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"Helping Others Communicate"

EXTERIOR DECORATING

5/30/2016

 
Dr. Michael Milton is the Founder and President of Faith for Living, Inc., which he describes as “an outreach ministry advancing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people possible through every means available so that there will be a multitude of souls safe in the arms of Jesus when He comes again.”

This gifted man has served as a long time Pastor (of First Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga, Tennessee, among others) Educator (having taught at Reformed Theological Seminary, Knox Theological Seminary, and Erskine Theological Seminary respectively), Broadcaster (having followed D. James Kennedy on the broadcast Truth that Transforms), and Recording Artist (having released five separate Christian music albums).

As if all of this activity were not enough, he has also somehow found time to write.  In addition to having authored and published twenty full-length books, he also posts thought-provoking blogs on his web-site.  Last year, on Memorial Day, 2015, he posted a wonderful piece titled “I Remember Decoration Day”.  Having had numerous similar experiences, I was particularly moved by this blog post.  I wanted to share it here in hopes that you might be as well.

When the Peonies bloomed like giant red and white carnations, and I was allowed to go barefoot for the first time in the almost-summer time, and the old World War I American Legion vets put their local post caps on when they went to the hardware store, I knew it was a special day called Decoration Day. It usually is called Memorial Day today. Yet since its origin, many have called it Decoration Day. The reason? Quite simple: It was a day to remember those who had fallen in our nation's wars, going all the way back to the broken-hearted years following the American Civil War, by decorating their graves.

I am sure my days in rural, agrarian Louisiana were not that different from the days of a boy in rural, agrarian Indiana or rural California. It was just the way things were in America in those days. On Decoration Day, we all would go decorate the graves of those uncles, grandfathers, fathers, cousins and neighbors who had died during the conflict of World War I or World War II or Korea.

So, we would go out to the Palmetto Cemetery in Walker, which used to be called Milton Oldfield, and decorate those graves. Or we would go to the National Cemetery in Baton Rouge (which would've been pretty much an all-day affair, plus having to catch a ride, so we only went there every other year or so) where my uncle Woodrow's body lay. Uncle Woodrow Milton was killed while serving in the Navy during World War II. I always will remember my Aunt Eva and her sister, my Aunt Georgia, talking about the day they stood there in 1942 at the exact spot where we would be standing on Decoration Day.

"I can still see poor Mama sobbing," Aunt Georgia would whisper to herself as her memories caused her to lift her shiny black purse up, snap it open, and pull out an embroidered handkerchief. She would dab her eyes. Aunt Eva wouldn't talk. She just looked down at the gravestone of her little brother. I looked at them. Then they would begin decorating. In some ways in my mind, I am still standing there, not saying a word lest I desecrate the moment.

We always would go to the grave of my father. My father did not die directly as a result of a war, but he served in World War II. Jessie Ellis Milton, a graduate of the New London Officer's Academy, commanded a Merchant Marine ship that carried troops during the war. His war was fought in the frigid and dangerous waters of the North Atlantic where German U-boats went in deadly schools under the white-capped waves by Greenland and on into his destination of Liverpool. The seagoing services were his life.

My father died of complications from alcoholism, which were part of the complications of his soul, which were part of the complications of the seagoing life, which were part of the complications of the war. He received the same decorating as his brother and my other Uncle (who had served in WWI) and all the others. Whether they died in the service or after, it didn’t matter. They had served. So, we decorated my father's grave.


It occurs to me that someone might read this and wonder what it means to decorate a grave. It does sound anachronistic, and I suppose it is. There is much good work by the Boy Scouts of America in particular today as they decorate the graves of veterans all over America. My son, who is now an Eagle Scout, spent many Memorial Day mornings in his scouting years decorating graves of veterans. I always will recall with great pride the sight of  our Chattanooga Scouts placing miniature American flags on the acres of graves at the National Cemetery in that beautiful community where I was pastor. So I pay tribute to those who still remember Memorial Day in that way.

However, the Decoration Days I remember were more of a family occasion, a solemn and moving day when few words were spoken. There were certain ways to decorate a grave. To decorate a grave, one would not only plant a miniature U.S. flag, but in those days, it particularly meant the women would clean the gravestone and place fresh flowers in either a vase or at the foot of the headstone. We would bring a hoe and remove any weeds that had grown up around the grave.


When I hear the story of the women going to prepare the body of Jesus after He had been placed in the borrowed tomb, I always think about the women in my life as I was growing up who decorated the graves. There was nobility in that act. There was a sort of holiness in it. A man would not do that. It was not because men were too good, but because there was a feminine sympathy and compassion which was understood to be more intuitively proper for such a holy task. War was men's work. That was their honor and their duty. Caring for the dead and the children and grandchildren of those men would be the work of the women. That was their honor and their duty. No one said that. It just was so. Tending their graves was a sacred role the women did not even think to share with the men.

I remember being a boy and seeing a female cousin about my age, probably about 12 at the time, when she decided it was her time to join the grown women. I just watched and felt that my female cousin was becoming a woman. She got on her knees and began to remove weeds from my father's grave. No one said a thing. No one, none of the women at least, so much as paused to watch. It just happened. That's just the way things were. The men would watch and often would hold a vase or fetch the hoe from the trunk of the car as the wife gave the command. Yet this was their work, and noble work it was.


So when I hear Memorial Day, I think Decoration Day; my mind goes back to those far-away places and those solemn occasions that stirred me every bit as much as the president of the United States placing a wreath at Arlington. The memory snuck up on me today and stirs me again. It is Decoration Day and I am still following this calling in ministry. I am a long way from my father's grave. My aunts are in heaven. So, I don't think the women in my family would mind if I at least decorate their graves, the warriors and their women, with holy memory and a grateful heart.
 
SOURCE: 
http://michaelmilton.org/2015/05/24/decoration-day/#comments.

YOU CAN READ MOTE ABOUT DR. MILTON AND HIS MULTI-FACETED MINISTRY HERE: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_A._Milton.

MEMORIAL DAY MATTERS

5/27/2016

 
Jeff Greenfield is an award-winning television journalist and author, having worked for such notable news broadcasting corporations as ABC, CBS, and CNN.  On the May 28, 1997 edition of the ABC News program, InFocus, he referenced having attended the same Memorial Day observance in his community for decades.  In doing so, he shared the following observations:

At 10 a.m., the parade begins moving down Main Street. It is a small parade: two vintage cars, bearing the region’s oldest war veterans; the men and women who served in the military; the Salisbury Town Band; the Scouts; the Housatonic Day Care Center; the fire trucks from the volunteer fire departments in and around the Northwest Corner. We fall in line behind the fire trucks, and follow the parade to the cemetery. There’s a hymn, and a prayer, followed by a Scout who reads the Gettysburg Address, haltingly, shyly.

Then come the names of the men who died in the World Wars, in Korea, in Vietnam. A minister recites the 23rd Psalm, a bugler plays taps (with another bugler far away playing the echo), the flag is raised from half-staff, and we all walk the few steps back to the Village Center. It is as artless, as unaffected a ceremony as can be imagined. There are no speech writers, no advance men measuring the best angles for TV (there is no TV) and by the end of it, I - along with many other allegedly sophisticated urban types, are in tears.

The men whose names have been read indeed gave what Lincoln called “the last, full measure of devotion” - some in wars whose purpose no one could doubt - some in wars whose purpose will never be clear, some for the folly and arrogance of the men in charge. When they fell, their deaths were a small part of a bigger story. But every Memorial Day, the lives they never got to live, and the people they left behind, are the only story that matters.

That is why it matters that their names are uttered aloud before people who never knew any of them. That is why it matters that we were there this year - and will be there the next and the next and the next.


How apropos!  I hope you are able to enjoy to the fullest the events of this weekend,  traditionally viewed as the opening celebration of summer, replete with hamburgers, hot dogs, cake, and ice cream.  More importantly, I hope you will take some time to reflect on the sacrifices that made all this possible. 

You see, my friends, Memorial Day matters!  So much so that, without what it represents, it is highly unlikely that we would be able to celebrate any of our other cherished holidays.  For indeed, what we as citizens are free to celebrate on those days is ultimately dependent upon who and what we remember on this one!  They all depend upon it!

ORIGINAL SOURCE: ABC News InFocus, May 28, 1997.  Since cited widely on the internet.

NOTE:  Jeff Greenfield is an award-winning television journalist and author focusing on politics, media, and culture who has served as a senior political correspondent for CBS, a senior analyst for CNN, and a political and media analyst for ABC News.  In addition, he has also authored or co-authored 13 different books, as well as published articles in such esteemed publications as Time Magazine, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and Harper's Magazine, among others.

For lovers of history such as myself, his recently published books on alternative histories relating to the Kennedy, Carter, Ford, and Reagan administrations are particularly thought-provoking.

These and his other works are all available on his official web site at: 
http://www.jeffgreenfield.net/.

JUST FOR KICKS!

5/23/2016

 
This past Sunday morning, in my sermon, I spoke on the subject of our accountability - both to God and to one another.  During this message, I shared a story originally popularized by Zig Ziglar in his signature work, See You At the Top.  Although Zig is now in Heaven, his classic book and the message it contains is alive and well, having now gone through at least fifty-eight separate printings and having sold millions and millions of copies.

The central theme of the book is that anyone in this world can have almost anything they want in life if he or she will just help enough other people get whatever they want in life.  I highly recommend this definitive work to anyone who wants to improve his or her lot in life.

The story I related is titled “Kicking the Cat”; and it is contained in the original book beginning on p. 219.  As quite a few people have asked for the story since I read it, I will point out that it is available (from the original book) online on Google books at the web address listed below.  As the original work is copyrighted, I will direct you there for the full story.
 
There are, however, several shorter versions of the story available widely on the internet.  One particular version occurs quite frequently.  I re-post this shortened version here for your enjoyment.

Whose Cat Are You Kicking?

Mr. B was the top dog in a very large company. Every morning, he met some of his buddies for breakfast. One morning, he lost track of time, looked at his watch, and realized he was going to be late for work. He left the restaurant and jumped in his car. He barely had the engine started when he threw it in reverse to back out. He burned rubber leaving the parking lot. As he got on the freeway, he put the pedal to the metal and took off. 

As he sped down the highway, he looked in his rear view mirror. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the flashing lights. He pulled over and rolled down his window.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?” the officer asked.

“I need to get to work,” he replied abruptly, “I’m a very important man,” declared Mr. B.

“Well, you’re not above the law,” the officer said.

“I didn’t say I was … but shouldn’t you be chasing real criminals and leave me alone?”

That was the wrong thing to say, because the officer replied, “I’ll leave you alone in a few minutes. Let me see your driver’s license, registration, and proof of insurance.”

Mr. B handed him the requested information. Then he sat there and stewed. As the minutes passed by, he got more and more angry.

The officer came back and handed Mr. B a ticket, along with the rest of his documents. Mr. B grabbed them out of the officer’s hand, rolled up his window, and took off down the road.

By the time Mr. B finally arrived at work, he was very unhappy about how late it was. The first person he saw was his sales manager.

“Good morning, Mr. B” said the sales manager with a smile.

“There’s nothing good about it,” barked Mr. B, “I want to see you in my office NOW!”

The sales manager followed him into his office, and Mr. B threw his coat down on the couch, obviously peeved. “You fell short of your goal last week for the second week in a row. I want to know what you’re going to do to get back on track and I want to know now.”

“Mr. B,” the sales manager objected, “We just talked about this yesterday. We have four big deals. Any one of them will put us over the top and I’m sure we’ll get at least one of them.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Mr. B blurted out while looking at some papers on his desk. “You’re dismissed.”

The bewildered sales manager walked back to his office, and promptly yelled at his assistant for not having the documents ready for him to sign, despite the fact he’d just given them to her.

The assistant stormed out into the lobby, threw the pile of documents on the receptionist’s desk and said “I need these typed right now, and don’t go to lunch until they’re ready.”


The receptionist arrives home, late because of the extra work she had to do, that wasn’t even part of her job. She sees her twelve-year old son, pants pocket torn, lying on the floor in front of the television, and she lays into him. “I work hard all day to buy you clothes, and I get home from work and see you’ve torn another pair of jeans, and all you do is lie around the house. I would appreciate a little help around here. No more television for you…  Go to your room.”
 

Muttering to himself about the unfairness of it all, the boy heads to his room, when the family cat unwisely chose that moment to cross his path. The boy kicked the cat, and sent him scurrying from the room.

Again, the full story as told by Zig (and referenced below) has many more details and is much more entertaining.  But either way, of course, this story begs us to ask a question:  “Wouldn’t it have been much better, for everyone involved, if Mr. B had just gone directly to the receptionist’s house and kicked her cat himself?”

And yet, a far more significant question is this:  Just whose cat are you kicking?  And why?  You see, it is all too easy to go through life taking your frustrations out on others when the mature thing to do is to ask yourself if perhaps you are the one who needs a good swift kick!
 
In truth, it can be hard to admit our own shortcomings.  But when we finally learn to do this, we might just wind up making the world a better place - not only for ourselves, but for most everyone else we know as well.

Perhaps this is a little of what the Apostle Paul had in mind when he told the Corinthian Christians (1 Corinthians 11:31) that if they were a bit more discerning with regard to themselves, then they would not come under so much judgment from others, and especially from God. 

Zig certainly believed this.  For one of his favorite admonitions was this:  “Once you can learn to be tough on yourself, life is going to be infinitely easier on you!”

ORIGINAL STORY SOURCE: 
https://books.google.com/books?id=Qpsni-4L5mAC&pg=PA221&lpg=PA221&dq=kicking+the+cat+zig+ziglar&source=bl&
ots=ljemEY15X7&sig=bTb1ws1v8QMtT20CgrtJpd6w3NI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0
ahUKEwiCotK8zfHMAhUFHh4KHbH8Bms4ChDoAQghMAE#v=onepage&q=k
icking%20the%20cat%20zig%20ziglar&f=false
.  Scroll to page 219 for the beginning of the story.

SHORTER VERSION SOURCE:  Available widely online.  See for instance:
https://tsrcinc.net/motivational/whose-cat-are-you-kicking/ among many other sites.

Lastly, a many great Zig Ziglar quotes such as the one above can be found at: 
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/z/zigziglar381973.html.

"WELL, THAT’S JUST GREAT!"

5/19/2016

 
I have referenced before my admiration for the late Earl Nightingale.  This gifted communicator of a bygone day had some definitions called which he called “The Greatest Things.” 

I thought I would post them here today as a reminder of just what is and what is not important.

The Greatest Things:

The best day, today.
The greatest puzzle, life.
The best policy, honesty.
The greatest thought, God.
The greatest mystery, death.
The best work, work you like.
The greatest mistake, giving up.
The most ridiculous asset, pride.
The greatest need, common sense.
The most dangerous person, a liar.
The best advice, use good manners.
The wisest short-cut, develop mentors.
The greatest fault, to be aware of none.
The greatest truth, we reap what we sow.
The most expensive indulgence, self-pity.
The greatest deceiver, one who deceives self.
The best habit, making good on all commitments.
The best teacher, one who brings out the best in you.
The saddest feeling, feeling envious of another’s success.
The greatest thing in the world, love  – love of family, home, friends, associates, company and country.


A blogger known as "Mr. Attitude"  has added to this list a bit with some equally thought-provoking definitions taken from the backs of business cards and meeting notes he has accumulated along the way. These quips purportedly originated from some of the top salespeople in the world...

The greatest handicap, egotism.
The greatest victory, victory over self.
The most certain thing in business, change.
The greatest job, being needed and appreciated.
The greatest gamble, substituting hope for facts.
The strongest competitive edge, a high level of energy. 
The most effective selling habit, sound time management.
The greatest guarantee of success, honest intelligent effort.
The best action, keeping the mind clear and judgment good.
The greatest selling strategy, speaking as one who has authority.


While each of these are inspirational, I am increasingly convicted by the last one on their list:

The greatest waste, the vast reservoir of talents and abilities most of us possess but never quite get around to using.

SOURCES: 

http://www.awaken.com/2013/01/the-greatest-things-by-earl-nightingale/
http://earlnightingale.com/
http://www.nightingale.com/authors/earl-nightingale.html

SEE ALSO:

http://www.cleoejacksoniii.com/my-ongoing-thoughts/well-said-vs-well-done

DIVIDENDS GALORE!

5/16/2016

 
Abebooks.com is one of the leading purveyors of used books in America and around the world.  Being a bibliophile, I have bought more than a few items there myself. 

In any event, one portion of their web page is devoted to “Things Found in Books”.  Here, they asked bookshop owners to share what sorts of things they have found inside used books.  Here is a sample:

a Mickey Mantle rookie baseball card,
a marriage certificate from 1879,
a baby's tooth,
a diamond ring,
social security cards,
credit card receipts,
shopping lists,
business cards,
postcards,
a World War II US ration book (with stamps remaining),
World War II discharge papers,
a pair of scissors,
a valid driver's license,
a cockroach (dead),
and even a strip of bacon.

But the one constant theme was money.  According to the web page, as well as legal tender US dollar bills, there were plenty of foreign currency notes as well.  Additionally, there were credit cards, debit cards, social security cards, domestic bills, credit card receipts, and cancelled checks.

Among the more significant responses were these.

One bookstore in Carlsbad, New Mexico reported:  “A wealthy, elderly woman in my town died a few years ago and left a large book collection with many fine books, much of which wound up in my inventory. The remaining books went to a local thrift shop, including a microwave cookbook which, as it turned out, contained 40 $1000 bills. The book was purchased by someone from out of town who was idling away the time waiting for her ride. She took the money to a local bank to verify its authenticity and that was how we heard about it. She didn't give a cent back to the thrift shop, either. A deeply frustrating experience for many, I can assure you.”

The good folks over at Abebooks then state that they called this particular thrift store in Carlsbad and the manager confirmed that these events did indeed occur several years ago, just as reported, although she did not know just who had donated the cookbooks.  They then added, “Last printed in 1934, $1000 bills are very collectible and worth far more than their face value, so the buyer of the used cookbook actually got far more than $40,000.”

A response from a Plainfield, Illinois book shop said:  “I found many old banknotes of several countries from the World War II era. Some Japanese, some German with burned edges. I was helping out at Victoria's Books in downtown Arlington Heights, Illinois, a few years ago. I was running from the back room to the front of the store to get the phone and knocked into a massive old dictionary. The notes just came spilling out. The book was so massive we had no idea so much could be hidden in there.”

And a lady at a used bookstore in Sandpoint, Idaho said:  “I found a $100 dollar bill inside a book that was brought in for trade. I gave it back to the customer a few days later and it made her week.”

All of this reminded me of something that happened to me early in my ministry.  I was on staff at the First Baptist Church of Avondale Estates, Georgia as Associate Pastor when, on a given Sunday, the spouse of an individual involved in the founding of a major waffle restaurant franchise approached me to state that she had lost her Bible.  She had been looking for it for two to three weeks and simply could not figure out where she had mislaid it.

Of course, I dutifully helped her search for it.  We retraced her steps from the parking lot to her Sunday School classroom to the Worship Center; but we were unable to find it.  The following Sunday, I met her in the hallway and inquired as to whether she had found her Bible.  To my relief, she answered in the affirmative.

It was then that she said something I have never forgotten:  “And guess what, Pastor Jack… I opened it up and there was dividend check that I had forgotten all about!”

And there you have it!  When you find God’s Word, and actually open it up and look inside, you will find dividends galore!  Now, to be sure, these dividends may or may not be material.  They may or may not even be of this world at all.  But they will most certainly be evident!  Above all, they will be spiritual!  And they will be meaningful!

So, even if it has been awhile, why not open up that old book, that Book of Books, the Holy Bible?  You might just be surprised at what all you will find inside!  What’s more, I am confident that, like the Psalmist (in Psalm 119), your testimony will likely be that you are delighted in what all you discover there!

SOURCE: 
http://www.abebooks.com/docs/Community/Featured/found-in-boo
ks.shtml?cm_mmc=nl-_-nl-_-CPftb07-h00-MVinsdAM-124424GN-_-01cta&abe
rsp=1
.

“I CAN FIX THAT!”

5/12/2016

 
In a recent post, I referenced how God, in His grace, allows each of us opportunities to start over in life.  This principle was demonstrated to Jeremiah the prophet when he made a visit to house of a local potter (as recorded in chapter 18, verses 1-6). 

There, Jeremiah witnessed a pot which, once made, had somehow became marred.  However, rather than discard it, the potter simply took it into his hands again and began to rework it. In short order, the master pot maker had reformed the clay and produced a beautiful new, unmarred pot.

God’s explanation to Jeremiah (as recorded in verses 5 and 6) was this:  "Then the word of the Lord came to me.  He said, 'Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?' declares the Lord. 'Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel…'"

This principle was proven true over and over again in the lives of many prominent people in the Bible.  Among them were such esteemed leaders of God’s people as Peter, Elijah, and Moses, all of whom made terrible mistakes in their lives.  After all, Peter denied Christ and then ran and hid, Elijah stood for God, but then also ran and hid from the enemies of God's people.  Moses did the very same thing, fleeing in fear for his life.  Only his situation was greatly compounded by the fact that he had just murdered one of those enemies!

And yet, each of these individuals shared one other thing in common.  At the time of their miserable failures, their most productive days of service in the name of the Lord still lay ahead of them!
 
I once read a story about a new hair salon that opened up for business right across the street from an old established Barber’s shop.  The fancy new salon put up a large conspicuous sign which boldly proclaimed:  “WE GIVE $7 HAIRCUTS!”  Not to be outdone, the wise old Master Barber thought about it and then put up his own sign, which read simply: “WE FIX $7 HAIRCUTS!”

I’m glad our God is much the same!  I’m glad to know that we serve a God Who can fix any mistakes we experience, whether we bring these upon ourselves or otherwise naively wander into them.

Yes, my friends, I’m glad our Master can handle anything that happens to us.  More importantly, I’m glad to know He can set things anew in our lives and then use us once again!

JOKE SOURCE:  Available widely on the internet in varying versions.  See, for example: 
http://jokebriefcase.blogspot.com/2008/11/7-haircut.html.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: 
http://biblehub.com/niv/jeremiah/18.htm.

A PLACE IN THE SUN!

5/9/2016

 
Picture
Today is an exciting day in the world of astronomy.  NASA has been tracking the long anticipated transit of the planet Mercury across the face of the sun.  This awe-inspiring event  happens no more than thirteen times in a century, last having taken place in 2006.  For this reason, perhaps, videos and images such as the one below abound this day on the internet. 














What a picture!  The smallest planet in our solar system (remember, Pluto was ignominiously kicked out of the illustrious planetary pantheon a few years ago) up against the massive bulk of the sun itself!  The comparison/contrast is amazing!  The one so minuscule and the other so gigantic!  The one so lifeless and the other so vibrant!  The one so dark and the other so bright!

As I sat looking at this image, I could not help but be reminded of the scene which unfolds in the sixth chapter of the Old Testament Book of Isaiah (Verses 1-8).  The prophet states:

1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”

4At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

5“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

6Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”  And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Isaiah heard the angels testify that the whole earth was full of God’s glory!  Elsewhere, the Bible speaks of the earth singing and the heavens declaring the glory of God.  By this, I believe it means that they testify to their Creator through their splendor. 

Now, I do not know if heavenly spheres can actually speak, let alone think or feel in the same sense that human beings do.  But if they can, then surely diminutive little Mercury feels much the same as once Isaiah did!

But Isaiah was confronted with more than just the majesty and awesomeness of Almighty God that eventful day.  He was confronted with his own inadequacy as a result!   And yet, the very same God Whose majesty so humbled Isaiah also chose to extend him grace!  Thus, Isaiah found a whole new sense of worth through the cleansing and subsequent new standing he received from God that day!

Think about it.  Without the qualities of the sun, there would be no solar system.  Without the sun’s gravity, there would be no habitable zone for the planets!  Without the sun’s heat, there would be warmth for the planets, and thus no atmospheres, no weather.  Without the sun’s light, there could be no photosynthesis, and thus no plant life to sustain animal life on any of the planets, including right here on the third rock from that sun!

The point is this.  Due to its gargantuan size, the sun has an imposing presence that makes the planets revolving around it seem pitifully insignificant by comparison.  Nevertheless, these planets all owe their very existence to the sun.  Indeed, any planetary qualities they may possess are clearly due to the influence of their enormous heavenly benefactor, around which their entire existence revolves.

And that is a perfect picture of our relationship to God!  Without Him, we simply would not exist.  Without His sustaining power, our lives would spin out of control!  Without His warmth and light, we would be cold, dead, and lifeless!  In short, without Him, we would enjoy no life at all! 

Little wonder that Isaiah felt compelled to submit to such a gracious God!  Little wonder that he also felt compelled to go out and serve that same God!  Would that you and I do the same!

SOURCE: 
http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-to-provide-coverage-of-ma
y-9-mercury-transit-of-the-sun
.

AT LONG LAST

5/5/2016

 
For those who have not seen the movie titled Argo, it details how a precious few Americans who had been in Iran when the Iranian Hostage Crisis unfolded were able to be secreted out of the country by the American CIA, thereby saving them from a terrible ordeal.  It was fiction based on fact. 

For some 444 days between November 4, 1979 and January 20, 1981, 52 American diplomats and civilians were held hostage in Tehran after a group of Iranian students belonging to the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line, and who supported the Iranian Revolution, took over the U.S. Embassy in Iran’s capital city.

In any event, the news recently reported that those hostages still living (along with the descendants of those who have died) are finally receiving compensation from the government for their time in captivity.

A provision in the omnibus spending bill signed by President Obama late last year provides for up to $4.4 million to be paid to each of the 37 surviving hostages or the estates of 16 others who have died since their return from captivity.  This also includes payments of up to $600,000 for each spouse or child of a hostage.

The money for the compensation is to come in part from a $9 billion penalty paid by the French bank BNP Pariba, which had violated sanctions prohibiting conducting business with Iran, Cuba, and Sudan. Lawyers for the hostages say that they are fully expectant that all the survivors or their estates will ultimately be paid in full.

There had been some small compensation along the way.  Most notably, in the months after their release, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn gave them lifetime passes to MLB games.  But the hostages had been barred from taking legal action against Iran under the terms of the so-called January 1981 Algiers Accords that led to their release.  In addition, previous attempts at financial compensation had failed in Congress.

Thus, at long last, after a lifetime of waiting, their just reward is now unfolding.  One attorney, Thomas Lankford, put it succinctly: "Iran is not paying the money, but it’s as close as you can get."

All of this this leads me to my point. 

In the New Testament of Gospel of Matthew (chapters 5, verses 1-12), Jesus began His “Sermon on the Mount” with the famed Beatitudes...


1Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,
2and he began to teach them. 

3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.


I draw your attention to verses 11 and 12.  The Bible plainly teaches, not only in this passage but in numerous others as well, that Christians will face injustices in this world.  Indeed, Jesus Himself said not to be surprised if the world hates us as His follower,s for it first hated Him (John 15:18).
 
And what does this mean?  At the least, there will be times when we will be misunderstood.  At the worse, there will be times when we will be outright persecuted and even martyred for our faith. This is how it was for Jesus; and this is how it will be for His followers.

Of course, for many, the perseverance of believers in the face of such persecution may not make sense.  But for those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ, we recognize that our reward is not of this world.  It is of the next!  Just as it was for Christ Himself, who even now is seated at the right hand of the Heavenly Father.  Thus, while it may not seem apparent to those who look on from the outside, our compensation will surely come!

In the meantime, our job is simply to persevere.  We are to carry on the work we have been given to do in His name.  We are to be found faithful!  And God, Who according to his Holy Word (2 Peter 3:9), is not slack in keeping His promises, will one day reward the faithfulness of His people.

Is $4.4 million just compensation for 444 days of captivity followed by 35 years of seemingly being forgotten?  Arguably not.  Any recompense should certainly have been sooner and should seemingly have been more.  And it is also reasonable to expect that the compensation should have come, not from a French bank, but from the actual perpetrators of the hostage crisis.  But at least the compensation did eventually come.

Is a lifetime of suffering and/or persecution fair for a follower of Christ?  Perhaps not.  But as the writer of the New Testament Book of Hebrews reminds us (chapter 10, verses 32-36), when one considers the promise of God that our recognition and reward will surely be forthcoming in the life to come, such injustices in this world become not merely bearable, or acceptable, but even desirable.
 

32Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.

34You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.

35So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
 
And what a day, glorious day that will be!

STORY SOURCE: 
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/12/25/former-iran-hostages-will-receive-up-to-4-4m-each-in-compensation-report-says.html?intc
mp=hplnws
.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: 
http://biblehub.com.

YOU DID WHAT?!

5/2/2016

 
Well, here it is May and baseball is in full swing!  From sandlots to cow pastures to little league fields to Major League stadiums, the sights and sounds of the game once again permeate our culture.  As our nation’s unofficial pastime, baseball resides in a privileged pantheon of activities that includes only such other beloved undertakings as consuming hot dogs and apple pies and driving a certain brand of automobile.
   
I am indebted to Paul Harvey, who, several years ago, once did a segment on sports “un-records” on  his beloved radio show titled “The Rest of The Story”. In this episode, he talked about several baseball players who are now household names.  I will reference four of them here. 

The first is Ty Cobb, who set roughly ninety Major League Baseball records during his career, including the highest career batting average (.366) and most career batting titles (11). Other records he set and held for almost a half century included most career hits until 1985 (4,189), most career runs (2,245) most career games played (3,035), at bats (11,429) and the modern record for most career stolen bases (892).

To this day, he still holds the career record for stealing home (54 times) stealing second base, third base, and home in succession (5 times).  He was also the youngest player ever to compile both 4,000 hits and score 2,000 runs.

And yet, the great Ty Cobb was thrown out 38 times in a single season while trying to steal a base!  What’s more… Cobb committed 271 errors, the record by any American League outfielder!

Ever heard of the great Cy Young?   He compiled an astounding 511 wins, which is most in Major League pitching history.  In addition to this record, Young still holds the major league records for most career innings pitched (7,356), most career games started (815), and most complete games (749).

And yet, this greatest of all pitchers, Cy Young, also lost an astounding 315 games!  A Major League record!  And don’t forget his other dubious record for having given up a whopping 7078 hits!  Ouch!

What about Walter Johnson?  His 427 wins are second only to Cy Young all time.  And yet, this Major League pitcher is renowned for having hit 204 batters, given up 4920 hits, and lost a monstrous 279 games!

None of this takes into consideration the achievements of the immortal Babe Ruth himself, otherwise known as the Sultan of Swat, the King of Crash, or the Colossus of Clout.  We all know that the Great Bambino for decades held the Major League record for most homeruns (714).  But did you know that he also once held the infamous record for most strikeouts (1330)?!

Now, what do all these famed players have in common?  Of course, they have all been enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.  Only that is both for their good records as well as for the bad ones!  You see, they each set records for both catagories!

In reflecting on these things, I am reminded of the Apostle Peter. This man, who was destined to be the leader of the Apostles and of the Christian church, certainly had his share of high moments. Along with only James and John, he was present on the top of the Mount of Transfiguration.  He alone walked on water when no other disciple had enough faith. And it was he who was even given the power of the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven by Jesus Himself! 

And yet, this same Peter was chock full of shortcomings.  He swore; he cursed; he rebuked Jesus when he (Peter) disagreed with Him (Jesus); he even denied Jesus three times when the latter was on trial!

And ironically, it is for these very reasons that I relate better to Simon Peter than most any other Disciple.  While I would like to be a standout and a leader among my fellow believers as a result of my strong and unwavering faith, the truth is that I am all too often frail and faltering.  I find myself full of doubt rather than faith, of selfishness rather than sacrifice, and of disappointment rather than inspiration.

And yet, as Peter’s life illustrates, God uses us in spite of our shortcomings.  The renowned Old Testament prophet, Jeremiah, tells us of an enlightening experience that he once had (Jeremiah 18:1-6): 

“This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ‘Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.’  So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel.  But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.”

“Then the word of the Lord came to me.  He said, ‘Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?’ declares the Lord. ‘Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.’”

And there you have it… God uses cracked pots!  Jeremiah’s experience shows us this.  As does Peter’s life!

So, my friend, take heart.  You like me, may be far from perfect. And you may well know this!  Nonetheless, God can still use us. All He asks for is a humble spirit and a committed heart. No, we do not have to be perfect.  We only have to be willing. Such was the case for Peter.  And such is the case for us. 

In a blog post at www.crosswalk.com,  Dr. Ray Pritchard has perhaps put it best:  “All the perfect people are in Heaven!”  He then paraphrases David Langerfeld…

You think God can’t use you?  You think you’re not good enough?  You think your past disqualifies you to serve God? Think again.  Look at some of the people God used in the Bible:

Moses stuttered. David’s armor didn’t fit. John Mark was rejected by Paul. Timothy had ulcers. Hosea’s wife was a prostitute. Amos’ only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning.  Jacob was a liar. David had an affair. Solomon was too rich. Abraham was too old. David was too young.  Peter was afraid of death. Lazarus was dead.  John was self-righteous.  Naomi was a widow.

Paul was a murderer. So was Moses. Jonah ran from God. Sarah laughed at God. Miriam was a gossip. Gideon and Thomas both doubted. Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal. Elijah was burned out. John the Baptist was a loudmouth. Martha was a worry-wart. Mary was lazy. Samson slept with a prostitute. Noah got drunk. Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse?  So did Peter, Paul - well, lots of folks did.

Dr. Pritchard concludes with this admonition: 

“God works with sinners because that’s all he has to work with. In heaven we will all be vastly improved–perfected by God’s grace. But until then, he uses some pretty ornery people who fall short in many ways, and he does some amazing things through them.  You think God can’t use you?  Think again!”

I wholeheartedly concur.  More importantly, so does God!!

SOURCE:  Dr. Ray Pritchard's blog is available online at this address:
http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/dr-ray-pritchard/think-god-cant-use-you.html.  His is only one of a great many sources for this once well travelled (via e-mail) piece.

Various episodes of Paul Harvey's "The Rest of the Story" have cropped up online at different times and places; but, to my knowledge, there is no definitive website devoted to these lost treasures.  www.YouTube.com has many of them.  

Fortunately, many but not all, of the episodes are available in the books written by Paul Harvey's wife, Lynne Harvey, and son, Paul Aurandt.  Though long out of print, used copies  of these delightful books are available on used book store sites nationwide.

    Cleo E. Jackson, III

    Occasionally I will add
    a few thoughts to my blog. If you find them inspirational, I will be
    honored.

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