Baseball and getting Home Safe…

Eph 2:8a “For by Grace are you saved through faith…”

Baseball and getting Home Safe…

Bob and the Lord stood by to watch a baseball game.

The Lord’s team was playing Satan’s team.  The Lord’s team was at bat,
the score was tied zero to zero, and it was the bottom of the 9th inning
with two outs.

They continued to watch as a batter stepped up to the plate whose name
was Love.  Love swung at the first pitch and hit a single, because Love
never fails.

The next batter was named Faith, who also got a single because Faith
works with Love.

The next batter up was named Godly Wisdom.  Satan wound up and threw the
first pitch.  Godly Wisdom looked it over and let it
pass: Ball one. Three more pitches and Godly Wisdom walked, because
Godly wisdom never swings at what Satan throws.

The bases were loaded The Lord then turned to Bob and told him He was
now going to bring in His star player.  Up to the plate stepped Grace.

Bob said “He sure doesn’t look like much!”  Satan’s whole team relaxed
when they saw Grace.  Thinking he had won the game, Satan wound up and
fired his first pitch.  To the shock of everyone, Grace hit the ball
harder than anyone had ever seen.

But Satan was not worried; his center fielder let very few get by.
He went up for the ball, but it went right through his glove, hit him on
the head and sent him crashing on the ground; then it continued over the
fence for a home run!  The Lord’s team won.

The Lord then asked Bob if he knew why Love, Faith, and Godly Wisdom
could get on base but could not win the game.  Bob answered that he did
not know why.

The Lord explained, “If your love, faith and wisdom had won the game you
would think you had done it by yourself.  Love, faith and wisdom will
get you on base, but only My Grace can get you home.
My Grace is the one thing Satan cannot steal.”

Eph 2:8, 9 “For by Grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is a gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

AAADD…Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder…

I Cor 15:58a “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable…””

Some humor for your day.

AAADD. Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder This is how it goes…

I decide to do the laundry, start down the hall and notice the newspaper on the table. OK, I’m going to do the laundry . . . BUT FIRST I’m going to read the newspaper. After that, I notice the mail on the table.

OK, I’ll just put the newspaper in the recycle stack . . .

BUT FIRST I’ll look through the pile of mail and see if there are any bills to be paid. Yes. Now where is the checkbook? Oops… there’s the empty glass from yesterday on the coffee table. I’m going to look for that checkbook…

BUT FIRST I need to put the glass in the sink. I head for the kitchen, look out the window, notice my poor flowers need a drink of water, I put the glass in the sink and there’s the remote for the TV on the kitchen counter. What’s it doing here? I’ll just put it away…

BUT FIRST I need to water those plants. I head for the door and . . . Aaaagh! Stepped on the cat. Cat needs to be fed. Okay, I’ll put the remote away and water the plants. . .

BUT FIRST I need to feed the cat.

END OF DAY: Laundry is not done, newspapers are still on the floor, glass is still in the sink, bills are not paid, checkbook is still lost, and the cat ate the remote control. And, when I try to figure out how come nothing got done today,

I’m baffled because…

I KNOW I WAS BUSY ALL DAY! I realize this condition is serious. . .
I’d get help. . .

BUT FIRST . . .I think I’ll check my e-mail.

No, there are no drugs for this one but I am sure someone will invent one………

I Cor 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

Now to add a serious note and a quiz of the day.

Did you notice what critical daily activity was missing in this humor story?

The answer is; the day was not started with a personal time with God.

Mat 6:33a “But seek you first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness…”

So, how did you start your day today??? Or have you already forgotten….?

Today I Taught My Child to…

Recognize it or not we will;

“Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go…”

Be careful! Our lives are bigger teachers than our words.

“TODAY I TAUGHT MY CHILD”

When I got mad and hit my child, “for his own good, I reasoned
I reconciled and then, I realized my plight. Today, I taught my child to fight.

When interrupted by the phone, I said “Tell them I’m not home.” And then
I thought, and had to sigh, Today, I taught my child to lie.

I told the tax man what I made, forgetting cash that I was paid And then
I blushed at this sad feat, Today, I taught my child to cheat.

I smugly copied a cassette, to keep me free of one more debt. But now
the bells of shame must peal, Today, I taught my child to steal.

Today, I cursed another race. O God, protect what I debase. For now, I
fear it is too late. Today, I taught my child to hate.

By my example, children learn, that I must lead in life’s sojourn. In
such a way that they are led, by what is done, and what is said.

Today, I gave my child his due. By praising him instead of rue. And now
I have begun my guide; Today, I taught my child his pride.

I now have reconciled and paid, to IRS on all I made.
And now I know that this dear youth; today, has learned from me, truth.

The alms I give are not for show, and yet this child must surely know.
That charity is worth the price; Today, he saw my sacrifice.

I clasp within a warm embrace, my neighbor of another race…The great
commandment from above; today, I taught my child to love.

I speed along at 80 mph because everyone else was doing it and after
all, wouldn’t I be a safety hazard if I didn’t. Today I taught my child to justify sin…

Someday, my child must face alone, this world of fierce some undertone,
But I have blazed a sure pathway; Today I taught my child… to pray.

Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is
old he will not depart from it.”

Fires of Life that Build and Restore…

Hebrews 12:11 “Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

Fires of Life that Build and Restore…

Each summer we read of fires out west and around the world. We frequently think of them as being disasters. Did you know there are fires in our lives that are intended to develop us spiritually? And yes, we frequently view those as disasters also. There are some misguided souls that teach that if you have fires in your life it is not a good thing or it is because of weak faith. The biblical reality is that some fires in our lives are noted in scripture as trials and tribulations and are required for our spiritual development of our faith.

When we view the reports of the wild fires or drive by where one has been we see that over time they actually renew life. If you’re going through a fire in your life right now, that will be something very important for you to mentally grab a hold of. If you don’t, all you’ll see is the damage and you’ll lose any sense of hope. And then instead of renewal or development the fires bring on discouragement.

It may be that those fires (trials and tribulations) have burned through your family recently, or your church, maybe your business or your relationships. Maybe they have affected your health. And there is no doubt that the fire has taken away a lot. There’s no denying the pain from the fire, but that’s never the whole story. You need to know the “rest of the story”. Maybe what we view as damage is actually development. What a paradigm shift!

1 Peter 1:6-7 “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”

God describes the fires of life as trials. If you are a believer the only fire in your life not from God are those that are a result of sin. God sees us as valuable like gold. The fires are not forever; they are “for a little while”. And notice what the purpose of the fires or trials is. The purpose is not to destroy but to “refine” the gold or to get the impurities out so that it increases its value. And if we are honest with ourselves we have many impurities that we need to be purged from our lives.

The challenge we have is to view those fires as trials and tribulations sent from God. To count them as joy as James 1:2, 3 says. That’s a tough one but if you believe that God is doing a work in your life that knowledge will give you the courage to say thank you to endure. God sees us as worthy of purifying, improving, and getting ready for greater things. But that requires denial of self and spiritual development on our part. The fire that appears to take away so much, actually brings new life if we stay close to God during the fire.

What kind of new life does God bring out of the flames? For one thing, He helps us focus the rest of our life on the things that really matter. Everything in our lives goes in one of two columns. One column for things that really matter and another for the things that don’t. A lot of times we get those columns confused. When we ask God for the wisdom to know the difference we then can set God focused priorities. When we look to God we then can emerge from the fire more committed to His glory instead of self comfort and glory.

The fire often forces you to sort out where your identity is really anchored. Is it in a person, your job, or your title, or your performance, or your appearance, or in your relationship with Jesus Christ? Or putting it another way the fires help us to see where our real priorities in life are. Are they in self or in serving our Savior? The flames often drive you to a new closeness to Jesus.

Yes, the fire destroys. But it only destroys the parts or things of our lives that have no eternal value. And thank God, that is not the end of the story. The fire also renews!

Portions from Ron Hutchcraft Ministries and “Renewing Fire.”

II Cor 12:9 “And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Pursuing a Spiritual MBA…

Pursuing a Spiritual MBA

Real truth with a spiritual MBA is available to us. It comes
through the teaching of the Holy Spirit and of course the Holy Spirit uses

His text material, the Word of God. You can obtain it if you….

II Tim 2:15 “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman  that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. ”

Be careful when pursuing your Spiritual MBA. There are some sources in worldly high places not worth listening to…they see God’s truths as not relevant for today. And are foolishness for directing our lives. They are called the unsaved or not ‘born again’.

I Cor 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God:  for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Malachi 3:6a “I the Lord do not change…”

Why is it that many times the things I think are appropriate are really not what God sees as appropriate? Even when I feel I am lined up with God and His will for my life. That being the case then I need to trust God even if my inner self does not agree.

Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.”

Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seems right unto men, BUT the ends thereof are the ways of death.”

It will take commitment and obtaining your reference material from the
one source of truth we have in this world.

II Tim 3:16 “All scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

2 Peter 1:20,21 “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things.  For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

Now that we understand how important it is to pursue God’s truth and values and we know where to find them then here is one final exam. Who is the owner of truth?

John 14:6 “And Jesus said unto them, I am the way, the truth and the
life, no one comes to the Father, BUT BY ME!”

Now that we know where truth resides we can focus on reading it and letting it change us so we can truly be educated in the things that matter for eternity!

Have a great day seeking and serving Jesus!

HAPPY STUDYING…

Faith One Day at a Time…

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Faith One Day at a Time…

“I compare the troubles which we have to undergo in the course of the
year to a great bundle of sticks, far too large for us to lift. But God does not require
us to carry the whole bundle at once. He mercifully unties the bundle, and gives us first one
stick, which we are to carry today, and then another, which we are to carry tomorrow, and so on.
This we might easily manage, if we would only take the burden appointed for each day; but we choose to increase our troubles by carrying yesterday’s stick over again today, and adding tomorrow’s burden to the load, before we are required to bear it.”

John Newton (1725-1807)

Faith is required throughout our lives if we are to first restore our relationship with God that sin broke and second if we are to live a life that is pleasing to our Lord. This morning let’s look at some of those verses in scripture reflecting when faith is needed.

Saving Faith is assuring me I will spend eternity with God in Heaven. It takes faith accepting God’s grace to wash away our sins. No work, person or organization can do that for us.

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Sanctification and growing Faith! After being ‘born again’ we will need to walk by faith to please God and grow closer to Him.

         God’s grace will sustain if we allow it to. It takes faith to accept that God can run our lives better than we can.

And when those troubles come it takes faith to trust that God is with us and even sustains us.

Matthew 11:28, 29 ” Come unto Me all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest for your souls.”

2 Cor. 12:9 “And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

How is your faith this morning????