sequoia

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Giant Sequoia trees, also known as redwoods, are the biggest living things on Earth. Heights of 300 feet and diameters of 30 feet are not uncommon. They can range in age from 2,000 to 3,000 years—some of which were living when Jesus walked the shores of Galilee. The largest specimen, the General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park, is 275 feet tall, has a diameter of 36.4 feet at the base, and has been estimated to weigh 2500 metric tons. 

The Pacific coast redwoods in southern Oregon and central California range in height from 100 to 367 feet - a size approached only by the eucalyptus of Australia.

What is fascinating about these majestic redwood trees that reach their leafy arms heavenward is that they stand for hundreds of years surviving raging fires, violent storms, and fierce winds. I have also read that they have a comparatively shallow root system which makes their survival even more amazing. So how do they survive? They survive because they live in groves with their root systems entangled with numerous other trees. In other words they support each other. They couldn't survive alone.

Neither can we. We need each other. We were never meant to go it alone. We need the support of one another to make it. One of the major purposes of the Christian church is for the very purpose of encouraging and supporting one another. If you don't belong to such a church, I urge you to do all you can to find one. 

sting

A family on vacation were driving along in their car, windows rolled down, enjoying the cool breeze of the warm, summer's day. All of a sudden a bee darted in the window and started buzzing around inside the car. A little girl, highly allergic to bee stings, cringed in the back seat. If she were stung, she could be in serious trouble.

"Oh, Daddy," she screeched in terror, "It's a bee! It's going to sting me!"

The father pulled the car over to a stop, and reached back to try to catch the bee. Buzzing towards him, the bee bumped against the front windscreen where the father trapped it in his fist. Holding it in his closed hand, the father waited for the inevitable sting. In pain from the sting, the father let go of the bee.

With the bee loose in the car again the little girl panicked. "Daddy, it's going to sting me!" The father gently said, "No, honey, he's not going to sting you now. Look at my hand." He showed her the bee's stinger in his hand."2

And that's exactly what Jesus did for us on the cross. He took the sting of death for us … as the songwriter put it, "You will know him by the nail prints in his hands." And as the Bible says, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (    1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

thanks

Greg Anderson, in "Living Life on Purpose" tells a story about a man whose wife had left him. He was completely depressed.  He had lost faith in himself, in other people, in God - he found no joy in living. One rainy morning this man went to a small neighborhood restaurant for breakfast.

Although several people were at the diner, no one was speaking to anyone else. Our miserable friend hunched over the counter, stirring his coffee with a spoon.

In one of the small booths along the window was a young mother with a little girl. They had just been served their food when the little girl broke the sad silence by almost shouting, "Momma, why don't we say our prayers here?"

The waitress who had just served their breakfast turned around and said,  "Sure, honey, we can pray here. Will you say the prayer for us?" And she turned and looked at the rest of the people in the restaurant and said, "Bow your heads."


Surprisingly, one by one, the heads went down. The little girl then bowed her head, folded her hands, and said, "God is great, God is good, and we thank him for our food. Amen."

That prayer changed the entire atmosphere. People began to talk with one another. The waitress said, "We should do that every morning."

"All of a sudden," said our friend, "my whole frame of mind started to improve. From that little girl's example, I started to thank God for all that I did have and stopped majoring in all that I didn't have. I started to be grateful."

"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thes. 5:18) 

share

Mercedes TV commercial a few years ago showed a Mercedes crashing into a concrete wall during a safety test? An engineer in a white lab coat walks over after the crash and kneels down to examine the damage, which is minimal. 

A reporter then asks the engineer about Mercedes' energy absorbing car body. After the engineer tells all about the unique design the reporter asks him why Mercedes doesn't enforce their patent on the design, a design evidently copied by several other companies because of its success.

          

"The engineer then replied matter-of-factly, 'Because some things in life are too important not to share.'

"How true this is. There are many things in life that fall into this 'too important not to share category.' Advances in science, in medicine, in technology. But all of these pale in importance to that of sharing the gospel message of Jesus Christ."1

As Billy Graham said: "I am convinced the greatest act of love we can ever perform for people is to tell them about God's love for them in Christ."

Our First Responsibility

Jesus Christ’s last commission to all His followers was to "Go into all the world and preach [communicate] the Good News to everyone, everywhere"2 This needs to be the first responsibility of every true follower of Jesus Christ!

One of my favorite quotes happens to be from a Buddhist monk who said, "To know and not to do is not yet to know." To translate this into our Christian terminology it could be, "To believe and not to act is not yet to believe because I only truly believe that which motivates me to action." And as God's Word also says, "Faith without works is dead."3

“When many people each do a little, together 

we can accomplish great feats for God.”

Another Word from God's Word: "It is God himself, in his mercy, who has given us this wonderful work [of telling his Good News to others], and so we never give up."4

* * * * * * * *

Jesus: "You are to go into all the world and preach (communicate) the good news to everyone every-where."

George Barna: According to George Barna, research specialist, more than 80% of current church growth in Protestant churches is by church transfer or biological growth—not from reaching the unchurched.

"The Internet used effectively has great potential for reaching the unchurched—across the street and around the world." – DI

Billy Graham: "I am convinced the greatest act of love we can ever perform for people is to tell them about God's love for them in Christ."

Oswald J. Smith "The supreme task of the church is the evangelization of the world."

hit

For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes." (Proverbs 24:16).

Sports Illustrated writer Jeannette Bruce once spent two-and-a-half years taking judo lessons, progressing steadily through the entire spectrum of self-defense "belts."

"On one rainy night," she said, "it all seemed worthwhile. The thing every judo student dreams of happened to me. I was walking down Sixth Avenue about 9:00 p.m. when a man stepped out of a dark doorway and tried to snatch my purse. How prepared I should have been, how ready to smash him to the pavement with a flourishing foot sweep!"

"Instead ... I hit him over the head with my umbrella!"

I suppose most of us can identify with Jeanette in some way. We get a great opportunity to do something worthwhile and blow it by doing or saying something stupid. Or when faced with temptation, we know how to resist the enemy because we know all the right Bible verses to fend for ourselves. However, instead of putting on the "whole armor of God," we seek to overcome in our own strength--and fail miserably.

However, when we do fail, the important thing is to get up, learn from our mistakes, and go on having learned to put our trust in God in every situation in which we find ourselves.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that when I stumble and fall, you do not condemn me but reach out to help me get back on my feet again. In every failure please help me to learn from my mistakes, get up, and, trusting in you, go on. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

grew

Peter Marshall, one-time chaplain of the US Senate, once preached...

Thrown into prison, they made the cell a pulpit and the dungeon a choir.

Stoned, they rose from the dust bleeding and bruised, but with a more convincing testimony,

Lashed with whips, they praised God more.  

Nothing could stop them. The Romans made human torches of believers to light the arenas on their holidays. Yet in death, these Christian martyrs made converts to their strange preaching.

    Hunted and persecuted …

    Thrown to the lions ...

    Tortured and killed,

    Still the number of those who made the sign of the Cross grew … and grew.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:2-4)

be

A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin, age 5, and Ryan, age 3. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, 'Let my brother have the first pancake. I can wait.' Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!"

I think it's safe to say that we're all a little bit like Kevin. We want everyone else to act like Jesus. We want everyone else to be kind and giving. We want everyone else to make the sacrifices and be tolerant and forgiving of us.

Unfortunately, the only person I have control over is myself. And it is only when I see God's Word as a guide for my life that it begins to do me any good.

"For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps." (I Peter 2:21)

Today, YOU be Jesus!!!

view

It is reported that the German controllers at Frankfurt Airport expect pilots to know their gate location and how to get there without any assistance from them. This conversation is said to have taken place between the control tower in Frankfurt and a British Airways 747 (radio call Speedbird 206) after landing:

Speedbird 206: "Good morning Frankfurt, Speedbird 206 clear of the runway."

Ground: "Guten morgan, taxi to your gate."

The British Airways 747 pulls onto the main taxiway and stops.

Ground: "Speedbird, do you not know where you are going?"

Speedbird 206: "Stand by, ground, I'm looking up the gate location now."

Ground (with impatience): "Speedbird 206, have you never flown to Frankfurt before?"

Speedbird 206 (coolly): "Yes, in 1944. But I didn't stop".

Things look different from the ground than they do in the air! (especially when the view from the air has crosshairs that get in the way :-) Our perspective makes all the difference in the world.

Which raises an interesting question -- do we tend to look at things from an earthly point of view or from a heavenly point of view?

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:1-2)

If things in your life aren't looking so good from "ground level", perhaps it will help to take a look at things from a heavenly perspective.

-alan smith

both

The following was reported by WESTERN MORNING NEWS in 1994:

Ian Lewis, 43, of Standish, Lancashire, England, was interested in finding out about his family. He spent 30 years tracing his family tree back to the seventeenth century. He traveled all over Britain, talked to 2,000 relatives and planned to write a book about how his great-grandfather left to seek his fortune in Russia and how his grandfather was expelled after the Revolution. Then he found out he had been adopted when he was a month old and his real name was David Thornton. He resolved to start his family research all over again.

How frustrating! However, it reminds me that, for a Christian, it makes no difference whether we trace our spiritual lineage by way of birth or adoption because both images are used to express our relationship to God our Father.

"Jesus answered, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.' " (John 3:5)

"...having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will..." (Ephesians 1:5)

God is our Father by (re)birth and by adoption (we are chosen!). What a privilege to be a part of His family!

wisdom

A college student in a philosophy class was taking his first examination. On the paper there was a single line which simply said: "Is this a question? -- Discuss."

After a short time he wrote: "If that is a question, then this is an answer."

The student received an "A" in the class

Philosophy. We sometimes think of it as a class where everyone sits around asking ridiculous questions ("If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around to hear it......."). But the word "philosophy comes from a Greek word meaning "love of wisdom" and that is something the Bible speaks positively about.

"Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding." (Proverbs 3:13)

It's important to understand what the Bible means by "wisdom". The best definition I've ever heard is "the ability to make right decisions", and to do that we must listen to God.

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7)

May God bless you in your pursuit of wisdom this day!

-alan smith

healing

During the course of my 38 years on this planet, I have met various people from all walks of life. The one common thread all seem to share--whether rich or poor--is that we all face hardships, disappointments, and emotional upsets. This proves that neither money nor worldly success brings real, lasting happiness.

What do you do when things are not going your way? Do you run to your doctor in hopes of solving your problem with the pop of a pill? Will you spend hundreds of dollars on a therapist who routinely practices New Age techniques such as healing from crystals, past life regression therapy, and the like? Will you mope around the house for months in a depressed state hoping some glimmer of light will pass your way? Who do YOU turn to when you are in pain?

In the Bible, we are told our Lord is the great physician and healer. While it is true our heavenly Father is able to restore physical bodies, He is also a healer and mender of spirits. Indeed, He is the ultimate Comforter in a hurting world.

Everything has it's time and place. Before you turn to man for emotional healing, reach out to God frst.

"Seek ye first the klingdom of God and His righteousness; and ALL these things will be added unto you"  Matthew 6:33

-melanie schurr

judas

If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God" (Ps. 55:12-14).

Betrayal is one of the most difficult tests that we will ever face because it involves being wounded by someone we trust. It's hard not to become bitter when a friend or family member wounds us. It takes a lot of Christ-like grace to forgive a traitor.

You have probably faced the Judas Test yourself. Every day you and I work in a marketplace that is rife with betrayal, deception, duplicity, and treachery. Perhaps you have been betrayed by your boss or a coworker. Or perhaps somebody betrayed a confidence or stabbed you in the back. It may have even been someone you've gone to church with or prayed with - someone you trusted as a brother in Christ.

The Judas kiss stings worse than a slap across the face. Almost every leader I know has experienced that sting at one time or another. Yet God is watching to see how we respond to the Judas Test. If we pass the test, He can then take us to the next level, the next test. If we fail, we'll probably have to repeat the test until we learn to forgive.

The Judas Test is God's graduate level course in faith, designed to reveal the truth about ourselves: Are we willing to trust Him enough to forgive the Judases in our lives? The book of Hebrews warns, "See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many" (Heb 12:15). When we refuse to forgive, we risk infecting others with a "bitter root" of resentment.

-os hilman

ice

A Reuters news story reported on a theory proposed by a Florida university professor:

The New Testament says that Jesus walked on water (John 6:16-21), but Professor Doron Nof believes there could be a less miraculous explanation -- he walked on a floating piece of ice. Nof, a professor of oceanography at Florida State University, said on Tuesday that his study found an unusual combination of water and atmospheric conditions in northern Israel which could have led to ice formation on the Sea of Galilee. 

A drop in temperature below freezing could have caused ice thick enough to support a human to form on the surface of the freshwater lake near the western shore, Nof said. It might have been nearly impossible for distant observers to see a piece of floating ice surrounded by water. Nof said he offered his study as a "possible explanation" for Jesus' walk on water. 

It's nothing new. There have been attempts to "explain away" the miracles of Jesus ever since -- well, ever since the time of Jesus. Every now and then, though, these attempts rise to preposterous levels. 

William Barclay, a well-known commentator, has attempted to come up with a possible "natural" explanation for many of Jesus' miracles as well. My favorite is probably his explanation of the feeding of the 5,000 (also found in John 6). According to Barclay, many of the people in the crowd had food to eat, but they selfishly kept it to themselves. But when Jesus smiled and shared the loaves and fishes that the little boy brought him, the crowd was moved with remorse. So, when the basket of food passed, they each put in some of their own food so that, in the end, there was plenty for everyone. The miracle, then, according to Barclay, was not the multiplication of food, but the changing of peoples' hearts. Jesus "turned a crowd of selfish men and women into a fellowship of sharers." (The Gospel of John, Volume 1, p. 206) 

But, back to Nof's theory. Let me get this straight. The disciples got into a boat and started to cross the Sea of Galilee. It was dark. Jesus conveniently stepped onto a piece of ice which then floated across the sea. While this was happening, "a strong wind started to blow and stir up the sea." (John 6:18, GOD'S WORD). Apparently Jesus had excellent balance because the wind and the waves were not enough to cause him to fall off of this piece of ice as it drifted several miles directly to the disciples' boat. I don't know about you, but it seems to me that may have taken a bigger miracle than walking on the water! 

Why would anyone go to such great lengths to try to discount what happened? I can only think of one reason. If the miracles are indeed true, then they force a person to an undeniable conclusion -- that Jesus was indeed who he claimed to be (the Son of God): 

"Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:30-31) 

Thanks be to our God who time and again demonstrated his power over nature, disease, Satan, death, and ultimately his own death. We praise Him for His power, and humbly submit ourselves to His will!

....helpless

Psalm 10:17 "Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them." (NLT)

"The hopes of the helpless." Interesting phrase don't you think? What are the hopes of the helpless? Help. Escape. Relief. Freedom. Deliverance. Strength. Energy. Light. Refreshment. Revival. Renewal. Dreams. "Immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine."

"The hopes of the helpless." Would those descriptive words apply to you? Weak. Weary. Worn-down. Restless. Barely holding on. Holding on to hope even though there are times you wonder why? Hoping that something totally beyond your power and beyond your comprehension will happen. Hope that something will bring about a change. Hope that something will happen that you have never even dreamed of... something "out of the blue."

A hope of the helpless might involve the doctor coming into your hospital room with a puzzled look on his face saying, "The tumor is gone. We can't explain it, but it's gone."

A hope of the helpless might be waking up in the middle of the night concerned about your husband but not sure there is anything you can do to encourage him or lift his spirits.

A hope of the helpless might take the shape of accidently bumping into the professor of the class you're struggling in and having her say, "I think you can do this. Just don't give up."

A hope of the helpless might come from meeting a new family after they visited your church and hearing them say, "We loved it! We want to be involved."

The hopes of the helpless may come in all shapes and sizes that surfaces at the least expected time. The hopes of the helpless may come at a time when you feel totally drained. The hopes of the helpless may come may come at a time when you wonder if there is any reason to hang on to your hope.

According to David there are at least three reasons for the helpless to have hope.

First, the Lord knows the hopes of the helpless. The Lord knows what you are going through. He knows the pain you are feeling. He knows that the pain has been with you for longer than you can remember. He knows that you have exhausted yourself trying to fix things, restore things, and rebuild things. He knows you feel helpless.

Second, the Lord hears the cries of the helpless. He hears your heart. He hears the words that you cannot speak. He hears voice inside you crying out for help. He hears the cries for an end to the suffering.

Third, He comforts the helpless. Not only does He know the hopes of the helpless and hear their cries, but He also comforts them. There may be no human way to describe this comfort from the Lord, but when you experience it, you will know it. You will have no doubt about the One who providing the comfort. It will be clear that your hopes known and your cries are being heard.

He knows. He hears. He comforts. There is hope for the helpless.

ice

The New Testament says that Jesus walked on water (John 6:16-21), but Professor Doron Nof believes there could be a less miraculous explanation -- he walked on a floating piece of ice. Nof, a professor of oceanography at Florida State University, said on Tuesday that his study found an unusual combination of water and atmospheric conditions in northern Israel which could have led to ice formation on the Sea of Galilee. 

A drop in temperature below freezing could have caused ice thick enough to support a human to form on the surface of the freshwater lake near the western shore, Nof said. It might have been nearly impossible for distant observers to see a piece of floating ice surrounded by water. Nof said he offered his study as a "possible explanation" for Jesus' walk on water. 

It's nothing new. There have been attempts to "explain away" the miracles of Jesus ever since -- well, ever since the time of Jesus. Every now and then, though, these attempts rise to preposterous levels. 

William Barclay, a well-known commentator, has attempted to come up with a possible "natural" explanation for many of Jesus' miracles as well. My favorite is probably his explanation of the feeding of the 5,000 (also found in John 6). According to Barclay, many of the people in the crowd had food to eat, but they selfishly kept it to themselves. But when Jesus smiled and shared the loaves and fishes that the little boy brought him, the crowd was moved with remorse. So, when the basket of food passed, they each put in some of their own food so that, in the end, there was plenty for everyone. The miracle, then, according to Barclay, was not the multiplication of food, but the changing of peoples' hearts. Jesus "turned a crowd of selfish men and women into a fellowship of sharers." (The Gospel of John, Volume 1, p. 206) 

But, back to Nof's theory. Let me get this straight. The disciples got into a boat and started to cross the Sea of Galilee. It was dark. Jesus conveniently stepped onto a piece of ice which then floated across the sea. While this was happening, "a strong wind started to blow and stir up the sea." (John 6:18, GOD'S WORD). Apparently Jesus had excellent balance because the wind and the waves were not enough to cause him to fall off of this piece of ice as it drifted several miles directly to the disciples' boat. I don't know about you, but it seems to me that may have taken a bigger miracle than walking on the water! 

Why would anyone go to such great lengths to try to discount what happened? I can only think of one reason. If the miracles are indeed true, then they force a person to an undeniable conclusion -- that Jesus was indeed who he claimed to be (the Son of God): 

"Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:30-31) 

Thanks be to our God who time and again demonstrated his power over nature, disease, Satan, death, and ultimately his own death. We praise Him for His power, and humbly submit ourselves to His will!

-alan smith

ambiguous

Robert Thornton, a professor of economics at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA, was, like many teachers, frustrated about having to write letters of recommendation for people with dubious qualifications, so he put together an arsenal of statements that can be read two ways.  He calls his collection the "Lexicon of Inconspicuously Ambiguous Recommendations", or LIAR, for short.

     Thornton explains that LIAR may be used to offer a negative opinion of the personal qualities, work habits or motivation of the candidate while allowing the candidate to believe that it is high praise.

Some examples from LIAR:

* To describe a person who is extremely lazy:  "In my opinion, you will be very fortunate to get this person to work for you."

* To describe a person who is totally inept:  "I most enthusiastically recommend this candidate with no qualifications whatsoever."

* To describe an ex-employee who had problems getting along with fellow workers:  "I am pleased to say that this candidate is a former colleague of mine."

* To describe a candidate who is so unproductive that the job would be better left unfilled:  "I can assure you that no person would be better for the job."

* To describe a job applicant who is not worth further consideration:  "I would urge you to waste no time in making this candidate an offer of employment."

* To describe a person with lackluster credentials:  "All in all, I cannot say enough good things about this candidate or recommend him too highly."

     Robert Thornton is right, isn't he?  We don't like to hurt people's feelings, but we don't want to be totally dishonest either, so we are excited to find a way to be ambiguous.  We call it ambiguity, speaking a half-truth, using mental reservation, twisting the truth a bit, being ambivalent.  Perhaps at least Thornton was more honest when he called his collection "LIAR".

     It may be that no Christian characteristic has suffered more in the workplace than honesty.  It shouldn't be that way.  Jesus wants his people to be known as a people of truth.  It is important that those around us can trust what we say without wondering whether we really mean it or not.

     "Therefore, putting away lying, each one speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another." (Ephesians 4:25).

Have a great day (and I say that in all truth)!

priceless

Richard Fairchild tells about a story that appeared years ago in the Christian Reader. It was called "Priceless Scribbles." It concerns a father who touched his child's life in an unexpected way. A young boy watched as his father walked into the living room. The boy noticed that his younger brother, John, began to cower slightly as his father entered. The older boy sensed that John had done something wrong. Then he saw from a distance what his brother had done. The younger boy had opened his father's brand new hymnal and scribbled all over the first page with a pen.

Staring at their father fearfully, both brothers waited for John's punishment. Their father picked up his prized hymnal, looked at it carefully and then sat down, without saying a word. Books were precious to him; he was a minister with several academic degrees. For him, books were knowledge. What he did next was remarkable. Instead of punishing his son, instead of scolding, or yelling, his father took the pen from the little boy's hand, and then wrote in the book himself, alongside the scribbles that John had made.

Here is what that father wrote: "John's work, 1959, age 2. How many times have I looked into your beautiful face and into your warm, alert eyes looking up at me and thanked God for the one who has now scribbled in my new hymnal. You have made the book sacred, as have your brother and sister to so much of my life."

The author of the story, now an adult, goes on to say how that hymnal became a treasured family possession, how it was tangible proof that their parents loved them, how it taught the lesson that what really matters is people, not objects; patience, not judgment; love, not anger.

"And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Eph. 6:4)

-esermons

word

A duck walked into a feed store and asked the owner, "Do you have any duck food?"

The proprietor replied, "No, we don't have any duck food."

The next day the duck walked into the same feed store and asked the owner, "Do you have any duck food?"

The feed store owner was an ill-mannered, impatient man. He yelled at the duck, "I told you yesterday! We don't have any duck food. Now get out of here and don't come back or I'll nail your webbed feet to the floor!"

Again, on the next day, the duck walked into the same feed store. This time he asked the store owner, "Do you have any nails?"

"Nope. We don't have nails."

"Then do you have any duck food?"

I suppose we've all made threats from time to time that we never intended to carry out. There have been many times I've heard a parent say to his or her child, "You better do this before I count to three or else!" only to count to three and, not seeing any response from the child, say, "This time I mean it -- "You better do this before I count to three or else!" Our children catch on very quickly as to whether or not we intend to carry through on the promises and threats we make to them.

Sometimes things happen that keep us from following through on a commitment. But that should be the rare exception, not the rule. The apostle Paul wanted to make sure that the Corinthians knew the difference. He had told them that he intended to visit them twice, but he was only going to be able to see them once. Some of his critics used this as an opportunity to accuse Paul of being fickle and untrustworthy. Here's Paul's response:

"I had originally planned two great visits with you - coming by on my way to Macedonia province, and then again on my return trip....That was the plan. Are you now going to accuse me of being flip with my promises because it didn't work out? Do you think I talk out of both sides of my mouth - a glib yes one moment, a glib no the next? Well, you're wrong. I try to be as true to my word as God is to his..." (2 Cor. 1:15-18, The Message)

What a powerful statement to make -- "I try to be as true to my word as God is to his." Can we say the same? As Christians, we need to be known as a people of our word. We shouldn't have to play word games like, "Well, if I say it like this, then I mean what I say, otherwise I don't." We need to develop a reputation for being a people of our word.

-alan smith

place

Joe, the Governor's most trusted assistant, died in his sleep one night. The Governor had depended on Joe for advice on every subject, from pending bills to wardrobe decisions. In addition, Joe had been his closest friend.

So, it was understandable that the Governor didn't take kindly to the droves of ambitious office seekers who wanted Joe's job. "They don't even have the decency to wait until the man is buried," the Governor muttered.

At the funeral, one eager beaver made his way to the Governor's side. "Governor," the man said, "is there a chance that I could take Joe's place?"

"Certainly," the governor replied. "But you'd better hurry. I think the undertaker is almost finished."

I'm sure we can all look around us and find a number of people of whom we have said at one time or another, "I would like to take his/her place." But I dare say that you have never made that statement of someone who had died, or was about to die. Why would anyone want to trade places with someone like that? It is for that reason that God's love for us is so difficult to comprehend, for that is exactly what Jesus did for us.

"He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:5-6)

May our lives be forever lived in gratitude for the one who "took our place."

dwell

I read recently about a lady who had just moved from an apartment to a house in the same small town. One day at the grocery store, she used the last of her personalized checks bearing her old address. The cashier examined the check and asked if all the information on it was correct. The shopper assured her that it was correct, and the cashier started to put the check in the cash drawer. But then she inquired again if everything was accurate.

"Why do you ask?" the shopper responded.

"Because," she replied, "my husband and I moved to this apartment yesterday, and I don't remember seeing you at breakfast."

Busted! This woman could have gone to any other store in the town and told them that was still her address and no one would have suspected a thing. But there was no way to fool this cashier because she lived there herself.

It's much the same way with our spiritual lives. It's easy to fool a lot of folks. "How's your prayer life?" Couldn't be better! "How's your walk in Christ?" It's fine. No problems at all!

But I wonder if there are times when we've moved away from God without telling anyone. They don't know we've moved. For all they know, everything's fine. But we can't fool God. "Things are great? That's funny, because I don't remember seeing you at breakfast."

One of the most well-known of all scriptures is Psalm 23. You've heard it recited hundreds of times, as have I. But I wonder if all these years I've misunderstood the very last phrase. You see, I've always understood David to take assurance in the knowledge that there is an eternal home waiting for him. But could it be instead that David was making a promise of his commitment to stay close to God?

"I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (Psalm 23:6b)

Others may think we still dwell there. But has God seen us around lately? May God strengthen us in our resolve to dwell with Him all the days of our lives, so that we may dwell with Him for all eternity.

-alan smith