September 28, 2009

“Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you.” Psalm 50:15

Many of us have known the horror of Satan’s attacks on our children. In her book, “He’s Been Faithful,” Carol Cymbala shares the following challenge.

“If we are going to fight, our battle can only be won through prayer. We must draw closer than ever to God, believing in his faithfulness. Psalm 50:15 is not empty words, but a clear promise from Almighty God. Throughout the struggle, however long or short it may last; we will certainly be attacked by confusion. We will be tempted to give up. But just as God gave me the grace to stay, even when I wanted to run, he will give you the grace to do whatever it takes to fight for your children. In ways you cannot possibly imagine, God will use the very attack of Satan on your children’s lives to accomplish great things for his Glory. Don’t let the circumstances fool you. Don’t let your faith be shaken. God’s love is so powerful it can touch any heart, even the heart that seems impossibly far from him.” (p. 145)

Thought for the week: You can pretend to be serious; you can't pretend to be witty.
-- Sacha Guitry

Funny for the week: Great Writer

Visiting a college campus, the prospective student spots a building called Hemingway Hall. "That's nice," he says, "a building named for Ernest Hemingway."

"Actually," says the tour guide, "it's named for Joshua Hemingway."

"Was he a writer?" the student asks.

"Yes. He wrote a big check."
-- Arthur Clum

Some have it, some don’t……….. Chaplain Barnes

Last week’s answer: Jesus said it was unforgivable to speak against or blaspheme what? The Holy Spirit (or Ghost) (John 12:31-32)

This week’s question: Whose clothes did not wear out for 40 years?

September 21, 2009

“And blessed is he who keeps from stumbling over Me.” Luke 7:23

In her Bible study, “Jesus the One and Only,” author Beth Moore has a chapter entitled, “A Bout With Doubt.” In it she says the following that has meant so much to me.

“Most of the time our doubts come from our heart, not our head. ‘We’ve got to know what we know even when we don’t feel what we want to feel.’” (p.88) She goes on to say that the Greek word for faith is pistis and means “a firm persuasion or conviction.” It is a head-faith biased on knowledge of the one in whom we have our trust. Many times I have had to go back to my Bible and claim the promises of God’s love, forgiveness and salvation when my heart tried to convince me otherwise. Like Paul, I must declare, “I know (have a firm conviction based on the truth found, proven and established in Scripture, not feeling with an inferior feeler that can change with the wind) in whom I have believed in and am persuaded (based on the truth of facts not feelings) that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12) Is your pistis based on fact or feeling? When the storm hits and the bout with doubt broadsides you, only a firm conviction based in fact will bring you through. As Beth went on to say, “Believe it with your head even when you’re struggling with your heart.” (p.90)

Thought for the week: No one gossips about other people's secret virtues.
-- Bertrand Russell

Funny for the week: Running the Show

I am a deputy sheriff assigned to courthouse security. As part of my job, I explain court procedures to visitors. One day I was showing a group of ninth-graders around. Court was in recess and only the clerk and a young man in custody wearing handcuffs were in the courtroom. "This is where the judge sits," I began, pointing to the bench. "The lawyers sit at these tables. The court clerk sits over there. The court recorder, or stenographer, sits over here. Near the judge is the witness stand and over there is where the jury sits. As you can see," I finished, "there are a lot of people involved in making this system work."

At that point, the prisoner raised his cuffed hands and said, "Yeah, but I'm the one who makes it all happen."
-- Michael McPherson

Job security?........... Chaplain Barnes

Last week’s answer: Who said, “Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did”?

The woman Jesus met at the well (John 4:29)

This week’s question: Jesus said it was unforgivable to speak against or blaspheme what?

September 14, 2009

Psalm 103

Take time today to read Psalm 103. But, since I now most of you won’t, let me list some of the things this Psalm says God does for you.

1. Pardons all your iniquities.
2. Heals all your diseases
3. Redeems your life from the pit.
4. Crowns you with loving kindness and compassion.
5. Satisfies your years with good things.
6. Performs righteous deeds and judgments.
7. Is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in loving-kindness.
8. He will not always strive with us or keep His anger forever.
9. Does not deal with us according to our sins, or reward us according to our iniquities.
10. Removes our transgressions from us.
11. Has compassion on us like a father, on those who fear Him.
12. His loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting.
13. His righteousness is to children’s children who keep his covenant.

Ahh, now doesn’t that make you feel special!?

Thought for the week: The big thieves hang the little ones. -- Czech Proverb

Funny for the week:

The wheel of my grocery cart was making a horrible scraping sound as I rolled it through the supermarket. Nevertheless, when I finished my shopping and saw a cart-less woman, I offered it up, explaining, "It makes an awful noise, but it works."

"That's okay," she said, taking it. "I have a husband at home like that."
-- Donna Ulrey

So kind of her…………. Chaplain Barnes

Last week’s answer: How long was Joseph imprisoned between the time he interpreted the dreams of the chief cupbearer and the time he interpreted the Pharoah’s dream? Two years (Gen. 40:18-23, 41:1-32)

This week’s question: Who said, “Come see a man which told me all tings that ever I did”?

September 7, 2009

"But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man(woman) does not achieve the righteousness of God." James 1:19-20 (Parenthesis mine- tb)

Two cars were waiting at a stoplight. The light turned green, but the man didn't notice it. A woman in the car behind him is watching traffic pass around them. The woman began pounding on her steering wheel and yelling at the man to move. The man didn't move. The woman went ballistic inside her car, ranting and raving at the man, pounding on her steering wheel and dash. The light turned yellow. The woman began to blow the car horn, flipped him off and screamed curses at the man. The man, hearing the commotion, looks up, saw the yellow light and accelerated through the intersection just as the light turned red. The woman was beside herself, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection. As she was still in 'mid-rant', she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the barrel of a gun held by a very serious looking policeman. The policeman told her to shut off her car while keeping both hands in sight. She complied, speechless at what was happening. After she shut off the engine, the policeman ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. She got out of the car and he ordered her to turn and place her hands on her car. She turned, placed her hands on the roof of her car and quickly was cuffed and was hustled into the patrol car. She was too bewildered by the chain of events to ask any questions and was driven to the police station where she was fingerprinted, photographed, searched, booked and placed in a cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door for her. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the original officer was waiting with her personal effects. He handed her a bag containing her things and said, "I'm really sorry for this mistake. But you see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping that guy off and cussing a blue streak at the car in front of you, and then I noticed the "Choose Life" license plate holder, the "What Would Jesus Do" and "Follow Me to Sunday School" bumper stickers and the chrome plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk, so naturally I assumed that you had stolen someone else's car." (copied- author unknown)

Thought for the week: An idealist is a person who helps other people to be prosperous.
-- Henry Ford

Funny for the week: Life Explained...
On the first day, God created the dog and said:
'Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks passed. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years.'
The dog said: 'That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?'
So God agreed.
On the second day, God created the monkey and said: 'Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span.'
The monkey said: 'Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?'
And God agreed.
On the third day, God created the cow and said: 'You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years.'

The cow said: 'That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years… How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?'
And God agreed again.
On the fourth day, God created humans and said: 'Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years.'
But the human said: 'Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back;
that makes eighty, okay?'
'Okay,' said God, 'You asked for it.'
So that is why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years, we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last ten years, we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.
Life has now been explained to you.

There is no need to thank me for this valuable information. I'm doing it as a public service……….. Chaplain Barnes

Last week’s answer: Who is the only male cousin of John the Baptist identified by name in the Bible? Jesus (Luke 1:36)

This week’s question: How long was Joseph imprisoned between the time he interpreted the dreams of the chief cupbearer and the time he interpreted the Pharaoh's dream?