⏰Time Travel 📆

In the process of time it came to pass.

I have enjoyed watching movies about time travel. I remember the movie Back to the future starring Michael J Fox as Marty McFly. This movie came out in 1985. This movie starts off in the year 1985 and Marty McFly goes back 30 years in time to 1955. Maybe I enjoyed it so much because I could relate to the year 1955. This is what I think, if I were able to go back 30 years in time I’m not sure I would want to rush back. I could fix a bunch of mistakes I have made in the last 30 years. Oh but I am sure I would make more mistakes. Have you ever said “If I could do that again I would do it differently.” Well the truth is life has no reverse but it does have a rear view mirror. It’s hard to forget some of the things we have been a part of in the past, good or bad. It’s for sure we can’t fix the mistakes of the past but the good thing about the past is that the rear view mirror is not as big as the windshield of the future. I don’t know about you but the past does have its flash backs and they come unwanted and unexpected. I’ll share just one. After being discharged from the military and put back into the culture of that day I moved on with life the best I knew how. I thought I was doing ok but I soon realized I had a problem with the rock music. When I would hear a song it would rush my mind backwards to a time and place and things that I have done. I overcame it by leaving where I was and that worked ok but the damage was done. My mind was refreshed of things I couldn’t forget. Then there was this night our family was on vacation. We were at this place and I noticed the crowd was getting bigger and bigger. Before long it was almost elbow room. Then it happened on loud speakers all above, music from the past began to play. I could not get away. I was trapped and I had no recourse. No one with me knew what I was experiencing because  I had not shared this problem with anyone at the time. Song after song memory after memory flooding my mind it was an awful experience to say the least. Call it PTSD put any type of name you like but it doesn’t change the reality of it. How did I overcome it? I myself couldn’t but the Lord in all his wisdom could. I had to change the way I was thinking. The Bible is a wonderful book and God showed me two things to hide in my heart. Philippians 2:5 (KJV) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Where did I find the mind of Christ? Where else, in the Bible. Romans 12:2 (KJV) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

I could not fix what was broken but God could and did. I still don’t like the music of those days but with God help I have put them behind me. Someone may say I wish it was that easy. I didn’t say it was easy; to renew is to repair that which is broken to a good state. If something is to be repaired someone must know how. If the water line from the street is leaking. It must be dug up and that takes work. After it has been dug up and the leak found, that does not fix the leak. No, at that point someone must know what to do to stop the leak. Now the water has stopped and the leak fixed. The pipe is now placed back in the ground and covered up with dirt. It has been repaired or renewed. Now below the ground the water is running like before; but if you could see the pipe you would see the patch or fix that has been done. This is a crude illustration of what our Heavenly Father has done. We have it writing that our Heavenly Father refuses to remember; not that He couldn’t but that He chooses not to. Psalms 103:12 (KJV) As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Hebrews 8:12 (KJV) For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

There is much more I could say but like my Heavenly Father I choose not to remember. 

🪎Treasures Not Laid Aside💫

 

Where your Treasure is there you will find your Heart

Matthew 6:19 (KJV) Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

What is a treasure? Webster says 

“Wealth accumulated; particularly, a stock or store of money in reserve. A great quantity of anything collected for future use.”

Could it not read “Don’t lay up money in reserve so that it accumulates. What is being taught in these verses? Many think if they just have enough money laid up life will be wonderful. That could be true in this life but the problem is what about what’s next? I think the teaching here is not so much the wealth accumulated but where I put my trust. Because we read in the next verse that we should accumulate treasures in a different place and that place is Heaven. Could the teaching be that where we accumulate our treasure is where we put our trust? If our bank accounts are running over on earth then our trust is on things on earth. If you have wealth here the question is will you have wealth in Heaven? The answer is given to us in verse 21 and verse 24.

Matthew 6:21 (KJV) For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:24 (KJV) No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

 I know that is not popular and we will not hear that on the investment programs. No one will be saying your greatest investment will be on those things that rust won’t corrupt and thieves won’t steal. The Lord wants His children to trust Him for the things present, for the things past and for the things future. When you woke up this morning, what were the first things on your mind? Were we thankful for the night's rest? For the clothes we had to wear, for our family, for the car we had to drive. Did we take a moment to thank God for our good health? Thankful for our job? Did we thank the Lord for His love toward us? Did we say thanks for saving us? Did we take time to read from His Word that has been given to us. Did we take time to pray and ask our Heavenly Father to help those we know that are struggling with health problems and financial trouble? Have we thanked our Heavenly Father for our wife and children to give them the protection they need today? What have we done thus far today? Is that where our hearts are? It’s first come first serve. Matthew 6:24 (KJV) No man can serve two masters:  

😎Good vs Bad👺

  True character and inner worth create lasting value.

Win or lose? If you were to watch a Baseball game, you may read Braves vs Dodgers. At the beginning of the game no one knows which team will win, but what you do know is that there will be a winner. Most think our lives are the same way, there is good and there is evil. Many think that if there is more good in my life, then the good will win and heaven will open its doors and welcome me. If there is more evil then I will miss heaven and then the question arises is there really a hell. This is not wise thinking because it's like one playing baseball with football rules. I am not against being honest, truthful, patient, kind, loving and we should be but are we like that all the time? I cannot speak for others only for myself and the answer would be NO. I may not use 4-letter language when I get angry, but I use unloving and unkind words. I may hold a grudge against that person and refuse to forgive them; wonder if that would be good or bad? When and where does the Bible come into play? Is it the rule book or a book of good suggestions? Or do I really need to pay any attention to it at all? Evil in life does not change but we do give it new names. For instance, when a child is born out of wedlock the dad is not called daddy but instead we call him the baby daddy. How disgraceful for the mother what should we call her? The red-light mom? Is that way of life good or bad? If there are no rules to go by, does it really matter?  So, what does the Bible have to say about being good? Is there a pattern to follow? Can I be good?  

Romans 3:10 (KJV) As it is  written, There is none righteous, no, not one:                      

Romans 3:11 (KJV) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

Romans 3:12 (KJV)  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Now that makes it fairly clear if we believe the Bible, if not then it means nothing at all. Now if we don’t believe the Bible is true, then we must have a reason of our own why it's not true. Or is it something we have heard others say? One may say ignorant and unlearned people believe such nonsense as Heaven that the Bible teaches. No that’s not true, better do your homework before you believe that. Sir Isaac Newton, one of the greatest scientists in history believed the Bible was the Word of God.

Johannes Kepler: The astronomer who solved the riddle of planetary motion,  described his scientific work as "thinking God's thoughts after Him," viewing the Bible as the divine guide for understanding the universe.

Dr. Francis Collins: A prominent geneticist and the former director of the National Institutes of Health who led the Human Genome Project. He was raised an atheist, Collins wrote extensively on how the scientific evidence of the universe and his personal study of the Bible convinced him of its truth.   If one believes the Bible is or is not true for themselves then studying it would be the best way. If a Lawyer were to have a case would he look at the facts or listen to the voices of others? Don’t trust the words of others, know for yourself. Have you ever considered John might be wrong? Trust God Word the Bible not someone else that might be wrong. Why do you believe? Why do you trust? Is there Heaven? Where did you get your reason for believing that? Then ask yourself the same question about hell. What did you come up with? If you are going to be right or wrong, let it be your own merit not someone else’s. 

✍️Got That in Writing 📝

 The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them. Ernest Hemingway

Back in the day I watched my dad more than once shake hands with another to complete what was said. That used to mean the deal is true, I’ll do what I say, my word is proven by my shaking your hand. My advice is don’t do business that way in today’s world; best get it in writing. I’m just simply saying that words coming out of mouths in today's economy can’t always be trusted. Hand shakes are the way of greeting today, not so meaningful in business. 

Now the God we serve who is truthful in all that He says and does can’t shake our hand. Therefore He puts His promises in writing. Looking for the right way, right truth, and right life? We got it in writing. 

John 14:6 (KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Maybe we have a question about how we should overcome our anger issues. Yes, that is in writing too.

Proverbs 15:1 (KJV) A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Proverbs 16:32 (KJV) He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

Got a question about eternity? I find this interesting, this word eternity is only found one time in the KJV and it’s in Isaiah.

Isaiah 57:15 (KJV) For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

You may have the question who’s name is Holy? We are told that once in the Old Testament and once in the New Testament. 

 Isaiah 6:3 (KJV) And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

Yes, we have that in writing too. 

God knows His creation and what they are capable of so He has put it all in writing and we can without doubt trust God. 

2 John 1:6 (KJV) And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

Our Goodness is in writing

Romans 3:12 (KJV) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Our Righteousness is in writing

Romans 3:10 (KJV) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Our Sinfulness is in writing

Romans 3:23 (KJV) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Our Salvation is in writing

Romans 10:9 (KJV) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

God knows, while we think we know what seems right for us. God also wants us to know the end result of our thinking. 

Proverbs 16:25 (KJV) There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

🧧The Gift 🎁

A gift wrapped differently than expected.

Have you ever wanted to give to a person who has given you something? There is a word for that “RECIPROCATE” It means to make a return, as for something given. Someone gives you; let’s say an unexpected gift. Most people would like to give something back. It is used in business to build relationships with their customers. We ourselves may give a little something to another on their Birthday or at Christmas. Then we may feel as if we should give something in return. Here in Psalms 29 we see something similar. In verses 1&2 

Psalms 29:1 (KJV) Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.

Psalms 29:2 (KJV) Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Many have said they don’t go to Church because all they ever talk about is money. I wouldn’t go to a church like that either. I have been to a lot of Churches and I have never been to one like that. I will say I want to give to the Lord more than just my money and the Lord wants more than that. Notice what is being said “Give unto the LORD” well I got interested in that phrase, you know how many times that phrase is mentioned in the Bible? Now the KJV has 31,102 verses, now that’s a bunch of verses. There are 23,145 verses in the Old Testament and 7,957 verses in the New Testament. Out of all those verses the phrase “Give unto the LORD” is only mentioned 12 times. Now I do give to the Lord my Time, my Talent and my treasures. Why? Because He has given to me way more than I deserve. In verse we recognize where our might and our strength come from. In verse 2 we are to give glory due to His Name and we are to Worship the Lord in the Beauty of holiness. You see I never considered giving unto the Lord until I knew who the Lord Jesus was and what He had already done for me. That is when I want to reciprocate. I’m not trying to repay, for there is no way I could ever do that for God’s Gift is way too costly to even try. You know what? Our Heavenly Father doesn’t want us to do that nor ever try, Why? The same reason your loved one gives to you, they just love you and a gift is an expression of their love. What a gift our Lord has given to us. Ephesians 2:8 (KJV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

No greater gift can be given than that of eternal life. It’s no different than any other gift, in order for it to become yours, you must receive it.

💪Strong Belief 💫

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

What does the word “Believe” mean? Webster 1828 says “To credit upon the authority or testimony of another; to be persuaded of the truth of something upon the declaration of another, or upon evidence furnished by reasons, arguments, and deductions of the mind, or by other circumstances, than personal knowledge.”

We can use that word “Believe” and really not believe at all. I was stationed in Duluth Minnesota when I was in the military. Duluth was the coldest place I had ever been at that time. The city of Duluth sits right on Lake Superior and in the winter months Lake Superior freezes so thick that you could drive a car out on it. Now I, a boy from Georgia, had never seen anything close to that. My dad always told us to keep off lakes and where water was frozen because it would not hold our weight. One cold winter day I was at Lake Superior and decided to walk out on it. I saw cars where people were fishing but I was testing the water as I slowly took each step. Why? Because of the words my dad has taught me “it won’t hold your weight.” Where I was testing you more than likely could have had tractor trailers run over it. Now I was testing the waters because I really didn’t trust the lake. Why was that? Because I believed what my dad had said because he was a man of authority and truth and what he said I believed. 

Now in Daniel chapter three we read of 3 men who believed what they could not see when their very lives depended on what they believed. 

Nebuchadnezzar had made a golden image and told everyone they were to bow down to it when they heard music. Daniel 3:5 (KJV) That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:

This wasn’t an option you do it or else.

Daniel 3:6 (KJV) And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

It didn’t matter who you were, don't fall down and worship you go to the furnace. One day there was a problem: three men whom Nebuchadnezzar had set over the affairs of Babylon didn’t fall down and worship the King's image.

Daniel 3:12 (KJV) There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

What happened next showed what and whom they believed. Daniel 3:16 (KJV) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.  What was their answer?

Daniel 3:17 (KJV) If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. Wow what an answer. These men believed so strongly that their God was well able to save them from the fiery furnace. 

Daniel 3:18 (KJV) But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Now that is believing, no change of mind. Now King Nebuchadnezzar was so full of fury that he had the furnace turned up 7 times hotter. That furnace was so hot that the men who took these men to the furnace were burned up. A lot could be said about what our anger does to others but I’ll leave that for another day. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were bound yet they believed that God would either deliver them; but if not their God would take them to a much better place. Read what happened. Daniel 3:24 (KJV) Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. Something isn’t right here. How are there four and how in the world are they not burned up?

Daniel 3:25 (KJV) He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. These three men believed, and their belief was not just talk, it was action. Many never see the wonders of God because they believe by talk not by action. 

It was late one night an old man lay in a hospital bed in a coma. He hadn’t spoken in weeks, not a word. Many years earlier this man had asked the Lord to forgive him of his sin and his life changed. He became a member of a good church and did what he could as he followed the Lord the best he knew how. Now everyone is sitting around a bed doing what they could for their granddad and their loved one. Then it happened, the old man sat up in the bed as if nothing had ever been wrong. With a clear and loud voice he said these words “Oh how beautiful the colors oh my.” He then fell over and was gone. What happened?  His family got to witness what their loved one had believed 

Psalms 116:15 (KJV) Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

Hold up your hand if your belief is this strong.

🤝Advice 👋

 Having the applauses of men is not the same as having the peace of God.

Psalms 28:1 (KJV) Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

David calls out to the Lord properly addressing Him by name. “O LORD my rock” David refers to the Lord as his salvation, his firm foundation. David desire is hear the Lord speak to him. David doesn’t just ask the Lord to speak but then tells the Lord of his fear “if thou be silent to me”  “I become like them that go down into the pit” Like those in  prison.  David’s desire is to please the Lord so he ask the Lord, lead me, direct my steps, for if you don’t I’m afraid I’ll follow wrong advice. David may not mean the bad advice of others but himself. I don’t know about others but it is not the advice of others so much as my own advice I give myself. If I allow wrong thinking to continue it won’t be long before wrong actions follow. You see David cried out in desperation because of his fellowship with the Lord. My relationship with the Lord is daily not just when I go to the Church house. David had respect to the Lord with out doubt as well as a relationship with the Lord as a friend.

Proverbs 18:24 (KJV) A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

David showed himself friendly. You see if all David did was honor the Lord at a certain place and time he would never get to know the Lord as a friend. Friends talk to one another, care fore one another. A friend is one you build a relationship with. A friend is one you shares life’s ups and downs with and also it’s joys. A friend is one whom you are glad to introduce to others as your friend. A friend is one whom you have great respect for; “there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Who do you think is that friend that sticks closer than a brother? David knows  “Unto thee will I cry, O LORD” when you need advice who do you cry out to? When I head off in the wrong direction or sinful thinking and do not call out to the Lord for help I always end up in the wrong place. Why is that? I follow my own advice!