"Your Goggle wallet"

"And they did not do as we expected, but they
gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us
in keeping with God's will."
                                                2 Corinthians 8:5

JESUS WAS ONCE CONFRONTED by hypo-
critical leaders who disparaged what a woman
did for him in the house of Simon the Leper. She
poured her perfume and anointed His feet.
     "Why not sell the perfume and give the
money to the poor? they prodded, ignoring the
fact that, had they been honest, they would have
kept the money for themselves. Jesus explained,
"The poor you will always have with you, and
you can help them at any time you want. But you
 will not always have me." (Mark 14:7).
    Paul on the other hand, commended the
Corinthians who "gave as much as they were
able, and even beyond their abilities," pointing
out that they first gave themselves to the Lord
(2 Corinthians 8:3-5). When you have given God
your heart, then what you have is easily placed
on the altar as well.
   A widely circulated e-mail by an unknown writer
contents that "If you have food on your table,
clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and
a place to sleep tonight, you are richer than 75%
of the rest of the people in the world. If you have
saving in the bank, money in your wallet, and
coins in a piggy bank or. dish on your night stand,
 you are among an elite marketer 8% of the world
population."
   Can you answer "yes to some of these
condition? If yes, then you might be wealthier
than you think you are. what you have belong to
the Lord it will free you of a great obligation and
allow you to become a tool in His hands and it
will be (ROI).

"Here in Your Presence"

"They asked each other, "Were not our hearts
burning within us while he talked with us on the
road and opened the Scripture to us?"
                                                           Luke 24:32

    The greatest computer that had ever been
designed and built up to that moment was finally
to be put into action, and from all over the world
scientists had gathered to be present at its
unveiling. Far more complex than anything that
 had gone before, it was capable of solving
intricate problem that would previouly have defied
analysis.
But those present were at loggerhead as to the
question with which to initiate its operations.
while they argued over Lagrangian functions,
stress analysis, and the price of wheat, the janitor
 suddenly pushed himself forward. Still holding
his broom, he called out, "Is there a God?"
A death silence fell over the room, as all wanted
 for the result. slowly, the vast machine began to
go into action. Lights flashed and a solemn
clicking whirr sounded. And then a deep voice
from the vtials of the computer said, "Now there
is."Why is it then that many say they do not feel
the Lord is nearby? This promise was made to
God's children which explain why it is for many
non-believer to sense the warmth of His presence.
Others, though, are simply too busy to notice that
He is there. They have no time to read the Bible,
no time to hear His gentle, and no time to
cultivate a relationship with Him.
   Then other never experience His presence or
impact in their lives because their lifestyles are
completely out of the harnomy with God's will.
There is a song i always like to hear "Here in
your presence."
    Another passage of Scripture which illustrate
the point of being built up spiritually is found in
Proverbs 3:5,6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine
heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding,
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and shall direct
thy paths."
     Above all, the Bible, the message of divine
 revelation and divine redemption, is a universal
message. The message of the Book is to all
mankind, not just a select few, or to go certain
races or nations. Futher phrases that characterize
the message of the Book are: "all the world,"
"all flesh," "every creature," "the ends of the
earth," "all peoples," "all nations," "all men,"
"the nation "the uttermost parts of the earth,"
"all the earth,"

"Meekness"

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the
 earth."
                                                     Matthew 5 : 5

     In this age of flaunting personal rights,
meekness is not a valued character trait. In fact,
to those who are bent on demanding what's is
rightfully theirs, meekness is a character flaw.
Why? The meek person is the one who yields
personal rights. But because of that, he is the one
who lackss anger.
     Anger erupts when we feel iur right are being
violated. The right to be acceoted. The right to
express your opinion without being jumped on.
The right to privacy. The right to earn and spend
money. But when we dedicate our time, our
holding even oursrlves to the Lord, we transfer
those rights to Him. He, then owns time and
possessions. He own us.
     And God will always take care of His own.
He will firect us on hiw to use His time, spend His
 His money, or manage His possessions. Using
things will be considered a privilege, not a right!
 The result? Lack of Anger. After all, how can you
 be angry over something that's not your?
    Thanking Gid whatever the outcome is the key
to determining if you have fully yielded a personal
right. If you demonstrate meekness, that is lack of
anger, when someone hurts you then you have
 successfully yielded your rights to God. Are you
afraid of not owning anything, even your own
life? Fon't worry, one day the meek shall inherit
the earth!
   Someone once said, "Meekness is a willingness
to allows others to say about me the sale tvings I
readily acknowledge begore God. Self-protection
and self-sacrifice are mutually exclusive. They
cannot coexist."
Lord, Youvwillingly yield Your right to the Father
and became the most meek nd humble man who 
ever lived. Help le to humble myself before You 
as I give You my time, my possessions. . my life.

"RIGHT AND WRONG"

"At my first defense no one stood with me, but all
forsook me. May it not be charged against them."
                                                    2 Timothy 4 : 16

It's crucial to distinguish between personal
wrongs, which we must be willing to forgive,
 and deliberate attack on the gospel of Christ,
which the Lord will judge. Paul drew that
distinction in her letter to his young friend
Timothy.
     First, Paul wrote with respect to an opponent
of the gospel: "Alexander the coppersmith did
me must harm. May the Lord repay him accord-
ing to his works. You also must beware of him,
for he has greatly resisted our words"
(2 Timothy 4:14-15).
    The harm" Alexander had done to Paul was not
to him personally but to his message, and he was
now engaged in stirring up opposition to Timothy's
proclamation of the gospel.
     Then, as if to plainly contrast and distinguish
between those who oppose God's work and those
who personally wrong us. Paul followed with
these gracious wordss: "At my first defense no
one stood with me, but all forsook me May it not
be charge against them (2 Timothy 4:16).
     How sad that Paul's fellow  Christian  would
desert the apostle in his hour of deep need! What
should be done to them? surely they're deserving
of his righteous anger. Not  so Paul said, "May it
not be charge against them.
      You sacrifice Your life for us, You shed Your 
blood  so we ciuld live; So help us, Lord, to follow 
You, To love each other and forgive.
     

"VERTICAL LIVING IN A HORIZONTAL WORLD"

"For where your treasure is there your heart will
  be also."
                                                     Luke 12 : 22-34

Suppose you try everything the world had to offer
to find happines. Every year you'd move into a
grander home. Designers would continually stock
your closets with the latest fashions. You'd own
every state-of-the-art "toy" and visit all the world's
finest resorts. Would you ever find the rainbow?
    Bernard of Clairvaux, a monk from the Middle
Age, shows what you would discover.
One treasure after another would fail to satisfy, 
and then the only object if desire left would be
the Cause of all. it is nature law that makes a man
set higher value on the things he has not got than
upon those he has, so that he loathes his actual
possessions for longing for the things that are not
his. And this same law, when else in earth and 
heaven have failed, drives him at last to God. the
Lord of all.
     Many people squander their lives trying one
created thing after another, coming to the Creator
 only when everything else has failed. Or perhaps
never coming. "Theirs is an endless road," added
 Berbard, "a hopeless maze, who seek for goods
before they seek for God." How much we would
be seek God first which is Jesus' point in our
passage.
Why Did Jesus Offer This Instruction?
Jesus' parable of the rich fool taught us that life
is not about possessions. Contrary to the popular
bumper sticker, those who die with the most toys
aren't winners. They're fools for spending all they
have to accumulate things death only strips away.
They go through life wearing spirtual blinders,
 always thinking horizontally, never lifting their
eyes to see things from God's perspective.
    Thankfully, in Luke 12:22-34, Jesus teaches
us how to have that vertical view so that our
energies can be spent on what really matters in
life.
How Can we Live a Vertical Lifestyle?
Turning from the crowd (vv. 13-15). Jesus now
addresses His disciple (v.22a)-making a subte
but important point.
Only Disciple Can  Live Vertically
only a disciple of Christ is capable of living a
vertical lifestyle. Why? Because it takes commi-
ment courage, and faithfulnes. It takes a heart
open to the Spirit's ways at the cost of  getting
our own way. Disciple devote themselves to
growing in and being conformed to Christ's
image. And as they mature, they may learn to
think and see and live like Him (see Cor.2:6-16).
The things most valuable to you be discuss later.

"WHO IMPORTANT HERE"?

"Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his dis-
ciple, together with a large crowd, were leavening
the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is the son
of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging.
when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he
began to shout, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy
on me!' Many rebuked him and told him to be
quiet, but he shouted all the more."
                                                     Mark 10: 46-48

when it comes to the obnoxious, Bartimaeus
would take the prize. He must have carried on
and made quite a scene because it says many
rebuked him. But instead of putting a kid on it,
Batimaeus yelled all the more.
     The blind man's tensity and insistence
caused the Lord to stop. But at that point, Jesus
did not address Bartimaeus. First, He had a thing
or two to say to the people who were trying to
shove the blind man aside. Jesus tells them to
call to Bartimaeus and then bring him forward.
Boy, did those people change their tune fast.
 Suddenly, the guy was given the VIP treatment
. "Cheer up!" they said to Bartimaeus.
      Once these people understood that Jesus
thought this poor handicapped person was
important, once they realized the Lord's priorities,
their whole attitude toward the obnoxious social
outcast switched from negative to positive.
Handicapped people in wheelchairs may track dirt
on the church carpet. Homeless people might
leave trash in the stairwell at the back of the
sanctuary. Runaway teenagers who come to
friday service in torn Jean nd shaved heads may
leave a bad smell in the pew. Do these people
seem obnoxious? Maybe. But read Mark 10:46-48
to see how Jesus would handle the situation.
Lord, I love the fact that after Bartimarus was 
healed he followed You allong the road. Help me 
to bring Your healing touch to those the world 
casts aside.

"Unrealistic and Realistic Views if the Present"

"I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how
 I wish it were already kindled!'"
                                                          Luke 12 : 49

Jesus' picture of the future and the coming king-
dom God skewers several popular misconception
about this earth, Jesus' own  mission, and world
peace. Lets listen attentively as He sets the
record straight.
Popular but Incorrect Ideas
1. About this earth. Today the popular thinking
is that the earth is sacred, the "mother" of all life.
We must care for it so it will last forever, right?
Wrong. Jesus' shocking opening statement obli-
terates this idea: read again the devotion above.
    Peter has already told us that the earth and its
works will be burned. up" in Judgment
 (2Pet. 3:10). There is nothing that is permanent,
then, except the eternal souls of human beings
and God's everlasting Word.
    Jesus is reffering to the time when God's plan
will have run its course when all the pain, all the
headache, all the disasters, all the calamities,
 all the consequences of sin to will be finished.
 when it's all over, when Judgment's done, when
 family of God will be united in peace, Jesus
 longed to fulfill His role as Judge because that
would signal the death of sin and the dawn of the
 new heavens and a new earth. Remember, He
holds the blueprints for another world, a grander
place that He has designed for us. As Peter wrote
"We are looking for new heaven and a new earth
in which righteousness dwells" (2 Peter 3:13).
Although we must be wise stewards and have
respect for the work of God's hands, this earth
is not the paradise God has planned.
2. About Jesus mission. some people believe
Jesus came to subdue the world with philosophy
of love, but that the forces of hate overwhelmed
Him and killed Him. The Cross, therefore,
symbolizes the tragic end of Christ's impossible
dream. However, the Cross was no mistake; it
was the centerpiece of Jesus mission. "But I have
 a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am
until it is accomplished!" (Luke 12:50) The
"baptism" would be no dip in the Jordan river, but
an immersion in the fiery cauldron of God's wrath.
Jesus came to suffer God's judgment so that we
might avoid it (see John 3:16-17). The Cross sym-
bolize spiritual victory, not defeat. it is the bridge
of peace joining sinful people and a holy God.
3. About peace. Another popular but incorrect
idea is that our human power can establish peace
in the world. It's a noble aim, but an unrealistic
and even misguided one. Even Jesus didn't come
to established world peace. On the contrary, He
frequently disrupted it! Read (Luke 12:51-53).
Remember, Christ offers us peace with God, not
peace with the world. Nor, necessarily, peace with
our families The more we live as citizens of His
kingdom the more disharmony we can expect
between us and the citizen of this earth.

RUNNING its COURSE

"Man, who is born of woman, Is short-live and full
of turmoil. . . Since his day are determined, The
number of his months is with thee, And his limits
Thou hast set so that he cannot pass.
                                                           Job 14 : 1, 5

Job's words tell us that the decreed will of God is
running its course precisely as arranged by our
 great God. This aspect of the will of God is not
something that we can anticipate ahead of time,
we can only know it after it has happened.
     There are occasions when we are suprised by
His decreed will. . . like when we get the results
back from our physical exam and the MRI
reveals a tumor we had no idea was there. Or
when a thirty- seven- year-old wife smiles across
the upper table and inform her forty-five-year-
old husband, "We're going to have another baby."
 And their youngest is in high school! Or when
the stock market plunges in one day to a ten-year,
record-setting low.
     It may feels to many that the One who made
us is too far removed to concern himself with
such tiny details of life on this old globe. But
that is not the case.  His mysterious plan is
"running its course" right on schedule, exactly as
He decreed it.
     This world is not out of control, spinning
wildly through space. Nor are earth's inhabitants
at the mercy of some blind, random fate. When
God created the world and set the star in space,
 He also established the course of this world and
 His plan for humanity.
    Not all believe this obviously, To some, this
teaching is disturbing and distasteful. And so they
go searching for other gods.
      some month ago the guy pulled out a well-
worn, thick paperback called All the Religious 
of the World, As he read, I thought to myself, I
wish I could take him by the hand and introduce
him to the God who is the Lord of All and over
all---the Once who satisfies as none of there
Religious of the world will ever do I tried,
unsuccessfully.
     The apostle Paul address this very issue when
 he preached in Athens. The city was filled with
 idols, for the ancient Athenians had a cast of
multiple-thousands when it came to gods and
goddesses. They had even  erected a monument
"To an Unknown God." Then in a masterful
stroke of homiletic genius, Paul said, in effect,
 "Allow me to introduce you to Him, this God
you have  missed." (Acts 17:16-34).
     There is only one God, and He is responsible
for the sovereignly decreed plan over this earth.
      God's Word provide all the light we will ever
need in our Journey through this life. It's "a lamp
to our feet and to our path (Psalm 119:105)." It
bring light to our darkened minds.

"Whose Will?"

          "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt.
                                        Matthew 26:39 NASB


   A Christian woman once confided to a friend
that she found it nearly impossible to pray, "The
will be done." she was afraid of what the Lord
might call her to do. Very specifically, she
feared being called to a snake-infested swamp
to take the Gospel to head-hunting natives. As
the mother of a young child, she simply could
not bear the thought that God might call her to
leave her child and sacrifice her life on the
mission field.
     Her friend said to her, "Suppose your little
girl came to you tomorrow morning and said,
"Mommy, I have made up my mind to let you
tour own way with me from now on. l'm
always going to obey you and I trust you
completely to do everything you think is best
for me.? How would you feel?"
     The woman replied, "Why, I'd feel
wonderful. I'd shower her with hugs and
kisses and do everything in my power to give
her all the things that were good for her and
which would help her find her talents and use
them to their fullest."
     The friend said, "Well, that's how the Lord
feels as your Heavenly Father. His will is
going to be far better than anything you have
imagined, not far worse."
     God's will for Jesus did not end with the
pain and suffering if the Cross. The "end" of
God's will for Jesus was His glorious
resurrection from the dead, His ascension to
Heaven  His being seated at the right hand
of the Father, and His exaltation as King of
kings and Lord of Lords forever!
     As Hannah Whitall Smith wrote,  "Better
and sweeter than health, or friend or money
or fame, or ease, or prosperity, is the adorable
will of our God. It gilds the darkest hours with
divine halo, and sheds brightest sunshine on the
gloomiest paths. . . . it is only a glorious
 privilege."
     Make your prayer today, "Thy will be done,
Lord." And then see what good thing God has
for you to experience!        

"A PUZZLE WE NEVER BE SOLVE"

"For My thoughs are not your thoughs, Neither
are your ways My ways," declare the Lord. "For
as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are
My ways higher than your ways, And My
though than your thoughts."
                                                    ISAIAH 55:8-9


    God is the Potter; we are the clay. He's the
Shepherd; we are the sheep. He's the Master, we
 are the servant. No matter how educated we are,
no matter how much power and influence we may
think we have, no matter how long we have
walked with Him, no matter how significant we
may imagine ourselves to be in His plans (if any
of us could even claim significant). none of that
qualifies us to grasp the first particle of why He
does what He does when He does it and how He
choose to do it.
    Oh, the depth of the riches both of the
wisdom and knowledge of God! How
unsearchable are His judgments and
unfathomable His ways! "For who has known
the mind of the Lord, or who became His
counselor?" (Romans 11;33-34). In an old work
 by Origen, On First Principles, the great
church father underscores what the apostle of
grace meant when he wrotes the statement:
    Paul did not say that God's judgments were
hard to search out but they could not be
searched out at all. He did not say that God's
ways were hard to find out but that they were
impossible to find out. For however far one
may advance in the search and make progress
through an increasing earnest study, even when
aided and enlightened in the mind by God's
grace, he will never be able to reach the final
goal of his inquiries.
    As I thinks about God's unfathomable ways
and the theme of his book, I am reminded of the
six year old boy who had been given an
assignment to draw anything he wanted to draw.
But when everyone else in the class had finished
drawing, he still sitting there working on his
 picture. finally the teacher walked back and
looked liked over his shoulder.
    "What are you drawing?" she asked.
    "I'm drawing a picture of God," said the boy.
     "You need to remember, Johnny, no one has
ever seen God.
Nobody knows what He looks like."
    "Well. . . they will when I'm through," said
Johnny.
That's what I would love to think about this book
 that when I have finished writing and printer had
finished printing and all my reader have finished
reading, that people will at least will know what
the will of God looks like. But even though I
think we will all have learned somethings
together, in all humility and reality, I know that
 you don't find it all, or see  it all in these pages.
So, don't get your hoping up!

"A PUZZLE WE NEVER BE SOLVE"

"For My thoughs are not yoyr thoughs, Neither
  are your ways My ways," declare the Lord.
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
  so are My ways higher than your ways, And
  My though than your thoughts."
                                                  ISAIAH 55:8-9


God is the Potter; we are the clay. He's the
Shepherd; we are the sheep. He's the Master,
 we are the servant. No matter how educated
we are, no matter hiw much
power and influence we may think we have, no
matter how long we have walked with Him, no
matter how significant we may imagine
ourselves to be in His plans (if any if us could
even claim significant). none of that qualifies
 us to grasp the first particle of why He does
what He does when He does it and how He
choose to do it.
    Oh, the depth of the riches both of the
wisdom and knowledge ofGod! How
unsearchable are His judglents and
unfathomable His ways! "For who has known
the mind if the Lord, or who became His
counselor?" (Romans 11;33-34).
In an old work by Origen, On First Principles, 
the great church father underscores what the
apostle of grace meant when he wrotes the
statement:
    Paul did not say that God's judgments were
hard to search out but they could not be
searched out at all. He did not say that God's
ways were hard to find out but that they were
impossible to find out. For however far one
may advance in the search and make progress
through an increasing earnest study, even when
aided and enlightened in the mind by God's
grace, he will never be able to reach the final
goal of his inquiries.
    As I thinks about God's unfathomable ways
and the theme of his book, I am reminded of the
six year old boy who had been given an
assignment to draw anything he wanted to draw.
But when everyone else in the class had finished
drawing, he still sitting there working on his
 picture. finallynnthe teacher walked back and l
ooked over his shoulder.
    "What are you drawing?" she asked.
    "I'm drawing a picture of God," said the boy.
     "You need to remember, Johnny, no one has
ever seen God.
Nobody knows what He looks like."
     "Well. . . they will when I'm through,"
said Johnny.
That's what I would love to think about this
book that when I have finished writing and
printer had finished printing and all my reader
have finished reading, thatvpeople will at least
will know what the will of God looks like. But
even though I think we will all have learned
somethings together, in all humility and reality,
I kniw that you xon't find it all, or dee it all in
these pages. So, don't get your hopes up!

" THINKING THEOLOGICALLY"

"But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it."
ROMANS 8:25(KJV) 

   We are riveted to earth, and we don't like things dangling. We don't even like dangling participles. We don't like dangling stories. Don't you hate it when the movie credits start to roll and you!re still saying, "What? Wait a minute. Wait just a minute. I want to know who won. Who got the girl? What happened?" I hate that, when the movie just ends Well, a lot  of things on life "just end." The credits roll before you get the final details figure out. You lost the romance that you thought was leading to marriage. It just ended. He or she just walked away from you. You lost a marriage that you thought His had put together forever. Our lived are full of stories like that a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma," to use a phrase coined by Sir Winston Churchill.
   We don't know And it's okay See, it's the "okay" part that requires thinking theologically. It's also where the peace cooled from, because we can relax as we leave it with God. Which is another way of saying that we leave it with Romans 8. When things are dangling,
when you can't figure out the ending and the
credits are rolling, when things are not ending as you'd expected, it's time to turn Romans 8. That works every time. I don't know what I would have done through much of my life if I hadn't had Romans 8 as my stablilizer.
   When we think theologically, we find comfort in three things.
1. We wait and perverse. "But if we hope for what we do not see, with perserverance we wait eagerly for it" (Romans 8 :25). Let that truth sink in. Read the verse again. When we don't do what we had hoped to see, think theologically! Don't run. Don't panic. Don't doubt God's love. Don't fight. Wait and persevere through it. You may get sick to your stomach, you may feel head spin when the negative report comes, but you still wait. You persevere. Mentally, you connect with your
Lord and express your willingness to trust Him
entirely.
  That takes faith. "Lord God, I don't know how
to explain it. I don't know why this happen.., why now, why me, why this? But I wait for You. I am determined, by Your grace and on Your strength, to persevere through this time. Because You make no mistakes, You don't have to explain it to me. I'm trusting in You right now." We risk trusting Him, not knowing how it's going to come out. He's  trustworthy so the "risk" is minimal! i'll just stop from here. so think theologically!

"a Rewarding Rest"

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all
 the days of my life, I will dwell in the house of
 the Lord forever."
                                                           Psalm 23:6

King David was a godly man who knew what it
meant to suffer. Sometimes his suffering came
at the hand of an enemy, and sometimes it came
as a result of his own sin. Throughout his trials
David sought the Lord and place his faith
squarely in God who had proven Himself to be
true.
  In today's psalm, Avid reveals beautiful images
of comfort and security. He painst a picture of
tefreshment and preservation. He knew the cont-
entment of complete trust in the Lord. He knew
the refreshment of forgiveness of sin. He knew
the preservation that came from narrowly
escaping a pursuing enemy dodging a well
aimed spear or evading a soldier searching him
out in a darkened cave.
   King David wrote of the bountiful blessings
God brings when His people follow Him through
the dark days. ad well as the bright ones. And he
concluded this beautiful psalm with the best news
of all that God texards those who remain faithful
to Him. The faithful are priviledge to bebin His
presence day in and day out. Let this  great news
encourage you to stay close to God. knon that
you will live with Him for ever, never to be again

"OUR PART HIS PLAN

"You shall march around the city, all you men

of war, you shall go all around the city once. 

This you shall do six days.

                                                        Joshua 6 : 3

It was a very unorthodox plan. who had ever
heard of conquering a city by walking around
it?  Picture the amazement on people's face as
they asked, "Let us get this straight. we're going
to walk around Jericho. and the walls
are going  to fall down?
   Sometimes, we don't understand God's Plan.
One of the hardest things in  the Christian life
is when God directs you to do something, but
you can't figure out why. Our part is to obey
God's directions by faith, even if they don't sense.
    Perhaps God onvolved us in far fetched plans
so that when they happen, no one can possibly
 claim the credit but God. After all, Joshua
couldn't take credit for the fall of  Jericho. That
was a plan only God could have come m up with
Remember that God has some amazing  plans for
your life. walk in obedienc to His direction.
Believe that God has a wonderful purpose and a
plan for you.
    God moves in a mysterous way, His wonders to
perform. He plants His footstepeds in the sea' and
rides upon upon the storm.

"Sin That break the Law"

"Everyone who sin breaks the law; in fact sin
is lawlessness."
                                                        1 John 3:4
                                                                                    
The young couple was engaged in a most
affectionate embrace when there came the
sound of a key in the front door.
    The young lady broke away at once, eyes
     wide with alarm
     "Heaven," she cried, it's my husband!
     Quick, jump out the window."
     The young man, equally alarmed, made a
     quick step toward the window, then
demurred. "I can't he said, "we're on the
thirteenth floor."
   "For heaven's sake," cried the young lady
exaspetation, "is this a time to be
superstitious?"a ridicule story generally, are
 sometimes considered the most effective
ways of destroying evils and abuses. would it
were so, but I feel tht there are many evils
built so firmly into the human race that
nothing will help.
   Superstition is one subject, I fear, too powerful
to be swept away even by laughter. I doubt that
anyone is immune to it, even those most against
it from the intellectual standpoint. I myself have
a tendency to knock wood when I make a
vainglorious statement or to add a barring acts of
God" when I find myself behaving as though the
future were certain.
How many millions of stories are told, designed
to reinforce some superstition or others; how few
are told to counter it. I remember with gratitude a
perfectly true story. It is dangerous thing to live
a life without a spiritual "plumb line," or standard,
by which you determine right from wrong. God's
Word is a plum line. Futhermore, it has a
devastating heartache that would come to you,
 your spouse, your children, youe relationship,
your friends, How important the law of are for
your life! without them you would be robbed of
the delights God has in store for you. If your are
measuring your life by that of your neighbors,
or society at large. then you are basing your life
on lawlessness, and lawlessness is sin.

"SHAKE IT UP"

     Therefore, gird your mind for actiin
                               1 Peter 1:13 NASB


   Sometimes our daily routine seems more like
a never-ending rut. The activities and respons-
ibilities that were once fresh and new gradually
become stale and old. what can you do to shake
 things up a bit?
   A woman asked herself that question one
morning as she arose at her usual time. She had
done all she needed to do to get her children off
to school and her husband to work. Now she
was home alone, looking for the motivation to
face her day.
   She said to herself, I know what I'll do. I'll
 turn thing upside-down. Instead of sticking to
my usual schedule, I'll reverse the order
That meant her first item of business was
preparing dinner. She thiught she light feel
strange preparing meat and vegetables at 9 a.m.,
But she was surprised to find she felt a sense of
relief at having this "chore" done early
somehow, it made the rest of the housework and
errands less stressful.
    She found a little extra time to write a letter
and catch up on some readind, and by the time
her children came tromping in from school, she
 felt happier than she had in weeks. She was
already thinking of others ways to add variety
to her daily routine.
    Who says you have ti do the same things in
the same way at the same time every day?
    The Bible clearly tells that our God is a God
of infinite variety! While Hus commandments
are not negotiable, His methods often change.
 That's part of His nature as creator., The Lord
 is continually creating new methods to reach us
with His love and to show us His care.
     Break iut if your rut today! Ask the Lord to
give you insight into how you might participate
more fully in His creative process by doing
 thing differently.

"FOR MANY"

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

ROMANS 8 :14

I'm TOTALLY CONFUSED . . . How in the world
do I find the will of God my life?" I cannot
number how many times through the years I have heard that question. It's dilema that has caused people to devise some very strange methods to reach some even stranger conclusions. A year ago, I read about a man who was driving through Washington D.C.when his car stalked in front of the Philippine Embassy. He took that to mean that he should be a missionary to the Philippines. Then there was the woman who wasn't sure she ought to go on a trip to china. One night she was reading through the travel brochures and tour information and noticed that the flight was to
be 747. She woke up the next morning, saw 7:47 on her digital clock, and took that as a sign she should go to china.
 This sore of nonsense is what I call "voodoo
theology." It is nothing more than superstition.
We must guard ourselves from being lured into this kind of thinking. God has spelled out many of His directives very clearly in Scripture, but many of the things we grapple with are not specifically dealt with in his word. I'll give you sole example. You've got a son who excels in a particular sport and several fine universities have offered him Scholarships. Which school do you choose? well, that can be a tough choice, but you'll never find the specific answer in verse of Scripture. if you do, you're reading
something into it. You're single and dating, praying for God to lead you to the right mate for life. But there's nothing in the Bible that states, "Marry John" or "Don't marry Shirley" or "You should date frank." God gives general principle in His Word for example, "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers" but we have to apply them. We sincerely want these specific decision in our lives to be in accordance with God's will. Deep within, we wish His specific directives would be spelled out in the Scriptures. We'd love to have Him lead us by the hand.. how reassuring that
would be!? One of our great old hymns puts it this way: "Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah, Pilgrim through this barren land; I am weak, but Thou art mighty; Hold me with Thy powerful hand and let Him lead you where He wants you to go? We don!'t want to miss God's best for our Lives we want to be held on steady course by His guiding presence. So where do we find that guidance, that leading? Let's start by looking at some of the essential prerequisites that help us determine God's will. Thankfully, these are neither ambiguous nor mysterious. say it loudly Romans 8:14.
 

"He's way is right"

"And they shall be no night there; light of the
sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and
they shall reign for ever and ever."
                                            Revelation 22 : 5
God's sovereignty. A mysterious doctrine at all
times, but one with great relevance for our lives.
Not just something for scholars and theologians
to argue over.
    first of all, the sovereignty of God relieves me
from anxiety. It doesn't take away my questions.
It takes away my anxiety. When I rest in it, I am
relieved of my worry.
second, the sovereignty of God frees me from 
explanation. I don't have to have all the answers.
I can't  unravel His full plan in this.
   The problem with learning a little theology,
 remember, is that we start thinking we can
unscrew the inscrutable. Believing we can fathom
the unfathomable. That there's no depth that we
cannot plumb. well, let's face it that's not true.
There are sometimes when those who know the
most simply must back off with hands behind
their back and say, "It's  beyond me. I don't know
why God closes some doors and opens others. I
don't know why some reject Him and become
vessels of wrath. I don't know how that fits in. I
don't know how evil can be used  for good. And
I don't know how the interplay between the two
in some way glorifies God. But I know ultimately
it does and it will, because God will be all in all.
I don't have to explain it.
Third the sovereignty of God keeps me from pride.
Once You got hold of that  thought, and helped us
to face some of the most difficult times of our life.
its kept us on the face before God.
    Like every other human being, We have many,
many battles. We have numerous sins. that
wrestle with and confess and bring before God.
 But I have to tell you, because of our firm
confidence in the sovereignty of God, pride is not
a major battle for us. i never think of being proud,
 not even secretly. sovereignty solves that battle
one and for all. Instead, we must be grateful that
He's given us breath and ability to think and to
minister and serve. He's sovereign over my life,
 and He's sovereign over life. He's sovereign
whether you accept it or not. Nebuchadnezzar
discovered that fact. You may not know it right
now, but you'll know it a second after you die.
God, and God alone, rules His way is right.
       He writes in character too grand
        For our short sight to understand
        we catch but broken strokes, and try
        to fathom all the mystery
        of withered hopes of death of life,
        the endless war, the useless strife
        but He's with larger clearer sight;
       we shall see this
       His way was right
       His waywas right
God was directly involved when you read the
passage in Daniel and give thank fot preserving
thus account if king Nebuchadnezzar and Job
and the writing of Paul so that we might learn that
He rule and His  sovereignty is right. He is right
all the glory  belong to Him alone.

DOING GOD'S WILL MAY UPSET OTHERS."

 "By faith Abel offered unto God a more exce-
llent sacrifice than Cain,? by which he obtained
witness that he was righteous, God testifying of
his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh."
                                                    HEBREW 11:4

Hebrew 11, sometimes known as the roll call of
faith, in today's present, is a marching order of
faith, recorded at least a dozen people who
model faith and action, release and risk. I'd like
to look at four of them who offer realistic
example of people who did God's will by faith
but found that it was not easy or comfortable or
simple. The first is Abel. Read again the
devotion above.
    Cain and Abel  were sons of Adam and Eve.
Abel was a shepherd, and Cain was farmer.
Both brought offering to God. Cain brought
some of his crops, but Abel brought the very
best portions from his flock. One commentators
says, "The contrast is not between an offering
of plant life and offering of animal life, but
 between a careless, thoughtless offering and a
choice, generous offering. Motivation and heart
attitude are all-important, and God looked with
favor on Abel and his offering because of
Abel's faith."
    Infuriated that God had accepted his brother's
offering and not his own, Cain violently
murdered his brother. Sometimes when you do
the will of God, you will upset or anger your
family. This can result in great pressure, relational
turmoil, angry words, and perhaps even hostile
reactions against you. But remember, you are not
on this earth as a child of God to please your
family members.
    I should also add, however, that we're not here
deliberately to make our family members nervous.
Motivation has to be the balance wheel here. But
of the two, we want to be so committed to our
Heavenly Father that we know clearly and
distinctly what His plan is.
We're not here specifically to please our son and
daughter or our mother and fathers. Sometimes
our family can be wrong. Now, if they are believers
 and if they're walking with the Lord,  parent are
usually good counselor on most things. But they
 don't walk on water. Sometimes parent can be
shortsighted and selfish.
     This is also true of other family members, and
sometimes your immediate family represent the
 most difficult part of your obeying the will of
God. They may even become resentful or angry
 when they disagree with your life decision. But
 when a crises of belief occurs,
Faith and obedience must prevail. Releasing and
risking will be required. First and foremost, we
are to do God's will that's obedience.
   Looks around you, what is the news you heard!
Psalm 5:11 here's a direct word for you as this
 point,

"TRUST IN THE LORD"

"Commit your way to the LORD trust also in
Him, and He shall bring it to pass."
                                                 PSALM 37 : 5

A ship cruising in northern waters, was in terrible,
and the captain called in one of the passengers.
   "You are, I know," he said," a professional
magician and I need your help badly. The ship
is at this moment heading for an iceberg and
there is something wrong with the rudder so we
cannot steer past it. There is no real cause for
alarm, however, because several ships are
steaming rapidly to the rescue and aircraft
already have us in view. All that is necessary
is to keep the passengers from destructive
panic. Please put on a show for them and
rescue will reach us before we strike, perhaps.
If however there is danger of an actual strike,
 I shall signal you and you must instantly
Announce that for your next trick you will
break the ship in two. By the time the
passengers gather that this is not a clever
Illusion and begin to panic, we will be saved
    The magician followed instruction exactly
and for nearly half an  hour transfixed his
audience with disappearing canes, multiplying
eggs, lighted candles that appear out of nowhere,
and cards that seemed to do everything but
make love. Then the magician noted the captain
waving at him frantically.
     So the magician said," and for my final
illusion, ladies and gentlemen, I shall make the
ship crash into an iceberg."
    And as his hands spread wide in an
impressive gesture, there was an awful rending
crash and in no time at all everyone found
himself  on an eerily tipped vessel, with
 lifeboats being launched. Fortunately others ship
 were butting through the choppy seas on rescue
missions, and the passengers were too confused
by what had happened to be frightened.
    The magician himself clung to the railing,
watching a lifeboat being lowered. One of the
passengers in the lifeboat called to him,
"Hey, aren't you the magician whose final trick
was to make the ship crash into an iceberg?"
"Yes, sir," said the magician, teeth chattering in
the cold,  "I'm the one." The passenger shook his
head. "So what was so smart about that?"
   When we are battered by the storm of life,
we may be tempted to give in to feeling of
hopelessness. But if we commit our way to Jesus,
and trust him He shall bring.it to pass. We will
have Peace even in the midst of turmoil.

"Linkin to kinder"

"The kindness and the love of God our Savior 
toward man appeared."
                                                             Titus 3:4


Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, authors of the famous
Sherlock Holmes stories, once hailed a cab in
Paris. He threw his handbag inside and climbed
In after it, but before he could say a word, the
driver said,
"Where to, Mr. Conan Doyle?"
"You recognize me?" said the author in surprise
"Not really, I've never seen you or a picture of
you." "Then how do you know I am Conan
Doyle?" "Well," said the driver, "I had read in
the newspaper that you were on vacation in the
 south of France; I noticed you getting off train
 that came from Marseille; I see you have the
kind to that bespeak a week or more in the sun
from the inkspot on your right middle finger, I
deduce you are a writer; you have the keen look
of a medical man, and the cut of Clothes of an
Englishman. Putting it all together, I felt you
must surely be Conan Doyle, the creator of the
great detective, Sherlock Holmes."
    Conan Doyle burst out, "But you are yourself
the equal of Sherlock Holmes since you
recognized me from all these small observations."
"There is," said the driver, "one additional fact."
"And that is? "Your name is lettered on your
handbags."
   A funny conversation of intelligence makes a
much better target of self-serving suspicion
be just a little kinder. The apostle Paul saw
kindness in a different light. In Ephesians 4:32, he
linked being kind, tender hearted, and forgiving
with the way God" that provided eternal salvation.
   In a world where callous thoughtlessness and
selfish indifference are all too common, kindness
can make our lives fruitful when motivated by
Christlike love. When our walk harmonize with
our words of witness, it will make a compelling
impact on others by pointing them to the kind of
love God has for them in Jesus Christ. If Conan
Doyle had learned what Paul had learned, he
would have seen that trying to be a little kinder is
one of the most profound truths of all.

"IN THE LINE OF PROPHETS"

"But rise and stand on your feet; for I have 
appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a
witness both of the things which you have seen 
and of the things which I will yet reveal to you."
                                                         ACTS 26:16

In his testimony before King Herod Agrippa II,
Paul now turns to his conversion. This account
varies in several ways from Luke' record in Acts 9
and Paul's testimony to the Jewish mob in
Acts 22. Paul is simply tailoring his account to
fit his audience he is speaking to a king who is
'"expert in all customs question which have to do
with the Jews,'" a king who believe the Jewish
prophets (26:27), Paul adds some details and
excludes others to show that he has been called
of God just as the Old Testament prophets were.
   Pauls tells Agrippa that he was traveling to
Damascus to arrest Christians when a light
from heaven, brighter than the midday sun,
shone around him and his companions. Unlike
in the previous versions, Paul here notes that all
of the party fell to the ground, but it is possible
that to others fell and got to their feet quickly,
since they were not blinded and did not hear the
voice the addressed Paul. That voice, Paul notes
only here, spoke in Hebrew. Why does Paul
mention this detail? Perhaps because Hebrew
was the language of the Old Testament. That
could be significant for what follows.
    The dialogue between Jesus and Paul is
familiar through verse 15. But whereas in
Acts 9 and 22 Jesus directs Paul to get up and
proceed into Damascus to await direction,
He here instructs Paul to stand and then begins
to give him the instructions that came through
Ananias in the earlier accounts. Paul likely is
simply reporting the words that Jesus spoke to
Ananias to be passed on to him. He is
telescoping his story, leaving out the
intermediary stoke of Ananias.
   Jesus' instruction to Oaul closely parallel
those of earlier accounts, but the language He
uses draws on the Old Testament. He tells Paul
to stand on his feet, just as God told Ezekiel to
stand up after he was overwhelmed by his vision
(Ezek.2:1). He promises to deliver Paul from the
 Jews and Gentiles to whom he is being sent, just
 as God promised protection to Jeremiah
(Jer.1:8,19). The Lord's '"I Now send you'"
 is reminiscent of God's sending of Jeremiah and
Ezekiel (Jer.1:7; Ezek.2:3). And Paul's
commission to open eyes and deliver from
darkness harken back to Isaiah 42;7. "Agrippa
would have to admit that Paul stood In the Line 
of the Old Testament prophets." Dr. Simon
 Kistemaker comments on these parallels.
    The basic purpose of Paul's ministry, as he
relates It here is that unbelievers may received
 forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among
the saints. Thus, Paul was an instrument for
Jesus' use in the building of his church. You, too,
 are an instrument for the Lord's use. Strive to
submit yourself willingly to any function He
chooses for you.

"NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH"

"Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD,
but those who deal truthfully are His delight.

PROVERBS 12:22 (KJV) 

Frankie who had been out of town for a long time, was in New York on a visit and met his old friend Johnnie The two greeted each other enthusiastically and it was not long before they were asking after each other's business affairs.
  "Alas," said Johnnie, raising a mournful eye in
heaven, "not two weeks ago, a vicious fire swept my establishment and reduced it to ashes. Were it not for the heavy insurance I carried, I would, today,? be an utterly ruined man. And you Frankie?
  "How off, but my own situation is rather similar I had a fine establishment in Miami  Beach, and last autumn a hurricane coming in off the sea destroyed it utterely. It is with the insurance money only that I am now able to come to New York to re-establish myself." "Is that so? said Johnnie thoughtfully. "But tell me, Frankie how does one go about arranging a hurricane?" Years ago I read sole unusual and humorous Explanations for auto accident. The following are just a few that people submitted to an insurance company:
  "An invisible car came out of nowhere, struck
my car, and vanished."
   "I had been driving my car for 40 years when
I fell asleep at the wheel and had the accident."
   " pulled away from the side of the road
glanced at my mother-in -law, and headed over
the embankment."
   "The pedestrian had no idea which direction
to go, so I ran over him."
  "The telephone pole was approaching fast. I attempted to swerve out of its path when it
struck my front end."
   "The guy was all over the road. I had to swerve
a number of times before I hit him." "The indirect
cause of this accident was little guy in a small car
with big mouth." These  "excuses" may bring a
smile, and some were probably meant to. But
they also remind us of how prone we are to shade
the facts, especially when it works to our
advantage. The book of Proverb tells us that
"lying are an abomination to the LORD" (12:22).
So let's be careful at all times to speak the truth and nothing but the truth!
     Deceit at first may have its sweets,
      But these are brief, decaying,
       So speak the truth as God directs,
       For all your words He's weighting



                                               

"Knowledge not to Fear"

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but
 of power knand of love and of a sound mine.

2 Timothy 1:7

  Frederick William I, who ruled Prussia in the
early eighteenth century, was a fat, choleric
eccentric who stood on no ceremony at all. He
walked the streets of Berlin unattended, and
when anyone displeased him (and he was easily displeased) he did not hesitate to use his stout walking stick as a cudgel.
  Small wonder, then, that when the Berliners
saw him at a distance, they quietly left the
vicinity.
   One time, as Frederick William was pounding
down one of the streets, a citizen spied him, but too late, and his attempt to slide quietly into a doorway proved a failure. "You," called out Frederick William, "where are you going?" "Into the house, Your Majesty," said the citizen, trembling violently,
"Is it your house?"
"No, Your Majesty,"
"A friend's house?"
"No, Your Majesty."
"Why are you entering it, then?"
And the poor citizen, fearing he might be accused
of burglary and at his wit's end, finally decided on
the truth, and said, "In order to avoid you, Your
Majesty." Frederick William frowned. "To avoid
me? Why?" "Because I fear you, Your Majesty."
Frederick William promptly turned purple and,
 lifting his cudgel, pounded the others's shoulder,
crying, "You are not supposed to fear me. You're supposed to love me. Love me scum, love me!" The only fear that God encourages in a Christian's life is the fear of God 

(2 Cor.5:10-11; Heb.10:31). Fear of people does not come from God. The problem is that many Christian fear people more than they fear God. Their fear hinders them pleasing God because they waste their efforts appeasing other people. Fear causes us to stop and question what God has clearly told us to do. Perhaps we were confident in our obedience until persecution came; now we doubt whether we heard God correctly. Most fear is fear of the unknown. We do not know what lies ahead of us, so we become apprehensive. Our    imagination can magnify problems until insurmountable. We need a sound mind to see things in proper perspective. That is why God gave us His Holy Spirit, to enable us to see things as God see them.
   Fear is no excuse to disobey God. There is no
reason to live in fear when you have the mighty
presence of the Holy Spirit within you. Fear will
enslave you, but Christ has come to set you free. Ask God to free you from any fear you are
experiencing and to open your eyes. As He
reveals the reality of your situation, He will
enable you to continue in obedience.

"WHERE DOES THE TIME GO"

"While it is daytime, I must continue doing the

 Work of the One who sent me. Night is coming,

 When no one can work."                                         

                                                             John. 9 :4    

Most  of us can look around and find reminders

of good intentions. We readily see areas where

we never do or follow through to reach a goal. 

Mr. Jones badly needed to know the time, but
his Wristwatch, alas, turned out to have stopped 

hours before. The streets were deserted and the

only living soul in sight was a man sunning

himself in a deck chair on the large,fenced-off

lawn of lawn of the local mental hospital.

   A little dubious, but observing that the man

really looked quite harmless and reflecting that

in any case he had no choice, Mr. Jones called
out, "Sir, do you by any chance have the time?"

    "The time? One moment." The man on the 

lawn was galvanized into action. Leaping out
of his deck chair, he withdraw a small stick
from one pocket and a small hammer from
another. He tapped the stick into the ground,
adjusted it carefully until he was satisfied it
was vertical, then whipped out a measuring
tape. He measured the length of the stick above
the ground and the length of its shadow.
Throwing himself prone on the ground, he
sighted the top of the stick against some point
on the building, made a mark on the ground,
and then made a few new measurements.
     Out from his back pocket came a slide rule.
Back and forth he manipulated it and finally,
Perspiring slightly, he said, "It is exactly 3:22.5
PM., provided this is June 30, as I think It is."
Mr. Jones, who had watched all this with
astonishment, could not help but be convinced,
and adjusted his watch carefully. He then said.
"This has been a most impressive use of the solar
position to tell time, but what do you do at night,
or on a cloudy day, when there are no shadow to
measure?"
     "Oh, then, said the inmate, holding up his left
arm, "I just look my wristwatch." The time God
gives to us is ours to spend we determine how to
use it. Accept the challenge to make every
moment count! It is an adventure, a time to listen,
learn, and share God's wisdom. It is an open door
to look at what set of priorities according to the
goal. It won't be long before to be more productive
and more fulfilling.

    

" ONCE IT IS FINISHED"

"My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and
my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth; you
lay me in the dust of death.
                                                 PSALM 22 : 15


Because Jesus is the theme of the Bible, we
have an acceptable explanation of the great
power of this Book. It has changed the flow
of history, erected empires, and cast down
conquerors and King bring blessing and
success to those who obeyed its precepts and
death and oblivion to those who fought
against it. The highway of human events is
strewn with the wrecks of time, while the
ageless and eternal Book survives. It's power
are many and varied; here is the story.
"Little Johnnie, aged five was bending over a
sheet of paper, guiding his pencil with most
meticulous thoroughness.
His mother, smiling at him fondly, said, "What
are you drawing, Johnnie?"
"A picture of God," said Johnnie, without
looking up. "But, Johnnie, nobody knows what
God looks like," said his mother.
And Johnnie said, "They will, once I'm finished."
    A jokester with a philosophic bent of mind 
might pause after the laugh this joke is very likely 
to get, to point out that there have been many 
grown ups in the history of the world who, like
Johnnies, have had their private "vision of God."
   God always finishes what He begins (Phil. 1:6).
God never speak a word without ensuring that it
come to pass (Isa. 55:11). Christ is both the Alpha
and the Omega, the beginning and the end
 (Rev. 1:8,17). Christ is as much at the end of His
Work as He is at its beginning.
    Jesus was given an enormous mandate. He
was to live a sinless life, remain absolute obedient
to His Father. Even the manner of His death was
to fulfill numerous prophecies that had been fire
told in the scripture (.John 19: 28). Yet, despite
the extremely complex assignment Jesus
received from His Father, He could shout
triumphantly from the cross, it is finished!" Christ
now reside within each believer, "Once little
Johnnies Said, they will once I'm finished!" His
assignment today is to complete God's will for us.
    what is it God wants to do in you? And me also
have you allowed Him to complete what had
begun? He will not force you to receive all that He
has for your life. If God's work has not been
brought to in fruition in you, it is not that Christ
has not been diligently working toward that end.
Review the things God has said to you. Are there
promises God has made to you that you have
refuse to allow Him to complete? If so, commit to
yield your will to God today!

"FACING CONSEQUENCES"

There is a path before each person that seems
 right, but it ends in death.
                                     PROVERBS 16;25NLT


THE YOUNG LIEUTENANT was drilling his
Platoon under the eyes of a ferociously scowling
colonel. The lieutenant's nerve was trickling
away under his senior's fierce glance and his
voice was beginning to break. Finally, having
Completed an intricate maneuver, the lieutenant
found the entire platoon marching, rights abreast,
toward the edge of a cliff.
   He broke down completely at that and stared
at the marching men, frozen and helpless.
   And the colonel finally barked, "Good heaven,
man, at least say good-bye to them."
     Yet I had an aversion to them just the same
Things changed after discharge, however. On the
vert first day after, when I was in civilian clothes
at last and on my way home, a major inadvertently
stepped on my shoes at the subway station.
     "Pardon me ," he said civilly
      And eyeing the oak leaf on his shoulder,
      I said loftily, "That's all right , kid
       Somehow that made it all even.
 Back in the early days, there was a radio
program called "Truth or Consequences." What
I most remember about it is that dishonesty
always resulted in in pleasant consequences.
Three words provide guidelines for living: choices,
conditions and consequences. Your Choices
produce the eventual condition of life, which result
in certain consequences that you cannot avoid.
    If you abuse your body with alcohol or drugs
you may sustain liver damage. The
 consequences of your action are living with pain
and facing Possible surgery. Yet before you
experience those consequences, you may deny
 that your choices determine your circumstances.
     Jesus told about a young man who decided
that waiting for his inheritance was too difficult.
He made a decision. "I want it now," he told his
father, who agree to give him his share of
inheritance. With his money he left for a distance
 land and blew his inheritance on wine, women
 and song.
      When his money was give and his friends
deserted him, he went to work feeding swine
yes pigs which were abhorrent t a Jewish boy
until he came to his senses and went back to his
father.
       Never forget that your choices in life produce
the circumstances that, for good or evil, bear
certain consequences. Think carefully. Ask
 yourself this question, "what will be the
consequences of my decision? before you act.
Otherwise you may choose in haste and repent
at leisure.

"EXPANDING MINISTRY"

 "All who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the 
Lord Jesus, both Jews and the Greeks"
                                                   ACTS 19:10b


Paul is quick to resume his work in the
synagogue of Ephesus, a work he began
briefly some months before (18:19-20). As he
has in so many cities across the Roman Empire,
he uses his Jewish roots to gains a hearing in
the synagogue, reasoning from the Scriptures
and persuading the Jews Jesus is their long-
expected Messiah. The positive relationship
that had develop between him and the Ephesian
Jews enables him to minister in this way for three
months. Then division occurs. Though some Jews
are receiving his message, others are refusing to
do so, and they begin to oppose Paul, speaking
"evil of the way before the  multitude."
    As he has done on earlier occasions (13:46;
18:6), Paul turns away from Jews who refuse to
hear him. He ceases his ministry in the
 synagogue and begins teaching in the lecture
 hall of a school run by a man name Tyrannus.
Dr. Simon Kistermaker speculate that Tyrannus
Which means "Tyrant," may be a nickname given
by the man's students. Furthermore, building on a
note in the so-called "Western text" of Acts, he
writes that ministers daily in the school from late
morning to late afternoon. If true, Paul may be
using the morning hours for tent makings work.
    It appear Paul has established a school of
ministry here, and he continue to run it for two
years with the result that "all who dwelt in Asia
heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and
Greeks." It's possible that students from Paul's
school are going out to found new churches
across the province, perhaps including the seven
churches of Asia Minor mentioned in Revelation
 1:11. These student may include such later fellow
 minister of Paul as Epaphras (Col. 1:7; 4:12-13),
 Tychicus (Acts 20:4; Col 4:7), Trophimus
(Acts 20:4), and Philemon and Archippus
(Philemon.1-2).
     Luke also noted that during this times God
does "Unusual" miracles through Paul.
Specifically, clothes or aprons that have touched
his body, being taken to the sick, lead to their
cure. Presumably these are tags and apron Paul
 used in his tent making trade. In any case, the
focus is on God, not Paul. "Luke gives no
indication that the people worshiped Paul or that
they idolized his handkerchief or aprons,"'
 Kisterlaker writes."[God] demonstrates  His
power among the people  so that they may turn to
Him in faith and obtain salvation. During this
phase of his ministry, Paul is content to remain in
one place for lengthy time and pour himself into
the lives of other believers. The result are
spectacular. This  is the vision Paul shared with
Timothy (2 Tim. 2:2). Ask God to equip you and
strengthen you to disciple others, who will
themselves be able to instruct others.

"Catalyst in Life"

"For we brought nothing into the world, and we
  can take nothing out of it."
                                                 1 TIMOTHY 6:7


PAIN, PROSPERITY AND POWER have far
more in common than is evident at first glance.
Pain, for example has been with us from the
 day that Cain struck his brother and killed him.
Why some suffer and why sole are exempted
generally has nothing to do with either you
sinfulness or your righteousness, though let's
face it bad choices, including acts of our sinful
rebellion against God and what He wills for us,
do produce suffering and pain.
     Poverty and prosperity generally are neither
a reward not curse. Both, however, change
people. The absence or presence wealth reduces
us to stark  nakedness, showing the kind of
people we really are. Poverty or prosperity also
puts within ours grasp the potential for great
good. Both are catalysts that change us for better
 or for worse. The psalmist warn us, "Though
your riches increase, do not set your heart on
them" (Psalm 62;10).
    Power that comes through prosperity or
prominence is another catalyst. Some rise
through the ranks unaffected by their importance.
Others, inflated with theirs own accomplishments,
are looking for a vacancy in the Trinity.
    So how can you avoid being affected by all
of these? It's what's within you that matters
Realizing that you are but dust and will someday
leave behind what you have accumulated is
sobering but necessary. Paul's remainder to
Timothy  reflects this, "For we brought nothing
Into The World, and we can take norhing out of
it " ( 1 Timothy 6:7). Ni wonder Psuk instructed
us to lay UP puro treasure where mo identity theft
can rob you, and where it will never depreciate,
and where you get exactly what you deserve.

WORK: A NARCOTIC

"My heart rejoiced in all my labor...And indeed

  all was vanity and grasping for wind.

                                             Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

A friend told me that he feels closest to God 

when he's the busiest. He explained that when 

demands are the greatest, he finds himself most
reliant on the Lord's strength. He pointed out,
 however, that unless he takes times for daily
worship, his work can quickly become an
escape.
    Many people engage in activity for activity's
sake and use busyness sa a device to avoid
facing reality. Just as alcohol can deaden the
 senses to personal relationships, family
obligations, and community responsibilities,
so also constant work can be narcotic. It fills
our sensitivity to the deeper issues of life.
    About 3,000 years ago, the author of
Ecclesiastes discovered this. He sought satis-
faction by busying himself  with building houses
and planting vineyards. But then as he thought
about the work he had done, he realized it was
Full of emptiness (2:10-11).
    We can make the mistake, even in the name
of the Lord. Could this be the reason some of us
try to keep the church running by our own efforts
but forget that fulfillment Coles only from heart
full of God? Are we laboring without those viral
times of worship and reflection? If so, it's time
now to worship before we get caught again in the
 trap of working merely for work's  sake.

"OPEN AT THE TOP"

"We have a great High Priest who gas passed
 through The heavens, Jesus The Son of God.
                                                  Hebrews 4:14


A preacher was delivering  a sermon before a
large congregation. He pointed out that
believers aren't exempt from trouble. In fact,
some Christians are surrounded by trouble,
trouble to the right, trouble to the left, trouble
in front, and trouble behind. At this, a man who
had served the Lord for many years, shouted,
"Glory to God, it's always open at the top!"
     This man's confidence in God is fully
supported by Hebrews 4. Because our great
Hight Priest, Jesus the Son of God, has
ascended to heaven and is interceding there
 for us, we have good grounds for trusting
Him in the midst of trouble (v.14). Jesus is
able sympathize with our weaknesses, for when
He lived on earth He was tempted in every way
that we are, yet He never sinned(v.15). His
throne is completely approachable and is called
"the throne of grace" (v.16).
     In Hebrews we're urged to look up from our
trials and to approach that throne boldly by faith.
Through humble prayer, we will receive mercy
for our failures and grace to help us in our time
of need (v.16).
     Are life's trials and temptations hemming
you in? Has the tempter told you there's
nowhere to go? Take heart. Keep looking up
It's always open at the top! Line of the song say,
He commanded the cloud above to open the door
of heaven for us!
         When life's afflictions batter you
               Like waves upon the sand,
              Remember to look up to God
          And He commanded the storm 
         Peace be still you are the Lord
         the Savior of the world.