PROTECTING YOUR CHARACTER

PROTECTING YOUR CHARACTER

According to Wayne Dyer, “Your reputation is in the hands of others.  You can’t control that.  The only thing you can control is your character.”  Indeed.  Reputation is who others think you are.  Character is who God knows you are. 

After the American Civil War, managers of the infamous Louisiana Lottery approached General Robert E. Lee to ask if they could use his name in their financial scheme.  They promised that he would soon be rich. 

Astounded at their request, Lee straightened up, buttoned his gray coat, and shouted, “Gentlemen, I lost my home in the war.  I lost my fortune in the war.  I lost everything except my name.  My name is not for sale, and if you fellows don’t get out of here, I’ll break this crutch over year heads!”  Wow!

My friend, in every situation, your character is worth defending.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

POST-RESURRECTION APPEARANCES OF JESUS CHRIST

POST-RESURRECTION APPEARANCES OF JESUS CHRIST

The New Unger’s Bible Handbook documents the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus Christ.  These witnessed appearances certainly validate the indisputable fact that He arose with absolute victory over death, hell and the grave.  Because He is “the firstborn among many brethren,” we too shall conquer death and live eternally in the presence of our Redeemer. (Romans 8:29)

Jesus Christ Appeared…

…to Mary Magdalene (Jn. 20:14-18; Mk. 16:9)
…to the women returning from the tomb (Mt. 28:8-10)
…to Peter later in the day (Lk. 24:34; I Cor. 15:5)
…to the disciples going to Emmaus in the evening (Lk. 24:13-31)
…to the apostles (except Thomas) (Lk. 24:36-45; Jn. 20-19-24)
…to the apostles a week later (Thomas present) (Jn. 20:24-29)
…in Galilee to the seven by the Lake of Tiberias (Jn. 21:1-23)
…in Galilee to the apostles and 500 believers (I Cor. 15:6)
…to James at Jerusalem and Bethany (I Cor. 15:7)
…at Mt. Olivet in His ascension (Acts 1:3-12)
…to Paul near Damascus (Acts 9:3-6; I Cor. 15:8)
…to Stephen outside Jerusalem (Acts 7:55)
…to Paul in the temple (Acts 22:17-21; 23:11)
…to John on the Isle of Patmos (Rev. 1:10-19)

Hence, our Lord and Savior “ever liveth…” (Hebrews 7:25) 

JESUS LIVES!  And because HE lives, we can face tomorrow.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

THE MEANING OF THE CROSS

THE MEANING OF THE CROSS

The cross of Calvary means so much to so many.  Because of Christ’s vicarious sacrifice, believers have at-one-ment and peace with The Father.  Thank you, Jesus!  You came to pay a debt You did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay.

Allow me to cite just a few faith perspectives of that wondrous, old, rugged cross:

“The figure of the Crucified invalidates any thought which takes success for its standard.” –Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“All heaven is interested in the cross of Christ, all hell is terribly afraid of it, while men are the only beings who more or less ignore its meaning.”  –Oswald Chambers

“The cross is God's way of uniting suffering with love.”  –Georgia Harkness

“It was on the cross of Calvary that God-in-Christ dealt fully and finally with self, the nature from which all our sins flow.”  –Miles J. Stanford

“The deformity of Christ forms you.  If He had not willed to be deformed, you would not have recovered the form which you had lost.  Therefore, He was deformed when He hung on the cross.  But His deformity is our comeliness.  In this life, therefore, let us hold fast to the deformed Christ.”  –Augustine

“It has been said there was a cross in the heart of God long before the cross was erected at Calvary.  As we think about it, we will be overwhelmed by the wonder and greatness of His love for us.”  –Billy Graham

“From all that dims Mount Calvary, Oh Lamb of God deliver me.”  –Amy Carmichael

Amen, sisters and brothers, Amen!  Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

LET'S LOVE ONE ANOTHER

LET’S LOVE ONE ANOTHER

These are the life-giving words of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35, NKJV)

Love is unquestionably stronger than hate.  Let’s embody and exemplify God’s love.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

MAKE SURE YOU APPLAUD LOVED ONES

MAKE SURE YOU APPLAUD LOVED ONES

In Dr. Ernest Mellor’s book, “Homemade,” he details the importance of appreciating others, and he does so by recalling how important applause is to children, and others as well:

“Recently my wife and I sat charmed at an outdoor performance by young Suzuki violin students. After the concert, an instructor spoke briefly on how children as young as two, three and four years old are taught to play violin. The first thing the children learn is a proper stance. And the second thing the children learn – even before they pick up the violin – is how to take a bow. “If the children just play the violin and stop, people may forget to show their appreciation,” the instructor told us. “But when the children bow, the audience invariably applauds. And applause is the best motivator we’ve found to make children feel good about performing and want to do it very well.”

Adults love applause too. Being affirmed makes us feel wonderful. If you want to rekindle or keep the flame of love glowing and growing in your marriage through the years, try showing and expressing your appreciation for your mate. Put some applause in your marriage and watch love grow.”

Thank you, Dr. Mellor, we’ll try to remember and put your sage advice into action. 

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

THE PANDEMIC OF LONELINESS

THE PANDEMIC OF LONELINESS

Special thanks are extended to Pastor Chuck Swindoll for the following essay on loneliness:

A “Ziggy” cartoon pictured a pudgy man sitting alone in a boat, drifting toward a tunnel with the sign above, “Tunnel of Meaningful Relationships.” Think about that. Loneliness is a growing problem in our society. A study by the American Council of Life Insurance reported that the loneliest people in America are college students. That's surprising! Next on that list are divorced people, welfare recipients, single mothers, rural students, housewives, and the elderly. 

An ad in a Kansas newspaper read, “I will listen to you talk for 30 minutes without comment for $5.00.” Sounds like a hoax, doesn't it? But the person who posted it was quite serious. Did anybody call? You bet! It wasn’t long before that individual was receiving 10 to 20 calls a day. The pain of loneliness was so sharp that some were willing to try anything for a half hour of companionship.

Thank you for sharing, Pastor Swindoll.  For a little more perspective on this issue, consider the recent Cigna survey which revealed that nearly half of Americans always or sometimes feel alone (46%) or left out (47%). Fully 54% said they always or sometimes feel that no one knows them well. 

During my lifetime, I have identified three specific remedies to abate loneliness.  The first is prayer, for “in His presence is the fullness of joy.” (Psalm 16:11)  The second is connecting with someone who genuinely cares.  The third is being regularly engaged in serving others.  By all means, avoid pity parties like the plague.  Get up, get out, and do something.  If you are physically able, a simple walk is a wonderful way to transform your thinking and your attitude.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

PHENOMENAL ACCURACY

PHENOMENAL ACCURACY

Time technicians at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (formerly the National Bureau of Standards) set a new level of precision in 1949 by inventing the atomic clock. It counted the oscillations of the nitrogen atom in an ammonia molecule and was reliable to within one second in three years. More recently, the institute switched to an atomic clock based on the vibrations of cesium atoms. It would need 300,000 years to gain or lose a single second. But those scientists are working on a still-better model. A single mercury ion will be trapped in a vacuum by laser beams and cooled to its lowest possible energy level. The atom’s oscillations will then be so stable that the new timepiece should be accurate to within one second in 10 billion years, which is the approximate life span of stars similar to our sun. 

However, the Word of our Lord is most accurate of all – never losing one beat in its timeless reflection of amazing grace, illumination, love and available salvation for all. Trust.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!