:12

The Parable of The Bunny

All was quiet around our house last night. It was one of those late spring evenings when the wind calms down and everything is peaceful. Unfortunately, that's when things erupted at our house.

I was in the house, working on a jigsaw puzzle. My wife was outside somewhere, working in one of her gardens. All seemed normal.

That's when I heard the yelling and the banging. What the heck was all the racket about? I got up to investigate.

My wife was charging through the brush in our backyard, banging on a plastic pale with a small trowel. She was yelling at some unknown assailant, "Drop it! Get out of here!"

My wife had witnessed our neighborhood cat catch a baby bunny. The cat was holding the bunny in it's mouth when my wife went on the rampage.

The cat dropped the bunny and ran off. The bunny quickly ran in the opposite direction. A scary but very good lesson for us all to learn.

We live in a dangerous world. It might seem all green and lush with a cool breeze blowing and plenty of food to eat, but that can change in an instant. Something can come at us out of the darkness and catch hold of us before we even know it. Many times the jaws of what gets a hold of us are unrelenting and without mercy. That's when we need Jesus the most.

Last night in our backyard my wife played the role of Jesus, chasing away the devil (the cat) and saving a young rabbits life. In the life we live, Satan is just and evil as a hungry cat. He prowls around looking for someone he can devour. Will it be you? Do you have Jesus in your life?

"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." - 1 Peter 5:8

Wayland The Rabbit - Seals & Crofts

This Is Why

Are you struggling with something right now? Maybe it's an illness or a physical disability. Do you think Jesus actually cares? I'm sure He does. But do you think his main interest is in healing you? You might be surprised by the answer to that question.

On my way home from work one night this week I was listening to the keynote speech from the 2013 National Religious Broadcasters Convention. It was given by Joni Eareckson Tada - a Christian author, speaker, radio host . . . and quadriplegic.

She spoke about what it was like when, as a 13-year-old, she dove into a t00-shallow portion of Chesapeake Bay and severed her spinal cord between the fourth and fifth vertebrae. During her therapy, and subsequent decades of paralysis, she experienced anger, depression and suicidal thoughts and religious doubts. Understandable.

She prayed yet it seemed as if her prayers went unanswered. She began to question her faith. But God had something in mind for her BECAUSE of her paralysis. He wanted to use her to inspire others and she has done just that.

As I listened to her speaking she caused me to hear a Bible story from a totally new perspective - that of a paralytic. The Book of Mark.

^"32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. ³³ The whole town gathered at the door, ³⁴ and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. ³⁶ Simon and his companions went to look for him, ³⁷ and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

Why was everyone looking for Jesus? Well, it was because He was healing them. Wouldn't you bring a sick or dying relative to someone who could heal them? Of course!

But Jesus did something unexpected. He refused to heal any more. He left town. He left the sick and hurting and crippled in their infermeties.

Then came the verse that changed Joni's outlook on her paralyzed life.

^"38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” - Mark 1:38

He came to preach the good news. The healing was more of a way to get people to listen to the gospel. Jesus knew His time was short. He had to be about His Father's business.

The reason He didn't heal all of those who wanted to be cured or made whole was that, if they received the Gospel, if they believed in Him, they would be getting brand new glorified bodies in heaven. For all eternity. Why spend time healing Earth's failing physical bodies when He could offer someone the opportunity of eternal life with perfect bodies . . .    forever.

Which would YOU rather have?

Joni Eareckson Tada Speaks at The 2013 NRB Convention

Oh, and the photo at the top of the page . . . it was painted by Joni . . . with her mouth.

The Commands of Jesus: Focus

When I was in high school I heard some words that resonated with me. These words encouraged me to be different - to make a stand no matter what and to be willing to try something new.

Those words were written in a poem by Robert Frost. Here they are.

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." - Robert Frost

Those words made a difference in my life. Especially when I learned similar words spoken by another influential man in my life - Jesus.

^"13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. ¹⁴ Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." - Matthew 7:13-14

These two people were not actually writing or speaking about roads and gates. They are speaking about life and the way we live it.The difference is that Robert Frost is merely relating what he did. Jesus is telling us to do something. Enter. But enter what? And where is this gate? And what makes it narrow?

The gate is not a real gate. It's more of a path and a decision we make. We get a clue from the second half of the first sentence. "Broad is the road that leads to destruction."

There are many religions in the world. Many Christian denominations as well. And all these preachers on television. Who is right in their teaching? Is ANYBODY right?

My answer is this. Only those teachers preaching the God of the Bible are preaching the truth. Anyone who changes or adjusts the Bibles teaching is a FALSE teaching and a liar. There is only one God. The God of the Bible.

Mormons talk about Jesus and they talk about the Bible. Look closely at their teaching. Different Jesus, different bible. As an example, and this might sound harsh and not politically correct but, those spreading Mormonism are liars and false teachers. Same for Jehovah's Witnesses. Man-made religions peddling a different Jesus.

90% of the preachers you see on television are false teachers. Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Benny Hinn, Creflo Dollar, Sarah Young (Jesus Calling), Robert Schuller, Norman Vincent Peale, the list goes on because . . . wide is the gate.

Jesus teaches  “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

^"9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." - John 10:9-10

We must be mindful of the road we travel on. If we are not walking next to Jesus, we are lost. Many of these false teachers are out to make money for themselves. They are deceived and therefore deceiving others.

So, how do I know that I am right?

" 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”  - John 10:27-30

Be cautious who you listen to. Be a good Berean (Acts 17). Narrow is the gate and there is only ONE gate. Jesus.


7 False Teachers In The Church Today - Jim Challies
When He Speaks - The McKameys

The Parable of The Sticky Buns

When I was young my mom used to make sticky buns. They were so sugary and sticky that it felt like you were going to suck the fillings right out of your teeth will you were eating them. They were like glue! They were so sticky, yet so enjoyable. Well, this story is not about them, but it IS about something just as sticky and it IS about somebody's buns. LOL!

Each year at Lifest, a Christian music concert in our area, we camp out with thousands of our brothers and sisters in Christ. The music is wonderful, the conversations are wonderful but the weather is sometimes hot and humid like it was this year.

We have developed a Lifest tradition that my friend and I take our group of campers to the office where we work so we all can take showers and smell better. This year was no exception.

Saturday morning we arrived at our workplace and went upstairs to the workout area to shower. Situation normal except we were getting new carpeting in our office and there was a carpet layer there working on the stairs so we had to walk around him.

After our showers was sat in the board room, talking about our Lifest experience. Lots of laughs and tears too as we shared our hearts with one another.

We were all hungry by that point so we set off for another Lifest tradition - breakfast at Perkins. We headed downstairs, me leading the way, talking with my friend David who was right behind me. David is like a son to me, but more on that in a moment. The others followed behind.

As we neared the bottom of the stairs we hear the voice of someone calling out in the wilderness. No, it wasn't John the baptist, it was Jim the carpet guy.

"No, no no!!!!"

I looked down and I was standing in a fresh layer of carpet adhesive. Suddenly, behind me, there was a BOOM! My friend David had slipped and fallen, right in the glue. What a mess.

The carpet guy was very nice, trying to help us to get the glue off our shoes. But he wouldn't touch David's shorts. And neither would anyone else! LOL!

David changed back into his dirty shorts and my friend Gayle took them to her daughter's house for a cleaning. While she went to put David's pants in the wash the rest of us went to Perkins. On the way there I related how we were missing the example God had just provided for us. A living example of The Gospel.

"Huh?"

Yup. I explained . . .

"As we walked down the stairs, The Father (me) was leading the Son (David). The Son sacrificed Himself for those who were following him so that they would not get stick in sin (the glue that sticks to us all)."

Then Molly added from the back seat, "Yeah! And the humble servant (Jim , the carpet guy) was washing your feet!"

"Perkins Jesus" - back, right

We laughed all the way to Perkins. It really was The Gospel!

When the hostess sat us down at our table I looked across the room. There, seated at the far table, was a man . . . with long, brown hair and a beard, wearing a linen shirt. I then told Molly and David to look over to see if they saw the same thing I did. They did and broke out laughing. They guy looked just like Jesus!

"If he's wearing sandals I'm going to lose it," I said to my friends. They looked. He was! And we laughed even harder.

On almost a daily basis, God provides us with Living examples of who He is. Whether it's in the mountains or the stars, walking down the stairs at work or at Perkins - He is teaching us.

Oh, I almost forget. The glue in David's shorts. What a perfect representation of the sins in our lives. It is only when we are "washed clean" of our sins, the glue that adheres to us in this world, can we be free to enter the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus.

My friend used Goo-Gone to get ride of the glue on David's pants. All WE have to do is place our faith and hope in Jesus and he will make everything new, and clean.

^"16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. ¹⁷ For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

¹⁸ The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ¹⁹ since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." - Romans 1:16-20

___________________________________________

³⁷ When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

³⁸ “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

⁴⁰ “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” - Luke 19:37-40
Made To Worship - Chris Tomlin

Danger!

My wife and I are vacationing in Michigan's upper peninsula, along the Lake Superior shoreline. As a matter of fact we are SO near the shoreline, if we took a few steps outside our bedroom window we would literally be in the lake. You see, we are staying in . . . a lighthouse.

We are really enjoying ourselves. We both love lighthouses and enjoy learning about the lovely lives of the light keepers as they watched over "the light" in order to keep others safe.

There are many dangers up here, both now and in days gone by. My wife and I were walking along a trail yesterday that led to a waterfall. Along the pathway there was a sign that read "dangerous outlook." If only we had those signs in our lives, we would be SO much better off.

For example, don't eat those mushrooms you see along life's trail. They might look tempting but they are poisonous. Don't get too close to the edge of the cliff, it rained last night and the ground could give way. Or, don't walked out on those jagged rocks. You might twist your angle . . . which actually happened to my wife.

Life does not come with many warning signs. Sometimes our friends or family warn us about hanging out with certain people. We might have been warned my our mother's about the dangers of smoking or drinking. These warnings are for our own good, yet we often ignore them because WE want to be in control of our own lives. We really love to be in control.

I think that's why so many people are hesitant to follow Jesus - to fully commit their lives to Him - because it would mean relinquishing control. And so we ignore the danger signs. We think that WE will be the ones to survive because WE are the ones in control.

There are many warning signs in the Bible. I read about them every day. They are warnings from God. Why? Because He loves us and does not want us to perish. Yet we choose to ignore . . . we fall off the cliff.

Placing our faith in Jesus IS a big step. It involves repentance - a changing of our life's direction. It involves listening to God's warning signs. "Flee from sexual immorality." and "You shall have no other gods before me" become words to lives by.

As we go through life we must always be on the lookout for dangerous things. It is SO much easier to avoid them if we read the warning signs, if we stay away from the cliffs and the jagged rocks. The Bible is filled with loving encouragement from our Father in heaven. Why? Because we are His children. He loves us and wants us to be free from the burden of sin.

He HAS warned us. In 66 books he has spelled things out. Now it is our responsibility. It is our choice. We can either heed God's warning signs or ignore them and lead a life of obedience. It's our choice. Whom will we serve today? God or ourselves?

"Choose today whom you will serve."

"14 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” - Joshua 24:14-15

Watchful

The weekend before last, my chunk of the Hall family converged on Battle Creek, MI for our annual March Birthday Weekend Extravaganza! That sounds impressive, like some major city-wide festival, but it's really just a couple dozen people getting together and talking and eating . . . and watching grandchildren and grand nieces swarming all over the place.

It takes most of the day to get there. We leave our home shortly after breakfast and drive until it's time for supper. But despite the trip there and back, the journey is always well worth the time spent in the car. That's because at the end of our travels we get to see people we love and that makes journey more than worth it.

There are dangers on the roadways though, especially driving through Chicago as we do. Lots and lots of cars, many of them driving WELL beyond the speed limit. One has to be ever watchful. Side mirrors, rear view mirrors. Always watchful, always protecting.

While we were in Michigan I noticed something about our grandson. He is on a mission. A mission to get his hands on as many things as he possibly can! He literally runs around the room, eyes darting back and forth, looking for things to play with or to destroy. Somebody's phone, a wireless mouse for great grandma's computer, a dog . . . MY laptop!

I'd sit in the family room, writing a story, while my phone sat on the arm of the chair - an open invitation for my grandson. As soon as he noticed it sitting there, seemingly unprotected, he would start coming towards it, full speed ahead. His sudden motion usually caught my eye and I would pick up the phone at the last minute, simultaneously denying my grandson the pleasure of a new toy and denying myself the cost of a new phone. My grandson just likes to explore is all. He likes to seek. But I always have my eye on him because I know that sometimes he can get himself into trouble . . . without even knowing it.

My son took HIS son outside for some father/son playtime and some fresh air. My son let HIS son explore and seek things on his own. He slid down snow banks, ate some snow, but always with his father's supervision. "You don't want to eat the YELLOW snow" is a helpful tip for an inexperienced young snow eater.

For a young boy seeking to discover things, there are certain things he is not ready to find yet. The road at the end of the driveway for example. Our grandson is not capable of understanding that big cars drive on that road and they can be dangerous. The stream that runs through my parents backyard is another danger for little boy who don't know how to swim yet. Water can be a fascinating thing to play with but it is also dangerous. And my grandson's father was there all the time, watching, protecting.

God is like that but He will let us get into all kinds of trouble, lots of trouble, just so we will REALLY learn the lessons He wants us too.

Have you gone through a struggle lately? What did you learn from it? How many friends came along side you when you needed it? Did God reach out to you in some unexpected way? Life is filled with lessons, opportunities and challenges. How do we handle them? Do we throw up our arms and wonder, "Why is all this happening to me?" or do we pause and think, "God, what do you want me to learn in this?"

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28

"For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity." - Proverbs 24:16

"Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come." - 1 Corinthians 10:11
Here's a video of a talented guy, a guy who struggled mightily until God got his attention one day . . . and changed his life.

Christian Hosoi - I Am Second