My Ongoing Thoughts

I SEE YOU!

9/16/2020

I used to listen to local radio a lot, especially in my earlier days. These days, however, I mostly listen to audio books. Unless I am in my truck for only a short period; for then I usually listen to satellite radio. Earlier today, however, I was out in our other, older, beat up pick-up truck, running an errand. Since this old truck does not have satellite radio, I found myself listening to local radio once again.

The disc jockey being aired was a certain Bobby Bones, who hosts a popular program broadcast here in east Tennessee. As a part of his daily broadcast, he often talks about less than astute crooks who attempt crimes, only to be caught by either their own ineptitude and/or else just plain bad luck.

The particular story he featured today had to do with several unfortunate villains down in Seminole County, Florida. According to a September 14th Orlando Sentinel article titled “Ring Camera Alert to Seminole Sheriff’s Helicopter Pilot Led to Arrests of Deltona Vehicle Burglars, Cops Say”, it seems that…

A Seminole County Sheriff’s Office helicopter pilot was out on a flight early Sunday when he spotted a group of vehicle burglars — not from the air, but through an alert from his home’s doorbell camera, authorities said.

According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the Seminole pilot was airborne about 2 a.m. when his personal Ring camera alerted him of a teen dressed in black clothing attempting to open the passenger door of a white truck parked outside his home.

The teen and another young person were checking for unlocked cars as an Acura RDX SUV followed the pair through the pilot’s Deltona neighborhood, a VCSO press release said.

The pilot alerted Volusia authorities, who spotted the SUV from the air. Deputies tried to pull it over, but it sped off into Seminole County, officials said. Deputies later used stop sticks to pop the SUV’s tires. Helicopter footage shows the suspects jumping out the moving car in Sanford as it slowed down.

Three teenagers were taken into custody, ages 14, 15 and 16, VCSO spokesman Andrew Gant said. He said the teens have been linked by investigators to several car break-ins in Deltona. Gant said the SUV had been reported stolen. Inside, he said deputies found several wallets, a ski mask and a window breaching tool.

Now, it likely comes as no surprise to my regular readers that the preacher in me cannot help but see the preachable point in all of this. And that is this: “You can run, but you can’t hide!”

After all, what we have here is the essence of mankind’s predicament in a nutshell. As God’s Word makes plain, we chose to sin against God, hoping against hope that we would somehow get away with it. But from the very moment we chose to do so, God was watching us from up above. Naturally, we naively attempted to run and hide in an attempt to conceal our nefarious activity. Alas, however, run though we might, we could never really hide from Almighty God!

Adam and Eve tried it in Genesis chapter 3. Every person who has ever lived since then has also tried it in one form or another. But all to no avail! For we can run from God, but we can never hide from Him!

Thankfully, however, we do not have to hide from God. Even though He knows of our guilt, even though we and He both know that we deserve to pay the price for our transgression against Him, He still offers us mercy and forgiveness. And that, my friends, is the essence of grace.

As the Bible says…

4But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Praise God for His amazing grace!

STORY SOURCE:

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-ne-seminole-county-volusia-county-deputies-ring-camera-20200914-hkchzw4uyfdjlmyfj2g4ulikc4-story.html.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:

https://biblehub.com/niv/ephesians/2.htm.

FAKING IT?

9/12/2020

I have blogged many times before of my love for “The Andy Griffith Show”. I freely admit that I pride myself on my knowledge of minutiae related to this beloved television program. So much so that few things bring me as much pleasure as does the uncovering of some heretofore unknown bit of trivia related to what I consider the greatest situational comedy ever produced.

For this reason, I have particularly enjoyed the emails sent out by the folks over at www.metv.com, the home of MeTV, which bill itself as “America’s #1 Classic Television Network”. Their daily emails contain numerous articles dealing with “behind the scenes” details of this and many other shows.

One such article recently caught my attention. It had to do with “Floyd the Barber”. The article begins by explaining why one specific episode the “The Andy Griffith Show” is particularly significant. According to the article…

The Andy Griffith Show episode "A Date for Gomer" holds historical significance, and not just in the love life of Mr. Pyle. The episode was originally slated to air on November 25, 1963, the Monday before Thanksgiving. However, television plans were tossed out upon the assassination of President John F. Kennedy the previous Friday. Network news continued to cover the death of JFK and its aftermath for days in primetime. Thus, "A Date for Gomer" was given a rain check until December 9, 1963.

When it finally aired, the episode still held some historical curiosities. Mary Grace Canfield, best known for her later role as Ralph Monroe on Green Acres, portrayed a character with her same name, Mary Grace Gossage. She was Gomer's date and Thelma Lou's cousin.

But there is something even weirder — and far harder to sight — in the first scene. Andy and Opie exit Floyd's Barbershop. The camera is set up in the Mayberry Street and follows the father and son down the sidewalk. "Why Floyd always has to get that little bit of hair down the back," Andy complains while rubbing his palm along the nape of his neck.

At this point, the article directs us to focus on something most of us, including me, have overlooked…

Peer through the window in the barbershop. Pay close attention to "Floyd." The barber is dressed just like Floyd in glasses and white coat… but it is clearly not the familiar Floyd Lawson we know and love. That is not actor Howard McNear.

The article then explains what is going on…

A year prior, in December 1962, McNear suffered a serious stroke. His brush with death occurred after season three's "Convicts-at-Large." Lawson would not return to The Andy Griffith Show until "Andy Saves Gomer," which aired on March 16, 1964. He would return, but much worse for the wear. McNear performed sitting down, for the most part, with his left side immobilized. That was a span of more than 40 episodes without the friendly barber.
Well, excepting this imposter, of course.

Lastly, the article concludes with one last bit of trivia…

We could not find out the identity of this alternate Floyd. It was seemingly not Walter Baldwin, the actor who first played the character in "Stranger in Town." That means that at least three men played the character onscreen!

At this point, I’m sure some of you may be asking, “Okay, okay, but what’s your point?” My answer is that it is obviously fairly easy for impostors to slip in among the folks we consider authentic. Hey, if it can happen in Mayberry, it can happen anywhere. Even the church! And if it can happen to the cast of “The Andy Griffith Show”, it can happen to most any group of people. Even God’s people!

A famous evangelist once said that just being inside a garage does not automatically make someone an automobile! His point was that not everyone who affiliates with the church is in fact a true Christian. Why would he say this? Because Jesus Himself had already said as much! In the New Testament Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7, verse 21, He stated:  “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

Clearly, Jesus knew that the day would come when some, at least, would purport to be among His followers, even though they clearly were not. Whoever the anonymous “Floyd the Barber” was in the 10th Episode of Season 4 of “The Andy Griffith Show”, it is probably a good thing that he did not show his faced and/or open his mouth, or else he would most likely have been shown to be the impostor that he was!

Alas! How true this might be for many who purport to be true believers as well!

Another way to put it is this way: How many could withstand genuine scrutiny in the light of God’s Word?! Of course, the answer has already been given by Jesus:  “Only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

The impostor Floyd does not cut hair. He does not even engage in conversation with true believers. He does not do anything but merely blend in and look the part. But when we freeze the shot and zoom in, we realize that he does not “cut the mustard”, let alone the hair! And the reason is self-evident. He was not a true Mayberrian. He was merely an impostor.

All of this points us to the day when our Lord will separate the wheat from the chaff, and the sheep from the goats. At that time, He, and He alone, will reveal who was and who was not truly one of His followers. Those who were will hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant… Enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”  Those who were not will hear Him say, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”

Which of these do you want to hear? In light of this, would you prefer to be real or to be fake? After all, fake news in this world is one thing; but fake news on the Day of Judgment is altogether different matter!

ARTICLE SOURCE: “Did You Ever Notice This Impostor Floyd the Barber on The Andy Griffith Show?” at   https://metv.com/lists/did-you-ever-notice-this-imposter-floyd-the-barber-on-the-andy-griffith-show.

SEE ALSO:  https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0512387/.

NOTE: The aforementioned article also contains a link to another interesting article about the real “Floyd the Barber” titled: “6 Little Snippets You Never Knew About Howard McNear of The Andy Griffith Show”, found at: https://metv.com/lists/6-little-snippets-you-never-knew-about-howard-mcnear-of-the-andy-griffith-show. All true “The Andy Griffith Show” fans should enjoy it.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://biblehub.com/matthew/7-21.htm;
https://biblehub.com/matthew/25-23.htm;
https://biblehub.com/matthew/7-23.htm.

ON GIVING UP OR GETTING UP…

9/8/2020

I love the story about a mother dealing with a son who did not want to get out of bed and go to church. Perhaps you will too. It seems that…

A mother knocked on her son’s door one Sunday morning and said, “Get up, honey, it’s time to get ready for church.” The boy responded, “Oh, mother, I don’t want to go to church today. Just let me sleep.”

The mother replied, “I don’t care what you want. Get yourself out of bed, get dressed, and get down to church.” He responded, “Mother, I don’t want to go! Those people down there don’t like me, and I don’t like them. Just the other day I was walking down the hall and around the corner I heard some people talking about me. And, Mother, they were saying some awful things. Don’t make me go.”

The mother responded, “I don’t care about all that. You get yourself up. You’re going.” The boy responded, “Why, Mother? Why?” And she said, “For two reasons. First, you’re forty five years old. And, second, you’re the pastor and they’re expecting you down there.”

On a serious note, are there ever times when you feel like giving up? Please don’t; especially if the reason is merely because you have come up against some form of opposition. The simple truth is that any worthwhile endeavor undertaken by any given individual in any given time will invariably encounter opposition. This is a basic fact of life.

After all, it happened to Abraham, and Joseph, and Moses, and Joshua, and Samson, and David, and Solomon, and Isaiah, and Jeremiah, and Elijah, and Elisha, and Nehemiah, and yes, even to Jesus Himself! As it did to Peter, and James, and John, and Paul, and Timothy, and countless other servants of God.

But the one who persists, the one who perseveres, the one who endures, he or she (and he or she only) is the one who will eventually be victorious!

As Jesus says (in Luke 21:19), “Stand firm, and you will win…” And that, my friends, is no laughing matter! For that, my friends, always has been and always will be the key to victory!

JOKE SOURCE:

Paul W. Powell, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Retirement (Tyler, Texas: Texas Baptist Leadership Foundation, 2000), pp. 14-15.

AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:

https://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=146507.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:

https://www.biblehub.com/luke/21-19.htm.

STORM WARNING!

9/4/2020

We’ve had our share of thunderstorms recently here in east Tennessee. Some have been relatively brief and mild, lasting but a few moments. Others, by comparison, have been far more severe, lasting hours, flooding roads and blowing down trees, as they have raged their way through the Tennessee River valley.

But none have been as fierce as the one reported on in an article titled “Thunderstorm In Kansas Casts 'Epic' 75-Mile-Long Shadow, Blocks Sunrise As Storm Reaches Taller Than Mount Everest”. As reported by Travis Fedschun and published on www.FoxNews.com back on August 12, 2020, a stunning sunrise in Kansas on Aug. 4, 2020 got blocked by an even more spectacular sight in the sky – a monstrous storm on the rise.

According to the report:

The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Goodland (KS) said last Tuesday that an isolated thunderstorm in Norton County in the state's northwest cast a 75-mile-long shadow. The storm's shadow extended southwest all the way to the Goodland forecast office, briefly blocking the sunrise.

A meteorologist snapped a photo just before 6 a.m. as the thunderstorm cloud blocked the rising sun. "The storm in question was ~35,000 ft tall — about 1 mile taller than Mount Everest," the NWS tweeted. The storm's shadow could be seen extending across the sky in the photo released by the forecast office, which frequently documents stunning weather moments in the Kansas prairies.

The thunderstorm's shadow could even be seen from space. Satellite imagery released by the NWS shows the shadow stretching southward across the state's northwest corner. A meteorologist at the NWS also shared a time-lapse of the thunderstorm shadow reaching the Goodland forecast office. In the video, the shadow can be seen moving across the sky as the sun rises.

Of course, sunrises and sunsets are some of the most awe-inspiring displays in nature. They testify not only to the beauty of nature, but also to the truth of God’s word in Genesis chapter 8, verse 22 that: “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease.”

I love that old promise because it reminds me that no matter how badly any particular day might turn out, there is always the assurance of another day, and a chance to start all over again.

As Annie famously sang:

The sun will come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there'll be sun! Just thinking about tomorrow clears away the cobwebs, and the sorrow, 'til there's none!

When I'm stuck in a day that's gray, and lonely, I just stick out my chin and grin, and say, “Oh the sun will come out tomorrow so ya gotta hang on 'til tomorrow come what may,

Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya tomorrow! You're always a day away!”

Praise God for the promise of each new day. But even the promise of a new day on the horizon does not necessarily mean that new day will be devoid of storms. Jesus taught this when He reminded us in His famed sermon on the mount that “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” By this He meant, at least in part, that each day will invariably involve some degree of difficulty.

Famed recording artist Lynn Anderson once put it this way: “I beg your pardon; I never promised you a rose garden. Along with the sunshine; there's gotta be a little rain sometimes!”

Nor has God promised us a storm free life. Rather, what He has promised is to be there with us whenever we go through the storms of life. He tells us this over and over again in the writings of the Prophet Isaiah, for whom this was a prevalent theme. In chapter 4, verse 6, we are told that God provides us “a shelter from the storm and rain”. In chapter 25, verses 4-5, we are told that God has been “a strong-place for those who could not help themselves and for those in need because of much trouble” and that He has been “a safe place from the storm”.

Are you currently experiencing a storm? If you are, take heart, for you are not alone. As one evangelist once put it, chances are that most of us are either just coming out of one, even now experiencing one, or else are just about to head into one. That is the bad news. The good news is that we do not face to face the storms of life alone, no matter how big and monstrous they may seem as they approach!

Just ask Noah as he emerged from the ark! Just ask Joseph as he emerged from prison! Just ask Daniel as he emerged from the lion’s den! Just ask Jonah as he emerged from the fish! Just ask the Disciples as they saw the wind and the waves dying down on the lake! Each of these in turn faced their own respective storms. Yet they were never alone. And neither are we!

P.S. For what it’s worth, the article cited above went on to say that the massive storm in question went on to produce only a few streaks of lightning before dissipating, and like all storms eventually do, fading into oblivion. The sun soon came back out and the new day unfolded in all its glory!

STORY SOURCE: https://www.foxnews.com/us/thunderstorm-kansas-shadow-75-miles-mount-everest-weather-norton-county. Its author, Travis Fedschun, is a reporter for FoxNews.com; and he can be followed on Twitter @travfed.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES: https://biblehub.com/genesis/8-22.htm; and
https://biblehub.com/matthew/6-34.htm.

SEE ALSO: https://biblereasons.com/storms/; as well as
http://davejacobs.net/youre-either-entering-in-the-middle-of-or-exiting-a-storm/.

SONG LYRICS: https://www.metrolyrics.com/tomorrow-lyrics-annie.html; and https://www.metrolyrics.com/rose-garden-i-never-promised-you-a-lyrics-lynn-anderson.html.

CERTAIN SURE!

9/1/2020

It has long been asserted that the only two things in life that are certain are death and taxes. So, it was inevitable that my annual property tax bill would eventually arrive. It did so today; and I have had occasion to reflect on this all throughout the afternoon.

Now it has been said that everyone likes to complain about their taxes. I know I’ve done my share of bellyaching about them over the years. And yet, if I am honest, I realize that my family and I enjoy a lot of benefits as a citizen in exchange for the taxes we do pay. In truth, it is a blessing to live here in the greatest country in the world. As burdensome as my tax bill is, it does reflect this singular blessing.

For this reason, while I would never want to give the government anything I was not required to give them by law, I fully recognize the wisdom proffered by our Lord and Savior when He said that we should render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s.

Another blessing I have pondered throughout this day is that my wife and I are personally in a position to pay our taxes. I recognize that not everyone is. While we are no multi-millionaires, we do at least have enough resources to pay our taxes. And for this I am thankful; because I fully recognize that it is God Himself Who has put us in this position.

Whenever our taxes come due, I always think of my Grandfather Jackson. He had very little actual cash on hand. What money he and my grandmother did have was certainly not kept in banks, not after having lived through the failure of so many banks in the great depression. Nonetheless, they were never worried about rendering to Caesar what was due him.

You see, my grandfather finished his live as a farmer, having amassed along the way two forty-acre farms and scores of heads of cattle. So, whenever his taxes came due, he did not fret and worry about having the money to pay them. He simply loaded up a cow and took it to the cattle auction on the way to the courthouse.

Thinking of my grandfather and his cattle makes me think of my Heavenly Father and His resources. Speaking through the Old Testament Psalmist (in Psalm 50), our Lord tells us:

9“I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, 10for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 11I know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in the fields are mine. 12If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.

Perhaps you have heard the phrase: “My God owns the cattle on a thousand hills.” It comes from this very passage, in which our Lord reminds us that His resources are infinite.

This passage then concludes with the following admonition: 14“Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, 15and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

I am thankful that God took care of my grandfather whenever he needed resources. I am thankful that He still takes care of me the same way. And He will do the same for you, my friend.

No, He never promised to make us all wealthy. But He has promised to meet our every need out of His abundant resources. As His Word tells us, “God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” That, my friends, like death and taxes, is a guaranteed certainty!

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

Matthew 22:21, Mark 12:17, and Luke 20:25 at www.biblehub.com;

https://biblehub.com/niv/psalms/50.htm; and

https://biblehub.com/philippians/4-19.htm.

CRUSHIN’ IT!

8/28/2020

One on my favorite television shows is Leave It To Beaver. It hearkens back to a simpler time, when television could once be said to be redemptive, in that it conveyed values that many, including me, still deem wholesome.

Over the years, I have managed to see most of the episodes; but not all of them. Recently, I happened upon one I had never seen. I now know it to have been episode 8, from the first season, titled “Beaver’s Crush”, having originally aired in November of 1957.

The title pretty much gives away the plot. First grader Theodore “Beaver” Clever develops a crush on his teacher, Ms. Canfield. As you can imagine, once his true feeling inevitably come to light, this soon creates turmoil in his life. Ms. Canfield is replaced after season one with Ms. Landers, whom Beaver will also develop a crush on in a later episode.

I can relate all too well to Beaver’s predicament. Like many red-blooded American boys, I too had crushes on more than one of my teachers. One that stands out in particular was when I once fell head over heels for Ms. Marbutt, who attempted to teach me Spanish in the 7th grade.

I still remember the price I paid for this, just as Beaver’s crushes cost him. It happened this way. I had somehow learned how to count to ten in Spanish long before I ever enrolled in this class. So, finding myself stricken with affection for my new teacher, and wanting desperately to impress her, I eagerly raised my hand on the first day of class and, when called upon, proudly announced to her that I could count to ten!

That was it. That was all I said. Only too late did I realize my mistake, in that I had not stated clearly that I could count to ten “in Spanish”! I remember that there was a long, pregnant pause, as Ms. Marbutt stood looking at a 7th grader proudly announcing that he could count all the way to ten!

Finally, she smiled, and in a voice conveying pity, stated simply, “That’s good.” I do not know how many shades of red there are; but I probably turned every one of them in the next minute. Trust me - quite a lengthy period of time passed before I ever spoke another word in that class.

Fortunately, I have long since gotten over Ms. Marbutt, as well as all of the other teachers I ever “fell in love” with. To be sure, I am thankful for their respective roles in my life. But I do not carry any particular torch for them, at least not in the sense that I once did.
All of this brings me to my point. Did you ever have such an experience? Do you recall your own first love? Or have you long ago forgotten that individual?

Such a question matters because I am not the only one to ask it. In many respects, the Lord Himself also asks this question of you and me, as He does of anyone who purports to be His follower. We find Him doing this in the New Testament Book of Revelation (chapter 2, verse 4), when He tells the Christians at Ephesus: “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.”

It seems that the Ephesian believers had at some point been far more passionate about their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, than they were when John was directed to write these words to them. Of course, we do not know all the details. We do not know what interfered with that passion. We just know it happened. And we also know that, if we are not careful, the same thing can happen to us.

Years ago, preachers used to talk about believers becoming “backslidden”. I remember hearing one particular evangelist who defined what it means to be backslidden. He said that if there was ever any point in one’s past when he or she was more passionate about Jesus Christ than now, then that individual is technically backslidden.

The Bible tells us repeatedly that God loves us. But it also tells us that He is a jealous God! He does not long suffer other passions within the hearts of His people! And He continually asks us one fundamental question: “Have you left Me, your first love?”
That is a question we must each address. No one else can answer it for for you. no one else can answer it for me. But it must be answered.

TELEVISION SHOW SOURCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Leave_It_to_Beaver_episodes#Season_1_(1957%E2%80%9358);
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0630198/?ref_=ttep_ep9;
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0630266/?ref_=ttep_ep7.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:

https://biblehub.com/revelation/2-4.htm.

SEE ALSO:

https://biblehub.com/john/3-16.htm;
https://biblehub.com/1_john/4-10.htm;
https://biblehub.com/exodus/20-5.htm;
https://biblehub.com/exodus/34-14.htm.

DOWN, BUT NOT OUT!

8/28/2020

The news this week carried a story about a 20-year-old woman whom paramedics and a coroner had all declared dead being taken to a funeral home in Detroit - only to have morticians there discover that she was quite alive!

The article, written by Robert Gearty and titled “Detroit Funeral Home Says Woman Ruled Dead Was Still Alive”, was published on August 24, 2020 on www.FoxNews.com.

It seems that the drama all began when paramedics from the Southfield, Michigan Fire Department responded to a call for an unresponsive woman at a home in Southfield this past Sunday morning.

According to Southfield Fire Chief Johnny Menifee, “When paramedics arrived, they found a 20-year-old who was not breathing. The paramedics performed CPR and other life-reviving methods for 30 minutes. “Given medical readings and the condition of the patient, it was determined at that time that she did not have signs of life.”

Menifee added that because there was no indication of foul play, they then contacted the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office, to whom they gave the pertinent medical data about the woman. “The patient was again determined to have expired; and the body was released directly to the family to make arrangements with a funeral home of their choosing,” Menifee added.

However, after having been taken to the James H. Cole Funeral Home in Detroit, sometime after 11:30 a.m., she was found to still be breathing. According to employees at the funeral home: “Upon her arrival at the funeral home, our staff confirmed she was breathing, and called EMS.”

From there, she was transported by paramedics to the hospital. And while her condition there has yet to be divulged, incontrovertibly, she is now known to be alive!

Wow! I rejoice to know that this poor woman is not dead. I rejoice that she is still alive. I rejoice that her life was not taken from her at the tender young age of 20. And I rejoice that she will now hopefully get to experience all that life has to offer in the coming decades!

I rejoice even more at what this story brings to mind. I rejoice in the story of another individual once declared to be dead at the tender young age of 33, only to be found later to be quite alive! That young man was named Jesus Christ. And even though he was found to be dead; he was later found to be alive - and well!

The Bible puts it this way (in the Apostle Paul’s First New Testament Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15, verses 3-4): “Christ died for our sins… he was buried… (and) he was raised on the third day…”

But that is not all the Bible has to say. In the New Testament Gospel of John (chapter 11, verses 25-26), this same Jesus, Who was the Christ referenced by Paul above, makes the following statement: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”

He then concludes with this piercing question: “Do you believe this?” I hope you do. I know I do. And if you do, as I do, then you too can be assured that you will one day live again, even after you have been declared dead!

STORY SOURCE: https://www.foxnews.com/us/detroit-funeral-home-says-woman-ruled-dead-was-still-alive.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES: https://biblehub.com/niv/1_corinthians/15.htm; and https://biblehub.com/niv/john/11.htm.

WARNING LIGHT!

8/21/2020

Firmly believing that regular oil changes, tire rotations, front end alignments, and the like all help to insure that vehicles last longer, my wife and I have always tried to keep our automobiles serviced on a consistent basis.

We have always been told that the standard rule for oil changes is three months or 3000 miles, whichever comes first. Well, for most of my adult life, the miles always came sooner than the months. But these days, being semi-retired, it seems the exact opposite is true. Three months can now come long before 3000 miles ever get driven.

Thus, I was somewhat taken back when my pickup truck suddenly notified me through a pop-up on my dashboard screen that the time for an oil change was fast approaching. This had never happened before.

When the notice first appeared, I looked at the sticker on my windshield and saw that I was nowhere near having driven 3000 miles since the last oil change. Yet, lo and behold, the date of that oil change corresponded precisely with a three month time frame.

Now, I for one grew up in a day and age of what we might call “dumb” vehicles. Clearly that is not the case anymore. I see now that my truck is obviously a smart vehicle of some sort. After all, it is at least smart enough to know when the last time it had its oil changed. It also knows when it needs to have its oil changed again.

Now, obviously, my truck did not manufacture itself. It has a sticker on the windshield telling which Ford plant manufactured it, and in what year. So, apparently, the makers placed within it a certain sensitivity to the need for maintenance. Not that it can maintain itself. But it clearly has an innate appreciation for when its systems need attention.

As I have studied on this, I have been reminded that I too am the result of Another Individual’s creativity. I know the exact day I came to be as a result of my Maker’s efforts. Moreover, His handiwork is evident in every detail of my design and function. And, just like my truck, I too have been made with many wonderful assets that are intended to be a blessing and benefit to others.

But alas, I share another quality with my truck. For I too am subject to periodic malfunction and/or breakdowns. Therefore, I too need regular maintenance in order to perform and produce at the level which I was intended. Like my truck, this maintenance is beyond my ability to perform. I need Another One to execute this.

But what I do have within me is an innate sensitivity to my need for regular maintenance. That sensitivity was placed within me by the One Who both designed and made me. Simply put, if I will be honest with both myself and my Maker, I know enough to know when I need attention on the inside. I can see when well enough to know when my spiritual warning light begins to blink!

I trust you see the simple truth I am drawing from this little analogy. We have each been endowed with a soul by our Creator; and this soul needs regular attention. Now, as Thomas Payne so eloquently put it, there are certain times that “try our souls”! We all know of what he spoke. And when these times come, and our souls are pressed hard, we tend to turn to our Maker for our needs to be met. Indeed, well we should!

But even when the times do not necessarily try our souls, even when we go through those periods when we are not necessarily driven quite so hard by life, we still need to remember that there cries out within us a little voice reminding us of our need for regular spiritual maintenance. Make sure when it does that you make every effort to give your soul the regular spiritual attention it still needs.

How is this best done? By seeking out the only One truly qualified to give spiritual tune-ups - Almighty God, Who made us in His very likeness! When we do, He promises to hear our prayer and to meet our needs. Speaking through His prophet, Jeremiah (chapter 31, verse 25), the Lord gives us this wonderful reassurance: “I will refresh the weary soul and I will replenish all who are weak.”

Does your soul need a little maintenance today? Is it crying out for attention? Is your warning light flashing? If so, then I have good news. The Lord is ready; He is willing; and He is able to help. He stands by, patiently awaiting your contact. Seek His help today, my friend. You’ll be glad you did!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://www.biblehub.com/jeremiah/31-25.htm.

NOTE: Apparently, I am not alone in the sparsity of my recent driving. It seems as if Covid -19 has had quite an impact on the reduction of miles being driven. Check out the article titled "Americans Drove 13% Fewer Miles in June Than A Tear Earlier" at https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/americans-drove-fewer-miles-june-than-2019.

THE CASE OF THE (NOT SO) FEARSOME FELINE

8/17/2020

It’s been a little dry lately here in east Tennessee. Except for one evening earlier this week, that is. Out of nowhere, with seemingly no rain in sight, it began to rain. In just a moment or two, the rain intensified. Before long the bottom fell out.

For the next few moments, water came down in a deluge. And then, as quickly as it had begun, the rain let up. The clouds above soon dissipated; and the sun shone brightly once again.

Now, I have been in some heavy downpours in my time; but I will not soon forget this one – as much because it seemed to come out of nowhere as much as how much it actually rained. I will remember it as an example of raining “cats and dogs”.

Of course, I have never actually seen it rain either cats or dogs. But it does in fact happen. Witness an article first appearing in The Sun Newspaper, wherein one commentator stated “it was cloudy with a chance of furballs”.

The story, covered in multiple news outlets, tells the story of a man who was out walking his dog, when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, he was literally knocked unconscious by a cat falling out of the air! It seems that the event was captured on video, which has now been posted to YouTube and has gone viral.

In the video, a Chinese dog owner likely prefers pooches even more now, after he was knocked out cold by a falling cat, as seen in a viral video from Aug. 14. In the 45-second CCTV footage, a man named Gao is seen out strolling with his golden retriever in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.

Literally out of nowhere, a black and white cat drops out of the sky, striking him on the head, causing him to collapse unconscious onto the sidewalk. It seems that the unfortunate feline belonged to his elderly neighbor upstairs, where it had fallen from the balcony.

As the video continues, a few bystanders can be seen walking past Gao before his dog approaches him to see what is wrong. Soon, though, the faithful dog spies the guilty party lurking over by a building, and decides to set things right. Soon, the two can be seen engaged in an intense stand-off, before the camera at last cuts back to poor Mr. Gao on the ground. One can only assume that the dog evened the score!

The good news is that Gao ultimately survived the incident. But not before he spent some 23 days in the hospital! Still forced to wear a neck brace and undergo physical therapy, he is now seeking compensation from his neighbor over the unfortunate incident.

As I read this story, presented in a much more humorous form in the original sources than I have shared it here, I could not help but think once again of the verse I have highlighted in more than one recent post – I Peter 5:8, which states: “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are subject at any given moment to be assaulted by the evil one, who pounces on us from any vantage point. But while he may repeatedly inflict his vicious attacks, he will never have the ultimate victory over us. This is because even when we are down, we are never out!

What is more, whenever we do find ourselves under attack, we always have an Advocate Who comes to our aid. The One Who is out in front of us, leading the way, never abandons us. Rather, He comes quickly to our aid; and He jealously defends us, turning the tables on the attacker, and caring for us until we are whole again.

Thank God for our Advocate! His name is Jesus. Praise God, as the Bible says: “We have an advocate before the Father - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One”. I, for one, am thankful! More times than I can count, He has come to my assistance.

The same can be true for you. The Bible tells us so!

STORY SOURCES:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12402895/bizarre-cat-falls-sky-knocks-out-pensioner-chased-by-dog/;

https://nypost.com/2020/08/17/man-knocked-unconscious-by-cat-while-walking-his-dog/; and

https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/man-dog-knocked-unconscious-falling-cat.

YouTube VIDEO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=YZJ-C7TtdKI&feature=emb_logo.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/1_peter/5-8.htm: and

https://biblehub.com/bsb/1_john/2.htm.

CAUGHT UP?

8/13/2020

I am discovering that retirement can be a mixed blessing. By this I mean that one has plenty of time to catch up on a long list of things needing or desiring to be done. And yet, the irony is that, even being retired, one can never really quite get caught up.

My father-in-law told me years ago that once he retired, it seemed as if he could never get everything done that he needed to do. He marveled at this, and mused that he seemed to have gotten a lot more done when he was working than once he retired.

A side of me can finally understand that. I find that I now share the same testimony in that the more projects that I attend to, the more that seem to crop up requiring my attention. Every one completed seems to spawn two that need consideration.

Of course, the upside of this is that my wife and I have been getting a lot of things done that needed doing in just a few short months. Our former home has been sold. We have moved into your new home. The unfinished portion of our home has now been completed. Furniture and appliances have been acquired. A new roof has been put on. The utilities have been transferred. Our address and contact info have all been updated, as have accounts and memberships. Etc, etc…

Here in our new place, several trees have been cut. Bushes have been trimmed. Stumps have been ground. The landscaping has been refurbished. The lawn has been manicured. Vehicles have been serviced. Tires and batteries have been bought and installed. New tags and licenses have been procured. The garage has been organized. On and on the list goes; and yet, on and on the list grows!

For it truly seems like the more we do, the more we find that needs doing. We agree that we can just never seem to get caught up!

Perhaps it was having had fact that on my mind that explains why a recent daily devotional thought from the folks over at “Lead Like Jesus” so caught my eye. Their August 11, 2020 devotional was aptly titled “Caught Up”. It reads as follows:

Paul warns Timothy not to allow other things to edge out God’s place in his life. Just as Paul said of himself, “to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21), his letters urge Timothy to be faithful and focused on ministry. We, too, are called to make God our audience of One, wholeheartedly seeking Him and His purpose. What are you caught up in? Does your heart lead you to exalt God or to edge Him out of your life and leadership?

The devotional includes a verse of scripture from 2 Timothy 2:4: “No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.”

It then concludes with a simple prayer: “Lord, I need to stop and examine myself. What am I caught up in? Am I caught up in serving You by loving and leading like Jesus? Or have I become entangled in things that usurp Your place in my life? Refocus me this day on exalting You by living for Your approval alone. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

In the process of transitioning from pastoring a church full-time to semi-retirement in order to become a writer, I have struggled with ever getting “caught up” to the point that I can focus on what I feel called to do. And yet the irony is that I do not ever really need to get “caught up” – at least not in the sense that this insightful little devotional expresses it!

As you can see, I have been significantly challenged by this thought, being reminded in the process that the affairs of daily life must never be allowed to crowd out the very One Whom I am committed to honor and serve in my life and ministry! In that respect, may I never ever truly get “caught up”!

DEVOTIONAL SOURCE: You can sign up to receive a daily devotional from www.leadlikejesus.com at: https://www.leadlikejesus.com/resources. Previous devotionals can be found at: https://www.leadlikejesus.com/devotionals#.

SEE ALSO: https://biblehub.com/2_timothy/2-4.htm.

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