We recently enjoyed a beautiful fall day playing Putt-Putt Golf. Barb won the first round a couple of weeks back. I won this round. We have one more round awaiting us in the future for the play-off. Then we will determine who is the grand champion—until the next three rounds. We had a man and his son playing behind us. The boy was about ten years old. We would make our shots then watch their shots. It was fun seeing the “skill level” of each person. While waiting on our next move forward to the next hole, I noticed a little green lizard crawling up a fence rail. Barb and I brought the young boy’s attention to it. I calmly said, “I will catch it.” Barb, the boy and his father watched, perhaps with a little skepticism, as to my ability to catch the lizard. But they all stood there and watched as I wiggled my right-hand fingers a little distance in front of the little green reptile. I knew I had his attention focused on my wiggling fingers, so I brought my left hand from a distance around to his back side and quickly and gently pinned him against the fence rail. I think our new friends marveled a little bit at the adroit move that captured fella. The dad verbally re-played the move, taking note on exactly how I did it. I just said, “I’ve had lots of experience,” which I have. As a kid in the country, I learned how to do this and have caught countless little critters. When you get their attention on what is in front of them, you can make your move. King David got his attention on Bathsheba, and wham! He was caught in sin and murder. He paid dearly for allowing himself to be distracted from his mission. That is the operation of our flesh man, and it is the operation of the enemy of our soul. The devil does not want us to have a successful life in the Lord. Flesh is easily distracted and the devil is cunning and persistent. He will make sure something is set before us and our weakness that he can use to get our attention so he can ensnare us. That is not hocus-pocus; that is just a fact of life. This is why we as believers must be filled with the Spirit and wisdom of God. We must be wise to how our flesh operates, and we must be wise to how there are spiritual entities who work against God’s work in our life. Jesus paid the price to take our sins away and fill us with His Spirit and wisdom. In this way we have power over our flesh and over the devil. We don’t have to be distracted and ensnared by the lusts of the flesh and the devices of the devil. The good news of Jesus includes the power of God to live a successful life in the Lord.
Author: admin
preachJesus77
Punch the Right Button
We have been engaged in a plethora of hospital visits for others. Navigating in hospitals requires elevator rides, unless you decide to get your daily stairs work out. Elevator rides require pushing the buttons that will take you to the desired floor. Perhaps I am the only one who has this challenge, but when I am looking at a panel of buttons in an elevator, I have to really look to push the right button. Most of the time I get there and push the colored button that has a number on it. I guess the stainless-steel button just blends in to me on the stainless-steel panel. My attention is drawn to the colored indicator button, so without thinking, I often push the indicator button. More than once, I have done that and just stood there for a moment waiting for something to happen. If my mind is busy thinking about something else and I wait long enough, finally the door will close and I am still just standing there. By then my attention is drawn to the fact the elevator is just sitting there and not going anywhere. Then, I purposely search for the right button and punch it, getting my journey underway. In a busy time, the door will close and you will go somewhere, but not the floor of choice. So, when I get to the elevator, I study the panel of buttons and pull my attention away from the colorful buttons and punch the stainless-steel button of the floor of choice. That gets me where I want to go. That probably does not apply to every elevator at every hospital, but I know it does apply to some. I have embarrassed myself before, laughing at myself, by punching the wrong button and just standing there waiting for something to happen. If we want to get to our desired location in life, we’ve got to punch the right buttons. Sometimes we are attracted to the brightly colored buttons that don’t take us toward our destination. That’s when we need to back up and study the panel board to choose the button that is hooked to our desired floor. It might not be colorful. It might just blend with the daily grind and discipline of life, but it is connected to where we want to go. That’s the button to punch. It is the same with the things of God. We might have punched a button that is taking us nowhere, while we are desiring more. Study the panel board. Study the Word. What does the Word say in plain language? Punch in with God what the Word says. God is faithful to his Word. The Holy Spirit works with the Word. Jesus is the anointed Word who is come in the flesh. By the same operation of God through faith, the Spirit-anointed Jesus can come into your spirit man who lives in your flesh man. Christ living in you will take you where you want to go.
Be Alive and Thrive!
Barb’s sister, Betty, has a house plant, a Golden Pothos, that she has kept in the house for years. It was in a location in which it was alive, but it did not grow and thrive. It was just one little stalk with a few leaves, and it did not grow anymore. It just sat there alive, but it was just the same oh same oh with no growth. In cleaning and re-arranging some things in the house, she decided to just get rid of it. She was going to give it to someone else who likes plants and flowers, thinking maybe she could do something with it. She set the plant out on the open, covered back porch, and as life rocked on and other priorities took place, it was there for a while. The new location proved to be very “inspirational” for the plant. There was an abundance of indirect sunlight and fresh air. Life was all around the plant. It probably caught a little blowing rain every once in a while. Anyway, the plant took off. It started growing, and growing and growing. Now it has grown out of the barriers of the walls of the pot. Now it has branches lying on the deck around the pot. With the indirect sunlight and open air, it is flourishing and beautiful. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalms 91:1). In the sixteen verses of that Psalm we read how the person who abides under the shadow of the Almighty flourishes in every way unto long life. It is a matter of location. Isn’t that the important thing in successful real estate and business? Location. Location. Location. We might be alive in the Lord Jesus, but are we flourishing? Are we growing and the influence of the Lord spreading through us in a positive way to others? In that “secret place,” in that personal space with God, we bask in the light of the Son and His accomplished work for us. We move freely in the wind of the Spirit with no inhibitions. As we stay in that place with God in our spirit man, we grow, and grow and grow. We have the Lord as our light and our salvation– “whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life” (Psalms 27:1). The blood of Jesus is our cleansing and freedom from condemnation. His Spirit is our life and power. His Word is our guide and wisdom. The beating He took is our healing and health. The light of the Son causes us to flourish. It is a matter of location. If we dwell in the secret place, abiding in Him, we can live in His life and power. If we are in a dark corner, we might be alive, but we are not flourishing. God wants you to flourish. Get in that place with Him not to just be alive, but thrive!
Seasons
In walking around behind the shop, I noticed a generous accumulation of gum balls lying on the ground. I raked the summer’s accumulation up just the other day. It’s the fall of the year already. Another year is sliding by. There will be more raking to be done. I’ve got to rake them up. It is precarious to walk. It feels like you are about to slip and fall. There are different things to do in different seasons. The mulching attachment on the mower helps tremendously with the leaves as they fall. There is grass to deal with in the Spring and Summer. There are these leaves and gumballs in the fall and into the winter. The other day Barb mentioned she would like a “snowman snow” this year. We have occasional snow and extreme freezing conditions to deal with in the winter, and lots of rain-slick roads. Then making full circle back around to Spring it starts all over again. However, each season has its own unique beauty. In Spring we have the flowers and the new and vibrant growth. In the Summer we have the warm out-doors-play-in-the-sun weather. It’s a great time for vacations, beaches, hikes! In the Fall we have the beautiful foliage and pleasant, moderating temperatures. In Winter we have the snow—when we have it. Here in Arkansas, we have a wide variety of seasons to enjoy, or to put up with. It depends on our attitude. Life happens in seasons. Different seasons carry different responsibilities. Some seasons require more work. Some seasons provide a rest and recreation. Some seasons provide an ideal beauty. Regardless of the season we are presently living in, there is a common denominator that will help guide us in every season. We can trust God and give Him praise in the good times, and we can trust God and give Him praise in the bad times. We don’t have to live in fear. We don’t have to worry or be dismayed. God is good and has good things for us all. Trust Him. Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” At God’s “righteous right hand” is His Son, Jesus. He is the Christ, the Spirit-anointed Messiah, who paid the price on the cross to save us in every way. He was raised from death to give us the power of His Spirit in everyday life. As we commit all things to Him each day, and as we receive His life and the power of His Spirit into our life each day, He will be with us in every season. With Him the good times are better, and with Him there is peace and strength in the bad times. Get excited about your present season. With Christ working in our life, we are ever changing into His image from glory to glory!
Enjoy What Is Available
We had a wonderful vacation at Orange Beach, Alabama. It was a combination vacation and celebration of Barbara’s birthday. As a birthday gift, her daughters and spouses all chipped in and paid our way for us all to stay in a luxury condominium right on the sugar white sandy beach. Her family likes to do things together, so with the roomy condo, we were all very comfortable together. We were able to eat together in the condo, and of course, we all went out to eat together at surrounding restaurants. We enjoyed the fine food at Mike’s Steak House. While waiting to get our table at Mike’s, I explored some of the grassy areas at the edge of the marshy woods at the rear of the restaurant. That’s where I discovered a very large cottonmouth coiled up taking it easy at the edge of the blackwater marsh. I got his picture and shared it with the waiting group for some interesting conversation while we continued to wait. The food and service were great. We discovered The Hangout, and boy was it good! With crab legs and other great dishes, that was a great time. There were other delicious times, but the beach was the main attraction. Playing in the waves was great fun. Marveling at the beauty and vastness of God’s creation was awesome. Just walking on the beach and discovering all kinds of shells and various ocean wildlife is intriguing. I was able to video a pelican as he walked on the beach and jumped in the crashing waves and came out with a white fish about a foot long. That was early one morning before sunrise, so I watched him swallow that fish whole for his breakfast treat. We enjoyed a night walk on the beach at just the time a man fishing caught a large sting ray. He managed to get it to shore, but not before it broke his rod. We caught that on the camera phone. He pulled the hook and turn him loose. There was much more, which made up for a great vacation. Here’s the deal: if we just sit day after day in our known religious box, we can be missing a lot of life that is available to us in the Spirit of God. The Bible is our travel guide. You can read what all is available to anyone who will venture out to believe God. You can’t just sit there and read about it and talk about it and wish about it. You must commit your life to get in there and discover it for yourself. It is plain as day. There are wonderful things to experience in the Lord. Don’t let some spiritually blind and dumb man or woman tell you otherwise. The ocean waves are crashing on the beach right now as we speak. God’s provisions are operating right now as we speak. Jesus paid for them all. By commitment and faith, you can receive them for yourself.
Volkswagen Pranks
I was driving down the road the other day and something sparked the memory of some Volkswagen pranks of the seventies. Being duly entertained by such memories, I was driving down the road laughing out loud, thoroughly enjoying the mental show. I remembered the time a bunch of us guys got together just outside of good old Poyen High right before the final bell of the day. We knew the daily routine of the teacher. We all gathered around and lifted the little bug from the parking lot, over the sidewalk, and into the flower bed. Then we all nonchalantly stood by and waited. Sure enough, out he came right on time. Too bad those were the days before cell phones and social media. We could have gone viral with the posting. Not quite so dramatic, but equally entertaining was the time we put large rocks behind the back wheels. Coming out of the building and getting right into the car was such the teacher’s path, that whatever was placed in behind the back tire would not be noticed. Business as usual – from the building, into the car, start, reverse, and BUMP! He came bailing out of that car with perhaps an alarmed string of expletives to find out what he had run over. I really don’t know about the expletives. I was out of ear-shot. Then another time we blocked under the back axel just high enough for the wheels to clear the ground. It was not obvious. There was no suspicion as one would approach and enter the car. But then, when he cranked it up and put it in reverse to back up, all he got was a loud and long whirrrrrrrrrr – the back wheels racing in reverse with no traction with the ground. Ahh! The good times we had! How does the saying go? If we did not love them, we would not have a good time with them. I don’t know if that is true or not. But we had some good laughs, and nobody was harmed. It is good to laugh. The Bible says a merry heart does good like a medicine, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken and it dries the bones (Proverbs 17:22; Proverbs 15:13). It says the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). When the disciples were filled with the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, they were so happy and care-free, the people thought they were drunk (Acts 2:13-21). Really, for what Jesus has done for us, we really ought to be happy, don’t you think? Well, I know a real God encounter with the power of the Holy Ghost can make you cry, and it can make you laugh. The crying part is to get rid of sin, and once rid of that, with the proper yielding to God, we can get filled with joy deep within and overflowing. The Spirit upon us is the joy of the Lord our strength.
Beep!
In my early morning routine of prayer/exercise, I walk down our driveway to the street and back again. According to calculations, twenty-five round trips of that course make a mile. The mile walk offers a fresh start each day both spiritually and physically before the sun ever shines. In fact, when the moon is full, as it is at this writing, I get to admire the beautiful full moon. I am generally walking my course at about the same time each morning. One of my wife’s kinfolks happens to be going to work each morning about the same time. Once I discovered he was passing by during this time, I can’t help but look for the red pick-up coming through. Many times, he will give a short beep, particularly when I am heading back to the house with my back to the road. I will quickly throw my hand up in acknowledgement. What he knows, as I have told him, is that I am out there walking and praying, and I pray for him. So just about daily, he goes to work with an awareness that God is working in his life. He doesn’t have the cleanest “mouth” in the world, and he really enjoys his beer after hours and on the week-end and at family events. If you talk to him, he “knows the Lord”; he just acknowledges that he is not perfect, but he treats people right. He is a hard worker. Two lessons I learn in all this: one, prayers never go unanswered, and two, no matter where we are or where we think we are with the Lord, there is always more. Cornelius was not even saved yet, and God said his prayers and good deeds were laid up for a “memorial before God” (Acts 10:1-4; 11:14). This was a reminder, a record, before God. God’s not going to leave anything out. He wants every person to be saved. As it worked out under God’s hand, Peter got a revelation that Gentiles could be saved, so he went and preached Jesus to Cornelius and his whole household. They believed his word and the whole household got saved, filled with the Holy Ghost, and water baptized. The Gentile world was opened up to the gospel. I just want to encourage you to keep praying in faith with praises and thanksgiving to God. He hears your prayers and He wants to give you a “beep” of acknowledgement and assurance. Where ever that person is or wherever you are in the Lord, God’s got more for them and you. Jesus paid the price on the cross for every person. He who has ears to hear let him hear. Take authority over blinding, deafening spirits. Ask for the Spirit of God to work in your own life and in the lives of others. Even if it is just a beep of a contact or a smile or a pat on the shoulder, know that God is at work to save.
Beep!
In my early morning routine of prayer/exercise, I walk down our driveway to the street and back again. According to calculations, twenty-five round trips of that course make a mile. The mile walk offers a fresh start each day both spiritually and physically before the sun ever shines. In fact, when the moon is full, as it is at this writing, I get to admire the beautiful full moon. I am generally walking my course at about the same time each morning. One of my wife’s kinfolks happens to be going to work each morning about the same time. Once I discovered he was passing by during this time, I can’t help but look for the red pick-up coming through. Many times, he will give a short beep, particularly when I am heading back to the house with my back to the road. I will quickly throw my hand up in acknowledgement. What he knows, as I have told him, is that I am out there walking and praying, and I pray for him. So just about daily, he goes to work with an awareness that God is working in his life. He doesn’t have the cleanest “mouth” in the world, and he really enjoys his beer after hours and on the week-end and at family events. If you talk to him, he “knows the Lord”; he just acknowledges that he is not perfect, but he treats people right. He is a hard worker. Two lessons I learn in all this: one, prayers never go unanswered, and two, no matter where we are or where we think we are with the Lord, there is always more. Cornelius was not even saved yet, and God said his prayers and good deeds were laid up for a “memorial before God” (Acts 10:1-4; 11:14). This was a reminder, a record, before God. God’s not going to leave anything out. He wants every person to be saved. As it worked out under God’s hand, Peter got a revelation that Gentiles could be saved, so he went and preached Jesus to Cornelius and his whole household. They believed his word and the whole household got saved, filled with the Holy Ghost, and water baptized. The Gentile world was opened up to the gospel. I just want to encourage you to keep praying in faith with praises and thanksgiving to God. He hears your prayers and He wants to give you a “beep” of acknowledgement and assurance. Where ever that person is or wherever you are in the Lord, God’s got more for them and you. Jesus paid the price on the cross for every person. He who has ears to hear let him hear. Take authority over blinding, deafening spirits. Ask for the Spirit of God to work in your own life and in the lives of others. Even if it is just a beep of a contact or a smile or a pat on the shoulder, know that God is at work to save.
Volkswagen Pranks
I was driving down the road the other day and something sparked the memory of some Volkswagen pranks of the seventies. Being duly entertained by such memories, I was driving down the road laughing out loud, thoroughly enjoying the mental show. I remembered the time a bunch of us guys got together just outside of good old Poyen High right before the final bell of the day. We knew the daily routine of the teacher. We all gathered around and lifted the little bug from the parking lot, over the sidewalk, and into the flower bed. Then we all nonchalantly stood by and waited. Sure enough, out he came right on time. Too bad those were the days before cell phones and social media. We could have gone viral with the posting. Not quite so dramatic, but equally entertaining was the time we put large rocks behind the back wheels. Coming out of the building and getting right into the car was such the teacher’s path, that whatever was placed in behind the back tire would not be noticed. Business as usual – from the building, into the car, start, reverse, and BUMP! He came bailing out of that car with perhaps an alarmed string of expletives to find out what he had run over. I really don’t know about the expletives. I was out of ear-shot. Then another time we blocked under the back axel just high enough for the wheels to clear the ground. It was not obvious. There was no suspicion as one would approach and enter the car. But then, when he cranked it up and put it in reverse to back up, all he got was a loud and long whirrrrrrrrrr – the back wheels racing in reverse with no traction with the ground. Ahh! The good times we had! How does the saying go? If we did not love them, we would not have a good time with them. I don’t know if that is true or not. But we had some good laughs, and nobody was harmed. It is good to laugh. The Bible says a merry heart does good like a medicine, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken and it dries the bones (Proverbs 17:22; Proverbs 15:13). It says the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). When the disciples were filled with the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, they were so happy and care-free, the people thought they were drunk (Acts 2:13-21). Really, for what Jesus has done for us, we really ought to be happy, don’t you think? Well, I know a real God encounter with the power of the Holy Ghost can make you cry, and it can make you laugh. The crying part is to get rid of sin, and once rid of that, with the proper yielding to God, we can get filled with joy deep within and overflowing. The Spirit upon us is the joy of the Lord our strength.
Shine, Baby, Shine
I just finished reading through the book of Revelation, in the Bible. It was just a read-through. It was not a study. I don’t know why Hollywood has not created a block-buster movie from it. I am sure they could computer-generate a real graphic and dramatic movie. If Mel Gibson ever gets hold of it, he might create a sequel to his movie “The Passion of the Christ.” The writer of the book of Revelation stated the book was “the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1). Jesus is the truth. So, in the book, the truth, the whole truth, and nothing-but-the-truth is told. Mel might be steering clear of it because of the warning in the last chapter. It says if any man takes away from the words of the prophecy of the book, God will take his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city (Revelation 22:19). It is a pretty serious thing to leave out part of God’s whole body of truth. I know that is not something I’m not interested in doing. I want to tell it all. I know I will be answering to God for what I taught, regardless of man’s approval or disapproval. So, I want to get it right — right in line with the Word. I came out of the read clearly realizing there are two kinds of people we see in the book of the truth revealed — righteous and unrighteous. There are those who are righteous because they repent in the face of sin, and they are washed clean by the blood of the Lamb. There are those who are living an unrighteous life because they refuse to repent. They are carrying their sin. Their end is not good. I say it would make a good movie because in the book, the good guys win. Even those saints who are tortured and killed win. They die in the grace and the faith of the King having their life as a testimony of Jesus. From death, they are resurrected to rule and reign with Him forever. In the book, sinners perish forever in hell, and the good guys who follow Jesus live with Him in heaven forever. There are lots of beasts and monsters and deceit and killing and sexual perversion and witchcraft and gore as is in any “good” movie these days. In the Bible, it is not a computer-generated fantasy. It is the truth of Jesus Christ being revealed in the earth. His righteousness is revealed right in the midst of all the social, religious, and political corruption. I know one thing for sure. I don’t want to be caught dead in sin. The blood of Jesus is the only thing that makes me right with God. I will take the blood, and the blood alone. As all hell plays out in the world around me, I will make sure I am right with Him and shining the way He wants me to shine.