image

You are precious and honored in my sight, and . . . I love you.—Isaiah 43:4

To celebrate Winston Churchill’s eightieth birthday, the British parliament commissioned artist Graham Sutherland to paint a portrait of the celebrated statesman. “How are you going to paint me?” Churchill reportedly asked the artist: “As a cherub, or the Bulldog?” Churchill liked these two popular perceptions of him. Sutherland, however, said he would paint what he saw.

Churchill was not happy with the results. Sutherland’s portrait had Churchill slumped in a chair wearing his trademark scowl—true to reality, but hardly flattering. After its official unveiling, Churchill hid the painting in his cellar. It was later secretly destroyed.

Like Churchill, most of us have an image of ourselves we want others to have of us also—whether of success, godliness, beauty, or strength. We can go to great lengths to conceal our “ugly” sides. Perhaps deep down we fear we won’t be loved if the real us is known.

When the Israelites were taken captive by Babylon, they were seen at their worst. Because of their sins, God allowed their enemies to conquer them. But He told them not to fear. He knew them by name, and He was with them in every humiliating trial (Isa. 43:1-2). They were secure in His hands (v. 13) and “precious” to Him (v. 4). Despite their ugliness, God loved them.

We will find ourselves less motivated to seek the approval of others when such a truth truly sinks in. God knows the real us and still loves us immeasurably (Eph. 3:18). —Sheridan Voysey

-ida paul

stranger

The owner of an old-fashioned corner grocery store in a small country town was fond of quoting a scripture after each sale. He had three old friends that would sit around a pot-bellied stove, playing checkers on a faded board. His ability to produce a scripture for all occasions never ceased to amuse the old timers, and they would listen to see what verse he would come up with that was relevant to the sale made.

A lady purchased some material and he said, "She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands." A man bought a sack of flour and he said, "Man does not live by bread alone, but every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." A little boy bought some candy and as he rung it up he quoted, "Suffer the little children to come unto me."

It was nearly closing time when the chimes over the door jangled loudly. A well-dressed young man, obviously a stranger from one of the larger towns down the road, entered. "Can I help you?" offered the proprietor.

"I need a blanket for my horse," said the man. "He's out in his trailer and it's too cold for just one. Bring me the nicest one you've got!" The store owner went in the back store room and came back with a brown blanket. "That'll be five dollars."

"Five dollars? You've got to be kidding!", said the man. "This horse is a thoroughbred. He gets only the best! He wouldn't stand still for an old five-dollar blanket." Without comment, the store owner took back the blanket, then merely selected a different color and brought it out. "This one's $25 dollars."

"Now, look," said the young man, "Perhaps I didn't make myself plain. This isn't just any old horse! He's worth thousands! Now I want the best, most expensive blanket you've got! Understand?" The owner once more went into the store room, pulled out another color of the same material and brought it back. "This is the only one left, and it's $100." "Now that's more like it!" enthused the fellow as he paid. Throwing the five dollar blanket over his shoulder, he left.

The old timers stared silently at the shopkeeper as they waited to see what possible scripture he could come up with for that sale! Going behind the register, he rung up the hundred dollars and said, "He was a stranger, and I took him in."

I feel certain that's not what Jesus meant when he spoke of the need to take in strangers! In Matthew 25, Jesus is very concerned about our attitude (and actions) toward those who are in need. If fact, Jesus connects our concern for the needy with eternal salvation.

Do we make a conscious effort to see the needs that exist around us? What have you done lately to help meet those needs? Just a gentle reminder in the midst of a hectic month.

"For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt." (Deut. 10:17-19)

spoken

I heard a story about a friend of the bride who was not able to attend the wedding, so he sent a card of greeting which was read at the reception after the ceremony. It should have included the reference 1 John 4:18 -- "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear". However the "1" was accidentally omitted. So a Bible was fetched and the best man read out the verse on the card -- John 4:18, "The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband".

Scripture is meaningful, but only when it is appropriate. Satan used scripture while trying to tempt Jesus, but Jesus was able to recognize that the verses he used were quoted out of context.

When used properly, though, the Word of God "is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV)

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver." (Prov. 25:11)

May God's Word speak to you in a meaningful way today.

future

Approaching eighty-five years of age, Mrs. Wells finally decided it was time to give up her home in North Carolina and move to Miami. She was given the name of a Florida realtor, who enthusiastically drove her all over Miami, extolling the virtues of every apartment they looked at.

"And this one, what a steal," he said, "the investment of a lifetime. Why, in ten years it's gonna be worth three times as much!"

"Sonny," interrupted Mrs. Wells, "at my age I don't even buy green bananas."

Age has a way of changing our perspective on time. When we were younger, we felt that we would live forever. But every year, we come more and more to grips with the idea that life is short, and every day is to be savored.

That's not to say that we shouldn't plan for the future (not buying green bananas is a little extreme!), but we should always live with the realization that we're not promised even one more day.

"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit'; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.' " (James 4:13-15)

May your plans for the future have God at the very center.

ancestry

Tracing Your Ancestry   A little genealogical humor: The following conversation was overheard at a party attended by high society people: "My ancestry goes all the way back to Alexander the Great," said one lady. She then turned to a second lady and asked, "And how far does your family go back?" "I don't know," was the reply. "All of our records were lost in the Flood." Genealogy: Tracing yourself back to better people. I trace my family history so I will know who to blame. Can a first cousin, once removed, return? Searching for lost relatives? Win the lottery! Do I even WANT ancestors? Every family tree has some sap in it. Genealogists never die, they just lose their roots. Genealogy: Where you confuse the dead and irritate the living. Heredity: Everyone believes in it until their children act like fools! I think my family tree is a few branches short of full bloom. Theory of relativity: If you go back far enough, we're all related. It's true -- if you go back far enough, we're all related. The concept of the "brotherhood of man" is a biblical concept. Despite the differences around the world, despite the different cultures, despite the different skin tones, we are all related. Paul said to the men of Athens: "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being..." (Acts 17:26-28a) Why would Paul make such a statement? Perhaps to say that if you trace your ancestry back only to the time of Abraham, you live in a divided world because you are either a Jew or a Gentile. But, if you trace your ancestry back even further, we are once again united in the realization that we are part of one human family, created by God to be in fellowship with Him. Our realization of the brotherhood of man ultimately affects not only our relationship with one another, but our relationship with God as well.

his

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, "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."

follow

A teenage girl got lost in her car in a snow storm. She remembered what her dad had once told her: "If you ever get stuck in a snow storm, wait for a snow plow and follow it."

Pretty soon a snow plow came by, and she started to follow it. She followed the plow for about forty five minutes. Finally the driver of the truck got out and asked her what she was doing. She explained that her dad had told her if she ever got stuck in the snow, to follow a plow.

The driver nodded and said, "Well, I'm done with the Wal-Mart parking lot, now you can follow me over to K-Mart."

There's nothing wrong with following others as long as we know that they are headed in the right direction. Even the apostle Paul was careful to limit those who sought to follow him:

"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." (I Corinthians 11:1, NIV)

Following a snow plow blindly may have minor consequences, but following someone blindly in the realm of religion can have serious (and

eternal) consequences. Be careful who you follow!

home

"Say, Bill," a man said to his pal, "how do you like your new job?"

"It's the worst job I ever had."

"How long have you been there?"

"About three months."

"Why don't you quit?"

"No way. This is the first time in 20 years that I've looked forward to going away."

I feel the same way about living in this world. Sometimes people wonder why God didn't give us a "perfect" world in which to live. Of course, their idea of "perfect" means a world without pain, without suffering, without hatred, without all the things that sometimes make life miserable for us. Why couldn't God have made a better place for us?

I wouldn't dare attempt to explain it all in just a couple of short paragraphs, but I can say that living in this world with all of its trials and difficulties makes me look forward to going home. I look forward to the day when I will know no more suffering, but will rest in the arms of a loving Father. I look forward to the day when I don't see the consequences of sin all about me, but will enjoy the fellowship of God's family throughout all ages. Don't get me wrong -- life here is good, it's wonderful! But it can't compare with what waits for me. I'm looking forward to going home!

"In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:2-3, NIV)

proportion

The story is told of a young man named Peter who attended the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. An art-student friend of his asked if he could paint Peter's portrait for a class assignment. Peter agreed, and the art student painted and submitted the portrait, only to receive a C minus (C-).

The art student approached the professor to ask why the grade was so poor.

The teacher told him that the proportions in the painting were incorrect. The head is too big," the professor explained. "The shoulders are too wide, and the feet are enormous."

The next day, the art student brought Peter to see the professor. He took one look at my Peter and said, "Okay, I'll change your grade to an A minus (A-)."

Art students know the importance of keeping things proportioned properly. It's also a challenge to those of us trying to live the Christian life. Jesus was the master at keeping everything balanced in his life, but most of us struggle with it. It doesn't help that the world will always see our values as being way out of proportion, because they don't understand that we are modeling our lives after someone with values unlike their own.

"He who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk just as He walked." (I John 2:6)

May God bless you as you seek daily to model your life (and proportion your priorities) after Jesus Christ.

look

A little old Jewish lady is flying out of New York City on her way to Miami Beach. She looks at the businessman sitting next to her and asks him, "Excuse me sir, but are you Jewish?"

The man responds politely, "No, ma'am, I'm not Jewish."

After a little while she again queries him. "You're really Jewish, aren't you?"

Again he responds, "No, ma'am, I am not Jewish."

Barely 10 minutes later, the little old lady asks him once more, "Are you sure you're not Jewish?"

To which, in exasperation and in a final effort to shut her up, he replies, "OK. Yes, ma'am, I am Jewish."

"Funny," she says, looking puzzled. "You don't look Jewish!"

Makes me wonder. If anyone approached me and asked me, "Are you a Christian?" and I answered, "Yes", would they be inclined to say, "Funny, you don't look like a Christian"?

I'm not talking about looking like the world's stereotype of a Christian -- a sour-looking guy with a scowl on his face, not enjoying life at all. I merely wonder if my Christianity is something that can be seen by the people who see me every day. I know what I believe, but is that belief translating into action? Can anyone tell?

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16)

Do you look like a Christian?

highest

A little boy asked his father what was the highest number he had ever counted. Replying that he didn't know, the father asked his son his highest number. It was 973.

"Why did you stop there?" wondered the father.

"Because church was over."

I suspect that you have probably sat through worship services where your mind was focused on something just as trivial rather than on God. It's easy to let the mind wander. "I can't wait to see the ball game this afternoon." "I wonder what we're having for lunch." "I've never noticed before that the carpet down there is starting to unravel a bit." Is it any wonder that we so often leave the worship assembly with the feeling that it wasn't very meaningful?

Worship should be a time when we are confronted with the majesty and glory of God. As we reflect on God's power, we realize how much we need Him in our times of weakness. As we reflect on God's wisdom, we realize how much we need Him in our times of indecision. As we reflect on God's holiness, we are made aware of our own sinfulness and the need for forgiveness. As we reflect on God's love, we realize the effort God has gone to to make that forgiveness available.

It's not a ritual we go through every week. It is an opportunity to express our praise to the One who means more to us than all the earth. As we truly worship and praise God from the heart, we become more

aware of how much we want to live close to Him. We leave with the challenge to "be holy as He is holy."

"For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Give to the LORD glory and strength. Give to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come into His courts. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth." (Psalm 96:4-9)

secure

A joke heard around the Pentagon goes like this:

One reason the Services have trouble operating jointly is that they don't speak the same language. For example, if you told Navy personnel to "secure a building," they would turn off the lights and lock the doors.

Army personnel would occupy the building so no one could enter.

Marines would assault the building, capture it, and defend it with suppressive fire and close combat.

The Air Force, on the other hand, would take out a three-year lease with an option to buy.

It seems to me that there was some misunderstanding regarding the "securing" of a location in Palestine in the first century as well.

"On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, 'Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, "After three days I will rise." Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, "He has risen from the dead." So the last deception will be worse than the first.' Pilate said to them, 'You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.' So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard." (Matthew 27:62-66).

The Jewish and Roman leaders' idea of "securing the tomb" meant putting a big rock in front of it. Unfortunately for them (but fortunately for us), Jesus' idea was to secure the tomb's place in history by rising from the dead. Mere rocks are unable to hold back the one who created the universe! What hope is ours because of what happened that glorious morning nearly 2,000 years ago! Praise God for the resurrection of His precious Son!

...help

A composition teacher asked the class to write about an unusual event that happened during the past week. Little Johnny got up and read his essay.

It began, "Daddy fell into the well last week..."

"Oh, my!" the teacher exclaimed. "Is he all right?"

"He must be," said the boy. "He stopped yelling for help yesterday."

We are surrounded in the church, in the workplace, in our community with people in need crying out for help. Sometimes the cries stop and we assume they're now all right. The truth may well be that they have grown weary of seeing their pleas unanswered.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is

this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27)

Do you hear the cries for help?

out

An old lady had been married for many years when suddenly her husband died. This is what she put on his tombstone:

THE LIGHT OF MY LIFE HAS GONE OUT

Not long afterward she met, fell in love with and married another man. After thinking at some length about it, she went to the monument maker and had him add this to the tombstone:

THE LIGHT OF MY LIFE HAS GONE OUT

P.S. I Found A Match

Reminds me of what happened to the church at Ephesus. There was a lot of activity in that congregation. They were commended for their perseverance, their refusal to tolerate false doctrine, and their labor for the cause of Christ. But there was something missing. The "light of their life" had gone out. They lost the first love they had for Christ, and it had reached the point that they were doing lots of "religious works" without love as a motivator.

"Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works...." (Rev. 2:4-5a)

Perhaps you've found yourself in a similar situation. You're doing all the "right" things, but that love you once had for Christ just isn't there anymore. Perhaps you need to find a match and rekindle the flame. It's important to do that before the light truly goes out in our

lives:

"....or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place." (Rev. 2:5b)

May you find again your "first love"!

zeal

The following story is one that is reported to have been told by Napoleon to spark patriotism among his men:

Once, while visiting a province he came upon an old soldier in full uniform but with one sleeve hanging empty. He proudly wore the coveted Legion of Honor. Napoleon asked, "Where did you lose your arm?" The soldier answered, "At Austerlitz, sire."

Napoleon asked, "And for that you received the Legion of Honor?" The man said, "Yes, sire. It is but a small token to pay for the decoration." Napoleon continued, "You must be the kind of man who regrets he did not lose both arms for his country."

The one-armed man asked, "What then would have been my reward?" Napoleon answered, "I would have awarded you a double Legion of Honor." And with that, the proud old fighter drew his sword and immediately cut off his other arm.

What a great story of patriotic duty! It apparently was quite effective in stirring up in Napoleon's men a desire to sacrifice even more for the cause of France!

There's only one problem with the story. You may have already noticed the inconsistency. But apparently it was years before anyone dared to ask Napoleon the question, "How did the soldier cut off his arm with only one arm to do it with?"

Nice story. Stirring, moving, motivating......but it wasn't true. It's possible for the same thing to happen to us in a religious sense. We can get all "fired up" without much thought as to the truth of what we're getting excited about. Paul said of those who were motivated in such a way:

"...They are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge." (Romans 10:2, NIV)

Zeal is good. We all need more of it. But we need to make certain that our enthusiasm is firmly based on our knowledge of God's will.

samaritan

A Sabbath school teacher was telling her class the story of the Good Samaritan, in which a man was beaten, robbed and left for dead. She described the situation in vivid detail so her students would catch the drama.

Then she asked the class, "If you saw a person lying on the roadside all wounded and bleeding, what would you do?"

A thoughtful little girl broke the hushed silence. "I think I'd throw up!"

I have to confess that the parable of the Good Samaritan is one of my least favorite parables. You may be thinking: "It's a beautiful story that teaches a strong lesson. What's there not to like?" But that's the problem. It teaches a very strong lesson and one that I can't escape. There's no way to explain this parable away, no way to come up with any fanciful interpretations that soothe my conscience. Every time I read this parable, I realize my shortcomings in the area of meeting the needs of those around me. And the fact that I can relate so well to the priest and the Levite in the story leaves me squirming in my seat. Perhaps you understand what I mean. Allow the words of Jesus to pierce your heart once again:

"But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?' Then Jesus answered and said: 'A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, "Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you." So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?' And he said, 'He who showed mercy on him.' Then Jesus said to him, 'Go and do likewise.' " (Luke 10:29-37)

"Father, in a world where I am surrounded by pain and suffering, it is so easy to turn my head and shut my eyes. Please forgive me of the times when I have done just that. In Jesus' name, amen."

spider

Robert the Bruce, a young soldier, found himself in a terrible battle during the Scottish Reformation around 1300. The enemy was soundly defeating this young man's army. He and his comrades found themselves hastily retreating from the battlefield in defeat, running away in fear of their very lives. The enemy gave chase. This young man ran hard and fast, full of fear and desperation, and soon found himself cut off from his comrades in arms.

He eventually came upon a rocky ledge containing a cave. Knowing the enemy was close behind, and that he was exhausted from the chase, he chose to hide there. After he crawled in, he fell to his face in the darkness, desperately crying to God to save him and protect him from his enemies.

When he looked up from his despairing plea for help, he saw a spider beginning to weave its web at the entrance to the cave. As he watched the delicate threads being slowly drawn across the mouth of the cave, the young soldier pondered its irony. He thought, "I asked God for protection and deliverance, and he sent me a spider instead. How can a spider save me?"

His heart was hardened, knowing the enemy would soon discover his hiding place and kill him. And soon he did hear the sound of his enemies, who were now scouring the area looking for those in hiding. One soldier with a gun slowly walked up to the cave's entrance. As the young man crouched in the darkness, hoping to surprise the enemy in a last-minute desperate attempt to save his own life, he felt his heart pounding wildly out of control.

As the enemy cautiously moved forward to enter the cave, he came upon the spider's web, which by now was completely strung across the opening. He backed away and called out to a comrade, "There can't be anyone in here. They would have had to break this spider's web to enter the cave. Let's move on."

Years later, a young man wrote about that ordeal: "Where God is, a spider's web is as a stone wall. Where God is not, a stone wall is as a spider's web."

I love that line. Where God is, a spider's web is as a stone wall. Where God is not, a stone wall is as a spider's web. How true!

"We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests. Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." (Psalm 20:5-7)

-nathan ray

small

You know you live in a small town when.....

Third Street is on the edge of town.

You don't use your turn signals because everyone knows where you're going.

A baby born on June 14 receives gifts from local merchants as the first baby of the year.

You speak to each dog you pass by name and he wags his tail at you.

You dial a wrong number and talk for 15 minutes anyway.

You can't walk for exercise because every car that passes you offers you a ride.

In order to paint traffic lines, the road has to be widened

The Mayor is also the Sheriff, Town Council and street sweeper.

There is no town idiot -- everybody has to take turns.

You can name everyone you graduated with.

You have to drive an hour to buy a pair of socks.

You get a whiff of manure and think of home.

You fix yourself up to go buy groceries lest anyone starts the rumor that you have gained weight or quit taking care of yourself.

Friday nights fun consisted of standing in line for the one-screen theater and when it is sold out, watching truckers and drinking coffee at the truck stop (the only place open after 10).

Someone asks you how you feel and listens to what you say.

There are certainly some disadvantages to growing up in a small town, but some advantages as well. Especially when it comes to having people around you who truly care. In a large city, it's easy to find yourself surrounded by a sea of nameless faces. That is something that we dare not allow to happen in the church.

The 16th chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans is important, though you may have previously overlooked its significance. The chapter consists of a series of greetings, most of them to people whose names we can't even pronounce. No less than 28 members of the church in Rome are mentioned by name. Why? Perhaps Paul wanted to remind this group of Christians in a large city that they were not nameless faces -- they were part of God's family. We not only mean something to God, we mean something to one another. It's a "small town atmosphere" even in a "large city church."

"Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you." (Rom. 16:14-16)

-alan smith

thinking

The following story is adapted from a true story sent in to and published by Reader's Digest. Unfortunately, I do not know which issue nor the original author.

One day at lunch a group of preachers was discussing sermon preparation. One minister explained that he devoted the month of July to writing a year's worth of sermons. Another preacher said that he outlined his weekly sermon on Mondays and wrote on the following days. Still another preacher said that he set aside Wednesday mornings for preparation. A fourth preacher confessed to hurrying to meet his deadline late Saturday nights.

A fifth preacher had the final say. "I usually schedule a long hymn before the sermon."

I think I've heard a few of those sermons! :-) Seriously, good sermons require time and thought. It's important to think before we speak. That's true not only from the pulpit, but also in our daily lives. How many problems that you are facing right now would never have arisen if you had only taken the time to think things through before opening your mouth?

Solomon's advice is still as valuable as it was when he gave it:

"Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God......Therefore let your words be few......A fool's voice is known by his many words." (Ecclesiastes 5:2-3)

winning

Pat walked into a store in Dublin, his face beaten to a pulp. "And who did that to you?" asked the storekeeper.

"I had a fight with Mike Shannon."

"What?" asked the storekeeper, "You let a little guy like that beat you up? You should be ashamed of yourself, a little good-for-nothing runt like Mike."

"Hold on there," said Pat, "don't be talking disrespectfully of the dead."

Sometimes it's hard to tell at first glance who's won the fight. I think of Jesus as he hung on the cross. The disciples (and perhaps even the angels) had to wonder how Jesus could have allowed Satan to beat him up, apparently winning the fight. Though Jesus was battered and bruised, it was truly only his heel that was bruised, and on the third day it was Satan whose head was crushed.

There are times we are tempted to look around us and wonder if we're on the winning side. Satan seems to be winning victory after victory, the world is filled with immorality and evil, and righteousness doesn't seem to have a chance. But appearances can be deceiving.

"You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (I John 4:4)

"These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful." (Revelation 17:14)

Don't get discouraged. The ultimate victory belongs to those who are on God's side.

voice

I recognize God's voice like I do the voice of anyone I talk to a lot. A new friend is going to have to identify herself the first few times she calls me, but then I'll recognize her voice and the kinds of things she talks about.

Suppose Mary loves shopping and hates baseball. If someone calls up and says, "Hey, it's Mary. Wasn't that a great baseball game?" I'd know it is someone other than Mary, because that's just not what Mary is into.

It's like that with God, too. I recognize Him by the way He talks to me and what He says.  If what I'm hearing doesn't sound like His personality and character, then I know it can't be Him talking. That's why people who want to hear from God need to develop an in-depth knowledge of the Bible. It's there we find out what He loves, what He hates, what is dear to His heart.

-michelle  hammond