⁉️Just Asked The Thief 🙋‍♂️

 

Ask and it shall be given you, seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

It was just another day at the rock; the place called Calvary or Golgotha. Men were being punished for their crimes and today might have gone unnoticed except for one man, the man Christ Jesus. He had spent the last 3 plus years helping and feeding people, healing diseases, giving life to those who had no hope or were already dead. Today, this day will go down in history as we read of a common thief who would not just hear words spoken by Jesus but received the gift of eternal life. How could this be? This thief has now been convicted and the courts system of that day said you must die for your crimes. No fast talking lawyer was going to be able to get it reduced to a slap on the hand. Don't let this happen anymore. No he is placed on a cross, on a hillside to die with 2 others. Can you hear the noise? The hateful, hurtful words spoken by the crowd as they cried out. On that day that thief who we don’t even know his name got to do what many think they will get to do; ask for forgiveness at the very last moment. You may not say it but you have thought it, I did. I said when that day comes I will then say “Lord I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Sounds good but I never thought of how I might die. In a car going off the side of a mountain would I be thinking of dying or would I be too busy trying to stay alive? Never thought I would be driving down the highway and out of nowhere an 18 wheeler hits me going 70 miles an hour. There are many more ways I didn’t give thought to. Oh lucky day for this thief. That day for him was no different than it was for his friend; remember there were 2 thieves. His friend kept on being blind to the fact he was dying and looking for a way to escape. He must have not understood there was no escaping. One of these unnamed thieves turned to Jesus in all the shouting and other noise that day and said; here read it for yourself. 

Luke 23:39 (KJV) And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

Luke 23:40 (KJV) But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

Luke 23:41 (KJV)   And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

Luke 23:42 (KJV)   And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

I can hear Jesus saying “you got to be kidding.” Oh no that is not what Jesus said read it.

Luke 23:43 (KJV)   And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

What! This can’t be right, it must be a misprint. Why can’t it? Here is the answer and it’s simple

Luke 19:10 (KJV) For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

That thief might have had a praying mom, dad, grandparents, uncle, aunt or just a good friend that had been praying for him. On that day that thief realized he was about to go to hell and said these words “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy.” Jesus said TODAY you will be with me in paradise. On that day that thief closed his eyes on a cross outside the city and opened them in another city called paradise, a place he didn’t deserve. Stop and do your own thinking and ask yourself do I deserve paradise? No, none of us do not even that guy next door or that one in the break room reading his bible that is so big he can’t hardly carry it. Why? We are all sinners and sinners need a Savior. Oh but I keep the law! You think? Read what Jesus said. John 7:19  Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law?  

We aren’t doing a good job with keeping the law either. Breaking the law and punishment for doing so is on its way. Just asked the thief. Ask the right one for forgiveness and forgiveness is given. Once again asked the thief. 

 

🪏Fallow Ground🏜️

I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

Fallow ground is land left to itself, nothing fruitful grows there.  There was a piece of property that at one time was a farm. Now the family that had worked the farm something happened. Now this farm that at one time was producing, has now been left to itself and now it is so thick that you can’t walk over it. What happened? Not sure, maybe the children went off to school, got married and it was just more than Mom and Dad could take care of. What I know is that over time and little by little it was neglected.  Now the same will happen to us if we let neglect come into your lives. Our Bibles teach us to listen to others, learn from others. 

Proverbs 12:1 (KJV) Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.

Proverbs 11:2 (KJV) When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

Neglect doesn’t show up right away; it takes time. Call it what you want, not showing up, putting it off, not putting your hand to the plow. Just keep it up and before long it will show up; neglect. Neglect Sunday School, neglect Church, neglect praying, neglect reading your Bible, neglect asking questions, neglect not telling others you love them, neglect putting off time spending with loved ones. I think you get the idea, keep neglecting what is important and the distance grows. My Pastor and mentor James A Peppers taught me that one doesn’t take off and not put something else on. When you stop doing that which is important you allow that which is not important to grow. Keep letting it grow and before long you will not recognize it. Why is that? Because you don’t think it’s all that important anymore. Neglect may not cost you but it will cost the one who wants to restore. When I was young my mom and dad took me and my brothers to Church. My dad said prayers with us, corrected our language, taught us to respect others, yes sir, no sir, yes ma'am no ma’am. At 18 I went into the military and my prayer life stopped, my language changed for the worse; so bad my dad had to correct me. Neglect set in and it wasn’t long before the weeds began to grow, not only did they grow but they flourish. I can’t blame all that on the military because it was coming out of my mouth and I had control. I just let neglect of what is right enter in and it is not long before the weeds come.  

The weeds of words, the weeds of attitudes, the weeds of wrong actions. Fallow ground must be plowed and one Sunday morning it was. On that Sunday morning I saw that my life had become a real mess and needed a change. I heard for the first time that Jesus came to save sinners. Was I a sinner? All I had to do was listen to myself talk. The awful words that came out. Anyone including me would have to say yes. I bowed my head and heart and asked Jesus to forgive me and you know what? Jesus did just that. Why? Because that’s what Jesus came to do

 1 Timothy 1:15 (KJV) This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

On that day I didn’t say I’m not that bad. Many may say that, so what are they saying? Are they saying that they are good sinners, not bad? If we have ever lied then we are sinners. If we have ever stolen anything, no matter how small or big we are sinners. Just those two things make us sinners and we have done much more than that. Oh, speak for yourself. Therein lies the problem; “he that hateth reproof is brutish.”  

 

🪎Treasures🌈

The biggest treasures in life are the people that surround us. Our friends and family are the gems that fill life’s treasure chest.

When I was a kid I always heard that there was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Now being a kid and hearing adults talk about a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow; well it must be true. Well one day after a short rain and the sun wasn’t behind any dark clouds. I saw my opportunity for just about a 100 yards in front of me there was a rainbow which looked like the end. My heart filled with?? I don’t know, maybe greed? Anyways I took off to my pot of gold, hoping to be the first there. All looked good for it looked like I would be the first because there was no one in the race to get that pot of gold but me. How wonderful! My mom and dad would be so proud of me when I walked through the front door with a pot of gold. As I ran I noticed that instead of the end of that rainbow getting closer it was getting further away. So I ran faster and no matter how fast I ran the end kept getting further and further away. I soon stopped and went home and found out that there was no pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. I also discovered about chasing what you cannot have, because the rainbow is always just one step further.   

I laugh now but I did learn my lesson. Oh it wasn’t rainbows I was chasing it was something else but it was like chasing that rainbow. Because the more I pursued after it. The more I chased it the further it kept getting ahead and I never got close enough to touch it. This time I wasn’t wise enough to stop and the cost was great in the loss I suffered. Reminds me of the farmer in Luke chapter 12. He saw an opportunity and like me he pursued it only to find out that it was only an unreachable dream of happiness. 

Luke 12:18 (KJV) And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

Luke 12:19 (KJV) And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

What this farmer didn’t know was how close he was to eternity and neither do we. The Lord only gives us one day at a time. Why can’t we learn to enjoy the day we have? Too many times we spend too much time planning for the future we may never have. Oh I’m not saying don’t plan at all for the future that would not be wise. We must never forget that the future may never be ours to have.  Never let tomorrow be more important than today. Why? Because tomorrow never comes.   

James 4:13 (KJV) Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

James 4:14 (KJV) Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.            

James 4:15 (KJV)  For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

Plan yes but live today for that’s all we have; today!

🧐Understanding🤔

  I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. Psalms 119:100 

Understanding “Right understanding consists in the perception of the visible or probably agreement or disagreement of ideas. Intelligence between two or more persons.” This is not always an easy task. Have you ever noticed when putting something together how simple they try to make it? You first open up the box and there are many pieces, screws, nuts and bolts and they are different sizes from ¼ inch ⅜ inch ½ inch all kinds of washers plastics parts and more. 🧐🤓you are not a rocket scientist, how in the world am I going to get this together right? Never fear the directions, have it all in detail with pictures and words. Don’t know the difference between a ½ inch and a ¼ inch ? No problem just hold the screw or bolt up to the picture and look, they match in size. Oh but everything isn’t that simple. I love my wife dearly and there isn’t anything I would not do for her but I don’t always understand. I don’t know if you have noticed but men and women are a bit different and I mean more than just body parts. God made Adam first and after that He must have said this poor guy needs help. Why would I say that? 

Genesis 2:18 (KJV) And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. So God made Eve to help Adam out. Many times as much as I love my wife I don’t always understand her and that is part of God’s plan; don’t ask me why because I don’t really know. As one writer wrote, women speak a different language and I would agree. Now I have made it part of my life to understand and I have come a long way but I am yet to be fluent. Did you know that as a man I am to love my wife and not only am I to love her I’m told how I am to love her. 

Ephesians 5:25 (KJV) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

What did Christ do for the Church? Gave Himself!

Ephesians 5:28 (KJV) So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

That’s fairly simple: you love her, she will love you back, that's God's plan and purpose. You know what? Without my wife in my life I would be a real mess because she is my help meet and the way I feel is what Jimmy Stewart said in the movie “It’s a wonderful life.”  “What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down.” For me it is not happy wife happy life. Oh no it’s happy wife the love of my life and that makes me happy. My wife loves the beach. I could care less if I ever saw the beach again. Here’s why I go to the beach because I love my wife and I want to be around her. The apostle Paul said that he had learned to be content in the bad times and well as the good times. In the poor times and the times of prosperity. It’s a learning process. It’s being unselfish; it's giving to the ones you love. 

Philippians 4:11 (KJV) Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

All you can take with you is that which you've given away.

Proverbs 4:7 (KJV) Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

🌪️Storms🌫️

Don’t get caught up in the middle of the storm for the sun will shine again.

Storms will come into all our lives, some will be small but others will be monsters we will never forget. Many will involve us personally and others will touch our lives in many other ways.  Don’t be surprised when the storms come for they are coming to us all there is no escaping them. It was Terrible Tuesday, 10 April 1979 an eight year old boy out of school on Easter break said “a day I’ll never forget.” He tells how he felt and the fears he experienced and the protection from God of how God took care of him and his family. If you have never heard of Terrible Tuesday it would be worth your time to read about how cities and those involved recover from a 400 million dollar disaster of that day. 

There may not have been a terrible Tuesday in your life. It may have been a terrible Thursday or a tribble Saturday. Regardless of what day of the week it was, it was a terrible moment in your life. It may not have been a 400 million dollar moment but it was a moment that no price could have been put on it. It was a regular day my uncle was on his way home from work; just like the day before and the day before that and so on. He stops and gets some gas in a gas container, maybe he was going to cut grass when he got home; we’ll never know. A young lady was on her way home too. She must have been tired because he went to sleep and crossed over into the oncoming traffic. Her vehicle hit my uncle's small truck and pushed it into the bank and trapped him inside the truck. That was bad enough but the impact caused the gas container to explode and now the truck was on fire. My uncle now on fire himself somehow turned himself around and kicked the back window out. He gets out running down the highway on fire. A man saw what was happening, stopped, grabbed a blanket and ran to him wrapping the blanket around him putting out the fire. We are grateful for this man's fast thinking but the fire had already burned 80% of his body. It was awful and if that was not bad enough he was rushed to a local hospital that couldn’t do much. The call went out to a trauma hospital which said they had no room for him. A helicopter was sent to pick him up, he was loaded in and strapped in and off the Augusta they were headed. As they lifted off the helicopter hit something and it crashed killing everyone onboard except my uncle. Now the trauma hospital in Atlanta had to take him room or not. My uncle lasted maybe four days and then he died. It was awful and my uncle was burnt everywhere from just above his angles up. They said 80% but when I saw him the next day I would say 90%.  Let me say I hope you never have to see anything like that. Can anyone put a price on that? No, that is something that money can’t fix and sure can’t buy. 

It was dark and the storm was in full rage when out on the water it appeared to be a man walking on the water in the storm. Peter said “it’s the Lord.” So he called out and said “Lord if that be you let me come out. 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 come. So Peter climbed out of the ship and out on the water he began to walk. Think with me for a moment. Peter had more courage than anyone else because no one else even asked let alone followed him. Peter started walking on the water. I don’t know what he was thinking and even if he turned around and said anything to other disciples or not. I think I might have; maybe something like you bunch of chickens it’s the Lord I’m safe.” He was until he looked and realized that a monstrous storm was going on. At that point he must have thought something like what in the world am I doing! Then Peter’s trust in the Lord went to trust in Peter and the day that was safe now has become a terrible day. It’s easy to say if I were Peter I would have acted differently; would you? Too many trust the Lord to take them to heaven after they die but have trouble trusting Him in everyday life; me included. When terrible times hit, who do we put our real trust in?  In the storm Peter got to looking around and that caused his demise. This storm was so powerful and frightful that Peter never refocused on the Lord. In all this excitement the Lord never lost sight of Peter and He wasn’t about to let him drown. 

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?

Why do we do the same thing? The Storm!

🌲Another Tree🎄

  🚫Thou shalt not eat but it’s so tempting. 🤩

We talked about the tree of “knowledge of good and evil.” but there was another tree in the garden, “the tree of life.”

Genesis 2:9 (KJV) And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

God gave Adam a free will “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:” Eat whatever you want Adam but if I were you I would stay away from the tree of Knowledge or good and evil. The reason being that there will be a big price to pay if you partake. Just be aware. 

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

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.

Here is where you and I come into the picture. When God made the trees He made a statement that is true still today. God said that every tree will produce fruit after its kind. That is as simple as it gets. Plant an apple tree, get apples, plant an orange tree, get oranges, plant a plum tree, get plums. We have no problem understanding that concept. We also produce fruit, they are called children. Have been asked the question “what are ya’ll having a girl or boy?” Some may say we don’t know as of yet while others will say it’s a boy or it’s a girl. It’s the same that Adam and Eve had and it was after their kind. Remember I wrote that Adam and Eve got what they wanted but didn’t want what they had got? Now their kind was not like they were in the beginning; they had changed dramatically and now their children were like them, disobedient toward God. 

Genesis 4:1 (KJV) And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

Genesis 4:2 (KJV) And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

Oh happy day 2 boys oh the joy they will bring. Little did Mom and Dad know what was ahead. Little did they know that life has its sorrows. Adam and Eve will begin to understand what their disobedience has caused. Genesis 4:8 (KJV) And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.😱

There is not a mom and dad living that hasn’t been disappointed by what their children have done; and just as proud of other things that they have done. I’m grateful that God didn’t leave us to ourselves. I’m so thankful that He cared enough that He made a way that we could go to heaven. We all have done and made poor choices because of our disobedience to God. Yes we could blame Adam and Eve and we would be right, just as Adam and Ever were in blaming the serpent. The bottom line is just as Adam and Eve were punished for their actions, so are we. Please don’t stop reading the story of Adam and Eve for if you do you will miss the greatest event in history. Adam and Eve did run and hide but don’t forget they confessed their wrong actions. God said, “where are you Adam?” Adam said I ran and hid because I was naked. God said did you eat of the tree I told you not too? Adam said yes. You and I will never get any help until we own up to our faults/sins.

 Genesis 3:21 (KJV) Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

Our sin does affect those who follow us. An innocent animal free from guilt; not having done wrong had to die for God to make coats of skins to cloth Adam and Eve. A word picture of a future event when Jesus would come and pay for our sin debt having done no wrong and free from guilt. 

🌳Tree🪾

 Poems are made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree.

World War 1 a man named Alfred Joyce Kilmer many may have never heard of his name. He was killed by a sniper's bullet in France on July 30 1918. He was an American writer and poet remembered for his poem “Trees.” You may have just heard someone quote the last sentence like I have which reads; “Poems are made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree.” Is that a true statement? This put my tin cup mind to thinking. First I looked up how many times the word tree is mentioned in the KJV Bible and found it to be mentioned 201 times. Then I looked up the first time it was mentioned. It didn’t take long Genesis 1:11 (KJV) And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

If you were to start reading the benefits that trees provide you would be amazed.  The first mention we see that God made to produce fruit after his kind. So there was a purpose and that was to produce fruit.  

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

There were 2 trees that were specified: the tree of life and the tree of good and evil. Yet there was only one tree God told Adam not to eat. 

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.

Two trees, one choice. The choice being the tree of life. Oh but like the sign that reads “wet paint do not touch” we do what? Touch to see if the sign was telling the truth. So did Adam and Eve and just like the one who touched the wet paint now has paint on their finger. God said “DON’T EAT!” Adam and Eve did the same but it’s not paint on their fingers it is now death in their lives. Warnings on tobacco "SMOKING CAUSES LUNG CANCER.” Don’t be surprised if you smoke and end up with lung cancer. For you were warned. Now you may not but there is a possibility that you might get lung cancer. Now this tree of good and evil there was no, maybe you might die no, God said if you eat you die! Guest what? The human race is still dying. What God said about dying was not just physical death because Adam and Eve didn’t drop dead. What happened then? Everything was fine up to the point of eating the fruit that God said don’t eat. When Adam and Eve took their first bit things immediately 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 went into hiding. It happened just the way God said they both died. Fellowship and relationship with God were gone, they did not want to see God nor talk with God. They were no longer looking for God now God was looking for them. Why? Their spirit died that day, that moment. For the Bible says “the eyes of them both were opened.” They got what they wanted but they didn’t want what they got. That is why we don’t see the need to read the Bible, that is why we say we don’t understand it. That is why we don’t pray. That is why we don’t go to Sunday School. That is why we don’t go to Church. We are still hiding from God among the trees. Just like Adam and Eve, God knows where we are. God has given us the same opportunity as He gave Adam and Eve “Where art thou?”

 Genesis 3:9 (KJV) And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

Adam said he heard the voice of God and the reason for his hiding was he wasn’t dressed appropriately.

Genesis 3:10 (KJV) And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

Oh, I see said God and why do you think you aren’t dressed appropriately? Have you done what I told you not to do? Genesis 3:11 (KJV) And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

Adam teaches us all how to respond to a question that we are guilty of. Well yes Lord I did but it wasn’t all my fault this woman that You gave me it’s her fault this all happened.

Genesis 3:12 (KJV) And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

Now God turns to Eve and says, is this true? Eve said wait Lord it was the serpent's fault he tricked me into eating it.

Genesis 3:13 (KJV) And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

Then God said to the serpent  because you have done this I will curse you.

Genesis 3:14 (KJV) And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

Well at this point it appears that the culprit got what was coming to him. Adam and Eve must have felt a sigh of relief at this point😓Adam and Eve were thankful they told the truth and the serpent got what was coming to him. Temptation is our enemy and always works against us. When temptation comes and we part take of it it’s not the temptations fault we failed it’s ours. Adam and Eve both were punished for their actions in disobeying God.

Unto Eve Genesis 3:16 (KJV) Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Unto Adam Genesis 3:17 (KJV) And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

Then life changed as Adam and Eve had known it Welcome to the non garden world. 

Genesis 3:24 (KJV) So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.