Bless The Lord

Good Morning!

Can you believe that 2011 is half over? Where has the year gone? It seems like 2010 was just yesterday … well, actually, it seems like 1970 was just yester day … so where has forty years gone so quickly? Nowadays it isn’t at all unusual to be talking about a historical happening … and to see my listener looking at me will no real understanding … because they weren’t even born when the event occurred. Yes, it seems that time is flying by these days.

Do you remember WAITING for you 21st birthday? Do you remember how it seemed like it would never arrive? We give dates special meanings when they are just blips in the measurement of eternity. Our entire earthly existence is just a brief journey into eternity. King David knew this and penned this Psalm:

Psalm 103 English Standard Version (ESV)
Bless the LORD, O My Soul
Of David.
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
14For he knows our frame;[a]
he remembers that we are dust.

15As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
17But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children,
18to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
19The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.

20Bless the LORD, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
21Bless the LORD, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
22 Bless the LORD, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Footnotes:
a. Psalm 103:14 Or knows how we are formed

The other night at Bible study I shared that we need to pay attention to the small things that God does for us and to not only praise Him but to share them as a testimony of God’s goodness. We live in a world that doesn’t see … or doesn’t acknowledge … the workings of God. It is our responsibility to point out God’s blessings as they occur in our lives. So, bless the Lord, O my soul … and forget not all of His benefits…

Agape’


Mr. Jim

"MINE!!!"

Good Morning!

Bill Cosby is one of my favorite comedians. He takes everyday happenings in life and describes them in such a way that I find myself guffawing. One of his most famous recordings occurred in the early 1980’s where he described being a parent. In one segment, he described the whine of his four year old using just one word: MINE! The whine was so loud that the harried parent immediately gave in to the tot … even taking the toys belonging to one of the older children to stop the racket.

Our Sunday Bible study is beginning a new unit on July 3rd with the primary subject being freedom. Our first lesson is entitled “Personal Rights” … and deals with our enslavement to self indulgence. Let’s take a look at the first set of Scripture in our study:


2 Peter 2 New International Version (NIV)
False Teachers and Their Destruction

1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell,[a] putting them in chains of darkness[b] to be held for judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. 10 This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh[c] and despise authority.

Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings; 11 yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on them from[d] the Lord. 12 But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish.

13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.[e] 14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer,[f] who loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

17 These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” 20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,”[g] and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”

Footnotes:
a. 2 Peter 2:4 Greek Tartarus
b. 2 Peter 2:4 Some manuscripts in gloomy dungeons
c. 2 Peter 2:10 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verse 18.
d. 2 Peter 2:11 Many manuscripts beings in the presence of
e. 2 Peter 2:13 Some manuscripts in their love feasts
f. 2 Peter 2:15 Greek Bosor
g. 2 Peter 2:22 Prov. 26:11

Wow! I don’t know how the teacher is going to get through even this first passage. Peter points out that there are folks who will intentionally teach things about the Scripture that are false. Why? They have their own agenda and it is them. The message that God gave them to teach has been perverted to fit their own evil desires … so they can have what they want when they want it. In essence, they are calling God’s message “MINE”. But in the process they have become enslaved to their own depravity – being mastered by the very sin nature that separates from God.

God has given us freedom from our own selfishness. We are no longer slaves to our self indulgences … unless we choose to be. We should be vigilant so that we do not return to the things of the past that separated us from our fellowship with God. And when the old man calls, we should call more loudly to our God and Father who will save us.

We are no longer four years old. We have graduated beyond the “mine” stage of life. We now have freedom in Christ to do His will …and reap the benefits of being His.



Agape’


Mr. Jim

A Parable

Good Morning!

Boy! Have we had the storms over the last few days! I drove home Friday night from Fayetteville in a storm so strong that you really could not see beyond the car just in front of you. And then Sunday night when we came out of Bible study, the wind was blowing at 30+ miles per hour just before another torrential downpour. And then yesterday still another storm tracked through Riverdale.

Some folks are wondering if the increase in storms might be a sign of the end times. I don’t know … my task is to share the Gospel in hopes of the coming of our Lord – not to predict the ending of the world.

Jesus had a lot of folks who asked him about the coming of the end. Most of the time He refocused the discussion on the mission of Israel. You see, Israel was God chosen people. The question should be “chosen for what”. My answer would be to prepare the nations for the coming of the Messiah.

After Jesus entered Jerusalem, He began teaching in the Temple. As usual, the religious leaders began to question His authority to teach. He kept on teaching anyhow … Below is one of the parables He taught:

Matthew 21:33-45 New International Version (NIV)
The Parable of the Tenants

33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”
41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’[a]?
43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”[b]
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them.

Footnotes:
a. Matthew 21:42 Psalm 118:22,23
b. Matthew 21:44 Some manuscripts do not have verse 44.

So what was Jesus saying? Well, the vineyard is the world. The tenant farmers are the religious leaders of Israel. The servants are the prophets. And the son is none other than Jesus. Note that when Jesus finished the parable, the religious leaders recognized that they were the object of this parable. And how did they react? By seeking to destroy Him.

You know, we don’t like to find out we are in the wrong anymore than the religious leaders of that day. And often times our reaction is similar to theirs. But the lesson we must learn is that we are not the landowners but the tenants … and are beholden to the landowner for producing a crop.

No … storms, earthquakes, floods, famines … all those point to the future. It is a future we need not fear for God is with us. But it is a future that we can help others plan for by just sharing what Christ has done for us.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

The Marble Block

Good Morning!

I have heard from some of you that you enjoy when I talk about my growing up … about Grandma Ward, Aunt Mae, Cud’n Kate and Cud’n Anne. And I enjoy sharing the stories from my childhood because that was my training ground where I learned about the goodness of God and His power.

I was thinking the other day about the marble block that was just beside the sidewalk at 1001 Oakdale. Granddaddy Ward was a doctor … and the marble block was from his office downtown. After he died in 1939, the block was brought to the house and placed where it stood until the house was sold in 1975. I believe the block is now just outside of Aunt Bette’s house in Smyrna Georgia … and I imagine that it will go to one of her children when she passes on.

So what’s so important about a block of marble? Well, in the block was carved the name “Charles P Ward MD”. While he was alive, it identified the place where you could find him if you were a patient. After his death, it was a memorial to him. Of course, when I was very young (four and five and six years old) the marble block was just the right size for me to sit on while we waited for our ride. We didn’t own a car back then … Mom and Dad had just split up and neither one earned enough money to afford a car. We didn’t own a car until Uncle Leon sold us his 1951 Buick in 1958 or 1959. Until that time we depended on the bus or on folks to pick us up and take us where we needed to go. And when we had a ride coming, we would wait beside the road … sometimes sitting, sometimes standing on the block.

Somehow that block of marble meant stability for me as I was growing up. I could always depend on it being right there when I approached Grandma’s. I guess I instinctively knew that it would be there as long as Grandma was there – and that gave me an anchor.

You know God has left us a “marble block” as a reminder of His steadfastness. We call it the Bible. His words are deftly carved in the pages … giving us insight to Him. And that gives me peace.

Well, the verse of the day on Gateway yesterday (say that three times real fast to wake up) was:

Leviticus 19:18 New International Version (NIV)

18 “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

You know God doesn’t want us to stew. He wants us to keep our focus on Him. When we are busy bearing a grudge or seeking revenge, our eyes, our mind, and our hearts are not on Him. And when our focus is misdirected, we are more likely to sin than to serve Him. That is why He wants us to get beyond the hurt and the heartache and refocus on Him. Let God take care of the issues you have. Love your neighbor – even if he or she is your “enemy”. Place him or her before the Lord. Ask God to change your heart from one seeking revenge to one seeking restoration. I’ll bet you will find that YOU will feel better for it.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Love Requires Generosity and vice versa

Good Morning!

Love Requires Generosity

1 John 3:16-18 New International Version (NIV)

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

The second part of this coming Sunday’s Bible lesson on generosity is that we demonstrate our love for Christ and each other by our generosity towards each other. Now I know the underlying message the authors of the Sunday school material is designed to encourage people to give more money to the church … but, as usual, I find something a little different.

Let’s focus on the last verse of the passage to start. What are people looking for in a church member? Do they just want to hear flowery speeches and pretty songs? Or are they looking for substance behind the message we bring?

Christ has given us a purpose … we often refer to it as a commission. God has given us a message to share to with people. But our message carries little weight if we choose to not generously give of ourselves. And by that I do not merely mean our financial resources. Our money is no more than a tool to be used in the garden of life. And it is only one of many tools that God gives to us generously. Can you think of some other tools God has given you? Tool like a fertile mind that can think; a joyous spirit that can encourage; a place to live … often with space that can be used in a crisis; food in abundance; clothes … the list can go on and on. We have both physical and nonphysical resources that have been provided. BUT, if we hold them back – save them for a rainy day – when we have a brother and sister in need … what does the world see?

In 1976, our son Michael contracted pneumonia … and had to be hospitalized for two weeks. We didn’t have the money to cover the coinsurance and deductibles. Our friends, Dave and Donna Mulder, offered us a no interest loan – with no requirement to pay back – to cover the costs. Now we were able to work out a repayment plan with Clayton General hospital … but I still remember the generosity of our brother and sister in Christ in our time of need. Actions do speak loudly.

Why did they make the offer? Dave and Donna are strong believers in Christ Jesus our Lord. They recognize that God has blessed them financially. And they were willing to offer it to someone in need. They did so out of love for the Lord and love for their friends. Should we not do the same?

Well, there is another part to the lesson … but you would have to come to church with me on Sunday to hear it. I hope your weekend will be blessed.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Difficult Passage

Good Morning!

1 Corinthians 11 New International Version (NIV)

1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

On Covering the Head in Worship

2 I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. 3 But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man,[a] and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. 6 For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.
7 A man ought not to cover his head,[b] since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; 9 neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own[c] head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.
13 Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, 15 but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. 16 If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.

Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 11:3 Or of the wife is her husband
b. 1 Corinthians 11:7 Or Every man who prays or prophesies with long hair dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with no covering of hair dishonors her head—she is just like one of the “shorn women.” If a woman has no covering, let her be for now with short hair; but since it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair shorn or shaved, she should grow it again. A man ought not to have long hair
c. 1 Corinthians 11:10 Or have a sign of authority on her


Well, the above is passage we are going to be studying tonight. It looks like it will be an interesting night … I just hope I survive it.

Sometimes I struggle with Paul’s writing. But I have to remember that Paul lived in a very different time than today. Still, God’s Word is God’s Word. And I truly believe that God’s Word speaks as clearly today as it spoke when Paul wrote his letter to the church at Corinth.

Let’s begin by understanding the word “head”. Now, is Paul talking about our body part that we call the head? Or is he referring to what has prominence or preeminence? Well, the answer is “yes” – meaning that Paul is referring to the body part as well as who has prominence and / or preeminence. Take a look at verse 3: Who is the head of Christ? During His earthly ministry, Jesus was consistently obedient to God. Why? Because God is His head. Now we know that Jesus is God made flesh and has every attribute of God. But while on earth, Jesus subjugated Himself to the Father.

Paul states that the head of every man is Christ. And the head of every woman (meaning wife or daughter) is the man. His logic is explained in verse 8. It is like a pecking order of protection. I answer to Christ who protects me as the husband of Norma and our unmarried … and I protect Norma and my unmarried children. I know I am doing a poor job of explaining … but suffice it to say that my life mate – who is my equal – is also under my care and love.

Well, does this mean that Jesus doesn’t care for my wife (or women) directly? No … I know He not only cares, He loves each one of you specifically. And it is through that love that He has given you a life mate to care for you.

Anyway, I am looking forward to tonight’s discussion. I am going to blame it all on Bob Deffinbaugh anyway.

Have a blessed day!

Agape’


Mr. Jim

In His Shadow

Good Morning!

Psalm 91:1-2 New International Version (NIV)

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

Footnotes:
a. Psalm 91:1 Hebrew Shaddai

I met with our Pastor, Jeff Lowe, Monday afternoon about Vacation Bible school. But before we began our meeting, he asked about a couple of prayer requests Miss N had given him. One was about my daughter’s heart problem and the other was about son, David, and some issues he is going through now. I found myself telling Jeff that, while I am concerned as a parent, I also know that God is still sovereign and that He can resolve any issues that our children are going through. And I don’t say that lightly … because experience has taught that God is indeed more than capable of caring for our needs.

Then yesterday, as I was driving home, I began to think of the word “forgiveness”. You see, I think a lot of the problems facing our young people today is knowing how to forgive.

The root word in the Greek for forgiveness means “to release”. I think that the release is twofold: I release the blame of the other and at the same time I also release my own guilt. And, yes, when there is conflict, we have both blame and guilt involved.

Some of us like to carry the blame baggage … not realizing that the bag is filled with our own guilt. Why not just turn the blame and guilt over to God and let Him handle the issue? Don’t you trust Him to make the right judgment?

Take a look at the verses above and think about the two things I have mentioned today: prayer concerns that we have and forgiveness we need to give. Both of these can dwell in the shelter of the Most High. And when I allow myself to be in His shadow … to be so close that the cool of His shadow shields me … I can turn my troubles and my trials over to Him to handle.

You can too … on this, another good day in the Lord.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Grace Compels Generosity

Good Morning!

Grace Compels Generosity

Luke 19:1-10 New International Version (NIV)
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Imagine being the most hated man in town! Zacchaeus had this distinction. He was not only a tax collector. He was the CHIEF tax collector. Our society doesn’t quite understand what that meant. We live under a tax system that has boundaries. We can go to the tax code and discern our tax liability. This wasn’t true in the days of Jesus. The chief tax collector would agree with the government on the amount of tax the government wanted to collect … and the tax collector would then get that amount PLUS whatever else he deemed “necessary” to cover his expenses. And many tax collectors took advantage of the opportunity to get whatever they wanted in tax. Because of this, tax collectors were held in the same esteem as thieves and robbers … only the populace could not do anything about it - only despise the individual and ostracize him. Zacchaeus was such a man.

Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus. Luke doesn’t tell us why Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus … just that he did and that he was willing to humiliate himself by running ahead of the crowd and climbing a tree. And while we do not know what motivated Zacchaeus, we know that his effort to see Jesus would ultimately lead to his redemption. For, while Jesus was “passing through” Jericho, He saw Zacchaeus and altered His plans. He was going to have dinner with Zacchaeus. Why did Jesus choose to do this? Why did Jesus choose to have dinner in the house of a sinner?

Look at verse 10 for the answer. Jesus came to seek and to save those who were lost. The Pharisees didn’t think they were lost. They had the Law and the Prophets. They thought that by keeping all the Law, they could be righteous enough to warrant God’s favor – particularly when they could compare themselves with these scumbag people like tax collectors. They didn’t need – nor did they want – grace. They could handle it on their own.

There are many today who feel similarly. There are many who labor at keeping what they deem is God’s commandment and MISS THE MARK because not one of us can ever be so righteous as to DESERVE God’s mercy. Jesus came to save us through His grace.

So what is all this stuff about giving half of his possessions to the poor and repaying those he defrauded four times the amount? Well, you will remember the rich young man who asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Remember that Jesus told him that he must sell it all and give it to the poor. What you don’t see from Zacchaeus is the question about what he must do. Zacchaeus understood that his life had to change. Zacchaeus knew that for him to be an effective witness in his hometown, he was going to have to demonstrate that changed life. He needed to right the wrongs he had done. And he had to change his heart. Wealth had to become secondary … no, not even on the scale. He had to see his assets as tools to bring people to the Lord. He may have reckoned that to set the record straight would take half of what he owned. The rest he was willing to give away to those who were poor.

As believers in Christ Jesus, we must get to the point where we see what we consider as “ours” as mere tools for God’s service. We know of many who have adopted this principle … and seen their assets GROW because God honors them. NOTE: They do not make this commitment with the intention of seeing their assets grow. They give from a heart of faith.

So why does Jesus say that “salvation has come to this house”? What does Jesus mean when He says that Zacchaeus is the “son of Abraham”? I think this statement is for the benefit of those who were grumbling about Jesus eating with a sinner. They tied their salvation to their bloodline and to the strict observance of the Law – as they saw it. Sinners like Zacchaeus were not worthy to be called sons of Abraham – in their opinion. Jesus wanted them to know that Zacchaeus was worthy.

Zacchaeus wasn’t made worthy by giving away all he had … but by giving all he had to Jesus. So, too, it is with us. God doesn’t want our possessions … with a thought He can create all that we have ten thousand fold. What God does want is for us to be willing to climb a tree …


Agape’


Mr. Jim


Prayer Need:

Cameron Kennelly
Nicole Tuttle

Contentment

06/20/2011

Good Morning!

I had a great Father’s Day yesterday. I got up at my usual time (which is around 4 a.m.). My first stop … well actually my second … was the computer to check email. I worked a little while and then checked out my daughter’s blog (Tightening the Corset Again). I found she had written a tribute to me … can you imagine … and I was quite moved. As I said Thursday, I am a blessed man.

Our Sunday School class went off site yesterday. One of our class members has been unable to attend for some time and we decided to take our class to him. Our study was on contentment. I had to look up the definition. Here is the one from the Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary:

Bible Dictionary
Contentment definition
a state of mind in which one's desires are confined to his lot whatever it may be (1 Tim. 6:6; 2 Cor. 9:8).
It is opposed to envy (James 3:16), avarice (Heb. 13:5), ambition (Prov. 13:10), anxiety (Matt. 6:25, 34), and repining (1 Cor. 10:10).
It arises from the inward disposition, and is the offspring of humility, and of an intelligent consideration of the rectitude and benignity of divine providence (Ps. 96:1, 2; 145), the greatness of the divine promises (2 Pet. 1:4), and our own unworthiness (Gen. 32:10); as well as from the view the gospel opens up to us of rest and peace hereafter (Rom. 5:2).
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary

Here’s my take on it:

Godliness – Companion of Contentment
1 Timothy 6:6-8 New International Version (NIV)

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

What is “godliness”? – Devotion to God.
Let’s talk for a moment about what it means to be a believer in Jesus Christ. When we accepted Christ Jesus, we took Him as our “Savior” and as our “Lord”. Now we understand the “savior” part pretty well: we realize that we were separated from God by our sin; we acknowledged that we were helpless to remove the curse of sin from ourselves; we discovered that God has provided for us Jesus who took on the penalty of sin for us … and died in our place. Therefore, Jesus is the one and only answer to our dilemma … and we trust in that completed work for our salvation.

But what does “lord” mean? We are and have always been “slaves”. We are either slaves to our own lusts (sin) or we are slaves to Christ Jesus our Lord. There is a hopelessness to being a slave to sin – we cannot get enough to satisfy ourselves – and thus we cannot find true peace. But Christ is sufficient for our needs. And as His servant (slave), I can find the peace that passes understanding because I don’t have to have all for me.

How does one live in godliness? It is a matter of focus. If Christ is your Master, you go where He says go; you do what He says do; you rely on His provision for the needs that you might have; you relinquish control and allow Him to take the reins of your life so that He is pleased. In doing so, you can find satisfaction in what you have – because it is not a measure of your success but rather of God’s ability to provide what you need when you need it. And there is a release in that for us.

Being a Christian is a true joy.

Agape’


Mr. Jim


Prayer Need:

Rebecca Caston – MS and transverse myelitis

Trust

Good Morning!

I don’t use this forum often to comment on news items … but sometimes I have to say what I think.

I was reading on the report on Representative Anthony Weiner choosing to resign from Congress on CNN yesterday. I took a couple of minutes to read the comments of readers and one caught my eye. The commentator lamented Representative Weiner resigning, saying that what he did in his private life did not matter – that is why they call it “private”. Well, to put it succinctly, I disagree – and not a little bit, strongly disagree.

What we do in our private lives is very important. Let’s take a gander at Paul’s letter to Timothy about those who would be leaders (overseers):

1 Timothy 3:1-7 New International Version (NIV)
Qualifications for Overseers

1 Here is a trustworthy saying:
Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.

2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full[a] respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)

6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.

7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.

Footnotes:
a. 1 Timothy 3:4 Or him with proper

Okay, I can already hear you … what does this have to do with the secular world? Shouldn’t our “religion’ remain in the church and not outside – after all, we have separation of church and State?

I believe Paul’s wisdom extends beyond the walls of the Church. And it is a fallacy to believe that the Constitution dictates the separation of the church and state. But let’s deal with why Paul’s wisdom is applicable.

Why does Paul say the overseer must be above reproach? Why does he point to faithfulness to the wife as a proving point? Simply this – when we take a wife, we make a life commitment. The person to whom we make that commitment becomes a part of us. If we are not faithful to our commitment to the one dearest to us, how can we be trusted to keep our other commitments to those who are distant?

Failure to keep our commitment to our spouse indicates the character flaw of selfishness – the desire to please ourselves above all others. We don’t need that in our leaders. Our leaders should display selflessness – the desire to take care of others above self. It does not matter if the leader is Christian, Jew, a follower of Islam or has no belief – we don’t need leaders who are selfish. I don’t care if the person is Democratic, Republican or Independent, the standard is selflessness.

What our leaders do in public and in private is important. A person desiring public life must be found above reproach; faithful in his or her commitments; capable of leading those closest to him / her – among the other things listed. We must demand this of our leaders … or we will end up with those who fail to lead … and fail to address the critical issues that face our nation.

I find no joy in the failure of any of those who have been elected to office. But I cannot agree that what any one of leaders does in private has not bearing on their public service. I wish former Representative Weiner well … and hope that he will be able to rebuild his life with his wife.

As a crucial election year approaches, I think we should look for the following in a candidate:

(1) Has the candidate been faithful in his or her personal commitments? Serving people is a trust … but if a person cannot keep the trust he or she has made to one dear to them, how can we be assured that they will keep the trust we place in them?
(2) Is the candidate willing to address difficult issues directly or does he or she attempt to deflect responding? Our country faces some very difficult issues that absolutely must be addressed by our lawmakers. It is time to stop playing politics and address those issues straight on.
(3) Does the candidate pose solutions or point fingers? Telling us the economy is bad because so and so did such and such doesn’t bring resolution to the problem. Americans deserve to know if a candidate has a solution to a problem so they can make a rational decision in their voting.
(4) In every campaign mistakes are made. How willing is the candidate to admit the mistake? Americans are forgiving people … but only when a person is honest with us.

I am sure you can think of others. I believe our nation is facing some serious economic times. We cannot afford leaders who think more about the next election cycle and less about the issues that affect all of us. We are fortunate to live in a country where the people make the choice. God bless the USA.

And God bless all of you this weekend – mothers and fathers alike.


Agape’


Mr. Jim

Father's Day a Few Days Early

Good Morning!

“The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.” Proverbs 23:24 NIV

Yesterday’s verse of the day caught my eye and I just had to share it with all of you.

Miss N and I are blessed with five children – four boys and one girl. And when I say “blessed” I really mean blessed. I mean that even though some have chosen paths that I would not choose. I say that though some have gone through some very difficult periods … and some are going through a difficult period even as we speak. I say blessed even though there have been times when some (or perhaps all) have disagreed with me. Each is still a blessing to me.

I know that today is Thursday and I may be jumping the gun on Father’s day, but it is good to be a Dad … and to have the children that I have. And, yes, I am including my other daughter across the street. Each one is different and each one brings memories of great joy. I didn’t have a long relationship with my Dad … he left before I really knew who he was. I am glad that I have had the opportunity to see my children grow from diapers to being on their own. I miss them … almost every day. I love hearing from them on occasion.

I know there are a bunch of you who are Dads or Moms … and I bet you know how I feel. So … a little early but with great gusto: Happy Fathers Day.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Resolving Conflicts

Good Morning!

What is the church? Well, in my mind, it is not a place but is a gathering of people who have be “called out” by God for His purpose. The problem is that where there are people gathered, interpersonal problems are bound to occur. And if those problems are not resolved, the fellowship of all can be affected. Life has taught me this difficult lesson. So what can we do? As usual, we can turn to God’s Word for an answer:

Matthew 18:15-17 New International Version (NIV)
Dealing With Sin in the Church

15 “If your brother or sister[a] sins,[b] go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’[c] 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Footnotes:
a. Matthew 18:15 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verses 21 and 35.
b. Matthew 18:15 Some manuscripts sins against you
c. Matthew 18:16 Deut. 19:15

I was thinking about this passage as I made my way into work yesterday morning. Now I should mention that I have taught on this Scripture before … and have had some negative feedback. But I remain convinced in these points:

(1) The first place to look when a person “hurts” you is in the mirror. I am convinced that what people do often is a reflection of what is in my life. For example, the anger someone exhibits may reflect some anger I am toting about. So the first thing I must do is self-inspection – check to see if there is a “log in my eye”. And if there is, I need to confess and seek forgiveness.

(2) If, after self-inspection, I find that the actions of my brother or sister are not a reflection of me but of an issue they may have, then I am to approach my brother or sister privately. Paul, in his letter to the church in Galatia, points out that we are to do so “gently”. I am convinced that angry confrontation gets us nowhere except further apart. Our focus in the contact should be reconciliation, not condemnation. I assure you that your brother or sister in Christ is already aware of his or her failure – reminders aren’t going to help that. Love is the salve that heals the wound.

(3) Sometimes pride gets in the way. The idea of taking two or three witnesses is not to browbeat the person into submission … but to be sure that what is said can be attested to. Too often we get into a “he said / she said” situation where what is said can be twisted. The witnesses are to be silent – listening, not participating. Again, the goal is to present an opportunity to reconcile.

(4) Unfortunately, sometimes the matter cannot be resolved privately. In that instance, the church as a whole should be informed so that the body of believers is aware of the issues. Perhaps there is someone within the body that can have a greater impact that you. But if not,

(5) The final step is to distance the body of believers from the individual. Historically, this “shunning” would have a very great impact on the person – but not so much today. Instead, the person just goes to another body of believers … but in time the same issue will arise.

The overriding thought is this: we carry the message of reconciliation; not the message of condemnation. Our goal is to teach each other how to live in peace, love and harmony. This is not an easy task because we are humans who demand our own “territory”. But, with the help and patience of God, we can learn to love each other.

Have a blessed day.



Agape’


Mr. Jim

Flag Day

Good Morning!

Flag Day!

It is not a national holiday. Most of us don’t even think about it. But ask any person who is in the military what the sight of our flag does to their heart. When my good friend, Larry Downer, who is a Colonel on active duty, would spot a flag that tattered or faded, he would often return to the residence or place of business with a new flag to exchange … so the tattered or faded flag could be properly disposed of. I noticed the other day as I made my way through Fayetteville that the VFW post on Highway 85 has a drop off for flags. The men and women who have served us well honor our flag. Many have fought and died for that flag. Perhaps we should also.

Thinking of flags reminds me of the Christian flag. We display them in our churches … but how many of us can recite the pledge that goes with it? Just as the American flag is a symbol of the freedom we enjoy as Americans so too the Christian flag symbolizes the freedom we have in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Our American flag reminds us of the freedoms purchased by the blood of our soldiers. The Christian flag reminds us of the freedom from the curse of sin that was purchased by the blood of our Savior. If you have never heard it, here is the pledge:

"I pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag and to the Savior for whose kingdom it stands. One brotherhood, uniting all mankind, in service and love."

Enjoy Flag Day.

Agape’


Mr. Jim


Prayer Need:

Harold Gunnin asks prayer for his daughter, Shannon and her husband, Chad, as they work through some difficulties.

Shared Praises:

I saw Walter Widemond on the course yesterday. He looked real good. Thanks for your prayers

Prayer Needed

Good Morning!

The weekend was good. There were some bittersweet moments but …

I have often wondered why we keep things from each other when times get rough. We do. And we really shouldn’t because we really need each other to get through this thing called “life”.

For the last four years, there has been a heartache that I have shared with just a few folks. The heartache concerned my relationship with my youngest son. It has been “contentious”. We are both strong-willed people – I admit it. And the language of our relationship has been harsh – sometimes even mean. Families sometimes talk that way with each other. About a month ago I emailed him to scold him for not remembering his Mother. He, of course, responded with some hurtful accusations. And we would have gone back and forth except Miss N said it was enough.

Friday, when I arrived home, Miss N had just gotten off the phone with David. I won’t go through the particulars except to say that in that moment, he needed his Mom. Sunday – yesterday – for the first time in over a year, we sat down to talk. He and Katherine have been having some issues that all married couples encounter. And David needed to talk. There is still a long way for us to go … and there is a long way for him and Katherine to go. We agreed that he needed to work out the problems with his marriage and then address our issues. We also agreed to pray for each other. It is a step. The first of many that we know will follow. We begin the process with this one verse from our God:

Psalm 25:1 New International Version (NIV)
Of David.

1 In you, LORD my God,
I put my trust.

Trusting God for the outcome is all that we can do. And letting you know of this need allows you to know what to pray for. Thank you for your prayers today.

Agape’


Mr. Jim


Prayer Need:

My son, David and his wife Katherine are having some difficulties. Please add them to your daily prayer list. Pray that God will heal the hurts that have driven a wedge in their relationship. Thank you – Mr. Jim & Miss N.

Never Forsaken

Good Morning!

1 Corinthians 10:11-13 King James Version (KJV)

11Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
13There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

I memorize in King James. I don’t know why … I guess it is because the King James version of the Bible was the first edition I had as a young adult and I got used to the archaic language. Most of the time I use either the NIV or the English Standard version when I write you … but I like the phraseology of this particular verse in the King James.

Prior to this verse, Paul had pointed the church to the history of Israel … how they had failed God even though God continued to bless them. You see, some of the folks in the church at Corinth had gotten the big head … thinking they were really strong and others around them were weak. Their pride in their strength was really their weak point – a point that Satan was ready to attack.

There are some folks who think the Old Testament is passé – and doesn’t really apply to us. But the Old Testament is a valuable jewel that reveals our weaknesses and the need for Christ’s strength. As Paul says, these things (meaning the stories from the Old Testament) are written for our admonition (warning). And those who think they are something are headed for a fall because they haven’t learned the lessons taught therein. I hope I don’t fit that category.

Look – we are under constant attack from Satan AND from our own old selves. We are like the person who gave up smoking twenty years ago that though “I’ll just try one” and end up with even a worse nicotine habit. Our weaknesses are common to every man … BUT God remains faithful to us even in our unfaithfulness. He knows our limitations and provides us a way to escape … so we can bear up. Life on earth is tough! We haven’t “arrived” yet. But we are under God’s care. And when we turn to Him, we can find His way out.

Have a great weekend.


Agape’


Mr. Jim

Trip Report

Good Morning!

We had a good time in the mountains. We got lost looking for the first house on our list … and ended up at my insurance company’s office – where daughter Heather works. It was really good to see her. She has been having some health issues and Miss N and I have been worried about her. She looked pretty good although we know she was hurting. She even gave us a lead on another house.

Then we went to son Jim’s house and got fed lunch by Angie and the girls. Angie’s mom and dad stopped by on their way to look at homes in the vicinity – and one lead we had they also had. We did stop by the place we had as our main focus … but didn’t go in – just looked from the street.

After lunch we headed across the mountain to Grandma Leta’s. Mom had an alarm system put in the house after a couple of scares in the last week. We spent the balance of the day with her until Jim and Angie showed up. Jim celebrated his birthday yesterday … but we took them to dinner Monday since their Wednesday was already spoken for. After dinner (including a homemade chocolate chip cookie cake), we headed back to GM Leta’s to spend the night.

Our reservation at Brasstown Valley was for Tuesday with a 9 a.m. tee time. Miss N accompanied me as we made the route around the course. It was HOT … and I was beat by the time we finished. We whiled away the afternoon in our room – both catching needed catnaps; then took a walk before dinner, sat in the swing overlooking the golf course … and just were lazy.

I have to say that God has been really good to Miss N and me over the years. He has blessed us with each other – I am proud to say she is my wife and I think she feels the same way about me. She is my joy … as the Proverbist says:

Proverbs 31:10-11 New International Version (NIV)
Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

10A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.

Our trip ended on somewhat of a sad note. Miss N and I love animals – dogs, cats, fish. One of our cats, Grady, had been missing for a few days before we left. We found him under the house – he had been injured by something and had crawled up there to die. So our Wednesday afternoon was sad as we extracted him from the crawl space and buried him near the garden. He was a good cat.

Well, I know you guys were praying for us as we traveled. Thank you for your prayers. And have a great Thursday.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Druthers

Good Morning!

I want to talk about “druthers”. What are druthers? Well it is a contraction of “I would rather”.

Norma and I leave today for a two day holiday. Our first stop will be to look at a couple of places I have found on the internet that are close to my two oldest children. All of our children have moved away from Riverdale – except Cody and Marquee who are our grandchildren. And while we love our neighbors, we also long to be a little nearer to some of our family. So we have been scouting around to see if we could find a place. In short, we druther be nearer our children.

I shared with my Sunday school class our plans and also shared with them that sometimes we don’t get our druthers. Sometimes God says “no”. And when it comes to my druthers and God’s druthers, well, if I am true to my stand as a Christian, I will hear the “no” and obey. It just so happened that our lesson this week was about King David and his druthers. King David wanted to build a place for the Ark of the Covenant. God said “no”. Now King David had a choice … he could pout or he could help out. There were a lot of things King David did wrong in his life … but this one he got right. He threw all his might behind his son, Solomon, who was the one God chose to build the Temple.

As I said, sometimes we are faced with the same dilemma. The mark of our understanding of our relationship with God (stewards of His possessions) shows when we are disappointed. We just have to believe that God knows what is best. But it doesn’t keep us from looking…

Well, I have a good Bible verse that accompanies that:

Psalm 143:10New International Version (NIV)

10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground.

You see, the right relationship is one that acknowledges who God is and is willing to do His will. May that be what always happens in each of our lives.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Note: Miss N and I are going to be away from home beginning Monday through Wednesday so there won’t be a Good Morning on either Tuesday or Wednesday. But I will be back….

Prayer Need:

Three prayer requests for this day:

Pete Luke – cancer
Profit Lucy - knee surgery
Lila – a four year old with a brain tumor and heart tumor

Learning from History

Good Morning!

We really had a good Bible study last night. It is fascinating to read the history of Israel and see the parallels to today. God had brought the nation out of bondage … just like God has brought us out of bondage. God had provided Israel with all the material blessings they needed … just like God provides for our needs today. God had given them a leader in Moses … just like God gives us Jesus today. And still with all this before them, Israel wasn’t satisfied. They craved irrelevant things. They practiced idolatry. They engaged in immorality. They challenged God’s love for them. They grumbled. Here’s what Paul writes:

1 Corinthians 10:6-10New International Version (NIV)

6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”[a] 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test Christ,[b] as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.

Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 10:7 Exodus 32:6
b. 1 Corinthians 10:9 Some manuscripts test the Lord

Paul points out that many of the Israelites (in fact all but Caleb and Joshua) never got to the Promised Land because of their lack of self discipline. Paul was warning the church at Corinth that their ministries would be similarly thwarted because to the same reason.

I am a big believer in the current applicability of Scripture. I believe what Paul writes is available to us because God knows we need to see it. In short, the same admonition Paul was giving to the church at Corinth is an admonition we, the Ecclesia, should be listening to today. And when we do, we will see God’s blessings. When we don’t … well, what’s that verse about the wilderness:

1 Corinthians 10:5New International Version (NIV)

5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Note: Miss N and I are going to be away from home beginning Monday through Wednesday so there won’t be a Good Morning on either Tuesday or Wednesday. But I will be back….

Self Indulgent or Self Disciplined

Good Morning!

I have been studying up on 1st Corinthians 10. For those of you who are in the Thursday night Bible study, we are going to only get through the fist ten verses tonight. But those ten verses (plus some from chapter 9) have a lot to say.

As a preview (and for my other readers who don’t get to come to the study), there are two terms we are going to look at tonight: self indulgence and self discipline. The church at Corinth struggled because it was filled with self indulgent people. Is this something we see in the church today? Yes! I am always struck when some one tells me that he or she isn’t being “fed” at the church they just left. I want to ask “why”? One of our references in tonight’s study is found in Numbers 11.

Numbers 11:4-9 New International Version (NIV)
Quail From the LORD

4 The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. 6 But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”
7 The manna was like coriander seed and looked like resin. 8 The people went around gathering it, and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. 9 When the dew settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.

Now one must remember that Egypt is the land of captivity. When I think of Egypt, I think of the captivity of sin that we once were trapped in. But look at verses 4 and 5. What did the people do when the rabble stirred them up? They looked back at all the “good things they had to eat” in Egypt. Had they forgotten the whip? Had they forgotten the hard labor? Had they forgotten Pharaoh killing all the male children on a whim? Yes … because they wanted to remember the “good things” of Egypt.

Do you remember all the “good things” you did before you were saved? All the wild nights and crazy days that led you further away from God? Do you miss them? Only if you are self indulgent and not self disciplined.

God has set you aside for a special purpose. You are made the way you are because God has something special for you to do. But it takes self discipline for you to get there.

Well, I am looking forward to tonight. I wish all of you could be with me and the gang.

Agape’


Mr. Jim

Cost of Discipleship

Good Morning!

Everything has a cost. The cost of discipleship is devotion – absolute devotion. The following passage seems to be cruel in its application … but in reality, what the disciple was asking wasn’t what we think he was asking. Let’s read it:

Matthew 8:18-22 (New International Version)
The Cost of Following Jesus

18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

The first person who approached Jesus was a teacher of the law (a rabbi). He knew that there was a cost to following Christ but Jesus wanted him to be aware of the full cost. Jesus didn’t have a home to stay in. The clothes He wore were all that He had. He wasn’t guaranteed even one meal a day. This would be quite a change for the rabbi. Much like our religious hierarchy today, most teachers of the law were well taken care of – otherwise they were considered to be “sinners” because God hadn’t blessed them. Jesus was letting the rabbi know that following Him would not be easy.

The second person is the “another disciple” who asks to go bury his father. Now the assumption we often make is that dear ol’ dad is D E A D and his son wants to attend the funeral. No! His dad is alive and kicking … what this disciple was asking was to put off being a follower until he had fulfilled all the “obligations” of a son – including the funeral. In other words, following Jesus was secondary. Jesus immediately tells the “another disciple” that being a disciple requires primacy. Matthew doesn’t tell us how the “another disciple” reacted. Did he return to his Dad? Or did he put Jesus first?

A true disciple of Christ Jesus is one who recognizes that Jesus comes first. Long ago, Miss N and I both decided that Jesus was the primary person in each of our lives. That doesn’t mean that Miss N loves me any less … in fact, I think her love for Jesus allows her to love me even more. And I think the same thing is true for me. You see, I didn’t really know what love was until I found the love of Christ Jesus. And then I could let that love flow through me to Miss N, my kids and grandkids and great grandkid; to my friends and even to my enemies. But Jesus has to be my first love before I can pass His love on.

One of the joys of discipleship is the uncertainty of being His disciple. We don’t know where He will send us. We don’t know all the challenges we will encounter. We cannot know the hardships or the joys. But we do know that Jesus is leading us … because we are His disciples.

No, the passage wasn’t cruel at all – it was direct and informative. And should be heeded even today.

Agape’


Mr. Jim


Prayer Need:
Please put my friend Dora Brock on the pray list. They found a mass by her heart and she will have a heart cath. tomorrow. Also, Ruth Mundy from my Sunday School class who was diagnosed with Stage 5 liver and pancreas cancer. Thanks.

Judy