🫡Unselfish Sacrifices Touching Skin🫆

  I believe in one thing, that only a life lived for others is a life worth living. Albert Einstein

What’s that? Webster say this about unselfishness “not unduly attached to one's own interest.”

Sacrifice “To destroy, surrender or suffer to be lost for the sake of obtaining something.To devote with loss. Sacrifice of interest to pleasure, or of pleasure to interest.” 

Lost! We don’t like lost, I don’t like lost. For 20 years my wife and I have sacrificed every Friday night to help those who have let a addiction of some kind destroy their lives. Why? I was at one time one of those that had left an addiction desteoy my life.I could make excuses of how my life got there but that’s all they would be excuses and blaming others for my wrongful actions. I was the one that let myself get there, I was the captain in control of my life’s ship and I had let it run ashore. Oh but it is much easier to blame others, others didn’t make the bad choices that led me there, I did that all by my selfish self. Fortunately I was delivered and my life was put back together. I know the way out and I have wanted to help others and show them the way. So for 20 years my wife and I sacrificed Friday nights in doing just that. 

Galatians 6:1 (KJV) Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Galatians 6:2 (KJV) Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

How could I sit by knowing how the Lord could use me to help others. This world has convinced others that it’s not their fault. Then whose fault is it? When I learned that the buck stops here was a great day for me. Don’t get me wrong this is a major problem in many lives today. Marriages destroyed, children’s lives destroyed, jobs lost, businesses gone and the list could go on and on. Yes there are those that if they ever taste, feel, see, hear or touch will never be the same. Like Adam and Eve, once they ate they were never the same. Now they did not know the cost and neither do we but once that decision is made the door is opened. What’s the answer? There was a man not far from where I lived that had the answer written on a 2x8 bolted to the bumbler of his green 55 Chevrolet. It simply read “Christ is the answer.” I, like others, paid it no attention. We just thought he was a religious nut. Just like that kid at my high school that walked around with a big pen on a bottom that had a  question mark. Ask him what that meant and he would tell you about Jesus Christ, oh yeah he was a religious nut too. You know what? Those two were not related but they both had the right answer. It took me years to find that out but when I did my life changed for eternity. I know the way out and it wouldn’t be right not to help others, so I willingly sacrificed Friday nights, went into jails and many other places. I didn’t go to condemn others that will never help, only hurt.😢 The man or woman drowning that doesn’t grab the life jacket will die. Grab the life jacket and stay above water until they can get them to safety. Who wouldn’t want that for themselves? You would be surprised. Just like I was standing on the outside looking in, listening to others who have no clue themselves. Love God with the outer man by yielding to the inner man, and love others by giving up our own pleasures for the benefit of others. That doesn’t mean we are to give up everything and have no pleasures in this life, not by a long shot. Helping others is giving up a little of our time for the importance of helping others. Somebody touched my skin. What that means is somebody set some time aside out of their busy schedule to help me. Call it pay forward or whatever but I wanted to do the same for someone else; touch their skin. What an honor, what a privilege for someone to say that you touched their skin. Jim Smith touched my skin, Ray Hill touched my skin, James Peppers touched my skin and a few others and I want to do the same for the lives of others. 

🪣There’s My Buck List📋

  One can never raise the floor by lowering the ceiling. 

Our Heavenly Father told Adam that he and Eve could eat freely of all that was in the garden. 

Genesis 2:16 (KJV) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

God then said BUT.

Genesis 2:17 (KJV) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Now that is water under the bridge and I can do nothing about it, l wasn’t there and if I had been I don’t know what I would have done. Now I am here and what do I want? We hear things like where will you be in 5 years, ten years? Can we know? I understand we need a plan but we must also have a plan for the end of this life. We hear talk about a bucket list, things we would like to do and see. Nothing at all wrong with that but what about when the time comes to die? Is there more? I believe there is, for those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ. Now when we  place our trust in what Jesus Christ has done for us all there should be some signs in our outward life and the Bible calls them fruits.

Galatians 5:22 (KJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Galatians 5:23 (KJV) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

When you and I asked the Lord to forgive us, at that point something happened. The Spirit of God moved in and there was a notable difference in our life. We began to change and change for the best. A new life with new fruit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness. All this doesn’t happen at once or does it? Could it be like the Polaroid camera that came out when I was a kid? With this camera you could take a picture and then watch the picture you just had taken develope. At that time it was the coolest thing I had ever seen. It took a minute but right there in front of your eyes the picture would slowly appear. That is what happens when I trust Jesus Christ as my savior. The love came, the joy came, the peace came, Patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulnesss, gentleness along with self-control. It’s there and God is still working on me and I’m so glad He is. Now when I lose my self-control I don’t say, well they had that coming. Oh no I say to myself why? I need to go an apollazie for my actions. After you do that a couple of times you start learning to control your actions. I’m still working on my patience’s and to tell you the truth I’m still working on all of these fruits; but not by myself. It’s with the help of my Heavenly Father as the Holy Spirt helping me day by day working with me teaching me through His Word, my Bible.

I don’t look at where I will be in 5,10,20 years. Oh no I am looking way further than that. I’m looking, expecting and excited about where I’ll be in enterity. I don’t have a bucket list and you may ask why? Oh sure there are places and things I would love to see but a bucket list takes something I don’t have, money! Now in this world we live in there are some wonderful things to see without doubt. The Apostle Paul said this  1 Corinthians 2:9 (KJV) But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

There’s my buck list and I’ll have all the time I need to see it all. Many think that kind of thinking is a bunch of boloneney and when you close your eyes in this world that’s it. I don’t! As the song says “I once was lost but now I’m found.” I have experienced all I have written about. I know the Bible is the Word of God. It tells us about God and His great love for man kind. Now let’s say you are right and I am wrong. Then I will never know I was wrong. Now on the other hand what if you are wrong and I am right. Which one of us has the greatest lost? Something to think about. There are more than one examples of that kind of thinking in the Bible. The first one that comes to mind are the 2 thieves dying beside Jesus on a cross. One can read about it in the book of Luke; that is the third book in the New Testament. Luke chapter 23 and verse 32 to verse 43. One of those thieves has a promise of going to Paradise and the other thief has no promise of going to Paradise. Which one of those men would you rather be on that day at that time?

😭Selfish and Self-Centered😇

  Be yourself; Everyone else, well, they are already taken.

It is simple, all one has to do is watch their children or other children. A brother or sister has a toy that they haven’t played with in a week, haven’t even touched it. Their brother or sister comes into the room and goes and picks it up. All of a sudden instead of sharing they are all upset and begin saying it’s mine, that my friend is being selfish. Self-centered is thinking about yourself more than others. We may say we are happy for what others have but inside in our unpoliced area that is not how we really feel at all. Why is that? Remember back in the book of Genesis God created Male and female.

Genesis 1:27 (KJV) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. This gave them a body. That is great but we need way more than a body so God gave Adam and Eve a Soul.

Genesis 2:7 (KJV) And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Now that body can move and function. Now what else is needed? A way to communicate with God our Heavenly Father, and this is how they did it. 

Genesis 1:2 (KJV) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

This is very important and here is how we will know our Heavenly Father.

When we go to the New Testament the very first time we read the word spirit it is here in  

Matthew 3:16 (KJV) And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

Remember what God told Adam?

Genesis 2:16 (KJV) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: Eat as much as you want any time you want; BUT!!

Genesis 2:17 (KJV) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Don’t eat of the tree of “good and evil” what will happen if we do?

“in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” What is DIE? What dying is, is not important, what is important is what God said not to do, obey God. Then it happened, Adam and Eve took and did eat. What happened? Did they die? No they didn’t drop dead physically. Then what died? What changed?  

Genesis 3:7 (KJV) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. They hadn’t made anything up to this point and their eyes were already opened? Just what God said was going to happen; they both died but it wasn’t physically. Then what died? Their spirit within that which communicates with God. They that Worship God must!

John 4:24 (KJV) God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Adam and Eve ate, their spirit died. When God came looking for them they hid from God. Why? Because what God had given them to communicate with Him was now dead! That is why  today we are still hiding. Somehow we think going to Church will be enough. Giving money to God’s work will be enough. Helping others will be enough. Being a good person will be enough, and whatever else one can think up will be enough. No! We must have that spirit to communicate with God. We are born with a body and a soul but not a spirit. That is why Jesus told Nicodemus this. 

John 3:5 (KJV) Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Just as Adam and Eve were removed from the garden of Eden we can’t enter into heaven without the Spirit. That is why it doesn’t bother some of us when we do things we know are wrong. Taking something small that doesn't belong to us is not like taking something big. We must have the spirit and then the truth of what God has said will mean a lot more to us. That is what Paul said.

Romans 7:7 (KJV) What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

No one had to teach us to do wrong, be selfish, self-centered and we will never know it’s wrong if we are not taught that it is. That’s why we see the real us in children and that’s why we teach them. Don’t you want your child to know how to share? God wants us to know too, that’s why we need that spirit to be born again within us. What Adam and Eve lost God has made away for to have. Isn’t God good? 

👮‍♂️ Unpoliced 🚔

 👀Look I’m in the driver's seat😱Oh my.

Would you go to a place that had a sign that read “This area is unpolice enter at your own risk.” Then right beside that sign another sign that read “What happens here stays here although it may hinder you for years to come or the rest of your life.”

I think if I read a sign like that I would not enter that area at all. Staying clear sounds like a good idea but that is not the case at all. For all of us have entered there day in and day out. You might say not me! Oh yes me and you have entered that unpoliced area and no one but God knows we were even there. Where is this place? In our mind is everyone’s secret hiding place. The question is do we want that secret, unpoliced area policed? Have you ever said without saying it in words “I’ll be glad when you are dead.” Nobody knows but you, it’s an unpoliced thought. Our mind is and can be a dumping ground of some awful thoughts. Jeremiah 17:9 says this “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Some may answer only me, it's my little hiding place. You think? Not so, for in the next verse we are told it’s not. 

Jeremiah 17:10 (KJV) I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

God knows all the intents, purposes, designs, imaginations, all the secret motions of our heart. The wicked and the good. God says “I try the reins” that’s the most inward and remote part, the seat of our affections, are they hypocritical? Do we say one thing with a smile while we are thinking about something else? There is not a person that has ever lived that hasn’t done something like that. We say we love when we don’t. We say we like when we don’t. We say we haven’t when we have. Many years ago I was a witness on the witness stand in a court trial for one of my friends. I was asked many questions. I was not truthful after I took an oath saying I would. Now as the DA pressed me with many questions he knew I was not telling the truth. Now all the untruths I told him would be hard to know unless I told the court the truth. The DA asked me to come to his office. When I got there he tried his best to trick me into telling the truth to the point he got very angry. I never did and kept repeating the same story over and over. When I left his office his last words were did I know what purgeare was? I said yes and walked out of his office. Now let me say this when all this happened I was 20 years old and wild as a buck. This all happened 2 years before I gave my heart to the Lord. Nonetheless it still happened and it was wrong very wrong. When the trail was over my lying saved my friend from going to a military prison but didn’t save his strips he lost them all. You say well you did a good thing! Oh no for one can never do good by doing wrong. If I were to rob a bank; that’s doing bad? I gave to the poor, I fed the hungry and took none for myself helping 100’s.isn’t that good? No! It was wrong, although I did a good thing. I nor you can do good by first doing wrong. How does one have their mind policed? Or do you really want it to be policed? If you do, here is how. 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.

The mind must be renewed. How?

Philippians 2:5 (KJV) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Having the mind of Christ Jesus is an ongoing work. Our Bible reveals the mind of Christ, the more we know what the Bible says the more we know the mind of Christ Jesus. 

Psalms 119:11 (KJV) Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. So how much of God’s Word the Bible have you got hidden in your heart? If you say not much. Then your mind is unpoliced and may cause you to get involved in something you will pay for the rest of your life. Remember this saying; Sin will take you further than you want to go, cost you more than you want to pay and keep you longer than you want to stay. You see many, many, many years later I still haven’t forgotten that court trail and what I did.  It has stayed longer than I wanted!

🤷🏻‍♂️I Didn’t Know You🙅🏻‍♂️

 Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

John 11:26

Years ago me and my friend Tim Stubbs were sitting in his car in a parking lot in Grasham Park. A small city where young people in those days would hang out. All of a sudden this young man opened the left rear door and got into the backseat. He started talking to us and we started talking with him. After a while he got out and left. I ask Tim, who was that? Tim said I don’t know I thought he was a friend of yours. I said, I didn’t know him.

In Matthew chapter 7 verses 21-23 we read of something heart breaking; not only is it heart breaking but it should make us all stop and think. Matthew 7:21 (KJV) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Here in Matthew 7 we read of something similar to that afternoon when an unknown person got into the backseat of Tim’s car. Not everyone that says unto me Lord, Lord shall enter into Heaven. Let’s follow up and see why.

Matthew 7:22 (KJV) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

In that day! Could this be the day of judgement? Could it be the last day of our life the moment we all know is coming, but to today! I’ll let you decide that. I am interested in what is said and not so much when. Lord have we not prophesied. Have we not casted out devils  and done many, not a few but many wonderful works. Sounds good but if we look at what this many said we start to notice something. They start off saying Lord, Lord that sounds good but after that things start to go south. They say “have we not prophesied in thy name?” Looks like maybe the Lord has been left out and we the people have stepped in. This many have only had what they/we have done. It is always important to know what the Word of God says. 

Titus 3:5 (KJV) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

It’s not by the work we have done but by “his mercy he saved us.”   Then we read “have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils?” Well bless your heart. That was great but that was not what was required. It’s not by what we have done but by what Jesus Christ has done.  

Romans 4:2 (KJV) For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

Romans 11:6 (KJV) And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

On that day it has to be Grace and not Works. In other words what Christ has done and not what we have done. For if we trust in what we have done then we will hear the same thing that these in Matthew 7 did.  Matthew 7:23 (KJV) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

🌪️The Storms of Life 🛟👽

 

Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.

Most have read or heard of Peter the night he walked on water to go to where Jesus was. Peter asked Lord if that be you let me come out on the water with you?

Matthew 14:28 (KJV) And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. The Lord said to him come. And Peter stepped out and began to walk on the water to where Jesus was. All is well Peter’s faith was shining that night until his eyes saw something.  Matthew 14:30 (KJV) But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. Peter asked and Jesus said come and Peter stepped out on water. Wow, have you ever tried that? If you have then you know the results, sink! That just can’t be done, it is impossible. Here we have recorded the fact that it did happen, but not without Jesus. Now Peter knew that you can’t walk on water so when he saw how strong the wind was he became afraid. I have always asked myself were the winds not strong when Peter stepped out on the water? Yes they were; then why did he become so fearful? Peter the man who walked with Jesus and saw Jesus do miracle after miracle. Now Peter is standing on water. Was this not a miracle? Sure it was and all is well until when? Peter saw the strong wind then Peter became afraid. Then we read that Peter began to sink. Peter saw something that was already there before he stepped out on the water. Then he became afraid of what he knew was there. Here is the amazing thing that happened: the Bible said that Peter began to sink. Began to sink? You don’t just begin to sink on water you sink! 

Matthew 14:30 (KJV) But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. This is great news to you and I, to which you might say how? Great question! Just because we have trusted Jesus; our lives have changed doesn’t mean that we ourselves won’t have doubts. The harsh winds of this life will blow and our faith in Christ may be weakened to the point we begin to sink. We might ask ourselves why is this happening to me? Does the Lord not care? That night Peter walked on the water and got his eye off Jesus and his eyes on the problems of the wind he began to sink. What did Jesus do? Nothing until Peter asked. That is when Jesus did something. Jesus didn’t just do something to save Peter from his doubt. Oh no Jesus told him why he doubted.

Matthew 14:31 (KJV) And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Peter doubted his faith; it wasn't the wind or the water it was his faith. That my friend is the same thing that happens to you and I. Did you notice that Jesus didn’t stop the problem, the wind. No! But Jesus was with Peter in the problem, the wind. Well you placed your faith in Jesus like Peter. You believed with all your heart that Jesus died in payment for your sins. Does that mean we will never have any problems? One day we all will receive some bad news. The doctor may tell you or someone you love that they only have 6 months or so to live. You were walking on the water but now you start to sink. What do you do? The same Peter did “he cried, saying, Lord, save me” It’s not wrong to ask the Lord to heal you. That’s what Peter did and on that night Jesus reached out His Hand. Peter reached out and took His hand. Jesus did say “O thou of little faith” Oh but keep reading and see what happened to the wind.  

Matthew 14:32 (KJV) And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Once Peter placed his hand into the Hand of Jesus things changed “the wind ceased.” It’s not the bad news that you may not be healed. Jesus made this promise and we so often forget it.  

John 14:18 (KJV) I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

John 14:27 (KJV) Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

There may come a time in our lives that there seems to be no hope and that may very well be the case. My Daughter n law’s dad was dying and he knew it. He told me that the doctors had given him 5 years. Oh but he would not get to live those 5 years. When his health got really bad my Daughter n law stepped up to the plate. She would bring him home to her house. They clean out a room for him. Hospice brought a hospital bed and placed it in a bedroom. Before they could get him there he passed away. You know what I think sometimes the Lord gives us the will to pull the cord so to speak. No hope in sight for this life but I think that maybe to show us the light of the home that He has promised us and we ourselves say “I ready Lord take me now.” That is when the Lord reaches out and takes us away and when my daughter n laws dad came unto heaven the wind ceased. Oh I’m sorry I got that wrong. Jesus is true to His promise about never leaving us comfortless. don’t miss what happened on that sea, read every word. “And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.”

When they were come. They, means more than one; and when Jesus and Peter were come, the wind ceased. 

Don’t let doubt rob you of what the Lord has prepared for you. For it will if you let it. Is it the words of Jesus or the storms of this life?

🧐I Believes 😲

 To believe is something and not live it, is being dishonest…

The Story is told of a man who walked across a high wire. He asked those who watched if they believed he could walk across the high wire. They yelled back and said we believe you can do that. He said do you believe I can roll this wheelbarrow across. To which they said we believe. Then he asked if they believed he could roll a load of bricks across, to which they said that they believed. It was a sight to see all those that said they believed witnessing all those amazing stunts. My question is did they really believe?  Then the man turned once again and asked all those who had said previously that they believed if they believed that he could roll one of then in this wheelbarrow across. No one believed he could do that. It’s easy to say one believes but it’s another thing to vest yourself in what you say you believe. That is when what you say is tested. Many say they believe in Jesus Christ but their actions say differently. These types of people can be dangerous to those who have just accepted or believed that Jesus Christ came to save sinners. When I was growing up my dad said to me more than once “Wayne I would be careful hanging around those kinds of young men.” Why did he tell me that? Did he not like those young men? Oh no not at all. He didn’t like how they acted. He knew if I spent much time with them it would affect what he had taught me and wanted to teach me. 

Same is true in our Christian life for rotten apple in the barrel will always spoil good apple. It is never the other way around. Judas one of the Lord disciples had big plans to harm Jesus. What?? After all Judas had witness and been apart of now decides that for money he would betray Jesus. In Matthew chapter 26 verse 48-50 we read of the way he said it would be done.  

Matthew 26:48 (KJV) Now he (Judas) that betrayed him(Jesus) gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.

A kiss! Oh my; A salute given with the lips; a common token of affection. This want to be  disciple was not at all who he wanted other to think he was. These were the kind my dad warned me about. There was a TV program when I was a kid called the “Leave it to Beaver.” Bever had a brother named Walley who had a friend named Eddie. When Eddie was around Beavers Mom and dad June and Ward he was diffent. He was so kind with his words which that made you believe what a great kid. Oh but this wasn’t who he really was at all. Who and what he was came out when he got around Walley and Bever. Although Eddie wanted others to believe that he was a good kid his actions said something entirely different. This was like Judas and I’m sure you have known some Judas’s and Eddie’s in your life time. Be careful what you believe and who you believe for actions speak louder than words. John warns of that 

1 John 4:1 (KJV) Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Don’t be fooled for our actions speak loud.