Crossroads

Holy Land Picture of the Day

Tel Aviv Marina Today's picture is of the marina in Tel Aviv, where many small pleasure craft are moored. It reminds us of Job 9: 25-26; "Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good. They slip by like reed boats, like an eagle that swoops on its prey" “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency n everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.”  (2 Cor. 9:8)  Hey Gang:  I have never tried to convince anyone that I was anything but a very poor student while gaining my education in the public school years.  I did well in such subjects as GYM, and music courses but in the less important subjects such as math, science, and especially English I was a tragic example of failure. I do not tell you that to boast of how inept I was in those years when I should have been filling my head with knowledge, but rather to give you the good news that God can take even incompetent hillbilly kids that made some pretty bad choices along the way and do some pretty neat things with their lives – if they wise up along the way and put their minds and heart into the hands of the creator. Now, I do not want you to get the idea that I am blowing smoke with what I am about to say, but rather pure reality based on not what I did but rather what God did through me.  Does that mean that I had nothing to do with  the things I was able to accomplish?  In no way.  God can only do through us what we allow Him too do.  As I think back on the turning point in my life I sincerely believe it occurred on the day that I realized without God being in control I was going to continue on the path to never-never land. True, I had to make decisions based on the doors that God opened for me.  I did not have to join the Air Force and gain entry into the Air Traffic Control Field.  I could have accepted Uncle Sugar’s invitation to become a member of the Army.  Was it by accident that my brother, a Major in the Air Force made it a point to call me in the wee hours of the morning and gave me the pros and cons of Air Force over Army.  I don’t think so.  Was it by accident that my neighbor asked if he could buy our house when we were debating whether we should return to Michigan and develop the Village.  I don’t think so.  Was it by accident that a group of professional men saw something in this young kid that made them place their names on the line to build a home for children?  I don’t think so. I have learned throughout my life on this earth that what I put in my tank daily is going to determine what the finished product is going to look like at the end of the day.  God said “I Will” and I Shall” throughout His word.  It is up to us to finish those statements and have the faith to accept God’s plan for your life for that day.  Soooo, good buddies, take it from an old salt, that when Paul wrote, “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in Glory” (Phil. 4:19) that is precisely what He meant.  But guess who has the key to the door?    Blessings,  Gramps

Special Memories

Holy Land Picture of the Day

Israeli Soldiers Today's picture is of a group of Israeli soldiers. It reminds us of Judges 20:2; "The chiefs of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, took their stand in the assembly of the people  of God, 400,000 foot soldiers who drew the sword."  This Week Israel celebrated its Independence and honored those who have given their lives to make it happen, all 22,500 0f them. If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am there you may be also.”  (John 14:3). Hey Gang, I am reading a wonderful - neat book that I recommend highly to all.   It is titled “Plain wisdom”.  Now if that does not get your attention you had best  check your ‘heart-hardness meter’.  Let me take a moment or two and go down a side road and ask you a question.   Have you ever longed to know something about your past, not your immediate past but something about someone you never had the privilege of meeting but certainly impacted on your being here?  The book I mentioned  is one about two ladies from vastly different worlds. They made a pact to spend time together and get to know and understand each other better.  One was a reporter who lived in the rapidly moving modern world of today and the other called herself an “Old Order Amish Woman”.  I have always had a special admiration for the Amish people and have enjoyed every minute I have been privileged to spend with them.  I never had the privileged of meeting my mom’s daddy, the Reverend Bert Stiffler, who, I learned later in life, was referred to as a “Hell-fire rafter- shaking Evangelist.    I was never able to learn much about him except that he was an Old Order Mennonite Preacher.  I sense in my  spirit that I would have been a better person, if I would have been able to sit on his lap and hear him share what God placed in his heart. I believe one of the great sadnesses of our day is there are not very many grand papa’s laps available to their grand-children and the wisdom of the past is not being passed down through the generations.  How sad that our children must reinvent the wheel with each generation and even more sad that many of those lessons are based on building your house on the sand. Getting back to the book, let me share a statement from the introduction that stuck out in very bold lettering for me and is my prayer for you.  The author wrote, “It was their desire in writing the book to help the readers “embrace the beauty of the life God has given you.”   Think about that for a moment.  Do we not miss many of the fabulous blessings God lays out before us?  The sun settling behind a golden sky,  a rainbow at the end of a violent storm, the first step of that new born colt, a caterpillar fighting to free itself of the bondage of a cocoon, the first flight of a robin. O, I would like to go on and on but I promised to keep these to one minute or so, so I will ponder this subject and perhaps one day return to it, but let me close it with a challenge – stop, look and listen – for God wants to send a blessings your way today. Look for them. Perhaps it is just to take a moment and smell a posy.   Blessings, Gramps

What's A He-Man? (A little late but applicable.)

But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;  for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for  the life to come” (I Tim. 4:7-8).

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Today is a gigantic day for professional sports.  The National Football League is holding their 'combine' which will help determine who gets drafted and  what team they will  play for.  The key to where they will end up in the peeking order is strength, agility and speed but the essential ingredient to how well they will do rest on their resolve to be the very best athlete they can be.

At the time the National Basketball League is celebrating the All Star Game.  When one compares the football player with the basketball player one does not see a great deal of difference physically.  Again the key to success is how big the players heart is for the game and his willingnessto give up all to succeed and become the very best player he can be.

But there is third a major sporting event taking place in Datona Beach where the kick off for the Nascar racing season is taking place.  The race has been delayed due to rain storms so there have been many hours of interviews with just about everybody from the drivers, owners to the janitors. If one were to compare the physical of the basketball and football players with the drivers, one might say they are about as big and their legs.  Strength and stamina are essential ingredients to the drivers but physical prowess is not at the top of their conditioning list.

Being physically powerful and athletic is a common desire for most young men.  Some people seek to gain strength through exercise; a few may even use steroids to become strong.  There are a sack full of various exercise programs and another sack full of machines that guarantee to turn you into super-type persons very rapidly.  If you believe that, I have this neat property ten miles to the east of the Florida coast that one day will be a beautiful beach that I will sell to you cheap.

Samson was the strongest man that ever lived.  He lacked moral strength and convictions, yet God used him to subdue the Philistines.  What was his strength?  His hair! Right?  Not in your sweet bippy.  We read three different Scriptures how God’s power came upon  him.  His lose of strength is a story of total foolish disobedience resulting in the Lord throwing the towel in on him (Judges 16:18-20). 

In our association with the Voice of Martyrs I have been amazed that even though many face terrible persecution, they have demonstrated incredible strength in the face of suffering.  What tremendous witnesses of God’s promise that' My grace is be sufficient' in ALL circumstances.

Soooo, my young friends, as I mentioned, today is a big day in the lives of those who are participating in the various events, but, keep in mind that one day very soon their bodies will no longer hold up under the abuse they are enduring.  Real strength does not come from the weight room or the exercise equipment but from God alone when we follow Him in humility, submission and obedience and His weight room- His Word.

Blessings,

Gramps

To Whom Much Is Given , Much Will be Required

Holy Land Picture of the Day

Baptism in the Jordan Today's picture is of a Christian pilgrim being baptized in the Jordan River. It reminds us of Matthew 3:13-14; "Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?  “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted  much, of him they will ask all the more” (Luke 12:48) Hey Gang, Did you ever have a song or a verse stick in your mind and play over and over?  I have had both in recent weeks and especially in the past several days.  The song is “This Little Light of Mine, I’m going to let it shine”, and the verse is the Scripture of the day.  So, this morning I began to research the Scriptures to see if God would point out one of those verses  pertaining to giving in bold print. I found a whole barrel full of such verses but none one what might call bold print but one did seem to speak a wee bit louder than the others.  Being an old fund raiser one of the very special verses that I used often was the story of the widow who gave two mites.  I was blessed to have such a wonderful gift when a widow woman, who had very little, sent her last .37 cents to help a child.  It reminded me of the story of Peter and John on their way to the temple when they ran across a beggar who was begging for alms.  Peter said “I do not possess silver or gold but what I do have I give to you; in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene – walk, and seizing him by the right hand, he raise him up “ (Acts 3:6-7).  What a profound statement- “What I have I give to you”.   I have been privileged to be asked to officiate at four funerals in my lifetime and as I delivered the eulogy at each of these home goings the picture that made each a joyful experience was, as I was speaking all four were “running and leaping and praising God”.  Isaiah shared a fabulous piece of news with those who believe in Jesus the Nazarene and are walking in His ways, “And if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will become like midday.  And the Lord will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; And you will be  like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail” (Isa. 58:10-11).  Wow, is that not a neat verse? Soooo, troopers for Christ, we will make choices today on how we treat our neighbor.  Jesus said, “To the extent we do it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me”. (Matt. 25:40).  Is that not something to ponder? Blessings, Gramps

Tough Day? God Will Never Forsake you

Holy Land Picture of the Day

Dawn breaking in Jerusalem Today's picture is of the dawn breaking in Jerusalem. It reminds us of Psalm 119: 146-147; "I cried to You;  save me and I shall keep Your testimonies.  I rise before dawn and cry for help; I wait for Your words"  “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who  goes with you.  He will not fail you or forsake you.” (Deut 31:6) Hey Gang:  I am sure you already know that one of Satan’s favorite and more effective tools is discouragement.  Just when you enjoy a spiritual victory Satan places a bull's eye on your back and the darts began to fly.   Remember he is the king Tuck of liars and uses our memory banks to dig up every mistake we ever made----if we let him.  But we are not alone, David was brought so low by a demonic spirit that he was dumb-founded in God’s presence, He cried out, “I, like a deaf man, do not hear, and in whose mouth are no arguments.  For I hope in You, O Lord, You will answer, O Lord my God”  (Ps. 38:13-14). Did you ever feel that way?  I surely have.  What was he saying?  “Lord” I’m too discouraged to even lift my hand.  I can’t pray because I’m too confused to speak.  My spirit is drained and empty.  I have nothing to say.” Was this unique to David?  Not in your sweet bippy!  Every successful person I have come in contact with has had their times when they felt as David did’ and struggled through the same kind of crippling discouragement.  David voiced the universal cry of the righteous soul that endures an attack of discouragement. Notice his confession in verse 17,  "I am ready to fall," If you’re enduring an attack from a demonic spirit of discouragement, I suggest you do three things: First, Do not try to maneuver your way out of your trial.  The battle is far beyond your human skill or power to wage.  The battle is the Lord’s.  Second, when the attack comes, don’t think it is unusual.  God allows this kind of fiery testing with all His saints.  Third, PRAY and  give the Holy Spirit time to do His work.  Will you feel like praying?  Probably not,  but do it anyway. In such low times the Lord is very patient with us.  He knows our condition and He sympathizes with us.  If you don’t have the strength to speak, reach out to him in your spirit, and trust the Spirit to do his work in you.  Say in your heart, “Lord, I know your Spirit abides in me. I know you have sent him to comfort me, strengthen me and reveal the mind of Christ to me.  Holy Spirit, I turn to you now in simple faith.   Speak to my heart your words of comfort.  I have no strength left; you have to lift me up and lead me.” Soooo buckaroos, if you dare to believe he will speak to you.  He promises that if you ask, He will respond, and you’ll come out of your trial more victorious because your faith will have been tested and tried as gold. Blessings, Gramps.

Holy Land Picture of the Day

Donkey Today's picture is of a donkey in the hills near Jerusalem. It reminds us of John 12:12-15; "On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the  branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, "Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, even the King of Israel." Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it;  as it is written, "FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY'S COLT."  These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and your joy may be made full.”   (John 15:11) Hey Gang:  In my last epistle to you I zeroed in on the little words of significance in the Bible that can be life changing.    As a little squeezer in Sunday School, Ada Alloway, our esteemed teacher often said if you really want joy in your  heart, place Jesus first, Others second and You last which adds up the word JOY. To die to self and place others part is part of the word Joy.  Question, Would you call Paul a joy filled man.  Even after you read Romans and the letters to the Corinthians.   In Romans seven he wrote, “For what I am doing, I doing I do not understand: for I am practicing what I would like to do, but OI am doing the very thing I hate.” (7:15).  He goes on and says “For the good that I want, I do not do but I practice the very evil that I do not want” (v. 19)  He caps this off with these words “Wretched man that I am!  Who will set me free from the body of this death?’ Joy filled?  But lets dig a little deeper.  Many refer to the epistle he wrote while chained to a wall in the basement prison of someone’s house in Philippi gives us a totally different picture of Paul.  He begins by saying “I thank my God in remembrance of you”.   He goes on to say “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (v. 6). Throughout the epistle we find Paul referring to joy in no less than nine different situations.   He says “there is joy in offering prayer for you all” (1:4).   In verse 1:18 he says “where Christ is proclaimed, I rejoice”.     In verse 25  He says there is ”joy in the faith” and in 2:2 “there is joy in unity of  the body and our fellowship with believers.”  We might take Paul a wee bit to task with his next reference to joy when he says  “even when I am being poured out as a drink offering , I rejoice and share my joy with you all” (2:17).  In verse 28 he tells us we should “rejoice when we receive good news.”   Our hearts should be filled with  joy “when we cross paths with  a brother or sister in Christ” (v.29), and “there is the joy of remembering and being  with saints of God” (4:1). What powerful words we find in verses 4 and 5, Rejoice in the Lord and again I say rejoice, Be anxious for nothing , but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let  your requests be made known to God.”    And finally he says “Rejoice when someone comes to your aid in times of need”  (v.10) Soooo, my young friends always, always, always remember when the rubber-begins-to-sag and you find your back against the wall, “Your God is your strength”,  You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you” and He will provide for all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus”  (4:19).  Wow, and you can take that to the bank!!! Blessings,  Gramps

When Exhausted, Check Your JOY Meter

Holy Land Picture of the Day

Donkey Today's picture is of a donkey in the hills near Jerusalem. It reminds us of John 12:12-15; "On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, "Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, even the King of Israel." Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written, "FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY'S COLT."  These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and your joy may be made full.”  (John 15:11) Hey Gang:  In my last epistle to you I zeroed in on the little words of significance in the Bible that can be life changing.    As a little squeezer in Sunday School, Ada Alloway, our esteemed teacher often said if you really want joy in your heart, place Jesus first, Others second and You last which adds up the word JOY. To die to self and place others part is part of the word Joy.  Question, Would you call Paul a joy filled man.  Even after you read Romans and the letters to the Corinthians.   In Romans seven he wrote, “For what I am doing, I doing I do not understand: for I am practicing what I would like to do, but OI am doing the very thing I hate.” (7:15).  He goes on and says “For the good that I want, I do not do but I practice the very evil that I do not want” (v. 19)  He caps this off with these words “Wretched man that I am!  Who will set me free from the body of this death?’ Joy filled?  But lets dig a little deeper.  Many refer to the epistle he wrote while chained to a wall in the basement prison of someone’s house in Philippi gives us a totally different picture of Paul.  He begins by saying “I thank my God in remembrance of you”.   He goes on to say “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (v. 6). Throughout the epistle we find Paul referring to joy in no less than nine different situations.   He says “there is joy in offering prayer for you all” (1:4).   In verse 1:18 he says “where Christ is proclaimed, I rejoice”.     In verse 25  He says there is ”joy in the faith” and in 2:2 “there is joy in unity of the body and our fellowship with believers.”  We might take Paul a wee bit to task with his next reference to joy when he says  “even when I am being poured out as a drink offering , I rejoice and share my joy with you all” (2:17).  In verse 28 he tells us we should “rejoice when we receive good news.”   Our hearts should be filled with joy “when we cross paths with  a brother or sister in Christ” (v.29), and “there is the joy of remembering and being with saints of God” (4:1). What powerful words we find in verses 4 and 5, Rejoice in the Lord and again I say rejoice, Be anxious for nothing , but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let  your requests be made known to God.”    And finally he says “Rejoice when someone comes to your aid in times of need”  (v.10) Soooo, my young friends always, always, always remember when the rubber-begins-to-sag and you find your back against the wall, “Your God is your strength”,  You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you” and He will provide for all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus”  (4:19).  Wow, and you can take that to the bank!!! Blessings,  Gramps

Are You Working Towards Perfection?

Holy Land Picture of the Day

Road in the Negev Today's picture is of a modern road, built by Israel, running through the Negev Desert in southern Israel. It reminds us of Isaiah 43:19 "behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in.   “Therefore I urge you, brethren by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living an holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you  may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Rom 12:1-2)  Hey Gang:  When I was a student in  high school I was plagued with a number of very bad teachers.  They just did not know how to teach me how to use the King's English, nouns, verbs and participles and all those other weird sounding words in the right form.  Now, I want you to understand it had nothing to do with my attitude, if they would have been good teachers they would have overcome my bad learning habits and poured the things I needed to learn into my head! And then I went to college, and low and behold, I learned very rapidly those inept teachers from high school notified the college profs that there was going to be a real oaf coming their way.  Now I ask you, does that make any sense at all?  You notice I never mentioned the real culprit in this story.    I was a lousy student with a lousy attitude.  Now let me share a piece of wisdom, or understanding, or perhaps I just got smarter.  When God created me he wired me with all the wiring I would ever need to succeed and be of benefit to Him.  But, until I picked up the plug to my electrical system and plugged it into His electrical system , I was on a dead end street. But then something happened, I was blessed with two very significant events in my life that made me implement Paul’s advice above and begin to be transformed by the renewing of my mind, I met a girl who was on the right track and a witness of God’s amazing transforming grace and I enlisted in the Air Force.  Both of these influences showed me what a dunce I was and opened the way for a transforming of my mind. Soooo, my reason for telling you this saga today is it is an anniversary day of sorts:  Today marks Gramps Morning Thoughts number two hundred.  Now I want to make a confession that I pray will help all of you who have not gone through the renewing of mind process – God will give you all you need to fulfill the mission He has for you no matter how badly you blew your past - YOU CHOOSE!  All those bad teachers that I was plagued to sit under would agree that the student they knew could never write one message let alone two hundred.  Nor could I, for it took a transforming of my mind, before I realized that only God through me could accomplish the plan He had for me.  I still do not know what nouns, verbs or participles are but that does not seem to matter to God -(Only to teachers -Gma J). Blessings, Gramps

Little But Powerful

Holy Land Picture of the Day

Israelis praying Today's picture is of a group of Israelis praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. It reminds us of 2 Chronicles 7:13-15; "If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or ifI send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and  seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears  “Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated  at the right hand of God.” (Col. 3:1). Hey Gang:  I have said it before and I say it again, I love the little, what most would call insignificant words of the Bible. They are kind of like the people behind the scenes that are considered by man as mundane but in reality  who make things work, like janitors, cooks.  I often asked the kids in chapel what is the most important word in the English language.  I would get such responses as, love, joy, peace and some that I will not give space in this epistle.  Of course your most important word may be totally different than mine,  but the one word that I do not want to hear when I stand before God is “NOT”.  (I KNOW YOU NOT!) Colossians three is filled with little insignificant words that carry life changing power.  Paul gives us a four step process for change.   Paul is what I call a “Practical teacher” .  He gives a principle and then gives us the manual on how to implement the principle.  In Colossians three we find six words, none ofgrandiose significance but when wrapped in his descriptive way of teaching they can be life changing. Note step one is a three letter word “Die”.  Paul says we have to die to anything that stands between us and God.   To this step in the process he adds such words a immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and greed.  I am sure all who read this epistle could make their own list. The second step in the process is we must “Put off”.   Notice  Paul did not say it would be a good idea to put off such things such as anger, wrath, malice, slander and abusive speech, lying but rather made it an “act of the will” issue., a just plain “DO IT!”. His third step - again two simple words “put on”.  Jesus said when we clean house and evict the evil one we best fill the house with the good news that Jesus Christ is owner of your house other - wise the evil one will return and bring his cousins with him.     The final insignificant word, which is also the most difficult to implement is “Let” .  “Let the peace of God rule in your heart, let the word of Christ richly dwell with you”.  Soooo, Six rather insignificant words, die, put off, put on, and let.  One last but very important kicker that makes Paul’s change process fly “IF”.  If you have been raised up with Christ!”   Paul closed this most important principle by saying “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”  (vs. 17). Blessings, Gramps