Everything Belongs to God

Everything Belongs to God

by Shirley D. Tingle

     Does anything really belong to us? From where have all the things come to which we’ve grown so attached? God owns everything. It’s our job to work “for our keep” while we live here on earth. The Bible has something to say about working.  II Thessalonians 3:10, KJV, says: “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”  What would we have if men and women had not worked down through the eons of time?  If we want to have the things we need and want, someone must work.

     The Old and New Testaments are chock-full of occupations, professions, and jobs of useful employment.  Not all jobs are created equal, but there’s as much honor and pride in doing one as in doing another if we’re working, using our talents and skills that God gave us, to provide for our families, give to the work of the church, and give to those in need.

     I took some information from a couple of websites and made some lists of some of the types of jobs that men and women had as mentioned in the Bible.  Why?  Well, I thought it was interesting, and I didn’t realize there were so many different types of jobs in the Bible.  Here’s a partial list of them with a scripture reference for each. To see more, just go to the websites, or you can Google for yourself.

Jobs of the Bible

Chariot Driver-I Kings 22:34                                   Interpreter-Genesis 42:23

Doorkeeper-II Kings 22:4                                        Lawyer-Acts 24:1

Embroiderer-Exodus 35 :35                                    Minister-Isaiah 61 :6

Engraver-Exodus 28 :11                                         Physician-Jerimiah 8:22

Gardener-John 20:15                                           Preacher-II Peter 2:5

Grape Picker-Jerimiah 49:9                                   Stonecutter-II Kings 12:12

Guard (Footman)-I Samuel 22:17                          Weaver-Exodus 35:35

Inn Keeper (Host)-Luke 10:35                                  Seller of Purple-Acts 16:14

[www.letsrun.com, “Which professions are mentioned in the Bible?].

Baker-Genesis 40:5                                              Jailor-Acts 16:23

Butler-Genesis 40:5                                             Publican (Tax Collector)-Matthew 9:10

Cook-I Samuel 9:23-24                                         Carpenter-II Samuel 5:11

Fisherman-Matthew 4:18                                       Teacher-I Chronicles 25:8; Romans 2:20

Shepherd-Luke 2:8; Psalm 23:1; Genesis 4:2  Tentmaker-Acts 18:3

Farmer-Genesis 4:2; Psalm 129:3                            Apothecary-Nehemiah 3:8; Exodus 30:35

[www.studylightorg, “Top Professions/Occupations in the Bible”].

     Yes, we work hard, or if we’re now retired, we worked hard!  But God outworks all of us combined.  That’s why everything belongs to Him—He created it all.  But God doesn’t care about material things.  He has no use for them.  He wants US.  We, also, belong to Him—body, soul, and spirit.

     He created each one of us to be a unique, one-of-a-kind, special masterpiece.  God doesn’t make mistakes. God made us, but there’s something that separates us from Him—sin.

     You’ve all heard of the Five-Second Rule—that’s where you drop a piece of food or candy on the floor or ground, then pick it up within five seconds, and it’s supposed to be perfectly fine to eat.  Okay. . . Sure, I probably did it when I was a kid because 1) I wanted to, and 2) nobody really cared.  Well, today (during modern times), experiments and Myth Busters have been conducted on the Five Second Rule.  You’ll have to go with which ever one you find to be most convincing, and “scientifically sound.”  My floors may look clean, but I’m not confident enough to eat off them, and I’ll not ask you to either.  Now for my point.

     When God made us, our little souls were pure.  We were newborns with no sins.  As we grew, we reached an age of understanding right and wrong, and if we were taught about God, Christ, and the plan of salvation, our hearts and consciences became keenly aware of right and wrong.  We were no longer pure and innocent as from birth.  We did sinful things and became spotted with sin. Sin separates us from God. Isaiah 59:1-2, KJV,says: “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear you.”  As I said before, we belong to God, and He want us—BACK.  But just like the piece of food that fell to the floor, we’re no longer in a pure condition.  God loves all sinners, but He hates the sin.  To be with God we must remove our sins and become pure again so He can reclaim us as His own.  He even provides us with the way.  John 14:6, KJV, says: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me.”

     To get “back” to the Father, we must go through His Son, Jesus Christ.  What exactly does that mean?

     “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” Romans 3:24-25, KJV.

     Our redemption is found in Christ Jesus.  Where can we be made clean, whole, and spotless again?  What can wash away my sins?

     Ephesians 1:7, KJV, says: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the richness of his grace.”

     Romans 5:8-9, KJV, says: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

     Romans 6:3-6, KJV, says: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

     If we want remission of sins, and to come into contact with the blood of Christ that cleanses us from all our sins, we must submit to being baptized in water, for the remission of sins, Acts 2:38, KJV, (doing so after having heard the Word of God, having believed the Word, having repented of all sins, and having confessed Jesus Christ as the Son of God before men).  These things God has commanded us to do through His Son, Jesus Christ, so we can be redeemed back to Him in a purified state.  We can then stand clean before Him—reconciled, and part of His Holy family.

     I listed many jobs from the Bible for you in the section before.  Well, there are many jobs in His kingdom, the church.  He needs our heads, our hands, our hearts—our whole selves to work for Him here.  Jesus left the Great Commission for His apostles, but that trickles down to all the saved—to help carry it out today, Matthew 28:19-20, KJV.  It’s a great and never-ending work, and there’s something for each one to do.

      Everything belongs to God.  Do you?  Jesus paid the price of His life and His blood so we can all be redeemed, or “bought back.”  As Christians, we can sing the old hymn, “We’ll work till Jesus comes, and we’ll be gathered home,” and then we’ll belong to God forever more throughout eternity in Heaven.

What Would Your “Spiritual” T-Shirt Say?

What Would Your “Spiritual” T-Shirt Say?

by Shirley D. Tingle

I think it’s safe to say that as Americans, we all have tons of T-shirts. We just can’t seem to resist them. For one thing, they’re comfortable, and for me, comfort is key. For another thing, the sayings and logos on T-shirts are real selling points, making them into iconic everyday fashion, or even to the extreme, collectibles. Here’s a partial list of some of my “collection:” I have two “Lakeview Warriors” T-shirts; four “Chattanooga” T-shirts; three “Ft. Oglethorpe” T-shirts; one that says, “Quint’s Shark Fishing, est. 1975;” two from Panama City Beach, Florida; two from the Bahamas; one with a big shark on it; one with “The Scream,” by Edvard Munch; a “Meet the Beatles” T-shirt; one that says, “Klaatu, Barada Nikto,” two or three tie-dye T-shirts, a couple of Savannah shirts, and so many others! At this point you may be asking these questions: Are you crazy? Don’t you think some of these are a little bit silly for someone your age to be wearing?

Well, remember, as I said, comfort is key. And most of these shirts are worn at home anyway. But you can be sure that I like them because they’re either colorful, amusing, or entertaining in some way. I don’t think any of my T-shirts would incite someone to start a nuclear war, cause a war of words, or even cause anyone to be offended. I’d never want to do that!

I’ve seen many T-shirts; however, that make me cringe, and want to look the other way. Some T-shirts express some harsh feelings and some super foul language. You’ve got to wonder if the wearers are mad at the world, are haters of everything and everybody, or are just always completely negative. Maybe some just want to be seen or heard by someone—anyone. Negative attention is still attention. Or, maybe they need a conversation starter just to have someone to talk to. Or maybe they just need a hug. Sometimes it’s the negative that gets all the attention, sparking resentment and rhetoric about people’s “rights.” My mother always said that my rights end where the other person’s nose begins, which I took to mean that I wasn’t supposed to get into fisticuffs with anyone. Well, in today’s litigious society, what’s displayed on the front of a T-shirt could really push the limits of the First Amendment. Someone, a judge no doubt, would have to decide as to the vulgarity, profaneness, or irreverence of the words and/or graphics displayed on a T-shirt and consider the circumstances, situation, and audience for such a T-shirt, as to whether said T-shirt is allowable in certain venues. Unfortunately, in today’s world, it’s the law of the land that decides these things, and not the law of God. Maybe we can

help to change that someday. I know there are lots of better things to do in this world than to argue over T-shirts!

But if you could design a “spiritual” T-shirt, what would it say on the front? Would it say something like: “I can’t attend church services, I’m too busy doing important stuff.” Or would it say: “I know what the Bible says, but I like to pick and choose the parts that I want to obey.” Or, “Everyone’s going to Heaven anyway, so I’ll just live my life the way I want to.” Or would it say: “Sunday—what a great day to sleep in!” Well, I hope those wouldn’t appear on any “spiritual” T-shirts of those of us who call ourselves Christians. But maybe it could say this: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD,” Joshua 24:15b, KJV. Or, perhaps it would say, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD,” Psalm 121:1, KJV.

As Christians, we could design our “spiritual” T-shirts with many other verses about serving God. We’d need to pick a size, a color, and then pick a Bible verse to be printed on the front of the shirt. I found some wonderful scripture choices we could use on our T-shirts which I borrowed from www.openbible.info, titled, “What Does the Bible Say About Serving God?” Here’s part of the list: I Samuel 12:24, Colossians 3:23-24, I Corinthians 15:58, Romans 12:1, Romans 12:10-11, Romans 6:16, Colossians 3:17, I Timothy 4:12, Galatians 6:9, and Matthew 6:33. Please grab your Bible and read all these wonderful verses about serving God and decide what you’d want to be on your “spiritual” T-shirt.

There are so many other scriptures to use, so large a supply that we’d have quite a multitude of “spiritual” T-shirts. But maybe we don’t need a T-shirt to show others that we love God and that we’re Christians who worship and serve Him. If we’re letting our “lights” shine, showing love and care for others, teaching others about Jesus Christ and how to be saved, and truly being servants of God, it’ll be clearly seen, with or without a T-shirt to announce it.

God is love. God loves everyone. God wants everyone to be saved. He loves us so much that He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins, and to redeem us back to Him if we are obedient to the gospel. And if I were getting a “spiritual” T-shirt on the Day of Judgment, the message I’d want to see on the front of my “spiritual” T-shirt on that day would be these words, “Well done, good and faithful servant…enter thou into the joy of thy lord,” Matthew 25:23, KJV. Just the right message, just the right size, just the right color, just the righteous—for all eternity in Heaven.

It Takes the Right Ingredients

It Takes the Right Ingredients

by Shirley D. Tingle

     Many times, I’ve been to church fellowships or get-togethers with friends where there was a lot of delicious foods.  If something was particularly scrumptious, I’d ask for the recipe.  Then I’d buy all the right ingredients listed on the recipe and attempt to follow the directions for making it.  I’d be so sure that it was going to turn out like the dish I’d sampled, but when I would taste the finished product, it would be sorely lacking the “deliciousness” of the original.  That’s when I usually would decide to never make it again!  Because even though I was sure I had the right ingredients and I was just so sure I followed the instructions, it just wasn’t the same as when someone else made it.  You know, some people are cooks, and some are not.  Some people love to cook, and some do not. (Guess which category I fall into.)  It takes a “master’s” hands to prepare delicious food consistently either from having a “gift,” or an aptitude for it, and/or a special love for cooking.  In preparing a dish using a recipe, not only must you use the right ingredients, but you must make sure to follow the directions.  Doing both of those things will ensure the best possible outcome.

     Have you ever thought of reading God’s Word as sampling a delicious feast?  God, in His infinite wisdom, selected about forty men whom He inspired and directed to “pen” His very thoughts.  God had all the right ingredients and used them in making His perfect spiritual food for all of us.  He chose men from a variety of backgrounds—priests, kings, musicians, fishermen, a tax collector, a physician, shepherds, prophets, scribes, and a cup bearer to the King of Persia.  That’s quite a mixture and adds just the right “seasoning” and “flavor” to the written word.

     We have the Old Testament for our learning, and we need it.  It has the right ingredients to complete God’s “recipe.”  Think of all the things we learn from the Old Testament:  where man came from, how life began on earth, the beginning of time and the creation of all things.  It explains how God dealt with the people who lived during the Patriarchal Dispensation (from creation to Moses’ time), when “God spoke to man through prophets, and worship was administered by the fathers, or patriarchs of each family.”  After that age was the Mosaic Dispensation that “began at Sinai when God gave the law of Moses to the Hebrews.”  He set them apart from all other nations so that, in time, through them He would send the Christ.  [source for quotes: www.christiancourier.com, “What is the difference between the Bible dispensations?” and the doctrine of dispensationalism?” by Wayne Jackson, which I suggest you read.]

     But more importantly for us today, living during the Christian Dispensation, there are “over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament that relate to the coming of the Messiah, which were all fulfilled by Jesus Christ.”  Please read “Reasons to Believe in Jesus,” by Eric Lyons, M. Min., and Kyle Butt, M. Div. at www.apologeticspress.com, which is the source for the quote in this paragraph.

     The New Testament has all the right ingredients because we learn about how Christ came to earth and became the example of how we’re to live.  He came to teach and preach the Gospel and to give Himself as the last perfect sacrifice for all of mankind’s sins.  The New Testament tells us how He lived a perfect life, taught God’s message to everyone, (Jews and Gentiles), and ensured that the apostles would carry on His ministry after the crucifixion.  When the church was established on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, Peter preached the first Gospel sermon.  Peter’s sermon had all the right ingredients:  the right place, the right time, the right preacher, the right message, the right scripture quotations (Old Testament scriptures that were fulfilled by Christ’s coming), the right commands, and the right conversions to the truth (souls being added to the church as Christians).  The day the church was established had all the right ingredients, put together correctly, to make the finished product a success!  The long-awaited church of Christ had arrived exactly how the scriptures had said it would.

     When it comes to man’s salvation, God didn’t leave us wondering, puzzled, or confused about how to be saved, nor did He leave it up to us to make up our own methods for salvation, or to just pick and choose what we like or what is convenient, and leave the rest.  God gave us all the right ingredients for our soul’s salvation.  We must put them together correctly to make the finished product a success.

     God’s Word tells us we must:  HEAR:  Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  BELIEVE:  John 8:24 says, “I say therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins:  for if you believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”  REPENT:  Acts 17: 30 says, “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.”  CONFESS:  Matthew 10:32 says, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.”  BE BAPTIZED FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS:  I Peter 3:21 says, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”  Acts 2:38 says, “Then Peter said unto them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”’  BE FAITHFUL UNTIL DEATH:  Revelation 2:10b says, “…be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

     If we put all the right ingredients together, then we have the recipe for salvation, and we can be saved. We can then look forward to a home in Heaven with our Father, God, Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, and the saints of all the ages.  But if we leave something out, or change the “recipe,” we’ll be missing out on God’s original pattern for our soul’s salvation.

     Our souls will live on when our bodies are gone.  It takes the right ingredients to make sure that our souls reach their Heavenly home on that great Day of Judgment.

Magnets

Magnets

by Shirley D. Tingle

     Many who know me (and my quirkiness), also know that I have quite a collection of refrigerator magnets.  Call me crazy, but when they’re all taken off the refrigerator doors, I don’t even recognize my own refrigerator!  This harmless hobby started out innocently enough—finding one here and there that I liked, even with the making of some cute ones for myself and as gifts.  That snowballed into me tracking them down on every vacation trip.  I amassed (at least) 200 magnets, although I never really bothered to count all of them.  They were kind of overwhelming.  I finally made the executive decision to take some of them off the refrigerator doors and put them away.  I have about 85 on there now.  I’d have to say that refrigerator magnets are very “magnetic.”  They seem to “draw” me to them!  They have a certain “pull” that just seems to say, “Take me home!”  And I do!  They’re a colorful slice of life, a chuckle, a cool remembrance of a trip, and just plain fun!  My refrigerator is like a little art gallery, and it’s just really “Me.”

     Do you know anyone who has a “magnetic” personality—the kind of person everyone wants to be with or be like?  This type of person just seems to “draw” or “attract” people to themselves, because they have some type of special warmth, charisma, kindness, or interesting way about them.

     Our Lord, Jesus Christ, was a “magnet,” attracting all kinds of people to Him—some good, and some not so good.  Christ’s time on Earth enlightened some, while enraging others.  He was the most important man who ever walked the earth, and He changed the course of human life and history forever.

     So, why were people so drawn to, or attracted to, Jesus Christ?  Well, the wise men were drawn to Jerusalem, seeking a newborn baby, who would be the King of the Jews.  They were drawn to Jesus to worship Him.   Read Matthew 2:1-13, (KJV).  They had studied what the prophet Micah had written in Micah 5:2, which says, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”  They were eager to find Jesus, and even brought Him gifts.  The “pull” was very strong.

     There are also the doctors and learned men in the temple who were drawn to the boy, Jesus, who was hearing and asking questions.  Luke 2:47 says that. . .” all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.”  How amazing it must have been for them to be having a discussion with this twelve-year-old boy, Jesus, who told His earthly parents that He was just doing His Father’s business!

  Satan, of course, was drawn to Jesus because He was his biggest challenge.  Satan tempted Jesus three times in the wilderness when Jesus went there to fast for forty days and forty nights.  Jesus made a quick end of it by quoting scripture to Satan.  Read Luke 4:1-11, (KJV).

   Jesus’ apostles were drawn to Him.  “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,” brought the first two, Peter and Andrew, to apostle status, Matthew 4:19, KJV.  When Jesus began His ministry—preaching, teaching, and healing, multitudes were drawn to Him as He went up into a mountain to preach His “Sermon on the Mount.”  Words of encouragement, comfort, motivation, compassion, and a new doctrine that included loving everyone, even your enemies, astonished the people who were listening.  They could feel the authority behind His words.

    Jesus also attracted the attention of the scribes and Pharisees because He represented a threat to their way of living as Jewish leaders.  They couldn’t tolerate the “new” doctrine Jesus was preaching.  They sought to trick him with questions and even accused Him of being crazy.  In the end Jesus would also draw the attention of those who accused Him of blasphemy, and ultimately, those who wanted Him to be crucified.

     Christ said this about the crucifixion in John 12:32: “And, I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to me,” (KJV).  So, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords, draws all men to Him through the gospel.

     What is the gospel?  It’s the “good news.”  What could possibly be the best news you’d ever want to hear?  How about this: that if you obey the gospel and live faithfully until death, you’ll receive entrance into Heaven for eternity on Judgment Day?

     The gospel, the “good news,” is the story of Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. This good news comes complete in the form of the written word, the Bible, specifically for us today, the New Testament.  For those of us who want to be saved and have a Heavenly home, it also includes a plan of salvation for us to follow.  We must: 1) HEAR: Romans 10:17; 2)BELIEVE, OR HAVE FAITH: Hebrews 11:6, John 8:24; 3)REPENT: Luke 13:3,5; 4)CONFESS: Matthew 10:32-33, Acts 8:37, Romans 10:9-10; 5)BE BAPTIZED FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS: Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Matthew 28:19, I Peter 3:21, Acts 22:16, Galatians 3:27, Acts 8:38, Colossians 2:12; 6) LIVE A FAITHFUL LIFE UNTIL DEATH:  Revelation 2:10, KJV.  If we leave out a step, we don’t have all the “good news.”

     Christ is like a beacon of purity and light that should draw us to Him.  He’s the one and only perfect “magnet” that we should find ourselves wanting to “stick” to in our lives.  As Christian “magnets” our goal is to never grow weak, to never “repel,” to never fall, and to “attract” others to the truth of God’s Word, including the gospel plan of salvation.

     Let’s stay “attracted” to the truth of God’s Word and always be drawn to His Son, Jesus Christ, who saves us through His blood. 

9/11 Revisited

9/11 Revisited

by: Susan Brantley

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, (NKJV): “To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep; And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace.”

Nineteen terrorists, who were all members of the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization, planned an attack that would kill as many Americans as possible. Their weapons of choice were four airplanes. Their targets were the World Trade Center, The Pentagon, and the Capitol.

The first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 A.M., and the second plane hit the South Tower at 9:03 A.M. The Pentagon was hit on the west side where the Department of Defense was housed. One hundred eighty-nine precious souls at the Pentagon lost their lives while doing their jobs and making sure we all continued to stay safe.

United Flight 93 was rerouted and headed for the Capitol. The high-jackers placed the passengers and crew into the back of the plane. Thirteen people made 37 phone calls to family members and to the authorities. They heard about the other attacks and were determined to keep this plane from hitting the Capitol. They decided to regain control of the plane. When they could not, the plane crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The Black Box recovered from the crash site told the story of the bravery of those aboard that flight, knowing they were facing their own deaths. When the plane crashed, they were eighteen minutes from the Capitol.

That morning everything was normal. Breakfasts were being served, lunches were being made, and kids were being dropped off at school with hugs and kisses from their parents. “I-love-yous were being said to their children and their spouses. They never dreamed that this was the last time they would ever see their families. Their earthly ties would soon be broken, and they would step into eternity...

The North and South Towers collapsed within a half hour of each other. Fires, twisted metal, and falling debris was everywhere. The Firefighters entered the collapsed buildings even with all the debris still falling. The jet fuel made the fires burn hotter, and there was twisted metal and ​possibly live wires everywhere, but that didn’t stop the Firefighters from entering the buildings, hoping to find people they could rescue and save. Three hundred forty-three Firefighters lost their lives trying to save others. There were many heroes that day, and we will never forget their sacrifices. John 15:13, (KJV), says: “Greater love hath no man than this, than to lay down his life for his friends.”

After the attacks we were all united in a common cause—getting justice for the victims and punishing the perpetrators. Our national patriotism reached an all-time high. We wept openly for the victims and their families, and we prayed openly without fear of repercussions. Flags flew proudly all over the nation, whether in yards, at school events, or flying proudly over the nation’s capital. If you see the flag flying in the breeze and it does not bring a tear to your eyes—well, it should!

I remember Kali closed her Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes speech from 2001 with these words: “Oh my God, I trust in Thee, Let me not be ashamed, Let not mine enemies triumph over me.” [lyrics from song entitled: Unto Thee O Lord, music by Charles F. Monroe (1971), words from Psalm 25:1, 2-3, 7].

I would like to close with Psalm 23, (KJV): “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou annointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”

Number of deaths: 2,997. [reference material from: History.com].

Doors

Doors

by Shirley D. Tingle

Doors—what would we do without them? Well, we could get creative, and come inside through a window. Or, if we were really determined to get in, we could kick through a wall to gain entrance that way. But I’m glad that something as simple as a door allows us a logical and dignified way of entrance.

Doors provide us with barriers to what’s on the other side of them. We’re careful, in today’s world, not to open our doors to just anyone. Doors with locks and alarm systems help us feel safer from having the “bad guys” break in. It’s comforting to feel safe.

Doors are ubiquitous. We go in and out of them everywhere we go. We pass by places with beautifully carved, ornate doors; doors covered with signs and stickers; doors of our favorite places to eat or be entertained; doors of the church building, the school building, the movie theater, the doctor’s office, the work place; our friends’ houses, stores, and so on. Many doors have signs telling us exactly what to expect on the other side, with some having clear glass that allows us to see through. Some doors that we may want to enter are more mysterious. We knock or ring the bell and wait to see who shows up at the door. One thing’s true about doors—it’s our decision whether to step over the threshold and enter, or not. And it’s our decision to open the door or not open it.

There are many scriptures in the Bible that speak about doors. And as the scriptures often do, they give us examples of sinful and unwise choices made by people and let us see why those choices are to be avoided in order to be pleasing to God. Other scriptures spread the loving message of God’s Son, so we can imitate Him, obey His Word, and continue to spread it to others.

Door #1: Cain was angry about having his offering rejected by God, while his brother, Abel’s offering, was respected by God. The LORD asked Cain why he was angry. God told Cain if he had done well, he would have been accepted, but also that “sin lieth at the door,” (Genesis 4:7, KJV). Cain chose to let that sin “come in,” let it grow, and let it lead him to murdering his own brother, Abel. We’re given this lesson as an example of what NOT to do, but we have scriptures that tell what TO do. Ephesians 4:26, KJV, says, “Be angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath...” Also, Jesus says in Matthew 5:21-22, KJV, that it’s been said in the old time that “thou shalt not kill,” but He adds that “whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.” As we read both scriptures let’s keep in mind that sin can be “lying at the door—” just waiting for us to open the door and let it in.

Door #2: Matthew 25:1-13 is a parable told by Jesus that gives us an example of someone having a door shut, preventing them from gaining entrance. Five wise and five foolish virgins in this parable represent the kingdom of heaven. As the virgins await the coming of the bridegroom, who represents Jesus, they fall asleep. At midnight, the bridegroom arrives, but there’s a problem—five of the virgins have no oil for their lamps. They’re told by the five “wise” ones, who prepared themselves by bringing extra oil, to go out and buy more oil for their lamps. They had no other choice, so they departed. The bridegroom then accompanied the virgins who were ready and prepared into where the marriage was taking place, and he shut the door. The foolish virgins returned with their oil, but it was too late. They begged for the door to be opened. The bridegroom told them, from the other side of the door, that he didn’t even know who they were. Matthew 25:13 brings this lesson home to us all in that none of us know when Christ is coming back, and we must be prepared, and watchful. On Judgment Day, we don’t want the door to Heaven to be shut with us being left outside, begging for the door to be open. If so, then Christ will say to us, “I never knew you.”

Door #3: When we read the gospel in the New Testament, we are blessed with the knowledge that God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to the earth to die on the cross, so that we might have forgiveness of our sins. His death is not the end of the story. One very important door is spoken of in Matthew’s account. Matthew 27:60, KJV, says, speaking of Christ’s body, “And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out of rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.” Christ has now been buried, the stone was in front of the door, and the tomb was sealed. Also, soldiers were placed there to watch the tomb. There was no way anyone could go in or out of the door of the tomb. Christ had told the thief on the cross that he would be with Him in paradise at death. Christ had told the Jews on the occasion of His cleansing of the temple of the moneychangers that if they “destroy this temple, in three days I will raise it up,” John 3:19, KJV. He was speaking of His own body being resurrected in three days after the crucifixion. So, three days later, the first day of the week, there was an earthquake, and the angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled back the stone from the door of the tomb, and sat on it, Matthew 28:2, KJV. The “good news” continues—Christ has risen! And then there’s more good news—Christ has ascended to Heaven. And when Christ returns, He will gather all faithful Christians to Him, in the air, and take them home to Heaven, to live forever.

Door #4: Jesus, in the gospel of John, spoke about Himself as being a door. Jesus is the Great Shepherd of the sheep, who are His followers, or Christians, Hebrews 13:20, KJV. John 10:7, KJV, says, “Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.” In John 10:9, KJV, Jesus speaks again saying, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” Galatians 3:27 says, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” It appears that we have found the door of salvation—being baptized into Christ. God could have required us to do some other act of faith to complete our salvation, but He didn’t. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,” Mark 16:16, KJV, makes it pretty clear. The door to salvation is always open because God wants everyone to be saved. Christ is that door. His blood “cleanses us from all sin,” I John 1:7, KJV.

Our hearts have a door, too. It’s a choice that each person makes as to whether the door to the heart (mind) opens to receive God’s message, or if the door slams shut, rejecting God’s truth. It’s always our decision to open our hearts (minds) and let the truth come in “and dwell richly,” Colossians 3:16, KJV. If we’re not prepared when Christ comes back again, then shall the great door of Heaven be shut for all eternity.

Who Knows Me?

Who Knows Me?

by Shirley D. Tingle

Upon looking at the question in the title of this blog, you may be answering it with something like: “Well, everybody knows me—I have friends who know me, and family members, of course, and also people I work with, and my church brethren.” But don’t we all generally keep a piece of ourselves to ourselves—something we think someone else might not like about us, or something on which they could pass judgment? We might think that too much information about ourselves could ruin a friendship, or even cause conflict with someone. And the complete irony of it all is that often we feel like we don’t even know our own selves, or why we think, say, and do things that are just so “not us” sometimes.

So, what’s the answer to the question “who knows me?” The only pure and simple answer to the question is: God knows me. My Creator knows me better than anyone else, and even better than I know myself. David wrote this in Psalm 139:1-6, KJV: “O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.” If this applies to David, it applies to us all.

One of God’s attributes is omniscience—God knows everything! God created everything. We’re part of His creation; therefore, God knows everything about each one of us. But wait...that would mean that God knows everything about every person who ever lived on earth! The current population of the world is 7.8 billion people (and counting) as of April 2020 according to Worldometers.info, “Current World Population.” Every day the earth adds newborns to its number, and God knows everything about each one of them too!

But God already knew us even before we were born. The prophet Jeremiah said this in Jeremiah 1:4-5, KJV: “Then the word of the LORD came unto me saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” Isaiah 44:24, KJV, says it this way: “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things...” And He knows us so well that even “the very hairs of your head are all numbered,” Matthew 10:30, KJV.

If God knows everything about us, does that mean He knows what’s in our hearts and in our thoughts too? Of course, He does! In I Chronicles 28:9,KJV, in David’s speech to the tribes of Israel assembled before him, and especially to his son, Solomon, who would build the temple, he said these words: “And thou Solomon, my son, know the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts; if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.” [Scripture reference from: compellingtruth.org, “Does God know our thoughts?”]. Solomon, in I Kings 8:39, KJV, said this in his prayer at the Dedication of the Temple: “Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men.”

On the occasion of the paralyzed man being brought to Jesus to be healed, where Jesus told him: “Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee,” Matthew 9:2, KJV, there were “certain of the scribes who said within hemselves, This man blasphemeth,” Matthew 9:3, KJV. Then the scripture says this: “And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? “Matthew 9:4, KJV, [Scripture references from: faithinthenews.com, “Does God know my every thought?”].

We can see from the examples in these scriptures, (and many others, as well), that God does indeed know what we think and how we feel. We may be able to keep things hidden from others but not from our Heavenly Father. As Christians, we strive daily to stay “pure in heart,” and follow Paul’s admonition in Philippians 4:6-8,KJV, particularly thinking on the things mentioned in verse 8: “Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

When Jesus Christ walked the earth teaching, preaching, and healing, He knew the hearts of men and their thoughts. He had a unique insight into the sufferings of men, and into their lost condition, for He came to seek and to save the lost. His Word can replace the evil in men’s hearts and minds with something good, pure, and everlasting. God’s Word saves lives—for eternity!

God has done His part. He created earth and everything in it for man. He created man (and woman). Then, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live here, fulfill all prophecies about Him, and to teach man how to live so he may obtain eternal life in Heaven. Christ did His part. He lived here as a man, taught His gospel plan of salvation, and gave His apostles the charge to continue His mission. He submitted Himself to the death on the cross as a final sacrifice for all mankind. He arose the third day and was received back to Heaven to prepare a place for those who will obey His Will. The Holy Spirit has done His part. God, as the Holy Spirit, inspired the writers of His Word, so that we could have it to read, learn, and obey. The Spirit dwells with Christians to assist us in many ways, Romans 8:26, KJV. Romans 8:27, KJV, goes on to say: “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

The only thing left is for us to do our part. When someone preaches a gospel sermon, we must search the scriptures to see if the things being said are true according to the Bible, (Act 17:11, KJV). The true Word of God will cause those with honest hearts to want to change their hearts and minds. When the true gospel is heard and read, we’re to believe that it’s truth. Our hearts and minds will want to be changed from living in a sinful condition, to being pure and holy like Christ. We must repent of all past sins. Knowing what Christ has done for us, we’re to stand up before men and confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And in order to reach the blood of Christ that cleanses us from all sin, we’re to be baptized in water for the remission of our sins, (Acts 2:38, KJV). It’s at this point that we “put on Christ,” we take His name—we become Christians, following Christ and continuing steadfastly in His Word until death.

As Christians, we can ask God for help at any time. What a comfort and a joy to be able to talk to God in prayer, knowing He will never leave us or forsake us! And what a blessing it is that God understands our struggles, hardships, and weaknesses, because He knows us.

Who knows me? God knows me, and I want Him to know that I’m looking forward to seeing Him someday in Heaven.

We Believe in Christ, but do we BELIEVE Christ?

We Believe in Christ, but do we BELIEVE Christ?

by Shirley D. Tingle

Since you and I live in the American South, we’re said to be living in what’s termed as the “Bible Belt.” This term was first used in a “derogatory” way by an American writer and satirist named H. L. Mencken, in 1925, when he was reporting on the Scopes Monkey Trial. The Scopes Monkey Trial took place in Dayton, Tennessee, which is not far from my home. We’ve actually gone to the courthouse there to see the play that reenacts the trial. It’s worth the drive but be sure to take something to fan with because there’s no air-conditioning in the courthouse, staying true to the time period of the trial. Anyway, my point about the Bible Belt is that people in those states are more likely to have a religious belief system, have more places of worship, and are more regular in attendance at their places of worship than some of the other states, [reference material from: thought.com, “The Bible Belt Extends Throughout the American South,” by Matt Rosenberg].

Many, many people say that they believe in Christ and that they believe that Christ is the Son of God. In fact, there’s a television commercial that encourages people to just believe in Christ and then call the number on the screen. Around our national holiday of Christmas, virtually everybody walking believes that Christ was born on Christmas Day. It’s great that they do believe in Christ, and maybe they would be open to studying and learning about His teachings. But after Christmas, where are they? Then on the Sunday that has been designated as Easter Sunday, the same people also believe in Christ, and that He arose from the dead the third day after his crucifixion. This is another great teaching moment, especially if they already believe Christ was crucified and arose from the grave. Will they want to learn what Christ has to say about becoming a Christian and serving Him?

People believe in Christ, but do they BELIEVE Christ? If I believe in Christ but I don’t BELIEVE Christ—His commandments, the things He has set forth for us to do in His Will, and then actually do them, then of what value is it?

There are several scriptures that talk about believing in Christ. It’s important step in God’s plan of salvation. But just believing in Him alone doesn’t bring about salvation from our sins, nor does it make us a Christian.

“And unclean spirits when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried saying, Thou art the Son of God,” Mark 3:11, KJV. Were the unclean spirits saved because they believed that Christ was the Son of God? When Jesus went about teaching, preaching, and healing, He had occasion to heal people by casting out demons from them. Mark 5:1-16, KJV, gives an account of the healing of the man of the Gadarenes who had unclean spirits. “But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. For he (Jesus) said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. And he (Jesus) asked him (the man), What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.” It goes on to say that the demons asked the Lord if He would send them into the nearby herd of swine, which Jesus did . The herd of swine ran “violently” down into the sea and were drowned. The demons inside the man who was healed knew who Jesus was, and believed that He was the Son of God. But were they saved because they believed?

James 2:19, KJV, says: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” Are the devils (demons) saved by just believing?

We must, indeed, have faith to be saved—but faith alone will not save us. Not only must we believe in Christ, but we must BELIEVE Christ. Christ has given us commandments in order for us to complete our soul’s salvation. If we BELIEVE Christ, we’ll do all of them. John 14:15, KJV, says: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” How many? All of them.

It starts with becoming a follower of Christ, an imitator of Him—a Christian. What are we to do?

1. Romans 10:17, KJV: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Hear God’s Word (and believe it).

2. John 8:24, KJV: “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. Believe that Christ is the Son of God.

3. Luke 13: 3,5, KJV: “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Repent of all sins.

4. Matthew 10:32, KJV: “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. Confess before men that Christ is God’s Son.

5. Romans 6:3-4, KJV: “Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Be baptized and begin living a new life in Christ.

Christ’s Great Commission to His apostles was to: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen,” Matthew 28: 19-20, KJV.

There are many other verses that teach the plan of salvation. We must read our Bibles to find them all, then we must follow them all.

Do you have a “Red Letter” Edition of the New Testament? If so, you’re not alone. They’ve been around since they were first published in 1899. The idea for the words of Christ being printed in red originated with a man named Louis Klopsch. He was, at the time, the editor of the Christian Herald Magazine. The color red is representative of Christ’s blood. You can read more about it at the source for this snippet of information at crossway.org, “The Origins of the Red-Letter Bible,” or just Google it to find out more. Whenever I see those red letters, they help guide me to the actual spoken words of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Yes, the whole Bible is inspired, is truth, and we must read it all and believe it all. But those red-letter words just seem a bit more special to me. We have what Jesus said —it’s there for all of us in red. We believe in Christ, but do we BELIEVE Christ?

Remember that there’s quite a difference in just believing in Christ and actually BELIEVING Christ and obeying His commandments for us today. To assure our salvation, we must aspire to do both.

Will You Heed The Warnings?

Will You Heed the Warnings?

by Shirley D. Tingle

Saying that today’s world is fast paced is a bit of an understatement.

Time seems to move by at break-neck speeds, dragging us along by the

seat of the pants. But along the way, we encounter many warnings to help

us dodge, avoid, or defeat things that would otherwise endanger us.

Many of these warnings are documented for us in some way, so we can

commit them to memory, and not get ourselves in any kind of dangerous

or harmful situations. So, what are some different kinds of warnings that

we should heed?

Warnings from Mother: Think back to your younger years, when you

needed some “basic training” and a few good warnings from your mother.

“Cover your mouth when you cough.” “Look both ways before crossing

the street.” “Don’t eat that—it’s got germs on it!” “Don’t touch the stove

—it’s hot!” And as Ralphie’s mother, (his teacher, and even Santa Claus,

himself), told him about wanting to get a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-

Shot Range Model Air Rifle: “You’ll shoot your eye out!” Were all these

warnings good advice? Of course, they were! Our mothers had to repeat

them many times, but we finally “got” why we should heed the warnings.

And Ralphie, well, he got his rifle, but he shot it, and the shot came back

and hit him on the cheek. He almost put his eye out! Very close. It’s best

to heed the warnings.

Warnings from drug companies: When our bodies get an illness or a

pain, rest assured that there’s a product designed to help relieve the

symptoms of what ails us. But, at the same time, those over the counter

or prescription “remedies” can cause our bodies to have unpleasant

reactions. Thus—the warning label. A seemingly “innocent” 81mg aspirin

carries a warning for another illness—Reye’s Syndrome. Also, you’re

warned about possible allergic reactions and stomach bleeding. Be

careful—heed the warnings! Bubblegum flavored liquid acetaminophen for

children carries a warning that says severe liver damage may occur if your

child takes more than the maximum daily amount. An OTC medicine for

colds and flu, Coricidin, HBP, also carries a liver warning because of the

acetaminophen, and an allergy alert as well. All the warning labels on OTC

medicines, as well as the print-out sheets that come with prescription

drugs, are meant to be heeded for our health, safety, and well-being. If

we choose not to heed the warnings, we may cause great harm to

ourselves or to others.

Warnings from signs: If we’re able to read, then the warnings on signs

should be acknowledged and heeded. Some signs deal with laws to be

obeyed, while others are letting us know, in very colorful and graphic

ways, that it’s in our best interest, and for our own safety and

preservation to heed them. Watch for “Railroad Crossing” signs,

“Flooding Ahead—Turn Around, Don’t Drown” signs, “No Trespassing”

signs, and “Deer Crossing” signs. Heeding these may prolong your life

and keep you out of jail. Other signs that give us some specific things to

be cautious about are: “Radioactive Materials,” “Danger—High Voltage,”

“Wrong Way,” “Do Not Enter,” and “Biohazard.” These signs make me

want to travel in the opposite direction—and quickly! I’m very willing to

keep “hands off” and heed those warnings.

Warnings from animals: Do you know your snakes? Have you ever

heard this saying: “Red touching black, pat him on the back; red touching

yellow will kill a fellow?” It’s a great way to remember the difference

between the harmless Scarlet Kingsnake and the venomous Eastern Coral

Snake. You really don’t want to get them mixed up! The Scarlet

Kingsnake’s coloring is so similar to the Coral Snake that its warning to us

is: Don’t mess with me—I just might be the poisonous one after all!

That’s okay. I won’t mess with either of them! The Eastern Diamondback

Rattlesnake has a great warning system too. If you get too close, it will

let you know by hissing, shaking its “rattles,” or both. That should be

enough to get you out of there quickly enough. Consider yourself warned.

If a dog’s baring its teeth and growling, that’s warning for you to back off,

go away, don’t approach, or that something is wrong with the situation.

It’s better to be warned than to be a chew toy!

Warnings from God: Now we have the most important warnings of all—

God’s warnings. All four of the previous types of warnings concern the

health, safety, and well-being of our physical selves. God’s warnings are

given to us for the preservation of our eternal souls.

God’s first warning was to Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:16-17, KJV, when

He commanded that they eat of every tree in the garden except one—the

tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He warned that if they broke the

command, they would surely die. Did they heed the warning? Well, we

know by reading Genesis 3:1-6, KJV, that Adam and Eve didn’t heed God’s

warning. Eve allowed Satan to tempt her to sin, and Adam willingly

followed Eve into sin.

Romans 6:23, KJV, tells us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift

of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The gift of the

sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross was God’s plan to redeem mankind

from sin from before the beginning of time. The first mention of Christ is

in Genesis 3:15, KJV. God’s plan would be foretold in prophecies

throughout the Old Testament scriptures, and then fulfilled with the

coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The record of His birth, His death, and

His resurrection, as well as His teachings and commands, are written for

us in the New Testament scriptures. All who come to Him must become

students of the Word and follow His plan of salvation.
There are so many more examples in the Bible of those who were

warned but didn’t heed the warnings they were given. For example, the

children of Israel were given numerous warnings of what the LORD would

bring upon them if they were disobedient to Him. Deuteronomy, chapter

28:15-68, spells out the description of the types of punishments God said

He would bring upon them. Please turn there and read about these

warnings and think about what it would be like if God were to do some of

those same things today to us for our disobedience. [ I borrowed the

scriptures from www.biblestudytools.com.] Over and over again, the children

of Israel, who had demanded to be ruled by kings, left the

worship of God for idols. By not heeding God’s warnings, many of them

were made captives by other nations, many suffered, and many died.

When God says He’s going to do something, He will. He’s faithful and just.

We must heed His warnings.

We have many “warnings” in the New Testament, given in love for our

eternal souls. In Colossians 2:8, KJV, we’re to: “Beware lest any man spoil

you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after

the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” I Corinthians 6:9-10,

KJV, warns us not to be deceived about who’s going to inherit the kingdom

of God. Read the list of sins in those verses. Some in Corinth had

previously been doing those things, but had obeyed the gospel, and

turned away from those sins to do them no more. God’s warnings were for

them and for all of us today too.

In Matthew 10:32-33, KJV, we’re taught that if we confess the Lord

before men, He will confess us before His Father in Heaven. Then comes

the warning. If we deny Jesus before men, He’ll deny us before His Father

in Heaven. Confession is an important step unto our salvation. We must

heed His warning and obey it. [Scriptures in this section of the blog were

borrowed from: www.bible-knowing-jesus.com, “54 Bible Verses About

Warning”].

Finally, we have a warning from the account of the Rich Man and

Lazarus, given to us by our Lord, Jesus Christ, in Luke 16:19-31, KJV. Read

the verses until you get to verses, 27-31. The Rich Man wants to warn his

five living brothers about the torment he’s in, so they won’t have to come

there. Abraham tells him that his brothers have Moses and the prophets,

and they can listen to their teachings. The man wanted to return from the

dead to warn his brothers to repent, but Abraham said that if they aren’t

willing to hear Moses and the prophets, nothing is going to persuade them

to repent, not even if a person returned from the dead. You can’t warn

someone from beyond the grave. The time for salvation is now! We’re

commanded to hear, believe, repent, confess, be baptized for the

remission of sins, and live a faithful Christian life until death. And if a

Christian should sin or fall away, the cleansing power of Christ’s blood is

still able to cleanse again through prayer for forgiveness—private prayer

for private sins, or a public prayer with the brethren if the sins are of a

​public nature. God loves us all. He wants everyone to be saved. He’s

given us an entire book full of “warnings,” teachings, and commandments

to guide us into doing what’s right, and shunning wrong.

Will you heed the warnings?

Can a Christian Heart Grow Cold?

Can a Christian Heart Grow Cold?

by Shirley D. Tingle

To begin, here’s a silly poem for you, by yours truly.

How Cold Is It?  Cold!

It’s as cold as your enemy’s vicious stare.

Or as cold as ice down your underwear!

It’s as cold as Pluto (if it were still a planet),

Or as cold as the iceberg that sank the Titanic!

It’s as cold as a January dead car engine,

Or as cold as a bowl of liquid nitrogen!

It’s as cold as the breeze on an Antarctic day,

Or as cold as your heart when you just walk away-

Now, that’s cold!

     Cold.  It’s a relative term.  It depends on the level of “coldness” as to whether it will be refreshing or devastating.  Who doesn’t enjoy an ice cream cone or popsicle, air-conditioning, iced tea, or building a snowman?  Without some degree of coldness, these things would be impossible to enjoy.  But several feet of snow covering the roads, parked cars, and houses; icy, biting winds; losing power in the winter; or getting lost in a snowstorm may cause one to dislike the cruelties brought on by the cold.

     Scientifically speaking, it’s not cold at all.  It’s the “absence of heat,” just as “dark is the absence of light.”  Whatever it is, we all know what it feels like.  Some people can tolerate being cold better than others.  And people have adapted themselves to colder climates.  I prefer to stay right here in the milder climate of Georgia as opposed to trying to keep myself warm in, let’s say, the Yukon.

     Cold is a word that is not only used to describe a “sensation” but also is used to describe a “way of thinking.”  We have many expressions in our language that use the word cold in interesting ways.  Here are a few:

“A cold fish: Someone who is reserved or doesn’t want to be friendly.

Stone cold: Someone who is unfeeling.

Blood runs cold and Break out in a cold sweat:  Someone who is frightened.

Cold cash:  Actual money.

Cold feet:  Someone who is afraid of doing something.

Cold shoulder:  Someone who deliberately ignores another or severely curtails interaction with them.

Cold turkey:  Someone who just ends a habit.

Come in from the cold:  Someone who returns to safety or shelter.

In cold blood:  Someone who murders without feeling.

Out cold:  Someone who is unconscious.

Pour cold water on:  Someone who tries to dampen enthusiasm.”

I borrowed these and also the quotes about “absence of heat and dark is the absence of light from: [delawareonline.com, “There is no cold, Only absence of heat,” by Betsy Price].

     One place that really needs to be protected from becoming cold is the human heart, (or mind).  Can a Christian heart grow cold?  If so, how?  What kinds of things take place in someone’s life that result in a heart growing cold?  And what’s needed to rekindle the glowing embers of the heart to restore it back to the warmth of love and a life devoted to living as a faithful Christian, who’s willing to help others find salvation?

     Things don’t always go as we plan, hope, or expect in life.  Life has many ups and downs.  We gain and we lose along life’s road.  People who are dear to us get illnesses and pass away.  Jobs are lost.  Friends move and we lose touch with them.  Pets die, things break, houses flood, burn, or get blown away.  We develop illnesses and we grow old.  We listen to the news too much and it all sounds unbelievably bad.  We let despair, mistrust, fear, anger, and a host of other emotions drag us into a pit of gloom, where it’s cold and dark.  The coldness filters into the heart and we feel like there’s no way to fix it.  And we may forget that there are others going through life’s tough experiences too.  Do we also forget that there are lost souls that need to be saved?  Can life and its “bumps in the road” make us uncaring, unsympathetic, indifferent, and unresponsive to the conditions, feelings, and needs of others?  Can a Christian heart grow cold?  Sometimes it can.

     Here’s a global statement:  Everyone has problems.  Christians are no exception.  There’s no scripture that says that when we become a Christian all of life’s problems will disappear.  But there are many scriptures that let us know with “blessed assurance,” that we’re not traveling life’s road alone.  The more troubles we face, the more we need God’s help and comfort.  He talks to us through His Word, the Bible.  If we read and meditate on His Word each day, our hearts can absorb His love, so that any coldness should be driven away and replaced by the warmth of our loving God.  He made it possible for us to be saved through His Son, Jesus Christ, and we have a mission to tell others about Jesus, so that they too may be saved.  We also have our brothers and sisters in Christ to help us bear our burdens—to share good times, and to be there for us during the bad times of life.

     So, how does someone warm up a heart that’s grown cold?  By being reminded that this life with all of its troubles and trials is for a little while, and that faithful Christians have something awaiting them, of such monumental proportions, that just thinking about it should bring a smile to their faces and warm their hearts.  And that something is Heaven!  Reading the following scriptures can help to push the coldness right out of a heart that’s grown cold and bring back an attitude of hope, joy, and peace.  Here are a few (all are KJV):

Matthew 11:28-29: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

Matthew 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

I Peter 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Matthew 28:18-20. “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Romans 5:8-11: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.  And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received atonement.”

John 14:1-6: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me.”

     Here are a few more scriptures to help “warm your heart:”

Psalm 23:4         2 Corinthians 1:3-4          Romans 8:26-28            Matthew 5:4        Psalm 147:3

[These scripture references were borrowed from: Godtube.com, “20 Comforting Bible Verses to Warm Your Heart”].

     And here are some “heavenly” scriptures to add to your scripture reading:

1 Corinthians 2:9        Hebrews 11:16        Hebrews 13:14     2 Corinthians 5:1             Philippians 3:20-21                1 Peter 1:4

[These scripture references were borrowed from: openbible.info, “100 Bible Verses about Heaven”].

     There are so many other scriptures for us to read.  And reading more scriptures can only be good for us—it’s spiritual food.  Just like our bodies need food every day to survive, we also need to feed our spirits with spiritual food—God’s Word.  The calories in our food serve us with units of energy to “warm” us up, nourish us, and give our bodies strength, keeping them in good condition.  God’s Word, as our spiritual food, can help to give us strength and “warm up” hearts that have grown cold.

     So, bundle up if the weather’s cold outside.  And always keep God, faith, love, joy, hope, and peace in your heart so that it never grows cold.

We Survived

by Susan Brantley

     The day arrived!  We, (Wanda Gilbert, Connie Steele, Vera Ellis, Susan Franklin, and I), were actually in the car, headed for Destin, Florida.  We were thrilled to be on our way.  We knew there was a possibility of a hurricane, but we thought it would turn and go in another direction.  We laughed and talked all the way down to the Florida state line.

     Things began to change.  It started to rain, and the clouds looked darker.  By the time we got to the condo it was raining hard.  We put our bags in our rooms and decided to go to the grocery store to stock up on food for the next few days.  We did not want to get back out in the storm.

     Finally, we got settled down and went to bed.  It rained and rained and rained.  Then the winds picked up. They were very strong.  We looked out our balcony door to see the ocean.  It was so dark and angry, and the rain was coming down in sheets.  We were on the 11th floor, and our patio door could not keep the rain out.  Our rugs were soaked in the living room and in Connie and Vera’s room.

     All of a sudden, our condo started to sway!  Then we felt the pressure building up.  We thought the roof of the condo would blow off.  We all began to huddle together.  Prayer was our comfort.  This scripture came to mind: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose,” Romans 8:28, KJV.  As we continued to watch the ocean and the huge waves that were being created by the storm, it reminded me of the hymn, “Master, the Tempest is Raging,” especially the first verse that says, “Master, the tempest is raging, the billows are tossing high! The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness. No shelter or help is nigh,” [Songs of Faith and Praise, p. 189, Compiled and Edited by Alton H. Howard, Howard Publishing Co., Inc. Copyright 1994].

     We survived to tell our story.  We are not the only ones to survive a hurricane, but for someone who has never had this experience, it’s something I will never forget.  We got home safely and got to tell our story to our families of what it was like to survive a hurricane.  I look at it like when we were gathered together in our hallway, scared, God was with us—“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them,” Matthew 18:20, KJV.

     We were also given a bonus—a sunny day at the beach.  The water was calm and warm.  It was truly beautiful.  We got up on our final day and took pictures of the sunrise.  They were the most amazing pictures I’ve ever taken.  Ask me—I’d love to show them to you—God’s amazing creation.

     We survived!

The Breath of Life—A Gift from God

by Shirley D. Tingle

     Have you ever been deprived of air for any length of time?  I’m thinking back to my childhood when there were a few incidents that I was fortunate enough to have survived.  I imagine if my mother had seen me swinging that high in the swing that we had attached to our carport, I probably would’ve gotten some “heat for the seat.”  Instead, I flew out of the swing and fell flat onto my chest, knocking the breath out of me.  I couldn’t cry because I couldn’t breathe!  I couldn’t call for help either and I could barely even sit up.  I was really scared until I finally started to breathe again.  What a relief!  Lesson learned—the hard way!

     Also, as a child my asthma was much worse than it is today.  Too much running, pedaling, or other outdoor activities, especially in the cold winter months, triggered attacks.  If you have asthma, you know that awful feeling of not being able to breathe.  I’m so thankful for medicines that help.

     Have you ever helped someone in an emergency situation who couldn’t breathe?  When I was teaching fourth grade, I had that experience.  It was the day of our Halloween party.  We had costumes on and had already passed out treats and candy for everyone to enjoy.  I was supervising a game where you had to drop Tootsie Roll Pops that looked like ghosts into a plastic Jack-O-Lantern.  All of a sudden, a boy touched me on the arm and then put his hand up to his throat.  I asked him if he had swallowed something.  He nodded.  I turned him around quickly and performed the Heimlich Maneuver.  When I did this, a round piece of Halloween candy shot across the room.  He turned around and looked at me.  He was just fine.  I sent him out to the water fountain to get a drink of water.  I don’t think anyone even noticed what was going on.  I was so relieved that the boy was able to breathe again!  That made me very happy.

     Genesis 2:7, KJV, tells us this: “Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Every inhale and exhale of breath is a gift from God.  And all of us must breathe in order to live.

     Why is it then that there are some people today in our society who don’t value the breath of life?  Where did it all go so wrong?  What happened to innocence, civility, common courtesy, respect for authority, and respect for the rights and lives of others?  Why is it okay for someone to take what belongs to you, hurt you, and take your last breath away?

     If the population isn’t being fed the “Bread of Life,” then they’re being fed something else.  Evil is real, and Satan works overtime to spread his lies until they’re thought of as being the truth.  What’ll happen if godlessness continues?  Will God’s Word, the Bible, be banned and burned?  Will a whole generation be raised up not knowing who God is and living in complete lawlessness, rebellion, and wickedness?  Such scary thoughts.

     We must get back to the very foundation of our being.  We wouldn’t exist if God hadn’t created us.  Acts 17:25, KJV, says that “he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.”  This must be taught.  This must be believed.  This must be recognized with praise, thanksgiving, and obedience to God’s commands.  If God gave us life, then it belongs to Him.  We have no right to unlawfully take the life, the breath, and all things from anyone else because those were given by God.

     Each breath of life is precious.  Each heartbeat brings us one step closer to the end of our physical life here on earth.  Each day is a special gift for us to do as much good as we can, and share our love for God, and His Son, Jesus Christ, with others.

     In the recent events that have taken place, (and that were made such a spectacle of by the media), our hearts and minds were shocked, saddened, and incensed at the brutal, barbaric, and inhuman treatment of George Floyd.  It was actually a merciless, televised murder, in my opinion.  So many things were wrong.  I still can’t believe it happened.  I can’t believe what I saw with my own eyes—a man who literally had his last breath taken from him while he was begging for breath and calling for his mother.  It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.  This should never have happened, and it should never happen again—to anyone, anywhere!

     The aftermath has been a complete nightmare of terror for the whole country, seemingly giving license to destroy, steal, burn, deface, and kill.  How does this help anyone?  Does it help the cause that they are promoting?  Two wrongs don’t make a right. Or better still, “Be angry, and sin not:  let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil,” Ephesians 4:26-27, KJV.  If only the protests had been “peaceable,” calm, and had stayed on the subject of George Floyd.  It all turned so ugly and unrecognizable—so dark, so evil, so unlawful.  Even Mr. Floyd’s family pleaded for all the looting, burning, vandalism, and killing to stop, What disrespect.  The breath of life means absolutely nothing to so many people.

     Looking back to the cross, the greatest event of all time, when Christ freely gave His life for the sins of all mankind, we see the brutal, merciless murder of our Lord and Savior.  Our Lord had already endured a savage beating, being flogged by the Romans’ whips that cut and ripped the skin of his back and legs.  Then He was laid on the cross and had heavy spikes driven into his wrists and feet.  Unimaginable pain.  But some have speculated that the actual cause of our Savior’s death was asphyxiation.  In the book The Case For Christ by Lee Strobel, the author gives a vivid, horrific description of what happens to the human body during a crucifixion.  Mr. Strobel interviewed Alexander Metherell, M.D., PhD., on the subject of crucifixion for one of his chapters.  Here is what Dr. Metherell said about the “cause of death” of our Lord:

     “Once a person is hanging in the vertical position,” he replied, “crucifixion is essentially an agonizingly slow death by asphyxiation.

     “The reason is that the stresses on the muscles and diaphragm put the chest into an inhaled position; basically, in order to exhale, the individual must push up on his feet so the tension on the muscles would be eased for a moment.  In doing so, the nail would tear through the foot, eventually locking up against the tarsal bones.

     “After managing to exhale, the person would then be able to push himself down and take another breath in.  Again, he’d have to push himself up to exhale, scraping his bloodied back against the coarse wood of the cross.  This would go on and on until complete exhaustion would take over, and the person wouldn’t be able to push up and breathe anymore.

     “As the person slows down his breathing, he goes into what is called respiratory acidosis—the carbon dioxide in the blood is dissolved as carbonic acid, causing the acidity of the blood to increase.  This eventually leads to an irregular heartbeat.  In fact, with his heart beating erratically, Jesus would have known that he was at the moment of death, which is when he was able to say, ‘Lord, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ And then he died of cardiac arrest.” [The Case For Christ, by Lee Strobel, pp. 198-199].

     Oh, how glad we are that the story doesn’t end there!  The Lord’s last breath on earth was only the beginning.  Three days later God resurrected His Son—He lives!  Christ taught us how to live, how to get through the valley of death, and showed us that there’s a Great Day coming when we’ll be resurrected just as He was.

     When we take our last breath on this earth, we want to make sure of our eternal abode.  Christ said in John 14:1-3, KJV: “Let not your hearts be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

     When Christ returns, those that belong to Him will meet Him in the air.  I Thessalonians 4:16-17, KJV, says: “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: 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.”

     While we still have the breath of life in us, there is hope.  Living the Christian life and enjoying all that God has given us—one breath at a time, and, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men,” Romans 12:18, KJV, because the breath of life is a gift from God.

Why This Cross?

by Susan Brantley

     Our Lord’s cross is portrayed much differently than the cross that I made.  Mine is made from old deck wood.  Bruce notched it out so it would fit together tightly.  Then he painted it yellowish-green.  Not typical of the old Rugged Cross, is it?

     I took some old left-over jewels, moss, and ivy that I bought at Wal-Mart and glued it on my cross.  The center was a blood-red stone that represented Jesus’ blood.  It turned out kind of pretty.

     Now I made this cross to represent my new life with the E-Sight glasses that I had just received.  My blessings seemed boundless.  When you purchase an E-Sight you are automatically enrolled in classes to learn how to use it.  My teacher, Jeanette, is the sweetest, kindest, and most patient teacher I could have hoped for.  Then I saw her face.  She had on E-Sight glasses as well.  I asked her what type of eye condition she had.  It’s too long to spell.  She told me my vision was much better than hers, yet she teaches me how to use my E-Sight.  She also plays seven instruments.  She never complains.  In other words, she uses her life to the fullest.

     So, my cross will now represent my new attitude.  No more complaining and no more feeling sorry for myself.  Thank you, Jeanette, for showing me that my life is full of boundless blessings.

Opinions—Everybody’s Got One! By Shirley D. Tingle

How many times have we engaged in a conversation that began with: “What’s your opinion about________?” Fill in the blank with the topic of your choice. It’s a great way to get to know more about people you meet or people you already “hang out” with. Read the following quotes about opinions and see if you agree with any of them.

*” People generally have too many opinions and not enough convictions.”

*” Every man has a right to his opinion, but no man has the right to be wrong about the facts.”

*” Fact is fact and feeling is feeling; never does the second change the first.”

*” A fanatic is one who can’t change his opinion and won’t change the subject.”

*” Man is never as hard of hearing as when his opinions are being challenged.”

*” We may ask for information, but we are usually only interested in what confirms our opinions.”

*” The quickest way to kindle a fire is to rub two opposing opinions together.”

*” Everyone has the right to express an opinion; however, no one has the right to expect everyone to listen.”

*” Our present generation is so smart it can form an opinion without consulting any of the facts.”

These quotes came from a book entitled 14,000 Quips & Quotes for Writers & Speakers collected by E. C. McKenzie, Baker Book House Company, Copyright 1980. Although this book was published forty years ago, it’s amazing to see that things haven’t changed much when it comes to people’s opinions. Everybody’s got one! In the vast array of things in our everyday lives, we’re going to differ in our interests, tastes, styles, things that we’re attracted to, things that appeal to us, things that entertain us, or things that fascinate us and hold our attention for any length of time. How many conversations have you had with friends, family, or even strangers about things you like and dislike, things that really bug you, or about movies, books, video games, foods—the list is endless (and so are the differing opinions about each thing)?

Here’s another old saying for you (and by now, you know I love old sayings): “Variety is the spice of life, that gives it all its flavor.” [William Cowper’s poem, “The Task,” 1785, dictionary.com]. Life would be kind of boring if we were all the same and liked all the same things. We’d just sit around and twiddle our thumbs with nothing interesting to talk about. We’d probably never try anything new. Pretty dull. So, a “good-natured” difference of opinion about things on subjects like those we talk about with friends and family is warranted.

There are some things; however, on which we must all be in agreement 100%, and 100% of the time. For instance, if our state, county, or city makes a traffic law, or laws against stealing other people’s property, well, a law is a law—it’s written down in a book somewhere, or maybe now in this modern age, posted online, as part of the code of law. If any one of us breaks a law, we’re deemed guilty and there will be some type of penalty or punishment to make restitution for the act. The law is an agreed on “system of rules which a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition of penalties.” [lexico.com]. Many people don’t like laws and break them frequently. They want to make their own rules or have no rules at all. They think they know what’s best, and they’re of the opinion that laws are too strict, and penalties are too harsh. But laws give society peace and a sense of fairness, balance, and safety for all—if followed properly.

We may not like the laws of the land, but it’s in our best interest to obey them. Also, we’re commanded by God to do so—it’s not optional. Romans 13:1-2, NKJV, says: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.” I Peter 2:13-16, NKJV, says: “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.”

Also, we don’t get to use our opinions to dodge the law. I’m no lawyer, but aren’t most cases built around facts and factual information as evidence and not just someone’s opinions? As Christians, are we to listen to the opinions of men and what they think when it comes to our souls’ salvation? Since everybody’s got one, think of how many differing opinions there are about the way we get to heaven. Do we want to risk our salvation by following some man’s opinion, or should we follow what God has commanded us to do in His Word?

The Apostle Paul warned the Galatians in his letter to them (and to us) about people who would try to “pervert” or change the gospel of Christ, Galatians 1:6-7, KJV. Then, he said this in Galatians 1:8-12, KJV: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

God has made His law and His new Will in the form of the gospel of Jesus Christ. God’s laws are immutable—they can’t be changed because a man has his own opinion about something. Man can’t build his own church and name it; he can’t die for his own sins, he can’t pray to another man for forgiveness of his sins, and he won’t be his own judge on Judgment Day.

Jesus Christ built one church; He was crucified on a cross as the Lamb of God, spotless and without blemish, as the final sacrifice for all of mankind’s sins; He is our mediator when we pray in His name to God, the Father; and He will judge us according to the scriptures, the way we obeyed the gospel, and the way we’ve lived our lives in Him, II Corinthians 5:10; John 5:26-27; Romans 2:16,KJV.

So, when I close this blog with the steps for becoming a Christian, and becoming a member of God’s family, the church, I’m not giving my opinion of what I think or feel. I have no opinion about it—because what God says is the law and the truth. He has all authority—He created us. Truth will remain the truth whether it’s believed or not. It’s been written down for us, but we must search the scriptures. Yes, it would be so much easier if there was one page in the Bible that we could turn to that had all the things listed for us to do in order to obtain the salvation of our souls. But with something as important to our eternal souls’ salvation, something that we must be 100% sure that we’re doing according to God’s Will, the effort of gathering all scriptures relative to our salvation reaps its reward!

To be a Christian, a follower of Christ, a person who wants to be like Him and do His Will, we first must hear the Word of God, Romans 10:14,17, KJV. Having heard the Word leads us to believe the Word, to believe that God is Who He says He is, and that Jesus Christ is His Son, Romans 10:17, Hebrews 11:6; John 8:24; Mark 16:16, KJV. God’s Word convinces us that we’re in a sinful state and motivates us to stop doing sinful things—in other words, we repent of our sins, Luke 13:3,5; Acts 2:38; Acts 17:30, KJV. We must then confess before men that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, Matthew 10: 32-33; Acts 8:37; Romans 10:9-10; I John 4:2-3,15, KJV. To complete our obedience to Christ, we must be baptized for the remission of our sins. Our sins will be removed and we become a new creature in Christ, Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16; Romans 6:3-4; Matthew 28 :19; I Peter 3:21: Ephesians 4:5; Acts 22:16; Acts 10:48; Galatians 3:27; Acts 8:38; Colossians 2:12, II Corinthians 5:17, KJV. And then, for as long as we live, we must remain faithful to God and Christ, Revelation 2:10, KJV.

But since we are humans, sin will creep back into our lives once again because no one is perfect and because Satan never rests. He wants our souls and will do anything to get them. He targets faithful Christians as his prize to win a victory against God. We must fight back. We must never give in.

The inspired writer of the book of I John is talking to Christians when he says this in I John 1:7-9: “But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive (or lie to) ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I Corinthians 10:12, KJV, says: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” Also, some very comforting words are written by the Apostle Paul to Christians in 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.” When we fall, we can have God’s “amazing grace” and be restored back to the fold.

We need all of our Christian brothers and sisters to help support us on the path through this life. There will be many amazing people to meet and to know, with many different opinions on life’s abundant topics of interest to share together. No, we’ll not always agree on the more trivial things of life, but hopefully we’ll come to the conclusion to let God’s eternal truth, the only thing that really matters—what His Holy Word says—be the thing we all can agree on 100% of the time as we head toward Heaven.

Tomorrow? 2,997+19

by Susan Brantley

     Today is September 11, 2001.  Kali is ready for school.  She is eating her cereal and waiting on her ride to school with her friend, Laura.  I began to clean up the kitchen.  Then I sat down to drink a cup of coffee.  

     I’m sure the people who were employed at the Twin Towers and those who were on the planes, and at the Pentagon, were all doing what they normally did every morning.  They were fixing their breakfast, making their kids’ breakfast and lunches, or handing out lunch money.  They kissed their kids and husbands or wives, good-bye and said they would see them later on in the afternoon.  Other workers stopped at the local Starbucks for coffee, a Danish, and a copy of the New York Times.  They hoped to arrive at work early to enjoy their coffee and Danish and do the Times Crossword Puzzle.  Yet others left early to get gas or pay a bill so it would not be late.  All these people had one thing in common—they believed they would make it home that night.

     Today was September 11, 2001.  This was the day they would die but they didn’t know. One moment they were preparing for work and the next moment they stepped into eternity.

     We are not promised a tomorrow.  The Bible says in James 4:14, NKJV: “Whereas ye know not what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”  In Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, NKJV, it says: “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:  A time to be born, And a time to die.”  

     We need to always be prepared to meet our Lord with a smile on our faces when we die.  Be assured we will all die someday.  I picked Psalm 23, NKJV, to close out this blog:

     “The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.  He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.” 

Promises

by Shirley D. Tingle

     When you were a kid, do you remember what you said and did when trying to get your little friends to keep a secret?  Did you have them promise not to tell a living soul, cross their heart and hope to die, and even do a pinkie swear? Well, that was supposed to be the lock, the key, and the throwing away of the key on telling the secret, because “a promise is a promise,” right?

     I think we all have experienced how it feels to have someone break a promise that they made to us.  We may have felt angry, hurt, or betrayed, and then we may have become mistrustful of people, and we’re put on guard for the next promise made to us.  Abraham Lincoln once said, “We must not promise what we ought not, lest we be called on to perform what we cannot.” And Benjamin Franklin said this: “Promises may fit the friends, but non-performance will turn them into enemies.” [Quotes from: dumb.com/quotes/promises.quotes/2/].

     What kinds of promises do we see and expect to be fulfilled in our every day lives?  Well, we have statesmen, representatives, governors, judges, mayors, officers of the law, and the highest office, the president of our country, who take an oath of office.  An oath is a solemn promise to carry out or fulfill the specific duties entailed in each office.  We want the people we select to govern and protect us to be trustworthy and to keep the promises they make.  If the promises aren’t kept, we have the right to choose others to assume these positions of leadership, and to hold them accountable for the promises they make.

     The institution of marriage is another area in which promises that are made by the man and his wife on the day of the wedding must be kept.  The wedding promises, more often called, “vows,” often include these familiar words: “To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith.” [theknot.com, “Traditional Wedding Vows…”].  The last word, faith, is often replaced with the word “troth,” which is an archaic word meaning “faith or loyalty—i.e. truth.” [Google Dictionary].

     Some couples like to write their own vows for the wedding ceremony.  Regardless of which “promises” are made by couples on their wedding day, the sad statistic is that 40-50% of marriages in the United States end in divorce, according to a report from the American Psychological Association. [USAtoday.com, “Broken hearts: A rundown of the divorce capital of every state”]. That means that someone in the marriage has broken the promises they made on that day they’d expected to live “happily ever after.”

     Another example of how promises effect our lives is when one is called to testify in a court of law.  It’s required that the person swear, or affirm “to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God.” When the person says, “I do,” he or she is making a promise to tell nothing but the truth.  What happens if this person breaks the promise and lies under this oath?  The person who breaks the promise to tell the truth has now broken not only the promise but has broken the law.  Their crime is perjury, for which they can receive punishment.

     Here’s one last example of a promise that we make, sometimes rotely, and without thinking.  We learn to say the “Pledge of Allegiance” at a young age, but when do we learn what it means?  In 1954, the year I was born, the words, “under God,” were added to the pledge.  I’m grateful for those words because our country, and even the whole world, is under God, and belongs to God.  I hope many of you have seen Red Skelton’s rendition of the “Pledge of Allegiance.”  He breaks it down, word by word, phrase by phrase, and really tells us the meaning that we seem to miss when we just say the pledge by rote memorization. You can find it on YouTube, and it’s worth watching.  But try not to cry.  I always do.

     A pledge is a solemn promise.  So, if someone pledges, or promises allegiance, they’re promising to be faithful to, loyal to, committed to, devoted to, duty-bound to and will show patriotism for our flag and our country.  Those who break this promise don’t have the nation’s best interest at heart.  We’re so blessed to be free in this nation under God. As a patriot of this country, I’ll strive to take this promise seriously.

     Our God has made many, many promises since the dawn of time—too many to name here.  But I’d like to discuss a few of them.  “Genesis 3:15, is commonly called the ‘Protevangelium,’ a term that essentially signifies the idea of ‘first gospel proclamation.”’ (Yes, I had trouble pronouncing that word at first, too, but I learned something new!).  In Genesis 3:15, KJV, God made a promise.  “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”  So, who would the woman’s seed be?  Through time, the seed spoken of here would be our Lord, Jesus Christ, given by God to this world to save us from our sins, and to ultimately destroy Satan forever.  The source for the quote at the beginning of this section is from an article on the Christian Courier website, titled: “Crushing the Serpent’s Head: The Meaning of Genesis 3:15, written by Wayne Jackson.  It’s a very interesting read!

     Another promise made by God was given after God brought the Great Flood upon all the earth.  It was time to renew, repopulate, and regenerate the land on this fresh “new” earth.  He had the ever-faithful Noah, and Noah’s wife, their three sons and their wives, and a big ark full of wonderful animals to begin the process of being “fruitful and multiplying” as God commanded.  It’s at this time that God made a special promise.  Genesis 9:11-17, KJV, says that God made an everlasting covenant between Himself and “every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth,” that He would never again destroy the earth and all flesh with a flood.  We have a token of His promise that we can see in the sky from time to time after it rains—a rainbow.  What a beautiful reminder that God keeps His promises!

     Another great man of faith, who lived in Old Testament times, was Abraham.  He’s even been called “The Father of the Faithful.”  God recognized Abraham’s faith and obedience to Him.  In Genesis 12:2-3, KJV, the LORD called on Abram to leave his home and set out on a journey to where God would lead him.  God promised Abram that He would make a great nation to descend from him, and that He would bless him.

     When Abram was 90 years old, the LORD appeared to him, promising to multiply his descendants, making him the father of many nations.  God also changed his name to Abraham.  The LORD further promised to make him “exceeding fruitful,” and that kings would also come from him.  Abraham and his descendants would also be blessed with a new land to live in for generations to come, Genesis 17:1-9, KJV.

     After Abraham proved his faithfulness again to God by taking his son, Isaac, to offer up as a sacrifice, God repeated His promise to bless him, and to multiply his descendants, Genesis 22:1-17, KJV.  The next verse says, “And in thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice,” Genesis 22:18, KJV.  How would all nations of the earth be blessed by this promise?  When did God fulfill this promise?

     Galatians 3:17-29, KJV, tells us the answer, and concludes in verses 27-29 by saying, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

     So, God’s promises down through the ages have made their way to all of us.  The promises in the Bible are about God’s love for man and about His plan to save man by redeeming him and bringing him to live with Him forever.  I John 2:25, KJV, says, “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.” God has promised that if we seek His kingdom first, He will provide our daily needs here on earth, Matthew 3:31-34, KJV.  We’re also promised in John 14:1-4 that after Jesus prepares mansions in His Father’s house, He will come back and receive those who believe and obey and take them home to the Father.  James 1:12, KJV, says, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”  And finally, those who labor and are carrying heavy burdens are given the invitation to, “Come unto me…and I will give you rest; and ye shall find rest unto your souls,” Matthew 11:28-29, KJV.

     God has never broken a promise.  When God makes a promise, you can rest assured that it will come to pass.  God has promised that there’s a “Great Day” coming—Judgment Day.  God has made His promise to give faithful Christians eternal life with Him in Heaven.  But He has also promised the alternative of eternal punishment for those who reject or ignore His commands and shun His promises.  Romans 6:23, KJV, says: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

     To be in Christ is to be a Christian—one who has been baptized for the remission of sins.  If we obey the conditions set forth by God in His Word, through His commandments, and by our obedience when we hear the Word, believe the Word, believe that Jesus is God’s Son, repent of all of our sins, confess the name of Jesus Christ before men, submit to being buried with Him in baptism for the remission of sins, and then work towards living a faithful life in Him until death, the promises of God will be fulfilled in us when we hear these words:  “Well done thou good and faithful servant…enter thou into the joy of thy lord,” Matthew 25:21, KJV.

     II Peter 3:9, KJV, says: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

     As my cousin, Brian Cook, always says, “If we do what the Bible says, we will receive what the Bible promises.” 

     After all, a “promise is a promise.” 

Lost and Found

Lost and Found

by Susan Brantley

     Have you ever spent an hour or so of your day looking for your glasses, and realize they’re actually on top of your head? I have! In our lifetime we are going to lose many things. We will lose our car keys, house keys, purses, wallets, shoes, socks, recipes, make-up, pencils, notebooks, and of course, the elusive remote control.

     A few years ago, I came close to losing one of the most precious things in my life—my grandson, Destin. It was a normal Saturday, and of course, we were going to make our weekly trip to Wal-Mart. My daughter, Kali, needed curtains for her living room window, and I went with her just to get out of the house, and also to help her with Destin.

     We had been shopping for a while before we got to the curtain department, so Destin was getting a little restless. We decided to let him get out of the buggy with the stipulation that he stay where we could see him.

     Now Destin was known for playing under the racks of clothes, and he loved to play hide-and-seek. When he got to the store, we had to constantly keep our eyes on him. We began to look at the curtains. Kali looked down and he was still there. I looked down and he was still there, playing with the curtains, swinging them back and forth. Kali looked down again and he was still there. Then when I looked down, he was gone! Alarm bells didn’t go off at that particular time because we knew how well he liked to hide. We began to look through the displays, assuming that’s where he was. We looked, and looked, and looked—he wasn’t there! We called his name:  Destin, Destin O’Neill, Destin O’Neill Orr, where are you? Not a whimper, no rustling of the curtains, not a giggle—nothing! Kali and I began to search the next aisle, but he wasn’t there.

     Finally, I saw an associate and told her we had a lost child. She called up to the front of the store and said: “Lost child.” I didn’t know exactly what that meant, but I assumed that it meant that all the associates that were on the floor would begin to look for Destin. I had to tell them what he looked like and what he was wearing so they could find him! Tears began to run down Kali’s face because she didn’t know what to do. Should we call 911, or should we call my husband, Bruce, or Destin’s dad? Now I’m a big fan of the ID channel, and in every single case where there is a child missing, they say almost the exact same thing: “this could not happen in our town.”  It’s a small town. You’re at your local Wal-Mart that you’ve been to a thousand times. Destin’s been there a thousand times. Nothing bad had ever happened. What is different about today? Then the horrible realization hit me—what if someone had taken him? No! I would not let that thought enter my mind! We had to find him—we just had to.

     Have you ever walked up and down the aisles of Wal-Mart on a Saturday screaming a child’s name at the top of your lungs? I continued to get a lot of attention. Everyone stopped and wanted to know if I had a lost child. And I said that we did. So, they asked us what he looked like and what he was wearing? All of this seemed like it took four hours when actually it was only a few minutes.

     I think the worst part for me was watching my daughter, Kali. First her hands started to shake. Then her body started to shake. I believed that she might faint.  I could tell that she wanted to sit down and just weep, but she kept looking and so did I.

     Finally, we got back to the curtain department where this whole ordeal first started. With weak voices, we called out one more time: “Destin O’Neill Orr, if you can hear us, answer us.” Then, like a miracle, he gets out from behind one of the curtain displays, blue eyes sparkling, and with a big smile on his face. I felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders. I thought Kali and I would both collapse when we saw him. We ran to him. Kali picked him up and held on to him as hard as she could. I was there kissing him, holding his hands and whatever part of him I could touch. He was as happy to see us as we were to see him. He had been lost but now he was found. We put him in the buggy, went as fast as we could to the exit, and took him home, where he was safe and where he received more hugs and kisses, and a small lecture on staying where his Nana and Mama could see him.

     Yes, he was lost, but luckily, he was found. We all have something that we can lose if we aren’t careful—our souls. If we do not live the life of a Christian and do what the Bible commands us to do, we will lose our souls. Scripture tells us in Matthew 16:26, KJV, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” I guess the question is: do we want to be lost and spend eternity with Satan in torment, or do we want to be found in God’s good graces on the Day of Judgment, and spend an eternity in Heaven?  

Clean—What a Wonderful Feeling!

Clean—What a Wonderful Feeling!

by Shirley D. Tingle

Think back to a time when you were either working hard cleaning something, or maybe goofing around outside, and you got really filthy dirty!  I mean covered—hands, clothes, shoes, maybe even your hair and face were involved.  In some cases, you may have gotten dirty as a result of making something else clean and having the yucky stuff land on you.  Sometimes it’s fun to get dirty, especially if you get to fall down in the mud or make someone else get muddy.  Well, sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn’t.

     An incident happened to me at school many years ago that was neither work, nor was it fun—it was a foolish accident from which I learned a lesson.  I had my kids (students) in line to walk up to the gym for P. E. but it had rained the day before.  I like to take shortcuts to save time, so instead of walking them from the end of our hall all the way to the other end, up two flights of stairs, across the parking lot, and to the gym, I decided to go out the end door (a few feet from me), across the grassy area that leads up to the gym.  It’s a much shorter and quicker route.  I left them there for P. E. and headed back across the grassy area, but just as I got closer to the door that we’d just walked out of, I slid down in the mud, ending up on my backside!  I got up, looked around, (no one saw me), and slogged by way on inside the door.  First stop—the restroom (which was on the other end of the hall).  After using many wet paper towels to try to clean my muddy pants, I had another problem—wet, dirty pants!  I asked one of my fellow teachers if I could borrow his heater for a little while.  After unsuccessfully trying to dry my pants, I was running out of time.  It was almost time to go get my class from P. E.  I breathed a sigh of relief when another teacher, who lived near the school, offered to go home and get me a pair of pants to wear for the rest of the day.  Although I was a little mismatched, I was clean and comfortable, and the lesson I learned stuck with me:  When it has rained, go the LONG way to P. E.!  I can laugh about it now.

     There’s just something about fresh, clean water and sudsy soap that when combined makes washing up a pleasant experience.  We’ve been taught from a very early age about washing our hands.  We’re also taught about germs—that even though we can’t see them, they’re everywhere, on every surface, and can be spread.  Our mothers bathed us and then taught us to bathe ourselves—to keep ourselves clean for the best possible appearance and health.  And think of how clean and refreshing it feels after a long, hot, sweaty, grimy day of some activity to finally get that bath or that shower you were dreaming about.  When you’re done, you’re like a new person—refreshed, relaxed, renewed, and most of all—clean!

     The whole earth had to be cleaned once.  It was “unclean” because of man’s extreme wickedness.  Genesis 6:5-6, KJV, says, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”  If we continue reading Genesis chapters six and seven, we see that God brought a great flood upon all the earth, effectively wiping out all human life that wasn’t aboard the ark that Noah built, and all the animal life that lived upon the land as well.  God “cleaned” the earth of sinful men, and tasked Noah and his family with replenishing the earth, because “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD,” Genesis 6:8, KJV.

     In Exodus we read about the building of the tabernacle, “the portable sanctuary carried by the Israelites in the wilderness.” [http://wwwdictionary.com, “Tabernacle: Definition of Tabernacle].  Before Aaron, the High Priest, or his sons could enter the tabernacle on behalf of the congregation, they had to be washed with water and have their holy garments put on them, Exodus 40:12-13, KJV.  When the tabernacle was completed, and all the items were in place that the LORD had commanded, including the laver of water, Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet at the laver of the tabernacle.  They washed again at the altar, as the LORD commanded Moses, Exodus 40:31-32, KJV.  This shows that before coming to God to make animal sacrifices on behalf of the people, the priests were to be “clean” before God, as signified by the washing with water.

     God has always wanted His people to be clean and to practice cleanliness.  The book of Leviticus is filled with laws that God had for the Israelites as spoken by Moses.  Many of the laws were about making sacrifices and offerings to the LORD.  Many other laws dealt with personal cleanliness, hygiene, and health practices.  The LORD has always known what’s best for His people throughout the ages.  He gave specific instructions to them on how to keep themselves “clean” and sanctified before Him.  It was each person’s responsibility to listen to and follow the words of Moses as spoken to him by God.  God’s laws, His warnings, and His rules for living the best possible life seem to have always included cleanliness in some form—being clean, being cleansed in body, mind, and soul.  And water has played a very big role.

     Fast-forward to today, where we see water playing a role in being the medium through which we now complete our salvation.  God uses water, something to which each of us can relate, to be the method by which we come in contact with Christ’s cleansing blood in baptism.  For us to be “clean” and pure before God, our sins must be removed.  The only purifying and cleansing agent for removing the filth of sin from our souls is the blood of Jesus Christ, our Savior.  God’s great plan of salvation for us includes hearing His Word, believing His Word and that Jesus Christ is His Son; letting His Word convict us of our sins, so that we make the decision to do them no more, thus repenting; then from our lips, confessing before men, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; and finally being plunged beneath the water, a burial, a death to the old man of sin, in baptism, where the blood of Christ cleanses us, and we’re made clean before God, becoming a new creature in Christ.  This act cleanses our souls because we have obeyed God’s commands concerning our soul’s salvation, and we become His children.

     It’s just a fact of life that we all get dirty every day.  We wash our hands many times a day, and we take a shower or bath at least once a day.  Keeping ourselves clean is an on-going process.  If we get lazy, skip a few days, and neglect our cleanliness, we can become quite a mess.  That could become unpleasant, and someone’s bound to notice, and will most likely let you know about it.  Getting clean may take some effort, but it makes us feel better, and it’s better for our physical well-being.

     To care for our spiritual well-being, it’s of the utmost importance to follow God’s commands for cleansing our souls from sin.  Having risen from the waters of baptism and knowing that the blood of Christ has cleansed us of all sins is a joyous event—a day to remember!  To capture that feeling in a bottle and have it every day would be the best-case scenario.  But this life is made up of pitfalls, roadblocks, detours, disappointments, sorrows, and temptations. Yes, Christians do fall.  Yes, Christians, do sin.  But the good news is that God is faithful to hear our prayers when we recognize and admit our sins before Him.  We pray privately for forgiveness of private sins.  We ask our brethren to pray for us and with us if we’ve sinned in a public way.  Then, we’re refreshed and “clean” once again.  Keeping ourselves “clean” from sin is an on-going process.  Prayer becomes our lifeline to the Father, that keeps us in our saved condition.  We can never get lazy or neglectful where our souls are concerned because Satan works overtime to bring down faithful Christians.

     Is the saying, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” in the Bible? No, it isn’t.  This old saying is attributed to John Wesley, and before him, to writings in the Talmud. [deseretnews.com, “9 Misquoted Bible Phrases,” Alicia Purdy].  It might better be said that “Cleanliness of the soul is Godliness, and Godliness is cleanliness of the soul.”  I John 1:7-9, KJV, says: “But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Get clean, be clean, stay clean!  Clean—what a wonderful feeling!

Dream House

I follow a lovely Facebook page that showcases older homes that are currently on the market. Along with more than 2 million other people, I scroll through pictures of these gorgeous and unique homes—homes that were built with interesting floor plans, nooks, crannies, walls of bookshelves, and loads of character. I sigh when I see that perfect kitchen, that storybook entrance, and that cozy fireplace. I dream about which room each child would call their own. I imagine get-togethers on that beautiful back patio.

From time to time, my curiosity begs me to take a peek at what’s available in my own area, and I often find some interesting houses. And I dream some more. Is this where I will sit and watch the sunrise with my cup of tea? Where will I put my garden? Is there room for a hen house? Will my children be able to run free in a wild, wooded backyard? Are there creeks nearby where they can get delightfully muddy? What colors will I paint the walls? Is there enough room for a home gym?

The popularity of the various house hunting and home improvement programs show I’m not alone. Most of us, if not all, are looking for something better. We hope for dream homes. We improve the homes we already have. In general, the human race is pretty optimistic that things will get better, no matter what issue it may be. It makes me wonder if there’s not more to it. Could we, as humans, be programmed to look for something better, something perfect for us?

2 Corinthians 4:17-5:1 says, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

I may never get a dream home. But as a Christian, I look forward to a home that is more than I could ever dream of. Something better—something perfect.

By Elizabeth Cook

Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall

Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall

by Susan Brantley

     What is vanity?  I think it’s the way we look at ourselves and the way we look at others.  That’s not Webster’s definition—that’s just mine.  Vanity in today’s world includes clothing.  You must dress for success, otherwise you will not be successful.  You must wear Stella McCartney, Jessica Simpson, and Armani suits.  And you must, of course, carry a designer purse, designed by Louis Vuitton, Jessica Simpson, Kate Spade, Tommy Hilfiger, or Michael Kors, just to name a few.  You see, without these clothes, shoes, and purses, you cannot be successful, says the world.  You will be judged by what you wear and the way you wear it.

     Now I ask you, is it a sin to look nice?  Is it a sin to accessorize?  Of course not.  Men and women do it all the time.  We do it in our everyday lives.  I get up from my bed and go to my closet to see what I’m going to wear for that day—even if I’m staying at home. Let’s see, I’ll wear jeans and a sweatshirt.  What color tennis shoes will I be wearing—black, multi-colored, or white?  Will I wear boots today with my sweatshirt?  If it’s raining, I will need a sweatshirt with a hood if I happen to go to the grocery store.  Will I fix my hair, or just pull if back with a barrette?  I’ll put on a dab of make-up just to look presentable in case I happen to see someone I know.  And then if I decide to go somewhere like church, or out to lunch or dinner, then I go a little bit further.  I go to my closet and look at the dresses and think about where I wore them.  I can’t wear the same ones again this week—what will people think?  I’ll wear a dress I haven’t worn in at least a couple of weeks and wear my boots with it.  I think I will wear jewelry:  earrings and bracelets. I don’t want too much.  My make-up has to be right for the dress, and my hair needs to be fixed.  So, on those rare occasions when perhaps I’m not feeling well, I probably don’t care as much about the way I look.  I wear pajamas and have my hair pulled up on top of my head kind of like Pebbles Flintstone, and I wear house shoes with socks.  But then again, if you’re sick, you have an excuse.

     But vanity of this sort is not the kind to talk about.  I’m going to talk about this:  do we want to stand out in a crowd?  Do we want to really be noticed by everyone?  I think the answer to that question is, no, we really do not want to stand out.  We want to blend in.  We want to be just like everyone else for the most part.  What if you can’t do that?  What if you HAVE to stand out in a crowd—what then?  What if you’re one in a million who is going to stand out in that crowd and be noticed no matter whether you want to be or not?

     In our lives, God is in control.  Our lives are not left to chance.  Our lives are planned before we are even born.  God knows what’s going to happen to us, but we have free choice in how we live our lives.  He knows our sicknesses and how we’ll deal with them.  Will we be strong?  Would we be strong like Jesus when He was tempted, and will we be able to say, “Get Thee behind me, Satan,” or will we give in like everyone else?

     When I found out about my macular degeneration I prayed and prayed for a miracle, even though I knew that the age of miracles was over.  But I also knew God could do anything.  I remember my mother used to sing a song that said God can do anything but fail, and I believe that.  So, I asked Him for something that could get me through each and every solitary day so that I could be the person that I knew I was meant to be, and so that I could be strong.  There were times when I wanted to just throw my hands up and say I could not do it anymore, but then, what good would that do me?  What good would that do for someone else who needed me?  It would be like saying that Satan had won because I quit and it’s over.  I was about to do that when I received a blessing in the form of the IRIS.  For those of you who have seen me wear the IRIS, you know it looks like a virtual reality game mask or headset.  Though this is not a pair of designer glasses, it’s not even built to look pretty.  In fact, you can hardly see my face at all when I wear it, and you certainly can’t see my eyes.  But that’s okay, because you see, I’ve never seen clearer or better than when I wear the IRIS.  

     Do you see me wear the IRIS?  No!  That’s where my vanity comes in.  I want to look like everyone else, but I wasn’t meant to be like everyone else.  I’m the one that is not going to look like everyone else.  I’m the one person who discussed standing out in a crowd because of my destiny.  Yes, people stare.  Yes, people will probably whisper behind my back.  And yes, people will probably come up to me and ask me what it is.  It’s okay.  I was meant to tell you about it, and I was meant to show it to you.  I was meant to tell you that this is what I got when my prayer was answered.  I got this from God.  God gave it to me, so why should I be ashamed to wear it?  All of God’s gifts are good.  There are other people out there, like me, who don’t want to wear their devices because of their own specific reasons.  But if you pray for it and ask God for it, please don’t take His gift and say it’s not good enough.  It’s perfect.

     So, tell me what you see when you look into your mirror.  I see a woman, a grandmother, a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister, and a friend.  I’m the same inside as you.  I like stupid jokes, and I do stupid things.  I make stupid mistakes, too. But I’ve been married for almost 40 years, and I am so grateful for my husband, my children, and my grandchildren who have never been ashamed of me, I am proud to say, and who love me for who I am.  Life is too short.  When you have a perfectly good device that will help you see, it’s better—and I want to see you.  So, yes, I will stand out in a crowd and be proud.  Take a good look in the mirror.  Don’t look just at the outside—look on the inside as well.  Is your heart kind and loving, and an encouragement to others?  Let’s all work together to be the kind of Christian person that we need to be so when we look into the mirror, we will like what we see.