Today, July 29, 2016
“Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet
those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up
with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not
become weary.” (Isaiah 40:28-31).
Blessings,
Gramps
Monday, July 22, 2013
“And He saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins.
And He said, “Truly I say to you this poor widow put in more that all of them.” (Luke 21:2)
Monday, July 28, 2014
“Truly, truly, I say to
you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater
works than these he will do, because I go to the Father” (John 14:12).
Hey Gang: My daddy was a coal
miner, a bus driver and a custodian in a school. His formal education
ended in the eighth grade, due to the depression and his need to help support
his family. My mother's background was very similar. Her father
passed away early in her life. She, too, ended her school years in the
eighth grade to care for her brothers and sisters while her mother scrubbed
floors at the local Post Office to keep bread on the table.
By worldly standards, both did not
score very high on the "opportunity for achievement chart". But
they had a drive deep in their hearts that their four sons would have a greater
opportunity for achievement than they did. They sacrificed much to make that happen.
They were bound and determined to make sure that their four sons would have
"greater works and opportunities” than they had.
Their eldest son became a pilot, later
squadron commander. gained the high rank of Colonel in the Air Force and raised
a family of five children- who also are successful in their various fields of
interest. Their second son became a master's level college graduate and
entered the business world; he, too, was the father of five (two are deceased),
the others are also successful in living their lives as contributing members of
their community.
Son number three is yours truly;
college graduate, served this country in the Air Force, founder of a youth and
family treatment center. We raised four children, all college graduates (David
deceased) and today are making a difference in the lives of youth and families.
Son number four completed Tech School
and eventually became the head tech rep on an atomic submarine. I believe
my parents, both eighth grade graduates, could say, "They, our
children, did greater works than we were able to do".
I wonder how the disciples felt the
day that Jesus shared this promise: “Greater works will you do” with
them. In many ways they were like my momma and dad, poorly educated with
no standing in the social levels of society. They saw Jesus heal the
sick, cast out demons, even raise the dead. Do you think they might have
said to Jesus, "Who me?" I think I would have.
But, when we look at the life and
ministry of Jesus, we note that He was never outside this small area on the
Mediterranean Sea and was restricted by time and space. Billy Graham in
one Crusade probably preached to more people than Jesus did in all His ministry
on earth. He spent much of his ministry walking from one place to
another. Graham could be in North Carolina in his home in the morning and
preaching a Crusade in London that very evening.
Yesterday, the medical profession
announced that they have made another major break thought in learning the root
causes of cancer and have even had success in defeating this Satanic killing
device. Is that what He meant by "greater things?" He
gave ability to scientist to take us to the moon and do things in the world of
technology that blow our minds, even in this day of rapid learning. Is
that what He meant?
Soooo, my friends and neighbors, this
I know, I was able to accomplish things in my life that were far beyond the
capacity of my parents, not because I was smarter than they but because they
gave me opportunities to use my abilities in ways they never had the
opportunity to use theirs. When Jesus taught this lesson to His disciples,
He knew His days on earth were few, but the provision had already been designed
in the Throne Room of Heaven - He would send a Comforter to live in the heart
of every believer - and through that comforter and His WORD, we would do
greater things than He was able to do in limited time and space.
Blessings,
Friday, July 31, 2015
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the
Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your
own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your
body" (I Cor. 5:19-20)
Hey Gang: William Koenig began his weekly commentary,
a few weeks ago, on the rapid progression of the United States toward the
precipice with these words: "End-Time Clock Moves Another
Tick". His statement brought back memories of the cold-war
days when a group of people, who were up to speed on world affairs, set, what
was termed, the "Dooms Day Clock". I recall at one time
it was within five seconds of no longer sounding the alarm but declared the
reality that you best have your house in order for the Day of Salvation is coming
to a close.
Koenig began his epistle with a plea to respond to Anne
Graham Lotz's Prayer initiative, Mayday, Mayday, to pray
fervently for our nation. He wrote, "In these days of desperation
and confusion, hopelessness, when mountains are collapsing, nations are
warring, people are rioting, the earth is quaking, and the enemy is
threatening, it's time to cry out to the Lord...NOW!” The prayer
initiative has since passed by us, but it is never too late to cry out to God
for forgiveness and mercy for the tragic direction our nations has taken.
Her challenge, to all those who love the LORD and
this nation was to pray for nine days between Ascension of Jesus and the Day of
Pentecost; these have been biblically and traditionally days of prayer and
fasting for an outpouring of God's Spirit. The time has passed and
perhaps you did not know or give that one hour a day to seeking God's mercy and
forgiveness for the gross sins of our nation. But how fantastic our God
is! He does not place time limits on our prayer life.
It has been said that our President is very concerned about
his legacy and has placed all of his eggs in the Iran Nuclear Agreement to
repair a very damaged foreign policy. But I would suggest this
morning that he has a far greater problem than what the world thinks of him as
the leader of the most powerful nation in the world. He, like every one
of us, will stand before the judgment seat of God and answer the question,
"What did you do with My Son Jesus? And there will be no teleprompters around.
How very sad that our President became recognized as the
gay and lesbian rights champion when he endorsed same-sex marriage.
In a recent Newsweek magazine article, he was nicknamed "The first pro-gay
president. He is the first president to use the term "transgender"
in a speech, to name transgender political appointees and to prohibit job bias
against transgender government workers.
Also included in this week's Koenig report that should not
get your feet to dancing, "Girl Scouts of America Allows Boys Who Identify
as Girls to Join Troops; Opponent Says Policy is "Slap in the Face to
Christian Parents.
If that does not get your attention perhaps this one will,
"Our President has called for an end to psychiatric therapies for those who
seek to change the sexual orientation of gay, lesbian and transgender youth.
And, last but not least, "Robert Gates, president of
the Boy Scouts of America, urged members to lift the decade-old ban on openly
gay adult troop leaders sooner than later" during a speech at the
organization's national meeting in Atlanta.
Now can you understand why Bill Koenig's title to this
week’s report was " End-Time Clock Moves Another Tick".
It is a little late to respond to Anne Graham Lotz's
challenge to pray one hour on nine consecutive days for our Nation., BUT
it is never too late to pray for our nation with this in mind: "If My
people who are called 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" (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Gramps
Friday,
July 4, 2014
Flag from Fort 1812. US
Smithsonian Institute
As I read and reread the words of our
National Anthem, a question surfaced in my mind: In this day, when
everything -in our once proud nation- was looked upon by the world as being the "Land
of the free and home of the brave, will the flag continue to be seen
triumphantly flying with the assurance of our nation's freedom"?
Gramps
