Test

I really don’t like to hear the word “test” but we have had them all our lives. There were test in school, at the place where we work and then those test at the hospital or doctors office; I really want to pass those! How does Mr. Webster explain the word test? This is what he has to say… To compare with a standard; to try; to prove the truth or genuineness of anything by experiment or by some fixed principle or standard;   So with a test there is also some type of grading, standard or fixed principle. When I took a math test there was an answer sheet and as long as my answers were the same as the answer sheet then they were correct according to the standard. In medical test as long as my blood pressure is in line with the normal set of numbers then according to the standard all is well, I passed the test. But in order for there to be a standard there must be first a teaching for if we are not taught how can we know the standard? In Mark chapter 4 we read these words

Mark 4:1 And he (Jesus) began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.

Mark 4:2  And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, You can be sure that when we are taught something there will come a test sooner or later. I hated to hear the teacher say “we’re going to have a pop quiz today.” But this is the case as we read on into Mark chapter 4 we read that on the same day that Jesus was teaching he also gave his disciples a test. We find the test in

Mark 4:35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, (His Disciples) Let us pass over unto the other side. What was the question dealing with? “Trust” have these men learned anything? Were they ready to put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ? Let’s see! They passed the first part of the test without a problem; they got into the ship and left for the other side. All was well until   Mark 4:37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. Sailing was not good now, the ship was filling up with water and they were fighting to keep it afloat. Here is where they missed the answer. They began to look at what was happening at this very moment and forgot about what was said by the Lord before they shoved off. Two things #1 didn’t the Lord Himself say they were going to the other side? He didn’t say there wouldn’t be storms along the way. #2- The Lord Himself was on board and was not worried at all, why He was so sure that the ship was going to the other side that He Himself was fast asleep. So they ran and woke Him up; read what they said “they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? “ He stills the storm and then He says Mark 4:40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? Well, what happened? Mark 5:1  And they came over unto the other side of the sea  Now before we look down on those disciples there are those in the day we live in that don’t believe what the Lord says. So what will be your test today? Will you pass or will you almost pass! The disciples almost passed but instead they let the fear of the storm scare them into thinking they were all going to die. So what’s your storm? As we journey toward heaven there will be many storms we will feel like at times we are about to perish. But stop and see what the master is trying to teach you in the storm for it will help you become stronger in the next storm. You are either today in a storm, come out of a storm or you are headed for a storm just put your trust in the Captain of the storm the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s either Faith or Fear and fear is only false evidence appearing real!

Decisions

Always remember that today’s decisions will always affect tomorrow’s experience. That being said do you ever feel defeated? May be you feel you’re not hitting on all cylinders. Do you want the best at everything all the time but have come to realize that it’s just not possible? In the book of Daniel, there is a story in the first chapter that addresses these concerns.  We are told of four young men who have had their entire lives turned upside down.  They have been taken from their home, they are in exile in Babylon and they are having a new lifestyle forced on them.  They’ve had their names changed and their whole lives upset by new standards and expectations.  In the middle of the first chapter, Daniel has to make a choice about eating the king’s food. Among all the pressure to yield to a long list of new expectations, Daniel chose to say “no more.”  In doing so, he chose faithfulness to God and was blessed in the process. You and I face similar situations daily, not with food from the king’s table, but with our time. We have to decide on a daily basic who or what is going to get our time. We all have the same amount of time each day as we are told in

Ecclesiastes 3:1   To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: The choices that we make today will either bring us in line with the life and will of God and draw us closer to His purpose or they will move us further from Him. Invest in the choices today that will fulfill God’s purpose in you. Have you taken the time to pray today? Will you have the time to see what God has to say personally to you form His word today? What about that friend that needs a kind word? Do you think you’ll have a few minutes for him or her? Think! What will you spending your time on today? I hope you will be like Daniel as you decide today. It may be time to say “no more!” These are hard decisions to make, to be sure, but you, like Daniel, will find yourself blessed. It's going to be a great day because you are here.

Not Free

Tomorrow we will celebrate July the fourth which we call Independence Day or the birthday of America. We live in one; if not the greatest nations in the world; people are trying their best to get here. As I view over our great leaders of the past I have to stop and ask myself how many great leaders are there in the day you and I live. I have found some quotes of great men of the past and what they said. Where are the John Hancock’s of our day? The Samuel Adam’s, the Benjamin Franklin’s, the Patrick Henry’s? Read what they said and remember what they stood for and then ask yourself do you agree or were these just men with the gift of speech. Read of their life stories and what they sacrificed! Then there are the men who gave their lives on the battle fields so you and I could have freedom. Remember freedom is not cheap and it is not free!

"The jaws of power are always open to devour, and her arm is always stretched out, if possible, to destroy the freedom of thinking, speaking, and writing."
John Adams

"If ever time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin."
Samuel Adams

"Every step we take towards making the State our Caretaker of our lives, by that much we move toward making the State our Master."
Dwight D. Eisenhower

"I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth--that God Governs the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?"
Benjamin Franklin

"Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature."
Benjamin Franklin

"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government -- lest it come to dominate our lives and interests."
Patrick Henry

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here."
Patrick Henry

"When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends."
Japanese Proverb

Never

We live in a day where to many are giving up and quitting, they feel they can’t reach the goals they have been setting for themselves. I am reminded of this saying I read not long ago. “Many of life’s failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” In 1441 Christopher Columbus was forty homeless and broke. Christopher Columbus was an outstanding sea captain that nobody took very seriously, his idea of sailing west in hopes of discovering a new route to the Indies. Columbus didn’t give up. He once wrote, “Our Lord made me skilled in seamanship, equipped me with the sciences of astronomy, geometry and arithmetic, and to me that it was feasible to sail from here to the Indies and placed in me a burning desire to carry out this plan.” Five centuries ago people had a certain map that reflected their understanding of the world at that time. It wasn’t changed until the courageous Columbus challenged the conventional wisdom by sailing to the West Indies. His “never give up” attitude resulted in one of the most significant breakthroughs in world history.

Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Winston Churchill (the great political statesman of Great Britain) was once invited to speak to his old alma mater boys school. Churchill, now one of the most famous men in the world and also one of the world's greatest orators, had done very poorly in this school. He approached the podium. All the boys were sitting up straight, totally quiet, waiting for great words of wisdom. Churchill stood behind the podium looking in the eyes of each boy. Then he quietly said, "Never give up." He stared at them again and shouted "NEVER GIVE UP" Next he pounded the podium and at the top of his voice he screamed, "NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP!!" Winston Churchill then sat down. His speech was made up of just one piece of advice never give up. I'm not sure what exactly you are going through, but this I know: the people who make a difference in the world, and in their own lives, decide to never give up. How close are you to success? Don't know do you! Then my advice is that of Churchill "NEVER GIVE UP!"

Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

Don’t trade tomorrow’s dreams for yesterday’s nightmares

Not Golden

Silence Is Golden was a song redone by the Tremeloes in 1967 which was a #1 hit on the UK Singles Chart on May 18, 1967, staying at the top for a total of three weeks. That may be well and fine for a song but is silence really golden? I am afraid we are silent about too much; we must not be silent about those we love. We must tell our children we love them, our wife that we love her, those we care about that we love them, they must hear us say that, for love is golden and keeping silent about it is not golden.  One day you and I will be gone, we must ask ourselves this question will the ones I love know that I loved them. I have made  many mistakes in my life, I have said words that I wish I could recall, but many years ago I decided to let those I love know it on a regular basis. When talking to one of my children on the phone I always say before I say good-bye “I love you.” When talking with my wife I always say before I say good-bye “l love you.” My mother lives with us now she has Alzheimer disease and she doesn’t remember like she once did but every morning and every night she gets to hear me tell her that “I love her.” What a blessed opportunity I have; I realize that one day she will not even know who I am but today I get to tell her I love her. God has told each of us that He loves us in His love letter to us the Bible.

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Don’t you see it “For God so loved the world” aren’t you and I in the world? God so loved each one of us that He gave the only Son He had; Jesus Christ that you and I could have everlasting life. Now that’s something to shout about! He doesn’t stop there.

Ephesians 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

We are told again that God loves us.

1John 4:10  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation(payment) for our sins.

God not only loves us He likes us and He wants us to know that it’s not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent Jesus Christ to be the payment for our sins. So learn a lesson for our Heavenly Father don’t just say I love you show your love for the ones you love by your actions. Take the time today to let someone you love hear you say the words “I love you.”

Have a blessed day and a lovely weekend and don’t be silent!

Forward Ho

Years ago there was a T.V. program that came on called "Wagon Train.”I can still see Major Adams played by Ward Bond sitting upon his horse as he raised his hand in a forward motion and yelled “forward, ho.” There is a lesson for each of us to learn in those fateful words “forward, ho."  We should not be satisfied in staying in one place for the remainder of our lives.  No need to spend years upon years doing the "same old thing."  No progress will ever be made by someone who constantly changes direction or worse yet, by someone who never moves at all. The person that doesn't move will not grow, and when there is no growth there is no change. The Christian life is a life that should be going forward, growing day by day as we read our Bibles, as we pray, as we love one another. I dare say that there is not a one reading this blog that hasn’t had discouragement come into their life, upsets as well as disappointment. When those things come into our lives when can give up, quit or we can say forward, ho. Paul put it this way.

1Th 4:13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

Paul didn’t want those who have put their trust in Christ to be ignorant and to be sorrowing as those who have no hope.

1Th 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

1Th 4:15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1Th 4:18  Wherefore comfort one another with these words. Paul says when times get bad and disappointments come, comfort each other with the words of hope in other words “forward, ho.”  Job said it long before Paul and he put it this way.

Job 19:25  For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: I like someone that knows!

Job 19:26  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Job 19:27  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

Job said, “Forward ho”. These two men had something forward that they were looking for greater than the problems of this life so our attitude should be forward ho.  

Comma

Years ago while working for my father-n-law we were riding to get our last pay check; the contractor we were working for had just laid us off. I was thinking how was I going to pay the bills? No money and no work; it looked very bad. That's when my father-n-law said something to me that I have never forgotten. He simply said to me these few words "the sun is going to shine again." I actually knew what he meant and those few words have helped many times. In other words he was saying don't put a period when you should just put a comma. Too many put a period when times are tuff, some go as far as to end their lives. Now that's definitely a period when it should have only been a comma. Marriages come to an end and a period is placed upon it without ever trying to make it work. Those periods are costly; they not only cost each one of us but also the ones we love. We put periods on our learning when we should put a comma. We put a period on a friendship when we should put a comma. We judge others and feel that they will never amount to anything so we put a period when it should be just a comma. We put a period in our lives and quit just before topping the hill. I like what the Apostle Paul had to say, he said “I can do all things.” Wow what an attitude to have and if that is all we were to read it would sound as if Paul was arrogant and proud but there is more that he had to say.

Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

You see Paul said I can do all things not through myself but it is through Christ and in Him do I find the strength to do all things. Now think about where you may be putting a period when it should be just a comma. Paul was ship wrecked but it was only a comma. Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake but it was just a comma. Paul was beaten and left for dead but it was just a comma. Paul was imprisoned and knew that his day of death was fast approaching but it was only a comma.

2Timothy 4:6  For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

2Timothy 4:7  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

2Timothy 4:8  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Just comma’s in his life, for he saw beyond what others saw as periods to what was laid up before him. Paul knew that this life wasn’t permanent. I went by the grave of my grandmother yesterday she’s been gone 55 years and still engraved on her tombstone are these words “Earth has not Sorrow that Heaven can’t Heal.” Don’t be so quick to put a period learn to put commas for it is true Earth has its sorrows, but one second in Heaven will heal all those sorrows.

Psalms 103:2  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: