Are you Missing the Boat?

Holy Land Picture of the Day

Sailboat Today's picture is of a sailboat on the Sea of Galilee. It reminds us of Ezekial 27:7-8; "Your sail was of fine embroidered linen from Egypt so that it became your distinguishing mark; your awning was blue and purple from the coastlands of Elishah. The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers; your wise men, O Tyre, were aboard; they were your pilots"  "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father" (Col.3:17) Hey Gang: Question for you to ponder this morning.   Do you hide your sin? Wait, wait, think about that for a moment.  When God sends someone across your path who really needs someone to come along side and help carry their load, what is the first thing you do?  A lesson I had to learn was folks that are hurting are not interested in my credentials or how far up the corporate ladder I have achieved, they want someone to deny self and help them take up their cross. Most cannot understand my success because they have no knobs to hang that information on.  In other words, "If you have never been there", you won't have a clue what I am talking about.  The pit is too deep for them to see out;  But when I crawl into the pit with them and share the Good News that God is also in the pit ready to push, the alligators seem to take a hike. On the first day I went to work at the Juvenile Hall it took me about eight minutes to learn words are not worth much to the kids who found their way into that pit.   I had to make a choice, admit I didn't have a clue and ask the kids to teach me how to help them, or 'try and snow them with footwork'.  I choose the former. "Teach me what I need to know how to help and not be a hindrance."   Over the next four years that is precisely what they did.   Notice- the courses that were part of the curriculum in my working towards my PhD in the school of hard knocks were vastly different than those taught in the schools of higher learning: Lesson number one, "Don't try and be something you are not! Followed close by "remember,  we have the brains to know a phony when we see one." Second,  If you are not ready to back it up with your life - don't say it.  Lesson number three,  I am not interested in your promises - only your actions!  Lesson number four, Most could not spell integrity or honesty or commitment but they certainly knew what they meant; not from the positive experiences in their lives but by the many who failed them along the way.  Lesson five:  "Don't tell me you have  been there - you don't have a clue!"  Lesson six:  "You can talk about love and caring about me until you are green in the face, but if I don't see it in your face and hear it in your talk and see it in your walk - it ain't worth much to me."  Finally,  the most important lessons of them al, "I am not a number on a case file, I am a real live person; if you can't see any other good in me at least recognize that". Soooo, good buddies,  do you really want to be one of God's warriors who is a  carrier?  I mean a carrier of the Holy Spirit.    Then pin this curriculum up on your bathroom mirror and let it become part of your daily walk.  There's a whole barn full of kids, and adults, wallowing in pits today. Without someone to push them out they will remain captive for their entire life.   Blessings,  Gramps